noodlegrl's Profile
Thai Nakorn Opening Delayed
it's open! yay.
http://blogs.ocregister.com/foodfrenzy/archives/2007/04/thai_nakorn_now.html#comments
Tantalum-LB
Had my first visit to Tantalum last weekend. Was initially impressed by the sleek decor and the awesome bar with the glittering waterfront view. It was packed. What I liked was that the crowd was very diverse and there wasn't the usual pretentious attitude found at similar trendy/fusion joints.
We managed to find a tiny table for three. The food was good -- (the spicy tuna tartare was outstanding, as was the kobe burger, miso-glazed halibut & panko crusted brie) but the service was what stuck out the most. Our waitress was terrible. My side dish never came and when I politely asked for it, she didn't even apologize or sound apologetic: "It hasn't come yet? I put the order in." The side dish came when I already finished with my entree and it arrived cold. She also brought out the wrong drink for my friend and informed me that the drink I ordered was unavailable. When the bill came, I was still charged for the drink that never came. I'll try Tantalum again (I have a two-chances rule) and hope I get a different waiter/waitress but I've been hearing from several others that service is just really bad at Tantalum, which is too bad.
Diners in Orange County
The Galley Cafe in NB. Run for four generations by local family, quaint little diner that serves homestyle breakfast with a great view of the bay.
Aire Re-Visit
I was a really big fan of Aire because of their Happy Hour specials, always made for a fun weekly outing with the girls. But then they abruptly ended it. You're right about it being overpriced. They have also changed the menu in the last 2-3 months to be a little bit more fancy. Translation: More moola.
My favorite offering there is the Magnificent 8, little crisp wonton "taco" shells stuffed with either spicy tuna tartare and guacamole or a mayonnaisey (but still good) albacore tartare. $20 for 8 tacos. Good for sharing.
Sadly, their mini burgers are gone, as is their terrific mac n' cheese. For the money they charge, I'd rather head to Blue Coral anyday.
Blue Coral NB -REVIEW (long)
Just ate there last night. Was my second visit. Had a great experience. Can't say enough nice things about the staff, incredibly friendly and accommodating without the usual air of pretense so typical of such restaurants, especially here in OC.
But the food. And the drinks!
New favorite drink: Pineapple mojitos. Chunks of pineapples mashed with mint into the cocktail.
Biscuits: Couldn't get enough, especially with that whipped honey butter.
Appetizers: Baked goat cheese served warm and gooey with bread crisps and marinated grape tomatoes. So good. Also the best blue crab cake we've ever had. Tuna carpaccio -- made much more interesting with a sprinkling of capers.
Entree: Chilean sea bass baked in parchment in a tomato broth and julienned veggies. Fish was cooked to perfection and the flavor was subtle and didn't overpower the fish. Also had the lobster mac n' cheese. Tasted like lobster bisque with pasta.
Dessert: Strawberry shortcake, made with those ridiculous biscuits and whipped cream. So good.
Never been a big fan of anything Fashion Island, in terms of dining, but Blue Coral has changed my mind. Service is awesome and the staff just has an overall great attitude. Did I mention their amazing drinks?
Costa Mesa/OC - Udon noodle soup
Hey I've tried googling and calling 411 for Kyutori in GG and no luck ... do you have an address/#? Thanks!
Kauai Report
We're on our last day here at the Hilton Kauai Beach Resort. We didn't really shoot for fine-dining as we spent much of our time snorkeling/hiking so we were always in shorts and tanks, hardly fancy attire. Here are some spots we ate at:
*Kintaro in Wailua. We were dubious at first but the tuna is so incredibly fresh, melts in your mouth. Definitely more rolls-oriented and dinner combo-entrees, but all very tasty and reasonably priced. Dinners ran from $25-$50 for two.
*House of Noodles in Kapa'a. We tried to go to Hamura's Saimin but as luck would have it, they were closed for renovation for a week. The saimin at House of Noodles was pretty good, we definitely would return. $6 or $7 a bowl.
*Obsessions Cafe in Waimea. Good wraps, nice light lunch spot just before hiking in Waimea Canyon. $16 lunch for two.
*Hanamaulu Tea House and Restaurant in Lihue: So-so Japanese food. Ghetto tables and chairs. I was disappointed because I had read decent reviews. $50 for two. Not worth it.
*Shaved ice stand at Beach House/Lawai Beach. (Also home to some of best snorkeling we did, aside from Napali!) Tiny stand with a mom and little son who served us deliciously giant-sized shaved ice for $3.50 each.
Worst Pho Ever
Wow, wondering if any of you are Vietnamese? My dad, who owned a pho stand in Vietnam, says Pho 79 in Garden Grove is closest to motherland pho. It's all in the broth. (His other favorite is all the way in Pomona, called Pho Ha). All of the other places listed (Pho Hoa especially) above as "good" pho is generally "stand-by" pho at best and for the non-Viet palate at worst. As for first reference to Nguyen Thuy's bad pho, not shocking. Not a place for pho, first off. Nguyen Thuy specializes in Central Hue cuisine. Never go eat pho at a Vietnamese restaurant that isn't strictly a pho restaurant. Like going to a steak restaurant and ordering the chicken, err, you know what I mean. That said, Nguyen Thuy's banh hoi combo is a treat.
The worst pho I've ever had was at Pho 54, followed by Saigon Noodle House (in the 909), Pho My Man in downtown HB (though it's now What the Pho) and Pho America in Tustin. (?.
Most "striaght forward" Izakaya, with good price/quality ratio?
oh im so glad someone mentioned sake bomb in costa mesa! really great atmosphere and great/quirky offerings. sadly, a lot of people walk in thinking there's going to be a traditional sushi bar and walk out because they can't hang with the eclectic menu of little tapas-style dishes: Raw squid and shark cartilage appetizers; chicken taco cups and German sausage, clam chowder pot pie and chicken cutlet pizza.
Costa Mesa/OC - Udon noodle soup
Shin Sen Gumi has a good udon lunch combo. It's a solid bowl of udon, much better than say, Ebisu or other similarly bland versions in OC, including the one in the Mitsuwa Marketplace, which is only good when desperate and for cheap/quick eats. My favorite udon surpisingly, comes from Gyu-Kaku. Their Gomi Negi Udon is the best I've had. It comes in a stone bowl so the soup stays piping hot for the entire meal. The noodles are thicker than other places I've tried and the fish cake slices are also much better than the generic pink and white slices elsewhere. Broth is rich and flavorful. So excited a Huntington Beach location is opening in Oct so I don't have to drive all the way to L.A. for it.
Anyone been to Matsu in Huntington Beach?
Not sure which comment you originally posted, assuming it wasn't in favor of the sushi either way. Also not sure whether you've been at the bar as of late. I have only been eating there regularly about 3-4 years so I can't speak before that. (Someone else mentioned they had had less-than-ideal experience several years ago.)
Any places with ra-men within 25 miles of Corona, CA?
Hi there, have you tried Shin Sen Gumi in Fountain Valley? http://www.shinsengumiusa.com/
One of my favorite places to eat. Ramen bar is always packed, you won't be disappointed. It's a two-sided restaurant. (The other is udon for lunch and yakitori for dinner, love both!)
Anyone been to Matsu in Huntington Beach?
I have to defend Matsu here. It's true, in the general dining room, the sushi is barely passable. The food in the dining room is for those who want to eat the stereotypical tempura and other combination style entrees. It wasn't until later that I discovered that eating at the tiny sushi bar of Matsu is night and day compared to the subpar sushi served in the dining area. Sushi at the bar is absolutely delicious. The spanish mackerel is excellent, as is the seasonal lobster roll (with soy paper), tuna (fatty and tataki) and jumbo scallop. Also worth trying is the tuna tataki sashimi, cucumber special roll and the One Night Stand.
