OC Food Reviews

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Last week we decided to try a place friends have been telling us we just had to visit called the Blue Agave on Yorba Linda Blvd. It’s a pretty unassuming little place in the corner of a strip mall. I was thinking it really didn’t look like much from the outside when I walked in and realized it really didn’t look like much on the inside either.

The interior of the restaurant looks like a really over-stylized southwestern cliché, think pinks and turquoises, geometric patterns and airbrushed American indian paintings and you’ll get the picture. The clientele was somewhat less interesting, people wearing cheesy hawaiian shirts and the like. I felt like we had entered a tourist trap on Route 66.

After our initial impression we sat down to peruse the menu and enjoy some chips and salsa. I noted right away that their chips and salsa were pretty bland, not a good sign. I also noted that their menu was more like Southwestern Fusion than traditional Southwestern cuisine. Every dish has a creative twist to it, which is nice but sometimes you just want to get something traditional, classic or familiar, and they fail to provide anything like that on their menu. The menu is a little on the pricey side too.

In the end we decided to try several items from their menu and share. We ordered the Hacienda Fajitas Enchiladas, Apache Chicken Quemada and Citrus Swordfish Skewers. Our waitress wasn’t very friendly and up to this point I really wasn’t expecting much of the food at the Blue Agave. It may be because of my lowered expectations, but when we got our food I was pleasantly surprised, it’s was pretty good!

It wasn’t perfect though, everything we tried had good flavor but also was a little on the over-cooked side. Nothing tasted really very fresh. Overall the food at Blue Agave is really tasty but there is definitely room for improvement.

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Growing up in Anaheim, I have very vivid memories of driving past the signage for the “Original” Pancake House on Lincoln Ave., with the strange laughing head and what appears to be a mushroom cloud in a frying pan. Sadly I’ve never been to the Original Pancake House on Lincoln Ave. but the location off of Yorba Linda Blvd. caught my eye one day. It caught my eye because it exhibited what I consider to be the truest way to judge a restaurant: Huge crowds of people waiting outside just to eat.

I’ve never been to an eating establishment that had that one characteristic and been disappointed! The Original Pancake house is no exception, and if you are in the area or within reasonable driving distance, the trek down to Yorba Linda is well worth it on a Sunday morning. And so is the wait, though it can be frustrating if you’re really hungry, which I usually am on Sunday mornings. I recommend you arrive early, put your name in, grab some bench and read through a complimentary newspaper.

Pancake House delivers on the failed promise of IHOP, namely a menu loaded with exotic and foreign breakfast creations. German pancakes, Swedish pancakes, Idaho potato pancakes, Belgium waffles, crepes… the list literally goes on and on! If you don’t believe me check out their website. We’ve visited Pancake House dozens of times and I’ve ordered something different every time and I haven’t made a dent in their menu. Everything there is excellent!

In particular I’m very fond of their apple creations (pancake, crepes or waffles), the potato pancakes and they have really good coffee and hot chocolate. The place is always packed and the service is brisk since they are trying to move so many people through. The prices are reasonable and you get a ton of food, you won’t walk away dissatisfied!

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I’ve eaten a lot of Thai food in my day. I was never really introduced to Thai food until I was in college, I had a number of friends in college that were from Thailand. And because of them I’ve eaten at a lot of places ranging from the most authentic you can possibly get state side to the most Americanized “interpretation”. And for my money, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten better Thai food than what you get at George’s Thai Bistro in Santa Ana. It’s definitely one of my all-time favs.

The restaurant itself is in a pretty unassuming shopping center located off Bristol near South Coast Plaza. They’re located near the back by Toys R Us. The interior is pretty warm and inviting, it looks like the restaurant used to be some kind of steak house or some other genre of dining that they converted almost somewhat hastily to a Thai restaurant. But overall it works.

The cover of their menus are a crack-up too, with a caricature of who I assume to be “George” smiling and offering you some yummy Thai food. But rest assured, the brevity ends on the cover of the menu. They get down to some serious Thai food business on the interior. If you’re not feeling too adventurous, I recommend the Chicken Pad Thai. But I’ve eaten here many, many times and I don’t think I or anyone I’ve ever been to George’s with has ever ordered anything that wasn’t outstanding from their menu.

One thing to be aware of though is that unlike most restaurants, there are no free refills on beverages at George’s. It’s easy to get something spicy there and end up wondering why they’re charging you for three sodas. But as long as we’re talking beverages, their Thai Iced Coffee is awesome and well worth checking out.

One of the best things about George’s Thai Bistro though is you can order every dish on the menu with a level of spiciness range 1-10. My personal taste there ranges somewhere between a 6-7. But here’s a real tip for George aficionados, if you’re into the real spicy stuff you can order your spiciness off the charts! That’s right, just like Spinal Tap, you can crank it up to 11 (or 12 or 13…).

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Last weekend we participated in our annual ritual of visiting the Orange County fair in Costa Mesa. Now, I’m no great advocate of the gastronomic wonderland that is your average county fair with whatever they’re happening to deep fry and put on a stick these days. But there is one thing that absolutely keeps me coming back every year, something that the mere arrival of July gets my mouth watering and looking forward to the fair. The thing that makes the whole trip down to the Costa Mesa fair grounds worthwhile is fresh roasted corn on the cob.

There’s just something about corn at the fair, I don’t know what exactly it is. The recipe seems so simple: Take fresh corn, roast it… that’s pretty much it. Yet somehow theirs is beyond anything I can reproduce at home, or anyone else for that matter. They must have a secret, and someday it will be mine! But until then I’ll keep coming back year after year.

One of the best parts about getting corn at the fair is the toppings available. You can fix your corn however you want with a plethora of creative options. You have your basic pat of butter and salt, garlic salt, seasoned salt, lemon juice, chili powder, tabasco and the list goes on. My own needs are pretty basic when it comes to corn, a pat of butter and salt, maybe some seasoned salt if I’m feeling adventurous. But people at the fair get pretty crazy with the condiments. One fellow corn enthusiast swore to me that slathered in mayonnaise and lemon juice is the only way to go. More power to him.

There is a dark side to my fair story though. After we enjoyed some corn, spent several hours walking around enjoying the photography exhibits, livestock, learning about all the products you may have seen on late night TV and listening to some live music, I was hungry. Worse, I was hungry with too many choices. That’s when I broke one of my own cardinal rules: Never buy a hot dog from a carny when you’re desperate!

I’m not proud of it, but I purchased and ate what is without a doubt the worst hot dog in the history of mankind from a pimple-faced overweight woman in her mid-forties. I knew I made a mistake when she handed it to me and I thought to myself “was she wearing any gloves?” I shook my head. Surely anything served from an old RV converted into a kitchen has impeccable food preparation standards. I was being paranoid.

Both the hot dog and the bun tasted like they were left over from last year’s fair. But I have my principles, and one of those principles is when you pay $4.75 for a hot dog you eat it young man. So I did, and my body thanked me for it later.

So there you have it. The OC Fair: Go for the corn, stay for the rides. Avoid the carny dogs.

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It’s hard to throw a rock in the city of Santa Ana and not hit an authentic Mexican restaurant. One that we like to frequent regularly is the Little Onion on the corner of Main and MacArthur (this corner of Main and MacArthur not to be confused with this corner of Main and MacArthur a few blocks away). It may not be the most delicious or most authentic Mexican food you can find in Santa Ana, but it’s still near the top of the list.

If you find yourself in the area and decide to check out the Little Onion be sure to get there early and beat the lunch rush otherwise you may find yourself standing around outside waiting for a table. But any place with crowds of people outside waiting to eat has got to be good though right?

We’ve tried just about everything on the menu at the Little Onion and you pretty much can’t go wrong with anything. But there are a few other reasons you should visit the Little Onion besides the food.

First, there’s the ambiance. It’s quirky and welcoming. Between the old, strange pictures on the wall, the wood shake shingle roof indoors, and various odds and ends, it kind of feels like you’ve been invited to eat at someone’s Mexican grandmother’s house. It’s definitely unique, but in a good way. Then there’s the staff, they’re always courteous and friendly. I don’t think they speak much english but that’s also part of the appeal.

But the main reason you should visit the Little Onion is their chips and kick-you-in-the-face salsa. Lots of Mexican restaurants have good chips and salsa, but the salsa at Little Onion is particularly good. And these guys don’t shy away from the hot stuff, if you like it hot you are in for a treat. I like to call it diablo sauce, because it’s addicting at first but then sneaks up to knock some sense into you.

Little Onion is the kind of place you can visit regularly and not get tired of. If you’re looking for some quirky atmosphere and good, authentic Mexican, give Little Onion a try.

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I woke up Saturday morning craving garlic, and luckily I happen to live around the corner from the best garlic fix in the OC, Rosine’s Mediterranean Cafe on Wier Canyon Road in Anaheim Hills. We headed over around lunch time, it had been a while since I’d been there for lunch, we usually go for dinner, and I had forgotten how reasonable their prices are for lunch.

I ordered the half rotisserie chicken, which is sort of what Rosine’s is famous for, and that fame is well deserved. But in my opinion the main event at Rosine’s, and the whole reason for us going, is their amazing garlic sauce! If you drop by Rosine’s the garlic sauce is not to be missed. It’s creamy, whipped, sweet roasted garlic heaven. Most of the dishes come with a choice of sides, if garlic sauce isn’t enough garlic for you there’s garlic mashed potatoes, but I recommend the red roasted potatoes. Another favorite side that I can’t resist is the hummus. I consider myself somewhat of a hummus connoisseur and the hummus at Rosine’s is not the best I’ve ever had but it’s decent.

Rosine’s is one of the local establishments that is absolutely a must, if you’ve never been there make plans to go right now. The atmosphere at Rosine’s is a little bit upscale but intimate. If you’re looking for a good date restaurant this is a good choice, of course the whole garlic factor has to be taken into account.

After some pita bread and garlic sauce and amazing rotisserie chicken I was feeling much better and ready to tackle the rest of the weekend.

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This morning was Fathers Day, and we decided to honor my father (and mother) by getting some authentic Cuban fare at Café Contigo in downtown Anaheim. My family has always said that there aren’t enough “fast” Cuban eating places around. Most Cuban restaurants are the “sit-down” types and there’s so many great Cuban foods that lend themselves to this type of dining: Empanadas, Cuban Coffee, Cuban Pressed Sandwiches, Batidos (Cuban Smoothies), Tostones (crispy fried plantains) and the list goes on. I was happy to see the fine folks at Café Contigo get it.

Our first impression was the atmosphere. Café Contigo is first and foremost a coffee house, so it has that community/hangout feel to it, and if there’s one thing Cubans know how to do well it’s community hangouts. The decor and ambiance is great! Weathered furniture, deep tones, great natural light and outdoor eating area mixed with wonderful, authentic music. They also have really great coffee table books of life in Cuba and table games like Cuban dominoes. I already knew I was going to like this place the moment I walked in.

Their Cuban Sandwich is authentic and delicious. The foundation of a great Cuban sandwich is really good, crusty Cuban bread, and I found out from talking with the personable staff that Café Contigo gets some of their baked goods (including bread) from Porto’s Bakery in Glendale. Those in the know, know that is a very very good thing! The empanadas at Café Contigo are also delectable, perfectly spiced and cooked. I dare you to only eat one.

If I had one criticism of Café Contigo it’s that their menu is kind of on the light side. The smoothies are not very authentic and they are missing the most quintessential of Cuban Batidos: Mamey. The lack of a Batido de Mamey from the menu was a glaring disappointment. They could also consider adding other sandwiches, Tostones and fried Yucca fries to the menu.

Still, this place was a great find and I look forward to returning and sampling more of their coffee treats and enjoying more empanadas!

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We all decided to trek down to Costa Mesa on Friday for lunch and ended up at Beach Pit Barbeque on the corner of 17th and Tustin. Our first impression was that seeing how hard it was to find a place to park, it had to be good. We drove around the corner and parked on the street. As we approached their cute little beach shack we could smell the smoke and we started getting excited.

The restaurant itself had a great atmosphere and layout, except of course for the lack of parking. They have an outdoor area with sections for you to leave your dog and a kids play area that’s gated. They also have a fire pit with benches. As I walked in I noticed what several of the people were eating, the food looked excellent and the portions generous. Overall this looked like my kind of place.

We went inside to order and I was quite happy with their menu, very traditional as barbecue goes and reasonable prices. Most of us settled for the lunch special, I had the beef brisket. We found a place to sit and waited for our orders to come. While we waited I noticed that Beach Pit Barbecue has a real local hangout atmosphere, almost like a coffee shop. People hang out, bring their laptops and work or bring their kids or dogs.

After such a huge build up we got our food and immediately dug in. Overall we were really disappointed with our food with such high expectations. The meat was a little dry, the rolls tasted store bought and the sides were underwhelming. Everything looked better than it tasted. We actually had to send the mac and cheese back for being stale and flavorless. It’s really hard to mess up mac and cheese!

When it comes to barbecue though, I can almost forgive all of the those things. I’m the kind of barbecue lover that believes it’s all about the sauce, and I really did not care for the Beach Pit’s sauce at all. It’s very vinegary and the hot sauce has very little kick to it. It was really a shame overall.

If you’re down in the area, the Beach Pit Barbecue is almost worth checking out just for the atmosphere. Their prices are reasonable and you get a good amount of food. Just don’t expect earth shattering barbecue.

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I wasn’t really in the mood to try a new restaurant today. I felt like retreating to Pho 54 for some vermicelli with beef. But since I was daydreaming, I ended up passing Pho 54 and found myself at Bolsa and Moran Street-which is a great spot for food.

To avoid hitting a car, I drove into a small little parking lot behind a Vietnamese shopping center. I had no idea where I was going. The little street had a dead end, but luckily there was one parking spot open next to this little strip mall.

While walking around, I found a little restaurant called Mi A Dong & Dim Sum – Chinese Noodle House & Hong Kong Styles (sic). They serve traditional dim sum dishes all day and have daily specials on crab, lobster, and/or fish.

It’s a very clean restaurant with a television playing Chinese music videos. They have all the typical soups, dim sum dishes, and seafood offered at your average Chinese restaurant. Most meals cost around $5.00.

The guy at the table across from me ordered a Vietnamese fried rice dish with shrimp. I don’t like fried rice that much, but it looked tasty.

After a brief review of the menu, I ordered Chao Ga (Chicken Porridge). It’s sort of the Korean equivalent of Juk (pronounced “jook”). There are many different variations of Juk and Chao Ga (e.g. porridge with pork, shrimp and egg, fish, squid, pork blood, etc.) I love my mother-in-law’s Juk, so I wanted to compare.

If you’ve never eaten chicken porridge before, you definitely need to try it. It’s essentially a big bowl of chicken soup, except it looks like porridge because all the rice in the broth has broken down into little bits.

Lilly, the restaurant manager and cook, was very pleased that I enjoyed the soup. She then freely told me how easy it is to cook. Here’s what she said:

First, boil a chicken until cooked. Remove the chicken and add rice. Let the rice cook in the broth for about two hours, or until the rice starts to break down. Next, add shredded lemon grass, a little salt, a little sugar, chunks of chicken, and when ready to servee–cover the porridge with chopped green onions and cilantro. It’s easy.”

It’s such a simple concoction that I’m tempted to make it myself. The lemon grass and cilantro combination in the porridge really adds an immense freshness. I feel like I should start using lemon grass in my own cooking on a regular basis.

They also brought me a plate of Chinese Bread Sticks (thin, fried bread). It’s the perfect food to dip into the porridge.

So, if you’re hungry, and you can find it, maybe you should visit Mi A Dong & Dim Sum.

Cost: $4.50