CUCINA enotecaUnexpected Creative MenuI've eaten dinner at Cucina Enoteca twice now - both times on one of the patios, which seemed to me a bit less noisy than inside. Best dishes I've tried - Frito Misto appetizer, Shortrid Papardelle (so good), Pork Chop, Chocolate Budino dessert.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMOut of the ordindaryCucina tries to be different and they achieve it nicely without being weird or excessive. The food is good, specially the pizzas, with a nice variety of types of food on the menu. They were creative on their selections while keeping affordable.
A great thing i just found out during my last visit is that the kids menu offers an option for the children to make their own pizza which in my case was a great distraction and entertainment for my 3 year old son. They didn't point this out to me on my previous visit which i think they should make sure to mention to clients with kids. They were nice enough to, after i asked, lead us to the kitchen so my son could watch his pizza being placed in the oven.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was very good andThe food was very good and the prices are very reasonable. Great italian inspired dishes and I think it's awesome you can chose to order the pastas family style. The appetizers were delicious especially the squash blossoms and the chicken pate with brown sugar onions. Its a casual restaurant but the abience and atmosphere is very energetic.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat foodAlways have good service and outstanding food. Highly recommend the short rib pappardelle or duck covatelli.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMService slowGreat food! Slow service.Work on service. Food was great service was very slow. It wasn't very crowded so I couldn't get why the service was slow.
We had to ask for bread twice and drinks. Our main meal came in spurts. Some began eating before others and offering to share their meals then when the other meals showed up we were full.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMsurprisingly good Italian foodWe didn't have high expectations for a mall-based restaurant. But the food was quite good -- creative combinations of dishes that were well prepared. The prices were reasonable and the service was excellent. The sauces always had an unexpected (and pleasant) note that kept them from being boring. We are vegetarians and still had plenty of options with each course. We'll be back.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AManother great experienceour party of four dined here early on a friday night. despite the restaurant being packed by 6:30, service (by danielle) was excellent. enoteca does a good job of keeping a "core" menu but making enough changes to keep it interesting for repeat customers.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding Service and FoodThe food is outstanding and service is top notch. The manager kept coming by to see how our experience and food was to us. I have never been here for lunch, and brought my 2 year old and they made her feel welcome and it's kid friendly.
Awesome!5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMCucina Enoteca is the Best!We celebrated my birthday here last week with just a very small group. I've been here many times and it's my favorite restaurant in Orange County for the foodie-worthy food, the terrific service, and the great ambience. But this night they really went above and beyond because one of the members in my party was very badly behaved (downright rude) and they handled it with grace and style. I was so embarrassed by her attitude, negativity, and tone of voice and I told her so. But the staff (Daniel was our server) and manager at Cucina handled a fiery situation with calm and cool. I'll head back to Cucina every time I want great food, great service, and a great environment in Orange County.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMLove this placeThis was my second time here and the food was beyond tasty. I thought everything was amazing! I can't wait to go back. My family and I ordered three different dishes and shared and that was the best idea! Great service!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was amazing, foundThe food was amazing, found a new favorite wine, so we bought a bottle to take home from the wine store. The staff was super friendly and helpful. It was such a memorable birthday celebration for my husband with the whole family. Service was excellent. And I love the ambiance, the decor is very eclectic, flea market vintage style, so cool. Love this place!!!!!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMFood and service was fantastic.Food and service was fantastic. Highly recommend this place.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Addition to Irvine SpectrumThis is a great addition to a shopping center that is heavily populated with the typical chain eateries. They continually refresh their menu and have very interesting bar selections. Service is always great. Make a reservation otherwise you will wait.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my new faves!Went for lunch with 4 friends on a Saturday. We sat in the "tree side" patio which is a nice touch. Service was top notch. Food was awesome. Highlights: buratta cheese and tapenade with olive bread, fried squash blossom appetizers, bruschetta and assorted salads - we ate family style. Also enjoyed a few bottles of reasonably priced Taittinger champagne.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMLeft wanting moreThe food pallette was terrific
Not overpowering of garlic and warm and inviting
Can't wait to go back to try something new
Lasagne pizza and spicy shrimp pasta excellent
Apple crostana a great ending5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecials are Ahhh-mazing!Cucina is a lovely experience - service is typically good and food is also typically good. Personally I prefer the seasonal specials and this week tried the Romano beans and Cauliflower and Artichoke pasta. The beans were lovely, flat green beans (which are very hard to find!) lightly seasoned with garlic and oil. The pasta was pitch perfect. Utterly seasonal, complex with a multitude of fresh flavor in every bite. The blend of tastes was incredible - I'll be back! I also had the cucumber martini which was wonderfully light and refreshing. The flavor was delicious!5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFlavorful, distinctive dishesCucina has been one of my favorite restaurants for a while now, and I have yet to be disappointed by their selection. Lots of great pasta and fish dishes with many unique flavors. The decor and ambiance complete the dining experience.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMOffice LuncheonWe went for an office celebration luncheon. Food was wonderful!5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food,great service!!Great food,great service!! Booked through open table and table was ready when we arrived.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMExtensive MenuCucina Enoteca I s a fabulous restaurant. If you want to taste lots of different sides or go main course this is the restaurant for you. Service is very efficient and friendly. Inside tends to be a little noisy but the patio is lovely. Very extensive wine list and great Happy Hour choices.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMEat Here If You Like Creative FoodHigh quality ingredients combined with innovative recipes make for a uniquely wonderful meal. A true gem.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AM3rd visit .....very pleased3rd visit .....very pleased again. Food very fresh and always delicious. Chef sent message to table to apologize for delay, the fish that was ordered did not satisfy him when prepared, so he cooked another.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome as always!Been here quite a few times, this time was no exception. It was great as always. Finally tried the beef carpaccio... it's a MUST!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat new Italian restaurantGreat new Italian restaurant in Irvine Spectrum. We loved how creative the the dishes were and great service. A great addition to the OC food scene.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMItalian gem at the spectrumTop notch. Pappardelle with short rib beef is amazing. Great wines at retail prices.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food in a nice outdoor settinGood brunch with $15 bottomless Bellinis. The only issue was our waitress was not very friendly towards us and I don't know if it's because we were ordering a lot of Bellinis. Either way, we tried to ignore the attitude and had a good time. Regardless of the waitress, the food is excellent.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMI really like it but it isI really like it but it is a little pricey....$10 for a glass of wine is too much for me, food was great and different. Went with a group of four girlfriends and we all felt the same. There are too many other nice places where you can get a glass of wine for $7.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a favorite ... my "go-to"Always a favorite ... my "go-to" for business lunches.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMThe whole evening was wonderful.The whole evening was wonderful. We sat outside on the patio, and had the best waitress. She was always smiling and very helpful in our selections. We will definitely be going back.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our second visit,This was our second visit, first for brunch. Very memorable visit again, great food, fabulous patio dining, special treat with boutique for wine or gift purchases! Recommend highly.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMMake sure you get Kerry asMake sure you get Kerry as your waiter he takes care of business!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is always great andThe food is always great and service excellent.
I love this place.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is my favorite place!This is my favorite place! The ONLY negative for me is the heaters on the patio (where we prefer to sit) can't be adjusted and are WAY to hot. The servers hate them too...so that needs to be addressed. The food is wonderful, the servers are great (love Danielle!) and the patio is fun when the heaters are off!3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMI was on a special diet andI was on a special diet and our server,Tucky, made a special effort to accommodate my requests. I had a excellent salad. Great, fresh food. I would definitely go back.3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAlthough there was a littleAlthough there was a little mixup we my reservation (after I confirmed indoor seating twice), Cucina was quick to rectify the situation. I will admit that I was with a small group of 4 that was very loud and we overstayed our welcome, but there was never a sour glance thrown our way. In fact, our server was more than accommodating. The food is not my favorite but my group loved it, so overall the restaurant was a good experience. I'd definitely come back for them.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AM