Two notable restaurants are in the works from some of Orange County’s better-known chefs and restaurateurs.
Due this spring is Populaire, from 2019 Business Journal Chef of the Year Ross Pangilinan, who owns Mix Mix Kitchen & Bar in Santa Ana, Terrace by Mix Mix at South Coast Plaza, and Remix Kitchen Bar in Long Beach. He’s opening the restaurant in South Coast Plaza with his friend and colleague, Chef Nicholas Weber.
Populaire will take over the Lawry’s Carvery spot near the Macy’s Men’s Store. Lawry’s closed last month.
“South Coast Plaza is a great place to have a restaurant,” Pangilinan told me. “We’re remodeling the space to give it a new feel and vibe. We’re painting and rebranding with new chairs and colors. The kitchen will be awesome; you’ll be able to see the chefs working. We’re not really changing the footprint, just adding our own touches.”
You won’t see Pangilinan in the kitchen at Populaire very often. According to him, “Nick is going to be the chef. I am more the restaurateur in this deal. It’s his menu. I’ll aways give my feedback but his food alone will be good.”
Pangilinan described the menu as being “California French bistro—a modern twist on bistro dishes. We want the menu to be fun and approachable. We’ll have a small plate section and larger entrées with house-made pastas, Spanish octopus, a modern version of bouillabaisse. We’re excited.”
The Patina Restaurant Group alums are both protégés of renowned restaurateur and Chef Joachim Splichal. The two met while working together at Pinot Provence in 2004 under Executive Chef Florent Marneau, who went on to open his own successful restaurant, Marche Moderne.
Weber most recently served as executive chef of 24 Carrots, and has had executive chef roles at Catal Restaurant in Downtown Disney, Pinot Provence in Costa Mesa and The Cannery in Newport Beach.
“We’ve worked together at so many restaurants and have so much culinary history together, but we’re also really good friends, so it made sense to open a restaurant together. There’s no one I trust more,” Weber said.
Full Bloom
This fall, look for Bloom, the fifth restaurant from Russ Bendel Jr., the 2018 Business Journal Restaurateur of the Year, whose other restaurants are Ironwood, Olea, Sapphire and Vine.
Bloom will be in downtown San Juan Capistrano, which is quickly becoming one of the hottest culinary destinations in Orange County. The restaurant will be housed in a registered historic building built in 1930 as part of the Ferris Kelly building and served as the city’s original City Hall.
The authentic brick building near San Juan Capistrano Mission showcases open-air archways and high exposed open beam ceilings. The restaurant design is aiming to feature warm amber lighting, a large backlit bar, and a visible glassed-in kitchen.
“I have been working for over a year trying to get a good location in San Juan Capistrano,” said Bendel, the son of Habit Burger CEO Russ Bendel. “I looked at existing restaurants, but they did not pan out the way I wanted. Then this space became available. It’s completely rebuild on the inside.”
Executive Chef and Partner Jared Cook has been working on the design of the kitchen. The designer for the restaurant is Amy Steiner, who designed Marche Moderne at the Crystal Cove Shopping Center.
Bendel said the menu will have a handful of popular items from his other restaurants, but around 75% of the food will be new dishes.
