The unthinkable happened to Prego in Irvine last June. It was partially destroyed by a fire. I got a firsthand phone report from a friend in one of the next-door tower buildings, who described a scene of flames shooting through the roof, fire trucks arriving, and employees and customers outside the place, watching in disbelief the general chaos of the moment.
Prego recently reopened, more attractive than ever with a polished Italian villa atmosphere. I was there within two days of its reopening, enjoying Chef Ugo Allesina’s homemade pasta; antipasto crudo platter with Ugo’s handcrafted Allesina salami, bresaola (air-dried beef), Prosciutto di Parma, speck (Tyrolean ham) and giardiniera (chef’s freshly pickled vegetables); and a couple of terrific entrées.
Chef Ugo has been the guiding force for Prego’s upscale Italian cuisine for many years, and the regional specialties still thrill the palate.
Have a look, have a meal, have a lovely little trip to Italy right here in Irvine. Prego: 18420 Von Karman Ave., (949) 553-1333.
Anaheim Landmark Sets Date
Our weekly OC Insider column recently carried news about the probable closing of Mr. Stox in the Platinum Triangle of Anaheim. Here’s the latest, with some thoughts of my own.
The Platinum Triangle has been an ongoing project in the updating of Anaheim. Some new apartments and condos, and the resituating of the ever-popular Catch restaurant, were completed three years ago as part of that plan.
Newport Beach-based developer The Shopoff Group had indicated that it would be developing three properties on Katella Avenue into two apartment projects, with one part of this proposed project to include the site of Mr. Stox, owned by the Marshall family. The papers now are signed, and the final day of service for Mr. Stox will be March 15.
The Marshalls have been seeking a way to retire for some time, so this isn’t a tearful, dramatic thing. But there is a sense of loss for those of us who liked the overall sophistication of Mr. Stox (one of the world’s acknowledged greatest wine cellars, beautiful surroundings, upscale food). The Marshalls were the front-runners of food- and wine-matching dinners, with the most famous wine makers and winery owners traveling to OC to share their philosophies and wines with us for the past 30 years.
Such dedication to the importance of quality cuisine, global wines and fine service has kept Mr. Stox a favorite fine-dining spot. We will be able to enjoy their hospitality for about three months before the final meal, so I’d advise everyone to make a reservation before all opportunity evaporates.
One of the ways to enjoy these final months is the Sunny Southern Italy Participation Dinner on Jan. 11. Food from this region of Italy is fun to prepare. You’ll begin by making lemon-pepper fettuccine with seared scallops in a creamy pinot grigio sauce.
Next is a flat-bread pizza with classic Tuscan toppings. Lamb osso buco entrée will be simmering as you enjoy the first two courses. Dessert will have you participating in making lemoncello tart with Italian meringue. The lamb in your entrée calls for a rich red wine, while a zesty pinot grigio will make a great starter for everyone.
The price is $135, which includes dinner, wines, tip and taxes. You should dress in comfortable shoes and clothing as you will be cooking in the restaurant kitchen.
Mr. Stox: 1105 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, (714) 634-2994.
Excitement at Andrea
Andrea, the signature restaurant at the Resort at Pelican Hill, has some exciting new things going on. There’s a new chef, a very refined new menu reflecting his Italian roots, a truffle menu running through January, and a romantic Valentine meal.
Luigi Fineo is the new head chef of Andrea, and I find his story fascinating. I’ve tried several items from his new winter menu and can declare that his creativity is really impressive from presentation to taste tests.
Fineo is from a small town in Southern Italy, where he grew up as one of five siblings, ostensibly the one who relished cooking in his mother’s kitchen, tasting and savoring an entire spectrum of food. It seems he became a chef for one simple reason: He loves to eat. He attended a well-known culinary school in Bari, Italy, and began his professional career in fine-dining restaurants in Southern Italy, later working in Florence (in the heart of Tuscany) and further honing his skills at an establishment on the northern Italian border before traveling the West Coast of the U.S.
Fineo spoke no English when he arrived in Los Angeles, but he wasted no time in learning our language, mostly, he says, from local newspapers and television programs. He also applied himself vigorously for five years as executive chef at La Botte Ristorante in Santa Monica. That restaurant earned one Michelin star for two consecutive years under his culinary direction.
Then Fineo pursued an opportunity to work at Thomas Keller’s globally acclaimed restaurant, The French Laundry in the Napa Valley. He worked with Keller first in Napa Valley and later in Beverly Hills at Keller’s Bouchon restaurant. That led Fineo to Andrea, and what a major coup for this resort and for the dining public. He’s put a new meaning on the word “delicious” with food that has transcended what came before his arrival, although Andrea has always had good food.
Let’s begin by talking about his Black Truffle Menu in January. A trio of items from that menu include seared Maine diver scallops with stracchino cheese and house-cured pancetta; “Greg Norman” wagyu tenderloin (grade 9) with roasted winter vegetables, mushrooms and bone marrow; and acquerello carnaroli risotto with porcini mushrooms. Acquerello is an organic rice considered the best rice in the world (it has grown on the Rondolini estate in Piedmont, Italy, since 1935), and it is aged like fine wine. The acquarello that Fineo uses for his risotto dish is aged seven years.
The black truffles will be available at market price (TBD) in 4-gram and 6-gram portions to be shaved atop each dish.
Tuscan cuisine, considered the heart of the culinary Renaissance, is chef Luigi’s specialty at Andrea Ristorante. With a special a la carte menu, he is presenting the cuisine of Northern Italy featuring fresh pastas made daily in the temperature- and humidity-controlled pasta room, specially sourced meats and seafood, imported delicacies (including black truffles), and California’s finest locally grown ingredients from the Irvine Ranch. The menu is now studded with original antipasti, rustic pastas, hearty meat entrées and fresh seafood delicately handled.
February will bring a Menu dell’ Amore, an Italian lovers’ menu designed by Fineo. This would be a fine time to enjoy the casually elegant ambiance, heated ocean-view terrace, live music and an exquisite selection of Italian wines. This meal is $110 per person, or $170 per person with wine pairings (excluding tax and gratuity).
Finally, I want to note that there’s the Andrea Pranzo Veloce (quick lunch) served Wednesday through Sunday. For just $30 per person, enjoy a two-course express menu served in 45 minutes or less in this very pleasant dining room.
Andrea at The Resort at Pelican Hill: 22701 Pelican Hill Road S., Newport Coast, (800) 820-6800.
Snooty Remains a Favorite
We hadn’t been to Snooty Fox in Laguna Hills for a long time—we used to go there more often but now there are so many restaurants to try—but after having a friend tell us that the food was still very good, we carved out some time to have some current tastes.
I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking that this is haute cuisine. It is, and has been for 26 years, a local favorite for generous portions of very good food, owned the whole time by the same food-oriented person. The formica tables and captain-style chairs have remained, part of the simplicity that fits its tucked-in-a-corner location of an L-shaped mini mall, which has always sufficed. So, now we’re clear that Snooty Fox is all about the good, casual food.
It’s popular enough that on any weekend you may have to wait a little while for a table. It’s worth it. The hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, so we’re concentrating on breakfast and lunch.
Breakfast is served anytime, a good thing since this is where the kitchen can really indulge. Big fluffy biscuits and gravy translates to Southern comfort on a plate. Omelets are big and stuffed with things like sautéed mushrooms and other vegetables, cheeses and meats. Pancakes are stacked generously (love the ones with berries in the mix). Every combo favorite is offered.
At lunch, order the good chili burrito, classic sandwiches and traditional salads. Besides the Americana bent, there’s also a decent representation of Mexican specialties. Basically, if you respect local, family-owned businesses where pretense does not exist, where they care enough about you to customize your order, Snooty Fox delivers hometown friendliness and very decent prices. I appreciate that in a world of trends, a few places like this give us a dose of nostalgia.
Snooty Fox: 23028 Lake Forest Drive, Laguna Hills, (949) 770-7761.
Sage Near JWA?
The closing of Sage Eastbluff last week was sad for chef/owner Rich Mead’s customers and doubly sad for him. After 15 years of being tucked in his cute place in the Eastbluff Center, the lease could no longer be negotiated. The good news is that Rich—one of OC’s most admired chefs—has been looking for a new place to house Sage that is nearby. There’s hope that a space he’s looked at near John Wayne Airport is going to work out and that we’ll soon have a Sage restaurant again.
This restaurant set the stage for the serious farm-to-fork philosophy. People were in awe, way back when Sage was new, to discover that Rich was trekking every week before dawn to the Santa Monica Farmers Market to select—from specialty farmers and passionate artisanal food purveyors—the products that would form the dishes we were eating. That dedication to working with local agriculturists and more was visionary and set the stage for freshness and healthfulness in restaurant menus. Today, many restaurants are on that farm-fresh bandwagon, but it was Rich who paved the way.
Rich won’t be changing his pristinely fresh attitude in a new venture—he’ll probably just enhance it all the more and keep us savoring his signature style of cooking. I’ve often said that he does the best roast chicken in Orange County, and I’m certainly hung up on several dishes on his menu. Be patient; it hopefully won’t be too long before all the signatures are in place and he can get into the new space and reconfigure it to his needs. I’m thankful that he’s committed to keeping Sage and its reputation alive.
Rich has another restaurant, Canyon, in Anaheim Hills, where we can see him and keep on enjoying his flavors in the meantime. You will find it at 5775 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim Hills, (714) 283-1062.
