Mix Mix Kitchen

Visited the new Mix Mix Kitchen in Santa Ana and although I didn't quite find the Filipino flavors I thought would be there, the food was still a complete knockout!

Being a big fan of Leatherby's I was beyond excited to try out Chef Ross Pangilinan's new venture. I went on a Thursday night w three friends, the week after the grand opening (which I unfortunately missed) and was surprised to see the dining room was more than half empty. We had a reservation but opted to sit at a high top in the bar area as it appeared to be a little more lively.

I started my meal with the "Take Me Back" cocktail which was a refreshing and tasty mix of vodka, lavender bitters, Asian pear shrub, lemon-lime and was garnished with thyme and a pear chip. I didn't get a chance to try any of the other drinks but if this is any indication, it's pretty clear some serious thought went into the yummy drinks here. 

Upon initially perusing the food menu we were pleasantly surprised to see that based on the descriptions alone we pretty much wanted to order the entire menu. Every item sounded more amazing than the previous one, and being that it's mostly a shared style menu we ordered a variety of items to share and try. 

While waiting for our drinks/food to arrive, they brought over a plate of crispy fried pork skins. Holy moly, these were divine!  I think they refilled our dish three times before our food came. Regrettably, I didn't get a pic of these as at the time I thought 'oh, pork skins' not 'OH, PORK SKINS!" Next time promise to snatch a photo of these tasty morsels...

The first dish to come out of the kitchen was the cheese steak fries. These were billed as being topped with a homemade cheese whiz sauce (reason enough to order them) and oxtail. How can you go wrong with that combination? No surprise that they were absolutely fabulous. Perfectly crispy fries served hot outta the fryer topped with a lusciously smooth cheese sauce and speckled with tender strips of oxtail and fresh scallions. I could've eaten this dish alone as my entree and been a happy girl.

Just a note that the portion was also pretty large for being billed as a 'snack' on the menu. We easily shared this between the four of us with even a few fry crumbs left - no cheese or oxtail mind you. ;)

We also ordered the albacore tostadas. These were admittedly small but in fairness they were from the 'snack menu' and priced at a more than reasonable $8 for two.

We ordered one per person which was perfect. We were actually quite happy we didn't try to share one order amongst the four of us as after we dug into them we were all oohing and ahhing at the great flavor. They were the perfect combination of orange peppery fresh albacore topped with cilantro, light ginger and a scantly spiced sauce - all on a palate pleasing lightly fried crunchy tostada. Yum!

As much as we liked the first two previous dishes, everyone's hand down favorite dish was the seared foie gras with the crispy sweet bunuelo and the seared pineapple skewer. This was sooo good that we ended up ordering six orders for the four of us. Yes... it was THAT good.

I couldn't resist odering the soft egg raviolo as I love the combination of pasta, brown butter with a creamy egg yolk. It was delicious with the soft egg inside oozing out perfectly over the pasta and mixing with the crispy guanciale, all coated in the perfectly cooked brown butter sauce. It was so good and even though I devoured the whole thing by myself, it could easily be shared with a friend as it is a bit of a rich dish - albeit delicious.

The hanger steak with potato espuma and shallot marmalade was our final dish of the evening. Cooked perfectly medium rare with a lovely sear it was quite tasty, if perhaps a smidge on the salty side.

The espuma took a minute to get used as it had a smooth texture reminiscent of baby food, beyond a puree. Eventually, the texture of the scallions and the shallot marmalade helped to acclimate my palate to it but I do have to admit of all the dishes, this was probably my least favorite. My dining partners agreed. 

We ended the night with the tropical verrine...a panacotta with a mix of lychee, passion fruit,coconut and macadamia nuts. This was the perfect little ending to a somewhat heavy meal - admittedly by choice. 

I have to say I was very impressed with Mix Mix and the Chef himself. Chef Ryan came out and greeted us warmly, asking how we liked the food. I recognized him right away and had to express how happy we were with the meal. You could see how proud he was to hear this, and truthfully his pride is evident in the care shown on each of the dishes. I am hoping for great things from Mix Mix and look forward to the day when I can't get a seat even in the bar. ;)

Mix Mix Kitchen is located at 300 N. Main Street in downtown Santa Ana.
They're open Tuesday - Saturday for dinner only and Sundays for brunch only.
For a reservation, call: (714) 836-5158
Website: http://www.mixmixkitchenbar.com/

Sea Fare 2016  - it's almost here!

Support the Aquarium of the Pacific while enjoying delectable dishes from some of Long Beach's best restaurants coupled with free flowing libations (a.k.a. an open bar folks!) -- all while dancing the night away to a great DJ and, the best part of all is you get to explore the aquarium without the normal crowds! How you ask? By attending the Aquarium's annual Sea Fare event! Money from the event goes toward education, ocean conservation & the animal care programs so you can even feel fabulous about indulging! 

Sea Fare takes place THIS Saturday, October 22nd from 7-11pm at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

VIP is already sold out (gotta act fast on those!) but General Admission Tickets are still available AND are going fast so get your tickets fast before it sells out completely!

Participating restaurants include well known local establishments like Delius, the Federal Bar, Kincaid's, Gladstones, The Attic & many more! Make sure to bring your appetite and your stretchy pants too! ;) 

Check out the full list here: Participating Restaurants

Trust me folks.. this is an event you don't want to miss! When else can you eat, drink & dance with the fishes while feeling great that you're helping further the mission of a great institution like the Aquarium of the Pacific!  Get your tickets soon!!

Tickets:http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/give/seafare 

 

 

#AquariumPacific #LBC #LongBeachEvents #OCEvents #AOP

Taste of Laguna 2016

Taste of Laguna

Tix are still available for the annual Taste of Laguna on 

Wednesday, September 21st but hurry cuz 
prices go up by $20 on 9/21!

It's NO secret Laguna Beach is a hotbed of great dining with some of the best restaurants in Orange County so what better way to sample 35+ of them than at this fabulous event?! Just take a look at the list of wonderful restaurants participating: 

Alessa, Argaux, BJ's, Broadway by Amar Santana, Driftwood Kitchen, Fresh Brothers, Gelson's, GG's Bistro, Harvest Restaurant/The Ranch, Kitchen in the Canyon, K'ya Bistro, Laguna Beach Beer Company, Laguna Beach Brewery & Grille, Las Brisas, Lumberyard, Mastro's Ocean Club, Mosaic Bar & Grille, Mozambique, Okura Robata Grill & Sushi Bar, Organic Cellar Wines, Rasta Taco, Rooftop Lounge, Royal Hawaiian, Rugg Family Wines, Sergio's Empanadas, Skyloft, Splashes, Starfish Laguna, Tivoli Too, Tommy Bahama, Tortilla Republic, Urth Caffe, Whole Foods Market

The event will take place at the beautiful Tivoli Too! in Laguna Beach and will feature local musicians, auctions, a photobooth and lots of fun under the twinkling lights in this evening under the stars. 

Advance tickets are ONLY $65 and include all tastes! Tix can be purchased on the Chamber's website: LagunaBeachChamber.org, “events” tab; or contact the Chamber at (949) 494-1018.  

A VIP package is also available for $85, which includes early entrance at 4:30PM, adjacent parking, and a VIP cocktail line.  Tickets on the day of the event and at the door will be $85 and $105 so buy your tickets NOW before the price goes up! Note: You must be 21 or over to attend, photo ID required. Tivoli Too! is located at 777 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. 

#tasteoflaguna #tol16

New Restaurant Review: Irenia in Santa Ana

Stopped by the new Philipino restaurant Irenia last month and of course, had to bring along a Philipina friend to give me her opinion on the authenticity of the flavors. Admittedly, most of my previous experience with Philipino food was at the chicken adobo level. That, and the occasional lumpia that co-workers have brought into the office throughout the years. Both of which I really liked and helped to nudge me to want to try Irenia - which bills itself as 'soulful Philipino cooking'. 

In case you don't know the backstory of Irenia, it started as a Pop-Up concept in early 2015 - several highly regarded dinners were held which led to earning a 9th spot on Eater LA’s 21 Hottest Restaurants in Orange County in summer of 2015. Eventually, in early 2016 Irenia, the permanent restaurant was born!

One of the first thing I noticed about Irenia is the space itself has really been brightened up from it's former Crosby & North Left days. I was fan of both of those restaurants and frequented them often. I was sad to see them both disappear but have to say I immeditally appreciated the bright updated warm feel of Irenia's decor. 

Our first surprise of the evening came with of all things the cocktails! We were presented with a really unique and well thought out menu of amazing sounding cocktails. Not sure what I was expecting but just didn't think a Philipino restaurant would have such modern unique cocktails. We wasted no time in ordering several and I have to say each one we tried was almost better than the last -- all very refreshing and well put together with just the right combination of flavors. My favorite ended up being the Supper Club and the Bottle Rocket but I don't think you can wrong with any of them here folks!

The menu here is small but pretty comprehensive - separating menu dishes into snacks (i.e. appetizers), small plates and entrees. Myself and my two friends opted to share and pretty much ordered almost everything on the menu. Be aware though that the menu does change as often as daily so it may be different when you visit but from my obsessive monitoring of the menu it appears some of the more popular dishes make constant appearances on the menu. ;)

Dilis - try to just eat one! 

We started with the infamous dilis - which I had never had before. Dilis are basically fried whole tiny anchovies that you dip into a vinegar spiced with chiles. I quickly learned that you want this vinegar to be ultra-spicey for optimum flavor - as my friend pointed out. They were delicious and while I know some people will be put off by the 'whole fish' notice you really should try one before you write 'em off. Close your eyes if you MUST folks cuz the taste will be worth it, and you most likely won't be able to eat just one! 

Ginataan Corn - YUM!

From the 'small plates' section one of our absolute favorite dishes was the Ginataan Corn.  Simple- yes, but with incredibly developed flavor exploding with lime, chile and a distinct
earthy flavor most likely coming from the tiny mussels studded throughout. Somewhat reminiscent of the Mexican corn on the cob with the lime/chile taste but with a distinct flavor and creamy texture that was all it's own.  It was divine and we ate it down to the last kernel!

Kuliplor - roasted cauliflower

The second small plate we tried was the Kuliplor - which is a roasted cauliflower with a special bagoong mole sauce, mango and toasted sunflower seeds. This was good but actually one of my least favorite dishes. The tastes were very subtle and the cauliflower itself was over cooked and a tad mushy for my tastes. I did like the brightness of the mango and the crunch of the sunflower seeds - both nice additions to an otherwise dull dish.

Pancit

Our final small plate was the Pancit - which truthfully was more entree size as it was quite large and a bit on the heavy side to be considered a small plate. Regardless, we absolutely loved this dish! Canton noodles topped with luscious whole crispy Santa Barbara prawns
topped with a luscious prawn head sauce and speckled with crunchy blue lake green beans & slightly cooked carrots. Drizzled lightly on top almost like a Philipino version of Parmesan cheese was a savory shrimp powder. We shared this dish but it could easily be an entree for someone but just be warned it is a tad rich.

After the two small plates, the entrees made their way to our table. First up was the Pork Belly adobo. Now - this is where my friend & I diverged a tad. ;)

Pork Belly Adobo

I thought this dish was fantastic - perfectly cooked with excellent flavor. However, my Philipina friend made it clear that this was no adobo. She said it was highly lacking in the vinegar taste that is usually prevalent in adobo flavor.  To her this was more of a pork belly teriyaki so be warned Philipino friends seeking authentic adobo tastes that this may not be the traditional taste you've had before.  Regardless, the dish was very tasty - cooked tender with a crispy char and an asian-like sauce. Even my Philipina friend agreed it was still tasty and worth ordering. .

Chicken Inasal

The last entree to arrive at our table was the Chicken Inasal. At this point we were quite full as we didn't anticipate well how large some of the small plates would be and it was quite a substantial amount of food. However, this looked (and smelled) so yummy when it arrived that we couldn't go without at least trying it. If I'd known how delicious this was I would've
eaten less of the prior dishes! Pan roasted chicken thighs with 'chicken joy' gravy  served over summer squash and gailan greens. I have no idea what is in the chicken joy gravy (family secret apparently!) but it's very true to it's name and just lends a warm comfort food taste to this dish that isn't apparently in anything else we were served. This was my favorite dish here and I highly recommend that you order it if it's on the menu the night you are there. 

As full we were, there was no way we weren't going to order dessert here. Irenia has snagged one of the top pastry Chefs in the area - the highly revered Ashley Guzman. Knowing this, we decided to share the Turanodo. Holy smokes... basically dessert lumpias, these were insane! I could eat a plate of these for dinner and be happy. ;)  Fried crispy and stuffed with banana semi-freddo and coconut jam (*sigh*), and topped with a crumbled peanut brittle floating in a sea of champuraddo chocolate-corn sauce. Crazy delicious and the PERFECT way to end our Philipino food adventure at Irenia. 

The Turonado - dessert lumpia (sinful!)

All in all our experience at Irenia did not disappoint and we all agreed we would definitely come back.  The service also deserves a mention as it was top notch - attentive, prompt and more than patient with us as we had a lot of questions with it being our first time here and me only being somewhat familiar with Philipino food. Our waitress was extremely well versed on not just the ingredients of the menu items but the actual flavors of each dish. She really helped steer us in the right direction for a fabulous meal. 

Irenia is located at 400 N. Broadway in Santa Ana - it is a tad bit hard to find as the signage is small. For reference, it is one block north of the Santara Arts Building. Two storefronts up from the Starbucks on the corner. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended (especially for Friday or Saturday night) and can be made by calling 657/245-3466.  Dinner is available Tuesday - Saturday. Lunch is also served Tuesday - Saturday but only from 11-2pm. 

New Restaurant Review: Ironwood in Laguna Hills

Recently tried out the new Ironwood Craft Cellar in Laguna Hills. Ironwood opened a few months ago to much hype, especially since their sister restaurant, Vine, in San Clemente is a south county favorite. I've been to Vine several times and agree it's a great place with consistently well made flavorful dishes & fabulous craft cocktails. Needless to say I had VERY high hopes for Ironwood as it's a much closer drive from Tustin to Laguna Hills. ;)

Upon first arrival, the location itself is a bit of a let down as it's located in a typical suburban
shopping center, parked in the corner and easy to miss unless you were actually looking for it - which of course, we were. Once inside though, it's a whole 'nother story as the interior is decorated with stone and reclaimed wood accents which make for a very warm and inviting dining ambiance. As you walk back to the dining room, you have to walk past the bar area which appeared quite popular on the Saturday night we were there with lots of people sitting at the high top bar appearing to have a good time. The dining area itself is lined with booths and tables in the center.  There is also a wrap around covered patio that looks perfect for a romantic evening with lovely views of the nearby hilltops - not a ton of seating out there so make sure you request that when you make a reservation if that's your preference.

Chicken Schnitzel

At first glance, I was quite happy to see that some of the signature items from their sister restaurant were included on the menu here. The pork schnitzel is something I often crave on the menu at Vine as it's cooked perfectly which just the right amount of breading and the perfect seasoning. Trust me, it's not easy to find this German favorite done so well! At Ironwood, they do a version with jidori chicken which is equally amazing and well done - HIGHLY recommend this dish folks! Also borrowed from Vine are the highly revered crispy duck wings and the yummy fried green tomatoes w burrata cheese. You can't really go wrong with either of these favorites!

English Pea Agnolotti

Noteworthy items exclusive to Ironwood that we tried included the Enlish Pea Agnolotti which translates to handmade little bags of perfectly cooked pasta bags filled with sweet English peas tossed in a decadent brown butter sauce and topped with goat cheese & little slivers of basil. These were amazing and are a MUST order for the table as starter. 

Fabulous Bone-In Ribeye

Entrees we tried included the bone-in ribeye served on a bed of smoked blue cheese mashed potatoes and lovingly topped with a flavorful sauce béarnaise. The sauce is what sets this dish apart here as it pairs really well with the marbled meatiness of the rib-eye. Yes, I know rib-eye should be able to stand alone and it does here as well but the sauce just adds that extra little bit of 'umph' to each bite.  

Greek Seabass

We also tried the pan roasted Greek sea bass which was served on a pillow of Russian banana potatoes and topped with a lovely almond, picholine, orange and coriander vinaigrette sauce. This was a great option for someone looking for a slightly lighter dish that's still packed with a huge punch of flavor. 

All in all, I was really impressed with Ironwood and would highly recommend a visit here folks! I'm looking forward to returning soon myself to try out more of the menu!

Ironwood Cellar is located at 25250 La Paz Rd in Laguna Hills.

More info can be found on their website: ironwoodlagunahills.com

Boss Your Burger at the new Burger Boss in Mission Viejo!

It's here Orange County!
The inland empire's favorite burger is now in Mission Viejo!

I was lucky enough to try out the new Burger Boss at the soft opening this week and wow, their reputation for fresh, tasty burgers is well deserved! So why are they coming to Orange County if they've been so successful in the Inland Empire? After tasting their burger and seeing their offerings I can see why - cuz they're the PERFECT fit for the Orange County healthy lifestyle which likes options. This is the kind of place you can go with a group of friends with varied food diets (gluten-free, vegan, meat eater, etc) and everyone can find/create something that will make them happy!

The first thing you'll notice about BB is that YOU are the Boss! You pick every component of your burger from the protein, the bun, to one of the huge selection of sauces!

Proteins include your choice of 100% grass-fed California natural beef, 100% free-range chicken breast, 100% natural turkey breast or their fresh house made vegan black bean patty. They also offer healthy alternative buns like whole wheat and gluten-free. Cheese selection is crazy with 8 different choices including blue-cheese, gouda (who does that?!) to swiss and sharp cheddar.

You can top off your creation with a choice of 15 sauces - a great majority of which are house made and all of the ones I tried were pretty darn tasty! My personal fav was the garlic herb with what tastes like real garlic paste in it. I loved it but make sure you really like garlic - if you do, you'll be in heaven like me. ;)

In addition, they offer a bazillion toppings - mostly leaning towards the healthy-side including grilled onions, mushrooms, jalapenos and EVEN grilled pineapple!

I have to admit it was a lot of fun to put together your own unique creation and basically, get your burger your way with lots of tasty and healthy options! I really get what they mean by Boss Your Burger!

My burger creation - served open face so you can see all the yummy fresh ingredients!

In addition to their yummy burgers, they also offer regular and sweet potato french fries which you can also personalize with cheese and sauces, AND if you're not in the mood for a burger (or rather go bun-free) they can also put your creation in a bowl.

Sweet Potato Fries w cheese
 and thousand island - yum!

Chicken Bowl - no bun but just as tasty!

Don't forget their Grand Opening is Thursday July 14th from 10am - 2:30pm!
They are having all sorts of fun stuff for the event including giveaways and a health fair featuring speakers, specials, photo booths and a even a live DJ! Sounds like a blast and a great way to get acquainted with Burger Boss! For more info on the grand opening check their facebook event:   https://goo.gl/wFqBK9

Burger Boss is located at 27690-B Santa Margarita Parkway in Mission Viejo with lots more OC locations coming soon! Look out Lake Forest cuz you're next!  

Boozy Brunch at The Stag Bar & Kitchen in Newport Beach!

What's better than weekend brunch? A boozy weekend brunch, of course! AND one of the best in the OC is down at Stag Bar & Kitchen in Newport Beach! The Stag went through a full update and started serving food earlier this year. They only started serving brunch a few months back but they've already got it down and running smoothly!

Lychee-Mosa! 

Bloody Mary! 

Speaking of 'boozy' the brunch cocktails at The Stag definitely live up to their feature in the Brunch title! The Stag has a full bar (of course!) but their 'Brunch Cocktails' special menu covers all the bases from a lychee-mosa (yum!) to what IMHO is one of the best bloody mary's in town with a perfectly spiced made in-house bloody mary mixer! Seriously delicious!

Eggs in Hell

The special brunch menu has lots of options including the 'Eggs in Hell' - a tomato sausage mix served with a beautiful runny egg on top. I've never tried anything like it, and it doesn't disappoint!

Breakfast Pizza

The 'Breakfast Pizza' (who does that?!) is also a top notch pick for brunch here. Prepared with a creamy white sauce and topped with fingerling potatoes, mozzarella, crispy pancetta and a sunny side up egg. It all cooks up perfectly with a slightly charred crust and lots of ooey gooey melted cheese. All I can say is YUM on this must-order item!    


I was once told that the true judgement of a Chef is how well he can cook an omelette.  Well, if the ones I tried are any indication then Chef Jeff deserves a couple Michelin stars. ;)  Creamy french style omelettes cooked to perfection served up in so many different ways - 10 unique omelette options here folks!

My personal fav was the 'Green Eggs & Sausage' - the homemade pesto sauce just set this omelette apart, especially when mixed with the creamy ricotta.  I only tried two of the Stag's omelettes but I have NO doubt the others are equally as scrumptious!

Green Eggs & Sausage Omelette - sinful!

         

Omelettes galore!

The Italiano Omelette

The Brunch menu is ONLY available on Saturday and Sunday from 9 -1 PM. 

Stag Bar & Kitchen is located at 121 McFadden Place on the Newport Beach peninsula. 

The Stag Bar & Kitchen is definitely worth checking out! 

If you can't make it down for brunch they have amazing daily specials so what better way to give 'em a try?!

Meatball Mondays - get your own flavor balls for only $2!

Tiki Tuesday - $6 Tiki Cocktails & $6 Hawaiian Pizza

Whiskey Wednesday - Featured Weekly Whiskey Special & Whiskey Flights (Ask about this one!)

Thursday - Locals Night w $5 Personal Pizza (Any 1 Topping) *beginning in February

They also have 11 hour HH from 8am - 7pm Monday - Friday w $1 off Wells & Wine, $3.50 domestics & $5 HH Food 2pm-7pm      

Get Your Fair Face On!

It's almost fair time again!
The 2016 OC Fair starts July 15th and runs through August 14th
(Wed - Sunday ONLY!)
This year it's back with all kinds of new yummy creations!

Pork Belly Corndog French Toast Bacon Bombs! Chicken in a Waffle on a Stick The Daenerys 'Mother of Doggies' Dog! Bacon Wrapped Baked Potato Bacon Cheddar Brat Burger

Check them all out:

• Chicken in a Waffle On a Stick: Chicken Charlie’s making the popular chicken-and-waffles combo portable by cooking fried chicken tenders in a waffle and serving it all on a stick, with a side of maple syrup.
• French Toast Bacon Bombs: Bacon A-Fair’s new breakfast-inspired offering will make French toast desirable any time of the day as sweet dough stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon is deep-fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar.
• S’moreo Texas Donut: Bigger is better when it’s a soft, Texas-sized doughnut topped with chocolate drizzle, Oreo cookie crumble, graham cracker crumbs and marshmallow cream.
• Bacon Nutella Pickle: Pickle O’ Pete’s takes the popular hazelnut cocoa spread Nutella and fills a dill pickle that gets wrapped in bacon, dipped in a funnel cake batter and deep fried.
• Pork Belly Bacon Dog: At Biggy’s, two feet of bacon are wrapped around a slow-smoked pork belly that is dipped into a corn dog batter and deep fried.
• Deep-Fried Pizza Log: Mozzarella cheese and pepperoni are wrapped inside of thin pizza dough which is deep fried until crispy and flaky. Served with marinara sauce on the side from the Apple Fries booth.
• Diabilito Sundae: Fruit Caboose is going loco and adding to their creamy ice cream the Latin-inspired flavor of tangy Tamarindo and hot chili chamoy sauce.
• Kool-Aid Hot Wings: Chicken Charlie’s taking his breaded wings and tossing them up with his new, slightly-spicy Kool-Aid sauce. He will serve the orange flavor exclusively at the OC Fair.
• Dole Whip: Fairgoers can cool down with this refreshing, pineapple-flavored soft serve dessert available for the first time inside the OC Fair at Crutchee’s Ice Cream.
• Bacon-Wrapped Baked Potato: At Bacon A-Fair, a giant one-pound potato is wrapped in a half pound of bacon and slow cooked in a wood-fired smoker oven. Served with butter, the Bacon A-Fair signature bacon-infused sour cream, grilled veggies, blue cheese and choice of hot buffalo sauce or nacho cheese and jalapenos.
• Bacon Cheddar Brat Burger: Grant’s Tasti Burger is taking burgers and brats to the next level with this massive burger that combines a bratwurst and an Angus beef patty with cheddar, chopped candied pecans, Applewood smoked bacon, Sriracha Bourbon and chipotle sauces, lettuce and tomatoes and served inside a pretzel bun.
• Pink’s Hollywood-Inspired Dogs: The Daenerys Mother of Doggies pays homage to the Game of Thrones’ queen of the dragons with a spicy Polish dog topped with sour cream, sauerkraut, onions, radish sprouts and Sriracha sauce. The Lord of the Rings Dog highlights the mystical movie with an all-beef hot dog encircled by fried onion rings and topped with barbecue sauce.
• Juicys: New this year, OC Fair mainstay Juicys is serving up organic meat and nitrate-free hot dogs and sausages.
• More Offerings: All American Reuben Burger (Grant’s Tasti Burger), Pickle Fries and Pickled Cheese on a Stick (Pickle O’ Pete’s), Shrimp Fried Rice on a Stick (Chicken Charlie’s), Som-Mor-Bacon (Fruit Caboose), Bison Burger (Juicy’s), Lasagna Sandwich (Pignotti’s Pasta), Oreo Churro (Dutchmen’s Funnel Cake).

$2 Sample Day! 
On a new weekday this year, foodies can sample their way through the 2016 OC Fair on Thursdays from Noon-4 p.m. with $2 samples during the Taste of Fair Food promotion. Fair admission is required and samples vary per vendor per week.

Free parking and shuttle service are available on Saturdays and Sundays from the Experian parking structure located off the Bristol St. exit of the 405 freeway. The OC Fair & Event Center is located off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, please visit ocfair.com, become a fan at Facebook.com/OCFair, follow them at twitter.com/ocfair or call (714) 708-1500. Also, download the free OC Fair iPhone and Android apps available this summer.

Fair tickets Giveaway!The fair has generously given me a pair of tickets to give away to a lucky reader! These include 2 carnival ride cards (good for 3 rides each!)  To enter, leave a comment as to what new food you're most excited to try by the end of the day on July 3rd on my Facebook: Facebook.com/OCFoodiegirl  or
my Instagram Instagram.com/OCFoodiegirl/
A winner will be picked randomly on July 4th and notified via direct message.