Food, Romance, and A Big Slice of Heaven :: Orange County Restaurant Week

Orange County Restaurant Week (OCRW) is celebrating its seventh year and is taking place from Sunday, March 1 through Saturday, March 7. Festivities for the week include diverse, specialized cuisines served at over 100 restaurants, featuring everything from casual to family-friendly establishments and the finest, upscale fine-dining destinations.

This culinary extravaganza takes place during this romantic time of the year, offering an opportunity to dine out every day of the week for everyone. As they say, "The only thing you'll need to make for your lunch or dinner, are the reservations!"

Each participating eatery will offer up special, three-course menus during the week-long event, some with cocktails or other signature items included. Showcasing prix-fixe offerings created by talented in-house executive chefs, with lunches available at $10, $15 or $20 and dinners for $20, $30, $40 or $50.

There's nothing like a little heaven on earth! This year's festivities kick off in Huntington Beach with an official "Seventh Heaven" Launch Party on Saturday, February 28, at The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel. This event is a one-stop sam- pling teaser from participating restaurants, it is an
event that is not to be missed. It's like Disneyland for Foodies!

"The Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach is supremely proud and honored to have been selected as the site for the kickoff celebration for OC Restaurant Week," commented Scott O'Hanlon, director of marketing at the resort. "We welcome all of you to our fabulous beachside location to toast
'seven heavenly years'with all of us!"

Guests attending the luxurious launch party will have the unique opportunity to experience breathtaking ocean views while enjoying an array of blissful bites. There will be a DJ on site, open fire cooking, a photo booth and a Wine Lounge hosted by Celebrity Cruises serving three delightful wines. A portion of ticket sales from the event benefit Share Our Strength, an organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in this country.

THE SUCCULENT SAMPLINGS OFFERED AT THE LAUNCH PARTY BY LOCAL CHEFS ARE FROM THE FOLLOWING 36 OF THE 125
OCRW PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS:

Chef Andrew Gruel - Slapfish
Chef Anthony Endy - Paul Martin's American Grill Chef Benoit Lafleche - Shades Restaurant & Bar Chef Bradley Ogden - Lark Creek Restaurant
Chef Brent Omeste - CUICNA enoteca Newport Beach Chef Casey Overton - The Loft at Montage Laguna Beach Chef Chad Urata - CUICNA enoteca Irvine
Chef Chris Hutten - The Capital Gille Chef Chris Tzorin - Tortilla Republic Chef David Fune - Splashes
Chef Debra Sims - Maro Wood Grill
Chef Ernesto Hernandez - Tortilla Jo's
Chef Grant Lawson - The Crow Bar and Kitchen
Chef Jaime Carrano - 320 Main

ROMANTIC RENDEZVOUS

When put on the spot and asked to choose her favorites for a little sweet romance from the 125 participating restaurants this year, OC Restaurant Week Founder and President, Pamela Waitt offered this: "Well, that is a tough question. Most of the restaurants have some sort of romantic element to them. If I were to narrow it down to those that would be fun for Valentine's Day or a dreamy date, these are the first ones that come to mind."

Below is Pamela's who, what and why list:

The Melting Pot
2646 Dupont Drive
Irvine
949.955.3242
meltingpot.com

"I love The Melting Pot, because it is dimly lit and they have great cocktails. A unique, interactive dining experience creates memorable moments and the sexy factor is all about sharing fondue with your lover. Dipping into the luscious sauces, be they cheese or chocolate and feeding it to one another."

The Watermarc
448 South Coast Highway
Laguna Beach
949.376.6272
watermarcrestaurant.com

"Laguna's Watermarc has fantastic food, a cozy ambiance and a spectacular ocean view. The romantic factor is all about the open patio and the blending
of classic and contemporary cutting edge cuisines. Top that off with a wine program offering well over 200 ways to share varietal wines from all around the globe."

AnQi by Crustacean
3333 South Bristol Street
Costa Mesa
714.557.5679
houseofan.com/bestasianrestaurantoc

"Graced architecturally with an impressive designed space, AnQi has a sexy color palate of red and black and is romantically lit. They serve up a unique twist on California/Vietnamese cuisine, with a menu that is loaded with delightful aphrodisiacs... sure to result in sweet amore."

Sea Legs
21022 Beach Boulevard, #105
Huntington Beach
714.536.5700
sealegswine.com

"This Huntington Beach jewel can best be described with the words, 'swanky and sexy.' The surrounding air is salty and it's where Hampton sophistication
meets easy going beachside simplicity. They have an incredible wine list, offering a key to any lover's heart and the best legs in a wine glass."

The Cellar
305 North Harbor Boulevard
Fullerton
714.525.5682
cellardining.com

"Fullerton's The Cellar, has earned a reputation since its opening in 1969, for being a romantic rendezvous and escape. As its name implies, its locale is a subterranean, with soft lighting, chandeliers and a tradition of gracious European cuisine and service. You will never know you're in a cellar. Though, their mixologist creates some intoxicating libations therein. Richard Burton proposed to Elizabeth Taylor for the second time in one of their very private booths."

Information on participating restaurants, their individual menus and locations are available at ocrestaurantweek.com