A Breakfast That's up to Scratch

Scratch Bakery and Cafe

24321 Avenida De La Carlota 

Laguna Hills, CA 92653

It's pretty difficult to keep up with the OC restaurant scene. Just when I think I have it wired, a restaurant closes, or another one opens. Then there are the places that inexplicably fall through the cracks. These are joints that I just plain miss. Good spots that for some reason or another don't get the attention that they deserve. Scratch Bakery and Cafe definitely falls into that category.

I was dining at a nearby restaurant recently and saw Scratch Bakery from across the parking lot. I didn't really think too much about it until a few days later when I got an email from them asking that I come in and try them out. I figured that it must be my destiny to give them a try, so I hurriedly replied in the affirmative that I'd come in the next Thursday.

Scratch Bakery might get overlooked because of their location. Not only do they have to contend with all of the stalled construction going on at the old Laguna Hills Mall, but they are also tucked into a less-trafficked corner of a shopping center that features Trader Joe's, Marshalls, brunch favorite Break of Dawn, and the weirdly, still thriving Woody's Diner. Man, how is that place still in business?

Anyways, back to the business at hand. You can trace the origins of this bakery to the Northen California town of Turlock, which is where a grandmother, Nana Fi, opened a bakery in 1989. The baked goods sold there was a great hit with many of the locals. The family eventually moved south and opened up Nana Fi's Bakery in Laguna Hills six years ago. In 2018, the bakery was rebranded as Scratch Bakery and Cafe with the same family running things.

Scratch Bakery and Cafe is truly a scratch bakery, as all of the 25 plus baked goods that are available daily here are made on the premises. They have plenty of cake offerings but do not do specialty cake orders, tiered or themed. They do however produce holiday and themed cakes throughout the year. I counted at least eight flavors of cake during my visit. They are also very well known for their bread and provide it to numerous restaurants in the area.

The weekends can be a little tricky finding seating in the small cafe and outside in front of the restaurant, as people like to linger with their coffee and meals in the relaxed and family atmosphere at Scratch Cafe. Breakfast is the big draw here, but there's also a lunch menu that features a good selection of sandwiches, some of which are named after family members. Soups and salads round out the lunch menu. I hear the soups are amazing, but alas, I was here for breakfast, so let's check out how that all turned out for me. 

It would almost be impossible for me to visit a bakery and not get a Cinnamon Roll ($3.50). After spying the ones behind the glass case at Scratch, I knew I was not going to be able to resist having one. They even offered to heat it up for me, which allowed for the icing to form a sugary cascade pooling on the plate. This cinnamon roll was lighter than most, with a very subtle cinnamon flavor inside. I really liked that they provided plenty of icing, as there's nothing worse than a cinnamon roll without enough icing for the whole roll. A sweet start to my first meal of the day. 

This Breakfast Sandwich ($5.95) has ruined me for the rare occasion that I travel to the Golden Arches for an Egg McMuffin. Scratch Bakery is pretty well known for their English muffins, which are made here. The result is a lighter, more airy English muffin. Way better than anything you can find in the grocery store or at McDonald's. The insides of the sandwich are not to be discounted though. A perfectly folded egg is joined with thick-cut, crispy bacon and cheddar cheese. A very hearty breakfast sandwich. This kept me full and satisfied the rest of the day. 

For some reason, there's a backlash about Avocado Toast ($6.75). I don't really get the averse reaction that this delicious combination receives. Not only was the version at Scratch delicious, but visually stunning as well. They top their house-made rosemary bread with a smear of avocado, sliced tomato, lemon pepper, and I chose to add a fried egg for an extra dollar and a half. I loved the way that the runny yolk tied everything together. The bread was sturdy enough to hold the toppings and the tomato slices were some of the freshest I've had in a while. So, give the much-maligned avocado toast a break and just take it for what it is, a simple, delicious snack.

Scratch Cafe is well known, not only for their English muffins but also for their Croissants ($3.00). From what I hear these are very time consuming to make, with lots of layers to them. The result is one of the best croissants you will find in OC. It was buttery, but not overloaded with butter flavor. Light and airy, with very pleasing flakiness to it. A great side item to anything that you order off of the Scratch Bakery and Cafe menu.

I was pretty full when it was time to leave, but I needed something to go home with, so I got a Chocolate Chip Cookie ($2.75) and Oatmeal Cookie ($2.75) for a little later. Well, later ended up being twenty or so minutes. Yeah, willpower with food has never really been my forte. Both of these cookies were good. I like my chocolate chip cookies with a crunchy outer ring and a softer, chewier middle. This one checked those boxes. The oatmeal might have been even better. It had a great texture to it and the flavor warmed me from the inside. It almost made me wish that I had saved it longer than the hour after I had left Scratch Bakery.

Scratch Bakery and Cafe definitely qualifies as a hidden gem in South OC. I'm very happy that they reached out and invited me to come in and give them a try. Small, family-run businesses are usually the places where you can find the best meals, and that was the case on this recent Thursday. I'm already making plans to come back and try their sandwiches and their biscuits and gravy, which is only offered on weekends. I'm very happy I got a little nudge to try this place and hopefully reading this will give you a little prod to do the same.

For more information about Scratch Bakery and Cafe, head to their website here: https://www.scratchbakerycafe.com/

You Can Go Home Again

Evan's Smokehouse

4859 Main Street

Yorba Linda, CA 92886

My hometown of Yorba Linda is finally growing up. When I was a youngster cohabitating with my parents in the Land of Gracious Living in the '70s and '80s, we always had to leave the city limits to go to the movies, the mall, or a chain restaurant. Back in those days, Yorba Linda seemed so isolated. We had a McDonald's, Wing's Chinese restaurant, KFC, and an H. Salt Fish and Chips, which was about it. In the mid to late 80s, the city grew out a bit and got a Chili's. It was a slow growth.

Flash forward to the present day, and the founding city leaders might not even recognize the city referred to as Nixon Country. Yorba Linda has taken cues from nearby towns and wants some consumer dollars to stay in the city. They have redone their downtown area by creating the Yorba Linda Town Center. This shopping and entertainment complex is situated at the corner of Imperial and Yorba Linda Boulevard. It is anchored by Bristol Farms, Regal Movie Theater, and a smattering of restaurants, most notably, a Habit Burger, Blaze Pizza, Cafe Rio, South OC favorite, the Blind Pig, and a Greek place called Apola Gyro Grill. A far cry from when I was growing up here.

It's another place right behind the sparkling new Town Center and right next to the four-story parking structure that has brought me back to the city of my youth. On the corner of Arroyo and School Streets, a dirt lot hosts Evan's Smokehouse three days a week, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, starting at 4pm until they run out. It's a modest little space with a small stand where they write up your order, and then you bring your ticket to their trailer, and the food is prepared for you.

There are a dozen picnic tables, some covered by EZ-Up. The menu? The meats are sold by the half-pound and include pulled pork, brisket, half chicken, and pork ribs. I have also been told they have limited beef ribs, but they were not offered the night we were here. There are two sandwiches to choose from, house-cured pastrami and pulled pork, which you will see in a moment. The menu is rounded out with five sides and a banana pudding, which we hear is fantastic.

The man behind this cavalcade of meat is Chef Evan Carl. After graduating from Laguna Culinary Arts six years ago, he held plenty of jobs in OC kitchens, Tabu Grill, Del Frisco Grille, Bandera, Pueblo, and Sidecar Doughnuts among them, then went across the Southern US to learn from the great pitmasters of barbecue. He's also worked in some high-end LA restaurants, notably Melisse Restaurant, Georgie Restaurant, and The Bazaar by Jose Andres. As if that was not enough, he also found time to become a licensed pilot. Let's see if this barbecue will make us feel like we are in the mile-high club or if it will make us feel like we missed our connecting flight.

Katie is as predictable as a political argument breaking out on Facebook when she's eating at a barbecue restaurant. She almost always orders a Pulled Pork Sandwich ($12), as was the case on this Friday evening. This Carolina-inspired sandwich came with a big pile of pulled pork and coleslaw on a nicely toasted roll. The pork was in more enormous hunks than most of us have had, but I liked that. The pork was nice and moist, and the smoke flavor was not too overpowering and hung out in the background of each bite. Katie felt the weak part of the sandwich was the bun, which fell apart by the end of her meal. Katie went with Grandma's Potato Salad ($4) for a side. My grandmother never made a potato salad like this one. Whoa, was this awesome. The combination of egg, dijon, mayo, red onion, and celery to accompany the well-done potatoes made this side a winner. Great texture and flavor. I feared the dijon would overpower here, but that was not the case. Do yourself a favor and get the pint-size for an extra $3. You won't be sorry. Is it too late for the grandma who made this to adopt me?

I created my own since combo plates are not featured on Evan's Smokehouse menu. I went with the half-pound of Brisket ($15), Three Pork Ribs ($9), and Cornbread ($4). Yes, it was a little pricey for the $28 I paid, but after a few bites, I forgot about the small dent in my wallet. The meats were divine. The brisket had a lovely ribbon of fat running alongside the top of each slice, the bark framing each piece was nice and flavorful, and the meat was nicely tender and juicy. A very well-done brisket, but the pork ribs are not to be ignored. A very meaty rib, they were tender, came off the bone nicely with a light tug, and the lightly sauced outer portion provided the only flavoring that I needed with the meat. Even though extra barbecue sauce was offered, it was unnecessary. The hallmark of excellent barbecue meat. The cornbread grew on me, but it was love at first bite for Katie. I like sweeter cornbread, but as I ate this, I liked the flavor of the pop of roasted chilis and cheddar cheese. Katie traded me half of her potato salad for the cornbread, so we both ended up very happy. Negotiation is the sign of a great marriage.

As I write this, I regret not trying the Banana Pudding, but I will definitely be back at Evan's Smokehouse. That's one of the only regrets I experienced on this visit. This is one of the best barbecue spots I have experienced in Oe. The menu is limited. I'd love for them to add some sausage or tri-tip and some mac and cheese, but it may not be possible due to the limited space in their trailer. I'm also nervous that this is only a temporary spot for Evan's Smokehouse because I'm sure there will eventually be a plan for this corner lot. For now, the residents of Yorba Linda should consider themselves lucky to have the opportunity to eat great barbecue at least three days a week. It's way better than the options I had while growing up here.

Out of five avocados (because the official tree for the city of Yorba Linda is the Fuerte Avocado), five being best to zero being worst, Evan's Smokehouse gets 4 avocados.

For more information about Evan's Smokehouse, head to their website here: https://www.evanssmokehouse.com/

Hoping Art's Deli Will Be Just What the Doctor Orders

Art's Delicatessen and Restaurant

12224 Ventura Blvd. 

Studio City, CA 91604

I have really been wanting to visit a real Jewish deli for a long while now. I have two reasons for this. One reason is that it has been way too long since I have had a really good Reuben sandwich. My other motive is a little more selfish on my part. Katie has had this lingering cough and cold for a few weeks now, and she refuses to take any kind of cold medicine for it. I was thinking if I could just get her to a good deli, she would get some matzo ball soup, which is also known as Jewish penicillin, and I'd finally get a good night's sleep. See, you just thought I just picked these restaurants at random.

When I searched on Eater LA's Guide to LA's Jewish Delis, Art's was relatively close to where we were staying and was kind of on our way back home. Art's Delicatessen has been in business since 1957 and was started by Art Ginsburg. He passed away in 2013, and the restaurant is now run by the next generation, Sandy and Harold Ginsburg.

Sometimes parking in this area of town can be tough, but there's convenient public parking available right across the street from Art's, right behind the Bank of America.  We had no problem finding a spot and our luck held as we entered Art's and got a table right away. The inside is rather large, with plenty of comfy booths and pictures of their food lining the walls. There's also a deli counter near the front door, which offers plenty in the way of deli fare for people that want their stuff to go.

The menu at Art's Deli is overwhelmingly large, just like at almost every great deli. They offer breakfast, plenty in the way of sandwiches, a plethora of soups, dinner salads, deli specialties, burgers, hot dogs, and more substantial meals like meatloaf, stuffed cabbage, and others plates for hearty eaters. Predictably, prices are rather high for most items, but that's to be expected in delis like this, and more specifically, in this neighborhood. Let's see how everything turned out for us on this late Sunday morning.

So much for my diabolical plan of gently getting Katie to get some matzo ball soup to knock that lingering cold out of her. Maybe corned beef hash has the same effect? Anyways, Katie felt like breakfast and made the unusual selection for her, of the Corned Beef Hash and Eggs ($19). I have never known her to order hash before, but she claimed that it jumped out at her when she was perusing the menu. She felt the corned beef hash was a little on the dry side, but stated that the eggs and hashbrowns were very good. She was also very fond of the Everything Bagel that she got instead of toast. Not sure if they make their bagels here, but she claimed it was one of the freshest she has had in some time.  A good breakfast, but it could have been better if the star of the plate, the corned beef hash was more to her liking.

Like I had said earlier, I have been craving a Reuben ($23), and I would not be denied this morning. At Art's, they offer either turkey, pastrami, or corned beef as the choices for their Reubens. I went with the pastrami, which I have a preference for. The pastrami is not cut very thin, which allows for a better sandwich in my opinion, as it allows for the pastrami to be the star of the show. I can hear my dad in my head telling me I'm wrong about this, but I'll stand by my guns. The sandwich was finished off with a good amount of sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing all on toasted rye bread. I really did like this sandwich, the pastrami was very flavorful and not too salty, the sauerkraut was not overly tangy, and the Russian dressing brought it all together. I also have to make mention of the rye bread here, as it was excellent. For my side item, I went with the potato salad which was pretty solid, but I was hoping for a bigger pop of flavor from it. It did have a good texture to it though, but I'd probably get something else the next time.

Art's Delicatessen did not cure Katie's cough and cold, due to her not taking my gentle suggestion of having the matzo ball soup, but it did help quench my desire for a very solid Reuben sandwich. Where does Art's rank out of all the LA delicatessen I have been to so far? I'd put it behind Brent's and Langer's, but it's definitely a solid spot. Service was good on this visit, except that our server brought out a tuna melt instead of my Reuben, but that miscue was rectified in a timely manner. I'm happy to report that Katie's cold finally cleared up later that week, which I'd like to think was due in a small part to this visit to Art's. Delis can be very medicinal.

Out of five Frisbees, (because the first Frisbee was sold in 1957, the same year that Art's opened), five being best to zero being worst, Art's Delicatessen and Restaurant gets 3.5 Frisbees.

For more information about Art's Delicatessen and Restaurant, head to their website here: https://www.artsdeli.com/

Burgers so Good They Will Make You Do the Truffle Shuffle?

Burgers Never Say Die

2388 Glendale Blvd. Unit A

Los Angeles, CA 90039

Ugh, baby showers. The words just bring to mind dread for me. Luckily, the last couple of years have been devoid of coed baby showers. That streak ended last month when Katie's family threw her sister Emily a shower up in Burbank with her extended family.

I had sworn off baby showers long ago when my friend Richard invited me to a coed shower, which he promised would be filled with football, beer, food, and none of the lame games that typically go with the impending birth of a child. Not only was it only me, him, and one other guy there, but I was alerted to the fact that he needed to be there to help out and there would be no football. I promised myself I would never be duped like that again.

I made an exception for my sister in law because I love hanging out with the extended family, I knew there would be plenty of good food and cocktails present, and with Katie leaving a couple hours ahead of me to help set up, it gave me plenty of time to stop on the way up the 5 Freeway and try out one of the hottest burger spots in LA, Burgers Never Say Die.

Burgers Never Say Die has been on every burger lover's radar for two years now. They started in the backyard of owner Shawn Nee's house, and with the word of mouth about the smashed burgers he was serving up there, the lines grew out of control, and ultimately they were forced to shut down. They then did pop-ups in Glendale, and finally found a permanent home at the start of this year in Silverlake.

I had it timed perfectly to get here at half-past one on a recent Saturday, hoping that I'd miss the busy lunch rush. No such luck, as the parking lot was packed and I ended up parking a few streets away in the residential area behind the restaurant. The restaurant sits just in the back of Silverlake Coffee right off of busy Glendale Boulevard.

I was able to walk right in and place my order, but then the waiting began. It took nearly 40 minutes from when I placed my order until I was back eating my food in my car, a far cry from the two hour wait times that some people have reported at the height of BNSD's popularity. There is limited seating here, and people were scoping out tables very quickly. Speaking of limited, the menu here is pretty limited as well. They offer a double burger, fries, and soft-serve ice cream. Enough build-up, let's see what the hottest burger in LA looks and tastes like.

Okay, here it is in all of its glory. I got the Double ($7.35), which comes with two patties, of course, cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and diced onions. The comparisons to these cheeseburgers and the ones at McDonald's are numerous online, but this burger is what I imagine McDonald's used to taste like when they started in the '50s. The beef patties were smashed onto the grill and it formed a nice crusty outer ring, while the cheese and condiments were there to compliment the meat, not overpower it. The bun was super soft and well made. The burger was a little greasy, but it still came across as a very clean tasting burger. I'd describe this as a superior fast-food burger, but one that takes 40 minutes to get from the time you order it. 

I also got an order of Fries ($3.95). They were your typical fast-food fries. Maybe a little salty, but they were fried crisp, and if I had gotten some ketchup to go along with them it would have helped cut the saltiness a bit. Pretty good, but not earth-shattering.

Right where you order, they have it splashed across their counter that you better order two. I'd definitely agree with that sentiment. I knew I was going to be eating at the baby shower, so I showed a little restraint, but I could have easily put away two of their double burgers. Burgers Never Say Die is a spot I think everyone should visit at least once. The burgers are deserving of all the praise that they get, but if this was the only burger spot left on the planet, I think I'd become a little tired of it after having it ten or so times, due to their limited menu. In the end, this burger did help to ease the pain of enduring another coed baby shower. Hopefully the last one for a while.

Out of five pirate treasures, (because the name of this restaurant evokes the 1985 movie, Goonies, and of course, the goonies never say die while they are looking for treasure), five being best to zero being worst, Burgers Never Say Die gets 3 pirate treasures.

Burgers Never Say Die does not have a website, but you can find more information about them on their Yelp page here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/burgers-never-say-die-los-angeles-2

Two of My Favorite Things from School, Lunch and Recess

The Recess Room 

18380 Brookhurst St. 

Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Time is flying by. It seems like Christmas was just a month ago, but it's already here again next month. When I was growing up it felt like it took forever for the holidays to get here, and now that I'm way older than I'd like to discuss, it seems like every three months we are putting up Christmas lights and running around like maniacs for gifts for our loved ones.

I bring this up because it seems like just a short while ago that we were invited to try out a new restaurant that took over a shuttered Coco's on Brookhurst. The restaurant was started by five friends who met while they were playing basketball in elementary school, each went their separate ways, but all came back together again to bring something different to their hometown of Fountain Valley. That restaurant was the Recess Room, and believe it or not, that was three years ago. Man time flies when you are serving up some great food.

Flash forward to now, and the boys from the Recess Room are expanding their operating hours by serving lunch for the first time in their history. The food served here would best be described as Asian fusion, but even that description is not quite right because the eats at the Recess Room have elements from not just Asia, but from pockets all over the world. Whatever they label it, I was pretty excited to see what they had cooked up for their legions of fans that had clamored for them to open for lunch for a long while now.

Lunch will be served Tuesday through Friday from 11 to 2pm to start, and then they will see how it's received and maybe tweak the hours after that. Lunch will be a little different setup from the usual dinner service at the Recess Room. At lunch, you will order near the front door, where a large chalkboard will be hanging with the midday offerings. You will then be given a number, grab your utensils, and then wait for your food to be brought out to your table.

There's not much crossover between the lunch and dinner menus, which is a little upsetting for fans of their famous Blue Crab Beignets, which you all need to try for dinner as soon as possible. The lunch menu features three sandwiches, a quartet of bowls, two salads, a sizzling platter, and a smattering of sides. Nothing on their lunch menu is over $16, with most items averaging about $12, which is what most of us end up spending at our local fast food spot for lunch. Very reasonable. Enough buildup, let's see what the Recess Room came up with for lunch.

This Sizzling Platter ($16) must be a very popular item, as we were told that it was not available when we got here, but then they told us that they had one left. Lucky us. This is a meat lover's dream. This hat trick of meats was filet mignon in a cognac pepper sauce, albondigas meatballs, linguisa sausage, and is finished off with a fried egg and slices of a french baguette. The best meat out of the bunch was the linguisa, which had a nice little kick to it at the end of each bite. The albondigas meatball was loosely packed but still full of flavor. The steak was a little overcooked, due to the fact that it's served on a sizzling platter, so it's still cooking while it sits there. The sauce helped it out a bit, and we utilized the bread by sopping up the rest of the sauce. The egg was overcooked as well because it was the last thing we ate, as I was focused way more on the meat. Definitely, a must-try for people who want a hearty meal in the middle of the day.

My first time at the Recess Room three years ago they had a bone marrow burger on their dinner menu. It has since been replaced by the Bacon Bourbon Burger, which sounds just as awesome. The new lunch menu has brought back a new version of their Bone Marrow Burger ($14). Just like that first burger I had here, I was surprised that this burger was as subtle as it was. The bone marrow butter came through in waves but did not overwhelm. The high-quality grind of the grass-fed patties was evident and played nicely with the bone marrow butter and bacon jam. The cheese and red onion rounded this out perfectly. I also wanted to make mention the bun here, it was stellar. Nice and soft, but still structurally sound. Kudos to the LA bakery where they get their bread from. A very flavorful burger that will not make you sleepy for the rest of your workday.

Not anything like you can get in the City of Brotherly Love, this Fili Cheesesteak ($15) was just as delicious as any Philly I've had recently. Made with some fantastic filet mignon, grilled onions, provolone cheese, and tied together nicely with ponzu butter, I ate this way too quickly. At first, I thought it needed a bit more in the way of condiments, but once I got into the sandwich it really surprised me with all of the flavors melding together nicely. Again, the bread on this was awesome. My lone complaint would be the underdressed salad that came with this. Very bland, but it could be made better by ordering some extra dressing. 

The only item that appears on both the lunch and dinner menu at the Recess Room are these Brussel Sprouts ($5) and for good reason. They are one of my favorites. These crispy sprouts come with shaved parmesan, chopped hazelnuts, brown butter, a touch of lemon, and lap Cheong, which is a Chinese sausage that's dried and resembles bacon, but with a subtle sweetness to it. A lot going on in this bowl. I love all the textures and flavor profiles and I'm thankful that they don't ruin it by adding balsamic or maple, which can overwhelm the palate. I do wish the Brussell sprouts were in bigger pieces instead of shredded, but still, a must-get side dish.

It might be controversial to say this, but I'm way more partial to tater tots than fries. There, I said it. I stand by my statement. That means we had to give the Recess Room's Ooey Gooey Tots ($6) a try. These classic tots were sprinkled with grated parmesan and a very good cheese sauce. I'm not sure what kind of cheese this was made with, but it was delicious, but not too heavy. Puts those poor skinny fries to shame.

With a lunch menu executed this well, it makes me wish that I worked closer so I could try more of their midday offerings. I was pretty impressed with everything that we had for this media sneak preview of the lunch menu at the Recess Room. I liked the more casual setup for lunch, and the price point is just a couple bucks more than what you'd end up spending at the Wendy's down the street. Even though time is speeding by like crazy, I foresee a return trip to the Recess Room in the near future. At least now we have the option of not only enjoying dinner here but lunch as well.

I would like to thank everyone at The Recess Room for their warm hospitality and generosity during this special sneak preview of their new lunch selections. Judging by the reaction from the other people here, they are going to be very busy starting on November 5th, when their lunch service starts up. I'd also like to extend my appreciation to my new boss and plus one this afternoon, Melissa. Maybe after this fantastic meal, she will give me some extra time off. C'mon superstar, you can do it. Lastly, I'd like to thank one of the best PR people in the business for the invite to this great event. Nerissa Silao, you are always such a pleasure to catch up with, and I thank you for the invite. It was much appreciated.

For more information about The Recess Room, head to their website here: http://therecessroom.com/

Hoping Our Trip to Minami Isn't Going to Go South

Soba Izakaya Minami

24391 Avenida De La Carlota Sutie A

Laguna Hills, CA 92653

I'll definitely admit that I was way out of my comfort zone. Before visiting Minami, I really did not know what the difference was between udon and soba. If it wasn't for the pictures on their four-page menu I'd be as lost as the Miami Dolphins on a football field (for you non-sports people the Dolphins are having one of the worst seasons in NFL history).

Needless to say, I'm not very well versed in Japanese cuisine. Yes, I occasionally get roped into having sushi or have to go to a teppanyaki place for someone's birthday, but other than those instances I stick with the foods that I know. It's not that I'm not an adventurous eater or anything, but my love for burgers, sandwiches, Mexican, Italian, and too many others to list here are always on my mind.

This visit to Minami was brought about by my fantastic aunt Hiroko. She and my uncle moved to the OC a few years back and they have been raving about this place since it opened just about a year ago. Our schedules finally lined up so we could meet up on a recent Saturday evening for dinner. Also joining us was my cousin Chris, who suddenly had a void in his schedule, due to the Angels not making the playoffs for their 5th consecutive year. Don't worry big guy, they will turn it around soon.

Minami is adjacent to the stagnant, partially torn down Laguna Hills Mall. They are in the same shopping plaza as El Torito, Woody's Diner, Trader Joes, and brunch favorite Break of Dawn. I tried to find out some info about Minami, but from what I can gather, they are not a chain, and this is their only location. They do not have a website, but you can find minimal info about them on their  Instagram account. The most information I've been able to get about them is a review from one of the best in the business, Edwin Goei in the OC Weekly. His review can be found here.

The inside of the restaurant is straight and to the point. Light-colored wooden tables and pretty uncomfortable chairs dot the space, which is pretty spartan, with little to no decorations adorning the walls. There are four separate laminated menu pages, one that highlights their soba offerings, another has rice bowls and mini bowls,  Udon is offered on the third, and the last page showcases their izakaya dishes, which I'd describe as Japanese appetizers. Let's see what we ended up ordering off of these pages, and see if the food here will make me a fan of Japanese cuisine.

My aunt wanted to start out our evening at Minami with these Spicy Cucumbers ($4.95). I'm not a big fan of cucumbers usually, but I was pretty hungry so I decided to give them a try. They were pickled and had a good crunch to them. I must have gotten all the spice on my piece because it was spicy enough to make me drink some water right away after consuming it. I actually liked these cucumbers and would get them again.

As I mentioned earlier, I had a pretty tough time deciding what to have at Minami. I finally decided I'd try their Soba with Pork Cutlet and Egg Bowl ($14.95). You can have your soba noodles either cold or hot, and you can choose the amount of the noodles that you want, 100, 200, or 300 grams of noodles for the same price. I got my soba noodles hot and opted for the 200-gram size. This was plenty for me. I did not know it at the time, but soba noodles are made from buckwheat, which is healthier than the udon option. Their menu lists all the health benefits of soba. I found the soba to be all right but expected a bit more flavor from the broth. I grew tired of the soba rather quickly and instead focused on the pork cutlet and egg. I liked this part of the meal much better. The cutlet had a nice and crunchy breading to it and the egg added a good amount of richness. The bowl was rounded out with some rice underneath, which made this a very filling meal.

Even though my uncle has been married to my aunt for over 30 years and they have taken numerous trips back to Japan, he is pretty conservative when it comes to Japanese food. On this visit, he opted for the Chicken Cutlet ($12.95) with no rice, but salad underneath. No complaints from the big guy with this. From across the table, this looked pretty tasty, and it's nice to know that they are accommodating with modifications.

Katie had her mind made up to try one of the items off of the Minami izakaya menu. The Gyoza ($4.95) would be what she ended up settling on. I'm glad she did. I often find gyoza to be too rubbery and not really filled with anything that tastes so great. These were the exact opposite of that. Not sure what they had in them, but it tasted good and the outer portion of this was nowhere near rubbery. One of the better gyozas I have had.

Last but not least, Katie got the Hot Soba with a Pork Cutlet and with Curry ($15.95) as her meal this evening. Just like with mine, the breading was nice and crisp on this, but a little more pronounced because hers was devoid of the egg. The pork was tender underneath and was a good compliment to the comforting curry. I was a little surprised that Katie described this meal as very clean, which is not something you often hear when something is deep-fried. She was a fan of the soba, which she called comforting, but understated. It was more of a subtle dish, not as flavorful as the pho she gets at our nearby Vietnamese place.

I ate a good amount of food at Minami but did not feel crazy full or bloated after leaving this evening. I liked everything, but due to the fact that I have never had this kind of food before, I'm not sure how it compares to others. I can tell you that I liked it well enough to come back again and maybe get what Katie had, as it was my favorite thing I tried. The prices seemed more than fair for the amount of food that you receive. Service was a little spotty, but they were very busy by the time we ended our meal, and they had a little bit of a wait as we walked out the door. Glad my aunt Hiroko got me a bit out of my comfort zone, and I look forward to trying other Japanese restaurants in the near future.

Out of five coral reefs, (because Minami means south in Japanese and the most southern spot of that country is Okinotorishima, a coral reef in the Philippine Sea), five being best to zero being worst, Soba Izakaya Minami gets 3 coral reefs.

As mentioned earlier, Soba Izakaya Minami does not have a website, but you can find out more info about them on their Yelp page here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/soba-izakaya-minami-laguna-hills-2

Terrific Tacos in Tustin?

Mezquite Tacos and Fuego

14075 Newport Ave. 

Tustin, CA 92780

There really is a never-ending parade of restaurants to eat at in OC. I know this should not be surprising to least of all me, who has an ever-growing list of restaurants that I want to try. For as long as I can remember when we are meeting my parents for dinner, we try to meet somewhere in the middle of the four of us, which usually means a restaurant in or around Tustin.

I'm usually apprehensive that I'm going to find a place that we haven't eaten at yet, but then I realize that there are over two hundred places to eat at listed on Yelp in the city of Tustin. After a moment of temporary relief, it hits me that even though there's an abundance of restaurants, I still have to find a place that my parents will actually want to go to. That's when the real digging starts. Luckily, Mexican food is one of their favorites, and I found Mezquite Tacos and Fuego not too far into my search.

Mezquite has been open since June of this year, so it is still relatively new. The founder of this eatery is pretty familiar with starting a successful Mexican restaurant. He's Javier Fregoso who was one of the guys behind the critically acclaimed Mexicali Taco and Company in Los Angeles. That place started in a parking lot alongside the 110 Freeway, just north of downtown. They moved to their brick and mortar spot on the outskirts of Chinatown where they gained notable media mentions from famed food critic Jonathan Gold, appearances on Food Network, and numerous recognition in different publications as one of the best tacos in Southern California.

He sold his stake in Mexicali Taco Company three years ago, got married, and opened Mezquite in the former Chronic Taco spot which used to be situated on Newport Avenue, just steps away from the 5 Freeway. According to the restaurant's website, Javier is very ambitious and has plans to bring his tacos not just to the people of Tustin, but to expand locally and nationwide in the future.

What makes Mezquite different from other taco spots? They cook all of their meats over mesquite wood, which they claim provides a smoky and savoriness that other taco spots do not have. They also make their organic tortillas in-house, along with their salsas and agua frescas. When exiting my car, I definitely caught the aroma of food being cooked over wood, just like you get in the better barbecue restaurants where they have smokers on the premises.

Ordering is done at the register, with the aid of the video menu boards hanging from the ceiling. The menu offers seven different tacos, nachos, a quesadilla, a stuffed baked potato, and an interesting tostada option called the volcan. There's also one burrito available, which is dubbed the main event. Guacamole and chips round out the rest of the food portion of the offerings. Much to my parent's chagrin, there's no iced tea available here, so they resorted to having fountain drinks. There is also bottled Mexican Coke, horchata, and other handcrafted juices to choose from. Enough with the build-up, let's check out the food we had at Mezquite.

As is her custom at Mexican restaurants, Katie always has to give the Guacamole and Chips ($3.50) a try. The chips were good, but I'm pretty sure they were not made here. The guacamole definitely was, and it had a great chunkiness to it, which is what I like. The flavor was fine, but I would have liked a little pop from maybe some pepper flakes or even better, some jalapenos to crank up the heat. .

Before the food came out, I took a few quick snaps of the salsa and condiments offered at Mezquite. They have red and green salsa, with the green being the spicier of the two. I'm usually partial to the red, which at Mezquite had undertones of smokiness to it. The green was the better of the two for me because it had a touch more heat to it. I would have liked it even more if it went up a heat level or two. The condiment bar was rounded out with lime wedges, radishes, and escabeche (pickled carrots, peppers, and onions).

My mom is a pretty light eater, so she'd only be having this one Chicken Taco ($2.75). The tacos here come dressed with cilantro, onion, red salsa, and guacamole. The guacamole seemed a little more liquified than what we had with our chips. Maybe they make it that way so it's easier to apply to the taco. This was a pretty good-sized taco. It had plenty of cubed chicken and stuff piled on the pliable corn tortilla. It was a little hard to eat because it was filled so much, but that's a good problem to have. My mom liked this taco a lot. The chicken was flavorful and it definitely filled her up.

My dad appeared to be a little overwhelmed with the menu at Mezquite. Not sure if he was having trouble reading the small print on the video menu boards, or if he was just indecisive. He ended up with an Al Pastor Taco ($2.75) and a Shrimp Quesataco ($4.50). He really enjoyed both, as they were gone within minutes of hitting the table. The shrimp quesataco was a favorite of his, as it contained plenty of shrimp, green salsa, guacamole, onion, and the big draw, melted Oaxacan cheese. The cheese in this added an extra dimension that brought it to a different level.  I'd definitely recommend getting the quesataco with your favorite choice of meat.

I can not recall seeing a baked potato on any Mexican restaurant menu, but here it was at Mezquite. The Mad Potato ($6.50) is a baked potato topped with Oaxacan cheese,  cilantro, onion, cilantro infused salsa, and your choice of meat. Katie got the chicken. She thought this was a pretty solid idea for people that did not want the heaviness that you can feel when eating Mexican food. You still got all the flavors of Mexcian food, but the tender potato made this somewhat lighter than expected. She'd get this again for sure.

For the first part of my meal, I had the Carne Asada House Taco ($2.75) and the Al Pastor Quesataco ($3.25). The trend of overfilled tacos continued with these two. The pork was good but did get a little overshadowed by the condiments on this taco. I'm always a little wary of getting carne asada because it's often dry and flavorless. This was not the case here, as the meat was tender and was given an added flavor boost from being grilled over wood. One thing worthy of note here, these are some pretty difficult tacos to eat. With the amount of stuff in them, they are very moist and you will need plenty of napkins during your meal. For all the liquid pouring out of them, these tortillas did a great job of keeping their integrity.

The two tacos might have been enough for an average eater, but I like to feel full after my meals, so I also tried the Quesadilla ($6.50) at Mezquite. I usually find quesadillas to be one of the biggest rip-offs when eating out. I love them, but why are they always about five more dollars than they should be? It's two tortillas and a handful of cheese and most places get close to $10 for something that costs about a dollar to make. Talk about a markup. This quesadilla was not like those others. With this one you get to choose your meat, I went with al pastor, guacamole,, onion, cilantro, and of course cheese. Just like the tacos, very loaded and I definitely felt this was well worth the price I paid. The tortilla could have spent a little more time on the flattop, but that would be my only complaint.

I left Mezquite pretty impressed. It's obvious that they have something pretty good going on here. Chef Javier also proves that the success of his first restaurant was no fluke with his concept here at Mezquite. I like that they are cooking over wood, but I wish they'd go a bit easier on the salsa and other toppings so you could experience the flavor that the flame imparts on the meat a bit more. I like the variety of their menu and feel that their price point is pretty good for the portion sizes that you receive. Hopefully, it stays that way as I still get the feeling that this is a new restaurant, and there will be some tweaking of things here and there. As for now, it's definitely worth a visit and might become one of the regular spots where we meet my parents for dinner.

Out of five cabinets, (because mesquite is one of the most expensive kinds of lumber you can get and it's used to make high-end furniture), five being best to zero being worst, Mezquite Tacos and Fuego gets 3 cabinets.

For more information about Mezquite Tacos and Fuego, head to their website here: https://www.mezquitetacos.com/