"the oc" news and stories

We love potato chips, no doubt, but why have we relegated them to those bags we buy from the grocery store? A potato chip, like a French fry, is a potato-y work of art, and a few restaurants in southern California are giving the chip some respect by bringing them to the table.

• 3-Thirty-3 Waterfront, 333 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach, CA (949) 673-8464, www.3thirty3nb.com
• Café Lafayette, 330-F Main Street, (562) 598-9566
• Jerry's Wood-Fired Dogs, 2276 E. 17th St., Santa Ana, (714) 245-0200 and 1360 S. Beach Blvd., Suite C, La Habra (562) 697-4644, www.jerrysdogs.com
• Lawry's Carvery, 3333 Bristol St., Suite 2601, Costa Mesa, (714) 434-7788, www.lawrysonline.com
• Park Ave., 11200 Beach Blvd., Stanton, (714) 901-4400, www.parkavedining.com .

These places are all in Orange County, so I'll throw a little props to LA. I love the purple potato chips on the bar at Violet in Santa Monica.

How late am I to this party? But I forgive myself because I don't live in the Bay Area anymore (It's been 10 years! Sarah, you've got to let go!)

Michael Mina, San Francicso chef and restaurateur has opened a restaurant in southern California, Stonehill Tavern at the St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach in Dana Point. The restaurant is designed by Tony Chi as a modern American tavern. As such, chef Mina's menus are catered toward southern California coastal living with modern Americna cuisine, with a slight bent toward seafood. Uh, yes, I'll start with the toro sashimi with osetra caviar and sudachi lime; then as my entree, I'd like the suckling pig with root vegetables, wild arugula, and truffle sauce. This time I don't think I'd mind the caviar or the truffles.

Michael Mina owns a restaurant that bears his name in San Francisco, Arcadia in San Jose, and has three restaurants in Las Vegas. Ah, but I will never forget him at Aqua (Yes, it's been that long).