Costa Mesa, nestled in between Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Santa Ana, is living up to its moniker as the “City of the Arts.” With high-end retail like South Coast Plaza, The LAB, South Coast Collection/The OC Mix, and The Camp, the city certainly has captured the art of shopping.
The city’s acclaimed Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a nationally renowned performing arts center, draws crowds from all over the region for its line-up of Broadway shows and musical performances. But it’s the culinary arts that are really starting to take center stage. Some of the industry’s most acclaimed chefs are bringing their talents, and multiple awards, to this arts enclave.
Carlos Salgado has a long resume of awards having worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants. In 2015, he was named a Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2015 and recognized as Chef of the Year by the OC Register. In 2016 and 2017, he was a semifinalist for James Beard Award Best Chef: West. He is the owner of the wildly popular Taco Maria at The OC Mix, a restaurant born from his food truck days. His approach is creating “Alta California” cuisine, a fusion of Mexican and American cultures. He’s serving up dishes such as Callo Gratinado with scallops, queso chihuahua, squid ink crumbs, and chile ancho or the crowd favorite Tamal de Elote, a dish of Brentwood corn, mole verde, crab, and yogurt.
Vaca is a Spanish tapas restaurant located in Costa Mesa’s theater district, frequented by arts enthusiasts. Chef Amar Santana, the 2015 Top Chef runner up, creates authentic Spanish cuisine served tapas style as this local hot spot. A selection of jamon, quesos, and paellas lead the menu. The specialty of the house is Canelon de Pollo Ahumado, smoked chicken cannelloni in a foie gras sauce with a sherry reduction. But the restaurant is most popular for its aged meats; Visit California’s Dream Eater recently sang the praises of Vaca’s ribeye. Amar has been recognized as one of Orange Coast Magazine’s Top Ten Chefs of 2012, OC Metro’s Best Chefs in Orange County and Vaca was named OC Weekly’s Best Restaurant of 2012.
The OC Register’s 2016 Chef of the Year Atsushi Yokoyama is owner of the standout sushi bar Hana re. With only 10 seats, Chef Atushi personally tends to each dish and greets every diner. The Hana Re Omakase Tasting Course is a memorable dining experience with an ever changing menu.
Another celebrity chef will soon arrive on the scene, Richard Blais, winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars. In late 2017, he’ll bring his cult favorite, The Crack Shack, to Costa Mesa. With locations in San Diego and Encinitas, the restaurant serves all day chicken and eggs, revered by Californians for using only free range, non-GMO eggs and high-end organic ingredients. The menu is elevated fast casual with offerings like the Royale, savory chicken sausage, with a sunny side egg and smoked cheddar on a house-made English muffin. But for regulars, the fried chicken is the highlight of the menu.
For foodies looking to really experience the area and hit up all of the best spots, check out Eatcation itineraries by Travel Costa Mesa, an experience designed to show off the best of the best.
