Blog

Community Table Dinner: Urban Farming with Chef Paul Buchanan
01.11.16
The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano is on mission to bring the community and leaders together to tackle challenges of sustainability, access, nutrition, and more.
Their ongoing Community Table farm dinner series is a dining experience that brings together leaders in sustainability who start a conversation around a healthier food system. To continue the discussion, each dinner and the stories from the chefs and farmers will become a chapter in a cookbook to be published at the finale of the series.
You can join the Ecology Center’s first Community Table farm dinner series of the year on Sunday, January 17 at 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. with chef Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy. You can taste fresh, seasonal food grown by urban farms, The Growing Experience and Farm Lot 59, and hear from chef Paul Buchanan and farmers about the pros and challenges of growing food in an urban environment and solutions we all can make for a more sustainable food system.
The menu includes appetizers; Borscht with Mangalitsa Bacon and sour cream; Butternut Squash with Smoked Maple whipped cream and pepitas; farm greens salad with oranges, avocado, radish and foraged citrus vinaigrette; lemongrass Marinated Roasted Rock Fish with Farro Risotto, Castilla pumpkin and braised greens; and Port Poached Pear Tart with Candied Zest.
Tickets cost $115 for members, and $125 for non-members.
For more Community Table dinners, visit here.
32701 Alipaz St. in San Juan Capistrano.
Dining

The All New Tangata Dishes Up Lunch at the Bowers Museum
01.08.16
Looking for a great new lunch dining spot for the New Year? Acclaimed Joachim Splichal of Patina Restaurant Group recently unveiled the redesign and new menu of Tangata at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. Even restaurant critic Brad A. Johnson at the OC Register gave it a glowing review last month.
The new space, in the museum's Mission-style courtyard, reflects the architectural style of the museum with a clean and modern aesthetic. Executive chef Donald Harris is offering an extensive menu featuring Pacific Rim influenced dishes with California flair such as Korean Marinated Skirt Steak with sesame glass noodles, spicy cabbage, and charred green onion; Spam Tacos with corn tortillas, sesame marinated seaweed salad, and spicy Sriracha crema; and Thai Style BBQ Chicken with crispy rice, farmer’s market vegetables, and spicy peanut sauce.
You can also order delicious salads, sandwiches and burgers served with a choice of sesame fries, mixed greens salad or ginger sweet potato fries. Favorites include the candy stripe beet salads with togarashi pepper, fennel, toasted peanuts, fresh herbs, and anise vinaigrette; the Laughing Bird Shrimp Salad with gem lettuce, mango, avocado, cucumber, green papaya and passion fruit vinaigrette.
Tangata’s cocktails are globally influenced and divided into “North America,” “South America,” “Far East,” and “French Polynesia” sections, with creations as the Oaxaca Old Fashioned, Peruvian Smash, and Dreams of Lychee. There’s also a nice selections of wines and premium Japanese sakes.
The restaurant is perfect for al fresco dining and is an ideal venue for weddings or evening receptions. Tangata offers special pricing for groups by reservation only.
Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Bowers Museum is at 2002 N. Main St. in Santa Ana. 714.550.0906.
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