Tommy Bahama Opens in Laguna Beach

400 South Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA, 92651
Restaurant: 949.376.6886
Retail: 949.376.6881


I was recently invited down to a media event to sample some of the menu items at the new Tommy Bahama in Laguna Beach. The restaurant is set to open on Saturday November 6th, 2010. The goal of this new Tommy Bahama restaurant is to have a more casual, relaxed atmosphere than some of their other restaurants. The gorgeous location, right across the street from the beach, gives it a kick-back surf vibe. The restaurant has been decorated with authentic vintage Laguna Beach items that they tracked down from collectors all over the country. Some of their more interesting items were authentic Laguna Beach rental swimsuits from the early 20th century. Apparently, back in the day, people rented swimsuits when they went to the beach instead of owning their own. Weird...

Shortly after I arrived, I was offered a cocktail and some tray passed Hors d'oeuvres. One was a little piece of toast with goat cheese. The other was these fantastic lobster corn dogs ($14). Tender pieces of sweet, succulent lobster, dipped in sweet corn batter and fried to perfection. They were served with a sriracha mustard and mango ketchup. This was the first time I have ever had a lobster corndog, but I hope it will not be my last. If you are a fan of lobster, you will love these.

After we were seated, we were presented with the following items:

Shrimp Avalon ($14)
Chilled Tiger Shrimp, Dungeness Crab, Spicy Vegetables, Lime, Fresh Made Corn Chips


Ahi Tuna Tacos ($8)
Wonton Shell, Asian Slaw, Wasabi-Lime Infused Avocado


Shrimp BLT ($14)
Nueske’s Applewood Bacon, Romaine, Romas, Avocado, Garlic Aioli, Grilled Sourdough, French Fries


Arctic Char ($22)
Sweet Pea Risotto, Apple Fennel Slaw


Triple Chocolate Cake ($10)
Four Layers, Chocolate Ganache, Mocha Mousse Whipped Cream


Banana Cream Pie ($9)
Almond Crust, White Chocolate Whipped Cream, Toasted Coconut, Caramel, Caramelized Bananas


Root Beer Float ($8)
Abita, Ciao Bella Vanilla, White Chocolate Whipped Cream, Caramel

My three favorite items were the Shrimp Avalon, Ahi Tuna Tacos and the Banana Cream Pie. The Shrimp Avalon was basically a shrimp ceviche that was topped with some dungeness crab meat. It was a light and refreshing way to start a meal. The Ahi Tuna Tacos were delicious. The crispy taco shells were made with fried wonton skins. I thought this was a great idea. The shells were light and crispy but sturdy at the same time.

The desserts at Tommy Bahama are ginormous. These desserts are definitely something you're going to want to share. The slice of chocolate cake was probably over 6 inches high and must have weighed over a pound. It is so rich that you can only eat a few bites before your body goes into chocolate shock. The Banana cream pie was also big enough for at least two people. The crust contained crushed almonds and was a light and flaky vessel to deliver the creamy goodness of the banana cream. The toasted coconut on top enhanced the flavor very well. I liked this dessert so much that I asked to take the "photo model" of this dessert home after everyone took their photos of it.

Overall, Tommy Bahama serves up some darn good food. If that isn't enough to make you want to visit, consider this. Tommy Bahama aims to be very "green." They filter their own water instead of selling bottled water. The water is available in still and sparkling and is available free of charge. Tommy Bahama is also one of the only restaurants around that uses a special machine to turn all food leftovers into compost. They are also committed to serving only sustainable, humanely raised seafood and meat. Locally sourced produce is also used whenever possible. So not only is the food good, but it's food that you can feel good about eating.

Roy's Fall Menu

Roy's - Newport Beach
453 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 640-7697

Roy's - Anaheim
321 West Katella Avenue
Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 776-7697

I was recently invited down to Roy's to sample their new fall prix fixe menu. Roy's has always been one of my favorite restaurants so I was eager to try out the new menu items. For a limited time you are able to order an appetizer, entree and dessert from the following selections for $35.95.

APPETIZERS:


Blackened Rock Shrimp & Red Bean Soup
Portuguese Sausage, Shishito


“Elaine’s” Kabocha Squash Salad
Cinnamon Spiced Pepitas, Cranberry Vinaigrette


Wagyu “Meat Loaf Shumai”
Smoked Shiitake Pan Sauce

The blackened rock shrimp & red bean soup was interesting. It tasted sort of like a spicy chili with shrimp in it. It was pretty good, but not something I would have thought Roy's would serve. Elaine's Kabocha Squash Salad sort of tasted like roasted pumpkin topped with greens and bleu cheese. The clear winner with everyone though was the Wagyu "Meatloaf Shumai." The unique flavor of a Chinese shumai dumpling was brought to life in this delicious twist on an American classic. Everyone at the table seemed to agree that this was the best of the three appetizers.


ENTREES:


Artichoke & Goat Cheese Crusted Salmon
Sundried Tomato Sauce


Cilantro Grilled Tiger Shrimp
Stewed Curried Lentils & Fall Vegetables


Parmesan & Dijon Crusted Chicken
Bacon, Pepper Gravy


Tender Braised Beef Short Ribs (available year-round)
Creamy Mashed Potatoes Natural Braising Sauce


I am not usually a big fan of salmon, but this salmon dish was one of the best I have tasted. The mildly flavored salmon went well with the artichoke and goat cheese crust. I was really looking forward to the Cilantro Grilled Tiger Shrimp. It was good, but failed to "wow" me like I thought it would. It could have used more cilantro flavor. I felt that the Parmesan & Dijon Crusted Chicken had way too much dijon mustard. It was overpowering to me. Other people at the table loved the bold flavor of the mustard and thought it was perfect. The Braised Short Ribs are a classic item on the Roy's menu. Tender and flavorful, they are always an excellent choice.

DESSERTS:


Pumpkin & Ginger Cheese Cake
Pumpkin Anglaise


Roy’s Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé (available year-round)
Flourless Chocolate Cake with a Molten Hot Center served à la Mode

The Pumpkin and Ginger Cheesecake was very good. The cheesecake was lightly flavored with pumpkin and ginger so that it complemented the cheesecake but didn't overpower it. The Hot Chocolate Souffle, another Roy's classic, was warm and gooey chocolate heaven.

I apologize for the lack of quality pictures. The lighting in the restaurant was a little dim. If you'd like to see higher quality pictures, head over to Dan's site, Eat In OC, to see his article on the event. He was sitting right next to me...

Happy Hour Week Launch Party at SOL Cocina

I was recently invited down to the launch party for happy hour week at SOL Cocina in Newport Beach. There was a VIP Media tasting of food and tequila before the public was let in. During the tasting, we got to taste three different Peligroso Tequilas paired with food. The three food items we got were:




HOT & RAW CEVICHE paired with Peligroso Blanco:
Fresh albacore, kosher salt, fresh squeezed lime juice, tomato, white onion, mango, pineapple, fresh orange bits, cucumber, habanero chiles, cilantro & avocado


CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SOPE paired with Peligroso Reposado:
Fresh corn masa flavored with garlic & ancho chile, formed into sopes and toasted, then fried. Topped with oaxacan cheese, poblano chiles & onions cooked with cream, epazote leaf, black pepper, salt, roasted chicken with chipotles in adobo & garlic; spicy cabbage slaw and habanero-pickled red onion on top


CORN, SHRIMP & BLACK BEAN CAKE, Tomatillo Salsa & Queso Fresco paired with Peligroso Anejo:
Fresh white corn, shrimp, garlic, black beans, white onions, jalapeno , salt; bound with panko, egg & mayonnaise. Salsa: tomatillos, onion, serrano, cilantro, salt. Queso Fresco made by Los Altos Cheeses in LA.

Each item was pretty tasty. I really liked the ceviche, but I think the corn and shrimp cake was my favorite. I am not sure if these items are available on SOL's everyday menu, but they show that chef Deborah Schneider is able to make tasty, upscale Mexican food that I believe is better than Taleo and rivals the food at Gabbi's. Her use of habanero proves that she isn't trying to cater to the bland palate of the masses, but is truly dedicated to putting her own spin on authentic Mexican food.

In addition to participating in Happy Hour Week, SOL Cocina will now be hosting a weekly taco and tequila Tuesday with street tacos 2 for $2.50, $5 Margaritas and $3 Mexican beers.



Carne Asada Street Taco


Carnitas Street Taco

Noonerz and GriffinEatsOC.com partner up to support Autism Speaks

http://www.noonerz.com


PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS CORNERSTONE CAFE

Inside Javatini's Coffee House
22972 Moulton Parkway
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
949-351-4000

Inside Green Earth Coffee
20025 Lake Forest Dr, Unit 101
Lake Forest, CA 92630

I have decided to walk in this year's Autism Speaks Walk at Angels Stadium of Anaheim on 11/13/2010. Noonerz heard about my participation in the walk and the owner was awesome enough to offer to do a fundraiser to support me.

On Wednesday, October 13th, Noonerz will be donating $2.00 for every sandwich that they sell to people participating in the fundraiser. ***PLEASE MENTION "GriffinEatsOC.com Fundraiser" WHEN ORDERING!!!*** All sandwiches are served with your choice of a side AND a cookie or brownie for dessert.

The sandwiches here are fantastic. I have been eating here since they were known as Cornerstone Cafe. They used to be located on UCI campus and then they moved to Laguna Hills. (UCI Peeps-This is the place that used to have the roundabouts!) Please stop by either location and buy a sandwich on Wednesday October 13th! Please tell your friends, family, neighbors, enemies....everyone!

If you'd like to personally sponsor me, please visit the following URL to make a donation. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/orangecounty/griffin

Thai Fuzion Sauce

www.thaifuzion.com

I recently received a free sample of Caprine's Cuisine Thai Fuzion Sauce in the mail. I like to help promote small, local companies that produce a good product, so I thought I'd let you all know about this sauce.

Thai Fuzion is described by Caprine's Cuisine as an exotic dipping sauce that can awaken any food. I first tasted the sauce by itself, straight off of a spoon. The sauce has a great fresh, clean flavor with a good amount of spice. This is not a sauce for people that aren't able to handle a little heat. The flavors that stand out the most in this sauce are Thai chiles, lime and cilantro. Later in the day I poured a generous amount of the sauce on to a block of cold tofu. What a delicious after dinner snack!

If you're a fan of hot sauce and Thai flavors, I would definitely recommend that you try this sauce.

Retail Price $4.99-$5.99 for a 5.5 oz bottle. Available at the following OC retailers:

Gelson's Markets
Pacific Ranch Market-Orange
Promelis-Newport Beach
Marbella Farmers Market-San Juan Capistrano
Plowboys-Fountain Valley
The Meat House-Costa Mesa
Farm to Market-San Juan Capistrano

Leatherby's Cafe Rouge

Rene and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
615 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

714-429-7640

www.patinagroup.com

I was recently invited down to a media dinner at Leatherby's Cafe Rouge to sample the culinary creations from their fairly new executive chef, Ross Pangilinan. Leatherby's seems to be a restaurant that a lot of people in Orange County have never heard of. This is a shame, because the food here is top notch. Leatherby's is located on the first floor of the Rene and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. The restaurant is frequented by patrons of the Orange County Performing Arts Center and SCR. Therefore, if you dine there after the nightly shows begin, you will most likely be dining in an almost empty restaurant.

(Please excuse the graininess of the photos. The lighting in the restaurant is dim and I was not using a flash.)

We had a preset menu for the media dinner. The meal started with an amuse bouche sent out by the chef. It was a small cube of compressed watermelon topped with a balsamic vinegar sphere and pop rocks. It was very tasty and very fun to eat with the pop rocks exploding in your mouth.

Our first course was a Fresh Seafood Quartet. The quartet contained octopus, lobster, ahi tuna tartar in a cone and smoked hamachi. Each item on the plate was absolutely delicious. The octopus was the most tender piece of octopus I have ever had. I think my favorite had to be the lobster though, with the tuna cone coming in a close second.

The second course was house made fettuccine with roasted mushrooms and white wine parmesan sauce. The dish was topped with a generous serving of truffle shavings. I enjoyed this dish so much that I waved down the waiter and asked him if there was any way I could get an order of this to take home. I was more than happy to pay any amount for this dish. Sadly, when I got home and opened the container, there were no shaved truffles on top. The truffles are what made this dish truly special. I think the truffle shavings on top may have been special for this media dinner because the online menu for the restaurant only lists "truffle essence" in the description.

For our main course, we had the choice of three dishes, all of which are available on their daily menu. Our three choices were:

Black Striped Bass (Market Fish of the Day, normally market price)
Israeli couscous paella, mussels, shrimp, chorizo, saffron.

Duo of Beef Shortribs (normally $28)
Braised and grilled, raclette potatoes, yellow and green bean salad, mushroom red wine sauce.

Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast (normally $29)
Mushroom risotto, caramelized blackberries, Szechuan pepper, cider jus.

All of the dishes sounded fantastic, but I finally decided on the short ribs. The grilled short rib was served on top of the raclette potatoes, which were basically pureed potatoes with a little cheese in them. The braised short rib was served with the yellow and green bean salad on top. Both versions were absolutely delicious. If I had to pick a favorite though, it would have to be the braised. It's just so hard to go wrong with braised short ribs. It was tender, full of flavor and scrumptious.

After dinner, we were presented with an assortment of desserts to share. Pictured are a trio of chocolate desserts, panna cotta, cheesecake and bread pudding. They also served an assortment of gelatos and sorbets. All of the desserts were presented nicely, but were pretty average. The only thing that stood out was the watermelon and black pepper sorbet. Everyone at the table had fun trying to figure out what flavor the watermelon was paired with.

Chocolate Trio

Cheesecake

Panna Cotta

Bread Pudding
Overall, I think that Leatherby's is a fantastic choice if you are looking for a delicious, upscale meal in Orange County. You're not going to get huge portions here, but the food you do get will be amazing. Everyone should treat themselves to this place at least once.

Ochoa's Chorizo Store

220 W. Warner Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92707
(714) 850-0052


I was driving around Santa Ana recently when I saw a sign out of the corner of my eye. The sign read, "Ochoa's Chorizo Store. OC Best Homemade Style Chorizo" I wasn't able to turn my car into the parking lot fast enough. I went in the store and was amazed by what I saw. With the exception of a few bags of chips and packages of tortillas in the corner, this clean, little shop sells nothing but chorizo. I felt as if I had been transported to some kind of chorizo heaven. Racks and racks of fresh chorizo links were being made behind the counter.

(Photo from Yelp, used with permission from Ochoa's Chorizo)

Ochoa's Chorizo store offers 4 different kinds of chorizo. The 4 types are regular, spicy, chorizo verde (green) and chorizo de pollo (chicken). Other than the chorizo de pollo, all of the chorizo is made with ground pork. The chorizo is sold by the link or half link and ranges between $7.00-$7.50 per link. Each link is about 3 feet long and weighs about 1 1/2 lbs! On my first visit, I purchased some spicy chorizo. It was so good that I returned a week or two later and purchased about 6 lbs. of spicy and chorizo verde.

After my first visit, I came home and researched Ochoa's. Apparently the Ochoa family has been making fresh chorizo in Orange County for over 35 years. They used to sell the chorizo out of their home, but it became so popular that they needed to open a retail location. People apparently drive from all over Southern California to buy this chorizo in bulk. I don't blame them. This chorizo is so good that I would happily drive hours to buy some. Luckily though, it's only about a 15 minute drive from my house.

The chorizo from Ochoa's is not your typical grocery store chorizo that transforms into a neon orange, greasy mess when you cook it. This chorizo is made from lean ground pork. The chorizo crumbles and cooks up nicely, similar to lean ground beef.

(One link of chorizo verde, casing removed, cooking up in a pan.)

The flavor of the chorizo is absolutely amazing. If it's not the best chorizo I have ever had in my entire life, it's pretty darn close. Ochoa's will most likely be the only place I purchase my chorizo from now on. I highly encourage all of you to walk, run, drive or whatever down to Ochoa's as fast as you can to get this chorizo. Oh......and I know you all like to mix chorizo with eggs, but in my opinion this ruins it. Make yourself a burrito or some (corn tortilla) tacos with just chorizo, cilantro, diced onions, cotija cheese and your favorite hot sauce or salsa. It'll blow your mind.