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SideDoor Gastropub in Corona del Mar, one of the first of its kind in Orange County, is celebrating 15 years in business.
The ambiance and menu is different than Five Crowns, its sister restaurant next door, and they have separate entrances, although they do share the same address (and a foyer at the Five Crowns entrance).
Executive Chef Matt Luna, who came to Five Crowns and SideDoor in 2021 after serving as sous chef at Water Grill in Costa Mesa, has introduced a new Happy Hour menu at SideDoor available Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
The Happy Hour menu features eight “bites” such as wagyu sliders and prime rib tacos, plus drink specials.
Of course, you can still order from the regular SideDoor menu, which has been combined with the Five Crowns menu, meaning you can order anything from both restaurants.
I went to SideDoor with the goal of trying items from the Happy Hour menu, but Chef Luna told me the most popular dish on his SideDoor menu was the confit duck wings with a special miso barbecue sauce, so naturally I had to start with that.
After tasting the duck wings, I could see why they were “flying out the door,” as Luna put it. They were tender and coated with a tangy barbecue sauce, a perfect dish to share for starting a meal.
I decided to mix and match from the menus, so I also tried the bone marrow with short rib marmalade, a warm lobster roll, plus prime rib tacos and Wagyu sliders.
The bone marrow was among the best I have had. The thick marrow coated with the short rib marmalade spread onto toasted pieces of sourdough bread was a decadent treat.
The lobster roll was packed with a generous portion of lobster poached in clarified butter stuffed inside a brioche bun from OC Baking Company. A memorable lobster roll.
The other items I tried were all tasty. No wonder SideDoor is usually packed every night—the food and ambiance make this a neighborhood favorite.
Chef Luna said he changes some of his menu items five times a year, although he won’t mess with the prime rib—it’s what Five Crowns is known for.
For info on SideDoor including menus, visit www.lawrysonline.com/sidedoor-corona-del-mar.
