[Costa Mesa] [Taiwanese] 梅園 May Garden Restaurant

May Garden Restaurant
梅園
1400 Bristol St
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 751-9229

I've read about May Garden Restaurant on Wen's blog.  It was one of the restaurant I always wanted to try even when I was living in LA.  Our neighbor Charles and Tessa referred us to this apartment complex we're staying at right now, and they got $200 referring fee from it.  Instead of keeping the money for themselves, they decided to treat a group of friends to a Taiwanese dinner at May Garden Restaurant with the money.  That was so nice and generous of them.



The restaurant is only a few minutes away from our apartment.  Wen mentioned this before, but I have to say it again.  This restaurant looks very "Americanized" from the outside.  I would think this is one of those "P.F. Chang" style Chinese restaurant just by looking at the sign.

[Irvine] [Hot Dogs] Jerry's Wood Fired Dog

Jerry's Wood Fired Dog
13786-C Jamboree Road
Irvine, CA 92602
(714) 665-1480
http://www.jerrysdogs.com

Yeah~~~~  I finally got a bicycle!  After shopping at the bike shop, we went across the street in The Market Place for some food.  The Market Place gotta be the biggest and the most confusing shopping center ever!  After couple wrong turns, going around in couple circles, and a phone call to the restaurant, we finally found Jerry's Wood Fired Dog.  I read good review about this place online.  You can pick your own toppings for a customized hot dog.  We had high expectation, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.  The food wasn't good, but the service was even worse.

We placed our order at the counter.  Since it was our first time there, we weren't really sure how should we order.  We told the cashier it was our first time, and asked how should we order the food.  Do we order the topping with her?  Or with the kitchen staff?  The cashier wasn't helpful at all.  The first time we asked, she didn't even answer.  We found out that we order the toppings with the kitchen person when we pick up the hot dogs.  So Dr. P picked his sauce first and asked for the hot sauce.  After squeezing the hot sauce on the hot dogs, the girl also squeezed the hot sauce into my eyes!  Yes, MY EYES!  I was standing in front of the counter with Dr. P.  I still don't know how she managed to squeeze the hot sauce bottle across the counter all over my face.  I wiped the hot sauce off my face, but that drop that got into my eyes BURNED!  It was hurting really bad.  I ran to the bathroom to rinse it out.  When I came back, she said, "are you ok?  I'm sorry.  What would you like to have on your hot dog?"  We were going to eat there, but after the incident, we decided to get it to-go.  We just wanted to get out of there as soon as we could.  On our way http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com, Dr. P called the restaurant to complain to the manager.  Instead of apologizing, the manager gave Dr. P a lecture about respecting people.  She said Dr. P shouldn't use that angry tone of voice to speak to her.  Dr. P was so mad that he then hung up on her.


Jerry's Signature Dog ($3.75)
The one with the snap!  All beef dog in natural casing seasoned perfectly!  Jerry's favorite!

When I opened my hot dog at http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com, I found out the hot sauce girl had messed up my toppings as well.  She didn't add the lettuce I asked for, but gave me some jalapeno, which I didn't ask for, instead.  I got sauteed mushroom, tomato, cranberry, feta cheese, with Chipotle mayo.  The bun was soggy.  The hot dog was a bit dry.  The hot dog just wasn't that good.

[Arcadia] [Bakery] 小雅屋 J.J. Bakery

J.J. Bakery
小雅屋
1130 S. Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91006
(626) 836-6888
http://www.jjbakeryusa.com

My sister bought a birthday cake for my mom from J.J. Bakery.  It was my mom's favorite, taro cake.


芋頭蛋糕 Taro Cake

The cake didn't look too fancy.  But the taste is more important than how it looks.

[Monterey Park] [Chinese] 上海錢塘春 Lake Spring Shanghai Restaurants

Lake Spring Shanghai Restaurants
上海錢塘春
219 E Garvey Ave
Monterey Park, CA 91755
(626) 280-3571

October 24, last Saturday was my mom's birthday.  But my brother had to work on that day, so we had birthday dinner with my mom on Friday night.  My parents picked the restaurant, Lake Spring Shanghai Restaurant, because they had lunch here before a thought the food was good.


鎮四寶 Sauteed Four-Treasures in Hot Sauce ($9.95)

We started with Sauteed Four-Treasures in Hot Sauce.  But since mom doesn't eat spicy food, we requested to have it prepared non-spicy.  The four treasures were green bean, dried radish, mushroom, and pork.  This dish was good with rice.  The leftover would make really good fried rice.

Roasted Cornish Hens with Grapes

I have one Cornish game hen in the freezer, and some grapes on hand.  A quick flip through Martha Stewart’s Food Everyday, I found a perfect recipe.


Roasted Cornish Hens with Grapes

For a break from roast chicken, try these smaller hens, which cook in about half the time it takes for a chicken.  If you like, substitute four bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (10 to 12 ounces each) for the Cornish hens.

The recipe is for 4 servings using 4 Cornish game hens.   But since I only have 1, I just use 1/4 of all the other ingredients in the recipe.  This dish took about 5 minutes to prepare.  Just toss everything together and pop it in the oven.  One Cornish hen was actually enough for both Dr. P and I.  The chicken was moist and tender.  The skin with the thyme flavor was the best part.  The caramelized grapes were really tasty.  It tasted like sweet wine.

It is tasty and easy.  Also I think the dish looks fancy enough if you have guests over for dinner.  This recipe is definitely a keeper.

[Irvine] [Chinese] Chong Qing Mei Wei Szechwan Restaurant

Chong Qing Mei Wei Szechwan Restaurant
重慶美味川菜
5406 Walnut Ave #C
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 651-8886

We need to have our spicy Chinese food fix every 2 weeks or so.  We went to Chong Qing Mei Wei for lunch on Wednesday.  Last time we were there, I forgot my camera there and Dr. P went back to pick it up for me the next day.  The waiters actually remembered me as "the girl who lost her camera in our restaurant".


風味冷菜 Cold Appetizer ($5.50)

As usual, we started with a 3 items Cold Appetizer combo.  I picked seaweed, and Dr. P picked the spicy beef and sour green beans.  All three items were really good.  We felt this location has better appetizers than the Lake Forest location.

[Rosemead] [Chinese] 鼎泰美食 JTYH Restaurant

JTYH Restaurant
鼎泰美食
9425 Valley Blvd
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 442-8999

My dad loves dumplings and noodles.  He goes to dumplings and noodles restaurant pretty much once a week.  He and my mom discovered JTYH Restaurant, and has been going there for weeks.  They have been telling me how good and cheap the food is.  Two weeks ago, they tried to take me there for lunch on a Tuesday.  And we found out that they are closed every Tuesday.



This restaurant is owned by the same staffs from Heavy Noodeling (山西刀削麵) in Monterey Park.  I think the sing "Original Heavy Noodeling" is the reason my parents went in the restaurant.

[Newport Beach] [Mexican] Avila's El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant

Avila's El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant
2800 Newport Blvd
Newport Beach, CA 92663-3724
(949) 675-6855
http://www.avilaselranchito.net

We decided to take advantage of Newport Beach Restaurant Week and went out for lunch on Sunday.  After browsing the menus for all the participating restaurants, I found Avila's El Ranchito offering a 3 course Mexican lunch for only $10!  Sounds like a good deal to us!



The restaurant has a very small parking lot, but there were plenty of free street parking spaces.

[Newport Beach] [French] Tradition by Pascal

Tradition by Pascal
1000 N Bristol St
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 263-9400
http://www.pascalnewportbeach.com

Is it just me, or there are way more "restaurant weeks" this year?  Orange County Restaurant Week, Los Angeles Restaurant Week, now the city of Newport Beach also have their own restaurant week.  I love restaurant week.  We get to try new places with great prices.  After looking through the restaurant menus, I picked Tradition by Pascal to try.  I like restaurants that offer other than soup and salad as their first course.



The restaurant is located in a plaza near the intersection of Jamboree and Bristol.  There is a smaller cafe also named Pascal right next door.  I think the cafe offers bread, salad, sandwiches, and coffee.  It wasn't open when we were there, so I am assuming the cafe only opens during the day.

[Irvine] [Taiwanese] 樂利杯 Lollicup

Lollicup
樂利杯
14805 Jeffrey Rd
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 559-9436
http://www.lollicup.com

We wanted to get those crispy popcorn chicken at Champion Food, but it was almost closing time and they already turned off the fryer.  You know sometimes there's something you want but you can't get it, so it makes you want it even more?  Yup!  Now we REALLY want some popcorn chicken.



So we went to the Lollicup in the same plaza to get some popcorn chicken.  It wasn't as busy as last time we were there.  Last time there was a long line out the door.  And a group of 4 people in front of us spend $35 just ordering drinks!  Crazy!

[Irvine] [Taiwanese] 冠軍食品 Champion Food Co

Champion Food Co
冠軍食品
14775 Jeffrey Rd #L
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 857-6686

Because the weather has been getting cold, I have been having a strange craving for hot grass jelly (燒仙草) for a week.  Last night after dinner, I couldn't resist the craving anymore.  A quick search on the internet, I found that Champion Food Co in Irvine sells hot grass jelly.  We jumped in our car and off we went.



It is located in the same plaza as A&J.  The Yoguartland next door was crazy packed!  I was tempted to get yogurt at one point.  But wait.... I was here for hot grass jelly!

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Oven-Baked Polenta

Last night's dinner recipe also came from Martha Stewart’s Food Everyday.  It took me about one hour from start to finish.


Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Oven-Baked Polenta

You can find Braised Chicken with Mushrooms' recipe here, and Oven-Baked Polenta's recipe here.  "Browning the chicken seals in the juices and keeps the inside moist and flavorful.  This recipe can be made with pork cutlets instead of chicken.  For an earthier flavor, substitute shiitake, cremini, or wild mushrooms for the white mushrooms."  I am not very good at cooking chicken breast.

I am always afraid to undercook the chicken, then end up leaving it on the stove for too long and it overcooks.  The chicken breast was just a tad overcooked last night, but it wasn't too bad.  Thanks to the delicious broth, the chicken was still moist.  We love the oven-baked polenta.  It was super yummy with the broth.  Mushroom was our favorite part, too.

This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Italian Dinner + Italian Wine

I joined Zagat Wine Club, and got 12 bottles of red + white wines for only $69.99! What a great deal! We decided to open one bottle every week to enjoy it with a nice dinner.


Villa Farnia di Farnese Montepulciano, 2008 ($13.99)

The first bottle we opened was Villa Farnia di Farnese Montepulciano.  It's a Italian dry red wine, so I want to pair it with an Italian pasta dinner.

[Tustin] [Fast Food] Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A
2889 Park Ave
Tustin, CA 92782-2711
(714) 258-1400
http://www.chick-fil-a.com

I was reading "Eat This, Not That", and the author said Chick-Fil-A is the healthiest fast food restaurant.  Non of their sandwich is over 500 calories.  I have never tried this place.  After grocery shopping at Whole Foods, I spotted Chick-Fil-A in the same shopping plaza and decided to try it for lunch.


Chicken Sandwich ($3.09)

I got their classic Chicken Sandwich.  "A boneless breast of chicken seasoned to perfection, hand-breaded, pressure-cooked in peanut oil and served on a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips."

[Fountain Valley] [Japanese] California Shabu-Shabu

California Shabu-Shabu
18908 Brookhurst St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 963-8844
http://www.californiashabushabu.com

It was cold and raining, and we wanted something warm for dinner.  Shabu shabu!  I did a quick search on the internet, and found California Shabu-Shabu in Fountain Valley.  Perfect!  We can even go grocery shopping at Fresh and Easy there afterward.



We got there around 6:30pm.  We were lucky that they just had two seats left.

[Irvine] [Taiwanese] 思雅軒 J.J. Bakery Cafe

J.J. Bakery Cafe
思雅軒
15333 Culver Dr #660
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 653-1678

We went to Sam Woo for dinner on Sunday night, and the place was full with people waiting outside.  We didn't want to wait, and just walked around the corner and spotted J.J. Bakery Cafe.  Note: This is J.J. Bakery "Cafe", not the same as J.J. Bakery (小雅屋).  I mistakenly thought it was J.J. Bakery before.  In the front, there is the bakery that sells Asian style bread and pastries.  In the back, they have a cafe that serve Taiwanese food.


紅燒牛肉麵 Stew Beef Noodle Soup ($6.99)

Dr. P ordered Stew Beef Noodle Soup.  It tasted like http://www.eileenlikestoeat.commade.  The beef was a little tough.  But it's a pretty decent bowl of beef noodle soup.

[Fullerton] [Fast Food] Sonic Drive In

Sonic Drive In
1632 N Lemon St
Anaheim, CA 92801
(714) 992-4500
http://www.sonicdrivein.com

On our way to The Maverick Theater, I saw Sonic Drive In.  I saw lots of cars parked right next to the menus in the parking lot.  How interesting!  We decided to stop by on our way http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com.



It was our first time to a "drive-in".  We pulled our car into one of the empty spot.

Night of the Living Dead @ The Maverick Theater

The Maverick Theater
110 E Walnut Ave
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 526-7070
http://www.mavericktheater.com

Dr. P has always been fascinated with zombies.  When I saw that GoldStar offered discounted tickets for Night of the Living Dead at The Maverick Theater, I immediately purchased the tickets to treat Dr. P to a night of zombie fun.



I snapped a picture of the casts at the end of the show.  I like the fact that the theater is small, and we are so close to the stage.  The show was very entertaining.  There are parts that are funny, and parts that make you jump out of your seats.  It's very entertaining, and we love the ending.  I don't want to say too much about the show to give the fun away.  But I highly recommend this show if you like a little Halloween zombie fun.

All the discounted tickets are sold out on GoldStar.  But you can still purchase tickets from the theater's website.

[Tustin] [American] Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que
2550 Park Avenue
Tustin, CA 92782
(714) 259-1227
http://www.lucillesbbq.com

We have been wanting to try Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que for a long time.  Thanks to Wen's Plurk for the $5 off coupon.  We visited Lucille's for a BBQ lunch yesterday.



Lucille's is located inside The District.  They have a huge outdoor patio seating area.  It seems like a  perfect place for an outdoor summer BBQ party.

Ohhhh Yeahhhhh PS3

Ohhhh Yeahhhhh~~~~  Finally got my PS3.  Darn!  Why do I have a midterm next week?  I so wanna play my PS3 all weekend long....

So can you guys recommend some PS3 games to me?

[Irvine] [Bakery] 85°C Bakery Cafe

85°C Bakery Cafe
2700 Alton Pkwy, #123
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 553-8585
http://www.85cafe.us

After Kula, we stopped by 85°C Bakery Cafe to get some bread for breakfast for the next few days.


Cheese Dog ($1.50)

Cheese Dog was my favorite bread for breakfast.

[Irvine] [Japanese] Kula Revolving Sushi Bar

Kula Revolving Sushi Bar
2700 Alton Pkway #133
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 553-0747

We went back to Kula Revolving Sushi Bar for dinner last night.  We got there around 5pm, and there were only a few customers inside.  Maybe 10 minutes later, there was a long line of people waiting at the door.  I guess people get off work around 5pm and went straight to Kula after.  We were so glad we got there right before the rush.


Tuna Nigiri ($2.00)

There were stickers with different colors on the plate.  We figure that was to keep track of the time they made the sushi in the slow afternoon.  When the restaurant is full, there was no more stickers.  We started with Tuna Nigiri.  It was great.  But is it just me, or the size of the fish got smaller?

I Miss You, Strawberry!

Two years ago, today, you left me and became a little angel.  I still think about you all the time.  All the precious memory of our time together will be treasure in my heart forever.  I miss you so much, Strawberry!  You will always be my special Strawberry, forever and ever!

[Walnut] [Taiwanese] 布織道 Coffee Break Cafe

Coffee Break Cafe
布織道
1217 Grand Ave
Walnut, CA 91789
(909) 595-0094

I have been coughing for two weeks.  Dr. P took me to my school to see a doctor (and it's free!).  Doctor told me that my cough is caused by allergy.  So now I'm taking Benadryl and Zyrtec.  Hopefully I'll stop coughing soon.  After the visit to the school Health Center, we went across the street for dinner.



Coffee Break has been around for more than 10 years.  I remember coming here way way way back in the days with friends.

[Monterey Park] [Chinese] 享福閣一百磅 One Hundred Seafood Buffet

One Hundred Seafood Buffet
享福閣一百磅
127 N Garfield Ave #Y
Monterey Park CA 91754
(626) 280-8713

Yesterday my parents wanted to take me to try this new dumpling restaurant they really like.  When we got to the restaurant, we found out that they are closed on Tuesday.  So dad decided to start driving toward Monterey Park.  We passed by One Hundred Seafood Buffet, and my dad decided to go in to try some Fuchow food.



The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor Hong Kong Supermarket.

[Irvine] [Chinese] Chong Qing Mei Wei Szechwan Restaurant

Chong Qing Mei Wei Szechwan Restaurant
重慶美味川菜
5406 Walnut Ave #C
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 651-8886

We were both craving for some spicy Chinese food, and decided to check out the sister restaurant of Taste of Asia, Chong Qing Mei Wei.  Chong Qing Mei Wei is closer, but it's a cash only place.  Good thing is that there's a Chase Bank in the same plaza.



We went on Sunday afternoon around 2pm.  Going in the afternoon is probably the only time when this restaurant isn't busy.  They have the exact same menu as Taste of Asia.

[Santa Ana] [American] Black Angus Steakhouse

Black Angus Steakhouse
1350 N Tustin Ave
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(714) 558-3057
http://www.blackangus.com

Dr. P only went to Black Angus once when he was little.  So when my mom talks about how she loves the prime ribs from Black Angus, Dr. P can't really understand why.  We got a Black Angus coupon in the mail.  Perfect!  I can take Dr. P to try the "famous" (because my mom always talks about it) prime ribs.


Molasses Bread

The meal started with warm Molasses Bread.  The bread was soft and sweet.

Tex-Mex Corn Chip Chili & Apple and Celery Slaw with Blue Cheese Dressing

I came across Rachel Ray's Tex-Mex corn Chip Chili recipe, and it sounded so yummy.  The weather has been getting cold.  Perfect for a bowl of chili!


Tex-Mex Corn Chip Chili

The chili was very easy to make.  It only took about 40 minutes to cook, but it tasted like the chili has been cooking on the stove for hours.  Dr. P loves it, and he even said this was the best chili he's ever had.  I don't know if it is the "best" chili, but it did tasted pretty darn good!

[Irvine] [Taiwanese] Cha For Tea

Cha For Tea
4187 Campus Dr #M173
Irvine, CA 92612-4643
(949) 725-0300
http://www.chafortea.com

Ever since I had Cha For Tea's Almond Milk Tea, I have been craving for it badly.  After bugging Dr. P for days, he finally agreed to go back to Cha For Tea for lunch with me yesterday.


California Green Tea ($3.66) with Pearls ($0.47) / Pearl Black Milk Tea ($3.25)

I had full intention to get the Almond Milk Tea, but after the counter girl offered me a sample of their California Green Tea, I changed my mind.  The iced green tea tasted more like a slushy.  They added some citrus fruit juices to the green tea, and it was tasty.  Dr. P got his usual Pearl Black Milk Tea.

[Irvine] [American] Islands Restaurant

Islands Restaurant
4020 Barranca Pkwy
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 552-1888
http://www.islandsrestaurants.com

For years, I have heard from friends about how good Islands' burgers are.  For years, I just never had the chance to try it for myself.  I told Dr. P that I really want to try Islands, and he took me there for lunch on Wednesday.



The restaurant has a tiki style decoration.  Cute!

[Walnut] [Chinese] 食全食美筷餐 China Bowl

China Bowl
食全食美筷餐
1233 N Grand Ave
Walnut, CA 91789
(909) 595-1472

I had class on Tuesday night.  We got out around 8pm and I was really hungry.  I went to the plaza across the street to find some food, and saw a "3 items combo for $3.99" sign at China Bowl, so I walked in.


Combo #3 ($3.99)
Fried rice, chow mein with 3 entrees

When I went in, they were already cleaning up.  They told me they closed at 8pm, but still asked me what was I going to get.  Then the nice lady told me if I don't mind, she'll just go to the kitchen and get me 3 items that they had.  Sure!  She asked me if I can eat spicy food.  Of course!  Another worker started chatting with me while she was getting the food for me.  The lady overheard that I live in Irvine, she said, "You live so far!  Here!  Let me give you a free egg roll for that."  Nice!  The lady told me she gave me orange chicken, black pepper chicken, and teriyaki chicken steak, which is not normally one of the choices for 3 items combo.  The food tasted very much like your typical Chinese fast food.  It got that "Panda Express" flavor, greasy, but lots of food, and you can get really full.  And for the price of $3.99, I'm not gonna complain.

The food itself was alright.  Price was good.  But most of all, I like the friendly service there.  I will go back again if I want some fast and cheap Chinese food.

Do You Miss Kitty?

I miss Kitty! I go back to my parents house to visit once a week now. So I only get to see Kitty for a few hours every week.



When I go http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com, I always kidnap her to my room.  But I leave the door open so she can leave if she wants to.  She usually stay with me though.  ^^  I brought a suitcase http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com to take more things back to our apartment.  I opened the suitcase, tried to get some clothes, turned around, and saw Kitty sitting in the suitcase.  haha....

[Rowland Heights] [Chinese] 福方園 Noodle House

Noodle House
福方園
18219 E Gale Ave #A
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 839-8806

Noodle House was recommended by our friend Zoe and Mr. E.  Since my dad's favorite type of food is noodle, dumplings, and buns, I decide to take my parents there for lunch.



The restaurant is located near Fullerton and Gale, right of the 60 freeway.

[Irvine] [Bakery] 85°C Bakery Cafe

85°C Bakery Cafe
2700 Alton Pkwy, #123
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 553-8585
http://www.85cafe.us

Everybody's raving about 85°C Bakery Cafe's moon cakes.  Since I live so close to the bakery, I thought I'd go get a box to bring http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com for my parents.


月舞風華台式月餅 Taiwanese Style Moon Cake ($25.65)

I went on Saturday.  They told me that if I wasn't in a hurry to get the moon cake on that day, I should place a pre-order to get 10% off.  I went to pick up the moon cake on Tuesday morning and saved about $3.

[Irvine] [Drink] Cha For Tea

Cha For Tea
4187 Campus Dr #M173
Irvine, CA 92612-4643
(949) 725-0300
http://www.chafortea.com

After our dinner at The Veggie Grill, we walked around the shopping plaza and passed Cha For Tea.



A guy saw us and quickly poured us a sample cup.  It was some kind of lemonish green tea slushy thing, and it was really good.  He was talking really fast and I didn't really hear what he was saying.  But he asked if we've ever been there before.  Right after I replied no, he yelled to another worker inside to come out to give us more free samples.

[Irvine] [Vegetarian] The Veggie Grill

The Veggie Grill
4213 Campus Dr
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 509-0003
http://www.veggiegrill.com

Ever since I read about The Veggie Grill on Wen's blog, I've been wanting to try their portebello mushroom burger.  I kind of mentioned it to Dr. P, but he wasn't too enthusiastic about it.  I didn't think a meat eater like him would be too interested in trying a vegetarian place.  But one night when Dr. P had to work late, he texted me and asked if I would like to meet him at The Veggie Grill for dinner.  He told me his co-workers also recommended this place to him.  So he finally decided to give it a try.



The Veggie Grill is right across the street from UC Irvine, right next to Trader Joe's.