Greer's OC

Greer meets Chef Ren at Rustica Wine Bistro at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, where he shares his cooking experiences, favorite dishes, and takes us into his kitchen to cook brioche-crusted diver sea scallops with cauliflower puree. Watch here on Greer’s OC TV.

It’s no secret that the best chefs incorporate the season’s freshest produce to their dishes. And spring means fresh new flavors at Rustica. Chef Ren just rolled out a new farm-fresh lunch and dinner menu, which includes spring vegetable ragout, homemade English pea ravioli, morel cream, artichoke barigoule, Weiser Farm carrots, char-grilled asparagus, stuffed squash blossoms, fresh chanterelle mushrooms and shaved raw asparagus.

Try the pan-seared Hudson Valley foie gras with homemade doughnuts, and pineapple chutney; the crispy skin filet of Branzino with artichoke barigoule and baby round carrots; and the oven-roasted pork porterhouse with Israeli couscous, dried apricots, and bacon marmalade.

Chef Ren is a stickler for knowing where his produce and meats come from to ensure best quality and taste. His carrots come from family-run Weiser Farms, free-range chicken from Mary’s and vegetables from Kenter Farms.

With its spring menu, Rustic offers half-off all wine by the glass or bottle Mondays and Tuesdays  from 4 p.m. to close.

Rustica is in Fashion Island in Newport Beach. 949.706.8282 or visit www.rusticafashionisland.com.

Chef Secrets Unveiled!

Join celebrity chef Michael Mina and Rajat Parr, wine director of the Mina Group at Stonehill Tavern, for an intimate evening and book signing of Parr’s new book, “Secrets of the Sommeliers,” on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Secrets Unveiled event at Stonehill Tavern will include wine tastings with award-winning winemaker Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat; savory and sweet canapés from Mina, including foie mousse with huckleberry compote, lobster fritter with yuzu crème freche, short rib ragout with crispy potato cake and sugar rolled beignets with espresso vanilla crème. Mina will also be available to sign copies of his acclaimed book, “Michael Mina: The Cookbook.”

Tickets cost $85 per person and include wine tasting by Au Bon Climat, Michael Mina Wines, passed canapés, and an evening with Mina and Parr. Signed copies of “Secrets of the Sommeliers” and “Michael Mina: The Cookbook” will be available for purchase. Secrets Unveiled tickets are available through Christina Mytinger at 949.234.3765 or at christina.mytinger@stregis.com.

And if you choose to stay the night at the luxurious St. Regis Monarch Beach, guest room rates on Tuesday and Wednesday are available at 20 percent off with “A Time for Pleasure” (rate code PLEASURE).

Reservations can be made at www.stregismb.com or by calling a reservation butler at 1.800.722.1543.

Stonehill Tavern is at The St. Regis Monarch Beach, One Monarch Beach Resort, in Dana Point. 949.234.3318.