Sushilicious is named by the owner’s daughter. She said let’s call it Sushi Delicious – so Daniel Woo, being the owner and marketing guy that he is, finally called it Sushilicious. I have always considered this shopping center as a destination shopping center. There is no large grocery store anchoring it, just a conglomerate of restaurants, dentist offices, insurance and formerly home to the Irvine Dance Studio. People drive to this center for a reason, it doesn’t have alot of foot traffic.

I swung by Sushilicious after seeing a posting on Facebook that they were open for business yesterday to large crowds, waiting lines and actually running out of some ingredients. Today they reopened for dinner but didn’t see the business they saw on Saturday night. Tonight was night #2 of their soft opening. I told them it was Oscar night and many are home watching the awards. Daniel plans on their real grand opening later this week. They are open for lunch starting at 11am and open throughout the day until 10pm.

Sushilicious is bright with bold colors set in a furniture set in white. Everything has clean lines and attention has been taken to the graphics on the menu and sushi labels. Sushilicious is a Kaiten style sushi place – meaning it has a conveyor belt that travels the length of the restaurant with various selections. Each plate has a color and the pricing is determined on the color of the plate. The least expensive being $1.50 a plate in green to $4.00 a plate in red. In addition to the items on the belt, you can also order any sushi item from the sushi chefs behind the line. There are a number of seats that line the “bar” but there are also booths that are right up against the belt. You can place your sushi order with the sushi chef or with your wait person.

For the tech geeks out there, all their ordering is done on iPod touches. Their POS system is Mac based! Kewl!

My dinner companion and I had several plates of sushi. My sampling included unagi (fresh water eel), sake (salmon), saba (mackerel), seared salmon and Scallop. In addition to the items on the belt, there is also a selection of Bento boxes. For around $8.99 you can get a bento box that has a protein (chicken, salmon and beef), salad, miso soup, vegetable tempura and rice. Tonight I sampled the Salmon Misoyaki. The $8.99 gives you alot of food. Ask for a larger bowl of tempura dipping sauce.

Sushilicious also offers a selection of Desserts to end your meal. My partner had the Tempura Ice Cream and I had the Assorted Mochi. Richard was most intrigued by the idea of Tempura Mochi and I said it was akin to Mexican Fried Ice Cream. I told him the ice cream has to be frozen solid. It is dipped in tempura then flash fried for less than 30 seconds. From the time the dessert comes from the fryer to the table, the ice cream starts to soften., You get a contrast of hot and cold, crispy and soft. I loved it. We also had mochi in mango, strawberry and green tea.

Our server this evening was attentive and the meal was good. The bento box was nice, but you are really here for the sushi. We found a good selection of sushi on the belt, but felt that there could have been more choices – something to set them apart. It is important to note that the master sushi chefs behind the bar have a combined 50 years of experience. The chefs are seasoned chefs and will make whatever you want. Please acknowledge them when you are seated and don’t be afraid to ask for an item you don’t see.

I’ll definitely be back later this week with my lunchmates and see how Sushilicious is doing. Meanwhile if you’re on Facebook, you can find them them at www.facebook.com/sushilicious or you can find them on Twitter as Sushilicious.

Sushilicious
15435 Jeffrey Road, #119
Irvine, CA 92618
949-552-2260
www.sushilicious.com

This evening’s meal was with friends and co-workers Lisa and her husband Ed, Joanna and her fiancé Bill, Tim (a frequent dining partner) and Diane. I was inspired to bring this group of friends and foodies because of Restaurant Week here in the OC. The Old Vine Café actually wasn’t participating in this annual event, instead offering an OC Restaurant Week every day! They offer a prix-fixe menu for lunch at $20 and also offer an early dinner menu for $40. They offer two seatings for dinner and tonight our group gathered for the 8:30 seating.

We were all very excited to sit down and start our experience. Turns out that another co-worker of ours, Laura was there with her fiancé and a group of her friends. Yes, we were invading this small, intimate space! One by one members of our group arrived with Diane being the first – soon all of us were seated and our server explained the menu to us. They were offering three tasting menus and then their single plate options. Tonight’s tasting menus consisted of a Seasonal Tasting Menu, the Original Tasting Menu and the Vegetarian Tasting Menu. I opted for the Original, Tim for the Seasonal and Lisa had the Vegetarian. The tasting menus consist of a 4 course meal and includes wine pairings all for $65.00. While the Tasting menus offer smaller portions of food, the portions were perfect and the wine pairing make the tasting menus a value.

Tonight’s review will be based on the Original Tasting Menu with tidbits from my friends at the table. First course, a Sautéed Sea Scallop on a nest of Crispy Fried Yucca finished with a tarragon Chardonnay Sauce. The server presented me with a 2003 Louisvale Chardonnay from South Africa before my dish arrived – crisp and just a tad fruity in taste. While good, by itself it was unremarkable. However once the scallop arrived, the combination of the dish with the wine made the wine come out and thoroughly enjoyable. The scallop was nicely seared and was perfect in the inside. The sauce was flavorful, but didn’t over power the taste of the scallop itself.

My second course was handmade Fettuccini Pomodoro with Aged Pecorino Romano cheese. As a maker of handmade pasta, I know what handmade pasta tastes and feels like. Here, tender ribbons of Fettuccini in a light, flavorful tomato sauce was presented to me with a glass of 2005 Tre Serre Barbera – a red Italian wine that is unoaked. The tomato sauce is simplicity at its best and the pecorino cheese is where the flavor comes from.

Our server, I apologize for not getting his name, was most informative of all of our wine pairings and was very attentive to the needs of the table every step of the way. With seating in the Old Vine Cafe maxing out around 25 or so, attention to detail is part of why many patrons of the Old Vine Café come back time after time. Next up I was served a Maipe 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina – bold and fruity. Moments later Four Ounces of All Natural Filet Mignon & Crispy Fried Onions with Bleu Des Basque Demi Cream Sauce. While tasty and the meat at a perfect medium rare, it may have been sitting on the warming shelf a little longer than intended. The beef was lukewarm to the touch and the cream sauce seemed to have lost its sheen. As for taste, I want to learn how to make this cream sauce as it is a perfect accompaniment to the filet. Bleu de Basque cheese is made in the Pyrénées mountains in French Basque country. As mentioned before, the filet was a perfect medium rare  - I enjoyed every bite.

Now I opted for a substitution  on the fourth course and went with the Mini Pecan Tartlets garnished with vanilla Fleur De Sel Butterscotch Sauce and Whipped Cream. I’m a huge fan of salty and sweet. The addition of Fleur del Sel to the butterscotch was wonderful contrast to the sweetness of the pecans in the tartlet. But I have to be honest. I was taken by my dinnermate’s Pistachio Crusted Blue Cheese Cake drizzled with Natural Wild Flower Honey. Not a fan of Bleu Cheese as a standalone cheese, I absolutely love it in salads and with beef. Here was a slice of cheesecake made from Blue cheese that was creamy and amazing. The honey really rounded out the taste of the blue cheese in a way that I wasn’t expecting. If you go to the Old Vine Café, wait..I mean when you DO go to the Old Vine Café make sure to have the Blue Cheese Cake. It was served with a 2005 chateau Roumieu Lacose Satuernes.

What a wonderful evening. Our meal started at 8:30 and we were there fro almost three hours of great food, wine and conversation. Our group has decided that we are going to do another evening of food and wine in April.

To Mark McDonald and his staff, thank you for another wonderful and memorable meal. I need to remember that you are open for breakfast and I will need to come and try the Early Dinner Tasting Menu soon. One day I would like the opportunity to just watch you prepare and serve for one of the sittings and be an out of the way observer in the kitchen. Now THAT would be a treat!

P.S. I apologize that there are no photos in this post. I did take some, but the lighting was so dark all the photos were out of focus and dark. I really need to invest in a real camera.

Old Vine Café
2937 Bristol Street
Suite A102
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-545-1411
www.oldvinecafe.com

Located in the Irvine Marketplace off Jamboree and the 5 Freeway, the Lazy Dog Café has transformed the old French 75 location into a warm, inviting and cozy space. You walk in and you’re greeted by a hostess with a charming personality and smile in a large holding area. Inside you’re kind of reminded of Claim Jumper, but no antlers here or mining equipment strewn throughout the space. The colors are warm and inviting. The tables are good sized and each one is adorned with the Lazy Dog Café paw print – so you know these were custom tables – nice touch. The booths are sized well and can accommodate a “stocky” person like myself without feeling pinched into the booth.

My friend and co-worker Tim joined me this evening and we were surrounded by other foodies as well. The PR firm for the restaurant, Frank Goff, Inc, invited several OC based blogs to come and check out Chris Simms‘ latest location. Chris Simms is the son of Thomas Simms founder of Mimi’s Cafe. Chris and parter Roshan Mendis came together to form the Lazy Dog Café in the summer of 2003. Ever since their first location in Huntington Beach, Chris and Roshan have been very careful to choose locations for their restaurants that would attract a wide range of customers.

I can describe the food of the Lazy Dog Café as being worldly. The have a good sized menu with foods from South America, Italy, China, France, the Mediterranean and of course classic Americana. Tim and I were greeted by one of the corporate trainers. Michael is based out of the Orange location and has been on hand training the 190 employees at the Irvine location. Michael offered a suggestion of some drinks and I started with a Champagne Mojito while Tim had the Hand Muddled Citrus Margarita.

For appetizers we both shared an order of the Trio of Hummus. A trio of  sundried Tomato, Traditional Hummus and my favorite the Walnut Pesto. It was served with flatbread, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. The flatbread had a grilled quality to it and it was seasoned just right. I could eat a whole plate of the flatbread and be very happy! Next up we both had bowls of the Simm’s family recipe of Chicken Tortilla Soup. Flavorful with tender pieces of chicken, tortilla and cheese. Tim and I couldn’t get to the bottom of our bowls fast enough. We held back though knowing we had more food on the way.

Entreés were next up. Tim ordered the Kung Pao Chicken from the Wok Platters Section, while I opted for the Bacon Wrapped Coulotte (a section of the sirloin). My steak was ordered medium-rare and served over creamy mashed potatoes, vegetables and served with a Burgundy wine sauce. My steak was perfect. Each bite was followed by an “mmm”! I found the potatoes to be extra creamy – which isn’t a bad thing, but I like my potatoes a bit chunky. Instead of just steamed vegetables, it was shredded veggies in a nice pile on top of the mashed potatoes. Tim’s Kung Pao chicken was another pleaser. Tender pieces of chicken wok seared then added to water chestnuts, onions, bell peppers and of course, peanuts. It wasn’t drowning in sauce – it was just right. You can still feel the seared texture of the chicken which I liked.

I was working on my second Champagne Mojito when Tim opted for a Pomegranate drink. I was glad there was a bit of a pause between finishing up our entreés and our dessert order. During that time we had the opportunity to chat with Shelly of the Nibbles of Tidbits food blog and with Christian of the OC Mexican Food Blog.

Our server suggested we try the Cinnamon & Sugar Pizza which is made in their wood fire oven. It is served with Vanilla Ice Cream and Whipped Cream. However, we were both intrigued by the Banana Custard and Cream dessert. Caramelized bananas are deglazed with Créme de Banana Liqueur then folded into our freshly house-made custard and topped with whipped cream. Served with crushed graham crackers, chocolate and raspberry sauces. I’m so glad we decided to get  the Banana Custard. Yummy! I liked the Cinnamon Pizza, but the Banana Custard was definitely the winner.

Somehow, before we ended our meal, I ended up with an Asian Pear Martini to end my evening. It is made with Grey Goose Pear Vodka. I think I’m going to have to invest in a bottle of the Grey Goose.

Bottomline, will I come back? Definitely. The food was good and the prices matched the amount of food on the plate. I did see quite a few people taking leftovers home, but I found the portions to be just right. Other items on the menu I want to try are:

Campfire Pot Roast
Hawaiian Fried Rice (Brunch Item)
Grilled Cheese (I’m a sucker for anything grilled and cheesy)

The Irvine location opens on Thursday, March 4. The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11:00am to midnight. They have a good size outdoor eating area and the heated gas lamps are plentiful.

I apologize for the pictures. One, the lighting was dark and they were taken on my iPhone.

Lazy Dog Café
13290 Jamboree Rd
Irvine CA 92602
Ph. (714) 731-9700
www.lazydogcafe.com

Jaleo offers a wonderful, rich assortment of tapas or small plates. Here you can experience the richness of the traditional tapas plates along with some modern twists. Whatever you do, make sure you order a pitcher of the red sangria. My ex Brian and a new friend Nabil, who coincidentally works at the same place as my ex joined me for dinner. Nabil is quite a fan of José as well and was looking forward to meeting me and having a great meal.

You may ask, what does Jaleo mean? The Jaleo website says:

Jaleo means “uproar, revelry, merry-making” in Spanish and the restaurant takes its name from the famous John Singer Sargent painting that hangs in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The energy and vitality of the painting are reflected in each of Jaleo’s locations which are dominated by large murals inspired Sargent’s flamenco dancer.

This night the three of us will have gone thru two full pitchers of Red Sangria and 11 tapas plates. In addition we split two desserts and coffee between the three of us. I apologize for the photography in advance..it was the best I could do with my iPhone and dark conditions.

Here was our evening – in order or arrival:

Baked bread with a nice crust served with Olive Oil with a Crushed Garlic Clove and Rosemary for Dipping

Chorizo Palacios - A slightly spicy cured pork sausage, seasoned with pimenton and garlic sserved with mini breadsticks

Trigueros con romesco - Grilled asparagus with romesco sauce

Patatas bravas – Fried fingerling potatoes topped with a spicy tomato sauce and alioli – one of my favorites!

Chistorra envuelta en patata frita - Slightly spicy chorizo wrapped in a crispy potato – I have made these before inspired by José’s show Made In Spain

Arroz cremoso de setas - Wild mushroom rice with Idiazábal cheese – I could have ordered 5 of these and been happy the entire nite. I didn’t have a picture…

Cordero a la brasa con salsa de romero – Grilled lamb chops with rosemary sauce – this was ok..it needed something

Lubina con vinagreta de ajos y romero – Seared sea bass with rosemary garlic dressing

Lomo de buey – Grilled Hanger steak with piquillo peppers – perfect, the mole verge from the other Papas Arrugasa dish would have gone wonderfully with this as well

Papas arrugasa – Canary Island-style wrinkled baby potatoes served with mojo verde – these were salty

Buñuelos de bacalao – Fried salt cod fritters and honey alioli – I’ve never had bacalao before, these were tasty

Trucha a la Navarra - Seared trout wrapped in Serrano ham – this speaks Spain to me for some reason

Pastel Vasco con helado de leche merengada – Basque cake with semolina cream, cinnamon-vanilla sauce & ice milk

Espuma de avellanas y chocolate – Chocolate and hazelnut mousse torte

It was a wonderful evening with my ex Brian and I got to meet an online friend in person. There was wonderful conversation, lots of laughter and good times all around.

My next José Andrés destination will have to the the Bazaar here in Los Angeles. José also has a show on PBS called Made In Spain. There he travels between his home in Washington DC and various landscapes in Spain to expain the rich history of Spanish food. It is on my TiVo every week. If you ever find yourself in Washington D.C. for pleasure or business, make sure to take the time to visit one of his restaurants and tell them FoodiInDisguise sent you!

I’m giving Jaleo a 4+++++. I wish I had more time to explore more of the dishes. There were a few choices that I would have reconsidered, but overall it was a wonderful experience. Our server Jordan was very attentive to the table and made sure our glasses were always full and helped make some of the recommendations on our menu that evening. Jaleo also has locations in Crystal City and in Bethesda.

Jaleo
480 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Tel (202) 628-7949

I went during a late lunch break and found Rumbi open with a few diners in the outside patio and only 1 other inside. I was greeted by one of the new employees and asked if I had ever eaten at a Rumbi’s before. At first I thought it was an odd question being that this is the first Rumbi’s in the Southland – but I let it go and said it was my first time. He offered to walk me thru the menu, but I was fixated on the Volcano-Blackened Salmon. I was in the mood for something spicy. He asked me what kind of rice I wanted and asked for half brown, half white. I then saw they had something called Rumbi Rice on the menu. I asked what it was and if I could get a sample of it. It’s rice with red beans and coconut. It’s different, but not sure I’d want to eat lots of it.

I was handed my cup and my number and sat down. A few minutes later, my order arrived. From first impressions, the dish looked ok. First reaction is that there was way too much rice compared the amount of protien on the plate. I was distracted by the Caesar salad that was on my plate. Why was I distracted? It looked like the Caesar dressing had been on the leaves for a bit and the leaves looked a bit wilted. However, I took my fork and dove right into the salad. NOthing special here except to say that the croutons were the most flavorful part of the salad.

Now I have to say that the salmon was cooked well. It wasn’t overcook, and if I may be so bold, it was just slightly underdone, which was just fine for me. The outside was charred but not as charred as I had thought once I took my first bite.  I was distracted by a pineapple salsa that was on top of the salmon with a mango-passion fruit aioli that was on the plate. Now…when I order something that is supposed to be blackened, I expect some spice and some heat. I didn’t get that at all. The sweetness of the pineapple salsa and the mango-passion aioli overwhelmed the salmon. Too much sweet and not enough heat. I think if my salmon had the heat and spice it was supposed to have, the sweetness would have played nicely against it.

It was their first day and I will be back at the end of the week to have the same dish and see if there are any differences. So let’s call this review part one. More to come later this week. To be fair, I’l reserve a star rating until later this week or next week after grand opening day. As for today, service was good and my server came be twice to check up on my experience. It was first day the grills were open to the public and this is their shake-down week.

I haven’t seen any local advertising for the opening, so I hope they have a good soft-week and open to good crowds next week. They are located in the Gateway Shopping Center located on Alicia Parkway and Jeronimo. They occupy the space that once housed Mustard’s Café in the center of the shopping center

Rumbi Island Grill
24000 Alicia Parkway #23
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
949-206-1002

So what is Rumbi’s you ask? It’s a little Hawaiian, with some Caribbean, Bali and Jamaican mixed in. It’s casual dining at fast food pricing. Their menu offers Salads, Entrees, Rice Bowls as well as Burgers and Sandwiches.

I met with the Scott McDonnell, general manager and he is excited to open. He showed me a menu and they have an interesting mix of food, a little bit of everything for everyone. They are scheduled to open their doors on September 21 with a soft opening a few days before.  I look forward to trying such dishes as Luau Pork Plate, slow roasted pulled Kalua pork or the Voodoo Chicken Salad, jerk chicken breast, tomatoes, feta and greens in a sesame ginger vinaigrette. There is also the Bahama Mama’s Tortilla Soup and the Rumbi Fries, a mix of sweet and regular potato french fries.

The new space is much brighter than when Mustard’s was there. My friend Tim and I ate at Mustard’s before they closed and was noticing how dark the store was. It’s a nice space with tall ceilings and rafters.  They have adorned the space with some lighter pints and island decor. I told Tim, back then, that the space would make for a great casual cooking school. Oh well, there goes that idea!

Rumbi Island Grill
24000 Alicia Parkway #23
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
949-206-1002

I thought about it and felt I needed to write about it. When I go to a restaurant, my experience does include the server. They are one of the first to greet me and the last when I leave a restaurant. How that server treats me and other patrons while in that restaurant is a direct reflection of the restaurants core values is it not?

Let’s take a few steps back. In this posting I mentioned the server by name in the review. In fact, she was one of the redeeming qualities of my stay. I think the reason I mentioned her at all is that she provided good service to me and that my review of the restaurant was not directed at her. The reader who wrote into me felt that it was not fair that I “hide my identity” and that I should give that same respect to the server and that the comments should be directed to the owner.

Well, here’s the deal. I don’t hide who I am. I always leave a business card with my name and email address on it. In fact, on this particular visit, I told them up front that I was from a new food blog and she was delighted if not tickled pink that I was writing a review. In fact, she seated me near some good light since she knew I was taking photos of my meal.

Yes, unfortunately I wasn’t tickled pink about the food, but the experience was good. Should I not have mentioned the server’s name in the article?

Owners Janel Mitchell and John Frank couldn’t be more excited! The idea and concept has been growing for over a year and finally a space that fit their criteria finally opened up. Thai Spice was the former tenant in that space and unfortunately wasn’t doing well in The Orchard Shopping Center at El Toro and Rockfield. Janel, an artist, clothing designer and now cupcake master is excited to open the doors at 7am tomorrow. I asked them if they were nervous and Janel just had a big smile on her face and said she was more excited than nervous.

The place is very well designed with custom woodwork, soaring display glass and customer fixtures to display their goods. John Frank owns a construction company that specializes in the food services and has designed and built quite a few restaurants here in Southern California. The ceilings are tall so it feels very spacious. Everything down to the light fixtures and wallpaper were picked out by Janel and John. They had these light fixtures that when explained to me, I agreed, looks like creme brulee. Everything in the place is branded tastefully with their 5 petal flower design.

Frostings will be featuring 8 permanent cupcakes with other selections that will change based on what day of the week it is. I was told that the “birthday cake” is a cupcake I need to be in for. In addition to their cupcakes they will also have a selection of “breakfast” cupcakes and also feature a signature line of cookies, 8 in all. So what better accompaniment to a cupcake than some coffee or tea. Frostings also features a full beverage bar with fresh roasted coffee, espressos, lattes and loose teas – sodas and juices are also on hand. I was lucky enough to taste some of the coffee and honestly, was one of the smoothest cups of coffee I have had.

I was very lucky to walk away with a sample of the Red Velvet cupcake as well as the Simply Vanilla cupcake. When I got back to my office, a few cupcake aficionados and myself tested Janel’s cupcake recipes. First off the Simply Vanilla. The cake was very moist and the frosting didn’t overpower the cake. The icing was not too sweet (the way I like it), but distinctive. A bite yielded the flavor of the cake which surprised me. I could actually taste the cake part. Most places inundate you with sweet frosting and that’s pretty much what you get. There is a good balance of frosting to cake and that goes a long way for me. The Red Velvet (my favorite of any cupcake place) took the prize. The cake was firm but not dense and the ratio of cream cheese icing to the cake was just right. Great job on the cupcakes. My coworkers agree. At $3.25 a piece they are competitively priced to the “other” cupcake places.

Everything is made from scratch and with high quality ingredients. Even the cupcake “bling”, the 5 petal flower, is made by hand. They were also very careful to make sure they had a great coffee and tea supplier as well. They will have beverage specialists to make sure you have the best brewed coffee and that your tea steeps perfectly. So stop by tomorrow and have a sample for yourself – have a cup of coffee or tea and sit at one of the many outdoor seating options. While you’re there you can also pickup a t-shirt or accessories designed by Janel herself. Not only does she have t-shirts, but workout pants, aprons, bags and even jewelry. In addition there are mugs, travel mugs and various tea infusers. She even has bling on one of the travel mugs! Janel and John had the right combination of business saavy and they know what customer they are looking and catering to. With a great location, lots of foot traffic and the fact they are adjacent to the freeway gives them the ingredients for success. Congrats John and Janel! See you tomorrow for my breakfast cupcake!

Frostings Cupcakes
23624 El Toro Road, Suite D
Lake Forest, CA 92630
949-458-1337
www.frostingscupcakes.com

When we got there it was pretty open. There were some folks in the window seats and a very handsome guy seated across from us. You order at the counter and seat yourself. Somehow between the three of us, we all decided to have “The Burger”. I actually opted for the Fish and Chips but they weren’t going to be ready for another 30 minutes or so. I was starving so opted for “The Burger”.

“The Burger” is a meaty portion of Harris Ranch Beef, Fiscalini Farms Cheddar, Glazed Applewood Smoked Bacon, Arugula, Housemade Aioli and Ketchup and cooked to a medium rare. You also get a side with it and decided I didn’t want fries – I knew one of my friends would be getting them, so I could steal a few off their plate! So what do I get? I opted for the Persian Cucumber Salad served with Shahi and a Lemon Vinaigrette. I couldn’t find a definition of “shahi” and not sure that I could identify it in the vinaigrette. So about that lemon vinaigrette, not so lemony. But I enjoyed the salad nonetheless.

My burger and salad arrived at the table served with bun on top with a nice dark golden color. I cut into my burger to find it just a bit rarer than medium-rare, but that wasn’t going to stop me! I luv my burgers rare when I can get it that way. The burger was juicy and had a good taste to it. If anything it was just salt and pepper on the burger itself. The addition of the arugula adds a nice crunch and additional peppery taste to the burger. The bacon was crisp, yet the fat had just a good amount of chew to it that you had to pry your mouth away from the burger itself. It was wonderful. The Persian salad was a nice diversion from the fries. Like I mentioned about it didn’t have a lot of lemon in it. It tasted like something my parents used to make with cucumbers which was a mixture of white vinegar, pinch of salt and sugar and fresh ground pepper. Mix so the sugar and salt dissolve and we would dip cucumber slices into it. Heaven.

My friend Aaron opted for the regular fries, while Davey had the sweet potatoefries. The regular fries had good texture, crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. The sweet potato fries however looked a bit oily on the outside. Somehow I forgot to try them. I’m still in luv with the sweet potato fries from that other burger place…The Counter.

All in all it was a great burger cafe. I wasn’t feeling like a beer, but they have a nice, small collection of California beers from Lost Coast Brewing, Green Flash and Craftsmen Brewing to name a couple. They also had a delightful root beer from Reed’s called Virgil’s Root Beer. Just a smidge on the sweet side, but that was just fine by me! The Virgil Root Beer is half of their Root Beer Float which is made with gelato by SCOOPS. Scoops is a recent sensation in LA by Tai Kim. Tai brings interesting flavors to the bowl with names like brown bread or durian-ginger or avocado-apple. He even has a foie gras-pistachio flavor. Can you believe it! I’ll have to sample SCOOPS for another review later this month. Meanwhile you take a “scoop” of the brown bread gelato and the Virgils and you have one of the best floats around. Apparently. I was so full I could only handle a scoop of the gelato. Have you had the Root Beer Float? How was it?

I’d like to come back to The Golden State when I can fill up on Fish and Chips and a pint. I’ll also have to save some room for the Root Beer Float!

In addition to the great beef burgers the also have a Veggie Burger, a Muffuletta, a Chicken Sandwich and something called a BLTA – Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado with a Homemade Aioli. Last but not least, they also have a Tuna Sandwich.

The Golden State
426 N. Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-782-8331

I was intrigued at the idea of a Filipino restaurant located in a food court. Was Pam getting alot of foot traffic sales or was the bulk of her money coming from her catering side? I figured she was preparing all her catered foods in the same kitchen. Pam’s Best opened about two weeks ago. She is occupying the space that used to be a Sushi place. Now let me start by saying that I love Filipino food. One of the problems is that it doesn’t present very well and Filipino food isn’t pretty food. Just by looking at the choices of the day, unless you ask what it is, you may not be able to tell what it is just by looking at it.

As with most food court places, Pam’s offered a combo deal, rice + entrees. The pricing is reasonable and the portions are pretty good. On this day they had a selection of some familar dishes:

Talakitok Sinigang (Fish in Tamarind Soup)
Beef Affritada (Stewed beef and potatoes)
BBQ Pork Skewers
Pinakbet (Vegetable Stew)
Shrimp and Mussel Ginataan Shrimp and Mussels in Coconut Broth
Pancit
Garlic Fried Rice
Crispy Pata

Unfortunately there was no lumpia, lechon (my favorite), adobo or Kare Kare today. My friend Tim came with and between us we had the Sinigang, Beef Afritada, BBQ Pork Skewers, the Pinakbet (with lots of Boogoong), steamed white rice, Pancit and the Shrimp and Mussels.

Everything was good. The pinakbet was my least favorite only because of a textural thing. The magic of pinakbet is when the vegetables get really soft in the broth. Just not my thing, but it tastes great! :) Even Tim enjoyed the Boogoong (salty shrimp paste). The pork skewers invoked memories of numerous Filipino potlucks in the park growing up as a kid. The sinigang was a whole fish of Talakitok. Talakitok is Trevally or Jack fish. It has a firm, white flesh. I used to luv when my mom would make sinigang (a broth made with tamarind) and just have that with freshly made rice. the pancit was good, I could have had several bowls of that alone. Some kalamansi (lime) juice with the pancit would have made it perfect! In addition to the food, they also had some desserts listed on the menu. I almost got some halo-halo, but it was time to get back to the office. Halo-halo is a shaved ice desert usually served with red beans, ube (taro root), macapuno strings (coconut), evaporated milk and sugar.

Several of my coworkers are Filipino and we have scheduled an outing to Pam’s Best in the Mall. Filipino restaurants are hard to find in Orange County. For those lucky enough to live near Cerritos, you have more choices up there. I hope that Pam continues to grow and can’t wait to try some of their other foods. Pam’s had a very steady stream of Filipino customers the entire time we at our lunch. More American’s should be adventurous and try something new, but this goes back to how Filipino food doesn’t present well – so don’t judge a book by it’s cover! :)

If there was one con today it was that they don’t take credit or debit cards, only cash. So when you go, make sure to pick up some cash beore you get to Pams.

Pinoy Pam’s Best
24155 Laguna Hills Mall, Suite # 2360
Food Court on the 2nd level
Laguna Hills, CA 92653

We were greeted promptly with a smile and a “Good evening”. “Reservations for two,” I said. It was kind of full tonight. If you look to your left, you will see a dark, spartan space with tables, while on the right side of the restaurant you have a scene that is more vibrant and full of life. The kitchen and bar is located on this side. I wanted to sit on that side, but noticed that if you sit at table level, you can’t see behind the counter. I always want to see the line if I can. I asked if we could sit at the bar and our hostess said yes.

So we sat ourselves at the end of the bar and was greeted by the server/bartender, Michael. He gave us plate settings and gave us menus. He came back shortly thereafter and asked what we wanted to drink. I asked if they had a full bar and he said wine and beer only. I asked what beers he had and Michael started to list a bunch of beers, all non-domestic beers. I opted for the Allagash, a Belgian-style beer. It was a 750ml bottle so Tim and I decided to share. Michael brought over two cold tall glasses and poured our beer. The color was good and the flavor was good.

Michael brought some bread to the table and asked us what we wanted for our order. Tim and I had been studying the menu quite hard and we both decided that we wanted to sample a pizza and the pasta. For our starter we were torn between the Arancini, deep fried risotto balls and the Lamb skewers. Now, I’m not one to pass up lamb on any occasion. We enjoyed a few more sips of our beer and talked more about my day.

The lamb skewers showed up and it wasn’t what I was expecting. This was well seasoned ground lamb on a wooden skewer that is then grilled over an open flame. It was drizzled with a mint and olive oil sauce. Despite the appearance, the meat was very flavorful and I made sure to get all the mint sauce. I also wish there was just a tad more meat on the “bones”.

Minutes later our second dish arrived, the Tagliatelle bolognese – Spinach pasta, traditional meat sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano. This dish was sooo good. We almost didn’t have this dish. Just a few minutes after placing our order, Michael informed us that the chef said they were all out of the Spinach pasta. Oh no!! But one more look in the kitchen and there was enough for one batch. The spinach pasta was dark green and the noodles were cut wide. The meat sauce was your traditional bolognese sauce. My first bite brought me back to where I took a cooking class and one of the items was a bolognese. Before that, I never made a bolognese. It made me smile. This dish was perfect. There was probably a bit more sauce on the noodles that I would have served out, but we made sure there was nothing left in that bowl!

While enjoying our pasta, the pizza showed up. We ordered the Prosciutto di Parma e rucola – Margherita with Parma ham and wild arugula. I couldn’t wait to get in there. The pizza crust was cut into four pieces before the toppings of fresh prosciutto and arugula was placed on top. If there was one complaint of the evening is that the knives they give you really suck. We managed to re-trace the cuts they made in the dough and plated a slice for Tim and then myself. Generally in a place like this I wouldn’t eat pizza with my hands. Tim informed me that in Italy, they would cut their pizza with a fork and knife and eat with their fork in the left hand. This pizza was excellent. The crust was perfect. They use 300 year-old Biga (starter) in their dough and it gives the crust a certain tanginess. We ordered another beer and this time we went with Menabrea, an Italian beer. Very hoppy in taste. I didn’t like it as much as the first beer.

While on our second pieces I told Tim that I wanted to recreate this dish and he told me that I couldn’t. I said of course I can and he then put me down again and said no. He reminded me that unless I had access to 300 year-old biga, I would not be recreating “this” pizza. He was right, so I corrected myself and said I could recreate the pizza as best I could with the ingredients on-hand. I wanted so bad for a second pizza just to eat the crust!

What a meal. Simple, yet filling. Michael came back to the bar and asked us how the meal was and we both had smiles on our faces. I ordered a coffee while Tim had a decaf. To go with the coffee I decided to have the Ricotta al forno – Baked ricotta with mosto cotto while Tim ordered the Tiramisú. Michael must have overheard our conversation and said the Ricotta would be on the house since it was my birthday. Nothing better than an attentive server!

Our coffees came and it tasted like it was just brewed. The Ricotta al forno and the Tiramisú came and we both took our first bites. I took mine and closed my eyes. This was perfect, not too sweet. This is very much like cheesecake but with ricotta cheese. It was served with a blackberry coulis. Tim’s tiramisú was light and not drowning in liquer. We both enjoyed a second cup of coffee and just bantered back and forth. I had a great night.

Thanks Tim for being a friend and being there for me on Wednesday. Overall the meal would have been perfect if the knives actually worked. I am going to come back and try some of the other dishes on the menu that I wanted to try like:

• Pappardelle al sugo d’agnellos
  Pappardelle pasta, braised lamb ragù, sheep’s milk ricotta
• Risotto con radicchio e guanciale al vino rosso
  Carnaroli rice, Valipolicella-braised radicchio, guanciale
• Salsiccia e finnocchio
  House-made sausage, caramelized fennel, mascarpone, red onion, buffalo grana

They also have cooking classes at the restaurant on Saturdays. I’m signing up for the next one!

Pizzeria Ortica
650 Anton Blvd
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-445-4900

Answer? Yes, yes and yes.

This morning I ordered an assortment of baked goods, sandwiches and quiche for my co-workers to taste and try.

Co-worker comments were:

The zucchini muffin was awesome…

I generally stay away from cheesy food, but I had the Roasted Vegetable Quiche and it was really good, damn good!

I had some of the chocolate chip cookie and it was very good, not dry or bland or crispy but rather soft, good texture. The chocolate chips were gooey to apoint that made it a good cookie and they had large chips…good stuff.

Darn good!

I love the bread on the breakfast sandwich it was soft like pizza dough…

I tried a piece of the cheese & ham mini-quiche – delicious & savory! I can’t wait to go try their sandwiches and salads for lunch!

I have to tell you that when I walked into Specialty’s this morning I was hit with a wall of super enthusiastic employees. Everyone was so happy to be there. The management team/training team was also there working with the new employees – all of them eager to learn. Everyone had something to do and it was quite a bustle behind the counters. I was greeted with a hello the instant I walked in and was quite overwhelmed by the smells and sounds of the kitchen – it was awesome.

I spoke with Melissa who is from one of the Bay Area stores and she told me that they had an excellent opening day yesterday – the lunch crowd was their busiest time. I asked her when the 2nd Irvine location was opening and she said May 27th. So those of you in Irvine “North” will have something to look foward to. I also spoke with Mario Cantero, Regional Manager for Specialty’s and he was excited that they have expanded into Southern California.

I noticed some kiosks in the store and realized that they were ordering stations. Want to skip the ordering line? Order on one of their kiosks. Mario demonstrated the kiosk to me and it’s pretty straightforward. He bought me a cookie! Great for when you’re on the go.

The shop is really setup for people to order online via their website at www.specialtysdirect.com. Place your order there and it will be ready at the time you designate. Works really well. Well…I actually had a problem ordering this morning as my system wasn’t showing the available times for picktup. I talked with one of the training managers and she directed me to Mario who quickly resolved the issue – it works now.

They don’t offer delivery at this location but if you work at 20 or 40 Pacifica they will deliver your order to you for $1.00. So UBS Employees, take advantage of that! :)

While I was waiting for my quiche to come out of the oven, Mario (yes a 2nd Mario and no last name given) a vice president with Specialty’s greeted me and welcomed me to the store. Word must have gotten out I was writing an entry for the blog and I was also taking pictures. Mario seemed very pleased with his newest location and can’t wait to get the second location in Irvine up and running. He also offered that they are looking to expand into the San Diego area sometime this fall. So those of you down in La Jolla better be prepared for some good food!

Oh those quiches came out of the oven and I’m glad that I waited for them! Their baker, Melissa (yes a 2nd Melissa…) was more than happy to show me what awaited me. Mmmmm….quiche!

They have a great lunch menu and offer both cold and hot sandwiches as well as an impressive array of vegetarian sandwiches.

You all are probably wondering why I’m so ga-ga over this place. It’s because they truly want to give you the best food they can. The employees who work there “want” to work there and it’s not just a job to them. There is a camaraderie that you feel in all their stores. Take the time to go, you’ll enjoy the meal.

The only bad part is that you have to park in the parking structure that charges for parking. Stay on the street level and you’ll get to Specialty’s pretty easily. The key, don’t forget to get your ticket validated! :)

Related Stories:

Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery Now Open at Irvine Spectrum (April 2009)

Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery to Open in Irvine (January 2009)

Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery
20 Pacifica Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
949-453-0137
Mon-Fri 6:00 am to 6:00 pm

What a wondrous place this is. A colleague of mine at work, Sean P, told me about this place. I’ve sort of have been on a baguette hunt for the last few weeks. There have been a few places in the OC that have been recommended to me, but I think this place takes the prize so far.

From their website:

Cream Pan is a Los Angeles branch of Japanese Bakery in Boston, Massachusetts, which has maintained an excellent reputation for the past 18 years. Our motto, is to bake delicious bread using the best hand-selected ingredients.Cream Pan has been well recognized and featured by the media. Our whole staff is looking forward to your visit!

I have been there several times during the past week and each time I have visited they have sold out of their baguettes. Sean P did me a huge favor a couple of weeks ago and stopped by Cream Pan on his way to work and picked me up my first 2 baguettes from this bakery located in a somewhat forgotten shopping center.

These baguettes were wonderful. The crust is just thick enough to give a nice crunch, but not brittle – it has a bit of a chew to it. The next part is the crumb or the inside part. Cream Pan’s baguette is slightly dense and not pillowy-soft like other baguettes. This is perfect for me. The first thing I did was tear into one with my hands. There was quite a bit of crumbled crust as a result. My first taste was awesome. This bread has flavor. Some butter and I would have been in heaven. I’m sorry I don’t have pictures of the baguettes, but on my next trip, I will document the baguettes and report back to you, but TRUST ME – it’s one of the best.

My next visit there was this past Sunday. There was a line out the door! I got in line and looked to see what they had. I purchased a 1/2 loaf of bread that doesn’t have any butter, milk or eggs. I also picked up a Ham and Cheese Croissant and a Blueberry Scone. Can I just tell you that I love scones! I know you have had the scone that was really dense and crumbly. These scones were dense, but light and fluffy. The blueberries were like little explosions of sweetness. I had another scone from another bakery that day and the difference between the two is night and day. The Ham and Cheese Croissant was ok for me. It wasn’t warm like it came right out of the oven, but the croissant part was buttery to the taste and the outside was flaky, flaky, flaky!

They also carry lots of other items like the Curry Pan (which was very popular this particular day) and something that is a cross between quiche and a danish with caramelized onions and bacon. Yummm!! They are closed for a couple of days as I think they are readying their expansion – they now have the entire building instead of just two suites.

So there you have it. I would have given this place a 5 out of 5, but the two times I have been there they have been out of baguettes. They only bake them in the morning, so if you don’t get there early enough they will be gone. This particular morning I got there around 9, but someone bought the entire lot of what was baked…unfair! :)

Cream Pan Japonaise Bakery
602 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
Telephone : 714-665-8239
Hours: 7am to 4pm

I left and decided to come back. While I was waiting, my associates had gotten their to go orders and were eating. I went in to check on my orders and the 4 others ahead of me were still there! One group ws complaining how it had already been almost 30 minutes since they walked in.

10 more minutes had gone by until the others had gotten their food. 5 minutes after that my food showed up. This poor man had waiting about 6 minutes before he was addressed.

As for the food, I had ordered a Dany roll – a California roll with Unagi (Fresh Water Eel) and topped with Avocado.  I also had an order of Unagi Sushi and Salmon Sushi. The rolls were good and the Salmon seemed fresh – however it lacked any flavor. I luv Unagi and these were nice sized pieces broiled with a slight crisp. The orders didn’t seem to be filled with rice, just the right amount for the pieces served. Since my order was to go, I had to enjoy my order in styrofoam. My associates had ordered the Calzones from the Red Brick Pizza place and another had brought his lunch with him (good for him). The prices were a bit high for a lunch. I almost spent $26 just for a roll and 4 pieces of sushi. Ugh. I probably would have enjoyed my meal if it wasn’t for the lack of attention by the service staff that day.

I will have to come back and try Mitsui in the evening away from the hustle and bustle of the lunch crowd. I’m sure they know of the lunch rush and would think they would have adjusted their work force accordingly. But I don’t manage the restaurant.  Perhaps my next visit will be a more pleasant experience.

Mitsui Sushi Bar & Grill
6731 Quail Hill Pkwy
Irvine, CA 92603
(949) 679-5688
Get directions

Savannah closes its doors at the end of dinner service. Tim and I decided to head up there for dinner. I attempted to call the restaurant twice before hanging up. No one was answering. We told oursleves that we would head up there and see if we could get in. When we got there, we found that the whole night was booked, but that we could be seated in the Lounge & Bar area.

This was actually my first time to Savannah or any of the Culinary Adventure restaurants. The Lounge area felt much like the set of Moulin Rouge with lots of dark red fabrics and dark, rich wood. We grabbed a table in the back area and Rebekah was our server. It was busy tonight. We both started off with an infused Vodka with cranberry juice. The infusion was of watermelon and raspberries I think mixed with Vodka and a splash of cranberry for color. The drink wasn’t sweet, as I had expected, but I enjoyed it. Tim on the other hand didn’t care for it and opted for the Moulin Rouge drink.

Webth opted for the $10 specials. I had the aged 8oz filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, while Tim had the Halibut with garlic mashed potatoes with Spinach and capers. In addition, we both decided to split an order of the Mac N Cheese with a potato chip crust.

Just after Rebekah took our order, fresh bread was brougt to the table. The crust was crunchy while the inside was soft, pillowy and still warm. Add some butter to it and it was perfect! Our dishes arrived afetr a short wait. My filet mignon ws perfect cooked to medium-rare. A small mound of mashed potatoes with crisp, roasted vegetables onthe side. Tim Halibut dish arrived and it looked great. His halibut was cooked perfectly with a nice crust on the outside. It sat on top of a mound of garlic mashed potatoes with sautéed spinach and capers.

The next few minutes was spent enjoying a really great meal and catching up with each other with the goings-on in our lives. We both decided we would have dessert. Tim chose the Creme Brulée and I had the Bananas Foster. I asked rebekah if it was made tableside (I can dream, right?) but, alas, no. Tim’s brulée was ok, but it was the Bananas Foster that stole both of our hearts. There is something about brown sugar, butter and rum that when mixed together over heat produces something that is so wonderful you get lost in the moment. Add bananas and vanilla ice cream and you have perfection!

We asked Rebekah what her plans were since she won’t be reporting for work tomorrow and it turns ut that she is a Grad Studnet at Chapman in Film and Sound. We wished her good luck and as we walked thru the restaurant for the last time, we saw lots of filled seats with smiling customers.

Thank you for a wonderful meal and experience. Good night Savannah.

I know the restaurant is closing, but I would like to give the restaurant a 4 out of 5 for great food and service.

Savannah
655 Anton Blvd
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 557-6647

Photo Credit: Clifford Bailey

Well, this time I won.

Jamillah Garden is located in an industrial park in Tustin off Walnut Ave between Jamboree and Tustin Ranch Road. It’s in a small complex that also houses a sushi restaurant that has changed hands several times as well as nail/beauty salon.

Now Jamillah isn’t the most pretty restaurant. The place is a bit run down and there hasn’t been any remarkable upgrades since they moved in. They have seating for probably around 65 and is lit by florescent lights in a drop down ceiling. I have always been one of those folks that believes that ambiance is part of the equation to good food – but not all of it. In the case of Jamillah Garden, the food fortunately outweighs the shortcomings.

For dinner we had an assortment of dishes:

• Sliced Beef with Green Onions
• Beef with Broccoli
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Crispy Pan Fried Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables
• Fish Filet in a Black Bean Sauce

Now what Islamic Chinese cooking is all about is their noodles and breads. They also use Halal meats and the freshest of seafood. Unfortuantely the family chose to stick with the more familiar Chinese dishes. Jamillah prides themselves on homemade noodles and their famous sesame bread. I will have to dine there, on my own, and sample some dishes that are more traditional in the Islamic Chinese way.

The flavors of the dishes was pretty good. My nephews and nieces tore thru all the dishes, even the fish filet! MY favorite of the night was the Crispy Fried Noodle with Chicken and Vegetables. We poured the a mixture of chicken and Vegetables in a thick sauce over the crispy noodles and gave it time to soak in and “soften” a bit. I will order this again for sure.

I wish we had some different dishes like Chicken Chow Mein made with homemade soft egg noodles or the Oxtail Stew Warm Pot.

I went to their website to reference some of the dishes for this review and was a bit disturbed by what I found. The have pictures of people eating pizza and burgers on the opening sequence. Once you click to enter the rest of the site, we come to a site that is riddled with spelling errors and more pictures of people/staff and fixtures that do not exist in the restaurant itself.

As I mentioned earlier, Jamillah only serves Halal Meat. This is a kin to Kosher meats in the Jewish faith. The meat has to be prepared in a specific manner for it to be Halal. In Islam, Halal means permissible or lawful.

I will write another review when I can dine there without my extended family in tow! :) In the meantime, I will offer 2 stars. I enjoyed the food, but these were dishes you could find in any Chinese restaurant within a 5 mile radius. Next time, will be more telling. The website bothered me a lot. In this day and age, anyone can get a good person to program a well executed site without the need for “flash” or misrepresented graphics.

Jamillah Garden
2512 Walnut Avenue, Suite 1
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 838-3522
Get directions

I have eaten at the Thai Spice in Irvine (Irvine Center Drive and Jeffrey) and Tustin (Marketplace) for several years now. One of my favorite dishes there is the Thai Chicken Basil. With a medium heat level, it was a perfect dish for me over steamed rice. It’s too bad that the Lake Forest location has closed.

Rest in Peace.

The Islands Restaurant at Laguna Hills will close at the end of the day on Wednesday, March 11.

Company spokespeople said the closure was isolated to Laguna Hills and that a lease issue helped them make a decision to close the under-performing location.

There are no plans to close any other Islands location. I have never eaten at an Islands Restaurant. Should I try it out before they close the doors on Wednesday? What is your favorite thing on the menu?

Islands Restaurant
24321 Avenida De La Carlota
Laguna Hills, CA
949-458-6338

In 1983, Rick DiRienzo, his father Joe and wife Susan created this Puerto Nuevo-themed restaurant in their hometown of Bonita, California. Back then it was called Rockin’ Baja Lobster. The restaurant was a great success and the they have been throwing Rockin’ Baja beach parties ever since!

The name evolved to Rockin’ Baja Coastal Cantina in 2007. There are now five locations throughout Southern California (San Diego in Old Town and the Gaslamp Quarter, Oceanside, Newport Beach and Montclair) with more to come! They also have locations in Austin, TX and Biloxi, MS.

To celebrate their 25th Year Anniversary they are selling their famous Baja Buckets for TWO for $29.95 for the rest of 2009! The Big Baja Bucket comes full of marinated carne asada, grilled chicken, Baja seasoned shrimp and lobster tails. It’s also served with “All You Can Eat” beans, rice, flour tortillas, honey chili butter and fresh salsa and chips bar.

The normal price for the Big Baja Bucket for Two is $25 per person, so it’s almost a half-off deal for the entire year. Orange County is host to one of their Cantinas at the Newport Beach Pier!

Rockin’ Baja Coastal Cantina
2104 W. Oceanfront Blvd
Newport Beach, CA 92663
949-723-0606

A co-worker had recently gone to RA Sushi on Valentine’s Day and she had a horrible experience. I remembered that Bistro West was also located in The District and decided to make a detour. Bistro West was also participating in OC Restaurant Week and they were hosting a $20 Lunch Menu.

When I entered Bistro West, looking quite desheveled after a long walk from the wrong parking lot, I was greeted by the Manager, Julie. I told her it was a table for one and that I wanted a seat that had adequate lighting for I was taking pictures. “Taking pictures…?” she asked, I told her I had a food blog and was writing for the blog today. She brought me over to the back area by the bar and it was nice and bright. She seated me and wished me a great me. I was greeted by Courtney, my server, only moments after being seated. She asked what I wanted to drink and I did my ol’ standby of club soda and lime.

As you see above, Bistro West offered a three course meal. For Salads & Soups I decided to try the Ham and Bean. Courtney, said that it I would enjoy it over their excellent Chicken Noodle Soup. When the soup arrived it was in something I would have called a bowl over what they call a “cup”. The soup is hearty and doesn’t skimp on the beans. Upon further inspection you see shredded pieces of ham in the soup. It seems that the ham has been sitting in the soup to the point of pure tenderness. The soup was well seasoned and needed no help. I thoroughly enjoyed the soup that I could have had that as my meal and that be that.

Along with the soup came some bread. It was warm and had a nice crust on the outside, while soft in the inside. A tear into it left some flour on my fingers. This appears to be made in-house.

Next up is my entrée. Bistro West prides itself on a contemporary spin on the classics. Classics you say? I opted for the Homemade Meatloaf. When it arrived at the table, I was shocked at the size of the portions! The meatloaf itself took up almost half of the plate. Next to it is a portion of mashed potatoes that easily could have been for two and a side of vegetables. I’m not a fan of steamed vegetables at all. Luckily for me, these were pan roasted vegetables of sugar snap peas, carrots, broccoli and squash. Some of the vegetables had some caramelization on it and it was sooo flavorful. The carrots still had some crunch to them and the sugar snap peas were my favorites! The meatloaf was easily an inch thick with a Port Wine reduction sauce with a tomato/bbq sauce blend instead of “gravy”.

My initial visual inspection led me to believe that it was going to be a dense piece of ground beef, but I’m glad my eyes fooled me. This homemade meatloaf is made with Kobe beef. When my fork hit the meatloaf it pushed thru almost like butter. The beef was so tender and soft, but it got even better when it hit my mouth. The texture was not heavy and seasoned well. The port wine reduction sauce was right on point. So much so, that I asked for more! The mashed potatoes were a bit dense and there was so much of it! I didn’t finish it. Coupled with the “bowl” of Ham and Bean soup, I was already full.

I pushed myself to finish the meatloaf and had to take a break before dessert showed up. Since I had créme brulee the day before, I ordered the Flourless Chocolate Cake. The dessert was the only sour point of the meal. Now, in their defense, I’m not a chocolate fan. The “cake” was very dense to the point that it was almost like fudge. The addition of chocolate sauce and powdered sugar almost seem gratuitous. I took about two bites and had to stop. Too rich for me. My gut instinct tells me they don’t make their desserts on property and that they purchase them. Hopefully I’m wrong.

Courtney, my server was on-point every step of the way and visited me when it was necessary and made sure my club soda was refilled when it got to the bottom. She must have been watching for she never visited when she didn’t need to.

I had a great lunch there today and I look forward to having a slow dinner there soon. It was lunch and I was in a hurry to make it back down to South Irvine from Tustin. I’m glad I made the detour and moreso, I thank Shannon for deflecting me from Ra Sushi.

Bistro West has an extensive menu and they offer brunch on the weekends from 10:00am to 1:30pm. They have about six items on their kids menu to keep any child busy. Stop by Bistro West on your next visit to The District, you won’t be disappointed. For those of you living in North San Diego County, you can find their flagship restaurant in Carlsbad.

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I’m giving Bistro West Tustin 3.5 forks which I will round up to a 4 due to the wonderful soup, meatloaf and attentive staff.

Bistro West
The District
2601 Park Avenue
Tustin, CA 92782
714-259-9378

Zov’s Cafe Bakery & Bar is owned by Zov Karamardian who owns Zov’s Bistro in Tustin. Zov has had acclaim from Food & Wine Magazine, Gourmet, The OC Register and even Julia Child. She opened her first restaurant in 1987 and it has been a success since day one.

Zov’s Irvine is located in one of those new shopping centers where there is just a start of housing being built, but beyond it’s a lot of open land. It’s about 2 miles from the 5 Fwy right off Culver Drive and Portola Parkway. This is one of Zov’s newer locations, HQ is the original Zov’s in Tustin off of 17th Street and the 55 Fwy.

Zov’s is open for breakfast/brunch on the weekends at 8am. I got there just after lunch service at 2:30 on my way to my parents house for my sister’s birthday.

I was greeted by the hostess and I asked to sit at the bar. The restaurant has the feel of a much more substantial place than a “cafe and bakery”. I was seated and asked immediately what I wanted to drink. I had a club soda with a twist of lime.

Leah was my server and she was attentive to my meal throughout. To start, the plate at my station was dirty. This wasn’t a good way to start for my first time ever to a Zov’s property.  Since lunch service was done, the restaurant was pretty empty. In addition to myself, there were only 3 other tables that had patrons. I slid the dirty plate forward and didn’t say anything to Leah about it, just pushed it forward.

On the Prix Fixe menu I opted for the Hummas with Toasted Pita, the Petite Sirloin Burger and Dessert.

The Hummus showed up at the table and I was actually surprised that the Pita wedges was actually toasted and warm. The hummus was flavorful and I enjoyed it until I hit a cold spot. I pushed a pita wedged into the hummus and brought it to my mouth and it was cold! Unlike the rest which was a room temperature. Other than the cold spot, I liked it. I’m not a fan of whole olives, so I left those on the plate.

Within a few minutes of finishing my starter, my sirloin burger arrived. There was a nice serving of shoestring potatoes on the plate along with my burger. Upon inspection I could already tell that it was beyond medium-rare as I had requested. A wedge of brie was melting between the bun and the burger and a large piece had just fallen over the edge of the burger.  

I cut into the burger to confirm that my burger had indeed pushed itself to medium. The only frills to this “petite” burger was lettuce and a tomato with the brie. I was given a side of ketchup but hoped I would not need it – say the fries. I took a bite and it lacked flavor. The sirloin was dry and I couldn’t taste the beef at all. All I could taste was the charred bits of the outer crust. I wish I had some mustard or something to go with it, but I like my burgers without mustard and ketchup and like for the meat to stand on its own. Unfortunately, this burger didn’t hold up. Compared to the even smaller mini-burger I had at the Signature Kitchen at Macy’s a couple of weeks back, this one was on the other end of the spectrum. I ate the shoestring potatoes as they were perfect. Crisp on the outside and not greasy. Potatoes and ketchup are a perfect pair!

My dessert showed up and I was given a duo of creme brulees: one vanilla and one chocolate. Both had berries on top and a tap of the spoon broke thru a hardened sugar shell at the top. The vanilla brulee tasted ok, there was a scant amount of vanilla beans in the creme, at least indicating that they used a real vanilla bean. Unfortunately the chocolate creme brulee was more like chocolate pudding with a sugar crust on top. It was not favorite. I ate thru the vanilla (I could never turn away anything vanilla) and ate my berries. It is my guess that the berries were placed on the brulees several hours ago and then placed in the fridge. The strawberry halves looked dry.

I wish my meal was just a tad bit better. I had heard many good things about Zov’s and wish my first meal would have been representative of this restaurateur. There was an interesting conversation that took place where a customer had come in and asked to look at the menu, a conversation ensued about where the original Zov’s was. The server could only say that it was somewhere on 17th Street in Tustin and didn’t know what the cross streets were. As an employee of Zov’s I would hope that my employees knew where the first Zov’s was located. After looking at the menu, the customer commented that it looked a lot like Mediterranean themed dishes. The server responded “yep…” and then the customer walked out the door.

I think I need to figure out a way to give half a fork in my rating system. This Irvine location probably only earned a 2.5 out of 5, so I’ll have to round up to 3 out of 5, but please note, that it is a round up. I am really saddened to give a Zov’s a 2.5, but I will have a real meal at her Bistro in Tustin and hope that I can give a higher rating for her flagship restaurant.

Zov’s Cafe Bakery & Bar
3915 Portola Parkway
Irvine, CA 92602
714-734-9687 (ZOVS)

Orange County will be hosting their first ever Restaurant Week! Starting this Sunday, February 22, over 80 restaurants throughout Orange County will be offering Prix Fixe menus for $20, $30 or $40. Restaurant Week goes thru Saturday, February 28.

This is a great opportunity to eat at that restaurant you have always wanted to try. Many of the restaurants are offering these Prix Fixe menus offering a substantial discount over their regularly priced items.

I will be participating by going to a restaurant everyday this week if I can. You can read my “Restaurant Hopping Adventure” here on the blog next week. 

Check out www.ocrestaurantweek.com for a full listing of restaurants and menus. It is even searchable by menu, price point, city and cuisine!

A sampling of the restaurants participating are:

118 Degrees
50 Forks
Balboa Bay Club
Bistro West
Chart House
Hush
Kimera
Lucca Cafe
Mozambique
Port
Royal Khyber
Savannah and Savannah’s Chop House
Scott’s Seafood
South Coast Winery
Tabu
The Crow Bar & Kitchen
The Loft at Montage
Zov’s

There is one guy in the back who makes all the dishes, while two brothers and another guy work the front. There is a full bar there and it looks like this place has been around for a long time. It seems that the locals are the only ones who know about this place. Like I said, the place isn’t fancy, but the food is good and the staff is very attentive.

I brought my boss and co-worker to this place and they loved it. I probably go to Casa Franco once every two weeks. My favorite dish? Haha… The waiters know me that they know exactly how I like my order:

1 order of Carnitas with rice and beans
Pico de Gallo
No guacamole
Chips 

My colleagues had the enchiladas and the burrito, no cheese and I had my regular order. They really liked their food and so did I, as usual. They have expanded their menu and now have a large selections of Lunch Specials. They offer the usual chicken and beef, in addition to shrimp and fish dishes. I think the reason I like this place is that they aren’t pretending to be something they aren’t. The dishes are not complicated. They serve simple yet flavorful dishes.

They have specials during the week like Taco Tuesdays with special beer pricing in the evening. 

Casa Franco
24395 Alicia Pkwy # 3
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
(949) 380-9693

A Columbian (what do you call someone from Columbus) joined me for dinner and we went to Marcella’s. Marcella’s is part of the Cameron Mitchell group of restaurants. Cameron Mitchell is a renown restaurateur here in Columbus.

We sat to dinner and was presented with a fairly simple menu. Marcella’s offers some traditional Italian dishes like Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Gnocchi Con Bolognese and Pizza. My dinner companion John and I decided we would order some plates of cheeses, meats and appetizers to make it through dinner. I will visit the Marcella’s in Short North to dine on their regular dinner fare.

We ordered 5 different cheeses which came with some honey and an orange marmalade. We chose: Taleggio, Mozzarella, Aged Provolone, Aged Goat Cheese and Pecorino Di Peinza. We also ordered some Prosciutto di Parma and Sopressata. I was intrigued by the Bresaola, the only beef cured meat they offer. The Bresaola, to me, starts off sweet, then the saltiness comes thru. It wasn’t my favorite, but I didn’t have 3 slices of it! :) In addition to the that we ordered one order of Arancini and one Braised Veal Meatball. 

To start it all off, we ordered a Sicilian Caponata which is a Roasted Eggplant Salad with Olives, Capers, Roasted Red and Green Peppers. This is served at room temperature and it surprised me. I’m not a fan of eggplant unless it is stirfried or unless it is roasted and mixed in with scrambled eggs. It tasted light yet lots of flavor. Mixed in with the veggies was some olive oil and roasted pine nuts.

Our server then showed up with two boards of meats and cheeses. Also arriving almost at the same time were the Arancini and the Veal Meatball.  The Prosciutto di Parma showed up with Bresaola instead of the Sopressata. Our server noticed the error and brought us another board of that and let us keep the Bresaola. The Prosciutto melted in my mouth. It wasn’t salty and the slices that came off the main piece had some fat, but mostly meat. The instant it hit my tounge I wrapped my mouth around it and enjoyed pure simplicity. With the meats came a small celery salad. Celery salad? Nothing special, cut celery with some olive oil and pine nuts. Simple, but oddly worked well with the meats.

The Arancini (sorry I don’t have photos) was nice and crispy on the outside, but the insides disappointed. Arancini is usually made with the extra risotto from the night before. I have always made them with a piece of serrano ham in the middle. These were lightly fried, but extremely heavy inside. They seemed gummy to me. Now, in it’s defense, its day old risotto, so the texture can be the result of that.

My favorite of the night (next to the Prosciutto) was the Braised Veal Meatball. The meatball was slighly under the size of a baseball and was served in an small iron cast pot from Staub. My first expectation is that it would be tough for some reason. It was not, MOST definitely not. It was so airy, so well seasoned and prepared I wanted 3 more! The tomato sauce it was braised in was slightly salty, but a perfect match to the veal. I don’t know that I can wait til this weekend to have another! :)

We ended our evening with the cheese platter. We had five different cheeses and my favorites of the night were the taleggio, the Aged Goat Cheese and the Mozzarella. The aged Provolone and the Prcorino were way to salty for my taste, but a dip in the honey definitely helped. 

Good company and good food, it was a good first night in Columbus.

Marcella’s Ristorante
1319 Polaris Parkway
Columbus, Ohio 43240
(614) 844-6500