Restaurant Reviews

On The Line: Tony Lu Of The Slummin' Gourmet - Part One

"Orange County has the best patrons! Our Orange County followers are loyal, supportive, encouraging and generous. We love serving here in the OC" - Tony Lu And that is how you start an interview! Tony Lu and crew have been truckin' between counties, offering luxe meals in an approachable lonchera s ... More >>

18th Annual Taste of Anaheim

GardenWalk

Lucille Kring, Anaheim Councilwoman, to 'Pop the Cork' in Wino Fundraiser With Resort Elite

This is no April Fool's gag, but the joke's on Anaheimers: Three-time city councilwoman Lucille Kring successfully campaigned last year as an 'independent' politician. "I have...no special interest support," she told working-class Latinos at an Anna Drive candidate forum last October. "I always say ... More >>

Ten Great First Date Restaurants

Date night. Everyone looks forward to a date except the person who has to plan it, and it's even worse when it's a first date or blind date. It has to be normal--not everyone loves loncheras, for reasons I don't fully grok--and it has to be expensive enough that you don't look miserly.So let's talk ... More >>

Pisco Sour at Inka Mama's, Our Drink of the Week!

To be honest, I usually avoid ordering Pisco Sour, or that bubble-gum-flavored Inka Cola, or anything other than plain ol' ice water whenever I visit a Peruvian restaurant. I am forever in search of a properly made saltado--that classic melting-pot stir fry of Chinese wok-technique and Incan ing ... More >>

OC Register Readers Name Subway The Best Sandwich Shop In Orange County

There's no reason to be surprised at OC Register's annual "Best Of Orange County" winner's list. This is Orange County, after all. And these are Register readers, after all. Still, every year, we weep inside.  

Five Suggested Job Requirements for the New Orange County Register Restaurant Critic

Have you read the job posting for the Orange County Register's new restaurant critic?I'm actually surprised; they're calling for a critic who will delve into Little Saigon and Little Arabia (note to the editors over there: it hasn't been called Little Gaza in years), who is at home in high-end resta ... More >>

An Update on Harry's Deli

Got some news from the man himself, Harrison Kho, about what to expect when his beloved Harry's Deli opens again after a long hiatus.First of all, plans to open next week (August 6th) have been pushed back. The new date is August 13th. Harry says that this should be the last delay.

Former Filling Station Owners Open Juliette Kitchen & Bar

When John Hughes and Hyun-Sook (Juliette) Chung, the husband-and-wife original owners of Orange's Filling Station sold their restaurant in 2010, we broke the news with a heavy heart. Chung, the woman behind the best pies in Orange County had burned out from being a one-woman bake shop. But we just g ... More >>

On the Line: David Man of Palm Terrace and Lounge, Part One

When you've got a resort view like that from your dining room, life should be pretty mellow, right? Yet David Man became a tad nervous when I hit the record button. He had nothing to worry about, though. Once we started exchanging Bay Area stories about our favorite ramen in Burlingame, I knew he wa ... More >>

The Hobbit Is Orange County's Precious

From the wine-cellar hors d'oeuvres to the seventh course, this homage to Bilbo Baggins is the Disneyland of dining

Five Things That Restaurants Do Wrong During Restaurant Week

​ Restaurant week should be a fun time. I should be excited for the menu debuts. I should be in mortal danger from all the overeating that I'm going to do. But no, in my short time in Orange County, restaurant week has only produced a few cheaper date nights and a resounding 'meh'. Though there a ... More >>

Semana Flamenka

Irvine Barclay Theatre

Final Pho Round 1: Brodard Chateau vs. S Vietnamese Fine Dining

Edwin GoeiBrodard Chateau's Pho​​Welcome to OC Weekly's Final Pho. Sixteen pho shops chosen from the more than 100 in the county; four critics who know what the pho makes a good bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. The chosen 16 will face off in each of our brackets, two by two. The next match-up has ... More >>

"Oh, Baby!" Valentine's Weekend Dinner Celebration

Winery Restaurant

Stick a Fork In It Welcomes Its Newest Blogger!

Flickr User Enokson​Those who are familiar with SAFII might know that I and this blog have been the lucky recipient of tips from Brekkie Fan. She has pointed us to discoveries too many to count. Before she became one of our most prolific tipsters, I enjoyed reading her passionate, honest, articul ... More >>

Beachwood BBQ In Long Beach to Have Something Original Doesn't

Photo by Todd Barnes​Good news out at the planned Beachwood BBQ in Long Beach for beer-swillers. Shangri-LA Food Blog got owner/chef Gabe Gordon to spill some details on the new restaurant and, particularly, what he has planned on the brew front.

Yelp Savages Red Medicine

"Real people, real reviews," my hind foot.​Gustavo wrote on Wednesday about S. Irene Virbila being unmasked by the partners at Red Medicine; I agree with him, with the following clarification: the restaurant was perfectly within its rights to decline her review and her reservation. Posting her pic ... More >>

Roy's Fall Prixe Fixe Menu

Courtesy of Roy's...​It was 98 F'in degrees out last week. Welcome to "autumn." There's no chilly nip in the air, no smell of fallen leaves, no sense of the coming snowboard season. On a day like this, my thoughts don't turn to spiced cider and pumpkin pie. I'm thinking of sitting under the shade ... More >>

Stephanie Dinh of S Fine Dining, Part One

Todd Barnes​This week, we meet the chef-owner of S Fine Dining, one of the few upscale-yet-authentic Vietnamese restaurants in Orange County. Vietnamese cuisine was informed the French occupation of that country, and many of those culinary influences thrive at this fine dining restaurant thanks to ... More >>

Three Perspectives on the Closing of Pupusódromo in Santa Ana

BAD: There aren't enough Salvadoran restaurants in Orange County, and that one of the few and longest-standing has closed down means Salvis are probably leaving their traditional OC homeland of SanTana for greener, more assimilated pastures. Pupusódromo didn't serve the best pupusas, but did serve ... More >>

New Tustin Korean Restaurant In Tustin Where There Once Was Another, and Another

Edwin Goei​I don't have a prize to give out, but I will offer a hearty attaboy to anyone who can tell me how many Korean restaurants have occupied the hut in front of Sushi Wasabi at the corner of Newport and Walnut in Tustin. My recollection has it at three. There was a joint called Happy ... More >>

Studio at the Montage Has Perfected Fine Dining

All Aboard for Murder

Reef Lounge

Fora is a Hidden Gem on Naples' Restaurant Row

Reminder: OC Restaurant Week Starts Sunday, Plus Demos at Bloomie's On Now!

​Oh, yes, it's time to take advantage of the county's best restaurants. In a good way, of course. From September 13 to 19 inclusive, more than 100 of them, from Ambrosia to Zov's, are participating in OC Restaurant Week by offering bargain lunch and/or dinner prix fixes, from as little as $10.Some ... More >>

"Reservations Recommended" For Old Vine Café's New Monday Happy Hour

I can't remember the last time I had to book for happy hour anywhere, but I guess something involving a tapas buffet would warrant it. That's what you get at the Old Vine Café's new Monday-night event, launching on July 20. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.The buffet costs $15 each, wh ... More >>

The Shorebreak Hotel's Chilled-Out Zimzala Hits The Spot

Seeing as I'd dissed Zimzala's management before even setting foot in the place, I thought it fair to actually check it out (anonymously, of course). I'm glad I did.The setting--within HB's groovy new Shorebreak Hotel--is unlike many other hotel restaurants. This is a destination restaurant, with a ... More >>

Seasonal Recipe From Sage

While fast food chains, on the whole, seem to be weathering the recessionary storm, some upscale eateries are having to bite the bullet and cut back their hours. Sage on the Coast is one recent casualty, shelving its lunchtime service on Mondays and Tuesdays.  It's a shame, but thankfully its t ... More >>

Marché Moderne's Market Is A Feast For the Senses

As I mentioned recently, Marché Moderne is celebrating two years at South Coast Plaza with a two-night special tasting menu and market for diners. Last night was the first night; I attended--and also Twittered about the experience. The food was superb, the dishes showcasing top-tier produce from th ... More >>

Marché Moderne Madness--And Redemption

A couple of weeks ago I ranted about the fact that my husband and I had to wait 20 minutes for a table at Marché Moderne on a Saturday night, despite having a reservation.When he saw my post, chef Florent Marneau had the decency to email me and apologize...It's a testament to Marneau that Marché M ... More >>

Valentine's Menus for Just About EVERY Restaurant at South Coast Plaza

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I got an unsolicited e-mail from a PR person working for South Coast Plaza's restaurants. This time, there's finally some information I'd want to share with you: the special Valentine's menus for just about every eatery at SCP. So if you were thinking of one of SC ... More >>

Sea Salt Perfection at Old Vine Cafe

A recent entry in the insanely popular blog Stuff White People Like pegs sea salt as something that, well, stuff white people like. Not really. This Mexican enjoys the flavorful seasoning, as does anyone who ever might taste it. And, after, you try the pecan tarts offered at Old Vine Cafe in Costa M ... More >>

Red Orchid Restaurant Grand Opening

Red Orchid Restaurant Grand Opening

Seeing Red

Long Beach Lobster Festival

Vieilles Vignes

Old Vine Dinner

Too Good for Its Own Good

Devour the regular menu—not the tasting menu—at Mesa

Moderne Love

If shoppings what ails ya, Marche Moderne is the cure

Claes Is Class

Great view, service, food, cocktailsand a stiff bill to match

Beach Bum Gourmand

This Hole-in-the-Wall Life

Less Whining By More Wining

Appreciating the ways of the oenophile at Tannins

Great Wall BBQ

Wild Game

The Bemusement Stops Here

Scallops, Meatloaf and More at the Green Parrot Cafe

A Guide to our Advertisers

A Very Little Tokyo

Sushi makes this teriyaki house

Yes, Mother

Mother India insists you eat seconds

A guide to our Advertisers

Guide to Our Advertisers

A Guide to Our Advertisers