Kat's 9 Lives

Having lived almost all life in Orange County, everyone knows about the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point as a fine hotel establishment with a gorgeous view.  I myself have never been to their infamous Sunday brunch.
It was very nice of them to inform me of the newly added enoSTEAK restaurant and invite me to come down to try it out myself.  If you ever head down to the Ritz-Carlton, be sure to arrive early when there is sunlight out so that you may check out their gorgeous beach as well as take some beautiful photos before dinner!
I have always enjoyed the elegant decor and fresh flowers that are displayed throughout the hotel.  Valet parking is offered for the guests.
enoSTEAK has both a dining area or a large bar area for guests to converse over some great drinks and delicious appetizers.  Ms. Lin and I had dinner inside the main dining area where they have a great collection of wines displayed in the center of the room.
They have many cozy booths for couples or groups that want a more intimate feeling or they have tables in the center that are great for parties or business dinners.  It's a refined environment with very friendly service.
Ms. Lin and I started the night with a glass of Dom Pérignon and one of their Raya inspired drinks, the Yuzu Fresa.  They have a great list of cocktails to try.  The Yuzu Fresa was light and a great way to start of the meal.  If there are any wines that you love, please be sure to inquire with the server as they have a huge wine collection that may not be listed.
I was happy to see that they offered an Asparagus & Gioia Cheese Burrata Mozzarella with Chardonnay smoked salt and lemon basil vinaigrette to start.
It's very hard to find fresh burrata at times and I simply adore the taste.  Everything was very light on the plate and a great way to lead into a nice juicy steak!
A definite must have is the Smoked & Cured Meat and Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Board with dried fruits, nuts, cornichons, radishes, and crostini.  They have a great selection for the charcuterie, which included duck prosciutto.  I would love a full board of just that and the cheeses selected are as always very tasty.  Cowgirl Creamery always has great cheeses and come from the Bay Area.
All the steaks offered are either grain or grass fed from Niman Ranch.  They cut the meats in house and the butcher on site has been with the Ritz-Carlton for over 15 years.
My favorite cut was the Grilled Prime Rib Eye Steak, 14 oz.  The flavor was fabulous and the cut just melted in my mouth.  Definitely one of the best steaks I have had in Orange County and worth a trip! The rib eye was perfectly marbleized and tender.
With the steaks you can choose a Signature Compound Butter to add an extra kick to the steak.  You can choose from Black Summer Truffle, Roasted Heirloom Tomato, Gardens Herb & Garlic, 30i (meaning 30 ingredients) enoSTEAK Butter, and Tarragon Bearnaise Sauce.
Our server was super friendly and sweet as we couldn't make up our mind on which butters to use.  She offered that we could get two different kinds of butter if we would like.  I thought the steaks were very flavorful by themselves and it was fun to try the different flavors mixed in with the nicely prepared steak.  As always, truffle butter is a must for me!
Ms. Lin decided to try something different from me and ordered the Grilled Prime Bone in New York Steak, 16 oz.  This was a nice cut as well but not quite as tender as the rib eye steak.  The definite winner of the night was the rib eye, but for those who don't quite like their steak as fatty would definitely enjoy the leaner New York cut.  Regardless, everything was prepared and seasoned nicely accompanied with different butters to add another level to the flavor.
The steaks do not come with any sides so be sure to order some Enhancements to enjoy with the steak.  There were so many great choices that Ms. Lin and I were tempted to get every single one of them! We decided to try the Petit Basque Cheese & Chive Sour Cream Yukon Gold Potatoes, Smoked Almond & Duck Fat sautéed Five Grain Rice, Fiscalini & Summer Truffle Mac & Cheese, and the French Beans with Apple Smoked Bacon & Toasted Walnuts & Tomato Fondue.  All the choices sounded so delectable!
The tomato fondue was not quite what we thought it would be because there really was no fondue.  Instead it was nicely sautéed French beans.  As many people know, I am not an avid vegetable fan so I kind of wish we got the wild mushrooms or truffle fries.  The mashed potatoes were very creamy and went perfectly with the steaks.  We also loved the truffle mac and cheese.  I always love a crisp texture on top mixed in with the cheesy goodness.
For dessert they offered a Butterscotch Banana Pudding or a Nectarine & Blueberry Fried Pies served with Lemon Custard Ice Cream.  I really enjoyed the layered pudding.  There's a layer of butterscotch pudding, cookies, banana pudding, and chocolate on the bottom.  Be sure to dig that spoon in so that you can get a taste of all the layers together.  It's a great twist to a classic.
As for the fruit pies, they were good but not for me as I don't really like cooked fruits or even fresh fruits.  O=) They were freshly fried empanada-like treats, but much softer and lighter in texture.  This dessert is definitely lighter and would be good for those who are getting close to being full or are full.
We finished off the night a with a nice cup of Cappuccino.  I enjoyed how they served it with a tiny cube of white and brown sugar along with a nice biscotti topped of with a piece of chocolate, which was a nice tasty treat.
All in all I really enjoyed the rib eye and thought it was actually quite wonderful.  The Ritz-Carlton is always a great place to visit and enjoy the fabulous view.

enoSTEAK
1 Ritz-Carlton Dr
Dana Point, CA 92629
(949) 240-2000

Who doesn't love freshly grilled meat?  I am a meat-atarian so Agora Churrascaria is a perfect fit for me.  Besides the meat, I LOVE Pao de Queijo almost more than the meat itself and that is saying something! lol I just simply love everything about Brazilian food.  The nicely salted grilled meat mixed with soft cheese bread and topped off with a refreshing sip of Guarana.  Simply heaven!
I have been to Agora many times already and sometimes Ms. Lin gets her cravings when she is in town too.  So of course when I got a media invite here, I was on board.  It didn't take much convincing since I love cheese bread and meat!! lol Come hungry and come with a plan! lol
Brazilian soda, Guarana, is one of my favorites! It's not very easy to fine.  Believe me, I have tried! lol The refreshing taste goes great with the orange slice.  I always push the orange slice to the bottom of the soda and crush it to add another level to the drink.  If you have never had this soda, you definitely need to try it out.  It's a fruity and flowery mix of flavor.  
First, don't starve yourself when you go anywhere that you want to enjoy to the max because if you are too hungry then you get full fast.  They offer a full salad bar with plenty of cold and hot dishes to start your palette off.  I personally avoid anything that will fill up my stomach as my goal is to eat medium rare cut meats.
I like the mashed potatoes and many people were raving about the potato salads.  You really can't go wrong with meat and potatoes.  The savory components of the meat really mixes well with the soft and light flavors of the mashed potatoes.
If you find anything a bit more saltier than you are used to, then just use a carb to cut down the flavor on your taste buds.  I like to nibble on the pao de queijo throughout.
The salad bar also has a lot of fresh cut cheeses to choose from.  I enjoy starting my meal out with some cocktail shrimp and smoked salmon.  Don't forget a slice of the mozzarella with basil and tomato.
Here is a secret tip : take an extra clean plate back! Why?  Well, you don't want to miss out on the meat now, do you?  Once you get back, turn your sign to red.
Red means that you do not want the nice gauchos to come to your table-side and serve/carve your meat.  Flip it over to show the green side if you are ready for the bountiful meats to come.   I really enjoyed seeing a stuffed person representing the red side as that is how you might look at the end of the meal. lol
Sometimes they get a little bit busy or the meat may take a little longer to come out so I like to start right away and pace myself.
Don't be shy in asking them about certain meats you like and how you like it to be prepared.  The gauchos are usually very nice and accommodating.  Towards the end of the meal they will definitely double check with you on what meat you would like them to specifically bring out.
My personal favorite are the Picanha and Lamb Chops.  The picanha are the top sirloin caps that have a thin layer of fat surrounding the meat that's nicely grilled and flavored.  **drool drool**  This has always been my favorite and always will be.  I love the light touch of sea salts crystallized on the outside.
Always medium rare to rare for me! You definitely want to enjoy the tenderness of the meat.  It's best when the outer layer is cooked because that is where all the flavor is.  With the inside being medium rare and bloody, it mixes well with the salty outer flavor and brings the whole palette together.
 They also have some specials that you should always ask about.
Ms. Lin loves Cotação, Chicken Hearts, but you usually will have to ask for this and they will bring it out.  Not many places offer this item, so it is good that you can find it here if you like chicken hearts.  I normally never eat it but I felt that I had to take one for the team since Ms. Lin was not there.  The texture is chewy and resilient.
Don't forget the lamb chops.  I love those medium rare as well.  Tender morsels enveloped by the savory saltiness.  Okay, I think I am getting a little hungry and craving more Brazilian BBQ.
As soon as you sit down at the table they bring the Pao de Queijo, Fried Bananas, and Tomato Vinaigrette.
Resist the temptation to munch on these too much because you want to fill up on the meat and then finish off by snacking on the rest.
I like having the fried bananas at the end of the meal as a sort of dessert but it is also very good to switch between the savory and sweet at times.
We also got to sample the original Caiprinha made with Sagatiba, Cachaca, Lime, and Sugar.  You can also choose to make it with Splenda.  This is your traditional Brazilian alcoholic beverage.  I am not a big alcohol fan but the drinks here were not bad.  They do pack them with alcohol so beware.  If you like to drink then drink at the beginning so that while you eat you can digest the alcohol as well.
They have a few twists to the Caipirinha.  The Passion Fruit Caipirinha was not bad but I prefer the Strawberry Basil Caipirinha as that was more refreshing.  Only the original and strawberry basil had that crushed sprig inside, which really added to the flavor and made it more refreshing.
If you have room at the end for dessert, you can try the Brazilian Flan.  It's different from your typical flan that is more like a Mexican flan, which is light and airy.  The Brazilian take is much more dense and sweet.  It's great to share because the sweetness can be a bit much if you are full from the meat.
I also tried their Cheesecake just because I wanted some cheesecake.  This was just okay.  I think some of their other desserts were better.  Definitely go with something more out of the ordinary or something Brazilian.
If you want to top off the night, they have a selection of dessert wines for you to enjoy.  I decided to have the Dow's 20 yr Portugal Tawny Port.  This was very smooth and sweet.  A great wine to finish the night.
We were also lucky enough to meet the owner who relayed his passion and inspiration for Agora Churrascaria.  They were inspired by the wonderful culture and cuisine in Brazil where they spent many years and summers there.
I really want to go to Brazil sometime to experience it myself.  Along with eating all the pao de queijo I can find! They have some that are the size of bagels! =)
I have been coming to Agora for a very long time and I know that they are open on most if not all holidays, which is very nice for families who do not want to cook and want to have a nice meal.
They also now offer Happy Hour where if you are not hungry enough for a full meal but want to catch a few drinks and nibble on some meats.  From 5-7pm you can get Filet Mignon wrapped in Bacon, Brazilian Sausage, or Roasted Chicken for $4 and you get 3 pieces.  You can also choose 2 of the above for $6.
All in all it was a great night with great people.  Got to love these media events when all the foodies come out of the woodwork to gather and have fun =).   I will be honest that at times the meat takes a little bit to come out and sometimes it can be overcooked, but just ask them to make it to your liking and it should be fine.
When you get just the right picanha, then it feels like heaven.  I wished they had that on the Happy Hour menu!
Agora Churrascaria
1830 Main St
Irvine, CA 92614
(949) 222-9910