Subject: Tea

• Morning cream

  Score! Japanese pastry chain Beard Papa's is opening its first OC "Sweet Cafe" in Santa Ana this morning. This place is a cream puff haven - one I first stepped into in the Philippines and was delighted to see in West L.A. last year. And now, right down the street? Oh ho ho. Just when I thought you didn't like me, God. Weird name for a pastry shop, true, but amazing quality. Vanilla's the best flavor, green tea a distant second. Santa Ana / Main Place Mall 2800 North Main Street, Suite 572A

  August 10, 2007

• New Flavor at Beard Papa's in Costa Mesa

  Unless you follow foodie bulletin boards and blogs, chances are you haven't heard of or had a Beard Papa's cream puff. That goes double if you don't normally venture out of Orange County, where there are only two outlets of this Osaka-based chain. There's one at Santa Ana's MainPlace Mall, and another at the Japanese market in Costa Mesa that isn't Mitsuwa: Marukai. Both opened a year ago to little fanfare and zero hype. From the first few weeks in business to now, visit either location

  June 22, 2008

• Diamond Jamboree = More Asian Eateries = More Fun

  Good things do happen in Irvine, even if it's going to make traffic even more hellish. It's called Diamond Jamboree Center, a sprawling shopping complex you might have seen being built on the corner of Alton and Jamboree Rd. So far, just the signs are up. Finishing touches are still being made. But already you can tell, this is going to be interesting. I'm rubbing my hands as I type this. (Well, not at the same time, obviously.) First there's H-Mart, a Korean grocer. And then Tokyo Tabl

  September 3, 2008

• H-Mart and Guppy Tea House Open at Diamond Jamboree

  When it rains it pours. Last Friday saw at least three stores opening at Diamond Jamboree Center. On the weekend, it was H-Mart, -- the anchor (and only) supermarket -- and Guppy Tea House. Either that or they both just won the Kentucky Derby. There were wreaths of flowers, balloons, the works. The parking lot was a mess, as we all expected, but there was at least a concerted effort to keep it under control. Those entering the complex through Millikan Ave. side were directed by uniformed

  September 29, 2008

• Summer-Rama!

  June 1, 2000

• New Ice Cream Flavors: I Like Where This is Going

  On the Chowhound boards a few years ago, I remember someone asking for tips on where to find green tea ice cream.  We pointed him to the frozen dessert section of 99 Ranch or Mitsuwa. This weekend, I found it green tea ice cream at Vons.  Let me repeat:  AT VONS!!! What's even more amazing was that it wasn't Magnolia, Mashti Malone, or even Fubuki (which is the only brand that I knew of that made green tea ice cream) -- this was Safeway Select, the store brand! Surely there's no better indi

  December 22, 2008

• Gustavo's Top Five Drinks of 2008

  Hint to restaurants: you'll get in my better graces if you offer great, non-alcoholic drinks. Beverages rank high on my palate, and I'll never forget the banana soda offered by a long-gone Honduran restaurant. Here, then, were my favorite drinks of the year.1. Maker's Mark, neat, at Memphis at the Santora. Yes, you can get Maker's near everywhere, since the cool kids want to play hillbilly nowadays (but do they know the joys of getting blotto in high school on Jim Beam while cranking "Rocky Top"

  December 31, 2008

• Midastee Brews A Mighty Fine Cuppa In Brea

  I'm always in favor of the underdog, or at least giving them a shot, and, when it comes to eating out, that basically means anything that's not a chain.That's why it was nice to discover a new tea shop in Brea. The nearby Starbucks had closed anyways (it's about to be replaced by a branch of Yogurtland--because there aren't enough froyo shops, seemingly). And the Seattle's Best Coffee inside the local Borders is perennially overrun with students who take root with their textbooks and laptops and

  March 6, 2009

• Bunny Love

  July 17, 2008

• Afternoon Tea at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point Means Making Your Friends Envious

  April 24, 2008

• Pinkies Up

  August 23, 2007

• Mmm . . . Vittles

  Hardtack, biscuits & gravy, salt pork, beef jerky, burritos, falafel, & banh mi—you know, cowboy  food

  September 20, 2007

• The Sweet Art

  At Cafe Blanc, Tomi Harase makes desserts worthy of a gallery

  August 16, 2007

• Grub Guide

  February 23, 2006

• Steaming Art

  January 5, 2006

• Tea and a Bit of Joe

  May 12, 2005

• Tea and A

  March 10, 2005

• Cha, Cha, Cha

  August 31, 2000

• Is That a Badge in Your Pocket? Or are you just happy to see me?

  March 25, 1999

• OC Punk Rock Picnic

  Tickets for the OC Punk Rock Picnic 2 are on sale now. The lineup includes the Adolescents, Cadillac Tramps, SiX, Franki's Broken Toys, Noise Attack, Terezodu and lots of other bands I've never heard of. The event goes down Saturday at Irvine Lake.   While I'm in favor of this, the idea of a punk rock picnic conjured all sorts of images in my mind. What does one bring to a punk rock picnic? Should I pack my brown basket with English flag napkins instead of the traditional red-and-white

  April 22, 2009

• The Sushi's The Real Deal At Wasa, But The Entrées Are Dull

  Had a great meal at Wasa Sushi at the Bluffs, Newport Beach, on Saturday night. The mall location is pretty uninspiring, as is the shouty 'WE'RE OPEN' sign in the window, but once you're inside the diminutive space it's a different story.The sushi excels, but the main courses lack inspiration. Put it this way: salmon teriyaki is about the most interesting choice on the short list. Very good it is too--a great-quality slab of fish, served over green beans and surrounded by an elaborate swirl of s

  July 13, 2009

• Life on the Veg: Noorani Halal Tandoori in Garden Grove

  Dal Urad​Noorani's Halal Tandoori Restaurant is a hole-in-the-wall type establishment that is pretty easy to overlook, particularly amid the clusterfuck that is Little Saigon's urban design. If you do notice, chances are you'll experience a moment of severe disorientation when you realize you're looking at a Pakistani restaurant in... well, Little Saigon. It may look like a fish out of water, but since it has been located on the same block for about 20 years, it's most likely that the outgrowt

  November 18, 2009