[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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Smorgie.com - Make and Share lists of Yummy

I just found this website called Smorgie. What is Smorgie?

From their website: "Smorgie is the new, totally free way to remember and share your favorite eating places. There's plenty of ways you can look up restaurant and bar reviews, but if you can't remember them later what's the use? After talking to people who love food as much as we do, we noticed a gap for something new, and that's how we came up with Smorgie. It's an experimental new way to find out what's going on in your city's dining scene and capture the meals, restaurants, and experiences you never want to forget."

The website is very easy to use. Sign up for free, then start adding restaurants to your list... that's it! I often find restaurants I want to try, and jot it down on a piece of paper, a notebook, a napkin, or bookmark the restaurant's website. But then that's very unorganized. Now with Smorgie, I can have my list at one place. I can have a "to-try" list. I can have a "favorite" list. Everything is right there when I need it. Perfect!

Go give Smorgie a try!

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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.