THE GALLIVANTING GOURMET: Take Flight for superb dining at hip spot

There is certainly no shortage of places to eat in Huntington Beach; but there are very few, if any, which represent the newest dining craze — small plates. Scanning New York, Los Angeles and points in between, Food and Wine magazine has named the small-plate phenomenon the hottest trend of the past year.

The new wave has finally crashed onto the Huntington Beach restaurant scene in the form of Flight, a hip new dining spot and social lounge. Surrounded by elegant, towering palms, lit from below, encircled by stuccoed walls that enclose the front and back patios, you enter a contemporary oasis off Beach Boulevard and Adams Avenue.

High ceilings, glazed cement floors, airy draperies and comfortable pillows on the banquettes that line the room create a stylish ambience in this spacious restaurant. The taupe color scheme accented with black is set off by a motif of leafless trees, twisting in planters and silhouetted along the walls. A large bar dominates the room. There are also two attractive outdoor dining patios and a banquet room for parties.

As we sat down, we noticed the fresh baby roses on the table, a lovely touch. The casual dining menu with Italian and Asian influences features cheese and charcuterie plates, starters, salads, flatbreads, paninis, burgers and entrées; familiar selections for this type of menu but the execution at Flight is superior.

You can definitely make a meal out of several of the smaller plates. We began with the crispy rock shrimp accompanied by sambal (chili sauce) aioli dip. The shrimp were juicy, plump little morsels, fried to crispy perfection in a delicate spicy coat with nary a trace of grease. The creamy mayonnaise dip was bursting with heat and garlic. The chef is not afraid to be assertive.

A different take on sushi was the seared hamachi. The barely grilled fresh fish was wrapped around an inventive take on guacamole. The chunky avocado was mixed with grapefruit salsa, adding a surprising touch of sweet tartness to the creamy avocado. Served with ponzu sauce and a sprinkling of micro-greens, the plate’s combination of flavors was sublime.

A few of the other starters include: a Napoleon Portabello mushroom with layers of mushroom, mozzarella, heirloom tomato, pine nuts and a drizzle of basil oil; Kobe-style beef picks with sweet soy and scallions or shrimp ceviche with cilantro, cucumber, sweet pepper and corn chips.

Salads can be made into an entrée with shrimp or chicken for a small charge. Besides the classic Caesar, there is an interesting version of Asian salad, with a potpourri of bok choy, edamame, shiitake mushrooms, peppers, tofu and a soy-lemonade dressing. One of the other intriguing choices is the arugula piave salad. Piave vecchio, an Italian cheese, is combined with the spicy greens, candied walnuts, shredded apple, dried figs and apricots in a champagne walnut vinaigrette.

Rustic flat breads, like long, narrow pizzas with a thin crust, come in four varieties: spicy Italian sausage, wild mushroom, spinach with ricotta or the grilled vegetable. We tried the latter with its very fresh toppings: sliced portabellos, fresh tomatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, olives, a bit of crunchy asparagus and cheese. The flavorful crust was brushed with basil pesto but the vegetables needed a bit of salt, and we added a dash of hot sauce to perk them up a bit.

Even their burgers and sandwiches have a little extra flair. Served with a choice of fries or salad, you can get a Kobe burger or three different paninis. For vegetarians, there is a Portabello mushroom with spicy aioli, balsamic onion and blue cheese. Chicken lovers can get avocado, butter lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, pesto and Swiss on grilled herb focaccia bread. Italophiles can yum up the prosciutto, burrata cheese, tomato, arugula and spicy aioli version.

You may also order full-sized entrées. Scallops with asparagus and wild mushrooms are sauced with a shellfish emulsion. Flatiron steak is accompanied by broccolini and a Cabernet Sauvignon reduction. Atlantic salmon comes with mashed potatoes and warm spinach. The airline chicken breast is served with roasted bell peppers and Yukon gold mashed potatoes.

Although quite full, we had to try one of the entrées and ended up eating every bite. The toothy orecchiette (“little ears”) pasta was topped with grilled chicken, Serrano ham and pine nuts. Burrata cheese melted into the roasted garlic broth to make a luscious, creamy sauce. The ham added an intriguing saltiness and the toasted pine nuts a bit of crunch. The little cup-shaped pasta was perfect for trapping the rich-tasting sauce.

On to dessert: classic crème brulée comes with wild raspberry and fresh mint, Flight’s molten chocolate cake is served with caramelized bananas and java cream, panko breaded fried banana is flanked by coconut sorbet, seasonal fruit and passion fruit meringue. For a simple refreshing dessert, try the coconut sorbet with lichee and raspberry compote.

We were tempted by matcha cheesecake. This ephemerally light yet creamy cheesecake was flavored with matcha, the Japanese green tea used in the tea ceremony, which left a lovely lingering aftertaste on the palate.

We ate here on a weeknight and the service was very attentive and the room was quiet. This restaurant was formerly a nightclub and possibly people don’t realize that although it still calls itself a social lounge, Flight serves really good food and deserves to recognized as an excellent restaurant. It combines the best aspects of casual dining with exciting cuisine in a beautiful venue.

WHAT: Flight

WHERE: 8082 Adams Blvd., Huntington Beach

WHEN: Tuesday through Sunday: Appetizer Specials, 4 to 6 p.m.; dinner, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday through Saturday: Late-night menu, 10 p.m. to midnight; Sunday: Champagne brunch, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

PRICES:

Appetizers: $6 to $19

Entrées: $10 to $26

Desserts: $7 to $8

WINE:

Bottles: $28 to $300

By the glass: $8 to $18

Corkage Fee: $20

ELLE HARROW AND TERRY MARKOWITZ owned a la Carte for 20 years and can be reached at [email protected].