After a slow start, Union Market, Tustin's indoor-swap-meet-within-a-mall, is now nearly fully occupied. The latest tenant to move in is Milkbox, which first established itself at the Union Market in Mission Viejo. Tustin's Mailbox serves the same milky boba drinks as the original.
2493 Park Ave., Tustin, CA 92782
At least two more new poke joints have opened in Irvine in the past few weeks. One is called Maka Poke & Teriyaki, which is located inside a brick-covered office building on Redhill and McGaw. It serves the usual build-your-own poke bowls, with two scoops of fish starting at $7; but also chicken rice soup and a chicken burrito for breakfast. This is Maka Poke & Teriyaki second store. The first is in La Palma.
17300 Red Hill Ave., Irvine, CA 92614
A new restaurant serving Uyghur cuisine has opened in Irvine. Kashgar Grill specializes in dishes with lamb, including hand-pulled puddles with lamb and lamb stir-fried with cumin. Also served: “Ding-Ding” chow mein, which has diced noodles stir-fried with beef and vegetables. Kashgar Grill takes over the space formerly occupied by Pho Factory.
15455 Jeffrey Rd. Ste 300, Irvine, CA 92618
Doner G, the Turkish kebab restaurant that began in Anaheim and expanded to Irvine and Santa Ana, has now opened store number four in Lake Forest.
23592 Rockfield Blvd. Ste 505, Lake Forest, CA 92630
American Tavern Eatery & Drink inside Hotel Menage has closed and revamped into a new restaurant called Tru Grits Food & Drink. Entrees include a rosemary roasted lamb rump and a Branzino fillet. A Happy Hour menu is offered between 4 to 6 p.m.
1221 S Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805
Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.