Greer's OC

Be ready to be wowed by a new Italian-inspired eaterie in Orange County. Run don’t walk pronto to Cucina Enoteca at Irvine Spectrum for lunch or dinner. It’s the new sister restaurant to Cucina Urbana, a popular eaterie in San Diego’s East Village.

On a recent visit we were in food and wine heaven. Not only can you feast on Italian-inspired plates with seasonal ingredients, but you can order wines from an extensive list from its Enoteca (wine shop). It even carries limited production oenophile favorites such as a 2008 Paul Hobbs "Beckstoffer Dr. Crane" Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa. All bottles are priced at retail with a $10 corkage fee.

Executive Chef Joe Magnanelli created a menu of vasi (mini mason jars filled with spreads for Tuscan toast like gorgonzola walnut mousse); tasty antipasti, signature polenta boards, insalate, wood-fired pizzas, pastas, piatti and dolce.

Kids will love the make-your-own-pizza experience, and guests can order signature favorites from Cucina Urbana such as short rib pappardelle with cremini mushroom and parmigiano; veal picatta with grilled sweet corn, oyster mushroom conserva, spinach, caper and speck; Columbia River Steelhead trout with brown butter potato, caramelized fennel, squash bagna cauda and pecorino; and must try truffle oil pizza.

We didn’t try the specialty cocktails, artisan beers and house-infused liquors (we’ll save that for the next trip), however you can enjoy cucumber, mint and lime gin, vanilla bean bourbon, ginger pear vodka and red jalapeño tequila.

Equally enticing as the food selection is the bohemian modern farmhouse atmosphere and two ove-rsized patios for outdoor dining. With restored lighting and wall graffiti art, found objects such as wooden shoe molds strung as décor (if Anthroplogie had a restaurant we imagine it would look like this), community seating and wine shop, we were loving the contemporary, yet vintage interior.

Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday for lunch and dinner; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 949.861.2222 or visit CUCINAenoteca.com.

Lunch date!

Elevate your lunch plans by indulging in Charlie Palmer’s Lunch 20.12 at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. In celebration of the new year, Charlie Palmer is offering 3 delicious courses for just $20.12 served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Or, if your time is limited, stop by DG Burger, for a quick and casual gourmet burger lunch.

The prix-fixe lunch served through Saturday starts with a roasted winter vegetable salad with feta, arugula, and white balsamic vinaigrette;  or French onion soup with count bread crouton and Gruyere cheese. The main course is a creamy shellfish risotto with sautéed shrimp, arugula, grapefruit butter sauce or grilled pork flatiron with white stone grits, braised swiss chard, and bacon jus. Dessert is a citrus almond sponge cake with cara cara orange coulis, margarita sorbet and candied kumquat, or green apple frozen soufflé with coriander sable, pistachio creme anglaise, and salted caramel.

To make a reservation, call 714.352.2525, and visit the weekly Lunch 20.12 menu here. 

Charlie Palmer is at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza.