king crab — Wine & Dine

I've been to Napa Valley Grille twice already as well as talking about them here before. Coming here for my third time, I wasn't too sure with what to expect besides possibly trying out the rest of the menu items I've yet to lay my fork on. Without much notice, I made a reservation for the following day.

Upon arrival, we were informed that Chef Clinton had prepared a few special dishes for us to try. Without hesitation, I resigned the menu as I decided to let the chef prepare the whole meal for us.

|The first course| Melon Bowl |

When I first saw this.. I was caught off guard. My literal thoughts were wtf, where am I? This was definitely not something I am used to seeing at NVG.

The dish looked simple. A bowl of melons. But as you ate into this, you begin to realize how brilliant this course was. This melon bowl was the best starting course I've had all year. The flavors were bright, refreshing, and the citrus gazpacho hidden under these balls of wonder really opened up my palate for the next course.

|Second Course| Avocado Ravioli |

Yes. Avocado Ravioli. Inside the avocado is more of that house Steelhead Gravlax. Served with thinly sliced pickled cucumbers to help cut through the richness of the avocado and Steelhead. The choice of fresh herbs that was playfully placed made each bite fresh and vibrant.

|Third Course| Scallops |

Sweet Corn | Heart of Palm| Lava Fennel Salt | Ginger Citrus

At this point. I can't help but constantly look over my shoulders to see when the next creations arrive. I haven't had scallops in a long time. One of the reasons (if not the only) is people always mess it up. Either they are overcooked or sadly cooked with no sear marks. These were in no comparison to sad scallops. Beautifully seared served on top of a sweet corn puree/sauce, heart of palm with lava fennel salt on top, and a ginger citrus gastrique.

|Fourth Course| "Surf and Turf" |

Smoked King Crab | Bernaise | Wagyu | Armagnac Sauce | Crispy Rice

An amazing pairing with A5 wagyu beef with an Armagnac Sauce and a perfectly, but lightly smoked King Crab with a Bernaise sauce sitting in a claw. Beef was marbled and tender. Crab was definitely acting like a King with the crispy rice wrapped around like a crown. After this meal, I still had a lingering smoked sensation on my palate. Was pretty wonderful actually.

| Fifth Course | Dessert |

Basil Oil Cake | Creme Friache| Fruit | Strawberry Sorbet

How perfect is this. A basil cake with a strawberry sorbet to bring lighter flavors after a smokey entree. The basil olive cake eaten with the sorbet and all the components on the dish screams summertime. We enjoyed this with coffee. So delightful.

I spoke with Chef Clinton about his concepts and ideas. Playing with fresh local ingredients, he is able to create special tasting menus for any occasion. Napa Valley Grilled is open to preparing special menus such as the one I've experienced the past weekend. I would recommend for you to start thinking about your next food adventure with a group of friends. Call ahead and arrange a special menu, or go in a bigger group to share the fun.\

1100 Glendon Ave #100, Los Angeles, CA 90024 :: (310) 824-3322

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I know. Mission Viejo is more than just a drive for a LA native like me, but there isn't any opportunities I would miss to be able to try new things. When I think of Mission Viejo, I think of this location as a pit stop on my way to San Diego. And honestly, I don't really know what's in Mission Viejo. I was fortunate to taste a few items on the menu of Anchor Hitch during their soft opening. Coming from Santa Monica, the drive took literally 2 hours. And yes, it's far. If you are passing this way, I would recommend you stop by for their hot and cold seafood tower. I love raw seafood, but there's something extremely satisfying about cooked shellfish I would rather prefer. And if you are coming just for this, I would suggest renting a hotel nearby to crash. So lets eat up and drink up.

27741 Crown Valley Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92691

The cocktail that was recommended for the night was the Apple Martini.

Their version of Apple Martini was made with whiskey. This was quite delicious. If you think about Washington Apples, this was a much subtle version of the sweet cocktail we all love. The granny smith apples does give it a slight pucker. This will be a great cocktail for summer.

The hot seafood is composed of prawns, maine lobster, and king crab. The cold seafood consisted of oysters, clams, and a scallop carpaccio.

The maine lobsters were outrageous. I knew there was something good going on with the stuffed head. That char and crispy bread crumbs. The head fat was scooped out and mixed with some sweet potato hash.

The crabs and prawns were also deliciously charred where their shells became brittle. Squeeze on some grilled lemons for zip.

Scallop Carpaccio is served with creme fraiche, edible flowers, shiitake mushrooms and a yuzu vinaigrette. Light, sweet and refreshing.

Oysters and clams are just as you would expect from a fresh seafood raw bar. This tower is great to share for 2 or 3-4 if you want this as an appetizer.

I can never get enough of Uni Pasta. No matter where I go, if it's on the menu, it's pretty irresistible. Creamy with little crunchy rice balls for texture. Served up with an over easy egg and a heaping of nori. Delicious.

If you have the stomach, lookout for their Tomahawk rib eye steak. The one you see above is their charcoal grilled rib eye steak with tempura green beans. Served with Chimichurri and a soy based sauce. The steak was cooked medium rare with a beautiful sear. I prefer the tempura batter to be lighter, but still tasty overall.

For dessert, these blueberry donuts will definitely make you come back even if you don't want to. Hot and crispy with a soft fluffy inside, scoop this with the sweet butter cream made with blueberries (or was it raspberry?) doesn't matter it was DELICIOUS. I'm not a sweet(s) person, but these are freaking addicting.

The restaurant is located inside The Union.

27741 Crown Valley Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92691

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