Would it surprise you to learn that the top-selling item at The Cheesecake Factory isn’t cheesecake? Or how Yard House and P.F. Chang’s got their names? We share a few surprising details about Irvine Spectrum Center’s landmark eateries.
P.F. Chang’s
opened 1995
Conceived by restaurateur Paul Fleming (P.F.) and culinary consultant Philip Chiang (Chang), the restaurant that originally opened at Spectrum was radically redesigned in 2011. Unlike its other locations, it has an indoor-outdoor feel, the bar straddling both. The iconic horse sculpture out front alludes to China’s Forbidden City and its Terracotta Army – also the focus of a touring exhibition in OC right now – but recently got a dazzling new treatment in gold with red accents.
The Cheesecake Factory
opened 1998
As the center doubled in size, in came The Cheesecake Factory with its idiosyncratic decor – a fascinating mix of opulence and fantasy blending Victorian, Egyptian and art deco influences – plus a spacious patio and outdoor bar. The menu is massive, too, with 250 items, including 30 kinds of cheesecake, updated quarterly. Most popular dish? Chicken madeira. There are also plenty of secret menu items, chief among them brown-bread sandwiches and cheesecake sundaes.
Yard House
opened 2001
This spot offers globally influenced classic fare and more than 100 beers on tap.
The name is a nod to the “yard of ale,” a 36-inch-high glass used for toasts in merry old England and colonial America. The restaurant is well-known for its miles, literally, of beer lines leading from the keg room to the huge bar. Less well-known: An assembly of pumps circulates 2,000 gallons of coolant every hour.
Javier’s Cantina & Grill
opened 2004
Javier Sosa Sr. started out as a dishwasher at Tortilla Flats in Laguna Beach. He and partner Mark Post opened Irvine’s stylish Javier’s and incorporated elements of Greek isle and Moorish architecture. General Manager Silvia Sosa is Javier’s daughter. Seven-hundred plants envelop the cantina’s patio booths, and 100 artisan-woven ropes radiate from the ceiling above the bar, among the city’s most magnificent.
California Pizza Kitchen
opened 2004
A global chain with nearly 200 locations, CPK was launched 50 years ago by two lawyers as a “Spago for the masses.” The eatery liberated toppings and launched the California pizza revolution with its Original BBQ Chicken Pizza. The pizzas are hand-tossed. Industry firsts include gluten-free and cauliflower crusts.
Chicken lettuce wraps to please every palate
P.F. Chang’s was first to popularize chicken lettuce wraps, and they remain its signature dish. Six romaine lettuce boats plus minced chicken, garlic, scallion and sesame oil work as a shared appetizer or main.
Chicken lettuce wraps are also the most popular item at Yard House. This version incorporates tofu, green onions, a wonton cup and sweet chile and is dressed with spicy peanut vinaigrette.
Thai lettuce wraps with satay chicken are an appetizer at The Cheesecake Factory. Build your own with butter lettuce, carrots, bean sprouts and coconut curry noodles plus three Thai sauces: peanut, sweet red chile and tamarind-cashew.
