Well they lasted three years. I’m sorry to see them go. Prior to SweetSpot, it was occupied by another cupcake store, Lorraine’s. I wonder if another cupcake place will take its place!

They call themselves the “Ultimate Kabobery“. Fresh ingredients, choice meats and the finest of spices. Each order is cooked to order and you’ll never see kabobs sitting under a heat lamp at Luna Grill. Their restaurants in San Diego have a very clean aesthetic with lots of clean, white area, with splashes of red as the main accent color. Very pleasing to the eye.

The menu features fresh salads, wraps and of course, the kabobs. You’ll find the everyday Med fare like Hummus and Eggplant, but they mix things up and offer items like the Gyros Quesadilla (basically a regular Gyro, just sandwiched between two rounds of pita. On the kabob side, you’ll find favorites like Chicken, Lamb and Sirloin, but you also get a choice of “Flat Cut” chicken which is thinly cut pieces of hormone free chicken tenders on the blade or try a Cornish hen.

Luna Grill currently has 6 locations in the San Diego area and you should see the Lake Forest location open in the next 30-60 days. Based on the construction inside, they haven’t even gotten the walls up yet.

So more on Luna Grill as we get closer to open date.

Have you eaten at Luna Grill in San Diego? How was it?

Luna Grill
23625 El Toro Road
Lake Forest, CA 92630
www.lunagrill.com

Waiiha, a Sushi and Japanese Dining restaurant, has completed their outdoor seating area and has gotten their furniture and lighting inside. The custom counter has been outfitted with sushi refrigeration units and the kitchen looks pretty complete. They have recently posted their proposed hours. They are open for lunch Monday thru Saturday from 11am to 1:30pm. Dinner, however, is only Tuesday thru Saturday from 5pm to 9pm. Waiiha is being opened by the same owners of Jizake Sushi down in Laguna Niguel.

The Iron Press, a restaurant focusing on local beer & waffles, still has a lot of construction going on. Crews have been working into the mid-evenings most nights trying to get the place ready. As of today, I caught of glimpse of a long stretch of beer taps and the glass rinsers are in at the bar. Other than that, the windows are pretty much still papered up and I couldn’t see much.

The Iron Press is the brainchild of Leonard “Lenny” Chan and Jeremy “Jerry” Saenz. I had a discussion recently with Lenny regarding The Iron Press. More about “Jerry” later in the article.

FID: What made you guys come up with the idea of bringing beer and waffles together?

LENNY: In all honesty, I was looking at doing waffles and beer here in Southern California over 5 years ago. Since then, I had the opportunity to open up California Shabu Shabu in Costa Mesa and figured that was a no brainer. I started seeing a trend up in Nor Cal, Portland, and Seattle brewing up, but couldn’t pass up on the shabu deal. Since California Shabu Shabu started doing better, I got the wheels going again on the beer and waffles joint, but soon after that Bruxie opened up which spun me into severe depression (ok, so I was just bummed out for a bit). After that, I figured I better hurry up and get things going ASAP!  In short – I love beer and I love waffles, so why not, yeah?

FID: I see you’re getting custom bar stools done for the bar, anything else going to be custom?

LENNY: A lot of things going in are custom! Jerry, Jaime (a good friend and our general contractor), and I have been bouncing around ideas back and forth for months now. Everything from chairs, to tables, to lamps, to counters. You name it, we have tried to put in our own spin on everything.

FID: For the customer experience, will the customers be able to see the waffles being made as they are ordered?

LENNY: Yessireebobadoo! We wanted to have the experience be as interactive as possible, so you’ll be seeing someone smashing out those waffles right in the front.

BTW, I want to steal the word “Yessireebobadoo” from Lenny! [smile]

As you read, this isn’t Lenny Chan’s first foray into the restaurant world. In 2009, Lenny opened California Shabu Shabu in Costa Mesa and their newest location in Santa Monica opened in November 2011. Based on the design cues of California Shabu Shabu, the interior of The Iron Press is sure to impress. So on the heels of the Santa Monica location moving towards their opening date, they started plans and construction for The Iron Press.

As for Jerry, the “food gene” doesn’t fall far from the tree. Jerry’s family runs and owns Lucky Habanero Salsa. Linda Saenz, “The Salsa Lady” and her family have been selling this award winning salsa since 2005. Made in small batches to ensure quality and freshness, you can find their salsa in specialty markets like Whole Foods, Promelli’s, Mothers Market, Hows, Hi-Time Wine Cellars, Irvine Ranch Market, The Meat House and BevMo. In 2011 and 2012 they have won several categories at the Annual Scovie Awards. This year, their Mango Firecracker Salsa took 1st place in the Fruit Salsa category!

So I have a surprise for you.

Lenny is also working on an Oyster Bar. I found out from a birdie that it will occupy the area formerly known as “The Rotating Kitchen” located in The OC Mart Mix. In that space, they used to have a rotating kitchen come in to prepare meals, sorta like a pop-up restaurant. (Note: I never saw any events in that space) and there is a large concrete topped counter. It is in this space, that Lenny plans to open an Oyster Bar with another partner. So we now have three new restaurants on-site at the South Coast Collection. An oyster bar certainly would do well. According to a Google search, there are only three restaurants listed with Oyster Bars. Note I said “with”. The three locations are Seafood restaurants with an Oyster Bar inside. I’m sure a more detailed search will yield others, but I think Lenny has something here. Can you stand the wait?

So that’s it for this update. More details to come in the coming weeks!

The Iron Press
3321  Hyland Avenue, Suite E
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Waiiha
3321 Hyland Avenue, Suite D
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Not-Yet-Named Oyster Bar
3313 Hyland Avenue (The OC Mart Mix)
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Well over a year has passed and I have finally made it here! There were only 4 people ahead of me in line and there was plenty of parking in front. I suspect, Chapman is still on Winter Break. I had just had lunch in Orange, so I wanted something light and sweet. I opted for the “Brussels” – a light waffle dusted with either cinnamon or powdered sugar with 100% Maple syrup on the side. I placed my order at the window, asked my name and then sat myself at the eating “bar” to the right of the window with a view of one of Chapman’s buildings.

Less than 5 minutes later, someone called my name and brought over a paper boat with 4 quarter pieces of a waffle and a small container of maple syrup. As the waffles were being handed to me, I could smell a hint of butter hit my nose and I immediately fell in love! The buttery smell intensified as I placed the dish front and center.

To hell with utensils, I picked up a quarter, pulled it apart to find my fingers squeezing the waffle. Light crisp “skin” and a very light and fluffy inside. I dipped my piece into the maple syrup and found my tongue in confusion. I usually associated waffles with dense, thick skinned treat that I grew up with in my kitchen and restaurants. My mouth chewed effortlessly as the sweetness of the syrup melded with the batter of the waffle. Besides the syrup, the waffle itself was not sweet, yet not savory either.

While I was enjoying my Brussels, Montica, who works there, asked me how it was and I gave here a thumbs up as my mouth was filled with another mouthful of joy. By the time I finished, a few minutes had passed and Montica stopped by again and I told here how surprised I was about the texture. I asked if all the wallless had that texture and was told it was with the exception of the Liege, which was slightly thicker. I also asked if it was the same batter for the sandwiches and was told that it was, but that the actually “bread” for the sandwich was thinner for easier eating and handling. They have daily specials that they run everyday based on what is fresh that day. Montica said to check their Facebook page as they update the daily specials. She convinced me that I should come back for a savory sandwich to experience that as well since I enjoyed the Brussels so much. I told her that I might just do that.

So look forward to another review of Bruxië when I have some of their savory items. In addition to the waffles and sandwiches, they also have real authentic Wisconsin Frozen Custard!! Yes, that slightly more golden in color vanilla ice cream that has extra egg yolks in it for richness! Bruxie buys local so they don’t have traditional sodas, but locally crafted drinks.

Check them out if you haven’t and don’t wait a year like I did!

Bruxië
292 North Glassell Street
Orange, CA 92866
714-633-3900
www.bruxie.com

They also have a new location in Brea!

Bruxië
215 W. Birch Street
Brea, CA 92821
714-255-1188

The permanent signage isn’t up, but you will find them with two banners out in front of the restaurant. There is plenty of seating and even outdoor seating with cover from the sun or rain.

The restaurant is still fairly new. According to the OC Weekly there was a previous Mexican restaurant that was in this space and it was purchased by some former Versailles employees (rumor). While it doesn’t say it on the website, it does say the owner has 25 years of experience honing his skills at a well known Cuban restaurant in LA.

When you are seated, you are offered Garlic Bread and was asked if I wanted a beverage. Today I started with an order of Beef and Spinach Empanadas followed by an order of Lechon Asado (tender pork in a mojo sauce with grilled onions, rice, black beans and fried plantains.

My empanadas showed up pretty quickly at the table. With it comes a dipping sauce. The outside of the empanada was crispy and flaky. Light thickness in the dough and simple ingredients. The first bite is flaky and flavorful. The filling is tasty but unremarkable. I guess I was expecting something a bit more with bigger chunks of meat. It was a simple ground beef filling. The second empanada had a spinach filling. I’m not fluent in Cuban cuisine at all. The dipping sauce was some kind of olive oil mixture and tasted like Italian dressing to me.

Minutes later my order of Lechon Asado showed up. Again, not well versed in Cuban food, the word Lechon caught my eyes as it is the same word for a Filipino pork dish. The menu lists Lecohn Asado as tender pork simmered in a mojo sauce with grilled onions. Also on the plate is rice and fried plantains. The plate had a tons of onions on the plate. I was a bit surprised as I was expecting grilled onions on top, but those were more raw and seemed a bit off putting to me. The pork however was very tender. Your first reaction is that it is greasy and oily. The mojo sauce it is simmered in is quite flavorful and seasoned well. It wasn’t oily at all. The accompanying rice has just a bit of stickiness to it and the black beans were made with mini-sized means, almost the size of capers. For a moment I thought they were whole peppercorns in the lechon! The fried plantains were a bit oily on the outside, but I ate all three of them!

There was a selection of beers on tap as well as bottled along with a selection of wines.

Bella has only been open for a few weeks, so let’s see if they can pull the foodies in. The menu isn’t complicated and concise. If anything, their only drawback is the building they are in. The restaurant is “below” street level at this point and signage not on the street side could affect things. That space has had several tenants in the last few years.

I will have to do try some Cuban food so I can appreciate the flavors more. Someone said to try the Garlic Chicken and the Ropa Vieja! :)

Bella Cuba
3930 S.Bristol Avene, # 114
Santa Ana, CA 92704
714-545-5711
www.bellacubarestaurant.com

I was driving down El Toro Road when I noticed the indoor and outdoor lighting was on. After making a quick turn into The Orchard at El Toro and Rockfield, the door was open, but they were hosting a private party. I snapped a few pictures, they are dark.

I grabbed a copy of their menu and I’ll try and make it there tomorrow. From the looks of their menu a few items caught my eye!

Something Cured
Seasonal selection of local artisanal cured meats with house-cured olives, brick oven flatbread and spicy apple chutney

Oskar Blues™ Beer Can Roasted Cornish Game Hen
Served with roasted heirloom potatoes and root vegetables

Frilled Duroc Pork Porterhouse
Cut thick, and served with sweet potatoes and apple pecan chutney

They have a nice selection of locally crafted Brü’s from Cismontane, Taps, Hangar 24 and others.  Add to that a nice list of wines (Crü’s) from local wineries. The prices are reasonable and carry a $10 corkage fee.

The goal of Brü is a Farm-to-Table concept with the menu changing ever so often based on availability of fresh ingredients. They have a manageable sized menu and the price ranged from $7.00 to $15.00 for Starters and Soups, while Sandwiches, Flatbreads, Pastas and entrees range from $11.00 to $22.00.

A review will follow in the next few days. Meanwhile don’t forget to stop by!

Brü Grill & Market
23730 El Toro Road
Lake Forest, CA 92630
949-305-5757
Website: www.brugrill.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BruGrill

Last year I reviewed the Corner Fish Grill in July 2010 and even then I wasn’t sure if they were going to last this long. Users on Yelp and Urbanspoon weren’t kind and I have gone back a few months later after my initial review only to report nothing new.

The restaurant was the first tenant in a brand new shopping center that tried to compete with other Fish grills in the area like Boneheads, California Fish Grill and others.

Corner Fish Grill
26051 La Paz Road
Mission Viejo, CA 92691

I’ve been food blog friends with Riço Ocir for almost two years. Somehow we seem to miss each other and haven’t had a chance to meet until last night. I was driving up to Portola Coffee Lab in the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa when I see three food trucks lined up for the regular Friday night food truck gathering. Soho Gourmet Tacos, Sexy Burgers and Taco Maria were there. I have been trying to get to the Soho truck for quite sometime now and here was my chance.

I walked up to the truck and looking at the menu when I hear rumblings from one of the Soho truck employees. I look up and see that it is Riço! I was so surprised, I said hello and gave him a hug. It was really nice to finally meet him, but equally important that I got to try the taco’s from Soho.

Soho Gourmet Taco is headed up by Chef Gabe Zambrano who I had the pleasure of meeting last night. Soho Gourmet started and is still a Gourmet Taco Catering company. They have travelled all over LA/OC/IE bringing their fresh ingredients and homemade tortillas to events, private weddings, corporate parties and more. Their customized tables feature the ability to be setup without the need for an external power source making their ability to be in many types of venues. They only recently launched their Food Truck in the last 60 days or so and it’s been a huge success for them.

Let’s get to the tacos. Riço recommended the vegetarian. Now, I know Riço is no vegetarian by any means, so for him to say I have to try it says a lot! In addition, I wanted to sample the Camerones Especial (Shrimp) and the Carnitas (Pork).

My order was placed “on the floor” by Pierre who took my order on an iPad. My order was not only paid for on the iPad, but the order was transmitted to the “truck” and came out on a printer for the line. This is awesome! (I’ll follow up on this with a separate story for iFoodie, the tech side of my food blog.)

My order was ready in a matter of minutes. Three tacos nested in a container. I helped myself to the fresh salsa (Chef Gabe says if there is one thing you can do, is that you should always make your own salsa, don’t buy store bought ones) and a verde sauce they call “Green Crack”. I placed a nice squirt of the bright green concoction on my tacos and off I went to enjoy.

Look at the tortillas. Hand-slapped on the truck to the perfect thickness cooked on a hot “comal/griddle”. It’s cooked thru fast and given the “ever so slightest” crunch on the outside. Each taco had a healthy portion of fillings. Using up all the real estate in the tortilla is not a problem for these guys. My first bite was into the Camerones Especial. Tender pieces of non-breaded shrimp cooked perfectly in garlic butter with tender shreds of cabbage topped with a special sauce made of chipotle and sour cream along with some Jack cheese. When you bite into your taco, the tortilla doesn’t fight with you. The shrimp is not rubbery and seasoned well. It’s hard not to eat thru it in three or four bites, you want to savor each bite.

The carnitas taco is slow cooked pork that filled the tortilla. I add chopped cilantro, some of their salsa and the Green Crack. Juicy, through and through. No dry shreds of pork. I want more. For readers of my blog, you all know I LOVE pork. The heat from the Green Crack is just right. A good amount of heat to wake up your senses, but not hot that you’re sweating. Now I know why they call it Green Crack. They should bottle that up and sell it on its own.

I left the vegetarian taco for last as in my mind I was savoring shrimp and pork really bad. I don’t add anything to the taco except for a small amount of “crack”. I’m about to take a bite when my nose catches the aroma of grilled vegetables. I go for the bite and find my eyes opening in amazement. I’ll be the first to tell you that ordering a vegetarian taco wouldn’t have been on my list tonight, but I tell you, this is the taco to order! A mixture of bell peppers, onions, Portobellos, baby spinach with Jack Cheese and some of that signature Chipotle sour cream. Your mouth tries to interpret what you’re eating and you find a chunk of grilled mushroom and you want more. The vegetables still have a bit of a crunch to them and they are not over grilled.

Trust me on this all you carnivores, if you come across the Soho taco truck, honk your horn, make them pull over and have them make you a “Vegetariano” taco. Don’t tell them I told you to do that, honk at your own risk!

Now I understand why Riço has allied himself with Soho. Clean, simple, flavorful tacos. Nothing more, nothing less. They don’t make burritos, enchiladas or flautas, just what they do best: tacos.

Check out their Twitter feed @sohotaco for updates on their truck schedule. You can also find them on the web at www.sohotaco.com

Photo credits: Food shots by Foodie In Disguise, pics of Chef Gabe and the Soho Taco Truck courtesy of Soho Taco.

Playground
220 E. Fourth Street (4th and Spurgeon)
Santa Ana, CA 92701
714-560-4444
Open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30am to close
www.playgrounddtsa.com
twitter: @playgrounddtsa
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Playground/154783351261279

[Show as slideshow]

Playground will officially open to the public at 6:00pm on Friday, November 18th.

But if you happen to be walking by Playground for the last two nights, you would know that Chef Jason and his staff have been doing a few “rehearsals”. Tonight was the last rehearsal before opening night – so I came to taste the food – more on that later…

I was in Downtown Santa Ana hoping to take some pictures of the place and as I was walking up I noticed that the front door was open. I popped my head in and asked if I could snap a few pictures. I was greeted by Jarred Dooley who is the Director of Libations for Playground. Jarred shows me around the place and Jason Quinn pops over and I introduce myself to him. He looks like a father in the waiting room waiting for a new baby to arrive! He introduces me to his father, Bob Quinn, who is co-owner of Playground. He is so proud of the accomplishments of his son Jason and the opening of their first restaurant.

The place a nice vibe to it. Dark colors with a wall of red to break things up. Most of the tables are communal/family style and there is also seating along the windows. The other walls are in chalkboard black and you can see today’s menu as well as a list of beers, twitter information as well as a large drawing of Melissa’s who provides some of the fresh vegetables along with some local purveyors. As you look towards the bar, you see a row of chrome taps. Here is where some locally crafted beers will be served. There is quite an extensive list of bottled beers and beers on tap. As you walk up to the restaurant from the outside you can see prep work being done in a window to the left. This afternoon, we see the bread being prepared as well as pasta and some aioli. Later in the evening, this will also be a prep area for the assembling of the desserts which are made by none other than Rachel Klemek from the Blackmarket Bakery.

After clicking a few pictures in Playground, I leave and return at 6pm where the doors are now open and the music is playing. The staff is in black while Jason is in his chef whites and red/orange pants sporting a bright cyan watchband. He is both in the kitchen and on the floor tonight. He has a big smile on his face and is happy to see the customers in his place.

I chose to sit at the bar and sat towards the right end of the bar. The setup is a bit different. You order your food and drinks at the bar and then your order is brought to your table. A line was now forming as happy patrons placed their orders and then sat down. I was listening to every order that was coming in and people were trying all sorts of items from the menu this evening. The person behind the bar even offered small samples to the customers trying to make a decision from the list of beers on the wall. A popular beer tonight was the Saison CismonTap a locally co-crafted brew by Cismontane in Rancho Santa Margarita and Taps Fish House and Brewery in Brea.

So tonight I decided to try  the Our Bread, Your Butter; Kurobuta Pork Belly Slider; Handmade Gnocchi; Chicken & Egg; Playground Burger and the Handmade Pasta. I finish it off with a sampling of the Farmers Daughter Pudding.

Our Bread/Your Butter

The bread is made fresh everyday and so is the butter. The butter is served to you in a mini-mason jar and has a slight hint of truffle. The bread is soft and pillowy with a nice outer crust with a small sprinkling of sea salt on top. Don’t forget to shake/churn the mason jar before you open it!

Kurobota Pork Belly Slider served in an Individual Steamed Bun with Pickle and Salsa Tigre

This to me was a perfect starter. Truth be known, I probably could have eaten a few more of these! Tender pork belly served in an Asian Steamed Bun. I think that was sirracha and hoisin sauce on the plate, smear your slider into both!

Handmade Gnocchi made with Lemon Ricotta, Sage and Candied Pistachios

The slightest hint of lemon in this Gnocchi dish. In my opinion could have been a bit more pillowy and light. I really wanted to slide the gnocchi thru some sauce. The candied pistachios were a nice touch.

Chicken & Egg with Okinawa Sweet Hash and 62 Degree Poached Egg

Hands down my favorite dish of the night. Jason was so excited about this dish he brought it out himself to me at the bar. A bowl with perfectly sous vide chicken in a broth with scallions topped with a 62 degree poached egg. Underneath it all is an Okinawa Hash. An Okinawa potato is light in color on the outside, but once you slice into it, its a nice rich purple. You break the egg and the yolk just oozes over the chicken and into the broth. I ate everything in the bowl. Get this dish, you won’t be disappointed. The only that could have brought this dish over the top would have been a nicely rendered piece of crispy chicken skin to give you a surprise crunch!

Handmade Pasta with San Marzano Tomatoes and Parmesan

I watched Jason and one of his chefs roll out handmade pasta this afternoon. Jason took long flat pieces of pasta from the pasta machine, cut them and roll them into something between handmade bucatini and maccheroni inferrati. Regardless of the shape, the pasta was cooked al dente (as always) and served with freshest sauce of San Marzano tomatoes seasoned perfectly with a slight hint of heat. Freshly grated Parmesan tops this dish.

Playground Burger

Jason knows how to make a burger. This burger was juicy, tender and flavorful. Jason’s dad was explaining to me how they make the burgers. A combination of properly manipulating the fresh ground meat as it comes out of the grinder, wrapping it in log form, chilling it then slicing “against” the grain of the meat. The meat is ground from three different cuts of beef daily. Ingenious actually. The burger is always cooked medium rare to medium (as it should be) and paired with a great bun baked by the OC Baking Company. Pair it with Maple Bourbon caramelized onions, rocket (arugula) and a semi-firm cow’s milk called Tomme de Savoie from the French Alps.

Farmers Daughter Pudding

Last but not least was  the Farmers Daughter Pudding served with a smear of caramel on the inner wall of the bowl with pudding, whip cream and caramel popcorn. In addition came two chocolate cookies. I couldn’t quite put my finger on the taste of the actual pudding, as the caramel made for a butterscotch taste in my mouth. The caramel corn was a nice contrast to the pudding and whip cream. Here’s the best part tho. Remember those cookies? I bit into them thinking those were chunks of white chocolate (the expectation) but what I got instead was a corn nut! Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! A nice hit of salt in a sweet dish. All the desserts are made by Rachel Klemek over at the BlackMarket Bakery in Irvine.

For a pre-opening night rehearsal I say Jason and this crew did a great job. I think they are still sorting out issues with how to handle orders, but the food is good, the music is good and they have an endless list of beer to choose from. The prices might seem a bit high for some of the items, but I personally felt it was worth it. There are plenty of other choices on the menu to enjoy and as I was by myself, what I ordered was way over my daily limit – but it was sooo good! The menu will be changing daily according to Jason as it will be driven by what he finds at the market that day. The kitchen seems to have a good handle on things. I’m sure Jason doesn’t let anything go thru the kitchen doors without it matching his standards. However it is safe to say that his chefs feel the same pride in the food they prepare as Jason does and would take it to heart if a dish was sub-par. The front of the house needs some fine tuning but I think they know that and will figure that out over the next little while.

Jason has a good thing going here. They are in a part of Santa Ana that is experiencing new growth and with the patronage of folks from the nearby Yost Theatre and the bars in the nearby Artists’ Village, he won’t have a problem with filling the place up. Don’t get discouraged with the parking, there is plenty of parking in nearby lots and surrounding side streets.

Congratulations Jason on the opening of Playground – I will be back to try more of your great food over the next few weeks!

For more pictures, visit:          More Pics from Chef Jason’s Playground        

Playground
220 E. Fourth Street (4th and Spurgeon)
Santa Ana, CA 92701
714-560-4444
Open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30am to close
www.playgrounddtsa.com
twitter: @playgrounddtsa
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Playground/154783351261279

Had this been a typical Southern California day, it would have been sunny and the beach full of surfers enjoying the hot rays of the sun. Unfortunately it was cold and rainy. A typically busy restaurant for lunch was a bit empty due to the weather – but don’t let that distract you from the fact that the food was good.

We started off our meal with an order of Cheese Bread. This wasn’t what I expected. When it arrived, there was a nice broiled layer of parmesan and mozzarella cheese on fresh bread. What I didn’t expect, was when I bit into the bread a soft, gooey layer of cheese met my mouth. There was a slight char to the top of the cheese, but the gooeyness of the cheese was the surprise. Most places you have cheesy bread it’s usually a very light layer of cheese.

Daron opted for the Tilamook Cheeseburger and I had the Sonoma Chicken.

My Sonoma Chicken was a Grilled Chicken Breast served over caramelized onions with Goat Cheese Polenta and Wilted Spinach. The chicken breast was very most. It was pre-sliced so it was a no-fuss meal. The onions were good, but what I wanted more of was that Goat Cheese Polenta under the onions and chicken. No grittiness, just soft pillows of polenta meeting my fork then up to my mouth. The wilted spinach could have used another 30 seconds on the heat and a slight pinch of salt in my opinion. I’m usually not fond of post-coooking sprinkle of salt on my food, so I went on. This is a dish I could easily reproduce at home and I intend to.

Daron’s burger arrived. He likes his meat well done where I would have asked for medium-rare. There was a nice slice of Tilamook Cheddar on top that was put under the salamander and got a nice crust. Fresh bread and crisp leaves of lettuce along with chopped red onions made for a great burger for him. His order of fries were crisp. I took one and snapped it in half and made for a nice cracking sound.

I have to come back to this place for dinner when the place is more full. The ambiance was way too silent on this rainy day. There were only about 5 patrons in the restaurant at the time we were there. We only a couple of dishes, but it’s enough to make me come back for another visit.

Have you been here before? What did you think? Do you have a favorite dish from their menu?

Spark Woodfire Grill has three locations. In addition to Hungtington Beach, they have restaurants in Beverly Hills and Studio City.

Spark Woodfire Grill
300 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
714-960-0996
www.sparkwoodfiregrill.com

When you walk in you feel the excitement of the space. Everyone here is friendly and of course, there is a line to place an order. Each cup is made fresh. No pots, no storage carafes, each cup of latte, cappuccino and coffee is made cup by cup. They roast their own coffee here and use beans from all over the world to achieve the best flavors. Roasting the beans here they can control the darkness and the freshness of the beans.

I get in line and greeted by one of the friendliest smiles on a Sunday morning. I think his name was Nick, but he had one of those infectious smiles that makes you want to smile yourself. Still suffering from the tail end of my cold, I now have lost my voice and try to tell him that I need an Earl Grey Tea and a combo of a Strawberry/Fig Salad and a Turkey/Havarti panini.

As I wait for my order to arrive, I watch the flurry of white lab coats stained with coffee and tea as they brew the perfect cup for a line of waiting customers. The seating area is open and bright with large windows on one side bring great sunlight into the space. There are people shopping in the surrounding shops and you can even hear the ringing of a bicycle bell as a young child is testing her first bike at the bike shop next door. I look around and everyone is really enjoying themselves. There is ample seating inside their space as well as tables located in the public spaces of the Mix. There is also outdoor seating available in the warm sun.

I’m sitting at the bar that surrounds the roaster that the owner, Jeff Duggan, roasts the beans in each day. I was listening in on a conversation and it seems that Jeff has the awesome responsibility of roasting each day. There are bags of coffee beans strewn throughout the space and I just wish he would roast some right now. I bet the smell of roasted coffee has got to be awesome!

While the roaster is the star attraction, let’s not forget the brewers in the center island. Here is where the other half of the magic is made. Here they use one of three brewing methods. The V-60, Trifecta, or Siphon. Let’s take a small trip on what each brewing method is and why they don’t just have one method of brewing.

The V-60 is made by a company called Hario. It is a single cup drip method where the coffee is measured by weight not volume. Coffee is placed in a ceramic funnel that has ridges to promote water “traffic”. Here, the perfect amount of tempered hot water is placed in the cone and the grounds brew. Each cup can take up to 4-8 minutes to brew. No instant cups of coffee here, that’s for sure. Yes there is a wait, but it is worth it.

The next method is the BUNN Triefecta another single cup server method that uses air and water to brew the perfect cup. Here grounds are placed in a chamber and water is pushed thru. In addition to the water, air is forced into the chamber to promote agitation making sure that all the grounds get an equal opportunity spin in the water! The barista can make adjustments in water levels and grounds to produce a different cup each time. This machine is like the “Dyson”.

The third method is the Siphon method and my favorite method – if for anything, the technique and fascination of the process. This is a time honored method that goes back many, many years in history. As Jeff Duggan explains in his blog, it looks like something out of Jules Verne and a chemistry set. This method involves temperature and a vacuum to achieve the perfect cup of coffee.

1. Fill bottom vessel with pre-heated 210 degree later
2. Prepare coffee part with a special spring action flange, place weighed (not measured) coffee
3. Wait for water to come to 212 degree (boiling point)
4. Secure coffee vessel to water vessel which is sealed with a rubber stopper
5. As water boils, a vacuum is created that then pushes the water up into the coffee vessel
6. Once most of the water has moved to the top vessel, let sit for a determined amount of time
7. Turn off the heat
8. Place a cool rag around the bottom vessel. The cooler temperature aids in part 9.
9. As the water comes down from boiling point, the water is sucked back down to the lower vessel
10. Once the coffee has moved to the lower vessel it is ready to be served.

I REALLY like this place. It’s comfortable, just enough bustle for excitement, but not loud and obnoxious. The staff is very serious and dedicated to you and the coffee -yet friendly and very approachable.

I’m a bit distracted as I watch the center island and see one of the baristas pouring hot water into one of the V-60s. They don’t simply pour the water in, it takes a careful pour over a period of time. Flooding the funnel with water is not the method here. There is a deliberate pour taking place here. A slow stream of water at 200-210 degrees, just below boiling.

They also brew coffee using a cold method which “brews” coffee over many hours. This “brew” is used when making iced coffees. Similarly impressive in looks to the siphon, cold water drips into grounds and eventually to a holding tank. I didn’t have any clear photos of the brewer, but here is one from the web.

Here are some photos of the food and lattes I also enjoyed this afternoon. They have an excellent selection of both cold and hot teas. A curiosity that I really liked is that they offered simple syrup and Truvia packets in addition to the Whole, Fat Free and Half & Half milks! Stop by soon and enjoy a brew and don’t drink the coffee to fast – enjoy every last drop!

Portola Coffee Lab
3313 Hyland Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
949-284-0596
www.portolacoffeelab.com

It will be interesting to see if they tear down the original structure or only do cosmetic changes to the inside. I mean, this used to be a bank – what are they going to do with the vault. When I was in there signing up for my gym membership, the 1 foot steel door and vault was still there. Will they convert that to storage or the walk-in? The space is listed as 2,700 square feet and is located on a “pad” on the Southeast corner of the shopping center. As of this writing, that space is still listed as available on the management company website.

All kidding aside it will be interesting to see if they get the space. The shopping center has undergone a a facelift with the opening of LA Fitness. The building definitely looks like a bank today. Let’s see what happens and if the retail management company bites on this opportunity.

There is currently a Del Taco, Denny’s, Subway and Casa Franco a Mexican restaurant. I think the burger joint will bring more life to this shopping center. Hopefully they will increase the lighting in that corner and get rid of the “darkness” there. The property mgmt has been amiss about fixing some long-time burned out parking lot lights in that part of the center. There is a small strip mall “behind” the center that is along Charlinda Drive. There is a liquor store, a taco stand and a veterinary hospital. The area in front of the liquor store is quite dark.

So with my new diet and life changes it will be very difficult not to want to stop by a couple times a week for a good burger. I can treat myself maybe once a month. Yep, once a month. I guess I could eat there more, just no bun and fries. Meat only. Five Guys does not have any freezers in their restaurants, everything is fresh and made that day. So at least I know there are no preservatives or nitrates in the beef. I could eat their fries I suppose, as well. They use peanut oil and everything is trans-fat free.

Look for more updates as this story develops!

Well it was time to put my prejudices aside and see what dishes Chef Tanya has to offer! When you first walk in, you can’t help but notice the huge propeller-type fan that is circling in the center of the “tent”. These long blades stretching out going round and round. I’m not sure how much air circulation they provide. There are about 8 air conditioning units mounted on the interior “rim” of the “tent” – provided much needed cool air on this very humid hot evening here in Southern California.

Tim and I looked over the menu and you see things like “Super Italian Meatball Sub”  and “Baja Surf Tacos” along with “Greek Gyros” and a “Classic Deli Reuben”. Except this is a Vegan restaurant. No dairy, no meat – only local, organic vegetables, greens and grains. They have “cheese” but it is a blend of cashews, sunflower seeds and other nuts that make “cheese” that is both creamy to crumbly. Their meats are made from  Seitan and various soy, wheat and pea proteins.

Tim ordered the Kale Macro Bowl and I ordered the Mama Mia Pizza which is described as a pizza with Portobello mushrooms, grilled Native Sausage Seitan, Salas Pomodoro, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, peso and Native Parmesan. I was very skeptical to try anything on the menu. I asked our wait-person if they preferred the pizza or the “Baja Surf Tacos” and she highly recommended the pizza. The tacos I almost ordered, would have come with two corn tortillas stuffed with  crispy battered Tempeh, salsa fresco, cabbage and their homemade surfer sauce. Tim’s Kale Bowl had steamed Kale over brown rice with a creamy ginger/sesame sauce with sauerkraut, gomasio (ground sesame seeds with sugar and salt) and toasted sesame seeds.

Our food arrived at the table and I stared down at my pizza – dissected it inch by inch with my eyes to see if I could spot the “seitan” and other vegan ingredients. My plate has a wonderful and colorful plate of toppings on a crispy wheat crust. I sliced into it and took a bite…

WOW! It was not what I expected! Awesome flavors with no hint of “seitan” or vegetable protein “taste” that I had convinced myself it would have. I gladly sliced thru that pizza and ate the entire 6″ round! Scott had a genuine “vegan” dish tonight and I couldn’t tell! Tim let me have a taste of his Kale Bowl and that too was flavorful. Great texture of the kale and the toasted sesame seeds. The dressing was not overpowering and the kale definitely was the star in his dish!

We completed our meal and I sat back and was very satisfied. Now, you’re probably all thinking, well you have been to The Veggie Grill, why is this such a leap from that place? Well, it’s a matter of ambiance and presentation. While I love The Veggie Grill, they “pretend” to serve Chicken and Beef. I absolutely love their chicken sandwiches. I swear, you can’t tell it’s not chicken. Meanwhile, Native Foods, doesn’t come across as “pretending” to be something else, they are right up front with everything and very proud of it.

There is a nice array of dishes and appetizers to be enjoyed at Native Foods. I also ordered some of their Sweet Potato Fries to see how they compared to The Veggie Grill’s fries. I have to say that I like Veggie Grill’s fries better. In addition to the entrees, they also had some great looking desserts along with a selection of beer & wine.

They will soon have 8 “Native Foods” stretching from Southern California to Chicago. You can find Native Foods here in The OC in Costa Mesa in the Camp, Aliso Viejo, The District in Tustin as well as Culver City, Palm Desert, Palm Springs and Westwood.

Check them out, this “carnivore” enjoyed it, so will you!

Native Foods
2937 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-751-2151

www.nativefoods.com

Building Photo credits: poptisserie.blogspot.com and grassrootsgourmet.net

These empanadas were baked and fried as they usually are. I will reproduce this recipe and do a post in the next week or so.

Well later that day I was leaving IKEA and needed to go to the bank. I’m with BofA and there was one at Harbor and Adams. On my way there, I saw a restaurant called Empanada’s Place. I immediately turned into the parking lot and had to have some. The place is small, but nice. There were two customers in the store having empanadas and watching a soccer game and a couple outside.

I ordered 4 empandas: spinach, beef, spicy beef and ham/cheese. They are made fresh and then deep fried to perfection. The crust was golden brown and not greasy whatsoever. They were hot, but couldn’t wait to get my teeth into them.

First I tried the Spicy Beef: crunchy shell, not too thick, nice amount of filling. Same with the beef empanada, but I could have done without the whole olive (I think that’s an Argentine thing). The spinach one had cheese and spinach with onions and then the ham and cheese. My favorite overall was the spicy beef. Just a slight kick in the flavor – perfect. In fact the dough was perfectly cooked and wasn’t doughy. When I made my empanadas, I bought pre-made empanada dough rounds in an Argentine market in Laguna Hills. The concept is like buying egg roll wrappers. These tasted way better than the ones I used and I’m sure they make their dough from scratch. They have two locations, the other being in Culver City off of Sawtelle. If you are ever up in the Westside or down in Costa Mesa, make it a point to visit.

Empanda’s Place
3011 Harbor Blvd
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-825-0100

Well after the bank and running a few more errands I headed home. After a short nap, I decided to watch my Saturday cooking shows that I had DVR’d. I picked America’s Test Kitchen on PBS and guess what the topic was: Empanadas!!! Can you believe it? Rick Bayless was a guest on the show and Bridget Lancaster showed how to make easy empanadas at home.

This was a sign for sure. In one day, I had come across Empanadas three times!! For sure I need to make some now. Stay tuned!

Hard to believe right? Well almost 12 years later, I decided that it was time to try again. With Chipotle’s commitment to food with integrity and supporting meat and produce purveyors committed to growing the best product possible, I had to see what I was missing out on. They have even made a commitment to opening new stores using renewable materials and environmentally based products.

The nearest Chipotle to my house is in Lake Forest off El Toro Blvd. It was late on a Sunday and the restaurant was about 40% full. I stood in line for less thatn 5 minutes as I looked over the menu. Pretty simple, you can order a burrito, taco, bowl or salad. You then have a selection of meats ranging from chicken to carnitas to carne asada(steak) or barbacoa (shredded beef). On the veggie side you ahve lettufe, tomatoes, salas, green and red sauces, black or pinto beans as well as cheese. All in all you can make around 65,000 different kinds of items! Today, I would have the burrito. First it is warmed in a tortilla press, next came the pinto beans, carnitas, salsa, sour cream and cheese. I wish they had cilantro and onions to add to my burrito (reminiscing about the closed Chronic Taco site across the street).

From the first bite, I knew this wasn’t the same burrito I had all those years back. Shredded pork form a reputable ranch, fresh salsa, beans, cheese and a tortilla that wasn’t dry and had a good chew to it. Why have I avoided this place for so long? I gobbled up that burrito and it was flavorful from the first bite all the way down to the last. No dousing of hot sauce packets here, there was enough flavor in the fillings to keep me satisfied.

I will have to visit Chipotle again very soon and try out some of their other offerings. Could Chipotles now be one of my regular Mexican food stops? Hmmm…. one burritor and my world has changed. Well, we’ll see how it goes. Next round will have to be tacos.

Oh…by the way, rumor has it you can ask for a quesadilla even though it’s not on the menu!

On this Saturday, our monthly foodie group headed up to the Orange Hill Restaurant as one of our co=workers and dear friend was leaving Ignite. There were 7 of us there this night and we arrived at 7:30. Driving up the “driveway/switchback” was interesting and wasn’t sure if I should shift my car into “2″. I kept looking out my windows to see the wonderful views of The OC below me. The trees along the drive were lit up with lights and it was a nice drive up. Once at the top I was greeted with a valet as valet parking is the only option there. There is no charge for the valet, but there is a posted suggested donation of $3.50.

I walked up to the front door with a nice roaring fireplace. We had reservations that I booked thru OpenTable and was told that serveral members of our party were already here and in the O Bar. Here is a vibrant space with lots of chitter chatter, lots of people laughing and overall having a great time. My friends were at the end of the bar and the view was amazing! I can’t express how the view is just breathtaking. At 7:30 the sun had already set, but still peeking thru the heavy clouds at the horizon.

Tonight the restaurant was packed! It was completely full. As our host escorted us thru the restaurant, all I could see was full tables. We kept winding thru until we came to a room that I will call the “annex”. This was the “we are so full, let’s use this space”. This is the space they usually reserve for events and banquets. Two of the walls are windows and you get a nice view of The OC below, but you definitely aren’t sitting in the restaurant and the vibe is completely different. The room is quite open and there is a high ceiling so you don’t feel cramped, but it wasn’t inviting at all. There was a fireplace in the hall, but that was about as warm as it got in there. Our party was seated. I looked around and in one corner looked like a drink station setup for a banquet that was already completed – it definitely looked like it had been gone thru.

Our server arrived as asked for our drink orders. We were debating wine with dinner and decided to get something small now and then order a bottle with dinner. I have to say that we did not have attentive service all night. Between the time initial drink orders were taken and the time they showed up it was probably a good 15 minutes. She then took our starter orders. I have to apologize, but the lighting was so horrible in the “annex” that none of the photos came out. Even with my Photoshoping skills, these shots looked pretty bad.

For starters we had the Cheese plate with five cheeses, the Salumi and Pate plate and the Sampler plate which had Ahi Tuna, two beef skewers and calamari fritti. It took another 15 minutes before our starters arrived. everything looked good. We actually enjoyed the cheese plate that came with baguette rounds, 5 different cheeses of Humboldt Fog, Saga Blue, Triple Cream Brie, Saint Andre & Boschetto Al Tartufo. There was also a spoonful of honey on the plate along with some fruit spread. I’m not normally a fan of blue cheese (other than when it comes on a steak), but this was god cheese and a drop of honey goes a long way! All seven of us devoured that plate. Meanwhile we also had a nice plate of Soppressata, nostrano, gentile salami, rosa salami, pate Forrester, and Prosciutto di san daniele which came with a side of dijon and little cornichons. Our third appetizer was a sampler plate. The favorite on the plate was definitely the seared ahi tuna. Next would be the calamari, then the two skewers of beef that “looked” tough, but remarkably tender.

While we were waiting for our main dishes to arrive, I was looking at the wine list and out of nowhere a sommelier shows up. We had originally had our hearts set on a Chilean Chardonnay, but was convinced to go with a 2008 Ferrari Carano from Sonoma Valley. This wine has some nice fruity tones, while if we had gone with our Chilean choice, we would have had something much drier and not as fruity.

Our monthly dinners is mostly about catching up with friends and having a good time. This always trumps the meal and tonight was no exception. Our food finally arrived at the table and I have to say I was a bit surprised at the total time it took from the time our starters were taken away t0 the time our plates arrived. What was more disappointing was that my dish “where I was cautioned 3x that my plate was hot” was not hot whatsoever. My first forkful of sea bass was warm at best. It had a nice sear on the outside and it was cooked well, but I have a feeling that it was sitting on a plate under a light for some time. Most of us at the table had seafood and vegetarian. No meat. THere was no reason that anything needed to wait while something else was being fired. I decided to taste another part of the fish thinking it was a fluke, but that bite was equally just as lukewarm. In addition to the sea bass, I had steamed rice and sautéed kale. Now under the rice and bass was a pool of sweet chili sauce. Now, let me say that I while I do recall that it was on the description, I wasn’t prepared for the amount that was on the plate. THe chili sauce completely overwhelmed the sea bass and it was lost in a pool of spice. I was quite disappointed. A few of my dinner mates had the salmon and the drunken mahi mahi. Their dishes looked good and they seemed to have enjoyed it. I was quite famished from the day and finished my plate.

More time had passed and the staff managed to take 5 empty plates away from the table. But it took another 20 minutes before they would return for the last two plates and ask for desert. Service was not on the mind of the servers this evening. In fact, by the time we had gotten to our dinner entrées, most of the other tables in the “annex” were now empty and we were all alone. There was even a period, where we felt they turned off the heat in the annex and it got a little chilly despite the fireplace. At one point, they even opened a door that led to the outside and it got even colder.

Dessert and after dinner conversation ended our evening. We talked about everything from post-it flags to a weird district in Copenhagen that has succeeded from the EU to lights in they sky and UFOs. It was a great night indeed. I will have to return to The Orange Hill Restaurant for brunch for I think that is the real gem of this place. I have been told by at least a dozen people about the views and about brunch. Tonight’s dinner was so-so, my companions and conversation were top notch.

So stayed tuned for a “part 2″ when I return in a few weeks for brunch.

Orange Hill Restaurant
6410 E. Chapman Avenue
Orange, CA 92869
714-997-1109

They are located on the corner of Broadway and Third in Downtown Santa Ana. You might be wondering why they decided to name the restaurant “Chapter One” and why the decor is decidedly book related. The building was known as the Pacific Building and was built in 1925. At some point in its history, that corner location used to be home to a bookstore for many years. The owners of Chapter One wanted to pay homage to that. The interior is warm and inviting, contemporary colors mixed in with dark woods for that cozy den feeling.

Tim and I had some drinks to start of the night. He had the Lost Coast Downtown Brown and I had the Druid Davination. Druid Davination you ask? Yes, a combination of muddled strawberries, thyme and basil in with Irish Whiskey, Barsol Pisco (a type of brandy), 25 year old Balsamic Vinegar and a dash of lemon juice. Oh my god…this drink is awesome! My first sip had my eyes squinting, but my mouth was bursting with flavor! I couldn’t figure out if the kick was from the whiskey or from the Balsamic. The waitperson said it was probably the Pisco. When you go to Chapter One, this has to be one for you to try!

Tim and I decided to try a few dishes off their menu. Since they weren’t offering their full menu yet, our choices were limited, but we had a good variety. When we arrived, we came in thru the “front” corner doors, but there were no handles on the door. It seems the main entrance is actually to the left of the space. The restaurant was about 70% full, a good thing to see. We were seated at the bistro tables that lined up along the windows. We were handed an extensive beer list and their menu. We were told by our attentive waitperson that they had a limited menu and informed us of our choices. One thing we noticed is that there weren’t any prices on the menu. Oddly, I didn’t really notice this until we were waiting for the check. Tim and I had ordered without any concern of pricing. It wasn’t until we got our check that we found out our prices.

From the Starters we had the Potato Pear with a mushroom duxelle in the center and surrounded with a saute of wild mushroom in a cream sauce and the Ginger Red Miso soup. The potato pear is riced potatoes with the duxelle formed into the shape of a “pear” then rolled in panko and fried till golden brown. The presentation is actually very cute. Cutting into the “pear” we found our mushroom duxelle. The wild mushroom cream sauce complemented the potato very well.  The potato was soft and pillowy, not dense by any means. The crunch of the crust was a nice contrast.

The soup. Yes the soup. Tim and I didn’t like it so much. The vegetables were fresh and not soggy, but it didn’t taste like anything. I really was expecting something, but it was really flat. For a Ginger Miso, I couldn’t taste the ginger at all. We ate about half of the bowl before we were distracted with the next dish. Sorry, but for the footnotes of this page, the soup needed a little somethin-somethin.

Next we had the Ahi Tuna Salad. Seared Tuna with a mixed greens/frisée salad in a raspberry vinaigrette. I have to say there was alot of tuna for this salad. Now, seeing the bill at the end and seeing that it was a $12 salad, I guess it was a good serving for the price. The proportion of greens to the tuna seemed off to me. I was yearning for more salad, though I totally enjoyed the tuna. One thing did catch my attention during the salad. It needs salt. In fact thinking back, the potato pear could have used some salt as well in the potato. The wild mushroom sauce was very well seasoned and made up for the loss of salt in the potato. The tuna had a good sear on it, but I was expecting a bit of seasoning in that crust, it just wasn’t there. Sliding my tuna thru the vinaigrette helped.

For our main course we decided on the Skirt Steak with a Chimichurri Sauce. Our other choice was the house burger or a pork tenderloin if I remember correctly. I will have to come back later this week and try the burgers as well as the fish and chips that were listed on the menu. They also had Mac and Cheese and you know I could never turn my head away from that! Our server asked how we wanted our Skirt Steak, which was appreciated, and asked for it medium-rare. You’d be surprised how many servers won’t ask you that question. If beef is concerned, you should be asked how you want it cooked. Don’t be afraid to ever ask your server how you like your meat. When the Skirt Steak arrived at the table my eyes were devouring the dish before I even had the fork and knife in my mouth. I’m a very big fan of simple. These were 4 or 5 small portions of skirt steak, seared on the outside with great color, atop of what I thought were fries with a couple of streaks of chimichurri on both sides of the plate.

So the “fries” weren’t your typical fries. From what I could tell, these were extruded Yukon gold potatoes that were then dusted in flour then fried. Tim and I took turns at the pieces of skirt steak and I have to say that once again, my eyes saw crust and color, but it needed salt again. Now let me say that I don’t cook with a lot of sodium. I season my food with salt because it brings out the natural flavors of the food – not to mask it. The chimichurri sauce was quite flavorful and in combination with it, the skirt steak was actually pretty good. So why do I have anything to say about the salt? To me, each component on the plate should be able to stand on its own, everything else on the plate is made to complement each other. So while the steak and chimichurri were awesome, I still wanted some seasoning on the steak. So, why didn’t i just throw some salt on the food? Oddly, I’m not a fan of salting food after it has been cooked. To me, salt has to added during the cooking process for it to reach it full potential. Will I have this dish again? Oh yes. I’m chalking up the lack of salt to opening week jitters.

Now, let’s talk about those fries. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something about the density of the potato along with it being unseasoned didn’t do a thing for me. Even in the juices of the skirt teak that seeped into it, it just didn’t have any flavor. This didn’t have the same consistency of the Potato Pear, these were definitely more dense. I asked for a side of that wild mushroom cream sauce to help eat those fries – it helped. But then again it was wild mushrooms and cream after all! :)

We ended our meal with coffee and decided on the Yuzu Tart. The way it was described I had pictured an actual “tart”, but what arrived was more like a deconstructed melange of ingredients on a blank canvas. Now, let me say that I eat with my eyes first, then with my mouth. Somehow my eyes wanted to look the other way when I stared at this plate. This was a large plate with ingredients strewn throughout. I can totally appreciate a small dish with strategically placed ingredients on the plate. Immediately, my mind started coming up with different ways that I would plate this dessert, rather than what I had in front of me. So how did it taste? I like it it actually. The only thing on the plate that I didn’t care for was the green tea meringues. It just seemed out of place. Now, I understand the connection between Yuzu (Japanese citrus) and the Green Tea. I just think it could have been used in a different way here. There were slices of grapefruit on the plate which I totally gobbled up.

Will I come back to Chapter One? Oh yes! Most definitely. Despite my experience tonight, I’m putting it aside as the potential for some great meals in the future are definitely on the horizon. Like I said, I’m chalking up the lack of salt to opening week jitters. If you are in the area and contemplating a bite to eat at Lola Gaspar, The Crosby or Memphis, walk a couple of blocks to Broadway and Third and enjoy a meal at Chapter One. They have a great menu on tap and they have a very nice list of beers on their list. They offer tasting glasses so you can have a sampling of beers off their list.

They are open late and last call for food is like at 1:30am. It’s a great place to catch a bite after being at the bars or a great place to hang out for the night with friends, some beer and good food.

The vibe in there tonight was very happy and everyone in the place had big smiles on their faces, including mine!

Another “footnote”, if you have a chance to have the coffee, please do, I thoroughly enjoyed my cup.

Congrats Chapter One, I look forward to eating there later this week!

Chapter One: the modern local
227 N. Broadway Avenue
(Corner of Broadway and Third)
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(714) 352-2225
www.chapteronetml.com

Well late last year, the Laguna Hills Mall underwent some changes with the Ice Rink going in (in a food court, no less) and rents being jacked up. Pam had to recently leave.

Well she is back and has opened up in Lake Forest in the same shopping center as Crunch Fitness, SmartCo (Smart & Final) and BevMo off of El Toro between Rockfield and Raymond.

I think this is a much better location for her and with a bigger kitchen it will only help with her catering business. The new space (which I still have to get to) is much larger and even has a Karaoke Stage! (Yes, we love our Karaoke…)

Stop by and have a home cooked meal tonight.

Pinoy Pam’s Best
23635 El Toro Rd
Lake Forest, CA 92630

949-454-0412

On today’s visit I decide to try something a bit different. I was totally craving the Short Rib or the Pork Belly tacos, but decided to try out the Wild Mushroom taco as well as the Duck taco. Other items on his menu of 9 include: Grilled Octopus, Curried Paneer, Lamp, Corazon and Ghost Chili Pork.

I luv mushrooms. I luv pureed chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Put those two together in a tortilla and garnish with some fried chickpeas and you have something that wakes up your mouth and you can’t help but end that first bite with a “mmmmmmm”. In fact, the second and third bites end up that way too! The taco is warm with a slight crisp on the outside, but definitely tender throughout. Round that out with some parsley and it rounds out this earthy concoction! Can I have more?

Next up we have the duck taco. This was a very juicy taco with the juices literally flowing out of the taco and onto my table. I could smell the duck and the camembert cheese and I was saddened by the loss of the juice on the table, but what a lucky table! Haha. Tender pieces of duck in a flour tortilla, cheese and a few drops of Chef Daniel’s Ghost Chili Sauce is what sent me over the top. Just the right amount of heat from the sauce and the juicy duck had me licking my fingers after every bite. Again, I wanted more.

So let’s talk about the sauce. Chef Daniels has three hot sauces, each of which he makes himself. The Ghost Chili was the best. Definitely the hottest, but so worth it. This is the sauce made with the hottest pepper in the world, the Bhut Jolokia. Many think the habanero is the hottest, but it is not. I had about 5 shakes of the bottle on my duck taco and it was enough heat to waken my taste buds, but it wasn’t enough to mask the great flavors of the duck – which I appreciated.

Chef Daniels makes sure that all his ingredients are made with local ingredients whenever possible.

I’m beginning to think that I need to move to Costa Mesa so I can just live at The Camp. Nestled in the complex along other favorites like the Old Vine Cafe, ECCO, Native Foods and East Borough. Stop by the Taco Asylum NOW! The host Happy Hour Monday thru Friday from 2-6pn and then again from 9-11pm. During Happy Hour all tacos are $1.00 off, there are $3 draft beers and $2 off cans.n They have a great selection of beer and your not so run of the mill sodas and juices. Now that I know they are open late, this could be a new mid-evening snack place.

Simple food crafted to bring unique flavors in a setting that is equally simple and unique. There is nothing ordinary at Taco Asylum. They’re aren’t pretending to be something they are not. It’s just good food and drink, mixed with the expertise of a good chef and supporters.

I’m heading back for another wild mushroom and to try the Pork Belly and Lamb!

Taco Asylum
2937 S. Bristol Street
Suite B102
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-922-6010
www.tacoasylum.com