COOL DESSERTS

Summer: It’s the perfect time to relax at the beach and soak up the sun, but it’s also triple-digit temperature time. One way to escape the heat is to enjoy a cool, refreshing dessert or a chilled salad or sushi – in the comfort of an air-conditioned restaurant,
of course.
   
And, fortunately, Orange County has plenty of options to help you beat the heat while savoring the summer. Here’s a list of
our favorite spots for cold desserts, sushi, seafood and salads. Whether you prefer a decadent Balboa Bar or a light salad, finding the perfect culinary blast of cool in O.C. is truly a breeze.

COOL DESSERTS

The Beachcomber
Located right on the sand at Crystal Cove State Beach, The Beachcomber may be best known for its fine selection of seafood and breakfast items, but its menu also features decadent desserts such as Donut Hole Bread Pudding and The Banana Boat (essentially a massive banana split topped with homemade caramel sauce). Most notably, Gimme S’mores! is a sophisticated yet scrumptious delight that both a Boy Scout and James Bond would love, with two scoops of vanilla custard ice cream in a martini glass surrounded by toasted marshmallow cream and topped with hard chocolate sauce, whipped cream and graham crackers. With a gorgeous beach right nearby, it’s truly the next best thing to toasting s’mores on an open fire.
15 Crystal Cove, Newport Coast, 949.376.6900

Great American Yogurt
If you’re a frozen-yogurt lover looking for something more decadent than what Pinkberry and its many clones have to offer (fruit and nut toppings may be well and good, but where’s the chocolate chip cookie dough?), Great American Yogurt is the place for you. A holdover from the original frozen yogurt craze of the 1980s – the shop has been working its magic since 1987 – Great American Yogurt now offers more than 30 flavors, including Ghirardelli chocolate, lemon chiffon, Milky Way and white chocolate macadamia. For those looking to exercise more self-control, there are also fat-free, sugar-free and low-carb flavors, along with fresh fruit toppings. The self-serve format of Great American Yogurt arguably lends the place a slightly sterile feel, but you’ll be having too much fun determining your delectable dessert destiny to care.
19073 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, 714.841.5976


SENSATIONAL SUSHI

930 Sushi
Don’t let the location next to Newport’s Ferrari dealership scare you away: The prices at 930 Sushi are actually fairly reasonable, and the atmosphere is comfortably casual. Just make sure you go straight to the sushi bar, where you can order plenty of elaborate, oh-so-tasty specialty rolls such as the 930 Roll (smoked salmon, spicy tuna, mixed crab, avocado and smelt eggs, all wrapped in cucumber) and the MD Roll (a seaweed-wrapped combination of mixed crab, smelt eggs, shrimp tempura and avocado, topped with tuna and smothered in wasabi cream sauce). Also worth a try is the spicy sashimi, an assortment of five fish that’s mixed with avocado and spicy sauce and served in a martini glass. And the sheer variety of sake here is truly a delight to sample.
930 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach, 949.645.6500

Fuji Yama Restaurant
Fuji Yama, located in the heart of Newport Beach, serves premium-quality sashimi and specialty rolls that are worth savoring, including the Buddha’s Roll (a California Roll topped with albacore and sliced red onion) and the Red Dragon Roll (a Spicy Tuna Roll topped with fresh water eel). Among Fuji Yama’s non-sushi items, the Tokyo Angus Steak (thin slices of Angus beef marinated with teriyaki sauce) is a must-try. And sushi connoisseurs on a budget have a reason to rejoice: Basic rolls such as California and spicy tuna are 50 percent off if you order them in the restaurant.
4511 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.548.7200

Hashigo Sushi
Although this upscale Japanese eatery is more along the lines of a fusion restaurant rather than a straight-up sushi bar, there are plenty of authentic offerings to be found here. If you’re a Hashigo Sushi first-timer unsure of where to begin, go with the extraordinary Hashigo Sushi Sampler, which features salmon, tuna, yellowtail and albacore topped with four sauces. Another standout is the Rib-Eye Asparagus Roll, which is topped with luscious caramelized onions and served with ginger sauce. Hashigo also has you covered if you want to indulge in sushi without breaking the bank: Hand rolls are $2.95 every Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. In addition, Hashigo is now offering Happy Hour – featuring 50 percent off select items – seven days a week. That’s super quality at fantastic prices.
• 18685 Main St., Huntington Beach, 714.848.1111
• 1925 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton, 714.871.8880


SAVORY SEAFOOD

The Chart House
The Chart House has long been synonymous among Orange County residents for offering cuisine and views that are top-notch; the Newport Beach restaurant fronts the harbor, while the Dana Point location sits atop a cliff overlooking Dana Point Harbor and the beaches nearby. When it comes to seafood at this renowned establishment, go with the Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi, (served with warm peanut sauce with a hint of Frangelico liqueur) and the Spiced Yellowfin Ahi (served with ginger soy butter). Seafood specials featuring favorites such as Costa Rican Mahi Mahi and rainbow trout are offered nightly. With spectacular ocean views and deep-sea dishes of the utmost quality, The Chart House offers an outstanding dining experience.
2802 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach, 949.548.5889; 34442 Green Lantern St., Dana Point, 949.492.1183

Wildfish Seafood Grille
Seafood served with a touch of sophistication – that’s Wildfish Seafood Grille’s M.O. in a nutshell. Among the standouts on this award-winning restaurant’s menu: Chilean Sea Bass (steamed Hong Kong-style and served with light soy-sherry broth) and the Sautéed Lemon Sole in Parmesan Crust (served with a rich lemon-garlic butter sauce). Don’t forget to order the Maryland-Style All Lump Crab Cake as an appetizer. This tender treat is sautéed with a creamy and delightful chive remoulade sauce. Wildfish presents its seafood dishes with style, but it doesn’t forget about the importance of taste and overall quality.
1370 Bison Ave., Newport Beach, 949.720.9925


SATISFYING SALADS

Vie de France
When you think of French cafe/ bakery fare, salads probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind. In the case of Vie de France, however, the salads are crisp and tasty delights that perfectly complement the South Coast Plaza spot’s fresh breads and pastries. The chicken salad is a fruit-garnished combination of chicken breast, onions, celery and raisins that serves as proof that less really is sometimes more, while the spinach salad is tossed with a tangy and slightly sweet poppy seed dressing. Most importantly, these thoroughly satisfying salads will leave you able to try one of Vie de France’s delectable desserts (Créme Caramel? Oui, s’il vous plaît!) without a twinge of guilt.
3333 Bristol St., Suite 1420, Costa Mesa, 714.557.1734