From the outside, the new Marriott Irvine Spectrum resembles another one of Irvine’s yawn-inducing office towers. Built with equal portions of glass, steel and concrete, it’s a square-shaped skyscraper that’s neither tall nor architecturally distinctive. The inside, however, is a different story. Marriott invested its $120 million budget in making it, in its own words, […]
Newsletter - Food
South County’s Sol Agave Expands to Mission Viejo!
From gourmet truck to stand alone restaurant to second location, the team at Sol Agave is embracing their restaurant’s growth and extending their reach to not only include San Juan Capistrano, but Mission Viejo’s Union Market. I sat down for dinner with Jessie Galvez (one of the business partners) to learn more about their thriving […]
The C-Words(s): Too Many Chefs in the Kitchen
Twice a month, legendary bartender/chef/restaurant insider Dave Mau pops by Stick A Fork In It to chime in about a random OC food or drink musing of his choice. Enjoy!! “Esse Quam Videri” – To be rather than appear. A couple occurrences gave rise to this week’s post – a serendipitous confluence of events. The […]
Pennywiser Session IPA by Lost Coast Brewing: Our Beer of the Week!
Last weekend’s Sabroso Craft Beer, Taco & Music Festival left (11,500) attendees with the difficult decision of choosing between 150 local craft beers to taste and leaving room for tacos. But thanks to the influx of activities and entertainment – a music line-up that included high energy Ska from Los Kung Fu Monkeys and classic punk […]
OC Spring Menu Coverage, Part One
Not too hot, not too cold: Spring is just right in our book. It’s also the time of year when restaurants flaunt seasonal menus. Grab a fork and join us! Montage, Laguna Beach In a recent partnership with nutrition expert and best-selling author Kelly LeVeque, Montage dining outlets the Loft and Mosaic Bar & Grille […]
Isomerizer IPA from Karl Strauss Brewing Company: What the Ale!
In 1989, when friends Matt Rattner and Chris Cramer decided to bring local craft beer to San Diego, they had little idea they would be pioneers of the scene that has taken over Southern California. Cramer’s cousin Karl Strauss—yes, THE Karl Strauss—was originally from Germany, but after fleeing the Nazi regime, he became a […]
Now Open: More Paris Baguettes, Another Panini Kabob Grill, and MORE!
Paris Baguette has opened another location. The one at Heritage Plaza in Irvine is its third in the city. The chain also opened a store in La Habra a few weeks ago. 14450 Culver Dr., Irvine, CA 92604. 1370 S. Beach Blvd., Ste. C/D, La Habra, CA 90631. The Kebab Shop, the “Mediterranean Comfort Food” […]
Drink of the Week: Mezcal Flight at Lola’s Mexican Cuisine
Although Lola’s Mexican Cuisine in Long Beach has a well-deserved reputation for its unique craft cocktails, the restaurant also serves both tequila and mezcal flights that pair perfectly with a selection of happy-hour shareables such as the succulent tinga tostaditas, handmade sopes and queso fundido. My favorite is the mezcal flight, which transported me back […]
KLOS Sabroso Craft Beer, Taco & Music Festival: What the Ale!
If Instagram is the new Facebook, then April 7 is the new Cinco de Mayo, as that’s when the KLOS Sabroso Craft Beer, Taco & Music Festival returns to Doheny Beach in Dana Point. ¡Arriba! This will be my first time at Sabroso, and I’m looking forward to the beachside setting. I’m practicing my taco […]
Chef Jon Blackford Dishes On Upcoming CdM Restaurant
Shaken not stirred; photo courtesy A Restaurant Six years after we interviewed Chef Jon Blackford of A Restaurant, we found ourselves back in the plush dining room for a conversation with chef. And while we spent a good portion of our interview exchanging dining experiences, our main reason for meeting was to discuss his upcoming concept, […]
![Bento Box Combo at Panda Kitchen [Hole in the Wall]](https://www.ocweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/HITW_Panda_Kitchen-348x180.jpg)
Bento Box Combo at Panda Kitchen [Hole in the Wall]
Aside from its less-than-subtle logo and name mimicking a familiar American-style Chinese chain, Panda Kitchen is your standard local takeout joint, equipped with friendly service, comfort and styrofoam boxes packed to their limits with food. Expect to see a steam table of Chinese fast-food staples: orange chicken, beef with broccoli, chow mein and fried rice. […]
Eat This Now: Firepig Tacos at Taco Asylum
I’ve been eating Taco Asylum’s Firepig tacos for years, since before they were even called by that name. When the Costa Mesa eatery opened at the Camp, its ghost chile tacos were somewhat larger and a tad spicier than today’s version and were served with crispy pork cracklins and chile threads as fine as hairs. […]
Now Open: Somisomi in Irvine and MORE!
Ube x Black Sesame ft.🍓Have a fintastic week! 📸@shelleyeatz 💜🖤🍦🐟#somisomi #ahboong #softserve #taiyaki #ube #blacksesame A post shared by SOMISOMI Icecream (@somisomiicecream) on Jan 29, 2018 at 7:01pm PST Somisomi a Korean soft serve dessert shop known for its taiyaki (a fish-shaped waffle cone) has opened in Irvine Spectrum. The franchise also has stores in […]
Spring Dining Trends: Mediterranean, Neon and CBD
While we aren’t up to speed on our fashion, our appetite for dining out is second to none. Trends aren’t always about what’s new. To us, trends are what people are talking about and what others are doing all of a sudden. Here are a few that caught our eye as of late. Mediterranean […]
2018 Ensenada Beer Fest: What the Ale!
Ensenada, Mexico, recently celebrated the fourth-annual Ensenada Beer Fest (www.ensenadabeerfest.com) with suds from more than 120 craft breweries, delicious food from local restaurants and three stages of live music. The five-day festival at the beautiful Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center attracted more than 9,000 attendees, according to organizer Paco Talamante. Such well-known breweries as Insurgente, […]
Rose Paloma at 100 North Kitchen and Lounge: Our Drink of the Week!
Fullertonians recently got a gastrolounge serving up New American cuisine—think chicken marsala, roasted prime rib sliders and vegetarian lasagna. Located in the building that used to house Tuscany Club—the gateway to downtown Fullerton’s plethora of bars and nightclubs—100 North Kitchen and Lounge is putting out approachable craft cocktails and a menu featuring produce sourced from […]
Two Former Kitayama Sushi Chefs Open Kakurega in Costa Mesa
If you know about Kakurega, you’ve no doubt also heard its owners are a pair of former chefs from Newport Beach’s venerable Kitayama. It was primarily for this reason that I featured the Costa Mesa eatery in our food blog’s weekly roundup of new restaurant openings last November. And it’s also why I decided to […]
2018 Firkest!: Our Beer(s) of the Week!
I can give you 51 reasons why Firkfest is the Best craft beer festival in Orange County, but all you need to know is that Firkfest founder and organizer, Greg Nagel (OC Beer Blog) knows how to throw a firkin party! 2018 marked Nagel’s fifth year hosting Firkfest – bringing the craft beer community […]
Now Open: XA in Huntington Beach, On The Hook in La Habra, and MORE!
After closing its second store in Huntington Beach and then its original store in Orange, XA Sweet & Savory Cafe has reopened at a new location in Huntington Beach. 18685 Main St, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Pirates Kitchen has opened in Fullerton advertising “Authentic Recipes from the Seven Seas.” Tostadas, seafood pastas, and crab boils […]
Laguna Beach Beer Co.: What the Ale!
Founded by Laguna Beach natives Brent Reynard and Mike Lombardo, Laguna Beach Beer Co. winning over locals with a laid-back surf style, art and delicious quality beers. But it wasn’t until the company acquired Cismontane Brewing Co.’s Rancho Santa Margarita production and tasting room and expanded it to include a kitchen, that the brews […]
OC Grub Guide: Easter Dining Edition (Hop to It!)
There are holidays, and then there’s Easter. We want to enjoy all the bountiful buffets and plated treats, but we can only choose one. Today, we present you with a sizable list of contenders to help you decide your fate. Now run along—time’s a-wastin’. Hotel Irvine Prepare for a premium experience when you head […]
