Before Lynne Campbell became the owner and executive chef of The Quiet Woman in Corona del Mar, this Boston transplant was first a frequent and loyal diner.
“The only thing I would ever eat here was the rack of lamb – my husband, too.” says Campbell, who closed escrow on the restaurant in ’89. “Every time we’d come, we would say, ‘Ok. We have to get something else.’ Then we couldn’t because it’s just so amazing.”
If this sounds overblown, you probably haven’t tried The Quiet Woman’s tender rack of lamb. It’s hands down the restaurant’s signature dish. In the course of more than five decades, the lamb remains a favorite at this OC watering hole.
“I love this story,” Campbell says with a smirk. “This one couple … They lived in a place up the street on Marguerite and came in all the time. Then, they got married and had a baby. One night, they brought the baby in and were having a great time because we all have kids and we genuinely like children. Then, they left. A few moments later they came running back into the restaurant. They forgot the baby!”
Fortunately, the child was fast asleep in a car seat tucked safely under the table. “Now that baby is grown up and comes in with her kids. So we still see the whole family.” Campbell spent a bustling afternoon with us and let us taste her new dishes – we’re still craving the shrimp with coconut curry – and chatting about what makes The Quiet Woman unique.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THOSE LAMB CHOPS?
“I tell people it’s unlike any lamb you’ve ever eaten. It’s like candy. It’s Colorado grass-fed lamb. Totally different and cooked on the mesquite with the seasoning that we put on our steaks and chops; it just caramelizes on it. We tell everyone you can pick it up and eat the bone.”
WHAT ELSE MAKES THE QUIET WOMAN REMAIN A NEIGHBORHOOD FAVORITE?
The No. 1 moving part is the people that work here. That’s the truth. It’s not being solicitous but everyone that works here has to give a piece of their heart. And, if you don’t know what that means or if you’re not willing to do that, then you can’t be here. Because you know guests truly appreciate it. Even if it’s on a subliminal level, they do really appreciate true hospitality. The idea that you are a part of making somebody’s experience wonderful is a wonderful thing. This is my philosophy and everyone that works with me knows that ‘service has nothing to do with servitude.’ Service is truly what hospitality is all about.
The Quiet Woman, 3224 Pacific Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, (949) 640-7440 :: quietwoman.com
