diary of a MAD HUNGRY WOMAN

The adventures of a Mad Hungry Woman

  • Home
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Delish Dish
  • Anecdotes
  • Sponsored
  • Newsworthy
  • ABOUT MHW
    • FULL BIO

a long awaited revisit to Vine San Clemente

February 12, 2016 Mad Hungry Woman Leave a Comment

I have a group of girlfriends who I’m pretty close to. They’re the one of the first people I meet when I moved to southern California and even though we don’t see each other as often as we’d like, we do get together for one another’s birthdays each year.

The first of our birthdays falls in February, and generally, they look to me for dining suggestions. This year, I recommend dinner at Vine in San Clemente. It is a little far and out of the way for us, but I promise my friends they won’t be disappointed. It is raining the night of our visit, but it doesn’t dampen our excitement. We are always happy to get together regardless of whether the food is good or not, but it is important to me that the restaurant I choose excels in both cuisine and service, especially when celebrating birthdays.

We settle in with a drink — some with a cocktail, others with a glass of wine. I order a charcuterie board to start. Domestic Cured Meats, Cold Cuts, Olives & Crostinis ($11/$19) and Artisan Cheese, Seasonal Garnish & Toasted Sour Baguette ($11/$19) is gorgeous and my friends are absolutely wow-ed by the presentation. We nibble on the selections in between sips of our libations, catching up on four months since we last see one another.

20160130_173059

One of my favorites on the menu is Crispy Meyer Lemon & Honey Duck Wings ($13) — fall-off-the-bone tender drumsticks coated in a citrus honey chile sauce. My friends are impressed by how unique the wings are, saying they’ve never seen duck wings on a menu before. The flavors are robust with a nice kick at the end. Sticky, gooey, and well worth the messiness.

DSC09379

Manila Clams & Rock Shrimp with Saffron Couscous ($15) is another favorite, and I know everyone will love it as much as I do. Bits of Spanish chorizo are dotted among beads of yellow-hued saffron Israeli couscous. The combination of oregano, roasted garlic and charred tomato broth, together with the umami from the clams and shrimp is infused deeply into each little pearl, creating an insanely piquant dish. I might even be so bold to say this is one of my top 20 dishes of all time. My friends agree it is one of the best things they’ve ever eaten.

DSC09384

Of course, I can never come to Vine and not eat the Pork Schnitzel ($22). Each season, Chef changes up the accoutrements for this dish. Right now, it is served with maitake mushrooms (hen of the woods), pumpkin spaetzle, winter vegetables, thyme roasted apples, whole grain mustard and cider gravy. The portion is generous and we are glad we are sharing everything.

DSC09386

The Fish of the Day ($31) is a beautiful white fish — I’m not able to recall what it is exactly, but I think seabass –served with Romanesco cauliflower, wilted frisee, and fingerling potatoes, among other things. We are savoring every morsel of this perfect dish and dragging our vegetables over every drop of the remaining sauce on the plate.

DSC09389

Order the Baked Skillet of Mac & Cheese ($8) as a side, and you’ll be sure everyone will be happy. It is utterly sinful, and I am glad no one says the four letter word D-I-E-T!

DSC09392

I’m perfectly happy ending our meal right here, but the birthday girl loves desserts and we have two on their way.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Crumble ($9) is an apple strudel, crumbed oatmeal raisin cookie of sorts with ice cream and drizzled with bourbon caramel. It looks very sweet, but is surprisingly balanced even for my sugar-sensitive palate.

20160130_190039

However, it is the Scarffenberger Chocolate Souffle Cake ($10) that blows our minds. Our server takes the scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and immerses it into the center of the cake and is enveloped by the warmth, causing it to melt into the rich airy chocolate-y mound. It is decadence at its best.

If you haven’t been to Vine, please make your reservations immediately. The menu consists of a host of excellent dishes which will tempt even the fussiest of eaters. You will be glad you came!

Vine Restaurant & Bar
211 N El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA 92672
Tel: 949-361-2079

Food, Orange County comfort food, cuisine, gastropub, wine

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Socialize with me:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Blog Updates via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

About Me

This blog is a journal of mostly my eating adventures, but also, other things I'm passionate about, including travel, the arts, and also, necessities to complete my life. Centered predominantly in and around Orange County, CA, some will extend to Los Angeles, San Diego and beyond. I am constantly searching for delicious food to eat and fun things to do, nothing is out of bounds. Sometimes it doesn't end well, but I can definitely say, it will always be an interesting journey.

Search my adventures

Affiliations:

LDEI

Recent Posts

  • seafood galore in Mexico City
  • A at Crystal Cove
  • Ear buds that are truly noise canceling
  • Le Shrimp Ramen revamped
  • Old Vine Kitchen & Bar: weekend brunch

Archives

Categories

Lifestyles & Happenings

Goodbye 2020, Welcome 2021

Delish Dish

DELISH DISH: wild boar chili

DELISH DISH: tempura cauliflower

DELISH DISH: Crab Congee

Newsworthy

Ear buds that are truly noise canceling

delectable date-sweetened chocolates from Dateolate

spiked coffee at your fingertips

Copyright © 2023 · Daily Dish Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in