“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”
That idea of playwright George Bernard Shaw certainly applies to me. I’ve had a sincere love affair with creative cuisine for many years, and that love affair is in full bloom in February—a month dedicated to love, thanks to St. Valentine.
By the way, unless your significant other demands to be wined and dined on Feb. 14, make your dinner reservation for a different evening instead of the restaurant industry’s busiest night of the year.
In lieu of providing tips on where to dine for Valentine’s, I thought I’d share my favorite local romantic restaurants and restaurants that I love, plus two new restaurants where—for me—it was love at first bite.
Of course, any restaurant can be romantic if you’re dining with the one you love, but some bistros seem to corner the market on romance, especially ones that specialize in Italian cuisine.
A restaurant that seems to always land at the top of the Most Romantic Restaurant lists is Ti Amo in south Laguna Beach. The 1920s house on Coast Highway was turned into a restaurant in the 1980s and became Ti Amo in 1994.
Ti Amo, “I love you” in Italian, has been through several owners, and now has a new name: Ti Amo by Il Barone.
Yes, Chef Franco Barone and his wife, Donatella, took over the eatery last year and have brought with them many of the classic and delicious dishes from their noted Il Barone Ristorante in Newport Beach, a romantic destination in its own right.
Descend a few steps into Ti Amo’s foyer, and you’re in a cozy cottage with subdued light and a large tree in the downstairs dining room. Upstairs are several rooms with white cloth-covered tables and red napkins carefully placed inside wine glasses—classy and elegant, yet comfortable and unstuffy. The restaurant has been remodeled and seems more open but still intimate.
If you’ve dined at Il Barone, you’re already a fan of Chef Franco’s cuisine, which is pure, unfussy Italian. The late Fifi Chao named Franco the chef of the year in this column several years ago, and the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association, of which I’m a member, gave Franco and Donatella the award for restaurateur of the year, and also named Franco chef of the year. The accolades are well-deserved.
The Ti Amo menu offers a handful of antipasti dishes, including the famous Facci ri Veccia, a pizza of sorts made with focaccia, crescenza, mozzarella, Parma prosciutto and truffle oil. Patrons travel miles to devour this dish—including me. I popped into Ti Amo last month and paired it with a glass of Italian primitivo wine, a perfect combination.
Among the many Il Barone, and now Ti Amo, entrees that have become my favorites: linguine al misto di mare with sea scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams and assorted fish in red or white sauce—go with the white; and the simple linguine alla vongole with clams, garlic, white wine and pepperoncini flakes, in a red or white sauce. But you really cannot go wrong with any of the dishes on the menu.
31727 Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 499-5350; TiAmoLaguna.com
Paradise Ambiance
Andrea Ristorante at Pelican Hill Resort is another of my favorite romantic dining destinations where dining out transforms into magical moments in paradise, thanks to the ambiance that suggests resort casual, with a view of the magnificent Pelican Hill golf course and the ocean beyond. But it’s upscale all the way, from the service to the marvelous Italian cuisine.
Pelican Hill’s three restaurants have been under the supervision of Executive Chef Jean-Pierre Dubray since the resort opened nearly a decade ago, but each has its own chef de cuisine.
Chef Troy Mendoza, who’s been with the resort for more than a year, was promoted to the Andrea chef role last fall.
Chef Troy grew up on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu and started his career at the flagship Roy’s Hawaii Kai restaurant in Honolulu before landing a job as sous chef of Scarpetta at the Montage Beverly Hills, where he mastered the art of handmade pasta. He joined the team at Andrea Ristorante in 2016.
I had a chance to sample his classic prosciutto and arugula thin-crust pizza several weeks ago, along with two seasonal specials: duck ravioli, which has since been added to the menu, and scallops.
The pizza is as perfect as you can get, while the duck ravioli is superb, lighter than it looks, yet hearty. Same with the scallops—delicate while robust, and the flavors and textures in the dish, not to mention the colors, offered a perfect epicurean ode to fall.
One must-have dish that’s perfect for two: barrel-aged acquerello risotto with forest mushrooms, prepared tableside by stirring the risotto inside a hollowed-out parmesan wheel before it’s dished into ramekins.
22701 Pelican Hill Road S., Newport Coast, (844) 445-2183; AndreaNB.com
Rekindled Loves
Other romantic restaurants that are among my favorites: Sapori in Newport Beach—the patio is perfect for intimate dining under romantic lighting and next to a large fireplace; Marche Moderne in Newport Coast, The Ranch in Anaheim; Napa Rose inside Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, and The White House in Anaheim—yes, Chef Bruno Serato has been rebuilding his fabled restaurant after a fire destroyed it last year, and is hoping to open by spring, not in time for Valentine’s but just in time for romantic warm-weather evenings.
I’ve had a love affair with The Winery Restaurant ever since the Tustin location opened 10 years ago, and it was rekindled when the Newport Beach restaurant opened in 2014. I confess I love what French Chef Yvon Goetz creates. He’s a master of game meats, and regularly lists bison, wild boar and venison on his menus. In fact, the Colorado buffalo carpaccio with black pepper crusted buffalo is a signature appetizer.
My go-to dish, which I enjoyed during the recent Newport Beach Restaurant Week, is the slow-braised Angus beef short rib with prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, carrot-infused pearl couscous, and zinfandel reduction. The Maple Leaf Farms duck “deux facons” with citrus-marinated sliced duck breast, duck confit, rosemary gnocchi, wilted pea tendrils and dry Bing-cherry reduction is another signature dish done to perfection.
As good as this wine country cuisine is, The Winery Newport also affords a panoramic view of Newport Harbor, and a stunning interior with a wall of fossil limestone imported from the Caribbean, floor inlays of marble imported from Spain, and bar countertops made of sliced agate and fossils from Madagascar.
An impressive 600-plus-bottle wine list offers something for everyone. The cigar patio has become a popular weekend hangout, and the service is friendly and attentive—one of the reasons I dine here several times a year.
By the way, Winery owners JC Clow, William Lewis and Goetz are getting ready to open a third location in La Jolla in San Diego.
3131 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach, (949) 999-6622; thewineryrestaurants.com
Wine Country
Speaking of romance, I recently had two love-at-first-bite moments after dining at a pair of new restaurants: Olea in Newport Beach, and Puesto Mexican Artisan Kitchen & Bar in Irvine.
Olea opened in December on Westcliff Drive near Keane Coffee. It’s the third bistro by restaurateur Russ Bendel, who operates two other acclaimed restaurants: Vine in San Clemente, and Ironwood in Laguna Hills. All three have extensive international wine lists, but it’s the creative cuisine and wine country ambiance that makes Olea a winner right out of the gate.
Chef Jared Cook created the wine country cuisine menu—as in wine from almost every wine-producing country.
Wine is indeed important at Olea, which is named after a type of olive tree. Bendel spent many years at Fleming’s at Fashion Island before setting out on his own, so he knows his wine. Olea offers 25 wines by the glass—I had the Opolo zinfandel, one of my favorites from Paso Robles—as well as an extensive bottle list.
My aha moment came during my first visit to Olea, when I ordered the jidori chicken schnitzel with wild mushrooms, kabocha squash spaetzle, thyme-roasted apples, whole-grain mustard and cider gravy.
The chicken schnitzel is the size of Texas, surprisingly tender, and packed with a harmony of flavors. Impressive.
I also had the signature crispy Meyer lemon and honey duck wings; the sugar pumpkin agnolotti with truffle goat cheese, crispy sage, hazelnut brown butter and toasted pepitas; and the artisan cheeses and cured meats board with aged balsamic and honey tapenade, seasonal garnishes, marinated olives, mustards and grilled rustic bread. Oh—and a side of house-cut herb fries.
The verdict: a first-class experience in every way. Each course was perfectly prepared. Even the cheese and meat board was inventive, and is a meal on its own.
2001 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach, (949) 287-6807; OleaNewportBeach.com
Tacos & Tequila
My other love-at-first-bite moment came courtesy of Puesto Mexican Artisan Kitchen & Bar, which opened last month in the Park Place center at Jamboree Road and Michelson Drive in Irvine.
It’s the second Orange County location of Puesto, which is known for tacos wrapped in crispy melted cheese.
My aha moment there came at a media tasting before it opened, when I sampled several tacos, plus guacamole and chips.
The guacamole is available in several styles. I admit I swooned at the Nogada, which starts with classic guacamole and continues with pomegranate arils, mango, chile de arbol and candied walnuts.
Then I took a bite of the filet mignon taco with crispy melted cheese, avocado and spicy pistachio serrano sauce. My eyebrows jumped, and a big smile spread across my face.
To make sure it was not the tequila talking—yes, they plied us with margaritas and tequila samples—I returned for lunch a week later and brought co-worker Laura Wise with me, encouraging her to try the guacamole and the filet mignon taco.
It was no fluke—she loved both.
Being the adventurous eater, I also ordered a zucchini and cactus taco with crispy melted cheese, calabaza a la Mexicana, cactus, avocado and cilantro-tomatillo. Unusual taco, and unusually delicious.
3311 Michelson Drive, Irvine, (949) 608-7272; EatPuesto.com
