umami's Profile
Brown Cupcake Liners - OC
Thanks, Professor. ABC had what I was looking for and SO much more!
Brown Cupcake Liners - OC
I'm looking for an Orange County retailer that sells dark brown cupcake liners, like the ones that Sprinkles uses. I tried Sur la Table and they have every color and pattern under the sun EXCEPT dark brown. I called Sprinkles but they won't sell them to me.
Tasting/Prix Fixe Menus - Why does the entire table have to order?
What angered and confused me most was the whole "Chef says" explanation. Does it really affect the kitchen all that much if it's a 7 top ordering the prix fixe versus a 6 top ordering prix fixe and a 1 top ordering à la carte? Maybe a chef can weigh in on this?
Tasting/Prix Fixe Menus - Why does the entire table have to order?
Six friends and I recently went to a fine dining restaurant in Las Vegas for dinner. One of us had received an email about their $39 three-course Summer Menu and it seemed like a good deal so 7 of us decided to go. All of the selections on the Summer Menu were already on the regular menu but the overall savings was about $10 when ordering 3 courses. When we sat down and were presented menus, we did not see the summer menu so we asked our waiter if it was being offered that night. He said that, it was, however, it's was the chef's request that everyone at the table participate. One of our friends is a vegetarian and there were no vegetarian options on the Summer Menu so that mean that the other 6 of us could not order the menu that we had specifically come in for. Our waiter was firm that this was the chef's rule. We even joked that our vegetarian friend would sit at another table. Our waiter tried to reason that all of the items on the Summer Menu were available à la carte and that we could still eat the dishes we wanted to eat, it would just be a few dollars more. He tried to convince us that the Summer Menu was not such a great deal after all.
We finally gave up and just ordered off the regular menu, some of us ordering three courses, and some of us ordering only one or two. In the end, our food bill was less than if they had broken the chef's rule and let just six of us order the Summer Menu. Was this a classic bait and switch or it there a legitimate reason why restaurants impose the rule that everyone at the table must order a prix fixe or tasting menu? Does it have to do with production in the kitchen, division of labor, or timing of service?
Fashion Island Newport Beach
R&D Cafe (across from Neiman Marcus) is pretty good, although I am not a fan of their burger.
Menu:
http://www.hillstone.com/pdf_menus/cafeRandD/Cafe_R_and_D_Newport.pdf
Breakfast/Lunch in Newport Beach & Laguna Beach
My favorite breakfast spots in Newport/Corona del Mar are Caffe Panini, Plums Café, Haute Cakes, and Zinc Cafe (locations in Coroina del Mar and Laguna Beach.) Most of these restaurants have outside seating, which I am partial to.
For baked goods you should check out C'est si Bon located off Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. It's very popular, especially on weekends. Get a slice of the chocolate bombe cake to go!
Fire in Orange County?
Gulfstream in Corona del Mar has an outside dirt patio with two fire pits and adirondack chairs.
Where do you go to get your knives sharpened in OC?
I take mine to Plaza Cutlery in South Coast Plaza. I think it's $1/inch.
http://www.plazacutlery.com/
Deep Fried Seafood in O.C./Long Beach
You could try Bluewater Grill in Newport Beach (not a fan of the Tustin location.) I've seen Ispwich clams on the menu.
http://www.bluewatergrill.com/locations/newport_beach.htm
I need Arabic spices in Orange County...help!
You might try Wholesome Choice in Irvine at the corner of Culver and Michelson, right off the 405.
REVIEW: Mariscos Puerto Esperanza, Orange
After reading all of the glowing reviews yesterday afternoon, Mr. Umami and I hopped in the car and made the trip up to Orange from Corona del Mar. We usually go to taquerias to get our Mexican food fix but this sounded really interesting and, I will admit, the pleas to support MPE in this slow economy influenced me quite a bit.
When we arrived at about 7:15 pm there were 5 other parties seated, once of which was a table of 6. There was only one waiter for the restaurant that night. I gather from their website and business card that Chef Santiago's wife is the front of house manager but I did not see her that night so I suspect they were just understaffed this one night. We waited a little while to order but it was not much of a problem because our server did acknowledge us a few times and Mr. Umami was content to watch soccer on the tv in the corner. We loved the salsa that came with the chips, dark and smoky but also very fresh tasting from the cilantro and lime. While we saw other tables receive mugs of what I assume was the lobster broth, we were not offered any and I was a little disappointed. But all was forgotten once that chile relleno arrived! First, I tasted the sauce. Complex and smoky with a hint of sweetness (but no more than any other tomato-based sauce,) it was absolutely addictive. The seafood in the relleno was perfectly cooked and the pasilla pepper was lightly roasted over the fire. We devoured it quickly and then the ceviche de pescado arrived. While I do with it had a little more fish in it, I thought the flavors were great – SO refreshing. Fresh tomato, lime, and cucumber were pronounced. Our last dish was the langostinos zarandeados (5 on a plate). I was really impressed with the presentation of this dish, and even more so with the flavors. I, too, ruined my shirt with splatters of sauce from sucking on the heads. Overall, I thought the food was a terrific value and it was such a pleasure to experience these wonderful flavors. You can tell that there was much thought put into the dining room décor, from the carved chairs, to the wall murals. Food is presented on modern, white square plates and bowls, which make for a dramatic presentation. I would have to say that Mariscos Puerto Esperanza makes places like Taleo and Taco Rosa pale in comparison. Not only is the food undeniably better, but the value is outstanding. They do have a website: www.mariscospuerto.com that has some good coupons for both dinner and happy hour. To all that posted reviews before: Thank you!!
Where to find castelvetrano olives in Orange County
I've tried Whole Foods and Bristol Farms but no luck. I've heard so much about these olives and I'm dying to try them!
Where to find Lucques olives?
I get these from the self-serve olive bar at the Whole Foods in Tustin (OC). I have also found them in the cheese section of the Bristol Farms in Newport Beach.
BBQ Chicken - Korean Fried Chicken in Irvine - Review w/ PHOTOS
My boyfriend and I went opening weekend and waited about 40 minutes for a table. Once seated, we were able to put in our orders pretty quickly but waited a VERY long time for our food. Our waitress was very nice and apologized repeatedly but it did irk me that I saw several people come in, place take out orders, and leave with their food in the time that we were waiting for ours. I thought the crust of the fried chicken was excellent and the meat was very juicy but I thought the batter lacked seasoning. We both ordered the 2-piece combos with the original chicken (no glaze).
Has anyone been to BCD Tofu House? We stopped by to pick up a menu and saw that portions for lunch look pretty generous!
Fabulous Dinner Rec Needed- Laguna Beach
For fine dining, Studio at the Montage or Stonehill Tavern at the St. Regis.
http://www.studiolagunabeach.com/
http://www.stregismonarchbeach.com/index.cfm?action=getPage&pageID=125&navGroupID=6
For more casual, 230 Forest Avenue would be good but it has no view since it's downtown. I haven't been myself, but I've heard the rooftop bar at K'Ya has a great view.
http://www.kyarestaurant.com/laguna/index_laguna.html
Nice Birthday Brunch in LA
I want to treat someone to a nice birthday brunch and am trying to decide between Jar and Anisette. Neither of us have been to either of these two places. Any thoughts?
REVIEW: Marché Moderne, Costa Mesa
I am a big fan of the prix fixe $20 weekday lunch. Sunday brunch is $5 more or have they raised the price since I was there 2 months ago?
Capital Seafood Irvine
There is a new Asian shopping center opening next week at Alton and Jamboree and the OC Register reports that Capital Seafood will be one of the tenants. Can anyone confirm that this is part of the SGV chain? Thoughts on the food?
Inexpensive Sushi In OC?
Kura Sushi in Costa Mesa on 17th Street would fit the bill perfectly. My boyfriend and I eat here frequently to get our fix and save the places like Abe and Bluefin for special ocasions.
http://www.kurasushi.com/
"jamie at home"
I love this show too. I was not a huge Jamie Oliver fan before but now I am.
Newport/Irvine upscale cool restaurant.. no chains please!!!
I would have to recommend The Crow Bar and Kitchen in Corona del Mar. It's a gastropub with an interesting look, good food, and a definite scene. If you are looking for fine dining, what about Stonehill Tavern in the St. Regis just south of Laguna Beach? Marche Moderne which replaced Troquet in South Coast Plaza is a great option as well.
Review: Plum's Cafe, Costa Mesa
I like Plum's and have had both the waffle and the dutch baby. They were both good but I can see they that would be considerably less enjoyable when not served fresh.
Break of Dawn in Laguna Hills is my new favorite place for breakfast. I ordered the Smoked Salmon with poached eggs and was blown away that it was only $10. My only complaint about Break of Dawn is that they use whipped cream from a can as opposed to the real stuff.
http://breakofdawnrestaurant.com/index.html
Two Crazy Craves...where in the OC???
If Bluewater Grill in Newport Beach (I don't think their new loction at The District is open yet) doesn't have fried scallops on the menu, I'm sure they can prepare them for you.
Executive lunch near South Coast Plaza
I agree, the tables at Marche Moderns are very close together so talking business may be a little difficult. What about Scott's Seafood? It's pretty much the quintessential business lunch restaurant.
http://www.scottsseafood.com/southcoast/home.html
The Cravery Pot Pies?
I had the classic chicken pot pie and it was mediocre. Tasted like a frozen Swanson pot pie that you bake in the oven.
ISO Breakfast Restaurant in South Orange County
Thank you! Have you had breakfast there? Thoughts?
ISO Breakfast Restaurant in South Orange County
I read about a highly recommended cafe specializing in breakfast on this board some time ago and can not remember the name of it. I've done a search and could not find anything in the Chowhound archives. It is somewhere in south Orange County and was owned by an asian chef who had worked at the Ritz Carlton previously. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
OC's Top 100 Tastes You Must Try Before You Die
1. French dip sandwich, R&D Cafe, Newport Beach
2. Sourdough bread, Bluewater Grill, Newport Beach
3. Pad Thai, Thai Nakorn, Stanton
4. Wonton noodle soup, Sam Woo, Irvine
5. Pho tai, Quan hop, Westminster
Restaurant Gift Certificate ideas please!
Alas, I live in California and when I stated looked at some menus and prices I realized that $100 does not get you far in New York. I was considering Bar at the Modern. Have you been?
