Il Girasole

Easily top ten of Orange County. About time we have a Lyon level Michelin quality resteruant in Orange County. Get your reservation now before this place gets packed. It's worth it. Servers from Oliver's osteria came over for this new resteruant. Snapper, truffle flaked risotto, gnocchi... grappa! Everything... yes please!

Host service: 2 starsInterior/exterior: 4 starsWaiter service: 4 starsFood: 4 starsDrinks: 0 starI made a reservation online. When we arrived, the hostess asked us to check the menu before going in. She had a stern expression and explained it in such a confusing way that I couldn't understand why she was doing this at the front door instead of seating us first.The whole welcome felt a bit off.The restaurant was pretty empty, but instead of giving us a bigger table, the hostess offered us small ones--either in the hallway where the staff kept rushing by, between larger tables, or near a door that swung open and could hit your elbow.The food is seasonal, which I love!Beautiful bar, but very narrow. The outdoor seating has that classic Irvine Company design. Indoor seating is oddly low--you'll feel like you're sinking--while the outdoor benches are too high.The menu setup is confusing. They gave us two different menus, but we didn't realize it at first. We thought we were looking at the same one, wondering why certain dishes weren't on both. It turns out I had the à la carte menu, and my partner had the prix fixe menu, which actually offered more choices. Why not just give both menus to everyone? It's illogical and unnecessarily confusing.The menu itself doesn't make much sense either--the prix fixe has more options than the à la carte. They explained it in a very confusing way. It could be simpler and more logical.They don't offer mocktails.---The Il Girasole cocktail was visually beautiful, but tasted like cough medicine: overly bitter and unpleasant.---Nonino Sour: So nasty--bitter and overly sour. Did you ever taste your cocktails before serving them?---Rosemary Cucumber Water (Palate Cleanser): I genuinely thought I had accidentally sipped hand soap. It smelled lovely, but the taste was bitter and left a weird numbing sensation on my tongue--just disgusting. When we took a sip and visibly reacted, the table next to us burst out laughing because the same thing had happened to them. lol. Honestly, it belongs in the toilet, not on the table.-++Granchio: As beautiful as it looks, the portion is ridiculously tiny. It's fresh, but almost flavorless without the sauce. And the sauce? Barely there. The plate is too flat to even scoop up what little sauce there is. This dish desperately needs more sauce because, without it, there's nothing to taste. The portion is so small that you barely get to appreciate its freshness.-++Burrata e Prosciutto: The burrata is light and creamy, though it lacks much dairy flavor. The prosciutto is tender and savory without being too salty, perfectly textured. However, the caramelized figs are tiny and scarce, leaving the dish lacking flavor. Without the figs, there's little to elevate the taste, and with no bread or crackers to pair, it feels incomplete.---Agnolotti di Vitello; Some pieces are al dente, but others are just hard, especially the corners, which are overloaded with dough. Those corners are like biting into raw dough. The plating is messy, with pea purée splattered all over the agnolotti, which look more like gnocchi. The filling is tasty, and the green pea purée pairs well, but the pasta skin is way too tough. The waiter claimed it was al dente, but any true foodie knows the difference between undercooked dough and perfectly al dente pasta. This is just raw dough. Skip it!+++Spigola: The striped bass is perfectly cooked, showcasing Michelin-level skill in fish preparation. The skin is beautifully crispy, while the fish itself is perfectly tender and juicy, on par with the fish at Melisse. The vegetables are crisp and flawlessly cooked, with both taste and texture on point. It's a dish that excels in both flavor and presentation.--+Anatra: The duck leg is perfectly cooked--tender and flavorful, with the meat falling off the bone. The plating is beautiful, but the portion is tiny. The veggies are perfectly cooked but uninspiring and boring. Once again, the dish is nearly tasteless without the sauce.--+ Tiramisu:It looks beautiful, but it's way too chunky and overly sweetened.I don't typically enjoy heavy-flavored food, but Il Girasole's sauce and seasoning are minimal and delicate. However, some of the sauces are a bit too thick in texture.After the night, we were thirsty all night long--likely due to the heavy use of bouillon in their flavorful sauces. As we walked out of the restaurant, the waiters--who weren't busy--just watched us go without saying goodbye, even after we left a big tip. It felt off.This place has potential because of the food quality and taste, but service and drinks need significant improvement. Also, sharp, chipped, oily plates are a big no-no.

Came here to celebrate a birthday, and had a large party of 13 out in the patio. The patio is covered and has heaters, so it was no problem even though it was a chilly night outside. The restaurant is very new, and we understand that they're still trying to figure everything out. Between the time we made our reservations and when we actually came in to eat, they had changed to a pre-set menu. We were all a little caught off guard in that regard. Instead of ordering a la carte, you choose from a list of options. An appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. The meal also comes with a bread roll. Our server was very attentive and helped explain everything.Despite having a set menu with limited options, we were disappointed to find out they were out of one of the appetizer options. Most people wanted to try the Hamachi, but there was only 3 left, so we gave it to the birthday boy and two other people in our group fought for it, haha. The rest of the food came out in courses, and we were all a little surprised at the portions given the price . We understand it's fine dining and multi-course, but everyone was still rather hungry after the main course. We asked if we can order off the a la carte menu, and requested some more bread, which our server was very kind to oblige after speaking with the kitchen (I don't think they normally give additional complimentary bread). He could tell we were all still quite hungry, and while we waited for our a la carte entrees, he brought out two complimentary plates of gnocchi for us all to share. (I ordered the gnocchi as my main entree and thought it was very flavorful and delicious. The pasta was just far too al dente for my taste. I felt like I had to chew it for so so so long, my jaw was getting tired!)After more bread, many more drinks, and additional entrees, we were finally satiated, and they brought out the desserts. Those desserts truly are show-stoppers! I ordered the Pavlova and honestly--I wish I could come back to this restaurant just to eat this pavlova over and over again. I know the restaurant is still in its early stages, and it will improve with time. I'm not eager to come back just yet. But hopefully soon in the future i I can try it again and see how everything has evolved. I greatly appreciate our server and the whole staff for their efforts. You guys made our night!

Where do I start.. ?????*Management* - Needs major improvement.Original reservation time 8:30 we arrived 8:22PM.This place is really cute and the food was actually good minus the risotto. (Do Not Get This!)We had reservations for Valentine's day.. First hostess was great. She helped us check in and also told us about the prefixed menu vs al a carte. We decided to move from bar seating to table.. this is where we may have messed up.. wait time was reasonable since we decided to change the arrangement. We were sat by 9:25PM an hour later (which we understood) it's a Holiday and we get it..*Our server was a bit rational and didn't answer any of our questions and no recommendations were also answered. I heard they changed the menu right before the shift started which was a bad idea too.. brought out water out, left didn't come back for about another 30mins.. took out order left.. 20-30 mins passed came out with our "complimentary appetizer".. *Another 30 mins passed our first course comes out.. the crab had shell pieces in the dish so it cut my mouth inside.. the hamachi crudo was good.*45 mins passed we get our "entree" the bass was maybe 2.0oz and my risotto was so undercooked i can bite into the crunch of the grains of the rice.. it was sour and not good at all.*25 mins passed we never got the cheese board that was included in the menu, and then 20 mins later we got the "dessert" pretty much the only thing good thing there.. It almost tasted too good to be made in house.. but who knows!**Walked by the kitchen (bathroom located) I saw a kitchen staff busy on her "phone" vs taking orders for the food.. It was also one chef working that night. Management never came by to apologize or even address and delays of the kitchen, I can tell you that more than 6-10 tables walked out that night**Poorly handled and will not be returning. It's sad because this place has great potential. I hope the owner takes this feedback and changes direction. Would like to see this place thrive with all the businesses near by. Best of luck.*All in all experience:- Service 1 out of 10- Interior: 5 out of 10- Food: 4 out of 10- Dessert: 8 out of 10Total time spent in my seat: 3Hrs and 14Mins for this meal.... we left hungry and went to In n Out right off the exit on Harbor :(

Came here after reading lot of good things on Yelp about this restaurant and it somewhat did live upto the expectations.Ambience and decor is nice and classy. Hostess and staff was cordial and we loved the set up. Here is what we got.Bread basket : It was OK. Found th4 bread quite dry and not warm enough. Did not appreciate the recommendations made by our server as we ended up with 2 pinsas, Tomato salad with breads and this bread platter.Pinsa Pizza : best dish of the night. But you gotta eat this fast as once it gets a bit cold , it becomes quite dry. Tomato Salad : it was different and it was good. But you can skip this and just get margarita pinsa instead. Filet mignon : it was good and well crafted with a ravioli on top of it. You break the ravioli and let all juices smother the steak before you take a bite.Crispy Chicken : a big reason I docked a start off my review and should have docked 2 and given them 3 stars instead. This was very bad. Chicken wasn't even well cooked and we couldn't muster courage to get an additional bite of it after we tried it. Avoid at all costs. Lasagna : if you like truffle, you will love this. It's got a very strong truffle infusion. Yellowtail appetizer : it was good. But I've had a lot better at lots of other Sushi restaurants. Octopus appetizer : it was good. Morello: drink was lemony and smoky. Didn't come out as decorated as I saw in some other pics and videos here. Overall, we had a good experience but if few things improved , this has potential to be a 5 star !

Celebrated my birthday here a few weeks ago and was glad I picked this place with a modern contemporary ambiance fit for a nice dinner. They were very accommodating with my table requests when making the reservation and the staff were all friendly and attentive during our visit. I started with an Aperol Spritz while perusing the menu and that was a refreshing drink to start the night. The ladies all said their cocktails were fantastic as well so do check out their drink list. We all decided to order several dishes to share so we can have variety. Burrata with Prosciutto, Polipo, and Margherita Pizza were our starters; all pleasant especially the octopus which was grilled to a tender perfection. For our mains, Lasagna Norcina with truffles will have to be my favorite, 2nd was the Radiatori Amatriciana, followed by the Taglierini di Mare. Sadly, the risotto did not impress and only because I don't like a savory dish to be sweet. Save room for dessert because their flourless chocolate cake was molto bene!

We celebrated a family member's birthday at newly opened Il Girasole (The Sunflower), and I am glad we did. It was so much better vs the previous restaurant at the same location at SOCO in CM.We started off w/ eggplant and octopus. Although the eggplant wasn't what we were expecting, it was okay. Nonetheless, I wouldn't order it again. On the other hand, the octopus was one of the best versions I have ever had. It was super tender, well seasoned and nicely grilled.For my entree, I had the duck breast. Others had the signature filet mignon and pasta. I should have went w/ the sig dish bc the duck was just aurite. The flavor was good and the duck was moist, but the portion was small. In addition, it was served a tad cool. Conversely, my rellies raved about the steak and big ravioli on top. Their steaks were tender, flavorful and grilled as ordered.Thirdly, the pastas were unique. One included king crab and squid ink.Fabrizio, our waiter was excellent. He was super friendly, and very knowledgable about the menu. Secondarily, he spoke Italian and had a big smirk on his face when I responded to one of his comments with, "Che figata" (How cool).Regarding the ambiance, its much more open vs before. The tables are not too close together, and there is a fair amount of patio seating. The table next to us was hosted by one of the owners I believe. He gave the birthday boy a glass of wine he was promoting. In addition, everyone at his table sang Happy Birthday, and he encouraged the whole restaurant to join along: That was cool AF!Il Girasole is still working the kinks out. However, when Fabrizio asked what we thought of our experience, I responded, "Torneremo presto" (We will return soon). I could not say that about the previous place, bc I never returned after a mediocre experience. Buona fortuna to the owners of Il Girasole. Thank you for bringing real Italian food to the area, in a region crowded w/ a lot of Am Italian copycat places.

Came here to celebrate the wife's birthday. It is an interesting take on traditional Italian food that is upscaled. It is in the SOCO area and plenty of parking. When you walk in there is a nice long bar area on the left while the main dining area is on the right. A couple of nice artwork on the walls give it a little modern look. Music is louder than normal, but not loud enough to drown out conversation. Service throughout the night was extremely good. We were brought out a small amuse-bouche to have. Nothing memorable about it. Water was always filled promptly. The cocktails also tasted delicious, though can't remember the exact ones we ordered. For appetizers we got the Caesar salad and grilled calamari stuffed with shrimp paste. The food is presented in unique and beautiful ways. I would say attempting to be Michelin quality but with decent portions. The Caesar had egg yolk that has been sous vide for 6 hours and fresh anchovies. It was a good Caesar. The grilled calamari tasted really good and made a nice starter. The entrees were phenomenal. I had the filet cooked perfectly (requested rare) and the pasta was delicious and rich. The pasta is cooked more al dente just fyi. My wife ordered the Pappardella Ripiena which is my opinion was the better dish. It was cooked perfectly and the bits of crispy duck skin was a nice surprise with each bite. Finally we had a Tiramisu for dessert. Presentation was beautiful and taste was also good. Only critique is that it had a little too much cream and should have more filling to balance out. Only negative from the night I would say is I did mark on the reservation it was a birthday and would have been nice if it was recognized without me saying anything to them. Other than that wonderful night and would come again.

Checked out this new Italian restaurant in Costa Mesa near South Coast Plaza and had a great time! Seems like they specialize in small plates and a more "tasting menu" experience. They had a few entree/pasta options, and several appetizers and cheese boards to choose from. The bread basket was delicious and tasted freshly baked, and all the pastas we tried were creamy and flavorful. I especially enjoyed the texture of the fresh pasta. Service was also great, waiters were very attentive and friendly. They also offer a few small complimentary bites throughout the course of your meal, which is a nice touch. 4 stars- would be back if I was in the area

Perfect restaurant to celebrate a birthday, dim lighting, great service, fun chats, and beautiful dishes. APPETIZERS+ Burrata w apple and prosciutto ($18): nice starter with creamy Burrata, sweet apple slices, and prosciutto wasn't extremely salty (7/10)+ Polipo ($24): octopus was tender and flavorful, a table fave! (8.8/10)+ Pane ($8): bread assortment, whipped ricotta was my fave (8/10)+ Melanzana ($18): cute display, boatlike egglant. But eggplant wasn't flavorful alone and wasn't soft enough (6/10)MAINS+ Filetto Cacio e Pepe ($58): their recommended dish, medium rare filet was perfect, nice pairing with the cacio e Pepe ravioli (9/10)+ Ravioli al Granchio ($48): wow striped ravioli with squid ink, fun design! Pricy for just 6 pieces, but a cool design and king crab was delicious (8/10)Wines paired well with the dishes, waters were always refilled. Dishes were replaced and tables were wiped between appetizers and mains. Looking forward to our next visit!