VOX Kitchen Brings Modern Chifa Flavor to Aliso Viejo

Kei Concepts is opening a third VOX Kitchen location in Aliso Viejo on Wednesday, Sept. 2. The new restaurant brings the brand's Modern Chifa cuisine to South Orange County for the first time.

VOX Kitchen opened in Fountain Valley in 2017 as one of Kei Concepts' first restaurants. It has since grown into one of the group's best-known names, with locations in Fountain Valley and South Coast Plaza. The concept is built on Chifa, the culinary tradition blending Chinese and Peruvian influences, with a menu known for bold flavor and multicultural roots.

The 3,298-square-foot Aliso Viejo location will seat close to 80 guests, with an interior inspired by VOX Kitchen & Bar at South Coast Plaza. The new restaurant carries forward the same lively, welcoming dining experience that has defined VOX for nearly 10 years.

The menu will include the dishes VOX is known for: Filet Mignon Lomo Saltado, served over thick-cut fries wok-tossed with red onion and tomato alongside rice and aji sauce; Filet Garlic Noodles finished with Parmesan and scallions; and the VOX Pear Salad, layered with arugula, burrata, candied nuts and fig balsamic. Crispy Garlic Chicken Wings and Chifa-style fried rice round out the menu.

The Aliso Viejo opening follows several recent debuts for Kei Concepts, including QUA Contemporary Chinese Cuisine, Kei Coffee House, ROL Hand Roll Bar in Irvine and La Habra, and VOX Kitchen & Bar at South Coast Plaza. Founder Viet Nguyen was also named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: California this year, and he and co-CEO Ivy Ha have received several honors for their leadership.

VOX Kitchen Aliso Viejo, located at 26511 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, will open with soft-opening hours Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Starting Sept. 7, hours expand to Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit Kei Concepts online.

Founded by Viet Nguyen, Kei Concepts is an Orange County-based hospitality group behind chef-driven restaurant concepts rooted in culture, craftsmanship and innovation. With nearly 1,000 employees across its portfolio, the company is one of the largest Vietnamese-founded restaurant groups in the country. Its restaurants include VOX Kitchen, VOX Kitchen & Bar, NEP Cafe, SUP Noodle Bar, INI Ristorante, Kei Coffee House, KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya, QUA Contemporary Chinese Cuisine and ROL Hand Roll Bar.

Zov’s Mediterranean Restaurant Set to Open on 17th Street in Costa Mesa

Zov's is coming to Costa Mesa. The Mediterranean restaurant will open at 428 E. 17th St., in the former Playa Mesa space, in late 2026. The move follows the brand's debut in San Clemente earlier this year.

17th Street's dining choices are getting better and better, with Ospi, Oak & Coal, Tabu Shabu, Salt & Lime and many more. Zov's joins a strip already known for independent, chef-driven spots. The Costa Mesa location will carry the same family hospitality that has defined the brand since it opened nearly 40 years ago.

Zov Karamardian opened the first Zov's in 1987 with her husband, Gary, drawing on family recipes and her own background in Mediterranean cooking. The business remains family run. Son Armen is CEO, daughter Taleene oversees creative and operational work, and granddaughter Morgan handles branding and marketing across the company's locations in Tustin, Irvine, Newport Coast and San Clemente.

The menu is expected to include grilled lamb chops, house-made mezze with hummus and baba ghanoush, locally sourced seafood, flatbreads and house-made pastas, along with seasonal salads. The bar program will offer cocktails made with fresh herbs and citrus, a wine list covering California and Mediterranean producers, and craft beer and non-alcoholic options.

Zov's will be at 428 E. 17th St. in Costa Mesa.

Sweet Arrival: Levain Bakery Opens First Orange County Location at Fashion Island

Levain Bakery opens its first Orange County location at Fashion Island in Newport Beach on Friday, Sept. 4, at 8 a.m. The New York bakery, known for its six-ounce cookies, will bring its full lineup of cookies, breads, pastries and coffee to the fourth Southern California shop in its growing footprint. For longtime Levain fans and anyone with a soft spot for a good cookie, this is a big one. The wait for a taste of the cult favorite right here in OC is almost over.

The first 100 people in line Friday will get a custom Levain Bakery Newport Beach tote filled with bakery swag. All opening day proceeds go to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, continuing a practice Levain started in 2019. After opening day, unsold baked goods will be donated daily to Abound Food Care to help cut food waste and feed the community.

Founders Weekes and McDonald opened the first Levain Bakery in New York City in 1995. What began as a neighborhood bread shop turned into something bigger when they started selling cookies on the side, and those cookies sold out fast. Three decades later, Levain still bakes its breads, pastries and cookies by hand every day, using the same recipe from 1995.

The Newport Beach bakery will carry Levain's full menu: signature cookies, artisan breads, savory sandwiches, muffins and pastries, plus full barista service with cappuccinos, cold-foam drinks, matcha, lattes and the brand's Cookie Milk Latte. It joins Levain locations in New York, Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.

Levain also offers catering and event services for weddings, corporate meetings and private parties, with table-ready packages of its cookies, breads, pastries and sandwiches.

Once open, the bakery will run daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with local pickup and delivery available. It's located at 315 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, in Fashion Island, near Macy's and Sushi Roku.