Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE
Uva Bar, a circular open-air lounge, sits immediately outside
the restaurant and is a good place for a quick bite (sans line) or a leisurely cocktail while
you watch the crowds go by. The outside bistro has undergone both a face-lift and a
menu revamp, adding more tables and focusing the menu on Cal-Mediterranean gastropub
cuisine. Inside is an elegant Art Deco-inspired restaurant with hardwood floors, spacious
dining areas, and fine accoutrements. There are two fireplaces and a large central bar; a
narrow balcony with tables wraps around the entire top floor.
HOUSE SPECIALTIES
Smoked salmon hash or shrimp and grits for breakfast, house-made
charcuterie, suckling pig with tart apples and quinoa, lamb shank in braising jus, and
Skuna Bay salmon with beets and
farro.
Sample the
alaplancha
entrées, such as the lamb
burger with
piquillo
peppers, Feta, arugula, lemon-dill aioli, and pickled red onion; or the
market fish with Brussels sprouts, preserved lemon purée, and applewood bacon at Uva.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Try a huge and very tasty plate of paella with chicken, cho-
rizo Bilbao, saffron rice, and lemon-garlic aioli; the classic Uva street fries with chorizo
Bilbao, spicy
crema,
pickled garlic, and melted cheese; or the enormous Prince Edward
Island mussels steamed in a delicious white wine sauce.
SUMMARY AND COMMENTS
Catal & Uva Bar are a Patina Group pairing, one in a chain
of eateries operated by celebrity chef Joachim Splichal. Despite overblown descriptions,
the menu is pretty straightforward. The small plates—mainly appetizers, salads, and a few
pasta dishes—are better than the rest of the menu and a real value for the money. When
the weather cooperates, Uva is the better of the two venues. Be cautious when ordering
some of the more complex or unusual offerings; they can be very inconsistent. Side dishes
shine though. Price notwithstanding, this is a very adult experience.
Crossroads at House of Blues
Downtown Disney; 714-778-blue;
hob.com/venues/clubvenues/anaheim
Reservations
Recommended.
When to go
Dinner.
Entrée range
$11-$29.
Service
.
Friendliness
.
Bar
Wine list and full bar.
Dress
Casual.
Disabled access
Yes.
Hours
Daily, 11 a.m.-1:30 a.m.
SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE
Thinkrustic-but-trendybluesclubsomewherealongtheMis-
sissippi River, maybe St. Louis. It's dark except for outside patios and a second-story ter-
race, with hardwood floors, small intimate tables, and indirect lighting. The walls feature
a fantastic collection of American folk artists, some of whom (such as Missionary Mary
Proctor) have works that hang in prestigious museums.
HOUSE SPECIALTIES
Jambalaya,St.Louis-styleribs,pulledporksandwich,andbuild-your-
own burgers.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Jamaican jerk chicken wings and steak “street” tacos with
tomatillo salsa.
