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

Sweet treats at Italian Tomato

By Greer Wylder

December 04, 2009

The name might conjure up images of pasta dishes, but the glass displays full of pretty cakes and pastries would tell you different at The Italian Tomato in Costa Mesa. The little bakery is one of many popular Japanese food stalls at Mitsuwa Marketplace in Costa Mesa. There you can find unique Japanese-Italian-French confections, from Green Tea Tiramisu to Tart Pudding Cake (a white sponge cake with fresh fruits and a layer of tangy pudding), to the house-favorite Today’s Cake, which is white cake layered with delicately crispy phyllo dough, fruit and cream. Try the Mont Blanc, a creamy and…

Seaside Caribbean magic

By Greer Wylder

November 30, 2009

Gentlemen, look no further if you want to take your date to one of OC’s most romantic restaurants: Eva’s Caribbean Kitchen in Laguna Beach. The seaside gem has been a favorite among locals for years and for good reason. Strings of twinkling lights around the restaurant lend an intimate vibe, but it’s the fiery island-inspired dishes and deliciously strong cocktails that make for a sultry experience. You’ll find that owner Eva Madray is an exceedingly gracious host—don’t miss her rum cocktails like the Brown Suga, which is rimmed with a dusting of cinnamon or the Mango Tango, a mango martini…

Lunch special at one of OC’s best

By Greer Wylder

November 30, 2009

If you haven’t yet discovered Old Vine Cafe, maybe now’s the time. OC Weekly just named the Costa Mesa eatery as 2009’s Best Restaurant in OC. While Old Vine is known for its wine-tasting dinners, you can’t beat their newish 3-course prix-fixe lunch for $20. Select a soup (a luxuriously rich butternut squash and leek bisque) or salad (pssst, OC Weekly also dubbed the burrata and crispy arugula OC’s best salad!); and choose among a handful of hearty panini sandwiches (plus mac & cheese or quinoa jambalaya for you vegetarians!) for your main course and then finish off with a…

Move over, froyo

By Greer Wylder

November 24, 2009

Summer may be gone and the weather may have finally gotten chilly, but who can say no to frozen desserts? Before you think Frostbites is another Pinkberry-esque frozen-yogurt wannabe—you won’t find any tart froyo with the cereal toppings here. Instead, there are sorbets (italian ices made daily from fresh fruits) swirled atop creamy frozen custard for a unique parfait treat. If you’re a fan of granitas, you’ll love Frostbites. Choose from 16 sorbet flavors such as strawberry, lemon, mango, watermelon, coconut, peach, peanut butter, pineapple and cherry—then layer it with either creamy chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Popular combinations include…

Time Is Now for Good Wine

By Greer Wylder

November 20, 2009

By Ian Blackburn In France, wine is made with an anticipation that it will improve in the bottle over time. This works out well in France, as it has a much cooler climate than we do. In France, there is a built-in “patience” in the consumer that has been cultivated over generations and many old citizens own a home that has a wine storage cave or family wine cellar. Here in California, “the immediate gratification culture” has it made. The warmer climate and growing conditions mature our fruit differently. Making wines in the French model didn’t always produce the…