LOCAL LIBATIONS | Michelin-Rated Mayfair-Based Tamarind Lands in Newport Coast: Serious Naan-sense at Crystal Cove’s Tamarind of London by Culinary Explorer Melissa Sherman Pearl

My formerly hippified father likes to say that he and my mom left Chicago for England in 1969 because Nixon assumed office.  However, as London was then the quintessential hotspot for young filmmakers, and he fit the bill quite nicely, their US exodus may very well be accredited to latter.  I happened along midway through their UK adventure and grew up in SoCal.  But one British trait they imparted on me was a deep-seated love of Indian cuisine.   You can’t imagine the elation I felt upon hearing that a London-based Indian restaurant would be opening a sister restaurant in Orange County.  And then to further discover it was the Michelin-rated, Mayfair-based upscale Tamarind, well, can we all say yippee?

ROMANTIC RETREAT | The St. Regis Monarch Beach Invites Couples to Enjoy a Romance Retreat on Southern California’s Most Desired Beach

What’s Not to Love?  A Time for Pleasure Offering 20 Percent off Stays, Romantic Spa Gaucin Specials and Valentine’s Day Tasting Menu Featuring  New Executive Chef Rory Sandoval at STONEHILL TAVERN

Love is in the sea air this Valentine’s Day at The St. Regis Monarch Beach, California’s only Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond resort.  As if the romance of the resort’s beachfront location and warm Mediterranean design weren’t enough, guests and locals will fall in love with luxury that’s within reach this season.  Valentine’s Day is the perfect Time for Pleasure, a special promotion offering 20 percent off stays, as well as Spa Gaucin specials with savings of 25 percent on select packages, and a Valentine’s Day Tasting Menu at Michael Mina’s acclaimed STONEHILL TAVERN featuring newly appointed Executive Chef Rory Sandoval, who brings nearly a decade of experience with him. … Continue Reading

HAUTE OFF THE GRILLE NYE | Taylor Dayne Sizzles at Internationally Acclaimed Award-Winning Bistro – House of An – ANQI New Year’s Eve by Terence Loose

2011 got off to a very hot – and hip – start at AnQi’s New Year’s Eve celebration with the sizzling performance by Taylor Dayne. Electrifying the sold-out crowd at the award-winning South Coast Plaza bistro that has made a name for itself by not just serving up delicious “Californian Vietnamese” dishes but also for its devotion to fashion and “dining as art” philosophy, Dayne  was one of the highlights of the night. The other was a molecular menu that excited the eye as much as the palate, riveting musical mixes by Hollywood DJ Angeline and sultry dance entertainment by Ashton Entertainment. The fashion-forward crowd was so impressed in fact that most stuck around for the 1 a.m. gourmet breakfast AnQi served as part of their New Year’s Eve afterparty. It was a night that will surely become a tradition. And tradition is something the founders of AnQi, the An family, know a little about.

As the 17^th child in a Vietnamese family of royal lineage, Helene An lived a privileged and enlightened life. At a time when most Vietnamese girls’ education was limited to homemaking skills, she was the first girl in her family to go to college, studying chemistry with the goal of becoming a doctor that would fuse the Western and Eastern disciplines. As a mother and wife, she also used her eclectic cooking background to keep her own family healthy and happy at the dinner table – her father had employed no fewer than three chefs with various culinary influences, which they shared with young Helene. … Continue Reading

CULINARY EXPLORATION | “Imagine running off to Greece and falling head over heels in love ..” by Melissa Sherman Pearl

Imagine at 23 years-old, running off to Greece and falling head over heels in love.  Young Elizabeth did just that when she met Giannis Gaitanis a number of moons ago.  Who knew that this post-collegiate visit to her Thessaloniki-dwelling grandmother would turn into a life of love, laughter, and delicious food?

Owners Elizabeth Gaitanis and Giannis Gaitanis

After 20 wonderful years amidst the Mediterranean backdrop, the family moved stateside and, much more recently, opened up a quaint little eatery in Laguna Niguel.  Kathy and I popped in towards the end of their Saturday evening.  Even though she had already given raves, I was without expectation.  But then I met the owners and tasted the fruits of their labors.  Quite frankly, I haven’t stopped thinking about menu and keep trying to finagle ways to go back.

We started with their Dolmathes (rice and ground beef stuffed grape leaves accented with lemon sauce), creamy tzatziki, and fresh pita.  Individually the flavors were light yet distinct, and the fusion of them… … Continue Reading

CULINARY EXPLORATION | Javier’s Cantina & Grill in Crystal Cove – A Culinary Exploration to Mexico by Melissa Sherman Pearl

So there we were, relaxing on the main patio with margaritas in hand and ocean breezes ruffling our hair. The warm crunchy tortilla chips partnering with fresh guacamole and roasted salsa lent themselves perfectly to Kat and me chatting it up like a couple of college chicks whose IDs were no longer a lie. But how would we make it to pick up our kids by 3 if we’re all the way in Mexico? Oh, that’s right, we’re simply enjoying an afternoon lunch at Javier’s in Crystal Cove, Newport Coast. Pomegranate Margarita for me, Tamarind Margarita for Kat (really, only one for each of us – it was lunch time, ya know), and so the fresh, fanciful feast began. We started with a halibut and octopus ceviche, so light and flavorful, citrusy and dusted with finely cut cucumber, onions, cilantro. Yum. As for main dishes, Kat can afford the calories so she ordered Carne Tampiquena – a combination of grilled aged USDA Prime center cut 6 oz. New York steak topped with strips of chiles and onions … Continue Reading