The best places open late in Orange County (CA), presented in alphabetical order.
The best places open late in Orange County (CA), presented in alphabetical order.
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32
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961.00
Created
09/13/08
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1
BeachFire
204 Avenida Del Mar, Ste. D, San Clemente, CA 92672 / 949-366-3232
The California Coastal cuisine of Beachfire includes “Firestarters” like tortilla soup and coconut tempura shrimp while blackened catfish, rum butter jerk chicken and penne bistecca are among main course selections.
2
Café Tu Tu Tango
The Block at Orange, 20 City Blvd. W., Orange, CA 92868 / 714-769-2222
Café Tu Tu Tango is a party event as much as it is a feeding frenzy. The art on the walls is colorful and impressive. There’s even a resident artist painting a picture every day of the week. Grazing through this vast and varied menu is loads of fun, whether you've got a party of one or 20. We like sharing and nibbling, but most of all, we enjoy the fact that a “small plate” here is big enough to easily feed an average appetite. For chilled appetizers, try the signature seared ahi or the Tango salad with smoked salmon, cucumbers, Greek olives and onions tossed in a Champagne vinaigrette. This noisy place is also known for its marinated steak skewers, Dijon chicken skewers and kimchi-glazed ribs. Leave room for the desserts as they are just as good as the rest of the menu.
3
hush
858 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651 / 949-497-3616
You’d think from its namesake that hush would be one of those quiet fine dining spots where everyone talks in whispers. But don’t expect the silent treatment here because hush is actually quite the noisy place for hipsters to hang. Laguna denizens are drawn to the food and service provided by longtime manager Daniel “Danny” Reyes and smiling owner Chuck Rock, who donated his world-class 10,000-bottle cellar at the restaurant’s opening back in 2003. The minimalist décor is warmed by dark woods, cream-colored furniture and tons of candles everywhere. The cuisine by chef Ashley Ewart is certainly contemporary, yet rustic enough to be considered comfort food. For example, an appetizer of Maine lobster and crayfish macaroni and cheese satisfies. However, there is also the very pricey traditional caviar service or a seasonal Hudson Valley foie gras dish. The butter leaf and Fuji apple salad refreshes with its softly crisp lettuce, slightly sour Point Reyes blue cheese and sweet candied walnuts. Some standout entrées are the slightly spicy Alaskan butterfish, Maine scallops, Angus tenderloin and the flat-iron steak. The dessert menu doesn’t captivate as much, but you can’t go wrong with the tart sorbet trio, especially when paired with a Canadian ice wine. If you want to become better acquainted with Rock’s wine collection, make sure to reserve a place way in advance at one of the restaurant’s monthly wine dinners or holiday extravaganzas.
4
LANDMARK
3520 E. Coast Hwy., Corona Del Mar, CA 92625 / 949-675-5556
Now known as just LANDMARK, this steakhouse and late-night hot-spot in Corona del Mar has remodeled both its décor and menu. High-backed banquettes, dark wood paneling, hardwood floors and cream leather chairs have replaced the previous Rat Pack-era style. The biggest change, however, is the 37-foot bar and a completely renovated outdoor patio, which now accommodates late-night bottle service. Fortunately for Newport hipsters, LANDMARK has been able to hang onto its dancing permit, which means the late-night DJ party scene continues on Friday and Saturday evenings. For the menu, the venue has brought back former Fleming's chef Sabre Kennedy to create modern American steakhouse and seafood dishes enlivened with some island fusion flavors. Kennedy has definitely elevated the cuisine here with such standouts as the seared yellowtail jalapeño carpaccio, the bone-in rib-eye and the signature Chilean sea bass marinated in a tangy ginger soy sauce. Fortunately, the wine list is rather good with lots of reasonable California and French varietals.
5
Mastro's Ocean Club
Crystal Cove Promenade, 8112 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, CA 92567 / 949-376-6990
Swanky is the operative word to describe this restaurant’s clubby bar area, which is packed most Thursday through Saturday nights and features live piano music. The cozy corners, window tables with ocean views, and romantic courtyard seating exist amid rather theatrical lighting and décor, albeit with classic American design appeal. The best starter on the steak and seafood menu is the three-tiered cold seafood platter brimming with your choice of fruit de mer such as chilled shrimp, crab claws, oysters, lobster, mussels and ahi. When it comes to entrées, don't expect anything elaborate as most of the seafood is cooked au natural, highlighted by its natural briny flavor, butter or herbs. Ocean Club is part of the Mastro’s steakhouse family and its mastery is reflected in the massively-sized grilled meats. Everything's à la carte, so be sure to order sides like steamed asparagus or lobster mashed potatoes. For dessert, target the tart Key lime pie or a huge hunk of New York-style cheesecake. The rather extensive wine list leans on whites, but has plenty of full-bodied reds to pair with the turf part of the menu.
6
Mozambique
1740 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651 / 949-715-7100
Two restaurateur partners, along with East Coast chef Alfonso Contrisciani, have made Mozambique a destination restaurant near Laguna’s rocky Pearl Street beach. Once an eyesore of a Mexican restaurant, this happening nightspot has dug in and possibly just begun its ascent into classic Orange County cuisine. The venue is in itself an artistic mélange of exotically decorated and inviting rooms (formal dining, casual dining, private table, indoor bar and outdoor lounge). So, some dine more formally downstairs while others go upstairs to the “shebeen,” a place where a hip OC crowd hangs out on close-together tables, sumptuous banquettes or a built-in divan for two or three to share. Chef Contrisciani’s cuisine is an eclectic amalgam of African and European influences, most notably tastes from the Portuguese, who first settled in Africa’s Mozambique around the 1500s. So, Mozambique’s unique spicy-but-not-hot peri-peri pepper is introduced in mostly wood-grilled meat and seafood dishes such as crisped chicken, giant prawns and aromatic steaks. But don’t overlook the chef’s other flavorful offerings like three kinds of curries and the smoky braised short ribs. Desserts don’t disappoint either, especially the sour lemon meringue tart swimming in sweet huckleberry sauce. The wine list is rather well stocked with vintages from California, Europe and South Africa.
7
Opah
The Marketplace, 13122 Jamboree Rd., Irvine, CA 92602 / 714-508-8055
Opah attracts a lively and professional singles crowd because of its casual upscale vibe and its rocking live bands nightly. The large bar with glowing tables and friendly servers hosts a bevy of babes and dapper guys who are more than happy to watch the game and go along for the ride. It is perhaps a good thing the noisy bar scene eclipses the food. Chef-partner Marc Cohen has shown skill at his fusion-style 230 Forest Avenue location in Laguna Beach, but we are disappointed here. The ingredients aren’t as fresh as is possible in Orange County and the flavor pairings no longer overwhelm, especially for the price. We do enjoy the spicy and sticky sweet rock shrimp wonton nachos at the bar with a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc. The seafood is certainly tender and fresh enough to our liking. The desserts shine brighter than the entrées; try the well-chosen cheese plate and the vanilla crème brûlée.
8
Sutra Lounge
Triangle Square, 1870 Harbor Blvd., Ste. A200, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 / 949-722-7103
This hot OC nightclub attracts music and Hollywood stars and the food still shines rather bright even though opening chef Stéphane Beaucamp has long gone to start his own place (Manhattan Supper Club in Orange). Once through giant wood doors, guests find candles glowing along a sexy red wall. The décor evokes a sultan’s lair, especially on the lavish patio, where gals and guys recline on divans piled high with colorful cushions. The menu offerings are quite tantalizing, especially the ahi “sandwich,” which shows up as a slice of ahi slipped between two pieces of crisp and delicate fried won ton in a ponzu sauce. The other standout is the Cajun-style tenderloin. Regulars are thankful the Sutra-style steak never goes off the menu as these cumin-crusted strips of Prime Angus beef somehow pair quite well with the signature tangy blueberry sauce. Desserts hold their own, especially the flaky, buttery apple tart and the chocolate Goddess cake. The fine dining winds down around 9 p.m. when people-watching reaches a peak and the ladies meet up with the guys for OC’s best power partying.
9
Ten Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar
4647 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach, CA 92660 / 949-660-1010
A neon-backlit Buddha presides over this sleek, so-trendy-it-hurts Far Eastern-inspired spot. The setting is striking, the sushi creations elaborate and the presentation impressive---but we're left wondering if there's any substance to back up the style. The flowery Cal-Asian fare is definitely secondary to the scene. The martini menu, which features treats like the Sour Patch (Pucker liqueur and Belvedere vodka with a lip-smacking sugar rim) and the raspberry lemon drop, is much more original than the dinner menu, which mainly offers items any sushi lover has seen a hundred times before---rainbow roll, seared albacore, seafood salad, and so on. This bodes well for the bar scene, but not for any gourmet aspirations. When it gets late, the restaurant is completely overshadowed by adjacent Tentation Nightclub, which is owned by the same folks who run Laguna’s hip Mosun/Club M. Oddly enough, the local airport district business crowd hangs out here for lunch, noshing on sushi or more American favorites like teriyaki chicken or Kobe beef sliders.
10
Yard House
Irvine Spectrum, 71 Fortune Dr., Irvine, CA 92618 / 949-753-9373
In spite of its best attempts, Yard House continues to be known as a bar, not a restaurant. We think Yard House is deserving of the latter label, too, particularly after sampling the grilled hearts of romaine salad, the buttery grilled rib-eye with garlic mashed potatoes and the tender and tangy sea bass. But with 200 brews on tap and a host of specialty martinis on the bar menu, this place, we're guessing, will continue to draw the thirsty masses. Recommended late-night eats: the classic cheeseburger, onion rings and seared ahi with soy vinaigrette. Because of the noise level at this lively restaurant, kids are actually well tolerated, and there’s a nice menu of kid-friendly food. Other locations.
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