Travel Costa Mesa Blog
5 Events for Festive Foodies in Costa Mesa
The holidays are in full swing and that means family, friends and food! Costa Mesa is the perfect place for a culinary celebration. Our restaurants continue to earn accolades, including Orange County’s only two Michelin stars. The Los Angeles Times recently named Taco Maria as #3 in their 101 Best Restaurants of 2019! We’ve put together a list of five events for the festive food lovers this holiday season. Stay for more foodie fun with one of our holiday hotel deals!
Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge
The American Ballet Theatre’s “The Nutcracker” comes to Segerstrom Center for the Arts December 14-23. If you’re planning to attend, why not make it a celebration?
Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge, located within the center, is featuring an exclusive Nutcracker pre-fixe menu during the run of the show. Start with a roasted beet and apple salad with tarragon, Silton blue cheese, candied walnuts and a chardonnay vinaigrette. The entree is a pork loin with cranberry-orange chutney, baby fennel, shallots and horseradish potatoes. For dessert, enjoy their buche de noel with coffee buttercream and cranberry sorbet. Then, join Clara, toy soldiers, sugar plum fairies and more than 100 performers in this acclaimed production.
Silver Trumpet Restaurant and Bar
Celebrate the holidays without the cooking. Silver Trumpet Restaurant and Bar invites you to join them for a 5-course holiday menu December 24-25 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Dine on a first course of cauliflower soup with toasted hazelnuts and calabrian chili oil, your choice of crispy pork belly or cured jumbo lump crab for the second course, followed by a persimmon beet salad with a wildflower honey vinaigrette. There are five choices for the entree course, including lamb loin, filet of beef, half chicken, mahi mahi or beef ravioli. The final course is raspberry mousse with basil gelée, raspberry ice cream and candied pistachio. Holiday Dinner on the Avenue is $75 per person (tax and gratuity are not included and their regular menu will not be served). Silver Trumpet is conveniently located in the Avenue of the Arts, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.
Vaca
Between Segerstrom Center for the Arts and The Westin South Coast Plaza sits Vaca, Top Chef finalist Amar Santana’s Spanish-inspired restaurant. The menu changes seasonally, but they have a special menu for New Year’s Eve. Try the ensalada de langosta (poached lobster salad with avocado mousse), ostiones (oysters with a cava rose sorbet and caviar), paella de zetas con trufas (paella with truffles, bomba rice and a duck egg) and budino (coconut bodino with pineapple and rum caramel). Their regular menu is also available. We recommend sharing tapas like the canelon de pollo ahumado (smoked chicken cannelloni), vieiras a la plancha (seared scallops) and bikini sandwich.
Water Grill
Ring in the new decade at Water Grill, across the street from South Coast Plaza, in their private event room for New Year’s Eve from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. The event includes complimentary serving from their raw bar, hors d’oeuvres, dessert bites and two drink tickets. There will also be a DJ, dancing, photo booth and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight during the balloon drop. The event is standing room only, with guaranteed seats available with a VIP package. General admission tickets are $125 per person.
Mesa Lounge
See Mesa Lounge transformed into a Bali getaway with their Escape to 2020 New Year’s Eve event. The evening includes passed and stationed hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, gifts, a champagne toast at midnight and more. Pre-sale tickets are $100 until December 25, general admission tickets are $150.
Want more ideas? Check out our calendar for all of the festive events happening in Costa Mesa. Our holiday hotel packages continue through the new year, so you still have time to make it an Eatcation™!
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One Weekend, Two Food Festivals
If Costa Mesa isn’t on your food destination list, we think it should be. It’s home to award-winning dining, including Orange County’s only two Michelin Star restaurants and was recently featured throughout OC Weekly “Best Of 2019” food and drink categories. It’s no surprise, then, that Costa Mesa hosted two events the same weekend to celebrate all things culinary.
The TASTE
October 18-19, Los Angeles Times and Travel Costa Mesa presented the 2nd annual The TASTE Costa Mesa, a 21-and-over food and drink festival that included unlimited tastings, chef demos and live music. The event was held over three sessions–Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. Restaurants from Orange County and Long Beach served crowds of hungry foodies who couldn’t wait to get a taste of each dish.
Over a dozen Costa Mesa restaurants participated in The TASTE. Friday included dishes from Tackle Box, Verde Kitchen and Filomena’s Italian Kitchen. Vaca chef Amar Santana was on hand to dish out paella and chef Ross Pangilinan, of Terrace by Mix Mix, talked about his family inspiration during his cooking demo.
Among Saturday afternoon dishes were smoked salmon mousse from Shuck Oyster Bar, tomatillo gazpacho and pork two ways from 2145 Pizza and paella valenciana from Cafe Sevilla, opening at Triangle Square in December.
Wahoo’s Fish Taco co-founder Wing Lam and Knife Pleat chef Tony Esnault closed out the event with cooking demonstrations, while guests dined on Costa Mesa’s Toast Kitchen & Bakery, Mesa, Descanso and Silver Trumpet Restaurant & Bar.
VIP ticket holders also enjoyed exclusive dishes from Mastro’s Steakhouse and The Crack Shack, as well as additional drink options and personalized wine tumblers.
SoCal VegFest
October 19-20, OC Fair & Events Center hosted the 5th annual SoCal VegFest. Although the goal of VegFest is to introduce and inspire health conscious living, food lovers had plenty of plant-based options to try. Orange County vegan restaurants such as Vegan by El Zamorano, plant-based fast food The Black Bean, The Donuttery and Cinnaholic served up delicious vegan treats outdoors. Indoor exhibitors included larger brands like Orgain, Forager, Follow Your Heart and Califia Farms. SoCal VegFest also included a cruelty free market, cooking demos, live music kid-friendly events and even a cupcake contest.
Whether you’re an omnivore or plant-based, Costa Mesa has plenty of delicious options for your next food getaway. From a DIY Top Chef Tour to our Costa Mesa Beer Trail, there’s something for everyone. So go ahead: take an Eatcation™.
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Celebrating National Taco Day, All Month Long
October 4 is National Taco Day and, if you’re like us, you can’t wait to celebrate. We’ve put together a list of great places to get tacos in Orange County on National Taco Day, Taco Tuesday, or just because…tacos!
Taco Maria
3313 Hyland Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Located in SOCO & The OC Mix, Chef Carlos Salgado has been receiving awards since opening Taco Maria in 2013, including a highly coveted Michelin star in June. You can find seasonal options on the a la carte menu. Summer 2019 includes tocino (pork check with piloncillo glaze, salsa de aguacate and peaches) and jardineros (shiitake mushroom chorizo with crispy potato and queso fundido).
Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen
141 South Glassell Street
Orange, CA 92866
You won’t see a sign if you’re walking by Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen in Old Towne Orange, but you will see diners lining up for this local favorite. The tacos are served on house-made corn or flour tortillas and come with a choice of black or borracho beans. We recommend the asada with red onion, grilled peppers, cheese and a chimichurri sauce, but you can’t go wrong with the newly named Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Las Brisas
361 Cliff Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Las Brisas specializes in coastal California cuisine, infused with Mexican flavors. Their tacos are served on homemade corn tortillas with rice and beans. Try their sautéed shrimp tacos with pickled red onions, avocado and salsa roja or their grilled rockfish tacos with radish, cabbage and a chipotle mayo. If you want tacos at Las Brisas go early because they only serve them at lunch.
Taqueria El Zamorano
925 West Warner Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92707
Stop by Monday-Saturday for their large selection of taco options. They specialize in al pastor and carnitas, as well as their homemade tortillas. What makes Taqueria El Zamorano unique, though, is their Sunday vegan pop-up, Vegan by El Zamorano. Try their hibiscus tacos with pineapple, guacamole and salsa verde.
La Vegana Mexicana
201 East 4th Street
Santa Ana, CA 92701
La Vegana Mexicana serves traditional Mexican food that is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free. The tacos de cantina are stuffed with their house-made garbanzo bean-based chorizo, pickled chiles, carrots and shredded lettuce. They are located in the 4th Street Market.
Come see Taco Maria, Las Brisas and La Vegana Mexicana at TASTE Costa Mesa, presented by The Los Angeles Times and Travel Costa Mesa. Join us for Orange County’s ultimate 21+ culinary block party featuring unlimited food and spirit tastings, chef demos and live music! Learn how you can receive 2 free tickets to TASTE here.
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Posted in Food
7 Eatcation®-worthy Happy Hours in Costa Mesa
Whether you’re a local Orange County resident or traveling and staying in one of our hotels, knowing which happy hour to choose can be tough. How can you find great deals on drinks and delicious food? That’s why we’ve put together a list of happy hours worthy of an Eatcation®.
Playa Mesa Mexican Kitchen
Named “Best New Mexican Restaurant 2019,” Playa Mesa Mexican Kitchen offers up some tasty treats on their happy hour menu. Try the pork confit spare ribs with chives and a piloncillo glaze ($8) or the quesito with scallions and house-made chorizo ($6). Their drafts are $1 off, along with a wine, beer and margarita selection. Playa Mesa serves happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6pm. They also have a “Tacos & Tequila Tuesday” with $6 margaritas and $3.50 tacos.
Old Vine Kitchen & Bar
You can find half-off bar bites and $3 off classic cocktails at Old Vine Kitchen & Bar. The house-baked focaccia ($5) and the borlotti bean dip ($5) showcase Chef Mark McDonald’s Italian training. Old Vine’s happy hour is available Tuesday-Friday and Sunday from 3-6pm. There’s also a late night happy hour, also Tuesday-Friday and Sunday, from 10pm-midnight with $5 draft Hefeweizen Weihenstephaner and $9 Old Vine classic cocktails.
Wine Lab
Wine and cheese lovers, rejoice! Not only does Wine Lab offer cheese and charcuterie plates ($13) on their happy hour menu, but they also serve an early-bird cheese plate ($9) until 4pm on weekdays and 3pm on weekends. All beer and selected wines are $2 off, or try the happy hour wine fight for $10.
Memphis Cafe
A homestyle Southern restaurant may not be an obvious choice for happy hour, but Memphis Cafe’s extensive food selection makes it one of our Eatcation®-worthy picks. Chef and co-founder Diego Velasco serves everything from gumbo cheese fries ($7) to steamed mussles and clams with andouille sausage in a tomato broth ($8). You can find $1 off drafts and $2 off wine by the glass. Crafted cocktails are $6 and specialty cocktails are $8. Stop by Memphis Cafe Monday-Friday from 3-6pm for their happy hour menu and specials.
Seasons 52
The Seasons 52 happy hour menu is not to be missed. Their small plates are just $5 and include dishes such as Kona-crusted lamb, caramelized grilled sea scallops with lemon mosto and micro greens, and ginger-sesame chicken skewers. They offer a selection wines ($6), cocktails ($6), specialty cocktails ($7) and beers ($4) on the menu. They also have a glass of wine and flatbread special ($12). Seasons 52 serves happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6pm and is located in South Coast Plaza.
Silver Trumpet Restaurant and Bar
Conveniently in Avenue of the Arts hotel, Silver Trumpet offers a selection of their bar menu items during their happy hour. Try a chophouse slider with caper remoulade, brie and crispy onions ($3), charred Brussels sprouts with toasted cashews and cilantro ($8) or calamari with pickled vegetables and sweet cilantro glaze ($11). Beers are $1 off, well drinks and happy hour wines are $7. You can stop by Monday-Thursday from 2-6pm and 9:30-close, as well as Friday from 2-6pm and all day Sunday.
For even more great Costa Mesa happy hour ideas, check out the “Happiest of Happy Hours.” What’s your favorite happy hour in Costa Mesa?
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13 Memorable Things to Do in Orange County
Planning a trip to Orange County? We don’t blame you! With access to some of the best dining, shopping, activities and beaches (not to mention that sunshine), it’s the place to be! And at the center of it all is OC’s not-so-hidden-gem Costa Mesa, the epicenter of the arts, dining and shopping scenes.
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