Dining
Tasty Persian Cuisine
05.20.15
It was a big win for Costa Mesa, when Darbari Persian Grill opened late last year in the former BC Broiler spot across from the Triangle on Newport Boulevard.
Now, with the help of its eager to please owner, Mehdi and gracious staff, Darbari is a go to lunch and dinner spot for fresh Mediterranean specialties such as falafel, hummus, dolmeh, borani and beef koobideh served with fluffy basmati rice and charbroiled tomatoes, chicken shish kabobs with tender boneless chicken skewered and charbroiled with onions and green peppers, and our favorite ghormeh sabzi with beef, parsley, cilantro, chives, kidney beans and dried lime.
Craving something light? We love the Darbari salad with romaine lettuce, spinach, walnuts, strawberries, and pomegranate sauce; and the chicken koobideh wrap makes the perfect lunch, with chicken, lettuce, tomato and choice of hummus or must o’kheyar.
You can also find great lunch specials online good through July 31, 2015, as well as a family style take out special for just $34.99 that includes two beef koobideh (four skewers) and two boneless chicken kabobs served with basmati saffron rice, charbroiled tomato and garden salad.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
1866 Newport Blvd. in Costa Mesa. 949.650.8080
Kettlebar Steam Cooking
05.07.15
Kettlebar, the Southern-infused steam kettle cooking eatery just opened at Union Market at The District in Tustin.
This is the place to find traditional Southern specialties such as seafood pan roasts, bouillabaisse, jambalaya, gumbo, clams and oysters on the half shell, etouffee and po’boys. The concept, first took off at the Oyster Bar inside Palace Station in Las Vegas and now it’s enticing diners in Orange County.
Kettlebar is already a hit at the Anaheim Packing House with its display of stainless steel steam kettles connected by steam filled pipes pumped in unison so that the food cooks rapidly and perfectly.
Favorites include the signature pan roasts, fresh seafood sautéed with brandy,cream and tomato and served with steamed rice for Southern-inspired comfort food. The Kettlebar House Pan Roast features shrimp, crab, chicken and Andouille sausage ($24). Craving gumbo? Get the Creole soup made with seafood, okra, Andouille sausage and a house-special blend of spices ($24). There’s also lobster gumbo ($22) and for those who prefer chicken, there’s a chicken gumbo ($17) as well. The po’boy sandwiches ($11) come with either blackened salmon, blackened shrimp or chicken.
Southern-inspired handcrafted cocktails can be paired perfectly with Kettlebar's offerings such as the Southern Gentleman with Rittenhouse rye whiskey Aztec chocolate bitters, orange bitters, muddled orange peel and chile; there’s also The Kettle Cup, with muddled lemon, lime, orange, Peychaud’s bitters, orange bitters, gin aperol and Carpana Antica with a float of ginger beer.
Kettlebar at Union Market is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
2493 Park Ave #41 in Tustin. 714.258.8160.
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