Seasons 52, Costa Mesa

Waiting for my friend at bar to have dinner during restaurant week at Seasons 52.  It took an inordinately long time for female bartender to acknowledge me but the male barback didn’t either.  Bourbon selection for a bar this big is horrible – Makers and Jack Daniels.  I pick Makers and am mostly satisfied with the drink.  

Start a conversation with the guy next to me (who, if you can believe it, picked up his steak with his hands and took a big bite out of it).  His wife, next chair down, works for Disney and he tells me about the Carthay Circle Restaurant that makes the best manhattans he’s ever had.  You do have to pay something like $80 to get into Disney which is the only way to gain access to the restaurant.  He also tells me about Yamakazi Whisky from Japan that he likes very much too.  Will try the later but probably not the former.  He googles 52 Manhattans and there I am. 

Seasons 52 did it up right for Restaurant Week.  Several choices for appetizers and entrees. But wait, there's more.  We got the choice of an organic mixed green salad or an organic baby spinach salad with seasonal pears, toasted pine nuts, crumbled gorgonzola cheese.  

We tried the cider-glazed grilled chicken skewers with Fuji apple slaw, sun-dried cranberries, and toasted pumpkin seeds and the Sonoma goat cheese ravioli with organic tomato broth, roasted garlic and fresh sweet basil.  

This place prides itself on fresh products and for dishes that are under 475 calories each. You'd never have guess the calorie count on either of these dishes.  Both hit the spot.

Our entrees were equally satisfying.  Cedar plank roasted Pacific king salmon came with roasted ranbow carrots, fresh asparagus, and Weiser Farm roasted potatoes.  The wood-fired pork tenderloin was served with soft herb polenta, cremini mushrooms, broccoli and shallot-Dijon glaze.  

Remember what I said about 475 calories per item? That applies to the amazing and delicious selection of desserts.  There were all kinds of flavors, german chocolate (and I can vouch for that one), blueberry crumble, chocolate mouse, cheesecake, cannoli, really just too many to remember.  

The service was very, very, good.  Waiter explained all our choices and never, ever, made us feel rushed.