[Costa Mesa] [American] Lawry’s Carvery

Lawry’s Carvery
3333 Bristol St #2601
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 434-7788
http://www.lawrysonline.com/lawrys-carvery

Dr. P and I went to South Coast Plaza to do Christmas shopping. We grabbed a quick dinner at Lawry's Carvery.


Roasted Prime Rib (12 oz.) ($29.99)
Au jus and creamy horseradish

Since both of us were not that hungry, we decided to get a 12 oz Roasted Prime Rib to share. We asked for medium rare, and it was cooked just right. The beef was so tender and juicy. We asked for extra au jus on the side, and it was heavenly. The prime rib came with cole slaw and one side. We picked creamed corn, and I wish we could have a whole plateful of them corns.

It was a simple and delicious light dinner for 2. Yum!

Christmas Dinner at Jen & Peter's

We had a get-together dinner for Christmas at my friends Jen and Peter's house.



Just look at all that food! Everything was DELICIOUS!

[Irvine] [Banquet] Shady Canyon Golf Club

Shady Canyon Golf Club
100 Shady Canyon Dr
Irvine, CA 92603
(949) 856-7000
http://www.shadycanyongolfclub.com

My work's Christmas party was held at Shady Canyon Golf Club this year.



The banquet room wasn't that big, but it was cozy.

[Fullerton] [French] The Cellar

The Cellar
305 N Harbor Blvd
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 525-5682
http://www.cellardining.com

I had a $30 for $60 dining voucher for The Cellar for a long time. I actually bought it for our anniversary, but ended up not using it. The voucher was about to expire so we went to this fancy French restaurant for a "casual" weeknight dinner. :-P



This restaurant was a little hard to find. It is hidden inside a shops/apartment building. We had to call the restaurant to find the hidden stairs to the basement "cellar".

[Aliso Viejo] [American] Chili’s Grill & Bar

Chili’s Grill & Bar
26631 Aliso Creek Rd
Aliso Viejo,CA 92656
(949) 448-9022
http://www.chilis.com

We went to lunch at Chili's on a weekend. Even though on the menu, it stated that lunch special is only offered during weekday, our waitress told us it is still valid on the weekend.



After studying the menu and price, we decided to stick with the $20 for 2 deal. It was a better value since price would be about the same, but $20 for 2 deal offered bigger portion.

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[Irvine] [Taiwanese] Boiling Point

Boiling Point
沸點
14140 Culver Dr
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 733-2211
http://www.bpgroupusa.com

I'm seriously addicted to Boiling Point. I think about it, and want it all the time!


招牌臭臭鍋 House Special Hot Soup ($9.99)

I just LOVE everything in this pot. Pork, quail egg, stinky tofu, pork blood, fish ball, intestine, and napa cabbage. Love the shacha sauce in the soup base.

[Garden Grove] [Hot Pot] The Red Pot

The Red Pot
12119 Brookhurst St
Garden Grove, CA 92840
(714) 636-7168

I have been craving for spicy hot pot for the longest time. Finally we decided to go back to The Red Pot for all you can eat spicy hot pot. Dr. P's friends Joe and Monica was in the area so they came to hang out with us.


All You Can Eat Spicy Hot Pot ($19.99/person)

The all you can eat hot pot is $19.99/person. You can pick two broth. We picked spicy herbal and non-spicy herbal broth.

[Lake Forest] [Coffee/Tea] Peet's Coffee & Tea

Peet's Coffee & Tea
23700 El Toro Rd #B
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 420-3500
http://www.peets.com

I love visiting coffee shops during Holiday Seasons. They always have special flavors around this time of the year.


Raspberry Mocha

Peet's Raspberry Mocha is made with Godiva dark chocolate. It was delicious out of this world! I absolutely love this coffee.

Another favorite, Starbucks' salted caramel mocha. What is your favorite holiday coffee?

[Lake Forest] [Japanese] Sushi Izakaya Rei

Sushi Izakaya Rei
23702 El Toro Rd
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 770-3280
http://www.sushiizakayarei.com

We were so impressed with the food at Sushi Izakaya Rei that we went back a week later. This time we sat at the sushi bar. The sushi chef Tom is not just talented at making sushi, he was also very funny and entertaining.


Japanese Spring Roll ($2.00)

We took advantage of their happy hour and ordered a few drinks to go with the $2 appetizer. Japanese Spring Roll was really crispy on the outside. The inside was filled with cabbage. The dipping sauce was slightly spicy. This was good beer food. We also ordered grilled yellowtail collar just like last time, but I forgot to take a picture. It was too delicious!

[Alhambra] [Taiwanese] Lee's Garden

Lee's Garden
小吃世界
1428 S Atlantic Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 284-0320

I went to Alhambra to visit my sister. I always bring food back to OC whenever I go up to SGV. On that day, almost 3/4 of San Gabriel Valley was out of power, including my sister's apartment in Alhambra. We drove around the neighborhood, and found this one plaza with lots of cars. They must have power there. Lee's Garden looked like a hole in the wall kind of place. But they were completely full. Was it because they were only place with power? Or was it because their food is good?


滷排骨客飯 Stewed Pork Chop Rice Daily Special

The menu was written in Chinese and posted on the wall. As I was browsing and deciding, the owner told me their daily special rice is the most popular item. You pick a main dish, and it comes with 3 different side dishes. I picked Stewed Pork Chop Rice. Their food tastes very "home-made", like something moms would cook at home. The side dishes were all good. Egg with tomato, cabbage, and bean curd with pickled veggies. But the stewed pork chop wasn't that good. It was overcooked and tasted dry and hard.

[Cook] Smashed Potato Soup

This slow cooker soup recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens. It was very simple, although it did took me a while to peel and chop up all the potatoes. This soup is very filling. Dr. P loves it.


Smashed Potato Soup

3 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup chopped yellow and/or red sweet pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled roasted garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream, half-and-half, or light cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
Sliced green onions (optional)

[Aliso Viejo] [American] Beach Pit BBQ

Beach Pit BBQ
26541 Aliso Creek Rd
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
(949) 362-7427
http://beachpitbbq.com

I love BBQ ribs! Beach Pit BBQ is right by our house, but we never tried it. Their Yelp review wasn't that good. I always think online reviews are just "suggestions". I can't be sure unless I try it myself. After all, taste is subjective.


The Big Dog Daddy ($21.95)
Half Rack, Quarter Chicken & 1 Smoked Meat.

We opted for to-go order. The Big Dog Daddy was big enough for the two of us to share with tons of leftover. It comes with half rack of ribs, quarter chicken, 1 choice of smoked meat, cole slaw, and 1 choice of side. The ribs was delicious. It was fall off the bone tender. Love it!

[Lake Forest] [Japanese] Sushi Izakaya Rei

Sushi Izakaya Rei
23702 El Toro Rd
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 770-3280
http://www.sushiizakayarei.com

Going to Sushi Izakaya Rei for dinner wasn't planned. I passed by this shopping plaza a few times and noticed a new restaurant with pretty blue lights. I thought it was opened. Unfortunately, that night we found out it wasn't opened yet when we got to the door. Then I remember seeing a Japanese restaurant in the same plaza, and we popped in Sushi Izakaya Rei for dinner. It turned out to be such a great find!


Hot Sake ($3.25)

It was happy hour between 5pm to 8pm. We got two large hot sake for $3.25 each.

[Irvine] [Chinese] Chef Chen

Chef Chen
馥園
5408-B Walnut Ave
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 786-8898

It was a raining day. Both Dr. P and I were craving for somthing hot and soupy. The beef noodle soup from Chef Chen seemed like an good idea.


牛肉麵 Beef Noodle Soup

The bood noodle soup we had last was great. But this time, it was not just bad... it was horrible. The noodle was mushy. The beef and tendon was tough and hard, like it wasn't stewed long enough. The soup tasted like soy sauce soup. It was just bad.

[Aliso Viejo] [Asian Fusion] East Avenue Bistro

East Asian Bistro
26921 Aliso Creek Rd #E
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
(949) 360-7666

This place used to be Jade Palace. We went there once for lunch, and didn't like it at all. I guess they went out business soon after. Now a new restaurant called East Avenue Bistro took over the space. From looking at their menu, this new restaurant seems to be a Vietnamese influenced Chinese restaurant.


Chicken Egg Roll (Cha Gio) ($6.50)
Chicken rolled in a golden crispy shell served with fresh herbs, lettuce and accompanied with the house special dipping sauce.

We ordered the Vietnamese Chicken Egg Roll for appetizer. The egg roll was done well, but it came with just one piece of lettuce? We asked our server, who seemed to be a Vietnamese lady. She said that since majority of their customers are non-Asian, and they don't eat the egg roll with herbs and lettuce, so if we want it we should tell her beforehand next time. Later she brought a plate of lettuce, but still no herb. Their fish sauce was not overly sweet and very good.

[Laguna Hills] [American] BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse

BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse
24032 El Toro Road
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 900-2670
http://www.bjsbrewhouse.com

It was late at night. We were hungry, and sorta thirsty.... for some alcoholic beverages. Late night happy hour? After a quick search online, we found out BJ's have late night happy hour starting at 10pm. It was a weeknight... Tuesday I think? When we got there at 10-ish, the restaurant was packed! Seriously? I guess people love late night happy hour.


BJ's Jeremiah Red ($4.25) / BJ's Berry Burst Cider ($4.95)

Dr. P ordered a Jeremiah Red beer, and I got my usual at BJ's, Berry Burst Cider. I always order this one. The cider tasted like yummy berry soda.

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[Irvine] [Taiwanese] Boiling Point

Boiling Point
沸點
14140 Culver Dr
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 733-2211
http://www.bpgroupusa.com

Boiling Point is one of my favorite restaurant up in San Gabriel Valley. They recently opened a branch in Irvine. I'm so happy that now Taiwanese stinky tofu hot pot is only 15 minutes away from me!


珍珠奶綠 Boba Milk Green Tea ($2.95) / 珍珠奶茶 Boba Milk Tea ($2.95)

We both ordered a drink. Their boba milk tea was quite good, and the price was very reasonable. You also get a reward card for drinks. It's buy 4 then your 5th one is free. That seems to be very easy to achieve.

[Laguna Niguel] [American] Mimi's Cafe

Mimi's Cafe
27430 La Paz Rd
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 643-0206
http://www.mimiscafe.com

We've always enjoyed breakfast at Mimi's Cafe, but I've never tried their dinner before. I received an email coupon from them for dinner for 2 for $20. You get one shared appetizer and 2 entrees. The food seems to be French-inspired dishes.



I like the cute brick wall and fake balcony decor at Mimi's.

[Lake Forest] [Bakery] Corner Bakery Cafe

Corner Bakery Cafe
23702 El Toro Road #C
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 472-1383
http://www.cornerbakerycafe.com

Had a quick but relaxing dinner at Corner Bakery during my night shift break.



Soup, sandwich, and coffee.

[Costa Mesa] [Mexican] Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill

Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill
3333 Bristol St #1876
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 979-7469
http://www.ztejas.com

Every time we go to South Coast Plaza to shop, we want to stop by at Z'Tejas for their happy hour now. The food we had last time was great. This time I was ready for my 2 glasses of wine then go shopping afterward.


House White Wine ($3.00) / 6th St Margarita ($6.50)

We started with some alcohols. I had a glass of their house white, and Dr. P had a margarita. Their house white was great, and the price was great as well. I added another house red a little later. I think I like their white a bit more.

[Garden Grove] [Seafood] Dang! Crabs Cajun Cuisine

Dang! Crabs Cajun Cuisine
13030 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92843
(714) 537-2722
http://www.dangcrabs.com

We love Boiling Crab! I've noticed there are more and more similar type of restaurants popping up everywhere. We want to try more new restaurants, but just don't know which one to go to. I saw a $15 for $30 Groupon daily deal for Dang! Crabs. It was a good bargain to try out a new restaurant.



Dang! Crabs is a small place located in a Vietnamese shopping plaza. The restaurant wasn't busy at all when we went there on a Sunday night. The servers were all really nice and friendly.

[Temple City] [Chinese] Mandarin Noodle Deli

Mandarin Noodle Deli
山西麵館
9537 Las Tunas Dr
Temple City, CA 91780
(626) 309-4318

We had a family lunch at brother's house. For dinner, sister and I decided to go get pork chop rice. While driving, we passed by Mandarin Noodle Deli. All of a sudden we changed our mind and decided to have some noodle instead.



This place specializes in dishes from Shanxi (Mountain West) Province. I don't really know Shanxi food that well. I just know they eat a lot of noodles and buns, kinda like Shandong (Mountain East) Province, where my grandfather was from.

[Laguna Niguel] [Bakery] Corner Bakery Cafe

Corner Bakery Cafe
27221 La Paz Rd #K
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 425-8673
http://www.cornerbakerycafe.com

Dr. P and I went to Corner Bakery Cafe for a quick lunch.


Chicken Pomodori on Sourdough Panini
All-natural roasted chicken, fresh basil and spinach, oven-roasted tomatoes, and provolone cheese with pesto mayo.

He ordered Chicken Pomodori on Sourdough Panini. It was a very yummy sandwich with chicken, spinach, tomatoes, basil, and cheese.

[Tustin] [Korean] Gen Korean BBQ and Yakitori Bar

Gen Korean BBQ and Yakitori Bar
13741 Newport Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 505-1800

Thanks to reader Sheens, I found out about the newly opened Gen Korean BBQ in Tustin. The standard all you can eat Korean BBQ price in Orange County is about $20 to $25, and typically with maybe 5 or 6 choices of meat. So when Sheens told me about the $19.99 AYCE offer for 25 different items at Gen, I told Dr. P that we HAVE TO try this place.



We went for lunch on a Sunday back in October (Gosh! I'm so behind on writing....). The restaurant was busy with quite a few parties waiting for tables. Since there were only 2 of us, we got a table faster than the bigger parties. We were seated in a nice comfy booth seats. We were so excited when we saw the menu. 25 items to choose from! Woohoo!!

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[Cook] Steamed Fish

My dad went fishing and prepared a fresh caught fish for me to take home. I told him I don't really know how to cook a whole fish so he taught me how and made the special sauce for me. It was so good. Tasted just like the kind of fish and sauce you get from Chinese seafood restaurant!


Steamed Fish

I watched dad prepared the sauce. He used:

• Oyster sauce


• Soy sauce


• Mirin


• Sesame oil


• Garlic Powder


• Water

I don't know the exact amount since he made it by tasting it.

[Arcadia] [Dim Sum] Capital Seafood

Capital Seafood
金都
333 E Huntington Dr
Arcadia, CA 91006
(626) 574-8889
http://www.capital-seafood.com

It was my mom's birthday, and she felt like having dim sum. We decided to try the newly opened Capital Seafood in Arcadia. We haven't been there before, but my brother has and liked it. We were there on a weekday around lunch time. The restaurant was almost full. They also offers lunch special with the typical Chinese dishes, but almost everyone was having dim sum. The restaurant has nice decoration and looks fancier than your regular Chinese restaurant. There is no dim sum cart. Everything has to be ordered from the menu. The price is slightly higher comparing to most dim sum restaurants in San Gabriel Valley.


蝦子燒賣皇 Pork Siu Mai (4) ($3.38)

Pork Siu Mai had a mixture of shrimp and pork as filling. It tasted very ordinary.

[Aliso Viejo] [American] Chili’s Grill & Bar

Chili’s Grill & Bar
26631 Aliso Creek Rd
Aliso Viejo,CA 92656
(949) 448-9022
http://www.chilis.com

We went out to grab a fast and cheap dinner at Chili's right by our house. The $20 for 2 deal is great, not to mention I bought a $5 for $10 Chili's gift card from SaveMore.com. Now that's a even better deal!


Texas Cheese Fries (Half Order) ($3.99)
With applewood smoked bacon, jalapeños and green onions. Served with ranch dressing.

Texas Cheese Fries is probably my favorite thing from Chili's. I just have to order this EVERY time. The thick cut French fries was still soft in the middle. Lots of melted Cheddar cheese on top. With Ranch dressing dip, it was so yummy.

[Corona Del Mar] [American] Port Restaurant & Bar

Port Restaurant & Bar
440 Heliotrope Ave
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
(949) 723-9685
http://www.portcdm.com

Last time I went to Port Restaurant, I enjoyed their food, especially the Curry Filet Pasta. The restaurant is on the expensive side. When I saw a $20 for $40 Groupon daily deal with Port Restaurant, I bought it thinking I could go back there with Dr. P for him to try since he didn't go with me last time. We looked over their menu, and decided to try their breakfast this time. Made reservation online for a Saturday morning, but apparently we didn't really need to because the restaurant was empty.


Coffee ($4.00) / Orange Juice ($5.00) / House White Wine ($9.00)

There's a cute outdoor patio area. It was a gloomy cold morning so we opted to sit inside. I asked our waiter about bringing pets to the restaurant, and he said we are more than welcome to bring our puppies to the outdoor patio next time. Breakfast at Port, then take the dogs to walk around CDM... sounds like a nice plan for our next visit!

[Cook] Spaghetti with Cauliflower

I love cooking. I like cooking from scratch with fresh produce and meat. But sometimes when I am short on time, I'm glad we have a Trader Joe's near us. Trader Joe's semi-prepared food is really convenient to make a quick and easy meal.


Spaghetti with Cauliflower

I made Spaghetti with Cauliflower. Trader Joe's was serving Lobster Ravioli at the food sample counter. I really like the sauce they used, and the lady at the counter told me how she made it. I decided to add cauliflower to the spaghetti. It might sound like a weird combination, but it turned out pretty tasty.

[Laguna Niguel] [Japanese] Sango Sushi Restaurant

Sango Sushi Restaurant
27261 La Paz Rd #A
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 831-7287
http://www.sangosushi.com/Laguna.htm

Last time we went to Sango Sushi, we saw the poster for their $5 daily special. I wanted to try their Thursday special of Ginger Pork. I fell in love with Japanese Ginger Pork during my visit in New York City a few years ago. My sister, who was living in NYC at the time, took me to this small Japanese restaurant that she likes. I ordered Ginger Pork because it was their special that day. The dish was so good that we went back there 3 times during my one week visit. Too bad I can't remember the name of the restaurant. Wonder if my sister remembers?


Sauteed Marinated Ginger Pork with Bean Sprout ($5.00)

I was disappointed when I got my plate of ginger pork. This isn't how ginger pork supposed to be. The pork was supposed to be the thin sliced pork. It should look more like those beef + onion bowls kind of meat. But at Sango Sushi, it was thicker slices of pork loin (?). Also the flavor wasn't the kind of ginger pork I was expecting. It just tasted like sauteed pork with some ginger.

[Irvine] [Japanese] House of Shabu Shabu

House of Shabu Shabu
5394 Walnut Ave
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 654-9400

It was a cold night. I wanted something hot and soupy. Shabu Shabu! Our favorite Shabu Shabu Bar is all the way in Santa Ana. We didn't feel like driving that far. Then we thought of House of Shabu Shabu in Irvine. We've been there once before. It was just alright. But that was a while back. Maybe they've improved?



They offer all you can eat shabu shabu now. It's $17.95/person if you just want regular beef, chicken and pork. For $24.95, you can order kobe beef, rib-eye beef and lamb. Some appetizers and sushi rolls also came with the all you can eat.

I Need 27 Hours a Day

I have been sooooo busy! I've been wanting to update my blog, but I am so short on time everyday. I remember when I was younger, I thought I had too much time. I was always bored and had nothing to do. Now I have so much to do and just not enough time. Do this happen to people when we get older?

I'm going to write a new post at least every other day.... This is a promise I'm making to myself now. :-)

[Mission Viejo] [Japanese] Riptide Rockin' Sushi & Teppan Grill

Riptide Rockin' Sushi & Teppan Grill
27741 Crown Valley Pkwy # 325
Mission Viejo, CA 92691-6535
(949) 282-0182
http://www.riptidesushi.com

We always like teppanyaki. Not only the food is good, it's also fun and entertaining to watch the chef cook the food right in front of you. I saw a daily deal on Groupon for Riptide Rockin' Sushi & Teppan Grill. From their Yelp reviews, it seemed like it's a very Americanized Japanese restaurant. $20 for $40 was a pretty good deal so we gave this place a try.



The restaurant is huge. We were glad we had a reservation because there were tons of people waiting when we got to the restaurant. The bar area was small. Seemed like people were having a great time there. The loud rock n' roll music made this place really lively... kinda make you wanna party. haha...

[Irvine] [Chinese] Chef Chen

Chef Chen
馥園
5408-B Walnut Ave
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 786-8898

We had been wanting to try Chef Chen ever since we moved down to Orange County. It's been two years, and we finally tried the restaurant.


花生 Peanuts

Free peanuts was served before the food arrived.

Stephanie & Kenny's Wedding

We attended my friend Stephanie and Kenny's wedding at Kyoto Grand Hotel in Little Tokyo. The wedding was AWESOME!



The rooftop garden is adorable. Unfortunately, we missed the outdoor ceremony. Damn traffic on the 5!

[Laguna Beach] [Seafood] House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer

House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer
540 S Coast Hwy #200
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-4500
http://www.houseofbigfish.com

My friend Juey and Geddy came to visit from Taiwan! I haven't seen them for about 10 years. I was so excited to see them. We had so much to catch up on. I wanted to find a restaurant with good food, and where we can sit to talk all night long. I thought about my favorite K'ya Bistro, but unfortunately they were fully booked that night. Then I tried their sister restaurant, House of Big Fish and Cold Beer, and was able to make reservation for the 3 of us that night.


Bucket of Beer - Pacifico ($18.00)

We got to Laguna Beach a bit earlier than our reservation so we could walk around the beach a bit. When we finally sat down at the restaurant, we were ready for some cold beer. I ordered a "bucket" of Pacifico for us. It was their first time trying Pacifico since it wasn't available in Taiwan. They said it tasted similar to Corona but better. They liked it so much that they even talked about imported it into Taiwan and served it at their live houses. (They owned two live houses in Taiwan called Riverside. If you are visiting Taiwan, be sure to check out the venues. They always have great concerts and live shows there.)

Dinner at Jen and Peter's

Our friend Jen and Peter invited us over for BBQ dinner. They live two houses down from my parents' house. I knew Jen since I was 16. It was really funny how she ended up marrying a guy who lives two doors down the street. :-)


Ceviche

Jen made ceviche for appetizer. Lots of shrimp and fish. Very yummy.

[Laguna Niguel] [American] Bistro K

Bistro K
30100 Town Center Drive
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 495-9101
http://www.thebistrok.com

I bought a 4 course dinner for 2 at Bistro K from Travelzoo.com for $59. It was a great deal, unless they try to cheat you by adding a ridiculous amount of MANDATORY tips on the bill. Last time we used a Travelzoo voucher at Gemmell's, similar thing happened. The food at Bistro K was amazing. But because of the mandatory tips that they forced us to pay, we probably will never step into this restaurant again.



We went to Bistro K on a Friday night. To our surprise, this place was completely packed with tons of people waiting. We were glad that we had reservation. The seating was tight. We were only a few inches apart from the tables next to us. When people get up to leave from the next tables, we actually had to move our table to make room for them to get out. They had a guy playing guitar and singing at the bar area. It was very lively with customers singing along with the singer. The music was really loud though. We had trouble talking and hearing each other over the music. So don't go there if you're expecting a quiet and romantic dinner.

[Laguna Hills] [American] Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse
25322 Cabot Road
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 829-0683
http://www.outback.com

A while back I signed up for some kind of free giveaway on Outback Steakhouse website, then just forgot about it. Then I received a nice surprise in the mail.



I got a free steak dinner coupon from the restaurant. The offer was good for one 6 oz Outback Special Sirloin and a choice of one side. Since it was valid only Monday through Thursday, we were there on a weeknight. To our surprise, the restaurant was completely packed. Do people in South Orange County eat out everyday?

[Laguna Niguel] [Bakery] Corner Bakery Cafe

Corner Bakery Cafe
27221 La Paz Rd #K
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 425-8673
http://www.cornerbakerycafe.com

I won a $100 gift card from Corner Bakery Cafe for entering their recipe contest. Yay! Dr. P and I went there for a light dinner.


Chicken Carbonara ($7.79)
All-natural roasted chicken, spring peas and linguine pasta in our creamy carbonara sauce, with applewood smoked bacon and toasted bread crumbs.

Dr. P ordered Chicken Carbonara. I always get this one when I feel like having pasta at Corner Bakery. The chicken is very tender. The carbonara sauce was tasty. This was a heavy pasta so you get full pretty fast. Dr. P said he would like it better without the bread crumbs.

[Irvine] [Chinese] Spicy City

Spicy City
雲川園
14310 Culver Dr #F
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 733-9200

We were in the mood for spicy Chinese, but thought we went to Chong Qing in Irvine a bit too often. We haven't been back to Spicy City for a very very long time. We thought the food at Spicy City is way too spicy, and like Chong Qing's flavor better. But we haven't been back for so long, maybe the food would taste better now?


風味涼菜 Cold Table Appetizers ($5.50)

We started the meal by going to the counter to pick our 3 item cold appetizer. We got spicy beef, spicy pork skin and seaweed. Everything was good. My favorite was the seaweed. I like the vinegar, cilantro, and slightly spicy sauce of the seaweed a lot.

[Laguna Beach] [Seafood] House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer

House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer
540 S Coast Hwy #200
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-4500
http://www.houseofbigfish.com

We saw House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer's menu while walking down Coast Highway a while back. They have happy hour Monday through Friday from 2:30pm to 6:30pm. The price for each dish goes from $2.30 to $5.30 as the time gets later. Dr. P had a Friday afternoon free, and I thought of happy hour at House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer.



We got to the restaurant around 2:45pm. Happy hour is first come first serve at the bar area. Seemed like everyone knew about the cheap hour hour at 2:30pm, and the place was packed.

[Cook] Roasted Fruit

This dessert recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast was just alright. I thought it tasted too buttery for my taste. I actually thought fresh nectarin, peach, and plum tasted better than the roasted one. I did like the rosemary in the dessert though. It added a different flavor and made this dessert tasted special.


Roasted Fruit

Roasting peaches, plums, and nectarines releases their juices and creates a nice sauce for this herb-scented dessert. You could also add apricots.

Yield: Serves 4

[Cook] Roasted Salmon With Lentils

We absolutely love this recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast! The Mediterranean style sauce was so good with the salmon and lentil. It also tasted very healthy. I will definitely make this one again and again!! If you like salmon, I urge you to give this recipe a try, please~~~~


Roasted Salmon With Lentils

A mustard vinaigrette gives this Mediterranean-inspired dish its tangy flavor. Drizzle some over a leafy-green salad, and serve it on the side. The cooking time for lentils can vary widely depending on their age. Older lentils require more time. For the best results, we recommend buying a fresh, new bag.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield Serves: 4

[Cook] Orecchiette with Sausage and Roasted Peppers

Another recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I always bought roasted peppers in a jar before. Never knew roasting your own peppers was that easy. And it tasted sooooo much better than the jar ones. Also it's a lot cheaper to make your own. I will always make my own roasted pepper from now on. This pasta recipe is so easy to make. It's simple, but full of flavor. The savory and rich sausage goes so well with sweet roasted pepper.


Orecchiette with Sausage and Roasted Peppers

Freshly roasted peppers give this hearty pasta a smoky taste. If you like, you can use jarred peppers, thinly sliced, instead of making your own, and skip step 1. To skin the peppers, char them and then cover tightly with plastic wrap. This will produce steam and make the skins come off easily.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield Serves: 6

[Cook] Sloppy Joe

This recipe came from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I really like this cookbook. The book has 4 sections divided by season so all the ingredients in the section is in season and fresh. All the recipes were simple, using everyday ingredients, and tastes great. This recipe was supposed to make 4 servings of Sloppy Joe, but we had so much leftover I think it actually made 8 servings. I used the leftover with pasta, and it tasted great.


Sloppy Joe

Soft buns work best with these classic kid-friendly sandwiches. Serve them with pickles or potato chips. The beef mixture can also be served over pasta.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield Serves: 4

[Laguna Niguel] [Japanese] Sango Sushi Restaurant

Sango Sushi Restaurant
27261 La Paz Rd #A
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 831-7287
http://www.sangosushi.com/Laguna.htm

If we want something Asian, fast, cheap, and close to home, Sango Sushi is always our first choice.


Spicy Beef Bowl ($4.60)

Dr. P got his usual sushi combo B. I wanted to try something different and ordered Spicy Beef Bowl. The sauce they used tasted like spicy teriyaki sauce. The beef was charbroiled. Great flavor and tender. Good amount of food for under $5.

[Irvine] [Korean] Korea House

Korea House
5301 University Dr
Irvine, CA 92614
(949) 552-9998

After the beer fest, for some reason I was craving meat, lots of meat. All you can eat Korean BBQ = lots of meat. It was an obvious choice. A quick search on Yelp on my phone, we found Korea House.



Korea House offers all you can eat Korean BBQ for $19.99 per person with 5 choices of meat. We got there right before the crowd around 5:30pm. By 6pm, the restaurant was packed with tons of people waiting outside the door.