All Right Hamilton! More Good Eats in DC

 The Hamilton

600 14th Street NW

Washington, DC 20005

What I'm going to type out next might shock some of you. I have never seen the play Hamilton. I know, I'm sure it's good, but I'm not really a musical fan. I'm more prone to see musicals when they are made into movies, but plays have never really been my thing. And yes, I know there's a filmed version of Hamilton that came out in 2020, but I've been busy watching other things on my list and trying to catch up with my reviews for this blog. Which brings me to another review of a restaurant we visited on our trip to DC, The Hamilton. 

It was our second day in Washington, and we had visited two of the Smithsonian museums, the National Museum of American History and the National Air and Space Museum. Lots of great exhibits and, of course, lots of walking. It was because of the walking that Katie wanted to stay close to our hotel, which was just a block away from the White House. I had Old Ebbitt Grill on my restaurant list, but they were slammed when we arrived, and they told us it would be a 1.5-hour wait. We couldn't wait that long, so we walked around the block to try a restaurant that we had passed on our way to the metro every day, the Hamilton. 

I didn't know it at the time, but Old Ebbitt and the Hamilton are sister restaurants, as they are both part of the Clyde Restaurant Group, which operates 13 restaurants in the Washington Metro area. The Hamilton opened late in 2011, and since it's located just a block away from the White House, it receives a significant amount of foot traffic. They are closing in on 4,000 reviews on Yelp, boasting a nearly four-star rating. The restaurant is cavernous, featuring a huge bar and dining room on the first floor, as well as a music venue space in the basement. They also get a lot of love for their late-night sushi special, which people rave about. 

No late-night sushi for us, as we arrived here at half past five on a Saturday evening. The restaurant was full, but we were quoted a wait time of only half an hour for the two of us. After only fifteen minutes, we were seated in the wood-paneled dining room, a space where I can imagine politicians, White House interns, or congressional aides meeting up after a hard day's work. I may have just watched too much of The West Wing and House of Cards, though. 

The menu at The Hamilton is impressive for the variety of food it serves. The menu features fifteen starters, including cheese boards and charcuterie, as well as salads, fish, steak, chops, and other entrees, along with house-made pastas, burgers, sandwiches, and sides. They also have an extensive sushi menu, but I'm unsure if it's only available at the aforementioned sushi bar or throughout the entire restaurant. We made our selections with our very personable server, Amanda, and this is what we received. 

We spied this Bread and Butter ($4.99) starter on the table next to us, so we had to order one for ourselves. All of these breads were made on the premises and came with whipped butter that comes with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. I really enjoyed the variety of the bread included, but my favorite was the ones that resembled Parker House rolls. They had a little salt baked into their glossy tops, and the bottom portion was pillowy soft, made even better with plenty of the provided butter. 

I made a mental note before leaving on this vacation that I would try as many crab cakes as possible on this trip. I started off my crab cake journey with this Crab Cake Sandwich ($27.99). The brioche bun came open-faced with tomato, lettuce, tartar sauce, and half a lemon so I could dress my sandwich how I wanted. I discarded the lettuce and tomato right away, then squeezed a small amount of lemon juice over the tennis ball-sized crab cake, and used a generous amount of the delicious tartar sauce. The crab cake itself was devoid of any binding that I could detect, although I know there had to be something holding it all together. Easily one of the best I have had, with lots of big pieces of lump crab in each bite. I ate half of it as a sandwich and then ditched the brioche bun, savoring each bite of the remaining crab cake one forkful at a time. The fries were crispy, and the mayo-based coleslaw was a nice accompaniment. This will be a tough crab cake to beat going forward. 

Katie was still full from our late breakfast, so she opted for the Short Rib Rigatoni ($10.99), which is one of their nine sides. As a side item, this was a relatively generous serving size. The rigatoni and shredded short rib were topped with crushed tomatoes, a cheese sauce, and a generous amount of pecorino Romano on top. Katie loved this dish, and if she were hungrier, she would have loved to have gotten a full-sized pasta dish. The pasta was freshly made and cooked well, and the red wine short rib provided great bursts of flavor. 

I wasn't planning on having dessert, but they had a Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake ($11.99) that I couldn't resist. The cake portion was banana with a peanut butter mousse on the inside, then it was topped with whipped cream and caramelized bananas, and a streak of strawberry jelly across the plate. I liked this but thought it was going to be better. The peanut butter and jelly sandwich felt disconnected, and the predominant flavor was banana, but it was too muted for my taste. Not awful, but not what I was hoping for. 

It's good to be flexible when you're on vacation. Most of the time, it works out, like when we really wanted to try Old Ebbitt, but we ended up at the Hamilton instead. We were excited about this visit, and their menu is so diverse that we saw many other things we would have liked to have tried, but vacations are all about trying as many different restaurants as possible. I loved the atmosphere here; it made me feel like we were dining with the heavyweights of the federal government. The service we experienced from our server, Amanda, and the rest of the staff was fantastic, and the food was delicious, especially that crab cake. It was so good that I'm also thinking of checking out Hamilton, the musical. I'll let you know how I like it.  

Here's a quick shot of the National Air and Space Museum that we visited before having dinner at The Hamilton. I thought we were only going to spend a little time here, but we ended up staying for two hours. Time really flies. Sorry for that. I'll go hang my head in shame. 

Out of five classified ads (because Alexander Hamilton was not only the first Secretary of the Treasury, but he also founded the New York Post in 1801, and since it's still being published today, I'm sure they have had tons of classifed ads over those 225 year), five being best to zero being worst, The Hamilton gets 3.5 classified ads. 

For more information about The Hamilton, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.thehamiltondc.com/

Unconventionally Great Diner Food in DC

 Unconventional Diner

1207 9th Street NW

Washington, DC 20001

Given the amount of walking we'd be doing in Washington and Katie's love for sleep, I knew it would be ambitious to have five breakfast spots on my restaurant wishlist for this trip. Not to ruin it for you, but we only had breakfast out one other time on our five-day visit to our nation's Capital. Luckily, we hit the one restaurant I most wanted to try for breakfast, Unconventional Diner. 

Unconventional Diner, or UD as I will refer to it for the remainder of this review, opened its doors in the winter of 2017 in the Shaw/Downtown neighborhood of DC, directly adjacent to the Convention Center. This all-day diner came highly recommended for their brunch, and in true diner fashion, they also receive rave reviews for their lunch and dinner. They boast a mighty impressive 4.4-star rating on Yelp, with over 3,100 reviews and counting. 

UD is helmed by Chef Partner David Deshaies and was inspired by a restaurant close to where I live, one that I have unfortunately not had the pleasure of eating at yet: Republique in Los Angeles. Republique is an all-day diner concept developed by Michel Richard, Deshaies' former boss. Before he died in 2016, Richard gave his blessing for Deshaies to emulate what he had done at his iconic Hancock Park restaurant. 

We arrived here at 11am on a Saturday morning. Predictably, the 8,000-square-foot restaurant was packed with people. I couldn't make reservations because of the uncertainty of how long Katie would be sleeping in, given our cross-country flight from the previous day. We were quoted a two-hour wait time for a table, but we were told we were welcome to wait for a seat at their bar, which accommodates 25 guests. Our luck proved pretty good, as we walked by just as they were clearing the plates of two seats that would soon become free. I'm not usually too excited to sit at a counter, but I pushed through my trepidation and grabbed the two coveted seats. 

The everyday brunch menu at UD is served until 3:45pm. The menu features approximately 20 brunch items, accompanied by a selection of sides, beverages, and a rotating assortment of desserts. There's also another whole page of cocktails, beer, wine, and other boozy drinks for those who imbibe. Entree prices for brunch range between $15 and $26, and desserts hover around $14. We made our selections with the very peppy staff, and here's how everything came out for us. 

Katie loves a good breakfast sandwich, and that's why she zeroed in on the S"eggs"Y Sandwich ($16) almost immediately after getting the menu in her hand. This sandwich featured scrambled eggs, thick-cut bacon, scallions, cheese, and Sexy sauce, all on a black sesame-seed bun, and was served with a generous amount of fries. Katie felt that this was one of the better breakfast sandwiches she had ever eaten. She loved the lightness of the scrambled egg and the crispy bacon. The sexy sauce was on point. She wished she had substituted the fries for something else, not because they were bad, but because she was having breakfast and would have preferred breakfast potatoes or hash browns. 

Katie also selected the Buttermilk Biscuit and Jam ($6), which is listed under the "sides" section of the menu. The biscuit was rectangular instead of round, but it tasted just as good as others, and the buttermilk flavor was very present. I liked the way the butter came out spread across half the plate. There was plenty of it, and it was very spreadable. Way better than those foil-wrapped packets that are almost always served ice cold and don't spread nicely on any bread. I might be wrong, but I believe the strawberry jam was house-made. Even if it wasn't, it was delicious. 

I had a lot tougher time narrowing down my order than Katie did. The Shrimp and Grits, Chicken and Waffles, and the Loaded Breakfast Biscuits all appealed to me, but I finally settled on the French Dip Poutine ($23). This hearty bowl featured Angus beef, cheese curds, caramelized onions, a sunny-side-up egg, and fries. To be honest, this is the closest I have ever come to having an authentic poutine. All that was missing was the gravy, which I suppose the runny yolk of the egg served as a substitute for. My first bites of this were magical. Very comforting, and the cheese curds did squeak a little when bitten into. I also enjoyed the sunny-side-up egg, but another one would have balanced this out more. With later bites, the saltiness was a little overwhelming. Still good, and a good base for the walking that we had planned around DC. 

No section of the UD menu gets rotated as much as the desserts do. I could have picked three or four that sounded great when we visited in January, but this Banana Cream Cake ($14) caught my attention because I have been on a banana kick since last year. This roll cake begins with a vanilla cake base and banana icing, creating the spiral, and is finished with a nicely done butterscotch and toasted marshmallow topping. I enjoyed the texture of the cake and all the other elements, but I wished it were a little heavier on the banana flavor. Near the end, when I was done with the butterscotch, it became plain tasting. 

Even with a few minor complaints from me, I found the Unconventional Diner to be a great breakfast spot. It's difficult to judge a restaurant by only visiting once, but even though I had some issues with what I ordered, I get the sense that if I visited another time, I'd find something here that I'd genuinely love. It's challenging for restaurants to make breakfast/brunch an event, but UD has succeeded in doing so. What they have also done is put together a team of servers, bussers, and hosts whose number one priority is to make sure every guest has the best possible visit here. We were blown away by the service we received, and it was evident with everyone who sat with us at the counter. I'm thrilled that everything fell into place for us during our visit to UD, but I'm disappointed we didn't get the chance to try them for dinner. 

Here's a quick shot of the Washington Monument on day two of our visit to Washington, DC. At 555 feet tall, it's the tallest stone structure in the world. That might be why Katie was hesitant to go to the top, so we just saw it from ground level, which is almost as impressive. 

Out of five elevators (because when the Washington Monument opened to the public in 1886, the elevator ride to the top took 8-10 minutes. Luckily, the trip has been shortened to 70 seconds nowadays), with five being best to zero being worst, Conventional Diner gets 4 elevators. 

For more information on Unconventional Diner, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.unconventionaldiner.com/

The Burger Stops Here, Unfortunately - CLOSED

 Eat Brgz

250 7th Street SE

Washington DC 20036

Okay, this is not the way I wanted to start sharing the great restaurants we ate at during our visit to Washington, DC, in early January. Yes, I'm six months behind, but I'm determined to cut that in half by the end of the year. Back to our first day in DC, though. We were fresh off the plane from OC, and after a day touring the Capitol, checking into our hotel, and navigating the metro, we were a bit tired from walking and were ready to tackle my DC restaurant wishlist. First up for us was Eat Brgz. 

Eat Brgz was located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood and followed by locations in Chinatown, the West End, and the Eastern Market area of DC. Unfortunately, as of February, all of their locations have closed. Founder Brandon Alexander was made an offer from Wonder, a food hall concept that was too good to pass up. He also wanted to focus on family and is getting another business degree from Columbia University. 

Brandon opened up Eat Brgz in 2019, weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, and ended up on my DC restaurant wishlist because they were mentioned on nearly every best burger list that I scoured before leaving for this trip. They also had a viral hit with their fried chicken and waffle tower that they served for brunch. 

We arrived here just after 4pm, after walking a block in the wrong direction after exiting the Eastern Market Metro station. We have five days here to figure things out. The restaurant had a clean and sleek vibe, mainly due to the white walls and floors, and the lack of decor. Ordering was done at the counter, and behind that counter, customers had a great view of the staff preparing and cooking each guest's meals. 

One section of the menu was dedicated to a build-your-own burger, where you pick the cheese, mix-ins, seasoning, and sauce. You also had the option of having all of these inside your burger, resembling a juicy Lucy. Since this was our first time here, we stuck to the signature burgers that come already built. The sides included fries and Brussels sprouts. Burgers hovered right around the $15 price point. Let's see if this food was a sign of good things to come for us on our DC trip. 

Katie must have been really hungry, or she did not see that this Wagyu Smash Burger ($17.50) contained two patties. It also came with four slices of American cheese, grilled onions, and their house Brgz sauce, all on a potato bun. She, like me, thought this was going to be an actual smash burger, which is flattened very thin on the grill with crispy edges on the outside. This was more substantial than a smash burger, and I'm sure that's why she gave me the last few bites of this. I enjoyed it, as it was a simple burger with some excellent meat, which was juicy and seasoned just enough. I would have liked some extra onions and definitely more sauce, which was applied way too lightly. The Fresh Cut French Fries ($4) were nicely fried and tasted like they were indeed freshly cut there. Excellent, fast-food-style French fries. 

I selected the Basic Bacon Burger ($15.50) for my meal at Brgz. Seriously, one of the better burgers I've had in years. The beef patty was infused with diced bacon, relish, basic seasoning, red onion, and cheddar cheese. The toppings not mixed with the beef were pickled red onion, sliced cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, Brgz sauce, and thick-cut maple candied bacon. This was a well-crafted burger, and not gimmicky like I thought it was going to be. I was afraid that the bacon would overwhelm, but it just added some smokiness to the patty. The cheese inside the patty was not really noticeable, but the sliced cheese outside picked up the slack. I do regret not cutting it in half to share a picture of the cross section. The bun is also worth noting, as it did not slide around a lot and held its integrity throughout the short life that this burger had in front of me. I'm always partial to Crispy Brussels Sprouts ($6) and gave them a try here. They had three options for seasoning on these: salt and pepper, Cajun, or the one I got, garlic parmesan. They were fine, with a light dusting of the parmesan, I got bored with these halfway through. I ended up using some garlic aioli that I had ordered to dip them into, and it helped me finish these sprouts. 

I did not learn about Eat Brgz closing down until I started writing this review, and it hit me hard. It's really a shame for the people of DC that this excellent burger spot is no longer available to them. I admit I was very hungry when we were here, but that's not the reason for my rave review of this burger restaurant. It was just plain delicious and made with some high-quality ingredients. It's easy to see why they were mentioned on many of the best burger lists in DC. Hopefully, they will return someday, and if that's the case, I'll have to make a return visit to DC. 

I thought it would be fun to share a picture of what we saw in Washington on each of the following eight restaurant reviews. This was my first time here since 1984, and it was Katie's first visit to our nation's Capital, and our first time being in snow for any extended length of time. For the 5 days we were here, the temperature was in the 30s, but we did have one day that it got up to 51, which felt like a heat wave. Here's a shot of the Capitol on our first day in DC. 

Out of five bathtubs (because the US Capitol has two ivory bathtubs in it that were initially used by the senators because they used to live in boarding houses that did not have running water), five being best to zero being worst, Eat Brgz gets 4 bathtubs. 

Since Eat Brgz has closed and their website has been taken down, you can see everything you missed by clicking here to visit their Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/eat-brgz-washington

Get These Animals Some Glasses

 Blind Coyote Cantina

4975 Lakeview Avenue 

Yorba Linda, CA 92886

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Calaca Mamas

1550 South Harbor Blvd. 

Anaheim, CA 92802

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mission Accomplished at Tavern at the Mission

 Tavern at the Mission

26860 Old Mission Road

San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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