Orange County has the same temperate and sunny climate as the Mediterranean. It also has a wealth of restaurants specializing in the delicious food of the region. Italian, French, Greek, Moroccan--you can find all of those influences on local menus. Get your taste buds ready, and check out some of Orange County's Mediterranean restaurants.
Zov Karamardian is one of Orange County's premier chefs, and her restaurants have long been hailed for the quality of the food and atmosphere. At her flagship bistro in Tustin, there are standards such as babganooj, hummus and tabouleh, as well as exotic entrees such as seafood tagine, Mediterranean chicken, and Moroccan salmon. Whatever you choose, save room for dessert, which includes flourless chocolate cake, white chocolate peanut butter crunch, and key lime tart. The café locations serve up soups, salads and sandwiches, half-orders of pasta and prix-fixe menus.
Zov's Bistro
17440 E. 17th St.
Tustin, CA 92780
714-838-8855
Zov's Café, Bakery and Bar
3915 Portola Parkway
Irvine, CA 92602
714-734-9687
21123 Newport Coast Drive
Newport Coast, CA 92657
949-760-9687
zovs.com
According to the restaurant, "zimzala" means free-spirited person, and it's the same kind of spirit found in the wide-ranging Mediterranean menu. Hummus, black truffle risotto, flatbreads are all on the menu, joined by entrees such as Tasmanian salmon and Moroccan chicken tagine. There are also special menus for happy hour and weekend brunch.
500 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
714-960-5050
restaurantzimzala.com
Satisfy a craving for Mediterranean food any time at this Irvine bistro, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and offers catering for parties as well as office lunches. The emphasis is on fresh, organic ingredients to give the salads, sandwiches, pastas and entrees an extra zip of flavor. At dinner, sample from a range of starters (cheeses, jamon Serrano), skewers (filet mignon, shrimp), and a bountiful selection of charcuterie and antipasto
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6507 Quail Hill Parkway
Irvine, CA 92603
949-725-1773
www.luccacafe.com
The setting---Downtown Disney--- is about as far from a quaint Italian trattoria or a Greek tavern as you can get, but the food here is packed with Mediterranean flavors, thanks to the guidance of Patina Restaurant Group, which operates the popular eatery. Dishes include marinated olives, slow-roasted pork belly, housemade squid ink pasta, and Australian sea bass with Spanish white beans and Catalonia sausage. A small menu is available at the Uva Bar, which serves wine and cocktails.
1580 Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, CA 92802
714-774-4442
patinagroup.com
