Holiday Traditions and Gingerbread at Davio’s Irvine

Brought to you by Davio’s

The last few weeks of the holidays are so hectic from school events, last-minute shopping, work/friends/family parties, and must do traditions.

I try to balance the chaos of the holidays with joy such a hot cocoa holiday lights drives (we drive around the neighborhood after looking at lights while my kids drink hot coco in their pjs), the Nutcracker, an amusement park, gingerbread houses and whatever else I find that is holiday related.

For our traditional holiday gingerbread experience, we decided to try someplace new and found that Davio’s in Irvine was hosting an event.

Now, if you haven’t dined at Davio’s, then I suggest you do so STAT! Davio’s Irvine serves an array of carefully sourced and seasonally inspired Northern Italian cuisine featuring handmade pasta, fresh seafood, and salads as well as prime aged Brandt Beef. The food is out of this world delicious; their staff is not only hospitable but also attentive, providing you with an exceptional experience.

As we entered the naturally lit restaurant, I could feel the holiday spirit had hit Davio’s. There was a slight aroma of gingerbread and sweets, the sounds of children giggling and running about, and of course decorations.

The gingerbread workshop led by Pastry Chef Lena Huynh gave out mini chefs the ability to go crazy with delectable decorations.

While the foundation of our houses dried, we enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by Davio’s culinary team, which was an added bonus. After we finished our fantastic meal, our little chefs completed their architectural masterpieces.

In the generous spirit of the holidays, Davio’s partnered with The Illumination Foundation and asked that each family help in one small way by bringing an unwrapped toy and help the Illumination Foundation spread the seasonal joy!

The Illumination Foundation (IF) is a non-profit, non-denominational, grassroots organization with a mission to bridge the gap in existing services for the underserved to break or prevent the cycle of homelessness.

Beginning as a class project initiated by students enrolled in UC Irvine’s Healthcare Executive MBA Program in 2007, the organization has emerged as one of the fastest-growing non-profit addressing the crisis of homelessness in Orange County. Since IF’s founding, the organization has experienced unparalleled growth and development. Today, IF administers six innovative programs, all of which fills a critical gap in the continuum of care for the homeless. To find out more about IF visit their website at www.ifhomeless.org.

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse is located at 18420 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine, CA 92612. For questions or to make reservations, you can visit their website at www.davios.com or give them a call 949.477.4810.

Naz Nodjoumi has lived in Orange County for over 35 years. She married the guy she sat next to in French class at WHS (go warriors), graduated UCI (zot zot zot) and has two kids. She’s grown up along side this once sleepy County and loves learning more and more about the ins and out of its great cities. When she’s not chauffeuring her kids around town, she’s either cooking, volunteering, or snapping away on one of her cameras. She loves museums, theater, art, discovering fun facts as well as traveling.