Category: Eat

Ciao! Deli and Pizzeria feels like a neighborhood joint. Because it is! And as I came to find out, we’re really lucky it’s in our neighborhood. Owners Carmina and Ray Casso want you to feel right at home, and from the minute you walk in the door, you feel welcomed. Today, Ray is manning the front counter and he greets me with a cheerful hello. He introduces himself, and invites me to check out the menu. There’s some groovy blues playing, and I notice the tap behind the counter with cold IPA just waiting to be poured…

Simple, wholesome, nourishing food is all that’s on the menu here at Nourish. The menu changes every day, depending on what produce looks good and fresh to the chef, Prakash Jagadappa. They try to choose local, organic and biodynamic ingredients whenever possible, and every dish is made with thought and intention. That’s the Ayurvedic way…

It’s 2019, and the “food as medicine” movement is fast becoming mainstream. We all know someone eating – or avoiding – certain foods in pursuit of better health. For many, the rise, and rising awareness, of food allergies and sensitivities has upgraded the issue of food choice from ‘optional’ to ‘critical.’ With so much focus on what to give up, it can be hard to know where to safely turn for a treat. One that can satisfy that sweet tooth without derailing diet directives. Luckily, at the crossroads of healthy and indulgent, lies a new, local sweet spot: Lavender Lane Baking Co.

Giorgio Buzzanga, Marco Palazzo and Cristiano Leoni had no prior restaurant experience, but they were intrigued by the trendy quirks of Costa Mesa’s Westside. Buzzanga had been riding his Vespa — because that’s what Italians do, right? — by the eclectic Midway Market at 1661 Superior Ave. when he noticed a vacancy sign at Suite D. The corner spot had been occupied by Waffleholic but was ready to receive new life. So Buzzanga gathered his two friends and they met the people in charge. When they were done, they had the seeds of a restaurant that achieves both an industrial and homey feel. It’s called Trenta, the Italian word for the number 30…

Costa Mesa is a city with rich, Orange County history woven throughout its community fabric. Even as our city becomes more modernized – new buildings, businesses and neighborhoods replacing the old at an increasing clip – there are still those Costa Mesans working to preserve important pieces of our past. One iconic business that has meant a lot to locals, for a very long time, is The Globe European Delicatessen (Globe Deli, for short) at 1928 Harbor Boulevard, just north of where it transects 19th Street…

It’s no secret that we here at I Heart Costa Mesa are huge fans of small, local businesses. We just think what they do is really brave and a big boon for our city. The hours, the effort, the courage, the commitment – ‘small business’ is an act of love, no matter how you slice it. So when we discovered The India Cafe – a little restaurant with a large menu of delicious, house-made dishes, located at 528 West 19th Street – we knew we wanted to meet the hardworking people behind the paneer…

Of all the ATMs in Costa Mesa, the undisputedly best one is on Fairview Road, in a strip mall called Villa La Costa. It’s not that this ATM doesn’t levy a fee. It does. What makes it the best is if you present at the nearby cash register your withdrawal receipt, you’ll get a free drink. Because why not? Everybody’s happy. This is the spirit of Lil’ Pickle, a sub sandwich shop that, popular food aside, may have Costa Mesa’s very best sandwich-shop name. But don’t ask owner Peter Bower how Lil’ Pickle got its moniker. He doesn’t know…

Born and raised from the small-town vibe of Cleveland, Ohio, Diane Beach brought a unique approach to the Costa Mesa restaurant industry. “Who you know, how much money you make, what car you drive—all that nonsense isn’t important to me,” Beach explained.

This recipe comes to us from the Executive Chef of Mesa Verde Country Club, Chris Chun. He shares his bright, Asian-fusion take on Seared Alaskan Halibut. It looks like Springtime on a plate!

“Our Prime New York Steak recipe is truly delicious. It’s our Spanish, tapas-style version of a classic, crowd-pleasing meal. We start with an Aleppo crème fraîche, then layer on crispy, fingerling potatoes and tender, juicy steak seared to perfection. We then add roasted, green-garlic bulbs and top it all with our feta salsa verde (which almost serves as a chimichurri sauce.) It’s a unique but satisfying, all-in-one dish that’s sure to impress even the most discerning guests. Enjoy!” – Chef Chun

Local, Costa Mesa Recipe from Mesa Verde Country Club’s Executive Chef, Chris Chun: Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Yuzu Lemon Curd, Lap Cheong and Fried Basil. Enjoy!

One of the 5,378,253 things we love best about Costa Mesa has got to be the culture. Despite our city’s smallish size (somewhere between 15 and 16 square miles, depending on who you ask) we pack one heck of a cultural wallop. Costa Mesa is brimming with industry, creativity, education, action sports, mom-and-pops, big names, history, diversity, craftsmanship, generosity, performing arts and food, glorious food!