Sapphire Laguna
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
61 reviews
Newport Beach, CA
"Not only do they have great food, but you can always get a seat (even if just at the bar) when all the other restaurants in Newport have a…" read more »
30 Reviews for Sapphire Laguna
This place has awesome outdoor seating and a great view. The food is really good but a bit pricey. I had the shrimp pasta the last time I was there and it was really good.
I was on my way back from Diego to LA when the heavy traffic on the 5 fwy forced me to find an alternate route...that is how I stumbled upon Sapphire. It was a cute place that had a nice outdoor seating section with a nice view of the ocean and PCH. The ambience inside was a mix of rugged and modern. They had glassware on the tables and lighting fixtures that I am assume are locally made. They were nice, borderline tacky, but somehow it works with the ambience. I would have loved a prix fixe menu, but their choices were decent. I settled on the kahula pork quesadilla...sounds ordinary, but this dish was not. The combo of the pork and Oaxacan cheese was very yummy. Service was awesome. I love finding spots like this on the fly. I would like to see their breakfast or brunch menu.
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Yay, I'm a fan indeed!!!
This was a place that I had wanted to go for a while, and I am excited to say that this place met all my expectations. We made a reservation at 8 PM, and because we had to wait for maybe 15 minutes, they comped all of our drinks (5 people= $ 75+) NICE.
We first started off with the seared scallops and the chicken slovaki. The scallops were perfectly seared and came with mixed greens with a passionfruit pancetta warm dressing. The flavors married well, and the scallops were VERY fresh. probably one of the mose well prepared scallops I've had in a while.
We also tried the chicken slovaki, as recommended by our server. They were able to split the chicken skewers so that all five of us could have one. (It usually comes in 3 skewers). The chicken was moist, tasty, and flavorful. They accompanied the skewers with lettuce cups, cucumber dill yogurt sauce, and a red onion and cucumber salad. delish!
The one thing I really liked about this place was that it had a range of different cuisines. You really couldn't pin-point it down, BUT everything I tried was fantabulous.
Would recommend: the Barramundi with ginger-shitake and shoyu sauce. The bok choy was to die for, and it comes with a bowl of jasmine rice!
Also, someone got the Pan-seared Beef Tenderloin, lobster ravioli, creamed spinach, Wild mushroom ragout, and chervil butter. This dish was mouthwateringly good. I had dreams about this dish after we left. I got a few bites of it, but the lobster rav was tasty, the creamed spinach was the best I've ever had, and the beef was really moist and juicy.
For five people, we only ended up paying for the the entrees! But I would say on average for one entree and a drink the price would probably be $40, depending on what you get. Entrees range from $20-35, and drinks are about $10-15. Appetizers are about $10-15.
The food may be a little pricey, but the ambiance is nice. We sat outside in the patio with heat lamps. It's a great date place, but also a little posh space for a friends. Will have to come back to try more and for that Beef Tenderloin and Lobster Rav!!!!
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Like Laguna Beach itself, Sapphire Laguna is a very eclectic restaurant, drawing upon all sorts of inspiration for both its food and decor. Casual yet dressy, funky yet established, rustic yet refined, this place is a study of contrasts and contradictions. Like Donny and Marie, it's a little bit country, and a little bit rock and roll. Sometimes it works; other times it doesn't -- kind of like Donny and Marie.
One thing that does not work for sure is their reservation system. Even though we had reservations for this place, we were still asked to wait about 20+ minutes before being seated. What bothered me even more was that the table we were eventually seated at was empty the moment we walked in.
Once we were seated, however, the staff was very attentive and efficient, which helped to sooth my displeasure. And when brought me a little gift that is the Asiago cheese roll, I had already forgiven them for the long wait. I could have feasted on those rolls all night! Alas, I had the rest of my dinner to digest.
The "Must-have" Caesar fondue we ordered as a starter was an interesting and playful twist on an old classic. The fondue itself (i.e. the dressing) was very good and had a nice spice to it, but to be honest, I was not really crazy about having to dip the hearts of romaine into the dressing by hand. For one thing, I hate to eat with my hands (I'm OCD that way), much less eat a salad with my hands.
As for the Lamb Sirloin entree, while it was perfectly cooked (medium rare), it was just too too gamy for me. Yes, I know, lamb is supposed to be a little gamy -- that is, after all, what makes lamb lamb. But this lamb was so so gamy, so so incredibly rustic and pastoral, that it was practically bleating on my plate. I don't know about you, but for me that is a baad baad thing.
Dinner finally ended with a trio of creme brulee, which was very tasty and creative, but which did not taste anything like creme brulee at all -- more a trio of custard concoctions than the true creme brulee. It would have been nice had they kept one of them traditional as a classic counterpoint to the other two.
I'm sure I'll return to Sapphire Laguna again, if anything just to try some of the other dishes on their menu. However, the next time I go, I think I'll try something less adventurous, something less eclectic, like perhaps just a regular salad and a steak.
3 1/2 stars
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This review is for the "Gourmet Shoppe" next door to the restaurant.
We came by today while shopping in L.B., we were excited to see what the shop had to offer. At first site, I was excited to see all the different crackers, pastas, cheeses, jams and spices. But on closer inspection I was bummed to see all the boxes were covered in a thin layer of dust. A bit of a turn off. I was with a foodie who was clearly buying a lot of stuff. However, the salesgirl didn't really want to help us. We bought some random stuff and it was all good, especially the nuts and dried fruit that were tossed with olive oil, salt and rosemary (YUM). I wouldn't make a special trip back but if I were in the area, I would stop in.
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This place was easy to like, but I didn't quite LOVE it. Beautiful setting right on PCH. Greeted warmly and seated right away in a great spot. We could have sat at one of the community tables on the patio, but we decided on "the best of both worlds" at a table for two by the window between the patio and bar.
Liked the California casual decor and ambiance and realized I was way overdressed (tourist!) for the place. After leaving rainy Portland that morning, it was pretty cool to eat dinner wearing sunglasses as the sun was setting outside.
Went right to the entree and I enjoyed the Barramundi which came with an amazing spiced tomato couscous and a madras slaw that made my eyes water (that's a good thing!). Hubby had the shrimp and crab linguini in a lemon cream sauce. Nice wine list and they had some good selections that you could order as a half carafe, which was just the right amount.
Service was pleasant, but not personal. A solid 4+ stars and a great evening in lovely Laguna.
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So like, I was totally hanging out with my friend Christina, totally doing the South County thing of going around and trying to figure out where we could totally get our grub on. And wouldn't ya know it, like, we were totally around Laguna and we figured "hey, why the heck not go check out that place that is located where that pottery place used to be." Like, totally!
Ok, enough of that crap. I can't write like this.
Honestly, this is one of those trendy eateries along Laguna - and it is indeed the former home of the pottery place in Laguna. I did indeed dine with my friend Christina.
It's a smidge pricey for the late afternoon menu that we were given, but it sure was tasty - I had some sort of pulled pork pablano quesadilla, while my friend had some shrimp-ish dish. Both dishes were really good - My quesadilla was rather filling, but that's what I was going for. Her shrimp dish was rather good, and I almost had Entre envy there. They served Spaten beer there, so I indulged. Almost 24 ounces of Germanic hoppy goodness, major brownie points there for me
The restaurant itself was rather nice - we were seated on the deck outside at a community table. Everything was rather relaxed, and my friend was able to note to me that the restaurant kept a lot of what made the previous occupant, the pottery place, around. This made a rather good impression on me, as I like it when new places keep a similar feel and don't radically change such a vibrant and unique community.
The only thing that keeps it from getting a full five stars from me is the fact that it's too trendy. I feel as though it's playing to it's audience, which is in and of itself and ok thing to do. However, this doesn't impress me. It did feel a bit snooty and snobbish, which don't rate too high on my meteric, however for judging it for what it is, it's pretty darn good.
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I happen to stop by this restaurant on a whim one night looking for a nice place to get a bite to eat and a drink with a friend (basically, everywhere else had a minimum one hour wait and my tummy was growling). There was a bit of a wait but the bar had two open seats so I swooped in. Luckily it was full service (and by full service I mean lots of amazing imported beers and great wines... you could also order food). I was rather taken away by the decor. It felt pretty bouge but not pretentious. I remember the lamps at the tables being a little over the top but still left a nice taste. Jeans and a nice shirt was the norm.
The bar tenders were very attentive and well informed of the all the food items. After a few Fischer ambers I decided to order some food. The Loup de Mer came at the top of the recommendation list so I ordered that and my friend ordered the Jumbo shrimp and crab linguine. The pasta was good but not amazing. The Loup de Mer (I just love saying it and I think I may name my first born after it) was glorious. It's a very delicate fish that is steamed and served in a very light shoyu ginger broth accompanied with shitake mushrooms and cilantro. I was a bit surprised to see the skin still on the fish but needless to say didn't stop me from engulfing it and sopping up the juices with a straw (just kidding... or am I?) .
In conclusion, I can't really comment on any appetizers because I didn't have any unless you count a few beers and a glass of Seghesio zin as a "liquid appetizer". But I must say I peeped at a few tables that did and they looked quite decedent, especially this cinder block chicken satay thing. I wanted to order one just to play w/ the cinder block. For desert, we went to a little cute chocolate boutique shop right next door and helped ourselves to some(it was amazing).
I went here on a recommendation from my mother. I wasn't sure what to expect and I would say I was pleasantly surprised.
I walk in and I'm greeted immediately by one of the 2 hostesses. Both seemed very upbeat and that they loved working there. As I was shown to my table, the hostess kindly asked me for my name. I suppose it was so they can make it seem more personable. She saw that I had my camera with me so she stated the obvious fact that it was such a nice day out to take photos. After she left, I was almost immediately approached by who I'm assume was the floor manager to take my beverage order. I got iced tea. My server returned with my iced tea and a little ceramic pitcher which contained simple syrup. A nice little change from the typical packets of sugar and sweeteners, which he brought as well. I still was looking over the menu and he went off to come back a couple minutes later.
A lot of the menu choices looked pretty decent, but nothing really seemed to stick out. Down at the bottom was where I saw the Kobe Burger with havarti cheese, caramelized onions and arugala. That seemed to be the only dish where all of the components I really liked and could have any meal. It came with a side of shoe string fries.
The service here was pretty good. If you read some of my other reviews, you'll notice how much of a stickler I am for good service at a restaurant. Never did I ever have to ask for more iced tea and I seemed to have enough simple syrup to last me the several refills. My food came within a good time from being ordered and came open faced, with the top bun sitting along side the patty. The 2 slices of tomato staring right at me noticeably had salt on it, which tells me they season all components of their food. That's a good thing.
Again, everybody here seemed very nice. During my meal, my server came up twice to make sure everything was ok and to see if I needed anything, and even the executive chef went from table to table to see if everything was in order. It's good to see the executive chef take a moment to do something like that. And then after I finished my burger and fries and my plate had been cleared, the other hostess came up to talk to me because he thought she had seen me somewhere previously. I kindly corrected her but then we got to talking about how I'm in the industry and that most recently I was the pastry chef at Scott's Seafood in Costa Mesa. She excuse herself and as I was ordering dessert, my server asked me about Scott's and said he helped open the Costa Mesa location back in 1981. I'm saying all this because it wasn't like they were bugging me, but they were all nice and pleasant about it.
Anyway, dessert. I ended up ordering the warm Valrhona chocolate cake. Served with pistachio ice cream, chocolate sauce and caramel sauce. Again, nothing to really rave about but you can't really go wrong with a warm chocolate cake.
I would definitely come back here again. On a nice day, it's perfect for lunch. I could imagine it'd get a little colder at night being right on PCH in Laguna Beach and I didn't take the time to notice any heat lamps. I'm sure they do.
A very pleasant restaurant considering it was on a relative whim.
Come here for the truffled anything, the lamb sirloin, and those addicting rosemary potato chips.
Stay to wander around inside and view the lamps and other decor made by local artists, including those who own and show at the adjacent Studio Arts Gallery.
Eat on the patio if you can, but the indoor seating is lovely as well.
Oh, and if you value your time, go in that post-lunch-pre-dinner lull.
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30 minute wait WITH reservations.
They are pushing the bar drinks.
Eggplant dish spicy and good, but no way worth the high price.
Hard to have a conversation...
high noise level. OK for a couple, but not for 4 people.
Wouldn't go back.
Best bartender in Orange County - Ted!
Laguna Beach - I felt like Hilary Duff should be singing "...let the rain fall down" in the background while I was driving. Ok, so I didn't see Kristen Cavallari, Lauren Conrad or that not-so-cute guy that they both liked. But I had very very good wine and very very good lamp chops and the best pommes frites I've ever had in my entire life!!
2004 Stag's Leap "Fay" Cabernet Sauvignon. Mmmmm.
Really good when paired with perfectly medium roast lamb chops on a bed of wilted spinach accompanied by truffled pommes frites (orgasmically good, truly).
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4.5-stars.
A group of us came here for lunch. We got a nice table out on the porch and the view needless to say was really stunning.
I had the Pan-Seared Barramundi (a fish I never tried before) and it was really great, moist and tender, mild in flavor. The truffle oil fries were a nice addition. Wished I remembered what others had in the group.
I really liked how the chef would personally come out and talk to the patrons. Don't really see that often these days.
Before you leave, you should definitely check out their grocery store next door.
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I have spent the past five days contemplating the best plan of action for articulating my experience dining at Sapphire for my birthday dinner on Saturday night (9/15/07). My inner optimist and pessimist have been furiously battling it out as I waver between doling out three or four stars, and every time I click the "write a review" button, I somehow find myself frozen in indecision. Can I do it? Can I possibly figure out how to make sense of this utterly confounding meal and my mixed reaction to it?
Maybe John Mellencamp can...
"Hurt so good,
Come on baby make it hurt so good,
Sometimes love don't feel like it should,
You make it hurt so good."
Translation:
It really really hurt when the hostess informed my party of six that the table my mom reserved INSIDE was occupied, and it would be 45 minutes before it would be available. We waited. (I chill easily) I wanted to be mad (my stomach certainly wasn't pleased...), but the hostess was so sweet about it, I almost wanted to give her a hug and a pat on the head! It was all very un-Diana H. like. I don't touch strangers, and I'm typically a grouchy groucherson when there is any delay in introducing food to my belly. Ok so maybe the two glasses of wine at the bar helped matters...
Once we were finally seated, I naively assumed that Sapphire would stop beating me. They were so apologetic after the first abusively lengthy wait, I was willing to give them another chance at romance -- that is until the main courses took an exorbitant amount of time to make their debut in my mouth. Fortunately, glistening homemade rosemary potato chips, fragrant asiago cheese bread, and the exceedingly delightful prosciutto-wrapped figs with gorgonzola kept my stomach's obsenities at a reasonably low volume. The figs... oh the figs! It didn't seem like much of a taste sensation at first bite, but by the final forkful, I was greedily scraping at the edges of my plate. No pain here. Except when it was gone.
As for the tardy-to-the-party, peach pork chop with curry noodles? Here's a brief re-cap:
Pork chop: Hello, Diana H. I'm going to be filling your gastric sack tonight.
Diana H: Thank goodness! Where have you been? I've been waiting for two hours!!!
Pork chop: I know, I'm sorry. I'm just so good, it takes a long time for me to get ready! Don't worry, you won't be disappointed. I wore my best sauce for you, and I go brilliantly with the flavors in the curry noodles.
Diana H.: Shut up. I'm going to cut you now!!
And I did.
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From all the great reviews of this restaurant, I thought I was going to be in for a treat. The restaurant had a great location, nice ambiance, and the service was good. It's a small menu which made it easy to pick from. To start of my meal, I ordered the seared scallops, which was the best of the meal.
For my main course I ordered the prime ribeye steal and my sister ordered the pork shank. They both had great presentations, but lacked alot in flavor. I asked for my steak to be cooked medium and they prepared it well. It was dry and really didn't have the wow factor in it. Moving on to the pork shank, that meat was dry as well and fell way short of what the waiter was raving about. Both of these dishes were recommend by the waiter.
We ended up spending over 100 dollars on dinner and i still felt like something was missing. I was really disappointed for spending so much money on food that lacked the flavor and quality that I was expecting out of such a nice restaurant. Overall, I doubt I will ever find myself here again.
I would have given this place 3.5 stars, but i noticed on my bill that they charged me $4.50 for a basket of potato chips that I thought were complimentary with the meal.
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warning that my review may be skewed by the fact that i was in a romance bubble and had a fantastic night in laguna beach overall. but i gotta say that i was really impressed with Sapphire. it was across the street from our hotel (la casa del camino), so we randomly decided to give it a try--it was a monday night, so it wasn't that busy, and i didn't notice the obnoxious over-wealthy, over-tanned laguna beach crowd. maybe i liked it so much because it was a mellow night.
i ordered the pork shank and it was out of this world--flavorful, tender, with great textures and tastes. it is a huge hunk of falling-off-the-bone meat served on top of a gooey (in a good way) gnocchi and brussel sprouts. the homemade apple mustard is sweet and spicy and a perfect compliment to the dish--i got some in every bite.
my honey ordered the tenderloin with lobster ravioli and creamed spinach. again, exceptional pairings of food, expertly cooked. the beef was flavorful and tender, served with sauteed mushrooms and a reduction sauce of some sort--it went really well with the ravioli and spinach.
if you're not fond of meat (we don't usually go so meat-heavy), they have fish and pasta options on both the appetizer and main course menus. it was pricey but worth it. service was professional and spot-on.
we had gotten some appetizers at the rooftop bar at la casa del camino (i recommend it), and we walked (rolled) a few blocks down the PCH for a chocolate souffle and some cappuccinos from French 75 (also recommended), so i can't comment on anything other than the main entrees.
we'll be back . . . if they let me back through the door. i stole a lemon off their little potted lemon tree as we left, and i think the waiter who saw me do it wanted to chase me down the street!
Brunch on the wood-sanded deck w/an ocean view is how my best gf & I enjoyed our really delish brunch.
Only wish is that their special Ranchero-style omelette though tasty, was more in proportion to the price. My gf's Caesar Salad seemed more generous & just as tasty.
Other than that, fab service & atmosphere.
Tip: more cute art shops surround the eatery. Structured parking connected to the little artsy plaza is complimentary. Just don't forget to get your ticket stamped before leaving.
I've always had a fondness for Laguna Beach with its coastal town charm and artsy feel. Except for a few restaurants, I came mostly for the atmosphere rather than the food. With the opening of Sapphire Laguna earlier this year, the balance has shifted.
After hearing raves about this place, I finally visited with a couple of friends for brunch. Since it was a warm summer day, we opted for terrace seating. But I would have been just as happy sitting inside after seeing how nicely the interior was laid out and decorated. It has a casual elegance, pretty much capturing the spirit of Laguna Beach.
There weren't many choices on the menu, but that didn't stop me from debating about what to get as many dishes caught my eye. I ended up opting for the Crazy Cobb Salad, which included lobster, chicken, scallops, shrimp, and smoked pork on a wonderful medley of vegetables. Coupled with their version of a Bloody Mary, I was in heaven. One of my friends got the Pan-seared Barramundi with truffle frites. I'm a big fan of thin fries, so I naturally helped myself to my friend's plate.
The service was fantastic: friendly and professional. The bill averaged approximately $35 per person for one entree and one alcoholic beverage, including tax and tip.
This is a place I would gladly come back to. Next time I'm going to try the dinner.
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fantastic patio with a great little fire pit. community tables were an interesting european touch... we ended up sharing our table with 2 other people, but they didn't even bother at all.
i had the "must have" caesar fondue salad... hearts of romaine that you dip into the dressing. fun.. but i would have preferred a regular salad.
the mushroom cappuccino was flavorful, thick, and creamy. the porcini foam gets a little lost in the pour. but the novelty of getting soup in a paper cup was kinda fun.
had the braised short ribs with mashed potatoes. nice comfort food, as someone else stated. nothing mind-blowing, but a good meal.
we ordered bottle 311, a tarantina (sp?) which was light and a nice complement to the meal. definitely a nice date place, come for the sunset, it's a great little spot. we ended up spending about $400 for 6 of us, so dinner with clients is a good way to go.
Recently we had the opportunity to dine at Saphire in Laguna Beach, California and we had a great experience. We had a quiet morning and decided to go enjoy a nice brunch and from the moment we walked in the door we were greated with a smile and immediately shown to our seats on the patio. The view was absolutely beautiful and as is their custome in the morning, we were seated at a family table and had a great conversation with some nice people. The wait staff was just as friendly and attentive as the hostess and not once did we have to ask for water, bread, etc, yet we never felt they were hovering.
The choices were excellent and ranged from Lemon-ricotta pancakes w/ blueberry-ginger compote and Corned beef hash w/ poached egg, salsa fresca, potato straws to Crazy Cobb salad w/ lobster, chicken, scallops, shrimp, smoked pork, baby vegetables, creamy tarragon dressing. We chose a Study in Eggs Benidict and the Hash and were not at all dissapointed. The flavors were well defined and went beyond your typical brunch faire. Some of the other items at the table were the Cobb Salad and the Kobe Burger, both of which our table mates seemed to enjoy as well. After enjoying a wonderful meal be sure to stop at the gourmet market and chocolate shops, both of which share their courtyard. Then a nice stroll on the shore to work it off.
All the high-end reviews for this restaurant really interest me in that...it wasn't that great.
Okay, so generally, if I go out and we're getting drinks...I see if the restaurant has a mojito. If they don't make a mojito, that's one doc for them, but if they make one and it is a BAD majito, two docs. Sapphire's was bad. yick.
Sapphire has bread service, which is nice, and the outside patio is absolutely AMAZING! With the outdoor heaters and awesome looking rock/gem fire garden (see pic I am uploading to this review page) the mood was set for a fabulous get together for myself and the other managers in training I am working with. On the other hand, the inside reminded me of a really outdated family diner---not good.
My salad appetizer was very good, but the thing that sucked was the entree! WHAT!? Why can your pork be only cooked one way!? And why does it taste so "blah" with the "curry noodles" it is accompanied with? Other's meals were similarly "okay".
BUT! Sapphire's dessert was admittedly AMAZING. We each got a different one (five in total) and switched them around the table, and each seemed to be better than the last. Try the: apple cobbler, basil panna cotta, and Australian passion fruit Pavlova.
It was not a horrible experience, but the entree was too expensive to be so....not....good.
I will most likely return, but for champagne and dessert only.
Oh, also...thumbs up for the general manager coming out several times to talk to us since he could "tell we were in the business", heck yes for being an adult in a grown up job!
This place is absolutely beautiful! The location is great-- right on the East side of PCH with a splendid view of the sea. Both the terrace and interior are lovely. The service was excellent-- friendly, polite, and helpful. The food was pretty good; it was freshly prepared yet the wait was fairly short. I went there for a late brunch, around 1:30pm on a weekend. It wasn't crowded at that time either.
This place is killer.
It is right up front on PCH and the view is not spectacular unless you are not from this area. The food however, is.
I had the chicken skewers with raita and the black pepper shrimp as appetizers and BOTH were spectacular.
The Loup de Mer fish entree was also fabulous served to perfection and with light accompaniments.
All in all the outdoor seating is great in Laguna's temperate nights, heaters supply heat otherwise, and the food was great and consistent.
The chef even took the time to come by the table and introduce himself. Nice touch! Loved every minute.
Me and my boyfriend happened upon this place during high tide this summer, and the food was fantastic. I got the jumbo shrimp with spinach-ricotta tortelloni... mmmm... can almost taste it still just thinking about it. Since it was summer we took advantage of the outdoor seating, and no one minded that we were wet. We were walking around because we were reminded it was high tide when the water ran up on us while at the beach.
I had a number of people recommend Sapphire to me and it was easy to see why - the place was hopping and while I was initially disgruntled to only be able to get a 5:30 reservation (geez, the shops are still open then!), by 6:00 it was packed and I felt lucky to have a table. The "scene" is that of the elite of Orange County - lots of perfectly tanned bodies, expensive clothes, and big diamonds. Yes, I felt out of place, but that's okay.
Wanting to get through as much as possible, I was fortunate that another solo diner was seated next to me and we quickly became fast friends, thereby enabling me to taste considerably more than I would on my own.
I started with a trio of fish - a lollypop of ahi, escabeche of salmon, and sashimi kampachi. My first (and only?) big, unknowing mistake of the evening was that my first bite was the kampachi which was dressed with a hidden slice of jalapeno pepper. The jolt of spice slightly killed my ability to adequately taste the other fish. I vaguely remember the ahi having a bit of a bit and the scallop being slightly tougher than it should, but I had to eat too much bread to get through the burn in my mouth.
Next I ordered a wild mushroom "cappucino" with porcini foam. Much of this dish is its supposed style; a large platter was placed in front of me and the "cappucino" was deftly poured into the dish from a paper Starbucks (or equivalent) cup. Kinda silly actually and if there was porcini foam, it was lost in the pour. Okay, this might have been my other mistake of the evening -- it was a great mushroom soup, but would have been much better appreciated on a chilly November afternoon; not on a hot August night when a tomato gazpacho or chilled cucumber soup would have been preferred. Wrong time of the year to serve such things...
I then ordered a Tunisian crab warka served with an herb-chickpea salad and tomato-harissa aioli. This was just downright brilliant and clearly a show-stopper. The crab was succulent and moist, the chickpea salad was studded with lentils and fava beans, and dressed greens accentuated the rich, spicy aioli. Stunning.
At this point, my neighbor shared with me his braised prime short ribs with creamy Parisian mashed potatoes and mirepoix garnish. This was just comfort food - nothing ground-breaking, but well-prepared with the expected tender stringiness and rich sauce. While we were chatting, we kept smelling the aroma of truffles in the air and when asked about it, were told it was a side on the lamb sirloin; "truffles pomme frites." The waiter informed us we could have them as a side and how could we say no? Perfectly crispy and hot, the flavor of truffle did not overwhelm, as it often can.
I, on the other hand, opted for a more daring crispy duck leg confit with white polenta and cherry-chocolate mole. The duck itself was far from perfect - slightly on the tough side, the overwhelming heat from the plate led me to believe that it sat under a heat lamp a bit too long. However the polenta was intensely rich and the juxtaposition of the cherry-chocolate mole with the bright, crisp green beans and bits of corn played well of each other. This was all about the components and it was slightly sad that the meat was not up to par with the rest, but was easy to look aside because of the playfulness of the dish.
For dessert, I should have listened to my waiter who suggested an Australian passion fruit Pavlova with fresh beeries, and a mango coulis. Instead, I was intrigued with a Buddha's hand confit which was described as part of a Hazelnut feuillitine. The feuillitine, like the mushroom soup, would be better suited for winter and fall - it was heavy and thick. Sadly, any hint of Buddha's hand was missing. It was well-plated and all that, but didn't do it for me.
An enjoyable evening, most definitely. I regret that I didn't dine there with a large party - if only to taste through the entire menu as much looks very intriguing and innovative. The warka was a clear favorite. The waitstaff is attentive. Occasionally I felt rather abandoned but when a waiter was missing-in-action, a manager or busboy seemingly steps in. Very affordable - with my three starters, two glasses of wine, an entree, and a dessert, I spent around $150.00.
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Awesome - I think this is now the best fine dining experience in OC that I have tried.
AND I only had brunch.
Baramundi with french fries. Baramundi was perfectly cooked. Fries were tossed with truffle oil. Perfectly salted. They were like crack cocaine. Served with a wonderful frisee with radishes and citrus.
Fried chicken - served with raddiccio trevisiano and baked apple salad. The chicken was really rich and creamy (buttermilk soak?)
Eggs Benedict 2 ways - traditional and salmon over potato egg cake. There was some asparagus/raddiccio/cream salad that was stunning - I wish that they had more of it.
Dessert 1: passion fruit creme and berries between layers of cake that were halfway between meringue and angel food cake. I almost had a heart attack from the passion fruit it was the apex of passion fruit's ability to be sweet and tart. Wow.
Dessert 2: runny chocolate souffle (well executed) and pistachio gelato which was great.
Dinner prices are $12-$15 for appetizers for dinner and $25-$30 for main courses.
Wine list is nice - lots of non-CA stuff. $25 corkage fee waived 1 for 1 for each bottle you buy.
Service was intelligent, discreet and professional. None of this annoying "I'm Bob and I'll be your waiter" crap.
Decor is casual with artistic accents. Very high attention to detail. The wine list, for example, is in a book with wood front and back covers. The dessert menu is also like a book with a picture of the chef's 2 kids
eating ice cream. These are just examples. They had nice glass chandeliers which I assume that they got from the glass place next door, a nice touch.
Open kitchen - they have 15-20 people in there which they need given the complexity of these dishes.
And the place has only been open 2 months - it still should be working out kinks, but I couldn't really find any.
There is a gourmet store next door with very nice stuff. Rogue Blue Cheese and 50 or so others. Some poor lady bought $30 of prscuitto and they sliced it too thick. That needs to get fixed. The inventory is a bit discombobulated - they need to fix it up. Past due cheese lying around. Some buffalo ricotta 2 weeks past due on the shelf. Cheeses carelessly wrapped in saran. I'd be careful with the young stuff - I am not sure how careful they are about cheese preservation. Not the kind of attention to detail that you find in the restaurant nor what you'd expect from a place charging up to $40/lb for cheese.
Had dinner
awesome
great service, very friendly and professional and not pretentious.
Ahi Tuna Tartare - very basic but good
Mushroom capuchino - very good
escargot ravioli with halibut cheeks - awesome
goat cheese and tomato tart - a bit garlicky but good
short ribs - very good
loup de mer - Asian style good but not innovative
chicken pot pie - very good
cheese course - excellent although 1 cheese was just a day beyond perfection
basil panna cotta - inspired
***The cheese store next door now has a capable and enthusiastic manager instead of the dimwits. No rotting past due reside in the cases. She is passionate and knows her stuff - great cheese selection. Her name is Star.
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Sapphire has to be one of my favorite places in the area. I've only been there for brunch, but it is absolutely delicious. I would describe the atmosphere as casual fine dining during brunch. Half of the restaurant is outside, and often you can see groups sipping on wine watching the busy street.
Their food is delicious. I've had their chicken sandwich, which is my favorite lunch dish there. It's a guilty pleasure because it's not very healthy but everything tastes very clean and fresh. I've also had the Lunch Box which is fun but only gives you a teasing taste of a few things. The barramundi is to die for - perfect in taste and texture.
I'd like to come try their dinner menu sometime because their lunch menu is very promising.
For casual, fresh, high-quality food go to Sapphire.
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I went with a group of 8 friends to celebrate an engagement, we had a great table out on the patio next to the fire pit (highly recommended!), it was the perfect summer night in S. CA. This is officially my new favorite restaurant in OC with a great combination of cool/understated ambiance and quality/well executed food. The crowd is the typical OC coastal crowd.
Our experience started off very rocky, we had an 8:30pm reservation on Friday night and was not seated until 9:30pm, the wait staff kept saying 10 more minutes, but we ended up waiting for an hour. By the time we sat down, we were ravenously hungry. The bread/biscuit was delivered immediately fresh from the oven and it was very tasty and really hit the spot. I started with Halibut cheek with escargot ravioli - unusual combination, I wasn't sure what to expect but it was a delicate and well thoughtout dish. The main course was the rack of lamb, prepared perfectly, the entire group was addicted to the truffle fries by the end of dinner. My favorite dessert is the basil panna cotta with strawberry, once again, not sure of the combination initially, but the flavors worked together perfectly, it was refreshing and light, perfect end to the meal. The chef was previously at the St. Regis and the quality of food at Sapphire is about as good as it gets in the OC. Despite of the rocky start, the entire party had a great time and was singing the praises of the restaurant by the end of the meal (around mid-night). Of course, for this caliber dining experience, the prices are pretty typical at around $15-20 for appetizer and $20-30+ for main course. Sapphire is a rare gem in OC - just remember to make your reservation early!
I have heard so many of my dearest friends recommend this restaurant. So, a group of eight of us went for a birthday dinner a few weeks back. We had a 9:30 reservation and we were seated around 9:45. Our server took about five minutes to greet us. Next I ordered a bottle of the 2002 Zind Humbrect Turkheim Riesling. Five minutes later he arrives with the wrong bottle of wine. Five minutes after this he finally comes back with the right bottle. As he goes around the table pouring the wine, we order the appetizers. The server proceeds to short pour myself and the person to my right. So, I decide to order another bottle of the same wine to enjoy with our appetizers. Well, the appetizers are served and the server has not returned with the second bottle of Zind. The appetizers were delightful and I am certain they would have been even better with a nice Alsatian Riesling. All the while, the managment did not do much to help the situation. We had also brought two bottles of wine to enjoy with our main courses. These were not opened until around 10:30, by a manager. At the same time, we were able to order our entrees. The entrees arrive around 11:15. This was fine for us, since we had planned on dining late. However, most of us really like to eat slow and enjoy our food and wine pairings. So, around 11:52, the manager comes to the table and says "we are going to have to pull your wine glasses at Midnight, as they are on a probationary period with the ABC. So basically, we were told to drink up or lose your wine. This was the first mention of the Midnight deadline. Being in the hospitality industry, I understand that there are rules. However, it would have been much more appropriate to mention this at the start of the meal or at very least, when the entrees were served. So, after I pounded my glass of 2004 Baxter Tolouse Vineyard Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, I ate the rest of my Rib Eye, which was absolutley outstanding. Next, we are offered a dessert menu, which included some awesome dessert wine selections. Needless to say, we could not order any of these because at Midnight we all turned to pumpkins. Anyhow, great food, outstanding ambience, and service that greatly needs to be improved upon. I actually look forward to going back to enjoy the wonderful food and wine. Next time, I will make sure and get there at an earlier hour.
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