WR Kitchen and Bar Now Open in Laguna Niguel

WR Kitchen and Bar

28061 Greenfield Dr.

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

I'm not sure if you've noticed or not, (more than likely you have since this is a restaurant blog), but the cost of eating out has been going up rather steadily over the last couple of years. Katie and I used to be able to get two meals off of the $50 gift cards my parents get us for Christmas every year from Chili's, Islands, BJ's, and Ruby's. These days those same $50 cards get us one meal, and then we still have to put some money towards the tip. As a result of this and the impending dollar increase to the minimum wage for the next three years, upscale casual restaurants are going to have to find some creative ways to adjust.

Sure you can replace wait staff with I-Pads on the tables, or maybe do the whole Chipotle ordering process where you go through an assembly line while getting your food, and then you are left to your own devices once you get to a table. With labor costs rising, a lot of your favorite restaurants are going to be tinkering with ways to keep menu prices manageable, while not sacrificing service. One of my favorite restaurant chains is being proactive about all of this and recently opened a new concept right near where we live. We were recently invited to try it out before their grand opening a few days later.

The team behind Wood Ranch has not just been sitting on their hands in these unpredictable times. They have studied their guests' dining preferences and tried to figure out ways to keep menu prices down. WR Kitchen and Bar is the result of all of their studies and consumer surveys. This initial location in Laguna Niguel will be followed by another in the Bressi Ranch section of Carlsbad later this year.

WR Kitchen and Bar is situated in the old Knowlwood's spot, which sat vacant for a good long while. After a major remodel, the restaurant is definitely not recognizable from its days when there were Knowlwood's mediocre burgers and other subpar food coming out of the kitchen. As you walk in the door to WR, you'll notice a long 16-seat, fully stocked bar, which is also where you order your food. A water and soda station are to the left of the bar. After ordering you gather your own utensils and napkins at the service carts and find somewhere to sit at this 140-seat eatery. With the table tracker, you were given when ordering, your food will be brought out to you whether you are seated inside, or on their covered patio. They are shooting for the food to be delivered within an eight to ten-minute window after ordering.

Speaking of the food at WR, they have a lot of your favorites from Wood Ranch but have also added some new items to distinguish themselves from their sister restaurant. Their famous Crispy Shredded Onions are on their snack menu, but they have also added a crispy Buffalo Cauliflower and a Brisket Caramel Popcorn, which we will feature in due time. WR has five salads to choose from, including their wildly popular BBQ Chopped Salad, which is available with protein add-ons. The famous Wood Ranch barbecue meats are available ala carte in varying sizes. Rounding out the rest of the menu are some tacos, sandwiches, and sides, which are meant to be shared. Let's check out what we ate at this friends and family preview event.

Here's a quick overview of some of what we were able to sample this evening. Yes, I went home bursting at the seams. Let's take a closer look at everything.

I admit I tried this Brisket Caramel Popcorn ($6) just because I wanted to see what it came out looking like. After a few bites, I realized this was not just a novelty item thrown on a menu to get people talking about it on social media. It really worked. Fans of sweet and savory will not want to miss this one. A very good caramel-coated popcorn is studded with pieces of rich brisket. I found my perfect bite of this consisted of three pieces of popped corn and two shards of brisket. A unique little snack to start off with at WR Kitchen and Bar.

I'm not sure, but I'd bet this is the most popular salad at Wood Ranch and it will probably be the same story at WR Kitchen and Bar. The BBQ Chopped Salad ($10) contains a whole cavalcade of things in it. The base is mixed greens which are joined in the bowl with some tomatoes, carrots, black beans, tortilla strips for crunch, roasted corn, jack cheese, cilantro, scallions, and a mix of both ranch and bbq sauce. Very vibrant and fresh flavors in each bite. Easily made into an entree for a few dollars more with the addition of a protein.

The specialty section of the WR Kitchen and Bar menu contains a lot of your favorite barbecue and other heftier items from Wood Ranch. Here you have the option to control how much you want of each item, with weights ranging between a quarter of a pound to a full pound for heftier eaters, like myself. The Baby Back Ribs ($14) are offered as four or eight bones, or a whole slab. These were gently brushed with sauce, came out nicely tender, and were gone almost immediately after they were sat down at our table.

I know it might be a little hard to veer from the barbecue at WR Kitchen, but these tacos are screaming for attention. The Smoked Brisket Taco ($14) was wonderful. The oak smoked brisket was joined in the very well-made organic corn tortilla with some mashed potato, cabbage, cilantro, and a habanero peach barbecue sauce which added a touch of sweetness and then a little heat on the back end. The meat was predictably good and flavorful, and I was afraid I was going to miss the absence of cheese, but the potato was a great substitute, adding a bit of creaminess and moisture to the taco. Very well done and my favorite item of the afternoon.

Sandwiches are a great option at WR Kitchen and Bar, especially this Western Tri-Tip Sandwich ($12). I say that they are a great option, but due to my love of their barbecue, this was my first time having this sandwich. I'm now a convert. So good with its award-winning tri-tip, Monterey jack cheese, onions, and peppers. It comes with an au jus for dipping which makes this one part cheesesteak and part french dip. The bread absorbs the au jus nicely creating a flavor bomb with the insides of the sandwich.

Not that we needed them, but Executive Partner Alex Benes was eager to show off their Fiery Chicken Tacos ($12), and after the delicious brisket tacos, we were not going to argue. These packed a punch with a chili garlic sauce that had a heat that lingered after each bite. Definitely inspired by the Bahn mi sandwich, these tacos included pickled carrots and onions, cilantro, cucumbers, radishes, and of course chicken. Great textures and that chili sauce made these a must for anyone that likes things a little spicy.

Sides are not to be ignored at WR Kitchen. We tried two of their 11 offerings, the Lauren's Favorite Mac and Cheese ($4) and the Roasted Brussels Sprouts ($4). The mac and cheese is a classic with a  thick cheese sauce over the noodles. I definitely preferred the brussels sprouts, which picked up some flavor from the grill and had a great balsamic glaze that was present but did not interfere with the crispy sprouts. I've got my eye on the Garlic Roasted Cauliflower and the Mashed Potatoes on my next visit.

One of my favorite desserts of all time is something I always look forward to when I eat at Wood Ranch. Unfortunately, the Oreo Cookie Crunch is not available here at WR Kitchen, but they have another stellar dessert that I'm crazy about, Warm Butter Cake ($6). I've always described this as a Twinkie on steroids. Rich and buttery with a nice crunchy outer portion make for an awesome representation of this. Ice cream topping this dessert would make it even better, but alas, no ice cream is available.

I think the guys behind Wood Ranch have another winner on their hands with WR Kitchen and Bar. In these uncertain times, you have to consider guests' preferences, keep menu prices from skyrocketing, consider labor costs, and still turn out fantastic food to keep people coming back. Based on this one visit, I think WR Kitchen has achieved that delicate balance. It will be interesting to see how the community reacts to this version of a brand that they love so well. I know we will be back frequently when we have those hunger pangs for barbecue.

For more information about WR Kitchen and Bar, head to their website here: https://www.woodranch.com/restaurants/laguna-niguel/