I had the occasion to take my wife and her mother ...

I had the occasion to take my wife and her mother to dinner tonight. My wife, Kari, requested Hanna's. I was elated as it is not only one of our favorite restaurants, but unquestionably one of the finest in Orange County. Fortunately, you don't have to take my word for it - food critics from every corner agree - Hanna's is clearly a five star dining delight.

We were seated in the new, smartly appointed Wine Room. It's ideal for wine lovers and those desiring something unique and sophisticated, yet relaxed and unpretentious.

After being seated, much to our surprise, we discovered that the night we chose to dine with Hanna's was "Wine Wednesdays" - every glass of wine was 50% off. Makes one want to get out more often midweek...

Hanna's has undeniably one of the most extensive wine lists I've ever seen. What makes the selection process a joy, however, is that not only will the owner, David, help you best define what you're looking for, he'll leave you with an iPad where you can stroll the vineyards of the world until you find what didn't know you were craving.

The ladies chose a lovely Sauvignon Blanc with a tinge of grapefruit. I selected my fave; a Malbec. Just in case you've not enjoyed a glass of Malbec before, it's a deep ruby-purple color, is well balanced, with exquisite aromas of black berries, ripe plum and "robust" spices. My selection had a hint of wood smoke and coffee. Unusual but savory, and a perfect choice for fall.

With wine poured and the restaurant bustling, we began the challenging ordeal of mulling over Hanna's capacious menu. The first thing we noticed was a new fall bill of fare. Hanna's is already one of those places where you want to order one of everything you see, but this new fall menu made the choosing even more excruciatingly pleasant then ever.

For our salad we could not resist the Not So Proper House. It's a delectable mixture of whole leaf santa maria, goat cheese, candied pecans, local strawberries and raspberries, with white balsamic vinaigrette. It has become one for my favorite salads of all time. If you're light eater, you may want to consider either splitting or ordering half. Because the service at Hanna's slightly eclipses their food, if you need something special, they are genuinely delighted to make it happen. As to our salads, we enjoyed every morsel. Unfortunately, we didn't leave much room for diner - or so we thought.

While the ladies were tempted by the Salmon and Wild Pacific Seabass, I could not keep my eyes off the delectable pork chop served earlier at the next table. I am sorry I did not write down the specifics of Hanna's new seasonal Pork Chop but, suffice it to say, it was a liberal portion and ever so scrumptious. The presentation alone was enough to satisfy me. As full as I was from my salad, I somehow found room to relish every bite. Even my wife and mother-in-law smiled heartily before their empty plates.

After paying our bill and saying goodnight to the staff, who always feel more like friends, Kari's mother and I walked arm in arm along the walkway. As we strolled, she thanked me for an extraordinary evening, then stopped to tell me how much she missed her recently passed husband of 65 years (Kari's father). Then with a wistful look of longing, she said to me in a soft voice, "He would have really enjoyed tonight..."

I tell you folks, it doesn't get much better than that.

I am already looking forward to out next dining experience at Hanna's.