My wife and I recently attended an event in Anaheim. To complete our date night, I searched for a place to eat in Anaheim, and I quickly realized that most restaurants are national chain establishments like Ruth Chris, Morton’s, Lazy Dog Cafe, Dave and Busters, and Buffalo Wild Wings. I selected Benchmark, a restaurant in nearby Santa Ana.
Located in a quiet residential section of Santa Ana, Benchmark is an open-air concept with a beautiful outdoor patio underneath trees and shade sail canopies. It was brisk that evening, and I neglected to inform my wife that we would be dining outdoors. Fortunately, they lit an outdoor heater and placed it next to her.
The menu features shareables, salads, bar snacks, and mains ideal for sharing. PEI Chorizo Mussels with blistered tomatoes, paprika toast, charred lemon, Gochuchang Fried Chicken with radish, napa cabbage, cilantro, and aioli make this an eclectic menu.
The Heirloom Tomato Salad is one of their most popular dishes. It is immediately recognizable by the large burrata ball drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Fresh cucumbers, red onion, and mustard frill give this salad additional textures.
While I enjoy seared scallops, I appreciated the creativity of this offering. The jumbo scallops were perfectly seared and surrounded in a smooth corn puree. Pickled Japanese shimeji mushrooms gave this a slight tanginess, and I found them delightful.
My wife enjoys steaks, and she liked the combination of the Santa Maria seasoning drizzled with the South American chimichurri sauce.
The Daou Winery Cabernet Sauvignon nicely paired with our dishes with notes of vanilla and chocolate.
If you have room for dessert, I think the Butterscotch Pot de Creme is worth your attention. My wife paired that with coffee served in a French press.
The timing of the dishes was a bit unusual. It took quite a while for the tomato salad to arrive, and just after it did, I received the scallops. About ten minutes later, my wife’s steak came.
Pro Tip: There is ample free parking at the Ebell Club on 718 Mortimer St. It is an approximate three-minute walk to the restaurant.
Benchmark, 601 E Santa Ana Blvd, Santa Ana, CA 92701; 714.480.0225; benchmarkoc.com