Well, here we are again. I never really believed my parents when they would tell me that the years go by faster as you get older. I now know that they were right. It feels like just a few weeks ago, I was sitting at this computer writing my best restaurant list for 2023.
This marks the 15th year of this blog. My last restaurant review was number 1100, and I have many more on the way for all of you. I averaged one review weekly this year, which is way better than in recent years. I could have done more, but other interests like audiobooks, watching my pitiful sports teams, working my day job, and family obligations got in the way of writing time.
Another thing that prevented me from reviewing even more restaurants was the time it took me to create an interactive dining map of the restaurants I had reviewed. It took me nearly two months to make the map as I went through and checked the status of all 1100 restaurants to ensure they were still open and operating. If they weren't, I noted it not only on the map but also on my review. You can find that map by clicking here: Eating My Way Through OC Dining Map, or you can find it on the header of this blog, near the top left-hand corner of the homepage.
Thanks for taking the time to read or at least look at the pictures of the food on the blog. I love the interactions I get from you guys and enjoy sharing the great food I've enjoyed eating over these years with all of you. My hope for this blog has always been to be a resource for you guys to find excellent restaurants to eat at and avoid places that are below average.
Without further ado, here are the best OC restaurants I reviewed this year.
When a place has been serving burgers for the last 78 years up in LA, and they open an outpost at one of my favorite spots in OC, the Balboa Fun Zone, it excited me. I got even more excited after my first bite of their burger and chili dog. We've lost many fantastic burger spots in the last few years, so it was great to have one added to the OC dining scene for a change.
Staying in Newport, there's no shortage of good brunch spots in this beachside paradise, and you can add Shorebird to that list. A nice harbor view, a great menu with plenty for you to choose from, and a lively atmosphere are a winning combination for any good brunch spot. Plus, their crab benedict was the best breakfast item I had all year.
I'm a carnitas fiend, so when my friend and I visited Carnitas Uruapan, I was surprised to find out it had been in business for 29 years—this was my first visit. I need to make up for lost time. This was some of the best pork I have had in years, and every taco was a winner.
Another spot in Santa Ana that impressed me was Benchmark. It's the first restaurant we visited during OC Restaurant Week, and it started my seven restaurants in seven days off right. Everything we ordered was a delight to consume, and we are already planning another visit to explore more of this restaurant that celebrated its 5th anniversary this year.
I've had some mediocre Korean barbecue experiences until this year, but Baekjeong got me out of my Korean barbecue funk. This is not an all-you-can-eat spot, and it can get quite pricey, but this is the best quality of meat I've experienced to date. An added bonus is that they cook it for you at the tables, so everyone can enjoy their meal.
2024 is the year that birria became mainstream, and the best I had this year was Tijuanazo, which opened its first OC location in 2023 and has been racking up plenty of five-star reviews on Yelp. They do one thing here, birria; however you want to have it, it will be delicious. I suggest always going for the quesabirria, birria ramen, or having it in a quesadilla. You can't go wrong here.
Hammer Burger has been on my best-of list before, but now they have their own restaurant in Downtown Santa Ana. Smash burgers are all the rage right now, and this is the best I've had in OC so far. They also feature a burger of the month and do not sleep on their chili cheese dog, which was also excellent. It is well worth the drive from anywhere.
Ready for some real, authentic Italian food? Head to Aliso Viejo to experience Trattoria Trullo. There are no heavy red sauces or huge portions that will require a nap after eating here. Chef Marco Criscuolo serves up the food of his native Puglia, Italy. Make sure to start with their fantastic focaccia, and anything you pick for a meal after that will transform you into Italy, but without the 14-hour flight.
Webb's was another restaurant I visited during restaurant week, and after eating there, I could not stop raving about it. Hidden next to an ice skating rink on a sleepy street, Webb's has a great backstory and serves fantastic burgers, sandwiches, and the only version of Cincinnati chili I can think of in OC. I never thought I'd include two Aliso restaurants in my top ten, but here we are.
#1 -
Bloom Restaurant and Bar - San Juan Capistrano
The best restaurant I ate at this year comes from the guys that brought us Ironwood, Vine, Olea, and Sapphire. The hits keep coming with Bloom, which is directly across the street from the Mission. My bacon-wrapped meatloaf was delicious, and everyone else's meals were first-rate, but the skillet mac and cheese with bacon added was the best mac and cheese I've had in the 15 years of this blog. It's been eight months since I've had it, and I still think about it.
Have a delightful new year, and I look forward to sharing my dining adventures with all of you as we enter 2025. Now get out there and eat!
No comments:
Post a Comment