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Ambrosia - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
801 N Main StSanta Ana, CA 92701
(714) 550-0811
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
42 reviews for Ambrosia
Review Highlights
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"The creme brulee was absolutely fantastic." In 14 reviews -
"Our first course was a table side flambe of shrimp scampi." In 16 reviews -
"I ordered the Sea Bass with Mussels." In 6 reviews
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42 reviews in English
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Review from Ellen D.
Lake Forest, CA
7/20/2010
This is THE place to go for AMAZING modern French food in an atmosphere fit for dignitaries!
There were five people in our party and we started off with a round of cocktails masterfully crafted by the genius bartender. I had a dirty Goose martini and it was the absolute best martini I have ever had anywhere! Smooth and cold and perfectly balanced as a good martini should be.
Our first course was a table side flambe of shrimp scampi. It was like performance art and cooking wrapped up in one course.
Our table was then presented with a champagne gelee and caviar amuse bouche. It was both elegant, delicious and an unexpected treat compliments of the very talented chef.
The amuse bouche was followed by the soup course. I had the french onion which was salty and decadent and perfectly smothered in rich bubbly cheese. Other at my table had the tomato soup and raved about it.
For my entree I had The filet served on top of celeriac creamed spinach and topped with bruleed foie gras and on the side were house made "tater tots" with truffle inside and a truffle aioli style sauce drizzled on the top. The other entrees looked fantastic and were raved about, but I loved mine so mush that I did not sample. Every bite was magical and I was sad for this course to end, but only for a minute because dessert was an adventure.
We were told that we would not be getting a dessert menu and instead the table was brought an assortment of desserts including the creamy and sweet creme brulee, "Smores" made of flexible ganache ribbons, from scratch graham crackers and marshmallow brulee which took you back to the campfire on your taste-buds, and Bananas Foster flambed tableside and served with coffee and port for the perfect end to the most perfect meal. -
Review from Holly W.
2/26/2009 10 photos
This week only! Ending 2/28!
http://www.yelp.com/ev...
There is nothing better than dropping a sizeable chunk of your hard earned, "soon-to-be-here," economic stimulus check at OC's very own "Dining Stimulus week." And what better restaurant to capitalize on that than Ambrosia: Downtown Santa Ana's very own, self-proclaimed "World Class" 5-star dining experience. Cleverly kept on the 2nd Floor of the OC Pavilion, Ambrosia is just one of three high class establishments that make the Pavilion a go-to locale for an elegant evening out on the town (the other two include a live performance stage and VIP lounge). Upon taking that old fashioned elevator up to the 2nd floor, you will know you're in store for a traditionally classy meal, complete with all the décor.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Innovative but traditional, Ambrosia's "New American" cuisine derives its daily menu based on seasonal ingredients and some outstanding signature items. And lucky for us, the 3-course, $40 Dining Stimulus prix-fix is one of the best tickets in town. http://www.orangecount...
However, as with many prix-fix menus, food is usually hit or miss. While the tableside shrimp scampi flambé is delicious and a reason to go in itself, the flat-iron steak was flat out disappointing. Medium rare was just tough, making me think it wasn't a good cut of beef. The caramelized bacon presentation made it incredibly salty with those curiously delicious (but salty) fries. Order the lamb instead!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Off the regular menu, while the foie-gras was above average, the lobster gratin was incapable of being cut, and also tough as nails. However, dessert (as it should be) was a standout!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
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While the 5-star service was impeccable at the start, as the dining room got busier, it slowly dwindled to 2-3 stars by the end of the night. Though the server was incredibly sweet, 5-star service means you check in on your guests throughout the night. By doing that, you'd know that 2 of 5 courses were essentially not eaten.
Overall, I liked Ambrosia enough to go again, but I've already spent a good chunk of my economic stimulus check for a 3-star experience. I'm still looking forward to their self-proclaimed 5-star experience, but I know it'll cost a 5-star price. I might have to wait until my 401K starts growing again...so a review update? well, who knows when... -
Review from Linda N.
Los Angeles, CA
3/11/2009
"Eeks, methinks not" is right. I've put off this review long enough.
We planned a girls night dinner for my birthday. Thank you again, ladies! But the night started off on the wrong foot right when our server, Cesar 'dis'graced our table with his presence. Once we declined the fancy pants bottled water for tap water, we saw his attitude immediately and he starting collecting wine glasses without us even looking at the wine list yet! Did you not know I was an awesome wino, Cesar?!
Well anyways, service just got so progressively snooty that I wish he wouldn't come back to our table. But when someone's steak tasted "off" (as in, tarty tasting meat and resembling nothing like beef), we had to mention it. The busboy who didn't know how to deal with the situation gasped, "Oh sorry, I didn't cook it. What do you want me to do about it?" As he reported our complaint to our kind server, Cesar returned to our table after he threw his hands in the air and we had this exchange:
Cesar: It looks like you want to take that steak home.
Friend: No.
Cesar: Well, that's great because we have run out of take-out boxes!
Me: *Hell to the NO glare + blood boiling*
The manager did come by to check on our situation but the experience had turned so sour that I'd never go back. The food wasn't even worth the calories. The manager did comp us the meal or else I would have thrown down with you, Cesar.
*Footnote: I asked another busboy what our server's name was. I thought it was strange when his voice rose two notches. -
Review from Anita L.
2/28/2009
I'm sorry. I would ordinarily re-write another review solely for yelp, but the experience here was so indescribably traumatizing that I don't think I want to put myself through the entire ordeal of re-living it, so, my apologies -- you can read it here:
http://siaodofu.blogsp...
It is unfortunate that the lowest we can give on yelp is 1 star. -
Review from Sandy T.
8/12/2007
I have seen their ads in various OC publications. I have seen them appear with availability on http://opentables.com, yet I had never made a reservation because of the perception this was where big money dined. The online menu alone is kind of intimidating. The entree prices are $10 - $15 above most of the places we frequent that I consider pretty nice dining establishments.
All of that changed this past Friday, when we decided to brave the potential $200 bill for 2 of us. So I set a reservation on http://opentables.com, and off we drove to some place in Santa Ana. While you are around the old court house area and some historical parts of Santa Ana, it does seem odd that a once former BOFA building is now an one stop shop for an evening out.
Ambrosia is on the top floor of the "OC Pavilion." Like I mentioned before, this entire building used to be a BOFA building. Once you find it, and pull into the valet parking lot, be ready for impeccable service. And when I say impeccable, I mean to the very last crossing of the t.
So we get a discount on the posted $6 for valet parking, still not entirely sure why but I'm not complaining. We are given explicit directions for where to go by the valet. We enter the main doors, again someone ushers us in the right direction to the elevators. Once to the top, a handsome (I say this for all of the ladies out there) host guides us to our giant, vegas VIP style booth. He asks us if we would like a tour of the rooms, but another party came too soon beckoning his attention.
Once seated, a whirlwind of wait staff came to our service. We ordered a bottle of Cima Collina wine (fantastic). Our waiter, effortlessly recommended the menu items that paired well with our wine choise. A taster lobster medallion was served to us along with some delicious mini rolls. Oh, did I forget to mention there was a live jazzy bluesy singing trio with piano accompaniment all the while.
For a starter we ordered the Sunflower Tempura Chesapeake Bay Soft Shell Crab with Green Asparagus Slaw and Yellow Tomato Rmoulade. I liked it a lot, but my boyfriend wasn't completely impressed. For an entree, I selected the Hand-Harvested Sea Scallops with Fennel-Endive Confit, Israeli Couscous and Black Mission Fig-Vanilla Bean Gastrique. All I can say, I am still day dreaming about that dish. Even though it was pricey, it was well worth every cent. My boyfriend ordered the Snake River Farms Kurobuta Pork Medallions with Bing Cherries, Chanterelle Mushrooms, California Pistachios and Sweet Brentwood Corn dish. It was a ton of food and I got a few bites, which proved to be phenomenal. My boyfriend was thoroughly pleased as well.
I need to interject, all of this time every single member of the wait staff was incredibly helpful and quick to insure things were going well. At this point, we decided on dessert. A creme brulee dessert that honestly completed a quite amazing dinner.
Now, time for the bill. I have to say for all that we got; the ambiance, the music, the service, the food, etc... it was worth every bit of the $167.
We were about to leave, when I asked the waiter if we could have the tour earlier mentioned by the host. He showed us to each of the rooms which included the "Board Room" (the old conference room at the BOFA), the Cellar (wall to wall wine cellar with a giant table in the middle), a Tequila room, the Champagne room, and the Humidor room (YOU CAN SMOKE CIGARS in this room!). My next question was, do you have to pay extra or fill the room with people. He said, not at all. You can just ask, can we sit in "so and so" room and if it is available, it is all yours. Note to self, next time the man wants a cigar and a good dinner.
Next, he offered us free seats the show on the main floor of the OC Pavilion. We took them and I will review that elsewhere. All in all, a great experience.
Lastly, the next morning I received a phone call from a lady asking how our dining experience at Ambrosia had been. She mentioned she hoped she would see us again and that they appreciated us dining with them. I have to say, Nice touch. A restaurant has never called me before just to say "hope everything went well."Listed in: Opentable.com Restaurants
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Review from Aaron D.
Anaheim, CA
2/26/2009 8 photos
So many things to say - and only 5000 characters to say them in. Curse you Yelp for having a maximum!!!
The Experience itself is worth some serious coin. Anytime a dude with a waxed mustache is walking around and means it - it's time to sit back and enjoy the entertainment. So, I heard this place was french - but the General Manager was the lone Frenchman. He also is the chief of lighting things on fire.
Staff everywhere - lots of business. I called ahead and was unable to get a seat for two between 6:15pm and 8PM on a Wednesday night. I spoke with the hostess about it and she said it was all about OC Restaurant week.
So, the servers seem waaaaaay to serious. I don't know anyone that prefers stern waiters. Maybe its a European thing. The servers seemed pretty professional but a bit stuck up.
We were here for the Prix Fix OC Restaurant week special. I got the Shrimp Scampi Flambe which was great and entertaining. Let it be said that anyone with fire, brandy, shrimp, heavy cream, garlic, and butter could probably make a very taste dish. It was very good - I even ate the cherry tomatoes which I typically loathe.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
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My wife had the Farmer's Market Beet salad. It was both beautiful and delicious.
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It being Wednesday night - Ambrosia has a half price on bottles of wine special that I recommend. Be aware that their cheapest bottle is probably $45.
We both chose the Sea Bass as we don't eat red meat. And let it be said - much like Holly W. has seemed to infer - the service and experience is way better than the entrees seem to be. This place is a lot of fun and very classy/romantic - but compared to the crazy prices it needs to impress a lot more when it comes to the entrees. I love Sea Bass and it was only average. It came with a veggie mix that had beans that were very bleh. Also it had some type of a sweet tangerine sauce that only so-so. It was a nice piece of fish - just not well presented.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
On to dessert. Let it be said that on the online version of their menu at OC Restaurant Week they claim to offer a Table Side Flambe of Bananas Foster as part of the Prix Fix menu. They have since removed it from their version that they present you in Restaurant. This left me disappointed as part of the reason I chose Ambrosia was because I wanted the Bananas Foster. But, alas we can't all get what we want. My wife had the apple crisp. It was unique and some interesting nuts in it. It was good but not great. I had the Creme Brulee which was yummy but not spectacular.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Overall in comparison to the broad spectrum of everything you might eat in Orange County - they get 3 stars. If I was giving them stars in comparison to value - they might get like 2.5
The food is good. The service is good. The ambiance is amazing. They had live music. The tables are set beautifully and each have a candle and a rose. But, the food is not great. And the servers are not friendly - just professional. I would rather be at Roy's having great food with less ambiance. And the service would be a great deal less pretentious at Roy's as well - and easily as attentive. -
Review from Silja J.
2/28/2009
I loved the physical ambiance: the piano, the private booths, the er... um... fake plants that I tried not to look too closely at so that the mood was not lost... but then the pretentiousness of our waiter did lose it for me. I was more preoccupied with not making a fool out of myself, (or that my husband wouldn't use his finger instead of a knife!) that I would have been happier with cheaper food in a friendlier place.... even their right to BE pretentious seemed to be founded on a fake platform of fine French cuisine, that wasn't really very French nor fine.
I started with the beet salad... pretty standard, but delicious..... then the bass which was definitely LESS delicious than other preparations I've had... then the apple crisp (hello, British!), also not very amazing, and NOT worth the price! -
Review from Christa A.
Portland, OR
Updated - 3/13/2009 4 photos
I have been reading these 1 star reviews and I think I know why these one stars have recently been occuring. Ambrosia has let go half of their staff!!! I understand with the hard times and the current condition of the economy every business must do what they need to do survive, however when you are running a "5 star" resturaunt and are highly competing with Napa Rose, I would think you would not let go of your best employees such as their main bartender who actually knows how to make a drink. When I found out where he is relocated I will keep everyone posted! Best manhattans, martinis and margaritas I have ever had.
So going forward with letting people go that means YES... they did let go of that server Ceasar who YES was totally awful! When I would come in for happy hour, he was just negative energy all the time and would always throw the bartender attitude and from what I could tell he was arrogant and no one liked him.
So my updated review of one star saddens me to give but I have no more reason to really go back there since half of the staff that I really liked is now gone. I will miss you yummy bread rolls and favorite salad and all of you desserts but I must move on and support the friends that I have made at Ambrosia. I wouldn't feel right giving them my business. Maybe one day I can update again and bump it back up to 5 stars.
God I feel really bummed about this.Listed in: Top Restaurants, Dumpsville
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/10/2009
I have just been informed that their beer list has been updated to include Dry Blackthorn. Allagash… Read more »
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Review from Michael C.
Brea, CA
1/24/2008
I hit up this place last night for a special occasion. As the elevator doors opened we were immediately impressed by the beautiful decor. Great looking booths and we were sat right in front of the fantastic jazz band. A member of the band kindly came to us and asked if we had any special requests. A nice start to the experience but enough about the atmosphere and on the food.
I ordered some king crab caviar cake thing to start that was cold and salty. Didn't enjoy it very much. Next was the french onion soup, which was hearty and tasty. For my entree, i got the rib eye bone that came out only warm, I usually like it sizzling hot. The steak was tender and fatty, the taste was good not great, but the potato side dish was magnificent. The lady ordered a new york steak on top of lobster risotto. Both were excellent, except for the fact that she ordered medium and it came out rare.
Overall the food was ok but a little cold and everything seemed too salty. Our service was a little slow and our waiter wasn't as knowledgeable as we would have liked. The best part was the ambiance and the live jazz. Total damage was $180 for 2. We were disappointed for the amount of dough we spent. -
Review from Kat B.
Los Angeles, CA
7/3/2009
This place was hard to find!
Being a fine dining restaurant, I was expecting a lavish, arrogant building but rather found myself outside of an old cement square box that looks like a really old, abandoned bank!
We had reservations for about 30 people and we arrived a tad bit earlier than everyone else. The hostess led us upstairs to a very dimmed, elegant, old fashioned room. She directed us to our room and led us to the bar.
Drinks aren't too pricey. For 3 drinks (one being a Sprite LOL) was roughly around $23 including tip. Not too shabby for fine dining!
As for the food, it was really really good! Extremely simple menu: soup or salad, steak or fish. They also had either white or red wine on the side to fill your empty glass anytime. The steak was amazing! It was one of the best I've had! I might even choose this place over Lawry's (if it wasn't for their creamed corn). Obviously, a little person like me had to ask for a to-go box but I was lucky enough to have this steak 2 nights in a row!
Overall, its safe to say: Don't judge a book by its cover.
Ambrosia, see me again sometime soon! :) -
Review from Christina S.
Irvine, CA
9/16/2009 9 photos
I have been to Ambrosia a few times. All were wonderful experiences. I will be writing a review about my recent visit.
The FOOD:
In our party was my brother, mom, boyfriend and I. My mom and boyfriend got the pre fixe menu (appetizer, entree and dessert) for $40 which is a steal! The portions on the prix fixe menu were the same as if you were to order them on the regular menu.
~ Appetizers ~
"Sea Diver Scallops" with foie gras was INCREDIBLE! The scallops were tender and foie gras was to die for. Best part is my mom ordered this as part of her $40 pre fixe, and this dish is normally $24 alone! "Signature Shrimp Scampi" is not only amazingly tasty but you get a show! This dish is flambeed tableside (see photos). Shrimp is tender and the sauce is unbelievably delicious, especially when you save some bread to dip in the leftover sauce.
~ Entrees ~
My brother ordered the "Colorado Rack of Lamb Chops". He promised to share, gave me one bite and ate the rest. UGH! I am very picky about my lamb and their lamb was melt-in-your-mouth tender and juicy! Orgasmic (yes i said it!)! I had the "Steak Diane" with truffle oil and mushrooms. Steak was cooked perfectly medium rare, the way I ordered. My mom and boyfriend both got the "Steak Frites". Tender and juicy as well, however, too salty for my taste. All the portions were more than enough. Not teeny tiny like you would think an expensive French restaurant would be like.
~ Desserts ~
We had the "Flourless Belgian Chocolate Cake", "Creme Brulee" and "Signature Banana Foster". Chocolate cake was dry and kind of gross. The creme brulee was absolutely fantastic! But the banana foster was my favorite! It was also prepared tableside. Words cannot describe. You have to order it yourself. My only complaint would be that there wasn't enough. The banana fosters was small for the $10 price. Oh and this is one of the few places that serves ABSINTHE. It was a fun experience. A table came out, a little of it was poured into a mini goblet, a filter was placed with a sugar cube on top and then the sugar cube was lit on fire. As the sugar melted, cold water was dripped down to dilute this 145 proof drink. Tasted like black licorice. Very strong.
The PLACE:
SPECTACULAR! You would never know from the outside of what was hidden inside. A GEM! Not a super big dining area but very intimate and special. All booth tables. The feel of the place is very formal. Art deco. Very, very ROMANTIC. A candle and rose at every table. Live jazz music playing. A bit loud for me, hard to carry on a conversation. Parking was never a problem, however, finding the place is a different story.
The SERVICE:
REMARKABLE service! Our waitress was friendly and attentive. However, the wonderful man from London with the English accent, Matt, was who I'd rave about. I'm not sure if he was the maitre de or the manager or whatever, but he was super helpful and made our dining experience the BEST I've had there yet!
The VERDICT:
My favorite formal dining restaurant! A place to wow your date. Definitely a very special occasion type of place! For 4 people, 2 ordering from a set $40 pre fix menu and the other 2 ordering entrees and 1 dessert + 3 beers and absinthe ran us about $220 total with tips. -
Review from Anne M.
Irvine, CA
9/11/2009
The outside of the restaurant gives no indication of how great the inside really is. I especially enjoyed the lounge pianist and singer. Such great ambiance, which makes the dinner experience so much more enjoyable. We went with 2 other couples and EVERYONE enjoyed the food. We ordered their steak and even the steak connoisseur at the table was mesmerized by the flavor in the meat.
Half of the guests tried the Absynth (?) drink which is VERY hard to find anywhere and it's a show in the presentation alone. We finished the meal with creme brulee and Banana Foster, which was a delight to the eyes and taste buds.
My husband and I love this place and would definitely go back with or without the kids. -
Review from Ellen C.
3/3/2009
I tried this restaurant because of Dine OC. Booked reservations for Saturday through opentable because it was one of the "most booked restaurants" in the OC and also read Yelp reviews - 4 stars. That MUST be good right?! No way. I was SOOO disappointed! Based on reviews and ratings, I thought it was really good. Go here for the ambiance. Don't go here for the food.
It's located on the 2nd floor of the OC Pavilion. We found street parking along the meters (free after 8pm). Don't use the valet. Went up the elevator to the 2nd floor.
Entered the restaurant and it was definitely beautiful. The room was filled with shrubbery with lights strewn across it. I've never seen a restaurant decorated like that. We were seated at a booth away from everyone. Couldn't see the live jazz band/singer so that sucked. The waiter (Brian) came and asked if we wanted to be seated elsewhere but we were fine with where we were.
Bread came cold. I thought a fancy place like this would have at least Spago's type of bread. It was just a regular plain dinner roll you would buy at the supermarket. We ordered the tableside shrimp scampi flambe, the beet salad, parpadelle pasta w/ lamb, the sea bass, creme brulee, and another dessert that wasn't memorable.
Tableside shrimp scampi was pretty cool. You get to see this guy with an incredibly noticeable mustache cook it for you. However, because flambe-ing the shrimp didn't allow all the flavor to go through, it tasted like regular shrimp. They attempted to add more flavor by giving you a lot of sauce at the bottom. Beet salad was delicious though.
My friend got his lamb w/pasta, but they forgot the lamb. We had to resend it back and he got a new one. I think it's funny that they forgot to PUT the lamb in it. The sea bass had no flavor. Didn't feel like eating it. Roy's Hawaiian Fusion cooks a much better sea bass. Go there instead.
Creme brulee was good. They added a little bit of peanut to go with it.
Service - Very attentive. A lot of people complained about it, but our waiter Brian, checked on us constantly and even made small talk. I told him I'd write a review for him! Request Brian if you're afraid you're gona get bad service.
Ambiance - Super nice and romantic. I loved the jazz band and singer. It wasn't loud or anything. Can still carry conversation.
Attire - Opentable said business casual. Gayot said upscale casual. I saw people in there wearing completely casual (ie: t-shirt and jeans), so you really don't have to worry about what you're wearing.
PLEEEASE don't go here for the food. I don't know why people would give it any higher than 3 stars. The food reminds me of dinner hosted by a hotel...you know...the dinners where you attend a wedding and they give you steak and fish, but it tastes very bland. If you want to take your girlfriend out to a nice restaurant, I'd recommend Roy's, Mastro's, Gordon Ramsey's London in LA, Providence, Patina, the Dining Room in Pasadena, or Nick & Stef's. I wouldn't come here again. -
Review from Arashi B.
Los Angeles, CA
7/31/2009
Once a restaurant proclaims itself "A World Class Five Star Dining Experience", it has a lot to live up to. In fact, the food at Ambrosia is pretty good. And the decor is fun, almost art deco. But for all its charms, it's neither world class nor five star.
A famous football coach once advised his players: "When you make it to to the end-zone, act like you've been there before." Similarly, a fine dining restaurant shouldn't have to keep telling you that it's a fine dining restaurant, as this one does on its website... and on the menu... and as the hostess welcomes you... and....
From the waiter acting kind of snobby as he mispronounces a French-named dish to the hostess who gushingly assures you that you're in for a real experience, Ambrosia seems to be at once a little too taken with itself and to be trying too hard.
Our meal started with an amuse-bouche that included some seafood, which was actually my favorite dish of the night. We split the "signature" shrimp scampi, which must be pretty good because everyone keeps telling you it is. (Actually, I liked it, but I wouldn't put my signature on it.) And by the way, the scampi sauce is great for sopping up with some bread. I liked my salmon well enough and helped another person in my party finish off her Steak Diane, which was pretty good. The accompanying white truffle potatoes were tasty, too. Can't remember the dessert but do remember that they couldn't make some fairly basic coffee someone ordered... Was it a non/low fat latte? And though we had a nice enough time, the jazz musicians- talented though they were- played too loudly for conversation.
All in all, Ambrosia makes me think of a former Orange County, one that isn't sure of itself and tires to be "classy." I think my native OC outgrew that a while ago.
PS Would someone please tell the manager that the word "entrées" is misspelled on the menu? ("Entreés" is incorrect.) -
Review from Caitlin H.
Cypress, CA
Updated - 2/15/2010
Again, this is my husband's favorite French restaurant in the OC. It's definitely a gem in the most unexpected location, in the heart of Santa Ana. Therefore, I decided to make reservations to celebrate V-day.
Our reservation was at 6pm and we were seated promptly. The menu was fixed with 6 courses for $75/pp. I guess this was smart for the restaurant to just make the same 6 courses for everyone for a speedy turnaround for all the tables.
The ambiance was definitely more V-day than usual: red lighting, tablecloths and napkins all around. Our courses were also top notch. Our favorites were:
1. Hamachi (yellowtail) sashimi over an avocado puree with orange gelatin and olive oil/lemon powder
2. Jidori chicken, butternut squash, savoy cabbage and dijon emulsion
The filet mignon was topped with a small piece of foie gras, but we later found out it was raw. They forgot to blow-torch the foie gras. Oh well... otherwise, it would have been an excellent course. The truffle infused tater tots were sooo delish!
Lastly, the service is always above par. Our beverages were never half empty. The waiters' attitudes are beyond exceptional. Our favorite waiter is Matt, he's the guy that speaks with an English accent. Overall, it was a wonderful V-day and the restaurant even gave out roses to all the ladies at the end of the meal. What a nice finishing touch!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/25/2009
This is one of our favorite places to "fine dine" in the OC. We usually end up ordering mainly the… Read more »
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Review from Janet P.
Newport Beach, CA
4/24/2009
I like Aaron D's review of this place. It's pretty spot on. It's a place to impress a date: live piano lounge music, romantic decor, candle and a rose, expensive wine list. Plus it's always fun to dress up once in awhile, get valet parking, and get cozy in your private U-shaped booth.
The prix fixe dinner is a great deal, and the table side shrimp scampi is fun, flamy, and fresh. The rest of the meal - the entrees and desserts, are forgettable, but the night will not be, as you laugh at the manager flaming your shrimp, and be a little unsettled by the football-coach like waiter with a tux barking at you to see if you're "all good."
Yay for cheesy romantic atmospheres and strange dining experiences! (like making your date eat jumbo snails broiled in butter and garlic) -
Review from John S.
Costa Mesa, CA
2/28/2010
Went here for Valentines Day. Only offer 6 course dinner @ $75 per person. First dish was caviar on top of champagne jelly...interesting, but good. It was my first time trying caviar and it was pretty good.
Second course was mahi mahi sashimi. Again my first true experience with raw fish. A lot of flavors going on with the foam that sits on top and purée of some sort on the bottom.
Third course was roasted chicken with purée squash and candied Ginger. By far probably the best dish. Chicken was full of flavor, tender and juicy. Yummy!!!
Fourth dish was a palate cleanser. Coconut and pineapple sorbet with mint foam. Simple and clean.
Fifth dish was steak and interesting tater tots. Would love the steak cooked more on the well side, but still taste great. Very tender and nice crust. Taters were potato/chessy pop in your mouth goodness. I wonder if they serve them on their regular menu as appetizers.
Last dish was dessert. Block of spicy chocolate cake. Amazingly rich with a kick at the end of every bite. The added cayenne gives this dessert some heat.
Over all this place is great. As for ambiance, it's just okay. Maybe it's different on Fridays/Saturdays.
Sign in parking lot says valet only and they charge $6. I know it's customary to tip the valet dude, but what really sucks is when the guy retrieves your car and you see it 15 feet in front of you. Heck I can get that myself, all he had to do was reverse it. -
Review from Eric C.
Santa Ana, CA
1/23/2010
I've eaten here a few times and it has always been a fun experience. It always seems worthwhile to me when, days later, your company talks about how nice the food and experience was at the restaurant. Once in the wine "cellar" and once in the main restaurant. The servers have always been capable and extended courtesies as if they were part owners and proud of the fact.
The food is very good - not great, and they should ratchet back on the world class/5 star bragging. I'm not sure, but I think silk plants aren't standard in 5 star restaurants. -
Review from Amy T.
Irvine, CA
4/11/2010
Went here for our 5 year wedding anniversary and was very happy to have celebrated such an occasion at Ambrosia. The ambiance was amazing and very fitting. Service was top notch! The food was very good and I liked the fact the portions were just right--not too big and not too small.
I can not wait to go again! -
Review from Maryann B.
Buena Park, CA
Updated - 8/21/2010 2 photos
I am so sad. Just found out this place closed. I was really looking forward to going back. Bummed :(
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/20/2009
Who knew? Who knew in the middle of downtown Santa Ana there was this gem of a restaurant. You go up… Read more »
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Review from Streetshaman I.
Anaheim, CA
Updated - 4/20/2011
I came here 5 years ago and I still think about the food, the service, and the ambiance! Yeah, they made it that memorable for me. I can still taste the frog legs! I'm sooooo bummed that I'll never have a chance to revisit this place!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/2/2010
My husband took me here on our anniversary. Great service. The minute you walk in they greet you… Read more »
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Review from Jill A.
Glendora, CA
8/11/2008
ok...so what happens when you take this ghetto little filipino girl and take her to this fancy french restaurant?? sacré bleu! (it sounds really cool when you say it out loud!)
when my dining partner said he made reservations, i so was not prepared for what i was about to walk into. we took the elevator to the 2nd floor where the restaurant is located. when i stepped out of the elevator, i felt as if i was in another world. it was a bit overwhelming. we were greeted by an adorable french man with his french mustache, speaking with his french accent. in my head, i wondered if his mustache was real. at first, we were seated somewhere in the middle but the the french man told the hostess we should be moved closer to the front by the music. the french man had great ideas.
we were moved to a booth closer to the jazz band. the piano, the bass, and the beautiful jazzy voice of the singer was very soothing and the volume was just right to where we could still carry a conversation. for starters, the bread was pretty good. they came in clumps tho each bread was different. i had a wheat roll with walnuts. yum!
as we waited for our appetizer, i looked around at the scenery. every booth had a candle and one vase with a rose. the lighting was dim and romantic. i felt a little out of my element. i looked down at my plate setting and was confused at the three forks and three knives...hmmm ok start from the outside in???... this is probably not the place to let out one of my famous burps.. all of a sudden i had a flash of julia roberts in my head.
we were told by our server that their menu was seasonal. for the current season's menu, we tried their signature shrimp scampi for appetizer. with cognac and garlic butter...mmmmm. the french man came to our table with a rolling stove and cooked this tableside. it was delicious! i stayed proper and kept myself from sucking the juices off the shrimp tail. for dinner, i had the grilled salmon served over rice, spinach, and some little baby grape looking things. the salmon was excellent! i washed it down with a glass of cabernet. and even tho i know i shouldn't have, i shared the lemon creme brulee since my dining partner cannot live without dessert. i think i'll be having dreams about that creme brulee from now on.
that would be my first fine dining experience in quite some time. does that make me a little less ghetto now? -
Review from Lena B.
3/6/2009
a few things i've discovered on this night of endless traumas...
1. linda n. does get mad so don't get on her bad side. it's really ugly (i love you, linda :))
2. just like their desserts, french men are sweet.
3. either i am very forgiving or a bit dense when it comes to sarcasm (my friends are leaning towards the 2nd opinion)
4. i hate lounge singers...with a passion!!! -
Review from Christina S.
Costa Mesa, CA
11/19/2007
UPDATE 11/21/2007: We came to Ambrosia once again this time for wine and appetizers. It was a Wednesday night and we wanted to take advantage of the "Wine on Wednesday" specials. Which means that the wine is half off. We ordered the escargot and shrimp scampi. Our waiter recommended that we try the Stags Leap Merlot. Which by the way was VERY good. We also ordered a bottle of Peju. I can't recall if it was a Merlot or a Zinfandel. Well, everything was fantastic. Our bill came and it was $202 and some change. Our waiter forgot to take off the 1/2 off of both the bottles of wine we ordered. So, of you go on a Wednesday and order a bottle of wine be sure to check your bill. If not ask them to fix the error. In the end our check was fixed. The food as usual was wonderful and the rad thing about this experience this time around was the waiter came to our table to make the shrimp scampi. It was a flambe show.... Not to mention delicious!!
BF brought me here for my birthday recently and I now love this place. We walk in and then we are PROMPTLY greeted and then escorted to the elevator where we are taken to the floor in which we are to dine in. The place is amazing. Who would of ever guessed that this place is in Santa Ana. We are directed to our table which was eye pleasing. The plush seating makes it cozy.... Reminiscent of an old mobster film where the Italian mobsters would dine. We started off by ordering the escargot as an appetizer. The manager recommend that we try the Provenance wine which was amazing. Hence we had two bottles. FYI wine from the cellar on Wednesdays is half off. I've done fine dining before but I found myself asking my man what many of the dishes were. I was disappointed because there was only one chicken dish. And well this chicken dish had brussels sprouts and cauliflower as part of the dish. Just two vegetables that I don't care for. So I ended up ordering the angus steak. I don't do red meat. But, the side dish and sauce seemed so delicious. BF ordered the monk-fish but offered to switch dishes if I didn't like mine..... The escargot came out and it was THE BEST ESCARGOT EVER! The escargot comes out beautifully prepared on top of a bed of thinly sliced potato's in a butter foam. Mmmmmmm.. So So good and filling.
There is a little stage where a trio preforms old standards. The singer came down to our table and recited a line form a Shakespeare play...
Our meal arrives and i ended up eating the monk fish. It was my first time having monk fish I latter found out that it is also known as the poor mans lobster. Whatever. It was delicious. The dessert menu is amazing. I had a berry pana cota sort of thing.... I totally recommend this place. I didn't pay but I know that it can be pricey. But, for a special night this is the perfect place to dine...
The bathrooms are HUGE....Listed in: More things that I dig
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Review from Jenny L.
Irvine, CA
3/3/2009
So, I'm due for another review for 2009 (thanks David L for the reminder) and will get back to catching up on my reviews even if it takes me through 2010 but enough with the sidebar, I was debating whether to review Ambrosia since our meal was comped but the bad memories still remain - I can deal with the vegas/cruise ship ambience feel but what I can't deal with is terrible service and cold food (especially my parpadelle pasta with lamb). It was the worse service any of us have ever received in our foodie lifetime. Enough said. The one star is for the dearest frenchman (general manager- thanks anita for the correction) who flambed our shrimp and was kind enough to hear us out and comp our meal - that is the only saving grace of ambrosia.
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Review from Stanley C.
Tustin, CA
2/15/2009
Ambrosia is located in OC Pavilion but don't be confused since it's location is in almost downtown Santa Ana. This place has by far one of the best services, well selected wine list, and savoring dishes - all surrounding French cuisine. Went there for Valentines and had the prefix menu which consisted of the following:
1) Crab cakes - light, tasteful, great use of combining a dash of caviar, pureed avacodo, and a zesty lemon sauce
2) Thai lobster bisque with coconut shrimp - simply amazing, rich, creamy and full of flavor
3) Black angus grilled iron steak - cooked to perfection at medium rare, tender, tasty, seasoned with full of flavor, no fat or tendons
4) Flowerless chocolate cake - decadent and normally I don't like flowerless chocolate cake, but this place perfects it where I still crave it
5) Vanilla creme brulee - normally I am a very picky and big fan of creme brulee and I can say right now that this is one of my most favorite places in the entire world.
Have Aaron, the assistant manager and their sommelier that selects Ambrosias wine list, choose the wines for you - he chose a Stonestreet Merlot (goes excellent with steak - very full bodies, not to dry, and not too bold...very perfect) and a Chateau St. Michelle Cabernet (which also compliments very well with the steak - frutier, but not overpowering, and zesty)
I will definitely be back and this place was a great find in the OC...a diamond in the rough! -
Review from Lily A.
3/3/2009 2 photos
I came to Ambrosia with my girlfriends on Friday night for OC restaurant week. I did some research on yelp...and we decided to check this place out. The part where yelp came in so handy was the fact that I got to read what other people ordered on the menu for dine week. So I got the shrimp scampi, lamb, and creme brulee.
Ratings on my meal:
Bread and Butter = 5 stars...excellent bread
Shrimp scampi = 5 stars for presentation and taste
Colorado lamb = 4 stars because the olive taste was a bit overpowering
Creme Brulee = 3 stars...I've had better creme brulee
I give the ambiance a 5 star, the restaurant was very nice, romantic. There was candlelight...but the fake plants threw it off. The lady singing was excellent...we loved her music choice and her playlist she sang a bit of Rod Stewart and some Sade...it was good.
So why the 3 stars??? Well, the service was just okay. I took off one star for the hostess, first of all she wore a nice dress but had beaded fringe on the bottom of her dress...literally was so loud and annoying. But the bad outfit wasn't the only bad thing about her. She came off as very stuck up. Now, I'm not a 5-star restaurant dining gal...I don't go out every night spending loads of cash on food...hey, I have future travel expenses to save up for, but I will splerge here and there. So the hostess took us to our table, and I made a comment about how fancy the place was...her response:
"Well of course it's fancy, this is a 5 star restaurant" The response just felt very snooty. I didn't like her and her outfit...so - 1 star.
The other star I took off because our waiter seemed very condescending. Just because we didn't order any wine or anything from the bar...like I said I'm saving up for my future travels around the world, and I knew we were going out drinking that night...so buying a drink at the bar elsewhere would probably be cheaper and I'm not big on wine. But he kept on making little remarks about it...sort of annoying. so -1 star.
But definitely I would come here for the food, not so much for the service from my experience. 5 star my ass. -
Review from San N.
Orange County, CA
1/26/2009
Had a company Xmas party in the Wine Cellar room. Therefore, we had a set menu. The room is cozy and seats about 20. I tried to find our dishes on the menu, but since the menu changes per season, most of the items were not listed any longer.
Service- Excellent and attentive.
Location- Downtown Santa Ana so the characters that come to the restaurant are a bit.... interesting. It's located in the OC Pavillion. Although there was a show going on, I was able to find parking in the next lot over.
Food- Suppose to be a French restaurant, but I felt like it was more of an American cuisine.
1. 'Our Signature' Shrimp Scampi- Tender and decent size shrimp. Butter sauce was good and thinned out a bit with cognac.
2. Curry Butternut Squash Soup- Too rich for me. If you like creamy broths, then you'd probably like this.
3. Filet- Tender but I've definitely had better.
4. Halibut- Moist but bland.
We had a salad and dessert course also that I could not remember the name of. Sorry. Wine selection was quite good. It was so tempting sitting in the Wine Cellar room because you could pull out any wine you like.
We stayed at the bar afterwards and people watched. Some interesting, theatrical type people come up for drinks after the show. Gets pretty crowded in the main dining room. -
Review from John M.
Ladera Ranch, CA
12/1/2008
Second Best Restaurant I've ever been too besides Eiffel Tower Restaurant @ Paris Las Vegas. Don't be fooled by the location(Downtown Santa Ana), this restaurant is top notch. Food was phenomenal, service was the same...and to top it off there was a live jazz band playing some mellow sounds in the background. Just be prepared, the menu is pricey, but you get what you pay for here that's for sure.
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Review from Leslie H.
Santa Monica, CA
12/1/2009
This is one of the best and coolest restaurants in Orange County. However, you would never know this upon your arrival. It is located in a not so aesthetically pleasing area of Santa Ana along side Main street. And If you didn't know ahead of time that the restaurant was inside the OC Pavilion building and a level or two up the elevator...you would be confused. Once off the elevator there is a person sitting at a desk who you check in with and they escort you inside. Cheesy yes!! But I liked it! Had I been alive during the days of Speakeasy's...this is how I would picture it to be. Upon entering the restaurant you are immediately blasted back a few decades....but in a really good way. The ambiance is reminiscent of something straight out of prohibition. A live cellist played while a woman billowed out some era appropriate song. I think you get the point!
The service was also exceptional. The staff was very helpful, friendly and quite knowledgeable. My family and I enjoy wine and it's always a major bonus when we get to try something new based on an educated suggestion from our waiter.
Now for the food. I ordered a flank steak with a standard potato side dish. Always a fallback favorite and basic for me but the taste was NOTHING but. basic The meat was marinated in a perfect blend of terriyaki and other sauciness that was absolutely delicious. If it wasn't for the fact that it was my mom's brithday.....I would have for sure licked the plate.
My mom and step dad ordered fish but to be honest I was so consumed with my own meal that I don't recall specifically what type of fish they ate. But I do remember them both being very pleased and satisfied. We followed the meal with Creme Brulee which was superb. Again, had it not been for my mom's birthday I would have probably had to remove my belt....but I'm a lady damnit.
All in all this was a wonderful dining experience. I can't wait to go back! -
Review from john r.
Waukegan, IL
9/29/2010
Visited Ambrosia a couple years ago...it was simply amazing. The atmosphere, the food, and Phillipe
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Review from erika h.
Anaheim, CA
5/9/2009
During OC Restaurant Week, I went to Ambrosia with a couple of friends before taking of to see Bird and the Bee. Going to an upscale restaurant is always a fine experience, but nerve racking...which for is which? it didn't really matter, I was there for the food, dressing nice, and checking the scene out. It's pretty cozy in there, would make a nice date place. We had a wonderful server, a sommeiler to suggest wine selections for our meals, though I do not drink wine, so I declined all.
Part of the promo was to experience it with the Prixe Fix menu, and not fork out major $$$ if it turned out to be so-so. The cavier pre-appetizer was delicious, salty, and well presented. My shrimp scampi tableside flambed by waxed mustache dude was creamy, hot and tasty. I ordered the Sea Bass with Mussels. I liked everything, even the super size Fava looking beans, but not the mussels. And that's just because I didn't try to taste something I can quite stick in my mouth. I can't stand mussels, but I like food cooked with it. One of my weird quirks. My friend ordered the lamb, which was tasty, but I felt bad for his super tiny of a portion. Lucky for him, I could eat all my food...there was tons! I had enough to share. Plus I knew dessert was coming. My other friend order what essentially is the steak and fries. And that was just not too exciting. Even if a 5 star restaurants sells FRITES...its still fries and just doesn't seem like a good fit. SO, they lost half a star (the other half is the bathroom, it wasn't up to par.) Should have been like golden pearl potatoes in a creamy parsely lemon sauce!
We all didn't want to try each of the 3 desserts offered, and settled on a non-sharing portion of creme brulee. The top was just crunchy enough, then the cream...oh the CREAM...it was smooth creme, and not just some nasty pudding wannabe cream.
I left there fat and happy. -
Review from Hien D.
Huntington Beach, CA
4/11/2009
I came here with high expectations due to a couple recommendations as well as its decor. Its an elegant restaurant with I believe 5 themed rooms, of which you can reserve for free. Service is good and there is a nice 2-3 member band. Let's get on to the food.
For Starters, the Shrimp Scampi flambeed tableside was good with the addition of the cognac-garlic butter.
Kobe Beef Carpaccio was decent, VERY thinly sliced and tasted average, but coupled with the arugula tasted better.
Entrees:
The Good:
Colorado Rack of Lamb Chops was tender, succulent, and marinated very well.
The Bad:
California Sea Bass - Tasted bland, dry, overcooked, and could easily be mistaken for tuna.
Chateaubriand (Filet Mignon) - VERY SALTY. I was so saddened that I contemplated going to Norms. jk.
Creme brulee- serviceable.
Is it worth $60+ /person for dinner? absolutely not. -
Review from Kay D.
Updated - 7/22/2010
They are closing on July 30th, they were bought out by the neighboring high school. We were going to have our wedding rehearsal dinner there a week after this; so sad. :-(
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/29/2009
This is such a random restaurant, but oh so delicious! Really fancy, I came here for a Sunday… Read more »
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Review from Ish L.
Costa Mesa, CA
5/30/2010
My fiance and I went to Ambrosia on a Saturday, mainly for the jazz, but decided to order some appetizers and wine. Great food, great jazz, great service. Will be going back for dinner
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Review from Sarah S.
Santa Ana, CA
12/17/2009
This hidden gem is amazing--the staff are incredible--the chef's are truly innovative. We had a great time--Just ask the server or bartender for their recommendations. The scampi appetizer and CHOCOLATE DESSERT TO DIE FOR!! And the entertainment was awesome!!
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Review from Steve H.
Orange, CA
11/16/2009
We had a terrible time. Restuarant arbitrarily cancelled Happy Hour because there was a show downstairs. The overpriced bar menu was terrible. Capassio was so tough it could not be chewed. The salad consisted of 6 peices of spinach leaves for $8. The scampi was so garlicy , I tasted it for days.
We do not recommend this place -
Review from COUGAR H.
Tustin, CA
2/27/2009
After 2 months of various restaurant weeks, I cap it all off with a trip to Ambrosia for OC's restaurant week. The restaurant is on the second floor of the OC pavillion, I started my night off with some Chopin Vodka (I asked for Veev but they didn't have it) soda and lime while I waited for my dining partners. Apparently I got in the way of all these guys in their penguin suits as I was asked to move to the other end of the bar, apparently I was sitting at the Armani clothing only end of the bar (actually it was probably Burberry cause those dudes were a little old and Burberry suits seem to fit older guys better than Armani). Anyways as for the environment it was beautiful and they had a nice jazz singer. I seriously wanted to give her money to play Tom Jones' It's not unusual complete with the Carlton dance, but no go. The 3 course meal started with the Shrimp Scampi which they made right in front of you. It was a nice little show but more importantly it tasted great. I ordered the lamb which was good. A friend of mine ordered the Sea Bass with muscles and luckily she didn't have a big appetite so I got to eat a good portion of it. The Sea Bass was fantastic, well cooked (unlike Scott's seafood) and really flavorful. For dessert we had creme brulee and it was also great, not overly sweet but sweet enough. I also had wine pairings with every course and sommelier made some cool choices. The service was good and our waitress (is it a faux pas to call them that at really nice restaurants) brought us out little reminders of their daily discounts. I was thinking this woman must know I'm Cougar H on Yelp and read my reviews cause she's giving me coupons like I never pay full price for any meal, wait after all these restaurant weeks, I don't pay full price for anything. I'll give this place 5 stars for great food and a mind reading waitress who knows I love great food at discounted prices.
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Review from Arianne N.
Newport Beach, CA
3/1/2009
Checked this place out last Wednesday night with a guy friend for OC's restaurant week. My friend didn't realize that Ambrosia was located in the OC Pavilion so he slightly freaked out when his GPS lead him to a nondescript neighborhood with no sign of Ambrosia in sight. I was a little intimidated by the place at first, probably because of all the five star restaurant hooplah and the fact that my friend and I were the youngest people there. The food was good, not great. I wouldn't come back for the food alone. I guess the service is what pushes a restaurant into the five star rating? I thought our server would be pretentious because of our age, but he was engaging and friendly. Everyone was pretty friendly in my opinion. I also got a flute of champagne with teeny tiny sugar balls in it, felt like I was drinking the grown up version of boba. Ambiance was pretty cosy. The myriad of fake plants makes you want to chuckle a little though.
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Review from Peter F.
Santa Ana, CA
2/22/2009
started of the course with an arugula salad topped with a lime vinaigrette, im not a huge fan of salads, but i really have to say this was the hands down best salad ive had, it had thinly small pieces of cheese it was soo pungent it complimented the salad. we had shrimp scampi prepared next to our table on a cart, the shrimp were huge and the sauce was really good. next we had short rib, it was cooked to perfection, didnt need a knife to cut my piece. i had a few beers, blue chimay, duvel, and spaten. such a wonderful experience, the parking could become an issue if its a crowded night, but they have other lots across the street. your meal could be pricey so be prepared to spend, you get what you pay for, the service is top of the line, thanks Matt.
