I was born in Orange County, that unloved, over-corporate, cookie cutter younger sibling of Los Angeles. During the days of my youth, I was a mall rat, albeit mostly in a stroller roaming around the department stores of the Cerritos Mall and sometimes, South Coast Plaza, which has always been the epicenter of the fashionable in Orange County. These days it has steady competition from Fashion Island in Newport Beach and probably a dozen other malls that I don't know about. I don't know about them because my family moved up to Glendale at age 6.
My overall impression of the culinary culture in OC is admittedly a bit pessimistic, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a cornerstone of the scene at Charlie Palmer's eponymous restaurant on the edge of Bloomingdale's at the South Coast Plaza. Of course, I'm aware that the rise of food culture is in full swing in Orange County, with credit given to visionary chefs and extraordinary cooks who work night-in and night-out to produce dishes using the bounty of California's produce. So really, the only reason why the food culture wouldn't succeed here is the very demand for such cuisine.
Aside from older mainstay restaurants that have catered to the wealthy, I think Charlie Palmer's restaurant represents a marked shift in Orange County. It brings the cachet of New York expertise with the skill of Wine Country's ingredient-driven fare. It also ups the level of wine service. For our lunch, I was pleased with the pairings and overall wine service given by Michael Frumin, who manages the restaurant's wine program.
We were invited for a media lunch by Lee Healy, a wonderful lady who does a great job putting these meals together. The best part, in my opinion, was getting to hang out with Chef Charlie Palmer, who was in town to give a demonstration in the kitchen and share his vision of the restaurant.
Stepping into the restaurant, you cautiously take a suspended catwalk into the lounge area. The catwalk overlooks a basement that holds the wine cellar while the wine shop, a massive collection of bottles in a transparent room, greets you as you enter.
The lounge takes a large swath of real estate to the right, where cushy leather divans and an expansive bar fill the space. I took a quick look at the bar menu and saw a drink called "Cougar Cosmo." I'm sure the clientele reflects as such - kudos to Palmer for milking that spectrum of Orange County's populace. Instead of these libations, we were offered a cold, crisp glass of prosecco as an aperitivo. The bubbly was pretty bland, showing a faint sweetness, though it offered my palate and stomach a conciliatory engine rev to start off the meal.
After introductions, we wandered into the kitchen, where I was immediately struck by how large it was. Palmer then directed us to the catering station, which they often use to conceptualize dishes and put idea to plate. Palmer prepared a giant scallop and sous-vide pork belly dish that used lemongrass, shallot, and soy sauce to bind the sauce, while using the natural pork fat as a base. He effortlessly constructed the dish after cooking the ingredients on a hot induction plate, though we were only left oogling at the delicious food and quickly directed to our table. I scratched my head wondering if we could have a chance to try Chef Palmer's dish, but maybe he hadn't had his lunch yet. Oh well.
Our private dining room stretched as high as 25 feet while the tables featured heavy-laden tablecloths that made me feel like I was at a wedding banquet. We shuffled into our seats and had a quick amuse bouche to start, a green grape gazpacho that was cool on the palate with a smooth consistency. A crisp acidity buoyed the flavor while the sweet half-domes of grape gave a tart, sweet finish. I was looking forward to the rest of Executive Chef Amar Santana's execution and interpretation of Charlie Palmer's New American cuisine. Santana used to be the sous chef at Palmer's Aureole flagship.
Ahi tuna tartare, usually a blase preparation in the purview of L.A. (and O.C.) restarants, came with a surprisingly innovative preparation. A roll of the well-chopped tartare comes wrapped in a paper thin slice of pineapple and comes with a hearty coconut curry that adds depth to the dish. In addition, an avocado puree adds a rich, cool, velvety counterpoint, which I really appreciated. The pairing of Leitz Riesling from Rheingau worked perfectly, adding an acidic flush that whet the palate for subsequent bites. Terrific.
In between the offered courses was a range of small dishes. We had an array of house-made charcuterie. I especially loved the peppery terrines, which were characterized by a nice texture. We also had length-split marrow bone, which always always please when roasted properly, as they were in this case. Throw in some nicely grilled shishito peppers to add a spicy kick.
Honey-glazed duck breast was the main course, a nicely scored piece with a crisp skin. The tender meat was perfectly medium rare, still juicy and warm. Pieces of tangerine lent to its "duck a l'orange" origins while hearty beluga lentils provided the requisite bass notes. Cumin infused duck jus made for an addictive sauce. This paired with Zinfandel from A. Rafanelli from Dry Creek Valley. This didn't surprise me as one of Chef Palmer's main restaurants is Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg. The red wine propounded more fruit notes and a gentle spice that accented the duck breast.
Dessert was a rum raisin bread pudding. My piece happened to fall apart on route to the table, but it was no matter. I liked the poached pears that came along with the dense bread pudding. Despite the dessert's applea, my eyes were quickly averted to the mignardises, which were made by Aureole Las Vegas pastry chef Megan Romano, who was promoting her new dessert cookbook. The spread of delectable chocolates made me so happy; I was happily enjoying them until the lunch was over and we were dismissed.
After the meal, Javier and I just stood around the dining room. Chef Palmer came up to me and just started to talking about the restaurant, confiding that while the lounge was quite busy, he thought the main dining room seemed a bit too formal for the clientele. We both agreed that perhaps the tablecloths added to the stuffiness of the otherwise beautiful, bright room, with modern CB2-type accents and furniture. He also blamed the relatively dim ambiance in the evening. I surmised that perhaps it was the clientele that didn't want a more fine dining experience, but something more casual, though I also suggested that personally I'd prefer the Aureole-type experience. I can see through his genuine care for the restaurant that he brings a certain toughness and expertise in his weathered visage, as he stood overlooking the dining room. He has an ease of a successful entrepreneur, but seemed to always be thinking about how to improve the experience of his product - a respectable trait. I completely believed his sentiment when he said that he liked to travel and ensure the quality of his restaurants, but also longed to be home to remind his children who their father was. I can relate to this experience as my own father, a successful banker, always made time to spend with me and my sister.
As we continued to shoot the breeze near the entrance to the restaurant, I asked the chef if he would consider opening a place in Los Angeles, perhaps in the heart of Mid-City. He didn't say that he had any plans in the future. If anything, despite the glut of restaurant in Downtown, I think a flagship restaurant would be successful among the bankers and lawyers, and maybe even the well-heeled loft dwellers.
Personally I think that this style of dining would work in L.A. If he could translate his big-city, quintessential New York cuisine and pair it with L.A.'s more relaxed but produce-centric fare, I think it would be successful. I still think there's a dearth of high-quality restaurants in L.A., places where diners can receive polished service and innovative wine pairings, and I think Chef Palmer could make it happen. In the meantime, I'll have to make the hefty drive down to Costa Mesa to try the food, wine, and beautiful dining room. Do I think it's worth the drive? Well if I did, my first choice would be for the $26 thre- course prix fixe!
Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's
South Coast Plaza
3333 South Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Tel: 714-352-2525
