nice restaurants in OC?

[avlena]

I want to give our Pastor a gift cert to a nice restaurant as a thank you for doing our wedding. When I was living there I was a poor college student, so I don't really know any nice restaurants there! Can anyone suggest some places, preferably around Costa Mesa/Newport Beach/Irvine area? I'd like the price range to be ~100/dinner for 2.

Thanks!

[ramazank2]

La Cave in Newport/costa mesa:
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/585344
or five crowns in corona del mar:
http://www.savvydiner.com/details.php?r=775

Both fancy nice and quite unique

[yippiekiyeh]

Turner's New Zealand. Very nice place.

[NullUnit2000]

Maggianos near South Coast Plaza. Not "fancy" per say, but REALLY kick arse food!

[ramazank2]

Maggianos is really good. You have to get the 3 cheese ravioli or the Gnocci. MMM MMM MMM. The problem is that it is way too busy, I have gone there and had a 3 hr wait. So we went watched a movie and came back.

But if you want a really memorable experience (huge WOW factor) go with sugggestions in post #2.

[ray]

Maggiano's is good stuff, but I say go with a restaurant that isn't a chain around here in SoCal. Go with something more unique, because those are the types of places most people never hear about/go to.

[gear02]

not to throw the conversation off, but I was just curious Avlena...

Don't pastors/whomever does your wedding get paid? I thought most if not all charge for weddings...

just wondering...