CIR Lounge — Restaurant in Fountain Valley

INTERIOR: Upon entering, the design and décor transports you far away from "homely" Fountain Valley. Moody and classy, the interior is pleasing with its cool tones and warm hues. The music selection was excellent, but slightly loud. For those who want to take photos here, note that the lighting is not very photo-friendly unless taken with flash. For makeup-wearers out there, make sure you aren't wearing powders that give you flashback!

SERVICE: Krys was attentive, kind, and provided excellent service. We ordered everything at once, and items were brought out at a good pace.

BAR: The party before us was taking longer than usual, so we sat at the bar to enjoy some drinks. I had the Pretty in Panama, a fruity and not-too-sweet drink that masked the alcohol taste nicely. My partner ordered the espresso martini, which was rich and delicious, but might be "too strong" for infrequent drinkers. Towards the end, I ordered a Saigon Sling -- it was balanced, flavorful, and definitely my favorite drink.

APPETIZERS: We ordered the baked cheese and crispy pork cheek buns. My partner said the baked cheese was well-balanced and flavorful. The crispy pork cheek buns had a very delicious sauce and the acidity from the carrot and daikon cut the fattiness of the pork nicely. Unfortunately, the pork pieces were waaaay too small, especially for the hefty $24 price tag.

RAW: We got the caviar cone. The caviar was delicious! I loved the way the yuzu crème fraiche provided subtle sweetness and richness while the cone itself gave the soft ingredients a fun crunch. Absolutely a fun way to spend $12.

SEAFOOD: We had the uni unagi chawanmushi and the truffle seafood fried rice. The chawanmushi was absolutely my FAVORITE item on the menu. Smooth, creamy, umami, balanced, and perfectly seasoned -- I wish I'd ordered more. The fried rice was also delicious! The rice didn't really seem fried, the texture was more moist, but not soggy. This dish was my partner's favorite, especially with the smokiness of the grilled seafood, the rich seafood flavor in the rice, and the way the rice coated your mouth like a risotto. The seafood fried rice did, however, get too salty for me after a bit.

MAIN: We ordered the bone marrow bibimbap and lobster ramen. Both were delicious! The bibimbap got crispy where it touched the stone pot, which was soooo good with the tender wagyu. The lobster ramen had a rich seafood flavor, chewy noodles, and a good amount of seafood. I felt the scallops were slightly over-cooked and would prefer if the egg was soft-boiled, not hard-boiled.

DESSERT: I got a house sorbet on the house for my birthday. The sorbet was surrounded by a moat of Moscato. I ended up mixing everything together to make a "slushy" that was soooo good. Forget mimosas, I'm blending sorbet and champagne from now on! My partner got the banana miso cake, which definitely rivaled Gordon Ramsay's sticky toffee pudding. The cake was moist, slightly crisp on the edges, and topped with a crispy candied banana.

OVERALL: My partner and I had an incredible experience! Everything was delicious, balanced, and crafted with care. Service was impeccable. I do feel that some dishes got a little salty (fried rice, ramen) and that the portions of proteins and vegetables were a little underwhelming for the price paid. We did order carb-heavy dishes, so I won't remove a star or anything. Give CIR...

Parking and atmosphere is great. Sadly, for the price you’re paying for the second time I came here, the cashier added lobster and another dish from another table onto our tab. Not sure how that happened, but in rectifying their mistake it took them forever to come back with the new receipt for us to sign so we can leave. We were right in front of them, but felt we were not a priority. For the price point we paid for we expected much better service. Our drinks didn’t get refilled either. The place is really small so reservations are required and there’s a private area for private parties which is a nice option if you want one for special occasions or meetings. The music is great and so is the lighting which sets the mood. If only their service matched the price point. The first time I went was for a table of four. Most of what we ordered was great except the bone marrow dish wasn’t worth it. It tasted ok and was over priced. Everything else we ordered on the menu was great and the bill came out to be around $600 with drinks. As for the second time I went there, after the experience we had she doesn’t want to come back here. I feel bad because I suggested it. My cousin warned me to always check your bill and after this experience I will be sure to do that before I pay...

I have to admit, this was in a weird location. I just didn't think it would be in the plaza that it was at. But it won't stop me from going here again for sure. It's a small place but very beautiful inside. I was actually expecting it to be a lot bigger when I finally went here with my girlfriends. I would of course definitely recommend making reservations. It was fully packed. It is very dark in here also so if you don't like that vibe, then I've warned you.

Here's what we ordered: Pretty in Panama Nada Colada Truffle Seafood fried rice Potato Korokke Wagyu sliders Caviar Cone Banana Miso Cake Yuze Strawberry Panna Cotta

Of course everything was delicious but pricey, but also very instagrammable. Everything looked very cool and fancy which is definitely my vibe. Portions are a little small but it was still good enough to go back and try other things next time. Definitely perfect for date night or hanging out with a group.

Our waiter was so helpful and very informative. Not too pushy and was...