Mother’s Day Special at the Back Bay Cafe
Kang’s 5′ Coming to Anaheim Suites; French 75 Open Soon
EXECUTIVE DINING
by Fifi Chao
Mother’s Day is the biggest day of the year for a lot of restaurants and many of them offer a brunch of some sort. I would advise that you call today for whatever reservations you need so that you are not left scrambling at the last moment.
If you are not planning on going to your favorite restaurant and want something with a nice view that’s pretty casual and still affordable, Back Bay Caf & #233; at Newport Dunes is a good choice. On this day, when families honor Mom, the restaurant opens its doors to the public for a champagne brunch.
The resort’s own waterfront will provide a picturesque backdrop for the brunch. Among the entr & #233;e selections are sage-roasted breast of turkey, grilled halibut with a tomato basil sauce and marinated flank steak drizzled with peppercorn sauce. A pasta bar will be available featuring cheese ravioli, fettuccine and penne served with a choice of Alfredo or marinara sauce.
In addition, garden offerings will include Waldorf salad, tomato and cucumber salad, artichoke and mushroom salad, pasta primavera, Caesar salad and mixed greens. Among the traditional breakfast items are omelets served with a dozen fillings. Sausage, bacon and ham, plus breakfast potatoes and scrambled eggs add more choices. Fluffy French toast will be offered.
Side dishes will also be plentiful: among them, garlic mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, several spring vegetables and fresh seasonal fruit. An assortment of fresh rolls and breakfast pastries will be available as will an ample dessert station featuring carrot cake, chocolate pecan squares, cheesecake Manhattan, individual fruit tarts, lemon squares and a variety of petits fours. Champagne, mimosas, fresh-ground Hawaiian hazelnut and regular coffees, fresh juices and sodas are the beverage items.
Newport Dunes is a 100-acre waterfront resort that features a 450-slip marina and a waveless beach, water activities and the Caf & #233;, which overlooks a seven-lane boat launch.
AT A GLANCE: Back Bay Caf & #233; at Newport Dunes
Mother’s Day Brunch, Sunday May 12
Address: 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach
Phone: (949) 729-1144. Reservations strongly suggested
Hours: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Cost: $23.95 for adults, $12.95 for children 12 and under, no charge for those under four.
SIDE ORDERS
Have you heard that 5′ in Laguna is spreading its wings? I have been watching the slow-moving construction on the joint venture between Michael Kang and the Anaheim Marriott Suites, now hoping for a July opening date. That property will have a 5′ restaurant in it.
Meanwhile, Michael and his partner, Eric Nguyen, have kept themselves busy in Los Angeles, taking over the site that until recently housed Le Colonial, a wonderful and slightly exotic restaurant that diners apparently did not have the sophistication to appreciate. I loved the lush Colonial/Oriental d & #233;cor that spoke of another era when fine dining in lovely surroundings was considered the epitome of good living.
That design did not survive, but another lavish d & #233;cor featuring lots of water and seashells has taken its place. The newest trend in restaurant design seems to be a wall of cascading water. There’s one here, along with a huge fountain covered in seashells. Lime green and mustard are colors of the moment, which here complement seashell “art” in all the rooms.
The L.A 5′ also has a celebrity name on its team to add panache: Tony Peck, who formerly owned Tribeca in Beverly Hills.
I don’t know who thought up the name for the bar, but how’s 5:15 Bar and Lounge for a clever name? Time’s right for a happy hour start. The West Hollywood Art Program is furnishing paintings for the main dining room and photography exhibits for this upstairs lounge.
If you want to peek in on our fellow Orange Countians when in L.A., you will find them at 8783 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood. Contact: (310) 289-0660.
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Get ready for summer on the romantic new patio at that charmer of a restaurant called French 75 in Laguna. Now under construction, and about to be unveiled, is an enclosed seating area encompassing the former front garden. Graceful arbors are going up as we speak, fountains have arrived and a landscape expert has the task of making sure that it all goes together in a seamless melding of comfort, beauty and functionality.
French 75: 1464 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. Contact: (949) 494-8444.
