Irvine is quickly becoming on the best, most diverse culinary destinations in Southern California. Here are some unique dishes that can only be found within (or near) its borders!

CUCINA Enoteca

Italian restaurant CUCINA enoteca, part of the Urban Kitchen Group,opened its doors in 2011. Cesar Sarmiento, chef de cuisine of CUCINA enoteca in Newport Beach and Irvine, describes the eatery as “a modern kitchen, which is focused on creating dishes that bring together the seasonal bounty of Southern California while serving up new interpretations of Italian fare.” He continued, “at CUCINA enoteca, we’re inspired by the cultures around us, from Middle Eastern to Asian and Spanish, and we infuse a bit of those flavors into our Italian cuisine.” Try the squid ink linguini, consisting of muscles, clams, shrimp, fennel soffritto and arrabbiata. 532 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine.

Kobe meatballs (Courtesy of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse

Davio’s menu is inspired from Northern Italian cuisine and includes handmade pasta, seafood and, of course, steak. You can’t miss the Kobe meatballs. These are made with American Kobe beef, veal and pork. It actually takes three days to make these, and you can really tell. They’re so tender that they melt in your mouth; whether you’re a meatball connoisseur or you just really love meat, you have to try these meatballs. If meatballs aren’t your thing, or you prefer seafood, the second dish we recommend is the crab cake. It’s one of Davio’s signature dishes, consisting of lump crab cake that’s oven baked and topped off with a whole grain mustard sauce.18420 Von Karman Ave #100, Irvine.

(Courtesy of SAJJ Mediterranean)

SAJJ Mediterranean

What makes SAJJ Mediterranean so special? Everything is customizable. Try their Build Your Own Bowl (pitas or salads are also choices for your base) that can be filled with chicken or steak shawarma, pomegranate chicken, their signature falafel, or even shawafel (falafel and shawarma). After that, unlimited toppings and sauces, including hummus, cilantro mint chutney, tahini, tzatziki and peri peri are available for further customization. What should you absolutely not skip? Their chocolate hummus. Made with just six ingredients — garbanzo beans, tahini, cocoa powder, chocolate hazelnut spread, maple syrup and vanilla extract — it can be ordered with house-made cinnamon sugar-dusted chips or on its own. 6636 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine.

Creamistry

Creamistry, whose flagship store calls Irvine home, is an ice cream shop where everything, even the ice cream, is made to order by their “Creamologists.” Banana lovers should order the “Elvis Presley,” made with fresh banana ice cream, banana slices, Reese’s Peanut Butter sauce, real bacon and whipped cream. Not a fan of bananas? Try their Fruity Pebbles ice cream sandwich, a custom dessert made with two Fruity Pebble marshmallow treats. 3972 Barranca Parkway, Suite D, Irvine.

Le Diplomate Café

Le Diplomate Café is an old staple, having been open since 1995. The dish we recommend trying here is the chicken broccoli mushroom sandwich. It comes with oven-baked chicken breast, steamed broccoli and mushroom, all in a French baguette roll with a garlic sauce and cheese, grilled panini-style. “The garlic sauce is our signature sauce. We make [it] here, [in house],” says manager Lisa Park. The combination of the food mixed with this special garlic sauce definitely makes this dish one of Irvine’s best.  University Center, Suite B161, Irvine.

(Courtesy of Agora Churrascaria)

Agora Churrascaria

At Brazilian steakhouse Agora Churrascaria, the meat is cooked on an open fire and carved tableside by traditionally dressed gauchos — ranchers from the South of Brazil. Don’t miss out on their picanha, which is a top sirloin-cap, a prime cut that the restaurant specially orders. While picanha is a traditional Brazilian dish that is served at many Brazilian steakhouses, Agora Churrascaria’s stands out because of the quality of the meat. Another dish not to miss is something that a lot of Brazilian restaurants in the U.S. don’t serve: chicken heart. While it may sound a bit exotic to an American palette, we assure you that the dish is so delicious that it’s worth the commute. 1830 Main Street, Irvine.

Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen

Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen started off as tacos and tequila and has since evolved into a Latin kitchen. Everything is made in-house and from scratch with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Everything is made to order, and that goes for both the bar as well as the food. For seafood lovers we insist on the fresh seafood caldo, which is fresh fish, shrimp, clams, squid, saffron-tomato broth, herbs and toasted angel hair. One of their other top dishes is pretty common at other Latin restaurants, but not in the way that Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen does it: the carne asada. A grilled, marinated skirt steak with roasted potatoes, poblano peppers and fresh chimichurri, this is one menu item not to be missed. 13126 Jamboree Road, Irvine.

Honey & Butter Macarons

At Honey & Butter Macarons everything from their drinks to their cookies and all the ingredients that go in them is made from scratch. This bakery has plenty of macaron options available, from their classic macarons to their dozen daily flavors, to rare flavors and character macarons. With so many to choose from, how does one pick the right flavor? We recommend the crème brûlée, one of Honey & Butter’s rare flavors. The bakers make the custard in house to produce a delectable buttercream. Be sure to try one of the character macarons; our favorite is the corgi. Shaped like the famous dog, it’s almost too cute to eat — key word “almost.” 633 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine.

HiroNori Craft Ramen

While there are many ramen places throughout Orange County, what lands the ramen at HiroNori Craft Ramen on this list is its authenticity. The owners worked for ramen shops in Japan over the course of a decade and then traveled throughout the country eating a lot of ramen. So what two dishes should you be sure not to miss? The first would be their vegan ramen, which contains sesame miso broth, broccolini, tofu, corn, bean sprouts, soy meat, baby kale and chili oil. The second is a more traditional ramen, the tonkotsu ramen, which contains pork chashu, green onion, spinach, seaweed and bean sprouts. 2222 Michelson Drive #234, Irvine.

Bacchus Bar and Bistro

Bacchus Bar and Bistro in the Quail Hill Shopping Center, first opened in 2005. The first dish we’re recommending is the lamb lollipops, which comes with mashed potatoes and Napa cabernet reduction. The second dish is the filet mignon, which comes with mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms, carrots and Napa cabernet reduction. Seared quickly with woody herbs then finished in the oven to give the cut an exact medium rare, this dish is accompanied with fresh seasonal veggies that are sautéed in Chiaromonte olive oil from Apuglia in Italy. The addition of a Napa cabernet reduction brings an overall harmony to the plate that can’t be missed. 6735 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine.

Arc Burger (Courtesy of ARC Food & Libations)

Outside Irvine

ARC Food & Libations

ARC is a “wood-burning American steakhouse and craft cocktail bar with on point ambiance and service,” says co-owner Marín von Blöm. You must try the ARC burger, complete with a 16-ounce patty that is ground sirloin, whipped duck fat and bacon lardon seasoned with garlic and herbs. Complete with a house-made potato cornmeal crusted roll and topped with red oak tossed in roasted garlic vinaigrette, pickled Fresno chilies, shaved red onion, heirloom tomato and a choice of Roquefort bleu cheese or Hook’s 10-year aged cheddar, this is truly a dish not to be missed. 321 Hyland Ave., Suite F, Costa Mesa.

Croque Madame (Courtesy of Moulin)

Moulin

Moulin, a French restaurant on the border of Irvine and Newport Beach, is O.C.’s portal to Paris. “From the moment you step inside, Moulin transports you to France with the smell of fresh baked bread, the sight of artisan pastries glistening in the patisserie and fresh chickens turning in the rotisserie, accompanied by the sound of people speaking French,” says proprietor Laurent Vrignaud. “It is an all-encompassing French experience unlike anywhere else in the county.” The “best dish” is really any of the artisan pastries from their patisserie, as well as the croque madame, which Vrignaud describes as “iconic.” 1000 Bristol St. N St. 10, Newport Beach.

Bosscat Kitchen and Libations

Bosscat Kitchen and Libations, located right next to John Wayne Airport, first opened in 2014. General manager Chris Daily describes the restaurant as a “southern style whiskey bar with a California twist.” Offering over 300 whiskeys, one popular drink that pops on and off the menu is the Kentucky Orange Blossom, made with Buffalo Trace whiskey. No doubt the Kentucky Orange Blossom pairs well with our pick: the 12-hour beef short rib. “We braise [the meat] for 12 hours and the meat is handpicked,” says Daily. “We do our own black pepper sauce glaze on scalloped potatoes with fried onion strings. It’s one of the four [dishes from] the original 2014 menu and it’s still on the menu. It’s an amazing dish.” We couldn’t agree more. 4647 MacArthur Blvd, Newport Beach.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting Irvine Weekly and our advertisers.