Sorrento Grille & Martini Bar

Sorrento Grille & Martini Bar

Owner

Restaurateur David Wilhelm has been responsible for some of Orange County's most popular restaurants, but Sorrento is his personal favorite and is celebrating its 20 year anniversary. This casual, stylish bistro & wine bar featuring contemporary California cooking has been a longstanding favorite among both locals and out of town visitors. The menu features small plates style dining as well as several signature entries. The emphasis is on rustic, flavorful, wood-fired cooking over a blend of fruitwoods. The aromas the fill the restaurant as the small martini and wine bar serves up a variety of hand-shaken martinis along with an extensive offering of wines by the glass and carafe. The airy, high ceilinged building features ground floor and balcony dining, a private wine room, casual high-top fireside tables, and counter seating at the exhibition kitchen.

Martha Burr

Citysearch

The Scene
A tasteful, modern dining room with a roaring fireplace and gleaming open kitchen dominate the first floor. For a quieter escape, take refuge on the intimate, romantic balcony. As the evening draws on, the gorgeous glass bar, back-lit by candles, draws a beautiful crowd getting tipsy on oversized martinis.

The Food
The vibrant New American menu perfectly suits this sunny beach town, with deftly turned-out, beautifully presented comfort food favorites. Start with vine ripened tomato and rosmary bisque--a rich, complex blend of fresh, balanced flavors. Cornmeal-crusted calamari melts in your mouth, jazzed up with serrano chili and garlic. Giant prosciutto-wrapped scallops, though sweet and tender, are paired with a disappointingly bland asparagus, sweet pea and corn risotto. The house specialty--fragrant Tuscan chicken cooked "under the brick"--is perfectly cooked till it's crispy outside, tender inside. Light, creamy tiramisu is a perfect Italian dessert, especially accompanied by a nice selection of grappas or other dessert wines.