Mendocino Farms Comes to Orange County

 

I was excited to visit Mendocino Farms restaurant location last week in Costa Mesa prior to the grand opening.  Mendocino Farms is a Los Angeles-based restaurant recognized for its commitment to the art of the sandwich and its use of seasonal ingredients from local Southern California farmers.  I have always heard about this place, but have never been, so when I was told a location was opening in Orange County, I was super excited to check it out.:)  The restaurant was founded in 2005 by co-owners Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen and already has 7 locations throughout Los Angeles and they are now coming to the OC!  

“We’ve wanted to bring Mendocino Farms to Orange County for a while, and feel that we’ve found the perfect place for us in Costa Mesa,” says Del Pero. “The city has become a dining destination in its own right, and its family-focused community is what we’re all about. We can’t wait to introduce locals to our gourmet sandwiches and make Mendo the area’s favorite neighborhood sandwich shop.”

 

Mendocino Farms’ menu was created by Del Pero and Chen along with the culinary expertise of Corporate Executive Chef Judy Han.  Han designs amazing sandwiches with seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms and artisans, and finishes them with housemade aiolis, chutneys, pickled veggies, and mustards.  “Sandwiches are often viewed as simply an afterthought, but not to me,” says Han. “Here at Mendocino Farms, we have an appreciation for allowing high-quality seasonal ingredients to shine—simply put, you have to put love in your food.”

When we arrived at Mendocino Farms last week, the restaurant was bustling with locals from the Costa Mesa area that had been invited to check out the new Mendocino Farms along with media to report on the awesome location! 

Below are some of the awesome sandwiches we tried:

Summer Cubano 8.95 slow braised carnitas, Prime honey ham, Mendo mustard, housemade dill pickles, cuban mojo sauce, local crispy plantains on Drago Bakery soft roll 

The Country Club 10.95 pecan wood house smoked turkey with Prime applewood bacon, aged white cheddar, avocado, mustard pickle remoulade, red onions, tomatoes, Scarborough Farm’s butter lettuce & romaine on toasted rustic white

“Not So Fried” Chicken 9.65 shaved, roasted free range chicken rolled in Mendo’s krispies with herb aioli, mustard pickle slaw, tomatoes, pickled red onions on toasted ciabatta with a side of chipotle BBQ sauce 

Kurobuta Pork Belly Banh Mi 10.45 our Chef’s playful take on the popular Vietnamese sandwich with braised, caramelized Kurobuta pork belly, housemade pickled daikon & carrots, cilantro, cucumbers, jalapenos, chili aioli on panini grilled ciabatta

We tried these two salads:

The Santa Monica Chinese Chicken Salad10.95 miso mustard sesame dressing with free range chicken breast, spinach cabbage slaw, Scarborough Farm’s mixed greens, scallions, cilantro, toasted almonds, crispy wontons 

Save Drake Farm’s Salad 10.75 shaved, roasted free range chicken breast, Herbs de Provence marinated Drake Family Farm’s goat cheese, pink lady beets, green apples, dried cranberries, honey roasted almonds, red onions, Scarborough Farm’s greens, butter lettuce & romaine with citrus vinaigrette

As can be seen above, these price points were all quite decent for each sandwich and the ingredients were fresh and fabulous!  My favorite sandwich out of those listed above was the Country Club because I love Turkey and bacon. And applewoood smoked bacon…well what is not to love?? I also loved the Not So fried chicken in that it was a unique blend of ingredients with a perfect flavor!

 

Something I love about Mendocino Farms is that they have Gluten Free options available and they do their best to have a little something for everyone.  They have a wide variety of bread options that include: Rustic White, Ciabatta, Cranberry Walnut, Buckwheat, Mom’s Seeded Whole Wheat, Drago Bakery’s Soft Roll, Cranberry Walnut, Vegan Whole Wheat Tortilla Rising Hearts Bakery’s and Gluten Free Bread. They also only use all natural and organic ingredients, as well as meats that are humanely raised without any antibiotics.

There are always daily specials that include freshly made soups and a variety of classic deli sides.  You can also “Build Your Own” sandwich or salad. Don’t forget to also ask about catering options if you are planning to have a large party!  There is also an awesome kid’s area with interactive chalkboard walls for them to draw and be creative. 🙂  Have you been to Mendocino Farms? I hope you get a chance to check out the newest Costa Mesa location soon! You will definitely be impressed! 🙂  Let me know what you think about Mendocino Farms in the comments section below.

 

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