Greer's OC

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 are offering a twist on classic favorites such as the Nice Rack (baby back ribs), Birthday Suit (beef tartar, raw beef and French fries), and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (beer marinated fried chicken with biscuit and gravy). Pastry chef Brooke Martin offers innovative desserts such as Nutella Pot De Crème, Tobacco and Whiskey Brulee, and a selection of Hangover Beer Floats.

The full menu can be viewed here.

The interior of A&O is casual and rustic, with wood floors, reclaimed barn siding wall, and live edge wood communal dining tables and bar top. The large horseshoe-shaped bar, overlooks the harbor, and it’s a great place to watch a game or enjoy the sunset. We loved the custom lighting fixtures with sailing rope looping over amber glass. For the outdoors, you can relax and stay warm near two fire pits during cool evenings.

Open 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

A&O Kitchen+Bar is at Balboa Bay Resort at 1221 Coast Highway in Newport Beach. 949.630.4285.

Food Trucks Gone to the Dogs

Building on the food truck trend, Milo's Kitchen brand dog treats is launching SoCal's first mobile food experience for dogs and their owners. And just in time for the holiday weekend, they’re planning stops at dog parks in Santa Monica, Redondo Beach and Huntington Beach over the next several days.

The Milo's Kitchen Treat Truck will offer tastes of real chicken and beef home-style dog treats like Chicken Meatballs and Grilled Burger Bites -- all proudly made in the USA with 100% domestically-sourced meat and no artificial colors or flavors. There will be a free family photo or "doggie selfie" (does this collar make me look cute?) in a canine-ready photo booth; socializing in the backyard-style lapdog lounge; dog beds, drinking bowls, and puppy toys; and a doggie bag to go of tasty treats.

The Milo's Kitchen Treat Truck will be making the following planned stops:

Thursday, July 3, starting at 7:30 a.m. at Airport Dog Park, 3201 Airport Ave., Santa Monica.
Saturday, July 5, starting at 7:30 a.m. at Redondo Beach Dog Park, at 190 Flagler Lane, Redondo Beach.
Sunday, July 6, starting at 7:30 a.m. at Huntington Dog Beach, 100 Goldenwest St., in Huntington Beach.

Surprise additional stops will be announced at twitter.com/miloskitchen
The full treat truck national tour schedule can be found at mktreattruck