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Thasos - Greek Island Grille

This Greek restaurant is a hidden gem near South Coast Plaza that spawned a summer offshoot at the summer Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach. Thasos features authentic Greek dishes, based on family recipes, including a signature lamb stew. Also worth mentioning is a marinated lamb shank which is offered as a special, and is one of the most popular dishes ordered. The Costa Mesa original restaurant opened in 1999 and a Newport Beach offshoot debuted in the Spring.

What we ate:
Marinated Lamb Shank ($15.95) This is available a couple of times a week and well worth making the effort to coordinate your appetite with this dish. It's sauteed wtih onions, garlic, parsely, rosemary and oregano and then simmered in red wine and tomato sauce for a few hours. The result is succulent, tender lamb that falls easily off the bone and melts in your mouth.

Gig Variety Platter ($8.75)
This delectable platter has something for everyone including dolmades, spanakopita, Hummus, Melitzanoalata, Feta cheese, and marinated Kalamata olives. Served with pita wedges.

Pappou's Island Fries ($2.35)
Greek style fries, with a blend of Parmesan,herbs and spices. Finger-licking good.

What we drank:
Kourtaki Retsina of Attica Greek wine to get an authentic taste of Greece. And, what a story to this wine - it's made from grapes (expected) and tree sap (totally unexpected), but somehow the flavor combination works to produce a very distinct flavor. Retsina has been produced in Greece for thousands of years. Way back in days of yore, the wine used to be sealed in vessels with Aleppo Pine resin. While this isn't necessary these days, small pieces of resin are typically added to the must during fermentation to keep the pungent tradition alive, without the turpentine smell, thankfully.


For more info: http://www.thewholepita.com/

-D.N. and C.S.

Andrei's

If you're looking for the Orange County version of Chez Panisse, look no further than Andrei's in Irvine. This restaurant's m.o. is conscious cuisine and that manifests in features like organic, local-grown butter; biodegrable plastics for the to-go containers; and fresh, tasty ingredients, like honey grown in Laguna Beach. The local produce is delivered by a farmer from Oxnard three days a week. Andrei's is celebrating its one-year anniversary in July. Executive Chef Yves Fournier changes the menu four times a year, mostly with the seasons. Fournier used to work at 6 Park Grille at the Hyatt across the street.


The restaurant, which is on the second floor of the building, is spacious and decorated in a contemporary style with a lot of earth tones. There's a nice size bar in the central part of the restaurant.

What we ate: DungenessCrab Cakes with Aioli Sauce appetizer. These were hearty size crab cakes oozing with lots of juicy meat. The sauce is smooth, creamy and tangy. $11

Sausage & Mushroom Flatbread appetizer. This contains lamb merguez sausage with mixed Spring mushrooms, Laura Chenel goat cheese, parmesan & wild baby arugula. An exquisite combination that isn't usually juxtaposed. The goat cheese is the glue that binds the flavors together. The flat bread has a nice crunch and isn't as hard as sandpaper, as you find in some places. $11

Goat Cheese & Basil Ravioli. This ravioli dish is acompanied by Spring asparagus, zucchini, bell pepper, watercress crème, parmesan cheese, micro arugula & lemon-infused oil. The slow-cooked ravioli - it's cooked in broth overnight and then the watercress is added the next day -is breathtakingly delicious. One of the most unique ravioli dishes I have ever encountered. $18

Andrei’s Cheeseburger. This burger on steroids contains a half pound of natural ground beef, white cheddar, butter lettuce, red onion preserves & tomato, and comes on a sophisticated bun - a brioche, with herb aioli & Kennebec potato pommes frites . The pomme frites claim to fame? They were voted the best in O.C., deservedly so as they have all the taste without the typical grease. $12

For more info: http://andreisrestaurant.com/

-- D.N. and S.B.

Beachcomber Cafe - Crystal Cove

This restaurant is in one of the most unique settings in Orange County - in one of the cottages in Crystal Cove, which was inhabited by private residents for decades. The restaurant is operated by the Ruby's restaurant chain, which also took over the Shake Shack, a nearby roadside stand.

The Beachcomber lives up to its name - the ocean practically licks your toes while you're eating. The restaurant has indoor seating, which is intimate and cozy, as well as outdoor seating, which luckily has heat lamps in the evenings when the ocean breezes can get quite chilly. In the evenings, before the more crowded summer season, it's as if you're dining on a private beach and it makes you wonder what it must have been like to mosey on over to your neighbor's cottage for a night of good food and camaraderie.

To enhance the ambiance and honor the tradition of when the cottages were privately inhabited, Reveille is played every day at 5 pm and at sunset with the raising of a martini flag on the patio - all of which signals - it's time to drink.

Because the restaurant is so small - it only holds 85 inside - only 30% of it is reserved for reservations. The remaining 70% is open to whoever arrives, so long waits, especially during summer, can be expected.

What we ate:
Seafood Pot Pie. This ginormous meal comes wrapped in a humongous croissant and contains ample amounts of lobster, swordfish, shrimp, scallops and vegetables cooked in a brandied lobster sauce. Bring your appetite. The medley of seafood and veggies is superb.

Agave Roasted Chicken. This is a semi-boneless chicken basted with Agave nectar, surrounded by soft pillows of tubetti pasta, Andouille sausage, sweet bell peppers and a creamy Vermont white Cheddar sauce. The Agave nectar is a distinct touch. The chicken was tender and juicy and the sauce complemented it perfectly. One of the most flavorful chicken dishes I have ever tasted.

For more info: http://www.thebeachcombercafe.com/_crystalcove/index.aspx

-- D.N. and S.B.

back bay bistro

back bay bistro:
Tucked away in the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, near the Back Bay, this restaurant reopened in November, 2008 after a major renovation. Where before, it was a casual cafe with solely outdoor dining under umbrellas, there is now an indoor restaurant as well with a retractable roof. This roof lets in a lot of natural light. On Sundays, the restaurant features brunch with unlimited Champagne and there is jazz music on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm. Martini Madness is Thursdays from 4 pm - close with martinis at $4. Happy Hour is Thursday - Saturday 4 pm - 7 pm and Sunday from 3 pm - 6 pm. Almost every seat has a view of the bay. Sunset is a great time to go. Only downside: the service during the weeknights can be excruciatingly slow.


What I ate:
Seafood Chowder (Bowl $10). Touted as the best on the West Coast, not sure that it lived up to such hyperbole, but it was creamy and spicy with a nice texture to it and packed with flavor.

Lobster Bisque ($9). This tickled my taste buds more than the chowder. Made with white wine, tomatoes, tarragon and secret ingredients.




Hawaiian Style Baby Pork Ribs ($25). This dish comes with mango-pepper salsa and is a perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Served over steamed white rice.

Stuffed Chicken ($21). Stuffed with fresh spinach and feta cheese. Somewhat pedestrian. Not as much stuffing as I would have liked to see. The chipotle lemon cream sauce was the perfect complement.

Dessert:
Berries & ice cream ($8)

For more info: http://www.backbaybistronewportbeach.com/

Bistro K

Bistro K
This is a European-style bistro in Laguna Niguel that started out as a cafe and bakery and expanded into a restaurant two years ago. Owner Tony Bagatta created the menu and his daughter, Katia, runs the business. There is musical entertainment on Saturday nights, starting at 7:30 p.m.

What I ate:
A luscious appetizer, that is Bistro K's signature appetizer, Eggplant Siciliano. This is the equivalent of an Italian nacho, made of lightly-fried eggplant in virgin olive oil, with marinara sauce, parmesan cheese and basil. Light and tasty - not greasy. The waiter that night, Andy Slone, recounted how he used to hate eggplant, but after working at Bistro K, and deciding to try this appetizer, he is now a convert. $9

Entrees:
Escolar in tarragon sauce. This Pacific whitefish can only be caught in pure darkness - no moonlight, no lights from any fishing boat. This meaty fish is tender and delicious and very moist. Comes with potatoes and veggies. $26

Pumpkin ravioli in a light, creme-based sauce. This is typically a dish only served in the Fall, but it's so popular that it was back on the menu in March. Pumpkin pasta with pumpkin filling inside. The buttery soft pillows melt in your mouth. The sauce contains shallots and sage. Amazing any time of year. $18

For dessert:
Vanilla ice cream topped with raspberries. Bistro K gets its ice cream from a special gelato creamery in Mission Viejo. It's so creamy and light and the perfect palate cleanser. $4

Restaurant info:
www.TheBistroK.com

Hamamori

Hamamori
This restaurant in South Coast Plaza II (formerly Crystal Court) offers an eclectic, exotic array of sushi. Executive Chef James Hamamori creates the signature sushi pieces to be eaten without soy sauce, so they include a lot of seasoning and garnishes. The restaurant has been open for about two years. Inside is a small eating area and sushi bar. The ambiance is sensual and evokes the feeling of being underwater,due to a wall with undulating waves and other aquatic features and colors throughout the restaurant. The eating area spills out into what used to be the food court, which doesn't have a food court feel anymore. Hamamori is across from California Pizza Kitchen on the third floor of the plaza. The weekday happy hour goes until 6:30 p.m.

What I ate:
Salmon skin roll ($5 during happy hour). This luscious concoction contains salmon skin with gobo, a Japanese root, and is the perfect combination of crispy and salty.

Seared scallop with truffle sauce. One of Hamamori's signature sushi creations that does not require soy sauce. Amazingly delicate and refreshing. It's soft and lightly seared and the truffle sauce is incredible. ($4.50) Some of the other signature creations come with foie gras pate and are also infused with truffle oil.

Raw scallop with caviar. Caviar! Need I say more. Seasoned with yuzu juice with lemon and Himalayan rock salt. Unparalleled. ($4.50)

Unagi with orange zest. Melts in your mouth. ($2.50 during happy hour)


Entree:
Deep-fried pork with white rice and miso soup. The sauce is sweet and super tangy, and better than bbq sauce. The sauce contains vegetables, fruit and vinegar. The pork is Kirubuta tenderloin and very light and moist, even without the sauce. The breading is made of a Japanese bread called panko, which is light.

For dessert:
A special creation of pumpkin flan, topped with candied cashews, strawberries and blueberries. A sweet counterpoint to the sushi. Light and creamy and luscious. The best way to eat pumpkin and the best way to eat flan. ($8)Restaurant info:
www.hamamori.com