Barbara’s Bits & Bites:
It’s been a while since I’ve written a Barbara’s Bits & Bites food column, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been out and about discovering and rediscovering fun places to eat.
This week I was invited to dine at Orange Coast College’s Captain’s Table by Liz Parker, an OCC Foundation specialist.
The restaurant is at the heart of OCC’s food service and culinary arts program.
Readers may remember my column from December, when I wrote about OCC’s culinary arts program and the restaurant, which serves as a hands-on training facility for students who want to learn what it takes to run an eatery.
Monday was a special luncheon served by OCC’s Hot Food Team students Adrian Almanza, Annette Alvarado, Zack Evans, Lauren Lopez and Elizabeth Mendoza.
The team left this week for the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) 2015 American Culinary Classic, July 30 to Aug. 3 in Orlando.
OCC’s Hot Food Team took first place and earned a gold medal at the ACF’s Feb. 7 California state championship at Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco. And members earned high marks at the regional event in March held in Las Vegas.
Culinary instructor and chef Bill Barber has coached the team since September. The dedicated students arrived at 6 a.m. each Friday and spent eight to 10 hours in the kitchen. During January, the team doubled its practice schedule.
These students worked hard to perfect their competition menu, and Monday was their last opportunity to prepare and serve the meal at the Captain’s Table.
The four-course menu, which they will present at the competition, was an explosion of flavor:
Appetizer
Herbed-baked arctic char
Watercress sauce
Sautéed butternut squash
Toasted pecans and buttered corn
Celery-root puree corn filled pasta (Casoncelli)
Mousseline of arctic char wilted fennel
Salad
Mache, friseé, baby red oak — herb vinaigrette
Marinated haricot verts
Cherry tomato, celery leaves
Fried green tomato
Deviled eggs
Fresh lemon cheese
Celery-seed lavash cracker
Entrée
Prosciutto-wrapped chicken breast terrine
Mousseline of mushroom chicken
Braised chicken thigh mushroom demi-glaze
Epinards a’ la viroflay
Roasted shiitake
Glazed carrots
Tourne potato
Buttered asparagus
Dessert
Melba-inspired peaches and cream
Peach frangipane tart
Vanilla-berry ice cream, crunchy almond cookie
Macaron
Macerated fruit, cherry sauce
The meal was amazing, the presentation impressive.
I give OCC’s Hot Food Team an A-plus and wish it the best at this week’s competition.
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A return to Back Bay Bistro
My little rescue dog, Stasha, wasn’t at lunch with me at the Captain’s Table because it doesn’t have a patio, but we did dine together last week at the Newport Dunes Resort’s Back Bay Bistro.
We hadn’t been in a while, and summer is the perfect time to visit. Located at 1131 Back Bay Drive, the restaurant is on the water near the Dunes boat launch.
The outdoor patio wraps around the lower level, overlooking the picturesque Back Bay. Seating is comfy with large umbrellas. There’s even a sign directing guests to “Dog Friendly Dining.”
A favorite lunch item of mine is the Bistro Caesar Salad ($11), made with crisp romaine heart lettuce with shaved Parmesan cheese topped with house-made Caesar dressing. Customers can add chicken ($5), four shrimp ($8), or salmon ($6).
The Back Bay Taco Salad ($14) is another good choice served in a taco shell with iceberg lettuce, chicken, avocado, sour cream, chives and pico de gallo.
Burgers are good here and the Back Bay Bistro Burger ($14) is popular, as are the turkey burgers and sandwiches. Each come with a choice of french fries, fresh fruit or cole slaw.
Brunch is served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and it’s quite a spread, including salads, waffles, omelets, pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausages.
Carving stations offer New York steak, as well as seafood selections like smoked salmon, king crab legs and oysters on the half shell.
The price is $52 for adults and includes champagne or mimosas ($47 without alcohol). Children under 10 are $16.
BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at bvontv1@gmail.com.