OCEllen, I saw Grimaud Muscovy ducks @ Bristol Farms in NB yesterday afternoon.

-----
Bristol Farms
810 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA

Persian markets often have a good selection of butter... I get lightly salted Lurpak at my local (in OC), for instance.

Another place to try might be the Tustin Whole Foods... I have had good luck with chicken livers there.

-----
Whole Foods Market
2847 Park Ave, Tustin, CA

Subal, I wasn't being sarcastic... I felt terrible that you had a bad experience at TG. I guess I shouldn't have mentioned it.

I'm glad you found a place you like!

Gosh, that sounds terrible!

Never seen anything remotely like that there, but then my visits have always been midday or a.m. It's not a nighttime shopping center, that is true.

I love their escabeche... vinegar/chile is the dominant flavor profile of escabeche. "Red beans" doesn't sound right, though... always traditional pintos, in my experience.

What is a "corn taco"?

I realize any price is too high for something one doesn't like, but, $1.10 is expensive?

Also in Orange just a couple of blocks N. from T. Mexico where Glassell forks into Orange-Olive, and very very good, Taqueria Guadalupana has the vertical spit.

(Would be a simple matter to hit both, seems like.)

Longer T. Guadalupana writeup: http://www.ocfoodnation.com/EatNice/i...

-----
Taqueria Guadalupana
1997 N Orange Olive Rd, Orange, CA 92865

Consistency, lack of same, is the problem at Kean, whose beans are delicious.

Such nice people work there... wish there was more attention paid to quality control or training or whatever it would take to make it dependable.

.

Saw some very good-looking Parmigiano Reggiano in the cheese case @ Lucca Cafe in Irvine just the other day.

-----
Lucca Cafe & Market
6507 Quail Hill Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92603

Claro's Reggiano is often in good condition and worth buying. Also Whole Foods.

Both occasionally have condition issues, and either'll cost more per # than TJ's, of course.

(I agree with JB on the Pecorino Romano -- the one that TJ carries is remarkably good, esp. @ its bargain price.)

Well, I happened to be in Tustin this a.m. and Claro's did indeed have them back on the counter.

Thanks laryss!

On my last several visits Claro's hasn't, although for years they did, on top of the deli counter.

Have you seen them there recently?

Very good. Will try there. Thanks!

Thank you, I'll try that... AND the sandwich!

Anyone know of a source for salt-packed anchovies in Orange County? Claro's used to have them on the counter, but does no longer.

I'd be willing to invest in the kilo tin if that is what is available, but would prefer being able to buy in smaller increments.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Celinda's in RSM has breakfast tacos on the menu... http://www.celindas.com/menu-pageLEFT...

-----
Celindas the Original Mexican Dell
29941 Aventura, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

Honey Pacifica sells both raw and filtered.

Yet my age has continued to advance in this same interim -- just doing my part to maintain the statistic, I guess.

Fried is good here, as has been mentioned, as is one of the fresh fish, griddled or as they call it grilled.

Can't believe Seafare Inn is topical!

My family's been eating there since 1962, and it's charmingly unchanged -- even the average customer age.

Marukai usually has them, although it's true, not always.

Thanks!

Were you able to approach the flavor profile w/TJ ingredients? Not to mention the wood-burning oven element. Bet it was more than edible even so.

We had that special w/burrata the other night, too... just really good. As well as our usual four cheese. Love that they're open on Mondays now!

More here: http://www.ocfoodnation.com/EatNice/i...

My question exactly.

And the answer is: YES. The owner had another imported pizza oven built into a custom trailer, as I found out tonight over the special w/burrata, proscuitto, and microbasil that Christoofat mentioned in the other thread. So good..

Longer writeup here: http://www.ocfoodnation.com/EatNice/i...

Ya, I know!

Now I want a four cheese really bad.

You know how dough is different every day... for me, the dough @ PeV has been closer to the too-mature end of the spectrum more often than the too-young. But exceedingly small increments, for what is a very good product.

Pricewise I have no problem... maybe it was the $5 supplement for the bufala? Sometimes that (kind of high) tariff is totally worth it to me, like on their four cheese. Really good.

Yes, I've found good fish at that F&E several times... albacore in particular. They always seem to have a couple of wild choices.

Costco has wild salmon and halibut in season, and often ahi or another wild choice as well.

Glad you tried it! Dough flavor does vary slightly at PeV... I assume according to how mature it is on any given day.

To revisit earlier PeV thoughts: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600166

KQ, I do like Kerrygold. Very good butter. But the pound blocks of Plugra are very convenient and well-priced for baking and other cooking, and, if fresh, taste very good.

PS, I did not speak to them about it, no time when I was there the other day.

However it was asking after it at MY local, the El Toro Road store, that got it in there, and superfast too. They are very nice about such things, as you say.

Still no Plugra @ Irvine Culver/Walnut S&F.

Lake Forest El Toro Road S&F still has it, though, and down a dime the other day to $2.79.