Breezing Into Tropical Smoothie Cafe - CLOSED

Tropical Smoothie Cafe

23841 El Toro Road Suite C-E127

Lake Forest, CA 92630

If you are an ardent reader of this blog, it's probably not a surprise that I'm not really much of a smoothie drinker. Yes, I understand that they are a great way to get my fruit servings, but I'm not much into just stopping by somewhere for just a smoothie. I know it's not healthy, but I'd rather get my fruit servings from a slice of dutch apple pie or maybe even from a glass of orange juice at breakfast with two eggs and a side of bacon. Needless to say, I was a little skeptical walking into Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

We were recently invited here to experience this latest entrant to the smoothie battle going on here in Southern California. Tropical has been around since 1997. They started in Tallahassee, just selling smoothies, and two years later added a few wholesome food options to go along with their smoothies. Fast forward to 2016, and they are making a western push with the opening of their first California spots. Already opened in Rancho Cucamonga, and opening recently in Foothill Ranch, we were lucky enough to attend their Lake Forest opening a few weeks ago.

This Lake Forest spot is kind of secluded, but it's on busy El Toro Road. It's right next door to the Bank of America nearest the 5 Freeway, and in the same shopping center as Costume Castle, Guitar Center, and a 99 Cents Only Store. I've driven by numerous times after this event, and it appears that people have had no problem locating them, as there are always people inside this spot when I sneak a peek while driving by.

The space is lighted well, had a great energy to it, and it's hard to believe that this spot used to be a dry cleaner in its last incarnation. Of course, there are plenty of smoothie options on the Tropical menu, but I was actually pretty impressed with their rather large selection of wraps, bowls, salads, flatbreads, and sides. A large majority of the customers on this evening were taking advantage of their half-priced smoothies during their grand opening celebration, but this offer is also available daily from 7am to 9am. I was here mainly for food, but I also tried one of their smoothies as well. Let's check out what's going on at Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

The first thing out for us this evening was their Roasted Mexican Street Corn ($1.29). This was not something that I expected to see in a smoothie shop. This half ear of corn was topped with a southwestern aioli, queso fresco, and cilantro, and then stabbed with a stick for easier eating. I liked the subtle flavors of this fresh corn, but I would have liked a little more aioli all around the cob. Not a bad accompaniment for the other food here at Tropical, or a healthy midday snack.

To no one's surprise, including my own, Katie selected a bowl this evening. This Island Buffalo Blue Bowl ($6.25) really had Katie singing its praises. You do have the option of having this as a wrap or bowl, but this good-sized salad seems like the way to go here. The bowl is filled with citrus slaw, mozzarella, romaine, ranch dressing, Gorgonzola, Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce, and finished up with your choice of beef or chicken. Katie selected the chicken. When I heard that the produce here is provided by Melissa's, I knew Katie would spout off about the freshness of this, and of course, that's what happened. She also mentioned that this salad really exceeded her expectations. She loved the tang from the citrus slaw, the slight heat from the hot sauce, and that there was plenty of cheese included here. She'd definitely get this again.

When I ordered this Chipotle Club Flatbread ($6.75), it kind of shocked me. I was really expecting more of a pizza-like flatbread, but instead, something that resembled a taco was placed in front of me. This was filled with beef, bacon, tomatoes, pepper jack cheese, and the same chipotle aioli that was used with the corn. I really enjoyed this a lot more than I expected as well. Yes, it could have included a little more beef and cheese, but the chipotle sauce and the bacon added a flavor boost to this flatbread. I'd also have to commend Tropical Smoothie Cafe for choosing to go with Melissa's Produce because the veggies on here really shined. Beautiful, vibrant tomatoes and nice, crisp lettuce helped add to this satisfying sandwich.

Smoothie time and Katie selected the Chai Banana Boost ($5.95) as her inaugural smoothie at Tropical. This had a whole plethora of stuff in it. Bananas, coconut, almonds, dates, cinnamon, whole grain oats, chai seeds, and peanut butter rounded out this beverage, which Katie called, "hearty, and a complete meal in cup form." When it came time for me to make my smoothie selection, I just went with the one which sounded like it was the closest to a chocolate shake. That one would be the appropriately named, Chocolate Chiller ($5.95). Instead of ice cream, this was made with peanut butter, yogurt, and chocolate. How can that be bad, right? This was very filling, and at 24 ounces, I had a hard time finishing it. Not overly sweet, I could really enjoy this subtle chocolate and peanut butter combination, without having to worry about how bad this would be for me if this was a shake instead of a smoothie.

After our trip to Tropical Smoothie Cafe, I could see this becoming one of our recurring spots to stop by for having a light lunch or dinner. I definitely see the allure of smoothies more than I did before my visit here. I still wouldn't consider myself to be a smoothie kind of guy, but I'm not as opposed to them as much now, especially since I know that they have some pretty legit food items on their menu. Definitely worth trying to find them on busy El Toro Road. Welcome to the neighborhood Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

We would like to thank everyone at Tropical Smoothie Cafe for their wonderful hospitality, and the opportunity to try them out.

If you would like to experience Tropical Smoothie Cafe for yourself or would like to find your nearest location, head over to their website here: http://www.tropicalsmoothiecafe.com/

Raising Cane's Has Everyone Talking

Raising Cane's 

26801 Aliso Creek Road

Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

There's a new chicken restaurant invading Southern California. This one has a lot of people excited, especially people from the southern part of the US. I have to admit that I hadn't heard of them before they opened up their first OC location in Costa Mesa late last year. I went to their soft opening, and liked it, but wondered if a chicken finger restaurant would make it here in OC. I've been to their newer location in Aliso Viejo a couple of times now, and judging by the crowds, it appears that Southern California has embraced Raising Cane's.

The story of how Raising Cane's has come to be is a good one. Started by CEO Todd Graves, he started this restaurant by writing up his business plan in college. His professor was less than impressed with it, gave him a bad grade on it, and told him a chicken finger restaurant would never work. Undeterred, he raised the money to open his first restaurant by working in a Southern California refinery, and then working long hours up in Alaska on the salmon boats. He came back to his beloved Louisiana with just enough money to open up his first restaurant, and people loved it. They were open almost around the clock, and people still could not get enough of their chicken fingers.

Back in October, when they opened their first California restaurant in Costa Mesa, they had similar lines. People were clogging up Harbor Boulevard while getting into the lot, the drive-thru line was long, and the inside of the restaurant was bustling as well. When Aliso Viejo opened it was a little more controlled chaos, with the drive-thru line being staged in another part of this large shopping center, and the big dining space of this former Burger King spot, which was torn down and rebuilt, was busy, but there was plenty of seating.

One thing I've noticed about where they have placed their restaurants is that they appear to be coming after Chick-fil-A. Just like the Costa Mesa spot where Chick-fil-A is right across the street, at the Cane's in Aliso, there's a Chick-fil-A right in this same shopping center. Even their new Cane's location, which is yet to open in Orange, is only a block away from their chicken competitor. A very aggressive business strategy in a competitive marketplace. Of course they'll clean up on Sunday's when Chick-fil-A is closed, and people want some poultry. Let's see what's got a lot of people all excited, the chicken at Raising Cane's.

The menu at Raising Cane's is not going to amaze you with its diversity. They do one thing here, and it's chicken fingers. Just like In-N-Out Burger, the folks at Cane's are reluctant to change their menu. In fact, their menu has not changed since they opened over twenty years ago. They have four items available on their menu, a 3, 4, or 6 chicken finger meal, and a chicken sandwich made up of, you guessed it, three chicken fingers. There's also their sides, which include; crinkle cut fries, coleslaw, and Texas toast. Let's take a look at what made up my Box Combo ($7.29) at Raising Cane's.

Of course we have to start things off with what they are most famous for, their Chicken Fingers. On their own, these chicken fingers are a little on the bland side, like a lot of chicken tends to be. Yes, they are freshly made, and tender, but without the Cane's Sauce, they would be kind of boring. The sauce is kind of a peppery version of thousand island dressing, without the pickles. It's made even better with the addition of a packet of hot sauce, that you have to ask from the workers behind the counter. Mixing this in the Cane's Sauce gives it an extra kick, which turns the sauce up a notch. Some might lament the absence of ranch dressing at Cane's, but this sauce goes well with the chicken here, and I haven't even missed my favorite condiment. They do offer honey mustard or ketchup for those of you that are not a fan of the Cane's sauce, but those are your only other options for dipping here at Raising Cane's.

Now on to the sides that are included in the Box Combo, like this Coleslaw. I wasn't really a big fan of this slaw. It's got a kind of soupy texture to it, which is fine with me, but other than that, it's kind of bland. Maybe if they would have made it with their Cane's Sauce it would be better. You should know that if you are not a fan of one of the sides here, you can swap it out for one that you do like. Not a fan of the coleslaw, have extra fries or an extra slice of Texas toast. I'd probably swap out this coleslaw on my next trip to Raising Cane's.

The Fries here are pretty average. I liked the crinkle cut they featured, but they are under seasoned and kind of boring. Only made better when dipped into the Cane's sauce, or maybe if you ask for them well done. I'm also not really a fan of the Texas Toast, but I might be in the minority when it comes to this opinion. My friend Richard, who has accompanied me on most of my trips to Raising Cane's, is in love with this toast. He always skips the coleslaw and gets an extra piece of toast, and I always end up giving him mine as well.

These reviews go pretty quick when the menu is this limited. If you are not a chicken finger person, not in the mood for chicken fingers, or are dining with people that don't like such a restricted menu, you might want to skip Raising Cane's. Even though I said that the chicken is boring on its own, the sauce here makes it worth while to try Cane's. I'm not really a big fan of chicken, but I have found myself craving a trip to Raising Cane's for their chicken fingers, and I never thought that was going to happen. It's something about the freshness of the chicken, the light batter, and most importantly, the sauce. I have a theory about why people from the south are so crazy about this place. It's a little piece of home, here in Southern California. It'd be like In-N-Out putting a restaurant in Boston or Miami, (not that I'm a big fan of In-N-Out, but that's a story for another day). Service has been really good on all of our visits to Raising Cane's. Employees here really seem to care about their customers, and make routine sweeps through the dining area frequently. I'm also a fan that they do a lot of work with local charities, and tailor their restaurants decor to correspond with each city they are  located in. A nice touch, and it helps me understand why people are so crazy over this restaurant, even if I'm just moderately excited by it.

Out of five red sticks, (because this restaurant was founded in the capital of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, which translates to red stick in French), five being best to zero being worst, Raising Cane's gets 2.5 red sticks.

For more information about Raising Cane's, go to their website here: http://raisingcanes.com/

A Lively Evening at Brio Tuscan Grille

Brio Tuscan Grille

774 Irvine Center Drive

Irvine, CA 92618

I feel bad that I've neglected Brio Tuscan Grille this long. They are right next door to a restaurant we've written about twice, Del Frisco's Grille. We make at least ten trips a year to the Spectrum, where Brio is located, and have yet to dine here. It always looks so busy and inviting, but we have yet to go inside this restaurant, which has been around for a year and a half. That was until we got a little nudge.

That nudge was in the form of an invite by the great folks at Brio to come in and try their latest promotional item, The Tale of Two Risottos. For a limited time, Brio is offering two seafood-inspired versions of this classic Italian comfort food dish. We could not say no to this great opportunity and quickly reached out to Brio to say that we could not wait to come in and try them out.

Before we left, I checked out the Brio website and was surprised to learn that they have many locations throughout the United States. They operate over 100 restaurants in 22 states, two of which are in California. This Irvine location is joined by another at Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga. The focus food-wise here is on Northern Italian cuisine, which they prepare with what they hope to be the freshest ingredients in a lively Italian eatery. I was excited to see what they had for us this evening.

We arrived just before 7pm and promptly sat in a comfortable side room near the bustling kitchen. They nailed the lively atmosphere here. The space has a welcoming quality and an upscale vibe, but not in a stuffy way. I was struck by the vast array of people dining here. There were tables of businessmen talking shop, a gaggle of women enjoying a lady's night out, friends celebrating someone's birthday, and me and I enjoying a quiet date night, going over each other's hectic days at work, which slowly melted away as the night went on at Brio.

The menu is impressive here. What I noticed first and foremost were the prices. They were not as outrageous as I was expecting. No menu item is over the $30 mark, and most entrees are going to set you back less than $20. I made many mental notes of what I would have here on my next visit to Brio. This trip was all about the risotto, so let's see how that worked out for us this evening.

When we sat down, they almost instantaneously sat out this bread basket filled with some crisp pieces of bread and half a loaf of sourdough. I much preferred the sourdough. It was served warm and had a great, pliable texture. It was a very nice bread, which came with plenty of butter. The crisp bread was seasoned well, but I could not stop eating the sourdough.

As first-timers to Brio, we were advised that trying the Bruschetta Quattro ($15.95) would be wise for us, and that advice proved correct. This is a sampling of their four most popular bruschettas, and it's easy to see why they are so well-liked. Katie's and my favorite was the sliced steak version, which also included Gorgonzola, arugula, charred tomato, and Parmesan. The steak was tender, and the big flavors played nicely on the well-toasted bread base. I also enjoyed the version with the applewood bacon, tomato jam, ricotta cheese, Parmesan, and basil to round it out. I don't know where it came from, but this had a good spice, which lingered a while after consuming it. Other bruschetta versions included a roasted red pepper and the chef's seasonal bruschetta, which featured shrimp and a delectable sauce. An excellent start to our time at Brio.

I cringed when Katie ordered this Kale Caesar Salad ($7.25). Kale and I have a very stormy relationship. I'm not much of a fan, and I feared the kale would ruin one of my favorite salads. I'm pleased to announce that I was wrong about this. This was one kale dish I could get down with no trouble. The marinated kale was joined with a whole cavalcade of items; pancetta, chopped egg, tomatoes, tricolore lettuce, Parmesan, and a delicious Caesar dressing. First and foremost, this was a good-sized salad; the produce was fresh, and the kale was not as bitter as others we have had. A good take on a Caesar salad. I'm still estranged from kale, but this dish has at least opened up a dialogue between us two.

Lobster Bisque ($6.95) is always a good option, and that was the case here at Brio as well. This velvety soup came with a sauteed shrimp garnish in the middle of the bowl. It was predictably rich and flavorful, and I almost found myself licking the bowl after I was done with it. I had to control myself since we had our entrees coming up next.

Our first of the two entrees was Sea Scallops and Ratatouille Risotto ($19.95). The ratatouille comprises roasted eggplant, tomatoes, red peppers, zucchini, basil, and Reggiano cheese. The risotto picked up each of these flavors and was topped with five good-sized scallops. The scallops were fork-tender and cooked well. The risotto shines here and is not just a vessel for the scallops and other items. Katie loved the heartiness of this meal, which was just what the doctor ordered on this chilly evening.

When this Cold Water Lobster Tail with Shrimp Risotto ($19.95) hit the table, I gasped. I could hardly wait to dig into the lobster, but the shrimp risotto was also worth some admiration. Along with the shrimp, this risotto contained mushrooms, asparagus, roasted red peppers, basil, and Parmesan. Big-time flavor explosion here, and then you add the sweet and tender lobster, making this dish a winner. Who could ever imagine lobster being this affordable? I ended up only finishing half of this, as I really wanted to savor this as I ate it. It was just as good the next day for lunch, and many coworkers were envious that they did not have lobster for lunch.

We did not need it but could not resist this Torta Di Cioccolata ($6.95). This kind of chocolate lave cake was like three desserts in one. You, of course, had the moist chocolate cake on the outside, and inside was an almost pudding-like texture of the warm cake, which was then topped with a generous serving of vanilla bean gelato. Katie was full by this point, so I was lucky enough to eat most of this, which I did in record time. I liked mixing the warm center with the vanilla gelato. A great way to end our meal at Brio. 

We left here full and content this evening. Brio really impressed me on our inaugural visit here. Not only was the food good, but the value was too great to ignore, especially for my lobster dish. The restaurant felt like an upgraded Macaroni Grill, and the food was also upgraded. We were dining in a fine dining restaurant at way more reasonable prices. Even though the prices were reasonable, the food was elevated at Brio. The service we experienced this evening also deserves some accolades. Our server Shelia has been at this location of Brio since they opened, and all of her knowledge, suggestions, and attention that she lavished upon us has made us even bigger fans of Brio.

If you would like to experience the Tale of Two Risotto promotion, you have to hurry. It will only be around until March 27th. From our experience at Brio, though, even if you do not make it in to have this fantastic deal, you will definitely find something on this menu to make you and your stomach happy. A special thanks to everyone who made this visit so enjoyable. Everyone we encountered on this evening was so pleasant and really made us feel welcome.

If you would like to keep up to date with all of the happenings at Brio or find your nearest location, head to their website here: http://www.brioitalian.com/index.html

Our Eyes and Stomachs are Smiling at Muldoon's

Muldoon's Irish Pub

202 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

At the very start of this year, my old computer took a dump on me. I was a little bummed about it because it was the computer that I started this blog on, the computer where I first contacted my now wife, Katie, and of course I lost some pictures and documents that I did not have enough time to recover before the motherboard burned up.

One of the things I was most bummed about losing was my, "Restaurant Wishlist", that I had compiled since the inception of this blog. Anytime I ran across a newspaper article, another restaurant blog, or even readers tips, I would jot down the name of the restaurant, and also where I had heard about a certain place, and who told me about it. I remember a few from my old list, including the place we would be dining at this evening, Muldoon's Irish Pub.

Nick, one of my sister-in-law's friends, was the one who suggested that we visit Muldoon's a few years ago. Sorry it took us so long to get to your suggestion Nick. We picked this restaurant not just because it was recommended to us, but also because we are in the midst of Newport Beach Restaurant Week, and their menu looked real promising. Restaurant weeks are great chances for restaurants to shine, and showcase their creativity and culinary prowess. Muldoon's had a four course meal for $30 a person, which is a steal when you consider that entrees alone are priced at $20 by themselves here, so this menu got me excited.

I was also excited because Muldoon's brings to mind a simpler time in my life. Two decades ago when I lived in the area with my two best friends, we would come here two, three, or more times a week. We would always hangout in the pub, enjoy some cocktails, and participate in darts. Back then it was all about drinking and chasing skirts, now it's more about having a great date night with my wife, and enjoying a great dinner. This was in fact the first time I would be eating in the dining room in all my many visits to Muldoon's. Let's see if I should have been focusing more on the food, instead of the adult beverages for all those years.

Meals at Muldoon's always start off with Irish Soda Bread. I've had mixed experiences with this bread in the past. At some places the bread is really hard and dense, while others make a more sweetened version, which I enjoy more. This one at Muldoon's was not in your face sweet, but I still enjoyed it because it was lighter than most, and the raisins stayed out of my way. We also enjoyed the generous slab of Irish butter that came out with this. Very creamy, and it really added to the bread.

On the restaurant week menu, this was listed as an appetizer, but I thought of this Smoked Salmon on a Potato Pancake more as an amuse bouche. I almost took this down in one bite. I enjoyed this, even though I thought it was weird to combine salmon with a fried potato. The potato was fried nicely, lacked grease, and had a good favor. The salmon was fresh, and was good on it's own, but was a little overpowered when combined with the pancake.

On to course number two, and Katie selected the Pub Salad ($8.95) to start with. This good sized side salad included greens, shredded carrots, cucumbers, and as a little twist, sunflower seeds. Katie was pretty happy with this salad, and loved the inclusion of the sunflower seeds. The blue cheese dressing was on point, and the produce was fresh. All you could want from a side salad.

Since Katie had the salad, that left me with the Soup of the Day ($7.95), which just happened to be Split Pea. This was a pretty good version of this classic soup. It could have been made better by adding more ham or some bacon, and it could have been creamier, but it did its job fine on this evening.

When Katie's entree hit the table, we could not believe the serving size of this Fish and Chips ($19.95). Five good sized pieces of wild snapper, fried perfectly, with a nice crunchy batter, and a moist, flaky fish inside. One of the better fish and chips we have had recently. It was made even better with a very well done tarter sauce for dipping. The fries were tasty and plentiful. Katie said this could have been made better with some malt vinegar, but our waiter never brought any out, and she could not stop herself from eating this before we saw him again.

There were three other items for me to choose from the entree portion of Muldoon's restaurant week menu, and I think I made the right choice by picking this Sheppard's Pie ($21). This very Irish meal was deceptively filling. I kind of thought it was on the small size, until I could not finish it, and had to take half of it home for lunch the next day. A well seasoned meat and veggie base was topped with some really good mashed potatoes to create this comfort food classic. Be forewarned if you order this, it will come out scalding hot, so be sure to let it cool for awhile.

Even though we were quite full by this point, we still had dessert coming for us. Katie selected the Irish Berry Trifle ($11) to end her meal at Muldoon's. This European take on a shortcake had layers of vanilla bean custard, whipped cream, cake, and berries strewn about it. For fruit lovers, like Katie, this was a wonderful way to end her meal. I much prefer chocolate when having desserts, so the Mini Dark Chocolate Sundae ($7.50) would be my choice on this evening. Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and See's crushed toffee were the basis for this dessert. I would have liked some hot fudge included here, but still a decent sundae.

Both Katie and I left Muldoon's very happy, and full. At $30 each for dinner, this is wonderful place to come for restaurant week. By my rudimentary calculations, this meal would have cost us well over $80, so that's a savings of at least ten dollars per person. What I enjoy most about Muldoon's is that I had the feeling that this is how the pubs are in Ireland, even though I have never been there. It's not too gimmicky, their Irishness is subtle, and not thrown in your face like a lot of other spots that claim to be Irish pubs are guilty of. The food here was pretty stellar for pub fare, and we would not hesitate to come back and try some of their other items, Irish or not, on our next visit to this Newport Beach gem. We even had the added treat of having a nightcap in the pub, where the great Sean Kelly helms the bar five nights a week, just like he's done for over 25 plus years now, and back when I used to be a regular here. I dare even say, he remembers my drink every time I come back to see him. I'm glad I remembered that Nick suggested we visit Muldoon's, and I look forward to starting my new restaurant wishlist.

Out of five hill-forts, (because the name Muldoon means hill-fort), five being best to zero being worst, Muldoon's Irish Pub gets 3.5 hill-forts.

To find out more about Muldoon's Irish Pub, head to their website here: http://www.muldoonspub.com/