by Diane | Feb 13, 2019 | Best Restaurants, Uncategorized
Heading into my dining review last week, I circled the block a couple times before I realized there was a spot right there in front of the restaurant. I whipped into the space, put the car in park and gathered my camera, notebook, purse and key to make my exit. At the...
by Diane | Feb 7, 2019 | Best Restaurants
Yesterday, I was talking to one of our Laguna chefs about Valentine’s Day. Oddly, reservations for Valentine’s Day tend to occur well in advance, while Mother’s Day reservations tend to happen at the last minute. Imagine that. If you’re one of the few who’s still...
by Diane | Jan 25, 2019 | Best Restaurants
Chef Mariano (“Maro”) Molteni still remembers the November day when Mo Honarkar suggested that Maro take over the Royal Hawaiian space as the new restaurant owner/operator. “All the hair stood up on my head,” he says with his wide grin. “The Royal Hawaiian … now,...
by Diane | Jan 2, 2019 | Best Restaurants
I know this might sound like a really odd thing to say, but after 30 years of interviewing and marketing some of the most iconic individuals in the world, I still find chefs to be some of the most unique human creatures on our planet. Every time I interview a chef, I...
by Diane | Jan 2, 2019 | Best Restaurants
Last night, I stopped in at South of Nick’s with my good friend, Ali North. It was early – 5:00ish – and we had an unexpected number of seats available to us. (If you’re a fan of South of Nick’s, you know that an empty seat is a rarity.)...
by Diane | Jan 1, 2019 | Best Restaurants
This year, I have the distinct pleasure and honor of interviewing all the top Orange County chefs participating in the annual March 2019 OC Chef’s Table. For years, I had heard about this “must attend” gala, which raises funds for the Illumination...
