Newport Beach Restaurants Archives

Disclosure: I was invited to a media tasting as a guest of The Waffle Affair in order to write my review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.
The Waffle Affair is an adorable storefront, located in a shopping center off Bayside drive in Newport Beach. Situated extremely close to the water and Balboa Island, the area is known for residents who enjoy a leisurely and active outdoor lifestyle. The Waffle Affair is the perfect place to stop at to grab a hand-crafted coffee or tea and a waffle to go! If you’re thinking that the words “waffle” and “to go” don’t pair well, you must keep reading! (I suggest everyone keep reading anyway though)

It might seem “untraditional” to imagine grabbing waffles to go but these waffles are different. They don’t require any toppings or syrups and can easily be taken out to enjoy. (Don’t worry, they do also offer classic, traditional waffles with maple syrup & whipped butter, if that’s what you’re looking for!) You can choose from regular-sized waffles or waffle bites! Waffles are offered in both sweet and savory flavors, made from scratch and baked fresh to order. This means the waffles are very light and not greasy at all. There are some deliciously unique waffles on the menu at The Waffle Affair.

Here are just a few of the savory ones:

Cheddar & Cherry Hardwood Smoked Bacon
Prosciutto Di Parma & Gruyere Cheese
Oven Roasted Turkey & Havarti Cheese
Genoa Salami & Fontina Cheese
Waffle Bites with Hot Dogs or Breakfast Sausage (my daughter LOVED these)

Here are just a few of the sweet waffle options:

Liege (Belgium-style)
Madagascar Vanilla Bean
Chocolate Chip

Other waffle offerings include daily waffles and specialty & seasonal waffles. We had the pleasure of trying coconut waffle bites and carrot cake waffle bites that had a cream cheese frosting topping. They were both considered seasonal items, which are offered from time-to-time. They were amazing!

The Waffle Affair also has its own coffee bar and proudly serves Illy’s sustainably grown Arabica beans, as well as a selection of Dammann Teas, and freshly squeezed orange juice.

To view the full menu, click here. The Waffle Affair is a truly adorable place to go for breakfast, lunch, or an early dinner. The people are friendly and you’ll fall in love with the decor…especially the chandelier! But you’ll mostly fall in love with the waffles! I know I did!

The Waffle Affair is located at:

1064 Bayside Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660

949.720.8155

Connect with The Waffle Affair on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Emily and I were recently invited to a Family Brunch Media Event to preview the Prix-Fixe Brunch menu at the beautiful Newport Beach location of FIG & OLIVE. The restaurant is located at Fashion Island.

Fig & Olive is currently offering a delicious French Riviera three-course Prix-Fixe brunch menu ($28*) on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. They also have a special kids’ meal promotion right now, which is available during brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Guests who order from FIG & OLIVE’s prix-fixe brunch menu will receive a complimentary meal from the kids’ menu (*one main course plus a soft drink per child; children 10 and under).

Emi enjoyed an Arnold Palmer while she browsed the kids’ menu

Pint-size foodies can choose from the following offerings:

¼ Roasted Chicken with Herbs de Provence, rosemary, garlic, lemon, and mashed potato
F&O Pizza with tomato, mozzarella, and basil
Chicken Fingers served with tomato basil dip and skinny fries
Fish Croquettes with lemon mayo
Penne Pasta with olive oil, cheese, or pesto

Love the presentation of the hot tea in this simple white pot!

Take a peek at the Prix-Fixe Brunch Menu.

There were so many delicious items to choose from. It was very difficult for me to narrow it down, but I finally did. I decided to start with the Fig & Olive Salad which was the most delightful combination of flavors in a salad.

I also indulged in some of the of bread & viennoiseries that were brought to the table. The strawberry jam was amazing on the baguette and Emi opted for the chocolate croissant without hesitation. But let’s get back to my Fig & Olive salad…

It was so fresh and yummy! I couldn’t get enough of the figs!

For an entree, I ordered the South of France Poached Eggs with Salmon while Emi ordered the Chicken Fingers served with marinara basil dip and skinny fries from the kids’ menu.

All of the food was just fabulous. I literally had to stop myself from eating because I wanted to save room for dessert. The FIG & OLIVE chefs don’t use butter or cream to cook with (except for the desserts) and everything is olive oil-based. I think this makes a huge difference in the way food tastes. Read about their line of olive oils here.

Our third course was dessert! I think that’s always my favorite part. I ordered Dessert “Crostini”. They’re pistachio shortbread cookies topped with Amarena cherries, mascarpone, and micro-basil.

They were delicious! (I spy a Hidden Mickey in my dessert! Do you see it too? )

I loved everything about FIG & OLIVE Newport Beach. It’s a great location, very close to the beach, and the inside of the restaurant is so open and bright from all of the natural lighting shining through the windows. Every item brought out to our table was delicious and their staff was so delightful. It’s a great place to take the entire family for brunch (or lunch or dinner), especially with this complimentary kids’ meal promotion right now. I look forward my next visit to FIG & OLIVE Newport Beach.

It was a perfect girls’ day out. Thank you FIG & OLIVE Newport Beach!