Old Vine Cafe

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Kimberly Valenzuela

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2937 Bristol St. Costa Mesa, CA 92626

714-545-1411

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OC Weekly
Recommended
Best Service In a Restaurant
Award Winner 2011

Cuisine(s): Eclectic, Vegetarian

Hours: Sun-Mon 9am-3pm, Tue-Sat 9am-9pm

Price: $$$
Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards, cash

Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible, Vegetarian Friendly, Family Style

Serving: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Alcohol: Beer/Wine

Reservations: Accepted, Highly Recommended

Parking: Lot Available

Description

This tiny eatery impresses with an affordable small-plates menu, breakfast-through-dinner hours and a wine list that belies its claustrophobic dining room. Not all the dishes are prepared with organic produce, but that's fine: The true green goods are in a small refrigerated case, where chef Mark McDonald stocks artisan cheeses, meats, olives and spreads, mostly from Spain.

2011 | Best Service In a Restaurant

Old Vine is no stranger to these pages, having won Best Restaurant in 2009--and it has broadened its ambitions since then, hosting wine nights and even leading culinary tours of Italy. But the attention of brothers Mark and Brandon McDonald to the homefront hasn't suffered: You still see Brandon every morning through night, guiding customers old and new through the menu, maybe suggesting an omelet or the seasonal four-course chef's menu, and with a memory of the café's hundreds... More »
2009 | Best Restaurant

Other restaurants might ultimately impress more at any given moment. Most have better locations. But as a sunrise-to-nighttime experience, no local eatery can hold a gourmet blowtorch to Old Vine Café. The delights begin with a faithfulness to organic ingredients, whether it's artisanal Spanish sausages or produce bought from San Clemente-based Morningsong Farms. From this base, chef Mark McDonald creates omelets and crepes of grace; paninis that crunch, soothe and satiate; and... More »
2009 | Best Salad

In case you didn't know, Buratta is a mixture of buffalo mozzarella and cream that tastes like butter. At Old Vine Café, the buratta is mixed with arugula that's been flash-fried in citrus-infused olive oil and served with grape tomatoes. At $14 per plate, it's not cheap--it even ties for the most expensive item on the menu--but its a rare treat, fills the belly and goes down great with a glass of sauvignon blanc. More »
2007 | Best New Restaurant

Old Vine Caf� has been open only a couple of months, but it's already besting veterans with its affordable gourmet entr�es such as Spanish omelets (stuffed with artichoke hearts, red bell peppers, shitake mushrooms, proscuitto and Manchengo cheese) and a tapas-style dinner menu that guarantees many nights of swapping. But this tiny restaurant's best specials are in the refrigerator, where boutique wines, meats and cheeses are available at Wal-Mart prices, but Trader Joe's quality. More »

WINNER'S CIRCLE: Tom Chilton, Chris Robinson and J. Allen Brack

By MICHELLE WOO | Thu, October 13, 2011

Embrace your inner geek. It's a motto of all those in the Blizzard Entertainment tribe, and one that Tom Chilton, Chris Robinson and J. Allen Brack take seriously. At the gamemaker's Irvine home base, a sprawling campus guarded by a bronze statue ... More »
Old Vine Cafe Starts Petition Asking Yelp to Hold Members Accountable For Libelous Reviews

By Gustavo Arellano | Mon, September 12, 2011

We've always loved Old Vine Cafe and the McDonald brothers, Mark and Brandon, who run it. We've also loved how the two will engage with any criticism leveled at them over at Yelp. Some might call it b... More »
Brunch a Bunch Across OC!

By GUSTAVO ARELLANO, EDWIN GOEI, DAVE LIEBERMAN, SHUJI SAKAI | Thu, August 25, 2011

VIDEO: Click here to go behind the scenes of our cover photo shoot!See even more Remember that episode of The Simpsons in which Marge nearly has an affair with Jacques the French bowling instructor, and the lothario invites her to brunch, but Marg... More »
No. 52: Special-Events Grilled Cheese Sandwich at Old Vine Cafe

By Gustavo Arellano | Wed, August 3, 2011

Welcome to the Weekly's list of our 100 Favorite Dishes for 2011! Tune in every day until we get to numero uno! Now, on to the latest entry. . . .Old Vine is always a favorite of mine, and lunchtime u... More »
#25. Pecan-Sea Salt Tarts at Old Vine Cafe

By Gustavo Arellano | Tue, September 7, 2010

Because ustedes gentle readers love lists, behold the latest entry in our Top 100 dishes list that continues until Best Of--at which point, we'll give you MORE lists! Now, on with the show...A lot of... More »
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Dinner Menu

Pasta
All Pasta Is Handmade Daily!

$11.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2008 Castelvero Barbera $5.50

Fettuccini Pomodoro
handmade fettuccini, tossed in a light pomodoro sauce & garnished with aged pecorino romano cheese

$16.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2006 Dragani Montepulciano D'abruzzo $6.50

Beef Tenderloin Stroganoff
vintage premium natural beef tenderloin medallions & shitake mushrooms, served over hand made fettuccini drizzled with creamed demi glace

$14.00
Add A ½ Glass Of 2006 Dragani Montepulciano D'abruzzo $6.50

Hand Made Raviolo
raviolo filled with smoked duck, goat cheese & porcini mushrooms sautéed in brown butter with sage

$14.00
Add A ½ Glass Of 2007 Vecchia Cantina Rosso Di Montepulciano $5.50

Hand Made Pappardelle
fresh english peas & pork sausage pomodoro ragu & garnished with aged pecorino romano

Smaller Plates
Our Smaller Plates Are Designed To Be Shared, Enjoyed As A Light Meal, Or For You To Create Your Own Tasting Menu.

$16.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2008 Fritz's Riesling, Germany $5.50

Sushi Grade Ahi
micro greens, wasabi crème fraiche, sweet soy & wonton crisps

$14.00
Add ½ Glass Of N.v. Grotta Del Sole Gragnano Della Penisola Sorrentina $5.50

Eggplant Buratta
mozarella buratta, panko crusted eggplant, grape tomatoes & basil pesto

$14.00
Add ½ Glass Of N.v. Grotta Del Sole Gragnano Della Penisola Sorrentina $5.50

Caprese Of Mozarella Buratta
fresh buratta, flash fried arugula, grape tomatoes & citrus infused extra virgin olive oil

$16.00
Add 1/2 Glass Of 2009 Domaine De Bernier Chardonnay $5.50

Sautéed Sea Scallops
3 jumbo scallops on a nest of crispy fried yuca finished with tarragon chardonnay sauce

$14.00
Add ½ Glass Of N.v. Grotta Del Sole Gragnano Della Penisola Sorrentina $5.50

Antipasto
a taste of three artisan cheeses & two artisan meats, garnished with olives & toasted crostini

$16.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2009 Reuscher-haart Piesporter Riesling $5.50

Indonesian Curry Shrimp
large shrimp sautéed in soju & finished with spicy lemon grass curry sauce, garnished with flash fried glass noodles

$12.00
Add A ½ Glass Of 2006 Dragani Montepulciano D'abruzzo $6.50

Porcini Mushroom Mac & Cheese
macaroni, porcini mushrooms and a blend of artisan cheeses

$12.00
Add A ½ Glass Of 2007 Vecchia Cantina Rosso Di Montepulciano $5.50

Polenta Pomodoro
pan fried homemade polenta finished with a pomodoro cream sauce & pecorino romano cheese

$14.00
Add A ½ Glass Of 2009 Juan Gil Monastrell, Spain $6.00

Beef Tongue
slow cooked beef tongue, potato & carrot batonnet, with peppercorn demi glace

$20.00
Add 1/2 Glass Of 2009 Calina Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $5.50

Petite Filet Mignon
six ounces of vintage premium natural prime filet mignon & crispy fried onions with bleu des basque demi cream sauce.

$17.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2010 Urban Uco Malbec-tempranillo $6.50

Char Grilled Lamb Chops
two all-natural australian char grilled chops with dried blueberry syrah demi glace, garnished with crispy fried yuca

$11.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2009 Reuscher-haart Piesporter Riesling $5.50

Vegan Cajun Quinoa
cajun seasoned quinoa & seasonal vegetables garnished with fresh cilantro

$13.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2009 Le Marsue Pinot Grigio $5.50

Artichokes
sautéed, prosciutto wrapped baby artichokes drizzled with a citrus infused extra virgin olive oil

Tossed
All Tossed Dishes Are Served With Herb Foccacia Crisps.

$10.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2009 La Sclusa Ribolla Gialla $5.50

Old Vine Salad
seasonal greens with grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, shaved pecorino & citrus vinaigrette

$12.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2008 Fritz's Riesling $5.50

Baby Spinach
fresh spinach, fresh berries, marcona almonds, goat cheese & honey balsamic vinaigrette

$11.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2009 Reuscher-haart Piesporter Riesling $5.50

Crispy Blue
seasonal greens, crispy proscuitto, fried onions & maytag blue cheese dressing

$13.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2009 Domaine De Bernier Chardonnay $5.50

Artichoke Hearts Of Palm
seasonal greens, hearts of palm, artisan-cured ham & crispy fried artichokes tossed in creamy tarragon dressing, garnished with aged pecorino

$14.00
Add ½ Glass Of 2009 Le Marsure Pinot Grigio $5.50

Frutti Di Mare
cold salad of shrimp, calamari, octopus, shredded carrots & lemon vinaigrette on a bed of arugula greens

Looking for another city?

Old Vine Cafe

2937 Bristol St. Costa Mesa, CA 92626

714-545-1411

Description

2011 | Best Service In a Restaurant

2009 | Best Restaurant

2009 | Best Salad

2007 | Best New Restaurant

By MICHELLE WOO | Thu, October 13, 2011

By Gustavo Arellano | Mon, September 12, 2011

By GUSTAVO ARELLANO, EDWIN GOEI, DAVE LIEBERMAN, SHUJI SAKAI | Thu, August 25, 2011

By Gustavo Arellano | Wed, August 3, 2011

By Gustavo Arellano | Tue, September 7, 2010