Haven Gastropub (Orange, CA)

Haven Gastropub
190 S Glassel St, Orange, CA 92866
714.221.0680
www.havengastropub.com
Wed 12/29/2010, 07:00p-08:35p




A British portmanteau of gastronomy and pub, a gastropub refers to a pub (itself short for public house) that serves particularly high-quality food. The idea was born in 1990's London, but eventually spread 'cross the pond, quickly taking hold in the US. In LA, the archetype is perhaps best exemplified by the likes of BoHo, Father's Office, Ford's Filling Station, The Lab, Laurel Tavern, Lazy Ox Canteen, The Six, Waterloo & City, and The Yard. Inevitably, the gastropub movement moved down south, first manifesting itself in September 2007 with the opening of Crow Bar and Kitchen in Corona del Mar. Crow Bar was eventually joined by the likes of Haven in September 2009, and SideDoor at Five Crowns in December that year. As of this writing, these are the only three gastropubs in OC that this writer is aware of.

Located in the heart of Old Towne Orange, Haven represents the brainchild of Executive Chef Greg Daniels, GM/Beverage Director Wil Dee, and money man Ace Patel. Daniels began working in the restaurant industry in the late 1990's, but garnered his formal culinary education at the California School of Culinary Arts' Le Cordon Bleu program, graduating in 2005. Following, he took a position at Tradition by Pascal, where he worked for the famed Pascal Olhats until 2006. From here, he cooked under Andrew Sutton at Napa Rose, then began a stint as a consultant before joining the Haven team in 2009. Given the success of Haven, Daniels, Dee, and Patel will be opening non-traditional taqueria Taco Asylum at The CAMP soon, so watch out for that.


Aided by Sous Chefs Mike Wegrzyn and David Larsen, Daniels aims to present his version of "gourmet comfort food" at Haven. We were here to sample the restaurant's new winter menu, which debuted at the beginning of December. Click for a larger version.


Of course, the booze is worthy of just as much consideration here. Click for larger versions.


Beer was certainly called for, and so we began with Lindemans Framboise [$12] and La Chouffe [$9], a.k.a. "the beer that got me into beer."


"liver and onions" [$12.00] | crispy rabbit liver, onion jam, micro radish, micro dijon
First to bat was a take on the classic dish of liver and onions. The traditional version typically uses beef liver, but here rabbit liver (which I'd never had before) was the star. I appreciated the meaty consistency of the liver, as well as its crunchy exterior, but found the flavor a bit strong, even for me. The microgreens did help temper the dish fortunately. The onions did too, but were very sweet.


Seasonal Mushroom Risotto [$16.00] | farro, mushrooms, truffle salt, chevre
As a risotto fiend, I just had to order this dish. Though I missed the consistency and mouthfeel of rice (versus the farro used here), this was still a tasty presentation of risotto nonetheless. I enjoyed how the earthy essence of the mushroom shined clear and through in the dish, making itself clearly known on the palate, where it was joined by the salty weight of the chevre.


Oxtail Poutine [$12.00] | red wine braised oxtail, cheddar cheese curds, pommes frites
Canada's national dish has made its way to Haven in fine form. Think of this as a refined version of your classic chili cheese fries. The oxtail, as you might expect, was thoroughly tender, teeming with rich, dark, bovine sapor. To this, the cheddar added further heft, further lusciousness, while the pommes frites did a great job in grounding the dish. One of the best poutines that I've had, comparable to Animal's famed preparation.


Crisp Braised Pork Belly [$18.00] | Saison Dupont reduction, celery root puree, fennel, mache, dijon mustard microgreens, apple vinaigrette
Pork belly was nicely tender, succulent, and full of pork-y goodness. I wasn't terribly keen on the celeriac purée, but definitely liked the lightness of the fennel and mache salad. I just wish that the skin were crispier.


Cassoulet [$24.00] | duck confit, pork belly, boudin blanc, cannellini beans
Our final savory was a cassoulet, basically a slow-cooked bean and meat casserole, very apropos for the winter season. I didn't get much from the pork belly, but really enjoyed the silky, delicate flavor of the boudin blanc, which was arguably the best I've ever had. The confit, meanwhile, was tender and savory, as expected. The crux here for me, though, was the use of cannellini beans. They added a hearty, rustic taint to the dish that I really appreciated.


Ahead of the desserts, I decided to go for a bottle of the Duchesse de Bourgogne [$9], which was first introduced to me by Josh Goldman over at The Dining Room. I loved its tart cherry flavors, and my dining companion even described it as a "sour Arrogant Bastard!"


Now for the sweet stuff. Unfortunately, Haven had already run out of their new foie gras cheesecake, which we we'd really wanted to try--next time. Click for larger versions.


Irish Car Bomb [$8.00] | Guinness chocolate stout cake, Guinness ice cream, Irish Cream chocolate sauce, Jameson caramel
As most college-age drinkers will know, an Irish Car Bomb is a concoction of stout beer, cream liqueur, and whiskey. Here was the cocktail presented in dessert form, suitable for all ages. The chocolate cake was fairly typical, but I loved the inclusion of Guinness ice cream. Quite tasty overall.


Haven apple strudel [$9.00] | apples, raisins, pecans, whipped bourbon infused maple syrup
We concluded the evening with a mean looking apple strudel. It was a classic preparation, showing off the tart sugariness of apple intermixed with a bit of nuttiness from the pecan, with the whipped cream topping adding further sweetness to the fray. Nice.

Though Haven may lack the refinement, polish, and sense of adventure of some of its LA brethren, it's the right concept for the neighborhood. The restaurant's accessible, satisfying fare and voluminous alcohol selection fit the bill nicely, and represent a welcomed addition to the OC dining scene. It's no wonder that Haven has quickly become a staple of Old Towne Orange, worthy of a revisit.