ATTENTION!! On the left hand column, you will find links to search by cuisine or city. You will also find a restaurant index of all of the places I have written about on the column on the right. If you enjoy the site, please bookmark the site and tell a friend! You can also subscribe to be notified when the site updates by entering your e-mail address in the box on the left. Happy Eating!

Please visit our partner sites DiningOutInOC.com for info on OC restaurant openings and special culinary related events, Booze It Up OC for info on OC 21+ events and Brunch In OC for info and reviews on weekend brunches.

Griffin Eats OC's Fan Box

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Orange County Restaurant Week



Ok. I know I've been slacking off on the reviews. I know the last few posts have been information about events and my posts have been few and far between. I'm going to write a new review soon though.....I swear.....

In the meantime, here is some info about the Orange County Restaurant Week that is coming up in a little over a week. As usual, click on the restaurant name below to view the special price fixed menu that each restaurant has for the week.


ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., AUGUST 2010 – The Orange County Restaurant Association has finalized participation of more than 100 restaurants that will unite for the region’s fastest growing and most anticipated culinary event, Orange County Restaurant Week, featuring the flavors of fall from September 26 through October 2, 2010.

During the week, participating restaurants will offer special three-course menus, many with a cocktail or signature item at no additional charge. Each restaurant will have the freedom and flexibility to showcase its best offerings by talented chefs who will, no doubt, personalize each menu to reflect their culinary style. Participating restaurants will offer prix-fixe menus within three price categories: lunch for $10, $15 or $20, and dinner for $20, $30 or $40. Guests will have the opportunity to search restaurants by cuisine, location and price point, as well as make reservations online at www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com.

Following are the restaurants confirmed to date – more information can be found on the official Orange County Restaurant Week website, OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com, where diners may go to find a full list of participants, menus, location and reservation information:


Posted by Griffin at 11:06 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

OC FOODIE FEST ANNOUNCES THE OFFICIAL 50 GOURMET FOOD TRUCKS

Saturday, August 28th at the Honda Center of Anaheim

Anaheim, Calif. – This week, the official food truck meeting took place to lock down the 50 gourmet food trucks participating in the upcoming OC Foodie Fest. The outdoor festival is the first of its kind in Orange County, bringing together 50 of the best local gourmet food trucks to one central location at the Honda Center in Anaheim on August 28th. The one-day event will be the ultimate foodie destination, featuring the best in popular mobile eats with a diverse roster of traditional and fusion cuisines, combined with a unique forum to showcase local entertainment & shopping to help support local charities.

The official 50 food truck list can be seen below, along with Web site and cuisine type details.

For more information about the festival, please visit: http://www.ocfoodiefest.com!

Twitter: @OCFoodieFest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ocfoodiefest
Website: ocfoodiefest.com

This is how we roll...

Featured Food Truck Partners:

TacoDawg, Ludo Truck and Cart For A Cause.

VIP Area - Food Truck Sponsors:

Dogzilla, Get Shaved, Komodo, Piaggio, TacoDawg, Sweet Trucks and White Rabbit Truck.

The 50 Food Trucks:


AhnJooLA
Barbie’s Q
Barcelona on the Go
Buttermilk Truck
Calbi BBQ
Cart for a Cause
Chunk-N-Chip
Cool Haus
Crepes Bonaparte
Dim Sum Truck
Dogzilla Hot Dogs || VIP Area Food Truck Sponsor||
Don Chow Tacos
Dos Chinos
Dumpling Station
Fishlips Sushi
Flying Pig Truck
Fresh Fries LA
Frysmith
Get Shaved || VIP Area – Food Truck Sponsor||
Great Balls on Tires
Green Truck
India Jones
Komodo || VIP Area Food Truck Sponsor||
Kona Ice Beach Cities
KrazyBBQ
Longboard’s Ice Cream
Louk’s To Go
LudoTruck
Maui Wowie
Morsels Baking Company
My Kabob Express
NaNa Queens
Nom Nom Truck
Oh For Sweet’s Sake
Piaggio on Wheels || VIP Area – Food Truck Sponsor||
Seabirds
Ta Bom
Taco Dawg || VIP Area – Food Truck Sponsor||
Tasty Meat!
The Gastrobus
The Lime Truck
The Manila Machine
The Place LA
The Shrimp Guys
The Sweets Truck || VIP Area - Food Truck Sponsor||
Tropical Shave Ice
Uncle Lau’s BBQ
Vizzi Truck
White Rabbit Truck || VIP Area Food Truck Sponsor||
World Fare

ABOUT THE OC FOODIE FEST

MISSION

The OC Foodie Fest is a partnership between Taco Dawg LLC & OCFoodies.com, brought to you by the Orange County Register to celebrate the love of food and its power to bring the community together. The one-day event is the ultimate foodie destination, featuring the best in popular eats combined with a unique forum to showcase local entertainment & shopping, all to help support charities including Pretend City Children’s Museum, Child S.H.A.R.E. and St. Vincent Meals on Wheels. The inaugural event will kick-off at one of Orange County’s well-known locations, the Honda Center in Anaheim.

ABOUT TACO DAWG

Taco Dawg LLC is Orange County's original mobile restaurant, promoting the exposure of the gourmet food truck movement through creative events and opportunities. The Taco Dawg truck brings eager foodies a fusion of innovative tacos and hot dogs with a simple belief that food isn't complicated. Owner James Foxall James Foxall (CEO) has been an OC resident for the past 10 years since getting out of the armed forces (USMC), he too has been an active member of both the Orange County and Costa Mesa communities. James has spent time as a Senator’s intern and field representative (Dick Ackerman) public relations for the transportation corridor agency (The Toll Roads) and as a sales manager for Encore Credit Corporation currently he is a member of the Costa Mesa Child Care and Youth Services Committee (CCYSC) and sits on the board of Choosing Balance, a non-profit that has ran business, fitness, mentoring, and community service programs with Estancia HS, Back Bay HS, Costa Mesa Public Library, and the city of Costa Mesa.

ABOUT OCFOODIES.COM

OCfoodies.com was created by the OC Restaurant Association, Inc. as a place to discuss all things delicious in Orange County, California. This engaging online community keeps more than 30,000 visitors per month in the know on all things food. OCfoodies covers food news, menus, local food events, recipes, happy hours and everything in between while allowing everyone to be a part of the community and share their thoughts and opinions. To stay in the know on the Orange County Food Scene OCfoodies.com is where its at.

Posted by Griffin at 12:04 PM 2 comments

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Kids Restaurant Week Starts Tomorrow!


The first annual Kids Restaurant Week is coming to Orange County tomorrow. The event will run from Sunday June 27th through Saturday July 3rd. A ton of Orange County restaurants will be offering either a great price fixed deal on a family style dinner or will let kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree, all week long. Here is a list of participating restaurants. Click on the restaurant name to get details on the special each restaurant is offering.

118 Degrees - Costa Mesa
Anaheim Whitehouse - Anaheim
Ayumi Sushi and Grill - Huntington Beach
Beach Pit BBQ - Costa Mesa
Beach Pit BBQ - Tustin
Beach Pit BBQ - Orange
Bluewater Grill - Newport Beach
Bluewater Grill - Tustin
Brasserie Pascal - Newport Beach
California Pizza Kitchen - Anaheim Garden Walk
Cedar Creek - Brea
Cedar Creek - Laguna Niguel
Cedar Creek - San Juan Capistrano
Chaparosa Grill - Laguna Niguel
Chaparosa Grill - Tustin
Chomp Rockin Sushi - Fullerton
Crystal Jade - Irvine
Don The Beachcomber - Huntington Beach
Fire and Ice - Anaheim Garden Walk
Johnny Rockets - Garden Walk Anaheim
John's Incredible Pizza - Buena Park
JT Schmid's Restaurant and Brewery - Anaheim
JT Schmid's Restaurant and Brewery - Tustin
K'ya Street Fare - Anaheim
Lulu's Creperie Cafe - Laguna Hills
Marios by the Sea - Dana Point
Marmalade - Tustin
Marrakesh - Costa Mesa
Matador Cantina - Fullerton
Medieval Times - Buena Park
Newport Rib Company - Costa Mesa
Newport Rib Company - Ladera Ranch
Nirvana Grille - Laguna Beach
Nirvana Grille - Mission Viejo
Pat and Oscar's - Multiple Locations
Pirates Dinner Adventure - Buena Park
P.F. Chang's - Anaheim Garden Walk
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen - Anaheim
Redbrick Pizza - Multiple Locations
Riptide Sushi - Mission Viejo
Ruby's Diner - Multiple Locations
Salt Creek Grille - Dana Point
Savannah Chop House - Laguna Niguel
Steer Crazy - Capistrano Beach
Strike Bowling - Tustin
The Beachcomber - Newport Beach
The Derby - Mission Viejo
The Melting Pot - Irvine
The Melting Pot - San Clemente
The Melting Pot - Brea
Which Wich - Santa Ana
Wingnuts - Aliso Viejo
Wingnuts - Costa Mesa
Zimzala - Huntington Beach
Posted by Griffin at 8:33 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Roy's Summer Ohana Tour - By V



Griffin was recently invited down to a media event at Roy's but was unable to attend. I was happy to take his place as "assistant writer" at this event! Roy's is one of my favorite restaurants. I absolutely love their food. My favorite dish at Roy's has to be the butterfish. Unfortunately, they didn't serve that at this event, but I did get to try some other great dishes.

Below are some pictures of the food they sampled at the event.


Ekolu Tuna Roll


"Rim Fire" Calamari


Sweet Corn & Blue Crab Crusted Barramundi



If you visit three different Orange County or Los Angeles Roy's restaurants over the summer, you will earn yourself free dessert, a gift card and you will be entered into a drawing to win a trip to Hawaii. See the press release below for more info!


ROY’S RESTAURANT DEBUTS L.A. OHANA TOUR

Guests Invited to Say Aloha to Chef Partners’ Innovative Takes on Roy’s Classics Menu

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (June 2, 2010) – Roy’s, the internationally renowned Hawaiian Fusion® Cuisine dining restaurant, today announces the launch of its L.A. Ohana Tour, a new rewards program designed for diners to experience the creative chef variations on popular menu items offered at each location.

From June 9 until August 31, 2010, guests are invited to visit three Southern California Roy’s restaurants to receive dining rewards and be entered to win an all-inclusive trip to Hawaii, where guests will enjoy a personal dinner with founding chef Roy Yamaguchi.

The Roy’s L.A. Ohana Tour details include:

* An inaugural trip to a participating Roy’s restaurant, where guests are awarded an Ohana Tour card to present at the next Roy’s location
* On the second visit, guests will receive a complimentary Chocolate Soufflé (with purchase of entrée)
* At the third location, guests will receive a $20 gift card (with purchase of entrée) and entry into the Hawaii sweepstakes
* Restaurants participating in the tour include Roy’s Anaheim, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Pasadena, and Woodland Hills locations


“In the Hawaiian culture, ‘ohana’ means family,” said Leiala Whattoff, V.P. of Training & Development, Roy’s restaurant. “We designed this tour to thank our frequent guests and encourage new guests to experience our exquisite food and the aloha spirit with their friends and family. By visiting three of our Southern California locations, guests will receive delicious rewards and the chance to win the ultimate dining experience in Hawaii.”

Each location’s Chef Partner is trained by Roy Yamaguchi but are encouraged to infuse their own style and inspiration into Roy’s Classics menu items. The L.A. Ohana Tour will give guests the opportunity to experience these different tastes and variations each time they visit a new location.

Please visit the Roy’s website for additional details at www.roysrestaurant.com
Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine on UrbanspoonRoy's on Urbanspoon
Posted by Griffin at 1:52 PM 0 comments
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Mil Jugos - Santa Ana



318 W. 5th Street
Santa Ana, CA

714-836-4601

www.miljugos.com



After reading the write-up in Orange Coast Magazine about Mil Jugos in Santa Ana, V and I decided that we had to try it. Mil Jugos is a very small (4 tables I think) Venezuelan joint that specializes in Cachapas and Arepas. A Cachapa is a stuffed griddlecake made with a sweet corn batter. An Arepa is like a toasty cornbread roll that is made into a mini sandwich filled with meat and/or cheese. It is sort of like the Venezuelan version of a slider.

V and I decided to each get an Arepa and share a Cachapa. V decided to get a Arepa Pabellon ($3.75) which has shredded lean beef cooked with garlic, tomatoes, red bell pepper and onions and then topped with black beans and freshly grated cheese. I ordered the Arepa Asado ($3.50) which was described as round eye cut meat cooked in a rich wine and brown sugar sauce seasoned with garlic, capers, olives, salt and pepper. We decided to share the Cachapa Con Queso Blanco ($5.00) which was filled with sliced white cheese with fresh cream.

Mil Jugos also serves a variety of sandwiches including a hamburger. Their sandwiches come with a side of fruit salad and a side of their special chicken potato salad. They looked like a great deal at around $5.00, so I decided to also order the Italian Sub ($4.75) at the last minute.

First out of the kitchen, at lightning speed, were the Arepas.


Arepa Asado


Arepa Pabellon


The corn muffin bun was extremely hot. It was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The filling of the Arepa Asado kind of reminded me of BBQ Brisket. It was sweet and a little smoky. I did not see or taste any olives or capers though. The Arepa Pabellon was really tasty. The meat was juicy and bursting with flavor. If I were to return, I think I would get the Pabellon again, but skip the Asado. Both of the Arepas were made better with the addition of a chimichurri type sauce that they brought to the table. It was pretty spicy though, so watch out.

Next up was the Italian Sub. The menu said that the sandwich came with prosciutto, pepperoni, salami and provolone cheese. I saw meat in the sandwich, but there was definitely no pepperoni. The sandwich itself wasn't horrible, but would have benefited from some pepperocinis and red onions. The sandwich was covered in shredded lettuce and balsamic vinegar. The fruit that came with it was fruit and the special chicken potato salad was a little weird, but pretty good.


The Cachapa was a lot tastier than I was expecting. I'm pretty sure I saw them actually cutting fresh corn off the cob in the kitchen to make the batter for the Cachapa. The griddlecake itself was nice and sweet and almost reminded me of that corn mush they scoop on to the plates at Mexican restaurants like El Torito. The cheese inside the Cachapa was sweet and creamy, cheesy goodness. I would definitely order this again, but I really want to try the ham Cachapa next time.


V and I both really enjoyed our food at Mil Jugos and we are eagerly anticipating our return. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone that is looking for some darn tasty, unique food at a great price.
Mil Jugos on Urbanspoon
Posted by Griffin at 6:03 PM 0 comments
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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Taste of Greece 2010


The 32nd Annual Taste of Greece Festival is returning to Irvine from June 25th-27th, 2010. The festival will be held at St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church (4949 Alton Parkway, between Culver Drive and Jeffrey Road, Irvine, CA 92604). More than 11,000 quests are expected to attend the three-day festival, which will feature Greek cuisine, wine tasting, live music, authentic Greek dancing and boutique booths.

Festival Hours are 5:00 PM-10:00 PM on Friday and Noon to 10:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $3 per person. Seniors 65+ get in free on Saturday from Noon-5:00 PM. Children under 10 are always free.

I was recently invited down to a tasting to introduce the media to all of the wonderful food that will be served at this event. The items I got to try are below. I believe this represents most of the food that will be served, but not all of it.



SAGANAKI served with PITA BREAD

Kasseri Greek Cheese sautéed in butter, flamed with Brandy and finished with fresh lemon


LOUKANICO

Grilled homemade Greek Sausage served with Feta Cheese


DOLMATHES

Grape Leaves stuffed with a mixture of Lamb, Beef & fresh mint served with Avgolemono Sauce


GREEK SALAD

Mixture of Romaine & Iceberg Lettuce topped with red onion, cucumbers, red & green bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, with a herb vinaigrette


CHICKEN SOUVLAKI

Skewered Chicken seasoned with herbs marinated with olive oil and grilled to perfection, finished with fresh lemon juice


GRILLED LAMB CHOPS

(Affectionately known as ‘Greek Lollipops’)


PASTICHIO

(The Greeks version of Lasagna served with Béchamel Sauce)


SPANAKOPITA

A spinach pie laced with Feta Cheese & baked in a phyllo dough


TYROPITES

Three-Cheese filling baked in phyllo dough



DESSERT


BAKLAVA

Delicate flavors of pastry phyllo layered with Walnuts & Butter, drenched in a Cinnamon Honey Syrup


GALACTOBOURIKO

A sumptuous sweet egg custard layered with pastry phyllo and enveloped in a Honey Syrup


KOURAMBIETHES

(Powdered Sugar Butter Cookie)

A Butter Cookie traditionally served at festive occasions

(If it sticks to the roof of your mouth, it has been made correctly)


I tried all of the food above and it was all very good, although I wasn't a big fan of the Pastichio. Something about the nutmeg in it just threw me off. My favorite items were the Spanakopita, Tyropites, Kourambiethes and Loukanico. If I had to pick one item I liked the best, it would be the Loukanico. The greek sausage had a wonderful flavor to it, kind of similar to Kielbasa. It tasted incredibly good with the Feta Cheese.

If you're a fan of Greek food and culture, make sure to get out to this event. It only happens one weekend a year!
Posted by Griffin at 8:36 PM 0 comments
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Thursday, May 13, 2010

Orange County BBQ Festival

The Orange County BBQ Festival will be here on June 12th, 2010. The festival will be benefiting a charity that sounds like they do some great things. The charity is raising money to provide assistance, support and cherished moments to critically ill children and their families. Admission is $10. Below is information on the event.

Southern California’s premier BBQ event is coming to:

Orange County on June 12, 2010

The OC BBQ Festival is celebrating its 4th year bigger and better than ever. The 2010 event will feature a state championship BBQ competition, a People’s Choice cook-off (where the public can get up close and personal to the pitmasters, taste their award winning food, and vote for their favorite), a classic car show, an amazing kid zone (loaded with bouncers, obstacle courses, carnival games, crafts, petting zoo, and more! No worries Mom & Dad, an ALL day/ALL access pass to the kid zone comes with the kids admission!, live music & entertainment, a first ever Mr. BBQ Pageant, a Rib Eating Contest, an appearance by Harry Soo of “Slap Yo’ Daddy BBQ” as featured on the TLC BBQ Pitmasters television series, and so much more!

Oh, did we forget to mention some of the best BBQ West of the Mississippi?

Ribs, pulled pork, tri-tip, brisket, chicken….Hungry yet?

We hope to see you there!

Or visit www.OCBBQFestival.com

Posted by Griffin at 12:28 PM 0 comments
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