Scott's South Coast Plaza

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
From the moment you walk up the palm-tree-lined walkway, you'll be transported to Palm Beach. The open dining room, in soft pastels and enclosed by glass walls, only adds to the "Miami Vice" vibe. The well-dressed, suburban crowd, however, brings you back to Costa Mesa.

The Food
Although the kitchen does pleasing renditions of meat and pasta dishes, it's the impressive selection of seafood that draws devoted diners to Scott's. Start with the jumbo shrimp cocktail, four mammoth shrimp served over a delicately spiced gazpacho, or the crisp house Caesar. For entrees, the baked, Chilean sea-bass sake kasuzuke, an Asian-inspired concoction, literally melts in the mouth. Citrus, bourbon salmon also shines, with just a hint of sweet orange flavor that doesn't overpower the tender fish. For dessert, there's a light and fluffy chocolate souffle, but the berry-bedecked creme brulee is especially good.