Tommy Bahama Bar & Grill

Awhile ago, I was invited to a preview of this restaurant to see first hand what the new Tommy Bahama Bar & Grill in Laguna Beach had to offer. The restaurant is attached to the Tommy Bahama store and encompasses a relaxed beach feel so perfectly suited to its surroundings. From some of the tables, diners can enjoy scenic views of the ocean while others can keep an eye on what's going on through the glass of the "open" kitchen in the back.

lobster corn dogs

While we waited for others to arrive, we were treated to some hors d'oeuvres going around. There was a crostini topped with goat cheese, however, I especially liked the lobster corn dogs, little bite-sized corn dog shaped morsels with a surprisingly delicious crab interior. These were served with house-made ketchup and mustard, just like you would with a regular corn dog, but there was nothing regular about these very adult appetizers.

Guests were offered the opportunity to create their own cocktails and I made myself a mojito with extra lime and mint. I should have held back if I'd known that every course to come would have a wine or beer pairing of some sort..... ay carumba!

shrimp Avalon

After we all sat down, we were presented a tasting selected by Chef Donley to showcase his menu. Shrimp Avalon was a refreshing cold starter comprising chilled tiger shrimps, dungeness crab, spicy vegetables, lime and served with fresh made corn chips. Succulent shrimps with the sweetest of crabmeat kicked this, otherwise pretty standard, shrimp cocktail up several notches. Beautifully presented and it tasted just as wonderful as it looked.

Ahi tuna tacos are served in a wonton shell with Asian slaw and drizzled with wasabi lime infused avocado sauce. The sashimi grade ahi had a wonderful freshness to it and the crunchy wonton shell makes for a textural contrast which combines together for a tasty finish. I'm not sure I would personally order this dish but I did enjoy eating it.

ahi tuna tacos

Just when I thought the first two items were pretty good, here comes the shrimp BLT! The saltiness of the smoky Nueske's applewood bacon plus the jumbo shrimp are sandwiched between thick slices of toasted sourdough bread with romaine lettuce, avocado and a lemon basil aioli. I must confess, our tasting portion was hardly enough for me so when everyone completed their photo-taking with the full-sized portion, I unabashedly asked the server to cut that one into smaller portions so we could partake in more "piggetry" (I think I just made up a word here!)

Arctic char

When it came time for the Arctic Char, I was still relishing in the deliciousness that was the shrimp BLT and really wasn't focusing on the piece of fish placed before me. However, when Mr Rob Goldberg, VP of restaurants for Tommy Bahama, seated next to me, exclaimed that this was one of his favorite dishes on the menu, I wasn't going to be rude and so took a bite. Actually, it was good, perfectly seared on the outside, moist on the inside, sitting atop a sweet pea risotto with very good consistency. The apple fennel slaw lends a refreshing component to the dish with the fennel very mild and not overpowering the delicate taste of the fish. But I think the BLT really did a number on me so although I liked the Artic char, I was still feeling pretty heady about the sandwich.

banana cream pie

And as if we didn't get enough to eat, here comes a trio of desserts. Triple chocolate cake was so decadent I really can comprehend how anyone can possible polish it off on their own without help, but I was told someone at the table had indeed done so. My hat off to you! That's a lot of chocolate love there! The cake part was very rich on its own, add to that the sinfully gooey chocolate ganache and it was enough to put me into a diabetic coma. I highly recommend this even though I think it would take four people to capably finish it after eating a meal -- I don't know, it would just seem like the sensible thing to do.

Those wanting to reminesce about their childhood should definitely try the Root Beer Float. It arrives in what would look like a gargantuan mug to a kid, but no matter how old you are, you will feel like a kid again after a few sips! Abita root beer is used and unlike regular root beer which has high fructose corn syrup, this one uses Louisiana sugar cane as its sweetner. I wish they would offer this in a smaller version.

triple chocolate cake

Finally, banana cream pie arrives and I'm about to explode. I was only able to eat a few bites and albeit a tad too sweet for me, I loved the thickness of the filling and how nice and texturally pleasing the crust was.

After an almost 3-hour long meal mainly stuffing my gluttonous self, I had to reschedule my dinner plans for 2 hours later just so I could make room for yet another meal in my life. I've been trying to find a day to return to Tommy Bahama Bar & Grill and my hectic schedule hasn't allowed for this yet, but I can hear that Shrimp BLT calling my name louder as the days go by!




Tommy Bahama Bar & Grill, 400 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. Tel: 949-376-6886

Buick's Discovery Tour featuring Chef Michael Psilakis

my weekend ride

Last weekend, Buick stopped at Dana Point's St Regis Monarch Resort for its Discovery Tour as one of its 10 city-wide tour to promote the new 2011 Regal. Buick was so generous to drop off the brand new car at my doorstep Friday morning so I could enjoy it for the entire weekend and drive my friends and I to the event featuring mixologist Michael Green and the star of the evening, 1-star Michelin Chef Michael Psilakis.

Chef Psilakis in action

I had been excited all week long anticipating this event and when the day came, my food blogger friends Holly (Savored), Melissa (Alosha's Kitchen) and photography enthusiast Mahesh packed into the Buick Regal and made our way to Dana Point. The resort is simply stunning and the views breathtaking. You feel like royalty when you're here. We were personally escorted from the hotel's lobby to the event's registration area by one of the resort's staff.

Our three hour event started with a test drive of the new car, which, I chose to sit in the back for seeing I'd already been driving it for a day and had the entire weekend to enjoy. Holly took the wheel and blasted the incredible sound system, even playing around with the equalizer so much we were late to the 2nd part of this event.

Greek style meatballs

It felt like this moment would never come, but when it finally came time for the cooking demo, we literally ran down the stairs into the grand ballroom and situated ourselves in the front row and listened intently to how Chef Psilakis' passion for cooking came about and at some point, we were all teary-eyed with his incredible heart, wisdom and love for this craft. We were given the opportunity to sample his Greek-style meatballs and watched him go through how it is prepared with the help of a lucky member of the audience.

my friends and I with Chef Psilakis

Before this module was over, I was on my feet and as soon as Chef Psilakis jumped off the stage I was there asking for a photo op. My friends and I jumped in with Chef for this once in a lifetime experience to meet a celebrity chef who is down to earth and not at all arrogant and standoffish. It was the highlight of our evening.

Monday rolled around and the Buick was picked up, and I must say, I was a little sad to give it up. It handled superbly on turns and had a kick-ass sound system. It was a fun thing to drive around, even only for just a few days!

*** Photography By Mahesh ***

DG Burger -- it's really DAMN GOOD

DG Burger

I was one of the first to try out the "damn good" burger at Charlie Palmer's DG Burger opening yesterday. I even had the honor of meeting Chef Palmer himself who briefly filled us in on the story behind the "damn good" burger.

The menu here is very simple: the DG Burger ($7.95), Citrus Glazed Skewers ($7.95), Sausage Sandwich ($6.95), fries ($5) and two types of salads ($5).

DG Burger is a Black Angus beef burger comprising of a blend of ground chuck, short rib and hangar steak and grilled on an open non-charcoal grill to sear in the juices. It is then finished on low heat to maintain the juiciness of the burger. The meat is served at a perfectly pink medium rare on a bun made with unbleached wheat flour and potato flour, buttered and toasted for a crisp finish. The bun was slightly "toothy" for me, sticking to my teeth as I chomped down into it. The burger itself was very tasty indeed.

sausage sandwich

Sausage sandwich is a delicious grilled garlic sausage topped with roasted peppers and onions and pillowed between a semolina hoagie. I loved the texture of the bread -- wonderfully chewy without being doughy. The toasted exterior gave it a delightful crunch with every single bite! Wonder if I can get my burger on the hoagie instead?

French fries here are medium cut and remained crispy even after 30 minutes. There are four dipping sauces to choose from and every order is accompanied by one of your choosing. There is a 75 cent charge on additional sauces.
Out of the four: curry ketchup, roasted garlic sour cream, bacon mayo, chipotle aioli, my favorites were the first two.

Curry ketchup reminded me so much of the stuff my best friend uses on his fries -- he's from the Netherlands and they sell that stuff in a bottle. I am not a fan of regular ketchup on my fries so normally I would use mayo instead, but this curried stuff is absolutely mouthwatering.

French fries

Everything here is house-made of course and absolutely addictive. Roasted garlic sour cream is so divine I want to slather it onto sandwiches or even use it as a dipping sauce for the chicken katsu I make at home. It is THAT good! Maybe they can consider selling it?

If you like milkshakes, by all means get one. The $5 price tag may sound expensive but once you take a sip you will understand why. The malted chocolate was to-die-for with the richest chocolatey taste you will ever encounter in liquid form. The strawberry was filled with the aromas of a strawberry field ripe for the pickings. The best part about having a DG Burger is that you can enjoy it with a tall milkshake, a glass of wine, or a bottle of beer!

malted chocolate shake

DG Burger is open from 11.30am to 4pm and depending on whether there is a function held in the private room (where DG Burger is) at Charlie Palmer, you might even be lucky enough to enjoy one of these damn good burgers for dinner!

DG Burger at Charlie Palmer, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA. Tel: 714-361-4264

***Photography by Mahesh***

Jack's Bakery -- much more than just baked goods

kufte

**An abridged version of this article can also be found on OC Register's Food Frenzy**

I've been a huge fan of middle eastern pizzas ever since I found out about them after moving to southern California 4 years ago. Ever since then I've been trying them out at various places specializing in them. Therefore, I guess it is not surprising that other cultures eat pizzas other than Italians and Americans. In the middle east, pizzas are quite the rage and eating them for breakfast is quite common, and although each region offers a slightly different variation, they all ultimately taste reasonably similar.

loaded manaish

Owner Jack is Armenian, but has lived in Lebanon and speaks a host of the languages including Turkish and English, as he proudly proclaims. But an Armenian bakery/restaurant in the middle of Little Saigon? There is my favorite com tam place across the street and my favorite pho ga place right around the corner. And then, there's Jack's in the middle of the strip mall where a Vietnamese catering business and a barber shop shares the same lot.

I found out about Jack's Bakery a few years ago from my friend Holly (Savored) and since then I've been going on and off whenever I felt like something middle eastern and didn't want to travel too far. Ironically, I've never been to Jack's with Holly, until now.

Lahmajun

Last week, Holly and I were meeting for lunch and she suggests we go to Jack's Bakery. I am excited because it's been a while since my last visit and I was actually craving some of the delicious fare from this place. The minute we enter, Jack and his wife warmly welcome Holly like a long lost daughter and spent a good portion of time chatting to her.

I took the opportunity to peruse the menu on the wall and mentally make a note of everything I want to try. They've renovated the interior since my last visit and there are new photos up on the wall.

Naturally, we order too much seeing Holly wants specific items while I have my favorites I don't want to miss. We decide to get everything our hearts desire and sat down to wait for Jack and his wife to cook it for us. Everything is cook-to-order so do not expect this to be fast food.

onion salad with sumac

The restaurant is very small, seating at most, 15 people. There are a few chairs and tables outside as well as inside, but generally, people order and take out. Jack has a lucrative catering business as well so during the holidays he is busy preparing turkeys and whole roasted lambs for his customers.

Our food arrives and we start our mouthwatering feast with kuftes ($1.50) also known as kibbeh. These look like miniature footballs with a ground beef or lamb with pine nuts filling. The exterior is traditionally bulgar and these little delightful pockets are fried to crispy perfection. The menu shows a kufte platter, but if you are on your own, Jack will let you order a couple, even one if that's what you want. The kuftes here are some of the best and not greasy like other places.

hummus

One of my favorites is the Armenian pizza, thin and topped with a minimal mixture, I can eat 2 or 3 of these in one sitting if I don't eat anything else. Lahmajun are really tasty with tomato and ground meat and quite common in various middle eastern cuisines. Each region makes them a little differently and these taste similar to the ones I've had at a Lebanese bakery, perhaps an influence from Jack's time in Lebanon.

Boyreg ($3.50-$7) are another delicious alternative to the pizza. They look like little pockets filled with anything from spicy cheese to sujuk (dry spicy sausage) or basturma (air-dried cured meat) and can also be topped with an egg. I highly recommend getting the egg because it adds a different texture and flavor to the usual boyreg.

Loaded manaish ($3) is similar to the pizza but topped with tomatoes, onions, olives, mint and some herbs and spices. It is rolled up, eaten like a wrap and wonderfully refreshing, a good selection for vegetarians or those staying away from meat.

Armenian bagel

Adana Kebab ($12) is what I come here for. Ground beef and lamb are combined with a blend of herbs and spices, grilled, and served with rice pilaf, hummus and an onion salad sprinkled with sumac. The seasonings on the meat is unbelievable and the meat is cooked to perfection so when you cut into it, the juices run out and when you take a bite, it is so juicy and moist on the inside you have to be careful not to burn your mouth.

If Jack has these "Armenian bagels" available, I urge you to try some. They are coated with sesame seeds and have a slightly sweet taste to them. They are excellent with coffee or tea and I love the fragrance of sesame seeds with my pastries.

Jack is extremely personable and if you're unfamiliar with this sort of food, don't be afraid to go in. He is happy to help you out and explain his wares to you. Just remember, the next time someone tells you they are craving pizza, bring them here! You won't regret it.


Jack's Bakery, 10515 McFadden Ave, Ste 107,Garden Grove, CA 92843. Tel: 714-775-6773 (corner of McFadden and Ward)

Splashes at Surf and Sand Resort Laguna Beach

view from our table

I love lunching with my girlfriends, especially on a lazy weekend enjoying brunch sipping on mimosas or bloody Marys and chilling with the sounds of the ocean as a backdrop.

Splashes is the restaurant located at the Surf and Sand Resort and it has the most glorious view from almost every table both inside and out. When I had to organize a brunch for a mini high school reunion, this place immediately came to mind.

I've been here before and absolutely fell in love with how beautiful and relaxing it is to look at the waves break against the shore and seeing blue for miles and miles. The beautiful scenery makes it almost impossible to focus on the menu and our server was returning to our table over and over again with the four of us still unable to make up our minds.

beet salad

Finally, with the help of tables around us with wonderful smelling food, we decide to share everything and started with the marinated beet salad ($13) with ricotta salata, candied walnuts, tangerines and a few greens thrown in. Refreshing and earthy, this salad is a must for beet lovers!

Smoked duck salad ($15) was one of the items all four of us agreed upon. Thinly slices of duck, beautifully smoked and tender sits atop a pear and dried fruit chutney amidst frisee lettuce and some slices of toasted baguettes.The saltiness of the duck was perfect with the tartness of the chutney which was infused with ginger.

smoked duck salad

Dungeness crab and apple salad ($16) consists of crabmeat and apples in a curry mayo dressing. The plate has strips of celeriac (celery root) to add a crunchy component to the softness of the crab. I liked the freshness of the seafood but this salad itself was a little on the bland side.

Seared scallops ($22) are absolutely divine here. Perfect sear marks and tender on the inside, these are what makes the tummy happy. Farro risotto, cucumber, ginger and tangerines complete the dish. I love farro and the one here has wonderful texture. I find the overusage of tangerines in the dishes at Splashes slightly irritating. I understand the need to make a plate look pretty by adding colors, but tangerines are not needed here taste-wise.

dungeness crab salad

Grilled hangar steak ($24) is perfect medium rare and the sweet caramelized onions atop the meat are rich in flavor and color. I like the accompanying horseradish sauce and wish they had put more on the plate. Acoutrements included sauteed spinach and roasted potato. Meat lovers will definitely enjoy this tender and very flavorful entree.

Service is attentive even though the restaurant is packed with diners, although if you need more bread and the complimentary sundried tomato spread you will definitely need to speak up. Otherwise, nobody will rush you through your meal, and you are certainly welcome to enjoy your leisurely Sunday brunch at peace and at your own pace. For the four of us who haven't seen one another in decades, it was very important to have the time and space to do so, and Splashes allowed us to have a wonderful 3 hours reminiscing about the old days while enjoying good food and good views.

Splashes at Surf and Sand Resort, 1555 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. Tel: 888-869-7569

Ludobites 6.0

 
Yes I admit it, I've never been to a Ludobites before this time. Never ever! It was always tough to get up to LA on a weeknight for a 6pm reservation, but before that can even happen, there is that thing we have to do -- make a reservation!

I've had so many friends tell me that it is close to impossible to get a reservation, Mere mortals have sat in front of their computers and frantically clicking as soon as OpenTable lists the next Ludobites about to happen. I was lucky that my dear friend Holly (Savored) asked if I wanted to come with and I did everything I could to schedule, reschedule so I could make it. Even so, it took Mahesh and I two and a half hours battling rush hour traffic to get to Sherman Oaks and when we finally sat down, all I wanted was a glass of wine.

It was just as well that Holly had already ordered some Riesling and there was part of an appetizer still on a plate, so I immediately dug into it.

We had to get two orders of warm baguette with baratte smoked butter and sardine-Laughing Cow cheese ($5) because I couldn't get enough of the sardine cheese and used the crusty baguette to literally wipe out the ramekin it came in. Of course I was starving and drinking on an empty stomach, but the second time around was just as good as the first.

marinated mackerel

It was just as well that Holly instructed the server we were ready for the rest of the menu brought out, and when she said that, she meant, the ENTIRE menu. I knew it had been done with two people at a previous Ludobites so the four of us should have absolutely NO problem whatsoever eating the whole menu -- or so I thought!

Hamachi, Vietnamese style ($15) -- a salad with slices of raw halibut, matchsticks of predominantly green papaya and a bunch of refreshing fresh herbs created a complete taste bud explosion! The crunchiness of the papaya together with the herbs tossed in a fish sauce-based dressing was exactly the thing to start with. The tantalizing and uplifting flavors livened up my palate for what will be a night of feasting.

salmon somen

Barely cooked squid noodles with pad Thai, prawn and black radish ($16) was another nice starter, but the hamachi had a far stronger taste -- and a more memorable one at that -- so if I had a choice between the two, I would definitely pick the hamachi over the squid noodles, hands down. Both had a slightly tart dressing, one Vietnamese inspired, the other, Thai, so essentially, the flavors were somewhat similar.



Marinated mackerel with leche del tigre, baby leeks and Verdolagas leaves ($15) was pure perfection. The skin of the mackerel was crispy while the flesh was nice and moist. Verdolagas, a creeping weed, is also an herb and resembles watercress. I actually thought it was watercress when I first put it into my mouth but then checked the menu and saw "verdolagas". Grilled whole green onions added a slight bite to the other components when eaten together with the fish and weed. The textural composition in this dish is what sets Chef Ludo apart from the others.

scallop with celery root remoulade

Salmon a l'huile somen noodles, carrots, red wine vinaigrette and grilled salmon roe is a very light and subtle dish. The carrots are so thinly sliced that they are translucent ribbons and the torched salmon roe adds a nice smokey salty dimension. I really enjoyed it as a shared dish, but if I had to eat it on my own, I think I would've been a little bored.


Scallop with celery remoulade, red port, walnuts and dried fruit ($24) -- what an innovative and interesting plate. When I saw the walnuts and dried fruits on the menu, I immediately grimaced at the thought of them together, but it was so minimal and the crunchiness of the walnuts and the tarty sweetness of the fruit created a whole eating experience which the scallops on their own could never achieve. The scallops were absolutely perfect in execution, so tender on the inside with that brown seared crispness on the outside. I wanted more of these but we still had many more dishes to come.

Oriental mussels veloute

Black sausage "paramentier", apples, mustard ($18) was not something I thought I'd enjoy considering I've had black sausage/boudin before and never enjoyed the grainy, dry, livery texture. The black sausage here was a surprising hit with all of us. This creamy concoction was the richest and most heavenly mouthful you will ever experience. The reaction at the table ranged from "wow, this is amazing" to "Chef Ludo is a genious". We couldn't stop eating it. The apples and mustard added a sweet finish while the vinegary mustard helped cut down the richness of the black sausage. Absolute poetry!

Oriental mussels veloute, heirloom tomato, small fries ($18), was a bit confusing to me. First of all, the mussels veloute didn't have the umami flavor I was expecting when I spooned it into my gullet. I was also a little confused about the tart heirloom tomato in the veloute which didn't add anything for me. The small fries were absolutely delicious though! They were as thin as fried onions and so good that we all fought over it.

chicken sous vide

Poached roasted pickled foie gras, acacia honey, autumn fruits, rose flowers ($34) was the absolute favorite. If you're a fan of foie gras, there is no real need to describe the sensation one gets from eating this little piece of luxury. The melt-in-your-mouth orgasmic appeal speaks for itself. It even got Holly jumping up and down in her seat like a little girl!

While I loved everything on the menu which came before, what arrived after did not wow me as much as I hoped. John Dory, potato, herbs, brocollini flowers, green jalapenos nage ($26) while cooked perfectly was underseasoned and seemed really bland to me. The green jalapenos nage was lovely on its own, but when eaten with the fish seemed to lose its subtle personality.

John Dory

Half chicken, poached egg, chanterelles, chorizo ($24) sounded divine because I love poached eggs, however, the chicken, cooked sous vide, though tender and moist was again, underseasoned. Even the chorizo couldn't help bring out the blandness of the chicken. I took a couple of tastes and continued onto the next and final entree.

Marinated Korean steak, crispy kimchi, bone marrow, shiso ($29) was probably my least favorite of the lot. Perhaps it was the marinade used on the Korean steak, perhaps it was the severe chewiness of the steak. Whatever the reason, after feeling like a cow chewing on grass for longer than I would've liked, I spat out the meat and wasn't about to eat more. The kimchi, bone marrow and shiso were excellent accompaniments, but the Korean marinade was rather overpowering and not the usual Korean seasonings I'm accustomed to. This is something I would not order again.

Korean steak

Needless to say we were pretty full by now, but there were still two desserts to plough through.Warm carrot cake, coconut, Thai curry, mango sorbet, kaffir lime oil ($10) was strangely unappealing to the eyes but I loved the moist and soft warm carrot cake. The side accoutrements of Thai curry cream and kaffir lime oil were terribly unpleasant on my tastebuds. The oil reminded me of Asian medicinal rubbing oil and although it had the wonderous aromas of the kaffir lime, its taste was just the opposite.

caviar panna cotta

Creme fraiche panna cotta, caramel, caviar ($15) is one of the most innovative desserts I've had in a while. I'm not a fan of caramel so I didn't feel it added anything to the panna cotta, but I would've been happy with just the panna cotta and caviar on their own. The light panna cotta was quite exquisite when eaten with the salty caviar. I love sweet and salty desserts!

Thus our meal came to an end and even with a few misses, I am impressed with the creativity of Chef Ludo's dishes and how he is not afraid to combine exotic flavors onto one plate. I guess there is a reason why Ludobites reservations are so hard to come by because everyone wants a chance to taste what this master has to showcase time and time again.

I'm hoping the next Ludobites will not be so far away that I'll have to travel yet another two and half hours to get to. But even so, I think I would suck it up just to catch a taste of what's on offer next.


Click for more information on Ludobites or Chef Ludovic Lefebvre

***Photography by Mahesh***

Sutha Thai Kitchen offers homey authentic fare

Angel wings

I'm a Thai food snob! I've been to Thailand many many times, I lived with a Thai boyfriend decades ago and it was he who taught me how to cook most of the Thai dishes I make at home these days. It has been a really daunting task living here trying to find a Thai restaurant which lives up to what my palate is used to and so, I end up rarely eating Thai outside of home.

One of my favorite places for Thai is Siam Taste of Asia in Santa Ana, but recently I found another one, closer to home, in Tustin. Sutha is a little hole-in-the-wall so hidden you will most likely miss it all together if you didn't know to look for it.

eggplant

Since then I've visited on several times and have brought friends with me. My usual thing to order is the yum neur (Thai beef salad) and I fell in love with it as soon as I put the first morsel of it into my mouth. The dressing was perfect -- right amount of saltiness mixed with the right amount of tartness. I was in heaven! I would come here just to eat this dish alone, but of course, the glutton in me ordered other stuff as well.

The green chicken curry was also a cut above what I've tasted in other Thai establishments in Orange County! It's not overly sweet and the sauce is not watery like a lot of restaurants tend to serve. I make this at home often but it's nice to to have to do it because I can't find a good one in a restaurant.

curry catfish

Nam sod is another dish I love and few restaurants do it right. The version here doesn't have ginger, but the ground pork and crispy rice salad is delicious and I love the varying flavors and textures you get from each bite -- the salty, tart, crispy, chewy.

Pad kee mow is known as "drunken" noodles in Thailand and is a widely popular hangover dish which consists of thick flat rice noodles, a handful of vegetables and meat of your choice. Tofu is another option if you don't want meat.

If you like catfish, the curry catfish is not to be missed. Chunks of catfish is fried and then topped with a fragrant curry sauce infused with kaffir lime leaves and black pepper corns.

The restaurant is very small and seats about 20 people. Service is really good considering there is only one person manning the front of the house. The lovely Thai gentleman is courteous, friendly and just the sweetest man ever!

*** Photography by Mahesh ***

Sutha Thai Kitchen, 1161 Irvine Blvd, Tustin, CA 92780. Tel: 714-734-6100

Shortstop BBQ -- a new way to eat barbecue

tri tip and chicken sliders

 **A version of this article can be found on OC Register's Food Frenzy**

The first time I ate off this truck was on its third day of business. The truck didn't even have its 'wrap-around' yet and people were curious yet hesitant to give the newcomer a try.

I convinced my friends to share some food with me and ordered a bunch of sliders. On that particular day I thought they were just okay, slightly under-seasoned, and I made it a point to let owner Andrew Honore know what I thought.

pulled pork with creamed corn

Fast forward three to four weeks and I'm at Irvine Lanes and this time, and decided to give them another try. This time, the meat was nicely flavored and salted right, but all the sliders seemed to have the same condiments, making them taste similar regardless whether it's pulled pork or tri tip. Again, I let them know.

Last week I found out they were parked not too far from me so I went specifically to try them out again. I'd heard that they had made some changes and I was eager to try.

I was really happy to find that the sliders all have different toppings and each meat is accompanied with its own unique condiment giving them all their on individual taste. The sliders now have taken on a character of their own and they are quite tasty!

portabello slider

The menu is simple. There are four items: pulled pork, tri tip, chicken and portabello mushroom. Sliders are $2 each and sandwiches are $5. You can also choose to have any of these toppings on an order of fries if sandwiches aren't your thing. I like the idea of having one slider per order. Some trucks offer two sliders an order and if I don't like a particular item, I'm forced to eat two of them instead of eating one and then having the choice of moving on to something else. At Shortstop, I can order every slider on the menu without falling into a food coma later.

loaded fries

Tri-tip with blue slaw and barbecue sauce is one of the originals and I've had them on every single one of my visits to the truck, and this week, I tried it in a sandwich. In the month and a half the truck's been running, I've had this go from average tasting to nothing else is necessary in taste. The blue cheese is enough to give it the richness without overpowering, the barbecue sauce is not overly sweet with a tart finish which appeals to me a lot. I don't like super sweet! This is a damn good sandwich!

Slow cooked pull pork has also had a make-over. It started off with a pickled red onion topping but is now served with delicious creamed corn and adds contrasting texture to the sandwich.

My surprising favorite is the portabello mushroom. Topped with provolone, it is so delicious I always wish I had ordered the sandwich instead because it's bigger, but the glutton in me always wants variety hence getting one of each.

pork belly BLT

If you don't want to eat bread, try any of these meats on French fries. The result? The same deliciousness eaten with a fork instead of fingers.

A lot has changed in a short 6 weeks, and if this is a sign of things to come I know that in another 6 weeks, they would've grown in leaps and bounds. I've definitely got my eye on them!

ShortStopBBQ can be found at Twitter and Facebook

Drive Out Hunger Celebrity Event

On Wednesday, November 17th, between 4.30pm and 9.30pm, Drive Out Hunger, the mobile food drive is hosting a one night, gourmet food truck event in the parking lot of the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. There will be 19 gourmet food trucks, a silent auction, and 19 celebrities (confirmed so far) that will take photos and sign autographs with any donation of 10 non-perishable canned or dry goods food items.

Free Parking and Free Event Admission! They only ask that people bring food donations for Second Harvest Food Bank.

The 19 gourmet food trucks participating in the Nov 17 event are: Bakery Truck, Barcelona on the Go, CalbiBBQ, Chomp Chomp Truck, ChunknChip, Crepes Bonaparte, DanDanBBQ, Dos Chinos, Lee’s Philly, Lomo Arigato, Louks, Oh For Sweets Sake, Piaggio on Wheels, Seabirds, Shortstop BBQ, The Burnt Truck, The Greasy Wiener, The Lime Truck, and Tropical Shave Ice.

Please follow them at Twitter at:

@Bakerytruck

@BrcelonaOntheGo

@CalbiBBQ

@Chompchomptruck

@chunknchip

@CrepesBonaparte

@DanDanBBQ

@doschinos

@LeesPhilly

@LouksToGo

@Lomoarigato

@OhForSweetsSake

@Piaggioonwheels

@SeabirdsTruck

@Shortstopbbq

@TheBurntTruck

@TheGreasyWiener

@thelimetruck

@Tropshaveice

The gourmet food trucks mentioned in my previous post will continue to act as mobile food donation sites from Nov 7-20, wherever they serve food so please don't forget to bring donations whenever you eat at the participating food trucks.

A rare peek behind the doors of Disneyland's Club 33

The Trophy Room

I was told that as a mere commoner, it was an opportunity of a life time to step through the light sage door of Club 33 and be transported into the exclusive membership only club within. So when I was invited to join a bunch of people for brunch one Sunday morning, I leapt at the chance. I hate going to Disneyland and when I heard that the only way into Club 33 was through the park, my heart sank. I had made it a point not to visit "the happiest place on earth" after my last visit 12 years ago due to rather unpleasant memories and it certainly never was a happy place for me. However, the lure of dining in the exclusive Club 33 was enough for me to push those negative thoughts aside and make an exception to take a look within.

My friend Holly (Savored) and I arrived at the parking lot with plenty of time to spare, but somewhere between the shuttle and picking up the tickets from Guest Relations (not Guest Services which we first went to) to battling the crowds and strollers to Club 33, we had spent a good 45 minutes and found ourselves standing in front of the green door somewhat flustered.

selections from the appetizer buffet

It took a while for them to confirm everyone standing in front of the door trying to get in, but after that, a small entrance way with a flight of stairs lead you into what Walt Disney probably saw as his magical introduction for those special guests lucky enough to experience this.

There are two dining rooms, the Main Dining Room which was more spacious and larger, and the Trophy Room, where we were seated. This was a room of yesteryear with dark wood paneling and felt like a room gentlemen may enjoy congregating in.

Our meal began with a vist to the appetizer buffet which wasn't very big. In fact, I was expecting the type of buffet I was used to in Asia consisting of a huge spread of luxurious foods, but instead, there were a few salads, a tray of cold cuts, crab claws, lobster tails and shrimp cocktail. What made up for the lack of choice was how everything was fresh and of the best quality. The cold seafood was delicious with great flavors and the best part was you could go back for more. There is also a soup of the day -- carrot and ginger on our visit -- which was fantastic albeit served a little too cold for me since it was sitting in a self serve dispenser and not in a steam table tureen.

seafood buffet

Since we were in a large group we had to pre-order our entrees and right after they placed our entrees on the table, our server took center stage and started giving us a speech about the history of Club 33 and now, everyone was politely listening to her and neglecting their entrees. The speech took a good 15 minutes by which time our entrees had grown cold. To make matters worse, Holly and I both ordered the chateaubriand which was burnt on the outside and overcooked on the inside.

I found it strange that such an exclusive place failed to ask us how we liked our meat cooked and the 6 in our party who ordered the steak had varying temperatures of steak depending on how thick the piece was. It was as if they had cooked everything for the same amount of time so our two thinner pieces were overcooked while the thicker slabs were either too raw or done just right.

Holly and I took two bites and pushed our plates aside and hit the seafood buffet again.

cold cuts and salad buffet

Service up till now had been immaculate. Plates were promptly removed, water and iced tea refilled, smooth sailing all around. After the speech everything went downhill. Dirty plates were left on the table, water glasses empty, and by the time dessert rolled around it had gone way awry. As each person in our party proceeded to the dessert buffet and returned with plates of sweet treats, some were offered coffee and some were not. Holly and I were those who were not. We had to ask our server and when I asked for tea, she said "black, green or herbal". I told her herbal and she came back with a pot of Orange Spiced tea. I thought it presumptuous that she just chose a particular tea for me. Usually, a selection is brought to the table and I get to select what I wanted. What if I didn't like Orange Spiced tea? I mean, I did like it, but what if I didn't? That wasn't really the point was it?

I'm not being ungrateful here, but for a price tag of $117, I had seriously expected a little more. A little more from the food, a little more from the service, a little more of well, everything. Still, I was glad I came because I'm not sure if I would return again, or if I'd ever get the opportunity to, and even though the food and service didn't completely meet my expectations, it was definitely an experience, one which everyone should get to try, once in a lifetime!

Club 33 at Disneyland, 1313 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802 (situated between the Blue Bayou and Le Bat En Rouge)

La Cocina De Mi Abuelita

handmade tortilla tacos

**version of article is featured on OC Register's Food Frenzy**

I've never ventured down this far on Bristol Street traveling towards Santa Ana before so I was unaware of what was out here, that is, until my friend wanted to meet for lunch, at this hole in the wall. I wasn't really feeling Mexican food I told her, but I tagged along anyway just so I could see her. Surprisingly, after that initial visit, I returned again for breakfast this weekend as I'd been thinking about the food for a few months now.

The restaurant is small, just what you would expect in Santa Ana. The interior is decorated like an old diner with a life size statue of Elvis in the doorway. There is table service but if you're in somewhat of a hurry, I suggest just going up to the counter and ordering before sitting down.

The specialty here is carne en su jugo, literally translated as "meat in its own juices", and this was the dish I couldn't stop thinking about after trying it the first time. This soupy stew hails from Guadalajara, namely the Jalisco area where Andres's, (the owner) family comes from. The recipe has been passed down from generations and once you taste it, you'll instantly realize that this isn't something that's thrown together lightly. The recipe is simple, beef, bacon and beans, but not just any beans, not even pinto beans which is so popular in Mexican cuisine, but Peruano beans, which stand up so much better to extended cooking and absorbs flavors well.

carne en su jugo

The carne en su jugos arrives in a festive clay dish with another plate of condiments consisting of diced onions, cilantro, limes and grilled green Mexican onions/sauteed yellow onions. I tasted the soup before dousing it with the condiments and was met with a hearty and beefy broth which enticed the palate. After the condiments were added it brought on a whole new element to the dish, something between menudo and a beef soup but so much better. I was blown away by the sheer simplicity yet deliciousness of it all.

If soupy stews are not your thing don't fret because this place is known for more than just the carne en su jugo! Their hand-made tortillas are also very good, beautifully textured and a little thicker than the regular tortillas used for street tacos! My favorite is the al pastor -- perfectly seasoned and not dry. The carne asada is also flavored very well but just a little too dry for me.

condiment plate

Another thing this place is known for are tacos al vapor -- steamed tacos -- but surprisingly, I wasn't all that excited about them. I found the tortilla too dry and the shredded beef filling my friend ordered wasn't all that flavorful. Maybe it would have been better with al pastor, who knows, but for me, the hand made tortillas are the way to go.

I also tried another of my favorite Mexican dishes, camarones al mojo de ajo, but unfortunately, dried garlic powder was used instead of fresh garlic and the accompanying beans and rice weren't the best I've had. I won't order this next time.

Like most ethnic restaurants there are a few outstanding items which make me go back again and again for more. This place is no different. Whenever I think of carne en su jugo and the hand made tortillas, La Cocina de mi Abuelita is what I think of. Try it yourself and trust me, your tastebuds will thank you!


La Cocina De Mi Abuelita, 2640 S Bristol Street, Santa Ana, CA 92704. Tel: 714-241-7166