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Luscious Lunches at Sage School Chef Azmin Ghahreman cares about kids, and what they eat for lunch. An advocate of healthy dining, Chef Azmin – whose restaurant Sapphire Laguna has become a respected culinary treasure – has carried his passion for food over into schools by...

Fast Food Pioneer John Galardi Newport Beach resident John Galardi, the founder and chairman of Galardi Group, parent company of Wienerschnitzel, The Original Hamburger Stand and Tastee Freez, passed away of pancreatic cancer at the age of 75 on Saturday, April 13, according to a...

Hundreds of boats. Thousands of sailors. A handful of coveted trophies. It all adds up to the 66th annual Lexus Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race that officially gets underway off the Balboa Pier at 11 a.m. on April 26. More than 200 boats are expected to make the 125 mile trek to...

“Did you know that National Eggs Benedict Day is Tuesday, April 16?” I asked Catherine. “Who comes up with those national food days?” wondered Catherine. “I don’t know, but I found out that The Beachcomber Restaurant in Crystal Cove State Park...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy “Just a small town story about a guy and a girl trying to save the world one vegetable at a time – with juicers, not capes.” That simple statement on the Nekter Juice Bar website offers a clue into the business...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy “When one door closes, another one opens.” That sage advice holds true in the restaurant business, especially in Newport Beach. Last fall, Chef Richard Mead shut the doors on his well-known Sage restaurant in...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy We love fine food, scenic dining, and fun wines. We recently indulged in all three thanks to Pelican Grill at the Pelican Hill Resort, and Tobin James Cellars in Paso Robles. PELICAN GRILL A trip to Pelican Hill Resort means...

by Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale   Let’s do brunch! Brunch brings people together to enjoy good company and good food. Certain holidays provide ideal opportunities to enjoy brunch, including Easter, which this year falls on Sunday, March 31. A number of...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy   We try not to play favorites when writing this column, but like most people, we have certain restaurants that we consider our “go-to” dining spots. One of those is Brasserie Pascal in Fashion Island. It offers...

Next weekend, more than 100 community members will take the stage of the Robert B. Moore Theatre at Orange Coast College to do something they seldom do: Sing and dance in a musical revue. However, this is not your typical show. It’s the CHOC Follies, a fundraising extravaganza...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy I’ve been captivated for months by South Coast Collection and OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa. This trendy yet tasteful assortment of boutiques is also home to a handful of unique restaurants that are drawing dining fans...

Lori Kenyon was diagnosed with a gastric disorder when she was still in her teens. Unable to digest animal protein, she turned to fruits and vegetables. Marra St.Clair learned she had Celiac disease while in college, leading to a gluten-free diet. These two Newport Beach women...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy Luck of the Irish Cuisine at Muldoon’s St. Patrick’s Day is still a week away,  but when you go to Muldoon’s Irish Pub in Fashion Island, every day is St. Patty’s day. That’s what it felt like when we were invited to...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy  We love taking culinary trips to Europe without leaving Newport Beach. Catherine prefers Italian, mainly because she spent several months living in Italy and fell in love with the cuisine. I have a passion for French food,...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy I’m a “Wizard of Oz” fan. I’ve watched the classic 1939 movie at least 40 times and know most of the lines by heart. Maybe that’s why I’ve fallen in love with “Wicked,” the...

Number two fish taco combo. That’s my normal order whenever I have a craving for Wahoo’s Fish Tacos. Like most locals, I have that craving a lot. I’ve been enjoying Wahoo’s for more than two decades; it’s one of those go-to places where everything on...

It’s after 10 p.m. on a Tuesday night. Where do you go for a late night meal? Newport Beach has plenty of fabulous restaurants, but few stay open late. Yard House in Fashion Island is a welcome exception. In fact, they’re encouraging diners to “get their grub...

“Sweets to the sweet,” wrote Shakespeare. Even The Bard knew that simple sugary desserts are the perfect way to brighten someone’s Valentine’s Day. Wonderland Bakery and Island Hotel also know the advantage of indulging in decadent desserts, but their...

Think launching a world class wine event is difficult? Try sustaining it over six years. It’s an impossible task, but leave it to Pacific Symphony to achieve the impossible. On Saturday, February 9, the symphony hosts its sixth annual Pacific Coast Wine Festival, an evening...

It’s February, the month of love, and Newport’s “love poet” is leaving town. For good. After 50 years of living in Newport Beach, Lee Mallory – the town’s unofficial Poet Laureate – is retiring and moving to Las Vegas. It’s a gamble of sorts for Mallory, who for 20...