By Villa Real Estate
OC Restaurant Week 2018 is well underway! We are officially at the midway point of the 7-day event where restaurants throughout Orange County offer special menus at mouthwatering prices. With the first few days behind us, and just a few days left, we have put together a list of the must-try restaurants and deals for the remainder of the event.
FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE
Founded in 1998, with their first location right here in Newport Beach, Fleming’s has grown into a large collection of fine dining restaurants across the country. Their Fashion Island, Newport Beach location started serving lunch near the end of 2017, and their restaurant week menu focuses on the new lunch offerings. Their OC Restaurant Week menu includes a 3-course lunch, where your starter is a choice of the Chef’s Seasonal Soup or a Seasonal Salad, and dessert is a choice between their New York Cheesecake or a Housemade Truffles. For the entree, we would recommend getting either the Barbeque Glory Bay Salmon Fillet, or the Porcini-Crusted Filet Mignon (which will add $10 to your total, but totally worth it).
Take a look at the full menu here.
TRUE FOOD KITCHEN
Located at Fashion Island, right next door to Fleming’s, True Food Kitchen is a health-driven, seasonal restaurant, which merges nutrient-rich ingredients with a flavor-forward menu that is constantly rotating to let guests experience great-tasting meals at the peak of their freshness. Their OC Restaurant Week selection includes both lunch and dinner options, with a 2-course and 3-course menu, respectively. The two menus have similar offerings, with the addition of a few choices to each course and an added dessert course to the dinner selection. Our ideal meal recommendation would be to go during dinner, get the Herb Hummus to start, the Grilled Salmon for your entree, and finish off with their Flourless Chocolate Cake for dessert. And enjoy every single bite, knowing that the highest quality ingredients were used at the peak state of freshness, and that their signature anti-inflammatory principles guided every part of your meal.
Take a look at the full menu here.
SUSHI ROKU
Taking a unique, innovative perspective and fusing it with traditional dishes is the way of life at Sushi Roku. Every day is an exploration of new ways to create modern edible works of art. Diverse, non-traditional ingredients from Latin America (e.g. jalapenos and serrano peppers) and Europe (e.g. olive oil) can be found in many of the dishes throughout their menu. Their OC Restaurant Week menu offers selections for both lunch and dinner, each offering their own 3-course selections. Our recommendations would be to go for lunch; for starters, get the Hamachi Serrano. It’s small but packed with flavor. For your entree, you could go one of two routes: for a lighter choice, go with the 5 Piece Sushi Assortment & California Roll. For a more filling option, get the Beef Donburi. For dessert, unless you absolutely love chocolate and can’t imagine dessert without it, we would recommend the Green Tea Tiramisu, since it’s a much less common dessert (not to mention delicious).
Take a look at the full menu here.
TACO ROSA – NEWPORT BEACH
Using natural ingredients, spices, and flavors passed down from generations, Taco Rosa truly deserves its place on this list. Fused with contemporary techniques and innovations, Taco Rosa strives to bring the best dishes and beverages from a variety of regions throughout Mexico, along with award-winning creations and familiar favorites. While everything on the menu is delicious, there are some true stand-out items on their OC Restaurant Week menu. Their lunch deal comes in at the best value in town at $10 for your choice of meals from a 6-item prix-fixe specialty menu. This selection includes their signature Tacos de Filete and their Rosa Combo. If you are going for their 3-course dinner menu, here is what we would recommend: start with either the Guacamole with corn chips and choice of two salsas, or the Wild Shrimp Ceviche. For the entree, it’s hard to go wrong with their Tacos de Filete, which are topped with flamed brie cheese–an interesting choice, but it is delicious! For dessert, the choice is between the Cuatro Leches and the Flan Con Churros; we recommend you make that decision in the moment. Follow your heart; both are delicious!
Take a look at the full menu here.
CHA CHA’S LATIN KITCHEN
Born out of a love and passion for Latin cuisine, Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen features a menu that adapts the culinary heritage of Mexico and Latin America to a fresh modern style. Whether you are sitting in view of the open kitchen, where savory dishes are being prepared in the wood-fired oven and tacos are topped with homemade fire-roasted salsa, or in the lounge with the the lively sound of handcrafted cocktails being shaken to provide a backdrop to conversation, Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen offers a lively venue for a dinner out in Irvine. Their OC Restaurant Week menu includes both lunch and dinner options, a 2-course and 3-course menu, respectively. Our recommendation would be to go for dinner. For your starter, get their amazing Chicken Flautas, which are cooked perfectly to be deliciously juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Moving to the entree, go for the Guajillo Braised Short Rib Enchilada. And their Tres Leches Cake takes the cake for dessert.
Take a look at the full menu here.
BOURBON STEAK MONARCH BEACH
After months of anticipation, March 1st marked the official opening of Bourbon Steak, A Michael Mina Restaurant, at Monarch Beach Resort. Boasting panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, this modern American steakhouse offers guests an unforgettable dining experience complemented with breathtaking views. The menu highlights Chef Michael Mina’s signature butter-poached and dry-aged prime steaks along with creative, yet refined dishes showcasing locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients from land and seas. Bourbon Steak is participating in OC Restaurant Week with an $80 Luxe Dinner Menu. This special selection includes a choice of Michael Mina’s Ahi Tuna, a BLT Wedge salad with buttermilk ranch dressing, or the “Instant” Bacon dish of shredded brussels, tempura oyster and bourbon-soy glaze for starters. Entrée selections include a six-ounce filet mignon with whipped potatoes and broccolini, signature Maine Lobster Pot Pie, or Black Truffle Manicotti with house-made ricotta, Tuscan kale, and parmesan fondue. Finish with a choice of Valrhona Dark Chocolate S’more with caramel ice cream and smoked marshmallow or warm nutmeg beignets with bourbon butterscotch pudding. All of it sounds so good, we may need to go more than once. Plus, enjoy your dinner with a glass of Formidale Cabernet, 2009 from Napa Valley, included as part of the OC Restaurant Week Luxe Dinner Menu.
Take a look at the full menu here.
Interested in participating? We are! If you are planning to visit one of these restaurants for dinner, we would recommend making a reservation, as these places can get especially busy during OC Restaurant Week. But it’s worth the wait. Happy restaurant exploring!
Comment and let us know which restaurants you visited and tell us about your favorite dish!
Source: Villa Real Estate Blog: https://www.villarealestate.com/blog/our-picks-for-oc-restaurant-week-2018
