Five Crowns and SideDoor Executive Chef Dennis Brask has been named 2009-2010 “Chef of the Year” by the Southern California Restaurant Writers. Five Crowns also received a Four-Star Award for its cuisine and the Golden Bacchus Award for its wine list in a ceremony held Sunday, March 14.
Southern California Restaurant Writers, Inc., was formed in 1975 to improve the quality of the restaurant industry in this region. Its annual award winners are chosen from among restaurants stretching from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border, which are evaluated by its members. All were judged on food, service, ambiance and appropriate beverages, according to the organization’s score sheets, which have a scoring range of 1 to 100 points.
Opened in 1965, Five Crowns features Continental cuisine including U.S.D.A. Prime beef, poultry, fresh fish and seasonal selections. Over the years, the Five Crowns has earned a reputation for serving excellent food and offering a fine and extensive wine list. It has served generations of loyal customers, many of whom choose it to celebrate the most special occasions of their lives.
The restaurant has earned the Automobile Club of Southern California Four-Diamond Award, the Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star Award, and the DiRoNA Award, marking it as one of the distinguished restaurants of North America. It has also received the Wine Spectator Grand Award, the Southern California Restaurant Writers’ Gold Award, and the Golden Bacchus Award for its wine list.
Five Crowns is a member of the Lawry’s family of fine-dining restaurants, which includes Lawry’s The Prime Rib with locations in Beverly Hills, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Osaka, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, and Hong Kong; and the Tam O’Shanter in Los Angeles. Their quick-service concept, Lawry’s Carvery, opened at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa in 2003. A second Carvery opened at Westfield Century City Dining Terrace in fall 2007, and a third debuted at L.A.LIVE in December 2008. Five Crowns shares its historic building with SideDoor, a gastropub opened in January 2010.
Five Crowns is located at 3801 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. It is open for dinner nightly and for Sunday brunch. Valet parking is available and all major credit cards are accepted. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling (949) 760-0331 or at www.LawrysOnline.com.
