Any Way You Slice It, This Is a Good Breakfast Sandwich - CLOSED

Eggslice

8340 La Palma Ave. Unit A

Buena Park, CA 90620

I don't know what it is, but there's something satisfying about starting your day off with a breakfast sandwich. Even if it's one from a fast-food spot, it kickstarts my day in the right direction. Now that I think about it, it may be that I don't eat breakfast when I have to work, so subconsciously, my brain equates breakfast with the fact that I'll have a great day free of the drudgery that is my workplace. Whatever it is, the simple truth is that I like breakfast sandwiches and have seen Eggslice open and want to give them a try. 

Apparently, I'm not the only one who likes breakfast sandwiches because when my parents, sister, and brother-in-law found out I was going to try Eggslice, they all wanted to join me. The allure of some delicious breakfast sandwiches was also too great for Katie to pass up, as she went without her customary twelve hours of sleep on a Sunday to accompany me for the short half-hour drive up the 5 Freeway. 

Eggslice has a unique story. Owner and executive chef Bill McMullan started his breakfast sandwich business in the farmer's markets of Sydney, Australia, over two decades ago. When he jumped to the US, he did pop-ups at different restaurants in OC. As of late last year, Eggslice now has a permanent home at Grange Hall 39, which is a partially completed food hall located on the backside of the Buena Park Mall, right near the massive Krikorian Movie Theater. Their current hours are 7 to 4pm every day of the week. 

What Eggslice hopes will set them apart from the other breakfast sandwiches you have eaten before is the quality of the ingredients that make up each sandwich. They use locally sourced items to build the best breakfast sandwiches around. They proudly tout many of their purveyors, like OC Baking Company, West Coast Prime Meats, Billy's Egg Farm, and others. There's also a locally made chili jam, which they boast about quite vocally. 

I met my family at Grange Hall 39 at 8am on a chilly Sunday morning. The food hall was far from complete when we visited, with only three booths occupied, and at this early hour, only Eggslice was open and operating. Their menu consists of five sandwiches, which can all be made into a protein-style version for those of you averse to carbs. Sides are limited to just tater tots and orange juice, tea, coffee, and bottled water. We ordered at the counter, took one of the tables outside,  and waited for our food to be ready. 

The Chicken Katsu Egg and Cheese ($7.99) started things off for us this morning. Both my sister and I got this one. Thanks for the hand modeling, Kristin. Joining the panko-crusted chicken was an extra-large egg served over medium, sliced American cheese and chili jam mayonnaise, all on a brioche bun. This was my favorite sandwich of the morning, not to ruin the suspense for everyone. It was very balanced with the well-made chicken katsu, the richness from the runny yolk, the creaminess of the cheese, and the slight tang of the chili jam mayo. It was all wrapped up by the beautiful brioche, which is not surprising since it was made by OC Baking Company, which makes some of the best bread in our grand county. 

Salmon has always been a little hit or miss with me, but this Smoked Salmon and Egg ($8.59) hit just the right notes with my dad and brother-in-law. This featured a good amount of cold-smoked salmon, an extra-large egg, and a dill and Dijon mustard sauce to finish it off. My dad was impressed with the salmon's freshness and the sandwich's lightness without sacrificing flavor. He also wanted me to point out that he had one of the best cups of coffee here, and it was less than three dollars. My dad is always looking for bargains. Glad he was happy with this meal. 

My mom, always the breakfast sandwich purist, went with the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese ($7.99). They used thick, smoked bacon on this, which looked lovely from across the table. She asked for this without the chill jam, unsure if she would like it. She was pleased with this sandwich and the high-quality ingredients used to make it.  

You are probably tired of me mentioning it, but Katie is on a keto diet, and I could not be more proud of her progress so far. She assured me when she started this that she'd still be able to go out to eat in restaurants with me, and I'm thankful that places like Eggslice accommodate people who live the no-carb lifestyle, like Katie. This is the Protein Style version of the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese ($9.99). With all of their protein-style options, they add an egg and half an avocado. Even though this was less good-looking than the other sandwiches, Katie enjoyed it. She was stoked with the quality of the bacon and the amount given to her. I counted 7 strips, which is pretty impressive. She also enjoyed the chili jam, which helped elevate this from a regular bacon and egg plate. 

Last but not least was my second sandwich of the morning, the Sausage, Egg, and Cheese with Avocado added ($9.98). I liked this sandwich, but the sausage was pushed to the side by the chili jam and the avocado. I'd probably ask for the chili jam on the side next time so I can apply it myself. The egg was cooked perfectly, with the runny yolk adding a nice, even richness, and the bun was stellar. 

Eggslice is the perfect spot for people looking to upgrade their basic, daily fast-food breakfast sandwich. Biting into each of these, you can taste the craftsmanship and love that went into making them. I definitely get the feeling that Egslice takes great care of what purveyors they use for their sandwiches. These are some of the best that OC has to offer, but they fall short of my all-time favorite breakfast sandwiches from Egg Slut, which has locations in LA and Las Vegas. Eggslice is definitely a solid choice for people looking to stay a lot closer to home and avoid the long lines at Egg Slut. 

Out of five coathangers (the nickname for the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, a nod to where these sandwiches originated), five being best to zero being worst, Eggslice gets 3.5 coathangers. 

For more information about Eggslice, head to their website here: https://www.eggslice.com/

'Ono Grinds at Matiki Island BBQ

Matiki Island BBQ

1015 North Harbor Blvd. 

Fullerton, CA 92832

Sharp-eyed readers of this restaurant blog probably can infer that if I'm writing about a North OC spot for lunch, it means I'm either meeting my parents for a midday meal, or I had just gone to the dentist. On this occasion, the latter is true. I don't go to the doctor all too regularly, but I do go to the dentist every six months like clockwork, and since I'm rarely up this way in the afternoon, I usually combo my trip with a restaurant I haven't tried yet. This time it was Matiki Island BBQ's turn to dirty up my just cleaned pearly whites. 

Matiki Island was founded by Melvin and Ricki Liufau, known more commonly as Uncle Mel and Aunty Ricki. Uncle Mel was a fire dancer and Ricki was a hula dancer when they opened a dance studio together in Anaheim. When the spot was available next door to the studio in 1996, Uncle Mel decided to open up a restaurant. Since those early days they now have three other Southern California locations, and recently opened one just off the strip in Las Vegas. 

Operating five restaurants is pretty impressive in itself, but each restaurant has a 4 and a half star rating on Yelp with a lot of reviews. This, and my love of Hawaiian barbecue is what drew me here, and it was only a few miles away from my dentist. As soon as I got out of another stellar dental exam and cleaning, I called to place my order at Matiki. I was quoted just the amount of time it would take me to drive over and pick it up and be on my way. 

For a point of reference, this Fullerton location is in the Hillcrest Park Shopping Center, which is situated alongside busy Harbor Boulevard and also includes a Black Bear Diner, Wingstop, and a Ralph's. There were no hassles with getting my food, as I was off within a couple of minutes after paying for it. The only problem I could envision was the thirty-minute drive back to Mission Veijo with the smell of barbecued meats wafting through the car causing my stomach to do summersaults. Let's check out the food. 

As is the case whenever I eat at a Hawaiian barbecue restaurant, I gravitate towards combo meals, and at Matiki BBQ that meant I was going to have the #6 Chicken and Kalbi Plate ($12.75). I like getting to try as much as I can on one plate. The kalbi or short rib here was some of the best I've had at a takeout Hawaiian restaurant. Yes, they were a little fatty in parts, but these were some of the meatiest short ribs I've ever had. Usually, they are tiny, with just a little bit of meat, and not really worth the trouble. These had a good marinade on them that was sweet but did not overpower the beef. The chicken was a little hit and miss. Some pieces were delicious and tender, but other bigger pieces were on the dry side. Combo plates at Matiki come with two scoops of rice and a scoop of mac salad, but they were really good about substituting two scoops of mac salad in exchange for no rice at no additional charge. The mac salad here was on point with texture but was a little on the boring side. Still, it was better than white rice and definitely worth trying. 

From what I've seen online, this #1 Beef Rib Plate ($12.25), which is also known as Sam's Plate is the most popular thing on the menu at Matiki BBQ, and for good reason. This was really excellent. Reminiscent of the big ribs you'd see flip over Fred Flintstone's car in the closing credits of the famous cartoon, this was one very heavy to-go container. The way they were placed into the container I thought they were going to be all bone, but there was plenty of meat on these. The meat was tender and kissed with a tinge of sweetness. I did not really have to use the provided sauce on these. There was one bone that had way more fat than meat, but this plate is one of the big reasons I'll be returning to Matiki BBQ in the future. 

As far as fast-casual Hawaiian BBQ restaurants go, Matiki Island BBQ is right up there with my other favorite, Da Hawaiian Kitchen in Huntington Beach. The proteins here were pretty much all excellent, with the exception of a few pieces of chicken that were a tad dry. The beef ribs alone are worth the visit. Portions were huge, as I had plenty of leftovers for dinner the next day. Prices were more than fair when you consider the amount of food that I received. It will be hard to bypass Matiki Island BBQ when I'm up here again in six months for my next dental appointment. 

Out of five hamsters, (because I recently found out that it is illegal to own a hamster in Hawaii), five being best to zero being worst, Matiki Island BBQ gets 3.5 hamsters. 

For more information about Matiki BBQ, head to their website here: https://www.matikisbbq.com/ 

Hoping for a New York State of Mind at Al's

Al's New York Cafe

1673 Irvine Avenue Suite B

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

In the 11 years of writing this blog, I've come to realize that people have very strong opinions about their pizza preferences. Nothing gets their blood pressure up more than arguing for their favorite pizza place, type of pizza, or even what should go, and not go on a pizza, (yes, I'm a believer that pineapple does not belong on a pizza, but to each his or her own). 

I get tips and suggestions about pizza all the time from my small group of readers. I can only imagine the volume of comments, emails, and social media inquiries that Brad Johnson, OC Register restaurant critic gets when he posts about pizza places like he did almost a year ago when his top 20 list of pizza places came out. When that list premiered I jotted down the ones that I had not been to yet. That left me with 5 left to try, and I recently decided to scratch one off of my list, so I headed to Al's New York Cafe for a takeout lunch. 

Al's has been around since 1995. They possess a very respectable 4-star rating with close to 600 reviews on Yelp. They are located near the corner of Irvine and 17th Street in Costa Mesa, right behind one of my favorite spots, La Cave. This is definitely a hidden joint, as it's not easily seen from the street, but if you spy the much more visible 7-Eleven, it's right next to it. 

I wanted to avoid the lunch rush, so I strategically called about ten minutes after they opened. I was quoted a pickup time of 30 minutes, which was perfect because since we live in South OC, it was going to take me just that long to get to Costa Mesa. From what I could tell during my brief time there, Al's is really more of a takeout spot, especially these days with the pandemic going on. My order was all ready when it was promised and I was off very quickly back home to have a rare weekday lunch date with Katie, who was working from home on this particular Thursday. Let's see if this is indeed one of the top 20 pizzas in OC. 

This bright and beautiful Greek Salad ($7.75) was part of what Katie hoped would get her through her workday from home. This good-sized salad came with plenty of red onion, cubed cucumbers, lots of olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes, and feta cheese all on a bed of mixed greens. Katie did not use the provided vinaigrette that came with this, instead opting for the Bob's blue cheese dressing we had in our fridge. She really enjoyed the salad and it kept her going through her long afternoon of conference calls.   

Now for what brought me here, the pizza. When I was perusing the menu, this NYC Special ($15.50) really caught my attention. This thin-crust pizza came with pepperoni, sausage, onion, garlic, and double cheese. Quite possibly the perfect combination of toppings for my tastes. The thin crust was a bit too moist in the center like it could have been left in the oven a few minutes more. I did like that their was not a lot of crust left at the end of each slice, as they really spread the sauce and toppings around really well. Speaking of the toppings, they really carried this pizza. The sausage was a standout, but this combo of toppings will be my "go-to" for any upcoming pizzas I have in the future. 

I've been on the prowl for a really good Meatball Sandwich ($10.25) lately. This one from Al's was fine, just not the great one that I was looking for. The insides were good, with the meatballs being tender and flavorful, with an abundance of mozzarella cheese in there. What held this sandwich back was the bread to fillings ratio, as there was too much bread here and it was also a bit burnt as you can see from the pictures above. They also needed a bit more sauce to balance things out. Not awful, but not nearly as good as my gold standard of all OC meatball sandwiches, the one from Cortina's in Anaheim. 

Proving that you can not live on just salad alone, no matter how much you enjoyed it, Katie also got this Side of Italian Sausage ($5.75) to round out her meal. The sausage hit the spot for her, but next time she'd get this with some cheese or something else to jazz it up a bit. 

Even though there were some minor issues with the food from Al's, I can see why they were named one of the top 20 pizza places in OC. The pizza I had here really was delicious, and I'd definitely get it again. I'm also intrigued by their lasagna, which is only available on Wednesdays and Fridays, and I'd try their meatball sandwich again for sure. I'm glad I was able to knock this place off of my list, and I look forward to where you and my other three readers would suggest I try going to next. 

Out of five subway rides, (because in New York Coty the price of a slice of pizza rises every time the subway fares increase, at least for the last 50 years), five being best to zero being worst, Al's New York Cafe gets a solid 3 subway rides. 

For more information about Al's New York Cafe, head to their website here: https://www.alsnewyorkcafe.com/

Nothing Lowkey About These Burritos Except Their Name

 Lowkey Burrito Pop Up 

1628 South Grand

Santa Ana, CA 92705

Before the pandemic started a year ago, I pretty much stayed away from pop-ups, most food festivals, and food trucks. It's not that I didn't like the food at these events and locations, it's just that I didn't really find them too convenient. Food festivals would often get too crowded and the samples are way too tiny. Food trucks, of course, are mobile, and move around too much for me to keep up with, and are not usually parked anywhere around where I live. 

My deal with pop-ups was that I always found out about them too late, and had usually made other plans. With the pandemic that we've experienced this last year, I now look for reasons to get out of the house, and pop-ups are a good way to do that. I had just happened to see one of my friends post on Instagram that Lowkey Burritos was going to be doing their first-ever pop-up in OC in mid-January. So I woke up before Katie on that Sunday, something that's definitely not that uncommon, and tried to beat the crowd so I could be back home before sleeping beauty woke up. 

Lowkey Burritos came across my radar late last year when I watched Eater's Guide to the World on Hulu. They were featured in the episode that highlighted LA food spots that could be eaten on the hood of your car. In that episode, it showed owner Matt Stevanus and his team cooking breakfast burritos on the streets of Downtown LA. The hook for me and many of their 50,000 and counting social media followers was that they wrapped their huge burritos in a blanket of crispy fried cheese. That was enough to get me moving. 

Lowkey was strategically working out of the parking lot of Tropicana, a marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana. The irony was not lost on me, or a lot of the others in attendance. They began service at 8am and went until noon. I arrived at half-past 8 and was met with a line of about 20 people in front of me. By the time I left, the line had grown into a nearly two-hour wait. 

It took me about twenty minutes to reach the front of the line to order. Their menu is pretty straightforward. They have a base model burrito that features eggs, potatoes, cheese, and salsa, and then you have other options like bacon, veggies, avocado, and their famous cheese crust, or jalapeno cheese crust for an additional dollar or two per item. There's also usually a special burrito or two offered, so keep an eye out. 

I placed my order and took in the scene. Matt was manning the flattop grill and was chatting with many of the people who came by to take pictures of the big pile of bacon, the melty cheese waiting to be wrapped around the burritos, or just to share how much they appreciated him bringing his breakfast burritos to OC. I got my burrito after a 45-minute wait and was headed back to Katie, who amazingly was up before 10 on a Sunday morning. I was excited to find out if Lowkey Burritos could match the hype. 

Looking at these pictures, it's easy to see why Lowkey Burritos are so popular on the photo-centric Instagram. This is definitely the most awe-inspiring breakfast burrito I've taken a picture of during the 11 plus years of this blog. This is their Base Burrito with Avacado, Bacon, and Jalapeno Cheese Crust added ($12). As good as this burrito looked, it was just as satisfying eating it. The cheese crust added a nice richness to each bite, but as time went by, the crispiness of the cheesy outer layer grew less and less, which I expected with the twenty-minute ride home, plus time allotted for my pictures. The inside featured plenty of avocado and bacon, but the potatoes and salsa got lost in the shuffle a bit here. Definitely one of the richest breakfast burritos I've had. 

When I checked out Lowkey Burritos on Instagram, they mentioned that their special for their OC debut was going to be the very popular Tri-Tip Burrito ($16). This burrito included plenty of grass-fed tri-tip, grilled onions, queso fresco, guacamole, salsa verde, and a complimentary cheese crust added. They cut the tri-tip by hand here, so it added to the wait time, but this beef was the star of the show. The avocado and grilled onions were present, but they applied the salsa and queso fresco too lightly, and I would not have known they were in there if it was not mentioned on their menu. I'm still not really even convinced after looking at my photos. The cheese crust went well with this one and helped generate a flavor boost that balanced things out a bit.  

Last but not least, Katie had requested a Breakfast Burrito, with Avocado, Mixed Veggies, and Bacon ($11), but due to her ongoing keto diet, no potatoes. So disciplined. This one did not have their signature cheese crust encasing it, but she ended up loving this anyways. She was a big fan of the veggies and the way the bacon came through in bursts. It was a different breakfast burrito than anything she's had in recent memory. It was lighter than most, and she did not feel sluggish for the rest of the day, which also could have ben due to the fact that she got twelve hours of sleep on this Sunday. 

I had some really conflicting thoughts about Lowkey Burritos. I placed these burritos on a pedestal so high before eating here, that there was no chance that they could live up to the hype I had set in my head. They were really good though, and I think they would have been even better if I had eaten them right away, instead of waiting 30 minutes due to driving and taking my pictures. Yes, the outer layer of cheese is what gets all the attention, but these are nicely crafted burritos. These are a labor of love from Matt and his team, and you can taste the passion that he puts into each burrito. That being said, I'd probably not wait any longer than 45 minutes for one, but there are reports that they are opening a storefront in Korea Town sometime this year, so I'm guessing that the lines will go down a bit when people have the chance to get these burritos every day, instead of only at pop-up events. 

Out of five dabs of black paint, (because low-key is also an art term which means that a portrait is dominately dark in hue, and to achieve this an artist would need plenty of black paint), five being best to zero being worst, Lowkey Burritos gets 3.5 dabs of black paint. 

Lowkey Burritos does not have a website, but you can find out about them on their Instagrm page here: https://www.instagram.com/lowkey_burritos/