Something to Write Home About at Sandwich House

 Sandwich House

9187 Valley View St. 

Cypress, CA 90630

Yes, two reviews in a row for the city of Cypress. We were sitting at two restaurant reviews for 12 years, so we'd double that with this single trip to one of the most northern cities in our grand county. We had just had one of the better breakfast burritos in OC, and I was already thinking about lunch. Yes, I might have a problem. 

Right around the corner from where we had breakfast was Sandwich House. What drew me here was their impressive four-and-a-half-star rating on Yelp, with over 1,600 reviews. Another driving force for this visit was that I last had a Banh Mi sandwich in what seemed like forever. I'm a big fan of these Vietnamese sandwiches, but only a few places where I live have good ones. So, I was hoping that Sandwich House was going to be able to provide me a very good one. 

Feuling my excitement about Sandwich House was some of the research I had done about this restaurant. Not only was their Yelp rating and reviews very promising, but in 2018 they were situated at number 53 on Yelp's top 100 places to eat in the US that year. That is very lofty praise. Other than that, I learned that they have been in business since 2011 and were an instant hit with the students from Cypress College, located right across the street. 

The menu at Sandwich House is pretty straightforward. They offer 14 sandwiches on french bread, ten on a croissant, and three entree items for those who are not fans of sandwiches. There are also hot and cold drinks, smoothies, and various coffee options are also available. Most sandwiches hover around the $10 price point and go up depending on any optional add-ons you may want. 

We arrived at Sandwich House just before the lunch rush at half past eleven. The inside of the shop is cluttered, with plenty of chips, snacks, and baked goods for sale. There was also a good-sized collection of chef figurines throughout the tiny space. Ordering was done at the counter, and then they asked us politely to wait in our car for our sandwiches. It could be a holdover from the pandemic days, or it's more convenient because the restaurant is so tiny. The nice man behind the counter brought two Jasmin iced teas to our car while we were waiting for our food. Very lovely and not unexpected, especially if you read their reviews on Yelp. Within ten minutes or so, we were headed back home with dinner. Let's see if my good feeling about Sandwich House came true.  

Here's a look at Katie's selection this afternoon, the Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($8.75). Each sandwich here comes with shredded carrots, cucumbers, a touch of mayo, cilantro, onion, jalapeno, a bit of soy sauce, and in this case, some chicken. The bread tasted freshly made, had a good texture, and held the contents of the sandwich admirably. Katie thought this might have been the best banh mi sandwich she had ever had. She loved the fresh veggies, the crunchy bread, and the savory tender chicken.  

On Yelp, this House Special Sandwich ($8.75 +$2 for extra meat) kept appearing in every positive review, so I decided to give it a shot. This came with all the same things as Katie's sandwich above, but instead of chicken, it came with pate, pork meatloaf, and french style ham. This was a little out of my usual comfort zone, but it was a good sandwich. The pate added a lovely richness, while the ham and pork worked well with the rest of the fillings. I would have liked a bit more mayo, but it was a nicely crafted sandwich and was one of the better banh mi sandwiches I have had. It was worth two dollars to get extra meat on this. 

My sandwich was a fantastic introduction to Sandwich House and whetted my appetite to try more of their sandwiches when we return to the area. It will be hard not to order the special house sandwich, but I have my eye on the grilled pork or one of their croissant sandwiches on future visits. Adding to the good vibes we have about this spot was the warm and inviting welcome we got from who I presume was the owner. We were two for two on this trip to Cypress, picking good places to eat. It makes me wonder what else this city has to offer. Stay tuned. 

Out of five electric outlets (because the sports teams of nearby Cypress College are the Chargers, and if you stick your finger in an outlet, it will definitely give you a charge), five being best to zero being worst, Sandwich House gets 3.5 electric outlets. 

For more information about Sandwich House, head to their website by clicking here: https://website--6800858471984551692101-sandwichshop.business.site/

Building a Better Breakfast Burrito at the Home Depot?

 LJ's Lil Cafe

5800 Lincoln Avenue

Cypress, CA 90630

I know. This blog has gotten a little breakfast-heavy the last few weeks. Except for my year-end post, my previous three reviews have been about the day's first meal. I promise more diversity in the upcoming reviews, but this is a breakfast spot that I'm very passionate about. More specifically, I'm excited about the breakfast burritos LJ's Lil Cafe is churning out. 

LJ's is situated in a small space in front of the Home Depot on Lincoln Avenue in Cypress. They opened in September of 2021 by a couple who had met while working at Seasons 52 in Costa Mesa. When this place was available, they snatched it up rather quickly because of the heavy foot traffic in the area and the fact that Cypress College is right across the street. 

They are closed on Sundays and Mondays and are only open for business from 7:30 to 2pm the rest of the week. They start serving a lunch menu of sausages, hot dogs, a hamburger, and a foot-long queso cheesesteak after 11:30. Breakfast, which has gotten them the most press, consists of four breakfast burritos to choose from and a lone breakfast sandwich. 

We were meeting our good friends Melissa, Kyle, and Melissa's mom Irene here for a mid-week meetup at 10am, but Melissa was predictably late, even though she lives nearby in the beautiful city of Whittier. When they finally arrived, we quickly ordered and were met with a quoted time of half an hour for our food. No problem, as we had not seen each other for a while and spent the time chatting about things important to Melissa; her love of the city of Yorba Linda, how she believed that her beloved Rams were going to win the SuperBowl this year, (ha!), and her aquatic dog named Pugsley. 

There's only a little seating here, as there are a couple of picnic tables to the left of the ordering window. Unfortunately, these were occupied when we got here, so we improvised and sat at the picnic table, which was the display model for Home Depot. No one seemed to care, but we made sure to not make a big mess and cleaned up after ourselves once we were done with our meal. Speaking of the meal, let's see if the hype for the breakfast burritos at LJ's is warranted. 

Of course, with all this talk about breakfast burritos, Katie decided to try the LJ's Breakwich ($7.99 + $2 for both bacon and sausage + .75 for grilled onions). This comes with your choice of cheese, two eggs, bacon or sausage, LJ's sauce (a spicy mayo), and salsa, all on a brioche bun. The egg was nicely folded into the bun and had a good cohesion with the swiss cheese, the bacon, and the sausage, a Portuguese-Hawaiian sausage, which was a nice departure from the everyday breakfast sausage most places use. Even with the close to $11 charge for this sandwich, Katie felt it was well worth it. She loved the high-quality ingredients used and savored every bite. The Tater Tots ($4.49) had a good crunch and was an excellent side item for the sandwich. 

Here's what we drove nearly forty minutes for, the OG Breakfast Burrito ($11.25). I posted the first picture with the dollar bill so you could see what we are dealing with size-wise. Regarding breakfast burritos, this one falls right in the middle of the pack based on size. It's not going to overwhelm you and make you skip dinner, but it's also going to keep you completely satisfied through lunchtime. The OG is filled with three eggs, Portugese-Hawaiian sausage, bacon, cheese, tater tots, and LJ's sauce. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the crunchy tater tots, which kept their crispness remarkably well while I was eating this. The ratio of ingredients was also a bright spot for this breakfast burrito. There was plenty of cheese, and the eggs and cheese worked perfectly together. If I had to say one negative thing about this, the bacon could have been a bit more prominent, and a little more of the LJ's sauce wouldn't have hurt. 

Kyle, who had the nickname hot tamale in high school, lived up to his nickname by trying the OG Spicy Breakfast Burrito ($10.99). This differs from the burrito above by adding jalapenos, omitting the bacon, and substituting the Portuguese sausage for a hotlink. Not overly spicy, just enough to give it a slight kick. This will be the burrito I will get the next time I visit LJ's. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to try this, but Kyle enjoyed it. 

These burritos were both the OG burritos we had seen earlier. I am highlighting the excellent hand-modeling job done by Melissa and her mom. Great job, ladies, and consider a career change to hand modeling soon. 

The breakfast burritos at LJ's are worthy of all the hype they receive. These are one of the top three breakfast burritos in OC. Like my other two favorites, the ones from Nate's Korner and Ham N' Scram, I'm more than a little bummed that these spots are more than thirty minutes away from where I live, even with early morning light weekend freeway traffic. LJ's is worth a little extended drive time. I've also made a mental note to try their lunch very soon. Again, I'm sorry for all the breakfast reviews lately, but LJ's is one place you will definitely not want to miss, especially if you are a fan of breakfast burritos. 

Out of five centurions (because the mascot of Cypress High School is the Roman centurion), five being best to zero being worst, LJ's Lil Cafe gets 3.5 centurions. 

LJ's Lil Cafe does not have a website, but you can stay up to date with them by checking out their Yelp page by clicking here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lj-s-lil-cafe-cypress?osq=best+breakfast+burrito

Straightforward Breakfast at SC Cafe in San Clemente

 SC Cafe

1810 South El Camino Real

San Clemente, CA 92672

Sometimes you just want a straightforward breakfast joint. In recent years boozy brunches, healthy options for the first meal of the day, and places that focus on locally sourced ingredients have become all the rage regarding breakfast eateries. Most of these restaurants are fine, but sometimes I'm just in the mood for good, solid, not-too-fancy breakfast foods. After we walked on the San Clemente Beach Trail, I wanted a no-frills meal at the nearby SC Cafe. 

This spot is off the beaten path. It's situated right next to the Northbound 5 offramp and next to Surfin Donuts on the bottom floor of a small non-descript office building. Parking is definitely at a premium at SC Cafe, as they have about five or six parking spots available to their customers. The parking situation kept us from visiting earlier, as we could not find a place to park about a year earlier. However, we were more determined to eat here this time, so we parked a quarter mile away and walked to and from the restaurant. 

I don't know much about the origins of SC Cafe. They have no website, and I could not find anything about them in the local press. However, their Yelp page reveals that they have been in business since at least 2007 and have a pretty impressive four-and-a-half-star rating with over 200 reviews. This is the true definition of a local place. We arrived at half past 11 on a Sunday and were met with about a ten-minute wait for a table. 

The inside features a beachy vibe, with six booths, a smattering of tables, and counter seating for four. There's also a patio in the front of the restaurant, a holdover from the pandemic times. The menu is a good size for such a small place. Breakfast options include egg basics, griddle offerings, Baja breakfasts, and SC Cafe favorites. As they are open until 2pm every day, there are plenty of sandwiches and Mexican fare to choose from. We, of course, veered towards breakfast. Let's check out what we partook of after our not-very-strenuous beach walk. 

First, we'll look at Katie's meal, Nicole's Mix ($13.95 + $2 for avocado and sour cream). I'm still determining who Nicole is, but she has to be a fan of spinach, eggs, and onions mixed with hashbrowns and topped with jack cheese and avocado slices. Katie called this delicious. She enjoyed the alternating crispy and tender parts of the hashbrowns and the very liberal amount of cheese they used here. However, she felt that the eggs were indiscernible as they got pushed to the side by the other ingredients on the plate. Nonetheless, she would get this again on future visits to SC Cafe. 

I have recently been on a real Chilaquiles ($16.95 + $2 for two eggs) kick. I can't get enough of this traditional Mexican breakfast dish. However, the one here is a little different than most. The tortilla chips are not fried in red or green salsa but in a jalapeno-cilantro sauce and then topped with chicken, avocado, crema, and cheese. Even though this was not traditional, I found it tasty. The flavorful sauce was not too spicy, went well with the rest of the dish, and kept me interested from my first bite to my last. I had planned on only eating half of this and taking the rest home for dinner later, but it was so good, and my willpower was not the best, so I did end up eating all of it. 

As is my routine when eating breakfast out, I always like to pair savory and sweet. That meant I had to try the Short Stack of Chocolate Chip Pancakes ($6.95 + $1 for the chocolate chips). These were solid pancakes on their own, but they were made even better with the suitable amount of chocolate chips they provided. A perfect companion to the savory part of my meal. 

I was stoked with our food at SC Cafe this early afternoon. But is it drive-worthy for the rest of OC? Sadly, it's not, but if you are in the area, or since they are so close to the freeway, driving through, SC Cafe will give you the fuel needed to jumpstart your day. This is a no-nonsense breakfast spot serving up some solid food with a competent crew serving you. It's easily in the top 5 breakfast restaurants in San Clemente and will be in our rotation of places we hit up after our walks on the San Clemente Beach Trail. 

Out of five pool noodles (because the city of San Clemente was founded by Ole Hanson in 1925, and his name still adorns the Beach Club, which features a pool that I'm sure has seen its fair share of pool noodles), five being best to zero being worst, SC Cafe gets 3 pool noodles. 

SC Cafe does not have a website, but you can find out more about them by clicking here to visit their Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sc-cafe-san-clemente?sort_by=date_asc

Best Restaurants of 2022

We made it! 2022 has now been whittled down to a few more hours. Thankfully, this year has been a closer return to normal. People are back out going to sporting events, amusement parks, traveling, and most importantly, eating in restaurants. With all that has gone on in the world over the last two years, I'm so happy for the restaurants that have persevered through all of this, and I still mourn the restaurants we've lost, even the bad ones. 

With the upcoming new year, it's the natural time to reflect on the past. It's hard to believe that I've been at this for 13 years. When I started this restaurant review blog in 2009, I had no idea I would still be doing this and enjoying it as much as I do. My last review was for restaurant number 980. That makes this coming year the moment I will finally fulfill one of my goals of 1,000 different restaurant reviews on this blog. I have a few plans for that milestone, but I will wait to reveal them. 

As most of my contemporaries in the blogging world have ditched their websites, stopped writing about food for other pursuits, or gone on to bigger and greater things, I have no plans on stopping my quest for great eats in Orange County and beyond. I have always envisioned this website as a resource tool for all of you. A place where you can see pictures of the food, get a little insight from me, and then decide if you want to spend your hard-earned money at the places I visit. As time marches, this site will become a time capsule for restaurants no longer in business and what foods were hot at a particular time. Like, remember when quinoa was all the rage? Good times. 

I hit my modest goal of writing at least one restaurant review weekly in 2022, which will become my norm. Unfortunately, as it sits now, I'm running a couple of months behind from when I visit a restaurant to when I finish a review. I plan to rectify that timespan in the future, as I'll skip binge-watching TV shows, abstain from social media as much, and be more focused when I sit down at my desk to write. We'll see how that all works out. 

Before I get to the best 10 restaurants I ate at this year, I'd like to thank my family and friends who supported my modest hobby of eating out in restaurants over the years. I'd also like to thank Katie, my forever dining companion, for her continued support not only of this blog but in everything that I do. Lastly, I'd like to express gratitude to all of you who have taken the time to read or at least checked out the pictures of what I've eaten over the last 13 years. You all mean the world to me. Happiest of New Year to all of you!

Here are the best ten restaurants I've eaten at in 2022. 

#10 - PorchBox - Laguna Hills

PorchBox makes this list because I love their concept. Their menu changes with the seasons. You get the main course and three sides to choose from, all for $15, or what you'd spend at your local fast food spot, and this tastes like food should taste. A very convenient place to pick up dinner for you or the family, and something you will feel good about giving to your loved ones. 

#9 - Mattern's Sausage and Deli - Orange

German food is not readily available as much in OC these days, with the recent closing of Jagerhaus and the Phoenix Club, but Mattern's is still churning out sausages, smoked pork chops, and one heck of a Reuben sandwich. They also have a small market, where you can find some hard-to-find German specialty items. Definitely worth a stop. 

#8 - Vox Kitchen - Foutain Valley

One of the most reviewed OC restaurants on Yelp, and with a mighty 4.5-star rating, I'm ashamed I didn't make it here sooner. Vox Kitchen serves up Asian comfort food with a Peruvian influence. Their food has broad appeal, and they get it to your table almost at warp speed. Slow it down, guys. We want to enjoy your delicious cuisine. 

#7 - La Super Birria - Santa Ana

2022 continued the birria trend that has taken hold of OC. The best we had this year was from La Super Birria, a mini-chain that has now sprouted to four locations. The quesabirria and all the tacos are stellar but don't sleep on the birria ramen, which is delicious, and not just a novelty dish to show off on Instagram. 

#6 - Folks Pizzeria - Costa Mesa

The best pizza we had this year can be found at Folks Pizzeria, located at The Camp. It's easy to see why this place always seems to have a long wait. High-quality pizza, their chopped salad with a lot of shaved parmesan, and their bread and butter to start will make any time you have to wait worth it. 

#5 - Solstice - Irvine

Another fine dining gem for the city of Irvine. Solstice is predictably a seasonally driven restaurant. Their menu changes four times a year, highlighting what's fresh during each quarter of the year. Unfortunately, they had to delay their opening due to pandemic material shortages, but the management team and their staff hit their stride during our visit in June. 

 #4 - 17th Street Deli - Costa Mesa

Every neighborhood needs an excellent deli, and Costa Mesa is lucky to have this one. 17th Street Deli makes some killer sandwiches, but the best I've had so far is the Bomb Pastrami. Made with Boar's Head pastrami, sauerkraut, coleslaw, and swiss cheese, all on rye bread, this is one explosive sandwich. Easy online ordering and excellent friendly service are just an added bonus. Well worth navigating the busy 17th Street traffic. 

#3 - Centro Storico Spaghetteria - Tustin

You won't find fresh pasta at most places, but it has made Centro Storico popular. After your first bite, you can taste the quality. There are sixteen pasta dishes to choose from, along with eight more substantial main dishes which look amazing. I'm waiting to try them after I eat through all the pasta options. After eating here, it's easy to see why they were on so many best-of lists last year and now they are featured on my list this year. 

#2 - Mario's Butcher Shop - Newport Beach

I rarely make return visits to the same restaurant, especially if I live forty minutes away. That should tell you how much I enjoyed Mario's Butcher Shop. It's a butcher shop, but since I don't own a barbecue, it's way more convenient to have Mario and his team make my burgers, sandwiches, and the best potato salad you will ever put in your mouth. The pastrami sandwich has already reached legendary status, and keep an eye out for their rotating specials, especially their Cuban sandwich. 

#1 - Craft by Smoke and Fire - Anaheim

The only four-star restaurant I dined at this year in OC. Their Mac Rib sandwich, equal parts grilled cheese, smash burger, and barbecue platter, will set you back over $30, but you will not eat a better sandwich in OC. The rest of the menu exudes comfort food that you just gotta have right now. The Brisket Grilled Cheese, Birria Quesadilla, Short Rib Burrito, and barbecue platters are all beckoning me to return soon. 

2022 is now in the books. I look forward to sharing many more excellent restaurants like these with you well into 2023 and beyond. Happy new year and have a delicious 2023. 

Coming up Smelling Like a Breakfast Burrito?

 Rose Cafe

20672 Lake Forest Drive, Suite B 

Lake Forest, CA 92630

It's been a hot minute since I reviewed a breakfast burrito. It's not that I've grown tired of them. However, since football started, Katie and I have become lazy on our only day off together. We usually just get one of our favorites from a nearby place and sit in front of the TV watching grown men tackle each other from 10am til almost 8 at night. It's gotten a little ridiculous, and I feel guilty about wasting the day. 

Our team had a bye week this Sunday, so we decided to get up earlier than usual, walk one of our favorite trails in Irvine, go to Costco, and then grab breakfast somewhere. I had been obsessed with an Instagram account belonging to Rose Cafe in Lake Forest. Their breakfast burritos looked so good, and they had been active on that photo-sharing platform for a while. They have since cooled off a bit with their posting, but that sometimes happens. 

We arrived at Rose Cafe just before noon on a Sunday and were met with a line of about four people deep waiting at the register to place their orders. They opened in June 2020 near the Weinerschnitzel, Fuji Grill, and Los Cabos Bar and Grill on Lake Forest Drive. I wonder if there's any connection to the other Rose Cafes in Corona Del Mar or San Clemente. Their burritos look similar and are wrapped in the same red and white paper. 

Their breakfast menu features 13 breakfast burritos, bagel sandwiches, omelets, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries and donuts, which are only offered on weekends. Rose Cafe has a lunch menu for late risers, including burgers, grilled and deli sandwiches, and wraps. Be advised that they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and only open until 3pm the rest of the week. We quickly ordered at the counter, grabbed our number, and found a table. Let's see if the burritos tasted as good as they look on their Instagram feed. 

I promised breakfast burritos, but we started with this Pecan Roll ($4). This was fresh and not overly sweet. Lots of chopped pecans on top, with a limited amount of the sugary sauce pooled on top. It could have been heated a bit more, but an excellent way to start things off while we waited for our breakfast burritos. 

Katie has an affinity for breakfast burritos, and she went straightforward with her pick here at Rose Cafe with their Classic Burrito ($9.75 + $4.75 to make it a combo with a side and drink). This burrito comes with egg, hashbrowns, cheddar cheese, and your choice of protein. She selected bacon. Katie liked the balanced nature of this burrito and that it was well crafted. She could get elements of each part of this burrito in each bite. Not her favorite breakfast burrito, but she'd get this one again. It could have had a bit more cheese for her taste, but still good. She chose the hashbrowns patty as her side, which was very reminiscent of the one served at McDonald's. 

I went a bit more complex with my breakfast burrito this early afternoon, with the Supreme Breakfast Burrito ($11.50 + $3 adding avocado). This burrito included the trinity of breakfast meats; ham, bacon, and sausage. It also came with egg, cheese, and hashbrowns. This is one of the most photogenic breakfast burritos, but how did it taste? The first half of the burrito was excellent, but it was a little too greasy as I got to the end. I liked how they crafted this burrito, allowing each bite to include a little bit of everything. However, there needed to be more cheese included to make this more balanced. Not a bad burrito, but not as great as it looks. 

I liked Rose Cafe, but their breakfast burritos are not drive-worthy like the ones from Nate's Corner, LJ's Lil Cafe (review coming soon), Glee Donuts, and Pepe's, to name a few off the top of my head. However, Rose Cafe will satisfy your craving if you are in the area and feel like a breakfast burrito. The price of these burritos is reasonable, considering you will not be hungry until right before dinner or later after eating one. The service was good, as they quickly got the food to us even though they were busy when we arrived. I'm glad we could tear ourselves away from the NFL for at least this Sunday. 

Out of five parade floats (because this is the time of the year when people line the streets of Pasadena for their famous Rose Parade to see all the floats decorated with roses), five being best to zero being worst, Rose Cafe gets 3 parade floats. 

For more information about Rose Cafe, head to their website by clicking here: https://rose-cafe-be7e9d.webflow.io/

There’s a New Seasonal Menu at El Torito

 El Torito Mexican Restaurant

18512 MacArthur Blvd. 

Irvine, CA 92612

1954, way before I was born. Gas costs only 21 cents a gallon,  Swanson's began selling frozen dinners, and Elvis Presley started his singing career. It's also the year that Larry Cano, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, managed a Polynesian restaurant in Los Angeles. The owner died suddenly, and his widow asked if he wanted to take over the restaurant. He did, and he immediately switched it from the tiki bar theme to a Mexican food restaurant, and El Torito was established. 

El Torito became an instant hit, and Larry quickly added more locations. Celebrity clientele, along with the average Angelino, discovered the frozen margaritas, tableside guacamole, the combo plates that flew out of the kitchen, and the decor that featured plenty of ferns, pottery, and archways that showcased what many Americans believed to be what they'd find in Mexico. Larry sold the restaurant in 1978 but stayed on as president for ten years after that. 

Not one to rest on its laurels, El Torito is moving forward. Now under the Xperience Restaurant Group, which also is home to Las Brisas, Chevy's, Acapulco, and two of my favorite Mexican spots, Sol Mexican Cocina and Solita Tacos, El Torito is not only honoring their past, they are moving forward by forming a partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, showcasing the talent of local artists. and adding new happy hour items and limited-time specials. 

The latter has brought me and my friend, Owen, to El Torito, just steps away from John Wayne Airport. We were invited here to try their seasonal menu and their new happy hour specials. We met with Ana Toledo, a friendly manager who knew many of her customers by name. She was very active in ensuring every guest was being taken care of, running food out to tables, and even filling in at the hostess stand when we walked in. 

We arrived at half past five on a recent Thursday evening. The Cantina was crowded, with many patrons taking advantage of the happy hour, which occurs every day from 3pm-7pm. Happy hour prices start at $4 and go up to a very reasonable $10 price point. Taco Tuesday is also a big draw, with $3 tacos and drink specials bringing in the people. We were seated at a booth with a great view of the hustle and bustle of the airport across the street. Let's see what El Torito has in store for us this evening. 

As dependable as me coming home to a pile of Amazon packages on my doorstep every day in December, you are most certainly going to start your meal at El Torito with their famous Chips and Salsa. Also, you will likely go through at least three baskets if you are anything like me. There's something just so addictive about them. So to go along with the chips and salsa, I selected their seasonal Sunset Margarita ($12) to start my evening with. This margarita is made up of El Jimador Silver tequila, agave nectar, and lime juice and is then topped with Line 39 Cabernet tableside. 

Since El Torito has been around for 68 years, you would assume they would have had a Mexican Pizza ($10 during happy hour) on their menu at some point. This, to my understanding, is the first time they have served this. A large crispy tortilla is topped with black beans, plenty of jack cheese, chorizo, pico de gallo, cilantro, red onion, cotija cheese, sliced jalapenos, and finished with a drizzle of crema fresca. Think of this as one really large nacho cut into pieces, but easier to eat than nachos. The toppings were spread out nicely, and the chorizo was a pleasant surprise. The cotija was a little distracting, so I might omit it the next time I visit. This could be a satisfying meal for most of you, but I had more to eat. Definitely an excellent value for only ten bucks. 

As the winter months have hit Southern California, more people are looking for ways to warm themselves up with soups and stews. El Torito has you covered with their Albondigas Soup ($8.75). This hearty soup comprises potatoes, fresh veggies, onion, cilantro, and meatballs. A comforting soup that will heat you up from the inside out.  

If you've read my restaurant reviews for any length of time, you can see a pattern in how I order. Most of the time, I only visit a place once, so I try to get as much variety on one plate as possible, which means combo plates are my go-to. This Chef's Combo ($17.50) allowed me to try their Birria Taco and Potato Chorizo Taquitos, both featured on El Torito's seasonal menu. This plate was rounded out with their classic cheese enchilada, black beans, and rice. The birria taco was nicely done, with equal parts jack cheese and beef birria filling the handmade tortilla. When dipped into the provided consomme, this became my favorite item on the plate. The taquitos could have been more balanced. The potato really overwhelmed the chorizo, making it obscured. The cheese enchilada, a true classic, is always a favorite. An excellent plate to try if you want to switch up your usual El Torito meal or if you want to get an overview of their seasonal menu. 

Not on the seasonal menu, but it would be nearly impossible for me to end my meal at El Torito with anything but their Home-Style Flan ($8.25). Their vanilla custard is topped with caramel sauce and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. A perfect end to our meal, as it was not too heavy but still allowed us to have a little sweet treat at the end of our evening. 

I give props to El Torito for its longevity and willingness to keep things fresh by introducing new items on its seasonal menus. It keeps things interesting for their returning guests, and they always know they can return to their classic combinations, fajitas, and specialties on subsequent visits. This visit also highlighted their commitment to providing an excellent guest experience. From the time we entered until we left, we felt that every employee we encountered was here to make us as happy as possible. They also seemed to take great pride in their workplace, which is very rare nowadays. 

I would like to thank Ana Toledo and her team at El Torito Irvine for making us feel so welcome, providing us with anything we could possibly need, and ensuring we had a great evening. Our server  Juan, needs to be spotlighted, as he was on top of his game, refilling drinks, getting the food out quickly, and answering our questions. One final thank you goes to Mia Schaffel from Cinch PR for contacting me and coordinating this visit. You are a rockstar, Mia, and it's much appreciated. 

For more information about El Torito, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.eltorito.com/

** I was provided this meal for free in exchange for an honest review of their service/food. No other compensation was received. 

An Embarrassment of Riches in Huntington Beach

 Santa Maria BBQ

7144 Edinger Ave. 

Huntington Beach, CA 92647

I've been working on a quest to find the best chocolate chip cookie in OC. It's what has brought me to Huntington Beach this early afternoon. Man cannot live on chocolate chip cookies alone; believe me, I've tried, so I needed to get some lunch nearby. A quick Yelp search steered me toward Santa Maria BBQ. 

This intersection of Goldenwest and Edinger is one of my favorite unassuming food destinations in all of OC. Not only is John's Philly Grill serving up what I consider to be the best cheesesteaks around, but one of my favorite sandwich spots, DeSimone's, is also located here. I hoped this trend of finding good food in this area would continue when I visited Santa Maria BBQ. 

I do not know a lot about this spot. Their Yelp page dates from 2011 when this location was known as BT's Southern BBQ, and then in early 2018, they changed their name to Santa Maria BBQ. I wonder if that's because there was an ownership change or if they just wanted to rebrand. Also, the former OC Register restaurant critic, Brad Johnson, visited their Buena Park location and gave a glowing review of their tri-tip and brisket. That location is now catering only, FYI. 

Santa Maria BBQ is not a big restaurant. As you enter, a small bar runs alongside the right-hand side of the restaurant, and there are probably six or so tables for people choosing to dine-in. Ordering is done at the counter. I was taking my food home with me and was met with a wait of five minutes for my order to be all packaged up. 

They offer tri-tip, brisket, pulled pork, sausage, chicken, pork ribs, and a beef short rib. Most of these are available as a plate or sandwich, with the lone exception being the short rib. For the three of you who are not a fan of barbecue, they also serve burgers and wings. There are also ten sides to choose from to accentuate your barbecue. I might have been driving a little above the speed limit back home because I was so excited to try this place, so let's see if the food here is worth a potential speeding ticket. 

As is my custom when eating barbecue, I get the biggest combo plate on the menu. At Santa Maria BBQ, that means the 3 Meat Combo ($31). I chose tri-tip, brisket, and pulled pork for my three types of meat. I would usually add a sausage, but the guy who took my order told me they do not sell their sausage ala carte. No worries, I felt I had enough food to keep me full until dinner. For sides, I selected Mac and Cheese and Potato Salad. Let's take a closer look at each item. 

Out of the three types of meat that I got, my favorite was the brisket. It was nice and tender and spiced very well. I would have liked a little more fat, which adds flavor, but a top-notch brisket. The pulled pork was also stellar. It was moist but without being too mushy. I liked the different textures that I got with this. The skin had a little crunch to it, while other pieces were a little more what you'd expect from a typical pulled pork but with a little more flavor. I was surprised that the tri-tip was not as good as the other two, mainly because Santa Maria is most known for tri-tip. While the tri-tip had a nice pinkish smoke ring, it lacked the flavor of the brisket and pork and was a tad on the dry side. Not awful, but a little disappointing. 

Yes, two starches. Please don't judge me. I love my carbs. The Mac and Cheese held up wonderfully on the thirty-minute car ride home. Santa Maria BBQ uses elbow pasta which the cheese sauce clings to perfectly. The cheese sauce had a good flavor and was enhanced by adding some bacon crumbled on top. A delicious mac and cheese. The mustard-based potato salad was good, but I was hoping for a bit more of flavor to come through, but the texture I liked was there. A little chunky, but with some tender potatoes. 

I have to admit that I visited Santa Maria BBQ with a bit of apprehension. I was not expecting it to be as good as it was. They surprised me. Yes, this is different from what you'd get from Heritage BBQ in San Juan, but for those who do not want to drive that far or wait in line, Santa Maria BBQ will fill in nicely. The brisket, pulled pork, and the two sides I had were all delicious and will satisfy your barbecue cravings. This spot belongs in the top ten barbecue restaurants in OC. This area of Huntington Beach continues to be a hotbed of some of my favorite food purveyors. 

Out of five swords (because Zorro was based on a murderous bandit who hid out in the Santa Maria hills, and he often used a sword to make his distinctive Z mark), five being best to zero being worst, Santa Maria BBQ gets 3 swords. 

For more information about Santa Maria BBQ, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.santamariabbqshack.com/

Refueling at Dick Church’s on Race Day

 Dick Church's

2698 Newport Blvd. 

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

We were fresh off our second 5k of the year and needed some nourishment after we had probably burned ten calories by leisurely walking 3 miles at the OC Fairgrounds. My sister, brother-in-law, and one of my nieces joined us for this race. After we collected our participation medals and gulped down some water, they left it up to me to find a place to get breakfast. I suggested the nearby Dick Church's

This was my first time ever at Dick Church's, which is incredible since I lived nearby for over ten years and because this place has been open for business since 1972. Even before that, this location has been a couple of different restaurants since 1948, which makes it one of the oldest continuously operating restaurant locations in OC. 

Dick Church's sits at the corner of Fair Drive and Newport Boulevard, across the freeway from the OC Fairgrounds. It could best be described as a diner with vintage decor, which attracts a wide range of clientele. The wood paneling, orange upholstered furniture, and brightly colored walls bring to mind what I always wanted for my game room while growing up. 

The breakfast and lunch menus at Dick's are pretty straightforward. Egg dishes, griddle items, and breakfast faves are available for people who enjoy the day's first meal. The lunch portion of the menu features sandwiches, salads, burgers, and small plates. Nothing on these menus is over $20, with most items hovering around the $15 mark. The dinner menu is a bit more extensive, with salmon, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, and steak available at just over $20. 

When we arrived at Dick Church's at half past nine, we were met with about a ten-minute wait for a table, which was not too bad. We were seated in the roomy booth at the front of the restaurant, with a window looking out onto their makeshift front patio. Our server was friendly, taking our drink order and coming back promptly to see what we wanted for our meals. So let's see if Dick's was a good choice for our post-race meal. 

My sister is not the biggest fan of breakfast foods, or maybe she was just trying to be a trendy millennial by getting this Avocado Toast ($11). The toasted sourdough was smeared with plenty of avocados mixed with garlic and perched atop some arugula and pickled red onion on the side. She enjoyed this tremendously. I have never really gotten the fascination with avocado toast. Yes, it's okay, but it's not over-the-top fantastic, and its upcharge is unreal. Maybe 20 cents to half a dollar for the bread, avocados are going for $2 in the markets, and the rest is profit. No wonder almost all restaurants have this on their menus. They make a killing on it. 

Katie, of course, loves breakfast, and she selected the Westside Scramble ($15). Two scrambled eggs with bell peppers, bacon, ham, and sausage, then finished with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. The plate was rounded out by some hash browns and her preferred choice of toast for breakfast, rye bread. She felt this was a very well-done classic breakfast plate. She liked the crispiness of the hashbrowns and the unique marbled rye bread option. 

People love a Monte Cristo ($14), and my brother-in-law Jarrod can be added to that list. This sandwich comprises two slices of french toast with ham, melted swiss cheese, and fresh preserves. The only problem was that they were out of their fresh preserves, so Jarrod had to settle for packets of Welch's strawberry jam. He enjoyed this sandwich nonetheless, as it had plenty of ham and cheese, and the french toast added to the richness of this sandwich. He splurged for the $1 upcharge to get sweet potato fries instead of regular fries. Monte Cristos are disappearing from menus across OC, so if you are a fan of this sandwich, bookmark this place as another spot where you can get this sandwich. 

My niece Kaylie is not the world's biggest eater, but maybe she needed to refuel after our race. She selected this French Toast Combo ($14) to do just that. Two slices of french toast dusted with powdered sugar, two scrambled eggs, and two strips of bacon made up this plate. She ate most of this, and I was strategically seated beside her to sample what she did not finish. I found the french toast to be pretty good but heavy. The bacon was nice and crisp. A well-deserved breakfast plate after walking three miles. 

When eating breakfast, I like to have a savory and sweet part to my first meal of the day. It's almost impossible to take a bad picture of Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs ($18). The beef was nicely breaded and topped with a slightly chunky and delicious sausage gravy. It was just tender enough and paired well with the breakfast potatoes. The Short Stack of Chocolate Chip Pancakes ($9) satisfied my sweetness requirement for breakfast. It might not look like it, but a good amount of chocolate chips were included here. I liked these pancakes better than the french toast, but I'm always more partial to pancakes over french toast. 

We all left here very satisfied. No, this is not a destination-worthy breakfast spot, but if you are in the area and craving breakfast, it's worth your consideration to visit  Dick Church's. The food was good, with the chicken fried steak and the Monte Cristo as highlights, and everything else was solid. However, what might have been even better than what we consumed here was the service we experienced. Our server was friendly and on top of things, even though she was pretty busy with numerous tables. I'm glad I finally made it to Dick Church's after all these years, and now it's off to our next race.  

Out of five Plinko chips (because the same year this restaurant opened up, 1972, was also the year that The Price is Right premiered, and probably the most popular game on that show is Plinko), five being best to zero being worst, Dick Church's gets 3 Plinko chips. 

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