Chef Alejandra Padilla did an excellent job creating the new Five Crowns Summer Menu.
Five Crowns summer menu invigorates with garden-fresh ingredients and a hint of South Asian influence. Chef Alejandra Padilla drew her recent inspiration from her desire to plan her next adventure to the south of France, Spain, and hopefully India. Padilla has done a fantastic job of introducing new exotic flavors blended with garden-fresh ingredients. This new summer menu is full of surprises that guests are going to love.
The Bittersweet Italian with Anchor Junipero Gin with Strawberry Campari, Antica Carpano, and egg white.
For cocktails, the Bittersweet Italian is beautifully presented with adorable hearts floating along the top. This cocktail uses Anchor Junipero Gin with Strawberry Campari, Antica Carpano, and egg white. Then there is The Rock, a lighter more refreshing take on an old fashioned with Highwest Dbl Rye, Benedictine, Montenegro, and bitters. Five Crowns in Corona Del Mar also has a unique selection of rare wines by the glass which is worth taking a look at for all my fellow winos.
The consumé is incredibly sumptuous with a light and elegant flavor of fresh garden heirloom tomatoes.
To begin I highly recommend the Ricotta Ravioli with tomato consume, basil oil, heirloom tomato, and pickled onion. What seems like such a simple dish is actually bursting with subtle and delicate flavors. It is recommended to eat this dish with a spoon to enjoy the wonderful tomato consumé which appears like a simple clear broth. Don’t be fooled by appearances however, this consumé is incredibly sumptuous with a light and elegant flavor of fresh garden heirloom tomatoes.
Puffed quinoa with fresh fruits like peaches, and a lavender and blueberry vinaigrette.
Next, I recommend pairing the Stone Fruit and Buratta Salad with their amazing Soft Shell Crab. This refreshing salad features puffed quinoa with fresh fruits like peaches, and a lavender and blueberry vinaigrette. The sweetness of this salad is perfect when enjoyed with one of their outstanding new dishes, the Soft Shell Crab.
Chef Alejandra Padilla really outdid herself with the new Soft Shell Crab.
The Soft Shell Crab is phenomenal with vibrant South Asian inspired flavors. The curry and cumin are also incredibly fragrant and prominent. You’ll enjoy this soft shell crab fried to a light golden brown and resting on top of a corn, mango, and Fresno chili salad. Chef Alejandra Padilla really outdid herself with this outstanding combination of flavors and it is one of the best soft shell crab dishes I’ve ever had.
The Pan Roasted Cod features a saffron beurre fondue, with PIE mussels, peas, chorizo, and fingerling potatoes.
Then for the main course, we could not decide between the new Pan Roasted Cod and the Lobster & Crab Carbonara so of course, we ordered both. The Pan Roasted Cod features a saffron beurre fondue, with PIE mussels, peas, chorizo, and fingerling potatoes. This dish especially hits home for Chef Alejandra since she grew up with her mother regularly using ingredients like chorizo and potatoes.
Lobster & Crab Carbonara is perfect for seafood lovers and features house-made squid ink pasta.
The Lobster & Crab Carbonara is perfect for seafood lovers and features house-made squid ink pasta, tomato, Thai bird chili, and basil. I love how each dish sticks to the garden fresh cuisine Five Crowns is known for while introducing new South Asian flavors. Chef Alejandra often enjoys experimenting with new flavors for each season.
We couldn’t pass up the new Chocolate Cherry Cake.
Finally, for dessert, we couldn’t pass up the new Chocolate Cherry Cake. This summer dessert came highly recommended by our server and it did not disappoint. Our decadent cake was covered in a chocolate ganache with melted black cherries, and a chocolate sugar crisp.
Five Crowns summer menu is some of Chef Alejandra’s best work yet!
Five Crowns seasonal menus are always so incredibly refreshing and innovative. I’m always so excited to taste the latest menu’s that Chef Alejandra Padilla has been inspired to create. Five Crowns always manages to keep their garden fresh ingredients while adding touches of new flavors from around the world. Five Crowns summer menu is some of Chef Alejandra’s best work yet.
Five Crowns
3801 East Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
Reservations: (949) 760-0331
Sondra Barker
