Noodle House -- carbs done oh so good

I'm not supposed to eat a lot of carbs. Normally, I try not to and even if I do, I'll stick to the good carbs such as whole wheat, grains and other healthy options. However, when I come to Noodle House, all of that goes out the door and what I am left with is refined white stuff everywhere I turn. I know it's bad for me, I know I should be eating it in moderation -- in my case, very moderated! But once those baos (buns) and dumplings hit my mouth, I just can't stop at one, or two, or three for that matter. Noodle House is known for its Tianjin style steamed buns which are smaller than what you ordinarily will see at dim sum, and what is different is that these buns have the fluffiness of the regular buns, but the outside is a lot thinner, less dense. The encased filling is really juicy and succulent leaving a small pocket of soup when you bite into it. The beef and green onion buns are excellent as are the pork with leek, and while they are famous for vegetarian buns as well, they aren't as tasty as the meat-filled alternatives. For me, what is better than the baos are the dumplings, namely the 'sui jiao' -- you can choose from sui jiao (boiled dumplings), zheng jiao (steamed dumplings) and guo tieh (potstickers). I always go for sui jiao because to me, this typifies what a good dumpling should taste like. I like the shrimp and pork filled dumplings (pictured) as well as anything with leek in it. We always end up ordering a lot more than we can possibly finish, but then that means there will be leftovers for the next day and maybe the day after. I only wish they would open one closer to me -- but then again, maybe not!

Noodle House, 18219 Gale Ave, Rowland Heights, CA 91748. Tel: 626-839-8806

Rayo Grill -- a buffet worth its salt

Who knew that such a lunch buffet existed inside a Holiday Inn of all places. The Holiday Inn in San Diego Mission Valley is home to Rayo Grill, and Rayo Grill is home to an $8.99 buffet lunch which is really rather good for its humble price. Your meal starts when you sit down and they bring out salsa, guacamole and tri-colored chips. The guac is really good! I probably ate too much of it before I even made it to the buffet, and the buffet wasn't shabby at all for its reasonable price. Carne asada, enchiladas, shrimp fajitas, a salad bar, beans and rice and two soups: chicken tortilla and tomato bisque. I was quite impressed by the carne asada -- tasty and not tough at all. I'm not partial to enchiladas and the one here is dry, I'd pass on that. I was pretty happy with the soups -- both very good -- the carne asada and rice, but on top of that they bring out warm flour tortillas and chipotle butter. Service is good, drink refills are promptly taken care of and empty plates removed as soon as you are ready for your next round. This place is a hidden gem and if you live or work in the area, I'd say -- definitely give it a try!


Rayo Grill at the Holiday Inn, 3805 Murphy Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92123. Tel: 858-278-9300

Vientiane -- a Lao experience

Lao food is heavily influenced by its neighbors Thailand and Cambodia, and while some aspects differ, you will find that a lot of the dishes are also prevalent in Thai cuisine. Vientiane (named after the capital of Laos) is a really small hole-in-the-wall place which offers some really delicious fare. The crying tiger here consists of really nicely grilled beef, like one would find at a Thai restaurant, but the dipping sauce here leans towards the salty. That's what I like! I often find Thai food a little too sweet, but Lao food is more on the savory. Stir-fried frogs legs is also nice here, the meat is tender and not overcooked. Curry catfish is another winner, that is if you like catfish! I don't mind it when cooked with something strong and flavorful to mask the muddy remnants of the catfish. But by far, my favorite is the nam sod (pictured), a salad if you will, of ground pork, mint, julienned ginger, just to name a few of the ingredients. Vientiane does this well and offers it on the menu -- at many restaurants you have to pre-order this dish -- so when I come here, I can order it without planning ahead. Laotians eat sticky rice with their meals instead of regular steamed rice, but there is steamed rice for those who prefer that. Come with a few friends, order at least 3-4 dishes to share, that way you get a good variety for a mouthwatering experience!


Vientiane, 10262 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843. Tel: 714-530-7523

Costa Mesa Omelette Parlor -- au revoir

It is really sad that the Costa Mesa Omelette Parlor will be closing its doors in 6 days -- Memorial Day is their last day after 27 years in business. I came here with a friend today to experience it one last time, just for old times sake and to just be supportive of this OC institution. Since it was close to lunch time I ordered their French dip. Usually, I've had breakfast here, but today I really didn't feel like it. Omelettes are what they are really famous for -- huge hunking portions worthy of even the biggest appetites. They have a house-made apple butter which is also really yummy, not too sweet so it appeals to me. Even as I write this I am saddened that big corporation (Vons namely) is kicking them out to make room for an expansion which tragically doesn't include the Omelette Parlor. So for this posting, I will not accompany it with a photo of food, but rather a sign at the entry way I took a photo of. For all you fans out there, follow them on Facebook and be the first to know if they find a new location, or decide to close all together. But until the 31st, I hope those of you reading this will go and eat there one last time -- it's the right thing to do!

Costa Mesa Omelette Parlor, 179 E 17th Street Costa Mesa, CA 92627. Tel: 949-645-0740

Taco Mesa -- owned!

I'm not a fan of burritos -- there I said it! But when I got to Taco Mesa and saw the lobster burrito (pictured) something inside screamed "get it". I had read somewhere that this is what they are famous for and when I brought it up to my friend, he said "get it, we can split it". I thought "okay, if I don't like it I can maybe grab some tacos too". So there we were with the lobster burrito which comes with rice and black beans, and it had some cream sauce over it. I cut and took a piece and put it into my mouth. Oh my GOD! It was delicious! There were bits of 'lobster' -- I don't think it really was lobster but rather some crustacean which resembled it -- spinach, and some other things in there. There was no beans and rice inside the burrito and thank God for that because that's the reason why I despise burritos so much. I hate having everything crammed into a wrap. Naturally, the one burrito wasn't enough for the both of us and so we ended up having to get a couple of tacos and some pozole as well. I didn't care for the pozole too much, it was the red version and the pork was very gamey. The taco al pastor was flavorful, I would get that again, but the carnitas pibil was really tasteless and bland. Their salsa bar has a bunch of salsas but what I loved were the pickled veggies! There is no doubting that when I return again, I am headed straight for the lobster burrito and this time, no sharing! I'm eating it ALL myself!

Taco Mesa, 647 W 19th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627. Tel: 949-642-0629

Asia Noodle Cafe -- oh say what?

In one word: disgusting! There are so many things wrong with this place. For a restaurant which claims to be a noodle cafe, the noodles are really vile! I ordered the 'chow fun' with beef and it was absolutely and positively some of the worst I've ever tasted. The noodles, though freshly cooked to order was swimming with grease that the entire plate was glistening. There were 4 pieces of beef in total and one was completely grisly and fatty that I had to spit it out. I have never tasted chow fun so miserably mangled in all of my life. The other thing which is mind-boggling is that for an eatery on UC-Irvine's campus (which incidentally has a high percentage of Asian students) how do they think they can get enough business if they whip up stuff that tastes like this? And it's not cheap either!! My advice? Skip this place! It's not cheap, it tastes like crap and at the end of the day you will be disappointed, you won't be able to eat your meal and you would've wasted money because now, you have to go somewhere else to be fed, and fed well!

Asia Noodle Cafe, 4187 Campus Drive, Ste M171, Irvine, CA 92612. Tel: 949-854-8826

Uoko -- oh bento please!

Like I've said before, I love Japanese food. I don't always have to have sashimi or sushi, there are times when I just want a simple home-style Japanese meal which is comforting and satisfying. A bento box will all the right ingredients is often what totally hits the spot. Uoko is perfect when those moments hit. Not only do they have pretty good sushi and sashimi, and lunch time specials include a 5 item for $15 which includes miso soup and salad. However, what I come here for are the lunch specials -- which includes combos -- are really well put together and is highly reasonable at around $8-$9. These could include tempura and tonkatsu, tonkatsu and sashimi (pictured), there are around 5 or 6 combo plates you can choose from. If that isn't what you fancy, the udon is also worth trying -- I personally like soba noodles better so I always ask for the substitution. Regardless of what I've ordered, Uoko always delivers! The lunch combos aren't huge proportionately but, it suffices! All lunch combos include miso soup and rice.

Uoko, 23600 Rockfield Blvd, Lake Forest, CA 92630. Tel: 949-837-7231

Kotosh -- marriage made in heaven

I'm not a huge fan of fusion cuisine and when I heard that Kotosh was a Peruvian/ Japanese restaurant I was feeling less than excited about it. Still, I went along and met some friends only to find that it wasn't a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese, but rather, a menu of Peruvian and Japanese items. I immediately perked up because I am a HUGE fan of Peruvian food and I am a HUGE fan of Japanese food and the gimmick of having both under the same roof was somewhat of a novelty to me. One of my friends has had the Japanese food here before and she recommended that we stick with the Peruvian, so that's what we did starting off with the ceviche mixto, a really tantalizing salad of raw seafood marinated in a tart sauce and served with roasted corn kernels. The seafood basically 'cooks' in the citrus juice and is such a wonderful start to any Peruvian meal. Another dish I always order at Peruvian restaurants is lomo saltado, a stir-fried dish consisting of onions, tomatoes and french fries with a choice of meat -- beef is usually my preferred way to eat lomo saltado. Unfortunately, the lomo saltado here was just okay, I've definitely had better elsewhere, but what really shone was the pescado a lo macho (pictured) -- a lightly battered fish, calamari and shrimp combo topped with a heavenly sauce. It was my first time trying this and I immediately fell in love with it. No Peruvian meal is complete without aji sauce and the one here is on the mild side -- for my over-zealous palate -- which would appeal to a wider range of tastes. Cozy, tasty and very very becoming -- I would definitely visit more often if it were closer to me!

Kotosh, 2408 Lomita Blvd, Lomita, CA 90717. Tel: 310-257-1363

Santouka Ramen -- brothy goodness

Ramen is a staple which people in Japan frequently consume. Here in the USA there are plenty of ramen houses but few have conquered what a bowl of hot ramen noodles are supposed to be all about. The most important thing in a bowl of ramen is the broth -- it's that clear and simple. If the broth is good, your bowl of ramen will be good. Sub-par broth means your ramen will be a terribly disgusting experience whereby, you will probably not want to eat it ever again. At Santouka the broth is hearty and often, very good. There are some days when it's a little off key but, those days aren't often so you can be sure to be satisfied when you come here. The soup bases are simple: miso, shio (salt) and shoyu (soy sauce). You can also get it spicy which is generally what I choose. Regular bowls come with one big piece of chashu (stewed pork), a little bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and scallions. I always opt for the meat on the side purely because the pork is a lot leaner and you get a lot more for it. Of course you're paying a little more too, but I wouldn't have it any other way. The stewed egg here isn't as good as other ramen houses in that it is a hard boiled egg and not a soft gooey-centered egg but I still like an egg with my ramen. For those of you who want something more there are combo meals which includes a bowl of rice with various toppings: natto, fish roe, along with the ramen. At lunch time, the line can be long, so my suggestion is to get there at 11am when they open or go a little later if you want to avoid the rush. Either way, if you enjoy a hearty bowl of soupy yumminess give it a try!

Santouka Ramen at Mitsuwa Marketplace, 665 Paularino Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Tel: 714-434-1101

Lola Gaspar -- satisfies my every desire

Lola Gaspar, the name itself brings a smile to my face! This little bar in the heart of the artist village in downtown Santa Ana has been around for over a year now and still remains one of my favorite places to go for a drink and grab a quick tasty bite with friends. The atmosphere is goth-chic if there is such a thing. Personally, I love it! The people are beautiful, the drinks are sexy, the food is tasty and most of all, it is just a cool place to hang out at. I've never brought a friend here who hasn't absolutely loved it! My favorite drinks here are the mojitos, margaritas (pictured) or my current crush, the Brooklyn Love! The food here is served tapas-style, order an appetizer or two -- my addiction is the grilled calamari -- such as bleu cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, or get a few of the tacos for good measure. Whatever you decide, I can assure you it'll be a great time all around. Make sure you don't stop by on the first Saturday of each month when Artist Walk happens in downtown Santa Ana or else you will be very frustrated and angry when the wait can be up to 2 hours. Don't say I didn't warn you!

 Lola Gaspar, 211 W 2nd Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Tel: 714-972-1172

Splashes -- a sultry way to lunch

If you have a few hours to kill and want to enjoy it in the most beautiful surroundings you can find without going too far, then Surf & Sand Resort has just the perfect place for you! Splashes restaurant located on the 1st floor is right on the beach and you bask in the sunshine while you dine on Californian cuisine overlooking a gorgeous horizon comprising of surf, sand and turf. The food is good, not mind blowingly good, but good enough to want to come here for a leisurely lunch or a romantic dinner. The view is really what you come for -- the food is kinda secondary in comparison. Appetizers are abundant -- we had the crab cakes (pictured) which were good in texture and flavor, but it was a bit too fishy for me. Hawaiian ahi tuna tasting plate was interesting -- the crusted ahi was good with a spritz of yuzu, but the ahi stack was too sweet and salty for me. Salads are also prominent on the menu and are generous in proportion. Service is fine all around. Valet parking is also complimentary when you dine at the restaurant, make sure you get your ticket validated!

Splashes at Surf & Sand Resort, 1555 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. Tel: 949-497-4477

Gourmet Vegetarian -- delightful

I'm not a vegetarian, nor will I ever be, but I will never pass up a chance for a delicious meal whether it be meat-laden or vegetarian. Gourmet Vegetarian may be a name that's a little too far-stretched, since, though the dishes are very tasty, gourmet they definitely are not. The restaurant is clean and airy so it should appeal to everyone, even those who may have a problem eating at hole-in-the-wall joints. And if you're one of those people who don't like 'fake' meats, don't fret, there are REAL vegetarian dishes to choose from. They have bitter melon with salted egg, ma po tofu without meat, both good! Lunch specials include white or brown rice or if you like porridge, the sweet potato porridge is also decent. I personally don't have a problem with 'fake' meats and if you can get over that obstacle, I would highly recommend the salt and peppered 'fish' (pictured). It was simply outstanding! In fact, I'm salivating just thinking about it now. It had the texture of the real stuff but because it is a soy product, it will appeal to those of you who find the fishiness of a river fish offensive -- which is what is traditionally used for the non-vegetarian version of this dish. Don't let the word 'vegetarian' stop you from trying the deliciousness that this place offers up!

Gourmet Vegetarian, 140 W Valley Blvd #222, San Gabriel, CA 91776. Tel: 626-280-5998

Hoa Binh -- again and again!

Hoa Binh has become somewhat of a tradition with my pho-loving friend and I. Our weekly outings for pho (sometimes detouring to various other meals) have always centered in and around lil Saigon, but Hoa Binh is where we find ourselves over and over again. The pho here isn't the best, but it definitely is the most consistent. It is consistently good. We've been to other places which serve up the best pho yet different visits will produce a different bowl of pho, often, not resembling anything like one visit to the other. Here, you know you will always get the same level of goodness, a piping hot bowl, served with very fresh condiments such as bean sprouts, Thai basil, ngo gai leaves, chilis and lime or lemon wedges. The beef pho is all 50% off when dining in which makes this tasty bowl of soupy goodness one of the most affordable meal around. The menu isn't only limited to pho, there is bun (vermecelli), com (rice) and various other specialty items. Everything I've tried here is good, especially the combination bun (pictured) which is highly refreshing on a hot summer's day with plenty of greens, grilled beef and egg rolls. The restaurant is clean and service is brisk and best of all, they accept credit cards which is rare in lil Saigon's often 'cash only' establishments.

Hoa Binh, 14472 Brookhurst Street, Garden Grove, CA 92842. Tel: 714-531-3088

Piaggio Gourmet on Wheels -- not quite

Just like the story of the little red engine who could, I feel that Piaggio, if open to making some adjustments here and there, and perhaps be open to some constructive suggestions, could really break through and shine to become something great. But for now, that day is still ahead in the distance as it still needs some work to get to that point. Piaggio serves Argentinian food off a truck and my experience with Argentinian food has been highly positive in the past. Here, everything was on the bland side including the empanadas -- tried the chicken and the spinach/mozzarella (pictured) -- grilled tilapia tacos, and sausage sandwich with chimichurri. If you do go, and you have the sausage sandwich, ask for the piemento salsa which really adds to the flavor of the sandwich. If you just stick with the chimichurri it doesn't pack quite a punch needed to bring this up a notch. According to the guy who runs this, the pulled pork is highly popular -- "everyone loves the pulled pork" he quips, but unfortunately, I guess I'm not everybody and I really didn't like it all that much at all. It was overly salty, tomato-ey and not much else. I couldn't imagine eating this in a sandwich or a taco without something else to bring some complexity to the one dimensional flavor. Tilapia tacos were the special of the day but again was lacking in taste. It was just okay. The churro with dulce de leche was very greasy. The churro oozed oil when bitten into and honestly, it was nauseating -- we couldn't eat this at all and introduced it to the bin very quickly. I was disappointed! I hope they work out their kinks because I see such potential here and it would be such a shame not to allow Argentinian cuisine to thrive and come into the fore!

Follow Piaggio Gourmet on Wheels on twitter: http://twitter.com/piaggioonwheels

El Indio -- simple and tasty

Came here with a friend of mine to grab some lunch. I loved my fish taco and the carnitas is also, awfully good! The frijoles and arroz (beans and rice) were also very tasty! I thought the tamale was just okay, as was the enchilada and the taquito -- I would stick to the carnitas (pictured) and fish tacos! The place is very small, you order your food at the counter and they give you a buzzer and it alerts you when your food is ready. The salsa bar is simple -- 2 mild salsas and 1 hot salsa, although the hot salsa wasn't hot enough for me. The salsa bar also didn't include lime wedges, cilantro or anything else for that matter. Their drink's fountain offers up soda as well as agua frescas so you can choose whatever you would like. There is seating inside the restaurant and al fresco dining outside across the street. Whatever you choose, you can be sure that for the price you're paying, you're gonna be getting a really tasty meal!

El Indio, 3695 India Street, San Diego, CA 92103. Tel: 619-299-0333

Melisse -- a piece de resistance

I'm not impressed easily but Melisse completely blew me away with its 10 year anniversary 10-course tasting menu ($150/pp). From the first course of 'egg caviar' (pictured), a poached egg with meyer lemon creme fraiche topped with caviar, to the remarkably simple truffle infused cappellini, every single dish resonates with the intricacies of thought and preparation using the simplest of ingredients and comes together as a magnificent masterpiece.

Service is what one would expect from a 2 Michelin starred establishment, and although the synchronized serving technique might be daunting for some, in no way does it present itself as anywhere stuffy or arrogant.

Chef Josiah Citrin is self-taught and his extraordinary talent is second to none! The whole Melisse experience is one in which the restaurant's Michelin stars are aptly awarded. Go for a special occasion, go when you want an evening to remember for a lifetime. Melisse will make you feel like a star, but the truth is, the star is really in its exquisite food!

Melisse, 1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Tel: 310-395-0881

TusCa -- what a lovely way to dine

Hyatt Regency OC has opened its new Italian restaurant, TusCa, featuring authentic Italian fare at reasonable prices and boasts a menu which has something both adults and kids will enjoy. Although they have a kids menu, I believe the kids will pass over the chicken nuggets for the pizzas and pastas on the 'adult' menu! The prosciutto pizza (pictured, $12) is outstanding and the spinach gnocchi ($13) is delicious in its simplicity! Parents might want to start with the Crostini Toscani which has the very flavorful caponata served with crispy toasted bread and perhaps share a pizza with the kids -- or better yet, get your own! If you wanted something more the menu also has entrees such as steak, fish, pork chops, and roasted chicken. When you are done with your meal, don't forget dessert! I would come back just for the affogato al cioccolato ($5) -- vanilla ice cream served with chocolate shavings and a demitasse of espresso which you can drizzle on your ice cream. Simply delectable!!

TusCa at Hyatt Regency Orange County, 11199 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92840. Tel: 714-750-1234

The Apple Pan -- can I say I'm in love?

Ahhh an LA institution! You either love it or hate it and well, I LOVE IT! I love what it stands for, I love the simplicity of it, I love the speed, the efficiency and mostly, the nostalgia, although, I haven't quite gained the nostalgia of it yet, but hopefully, in the years to come, it will hold a place in my heart like it does the friend who brought me here the very first time! The menu is simple, five to six items, drinks and dessert. Most people go for the hickory burger -- it is what it is -- a burger oozing with hickory flavors. You get lettuce, tomato, mayo and your burger is wrapped in paper -- no plates here. You don't even get utensils unless you've ordered the apple of banana cream pie and everything is paper. Your plates for fries are made from recycled cardboard paper and boy, these fries are some of the best I've ever had! They remain crispy from beginning to end. If you're looking for service, well, they're definitely speedy but they're not chatty, nor are they friendly. They're not rude per se, just not gushy, which is fine by me! If you've never been, I suggest do it at least once! It's quite the experience!

The Apple Pan, 10801 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Tel: 310-475-3585

Marche Moderne -- for those who love to lunch

It's been a while since I've been to Marche, but in total I've been here more than five times and each time we've been enticed by the 3-course prix fixe menu at lunch for $20. There are two entrees to choose from and on a recent visit, it was between trout and beef short ribs. Appetizer was a light and refreshing salad accompanied by roasted asparagus and Lomo ham drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette. Dessert comprised of a slice of espresso trifle served with ice cream. We also ordered the Spanish octopus from the regular menu, but it wasn't anything that exciting. There weren't enough pieces of octopus and the chorizo was too salty. Don't think we'll order that again. Service was great and if you have the option, choose to sit on the patio, it makes for a far more pleasant dining experience.

Marche Moderne, at South Coast Plaza (right above Nordstrom on the 3rd floor), 3333 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Brooklyn Boys -- truckin' kosher style (CLOSED)

With the food truck craze in LA taking off starting with Kogi, Orange Country has now gotten its own share of gourmet food trucks to boast about. At the moment, my favorite is Barcelona OnTheGo, a Spanish style truck serving up some very tasty treats! There is also the Brooklyn Boys Deli Truck featuring deli sandwiches. My vote at Brooklyn Boys is the Reuben sandwich which comes with potato salad, coleslaw and a drink for $6. Regular deli sandwiches are $10 and is enough for two people. You can choose from pastrami, brisket or corned beef. They also do an awesome sloppy moe -- not too sweet and again, portions are ginormous! If you are really feeling gutsy, there is a mega sandwich which features 4 meats of your choice aptly named The Widowmaker! Find Marc Gabriel and his Brooklyn Boys truck on Twitter for their stops!

Brooklyn Boys, http://twitter.com/brooklyn_boys