Dine Out, The Goldfinch
By: Peggy Tanous
Fairly new to the OC restaurant scene is The Goldfinch, located close to the airport on Main Street in Irvine, where the infamous McCormick and Schmick’s once stood. Owners and Southern California residents Ciaran Gough, Juan Carlos Guerra, and Todd Miller have been submerged in the local and national restaurant scene for decades and have taken their experience to create their own brand of restaurants. They opened The 908 in Long Beach in June 2018 to high acclaim, and now The Goldfinch, its sister restaurant. The trio owners view restaurants as gathering places, and the Goldfinch birds are not only beautiful, but they are also highly social, so the name seemed quite fitting.
The 908 restaurant in Long Beach is a classic American cookery with seasonal fare complemented by an exemplary bar offering in an upbeat yet elevated setting. The Goldfinch takes a similar approach. Upon arrival, you feel like you've been transported to a hip NYC restaurant. With its swanky decor, fabulous light fixtures adorning the entire ceiling throughout, and pocket doors that take you out to a patio with a beautiful fire feature, you definitely feel like you left OC. The cocktail menu is innovative with catchy names such as 'Raised by the Wolves 2.0' concocted of Mezcal, house-infused jalapeno tequila, fresh lime, and honey, and the 'Suppai Sour' made with Nikka Japanese Whiskey, fresh lemon, cane syrup, and egg whites. The food menu is a bit of everything, from a beef tartare appetizer that was to die for to soups, salads, lobster mac n cheese, fish, and plenty of beef options. The seabass was heavenly, as was the filet, which might quite possibly be the best I've ever had. We saved room for dessert and were impressed with the subtle decadence of the chocolate cake with raspberries.
If you're looking to venture out (Irvine isn't that far!), definitely put The Goldfinch on your dine-out list.
Contact Information For The Goldfinch:
Address: 2000 Main St Suite 200, Irvine, CA 92614