Cuisine:

• Mediterranean
• Californian
• Fast Food and Hamburgers

Andrei's Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails Description:
Andrei's Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails is a labor of love for OC socialite and entrepreneur Natalia Olenicoff, who opened this organic restaurant in memory of her late brother. Just because this eatery goes totally green, however, doesn't mean that it isn't sophisticated. To start, the building is decked out in several kinds of marble with a two-story waterfall to greet you at the first-floor reception. Once upstairs, you are engulfed in the bar's frenetic vibe, as well as the beauty of a recycled wood floor, green satin banquettes, pounded copper tables and, again, lots of marble. The main dining room is a bit more subdued and is the best place to enjoy French-born chef Yves Fournier's seasonal Cal-Mediterranean cuisine. First, start off with a refreshing cocktail to pair with an appetizer such as the mezze plate (hummus, baba ghanouj, tzatziki, lavash), spicy risotto balls or the Manila clams in a Thai-style coconut milk broth. Then, order up a glass of wine from the well-chosen list along with your main course. We enjoy the boneless braised beef short ribs with niçoise olives, seasonal beans and olive oil-crushed potatoes, and the ravioli filled with sweet basil and goat cheese. Pastry chef Elyssa Fournier, who is the chef's wife, makes all the desserts, such as the decadent chocolate and caramel tart.