Getting Away from It All by Staying Close to Home at Islands

Islands 

799 The Shops at Mission Viejo Suite A

Mission Viejo, CA 92691

When Katie and I are not out finding new restaurants, we are homebodies. We curl up on the couch and watch the four plus shows we are currently watching on Netflix. I love trying new restaurants, but sometimes you just need a break. On these rare nights, we usually stay close to home. One of the places we find ourselves at probably once a month or so is the new Islands at the Shops at Mission Viejo.

It's hard to believe that this Islands location escaped the cursed Kaleidoscope center nearly a year ago. Now with plenty of parking, no more broken escalators, a much more open floor plan, and a wonderful patio to take advantage of outdoor dining, Islands has seemed to have hit its stride at this almost always packed restaurant, which is situated next door to P..F. Chang's and the entrance to the food court.

It's also kind of hard to believe that Islands has been around for 35 years. That's when Islands founder Tony DeGrazier opened his first location in West Hollywood, bringing a little bit of Hawaii to Southern California. He wanted a place where you could get a burger, fresh hot fries, and drinks after a long day. My first Islands experience was in the mid-eighties and has continued to the present day.

We were lucky enough to have been invited to our local Islands to try their limited time menu items. That's one of the things I admire most about Islands, is the fact that they always have some limited menu items, keeping things fresh for those of us that visit their restaurants frequently. I look forward to every year when their spicy Nalu Nalu Burger is available as a limited time item.

We arrived at half past six on a recent Thursday evening and the restaurant was humming with activity. We were seated right away and perused the menu not out of necessity, but more out of habit since Katie pretty much always get the same thing, and I already knew I'd be trying their limited time items. Let's see how everything turned out for us on this evening.

The first of the two limited time items offered was this Islands Golden Ale ($8.55). Since it's been so hot and humid lately, this brew, which is exclusively crafted for Islands by Karl Strauss Brewing Company really hit the spot. I was afraid this was going to be too hoppy for my taste, but it had just the right amount of bite to it and a very clean finish. They say this pairs well with their Waimea Burger, but I could see this pairing well with just about anything.

Can't come to Islands and not get their Cheddar Fries ($8.65). Looking back on it, I think Islands was the very first place that I ever had fries with cheese on them. They are still as good now as they were back in the 80's. These fresh cut fries are fried crisp and then topped with plenty of melted cheese and scallions. Yes, you can have these with chili and bacon added, but they are perfect this way, with just a little ranch to dip them in.

I always think it's a little odd that Katie gets these Northshore Tacos ($9.79) at Islands because I always think of this place as a burger spot, but this is her, "go to" item here. These chicken tacos are filled with plenty of cheese, lettuce, and come with sour cream and salsa to round things out. Katie also always orders a small side of guacamole to complete her meal. She loves the tender, slightly spicy chicken, and the ranchero beans that accompany this.

Alright, it was burger time, and this Waimea Burger ($11.75) is available for a limited time. This burger features some Kalua pulled pork, caramelized onions, teriyaki glaze, pineapple, and Swiss cheese. This burger screamed Hawaii and really fit in perfectly with the Islands vibe A little on the sweet side, I'd probably ask for the teriyaki on the side when I have this burger again. Since I had the cheddar fries as a starter, I decided to forgo the endless fries option and get a Caesar side salad instead. This was the right call. The Caesar salad at Islands is very underrated and came with some flavorful dressing, crunchy croutons, and a little parmesan.

Maybe because I had a big lunch, this meal really seemed to fill me up, but I would not be deterred from getting a little something for dessert. Katie and I split this individually sized Fudge Brownie ($2.69), which really hit the spot. The small brownie was topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some chocolate sauce. Simple, yet delicious and a great end to our visit to Islands.

As usual, it was another stellar visit to our local Islands restaurant. Both of the limited time items I tried were a nice change of pace and something I would totally get again. Manager Hector and his entire staff did a great job of meeting not only our needs but also making sure that all of their guests were having a great dining experience. We consider ourselves pretty lucky to have this Islands location situated right across the street from where we live for those rare nights we stick close to home.

For more information about Islands, and to find your nearest location head over to their website here: https://www.islandsrestaurants.com/

Doing the Hula at Islands

Islands

27741 Crown Valley Parkway

Mission Viejo, CA 92691

There's a lot of things going on at Islands, and specifically the one that's right by our house. Not only are they going to be moving to the former Farrell's location across the street at the Shops at Mission Viejo, but they also have partnered with the great folks over at Left Coast Brewing Company to collaborate on a beer that's only available at Islands. We were recently invited to give this, and their latest burger a try. at the Left Coast Brewing Company Tap Room in San Clemente.

First things first, I could not pin anyone down on when their new location at the Shops at Mission Viejo is going to open, but I've been hearing whispers of an August or September opening. I was at the new spot a month or two ago, and was astounded to see that they basically tore down the old Farrell's down to the studs, and rebuilt it. I have a feeling this is going to be one heck of an Islands location, and one that's going to have way more foot traffic than the one at the Kaleidoscope across the street.

This was my first visit to Left Coast Brewing Company, but it won't be my last. Located right off Pico, I was pretty impressed that this large tap room was filled with patrons on a Thursday evening, so I had high hopes for their beer. My assumption was not even close to being wrong. We met up with Shawn Hadjis, Director of Sales and Marketing for Left Coast, and learned that this is a family owned and operated craft beer company, founded in 2004, which is ancient compared to most of their competitors. You can find their beers in 25 states and 7 countries, and they have won over 25 awards at various festivals for their beers.

We were here on this evening to try their latest addition to their lineup, the Hula Bay IPA ($6.50 for a regular or $8.50 for a large). This is a classic west coast IPA, which they said possessed aroma hints of pineapple, grapefruit, tangerine, and pine. To be honest, when I heard this I expected a sweeter beer, but the abundance of Amarillo hops balanced this out, and the result was a lighter beer, which did not sacrifice flavor. No watered down beer here. This becomes available at all Island Restaurants, with the exception of their Hawaiian locations, on Monday June 13th, until it runs out, which they expect will be in early September. Also on this Monday, their much loved Heat Wave Burger makes its return to their burger lineup, and coincidentally, they say the Hula Bay IPA pairs nicely with this burger. I'll have to be the judge of that.

To no ones surprise, I'm usually a Big Wave with Cheese and Bacon kind of guy at Island's, but that burger goes on hiatus when this Heat Wave Burger ($12,19) come out of hibernation. This burger really packs a punch with grilled Serrano and green chilies, pepper jack cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion, and it's finished off with a very tasty spicy mayo. I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate two of these full sized burgers at this event, they were that good. As advertised this did pair well with the Hula Bay IPA. The spice of the burger was extinguished a bit by the beer, which was definitely needed every few minutes when consuming this. The bun is also worth noting here. It was soft and pliable, but held everything together well. I'm really looking forward to heading back to Islands for this great burger soon.

One of the most underrated items on the Islands menu is the Jungle Caesar Salad. I'm a pretty big Caesar fan, and I love their dressing here. This salad also includes romaine lettuce, plenty of Parmesan cheese, and croutons. My usual routine when eating at Islands is to have the cheese fries for an appetizer, and then substitute a small Caesar for the fries that comes with my burger. That way it almost seems like I am eating healthy, or at least I try to tell myself that.

The great folks at Islands had an alternative burger for people that did not want the spice of the Heat Wave Burger. They also featured these Hawaiian Sliders, which featured teriyaki sauce, grilled pineapple, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. I'm not really big on pineapple on pizza or in burgers, but these sliders were pretty good, and  helped numb the pleasing burn of the Heat Wave Burger.

I'd say that this collaboration between Islands and Left Coast Brewing Company is a perfect match. I enjoy that Islands is always trying new things, and pairing craft beer with their great burgers is right on target. I will definitely be headed into Islands a bunch of times this summer to partake in their Heat Wave Burger, and pair it with a Hula Bay IPA. I'm also looking forward to the opening of their new location at the Shops at Mission Viejo soon. I'll keep you posted on opening dates, as soon as they become available.

For more information on all the latest things happening at Islands, click here to visit their website: https://www.islandsrestaurants.com/

I also strongly advise you to try the full lineup of Left Coast Brewing Company's beers, maybe at their tap room or your favorite retailer. Get all their info here: http://leftcoastbrewing.com/

Discovering a New Islands at Irvine Marketplace

Islands Fine Burgers and Fries

13762 Jamboree Rd.

Irvine, CA 92604

No matter how many restaurants we have on our list to try, how many events we go to, or how many road trips we take, we always seem to make it back to Islands. There are a few reasons for this. My Mom always gets us an Islands gift certificate each year for Christmas, so that accounts for two visits. We are out a lot, so when we choose to stay close to home, we walk to the Islands right by our place. Probably the biggest reason we always find our way back to Islands, is because they make some pretty darn good food there.

The reason for this visit? We were recently invited to experience Islands newest restaurant, which is at the Irvine Marketplace. This Island's is kind of off by itself, or at least it seems that way because no one really goes to the On the Border that is next door, for good reason, but that's a blog post for another day. Looking at Google maps, this Islands used to be a furniture gallery. Long gone are the high pressure salesman, the over priced dining sets, and that new carpet smell. Replaced by the sweet aroma of burgers wafting through the air, the sound of a shaker making another drink, and the small cheer of the guy watching hockey at the bar.

Even though this Islands has only been open for just over a month now, people have definitely found this place. We walked in just before 7PM on a recent Friday, and the restaurant was packed, and stayed that way until we left an hour later. Right after we walked in, we could sense that this is a different kind of Islands. Gone are the fake palm fronds, and the high dividers, which create a much more open, and cleaner looking version of an Islands restaurant than we are used to visiting. I counted nine large TVs turned to all sorts of sports throughout the restaurant and bar area. They were very accommodating when people asked for a certain game on a TV near their table, which as a sports fan, I always appreciate.

Both Katie and I always get the same thing when we visit Islands. We start off with the Cheddar Fries, I have the the Kilauea Burger, and Katie gets the Island Fish Tacos. Since we have already blogged about an Islands experience, we made a conscious effort to try other things off of their menu, as hard as it is to stay away from our favorites. Let's see if some of these will become our go to items in the future.

I can not recall the last time I had a drink from the bar at Islands, but this Big Island Iced Tea is making me regret my earlier visits. Drinking this brought to mind the sweet drinks I had on a tiki raft tour in the Bahamas. They may have been sweet, but they packed a punch if you were not careful. This drink was the same. Vodka, rum, tequila, triple sec, pineapple juice, and a strawberry puree combined to make this fruity drink. Having this drink reminded me of the great offerings that Islands has for happy hour. Not only is this drink $5 at happy hour, but they have numerous appetizers, all of their well drinks, and my favorite cheese fries are all five dollars or under. A really great deal that we need to take advantage of soon.

Since we could not get the Cheddar Fries to start, remember we are trying new things here. We got the Spinach and Artichoke Dip and the Fresh Cut Islands Fries to begin our meal. Yes, we were really venturing out. This was our first time having the spinach dip, but it will not be our last. Spinach and artichoke hearts are mixed with garlic and onion in an Alfredo sauce, then served with tortilla chips and salsa. There was lots to like about this spinach dip. It was not overly cheesy, the serving size was more than generous, and it had some good sized chunks of artichoke in it. A very smooth dip, and not overly greasy or heavy. I was also pretty pleased that this dip came with enough chips. It's always a bummer when you run out of chips, and have to wait for more. Of course we have had the fries at Islands before, but they are just too good to pass up. We could tell that they were fresh cut, fried right, and went amazingly with their ranch dressing. If you don't get the fries at Islands, then you have not experienced Islands fully.

Katie substituted her usual taco order with the Maui Burger with a veggie patty and Onion Rings. this used to be her "go to" item at Islands before she discovered the tacos. She likes this veggie burger because it's big on flavor, and the guacamole is great. This was the first time she has had the Onion Rings here. They were fried perfectly, and substantial enough that she could not finish them all. Of course, I helped her out with that.  

Yes it's true, I did not radically change my usual order too much. I did have intentions of getting the tacos or maybe even a sandwich, but when it came to decision time, I caved in and got the Hula Burger with bacon added. This burger comes with a mound of mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and Swiss cheese. This burger had a little bit of everything flavor wise. It had an earthiness from all of the mushrooms on here, the Swiss cheese contributed a creaminess, and the bacon I added made this burger come alive. The patty was juicy, and had a great meatiness to it. The bun should not be overlooked here. It was toasted perfectly, held everything together, while remaining soft. Yes, I got a Caesar salad to go along with my burger, since we had the Island Fires for an appetizer. This is one of my favorite Caesar's that I have had recently. The produce was fresh and crisp, there were plenty of croutons and grated Parmesan, and the dressing was pretty solid, with just the right amount used on this salad. It made me feel pretty good about myself after opting for the salad over the fries. Maybe I'll turn into a health nut soon enough. Probably not though.

By this time we were pretty stuffed, but we soldiered on for you, our readers. We tried the Kona Pie, which consists of mocha almond fudge ice cream, a chocolate cookie crust, hot fudge, whipped cream, almonds and a cherry. I am not a big coffee lover, but there was enough chocolate on here, that even I liked this dessert. We did not have to fight over ice cream, Katie loved the coffee taste, and even though we were full when we ordered this, it did not last too long after it was sat on our table. A very nice finish to our night at Islands.

Even though we stayed away from our favorite foods at Islands on this particular night, we might have found some new favorites. So maybe we will not be creatures of habit anymore, (I probably will stick with my Kilauea burger though). I kind of like this new version of Islands. It's a little more contemporary, but with the same great food that you expect from Islands. I was also surprised with how well run, and smooth things went on this night. Usually when a new restaurant hits the scene, there are some service issues, or kitchen troubles that need to be ironed out. That was not the case at this Islands location. Our server, Fiona was a real pleasure to deal with. Even though she was working behind the bar, she took plenty of time to chat with us. It was just not the employees that we dealt with either. I was eavesdropping on other servers dealing with customers, and they were all very attentive. I would definitely say that they have a great team working at this Islands.

We would like to thank everyone at Islands for making us feel so welcome. First we need to thank General Manager John Ladd. He took the time during the busy dinner rush to explain what's different about this Islands, and answered all of our questions. We also had the pleasure of meeting District Manager Scott, who made sure that everything was great with our visit. A very big thank you goes out to our server Fiona. She was so sweet, kept things moving along, and really made us feel very welcome. We both really enjoyed talking with you Fiona. Lastly, we would like to pass along our thanks to Venice Fahey for coordinating our visit to experience this new Islands restaurant. Everything was great Venice.

If you would like to experience this, or any other Islands restaurant, go to their website to find your nearest Islands restaurant: http://www.islandsrestaurants.com/