THE BEACHCOMBER
The Beachcomber recently named veteran restaurateur and master sommelier Michael Jordan to the post of president, overseeing food and beverage for the Crystal Cove and Malibu locations. With more than 35 years in the restaurant business, Jordan is one of only 15 people worldwide to hold both a master sommelier diploma and a certified wine educator diploma. He is passionate about wine education and plans to expand the restaurant’s beverage program with the objective of demystifying wine for guests.
beachcombercafe.com


LAZY DOG CAFÉ
Opening its newest location at the Marketplace in Irvine, the Lazy Dog Café will offer an eclectic menu with Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean and South American influences. Favorites include the American Campfire Pot Roast, “Inside-out” Quesadilla, Trio of Hummus Sampler, Ginger Soy Salmon, Bahama Jerk Chicken and a Hawaiian-inspired Ahi Poke. Wash it all down with one of 21 draft beers. Creative desserts abound, and kids can decorate their own ice cream sundaes. The whimsical décor – described as “Frank Lloyd Wright meets Ralph Lauren” – will have accents like a chandelier made of Aspen wood logs, real ledge stone and upholstery in dog-print fabrics. Happy hour is accented by a playful fire hydrant-styled beer tap, along with six high-definition flat-screen televisions, a heated patio and outdoor fire pits. Guests are encouraged to submit photographs of their pet pooch for the Lazy Dog Hall of Fame.
lazydogcafe.com


THE LOFT BISTRO AT MONTAGE LAGUNA BEACH
The Artistry of Wine is an education series offered by The Loft Bistro at the Montage oceanfront resort on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. through December. It features tastings of different varietals and vintages from wine regions around the world. Seminars and tastings led by Montage sommeliers focus on various themes. On March 28: Rhone and the Rhone Rangers, Blends (the French Rhone Valley is the motherland of many varietals). April 11: I Drank What? (Experience some examples of blends from cutting-edge winemakers who play by their own rules.) And on May 23: Artisan Sake. (Sake is said to have originated in China in 4800 B.C. Today, there are about 1,800 sake makers producing more than 40,000 types of brew.) Enjoy the classics and the “newcomers,” and what all wines have in common.
montagelagunabeach.com


THE MEAT HOUSE
Foodies rejoice! This New England-based specialty deli-type food shop, not a conventional restaurant, is described as “the modern revival of the neighborhood butcher,” and its first West Coast location is coming to Costa Mesa. Since 2003, the gourmet food retail store has built a passionate following – including 4,000 Facebook fans – who love the assorted meats and poultry, fresh produce, pastries, cheeses, artisan breads, deli selection, and weekly specials and local favorites. The concierge-style staff will bring your purchases to your car, help you select a wine and advise you on how to prepare anything they sell. Butchers actually survey their local communities for neighborhood feedback. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s: Watch your back!
themeathouse.com


PINKS HOT DOGS
Knott’s Berry Farm is tickled pink to welcome the world-famous Pinks Hot Dogs to its Marketplace, located just outside the theme park’s entrance.  Admission to the park is not required, and three hours of free parking are provided. Started in Los Angeles by Paul Pink in 1939 as an outdoor walkup hot dog stand, it quickly became popular with movie stars, dignitaries, business executives and schoolchildren alike for its oversized, tasty chili dogs.
knotts.com


RA SUSHI
The upbeat, unconventional sushi bar is hosting its annual “Nicky’s Week” fundraiser from May 30 to June 5 at the Tustin and Huntington Beach locations. Named in memory of the nephew of one of RA’s founders and a longtime patient at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the event donates 100 percent of all proceeds to St. Jude’s. Popular for its distinctive, trendy Japanese-
fusion cuisine, RA is also known for its hip happy hour, with ambience and music as stimulating as a bite of wasabi.
rasushi.com


RUBY’S DINER
The customers spoke, so Ruby’s listened by introducing a lineup of five Ruby’s Ultimate Kobe Burgers. The tempting selections are made with super-premium, super-juicy American Kobe beef. Choose from The All American, The BBQ Cheddar, The Portobello-Provolone, The Greek or The Cobb. The patties are served on lightly grilled artisan-roasted onion buns and paired with fresh gourmet toppings. Each is priced at $9.99.
rubys.com


SEASONS 52
As the name suggests, the menu at Seasons 52 is inspired by the seasons – and the 52 weeks in a year. And the restaurant is bringing that inspiration to South Coast Plaza. Seasons 52 promises appropriate portion sizes and natural cooking techniques, such as wood-fire grilling and brick-oven cooking. No fryers, butter or heavy cream are used – what a concept! Some of the signature dishes include Cedar Plank Salmon, Garlic Chicken Flatbread, Caramelized Sea Scallops, Oak-Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Char Crusted Filet Mignon. The specials menu is constantly evolving and features new market inspirations 52 weeks a year. A few examples: Florida Keys stone crab claws, Copper River salmon, New Jersey tomatoes, roasted golden beets with wasabi dipping sauce and Mediterranean lamb gyro flatbread. Seasons 52 is the pioneer, originator and founder of the “mini indulgence” – a dessert in a smaller portion size. The Belgian Callibut chocolate is sheer decadence in a shot glass. Guest favorites include Key Lime Pie,  Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse and seasonal picks such as Fall’s Pumpkin Pie Mini with Gingersnap Crust and Summer’s Blueberry Cheesecake. Bon appetit!
seasons52.com


SIDEDOOR
Lawry’s Restaurants has opened SideDoor, a new English-style gastropub adjacent to its fine dining restaurant Five Crowns in Corona del Mar. Those looking for a more relaxed setting with equal food quality will find just that. Both are located in a historic replica of Ye Olde Bell, England’s oldest inn, and share Executive Chef Dennis Brask. SideDoor’s menu is printed daily, offering a mix of traditional pub food such as Cornish pasties and fish ‘n’ chips with duck confit, along with Lawry’s famed prime rib. You’ll also find sporting events on flat-screen TVs, comfortable seating and classic British rock tunes. Guests may enter through the Five Crowns lobby or the main entrance on Poppy Street – it’s marked by a large red key.
sidedoorcdm.com


SIMPLY FONDUE
Simply Fondue, located in Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano, is sweetening the menu with a selection of crepes. Inspired by French recipes, eight different crepe dishes – from Nutella and mixed berry to the more savory shrimp ratatouille and chicken basil pesto – are priced from $9 to $10. New food offerings, said to make the menu “more authentic and true to its European roots,” according to Co-owner Ryan Coverly, will join the seasoned bouillon broths and specialty chocolate fondues already on the menu.
simplyfondueoc.com


VALHALLA TABLE
Valhalla Table has joined the Camp eco-minded retail center on Bristol Street in Costa Mesa. The restaurant and bar, named in Norse mythology for a majestic, enormous hall for dead soldiers in the afterlife, offers a variety of free-range and organic homemade sausages, brats and Belgian- style french fries, as well as craft and organic brews on tap. Indonesian owners and sisters Liz and Ehrline Karnaga want their restaurant “to become a community dining place where people can eat and drink their favorite food and beer, and also get to know their neighbors.” The sisters also own the Layer Cake Bakery, which opened in Irvine in 2007. In addition to dining, The CAMP hosts educational events and lifestyle-related art shows and exhibits.
valhallatable.com


THE WINERY
For the second year in a row, the Orange County Concierge Association named The Winery in Tustin its choice for Restaurant of the Year. “Selecting one restaurant that meets the criteria for excellence established by the association is not an easy task,” says Susan Hientz, a board member and the public relations manager for the association. “Members from the top hotels throughout Orange County base their decision on the quality of food, service, ambience and, of course, the restaurant’s working relationship with concierge. Once again, The Winery shined in all aspects.”
thewineryrestaurant.net


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