The eggplant and falafel panini at California Kabob Factory ... [more]
Food & Drink
California Kabob Factory Is Long Beach’s Next Great Middle Eastern Food Spot
The eggplant and falafel panini at California Kabob Factory is a sight to behold. You might order it expecting to get the namesake vegetable and a few fried chickpea balls pressed between two pieces of sliced bread. But “panini” is a serious misnomer for this knife-and-fork invention that’s stuffed with tomatoes and French fries and […]
OC Grub Guide 4/26-5/2: Not Your Mother’s Holiday
That title wasn’t a jab at anybody. In fact, it’s a heads up. Next week’s Grub Guide is all about Mom. This week’s focuses on some holidays outside of the motherly one. These celebrations are celebrated fast and furious with get-togethers galore. Hendrix Anniversary Specials – Laguna Niguel It began Tuesday, but you’ve got through […]
![Baja Tacos and So Much Más at Poquito Más [Hole in the Wall]](https://www.ocweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/HITW_PM_Shrimp_Burrito_San_Felipe-348x180.jpg)
Baja Tacos and So Much Más at Poquito Más [Hole in the Wall]
Inspired by his trips to San Felipe, Mexico, a coastal shrimping and fishing town in Baja California, Kevin McCarney opened his first Poquito Más in Studio City in 1984. His dedication to small-batch, scratch-made ingredients such as corn and flour tortillas (using Fresh Mex organic masa), as well as sourcing wild-caught shrimp and sustainable fish, […]
Eat This Now: Jidori Chicken Wings at Angel Stadium
With the 2018 MLB season well under way, the Angels have stepped up to the plate with some powerful hitters. Shohei Ohtani, the 23-year-old Japanese star who can both pitch and hit, started strong with three home runs in his first three games as a hitter and victories in his first two as a starter. […]
Lara Hanneman’s Cauldron in Buena Park Is a Cozy Tavern of Bewitching Allure
Revelers no longer have to wait for Halloween Haunt to have a frightfully good time in Buena Park. The Cauldron, a new witch-themed bar, is a charming experience. Two large, wooden doors transport all who enter into the realm of a 17th-century tavern. Transforming the nondescript longtime location of Crystal Factory Italian Galleria across the […]
The Experience of Finding, Then Eating Chef Peter Hung’s Banh Xeo Is Like Traveling to Southeast Asia
You walk toward Saigon Supermarket realizing that in the more than two decades you’ve spent eating and shopping in Little Saigon, thinking you’ve explored every nook and cranny, you haven’t been here before. When the sliding doors of the market open, you immediately detect the smell of fried fish. It’s faint, but from the online […]
Cerveza Respeto by Mason Ale Works: Our Beer of the Week!
Since opening two years ago, The Wall in Old Towne Orange has become beer nerds go to place for over 55 craft beers, wine, Kombucha, and nitro coffee on tap. The Wall offers tasty tapa style street food to pair with their pours, in addition bigger entrees like their juicy cheeseburger, honey walnut lettuce wrapped […]
Now Open: New BBQ at SOCO Farmers Market and MORE!
Judge’s Box – our best seller! It comes with chicken, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, burnt ends, 2 sides and a Texas toast. A post shared by The Q Joint BBQ (@theqjointbbq) on Apr 15, 2018 at 10:09am PDT NOW OPEN: The Q Joint BBQ is a new vendor at the Saturday Farmers Market at SOCO. […]
Dry Terped IPAs Are the New Frontier in Weed-Beer Mashups: What the Ale!
Dank, piney, citrusy, skunky: Hops and weed might look alike, smell alike and even taste alike, but it wasn’t until recently that local brewers started exploring the aromatic possibilities of combining these two green, resinous flowers. Last summer, downtown LA’s Concrete Jungle Brewing Project opened with a lineup of old-world and new-school beers, including an […]
Drink of the Week: El Guapo at Tempo Urban Kitchen
With a happy hour offered Monday through Friday, Tempo Urban Kitchen has one thing on its mind: puro pinche pari. Its chingon bartenders are crafting house cocktails that are robust, precisely made and easy to enjoy on a scale between refreshing and spirituous. Plus, they specialize in the agaves, so snag a seat at the […]
OC Grub Guide 4/19-4/25: Movies, Masala and Meat!
We’ve got a buffet of subjects for you this week. Pork instructional, beer sipping, movie screenings, fry munching and coffee all made the cut. Be on the lookout for our holiday roundups in upcoming weeks. You’ll be thanking us later. Save the Dates: Newport Beach Film Festival You can examine the list of hundreds […]
Heirloom Farmhouse Kitchen at the New Marriott Irvine Spectrum Is Aimed at Millennials, Connoisseurs of Good Food
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, […]
Eat This Now: Trio Thursday at Brunos Italian Kitchen
You come to Brunos Italian Kitchen for two things: well-executed Italian fare (all the pasta is made in-house) and the lounge. The downtown Brea eatery offers daily specials and hosts happy hour every night—ideal for getting your evening started or a post-theater bite. But what you want to head here for is Trio Thursday. The […]
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 […]
Now Open: A New Breakfast Joint in Laguna Hills, and MORE!
Mark your calendars to join us for #Easter #BREAKFAST, #BRUNCH or #LUNCH! #TMinus3Days . 📸: @hellomeridian! . #LePeep #butfirstLePeep #food #foodpic #foodpics #foodie #foodphoto #foodpicture #foods #foodlover #foodpost #foodbaby #foodcoma #delish #delicious #nomnomnom #eat #eats #seriouseats #easter #eastersunday #easter2018 A post shared by Le Peep Restaurants (Homepage) (@le_peep) on Mar 29, 2018 at 2:53pm PDT […]
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 […]
Your Coachella Food Guide
Coachella continues to up its game each year. So it’s no surprise that 2018’s food lineup is just as good as the musical one. Here’s our list of must-eat bites for this (and next) weekend’s fest. PIZZANISTA The thin-crust, New York-style pies have earned Pizzanista a ’za seal of approval from just about everyone. Since […]
OC Grub Guide 4/12-4/18: Sanrio, Serato and Sidecar
We spy with our roving eye so many reasons to get out of the house and dine. Brunch, beer dinner, doughnuts and even a festival are in our lineup! Go alone or with a friend; either way, it’ll be good eats. Casa Barilla Carbonara Special – Costa Mesa Happening now through May 6, satisfy […]
