The Cannery in Newport Beach brought in Lawry’s chef Walter Eckstein to take over the menu for a special evening.
Seldom have I seen such energy and enjoyment in a sold-out restaurant on a Tuesday evening. The legendary metal carts from Lawry’s The Prime Rib in Beverly Hills rolled through the aisles of The Cannery and many of Lawry’s servers carved and served our orders, complete with all the side complements and Yorkshire pudding.
The Cannery has proven during the past three years that the public loves what’s called the Orange Curtain,where the restaurant’s owner, Ron Salisbury, throughout the year brings in a few top chefs from Los Angeles to cook special dinners.
What we didn’t expect was to see so many of the corporate Lawry’s “names” on this evening. It was fun to catch up on things with two generations of the founding Frank family, Richard N. Frank and his son, Chief Executive Richard R. Frank. And it’s been ages since we’ve seen Phil Crowley, the chief financial officer of Lawry’s corporation,he was the manager of our Five Crowns for so many years and the guy who was behind the compilation of its famous wine cellar.
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Lawry’s prime rib: dinner for two special runs through April |
No sooner had Phil gone back to his table than the conversation turned to food at The Ritz when longtime chef in The Ritz kitchen, Art Shegog, stopped by our table. We go to this legendary restaurant for many reasons, but this was a reminder that at the end of May, the Tuesday evenings on the Ritz Garden Patio with Art’s famous fried chicken returns for the summer.
Perhaps it was serendipity that Lawry’s management had a corporate meeting that afternoon at South Coast Plaza and thus stayed in Newport for this evening at The Cannery. And, I will let out the secret that their table of 10 all ordered off the Cannery menu, trying chef Fexlix Salcedo’s signature dishes.
The next evening with an L.A. chef at The Cannery is on May 6, when celebrated chef Joe Miller of Joe’s and Bar Pintxo in Venice/Santa Monica makes a third appearance. The Cannery is at 3010 Lafayette Road, Newport Beach; call (949) 566-0060. Special note: There are 50 wines at 50% off every Tuesday.
Food and Wine Dinner
Five Crowns in Corona del Mar presents an evening with Ren & #233; Schlatter, chief executive of Merryvale Vineyards, as she shares Merryvale’s history and award-winning wines (2004 Silhouette Chardonnay, 2006 Carneros Pinot Noir, 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet, 2003 Napa Valley Profile and their Antigua Dessert Wine). The dinner includes hors d’oeuvres, salmon and eggplant napoleon, grilled duck, lamb osso buco and lemon fruit tart. Price is $110 all-inclusive, April 29 at 7 p.m. Call (949) 760-0331.
Tidbits
Cabana in Laguna Beach is closed. When I find out who has the courage to open a restaurant at the location in these tough economic times, I’ll let you know.
Take advantage of a fine champagne tasting at an affordable price by stopping by Quattro Caff & #233; at South Coast Plaza from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 8 and 9. Laurent-Perrier Gran Si & #269;cle M, Louis Roederer Brut 2000, Dom Ruinart 1996 and Salon Clos Le Mesnil 1996 will be poured. Price is $45 per person. Seating is limited so reservations should be made by calling (714) 754-0300.
On a personal note, Quattro has some of the most delicious Italian food around. For those who still don’t know, this restaurant is part of the Antonio Cagnolo/Antonello group.
You still have the rest of this month to take advantage of the Dinner for Two Special at any of our Southland Lawry’s. I suspect that most of us are having the meal at Five Crowns in Corona del Mar. For $99 (plus tax and gratuity) per couple, it includes a bottle of Salmon Creek wine, choice of lobster bisque or one of two salads, selection from four entrees (8 oz. cut of prime rib of beef, rotisserie chicken, salmon or roast duckling), and even a choice of desserts (English trifle, lemon tart, chocolate truffle tart or cr & #269;me br & #369;l & #233;e). The meal is finished off with Starbucks Guatemala Casi Cielo coffee or tea. For an additional $15, each of you can have Atlantic lobster tail added to the plate. Call (949) 760-0331 for you reservations.
Toddle on over to Mozambique in Laguna Beach one Sunday for the midday brunch. It’s upstairs in the Shabeen Lounge that overlooks the ocean and is a very nice spread indeed. Besides, there’s something exotically compelling about this place as a whole.
I am in love with their Durban curry and their mixed grill of meats with most interesting complements is always a treat. There are many items on the a la carte menu that are tinged with the mild peri-peri spice of that African country, all foods that the American palate embraces. Call (949) 715-7777.
With the warm weather here, La Vie en Rose in Brea has opened its Patio Bistro. For lunch, Monday through Friday, a menu of salads, soups, sandwiches and desserts fulfills most of our midday eating desires. This is a delightful way to enjoy the outdoors and relax. Should you wish to dine inside, the restaurant is open with the full a la carte menu and more sophisticated table settings.
This is my favorite restaurant for country French fare. La Vie’s phone number is (714) 529-8333.
Fundraisers
On April 22, Modo Mio (where I’ve had many fine Italian meals) in the Crystal Cove Promenade joins the American Cancer Society for the OC Baron’s Ball. The ball, held from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., is an annual event that benefits local cancer patient services, education, advocacy and lifesaving cancer research; 20% of all sales from this evening go toward the cause. For further information and reservations for the fundraiser, call American Cancer Society at (949) 261-9446, ext. 3. Modo Mio’s phone number is (949) 497-9770.
It’s Donate Life Day on April 27 at Salt Creek Grille in Dana Point. The restaurant will donate 10% of all the gross sales that day toward the goal of spreading organ donor awareness and encouraging individuals to become registered donors. There’s an extra personal note to be shared here. Pete Truxaw is one of the owners/founders of the Salt Creek Grille restaurants,others are in Valencia and El Segundo and two more in the East. More than a decade ago, Pete’s nephew, then 12, collapsed from a congenital heart problem that a routine physical had overlooked. Today, Chris is thriving with the donor heart he received. That makes the point better than all the words we can write. All you have to do is dine to help the cause. Salt Creek’s phone number is (949) 661-7799.
Special Events
Time does go quickly. A whole year has gone by since Marche Moderne on the upper level of South Coast Plaza’s Nordstrom wing debuted and now they are having their First Anniversary Dinner on May 1. The splendid food of chef/owner Florent Marneau and his pastry chef wife/restaurant partner, Amelia, has brought us the truest essence of a fine bistro in France for these past months and this is one more chance for us to relish it all.
The menu for the evening is $75, with matching wines available for an additional $35. I am anxiously awaiting my dinner (appetizer of varied vegetables from individual farmers, choice of butter roasted Dover sole or halibut cheeks with langoustines for the fish course, Four Story Hill prime New York for the meat course, plate of artisanal cheese and wild strawberry mille feuille). The sauces and side dishes alone sound scrumptious, but I have to leave something to your imagination. Make reservations now as this evening will quickly sell out. Call Marche Moderne at (714) 434-7900.
Here it comes again, Orange County’s premier gourmet food and wine weekend, the Fifth Annual Food & Wine Festival at the Balboa Bay Club to be held Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25. This has become the must see and must do event for anyone interested in gourmet food functions, fine wines and tasting seminars.
The resort will become Piazza della Acqua (Plaza of the Water) for the weekend and will pay homage to Italy (the land of wine). Master Sommeliers will escort guests through the nuances of fine wines, ports, cognacs and sakes from around the world. Each event will feature beautiful displays of fine foods and complementing spirits.
You can attend all functions or separate ones that are of particular interest. In one event, a member of the Antinori family,Antinori wines are, of course, among the most famous in the world,will be in attendance to lead the special Antinori Italian Lunch and share the family’s 600 years in the winemaking industry. Under the culinary auspices of the Balboa Bay Club’s executive chef Josef Lageder, the food last year was delicious, interesting and sometimes even amazing in scope as he introduced us to the best new artisanal foods in various preparations. I am sure this year will be equally wonderful.
Some of the events include wine tastings with the Master Sommeliers, an Evening on the Bay food and wine extravaganza, the Antinori lunch, a sak & #233; and sushi seminar and tasting, seminar and tasting of syrah wines from around the world, an afternoon of sparkling and still ros & #233; wines, a chocolate and wine pairing event and the highlight Grand Tasting event.
Individual events are priced from $55 to $145. The full event package is $490. Special weekend lodging rates are also available,the way to go because it’s nice to be right there for everything and it makes for a mini vacation. Call the Balboa Bay Club at (949) 645-5000 for more information and to register for the food and wine weekend.
