I’m going to go ahead and disagree with myself right off the bat.
Because I’m about to tell you that my recent experience at the Costa Mesa Omelette Parlor wasn’t the greatest one I’ve ever had, but I’m also going to tell you that it doesn’t matter - you should stop by for breakfast anyway.
… Just don’t order the Banking on Ken Fowler, $7.50, which is pictured above. Read the rest of this entry »
I first heard of Waffle Lady, a wonderful breakfast cafe in San Clemente, from OC Weekly’s “Best Of” print a couple of years ago.
That little blurb started an obsession with waffles that led to 1) frequent visits to O.C.’s farthest reaches and 2) the eventual purchase of my own waffle maker (because I nearly had to open another credit card to support my bacon/waffle habit).
On my final visit to Waffle Lady, the restaurant was sharing lunch and dinner time with Bad to the Bone BBQ (which allowed for awesome pulled pork omelets in the morning) but, soon after, Waffle Lady peace’d out and Bad to the Bone took over permanently.
I went months waffle-broken-hearted until Nadia and I took that trip to SOUTH. We discovered that Waffle Lady was alive and well, serving breakfast in the same plaza as that so-so Southern restaurant, out of Marbella Farmers Market in San Juan Capistrano.
Eager to rekindle the affair with my sugar mama, I ventured back on Saturday and met nothing but disappointment. Read the rest of this entry »
Because my waistline isn’t getting any smaller by writing for this blog, I’ve had to get creative with balancing healthy, low-calorie eating and exercising with the calorie-binges you guys like to read about.
I’m at the point where I’m cooking at home during the week (I just got a slow cooker, if you have a good recipe, leave it in the replies) and trying to get my blogging done on the weekend, preferably all in one day.
That brings me to this weekend and my dilemma. I recently discovered the amazing chili-cheese omelette. I don’t know how it took me so long to do so, but it has, and I intend to make up for all of the CCOs that I missed out on devouring in the last 26 years.
Here’s where I turn to you guys. Are you a fan of this egg dish? If so, let me know where to find the best one around and give me your reasons, because that’s where I want to go on Saturday. I don’t care where the spot is, as long as it is in county lines.
Last week, reader Kirsten Saladow answered our call for guest bloggers to write about their favorite restaurants or experiences at places they’ve never been before. She, along with sister Sami, stopped by Coyote Grill in Laguna Beach recently and she sent in her thoughts. If you want to guest blog, e-mail me at npirani@ocregister.com. Anyways, thanks for the great work Kirsten.
After a long night at the Sandpiper Bar in Laguna Beach, I decided a breakfast trip to the Coyote Grill was in order.
The Coyote Grill in Laguna Beach is a casual spot with gigantic portions of freshly made foods. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner – but I remember hearing my friends rave about the breakfast.
I decided to drag my 19-year-old sister, Sami, along. She’s always available for free food (big sister typically pays). Read the rest of this entry »
We often get calls from kind local entrepreneurs marketing new food products, and they’ll offer to send us samples. Our response is always this: 1) We can’t ask you to send us anything; 2) If you do, we can’t promise we’ll review it, and 3) If we do review it, it very well might be a negative review.
This is what happened the other day when the folks from Batter Blaster called me, seeing if I’d like to sample their creation, which is to pancakes what Reddi Whip is to whipped cream. Shortly after their call, however, I hurt my wrist and was out for a week.
When I returned, I found a can of Batter Blaster waiting in a package on my desk. The postmark said it had been mailed seven days earlier, and since Batter Blaster needs to be refrigerated, this was not a good thing. The ice packs inside were no longer icy, and so there was no way this batter was ever going to mature into a big fluffy flapjack.
Out of curiosity, I squirted out a dollop, and while it looked appetizing, the putrid smell of rotten eggs quickly hit my nose. As I said above, we don’t solicit samples, so I didn’t get around to calling the BB folks to ask for another bottle. I feel bad, however, so am making a rare exception and giving this stuff a plug - it’s organic, it can be used to make both pancakes and waffles, it’s virtually fat-free and it’s available at Fresh & Easy as well as major grocery stores.
Of course, just because we didn’t review it doesn’t mean you can’t. Has anyone out there tried Batter Blaster? If so, give us the scoop in the comments box.
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. Read the rest of this entry »
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. Read the rest of this entry »
As a South County resident, it’s taken me years to find a breakfast spot where where my syrup-smothered, gravy-splattered dreams come true, and thankfully, lovely Snooty Fox, I’ve found you.
And I’m not letting you go either. Nope, not when you have 18-ounce ham steaks, or biscuits made of clouds. Not when the French toast comes deep fried or hash browns come with onions and green peppers in them.
I’m in love. Let’s elope to Mexico Canada (where there is no swine flu).
These are definitely the reviews that we least enjoy writing: Independent, clean, friendly spots with just flat-out terrible food that we have no choice but to vigorously denounce.
The culprit in this case is Harry’s Grill, which was rec’d in the hole-in-the-wall thread, and which caught our eye because of its rooftop terrace featuring a peekaboo ocean view.
Showing up on a Saturday morning, things seemed promising - a decent crowd, spotless floors, no wait when we ordered at the counter. We took a seat on the upper-level patio, where diners are surrounded by multimillion-dollar homes and seated within sight of sand and surf.
Everything was perfect, and then the food came. Read the rest of this entry »
Everyone, please give a big Food Frenzy welcome to frequent commenter, occasional joker and first-time guest blogger Janet Stankovics. While Niyaz was off at Coachella being serenaded by Paul McCartney (his favorite Beatle!) Janet offered to fill the void. As you can tell by the picture above, she chose to fill it mostly with gravy. Delicious gravy, from the sound of the following review.
Every morning, when I think about breakfast, I want buttery eggs, crispy hash browns and some sort of fried meat. I usually eat yogurt and cereal, but I want the comfort breakfast that Mom used to make me. That’s why I was particularly happy with my self-imposed assignment of visiting Mel’s Diner after it was mentioned in the popular Hole-in-the-Wall thread that Food Frenzy recently published. Read the rest of this entry »
Fast Food Maven Cooking with Cathy Thomas More restaurant reviews
The recession is forcing many Orange County restaurants to shutter, and we're trying to track them all for you. Check out our O.C. Restaurant Closure List for the latest updates.
From your favorite restaurants and shops to the best day spa in town, here are your choices for the number one places to eat, shop and play in O.C.
