SOCIAL Huntington Beach

SOCIAL Huntington Beach Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: SOCIAL’s Huntington Beach branch is a little brighter and more open than its original Costa Mesa outpost, a design scheme that connects to Surf City USA’s easygoing vibe and provides an instant escape from the shopping center parking lot chaos existing outside. It’s an ambience that makes it easy to grab a cocktail from its warm, inviting bar.

Likes: Breezy ambience.
Dislikes: Uninspiring menu descriptions.

Food & Drinks: The cordial milieu provides the groundwork for the contemporary cuisine hatched by corporate executive chef Jeffrey Boullt and the location’s executive chef Wyatt Lash. The duo build an approachable menu that augments familiar flavors with clever twists that never feel out of place. An essential starter to share is the massive Chinese cauliflower with sweet soy, masago and dynamite sauce. The use of the kitchen’s custom wood-fired oven for dishes like the bone marrow adds smoky depth that keeps things interesting. The oven plays a key role in the creation of mains such as bourbon maple prime pork chop and swordfish with aleppo peperonata and mascarpone grits, while the prime rib French dip demonstrates an appreciation for simplicity. Sticky banana toffee pudding is the highlight for dessert. A compact wine list is available. On the weekends, guests can order brunch items like a pulled pork Benedict and Wagyu skirt steak and eggs.