By the 1950s the county began to undergo large-scale transformation and population growth, spurred on by new highways and coastal access, and in 1967 Henry Segerstrom and his relatives created the C.J. The family became one of the country’s largest independent lima bean producers. They worked a dairy farm at first, before eventually transitioning into lima beans - a massive cash crop at the time for the area. The Segerstrom family behind the sprawling shopping center arrived in Orange County in 1898 from Sweden. South Coast Plaza’s story starts with lima beans. There is no conversation about where to eat in Orange County that does not eventually touch on the retail behemoth. “It’s good for everyone.”Įven in coastal, casual Orange County, where many diners prefer flip-flops and taco trucks to white tablecloths, South Coast Plaza’s collection of restaurants dominates the landscape. “Now it’s a shopping resort, and you can get a Michelin-star meal,” he says. Santana says all that competition is healthy. Some have Michelin recognition, while others are run by Top Chef celebrities or Smithsonian-honored legends like Helene An, who operates AnQi Bistro on the second floor in what’s called the Bloomingdale’s Wing. In all, more than two dozen restaurants call South Coast Plaza home. South Coast Plaza is home to Knife Pleat, one of Southern California’s highest-profile French fine dining restaurants it’s got a Petrossian caviar cafe (housed inside of a Tiffany’s store, naturally), a Din Tai Fung for soup dumplings, and a Wahoo’s Fish Taco, among other offerings. The privately owned development long held by the Segerstroms - one of Orange County’s most influential families - has become a beacon for kitchen talent and diners willing to spend big money. Now, after 15 years in Orange County, Santana feels like he’s finding the community he’s been seeking in South Coast Plaza. Santana found sustained success with Vaca, the eight-year-old Spanish restaurant known for its aged steaks. When Charlie Palmer closed in May 2015, Santana quickly transitioned into a new South Coast Plaza space with Ahmed Labbate, another Charlie Palmer alum, and investor Pam Roy. The high-end development can be unforgiving to underperforming brands and restaurants. In the years since, he’s seen countless restaurant brands come and go from South Coast Plaza. “Back in New York, Anthony Bourdain would go to the same bar every night.” He tried to build something similar with his staff, frequenting a nearby dive bar, but it eventually fizzled out. “There wasn’t a place where all the chefs would go and hang out at night,” says Santana. Landing at Orange County’s South Coast Plaza, one of America’s highest-grossing retail developments, made for an auspicious start. So when he moved across the country in 2008 to open Charlie Palmer, a fine dining contemporary American restaurant that ultimately lasted seven years, he tried to bring the party with him. The Queens, New York, native was used to late nights with fellow cooks, hanging out and drinking beers after long shifts on the line. Amar Santana always wanted a chef community in Orange County.
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