Strausbaugh on at Scott’s; Grgich Tasting Set at Salt Creek Grille
They say it’s not over till the fat lady sings. Well she did, at least in the case of Diva in Costa Mesa getting a name change. Last month, it became Bistro 201 at Plaza Tower. The name distinguishes it from the original Bistro 201 in Newport Beach, which is now referred to as Bistro 201 at the Beach. Both restaurants are owned by the same corporation.
Oops, now I need to backtrack a bit more, because the original Bistro 201 was not a block from the intersection of Coast Highway and Newport Boulevard, where it is now located. The really, really original location was in Irvine, in the space that recently was occupied by Trilogy, which closed suddenly in the fall.
Now that I have you thoroughly confused, stick with these facts alone: Bistro 201 at Plaza Tower is the one within walking distance of the Performing Arts Center; Bistro 201 at the Beach is the one overlooking the bay. Both serve lunch (on weekdays) and dinner.
Strausbaugh, Scott’s Team Up
The former chef at Trilogy, Jim Strausbaugh, a talent I highly admire, is now the executive chef at the brand-new Scott’s of Laguna Niguel. This is the sister restaurant to the Scott’s Seafood Grill and Bar in Costa Mesa. Jim’s menu does feature a beef tenderloin Carpaccio, herb roasted chicken, filet mignon, New York and rib eye steaks, but the focus is foremost on fresh seafood and shellfish. Jim offers refined ways of presenting the bounties of the sea.
Wine and Dine at Salt Creek Event
Everybody wants to drink the wines of Mike Grgich. After all, he is credited with making the French take very serious notice of the California wine country when his wines overshadowed the best the French had to offer 25 years ago. Therefore, you should not miss the Salt Creek Grille’s Grgich Hills Cellars dinner on Wednesday, Jan. 31at 6:30 p.m. Violet Grgich, Mike’s daughter, will be presenting the wines matched to the food of chef Luis Lepe.
Wines to be served: 1997 Fume Blanc, 1998 Chardonnay, 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the acclaimed 1997 Zinfandel. Food includes: smoked fish chowder, chicken cannelloni, Santa Maria prime rib of pork roast and a marbled chocolate basket filled with berries and homemade ice cream.
Price is $68 per person, all-inclusive, but seating is strictly limited, so make reservations now!
A Magazine Worth Eating
Newsstands and our mailboxes are filled with culinary magazines, most of which we browse through ourselves but are not used by chefs. There is, however, a magazine called Culinary Trends that is found in chefs’ offices because it is filled cover-to-cover with articles from famous chefs, stories about restaurants of importance, and recipes for these chefs’ most popular menu items. Now we all can have this wonderful magazine by subscription.
There’s even an OC connection. The magazine was created and has been published for several years by Fred Mensinga, who just happens to be the executive chef of the Hilton Anaheim Hotel. There is, however, no connection whatsoever between the hotel and the magazine. This is Fred’s personal literary effort. How refreshing it is to find a magazine so crammed with wonderful culinary information that is not mainly an advertising vehicle for a large publishing corporation.
One issue has a wonderful story on La Toque in the Napa Valley (now one of the most famous restaurants in the U.S.), it’s brilliant chef Ken Frank, and some of his recipes. The same issue has an article on dining in Las Vegas and another on two of the most famous chefs in Portugal (complete with a culinary history of that country). One of America’s treasures is chef Sam Choy of Hawaii. His rise to fame, his restaurant empire, and his recipes are covered in another issue, as is chef Deborah Scott and her hot, hot restaurant in San Diego, Kemo Sabe. Charlie Trotter of Chicago,Charlie is considered by the culinary media to be one of America’s top 10 chefs,also gives up many of the kitchen secrets from his eponymous restaurant in a fascinating autobiographical story. Every issue has plenty of color photographs of the restaurants, chefs and the food.
What makes this a chef’s tool and so enjoyable to the novice cook as well is that every facet of a story is included: the chef, his or her concept, the restaurant or hotel, and the recipes that have made it famous. Furthermore, the stories are so engrossingly written by either the chefs themselves or professional culinary writers that it is hard to put the magazine down in the middle of one. Some of the recent entr & #233;e recipes from the chefs (all in portions to serve four or six persons) have included crawfish gumbo, shrimp and corn chowder, seafood jambalaya, veal chops with fresh herbs, sea bass with fennel and leek ragout and a crab and mango salad. I just read a whole section on recipes made with shallots.
Culinary Trends is published four times a year; however, a subscription runs for six issues at $29. Call (714) 826-9188, or send a check to 6285 E. Spring St. # 107, Long Beach, Calif. 90808. You’re going to love having the same magazine on your desk that the chefs have on theirs.
