Fashion Island Hotel is known for food, wine and cocktails. This spring’s line-up of culinary experiences includes gourmet wine dinners created by Oak Grill’s Chef Brittany Valles in collaboration with Daou Vineyards & Winery in April and with Rombauer Vineyards in May. The first weekend in May brings a Derby Day Watch Party and a Cinco de Mayo Unlimited Taco Bar.

Daou Wine Dinner at Oak Grill

Wednesday, April 24, cocktails start at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

At Oak Grill, Chef Brittany Valles’ will serve a special four-course menu she has created to pair with world-class wines produced at family-owned Daou Vineyards & Winery from the California Central Coast terroir of Paso Robles. A representative from Daou will attend the dinner to interact with guests. Hors d’oeuvres at the cocktail…

The Queen Mary’s Easter Celebration will offer an array of Easter-fun fit for the entire family, including an Easter Service, a Royal Easter Sunday Brunch, a petting zoo, face painting, three egg hunts, a Bunny Bounce House atop her majesty's highest deck, and much more.

Easter Sunday would not be complete without Brunch. Guests can indulge in Royal Easter Sunday Brunch offerings with an exquisite selection of dishes and desserts in an all-you-can-eat adventure, hosted by the Easter Bunny from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. In addition to the worldwide culinary experience and 50 unique dishes from around the globe, Easter Brunch aboard will offer a special holiday selection including Pepper Crusted Prime Rib with a Cabernet demi sauce, House Smoked Brisket, Baked Ham with Brown Sugar & Mustard Glaze, Roasted Rosemary fingerling potatoes and much…

Available at participating CPK restaurants for a limited time, the new spring seasonal menu features the following items, made fresh to order:

• Spicy Milano Pizza: CPK’s crispy thin crust topped with spicy fennel sausage and pepperoni, serrano peppers, Cremini mushrooms, onions, spicy marinara, wild Greek oregano, as well as fresh Mozzarella and Romano cheeses  
• Spicy Milano Pizza: CPK’s crispy thin crust topped with spicy fennel sausage and pepperoni, serrano peppers, Cremini mushrooms, onions, spicy marinara, wild Greek oregano, as well as fresh Mozzarella and Romano cheeses  
• Sticky Asian Cauliflower: A combination of irresistibly sweet and spicy crispy cauliflower florets with toasted peanuts and scallions o CPK continues to be inspired by cauliflower as a delicious…

Celebrate Easter with family and friends while you experience world-class hospitality and indulge in a special three-course menu highlighting classic favorites and seasonal specials courtesy of Executive Chef Alejandra Padilla.

Both brunch and dinner prix-fixe menus highlight succulent starters such as Carrot Soup with roasted scallion cream, or the Little Gem Caesar with cherry tomatoes, fennel pollen, herb croutons and parmigiano. Mouthwatering mains welcome the Frittata with spring peas, leeks, zucchini and pecorino-basil pesto on the brunch menu or Roasted Jidori Chicken with fingerling potatoes, asparagus and parmesan fondue for dinner. Satisfy your sweet tooth and choose from decadent dessert options including Lemon Poppy Seed Beignets with champagne crème anglaise or the Carrot Cake Trifle with Bavarian cream, caramel and walnut…

Join Phil Rosenthal, creator, writer and producer of the hit comedy “Everybody Loves Raymond” for a special screening of his Netflix hit “Somebody Feed Phil” and a conversation with Phil. Event will include all you can drink/eat cocktails and wines plus a New Orleans themed menu featuring Fried Chicken Lollipops, Crawfish Hand Pies, Collard Green Melt Sliders, Boudin Balls, Oyster Bienville and King Cake Donuts. Screening will be followed by a Q&A with Phil and host Billy Harris and an auction benefiting No Kid Hungry.

Included with your Ticket:

Reception: 1:00pm - 2:00pm

• Cocktail reception & food
• Reception Wines
  
  Santa Margherita Sparkling Rose NV  Veneto, Italy
  
  Feudo Zirtari Chardonnay 2018 Sicily, Italy
  
  Feudo Zirtari Nero d’Avola/Syrah 2015 Sicily,…

Every time Orange County’s most acclaimed chefs gather at the Disneyland Resort for OC Chef’s Table, magic happens.

On Sunday, March 3, 2019, magic was in play again, with more than $1.017 million raised in the name of ending homelessness. Each year, patrons and top-ranked chefs work together to raise funds for the non-profit organization Illumination Foundation, which secures recuperative care, emergency housing and permanent housing for homeless families, children and individuals. In an effort to help these community members get back on their feet, Illumination Foundation also provides a multitude of wrap-around services, including mental health support, children’s resource centers and tutoring, substance abuse…

San Diego’s staple taqueria, The Taco Stand, has expanded to Orange County. Known for slinging authentic, Tijuana-style tacos, the Orange County location will be featuring the same popular menu items featured at its other locations.

Co-Owners Julian Hakim and Aram Baloyan are both originally from Tijuana, the two restaurateurs grew up eating at a dozen local taco stands on a weekly basis, enjoying fresh grilled carne asada with spicy salsas on homemade tortillas. Hakim says, “In Tijuana, tacos were always the go-to option when someone wanted a quick, but well-made meal.” After moving to San Diego, they quickly realized that finding the type of tacos they grew up enjoying was a challenge, which inspired the opening of their first San Diego location in 2013.

Hakim and Baloyan have maintained the same street taco stand vibe at all…

Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort is pleased to welcome Blind Children’s Learning Center students back for the 15th year, for a special sensory Easter egg hunt on Friday, April 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Blind Children’s Learning Center and seventy of its students, ages one to eight years old, will kick off the holiday weekend with a sensory egg hunt featuring special beeping eggs donated by OC Sheriff’s Department.



Used as training devices for the OC Sheriff’s Department Hazardous Devices Section, the plastic eggs will be carefully placed in a safe, grassy section of Newport Dunes’ expansive waterfront property. The beeping Easter eggs provide an innovative solution to help visually impaired children take part in a favorite Easter tradition. “This is an event that we look forward to every year, and we cherish the meaningful partnership…

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated all over the world with Irish themed parades, green gear, shamrocks and, of course, whiskey and beer. This year, there is no better way to celebrate the holiday in Orange County than with the “Man’s Best Friend” special at Huntington Beach’s Pacific Hideaway.

The restaurant located in the Kimpton Shorebreak Resort will be offering a fun special on March 17 – a shot of Jameson and the traditional Irish Guinness for just $10.

Pacific Hideaway
500 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
714.965.4448
https://www.shorebreakhotel.com

This beef stew has all of the classic trimmings of a good Irish stew — featuring meat, stock, plenty of root vegetables along with some Guinness extra stout, for its malty flavor and some Irish authenticity.

Use of beef chuck stew meat that is well marbled with fat is suggested, lean stew meat will end up dry.

Save some of your prep time by chopping the onions, carrots, and potatoes while the stock with beef is simmering.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ lbs well-marbled chuck beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 tsp of salt (more to taste)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups beef stock or broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup of Guinness extra stout
• 1 cup of hearty red wine
• 2 Tbsp tomato…