Swinging by Hammer Burger

 Hammer Burger

313 North Bush St. 

Santa Ana, CA 92701

Smash burgers are the hottest trend in the culinary world right now. They have been all over social media in the last few years. The trend started five years ago and has gotten even bigger lately. You know it has gotten out of control when national fast food spots, like Jack In the Box and Sonic, have smash burgers on their menu. Jack in the Box had to remove them from their menu for a month because they were such a hit that they had a meat shortage. It's almost like traditional burgers have become obsolete. 

My favorite OC smash burger comes from Hammer Burger. I have written about Hammer Burger once before, back in 2020. It was pandemic time, and they were serving burgers at a pop-up in front of their house in Orange. I ordered my burger a week ahead of time and went to pick it up in a small cul-de-sac. It smelled so good I had to pull over and eat it before I got home. Yes, I have no willpower. The burger was great, and I was one of the converts to smash burgers. I even visited them once more when they had a food truck a few years later. 

Over a year ago, Hammer Burger opened its first restaurant in downtown Santa Ana. It is situated near the corner of Bush and 4th Streets, across from the 4th Street Market Food Hall. Parking can be tricky in this area, but the city is making it much better for the businesses here by allowing free parking in the parking structures Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and two hours of free parking the rest of the time. A new parking structure is also being built right next to Hammer Burger, which will hopefully help parking problems become a thing of the past. 

The menu here has expanded from the early days of cooking in their driveway. Hammer Burger now offers different burgers, two chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, sides, loaded fries, and even two salads. They use high-quality beef for their burgers, their buns are Martin's Potato Rolls, and they make all of their sauces in-house, along with their pickles. I was here for their OC Restaurant Week special, a Truffle Burger and Truffle Fries for $19. Let's see if my hot streak with restaurant week places could continue with my fifth restaurant visit in five days. 

When this Truffle Burger was brought to my table, it kind of took my breath away. It looked almost too pretty to eat, but once I got a whiff of it, I knew I had to do my due diligence and dig in. This burger came with two truffle salted patties, red wine-infused cheese, mushroom, and garlic confit, and truffle aioli on a garlic-toasted brioche bun. Yeah, it's definitely not your everyday burger experience. Predictably, the dominant flavor profile was garlic and truffle. Even though truffles can be overwhelming, this was a reasonably balanced burger. The mushroom and the garlic aioli burst through at specific points, and the beef patty came through slightly. Another significant achievement of this burger was the bun, which did not slide around too much and made it easy to eat. 

Maybe my taste buds were shot out by the many things going on with the burger, but the Truffle Fries lacked any real truffle flavor. I think they just salted the fries with truffle salt. Their self-service sauce bar came to the rescue, though. The jalapeno ranch, chipotle, and garlic sauce were the best of the bunch. They all woke these fries up and elevated them in the flavor department. I'll get the loaded fries the next time I'm here. 

I had come all the way from South OC, so I did not want to try just one thing at Hammer Burger. I also tried the Chili Cheese Dog ($9). I'm thrilled I did. This chili dog is one of the best I have had in quite a while. The hot dog had a nice snap, and the chili was some of the meatiest I have encountered on a hot dog in my fifteen years of writing this blog. It also had great flavor and consistency to it. I did have two complaints about this, though, which, if rectified, would have put this chili cheese dog in a class by itself. The cheese needed to be melted, and the bun toasted to give it a little crunch. Still, it's in the upper echelon of chili cheese dogs in OC. 

I had no doubt that Hammer Burger would be just as good whether they are doing pop-ups, in a food truck, or at their own restaurant. Since this visit, I have been trying to find reasons to return to Downtown Santa Ana to try more of their menu. The Spicy Dog, Chili Cheese Burger, and the Spicy Flatty Melt, a patty melt version of their spicy burger, have all caught my eye. I'm also continuously checking out their Instagram page, as they routinely have special burgers available, and their burgers of the month are quite something to behold. The service was adequate, and my meal was served promptly. Even at the odd meal time of half past 3 in the afternoon, they had a steady stream of people eating there. It's proof that this might be the best smash burger in all of OC. It's the best I have had so far. 

Out of five bottles of sunscreen (because the hammerhead shark is one of the few animals that can get a tan because it spends so much time in shallow waters), five being best to zero being worst, Hammer Burger gets 3.5 bottles of sunscreen. 

For more information about Hammer Burger, head to their website by clicking here: https://hammerburger.com/

Setting the Standard at Benchmark?

 

Benchmark

601 East Santa Ana Blvd. 

Santa Ana. CA 92701

Here's a heads-up on my following seven reviews. Back in March (yes, I'm that far behind in writing), I decided to visit seven OC Restaurant Week spots in seven days. For those unaware, OC Restaurant Week is brought to us by OC Foodies, an organization dedicated to highlighting Orange County restaurants and promoting the culinary landscape of our wonderful county. 

Over 150 restaurants participated in the first week of March this year. Each restaurant posts its special Restaurant Week menu online. Tickets are not needed, but reservations at some of the most popular spots are encouraged. The price points for lunch menus are $15 to $25, dinner ranges between $30 to $50, and they also offer luxe menus for 2 guests that go for $60 to $120. I spend way more time than I care to admit studying the menus and what days I will visit which restaurants. I didn't even study this much in school. 

Since restaurant week starts on a Sunday, Katie will join me for this one. I picked a restaurant that has been on my wishlist for the last five years. They landed there because Orage Coast magazine named them one of the best new restaurants of 2020. They get rave reviews for their patio dining and have been featured plenty of times in print and visual media. That's how we found ourselves kicking off Restaurant Week at Benchmark in Santa Ana. 

Benchmark recently celebrated its 5th anniversary, a significant milestone in the restaurant industry. The owners, Duane Greenleaf and Pedro Arizmendi, are very present at the restaurant, as they are there almost every day. They brought Chef Stefano Ciociola aboard in 2021 after stints at many Patina Restaurant Group spots and time spent at some big-name East Coast restaurants. According to their website, their shared vision is "a modern restaurant with an upscale casual menu and seasonal fare."

We arrived at Benchmark at 5 p.m. on a rather chilly Sunday evening. The patio was empty except for the hustle and bustle of the waitstaff getting ready for dinner service and going over the menu. We had our pick of tables. Removed by a mere few blocks from the noisy downtown scene, the patio felt like a park-like setting or maybe the backyard of a friend's house. Very comforting, even as the tables filled up around us during our hour-and-a-half stay.  

Even though Katie and I were going to get the restaurant week menu, we glanced at the regular dinner menu for kicks. The six starters were priced at $20 and below, with the crispy pork belly and Korean tacos catching my eye. The entrees included some sandwiches, a burger that looked amazing in the pictures I have seen, pasta dishes, and a braised short rib that sounded promising. Plates ranged between $16 to $39 for the short rib. We swiftly made our selections off the Restaurant Week menu, priced at $40 per person. 

Although it was not on the Restaurant Week menu, Katie can never resist trying a pretzel once she glimpses one on a menu. This Bavarian Pretzel with Artichoke Fondue ($16) has almost made me a pretzel convert. I've never been a fan of pretzels, but this house-made one from Benchmark was soft, buttery, and salted perfectly. What made this for me was the artichoke fondue, which was earthy and creamy, and I found myself wishing that this was served with a spoon so I could eat it like soup. A delicious start to any meal at Benchmark. 

Now, on to our $40 Restaurant Week three-course menu. We picked the Short Rib Croquettes ($16) as our appetizer to share. These three nicely fried croquettes were filled with potato, gruyere, and a surprising amount of short rib inside. Each was topped with an herb chutney, and the plate was smeared with an addictive red pepper aioli. The outer crust of each croquette had a nice crunch, revealing a creamy mixture of potato, cheese, and beef. A very comforting combo. The pepper aioli added just enough flavor to accentuate the croquette. I'm happy they streaked enough across the plate for all three little barrels of deliciousness.  

Before sitting down at the table, I narrowed my main course to two options, and my mind was made up when Katie selected one of the two plates I had my eye on. Truthfully, I knew I would be having this Shrimp and Broccoli Risotto ($30) because of Katie's shrimp allergy, but she's been known to throw me a curveball, like ordering this without shrimp. It keeps our marriage fresh. This plate popped with color when it was set in front of me, and I hope it does so in the photos, too. The risotto was piled high with parmigiano reggiano, parsley, broccoli, and four large shrimp. The risotto was incredibly creamy and flavorful. The gruyere and the broccoli were a great combination. The shrimp was cooked nicely and was an excellent contrast to the risotto.  

It was a seven-minute wait from when my meal was placed on the table to when Katie's Fusilli Cacio e Pepe ($26) appeared from the kitchen. I don't know what happened there, as our server never really gave us an explanation. This is not a traditional version of the classic pasta, cheese, and pepper dish. I'd describe this as a jazzed-up rendition with the addition of hazelnuts, guanciale, and butternut squash. The pecorino cream and sage butter sauce was delicious, and the hazelnuts added a nice textural element. The pasta was cooked well, and this meal comforted Katie.  

The only disappointment of the night was the Brown Butter Cake ($11). The cake portion reminded me of the Hostess coffee cakes I had as a kid, not in taste but in appearance. This one was topped with a pecan praline, which was nice and gooey. It came with vanilla gelato, and the plate was drizzled with caramel. Maybe because of the plating, this was disjointed to me. The sweetness was muted, and getting the perfect bite of everything was hard. It's not awful, but it's different from what I expected when we ordered this. 

Even with the minor hiccup of Katie's meal being delayed from the kitchen and my thoughts about the lackluster dessert, our initial OC Restaurant Week outing was a success. I was able to scratch a restaurant off of my wishlist. Benchmark's ambiance was excellent, and the food was terrific, too. Our server was friendly, but long lapses where she went MIA turned what should have been an hour-long dinner into an extra 30 minutes of waiting for the bill and finally making payment. Benchmark is still worth a visit, with some seriously good food being served here, and we look forward to a return visit soon. First, we have six more days of OC Restaurant Week to finish. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. 

Out of five jars of mustard (because the ground where Santa Ana is now used to be a mustard field before its 1869 purchase), five being best to zero being worst, Benchmark gets 3.5 jars of mustard. 

For more information about Benchmark, head to their website by clicking here: https://benchmarkoc.com/

The OC Weekly Has Brought Me to Taqueria El Zamorano in 2024

 Taqueria El Zamorano

925 West Warner Ave. 

Santa Ana, Ca 92707

I miss the OC Weekly. From the time I started this blog until now, that free paper I'd pick up outside my local liquor store would give me plenty of tips about where I should be eating. OC Weekly had the best collection of food writers ever assembled in OC. While my other favorite source for OC restaurant news, Orange Coast Magazine, highlights more mainstream/well-known restaurants, the OC Weekly usually showcased out-of-the-way, hole-in-the-wall spots. These restaurants are ones I would never have heard about and placed on my restaurant wishlist, like Taqueria El Zamorano. 

My friend from work, George, is a big fan of this place. He's been coming to Taqueria El Zamorano for years and wanted to be here to share my first visit. El Zamorano opened its doors in 1997 and gained great praise from the people of Santa Ana for their tacos and burritos until a fire closed them down in 2005. They rose from the ashes (pun intended) in 2014 and are now one of the top-rated taquerias in Santa Ana. They opened another location in Costa Mesa six years ago, and a few years later, it was converted into a vegan taqueria. 

This original El Zamorano is near the corner of Warner and Flower Street in a blink, and you'll miss it spot.  The white building resembles someone's house, and it's set slightly back from the street, which adds to the aloofness of this restaurant. There are only five spaces in the cramped parking lot, so snagging one of the spots during lunchtime could get tricky. Be advised that they are only open from 8 til 4 pm and are closed on Mondays, so eating here for dinner is not an option. 

The menu starts with some breakfast items I have heard good things about. Then there are tacos, tortas, burritos, combo plates, quesadillas, and some starters. They have some nice video screens above their register that show their menu, but they have tape over most prices with the correct prices written on the tape. Most prices hover around the $10 mark, while tacos go between $3.50 and $3.99. We ordered rather quickly, and since we were the only ones here, we had the pick of any table we wanted while we waited for our food to arrive, which took less than five minutes. 

A few reviews ago, I mentioned my friend George and how he is the most basic eater I've known. No cilantro, onions, pico, or salsa on tacos. He's been coming to El Zamorano since childhood and still eats like one. Kidding, George, kind of. When we visited here together, he got the Asada Torta ($10.99). Typically, the tortas come with mayo, tomato, lettuce, onion, avocado, salsa, and beans. His torta came without onion, avocado, and salsa. He likes that they grill the telera roll to give it a little crunch, and the cubed asada had some excellent grill marks. I'd like to get a torta the next time I'm here, but I'd get the carnitas and ask for extra beans. He probably got the fries as a side item, as there was no mention of a side coming with this.  

Yes, six tacos might seem excessive, but I wanted to try as many of the meats as possible, and I was unsure of when the next time I would be here. It was a thing of beauty the way they fanned the tacos around the plate. From the one o'clock position on the plate, I tried the Birria ($3.50), Asada ($3.50), Carnitas ($3.50), Chorizo ($3.50), Pastor ($3.50), and Tripas ($3.99). There was not a bad one in the bunch. If I had to pick, my top three were the pastor, tripas, and carnitas. These meats shined, were flavorful, and went well with the provided onions, cilantro, and salsa. The tortillas are remarkable here. They were really soft, but they held the contents of the tacos admirably. They seemed handmade, but I wonder if they make them here. Taste like it, though. 

I ordered a Carnitas Burrito ($9.99) for dinner later. The burritos at El Zamorano come with beans, rice, cilantro, onion, and, of course, a choice of meat. I should have taken a picture of the burrito before I cut into it, but you'll have to trust me that it was approximately eight or nine inches long and had a good amount of girth. Unfortunately, there were some issues with it. Too much rice was included, pushing the carnitas and beans to the side. It's a decent burrito, but I expected more from this. 

The tacos at Taqueria El Zamorano are enough to get me to come back. They were some of the best I've had in a long time. I just wish this restaurant was more convenient. It is only open until 4 pm, closed on Sundays, and, as of recently, I learned they have switched to being cash only. It will take some planning, but I'll return here soon to try their breakfast burritos, chilaquiles, shrimp tacos, and hard-shelled potato tacos. I'm glad I had the foresight to write down this place that was recommended to me by the good folks at the OC Weekly all those years ago. My hope is fading that they will come back, but at least I still have some of their restaurant suggestions on my list to explore. 

Out of five cans of soup (because the city of Santa Ana was founded in 1869, the same year as the Campbell Soup Company came into existence, and they sell 440 million cans of soup a year), five being best to zero being worst, Taqueria El Zamorano gets 3 cans of soup.  

Taqueria El Zamorano does not have a website, but click here for their Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/taqueria-el-zamorano-santa-ana

Porking Out at Carnitas Uruapan

Carnitas Uruapan

2106 West 5th Street 

Santa Ana, CA 92703

I always like it when we get new people at work. One reason is that I have been there for almost 36 years now, and any chance to change things is welcome at this point. Another reason is that there's a chance that this new person will become a friend, and we can bond over food. That happened when George showed up to replace our outgoing meat manager. We instantly connected with food; even better, he wanted to share one of his favorite places with me, Carnitas Uruapan in Santa Ana. 

George and I met here at 9 a.m. on a Thursday. He likes to get here early to beat the rush, which is fine with me. It's situated in a mixed residential and industrial area west of Downtown. They have a small parking lot, which fills up quickly during peak meal times. I avoided it and parked on the street in front of the small, red and white painted restaurant. 

Since the pandemic four years ago, there's been no seating inside the restaurant. They use the empty space now to snake the line. We were early enough to be able to walk right up to the case above. The guy behind the counter was slicing and dicing the pork and separating it into sections. He also packages it, and another lady makes the tacos, burritos, tortas, and combo plates. You then move to the register, where you get your drinks, pay, and pick up your food. Your last stop is the salsa bar, which should be ignored. Some delicious salsa here, maybe even the best I've had in years. They offer green, orange, and red salsa. The orange was spicy but oh-so-good.  Unfortunately, I was so excited to eat I failed to take a picture of the salsas, so you'll just have to take my word for it. 

The menu here features lamb, goat, and different kinds of beef, but most people focus on what they are known for, the carnitas. Most restaurants only list carnitas on their menus, and they make it using only pork shoulder. Carnitas Uruapan uses the whole pig to make their carnitas; different types are available. They have maciza, which is just white meat; there's also surtida, which is a mixture of all parts of the pig, and then you also can have pork rib meat and chicharon, which is deep-fried pork skin. The menu is not in English, so it's best to view their menu online and note what you want to order before showing up and slowing down the line. That's what I did, and the ordering process went smoothly. We grabbed our food and headed to the covered patio at the back of their parking lot. 

One thing I learned about George on this particular outing is that he is one of the most vanilla eaters I have ever encountered. He likes everything as plain as you can get it. At Carnitas Uruapan, he'd get the Tacos Maciza ($2.90 for each taco) without cilantro, onion, or salsa. If he's feeling a bit wild, he might squeeze some lime on them, which he did not do while I was with him. He even picked out some more fatty pieces, which I was happy to take off his hands. He's always eaten this way since he was a kid. Some people grow out of it, but some, like George, don't. No judgment; he knows what he likes. It's best to move on.   

Okay, here are the first two of my four tacos: the Costilla Taco ($3.75) and the Birria de Chivo Taco ($3.25). Both were excellent. The Costilla taco is made of rib meat, which is flavorful and rich. I don't know what they flavor it with, but with the cilantro and onion added, this was a winning taco, and I wished I had ordered an extra one. The birria at Carnitas Uruapan is not the Americanized version, which utilizes beef, but instead, it opts for the more traditional meat from a goat. Sometimes goat meat can be gamey and tough, but this was delicious. If you didn't know this was goat, you'd assume it was beef due to its seasoning and tenderness. I used the salsa sparingly with these two tacos because these tacos did not really need it. You don't see these unique tacos at your neighborhood taqueria often, but I'll be looking for them from now on. 

I ordered the same Maciza Taco ($2.90) that George had, but I had them dress it with onions and cilantro. I took my first bite with no salsa, which was boring. The white meat was bland and somewhat dry. The taco was saved when I added the delicious orange salsa to it, which woke this taco up. The Taco Surtido is a mixture of all parts of the pig and has a tremendous amount of textural variation, which I found pleasing. If you are squeamish and inspect everything on your fork, you might want to stay with the white meat carnitas taco. I liked the pieces of fat and skin mingling with some white meat. It was a little greasier than the maciza, which added to the flavor profile. I liked it so much that I got it in the combo meal below. 

As you can see in this picture, they do use all parts of the pig. This Surtida Combo Meal ($10.25) was jam-packed into the container. I ate this over a two-day period. It came with some very good corn tortillas, beans, and rice. The beans and rice were good but overshadowed by the pork, which made for excellent tacos. I'd also suggest the costilla (rib meat) as another great option for a combo meal. 

Carnitas Uruapan is truly an authentic Mexican spot, serving carnitas as I assume that they do in Michoachan. I'm ashamed to admit that this was my first time having truly authentic carnitas. Most restaurants in OC do not make them using the whole pig, which I understand is only for some, including my friend George, who introduced me to this spot. There's room for both styles of carnitas, and I will continue eating both. Since this was my first time having authentic carnitas, I have nothing else to compare these to, but if you know of a place that you feel has superior carnitas, let me know where I should go next. 

Out of five avocados (because the city of Uruapan is the center of Mexico's growing region for avocados), five being best to zero being worst, Carnitas Uruapan gets 3.5 avocados. 
 

For more information about Carnitas Uruapan, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.carnitasuruapan.com/

Super-Dooper Birria at La Super Birria

 La Super Birria

1041 West First St, 

Santa Ana, CA 92703

If there's any food having a bigger moment right now other than birria, I can't think of it. A mere few years ago you'd be hard-pressed to find a restaurant that served birria. Now, a simple Yelp search of birria restaurants in OC returns plenty of results of places serving it. Birria has become so mainstream that Norm's had offered it for a while, and you can now get it even at El Pollo Loco. 

For those of you that are not yet up to date on the birria craze, and are not sure what it is, here's a quick crash course. Originally made with goat meat, most of the versions sold in the US are now prepared with beef. This dish comes to us from the state of Jalisco. It's slowly cooked as a soup or stew with chili and other spices thrown in the pot. It can be served as a stew or a taco filling, but as it has grown in popularity, there are many other ways to get your birria fix, as you will soon see.  

I had my first brush with birria back in 2017 at the delicious Burritos La Palma in Santa Ana. I have had it sporadically since, but it was a fateful night at poker that brought us back to Santa Ana to try another birria spot that popped up, La Super Birria. My good friend Angel was that guy at poker that suggested that we give this place a try. He loves it, and so far he has not steered me wrong when he suggests a restaurant. Let's see if his streak can continue.  

La Super Birria opened at the very tail end of 2018, just when the birria craze was in its infancy. Edgar, the so-called Birriamaster is the owner and head chef. He and his family are from Sahuayo, Michoacan Mexico, and he's bringing a taste of his hometown to the people of OC with their birria, handmade tortillas, and salsas. They must be doing something right because they now have four locations, one in Santa Ana, and others in Orange, Stanton, and Long Beach. 

Obviously, birria dominates the menu here. They offer it in tacos, quesadillas, mulitas, tortas, mixed with ramen, and even on a pizza. You can get items ala carte, or in a combo that gets you a drink and consomme for dipping your birria. This restaurant is a lot bigger than it appears from the outside, and we had no problem finding a table out in front of the restaurant on their makeshift patio in their parking lot. Let's see if this is some of the best birria in OC. 

Starting things off for us were a Red Taco ($2.99) and a Suavacito Taco ($2.79). To tell you the truth, I found both of these tasted the same. I know that the red taco came with a red tortilla, and was supposed to be a bit spicier. It wasn't, but I still enjoyed it. The tortillas tasted fresh and were pliable. The meat was not as soupy as I thought it was going to be. Good subtle flavor and is made even better with their salsa. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of their salsa. 

When I first saw this Birriamen ($11.99) on Instagram, I thought it was kind of just some fusion item to pander for likes. After Katie got this and let me try it, I am now a convert. It was really delicious. Even though I know the upcharge for this item is a little outrageous, I would not hesitate to get this on my next visit to Super Birria. It was very comforting, with a tinge of spiciness at the end of each forkful. It makes sense that this would work because birria is made like a stew, so this is more how birria was intended to be eaten. Definitely worth trying when you visit. 

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you have probably noticed my love for combo plates and meals. They help give you a better lay of the land when it comes to a restaurant, especially since I don't have the budget for multiple trips to the same restaurants, like professional restaurant reviewers. So, when I saw that Super Birria had a Birria Tour ($11.99) I knew I had to give it a try. It comes with a birria taco, red taco, quesabirria, and consomme for dipping. I already wrote my feelings about the red taco, and the birria taco was pretty much the same. Good flavor and both went well with the consomme. The consomme was a nice touch, as it gave the taco a flavor boost and a bit more moisture to the tacos. The clear winner of this plate was the quesabirria. The combination of the melty and crispy cheese and the birria was amazing. I loved the crispy parts of the cheese that hit the flattop, which added a very nice textural component. This was even better when dipped into the consomme. It took a lot of my willpower to go back in and order another one of these. 

I was pretty happy when we left La Super Birria, but I liked it even better as I was reliving our visit while I was writing this review. It's kind of rare when this happens, and it's usually a sign that we will make a return visit in the future. La Super Birria is one of the better spots that we have tried for birria and is a great spot to get your first taste of this trendy food or continue your journey to find the best birria OC has to offer. Right now I'd say this place and Navarro's Taqueria, also in Santa Ana, are the best we have had to date. I don't know what the future holds for the birria fanaticism that's going on right now, but I hope birria is here to stay.   

Out of five goats, (because birria was and still is made with goat meat in some places), five being best to zero being worst, La Super Birria gets 3.5 goats. 

La Super Birria does not have a website, but you can find out plenty about them from their Yelp page by clicking here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-s%C3%BAper-birria-santa-ana-2

No Need to Go a Country Mile for Breakfast

 Country Cafe

2321 East 4th Street Suite A

Santa Ana, CA 92705

Technology brought us to our next restaurant review. My parents were giving Katie and me tickets to a hockey game, but the only problem was that they could not transfer the tickets from my dad's phone to us. Even I have to admit that I've had a little bit of trouble with our electronic ticketing this season, mainly because I had set up the wrong email address to access the tickets. After that snafu, it had been clear sailing getting into the games. We took this opportunity to meet my parents for breakfast at Country Cafe in Santa Ana to sort everything out. 

Located right near the corner of 4th and Tustin, in the same little shopping plaza as a UPS Store, a dental office, Subway, and other smaller retail offerings, this address used to be the home of the much-heralded GD Bro Burger, which pulled up stakes in 2019, the same year that Country Cafe opened up. Since that time, Country Cafe has amassed a four and a half star rating on Yelp, with close to 200 reviews. 

This is a breakfast/lunch spot, which is open seven days a week, from 7 to 2pm. Their menu is exactly as you'd expect, with lots of egg dishes, pancakes, french toast, waffles, and a sprinkling of Mexican breakfast options. Only the steak and eggs cross the $15 threshold on their menu, with most items going for right around $12. 

We arrived at Country Cafe right before 9am on a recent Sunday. They were busy, but we got a table inside right away. The space feels nice and comfortable, with tables that are not too close together. For those of you that prefer to eat outside, there's also a small patio off to the right-hand side of the restaurant. Our server took our order promptly, and our food arrived within about 10 minutes. Let's check it out. 

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed that I've been in a Country Fried Steak and Eggs ($14,99) vortex lately. I can not seem to avoid getting this comforting dish to start my day. This one at Country Cafe was stellar. It had the circumference of a softball, with a nice crunchy outer coating and plenty of their delicious country gravy ladled on top. It also came with two eggs and their nicely done home fries which I mixed together to form a kind of hash that was bonded by the delicious yolk of my eggs. I'd probably ask for the home fries to be a little crisper next time, but a really solid start to our visit here. 

My mom is a breakfast sandwich fiend. She's also very particular with her sandwiches. She got this Farmer's Favorite Sandwich ($11.99) without the lettuce and tomato that it usually comes with, instead just opting for the bacon, over hard egg, cheese, and mayonnaise between two slices of toasted sourdough. Who really needs lettuce and tomato on a breakfast sandwich anyways? She really enjoyed this. It had plenty of crisp bacon, the egg was cooked well, and the touch of mayo tied things together well. She was also over the moon with the Fruit Cup ($1.50 upcharge) that she opted for instead of the home fries. She loved that they used sliced bananas in it, which is a big plus in her book.  

Both Katie and my dad got the Popeye Omelet ($13.99) for their first meal of the day, which meant less writing for me, and less reading of my mediocre writing for you. A true. win-win. This omelet predictably came with spinach as the star of the show but also included bacon, onion, mushrooms, and jack cheese. Katie enjoyed that they used jack cheese here, which changed it up a bit from the usual cheddar that most other places use in their omelets. It was not overly stuffed with bacon and the other fillings, but still a solid effort. My dad got the sourdough toast, while Katie selected the biscuit and gravy, which was the same price. The biscuit was fluffy and light, which led me to believe it was house-made, and the gravy was first-rate. 

I always like to pair sweet and savory at breakfast time, so I treated myself to these Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes ($11.99). These two pancakes were fluffy, but a little on the heavy side. The banana and chocolate chips were in the forefront, and these really soaked up the syrup. I had to ask for extra. Definitely worth trying if you are a fan of pancakes. 

I think I have to agree with the people of Yelp, Country Cafe was a very good spot for a no-frills breakfast. They are not going for the boozy brunch vibe like Snooze and others have been doing recently. This is a straightforward breakfast place that's not trying to rope you in with trendy breakfast items like tres leches pancakes or lobster benedict. They are making good quality food here, which will always entice people to return. We received great service this morning, even though they were quite packed when we were finished, with a wait of at least fifteen minutes for the people that got a late start on this Sunday morning. We ended up getting the ticket situation all sorted out, and were onto the game a few days later. 

Out of five courthouses, (because the flag of Santa Ana features both the Old Orange County Courthouse and the current Orange County Superior Court Complex), five being best to zero being worst, Country Cafe gets 3 courthouses. 

For more information about County Cafe, head to their website by clicking here: http://countrycafe2321.com/