Hoping Mr. BBQ Will Be Mr. Right

 Mr. BBQ

305 North State College Blvd.

Fullerton, CA 92831

It has become a tradition. When we take my nieces out for birthdays, they always want to try a Korean barbecue spot. I'm not really a fan of Korean barbecue, or any other place where you have to cook your own food (fondue, hot pot, or shabu shabu restaurants). When I go out to eat, I want the cooking done by a professional. I'm not an accomplished barbecue master, but I'm slowly learning.  

I haven't been to many AYCE Korean barbecue joints, but the ones I've been to have had some subpar meats. I've had more luck at the places that are not AYCE, with my favorite being Baekjeong in Irvine. Their meats were top quality, and they cooked the proteins for us, but they were extremely pricey, setting us back $80 a person (yes, we ate a lot, but that was a little too much for my wallet). I decided I can eat Korean barbecue at least once a year for my nieces, as this year, they wanted to try one of their favorite KBBQ spots, Mr. BBQ in Fullerton. 

Opened in 2014, Mr. BBQ has amassed a ton of praise. They have a 4.5-star rating on Yelp with over 5,500 reviews, which is very impressive. A quick internet search shows they consistently rank among OC's best Korean BBQ restaurants. This family-run business has been so successful that it expanded by adding an off-strip Las Vegas location two years ago. They also have a 4.5 rating on Yelp. 

Back to the Fullerton location, which is notorious for long wait times, especially on weekends. We visited Mr. BBQ just after 6 p.m. on a Friday and were met with an hour-and-a-half wait for a table. This allowed me to get even hungrier and plan what we would order. The menu here is two-tiered: the regular dinner/weekend menu is $39.99, while the premium meats menu will set you back $51.99. They also feature a pared-down lunch menu for $29.99. The rule of the house, though, is that everyone at the table must eat from the same-priced menu. 

We finally got seated around 7:45. There is a two-hour limit when people are waiting for a table, which helps turn over tables. The restaurant is very lively, brightly colored, and loud, and TVs were everywhere showing sports while we were there. The tables are spaced nicely, so you're not right on top of other people, and there is little to no smokiness in the air. Our cheerful server greeted us, took our drink and meat order, and was on her way. 

Like chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant or a bread basket before an Italian meal, you can expect plenty of banchan, the small side dishes accompanying the meal. Mr. BBQ really put out a spread. My favorites were the kimchi, potato salad, macaroni salad, and coleslaw. My nieces were fond of the edamame, which our server refilled more times than I could count. She was on top of all the banchan, refilling them as necessary. 

Now for the main event, the meat. During dinner, Mr. BBQ offers 29 items on their dinner menu, including beef, pork, seafood, and chicken options. It's a little overwhelming to pick what you'd like. I was not eating with adventurous eaters, so we stuck to the basics like the marinated ribeye (bulgogi), marinated pork chop, beef brisket, and teryaki chicken. The most outlandish my dining partners were willing to go for was the pork belly and the spicy garlic pork butt. 

Everything we had this evening was fresh, and thanks to our designated barbecue queen, my niece Gracie, it was also delicious. She's definitely the most experienced of all of us when it comes to Korean barbecue, and she expertly cooked everything nicely. The marinades they use here set them apart from other KBBQ places I've visited. The meat was tender, and the marinades brought it to another level with a delicious flavor. I'll try more exotic offerings the next time I visit, as the spicy squid, Hawaiian sausage, and the wagyu beef belly piqued my interest. 

To wrap up, Mr. BBQ is the best AYCE Korean barbecue restaurant I've been to so far. I loved the atmosphere. The dining room was brightly lit, and the servers we encountered wanted to ensure we were having a good time. The service was top-notch, as our every need was met, and they were not shy about refilling the banchan and taking our orders for more meat. The meat we had was high quality, and it was a good deal for $39.99, and I ate enough to get my money's worth. I'm still not fond of cooking my own food when going out to eat, but I can do it once a year for my nieces on their birthdays. 

Out of five ski lifts (because South Korea is seventy percent mountainous and has ski resorts there), five being best to zero being worst, Mr. BBQ gets 3.5 ski lifts. 

For more information about Mr. BBQ, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.mrbbqfullerton.com/

Georgia’s Restaurant on My Mind

 Georgia's Restaurant

732 Spectrum Center Drive

Irvine, CA 92618

My good friend Ed was in OC for a couple of hours and made time for us to have dinner. He had taken the Merolink down here and wanted to eat near the Irvine station to take the last train of the night back home to Pasadena. The best dining options around the train station are at the Irvine Spectrum. So, I decided we'd meet at Georgia's Restaurant, where I've wanted to try forever. 

Georgia's opened at the Spectrum in late August of last year. This is their fourth location, with the other three being at the Packing House in Anaheim, another in Eastvale, and the last at the Long Beach Exchange. They describe their food as SoCal soul food; I'd describe it as classic Southern comfort food or stick-to-your-ribs food. Either way, I was excited to finally try Georgia's, 

Georgia's was co-founded by Gretchen Shoemaker as a catering business. She opened her first restaurant in 2014, utilizing her family's recipes to feed the hungry people who entered its doors. Menu favorites include fried chicken, blackened catfish, shrimp and grits, gumbo, and St. Louis BBQ ribs—not food you usually find on menus in Irvine. 

I met Ed at 6 p.m. in front of Georgia's, which is located across the way from Dave and Buster's. Ordering is done at the counter, and the food is brought to you. The menu features plates and specialties ranging in price from $16 to $36. Sandwiches and po' boys hover around the $14 price point, and they have plenty of sides, small plates, bowls, salads, and desserts to choose from. We made our selections, were given a number to place on our table, and caught up while waiting for our food to come out. 

As we waited for our food, they brought out this Cornbread with honey butter for us to munch on before our food arrived. I'm very picky about my cornbread, but I liked this version at Georgia's. It was not crumbly like the others and was just the right amount of moist. The honey butter was spreadable and went great with this. It was a nice start. 

Growing up, I had a significant aversion to pork chops. My mom would buy the tiny ones from the supermarket and fry them so much that they resembled leather. I was young, so I just figured that's how all pork chops were made. It wasn't until I tried them out in restaurants that I learned they could be good. These Smothered Pork Chops ($20.95) put my mom's version to shame. 

The two good-sized pork chops were covered with a fantastic bacon gravy that complemented the tender chops perfectly. I really liked the chopped red onions and the notes of garlic that were present in some bites. These were some of the best pork chops I've had in a long time. With this plate, you get to choose two sides, and with 23 different options, it was difficult to narrow it down to two. I picked the Mashed Potatoes and Mac and Cheese. The potatoes were good, but I should have subbed out their brown gravy for their addictive bacon gravy. It would have been well worth the extra $1.25 upcharge. I enjoyed the mac and cheese, as the cheese clung to the macaroni exceptionally well, and the richness was present, but did not overwhelm. They didn't try to do too much, like add truffle oil or something else that would have corrupted the true essence of the mac and cheese. 

When we've gone out to eat, Ed has always opted for the healthier side of the menu, and here at Georgia's, that was the case again when he ordered the Grilled Tilapia ($17.95). This 8-ounce tilapia was seasoned well, and some citrus-mango salsa was placed on top. He enjoyed the contrast of the seasoning used on the fish and the citrus on top of it. The fish was flaky, but could have been a tad more tender. He went with seasonal veggies and the red beans & rice for his two sides. The veggies were straightforward: steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and green beans. The red beans and rice brought a bit more flavor, adding Andouille sausage and a bunch of other seasonings, which went nicely with the beans and rice. If this were my side, I would have wanted more rice to even out things, but Ed seemed satisfied with his meal. 

I had heard some good things about their chicken at Georgia's, so I had to get at least one piece. This Fried Chicken Leg ($2.95) was different from any other chicken leg I have had during the run of this blog. It's coated in cornmeal after being drenched in buttermilk. The cornmeal breading was crunchy, not greasy, and sealed in the juicy, tender chicken. I liked the seasoning of the cornmeal. It's different than what you can get at other chicken places, and if you're not expecting it, I can see where it could take some people by surprise. I enjoyed it. 

Georgia's Restaurant hit all the right notes on this visit. I urged people to try it in the following weeks, indicating how much I like the restaurant. The fried chicken, mac and cheese, and smothered pork chops were all hits with me. On my subsequent few visits, I set my sights on their fried catfish, shrimp and grits, or ribs. With a menu that is this varied, most people would be able to find something that they would enjoy. I also appreciate that the food served at Georgia's is not readily available in South OC, so I hope they can stay around for a while. They are just another excellent dining option that has popped up at the Irvine Spectrum. 

Out of five song books (because the state bird of Georgia is the brown thresher, which has a repertoire of 1,100 different songs that they use to communicate, and those would fill a lot of song books), five being best to zero being worst, Georgia's Restaurant gets 3.5 song books. 

For more information about Georgia's Restaurant, head to their website by clicking here: https://georgias-restaurant.com/

Hey Boo, Do I Have a Cheesesteak for You!

 Boo's Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies

4501 Fountain Ave. 

Los Angeles, CA 90029

Since our trip to Philadelphia a year and a half ago, I've been searching for a cheesesteak to rival the ones we had on that trip. It's not easy. So far, my favorite spot in OC is John's Philly Grill, but I have not explored the LA cheesesteak scene much. I went to my trusted source on all things food in Los Angeles, LA Eater, and found a best-of cheesesteak map. I found one which would be convenient on our way home, and that's how we tried Boo's Cheesesteaks and Hoagies. 

It just so happens that Boo's is mentioned on almost all of the best cheesesteak lists in LA. Andrew Ahn, a Philadelphia native, had the notion of starting this business when he moved to LA in 2002, but he could not find a good cheesesteak anywhere in town. That got the ball rolling, and he and his family decided to bring an authentic cheesesteak to the people of LA. 

That meant Amoroso rolls, deli meats from Dietz and Watson for their hoagies, and Wise Chips posted by the register. Andrews's biggest goal was to have fellow Philadelphians come here and claim that this was a legit cheesesteak served at Boo's. His vision is working, as they have this original location in Silverlake, which opened for business in 2011, and then added their Koreatown spot two years later. Both places have a 4-star rating on Yelp, with well over 2300 reviews between them. 

We were leaving Burbank on a Monday afternoon at half past 4, so we knew we would be in for a long haul back to OC. I ordered online, and when we arrived at the Boo's in Silverlake, our food was packaged up and ready for us at the promised time. This location does not appear to have any indoor seating, but there were a small number of picnic tables out in front of the restaurant. We grabbed our two sandwiches and began the two-hour trip home. 

Katie will almost always pick a hoagie over a cheesesteak. Yes, and I'm still married to her. At Boo's, they have four hoagies to choose from; two veggie sandwiches, an Italian hoagie, and this Turkey Hoagie ($13.95). This sandwich started with sliced turkey breast, then lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, oregano, hoagie dressing, banana peppers, and provolone cheese were added. As you can see from the pictures above, they really added plenty of toppings to this sandwich. It reminded me of a Chicago hot dog, but in turkey sandwich form. The turkey was fresh and clean tasting, and I enjoyed including the hoagie dressing, an oil and vinegar combo that adds a nice tang to any sandwich. My only complaint about this sandwich was that I expected more turkey to be included, but Katie found this sandwich manageable. She would not hesitate to get this again. 

Hoagies are fine and everything, but they are not as epic as a cheesesteak. Boo's has five beef cheesesteaks and six chicken versions to pick from. Predictably, I went the beef route by selecting the Boo's Mushroom Pepper Cheesesteak ($15.95). My first reaction to this was that I thought it would be longer, but they really stuffed the inside with steak, sweet peppers, onions, mushrooms, and my choice of cheese. They offered American, Cheez Whiz, or provolone. I never get American, but I split evenly between the provolone and Cheez Whiz. Today, the provolone won out. The mellowness of the provolone accentuates the other parts of the sandwich, which were excellent. The steak was tender, plentiful, and not as greasy as other cheesesteaks. The sweetness from the peppers cut the richness of the meat and cheese. The mushrooms got a little lost here, but I enjoyed the bites where they were present. This cheesesteak was made well, with minimal spillage of its contents. Even though it sat with us in traffic for two hours, it was not a soggy mess when we got home. Very well done. 

This is the leader of cheesesteaks in LA at the moment, in my opinion. I have a list of places that have come highly recommended for cheesesteaks that I still need to try, though; South Philly Experience, Philadelphia Steak and Hoagie, and West Coast Cheesesteak are among the most highly regarded. The cheesesteak from Boo's was not as massive as the ones we experienced in Philadelphia, but it was well crafted and was the closest in flavor to what we had there a year and a half ago. Luckily, Katie often works in this area, so she will be able to bring me one of these with some regularity. Right now, Boo's has my heart as far as LA cheesesteaks go. 

Out of five taxicabs (because the origin story of the cheesesteak involves a taxi driver seeing a hot dog cart guy making a cheesesteak sandwich for his own lunch, and suggested that he sell them), five being best to zero being worst, Boo's Cheesesteaks and Hoagies gets 3.5 taxicabs. 

For more information about Boo's Cheesesteaks and Hoagies, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.boosphilly.com/

Some Really Fine Mexican Food at Casa Fina

 Casa Fina

1842 1st Street

Los Angeles, CA 90033

Usually, when we are driving up this way, it's a happy occasion. We leave OC to cruise up the 5 Freeway to Burbank for a family party, graduation, or baby shower. This was more of a somber trip, as Katie's uncle Jim passed away suddenly a month before, and we were up this way to lay him to rest and have a celebration of life. 

Uncle Jim would have loved a celebration. When I went to my first big family party in 2009, he was the first person I felt a real connection with. He was the life of the party, cracking jokes, making sure people were having an excellent time, and introducing me to people who would eventually become my family as the years passed.  

Katie and I had to leave a little later in the day than we would have liked, so we drove up around 5pm and headed straight to our hotel. We needed to grab dinner along the way, so I tried to find a freeway close spot with some good reviews. I checked out Eater LA, and they raved about the food at Casa Fina, also adjacent to the freeway, so we plugged it into our map app and were on our way.  

Casa Fina is one block from the historic Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. The restaurant is conveniently located in a little swath of land between three freeways, the 5, 10, and 101, which makes it super convenient. Casa Fina opened in 2017 and took over the spot that La Serenata de Garibaldi had for 32 years. They moved to the West Side, and Casa Fina has thrived here. 

The Casa Fina menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, pasta (?), combo plates, house specialties, entrees, and seafood. Most plates hover around the $20 price point, with only the molcajetes eclipsing the $30 mark. Our server, Emily, quickly took our order, so let's take a look at what came out for us. 

Before our ordered food arrives, let's check out their chips and salsa setup. This was, for sure, the most neon-green salsa we've ever had during the course of this blog. I'm partial to red salsa, but this one was good, as it was not too acidic and had a good amount of heat. It was not an uncomfortable amount of heat, but enough so it was noticeable. We were not presented with any red salsa, even though their pictures on Yelp show it as being served here at Casa Fina. The chips were fresh and crispy, with just a few blue corn chips in our basket. 

Queso Fundido ($16.50) is one of our favorite starters in a Mexican restaurant, and this version at Casa Fina was a good representation of it. They give you the choice of having this with either chicken, steak, or chorizo, which we chose. The chorizo was in big hunks when it came out, but it broke up easily once we mixed it with the bubbling cheese. This might have been our first fundido with sour cream on top, which disappeared quickly because of the heat coming off the skillet. I liked this flavor; the contrast between the chorizo and the cheese was excellent, and the tortillas, which I did not snap a picture of, were delicious. A very comforting start to our meal here. 

After a big breakfast, Katie was less hungry, so she selected this Taquito Appetizer ($9.50) with a Side of Rice ($2.95). The plating looked odd, but the taquitos were good. They had a nice amount of crema and maybe an avocado salsa on top. They were crunchy, and the chicken inside was tender, which is not always true in Mexican restaurants. Katie really enjoyed the rice. 

When I'm eating in a Mexican restaurant for the first time, I'll get the Carnitas ($19.95), a plate that I can use as a barometer to judge how good a Mexican restaurant is. I enjoyed these carnitas. There was a good mix of fatty and lean pieces; the tips were crispy and had a good depth of flavor. All good signs when I'm eating carnitas. The beans were delicious and helped with the few bites of pork that were a little dry. I enjoyed the rice more than usual in most other Mexican restaurants. This was a very solid meal. 

Casa Fina was just what the doctor ordered this evening. The food here was delicious, and I had no complaints about anything we had. They passed my carnitas test, so I'd like to try one of their combo meals or the shrimp enchiladas on my next visit here. We received some outstanding service from our server, Emily, and everyone we encountered this evening was very friendly. It was a slow Sunday night, but parking might be tricky during peak times. We got lucky and found a spot right out front on the street after circling the block only once. For a sad reason, we were up this way, but Casa Fina was a sliver of sunshine in a rather dreary time. 

Out of five anchors (in honor of our Uncle Jim, who served proudly in the US Navy, and an anchor is included on the United States Navy Seal), five being best to zero being worst, Casa Fina gets 3.5 anchors. 

For more information about Casa Fina, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.casafinarestaurant.com/

Overindulging at Fogo de Chao in Irvine

 Fogo De Chao

623 Spectrum Center Drive 

Irvine, CA 92618

The Irvine Spectrum Center has stepped up its restaurant game in recent years. Gone are the days when Red Robin, Ruby's, and Fox Sports Grill ruled the roost. Now this Irvine center at the interchange of the 5 and 405 freeways is drawing some big names to their roster of eateries. Din Tai Fung and Mastro's Ocean Club are confirmed to be coming soon, joining already operating big hitters like Cucina Enoteca, Habana, Paul Martin's, and Shake Shack. I visited recently to try another spot I had always wanted to try out, Fogo De Chao. 

I'm a little embarrassed that this Fogo De Chao location has been open for more than five years, and this was the first time I had eaten there. It seems like just a year or two ago, I was at this location attending the grand opening party of Kona Grill, a restaurant that only lasted two years. That party was nine years ago though. Man, time does fly by. 

Back in the present day, my good friend George had the great idea of visiting Fogo De Chao during their Best of Brazil event, where you get to try a slightly pared-down version of the whole Fogo experience. For the set price of $44, you get to partake in eleven of their fire-roasted meats carved tableside until you cry uncle, you also get unlimited trips to their Market Table, which consists of salads, seasonal recipes, smoked salmon, fogo feijoada, which is a black bean stew with sausage served over rice, and a load of other items. My competitive eating days are behind me, but I put on my stretchy pants and headed to meet George for this gargantuan meal. 

When we arrived at just past 6 p.m. on a Wednesday, we were seated near the bar, on the outskirts of the dining area. I was afraid the gauchos who sliced the meat would pass us by. If you're a lighter eater, they have a couple of seafood entrees and an option to choose just one of their cuts. They are served continuously, and the market table is included with this selection. Our server greeted us, and we took off for the market table. 

I was blown away by the market table, but I knew I was here for the meats, so I only tried a small amount of the Fogo Feijoada, the black bean stew in the picture above. It was excellent, but very filling, so I only had a small amount. The rest of the table items looked fresh and were refilled quickly. Maybe someday I will revisit Fogo just for the market table, but I doubt it. Bring on the meats!

Remember when I said the Taste of Brazil menu offered eleven options? We were only presented with five, and although they did come around quite often, I would have liked to have tried their pork offerings, which were missing entirely. I have heard that some meats are done at different times, so maybe we were too early for the pork ribs, pork chops, and parmesan-crusted pork. Also absent was the Fire-grilled Brazilian cheese served by the gauchos. 

The quintet of meats that we were served were all good. My favorite of the five was the Picanha, the prime part of the sirloin, and the signature cut served here at Fogo De Chao. Like all their meats, they are seasoned simply with a liberal amount of salt added. This allows the natural flavor of the beef to shine through. The Alcatra is also top sirloin, but is sliced much thinner to ensure tenderness. The Linguica was coiled around the skewers like a snake, and very photogenic and delicious. The Chicken was surprisingly tender, and the portion size was very generous. The Bacon Wrapped Steak was probably the weak spot. Some pieces were good, while others needed to be left over the fire a bit longer to help the bacon get a little crisper. 

Another way they try to curb meat intake is by bringing garlic-mashed potatoes, caramelized bananas, polenta fries, and pao de queijo, more commonly known as cheese rolls, to each table. When these things are brought to your table, you subliminally feel like you need to eat them—at least, that's how I always feel. I picked at them a little bit. I liked the mashed potatoes and the rolls, but left the polenta alone after my first bite. It was kind of boring. 

Fogo De Chao is one of the best Brazilian churrasco restaurants I've visited. Even though I did not get the whole experience here, since they had limited meats and I chose to take advantage of their Best of Brazil special, which is limited in the kinds of meats you can get, I still enjoyed my time here. I checked the Fogo De Chao website and they have just started up the special again, but this year it's going for $54, which is still a good deal for all you can eat meats. To save even more money, Costco usually has $100 Fogo gift cards for $80, a $20 savings that gets this closer to last year's price. As I had predicted when we sat down, the gauchos sometimes skipped us because of where we sat in the dining room's outskirts. However, our server took excellent care of us. Fogo is definitely a special occasion restaurant, and I want to try them again.  

Out of five umbrellas (because Brazil is home to the largest rain forest in the world, the Amazon is roughly the size of the 48 contiguous United States, so you better have an umbrella when visiting it), five being best to zero being worst, Fogo De Chao gets 3.5 umbrellas. 

For more information about Fogo De Chao, head to their website by clicking here: https://fogodechao.com/