2145 — Costa Mesa

Every week, I make a drive to Costa Mesa, to The Water Brewery, to pick up water. On the way, I pass by 2145, a restaurant my son has visited several times, and wants me to try.

We arrive early for lunch, and are the first ones there. I pick a seat where I think I will have the best lighting for photos. While waiting for our food, I notice the pizza oven in the kitchen and ask if I may take a photo of it.

Our first plate of Bresaola + Burrata ($13) is a salad of mixed greens, with pickled fennel, hibiscus-poached pear, tossed in a ginger-yuzu dressing. The bresaola is nicely seasoned with excellent savoriness — a great pairing for the sweet-tart flavors of the pear and fennel. It is the perfect item to start with, to whet your appetite for what’s to come.

I’m a huge fan of Octopus ($12) and am anticipating to sink my teeth into it. Squid ink and onion puree lines the bottom of the dish, with arugula salad, pickled fennel, scallions, radish and yuzu celery, atop. At first, I think the tempura shiitaki mushrooms are bites of octopus, but am disappointed that the only octopus on the plate is the one tentacle draped on top of the entire concoction. Octopus is definitely not the star feature of the dish, although I enjoy it immensely.

My son loves the pizza here, so we go ahead and order two. Pancetta + Egg ($18) comes with rosemary mascarpone, smoked mozzarella, mushrooms, and red onion. I like the crispy pancetta, and a runny egg on a pizza is always lovely. The Napoletana-style pizza is wet in the middle — even though I do ask for it to be well done. The flavor is there, but a better chew on the crust is what I am looking for here.

Pepperoni ($15) pizza is stellar, with crushed San Marzano tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, and Boar’s Head pepperoni. Surprisingly, I prefer this over the former, as it is simple, straightforward, possessing a solid flavor that is pleasing and delicious.