Enjoy an alphabetical compendium of iconic Irvine restaurants and dishes – from All That Shabu to Zov’s – that will satisfy your urge for local and global cuisines and settings from casual to elegant.
A
All That Shabu
Culver Plaza
Flavor-packed broths, intriguing ingredients and virtually endless additions make this a go-to Korean hot pot experience. The plan: Choose among nearly a dozen cuts; boil them in individual pots at your table; and eat all you can. Possibilities include the signature rib-eye and popular Angus beef brisket as well as pork belly, chicken breast and lamb shoulder. Seafood and vegetarian hot pots are available, too. Expand your horizons with ingredients such as acorn jelly salad, spicy japchae (sweet potato starch) glass noodles and rooty mustard dipping sauce.
B
Bagel Shack
Alton Square
Like being a kid in a candy shop, except it’s a bagel shop! Considering bagel and cream cheese? A dozen types of bagels, eight flavors of cream cheese and a dozen more toppings that include smoked salmon, hummus and peanut butter-jam yield hundreds of combinations. Bagel sandwiches – such as The Wedge with avocado, bacon and jalapeño cream cheese or The Doheny with olives, tomato, feta cheese and balsamic – are fully customizable, too.
C
Cucina Enoteca
Irvine Spectrum Center
The Cal-Ital eatery evokes modern coastal kitchen, country farmhouse and a touch of whimsy. Known for its innovative design, in-house wine shops and rustic-meets-refined California-Italian cuisine, the brand recently celebrated its Sweet 16, and the Irvine location, the county’s first, has been there almost as long. Regional chef Cesar Sarmiento’s menu presents indulgent house-made pastas, innovative pizzas, creative large plates, celebrated cheese and salumi programs, artisanal breads and elevated antipasti and dolci.
D
Dive Oyster Bar
Irvine Spectrum Center
As the name suggests, a bar near the entry offers fresh oysters, half a dozen varieties daily. But the beauteous bivalves most often serve as a prelude to the restaurant’s steam-kettle-cooked Cajun favorites and Creole creations, enjoyed at tables beneath an irresistible undersea mural. Practically obligatory chowders – perhaps the Chowder Frots (fries, tots and cheese) or Dive Chowder with crab, shrimp and clams – also make way for the starring pan roasts, cioppino, gumbo, jambalaya or Maine lobster roll.
E
Eureka!
University Center
Creative burgers and rotating taps are the calling cards at this bustling spot. New on the menu: Black and Blue Mushroom burger with blue cheese, mushrooms, whiskey-caramelized onions and Calabrian chile aioli. Options that never get old: the bison burger – with charred Fresno chile, bacon-infused jalapeño jam and smoked mozzarella – and the Double Smash cheeseburger with garlic dijonnaise. Mac N’ Cheese Balls make for shareable memories. Both the cheesecake and the carrot cake are finished with WhistlePig Bourbon maple whipped cream.
F
Fogo de Chao
Irvine Spectrum Center
The elegant Brazilian steakhouse was first to bring the art of open-flame-roasted cuts continuously carved tableside by gaucho-garbed servers to international attention. Coveted cuts include the signature picanha (cap of the sirloin), fraldinha (bottom sirloin), bone-in rib-eye and lamb chops. The Indulgent Churrasco menu adds lobster tail and more. The Carrara Market Table offers endless salads – seasonal hummus and crispy chickpea kale are new – plus charcuterie, exotic fruit and feijoada, the traditional black-bean stew.
G
Georgia’s Restaurant
Irvine Spectrum Center
Nika Shoemaker-Machado puts the home in down-home. The Southern dishes she serves – fried chicken, blackened catfish, fried green tomatoes – are all recipes her mother learned from her grandmother. As the Irvine location marks its first anniversary, soul-delicious attractions keep coming. There’s a new kids’ menu and weekday lunch offerings, including a grilled cheese sandwich with blackened chicken soup for $7. The Peach Festival presents fresh peach salad, cobbler and brunch-perfect sangria through August.
H
Habana
Irvine Spectrum Center
Palatial 1940s Cuba sets the scene for croquetas, crab cakes and Cubanos, for ropa vieja and rum pepper shrimp. Each dish reflects the island nation’s vibrant culture and flavors. Make it a feast with the Taste of Habana sampler or the paella a la Habana for one or for two. Enjoy rum? Start with a classic mojito and finish with Bacardi Reserva Ocho ice cream. A meal on the verdant patio offers pleasures all its own.
I
Irvine Grill
Quail Hill Shopping Center
A comprehensive menu of classic Persian fare packs in loyal devotees, inside and on two patios. The Irvine Grill Special brings a sampler of signature appetizers. There are a half dozen beef dishes, including filet mignon kebabs; eight New Zealand lamb dishes from traditional shank to French-cut rack of lamb; and even more chicken preparations. Seafood star: pomegranate branzino. Persian-inflected margaritas are the highlight of the cocktail menu.
J
Javier’s
Irvine Spectrum Center
The dining room’s metal tree sculpture is stunning. The patio landscaping is impressive. And the bar, its 100 artisan-woven ropes radiating from the ceiling, is among the city’s most magnificent. Menu highlights often come in threes, among them a trio de ceviches, the trio de enchiladas del mar and La Tablita board for two or three with Prime Angus steak and carnitas. Fried ice cream in a buñuelo basket is a festive finish. Scores of tequilas include four of Javier’s own.
K
Kalbi Social Club
Irvine Spectrum Center
The new Korean barbecue destination is both elegant and social, especially at the circular bar looking out onto the plaza. Attentive servers work the table grills. Feasts for two or more feature short rib, beef brisket and rib-eye in a choice of three marinades plus banchan (sides) and dessert. Shareable pan‑fried dumplings, four beef cuts and five-color bibimbap can be ordered a la carte. Cocktails include the creamy Mak-geoky Old‑Fashioned served in a bowl.
L
Little Sister
Irvine Spectrum Center
The dishes at chef Tin Vuong’s Vietnamese bistro seem classic and East-meets-West contemporary. Decor? Sultry Saigon, where his parents came from. The sweet and spicy lemongrass chicken wings and stylish cocktails make the highly regarded spot as ideal for a quick rendezvous as for a multicourse feast. The shaky-shaky beef and green papaya salad with beef jerky, grilled prawns and peanuts seem especially pleasurable amid the patio’s fronds and ceiling fans.
M
Marble Steakhouse & Grille
Woodbury Town Center
Can’t decide if you’re in the mood for exquisite steak, excellent pasta or elaborate tableside Korean barbecue? Marble Steakhouse has you covered for all three, pulling off the hat trick with aplomb. Steak highlights include chateaubriand, aka center-cut tenderloin, and Japanese A5 wagyu New York. There are twin lobster tails, too. Italian signatures include mushroom or squid-ink risotto. Both the banchan sides and the beef are strengths of the Korean experience.
N
Nara Thai Kitchen
Orchard Hills Shopping Center
Provocative flavors, creative presentations and gracious ambience beg repeat visits. Wooden figurines line the bar. Dining-room decor includes distinctive tables and hanging light fixtures. Thai Angus Beef Jerky brings crispy marinated pork strips and spicy dipping sauce. Som tum, Bangkok-style green papaya salad, arrives in a mortar and pestle while curries are served in one-of-a-kind ceramic bowls. Finish with the crispy coconut-rice pancake khanom krok.
O
O Fine Japanese Cuisine
Quail Hill Shopping Center
The O is for omakase and the signature “O” sashimi sampler as well as for ocean. The sampler introduces six of the elegant destination’s fusion sashimi dishes, each served in its own stylish spoon, and leaves room for crispy lobster roll, seafood nabe udon soup or wild-caught miso Chilean seabass. Popular sushi bar lunch specials include a 12-piece selection or an elaborate chirashi bowl.
P
Panini Kabob Grill
Los Olivos Marketplace
The bustling spot presents the best of the Mediterranean. Start with the hummus trio or falafel appetizer. Kabobs include the popular beef koobideh and skewered charbroiled chicken; strawberry date salad is summer perfect. Enjoy all three items on the kabob combo plate. Pasta and panini sandwiches reflect the venue’s beginnings as an Italian cafe nearly 30 years ago. Lots of vegetarian choices include the caprese panini and rigatoni rosa. Ka-Boxes are ideal for takeout.
Q
Quiche
Pandor Artisan Bakery and Café at The Market Place offers four styles of the dish: quiche Lorraine with leeks, bacon and cheese; quiche Florentine with Parmesan, spinach and shallots; quiche Mediterranean with sundried tomato, basil and goat cheese; and a quiche du jour. Also find quiche at Alton Square’s La Boulangerie and Paris Baguette at Campus Plaza, Crossroads and Woodbury Town Center.
R
Robata Wasa
Irvine Spectrum Center
The contemporary Japanese decor is stylish and inviting, with one-of-a-kind ceramic plates covering one wall and a beautiful patio. Chef Jin Woo Kim’s presentations of impeccably sourced seafood include the popular spicy tuna crispy rice and salmon-skin taco starters; the buttery black cod entree; mentaiko and shrimp pasta; plus elaborate charashi bowls, bento boxes and sushi platters.
S
Shake Shack
Irvine Spectrum Center and the Market Place
Fans hit repeat for made-to-order burgers using premium Angus beef from famed meat purveyor Pat LaFrieda. Customers happily add crinkle-cut fries, hand-spun shakes and house-made lemonades. The smash-patty-and-cheese ShackBurger is the top seller among the made-to-order burgers. The SmokeShack, which adds bacon and chopped cherry peppers, and the Avocado Bacon Chicken aren’t far behind.
T
Taco Rosa
The Market Place
The venue has a Mexico City vibe, but its ancestral recipes derive from regions throughout Mexico, conscientiously sourced and prepared using artesian water and non-GMO corn. Consider the ceviche tostadito trio, alambre quesadilla, blackened tacos or carnitas Michoacan. The taquiza for two brings skirt steak, chicken breast and tiger shrimp over caramelized onions and brie cheese. Margaritas include an elaborate coconut con paleta version. The stemware is memorable, too.
U
Urban Plates
Crossroads and The Market Place
It’s like having a home-cooked meal at the home of a creative cook who makes all kinds of cool stuff to satisfy all kinds of tastes. Winning decor at the casual urban-chic spot includes handsome woods, kitchen utensils covering one wall and colorful contemporary dishes high on another. Among menu highlights are chimichurri grass-fed steak, a Mediterranean bowl, Caribbean salad, Moroccan chicken braise and vegan appetizer combos Three Up and Four Up.
V
Village Market
Los Olivos and The Village apartment communities
A pair of Village Markets serve luxury apartment communities near Irvine Spectrum Center and Los Olivos Marketplace. Larger Village Spectrum goes beyond market staples to numerous thoughtfully curated selections. Consider dolmas in the deli case, build-your-own sandwiches and pizzas, the Pastrami Monster burger hot off the grill and snacks, including Walker’s Mini Shortbread Scottie Dogs. Village Market & Cafe offers made-in-house pastries and Belgian waffles in the morning and build-your-own sandwiches at lunch.
W
Wagyu Meat and Grill
Culver Plaza and Sand Canyon Plaza
Picking up your wagyu filet mignon, rib-eye or Denver cut for home use? First enjoy a wagyu bulgogi plate, a wagyu burger or a non-wagyu chicken bowl, salmon plate or galbi short rib. Combo plates are popular. The market-side wagyu meat is known for its marbling, which contributes to its tenderness, flavor and rich texture. All meats are broken down in-house, and the tasty salads and sides are prepared on-site, too.
X
Xiao Long Bao
The steamed pork dumplings, XLB for short, date to China’s Qing Dynasty. They’re known for their 18 delicate folds and savory broth. Dumpling specialist Ja Jiaozi serves two styles: Kurobuta pork and the signature Kurobuta pork and dried shrimp. Northern Cafe, at University Center and Westpark Plaza, offers juicy pork and pork and crab. New Szechuan spot Kuan Zhai Alley at Los Olivos Marketplace presents its pork XLB with a side of vinegar.
Y
Yup Dduk
Campus Plaza
The name translates to “bizarrely spicy rice cakes.” The restaurant serves the spiciest street food in Korea, where it is among the country’s most popular brands. The namesake dish brings a large bowl of rice cakes, fish cakes, mini-sausages, cabbage, green onion and light mozzarella cheese. The broth uses Korean ttangcho peppers. Spice levels range from extra mild to “challenge,” with the mild described as “pretty spicy.” Cool off with banana milk.
Z
Zov’s Bistro
Orchard Hills Shopping Center
Revered chef-restaurateur Zov Karamardian, a county treasure for more than 40 years, puts a contemporary spin on Mediterranean fare that reflects her Middle Eastern heritage. The mezze platter, golden lentil soup, kebob two ways and Moroccan salmon salad always inspire. The sensuously spiced lamb burger – on the cover of her cookbook “Simply Zov” – is among the best handhelds of any kind in the county.
