If you’re looking for nice ambiance with a harbor view and ample amounts of wine to enjoy your night, then The Winery in Newport Beach is for you. The restaurant’s décor is simple, they heavily rely on the harbor view which I’m not even complaining about.

The workers are friendly and the menu offers a wide variety of different items to select from. Valet parking is almost your only option, and by that it is really your best option at $6.00. Our server for the night John was very kind, there were moments where the water could’ve been filled up but overall he was friendly. We were given an option for a bread basket and I love carbs so of course I opted for the bread. It came with a ciabatta roll and some parmesan crisps with a side of butter that was whipped nicely.

We had originally planned to order a glass of wine each and go with their charcuterie board to start with, however after looking at their yelp photos we opted for the foie gras appetizer. I decided to go with their mandarin margarita and that was delicious, as my friend opted for a glass of cabernet which was very nice, it was one the server had suggested. The foie had just arrived and it was on top of a piece of toast, served with plums, a green oil, and aged balsamic.

You can’t really go wrong with foie gras however this piece was a little overcooked and the remaining oil/fat was not removed so the bread had soaked up too much of it, fortunately I still had some parmesan crisp to pair this with and it gave a nice texture and still went well. Four our entrees we went with the pork chop tomahawk, the duck, with a side of black truffle mashed potatoes and wild mushrooms in a cream sauce. I noticed out dishes were a little repetitive as both entrees had the green oil, as well as a balsamic glaze. I typically prefer chive oils and green oils and I love balsamic glazes, however after one dish it just becomes too much. The duck breast itself was prepared very nicely and still very moist, the duck leg itself was fairly dry so that was a disappointment. The pan seared gnocchi it came with was good but nothing memorable.

The next dish was the pork chop tomahawk, presentation was very beautiful it came topped with a chutney/relish. This dish also came served with a green oil and balsamic glaze. The dark meat near the bone was delicious; however the chop itself was a little overcooked so there was dry parts as well as the very moist parts of it. This chop itself has a lot of potential but I would highly suggest it be paired with other items. If you love pork chops as much as I do then I would suggest The Ranch Restaurant in Anaheim close to Disneyland, they also serve a very delicious bread basket that’s always been very memorable to me. Maybe I will review that restaurant next.

Last but not least, how can I not say it’s my friend’s birthday although it was a month ago to receive a complimentary dessert =P. We were brought out Crème Brulee with a Chocolate Cookie placed on top. I would say their Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee was the highlight of the night. It was very flavorful, creamy, soft, and silky. The flavors were all very prominent and this was served with some fresh berries which helped cut the sweetness of the sugar brittle on top, which I might as was also caramelized perfectly. The cookie was fairly dry and we could’ve done without, but their Crème Brulee is where it’s at and a must order.

Overall the food was not the greatest; I think they need to tweak a few things, however there is a lot of potential. I tend to notice some restaurants get comfortable where they’re at and forget that new restaurants open every day so the competition is out there. I would probably give their happy hour a try and most definitely order their crème brulee again. Let me know your thoughts if you’ve given The Winery a try or if you plan on it.

Restaurant – The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar

Location – 3131 West Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92663

Contact – 949.999.6622

Cuisine – Wine Bar, Steakhouse