Sutra Lounge Restaurant, Costa Mesa

Sutra Lounge, located at 1870 Harbor Blvd. in the Triangle Square, offers guests an unabashedly tantric culinary experience in a sexy and sensual setting. The enticing atmosphere will seduce diners entering the inviting 10,000 square foot restaurant
and lounge. From the aphrodisiac inspired menu to the flavorful libations to the
decor full of rich colors and comfortable banquettes, Sutra promises a
total body and mind dining and entertainment experience.

The unabashedly sexy Sutra Lounge is a visual and tactile expression of pure indulgence. Various private rooms and VIP areas-including the Moroccan-inspired patio-can accommodate small dinner parties to large charity events. Guests at Sutra can expect everything from an evening of fun and entertainment, specialty wine dinners, to a late night scene that includes corks popping off magnums of Cristal
or Dom while seductive beats or hip-hop from the dance floor.

Seated among the swank décor, cool lighting and plush booths at Sutra Bar, there’s no shortage of delicious delights. A typical evening might begin with a delicious drink at their bar, and the amazing menu offers a seemingly endless selection of
great American dishes as varied as traditional Sutra Kobe Burger or delicious appetizers such as Steak Sutra or Sliders. The dinner menu is equally
tantalizing, filled with Chef’s unique “new cuisine” creations.

Margarita Mint Mojito

Next time you’re craving a taste of the exotic, look no further than the heart
of downtown Costa Mesa. There, sitting innocently Sutra Bar Restaurant
waits to transport you halfway around the world.

The trip begins with a walk past a lawn peppered with sculpted Buda statues, bubbling fountains, and flickering candles. Stepping up to the entrance, you need only choose a vessel to begin your trip around the world. Sutra Bar offers no less than many seating options, all of which allow guests to sample delectable cuisine in a casual setting. The bar and lounge offers a casual gathering area for after-work drinks. The main dining room offers booths and tables for groups from two to twenty, while an adjacent private room offers a secluded, intimate setting for private events.

We opt for one of many booths lining the main dining room. As we sink into the plush semi-circular seat, we take in the scene around us. The design is modern light woods and pale textiles create a warm, welcoming space while the décor pays homage
to the ancient with sculpures and relics set throughout the space.

The wine list at Sutra Bar has garnered a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, and provides an extensive and well-selected array of wines by the glass, half bottle, and bottle. While Sutra Bar cuisine is decidedly worldly, the focus of the wine list is on California wines. "When you have a backyard with all of these delicious wines, it's hard to ignore them," our server explains. Not surprisingly, the California-influenced selection stands up well to the extensive menu, with an array of versatile wines
that promise to pair well with any combination of dishes on the menu.

Long Island Ice Tea

The versatility of the wine list is a must, as the overarching theme of Sutra Bar menu
is diversity. The menu offers a globetrotting array of small plate dishes that pull
from the best of all cuisines. Augmenting the selection are a handful of
entree-sized dishes, as well as an array of amazing desserts.

To get the most of the diverse menu, it is almost imperative that tables embrace
the concept of sharing. The restaurant encourages this each table is set
with a stack of clean plates that is replenished as needed.

Prime New York Steak

Sharing is a noble goal, but when our first dish arrived I selfishly wished I had an order all to myself. Steak Sutra, a 6oz prime New York steak, cumin crusted served with watercress-crip potato salad and a Merlot-Blueberry sauce. Each piece of meat was so tender it not only cut with a fork, but the fork glided through effortlessly. One
bite was everything a bite should be rich, comforting, and a medley of distinct
flavors and textures that merged to become one on the tongue.

Spicy Salmon Tempura Roll

It took an entirely different flavor to distract me from the Spicy Salmon Tempura.
This dish was bold where the Spicy Salmon was subtle bursting with strong wasabi dipping sauce flavor, lending an unmistakable toasted flavor to each bite.

Kobe Beef Sliders Fried Calamari

The Sliders were also delicious, the Brioche, cheddar Cheese, Jalapeno Aioli and Fried Onions with skinny fries, were to die for! The sweet innocence of the dressing contrasted with the dark flavors of the meat in a delicious dichotomy.

Hawaiian Shrimp
One of the more popular appetizers; The Hawaiian Shrimp and the Fried Calamari I saw at least four orders being carried to other tables seemed to be the Shrimp, a Hawaiian twist. The dish was playfully constructed for sharing. The shrimp
glistened with pineapple, mango salsa and barbeque sauce.

Ceasar Salad
The Ceasar Salad was also a great choice;
grilled hearts of romaine, roma tomatoes, arlic and herb
croutons. It was another dish I could have selfishly kept all to myself.

While any combination of the menu’s appetizers could easily make a meal, the
options at Sutra Bar span well beyond small plates. The menu is hard to pass
up, although its offerings are far more traditional and less creative than the
appetizers. Yet, the freshness of the fish and purity of flavor can
mean a refreshing palate cleanser between courses.

We approached the entree selection as an opportunity for more sharing, opting
to treat an entrée as a large tapas dish rather than ordering one per person.

Plantain & Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut

The Plantain & Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut with rice pilaf, asparagus and red bell pepper beurreblanc, threatened to steal the show, proving more creativity and flavor than several of the appetizers combined. A wide filet of fish sat in a bed of lemon butter sauce, resting on the rice pilaf. The perfectly browned top of the fish was perfectly done, I was thrilled with this choice. The brilliance in the dish was, well,
in the butter slightly toasted as the base for the lemon sauce, it had the effect
of making the sauce taste like a freshly baked cookie.

Grilled Atlantic Salmon
The buttery flavors resurfaced in the red bell pepper providing a creamy base for the deep, woodsy flavors to emerge. The fish, plump and flaky, eagerly soaked up both
of these rich accompaniments, so each single bite offered a gratuitously rich, luxurious flavor. It was the third time this meal I wanted each bite to linger on and on and on. The same sensation took place when we tasted the Grilled Atlantic Salmon with
Garlic mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Broccolini and a Teriyaki Butter sauce.

Filet Mignon
Another entrée that is hard to miss; The Filet Mignon with fresh shitake
mushroom merlot demi glaze and mashed Hawaiian taro with grilled
asparagus. This is also an entrée for meat lovers, simply fantastic!

Kobe Burger Lobster Ravioli

My guest wanted to try their famous featured dish Sutra Kobe Burger. A1/2 lb Kobe beef burger with grilled onions, shitake mushrooms, red bell peppers and zucchini. Topped with mozzarella cheese and wasabi aioli. Served with your choice of Onion rings, French fries or Garden Salad. Well, another great choice for burger lovers!

But all good flavors eventually vanish from the tongue, and we soon found ourselves with another round of empty plates and a very satisfied palate. In no hurry to leave our jovial surroundings and indeed the restaurant was now packed we opted for dessert.

Dessert Sampler

The Tahitian Bananas, the most exotic of our choices, ensured we had one last stunning experience before leaving. A Molten Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice
Cream arrived, which our server pierced several times with a spoon to break it
across the deliciousness within. The pieces were gladly received by the mixture
of chocolate and quickly melting vanilla gelato, all of which mingled in soupy deliciousness. Also the Pecan Nut Bar and the New Orleans Chess Pie
were playful, full of sweet flavors, and thoroughly decadent, it
was the last stop on a whirlwind culinary tour.

As we slurped the last spoonful of melted gelato,
I knew that next time I felt even a hint of wanderlust, I
would unhesitatingly make my way to Sutra Bar.

For map and location click Here!

For more information please visit their website at www.sutrabar.com

Today is: Thursday, November 21, 2024