Golden Truffle offers options for the daring diner

Greer Wylder

Devotes of Alan Greeley, the chef and owner of the Golden Truffle,

trust his fine dining and culinary skills to the point of complete

surrender. They simply let him order for them!

“With the same clients coming here forever,” Greeley said, “I have

the most fun. I get to know their taste buds -- if they’re formal,

uptight or relaxed. That’s very, very, important.”

Greeley preoccupies himself with creativity culinary delights, the

highest-quality ingredients and visual details. He is incredibly

talented and self-taught. He cooked his way through college. He never

follows recipes. For him, they are just guidelines.

“Don’t get too hooked on those [darn] things.” He’ll still change

a dish midstream, saying, “Food should be spontaneous.”

For Greeley, culinary inspirations spring from everywhere: the

weather, travel, pictures and books. -- Not cookbooks. Rather, he is

inspired by novels.

Early in his cooking career, he completely gave up on cooking

magazines. Only recently, he said, has he become impressed by ideas

in Gourmet and Saveur. His favorite restaurants include Newport’s

Spaghetti Bender and Crab Cooker; and Hollywood’s Musso & Frank

Grill. And, he said, “The chili dogs at Jay’s in Hollywood are

totally awesome.”

Greeley gets hard-to-find, premium ingredients. Unusual garnishes

include micro-greens, olive-size potatoes and whole capers. Other

specialties that adorn his plates are: rare fresh Sicilian anchovies

prepared as an appetizer ($9); impossible-to-locate live abalone for

special entrees; and handpicked fresh blue crab and shrimp flown in

from Louisiana and Maryland.

Greeley has them shipped in from everywhere and picks them up

himself at John Wayne Airport. No wonder he has such a following.

It’s plain to see the risks Greeley takes that have paid-off. His

cutting-edge presentations more than complements the food: it raises

the standard.

“You eat with your eyes,” Greeley said. “But food always wins.”

Here’s one example: For distinctive culinary displays, he prefers

2-ounce handblown flutes. He fills them with appetizer-sized portions

of delicate soups, or tres original blackberry shooters with

framboise, edged with a hint of lime and honey.

He has created the most innovative lunch and dinner menu in town.

There are even choices to please the less daring: Order the classic

homemade prime sirloin hamburger with fries ($9).

For those who do dare, the menu highlights Greeley’s unique

talent: the best wines. Starting with appetizers, each dish is paired

with a fine wine suggestion. (The Golden Truffle received Wine

Spectator Magazine’s 2003 Award of Excellence).

For prearranged menus, Greeley’s carefully selects and prepares

the best in taste and culinary balance. There is a-less-is-more “Spa

menu” (three courses) at lunch ($21) and dinner ($32). And, for those

with a bit more wanting appetite, there is prix fixe menu

(four-course minimum) at lunch ($24 and up) and dinner ($45 and up).

On the appetizer list, regulars can’t say enough about the spicy

Texas style duck tacos with avocado and sour cream ($9). Other great

choices are the shrimp and avocado cocktail with chorizo toast ($16);

and the vitello tonnato (veal marinated in a tuna sauce) with black

truffles ($18).

Salad choices are singular. There’s a special broiled

Mediterranean octopus salad with Orzo and wild herbs ($12); and a

smoked Harbor Trading troll king salmon with creamed celery root

($12). There’s also the most requested, the familiar, yet still

delicious Caesar salad ($9).

The range of entrees is a trip around the culinary globe. There’s

a Caribbean barbecue shark with island coleslaw and cayenne fries

($21); veal scaloppini with sauvignon blanc caper sauce ($22); and

Dixie-fried chicken with mustard greens and potatoes ($19). Oh yes,

don’t forget the barbecued Indian-style troll king salmon with carrot

mashed potatoes and lemon balm salad ($23).

Desserts are seasonal. Among the eight choices for autumn are warm

lemon vanilla beignets with rhubarb preserves ($6); assorted homemade

fall fruits sorbets, ice creams and granites ($5); and chocolate pot

de creme ($6). Each is a culinary masterpiece.

When the Golden Truffle opened 22 years ago, it was strictly a

catering business. It’s still one of the best caterers, for groups as

small as two up to 2,000 people. Exceptional food and service is

customized for the client.

A few suggested dishes include: catfish beignets with remoulade,

Jamaican lamb pies with star fruit chutney, potato tumbleweeds with

Scottish smoked salmon, and red hot lobster taquitos with red sauce.

Greeley can also design beautiful seafood charcuterie and antipasto

displays. Everything is provided, even valets, magicians and palms

trees. It’s the one-stop shopping for all parties and events.

The Golden Truffle is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday; and for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday

through Saturday. It is at 1767 Newport Blvd. in Costa Mesa. Call

(949) 645-9858 or visit https://www.goldentruffle.com.

RESTAURANT NEWS

The Ritz Restaurant is a great place to watch Monday night

football. The garden area has large screen TVs perfect for watching

football, and the restaurant and serves Arthur’s famous barbecue.

Also in the garden, there are martini tastings on Thursdays and

live jazz on Fridays and Saturdays. The Ritz Restaurant is at 880

Newport Center Drive in Newport Beach.

HALLOWEEN FUN

A “Halloween Haunt” will take place starting at 7 p.m. at Duke’s

Place, a waterfront bar and entertainment lounge at the Balboa Bay

Club & Resort.

Included in the night’s festivities will be a costume contest,

prizes and fun Halloween-theme cocktails. Paco Falcone will be

performing live music starting at 7 p.m. The costume contest will

start at 10 p.m. The most creative costume winner will receive a

one-night stay at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort in a bayfront room.

Other prizes include a lunch and dinner at the First Cabin

Restaurant. Festive vodka-laced cocktails will include a black widow

martini, bulls blood, frost bite and a bloody sunset. Paco Falcone

will entertain from 7 p.m. to midnight. The Balboa Bay Club & Resort

is at 1221 W. Coast Highway in Newport Beach. (949) 645-5000.

PUMPKIN BEVERAGE

A new pumpkin cream drink is at Diedrich’s Coffee just in time for

Halloween and Thanksgiving. The smooth, lightly spicy drink comes in

hot latte and icy blended versions. Customers who aren’t even fans of

pumpkin flavor are hooked.

The drinks are made with natural pumpkin spice syrup. The hot

latte version comes in three sizes: small ($3.25); medium ($3.75);

and large ($4.25). The icy blended version has three sizes, too:

small ($3.75); medium ($4.35); and large ($4.25).

Diedrich’s Coffee has three local locations: at 1170 Baker St. in Costa Mesa, (714) 432-0747; at 454 E. 17th St. in Costa Mesa, (949)

646-0323; and at 3601 Jamboree Road in Newport Beach, (949) 833-9143.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

[email protected]; at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; or by

fax at (949) 646-4170.