When I first heard about Broadway by Amar Santana, my initial thought was that it takes some titanium, er, moxie to name a restaurant after yourself and a New York landmark. But my prickly reaction seems petty and strident in these days of unbridled self-branding. After all, plenty of other locals already have paved the eponymous way, including Fleming’s, Brasserie Pascal, and Charlie Palmer.  But what really tamed my cantankerous ’tude were the meals I had at the new restaurant, which I’ll call Broadway. Open since September in the former downtown Laguna Beach digs of legendary Five Feet, the still-compact ... Read more

Friends started asking me questions about the opening of Pizzeria Mozza more than a year ago. Last summer, the queries became nonstop. So when the long-awaited restaurant finally opened in September, I was the happiest—and most relieved—diner in Orange County. Clearly, this new arrival, on Coast Highway where Dolce once stood, is a wanted baby. Reservations are impossible at peak times. Walk in on a Friday night and prepare to wait at least an hour, unless you can find a seat at the bar—and you probably won’t. I shudder to think of the crowds once the full-bar license kicks in; as ... Read more

Our eyes grow wide and we are mute until our tablemate breaks the silence. “Wow, it still burns. How long has it been?” She’s referring to the monumental afterburn inflicted by one bite of the Stooopid Fries we’re eating at Red Table, Huntington Harbour’s newest neighborhood tavern. About 15 to 20 minutes is the consensus of our party. As the heat lingers, I remind them that both the waiter and the menu did warn us about the snack’s ultraspicy nature. Serrano, habanero, and ghost chili don’t scare me, so bring it on, I say. But after five fries I cry uncle ... Read more

Laguna Beach may be due for its long winter’s nap, but you wouldn’t know it by the restaurant scene—it’s positively bubbling with new players. To keep pace, we’re dining double-time on Coast Highway this month, to review sultry ingénue Starfish and trend-centric Katsuya by Starck. Nancy Wilhelm launched Starfish last June with support from fans of Tabu Grill, her acclaimed surf-and-turf hideaway half a mile north. Starfish is her long-standing dream. A previous attempt fell through 15 years ago. This time around, she taps chef Jarvis Yuan and consulting chef David Abella for an informal menu of dishes and flavors that ... Read more

The pale rosé is a pretty coral hue, but as it’s poured into wine glasses, my friend exclaims with dismay “What? No margaritas? I was so ready for a margarita!” We’re first-time diners at Sol del Sur Bistro, and discover that only beer and wine are served on these premises. “This is not what I was expecting,” she says. Much about this San Juan Capistrano restaurant is unexpected. The petite shopping center storefront is a culinary recital starring ambitious and surprising cooking filtered through the intense imagination of chef-owner Dave Emery. The New York native is a citizen of the ... Read more