I’ve decided in this issue of Fifi’s Best to focus on some of the great local restaurants that have survived for more than the 15 years in Orange County.
You’ll read about the history of these restaurants and how they’ve changed. With a look at current menus and wine lists, you’ll find suggestions for summer dining.
I’ve covered restaurants from so many directions and corralled those fitting so many categories during my writing career at the Business Journal. Each time I wish I could include all the restaurants that fit my theme. Unfortunately, there’s only so much space.
I am addicted to restaurant dining. Even if I weren’t writing about them, I would still be making reservations all the time. I hope that you won’t mind me inviting you to share this culinary addiction with me.
Enjoy!
21 OCEANFRONT
2100 W. Oceanfront
Newport Beach
(949) 673-2100
Dinner only
This location as a restaurant goes all the way back to the late 1960s. It was called Alley West and became an instant hit with its ocean view.
In the mid-1970s, it was turned into The Ritz, taking on a more glamorous stance. When Hans Prager took The Ritz to Newport Center in 1982, it then became 21 Oceanfront under other ownership.
Additions were made and its seductive and lush interiors were honed even more. The last change of ownership took place in 2001, when Levon Gugasian took over. It remains popular and beautiful, with an awesome view.
Chef Umberto Rubelli and the owner feel that customer satisfaction and consistency are the cornerstones of their success. Luckily, this place always has had a reputation for fine food and good service and it remains so.
Additions to the decor include a remodeled wine cellar, antiques and artwork, which have given it a more luxurious edge.
Levon’s concentration is on high-quality food with a vast selection of domestic and international wines that pair well.
The menu has been slightly redefined. They’ve added a variety of cuts of prime steaks and expanded seafood choices. There’s an emphasis on extravagant nightly specials, which makes the dining adventure even more fun.
This is the place to have an appetizer of lump meat crab cakes. A classic jumbo prawn cocktail or oysters on the half-shell also suit the palate and the atmosphere.
I love the briny fresh halibut in a pistachio crust with rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables. Tiger prawns bring risotto to a new plateau and Australian lobster tail with a petite filet mignon makes the surf and turfers happy.
Wine suggestions to go with this food: Cardwell Pinot Grigio 2005, Lugana Zenato 2003 Italian Trebbiano and the Super Tuscan Le Caldie Poggio Molina.
There are more than 300 wines on the list and about 600 bottles in the private wine cellar.
ANAHEIM WHITE HOUSE
887 South Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim
(714) 772-1381
Lunch and dinner
The restaurant opened in 1981 and from the outset the now historical landmark home in which it resides was a legend in the making.
The massive white house was built by a craftsman in 1909 and by 1918 it was the home of Dr. Truxaw, a local and well loved physician who lived there with his family for the next 50 years. By 1981, local businessman Jim Stovall and his wife, Barbara, turned it into a restaurant.
In 1987, Bruno Serato, an Italian immigrant and now one of OC’s best known restaurateurs, took over ownership.
In the ensuing years, Bruno has given it new life through ongoing upgrades, but he’s been true to the home’s spirit and kept the important details in each room.
Swags of silk now tent the ceilings, gorgeous chandeliers add to the romanticism and sedate tones of beige, eggshell and white swath the walls. Customized table settings ready us for the cosmopolitan Italian food.
The restaurant’s rolling front lawn, edged with flower gardens and strewn with romantic lights, is prime summer evening dining territory, so make a reservation to sit there.
Chef Eddie Meza has been cooking the fine food with personally selected products and the freshest ingredients for us since 1988 and he and Bruno update the menus quarterly. They’ve taken presentation to a whole new plateau.
Here are some suggested appetizers to begin your summer meal. Lobster ravioli is lightly laced with ginger-citrus sauce, prosciutto and melon is classic and never better than in warm weather, and the tuna tartare is made with finely chopped Ahi drizzled with a barely spicy chef’s sauce.
In researching this article, Bruno insisted I also mention an appetizer with my name on it. It’s my recipe for crab lasagna with tomato-b & #233;chamel sauce they use and it has become a popular appetizer for them. I won’t know if you order it, so it won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t, but it is good.
On to entrees. Baked sole stuffed with fresh salmon mousse, with the added nuances of toasted walnuts and a sleek honey-Dijon sauce, is swell. Anaheim White House also turns out a fine preparation of baked red snapper atop green asparagus spears, blending well the flavors of sea and garden.
The feeling of Italy comes through in the filet mignon served with gorgonzola sauce atop baked polenta. Fettuccine pasta tossed with a chive pesto is clean and cool tasting. I am also fond of the restaurant’s tender short ribs braised in red wine with pearl onions.
Wines are chosen from more than 350 on the list that come mostly from California, Italy and France.
The Terre di Tufi from San Gimignano is a crisp, clean white as is the Bollini Reserve Pinot Grigio from Friuli, Italy. Vina Croce Terrabianca Chianti Classico Reserva is a fine choice for a red.
Insoglio del Cinghiale-Tenuta Campo di Sasso is a Tuscan wine with superlative, smooth flavors that still has us sighing for its elegance. Several of us had dinner here two weeks ago and were highly impressed with it.
The philosophy at Anaheim White House is to prepare the highest quality food with international flavors, serve it in a unique presentation and to have a service level beyond the expectation of the guests.
ARCHES
3334 W. Coast Highway
Newport Beach
(949) 645-7077
Lunch and dinner
The Arches is entwined with everything that Newport Beach has in its soul.
It goes all the way back to 1922. By the time the paved roads arrived and the glamour era of Hollywood was beginning to take hold, the stars were sitting at the bar having their cocktails before moving to tables to dine sumptuously.
As some of the movie celebrities moved to OC, the restaurant’s reputation grew as they made it a favored spot for all occasions. Decades later, the Arches still is the only restaurant in OC that offers us classic dining late into the night.
You can bet that there are quite a few of us who are entrenched night owls and appreciate a fantastic Caesar salad made tableside at midnight.
The guy with personality plus and sense of humor divine, Dan Marcheano, bought the Arches 24 years ago. He did not fool with the success that made it what it was,Dan only honed it more finely.
We like having his collection of bright and bold fine art on the walls and we so admire having a formally clad waiter take care of our adventuresome food eccentricities. We’ve fallen in love with the massive leather booths, the kind that are a dying breed.
Dan may have a splendid and fun rapport with his loyal customers,I often find myself on the losing end of his jokes,but he’s as serious as they come about running a fine restaurant. The food is prime quality, service is that perfect balance of professional and friendly, portions are decidedly generous.
I am so happy with chef Jerry Gatan’s menu. I occasionally have made meals of appetizers. Coconut shrimp have become very popular the past few years. These are a must have: crispy, yet tender and the mango sauce with them is the nicest kind of exotica.
Have a classic crab cocktail. Stone crab claws from Florida are a staple. A little European sophistication creeps in with the p & #226;t & #233; maison with truffles. Dan suggests we have that with a bottle of Mumm Champagne.
The number of seafood entrees has increased during the past few decades. We still can indulge in the juiciest steaks but we’re all eating more seafood than we used to.
Abalone is a rarity now, so have it at the Arches. For lunch, the combination seafood Louis salad is warm weather friendly.
Rib eye steaks have come into their own, with the public realizing that they are the cut preferred by butchers and cattlemen. The Arches’ version is a 26-ounce wonder.
Entrees come with choice of soup or salad and garden fresh vegetable and choice of potato or rice pilaf.
If there’s a place where I can get in trouble with martinis (make mine real, with gin please), this is it. Like all else, the pours are generous and cocktails seem to go so well with this ambiance.
But, with 280 wines on a list, 12,000 bottles in inventory and a whole passel of them by the glass, wine always is on the agenda.
Summertime finds include the truly refreshing Schmitt Sohne Riesling, DeLoach 2005 Gewurztraminer that goes well with seafood and perhaps the Pighin Risano Pinot Grigio.
There’s a dedication of staff and clientele that’s remarkable. I think we crave the nostalgia and the stability of the Arches more than we realize. Make a note: the Sunday and Monday night specials (about 18 choices) will give you great bargain dining.
BISTANGO
19100 Von Karman Ave.
Irvine
(949) 752-5222
Lunch and dinner
Bistango was born in 1987, immediately making its mark on OC dining.
The restaurant introduced us to the aesthetic of art in an unexpected atmosphere,as part of a restaurant that itself took up residence in a soaring glass atrium. A new kind of decor for dining was inaugurated and the fine food also reached way beyond our expectations.
Just to keep things fresh, owner John Ghoukassian coupled his passion for art and superb food with a commitment to changing the art on a quarterly timetable so that the backdrop was an ever intellectual and inspiring environment.
Business and casual diners gather in Bistango’s chic space each day.
In the late afternoon, the happy hour crowd knows that this is an “A” list place to have a cocktail and mellow out from the stress of business.
At dinner, the surroundings and crowd turn more romantic and quiet. Live music provides dancing pleasure in the lounge area and it wafts lightly through the dining room.
Chef Javier Montoya has been keeping us happy since 1988. The biggest change in the menu since the beginning years is the shifting from Italian to American contemporary dishes.
The first courses are impressive. There’s a savory carpaccio of smoked blue marlin with lomi salmon (diced salmon with chives) and avocado mousse. Summery melon and Redondo Iglesias serrano ham with shaved fig and fresh mint suits the season.
Warm weather cries for Javier’s cool gazpacho soup with avocado and cucumber relish. Also very seasonal is the asparagus salad with baby beets, m & #226;che lettuce and walnut-crusted goat cheese.
Choose entrees such as grilled medallions of venison loin, seared rare sesame seed-crusted tuna with Asian vegetables or grilled prime skirt steak on grilled romaine heart for a seasonal flare.
There are 440 interesting wines on the list and more than 5,000 bottles in the wine cellar, so a glass or bottle of wine is de rigueur.
Choose an Arneis Blanche 2003 Cereto from Piedmont, the 2004 Alban Vineyards Edna Valley Viognier or 2002 Graff Family Vineyards Mourvedre from Chalone for uplifting tastes to go with your food.
John says it is never easy to have a success, no matter the era in which you open. Follow the trends. If needed, change direction and try to give the best package.
Bistango’s passion for consistency in food and service, good live entertainment and updated art exhibitions has been constant.
For those who want the signature of Bistango’s cuisine in your own environment, the restaurant has a unit called Dining As Art Catering Co.
THE CELLAR
305 N. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton
(714) 525-5682
Dinner only
The restaurant dates back to 1970 and, while it may indeed be a cellar, it’s one fashioned by Disneyland Park designers.
Ambiance doesn’t get changed in a place like this so the cave-like panorama with pristinely set tables and a menu of proven classics has continued through the years.
The Cellar launched when North County was a barren land for restaurants. Everyone wanted to see what those Disneyland guys had come up with.
The fine dining, European-style restaurant certainly wasn’t expected. And it had a serious wine collection.
The original owner sold The Cellar several years ago. Not much was changed and the restaurant continued to stay on concept. The newest owner since late 2004 is Ryan Dudley. He’s concentrating on his customers as a hands-on proprietor.
Ryan said success is about quality,not quantity. His intention is to provide guests with an elegant dining experience that will provide happy memories long after dinner is over.
A dinner might begin with chef David Kesler’s truffle-studded duck liver p & #226;t & #233;. Escargot is quite at home here in its garlicky butter sauce. Prosciutto with dried apricots, figs and spiced gew & #252;rztraminer sauce is interesting and unique.
Seared Ahi tuna in a coconut cream sauce (with a mango-papaya salsa) sings with summer flavor. Of course, lobster bisque and onion soup gratin & #233;ed with gruyere cheese need no introductions.
The main course might find you with poached tilapia dappled with a seafood cream sauce or with pan-fried Dover sole with lemon-parsley butter.
Naturally, you find rack of lamb (highlighted with a red bell pepper sauce) on the menu. There are steaks with French-style sauces. Veal scaloppini manages its place on the menu.
Guinea fowl is a flavorful bird not found on many menus. This would be the place to further your adventure with the crisply roasted bird dappled in a sour cherry sauce. Lobster lovers will find the spiny version with chive sabayon ribboned across it.
Wine still is a very big part of The Cellar experience. There are 15,000 bottles in inventory, with 1,200 wines on the list from 15 countries.
The balmy weather is a good time for wines such as 2004 Lincourt Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County, 2003 Matua Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or 2002 Hill Family Estate Merlot.
You can find wines dating back to the 1930s here if you are the ultimate aficionado willing to spend what it takes. But you don’t need to permanently dent your wallet since The Cellar has the latest wine releases.
CLUB GRILL & BAR
Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
One Ritz-Carlton Drive
Dana Point
(949) 240-2000
Dinner only
The Club is a true supper club. It’s hard to believe that it is 21 years old,have we really danced away evenings all those years?
We won’t go there, but we do know that this consistently relaxing and pretty atmosphere,where terrific food is served,is wanted, needed and appreciated.
There’s a quiet bar along one wall of this room and I sometimes like having a cocktail there before going to my table. Otherwise this is the kind of place where I take full advantage of the beautiful and relaxing club-like surroundings and have that cocktail or a glass of wine at my table before ordering food.
The restaurant’s chef de cuisine is Matthew Sisson who has been paying particular attention to the artisanal products and special produce that enhance his dishes since 2001.
Matthew has changed the pre-selection of accompaniments with entrees, which has been popular. Now you get to choose the starch and vegetable you want with the main course, making our meal more personal.
This is the kind of place where you should take your time and linger over your meal. The cool nature of oysters on the half-shell suits summer dining so they are a fine beginning. Matthew serves them with wasabi-infused caviar and the counterbalance of icy verbena granita.
Italian bruschetta takes on new glory. The crunchy croutons are topped with tomato, of course, but the introduction of arugula, burrata cheese and onion jam as part of the party makes it more special. Nijisseiki pears are those cool, crisp ones and they are so good as part of the lobster and mango that also mingle on the plate.
Pistachio-crusted sea bass is a lighter entree and the signature dish of the restaurant. It’s nicely partnered with lemongrass beurre blanc. A salmon roulade is seasonally enticing with its crab stuffing and trendy apricot-chipotle chile glaze.
A meat eater will find satisfaction in the 20-ounce premium dry-aged porterhouse steak swabbed with bourbon sauce.
Side dishes include artichoke ravioli with tomato cream sauce, lemon-pepper spaetzle, citrus rice, three-cheese risotto, summer bean and shallot fricassee, wild forest mushrooms and a sweet corn, fennel and leek fondue.
With 30 wines by the glass, 800 selections by the bottle and 10,000 bottles nestling on the premises, the Club is a good place to savor wine. There is a good selection of half-bottles, too.
Picking a trio of summery wines brings us first to the limited bottling of 2005 Kynsi Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Blanc from Santa Maria Valley. It sports white nectarine and honeydew and a variety of citrus flavors with a clean bright finish.
Then there’s the full, round flavor profile backing the 2004 Pazo San Mauro Albarino Rias Baixas from Spain. A third suggestion is the 2003 Ch & #226;teauneuf-du-Pape Ch & #226;teau Gardine with aromas of cherry and pepper and the taste of cedar and fresh ripe berries making it a superb food wine.
The Club is one class act restaurant in every way.
GOLDEN TRUFFLE
1767 Newport Blvd.
Costa Mesa
(949) 645-9858
Lunch and dinner
Take one genius of a chef with a wicked sense of humor and a knowledge of wine that’s formidable, one who has an unsurpassed passion for delectable food and probably has more fun in the kitchen than anyone else, and you get a bundle of charm called Alan Greeley, the chef and owner of Golden Truffle.
Alan can cook a turnip or entertain a customer who’s had a bad day with the same amount of aplomb. He’s proved it for 24 years.
It has become impossible for me to stay away from this restaurant and its interesting take on international cuisine.
At least twice a year, I get on the phone and summon a passel of foodie friends to indulge in another surprise meal,matched with intriguing wines,thought up by Alan. I also make sure that I visit for lunch to get my Golden Truffle fix when a dinner isn’t approaching.
The surroundings are unpretentious, a mix of bistro, wine bar and island coziness. But watching customers sigh over their food and wait for Alan to come to their table and chat with them shows that these diners keep their eye on the prize,culinary adventures par excellence.
We’ve all had foie gras in various ways, but here one might encounter it teetering on the spear on which it was seared, with some jaunty little berries offsetting its richness. Or, it might come wrapped in a tortilla.
There’s no way to guess what’s in this chef’s mind. We know that it always is something different, always fantastic to look at and delicious to eat.
On the summer menu, several appetizers call my name, including Sal’s white gulf shrimp gazpacho. I don’t know who Sal is, but I know this cold soup is perfection. Grilled octopus with lemon and feta cheese is equal parts fun and fine flavor combination. Summer tomatoes never tasted better than in the preserved tomatoes with house-cured rosemary mozzarella.
Entrees include juicy swordfish broiled in a wrap of grape leaves dampened in extra virgin olive oil. If it’s hot outside and salad is on your mind, go for the lettuce mingling with hand-picked lump crab meat and white gulf shrimp.
Tender lamb gets a dose of homemade barbecue sauce and a bit of chile verde for a new twist.
The Golden Truffle has lots of boutique wines stored in bins and wall units in a second dining room. I insist you make life more interesting with these: 2003 Fruitiere Cuvee Petit M Muscadet, Dog Point 2005 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2003 Provisor Dry Creek Valley Syrah and Hamilton Oaks Vineyard 2002 Zinfandel (made at the winery here in OC).
Your wine palate will thank you for giving it some new direction in life.
Alan will tell you that Letia Short, his significant other and the restaurant’s general manager, is the one thing that’s been most important to his success. Keeping us enthused about food and wine and giving us such good service would have to be on that list, too.
The biggest change at Golden Truffle is that it was a deli when it first opened. Most of the restaurant’s business at the time was catering. But then Alan started cooking and didn’t want to make sandwiches and Golden Truffle evolved.
GRANVILLE’S STEAK HOUSE
Disneyland Hotel
1150 Magic Way
Anaheim
(714) 781-3463, ext. 4
Breakfast and dinner
Granville’s is 23 years old, but looks fresh and new, thanks to constant upgrades.
The restaurant is a fine dining element of the Walt Disney Co.’s Disneyland Resort. It was named after actress Bonita Granville, who was married to Disneyland Hotel developer Jack Wrather.
In order to remain competitive, the restaurant has gone through many changes during the past few decades.
But the concept has remained straightforward: provide the freshest product and maintain a high quality standard in both food and service that consistently pleases guests, who will want to recommend Granville’s to all of their friends. The Granville’s crew exhibits the best ambassadorship of Disneyland.
The chef is Jason Martin, who has a zest for fine food. He’s now developed Granville’s into a steak house with an extra dose of panache.
Granville’s might call itself a steak house and the menu offers all of the expected turf fare, and fresh fish, but it goes the extra step in serving dishes with a contemporary flair.
This restaurant is an ongoing success story. Granville’s fine china, silverware and glassware create tables with a “Wow!” factor. Surroundings exhibit just the right amount of plush.
Suggested first courses include the chilled, smoked Ahi tuna with cucumber relish and wasabi vinaigrette that’s so perfect for this season and the intensive Dungeness crab cake with saffron sauce.
The classic chilled shrimp with cocktail sauce is completely at home and the seven-onion soup is just great. Entrees can segue from any of several steaks seasoned with their signature spice rub,the 18-ounce rib eye is awesome,to prime rib that’s tender and juicy.
The pork rib eye also is a winner and fresh fish of the day always is welcome.
Granville’s is just as serious about wine as it is about food.
The wine list has 42 wines representing 29 varietals. Some 40 wines are served by the glass. Baileyana 2004 Firepeak Vineyards Chardonnay from Edna Valley is perfect for a warm summer night.
Chef Jason’s personal favorite is the Flora Springs 2001 Poggio del Papa (a Napa Valley meritage blend of sangiovese, merlot and cabernet).
Joseph Phelps 2001 Cabernet or the Silver Oak 2001 Alexander Valley Cabernet also are marvelous.
THE HOBBIT
2932 E. Chapman Ave.
Orange
(714) 997-1972
Dinner only
It just doesn’t seem like 34 years have evaporated since The Hobbit opened, but here I am admitting that I took some of my cooking students to the home-turned-into-restaurant during that first year.
The restaurant was the talk of OC back then because everybody was curious about the audacity of having a restaurant whose persona was built around a substantial wine collection.
We all talked about the first course of food being consumed in the wine cellar before we went upstairs and pretended to know what wines to order with the rest of our meal. Thankfully, a little more wine education has come our way since then.
The wine philosophy of executive chef and owner Michael Philippi and his wife Debra has remained steady: fair prices and personal service.
The Hobbit’s wine list has about 1,200 selections from around the world. Guests may order by the bottle, glass or choose the wine pairings that are matched to the menu each evening.
Chef de cuisine Mike Backouris is a graduate of the country’s most prestigious training school, the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
Mike features unique European-style pre-fixe seven-course meals, lasting anywhere from three to four hours.
Items such as grilled quail, poached sea bass, lamb with fennel-citrus coulis, wild Alaskan salmon, duck breast with onion marmalade and classic international dishes turn up on menus.
All guests still visit the wine cellar for champagne and hors d’oeuvres to begin their dining experience. This gives the staff an opportunity to speak with each of the guests and answer questions regarding wine selection for the evening’s menu.
Twice lately, eating out with some of our intrepid dining friends, we’ve started our evening with a non vintage prosecco and they’ve been so happy with the spritzy, bright nature of this wine that reeks of friendliness.
Mike also suggests it as a fun wine to have with a first course. Try the Prosecco di Conegliano from Canella, Italy. The aroma of peaches, pears and almonds sets the stage nicely for a summer eve.
Other wine suggestions would include the 2000 Marques de Riscal, Rioja Reserva and the 2002 Joan D’Anguera El Bugader Montsant. Both wines are from Spain. The Marques de Riscal conjures up fresh berries with cream and a layer of oaky vanilla weaving through it. You get an idea of the edgier components of the Rioja, Spain’s major wine region.
The Montsant is a stunning blend of syrah and cabernet, rich and purplish with fresh blueberries wafting on the top of its brilliant profile. Both prove that we should be drinking more wines from Spain.
Mike and Debra suggest the 2003 Chateau Lamothe Guignard Sauternes (France) for yet another lovely wine.
IL FORNAIO
18051 Von Karman Ave.
Irvine
(949) 261-1444
Lunch and dinner
This is the 15-year anniversary of the Irvine restaurant that has taken me back to Italy from the moment it opened.
Il Fornaio’s villa-like interiors, authentic food, interaction of the staff with customers in a professional yet friendly way and the soulful experience of all those artisanal loaves of bread the restaurant bakes daily is pretty powerful stuff.
The Irvine restaurant has stuck to the chain’s corporate philosophy of offering a truly authentic Italian experience and taking care of their employees.
In fact, they say that their biggest change from opening until now has been the growth of people that started their careers with Il Fornaio. Both Frank Licata and Mario Lombardo, whom many of you know, were general managers in Irvine before moving up to be market partners for Il Fornaio.
Giuseppe Nacarelli, who could barely speak English when he started as a sous-chef at Irvine, is now director of kitchen operations for all of the chain’s 23 restaurants.
Maybe the biggest change is Marcello Appolonio making the rare switch, moving from the back-of-the-house chef/partner position in Irvine, to become managing partner of the restaurant. The chef/partner now is Jeff Burt.
The biggest menu change has to be Festa Regionale, which defines Il Fornaio’s dedication to being the most authentic Italian restaurant outside of Italy. The monthly regional menu celebration highlights the authentic foods and wines of Italy.
Festa Regionale began at the Irvine restaurant 11 years ago with regional dinners that Marcello and Mario started doing.
A warm weather meal might begin with a sampling of real Italian antipasti: seasoned cheese rolled in smoked salmon, scallops wrapped in pancetta, Tuscan melon with prosciutto, bruschetta, eggplant salad, grilled artichoke, tomato, mozzarella and olives.
A grilled scallops, calamari and shrimp trio with parsley sauce is a great dish and spicy ahi tuna tartare is so refreshing.
Other good summer entrees are shellfish linguine (clams, mussels, prawns and scallops) in a trebbiano wine sauce, grilled double chicken breast (marinated with sage, rosemary, thyme, crushed red pepper, white wine and Dijon mustard) and I love the lightness of sauteed veal with artichokes and lemon. Grilled beef tenderloin with balsamic reduction is fine anytime.
The wine list harbors interesting finds. There are 90 wines on the list, with more than 40 varietals of reserve wines. There are about 500 bottles of reserve wine in-house.
You may want to try the sparkly NV Carpene Malvolti Prosecco for a real warm weather treat. Other wines to pay attention to: 2004 Gavi di Gavi Broglia from Piemonte and the 2003 Greco di Tufo Terredora from Campania.
LA CAVE
1695 Irvine Ave.
Costa Mesa
(949) 646-7944
Dinner only
La Cave opened on Valentine’s Day in 1962 at a time when there weren’t many restaurants around and an even scarcer number of gourmet ones.
Early on in OC’s culinary development, the word gourmet generally encompassed places serving some steak, usually trout and, perhaps in a smattering of cases, some Italian dishes or easy to make French entrees.
It was still the era when vegetables were cooked to a fare-thee-well and the swankiest wine lists led us to Mateus, Liebfraumilch and Lancers.
But La Cave took us a bit further and set some standards for others to follow.
It was the first restaurant in this county to present the raw steaks and lobster tails to the customers tableside so that we could see what we were buying before it was cooked.
We enjoyed the meals while ensconced in big, comfortable booths. The wine list began to have some decent imports and we spread our wine tasting wings just a bit. The salad before our entree, I recall, was even then a crisp treat studded with juicy tomato chunks and crunchy cucumber.
New owners took over in 2000 and their philosophy is to stay consistent with the quality of the food and service and maintain the restaurant’s vibe.
The owners have kept respect for La Cave alive with a good handle on today’s market. The restaurant remains known for great steaks that are perfectly cooked, great ambiance and its live music and entertainment.
Singers and groups perform each night and music ranges from jazz to contemporary to evenings honoring the greats such as Sinatra.
Chef Roberto Orozco has overseen the kitchen for a decade and customers can expect consistency and prime ingredients in his food.
Fine, fresh produce accompanies your meat or seafood. Vegetables are allowed to retain their nutrients and texture, salads have modern day accoutrements.
Desserts are works of art and worth every calorie. We can count on understanding what’s on the plate.
To start dinner, the jumbo shrimp cocktail is amazing: big prawns meeting the absolutely perfect cocktail sauce. You can have a New York Strip appetizer style (cut up in little cubes to enjoy as you down a lovely cocktail).
Shrimp scampi is a classic too. Retro in the very best way.
The entrees still concentrate on surf and turf. La Cave has added a couple of new cuts of steak: a 16-ounce boneless prime rib eye and a 24-ounce porterhouse.
I highly recommend the Alaskan halibut and prime rib (served on Friday and Saturday) is great. Or, how about a filet mignon with Australian lobster tail, complete with a salad and twice-baked cheese-stuffed potato?
A superb wine from the 50-label list to go with the all-American meals is Joseph Phelps Insignia. A fantastic wine to sip with your dessert is the Paradise Ranch Merlot Ice Wine.
LA VIE EN ROSE
240 S. State College Blvd.
Brea
(714) 529-8333
Lunch and dinner
I’ve written about this home-away-from-home,for the French and the rest of us who appreciate fine French food and wines,so much that everyone should recognize its importance to OC dining.
The building, reminiscent of a manor house in Normandy, was built in 1980. Four years later, Louis Laulhere bought it and the era of La Vie was born.
Success is attributed to having very loyal employees, a strong customer base and to staying true to its authentic French concept. Exceeding customer expectations in food and service is its benchmark.
One of the best things about La Vie en Rose is that it never has succumbed to fads.
The biggest change was adding a prix fixe menu option for dining. A full a la carte menu allows as many variations as one could want.
I maintain that the escargot here is the best possible appetizer and it’s nearly impossible for me to skip it.
Otherwise, the menu for warm weather months may lead me to appetizers of smoked salmon with capers and shallots, fresh mussels in white wine flavored with herbs and shallots. Lovely slices of juicy, red tomato with a little mozzarella and basil tucked in also would be pretty fine.
By now I would be serious about my wine order. We find a treasure of a wine list approaching 200 choices and 2,400 bottles in the wine cellar to back it up.
The list takes us to some of the very best,and affordable,tastes in international wines. For something different, try Aramis Ugni Blanc C & #244;tes de Gascogne for a white wine.
For the past dozen years, Brian Tran has been dazzling us with his food so there are lots of entrees that make me happy.
Here are four recommendations: While salmon is common on menus, it is terrific here with the creamy sorrel sauce. Sauteed sea bass is quite warm weather friendly simply highlighted by shallot, parsley and lemon in the reduction sauce. Dover sole finds mushrooms and pearl onions surrounding it. Crispy duck confit, an absolute must, comes with a puddle of rich port wine reduction sauce.
Standards have been very high from the beginning. Louis says La Vie’s workers strive every day to maintain and even exceed what they’ve done before.
Incidentally, the romanticism of La Vie and its broad selection of banquet menus no doubt accounts for all the weddings they book.
MCCORMICK & SCHMICK’S
2000 Main St.
Irvine
(949) 756-0505
Lunch and dinner
Good looks come in spades at McCormick & Schmick’s, which features great spans of fine hardwood all fitted with custom millwork.
Diners feel like they’re in the middle of the best of nature, comfort, friendliness and beauty. McCormick also manages to give us two interesting elements: the more serious restaurant and the fun-loving pub.
Right now, I’m concentrating on the restaurant’s upscale seafood dining.
Seafood is what McCormick is all about. It serves only seafood that is briny fresh and in great abundance from faraway waters.
I’ve gathered a bunch of my foodie friends several times during the past 15 years since our Irvine restaurant debuted so that we could traipse through several seafood courses, always giving the chef, Kurt Schaeffer, freedom to come up with the menu.
The concept has held steady since two guys, Bill McCormick and Doug Schmick, got together in Portland, Ore., in 1971 and came up with this award-winning idea.
The emphasis is on the freshest, highest quality ingredients, served in a timeless atmosphere with great service for a value price. The result: highly satisfied guests.
The menu that’s printed daily is the restaurant’s key tool, allowing McCormick to quickly change choices based on availability and quality.
It’s an interesting aside that Bill now is the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and the Samoan Islands.
I usually start my McCormick meal with the refreshing flavors of Hawaii lingering in the chunky cubes of poke. The Dungeness crab with a mango and avocado tower on the side also is a favorite, as is the bay shrimp mojito “martini.” Sometimes I just have to sneak in a traditional jumbo prawn cocktail.
Entree choices are plentiful. But we must choose, so first on my list would be wild Copper River salmon when it’s in season. Aside from the fish, I loved the basil-bell pepper polenta that comes with it.
The wild salmon, grilled and served with a wild mushroom rosemary sauce, is another good one. One recent entree I tried gave two superb tastes on one plate,salmon and halibut strips braided together.
Sashimi of Kona fish is yet another thought.
On this wine list,150 strong,is one of my all-time favorites. With or without food, I love the Trimbach Reserve Pinot Gris from Alsace, France and in this case a 2003 release.
There’s the lovely 2004 Nautilus Estate Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, and the perfect uncomplicated red to go with fish, 2004 Drouhin Beaujolais Villages 2004 from France.
The restaurant’s selection has a wide range of varietals representing international regions. Prices are very fair.
I like that McCormick holds true to its original core values and that it uses local purveyors in each location to bring in produce from nearby farms to round out the menu.
MR. STOX
1105 E. Katella Ave.
Anaheim
(714) 634-2994
Lunch and dinner
Mr. Stox is another restaurant that never doubted the importance of wine in making a memorable dining experience.
The restaurant’s wine cellar and caves, holding about 25,000 bottles, are completely entwined in the legendary status of Mr. Stox.
Owners Chick and Ron Marshall (brothers) and Ron’s wife, Debbie, have operated the restaurant as a hands-on family affair since they bought it in 1977. That counts heavily in the restaurant’s awesome customer loyalty.
There are more than 1,000 selections from virtually every wine producing area in the world on the wine list. Fortunately, the list is so well organized that diners easily can peruse categories and come up with fantastic tastes in all price ranges.
Ron says that a willingness to stray from the popular wine varietals is rewarded with some interesting options.
These are his suggestions for wonderful wine experiences. On the white side, he likes the Andrew Rich 2003 Rousanne from Oregon and the Konzemann Pinot Blanc from South Africa,both are light and refreshing, priced under $32 per bottle and reflect the integrity of their grape varieties.
For reds, Chick and Ron like the Hammacher Pinot Ros & #233; from Oregon and a Marin County Pinot Noir from the Devil’s Gulch Vineyard made by Dutton Goldfield Winery. They note that the latter will pair splendidly with salmon or poultry.
Mr. Stox gets big points for having such a clear vision of how to succeed. They formed a business plan at the outset to achieve the changes over time.
Employees were recruited and trained who could understand and execute that vision. The owners continue to train and motivate workers to maintain Mr. Stox’s high standards of cuisine and service.
A second key element was a commitment to reinvest profits into improving the dining rooms, service pieces and kitchen since its founding. Today, Mr. Stox is a beautiful place with marble, etched glass and fine furnishings greeting you and the food presentations that keep pace.
Chef Scott Raczek’s food is contemporary and a bit international with the most pristine ingredients being paramount. The restaurant bakes all its own breads,a separate claim to fame. Herb gardens on the premises provide dewy fresh essences to dishes.
Scott feels that customers are much more interested and knowledgeable about food these days, a belief that works well with the restaurant’s menu. The lunch menu is generally redone monthly and the dinner menu quarterly.
Favorite appetizers from the current menu would be goat’s cheese and spinach salad, soft shell crab salad and the Ahi sashimi.
From the entree section, I like Tasmanian Ocean trout (pink fleshed like salmon but with a more genteel taste), which comes with a great cauliflower puree. Mr. Stox is known for its Maryland crab cakes (possible as either appetizer or entree).
Osso buco is another of the restaurant’s mainstays and you absolutely must have the chicken breast with Forbidden Black Rice (it used to be allowed only for royal dining) and Thai red curry sauce.
Desserts are made by Mr. Stox’s pastry chef of 22 years, Hector Gonzalez. His lemon meringue cake is the best and a parade of other sweet endings only adds to the allure of it all.
PAVILION
The Island Hotel Newport Beach
690 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach
(949) 760-4920
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
It’s not yet a year since this hotel changed management from Four Seasons to owner The Irvine Company, but you won’t notice too many changes in the hotel yet.
While the hotel’s Pavilion restaurant looks the same,a fresh redo is in the works,there are new chefs and a revamped menu.
I’ve worked my way through a lot of the amazing new menu. The food is terrific.
The hotel persuaded Bill Bracken to take on the executive chef position, luring him away from the Peninsula in Los Angeles. Bill, who is from OC, was the hotel’s first kitchen guru when it opened in 1986.
Bill has brought in Joshua Nudd as chef de cuisine and that young man is certainly holding up his end of the cooking bargain in his take on contemporary food. Trust me, you’re going to love what’s going on in this dining room.
Pavilion has held firm to its fine dining reputation and the service is impressive.
Food presentations are wonderful. Order your first course and let it all unfold. Lumpy, rich crab cakes have palate amusements of mango aioli, fermented black beans, pickled ginger and tangy plum puree tucked around their edges.
Seared diver scallops from Maine share their abode with king oyster mushrooms, baby corn, fava beans and a drizzle of sweet, white corn emulsion.
A tartare of tuna has perky Maui onions and lotus chips as part of its canvas.
Heirloom tomatoes share the silkiness of avocado and the thrill of watermelon juice on their plate.
I’ll suggest these main courses for summer dining: loin of yellow fin tuna sprinkled with Hawaiian sea salt, with purple artichokes on the side, plus a fine modern version of ratatouille.
Maine lobster gets a gourmet boost when it’s herb-roasted and served with the richness of Portobello mushrooms.
A dish called Peking Duck elicits a smile,it’s not from Peking. But it’s a yummy dish, roasted with organic rainbow chard and a tangerine and Szechuan pepper glaze. This dish redefines what a duck entree is all about.
You’ll want to take time to enjoy Pavilion’s 450 wine choices, categorized by regions.
Try a bottle of the 2001 Cain Five Meritage, Lewis Cellars 2000 Syrah or Duckhorn 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, all from the Napa Valley. Skip to Tuscany and savor the velvety 2000 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello.
PLEASANT PEASANT
4251 Martingale Way
Newport Beach
(949) 955-2755
Lunch and dinner
The Pleasant Peasant, an adorable French country casual place, has a 28-year family history.
The food is decidedly approachable, made with loving passion by owner and chef Laurent Ferre. He dots the menu with just a hint of internationalism to keep everyone happy.
Laurent and his wife, Lisa, have been at the helm since 1991 when they took over from her father, founder Burt Blender and his partner, Harry Boand.
You have to love that this very French bistro is so affordably priced. Service is good and friendly under the leadership of Lisa, who oversees the dining rooms. The restaurant has three dining rooms, each smallish and intimate.
The fine quality of their made-to-order food, friendly prices and untrendy look turn it into a package that reminds me of my favorite local bistro in Paris, Chez Andr & #233;.
Changes? Well, the owners have lightened up the formerly darkish interior a lot, giving it a more cheerful and airy look. They also completely rebuilt the kitchen, a delight for Laurent, no doubt.
Laurent has changed a lot of the recipes along the way to reflect a more modern style of cuisine. This couple is very, very particular when it comes to freshness, receiving fish and vegetables daily.
He never over prepares items. That means that at the end of the restaurant’s lunch or dinner hours there may be an item that is unavailable. That is rare, but it ensures that nothing goes into overnight storage to be used again the next day.
Laurent smokes his own salmon in a light, mild manner that I like, so it makes for a swell first course. Bay shrimp with avocado is summerish and so is the delicious cold gazpacho soup.
For anyone who enjoys an entree salad for lunch, you won’t find better ones than here. Try the salad of mixed baby greens with Laurent’s salmon accenting it.
What to have for an entree? The restaurant’s bestseller is sand dabs, which are fantastic. Do try the breast of duck with blackberry sauce and the lamb loin Dijonnaise.
All entrees are served with fresh vegetables and rice or potatoes (depending on the day) and a choice of soup du jour or salad maison.
By now, you would have perused the 45-label wine list. Try the 2004 Borgo Faveri Pinot Grigio from Italy, 2003 Ch & #226;teau St-Martin Ros & #233; de Provence or 2004 Domaine Martray Beaujolais (Brouilly) from France.
Another top choice is the M & #233;lange du Sud Hamilton Oaks, a 2002 meritage made right here in OC. It shows up on the wine lists of our most prestigious high-end restaurants.
THE RITZ
880 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach
(949) 720-1800
Lunch and dinner
What an illustrious and legendary restaurant this is, so wrapped in the history of OC fine dining.
The late Hans Prager opened the “Little Ritz” in 1977 near the Newport Pier and moved to it to the Fashion Island area in 1982. He sold it to Fred Glusman, already a successful restaurateur, in 2002.
Longevity also is associated with the chef, Lupe Camerena, who has been with the restaurant from its inception and became executive chef in the mid-1980s.
A major change at The Ritz since its opening has been the launch of outdoor dining in The Garden. Summer Martini Tastings on Tuesday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in The Garden are tons of fun.
Fred also moved some partitioning walls at the end of the glamorous bar to extend the conviviality of that room all the way back. The seductive and elegant decor of the restaurant remains.
The key to Fred’s success: an award-winning blend of classic and contemporary cuisine, gracious service and an appropriate wine list (more than 200 choices) delivered in a sophisticated dining atmosphere.
Befitting such a beautiful restaurant, Fred’s summer-style appetizers include chilled gazpacho laced with rock shrimp and avocado pearls on the menu. A salad of organic tomatoes and fresh mozzarella sprinkled with pine nuts also is a good start for a meal.
The Ritz’s signature Carousel is a stacked lazy susan laden with Maine lobster claws, gulf shrimp, Dungeness crab legs, gravlax, smoked Idaho trout, goose liver pate, Parma prosciutto and tartare of filet mignon. If you’ve never experienced a Carousel at The Ritz, you need to do something about it.
Main courses are varied and interesting. I always smile at the Surf, Surf & Crab dish, a m & #233;lange of broiled Maine lobster tail, jumbo prawns and Maryland lump crab cake.
Also beloved is the sauteed whole Dover sole. While there are plenty of meat dishes on the menu, summer and seafood is such a good marriage, so another suggestion is the Nantucket day-boat scallops that are pan-seared with mushroom brown butter.
I must add that Fred put on The Ritz menu the meatballs from his Las Vegas restaurant recipe (he owns the famous Piero’s there) and they are fabulous. They’re not out of step at all with The Ritz’s elegance.
With these repasts you might consider drinking some Mayacamus Vineyards 2003 Sauvignon Blanc, Hanzell Vineyards 2003 Chardonnay or the marvelous Niebaum-Coppola “Rubicon” 2001 (a meritage blend).
Also, some nice bubbly like Veuve Clicquot Ros & #233; Brut Champagne could charm me before or through the meal.
ROYAL KHYBER
South Coast Plaza Village
1621 W. Sunflower Ave.
Santa Ana
(714) 436-1010
Lunch, dinner and brunch
Royal Khyber, a place where I’ve dined so well and so often, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
This food has become one of my true passions. It was so exotic in 1981 to have a gorgeous Indian restaurant open.
We entered a dream-like world of beautiful architecture, tented silk ceilings and dining promenades lingering behind diaphanous swaths of gauzy silk blowing easily in the breeze of the fans.
The restaurant moved a few miles away to the South Coast Plaza Village in 1999. It’s taken on a new look, but still is as exotic, intriguing and beautiful as ever.
Since its founding, Royal Khyber’s owners have been husband and wife, Arun and Urmil Puri,he’s also the chef,and their daughter, Shalini.
When I first met Arun, he was a businessman and investor. But he loved to cook and had been honing traditional Indian recipes at home, taking out the unnecessary oils and calories while ensuring that all the classic flavors remained.
Arun ended up with a restaurant and a chef’s outfit and never looked back, thankfully for those who appreciate fine food. This family-run restaurant that excels in personal attention certainly is a special one.
He also has blended a bit of international fusion into his cuisine. I have a soft spot for the warm eggplant salad, tandoori fish (salmon, halibut or swordfish), warm paneer cheese salad with breads from the tandoori oven and smoked lamb kebabs in tangy tamarind sauce as appetizers.
My entree recommendations include Talapia fish Malabar-style (fennel and tomato sauce). The combination called Royal Tandoori Kebabs combines shrimp, boneless chicken, lamb and fish for a m & #233;lange of terrific tastes.
Methi-Dahi Chicken is new on the menu and incorporates mild spices and a creamy sauce. I love the coconut curried chicken that’s so subtle and elegant when the sweetness of basil meets the tropical flavor of coconut.
I would be remiss to not mention Khyber’s Nectar, a lamb shank simmered for 14 hours in a tightly sealed casserole. It is the single best lamb dish in OC.
All Entrees are served with aromatic basmati rice and awesome naan bread. Also, if you happen to be a vegetarian, this is paradise with many choices.
Royal Khyber has about 120 wines on the list, more than enough to match every item on the menu. Beer also goes very well with the food. Try one of the six varieties of Indian beer. Like wine, they have certain charms and flavors that are refreshing.
Drinks like lemon shandy and a frozen mango martini also beg to be ordered.
I commend Royal Khyber for focusing on the nutritious and healthy aspects of Indian food and for the fantastic dining adventure that it is.
From about 72 items on the menu, less than 12 are curried items, just in case you still think that’s all there is to Indian cuisine. Indian food is getting lots of great press lately for the therapeutic effects of spices used in its cooking. That’s fantastic in its own right.
SAPORI
1080 Bayside Drive
Newport Beach
(949) 644-4220
Lunch and dinner
People were enamored with the food and the friendly trattoria atmosphere when chef Sal Maniaci opened his Italian restaurant Sapori in 1989.
He’s always kept a loyal customer base. And, just a month ago, Sal added a new person to the mix who has his own devoted followers, me among them.
Athos Fiori has become his partner and with the two of them working together, there’s a whole new level of excitement in the air.
Athos has been one of OC’s premier restaurateurs for several years and he adores having happy customers as exhibited by his vibrant personality.
Sal has a deep-seated passion for making food that is the cornerstone of life in Italy. Lucky customers to have all this authenticity and enthusiasm working in tandem.
The menu takes us on a tour of Italy with classic recipes assuring dishes like the ones Italian families enjoy daily in their homes, albeit with classier presentations at the restaurant.
Keeping pace with the changing taste of customers, more meat and fish dishes have been added to the original staples of pasta and risotto from the early days.
Lingering on the lovely patio or in the casually pretty dining room, there’s comfort in an array of tasty appetizers.
Prosciutto is wonderful when it’s wrapped around juicy slices of melon, but it goes more upscale when wrapped around Sal’s delicately cooked scallops. Vitello tonnato (cold braised veal in tuna sauce) is delicious.
Bruschetta delivers a toasty crunch and a perfectly balanced m & #233;lange of tomatoes, basil and olive oil atop the large croutons.
Main dishes include savories such as the poached salmon with a side of pasta or the seared chicken with lemon-mushroom sauce. Filet mignon has become one of the best sellers, but the wide array of utterly flavorful pastas is still my touchstone to Italy.
There’s always a risotto and I remember fondly my past tastes of those creamy, yet chewy rice specialties studded with varying ingredients (seafood, exotic mushrooms and seasonal vegetables).
The wine list is 100 labels strong, representing many major viticulture regions.
Share a bottle of wine like Ca Montini Pinot Grigio for a crisp white, Rufus Montepulciano for a bracing but smooth red or Chianti il Ciliegio or Chianti Tellabianca for a classic taste of Tuscany.
TRABUCO OAKS STEAKHOUSE
20782 Trabuco Oaks Road
Trabuco Canyon
(949) 586-0722
Dinner only
This is the fantastic side of laid back. Casual dining in OC has no peers.
Trabuco Oaks dates back to 1968. The original owners were environmentally conscious even then and built a restaurant on a knoll centered by a massive oak tree.
They left the tree and constructed their building around it, providing a hole in the roof so it could grow. Fast forward almost four decades and the tree is bigger, stronger and still growing through the roof. Dori and Steve Nordeck bought the restaurant in 1987 and had the good sense to leave well enough alone.
We still sit at wooden tables, whose age is a badge of honor, and wonder at the slightly tilting floor. We love that all this suits jeans and jogging outfits so well, so we don’t have to get gussied up for our meal.
All the neckties that have been cut from overdressed customers form the major part of the decor. The restaurant has a no exceptions rule about wearing ties, so plan on having yours cut off if you dare enter in business attire.
If you don’t relax, enjoy and forget about the outside world while here, I’ll have to find a psychoanalyst for you. Instead, imbibe a little with a cocktail that seems even more enjoyable when nobody is trying to impress anyone.
While coming down from the pounding stress of the day, get more smiles from the menu. It also speaks of simplicity, making you realize how pretentious much of the world is.
One would think that a few bottles of wayward wine would make up its list. That isn’t so. Wines like Silver Spur Napa Valley Pinot Noir, Barnwood Cabernet from Santa Barbara County and Joel Gott Cabernet, also from Napa Valley, jump out as good for pairing with the steaks and barbecue specialties.
Other wine names of great stature also catch my eye: Jordan, Grgich, Spottswoode and Duckhorn among them.
Chef Solomon Moreno has been manning the mesquite fires for 10 years. He knows when to pull those steaks from the grill.
Before we get to what he’s cooking up for our main course, let’s peruse some appetizers. Well, there are really only three: a skillet of juicy mushrooms, some sauteed zucchini or a combination with both.
The beef that Solomon cooks has been corn-fed. A smaller cut of top sirloin called the Lil Wrangler is about the right size for me. It’s tender as a filet, but tastier.
I have a love affair going with rib eye steak and this one is downright delicious. The homemade barbecue sauce (from a family recipe) sings with flavor atop the tender, meaty beef ribs.
Fresh halibut also goes on the grill for a very healthy entree. Burger fans will find one here. And, just in case the bell isn’t ringing for any of the above, you can have spaghetti and Italian sausage, a vegetarian entree or half a chicken.
Steve’s motto remains “Keep it simple and do it right.” That adage keeps us coming back.
TRADITION BY PASCAL
1000 N. Bristol St.
Newport Beach
(949) 263-9400
Lunch and dinner
Though tucked in an unlikely little retail center, Pascal Olhats took a former casual eatery in 1988 and turned it into an adorable French restaurant reminiscent of so many I’ve dined at during several trips to France.
He already was a highly admired chef and he set about luring us to his tables with a philosophy of quality and freshness, taking only a fair mark-up on his food and wines and giving the public an interesting range of food and wine.
Along the way, Pascal added the Epicerie next door, a place where a casual French lunch is available, signature dishes from the restaurant can be taken home and quickly finished for an epicurean meal and an array of gourmet ingredients, condiments and wines are ready for take-out.
Catering was a natural addition as well, so parties at home or in a selected location might find Pascal’s personality. Catering accounts for 15% of his total sales.
The restaurant used to have a French Proven & #231;al look (wood chairs and sideboards, green and blue floral tablecloths, white brick walls) but it was remodeled last year reflecting a softer and more elegant country look with lots of mood and directional lighting accents.
Tints of orange, gold, taupe and chocolate brown in the decor are flattering. “Tradition” was added to the restaurant name.
Pascal first cooked thoroughly French Proven & #231;al dishes. He segued through a period in which more Western influence was blended with his Gallic cuisine and now, he’s back to truly authentic French food,updates of traditional classics.
I’ve always had a love of his appetizers: steamed mussels with saffron sauce, salmon and ahi tartare with orange dressing and escargot with raisins and pine nuts.
Bring me an entree of grilled barramundi (acclaimed by chefs as Australia’s best fish) with rock shrimp sauce and I am in heaven. Chicken Bocuse is a delight in this season: free-range poultry sitting beneath a creamy fresh tarragon sauce and sided with a very French potato gratin.
Rack of lamb is a new vision with its summer ratatouille of fresh garden vegetables.
With a wine list of about 125 labels and 1,250 bottles in the wine collection, a superb assortment of boutique wines is available in a good range of prices (starting at $35).
Justice also is done to famous labels and I’m appreciative of the good selection of half bottles.
Pascal suggests these wines as being perfect for summer: a refreshing 2005 Ros & #233; de Provence, the 2004 Chambolle-Musigny or one of the floral/fruity viogniers that are becoming more popular.
ZOV’S BISTRO
17440 17th St.
Tustin
(714) 838-8855
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Zov Karamardian launched the restaurant in 1987 but a lot has happened since.
She’s turned it into a family business with her husband, Gary, and children, Armen and Taleene, now an integral part. She’s added space and other functions.
As firm believers in growth, Zov and Gary have architecturally enhanced the restaurant every few years.
They recently celebrated the latest remodel of the bistro and private dining rooms. Zov’s started out with 1,400 square feet and one server, plus Zov. Now her expanded dream covers 12,000 square feet and there are lots of servers.
On the other side of the bistro is the section dubbed a cafe where early morning customers gather for breakfast and business meetings and lunch and dinner also are served. A few years ago, Zov added a bakery beside the cafe.
The latest addition is a sensual cocktail lounge. Zov says that the difficulty of running a multi-faceted restaurant and food facility like this,it also includes a thriving catering business,always equals the level of success.
Her secret is to keep this balance with a great team representing a great culture and keeping the menu fresh.
The menus always have reflected what is most true and dear to Zov’s heart, as well as those of their loyal guests. She is the executive chef.
While new dishes are introduced and seasonality is respected, some items are so beloved by customers that they remain on the menus all the time.
First courses that come to mind as suitable for this season are gravlax (house marinated and cured salmon) with red onions, capers and sweet whole grain mustard and tabbouleh (a mix of chopped parsley, bulgar wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olive oil and lemon juice) that makes a tasty dip.
Textural diversity is comprised in the crunchiness of the phyllo dough encasing the cheese borekas and their delicate filling of parsley, feta and fontina cheeses. Those little morsels can be addictive and they are so good with a cocktail.
Entrees for your consideration are pan-seared Alaskan halibut with red curry sauce, roasted rack of lamb with roasted garlic pomegranate sauce and wild king salmon Moroccan-style with saffron couscous.
If you lean toward tasty preparations of chicken, try the version here featuring a flattened breast of chicken stuffed with smoked wild rice and almonds. The cherry sauce accompaniment adds more good taste.
California, Italian, French and Spanish vintages account for most of the 200-label wine list.
Try the Reichsgraf 2004 Von Kesselstatt Riesling from Germany, 2000 Ch & #226;teau Ksara Cuvee du Pape Chardonnay from the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon and D’Arenberg Footbolt 2000 Shiraz from the McLaren Vale region of Australia.
Zov continues to be true to what she loves: the food and wine, her guests, her employees and her family. It’s a fine measure of success.
