I feel dirty.

Dirty because I cheated and I liked it. No, not on Fiancee Nadia. I’ve cheated on my third love, Sprinkles red velvet cupcakes. (Beef, by the way, is my second love).

So I went down to Frostings, Lake Forest’s newest cupcakery, for a taste of the newest goodies in the ’hood (peep the whole Frostings story by reporter Erika Ritchie here).

They were out of most everything because apparently everybody had a massive cupcake craving … at lunch.

I was fine with that because they had just enough red velvet treats to feed myself and the party people in my office.

We got six cupcakes - three red velvet, one banana, one java and one vanilla - for $20. Not too bad for a fancy cupcake shop. Flavors include: Key Lime, Boredeaux, 14 Karrot, Lemon Drop, Harvest Pumpkin, Coconut Citrus, German Chocolate, Birthday Cake, Sweet Strawberry, Angel Kiss, Lemon Drop, Banana, Banana Maple, Lime n’ Coconut,

Opinion was positive around the office, but the biggest uproar was over those red velvets. This cake was moister than Sprinkles and the cream cheese frosting was sweeter, and not as dry too. If anything, I thought the frosting was a little grainy, but nobody else felt that way.

I used to be bummed that Sprinkles wasn’t in my area, but now …  not so much.

Frostings
23624 El Toro Road, Suite D
Lake Forest
949-458-1337

Post from: Food Frenzy

Note: Even we can eat out only so often, so here’s the latest in our series of occasional posts on dining well at home. For those of you who can barely boil water, don’t fret, there’s a local restaurant where you can order this tough-to-cook dish.

I know my way around a stovetop pretty darn well, having had a miniature plastic kitchen when I was 3 years old (yes, my parents were a bit concerned) and seeking ever since to bolster my culinary bona fides by going gourmet even with middle-of-the-week meals at home.

Despite my many triumphs, however, I have long been bumfuzzled by the plump purple nightshade known as the globe eggplant. I fell in love with a caramelized version served up at The Yardhouse, but have failed repeatedly in attempts to replicate it.

The problem is that my rotund nemesis holds an unspeakable amount of water in its spongy torso, and manages to turn almost any plate into a soggy mess.

The most common solution, if you can call it that, is to liberally salt chopped-up pieces of the purple pest, set them on paper towels and weigh them down for a while to draw out the liquid. I don’t know how this caught on, because it really doesn’t work that well, at least from my experience.

This week, though, I finally conquered the pudgy little bugger, thanks to a tip I never would have imagined.The current issue of Cook’s Illustrated, in an interminably long but valuable narrative, explained that microwaving the living daylights out of diced eggplant saps its moisture without overcooking it. I zapped a plateful of one-inch eggplant cubes for 12 minutes, adding new paper towels at two intervals, and the result was fan-tabulous.

The cubes shriveled a bit because the water had evaporated, but the meatiness remained. That allowed me to toss them in a skillet with a couple tablespoons of almost-smoking-hot olive oil, let them sit undisturbed for a few minutes, toss ‘em, let them sear a few minutes more, and voila, presto, abracadabra - caramelized eggplant!

This is really the best way to appreciate the vegetable, I say.  By caramelizing, you get that rich crust while retaining the earthy flavor of the purple skin and the subtle savory-sweetness of the eggplant flesh. Deep-frying, as with eggplant Parmesan, imparts crunch but no flavor, and is a rather revolting dish, to me, as it requires the eggplant to stand alone, when it’s really best as a supporting actor.

Anyway, I piled the finished product up with chicken sausage, sauteed tomatoes, parmesan, herbs and penne tossed with olive oil and roasted garlic. If you like the sound of that but aren’t feelin’ the work that goes into it, I recommend heading to The Yardhouse, as they do an outstanding angel hair pasta with positively decadent eggplant.

But I have to confess, after all my work, I looked again at the Yardhouse menu and their eggplant is actually roasted. D’oh! Back to the kitchen…

(Eggplant trivia: I tried to figure out if the eggplant is a fruit or vegetable. Dictionary.com’s first listing calls it a fruit, and then the second listing says it is “sometimes used as a vegetable.” I found other similar references. “A fruit used as a vegetable.” What the heck does that mean? )

Post from: Food Frenzy

I took a quick gander and it looks to have voluminous, searchable, day-by-day, hour-by-hour listings of drink-and-food specials at watering holes and eateries all over. Check it out, and let us know if it’s *hiccup* very useful.

Post from: Food Frenzy

My co-worker John Crandall ran into our cube farm last week telling me: “They’ve got corn and cheese ice cream in the break room. You’ve got to try it. It’s disgusting.”

Alright Crandall. You had me at disgusting. So I go into the break room and sit at a table with two of the ladies from the advertising department. They’re both Filipino, say this stuff is delicious and readily available at Asian markets.

I start complaining about my visit to Pinoy Pam’s Best, and then man up for a taste of Mais-Queso ice cream. Man, I wish I hadn’t done that. Everything was fine and the corn added a nice sweetness to the dessert. Everything was fine, until I got to these little crumbles of cheese that ruined everything.

Crandall puts it best: “The mixture of the chunks of cheese with the sweet vanilla-ish flavor really made it awful. … Even now (a week later) my stomach gets queasy thinking about it.”

It was gross, I agree, and then it got me thinking about the grossest thing I’ve ever had. I steer clear of the wild and wacky for the most part, but this treat does rank highly.

What about you guys? What’s the grossest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Post from: Food Frenzy

When it comes to breakfast, I am more into twigs and flakes than sugar and sprinkles. Surprisingly, though, our recent thread on the best local delis motivated me to nosh a glazed carbo-bomb for the first time in more than a year.

That’s because one commenter singled out a fixture of Newport Boulevard - Oh Those Donuts & Deli Sandwiches - as the best local venue for a solid sandwich.

I’d for years meant to stop by the 24-hour, cash-only spot, and this gave me all the motivation I needed. Plus, I figured I’d knock out two meals in one review. Let’s start with breakfast, shown above.

Again, I’m no doughnut lover, but even I can’t deny that this pastry is as gorgeous a glycemic-index nightmare as you’re ever going to find.

What exactly is it, you ask? It’s a glazed-cinnamon-apple-almond bar, and yes, it’s as good as it looks. There is a great contrast of textures, from the wafer-thin crunch of the almonds, to the silky spread of sugar and spice and icing, to the tender bites of fruit within.

Everything plays out inside a rather unique bar that is actually similar to coffee cake - not as dry as a round sprinkles doughnut, but not melt-in-your-mouth moist like a glazed doughnut. It worked quite well.

When I do find myself in a doughnut shop, I can never resist a few doughnut holes. These were pretty much the dictionary definition of the dish - eminently popable spheres of gossamer goodness.

Now, to the sandwiches, which were of course what brought us to OTDADS in the first place. They sell half hoagies and whole hoagies here, and I think they were all the same price - $4.50 for half, $6.50  for whole - whether you ordered a cold or hot sub.

You get to personalize your sandwich by filling out a card that lets you choose bread, meat, cheese, toppings and condiments. I couldn’t pass up selecting a croissant for my bread, and I filled it with turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce, sprouts, tomato and peperoncini.

I was impressed with the size, and while this was a very simple sandwich, the freshness really was outstanding, from the flaky croissant, to the super-crisp sprouts, to the quality cold cuts and bountiful cheese.

In other words, this is a place for everyone, doughnut lovers or otherwise.

Oh Those Donuts & Deli Sandwiches
1734 Newport Blvd.
Costa Mesa
949-646-4046

Post from: Food Frenzy

I’ve walked by the space that now houses Britta’s Cafe probably a hundred times, but never took notice. In fact, I didn’t even realize when, years ago, the space changed from Trocadero to Britta’s. 

On one hand, it’s unfortunate that I didn’t know Britta’s existed. The quaint and comfy space brings to mind somebody’s grandma’s house; the eggs are fluffy and cooked just right, and the French toast is like none I’ve ever had - in a fantastic way.

On the other hand, it’s a good thing I didn’t know Britta’s existed. Because, while I will praise the dishes Fiancee Nadia and I had on Sunday morning, I’ll say that frequent trips could be detrimental to my already poor financial standing. We spent $32 for breakfast, but one Yelper said she spent over $60 for two.

Thank heavens I blog with a budget.On Britta’s brunch menu, most breakfast items run from $10 to $15, while lunch is between $15 and $20. It was still early, so we both opted for breakfast. Items include house-made granola, pancakes, French toast, eggs Benedict, chopped chicken salad, fresh fish and a pulled pork sandwich.

And … Monte Cristo alert! This one is $14.50 and is served with red currant jelly.

Before ordering, our server brought a couple of slices of house-made coffeecake to the table (pictured above). Nadia’s slice had bananas and walnuts in it, while mine had a little chocolate marbled throughout. Both pieces were delectable and made me happy that more was on the way.

Nadia ordered the Raisin Walnut French Toast and Bananas ($10.50). The toast, made from thick slices of French baguette, was smothered in banana and had a light dusting of powdered sugar - just the right amount, Nadia said.

While the walnuts and raisins hid in in the background, what really made this dish pop was a surprising burst of orange juice. I’ve said before that I’m no French toast fan, but I would order this on my own.

I ordered the Chicken Sausage Scramble ($14) at the suggestion of our waitress. The scramble contains roasted bell peppers, onions and chicken sausage. Everything gets covered in Jack cheese after. The eggs were a little wet and very fluffy, just the way I like them. The star of the scramble was the sage-infused sausage that was a little salty, with a hint of sweetness at the end of each bite.

The scramble was served with diced potatoes that I ordered a little crispier than usual. They had red and green peppers and onions in them. Nothing special but a few drops of Cholula and ketchup and there was a serious party in my tummy.

Come breakfast time, I’m usually a Rooster Cafe guy because you can get out of there for half the price that I spent at Britta’s. If money isn’t an issue though, or you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion or have a nice morning out, this place should definitely be on your short list.

Britta’s Cafe
4237 Campus Dr.
Irvine
949-509-1211

And for more breakfast …

• At Snooty Fox, the sexiest biscuit alive
• I paid $6.99 to eat dog food
• Hello, Bonjour Cafe, we need to talk
• Rise and shine at Rooster Cafe
• I love you Plums

Post from: Food Frenzy

• Niyaz has no love for Gandolfo’s New York Delicatessen
• Jeff, on the other hand, has nothing but love for the sandwiches at Santa Fe Importers
• Niyaz ponders the eternal question: Is dissing a free sample a food court faux pas?
• Jeff finds great greek at Pita Fresh Grill
• Niyaz eats Moo-shu for the first time at Ma’s Islamic Chinese Restaurant

This week in other O.C. food blogs:

• Eat in OC packs the breath mints for a trip to Garlic Jo’s
• Fast Food Maven checks out Del Taco’s Chicken Fajita Burrito
• More in Japan from Go Ramen!
• Griffin Eats OC wonders: Who has the best pizza in O.C.?
• Monster Munching hits up Irvine Farmer’s Market … with video!
• Orange County Mexican Restaurants has too many great updates to list just one
• There’s a total sugar rush at The Cupcake Activist
• Stick a Fork In It stops by the new Boardwalk Burgers & Fries
• The Ramen Blog tries something new: California Shabu-Shabu
• Holy Flapjacks! at This Is Why You’re Fat

Post from: Food Frenzy

My family has this weird thing about patronizing the same restaurant repeatedly for nearly every family celebration.

At first it was Lone Star Steakhouse, but the family’s latest obsession is Ma’s Islamic Chinese Restaurant, a place that we’ve been to over and over again in the past two years.

My family also likes to celebrate holidays early to avoid the crowds, which is how we ended up at Ma’s to celebrate Father’s Day with my awesome dad on the Thursday before the actual holiday.

Turns out, we weren’t the only ones.

Whether other people were there for early Dad’s Day or not, the place was packed; some tables had upwards of 15 people at them. No matter, as Ma’s staff is prompt with the service and quick with the food.

As a quick aside, the Islamic portion of the restaurant’s name comes from the fact that the food is Halal (think of it like Kosher). If you’re Muslim, and follow the guidelines of eating Halal, then it means something. If you’re not, then it doesn’t mean anything. Either way, the food tastes just the same.

When it comes to Chinese food, there’s a menu item I had always wanted but never tried: Moo-Shu. I’ve been told to think of it like a Chinese burrito, and yeah, that’s pretty much what it is.

I settled on Moo-Shu with chicken ($9.95). The dish tastes like chicken chow mein, but without the noodles, and was packed with chicken, cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots and mushrooms, all in a light, soy-based sauce. The tortillas used are freshly made from flour.

Our server came up to the table, and armed with two spoons spread some hoisin sauce on the tortilla, dropped down chicken and then wrapped the thing up. I was amazed and told him that he must be a Moo-Shu expert, to which he responded: “I’m Mexican. We know how to do this.”

Knows how to make good Moo-Shu, and a sense of humor. I like waiters like this guy.

The meal was light and tasty, but Moo-Shu’s not really for me. The tortilla got in the way, really. I just pulled out the filling and ate it that way.

We also ordered chicken-and-cream corn soup ($8.95 for a family size). When I was little, mom always used to make this soup when I was sick.

And sorry mom, but Ma’s version is heartier than what you used to make. There’s a ton of chicken in the peppery soup, the corn was sweeter and plentiful, and it’s served at the perfect sipping temperature right off the bat - no need to wait.

Also, be sure to grab some of the thin sesame bread with green onion, or the green onion pie. I love the thin bread, with green onion inside of it. For $9.95 you get an enormous serving.

The bread is fresh and nutty, with the right amount of onion flavor in each bite. I used the leftovers to scoop up deviled eggs at home and was in heaven.

Ma’s is good for dinner, but I think an even better deal is at lunch, when they have 58 items on special for $6.50-$7.95. Each special comes with soup, an egg roll, steamed rice and your entree, and is available daily from 11 a.m. t0 3 p.m. As a parting tip, Ma’s is one of those places that closes after lunch and then reopens for dinner. Call before you go or else you may be sorry when you get there.

Ma’s Islamic Chinese Restaurant
601 E. Orangethorpe Ave.
Anaheim
714-446-9553

Crazy for Chinese? Us too!

• I’ve met the noodle of my dreams
• The best orange peel beef in SoCal?
• Daffy deal: $12 whole Peking duck with all the fix-ins
• Carnitas fried rice? It’s Asian fusion gone wild!
  

P.S.: Happy Father’s Day Dad! Love you buddy!

Post from: Food Frenzy

Pita Fresh Grill opened a year or two ago next to my old office, and even though I’d pass by it every day, I never did stop in. Its strip mall neighbors are all chains - Panda Express, Dippin Dots, etc. - and so I assumed it was also a thoroughly corporatized, boilerplate version of Greek cuisine.

But you know what happens when you assume things.

After seeing a Restaurant.com coupon for the Mediterranean eatery, I used the Google to see what the masses had to say, and waddaya know, it was rave reviews all around. I high-tailed it to PFG to see for myself, and after feasting on half the menu, I can happily report that the masses got it right.

Let’s start with those skewers pictured above. Both the lamb souvlaki, $3.25, and the pork souvlaki, $2.95, were everything you’d want out of a stickful of meat.

For one thing, both portions were more than generous (I am guesstimating a quarter-pound or so). Each was properly cooked, possessing a solid char but also a slightly pink interior. And while both had tasty marinade-infused flavors, they both were still recognizable as gamey lamb and savory pork.

Moving along, I ordered the Meze Combo, $8.95, in order to get a little bit of everything.

In addition to the grilled, seasoned, great-by-itself pita bread (shown in photo at top), the combo includes tzatziki sauce, spicy feta dip, hummus, two dolmas, kalamata olives and a nice mound of gyro meat.

The dolmas were filled only with rice and so were fairly pedestrian, but everything else was super-duper. The hummus was bright and fresh, bursting with strong notes of lemon and mint, while the spicy feta dip was both rich and honestly quite hot. The tzatziki was what you’d expect, as was the moist, mouth-watering gyro meat.

The $4.95 falafel pita, shown above, left me ambivalent. It only included three falafel, and I think a fourth was in order. That said, this was the most complexly flavorful fast-food falafel I’ve encountered, simultaneously hitting the tastebuds with herbs and subtle spice.

And again, the grilling and seasoning of the pita bread makes a world of difference. If I could do it over, I’d probably pay 50 cents extra to have this stuffed with feta, as the menu offers.

For our finale, we have an oblong slice of baklava, $1.95. Not shown here is the puddle of sugary syrup that oozed gorgeously out of this flaky masterpiece. I thought it could use more crushed-nut filling, but nonetheless, the sticky-sweet honey-cinammon dessert was fabulous.

Oh Pita Fresh Grill, how could I have ignored you for so long?

Pita Fresh Grill
18011 Newhope St.
Fountain Valley
714-241-0119

Post from: Food Frenzy

I’ve been sick for the better part of five days and I spent my weekend holed up in my apartment switching between “Family Guy” and “Gilmore Girls” episodes.  I can justify the “Gilmore” marathon because it’s on Time Mag’s list of “The 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME” (or at least I’ve convinced myself it’s okay because of that).

I finally started to feel better Tuesday so Fiancee Nadia suggested that we go to Laguna Hills Mall (not the mall pictured above) and pick up a couple of books for our newly established “Beary Awesome Book Club” where monthly we’ll each pick a book, then switch, then discuss. She bought “The Chocolate Lover’s Club - A Novel” by Carole Matthews and I picked up “Pygmy” by Chuck Palahniuk.

We then took a trip to the food court, where we got an indroduction to Filipino mall food at the new Pinoy Pam’s Best. It was there that I saw an incident that made me wonder: “Is it a food court faux pas to diss a free sample?”

I’ll start with the Filipino place, which replaced a Japanese place next to the Chinese place in the food court (I’m observant, I know). It’s called Pinoy Pam’s Best and may be the only mall restaurant in Orange County where you can order pancit and lumpia. As always, correct me if I’m wrong.

Nadia settled on a two-item combo ($5.69) of grilled pork skewers and pork sausage with chicken and shrimp pancit.

Nadia was bummed the food was barely room temperature and not very fresh. She said the noodles were dried out and the skewers were cold and tough. I’ve had fresh and tasty food at a food court before, so it’s not a stretch to think she should have expected quality.

As Nadia ate, I waited for my Sbarro bread sticks to warm up and watched as a pregnant woman asked the man she was with try a sample of the orange chicken from said Chinese restaurant. “Tell me if it’s good,” she said. He took a bite and with shook his head while replying “No.”

The people behind the counter looked hurt. The pair still ordered from the Chinese restaurant, but it leads me to wonder what the proper reaction should be when a free sample just ain’t right? Should you let the person handing out the sample know that the product is subpar? Or do you feign interest and say you’ll keep looking but could very well return for an actual meal?

I’d do the latter, as I’m apt to complain about a place’s food from the comfort of my blog, but what do you think? What are your experiences with food court dining?

Is it wrong to ask for seconds? What’s the procedure at a place like Costco where you’re, in a way, paying for that sample?

And where can I find good Filipino? So many questions …

Pinoy Pam’s Best at Laguna Hills Mall
5 Freeway and El Toro Road
Laguna Hills
949-292-7695

Need more food court fare?

• Oodles of orange noodles at the mall

Post from: Food Frenzy