Category

      With so many terrific restaurants in the greater Newport Beach area, we don’t often venture far from home for our dining excursions, but sometimes it’s nice to leave your comfort zone and visit restaurants across the county line. We were invited to dine at Chianina...

Chef and restaurateur Rich Mead is somewhat of a legend in the local culinary world. His Newport Beach restaurants Sage and Sage on the Coast were popular spots where Mead introduced customers to his sustainable, farm-centric menus. After closing his restaurants several years...

It’s always exciting when a new restaurant opens in Newport Beach. It’s doubly exciting when the debut is at Lido Marina Village, which has come roaring back to life with a marvelously curated mix of boutiques and restaurants (including Nobu and Zinque). It’s triply exciting when...

Summer is here and the weather is warm along the coast–time to cool off with authentic Italian gelato from The Resort at Pelican Hill. Pelican Hill’s Caffé always has 10 flavors of gelato and sorbet on hand, with other special flavors served at their restaurants for dessert...

Truffle That Hopdoddy Burger We finally made it to Burnt Crumb at Pacific City in Huntington Beach this week to try their famous spaghetti grilled cheese sandwich (served with a side of marinara sauce for dipping), and it was indeed a decadent delight. However, we just learned of...

No matter if you spell it doughnut or donut, this popular fried confection is being celebrated on Friday, June 2 on National Doughnut Day. Not simply an excuse to eat more donuts, National Doughnut Day was created by The Salvation Army in 1938 to honor their members who served...

Wine Festival at Balboa Bay Resort Some people look forward to Memorial Day weekend as a time to get away or relax. We see it as a time to enjoy the Balboa Bay Resort’s annual Newport Beach Wine Festival. Now in its 14th year, the Newport Beach Wine Festival returns with another...

Lounging and Dining at Pelican Hill We were at a reception at Pelican Hill Resort this week to meet the resort’s new Managing Director, Tom Donovan. We gave him a glowing account of our dining experiences at Andrea, Coliseum Pool & Grill, and Pelican Grill, but our...

We’ve always considered the Newport Beach Independent a “hyper-local” publication, but that term can also apply to cuisine. At Provenance in Eastbluff Village Center, Chef and Restaurateur Cathy Pavlos has taken the hyper-local cuisine concept a step further—she grows many of her...

What’s the latest restaurant trend? No, it’s not farm to fork, or dirt to dish, or even market to mouth. It’s brunch. More and more restaurants have added brunch to their culinary offerings as they discover that diners no longer think of limiting brunch to special occasions like...

We’ve been raving about the new Five Crowns menus, but just around the corner is another restaurant joined to Five Crowns but vastly different in tone and cuisine: SideDoor. This English gastropub features creative cocktails and craft beer, as well as an impressive selection of...

Sunday, May 14 is Mother’s Day—time to grab your mom and treat her to a special culinary outing at a local restaurant. Not sure where to go? We’ve compiled a list of restaurants (with help from calendar editor Laura Wise) that offer something for everyone no matter your taste or...

One of the most famous movie musicals is the classic Gene Kelly film “An American in Paris,” which in turn was inspired by the classic 1928 orchestral composition of the same name by George Gershwin. Two years ago, “An American in Paris” was transformed into a Broadway show that...

Several new restaurants have opened recently on Balboa Island, but there’s one familiar Island bistro that’s celebrating its 20-year anniversary: Basilic. Swiss native Bernard Althaus founded the 24-seat Basilic Restaurant (named after Bernard’s favorite herb) in 1997, and it’s...

“Food is just the medium. It’s really a connection of random people that want one thing—a good time. A good experience. That’s all it is. Food is just my way of talking.” Chef Jake Bickelhaupt does indeed do a lot of talking through his incredible culinary creations in the fi...

The Beachcomber Restaurant in the Crystal Cove Historic District has added new breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items in celebration of the spring season. The dishes include pulled pork benedict (organic eggs, citrus braised pork shoulder, house-made buttermilk biscuit, roasted...

 Whether at sea or on land, Celebrity Cruises seems to be everywhere! We’ve become fans of Celebrity Cruises despite having never set foot on one of their deluxe cruise ships. Celebrity Cruises has poured wine at various local events, from the Newport Beach Wine & Food...

After months of watching the waterfront structure take shape, we’re excited to report that Nobu Restaurant has finally opened in Lido Marina Village. For those that don’t know, Nobu is the world-renowned Japanese restaurant empire founded by Nobu Matsuhisa and actor Robert De...

Easter is a time of traditions: spring break, bunnies, Easter egg hunts, and sunrise church services. It also means that local restaurants are offering special Easter brunch menus so families can enjoy the holiday together without having to cook or clean up. However, we recommend...

GRATITUDE We’re always thankful that Newport Beach has such an abundance of terrific restaurants to write about. We’re especially grateful for Gratitude, which specializes in organic, plant-based food and cocktails. We’ve dined there several times and have enjoyed their...