Paul Martin's American Grill

Went here for the first time last Friday. The calamari was amazing and the salmon salad was very fresh.  However the best thing about my experience was our server Ryan. I asked about picking me a Chardonnay and he was right on. Very personable and attentive to my girlfriend and I. Perhaps we reminded him of his mother, LOL

My last visit here was rather disappointing. Came here for happy hour with a friend on a Sunday at 4pm. There weren't very many people in the restaurant and yet the service was SOOOO SLOW. It took almost an hour for our 3 little appetizers to come out. The bartender making the drinks made them pretty weak and the flavors just weren't as good as in the past.  I've been here twice before and the drinks were fabulous. I'm sure I'll be back I just hope my next experience is better.

When I went to the OC Restaurant Week Launch Party, Paul Martin's stayed on my mind as my favorite sample there.  When I saw a deal on Bloomspot, I snapped it up immediately.

I was finally able to visit the actual restaurant this past weekend.  The place is huge and we got seated right at our reservation time.  The service here was excellent, with our waiter checking in at right intervals and our food arriving on our tables with good timing.  Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and gave us honest recommendations on the wine and beer list.  I love the concept of local and sustainable food.  Because of this, their menu changes seasonally.  Unlike some other reviewers on here indicated, we actually got a good portion of bread to start off with (about 5 slices of wheat bread).

=Appetizers=
We started out with the calamari, which came with some amazing red pepper sauce.  The breading on this was perfect--not too thick and crispy.

=Main Courses=
Brick Chicken and Hangar Steak - Both were moist and delicious! I ordered my steak medium rare and it was perfect.  My only complaint is that both dishes sat in the plate in oil(?)--might have been the chimchurri for the steak.  I have a feeling they do this on purpose though, but I personally would like less oil on the plate.  I can see how this would lead to soggy fries if you opted to replace your side.

=Sides=
Spinach - Not overly sauteed or seasoned, just how I like it.
Mashed Potatoes - A rather large portion and perfect to go with our meal.

=Dessert=
Banana Cream Pie - I loved this dessert! It was nice and light and wasn't too sweet.  It could have used more slices of banana though.

Overall, I really enjoyed eating here and will definitely come back again!