Divine Dishes
Things we can’t get enough of at Orange County restaurants
Bleu cheese sliders at Chat Noir
Don’t be fooled by their petite appearance – what these delectable morsels lack in size, they more than compensate for in flavour. Burgers in miniature, the delicious little patties are made with juicy ground beef, Roquefort and soft homemade buns, and all in a package no bigger than a golf ball. The idea is that this is a dish to share (trust us, it’s more difficult than it sounds). The burgers are served only in the lounge, and may be the one dish with enough appeal to lure you from the decadent opulence of Chat Noir’s wrap-around booths and bordello red walls in the main dining room. Chat Noir, 655 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, 714.557.6647
Skate at Studio
With a star chef in James Boyce, a stellar view of the Pacific Ocean and a five-star wine list courtesy of sommelier Chris Coon, there is little not to enjoy when eating at Studio. Still, we do have our favourites. Chief among them is Boyce’s Mediterranean-style skate. A small stingray, the delicately pan-seared skate was complemented brilliantly with medjool dates, miniature morels and a tamarind-ginger caramelized sauce. On another occasion it was sublime in is bright-green sauce of basil and tiniest cauliflower florets you will ever see. Though you may not always find the skate available on this ever-changing menu, those in the know will never let it slip by unordered when it does appear. Studio at the Montage Resort, 30801 S. coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.715.6420
Soba noodles at Fukado
While many diners may have come to think of Japanese only in terms of sushi and sashimi, there is much more to this cuisine than raw fish: Fukada’s soba noodles are the perfect example. Formerly of Matsuhisa in L.A., chef Yasuhiro Fukada uses only organic ingredients to make his sushi-free offerings, including those soba noodles we just can’t stop thinking about. Made fresh daily by hand, the buckwheat noodles mare for a virtuous and delicious lunch – clean Asian flavours and a presentation to match. Macrobiotic devotees will also find easy dining here; just let the kitchen know an in-season vegetables and miso sans tofu will be delivered to your table promptly. The only thin we love more than the food is the restaurant’s funky minimalist interior. Fukada, 8683 Irvine Centre Dr., Irvine, 949.341.0111
John Dory at Balboa Bay Club
The gentlemen next to us could not stop talking about his chicken noodle soup – “better than my grandmother in Zurich used to make.” His wife was in raptures over her baked Caesar salad. We, however, were distracted by a dish of a slightly fishier nature. Seasoned with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper and then pan-seared to a golden brown, the John Dory is divine. And almost as good as the fish is the accompaniments: A preserved Meyer lemon risotto finished with mascarpone cheese provides a decadent bed for the delicately flavoured seafood, while an artichoke reduction and garnish of Picholine olives lends the dish a Moroccan/Mediterranean touch. Of course we will always love the Bay Club for their famed lobster bisque, but we may have just found a new favourite. The First Cabin at the Balboa Bay Club, 1221 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.630.4390
Macaroni and cheese at Pinot Provence
It is not exactly the type of dish you would expect to see on the menu of one of O.C.’s most respected French restaurants, but then executive chef Floreat Marneau’s macaroni and cheese is not exactly of the variety you may used to be consuming. Marneau combines Saint Anger (a French triple-cream cow’s milk cheese), aged white Vermont cheddar and Swiss Gruyere cheeses with aged black truffles and truffle oil to create a mac and cheese so rich you will never go back to homemade (sorry, Mom!). This is one dish that will tempt you in to temporary diet amnesia. Our advice; don’t fight it. Pinot Provence, 686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, 714.428.0550