OC Restaurant Week Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary February 24 – March 2, 2013

Orange County, CA, February 05, 2013 --(PR.com)-- The Orange County Restaurant Association will celebrate its fifth year producing the region's fastest growing and most anticipated culinary event, Orange County Restaurant Week. The 2013 Orange County Restaurant Week will be held Sunday, February 24th through Saturday, March 2nd.

“As we enter our fifth year, we have been able to establish a quality experience that has come to be one of OC's favorite culinary events. Orange County Restaurant Week is a now-annual event with 100 of the county’s top dining destinations," explained Pamela Waitt, president of the OC Restaurant Association. "This year’s five-year anniversary will serve as a grand celebration as restaurants offer the best menus and ensure that diners will be presented with a truly special weeklong. After all, the goal is for everyone involved to have fun!”

The Association has confirmed more than 100 participating restaurants for this annual event. Participants involved to date are as follows (list subject to change; an updated list can be found online at http://www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com/Participating_Restaurant.html:

118 Degrees – Costa Mesa, Laguna Niguel
230 Forest Ave – Laguna Beach
320 Main – Seal Beach
370 Common – Laguna Beach
American Tavern Eatery and Drink – Anaheim
Anaheim White House – Anaheim
Andrei's Conscious Cuisine and Cocktails – Irvine
Anqi – Costa Mesa
Antonello Ristorante – Costa Mesa, Santa Ana
Bluewater Grill – Newport Beach, Tustin
Brasserie Pascal – Newport Beach
Brü Grill & Market – Lake Forest
Bruno's Trattoria – Brea
Canaletto Ristorante Veneto – Newport Beach
Canyon Restaurant – Anaheim Hills
Catal – Anaheim
Cha Chas Latin Kitchen – Brea
Chapter One: the modern local – Santa Ana
Charlie Palmer – Costa Mesa
Crossroads at House of Blues – Anaheim
Crow Burger Kitchen – Newport Beach
Cucina Enoteca – Irvine
DivBar – Newport Beach
Ecco – Costa Mesa
Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour Restaurants – Brea, Mission Viejo
Five Crowns Restaurant and Steakhouse – Corona del Mar
GG's Bistro – Laguna Beach
Gypsy Den – Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana
Harborside Restaurant – Newport Beach
House of Big Fish & Ice Cold Beer – Laguna Beach
IL DOLCE – Costa Mesa
Il Fornaio – Irvine
Improv – Irvine
JT Schmid's Restaurant & Brewery – Anaheim, Tustin
Katsuya – Laguna Beach
K'ya Bistro – Laguna Beach
Landmark – Corona del Mar
LUCCA – Irvine
Lumberyard – Laguna Beach
Marrakesh – Costa Mesa
Matador Cantina – Fullerton
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament – Buena Park
Melting Pot – Irvine, Brea
Memphis at the Santora – Santa Ana
Mesa – Costa Mesa
Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant & Bar – Costa Mesa, Rancho Santa Margarita
Morton's The Steakhouse – Santa Ana
Mozambique – Laguna Beach
Naples Ristorante – Anaheim
Nello Cucina – Costa Mesa
Newport Landing – Newport Beach
Newport Rib Company – Costa Mesa
Nieuport 17 – Tustin
Nirvana Grille – Laguna Beach
Opah – Aliso Viejo, Irvine
Orange Hill Restaurant – Orange
Paul Martin's American Grill – Irvine
Pinot Provence – Costa Mesa
Pirates Dinner Adventure – Buena Park
Pita Jungle – Newport Beach
Pizzelle's Bistro – Tustin
Pizzeria Ortica – Costa Mesa
Prego Ristorante – Irvine
Primecut Café – Orange
Quinn's Old Town Grill – Tustin
RA Sushi – Huntington Beach, Tustin
Ralph Brennans Jazz Kitchen – Anaheim
Riptide Sushi – Mission Viejo
Royal Khyber – Santa Ana
Ruth's Chris – Anaheim, Irvine
Sapori – Newport Beach
Savannah Chop House – Laguna Niguel
Scott's Restaurant & Bar – Costa Mesa
Sealegs Wine Bar – Huntington Beach
Seasons 52 – Costa Mesa
Signature Kitchen – Costa Mesa
Slater's 50/50 – Anaheim, Huntington Beach
SOL Cocina – Newport Beach
Spark Wood Fire Grill – Hungtington Beach
Splashes – Laguna Beach
Starfish – Laguna Beach
Steakhouse 55 – Anaheim
Sundried Tomato – Laguna Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano
SWSH Shabu Shabu – Irvine
Tabu – Laguna Beach
Tamarind of London – Newport Beach
Tangata – Santa Ana
Tangerine Grill – Anaheim
TAPS Fish House and Brewery – Brea
The Californian – Huntington Beach
The Catch – Anaheim
The Crow Bar and Kitchen – Corona del Mar
The Derby Deli & Dueling Piano Bar – Mission Viejo
The Ranch Restaurant & Saloon – Anaheim
The Ritz Restaurant & Garden – Newport Beach
The Rooftop at K’ya – Laguna Beach
The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar – Tustin
Tommy Bahama's Bar & Grill Laguna Beach
Tommy Bahama's Island Grille Newport Beach
Tortilla Jo's – Anaheim
True Food Kitchen – Newport Beach
Villa Roma – Laguna Hills
VUE Restaurant – Dana Point
Watermarc – Laguna Beach
Wolfgang Puck Bistro – Costa Mesa
Woody's Warf – Newport Beach
Zcafe – Costa Mesa
Zimzala – Huntington Beach

“This event is about bringing together the culinary community and uniting the many regions of Orange County for an event that all can enjoy,” added Waitt. “Our slogan has always been, ‘the only thing to make for dinner this week is reservations,’ and we hope that everyone will take full advantage of that suggestion!”

Launch Party at Newport Beach Lexus
The 2013 Orange County Restaurant Week will kick off with an official Launch Party at Newport Beach Lexus from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, February 23rd benefiting Share Our Strength, a national organization dedicated to ending Childhood Hunger. Beverage sponsors include Chambord Vodka, Patron, Stella Artois, and La Crema, and dessert will be provided by Frosting’s Cupcakes, creators of the five-year anniversary cupcake.

The following restaurants will be providing samples of their fare:
American Tavern Eatery and Drink
Brü Grill & Market
Canyon Restaurant
Cucina enoteca
DivBar
Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour
Gypsy Den
House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer
JT Schmid's Restaurant and Brewery
K’ya Bistro
Quinn's Grill
Landmark
Melissa's Fresh Produce
Orange Hill Restaurant
Paul Martin's American Grill
Pizzelle’s Bistro
RA Sushi
Sadie Rose Breads
Savannah Chophouse
Scott's Seafood
Slater's 50/50
Sundried Tomato
The Melting Pot

The public may purchase tickets online at http://www.eventbee.com/v/ocrestaurantweeklaunchparty2013. Proceeds from all ticket sales will benefit Share Our Strength.

2013 OC Restaurant Week Sponsors
Presenting sponsor for the 2013 Orange County Restaurant Week is Newport Beach Lexus, who will host the event’s official launch party in February 2013. Other sponsors include Orange Coast Magazine, Melissa’s Produce, Chambord Vodka, SoCal PBS, OC METRO, KLOS 95.5 FM, KABC Radio, Los Angeles Times Community News, Your Restaurant Connection, DiningOut Magazine, The Rage Monthly, Greer’s OC, Cathy Thomas Cooks, Yelp, OCStandard, Moxxe PR, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, OCfoodies, and OpenTable. For general information, or to learn about participation or sponsorship opportunities during Orange County Restaurant Week, please visit www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com. To learn about or join the Orange County Restaurant Association, visit www.OCRestaurantAssociation.org.