Iva Lee's, San Clemente - 10.07.06

We walk into the “joint” and are greeted by the sound of a standing bass and smooth blues as you feel you’ve stepped into a comfy house party. Red feather boas hang from the ceiling of the restaurant and healthy yet agreeable sounds of chatter fill the room where we are to be seated. We peruse the menu and see many a southern favorite (Fried Green Tomatoes, Jambalaya, etc.). What catches our eyes though is the three piece dinner which included one soup/salad, one entrée and one dessert for a reasonable $28. We both went for it with different options.


First came a basket with slices of white bread and perfectly-made cornbread (formed in the shape of hearts). The cornbread was moist and we could not help but ask for a second serving.

Jay started with the Gumbo, chock full of chicken, anduille sausage and shrimp. The broth was hearty and a good kick of unknown spices added to the soup which could easily pass for a meal. He saved half of it for lunch the next day.

Anna Lisa had the Butternut Squash Soup. It was perfect for this time of the year. It was a fairly cool night and a typical autumn soup sounded inviting. It had pieces of toast and what tasted like candied walnuts on top. It was sweeter than I expected, the consistency not too thick but very smooth. I probably would not order it again but don't regret trying it once.


For the entrees we went for surf and turf….One of each obviously. Jay had the Grilled Pork Chop. The glaze of brown sugar and pecans, combined with the perfect grilling of the bone in chop made for an incredible meal. He has commented before about pork chops being too lean these days and lacking the flavor of the Midwest chops he grew up on, but there would b e nothing but compliments tonight. The sides of mashed potatoes were a good compliment but the collard greens were a bit bitter for his liking. To save room for dessert this also partially came home to join the Gumbo.


Anna Lisa had the Barbecued Shrimp with candied yams. At first, the sauce tasted identical to Jay's but I later realized that it was thicker in consistency. The shrimp were large and topped with julienned vegetables. The sweetened yams were just that, sweet. I had debated between this dish and the salmon and was recommended the shrimp. Overall, not a bad choice but I left the vegetables and yams relatively untouched.


Lastly came dessert, fitting it in would be a challenge. Jay went for the Pecan Pie with French Vanilla Ice Cream. What arrived as a crudely cut slice of pecans was forgotten as the first bite was brought in.

Perfectly sweet and with the compliment of ice cream was a great wrap up. Too much food, as half of this goes home. Jay now looks back and realizes Sunday’s lunch in front of the games is going to be great.

Anna Lisa had the Pumpkin Cheesecake. It was, perhaps, the best part of the three-course meal. It wasn't too sweet and it had a nutty flavor even before biting into it.

We’ve heard mixed reviews on Iva Lee’s in the past but tonight from us there would be only raves as the food, combined with the ambiance made for a great night. We skipped the wine and Jay had one cocktail and the total with tip was $78. Pretty reasonable to top it off. A great date night place, if you don't mind the blues music. It would be a good place to celebrate a birthday with a large group of friends. We'll be back, but we're not in a hurry.

Piero's Acqua Paza, Rancho Mirage (Palm Springs) - 09.14.06

Piero's is described as having innovative Continental-American cuisine in a beautiful setting. Anna Lisa traveled with a group of six women to Rancho Mirage, where we stayed at Rancho Las Palmas. We took the 3-minute drive across the street to The River, an outdoor mall, for dinner on a Friday night.

We all decided we did not want to visit a chain so we waltzed right into Piero's Acqua Pazza. The decor is very modern and colorful. At the entrance is a large neutral-colored flat waterfall which made the atmosphere inviting. You will walk through a small bar before you arrive in the dining room.

The menu was extensive and diverse - - from oysters to quesadillas to calf liver. The dishes were moderately priced and I looked forward to trying what it had to offer.

We started with the whole roasted garlic and garlic dip, which whetted my appetite. It was perfect and divine at $8.95. After the appetizer, my party ordered a variety of entrees. Mine was the Pan Seared Maine Sea Scallops ($21.95). It was served in a mango sauce and a vegetable medley and yukon mashed potatoes. The presentation was lovely and colorful on a white background. The scallops were large and tender. Overall it was delightful - - a tad mild on flavor but worth recommending.

I had a taste of the Maine Lobster Ravioli stuffed with lobster meat and fresh ricotta cheese in a lobster bisque reduction ($20.95). It was one of the two choices I had in mind before ordering. It was flavorful but a bit salty for my taste.

Chart House Dana Point - 08.26.06

The Chart House in Dana Point is located on a hill overlooking the Harbor. It is a great location and allows panoramic views of the water. Inside, there is a stairway that leads directly down to the bar and restaurant. The decor is a bit outdated but the restrooms look like they have just been renovated.

We visited Chart House in September 2006. We started at the bar, which has low seats and televisions that beam football and other sporting events. The lounge area is festive and the service is fast and friendly. It looked like an ideal place for a mid-week happy hour, but we have not tried that yet. It took a bit longer than expected (40 minutes or so) to be seated after arrival. We were both hungry and glad to be transferrred to the dining room.

The dining room is circular, open, has glass windows which overlook the ocean and is, overall, unique for Orange County. It reminded Anna Lisa of a space-ship; it reminded Jay of the TV show about the 4 waitresses back in the '80's...(It's a Living). The room had a different feel from other OC restaurants because of its open layout. It is not what we would call a romantic destination - - it is very lively and everyone sees everyone. There are servers walking back and forth all the time. We both thought it was interesting although the carpet and decor scream that they were leftovers from the early 80's. We sat in one of the booths that lined the inner part of the dining room. It was comfortable and made it fun to watch everyone else in the room.

Jay had the Spiced Yellowfin Ahi - - Cajun spiced and grilled, ginger soy butter, wasabi cream, spinach & bok choy. He says it was good. If it wasn't for the fact that it felt like we were eating in a spaceship, it would have been a much better dinner. Really, it satisfied him. He says he would recommend this dish, despite it being a standard item on just about every OC menu.

Anna Lisa had the halibut with crabmeat on top. It's not on the web menu but it was absolutely fantastic. It was very rich and it was almost hard to distinguish the halibut from the crab. The entree was full of flavor and I would definitely get that again.

Rendezvous, Part II, San Juan Capistrano - 08.19.06

This was our second visit to Rendezvous, the San Juan Capistrano classic restaurant that opened in Fall 2005. It is located at the train depot, next to Sarducci's. As with our first visit, Rendezvous impressed us with the decor - - very New York, DC or Chicago in vibe. It has rich woods on the floor and furnishings and bears the trimmings of a fine dining restaurant.

This time around, we started off with the Maryland Blue Crab & Potato Raviolis Crispy Sage & Lemon Brown Butter. We first visited Rendezvous in November 2005 and recalled having a ravioli appetizer of some sort. We both assumed that this would be substantially similar to the one we enjoyed nearly a year earlier.

Although this ravioli dish is good, the pasta was a bit hard and lacked the tenderness that would have made it melt in our mouths. The big crab meat that came with it made up for it though.

We brought in a pinot called Iron Horse. It was good. If memory serves, it had coffee and leather flavors, which we realize are unusual for a pinot but there it is.

For his entree, Jay went out on a limb and ordered the Chicory Coffee Crusted Bison Rib-Eye Yukon Gold & Green Chile Potato Puree, Wild Mushroom Ragu. He had read several favorable reviews of this dish and thought it was worth trying. Unfortunately, however, the meat proved too lean and lacked the flavor that the other meat dishes would have provided. He had once ordered the flat iron steak with absolutely no complaints. Jay's take on the Bison - - this was a very rough one to handle as he had looked so forward to it: The coffee crust on the meat not only dried it out but evaporated all the flavor from the already too tough and too lean piece of meat. He did not enjoy it at all and sadly, had to let the proprietors know.

Anna Lisa selected the Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut Hazelnut Romesco Sauce, Homemade Gnocchi, Asparagus, Baby Artichokes, Wild Mushrooms, Crispy Prosciutto. This was a departure from the usual salmon, shrimp or pasta dishes to which I have limited myself. So I went out on a limb as well, only with a bit more success.

The presentation was very colorful and consisted of several segments. It reminded me of a playground with several sections and toys to be tried. The fish was tender, the flavor was mild but the different elements on the plate distracted me enough to give it a favorable review. Would I order it again? Probably not. I will likely try the scallops next time.

The best part of the evening was desert. But then again, how can anyone trifle with Vintage Chocolate Souffle Home Turned Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream?

We were both saddened to be disappointed by our second visit to Rendezvous. While our first mid-week visit in 2005 was unforgettable, this one, was equally memorable but not for the right reasons.

Ruth's Chris Steak House, Irvine - 07.01.06

Another decadent evening at RCSH. This place is a classic and one of our favorites. We were seated immediately upon arrival in time for our 8:30 reservation. Always get a booth if you can.

We started with crab cake appetizers. We received two big chunks of nothing but crab meat slathered in butter and a light sauce of peppers and spices. That was delicious and piping hot.

Jay had his usual big chunk of meat -- sizzling of course. You can still smell the butter melting off of it. Anna Lisa ordered the salmon and on second thought should have ordered the halibut. There is just no way to justify paying $30 for salmon, especially when it is simply broiled. Nevertheless, the dinner was delicious as usual. The service was good, though it was a bit crowded that night. There was a large party within the same section and the servers appeared preoccupied with them.

Wine came from BevMo - a 2000 cabernet sauvignon from Napa. What is the name of it? It started out very leathery, heavy and punchy. We had to ask the server to decant it, which he was willing to do. Over the next two hours, it mellowed and became more drinkable.

Ruth's Chris is always a winner, even for vegetarians.

P.S. re Indigo (Mikey's Place)

It's been six months since we wrote the review re Indigo. It's July 3, 2006, Indigo has become nothing more than a great story. Our dear friend Mikey left his bartending job and along with him, the fun of going to the restaurant in the first place. He has since gone on to pursue his acting career and - - gasp - - is actually on TV. Well, sort of. He has been selected to be one of ten contenders - - out of thousands - - on the cheecky show called I Wanna Be a Soap Star on SoapNet TV. So, stay tuned, TiVO the show and get a whiff of what we mean when we say Mikey made Indigo HIS place.

Gemmell's Dana Point - 06.06

We have been to Gemmell's a little over half a dozen times. Each time has been memorable and left us both mouth-watering and wishing we could live there. Gemmell's is truly a hidden treasure right in the heart of Dana Point. The service is impeccable and the culinary adventures are spectacular.

One of the first few times that we went to Gemmells, Jay had the lamb chops. The dish came to our table very red and savory. Needless to say, Jay loved it. It was tender, meaty and the sauce of roasted garlic and fresh thyme was delectable.

Anna Lisa had the Chilean sea bass with mustard cream sauce - - her favorite dish of just about all time. As always, the fish melts in one's mouth and each bite is worth taking one's time to enjoy. That night, we took the recommendation of our server, RG, who suggested that we try Star Hill pinot noir. The selection was lovely and not too overpowering for the dishes we picked.

We have been back to Gemmell's many times since this visit and look forward to returning again and again. Here's a tip - - call ahead and reserve the corner booth. Your dinner will be especially private and memorable.