It’s time to look back at the past year and reminisce about some of the best dishes and restaurants that made 2005 special.
The list could go on and on. I’ve merely touched on some of my top memories. Perhaps you’ll find some dining inspiration from these notes as all this diverse dining makes for some great adventures.
Best Mexican Food
Tal & #233;o in Irvine is the pick.
Nic Villarreal took his years of experience and memories of home and melded them with those of chef Jose Acevedo. The result is a fabulous,and unique,Mexican food restaurant.
While there are plenty of Mexican eateries serving the good, casual fare we’ve all come to recognize, they are not in the same league as Tal & #233;o. This food soars with flavor and presentation. It is truly without peers.
Jose makes the best carnitas I’ve tasted in the U.S. His salmon a la pipian is amazing and you are not going to find a more divine version of tres leches cake for dessert.
Terrific surroundings and perfect drinks from the bar only add to the joy of eating here.
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Antonello: most surprising meal of the year |
Best Persian Food
There are several good Persian restaurants I’ve tried, but it’s hard to top the sophisticated package that makes up the food, decor and service at Darya in South Coast Plaza Village.
This is where I go to have my kebab fix (most likely the juicy lamb). That’s after I have my tadig appetizer fix (crispy rice with a choice of toppings).
The stunning palace-like interiors certainly add a high note to the dining experience. Everyone should know this restaurant.
Best Indian Food
You can’t drag me away from my choice: Royal Khyber in South Coast Plaza Village.
When taken as a whole package, it can’t be beat. Lovely interiors are strewn with light at lunch. At dinner, the restaurant is candlelit,very romantic.
The food has made believers out of dozens of friends we’ve invited to share our table during the past few years. It is a truly exquisite journey for the palate and the mind. I am craving lobster masala and tandoori butter chicken as I write.
Most Surprising Meal
Antonello Ristorante in South Coast Plaza Village ran away with the honor.
We’ve had delicious meals here over so many years. But when we dined with several friends last August, the restaurant took us on a uniquely spectacular journey.
Talented chef Franco Barone and sommelier Steve Ebol were charged with creating a meal for us entirely on their own.
The chef came up with a lobster risotto, a porcini mushroom souffl & #233; with summer truffles and mascarpone sauce, boneless Kobe beef short ribs and a chocolate cake with candied walnuts that was a dream unto itself.
Steve poured a trio of Italian wines with real star power, though ones that didn’t empty our wallets. We still are talking about this meal that truly proved Antonello’s mettle.
Best Sunday Brunch Value
China West in Irvine is my choice here.
I haven’t found an American or ethnic brunch that features more dishes of authentic food. Owner John Kao dazzles our taste buds for only $8.95 and does it in surroundings far prettier than what we typically find in a Chinese restaurant.
You will wander through soups, stir-fried dishes, simmered casseroles and desserts until you can hold no more. Brunch choices include chicken, duck, pork, beef and seafood (even some shrimp entrees). It’s a not-to-be-missed experience.
Best Casual Wine Country Dining
Vine in San Clemente is the one.
It’s small and cuddly, and you’ll get a greeting from the open kitchen on your way in. The barrels are part of the decor,you’ll feel as though you’re in Napa or Sonoma.
Chef and owner Justin Monson has tapped the theme well and that unquestionably includes the food. You might run into lamb shank braised in zinfandel, fresh fish with Moroccan flourishes, steak with a shallot crust or a winter meat casserole.
Besides the substantial wine list with at least 30 wines by the glass and the a la carte menu, pay close attention to the nightly specials written on the blackboard above the kitchen facade.
Best Lobster Bisque
It’s done well in several places in OC, but the very best I’ve found is at Balboa Bay Club, where the public is welcome to dine in the First Cabin and have this and more of chef Josef Lageder’s wonderful food.
Josef is a gem in the kitchen. Having this rich bisque can be the start of a meal that you can parlay into something light or hearty, as you desire.
While you indulge in the fish or fine cuts of meat and linger over the meal, the view of the yachts and mansions isn’t bad either.
Best Place for Dining, Dancing
It has to be Bistango in Irvine.
The live music every evening is never overpowering,just right for dining and a dance or two.
It’s cool that the musicians and dance floor are set just at the end of the lounge, abutting the main dining room. The music is so compelling that we often find ourselves wanting to have after-dinner drinks in the lounge just so we can linger even more.
The food at Bistango has been famous for so long that it hardly needs my verbiage. The restaurant got an update last year, adding even more to the gallery and restaurant beauty.
Most Creative Food
This is such an easy pick. Of course, the honor goes to chef and owner Alan Greeley at his Golden Truffle restaurant in Costa Mesa.
There is much culinary artistry now in our midst and we are lucky to have so many good restaurants to choose from. Still, it’s Alan who’s a step above in turning any set of ingredients into a magical dish. We found tiny glasses of carrot soup topped with a crouton and crab for a “soup and sandwich” appetizer one time. Another visit we had an entree of minced rabbit in a porcini custard, baked in individual compotes.
Crispy little taquitos were stuffed with duck and foie gras came with a dual personality for other surprises. I make no apologies for adoring this restaurant.
Best Casual European Bistro
This choice definitely is the laid back Brussels Bistro in Laguna Beach.
From old brick walls to a happy little bar, humble seating to good live jazz on weeknights and Belgian food that is terrific, this is an unpretentious place to discover.
We keep running into food and beverage pros when we’re dining here,a great tip-off that this food and beer is excellent.
Try the real Belgian fries for sure. Mussels in a divine broth and cream of pea soup are to die for. Salmon with cherry beer sauce is a favorite as is creamed chicken with a puff pastry top. And the 10-ounce burger is the hands-down dream sandwich.
Biggest Culinary Buzz
Rich Mead gets my vote for his Sage on the Coast in Crystal Cove Promenade.
People everywhere are talking about Rich’s take on California cuisine. He’s clever about using ingredients,the finest, I might add,always managing to pique our curiosity to try more of his dishes.
I prefer the patio for seating. While the interior is pretty and enticing enough, there’s a real sense of California and our views about how we live that fits like a glove on the patio.
Most Comprehensive Experience
This one was hard because so many restaurants are savvy about the importance of both food and wine.
But I have to go with my knowledge about all that Napa Rose in Anaheim represents. First of all, this restaurant has more first-level certified sommeliers than any other restaurant in the world,42 of them.
That alone is big.
Two top names are the driving forces. There’s Andrew Sutton, the extraordinary chef who does true wine country cuisine with a distinctly sophisticated edge.
The general manager and wine director is Michael Jordan, a former restaurant owner and chef who has garnered so much acclaim for his ability in matching worldwide wines with food.
Napa Rose has brought very friendly, but very serious wine country sensuality to central OC and you should be dining there.
Best Escargot
It’s a tie between La Vie en Rose in Brea and French 75 Brasserie in Irvine.
Both make it with plenty of richness, butter and garlic that finds me sopping up every last drop of sauce with chunks of bread.
You can count on plump snails nestled in their little moats that have no Americanization at all,they simply are classic in preparation.
Best-Kept Secret
I have to give my nod to Bristol Palms in the Hilton Costa Mesa.
The restaurant spent a ton of money a couple of years ago redoing this hotel. It’s worth seeing. Better yet, chef Jan Pfeiffer and his sous chef Danh Kom present not only an eclectic menu, but one that makes fusion sense.
Beef on a sizzling platter happily blends Asian flavors with American stylishness. Sweet potato fries might accompany your steak. Fresh fish and redolent poultry reflect on American regional cuisine and yet have dashes of other cultures in their sauces or presentations.
This food is so delicious and so attractive on the plate. Add good service and the reasons for checking out this restaurant is all the more obvious.
Best Mixed Grill Entree
The grill is part of the overall charm of the recently opened Mozambique restaurant in Laguna Beach.
This nod to southern African dining is so much fun and such a delicious adventure for us. Mozambique’s mixed grill has generous portions of filet mignon, lamb chops and a great farmer’s sausage, with the meats cooked to perfection.
The restaurant gets high marks for the interesting side dishes, sauces and seasonings. Some of my favorites: giant prawns dusted with peri-peri seasoning (a mildly spicy dried seasoning), luscious roasted chicken, steaks and a mild and sleek South African style lamb curry.
It’s a cuisine our friends are loving. There’s a dining room with a fireplace and a lovely patio, too.
Best Dessert
The tres leches cake at Tal & #233;o.
This is a light cake soaked like a sponge with three kinds of milk and served with a swoop of whipped cream. Neither too rich nor too sweet, it is a chic ending to any meal that leaves an indelible memory. All I need to do is mention this restaurant to someone and the tres leches cake automatically becomes part of the conversation.
