The best of summer dining

Greer Wylder

We now enjoy warm sunny days, lingering sunsets and a bevy of

seasonal foods like soft-shell crabs, heirloom tomatoes, wild king

salmon, golden beets, summer squash and fava beans.

Here are some local restaurants that celebrate the tastes, wines

and views of summer.

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At Sage on the Coast, seasonal ingredients comprise the

ever-changing, small-plates menu.

Owner and Chef Rich Mead has created a seared duck breast with

grilled peaches; wild king salmon with lemon verbena, infused with

tomato water; warm roasted beet salad with Bull’s Blood salad leaves,

Red Ace beets, golden beets and candy-striped chioggia beet varieties

served with arugula, goat cheese and walnuts.

Sage on the Coast has also added summer afternoon teas on the

third Saturday of each month, and a rose wine tasting in the garden

on Aug. 13 from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Also, on Sundays, patrons can enjoy an

a la carte brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The afternoon tea in the garden features warm scones with jam,

lemon curd and Devon cream, assorted finger sandwiches, petit fours,

pastries and a pot of loose tea ($20 per person). A sage tea includes

a glass of Roederer champagne and strawberries, with the high tea

menu ($30 per person).

Children can participate in the tea too; their menu includes

peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fresh chocolate chip pecan

cookies and a pot of tea or lemonade ($8 per child). Reservations are

required.

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At the Back Bay Cafe inside the Newport Dunes Resort, you can dine

al fresco, while enjoying Back Bay and waterfront views.

Its new menu features eclectic choices including Caribbean

escolar, seafood fettuccini, Venetian salad, southwest chicken salad,

a Cancun shrimp martini, and beef tenderloin.

It also serves award-winning seafood chowder, macadamia

nut-crusted halibut, and a combination appetizer with a quesadilla,

calamari rings and coconut shrimp.

Premium liquors, extensive wines and beers are also available.

The cafe offers two hours free validated parking, and visitor

slips for boaters.

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Roy’s Newport Beach will celebrate summer and the release of Roy

Yamaguchi’s latest cookbook, “Roy’s Fish & Seafood,” with a special

dinner event titled “Fish, Fun & Fusion” at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 2.

All of the Hawaiian fusion dishes to be prepared in the delicious

five-course dinner can be found in Yamaguchi’s new cookbook. The

courses will be paired with wines from Moet Hennessy USA.

The dinner will include pupus of seared sea scallops with

wok-sauteed rice noodles, pork, shrimp and vegetables, served with

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label.

The first course will be a garlic and sesame-crusted soft shell

crab salad with Maui onion-miso vinaigrette, served with casa

lapostolle sauvignon blanc.

The second course will feature butter-seared sea bass with sweet

crab and Korean hot pepper sauce, and Domaine Chandon pinot noir.

The main course will be Chinese-style steamed Kona lobster with

sizzling hot peanut oil, served with Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial.

The dessert offerings will be berry shortcake with coconut ice

cream and Ms. Smith’s lilikoi pound cake, served with a glass of

Domaine de Coyeux Muscat Beaumes de Venise.

Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Guests will be

treated to fresh floral leis, and they can purchase the cookbook too.

The cost is $85 per person.

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At Pinot Provence in Costa Mesa each Thursday, you can get a taste

of the Provencal life.

On the patio, a musician plays melodies on the guitar, wines from

the Mediterranean and the South of France are paired with fresh

seafood, and chef Florent Marneau prepares specialty seasonal dishes.

Dishes include a sampling of olives -- Lucques, Picholine,

Nicoise, Moroccan pink, sun dried black and chorizo ($6); a salad of

hearts of palm, avocado, tarragon vinaigrette, baby lettuce and feta

cheese ($10); French buffalo wings -- frog legs with basil emulsion

and harissa butter ($15); and the heirloom tomato salad with

garlic-parsley vinaigrette and fromage blanc ($8).

Other plates include sauteed La Belle Farms foie gras with white

peaches, brioche and sauternes gastrique ($20); fricassee of lobster

and prime eastern monkfish with Armagnac scented lobster sauce and

sauteed Oregon chanterelles ($21); a Croque Madame sandwich with

gruyere, smoked ham, mushrooms mornay and greens ($15); and grilled large diver scallops with French flageolet beans salad ($19).

The final course features a cheese plate ($12); a profiterole of

roasted walnut ice cream with warm Valrhona chocolate sauce ($11); or

homemade passion fruit sorbet with lychee-sangria chilled soup ($9).

Reservations are required.

FYI

WHAT: Sage on the Coast

WHERE: Crystal Cove Promenade, 7862 East Coast Highway, Newport

Beach

WHEN: Open 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30

a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

INFO: (949) 715-7243. www.sagerestaurant.com.

WHAT: Back Bay Cafe

WHERE: Newport Dunes Resort, 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach.

WHEN: Open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, and 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday

through Sunday.

INFO: (949) 729-1144. www.newportdunes.com.

WHAT: Roy’s Newport Beach

WHERE: Fashion Island, 453 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

INFO: (949) 640-7697. www.roysrestaurant.com.

WHAT: Pinot Provence

WHERE: 686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa.

INFO: (714) 444-5900

FYI

WHAT: Back Bay Cafe

WHERE: Newport Dunes Resort, 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach.

WHEN: Open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday

through Sunday.

INFO: (949) 729-1144. www.newportdunes.com.

FYI

WHAT: Roy’s Newport Beach

WHERE: Fashion Island, 453 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

INFO: (949) 640-7697. www.roysrestaurant.com.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

[email protected]; at 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626;

or by fax at (714) 966-4679.