Game On! Del Frisco's Grille Opens in Irvine

On August 9th, Del Frisco’s Grille opened its first location in Orange County bringing their award-winning concept to The Spectrum in Irvine. The more casual sibling of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse (NYC, Las Vegas and beyond) serves American cuisine in a contemporary, fun setting. You’ll find typical American bar and grill fare including gourmet burgers (beef, vegetarian and lamb), sandwiches, flatbreads, salads and SoCal favorites such as an ahi taco appetizer and West Coast fish tacos as well as wild salmon and Del Frisco’s signature wet-aged prime steaks from beef that is broken down in-house every morning…now that is Texas style!

Add to this, hand-crafted cocktails and an extensive wine list that includes a solid selection of 250+ wines by the glass, carafe or bottle and a selection of America’s favorite beers and you have all the components for a good time – jus add your favorite people! You may even meet new friends in the darkly sophisticated bar punctuated with bright pop art pieces or gathered around the huge stone fireplace that anchors the large, comfortable outdoor covered patio imparting an ambiance that belies its location in the sprawling mallopolis of Irvine Spectrum.

After a short walk from the parking garage, my Tennessee Peach (Jack Daniels, fresh peaches, honey, and lime juice {R}) was all I needed to forget how hot it was outside – 90º and humidity in SoCal is not something we’re accustomed to, so we also opted to be seated inside versus the normally welcoming patio. For margarita lovers, the Paloma with tequila, grapefruit juice and a salted rim was equally refreshing.

My dining companion and I were at Del Frisco’s for lunch, so can’t give you any feedback on the steaks, but if the burger is any indication – mouthwatering juicy beef flavors, perfectly cooked medium as requested – then returning for a prime grade steak is definitely in the cards. It (the burger) definitely deserved Patty’s “Burger of the Week” designation with its double patties oozing with cheese, lettuce, red onion, pickle, Sloppy Sauce, and Sea Salt-Parmesan Frites.

We started with two of Del Frisco’s signature cocktails and the Grilled Artichoke ($13), always a friend to calorie counters and vegetarians, the fire-roasted artichoke was fresh and accompanied by a Meyer lemon vinaigrette, parmesan, and a perky black pepper aioli. If you’re going to “go big or go home” you need a lighter appetizer to save room for The Grille Prime Cheeseburger ($14) or one of their steaks.

We also tasted a few of Del Frisco’s other popular appetizers, namely the Cheesesteak Egg Rolls ($13) which we had already heard about through the foodie grapevine. All plates are meant to be shared, but some of you might find it hard to do with this creative twist on Philly Cheesesteaks. They nailed it with this savory confection of tender chopped filet, gooey cheesy, crispy egg roll with a sweet chili dipping sauce to balance things out – perfect football food! Where’s the beer! Alas, their beer list left be wanting and, with the relatively sophisticated Orange County market and popularity of craft beer gaining momentum nationwide, a deeper selection is warranted, especially given the classic comfort food focus and football season upon us.

It’s difficult to share these Cheesesteak Egg Rolls complemented by sweet chili sauce.

The Jumbo Lump Crabcake with Cajun Lobster Sauce ($17) is one large “cake” with an abundance of sweet lump crab meat but was a tad heavy on mayo for my taste and resulted in more of a lump crab salad than the crispy exterior that I prefer for crab cakes.

Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad ($13.5) is a winner with shaved brussels sprouts, ribbons of kale, orange segments, roasted Marcona almonds, dried cranberries, shaved Manchego cheese, and a Creole mustard vinaigrette. Shown here with Chicken (+5), it had loads of healthy, tender, bite-size greens complemented by tart fruit and the satisfying crunch of almonds all napped in a delightful sweet/spicy mustard dressing.

The Farmers Market Veggie Burger is one of the best veggie burgers I’ve tasted.

Another noteworthy vegetarian option, their Farmers Market Veggie Burger ($14) is one of the best I’ve had. The handmade veggie pattie of brown rice, oats, dates, spinach and cumin with a soy glaze has an excellent robust flavor and is served with a lovely Asian garden salad.

Normally I pass on dessert, especially at lunch because then it becomes siesta time, but resistance is lowered when I spy my all time favorite dessert: Coconut Cream Pie – with white chocolate shavings no less. With all the varied textures: fine crumb crust, shreds of coconut and a spire of white chocolate shards, your mouth begins to water as you taste with the eyes first, then discover it’s every bit as delicious to your taste buds.

The same goes for the Nutella Bread Pudding with Coffee Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce – rich and decadent, you really should be sharing this one! Or take a bite…or two along with the ice cream and take it home for a loved one. Nutella points!

This girl deserves a raise! Sous Chef and dessert maker Bri Bedan.

We found all the staff to be friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to be in Orange County and a part of Del Frisco’s Grille. Training is an integral part of the successful opening of any restaurant and, unfortunately, is too often found to be lacking, so kudos to Executive Chef Juan Carlos Murillo and General Manager Katie Pavkov and others who were brought in from other locations to assist in training. I’m looking forward to catching a game or two with friends at one of the communal tables in the casual but sophisticated bar (Houston was awarded Open Table Top 100 Hottest Bars in the US 2013 ).