We made it! 2022 has now been whittled down to a few more hours. Thankfully, this year has been a closer return to normal. People are back out going to sporting events, amusement parks, traveling, and most importantly, eating in restaurants. With all that has gone on in the world over the last two years, I'm so happy for the restaurants that have persevered through all of this, and I still mourn the restaurants we've lost, even the bad ones.
With the upcoming new year, it's the natural time to reflect on the past. It's hard to believe that I've been at this for 13 years. When I started this restaurant review blog in 2009, I had no idea I would still be doing this and enjoying it as much as I do. My last review was for restaurant number 980. That makes this coming year the moment I will finally fulfill one of my goals of 1,000 different restaurant reviews on this blog. I have a few plans for that milestone, but I will wait to reveal them.
As most of my contemporaries in the blogging world have ditched their websites, stopped writing about food for other pursuits, or gone on to bigger and greater things, I have no plans on stopping my quest for great eats in Orange County and beyond. I have always envisioned this website as a resource tool for all of you. A place where you can see pictures of the food, get a little insight from me, and then decide if you want to spend your hard-earned money at the places I visit. As time marches, this site will become a time capsule for restaurants no longer in business and what foods were hot at a particular time. Like, remember when quinoa was all the rage? Good times.
I hit my modest goal of writing at least one restaurant review weekly in 2022, which will become my norm. Unfortunately, as it sits now, I'm running a couple of months behind from when I visit a restaurant to when I finish a review. I plan to rectify that timespan in the future, as I'll skip binge-watching TV shows, abstain from social media as much, and be more focused when I sit down at my desk to write. We'll see how that all works out.
Before I get to the best 10 restaurants I ate at this year, I'd like to thank my family and friends who supported my modest hobby of eating out in restaurants over the years. I'd also like to thank Katie, my forever dining companion, for her continued support not only of this blog but in everything that I do. Lastly, I'd like to express gratitude to all of you who have taken the time to read or at least checked out the pictures of what I've eaten over the last 13 years. You all mean the world to me. Happiest of New Year to all of you!
Here are the best ten restaurants I've eaten at in 2022.
#10 - PorchBox - Laguna Hills
PorchBox makes this list because I love their concept. Their menu changes with the seasons. You get the main course and three sides to choose from, all for $15, or what you'd spend at your local fast food spot, and this tastes like food should taste. A very convenient place to pick up dinner for you or the family, and something you will feel good about giving to your loved ones.
#9 - Mattern's Sausage and Deli - Orange
German food is not readily available as much in OC these days, with the recent closing of Jagerhaus and the Phoenix Club, but Mattern's is still churning out sausages, smoked pork chops, and one heck of a Reuben sandwich. They also have a small market, where you can find some hard-to-find German specialty items. Definitely worth a stop.
#8 - Vox Kitchen - Foutain Valley
One of the most reviewed OC restaurants on Yelp, and with a mighty 4.5-star rating, I'm ashamed I didn't make it here sooner. Vox Kitchen serves up Asian comfort food with a Peruvian influence. Their food has broad appeal, and they get it to your table almost at warp speed. Slow it down, guys. We want to enjoy your delicious cuisine.
#7 - La Super Birria - Santa Ana
2022 continued the birria trend that has taken hold of OC. The best we had this year was from La Super Birria, a mini-chain that has now sprouted to four locations. The quesabirria and all the tacos are stellar but don't sleep on the birria ramen, which is delicious, and not just a novelty dish to show off on Instagram.
#6 - Folks Pizzeria - Costa Mesa
The best pizza we had this year can be found at Folks Pizzeria, located at The Camp. It's easy to see why this place always seems to have a long wait. High-quality pizza, their chopped salad with a lot of shaved parmesan, and their bread and butter to start will make any time you have to wait worth it.
#5 - Solstice - Irvine
Another fine dining gem for the city of Irvine. Solstice is predictably a seasonally driven restaurant. Their menu changes four times a year, highlighting what's fresh during each quarter of the year. Unfortunately, they had to delay their opening due to pandemic material shortages, but the management team and their staff hit their stride during our visit in June.
#4 - 17th Street Deli - Costa Mesa
Every neighborhood needs an excellent deli, and Costa Mesa is lucky to have this one. 17th Street Deli makes some killer sandwiches, but the best I've had so far is the Bomb Pastrami. Made with Boar's Head pastrami, sauerkraut, coleslaw, and swiss cheese, all on rye bread, this is one explosive sandwich. Easy online ordering and excellent friendly service are just an added bonus. Well worth navigating the busy 17th Street traffic.
#3 - Centro Storico Spaghetteria - Tustin
You won't find fresh pasta at most places, but it has made Centro Storico popular. After your first bite, you can taste the quality. There are sixteen pasta dishes to choose from, along with eight more substantial main dishes which look amazing. I'm waiting to try them after I eat through all the pasta options. After eating here, it's easy to see why they were on so many best-of lists last year and now they are featured on my list this year.
#2 - Mario's Butcher Shop - Newport Beach
I rarely make return visits to the same restaurant, especially if I live forty minutes away. That should tell you how much I enjoyed Mario's Butcher Shop. It's a butcher shop, but since I don't own a barbecue, it's way more convenient to have Mario and his team make my burgers, sandwiches, and the best potato salad you will ever put in your mouth. The pastrami sandwich has already reached legendary status, and keep an eye out for their rotating specials, especially their Cuban sandwich.
#1 - Craft by Smoke and Fire - Anaheim
The only four-star restaurant I dined at this year in OC. Their Mac Rib sandwich, equal parts grilled cheese, smash burger, and barbecue platter, will set you back over $30, but you will not eat a better sandwich in OC. The rest of the menu exudes comfort food that you just gotta have right now. The Brisket Grilled Cheese, Birria Quesadilla, Short Rib Burrito, and barbecue platters are all beckoning me to return soon.
2022 is now in the books. I look forward to sharing many more excellent restaurants like these with you well into 2023 and beyond. Happy new year and have a delicious 2023.
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