Fine dining concept Adia returns in Newport Beach
'Adia began as a fun passion project for us. We wanted to do a long-format tasting menu because we really enjoy those special meals,' said Ventura.
'Our first dinner featured 22 courses,' said Evaristo. 'We started with pop-ups and moved into private dining during the pandemic, as well as restaurant consulting.'
In the past, Adia has popped up in Orange County restaurants like Trust in Downtown Santa Ana and commissaries like the Hood Kitchen Space in Costa Mesa.
On Aug. 8 and 9, the two chefs partnered with chef Benjamin Martinek, culinary director of Pendry Newport Beach, on a special seven-course dinner, hosted at Viamara inside the hotel's members only Elwood Club. The Pendry keeps Martinek busy, overseeing all dining concepts there, including SET Steak & Sushi, the Pavilion, Tree Shack Pool Bar & Grill, Bar Pendry and other dining concepts within the Elwood Club, like the Pub and the Cabaret.
While partnering with Adia put another item on his plate, Martinek was excited to offer the experience to patrons and guests, while Evaristo and Ventura were happy to present Adia for the first time since 2023.
'It was an extra special evening for us because it was the first pop-up we've done in a very long time,' said Ventura. 'It was an evening of reuniting with some really great old friends.'
Adia's long hiatus is the result of Evaristo and Ventura's busy schedules. Since Adia began, both have been absorbed in additional culinary adventures.
Ventura started Vivi's Pasta, a small batch fresh pasta company that uses Italian 00 flour, no seed oils and offers gluten free options. Made by hand in Costa Mesa, Vivi's Pasta is available at the Aliso Viejo Town Center Market on Saturdays and Stonegate Irvine Market on Sundays.
Evaristo opened 6100 Bread at 728 N. Poinsettia St., in Santa Ana, a sourdough bread bakery with viral blue corn sourdough loaves and an ube cruffin. The bakery draws long lines each week while also producing bread for some of Orange County's best restaurants, including Viamara.
The special two-night dinner featured a mix of French and Italian cuisine that highlighted each chef's signature skills while taking inspiration from the seasons.
'We start by doing what we did in the restaurants before, and that was look at what's best available in season and ingredients that make us very excited. Then we write a menu and it definitely has influences from the both of us,' said Evaristo. 'We first started cooking together over 10 years ago, so we definitely think alike.'
A croissant course, for instance, presented a bite-sized cube of crunchy, buttery, laminated dough topped with rich duck liver and blackberry preserve. Another course included a perfectly seared scallop with a delicately stuffed choux farci, or cabbage roll, in beurre rouge. The pasta course was made up of fresh polenta tortellini with truffle miso and a dusting of parmigiano.
While there isn't another Adia dinner on the event calendar at the Pendry yet, last week's dinner has galvanized the pop-up's return.
'We are both very busy, but also very excited about doing new Adia pop-ups,' said Ventura. 'I'm sure we will have one or two before the year ends.'
Keep up with Adia's future events at exploretock.com/adia or follow them on Instagram @restaurant_adia.
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