I love Jason Quinn (and his restaurant, Playground in Santa Ana)

I love Jason Quinn. I know he doesn’t know this but I do love him. I did have a chance to meet him one night when I went to his restaurant with one of my co-workers who is also a chef. I was able to hear first hand his vision for his restaurant in Santa Ana. So, I can, from personal experience, admit I love Jason Quinn. I love his vision. I love his food. I love that he changes his menu based upon what he can find that day in a local market. I love he won’t give you ketchup or salsa and won’t modify a single aspect of any of his dishes. That being said, if you don’t like his dish, you can return it for something else.  He is so confident in his food he knows you won’t send it back.  I love that the t-shirts his wait staff wear are bad reviews (and who gives this place a bad review)?  I guess all of that being said, I love his food.  All of it.

Everything I have ever eaten there and I have eaten there quite a few times. I invent reasons to go to Santa Ana but I always know it is for Playground. When my friend Donna wanted to get tickets to see Dear Evan Hansen in Costa Mesa, I jumped on the chance for several reasons but one is that the theater is 5 miles from Playground.  This last time, Adam, Elena and I went prior to the show.  While very single thing was amazing, I think our most favorite was the cauliflower larb. When a vegetarian dish is one of the best things you have ever eaten, you know it has to be good. Really, every single dish was better than the last. [Also, not sure if Jason Quinn knows this but Hasselback Potatoes are one of the 1000 things]. I have tickets to see Come from Away next month. You know what that means… More Playground.