Olea makes a splash in OC’s dining scene

Vine in San Clemente? Ironwood in Laguna Hills? Stalwart venues in the restaurant scene, both listed on critic Brad A. Johnson’s “75 Best Places to Eat” in 2017. What might they have in common with Olea, which opened in November in Newport Beach? Call them all the creative offspring of local restaurateur Russ Bendel and his team of talented partners, including executive chef Jared Cook.
While operating partner Kevin Franke acknowledges that the restaurants share about 60 percen