When I got there, I was happily greeted and then saw the CASH ONLY sign on the cash register. I asked if I could place my order and then get some cash. I went next door to 7-11 to get some cash. My luck would have the ATM was down and unable to dispense cash. Luckily, you can do cash back with purchase.

I placed an order for the #1 which is the Cheese Steak with Fried Onions, Peppers and any choice of cheese. I ask for the regular order, but hold the peppers. I know, some of you would say it’s not a Cheese Steak unless there are peppers. Well I like my Cheese Steaks with cheese and onions. I also placed an order for a #12 which is their Italian Hoagie: Salami, Capicola, Ham, Provolone, oil and oregano.

They offer three sizes for their sandwiches, small, medium and large. While I was getting cash, they started my order and by the time I returned the sandwiches were just about done. The meat was just coming off the grill onto the paper and the Italian Hoagie was already done. It looked big on the counter. My Cheese Steak was done as he slid the meat from the spatula into the bread. He wrapped it in butcher paper and placed it next to the Italian Hoagie. The cashier placed it in the bag and off I went.

When I got home I found out why the sandwiches looked big, they were very loosely wrapped. The Cheese Steak looked good. It had a good smell and the cheese was still gooey. However, once I tasted the sandwich I took a few more bites and decided in my head that it wasn’t the best Cheese Steak I have had. The meat was remarkably dry and it wasn’t as seasoned as it could have been. The bread was also quite dry and tasteless. Bummer.

Next came my Italian Hoagie. I unwrapped the loosely wound butcher paper. The sandwich was dripping wet. This hoagie was oozing tons of Italian Dressing. It had a nice amount of meat in the roll. As I tried to see past the wet lettuce, I also saw pickles. Sorry, but pickles shouldn’t be in an Italian Hoagie in my opinion. I took the wet pickles out and took a bite. The bread is the same as the Cheese Steak but it absorbed a good bit of the dressing. The meats tasted good, but I couldn’t get past the drenched lettuce. I took the wet lettuce out as well as the tomato slice and just had the meat, cheese and bread. It wasn’t that bad, but all that dressing really ruined the sandwich for me.

I really got excited when I read the reviews for Franks and unfortunately I think my expectations were set high. The sandwiches were ok, but my experiences at places like Claros, John’s and Cortinas far outweigh my meal at Franks.

Perhaps I will go back and get that #2 and see if the mushrooms make for a better Cheese Steak…

Frank’s Philadelphia
2244 Fairview Road
Costa Mesa, CA
949-722-8725

]]> http://www.foodieindisguise.com/2010/08/21/frankly-im-philadelphia/feed/ 0 http://www.foodieindisguise.com/2010/08/07/five-guys-vs-in-out/ http://www.foodieindisguise.com/2010/08/07/five-guys-vs-in-out/#comments Sun, 08 Aug 2010 03:28:19 +0000 Scott Mindeaux, Editor http://www.foodieindisguise.com/?p=3956 So I made the trek to the new Five Guys Burgers in Orange today. When I got there, there was a line out the door! The line was moving pretty fast, so the wait wasn’t that long. Seeing the red and white everywhere brought back memories of the first time I went to a Five Guys Burger. I was living in Arlington, VA at the time and it was the location at Baileys Crossroads that introduced me to this flavorful burger.

Everyone in line around me was talking about how they heard it was better than In & Out. We had young people there, teenagers, parents and their parents – all of them waiting to get their hands around a nice juicy burger. People were walking up to the complimentary peanuts that were on hand, but oddly, the floor was very clean. My Five Guys experience in the past was filled with images of empty peanut shells all over the floor. It added to the ambiance of the place.

All around me I could see content, happy faces. I don’t think I saw any frowns or looks of dissatisfaction. It was my turn to order. I ordered a Cheeseburger with onions, lettuce, ketchup and mayo. In addition, I got the Five Guys Fries. They offer another version of their fries, Cajun Style, which I did not get. Once I placed my order, my burger was up within 8 minutes. The crew behind the counter kept things going.

I took my order to go. The place was packed and so was the outdoor seating. But the real reason I got mine to go is that there is an In & Out about 3 miles away and I wanted to do a side by side comparison.  So off I went, got back on Tustin Avenue and headed North. The In & Out had a short drive thru line. I ordered a Double-Double.

I raced home and quickly took my burgers out of their bags and onto their plates. I live about 17 miles away, so this comparison better be worth the 34 round-trip miles!

So let’s talk about Five Guys first. You get more meat in their burger and for me, it tasted better than the In & Out Double-Double. For me, the In & Out burger is also saltier than Five Guys. Another difference you notice from the first bite is the bun. Five Guys has a softer bun with Sesame Seeds, while the In & Out bun is your regular old bun. During the ride home, it seemed that the Five Guys bun survived better. Each bite was into a soft, billowy bun. In addition, you can actually taste the beef of the burger. In & Out, not so much.

So let’s talk about the fries. I have to say that I am addicted to the In & Out fries which are skinnier than their Five Guys counterparts. The folks at Five Guys keeps the skin on their potatoes and you get a meatier stick of potato at Five Guys. If you look on their wall, they list where their potatoes come from. The Five Guys fry didn’t survive the ride home so much. By the time I got them on the plate, they were soggy. But to their defense, so were In & Out’s. Tastewise, I prefer the In & Out fries. But to be honest, I’m not much of a french fry guy.

So for me, the burger award goes to Five Guys, but the fries go to In & Out!

Make the trip out to Orange or up to Carson to get a bite of this East Coast legend. You won’t regret the drive, trust me!

Five Guys Burgers
1549 Katella Ave.
Orange, CA 92867
714-532-5544

After looking at the menu, I decided I would try the Halibut ($13.95), grilled with a side of rice and slaw. Turns out they ran out of rice and I had to settle for french fries. I also opted to try their a-la-carte Taco special (2 for $5.50)with one grilled shrimp taco and one breaded and fried shrimp taco. Fellow foodie, Niyaz at the OC Register said his dish was more fine dining in appearance than it was fast-casual so I was looking forward to a nice meal this evening.

It was about 8:00 in the evening and there were probably about 6 other patrons in the restaurant. There were no “Now Open” signs in the window and the tinting of the windows makes it looks like it was closed from the outside. The inside of the restaurant is very spartan with nothing on the walls. From a design perspective, I would have lowered the hanging lamps another foot closer to the tables and I definitely would have had some art work on the walls to make it feel a bit more cozy. The tables weren’t adorned with anything except the salt and pepper holders. A displayed menu would have been nice too.

So 15 minutes came by (the cashier came by twice to apologize and assure me it was on its way) and I was presented with my dish. My halibut was a small piece with fries and slaw spread out over a large plastic plate. Hardly the fine dining experience my colleague experienced. I overheard the couple at the other table who also just got their food and they said they expected more fish for the money. He went on to say that the Olive Garden had more bang for your buck. Unfortunately I had to agree. I paid $13.95 for my dish.

I was hungry so I dove in. First of all, it was salty. Another couple two tables behind me said the same thing a few minutes after I got my food – so I know I wasn’t the only one thinking that. The halibut was a bit overcooked. The slaw was tasty and I tore thru that. So what about those fries?? They were cold and weren’t fresh. Needless to say, they were left on the plate. For 15 minutes of waiting and not getting my original rice selection, I would have hoped I would have gotten fresh fries.

So let’s move onto the tacos. Both were served on flour tortillas (you have a choice of flour or corn when you order), cabbage and their version of pico de gallo. I actually liked their condiments, small diced pieces of jalepeño gave it a kick. But the disappointment here wasn’t the flavor (I actually liked it) but it only had one shrimp in the taco cut up into three pieces. Honestly, I think I get more shrimp in a Del Taco Shrimp Taco than I did here. Both the grilled and fried shrimp tasted great, I was just yearning for more. The cabbage and pico de gallo were about 85% of the filling.

I really wanted to like this place. But after several attempts to eat there and being greeted with a closed sign (three days after their opening date) then getting the food I had today, sadly I am not impressed. I will go back there in two weeks and see if things have gotten better there.

Corner Fish Grill
26051 La Paz Road
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
949-454-1800

Yes, another sub. For frequent readers to the blog, you know I have been on the hunt for my perfect Italian Sub. So far I have been to several places here in the OC and so far, no one has come close to my all-time favorite sub called The Milano. Two types of Italian hams, provolone cheese and Genoa salami all served on hard  Italian roll, just a little on the hot peppers, lettuce, onions, oregano, and their special dressing. I sometimes get extra meat on it. Now remember, they wrap their sub tight in white butcher paper and I don’t touch it for at least 30 minutes. This gives time for the dressing to seep into the bread and into the meat. Where do you get one of these subs? The Italian Store in Arlington, VA.

Now back to Cortina’s. This is quite the busy place. In addition to the great subs, they also serve pizza. You order at the counter, cash only, and your order is called out when ready. They have a roomy seating area with a few flat panel TVs. When I got there, the eating area was full, there was a line at the counter and parking was at a premium.

So how about that sub? It was good, not what I was looking for, but it was good. Lot’s of meat, dressing had good flavor – I just didn’t like the bread. Lettuce was fresh as were the other ingredients like the red onions and tomatoes. My sub was loosely wrapped in sandwich paper and then placed in a bag. I left it in the bag to “steep” for about 30 minutes before I sampled the Cortina’s Special. In my sub was dry salami, cotto salami, capicolla, mortadella, provolone cheese and their dressing on a French roll (why not an Italian roll?).

I enjoyed the sub and ate all of it. It just wasn’t reminding me of home back in DC. I will certainly need to return to Cortina’s to try out their pizzas.

Cortina’s Italian Market and Deli
2175 West Orange Avenue
Anaheim, CA 92804-3556
(714) 535-1948

So I’m driving down to the beach and decide to take the long route and drive along PCH. What a beautiful day. Lots of people watching on my part. Suffice it to say, it was difficult to concentrate on driving.

The place I’m heading to is John’s Philly Grille. A little shack off Beach Blvd. Here you walk up and order from the outside and there is seating outside under a few tents next to the shop. Nothing fancy here, just order and wait for the cook to yell your name and pick up your order. I ordered a 1/2 Cheesesteak with grilled onions, no peppers. Just your regular classic Cheesesteak. You can also order it with Green Peppers, Mushrooms or all three!

While I was there, I saw they had an Italian Sub (what they call the Philly Hoagie) on the menu. Score! I ordered a 1/2 Italian Sub. The sub comes with Ham, Salami, Capicola and Provolone with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, oil and vinegar, oregano and hot peppers on request.

I took my order to go and drove around near the beach before I found a place to pull off the road and enjoy my sandwiches. It must have been at least 15 minutes before I had my first opportunity. Both sandwiches were wrapped tight in white butcher paper. The cheesesteak was full of oil and wasn’t dripping, surprising since it sat for 15 minutes. So the first thing that caught my attention was the bread. Crunchy on the outside, soft in the inside. This bread flaked when squeezed and I liked that very much. Most places use a soft sub roll. The flavor was good, they actually seasoned their meat and the onions didn’t over power the meat. The cheesesteak I had at Philly’s Best had large chunks, yes chunks, of onions and it wasn’t grilled all the way. Nothing was worse than biting into a huge piece of onion. At John’s the onions were sliced thin and grilled first then added to the meat. This was a good sandwich, I was happy. I wish John’s had a location in South Orange County. No matter, driving up to HB for the occasional cheesesteak fix wasn’t going to be a problem for me!

So what about that Italian Sub? Well I have to be honest and tell you that the 1/2 size Cheesesteak filled me up. It wasn’t until I got home about 2 hours later that I had my sub. Again, this is the same bread they used on the cheesesteak. Even after a couple of hours, the bread still had a slight crunch to the outside, but the wait has allowed the oil and vinegar and oregano to absorb into the bread. This is key to any Italian sub in my opinion. Order your sub, make sure it’s wrapped tight in butcher paper and let it sit. Give it time for the oil and vinegar to work its way from the center to the outside. This is your simple Italian sub, but it was fantastic when it came to the flavors. Even 2 hours later, it still tasted like it was just made.

I’ve had Italian subs now from Claro’s in Tustin and from Lucci’s Deli in Huntington Beach. So far, John’s comes in first, then Claro’s (a VERY close second) and then Lucci’s.

Do you know of a place that has a good Italian Sub? I’m looking for a crusty bread, good seasonings and good Italian meats. If you know of a place I need to try, let me know!

John’s Philly Grille has three locations, the one in Huntington Beach off Beach Blvd, another in Seal Beach off PCH and a third at Edinger and Goldenwest also in Huntington Beach.

John’s Philly Grille
20379 Beach Blvd.
Huntington Beach, CA
714-969-8755

They actually opened on Monday, so today is their 3rd day of operations. The line was long but moving to get to the ordering counter. The inside was done in light wood colors and I was looking for hints of the old Johnny Rockets, but honestly I don’t member much of the old place to make a comparison. People in line were making their choices from the menu above against a maroon background.

I have heard many talk about The Habit, but I have never been to one. Tonight would be my first. My friend Karen and I decided we were going to split our entrees and that she would get fries and I, onion rings. We were also looking at the drinks and noticed that they had shakes made with real ice cream. But right next to it was a selection of Malts. When was the last time you had a malt? Better than that, when was the last time “I” had a malt. The answer, never. That’s right, even though I grew up in the Midwest, I have never had a malt. The closest I have ever come is eating half a box of Whoppers when I was a kid. So what were we to do? We both ordered malts. Karen had mocha and I had vanilla.

We both decided to eat outside since it was still nice out and the sun was just about to set. Within 6 minutes our orders were ready. Karen ordered the #1 which is their Charbroiled Burger with Fries and a drink, while I opted for the Chicken Club Sandwich on a French Roll with onion rings. The burger had all the fixings except for the peppers which can get at the condiment bar. Karen also ordered cheese and it was oozing over the side. Her fries were crispy on the outside and came in a paper basket. My chicken sandwich came with bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo and much to my dismay, avocados. I’m allergic to avocados. I took a bite into the sandwich only to find that there was a layer of diced avocado in the sandwich. I scraped the avocado off the sandwich and proceeded. There was a slight tingling in my lips, but it was bearable so that I could enjoy the rest of my sandwich.

I did mention I had onion rings right? This was the highlight of my evening actually. Yes, the onion rings trumped the burger and the chicken sandwich. Extra crispy on the outside, not greasy at all and I could taste the onions. It too came in a small paper basket, but it was the right amount. The rings came with a side of ranch which was perfect.

The burger was ok. The meat had some flavor, but it seemed lost in a sea of cheese, lettuce, grilled onions and toasted bun. It not a big patty by any means. But for the price, $5.95 for a combo, I think was just fine. The Chicken Club sandwich was good after I took the avocado off! [smile] The toasted french roll was a nice contrsst to the juicy chicken breast – well seasoned. I’m probably more apt to come back for the Chicken Club over a burger. The fries were crisp on the outside, but just a tad greasy. It was the only thing was had that wasn’t completely eaten.

In addition to burgers and sandwiches, The Habit also has a selection of entree salads, shakes, cones, sundaes and malts. Oh! The Malts. So I got the vanilla malt. I took a sip and it instantly brought me back to one of my band trips in high school and eating Whoppers (the candy). The difference between a milkshake and a malt is the addition of barley in the mix. Quite tasty I have to say and I sipped it quite loudly to the very bottom!

Established in 1969 in Santa Barbara, California, The Habit is dedicated to delivery quality food made to order and has been a tradition for over 30 years here in the Southland. This week they opened their newest location in Lake Forest. Looking behind the counter, they grill all the patties to order and nothing sits in a warming bin and the fries are dropped for each order. The staff was very happy and the managers on staff still had big smiles on their faces even after a long day since opening. Congrats to the Habit family, welcome to the neighborhood!

The Habit
23632 El Toro Rd., #A,
Lake Forest, 92630
(949) 206-9110

Mon-Sat: 10:30am-9pm
Sun:11am-8pm

My monthly foodie dining group met on Saturday to enjoy dining at Park Ave in Stanton. Stanton you asked? Yes, this central Orange County city that isn’t exactly known for its culinary accolades is host to one of the OC’s top restaurants. Nested in the elbow of a trailer park off Beach Blvd is this foodie gem.

Orange Coast Magazine named Park Ave as the Top restaurant in the OC this year in their annual Restaurant edition. Chef/Owner David Slay is no stranger to the restaurant world. He is a third generation restaurateur. The restaurant has a definite retro look that I will call “Brady-esque”. The restaurant looks like the Brady Bunch house and the inside does too. The bar area had these lighting fixtures that looked like something from the sixties (satellite looking fixtures). I want one in my apartment.

When I turned into the parking lot it was still daylight and was excited that I would have good lighting. I walked into the entry and it was pretty dark in the restaurant. They had all the shades drawn and lighting was down to like 25%. I tried to take pictures, but they didn’t looked good, so I apologize that there are no pictures of the food – whatever photos I did take were marginal at best. I will have to return during lunch service to capture the magic at the Park Avenue Restaurant.

We started our evening with a selection of openers. Kennebec Potato Chips with Ranch Dressing, Lobster and Corn Fritters, BLT Whole Wheat Flatbread and a Lobster Mac n Cheese in a spicy cheese sauce. The Kennebec Potato Chips were light and crisp and I loved the Lobster Mac n Cheese, but my favorite of the night were the Lobster and Corn Fritters. It came with a Red Pepper Mayonnaise that I didn’t dip into. There was a streak of red liquid on the plate that was described by the server as “fire”. I took my fritter and slid it against the streak of red and while it was HOT, it was the perfect accompaniment to the fritter. Great lobster and corn ratio. I could have eaten the entire plate. The flatbread was my second favorite. A BLT on flatbread – great flavor. The Lobster Mac n Cheese (you can NEVER have too much lobster…) was creamy and flavorful. The pasta (shells…of course to match the sea and lobsters) though I wish I saw large chunks of lobster in the cheese sauce. Admittedly, it was dark, so I may have missed them.

We took the opportunity to walk around the restaurant. Did you know that Slay has a garden on the property? The property is actually quite large. In the far end of the property he has a garden. Let me re-quote…he has a large garden. Tomatoes, herbs, several varieties of greens – all growing right there ready for him to harvest at anytime. There is also a large outdoor area that he recently got permission to use to add an outdoor patio area. They use this large area for special events. Its a beautiful area. Next to the garden is an old shed that was host to a couple of old cars and tractor. There was also a wooden table that they use for special events. How awesome would it be to have a somewhat secluded dinner in the garden.

Our dinner choices for the evening included:

Grilled Rib Eye Steak Brushed with Herb Butter, Twice Baked Cheddar and Chive Potato

Whole Boneless Chicken Stuffed with Spinach and Whipped Potatoes, Pan Juice Sauce

Texas Antelope Medallions, Pear Risotto, Red Wine Demi

Pan-seared Salmon with a Beurre Blanc over wilted spinach and creamy mashed potatoes

Pasta tossed with vegetables in a light wine sauce

My dish was the Pan-seared Salmon. A nice sized piece of salmon, pan-seared, skin-on. The salmon was cooked well sitting on top of wilted spinach over mashed potatoes. There was a beurre blanc sauce (butter/wine sauce) that didn’t drown the ingredients. I finished my plate in about 10 minutes.  I wanted more. Honestly. Ed, Lisa’s husband,  had the Grilled Rib Eye and next to him Tim had the Texas antelope. Lisa had the Vegetable Pasta dish and her dad had the boneless whole chicken. Diane had the Warm Spinach Tossed Table Side Pepper Bacon, Warm Herb & Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

We were surprised with a selection of desserts – Fruit Glazed Cheesecake with a Raspberry Sorbet, a Flourless Chocolate Cake and a Warm Butter Cake with Caramel Sauce and Whipped cream for the birthday boy, Ed. I ordered a small cup of the raspberry sorbet. I had a little bit off the cheesecake plate and had to have some all to myself! :)

We had a great time there. I was quite saddened that the pictures that I did take were very dark. I will return and give another report. We had lots of great conversation and fun was had by all.

Park Ave.
11200 Beach Blvd.
Stanton, CA 90680
714-901-4400
www.parkavedining.com

Let me start by saying that R Gang Eatery just had their soft opening only 8 days prior. Rich plans on his Grand Opening event to take place in July according to staff members. Rich is still working the menu and trying out new items for possible inclusion on the menu. Rich has hired a diverse group of people at the restaurant and we happily greeted and seated quite promptly. Each staff member was courteous, attentive and genuinely looked like they were happy to be there. I’m not sure if these are all hand picked by Rich himself, but he’s got a good crew there.

Tim and I opted to sit outside as there was still some natural light outside and hoped we could take advantage of it for the photos. We glanced over the menu and drink list which had some interesting mixes. I decided to try the Strawberry -Basil Fling, while Tim had the Cucumber Cooler. The “fling” is a combination of house-infused Basil Absolut Vodka, shaken and muddled with fresh strawberries and a Balsamic Simple Syrup. The “cooler” is made with muddled fresh cucumber and lime wedges with Tanqueray Gin, topped with a splash of Sprite.

I absolutely enjoyed my Strawberry Fling – the basil was the surprise here and it works very well. I felt like it could have been just a tad bit sweeter and the bartender must have heard me from 50 ft away because my 2nd glass (yes, I just had to have another glass) was sweeter and it was perfect! Tim’s cooler was refreshing with the cucumber and effervescence from the Sprite. Tim had a second glass as well! What can I say, it was a long week, we drove 75 miles and it was nice sitting in the early evening air and enjoying our drinks!

So we told our server that we wanted to sample a few things so we ordered three appetizers and three entrees. Earlier that day, Rich had announced on Facebook that they were introducing hand-made tater tots. I could never turn down anything made with potatoes so we got an order of those. In addition we ordered the Portobello Fries with a side of Chipotle Ranch Dip along with an order of the Honey-Bourbon Pork Tenderloin Skewers with Pecan-Mint Pesto.

We didn’t have a long wait before the appetizers arrived. First up the tater tots. Served in a parchment cone and a side of ketchup they were piping hot. They were crispy on the outside, but mushy to the touch when picked up. Not sure if that was intentional, but they kinda fell apart with picked up. Taste wise, they were seasoned well and with or without the ketchup, we ate them all. Next were the Portobello Fries. I need to make this at home because this was our favorite of the three appetizers we ordered. Large strips of Portobello, lightly breaded and fried to perfection. The Chipotle Ranch dressing was a great sauce for the fries. They weren’t greasy and the mushrooms were firm and moist in the inside. Bravo! The third appetizer was the pork skewers with a mint-pecan pesto. This for me was a bit disappointing. They skewered pork looked like it had been waiting under a light for quite awhile. I wanted to love the mint-pecan pesto but it needed more flavor. There were also a couple of candied pecans on the plate that I wanted to be sweet and crunchy – all I got was chewy. I think the flavor combo, had I tasted the honey and the bourbon would have been really nice.

While we were waiting for the entreés to arrive I took the time to notice the building. Rich has done a great job in transforming the space into the restaurant of his own making. Great color scheme and it seems like there was ample seating both inside and outside. I didn’t get a chance to venture to the second floor, but I’m assuming there was additional seating upstairs. The very popular bar area was crowded this evening and that just added to the excitement that was in the air that night. The fun in the bar played well with the dining customers outside.

So what did we choose for our entrées? Tim ordered the Minted Lamb Salisbury Steak and I went for the Skewered Shrimp over Cheesy Grits in a Squash and Tomato Confit. Our third dish was the Smoked Gouda Mac n Cheese with Soppresata. Mac n Cheese is another one of those dishes that I can’t walk away from.  Now we did experience quite a wait for our entrées. We had asked our server earlier to bring the dishes out as they were ready, instead they all arrived at the same time at the table. Now let me go back and say that they are still in shakedown mode. Our food was lukewarm at best and the only dish that was actually hot was the Mac n Cheese which may have just come from under the salamander. We both loved the Lamb Salisbury – great flavor, great texture of the meat, the sauce was well seasoned – it just would have been better if it was hot.

Now, why didn’t I send it back? I probably should have, but due to the wait for the dishes, we were both famished and needed to get some food in our stomachs. My skewered shrimp looked like it had been sitting for quite sometime and the cheesy grits weren’t so cheesy anymore. The shrimp was hard to chew and the grits had clumped up. I enjoyed the squash and tomatoes, but again, I think the experience would have been better if the food was hot. Now the Mac n Cheese was my favorite of the night – Tim wasn’t a big fan. The smokiness of the Gouda mixed with the soppressata worked for me. Rich had a crumb topping that was still crunchy yet light. We couldn’t finish the Mac n Cheese there so I took the rest home. Let it be known that I took the leftover Mac n Cheese home and enjoyed it all to myself in the middle of the night. Thanks Rich, now I want more!

By the time we got to the end of our entrées we noticed the guys next to use just getting their desserts. We leaned over and asked what they had and they both said we had to have the Rhubarb Crisp. We both ordered coffee and waited for the crisp to arrive. During a nice discussion of politics and world affairs, our coffee arrived and we both proceeded to cream and sugar our mugs. I took a sip and my coffee was cold – so was Tim’s. There was a theme developing here and while we made it thru dinner I can’t drink cold coffee. I told our server and he said that it would be another 8 minutes or so till we would get a fresh pot – so we continued our discussion of the war in Afghanistan and the BP oil spill. To redeem the cold coffee, the fresh brewed pot of coffee was perfect, though never got asked for a refill. The Rhubarb crisp arrived and let’s just say Tim and I devoured it. Not too sweet, not too tart, it was just right. A small scoop of vanilla ice cream on top with a caramel drizzle and we put our political differences aside – all because of dessert.

Now, we will be back in July after the Grand Opening and hope the startup kinks have been worked out. I hope the Mac n Cheese will still be on the menu and hope to try the Shrimp and Grits. Some of the other choices that we didn’t try was an 8 oz Angus Burger and Roasted Corn and Fennel Risotto with Seared Sea Scallops as well as a Curried Chicken Pot Pie. Tim and I had a great time despite the cold food.

Rich, congrats on your new restaurant and we look forward to the Grand Opening in July!

If you’re in San Deigo, please make it a point to stop by and try out the food. My review tonight may not have been the best, but I offer this as a launching point for Rich as he dissects the workings of his new place, refines the menu and continues to groom the best staff he can. Stop by and have some FUN!

R Gang Eatery
3683 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
619-677-2845

A few weeks back, I took a couple of friends of mine with me and went to the Pick Up Stix near our offices in Irvine. We got there about 1:00pm and found that it was pretty packed. They have an outdoor eating area that was equally full of patrons.

We all decided that we were going to each try something on their new Dragon Deal Menu. They have a selection of six different meals. We decided to try the New House Yakisoba Bowl, Beef & Broccoli Bowl, Orange Peel Chicken, Chicken Pad Thai and the Kung Pao Chicken Bowl.

The meals were wok’d fresh, no heating lamps here. Our meals came out pretty quick. We decided that we would all share out dishes with each other so we can each get a new taste.

It had been quite sometime since I had been to Pick Up Stix so it was nice to come back and try something new. The Kung Pao Chicken is always a favorite of mine. Tangy sauce, peanuts and chicken all served on top of fresh steamed rice. The Yakisoba Noodles had good taste but were a bit dry.

The Pad Thai was a favorite around the table as was the Beef and Broccoli. I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of Broccoli unless it’s in a Beef and Broccoli setting. Tender cuts of beef with bite sized florets of broccoli – fresh and still had  a good crunch to them.

The overall concensus at the table? A great value at $4.99 per bowl! There portions were just right and as you can see, we pretty much ate everything at the table!

I’ll have to return to Pick Up Stix to try some of their other entrees. The menu has changed alot in the last two years and it seems that they are definitely giving some of their competitors something to think about. Check out their menu online  and click to find the nearest location near you. If it has been awhile since you’ve been to Pick Up Stix, now is the time to eat there again.

Pick Up Stix
16163 Lake Forest Drive, Suite K
Irvine, CA 92618

With locations throughout Southern California, Arizona and Nevada!

www.pickupstix.com

There is one thing on the menu that I have focused on for the last week and that is the Tempura Eggs. These are soft-boiled, if not poached, eggs that are dipped in tempura batter, flash fried and then served over mesclun with a light vinaigrette. You crack the tempura “egg shell” and the yolk breaks and oozes over the crispy texture of the tempura. Mix in some of the vinaigrette and its perfection. It’s genius really. Chef Dee Nguyen, former executive sous-chef at the Ritz Carlton has opened this restaurant in the true spirit of family and devotion. Chef Nguyen has been thru alot of adversity over the last few years and decided to leave the Ritz Carlton to open a restaurant close to him family and cares for his family when not in the restaurant. His wife Lihn manages the restaurant while other members help at the restaurant and with caring for their son Berlin.

Break of Dawn is only open for breakfast and lunch leaving time for Chef Nguyen to spend time with his son. The inspiration he draws from each day he sees his family is put right back into energy towards his food at the restaurant. During my visit there we only sampled breakfast items like the smoked salmon. This isn’t your regular smoked salmon. These were tender thin slices of salmon resting on top of an oatmeal galette that was light despite it being oatmeal. Served with it was a poached egg and a tomato and fennel seed salad. Other dish at the table was a nice sized serving of Oatmeal with a Guava-Coconut syrup. Another surprise on the menu was the Portuguese-Hawaiian Sausage with Fried Rice and Two Eggs.  It’s just breakfast you say? Chef Nguyen is so playful with the design and taste, he adds something different to something ordinary and it becomes something brilliant.

I’d like to return to Break of Dawn for lunch and sample some of the other items on his menu including the Beef Short Ribs, Braised Duck, a Chicken Stew that is lightly curried in a Carrot, Edamame and Lemongrass Broth. He also has a meatloaf sandwich on the menu, but its a Vietnamese-style meatloaf served with an espresso gravy.

I will be back to visit Chef Nguyen time and time again. It’s halfway between my house and my office, so I have no excuse right? See you at Break of Dawn.

Break of Dawn
24351 Avenida De La Carlota
Unit N-6
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
949-587-9418
www.breakofdawnrestaurant.com

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