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LEGENDARY HAUNTS

For this issue of Fifi’s Best, I decided to have a look at some of Orange County’s legendary and longest-serving restaurants.

This is just a sampling of the county’s old legends. Nevertheless, I hope that it will help in pointing you toward some of the county’s gems.

The oldest restaurants here go back many decades, though much of our dining stability comes from the 1980s.

Most of these restaurants keep their menus fresh and in tune with what’s in vogue. Others are dreamy because they don’t change the classic dishes that they made their name on.

Since summer has arrived, I’ve put a special focus on warm-weather wining and dining.

ANTONELLO RISTORANTE

South Coast Plaza Village

1611 Sunflower Ave.

Santa Ana

(714) 751-7153

Lunch and dinner

It all began in 1979 when owner Antonio Cagnolo gave us the gorgeous replica of a town square in the Italian village where he grew up.

Like so many young men from countries afar,Italy, the Philippines and Thailand come to mind,he became a waiter on a cruise ship in order to make enough to start his own business. Savvy connections led to this OC dream place of dining.

Chef Franco Barone has enticed my palate on innumerable occasions when I simply ask him to cook whatever he feels a particular affinity for that day. Franco’s repertoire leans heavily toward Northern Italian dishes.

This is the kind of place where most servers have been with the restaurant for 15 to 25 years. They are able to offer excellent suggestions on food and wine selections and customers trust in their professional experience.

You might begin a meal with caprese con burrata (slices of fresh, soft burrata cheese, yellow and red tomatoes, fresh basil and a drizzle of fine olive oil) or salmone affumicato (thin slices of smoked salmon sprinkled with lemon, olive oil and capers, topped with baby mixed greens). The delicious steamed clams and mussels with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley and a pinch of dried red chiles also is as authentic as a starter can get.

It’s summertime and certain entrees seem to sit lighter on the tummy. The grilled wild king salmon served over fresh baby mixed greens, with a slightly exotic sauce that the chef invented, is amazingly juicy and flavorful. Veal is lighter than steak and the roasted free-range veal chop topped with assorted mushrooms and fresh black summer truffles sings with flavor.

For pasta, how about the linguine with chunks of assorted seafood (half an Australian lobster tail, large scallops and shrimp) sauteed with garlic, basil, white wine and sundried tomato?

Suggested wines: Levendi “Red Hen Vineyard” 2003 Chardonnay at $55 goes well with smoked salmon and the Steltzner “SLD” 2002 cabernet at $66 is sleek enough for the veal chop.

Save a little of your red wine to sip with the chocolate sponge cake dessert that is layered with smooth chocolate mousse, covered in a ganache and served with fresh raspberry sauce. Panna cotta may be a simple dessert, but this version of the eggless vanilla flan with a caramel sauce and seasonal berries still takes us to dreamy places.

THE ARCHES

3334 W. Coast Highway

Newport Beach

(949) 645-7077

Lunch and dinner

Since 1922, travelers and locals have been seeking out The Arches.

How many movie stars and other celebrities have had drinks at the bar and sat in those huge, comfortable, red leather booths we still love today? Hard to say, but it’s a substantial number.

Deals that have changed the face of OC have been made over meals or cocktails and those of us who get very nostalgic on occasion don’t need an excuse to enjoy another few hours here. And one of the best things for us night owls is that they serve until 1 a.m. every day.

The Arches’ food quality took a giant step when Dan Marcheano bought the restaurant in 1982. Dan was at the forefront of making the food in his restaurant the best.

He’s kept the traditional/Continental concept, giving us a respite from the sea of creativity that has altered most dishes we’ve known in other restaurants.

For 22 years, Gerardo Gaytan has been in the kitchen carrying out his end of the deal, while the waiters excel in professional tableside service. Few places are left where many of the salads and entrees are finished in front of the diner, a romanticism we still love.

This is the place to indulge in Florida stone crab claws. Share some as an indulgent appetizer. Classics like a shrimp or crab cocktail beg to be on your table.

Fresh fish of many kinds comprise straightforward entrees. Crab cakes can be either an appetizer or entree,they are the kind packed with crabmeat and little filler. Twenty blue plate specials at $11.95 punctuate the lunch experience (lamb shank, several Italian specialties, short ribs and chicken Diane among them) but there’s a whole a la carte menu, too.

Another impressive group of dinner entrees includes prime rib and stroganoff to consider, an awesome calamari steak, chateaubriand and rack of lamb, interspersed with some Europeanesque dishes to taunt you. Dan doesn’t believe in tiny portions.

This is one of my favorite places to have a pre-meal martini, a real one made with fine gin and a couple of fat olives. From the wine list, I can suggest something like a Groth chardonnay or Duckhorn sauvignon blanc. You can have fun wading through the 600 imported and domestic wines on hand.

BISTANGO

19100 Von Karman Ave.

Irvine

(949) 752-5222

Lunch and dinner

This has been our shining star art gallery and restaurant combination for 18 years. It’s also one of the places where we love having a cocktail and dancing to live music nightly.

Sitting in the center of the atrium of soaring office buildings, it could have been another cold space as so many restaurants surrounded by all those hard surfaces are. But owner John Ghoukassian, joined in recent years by his son Marc and daughter Karen, has a keen eye for fine art and worldly accents.

He’s also a stickler for perfection.

No wonder Bistango is loaded with business people during the day and a cross-section of romantics, sophisticates across the board and business associates in the evenings.

Chef Javier Montoya cooks American/contemporary dishes. He’s not interested in getting the influence of too many countries on any one plate.

He is, however, very intent on the architectural element of his food presentations. He’s also keenly aware of flavor depths in his dishes that make them linger in our thoughts long after a meal is done.

I almost always have soup here. For summer, try the gazpacho soup with California Hass avocado in it. Creamy and healthy and satisfying.

The signature garlic soup is marvelous. Sweetly roasted garlic is turned into a silky potage that becomes a rave. Another summery starter would be the asparagus and walnut-crusted goat cheese salad with oven-roasted baby beets and mache lettuce.

This is the time to enjoy vine-ripened tomatoes interspersed with fresh mozzarella, with added touches of cucumber and Spanish olives.

Seared rare tuna, crusted with sesame seeds, served with Asian-style vegetables and shiitake mushrooms goes nicely as an entree this season. The soy-glazed wild king salmon with baby artichoke and wilted spinach also is summertime friendly for the palate and one hardly can go wrong with the grilled filet mignon with sauteed asparagus and parsley potatoes.

Desserts here always have been seriously delicious. The chocolate lover will delve happily into the marquise au chocolat with cr & #269;me anglaise pooled around it. And I’m not about to pass up any opportunity to have the California peach tart with caramel sauce and cinnamon ice cream as long as it’s on the menu.

A big and comprehensive wine list includes lots of wines by the glass. Summer suggestions: Willakenzie Estate, Willamette Valley, Pinot Blanc from Oregon and the Au Bon Climat “La Bauge au-Dessus,” Pinot Noir from Santa Maria Valley.

BLACK SHEEP BISTRO

303 El Camino Real

Old Town Tustin

(714) 544-6060

Dinner only

For 16 years, Rick and Diana Boufford have been doing Mediterranean cuisine as it should be done.

Diana oversees the guests while Rick’s down-to-earth personality permeates every dish he cooks and makes dining fun.

It’s a casual place, but with proper linens. The outdoor patio is perfect for summer.

It certainly has more of a country feel than a city restaurant. You can’t help but feel at home and free to have fun.

Rick’s fun description of himself: “Stubborn as all get out, slightly silly, defiantly different and willing to work for food.” He will tell you that he concentrates mostly on French and Spanish farmhouse flavors, with a bit of Italy peeking in.

Some appetizers speak of summer. Mussels Bilbao with sausage, onion, garlic and potatoes. Just a yummy combination of mouth-filling flavors. The mushrooms Jerez also will start you off right with their garlic, herbs and sherry intonations.

I would urge you toward the crispy confit of duck wings and the grilled quail. Totally different personalities than you’ll find elsewhere.

I hardly know where to begin with the entrees. Perhaps I should start by saying there’s a reason restaurant critics are falling all over themselves with praise for Rick’s dishes.

Super delicious is the spicy lamb harissa comprised of four large California lamb chops with a spicy cayenne pepper/garlic sauce. Then there’s the boneless loin of lamb rolled in cracked black pepper, grilled, and served with aioli.

On to a wonderful dish of tender duck breast with lavender honey sauce and a leg of crispy duck confit on the side. There’s also the Gascon Grill that is made up of the chef’s favorites: duck breast, half a lamb loin and half a New York Steak, grilled with olive oil, garlic and his own herb mix. Special, too, are the trio of paellas and the large shrimp with Rick’s cilantro aioli adrift on the plate.

Here’s a deal on wines: Pago de los Capellanes 2003 Joven Ribera del Duero at $23 and Cuvee du Golfe de St. Topez 2002, a swell Rose for $20.

Desserts such as the chic Cr & #269;ma de Catalonia, Spain’s cr & #269;me br & #369;l & #233;e, freshly made profiteroles (little cream puffs) that are Diana’s favorites.

THE CAT & THE CUSTARD CUP

800 E. Whittier Blvd.

La Habra

(562) 694-3812

Dinner only

Dining here is like drifting off to England to visit a friend who has one of those big and comfy manor houses, where the chef is first rate and the food’s always a distinct treat.

Since 1979, the Cat & the Custard Cup has been a haven of contemporary American/California cuisine where Creed Salisbury, the chef/owner (along with his father Ron Salisbury of El Cholo restaurants fame) still regale us with surprises.

The food never is lost among the sauces and the pretty-to-look-at presentations are not in danger of toppling over from being stacked too high.

I love that the restaurant always has kept the integrity of this building. Ceilings arch high above, overlooking soft colors and sophisticated country styling. It’s cozy with soft lighting and fireplaces.

There are other things that make The Cat unique. The neighborhood restaurant annually claims Wine Spectator awards for its extensive wine list.

You must taste Creed’s baked, almond-coated goat cheese appetizer with its sprightly roasted garlic and sundried tomato cream sauce. You can’t go wrong with the panko-crusted crab cake either. The ruby grapefruit and pink peppercorn beurre blanc sauce makes a very nice statement with the crab.

Seared sea scallops are teased with a little mound of garlic mashed potatoes and a bit of lobster sauce spiked with smoked jalape & #324;o, making for a forward thinking first course. Crisp and tender textures meet in the tasty sesame shrimp tempura, with mango butter sauce serving as a good supporting element.

Wine values include the 2003 Miner “Simpson Vineyard” Viognier from Napa Valley at $34, Robert Sinskey’s 2004 Vin Gris of Pinot Noir (Ros & #233;) from Napa Valley at $28 and the Dylan 2003 Sauvignon Blanc, also from Napa Valley, for $25.

Creed does terrific lamb tenderloin with a dried blueberry-merlot sauce. A combo of sauteed halibut and sea scallops also harks of summertime with the flavors of tomato, red onion, cilantro and a lemon butter sauce chiming in. A good steak is a good steak anytime and the culotte steak with crispy onion straws here is tender and speaks of good classic food.

Pastry chef Stacy Panella makes a lemon tart that retains its edge without all the cloying sugar. Summertime is well represented in the refreshing citrus cheesecake.

CHINATOWN

4139 Campus Drive

Irvine

(949) 856-2211

Lunch and dinner

When Michael Chiang opened Chinatown in 1985, it was the most modern Chinese restaurant in the county. It still ranks up there in sophistication, though the prices have remained very affordable, making it a popular destination year after year.

We’d been drenched in the old school decor at other Chinese establishments, but Michael ditched the tasseled hanging lanterns and too-much-red syndrome at the outset.

So first-time diners continue to be surprised at the modern, comfortable, unique and timeless dining rooms that define the restaurant.

Michael and chef de cuisine John Huang collaborate on the mostly Shanghai-style fare. This is a refined, regional style of Chinese cooking.

Since the restaurant is famous for the succulent Shanghai dumplings and aromatic shrimp, I’d certainly advise that you order them. Several fine vegetarian dishes are served.

Let’s start at the beginning and talk about appetizers. Chicken in lettuce wraps now is fairly common, but this version sticks to the right blend of hoisin and other Chinese flavorings with the chicken, thus ensuring that the best essences of an old favorite remain true.

The wok-fried calamari is tender and full of flavor as well. Tofu salad is a very tasty first course or side dish.

The Shanghai dumplings mentioned above are little flour wrappers, each completely encasing the most succulent little meatball that gives up some broth while being steamed. The trick is to pick up a dumpling on your porcelain spoon, bite a tiny hole in the side and enjoy the broth before finishing off the delicacy.

Hong Kong-style steamed flounder with ginger and scallion perking up the flavor is as good as a fish entree can get. Vegetarians will delight in the quickly stir-fried selection of vegetables: fresh spinach, asparagus, baby bok choy or string beans.

The signature aromatic shrimp almost have made Michael famous on their own. They are dry-braised in a secret sauce that becomes instantly addictive. Consider them more than delicious.

Michael long has appreciated fine wines. A couple of good choices would be the Raymond Monterey Chardonnay for $20 and the Aquinas Napa Valley Merlot at $25.

While you might not think of Chinese restaurants as havens for dessert, Chinatown always does have delicious cake,the flavor varies,and, with advance notice, the most interesting and delicious Chinese rice pudding.

FIRST CABIN

Balboa Bay Club

1221 W. Coast Highway

Newport Beach

(949) 645-5000

Lunch and dinner

The original First Cabin dates to the early 1960s, but it was a private dining room until spring 2003, when the new Balboa Bay Club and Resort opened with some public access for the first time.

Since the club has been offering fine food for so long, I felt that First Cabin should be included here.

Most of us who are intensive foodies and chasers of fine wine are familiar with President and Chief Operating Officer Henry Schielein, whose search for perfection in dining is legendary. However, there are two others who also figure into what’s happening at First Cabin.

The resort’s Austrian-born chef, Josef Lageder, is very much the food artisan and he features seasonal California cuisine infused with a Continental flair forged with the finest obtainable ingredients. Director of Food and Beverage Dieter Hissin is as professional as they come and these three have succeeded in making even the banquet food and service at the public facilities a stellar experience.

Newport’s yachts and waterside homes are the backdrop for First Cabin. It’s fairly serene and elegant inside the restaurant. You can dine outside on the heated patio, all the better in the lovely summer evenings.

Here’s what we like to do for an evening at the club. Since the inviting Duke’s Place lounge is steps from First Cabin, we enjoy stopping in there for a pre-dinner drink. After dinner, we stop in again at Duke’s for some live music and a liqueur or coffee.

We tend to take our time dining here,the view insists. It’s nice to share some starters. On the new summer menu is this suitable quartet, just a few of the possibilities.

First, the Napoleon of seared yellow fin tuna features crisp wonton strips for textural diversity and some mango-papaya relish that harks of the tropics. The tower of Maryland lump crabmeat atop micro greens, avocado and mango is very impressive. I can’t ignore the meltingly tender foie gras with a port reduction sauce. And there’s the refreshing chilled gazpacho.

Seared John Dory and pan-fried ruby red trout (I love this fish) filled with rock crab and sided with saffron risotto fit summertime sensibilities. Don’t forget about the lightness of veal, in this case scaloppini that’s served Oscar-style with lobster medallions.

Pair these foods with Drylands 2003 Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or the world famous Trimbach 2002 Riesling from Alsace.

Dessert chef Peter Wimmler makes the definitive frozen gew & #252;rztraminer parfait sided with a helping of & #252;ber chic honey nut couscous.

FIVE CROWNS

3801 E. Coast Highway

Corona del Mar

(949) 760-0331

Dinner only

Hard to believe that it’s 40 years since Lawry’s Restaurants Inc. gave us Five Crowns. More amazing is that it still looks like a lovingly kept country home of substance.

How can one not feel at home and cozy in the woodsy, eloquently upholstered spaces? We’ve always considered this a special occasion restaurant that has touched the lives of so many people in OC.

The chef, Dennis Brask, was my choice as Chef of the Year in 2003. He’s able to give us California/Continental food that delivers the same favorites via the menu and also the most creative food to match world-class wines at winemaker dinners. Put him in front of a stove and fine food emerges.

Classics such as a shrimp cocktail made with jumbo prawns and the most traditional sauce, Maryland crab cakes or a warm heirloom tomato and fresh mozzarella salad can unpretentiously, but deliciously, set the stage for any meal.

I don’t always order the prime rib but I sure do think of it at Five Crowns where it is cooked perfectly.

The potato-crusted salmon also is high on my recommendation list. Love the crunch on the outside that gives way to the pure, fresh salmon beneath. I enjoy the roast duck and rack of lamb all year. I find the coconut-crusted shrimp and sauteed scallops with basmati rice to be a light and wonderful entree for a summer meal.

Sip some of the lush 2003 Honig Napa Sauvignon Blanc with your food or perhaps the 2001 Greg’s River Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, both slightly more than $30.

The wine cellar here always has been one of the most impressive in OC and the sommelier service outstanding, so from boutiques to earth-shaking big winery names, they’re likely to be represented.

Two dishes are paramount as a finale to the dinner. The trifle is authentically English and not overly sweetened, and dessert souffles are most impressive, with the flavors changing each day.

FIVE FEET

328 Glenneyre St.

Laguna Beach

(949) 497-4955

Dinner only

I’m always amused at seeing Michael Kang, the chef/owner of Five Feet, sign his name with the title “Executive Chef and Chief Bottle Washer.”

He’s not kidding. Michael knows what it takes to get a successful restaurant off the ground and he’s got a healthy sense of humor about it.

Michael set about pioneering Asian fusion cuisine in OC when he opened Five Feet, or 5′, in 1985. His goal was to create culinary art that would upgrade the image of Chinese food, service and cultural ambiance.

He happens to be a person with a limitless culinary imagination and has managed to combine the spicy influence of China’s Szechwan region, the delicate sauces of French nouvelle cooking and fresh produce, herbs and fruit from California. Quite a bundle.

The catalyst of flavors that result under Michael’s direction combines with brilliant visual presentations for unique cuisine.

Michael’s higher education was in architecture. He used that training to influence the New York, Soho-ish, art-friendly, fun and energetic interiors. It’s interesting and surely fits the theme, but the art that’s on the plate is the reason for the popularity of this restaurant.

Menus are conceived on a daily basis but these three appetizers frequently are featured. Kung pao calamari is a redolent, stir-fried version just enough on the spicy side to open your appetite. The Asian pear salad with Humboldt Fog cheese and candied walnuts is a fine summery appetizer. And, as this is the season for fresh soft-shell crab, Five Feet’s version comes with the bright flavors of mango-ginger coulis and mango-papaya chow chow on the side.

Good wine choices include a 2003 Bonny Doon Le Cigar Blanc wine from philosopher/winemaker Randall Grahm for $39. Otherwise, you might try the 1999 Calbello Rosso di Montalcino from Italy.

Entrees to go with the wine include Beyond Sushi,seared fresh Nova Scotia blue fin tuna accompanied by tempura-style soft shell crab, rock shrimp and vegetables. Sense of humor intact, why not order the Just for the Halibut (macadamia-crusted Alaskan halibut) that comes with Asian purple rice and Dutch white asparagus?

Let’s also consider the ono entree. Fresh ono medallions and jumbo scallops are wokked with a combination of Chinese and Cajun spices and served over noodles.

Simplicity is appropriate for summer dessert, in which case the macadamia-chocolate chip cr & #269;me br & #369;l & #233;e or the homemade lemon-ginger ice cream will work nicely.

GRANVILLE’S STEAK HOUSE

Disneyland Hotel

1150 Magic Way

Anaheim

(714) 778-6600

Back in 1986, oil executive/real estate developer/movie producer Jack Wrather owned the Disneyland hotel. He opened a gourmet restaurant in the hotel and named it after his actress wife, Bonita Granville.

The hotel reverted to Disneyland Resorts and since the name Granville’s already was known, it remains.

The restaurant still has a very 1940s Hollywood feel to it. The walls are covered with pictures of movie stars from that era with colors leaning toward black, mauve and cream.

The food at Granville’s is the domain of chef Jason Martin and we’ve had some really terrific meals here during the past few years. Of course, it’s no secret that Disneyland Resorts have gotten very serious about the quality and eye appeal of all their food in recent years.

The food isn’t really seasonal, just kept up to the minute with fresh ingredients. Begin with chilled, smoked Ahi tuna with cucumber relish and wasabi vinaigrette. It’s a cool surprise for the palate with the tuna and cucumber and a snap of attention with the wasabi peeking through in the dressing.

A serious Dungeness crab cake comes with a saffron-fragranced sauce. Iceberg lettuce didn’t used to have the pizzazz of all those micro greens and mixed baby lettuces. This restaurant serves a great wedge salad,a hefty triangle of iceberg drizzled with the creamiest of gorgonzola dressings and some vine-ripened tomatoes.

The wine list has a lot of interesting California wines. The Central Coast Baileyana Winery’s Firepeak Vineyard Chardonnay at $56 is bright and rather dry on the palate, making it good with all those appetizers. Sunstone Viognier from Santa Inez also is a nice wine to take you through a whole dinner at $34 a bottle.

For entrees, Granville’s does a superb herb-crusted rack of lamb. There’s a delicious Shelton free-range double breast of chicken (combining crisp and juicy textures). From among the steak and pork choices, the bone-in rib eye with Granville’s signature rub is amazing.

Entrees come a la carte. Favorite side dishes are the potato stack (Yukon Gold and Red Garnet potatoes are stacked with gruyere and parmesan providing fantastic flavor layering. Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise also is spectacular.

Finish with a classic Grand Marnier souffle given double decadence with Grand Marnier creme anglaise or seasonal berries marinated in Chambord flowing off a scoop of amazing mascarpone sorbet.

IL FORNAIO

18051 Von Karman

Irvine

(949) 261-1444

Lunch and dinner

When Larry Mindel, a respected restaurateur from Northern California, brought us Il Fornaio in 1991, this county fell in love.

Today, the restaurant continues to please us with its Italian villa demeanor, a place with majestically high walls artistically flooded with light by day and romantically transformed into a cosmopolitan place of relaxation in the evening. This is where we encounter casual fine-dining with a refined balance of vibrancy and sophistication.

The bar, with complimentary antipasti during happy hour, is busy and welcoming. Book ahead and you can play a round of bocce ball on the court outside before or after your meal.

Marcello Apollonio is the managing partner. He used to be the chef but he’s turned those duties over to Jeff Burt while he takes on a much bigger role.

There’s a great appetizer sampling for two or more people: seasoned goat cheese rolled in smoked salmon, grilled scallops wrapped in pancetta, cantaloupe with prosciutto, bruschetta, eggplant salad, grilled artichokes and olives. The grilled scallops, calamari and shrimp served with parsley sauce also is a good summer first course and the salad of red and gold beets, arugula, toasted walnuts and asiago cheese is both colorful and tasty.

A delightful seasonal dish is called Linguine Mare Chiaro, pasta with clams, mussels, prawns and scallops with tomato, crushed red pepper, garlic and a dash of trebbiano wine. The grilled double chicken breast marinated with fresh herbs, crushed red pepper and white wine also is a more intriguing way to eat chicken. One of my favorite entrees in the entire county is Il Fornaio’s homemade ravioli filled with butternut squash and walnuts in a sauce of tomato and brown butter, parmesan cheese and crispy sage.

Il Fornaio works closely with vintners who create wines evoking the special characteristics of the regions of Italy that complement the restaurant’s cuisine. Il Fornaio’s own pinot grigio ($25) is a crisp and fresh Italian white wine with lively citrus and almond flavors and the Il Fornaio Chianti Classico ($27) is a rich and earthy red wine with cherry, violet and vanilla flavors.

This is the place to linger casually over a dessert called Rosina al Cioccolato because it combines so much glamour on one plate. There’s chocolate mousse, fresh raspberries and cake soaked with triple sec, all surrounded with a creme anglaise.

The crepes filled with apples and grappa pastry cream (vanilla ice cream on the side and caramel sauce on the top) have just the right amount of Italian accent. And, the chilled zabaione (a cloud of fluffy beaten egg yolks cooked with liqueur) is a beloved dessert in Italy. Here you get it with fresh berries and a couple of other surprise elements that make fine memories.

LA CAVE

1695 Irvine Ave.

Costa Mesa

(949) 646-7944

Dinner only

My history with La Cave goes way back. We used to go there with our neighbors so many years ago, when all of our children were in grade school.

La Cave opened on Valentine’s Day in 1962. New owners took over in 2000. La Cave is a perfect throwback to the era of steakhouses as the epitome of fine dining.

It’s underground, thus the name, and first was known as only a restaurant. It has morphed into a cozy place where dining is accompanied by live music Monday through Saturday,soft oldies and pleasant jazz to soul cabaret and current fusion music.

It’s a bit like being transported to a chic little New York venue. Sinatra and the Rat Pack would have been comfortable here.

Chef Roberto Orozco prepares all of the side items such as salad dressings, soups, sauces and the famous stuffed pototoes fresh every day. He even hand-cuts the steaks. His brother, Luis, does most of the grill work at night, cooking the steaks to perfection.

They still roll out the cart that displays all the cuts of meat and the shellfish. La Cave doesn’t have a huge selection of appetizers, but two fit the theme all the time. The shrimp cocktail is made with gigantic shrimp and a totally classic cocktail sauce. It is awesome. And steak doesn’t always have to be an entree. One appetizer features it as New York strip cut into bite-size squares.

The filet mignon is a star entree attraction. It comes in two sizes, 7 ounce and 10 ounce. I personally go for a rib eye steak, this one a 16 ounce boneless prime version. Lobster tail is another dish you’re well advised to try.

For white wine, try Fess Parker’s Chardonnay, one of Santa Barbara wine country’s nicely complex whites. Cabernets sell very well at La Cave because they go great with steaks. The Sterling Cabernet is a good red.

A scoop of silky ice cream or a refreshing bit of sorbet often is the best thing for dessert after a big steak. La Cave also has a chocolate mousse cake that is very light, though intense with deep chocolate flavor. It’s like sleek morsels of cloud-like essence on a fork that seem to fit in with the whole theme at La Cave.

MCCORMICK & SCHMICK’S

2000 Main St.

Irvine

(949) 756-0505

Lunch and dinner

McCormick & Schmick’s opened in 1989 and has maintained its timeless, rich and club-like atmosphere.

Beautiful millwork details the paneled walls and ceilings and we wish for stained glass lead windows this beautiful in our own homes. It exudes an aura of confidence and comfort. The Pilsner recalls an English pub and old East Coast cities. This part is casual and fun, with food and brews served in true pub fashion.

Over the years, we’ve gathered friends together to let the chef, Kurt Schaeffer, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, cook what he wants for us.

One time several kinds of mushrooms were matched with different varieties of seafood. Another time we tried more than one wine with each kind of seafood he prepared for us.

The menu offers up to 30 types of fresh seafood done in about 85 ways. The restaurant presents a global range of fish and shellfish, but regionally favored seafood species always are featured, too.

The restaurant staff is well educated in the subtle differences of all this seafood.

Settle into a meal with the large, coconut-encrusted shrimp. Delicious. There’s a welcome creative twist in the Portobello bruschetta. Expect your dinner companions to steal some of your crab, jicama and mango “martini.”

Wild Rogue River king salmon is seasonal at this time of year and McCormick’s version over a flavorful couscous blend is perfect. Alaskan halibut is another seafood that reminds me of summer dining,this one with a rich gorgonzola risotto on the side of the dish.

Since hamachi (yellowtail) is beloved by connoisseurs of Japanese cuisine, why not have it here sashimi style as an entree? It’s light and satisfying.

Wines might be a Jekel Chardonnay at $28, or, for $20 more, Simi’s Alexander Valley Cabernet.

For dessert, I’ll linger over an almond cookie basket with vanilla bean ice cream and some fresh berries sprinkled around. Or I’ll try the panna cotta (Italian eggless cream custard) infused with Chambord liqueur and a few berries.

OYSTERS

2515 E. Coast Highway

Corona del Mar

(949) 675-7411

Dinner only

The corner of Pacific Coast Highway and MacArthur Boulevard was made better when Oysters opened in 1989.

The restaurant brought together Walt and Mona Babcock, owners of Walt’s Wharf in Seal Beach and Babcock Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley, and Cary Redfearn (Cary had previously been the manager of Walt’s Wharf).

It gave OC a very good place for comfort, fine food, a superb list of wines and even live music on certain nights.

Oysters has, though, evolved over time and is not a “concept” restaurant that was hatched in a corporate boardroom. The restaurant has layers, both in its decor and menu, which is what gives the space its soul. Oysters is best described as casually sophisticated, with professional but relaxed service, quite cosmopolitan like places you’d find in San Francisco, New York or Chicago, with an upbeat atmosphere punctuated by the sounds of live jazz.

Scott Brandon is the chef. The menu can be as simple as a chicken rice bowl or more complex, as in diver scallops and wild Mexican prawns over a lobster flan.

Scott says that his menu is Asian-influenced in certain dishes, but that it is not fusion cuisine. He feels that there’s a lot of bad fusion cuisine going on in the food world today with mismatched tastes and too much happening in one dish.

My perception is that Scott takes the best element of a dish, adds a layer of something complementary and knows when to stop with the seasonings.

Begin a summertime meal here with the zingy taste of kung pao calamari, a top customer favorite. Edamame beans are the rave this season and Scott combines them with truffles on crostini for a delicious choice. Portabello mushrooms, given Japanese yakitori presentation, are meaty and right for taking the edge off a growing appetite.

A couple of summertime wine choices include the Caymus 2003 Conundrum, the wine made of five white wine grapes that delivers eloquent peach/apricot/honeysuckle aromas and citrus/melon in the aftermath. Also, Work’s Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from the Calistoga parcel is a winner.

Suggested entrees include fresh halibut with an Asian-inspired sauce and corn ragout or the seared diver scallops with prawns and lobster (in the flan) as supporting elements.

I should also mention that the seared prime filet mignon always is popular. Love the accompaniment of wasabi fries and crispy asparagus.

Dessert highlights include S’mores made with the best dark Belgian chocolate and marshmallow gelato or a tropical fruit cobbler.

PASCAL

1000 N. Bristol

Newport Beach

(949) 752-0107

Lunch and dinner

I knew Pascal Olhats, owner/chef of Pascal, long before he opened this sweet little auberge-like place in 1988.

Pascal, that rascal, hardly has aged in those 30-odd years and is as handsome as ever.

Every serious diner in OC has delighted in the cozy, cosseting atmosphere that defines Pascal. It’s the epitome of some perfect little hideaway inn that everyone in Europe would drive miles to experience.

Pascal always has had a distinct vision of what he wanted to accomplish in the kitchen,French food as it is being eaten in France today.

Not heavy, cumbersome dishes that saddle our memories from years ago in France, but rather lighter, more savory fare completely in tune with dining habits around the globe.

The m & #233;langed salmon and Ahi tuna tartare is pure summer refreshment for a first course. Anyone who enjoys steamed mussels surely will appreciate the black mussels in vermouth that Pascal does with just a hint of curry in the marini & #269;re sauce.

I am so happy to see so many chefs doing wonderful things with beets. Pascal turns his into a salad that also features goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts, baby mache and a light sherry vinaigrette to dress it all.

Summer entrees are plentiful. One is the tournedos of salmon with either b & #233;arnaise sauce or Pascal’s sauce of the day. Grilled hanger steak with shallot-pinot noir sauce is very good.

The sole also is very special. Sole is a delicate fish and the dieppoise sauce complements it so well. This sauce is made via a reduction of shellfish broth and white wine that results in a nage to barely blanket the fish. Light and delightful.

The wine list at Pascal has something for everyone from expensive, well-known choices to small, recently discovered boutique. Cardwell Hill Pinot Gris from Oregon at $30 and the Domaine des Perrieres Rhone Rouge wine for $35 are nice for the summer.

Pascal’s French desserts are divine. Try the creamiest, sleekest chocolate chestnut tort imaginable. Cheesecake may be no great shake but when turned into a souffle Pascal fashion, it’s a modern day marvel you’ll remember.

Perhaps the most refreshing dessert: one of Pascal’s cold fruit soups.

PAVILION

Four Seasons Hotel

690 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach

(949) 760-4920

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Here’s another restaurant that’s aged so gracefully since 1986.

Pavilion is a stately place where finesse is evident in the food, service and surroundings. Some of our best dining today is found in the signature restaurants of hotels, particularly at the most elegant of them such as the Four Seasons.

A look around Pavilion reveals a beautiful palette of soft colors that drift across the custom wall treatments, carpeting, upholstery and table linens. The look is soothing and relaxing, no jarring elements. You’ll have to go elsewhere for pushy energy and visual hijinks.

Adding to this romantic and visual scene is the view of the outdoor gardens through a wall of windows and columns. If you happen to be dining with more than a handful of friends or family, ask for the lovely private dining room that seats 20.

Michel Pieton has been the executive chef overseeing the hotel’s food, and the head culinarian for Pavilion, since 1988. He’s French, from a finely honed restaurant background.

Menus are regularly updated. The food is distinctly California cuisine with a new American influence. Signature seasonal dishes always are on the a la carte menu and there’s a special market menu that changes weekly, allowing even more choices.

Start a summer meal with ceviche of Japanese octopus, a salad of jumbo white asparagus or some baby arugula with macadamia-crusted warm goat cheese. Other attractive seasonal fare includes poached Alaskan halibut, wheat-crusted skate wing or crispy Muscovy duck.

All entrees are superbly presented.

I’ve always liked the wine list here. Several countries are represented and good wines from smaller producers are offered. Louis Roederer Brut Rose at $110 isn’t inexpensive, but a perfect summer splurge. Its bubbly elegance is worth lingering over. I love red wine, but warmer temperatures induce me to more enjoyable whites for a meal such as Jordan Chardonnay ($54).

Desserts include a choice of chocolate enticements, fresh ice creams and sorbets, and always something you’ll not find elsewhere. I suggest one thing for summertime endings, the strawberry-lavender consomme with low fat yogurt sorbet. It’s a ray of good health and delicious taste.

PESCADOU BISTRO

3325 Newport Blvd.

Newport Beach

(949) 675-6990

Dinner only

This is the antithesis to fancy, high-end dining, but it’s sure been one of our delights over the years.

Pescadou is just the kind of little local place we search for in every foreign country we visit, a place with very good food and adorably low prices and no attitude whatsoever. It’s actually only 7 years old, the youngest in our group I’m calling “legends,” but locals have taken to it so warmly and are so protective of it that it’s quite a favorite spur-of-the-moment choice for many of us.

French simplicity figures in decor and food. Swaths of happy colors cover the plastered walls, furnishings are undemanding and reminiscent of the countryside and simple shelves hold artifacts that also conjure up memories of small town comforts in France.

Despite its unpretentious nature, we always are confident of getting a great meal here. Owners Jacques de Quillien and his wife, Olga, stick to very traditional, authentic bistro classics. Olga takes care of the dining room and Jacques is chef.

It’s true that Jacques has a three-course prix fixe menu at only $18 every day. For that price, you get soup or salad, your entree and dessert of the day. There’s always beef bourguignon or fresh fish for the entree or an additional choice that is different each day. Coq a vin, lamb shank proven & #231;ale, rabbit with mustard sauce, Basque style monkfish, classic duck a l’orange and leg of lamb figure in.

How about something from the a la carte menu for warm weather dining, starting with some assorted charcuterie? A slice of p & #226;t & #233;, some duck cooked rillette style (seasoned, braised and packed in a terrine), French sausage, escargot with garlic-Pernod butter and a goat cheese roulade with Port reduction sauce share the platter.

The classic onion soup is the best and the endive salad with bleu cheese also is a winner.

Entrees that might pique your summer dining are varied. Try the bouillabaisse, blanquette de veau a l’ancienne (a creamy stew of veal chunks, mushrooms and small onions) or steak au poivre, which Jacques covers with a blend of peppercorns before searing.

At only $24, top wine choices include the Rose de Proven & #231;e Cuvee du Golfe de St. Tropez. This wine, made from grenache, cinsault and syrah, is packed with crisp summery fruit and has a nice long finish. Domaine Moillard Bourgogne Pinot Noir at $29 also is a fetching choice.

There are seven luscious desserts. My favored sweet, though, is the floating island made of poached meringue afloat in the creamiest of custard sauces made with pure Tahitian vanilla beans.

RE NATO RISTORANTE

2306 W. Oceanfront Blvd.

Newport Beach

(949) 673-7030

Lunch and dinner

When it opened in 1991, we had a new reason to hang out near the Newport Beach pier.

The smell of the water was a draw, the views of the ocean most assuredly were a serious draw and the idea of having a barefoot walk on the beach after dinner was something to consider.

Re Nato is operated by the cute Portofino Beach Hotel, on whose property it resides. The restaurant took its name from the original owner, a fine chef who was Italian but trained at the famed Maxim’s in Paris.

The unique, warm decor, spectacular ocean views and traditional Italian music makes for a memorable occasion that is punctuated with very fine Italian cuisine and award-winning wines. It is a quaint and romantic spot where dim lighting and the operatic music in the background is perfect and the exceptional guest service delivered by tuxedoed waiters is palpable.

Braulio Melo is executive chef and part owner of the restaurant. He specializes in Northern Italian cuisine that’s tinged with a bit of French finesse. The original chef ReNato passed away a few years ago and Braulio, who was part of the kitchen staff from the beginning, stepped into the role.

The menu is replete with several kinds of homemade pastas, including the house specialty, rotelle. The restaurant is known for its selection of fine quality meats, savory chicken dishes and fresh fish of the day.

I’d begin my seasonal meal with the thinly sliced eggplant rolled around ricotta cheese and spinach. The broiled prawns, scampi-style are very Italian authentic. I love calamari and here they are delicately coated, crisped and meant to dip in the slightly spicy marinara sauce.

Entree suggestions include the rotelle: homemade pasta sheets rolled with prosciutto and mozzarella cheese, topped with both marinara and b & #233;chamel cream sauce. Calabrese-style tuna is seared and highlighted with Italian herbs. Re Nato only marks up its wines about two times retail, bargain pricing for a serious place. Jermann Pinot Grigio for $55 or Falchini Vernaccia at $28 are good choices.

Save room for the signature spumoni cake (great ice cream and cake together), the fresh fruit sorbets served in their respective fruit shells and perhaps a helping of decadent chocolate gelato rolled in walnuts and covered in sweet chocolate.

SORRENTO GRILL

370 Glenneyre

Laguna Beach

(949) 494-8686

Dinner only

Sorrento Grill has been one of our standards for so long.

There’s a conviviality that permeates this space in a couple of different ways. It’s more energetic downstairs, where the open kitchen is part of the ambiance and quieter on the upstairs mezzanine tables. We have a lot of friends who consider this one of their favorite places.

This restaurant is part of the Culinary Adventures group, David Wilhelm’s growing restaurant empire. It joins French 75, Chat Noir, Savannah Chop House, Chimayo at the Beach and Rouge as a sibling.

The physical space is unique. There are soaring high ceilings accented with recessed seafoam green lights. There are wood accents, rustic chandeliers and a fireplace.

Sorrento introduced the first martini bar in Laguna Beach and still is known for serving the best, largest and coldest ones in town.

Chef Isidro Zuniga presents straightforward food that has an emphasis on wood-fired grilling. There is nothing simple about the flavors he coaxes from the dishes, to the delight of loyal customers.

Start with wood-grilled artichokes with a swell mustard-garlic aioli. The scampi shrimp with capers is a very perky appetizer. The blue crab cakes with arugula, corn and roasted red pepper salad manages to combine two fine things on one dish.

Fresh salmon is crusted with spices, grilled and drizzled with the chef’s own barbecue sauce, making it one terrific entree. The pork chop is big and benefits from the ham flavoring (saltimbocca style) and sage-brown butter sauce. Everybody these days loves seared rare tuna. Here it’s a nice big meaty piece with wasabi butter.

The house dessert is called The Avalanche and is a combo of warm Belgian chocolate souffle cake, Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauces and salted Spanish peanuts. In this case, sharing is good.

Silverado Chardonnay ($10 by the glass/$40 per bottle) or the charming Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc ($8 per glass/$32 per bottle) carry the summertime theme nicely.

SUMMIT HOUSE

2000 E. Bastanchury Road

Fullerton

(714) 671-4111

Lunch and dinner

From the first day it opened in 1991, Summit House has been associated with great food and fine mountainous views.

Summit House has a distinct aura of substance. The exterior is stone, the interiors lead one through various spaces as if you were walking through the public rooms of an English manor. Lots of wood was used to enhance the warmth.

You walk on the planked floors through the foyer, down an elongated space that allows you to view the open kitchen and its energy and into the dining room, where a massive rock fireplace is the focal point.

There are ultra comfortable booths along the walls and all the tables are draped in linen cloths and set with the intention of making us think of good food and good wine.

Chef Tim Plumb has been heading the kitchen for many years and earned accolades for his consistently good American/

Continental food.

A sweet summer evening would be a fine backdrop for the interesting ahi sashimi appetizer that comes with a miso vinaigrette slaw. A good appetizer to share, because it’s a little richer, would be the baked double cream brie cheese in a crust with a terrific apple cider-butter sauce.

Or you might want to delve into the Dungeness crab that’s piled in a martini glass on layers of celery with cocktail and Dijon mustard sauce.

Fish entrees get even more popular in the summer. The John Dory entree is lightly sauteed and topped with macadamia nuts and a drizzle of lemon-butter sauce. Taku river salmon is simply grilled and served with a refreshing mango-cucumber-pear relish. They do have a superb prime rib of pork highlighted with a honey-balsamic demi glace and the restaurant also is famous for the prime ribs of beef.

I recommend one of Summit House’s stellar California whites, the Bonny Doon Riesling. There also are great attributes for food-matching in the citrus and stone fruit washing over a bit of minerals in the Chalk Hill Chardonnay. Besides being friendly at the outset of each sip, it also has a long, lovely finish.

Summit House doesn’t fall short in the dessert department. Lemon tart sings of summer and it gets an additional boost from the huckleberry sauce that accompanies it.

Silky cr & #269;me br & #369;l & #233;e has a great crunch of burnt sugar on top and the three-chocolate torte speaks for itself. The English trifle is one of the signature sweets as well.

TI AMO

31727 Coast Highway

Laguna Beach

(949) 499-5350

Dinner only

Ti Amo was created in 1994 by husband and wife team, Robert and Martine Castoro, the case of a well-trained restaurateur and an artist with abundant talent.

The setting is an old Laguna Beach home from the 1920s. Very romantic. Candlelight and drifts of gauzy material meet murals, frescoes and peripheral art that Martine has done. One room has an inviting fireplace and I love sitting in the climate-controlled garden. It has the soul of an Italian village.

Chef Enrique Martinez cooked a decade earlier at The Towers in Laguna Beach’s Surf & Sand hotel. The Towers was one gorgeous place and on several occasions I gathered enough of my gourmet friends to fill at least half that restaurant, just so we could have another of Enrique’s meals.

Nine years ago, Ti Amo was lucky enough to get him in its kitchen, so that explains why I am fond of his food.

Ti Amo’s menu is a blend of Italian and Mediterranean-based dishes. The coolness of Enrique’s chunky tuna tartare is a fine beginning. For textural diversity, bite into an order of the crispy duck ravioli. I can think of nothing more refreshing than the Bloody Mary seafood (fresh seafood in a sauce based on the famous cocktail).

For entrees, let me suggest the very traditional osso buco with its falling-off-the-bone meat and perfect juices or the lamb chops with their herb essence. Another easy recommendation: The chef also does fine things with fresh fish of the day and he’ll come up with a sauce that matches the flavor and texture of the seafood.

Nice wine choices include Jermann Pinot Grigio from Italy’s Fruili region ($45). Alternately, the Tuscan red wine from the Frescobaldi-Mondavi venture called Lucente ($42) is a pleasant blend of sangiovese and merlot that’s just about the right weight for summertime sipping.

To top it off, order the lighter-than-expected banana bread pudding. Awesome.

TRABUCO OAKS STEAKHOUSE

20782 Trabuco Oaks Road

Trabuco Canyon

(949) 586-0722

Dinner only

We have to thank the original owners who opened Trabuco Oaks Steakhouse 37 years ago. Steve and Dori Nordeck, the owners since 1987, have kept the fun tradition and the good, understandable food coming.

This place is one of a kind. Live oak trees, huge ones, grow right through the roof of the restaurant. The wall and ceiling decorations are neckties cut from city dudes who didn’t know the rules: come in with a tie and leave without the bottom two thirds.

For all the fun of kicking back in casual clothes at this cozy, rustic place, the food is serious. The mesquite-grilled corn-fed beef comes from a special packing house per their exacting specifications.

Chef Solomon Moreno has overseen the kitchen for a decade now and knows how to cook a steak or chop to perfection. So much so that KCAL’s “9 on the Town” TV show recently named this the sixth best steakhouse in Southern California.

I’m really fond of its wine and bar list. It’s a full bar, with lots of premium brands. There are about 50 wines to choose from. Names like Cakebread, Grgich, Spottswoode, Jordan, Groth and Duckhorn are listed. Most of the wines are in the $21 to $40 range.

If you’re eating red meat try the Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 815 for $29 or the more expensive Spottswoode Cabernet ($79).

Start with the mushrooms and zucchini sauteed and then dashed with white wine.

Fresh halibut is summery enough, but I’m hard-pressed to pass up the rib eye steak for my entree. The New York steak is another favorite. Also, the barbecue beef ribs come with a family recipe sauce that’s pretty lovable.

For dessert, it’s cheesecake (a good version), hot fudge sundae and the signature Hot Gizmo.

The latter completes your Trabuco Oaks Steakhouse adventure. This melange finds a flour tortilla wrapping a filling of cherry or some other seasonal fruit. It’s deep-fried, topped with ice cream, hot cherry sauce and whipped cream.

WALT’S WHARF

201 Main St.

Seal Beach

(562) 598-4433

Lunch and dinner

It’s 35 years old, but you would never know it from the looks.

Not shopworn or tired looking. Rather, Walt’s Wharf goes on with a sense of youthful vitality that sometimes baffles other restaurateurs. It is proof that if you learn restraint and stay true to your principles, the public will understand and appreciate it.

Back when Walt and Mona Babcock opened the restaurant, Walt had fresh fish brought in on his own boat. In the 1970s, he bought vineyards in Santa Barbara County and in 1980 opened Babcock Vineyards and began supplying the restaurant with quality wine.

He retired from his dentistry practice a little over a decade ago and began growing organic vegetables for the restaurant. The newest project is raising cattle on his ranch in Montana. He hopes to supply the restaurant with the finest Angus Beef in 2006. These things make the restaurant unique.

Chef Mark Tydell cooks a preponderance of the items on oak-fired grills. If it can be grilled, the restaurant does it. Fresh fish, steaks, smoked chicken and ribs, artichokes, Caesar salad and even the banana split are all enhanced by the searing hot fire.

I’ve always loved the oyster bar on the first floor where a sense of conviviality meets fantastic shellfish. Summertime appetizers include its signature oak-grilled artichoke with Lea & Perrins aioli. It’s justly famous. The swordfish tostada is another winner with its mango-black bean salsa. The Maryland blue crab cakes are chock full of the sweet meat and presentation is great with filed greens on the side in a nice mustard vinaigrette.

The seared, hand-harvested diver scallops with Maui pineapple vinaigrette and organic carrots is a tasty and healthy entree. Orange shoyu glaze is almost caramelized on the outside of the moist Alaskan king salmon. Gotta love the old-fashioned garlic mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus on the side. King salmon also is fine atop the salad of mixed greens with shots of sweetness from candied walnuts and golden raisins and depth from gorgonzola cheese.

Try a bottle of Babcock 2004 Pinot Gris at $29. This one is a sprightly, mouth-filling white that goes remarkably well with the seafood. The David Girard 2001 Viognier-Roussanne at $24 sports an extremely silky blend of peaches, pears and hazelnuts.

Wait until you taste the oak-grilled bananas on the split or the oak-grilled peach with vanilla Haagen-Dazs ice cream and balsamic-vanilla syrup. And don’t miss the Myer lemon buttermilk pudding cake with fresh berries.

ZOV’S BISTRO AND CAFE

17440 E. 17th St.

Tustin

(714) 838-8855

Bistro: Lunch and dinner

Cafe: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Prior to 1987, Zov Karamardian had been catering from her home. Then she discovered a space available in Enderle Center Tustin.

She convinced her husband that she could make it into a respected restaurant and, as they say, the rest is history. I’ve known her since those early times and watched her grow that little bistro into an additional cafe and bakery that sit side-by-side with the original bistro.

The bistro immediately was embraced as a needed entity in that area of the county. It was cute and you could feel the passion for food from the outset. It wasn’t long until Zov decided to start teaching cooking classes in the large kitchen she’d insisted upon as part of the restaurant construction. Soon, other well-known culinarians were showing up to teach classes there.

After a couple of expansions, Zov’s now includes a charming little bistro, a bustling New York style cafe and a bakery.

Zov is known for serving a contemporary version of Mediterranean food. Since you can dine so nicely al fresco on both the cafe and bistro side in the summer, start with some grilled eggplant and feta cheese, or perhaps her house-cured gravlax at your outside table.

A Mediterranean plate with seven appetizers is a great way to work your way around the culinary elements of that beautiful sea.

As for entrees, discover the sensual flavors of Zov’s Moroccan salmon with couscous. Sea bass with red curry is slightly exotic and a nice twist on fusion cuisine. A lot of restaurants do rack of lamb, but pomegranate sauce can be enticing and so it is when paired with these tender chops.

Many wines are comfortable with Mediterranean food and Zov has a nicely balanced list. You could try the Spring Mountain Sauvignon Blanc at $46 or the Cardwell Hills Cellars Pinot Noir priced at $37.

Always seeking to intrigue us, Zov’s pastry chef manages well with these desserts: brioche banana bread pudding with banana ice cream and Zov’s signature pomegranate martini.

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