Texas de Brazil
Texas de Brazil, de California! The popular Brazilian steakhouse Texas de Brazil is carving a new experience in fine dining and it’s now open in Irvine—its first California location. The restaurant is an authentic Brazilian-American churrascaria, or steakhouse, that combines the cuisines of Southern Brazil with the generous spirit of Texas. Begin with a spectacular spread of 50-60 items in the seasonal salad area that includes appetizers, gourmet vegetables, soups and salads. Each guest is given a small place card with a green side and red side, indicating when they are ready for more meat. The troop of carvers roam the restaurant generously serving various cuts of seasoned beef, lamb, pork, chicken and Brazilian sausage—all accompanied by traditional side items and house-baked Brazilian cheese bread. Along with an extensive wine list, enjoy the restaurant’s freshly-made signature cocktail—the Caipirinha. Complete your dining experience with decadent dessert selections like Brazilian cheesecake. M-Th 5-9:30 p.m., F 5-10 p.m., Sa 4:30-10 p.m., Su 4 p.m.-9 p.m. $49.99. Children 6-12 $24.99, 3-5 $5, 2 and under free. The Market Place, 13772 Jamboree Road, Irvine, 949.209.1500. texasdebrazil.com
The Ritz Prime Seafood
With newly appointed management and chef, The Ritz Prime Seafood has launched its winter menu just in time for the holidays. New executive chef George Neyra has created a menu of globally influenced choices of fish, dry-aged steaks, chops, Jidori chicken and hearty wintry accompaniments. Most recently, he was executive sous chef at Patina Restaurant Group’s Ray’s and Stark Bar at LACMA, and prior to that he was executive sous chef at Michael Mina’s Stonehill Tavern at St. Regis Monarch Beach. Just launched on November 1, bites and starters include Chuck’s wagyu sliders with a secret sauce, falafel lollipop with za’atar yogurt, king crab poppers and ricotta fritters. Indulge on seafood specialties like butterfish black cod with udon noodles and mushroom dashi; Alaskan halibut with red bell pepper, eggplant puree and confit tomatoes; and other daily-purveyed sustainable seafood including caviar service and pristine raw seafood platters. Land entrees include 16oz tomahawk served with bone marrow butter and broccoli potato au gratin; lamb rack with French fries, roasted shallots and béarnaise; and Jidori chicken with polenta, braised fennel and pickled red onion. Dinner Su, Tu, W 5-10 p.m., Th-Sa 5-11 p.m.; Brunch Su 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Social Hour Tu-F 5-7 p.m., Sa 4-7 p.m., Su 3-6 p.m. 2801 West Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.720.1800. theritzprimeseafood.com
True Food Kitchen
Taste the flavors of fall with True Food Kitchen’s new menu of seasonally-driven dishes. Known for selecting and preparing healthy and delicious food using nutrient-rich ingredients, the new menu will feature items like charred cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts and chioggia beet bruschetta for starters. Main entrees include house-made vegan butternut squash pizza made with artisan pizza dough and baked with garlic puree, roasted butternut squash, kale, smoked onions and topped with thyme, sage, lemon oil, dried cranberries and vegan almond ricotta; pan-roasted chicken served with cannellini beans, maple-glazed butternut squash and braised Swiss chard in an apple-rosemary jus with sage leaves and thyme and much more. Indulge without the guilt on gluten-free desserts like the famed squash pie featuring a graham pie crust filled with butternut squash and topped with whipped coconut cream; and the apple goji crisp made with Fuji apples and goji berries tossed with lemon and cinnamon, topped with an almond crumble and then baked and topped with whipped coconut cream. M-Th 11 a.m.-9 p.m., F 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sa 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Su 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Fashion Island, 451 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.644.2400. truefoodkitchen.com
Mix Mix Kitchen Bar
Mix Mix Kitchen Bar boasts an award-winning chef with a resume that includes Michelin-starred restaurants across France and California. Formerly of Leatherby’s Café Rouge, chef Ross Pangilinan brings his exciting new concept to Santa Ana’s vibrant dining scene. With a soft opening date of November 16 and a grand opening date of November 25, Mix Mix will offer a menu of global dishes with influence from traditional French and Italian to modern Filipino cuisines. The seasonal menu will feature daily market specials and globally inspired dishes including Filipino ceviche (yellowfin tuna, coconut lime, avocado, pork cracklings, Thai chile), seared foie gras buenelo (charred pineapple, al pastor spice), soft egg raviolo (herb ricotta, black pepper pasta, guanicale, parmesan, brown butter), crispy duck leg (mushroom risotto, blackberries, Szechuan pepper, cider jus) and more. In addition to its eclectic menu of global cuisine, Mix Mix offers handcrafted libations from its craft cocktail bar. The beverage program focuses on shaken and stirred cocktails created with house-made bitters, syrups and infusions, as well as French wines and craft beer from around the world. Mix Mix is taking over the space formerly occupied by Black Box DTSA, which replaced Little Sparrow. Dinner T-Th 5-10 p.m., F-Sa 5-11 p.m.; Brunch Su 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 300 N. Main St., Downtown Santa Ana. mixmixkitchenbar.com