ARC Butcher and Baker
417 30th Street
Newport Beach, CA 92663
Memorial Day weekend was strange this year in OC. It started off nice, with temps in the mid-70s, and then on Sunday, it dropped to the low 60s with a good amount of precipitation. Monday was nice and sunny but windy and not conducive to sitting on the beach all day. I can't remember a Memorial weekend when it rained, and it threw everything off.
On that Memorial Day Monday, Katie and I had a rare day off together. Instead of being lazy, we would head down to Newport and get some steps in. Our walk did not last too long, as we got sidetracked when we ran into one of our favorite bartenders at Blackie's and, of course, had a few cocktails. Predictably, I had a place picked out to try for lunch, so after we finished our drinks, we headed to ARC Butcher and Baker.
If ARC sounds familiar, it's because this is the little sister restaurant to the much-heralded ARC Food and Libations at SOCO in Costa Mesa. That restaurant has won numerous awards since it opened its doors in 2013 and made culinary stars from the husband and wife team, Noah and Marin Von Blom. Not only do they have supermodel looks, but their food is also sexy as hell, excuse my language.
ARC Butcher and Baker is a smaller version of the original ARC, but they are five businesses in one. They offer grab-and-go dinner options and will deliver boat baskets and catering straight to your boat at the nearby Newport Harbor. They are part butcher shop where you can take the meat to grill at home, or they will grill it for you in their wood-fuelled kitchen. They are part bakery, with a wide selection of baked goods available daily. Last but not least, they have a small dining room with maybe a dozen seats for people who want to eat here like us.
I expected the menu to be relatively small in a space as small as this, but I was impressed with the vast array of items available. The menu lists starters, salads, sandwiches, plates, breakfast items available all day, sides, soups, and baked goods. All menu items, except entrees, will set you back less than twenty dollars. The entrees are a little pricier, ranging from $22 to $32. Let's take a look at what Katie and I had to eat on this weird Memorial Day.
Baked goods offered? Of course, we needed to start with something sweet here at ARC Butcher and Baker. This Cinnamon Roll ($4) caught my eye as soon as I walked in. This reminded me of a better-made version of the cinnamon rolls at the OC Fair, which I love. It was a little more structured and less sweet than the ones at the fair, but still delicious. The outside layers had a nice crunch, while the insides were softer and more pliable. A little more cinnamon would have made this one of the best cinnamon rolls that I have had, but it's definitely worth trying when visiting here.
When we walked in, Katie knew she would have this Turkey and Avocado Sandwich ($14). She stated that this was the best turkey sandwich she had ever eaten. High praise, for sure. This sandwich came piled high with some of the freshest and most flavorful turkey we have had in sandwich form, bacon, arugula, avocado, and dijon on a well-crafted French-style roll. This sandwich made Katie gush with a fondness for it. She loved the hard work that went into this turkey, the thick-cut bacon, the contrasts of the avocado with the aioli, and the solid bread used here. She claims this turkey sandwich has ruined her for all others she will have in the future.
When these Fries ($7) sat in front of us, I was unsure what to make of them. I thought they looked burnt, but that was not the case. They were some of the best fries I've had recently. Not crunchy, but the insides were incredibly soft and pillowy, while the outside was seasoned very simply but effectively. I'm also not a big fan of housemade ketchup, but this one was adequate and went well with these fries. A must-get.
Another appetizer before we get to the central portion of my meal. We gave these Meatballs ($13) a try. Like the fries, I thought these looked like they were burnt, but they were not. These come in ten meatballs to an order, were ping pong ball sized, and came with some burrata and parmesan on the plate. I don't know what these were made of, but they could have been more tender and flavorful. Not bad, but we'd skip these next time in favor of trying their mac cheese or another side.
The to-go boxes at ARC Butcher and Bakery proudly state, "Dirty Sexy Happiness," which summed up my feelings when this ARC Burger ($14) was placed in front of me this afternoon. It was very sexy and made me very happy. This was a tall burger with a thick beef patty, cheddar cheese, tomato, bacon, and a spring mix on a sesame-studded bun. Tackling this burger required me to remove the tomato and some of the lettuce to get my mouth around it. It was a little salty with the bacon, seasoned patty, and white cheddar cheese. The beef patty also had a few burnt pieces around the outside, which I tried to eat around as much as possible. Not my favorite burger, but I'm still glad I got to try it. It also looked terrific in pictures.
We also got two things to take home with us. This Cornbread ($6) was a total miss for both of us. This is made fresh when you order it, so expect a fifteen-minute bake time. This stayed over the fire a bit too long, as the outer ring got burnt, and the inside portion of this needed to be better as it was a very dry version of cornbread. There was no sweetness to this, which I look forward to when having cornbread. The salt topping this also threw me off. Not good at all.
As much as we were disappointed by the cornbread, this Carrot Cake ($10) more than made up for it. Seven layers, yes, I counted them, made up this delicious mile-high cake. The cake portion was moist and flavorful, while the cream cheese frosting was not overly sweet and was a great compliment to the cake portion. I'm a carrot cake snob, and this is one that I can definitely get behind. Perfect for people who find traditional carrot cake to be way too sweet. This one would totally be your jam.
Even though I had some issues with the food we had at ARC Butcher and Baker, I left here impressed with what they are doing in such a small space. I'm also excited to return and try more of their menu very shortly. The breakfast items, steak sandwich, pork, and beans, have piqued my interest, and I'll save room for a slice of German chocolate cake next time. It was an absolute pleasure getting to meet Chef Noah and Marin while we were here. They are not only great ambassadors for the food scene in OC, but they are also some incredible people as well. I love that they are innovators and love trying out new things. I look forward to seeing what they come up with next. No pressure, guys. I'm glad Katie and I could get outside on this Memorial Day, even if we did not get our full workout before stopping to have cocktails and get lunch.
Out of five geometry textbooks (because an arc is a segment of a circle, which is the extent of what I learned about Geometry in high school), five being best to zero being worst, ARC Butcher and Baker get 3.5 geometry textbooks.
For more information about ARC Butcher and Baker, head to their website here: https://www.arcbutcherbaker.com/
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