Best O.C. food discoveries of 2010 | Irvine Real Estate – Irvine Homes for Sale

I don’t review restaurants, but my food beat forces me to try many new eateries each year as I cover Orange County’s dining scene.

And, when I say “new,” I mean new to me. It can be a fusion dish discovered at an old O.C. restaurant, or a classic comfort meal found at a chic new pub.

Listen up restaurant owners: Café R&D is a reminder to all of you that you don’t have to offer a 25-page Cheesecake Factory-style menu to lure foodies. Nearly everything on the limited Cafe R&D (Fashion Island, Newport Beach) menu is fantastic. But, if you want to die and go to Au Jous Heaven, get the French dip made with thinly sliced roasted prime rib. It is served on a toasted bun that is most certainly brushed with a ton of butter.

R & D Kitchen is simply one of my favorites places to eat in Orange County!