Category

True Food Kitchen in Fashion Island has added several summer dishes to its already popular menu, so naturally I felt it compelled to go try them. I brought along fellow NB Indy writer and calendar editor Laura Wise with me so we could try several dishes and compare notes. The new...

One of my favorite places to be on a Thursday night is Bayside Restaurant. Ron Kobayashi and his trio featuring Jerry Mandel on sax can be heard laying down some classic jazz licks in the lounge, where it’s happy hour every day from 4:30 p.m. to close. During the summer, I love...

Newport Beach is known for its beaches, and its culinary offerings, so why not combine them into one grand event: The Pacific Wine and Food Classic, which returns to Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort Aug. 18 and 19. Some 60 chefs and dozens of wineries are participating in the...

Chef-driven restaurants are steered by the seasons, although in California our growing seasons are skewed. “The seasons are different here, but as long as it’s at the farmer’s market, it’s okay,” said Rich Mead, owner and executive chef of Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens. Chef Mead...

Two things you can always count on for summer: Pageant of the Masters and a Laguna Playhouse musical. Fellow NB Indy scribe Shelly Zavala and I had the opportunity to attend both productions, and managed to squeeze in dinner before the shows. French Cuisine and American Art Held...

I seem to be on an unofficial search for the area’s best hamburger. I’ve ordered the burger at four restaurants over the past two weeks: Olea in Newport Beach, The Bungalow in Corona del Mar, and Las Brisas and Selanne Steak Tavern in Laguna Beach. No two taste buds or palates...

Lido Marina Village has been attracting attention ever since its remodel nearly two years ago. Since then, three popular restaurants have opened: Zinquè, Lido Bottle Works and the world famous Nobu. Make that four restaurants. Circle Hook opened its doors this week in a small...

Bluewater Grill is known for hosting a monthly themed menu. One of their most popular is in July: the Bluewater Grill New England Lobster & Clambake, which kicks-off on July 10 with a Chef’s tasting featuring a cup of Bluewater’s signature New England clam chowder (the same...

This Sunday morning from 7 to 9 a.m., several hundred car enthusiasts will gather at Moulin on Bristol Street to show off their classic autos and enjoy free coffee as they mingle and admire the vehicles, which can range from vintage Porsches to sleek Ferraris. This informal car...

Calling all fellow lobster fans—get ready for the 10th Annual Lobsterfest at Newport Beach to be held at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort on Sunday, August 5, from 3 to 8 p.m. This annual celebration of summer features a Whole Maine Lobster dinner plus dancing to live music, a...

The Five Crowns Secret Dinner Society, also known as 352 Poppy (formerly known as the Speakeasy), has evolved from dimly lit rooms and absinthe cocktails into fun themed evenings of food and libations held on the Five Crowns patio. The latest incarnation (held the first weekend...

Great cuisine comes in all shapes and sizes, and at the most unexpected places. This holds true for the new Renaissance Newport Beach Hotel and its dining concept, CURRENT Coastal Cuisine. Formerly The Duke Hotel and The Fairmont Hotel, the Renaissance on MacArthur Blvd. near...

Last month I wrote about CdM, the new restaurant concept coming this fall from A Restaurant partners Jordan Otterbein and McG under their company umbrella River Jetty Restaurant Group. CdM is going in to the former Crow Bar and Kitchen spot on Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. A...

Jan’s Health Bar on Coast Highway in Corona del Mar has been serving its nutritious sandwiches, salads and smoothies for less than a year, yet Jan’s is already celebrating its 45th anniversary! Let me explain: Jan’s first location opened 45 years ago in downtown Huntington...

I’ve been driving past the new Burger Boss location on Coast Highway and Orange Street for several weeks, watching workers put the finishing touches on the restaurant. As of Friday, work is finished and Burger Boss is now open. It’s the sixth Burger Boss restaurant and the fifth...

The Lot sounds like an odd name for an upscale movie theater, but upon reflection the moniker makes sense: the food is a Lot better than any other movie theater dining I’ve experience, the theaters are a Lot better than other luxury movie theaters, and The Lot has a Lot going on....

How do you build on culinary success? Head to the beach. Orange County restaurateurs Andrew Dorsey and Dan Biello (co-founder of Chronic Tacos) opened Social Costa Mesa in 2014 to great acclaim. The eclectic restaurant virtually hidden in a nondescript strip mall at the corner of...

Bayside Restaurant has long been a favorite go-to spot for live entertainment and great cuisine, courtesy of Executive Chef Paul Gstrein. My mother loved her birthday dinner here earlier this year, and I enjoy the Thursday night jazz session with Ron Kobayashi and Jerry Mandel....

By Laura Wise & Christopher Trela | NB Indy Looking for the ideal spot to take Mom on Mother’s Day? We’ve got you covered with this list of restaurants in and around Newport Beach. BAYSIDE Bayside Restaurant has a three-course prix fixe menu for Mother’s Day for...

Given the popularity of the Food Network, the Netflix series Chef’s Table and culinary-themed films, it’s no surprise that the Newport Beach Film Festival has added a Culinary Film Series to its programming. There are also 60 Orange County restaurants set to serve food during the...