Jim Walker has been in the restaurant business most of his life, and he’s been very successful. He owns The Bungalow on Coast Highway in Newport Beach, Cedar Creek Inn in Brea, and Domenico’s in Belmont Shore.
And one more—he just opened Domenico’s on the Lake in Mission Viejo, in the space formerly occupied by Peppino’s.
But why Domenico’s?
“The original restaurant in Belmont Shore has been there for six decades—my business partner and I bought it 17 years ago,” Walker said. “It’s done really well for us. When we opened here in Mission Viejo, I can’t believe how many people from this area are so happy that they don’t have to drive to Long Beach—I had no idea so many people from here are going there. It’s almost like a cult. When we put our sign up here, phones went off the hook. We had a three-hour wait the day we opened. It’s amazing. People are so hungry for a nice restaurant here.”
For the Mission Viejo restaurant, Walker transferred much of his Domenico’s menu to the new restaurant, and added several new menu items and a better wine list.
His goal was to balance traditional Italian cuisine with healthier dishes.
“A lot of people, including me, do not like to eat starchy food,” Walker noted. “We use cauliflower risotto, and cauliflower is a vegetable, not like a potato or rice. I borrowed a dish from our Cedar Creek restaurant—wild shrimp scampi with sauteed shrimp and a piccata sauce. We have a filet medallion with mushrooms, we put it in a sauté pan, line the pan with sliced bell peppers, put the meat on top of that, then cook it in the oven.”
All Challenges at Once
Even with the overwhelming response to Domenico’s on the Lake, challenges abound.
“We still have the pandemic. Getting help is a challenge. The cost has gone up. If you start someone at $25 an hour and business slows, you cannot take it back. And if someone gets COVID, others might have to quarantine, so in one day you might lose three or four people, and that could close a section of the restaurant.”
Other challenges in opening Domeneco’s at the Lake included trying to purchase plates, glassware and silverware when those types of items are in short supply.
“On the food side, meat is up 80%,” Walker said.
“We cannot keep up with menu prices due to the increased cost. I cannot think of any category that is not up. And the suppliers cannot find enough truck drivers. You order things anticipating you will receive it, you get your order and you don’t have this or that so you have to run to Costco or wherever you can find it.”
“I have been in this business all of my life, and I cannot remember a time when you have all of these challenges at once,” Walker stated.
“Every day is a challenge.”
Despite that, Walker said, “I felt we have a great opportunity here. It’s been a journey, it’s taken us a year, but I am excited.”
Domenico’s on the Lake: 27782 Vista Del Lago, Mission Viejo, (949) 446-9205, domenicosrestaurant.com
