We Pledge Our Allegiance to the Kabob Republic - CLOSED

 Kabob Republic

1781 Newport Blvd. Suite C

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

I've written about it before, but Katie is obsessed with garlic sauce. She's been looking for one as good as she used to have when she worked in Ontario about ten years ago. We've had some good ones, but nothing compared to the garlic sauce from Alina's Lebanese Cuisine. That is until we ventured into Kabob Republic in Costa Mesa on a recent Saturday evening. 

We had just finished walking the Newport Back Bay Trail and needed nourishment after our three-mile stroll. Kabob Republic has been written up in the OC Register four times by their restaurant critic, Brad A. Johnson. He named it one of the best new restaurants back when they started out in 2017, one of the best 75 places to eat in OC in 2018, hailed their doner kebab as the best available in OC, and lastly listed this restaurant as one of the top 20 spots for cheap eats in OC. You can say he really enjoyed this place. 

We arrived just after 7 p.m. and were met with an empty restaurant, but the phone was going crazy with people calling in orders to go. Ordering is done at the counter, and the food is brought to you. The space is bathed in light colors, with the predominant color being ocean blue, which is very calming. The wooden chairs are not the most comfortable; maybe some padding would help make things a little better. 

The menu at Kabob Republic is divided into appetizers, salads, wraps, bowls, entrees, specialties, and sides. All the greatest hits of Mediterranian cuisine are represented here; falafel, hummus, beef gyro, and chicken shish kabob, among others, are offered. There are also some deeper cuts of Mediterranean cooking that I need to familiarize myself with. Those will have to wait for future visits, as I'm a creature of habit when trying a spot for the first time. Let's see if all the love that Brad Johnson heaped upon this place was warranted. 

For the most part, Katie and I get along famously. Yes, I'm not a big fan of her Starbucks obsession, and sometimes, when I let her pick an appetizer, she whiffs. It happens to everyone, so I chalk it up to experience. That's what happened when she chose these Feta Cheese Rolls ($8.99). These came three to an order and were stuffed with feta and herbs. I'm not a big feta fan, as I only like it in limited amounts. This was too much for me. Katie liked them, though, and would not let them go to waste. 

My strategy when eating out is to get a combination plate to get a feel for a place. At Kabob Republic, that meant the Duet Doner Gyro Kabob ($14.99) would be placed in front of me. With this entree, I chose the beef tri-tip doner shwarma and the lamb gyro. Both were extremely good. The lamb was just a bit better, with its well-spiced and tender curls of deliciousness. The beef was heartier, and both proteins were made even better with the excellent garlic sauce, which I'm happy to report is the best we've had in OC. With this meal, I got to pick two sides, and I went with the spicy hummus and the fries. The fries were okay, but the spicy hummus was as advertised, it was spicy. Most other places just call their hummus spicy, which doesn't deliver. This one had some kick to it, which I appreciated.  

Katie got this Chicken Gyro Bowl ($14.50) to go along with her soon-to-be favorite garlic sauce. This bowl had plenty of chicken, vibrant cabbage, mixed greens, tomatoes, red onion, and a pickle mixture. She loved this, with the well-seasoned chicken, the fresh veggies, and, of course, the garlic sauce. The portion size was more than she bargained for, as she could not finish it in one sitting. No need to worry, as I stepped up and ate the rest. It's the least I could do. 

When we walked out the door after our meal, stomachs full, we both felt that this was one of the better  Mediterranean meals we've had in recent memory. It was made even better with the brief, but our conversation with the owner on our way out was fantastic. He's very proud of the food he serves here, which shows in their execution. The portion sizes were pretty generous, especially when portions are shrinking as prices increase. Our garlic sauce quest has ended, but maybe there's another one out there that's just as good. We will head to Kabob Republic when we are craving Mediterranean food. 

Out of five Peeps (because this horrible Easter candy was introduced in 1953, the same year that Costa Mesa was founded), five being best to zero being worst, Kabob Republic gets 3.5 Peeps. 

For more information about Kabob Republic, head to their website here: https://kabobrepublic.com/

Birria Bonanza at Navarro’s Taqueria

 Navarro's Taqueria

1535 South Standard Ave.

Santa Ana, CA 92707

I'm slowly going through my restaurant wishlist, trying to get to some of the places that have been on my list for a couple years or more. One of those spots is Navarro's Taqueria, which opened just over two years ago, near the intersection of Standard and Edinger Avenues. They won rave reviews from some food writers that I really respect. That was enough to get me up and out of the house on my day off, driving thirty minutes each way for an early lunch. 

Located between a gas station and an auto mechanic, across from Madison Park, Navarro's is a blink and you'll miss it spot. According to my friend that lives in the area, this location has been a number of restaurants over the years, but nothing has stuck. I have a feeling that with all the great press and the four and a half star reviews that they receive, Navarro's might be around for a long time. They also feature the one thing that might be hotter than Nashville hot chicken sandwiches right now, birria. 

For those of you that are not familiar with birria, here's a little history. Birria comes to us from Jalisco, Mexico, where it was made centuries ago. It's basically a stew, traditionally made with goat. The birria tacos we know today are birria de res, which is made with beef. The tortillas are dipped in the broth, which gives them their trademark orange hue. The beef is shredded and the tacos are served with the consomme, which is the broth that the meat is cooked in. It's topped with cilantro and onions, and the tacos are dipped in it for an even greater flavor enhancement. 

Navarro's gets a lot of love for their birria, but they also offer eight other kinds of proteins which can be made into tacos or burritos. There are also ten tortas to try, along with quesadillas, taquitos, nachos, and loaded fries. Breakfast is also done here for early risers. Prices are pretty modest, with only a couple plates exceeding the $12 mark. Their online ordering worked well for me, as my food was ready when I arrived. It was wrapped well to avoid spillage and was all accounted for. Let's see if my sixty-minute drive for lunch on my day off was worth it.  

First up, the famous Birria Combo B ($13.99), which includes three birria tacos, beans, rice, and consomme. The tacos are street taco-sized, but they provide plenty of the birria in each one, topped with plenty of cilantro and diced red onion. I was expecting the tortillas to be a little moist, but they were fried crisp. On its own, the birria was good, but when dunked into the consomme it became even better. The moisture and big flavor of the consomme burst through in each bite The beans and rice were pretty solid as well. 

With the exploding popularity of birria, it was just a matter of time before some hybrid birria items became mainstream, and that leads us to this wonderful Quesabirria ($9.99). Even better than the tacos, this quesadilla filled with birria and cheese was the perfect vehicle for the birria. Very cheesy and filling, these four pieces did not last too long. I especially liked the crispy tortilla which added a nice texture to each bite. You have to get this when visiting Navarro's. 

It was not all birria for me on this trip, as I had to give their other tacos some love. I tried the Al Pastor ($1.55), Asada ($1.49), and the Carnitas ($1.49) tacos. The best of the bunch was the pastor, which had a pleasing marinade seared into the pork, with a touch of sweetness from the pineapple dripping down the trompo. My silver medallist here was the asada, which was more tender than I was expecting, and got a nice jolt of flavor from the provided hot salsa that was packed tightly in my bag. The carnitas was, unfortunately, a bit dry, and lacked any depth of flavor that I was hoping for. Not awful, but it could not hold a candle to the other proteins at Navarro's.  

Navarro's Taqueria was definitely worth visiting on my day off from work. The birria, especially in the quesabirria was delicious and has gotten me inspired to seek out more of it as soon as possible. I was also impressed with their regular tacos, which were filled with way more than I was expecting, based on the price, and were anything but lackluster. If any of you have any birria places you think we should try out, don't hesitate to reach out via social media or with the email at the top right of this page. 

Out of five shot glasses, (because Jalisco, Mexico was not only the birthplace of birria, but also tequila, and as every college-aged student knows, a shot glass of tequila is a great way to start an evening of partying), five being best to zero being worst, Navarro's Taqueria gets 3.5 shot glasses. 

Navarro's Taqueria does not have a website, but you can get more information about them on their Yelp page by clicking here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/navarros-taqueria-santa-ana

A Taste of the Motor City in San Clemente - CLOSED

 Gibroni's Pizza

215 South El Camino Real

San Clemente, CA 92672

When I was growing up, I was naive about pizza. I never knew there were regions where pizza differed from the ones I consumed with great vigor after soccer games, birthday parties, and rounds of miniature golf. After a trip to the East Coast in the mid-eighties (yes, I am that old), I realized that all pizzas were not created equally after eating a pizza in New York City. That pizza we ate on that sidewalk in Manhattan all those years ago helped me see that there was way more to pizza than what I'd been eating at Chuck E Cheese or Pizza Hut. 

As I grew older, traveled more, and became a more adventurous eater, I soon realized that whether a pizza was made in the style of New York, Neopolitan, Chicago, New Haven, or Sicilian, they all had their own merits. Luckily, as the restaurant scene has evolved in OC, these pizzas are readily available without needing a plane ticket. 

The latest craze in the pizza game is Detroit-style pizza. Pizza Hut has been promoting it on TV, and my Instagram feed has featured plenty of it when I'm scrolling. There are now two places that serve pizza from this Midwestern city in OC, along with others in LA. I could not take seeing the glowing reviews and drool-inducing pictures anymore, so I gathered up two friends, and we headed to Gibroni's Pizza in San Clemente. 

Gibroni's operates out of the kitchen at JD's Bar, in the heart of downtown San Clemente, alongside El Camino Real. Tony and Lindsay Gioutsis had run a food truck in Texas but decided to make a dash for the beautiful shores of the Pacific. When the pandemic hit, they began perfecting their Detroit-style pizza, which they deeply missed from their youth in Michigan. They now run this pizza spot, Tony, in his trademark Detroit Tigers cap, Wednesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

But what exactly is Detroit-style pizza? It's pizza baked in a pan with sauce on top, cheese to the sides, and a buttery crust that is crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. Just like deep-dish pizza, making this kind of pizza takes a little time. They suggest you order on their website about 30 to 40 minutes before you want to eat longer during peak times on Fridays and Saturdays. We were going to be enjoying some beverages at JD's, so we just ordered online and waited for our pizzas to be ready. I was excited about my first Detroit-style pizza. Let's check it out. 

First up is the mushroom-centric Fun Guys Pizza ($16). This eight-by-ten-inch pizza comes with crimini mushrooms and is joined by sausage, white truffle oil, and porcini cream sauce. It is then finished with some parsley on top. Mushroom fans need to get this pizza stat, and even if you are not the biggest fan of shrooms, this flavor was very pleasing. It was hearty, and I loved how the crispy edges and soft dough in the middle contrasted. This could have had more sausage for my tastes, but it was an excellent start to my maiden voyage of having Detroit-style pizza. 

At Gibroni's, they feature a pizza of the month, and while we were there, we had this delicious Colonel Barry Sanders ($16). Hopefully, this one comes back soon. It's their take on the Nashville hot chicken craze at its peak right now. This one is topped with fried chicken pieces, pickled jalapenos, green onions, and their custom cheese blend. I detected a bit of heat and some sweetness in some bites, but I don't know where that came from. This pizza came with a side of their Cranch, which is what they call their house-made buttermilk ranch, which was excellent. For fans of buffalo wings, this would be your jam. 

This From the D Pizza ($16) is the most traditional pizza on the menu at Gibroni's. Double pepperoni, marinara, and parmesan made this pizza a winner. I loved the pepperoni they use here, which crisped up and formed little cups. The pizza was savory, with a touch of sweetness from the marinara. Because everything is layered on top of the pizza, it makes everything more prominent. 

We all split this Cheesy Bread ($11 with bacon added) as if we did not have enough carbs. The menu failed to mention that some sliced bell peppers and green onions would be included on top of this, which was not a big deal to me, but if you are not a fan, be advised. This was like their pizza but in breadstick form. It comes with either marinara or cranch, and we went with the ranch, which is always a good choice. 

Gibroni's lived up to the hype I had expected before my visit. You can now count me as a devotee of the Detroit-style pizza movement sweeping the country. This is more than a fad; this is some seriously great pizza. I loved the crispy edges and pillowy soft middle. This is a hefty pizza, much like a deep dish, which will make you full after only a few slices. The small pizzas will feed two adults, as two squares are enough for most people; even though I went through four during our visit, I was pretty stuffed for the rest of the day. Even though this was my first Detroit pizza, this is one of my top three pizza experiences in OC, joining Tony's Little Italy in Placentia and Terra Mia Pizza in Laguna Hills. I'm glad my tastes have evolved since I was a kid, and I loved all that mediocre pizza we got from Pizza Hut, Domino's, and others. 

Out of five Lakers (because Tony and Lindsay, the owners of Gibroni's, met at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, and their school mascot is Louie the Laker), five being best to zero being worst, Gibroni's Pizza gets 4 Lakers. 

For more information about Gibroni's Pizza, head to their website here: https://gibronispizza.com/

Brother, Can You Spare Some Barbecue?

 Brothers Barbecue

618 South Center Street

Reno, Nevada 89501

Lake Tahoe had been fun but went by way too quick. It was a great weekend getting to spend time with Katie's work family and seeing firsthand how generous her workplace is to their employees and families. We had some hours to kill before our plane left Sacramento to take us back home at 7pm. We had to vacate our hotel room at 11, so that gave us four hours to explore, minus the two-hour drive back to Sacramento. Where to kill some time?

I had thought of maybe exploring Virginia City, or maybe checking out the capital of Nevada, Carson City. As is usually the case, food was the guiding force as to where we would be heading. A quick check of the restaurant scene in both of these towns kind of discouraged me from visiting. Instead, we headed to Reno, which had numerous restaurants to choose from and had some casinos where we could lose our money. 

After a quick drive downtown, a selfie under the Reno sign, a quick jaunt to the Truckee River, and an hour or so of gambling, we were ready for lunch before hitting the road back to Sacramento. I'm not even sure how I settled on Brother's Barbecue, which is located in the Midtown area of Reno. They have a really respectable 4 and a half star rating on Yelp with over 600 reviews, which is something that I definitely look for, but I really think both Katie and I were just craving some barbecue this afternoon and were hoping that Brothers would be an excellent send-off to our getaway weekend. 

Brothers Barbecue has been open for business for the last seven years. They specialize in Texas-style barbecue, which means that they cook their meats low and slow, with smoke added for flavor. That means my favorite barbecued meat was on the horizon for me, brisket. Along with the brisket, Brothers also offers pulled pork, spicy sausage, and pork ribs. Beef ribs are available on weekends, while turkey is offered on Thursdays. The meats are available in sandwiches, bowls, plates, or by the pound until they sell out, which is usually a great sign that you've found a great barbecue spot. Let's see if that would hold true at Brothers Barbecue.  

As is the case when I'm eating in a barbecue restaurant for the first time, I get a plate so I can try as much as possible in one visit. At Brothers that meant that I'd have the Bro's Semi-Famous Brisket and Three Pork Rib Plate ($20). The brisket here was first-rate. It had a very nice pink-hued smoke ring running alongside it, had just enough fat which added a lot of flavors, and was not too moist where it would fall apart too easily. A very sturdy piece of brisket. The pork ribs were also good, with the requisite smoke ring present and plenty of meat on each rib. Each rib was kissed with just enough sauce so it was not too intrusive. No sauce was needed for either of these two proteins, but if you just gotta have sauce, both the original and the habanero were nicely done, but I was partial to the habanero one more, which had a very manageable heat level based on my palette. With my plate, I got the choice of two sides, and I went with the homemade potato salad and the mac and cheesy. The potato was the better of the two. The chunks of potato were fork tender and I liked the mayo-based dressing that coated each cube of potato. The mac and cheesy was a miss for me. It was served at room temperature with grated cheese topping it that had no chance of melting. It was devoid of the flavor that I get from other versions of mac and cheese. 

Katie strategically got her Bro's Two Meat and Two Side BBQ Plate ($17) with different items than myself, so we could try even more of the food at Bothers Barbecue. She went with the pulled pork and the spicy smoked sausage, both of which were very good. The pork was moist and flavorful with some nice pieces of bark intertwined into the pile. I was a bit more partial to their sausage, which definitely had some heat present along with a nice snappy casing. I'm not really a big fan of macaroni salad, but she enjoyed this version. The southern corn was a simple dish of corn kernels that were seasoned nicely and went well with the rich meats. The cornbread was not as sweet as I usually like, but Katie could not get enough as she took mine for herself. 

Brothers Barbecue was an excellent choice for what was going to be our only meal in Reno, before heading back home. The meats that we had were all standouts. I felt the sides were fine, but none really blew me away. Prices were not too bad for the amount of food that you get. Service was friendly and they got the food out to us in a very quick manner. I would not hesitate to return if I found myself back in Reno anytime soon. 

Out of five catcher's mitts, (because Reno is home to the largest sporting goods store in the world, Scheels has a 65-foot tall Ferris wheel inside, a 16,000-gallon aquarium, and  I'm sure they sell plenty of catcher's mitts), five being the best to zero being worst, Brothers Barbecue gets 3.5 catcher's mitts. 

For more information about Brothers Barbecue, head to their website here: https://www.bbqreno.com/

Hoping Fumo Will Be Smoking Hot for Breakfast

 

Fumo

120 Country Club Drive Unit 61

Incline Village, NV 89451

Well, we made it to Lake Tahoe. After a long night of getting to meet all of Katie's coworkers, winning $4 in the casino, and having one or two adult beverages, we both decided to sleep in a bit before our noon boat ride on picturesque Lake Tahoe. This would be the only time that we'd be able to try any of the local restaurants, so I had to choose a spot wisely. 

Lucky for us, one of the highest-rated restaurants in Incline Village on Yelp was about a block away from our hotel. Fumo has a four-star rating with over 200 reviews written. From what I can gather online, they opened for business in February of 2019, and in that time have gotten a lot of love for their breakfast and dinner, but the main draw might be their snow globe dining, a heated plastic igloo type structure that allows them to have customers eat outside during the cold winter months. No need for that igloo when we visited here in late July, but the pictures of them look pretty cool. 

Fumo means smoke in Italian, but you'll be hard-pressed to find any Italian dishes on any of their menus. They serve breakfast and lunch from 7 to 2, and then they reopen again for dinner from 5 to 9pm. Make note that they are closed Tuesday and Wednesday. I'd describe the dinner menu at Fumo as upscale American, while the breakfast menu is a little more varied, with most selections setting you back $15 give or take a few dollars in either direction. 

We arrived at Fumo at just after ten and were seated right away, to the left of their patio in the front of their restaurant. I'm not sure if they had just not seen us off to the side, but it was about ten minutes before we were greeted. Not wanting to miss our boat ride, we quickly made our selections and waited about thirty more minutes for our food. This was fine because we gave ourselves plenty of time, but if you are in a hurry, be advised that based on our experience here, the pacing of our meal could be diplomatically called leisurely relaxed. Let's check out our meals. 

Katie went for the straightforward approach at Fumo for her first meal of the day with this Loggers Skillet ($14). Two scrambled eggs, four strips of bacon, roasted potatoes, and toast comprised this plate. She was pleased with this meal. The eggs were buttery, they were very generous with the amount of bacon included, and the cubed potatoes were nicely seasoned and fork-tender. 

Fumo has five benedicts available, and I was intrigued by the Bacon Avo Benny ($14) from the time I first saw it on their menu. This mostly traditional benedict starts with an English muffin on the ground floor and is then layered with a poached egg, bacon, avocado, and plenty of hollandaise sauce. This was executed well, with the egg poached nicely, but the hollandaise sauce was pretty overwhelming and did not share the stage with the bacon or avocado, both of which were lost here. Definitely not one of the worst benedicts that I've had though.  

Something that I've never seen and had to try was this Croissant French Toast ($12)). It's a very photogenic dish and tasted just as good as it looks. I liked that it was not overly sweet, had a pleasing texture, and was not as heavy as pancakes, which just sit in your stomach for the rest of the day. I also have to shout out to Fumo for having syrup dispensers, instead of just parceling out syrup in little containers, as I always have to end up asking for more. 

Last but not least, we had to give their Cheddar Cheese Biscuit and Gravy ($5) a whirl. I was expecting the cheddar cheese to be incorporated into the biscuit dough, but it was melted on top of this heap. The gravy had very big hunks of ground sausage included in it, which was an interesting component. The biscuit itself was fine, but I'd probably pass on this the next time I visited Fumo. It was stick to your ribs comfort food, but not at all what I was expecting. 

Fumo is a solid spot for breakfast, but it did not really blow me out of the water. It was nice to get out of the resort and eat where the locals eat though. Fumo is off the beaten track and if you are looking for a nice leisurely meal, this might be the place for you. The service was nice and personable, but it seemed like the kitchen was having a few issues on this particular morning. Just be patient. Prices are not too bad for breakfast or lunch, but entrees for dinner will set you back $30 or more, and $46 for the salmon. With a hearty breakfast, we were ready to tackle Lake Tahoe.  

Out of five elevators, (because Lake Tahoe is deeper than the Empire State Building is tall, and that building features 73 elevators), five being best to zero being worst, Fumo gets 3 elevators. 

For more information about Fumo, head to their website here: https://fumotahoe.com/

An Afternoon Adventure in Auburn

Ikeda's

13500 Lincoln Way 

Auburn, CA 95603

This is the start of our three-part adventure away for a quick weekend with Katie's work family. For me, working in the grocery industry for the last 33 years, the idea that a company would spring for a bonding experience to share their appreciation for all the hard work that their employees do is kind of a shock to my system. My workplace sometimes gets Dominos Pizza for a work party, we can receive a five-dollar gift card if our store has a clean safety record for a full year, and once we are employed by our company for twenty years, we get invited to an awards dinner every five years to receive our pin. Not exactly on par with an all-expenses-paid trip to a resort in Lake Tahoe, but I digress. 

We flew into Sacramento on a Thursday morning, grabbed our rental car, and headed out for the two-hour drive to Lake Tahoe. Since we skipped the obligatory McDonald's breakfast at the airport, I picked a place to eat and stretch our legs on our way to the resort. Ikeda's in Auburn felt like it would fit that bill. They possess a four-star rating on Yelp with over 1.200 reviews, so I felt pretty good about my selection. 

Ikeda's started as a small fruit stand on the side of the road. As the years went by, they expanded into a market and a restaurant. This is still a family-run business, going on their third generation of helping preserve their family legacy. Ikeda's has also expanded to Davis, California, which is 15 miles to the west of Sacramento. For longtime OC residents, Ikeda's reminded me a bit of the original Knowlwood's that was located off Imperial Highway many years ago. 

Much like Knowlwoods, Ikeda's is known for their hamburgers, but with their beginnings as a fruit stand, they are also famous for their pies, whether they are fruit, cream, or pot pies. The menu also features plenty in the way of sandwiches, including a crab sandwich which sounded pretty interesting to me. Ordering is done at the counter, and then your number is called out to claim your food. For a Thursday afternoon, it was pretty busy at Ikeda's. We had to wait only about ten minutes for our food, which was not too bad. Let's see if this restaurant was a wise place to stop on our way up to Lake Tahoe. 

Katie and I decided we would order two things and split them, a divide and conquer effort. The first being the Bacon Burger ($12.99). This burger came dressed with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, sauce, and two slices of bacon on a brioche bun. I should have opted to get this burger with cheese, which would have probably moistened things up a bit here. The yellow sauce that they use was tangy, and kind of resembled a thinner hollandaise sauce. I wish they had added a little extra to our burger because I like things saucy. The one-third-pound patty was fresh, cooked well, and went nicely with the excellent bacon. Included in the price are a drink and the fries above. The fries were solid, but there were so many, I kind of got bored with them as time went by. I'd definitely upgrade to curly, parmesan, or truffle fries next time I visit, and I'd ask for a side of ranch dressing.  

Part two of our meal was this Chicken Pot Pie ($9.99). This good-sized pot pie came out steaming and cooled down after a very long wait. Puncturing the crust revealed a good amount of shredded chicken, carrots, and other veggies. I usually like a saucier pot pie, but this one was a very nice effort. I kind of enjoyed that the chicken was shredded, and not in chunks. It made it easier to eat and incorporated the veggies easier. Very good sized for ten dollars, and it kept me full well past when we arrived in Lake Tahoe. 

Just like our meals, Katie and I split two slices of pie. We went with the Dutch Apple ($4.99) and the Chocolate Cream ($5.99). I enjoyed the rich chocolate cream one the best, although there was way too much cream topping this one. It detracted from the wonderful chocolate underneath. The apple was nicely done with plenty of crumbly goodness topping it, and it would have been made even better if we had gotten this one with ice cream perched on top, but we were trying to be good, even though we were on our mini-vacation. Maybe next time. 

Ikeda's is definitely a great place to stop on the way to Lake Tahoe, or even if you are just in the area. I'd like a do-over with my meal choices, like adding cheese to my burger and ice cream to my pie, but even though I missed out on these things, I was still pretty satisfied with our visit. This is classic travel food, and it makes me nostalgic for road trips with my parents growing up. There's also a pretty impressive little market here where you can stretch your legs before completing your road trip. On to our next adventure. 

Out of five running shoes, (because with so many endurance races taking place in the city of Auburn, many participants will go through plenty of running shoes in some of these events), five being best to zero being worst, Ikeda's gets 3 running shoes. 

For more information about Ikeda's, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.ikedas.com/

Satisfying Seafood at Hook and Anchor

 Hook and Anchor

3305 Newport Blvd. 

Newport Beach, CA 92663

My aunt Hiroko has converted to a pescatarian in the last few years. For those of you that unaware, a pescatarian is someone that eats fish, but no other kinds of meat. She did this mainly for health reasons, but it appears to have agreed with her. She appears to have stopped aging and has felt the best she has in years. If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know I could never do what my aunt has done, but I'm very happy it has worked out for her. 

We were all getting together for a family dinner, and she was actually the one that suggested Hook and Anchor. Opened early in 2018, Hook and Anchor describe themselves as a fast-casual lobster and fish house, with a fine-dining touch. In the three-plus years, they have been in business they have gotten glowing reviews online for their food, and briefly opened another location at Rodeo 39 food hall in Stanton, but that spot recently closed this month suddenly. 

This Newport location showed no signs of having any trouble whatsoever. During our hour-long visit on an early Saturday evening at 5, there was a consistent crush of people filling in the rather small dining area, and the line to order grew at least eight parties deep once during our stay. We quickly snagged one of the larger tables available for our party of six. 

The menu here is pretty extensive for such a small spot. The menu starts off with a quintet of lobster dishes and then continues with various offerings of sandwiches, tacos, fish and chips, salads, and various fresh fish plates. There's also a small chalkboard with even more specials located right behind the cashier. We all made our selections rather quickly and waited for our food to be run out to us. 

Whenever I'm eating in a seafood restaurant for the first time, there's no question that I'll be trying the Clam Chowder ($6). This one was pretty impressive with its inclusion of clams, potatoes, carrots, and celery. For a thinner chowder, this was better than most. There were plenty of clams, the potatoes were not cut into large chunks, and there was a nice creaminess in each spoonful. Definitely worth trying if you like clam chowder. 

For part two of my meal, I went with this Lobster Quesadilla ($15). This was an unusual selection for me, and I'm still not entirely sure why I picked this. The ten-inch tortilla was filled with lobster, and cheddar cheese then topped with a lemon herb sriracha aioli, which did its job of boosting the flavor a bit. I liked that the tortilla was grilled on the flattop, which provided a nice crunch to each bite. I just felt this was not the best way to highlight their lobster. I'd probably try a lobster roll or maybe just get a surf and turf plate the next to I visit Hook and Anchor. 

If you know Katie, she's never really been described as crabby, unless she doesn't get one of her two Starbucks coffees a day. Here she is though, having the Crusty Crab Sandwich ($15) for dinner. This crab cake sandwich was dressed in shallot caper lemon mayo, lettuce, and tomato on a brioche bun. Katie was pretty pleased with this sandwich. The crab cake was nicely breaded but was not overly stuffed with filler. The crab was present, and you could actually taste it in each bite. The bun was spongy, but they could have used a little more in the way of the mayo to help moisten things up a bit.  

Both my cousin Chris and my aunt tried the Lobster Roll ($28.50 was the market price when we were here). There are two sizes, a four and six-ounce version of this roll filled with buttered claw and knuckle meat stuffed inside a brioche split-top bun with butter and herbs. This won rave reviews from both of them. I'm not sure if they got the four or the six-ounce lobster meat sandwich, but there appeared to be plenty of lobster on both sandwiches. This sandwich also came with a side of chipotle crema, but I did not observe either of them using it to any great extent. The fries were crisp and hot. A very rich sandwich for these two. 

My uncle had these good-looking Fish and Chips ($15) for his dinner this evening. At Hook and Anchor, they use Mahi for their fish and chips, which is a definite upgrade from the usual cod you get at most places. I was excited by the thick and crunchy batter used, as it looked delicious from across the table. No complaints about this meal from my uncle, who ate all of this at his usual leisurely pace. The fries were nicely seasoned. He also added a three-ounce side of coleslaw for an extra buck, which looked to be worth it for people that get excited by coleslaw. 

As we were walking out the door of Hook and Anchor we all found it necessary to thank my aunt Hiroko for suggesting this restaurant. I think we were all pleased with our meals this evening. This is another great option for a fast-casual seafood restaurant, joining the ranks of Slapfish, California Fish Grill, Santa Monica Seafood, FishBonz, and Bear Flag Fish Co. I do look forward to coming back and trying more of their menu, as the fish and chips caught my eye, along with the Lobster Cajun Fries, their fish plates, and the numerous other specials offered. With food this good, it might make it easier for me to convert into a pescatarian. Definitely not going to happen, I just wanted to make sure you were still paying attention. 

Out of five tattoos, (because one of the most popular tattoos that people get is an anchor), five being best to zero being worst, Hook and Anchor gets 3.5 tattoos. 

For more information about Hook and Anchor, head to their website here: https://www.hooknanchor.com/