Is Ben’s Chili Bowl the Top Dog in Washington DC?

 Ben's Chili Bowl

1213 U Street NW

Washington, DC 20009

After making Katie walk a lot the day before, I decided to make our fourth day in DC as laid-back as possible, which started with letting Katie sleep in until almost 10 am, something she does nearly every weekend morning anyway. So, I scrapped our plans for breakfast, but to make up for it, I decided we'd have an early lunch at one of the most iconic and well-known places to grab something to eat in Washington. DC, Ben's Chili Bowl. 

Every time I watch a restaurant travel show, when they visit our nation's capital, they always stop by Ben's Chili Bowl. It's almost a rite of passage, and if you visited Washington and didn't try Ben's, did you really even experience DC? The list of people who have walked through the door at this original U Street location is impressive enough; Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama, Serena Williams, Jesse Jackson, Bono, Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, and Oprah have all made the pilgrimage to experience Ben's Chili Bowl. Now Katie and I were joining this list of luminaries. 

Ben's Chili Bowl began in 1958, when Ben and Virginia Ali converted a pool hall into what would become one of the most recognized restaurants in all of DC. The booths, counters, and stools are all original, and they use the same recipes that have been used for decades. Conveniently located right next to the U Street Metro Station on the Green Line, we arrived here at 11am, hopefully avoiding the lunch rush. We even had the pleasure of meeting Sonya Ali, the personable daughter-in-law of the founders, retired Air Force Reservist, and current co-owner of Ben's Chili Bowl. We discussed food and the history of Ben's Chili Bowl, and she provided us with a comprehensive rundown of everything on the menu. 

Speaking of the menu, the most popular item here is the half smoke, a sausage made from both pork and beef with a smoky tinge added during the smoking process. Ben's also offers turkey, veggie, and beef hot dogs, along with a spicy version of their half-smokes. Burgers, chili bowls, a few sandwiches, and sides round out the Ben's Chili Bowl menu. Hot dogs will set you back $8.49, and burgers hover around the $10 price point. We ordered at the counter and then found our way to one of the booths near the front of the store to wait for our food. Here's how our maiden visit to Ben's went for us. 

My very first Original Half Smoke ($8.49). Their menu kindly suggests that you get your half-smoked with mustard, onions, and their famous spicy chili sauce, which is how I ordered mine. The chili had a good depth of flavor to it, but it kind of overpowered the half-smoke. The half-smoke did have a good snap to it, but I'd probably get the spicy version next time, to punch up the flavor quotient. The bun was soft and pliable, and I enjoyed the tang from the mustard. An excellent representation of a chili dog, and I'd like to try it with cheese next time. 

For the second part of my meal at Ben's, I tried the Double Ben's Favorite Burger ($13.99). Again, the menu offered the gentle suggestion of getting this burger with mayo, chili, and lettuce, which I dutifully abided by. The glossy bun was eye-catching, and the burger's contents were excellent. I liked the chili-to-meat ratio, and I at first thought the mayo and chili combination would be odd, but it worked surprisingly well. They say their chili is spicy, but I found it to be pretty mild, yet still flavorful. I believe the beef patties were a quarter pound each, so this was a very manageable burger for me to consume.  

For the last couple of years, I have been a banana pudding fanatic, trying it whenever I've seen it on a menu. Named after the matriarch of the family, Virginia's Banana Pudding ($10.99) was made with sliced bananas, Nilla Wafers, and Biscoff cookies mixed into the pudding. The pudding was smooth and creamy, but I would have liked a little more of the sliced banana and cookies left in bigger chunks to help break up the creamy texture that dominated here. 

So, coming from Southern California, I could not help but compare Ben's Chili Bowl to LA's own chili institution, Original Tommy's. While I do occasionally enjoy a visit to my local Tommy's, Ben's wins this battle of the chili restaurants hands down. The chili was better, with a good flavor profile and not as greasy as its West Coast counterpart. The half-smoke might be superior, but I do enjoy the snappy hot dog that Tommy's uses. The burgers at Ben's are far better than Tommy's, though. Again, not as heavy, and the beef patties they use here taste better. We had excellent service on this visit, which is not surprising since Sonya, one of the owners, was here. A good history and good solid food make Ben's Chili Bowl a must when visiting Washington, DC. 

Okay, not the best picture, but they would not let me use my flash to snap a photo of the United States Constitution at the National Archives. I remember being a kid here and waiting in line for what seemed like hours. Since we were here in early January, we could walk right up to the documents and take our time looking at them. Definitely one of the highlights of day 4 of our Washington trip. 

Out of five buckets of popcorn (because when this building was first built in 1910, it was a silent movie theater, and I'm not sure, but maybe they had popcorn way back then), five being best to zero being worst, Ben's Chili Bowl gets 3.5 buckets of popcorn. 

For more information about Ben's Chili Bowl, head to their website by clicking here: https://benschilibowl.com/

Egg-Tastic Breakfast Sandwiches at Egg Bred in Placentia/Brea

 Egg Bred

1085 East Imperial Highway

Placentia, CA 92870

Man, do I love breakfast. Some of my most vivid early memories are tied to the first meal of the day. Trips to the donut shop with my dad, barely sitting through church as a seven-year-old because of the promise we'd stop on the way home for pancakes, and when my parents finally found out about brunch buffets with endless food, and champagne for them, these impressions are all still etched in my mind and why breakfast has always held such a deep rooted love in me. 

I often imagine that kid of yesteryear feeling betrayed by who I am now. I've turned my back on who I once was. I don't even know when I stopped having breakfast every day. It must have been a little after high school when sleep became a higher priority, due to the late nights I was having while hanging out with friends. Even now, as my nighttime antics have wound down, I still find myself skipping breakfast, but that may come to an end after my recent visit to Egg Bred. 

For those who are unaware, Egg Bred has been opening locations at a steady pace lately. They currently have six locations open for breakfast lovers, with six more listed on their website as coming soon. All of them are in LA and OC, except for one that will be in Fruit Cove, Florida, just south of Jacksonville. Duuuuvvvaaalll! We were fortunate enough to be invited by Michael Yi, the Brea-Placentia Egg Bred franchisee, to learn more about their operations. 

Egg Bred started out in La Habra in 2020. The Brea-Placentia spot is open from 7 am to 2 pm daily, located in the same shopping center as Stater Bros., Campitelli's Cookies, and sandwiched between Wienerschnitzel and Jack In The Box, alongside Imperial Highway. The reason for the Brea-Placentia moniker is that they essentially straddle these two North Orange County cities. Even with my weak throwing arm, I could throw a tennis ball and have it hit Brea from the front door of Egg Bred. Okay, maybe on a bounce, but it would make it there eventually.  

So what's on the menu at Egg Bred? They feature breakfast sandwiches made on soft and airy milk buns and handcrafted English muffins. There are also seven breakfast burritos to pick from, a couple of benny options, avocado toast, a chorizo chili cheese hash, and a breakfast poutine, which you will see as you read along. Not feeling like breakfast? They offer four lunch sandwiches, along with sides, beverages, and a kids' menu. The price point for the breakfast sandwiches hovers around $10, while lunch sandwiches are closer to $14. 

With branding like this, you'd never know this was a former Subway sandwich shop. My friend Jesse and I arrived here at half past ten on a recent Thursday morning to meet up with Michael. He was very personable and really took a hands-on approach with all of his customers during our visit. You can see just how much he believes in this concept and how proud he is of his business. We ordered at the counter and found a seat while we waited for our food. A steady stream of guests arrived throughout our stay. Enough talk, let's check out the food. 

Yes, I tried two sandwiches at Egg Bred. Hey, it was a long drive with Jesse from South OC. The first one was the Eggbred Cheeseburger ($11.49). I'm always a big fan of egg on a burger, no matter what time of day it is. The Angus beef patty was placed between a toasted milk bun, accompanied by a slice of sharp cheddar cheese, an over-medium egg, caramelized onions, dill pickles, and house spread. As I took my first bite, I was impressed with the way the bun was soft and pliable, yet it kept everything stable inside the burger. There's nothing worse than a bun that slips and slides as you are trying to eat it. The egg yolk did a great job of tying everything together, and the dill pickles did not overwhelm. I would have liked a heavier hand used when they applied the house spread, and I'd probably add some bacon the next time I order this. A very satisfying burger. 

For my second item, I went with a more traditional breakfast sandwich, the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese ($9.29). For the sauce on this one, they use a smoked jalapeno ketchup, which again needed to be used more liberally. I might even sub out their ketchup for their delicious-sounding white truffle spread. The rest of this sandwich had a good balance to it. The sharp cheese they use melts nicely, there was plenty of crisp bacon on this, and the egg yolk really popped after my first bite. It's a good idea to keep the sandwich wrapped to avoid losing any of that delicious yolk.  

Most people would describe Jesse as basic, and I guess that's how he likes his breakfast sandwiches, too. Sorry, big guy, I couldn't resist. The Scramble Me Softly ($8.99) features soft scrambled eggs, chives, sharp cheddar, caramelized onions, and a smoked paprika spread, all served on a toasted milk bun. It didn't have any meat on it, but Jesse enjoyed the understated flavor of the ingredients intermingling between the two halves of the milk bun. He made quick work of this sandwich, which was deceptively filling. Great hand modeling, Jesse. 

Not an authentic poutine, but a not-to-be-missed item at Egg Bred is The Breakfast Poutine ($14.99). If you've been a reader of this blog for a lengthy amount of time, you know one of my favorite items to get when eating out for breakfast is a skillet, and this is as close as you're going to get at Egg Bred. It actually surprised me how much I enjoyed it. No cheese curds on this, but it does come with beer-battered potatoes, popcorn chicken, a poached egg, cheddar jack cheese, roasted pepper chimichurri, and it was all tied together with country sausage gravy. The gravy here is nice and peppery, and the chicken was very crispy. I liked that each bite was different, but I'll ask for an extra egg next time, as I'd like a little more spread across the plate. Nicely done. If you're not in the mood for a breakfast sandwich, this would be a great alternative. 

I'm a big proponent of mixing sweet and savory when having breakfast, and since Egg Bred only has one sugary item on their menu, we had to give their Mixed Berry Cheesecake Waffle ($13.69) a try. This was not overly sweet. The waffles were topped with a cheesecake drizzle, berry compote, and powdered sugar. Not very heavy, splitting this with someone and having one of their sandwiches is doable for almost everyone. I liked the cheesecake drizzle way more than I thought I would. A nice ending to our visit to Egg Bred. 

When Jesse and I got in the car to go home, we both wished that there was an Egg Bred near where we live. There's really nothing like it in South OC, and we hope that gets rectified sooner rather than later. It would be nice to have an alternative to the fast-food egg sandwiches that we often resort to when we don't want to dine in a full-service restaurant. Crossing my fingers.  

For more information about Egg Bred, head to their website by clicking here: https://eggbred.com/

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

A Rolling Stone Gathers Teriyaki Bowls at Mos 2

 Mos 2

221 South Grand

Santa Ana, CA 92701

It's been far too long since I've eaten at Mos 2. Okay, that might be an understatement. The last time I was here was in 1995, when I worked nearby and went here with a coworker for lunch. What I remember most about that trip was that it was tough to find parking, they had what seemed like hundreds of little cups of teriyaki sauce on the counter, and many people were standing around waiting for their food. I was also nervous about making it back to work on time.  

Flashback to the present day, and after being at my job for 37 years, I'm no longer nervous about taking a more extended lunch break. I can't remember not taking an extra ten minutes for lunch recently. Ironically, on this visit to Mos 2, I came with my current coworkers, who were not even born when I was here the first time all those years ago. They are fans of this spot and wanted to make sure I would review it. So here goes. 

I conducted some research and discovered the reason why this is called Mos 2. There was a Mos Burger's off of Edinger in Santa Ana way back in the day. I'm unsure if these two had the same ownership, but to avoid confusion, they named themselves Mos 2. They have four locations up and running, two in Anaheim and two, including this one, in Santa Ana. The Santa Ana establishments are housed in old Taco Bells, so if you feel nostalgic, this might be another reason to visit.  

We arrived here at 1030, and with only ten parking spaces in the cramped lot, I can imagine it gets a little hectic at lunchtime. You could chance parking at the DMV next door, but plenty of signs warn that car towing is possible. We arrived early enough, so this was not a concern for us, but it is something to be aware of. 

The menu at Mos 2 is slightly more diverse than that at your local In-N-Out. They have bowls, combo plates, and sides. The big draw here is the teriyaki beef, chicken, and pork. Like at Flame Broiler or Waba Grill, they serve their teriyaki proteins with green onions, rice, and two thimble-sized cups of teriyaki sauce. Combo plates come with a gyoza, egg roll, and green salad, and you also have the option to upgrade(?) your meal with fried shrimp, scallops, or fish. This is one of the few remaining restaurants that still accepts cash only, so be sure to have some cash handy, as if it's 1995 all over again. 

We found seats on the front patio and waited for our number to be called. My Teriyaki Beef and Chicken Combo ($14.50) arrived first. Both meats were piled on top of plain white rice, and I drizzled my two allocated cups of teriyaki over the chicken and beef. I considered buying two more sauces, but I decided to try this with what was provided. 

The chicken was more tender than I expected, while the beef was slightly overcooked, but the teriyaki sauce masked that, making it still enjoyable. This would have been even better if I had gotten two more teriyaki sauces or at least some hot sauce to balance out the sweetness of the teriyaki. The gyoza and egg roll were both unremarkable, and the salad was dressed very lightly with a creamy, tangy dressing that only coated a quarter of the lettuce. The bowl might be the way to go at Mos 2.  

Both Jeff and Becks got plates. I don't know if they planned it this way, but they got one of each: the Teriyaki Chicken Plate ($13.50) and the Teriyaki Beef Plate ($14.25). They really pile on the meat at Mos 2. They seemed to like their meals, but Jeff said he prefers Waba Grill. 

Trying to impress his girlfriend, Astrid, Jesse opted for the Teriyaki Chicken and Fried Shrimp Plate ($14.75). This is probably so he won't have to take her to a nice seafood restaurant for at least a few months. Of course, always the cheapskate, Jesse made them split this meal. You deserve so much better, Astrid. 

Jesse was generous enough to share one of their shrimp with me. It reminded me of the frozen ones my mom used to fry up in a pan while growing up. There was nothing wrong with it, and it brought back some nostalgia. Thanks for the shrimp and the journey down memory lane, guys. 

I left Mos 2 feeling good about my meal. It's easy to see how they have stayed in business for many decades. I'm not a teriyaki bowl expert, as this is the first one I've reviewed on this blog; however, it's the leader in the clubhouse for now. Mos 2 is better than Waba Grill and light years better than what Flame Broiler has become in the last few years. This is not a convenient restaurant to patronize, given its cash-only policy, limited seating, and tiny parking lot. However, if you want a good teriyaki bowl at a reasonable price, Mos 2 might just be what you are looking for. They'll probably be around well after I retire.  

Out of five blind intersections (because of the proximity to the DMV, it reminded me that the reason I failed my first driver's test was that I went too fast through blind intersections, and I had to wait an extra month to finally get my license, very traumatic at age 16), five being best to zero being worst, Mos 2 gets 3 blind intersections. 

For more information about Mos 2, head to their website by clicking here: https://mos2teriyaki.com/

Hopefully the Spitting Will Be Held to a Minimum at Spitz

 Spitz 

1474 Kramer Blvd. 

Placentia, CA 92870

As is my custom when attending my dentist's appointment, I always look for somewhere to eat afterwards. It's like a way to reward myself for caring for my teeth. I'm usually up in North OC twice a year for these appointments on a weekday afternoon, so I try to hit up a place I would not usually get to. Even though my parents live in the area, they are not big fans of Mediterranean food, so since I was alone, I tried a spot that had caught my eye on Instagram, Spitz. 

While writing this review, I was surprised to learn that this is one of 24 locations in nine states, with more to come. This is the only one in OC, and it's in the busy, revamped Placentia Village Plaza, situated at the corner of Kramer and Yorba Linda Boulevard. Clyde's Hot Chicken, Craft Burger Co., Original Pancake House, and Saigon Noodle House are other restaurant tenants here. 

Spitz was conceived by two Occidental College classmates in 2009. Their vision was to bring the Mediterranean street food found everywhere in Europe to the US. The restaurant's name is an homage to the vertical cooking method used to make doner kebab, which is featured on almost every dish on their menu. They also want to de-ethnicize traditional doner kebab by making it healthier and more approachable to US consumers. 

It must have worked because they have become very successful, and all five of their Southern California locations have four-star ratings on Yelp. They have also been named one of the top upcoming franchises for restaurant industry insiders to watch in the future. 

The Spitz menu is divided into sections for doner wraps, house favorites, bowls, salads, sides, gyros, desserts, and a vegan menu. Nothing on their menu exceeds the $15 threshold, except for the combos, including a wrap, a side, and a drink. Favorites included loaded fries and an interesting take on a taquito, which I'll have to try on my next visit. For now, I kept it basic food-wise. Let's see how Spitz turned out for me. 

Please forgive my awkward hand modeling. I promise my hand was not hurt holding this large Gyro ($12.25), although it was stuffed with plenty of fries, onions, tzatziki sauce, Berliner sauce, zesty feta, gyro meat, and chicken. The pita was puffier than the normal pita, which made it softer when bitten and able to hold everything together. I was also a fan of the sauces here, which they were not shy about applying generously. The Berliner sauce, which was a creamy, slightly spicy sauce, was a standout and went well with the insides of the gyro. The gyro meat was nicely done, with a good flavor, but the chicken got lost in the shuffle here and was not a standout. Even after my thirty-minute drive home, the fries were relatively still crisp, which was no small feat considering the amount of sauce on this. Spitz makes a very pleasing gyro.  

This Street Cart Wrap ($14.25) was no slouch either. The grilled wrap was filled with green peppers, garlic aioli, lavash chips, cucumber, romaine lettuce, cabbage, and tzatziki. Again, I went with the mixed meat option, which included gyro meat and chicken. The chicken was more noticeable in this wrap. Both this and the gyro come with tomatoes, but I'm not a fan, so I omitted them. I was afraid they would overstuff this with the cabbage and romaine, but that was not the case. The proteins were front and center, and I enjoyed the many textures inside this wrap. The chips, cabbage, and the grilling of the wrap provided a nice crunch in most bites. The garlic aioli added a big burst of flavor, and I'd ask for extra next time. 

Spitz was a great choice after my dentist appointment. I can see myself exploring more of their menu and customizing the items above, even more to my liking, on future visits. I'll rate the wrap I had recently at the Chicken Shop better than this wrap from Spitz, but it's very close. It's easy to see why they have opened so many locations in such diverse areas of the US in such a short time. I did not get much chance to interact with their staff, as I got my food to go, but it was ready for me at the stated time, and I was on my way with clean teeth and a delicious lunch at home. 

Out of five fillings (not because I had any fillings at my dentist appointment, but because Mark Spitz, the Olympic swimmer from the 1970s, originally went to college to be a dentist, and that ties in nicely with my review and the name of this restaurant), five being best and zero being worst, Spitz gets three fillings.  

For more information about Spitz, head to their website by clicking here: https://spitz-restaurant.com/   

Family and Eating Is Everything at Tutto Famiglia

Tutto Famiglia

23766 Mercury Road

Lake Forest, CA  92630

It was time to cross off one of the restaurants on my wishlist for far too long. Since I live within five miles of Tutto Famiglia, it's surprising I haven't been here until now. I guess I've been busy eating at every other Italian spot around me, but I'm here to remedy that with my good friend Daren, who loves to eat just as much as I do. 

Tutto Famiglia was on my list because my good friend and fellow blogger Anita Lau reviewed it in the OC Register 15 years ago. Yes, it was a long time ago, but she's a tough cookie when judging restaurants, and she liked it well enough for it to land on my restaurant list. Tutto Famiglia has been around longer than that review, as they've been in business since 2006. Judging from the photos on their Yelp page, not a lot has changed in the nearly twenty years since they opened. 

Family-owned, this restaurant is a little off the beaten track, as the shopping center is surrounded on two sides by residential housing, butts up against the 5 Freeway on one of the other sides, and has a hidden entrance off of Lake Forest Drive, where the shopping center is obscured by some hotels. If you remember where the old Black Angus used to be, which is now Sammy's Original, they are located to the left of that building.

Now that you've found the place, it's time to check out Tutto Famiglia's menu. We ordered off the lunch menu, which they offer from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. They are closed on Mondays and are only open for dinner on weekends. The menu includes appetizers, pastas, baked dishes, pizzas, entrees, and two sandwiches. Only a handful of the entrees eclipse the $20 price point. It's a good-sized menu, but Daren and I were laser-focused and made our minds up rather quickly on what to order.  

Right after being seated, we were presented with this Garlic Bread. It was toasted and came with a decent amount of garlic. It reminded me of the Lawry's garlic spread my mom used when I was a kid. We gobbled this up very quickly. 

You might never think pizza is a warm-up act, but Daren and I are big eaters, and we wanted something substantial before our entrees. This Pepperoni Pizza ($17) would fill that bill for us. I was expecting a more traditional Italian pizza, but this was topped with plenty of cheese, sauce, and enough pepperoni so you got some in almost every bite. The crust was slightly thicker than a New York-style pizza and had a pleasing chew. The cheese-to-sauce ratio was where I like it, as the cheese was the star and the sauce provided some solid background support. This came to our table volcano hot, but we pushed through, burning our mouths because we were both hungry. Delicious pizza for a restaurant that does not solely sell pizza. 

Daren has a real affinity for Manicotti ($14) and rooting for awful football teams. Since this is a restaurant blog, I won't get into his football teams, but he scarfed down this manicotti in record time. The rolled pasta was filled with ricotta and parmesan cheeses and herbs, and then was topped with a tomato-cream sauce. This heavy meal pleased Daren way more than watching his Cowboys play on Sundays. 

I was torn between the lasagna and the Pasta Salsiccia ($15). This penne pasta dish had plenty of sliced sausage and a garlic-tomato sauce. The menu claimed the sauce would be spicy, but it was mild. I added some red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese to wake it up a bit. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the sausage tasted great. This was not earth-shattering, but a good, comforting, solid pasta dish.  

Tutto Famiglia is an excellent neighborhood Italian restaurant. They have been churning out these dishes for nearly twenty years, and that's the reason why they continue to be a favorite with locals; they are consistent, and they offer their food at a very fair price. They also have an extensive menu, so people can switch things up by getting something different every time they visit, thus not tiring them of ordering the same thing each time they eat here. It's comforting Italian food, not flashy or straight from Italy, which resonates with many people. 

Out of five airplanes (because the company that employs the most people in Lake Forest is Panasonic Avionics, which sells and installs in-flight entertainment and communications to airlines worldwide), five being best to zero being worst, Tutto Famiglia gets 3 airplanes. 

For more information about Tutto Famiglia, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.tuttofamiglia.com/

Pizza Fit for a Prince (Street)?

Prince Street Pizza

1870 Harbor Blvd. #104

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

It's just an embarrassment of riches regarding the restaurant scene in Costa Mesa. Whenever I hear of a restaurant that would be right up my alley, it's likely opening up in Costa Mesa. Harper Barbecue, Ospi, Matty's Patty's, Verde, and more have made it onto my restaurant wishlist in the last few months. It's another newish spot that brought us to this restaurant-rich town this Sunday: Prince Street Pizza.  

It seemed like Prince Street was never going to open. They had papered-over windows that announced they were coming to town for what seemed like years, but they finally opened their doors in July of last year at the much-maligned Triangle Square at the end of the 55 Freeway. On their opening day, 500 people lined up waiting to try their pizza.  

I tried Prince Street Pizza in the Arts District area of LA almost two years ago. They started in New York City in 2012 and have expanded rapidly, with many Southern California locations and outposts in Toronto, Chicago, Miami, and Las Vegas. PSP is most known for its Sicilian-style pizzas, which are square and have an airy, almost breadlike crust. They also have thin-crusted Neapolitan pizza, a more conventional round form with which most people are more comfortable. 

We arrived at noon, found parking in the dimly lit parking structure that is one of Triangle Square's trademarks, and went to the Newport Boulevard side at street level to get to PSP. We met a small line of three people waiting to order, and a few more waiting for their pizzas. Like all Prince Street Pizza locations, their storefronts are small, with no seating, and only a tiny bar where you can stand and eat your pizza, if you are so inclined. We got ours to go. 

Ordering is done as you stand in line and pick your desired slices from behind the glass case. You do have the option of ordering a whole pizza, but PSP has always kind of felt like a pizza by the slice spot, which New York is famous for, and it also allows you to have some variety as to the kinds of pizza you can experience on a single visit. After selecting your pizza, it's taken to the oven for a final reheating and boxed up for you. We took ours home, and here's how it turned out for us. 

The Spicy Spring ($6.50) is probably Prince Street's most popular slice, and it's also my favorite. They use their slightly spicy fra diavolo sauce on this, then add pecorino romano and parmesan cheeses, and finally, a bunch of the little pepperoni cups that cover almost every centimeter of the slice. I love the tiny pepperoni's thickness and the fact that you can't take a bite without a good amount of pepperoni. The crust reminds me of Stoffer's French bread pizza that we used to have as kids when my parents left us with a babysitter. With the amount of pepperoni used on this, the cheese gets lost in the shuffle with this slice, but I like the balance of this one. 

 

We got a variety of slices to try, with Katie picking two and me picking the other two. Of these four, I enjoyed the Meat Lover's ($6.50) the most, not surprisingly. It comes with pepperoni, bacon bits, sausage, garlic, mozzarella, and a marinara base. People online claim that their marinara is too sweet, and it might be, but with the savoriness of the meats, it balances out. The silver medal goes to the Naughty Pie ($6.50), with a lot going on. Spicy vodka sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, pepperoni, and Zab's Hot Honey drizzle on top. I'm not usually a ricotta person, but with the slight spiciness of this and the pepperoni, I could handle it. I wish the honey had been used with a heavier hand, as the slice we got only had minimal honey. 

The Sunset Square ($6.25) takes third place with its fresh and shredded mozzarella, pecorino romano, garlic, and sweet marinara sauce. The marinara was front and center, and indeed, too sweet. The slice was not balanced, and I grew tired of it after a few bites. Bringing up the rear was the Four Cheese ($6.25). I'm sure you can guess what the four cheeses were. That's right, fresh and shredded mozzarella, pecorino romano, and ricotta. There was too much ricotta, and this really needed a textural element, as it was very soft and rather bland. Not my jam at all. I'll let Katie have all of this next time. 

Even though I was not a big fan of the last slice of pizza, I still enjoyed my visit to Prince Street Pizza. I'm not as in love with it as I was when I first visited back in 2023. At that time, I was unaware of Detroit-style pizza, a distant cousin of the Sicilian slices I had above, and the Michigan version is superior. I've also had some delicious pizza in the last two years, as excellent pizza places are popping up all over OC: B + C Pizza, Brooklyn City Pizza, Gibroni's, Truly Pizza, Lunitas, and Terra Mia, to name a few of my faves. PSP is still good, and I wish they were around when I used to frequent the bars in this area early in this century. I would have loved to come here for a slice after a night at Goat Hill Tavern. I'll be back to Prince Street Pizza, but for now, I need to do a lot of good eating in Costa Mesa.  

Out of five ice cream scoopers (because the Prince Street Subway stop in NYC is not only where you would go for pizza, but it's also the stop for the Museum of Ice Cream), five being best to zero being worst, Prince Street Pizza gets 3 ice cream scoopers. 

For more information about Prince Street Pizza, head to their website by clicking here:https://princestreetpizza.com/

JW Hayes Enters the Barbecue Conversation

 JW Hayes BBQ at Minute King Market

3530 Irvine Ave. 

Newport Beach. CA 92660

Barbecue restaurants can be challenging to eat at. I should clarify that delicious barbecue restaurants are challenging to eat at. It's easy to pull up to a mediocre barbecue spot at 6 p.m. on a Saturday, have some bland biscuits with apple butter, and then choke down some dry brisket or small ribs with a minuscule amount of meat. Yes, I'm bashing Lucille's, which far too many people seem to love for some reason. It could be because it's easy to eat there.  

The great barbecue places have the following things in common: They are open for a limited number of hours because once they are out of something, they are out for the day. People usually stand in line well before they are open, and it takes a long while to get in because they have to weigh each order. Lastly, if you spy a smoker on the premises with a strong wood smoke aroma in the air, odds are that you are in for some excellent barbecue. JW Hayes BBQ ticked all of these boxes, and I was excited. 

Jeff Hayes started out on the competitive barbecue circuit back in 2013. He grew a loyal following at barbecue festivals. Still, he yearned to open up his own place where he could have more direct contact with customers and share his barbecue prowess with a more significant number of people. He ordered two 500-gallon smokers and started selling his barbecue out of the Minute King liquor store in February 2023. 

Since then, his Saturday-only stint at the liquor store near the corner of Irvine and Bristol has drawn crowds of barbecue lovers. I had a rare Saturday off from work, so I traveled the twenty minutes from home to try them. I arrived at 11am and was met with a line of twenty people snaking around the inside of the store's perimeter. It took me about 45 minutes from when I got in line until I left with my haul. Next time, I'd get here closer to their opening time of 10am. 

The menu featured ten kinds of meat and five sides when I visited. Meats included barbecue standards like brisket, pulled pork, beef ribs, tri-tip, pork steaks, pork spare ribs, turkey breast, chicken, and a prime brisket burger. The sides offered were sweet corn, coleslaw, mac and cheese, beans with or without brisket, and deviled eggs. Side go for $7 to $12, while the meats range from $16 to $45 a pound for the beef ribs. I made my selections and resisted trying anything until I got home. It was hard because of the wonderful smell of smoked meats coming from my passenger side, but I persevered.  

Let's start with the Beef Brisket ($20 for half a pound) and the Pork Spare Ribs ($18 for a half pound). The menu at JW Hayes is very detailed regarding where they source their meats. A quick Yelp search of their menus over their two-year run shows that they have gotten their meat from the same farms for the brisket Creekstone Farms in Kansas and Compart Family Farms in Minnesota source their pork. Side note, they also haven't raised their prices since they opened for business, which is not something most places could say. 

The brisket here was excellent. A good balance between lean and fatty, a nice looking pink smoke ring in most places, and it was tender without falling apart too easily. Very well done and one of the better briskets you can get in OC. I also was a big fan of the outer edges, which were seasoned very well. A must-get when visiting JW Hayes. 

The pork spare ribs were also a winner. Half a pound will get you about five ribs with plenty of meat. They also had a nice pink smoke ring and were very tender. The pork came off the bone with a slight tug, all in one piece, which signifies they would be good. They were. I should have gotten another half pound. 

Katie is always keen to try a Pulled Pork Sandwich ($15) from any barbecue spot we try for the first time. This pork sandwich came with some coleslaw and a squirt of their barbecue sauce. They did not use a lot of sauce here, so the smokiness of the pork could shine through. The pork was good—not too moist, but not dry either. I can't stand pulled pork that is as wet as a mop. The glossy bun kept everything together while Katie scarfed down this sandwich. She was a big fan. 

I can't remember the last time I had a burger from a barbecue restaurant, but something drew me to this Prime Brisket Burger ($12). I don't know if this burger was one hundred percent brisket or its percentage, but I know it was one of the better burgers I've had in a long while. I'm not sure what kind of cheese was used in this, but I found myself trying to make this burger last as long as possible. Well worth trying this as well. 

I never grew up eating mac and cheese. In fact, to this day, I have never had Kraft mac and cheese out of the blue box. Yes, I know. I was deprived as a child. That's why I always try the Smoked Mac and Cheese ($8) at any barbecue spot I visit, including JW Hayes. The mac and cheese had a smokiness, but I would have liked adding a textural element, especially since it was cheesy. Maybe some bread crumbs or some pieces of brisket. The Coleslaw ($7) was just how I like it; it's very saucy. It had a slight tang to it, but the end of each bite contained a sweetness. Good, but I could see some people not liking this. 

I have to admit, I really enjoyed JW Hayes BBQ. Is it the best in OC? As Heritage BBQ still holds that title, it's not, but I'd slot them into my number four spot, right behind Heritage, Evan's Smokehouse, and Craft by Smoke and Fire for the best barbecue in OC. I wish they had sausage and were more creative with their sides. For those of you looking to eat here, there are very few tables and chairs out front, so this is definitely a take-out spot during busy hours. Speaking of their hours, as I was writing this review, I saw on Instagram that they will be increasing their days of operation to Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 8pm and keeping their Saturday hours the same (10:30-4pm). So, maybe JW Hayes BBQ will become easier to consume, and more people will see how good this barbecue is. Perhaps someday, people will also learn that Lucille's is not a good barbecue restaurant. I'm not holding my breath, though

Out of five race cars (because this barbecue spot sits at the end of the runway of John Wayne Airport, and in 1950, the abandoned airstrip was used for drag racing until 1959), five being best to zero being worst, JW Hayes BBQ gets 3.5 race cars.  

For more information about JW Hayes BBQ, head to their Instagram page for all the latest about them by clicking here: https://www.instagram.com/jwhayesbbq/?hl=en