The Trough Brings Fast-Casual Culinary Options to Eighteen Main in Irvine

EMMES Realty Services of California LLC and Oaktree Find Success in Creating Irvine 'Metroburb'

Irvine, Calif., May 18, 2022 - Reimagined suburban office parks have made a comeback over the last few years, with amenity-rich campuses that combine suburban quality of life with the conveniences of mixed use settings.

These "metroburbs" are becoming all-in-one communities where people can live, work and play. One rebranded business campus, Centerview at Irvine Concourse – owned by affiliates of EMMES Realty Services LLC “EMMES” and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”), and managed by EMMES – has taken that a step further by developing an award-winning restaurant pad, Eighteen Main, which includes a thoughtfully curated mix of dining options.

Eighteen Main – recently named Retail Project of the Year by NAIOP SoCal, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association – includes 17,000 square feet of premier restaurant space that, along with Centerview, has attracted a slew of popular eateries in just two years. The Trough is one of the latest restaurant to sign a lease at the property, joining The Goldfinch, Izakaya Osen, KIT Coffee, and the adjacent award-winning Porch & Swing, SOL Mexican Cocina, and Maldon’s Bistro at Centerview. Eighteen Main, designed for four restaurant concepts, will be 100% occupied once EMMES fills the final restaurant space.

The Trough, known for its fresh specialty sandwiches, bowls, and breakfast burritos, will be the The Blind Pig Restaurant Group’s fifth eatery in Orange County, and is expected to open by the end of 2022. The Trough will add a quick, casual breakfast and lunch concept at Eighteen Main for those on-the-go, while still having a sit-down component with a small bar serving wine, mimosas, and six local craft beers on tap.

“We are happy to be a part of the Eighteen Main vision and being the sole fast-casual lunch concept within the complex,” said Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Restaurant Group, which includes a popular speak-easy style restaurant and bar in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., as well as Yorba Linda and a soon-to-be location in Anaheim.

“Centerview’s restaurants and Eighteen Main are primed to not just be a hotspot for office workers to have lunch, or happy hour drinks after work, but also to be a new and exciting restaurant destination for the surrounding community. We love the plan that EMMES has in place and are excited to be next to other new and soon-to-be successful restaurant concepts.”

Monaco said Eighteen Main is the ideal locale for The Trough, especially with thousands of new residential units that have been approved and are under construction in the immediate area, as part of the Irvine Business Complex Vision Plan.

“Eighteen Main and Centerview will have one of the better combinations of unique and upscale restaurant tenants within the area, all anchored by the very popular SOL Mexican Cocina,” he said. “Pair that with ample parking, including a number of EV charging stations, and I don’t see how it could not be.”

Attracting eateries such as The Trough is expected to further elevate Eighteen Main as a premier dining destination in Irvine.

“A creative approach to amenities has allowed EMMES to develop a unique synergy between Centerview, Eighteen Main, and the community,” said Justin Nguyen, vice president, asset management, EMMES Realty Services of California, LLC. “We are thrilled to welcome The Trough as Eighteen Main’s latest culinary experience in our effort to provide the urban variety people want in a suburban setting. This is the new ‘metroburb.’”

About The Trough

The Trough Sandwich Kitchen prepares top quality sandwiches filled with flavor and an exciting twist, along with offering one of Orange County’s best breakfast burritos. Brought to you by the masterminds behind the swanky speakeasy-style restaurant The Blind Pig, The Trough Sandwich Kitchen is a fast and casual dining spot where you can get in and out on your lunch break and have a better quality sandwich than at some other sandwich stops.
Visit https://www.thetroughsandwichkitchen.com/ for more information.

About EMMES

EMMES Realty Services of California LLC is a member of The EMMES Group of Companies. Founded in 1992, with offices in New York and California, The EMMES Group of Companies and its affiliates are engaged in principal real estate investments, capital management and real estate services. For more information, visit www.emmesco.com.

About Oaktree

Oaktree is a leader among global investment managers specializing in alternative investments, with $164 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022. The firm emphasizes an opportunistic, value-oriented and risk-controlled approach to investments in credit, private equity, real assets and listed equities. The firm has over 1,000 employees and offices in 20 cities worldwide. For additional information, please visit Oaktree’s website at http://www.oaktreecapital.com/.

Return to: 2022 News Releases