Ch. 1 Pt. Deux

555 Girl revisits Chapter One: the modern local in Santa Ana's Arts District this weekend. 

We first visited Chapter One in June, shortly after they officially opened and it seems like they have definitely settled in. Here are some highlights of the evening. 

The specials: non-menu items. 

Chile relleno - We almost didn't order this dish and it ended up being our favorite. It had a nice crisp on the outside and was spicy and creamy on the inside. 

Flaming Cheese - It was definitely cheesy but we were surprised to find it thick and almost chewy. Some of the girls loved it and others thought "eh." 

Menu selections:

Even though this dish wasn't a crowd favorite, one of our editors loved the Moroccan chicken sandwich. The best part she said was that it was one of the lighter options on the menu. The flavors tasted subtle and simple even though they really weren't. The sandwich is layered with Indian spices, yogurt, cranberry aioli, chipotle cumin flatbread and served with a lentil salad. 

The flavors of the beef culotte are interesting and perfect for someone in the mood to try something new. Here's how Chapter One describes the dish - "bacon-wrapped, coffee & chocolate crusted, dijon smashed potatoes chocolate soil, soy caramel, fried wontons, sesame powder." A little too much? It doesn't taste as complicated as it sounds.

Editor's note - We also ordered our favorite Portabella burger (not pictured.) See photos from our first visit to Chapter One - here. 

We were disappointed with the scallops. The lemon parsley puree and truffle oil were masked by a heavy layer of salt that made us wince with each bite. 


One of our 555 girls couldn't get enough of Chapter One and went again the next morning for its Sunday Brunch. She raved about the $5 champagne flights and the Grand Marnier french toast. We'll have an update soon.