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Laguna Beach resident Craig Strong launched his culinary career when he was 15, but got serious about it when he enrolled in culinary school at age 18 and learned the basics of classic French cooking. He spent time in Spain soaking up the culture, and the cuisine, then worked for...

  Still trying to decide what to do for Valentine’s day, or rather where to dine? Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest nights of the year for restaurants. Diners’ expectations are high, and restaurants do their best to live up to expectations by creating special menus to...

From Europe With Love at Bluewater Grill Every month, Bluewater Grill hosts a special themed food tasting with wine pairings. For February, the restaurant is bringing back a popular event that highlights two classic dishes: French Bouillabaisse and Italian Cioppino, plus a split...

It’s no secret that one of my favorite restaurants in Orange County is Andrea at Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Coast. Dining at Andrea is like taking a trip to Italy for an afternoon or evening. The setting is exquisite, starting with the entrance to the resort and continuing to...

“So many restaurants, so little time.” Happens to me every year during restaurant week—with 70 different restaurants participating, it’s not easy to choose which restaurants to dine at, so I try to select a range of cuisines and prices. This year, my initial foray into Restaurant...

Time to grab a fork and dig in to Newport Beach Restaurant Week, which returns January 14 and runs through January 27. Wait—that makes two weeks, which means more opportunities to visit the 70+ restaurants participating in Restaurant Week. Some of my favorites are on the list,...

The phrase “everything old is new again” certainly applies to Wahoo’s Fish Tacos. The popular restaurant chain co-founded by Newport Beach resident Wing Lam is introducing two new menu items: the Kona Collection featuring chili made with American Style Kobe Beef, and Maria’s...

Another year has come and gone, and with it 52 weeks of memorable dining excursions. Of course, some are more memorable than others, which brings me to my annual list of my favorite Newport Beach culinary experiences of 2018. I dine out multiple times a week at all sorts of...

It’s not easy to picture Wahoo’s Fish Taco co-founder Wing Lam of Newport Beach trading surf and sand for the sidewalks of New York, but that’s exactly what he and his brother Mingo Lee did in October when they were invited to host a dinner at the revered James Beard House in New...

  Balboa Bay Resort transformed itself several years ago when First Cabin restaurant converted into Waterline with new décor and a new menu. The former Duke’s Place lounge morphed into A&O (Anchors and Oceans) with an all new look, including custom firepits on the patio....

The phrase “farm-to-fork” has become somewhat of a cliché in the restaurant industry, but for Rich Mead, owner and executive chef of Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens, farm-to-fork has been his trademark at all of his restaurants for the past 20 years. “In 1998 I decided to begin...

Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since The Resort at Pelican Hill opened its doors to the public, unveiling an Italian Renaissance-inspired seaside village that has welcomed guests from around the world and within our local community. Pelican Hill Resort is consistently ranked...

Whether you’re enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving feast with friends or a special holiday dinner at a fancy restaurant, you can make your meal even better by pairing food with the perfect wine. Wine is also a wonderful gift to give your host, your boss, or your spouse. But what...

Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens has been open just over two years, and the restaurant appears to be as popular as ever. Of course, when you have a lovely setting at Roger’s Gardens and a culinary expert in Farmhouse owner/chef Rich Mead (formerly of Sage and Sage on the Coast...

In December 1998, restaurateurs Paul Fleming and Bill Allen opened the first Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. Two decades later, Fleming’s now has 70 locations nationwide.  Also in December of 1998, Gregg Schwenk and Todd Quartararo...

Chefs love fall. It’s the time of year when they transition out of summer menus and create a bevy of new dishes with produce that’s come into season. Executive Chef Alejandra Padilla certainly loves fall. She just unveiled her new seasonal menu, and it’s loaded with a culinary...

In the often-fickle culinary world, the words “restaurant” and “longevity” are seldom used in the same sentence. There are a few that have survived numerous trends and recessions, such as Five Crowns in Corona del Mar, which several years ago marked 50 years in business. However,...

We just finished with a fabulous four days of the Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival, but already another event is coming our way. The Los Angeles Times’ annual celebration of the southern California culinary scene, dubbed The Taste, is normally held in Los Angeles, but this...

George’s Café at Segerstrom Center The beautiful Argyros Plaza at Segerstrom Center for the Arts is nearly a year old, and during that time has been the sight of numerous free concerts and special events that have drawn thousands of residents to the Center, and to the Center 360...

The restaurant industry can be a fickle business. Trends come and go, and longevity is always in doubt. So when a restaurant not only survives for a decade but continues to thrive, that’s cause for celebration, which is exactly what A Restaurant is doing in October. A Restaurant...