Smashburger

Smashburger - Orange County
26541 Aliso Creek Rd, Ste C
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
949-716-3855

1003 The Shops at Mission Viejo
(Inside the mall food court)
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
949-364-1246

www.smashburger.com

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SmashBurger, a chain that started in Denver CO, has recently begun to expand into Orange County. I was invited down to sample some of their offerings. SmashBurger sets themselves apart from their competition by literally smashing their burgers down on a flat top grill. They say that this puts a good sear on the meat and thereby gives the beef patty a good exterior crust while retaining the juices. Below is a video of the process they go through to create a SmashBurger.

It seems that Smashbugers across the country all have regional specialty burgers in addition to the standard SmashBurgers. The two regional burgers for the Orange County area are "The LA Burger" and "The OC Burger." I decided to try the LA burger and V tried the OC burger.

The LA burger consists of a beef patty topped with a crispy wonton, fried egg, cilantro, cucumber, lettuce, tomato and a Japanese Steakhouse ginger dressing. The burger was very good. The cucumbers and the cilantro gave the burger a very fresh, crisp taste. However, I felt that the dressing was a little on the bland side.

The OC burger was topped with baby portabella mushrooms, baby arugula, grilled onions, aged swiss cheese and truffle mayo. V enjoyed her OC burger a lot. She loved that the grilled onions were nice and caramelized instead of barely grilled like at some other burger places. She thought that the truffle mayo was very good but felt that there was a little too much of it on the burger. She said she would definitely get this burger again, but would just ask them to go easy on the mayo.

I also got to try one of their Fresh Mex chicken sandwiches. A chicken breast is pounded out until it is really thin and then grilled on the flat top. The chicken was topped with guacamole, cilantro, pepper jack cheese, tomato, onion, sour cream and chipotle mayo. I would usually never choose a chicken sandwich over a burger, but I think I really enjoyed this sandwich more than my burger. The chicken was cooked well and was not dry at all. The sandwich had a nice spicy kick to it and was full of flavor.

Smashburger offers a variety of side dishes. Their signature Smashfries are tossed with rosemary, olive oil and garlic. They were very tasty with a pungent kick of rosemary. Fries are also available in sweet potato form and can be smothered with chili and cheese. Fried pickles and onion haystacks are available at the Aliso Viejo location. They also offer fried green beans and carrot sticks.

In addition to burgers, SmashBurger offers a variety of chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and salads. Burgers are also available with a veggie patty. Ice cream shakes and malts are made with Haagen Dazs ice cream and are very rich and decadent. I love the fact that they offer a malt option, instead of just a plain milkshake.

Overall, I was very happy with the food at SmashBurger. I feel that the prices are reasonable and the burgers are much better than your standard fast food joint. I also appreciate the fact that they take the time to present the burgers nicely, instead of just wrapping them in paper and throwing them in a bag. SmashBurger currently has the two location in Aliso Viejo and Mission Viejo and plans to open a third location in San Clemente in the next six months. They are also currently looking for a location in the Irvine area.

SmashBurger has offered to give away a $20 gift card to one lucky reader! Use the form below to enter! GIVEAWAY VALID ONLY FOR RESIDENTS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!

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Fish Camp - Huntington Beach

Fish Camp
16600 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach (Sunset Beach), CA 92649
562-592-2267
www.samsfishcamp.com

I was recently invited down to try the new menu at Fish Camp in Huntington Beach. Fish Camp is a fast-casual dining concept from the owners of the King's Fish House chain. All of the suppliers are the same, so you basically get the same food as you would get at King's, but at a slightly lower price point because they have eliminated the traditional wait-staff. They also offer only a limited selection of beer, wine and a few cocktails instead of a full bar.

As you enter the restaurant, there is a small fish market where you can buy fresh fish by the pound. One difference between King's Fish House and Fish Camp is that Fish Camp mongers all of their fish in the restaurant every day.

We started out the meal with a few appetizers. JL ordered a cup of the Clam Chowder ($2.95 cup, $5.25 bowl, $7.75 sourdough bowl) and an order of the Crab Cakes ($7.95). I started out my meal with the Baja Shrimp Cocktail ($5.75). We split an order of the Ahi Tuna Poke ($8.75) as well. Lastly, we also both had a Cajun Bloody Mary ($5.75) that we both thought was awesome. It was made with Absolut Peppar vodka to give it an extra kick.

JL really enjoyed his clam chowder. He said that it was really creamy and had a stronger seafood flavor than most clam chowders. He thought that the crab cakes were pretty good, but a little dry.


My Baja Shrimp Cocktail kind of reminded me of shrimp on top of a cold gazpacho soup. The cocktail consisted of a cup of a chunky, cold tomato sauce with avocado mixed in. The shrimp were sliced in half lengthwise and placed on top of the sauce. It was served with crispy tortilla chips. This dish would be the perfect, refreshing start to a warm, balmy summer evening spent relaxing on their patio in the cool ocean breeze.

The Ahi Tuna Poke has peanuts in it. I also felt it was slightly underseasoned. The dish wasn't bad, but I feel it could be improved.
For my main course, I ordered the King Crab Legs (market price, $33.50/1-lb. on 2/7/13). The dinner plates come with your choice of two sides. I chose brown rice and cheesy grits. JL ordered the Sea Scallop plate ($16.75) with french fries and cheesy grits. I really enjoyed my king crab legs. The legs had been partially split open with a knife and the crab was easy to remove from the shell. The crab was cooked perfectly. The cheesy grits were very good. JL and I both agreed that it was a very good, however slightly unusual side dish. The brown rice was just plain, steamed rice. I was hoping for it to be slightly seasoned.

JL enjoyed his scallops. He said that they were smaller than a lot of scallops that he has gotten at other restaurants, but that they were packed full of flavor. He described them as dense in a good way and very tasty.

To finish off our meal, I decided to try a piece of their Chocolate Cake ($4.55).

JL got a piece of their Key Lime Pie ($4.45). The key lime pie is made in-house. JL thought that it was very good and has a nice tang to it. The chocolate cake is made by an outside bakery. The cake was served cold and was dense and fudgy, the way I like it.

Overall, I think that Fish Camp is a very good option if you are looking for a fast-casual seafood experience. The seafood is all of very high quality and it is prepared well. One of the managers was telling me that the company is looking to open a new Fish Camp location by the end of the year and they hope it to be in South Orange County. In the near future, they will be focusing on opening more Fish Camp locations than King's Fish Houses. I hope they open one near me soon!

Pitfire Pizza - Costa Mesa

 353 E 17th St.

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

949-313-6333

www.pitfirepizza.com

Please Note: The following is a guest review written by Jeff L.

I attended a media event so take my reviews as such. I was coming from PCH and drove past the restaurant but the parking behind it is very intuitive. This is the first restaurant of theirs in OC and the 6th location overall having been in LA for years. Costa Mesa makes sense for a restaurant like this with its simple, laid back atmosphere yet subtle attention to details. For example, the column you see when ordering was made out of mahogany from a boat deck, the bulbs on the wall to your left as you walk in spell Pitfire in braille, and the seats are made from VW beetle car seats. The place is very approachable and I liked the open counter seating encouraging you to sit next to the kitchen in a community type arrangement. The counter made me think of a diner meets European café setting.

The drink menu was limited but focused to make anyone happy. They have all your major wines but all hand picked trying to get from California if they could. I had one of the signature cocktails called Crystal Cove which was quite refreshing and the rosemary stick made for an interesting touch – you could smell the fresh rosemary though drinking it could be challenging because the rosemary kept wanting to go in my nose – I somehow managed though. I had a sample of the beer which was very refreshing yet bold in flavor. They have from 5-10 beers on tap. In addition to regular sangria they also offered a pear apple version. The boomboom red wine was excellent and highly recommended by management. It reminded me of a daily drinkable Italian table wine that just was what it was. For pricing of $7 to $12 a glass it was perfect with the pizza.

The chicken meatballs were uneventful but the sauce brought them to life. On to pizza, I tried several and all were excellent. The crust was thin akin to a southern Italy but not crispy on the bottom. The topping to crust ratio was just right. The edge of the pizza crust was quite crispy though giving it a good combination. I am not a pumpkin person usually but pumpkin squash pizza was quite lovely, very subtle yet flavorful with the brown butter and fontina cheese rounding it out nicely. The Burrata pie was excellent with the arugula a nice touch. One pizza had me intrigued because it was pear but had a spicy kick, turns out they put a few red chili flakes on it. On to my favorite, the sausage party was divine and seeing all that meat on it had me anticipating a more saltier version but the balsamic drizzle kept it at bay and really brought out the flavor. The final pizza was the Tuscan off-menu with thinly sliced potatoes of all things but it worked.

Chicken Meatballs

Pumpkin Pizza

Burrata Pizza

Sausage Party Pizza

Tuscan Pizza with Potatoes

They make almost if not all of their own food and even have their own bread room. In the spirit of community they have a nice private dining room behind the kitchen and even installed the first oven they ever used from 15 years ago. Overall it has high quality food made by people that are passionate about what they do. The three themes of food, design and community are abundant throughout the entire experience and I will definitely be back with a high recommendation.

Hopscotch Tavern - Downtown Fullerton

Hopscotch Tavern

136 E. Commonwealth Ave

Fullerton, CA 92832

714-871-2222

www.hopscotchtavern.com

Housed in the old Fullerton train depot, Hopscotch Tavern will be opening any day now (Most likely Wed 11/21).  I was recently invited to check out the place before it opens to the public.  Hopscotch will offer a full-service menu and a premium selection of whiskeys and craft beers.  Their focus will be on providing a laid-back vibe with high-end drinks, so don't expect to come here and find $2 beer specials.  The atmosphere feels casual and upscale to me at the same time.  The bar is made from old whiskey barrels and there are eye-catching whiskey and beer themed quotes painted on the walls.

Hopscotch will serve lunch and dinner 7-days a week and brunch on Saturday and Sundays.  The menu will consist of comfort foods at a reasonable price.  It seems that a bulk of their menu will consist of barbecue items like pulled pork, pulled beef and pulled chicken with various styles of barbecue sauces.  They will also offer a full rack of ribs for $19.  A selection of cheese-stuffed burgers, that we did not get a chance to try, will also be available.  All of the food from Hopscotch will be made fresh in-house with the exception of their hamburger buns.

The two items that stood out to me were the Huevos Diablos (Deviled Eggs $5) and the Cracklin' Rosemary Flatbread ($5).  The deviled eggs are quite tasty, but a little sweeter than I like.  The star of the night for me was the Cracklin' Rosemary Flatbread.  Butter drenched, rosemary infused flatbread was topped off with crunchy bits of pork cracklins (chicharrones).  It was a flavor explosion that will definitely bring me back.

Hopscotch will also offer a variety of desserts including the ButterSCOTCH cake ($6) that is pictured below.  This is a rich, crumbly, dense butter cake that is infused with a splash of scotch whiskey.

Hopscotch is a place that I would recommend for people looking to unwind with an appetizer or a nice dessert after dinner with a premium glass of whiskey.  I also look forward to trying their brunch.  The brunch items range from $6-$9 and include items such as Hawaiian Bread French Toast, Pulled Pork Benedict, Sweet Potato Waffle and Biscuits and Gravy.

Capriotti's Tustin - Grand Opening and Giveaway

I went down to the Grand Opening of Capriotti's today in The District at Tustin Legacy. The new sandwich shop is located next to Peet's Coffee. I have been excited to try this sandwich shop ever since I heard about the sandwich they are famous for, The Bobbie. The Bobbie is basically Thanksgiving on a freshly baked roll. Capriotti's freshly roasts turkeys every day in their shop and also bakes their rolls from scratch. They take a generous portion of the freshly roasted turkey and top it with cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo. The sandwich is absolutely delicious. The only thing I can think of that would improve this sandwich is if they added a nice slather of chilled turkey gravy to it. Capriotti's makes it possible for me to have this sandwich any time of year instead of just when I make it for myself the day after Thanksgiving!

The sandwiches at Capriotti's come in three sizes, small, medium and large. The small is 9 inches, the medium is 12 inches and the large is a whopping 20 inches! I couldn't believe all the people I saw walking out of the shop with sandwiches that were almost as long as their arm! The Bobbie is $7.49 for a small, $8.99 for a medium and $12.99 for a large.

Capriotti's has graciously offered up two "Meal for Two" vouchers for me to give away to two lucky readers. Each voucher is redeemable at any Capriotti's location for two 9-inch subs, two bags of chips and two drinks. Enter to win below!

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Panera Gift Card Giveaway!

To celebrate the opening of their new Mission Viejo, CA location (25523 Marguerite Parkway, Suite A2), Panera invited me down to sample some of their menu items and give away a couple of gift cards to my readers.

We were able to sample many of their items from sandwiches to soups and freshly made breads. Every morning Panera freshly makes all of their baked goods. The baked goods from the previous day are donated to a local charity.

Of all the items I tried, I believe that my favorite was the Sonoma Chicken Stew with a Dry Jack Cheese Biscuit (pictured above on the left). The stew was very creamy and reminded me of the filling of a great chicken pot pie. In fact, I was thinking of buying a large batch of this later to bring home and bake into some pie shells. The chicken stew is a seasonal item though, so get it while you can! Panera has graciously offered to give away two $10 gift cards to two lucky readers. Use the rafflecopter form below to enter!

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St. Regis Monarch Beach to host a Beaujolais Nouveau Farm-to-Table Wine Dinner

Chef Castan, St. Regis Monarch Beach

When: Thursday, November 15, 2012

Reception: 6:00pm 

Dinner: 7:00pm

Where: Motif Restaurant 

The St. Regis Monarch Beach

One Monarch Beach Resort 

Dana Point, CA 92629

The St. Regis in Monarch Beach will be hosting a Beaujolais Nouveau Farm-To-Table wine dinner on Thursday November 15th. A pre-dinner reception will begin at 6:00 PM on the Sunset Terrace of Motif. This won't just be a rinky dink reception though, the pre-dinner festivities will include bruschetta, an oyster station and artisanal cheese tasting. After the reception, they will unveil this year's Beaujolais Nouveau with Chef Castan's 5-course dinner menu that is inspired by French wines and Lyon, the gourmet city of France. Tickets are extremely limited and are $85 each. Ticket price includes mentioned wine and food. Tickets are available by contacting Jacqueline Doti at 949-234-3405 or jacqueline.doti@stregis.com Below is the full menu for the event:

Reception

Fresh Farmer's Market Bruschetta

Oyster Station

Artisanal Cheese Tasting

2012 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

First Course

Fish soup featuring Carlsbad Aqua Farms Mussels and Clams 

with Braised Baby Fennel and Saffron Broth

Second Course

Roasted Organic Breast of Guinea Hen and 'Boudin Blanc' with Chanterelle and Lobster Mushroom Ragout featuring a Temecula Olive Oil Company White Balsamic Vinegar Jus

Third Course

Classic Beef Bourguignon with Parsnip Puree and Winter Vegetables

Fourth Course

Warm Burgundy Cheese and Petite Seasonal Salad finished with Temecula Olive Oil Company Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Vinaigrette

Le Beaujolais

Roasted Apples with Red Wine Sorbet and Milk Chocolate Cream

2012 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau  

$85 per person