Playground
Portola Coffee – Black
Tyler’s Cornbread
Tyler’s Apple Fritters
Mazumen Ramen with Wagyu Fat, Oxtail, Lime, Togarashi, Slow Egg, Beautiful Soy
Ashley’s Leftover Pancakes – Graham Cracker Soil with Cocoa Nibs
Fried French Toast with Summer Berry Compote, and Ricotta
Joking with Jason Quinn the night before at 2.0 that, to me, summer was not complete without cornbread the young chef suggested I should swing by the next day and without other significant plans before noon I could not think of a better way to pass the early morning hours than at Playground’s brunch where not even a brief power outage throughout Santa Ana could ruin another great meal, this time in the main restaurant next door to where I’d dined the previous night. Again focused on trusting the staff, this time to the point of printing on the menu that no substitutions were allowed but that if you did not like something it would be stricken from the bill, my decision was simplified somewhat when I asked the server what dishes were best and upon hearing the list suggested he send out “one of each, except the burger” an order he warned me would be too much food but one I stuck to given the low prices and fact that my hotel contained a microwave and refrigerator. Bustling as expected though only partial filled until noon when the a few large parties arrived the meal began with coffee served black without creamer or sweetener and moving right along two appetizers arrived, the first two thick slices of buttery corn bread with great grit and honey butter plus a pair on non-traditional apple fritters; fluffy and not the least bit greasy with a eggy cinnamon base. Transitioning next to ‘something we’re really proud of’ Chef Quinn brought out a deep bowl of ramen the team had apparently learned to make from a visiting chef and although generally not one to order beef my trust was well placed as the silky fat, egg, and soy amalgam coated the noodles beautifully while the lime and togarashi added just enough acid and spice to prevent the dish from being overwhelming. Moving last to ‘dessert’ and fully aware I’d over ordered it would be impossible to say that any place using their left over dessert ingredients to make thick ‘campfire pancakes’ isn’t the sort of place I’d love and as good as these pure maple topped flapjacks were not a thing I ordered that morning was better than the French Toast, a crunchy exterior softened by ample maple and pan reduced berries with rich ricotta at the middle that still tasted great nearly ten hours later after a minute in the microwave.
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