Eat, Drink, Repeat. Orange County Restaurant Week is back and better than ever — and it only happens once a year, so get ready for 7 days of dining out! The week-long culinary event is an excellent time to expand your dining repertoire, try new places, or revisit old favorites. Want a romantic spot? A beachy location? Haven’t tried the Restaurant of the Year? Discover them all during OC Restaurant Week, March 3 – 9, 2019.
This year, nearly 150 participating restaurants are offering diners a wide variety of options, from casual and family-friendly establishments to upscale and fine dining. Orange County’s favorite restaurants showcase their best offerings with prix-fixe menus at fantastic prices: lunch for $10, $15 or $20, and dinner for $20, $30, $40 or $50. A complete list of participating restaurants and their menus are listed on http://www.
New this year: Cocktails of Restaurant Week are being featured to complete your dining experience and many participating restaurants will offer Breakfast for Dinner options.
Try MixMix Kitchen Bar – 2018 Restaurant of the Year
MixMix Kitchen Bar in Santa Ana is the globally-inspired concept of Chef Ross Pangilinan and showcases his refined technique and eclectic style, which is influenced by French, Italian, and modern Filipino cuisines. During Orange County Restaurant Week, MixMix is offering a 3-course lunch with a glass of sparkling or house wine for $25. Dinner is a 4-course affair including wine pairings for 3 courses – a delicious steal for $50.
Albacore Tostada at Terrace by MixMix.
Both menus include their signature Albacore Tostada as a starter, Pork Cheek Adobo Garlic Fried Rice and chimichurri, and Chef Ross’s New York steak as one of the mouthwatering main course selections at dinner. A similar menu is also available at Chef Pangilinan’s newest concept, Terrace by MixMix, overlooking the Bridge of Gardens at South Coast Plaza (Crate and Barrel Wing, 3rd floor). Click the link to see the menus for MixMix Kitchen Bar and Terrace by MixMix.
MixMix’s New York steak, potato terrine, corn, espelette lime emulsion, grilled onions, red wine sauce.
Beachside Dining at it’s Best
Get thee to the historic, California cool Beachcomber Cafe for lunch or dinner with an unparalleled oceanfront view. Formerly, a historic cottage, the Beachcomber features an open-air deck (tented during Winter season) and coastal cuisine on the sand in the heart of Crystal Cove’s Historic District, within Crystal Cove State Park on the Newport Coast. During Orange County Restaurant Week the Beachcomber offers a $20 lunch with choice of starter and main and a 3-course dinner menu for $40. The unforgettable view, priceless. See the Beachcomber’s menu.
Golden Hour at the Beachcomber Cafe. ©Priscilla Willis
Score Love Points at these Romantic Spots
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but a romantic evening takes a little forethought. These three restaurants set the scene for romance with a combination of ambiance and fine dining that won’t blow your budget during Orange County Restaurant Week. Seductive lighting and cozy booths set the scene for soulful gazing, tender touches, and whispering sweet sentiments.
Summit House Prime Rib with Yorkshire Pudding, creamed spinach, and their famous creamed corn. ©Priscilla Willis
From its perch high in the hills of Fullerton, Summit House has reigned as THE premiere special occasion restaurant in North Orange County since 1989. Best known for their Stockyards of Chicago roast prime ribs of beef and melt-in-your-mouth oak wood-grilled USDA prime steaks, Summit House offers a tantalizing 2-course lunch menu priced at $25 with seven choices for your entree —from their amazing Prime RIb Sandwich to their 10-ounce oak wood-grilled ground ribeye hamburger to a luscious shrimp and lobster roll. Dinner is three courses for $50 where Prime Rib with all the trimmings is the obvious choice, but there’s also Skuna Bay Salmon, a 16-oz. Prime Pork Chop (whoa!), and their beautiful Portobello Mushroom Tower for a vegetarian choice. Summit House’s menu.
AnQi’s Roasted Whole Lobster with Garlic Noodles. {Photo courtesy of AnQi)
AnQi by Crustacean is everything: seductive and sexy with an alluring selection of artfully presented Vietnamese dishes, some, such as their signature Garlic Noodles are based on An family legacy recipes, all highlight exotic flavor combinations from an award-winning culinary team. Located at Bloomingdales in South Coast Plaza, AnQi’s stylish, modern Asian-inspired decor and dramatic lighting exudes an aura of glamor and mystique that lends itself to smoldering glances and hushed conversation. During restaurant week, a $25 3-course lunch menu with choices like Truffle Hamachi Sashimi, Pho Ribeye Sandwich, and AnQi Street Noodles, is enticing. The dinner menu ($50 for 3-courses) includes the decadently delicious Roasted Whole Lobster, pictured above, for a $20 supplement that is well worth the splurge! Peruse AnQi”s menu.
Magical patio dining at Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens.
Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar has the most magical patio dining around – all twinkling lights surrounded by the lush greenery of the gardens, and meandering paths for romantic wanderings après dinner. Owner and Executive Chef Rich Mead and team complement their locale with a constantly evolving menu featuring the freshest produce and seasonal flavors in artfully inspired combinations. Case in point, the two entree choices on Farmhouse’s restaurant week dinner menu (4-course, $50): Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks with red wine lamb jus, served alongside roast root vegetables and dandelion greens, pureed roast fennel and turnips; and Seared Curry and Turmeric-Dusted Sea Scallop and Shrimp with orange coconut braised Tehachapi Grain Project Sonora grain, cipollini onions, shiitake mushrooms, grilled baby bok choy, carrot coconut milk jus, and crispy fried carrot. View Farmhouse’s menu.
Many participating restaurants will be showcasing a special OC Restaurant Week cocktail for $11 (in honor of 11 years of OC Restaurant Week), featuring Chambord, Ketel One, Maker’s Mark and Hornitos.
Make your reservations now! These are just a few suggestions to help you winnow the multitude of dining choices during Orange County Restaurant Week. Participating restaurants work to accommodate a wide range of diners by offering something for everyone – take a look at the varied options being offered this year:
Breakfast-For-Dinner Options: http://www.
Cocktails of Restaurant Week: http://www.
Family Friendly Dining: http://www.
Vegetarian Dining: http://www.
Date Night: http://www.
Gluten-Free Dining: http://www.
Girls Night Out: http://www.
Dining with a View: http://www.
“OC Restaurant Week has become our region’s most anticipated and treasured culinary event and it’s because of the diverse dining options represented in Orange County,” explained Pamela Waitt, president of the OC Restaurant Association. “It is because of the many creative and talented chefs that we truly have something for everyone!”
OC RESTAURANT WEEK LAUNCH PARTY
This year’s festivities will kick off with an official “CELEBRATING 11 YEARS” Launch Party on Saturday, March 2nd from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Marriott Irvine Spectrum. Guests attending the launch party will have the unique opportunity to experience an array of bites prepared by some of the most innovative OC Restaurant Week participants. Tickets for the event are available for purchase on http://www.
Your posts always make me so hungry! I like the menu at the Terrace by MixMix. Beachcomber Cafe looks like a nice spot too. It’s been quite a while since I didn’t go to Orange County, so i’s probably time to go check out some of these restaurants.
Hi Anda – Yes, you should! Let me know when your travels bring you down to Orange County!