Greer's OC | The latest in Orange County fashion, dining, and trends.

The New Waterfront A&O Kitchen+Bar

By Greer Wylder

June 30, 2014

Newport’s newest waterfront bar and restaurant, A&O Kitchen+Bar just opened at the Balboa Bay Resort. A&O, an abbreviation for Anchors & Oceans, specializes in gastropub fare such as shared plates, hearty dishes, and creative cocktails. A&O also features a centerpiece tap system with eight craft beers from renowned breweries and two wines on tap from ONEHOPE Wine. Proceeds from sales of the ONEHOPE’s sparkling wine are dedicated to ending childhood hunger; the Chardonnay and Cabernet wine kegs will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. On the A&O menu, Executive Chef Vincent Lesage and chef de cuisine Rachel Haggstrom…

Nirvana’s Summer Menu

By Greer Wylder

June 23, 2014

Nirvana Grille in Laguna Beach, a delicious farm-to-table dining experience will launch its new summer menu on Tuesday. In celebration of the season and the restaurant’s recent six-year anniversary, Executive Chef Lindsay Smith-Rosales and her husband/co-owner Luis Rosales invite you to enjoy any of the new dishes at half price and select wines at 25% off from Tuesday through Sunday, June 29. And, the rooftop Bliss Bar Patio and Lounge will open Tuesday, July 1 for the summer season nightly offering bar, lounge and rooftop dining. Highlights from the new summer menu include housegrown organic roasted figs – honey goat cheese…

New Summer Flavors at Casey’s

By Greer Wylder

June 18, 2014

Casey’s Cupcakes is offering fun and glamorous flavors this summer such as Brilliant Banana, Smokin S’mores and Ravishing Raspberry Lemonade cupcakes. Brilliant Banana, available through June, is filled with a banana-vanilla cream pudding, whipped cream frosting, decorated with yellow confetti and banana Runts. $3.50 per cupcake. Smokin S’mores, available in July, is a vanilla bean cupcake with marshmallow filling and milk chocolate frosting, decorated with dark chocolate curls and topped with a chocolate drizzled graham cracker, Hershey’s chocolate piece & chocolate drizzled marshmallows and gold glitter. $3.50 per cupcake. Ravishing Raspberry Lemonade, available in August, is a raspberry flavored cupcake…

Mendocino Farms in OC

By Greer Wylder

June 02, 2014

Los Angeles-based Mendocino Farms, the restaurant specializing in gourmet sandwiches filled with seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms and artisans, just opened its first Orange County location on East 17th Street in Costa Mesa. Mendocino Farms’ menu, created by co-owners Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen along with the Executive Chef Judy Han, elevates a classic sandwich with seasonal ingredients and finishes them with housemade aiolis, chutneys, pickled veggies, and mustards. On the menu, signature sandwich our favorites include the Pork Belly Banh Mi, a reinterpretation of the Vietnamese classic made with rich, caramelized Kurobuta Pork Belly, bright pickled daikon…

Swizzle Sticks and Frosted Glasses! ARC’s New Summer Bar Menu

By Greer Wylder

May 29, 2014

Here’s the thing, you’re going to want to drink something cool with ARC’s open fire cooking, and what better than an equally handcrafted summery cocktail? The new summer libations at ARC just debuted from Bar Chef Koire Rogers featuring fresh Julep-inspired craft cocktails featuring a swizzle stick and frosted glasses. All drinks are made with fine, hand-cut ice, locally sourced artisanal ingredients, as well as house-made bitters and syrups. The new cocktails are available through the end of summer: Big Popa - pilar rum, sherry, yellow chartreuse Framboozled - mezcal, raspberry, sour beer, chile Jill’s Julep - amaro, vermouth, lemon, bubbles…