Slater's Backyard Brewfest CLOSED

Backyard Brewfest at Slater's 50/50

24356 Swartz Dr.

Lake Forest, CA 92630

By now you know about my love for Slater's 50/50. You are probably saying, "Another post about Slater's?" Yes, I am going to subject you to another one. I not only love their over the top burgers, their trivia nights, and their bar areas, where it is always a great place to watch a game, but now there is another reason to love Slater's, they are very committed to the communities that they serve. Case in point, just this past Saturday they had a Backyard Brewfest at their newest location in Lake Forest. The great folks at Slater's were kind enough to invite us to experience the great time firsthand. So we headed over on this picturesque Saturday afternoon.

The Backyard Brewfest not only showcased the great craft beer and food that Slater's offers, but it also benefited a great cause, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation is an independent, non-profit corporation. They are inspired by the groundbreaking research of Dr. Mitchell Cairo. The foundation quickly grew beyond their Orange County roots. Since 1982, PCRF has raised over $30 million for cutting edge pediatric cancer research, which has led to continuing improvements in the care, quality of life, and survival rates of children with malignant diseases. The Backyard Brewfest is just one of the ways they raise money. They have some great events all year round; including golf tournaments. walks and runs, and they even have bowling events. You can find out more information about the great work that the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation does, and how you can get involved right here: http://www.pcrf-kids.org/

I apologize if I missed any of the other breweries that were in attendance. I was feeling pretty loopy after about the seventh one, so if I missed anyone I am sorry. I am not going to bore you with my lack of knowledge of the craft beer industry. I am definitely not an expert on beer. I do know what I like however, so I will let you know which ones of these stood out for me. I am a big fan of Hangar 24, and their Orange Wheat. I like the fruitiness and lightness of it, without giving up the taste. At the Backyard Brewfest Hangar 24 had a special, limited edition keg that they tapped, the Barrel Roll No. 4 Hammerhead. This Barleywine style ale is aged six months in a charred whiskey barrel. This is a stronger beer than I like, but I sure did get the strong hint of whiskey when sipping this one. Another standout for me was the Coconut Rye Stout from Latitude 33. This Vista brewer was making their OC debut at the Backyard Brewfest, and I really liked the uniqueness of their coconut stout. It was light, and had a very apparent coconut taste, which did not overpower the base of this stout. Very well done. Golden Road is from Los Angeles, and they had a very nice Hefeweizen. It was very smooth, and went down easily. We might have to make a trip up the freeway soon to visit Golden Road, because they have a pub connected to their brewery. The last brewer I wanted to spotlight was the El Segundo Brewing Co. This South Bay brewer made a memorable mark with me, with their Blue House Citra Pale. This was a hoppy ale with lots of citrus. Lighter than expected, and I could have had many more of these.

Of course I was excited to try the beers, but the food was what really got me here. All you can eat Slater's? How can that be a bad thing? They had several food tents set up in their parking lot, doling out some of Slater's classic dishes. I am not much of a salad guy, but Katie was grateful that they had  samples of Slater's House Salad, with chicken added. See, it is possible to eat healthy at Slater's. Of course all that health talk goes out the window when I had about four samples of the B' B' Bacon Burger. This bacon lovers dream starts with Slater's signature 50 percent ground beef and 50 percent ground bacon patty, and is then topped with bacon cheddar cheese, bacon island dressing, two strips of bacon, a sunny side up egg, and for good measure, a bacon pretzel bun. Bacon euphoria in Lake Forest. What about bacon for dessert? Okay, how about the ultra rich Bacon Brownie. This very moist chocolate brownie is coated with chocolate ganache and candied bacon pieces. I could only finish two slices of this.

Slater's was not the only ones serving food at the Backyard Brewfest. I was surprised to see one of my favorite Downtown Santa Ana restaurants here, Chapter One: The Modern Local. They served up the very artistic Scotch Egg above, along with the Red Velvet and White Russian Cake Tastes.The red velvet one was good, but the white Russian one was the best of the two. Had a great taste, and it really did taste like a sweeter version of the cocktail.

The last booth that I wanted to mention was the TapHunter booth. The people over at TapHunter are trying to make it easy for beer consumers to find where their favorite beers are being poured. Craft beers rotate frequently, so before you drive an hour and a half in traffic, you should check their web site, or download their app on your phone or mobile device to make sure you are not battling traffic for nothing. You can find out more about TapHunter here: http://oc.taphunter.com/

Needless to say, the Slater's Backyard Brewfest was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Good beers, great food, and the Southern California weather made for one of the nicest events we have been to. Not only was all the aforementioned great, but the people here were awesome as well. The crowd was very friendly, the beer representatives really knew their stuff and answered all of our questions, and the organizers of this event kept everything under control. Hopefully there will be many more charitable events like this at Slater's. We would like to thank Ali Stanley at Bread and Butter PR for inviting us to this great event. Thanks for everything Ali. A last thank you goes to Slater's 50/50. You guys just opened the doors of this Lake Forest location, and already you are contributing to the community by hosting a great charitable event. Thanks for opening down the street fro me, and thanks for all you do in the community.

To make sure that you do not miss any great events at Slater's, like this one. Go to their web site here: http://www.slaters5050.com/

Is Linx the Top Dog in a City Rich in Hot Dogs? - CLOSED

Linx

285 W. Chapman Ave.

Orange, CA 92866

At this rate, the city of Orange may have to be nicknamed Hot Dog Capital of OC. Not only does this city contain one of my favorite hot dog places to date, Game Day Hot Dogs, but they also feature another on-line favorite, and place that has been on our must try list forever, PCH Dogs. I promise we will get to you soon PCH Dogs. 

Now there is a new hot dog/sausage place in this frankfurter rich metropolis. Linx has moved into the area, just a block and a half west of the Orange Plaza, or as people who do not know any better call it, "the Orange Circle". I have learned my lesson though, so it will be the Orange Plaza on this blog. Anyways, I was pretty excited to try this new hot dog place, and on this trip I had the pleasure of having my good friend Steve, and his wonderful family join me here at Linx. 

The man behind Linx is Chef Scott Brandon, who was the chef and founder of another of my favorite restaurants, Crow Bar and Kitchen in Corona Del Mar. Now Scott and his partner, Rick Kagasoff, have opened Linx and are trying to make a name for themselves in this hot dog haven area of OC. According to their web site they are trying to make the simple hot dog into something extraordinary. They are working directly with Europa Specialty Sausage to create all of their specialty sausages. They also get their buns and rolls directly from the O.C. Baking Company everyday. As if that was not enough, they make all their condiments in house, they get as much produce as possible from farmers markets, and they do not add fillers or by-products to any of their sausages. 

We got to Linx at about 4PM on a Monday afternoon. A time that is right in the middle of the lull between lunch and dinner. Linx is not a huge restaurant. They have a large communal table set up in the middle of the restaurant with maybe ten chairs, then a bar along a wall with about seven seats, then two small tables, and dining outside on their adjacent patio. I can imagine that this place can get a little cramped at meal times, but we had our choice of seating. Ordering is done at the counter, and then food is brought out for you. After we studied the menu for way too long, we went to order. This is what came out of the kitchen for us. 

I was going to be eating at my Mom's for dinner, so I limited myself to only three items at Linx. The first was this Beer Brat ($6). This neurenberger bratwurst comes topped with bacon-apple kraut and beer mustard on a salted pretzel bun. First off the bun was really good here. They were soft, held everything in place, and did not get in the way of what was inside. The brat had a nice meaty flavor to it, but was a little mellower than I had thought it would be. I think the veal used in this brat really subdued the pork here. I definitely got the apple in the kraut, but the bacon was not present for me. I did really like the mustard on this though, I could definitely tell it was made here. Not the best brat I have had, but it all came together nicely. 

Not to ruin the rest of this review, but this was the best thing I had at Linx, and the thing that I will definitely come back for. The T.J. Street Dog ($6) definitely deserves three pictures here. This starts with a spicy Polish kielbasa, then is topped with smoked bacon, chorizo mayo, avocado, cilantro, and a giardiniera relish, all on a potato bun. This is like no Tijuana hot dog I have ever had. The big flavors all came together to create a great taste experience. The spiciness from the Polish was evident, the avocado cooled things down a bit, the bacon added a salty element, and the sauces were real good as well. This one was gone far too quick. 

I got an order of Belgian Frites ($5) to split among all of us. I was expecting these frites to be more crisp than they turned out to be. I could tell that these frites used to be potatoes fairly recently. They definitely had that fresh taste. They were a tad too mushy for me though. With the large order you get your choice of two sauces to try. I really had a hard time choosing because they all sounded so good. I eventually went with the  Blue Cheese Bacon Aioli and the Chorizo Mayo. I found the blue cheese bacon aioli to be too watery, and kind of boring. The chorizo mayo was thicker, and clung to the limp fries better. I would say that I would not get these again, but I definitely need something to go along with the sausages. I might just ask for them to be more well done next time. 

The item that I was most excited to try when I was walking into Linx was the Double Down Burrito ($8). I had a very similar item at a hot dog place in Reseda almost two years ago. I still dream about that Texas Burrito Dog. The burrito here at Linx came with two all beef franks, chili, bacon, beans, pico de gallo, and cheese, all wrapped in a flour tortilla. This double down burrito really let me down. Maybe it was because I had such high hopes going into it. The chili was okay, but lacked the pop of flavor I had expected. The cheese was totally lost here, while the pico de gallo featured real big hunks of tomato in it, and not much else. The beans were average, and the only saving grace for this burrito were the two franks, that added a nice meatiness to this otherwise bland burrito. I was really hoping this burrito could save me from driving the hour and a half up to Reseda, but it was not to be.

Steve's wife, Blair selected the Coney Dog ($6) to try. Linx's version of the chili dog started with a griddled frank, then is topped with chili, yellow mustard, and usually onions, but Blair opted for her Coney Dog to come without. The bun used on this was a potato roll. Blair finished this chili dog rather quickly, and then debated as to whether to get another one. She really liked this version of a chili dog. The bun was good, and the chili was mild, just the way she likes it. She would get this again, but might contemplate getting two next time. 

Steve did not have a difficult time picking out what he was going to get at Linx. He knew right away that the Ripper ($6) was in his immediate future. This favorite from the east coast is a frankfurter that is deep fried until it bursts, then mustard, relish, and grilled onions are added to the potato roll. Steve liked this version of a hot dog, but though that it was going to have more crunch to the frankfurter. He liked the condiments used here, and would probably get this ripper again. 

Off of the Custom Linx menu, Steve and Blair's adorable daughter Lucy got a Naked Style Frankfurter ($4), which just came with the dog and a bun. I thought I was going to be able to snag half of this, because Lucy was more into playing Britney Spears on her Ipod, but she eventually was persuaded to eat her hot dog. She did make a pretty good dent in it, and said that it was, "good". Thanks for that informative review Lucy, now go back to singing Britney. 

No Pepsi or Coca Cola fountain drink products at Linx, only Cane Sugar Bottled Sodas ($2.50) are served here. I am not much of a soda fan, so I stuck with water and iced tea. Just wanted to make it known that there are no free re-fills here. The guys at Linx are also really into craft and specialty beers. They have about 10 beers on tap, and another twenty or so that come in the bottle. As with most restaurants, they will be rotating their craft beer selection on regular a basis. 

Just could not pass up the opportunity to show off Steve and Blair's latest addition to the family. Her name is Ruby, and she was just about four weeks old when this picture was snapped. I am sure that she will not remember that Linx was her very first restaurant, because she slept through the whole meal. Lucky girl, because she did not have to listen to her Dad's horrible stories. Just kidding, Steve.

Back to Linx though. I have come to the realization that this restaurant is not for everyone. The portions are on the small side, the prices are pretty expensive for the amount you get, and the seating can be an issue. Linx is more for the person that wants quality over quantity. The attention to detail here will not be appreciated by all, but it was appreciated by me. The great buns, the way they make all of their condiments, and the well made dogs and sausages will bring me back. I do feel like I will have to make multiple visits to Linx to find my ultimate hot dog experience here. It may come form one of the 10 already dressed dogs, or it may come from the custom order portion of the menu. I am looking forward to my journey to hot dog nirvana in what is becoming Hot Dog City USA.

Out of five train cars, (because the now canceled train route between Norway and Sweden was run by the now defunct train company Linx), five being best to zero being worst, Linx gets 3 train cars. 

For more information about Linx, click here: http://linxdogs.com/

Two Great Events in One Great Night at Sol Cocina

Sol Cocina

251 E. Coast Highway

Newport Beach, CA 92660

It is probably no secret to any of our regular readers of this blog that we really like Sol Cocina. We have visited this restaurant numerous times. This was the venue for our first media event, it was also one of our highest rated restaurants in 2011, and Sol was also the restaurant where Katie and I celebrated Valentines Day this year. It is always a treat coming back to Sol Cocina, and we were really excited when we were recently invited to celebrate the return of Tequila Thursdays and to get a first look at their new Spring/Summer Culinary Offerings.

Let's start with the return of Tequila Thursdays. On Thursdays guests can enjoy a complimentary taste of the featured tequila of the night from 6-8 pm. After you have your taste, you can then take advantage of that featured tequila being offered at half price for the rest of the night. I have included the remaining dates and tequilas below.

April 11th: Patron
April 18th: Tres Sietes
April 25th: Partida
May 2nd: Cinco De Mayo
May 9th: Patron
May 16th: Tequila Ocho
May 23rd: Pura Vida
May 30th: TBD
June 6th: Partida
June 13th: Restaurant Buyout
June 20th: Dos Armadillos
June 27th: Casa Noble

We were lucky enough to be able to try Sol's latest addition to their 70 plus tequilas, the Sol Single Barrel Reposado. This extremely limited tequila is only offered at Sol Cocina in Newport and Scottsdale. As the name suggests, this tequila is made in a single barrel at the Casa Noble estate in Mexico. This means that there are only 360 bottles of this tequila available. Talk about being rare. A lot goes into making this tequila, starting with the wood used for the barrel. It is French white oak that is slightly charred for the optimal aging of the tequila. The tequila is then aged for 364 days, monitored during that time, then placed in hand-made bottles, which are numbered and signed by the makers. The result is a tequila that is able to be sipped, or is able to keep its presence felt in a cocktail. I am not too much of a sipping tequila kind of guy, but this Single Barrel Reposado was very smooth and I detected hints of caramel in it. Even in the Margarita you could tell that this was a very special tequila.

After all of this tequila I was definitely ready for some food, and lucky for me some of the newest seasonal offerings were headed out for us to try. Sol Cocina has had some of the best guacamole we have ever had. Now they are offering two new ones. The Guacamole Verano caught my attention right away. This guacamole had raspberries dusted with chili con limon, toasted almonds, spicy Serrano chiles, and cotixa cheese. Talk about having a little bit of everything in this guacamole. Every bite contained a new element. The sweetness from the raspberries, the earthiness from the almonds, and the spiciness from the chili were very evident here. The Corn Goddess Guacamole was a little more traditional. This one used their regular guacamole as a base, and then added grilled and crunchy corn, cotixa cheese, pico de gallo, minced Serrano chiles, red onions, cilantro, and a first for me, Inca Corn, which is like a version of corn nuts, very crunchy. I just had a small sampling of this one, but this guacamole also had layered flavors, that played nicely against each other.

My favorite food item of the night was the Taco Viper. I could not control myself with these, and probably ate close to five of them. This taco started with a corn tortilla, and then melted cheese and grilled chicken is added. Then the viper salsa is added to the taco. This viper salsa is made up of dried chipotle meco, caramelized onions, agave, a splash of tequila, and just for good measure, ghost chili, the hottest chile on the planet. This taco had a good heat, but was not as scary as it sounds. Katie even tried this one, but she did not have another one. The heat was good, but you could still taste the other elements of the taco. A very hard balance to find, but Chef Deb definitely did it here.

I was pretty full from the Taco Viper, so I limited myself to only one of these Taco Adobado D.F.. These are the taco that is most closely associated with Mexico City, which Mexicans call the the D.F. In this version of a taco, the pork is added to a marinade, diced onions, and pineapple, then that filling is put into a puffy fried flour tortilla. This was a different taste for me. It was a little on the sweeter side. I also wanted the pork to stand out more than it did. Not bad, but maybe for people that enjoy a more mellower taste.

This of course is only a small portion of the new seasonal offerings at Sol Cocina. When I got home I perused the new seasonal menu and found a  few other things that caught my eye, including the Puerto Nuevo Lobster Tacos, the Spicy Chicken Milanesa Torta, and the Hangover Changa, which is basically a breakfast burrito deep fried. Wow, that sounds amazing, but that one is only available at brunch. I guess we will have to make another trip to Sol Cocina to try their brunch soon.

I would like to thank everyone at Sol Cocina for this great event that they put together. Starting with the driving force behind Sol Cocina, cookbook author, James Beard nominee, and too many more accolades to list here, Chef Deborah Schneider. The three times that we have met her, she always takes the time to talk with us and she is so passionate about her restaurant and her food, which shows in the end result. We would also like to thank Sol Cocina Partners, Rich Howland and Matt Baumayr for sharing with us the process about how the Sol Single Barrel Reposado came to be, and was brought to the restaurant. Another big shout out to one of the best PR people in the business, the wonderful Mona Shah-Anderson at Moxxe PR. We always enjoy your events Mona, especially when they are at Sol Cocina. Lastly, we would like to thank all of our fellow food bloggers, and media that we get a chance to catch up with at these events. We are all such a close knit group and it is great to swap stories, get tips from one another, and just catch up with all of you. We look forward to seeing you all again real soon.

For more information about Sol Cocina, and everything that they have going on there, check out their web site here: http://www.solcocina.com/