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

Birthday Lunch at Nep Cafe

 Nep Cafe

14346 Culver Drive 

Irvine, CA 92604

I feel like I'm in a game of Whac-A-Mole. Whenever I feel like I have a handle on the restaurants that Kei Concepts has going on, they open up another restaurant or concept. After looking at their website, they list ten restaurants, one of which has closed (GEM Dining) and one coming soon, QUA, which is seafood-focused. It's like that old arcade game where you must hit a mole with a hammer, but they just keep coming. 

It was my birthday. My good friend David and I have the tradition of treating each other on birthdays. Since I'm the restaurant guy, he usually lets me pick the restaurant. I was surprised he chose Nep Cafe in Irvine for me this time. Yes, it's another Kei Concepts place and one that I had never been to until now. 

Unlike other Kei Concept restaurants, Nep Cafe is not really a fusion restaurant. According to its website, it serves modern Vietnamese cuisine, blending traditional flavors with contemporary culinary techniques. This must resonate with many people because this is the restaurant's second location, the other being in Fountain Valley. In just 18 months, it has a very impressive 4.5-star rating on Yelp, with over 1,300 reviews and counting. I was intrigued, even though I have really enjoyed all of their restaurants. 

I met David at Nep Cafe on a Wednesday at 3pm. For those unaware of where this is, it's in the Heritage Plaza shopping plaza, which is always jammed with cars, no matter what time you visit. No wonder since it butts right up to the 5 Freeway and has numerous dining options, like Baekjeong Korean Barbecue, Buffalo Wild Wings, Boiling Point, Spicay City, Habit Burger, and Sup Noodle Bar, which is a sister restaurant to Nep Cafe. 

There are two menus at Nep Cafe. The brunch menu is offered seven days a week from opening to 5pm, and then it's the dinner menu only after that. There's some overlap between the two,  but the dinner entrees jump anywhere from $29 to $65 for the ribeye. Brunch is more modestly priced, with the ribeye only going for $39, and everything else is right around the $20 price point. The brunch menu includes bowls, rice and noodle dishes, and appetizers. There's also a wide selection of coffees, cocktails, beer, wine, and matcha drinks. Let's see if Nep Cafe is another hit for Kei Concepts. 

I looked at the online menu and could not find this Fried Chicken ($10). I believe this has been replaced by chicken wings. Anyway, I really enjoyed this version of fried chicken, which used thigh meat seasoned with five-spice seasonings and a very pleasant spicy mayo for dipping. The chicken lacked the greasiness that almost always goes hand in hand with fried chicken. I'm hoping this comes back on the menu in the future. 

The early leader for the most photogenic plate I've had this year is this Filet Mignon Banh Mi Chao ($25), which is almost impossible to snap a bad picture of. I learned that the name of this translates to "bread with combo pan."  This is a very apt description of what this is. In the pan is some cubed filet in a black pepper sauce, two eggs, tomatoes, pork roll, onions, and some pate served with a rather large loaf of bread. With so many ingredients, I thought they might cancel each other out, but that was not the case. Each had its moment. The steak was tender, and the black pepper sauce was a nice compliment. I also felt I would miss a base like rice, but the sunny-side-up eggs kind of worked as a substitute for a base. I was unsure if I would need so much bread, but I used it by sopping up the remnants of the skillet at the end of my meal. 

David got Chicken Fried Rice ($17), which is not on the Nep Cafe menu. They do offer fried rice, but only with beef tongue or shrimp. This came with a fried egg on top and soy and aji sauce on the side. The portion size seemed a little on the meager side to me, but David did not seem to mind. I also did not mind when David did not utilize his aji sauce, which I used with the remaining chicken. 

Nep Cafe was good, and it reminded me of what I had at their sister restaurant, Vox Kitchen, a while back. I enjoyed what I had here, but with such a limited menu, I'd be afraid I'd tire of having the same things repeatedly on frequent return visits. My burnout would also be inevitable because all of their items are similar, but at least the execution is there, as everything here is made to a high standard. Nep Cafe is a great introductory restaurant to Vietnamese flavors and more tame dishes. A restaurant where I could feel confident bringing my less adventurous parents to, which I think is part of the goal for the founders of Nep Cafe. Mission accomplished, guys.  

Out of five mules (because this restaurant is located on Culver Drive, which is named after Frederick Culver, a farmer in the early days of what would become Irvine and who was a very adept mule handler), five being best to zero being worst, Nep Cafe gets 3 mules. 

For more information about Nep Cafe, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.nepcafe.com/

Want a Great Sandwich? Grab a Seat at Jeff’s Table

 Jeff's Table

5900 North Figueroa Street

Los Angeles, CA 90042

Predictably, it was a late night/very early morning for us up in Burbank at a family party. We scrambled to make ourselves somewhat presentable before our checkout time of 11 a.m. We gathered our things hastily, Katie scrambled to place her Starbucks order, and I quickly searched for somewhere to eat on the way home. 

I was in the mood for sandwiches, and LA is a great sandwich town. I checked out Eater LA's Best Sandwich list and looked for something close to the freeway that would not be too out of the way. A half dozen filled the bill, but some were eliminated because they were vegan or closed on Sundays. When I saw the picture of the Pastrami Reuben at Jeff's Table, I knew we'd be making a beeline to Highland Park. 

The Jeff behind Jeff's Table is Jeff Strauss. He grew up in the delis of New York and moved to LA for a career writing and producing hit TV shows. Tired of the showbiz scene, he opened this place in the back of Flask Fine Wine and Whiskey in late 2019. His love of smoked meats and the cuisine of Los Angeles is apparent when you glance at the menu here. A potato salad that features Wasabi, a ham sandwich paired with kimchi, and a gruyere crisp inserted into the Reuben show that these are not just your run-of-the-mill sandwiches. This uniqueness has made Jeff's Table one of the most talked about sandwiches in all of LA. 

We were ready to get home after the rowdy weekend in Burbank, so we ordered our sandwiches to go. The Jeff's Table website was easy to navigate, and ordering was a snap. Our food was ready and waiting near the front door at the promised time. For those ordering here, step inside Flask Fine Wine and walk to the back of the store, where you'll find Jeff's behind the beer cooler. There's no seating inside, but I spied a couple of two-seat tables out front. We picked up our bag and returned to OC to prepare for the upcoming workweek and enjoy our sandwiches. 

Katie and I got two sandwiches each since we did not know when the next time we'd be up this way would be. The first of Katie's sandwiches was the Dirty Baby on Rye ($17.45 with avocado added). This one starts with a chicken salad that is equal parts smoky and spicy and is not like your mom's ho-hum chicken salad you grew up with. This is a flavor bomb that also includes both fontal and gouda cheeses, crispy shallots, a chili crisp, and pickled red onion on a very sturdy rye. The textures and flavors that are included here are amazing. I loved the crispy shallots and chili crisp as they added texture that contrasted with the creamy avocado and the cheeses. The chicken salad added a punch of spice, but not in an uncomfortable way. Even those sensitive to heat could eat this with no problem. The rye did not fall apart as expected; it held its integrity. A really excellent sandwich. 

Katie's second sandwich was the Big Brekkie ($15.95 with avocado added). We had skipped breakfast because we were scrambling to exit our hotel room before checkout, so Katie got this to remedy that. The sesame-studded roll included a folded chive egg, crispy ham, manchego cheese, a little bit of aioli, and arugula. This was the most straightforward of our sandwiches, but it hit the spot for breakfast-loving Katie. She liked the egg's creaminess and the sandwich's lightness, but she mostly appreciated that this was a unique breakfast sandwich.  

I'm enticed by Cuban sandwiches, and I almost always order one when I spy it on a menu. I definitely had to try the version at Jeff's Table, which is called the Jubano ($14.95). No surprise, but this version is not your traditional Cuban. Sliced pork is joined by not ham but pastrami, while the Swiss cheese is swapped out in favor of comte cheese, which is very melty. Pickle slices, mustard, and aioli round out this sandwich. I really enjoyed this sandwich. It had the balanced feel of a Cuban, but the pastrami provided a big flavor boost. Maybe too much mustard and not enough of the aioli for my taste, but it's an excellent version of one of my favorite sandwiches. 

I really enjoyed my Jubano sandwich above, but the must-get one visiting Jeff's Table is The "Jeff's Special"  Reuben ($14.95). Again, this is not a traditional Reuben, but this could be my sandwich of the year. Hand-sliced pastrami on griddled rye bread with Comte cheese, sauerkraut, a slightly spicy Russian dressing, and, just for good measure, a piece of crispy Gruyere cheese placed in the middle of it. Wow, this thing was good. A great crunch to the bread, the savoriness of the pastrami, and the melty, creamy cheese was a winning combination.  I had planned on eating only half, but I could not stop and ended up eating the whole thing in one sitting. 

The sides, like the sandwiches, are not your standard deli sides. We tried two of the three available. The JT Slaw ($5.95) and the Wasabi Tobiko Potato Salad ($6.95). I was not excited about the slaw, a combo of cabbage, fennel, and red onion mixed with a black pepper/bread and butter dressing. The fennel threw me off, and the dressing was used too sparingly, so all I tasted was cabbage and fennel. I was much happier with the potato salad. The wasabi flavor was present but not as intense as in sushi restaurants. I was hesitant about the tobiko, which is flying fish roe, but they were so small that I did not even notice them. The creamy potato texture and the dill made this side a pleasant surprise.  

It was an absolute pleasure having the sandwiches from Jeff's Table. Their uniqueness, fantastic textural elements, and flavor profiles make these some of the best sandwiches we've encountered in LA. There was not a dud in the four that we tried. Even though it's not a convenient location for us, the ease of ordering online and the promptness of the order being ready, when promised, helped ease the burden of getting to Highland Park, an area we want to explore even further in the future. A great last-second choice by me, but next time, we won't be able to dig into these sandwiches before heading back to OC.  

Out of five puppets (because Highland Park is not only home to this deli but also to the world-famous Bob Baker Marionette Theater, where puppets have entertained over a million people in the last sixty-one years), five being best to zero being worst, Jeff's Table gets 4 puppets.   

For more information about Jeff's Table, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.jeffstablela.com/

It’s a Win-Win if You Eat This Burger in Glendale

 For the Win

1200 South Brand Blvd. #3

Glendale, CA 91204

It was family time again up in Burbank. This time, the occasion was a college graduation party for Amanda, Katie's cousin's daughter. She graduated from USC with a degree in Music Industry and a minor in Sports Management. She's bright, focussed, and a lovely girl, and I'm not just saying this to suck up because there might be some complimentary concert/sports tickets in my future. 

As is our custom when spending the night in Burbank, we always try to sneak in a place to eat on our way up and back home. For the Win has been on my list of places to try forever, so it was not even a question that we'd be visiting here on this trip to try their very much-hyped smash burger. I have yet to read a smash burger best-of list that does not mention their burgers at all. I was pretty excited. 

For the Win was born out of the pandemic. Papilles Bistro was an award-winning bistro, but when lockdown orders came down, the owners pivoted from French food to smash burgers and chicken sandwiches. After many months of tinkering, they created a smash burger with crispy edges but still juicy in the middle, an excellent sauce to compliment the beef and cheese, and the perfect soft potato bun to hold everything together. The chicken sandwich was also a labor of love, and it took a lot of time to get it right. 

Their customers must love their burgers and chicken sandwiches because they have nine locations operating, along with two cloud kitchens in Echo Park and West LA. Unfortunately, they have no OC locations, but the closest one is in Whittier. Their menu is simple to navigate. They offer single, double, or triple burgers, with or without cheese and chicken sandwiches. Sides include fries, sweet potato fries, brussels sprouts, and loaded fries, which are topped with grilled onions, cheese, and fry sauce. Shakes are also available in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors. Their online menu differs from the menu in-store, as you can not order a chicken sandwich online, and the shakes are available online but not on their current menu at this location. Confusing. 

We arrived at For the Win's Glendale spot just after 1pm on a Saturday. They are located in a small shopping plaza, with only 15 or so parking spots, so it might be challenging to find parking during peak meal times here. There's little in the way of a dining room here, too. They had two small tables outside and a tiny counter space inside, fitting four patrons snuggly. Even with a steady stream of people coming through the door, it only took us ten minutes to receive our food. Here's how everything turned out for us. 

For the Win is mainly known for their burgers, so of course, I'm going to start off with their Fried Chicken Sandwich ($12). This sandwich was dressed simply with pickles and mayo on a pillowy soft potato bun. I'm usually partial to chicken sandwiches made of a single piece instead of pieces, as they are generally easier to eat, but this one stayed together well. The chicken was juicy, but I wished for a little more crunch to their breading, which was nicely seasoned. They could have had a heavier hand when the mayo was applied. It's a good chicken sandwich, but it's not crave-worthy.  

What is crave-worthy are the burgers at For the Win. From my first bite, I was enthralled with this burger. I knew I would be eating at our upcoming family party in the coming hours, and it took all my willpower not to order another burger right away. I ordered the Double Cheeseburger ($12.50 plus $1.95) for bacon). The burgers here come with pickles, fry sauce, and grilled onions. Tomato, lettuce, bacon, and jalapenos are an upcharge of fifty cents to $1.95. The double patty option hit my sweet spot, as it had an outstanding balance of meat, cheese, bacon, and bun. The potato bun is soft and pliable and keeps its structural integrity for the short time it took me to inhale this burger. The beef patty had crispy edges, and the center was juicy in the center, which is not always the case when ordering smash burgers. The cheese was gooey, and even though I'm not the world's biggest fan of pickles on burgers, they worked here to add a little tang to each bite. My one knock on this burger was that it needed some extra sauce, but I'll order more the next time I'm here. This burger is definitely worth the trip. 

For some odd reason, I was not feeling like fries, so we went with Brussels Sprouts ($6) as our side item. This was a very generous serving size, but I quickly got bored with these. They were fried crisp and seasoned with a little too much salt. I would have liked a sweet sauce to help break up the salt and natural bitterness of the sprouts. Not my favorite side, but for people who want a slightly healthier option than fries, this might be more to your liking. 

Okay, I did have some minor misses with the sprouts and the chicken sandwich, but that burger is definitely in the running for one of the best smash burgers I have had to date. It was so good that since we visited, I'm trying to find reasons to come back up to have that burger again. This location of For the Win is not the most convenient to eat at, as there's limited seating, and it's more conducive to takeout orders, but these smash burgers are worth the hassle. I'm looking forward to the day that they enter the OC market. I'll be the first in line. 

Out of five streetcars (because this restaurant is on Brand Boulevard, named after Leslie Brand, a city leader in the early 1900s who was instrumental in getting streetcars to Glendale), five being best and zero being worst, For the Win gets four streetcars. 

For more information about For the Win, head to their website by clicking here: https://forthewinla.com/#

Blow the Whistle, We’re at Penalties Sports Bar and Grill

 Penalties Sports Bar and Grill

469 Magnolia Avenue, Suite #101 

Corona, CA 92879

There are many things I love about Katie. Everything about her is lovely, but when we first started dating, one of the things I liked the most about her was that she had a big family. She is one of four kids in her immediate family, but what struck me was how close all her cousins, uncles, and aunts were.  Coming from a family of four with only one uncle and a couple of cousins, it was a little overwhelming initially, but I loved every minute of it. 

I met Katie's cousin Alyson at one of my first big family parties. She was awesome, and we have seen each other a few times through the years. As people usually do, we follow each other on social media, which helps us stay in touch and keep up to date with what's happening in our lives. As luck would have it, I was on vacation for the week and planned on meeting my good friend Ozker for lunch in his hometown of Corona. Alyson works at a sports bar nearby, so meeting at Penalties Sports Bar and Grill was natural. 

Penalties opened in April 2023 and has quickly become one of Corona's favorite places to watch sports. As we walked in the door, it was easy to see why. Wherever you sit, lift your head, and you'll have access to at least four TVs within your eyeline. Whether you choose to post up at the bar, a high-top table, or a booth, you won't miss any of the action on the field. When we visited at noon, many people were watching soccer and Dodger baseball. After an introduction between Alyson and Ozker and ordering drinks, it was time to get down to business and eat. 

The Penalties menu will not surprise anyone who has eaten in a sports bar before. Wings, nachos, and mozzarella sticks are prominent on their appetizer menu, while the compact entree portion features a burger, a couple of sandwiches, tacos, and two salad options. No entree is more than $20, and starters are modestly priced at $15 or less. Let's see if the food would be a touchdown or a fumble out of bounds. 

Ozker is a big fan of chicken wings and considers himself a connoisseur of all things chicken. Naturally, we started out with the Penalties Kickin Wings ($18). A boneless version is available, but bone-in is the way to go, according to Ozker. These came ten to an order, and we chose the traditional buffalo sauce to coat these rather large drums and flats. They also offer BBQ or a mango habanero, which I will try next time. These wings were fried well, had a perfect crunch, and the meat inside was tender and juicy. It's one of the better wings I have had in some time. The buffalo sauce could have had more heat, but it was worth getting these. Solid ranch, too. 

After the wings, our entrees were out next. First up was Ozker's choice, the Philly Fans Cheesesteak ($16). He eats like a three-year-old sometimes, as he ordered this without onions and peppers, and it came out by mistake with them. I quickly snapped a picture before Alyson took it away to remake him another one. This cheesesteak is made with grilled ribeye, provolone cheese, onions, and peppers on a hoagie roll. Ozker liked this once it returned to the table sans onions and peppers. From across the table, it looked like it had a good amount of beef, and the bun was soft, holding the sandwich's contents well. 

I asked Alyson what her favorite item on the menu was, and she claimed the Penalties Burger ($18) was the way to go, but with her favorite modifications. She always adds avocado and grilled onions, a $3 upcharge for the avocado. They use a short rib/ brisket mix for their patties, then pile on the sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and burger sauce. A delicious, straightforward burger. The beef was juicy, and the avocado and cheese added a nice creaminess to each bite. Unfortunately, they don't offer bacon, which would have made this an even better burger.  

This was a great meetup with Alyson and, of course, Ozker. We stayed for two drinks each, and then it was back home for me. Penalties is the kind of sports bar most people wish would be in their neighborhood. I wish it was closer to where I lived. It is a chill spot to catch a game and have some excellent bar food. I would like them to expand their menu, add a hot dog, patty melt, or more sandwiches. Even though Alyson was the only one working when we were here, she handled things like a pro and seemed to have a good relationship with many of her customers, many of whom I imagine to be regulars. I'm thrilled that Katie and her big family brought us to Penalties Sports Bar and Grill.  

Out of five whistles (because the sure sign that a penalty is being called is to listen for a referee's whistle), five being best to zero being worst, Penalties Sports Bar and Grill gets 3 whistles. 

Penalties Sports Bar and Grill does not have a website, but you can find out information about them on their Yelp page by clicking here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/penalties-sports-bar-and-grill-corona

2,4,6,8 Will We Appreciate 264 Fresco?

 264 Fresco

264 Carlsbad Village Drive 

Carlsbad, CA 92008

We are in North San Diego County, so long-time and observant readers of this blog know that probably means we were down this way to get Katie something for her birthday at the Carlsbad Outlets like we do every year. It prevents me from coming up with something to buy her that she probably would not like, and it also allows us to have lunch or dinner in an area that we usually would not get to. After about an hour of looking at purses and cosmetics and checking out the clearance racks at various stores, it was finally time to eat. This year, we were headed to 264 Fresco. 

264 Fresco is a modern Italian restaurant a few blocks from the ocean and in the heart of Carlsbad Village. I'd imagine that parking could be pretty bad in this area during peak tourist season, but they have their own parking lot, so parking was a breeze. We arrived just before 1pm on a Friday afternoon and were given a choice to sit inside or on their second-story deck. We took the deck option, even though the sun was starting to peek through the clouds as we were seated, and I had forgotten to wear a hat, so a possible sunburn may be in my future. 

I'm not sure how long 264 Fresco has been in business, but the earliest Yelp review I could find was from 2006. I know that this restaurant's owner, Linda DiNitto, also brought Fresco Cocina to the people of Carlsbad in 2022. That restaurant serves what I'd term elevated Latin American cuisine. 264 Fresco draws upon the Italian food that Linda grew up eating, which has seemed to resonate with the people of Carlsbad. This restaurant is the 12th most reviewed restaurant on Yelp in the area, and they have a very respectable 4.1-star rating with over 2,000 reviews posted. 

Modern Italian restaurants sometimes have menus with too few items or try to get too cute with things, and the dishes are unrecognizable to most people. That is not the case at 264 Fresco. They feature thirteen shareable starters, a six-pack of salads, wood-fired pizzas, pasta dishes, and entrees that include beef, chicken, or seafood. They even have a Wagyu Smashburger here (yes, the Smashburger fad has gotten so big that it's invaded even Italian restaurants now). Entrees range between $19 to $44, while pizzas cost in the $20 range. I had, of course, checked out the menu before coming down here, so I knew what I was getting. The birthday girl took a little longer, but we finally got our order in, and here's how everything came out for us at 264 Fresco. 

When I was growing up, the humble Brussels sprout was nowhere to be found on a restaurant menu. They sprouted up in popularity at the end of the last decade, and as a result, you can now find them on many menus—even here at an Italian restaurant. 264 Fresco served a generous amount of Brussels Sprouts ($15) with pancetta and gastrique, finished with some high-quality grana padano cheese sprinkled on top. The sprouts were incredibly fresh, but I had wished for a heavier hand when the rest of the ingredients were applied. I guess they were trying to have the sprouts be front and center. 

Katie usually gravitates towards comfort food when eating in an Italian restaurant for the first time. I was unsurprised that the birthday girl selected this Short Rib Pappardelle ($26) for her birthday meal. The short rib and large pappardelle noodles were joined in this shallow bowl with a fantastic beef au jus, mushrooms, and a garlic confit. Katie loved the comforting combo of the short rib and large noodles but also appreciated the radishes and Italian parsley that helped cut the dish's richness. It would be hard for her to order this again on return visits. 

The baseline for me when judging an Italian restaurant is to try their lasagna first. This entree has all the components that make an excellent Italian restaurant; the sauce, cheese, and pasta. I really enjoyed this version at 264 Fresco. They used bechamel and bolognese sauce, a healthy serving of sausage, and a sprinkling of cheese on top. This was a light lasagne. The sauces were present but did not overpower. The pasta was done perfectly, and the sausage was mildly flavored. A good lasagna for a midday lunch, as it will not put you to sleep after finishing it. 

Even though we only tried three items from the extensive 264 Fresco menu, I can see why this restaurant has met with widespread appeal from the people of Carlsbad and the surrounding area. This is the kind of Italian restaurant you want to visit and eat through the menu to gleam your favorites. We also were very fond of the atmosphere of this rooftop restaurant, with its birds-eye view of downtown Carlsbad. Sadly, there is no ocean view, but you can't have it all. The service was straightforward and to the point, with no real lags during our stay. 264 Fresco added to our streak of excellent restaurants when we came down this way. I'm already looking forward to Katie's next birthday. 

Out of five accordions (because Carlsbad is home to the Museum of Making Music, and one of their past exhibits was about this beloved box-shaped instrument), five being best to zero being worst, 264 Fresco gets 3.5 accordions. 

For more information about 264 Fresco, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.264fresco.com/

Old School Offerings in Orange at the Tartan Room

 Tartan Room Restaurant

2652 North Tustin Street

Orange, CA 92865

I don't want to get too personal here, but recently, I've been making more of an effort to see my parents. Time is racing by at an alarming rate, and I don't want to have regrets later on down the line. When we visit, I ask them about their childhoods, relatives, family traditions, and general thoughts on life. I've learned a lot, and of course, we usually hold these conversations at a restaurant that I have wanted to try. On this particular Wednesday afternoon, that restaurant was the Tartan Room in Orange. 

In a city with many beloved places, the Tartan Room is definitely among them in Orange. People here really love this place. I posted about my visit on Instagram and got many comments from my followers sharing their fandom for this restaurant. It shocked me because this place is indeed hidden, and you really have to look for it to find it. 

The Tartan Room has existed for 65 years, which is eons in the restaurant business. They were initially located near where Main Place Mall stands now, and I am unsure when they moved to their present location in the Nohl Plaza, which is anchored by Vons on the corner of Lincoln and Tustin. Finding them might be easier if you look for Villa Ford, as they are neighbors separated by a fence. 

If you visit here on a sunny afternoon like we did, be prepared that this restaurant is dark and will take a few minutes for your eyes to adjust. As you enter, the bar will be to your right. When we visited, the bartender also played the role of hostess, as she was the one who sat us in the dining room. The booths here are very comfortable and bring to mind the old-school steakhouses you used to be able to find in Las Vegas. 

The Tartan Room serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, while dinner starts at 5 p.m. seven days a week. While the dinner menu features hefty entree options, the lunch menu is a little more diverse, with plenty of sandwiches, burgers, and melts available. They offer eight more substantial plates for people like me who like a bigger midday meal with soup or salad and a side item. Only the bigger plates exceed the $20 mark, with the most pricey of them, the shrimp and filet, setting you back $26. Now that our eyes were adjusted to the darkness of the Tartan Room, we made our selections and waited for our food to appear, which did not take too long.  

Online reviews for the Fried Zucchini ($14) were glowing, so I had to try it. Good fried zucchini has become a lost art lately, but the Tartan Room makes a very good one. The breading is not overpowering but flavorful and allows the zucchini to shine. The slight dusting of parmesan is a nice touch, and the provided ranch dressing coats each piece wonderfully. I'm usually partial to round zucchini pieces, but these were uniformly cut and easy to manage. 

Lunch entrees here come with your choice of soup or salad, and as it was a warmer day when we visited, I selected the House Salad. This is a traditional steak house salad with sliced beet, lettuce blend, two red onion rings, and croutons. The blue cheese dressing was challenged in the blue cheese department, but it clung to everything well. The provided fresh ground pepper woke up this salad a bit. 

When most people think of the Tartan Room, Mexican food is probably not front and center in their minds. On Wednesdays during lunch, however, they feature a Mexican plate inspired by their chef's whim. On the Wednesday we were here, the special was a Cheese Enchilada and Hard-Shelled Taco Plate ($15). My mom is a very light eater and really just wanted the cheese enchilada, but we urged her to get the meal as it came and take the taco home for lunch the next day. She finally saw this advantage and immediately boxed up the taco, so I guess I won't be reviewing that, I thought to myself. She enjoyed the rather sizeable cheesy enchilada but left most of the rice and beans untouched. I tried a bite of each and thought they were pretty good, considering this is not a Mexican restaurant.  

If you see a Monte Cristo ($16) on a restaurant menu, that restaurant is geared towards an older clientele, or they want to convey the vibe that they have been around forever. This is not the case with the Tartan Room, which has been around for 65 years. For the younger people who are unaware, the Monte Cristo is a ham and cheese sandwich that is battered and fried, then dusted with powdered sugar and served with strawberry preserves. Think of it as French toast with ham and cheese in the middle. This hefty and rich sandwich instantly calls for a nap after consuming one. My dad has lost weight lately but took this down quickly and allowed me a bite. It was terrific, with a good ham and cheese-to-bread ratio. The onion rings might not look like much, but they had a crunchy outer portion and stayed with the onion inside. If you have been looking for this cult classic sandwich, head to the Tartan Room to get your Monte Cristo fix. 

Prime Rib ($22) was my go-to steak as a kid. I liked to order it when we went out for my birthday or when my aunt was paying for dinner. It made me feel grown and fancy, like JR Ewing on Dallas, eating at the Cattleman's Club while working on a backstabbing deal. Okay, I'm definitely showing my age, but my point is that I've kind of grown out of prime rib since my early days. This one at the Tartan room was cooked to my desired medium rare, but except for the outer edge of this, it lacked any real flavor. Truthfully, though, I can count on one hand all the memorable prime ribs I've had in the last 40 years. The creamed horseradish and au jus helped out a bit to bring this eight-ounce slab of beef to life. I got the Twice Baked Potato for my side item, which was a little on the small side but was fine. 

Like many restaurants in Orange, they get their cakes from Rockwell's Bakery, located in nearby Villa Park. They had three cake options, but I zeroed in on the Carrot Cake ($10). This was a very dense cake with a sturdy cream cheese frosting. It came to the table very cold, making it seem slightly less fresh than if it had been served at room temperature. 

The Tartan Room was a good choice for lunch with my parents. They appreciated the varied selections on the lunch menu and the relatively modest prices. Everything we had here was okay but not mind-blowing. I'd like to revisit again for dinner to get the whole Tartan Room experience—a crooner in the corner belting out some Sinatra, a New York steak, and maybe even a martini. That's the Tartan Room I can envision people flocking to. We experienced very professional service this afternoon and would not hesitate to return for more of the old-time vibes this joint offers. 

Out of five kilts (because most of these knee-length skirts feature a tartan pattern, some representing the wearer's family), five being best to zero being worst, the Tartan Room gets 3 kilts. 

For more information about the Tartan Room, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.thetartanroom.com/