New Restaurant Openings!

Several new restaurants have recently opened in OC so no better time to try out a new eatery! 

Todos Santos in Rancho Santa Margarita

The eagerly anticipated new gourmet Mexican restaurant by Chef Casey Overton, formerly of The Loft at the Montage Hotel, has finally opened! Serving up modern authentic Mexican cuisine in an inviting upscale ambiance with a lovely outdoor patio, it's sure to be a hit! To peruse the menu, see their website: https://www.eatdrinksantos.com/

Located in the El Paseo Plaza shopping center at 22322 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

SteelCraft in Garden Grove

Not just one new eatery but a whole gathering of new places to dine opened with the opening of the much anticipated SteelCraft. You may be familiar with Steelcraft as they have two existing locations  in Bellflower and Long Beach but this is their first foray into Orange County.. The 20,000 square-foot craft food and drink gathering space made up of re-purposed shipping containers with an open-air roof structure, located in the heart of the City of Garden Grove, houses 9 unique small businesses. Something for everyone, SteelCraft Garden Grove is currently home to: Beachwood Brewing, Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, Cauldron Ice Cream, Honey & Butter Macarons, The Nest: A Breakfast Joint, The Chick 'N Shack: Khao Man Gai, Barrio: Modern Filipino BBQ, Renegade Taco, and Teemu Selanne's The Penalty Box. Located at 12900 S Euclid St, Garden Grove, CA 92840

Everyday Eatery in Irvine

Just opened and already getting rave reviews, Everyday Eatery specializes in breakfast, brunch and lunch. This casual new eatery is serving up unique and creative breakfast items with a healthy bent, made with seasonal local products including fried egg sammies, ricotta hautecakes, breakfast burritos, avocado radish toasts and macro bowls along with special coffees and other "bevvies'.  Sounds like it's worth a try! Located at 6634 Irvine Center Drive - near Sand Canyon in Irvine.
https://everydayeatery.com/

Insomnia Cookies in Irvine

You may have visited Insomnia Cookies before as they have quite a following all over the country. They've eccentrically opened their FIRST location in OC at the University Center Plaza in Irvine. Known for their late hours serving up warm cookies every day til 3am, they're a great addition to the UCI area for all those late night cookie runs! Learn more about Insomnia and check out their cookie options on their website: https://insomniacookies.com/menu

Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge in Rancho Mission Viejo

Scheduled to open any day now and eagerly awaited in the newish area of Rancho Mission Viejo, this new family-run eatery intends to serve up delicious food and libations with fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. Along with signature dishes and fun craft cocktails, guests will be able to enjoy indoor and outdoor seating along with live music and entertainment on the weekends! To keep apprised of the exact opening date, sign up for their mailing list on their website: https://scarletkl.com/

Located at 30865 Gateway Place E-6 in Rancho Mission Viejo

Rock & Brews has opened in Tustin. This is the second location of R&B in Orange County, with the first one in Buena Park. The rock-inspired eatery serves up family-friendly american comfort food. There's also a large  outdoor patio with fire pits and games, and a play area for the kiddos.
Definitely worth check it out!
https://www.rockandbrews.com/tustin/

AND last but certainly not least, is the opening of Bake Cheese Tart in Century City. Even though this opening is in LA not OC I felt compelled to share it as when I visited Asia a few years ago, this was hands-down my most favorite treat that I tried. This is ONLY their second location in the United States, with the first being in SF last year, so we should feel lucky to have a Bake within driving range! Bake is the originator of the Japanese cheese tart that's been copied many times but IMHO Bake is still better than any other I've ever tried. It's hard to describe these little flavor bombs but they're a tad sweet mixed with cheesy goodness and smidge of tartness. Prolly not the best description but rest assure they are delicious and there's a reason people wait hours in Asia to buy them! 

Located at the Westfield Century City Mall, near Eately in the Macy's wing.
https://cheesetart.com/en/

Hope you find a new favorite place 

and don't forget to tell them OCFOODIEGIRL sent you! 

Upcoming Fall Food & Wine Festivals

September may be almost over but there's some great food and wine events coming up in October, and with the temperatures finally heading downwards there's no better time to get out and about for an afternoon of some of OC's best bites and drinks!  

Taste of Lake Forest  Saturday, September 28th

Here's an event for which you don't have to buy tickets ahead of time! It's free admission and you just buy $1 sample tickets to try some of Lake Forest's best restaurants! This year, for the first time, they're also having a beer and wine garden so you can meet up with some local south OC friends for a few bites while enjoying a drink or two.

For more info, see the webpage: https://lakeforestbusiness.com/269/Taste-of-Lake-Forest

Taste of Laguna Beach  

Thursday, October 3rd 6-10pm 

This local favorite in OC has been going on for several years, and I have to say it's one of my personal favorite events in OC!. One price gets you in the door for all you can eat from a fabulous representation of all Laguna Beach has to offer, and if you're a foodie you know that LB has some of OC's best places to dine. There's also lots of fun photo ops and a different live band every hour too - all of which makes for a really fun evening! Drinks are also available for purchase at the event but not included in general admission. 

Tix are $ 85 for general admission, $150 for VIP which gets you in an hour early, gives you access to the VIP bar and viewing area, AND includes two drink tickets. 

Get your tix and see the list of participating restaurants here: https://www.tasteoflagunabeach.com/

Newport Beach Wine and Food Festival   

Thursday, October 3rd - Sunday, October 6th

This annual event has gotten bigger and better every year - with multiple events offered throughout the weekend. You better hurry though cuz a few are already sold out! 

What's unique about this event is the caliber of talent it attracts - you'll not only see OC's best Chefs and restaurants represented here but don't be surprised if you see some of your favorite TV Chefs as there's always a large representation of Top Chef talent as well as national talent. There's also some impressive Chef Demo's and Wine Tastings scheduled for this year so hurry over to see who's cooking!  Prices vary by event but head to their website to see the calendar and prices: https://www.newportwineandfood.com/

Taste of Santa Ana Saturday, October 5th

This is a smaller and newer event that's only been going on for a few years but when last year when I attented, it was a really fun time! They had lots of local restaurants, a great VIP area with full size cocktails and super fun live music with a dancing area! Also, the price is a really reasonable $40 for all you can eat! 

$40-$65

https://tasteofsantaana.org/

LA Times' The Taste OC  Friday, October 18th - Saturday, October 19th

This is the 2nd year the LA Times has ventured south to put on an OC version of their iconic The Taste festival that has been happening in LA every Labor Day weekend for the past decade. This year they have quite a great line-up including some really intriguing cooking demos featuring some OC Rockstar Chefs, including Chef Ross Pagnilian from Mix Mix Kitchen and several others. Another great thing about The Taste is that it gives you your pick of $ and times - with two evening events and one daytime. Prices start at $80. Get tix here before it sells out: https://events.latimes.com/taste/costa-mesa/

Whichever festival you go to have a great time and remember to tell them OCFOODIEGIRL sent you! ;) 

Modern Luxury's Passport to Luxury Event!

Modern Luxury's Passport to Luxury Event is back and better than ever this month on Wednesday, September 25th! 

So often I hear complaints from other foodies about how expensive some food events are or how there's not enough other things to see and do at the events. If you share in this thinking, Modern Luxury Magazine's Passport to Luxury is the event for you! 

The first annual Passport to Luxury event will invite not just local culinary masters but also luxury brands and event enhancements to showcase signature dishes, products, services and trends! Guests will gather to experience a guided journey with each stop offering a taste of a different part of the world through bites, signature cocktail or products.  You'll also be able to vote for your favorite bite in the Chef's Challenge, with the WINNER being crowned at the end of the night! 

The event is being held at the beautiful Roger's Gardens in Newport Beach. If you've never visited this lovely nursery you're in for a treat as the location itself is a feast for the senses! 

This list of restaurants is quite impressive and includes:

A Restaurant Newport Beach | Andrea Ristorante | AnQi | Aqua Lounge| Cannery Seafood of the Pacific | Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse| Driftwood Kitchen | Edward Hill Bakery | Farmhouse at Roger's Gardens| Harley Laguna Beach | Harvest at The Ranch at Laguna Beach | Hendrix | Louie's by the Bay | Memphis Cafe | Oak Grill | Ocean at Main | Tres Muchachos fishNchips

There's also a bevy of drink and other partners including: 

Legends Spirits | Beam Suntory - Basil Hayden's | Peroni Italy | Lillet | Hydration Room | Compass | Black River Caviar | Lavender Lane Baking Co. | Protravel International Corona del Mar I High Gorgeous | Chervona Vodka

Tickets for this fabulous event are ONLY $40 pre-sale (til 9/24) and $45 at the door. Get your tix soon before it sells out:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/passport-to-luxury-orange-county-tickets-63792634487

Note: All guests must be 21+

Hope to see you there!!!

Labor Day Weekend Events!

Labor Day weekend is just a few days away, and if you don't have any plans there's quite a few foodie events to keep you busy in and around OC...

Nood on the Beach!

So if you've been to the Noods Noods Noods Festival in downtown Santa Ana then you may have an idea of what's in store for you at Nood Beach! Basically, the infamous FoodBeast has partnered with the Sealegs at the Beach in Huntington Beach to put on a huge noodle festival on Sunday, September 1st featuring many of OC's best restaurants, and then to top it off they've brought in a pretty great line-up of DJs, musicians and food contests to entertain you while you get your noodles on at the beach! 

Current Food Vendors Include:

LSXO: Lemongrass Beef & Curried Prawn Vermicelli
Slapfish: Brown Butter Lobster Bucatini
Mess Hall Canteen: Kalbi Brisket Garlic Noodles + Hamachi Crudo Soba Noodles
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine: Candied Pork Belly Ramen Bucket
Ellie's long beach: Cavatelli Carbonara
Sgt. Pepperoni's Pizza Store: Sheet Pan Ramen Pizza
SeaLegs at the Beach: Coconut Curry Noodles w/ Giant Prawn
Miss Mini Donuts: Ice Cream Noodle Topped Mini Donuts
Shomi Noods: Ramen Bar: Boba Cup Style 'Jiggling Ramen' + 16 lb Ramen Challenge.
Nitrolado: Savory Noodle Donuts - Balinese, Gangnam, Tokyo & Hawaiian Style.
Lia’s Lumpia Popup: Pork Belly Ramen Lumpia
THE GOLDEN MARROW®: Truffle, Garlic & Dessert Marrows w/ Noodles.
The Coconut Truck: Black Garlic Noodles, w/ braised oxtail, crispy shallots, and black garlic confit.
The Sandwich Society - Santa Ana: Ramen Grilled Cheese
Laomazing Eats: Bird Nest Noodles w/ Lao Gravy
Mussels and Pearls: Grilled Oysters, toped with garlic, shoyu and crispy noodles
Lettuce Feast: Vegan Fried Chikn Mac n Cheese Po Boy
Ten Asian Bistro
Stay tuned for more vendor updates!

Headlining live music performances include DJ Snoopadelic (AKA Snoop Dogg), Jeffrey Sutorius AKA Dash Berlin, E-40, SEGA Genecide, Yachty by Nature, Coast Club and also favorite personalities from TV, YouTube and Instagram will headline whle professional eaters from around the country will compete in the FOODBEAST Challenger League Noodle Invitational!

Early Bird GA: $40 includes stage and vendor access, with food available for purchase at each vendor.

Get your tickets here:  http://nood-beach.com/

Orange International Street Fair                 

Unless you're a new resident of OC, you've inevitably been to (or at least heard of!) the Orange Street Fair.  Each arm of the circle is basically transformed into a few different countries with local non-profits selling corresponding food and beverages. There's also beer sales and this is pretty much the only time you can walk around the streets of Orange with an open container of alcohol!  To some of us natives, it's basically an annual Labor Day tradition to walk around the transformed circle in old town orange for a few hours with an abelskiver or a teriyaki skewer in one hand and a cold beer in another, all while listening to great local bands. The best part? FREE admission - just be sure to bring cash for the food, beer and parking! 

Hours: 

• Friday, August 30th, 2019
  5pm to 10pm
  Alcohol Sales: 5pm-9pm
• Saturday, August 31st 2019
  10am to 10pm
  Alcohol Sales: 10am-9pm
• Sunday, September 1st 2019
  10am to 10pm
  Alcohol Sales: 10am-9pm

 For more info or to peruse the band schedule, check the website: http://www.orangestreetfair.org

LA Times The Taste   

The LA Times has been putting on The Taste over Labor Day weekend for years, and let's just say they have it down pat! If you don't mind a drive into LA you'll be rewarded by a great festival featuring the best of LA not only handing out samples of their best food, but also doing cooking demos, etc. You'll also see many a celebrity Chef walking around if you're into that sort of thing - I am! ;) 

It's a great festival that I've been to many years and can highly recommend. Well worth the drive to LA.  However, if you're not in the mood for the drive this weekend, The Taste is actually coming to Costa Mesa in October!  

Read more and get your tix to either the LA or OC version here: https://events.latimes.com/taste/

LA Fleet Week - featuring Chef Robert Irvine

It's Fleet Week! Yes, LA has a Fleet Week and it's filled with all kinds of fun events and one of the biggest is Galley Wars on Sunday, September 1st, which is being judged this year by Chef Robert Irvine of Food Network fame. Galley Wars consists of members on competing teams  who will vie for top-chef bragging rights at the competitive, yet friendly gastronomic event. Each team will be tasked with making their best version of a “surf & turf” meat and seafood entrée, two sides and a dessert. No tickets needed but get there early as it's sure to be quite popular! 

LA Fleet Week is located on the LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles in the community of San Pedro, CA. The main event footprint is located next to the Battleship IOWA Museum with all public activities at this location. For specific directions, use 100 Swinford Street, San Pedro, CA or 250 S. Harbor Blvd, San Pedro, CA.

For more info see the Fleet Week website: https://www.lafleetweek.com/

Little Saigon Night Market - Friday, Saturday and Sunday

This is the LAST weekend of the Little Saigon Night Market so if you haven't had a chance to visit this summer this is your LAST chance!

Friday through Sunday night starting at 7pm, the parking lot in front of Westminster’s Asian Garden Mall transforms into a busy street market, with authentic street food, shopping and Vietnamese music. This popular weekend event draws crowds of people looking to enjoy Vietnamese street food, live music and shopping. The market gives an authentic taste of what it would be like at a real asian market. Unlike some of the trendier night markets, it's also FREE and there's even free parking in the back of the mall, and valet parking in front. Go figure. 

Little Saigon Night Market 2019

9200 Bolsa Ave.
Westminster, CA 92683

Fri, Sat. & Sun 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Last day is Sept 1, 2019

More info here: https://www.littlesaigonnow.com/blog/little-saigon-night-market-2019-the-vietnamese-summer-festival-46.html

Holiday Brunch

Additionally a lot of restaurants in OC expand brunch service into Monday on holiday weekends. Tortilla Republic in Laguna Beach, Solita in HB, Old Vine Cafe in CM - just to name a few! 

Have a fabulous food-filled Labor Day weekend and enjoy your extra day off! 

New Restaurant Review: Benchmark in DTSA

Benchmark

Benchmark opened up about a month ago in downtown Santa Ana, in the location previously occupied by Dear Lacy. 

The unique thing about this new restaurants is that's is strictly outdoor dining. I was a tad bit worried the first time I ate here considering how warm it's been this month BUT I'm happy to report that both times eating dinner there at around 6:30 it was perfectly pleasant. This is most likely helped by the full trees and sail shades that cover the majority of the  patio.

It's actually a lovely space which is lit up nicely after dark with edison bulbs which  makes for the perfect summer evening dining. Not sure how they'll handle the colder months, or the little bit of rainy season we get in the OC but for now they seem to be doing quite well. 

I'm not really sure how they came up with the menu as it is a bit of an eclectic mix of a few ethnic dishes with more traditional dishes. It's also not a large menu but there is definitely something for everyone.  I've been a few times now and have tried the majority of the share dishes and quite a few of the entrees. I have to say I've been pretty impressed with everything so far. Here are some of my favorites: 

Braised Pork al Pastor 

The savory braised pork is served on crispy chips with just the right amount of Mexican crema and a slightly kicked-up salsa verde and garnished with thinly chopped cilantro and chiles. 

Artichoke Fondue

This cheesy creation is one of my hands-down favorites at Benchmark. The fondue is creamy and you can absolutely taste the artichoke.  It comes served w the most delicious homemade soft Bavarian pretzels that come to the table warm. They're the perfect accompaniment to the fondue. 

Cheese Board

Burrata, manchego, point reyes blue, house nuts, truffle honey and seasonal fruit compote - how can you go wrong with that combination? ;) 

Another one of my favorites was the Heirloom Tomato Salad with buratta, capers, herb oil and baguette. Fresh and flavorful is the best way to describe this dish! 

Ahi Tuna - This dish surprised me as poke is on just about every menu these days so my expectations were a little low. I was pleasantly surprised by the brightness and freshness this dish exuded. It was also a nice change in texture to bite into the firm edamame and the sriracha aioli. I also loved the unique rice crackers that come with this dish - really tasty and unlike anything I've had before with poke! 

The Gochujang Fried Chicken was also one of my top choices - the flavor was spot on and the chicken itself was cooked perfectly crispy.  I also appreciated that it was served in small pieces so it was easy to share. The cool and creamy napa cabbage & red onion slaw was also the perfect compliment to the spicy chicken! 

So one of my all time favorite desserts is a Butterscotch Pot de Creme and the one at Benchmark definitely hit the mark. The touch of cocoa nibs and sea salt on top really made the butterscotch flavor shine, 

I highly recommend you try this newcomer - you won't be disappointed! 

Benchmark is located at 601 E. Santa Ana Blvd in Santa Ana. 714/480-0228

**Helpful tip: Parking is available behind the restaurant and also at the huge lot one block over on Santa Ana Blvd. over by the Ebell Club that is owned by the restaurant.
More on the website: https://www.loc8nearme.com/california/santa-ana/benchmark/5261793/

Be sure to tell them OCFoodieGirl sent you! ;) 

August Food Happenings!

It's definitely SUMMER and there's lots of fun foodie stuff happening in August! 

The FIRST location of the infamous Marugame Udon from Japan is officially open at South Coast Plaza! If you've never heard of Marugame they're famous for their cafeteria style udon! Served up using fresh in-house made noodles with so many varieties of broth and proteins to try that there's something to please everyone! They also have an impressive row of tempura and misubis - also freshly made as you're going down the line.  The best part? Most of the udon are around $10 and the sides are between $1-$2 so you won't be breaking the bank here!  Marugame is located in the lower level of the former Sears wing in South Coast Plaza, near Casa Barilla. For more info or to peruse the menu check out their website: https://marugameudon.com/

Sunday, August 10th & 11th the LA Tea Festival is happening in downtown at The Reef. A tea lovers' dream come true, the festival unites tea enthusiasts and experts for two days of tea talk and culture, plus the chance to try unique tea pairings, craft tea infused cocktials and purchase local and national teas to your heart's content! 

Get your tickets and sign up for seminars at their website: https://teafestivalla.com/

The 3rd Annual Pacific Wine & Food Classic is right around the corner on August 17th & 18th!  Voted one of the 10 best food festivals in the nation by USA Today, this world class event celebrates summer and the best food and beverages providers in Orange County. This year's line-up includes 60+ restaurants and over 100 tastes experiences all set on the sand at The Newport Dunes in back by. Tickets WILL sell out as they have in past years so if you're thinking about going, be sure to get your tickets SOONER rather than later! Get you tickets here: http://www.pacificwineandfood.com/

Duck Donuts is celebrating their 12th anniversary with a $12 for a dozen of their made-to-order delicious donuts on August 12th! If you haven't tried this North Carolina transplant, there's no better time! They have two locations in OC - one in Irvine (2222 Michelson Drive) and one in Huntington Beach (18591 Main St.). 

There's a NEW craft brewery on the peninsula in Newport Beach, AND it's the ONLY brewery on the peninsula! Helmsman Ale House just opened up and is serving up their new batches featuring IPA and Blondes, along with artfully crafted delicious pub food. Brought to you by local OC Rockstar restaurateur, Mario Marovic, who also owns Country Club, Playa Mesa and many other local eateries it's sure to be a great new addition to the local craft brew scene! 




Located on the peninsula, at 2920 Newport Blvd in NB. Be sure to check it out soon! 😋 
More info on their website: https://www.helmsmanalehouse.com/

AND don't forget the OC Fair is still going on til August 11th so you still have time to fulfill your fair foodie dreams! Open Wednesday through Sunday! See the OC Fair website for more info on events and specific hours: https://ocfair.com/