Students Serve High Cuisine at Low Prices at 50 Forks

Don’t we all love to find very good food at bargain basement prices, served in an inviting atmosphere?

I’ve got one of those places for you. But before I tell you what it is, you have to know why this restaurant exists.

It seems all I have to do is ask a restaurateur what the biggest problems are today in running a restaurant and the first answer he or she gives is a lack of trained help.

It’s easy to understand that when a high-end restaurant is getting ready to open, a smattering of the better employees from other formal restaurants will apply in what’s called the chasing-the-higher-paycheck syndrome. It happens in all industries, of course. But in this case, we have so many restaurant choices and the staff pool is running quite dry.

To alleviate the situation, culinary training schools are getting more popular. One school that’s doing a good job of getting students ready to tackle the restaurant industry on a semi-professional level is the Art Institute of California-Orange County. Its training facility is quite an attractive restaurant called 50 Forks that is at the corner of Sunflower Avenue and Harbor Boulevard in Santa Ana.

Best news is that the restaurant is open to the public for lunch and dinner Monday through Wednesday. The caveat is that the dining hours are short. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The gift to the wallet is that the food is priced from $5 to $9.

With the meal, you get terrific hot bread, and, on our last visit, we had a zesty spread as well as sweet butter.

The students cook and serve the food and manage the restaurant. They rotate through all the phases of restaurant operations from kitchen to front of the house in their program.

And I have a good idea why the food the students cook is so tasty,it’s because of the executive chef, Peter Striffolino.

In the early ’90s, I singled out Peter as one of the best chefs cooking in OC restaurants,he was then at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott in Dana Point,and I reported on that in this paper. As I observed it back then, he was emotionally involved in getting a little surprise to guests on each plate by way of an unexpected flavor and/or a presentation that was totally engaging.

So, it wasn’t much of a surprise when I heard that he segued to teaching students the art of cooking, though I lamented his loss to the public in a fine restaurant. Now, all we have to do is go to 50 Forks and see the talent flowing to these students.

The menu’s not large. It consists of about half a dozen starters including a soup and a couple of salads. About six entrees and a quartet of desserts round out the choices.

Who would expect to find a Napoleon of braised leeks and beet wafers or roasted quail in a nest of greens for $5 each? Sushi grade ahi with avocado, mango and red grapefruit salad with lemongrass dressing (excellent!) were only $6. Want a terrific pizza? They serve one for $7.

The recent menu from which we ordered had a chicken entree, and shrimp fettuccine at only $8 and seared monkfish (quite refined with the flavors of kalamata olives, tomato and fresh thyme in the background), braised short ribs with polenta and veal with fresh mozzarella and mushrooms for $9.

Menus are changed seasonally, so the winter menu will soon debut, but all dishes have a creative American platform.

This is a real treat. It’s a first-hand opportunity to appreciate the level of training all these students are attaining. It’s a nice atmosphere, the food’s such a lovely surprise and in the few times I’ve been there, the service has been terrific. Above all, one certainly won’t find better prices!

50 Forks: 3601 W. Sunflower Ave. (at Harbor Boulevard), Santa Ana, phone (714) 429-0918. It’s sometimes a bit crowded, so making a reservation might be wise.

Holiday Parties, Fundraisers

The fundraising parties and holiday entertaining season is here. Everyone’s calendar is filling up and I’m starting to get calls about where to have a function for a group. In my next two columns, I will be adding some info on a few places that will certainly impress.

Today, I suggest that if you’re not looking for space in the hotel or resort category, then one place that will give an added edge of adventure and dining excitement is Crystal Jade in Irvine. This is a Chinese restaurant of truly modern decor with fine service that’s bent on giving us a higher level of taste and presentation in this genre of food than we’re used to finding.

Patrick and I have had groups of friends sharing tables with us on numerous occasions. And for larger groups, there’s the option of using a part of the swell looking dining room or an inviting enclosed patio/private room.

A whimsical fountain greets guests as they enter the restaurant, often stopping them in their tracks. Its centerpiece is a massive teapot pouring out a stream of water from atop a small mountain.

A couple of statues, some greenery and the suggestion of a sensual stream add to the panorama.

Attractive booths beyond, a very pleasant cocktail bar and a large dining room with contemporary metal art on the walls and stanchions of bamboo throughout are high on the eye-appeal scale. It carries forward into the private dining area.

As for the food, we are so appreciative of it that we even stop by fairly often for take out. Like all Chinese restaurants, the menu is chock full of choices listed in categories by the main ingredient, which is always the highest quality.

For instance, sauteed green beans with pork can be found in almost every Chinese restaurant, listed under vegetables because there’s only a little minced pork in the m & #233;lange. At Crystal Jade, it’s listed under pork because the amount of succulent pork strips is equal to or even a bit more than the amount of green beans in the duet. With a little rice, this splendidly flavored dish can constitute a complete meal for me,and often does.

I don’t know what image the words “seductive food” conjures up for you, but let me toss out this tidbit: the 16 items that are listed as the Chef’s Signature Dishes are my vision.

I never tire of his Malaysian Chicken (sauteed and then gently bathed in a very delicate coconut curry sauce) and several of our friends are now hooked on curry because this is so far above what they’ve encountered elsewhere.

Sizzling Asian Steak brings the tenderest pieces of beef to the table with the modern touch of lemongrass flavoring its sauce.

The Peking duck is as good as it gets and is usually available without prior ordering because they roast a few every day and we’ve been lucky enough to get them on a moment’s request. A whole duck can be served boneless with the traditional pancakes and condiments for wrapping for $29. It’s yet another item we often order to go for our meal at home.

Spicy and crispy lobster is only a dollar more than the duck and brings forth a platter of small chunks that are veiled in a crackly, tempura-like coating with a sweet and slightly spicy sauce worthy of spooning up on its own.

There are many crab, scallop, lobster and shrimp dishes. But, I would also lead you to either the marvelous fish filet in mango sauce or a preparation that features a delectable tangerine sauce over the filets.

I don’t even know where to go with this in getting you through the many dishes that bear the names you readily recognize. Just trust me in knowing that your chicken in lettuce wraps, Chinese chicken salad, sizzling rice soup, kung pao beef, honey-walnut shrimp and a bunch of other ultra popular items may cause you to need a Crystal Jade fix fairly often.

To set up a meal for your holiday entertaining, or to get catered food, have a chat with Irene Mach, the petite owner who might just charm you as much as this whole restaurant scene does. She’s an absolute delight completely dedicated to having happy customers, as you will quickly learn.

Of course, I’m sure you’ll meet her on most occasions when you go in, even for a personal meal, because she spends countless hours seeing that the diners are kept smiling.

Entrees are mostly in the $8.75 to $14 range with the shellfish and duck slightly higher as noted above, but portions are very generous and perfect for sharing.

Lunch and dinner are served daily and even a fine selection of freshly made dim sum is available each day for lunch. Full cocktail bar. Delivery service is available too, within a certain distance.

It’s very easy to make a specialized menu for a group. If you want to go by my standards, just ask Irene to point out some of the dishes she’s put together for my tables with friends and see if those items entice you.

This restaurant is one enjoyable experience and it’s such a good place to share with friends and business associates.

Crystal Jade: 6511 Quail Hill Parkway (at Shady Canyon entrance in the Quail Hill Center), Irvine, phone (949) 725-3368.