The owners of Mona Lisa and Capone’s in Huntington Beach have opened another gem, this one at 18344 Beach Boulevard. Black Trumpet Bistro specializes in Mediterranean tapas, small plates bringing flavors from Italy, Greece, France, Morocco and Spain. This place was highly recommended by my friend Debbie the gourmet cook, so I already knew that it must be pretty good.
We ordered several small plates to share …. Roasted Cauliflower with Almonds, Harissa Yogurt and Caramelized Onions, Charcuterie Plate featuring 3 different cheeses, 2 types of salami, prosciutto, imported olives, honey roasted nuts, and crusty bread with fig jam, Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Pomegranate Reduction, and Truffle Fries with Garlic, Parsley and Shaved Pecorino. All of this came with freshly made pita bread accompanied by an olive tapenade made with an elegant olive oil. Everything was nicely plated and a wonderful blend of flavors. I’m starting to salivate just writing about this. And, of course, we had a little sparkling Cava Brut from Spain to enhance our culinary experience.
We told our very helpful server that we were too full for dessert. She ignored that and then brought by the dessert tray. Guess which one we picked!
Chocolate cake with marshmallow mousse filling and covered with chocolate ganache.
The Other Thing – Italian restaurants Mona Lisa and Capone’s and the New Black Trumpet Bistro are family owned. Their attention to detail in their food and in their service sets them apart.
This restaurant in South Coast Plaza’s Crystal Court (Do they still call it that?) was a delightful surprise. Their food is truly Mediterranean – the dishes on the menu cover a wide variety of ethnic flavors. I met my friend Norma there for lunch. We needed to catch up on the latest happenings in our lives, and this place turned out to be a nice quiet setting for just that.
This, That, and The Other Thing 