Malls rarely get ritzier than Crystal Cove Shopping Center on Newport Coast, which is where fashionable Orange County residents descend to consume on a grand scale, whether it’s clothes or culinary delights. At Bluefin, a modern sushi bar from Chef Takashi Abe, where skilled knife wielders are backed by a cascading water wall, of course the seafood is pristine. However, Chef Abe really took me by surprise with his drinkable dessert.

To celebrate the end of summer, Chef Abe featured honeydew melon in myriad ways to deliver a refreshing float. He started by balling and juicing sweet green melon and adding the results to the kind of glass you’d find in a soda fountain. In went soda water, honey, creamy vanilla gelato, sweetened condensed milk and house-made melon sorbet. Melon foam topped the cool creation, along with a single mint leaf and sweet-tart raspberry garnish, which added bright red contrast. This is one of the best desserts I’ve ever enjoyed at a sushi bar.