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By Raymonde Lorgeou
If you are of my generation, you most likely remember “Chanteclair”, a very exclusive and award winning French restaurant located just across from John Wayne Airport.
Today, the same location is the home of Posch under the ownership of Jimmy Z and his wife Suzette. The outside of the building has kept the appearance of a charming French auberge, but the inside has been totally remodeled.
The 10,000 square feet restaurant is divided in six rooms: the Chandelier Room, the Red Room, the Penthouse, the Venetian Blue Room, the Wine Cellar and the White Room. Each space has its own character and is tastefully decorated.
The bar is large and inviting. The restaurant has a state of the art sound system, twelve Plasma screen TV and six fireplaces.
Jimmy Z and Suzette are not new to the culinary world. They are well known as the owners of two successful restaurants: “Jimmy Z Grill” in Irvine from 1999 to 2007 and “Forty carrots” from 1978 to 1991 in Costa Mesa (South Coast Plaza). The couple is also highly respected in the Orange County community for their generous contributions to various charities.
For years, actually ahead of his time, Jimmy Z has been well recognized and praised for his fresh cuisine approach. Suzette confessed that even at home the only thing they have in the freezer is ice cream. In its Web page the restaurant calls its cuisine French Mediterranean. Due to the plentiful use of fresh local produce it is definitely a Mediterranean inspired cuisine, but it is not exclusively French. It is Greek, Italian, Spanish, and Near East with a Persian flair due to the roots of Jimmy Z who was born Persian. We will add that we even detected a twist of Asian cuisine. In essence POSH’s cuisine makes use of the best of the best that international cuisine has to offer with a strong emphasize on freshness and generous use of vegetables, herbs and spices. Jimmy Z, executive Chef of Posch, has designed every dish on the menu, from appetizers to salads, seafood and meat main courses. He personally trained his chefs and, to this day, does not mind stepping in the kitchen when necessary.
Among the appetizers tasted we loved the Salad Shirazi: Organic baby Persian cucumbers, garden fresh heirloom tomatoes, sweet onions, and kalamata olives with lemon zest vinaigrette. We also enjoyed the mixed seafood ceviche: gulf white shrimps, baby squid with lime and herb dressing. Deliciously refreshing. We cannot wait to try the Caramelized bacon-wrapped Alaskan Bay Scallops the Dolma with savory yogurt raisin sauce, the Crustless herbed quiche soufflé and the Grilled shrimp Dijon.
For the main course from the sea, we had the Charbroiled Chilean Sea Bass with garlic mashed potatoes roasted sesame seeds and a light teriyaki molasses glaze, which beautifully enhanced the flavor of the fish. For the main course from the land, we had the “Wild Honey Glazed Skirt Steak” with Basmati saffron rice, and steamed baby spinach. The touch of sweetness of the honey on this flavorful cut of beef combined with the aroma of the saffron rice made this dish remarkable. The menu offers several cuts of beef and lamb: “Five pepper New York Strip Steak”, with a spicy mustard sauce, “ Prime corn fed Filet Mignon” with a port wine reduction sauce,” Charbroiled Colorado Rack of Lamb” with a black currant sauce, just to name a few. .
For dessert we had a chocolate Baklava. We normally stay away from Baklava, which our French palate finds much too sweet, but this one was not very sweet and the chocolate, blended with the honey and walnuts, gave the Baklava a totally new dimension.
The average price of appetizers is $ 10.00, entrees $ 27.00, which we found very reasonable for the quality of the ingredients, the refinement of the presentation, the professional service and the upscale atmosphere.
Posch has a goal: be your home away from home. The restaurant can accommodate small and large parties, has quiet areas, perfect for a romantic dinner and is also a relaxing place to unwind after a trip, forget the airline food and enjoy a tasty, healthy appetizer before hitting the freeway.
Our introduction to POSCH was a very enjoyable experience.
The restaurant is currently open Monday to Saturday. Monday to Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. POSH has applied for a permit and will soon open until Midnight.
Although you will see the restaurant right off Macarthur Blvd, you need to turn left on Douglas to access Posch with a large metered off street parking area. The restaurant will validate your parking ticket.
Posch is located at 18912 Macarthur blvd., Irvine 92612. TEL 949 833 1900. www.PoschRestaurant.com
