RESTAURANT REVIEW: Twisted Authenticity
Posted by: Scott W. Graves | 11/16/2007 6:05 PM
Whether for happy hour or dinner, Kimera is worth the hunt
By Clare Venegas
Walk into Kimera and you might expect to see Paris Hilton sipping a martini with a gaggle of thin model types. Well, maybe not the party girl Paris, but a 9-to-5 business version of her with enough attractive professionals to explain why happy hour at this sexy new lounge and restaurant gets more popular every week.
Kimera is the newest piece in the 'Dining as Art' collection of eateries, part of the same group that owns another business-crowd favorite, Bistango. It's clear that while the two share the same concept--serving inventive cuisine amid equally attractive art and architecture--Kimera is aimed at a trendier crowd.
Two things you should know right off the bat--it's not Japanese and it's a bit hard to find. Tucked between two beige office towers on Jamboree Road, Kimera's location is not ideal. But what Kimera lacks in scenery and setting, it more than makes up for in an imaginative menu, a sophisticated-not-stuffy ambiance, and one of the best happy hour values around.
Small plate appetizers are $4 each on weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. The wood-fired, thin-crusted pizzas are a sure-fire table hit. My favorites are the white basil pesto, the Spanish chorizo, and the traditional margherita. For seafood lovers, the refreshing oysters with honeydew vodka granite are a cool summer appetizer and the luscious mussel fritters are satisfying without being heavy.
Another popular small plate, surprisingly, is the sweet-and-sour pork belly. But one bite of the tender cubes and it's easy to see why. I will confess to ordering the smoked chili queso fundido with homemade corn tortilla chips twice in one sitting, with friends of course. Less satisfying and skimpy, however, were the snow crab and ahi.
The signature martinis ($8-$9) and champagne cocktails ($10-$12) embrace a host of exotic flavors. The soho lychee martini showcases the fleshy balls of fruit, adding just a touch of sweetness to the icy vodka. The ginger pear martini is sweeter but nicely offset by the clean pear taste and spicy crystallized ginger. If champagne is calling your name, try the mango twist with fresh mango puree, or the pear royal with passion fruit and pear vodka.
From the bar, we moved to the main dining room which is sufficiently shielded from the happy hour goings-on.
The self-described 'global' menu features meat and seafood dishes with twists of Italian, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, and French flavors. Chef Chris Grodach, whose experience includes the Montage's Loft restaurant, Melisse in Santa Monica, and the famed French Laundry in Napa Valley, describes his philosophy as a twist on the authentic. "Like mole, for example, I'll make a mole that's not as shiny as a traditional kind. It's not authentic. It's a just a twist on the traditional."
But even those with less adventurous palates will find familiar favorites. To start, the savory parmesan, green olive potato gnocchi sprinkled with garlic chips are melt-in-your-mouth memorable, and the scallops are an equally rich treat. Accented by shaved prosciutto, marinated artichoke, and an olive oil emulsion, my only complaint was that there wasn't an entrée-sized version.
The red-wine braised short ribs were so tender; I didn't bother to pick up my knife. My husband chose the giant bone-in pork rib eye. Grilled to a juicy medium-rare then set atop a chunky slice of country bread to soak in the juices, the pork was perfectly topped with a delicious pepper and onion cream sauce. On another occasion, I chose the light but unremarkable Ahi with spring vegetable ratatouille.
On to dessert, the chai-infused crème brûlée with sweet almond milk and coconut didn't disappoint. Similarly, the far-east flavors of orange blossom and ginger ice cream perfectly complemented the triple berry cobbler.
With a menu that effectively embraces a mix of cultures and a happy hour set in a sleek, starlet-worthy lounge, it's easy to see why Kimera could become a hard habit to break.
Clare Venegas is the Executive Director of the Lincoln Club of Orange County. An aspiring food and travel writer, she has worked in corporate public relations and is a former editor and writer for the OC Register. Clare lives in Irvine with her husband Matt. To contact Clare, e-mail her at clare@lincolnclub.org.
Kimera
19530 Jamboree Rd.
Irvine, California 92612
949.261.1222
www.diningasart.com
Hours
Lunch: Monday - Friday 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Dinner: Monday - Thursday 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 5:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Sunday 5:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
By Clare Venegas
Walk into Kimera and you might expect to see Paris Hilton sipping a martini with a gaggle of thin model types. Well, maybe not the party girl Paris, but a 9-to-5 business version of her with enough attractive professionals to explain why happy hour at this sexy new lounge and restaurant gets more popular every week.Kimera is the newest piece in the 'Dining as Art' collection of eateries, part of the same group that owns another business-crowd favorite, Bistango. It's clear that while the two share the same concept--serving inventive cuisine amid equally attractive art and architecture--Kimera is aimed at a trendier crowd.
Two things you should know right off the bat--it's not Japanese and it's a bit hard to find. Tucked between two beige office towers on Jamboree Road, Kimera's location is not ideal. But what Kimera lacks in scenery and setting, it more than makes up for in an imaginative menu, a sophisticated-not-stuffy ambiance, and one of the best happy hour values around.
Small plate appetizers are $4 each on weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. The wood-fired, thin-crusted pizzas are a sure-fire table hit. My favorites are the white basil pesto, the Spanish chorizo, and the traditional margherita. For seafood lovers, the refreshing oysters with honeydew vodka granite are a cool summer appetizer and the luscious mussel fritters are satisfying without being heavy.
Another popular small plate, surprisingly, is the sweet-and-sour pork belly. But one bite of the tender cubes and it's easy to see why. I will confess to ordering the smoked chili queso fundido with homemade corn tortilla chips twice in one sitting, with friends of course. Less satisfying and skimpy, however, were the snow crab and ahi.
The signature martinis ($8-$9) and champagne cocktails ($10-$12) embrace a host of exotic flavors. The soho lychee martini showcases the fleshy balls of fruit, adding just a touch of sweetness to the icy vodka. The ginger pear martini is sweeter but nicely offset by the clean pear taste and spicy crystallized ginger. If champagne is calling your name, try the mango twist with fresh mango puree, or the pear royal with passion fruit and pear vodka.
From the bar, we moved to the main dining room which is sufficiently shielded from the happy hour goings-on. The self-described 'global' menu features meat and seafood dishes with twists of Italian, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, and French flavors. Chef Chris Grodach, whose experience includes the Montage's Loft restaurant, Melisse in Santa Monica, and the famed French Laundry in Napa Valley, describes his philosophy as a twist on the authentic. "Like mole, for example, I'll make a mole that's not as shiny as a traditional kind. It's not authentic. It's a just a twist on the traditional."
But even those with less adventurous palates will find familiar favorites. To start, the savory parmesan, green olive potato gnocchi sprinkled with garlic chips are melt-in-your-mouth memorable, and the scallops are an equally rich treat. Accented by shaved prosciutto, marinated artichoke, and an olive oil emulsion, my only complaint was that there wasn't an entrée-sized version.
The red-wine braised short ribs were so tender; I didn't bother to pick up my knife. My husband chose the giant bone-in pork rib eye. Grilled to a juicy medium-rare then set atop a chunky slice of country bread to soak in the juices, the pork was perfectly topped with a delicious pepper and onion cream sauce. On another occasion, I chose the light but unremarkable Ahi with spring vegetable ratatouille.
On to dessert, the chai-infused crème brûlée with sweet almond milk and coconut didn't disappoint. Similarly, the far-east flavors of orange blossom and ginger ice cream perfectly complemented the triple berry cobbler.
With a menu that effectively embraces a mix of cultures and a happy hour set in a sleek, starlet-worthy lounge, it's easy to see why Kimera could become a hard habit to break.
Clare Venegas is the Executive Director of the Lincoln Club of Orange County. An aspiring food and travel writer, she has worked in corporate public relations and is a former editor and writer for the OC Register. Clare lives in Irvine with her husband Matt. To contact Clare, e-mail her at clare@lincolnclub.org.
Kimera
19530 Jamboree Rd.
Irvine, California 92612
949.261.1222
www.diningasart.com
Hours
Lunch: Monday - Friday 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Dinner: Monday - Thursday 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 5:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Sunday 5:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
