Hungry Shopping at South Coast?

There are a lot of restaurants at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. There's a Lawry's Carvery if you want good prime rib and can't get to the one in Beverly Hills then this will suffice. Their menu is limited; more towards sandwiches.

Then there's Quattro Caffe which has been there for almost 20 years! There is something to be said for a restaurant to survive that long. They have great salads, pizza (thin crust)and their pasta is always served al dente.

Today, after a few hours of shopping, hunger called out loud! We went in Quattro Caffe.
Our waiter was so familiar that I asked him how long he has been there and he said 20 years. We proceeded to order. My son had the Penne Al Salmone which was penne with Scottish salmon (who cares if it is Scottish,American,Russian,German..as long as it is fresh and delicious) cooked in a light tomato cream sauce garnished with arugula. It was indeed delicious.

I had the fettuccine alla Pescatora with sauteed shrimps and scallops, cooked to perfection in a fresh tomato herb sauce with egg fettuccine. I like my pasta with a lot of parmigiano cheese. When Pasqual our waiter asked me if I wanted cheese, I asked him to get a stool so he can be comfortable while grating the cheese; I also informed him that he might have to come back. Sure enough, after 2 minutes, he did return with a fresh block of parmigiano which got me through the rest of the fettuccine.

On the way to the parking lot, we had to make one more stop at Vie de France, another establishment that has been there forever. They have a lot of great bread, croissants, sandwiches etc. but what keeps us going back is their cinnamon rolls. They are crusty yet soft with a lot of cinnamon. No nuts, no raisins, just plain old no nonsense but truly delicious cinnamon rolls. Their almond croissant is also excellent with a bit of dark chocolate and powdered sugar on top. If you are an almond or marzipan fan, you will not be disappointed.

So, when you shop at South Coast Plaza, don't forget to bring your big appetite.