South Coast Plaza is my favorite shopping destination in Orange County.
You can imagine my excitement to receive a Fashion Tastemaker Luncheon invitation from their PR team to celebrate The Year of the Rat at Crudo, one of the features inside the newly opened Global Hall Eatery. The gorgeous open space in Moroccan design is a mix of full dining and bar experience, and fast-casual options, like a mini Eataly.
Reception
The event started with a reception of a reunion or new introduction of magazine editors, fashion and lifestyle bloggers, nibbling on cheese and salami, sipping on cocktails, taking photos, and exploring a curated collection of limited-edition lunar new year inspired merchandises from the some of the boutiques at South Coast Plaza.
Year of the Rat Style
A Kate Spade x Tom & Jerry collaboration, I’m holding an adorable canteen purse in signature spade prints and the famed playful jerry mouse.
The classic vintage shape, perfect proportion, playful design yet subtle color in red and a touch of pink instantly draw my eyes.
Lunar New year inspired items are game strong this year. You can count on, to name a few, brands like Kate Spade, Miu Miu, Tory Burch, and Chloe putting a creative spin on limited edition accessories for the lunar new year.
The Food at Crudo inside Global Hall Eatery
We indulged in family-style four courses menu but we got to taste a variety of their offerings as some courses come in multiple items.
Refreshing and light starter, the first course is a three Crudo sampler.
- Bay scallops with black truffles
- Japanese hamachi
- Scottish salmon with carrot ponzu
The scallops were fresh and delicious, and hamachi topped with a guacamole sauce makes a delightful surprise to your tastebud.
The second course is served in a family-style.
- Lamb hummus with pita
- Crispy pork belly
With ssamjang and soybean sprout kimchi, you know for sure this Asian inspired crispy (and tender) pork belly dish has a Korean kick and it is a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and fatty.
The third course is the braised lamb shanks served with couscous for sharing and individually plated baked Chilean sea bass.
Moist, light, and large flake, the Chilean sea bass is baked to perfection in Shermoula sauce and full of flavors
Warm egg custard and black sesame ice cream finale, a last-minute mom-approved creation by Chef Amar Santana especially for the lunar new year luncheon. Must thank his mom for taste testing his creation to have a delicious dessert landed on my plate.
Thank you South Coast Plaza for having me at this social event, meeting like-minded people and introducing me to a new addition where I would love to grab a bite, in a beautiful setting, with my girlfriends after we shop.
