>> Back to About

Vacation - May - June 2022

USA - California (Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego)

 

1 month stay at Newport Beach (Orange County), visited Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego (Southern California).

My sight-seeing webpage link:  Southern California (May/June 2022)

 

 

The Capital Grille at Newport Beach (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  The Capital Grille

Remarks:
Enjoyable dinner at Capital Grille restaurant (Costa Mesa, California), about 10 minutes drive from my residence at Newport Beach.
Tasty fresh crab appetizer, the portion is quite large.
For the main course, I like the truffle fries, with very nice strong truffle smell, also my favourite garlic spinach with lots of garlic.
The steak (dry aged New York strip) was done exactly the way I like (medium rare, with no blood).

 

 

Montage hotel at Laguna Beach (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.montagehotels.com/lagunabeach/

Remarks:
My healthy lunch... lobster salad & water melon cocktail... at Montage Hotel (Laguna Beach, California).
The service was good, wherever I walked, all the staff will stop, stand aside, greet me and wait until I walk past before they continue walking.
This hotel is very close to my residence at Newport Beach, about 20 minutes drive. Photos of the beach view from the hotel.

 

view from Montage hotel (Laguna Beach)

 

 

Avra restaurant at Beverly Hills (Los Angeles, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.theavragroup.com/location/avra-beverly-hills/

Remarks:
Enjoyable dinner at Avra (Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, USA). Grill octopus as appetizer, 'Balada' (fish) as main course. Tasty (in Japanese).
Good seafood restaurant with very relaxed ambience.
About 1 hour drive to Beverly Hills from my residence at Newport Beach.

 

 

Mastro's Ocean Club at Newport Beach (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.mastrosrestaurants.com/location/mastros-ocean-club-newport-beach/

Remarks:
Mastro's Ocean Club restaurant at Newport Beach (Orange County, California). This restaurant is close to where I live (about 5 minutes drive).
I like the presentation of the 'King crab cocktail', dry-ice 'smoky' effect from the glass rim.
The fillet steak was delicious, cooked exactly the way I like (medium rare, red inside with no blood on the plate when I cut the meat).

 

 

Trump National Golf Club (Los Angeles, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.trumpnationallosangeles.com/

Remarks:
Thinking of darling Mitchy ... while having my 'Happy Hour' drink at Trump Golf Club (Los Angeles).
Reminded me of April 2017, that was the first time I phoned Tokyo from Miami (Trump Golf Resort), to enquire about Mitchy's concert tickets (Funk a la Mode 2017).

 

 

The Drake restaurant at Laguna Beach (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.thedrakelaguna.com/

Remarks:
The Drake restaurant at Laguna Beach, enjoyable dinner.
The tartare tuna was nicely presented. The venison taste good, I like the slight hint of salty flavor on the edge of the venison, blends in beautifully with the cranberry sauce.
The 'live' jazz music was a nice compliment to the atmosphere.

 

 

Sakana Sushi Lounge (Los Angeles, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.sakanadtla.com/

Remarks:
Good sashimi/sushi dinner at Sakana Sushi Lounge (Los Angeles, California, USA).
Each portion of sashimi is 5 pieces, sushi is 2 pieces.
It would have been even more enjoyable if Mitchy is here ... then can have more varieties of raw fish. Because by myself, I cannot eat such huge amount of food.

 

 

Fleming’s Steakhouse at Newport Beach (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/Locations/CA/Newport-Beach

Remarks:
Dinner in my local area (Newport Beach), Flemings restaurant. Nice starter, 'beef Carpaccio' (ie raw beef), yummy... original flavor of the... cow.
Main course, miso glazed chilean sea bass, delicious. Finish off the dinner with some healthy fruits... my favorite mixed berries.

 

 

The Ritz-Carlton at Laguna Niguel (Orange County, California, USA)
hotel link:  Ritz Carlton hotel (Laguna Niguel)

Remarks:
Nice sunshine at Laguna Beach (California, USA), 20 minutes drive from Newport Beach..
Cooling champagne at Ritz-Carlton hotel (Laguna Niguel, California) on a hot day, enjoyable!
View towards Laguna Beach from the hotel.
I have many friends and relatives in California (San Francisco & Los Angeles). I have not met them for many years.
I seldom arrange large group gatherings, normally just one or two people.

 

 

Geoffrey's restaurant at Malibu (Los Angeles, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.geoffreysmalibu.com/

Remarks:
Dinner at Geoffrey restaurant in Malibu (California, USA), about 2 hours drive from Newport Beach. The special feature of this restaurant is that all the tables are on the outdoor patio with panoramic ocean view.
Nice seafood. I had tuna tartare as appetizer and scallop as main course. I chose early dinner at 4pm, to have the ocean view better before it gets dark.

 

 

Pelican Hill Golf Club restaurant at Newport Beach (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  Pelican Hill Golf Club

Remarks:
Enjoyable dinner at Pelican Grill in Pelican Hill Golf Club (Newport Beach, California).
I order the specials of the day (not in the menu), scallop as the appetizer, pork chop as the main course. My favourite mixed berries as dessert.

 

 

Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara (North San Diego, California, USA)
hotel link:  https://www.fourseasons.com/northsandiego/?seo=google_local_car1_amer

Remarks:
Healthy light lunch at Four Seasons hotel, pawns salad with my favourite mango martini.
About 1 hour drive from my residence at Newport Beach (Orange County).

 

 

Sushi Murasaki at Santa Ana (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.sushi-murasaki.com/

Remarks:
Murasaki (California) was recommended by local American friends. They chose this for me because the 'purple' theme (seat color & restaurant website name 'MURA紫SAKI').
Good choice, the purple theme (Mitchy's favorite color) does give a close feel of Mitchy .
Sushi was very fresh, omakase menu only.

 

 

The Winery restaurant at Newport Beach (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.thewinerynewport.com/

Remarks:
The Winery restaurant at Newport Beach (California, USA), excellent waterfront view & ambience.
A wide selection of good wine. Nice food for dinner.
Convenient, just 5 minutes drive from where I live.

 

 

Morton's The Steakhouse at Santa Ana (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.mortons.com/location/mortons-the-steakhouse-santa-ana-ca/

Remarks:
Have been to many different Morton Steakhouse in USA.
This one is close to my residence in Newport Beach, about 15 minutes drive.
Nice ambience & good food.  The steak was cooked exactly the way I like, medium rare (red inside, with no blood on the plate when cut the meat).

 

 

Pelican Hill Golf Club & Resort at Newport Beach (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  Pelican Hill Golf Club

Remarks:
Me, having a cooling afternoon at Pelican Hill Golf Club (Newport Beach, California), ice-cream and cool drinks. I come here quite often because it's close to where I live (15 minutes drive).
I took the Estate Agent to this place, after she showed me some properties in this area.
Mitchy ate ice-cream during video recording (なるみ・岡村の過ぎるTV), sharing ice-cream moment together (across the ocean 遠隔)... Mitchy.

 

 

Orange Hill restaurant (Orange County, California, USA)
restaurant link:  https://www.theorangehillrestaurant.com/

Remarks:
Nice sunset view at Orange Hill restaurant (California), also with panoramic view of the whole town. This restaurant's garden has a pond with large size koi.
I chose indoor table, because it feels chilly after 6pm. Steak of this place was good.
This restaurant is about 30 minutes drive from my residence at Newport Beach (California).