Everyone’s extra busy at this time of year, but certain things only happen for a few weeks as we take in this last month and roll over into the new year, and those pleasant opportunities should not be missed.
Take in the beautiful décor of our resorts. Done up in millions of lights and decked out in their holiday themes, the happiness factor is prominent.
Each of the large hotels has extensive holiday-themed happenings that also bring the best of the season into focus. Gift someone with a certificate to a slice of this good life, or pamper yourself with one or more memorable prospects. If you call any of the resorts, they will email you their calendar of special activities for December—some go into January—and websites are helpful too.
It’s that time of year when dilemmas about what to give as gifts emerge. I’ve begun to pick up some unusual but thoroughly useful gifts for those interested in food, wine or cooking.
There are always some value-priced global wines of fine quality. I still think that a bottle of red or white that has a lovely personality is a good go-to gift. There are many exciting but under-appreciated wines that places like Hi Time in Costa Mesa and Rolfs in Newport Beach can easily point out.
Ginger Grater
Ginger is becoming a more prominent flavoring agent in cooking and has crossed over from Oriental cooking to usefulness in many worldly dishes, and a decent ginger grater should be welcomed in every kitchen.
The one I like most is made of ceramic and does a fine job of grating, almost to a purée, the amount of fresh ginger needed. Tuck in a little note suggesting that the knob of fresh ginger is best kept ready for use by putting it in a closed container and covering it with a dry white wine.
This is by far superior to freezing the ginger, and it will keep endlessly when refrigerated. The wine liquid can also be used in marinades and to drizzle in stir-fry dishes.
Sure to bring smiles while making someone’s cutlery more colorful would be a set of six steak knives in bright, pearl-like metal from Cuisinart’s Advantage line. In each set are two knives in turquoise, two in lime green and two in magenta, with the colors running dramatically over the whole length of the blade and handle.
Not only are they ultra attractive and contemporary, they have razor-sharp blades and comfortable handles. They are one of the beloved items in my kitchen this year, and they certainly add an unexpected vibrant surprise to my table settings.
Kohl’s has them in stock, but they are possibly available elsewhere too. At $40, I can’t imagine a more unique and useful gift.
There are gift certificates to favorite restaurants, perhaps a bottle of the latest tequila or vodka to consider. Last year, I gave a few bottles of lychee-flavored vodka and feedback was really positive on those.
I have several other ideas for giving that suit my food and wine beat, and if you’d like my further input please feel free to email me at chaothyme@aol.com. Also, I get inquiries about where to hold holiday gatherings, and if you’d like my input on that topic, I’ll also field those emails to the best of my ability.
My dearest hope is that everyone will find the rainbows in all that encompasses this season, and that you will be able to separate the stress from the joy factor.
Martin’s Bistro
If you’ve ever wondered what defines an American Bistro, do visit the new Paul Martin’s American Bistro in the Irvine Spectrum, which showcases the genre in looks, food and service.
They didn’t practice on us—this is their third location, after Roseville and El Segundo. They got it right with the first restaurant and merely had to stick with what was working so well for them and their customers.
First customer arrivals here have been plentiful and pleased from my observations.
Their food philosophy is to eat organic, respect sustainability, buy local and then pursue a passion to cook it while pristinely fresh. That puts an exclamation point on the back-to-the-farm and peak-of-the-season philosophy underlying all of it for chef/partner Brian Bennett and restaurateur/partner Paul Fleming.
At a time when most of us are longing for comfort factors amid the economic stresses, Paul Martin’s takes us to a tasty safe haven.
There’s a combination of seating at tables or in booths, not to forget the friendly locations at the big bar where both libations and food are consumed. We’re surrounded with a vista of mid-level sophistication brought to life through rustic polished wood, old brick, zinc and soft lighting.
It’s the kind of place where the mood is calm and relaxed dining is encouraged.
Big choices come when perusing the menu, a one-page affair that manages to pack in a lot of interesting food meant to appeal to a wide swath of the dining public. The spinach and cheese dip—made with heirloom Bloomsdale spinach and nubs of sun-dried tomato—is superb and joins 20 other share plates, soups and salads.
Roasted butternut squash soup, buttermilk-battered calamari, smoked salmon lettuce wraps and St. Louis ribs are high achievers.
Mesquite grilled specialties, pan classics and sandwiches are some of the entrées.
One dish that really made my day was Strauss Farms American lamb meatballs with white beans and a tomato jus. Chops, steaks, ribs, poultry, prawns, the tastiest varieties of fresh fish and tender short ribs are featured ($12 to $32). I’m leaving as a surprise the carefully selected and uniquely cooked veggie and carb sides that come with entrées or can be ordered a la carte.
Debut
Debuting in early 2012 will be Sunday Family Dinner as an alternative. All-natural prime rib, soup or salad, mashed potatoes and dessert is one choice; the other is free-range chicken that’s fried home style with the accompaniment of an organic baby lettuce salad and hot blondies with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
More than 50 wines by the glass are offered—I give them extra points for the wide selection of varietals in single pours and by the bottle. Lots of choices from fine vineyards in the $26 to $45 range bring bottled wine smack dab into affordability.
Seasonal fruit-infused vodkas are made in-house, and an interesting array of local craft beers provides another option. Many featured cocktails are only $9 each, and happy hour bargains include a bunch of food items, wines and cocktails pared down to $4 to $8—3 to 7 p.m. daily.
I’ve kept track of Fleming’s building iconic restaurants for years. He founded or cofounded Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, P.F. Chang’s, Pei Wei and Z’Tejas, and he was responsible for Ruth’s Chris Steak House development in California, Arizona and Hawaii for a dozen years. With that extensive background and all of those successes and Bennett’s food talents, he’s well-positioned to have another good run with this Paul Martin’s concept.
Paul Martin’s American Bistro: 31 Fortune Drive, Irvine Spectrum, (949) 453-1144.
Dim Sum
Something must be going right with our OC economy, as restaurants continue to open.
I’m enjoying the just-launched Capital Seafood in Irvine’s Spectrum, where more than 100 dim sum items are wheeled to your table on those stainless carts. It aims to bring patrons the “best of the sea,” but the menu reaches far beyond seafood and shellfish by embracing plenty of poultry, meat and vegetarian dishes on the full menu as well.
With its sister restaurant in Monterey Park filled to capacity, we got our first Capital Seafood in Irvine at Alton and Jamboree a couple of years ago. Given that overwhelming success, we now have our second location at the Spectrum, and it is as modernly attractive as the other two, the service is top notch, the food’s completely delicious and the wait might be half an hour or so but really worth it.
We are relieved of the old hanging red lanterns and dragon themes, but the authenticity of the food is fully respected and quite mindful of the types of dishes found in Hong Kong. Presentations have taken a giant leap forward to give us eye appeal that’s also up to date.
Capital Seafood: 85 Fortune Drive, Irvine Spectrum, (949) 788-9218.
Closed Arches
Sadly, a few restaurants that were dining symbols have closed.
In a recent scenario, stealthier than a cat stalking a mouse, Dan Marcheano quietly closed The Arches. In 2008, Marcheano moved from the legendary location on Pacific Coast Highway (another rent dispute) to the tiny house that had once been Aubergine in Newport’s Cannery Village.
Not enough business there, so he shuttered that one in 2010 and moved to the old location of Ristorante Max—before that Capri Blue—on Newport’s Westcliff Drive and added the words Grill & BBQ to the Arches name, at the same time tweaking his menu.
His menu prices, however, were not so affordable, and the current economy couldn’t have helped. I’ve been trying to track him down to see if he plans another restaurant jaunt.
My hopes for the new year are that Marcheano brings back The Arches one more time, as our craving for those old icons lives on.
