I’ve visited ARC several times now after its opening at SoCo’s The OC Mix. My son absolutely loves it and often asks if we can go back again and for me, I find the simple, yet rustic menu very appealing. After several visits, I feel I’ve tried enough of the menu to give a good rundown of what Chef/Owner Noah Blom and partner Marin Howarth’s vision for this trendsetter of a restaurant is all about.
They call the concept “scratch cooking”, a hands-on approach to cooking like we did back in the day before we had all this technology. Everything is cooked on an open flame, or a wood fire oven, there are no stoves here. It’s going back to the basics of cooking.
I’ve had many people “complain” to me regarding the menu, how it is overly simplistic. I, on the other hand, loathe an overly complicated menu. Simple, I like. The menu is very straight-forward — fish, pig, duck, veg — that’s the only heading you’ll get, plus a handful of accoutrements for some idea what’s in the dish. But then again, what else do you need? You’ll be served a part of the animal as they plate it because Chef Blom uses the entire animal.
Everything here is served in a cast iron skillet, scalding when it arrives. Trivets are placed on the table for them to sit on as each dish comes out of the oven. One of our favorites was Calamari ($15), with potato, lemon (we’ve had both regular lemon as well as kaffir lime) and pepper. My son pointed out how nice it was that the calamari wasn’t fried.
Casserole ($12) with chicken, broccoli and cheddar was a rectangular iron pan of cheesy, gooey, deliciousness. So rich and comforting I don’t think my son wanted to share.
One of the items we ordered on every occasion was Duck ($15) which is first cured and then crisped in the oven and served with lemon, jam and honey. The sweetness and tartness from the jam and honey is perfectly paired with the fall-off-the-bone duck. I believe everyone loved it and we are still talking about it a month plus after our visits.
The selection for the Veg ($12) always rotate. Farm fresh vegetables — zucchini and shimeiji mushrooms were in the skillet on this visit and it was eaten up really quickly by all.
If you’re a fan of Bacon ($8), I highly suggest you order a side of it. Cured and smoked in-house, these thick slices are perfect for sharing. So rich and so decadent, a few slices of this sandwiched between some bread with lettuce and tomato is all I would want for the perfect sandwich!
The only item off the regular menu I didn’t really enjoy was Soup ($10) and onion soup which wasn’t rich and hearty like the onions soups I prefer.
After all that, now is the time to tell you about the “secret menu”. Well, it’s not really THAT secretive, but if it’s your first visit, you probably won’t know about it. Every day, behind the open flame is the secret menu, surreptitiously written on the refrigerator door.
We ordered The Salad ($18) — essentially, a grilled chicken salad served in a wooden serving platter enough for two to share or four as an appetizer. Yes, there was THAT much food!!
The Burger ($18) is also not on the regular menu but it’s there — oh, it’s there! I’m not even a burger person and I wanted a second bite of this. It’s a big burger and I’m glad there were a lot of us to share it, but I could seriously eat this whole burger myself.
Another special is Salmon ($30), a piece of grilled salmon with vegetables and served with a glass of white wine. This off-the-menu item is an homage to Noah’s mom, who, according to the chef used to cook salmon so dismally it was dry and unpalatable. Here, the salmon is flaky moist and absolutely delicious. It serves as a meal on its own or if you’re like us, we shared!
One more little secret at ARC is that everything on the menu can be ordered as a sandwich. So if you wanted the duck, steak or pig as a sandwich, they’ll put it between some delicious bread from OC Baking Company for you to enjoy! Just ask!
There are no desserts here. I’ve heard many reasons why from Chef not particularly fond of making desserts to Chef not particularly fond of eating desserts. This way, I don’t have to save room for the desserts my friends order and I can utilize all the space in my stomach for the savory. Someone told me “the cocktails are the desserts!” Music to my ears!
I love ARC and I know you will too. This week, I have $50 for one of my readers to win to visit ARC and sample the delicious eats and libations they have to offer. Leave me a comment with your FULL name telling me why this style of cooking appeals to you. Entries close Sunday 31st. A lucky winner will be announced on Monday, April 1st — and no it won’t be an April fools, you’ll REALLY get the $50 to ARC!
ARC
3303 Hyland Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Tel: 949-500-5561
This kind of food appeals to me on an emotional level. My mother cooks in cast iron all the time. So seeing food like this makes me think of family dinners–and I will have to take them if I win. Plus, all of the dishes presented here are things I crave (with the exception of the salad, who wants rabbit food?).
I am fascinated by the idea of cooking only with wood. I know this chef has worked in some amazing kitchens where there are exacting standards on how the food is to be prepared. How can they control it and be guaranteed great consistent results when using fire? What an amazing and challenging concept!!! He must truly believe in the idea to build a whole restaurant around it. I love experiencing and tasting the passion in food.
I love this type of “simplistic” food. It reminds me of camping where you only have an open flame and have to be resourceful with what you have on hand.
This place sounds amazing! Impeccably fresh ingredients lovingly prepared–talk about passion and dedication. Everything looks absolutely scrumptious, especially that calamari, mmm. And cocktails for dessert? Yes, please! I really need to visit this place!
-Stephanie Han
I really want to try the secret menu burger! It looks killer.
This epitomizes my favorite cooking. You just need a few, great ingredients prepared well.
Jonathan Zabala
I am very excited to try this place. The duck sounds amazing and I always order duck when I see it on a mention. The decor reminds of little rustic places I encountered while in France. Thanks for your detailed and informative write-up. I’ll keep a look-out for that secret menu
This is such a “new” idea to cook like “old”. It sounds fascinating and I would love to see this in person. It seems like the natural evolution of the farm to table movement at restaurants. I applaud Noah for using the whole animal and wish other restaurants would as well. Let’s go and support Noah! – Karen Terry
I’d be hard pressed to find anyone I know that wouldn’t find simplistic cooking appealing. I think that style makes the food seem more approachable. I’d love to give it a try.
The idea of simplicity makes the food much more approachable which is what is most appealing about the restaurant as there is a sense that this is something I could do. I’d love the opportunity to give it a try.
Very cool and beautiful photos!
Suzanne, these are very well written and you pick great restaurants that I’ve never heard of. Thank you. (And no, not angling for the $50)
Professor Peter M. Weitzner
Business Journalist
Director-Broadcast Journalism Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Chapman University One University Drive Orange, CA 92866 Phone: (714) 628-7259 Fax: (714) 997-6700 Cell: (949) 291-1316
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“Scratch Cooking” appeals to me as its very different from a lot of the cooking and food that is available now. It seems that we are still ruled by huge servings and unhealthy ingredients so to eat at a place that celebrates simple natural food so you can experience the true flavor of the meal is very appealing to me.
This place sounds so cool. I love BBQ and smoking meats in my backyard so it would be could to go to a restaurant that takes that style of cooking to a higher level and see what he comes up with.
This style of cooking seems very natural and simple, the way cooking should be.
I love this style of cooking because it allows the freshness of the ingredients come through and taste as they should.
The wood burning oven is the main seasoning ingredient in everything that is cooked. They have some nice cocktails and the largest beet salad I’ve ever received at a restaurant. Worth a visit.
The Salad looks awesome. Great place Anita =)
I love simple cooking it reminds me of my childhood my grandmother allways used cast iron pans and BBQ.
The restaurant reminds me of the PBS show – Colonial Days and Pioneer Days – where people on a reality show lived like in the Colonial Period in the US and then subsequently the Pioneer period. Do we really need nitrogen and chemistry experiments to drive our cuisine – I think not. Simple food is the best food, simple cooking techniques always appeal to me best (roasted chicken or roasted vegtables) and boy does that BACON look amazing.
I also like simplicity, I think when we get older, we just like it simple.
As to cooking wise, cooks these days overdo it with ingredients. Whatever happened to just fish for your own dinner, put it over the flames, and add lemon & salt?
Another great looking neighborhood gem! I’m a fan of the Duck, so looking forward to taking Stephen to try! Thanks for the find!
…because it’s practically HOMEMADE goodness! Anita, my mouth is watering from your pictures/words. *drool*
I love the flavor that an open flame brings to the dish. Sounds like pure and simple deliciousness.
It appeals to me because it reminds me of warm, cozy winter nights when you pull a nice warm meal out of the oven to enjoy with family!
It’s reminiscent of the olden days where fires were the main tool to cook food! It’s completely awesome!
unreal that they cook all that with only the wood fired oven. looks ridiculous!
congratulations to you, winner of the giveaway
Early Man only cooked with fire – I am totally captivated by Noah’s concept and want to go back to try the not-so-secret-menu items.
What an enticing description of this restaurant – each of the dishes looks more delicious than the next! I really like the idea of eating the entire animal, but as I’m not as inclined to order innards and stranger bits off the menu I might need something like this where those parts are a little camouflaged into the wonderful skillet meal. I will definitely try ARC! Any place that has a dish called Bacon is a restaurant after my own heart.
ARC has been at the top of my list of new OC restaurants to try so the gift card would be awesome!
Simple cooking over the fire always enhances the product, letting the flavors & textures stand out. i’ve been to oc mart mix but missed seeing arc. it sounds like a must try. thanks
Just found your blog, it’s great! There are so many restaurants I want to try now, because of you. I would love to try the hamburger at ARC! Looks wonderful.
The style of cooking appeals to me because I think that simple really can be best when it comes to food. I like basic ingredients and styles that produce delicious meals. 🙂
Because it makes sense that there would be an expected backlash to molecular gastronomy, bringing back the simple, rustic pleasure of cooking over an open flame. Apologies to Wylie Dufresne & WD-50!
Alright let’s see if I can taste the same type of magic tonight, Anita. Thanks for the insight.