Restaurant gift certificate as a wedding present for a couple who will soon move to the OC

[silverstirls]

Two of my very good friends just got married and are moving from Oakland to Irvine in a month. They love the food that can be found in the Bay Area and are unsure of what to expect in the OC. I want to treat them to a meal ($100-$125) that would help them find a hidden dining gem in the OC. They love Bay Area restaurants like Pizzaiolo, Zuni and Delfina. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[degustateur]

Greetings, silverstirls!

My top-tier suggestions, budget notwithstanding, in order of preference:

Marche Moderne http://www.marchemoderne.net – upscale, contemporary French bistro
Studio at the Montage http://www.studiolagunabeach.com – extraordinary location, ambience
Tradition by Pascal http://pascalnpb.com – traditional, old school French
Tabu Grill http://www.tabugrill.com – newer, hip, somewhat trendy yet very solid. Zagat rating of 29, highest in California (ties with The French Laundry)
Basilic http://www.basilicrestaurant.com – intimate Swiss-French bistro on idyllic Balboa Island

All offer exemplary food and service, the best in OC. Price ranges are overall comparable. You may want to consider $150-200. Can range higher, particularly at Studio. Consider your friends’ dining tastes and view the online menus.

Second-tier suggestions, generally within budget, again in preference order:

Golden Truffle http://www.goldentruffle.com – eclectic menu changes daily. Best for lunch Tue-Fri when owner/chef Alan Greeley is in the house. Suggest chef’s prix fixe
Onotria http://www.onotria.com – rustic Italian wine country cuisine, delightful ambience
Pina’s Bistro http://www.pinasbistro.net – small, home style Italian bistro. Dine inside or out
Old Vine Café http://www.oldvinecafe.com - fast becoming a cult classic
Habana http://www.thelab.com – laid back, cool. Nice bar and patio. Feels like old Havana.
Memphis Café http://memphiscafe.com – 50’s dive bar vibe, hip, very casual

All offer excellent food and service. Price ranges are lower than top-tier. $100-150 will cover.

Note: Onotria, Old Vine Café, Habana and Memphis Café are all within one block of each other.

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Marche Moderne
3333 Bristol St 3001, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Onotria Restaurant
2831 Bristol St Ste A, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Habana
2930 Bristol St Ste A110, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Golden Truffle
1767 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Basilic Restaurant
217 Marine Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92662

Tabu Grill
2892 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Old Vine Cafe
2937 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Tradition by Pascal
1000 Bristol St N, Newport Beach, CA 92660

[silverstirls]

Thank you so much for all the suggestions. This is very very helpful. Break of Dawn looks amazing and I might do as ocshooter suggests and get a couple of gift certificates. I will definitely pass on all of your suggestions to help them get started exploring their new culinary territory. It is always so hard to move somewhere entirely new!

So sorry about using "the OC". I guess popular culture sort of embedded it that way in my mind. Now I'm cringing as I read my post. I guess it might be like someone referring to San Francisco as Frisco. Thanks for correcting me!

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Break of Dawn
24351 Avenida De La Carlota Ste N6, Laguna Hills, CA 92653

[Das Ubergeek]

Marche Moderne, Old Vine Cafe, Studio at the Montage (dress code warning), Cucina Alessa, Prego, Pizzeria Ortica, Sol Cocina.

They'll do better to get out of their SF style of eating, though, and celebrate what we have down here instead. Send them to Break of Dawn instead. :)

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Break of Dawn
24351 Avenida De La Carlota Ste N6, Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Marche Moderne
3333 Bristol St 3001, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Pizzeria Ortica
650 Anton Boulevard, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Old Vine Cafe
2937 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Sol Cocina
251 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach, CA 92663

[OCAnn]

2nd this.

[ocshooter]

For the budget, you could get them a meal at Break of Dawn (~$40 will cover 2 for brunch) and Taco Rosa (~$60 with a couple of margaritas). Taco Rosa is in Irvine and Break of Dawn is close. Both are in strip malls, so you will be giving them a dose of where we go for dinner out in cookie cutter OC (not "the OC").

If you want a gift that will be closer to the neighborhood environments you have in SF, you should pick a place in downtown Orange or Laguna Beach. Francoli and Haven Gastropub in Orange are both good choices there. In Laguna, you have a lot of options to choose from, with Tabu being my favorite ($125 won't cover the whole tab) 230 Forest, Five Feet, and K'Ya as other solid choices.

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Five Feet Special Events & Catering
328 Glenneyre, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

230 Forest Avenue Restaurant
230 Forest Ave, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Break of Dawn
24351 Avenida De La Carlota Ste N6, Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Taco Rosa
13792 Jamboree Rd, Irvine, CA 92602

Tabu Grill
2892 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

K'ya Bistro - Laguna Beach
1287 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Haven Gastropub
190 S Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866

[janetms383]

thank you for stressing it is not "the" OC

[wilafur]

marche moderne perhaps?