Fighting For a Good Meal at Shogun - CLOSED

New Shogun

25521 Muirlands Blvd.

Mission Viejo, CA 92691

Being with Katie means that their is never a lack of birthdays. She has three siblings, and they all have significant others. With her parents added that is a total of ten birthdays a year that need to be celebrated. That does not even include my own family. Luckily, most of the birthdays are spread all through the year so we are not bombarded with lots of presents to buy all in one month. It is February, so that means Katie's mom Lynn is ready to blow out the candles for the 28th time! Where will she pick to eat though? That question is answered when we arrive at the New Shogun.

Of course almost everyone in our party of 11 asked why it is called New Shogun, and what happened to the old shogun. Not sure what happened to the old place, but this New Shogun has been flooding my mailbox with coupons for the four years I have lived in Mission Viejo.

New Shogun is located in a small shopping center that features a CVS Pharmacy and Antonucci's Italian Restaurant that we reviewed sometime back. New Shogun is a teppan restaurant. The best way to describe teppan to someone is to tell them that it just like Benihana. Food is prepared on a large, table sized grill, while the chef makes a show of slicing up the meats and veggies. Let's see if the show is worth the price of admission.

Before the show got started our order was taken, and the soup and salads were brought out. With each entree ordered you get both soup and salad. The soup was a Miso one with tofu. This soup was served steaming hot, and had an average taste. Nothing stood out for me with this soup. Just something to take up time waiting for our meals. The House Green Salad was next. This is your typical green salad served with a tangy ginger? dressing. The salad was better than the soup, but that is not saying much. The dressing at least woke up our taste buds.

The chef opened his portion of the show by forming rice balls and flipping them in every one's mouth. Here you see  Emily's failed attempt at her first try. If you look closely enough you can see the rice flying by her right ear. Fail! She did get it on her second try though. Good job Em!

Of course no teppan show would be complete without the obligatory onion volcano. Behold the onion in all of it's blazing glory!

Here are some random pictures of our guy grilling the meats and vegetables. The chef we had this night did all of the requisite routines, but he was not big in the personality department. Kind of felt like he was just going through the motions. I am sure it can get tiring doing the same thing over and over, day after day, year after year though.

I snapped this picture of Katie's plate before the vegetables and bean sprouts were added. She ordered the Shrimp with Yakisoba Noodles. She liked the shrimp here, but felt this plate was too salty, and the noodles were too hard. After the bite I had of this, I would tend to agree.

Here was my finished plate. I went with the Filet Mignon and Shrimp. The chef asked how I wanted my steak, and I said medium rare. I should have just answered that I wanted it like everyone else, because all the steak was done at the same time. It was more on the medium well side, but it was still tender enough to eat. The shrimp were okay. A little on the chewy side because they were over cooked. They really piled on the vegetables here. I was going to take pictures of every one's plates, but they all pretty much looked the same with the all of the veggies placed on top of the steak and shrimp.

I would sum this place up by saying that it is a poor man's version of Benihana. The restaurant seems a little dated, and maybe in the need of a makeover. The prices of course are on the high side for the amount of food that you receive. The combination dinners are in the $20 to $40 range. Also be advised that fried rice is an extra charge of $3 per serving. I will stick with the steamed rice on our next visit. If you take this place for what it is, you will enjoy your time here. The food is a secondary thought at Shogun. The main attraction is the chef's presentation of the food, and how he interacts with the guests. The New Shogun is not a restaurant that you will come to eat weekly. The food will not blow you away, but it is fun once in awhile in a large group. Now that Lynn's birthday is done, only eleven more birthday dinners to go! Looking forward to each and every one of them!

Out of five swords, (because the term Shogun is a military rank in Japan, and most of the military men back in the day had swords), five being best to zero being worst, New Shogun gets 2 swords.

For more information on New Shogun, click here: http://newshogunrestaurant.com/

No Small Flavors at Pee Wee's - CLOSED

Pee Wee's Famous Hot Dogs and Hamburgers

5942 East Edinger, Suite 104

Huntington Beach, CA 92649

It has been nearly six months since we have made it up to Huntington Beach for a restaurant review. It has been a lot longer that I have known about Pee Wee's. This Surf City place has gotten some good press for the hot dogs and burgers it serves. So after being at the OC Swap Meet for a few hours, I had grown quite an appetite, and was ready for some good food. We headed up the 405 freeway a little more and ended up at Pee Wee's.

Pee Wee's is located in a Vons shopping center directly across from Marina High School. The restaurant is small , with about twelve tables. The decor is definitely surfer based. Stickers on the walls, surfboards hanging, and even surf dudes behind the counter. Also papering the walls are pictures from kids, and reviews that have been cut out of the newspaper. It is those reviews that have brought us here, so let's checkout the food.

Katie was not really in the mood for a burger or hot dog, so she went with the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. This was served on a baguette, along with tomato, lettuce, avocado, and a garlic aioli. The chicken was seasoned well and very tender. Katie was very enthusiastic about this sandwich, calling it, "one of the best I have ever had!" She noted the freshness of the produce, and enjoyed the bun because it held all of the contents, but did not get in the way of the chicken. She would definitely order this again.

Up next was the Chili Cheese Dog. This was their standard hot dog with chili, cheese, mustard and onions added. This chili dog was better than most, but did not knock my socks off. The hot dog itself had a solid snap to it, but the cheese needed to be melted more, and maybe grated smaller for my taste. The chili was fair. It added moistness, but did not pack the punch that most chili's should.

For my next item I got a little more adventurous, and it paid off by being very good. The Chupacabra is a double bacon wrapped Polish dog, topped with avocado, crema, queso fresco, pico de gallo, and cilantro on a baguette. The bacon was not as prominent here as I would like, but the flavors melded together well. The queso fresco was a nice touch, and the avocado was smooth and fresh. The spicy Polish dog added just enough heat to wake up the taste buds, and the baguette once again kept things in control without getting in the way of its contents.

After eating the grilled chicken sandwich, Katie could not force herself to eat the Polish Dog with sauerkraut and mustard that she ordered. I was lucky enough to take it to work the next day. It was even good the day after. The dog had a great meaty flavor and the kraut added enough tang to satisfy.

I was getting pretty full, but I did have to try their burgers here. I opted for the Blue Cheese Bacon Burger. I would classify this burger as a backyard burger. Kind of tastes like the way my Dad makes them, minus the charcoal parts, (sorry Dad!). This burger was big on flavor. Great bacon and grilled onions. The blue cheese could have been more pungent, but other than that, I have no complaints.

As were eating they brought us out this sampler platter which consisted of Sweet Potato Fries, Onion Rings and Fried Pickles. The onion rings were the best of the bunch here. They were crispy, without being greasy. I am not too big a fan of sweet potato fries, but Katie called these, "solid, especially paired with the chipotle aioli served with these". The fried pickles received a lukewarm reception from Katie and myself. To be truthful though we are not big fried pickle fans. These used pickle spears, which is something I have not seen before. Usually most restaurant use pickle chips. Not our thing though.

Pee Wee's was definitely worth the drive up to HB. It is a little unassuming restaurant, but what it lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in big flavors. I admit I went a little conservative with my choices here. On my next trip up to Pee Wee's I will be trying a Banh Mi Burger, Hatch Green Chili Cheese Burger, and maybe an LA Street Dog or a Hawaiian Dog. So much diversity and so little time. The service here was great. The guys behind the counter answered all of our questions, and got the food out to us quick. We can not wait to make the trek back up to Pee Wees' again.

Out of five Jambi's, (the genie on Pee Wee's Playhouse, who granted wishes to Pee Wee, and if I had any wish, it would be for a Pee Wee's to open closer to my house!), five being best to zero being worst, Pee Wee's Famous Hot Dog's and Hamburgers gets 3.5 Jambi's.

For more information on Pee Wee's Famous Hot Dogs and Hamburgers, click here: http://www.peeweesfamous.com/

Getting the Royal Treatment at Medieval Times

Medieval Times

7662 Beach Boulevard

Buena Park, CA 90620

Renaissance fairs, dinner theater, and jousting are usually not my thing. That was all about to change. Recently, both Katie and I were invited to Medieval Times to sample their new menu and watch the premiere of their first new show in five years. I had never been to Medieval Times before, so I had almost no idea what I was in for. I knew that there would be no utensils used for dinner, and I knew there would be knights battling it out in front of me, but besides that I was clueless as to what was going to go on here.

We arrived at the castle at six. After checking in we received our crowns, took a picture, and perused all of the souvenirs and clothing they have to offer. They have all the weaponry, toys, souvenirs and clothing any fan of the 11th century could want. Next it was off to the Knight's Club for a drink at their bar. Before we knew it, it was time to enter the arena for dinner.

The"lords and ladies" are seated in sections corresponding with the color of their crown. Each section has a knight to root for through the tournament. We were seated in the Black and White Knight's section. The leveled seating makes every seat in the castle a great seat. Just as the show was about to begin, our wench came over to get our drink order. It is a set menu for dinner, but they also offer a vegetarian option as well. Of course we got the standard meal, and this is how it all turned out.

The new show is not the only new thing here. The food has been upgraded as well. Starting us off was a Tomato Bisque and Focaccia Bread with olive oil and seasoning. No utensils were offered, so we waited for the bisque to cool, and drank it out of the bowl. The bread was soft and chewy.

The meal may have been upgraded at Medieval Times, but the Chicken and Rib plate still remain. They were very generous with the chicken. Each lord or lady gets a half a roasted chicken all to themselves. The chicken was surprisingly tender. The BBQ Beef Rib is now even larger. The potatoes have been changed here as well.  They are now herb roasted and cut in quarters, in what amounts to a large french fry.

The dessert of the castle the night we were here was Braided Apple Strudel. This dessert was stuffed with apples and served smoking hot. I had to let this cool down before I dived into this.

The all new show was pretty entertaining. I did not get pictures of it, but the dancing horse and the falconer was the highlight of my night. Our black and white knight was one of the first knights eliminated from the competition. Thanks a lot for the effort Knight! The rest of the knights engaged in sword fights, jousting, and equine presentations, all set to a new dramatic musical score.

I am not saying that I am going to start attending Renaissance Fairs or anything, but I did enjoy myself at Medieval Times. The improved meal and the new show make this a go to spot if you have visitors from out of town, or if you have never been yourself.

For show times and more information, check out Medieval times web site here:http://www.medievaltimes.com/

Contest Alert!

Thanks Medieval Times, Dennis Gaschen, and Michelle Barwick, for the opportunity to be a part of the new show and menu at Medieval Times. If you would like to experience Medieval Times yourself, I was graciously given a pair of tickets to give away on my blog. To win just comment on this blog post, or comment on our Facebook post about Medieval Times. One comment per person on both the blog and the Facebook post.  A winner will be drawn at random on Monday, February 13th, 2012. Good luck!

Contest Update

We have a winner! It is CJ Richner. CJ we will be in touch to give you your pair of tickets to Medieval Times. Congrats! To everyone else who tried, thank you very much for taking the time to enter, and thanks for reading the blog. We look forward to sharing more eating adventures with you in the future. 

Saved By the Dinner Bell at Bayside?

Bayside Restaurant

900 Bayside Dr.

Newport Beach, CA 92660

My list of restaurants to try has gotten out of control! It is now almost three pages long. I have thought about putting a moratorium on adding to my list, but I love hearing from people about where they think I should eat. I would probably miss a lot of great places if I stopped adding to the list. So I only have one alternative, eat as many places as I can on my restaurant wish list. It just so happened that we were in the midst of Newport Beach restaurant week, so I took out my list and sitting there at the top was a Newport Beach restaurant, Bayside.

I have been to Bayside one time before, like over ten years ago. I remember the food being good, but a little on the pricey side. This was when I was younger, and not used to dining in some of the finer establishments that grace this county of ours. Bayside is part of the restaurant group that owns Bistango and Kimera, both anchored in Irvine. Bayside features a revolving art exhibit, which can be purchased by guests. I am sure these works are all out of my price range, but it was cool looking at them. Something that was in my price range was Bayside's $40 restaurant week menu. Let's see if the food was worthy of being hung in a museum, or sold at a garage sale.

No bread basket here, but we were given our bread one at a time by the busboy. Kind of helped me, by not allowing me to get filled up on bread. The bread was a heavier sourdough roll. A little on the dry side, but made better by adding a good deal of butter. They were a little stingy with the butter though. It came in a little cup, and I could have used it all for one roll, but I knew I had to share with Katie. What a gentleman I am.

Before we got going on our prix-fixe menu, we started with this Lobster Bruschetta. Instead of tomatoes, this bruschetta was topped with a lobster salad, avocado, and lemon aioli, a much better alternative. The lobster salad tasted very fresh, but not too rich. The avocado was a nice unexpected touch, which tied this appetizer together nicely. The bread was grilled and held all the contents admirably. Solid start to the meal.

The presentation of Katie's Roasted Red Beets and California Goat Cheese really caught my eye. This was also served with toasted walnuts, red Belgian endive, watercress, and drizzled with aged balsamic reduction. It looks great, but how did it taste? Katie, who is not a beet fan, liked the light and mellow flavor of this. The walnuts added some needed texture, and the goat cheese worked well with the beets. This is the kind of dish Dwight Schrute could get behind.

I went the more traditional route when choosing my first course, a Chopped Heart of Romaine Salad. Their version of a Caesar salad featured a Parmesan dressing that was a touch too lemony in some bites. The focaccia croutons were good and the Parmesan cheese was very plentiful. The produce here was fresh, and the portion size of this salad was more than adequate.

This good looking plate was Katie selection for dinner, the Pan Roasted Jumbo Tiger Prawns. Here the tiger prawns are served over their famous green risotto with snap peas. Katie described this dish as "comfortable as an old sweater". Fancy comfort food that seemed to hug you while you consumed it. The tiger prawns were very fresh, the spinach risotto was spot on, and the snap peas added texture to this dish. A real winner in Katie's opinion.

This handsome looking plate was my Prime Top Sirloin Culotte Steak. I got this medium rare, and it was cooked just that way. The beef was very tender and presented well. This steak was paired with blue cheese potato leek fondue and arugula pesto. I was a little disappointed with the potato because I was expecting more blue cheese flavor. The potatoes kind of fell flat here. Still, this satisfied my steak craving.

Dessert was up next, and above is the Chocolate Souffle Cake, served with Hazelnut Ice Cream. Katie felt the ice cream was nice and smooth, but felt the cake portion of this was a little on the bitter side, not as sweet as it should have been. She also thought this should have been lighter and fluffier. I liked this dessert a little more than she did. I felt it was sweet enough, and the texture was fine.

The Creme Brulee would be my choice for dessert. This is your classic creme brulee. The custard was smooth and had an understated flavor. The top had a thick caramelized rink above the custard. Not the best creme brulee I have had, but not the worst by a long shot. The raspberry cookie served with this looked to be dry, but was filled with fruit, and was surprisingly good. I have been on a real cookie kick lately, as the five girl scout cookie boxes I ordered can attest to. Ugh, no more of those things!

The atmosphere at Bayside was pretty nice. The dining room was comfortable without being pretentious. The booths put us in a loungy kind of mood. The piped in rat pack music helped facilitate that same mood. When we arrived at 6pm, the restaurant was nearly empty. By the time we left at 7:30, the dining room was filled. The service here was great. Our waiter kept things moving along, and the busboys did a great job filling our glasses, and clearing plates promptly. I was glad we could finally cross Bayside off of our restaurant wish list, and during restaurant week, double bonus!

Out of five turtles, (because the show Saved by the Bell featured a character named Lisa Turtle, and she and the gang went to Bayside High), five being best to zero being worst, Bayside Restaurant gets 3.5 turtles.

For more information on Bayside Restaurant, click here: https://baysiderestaurant.com/

Sappy or Sweet at the Great Maple?

Great Maple

1133 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

The clock was ticking. It was four days into Newport Beach Restaurant Week, and we had not been to one restaurant yet. Lucky for us we had an open day on the calendar, so we could make it to a restaurant. Which one to choose though? Last year at this time we had tried to go to Rustica for restaurant week. Unfortunately, they were having problems with their computers when we showed up, and they were closing early. Everything ended well because we ended up at Roy's, which was very good. Rustica is no more, and where it once stood is now the Great Maple, so that is where we headed for our restaurant week opening act.

The Great Maple is located in the middle of Fashion Island, right next to Nordstrom's. The restaurant is not huge. They do fit a great many tables in the space, without it feeling really cramped. Wood dominates the darkened dining area. The name Great Maple conjured up images of a hunting lodge in Canada, and the decor here is not too far from that. From our seats in the dining room, it is easy to see into the open kitchen. There is also a large patio that overlooks the hustle and bustle of the shoppers at the mall. After ordering from our casually clad server, this is what was brought to our table.

Before our meals arrived we were brought this bread, which came to us in a brown paper bag. The tiny loaf was sliced and served warm. The butter was soft, creamy, and maybe touched with a little olive oil and dry herbs. A very nice start.

Katie did not want to order off of the restaurant week menu, so she struck out on her own with this Baguette Grilled Cheese with Salted Rosemary and Clover Honey. This is unlike any grilled cheese my Mom ever made me. This one was made with Brie cheese, which had a great flavor but was really too rich. The caramelized onions and raisins served with this helped cut the richness of this sandwich a bit, but after eating half, both Katie and I were not sure we could eat the next two courses that were on the way.

Since Katie does not enjoy Calamari, I had this good-sized appetizer all to myself. The squid was fried perfectly in it's heavy breading and was lacking greasiness. The calamari was sprinkled with chili flakes and accompanied by olives, both of which added a little flavor surprise to each bite. The lemon caper mayo dipping sauce was heavy, and I kind of got tired of it by the end of this large appetizer. If you enjoy calamari, this will be the appetizer for you.

Katie had the run of the menu here, and off of it, she chose the interesting sounding House Fried Pasta. The penne pasta was joined by scrambled eggs, fennel sausage, tomato, basil, and Parmesan. After having the rich grilled cheese, she was happy that this was more on the mellow side. She got a little flavor from the sausage and liked the freshness of this dish.

I knew out of the three selections for main dishes on the restaurant week menu, that I would be having the Flat Iron Steak Strip. This steak was cooked perfectly medium rare but was not as tender as I would have liked. It was still good though. I like a good blue cheese, and the one that topped this steak was strong. The sauce around the plate helped cut the blue cheese flavor just enough. Green beans were okay, nothing out of the ordinary. Good sized hunk of meat.

Lately, most desserts have really let me down. The Great Maple Chocolate Cake can be added to this list. Not sure if the cake was flourless, but it tasted like it was. The cake portion was kind of dry, but we did like the strong cocoa flavor here. The icing was nice and chocolaty, but it still could not make up for the dry cake portion. The Peanut Butter Banana Split will get my dessert attention on my next visit.

The staff at the Great Maple was very nice and professional. The managers were very active running food and refilling drinks. The menu here is not going to blow you away with its wide variety, but  it is varied enough that you should be able to find something to your liking. Serving sizes were generous, and we did leave the restaurant very full. Prices are not crazy bad, considering that you are eating at Fashion Island. No item is over $30, and most sit down restaurants at Fashion Island can probably not make the same claim. The menu does change three times a year, so that will add to the variety as well. We were glad we could make it here before the end of restaurant week.

Out of five bonsai trees, (because maples are a popular choice for growers of the miniature trees), five being best to zero being worst, the Great Maple gets 3 bonsai trees.

For more information on Great Maple, click here: https://thegreatmaple.com/