Get These Animals Some Glasses

 Blind Coyote Cantina

4975 Lakeview Avenue 

Yorba Linda, CA 92886

To succeed in the restaurant business, you must be willing to adapt and pivot. That's what Tony Monaco has seemed to do with his restaurant, the Blind Coyote Cantina in Yorba Linda. Until August of last year, this spot was the Blind Pig, a sister restaurant to the one in Rancho Santa Margarita. That speakeasy concept is still going strong in RSM, but Tony had a Californian-Mexican concept brewing in the back of his mind. Instead of starting from scratch, he decided to convert this restaurant into the Blind Coyote Cantina. 

The metamorphosis from pig to coyote took about three weeks, and for the most part, they retained their existing staff while making some changes to the interior of the restaurant. It's not surprising that the change went as smoothly as it did because everything that Tony has done recently has turned to gold. Along with the Blind Pig, he's also the owner of The Trough, and his latest restaurant, Monaco Italian Kitchen in Irvine, has garnered rave reviews, earning a 4-star rating on Yelp. 

Back to the Blind Coyote, located in the Yorba Linda Town Center on Yorba Linda Boulevard, between Imperial Highway and Lakeview Avenue. This shopping plaza is home to numerous restaurants, including The Habit, Seasurf Fish Company, Apollo Greek Grill, Cafe Rio, and more. With so many food options here, I thought parking would be an obstacle, but Katie and I both drove separately and found spots fairly close to the restaurant on this busy Friday evening.   

Luckily, we had made reservations, as the restaurant and bar were packed with people kicking off their weekend with a night out. The menu at the Blind Coyote is divided into starters, salads, four mariscos, specialties, taco plates, a 1, 2, or 3 combination option, and dessert. Entrees range from $22 for their burrito to $65 for a 20-ounce bone-in ribeye. Most starters typically fall within the $16 price range. Let's take a look at the food. 

First up, the Chips and Salsa that were placed before us when we were seated. The tortilla chips were fresh and appeared to have been recently fried, as they had a slight sheen. I liked both the red and green salsas. The green salsa is the spicier of the two, but it won't burn your tongue off; it's a nice, slow burn. The red salsa was mellow, and I found myself switching between the two frequently. According to their early Yelp reviews, they used to have a bean dip, but they stopped serving it. That's a bummer, as I always enjoy a good bean dip. 

While waiting for our entrees, we tried the Classic Guacamole ($12). The guac at the Blind Coyote is made with diced red onion, cilantro, lime, cotija cheese, and jalapenos. The consistency of this was spot on, as it was neither too chunky nor too smooth, like a puree. It's a delicate balance to achieve. The flavor could best be described as mild and would have been enhanced with some pepper flakes or another ingredient to give it a kick. Everyone else enjoyed it, and I did too, as it was a generous serving that we used with our entrees, which came out next. 

It seems like I've said it a million times on this blog, but my mom is a light eater. That's why she only ordered these Chicken Taquitos ($16), and she still took one of the three home for lunch the next day. I'm glad I didn't inherit the light-eating gene from her. The three taquitos came topped with red salsa, crema, pico de gallo, lettuce, guacamole, radish, and micro cilantro. So, basically, she could have taken all of that off the top of the taquitos and had a small salad, and then she probably would have eaten only one taquito. She did say that she enjoyed the taquito, as it was fried well, had a good crunch to it, and was filled with plenty of chicken. My parents have returned since this visit, and she has gotten this every time. 

I was torn between getting the burrito, combo plate, or what I eventually picked, the Carnitas Enchiladas ($24). I usually get a carnitas plate at Mexican restaurants, but this option was not available here at the Blind Coyote, which is a little odd considering they offer carnitas in tacos, nachos, quesadillas, their ranchero salad, fajitas, burritos, and these enchiladas. I liked these enchiladas, but as is usually the case with enchiladas, the meat inside got overwhelmed by the sauce and the cheese. I tasted it a little bit, but not enough to determine if the carnitas were good on their own. I did enjoy the Jack cheese and the enchilada sauce. The rice and beans rounded out this meal nicely. 

The Chili Verde ($24) is not a favorite of mine, as salsa verde can be too acidic for my taste. However, this was not the case at Blind Coyote. The chili verde had a good flavor, and the acidic tinge was well-balanced. My dad gave me a small piece of the pork shoulder, which was nice and tender. I wonder if the bigger chunks of pork were less tender, but he had no complaints about his meal. 

I knew one of my tablemates would opt for the combination plate route, and it was Katie who selected the 2-Item Combination ($22). The combo choices include tacos, with a $3 upcharge for a steak or fish taco, a cheese or carnitas enchilada, two chicken taquitos, or chicken tortilla soup. Katie had the chicken taquitos and a cheese enchilada, along with the beans and rice that come with the combo plates. She was pleased with this plate and said the standouts were the cheese enchilada and the rice. 

I enjoyed my visit to the Blind Coyote, but I wasn't overly impressed by it. Nothing stood out to me this evening, but neither was anything terrible. Yorba Linda is not really a hotbed of good sit-down Mexican restaurants. Most people would consider Blue Agave and Ranch Enchilada among the best the city has to offer, but neither of these would be regarded as providing upscale Mexican cuisine. The Blind Coyote is the only option in Yorba Linda if you're looking for elevated Mexican cuisine, and I feel that a good meal can be had here. We experienced fine service, and we will probably be back because my parents live so close; they really enjoyed it and have been back a few times since this visit. With the busy restaurant and bar we experienced on this Friday night, Tony may have made the right decision to pivot from a speakeasy to an elevated Mexican concept. 

Out of five Olympic medals (because writing this review, I learned that coyotes can reach top speeds of 40 miles per hour, way faster than that pesky road runner, and fast enough to win a lot of medals at any Olympics), five being best to zero being worst, Blind Coyote Cantina gets 3 Olympic medals. 

For more information about the Blind Coyote Cantina, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.blindcoyotecantina.com/

You Can Call Me a Mama’s Boy After My Visit to Calaca Mamas

 Calaca Mamas

1550 South Harbor Blvd. 

Anaheim, CA 92802

It's remarkable to think of the number of people who visit OC each year to visit Disneyland. According to one figure, 28 million people visit Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure each year. Sure, some of these people are locals, but I imagine that with Disney's worldwide appeal, a good majority of parkgoers are from outside Orange County. Yes, these people have to eat, and even though the park has one of the best corn dogs on earth and the churros receive rave reviews, some tourists might want to venture out and try a restaurant outside the park. Might I suggest Calaca Mamas? 

Situated on the east side of the Disneyland Resort, Calaca Mamas is located on an area of Harbor Boulevard, which is dominated by budget-friendly hotels and plenty of ho-hum chain restaurants to pick from; Denny's, Panera Bread, Mimi's Cafe, and Tony Roma's, (yeah, I didn't know that Tony Roma's was still in business either). Not a very impressive or good representation of the thriving restaurant scene that OC has to offer. Calaca Mamas shines like a beacon for tourists and locals seeking a more accurate portrayal of our treasured local restaurants. 

Calaca Mamas was brought to life by two sisters, Angela and Mariam El Haj, who, when they opened this restaurant in 2022, became second-generation restaurateurs. They got their feet wet in the restaurant business by working in their parents' restaurant from a very young age. Their restaurant is themed for Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, with vibrant artwork and a wall dedicated to honoring those who have passed. A breath of fresh air compared to their chain restaurant neighbors. 

Not only is the atmosphere at Calaca Mamas warm and welcoming, but their menu is something to behold. They are an authentic chef-driven restaurant that uses organic ingridients and responsibly raised meat and seafood in their kitchen. The menu featured a lot more authentic items than I had expected. Yes, they do have tacos and burritos, but they also feature queso fundido and a tlayuda, which is best described as a Mexican pizza. Prices for entrees range from $20 to $35, while starters cost between $15 and $20. They offer happy hour pricing on select items in the bar and patio, available from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Happy hour would definitely be on my agenda if I were spending the day at Disneyland. 

We arrived at Calca Mamas at 6pm on a recent Thursday evening. Parking is available at the Best Western Hotel, located adjacent to the restaurant. They will validate for two hours. We were warmly greeted by the hostess, who escorted us to our comfortable booth. Our server, Kyra, came right over and introduced herself, providing us with a rundown of the menu and sharing some of her favorites. We also met Osmani, who was doing double duty this particular evening, bartending and managing the restaurant. He did both jobs wonderfully, checking on each table, and as you'll see in a moment, his mixology skills were on point. Let's review everything we experienced on our maiden voyage to Calaca Mamas. 

As is our tradition when eating in a Mexican restaurant, I like to share a picture of the Chips and Salsa that started off our meal. The chips were fresh and ideal for dipping into the surprising salsa. I'm picky when it comes to salsa, especially regarding its consistency. This one had my desired amount of chunkiness to it. There could have been a bit more heat behind it, but I'd bet I'm more of a heatseeker than most of the people that visit Calaca Mamas. 

Almost every review on their Yelp page mentions either the cocktails or the awesome bartenders at Calaca Mamas, so we had to give their drinks a try. We had Osmani pick his favorite beverages for us, and he did not disappoint. For me, he selected the Miracle Agua ($17.50). It combined some gin, ginger beer, strawberries, rhubarb bitters, lime juice, and a sprig of mint, garnishing the glass. I found this drink light and refreshing, and not overly sweet, which is a plus in my book. The ginger beer was evident in each sip and nicely balanced with the crushed strawberries. 

Even though she's married to me, Katie is not much of a drinker, so she tried the Forgotten Grapefruit Mocktail ($10). This alcohol-free beverage was made with organic grapefruit and lime juices, an organic agave simple syrup, soda water, and a pinch of salt. Katie felt this exuded a fresh feeling when she sipped it. She loved that this beverage did not hit you upside the head with sweetness. It was very subtle, and the addition of a pinch of salt added a little complexity to the drink.  

For our starter, we tried the Taco in a Bag ($15). This interesting item was listed on the small bite portion of the menu, but I feel it should have been listed with the salads instead. Chicken tinga was mixed with lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, crema, and a good amount of Fritos. Growing up, my mom used to make a taco salad that also used Fritos, so that may be why I feel this was more of a salad than a taco. I enjoyed the playfulness of this and that there were extra Fritos in the bag, as they are one of my favorite chips. I'd opt for the carne asada option instead of the chicken tinga next time, as it might have stood out more than the chicken. The serving size of this was quite substantial, and we barely polished it off before our entrees arrived. 

Katie is a birria fiend, so I was not shocked when she ordered the Quesabirria Tacos ($24). If you're not keeping up with the hot food trends of the last year or so, birria is a slow-cooked beef dish cooked in a flavorful consommé, resulting in incredibly tender and delicious meat. This was also the case at Calaca Mamas. The tacos come three to an order and are filled with not only the soft shredded beef, but also an Oaxacan cheese crust, which brings the taco to the next level. Diced onions and an avocado mousse are dotted across the plate to enhance your taco experience. This plate is finished off with rice and your choice of pinto beans or black refried beans. Katie got the black refried beans, and this is the way to go here. They were fantastic, with a good texture and very flavorful, possibly with a hint of garlic. The rice was top-notch, also. 

Carnitas ($30) are my standard order when dining at a Mexican restaurant for the first time. I use this dish as a barometer as to whether the rest of the menu would be worth coming back for. If this crispy pork shoulder dish is any indication, we will be back to try more from the Calaca Mamas menu. Easily the best carnitas I've had all year. They were indeed crispy, and I liked the variety of the bites that I got here, some lean pieces and some a little more fatty. Everything I look for when having carnitas. Since Katie got the black refried beans, I decided to try the pinto beans. They were tasty, but not as good as the black refried beans. 

Dessert should not be skipped, and these Churros ($19) are a testament to that. They were served on a tabletop churro cart with both chocolate sauce and dulce de leche, and a little fanfare thanks to a large firework placed at the edge of the cart. The churros were dusted with sugar and cinnamon and came out piping hot. Katie and I differed on our opinions of the sauces. She loved them because they were not overly sweet, and I wished that they were a bit sweeter. We fought all the way home about this and haven't talked since. Kidding. 

If you've read this far, you must know that I was pretty stoked about our visit to Calaca Mamas. This is not just a restaurant for people visiting Disneyland; locals should also find their way here. If you're worried about traffic, this side of Disneyland is mostly pedestrian traffic. The freeway on- and off-ramps are less than a half mile away, and with validated parking at the Best Western next door, it's a snap to get here. As for my next visit, I have my sights set on their carne asada plate, a burrito with their delicious carnitas in it, and the queso fundido. Everyone we encountered on this evening was thrilled to have us here, and a quick check of their 800 Yelp reviews reveals that good customer service is a theme at Calaca Mamas. Also, a little insider tip: Be sure to snag a seat on their patio for Disneyland fireworks at 9:30 nightly and grab a cocktail or two. Thanks for having us, Calaca Mamas, and we'll see you again real soon.  

For more information about Calaca Mamas, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.calacamamas.com/

**We were provided this meal for free in exchange for an honest review of their service/food. No other compensation was received. **

Mission Accomplished at Tavern at the Mission

 Tavern at the Mission

26860 Old Mission Road

San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Whenever I write about a restaurant in San Juan Capistrano, I feel compelled to start my review with the incredible dining scene that has emerged in this city over the last couple of years. It's truly unbelievable the transformation that this South Orange County city has undergone with its restaurants. I could be here all day listing the great places that have opened up since I started my blog nearly 16 years ago. But that wouldn't leave me much room to write about Tavern at the Mission. 

The Tavern at the Mission replaced the local favorite, Cedar Creek, two years ago. It was bought by legendary OC restaurateurs, David Wilhelm and his business partner, Gregg Solomon. Wilhelm is the man behind many notable OC restaurants, French 75, Savannah Chop House, and Jimmy's Famous American Tavern, among others. David and Gregg also run the sister restaurant, Tavern House, in Newport Beach. Their menus are similar, but their are some slight differences between the menus. 

When ownership changed from Cedar Creek to Tavern at the Mission, they immediately began updating the space with a muted Western theme, upgrading the bar area, and altering the flooring and walls of the dining room. They did all of this in stages, allowing them to remain open during the refresh. Their guests have responded to all the changes around here with a very positive 4.3-star rating on Yelp and a bustling dining area on most evenings. 

The menu here features many of David Wilhelm's greatest hits from his past restaurants, including his French 75 onion soup, buttermilk fried chicken, and the prime rib French dip, which I first had at Jimmy's. Entrees range from $30 to $50 for dinner, and most sandwiches and burgers cost $25. There's also an intriguing special that runs Sunday through Thursday, which offers your choice of fried chicken or a petite filet mignon, along with soup and salad, for only $28. A good deal, but we were here with our friends Sunday and Anthony on a Friday evening, so that option was not on the table. Let's see if we ended up enjoying Tavern at the Mission as much as David Wilhelm's other restaurants. 

We started off with the Garlic Cheese Bread ($7). The ciabatta was topped with parmesan and garlic butter, and served three to an order, which was awkward since we were a party of four. The bread was toasted nicely, but could have been brought to greater heights if the parmesan and garlic butter had been applied with a heavier hand. 

I rarely get to have calamari because Katie isn't a fan of it, so I get excited when we eat with other people and they order it. Thanks to Anthony and Sunday, I was able to try the Calimari and Shishito Peppers ($21). Maybe it's because I haven't had fried squid for a long while, but I really enjoyed this starter. The pieces were bigger than most calamari, and the breading was nice and crunchy. The peppers were a nice complement to the calamari, and made even better when dipped into the spicy chili aioli. It wasn't particularly spicy, but I did enjoy the consistency, as it coated the calamari and peppers well. I found myself trying not to eat more than my fair share, which means I really enjoyed it. 

Entrees were on their way out, so we'll start with Sunday's selection first: the Pan-Seared Mahi Special ($36). Every evening, they have their nightly fish, which is presented in the same way, regardless of the type of fish. This particular evening, mahi mahi was served over mashed potatoes and sautéed baby spinach, accompanied by a lemon butter and caper sauce, and garnished with a few olives. Sunday was not too thrilled with this, as she felt it needed more seasoning, and the mahi could have been a little more tender.

Anthony was intrigued by one of the specials, the Bavarian-Style Duck ($36), which was offered on the evening we were there. It was around the holidays, and this plate exuded the end-of-the-year feels. Two pieces of roasted duck were served in a Michigan cherry sauce, accompanied by Brussels sprouts, cornbread stuffing, and butternut squash puree. An old-school Christmas on a plate, if there ever was one. This was my first time sharing a meal with Anthony, so I'm not sure if he gets as excited about food as I do, or if he's just as hard to impress as I am. I don't remember him saying too much about this. 

Katie is a big stroganoff fan, as her mom attempted to make an edible one multiple times while she was growing up. I'm not sure if her mom ever mastered it, but Katie gave this Short Rib Stroganoff ($38) a go this evening. The pappardelle was joined in the bowl with pearl onions, forest mushrooms, chunks of short rib, and a Dijon mustard sauce. She thought this was a pretty average version of this classic dish. She liked the tenderness of the beef and the earthiness of the mushrooms and onions, but wished the dish packed more of a punch in terms of flavor. I would have thought that the mustard would have been enough to get over the hump, but not according to Katie. She'd select something else on her next visit here. 

I believe this is the first time I've had D's Honey-Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($34) at one of Chef Wilhelm's restaurants. I now know why he has it in every one of his restaurants that he opens and operates. The boneless fried chicken is breaded with a nice and crunchy outer crust, which, once bitten into, reveals the moist chicken inside. It gets even better with the thyme cream gravy poured on top. The mashed potatoes had an excellent consistency, neither too lumpy nor overly smooth. I even ate most of my green beans, which had a decent snap to them. A very satisfying meal.  

Dessert was needed, and Anthony and Sunday ordered the Warm Carrot Cake ($16), and Katie and I had the Coconut Cake Supreme ($15). The carrot cake resembled the Pizzokie from BJ's, served in a cast-iron skillet and topped with ice cream and cream cheese frosting. It looked good-sized from across the table. We had the coconut cake, which is a cake that I've heard was a staple from this location's former tenant, Cedar Creek. It was good, and even if you are not a fan of coconut, you might like this one. The coconut is not too overpowering, but I wish the icing were sweeter. The scoop of vanilla ice cream was a nice touch. 

Tavern at the Mission was a mixed bag for us on this visit. My chicken, the calamari, and the coconut cake were all highlights, while the garlic toast, stroganoff, and Sunday's mahi left something to be desired. I also felt that the prices were a tad too high for the amount of food that we received. It's not really an eat here every week kind of restaurant; it's more of a special occasion or date night spot. As has been the case in every David Wilhelm restaurant we have dined at, service was not an issue here. Our server was cordial and kept everything moving forward with minimal interruptions. I think I can say that the Tavern at the Mission is another fine option for a city that already boasts numerous outstanding restaurants.  

Out of five mission bells (because while doing some research for this review, I learned that the bell tower of the nearby mission holds two of the mission's original bells, which date back to 1796, something I should have learned in fourth grade, but I was not a great student), five being best to zero being worst, Tavern at the Mission gets 3 mission bells.  

For more information about Tavern at the Mission, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.tavernatthemission.com/

It’s No Trick, Parlor Is Open in San Clemente

 Parlor Woodfire Kitchen and Cocktails

216 North El Camino Real

San Clemente, CA 92672

San Clemente has suddenly become not only a seaside paradise, but also a pizza paradise. In a city that already is home to Gibroni's Pizza, Pizza Port, Sonny's Pizza and Pasta, Station Craft Pizza and Taproom, and the recently departed TJ's Woodfire Pizza, it has been an embarrassment of riches for the pizza-loving people of San Clemente. Eleven months ago, another pizza spot burst onto the scene in SC, and we had high hopes for our visit to Parlor Woodfire Kitchen and Cocktails. 

The optimism that we had for our trip to Parlor was based on two things. It's the latest restaurant opening from one of our favorite restaurant groups, RJB Restaurants. They run Vine Restaurant, which is located across the street from Parlor, Ironwood, Olea, Sapphire Kitchen, and Bloom Restaurant in nearby San Juan Capistrano, which I heralded as the best restaurant I ate at last year. Russ Bendel and the people he surrounds himself with are hospitality veterans, and they know how to run a successful restaurant for long periods. 

The second reason we were excited to try Parlor was that they have received some significant accolades in the local press for their pizzas, pastas, and meatballs. They also possess a 4.5-star rating on Yelp. Pretty good for a restaurant group that has not previously operated an Italian-American restaurant. I'm thrilled to see that they are willing to take risks and open new concepts. 

The building where Parlor is housed used to be Brick Restaurant, until David Pratt decided to sell the space because he was opening Finca, a spot a little to the north at the River Street Marketplace in San Juan Capistrano. That restaurant is definitely on my growing list of restaurants to try soon. 

Back to Parlor. Their one-page menu predictably features wood-fired pizzas, but they also offer pasta dishes, larger entrée options, starters, salads, and four dessert options, including the Grand Ice Cream Sundae, which we will have to come back for when we're not headed out to a party right after this. The price point for pizzas is around $25, the same as the pasta dishes, and entrées cost close to $30. They also offer a Sunday prime rib dinner special for $35, perfect for any of you carnivores out there. We were here on a Friday, so no prime rib was going to be consumed, but let's see what we did have on our first visit to Parlor. 

I had really wanted to try the meatballs when we came to Parlor, but Katie has an arancini obsession, so she vetoed me and selected the Seasonal Arancini ($15) to start off with. When we were here, these fried rice balls were served with a whipped goat cheese and pumpkin, crispy sage leaves, and pepitas. I thought the arancini were good on their own, but the sweetness of the pumpkin did not jive with me. This combo worked out a lot better for Katie, as she was a big fan. Maybe I was still bitter about not getting the meatballs. 

Pizza time, and whenever I see a meat lover's listed on the menu, there's a 99 percent chance I'm going to order it. This held true at Parlor when the Meat Lover's Pizza ($26) was placed before me. It might not look like it from the picture, but there was a whole cavalcade of meats on this one: pepperoni, fennel sausage, sopressata salami, and pistachio mortadella. This pizza was also topped with tomato sauce and sharp provolone. It was lighter than most meat lovers' pizzas I've had, likely due to the high quality of the meats and the restraint in adding cheese. It was not as greasy as others, and I enjoyed the uniqueness of the sharp provolone, which had a great flavor. The crust was crisp in the middle and had minimal flop. A tad more sauce would have been appreciated, but overall, this was a delicious pizza. I finished all but one slice, but if you're not as ravenous an eater as I am, you can maybe get by with splitting this with someone. 

When I glanced at the menu before leaving for Parlor, I already knew that Katie would be having the Herb Tagliatelle Bolognese ($25) for her dinner. The slightly spicy tomato ragu was accompanied by shards of short rib and pork, and a sprinkling of pecorino Romano. The tagliatelle was cooked perfectly al dente, and the mingling of the ingredients in the bowl was very comforting. Katie felt that this version could be held up against some of her favorite Italian restaurants in Orange County. She practically licked her plate clean. 

Another hit for the RJB Restaurant Group. I'm thrilled that they've branched out and added an Italian-American restaurant to their portfolio. Their pizza is good enough to rival the others available in the pizza-rich city of San Clemente. I'm also looking forward to trying their non-pizza offerings, such as their carbonara, chicken parmesan, and crispy porchetta, on future visits. As is the case in all their restaurants, RJB Restaurant Group has assembled a first-rate team to staff Parlor. Everyone we encountered here was cheerful and genuinely proud of their work. It was especially great to meet Joe Guillena, the operating partner of Parlor. His passion for the restaurant industry was infectious, and we could have chatted for hours, but he was busy making sure things were running smoothly and checking on every occupied table in the restaurant. We can't wait to see what this restaurant group comes up with next. 

Out of five glasses of milk (because not only is a parlor a fancy room in a house, but the area where the cows are milked on a dairy farm is called the milking parlor), five being best to zero being worst, Parlor gets 3.5 glasses of milk. 

For more information about Parlor Kitchen and cocktails, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.parlorsanclemente.com/

Eight Plates Is Not Going to Be Enough at Hachi

 Hachi Japanese Izakaya

3033 Bristol Street D

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

I'm certainly no expert on Japanese food. When I was growing up, we mostly stuck to American dishes, white-washed Mexican food, and spaghetti mixed with hamburger and a jar of Ragu. Not exactly elevated cuisine, and it's part of the reason I love restaurants to this day. My only exposure to Japanese fare was an occasional visit to Benihana for a birthday dinner. I know that doesn't really count. 

Enter my aunt Hiroko. She met my uncle in 1988, and they have been together ever since. She came from Japan and introduced us to the food she loved from her homeland. Nothing too outlandish (I think she might have sensed we weren't adventurous eaters), she'd make us homemade California rolls and Asian-inspired sauces for our annual fondue feast on Christmas Eve.  

Nowadays, we have dinner almost monthly with my aunt and uncle. Hiroko coordinates where we will be eating, which is rare, because with everyone else, I'm the go-to guy for picking a restaurant. It's a relief not to have the pressure of choosing a place that everyone else will like. To be honest, I always enjoy seeing what she'll come up with. This time it was for her birthday, and we all headed to Hachi Izakaya. 

Hachi is located at the corner of Bristol and Paularino Avenue in Costa Mesa, and is housed in the same shopping plaza as The Halal Guys, Capital Noodle Bar, Wanderlust Creamery, and other highly rated Asian restaurants. With so many highly rated restaurants in this plaza, parking is notoriously difficult to find. However, since we were meeting at 6 pm on a Sunday, I easily found one of the twenty or so free parking stalls and was ready for my first visit to an izakaya. 

For those of you who are unaware, like myself, an izakaya is described as a Japanese bar or tavern that serves small plates meant for sharing in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. Like a gastropub or tapas bar. I counted 71 items on their menu, all of which are small plates meant for sharing. Choices include sushi, izakaya dishes, sashimi, yakitori, tempura, and hot pot. Prices range from $5 to $94 for the pork shabu shabu hot pot, which serves 3 to 4 people. 

There were six of us this evening, and since my aunt has been here before, we let her take the lead on what we should order. She ordered the first round of items and then asked for input on what else we'd like to try. The food came out relatively quickly in what felt like waves. Here's what came out for us. 

Let's start out slowly with the Mentaiko Potato Salad ($10). This was unlike any potato salad my mom had ever made. The mashed potato is mixed with spicy cod roe, cucumber, onions, pickles, and smoked beef. It was good, but a little more understated than I had expected, particularly with the spicy cod roe and other listed ingredients. A fair side item, though. 

For a restaurant not typically known for its sushi, Hachi served some solid sushi. We tried the Negi-Toro Roll ($11 for 4 pieces) and the Crab Rolls ($12 for 4 pieces). I found the sushi here to be fresh and well-crafted. My aunt is a harsh critic when it comes to sushi, and she had no complaints with either of these well-made sushi rolls. 

I never really associate fried cooking with Japanese food, but Jidori Chicken Karaage ($12.00) was available, so we had to give it a try. This fried chicken was not as greasy as I expected, and perhaps that's why it lacked the big punch of flavor I was expecting. Not horrible, and it was lighter than other versions, but still had a good crunch to it.  

The winner of the silver medal for me this evening was the Crispy Mayo Shrimp ($14.50). This was the second-best thing I had, as it was tempura on the outside, and the shrimp inside was fresh and went well with the sweet chili mayo that was drizzled on top. I would have liked the mayo on the side, because the drizzle did not cover the whole shrimp. It's still a must-try when you're eating at Hachi. 

The Beef Tongue ($26.50) gets the most love from online reviews, and for good reason; it was the best bite of the night. This tasted more like a delicious steak, rather than tongue, maybe because it was thick-cut. Great tenderness and umami flavor were present throughout. It's definitely worth getting, and a definite frontrunner for the best bite of beef  I've had this year. 

I haven't eaten at many izakayas, but if there's one rule I've learned online about them, it's that you should try as much of the food served on skewers as possible. We tried our best by getting the Jidori Chicken Meatball Skewer ($11 for 2 pieces), Jidori Thigh Skewer ($11 for 2 pieces), and the Chicken Tender Skewer ($11 for 2 pieces). 

All were good, but the standouts were the chicken thigh and the chicken meatball. The chicken thigh was tender and flavorful, with a good amount of smokiness. It was also incredibly juicy. A must try when eating at Hachi. The chicken meatball was glazed with a sweet sauce of some sort, which complemented the savoriness of the ground chicken underneath. The other chicken skewer was fine, but the dab of whatever the green sauce was on it did not elevate this to anything other than passable. 

New to me, I found my hand reaching for the Gobo Chips ($12) more than I imagined they would. I learned that gobo is made from burdock root, which is sliced thin and lightly fried. I was surprised by the large serving size and the earthy, yet sweet tinge of this. It was finished off with ao-nori, which are sea cabbage flakes. Something different, but I'm glad I tried them. 

The one item that didn't jive with me this evening was the Jidori Egg Omelet ($13.50). It wasn't bad, but it wasn't something I'd order again. It was bland and just sat at our table until almost the very end of our meal. 

More sushi rolls were ordered, the Negi Toro that we had earlier, and the Toro-Taku Roll ($11 for four pieces). The bluefin tuna was good in this, but the fish-to-rice ratio was a little off kilter in favor of the rice. There was too much of it, and it overshadowed the tuna and other parts of the sushi roll. Consider sticking to nigiri sushi if you want the fish to stand out a bit more. 

The Creamy Crab Croquette ($17 for 2 pieces) piqued my interest. They were bigger than I imagined, the size of two ping pong balls. They were filled with crab and a bechamel sauce, which are two of my favorite things separately, and breaded with panko and fried. The bechamel overpowered here, and left me searching for any hint of crab in each bite. They also fell apart structurally after the first bite, and were best eaten with a fork after they collapsed. 

I'm not sure who ordered the Corn Kakiage ($10), but when it came to the table, it reminded me lookwise of the Corn Pop Cereal we had as kids. A sweet and salty snack made with tempura and corn, it's more like a fluffier rice cake with added flavor. Not bad, and it didn't taste like Styrofoam, unlike rice cakes. 

Hachi was a pleasant surprise, and has whetted my appetite to try more izakayas soon. I also feel like I just scratched the surface at Hachi, as we only had 15 of their 71 items, so we have just eighty percent of their menu left to sample on future visits. I look forward to trying their ribeye, baked crab salad, pork belly skewers, and others on future visits. Hachi is only open for dinner daily, and they do have one other location in Torrance. Make reservations if you plan on eating here on Friday or Saturday, as I've heard the wait can exceed an hour or more on these nights. I'm thrilled that my aunt Hiroko brought us here, and I'm even more excited that she has taken us out of our comfort zone to experience a broader range of Asian cuisine.  

Out of five saunas (because hachi translates to eight in Japanese, and my favorite hockey player, Teemu Selanne, wore that number, and he's from Finland, where they have the most saunas in the world), five being best to zero being worst, Hachi Izakaya gets 3.5 saunas. 

For more information about Hachi Izakaya, head to their website by clicking here: https://hachi.takefiveusa.com/