A Relaxing Evening at Back Bay Bistro - CLOSED

Back Bay Bistro

1131 Back Bay Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

I get a lot of emails from people out of the area asking me where they should eat when they visit our grand county. Sometimes, they say they will be around Disneyland and want to avoid eating the food at the park. An even more significant majority of tourists ask me to give them a restaurant with a view of the water, where they can soak up the California sunshine along the shore and have a great meal. After being invited to Back Bay Bistro at the Newport Dunes Resort, I will send our out-of-town guests to this restaurant, which has some of the best views of the Back Bay.

Back Bay Bistro is located at the Newport Dunes Resort, just off Jamboree and on Back Bay Drive. I've lived in OC all my life and only thought of this resort as a campground, but it's so much more. This 110-acre resort has one of the most convenient boat ramps around. They not only offer camping for RVs but there are also beach cottages available for people like me who are inept at camping. Other amenities include one mile of beach, playgrounds, and a water park, and they offer visitors the opportunity to rent sailboats or pedal boats for tours of the Back Bay. Many events are also happening at the Dunes, so there's almost always something to do. I like to eat, and they have a spot for that as well, Back Bay Bistro.

Like Newport Dunes Resort, something is always happening at Back Bay Bistro. I always get emails from them for events and special happenings at the restaurant. They have a pretty impressive Taco Tuesday. On Wednesday, they offer half-priced bottles of selected wines from 5 to 9 pm. Sunday is Pasta Night, and also kids eat free on Sunday evenings. There's a Jazz night every month, and for you sports fans, there's LA Rams legend Vince Ferragamo's Wine Dinner every third Thursday of the month. An excellent opportunity to meet a sports legend, hear some great stories, and partake in some wonderful wine and food.

Even though we weren't here for the wine dinner, our disappointment soon washed away as we took in the incredible view from our table and the Back Bay Bistro patio. We were cheated out of a sunset dinner because of the June Gloom, but the scenery was spectacular nonetheless. Watching the boats dock and set sail around us while eating was fantastic. Something about the sea air really gets me hungry, so let's see how the food turned out for us this evening.

Of course, with the relaxed vacation feel of Back Bay Bistro, a beverage from the bar was definitely in order. I had difficulty choosing from their impressive cocktail list but finally settled on their Chupacabra ($11). When I'm having trouble selecting a cocktail, I pick the one that sounds the most unique, and this one fills the bill for that. They use a Milagro Silver tequila and Bacardi rum base, then add muddled jalapeno, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. I really liked the contrasting feels of each sip of this drink. In some, I got the slight spice from the jalapeno; in others, I got the sweetness from the syrup. It kept me guessing and interested throughout the short life of this drink.

Before we ordered, the folks at Back Bay Bistro set out these rolls for us. They came out nice and warm, with plenty of butter. I like it when they provide lots of butter, so I can spread as much as I like without bothering the wait staff for more. These were good sourdough-style rolls, which they refilled a few times during our stay.

The first of our two appetizers was this photogenic Ahi Tower ($14). Cubed avocado and ahi tuna are layered with tomato and a citrus gastrique. The tuna is seasoned very simply here, so the richness of the ahi shines through. The double layer of fresh avocado, of course, works well with the ahi. The citrus was muted here, relegated to a supporting role in this starter.

It's a close race, but I liked this Crab Cake ($14) even better than the Ahi Tower. This excellent crab cake used lump blue crab meat and Canadian rock crab to assemble this cake, which did not use a lot of filler. It was almost pure crab bliss here, and it was made even better with the very well-done tarragon aioli. I know it was not meant to be showcased, but the coleslaw used here for a bit of color should be preserved. It is one of the best ones I have had recently. I look forward to returning, forgoing the fries, and getting this coleslaw again. A must-try for coleslaw lovers.

We were told that we must try their award-winning Seafood Chowder ($8), and now I'm telling you that you need to try it also. Chef Bruno Massuger was not very forthcoming about what goes into this seafood chowder, but it was delicious. It was a very creamy chowder that did not lack for including lots of chunks inside. I don't know what awards this chowder won, but I found myself licking the cup clean and wishing I had ordered the bigger bowl instead. Excellent work, chef, and you have every right to keep this a secret.

When you are so close to the ocean, wanting some seafood is natural, and that's what Katie ordered this evening. She had the Chef's Daily Feature (Market Price), which just happened to be Opah this evening. She was surprised by the portion size she was given, which was served in a very solid sauce. The opah was very light and prepared well, with some excellent grill marks across it. Katie called this delicious, and the plate was rounded out with a scoop of mashed potatoes and some asparagus spears.

Since it was Friday, I took advantage of their Prime Rib Special ($30 for the 14-ounce option). Prime rib is only available on Fridays at Back Bay Bistro, and it has become a popular night of the week for people to take advantage of this great deal. They offer a 10 ounce portion as well, but do yourself a favor and spend the extra $5 to get the bigger slice, it's the start of the weekend after all. I don't want to speak ill of a prime rib competitor I visited recently, but this version was much better than that outdated, supposedly prime rib specialty restaurant. This prime rib was flavorful all the way through, was leaner than most, cooked to a perfect medium rare, and came with some au jus for an even more significant flavor boost. This dinner was rounded out by some veggies and a baked potato with all the trimmings on the side, so you could dress it any way you like. A very satisfying meal.

Dessert was up next, and we had a short debate on what to have and decided on this Creme Brulee ($8). This was a good-sized creme brulee, which helped prevent Katie and me from fork-fighting over this creamy dessert. It was a great way to end our meal at Back Bay Bistro.

I'm really excited we finally got to experience Back Bay Bistro for ourselves. Not only is this a great restaurant for people camping at the Newport Dunes Resort and wanting something better than barbecued hot dogs and burgers, but it's also a great spot for locals to take advantage of. The dining room offers gorgeous views of the bay, and there always seems to be something going on here, whether it's their nightly specials, their wine dinners, or their almost legendary Sunday brunch, which features an impressive array of seafood favorites, along with your favorite brunch staples. Our server, Sabrina, was terrific; everyone we encountered this evening made us feel at ease and helped provide a greatly needed vacation feel to our day. We look forward to sharing this restaurant with our out-of-town guests and people from around the area.

For more information about Back Bay Bistro, head to their website here: http://www.newportdunes.com/back-bay-bistro/

Hail to the Chef at the Anaheim White House

Anaheim White House Restaurant

887 South Anaheim Blvd.

Anaheim, CA 92805

If there's one thing I've learned in my first full year of being married, it's that if you listen to your wife, it will pay off in spades. Katie probably thinks that what she tells me goes in one ear, and out the other. For the most part it's probably true. I usually feign an interest in what goes on at her work, or all the latest news with her family, but when it comes to her talking about something she wants to do, or something that she likes, I take notice. That's how we ended up here, at the White House Restaurant on her birthday.

About three years ago she waxed on poetically about the White House Restaurant, and how she wanted to eat here, and donate money to Bruno Serato's charity, Caterina's Club.  This important charity, which has put Chef Bruno in the national spotlight, is named after his mother, Caterina Lombardi. After a visit to the Boys and Girls Club of Anaheim to meet some children, she found out that many of these kids resided in local motels, and many did not eat dinner. She asked her son to go back to his restaurant and make enough pasta to feed the hungry kids. Now in their 11th year, Chef Bruno provides over 5,000 meals a week in 28 different locations. They surpassed one million meals served, and are still going strong.

Not only has this program helped the children of Orange County, but it has also spawned new programs in other cities. This charity has also gotten Chef Bruno a lot of acclaim in magazines, TV, newspapers, and humanitarian awards. He was named a CNN Hero in 2011, and the accolades just keep on rolling in. I actually think that Katie has a crush on Chef Bruno, and with all he's done I'm kind of okay with that.

With all the good that Chef Bruno has done for the community, his restaurant should not be short changed in the attention department. Located on busy Anaheim Boulevard, and housed in an early 20th century mansion, this restaurant has won way too many awards for me to mention here, been visited by countless celebrities and dignitaries, and been named on a ton of best of lists. Chef Bruno took over ownership here in 1987, and his Northern Italian cuisine has been bringing people through the door ever since. It also brought us here for Katie's birthday dinner, and I was excited to finally show Katie that I do listen to her sometimes, and of course try Chef Bruno's cuisine.

Before we get to the real cuisine, I always like to show the bread that comes out before the meal. This was a good, crusty bread, which came with plenty of softened butter. They were a little shy about replenishing the bread, but that just helped me save room for the rest of my meal.

Both Katie and I started our night off with salads, and we'll start with the birthday girl's selection, the Caprese Salad ($13.95). All the crucial elements in the making of a Caprese salad were present here; Burrata mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, red onion, and fresh basil. Katie loved this salad, calling it perfectly executed. Very creamy cheese, with thick cut, crisp tomatoes made this a shining example of what a caprese should be.

My Caesar Salad ($8.95) obsession continued at the White House, when I ordered their version. This simple Caesar consisted of the obligatory romaine hearts, a very sturdy Caesar dressing, and a few sprinkles of Parmesan cheese. The presentation was something here. It was placed in a rice paper bowl, with some overflowing pieces hitting the plate below. Kind of like a Caesar salad waterfall. Even though this lacked croutons, I still really enjoyed this salad. It had just enough dressing, and the romaine was fresh. Pleasing to the eye, and taste buds.

Entrees were up next, and we'll start with this Braised Beef ($31.95). This signature item at the White House starts with some tender Midwest short rib, which is braised in a Cabernet sauvignon reduction, then topped with mushrooms and placed on top of a yellow polenta. Katie liked the way the flavors melded so well together on the plate. The flavor of the meat was on point, and the polenta tied everything together well. She claims that this is the epitome of Italian comfort food. She also ordered a side of Pasta Marinara ($8.50), which was kind of a little boring in my book. It came to the table a little more than lukewarm, and the sauce did not cling to the noodles like I wished it would. We'd get a different side item next time.

The online buzz about this Ossobuco Milanese ($44.50) compelled me to try this, and the internet has never let me down, and after this, it still hasn't. This cross cut veal shank was probably one of the best I have had. The veal was beyond tender, flavored well, and served with some smooth and creamy polenta. A very good and satisfying dish, and made even better when I scooped the bone marrow out of the bones, and ate it on a dinner roll. Butter of the gods is what I've heard someone call this, and they are not too far off. Definitely one of my most memorable dishes to date this year.

When this Chocolate Banana Tart ($10.95) was placed in front of us, I thought it had a striking resemblance to Donald Trump, which was reinforced by the Instagram comments that I got from a few followers the next day. This was another winner on this evening. The baked puff pastry was layered with caramelized bananas and vanilla gelato, and then bathed in a pool of vanilla and chocolate sauces. The puff pastry was soft, and easy to get a fork through, unlike others I have had. The bananas were cooked well, and the sauces tied everything together perfectly. There was plenty of gelato here, and even though I ignored the spun sugar topping this, I enjoyed the originality of it.

Even though we had ordered dessert, they insisted on bringing us even more dessert. This little mini dessert sampler included a mini creme brulee, white chocolate covered strawberry, and a cream puff. We enjoyed this, even though we were pretty full by this time. The creme brulee was the best of the bunch here, and would probably be what we would lean towards when dining at the White House again.

To be truthful, when coming here I was a little skeptical about the food we were going to be eating. I thought it might have been over-hyped because of what a great humanitarian Chef Bruno is, and it also crept into my brain that this restaurant has been here for a long time, caters to an older client base, and maybe their food has kind of slipped. We found none of that to be the case on this evening. A month later, and I still think back fondly on that veal and the chocolate banana tart, and we eat out almost every night, so that says something about the cuisine here. Yes, this is definitely more of a special occasion restaurant, somewhere that you will not eat on the spur of the moment, which is good because they do get pretty packed on weekends, and when there's big conventions in town. The presentation of the food, with the large bread towers are a little over the top, and the kind of gaudy decor here may detract some diners from the food, but I felt these things added to the special feel of the restaurant. The service at the White House is first rate. Our server, Antonio was not only knowledgeable about everything here, he also was very personable and it really felt like he wanted us to have a great experience on this evening. I'm glad I listened to Katie droning on and on about this restaurant and her infatuation with Chef Bruno. It made her birthday memorable, and helped me score some much needed husband points.

Out of five baby blankets, (because this mansion was the home of Dr. Truxaw, who famously delivered 3,500 babies during his career), five being best to zero being worst, the Anaheim White House gets 3.5 baby blankets.

For more information about the Anaheim White House Restaurant, head to their website here: http://www.anaheimwhitehouse.com/

If you would like to help out, or learn more about Caterina's Club, click here to visit their website: http://www.caterinasclub.org/#intro

Doing the Hula at Islands

Islands

27741 Crown Valley Parkway

Mission Viejo, CA 92691

There's a lot of things going on at Islands, and specifically the one that's right by our house. Not only are they going to be moving to the former Farrell's location across the street at the Shops at Mission Viejo, but they also have partnered with the great folks over at Left Coast Brewing Company to collaborate on a beer that's only available at Islands. We were recently invited to give this, and their latest burger a try. at the Left Coast Brewing Company Tap Room in San Clemente.

First things first, I could not pin anyone down on when their new location at the Shops at Mission Viejo is going to open, but I've been hearing whispers of an August or September opening. I was at the new spot a month or two ago, and was astounded to see that they basically tore down the old Farrell's down to the studs, and rebuilt it. I have a feeling this is going to be one heck of an Islands location, and one that's going to have way more foot traffic than the one at the Kaleidoscope across the street.

This was my first visit to Left Coast Brewing Company, but it won't be my last. Located right off Pico, I was pretty impressed that this large tap room was filled with patrons on a Thursday evening, so I had high hopes for their beer. My assumption was not even close to being wrong. We met up with Shawn Hadjis, Director of Sales and Marketing for Left Coast, and learned that this is a family owned and operated craft beer company, founded in 2004, which is ancient compared to most of their competitors. You can find their beers in 25 states and 7 countries, and they have won over 25 awards at various festivals for their beers.

We were here on this evening to try their latest addition to their lineup, the Hula Bay IPA ($6.50 for a regular or $8.50 for a large). This is a classic west coast IPA, which they said possessed aroma hints of pineapple, grapefruit, tangerine, and pine. To be honest, when I heard this I expected a sweeter beer, but the abundance of Amarillo hops balanced this out, and the result was a lighter beer, which did not sacrifice flavor. No watered down beer here. This becomes available at all Island Restaurants, with the exception of their Hawaiian locations, on Monday June 13th, until it runs out, which they expect will be in early September. Also on this Monday, their much loved Heat Wave Burger makes its return to their burger lineup, and coincidentally, they say the Hula Bay IPA pairs nicely with this burger. I'll have to be the judge of that.

To no ones surprise, I'm usually a Big Wave with Cheese and Bacon kind of guy at Island's, but that burger goes on hiatus when this Heat Wave Burger ($12,19) come out of hibernation. This burger really packs a punch with grilled Serrano and green chilies, pepper jack cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion, and it's finished off with a very tasty spicy mayo. I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate two of these full sized burgers at this event, they were that good. As advertised this did pair well with the Hula Bay IPA. The spice of the burger was extinguished a bit by the beer, which was definitely needed every few minutes when consuming this. The bun is also worth noting here. It was soft and pliable, but held everything together well. I'm really looking forward to heading back to Islands for this great burger soon.

One of the most underrated items on the Islands menu is the Jungle Caesar Salad. I'm a pretty big Caesar fan, and I love their dressing here. This salad also includes romaine lettuce, plenty of Parmesan cheese, and croutons. My usual routine when eating at Islands is to have the cheese fries for an appetizer, and then substitute a small Caesar for the fries that comes with my burger. That way it almost seems like I am eating healthy, or at least I try to tell myself that.

The great folks at Islands had an alternative burger for people that did not want the spice of the Heat Wave Burger. They also featured these Hawaiian Sliders, which featured teriyaki sauce, grilled pineapple, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. I'm not really big on pineapple on pizza or in burgers, but these sliders were pretty good, and  helped numb the pleasing burn of the Heat Wave Burger.

I'd say that this collaboration between Islands and Left Coast Brewing Company is a perfect match. I enjoy that Islands is always trying new things, and pairing craft beer with their great burgers is right on target. I will definitely be headed into Islands a bunch of times this summer to partake in their Heat Wave Burger, and pair it with a Hula Bay IPA. I'm also looking forward to the opening of their new location at the Shops at Mission Viejo soon. I'll keep you posted on opening dates, as soon as they become available.

For more information on all the latest things happening at Islands, click here to visit their website: https://www.islandsrestaurants.com/

I also strongly advise you to try the full lineup of Left Coast Brewing Company's beers, maybe at their tap room or your favorite retailer. Get all their info here: http://leftcoastbrewing.com/

Traveling to Gulliver's for Prime Rib

Gulliver's Prime Ribs of Beef

18482 MacArthur Blvd. 

Irvine, CA 92612

When the calendar turns the page from April to May, it means that we become very busy. Not only is this the time for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and graduations, but most of our family have birthdays and anniversaries in this section of the year. My mom had the great idea to combine all the birthdays and anniversaries into one meal, which I am totally fine with. It means more free time to, well catch up on writing this blog, and of course eating at more restaurants.

The restaurant my mom chose to celebrate at was Gulliver's, right across the street from John Wayne Airport. If it seems like this restaurant has been here forever, it almost has. They are celebrating their 46th year in business, which makes them real ancient in restaurant years. They are so old, that I can remember being left with a babysitter, so my parents could eat here sometimes, and I haven't had to have a babysitter for a couple of years now.

Gulliver's wants to transport its guests back in time to the 18th-century English roadside inn. I wasn't around back then, and I haven't been to England, but I think they might have nailed it. The restaurant decor definitely seems dated for sure. Lots of pewter platters, pictures, and artwork featuring scenes from the novel Gulliver's Travels are plastered over every wall. Not that you will be able to make out much, with the restaurant being so dark. The floral printed furniture, which is comfortable, has definitely been around for a while.

The menu here is pretty straight forward and geared towards red meat-eaters. The big draw is, of course, their prime rib, but they also offer other steaks, seafood, chicken, some pork and lamb dishes, and even a duck dish to complete the petting zoo feel the menu has. Just glancing at the menu, you can assume that the food here is prepared simply, and they do not take a lot of chances. There's not going to be any kale or quinoa served here, which is always a plus in my book. Let's see how everything turned out for us this evening.

Right after ordering, we were brought this rather large basket of bread, which they were not shy about refilling. The bread was served warm, with the sourdough being my favorite. I enjoyed that the butter was softened, and easy to spread across the warmed bread.

Of course, since Gulliver's is famous for their prime rib, we'll start off with Katie's selection, the Atlantic King Salmon ($27.95). This was prepared with a three mustard caper sauce, which judging from the picture, they used sparingly. Katie thought this fish was okay but lacked a freshness that she has come to expect when dining out. She'd definitely forgo seafood on her next trip here. This lackluster plate also came with a scoop of mashed potatoes, green beans, and two carrots.

Closer to what they are famous for was my sister's choice, the Aged Charbroiled Ribeye ($37.95). This 16-ounce ribeye had some good looking grill marks on it, and a seasoned herb butter topping it. My sister was across the table from me, so I did not get to try this, but she seemed to like it, calling it, "delish." It was way too much for her, so she ended up taking half of this home. It came with creamed spinach and a twice-baked potato. Not sure if she got to choose these sides, or they just automatically came with her meal.

The rest of us got prime rib, but different sizes. My mom went with the smallest size, the Traditional English Cut ($34.95). With this one, they thinly sliced the beef, and it came with three slices. She asked for this to be medium-well, which is not how I would have gotten this, so I did not even bother taking a bite. This came with creamed spinach, Yorkshire pudding, and their famous creamed corn. No complaints from mom with this plate, and predictably, she took half of this home.

Here's a quick shot of my brother in laws prime rib, the Gulliver's Prime Cut ($35.95). My dad and he got the same sized portion, but my dad had his well done, which I did not even bother taking a picture of. At least my brother in law knows to order his beef medium rare.

Okay, let's get to my take on Gulliver's prime rib. I had the biggest, and supposedly best cut, their Brobdingnagian Cut ($45.95), which is served bone-in. I asked for this to be served medium rare, and that's how it came out. I've come to expect that with prime rib, there are going to be some bites that are great, some that are good, and some that are a little on the dry side. This cut had more mediocre bites than good ones. The outside areas of this slab of beef were flavored well, but not too tender. The inside portion was tender, but not much flavor to the meat. The au jus helped a bit, and using some of their creamed horseradish added some flavor to the inside portions. I probably should have just gone with the medium-sized cut, and maybe it would have been a little more consistent. The sides here are pretty stellar. I love creamed spinach, and this was a good version of this classic. Not overly creamy, it still let the spinach be the star of the show. The creamed corn here gets raves, and it still is good. A very sweet creamed corn, you can make this at home, as they have their recipe for this on their website. The Yorkshire bread pudding might be liked by some, but I've never been a fan, and always leave this pretty much ignored.

Since we were celebrating all of our family celebrations on this evening, they brought us out a complimentary dessert, which just happened to be their English Trifle, This layered sponge cake comes with strawberries, raspberries, Bavarian cream, whipped cream, and sherry wine. This cake is okay, but nothing special. The cake portion is not very moist, and the whipped cream was kind of boring. If the menu did not alert me to the fact that there was Bavarian cream in this, I would have never known. Still, this was a free dessert, so they get a little more leeway from me.

I'd sum up Gulliver's as a restaurant that has not changed with the times. Probably back when they first started in the '70s, there were not too many prime rib spots around, and it made this restaurant seem better than it was. Fast forward to the present, and there are a good number of restaurants that serve better prime rib than this, and Gulliver's is left with customers that come here for the nostalgic feel of this place, instead of having some great prime rib. Honestly, the food here is one step above what you would receive at a wedding, but at a higher price point. The dated decor makes Gulliver's seem drab and dingy, while the 65 plus crowd definitely does not liven up the joint. We did have some great service on this evening, but that's not enough to venture back here for our next family celebration.

Out of five ships, (because Gulliver's Travels is a novel about the journey of Lemuel Gulliver's trek around the world, which is made on numerous ships), five being best to zero being worst, Gulliver's  Prime Ribs of Beef gets 2 ships.

For more information about Gulliver's Prime Ribs of Beef, head to their website here: http://www.gulliversrestaurant.com/