Ambrosia

I am so sad. Just found out this place closed. I was really looking forward to going back. Bummed :(

This is THE place to go for AMAZING modern French food in an atmosphere fit for dignitaries!
There were five people in our party and we started off with a round of cocktails masterfully crafted by the genius bartender. I had a dirty Goose martini and it was the absolute best martini I have ever had anywhere! Smooth and cold and perfectly balanced as a good martini should be.
Our first course was a table side flambé of shrimp scampi. It was like performance art and cooking wrapped up in one course.
Our table was then presented with a champagne gelee and caviar amuse bouche. It was both elegant, delicious and an unexpected treat compliments of the very talented chef.
The amuse bouche was followed by the soup course. I had the french onion which was salty and decadent and perfectly smothered in rich bubbly cheese. Other at my table had the tomato soup and raved about it.
For my entrée I had The filet served on top of celeriac creamed spinach and topped with bruleed foie gras and on the side were house made «tater tots» with truffle inside and a truffle aioli style sauce drizzled on the top. The other entrees looked fantastic and were raved about, but I loved mine so mush that I did not sample. Every bite was magical and I was sad for this course to end, but only for a minute because dessert was an adventure.
We were told that we would not be getting a dessert menu and instead the table was brought an assortment of desserts including the creamy and sweet crème brûlée, «Smores» made of flexible ganache ribbons, from scratch graham crackers and marshmallow brulee which took you back to the campfire on your taste-​buds, and Bananas Foster flambed tableside and served with coffee and port for the perfect end to the most perfect meal.

Went here for our 5 year wedding anniversary and was very happy to have celebrated such an occasion at Ambrosia. The ambiance was amazing and very fitting. Service was top notch! The food was very good and I liked the fact the portions were just right – not too big and not too small.
I can not wait to go again!

Went here for Valentines Day. Only offer 6 course dinner @ $ 75 per person. First dish was caviar on top of champagne jelly… interesting, but good. It was my first time trying caviar and it was pretty good.
Second course was mahi mahi sashimi. Again my first true experience with raw fish. A lot of flavors going on with the foam that sits on top and purée of some sort on the bottom.
Third course was roasted chicken with purée squash and candied Ginger. By far probably the best dish. Chicken was full of flavor, tender and juicy. Yummy!!!
Fourth dish was a palate cleanser. Coconut and pineapple sorbet with mint foam. Simple and clean.
Fifth dish was steak and interesting tater tots. Would love the steak cooked more on the well side, but still taste great. Very tender and nice crust. Taters were potato/​chessy pop in your mouth goodness. I wonder if they serve them on their regular menu as appetizers.
Last dish was dessert. Block of spicy chocolate cake. Amazingly rich with a kick at the end of every bite. The added cayenne gives this dessert some heat.
Over all this place is great. As for ambiance, it’s just okay. Maybe it’s different on Fridays/​Saturdays.
Sign in parking lot says valet only and they charge $ 6. I know it’s customary to tip the valet dude, but what really sucks is when the guy retrieves your car and you see it 15 feet in front of you. Heck I can get that myself, all he had to do was reverse it.

Again, this is my husband’s favorite French restaurant in the OC. It’s definitely a gem in the most unexpected location, in the heart of Santa Ana. Therefore, I decided to make reservations to celebrate V-​day.
Our reservation was at 6pm and we were seated promptly. The menu was fixed with 6 courses for $ 75/​pp. I guess this was smart for the restaurant to just make the same 6 courses for everyone for a speedy turnaround for all the tables.
The ambiance was definitely more V-​day than usual: red lighting, tablecloths and napkins all around. Our courses were also top notch. Our favorites were:
1. Hamachi (yellowtail) sashimi over an avocado purée with orange gelatin and olive oil/​lemon powder
2. Jidori chicken, butternut squash, savoy cabbage and dijon emulsion
The filet mignon was topped with a small piece of foie gras, but we later found out it was raw. They forgot to blow-​torch the foie gras. Oh well… otherwise, it would have been an excellent course. The truffle infused tater tots were sooo delish!
Lastly, the service is always above par. Our beverages were never half empty. The waiters’ attitudes are beyond exceptional. Our favorite waiter is Matt, he’s the guy that speaks with an English accent. Overall, it was a wonderful V-​day and the restaurant even gave out roses to all the ladies at the end of the meal. What a nice finishing touch!

I’ve eaten here a few times and it has always been a fun experience. It always seems worthwhile to me when, days later, your company talks about how nice the food and experience was at the restaurant. Once in the wine «cellar» and once in the main restaurant. The servers have always been capable and extended courtesies as if they were part owners and proud of the fact.
The food is very good — not great, and they should ratchet back on the world class/​5 star bragging. I’m not sure, but I think silk plants aren’t standard in 5 star restaurants.

I have been to Ambrosia a few times. All were wonderful experiences. I will be writing a review about my recent visit.
The FOOD:
In our party was my brother, mom, boyfriend and I. My mom and boyfriend got the pre fixe menu (appetizer, entrée and dessert) for $ 40 which is a steal! The portions on the prix fixe menu were the same as if you were to order them on the regular menu.
~ Appetizers ~
«Sea Diver Scallops» with foie gras was INCREDIBLE! The scallops were tender and foie gras was to die for. Best part is my mom ordered this as part of her $ 40 pre fixe, and this dish is normally $ 24 alone! «Signature Shrimp Scampi» is not only amazingly tasty but you get a show! This dish is flambeed tableside (see photos). Shrimp is tender and the sauce is unbelievably delicious, especially when you save some bread to dip in the leftover sauce.
~ Entrees ~
My brother ordered the «Colorado Rack of Lamb Chops». He promised to share, gave me one bite and ate the rest. UGH! I am very picky about my lamb and their lamb was melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender and juicy! Orgasmic (yes i said it!)! I had the «Steak Diane» with truffle oil and mushrooms. Steak was cooked perfectly medium rare, the way I ordered. My mom and boyfriend both got the «Steak Frites». Tender and juicy as well, however, too salty for my taste. All the portions were more than enough. Not teeny tiny like you would think an expensive French restaurant would be like.
~ Desserts ~
We had the «Flourless Belgian Chocolate Cake», «Crème Brulee» and «Signature Banana Foster». Chocolate cake was dry and kind of gross. The crème brûlée was absolutely fantastic! But the banana foster was my favorite! It was also prepared tableside. Words cannot describe. You have to order it yourself. My only complaint would be that there wasn’t enough. The banana fosters was small for the $ 10 price. Oh and this is one of the few places that serves ABSINTHE. It was a fun experience. A table came out, a little of it was poured into a mini goblet, a filter was placed with a sugar cube on top and then the sugar cube was lit on fire. As the sugar melted, cold water was dripped down to dilute this 145 proof drink. Tasted like black licorice. Very strong.
The PLACE:
SPECTACULAR! You would never know from the outside of what was hidden inside. A GEM! Not a super big dining area but very intimate and special. All booth tables. The feel of the place is very formal. Art deco. Very, very ROMANTIC. A candle and rose at every table. Live jazz music playing. A bit loud for me, hard to carry on a conversation. Parking was never a problem, however, finding the place is a different story.
The SERVICE:
REMARKABLE service! Our waitress was friendly and attentive. However, the wonderful man from London with the English accent, Matt, was who I’d rave about. I’m not sure if he was the maitre de or the manager or whatever, but he was super helpful and made our dining experience the BEST I’ve had there yet!
The VERDICT:
My favorite formal dining restaurant! A place to wow your date. Definitely a very special occasion type of place! For 4 people, 2 ordering from a set $ 40 pre fix menu and the other 2 ordering entrees and 1 dessert + 3 beers and absinthe ran us about $ 220 total with tips.

The outside of the restaurant gives no indication of how great the inside really is. I especially enjoyed the lounge pianist and singer. Such great ambiance, which makes the dinner experience so much more enjoyable. We went with 2 other couples and EVERYONE enjoyed the food. We ordered their steak and even the steak connoisseur at the table was mesmerized by the flavor in the meat.
Half of the guests tried the Absynth (?) drink which is VERY hard to find anywhere and it’s a show in the presentation alone. We finished the meal with crème brûlée and Banana Foster, which was a delight to the eyes and taste buds.
My husband and I love this place and would definitely go back with or without the kids.

Once a restaurant proclaims itself «A World Class Five Star Dining Experience», it has a lot to live up to. In fact, the food at Ambrosia is pretty good. And the décor is fun, almost art deco. But for all its charms, it’s neither world class nor five star.
A famous football coach once advised his players: «When you make it to to the end-​zone, act like you’ve been there before.» Similarly, a fine dining restaurant shouldn’t have to keep telling you that it’s a fine dining restaurant, as this one does on its website… and on the menu… and as the hostess welcomes you… and…
From the waiter acting kind of snobby as he mispronounces a French-​named dish to the hostess who gushingly assures you that you’re in for a real experience, Ambrosia seems to be at once a little too taken with itself and to be trying too hard.
Our meal started with an amuse-​bouche that included some seafood, which was actually my favorite dish of the night. We split the «signature» shrimp scampi, which must be pretty good because everyone keeps telling you it is. (Actually, I liked it, but I wouldn’t put my signature on it.) And by the way, the scampi sauce is great for sopping up with some bread. I liked my salmon well enough and helped another person in my party finish off her Steak Diane, which was pretty good. The accompanying white truffle potatoes were tasty, too. Can’t remember the dessert but do remember that they couldn’t make some fairly basic coffee someone ordered… Was it a non/​low fat latte? And though we had a nice enough time, the jazz musicians– talented though they were– played too loudly for conversation.
All in all, Ambrosia makes me think of a former Orange County, one that isn’t sure of itself and tires to be «classy.» I think my native OC outgrew that a while ago.
PS Would someone please tell the manager that the word «entrées» is misspelled on the menu? («Entreés» is incorrect.)

This place was hard to find!
Being a fine dining restaurant, I was expecting a lavish, arrogant building but rather found myself outside of an old cement square box that looks like a really old, abandoned bank!
We had reservations for about 30 people and we arrived a tad bit earlier than everyone else. The hostess led us upstairs to a very dimmed, elegant, old fashioned room. She directed us to our room and led us to the bar.
Drinks aren’t too pricey. For 3 drinks (one being a Sprite LOL) was roughly around $ 23 including tip. Not too shabby for fine dining!
As for the food, it was really really good! Extremely simple menu: soup or salad, steak or fish. They also had either white or red wine on the side to fill your empty glass anytime. The steak was amazing! It was one of the best I’ve had! I might even choose this place over Lawry’s (if it wasn’t for their creamed corn). Obviously, a little person like me had to ask for a to-​go box but I was lucky enough to have this steak 2 nights in a row!
Overall, its safe to say: Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Ambrosia, see me again sometime soon! :)

I like Aaron D’s review of this place. It’s pretty spot on. It’s a place to impress a date: live piano lounge music, romantic décor, candle and a rose, expensive wine list. Plus it’s always fun to dress up once in awhile, get valet parking, and get cozy in your private U-​shaped booth.
The prix fixe dinner is a great deal, and the table side shrimp scampi is fun, flamy, and fresh. The rest of the meal — the entrees and desserts, are forgettable, but the night will not be, as you laugh at the manager flaming your shrimp, and be a little unsettled by the football-​coach like waiter with a tux barking at you to see if you’re «all good.»
Yay for cheesy romantic atmospheres and strange dining experiences! (like making your date eat jumbo snails broiled in butter and garlic)

I have been reading these 1 star reviews and I think I know why these one stars have recently been occuring. Ambrosia has let go half of their staff!!! I understand with the hard times and the current condition of the economy every business must do what they need to do survive, however when you are running a «5 star» resturaunt and are highly competing with Napa Rose, I would think you would not let go of your best employees such as their main bartender who actually knows how to make a drink. When I found out where he is relocated I will keep everyone posted! Best manhattans, martinis and margaritas I have ever had.
So going forward with letting people go that means YES… they did let go of that server Ceasar who YES was totally awful! When I would come in for happy hour, he was just negative energy all the time and would always throw the bartender attitude and from what I could tell he was arrogant and no one liked him.
So my updated review of one star saddens me to give but I have no more reason to really go back there since half of the staff that I really liked is now gone. I will miss you yummy bread rolls and favorite salad and all of you desserts but I must move on and support the friends that I have made at Ambrosia. I wouldn’t feel right giving them my business. Maybe one day I can update again and bump it back up to 5 stars.
God I feel really bummed about this.

«Eeks, methinks not» is right. I’ve put off this review long enough.
We planned a girls night dinner for my birthday. Thank you again, ladies! But the night started off on the wrong foot right when our server, Cesar ‘dis’graced our table with his presence. Once we declined the fancy pants bottled water for tap water, we saw his attitude immediately and he starting collecting wine glasses without us even looking at the wine list yet! Did you not know I was an awesome wino, Cesar?!
Well anyways, service just got so progressively snooty that I wish he wouldn’t come back to our table. But when someone’s steak tasted «off» (as in, tarty tasting meat and resembling nothing like beef), we had to mention it. The busboy who didn’t know how to deal with the situation gasped, «Oh sorry, I didn’t cook it. What do you want me to do about it?» As he reported our complaint to our kind server, Cesar returned to our table after he threw his hands in the air and we had this exchange:
Cesar: It looks like you want to take that steak home.
Friend: No.
Cesar: Well, that’s great because we have run out of take-​out boxes!
Me: *Hell to the NO glare + blood boiling*
The manager did come by to check on our situation but the experience had turned so sour that I’d never go back. The food wasn’t even worth the calories. The manager did comp us the meal or else I would have thrown down with you, Cesar.
*Footnote: I asked another busboy what our server’s name was. I thought it was strange when his voice rose two notches.

I tried this restaurant because of Dine OC. Booked reservations for Saturday through opentable because it was one of the «most booked restaurants» in the OC and also read Unilocal reviews — 4 stars. That MUST be good right?! No way. I was SOOO disappointed! Based on reviews and ratings, I thought it was really good. Go here for the ambiance. Don’t go here for the food.
It’s located on the 2^nd floor of the OC Pavilion. We found street parking along the meters (free after 8pm). Don’t use the valet. Went up the elevator to the 2^nd floor.
Entered the restaurant and it was definitely beautiful. The room was filled with shrubbery with lights strewn across it. I’ve never seen a restaurant decorated like that. We were seated at a booth away from everyone. Couldn’t see the live jazz band/​singer so that sucked. The waiter (Brian) came and asked if we wanted to be seated elsewhere but we were fine with where we were.
Bread came cold. I thought a fancy place like this would have at least Spago’s type of bread. It was just a regular plain dinner roll you would buy at the supermarket. We ordered the tableside shrimp scampi flambé, the beet salad, parpadelle pasta w/​lamb, the sea bass, crème brûlée, and another dessert that wasn’t memorable.
Tableside shrimp scampi was pretty cool. You get to see this guy with an incredibly noticeable mustache cook it for you. However, because flambé-​ing the shrimp didn’t allow all the flavor to go through, it tasted like regular shrimp. They attempted to add more flavor by giving you a lot of sauce at the bottom. Beet salad was delicious though.
My friend got his lamb w/​pasta, but they forgot the lamb. We had to resend it back and he got a new one. I think it’s funny that they forgot to PUT the lamb in it. The sea bass had no flavor. Didn’t feel like eating it. Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion cooks a much better sea bass. Go there instead.
Crème brûlée was good. They added a little bit of peanut to go with it.
Service — Very attentive. A lot of people complained about it, but our waiter Brian, checked on us constantly and even made small talk. I told him I’d write a review for him! Request Brian if you’re afraid you’re gona get bad service.
Ambiance — Super nice and romantic. I loved the jazz band and singer. It wasn’t loud or anything. Can still carry conversation.
Attire — Opentable said business casual. Gayot said upscale casual. I saw people in there wearing completely casual (ie: t-​shirt and jeans), so you really don’t have to worry about what you’re wearing.
PLEEEASE don’t go here for the food. I don’t know why people would give it any higher than 3 stars. The food reminds me of dinner hosted by a hotel… you know… the dinners where you attend a wedding and they give you steak and fish, but it tastes very bland. If you want to take your girlfriend out to a nice restaurant, I’d recommend Roy’s, Mastro’s, Gordon Ramsey’s London in LA, Providence, Patina, the Dining Room in Pasadena, or Nick & Stef’s. I wouldn’t come here again.

I came to Ambrosia with my girlfriends on Friday night for OC restaurant week. I did some research on Unilocal… and we decided to check this place out. The part where Unilocal came in so handy was the fact that I got to read what other people ordered on the menu for dine week. So I got the shrimp scampi, lamb, and crème brûlée.
Ratings on my meal:
Bread and Butter = 5 stars… excellent bread
Shrimp scampi = 5 stars for presentation and taste
Colorado lamb = 4 stars because the olive taste was a bit overpowering
Crème Brulee = 3 stars… I’ve had better crème brûlée
I give the ambiance a 5 star, the restaurant was very nice, romantic. There was candlelight… but the fake plants threw it off. The lady singing was excellent… we loved her music choice and her playlist she sang a bit of Rod Stewart and some Sade… it was good.
So why the 3 stars??? Well, the service was just okay. I took off one star for the hostess, first of all she wore a nice dress but had beaded fringe on the bottom of her dress… literally was so loud and annoying. But the bad outfit wasn’t the only bad thing about her. She came off as very stuck up. Now, I’m not a 5-​star restaurant dining gal… I don’t go out every night spending loads of cash on food… hey, I have future travel expenses to save up for, but I will splerge here and there. So the hostess took us to our table, and I made a comment about how fancy the place was… her response:
«Well of course it’s fancy, this is a 5 star restaurant» The response just felt very snooty. I didn’t like her and her outfit… so — 1 star.
The other star I took off because our waiter seemed very condescending. Just because we didn’t order any wine or anything from the bar… like I said I’m saving up for my future travels around the world, and I knew we were going out drinking that night… so buying a drink at the bar elsewhere would probably be cheaper and I’m not big on wine. But he kept on making little remarks about it… sort of annoying. so –1 star.
But definitely I would come here for the food, not so much for the service from my experience. 5 star my ass.

I loved the physical ambiance: the piano, the private booths, the er… um… fake plants that I tried not to look too closely at so that the mood was not lost… but then the pretentiousness of our waiter did lose it for me. I was more preoccupied with not making a fool out of myself, (or that my husband wouldn’t use his finger instead of a knife!) that I would have been happier with cheaper food in a friendlier place… even their right to BE pretentious seemed to be founded on a fake platform of fine French cuisine, that wasn’t really very French nor fine.
I started with the beet salad… pretty standard, but delicious… then the bass which was definitely LESS delicious than other preparations I’ve had… then the apple crisp (hello, British!), also not very amazing, and NOT worth the price!

I’m sorry. I would ordinarily re-​write another review solely for Unilocal,but the experience here was so indescribably traumatizing that I don’t think I want to put myself through the entire ordeal of re-​living it, so, my apologies — you can read it here:
It is unfortunate that the lowest we can give on Unilocal is 1 star.

So many things to say — and only 5000 characters to say them in. Curse you Unilocal for having a maximum!!!
The Experience itself is worth some serious coin. Anytime a dude with a waxed mustache is walking around and means it — it’s time to sit back and enjoy the entertainment. So, I heard this place was french — but the General Manager was the lone Frenchman. He also is the chief of lighting things on fire.
Staff everywhere — lots of business. I called ahead and was unable to get a seat for two between 6:15pm and 8PM on a Wednesday night. I spoke with the hostess about it and she said it was all about OC Restaurant week.
So, the servers seem waaaaaay to serious. I don’t know anyone that prefers stern waiters. Maybe its a European thing. The servers seemed pretty professional but a bit stuck up.
We were here for the Prix Fix OC Restaurant week special. I got the Shrimp Scampi Flambé which was great and entertaining. Let it be said that anyone with fire, brandy, shrimp, heavy cream, garlic, and butter could probably make a very taste dish. It was very good — I even ate the cherry tomatoes which I typically loathe.
My wife had the Farmer’s Market Beet salad. It was both beautiful and delicious.
It being Wednesday night — Ambrosia has a half price on bottles of wine special that I recommend. Be aware that their cheapest bottle is probably $ 45.
We both chose the Sea Bass as we don’t eat red meat. And let it be said — much like Holly W. has seemed to infer — the service and experience is way better than the entrees seem to be. This place is a lot of fun and very classy/​romantic — but compared to the crazy prices it needs to impress a lot more when it comes to the entrees. I love Sea Bass and it was only average. It came with a veggie mix that had beans that were very bleh. Also it had some type of a sweet tangerine sauce that only so-​so. It was a nice piece of fish — just not well presented.
On to dessert. Let it be said that on the online version of their menu at OC Restaurant Week they claim to offer a Table Side Flambé of Bananas Foster as part of the Prix Fix menu. They have since removed it from their version that they present you in Restaurant. This left me disappointed as part of the reason I chose Ambrosia was because I wanted the Bananas Foster. But, alas we can’t all get what we want. My wife had the apple crisp. It was unique and some interesting nuts in it. It was good but not great. I had the Crème Brulee which was yummy but not spectacular.
Overall in comparison to the broad spectrum of everything you might eat in Orange County — they get 3 stars. If I was giving them stars in comparison to value — they might get like 2.5
The food is good. The service is good. The ambiance is amazing. They had live music. The tables are set beautifully and each have a candle and a rose. But, the food is not great. And the servers are not friendly — just professional. I would rather be at Roy’s having great food with less ambiance. And the service would be a great deal less pretentious at Roy’s as well — and easily as attentive.

This week only! Ending ²⁄₂₈!
There is nothing better than dropping a sizeable chunk of your hard earned, «soon-​to-​be-​here,» economic stimulus check at OC’s very own «Dining Stimulus week.» And what better restaurant to capitalize on that than Ambrosia: Downtown Santa Ana’s very own, self-​proclaimed «World Class» 5-​star dining experience. Cleverly kept on the 2^nd Floor of the OC Pavilion, Ambrosia is just one of three high class establishments that make the Pavilion a go-​to locale for an elegant evening out on the town (the other two include a live performance stage and VIP lounge). Upon taking that old fashioned elevator up to the 2^nd floor, you will know you’re in store for a traditionally classy meal, complete with all the décor.
Innovative but traditional, Ambrosia’s «New American» cuisine derives its daily menu based on seasonal ingredients and some outstanding signature items. And lucky for us, the 3-​course, $ 40 Dining Stimulus prix-​fix is one of the best tickets in town.
However, as with many prix-​fix menus, food is usually hit or miss. While the tableside shrimp scampi flambé is delicious and a reason to go in itself, the flat-​iron steak was flat out disappointing. Medium rare was just tough, making me think it wasn’t a good cut of beef. The caramelized bacon presentation made it incredibly salty with those curiously delicious (but salty) fries. Order the lamb instead!
Off the regular menu, while the foie-​gras was above average, the lobster gratin was incapable of being cut, and also tough as nails. However, dessert (as it should be) was a standout!
While the 5-​star service was impeccable at the start, as the dining room got busier, it slowly dwindled to 2 – 3 stars by the end of the night. Though the server was incredibly sweet, 5-​star service means you check in on your guests throughout the night. By doing that, you’d know that 2 of 5 courses were essentially not eaten.
Overall, I liked Ambrosia enough to go again, but I’ve already spent a good chunk of my economic stimulus check for a 3-​star experience. I’m still looking forward to their self-​proclaimed 5-​star experience, but I know it’ll cost a 5-​star price. I might have to wait until my 401K starts growing again… so a review update? well, who knows when…

Ambrosia is located in OC Pavilion but don’t be confused since it’s location is in almost downtown Santa Ana. This place has by far one of the best services, well selected wine list, and savoring dishes — all surrounding French cuisine. Went there for Valentines and had the prefix menu which consisted of the following:
1) Crab cakes — light, tasteful, great use of combining a dash of caviar, pureed avacodo, and a zesty lemon sauce
2) Thai lobster bisque with coconut shrimp — simply amazing, rich, creamy and full of flavor
3) Black angus grilled iron steak — cooked to perfection at medium rare, tender, tasty, seasoned with full of flavor, no fat or tendons
4) Flowerless chocolate cake — decadent and normally I don’t like flowerless chocolate cake, but this place perfects it where I still crave it
5) Vanilla crème brûlée — normally I am a very picky and big fan of crème brûlée and I can say right now that this is one of my most favorite places in the entire world.
Have Aaron, the assistant manager and their sommelier that selects Ambrosias wine list, choose the wines for you — he chose a Stonestreet Merlot (goes excellent with steak — very full bodies, not to dry, and not too bold… very perfect) and a Château St. Michelle Cabernet (which also compliments very well with the steak — frutier, but not overpowering, and zesty)
I will definitely be back and this place was a great find in the OC… a diamond in the rough!