STEPHEN SANTACROCE -- Dining Review

The Crystal Court at South Coast Plaza has for a long time languished

in the shadow of its larger, more prosperous cousin.

Shoppers loaded down with purchases balked at crossing busy Bear

Street, and most of the tenants suffered from poor sales and traffic

counts.

After watching the mall struggle for years, the owners recently made

an all-out commitment to create a successful center. Prominent in this

plan was the construction of the Bridge of Gardens, a futuristic, brushed

steel footbridge linking both sides of the plaza.

The bridge itself is a marvel to look at -- a long, gently curving,

covered affair with greenery-planted borders and steel spear accents that

jut out from either side of the walkway. The bridge ends abruptly on the

original plaza side with an escalator ferrying shoppers down to a large

open air atrium leading into the mall itself.

It’s here, tucked under the base of the bridge, that Pascal Ohlats has

opened Cafe Pascal, the latest entry to his budding empire of fine Orange

County eateries.

Pascal could have easily sat on his laurels enjoying the success of

his signature restaurant, Pascal in Newport Beach, which has

consistently been rated one of Orange County’s best since its opening 12

years ago. Instead, he carefully added to his repertoire, first with the

deli-style Epicierie, located next to his original restaurant, and then

with Cafe Jardiene, the lovely lunch spot in Corona del Mar’s Sherman

Gardens.

This latest entry is similar in its offerings to the Epicierie,

catering to diners who wish to enjoy a light meal at its charming terrace

tables or to the takeout shopping crowd, searching for something other

than standard fast-food fare.

The restaurant was designed as an integral part of the bridge

structure, and it shares the same brushed steel facade as the rest of the

structures. The interior boasts a takeout counter featuring a display of

pastries and other baked goods, but no seating.

All of the seating is on the outside terrace at the base of the

bridge. Gleaming white umbrellas and sunscreens shield diners from the

sun. Heaters will be in place in a week, I was told.

I asked Pascal what he planned to do when it rained: he replied with a

slight twinkle in his eye, “take some time off.” Bad weather aside, the

setting is surprisingly tranquil. It’s easy to forget you’re in the heart

of one of the largest shopping centers in the United States.

The menu caters to harried shoppers and office workers, offering a

variety of sandwiches, light crepe dishes and salads. Those hitting the

stores early can enjoy a pastry and cappuccino before venturing out to

power shop the day away.

Sandwiches are all served on a homemade French baguette and include a

choice of carrot salad, fruit salad, couscous or pasta salad. I liked

Pascal’s version of the BLT ($7.75), which replaces the traditional bacon

with Brie cheese, along with crisp lettuce, some sliced tomatoes and just

a hint of Dijon mustard.

I like the way the sandwiches are prepared here, European style,

without an overabundance of fillings. Those looking for a mile-high ham

stack might want to visit Arnie’s deli down the street, or order two.

But for me, the portions were just enough to satisfy my hunger without

leaving me to tired to continue my quest for the perfect tie at

Nordstrom.

The lamb sandwich ($7.95) features thinly-sliced, marinated lamb loin,

roasted tomatoes and fresh basil. Another tempting choice is the Chicken

Pesto ($7.50), roasted chicken with a homemade pesto sauce and toasted

pine nuts. All of the sandwiches are available for takeout for a few

dollars less, without the side dish.

Pascal’s lovely wife, Mimi, is currently supervising the affairs of

Cafe Pascal, and when I asked her for a suggestion on a recent visit, she

recommended the salmon crepes ($7.75). Now I have to admit, I’m not

usually a fan of crepes. It’s not the “real man and quiche” thing, just

that I usually think of crepes as being filled with a dense creamy

filling and topped with a similar sauce.

Here, I was surprised to find no rich sauce, but rather light, thin

pancakes folded flat and filled with a delicious combination of smoked

salmon and creamy goat cheese. The tangy cheese is the perfect compliment

to the rich salmon, and crepes themselves were tender, with none of the

chewiness that can come with overcooking.

I didn’t get to try the smoked chicken crepes ($7.75), which are

stuffed with chicken, mozzarella and tomato, but they looked delicious on

a plate at the table next to mine.

In addition to savory crepes, the menu features several sweet crepe

dishes perfect for a light desert with a steaming espresso or cappuccino.

My friend Jasmine, a fan of the simpler is better concept, convinced

us to try the sugar crepes ($3.50) on a recent visit. Good choice. The

crepes are sprinkled with brown and white sugar and then quickly warmed

in a saute pan. The sugars help bring out the delicate flavor of the thin

crepes without overpowering them.

Cafe Pascal also offers a warm entree each day as the Plate du Jour

($11.95). We enjoyed the salmon that’s served on Sundays. It’s dressed

with a light champagne sauce and accompanied by fluffy mashed potatoes

and sauteed leeks.

Shoppers seeking a lighter snack can order a cheese plate ($7.50), or

a plate of pate and hard salami served with a fresh roll and butter. Pair

one of these with a split of wine for a refreshing midafternoon snack.

The holidays are approaching sooner than we’d like, and in no time

we’ll all be crowding the malls searching for the perfect gift for Aunt

Edna. Cafe Pascal provides a quiet, refreshing retreat from the dizzying

retail offerings, with the typical style and culinary confidence we’ve

come to expect from Pascal and Mimi Ohlats.

* STEPHEN SANTACROCE’s restaurant reviews appear every other Thursday.

Send him your comments at food_critic@hotmail.com.

FYI

* WHAT: Cafe Pascal

* WHERE: 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa

* WHEN: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

* HOW MUCH: Inexpensive

* PHONE: (714) 751-4911