Compiled by Gustavo Arellano, Joel Beers, Matt Coker, Rich kane, Steve Lowery, Vu Nguyen, Anthony Pignataro, Alison M. Rosen, Nick Shou, Buddy Seigal, Will Swaim, Jim Washburn and Dave Wielenga
We figured when we contacted folks who are making a difference—in good ways—and asked them their favorite places to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, they'd provide a list of Orange County restaurants as inspirational as their causes. Imagine our disappointment when it turned out their inspiration came in the form of Coco's, Denny's and Mimi's Cafe.
Memo to do-gooder: there is nothing remotely inspirational about Denny's.
[OC Weekly receptionist to editorial department: Denny's lawyers are on Line 1.]
Look, we recognize that culinary bliss is not foremost on the minds of folks engaged in death matches with the status quo. We understand that some must adopt a peasant-like existence—dining on raw rice, birdseed and stuff they find in the trash—especially if they are representing needy people who'd kill for a handful of birdseed. We know convenience dictates that many of our suburban warriors—who often hold full-time jobs unrelated to their fights—must choose places that are inexpensive and near their bases of operation.
But for God's sake, IHOP? I-FUCKING-HOP? Dogs in the county's Pet Hell pen have it better than IHOP.
[OC Weekly receptionist to editorial department: International House of Pancakes' enormously powerful and humorless legal team, Line 7.]
If the following responses are truly reflective of what Better Worlders consider choice spots, we're swapping our hemp sandals for wingtips, slapping on pinstripe suits and crashing the nearest three-martini lunch. Look for our winter restaurant issue: “Let Them Eat Cake: Where Orange County Republicans Feed Their Faces.”
Photo by Jack Gould
TIM CARPENTERTim Carpenter is for open space, a nuclear freeze, recycling, housing assistance for the poor, a U.S. military the size of a claw hammer, the United Nations, Native Americans, national parks and endangered fish. His heroes include Robert Kennedy and Jesus; though married with kids, he's more like the latter than the former. He is, indeed, a liberal's liberal, a man who thinks Franklin D. Roosevelt was thinking small (and that Eleanor was closer to the mark) and whose friends include Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, Jerry Brown, Jesse Jackson, Jane Fonda and Martin Sheen. He has run successful political drives for city hall, the state capital and Washington, D.C. He can call Senator Barbara Boxer and get her on the horn. He's a teacher at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, where his most recent achievements include selling Republicans Robert K. Dornan and Dana Rohrabacher on the idea of debating him in front of 40 high school kids. His greatest achievement? “Staying true to the progressive vision through 25 years of organizing,” he says, “getting up each day believing that one person really can make a difference.”
BREAKFAST: Always belongs to the daughter, Sheila. She rules breakfasts, and it's always Grand Slammin' pancakes at Denny's. I'm sorry to admit this. But it's true.
LUNCH: I should point out that Nikki's Tandoori catered my wedding. Lunches for me are almost always meetings—meetings I'd prefer to have at Rutabegorz. But when I have time to really enjoy lunch? Pepe's Finest Mexican Food in Fullerton. It's inside an old Naugles—remember Naugles? Pepe's is family-run, and everything's great, really, but I like the burritos. They've got four, and, man, each is as big as your head. My two other favorite things about Pepe's: it's affordable, and its not Del Taco.
DINNER: I'm totally politically incorrect when it comes to eating, and I don't usually eat out for dinner. But once every two or three months, when the budget can afford it, I'll be a complete and unabashed carnivore and go to Mulberry Street. It's a neighborhood New York City restaurant-and-bar kind of place in Fullerton—great ambiance. A nice place to duck out to when we don't want to venture far from home. And then I'll have a big slab of carcass; totally politically incorrect. (WS)
Denny's are located, like locusts, everywhere; Pepe's Finest Mexican Food, 821 N. Placentia, Fullerton, (714) 528-9291; Mulberry Street Ristorante, 114 W. Wilshire Ave., Fullerton, (714) 525-1056.
Photo by Jack Gould
JIM CAVIOLAWhen the city of Seal Beach hassled him over planting a tree in front of his home, Jim Caviola tore up concrete all over town, planted more than 600 trees along the streets, founded the nonprofit Trees for Seal Beach, and threw a huge beach party that raised enough money to hire grant writers to apply for funding to help him keep the trees—and his urban reforestation project—growing and growing.
BREAKFAST: There are three kinds of breakfast burritos at Nick's Deli, all for around $4, and all of them great.
LUNCH: I know a real cheesesteak sandwich because I'm from back East, and I get a real one at John's Philly Grill. It's with steak and cheese, of course, but no peppers.
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DINNER: The Original Fish Co. serves an amazing sautéed swordfish with pine nuts. It's tender and flavorful. Order it even if they don't have it on the menu. They'll still make it for you. They make it for me. (DW)
Nick's Deli, 223 Main St., Seal Beach, (562) 598-5072; John's Philly Grill, 20379 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, (714) 969-8755; the Original Fish Co., 11061 Los Alamitos Blvd., Los Alamitos, (714) 960-2229.
TED CRISELLTed Crisell popped up rather suddenly on the Orange County political scene last year by challenging Republican Dana Rohrabacher for his congressional seat. He lost badly. But Crisell and his eclectic collection of opinions and interests intend to try again. And again. “I'm gonna run against Rohrabacher in 2002,” he asserts, “and I'm going to keep running until I defeat him.”
BREAKFAST: I just discovered the Side Street Cafe, a real family place. I order a couple of eggs over easy with a huge plate of potatoes and rye toast with coffee, and it all tastes home-made.
LUNCH: Mimi's in Costa Mesa has a soup-and-sandwich combo—corn chowder with half a tuna sandwich on toasted marbled rye—that is out of this world and under $6.
DINNER: I recently celebrated my 55th birthday at Cafe Plaka Greek restaurant. They serve an unbelievable lamb, either leg or lamb chop, which I love with a glass of Greek rosé wine. It's a festive atmosphere, with belly-dancing and seating for almost 200 people. A great time. (DW)
Side Street Café, 1799 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, (949) 650-1986; Mimi's Cafe, 1835 S. Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, (949) 722-6722; and—ZOCK RAY BLUE!!!—so many other places; Cafe Plaka, 18633 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley, (714) 963-4999.
AMIN DAVIDAmin David is the head of the Latino activist group Los Amigos of Orange County.
BREAKFAST: In the mornings, I like going to Mariscos Chapala and ordering the machaca. Machaca is a shredded-beef dish served with eggs, rice, beans and tortillas. It is exceedingly tasty and authentic. It's the quality of beef that makes it so good.
LUNCH: My favorite place for lunch is Special Thai restaurant. The Very Special Thai chicken and shrimp with baby corn is very good.
DINNER: My wife and I enjoy going to Polly's Pies. What we enjoy there is Salisbury steak, and for dessert, we get the fresh peach pie. (VN)
Mariscos Chapala at 640 W. Chapman Ave., Placentia, (714) 996-1150; Special Thai Restaurant at 511 S. Brookhurst St., Anaheim, (714) 635-2920; Polly's Tasty Foods & Pies at 136 N. Raymond Ave., Fullerton, (714) 526-7741; also also 14417 culver Dr., Irvine, (949) 651-9425; also 3490 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, (562) 595-5651; also 2025 N. Tustin, Orange, (714) 637-3040.
Photo by Jack Gould
NADIA DAVISThe attorney and Santa Ana school board president first came to our attention as she was helping Arthur Carmona get out of prison without having to climb the wall. But that kind of stuff is pretty much in her blood, having been raised in a family that believed in public service and, sometimes, civil disobedience. Presently, she's part of a boycott of Tustin businesses because the former Marine Corps air base there has been designated a commercial property with plans for a Wal-Mart and the like. Davis and others believe some of the land could be better used for schools.
BREAKFAST: If it's a weekday, breakfast means Jamba Juice because that's all I have time for. But if it's the weekend and I have time to spend with friends, it would be the Chili Pepper. They have great food, great huevos rancheros. It's a very colorful place, lots of plants—the kind of place you go to hang out with friends.
LUNCH: I wanted to say this place in Tustin, but we're boycotting Tustin. It's Rutabegorz. They have one in Fullerton? Well, okay, let's say that one. They have great salads; they're humongous. They have a really great candied-walnut chicken salad. But their whole menu is the kind of food I like—fresh veggies, rice pudding. I love rice pudding, and they have the best.
DINNER: I guess Maggiano's. I like the food, but I really like the place. It makes you feel like you're in San Francisco. (SL)
The Chili Pepper, 167 S. Main St., Orange, (714) 639-2840; Rutabegorz, 211 N. Pomona Ave., Fullerton, (714) 738-9339; and in Tustin, but we're not telling you where; Maggiano's Little Italy, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 546-9550.
ED DORNANAn English professor at Orange Coast College and former Irvine city councilman and planning commissioner, this longtime liberal activist is also the director of the anti-airport Safe and Healthy Communities Fund.
BREAKFAST: Mimi's Cafe in Irvine is a very popular place with the political crowd. I always get two eggs, bacon, potatoes, two slices of wheat toast and orange juice.
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LUNCH: I live right up the hill from Steelhead Brewing Co. There aren't many places in Irvine to get a quick lunch, and this place is pretty quick. I usually get the cobb salad.
DINNER: I really love fine Italian food, which Vessia has. I love to get the scampi linguine, tomato salad and a bottle of Colosi wine from Sicily. (AP)
Mimi's Cafe, 4030 Barranca Pkwy., Irvine, (949) 559-8840; Steelhead Brewing co., 4175 Campus Dr., Irvine, (949) 856-2227; Vessia, 3966 Barranca Pkwy., Irvine, (949) 654-1155.
MARILYN GANAHLMember of East Orange Neighborhood Committee and one of the activists fighting to save the untouched wilderness that is Barham Ranch.
BREAKFAST: Actually, I never go out to breakfast. There's always too much to do in the morning. If I go anywhere, it will be to Starbucks for a latte.
LUNCH: I'm a vegetarian, so I go to a lot of vegetarian places like Mother's and Souplantation. Mother's has really good potato tacos. Any of their pasta dishes with tofu are also really good.
DINNER: We don't go to fancy restaurants at all. But we've really started going to Baja Fresh a lot. Their food is low in fat, and they have a lot of good vegetarian items. I usually get the black-bean-and-rice burrito. The grilled-vegetable burrito is also really good. (AP)
Starbucks, on most corners in America and now in Albertson's supermarkets!; Mother's Market & Kitchen, 225 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 631-4741; also 19770 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, (714) 963-6667; also 2963 Michelson Dr., Irvine, (949) 752-6667; Baja Fresh, 13248 Jamboree Rd., Irvine, (714) 508-7777; also 5633 Alton Pkwy., Ste. 200, Irvine, (949) 551-2252.
Photo by Jack Gould
SHIRLEY GRINDLEA former Orange County planning commissioner, Grindle actually wrote the county's campaign-finance disclosure and spending limit laws. She is a tireless and relentless good-government advocate.
BREAKFAST: Orange Cafe is just a little mom-and-pop restaurant. I love to get the French toast—it's the best I've ever had in my life.
LUNCH: Taco Mesa has the best shredded-beef tacos in the world.
DINNER: I don't really know Orange County. Wait, is Los Alamitos in Orange County? Oh, then it's got to be the Original Fish Co. My mother lives in Long Beach, so it's a convenient place for us to go. I love their extensive fish menu, and I usually get their calamari steaks, which are very good. (AP)
Orange Cafe, 1608 E. Mayfair Ave., Orange, (714) 633-8698; Taco Mesa, 3533 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, (714) 633-3922; also 647 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 642-0629; the Original Fish Co., 11061 Los Alamitos Blvd., Los Alamitos, (714) 960-2229.
CRISTIN INGLISFive years ago, Costa Mesa resident Inglis founded the Gathering of the Goddesses, a yearly event in which hundreds of women gather to network, bond and snowboard—no guys allowed. “Well, we party with the guys at night,” says Inglis, laughing. This year, proceeds from the gathering went to Smart-Girl, a youth-mentoring program in Denver. Inglis recently got involved with the Shiva Shock event—an all-day concert benefiting the Go Goddess foundation and Youth Venture to be held at the Sun Theatre on Aug. 11. And she's a massage therapist (Stress Less on-site chair massage)! And she loves Coco's!
BREAKFAST: Coco's has an awesome breakfast. The breakfast burrito is just real straightforward, filling and delicious.
LUNCH: Which Coco's I'll go to depends on my mood. If I want to be anonymous, I'll go to the one on Harbor, where the service is actually a little better. If I have a lot of time on my hands, I'll go to the one on Westcliff in Newport Beach. Sometimes, I have an insatiable appetite for the Coco's combo, which is a hamburger and French fries and a salad. I like to get jack cheese and avocado on my hamburger. Their house dressing is so good: it's like a mix between ranch and blue cheese. They need to bring back their Italian dressing, though. It was really good when you mixed it with the ranch. And they need to bring back their Diedrich coffee. Gypsy Den is delish, too! I love the Gypsy Den for lunch any time. Actually, I go there more often than Coco's.
DINNER: I think the best dinner I ever had was the halibut at the Alley. You get an excellent meal in a fairly groovy setting. Oh, and Thai Spice—my God, how can I forget Thai Spice? The best Thai food in town. I always get the veggie pad Thai and vegetable curry. (AMR)
Coco's Family Restaurant, 2750 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, (714) 549-1289; or, depending on your mood, 2131 Westcliff Dr., Newport Beach, (949) 646-1077; or, if you're feeling really saucy, a bunch of other places; The Gypsy Den cafe, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 549-7012; also Gypsy Den Grand Central Café, 125 N. Broadway St., Santa Ana, (714) 835-8840; The Alley, 4501 W. Pacific Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, (949) 646-9126; Thai Spice, 615 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 548-4333.
Photo by Jack Gould
AMY GUERREROBeautiful and intelligent as hell, gang-prevention specialist Guerrero works with Community Service Programs, a nonprofit organization working with at-risk youth. She concentrates on kids already on academic probation in the cities of Stanton and San Juan Capistrano (yes, there is poverty in South County!).
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BREAKFAST: IHOP has a great deal: ham, three eggs and three pancakes, which I like to drown in boysenberry syrup. This meal is huge, prepares me for the tough day ahead and doesn't include bacon, which I hate. I like to drink orange juice with my pancakes because, well, I like orange juice with pancakes!
LUNCH: TGI Friday's is where most of my friends eat lunch, so I always join them. We have a tradition of ordering potato skins as appetizers, although I end up eating most of them. For the actual lunch, I get Jack Daniels chicken wings because I like the tangy sauce they're smothered in and the weird taste that comes from the combination of ranch dressing and ketchup.
DINNER: Nothing beats dinner at Las Brisas. I always get the huachinango à la veracruzana. It's snapper that's breaded just the tiniest bit and comes with shrimp that are nice, tender and large. It includes buttery vegetables and rice, and when you combine the meal with white wine—superb! Besides, the romantic atmosphere cannot be matched anywhere in Orange County. When a guy takes me there and there's a full moon, I'm prepared to marry him. (GA)
International House of Pancakes (IHOP), in every shopping center in the free world; TGI Friday's is anywhere large groups of yuppies congregate; Las Brisas Restaurant, 361 Cliff Dr., Laguna Beach, (949) 497-5434.
BARBARA JOHNSONShe's the executive director of the Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Service Inc., which provides emergency assistance, short-term housing and other help to about 20,000 people each year. When she has the time to eat out, Johnson, who runs, likes to keep things within walking distance of her nonprofit's doors in downtown Fullerton.
BREAKFAST: To tell the truth, I can't even remember the last time I had breakfast out. But if I have to choose, I'd say Coco's, which isn't exciting but is nice, local and convenient.
LUNCH: Rutabegorz is close, and my friends and I love everything there, especially the salads. It's very homey.
DINNER: Café Hidalgo has a warm and inviting atmosphere, and the fish tacos are generous pieces of halibut served with a spicy garlic-herb sauce. (JB)
Coco's, find it yourself; Rutabegorz, 211 N. Pomona Ave., Fullerton, (714) 738-9339; Café Hidalgo, 305 N. Harbor Blvd., Ste. 111, Fullerton, (714) 447-3202.
Photo by Jack Gould
MIKE JONESFor the past 10 years, Jones has been involved with the Big Bear-based United States Adaptive Recreational Center (USARC), a group that teaches cognitive and physically challenged people of all ages how to do things most of us who have full use of our bodies and brains would balk at trying: snowboarding, kayaking, downhill mountain biking, etc. Jones teaches skiing and snowboarding for USARC. Along with a small group of friends, dubbed Team El Niño, Jones has raised $27,000 for the organization over the past five years through a ski-a-thon at Bear Mountain.
BREAKFAST: I like the All-American stuff—like bacon, eggs and pancakes—at Arthur's Coffee Shop, which claims to serve the world's best breakfasts.
LUNCH: Brownstone Cafe, a small eatery tucked away in a downtown Fullerton building that used to house the Old Hotel California, has an excellent villa club sandwich. It's a real chicken breast, as opposed to what you get at a lot of other places. It's grilled with bacon, avocado and turkey on squaw bread.
DINNER: My wife, Teri, and I love Matsunoya, a Japanese restaurant known as much for the atmosphere as its Sapporo beer, cucumber and tuna rolls, and green tea ice cream. It's all about people recognizing you and saying hello and taking the time to get to know you personally. And the food is awesome. (JB)
Arthur's Coffee Shop, 1281 E. La Habra Blvd., La Habra, (562) 691-7793; Brownstone Cafe, 305 N. Harbor Blvd., stes. 115-117, Fullerton, (714) 526-9123; Matsunoya, 1307 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 447-1612.
VINCE JORDANBlue Cafe owner Jordan is one of SoCal's most important roots-music crusaders. As like-minded clubs (such as the Abilene Rose, the Foothill and the Dixie Belle) close around him, Jordan's thriving venue continues to bring the finest local and national acts to Long Beach—at ticket prices reliably lower than the competition's.
BREAKFAST: Schooner or Later is a great place on the border of Seal Beach and Long Beach. It's probably the best breakfast joint this side of San Diego. Their signature dish is called the Full Mess, and it's the best scrambled-egg mess you ever had in your life. They also serve beer and wine—big, giant, 24-ounce schooners of beer—if you want that at 10 a.m.
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LUNCH: The Blue Café has the best food in the world! All the salad dressings are made on the premises, the bread's all fresh from the bakery down the street, and I don't think anybody has better hummus or good, old-fashioned Mediterranean vegetables than we do.
DINNER: The King Crab Lounge, right around the corner from the Blue Café, has quintessential New Orleans seafood—oysters, crawfish . . . They just have great, great food. It's part of King's Fish House, but it's much more New Orleans. They even have all the funky paintings on the wall and stuff. (BS)
Schooner or Later, 241 Marina Dr., Long Beach, (562) 430-3495; The Blue Cafe, 210 The Promenade, Long Beach, (562) 983-7111 or (562) 984-8349; www.thebluecafe.com; The King Crab Lounge, 100 W. Broadway, Long Beach, (562) 432-7463.
TONY LIOCEAnyone who knows Capistrano fixture Lioce—former editor for theLos Angeles Times and currently for theSan Jose Mercury News—immediately thinks of him as some kind of crusader. It's difficult to pin down exactly what the crusade is, but the transplant from Providence, Rhode Island, definitely stands forsomething. Old-school, hard-drinking newspaper men? East Coast Italian cool? Silvio Dante look-alikes? Lioce clears up any misconceptions by describing himself as “a crusader for the dignity of the working man in Orange County.” Oh. BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER: My favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner place are all the same place—the Swallows Inn. The only other comment I have is that solid food is really overrated. (BS) The Swallows Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 493-3188. MOLLY LYNCHLynch has been Ballet Pacifica's artistic director for 13 years and not only oversees the company's three major productions each season but also four children's programs and the conservatory, which trains 150 kids who aspire to be professional dancers. Lynch was once a dancer with the Joffrey Ballet before she went on to dance with other professional companies, including Ballet Pacifica. We told her it must be nice to have moved on to the administrative side, where she can not only influence the direction of a company but also eat whatever she wants. She laughed.BREAKFAST: The Galley Café is a traditional diner—you know, stools and counter. It has great atmosphere and great food. I get omelets, like the Denver. It's just a really good place; a lot of locals go there. LUNCH: I'd go to the Daily Grill, the one at Fashion Island. They have the best cobb salad: lots of stuff all mixed together. You know how you'll order a cobb at some places, and it comes with everything separated? They do a great job of mixing everything just right, including the dressing. It's great. And then you can head next door to Barnes & Noble and get a book. Can't be bad. DINNER: I would have to say Rothchild's. I guess you could describe the cuisine as continental, but what I like most about it is that the food is always fresh. They have excellent pasta; my favorite is the Straw and Hay, which is egg whites and spinach pasta mixed together with fresh seafood. They always have lots of fresh fish and specials, usually seafood, chicken and pasta. It changes during the year since everything is fresh. It's the kind of place where everything is done right, you know; the kind of place where even the dinner salad comes with hearts of palm. (SL) The Galley Café, 829 Harbor Island Dr., Corona del Mar, (949) 673-4110; The Daily Grill, Fashion Island, 957 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, (949) 644-2223; also at 2636 Dupont Circle, Irvine, (949) 474-2223; Rothchild's Restaurant, 2407 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, (949) 673-3750. ERIC McCLURE“Hello, I'm Eric McClure. You may know me from such anti-drunk-driving public-service announcements as the ones starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Shaq, 98 degrees, Aerosmith and LeAnn Rimes.” Okay, I don't know if McClure has ever said that, but he could have: he's the president of Team RADD—the youth and young-adult division of Recording Artists Against Drunk Driving. “Basically, we use celebrities to help deliver a safe-driving message,” he (really) explained. McClure thinks RADD speaks to people because it's “non-hypocritical. We're not saying don't drink. We're saying don't get in a car if you've been drinking. We speak to a generation without lying to them.” Of late, McClure and a partner have built a full-fledged recording studio—Mozambique Records in Tustin—with the intention of getting smaller bands involved in the cause. The band “delivers the message” at live shows and on compilations, and in return, they get to record for free. For more info on RADD, visit www.radd.org and www.mzbrecords.com. BREAKFAST: I like Mollies Country Kitchen in Laguna Niguel. Country kitchens are really hard to find. This place has great food. My favorite is the eggs Benedict. LUNCH: Café Tu Tu Tango in the Block at Orange. That's my favorite restaurant, period, because I can never make up my mind and I just want a little bit of everything, and you can do that there. It's great. They call it the “starving-artist restaurant” because they have artists' paintings in there and you can buy stuff off the walls. It's full of beautiful art. DINNER: Roma D'Italia in Mission Viejo. It's like a mom-and-pop Italian restaurant where the owner personally creates and prepares the sauces and things for the dishes. It's just incredible; they're so personal. I'll call ahead and request a sauce or lasagna with a little red wine. The chef has learned what I like, and he'll make it specially for me. I've been going there for probably eight years. I think he has a clientele of regulars. (AMR) Mollies Country Kitchen, 27932 S. La Paz Rd., Laguna Niguel, (949) 643-9174; Café Tu Tu Tango, 20 The City Blvd. W., Orange, (714) 769-2222; Roma D'Italia, 25254 La Paz Rd., Ste. A, Laguna Hills, (949) 581-2780. BILL MITCHELL“Former county chairman of Common Cause and Tustin lawyer.” That's how Mitchell's billed in his myriadTimes Orange County andOrange County Register appearances. Reporters love to call him for quotes on political corruption, lobbying and conflict-of-interest stories. BREAKFAST: I always go to the Mimi's Cafe in Irvine, which is a hotbed of political activity. I've had breakfast there with Irvine Mayor Larry Agran, former Irvine Mayor Christina Shea—a bunch of people. For food, I'm just a standard two eggs, hash browns, muffin, cranberry juice and coffee kind of guy. Nothing fancy. LUNCH: Zov's Bistro is a very popular place with local politicos like lobbyist Randy Smith. Former county Treasurer Bob Citron used to eat there. I've also seen Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido there. I usually get whatever their daily pasta special is. DINNER: I have a three-and-a-half-year-old—I don't know what going out to dinner means anymore. The other night, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that I made myself—that's how bad it's gotten. But I do like Nieuport 17 in Tustin. It's a high-end place for fine dining. Pretty much a little dark bar with red upholstery. It serves scotch. (AP) Mimi's Cafe, 4030 Barranca Pkwy., Irvine, (949) 559-8840; and anywhere else that serves things in tiny crocks; Zov's Bistro, 17440 17th St., Tustin, (714) 838-8855; Nieuport 17, 13051 Newport Ave., Tustin, (714) 731-5130. SUSIE NEWMANHer kids are grown, and her husband is a successful surgeon, leaving Newman with a degree in criminology, a disgust for dirty politics, a telephone and lots of time on her hands. The former Huntington Beach planning commissioner—and two-time loser in City Council elections—originally alerted authorities to the suspicious practices of Councilman Dave Garofalo, eventually igniting an investigation by the Orange County district attorney.BREAKFAST: I don't usually eat breakfast, but when I do go out for it, I like the Harbor House in Sunset Beach. I like it because they serve steamed, fresh spinach. It's good! Hell, yes, for breakfast! They'll serve it any time you want it. For a greasy spoon, that's a big deal. The Harbor House is a hamburger joint with a social conscience. LUNCH: The Taiwan Gourmet for Thursday lunch is a routine for me. I pick up the Weekly at the Wherehouse next door, take it inside and have kung pao shrimp—I don't even have to order anymore; they know what I want. Then I read about who the Weekly beat up, eat my lunch and go home happy. DINNER: I love it when we can round up a group of four or more and go to Maggiano's and order from the family-style menu. They bring two bowls of salad, two appetizers, two pastas, two entrées and two desserts. The food is consistently fresh, well-prepared and beautifully displayed, and the waiters are sharp and friendly. You take home enough to eat well for the next day or two. (DW) The Harbor House, 16341 Pacific Coast Hwy., Sunset Beach, (562) 592-5404; The Taiwan Gourmet, 16883 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, (714) 848-4940; Maggiano's Little Italy, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 546-9550. LAN QUOC NGUYENThis attorney headed the Legal Assistance for Vietnamese Asylum Seekers (LAVAS) in the 1980s to provide legal council for boat people. Nguyen was a mediator between Westminster police and demonstrators during 1999's communist-flag protests in Little Saigon. He's also a member of the Vietnamese-American Voter Coalition, which helped many in the community to become registered voters, and various groups advocating religious freedom and human rights in Vietnam.BREAKFAST: I like Spires. In the mornings, it's spacious and quiet, and I can get a corner table. The omelets are very good. LUNCH: I usually go to Vietnamese restaurants around here, like Grand Garden. It's Vietnamese food with a little Chinese influence. My favorite dish is the com tay tam—a pot rice entrée served with either chicken or pork. DINNER: There are so many restaurants here in Little Saigon it's hard for me to choose. But if I had to pick, it would be Favori. The food is Vietnamese with French influences—very good. When I go there, I get the ca nuong, a baked catfish. (VN) Spires, 15512 Brookhurst St., Westminster, (714) 775-6757; and anywhere fine shoes are sold; Grand Garden, 8894 Bolsa Ave., Westminster, (714) 893-1200; Favori Restaurant, 3502 W. First St., Santa Ana, (714) 531-6838. VANGEE OBERSCHLAKEA full-time nurse who lives in Orange, Oberschlake is a Green Party activist who—like her partner, Gordon Johnson—likes to model her life after the party's “Think Globally, Act Locally” slogan. “We like to frequent local, family-owned businesses in a close radius to our home so we live up to our values,” Oberschlake explained. “That means honor diversity, keep the consumption of fossil fuels to a minimum, eat at places close by.”BREAKFAST: The Filling Station probably has the best short-order cooks in Orange County, certainly in Orange. The guys really know how to cook eggs. It's not easy to cook eggs well consistently. They do all their own baked products, too. Gordon frequently has apple pie for breakfast because it's that good. LUNCH: Taco Jalisco's has a tremendous mix of people. When you go in, the music is booming, and the food is really good. I can go there in sweats and a T-shirt and feel comfortable. You see workmen who have just finished digging a ditch next to a guy in a suit. And they serve goat. How often do you find a place that cooks goat? My favorite is the barbacoa. It's either beef or chicken, like a homemade pot roast, south-of-the-border style. DINNER: Zena's Mediterranean and Lebanese Cuisine is a Lebanese family-owned restaurant—a warm and inviting place. It's the type of restaurant that's great for entertaining someone. I get the fatoush salad, which has chopped romaine lettuce with onions, parsley, radishes, green onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and pita bread croutons and is seasoned with soy-bean oil, lemon and dried sumac. It's always fresh. (NS) The Filling Station, 201 N. Glassell St., Orange, (714) 289-9714; Taco Jalisco's, 480 N. Tustin Ave., Orange, (714) 771-5819; Zena's Mediterranean and Lebanese Cuisine, 2094 N. Tustin Ave., Ste. C2, Orange, (714) 279-9511. MARK PALKONERWhere does a Hunger Artist eat? Ask Palkoner, the co-managing director of this off-the-beaten-path theater company, which donates proceeds from its Christmas show to local charities.BREAKFAST: Charlie's Chili is a great Saturday-morning breakfast place. I like the atmosphere. It's just a really cool, surfside place to eat. The chili and huevos rancheros are excellent. LUNCH: I don't get out to lunch much, but Side Street Café has a really good turkey sandwich. DINNER: Taquerias Guadalajara Mexican restaurant, which is right next to the Hunger Artists space on East Fourth Street, is so Mexican the entire menu is in Spanish. It's pretty cheap—tacos are only 95 cents—but it's great food. And they're always really nice to us. (JB) Charlie's Chili, 102 McFadden Place, Newport Beach, (949) 675-7991; Side Street Café, 1799 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, (949) 650-1986; Taquerias Guadalajara, 305 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana, (714) 953-1191. RANDY PESQUEIRAPesqueira's high school civics teacher was county Supervisor Jim Silva, a man who has only to reach above his shirt collar to knock on wood. Despite that inauspicious start, Pesqueira went on to become one of the county's foremost gay activists—so long ago that he remembers when Garden Grove was Orange County's Laguna Beach. Then, of course, Laguna Beach became Orange County's Laguna Beach. Today, Pesqueira plans public entertainment for the city of Huntington Beach and lives in Garden Grove with his husband, David.BREAKFAST: Jon's off the 22 freeway on Trask at Magnolia is our favorite coffee shop—unless you count Shorehouse Cafe in Huntington Beach. A side of bacon at the Shorehouse is about one pound of juicy sin. Their breakfast platters are the size of the hubcaps off a truck and very good. Sometimes, the service lacks, but it's worth the wait. LUNCH: David loves Birraporetti's in South Coast Plaza. They've got a relaxing little patio out front and the best bar seating—lush, luxurious and plenty of happy hours. They serve a great caesar salad and a lovely four-cheese pizzetta. On Friday nights, David will have the Cadillac margarita; the rest of the time, I'm pretty sure it's iced tea. The martinis are up there on my list. I like Wahoo's—is that too common?—which has some of the best food in all of SoCal. DINNER: Our all-time favorite is Memphis. It was a dive bar in the old days, and it's still a hole in the wall—from the outside. Inside, the décor is campy, and there's always decent art. The food is scrumptious, from the little house salad to the wonderful crab cakes, winding down to the best strip of barbecued steak around. And the pork chop is good; the meat loaf, the garlicky mashed potatoes and the flash-fried spinach garnish are as artful as they are delicious. There is nothing bad about Memphis, not even the very—what should we call it?—”intimate” seating; as a Pisces, I love listening to my husband's conversation as well as the story going on at the next table. And another plus: they serve a fabulous martini and Skyy vodka, my absolute downfall. Our friends Eric and Richard, the former Caged Chameleon gallery owners, have also turned us on to the Citrus City Grille off the Orange Circle—great bar, nice interior and very good food. I eat something different there every time—it's all good. Richard always seems to go for the pot roast, which must be amazing—I always thought he was a vegetarian. Another favorite is Tiramisu in Corona del Mar. Luigi and Emilio, who run the place, were originally at a tiny place in downtown Huntington Beach. We followed them to Corona del Mar, probably because Emilio is so cute. I swear I've seen his profile on a Roman coin. The caesar salad is the best, but they also make a very good martini. Shall I just drink my dinner? Cool downstairs bar. Chimayo at the Huntington Beach Pier is also good—though seemingly always out of Skyy vodka, which is a minus—but that seared-ahi-tuna appetizer is not to be ignored. Mark's Restaurant in Laguna Beach is a gay man's dream, with tasteful décor, the cutest waiters around, and food that rivals the waiters. Plus, the owners always contribute to great causes. Cute waiters are important. Sure, Houston's in Irvine has really cute waiters, but they seem to get a little uptight around gay customers. Mark's knows how to treat gay men, and, honey, we tip! (WS) Shorehouse Cafe, 520 Main St., Huntington Beach, (714) 960-8091; Birraporetti's, 3333 Bristol St., ste. 2078, Costa Mesa, (714) 850-9090; Memphis Cafe, 2920 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 432-7685; Citrus City Grille, 122 N. Glassell St., Orange, (714) 639-9600; Tiramisu ristorante, 2325 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, (949) 673-8444; Mark's Restaurant, 858 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, (949) 494-6711.
Photo by Mark Savage
JOEY RACANOEnvironmental activist, musician and former Huntington Beach City Council candidate, whom we caught up with while he was scarfing the free cookies and coffee at the Orange County Sanitation District's monthly board meeting. Racano protests in front of the district offices daily, in opposition to the waiver of federal clean-water standards that allows them to dump partially treated waste into the ocean.FEEDING AT THE SHADOW GOVERNMENT TROUGH: I can't complain about the food here. The first couple of times I came here, before they knew who I was, I was able to sneak in the backroom and get these big plates of food. It was like a smorgasbord, and I was just gavoning [Italian for shoveling it down] because I hadn't eaten in a couple of days. Finally someone told me I wasn't supposed to be eating there. At the Huntington Beach City Council meetings, you can also get real good food, but, again, you've got to sneak into the backroom, where only council people are allowed. I've had great luck there. BREAKFAST: There's only one place for breakfast, and that's the Sugar Shack. Michelle, the owner, is like the self-appointed stepmom to all the people who really can't afford to eat but who she thinks are doing something good with their lives. She's a saint. There have been times when she's been the difference between life and death for me. My very favorite thing to get there is Cream of Wheat with raisins and bananas. LUNCH: I like Jack in the Box for its tacos—two for 99 cents!—which are made with soy meat, and the Shorehouse, where my favorite thing is the New York steak sandwich, which has major onions on it. DINNER: I can't afford to eat dinner out, so most nights, I have dinner at home in my RV with my friend Dinty Moore. For late-night post-protest snacks, it's Norm's. (JW) The Orange County Sanitation District board meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month, 10844 Ellis Ave., Fountain Valley, (714) 962-2411; Huntington Beach City Council meetings are held Monday nights, 2000 Main St., Huntington Beach, (714) 536-5553; The Sugar Shack, 213 1/2 Main St., Huntington Beach, (714) 536-0355; The ShoreHouse Cafe, 520 Main St., Huntington Beach, (714) 960-8091; Norm's and Dinty Moore beef stew are ubiquitous.
Photo by Jack Gould
RASCALINLeader of OC's top roots-reggae band, the Roots Rockers, San Clemente's Rascalin is a crusader for the music he loves. “Roots reggae is more African-based, more political, more faith-based and more philosophy-based than other reggae styles, which are more dance- and entertainment-oriented,” he says. When not quenching the ganja-borne munchies in South County, Rascalin has been busy touring and preparing to record his second album.BREAKFAST: The food at Baker's Square is always fresh, and the service is good. The pancakes are awesome. LUNCH: Sonny's Pizza is my favorite. Their spaghetti and meatballs are the best in the world. DINNER: I love sushi, and the sushi at Taka-O, which is right next to Sonny's, is the best I've ever had. It's always fresh, and the service, preparation and presentation are great. I like to get the seared ahi—man, it's good! (BS) Bakers Square Restaurant & Pies, 610 Camino De Los Mares, San Clemente, (949) 661-3100; also 2110 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, (714) 750-2661; Sonny's Pizza & Pasta, 429 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, (949) 498-2540; Taka-O Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar, 425 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, (949) 498-7111.
(714) 774-1680; also next to every busy offramp
in the first world
Photo by Jack Gould
DUANE ROBERTSRoberts is an Anaheim resident, Green Party activist and inveterate investigator. A longtime gadfly at City Council meetings, he ran unsuccessfully last year for an Anaheim City School District board seat. Although he's a Green Party member, Roberts is no vegetarian. His favorite home-cooked meal is a slice of pork, sometimes in a sandwich, sometimes not.BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER: With some exceptions, I eat at home. Or I go to a mundane restaurant like Denny's and order a chicken caesar salad. The Denny's near Edison International Field has a diner format; it's not a traditional Denny's. They serve buffalo chicken strips with tartar sauce. The way they prepare it is just right. I also like to go to any fast-food restaurant that offers free refills and order a Pepsi or Coca-Cola. I'll sit and have a couple of cups of Pepsi or Coke while I read or do some thinking. (NS) Denny's, 1168 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, (714) 774-1680; also next to every busy offramp in the First World. ELVIA RUBALCAVACommunity mentor, liaison, Chicanachingona. Rubalcava works for the Puente Project, an organization committed to help underrepresented youth go to college. She works Harald Martin's stomping grounds, the Anaheim Union High School district. BREAKFAST: I love the bohemian atmosphere of the Gypsy Den in Costa Mesa, but I love their wheat pancakes even better. I get them with whatever type of fruit I have a longing for that day and whatever coffee they have on tap. The pancakes are thick, and they fill you up fast. The service is great. LUNCH: Papa Hassan's has this great sandwich that's huge and cheap. It's made of spiced beef slices with onion, and they give you some non-spicy sauce that's almost sweet. Best of all, the meal is not limited to the sandwich; it comes with hummus, pita bread and rice, too. A lunch that's delicious and uncomplicated. DINNER: An outside booth at Felix's Continental Café is the place to be for dinner. The pollo criollo comes with mounds of white rice, black beans and plaitanes (dried banana). As a dessert, I like to get a pastel de tres leches with decaf as the perfect topper. Besides, I like to think that the political conversations my friends and I have antagonize any Cubans that might be eating there at the same time. (GA) Gypsy Den, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 549-7012; also Gypsy Den Grand Central Café, 125 N. Broadway St., Santa Ana, (714) 835-8840; Papa Hassan's Café, 421 N. Glassell St., Orange, (714) 633-3903; Felix's Continental Café, 36 Plaza Square, Orange, (714) 633-5842. HUMBERTO SALDÍVARBy day, Saldívar is a construction worker specializing in plumbing. The rest of the time, he is president of the El Cargadero Social Club, one of hundreds of such Mexican-American clubs in Orange County that raise money to send back to the clubs' respectiveranchos in Mexico. “We recently held a dance that raised money to build a better road leading toward El Cargadero,” said Saldívar. It's people like Saldívar—not NAFTA—that are at the root of Mexico's slow but steady economic recovery. BREAKFAST: I like to go eat at Jax Donuts. Well, I guess not eat. I get a cup of coffee and put some sugar in it, and once in a while, I'll buy a glazed doughnut. But the main reason I come here is because I'll always find someone from El Cargadero. On weekends, it gets packed with cargaderenses, and sometimes, we hold informal meetings. LUNCH: The all-you-can-eat lunch buffet at Sizzler is perfect. A little-known fact about the Sizzler buffet is that the Mexican food it offers is pretty good. DINNER: I'm a big seafood fan, so I like to go to Ostionería El Siete Mares. I usually get their Siete Mares caldo (Seven Seas soup), which is a delicious stew made with seven different types of seafood—shrimp, fish, even abalone and octopus! For something less extravagant, I'll order a cóctel de camarones because it comes with monstrous shrimp and a tart sauce that I can't find anywhere else. (GA) Jax Donut House, 110 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim, (714) 999-0632; all Sizzlers are a short jaunt from anyone pushing a walker; Ostionería Siete Mares, 540 W. Chapman Ave., Orange, (714) 633-3341. DOUG SCRIBNERScribner keeps the libertarian dream alive in OC. He serves as vice chairman of the Libertarian Party of Orange County, is an at-large member of the party's executive committee and an elected member of the party's county central committee, works on youth issues, and is county director of the American Medical Marijuana Association.BREAKFAST: I don't know if the Omelette Parlor goes out of its way to hire attractive servers or if there's a prerequisite for belly-button rings, but that's just one reason to visit. I have yet to find a better bargain for $5: three-egg omelet, toast, too many homemade hash browns (can there be such a thing?), and a side of fruit! The omelets are just perfect and have interesting names (some would say bizarre: Misses Beacher's Delight and But the Price Is Right Ma!). My personal favorite is the vegetarian Bonsai omelet. LUNCH: I'm sticking with Jackshrimp, now with three locations to serve you better! I don't know what Jack puts in that sauce, and he's not saying (except that two of the ingredients are beer and butter), but it's good. And hot—not the sweaty kind of hot that makes your nose drip, embarrassing you and your girlfriend (whose South Indian cooking is so hot it could clear the sinuses of Jamie Farr), but the sort of hot that makes you wonder why you don't try even spicier food (until you eat your girlfriend's South Indian food, which causes your taste buds to fall off). Big fat shrimp in many dishes, with secret recipes! DINNER: De Falco's Sicilian Trattoria in Fullerton has fantastic food and a charming atmosphere. I like the mom-and-pop lasagna and homemade tiramisù—to die for! But the real draw is the pop in this mom-and-pop op, Peter—the most amazing, traditional (but not typical—there's nothing typical about him) Sicilian, complete with accent, full-body gestures and wonderful stories of the old country. He came here in the mid-1970s and found his piece of the American pie by baking it himself with help from his wife and kids. And to all the xenophobic, border-closing, minority-hating wackos out there, he pays his own way—like most hard-working immigrants. (WS) The Omelette Parlor, 179 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 645-0740; JackShrimp, 3041 Michelson Dr., Irvine, (949) 252-1023; also 26705 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo, (949) 448-0085; also 2400 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, (949) 650-5577; De Falco's Sicilian Trattoria, 1215 E. Wilshire Ave., Fullerton, (714) 738-5118. SISTER MARIESister Marie Gaillac is the director of the Justice Center for the Sisters of St. Joseph.BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER: I go out so seldom for breakfast, lunch or dinner that I wouldn't have any favorites at all. When I have to pick people up at the airport and it's too late to swing by the house for something to eat, we'll got out then, you know, at a Norm's or a Marie Callender's or Sizzler [laughs]. I guess I'm what you'd call a non-gourmet. On the whole, I don't care what I eat—much to the chagrin of the sister I share the house with, Sister Marie Therese. She likes to cook; she's something of a gourmand. But I just gulp it down. That's just the way it is. (SL) LEIA SMITHSmith runs the Catholic Worker house in Santa Ana with her husband, Dwight, as well as a prison ministry.BREAKFAST AND DINNER: The Catholic Worker—and Dwight and I usually help make it. LUNCH: We go to Theo Lacy Jail on Thursdays, and usually after that, we'll head over to the Corner Bakery at the Block for lunch. They have unusually good coffee and amazing desserts. Really amazing. One day, I went there with a friend, a priest, and he took one bite of a maple pecan bar and started moaning and saying, “Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” It really sounded like, you know, he was having an orgasm. But that's how good they are. You know, the other reason we go to the Corner Bakery is that they give us [the Catholic Worker House] bread four days a week. Not only the one at the Block, but also the one at South Coast Plaza. We go over in the evening, and they give us big trash bags full of bread they didn't use. We use the sweet breads for breakfast, use the loaves for sandwiches, and take the surplus to soup kitchens here and in LA. It's really nice of them, and it really is awesome bread. I mean, how many bakeries can say they've given a priest an orgasm? (SL) The Catholic Worker, 316 Cypress Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 558-7478; Corner Bakery Café at the Block at Orange, 20 The City Blvd. W., Orange, (714) 939-8410; also South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 546-1555; also 17575 Harbor Ave., Ste. A, Irvine, (949) 399-0999 .
SPARKLE*JETS U.K.Who says OC bands can't change the world? Sparkle*Jets U.K. is out to prove that all modern pop music is not about boy bands and horny nymphets. They also love to eat.BREAKFAST: The Original Pancake House has three types of pancakes, which, through creative labeling on their menu, they've spun off into about 40 types. They get a little grouchy on Sundays, but don't let that faze you. The potato pancakes are amazing and less greasy than what you'd get at a deli. They also have, hands down, the best cup of coffee we've had this side of Seattle. LUNCH: When we're not at Wahoo's or Rutebegorz, lunch goes to Gustav's Jagerhaus. There's nothing in this world like a nice plate of wienerschnitzel and spätzle (that's pounded and breaded veal—sorry, vegetarians—with German noodles on the side). Squirt a little lemon on there, and watch out! Simple, hearty, amazing, amazing, amazing. Plus, the mint they give you afterward is pretty incredible, too. DINNER: A three-way tie: Felix's in the Orange Circle is the best Cuban food around, and a favorite of rock stars the world over. Try whatever sounds interesting, but the important thing is the black beans and rice, which will make your head spin around like Linda Blair's. You'll swear upon the life of the 50-year-old pine tree in the plaza that run-of-the-mill, El Torito-esque Spanish rice shall never touch your lips again. Try to get one of the dinner items that includes dessert, so you can finish off your dinner with the tres leches cake. So good you could die. Our other most amazing dinner spot is Spicy Thai, which has the best mee grob in the whole world! And for an entrée? Two words: GARLIC SHRIMP. Little shrimp surrounded by big slabs of sliced, roasted garlic that you can just eat like candy and stink up the office good and proper the next day. The portions are small, so you'll want one plate of shrimp per person if you plan to keep the peace. I've seen close friends come away bleeding after fighting over food at Spicy Thai. Unforgettable grindage. And, of course, our big fave is Jackshrimp. Get the Jackshrimp or Jack Snack (smaller) or skip the damn shrimp altogether and order the Jack Sauce and Bread because, frankly, the shrimp are a sideline. Eating Jackshrimp is like losing your virginity. Bread goes in the sauce and your mouth burns at first, but the pain is eventually replaced by—dare I say it?—an orgasmic food experience. When we eat there, we don't talk much . . . mostly just groans of disbelief and wild gustatory abandon. Legend has it that the recipe for the sauce is so secret the owner still makes it in his garage in huge buckets and delivers it to the restaurants so even the employees can't leak the recipe. This is the place to take your out-of-town friends if they only have one night in OC. (RK) Original Pancake House, 1418 E. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim, (714) 535-9815; Gustav's Jagerhaus, 2525 E. Ball Rd., Anaheim, (714) 520-9500; Felix's Continental Café, 36 Plaza Square, Orange, (714) 633-5842; Spicy Thai Restaurant, 4715 W. Chapman Ave., Orange, (714) 750-7799; Jackshrimp, 3041 Michelson Dr., Irvine, (949) 252-1023; also 26705 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo, (949)_448-0085; also 2400 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, (949) 650-5577. CONSTANCE SPENGERA lifelong environmental activist, Spenger fought for nearly 20 years to preserve open space in Coal Canyon in eastern Orange County. Last month, the last parcel of land was finally saved. She's now turning her focus closer to her Fullerton home: Coyote Hills. She and her organization, Friends of Coyote Hills, are trying to persuade Chevron to donate 500 acres of undeveloped property in hopes of getting the land turned into an urban state park.BREAKFAST: I don't get out to breakfast much, but I wouldn't miss the Easter brunch at the Loreley Restaurant at the Phoenix Club. It's absolutely fantastic. The food is German, but it isn't heavy. And the apple strudel is the best. LUNCH: I learned to love Thai food through the efforts of Greg Ballmer, a Riverside-based etymologist who spent time in Thailand in the Peace Corps. I favor either the lemon or coconut soup at Thai Specialty, along with steamed rice and any of the “hot stuff.” DINNER: I've never had a bad dish at Crocodile Cafe. I just love everything there. The soft tacos, which are served with either chicken or catfish, are particular favorites. (JB) The Loreley Restaurant at the Phoenix Club offers brunch every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1340 S. Sanderson Ave., Anaheim, (714) 563-4164; Thai Specialty, 2500 E. Imperial Hwy., Brea, (714) 256-2229; Crocodile Cafe, 975 E. Birch St., Brea, (714) 529-2233. (CONTINUED)
