Summer in Italy at Gelson's Markets!

Summer in Italy without leaving the 

country at Gelson's Markets! 

This coming weekend several Gelsons Markets, including the ones in Irvine, Dana Point & Rancho Mission Viejo, are hosting the Taste of Italy! Featuring several Italian treats for you to sample throughout the store from Italian meats in the deli to yummy Italian imported Illy gourmet coffee. 

While visiting the Laguna Beach store this past weekend for their Taste of Italy event I also got to try the new Stella Rosa pasta sauces featuring local LA Winery, San Antonio's Stella Rosa Winery wines! Three different kinds of sauces and all were so delicious - you can taste the freshness and the love put into each sauce by the family. 

You'll also see special tags throughout the store highlighting other Italian products for you to keep the Italian theme going! I actually never knew this but Gelsons has many color-coded special tags highlighting items that are gluten-free, organic, etc. Really makes it easy to shop when you're on a special diet or trying to avoid certain types of foods! 

Also, their weekly free wine tasting will be featuring Italian wines so you don't want to miss that!

The Taste of Italy takes place at the following stores/times: 

Friday, June 29 3:30-7:30pm at the Irvine Gelson's (5521 Alton Pkwy in Irvine)

Saturday, June 30, 11-3pm at the Dana Point (24 Monarch Bay Plaza in DP) & Rancho Mission Viejo (30731 Gateway Place in RMV) Gelsons's

Tell them OCFoodieGirl sent you! ;) 

NEW Restaurant Review: Playa Mesa in Costa Mesa

Playa Mesa Mexican Kitchen is set to open 
in July 2018 in Costa Mesa!

Orange County residents will soon have a new destination to enjoy fresh Mexican cuisine with the opening of Playa Mesa. Located along trending 17^th Street in eastside Costa Mesa, the Mexican restaurant is set to open in July offering lunch and dinner daily and weekend brunch.

The concept is another venture by restaurateurs Mario Marovic and Andrew Gabriel who have produced a number of other venues throughout Orange County, including Costa Mesa’s The Country Club and Wild Goose Tavern, Dory Deli in Newport Beach and award-winning Matador Cantina & Cocina in Fullerton, among others.  I was recently invited to visit the new venue and sample the restaurant's food and drink offerings, and of course jumped at the chance to check out this new soon-to-be eastside hotspot! 

Upon first impression, you can't help but be struck by the lovely open space with large open windows allowing in the nearby coastal breeze.  Highlighted white-washed brick walls are set-off by pops of color throughout evoking a relaxing ocean feel and natural wood finishes. 

A centrally located bar surrounded by comfortable turquoise seats is manned by expert mixologist, Jane Williams, who came up with a fabulous and very creative bar program featuring some of the best tequilas and mezcals from Mexico. 


The bar menu is filled with flavorful cocktails crafted with agave spirits, Spanish and South American wines, as well as draft and bottled Mexican and craft beer.

For those seeking more of an outdoor experiences, there is a gorgeous patio which transitions seamlessly via large bi-folding doors and offers relaxed comfy couch seating along with two large fire pits perfect for those chilly coastal evenings.  I have no doubt this is gonna quickly become the local Happy Hour hot spot for those summer nights! 

The theme behind Playa Mesa is a place where guests can relax and unwind while enjoying a chef-driven scratch menu inspired by the traditional and exquisite flavors of Mexico. The Kitchen is run by the well known Chef Rolando Rubalcava and features coastal Mexican dishes with non-GMO, organic and farm-to-table ingredients. Expect to see items such as Hamachi crudo, octopus, halibut ceviche, house-made moles and innovative takes on Mexican street food. 

I was able to sample quite a few of the dishes and as my friend put it "There were no 'misses' on this menu!" The Chef told us they did extensive tastings to ensure only the best dishes made it to the final menu, and it's quite evident in how flavorful and creative the dishes are at Playa Mesa. If you love Mexican food you're definitely in for a treat here folks! 

Playa Mesa is scheduled to open in early July 2018.

Lunch will be served from 11am Monday through Friday, dinner from 5pm-10pm daily, and brunch from 10am-3pm Saturday and Sunday. Happy Hour will be served from 2pm-6pm Monday through Friday. The bar will be open until 11pm daily.

Playa Mesa is located at 428 E. 17^th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627. For more information, call 949.287.5292 or visit playamesa.com.

This Saturday, June 9th, join the fabulous Bistango in Irvine for the opening of our newest art exhibit, with a celebratory reception to introduce and honor the artists and their work to the community from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. June 9. Being held in conjunction with the Forest & Ocean Gallery, the exhibition features the works of local artists, who will be displaying their pieces at Bistango through October.

Come meet the artists , as well as enjoy a glass of white wine and pizzas, provided by Bistango’s culinary and beverage teams from 3-5 p.m. Full menu is available for purchase as well.

All art will also be available for acquisition for interested collectors. Featured artists include: Greg LaRock Fine Art, Scott Streadbeck Sculpture, Michael Jacques, William J. Havlicek, Cydette Vikander, tom Lamb, Ludo Leideritz, Steven Lustig, Robert Hansen, David Downes, Jason Haygood, and Jeff Schwalm.

Bistango is located at 19100 Von Karman in Irvine.

About Bistango Restaurant: Entering its 31^st year in 2018, Bistango personifies Orange County fine dining with its innovative menu and curated wine and cocktail lists. With a beautiful outdoor patio to hold events, special private dining areas, as well as its museum-quality art adorning its walls and hallways. Bistango is a critically-acclaimed restaurant renowned well beyond the confines of Southern California, honored for its diverse menu of outstanding international cuisine. Overseeing the kitchen is Executive Chef Javier Montoya, an American success story, having come up through the ranks under the tutelage of Bistango’s founding Austrian Chef, Paul Gstrein. Set in the airy lobby level of the iconic Atrium building in Irvine, Calif., the restaurant’s interior was conceived by owner John Ghoukassian and designed by internationally renowned, Venice-based architect, Michael Carapetian, creating the perfect gallery-style backdrop for the restaurant’s rotating art exhibitions. Not only beholden to visual artists, Bistango boasts live entertainment six nights a week, filling the air with music from a myriad of genres, from Latin Jazz and R&B to classics and contemporary covers. For more information, visit www.bistangorestaurant.com, and keep up-to-date on Facebook and Instagram @Bistango_Irvine.

Summer Fest Time!

It's Summer Fest Time! The Hoag Summer Fest (aka Summer Classic) is returning to Newport Dunes on Wednesday, June 27th for the 31st Annual tasting event of the year! Over 40 of Orange County's best restaurants will be handing out some of their best bites and drinks while you enjoy live music, raffles, a photo booth and lots more fun all in the name of raising funds for the Hoag Foundation!

Restaurants include Andrei's, A Restaurant, The Cannery, Fig & Olive, Red O, Royal Thai and many more! To see the full list of restaurants, click here: Hoag Summerfest Restaurants


This year's entertainment is Jumping Jack Flash - the fabulous Rolling Stones cover band so be sure to wear your dancing shoes too!





All inclusive tickets are $125 or grab a friend and get two tickets for $225. Get your tickets here before they sell out: https://giving.hoag.org/2018HoagSummerFest-Tickets

Hopefully see you there!