Duong Son BBQ -- yummy Chinese close to home

Duong Son BBQ

9081 Bolsa Avenue

Westminster, CA 92683

(714) 897-1269

It's been a really long and hard road in trying to find some decent Chinese food in OC and especially a place where the food is reasonably priced as well. Duong Son is run by Vietnamese Chinese folks and their homestyle Chinese cuisine is by far some of the

best I've had in the area. It is not fancy, but very hearty, comforting if you will. Something your mama might make at home.

The meal starts with complimentary Chinese soup which changes daily. To me, this is the best part of going for Cantonese food because the soup usually is a great indicator of how the meal will follow. If your soup is bland and watery, your meal won't be much better either.

We ordered a BBQ combo plate which includes steamed chicken, roasted duck and bbq pork. The latter was very tasty and not too fatty. The duck and chicken were also good, but I don't think I would order those again on subsequent visits since there is just so much offered on

the menu to sample.

Steamed rock cod was tender and just what I was craving. I love steamed fish Chinese style with scallion and soy sauce. I did think they needed a tad more soy sauce as it wasn't salty enough, however, the fish was very fresh which made up for whatever was lacking in the sauce.

Fried tofu is absolutely fantastic -- served with a chili soy sauce -- and it was apparent

because my son devoured the entire plate on his own minus two pieces which we took. This is definitely a keeper.

Chinese broccoli (gai lan) with beef was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Tender pieces of beef stir fried with gai lan with a hint of garlic and ginger -- highly satisfying.

We also ordered salted fish and diced chicken fried rice. Ordinarily, this item is very s

alty, but for some reason, the version here was just right. You could eat it on its own without fear of having a thirst attack later on.

When you're done with your meal, complimentary Chinese dessert is brought to the table. On our visit, it was red bean and sago and in true Chinese tradition, it wasn't super sweet.

Even I, who traditionally stay away from these sorts of things, ended up polishing off my little bowl.

Best of all, the entire meal only set us back around $40 (tip not included) and we still had food leftover to bring home.

If you're feeling like some non-pretentious Chinese food, definitely give Duong Son a try!!

Ambrosia -- An elixir of the cyanide kind

Ambrosia
801 N Main St
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Tel: (714) 550-0811

It was supposed to be a happy evening spent with friends in celebration of a birthday. What transpired was not only bizarre, but an experience I had never encountered, until tonight, in 15+ years as a professional food writer, cookbook author and now, blogger.

As soon as we walked in, we knew it was going to be an interesting evening. The dining room was kitschy like one would find in a 70s restaurant, complete with lounge singer and another accompanying on the piano and synthesizer. The plastic foliage should have been a dead giveaway, but we were marveling at how a restaurant only 3 years old could be so dated in every possible way.

Our server Cesar was the start and end to our problems. The minute he offered us water -- sparkling or still -- and heard we were fine with tap, was the start to the ill-treatment we received. His immediate response was to remove all the wine glasses from the table before we’d even had a chance to peruse the menu or wine list for that matter. Such pre-conceived notions perhaps that maybe, people who like to drink tap water are somehow too gauche to want wine with their dinner is why he removed the wine glasses in the first place?

With the wine glasses, he also promptly removed the a la carte menu leaving us with only the prix fixe version. He then informed us that we all had to order the prix fixe or the a la carte menu—there was no mixing and matching allowed, but if we were to order the prix fixe, then side selections from the a la carte were acceptable.

He started with me when he took the orders and after I had selected my appetizer and entree, proceeded to ask what I would like for my dessert off the prix fixe. I asked him if I had to tell him right now and his answer? ABSOLUTELY YES! I sighed and gave him my response.

Our appetizers of flambed shrimp and beet salad were so-so. It didn’t blow us away, but they were just average. The general manager who flamed our shrimp is an eccentric Frenchmen who actually gave a damn about our dining experience. He was pleasant and inquired about our meal a couple of times throughout the evening.

However, when our entrees arrived, we realized that every one of our meals were cold. The plates they were served on were cold. Not only that, but the steak frites was ordered medium and arrived rare. The most bizarre thing was that the meat tasted off. It had the gameyness of unfresh meat. I immediately spat it out.

Incredibly, the braised Colorado lamb was not gamey at all, but I was surprised that it arrived like a ragout served with undercooked pappardelle which only needed a minute more in the water for it to have been perfect. Such a waste of homemade pasta too.

I found it strange that seabass could be overcooked since it’s such an oily fish. I cook it all the time at home and never have I found seabass to turn out dry. But there is always the first time for everything.

When a busboy inquired about our meal we informed him that the steak was not edible. His immediate response was an apology, followed by a ‘what would you like me to do’, and then ending with the shirking of responsibility off to the kitchen stating he took no part in preparing the meal. He did say he would send a manager over.

What we got was Cesar who says to my friend “I see you’re going to take your dinner home”. My friend with the steak shook her head and told him no. He then replied “that’s good news since we’ve run out of ‘to-go’ boxes and I was going to suggest you finish it since you won’t be able to take it home”.

Perhaps it was just as well that my friend didn’t understand his sarcasm but it wasn’t lost on the birthday girl who was quietly seething away. We didn’t even know how angry she was until the general manager stopped by before she let loose her contempt for Cesar.

Not having a good meal happens sometimes. Kitchens have bad nights, it’s totally understandable. But if you’re working at the front of the house, it’s your job to make sure your diners are having a good time regardless of how the food is. Not only did we have a subpar meal, but the blatantly rude behavior of Cesar just pushed us over the top.

Although the GM ended up comping out meal, it was too little too late. The birthday celebration was ruined. The birthday girl was devastated, and birthdays only come around once a year!

*I have never been so distracted that I didn't even feel like taking photos, but as you can see there is only one photo to accompany this entry and a shoddy one at that*

Pizzeria Ortica -- molto bellissimo

Pizzeria Ortica
650 Anton Blvd
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 445-4900
www.pizzeriaortica.com

I had driven by this place several times and often wondered what it was all about, so when my son wanted pizza today, I suggested we try this place out since it seems to be a pizzeria by its name.

Upon entry, I immediately took to the long dining room, something one hardly sees out here in southern California, but quite prevalent in New York City restaurants. Our server was a really lovely gal named Justene who was knowledgeable about the menu and was pleasant throughout our entire meal.

We ordered salsiccia e finnocchio pizza, Angelino panini and two starters, polipo e patate and verdure al forno con burrata to share. Foccaccia is brought to the table with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. My son immediately loved the olive oil. He said it was good olive oil and he would know since we've been to other Italian restaurants where he's said the olive oil was gross. The balsamic wasn't as aged as it could've been since it was a little too tart on the palate.

Our appetizers arrived shortly. The polipo e patate, or charred Mediterranean octopus served with Yukon potatoes, capers and celery hearts didn't look pretty but it sure tasted good. We loved the tartness of the dressing and the chewiness of the octopus. The grilled vegetables with burrata comprised of zucchini, red peppers, sweet peppers and cippolini onions and a nice lump of burrata. We loved this immensely.

We came for the pizza and when it arrived we were not disappointed. This is the type of pizza I like, with a nice crust and not too much toppings. I really dislike American pizza because the toppings overflow and the pizza is greasy as hell. Here, the toppings are used sparingly like they do in Italy, just enough to flavor without overkill. The house made sausage was nicely flavored, but what I loved most about this particular pizza was the caramelised fennel.

Angelino panini comprised of a very moist piece of chicken breast with oven roasted tomatoes and crispy pancetta. I thought the panini bread was too soft which resulted in the sandwich becoming soggy too quickly. The bread was also too thick which made it hard to bite into the entire sandwich. Other than that, it tasted delicious. If they could figure out a way to keep the bread intact, this would have been an almost perfect sandwich.

We were even tempted enough to have some dessert -- ricotta al forno -- ricotta cheese cake topped with berries and served in a fig sauce reduction. The first thing which struck me about this was that it wasn't sweet at all. I would've loved it had the ricotta cake been softer and moister. Ricotta is on the dry side so without adding anything else to it would mean that it had a crumbled texture rather than a smooth texture. I like how they were true to using only ricotta, but texturally, it wasn't to my liking.

Service was great. I really liked Justene and I hope when we return again, we'll have her serve us or have someone equally good. There is validated parking in the back as well so it makes it convenient for diners not to have to circle around trying to find street parking. The portions are European-style, which means you're not going to get gargantuan proportions, but it also means that your final tab might be slightly higher than you anticipated. However, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal here and we'll definitely be back to try some other things on the menu.

Mariscos Puerto Esperanza -- marvelous-o

Mariscos Puerto Esperanza
1724 N Tustin St Orange, CA 92856
(714) 998-3599

I never thought I was going to say this, but this is a Mexican restaurant like no any other I've ever experienced. The decor was wonderfully festive with vibrant colors and the warm welcome we received from the server added to the experience. This place specializes in seafood but they offer meat dishes as well.

Chips and salsa are brought out quickly as well as drinks if you're having them. The salsa is smokey and flavorful with a good kick to it. We had to get this refilled three times, that's how good it was.

Since a friend of mine steered me towards this place, I went ahead and ordered something she recommended -- the bistec encebollado -- for my son since he's not a fan of seafood. Hubby and I got fish -- him, Salmon Yucatan, me, Pescado Zarandeado Robalo (striped bass). Both fish dishes are cooked on banana leaves which not only makes for wonderful presentation, but also, an aroma that enhances the dish further.

We started off with ensalada fiesta, a simple salad comprising of romaine lettuce, julienned carrots and jicama, tomato wedges, and the main attraction -- grilled nopales or cactus. The citrusy dressing was outstanding. It was simple and that's what makes it so special.... nothing too complicated or heavy. Just some olive oil with some citrus and jalapeno.

It took a while for our entrees to arrive and we knew they were cooking it with care. We could see them doing it at the open kitchen, the two chefs giving the food their loving touch. When our entrees arrived we were first blown away by how lovely the dishes looked. This is new for us since we usually go to hole-in-the-wall Mexican establishments where food tastes good but may not be as appealing on the eye. But none of that here. Everything was beautiful and tasted just as delicious if not better. Bistec encebollado was grilled to perfection. An ample piece of pounded steak topped with sauteed onions, peppers and salsa fresca served with your choice of rice -- and there are two types -- or black beans and grilled vegetables.

My striped bass was huge. In fact, it was enough for two. This isn't a cheap dish at $15/lb and my fish alone was $25, but it was well worth it. The orange sauce was tart, sweet, salty, the perfect accompaniment. Served with salsa fresca and pickled onions and carrots with sliced avocados, the mix of all the flavors come together like a burst on your palate.

I'm not a fan of salmon so I did not enjoy hubby's dish as much, but then again, I would never order salmon so it doesn't matter anyway. His dish was a little sweet since it was topped with a roasted corn and grilled cactus relish but he enjoyed it very much.

The server brought out a separate dish of sides for us to share -- I thought that was the nicest gesture! The portions were huge so we couldn't finish everything. But one thing's for sure.... this is on my top three places for Mexican food!

Manhattan Supper Club -- money not quite well spent

Manhattan Supper Club
202 S Main Street
Orange, CA 92868
(714) 978-6161
www.manhattansupperclub.com

If you're tired of restaurants in strip malls or restaurants in big malls, then try this place. It's definitely not in a mall. In fact, it is housed in its own 'cottage' which gives it a charming feel. The minute we were seated I felt like I was dining in someone's home. The man helping us was friendly, perhaps a little too comfortable the way he approached me and the way he touches your shoulder or your back when he addressed me. Things like that don't really bother me but I know it bothers some people I know.

Foccacia is brought out to the table -- warm -- with a soft spread should you wish to use it. This was indeed a hit with everyone, especially my son who was famished. After ordering, the first course arrived in great time as everyone was ready to dig in. My French onion soup was pretty decent with nice chunks of onions in a hearty soup base. It's not as good as the one at Pescadou Bistro, but it's still tasty. Beet salad was lovely, although for some reason, I prefer chunks of beets in a salad rather than sliced, which is how they do it here. It may just be me, but I find that it gives a completely different appeal to the taste of the beets themselves.

Butternut squash ravioli were really salty. It was obvious that they were seasoned with sea salt, which would have worked well had it been a little less heavy and more evenly distributed. Wild mushroom risotto on the other hand was under seasoned, which is better in my opinion since you can add salt to your dish. It's impossible to remove salt when it is already on your food.

Interestingly, the girls at the table all ordered fish while the guys all ordered steaks. I tried two of the steaks: the 14 oz prime New York and the 24 oz Cowboy Rib Eye. You would think that the more expensive steak -- the rib eye at $55 -- would have more flavor than the New York -- $42 -- but that wasn't the case. I found the New York to be very agreeable in flavor -- meaty and succulent -- while the rib eye was bland and unimpressive.

Macadamia nut crusted halibut was well executed with the fish being flaky and moist. I'm not a huge fan of fruit as an accompaniment whether it be in a sauce or on the side so this dish is not one I would choose since it comes with a dollop of fresh mango atop the halibut. This dish reminds me of something Roy Yamaguchi would serve in his restaurants.

Sesame crusted ahi tuna was plain disgusting. The quality of the ahi was not good enough to serve it so rare. The strong fishiness of the ahi made it almost impossible to swallow. This confirms my philosophy of not ordering ahi or salmon at a restaurant. I don't eat ahi tuna or salmon unless I'm at a high end sushi restaurant and these are the only two types of fish I don't like cooked.

My friend's blackened mahi mahi was very salty so she sent it back. All I tasted was salt and nothing else. I couldn't even taste the fish. The man serving us -- which I presume is one of the owners -- came and took it away and brought back a freshly cooked one without the copious amount of seasoning. This time, the fish was perfectly cooked with really good flavors. I was able to distinguish the natural taste of the fish instead of just salt. The second time around was perfect!

Idaho trout (apparently on the lunch menu but they were very obliging and made if for me anyway when I requested it) was my favorite out of the four fish dishes. Although it was topped with so much cherry tomato halves and asparagus sprigs you couldn't even see the fish when it arrived, once I tasted the trout, I was very pleased with my choice. The fish was tender and moist and there was a lot of garlic which is a plus for me since I love it so much.

Manhattan Supper Club is a nice romantic spot to bring a date you wish to impress. The menu is a hit and miss, but from what I gather, if you order the right things, you could very well have an outstanding meal. Order the wrong items and your experience could be disastrous.

Apart from a few hiccups such as not bringing my trout with the rest of the party's entrees and screwing up the charges on two credit cards, I would say they tried their best to accommodate us without much fuss. Prices are on the steep side -- not quite on par with the food you get, but like I've stipulated before, it's a great place if you want to impress. If you just want an excellent meal which you won't have to pay an arm and a leg for, then this isn't for you.

Capital Seafood -- ushering in the year of the ox

Capital Seafood
2700 Alton Parkway, Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 252-8188

Chinese New Year 2009, year of the Ox. For me, Chinese New Year has never been the same since I moved away from Asia. The first day of new year is always a time shared with family, friends and relatives, enjoying good food and great company. In America, it is a day like any other, most people have to go to work and there isn't that feeling of celebration in the air. I was about to just spend it at home when a friend asked us to go to dinner at Capital Seafood which had recently opened in Irvine.

I was surprised at how 'luxurious' the restaurant looked on the inside. It reminded us of how restaurants looked like in Vegas. The servers were very polite -- maybe a little TOO polite as they came over to take our order. Everyone had ideas as to what they wanted to eat so we ended up with a lazy Susan full of food.

Peking duck is on special from Monday to Friday for dinner at a ridiculously low price of $13. I'm not sure how long this will last, but for as long as they have this special, you should just order it. The duck isn't fatty at all and the skin is really quite lovely sandwiched between the soft pillowy buns they give you. Add a dollop of hoisin sauce, a few strips of scallions and take a bite!! It's really quite delicious!

We also tried their barbecued items: roast pork, cha siu and soya chicken. All three were above average although I thought the ginger scallion sauce was very weak. I make a far better one than the one they serve here.

Fish maw and crab meat soup was quite tasty as well. They use real crab although it did taste like it had been previously frozen, but at least they didn't use imitation crab. They were also pretty generous with the fish maw.

Japanese style mushrooms and tofu was delicious! It was served with broccoli florets and drizzled with an oyster sauce. The tofu was so soft and silky while the mixed mushrooms consisted of various Japanese mushrooms like shimeiji, King oyster, shiitake and button.

Salt & pepper chicken wings -- a favorite of my friend's -- is an appetizer and they do it extremely well here. The exterior is crispy and dry while the inside is nice and moist. I detected a few chicken 'hairs' as one would at any respectable Chinese establishment, so I as lucky I found one without those extras if you know what I mean.

Honey walnut shrimp is a dish I detest! However, everyone wanted it so it was fine by me. I did try it and I'll have to say it was one of the better ones I've tasted. I do not like mayonaise which is probably why I usually don't like this dish, however, they weren't heavy handed with the mayo and the shrimp were very crispy and fresh. The weirdest part of it all was that there were diced cantaloupe and honeydew melon in this dish as well.

The only disappointing item of the evening was the steamed tilapia. Not only did it take forever to arrive, but the seasoning was just wrong. First of all they didn't use the right type of soy sauce, secondly, they didn't use enough of it, and thirdly they did not use scalding hot oil to drizzle over the top of the scallions to give it that finishing touch. Very very disappointing especially when they had actually steamed the fish to perfection.

We were all quite pleased that Irvine finally has a decent Chinese restaurant and although we weren't happy with the steamed fish, we unanimously felt that everything else we had was very good. We'll definitely have to come back for dim sum next time to see how that compares.

Uyen Thy Bistro -- bridging two cultures

Uyen Thy Bistro,
9039 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 898-9889

I suddenly realized I've been too focused on a certain type of Vietnamese cuisine -- noodles, salads, rolls, the more ethnic varieties if you may, but I've failed to give the French-inspired Vietnamese food much thought. So today, with a friend in tow, we traipsed down to Uyen Thy for something a little more Indochine.

Uyen Thy's interior was a little more casual than I had expected since it touts itself as being a 'bistro'. However, it's got that charm one would find at Lulu's Creperie in Laguna Hills or Cafe Casse Croute in Anaheim. We decided upon the chicken curry, beef stew and the fried chicken with two types of rice. Since the chicken was served with rice, we opted for baguettes to go with the other dishes.

The food arrived pretty quickly since almost everything was precooked and on the steam table. I wish they had served it at a piping hot temperature, so maybe next time, we'll have them heat it up a bit more before bringing it out.

Chicken curry tasted just like the Asian style chicken curries I've had in Hong Kong -- good flavor, but the sauce was a little watery. However, that didn't deter me from dipping it with a piece of baguette and popping it into my mouth. Beef stew looked like its western counterpart, but there was a distinctive difference in the taste and that was in the use of star anise as a spice. Both of these dishes tasted like something my mom would cook. It had that homey effect, something which gave me a sense of comfort, like an old blanket I had grown up with, or a stuffed toy which I had shared a good part of my childhood with.

If you like fried foods, then the ga ro ti (fried chicken) will nevertheless be the piece de resistance to your meal. Three pieces of perfectly fried chicken -- crispy skin with moist flesh -- served with three pieces of fried sticky rice and two sticks of bamboo filled with purple rice. This purple rice is a result of mixing sticky rice with black sticky rice and has a slightly sweet taste to it. My favorite was the fried sticky rice triangles. A garlic soy sauce was served alongside as a dipping accompaniment which you can use for the chicken, the sticky rice or all three.

So even though French-Vietnam may be a thing of the past, the cuisine of this era long gone lingers in the food of Uyen Thy. The menu is large and extensive, French-influenced, Vietnamese, or just plain French, regardless of what you choose, you can be sure the food will be reassuringly good.

(note: MSG definitely detected, but it wasn't overpowering enough to send me into a food coma, but I was very thirsty for hours after)

Hue Rendezvous -- Come for only one thing

Hue Rendezvous
15562 Brookhurst Street, Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 775-7192

Came here with a friend of mine who is a regular. She says that although she comes here all the time, most of the items aren't stellar. In fact, she only eats a few things -- the same things -- every time she comes here.

The first thing I noticed was that the owners aren't too excited about servicing their customers. They were all huddled at a table near the register around a laptop, too preoccupied with themselves than their customers. But when my friend came in, one of them hurriedly came over and took our order.

We came here for the com ga bop, a chicken salad dish served with a side of burnt rice. The rice is from the bottom of the pot which is charred and crispy. I absolutely love this stuff. It's like the bottom of a dolsot bibibap pot. It's the crunchy bits I go back for over and over again. Here, chiffonade cabbage, onions, lettuce, cilantro with pieces of steamed chicken is eaten with nuoc mam (sweet fish sauce) with bits of this crispy rice. It is refreshing and very healthy.

Banh beo or rice cake with various toppings is a filler my friend orders. A crushed rice powder mix is poured into these little plates, steamed, and topped with toppings such as ground dried shrimp, scallions and sometimes, fried pork rind. Put a little bit of nuoc mam into the plate, scoop, eat, repeat. Each order comes with about 10 dishes. These aren't the best I've had, but I like how the layer of steamed rice cake is very thin.

We finished by sharing a bowl of bun bo hue, or, spicy beef noodles Hue style. I actually had bun bo hue yesterday so I was able to do a good comparison. In fact, I love bun bo hue so I think I know what good bun bo hue tastes like. The one here is pretty weak. The broth isn't very flavorful or rich, but the noodles are a good texture. They also don't give you an interesting plate of accompaniment, just some old bean sprouts which I didn't use, and some chiffonade lettuce, two chunks of lime. Generally a variety of herbs are given to add to the flavor of the broth -- more authentic places give you banana blossoms. I wouldn't order bun bo hue again at this place.

If you do come here, just eat the com ga bop. I've never had this dish anywhere else but here. My friend tells me another restaurant in lil Saigon has it, but it's better here.

Park Avenue -- name does not match experience

Park Avenue
11200 Beach Blvd Stanton, CA 90680 (714) 901-4400
www.parkavedining.com

Heard all these good things about Park Avenue, so when a friend decided to have her birthday celebrations there, I was excited and eager to be part of it. Our medium sized group of eight arrived with the exception of one who was lagging behind due to a flight delay, but it didn't matter. We took the time to settle into our seats and perused the menu while we waited.

Bread baskets and water were brought out and whipped butter both plain and with bits of orange cranberry dotted the little plates. I tasted the bread and was immediately impressed by it -- great flavor and I liked how the butter enhanced and complemented the bread.

While waiting we decided to order some appetizers to share. Tenderloin bites and lobster corn fritters were both outstanding. The menu stated that the tenderloin bites were marinated with soy, lime and garlic and it was obvious by the first bite. Not only were these bite sized beef chunks tender and moist, but extremely flavorful. And although I couldn't taste the lobster in the fritters, they were just the right texture -- not too hard or too soft -- and fried perfectly. This made me even more excited about the meal ahead.

Soon, we all placed our main course orders and waited for our meals to arrive. Given that there were this many of us, I wasn't really fazed by the length of time we waited. Our bread baskets had been empty a long time and while our water carafes were refilled over and over again, the bread basket had been sitting there bare for more than 30 mins now. I brought this to the attention of our server who said he would take care of it. A few minutes turned into more than 10, until the birthday girl finally brought it to our server's attention again. He informed her that he was waiting for the baguette to be ready so it could be served alongside the cranberry bread. I guess she told him it wasn't necessary and to bring it out as is because we got our bread pretty soon after that.

When our main courses arrived I noticed that none of us who ordered steaks or chops had steak knives. In fact, there wasn't even a regular knife since we had used it for the appetizers. I quickly pointed this out as I really didn't like eating cold food and it was cooling down each second the knives weren't on the table. Our server murmured apologies regarding the lack of knives and his reasoning was because they were being polished. Just a sorry about that would have sufficed.

The other thing which was rather obvious was the fact that the main courses had that outdated feel about them. Presentation was seriously lacking -- practically non-existent. My NY steak was just sitting there with thin carrot ribbons on one side and scalloped potatoes on the other. The other diners' meals were the same: mixed grill was just the three items alongside mashed potatoes with the same thin ribboned carrots. No imagination in the presentation whatsoever.

I could've overlooked the presentation had the food blown me away. After eating the appetizers I was sorely disappointed by my main course. This being a 'steak and chop' house, the steak was subpar beyond belief. My steak was flavorless. At first I thought, well maybe they forgot to season it. I picked up the salt on the table and I shook my head when I saw it was the regular type of table salt. Luckily, I carry a salt grinder in my purse filled with sea salt. I sprinkled some onto my steak but it really didn't help much. The steak still remained pretty bland. We'd just returned from Vegas and I had a $10 steak which tasted far better than this almost $30 steak at Park Ave. In fact, I didn't finish my meal. My husband ate my scalloped potatoes and my son had some of my steak. I even left a piece unfinished on my plate. I rarely waste food, but I will not hesitate to leave inedible food behind. It was unfortunate that this was one of those times.

My husband's lamb chops were okay, still not the best I've ever had. I've bought lamb chops from Whole Foods which were more tasty. All in all, I think disappointed is too lax a word to use for this experience. Maybe after hearing the hype, I just expected a whole lot more. Maybe, because their prices were above average, I expected more. Maybe because Park Avenue presents itself to be a little more sophisticated, I'd expected service to be on par with that aspect, but again, I was let down. Everything was really mediocre at best -- the food, the service. The only redeeming factor was that the birthday girl enjoyed her main course -- swordfish. That was really the most important thing.

Would I come back again? Probably not for dinner. There's a different menu at lunch time -- perhaps that would be better? I don't know. But what I do know is that Park Avenue does not live up to the hype, nor does the quality of food vs cost ratio go hand in hand. I'm left feeling cheated by a lackluster meal with uninspiring service for a price which really doesn't justify the goods we received.

Hangari Kalgooksu -- carbo overload Korean style

Hangari Kalgooksu
9916 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92844
(714) 537-0100

Every cuisine has its own comfort food and to me, a bowl of noodles regardless of region is always soothing on a cold day. Located in Orange County's Koreatown, Garden Grove, Hangari Kalgooksu serves its namesake, kalgooksu, or soup noodles. The restaurant is clean and bright, the clientele, all Korean. At first I felt a tad intimidated by the paper place mat with the menu all in Korean printed on it. I was thinking it's going to be a challenge ordering today. I then took a photo of the menu and texted it to a girlfriend to see if she could make light of it.

When my friends arrived, they were the ones who found the English menu on the table on the other side of the Korean menu. Yes, it's too early in the morning for me. After perusing and discussing, we decided on three items to share... the #1 which was kalgooksu -- seafood noodles in soup, #2 jangtuhgooksu -- noodles with vegetables was what we were told, and #7 ddukmandoogook -- dumplings with rice cakes in soup. A small tureen of kimchi was brought out and believe it or not, it was positively THE BEST kimchi I've ever tasted. Here, they use bok choy instead of napa cabbage and the texture is lovely.The spice was also perfect with just the right amount of kick even my 8 year old was eating it up.

A small plate of steamed barley was brought out for each of us. We ate it with the kimchi and it was delicious. The barley was nutty and textural-wise and while eating it I was wondering why other restaurants didn't serve it like that.

The noodles soon arrived piping hot in earthen bowls. Kalgooksu was quite tasty with slices of king oyster mushroom, shrimp, seaweed, scallions. Ddukmandoogook had dumplings and rice cake ovalettes in it. And while jangtuhgooksu looked the prettiest, it appealed the least to all of us. The noodles were thin somen noodles and were too mushy. It also soaked up a lot of the broth too quickly. We left most of that uneaten. Everyone agreed that the kalgooksu was far better. Mandoo, or dumplings, were outstanding as I was told, since I never got to them in time. My son ended up eating the dumplings and nothing else so I'm certain the dumplings were fantastic. This kid has a palate like no other kid his age.

The noodles are accompanied with a small plate of chili paste which you can add to your noodles at your own leisure. There are also 3 jars of different chili concoctions on the table, including sea salt should you need more to season your noodles. This way, everyone can season their own noodles according to their own taste. I liked the one with the chopped chilis because it was on the spicy side and I love spicy foods.

Hangari Kalgooksu is wonderful for a hearty lunch with family as their portions are large enough to share. Other items on the menu are various tempura, steamed mandoo and fried mandoo. Next time, we'll definitely get a platter of the steamed mandoo and tempura, but we'll have to bring a few more friends along to share in the festivities!

My obsession with Vietnamese food part 1

I've decided to periodically pay homage to some of my favorite Vietnamese dishes simply because I'm totally addicted to this cuisine. I find that I must somehow satiate my desire at least twice or three times a week, so I might as well document my constant hunt for the next Vietnamese dish so you can also partake on some of these delicious findings.

I'm going to start with cha ca thang long -- dill turmeric fish. This dish is always served with a plateful of fresh greens including lettuce, mint, perilla leaves and cilantro -- the variation may change depending on where you go but you'll be sure to get some, if not all of the herbs. A little plate of peanuts and sesame seed cracker are also given as well as a plate of rice vermecelli and a small bowl of shrimp paste sauce.

I'm not sure if there is a correct way to eat it, but what I like to do is to layer the bottom of my bowl with some vermecelli, then drizzle some shrimp paste sauce on it before I break apart the various greens and top with the fish and wilted onions and dill. The shrimp paste sauce can be intimidating to the untrained palate as it is slightly pungent, and doesn't look very appetizing. However, if you can get over that, it is what binds the entire dish together.

Cha ca thang long is not a cheap dish -- generally it's around $13 although the highest I've come across has been $15. There are quite a few places which serve it up, and I'm sure I've only scratched the surface of what's available out there, but here are just a sampling of what I've found.

Ha Noi
(9082 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683 Ph: 714-901-8108)
When the original owners still were in charge, this place had some of the best dill turmeric fish around. I was never partial to catfish, but somehow, the way they prepared it here was that the marinade took away any of the muddy taste which lingered on the flesh. Under new ownership, the fish no longer tastes as good, nor is it as tender. The accompanying shrimp paste sauce is also very watery tasting.

Vien Dong
(14271 Brookhurst Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843 Ph: 714-531-8253)
One of the first places to offer up this dish, Vien Dong's version uses snapper instead of catfish. My husband really liked the version here, but I thought it was just okay. I didn't like the shrimp paste sauce here and that is essential in how the whole thing ends up tasting.

Ha Noi Avenue
(8432 Westminster Blvd, Westminster, CA 92683 Ph: 714-898-8838)
The original owners of Ha Noi restaurant recently opened Ha Noi Avenue serving up dishes using their old recipes. Catfish is used here and it's as moist and tender as I remembered when I first had it at the old location. Although it is slightly greasy, the fresh dill and sliced onions are perfectly charred and caramelized because the sizzling platter always arrives splattering from the heat. The shrimp paste sauce here is about as perfect as you'll get with the right amount of savoriness to sweetness.

Canton aka Chao Ca Cho Cu
(8550 Westminster Ave, Westminster, CA 92683 Ph: 714-892-2022)
To date, this is my favorite place for cha ca thang long. I'm not 100% sure what kind of fish they use here -- could be snapper, could be sole -- but it's damn good! The fish is moist and very tender and all the accompanying sides are fresh and flavorful. This is also the most expensive one of all topping out at $14.99 and the portion isn't any bigger than at the other restaurants. The reason why this place takes first place over Ha Noi Avenue is because I am not a huge fan of catfish. Otherwise, in terms of flavor, I'd say Ha Noi Avenue is the best all around.

Fukada -- Comfort food without the guilt

Fukada
8683 Irvine Center Drive Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 341-0111

In Irvine, good food is really hard to come by. For some odd reason, we have one of the best school districts in the country, which attracts families, which attracts money etc, but they can't for some reason attract restaurants which serve up great food. Go figure.

Fukada is the exception -- when it is in a good mood that is. Most of the time, Fukada has great food, except when it has less than stellar food. When that happens, it's not a good experience.

It is a very popular lunch time destination with lines forming before the restaurant even opens at 11.30am. Fifteen minutes upon opening, the restaurant is already at full capacity. Sucks to be you if you arrive just a few minutes too late to snatch up the last table.

They have a pretty good sized menu, but most people go for the lunch combos which are about $10 or less. These give you the option of a noodle and a don (rice bowl), or a salad with slices of seared raw fish with your choice of 3 rice bowls. Some of the selections include unagi-don (eel), spicy tuna don, ten-don (tempura), curry-don and a few others. With the salad selection you can choose only from spicy tuna don and 2 types of rolls. For an extra $2, you can choose any of the other choices available. The same combo is offered at dinner time, but for a few dollars more.

A white board also offers special combos which claims to be daily specials. Only thing is, I've only seen these choices change twice in the years we've been coming here. If you wish to order a la carte, the menu has entrees such as teriyaki chicken and salmon. However, noodles and tempura are their specialty. Fukada makes its own noodles -- specifically, udon. Although I prefer soba (buckwheat noodles) over udon, they often are a hit and miss. On my last visit, they tasted like the flour to buckwheat ratio was off, hence, doughy and hard at the same time. Weird texture just kills it for me.

If you're ordering a la carte, appetizers, entrees and dessert, with a drink or two, be ready to shell out a hefty amount because the portions are on the small side. We've paid close to $100 tip included for a party of 3 at dinner. Of course, if you stick with the combos, it's still a really great deal.

Service could be better but it all depends on who is working that day. However, no matter what the service, you can be sure the food will fly out of the kitchen because they want you in and out faster than you can shout 'oishi' so they can begin the next round of diners waiting in the wings.

Pho the record -- the good, the bad and the ugly

My favorite thing to eat on a cold day is a piping hot bowl of pho, and the only place to eat pho is in lil Saigon -- mainly Westminster, but the main drag, Brookhurst, sits in between the cities of Westminster and Garden Grove. You'll find a restaurant on one side of the street with their address in one city and one across the way in another.

I've had my share of nasty pho, mediocre pho, as well as decent pho, but what I really want is a perfect bowl of pho. To me, the perfect bowl comprises of al dente noodles, broth that is so hot your mouth will burn if you tried to sip it too quickly, and fresh condiments to accompany it with. Another important aspect is the broth, which ideally should have a hearty beefy taste without being murky or greasy. I never knew it was such a difficult task to find this perfection until I went searching for it.

One of my favorite places for pho is Pho 79 (9941 Hazard Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92643. Ph: 714-531-2490). Now, don't be fooled by the other places boasting the 79 name. They are all imposters! Only the location on Hazard has the good pho. The version here is a rich, deep, broth filled with the strong aromas of star anise. My experience has been better later on in the day rather than when they first open at 8am. The broth is a lot stronger around lunch time. The only thing I dislike is the copious use of MSG at Pho 79. Be sure you have some time to wait because this place is always packed. I've had to wait for a table most often than not even during off-peak hours.

If you wish to avoid the MSG factor, try Pho 86 (10528 McFadden Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843. Ph: 714-531-0512). You'll get a scorchingly hot bowl of pho with fresh basil, ngo gai leaves (or sawtooth herb), beansprouts and jalapenos. The broth is flavorful without being oily and has a rich finish -- not as intense as Pho 79's, but very very satisfying! For about $5 you will leave highly contented without to deal with MSG coma later!

Pho Quang Trung (10072 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843. Ph: 714-638-2286) is one of those places even hardcore grandmas agree has pretty decent pho when they don't feel like making it themselves. They get quite busy around lunch time so try to get there early or late.

If you're on a tight budget, you might wish to consider Hoa Binh (14472, Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92842 Ph: 714-531-3088) and Pho Vinh Ky 2 (14390 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92842 Ph: 714-531-4965). Both are decent enough for what you pay. Hoa Binh has two daily specials each day at 50% off the regular price, while Vinh Ky has pho bo or beef pho at around $3.99 a bowl.

Pho Lu (10141 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843 Ph: 714-539-7979) and the sister location of Pho 86 off McFadden Ave (14576 Brookhurst Ave, Westminster, CA 92683 Ph: 714-839-4591) also have decent pho -- not too much MSG and a tasty, flavorful broth. The latter serves a perfect portion for me, not too large and they are very generous with the meat just like the McFadden location except their broth isn't serve as scorchingly hot.

I've discovered that just because a place has "pho" in its name, doesn't necessarily mean it has good pho. Sometimes, it's pretty goddamn awful. Generally, I trust my Vietnamese friends for recommendations, but mostly, it's simply by trial and error. Sometimes, I just stop at a place I've never been to and take my chances. When it's truly awful, I just don't eat it. There's nothing worse than having to eat something disgusting when there is so much good food out there. I know my mom would've slapped me silly 20 years ago had I left a bowl of anything because it didn't taste good. These days, she knows better. My motto is, "why waste your stomach space for something unpalatable? You only get 3 meals a day, make them great!"

My motto came into full effect when I was faced with inedible fare at Pho Thanh Lich (14500 Brookhurst St, Westminster, CA 92684 Ph: 714-531-5789). The broth was coated with a layer of grease and had the murkiness of a river bed when disturbed. The worst part was it tasted like offal. I passed!

Another less than desirable establishment is Pho Thang Long (9550 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683 Ph: 714-839-4955), which has extremely high volume in the wee hours of the night because it's one of the few places in lil Saigon open until 3am. I'm told their pho is a hit and miss, but unfortunately for me, it was definitely a miss. Overcooked noodles were squashed into a bowl too small for the volume. Measly portions of meat shared space with overbearing noodles trying hard to garner attention, but without much luck. The ratio was a lose lose situation for the meat and flavorless broth. Very soon, the noodles soaked up all the liquid leaving them in a pile of white clumpy mess.

But pho isn't only restricted to beef pho or pho bo. Chicken pho or pho ga is also very tasty. My favorite can be found at Pho Dakao (15532 Ward St, Garden Grove, CA 92843 Ph: 714-531-2009). The chicken is freshly slaughtered each day, and poached so perfectly that even the white meat is moist and tender. For the hardcore foodie, get it with all the special ingredients such as chicken heart, liver, gizzard and intestines. I love the gizzard, but not the other stuff. You can order your pho with white or dark meat and they serve it on a separate plate with a garlic sauce for dipping.

Alternatively, pho ga at Pho Nguyen Hue (10487 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92684 Ph: 714-839-8916) is not too bad. Here, you can ask for bun (rice vermecelli) instead of pho noodles. Some restaurants won't allow you to substitute.

Eating is very subjective and regardless of what I may think, there will always be others who will beg to differ. All I can say is, if you are a fan of pho, go try it out. That's the only way you'll know if you like it!

Antoine's Cafe -- Breakfast? Anyone?

Antoine's Cafe
218 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672
(949) 492-1763
www.san-clemente-beaches.com/AntoinesCafe.html

Antoine's Cafe is definitely vibrant on the weekends. People were waiting on the benches and chairs outside ranging from bikers to military personnel from nearby San Onofre/Camp Pendleton. There is a slight wait, no more than 15 minutes, but be sure to step inside and put your name down on the waiting list. Inside the cafe, a cozy but bustling dining room offers booths as well as tables and counter seating, while outside, plastic chairs and tables are available for those who enjoy fresh air and/or are accompanied by their furry companions.

So, eating breakfast, out, two days in a row -- not something I ordinarily do unless I'm on vacation, but yes, the breakfast fan -- my other half -- didn't get to brunch at Plum's Cafe yesterday so this was his consolation prize this weekend. After the eggs Benedict yesterday, I felt like I shouldn't order the same thing again, but was glad my husband did -- and no, I did not have to twist his arm either. I had my eye on the highly recommended fish tacos. Our little man choose French toast, homemade sausage patties and a fried egg.

Our server started off in an abrupt manner. Initially, we troubled her because the coffee cup was dirty -- there was some green residue on the rim. then, a knife had some sticky stuff on it and a fork had butter stuck to the handle. When I requested clean silverware, she grabbed them off the table and then brought some back without saying a word. I was feeling like maybe I'd made a bad choice about eating here. I'm not one who enjoys a leisurely Sunday morning to turn south before my food even hits the table. Then I started to worry -- "what if the food wasn't up to par?" But those thoughts were quickly quashed when we started eating.

My fish taco plate had 3 tacos with generous chunks of albacore tuna, avocado, a sprinkling of some cooked peppers and onions and a hefty topping of cilantro and salsa. They bring you additional salsa in a small cup should you feel you require more. Every ingredient, from the fish to the avocado was very fresh. I only wished they had a spicier sauce, a salsa roja, perhaps, to complete these tasty tacos. Still, for a non-Mexican place, these were pretty good. If you don't like cilantro or raw red onions, let them know, because they REALLY pile it on here. I, on the other hand, love it -- the more the better.

I guess I shouldn't have tasted the eggs Benedict because right after, I immediately regretted not ordering it. The English muffin was toasted to a crispness I'd never experienced before. It was just amazing because when you get a mouthful of the muffin together with a piece of the ham (sorry, no Canadian bacon here either) and a morsel of the poached egg, the textural sensation is just incredible. Don't get me wrong ... I was thoroughly enjoying my tacos, but the Benedict was just THAT much better. Also, if you like sausage, don't miss out on the homemade sausage patties -- they were fantastic, perfectly seasoned and not greasy.

By the end of our meal, our server warmed up and even stopped by to check on us, but even so, I had ask for a refill on my water. She brought the check out pretty quickly though -- that's a plus ... no? Reasonable prices and I'd have to say, I'll take these eggs Benedict over Plum's Cafe, hands down!

Plums Cafe -- pickins to start your day with

Plum's Cafe
369 E 17th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(714) 722-7586
www.plumscafe.com

My husband and friends all love going out for breakfast. Me? Not so much. I'm not a big breakfast person -- Western breakfast that is. Asian breakfast, on the other hand, I love. I always figure, why pay exorbitant prices for something I can whip up at home right? However, I'm no party pooper when my friends are in the brunching mood especially to a place I've never been before.

Plums Cafe is absolutely delightful in terms of decor. It reminded me of cafes in Sydney where the use of natural colors makes you feel like you're enveloped in eco-friendly surroundings. Does that make sense? The main dining area is round while the adjoining area is sort of rectangular. I guess its kind of like an exclamation mark stuck together. Our server was simply charming. Not only was he full of smiles, accommodating, but he was cute too. That's always a plus right?

The menu was creative, yet not complicated with too many choices. But with that in mind, it was laden with enough appealing items for me to become very indecisive. Usually, when my husband is eating with us, I can coerce him into ordering something else I wish to try, but since I was with my friends, I didn't want to seem overbearing about it. Turned out, our other friends were late so we started with some feta and chive popovers while we waited. They reminded me of light versions of Yorkshire pudding, but not as good. I could barely detect the feta and they were too dry. It would've been better had there been a chunk or two of feta tucked between the popover giving a soft contrasting texture to the puffed dough.

Everyone ended up ordering smoked salmon hash except me. I got the eggs Benedict. They do the Benedict a little different here -- baguette instead of English muffin, chipotle-cilantro Hollandaise instead of regular Hollandaise and peppered ham took the place of Canadian bacon. I thought the eggs Benedict were good, but it didn't blow me away. The rosemary potatoes accompanying the eggs Benedict were outstanding though and I don't even like potatoes unless they're French fries.

Unfortunately, I wasn't keen on the smoked salmon hash, but then again, I don't like cooked salmon much. I find the texture very unpleasant. The other thing I'm not fond of is homestyle potatoes and that's what they use instead of hash.

Apple honey sausages were cute and small, but at a buck and a quarter a pop, it was very pricey and on the sweet side for me. I'm glad we ordered the Oregon peppered bacon (also immensely pricey at $1.25 each) because it was definitely some tasty bacon!

Plums Cafe is a great place for brunch, and if you're a breakfast kinda guy or gal then you'll love it. I thought it was on the pricey side as most specialty dishes average around $15. If you add a side or two, a drink, your final tab with tip included can easily lurk around the $30 mark per person. Not a place to indulge in on a weekly basis, but when you do get a chance to visit, you'll be glad you did. I sure was!!

Izakaya Wasa -- pricey mall fusion

Izakaya Wasa at the Spectrum
59 Fortune Drive Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 453-9500
www.izakayawasa.com

I'm very particular when it comes to eating sashimi or sushi. REALLY particular. I have one or two places I will eat raw fish at and then I stick to it. Rarely will you find me venturing to unknown restaurants to indulge in one of my favorite meals of all time.

So when a friend suggested Izakaya Wasa for lunch, I probed and questioned regarding the quality of fish, etc etc. He assured me that it was pretty good. I trust this friend when it comes to raw fish so I happily tagged along for yet another culinary adventure.

Some people may not like this look, but I like minimalist decor. It gives me a feeling of serenity. To me, nothing is worse than extremely loud music and too much going on in a restaurant when you're trying to enjoy a meal. There is a time and place for that sort of dining -- when we're out with a bunch of kids -- and Izakaya Wasa just isn't one of those places.

There are little booths which give you the feel of privacy yet remain part of the entire dining room. The modernist approach makes it perfect for a night out on the town while the wooden plaques adorning the walls creates just a touch of old school charm without being gaudy.

The menu is quite extensive so be prepared to spend some time browsing. There are appetizers, yakitori, sushi, noodles, rice bowls and much much more to choose from. On this particular visit, my friend opted for the spicy tuna don, while I had the premium sushi set. Our lunches came with a salad and a bowl of miso soup. The ginger sesame dressing on the salad was extremely overpowering in terms of ginger. You could barely taste the sesame and they overdressed the salad so by the time you've eaten the first half of the salad, the second half was swimming in the dressing. Overkill if you ask me. Miso soup was quite pleasant -- flavorful without being overly salty.

I found it strange that the server put my friend's order in before I was ready to order, hence, his food came out about 5-7 minutes before mine. The spicy tuna don arrived very beautifully presented, but atop the layer of rice was a generous sprinkling of panko bread crumbs drizzled with a dark, sweet sauce and then finished off with the spicy tuna. I am not a fan of bread crumbs or batter crumbs sprinkled on my rice or my noodles so I didn't like this dish all that much. Also, different restaurants create different versions of spicy tuna ..... here, chili sesame oil is used instead of sriracha chili sauce. It's just a personal preference, so if you like chili oil, then this will be extremely favorable to your palate.

My premium sushi set arrived on a white platter. There were 6 pieces of spicy tuna roll (alternatively, you can choose California roll) and 8 pieces of nigiri. The only piece I didn't like was the mirugai (geoduck clam). It was on the fishy side. The other fish were all very fresh with melt-in-the-mouth texture. There was also enough umami for me to deem this pretty damn good fish for a fusion-style restaurant.

Next time you're at the Spectrum, by all means check it out. It's not outstanding sushi, but it's not bad at all for its location and price.

Marche Moderne -- Marching to a tasty beat

Marche Moderne
3333 Bristol Avenue, #3001, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 434-7900
www.marchemoderne.net

The images 'mall food' conjures up are an endless list of fast food and greasy spoons. In Orange County, where the rich and famous flock to shop at the renown South Coast Plaza, you can be sure that a lot of thought has been put into taking care of these celebrities as well as chain restaurants for us mere mortals.

Marche Moderne is a French-style bistro which is both upscale enough for those 'real housewives' of Orange County, yet, relaxed enough for the regular person. The restaurant is split into two sections, inside, an open kitchen aligns one side of the dark mahogany hues of the dining room, while the outside patio is absolutely perfect for a casual lunch with the girls.

The lunch menu consists of a host of fresh and light offerings ranging from salads and sandwiches to seafood. For dinner, you will find heartier dishes such as rabbit, lamb and beef short rib.

What sets Marche Moderne apart is their exceptional lunch prix fixe menu. For $20 you get a 3-course menu usually kicking off with a salad. I've had arugula salad with Asian pears, chevre and candied pecans, or a Belgian endive salad with balsamic vinaigrette and goat cheese.

Entrees generally is a choice between a seafood and a meat dish. On one visit I sampled the skate wing and on another, lamb osso bucco. I don't have a sweet tooth so I can't be objective when it comes to rating desserts, but I did try everything put in front of me. Some I liked, others, not so much. However, my dining companions have always relished in their Portions are ample and you will leave more than satisfied and be back at your desk in no time.

Service is attentive without being intrusive and in this economy, you can enjoy the prix fixe at Marche Moderne every week without breaking the bank.