Went here for dinner on Valentine's Day and were greeted by the owners, who are the same owners of Dublin 4 Gastropub (located next door) and Fable & Spirit (located in Newport Beach and received a Bib Gourmand rating by Michelin in 2021). It was awesome to to see them interact with their customers and manage the evening workflow. Keep up the great work and keep feeding us because we are hungry!
THE FOODS | The kitchen is shared with their restaurant next door, so many of the menu items are similar, if not identical. For this visit, we decided to try some items seen on their sister menus, as well as try a few new items seen only on this menu...
- Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels | Incredibly tender mussels covered in white wine, butter, garlic, and lemon with a small pool of this sauce concoction settled at the bottom of the bowl. We used each mussel shell to scoop up some of the sauce and loved every bite. At some point, we ran out of mussels, but still used the empty shells to slurp up the remaining sauce; it's that amazing. The dish also comes with a small tower of thyme frites, which were lightly crispy with earthy flavors. This is a must try!
- Heirloom Beet Salad | Soft, slightly sweet red and golden beets, topped with toasted hazelnuts, wild rocket (arugula), Humboldt fog (a type of goat cheese), and smoked salt. The balsamic reduction is diagonally slashed across the plate; a perfect indirect way of letting the person you're sharing with know, "that's your half and this is my half." It's a refreshing and lively dish to try out.
- Prime Beef Duo | Buttery tender wagyu beef on one side of the plate and sweet braised short rib on the other side; it's the best of both worlds. A rich truffle pomme purée (fancy mashed potatoes) is generously smeared across the plate and buttery asparagus sits on top. Cabernet reduction sauce is served on the side for dipping. Highly recommend ordering this dish; it is ridiculously phenomenal.
- Prime New York "Manhattan Cut" | Ordered medium rare, the New York steak is juicy and tender. It comes with a creamy side of sauce au poivre that immediately caught my attention and left me feeling like I just experienced magic. The dish also includes parmesan herb potatoes, haricot verts, roasted bell peppers, and pickled shallots. It's a well-balanced dish with engaging flavors and textures. Highly recommend this dish as well.
- Callebaut Chocolate Budino | We shared this dessert composed of silky chocolate budino (pudding) with sea salt sprinkled on top, banana brûlée (torched with caramelized sugar), and a side of crunchy hazelnut streusel. Vanilla bean cremoux is poured on the base. It looks like a deconstructed banana creme brûlée of sorts; sweet and crunchy. Another dish I recommend for its decadence.
THE DRINKS | We should've probably ordered wine, but the cocktail menu was too appealing to pass up...
- The Pirate Queen | Rum with crème de banana, maraschino, and angostura. This cocktail is sweet and a little bitter, but the egg white foam layered on top helps balance everything out.
- The Hooligan | Whiskey with a little cinnamon spice, clove, and citrus zest. The end result is a smooth cocktail... and my favorite.
- The Perfect Pear | Gin with pear, lemon, and cinnamon. Subdued botanical notes contrast the zest and spice. Nicely done.
- Forgive and Fernet | Bourbon with chocolate notes and a little zest. It's bittersweet with a kick.
THE WINEWORKS FOR EVERYONE FEELS | I love the way this place makes me feel like I'm dining in a fancy living room. It's a charming space with communal tables, bar seating, and stand-alone tables. Be prepared to sit comfortably near other parties (I see you, introverts). See it as an opportunity to make new friends.
THE PARKING SITUATION | Parking is rough due to the small shopping plaza it's located in. You may have to do valet parking. Luckily, we found a parking spot right in front at 5PM on a Tuesday.
THE ORDERING LOGISTICS | We dined in.
THE RESERVATIONS | Make reservations! It's a small establishment, so secure your table ahead of time.
WOULD I COME BACK? | Yes! I love their food and atmosphere. Maybe I'll do wine tasting one of these days. read more