Subject: Ethnic and Regional Cuisines

• [¡Ask a Mexican!] Muy Caliente Summer Edition

  June 4, 2009

• Good Chicken Tikka Masala at the Olde Ship, But What the Hell is that "Naan"?

  The chicken tikka masala at the Olde Ship in SanTana? Two moist, slightly grilled chicken skewers coated with a thick tikka masala sauce. On top of a large mound of succulent jasmine rice with peas. Ramekins of a curry sauce that worked this time and yogurt more sour cream than raita. As good as you'll get with Indian food in a stateside English restaurant.But...the naan. The menu stated that a buck extra would get me some of the subcontinental bread standard. What the nice waiter brought out th

  June 1, 2009

• The Sad Demise of Taquería de Anda

  I grew up with Taquería de Anda. I remember it when it was a tiny wooden shack in Fullerton's rough Tokers Town barrio, and the lines went out the door every weekend morning, drawing from the many churches in North County that had just let out Mass. I remember seeing it evolve into a 24-hour restaurant next door to the original shack, the place Dad would take us after returning from a wedding in Los Angeles. I remember how it became the place for any Latino high schooler to go after a football

  September 8, 2008

• Update: Tokyo Table Opens Wed. Sept. 17 (and Special Offer)

  Tokyo Table, the first restaurant of many at the new Diamond Jamboree in Irvine, will have its grand opening tomorrow, Wednesday, September 17, at 5 P.M. The restaurant's already got two outlets in L.A. County (Beverly Hills and Arcadia). Other than the usual roster of rolls, teriyaki and tempura, this is a Japanese restaurant that looks like it wants to do EVERYTHING. The menu is as voluminous as those at Jerry's Deli -- but hopefully, better with the execution. A few things on it caught my

  September 16, 2008

• Izakaya is the New Sushi

  Have you noticed something lately? Izakayas -- the Japanese equivalent to the gastro-pub, tapas house, and neighborhood bar all wrapped up into one -- are popping up all over O.C. So many izakayas have opened lately, in fact, that the trend is obvious: Izakaya is the new sushi. Last year, Takashi Abe of Bluefin fame debuted his Izakaya Zero in Huntington Beach. Then the Wasa Sushi people introduced their Izakaya Wasa at the Irvine Spectrum. And a mere two blocks away from Honda Ya -- arguab

  October 1, 2008

• The Best Taqueria in Orange County: Taqueria Tapatia

  Apologies for the light posting this week, but am trying to stave off carpal tunnel syndrome. Also: image has nothing to do with the restaurant--it's just funny! I've been on the local lecture circuit recently, talking to students at Irvine Valley College, UC Irvine, and Saddleback High School. At all talks in Southern California, I tell the audience I'm the food editor for the Weekly, and that it's acceptable for them to ask for restaurant recommendations. Inevitably, someone asks about the be

  November 7, 2008

• Taqueria Guadalajara Offers 89-Cent Tacos, Wants You to Laugh at Economy

  Stylistic note: photo is not of Taquerias Guadalajara, nor is Calvin pissing on a location. He's pissing on the logo of the Chivas, the Guadalajara-based soccer team whose colors and goat mascot Taquerias Guadalajaras uses for promotions. Chivas pelan. For years, Taquerias Guadalajara was the pale runner-up to Taquería de Anda, the homegrown OC taco empire. But, as I noted earlier, Taquería de Anda's quality has fallen as precipitously as its prices have increased, leaving Taquerias Guadalaja

  November 24, 2008

• The Only Ponzu Sauce on Earth that Matters

  Everything that Edwin wrote about Hamamori in South Coast Plaza earlier this year is true--the sushi is creative and stunning (and, quite frankly, worth it), the sashimi a bit pricier but also divine, the entrees decadent. One appetizer he didn't mention, however, were the rock shrimp tempura with an accompanying ponzu sauce.Fried rock shrimp might seem beneath Hamamori, but the buttery coat and soft flesh was better than half the meals in Newport Beach--and, at $9 for a hefty offering, is one o

  December 8, 2008

• Thai Food: Endangered

  Reuters had an enlightening article today about how in Thailand, authentic Thai food is endangered because of "changing tastes wrought by globalization." And most lamentably "culinary shortcuts (that) have ended up changing Thai flavors, and placing some dishes in danger of extinction altogether."  The story goes on to say that "Convenience and cost are two reasons why Thai food is changing, spurring many locals to bemoan what they think of as the death of their renowned local cuisine."&n

  December 10, 2008

• Yoshinoya Now Does Sushi?

  OK. I'll admit it. I go to Yoshinoya....a lot.  As a kid, my parents decided that their beef and teriyaki chicken bowls were a better alternative than McDonald's or Burger King. And as with anything one grows up with, it's a comfort food that's hard to shake.  Also, it's cheap. It has rice. It has meat. And if you got the chicken bowl, you get a decent serving of veggies, eventhough it was covered in that flavorless cornstarchy goop.  I stick with these basics. The beef bow

  January 19, 2009

• Where Santa Ana's Segregationists Can Eat Mexican Food in Peace

  Cute, little, quaint Floral Park in SanTana--the place that holds segregated Halloweens and where a mansion gate states "Tara"--has its own Mexican restaurant: El Pico de Gallo Grill. It's located right at the entrance of the neighborhood--or rather, where the northbound entrance would be except that it's illegal to enter on Flower Street coming north. It's a big place, with a massive menu, but guess what? Pico de Gallo Grill ain't great.It's not just gabachos who eat here, although they remain

  January 23, 2009

• Question: What Does a Crosby Owner Have Against Downtown Santa Ana Mexican Restaurants?

  Answer: It gives him the runs.At least that's what can be surmised from the latest issue of Giant Robot, the excellent magazine of all things Asian and Asian-American co-created by OC native Martin Wong. In it, he interviews Chris Alfaro, one of the three guys behind The Crosby, the downtown SanTana hipster hangout whose food is hit-and-miss but whose drunk gals are legion. They talk about Alfaro's love of Del Taco, itself a sin but one that I have no right casting stones at because I think Jack

  January 28, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] An Acid Trip Through the Ocean of OC Ceviche

  June 4, 2009

• First of Two Reasons to Visit San Bernardino

  My chica has recently enrolled in a food preservation course offered by the University of California all the way in San Bernardino. She usually carpools every Monday with a chef who works at one of the Disney restaurants, but I drove the two of them last week, hoping to finally enjoy the mythical Rosa Maria's.Clockwork Coker, who grew up in San Berdoo, first mentioned this restaurant years ago as a place that opened and closed according to the owner's whims but that served amazing tamales. He ne

  March 17, 2009

• Can Anyone Beat Royal Khyber's New $10 Lunch Menu?

  I don't think so. For just a tenner you get two courses: a starter of either soup or salad, then an entrée from a choice of five (including chicken curry, tandoori chicken and veggie options such as saag paneer). Plus rice, vegetables and proper naan bread! Stitch that, Olde Ship, with your pita-masquerading-as-naan! (And, to answer your question, Gustavo, like you, we Brits call naan naan and pita pita!)South Coast Plaza Village's Indian eaterie is offering other prix fixes too: a $15 lunch de

  June 2, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] El Chile Picante Goes Easy on the Cheesy

  April 2, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] Say Mucho Domo Arigato to Wafu of Japan

  March 19, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] Bowled Over on Balboa at Macksan's Cafe

  February 19, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] Thanks, Readers, for Sending Me to Taquería Los Grandes

  February 12, 2009

• [This Hole-in-the-Wall Life] Pork Power at Banh Mi Ba Le in Westminster

  December 25, 2008

• [This Hole-in-the-Wall Life] Pay Teriyaki Forward at Tokyo Teriyaki

  December 4, 2008

• Pierogi Pressure

  September 18, 2008

• [This Hole-In-the-Wall Life] Attack of the Cheap Kebabs! At Naz Kabob

  August 7, 2008

• [This Hole-in-the-Wall Life] Tadig Into This at Green Rice

  July 31, 2008

• New Irvine Korean Barbecue Shik Do Rak Takes the DIY Aesthetic to a New (And Delicious) Level

  July 24, 2008

• [Hole In the Wall] Get Wrapped Up in the Signature Café

  April 16, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] Bánh Mì Déjà Vu All Over Again at Nhu Lan Bakery

  April 30, 2009

• New Gelato Shop To Open At Diamond Jamboree

  Edwin GoeiWhat's this? A new frozen dessert shop at Diamond Jamboree? And it's not another Pinkberry or Yogurtland clone? Finally, we discover that there is an entrepreneur out there who realized that the market is oversaturated with froyo and undersupplied with gelato.And if there's any frozen desserts were are more in need of, it's gelato. For reasons unknown to me, the milk-based Italian ice cream seems to be an endangered species around these parts. It's as rare as a platypus. When thi

  May 20, 2009

• Cracking The Code At George's Thai Bistro

  George's (Santa Ana) is a local fave of ours, not just for the decent Thai food but also for the counter-side eating (complete with corner TV) and ice-cold Singha beer. Plus which, portions are always big enough for two meals (dinner, plus lunch straight from the fridge the next day).But then there's the one-to-ten spiciness scale for the entrées, which can be baffling for first-timers--or even regulars, for that matter.While we do know people who have ordered "Ten Plus" and survived to tell th

  April 20, 2009

• Now Open at The District: Asian Mint

  Edwin GoeiI've never been so relieved in being so wrong.  As it turns out, Asian Mint at the District has no affiliation whatsoever with the Asian Mint's in Texas, as I previously guessed.  It is, in fact, a straight-up Vietnamese restaurant, not a Thai-sushi hybrid like their Lone Star State doppelgangers.They opened for business two days ago.  And the dining room is quite the looker.  It is, perhaps, too good.  In my experience with Vietnamese restaurants, there is an inverse relati

  May 21, 2009

• Annapoorna Offers a Distinctive Blend of Indian and Chinese Cuisine

  May 21, 2009

• Presentation: Japanese Tea Ceremony & Tasting

  May 28, 2009

• Boqueria's Tasty Tapas Hatches at Rooster Cafe

  May 28, 2009

• The Other Other White Meat at Zen Vegetarian

  June 25, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] Tasty Battleships at Alebrije's Grill Taco Trucks, Parked in Santa Ana

  July 23, 2009

• Traditions Offers Cheap, Hot, Delicious North Indian Cuisine

  July 23, 2009

• LA Times: De-odorized Kimchi Patented

  Edwin Goei​Breaking news: according to a fascinating LA Times article, someone has invented kimchi that doesn't stink. Now, I didn't know kimchi stink was even a problem, let alone one that needed fixing. To me, the Korean side-dish of Napa cabbage pickled in garlic, chili and ginger does not possess an offensive odor. In fact, I think it's got a glorious aroma. A little pungent, yes, but so are dill spears.It's still got nothing on the stench of the Filipino bagoong or the Indonesian tera

  July 29, 2009

• Julie & Julia & Pascal

  Courtesy Sony Pictures​ Another Pascal-related post?  Can you say movie tie-in?  All this week (ending Saturday) in conjuction with the opening of "Julie & Julia," that French chef of OC's French chefs, Pascal Olhats, is offering a few of Julia Child's favorite French dishes at Tradition by Pascal and Brasserie Pascal.  The two-course ($40) or three-course ($55) dinners can be chosen from a list that includes: - Beef bourguignon- Lamb stew- Sole meu

  August 6, 2009

• Upscale Mexican (Finally) Done Right at SOL Cocina

  August 6, 2009

• Anaheim White House Pays Delicious Homage to Julia Child

  Brasserie Pascal isn't the only restaurant with a Julie & Julia culinary tie-in. The Anaheim White House is another contender, running a month-long promo featuring dishes from MtAoFC (if you have to ask what that is, you haven't read the book or seen the film). Available until the end of the month for lunch and dinner, the rotating French dishes have been selected by Executive Chef Eddie Meza and Executive Catering Chef Maurice Brazier, who occupies one of only 100 seats of the Académie Cul

  August 12, 2009

• Recession-Time Sushi at Kappo Suzumaru

  You know times are tough when even a standard like Kappo Suzumaru in Tustin, still one of the better examples of serving serious Japanese food and sushi, was near empty on a Thursday night like yesterday. I've patronized this place for years, usually Thursdays for purely coincidental reasons, and have always seen it slammed from 6 p.m. until closing. My friend and I arrived around 8:30 p.m.--we were the only ones in the sushi bar the entire night.Suzumaru doesn't have the best sushi in the count

  February 6, 2009

• Full Moon Sushi to Open in Tustin at Old Haru Izakaya Spot

  Edwin Goei​I can't say I'm surprised. The spot previously occupied by Haru Izakaya -- the Korean izakaya I reviewed for OC Weekly and chronicled when it folded -- is being reworked into a sushi joint.

  September 17, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] Cochinita Pibil and Beyond at Anepalco's Cafe in Orange

  September 17, 2009

• Dueling Dishes--A Brace of Quick Curries

  ​Suffering through a horrid cold, I thought I'd sample two healthy-ish frozen, microwaveable curries, to try to clear out the sinuses.First up: Trader Joe's Chicken Vindaloo.​Now, as much as I love TJ's, I've had pre-packaged frozen entrées from them before, and, suffice to say, they were not a success. One, a disgusting concoction of chicken and blue cheese, was so vile it went from oven to trash almost without touching the plate. Yeuch!At least the ingredients are all natural, and, with 2

  September 24, 2009

• Osteria Drago Slated To Open In Fashion Island Spring 2010

  Picture Courtesy of Drago Centro​More details are coming in about the planned Osteria Drago, an Italian eatery with a Naples-style wood burning pizza oven and family-style dining, by Celestino Drago who brought you Drago Centro in L.A. The target date is vague, sometime around spring, but it will be will be located adjacent to Nordstrom, which apparently is debuting at the same time. One thing is certain, Osteria Drago will be moderately big, occupying more than 3,700 square feet, not incl

  October 21, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] Throw Pho Quang Trung's Chicken Pho Before Swine (Flu)

  October 22, 2009

• Kula Offers Sushi Not As Art, But As a (Still Tasty) Commodity

  October 22, 2009

• Myung Dong Kal Guksu in Anaheim Is a Temple of Korean Hand-Cut Noodles

  October 29, 2009

• Dueling Dishes: Battle Fish Taco

  Dave Lieberman​A great fish taco is a thing of beauty: fried fish (yes, it must be fried!) topped with raw, shredded cabbage, crema (thin Mexican sour cream), chunky salsa and a squeeze of lime on corn tortillas. The first time I had them ("Fish tacos? Seriously?") was when I was working in the San Gabriel Valley, home to the wonderful chain called El Taco Nazo. I was hooked instantly, both by the tacos and to the amazing fried yellow chiles kept covered on a foil-wrapped platter.Back then, al

  November 5, 2009

• Javier's Cantina & Grill Gets Bested

  November 5, 2009