The Playground (Santa Ana)

[OCgasman]

My favorite restaurant in OC.  It's nice to get away from the franchises and bland menus of Irvine and branch out to a funky hip restaurant.  Let me eleborate:

1.  Cool vibe in the artist district of Santa Ana, people are hip and original.
2.  One of the best beer selections I've seen in OC, maybe the best.  If you're remotely geeky about beer, go here just for their understandably famous burger and beers.
3.  Free corkage.  This rocks.  I usually start with beer while letting the wines get some air.
4.  Menu is reasonably priced.
5.  Food kicks ass.  Really like what they're doing there and everything I've had there has been fantastic.

If you've never been, do yourself a favor and get up there. 

 

[ps99472]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-playground-santa-ana-2
http://playgrounddtsa.com/

Looks fun.. free corkage is always thumbs up in my book.. kid friendly?  Maybe a date night restaurant. 

Current brews..

UPDATED 11/17/12

? Noble Ale Works ? Pistol Whip?d
? Ritual ? Extra Red
? Bootlegger?s ? Pumpkin Ale
? Bruery ? Smoking Wood
? Lost Abbey ? Gift of the Magi
? High Water ? Campfire Stout
? Lagunitas ? Brown Shugga
? Black Diamond ? Saison
? Stone ? Double Bastard
? Firestone ? Velvet Merlin
? High Water ? Retribution
? Ballast Point ? Big Eye
? Sierra Nevada ? Northern Harvest
? Eagle Rock ? Solidarity (nitro)

Huh, Double Bastard?  So is that like 20% alcohol?

 

[OCgasman]

Not kid friendly, definitely date night.

 

[qwerty]

The Sunday supper thing sounds pretty unique/interesting.

 

[homer_simpson]

Not kid friendly... very hipsterish place to go and eat.  They have a large selection of beers which is pretty cool

Try the hangar 24

Went here about two months ago and enjoyed the food.

Wagyu Ribeye Steak Sandwich (You have to try this, freaking melt in your mouth delicious)

Suckling Pig and Lobster Ramen (The broth was so flavorful, chewy noodles and chunks of pork cheeks)

Pork Cheek Tacos (Greasy and delicious)

 

[iacrenter]

+1

I agree with others. This place is very good. Not your typical OC chain restaurant. Best combination: relaxed atmosphere and great food. I was lucky enough to try their foie gras menu before it got banned in CA. I heard they still have some foie gras dishes as off the menu items.

 

[OCgasman]

@Homer:  I don't remember any of those items in the menu last time I was there, but the menu changes all the time.  The pork cheek tacos look tasty!

@ps9:  Their bottles beer selection vastly outnumbers what's on tap.  I had a Ballast Point Sculpin from tap last time I was there.  World class beer.  Kinda sad to see it go.  Oh well, another reason to go and taste something different from tap.

 

[ps99472]

mCrIB $8

Sorry for the blurry pic.. was a bit intoxicated.. had the Noble Schmutz on tap.. also had a bottle of the Ballast Point Dorado.  Food was decent, Fried Chicken and Wagyu Ribeye were delicious.  mCrIB was so so, liked the real thing better, Playground version was too "porky". 

 

[OCgasman]

I was there this week for a wine dinner.  Had about 10 bottles for our group.  Corkage...$0.  Love this place.  Also, had the Wagyu ribeye, delicious.  My favorite app is their mushroom with egg, super tasty.  Drank mostly wine, but had the Green Flash on tap, yum.  All in...$60 and that's with a very generous tip.  They're gonna have a full bar soon.