@balboarenter

Thanks. I never knew the name of that place. I only know it as THE spring roll place behind the 99cent store.

If anyone ventures out to West Minster and don’t want Viet food, there’s Alertos. Their fish burrito is very good. elmomonster.blogspot.com/2005/05/fish-burritos-from-alertos-fountain.html

@in-n-out fries haters

I swear their fries use to taste different/better. Something happened in the last few years. There’s this japanese restaurant called Furaibo in City of Industry that serves fries reminiscent of what In-n-Out fries use to taste like. Furaibo’s chicken is awesome. Best to go there during lunch time, under $10 a person. Their ice tea is also very good.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/booXiXGZ2vm5grWGMmf2aw#hrid:KNo3YBB0c_uLbfUKmkstfg/query:furaibo

went to the counter (burger joint) at woodbury yesterday.  for those unfamiliar with the place, its a build your own burger joint that’s been popular in santa monica for some time now.  the number of options is fantastic. choice of meat (beef, turkey, veggie), patty size (1/3 to 1 lb!), various cheeses, veges both raw and grilled, sauces, and bun types.  also a variety of sides including sweet potato fries which i love.

pricey ($~9-13 per burger depending on your choice of toppings) so i wouldnt compare it with fatburger or in n out like in the prev posts.  i hung out at the bar with friends while watching games on the tube last fri and had a blast.

if you got those booklets of coupons for the various irvine plazas last month, theres a buy one burger get one free coupon in the woodbury booklet.

acpme,
Thanks for the write up on the Counter. Still have yet to try this place. I’ve been there on two different occasions; both times the tables were full and lines out the door. The long wait was frustrating so I end up at El Pollo Loco next door. Unfortunately, can’t go during the week so I’ve gone on Saturdays around noon. I’m a big fan of turkey burgers and can’t wait to try one.

I also just visited the Counter in Woodbury for the first time this past Friday.  It’s a much smaller place than I would have thought, very casual and informal.  I went on a Friday night, around 8:00, and the wait wasn’t too bad.  It gets pretty loud inside.  It is definitely a pricey burger, and when I got it, I thought it was tiny (I got the 1/3 lb patty).  But it was actually quite filling - I think they use a fattier ground beef, which is great for taste and filling me up, not so good for the arteries.  I would go back for the burger, but at those prices, and relative to where I live, I probably won’t be making the trip too often.  Unless I’m craving a turkey burger with Gouda, pepperoncinis, spring lettuce mix and sundried tomato vinagrette sometime soon.

B2B

I wanted to jump in and say Shin Sushi on Oso is one of the best in OC. Very small little restaurant. But consistant and yes
the owner Shin is the Sushi Chef. Some of the freshest and best tasting sushi you can get locally.

Going to try that UOKO over by Creams. I hang at Peppino`s all the time and have never been in that restaurant. So based on your obvious good taste in sushi will give it a try.

Oami is not as good as it used to be IMHO. Not sure why. Guess I hit it on a not so fresh night a couple times in a row
a few months back. So maybe need to try again.

Last Sunday went and tried Mitsui over in Quail Hill again. It was better than the last time we went a couple months ago.
Its one of the few places thats open all afternoon on a Sunday. Not very busy so the service was excellent and the sushi chef was thowing us freebies. So that always makes me a happy customer.

Ok, with all the talk of the Diamond Jamboree Center having some great restaurants, I’m reviving this thread.  My husband and I are always on the lookout for good places to eat.  My knowledge of good restaurants offering Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and other Asian cuisines is very limited.  But don’t feel like you’re limited to recommending only those.

Chin Ting, which used to be in Fullerton, recently reopened in Placentia/Anaheim (I think it’s near the border) on Orangethorpe and Lakeview.  It has great Chinese food. 

 
The Diamond Plaza is not really my thing. If you’re looking for something different, I suggest you check out Kimera. They’re next to the Google building in Irvine.
Great atmosphere, exceptional décor, and wonderful food (global fusion cuisine).
I usually go on Friday nites, great crowd

How did I never see this thread before?  From a foodaholic, here it goes:
Best (reasonable) sushi:  Miyako’s in San Clemente isn’t terribly creative but has the freshest sushi for the money.  It’s a local fave so be prepared to wait for dinner.  Their Jay-lapeno is awesome, as well as spicy albacore!
For non-sushi fast food Japanese, Bentoss in Costa Mesa is hands down the best.  It is a chain in Japan.  Located in a small strip mall next to 7-11 in front of Mitsuwa.
Italian food tends to be similar in most places with only subtle differences, but Fratelli’s in Dana Point stands out with distinctive flavors.  For the price - which isn’t cheap but not Valentino level - it is the best I’ve ever had anywhere.
Thai - if anyone has one that stands out, let me know.  I’ve been to about a dozen different ones in OC, but they’re pretty similar albeit all good.  Saladang in Pasadena!
Sunday Brunch - Monarch Beach Resort, to DIE - no make that - KILL for. 
Breads & pastries - Paris Baguette in Buena Park.  It’s a Korean chain of bakery, and I swear, Americans are doing something wrong because this is how pastries are supposed to taste like!
Korean BBQ - Honey Pig in Buena Park.  They cook on top of a huge pot lid covered with kimchi & sprouts.
Meat - Well, haven’t found one yet, but I need to go to Five Crowns.  If it’s anything like Lawry’s Prime Rib, I’m there!  And I need to try Mastro’s.
El Cholo’s green corn tamales are fabulous, if you like yours sweet.  Otherwise they’re average.  When is La Seranata coming to OC?

boston, i grew up near pasadena and arcadia, never heard of Tops World Famous but love pastrami and want to try it, wheere are the locations?  Googling doesn’t come up with anything for it.

 
The Tops I’m familiar with is off Rosemead near Michelinda.
Went to SC with the son of the guy who owns it. Haven’t been in the area for years but I think the son is running it now. Great guy, from San Marino. Just about everyone from San Marino went to USC.

check out Elmo’s blog.. not sure if anyone mentioned him yet.

http://elmomonster.blogspot.com/

Check out yelp.com; I review a lot of places and there’s a whole community that reviews restaurants, shops, etc.

I will recommend Tropika at Tustin.  Check out www.tropika.com

They serve Malaysian food.  Great food, good service and very nice setting.  Different from other chinese restaurant!!

Fumbling:
There are two locations - 1 in Arcadia off Michillinda and the 210, the other is on Walnut and Allen in Pasadena. There is no better Pastrami anywhere.

Fumbling:
I just searched and found it: topsburger.com. It’s worth the trip inland. Grab a couple and go have a picnic at the LA County Arboretum.

ten:
Did you frequent Chano’s back in your USC days? My favorite 2am feast there was the Pastrami Special Quesadilla. Essential after a Thursday night at Traddies sucking down Vulcan Mind Probes.

BTW, I heard they’re tearing down Commons and building something new. No Traddies this year before/after home games.

Is anyone going to mention Jalapeno’s? Great mexican food. Also Picante Martin’s on Balboa Island. If you want true Mexican food, El Cholo won’t cut it.

And I agree that Maestro’s Ocean Club is completely overrated. Nice place for a drink but that is all.

And I second the La Sirena Grill on Mermaid in Laguna…awesome Salmon salad.

For something different try Merhaba Restaurant on W Ball Rd in Anaheim. Great East African/Ethiopian food. If you have never tried this type of food this is a good place to start, comparable in quality to Little Ethiopia on Fairfax in LA. Since you eat with your hands it is a very social dining experience.

For Irvine-area Mexican, the best is El Matador on Newport Blvd just before Grants for Guns.

B2B,

Thankfully, Chano’s was in stumbling/crawling distance from the 9-O.  Remember those 2AM feasts very well. Wish I’d have tried the pastrami quesadilla though, always went with the carne asada burrito. Solid post on Traddies, you even remembered the Vulcan Mind Probe, classic!

The best thing about Traddies was that you could charge the drinks on the SC card.
My parents would read me the riot act once the bill arrived with those $$$ charges.
I would put that sheepish look on my face and tell them it was for food and books.
Taking girls to upstairs commons cost my parents a small fortune, all in the name of education.  Great times, thanks for bringing back the memories.

IACRenter - 07 April 2008 01:58 AM

For something different try Merhaba Restaurant on W Ball Rd in Anaheim. Great East African/Ethiopian food. If you have never tried this type of food this is a good place to start, comparable in quality to Little Ethiopia on Fairfax in LA. Since you eat with your hands it is a very social dining experience.

i love ethopian cuisine.  brought my friends here once and since then i am not allowed to pick restaurants.  its not for everyone, but i love it!  glad to see someone mention merhaba!

If you like Ethiopian food, there’s quite a few Ethiopian restaurants around Las Vegas area.  Pretty good food at reasonable prices.

Always thought it was interesting that Indians ate with naan and Ethiopians ate with injera.

I recall many years ago there was an Ethiopian restaurant in a food court area of…  Santa Monica?  They served their dishes with purple-ish colored injera bread and I never got to ask them where the purple came from.  LoL.  Restaurant is long-gone though.  :(

For those familiar with IKKO in Costa Mesa, they’re closed for couple of weeks.  I like sushi at this place, but it’s pricy, and not for those who prefer to season their own food.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ikko-japanese-restaurant-costa-mesa

3 pages and no mention of A&J;cafe ? (taiwanese)  Jeffrey and Walnut, near East West Bank and Yogurtland
My gf loves the beef noodle soup but I along with my roommate always end up getting the chicken and rice meal.  Two other musts are the spicy dumplings for 3.95 and green onion pancake, (dip the pancake inside of the dumpling sauce as well)

Ay-Chung (Jeffrey and Walnut near S.W. cafe)
I enjoy their beef noodle soup there more than at A&J;.

For Korean Tofu, I like Kaju (Jeffrey and Walnut) better than Koba tofu house.  Try the Jap chae, its really good. Plus the pickled spicy cucumbers are delicious.

Those are the normal restaurants I go to in Irvine, rest of the places are in Cerritos, or San Gabriel area

(it’s 12:30am and my brain is not working well, so pardon any mistakes)

I think the owners of A&J;has been operating that restaurant for 14 years now.  Their food is OK, I prefer thinner version of the green onion pancake and theirs is too thick.  On weekends I go there sometimes in the mornings for Chinese breakfast items.

Best Ay-Chung noodles that I’ve tasted…  in Shimending, Taipei, standing room only.

If you like japche and eat in Cerritos area, try this Korean place by Pioneer & South St.  To the SE corner there’s a couple shopping plazas.  Look for the Filipino restaurant Pinay Pinay, then (facing the restaurant’s entrance) look to the left.  I recall there’s a Korean restaurant by there and their japche was really, really good.  It’s been several years though (way too old for me to hang out at Guppy, cough), so donno if it’s still there.

I like this Korean place called Ye Dang in La Habra, in SW corner of Beach Blvd & Imperial HWY.  Their mushroom hot pot, beef stew, and spicy fried squid is pretty good.  The seafood pancake thee is OK too but not as good as this Korean beer house in Garden Grove.

Went to eat at a Korean restaurant on Jeffery/University today.  If you take 405 FWY exit Jeffery/University and head west.  To the right you’ll see an IHOP, pull into the center and you’ll find a Korean place behind it.  Their lunch special cooked sliced beef (boneless, not kalbi) was surprisingly good.  Nice and tender, not over-done, well seasoned.  Look to the right and you’ll find a Pho Bac.

Best pickled veggie (modified Korean style) I had was actually from a short glass container sold at Ranch 99 back in 2000’s.  The daicon were chopped into small squares and every piece was nice and crunchy, tasty, and wonderful.  But I can’t find it anymore.  :(