He said, she said in the OC: Bandera

Bandera is located at 3201 Pacific Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar CA

He Said:
As expected "she" will say a lot and with much more detail. All she said and let me start out with our drinks to wet our whistles while we wait for the Iron Skillet Cornbread. She ordered up a strong Vodka Tonic, this outlasted her cornbread, dinner and dessert. Matter of fact, it is probably still sitting there waiting. Myself on the other hand requested a Moscow Mule which was an easy accommodation since they did offer a Mezcal Mule, basically tequila instead of vodka. After that a topper of Stella Artois. Was surprised both the Moscow Mule and Stella were not in their signature cups/glasses. Very good and healthy strength.

I ordered a Center Cut Filet, well done, which cut like butter. Just the right seasoning complimented by garlic mashed potatoes with kale. Although she will talk them up, they were not to my liking. More of texture versus tastes. Would have been more appropriate with a chicken dish.

Overall, I was pleased with the service and meal. Price point was in line with experience. Will be returning!

She Said:

We arrived an hour prior to our 5:15 reservation time and decided we were too hungry to wait for our reservation so we went in to see if they could seat us early. They don't open until 4:30, so we were invited to sit at the bar or on their outdoor covered patio. We chose the patio and I was pleased to find there is ample space with comfortable seating to wait. There is also a fireplace out there that I am sure is delightful on a chilly fall evening.

We were promptly seated at 4:30.

Ambiance: It was dark, cozy and candle lit. Perfect for a romantic dinner or enjoyable for a dinner with friends.

Service: I was very pleased with the service here. The wait staff was attentive without being too attentive....in other words, they struck the perfect balance of checking on us without disrupting our meal too frequently.

Food:

Started with the Iron Skillet Cornbread. This was delicious! The top was crusty with the sweetness of which I am sure is a honey drizzle. The inside was crumbly but moist (not dry like cornbread can sometimes be) and the perfect balance of corn. I believe they add green chilies to the mix which added a slight hint of flavor for a delightful taste on the tongue.

For my Main Dish I chose the Petite Center Cut Filet and substituted the seasonal vegetable (broccoli) for their Mashed Potatoes Colcannon. I requested my steak Med-Well and it arrived perfectly prepared. It was melt in my mouth delicious as well as the perfect portion size. I had never had mashed potatoes colcannon and looked it up afterwards. It's potatoes mashed with kale and cream. They were good, the kale providing a sweet slight crunch with each bite, but if truth be told, I prefer a creamy garlic mash or loaded baked potato with a steak.

We ordered dessert and went with the Banana Cream Pie with homemade caramel and chocolate. The pie was delicious and the crust was interesting. Upon my first bite I knew it wasn't a regular graham cracker crust, it almost had a granola like texture. I inquired what the crust was made of and was told it's graham cracker, crushed walnuts and bits of Ghirardelli chocolate. It was interesting and different, but maybe a bit too different for me.