The chef shuffle has been quite the popular dance lately. There’s always the possibility of a chef chasing a bigger paycheck, but it seems that the opportunities to expand their creativity and even go back to their first tastes of fame played a big part for two of the recent movers.
Marc Johnson, the chef of Oak Grill at Island Hotel in Newport Beach, has moved on. I had dinner there very recently with friends and tasted many courses of his admirable food. He took the job of corporate chef at the Red O mini chain—L.A., OC, Santa Monica and La Jolla.
Jason Montelibano was the chef of EATS Kitchen & Bar in Hotel Irvine who kept the attention of foodies for the past couple of years. He has gone back to where we first heard of his prowess in the kitchen—Chapter One: The Modern Local in downtown Santa Ana. Chapter One has a reputation for both good food and the compelling music of Rav Blue, who plays many instruments and sings across the genres of reggae, blues, jazz, folk, pop and contemporary music.
The takeaway at the moment is that the dining public probably will not even notice the absence of these chefs while their replacements are being sought. In both hotels, the restaurants’ sous chefs are the top toques next to the chefs themselves, and they’re equally responsible for putting out the food.
In another surprise move, chef Ross Pangilinan has left Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge at Segerstrom Performing Arts Complex in Costa Mesa to open his own restaurant, Mix Mix, in the former space of Little Sparrow (now Black Box) in Santa Ana.
Then there are chef moves at The Resort at Pelican Hill, where there are two new head restaurant chefs and former Andrea Ristorante chef Marco Criscuolo has been promoted to the resort’s executive sous chef position, the right-hand man of executive chef Jean-Pierre Dubray.
The new chef of Andrea Ristorante is Jonah Amodt, whose background includes cooking stints on the island of St. John, in Hawaii, and in the state of Washington. His attention is on maintaining the authentic cultural roots of Andrea’s Italian food.
Los Angeles native Oscar Fonseca has assumed the helm of the kitchen at Coliseum Pool & Grill. He has worked at major properties, including Montage and The Peninsula, both in Beverly Hills. His intent is to elevate the popular casually chic seasonal fare in the delightful atmosphere of the Coliseum Grill.
Like Bees to Nectar
Farmhouse Café at Roger’s Gardens tried opening quietly about a month ago. No luck. This restaurant was so anticipated that it’s been packed since the first customers were admitted. I’m encouraging readers to wait a while, even though curiosity may be poking you in the ribs. Chef Rich Mead should be proud of his popularity, but he and his crew also need to ease into the situation.
Rich is so widely known for his farm-to-table ideology and respect for sustainability that word of mouth about Farmhouse has been circulating for months. I have not eaten at the restaurant—taking my own advice. I will wait till about mid-October. But I will tell you that it’s a lovely looking place, and the location at Roger’s Gardens is persuasive. MacArthur Boulevard and San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, (949) 640-1415.
Dinner With a View
Most of us in OC have certain visions that dance through our heads when thinking of Dana Point Harbor. One mental picture for me is having a meal at the former Jolly Roger restaurant overlooking the water and the boats in the heart of the harborside buildings, with its entry nestled in the cute courtyard. That restaurant is no more. The location was taken over two years ago by Waterman’s Harbor, a more interesting and up-to-date dining venue. While lunch and dinner are nice possibilities, the Sunday brunch that launched two weeks ago is reason of its own to make this destination dining. We have worked our way through many of the a la carte items and are gathering friends to accompany us again.
Waterman’s has tapped into the quintessential feeling of casual waterside dining, but until new executive chef Michael Doctulero took the culinary helm this March, the food didn’t interest us as much. We opted for showing up at happy hour for the $1 oysters on the half shell (currently priced at $1.50 each).
Chef Michael has upped the culinary ante a lot with his menu changes and brought some iconic dishes from his past. He was the one who cemented the culinary reputation of Scott’s for the past several years (I’m guessing that everyone knows that lease was pulled by South Coast Plaza in order for Water Grill to construct a restaurant at that location).
The mantra of Waterman’s Harbor is centered on seafood that goes from ocean to plate within hours, locally sourced meats and fine produce. Add a chef such as Michael who passionately embraces food, and it adds up to the current situation.
Patio dining is the ultimate for us—choose from upper or lower levels. Light ocean breezes, heaters if needed, and adjustable shades all around for more coziness, make it California perfect. However, those who prefer inside seating will be pleased with the comfort zone there, as well, at the tables or ensconced at the state-of-the-art raw bar.
Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A large one-page menu crams in a lot of choices. Gravlax is elevated a notch with creamy egg salad sandwiched between the gravlax and tomato slices. Japanese Hamachi comes with elements of serrano chile and blood orange. Loch Steelhead Sashimi and its chic fennel soffritto are dappled in a citrus crème fraiche. Calamari Provençale, one of my favorite items, traveled with Michael from his former kitchen. Coconut Shrimp are so good, and these crispy ones are served with passion fruit butter and jalapeño pesto. The above represent only a portion of the starters.
Skipping down to the entrees, Seafood Linguine loaded with fish and shellfish in a dense tomato sauce is pretty fantastic. Pulled Pork Pancakes are also so different and memorable with their mix of sweet and savory flavors. The traditional pancake is topped with savory shredded pork and scallions. Vanilla bean syrup is drizzled over all of it.
I am smitten with the Seared Hawaiian Ahi served atop sushi rice. The tuna is barely seared on the edges and dappled with the chef’s soy glaze and macadamia nuts. A large, tender chunk of meat sits alongside the eggs and shishito peppers in the Braised Short Rib Scrambled Eggs.
There are sandwiches, Grilled Hokkaido Scallops, Huli Chicken (an iconic Hawaiian dish), Grilled Wild Salmon, chowder, gazpacho, Blackened Shrimp with Grits, Fish (trap-caught cod) and Chips, and much more I’ve yet to try.
If you wander by for lunch or dinner, many of these items are interspersed on those menus. Happy hour is 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. There’s a good choice of $4 and $6 items, in addition to those bargain-priced oysters.
Whatever time of day you eat at Waterman’s Harbor, do not even consider skipping dessert. Along with many of Michael’s co-workers who have been with him for many years and are here now, pastry chef Javier Romero is also on board. His desserts are, in a word, luscious—not cloyingly sweet, but with varying textures entertaining the taste buds, and flavors that sing. Cheesecake Stuffed Beignets are New Orleans-reminiscent in their outer essence, but the cheesecake that oozes out when you take a bite puts them in nirvana land. The Banana Napoleon is layers of cloudlike phyllo stacked with caramelized bananas and silky custard. A reconfigured Kit Kat Bar has a thick layer of dark chocolate, while Watermelon Melt mingles scoops of berry sorbet with summer fruits amidst the pieces of watermelon. Haven’t tried the Crème Brûlée yet.
Waterman’s Harbor is as attentive to designer cocktails as Michael is to the food. Fun names and tasty libations are made with a broad spectrum of liquors and sidekick flavoring agents.
There’s an innate sense of soulfulness in the food that drifts through. This restaurant is very lucky to have Michael Doctulero running the kitchen and Javier topping it off with his pastries. 34661 Golden Lantern St., Dana Point, (949) 764-3474.
Fall Festival Time
Time is of the essence to enjoy the annual Pelican Hill Festa dell’Autunno. The popular Taste and Cultural Essence of Italy takes place this weekend, Oct. 7-9. The spirit of Italy is fortified by the beautiful Italian aura and architecture of The Resort at Pelican Hill.
Each autumn the resort features this Italian-intensive weekend stretching Friday through Sunday. It incorporates an Italian Street Fiesta, Carnevale dei Bambini, and a Jazz Brunch with food venues, mercato shopping, bocce ball, crafts, Italian dancing, wine and food pairings, live entertainment, and guest chef Filippo Gozzoli from the Armani Hotel Milano, Italy, guiding a special culinary experience.
You can attend functions individually or make a package of the whole weekend with an overnight stay at one of Pelican Hill’s famed villas on Saturday evening. I’ve experienced this joyful and delicious weekend before and can vouch for its convincing personality.
Remember that it happens this coming weekend: Call (949) 467-6800 right now for all information and to make reservations, which are necessary. 22701 Pelican Hill Drive, Newport Beach.
