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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,...

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...

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...

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...

Five Crowns celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015—an impressive feat for a restaurant. Not many others in So Cal can make that claim. Now comes an equally impressive Five Crowns milestone: Tommy Martin, the Five Crowns ambassador, king of culinary goodwill and prince of smiles,...

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...

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...

“Oompa loompa doompety doo / I’ve got a perfect puzzle for you Oompa loompa doompety dee / If you are wise you’ll listen to me.”  Willy Wonka fans will instantly recognize those lyrics as the Oompa Loompa song from the 1971 film “Willy Wonka and the Chocola...

Newport Beach Restaurant Week is almost over—it runs through January 28. However, you still have a few days to take advantage of special prix fixe menus at 60 restaurants around town. Our calendar editor, Laura Wise, dined at Pelican Hill Resort’s Andrea Restaurant to sample the...

How much food can I consume in two weeks? The answer: a lot, considering we’re talking about Newport Beach Restaurant Week, which starts January 15 and runs through January 28. Yes, Restaurant Week has morphed into two weeks, which offers diners even more opportunities to visit...

January has barely begun and already the local dining scene is heating up, thanks to special culinary events including the annual Newport Beach Restaurant Week, Bluewater Grill’s annual France versus Italy fish stew battle, and SideDoor’s Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie...

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...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy We’ve attended many wine dinners featuring famous wines and noted chefs, but rarely have we had as personal and informative (not to mention tasty) an experience like the one last week at a Serra Vineyards dinner at Five...

Lawry’s Restaurants Inc., which owns Five Crowns and SideDoor, has hired Kenyon Paar as General Manager of the restaurants, which are adjacent to each other in Corona del Mar. Kenyon Paar joins Five Crowns and SideDoor with over 25 years of experience in the food service...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy Wine dinners are nothing new, but lately more restaurants are offering beer pairing menus, and even special dinners with each course paired with scotch whiskey. We recently had an opportunity to attend a scotch pairing...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale It was a weekend of glorious gluttony when we attended the Third Annual Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival, held last Saturday and Sunday at the Civic Center. The epicurean adventure included live cooking demonstrations with...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy Did you vote yet? Awards in two dozen categories will be presented to restaurants throughout the county at the fifth annual Golden Foodie Awards, to be held this fall at the Fairmont Newport Beach. Nominations started last...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy Feeling Crabby at Bluewater Grill We were feeling crabby the other night, so we decided to go to Bluewater Grill on Lido Park Drive for their “Get Crabby” tasting featuring soft-shell crab prepared two ways: sautéed with...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy This year, Five Crowns – a true icon of OC’s culinary world – celebrates its 50th year of serving fabulous food at its charming restaurant in Corona del Mar. This month, Executive Chef Steve Kling launches his fall/winter...