Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa OK's Privatizing City Jail; City Workers Union Disses Weekly Coverage: Update

See the update on page 2 with the Costa Mesa City Council approving privatization of the city jail and the city workers union finding the Weekly's coverage of last night's vote lacking.ORIGINAL POST, JUNE 4, 1:05 P.M.: Those concerned about keeping their jobs at the Costa Mesa city jail have a full ... More >>

Earthquake DOES Jolt Costa Mesa: Update

See the update at the end of this post about the earthquake that struck Costa Mesa at 1:39 p.m. today.ORIGINAL POST, JUNE 4, 1:47 P.M.: Did anyone else just feel that?About five minutes ago, I felt a quick jolt under my feet followed by what sounded like someone running across my roof.Someone on the ... More >>

A Grenade of War! In a Park! Near a Duck Pond! And a High School! And It Goes Bah-Boom!!!

With the violence in the world, a dry-ice bomb going off at the Happiest Place on Earth and an Infiniti splitting in two and killing all the teen occupants in Newport Beach, it's refreshing to hear there can be a happy ending to a grenade being found in a public park and near a high school.The happy ... More >>

This Week In Food: Craft Beer Week, Bluth's Traveling Banana Stand, and MTV Being Dumb

Well howdy-do, and welcome to another week in food. This time around, Edwin reviewed Black Trumpet Bistro in Huntington Beach, and then he gave us the restaurant roll call for April. He announced the opening of Tootsie - a cute ice cream shop in Santa Ana. And last, he told us that MTV will soon ha ... More >>

Restaurant Roll Call for April 2013

Our monthly roll call of open and shut cases is a few days late, but here it is: the list of what we observed that's new and shuttered in the last month. Our general observation? A lot of stuff went down in Costa Mesa!

OC's Nekter Juice Bar Launches New Cold-Pressed Cocktail Mixers With A Party This Thursday (P.S. Free Booze!)

Nekter, a local juice-bar chain known for its green smoothies and other things that help us poop, surprised us with its latest offering: cocktail mixers. Hey, even health nuts need to put down their yoga mats and have some fun once in a while. The blends are called Nekter On The Rocks, a collecti ... More >>

Did Bobby Hatfield Lose That Livin' Feelin' from Plot in Costa Mesa Suicide Bomber's Essay?

Confession time: Like many in the media, I looked at Kevin E. Harris blowing himself up, having covered his Costa Mesa house in foil to prevent the government from reading his mind and writing the gubment was also behind the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson, John Lennon and everyone who perished ... More >>

Meiji Seimen, New Noodle Shop, Opens in Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa is OC's ramen country. We know this for a fact. But ramen isn't the only noodle game in town. There's also soba and udon, to name just a few other slurpable options. But so far, if I recall correctly, there's only one notable from-scratch udon maker in town: Sanukiseimen at the Mitsuwa Ma ... More >>

[UPDATED with I.D.:] Oscar Alaniz, Scooter Rider, Killed After Collision with Jaguar Driven by 98 y.o. Woman in Costa Mesa

See the update at the end of this post identifying the victim.ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 11, 9:13 A.M.: Fifteen years ago or so, picking up my son at a friend's home, I stepped onto a skateboard in the driveway and was promptly thrown on my ass. It was then I realized skateboards should have an expiration ... More >>

[UPDATED with Rescuers Put in Harm's Way:] Kyndall Jack and Nicholas Cendoya Saved

See Update No. 7 on page 3 about a recently concluded press conference giving a complete overview of the latest events in Trabuco Canyon.See Update Nos. 3-6 on page 2 about the man being found alive, the search resuming for the woman, Kyndall Jack being found and airlifted out and how it all happene ... More >>

[UPDATED with I.D., Condition:] Nam Q. Thieu Sets Self on Fire in Costa Mesa Nail Salon

See the update at the end of this post identifying the burned man and giving his condition.ORIGINAL POST, MARCH 25, 10:13 A.M.: There's already a fake reality show (aren't they all?) called Burning Love (hilarious!) on Yahoo and the E! channel, so a fellow who walked into a Costa Mesa nail salon Sun ... More >>

[UPDATE: Kid Arrested!] Pot Story of the Year: Kid Takes Pot Brownie to School!

*See bottom of this post for an update.Original Post, March 13, 8:27 a.m.: Sooner or later it had to happen: a kid gets his hands on a brownie, and not realizing it is laced with marijuana, he takes it to school and shares it with a bunch of his friends, all of whom become dizzy and sick to their st ... More >>

New BBQ Beef Stall To Open at Mitsuwa Marketplace Food Court

The corner stall to the right at the Mitsuwa Marketplace food court in Costa Mesa has seen many tenants come and go. The last one was The Loft, a satellite of the Hawaiian BBQ joint, which was successful elsewhere but faltered here where Santouka's ramen and Miyabi-Tei's bentos rule.

Burger Bash Fundraiser for Boys & Girls Club March 9

Food fundraisers feature some of the most lucrative combinations: Girl Scout cookies, pizza parties for soccer leagues and raffles involving hosted dinners are just a few that come to mind. Factor in a worthy cause, and you have the makings of something profitable. Deep pockets can whet their appeti ... More >>

[UPDATED with C.M. Results:] Lake Forest and Costa Mesa Held Sobriety Checkpoints Friday Night

See the update at the end of this post with the checkpoint results released by Costa Mesa cops.ORIGINAL POST, FEB. 15, 3 P.M.: The Orange County Sheriff's Department is conducting a sobriety checkpoint in Lake Forest starting at 6 tonight, while Costa Mesa kicks in with its own two hours later.Neith ... More >>

Greenleaf Gourmet ChopShop Selects Second OC Location

With a compound name like Greenleaf Gourmet ChopShop, it can be mistaken for vegetarian or carnivore eats. We still can't believe they sprouted last spring. Its spot on the corner of 17th and Westminster streets in Costa Mesa is bustling on a Tuesday, long after happy hour is over. So it's no surpri ... More >>

Restaurant Roll Call for December 2012

I think all of us who write and review restaurants get this question asked at least once, "Aren't you worried that you'll some day run out of restaurants to write about?"The answer is, of course, that it's impossible. Just as nurses will always be busy welcoming new babies into the world, we food wr ... More >>

The Flaming P at Pitfire Pizza, Our Drink of the Week!

Apparently there's a speakeasy in the back of the newly opened Pitfire Pizza in Costa Mesa, but you have to look in order to find it. I didn't know that, though, and I read the menu of cocktails available at the minuscule, no-seating bar up front. Then I looked at the garnish tray, which had mint, d ... More >>

'80s Holiay Dance Party

La cave

Restaurant Roll Call for November 2012

Time for another restaurant roll call, folks, our monthly blog post that summarizes what's new and what's extinct. The big news was Surfas. Dave called it the "F.A.O. Schwarz for cooks and chefs" and after a few fits and starts, it debuted their first O.C. store in Costa Mesa's ever interesting SoCo ... More >>

SoCo Farmer's Market "Farm to Food Truck IV" Happens THIS SATURDAY

Was it last year? I think it was, but anyhoo, I still have great memories of being a judge at SoCo Farmer's Market "Farm to Food Truck" contest, which pitted some of OC's finer luxe loncheras against each other in a Chopped-style contest utilizing the awesome produce found at the Costa Mesa treasure ... More >>

[UPDATED with Stats, Reader Right About 'Minority' Location:] DUI Checkpoint in Costa Mesa Monday Night

See the update at the end of this post about a commenter to our original post being correct about the checkpoint location being in a minority neighborhood and stats from the police department.ORIGINAL POST, NOV. 5, 6:09 A.M.: Sobriety checkpoints: they're not just for weekends and holidays any more. ... More >>

Steal This Sign

[Hey, You!] And then swipe all the other crap the candidates are leaving around town

Costa Mesa High Marching Band and Color Guard Need Help After Embezzlement Arrest

Last week's arrest of Jennifer Border-Piatti for allegedly stealing $40,000 from the Costa Mesa High School Band Booster Club has not only spelled trouble for the nonprofit's 50-year-old treasurer.It may have also doomed the school's marching band and color guard program.

Jennifer Piatti, Costa Mesa High School Band Booster Treasurer, Accused of Stealing $40k

Strange transactions involving the funds of the Costa Mesa High School Band Booster Club led to a complaint to police, an investigation and Thursday arrest of the nonprofit's treasurer.Jennifer Border-Piatti was held on suspicion of embezzlement after a search warrant was served on the 50-year-old's ... More >>

Umaimono Gourmet Fair At Costa Mesa Mitsuwa From Thursday to Sunday

We like our Costa Mesa Mitsuwa store for a lot of reasons. Find some of these reasons in our annual 100 Favorite Dishes countdown. They're also, of course, home to the venerable ramen purveyor Santoka. But then there's the reason why they always seem to grace the pages of this humble blog more often ... More >>

OC Weekly 2012 Election Guide: Costa Mesa!

Unlike other city election guides that have graced the benevolent blog pages of Navel Gazing, this one will take on a different format. A brief mention of the proposed city charter, titled Measure V, will precede an outline of city council candidates. Current council members tried to bring the initi ... More >>

Eric Bever, Costa Mesa Mayor, is Fly in Soup Kitchen Bowls

You might say Costa Mesa, California, officially went nuts years ago when the City Council closed a job center it had opened so employers could hire day laborers in a light-industrial zone instead of a city park where such meetings had been taking place. The problem with the job center? Laborers con ... More >>

Edifica Talks About Rap en Español's Place in OC

[Editor's Note: Spare Notes is a new Weekly music feature highlighting outtakes and personal stories from bands who just finished working their asses off to put out new music.]Eduardo Iniestra aka Edifica occupies a unique space with ever-expanding potential in OC's evolving hip-hop scene. The Cos ... More >>

Another New Ramen Joint Opens in Costa Mesa; Replaces Peruvian Chicken Restaurant

Let's count them, shall we: Santouka, Yamadaya, Mentatsu, Kohryu, Jinya, Daikokuya. These are what makes Costa Mesa the ramen cauldron of Orange County. I don't think there is any other town within our borders with a higher concentration of ramen joints and I'm not even counting the restaurants tha ... More >>

[UPDATED with Caller a Police Union Stooge?:] Jim Righeimer, Costa Mesa Councilman, Cop Critic and Pension Cutter, Alleges DUI "Set Up"

See Update No. 2 at the end of this post on media reports the false DUI caller is a Costa Mesa police union stooge.See Update No. 1 on a new Costa Mesa Police Department statement claiming the agency is super serious about investigating the false DUI report.ORIGINAL POST, AUG. 24, 2:25 P.M.: Costa M ... More >>

[UPDATED with Booking Photos, More Details:] Ciprian Patrulescu and Paul G. Patrulescu Held in Granny Attack

See Update No. 2 at the end of this post with booking photos of the suspects and more details about the attack.See Update No. 1 where a man who claims to be an arrestee says police got the wrong men.ORIGINAL POST, AUG. 22, 7:10 A.M.: An 84-year-old woman didn't want to eat with Ciprian and Paul G. P ... More >>

Costa Mesa Restaurant Week Starts Tomorrow

Doesn't it seem like it should be like the tenth year Costa Mesa Restaurant Week has happened, not just the second? But I checked: it was just last August that Costa Mesa officially launched its inaugural Costa Mesa Restaurant Week. Participating are just about all the big names in and around S ... More >>

Curtis Michael Regulus, Ugly/Fabulous Police Mugshot Poser, Busted Again for Perviness

Curtis Michael Regulus was sentenced in March to two years in state prison for rubbing his crotch up against a 14-year-old girl on a bus, kicked loose during the same month for time served and re-arrested eight days later for being a sex offender caught in a Costa Mesa park. A woman tells the Weekl ... More >>

[UPDATED with Victim I.D., New Details:] Gary Allen Smola, OC Homicide No. 28: Beaten to Death

See the update at the end of this post identifying the victim as Gary Allen Smola, 50, plus more details.ORIGINAL POST, AUG. 6, 8:25 A.M.: A man who lived alone in the 1700 block of Whittier Avenue in Costa Mesa was found beaten to death Saturday afternoon.Police responding to a 4:20 p.m. call of of ... More >>

Restaurant Roll Call for July 2012

Slower month than usual this time, as we observed only a handful of restaurants opening. Some of the notable ones include Early Bird, the breakfast joint that perennial food blog golden boy Joseph Mahon debuted in Fullerton. This month also saw the resurgence of the Japanese convenience store Famima ... More >>

Mitsuwa's Kyushu & Okinawa Fair Is Happening This Weekend

Mitsuwa fairs seem to happen pretty frequently, but even so, they're always reason to drop all lunch and dinner plans and take on the parking-lot madness for a taste of whatever Japanese treats and delicacies they're serving. This time, it's the Kyusyu & Okinawa Fair, and it's happening at ... More >>

OC Fair

Fifty Years of La Cave

Costa Mesa's steakhouse shrine to young hipsters and elderly cool cats alike knows the best is yet to come

New Police Brutality Case in Costa Mesa Today?

A witness to a Costa Mesa arrest that occurred this afternoon on 17th Street between Newport and Orange avenues contacted the Weekly alleging a brutal confrontation between police and an unidentified man. The witness, who didn't want to be identified, said police roughed the man up around 3 p.m ... More >>

Mochi Cream, New Dessert Shop, Opens At Mitsuwa Costa Mesa

The Mitsuwa in Costa Mesa has a new sweet addition to complement its roster of savory food stalls like Santoka and Sky Express. Mochi Cream is a, well, mochi cream, specialist--a dessert that's made by wrapping the sweet, glutinous rice paste called mochi around flavored fillings like red bean.The p ... More >>

Jinya Ramen Opens in Costa Mesa

As I reported two months ago, Costa Mesa has just become the undisputed ramen capital of OC. The first Orange County station of Jinya has now opened not far from Yamadaya and across the corner from the Marukai where, of course, Daikokuya, another LA ramen import, stands. Let's also not forget Costa ... More >>

Sobriety Stop Tonight in Buena Park, Saturday in Garden Grove; Costa Mesa Eyes Motorcycles

There's mucho police enforcement going on along Orange County streets, starting tonight with a DUI/drivers license checkpoint in the 8000 block of La Palma Avenue in Buena Park from 7 p.m. through 2 a.m. Saturday. The Garden Grove Police Department holds its own on an undisclosed stretch of that cit ... More >>

Top Five Hits: Factory Records in Costa Mesa

Here are the top five selling records from Factory Records, 440 E 17th Street in Costa Mesa, (949) 722-8101. This week's top position goes to the new Off! self-titled LP.

Restaurant Roll Call for April 2012

What a busy, busy month in this crazy business of restaurants. We Forkers observed everything from the opening of a new French restaurant by the ex-chef at The Cellar, to a new Brazilian BBQ, to another food truck gone brick and mortar, to a waffle sandwich shop that seems to challenge Bruxie.  ... More >>

Greenleaf Gourmet Chop Shop Opens in Costa Mesa With A Promo

Are you ready for another salad restaurant? After Freshii, Saladworks and Tossed, now comes Greenleaf Gourmet Chop Shop in Costa Mesa. This one actually has been in the works for a while. You may remember that I wrote about the Beverly Hills-based concept about this time last year while they were st ... More >>

Mop Jock

[Hey, You!] Gym etiquette for meatheads

Mysteries of Costa Mesa: Armalite and the Creator of the M16, a Walking Tour

​For reasons not entirely clear, Orange County isn't out loud and proud when it comes to its connection to one of the most famous battle implements of all time. In my efforts to discover the one-time Costa Mesa location of ArmaLite, developer of the M16, I was met with blank stares and should ... More >>

Another Lauded LA Ramenya Coming to Costa Mesa

​Did you hear about the ramenya that Jonathan Gold dubbed one of LA's 99 Essential Restaurants coming to Costa Mesa? No, not Ramen Yamadaya, which has been open for months. I'm talking about Jinya, the other slurp peddler that has restaurants in Studio City and the Miracle Mile of which Gold said ... More >>

Somewhere in Costa Mesa There's a Sobriety Checkpoint Saturday Night

​The Costa Mesa Police Department is running a DUI checkpoint Saturday night.As is agency policy, the location of the operation is not being released.Wherever it is, it's scheduled to run from 8 p.m. through 2 a.m. Sunday.