You know something tastes good, if not great, when the not-easily-wooed LA Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila lovingly gives it a green light—especially in OC. Well, she was smitten with the dishes at Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa. She even said, “For one thing, the menu includes pasta, some of the best in Southern California, plus a fine antipasti and salad menu, and a handful of well-conceived main courses.” Some of the best in SoCal—wow, that’s saying a lot.
So here you go, you can dine and bring the whole family to David Myers’ fabulous Pizzeria Ortica—for Family Style Mondays—$50 feeds three to four people. The special menu features choice of two salads, tricolore with treviso, arugula, endive, apples, Gorgonzola, and candied walnuts, or L’Italo Americana, with radicchio, romaine, endive, grilled zucchini, spicy salame, provolone, pickled peperoncini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Choice of two fresh pastas, ravioli di burrata al pomodoro, a burrata filled ravioli, fresh tomato, basil; or tagliatelle Bolognese, a hand-cut spinach pasta, with traditional meat sauce, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Choice of six handmade Napoli-style pizzas: marinara (crushed San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, Sicilian oregano); margherita (with crushed San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil); prosciutto di parma e rucola; margherita with parma ham and wild arugula and salame piccante e funghi; margherita with spicy salame, and mixed mushrooms and alla norma, cherry tomatoes, basil, eggplant, smoked mozzarella, and ricotta salata, salsiccia with house-made sausage, caramelized fennel, mascarpone, red onion, and buffalo grana; and lastly, milanesa with Fontina, asparagus, Parmigiano Reggiano, and fried egg.
Choice of gelato for dessert; and you can splurge for $20 select wines available too.
Open for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; open for dinner 5:30 to 10 p.m., and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday.
Pizzeria Ortica is at 650 Anton Boulevard in Costa Mesa. Complimentary two-hour parking with validation is available in the Plaza Tower parking structure. 714.445.4900.
Spectacular views under a full moon are all yours Tuesday at sunset if you join Laguna Canyon Foundation naturalists for a moderate, 3.5-mile hike through Laurel and Willow canyons and up to Bommer Ridge. Just bring a flashlight and water, and you’ll be in for a special moonlit night. A donation of $2 per person, and parking costs $3.
Reservations required 949.923.2235.
Meet at the Willow Canyon Staging Area at 20101 Laguna Canyon Rd. just south of El Toro Rd intersection.
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park at 18751 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.
A’Maree’s historic moving sale starts Saturday—for one week only you can save up to 60% on select merchandise.
The modern boutique in Newport Beach will be moving to a new location on the Pacific Coast Highway that once housed Window’s on the Bay and before that, Cano’s. The actual opening date is not set, but we hear early October.
A’Maree’s carries some of the best in upscale fashions and accessories outside of New York and Europe. The collections include special pieces and designers that you won’t find elsewhere—they buy for longevity—pieces that you will cherish.
A’Maree’s carries Lanvin, Lucien Pillet Finet, Baliencaga, Jil Sander, Dries Van Noten and many more.
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. 1649 Westcliff Drive in Newport Beach. 949.642.4423.
In celebration of Dr. Richard Sarlitt’s 30th anniversary, his optometry office in Irvine hosts an open house Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can receive a 30% discount on frame and lens packages (some lines excluded), enjoy a frame fashion show, and complimentary LASIK consultations by TLC Laser Eye Centers.
He carries the latest fashion frames by Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, FYSH and other top brands. Dr. Sarlitt’s office is open Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the first and third Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dr. Sarlitt is in Parkview Center at 5327 University Drive off Michelson, in Irvine. 949.786.7888 or visit www.drsarlitt.com.
La Beauté, a salon, skin care and beauty supply store in Costa Mesa, is offering Greer’s OC readers a special: just mention us and receive 20% off your entire purchase (excludes Kerastase and red tags); and a $25 gift certificate with purchase of $100 or more through Sept. 17. Top name brands available include Redken, Moroccan Oil, Pureology, Alterna, Peter Thomas Roth and Yonka. Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 2300 Harbor Blvd. in Costa Mesa. 949.631.5888.
The summer sale is on now through Sept. 1 at Westerly, Corona del Mar’s source for hip designers like Elizabeth and James, Current Elliott, Vena Cava, Patterson J. Kincaid, J. Brand, Chick with Guns and many more. Save 20% off full price merchandise, and with sale merchandise—save 50% off first item, 60% off 2nd item and 70% off third items.. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 2908 East Coast Hwy in Corona del Mar. 949.313.7111
Anaheim Patio at The Market Place is hosting its 12th annual Labor Day Weekend tent Sale Friday through Monday. Save 15 to 75% off dining sets, chaise lounges, umbrellas, bar stools, firepits, seating groups, outdoor entertaining accessories and more. Also choose from select barbeques and fireplace items, as well as one-of-a-kind items and discontinued products. Top brands featured are Brown Jordan, Tropitone, OW Lee, Hanamint, Malin, Summer Classics and others. 13722 Jamboree in Irvine.714.669.9271.715 E. Birch St. in Brea. 714.671.9445. 6811 Warner Ave. in Huntington Beach. 714.894.0382.
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