Opened under the name Collage Culinary Experience, the sophisticated dining collection inside South Coast Plaza has been one of the Costa Mesa mall’s crown jewels since mid-2021, thanks largely to attracting the first U.S. locations of Singaporean dumpling specialist Paradise Dynasty and sister concept Le Shrimp Ramen. Located on the other side of the mall from established rivals Din Tai Fung and Marugame Udon, the concentrated, two-floor collection of restaurants connected to Bloomingdales has helped turn SCP into a truly great place to eat any day of the week.
Catering largely to fans of Asian and American cuisines, Collage is also home to outposts of OC favorites Bruxie, K Soul Food, and PhoHolic, LA’s Cha Redefine and Mochinut, as well as SF/LA-born AnQi Bistro. While there’s been some turnover, including the loss of bar Blossoms & Brass, egg sandwich shop Egg XXIII, and bottom floor restaurant Mah Jong’s by Chef Mike, Collage has added a location of popular tea shop Chagee, Sichuan hot pot spot Shoo Loong Kan, and two AnQi-affiliated Noods stands, one for dumplings and another for coffee and macarons. Parking is free and quite available immediately outside Collage, which recently put out temporary signage reading “Collage Dining Collective” – a potential rebrand.
