Celebrating Restaurant Review Number 1000 at Bourbon Steak

 

Bourbon Steak

1 Monarch Beach Resort North

Dana Point, CA 92629

As my restaurant reviews began piling up, especially in the early days of this blog, I started to think about where I'd like to review for my 1,000th different restaurant. I wanted to pick a place that was fitting for such a milestone. I wanted it to be something other than the latest hot chicken spot or a run-of-the-mill chain restaurant. Even though there are no guarantees, I wanted a place that I believed would be memorable and one of the better restaurant experiences in Orange County. Around a year ago, I decided my 1,000th restaurant would be Bourbon Steak. 

Bourbon Steak is located inside the Waldorf Astoria Resort in Dana Point. It's been open for five years and comes to us from celebrity chef and restauranteur Michael Mina. His website lists 14 restaurant concepts spread across the US and one international location in Dubai. This is one of seven Bourbon Steak restaurants operating today. Bourbon Steak is Chef Mina's riff on a traditional steakhouse. He strives to elevate his steak and seafood offerings to a new level with his technique and creative flair.  

We arrived at the Waldorf Astoria at 8pm on the Saturday of my birthday week. We usually do not eat so late, but this was one of the few time slots available when I made my online reservation. Parking is valet, and the Bourbon Steak entrance is to the left as you pass by the front desk in the lobby. If you were familiar with Stonehill Tavern when this resort was St. Regis, that's where you head for Bourbon Steak. 

Bourbon Steak's dining room is much brighter than other high-end steak restaurants in OC. The lighter wood walls blend nicely with the tan booths and chairs, and even though we were seated as the sun dipped into the sea, the natural light streaming in through the numerous windows added to the brilliance of the space. We sat at a booth towards the back of the restaurant, just adjacent to the patio overlooking the pool area, golf course, and the magnificent Pacific Ocean. 

Every Bourbon Steak has a different menu based on their locale and because they are chef-driven. The menu at this location is led off with shellfish platters and a caviar selection. There are then five appetizers and salads to select from. Entrees include Angus and Wagyu steak options, seafood, and four highlighted entrees shown prominently in the menu's center. Eight signature sides close out the menu. Prices for appetizers and salads range between $21 to $45. Entrees, of course, only come ala carte and will set you back anywhere between $41 to $294 for the 50-ounce Wagyu tomahawk. A little rich for my blood, but let's see if Bourbon Steak was an excellent pick for restaurant review 1000. 

When eating at Bourbon Steak, you will be presented with some extras throughout your meal. Amuse Bouche and the much-raved Duck Fat Fries. The amuse-bouche offered this evening was a mushroom truffle soup, which was rich and flavorful, and a foreshadowing of what we had in store for us later in the evening. The duck fat fries are brought to every table right after your order. They come out hot and crispy and are all explicitly seasoned to correspond with the sauce in front of them. The dipping sauces included a green goddess with tajin, a parmesan truffle aioli, my favorite, and rosemary thyme ketchup. I was astonished to see that the couple next to us had barely touched their fries, and I fought back the urge to ask them for theirs until they were taken away by their server. 

We went without any appetizers and dove straight into the salad portion of our meal. Katie selected the Baby Artichoke Hearts ($21). This mini tower was full of flavor, with the artichokes complimented with creamy avocado, puffed quinoa, Marcona almonds, and a subtle red wine vinaigrette. This was delicate but still packed a punch. I loved how the other ingredients played nicely with the artichokes but did not overpower them. Katie called this one of the best salads she has ever had. Very high praise. 

While reviewing restaurants on this blog, I've eaten my fair share of Caesar Salad ($21), so it was appropriate to have at least one more, as this was our 1000th restaurant. This upscale Caesar utilized baby gem lettuce, a garlic streusel, and plenty of parmesan reggiano sprinkled on top. The muted dressing was evenly distributed on each piece of lettuce like it was applied leaf by leaf. The garlic streusel added a nice flavor boost, but I did miss the absence of croutons, which would have added a bit more texture to this salad. 

Another treat from the kitchen was the Roll served with our salads. It was pillowy soft, and filled with rich truffle butter that I ate way too quickly. The top was salted just enough to not become a distraction. I should have asked for another one, but I had a big meal coming up.  

It pained me to not get a steak here, but we were celebrating, so I decided to treat myself to this Lobster Pot Pie ($140). This Michael Mina signature item was finished tableside with a staff member removing the top part of the buttery crust and placing it on the plate. He then completed the brandied lobster sauce and mixed it with the seasonal vegetables before expertly separating the lobster meat from the shell. It was quite the performance. 

The lobster was one and a half pounds and was very tender. The sauce was unusual, as it was less rich than the drawn butter that has become commonplace when eating this crustacean. The seasonal vegetables on this evening resembled more of a crab boil than what you'd consider for a pot pie. I spied large chunks of red potatoes, celery, pearl onions, and some sliced carrots instead of the more traditional peas and smaller cuts of carrots and onions. Placing the top crust on the bottom helped let the lobster shine even brighter. A rich meal, but one that was very well balanced. 

Katie went the more traditional route at Bourbon Steak when she settled on the 8 Ounce Filet Mignon ($76). Our server did not even bristle when she asked for this medium well, which has happened plenty of times at other steakhouses in OC. It might have been because she also upgraded to the optional Blue Cheese Crumble ($8), but this was delicious, even though the steak was cooked to a medium well. Something that only happens sometimes at other spots. When I asked how she liked her steak, Katie threw out adjectives like delicious, perfectly cooked, and unforgettable. 

As is the case at all high-end steak places, sides must be ordered separately. We chose the Brussels Sprouts ($19) and the Black Truffle Mac and Cheese ($19). Both were adequate but did not make me swoon like the lobster mashed potatoes at Capital Grill or Fleming's Potatoes. The Brussels sprouts were crunchy, but more gastrique was needed to liven things up after my initial forkfuls. The truffle mac and cheese was better, but I expected a bit more richness, and while the truffle was present, I had wished for a bit more. A little more cheese would have helped things out here. I might have better luck ordering the baked fingerling potatoes and the mushrooms in a soy glaze.  

The pastry chef at Bourbon Steak is brought to us by Rebekah Eastman, who also worked at the St. Regis Resort and Bottega Angelina. The most mentioned item out of the four on her dessert menu is the Spiced Beignets ($15). This was two desserts in one, as you get four beignets and a small bowl of vanilla creme brulee. The beignets were light and fluffy and dusted with plenty of powdered sugar. A more grown-up version of the ones at Disneyland. The creme brulee was good but could have been a tinge sweeter for my tastes. I also received a special birthday dessert, bagged caramel corn, and a piece of salted dark chocolate for each of us. A lovely touch. 

Our visit to Bourbon Steak was like being on vacation for the three hours that we were here. Our every whim was catered to, service was first-rate, and the food was delicious. I must mention our fantastic server Jaci, who kept things moving without making us feel rushed. Lyle, the captain of the restaurant, was quite the character and is definitely someone that made sure our visit was as memorable as he was. The food at Bourbon Steak is just as good as what you get at the big chain steakhouses but might be even better due to the techniques they use in the kitchen. Bourbon Steak is the ultimate special occasion restaurant and was the perfect spot for our 1,000th restaurant review. Here's to the next 1,000.  

Out of five pillows (because the world's most expensive bottle of bourbon is Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year Old, which now sells for $50,000 or more, and it's named after a character in a story that sleeps for 20 years, and if you are going to sleep for that long you better have a good pillow), five being best to zero being worst, Bourbon Steak gets 4.5 pillows. 

For more information about Bourbon Steak, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.michaelmina.net/restaurants/bourbon-steak/orange-county/ 

Julep, Good Enough to Toast To?

 Julep

3325 East Imperial Highway 

Brea, CA 92823

It was day two of birthday dinners for Katie, and this time it was my family's turn to spoil the birthday girl. As is her custom, Katie yields the restaurant selection to me. This is not due to my prowess in picking great restaurants. It's more about me choosing a spot that will satisfy her and my family. After many minutes of research online, I finally decided on Julep in Brea. 

Julep burst onto the scene eight months ago and is situated in the old Jimmy's Famous Tavern spot on the corner of Valencia and Imperial Highway in the La Floresta Shopping Center, which is anchored by Whole Foods, Mendocino Farms, and Urban Plates. Julep comes to us from the Toast Restaurant Group, which runs Mimosas Brunch and Dinner in both Whittier and Anaheim Hills,  Benediction in the City of Industry, and Toast, which boasts three locations in Downey, Whittier, and down the road in Brea. 

This is the least brunch-centric of their concepts, even though they offer a brunch menu on weekends from 8am til 3. The lunch and dinner menus are the same, and all items on both are offered after 11am daily. Julep has plenty of options for you to consider when dining here. They offer 13 appetizers, along with soups and salads. Burgers, sandwiches, and pasta dishes are available, with 14 more significant entrees of steaks, seafood, and chicken dishes. Prices range between  $12 to $25 for starters, and entrees will set you back anywhere between $14 to $55 for their filet mignon. 

They take reservations through their Yelp page, but only for parties of four or fewer. For bigger parties, you are asked to phone the restaurant, which I did since we were a party of six, but after numerous calls spread over several days with no one answering the phone, I decided we'd chance it and just show up. We met at half past four on a Sunday, which is not precisely peak meal-eating time. After a wait of about five minutes, we were seated. 

The dining area conveys a pleasant and relaxed vibe with its exposed dark wood beams on the ceiling, striped tiled flooring, and glass roll-up doors allowing plenty of natural light to permeate the restaurant. The space is still recognizable from when this was Jimmy's, but they have added their own touches like the dragonflies and empty bird cages adorning the walls and the whimsical art spread throughout the restaurant. 

We started with two appetizers, the first of which was the Corn Fritters ($13). These yellow corn fritters resembled tater tots, with a crunchy outer shell and a cornbread mixture inside. They came with a maple bourbon sauce for dipping. I'm not a huge cornbread fan, but everyone else enjoyed these. I enjoyed the choice of the dipping sauce, which saved these for me. 

The Ahi Tuna Tartare ($18) gets a lot of love online. This tuna tower uses cubed tuna mixed with a sesame dressing as its base and then is topped with an avocado mash. It comes with wonton chips for scooping. I liked this, but I only had a couple bites since it was split among six people. The tuna was fresh but could have been seasoned a bit more. I enjoyed the avocado on top, which stole the show for me with this plate. 

This Fried Chicken ($20) wins the award for most photogenic dish of the evening. The chicken breast was fried nicely with a delightful crunch when bitten into. It was also surprisingly tender all the way through. It was served with a large spoonful of garlic pomme puree, which you might know better as garlic mashed potatoes. They were very buttery, but the promised garlic was very muted. The plate was rounded out by a Dijon mustard sauce that lined the bottom and served as a gravy over the fried chicken. An odd choice that worked well because the mustard was not too front and center. My mom and sister enjoyed Julep's take on this American classic. 

The birthday girl Katie picked the Beef Stroganoff ($25) as her celebratory meal. I'm sure I have not mentioned it, but Julep is a cast iron skillet restaurant, meaning all their entrees are cooked in or finished in a cast iron skillet. I think this dish was just finished in the cast iron. This meal was made up of filet mignon, pappardelle, and the same Dijon mustard sauce that was used on the fried chicken. Katie liked this version of the comfort food classic. The noodles were cooked nicely, the steak was tender, and she appreciated the uniqueness of the mustard sauce. She scrapped this plate clean. 

It's always entertaining to see what my dad will order when we go out to eat. He did not disappoint by getting this Cast Iron Trout ($21). This rather large piece of trout was cooked to where it was flaky, but it was a little too mild in the flavor department for my tastes. The garlic mashed potatoes, and the green bean baby friese citrus salad did an admirable job of livening things up. 

My brother-in-law had heard good things about the Shrimp and Grits ($21) at Julep, so he tried them. This was another interesting interpretation of a dish we've all had. The garlic shrimp and grits were placed on top of four asparagus spears and some red wine demi glaze and then topped with fried onions. This was too busy. The red wine sauce seemed out of place, and the asparagus should have been situated to the side, along with the fried onion strings. The shrimp and the grits were good but were overwhelmed by the other components of this plate. 

I usually avoid getting ribs and other barbecue items at non-barbecue restaurants, but for some reason, these Coca-Cola Beef Ribs ($25) piqued my interest enough to order them. They were decent and better than some I have had in actual barbecue spots in OC. Plenty of tender and flavorful meat on these one-and-a-half ribs, and the barbecue sauce added a tinge of sweetness to each bite. I usually like to apply my own barbecue sauce to my meat, but this sauce was pretty solid. The plate was rounded out by some coleslaw and french fries, both of which were satisfying. 

I admit I did not have the highest hopes for a good meal when we entered Julep this early Sunday evening. I changed my tune when we had finished eating, though. The food here will not blow you away and make you want to immediately return, but the menu is varied enough that almost anyone can find something at Julep that they will like. The little twists they add sometimes miss the mark, but not enough to ruin your meal. The service this evening could best be described as slow. Our server had a bunch of tables to attend to while other servers walked around aimlessly, not doing too much or helping our server out. It's a young staff, so they may find their way. The price point here was more than fair for the portion sizes. Not to break my arm, patting myself on my back, but this was a pretty good spot that I picked for my family to celebrate Katie's birthday. Everyone left here happy. 

Out of five horses (because the most well-known julep is the mint julep, famous for being served at the Kentucky Derby), five being best to zero being worst, Julep gets 3 horses. 

For more information about Julep, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.julepbrea.com/ 

Making Pigs of Ourselves in Oceanside

 Flying Pig Pub and Kitchen

509 Mission Ave. 

Oceanside, CA 92054

Yes, it was that time again. Katie has turned another year older, which means that we made the trek down the 5 Freeway to the Carlsbad Outlets to get her a new Coach purse. It also means I get to choose a restaurant in the surrounding area. This year I disregarded my restaurant wishlist and instead went to Yelp to see what was one of the most loved restaurants in the area. I barely had to scroll before I found exactly what I was looking for, Flying Pig Pub and Kitchen. 

Flying Pig checked all of my boxes when judging a restaurant's popularity on Yelp. They have over 2000 reviews and possess a four-and-a-half-star rating. I could not make a reservation because I was unsure when Katie would be done shopping, so we chanced it that we'd be able to snag a table on a recent Saturday night at 7pm. We had luck as we were seated right away at the table closest to the front door. 

Opened for business in 2011, Flying Pig moved to their current location on Mission Avenue two years ago. Things must be going good for them because they are in the process of taking over the neighboring storefront, turning it into a wine shop and tasting room. This current location features a ten-seat L-shaped bar to the right of the entrance, exposed redwood beams add height to the ceiling, and even though the dining space is long and narrow, the tables are spaced just enough so you do not appear to be right on top of other tables. 

The compact one-page dinner menu will not overwhelm you with too many choices. It's broken up into starters and salads, of which there were fourteen options when we visited in late April. There were eight entrees to go along with the four sides. From what I can gather online, their menu changes with the season, but some items are mainstays. Starters hover around the $15 price point, while entrees range between $25 to $35, with only the steak listed as market-priced. Now that you have the lay of the land, let's see what we pigged out on here. 

Brussels sprouts have gone from being a vegetable that most people despised as kids to gracing almost every trendy menu in southern California. Most restaurants add a balsamic reduction, some parmesan cheese, and maybe a pecan or two and call it a day. The Brussels starter ($16) at Flying Pig was a breath of fresh air. This visually appealing dish came with chunks of blue cheese, cranberries, and tasso ham tossed in a garlic dressing. The blue cheese woke up what has become a very predictable dish. I also was a big fan of the contrast between the garlic dressing and the tartness of the cranberries. I expected more from the ham, but this was still a solid start to our meal. 

The Mac N Cheese ($17) also looked beautiful on our table. The menu lists this as made up of mornay sauce, bacon, and provolone as the lone cheese listed. The skillet was scalding hot, and I enjoyed that they used orecchiette pasta, which has a better surface area for the cheese to cling to, rather than macaroni. The mornay sauce was good, while the provolone was too mellow. I hoped the promised bacon would help, but our skillet seemed devoid of bacon, or maybe Katie had it all on the side she was eating from. Rude.  

Katie had her eye on two items at Flying Pig, the salmon and what she eventually went with, the House Bolognese ($26). From what I can gather, this is prepared differently daily based on the chef's whim. This evening, the handmade pappardelle included a tinge of lemon, giving this a unique twist. The bolognese was meaty and flavorful, and adding the Fried Egg ($2) tied everything together wonderfully. Katie has called this one of her top meals of the year so far. 

I have been in the mood for a steak for some time now, and after enduring the outlets for an hour and a half, I felt I deserved to pamper myself with The Steak ($49) at Flying Pig. This is another of the chef's whims based on the day. On this Saturday evening, it was a 14-ounce ribeye that was offered. The steak was topped with what I assumed to be enoki mushrooms, and I felt pretty neutral about the dark brown sauce topping the meat. The steak was cooked to my preferred preference of medium rare and was just tender enough. It was not as good as what you'd get in a high-end steak house, but if you are in the mood for a steak when eating here, you will be satisfied with the ribeye if it's available when you visit. The mashed potatoes were buttery, but I wish they were a little more solid in texture. The spring veggies rounded out the plate nicely. 

Desserts, like the pasta and steak we had earlier, are rotated based on what's available. We had three options this evening, but I was most intrigued by the Apple Fritters ($12). The sliced apples were fried in a batter and then dusted with powdered sugar and a small drizzle of maple syrup. This was a miss for me, as I expected more of what you'd find in your local donut shop. This was less sweet than I had wanted, as the apple underneath the fried batter was too tart, and there needed to be more sugar and syrup to balance things out. It was creative, but not something that I'd try again. 

We have come down this way to celebrate Katie's birthday for the last ten years, meaning we have eaten at least ten times in this area. I'd rank Flying Pig in the upper echelon of restaurants we've been to in Oceanside/Carlsbad. Only That Boy Good BBQ is better, but unfortunately, they closed last month, making this place number one in my book. We received warm and friendly service on this busy Saturday night, and everyone working here is very proud of what they got going here. Please be aware that Flying Pig appears to have a seasonal menu, so these items might not be available when you visit. It'll be hard to pass this spot by the next time we are down this way next year for Katie's birthday. 

Out of five frogs (because one of the most iconic pigs of all time is Miss Piggy from The Muppet Show, and she definitely had a thing for the head muppet Kermit the Frog), five being best to zero being worst, Flying Pig Pub and Kitchen gets 3.5 frogs. 

For more information, head to the Flying Pig website by clicking here: https://flyingpig.pub/

A Slice of NYC in LA

 Prince Street Pizza

827 East 3rd Street

Los Angeles, CA 90013

Some of NYC's most famous restaurants and foods have ventured out west in the past few months. LA is now home to several locations of the ever-popular Shake Shack, Grimaldi's Pizza, Magnolia Bakery is hawking its baked goods and famous banana pudding to us left-coasters, and Levain Bakery, which sells the best cookie on the planet, just opened on the day I am writing this review. We were going to be in LA for a White Coat Ceremony, so we tried another Big Apple export, Prince Street Pizza. 

My Instagram feed has shown me plenty of slices of pizza recently. Most are from other parts of the country, but one has consistently been featured, and upon closer inspection, I found out that Prince Street Pizza had opened in LA. In fact, four locations are currently operating in LA: Venice, West Hollywood, West LA, and the one we were visiting in Downtown LA. That makes four places to get a slice in LA and only one in NYC. It's more than likely due to the urban sprawl of LA. 

Prince Street Pizza opened for business in 2012 in the Nolita section of Manhattan. They are most known for their Sicilian-style pizza slices, which are closely related to Detroit-style pizza, served as squares, but the Sicilian style has a lighter, more airy crust that is more bread-like. PSP also offers Neopolitan pizza, the polar opposite of their Sicilian. It has a very thin crust baked in a round pan and cut into triangular slices, which is what people expect when eating pizza. 

Both pizza styles are available by the slice, but most people opt for the Sicilian-style slices. We arrived at the Arts District just before 5pm on a Saturday. We found some parking about a block away and entered PSP. Ordering is done from behind the glass case housing the pizzas available. After selecting the slices you want, the pizza is whisked into the awaiting oven to be finished off while you pay at the register and then wait for your slices. The whole process took less than five minutes. We then found some seating at the communal tables in front of the restaurant and settled in to eat our bounty. 

Yes, we were more than likely going to be having food after the White Coat ceremony we were in LA for, but we had no idea when we would be back up this way, and we felt a duty to you to try as many types of PSP pizza as we could. We went with the Meat Lovers ($6.50), Spicy Spring ($6.50), Four Cheese ($6.25), and the Mercer Margherita ($6.25). 

The slices featured a crispy, spongy crust that melded nicely with the pizza toppings and cheese. Predictably, my favorite of this quartet was the Meat Lovers, which came with spicy pepperoni cups, sausage, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and romano cheeses, with a touch of garlic. Our slice also appeared to have a sprinkle of crumbled bacon, which is not listed as an option on their menu. The pepperoni cups crisped up nicely, providing a crunch, while the sauce and cheese were delightful. A killer slice that had me going back for more to take home. 

My second favorite was the spicy spring, with pepperoni, a fra diavolo sauce, and mozzarella. The sauce had a little kick, but it was not over-the-top spicy. The heat hung out on the back end of each bite but did not overwhelm me. The end crust was good, but with four slices to finish, I discarded it as I ate more. The four-cheese slice was good, but it should be renamed three cheese because they count fresh mozzarella and shredded mozzarella as two of the cheeses, which joins whipped ricotta and pecorino romano to make up this slice. This is an excellent option for people who prefer something other than meat on their pizza. The Margherita pizza was Katie's choice, and I found it okay, but it lacked the flavor punch of the other three. Katie liked it way more than I did, so maybe it's just that I'm not that into Margherita pizza. 

I am into Prince Street Pizza, though. Their pizza was less greasy and heavy than I was expecting. It still had a good flavor profile and satisfied us through the white coat ceremony we were going to next. It's easy to see why they are so popular, and I'd like to try their round pizza the next time we are up this way. The $6 price point was not awful, and the guys behind the counter were all pretty cool. It's another success story for an NYC restaurant moving to LA. 

Out of five duels (because also on Prince Street in NYC is the former site of the estate of Aaron Burr, who had a famous duel with Alexander Hamilton), five being best to zero being worst, Prince Street Pizza gets 3.5 duels. 

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

Hitting the Mark at the Local Spot

 The Local Spot

6200 East Pacific Coast Highway, Suite B

Long Beach, CA 90803

5K number ten was in the books, and we needed to celebrate. Since last July, Katie and I have done one race a month. It sounds more impressive than it really is, except if you take into account getting Katie up and out the door before 7am on a Sunday. A true miracle and something that rarely ever happens, even on her typical workday. We also have not broken the one-hour mark on any of these 3.1-mile races, but at least we are out bright and early, getting some fresh air, and as is the case on this morning, getting a chance to eat at a new place for us, The Local Spot in Long Beach. 

The Local Spot has been around since 2011 and comes to us from the McKee family, who also operates Eggs Etc., which has been serving breakfast to the people of Long Beach since 1977. The Local Spot started as a barbecue restaurant only open for lunch and dinner but transitioned to a breakfast and lunch spot sometime along the way. That change worked as they have an impressive four-and-a-half-star rating on Yelp with over 1,400 reviews. 

We arrived here before 9am on a recent Sunday and immediately got a table. It was a different story when we left, as waiting to be seated is typical on weekends. We were seated on their patio, and although it was a bit chilly, we made the best of it. The Local Spot menu is broken into sections of omelets, egg dishes, benedicts, griddle items, a trio of south-of-the-border offerings, and a smattering of healthier breakfast options. The prices are modest, with nothing above the $15 price point. Very reasonable. Let's check out what we had to eat after our grueling 3-mile race. 

Up first was the Country Mix ($14) that Katie selected. This consisted of three scrambled eggs, bacon, onions, and home fries. This usually comes with ham, but Katie asked to substitute bacon instead, and they kindly obliged, and there was no upcharge due to the substitution. That is not always the case at most restaurants. She really enjoyed this scramble. Plenty of bacon, the potatoes were tender, and the red salsa provided a nice flavor boost. With this, you also choose toast, tortillas, a pancake, or, as Katie got, a biscuit with gravy. The gravy here was nice and thick, but I would have liked it to be more peppery. The biscuit was good, not too mushy. Katie was pleased with her breakfast choice. 

I did not even have to turn one page of the menu at the Local Spot because this Farmer's Favorite ($14) was listed on the front of the menu under House Specials. This came with a layer of home fries on the bottom and then was topped with two fried eggs, ranchero sauce, plenty of cheese, and diced sausage, bacon, and ham. This was one of the better breakfast dishes I've had in a while. There was plenty of cheese and breakfast meats, but another egg would have taken this to the next level by giving it more balance. The ranchero sauce did not overwhelm but added just enough to make it noticeable. I went with a pancake for my side item and added chocolate chips, a $2 upcharge. I liked this pancake because it was thinner than most, and they gave me plenty of maple syrup to go along with it. It might not look like it in the picture above, but plenty of chocolate chips were on the other side of the pancake. 

The Local Spot definitely hit the spot after our 5k. They got us in quick, the service was friendly and cordial, and the food was not lacking. As is the case with about 90 percent of breakfasts that I've reviewed on this blog, it's probably not drive-worthy from more than fifteen miles, but if you live in the area or find yourself running a 5k and need a place to refuel for breakfast, The Local Spot is where you should head. 

Out of five Olympic medals (because there have been 51 Olympians born in Long Beach, and I'm sure some of them have won medals), five being best to zero being worst, The Local Spot gets a very solid 3 Olympic medals. 

The Local Spot does not have an active website, so head to their Yelp page for more information about them by clicking here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-local-spot-long-beach

Hoping Felix’s Will Provide Some Righty-O BBQ

 Felix's BBQ With Soul

3613 Ocean Ranch Blvd. 

Oceanside, CA 92056

If you are new to the blog or just like to look at the pictures of the places we eat, you might not know I'm a bit of a reader. I should qualify that statement. I'm really into audiobooks, which is different from reading, but it makes me sound more intelligent than I actually am. Not wanting to add another subscription service, I decided to get all of my audiobooks from public libraries. 

I've obtained library cards from OC and LA, San Diego, and other local libraries to increase my ability to get books. I signed up online for a temporary card from the Carlsbad Library during the pandemic. Now that the pandemic is behind us, they wanted people to come in and apply for a permanent card. This would also be an excellent opportunity to try one of the restaurants on my restaurant wishlist in the area. That's how I came to visit Felix's BBQ with Soul. 

Felix's caught my attention because they have an inspiring four-and-a-half rating on Yelp with over 2,400 reviews. This firmly cements them in the upper echelon of places to eat in Oceanside, and now that fellow barbecue restaurant, That Boy Good has announced that they are closing at the end of this month, it just might make them the number one destination for barbecue in Oceanside. At least, I was hoping that would be the case. 

After getting my library card, I drove about ten minutes to Felix's in Oceanside. This was the first of their locations opened 15 years ago. Since then, Felix Berry has opened three more spots in Lake Elsinore, Carlsbad, and San Marcos. Felix worked in a bbq restaurant in his teen years in Alabama before college. After completing his schooling, he opened other businesses, but a barbecue restaurant was always on his mind. So he decided to move forward with his dream of providing quality barbecue with a dash of southern charm to the people of North San Diego County. 

Not merely just a barbecue restaurant, Felix's southern roots are well represented on his extensive menu. Along with bbq meats, fried green tomatoes, gumbo, hush puppies, fried okra, chitlins, oxtails, and catfish are featured prominently here. Stuff that you only see on a few menus in Southern California. I had studied the menu before I had left home, so when I arrived at Felix's, I quickly ordered at the counter. Within ten minutes, I was handed my bag and was on my way back home with the aroma of barbecue wafting from my backseat. 

As soon as I saw the first item on the menu, I knew what I'd be having. As is my custom when eating anywhere for the first time, and since I pay for almost all of my meals, I veer towards getting combo plates if they are available. This BBQ Sampler ($35) allows you to try 4 types of meat and four sides and is meant to feed 2 easily. There are 14 kinds of protein to choose from and 20 sides to narrow down to 4 selections. 

I went with Pulled Pork, Brisket, Baby Back Ribs, and Beef Ribs for my meats. It's between both of the ribs for my favorite of the four. The baby backs had a good amount of meat, and the pork underneath was tender and flavorful. The beef rib also had plenty of meat and pulled away nicely from the bone. The pulled pork, for the most part, was delicious, but I did have a bite or two that were a little on the dry side. The brisket was not for me. Not awful, but not something I'd order here again. It was very lean and tough. It would have been better if it had had a ribbon of fat running through it. Next time I'd substitute the catfish or tri-tip for the brisket. 

I selected Mac and Cheese, Red Beans and Rice, Potato Salad, and Baked Beans for my four sides. Undoubtedly, the Mac and Cheese was the clear winner this afternoon. It's made with five cheeses and baked, so the cheese clings nicely to each piece of macaroni. An excellent flavor; I had a hard time saving some of this for Katie to try when she got home from work. Do not miss it. The red beans and rice were another hit. The kidney beans absorbed a great deal of flavor, and even though the rice got lost here, I enjoyed the slight spiciness included in each forkful. The potato salad tasted freshly made and reminded me of the version that my mom used to make. It had a mustard tinge to it, and the potatoes were tender. I also enjoyed that each bite had a different textural element to it. Nicely done. The clunker of the bunch was the baked beans. It was too watery, and even though the menu claims that these are made with real bacon, it was impossible to taste because of the abundance of liquid in our portion. 

Felix's offers Lunch Box Specials every day until 4pm. There are nine different ones to choose from, including french fries and coleslaw as sides, but you can substitute sides for anywhere between fifty cents to a dollar fifty. I went with the Hot Link Sandwich Lunch Box ($12 plus .50 cents for subbing the fries for Collard Greens). The sandwich did not look like much, but it was made much better when I added the provided barbecue sauce. The sausage had a lovely kick of spice, and the casing was very snappy. The coleslaw was fresh, and they added plenty of their sweet and tangy dressing to the shredded carrots and cabbage. The collard greens were traditional and tasted hearty, with some lovely bursts of garlic. I also received two individual-sized pieces of cornbread, which had a bit of sweetness to them, but I'm not the world's biggest cornbread fan, so I saved the other one for Katie. 

Based on this visit to Felix's, there were a few slight misses for me, but nothing that would prevent me from visiting again when in the area. I really enjoyed all the meat I had, except for the brisket. The sides were delicious, and I still can't get that fantastic mac and cheese out of my head. Overall the food here is better than most barbecue restaurants, and the value for the money is also better than other barbecue joints. With such an extensive and varied menu, I'd like to explore more of their southern specialties. Their customer service was good, as they had my food out to me in less than ten minutes, and it was wrapped up nicely for my 45-minute drive back home. It was a very good day off. I added another library card to my collection and had some delicious barbecue for lunch and dinner. 

Out of five bags of tricks (because when I was a little kid, I used to watch Felix the Cat, and he possessed a satchel that could be transformed into anything he wanted), five being best to zero being worst, Felix's BBQ With Soul gets 3.5 bags of tricks. 

For more information about Felix's BBQ with Soul, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.felixsbbq.com/

A Hidden Gem of a Pastrami Sandwich in Fullerton

 Gem Gourmet Meats and Produce

3125 Yorba Linda Blvd. 

Fullerton, CA 92831

It might make me sound like one of those elderly guys in the Pepperidge Farms commercials from back in the day, but restaurant blogging had changed a lot from when I started 14 years ago. Then, I would usually get restaurant tips from other blogs I read almost religiously. Only a few of us are still left writing restaurant reviews in blog form. Only a few are active blogs on my blogroll, which you can find on the right-hand side of this webpage. Most people stopped writing well before the pandemic and have not written a review in six months or more.   

With the tips from my fellow bloggers dried up, I have had to consult other sources. It was print media for a while, but once the OC Register put up a paywall, their restaurant critic left, and OC Weekly ceased publication, I was left with just Orange Coast Magazine. So I mainly rely on Instagram, my research, and the occasional tip from a reader for my restaurant tips. It was Instagram that brought me to where I will review today. 

In the last few months, I began following Grub with Greg. Greg does videos on the restaurants that he visits. I have considered starting to do this, but my audiobook obsession and finding the time to write this blog have prevented me from moving forward with this idea. Maybe someday. Greg does a great job showing off the food at the restaurants he visits. I recently had the pleasure of meeting him at an event, and I'm happy to report that he's just as lovely in person as in his videos. I want to credit him for inspiring me to visit Gem Gourmet Meats and Produce. 

Gem is located in the same shopping plaza as the stalwart Vendome Liquor, Mr. Katsu, and other proprietors alongside Yorba Linda Boulevard, just to the east of where it crosses Placentia Avenue. This was primarily a butcher shop with assorted produce and some dairy products for sale until recently. They have been in business for 50 years but have had more than one owner. 

You order the sandwiches at the meat counter, just to the left of the entrance. Their hot sandwich menu consists of four options, and they also make a variety of cold sandwiches which feature Boar's Head meats. The sandwiches come with macaroni salad, coleslaw, or potato salad. I perused the small store while my sandwiches were being prepared, less than five minutes. I paid at the front of the store and headed home. They did have one table outside the store if you chose to eat your sandwich on the premises. Let's see if this one tip that was worth following up on. 

I'm a sucker for a Hot Pastrami Sandwich ($13), and this is the sandwich I saw on Grub with Greg, which got me up here. The half pound of pastrami is steamed and placed on rye bread with Swiss cheese, sliced pickle, deli mustard, coleslaw, and Russian dressing. I really liked this sandwich, which was great value for the price. I'd get this without the mustard and pickles next time, as they overpowered the pastrami and the rest of the sandwich. Still solid, I enjoyed the sweet coleslaw, which contrasted nicely with the pastrami and the rest of the sandwich. I got potato salad with this which was fine but still not as good as the one from Mario's Butcher Shop in Newport. That one is still the benchmark for potato salads that I've had as of now. 

Who knew when I'd be back this way so, of course, I needed another sandwich. That sandwich would be the Hot Meatball Sub ($10). The meatballs are cradled in a French roll and joined by some provolone cheese and marinara sauce. I enjoyed that each bite included at least a part of a meatball. This sandwich had at least 5 of them. The meatballs were more dense than I would have liked, and their flavor was underwhelming. The plentiful provolone cheese did help elevate this sandwich, but it would have been better with more marinara. I upgraded my salad option to pasta salad. This was one of the better ones I have had. The penne pasta was seasoned well and sprinkled with parmesan cheese and sliced onions for an even more flavor boost. 

The pastrami sandwich at Gem Gourment is probably in my top ten pastrami sandwiches in OC, especially considering the relatively modest price compared to others on my list. The meatball sandwich could have been better, but if you are in the mood for one, this one will satisfy your craving. The sides were solid, and it's nice that they are included to round out your meal. I'll be trying the French Dip on my next visit here. Thanks for the tip about this spot Greg, and if you have any suggestions on places we should hit up, please let me know. 

Out of five Tanzanite gemstones (because this gem is the rarest and most expensive gem in the world today), five being best to zero being worst, Gem Gourmet Meats and Produce gets 3 Tanzanite gemstones.  

For more information about Gem Gourmet Meats and Produce, head to their website by clicking here:https://gemmeatsandproduce.com/