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After several stints working at some of Orange County’s most critically acclaimed restaurants, Antonio Bevacqua is finally striking out on his own.
“I always wanted to open a restaurant,” Bevacqua told the Business Journal.
He’s now managing partner at the newly opened Il Girasole at South Coast Collection (SOCO) shopping center in Costa Mesa.
“I left Italy at a young age and traveled the world. I worked in restaurants in France, Switzerland and Italy, then came to California in 2002 to visit a friend,” he said.
After that visit, he never went back home.
He started his local hospitality career at Antonello Ristorante, the famed power lunch restaurant near South Coast Plaza, followed by a stint as manager of Pinot Provence – the fashionable Italian restaurant at the Westin South Coast Plaza and owned by The Patina Group closed a decade ago. From there, Bevacqua went to Canaletto in Fashion Island before consulting with Bottega Angelina on their restaurant in Laguna Niguel.
“I helped develop the concept, the training, everything,” Bevacqua said.
That experience led him to finally follow his dream. He began looking for a spot to open his own restaurant, but the COVID-19 pandemic put a temporary halt to his plans.
As things settled down, he resumed his search, initially looking in Laguna Beach and the OC Mix, a food and shopping-focused hub at SOCO.
The Michelin-starred restaurant Taco María had just vacated their location at the OC Mix, but Bevacqua eschewed that spot in favor of another recently vacated eatery near ARC restaurant.
“It was nice inside, with a nice patio, everything was pretty much done, it just needed a little cosmetic work,” said Bevacqua. “I signed the contract on Aug. 8, 2024, and opened Il Girasole on Dec. 5. The official grand opening was Feb. 6, 2025.”
Il Girasole is a modern Italian restaurant dedicated to seasonality, technique and innovation.
“Our approach blends classic Italian flavors with contemporary execution, using the best local and imported ingredients to craft a dining experience that is both refined and dynamic,” said Bevacqua. “Our menu evolves with the seasons, ensuring each dish highlights peak ingredients at their freshest. We feature a five-course tasting experience, carefully curated to showcase a progression of flavors, textures, and techniques.”
Bevacqua created the original menu, then hired Chef Daniel Carnero, whose resume includes The French Laundry, Taco María and Michelin-starred Knife Pleat at South Coast Plaza, to help refine the menu and then execute it.
“We opened with a big menu to see what people liked. I had chicken, duck, quail and filet on the menu. I was selling duck and filet, no chicken or quail. Eventually we came up with a menu that has a la carte selections on the left and a tasting menu on the right.”
Il Girasole is open for lunch and dinner, plus happy hour at the bar. They have an impressive wine list and creative cocktails.
Il Girasole, 3321 Hyland Ave., Suite E, Costa Mesa, (657) 218-9439, il-girasole.com.
Trela’s Hot Take
In the past five years, there have been two other restaurants in the Il Girasole space.
I was hoping the third time was the charm. It was.
For my initial visit, I tried the tasting menu to get a snapshot of the cuisine.
The menu included a choice of dishes for each course. I went with Hamachi crudo, Dungeness crab topped with caviar, pan seared foie gras with cherries, duck breast and two desserts—the pavlova and the flourless chocolate cake with crem anglaise.
The feast began with my eyes as every dish was artfully prepared to entice my palate before I took a bite. The crudo was delicate and seemed to melt away in my mouth. I smiled as I savored the blood orange, fennel and tangerine flavors mixed with the fresh tuna.
The Dungeness crab, avocado and caviar were all carefully stacked upon each other, and savored together created a decadent party for my palate. The foie gras dish was a perfect combination of savory and sweet.
The duck breast surprised me with its tenderness and like the other dishes had a delightful presentation. The desserts were no less fabulous.
I returned several weeks later with a craving for pasta, although I began my sophomore journey with scallops crudo—sushi grade scallops with mozzarella, chilis, pickled shallots and dried ginger, surrounded by a coconut, lime and cilantro sauce. This was a refreshing yet somewhat zesty dish, with an unexpected combination of flavors that worked perfectly together.
And then came my pappardelle al ragu di funghi—ribbon pasta mixed with mushroom ragu. Exactly what I was craving.
I ended with the budino dessert—probably the best and most decadent budino I have ever had.