Newport-Mesa sizzling with great food

Paul Clinton

A breezy breakfast, languorous lunch or delectable dinner isn’t far

out of reach for appetite-whetted diners heading to this summer’s hot

spot eateries.

Starting off in the early-morning hours, a string of breakfast

eateries are making the grade with patrons this year.

Breakfast diners cited the ever-popular Haute Cakes Caffe as a

gourmet-breakfast pioneer. Opened in 1991, the Westcliff eatery

brought high-quality over-the-counter food to a land of mall food and

egg muffins.

But a handful of other gourmet breakfast shops have elbowed their

way onto the itineraries of local diners. Zinc Cafe & Market, which

opened in Corona del Mar adjacent to the Quiet Woman last year, has

been drawing steady crowds for pastries and coffee.

Zinc’s vegetarian breakfast has become a crowd pleaser, especially

with a group of cyclists who stop in every Wednesday.

“Most of the people who stop here get some pastry,” said Art Cook,

a cyclist who lives in Corona del Mar Village. “All of this stuff I

never eat.”

Chiming in, Village resident John Geyer said Zinc has found its

niche as an eatery with some buzz.

“It’s new and it’s trendy,” Geyer said. “I just come here and sip

on coffee.”

Plum’s Cafe & Catering, tucked in the back of a mini-mall on 17th

Street, also serves breakfast, but has gathered steam for its salads,

soups and sandwiches at lunchtime.

Plum’s outdoor patio has been known to draw crowds at the noontime

hour.

“Great food, friendly service,” said Denise McPhee, as she left

Plum’s at lunchtime on Wednesday. “You have outside and inside and

it’s great.”

South Coast Plaza eateries Z Tejas, which serves Cajun food, and

Lawry’s Carvery, with its menu of beef sandwiches, also draw steady

crowds at lunchtime. Jerry’s Famous Deli, across the street, is a

well-established favorite.

BRING ON THE NIGHT

But nighttime is the right time for a slew of favorites dotting

the Newport-Mesa landscape.

In Corona del Mar, summer patrons are expected to seek out popular

new spots The Bungalow and Oysters and even the outdoor patios of

Gulfstream and Tommy Bahama’s.

With the weakened economy, even wealthy diners have been shying

away from plates that cross the $70 to $80 level, said Bill Sinclair,

the president of the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce.

“People are starting to back off [from] the high-priced

restaurants,” Sinclair said.

Instead, Sinclair said, they have been seeking out Bungalow’s

extensive wine list and Oysters’ kung pao calamari. Both have already

begun drawing steady crowds at the cocktail hour.

A baseball-cut swordfish smothered in lemon-caper sauce, the

Australian lobster and the prime steaks are top items on the

straight-ahead menu, Bungalow owner Jim Walker said. The restaurant

counts 180 wines to choose from.

“They make an excellent wine,” Walker said about the popular

Australian Shiraz. “And they’re very competitively priced.”

In Eastbluff, chef-owner Rich Mead’s Sage has quietly developed a

reputation for top-notch neighborhood dining.

The sage plant-colored chairs and “food for the gods available to

mere mortals” draw diners, the 2003 Zagat Survey reported.

STILL FASHIONABLE

AT THE ISLAND

Fashion Island’s trifecta of the Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang’s

and California Pizza Kitchen consistently draw strong crowds.

For those looking for “great steaks” and a “clubby setting,” Zagat

reports, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar at Fashion Island

could fit the bill.

In the up-and-comers category, Turner New Zealand has captured

palates and imaginations at its Anton Boulevard location, which is a

short walk from the Performing Arts Center.

Owner Noel Turner, who lives in Newport Coast, opened the

restaurant to serve all-natural steaks and seafood, which don’t

include animal antibiotics or hormones. It’s the first New Zealand

restaurant outside of that country, he says.

“People are concerned about their health,” Turner said, in

explaining the sudden popularity of his restaurant. “The place is

full every night.”

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

paul.clinton@latimes.com.