Costa Mesa Lands Hip Restaurants Social and Boathouse Collective

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Bloody Mary at Social

Costa Mesa’s dining scene gets two new additions with Social and Boathouse Collective.

The dining scene west of Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa is so on the move—like Santa Ana a few years ago, before it became the hot dining destination.

Social

The chef at new Social, Jeffrey Boullt, was sous chef at Santa Ana’s Playground. His mussels in lemongrass-ginger-coconut broth, and akaushi skirt steak with red-fresno-chili chimichurri—not to mention his grilled bread with bone-marrow butter and bloody mary cocktail, right—made for an impressive first visit. Star at brunch is a benedict with pork three ways and Creole-mustard hollandaise. 512 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, 949.642.2525. socialcostamesa.com

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Hamachi sashimi at Boathouse Collective

Boathouse Collective

Matthieu Royer, chef at hidden and unconventional Boathouse Collective, comes from L.A.’s Hinoki & the Bird. Royer presents hamachi sashimi on a shiso leaf with natto and heirloom tomatoes, his braised pork belly with puffed mochi. Start with a Verbena Drop cocktail; end with butterscotch panna cotta. Surfboards hang from the cavernous ceiling; owner Clayton Peterson, an artist, made most of the furnishings. 1640 Pomona Ave., Costa Mesa, 949.646.3176. boathousecollective.com

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