ALESSA – Laguna Beach

My motis operandi - dine at a restaurant on several occasions before critiquing the place. I broke my own rule regarding Alessa in Laguna Beach…it is worthy of a first time food critique. Besides, I have kvetched long enough about having to travel outside the perimeters of Laguna Beach to get consistent, well prepared Italian food - therefore, I gladly share my Alessa experience with all interested foodies.

Chef/Owner Alessandro Pirozzi commands a southern style Italian restaurant on Forest Avenue in the heart of downtown Laguna Beach (formerly the Pomodoro site). With locations in Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, the restaurant has been in operation since November last year. Walk past the dining patio with a pretty ceramic tile wall water fountain and you will find the warm glow of lantern light fixtures hanging from the ceiling and a wall montage of Pirozzi family photos creating an inviting environment. Should you decide to take in busy energy and witness the hustle-bustle of kitchen staff in action, belly up to the full bar, pull up a barstool and dine at the counter.

The prosciutto and mozzarella bar is stocked with some of the best burrata in the OC. High quality, pillowy chunks of Italian fresh milk mozzarella cheese were plated with roasted marinated baby artichoke hearts and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkles of sea salt and spicy tendrils of arugula were blended in a delightful citrus flavored salad!

I expected traditional gnocchi (mini football shapes) with a rich potato flavor but instead received small gnocchi balls filled with pesto. Alessa’s gnocchi fritti are stuffed with rich-creamy pesto, the potato dumplings are gently fried and served with a small bowl of delicious pomodoro sauce for your dipping pleasure. The small fried balls, sprinkled with grated cheese and parsley, taste equally good sans the side of pomodoro.

Penne Norma combines smokey/sweet flavors of penne pasta cooked al dente then tossed in a tomato basil sauce with small pieces of sautéed eggplant and melted smoky mozzarella. I surprised myself for breaking my “no carbs after lunch” rule – the pasta dish was a mixture of well balanced flavors and cooked to perfection.

As for pizza, the Salame E Scamorza pizza was rather bland. I anticipated a more flavorful Napoli style pizza crust and have had better. Albeit, I will not rush out to Alessa for the pizza, I thoroughly enjoyed my Capesanti al Limone! Grilled herb-marinated huge diver scallops were served with roasted red bell pepper puree atop a mound of Meyer lemon risotto. The scallops were grilled and remained firm yet juicy and sweet.

Risotto is a difficult dish to prepare properly involving constant stirring to accomplish the end result – an al dente yet creamy smooth Arborio rice dish. Alessa’s risotto fell short of a perfect risotto. The flavor of the rice, although very good with a gentle essence of grilled Meyer lemon, was a slightly dry. Without a doubt, I would order this dish again in hopes of a different outcome - a perfect creamy consistency. Surely there are folks out there who would beg to differ with my culinary criticism of risotto – I merely base my opinion on a trip to Italy and my many experiences of eating my way through risotto dish after risotto dish prepared in the mother land.

The finishing touch was a cream filled pastry ring stuffed with chocolate chips and ricotta cheese. One bite and the Sicilian style crunchy fried cannoli with drizzled chocolate syrup melted in my mouth. After a meal of tasting many wonderful savory dishes, the sweet cannoli dessert was a perfect finale!

Cheers!

www.cucinaalessa.com

BRODARD CHATEAU

A Bit of History
In the mid 70’s, General Nguyen Cao Ky of the South Vietnamese army fled communist controlled Vietnam and relocated to Orange County, California. Along with a “boat” load of refugees, General Cao Ky moved to the city of Westminster, opened up a liquor store and assisted in making OC home to one of the largest and most prominent Vietnamese communities in the west. The Vietnamese boat people colonized certain areas of Westminster and Garden Grove designating their little slice of the American dream the “Little Saigon” area of Orange County.

New Food Culture Comes to the OC
The Little Saigon area is home to hundreds of Vietnamese restaurants specializing in various foods from “pho” (beef noodle soup), Banh mi (baguette & pate sandwiches) to “Ca phe da” (iced coffee) houses. With culinary influences from France, China, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia, Vietnamese food remains very healthy, low in carbohydrates and fat, and light – all good reasons why Vietnamese food is one of my favorite foods in the world!

Brodard Chateau & Vietnamese Cuisine
In existence since 2006, Brodard Chateau, a two story restaurant owned and operated by the Dang family (Bamboo Bistro in Corona del Mar and Brodard in Westminster), offers traditional and Asian fusion cuisine from the Saigon, Hanoi and Hue regions of Vietnam. The restaurant has a well stocked bar, indoor staircase and a stylish Vietnamese setting with art deco ambiance.

I begin my repast with one of several Brodard Chateau specialty cocktails. David Xaygnavong, my gracious waiter and bartender mixed my favorite - the Lychee vodka martini. Shaken with lychee liquor, white cranberry juice, vodka and fresh lychee fruit this libation is light, sweet and crisp. Although I could have easily guzzled another, I decided one was my limit (after all, I was scheduled to host an evening soiree of ten and I thought it a grand idea to remain coherent and charming for my guests)!

My dining trips to Little Saigon eateries would not be the same without an order of Cuon Chay - freshly made Vietnamese spring rolls. Moist and chewy rice paper is filled with tender steamed shrimp, sliced avocado, bean sprouts, mint leaf, lettuce & thin strands of vermicelli. Delectable bobbins are tightly wrapped into neat rolls, sliced in half and served cold with a creamy peanut dipping sauce. I know how fresh the rolls were as I observed the kitchen staff carefully hand rolling and slicing my made to order rolls.

A common dish at many Asian fusion restaurants is the “salt and pepper” style seafood. Muc Rang Muoi are lightly breaded rings or strips of squid (similar to calamari Italian style) flash fried in a very hot wok together with sea salt, scallion slivers and fresh jalapenos. I squeezed a wedge of fresh lime on top of the calamari rings, popped a couple in my mouth and relished every morsel. The flavors of tangy lime juice, spicy fresh pepper slices and onion made a great pre-dinner appetizer!

My first course was set before me with sizzling sounds emanating through my ears alerting my brain. The precariously hot cast iron skillet full of blazing chunks of delicate sole filet and the essence of turmeric spice sautéed with caramelized onion slivers, fresh baby dill and garlic chips had me salivating. The aromas are slightly intoxicating (guys, it doesn’t take much to intoxicate me when food is involved). David delivered my plethora of accoutrements: a platter laced with fresh mint leafs, thinly sliced red onions, roasted peanuts, vermicelli noodles, slivers of fresh lemon grass stock and lemons wedges. Methodically, I make a “Vietnamese taco” with the seafood and accompanying goodies and drizzle a side of savory shrimp based dipping sauce over my taco. After one bite instantly I am in food heaven and speechless.

Pan seared Vietnamese rice flour crepes over-flow with bits of pork, chunks of shrimp, crisp bean sprouts, mushrooms and onions. Served with a bunch of crunchy Asian veggies (including lettuce and basil) and chili-lime fish sauce, these ingredients allow a diner to make a Vietnamese “lettuce wrap” according to their dietary desires.

Taro root, a starchy tuber vegetable, is often used in soups and desserts and is a very popular culinary staple in Asia. My preference is to expand my culinary horizons and step outside of the box, therefore, my food choices are diverse items not normally found on menus. Che Khoai Mon Nuoc Dua (say that fast 10x) is Brodard Chateau’s version of a sweet taro root dessert. The presentationand preparation for this confection was similar to a steamy bowl of cream of wheat (like my granny used to make). My dessert was served warm with a hefty spoonful of thin coconut sauce poured over the top. I was impressed and pleased with the simple yet creative concept for this particular dessert – it was not a typical, banal sweet course found on a menu.

I have travelled to Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand and thoroughly enjoyed the various foods from those regions (excluding the “baby frogs on a stick” at the open air market in Thailand). I delight in the knowledge that there are so many Asian restaurants to choose from - not far from the 405 freeway within 40 minutes of my home in South Orange County.

Cheers!

Open Daily 10:30)
Beer, wine & cocktails served