Dining review

Stephen Santacroce

Drive down Pacific Coast Highway from Newport Beach through Corona del

Mar and you’ll notice quite a few restaurants along the way. I was able

to count more than 30. Many are new, and some locations seem to sport a

different establishment every six months. In fact, if you try and count

the restaurants that have been around for 10 years or more, your list

will dwindle quickly.

List the ones that have been in the same spot for 20 years or more,

and you might not need more than one hand. Newport diners are fickle and

have plenty of choices, and I’ve seen many restaurants with lines out the

door weeks after they open go dark not to long after. Staying power in

the restaurant business is an illusive quality, which makes it truly

remarkable that the Quiet Woman, the venerable Corona del Mar watering

hole, will soon be celebrating its 35th anniversary.

As a restaurant writer, I get to try all the new trendy, hip

restaurants week after week. This isn’t a bad thing, but its sometimes a

bit overwhelming sampling the dizzying spectrum of new and inventive

cuisines, served to look more like a piece of art then the evening meal.

Restaurants have seemed to get louder and brighter and, especially here

in Newport Beach, I sometimes feel like I need to purchase a new wardrobe

at the Armani store before I can venture out.

That the Quiet Woman is the exact opposite of all that is new and

trendy is the main reason, I think, for its appeal. We all like to dress

up in a new suit or dress, but that old pair of faded jeans with the

holes in the knees are so much more comfortable. Walk into the Quiet

Woman and that same relaxed, comforting feeling settles over you. It’s a

dark place, with wood paneling and shutters and a long, oak bar.

The restaurant is basically one large room divided in half, with the

bar on the left and the dining room to the right. There’s always a good

crowd in the bar enjoying a post-work or pre-dinner cocktail, or enjoying

the live bands that play Thursday through Saturday. On the weekends the

under-30 crowd can fill the room pretty quickly, but even this typically

image-conscious set seems more intent here on having a good time than

putting themselves on display.

Red leather booths add nostalgic warmth to the dining area, and potted

palms dot the perimeters. Faded paintings of hunting scenes give the

place the feel of an English pub, as does the logo of the headless woman

that adorns the menu. The story goes that the name comes from a 7th

century saint who, after being beheaded, picked up her head and carried

it to the alter.

The menu itself provides a welcome contrast to the current trend

toward exotic ingredients and artfully arranged food spires. The

extensive list is a throwback to the days when grills such as Musso &

Franks were king, and you’ll find featured here choice Angus steaks,

grilled chops and fresh fish. To be sure, there are plenty of modern

touches, particularly evident in the salads and appetizers.

For instance, the St. Tropez salad ($9.95) combines shredded chicken

with watercress and radicchio, all tossed with a tangy herb and goat

cheese dressing. I’m pretty sure this wasn’t on the menu 30 years ago,

but it’s a satisfying light entree nonetheless.

Other salads include the classic Caesar ($7.95) and an excellent Cobb

($9.95) that is loaded with mesquite-grilled chicken, crisp bacon and

chunks of bleu cheese.

Appetizers include the spinach phyllo ($5.25), a tasty spinach and

goat cheese mixture wrapped in phyllo dough and baked until crisp. I also

like the roasted garlic ($5), another nod toward more modern influences.

The garlic is roasted until soft, bathed in a good olive oil and served

with plenty of toasted bread slices to spread it on. It’s a tasty

accompaniment to a cold martini at the bar.

All of the appetizers are featured on the bar menu as are several

excellent sandwiches that are served until 11 p.m. My favorite is the

swordfish sandwich ($10.50). The swordfish is grilled over mesquite and

served on thick slices of warm Greek bread with a zesty house tartar

sauce.

Of the plentiful selection of entrees, I tend to favor the simplest,

such as any of the steaks cooked on their mesquite grill. The baseball

steak ($21.75), a 12 ounce center cut of top sirloin, was cooked

perfectly and rivaled in flavor steaks I’ve had at some of the

better-known restaurants.

Other cuts include a London broil marinated in citrus and

Worcestershire ($20.75), a generous 16 ounce T-bone ($20.75) and an aged

12 ounce, New York strip ($22.75). Lamb chops are offered either

marinated ($26.50), or as part of a full or half rack ($36.50 and 22.50,

respectively). Several fresh fish specials are offered nightly; I’ve

tried the halibut and the escolar, both served with a lemon caper sauce

($22.50). The halibut was overcooked and too dry, but the escolar I tried

a few nights later was perfect.

The Quiet Woman features an excellent wine selection to accompany your

meal. I was pleased with some of there harder-to-find offerings, such as

an excellent Davis Bynum pinot noir.

I enjoy the relaxed, convivial atmosphere at the Quiet Woman. This is

the place to come for good conversation with your close friends. The menu

is familiar and dependable, offering good food that will compliment your

evening’s enjoyment without becoming the center of attention.

* STEPHEN SANTACROCE’S dining reviews appear every other Thursday.

WHAT: The Quiet Woman

WHERE: 3224 Pacific Coast Highway, Corona del Mar

WHEN: Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner:

Sunday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m.

Late-night menu served until closing.

HOW MUCH: Moderate

PHONE: (949) 640-7440