No Misery on This Visit to Mizuiro - CLOSED

Mizuiro

22431 Antonio Parkway B-110

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

I have a funny relationship with sushi. I like it well enough, but I never really crave it. I've had really expensive, high-quality sushi, but it is kind of wasted on me. I appreciate it, but when I'm forking out a bunch of money and going to need to stop off at a drive-thru on the way home, it kind of defeats the purpose of spending all that money. That's why when the sushi cravings hit Katie I always try to find an all you can eat sushi restaurant.

I love AYCE sushi restaurants. I always leave way too full, I'm a big fan of what a lot of you might call the non-traditional fried rolls, and it's a fixed price going in, so I know how much it's going to be when the check comes. Sure you are not getting the highest quality seafood, but in my experience, I have not really run across what I would deem an awful AYCE experience. I definitely have my favorite place, but our good friends Tom and Daniele wanted us to try a place they had been once before, so we all headed to Mizuiro in Rancho Santa Margarita.

Mizuiro is located on the corner of Antonio and La Promesa in the same shopping center as the Pavillions, Del Taco, and one of our favorite sandwich spots, Board and Brew. They have been open for coming up on three years in December as an AYCE place. From what I can gather this location used to be Mizu, which is still under the same restaurant group. They have a location in Tustin and started out in San Jose, where they have amassed over 2,000 Yelp reviews and attained a four-star rating since opening in 2009.

The switch to an AYCE format seems to have helped Mizuiro. We arrived at a very busy restaurant at 7:30 on a recent Friday evening. The inside of the restaurant is a little hipper than our usual sushi spot. The large dining room is spacious, with a tinge of blue hanging about due to the overhead lighting. A little on the loud side, but as the dinner crowd filed out, it became a lot easier to hold a conversation, although with Daniele in our party I preferred to tune out.

All four of us opted for the all you can eat option, which is priced at $27.50 for dinner, and $15.50 for lunch. At lunchtime, they have a slightly smaller selection, but it also includes a soft drink with all the sushi you may want. The AYCE menu features appetizers,  nigiri sushi, baked rolls, tempura rolls, fresh rolls, traditional and hand rolls. There are also five special items where you are limited to having one per person, these include sea urchin, jumbo scallop, salmon egg, halibut, and snow crab. Very hungry by this point, we made our numerous selections on our order sheet, and let the sushi parade commence.

These are just some of the many appetizers that we tried on this evening. The favorites for myself were the Chicken Katsu, the Spicy Sesame Chicken, which really resembled an orange chicken and was not spicy at all, and the Calamari Tempura. Not pictured, but I was not too impressed with the Popcorn Scallops, which were dry and definitely over fried. For non-sushi fans, I'd say you could still have a good meal here at Mizuiro by just selecting from their appetizers.

Again, these are just some of the things that we ate this evening. As the night went on a sushi coma washed over me, so I forgot to snap pictures of everything we ate. The nigiri sushi was all fresh and tasted great. Pretty impressed with the quality at Mizuiro. I always favor the tempura and specialty rolls, which are a lot heavier than the traditional sushi. I really enjoyed the selection here, but at a certain point in the gluttony, the rolls all started to taste the same.

Based on this one trip to Mizuiro, they have replaced our usual go-to spot for all you can eat sushi. Sure it's a little bit of trek getting out to Rancho Santa Margarita, but this is the best of the AYCE sushi spots we have been to so far in South OC. Unlike a lot of the Yelpers, we had no issues with the service here. They were pretty quick taking our orders, clearing plates, and refilling drinks. We even stayed a little past closing time, and they never really made us feel rushed. Our friend Daniele who we credit with finding this place for us claims that Mizuiro is 70 to 80 times better than the other place we used to go. While her math is definitely off, it is better, and with all that, we consumed it's a great value. Definitely, a sushi restaurant that's right up my alley.

Out of five paint cans, (because if you go into a paint store in Japan and ask for mizuiro, it translates as light blue), five being best to zero being worst, Mizuiro gets 3 paint cans.

For more information about Mizuiro, head to their website here: http://www.mizuirosushi.com/

Our Quest Has Taken Us to the Hobbit

The Hobbit

2932 East Chapman

Orange, CA 92869

People get a little worked up over my grading system. My dad has always said I should do it on a scale of 1 to 10, but as I have explained countless times, with the half-stars that I give out, it's already like that. My friend Erven has another passionate gripe about my rating system.

He laments that I have not given out a five-star review to any of the restaurants we have been to. The fact is, most restaurants hover right around the average to slightly above average level. I'll share these stats with those who think I'm too harsh of a critic. Of the 655 restaurants rated so far (we don't rate restaurants that we get invited to), 189 have been average or below, leaving 466 restaurants scoring higher than average. I'd say that's pretty generous.

As for the upper echelon of places we've been to, seven restaurants have gotten 4 and a half stars. A five-star restaurant would have to be exceptional in every way. Such a restaurant would be world-class and make me want to forget about eating at all other restaurants. I have not been so blown away by such a restaurant yet, but I hope it will happen someday. Erven was hoping that the five-star drought would be broken on a recent Sunday evening when he suggested we dine at one of his favorite restaurants, The Hobbit in Orange.

The Hobbit has been around for a ton of years. 45 years this week, which is pretty impressive in the restaurant business. They have been around so long that I remember being left with a babysitter when my parents came here. Okay, that was only last year, but still impressive that I recall that far back. For the last 30 years, The Hobbit has been run by Executive Chef and Owner Michael Philippi and his wife, Debra Philippi, who holds the title of Executive Coordinator and Owner.

The Hobbit is not really so much a restaurant as it is an event. They have one seating Wednesday thru Sunday at 7pm. The menu is a seven-course prix -fixe affair, and their website is regularly updated so you can make reservations based on your preferences. The food price only is $88 a person, with all beverages, excluding the champagne served in the wine cellar, added to the bill for an additional charge. The setting is a red-tiled, Spanish-style house on Chapman Avenue, next door to Johnny Reb's. Unfortunately, I could not find out much about the home online, and the wait staff here did not really elaborate on any of the history of the place, which I would date at about the 1940s, give or take a decade or two.

We got to The Hobbit at about 6:30 and got a cocktail upstairs in their bar. We took them downstairs and enjoyed them on the patio in front of the restaurant. A half-hour later, we were whisked down to the wine cellar for champagne and, as you can see from the pictures, quite the array of hors-d'oeuvres. All were very good, but the standouts were the Liver Mousse Pate, which had an incredible creaminess and a smokiness that rivaled bacon over an open fire. The best pate I have ever had. The French Sandwich was another winner. Ham and cheese sandwiched between some very soft bread cut into small pieces. So simple but as addictive as anything. I wanted to fill my pockets before leaving the wine cellar. The Steak Tartare, Mussels in a delicious wine broth, and the Artichoke Dip were all memorable and excited me for what was to come.

After about an hour of noshing on the hors-d'oeuvres, we were ushered back upstairs and directed to our table. We were seated in the front dining room, which had no more than ten tables inside it, with a very comforting ambiance. We could hear ourselves talk but were not bothered by the other parties' conversations. I enjoyed the table setting and was especially fond of how the butter was presented as a rose. Very unique and appreciated. The dinner rolls were a cross between a regular dinner roll and a popover. These kinds of rolls always remind me of my grandmother, a cherished memory. They were not shy about keeping them coming either, which was nice.

Course number two was a Seared Diver Scallop perched atop a sweet corn succotash and a smear of house-made pesto streaked across the plate. The scallop and the pesto went well together, but the corn succotash was the weak link here. A little out of place and not really adding too much to this. The scallop was tender and seared perfectly. I could have eaten a bunch more of these.

I'm always excited to see quail on a menu, which was the case when this Grilled Quail sat in front of me. A few bites of this quail were delicious, but then I got down to the meatier part of the bird, and it was slightly overcooked and dry, and the blueberry and red wine reduction could not save it. Also adding to my discomfort with this dish was that it was served alongside white quinoa, which is my arch nemesis. My disdain for quinoa also held true in The Hobbit, as I found it to be flavorless and left a lot of it untouched. The rest of my dining party enjoyed it, so it might have just been my quinoa bias rearing its ugly head again.

Salads were out next, and we were given this Frisee Salad, which for those of you that do not know, like me until I looked it up, is made up of curly endive. This one was served with a black pepper caramel gastrique and at the center of it all was a mission fig stuffed with gorgonzola cheese. Unfortunately, this salad did not work for me. The endive was a little too bitter, and the gastrique promised caramel but did not deliver. All I got was a slight peppery tinge. The fig was okay, but I expected more from the gorgonzola. Blue cheese would have been a better choice as it would have woken up this kind of sleepy salad.

After the salad course, we were asked to vacate the dining space so they could reset the table for the main course and the dessert to follow. We were encouraged to explore the house and even tour the kitchen. The chefs were very generous with their time and answered everyone's questions. I was shocked at how small and hot their workspace was. It gives you a better appreciation for how many meals they can crank out in such a cramped and uncomfortable space. Much respect for all the kitchen workers out there.

The main course on this particular evening was a Wild Mushroom Stuffed Filet Mignon. The beef was tender, but I wished the mushrooms had added more earthiness. The meat also needed to be seasoned more, as I was waiting for a big rush of flavor that did not come. However, I did enjoy the veggies here. The Chinese long beans, squash, and radishes were all done expertly. Solid, but nothing that really made this dish too memorable.

Last but not least was dessert. Almond Cake was topped with some house-made vanilla ice cream, surrounded by some streaks of strawberry across the plate. The almond cake was fair, but this show's star was the well-done ice cream. I should have asked for an extra scoop. I love small batched ice cream. Since it was Rocio's birthday, we were presented with some truffles, which were a nice touch to end our meal.

If you've read this review up until this point, you can probably guess that this is not our first five-star rating. Sorry, Erven. We had a good time with our friends this evening, but the company overshadowed the food. When someone asked me my thoughts on The Hobbit the next day, I said it was like elevated wedding food. I enjoyed the event more than what was sitting in front of me. I admire what they do in such a tiny space; they should be commended for it. The highlights were the excellent appetizers in the wine cellar and the scallop. Everything else was fine, but nothing that would make me return to The Hobbit anytime soon. Service was impeccable, and I can see why they get very high marks and awards for their waitstaff. I thought the pricing was fair, but the cocktails were overpriced at $14 per drink. The Hobbit is an OC restaurant institution and something to experience at least once.

Out of five rings (because, of course, when you hear the name of this restaurant, you automatically think of the Lord of the Rings work by J.R.R. Tolkien), five being best to zero being worst, The Hobbit gets 3 rings. 

For more information about The Hobbit, head on over to their website here: http://www.hobbitrestaurant.com/

A Little Touch of the Irish at Cassano's - CLOSED

Cassano's

818 South El Camino Real

San Clemente, CA 92672

Pizza is probably the most subjective food in America. Everyone has a preference. New York style, deep dish, Neapolitan, thick crust, and thin crust are just the tip of the iceberg before you also consider what toppings don't belong on a pizza. I'm looking at you, pineapple. Anyways, with all these different versions of pizzas, any kind of best-of-pizza list will be hotly debated. I prefer deep dishes or New York style, but I simply like pizza. It's an unusual pizza that recently brought us to try Cassano's in San Clemente.

Before we get to that pizza, we will review a bit of Cassano's history. They have been around for 31 years, the first 28 years they were situated near the San Clemente Pier. They lost their lease to Beach Fire Pizza and opened up the hill across from Ralph's on El Camino Real. They are started by a husband and wife team, Dave Cassano and Sharon Torres, both of whom are from Chicago but have been California residents since 1976, making them natives by this point. They are no longer married but have remained business partners.

The move up the street has not deterred many locals from coming here. We visited on a recent Sunday evening right about half-past six, and the restaurant was doing a brisk business between the people seated at the cozy nine-seat bar,  the parade of customers waiting for their pickup orders, and those of us dining in the small, but comfortable dining area. The menu at Cassano's is not only pizza-driven (they have 7 house pizzas offered, along with the usual build-your-own kind), but they also have sandwiches, pasta, starters, and salads. We quickly made our selections and amused ourselves with the football game airing on one of the two TVs above the bar until our food came out.

Both owners of Cassano's have a salad named after them on the menu, and Katie was very partial to Sharon's Salad ($10.95). This was a good-sized salad, which we ended up splitting. It featured romaine, kale, cucumber, tomatoes, shredded carrots, feta cheese, olives, red onion, and cranberries. It came with a balsamic dressing. The produce was fresh, and I enjoyed how the different textures interacted in this salad. Katie and I had different opinions concerning the dressing, which I found too acidic, but I'm usually partial to creamier salad dressings. Katie loved the uniqueness of it, and it was actually her salad, so we'll go with what she thinks.

Let's stay with Katie's selection for this evening. She's partial to White Pizzas ($8.95) and enjoyed this version at Cassano's. The white pizza at Cassano's came with some ricotta, a Romano cheese sauce, and mozzarella and was finished with some basil topping. Even though this lacked meat, I still enjoyed the piece that Katie allowed me to have. The crust on this was delicious, and I liked that the pizza was not too heavy but did not sacrifice flavor. I'm not going to forgo my usual meat lovers pizza for this, but it was still a solid pizza and one of the better white versions that either Katie or I have had.

I don't know where I learned about this St. Patty's Day Pizza ($8.95), but I've had this on my restaurant list for a long while. It's not even the oddest pizza on the Cassano's menu. That honor would go to the Peanut Butter and Bacon pizza, which also comes with mozzarella cheese. I can't even imagine, but our server swears it's good. I took baby steps by getting this Reuben/pizza mashup. Corned beef, sauerkraut, onions, mozzarella, and a mild mustard sauce accounted for the Reuben feel to this. I was afraid the mustard sauce would overwhelm me, but it hid in the background and allowed the other toppings to be in the forefront. A little more corned beef and a drizzle of Thousand Islands would have made this even better. I'll try their bacon and peanut butter pizza next time.

I'm a sucker for a good Meatball Sandwich ($9.25), and this one at Cassano's was good. It came with a sturdy Italian roll filled with five meatballs, cheese, and marinara. The meatballs were tender and meaty, the cheese was nice and bubbly after being left under the broiler, and the only fault I could find with this was that it needed a little more marinara to balance things out. I used the peppers served on the side to kick up the heat factor. I only ate half of this and had the rest for lunch the next day. As with most Italian food, it was even better the next day. This also came with a little side salad I picked at after filling up on Katie's salad.

Cassano's is a great neighborhood Italian restaurant. We will definitely be back when we are in the area, possibly after walking the beautiful San Clemente Beach Trail. The prices were more than fair, and the items we tried this evening were stellar. We received excellent service on this night, and it was nice seeing the staff interact with their regulars but treat us first-timers like the people they visit weekly. Glad they have relocated from the pier area, and I look forward to trying more of their menu, but I might chicken out about trying their peanut butter and bacon pizza.

Out of five castles (because the most dominant feature of the Northern Italian town of Cassano d'Adda is the Borromeo Castle, built around 1000 years ago), five being best to zero being worst, Cassano's gets 3.5 castles.

For more information about Cassano's, head to their website here: https://www.cassanos.net/