Storyteller's Cafe

Storyteller's Cafe 1600 S Disneyland Dr Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 778-6600 Listing on Yahoo! Local Listing at Yelp Official Site

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After having covered all the specifically Mexican restaurants at the Disneyland Resort (click here and just keep scrolling down to read the complete coverage) I am now searching out restaurants there that are not Mexican but have Mexican items on their menus. The Storyteller's Cafe is part of the Grand Californian Hotel and can be accessed from Downtown Disney as well as from Disney's California Adventure. According to its official site, "The story-telling tradition is saluted [at Storyteller's Cafe] in beautiful period murals depicting tall tales set in early California. The food harkens [sic] back to a simpler time with hearty home-style favorites dominating the menu." The cafe is almost hidden in this large hotel but is right by the pool area and a couple other restaurants. Ask around or follow the signs if you are having trouble finding it. Make reservations or expect a wait since a lot of people seem to like this place.

The only Mexican item I could find on their menu was a quesadilla but it was one of the best quesadillas I've ever had. Cooked to a perfect crisp on the outside (longtime readers of this blog may know I don't like when quesadillas are greasy on the outside) so that it's easy and clean to pick up and eat, with seasoned and shredded chicken breast, melted cheese inside (might've been Jack cheese), and strips of mild Anaheim (yes, Anaheim) peppers inside. The salsa it came with was average but the guacamole was above average, being a chunky, flavorful blend of avocados, onions, tomatoes, and spices. The quesadilla itself is $8.59 and well worth it and I am looking forward to trying one again. It proved that a quesadilla doesn't need to be drippy and greasy to be packed with a full, robust flavor. Just wish it was more easily accessible.

UPDATE (May 11, 2009):

Went back today and got the quesadilla but also got the carne asada entree for lunch:

Taco Rosa May 2009 Specials

Kogi Korean BBQ Taco Truck

(This is NOT the only taco truck in OC we have covered. Click HERE or on the 'taco truck' label below for our complete coverage of Orange County taco trucks.)

If you haven't heard of Kogi Korean BBQ I simply don't know what planet you're on. People are going absolutely nuts over this taco truck that makes Korean BBQ-style meat and serves them in tortillas. I haven't mentioned them yet because well, it's a little more Korean than Mexican (I think), and because they haven't come to Orange County yet although they have been very close. But Nancy Luna's Fast Food Maven blog on the Register's website has just updated to say that Kogi is planning on being in Orange County this coming Thursday in Anaheim and Saturday in Orange. The Kogi people are wondering if they are going to get a good reception in OC. Judging by the pentup hype surrounding them and their undeniable mystique I'd say they'll get an overwhelming response.

And according to our friend Edwin at OC Weekly, Kogi will be in Fullerton tonight.

Here is Kogi's Twitter feed, which they update regularly to give information about their location.

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Read more about Kogi at Monster Munching.

UPDATE:

So, I made it to the promised land finally; even though the promised land in this case rolls around on wheels I still made it there. Followed ElmoMonster's tip and headed out to Fullerton to catch Kogi for their first legit stop in OC. As I was making my left turn off of Harbor Blvd. I spotted the Kogi truck making the same turn three cars in front of me. Maybe it helped that I was in my Korean-made automobile. Otherwise I might not have known it was the correct turn.

As I made my turn I saw a crowd of people waiting on the corner who all followed the truck down the street as it found a parking spot.

I arrived at about 6:40pm and it took the workers in the truck a good half hour of prep time. Meanwhile the line just grew longer and longer.

At around 7:30pm the line finally started moving.

Here's their menu board:

Prices listed do NOT include tax. I tried one of each kind of taco; total w/ tax came to $8.75. I enjoyed all of them but wish I had eaten the tofu one first. I had overheard somebody in the crowd saying that the spicy pork is the chef's favorite and it was so spicy but I didn't even purchase a drink and I wasn't pleading for one after eating the spicy pork.

I'd have to say the tacos were the perfect blend of fresh tortillas, hot, non-gristly meat, and cold toppings, and not entirely non-Mexican. Other people were getting quesadillas and burritos. The burritos were all wrapped up so I couldn't see them but the quesadillas sure looked good. Seeing as how I was there for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes I have a hard time seeing how people can do this as a lunch break thing. Apparently some people do it. One guy I talked to in the line had been at the truck in downtown L.A. earlier today for lunch, then he brought somebody with him to the Fullerton stop to try them for dinner. The crowd was very excited to sample the wares and lots of pictures were being snapped by people who can now prove that they too had arrived (shouldn't this truck be selling "I Ate at Kogi's" t-shirts?). So, yeah, it has a big following and if you want to get in on it try to catch them at their Anaheim and/or Orange appearance soon.

Official Site

(Also, you can click here to read our complete coverage of Korean/Mexican fusion all at once. There's more than one place that has Korean tacos.)

Disney's California Food & Wine Festival

I knew Disney's California Food & Wine Festival was coming up soon. They have one every year. But when the website for it went up this year I went to it to see if there would be any facet to it with a Mexican bent but I couldn't find anything. Then yesterday a neighbor of mine who is a cast member at Disneyland left a cast member reference guide for the festival on my doorstep. I rifled through it quickly expecting to confirm that there would be no Mexican food featured this time. But I found out that on Monday, April 27, at 11:00am there is going to be a Mexican cooking demonstration on the Chef's Showcase Stage at Sunshine Plaza. How fortuitous that I was already planning on being at Disneyland that day with a group so expect some pictures, or even try to make it there yourself.

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Okay, so I went earlier today and watched the demonstration. Chef Francisco Origel from the Napa Rose restaurant at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel demonstrated how to make halibut ceviche.

The Festival continues through June 7 and I have found out there will be more Mexican cooking demonstrations.

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During the Food & Wine Festival the Cocina Cucamonga restaurant at Disney's California Adventure is featuring two special items, Chicken Tamales and a Dulce de Leche Empanada with Tropical Fruit:

UPDATE (May 11, 2009):

Went back today for the Tortilla Jo's cooking demonstration. Chef Torr Kelso showed how to make huitlacoche flan:

Remaining Mexican-related cooking demos are:

• May 20 @ 11am (Tex-Mex)
• May 24 @ 2:30pm (Celebrate Mexico)
• June 5 @ 12:30pm (Celebrate Mexico)

Knott's Fiesta Mexicana

"Knott's Berry Farm will be filled with the sights, sounds and delicious tastes of an authentic Mexican Fiesta with music, dance, activities, and foods honoring the rich culture of our Mexican communities during the weekends of April 25 through May 10. Amidst vibrant banners, colorful Mexican serapes and bright piñatas, Knott's Fiesta Mexicana will offer a full day of entertainment and activities for the entire family."

Official Site (from 2008)

Alberto's Huntington Beach

Alberto's Near Southeast Corner of Magnolia and Garfield Huntington Beach, CA Official Site

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After driving past this place a dozen times, getting an e-mail from somebody wondering when I'm going to cover it, having some employees at my optometrist ask if I was going to cover it, seeing that people have been searching for information on it, and getting a phone call from my cousin about it, I decided to finally go to the new Alberto's in Huntington Beach.

This location had been a Taco Bell since the early 1970's, possibly even earlier, up until around 2002 when it became a Subway and it just opened up a couple weeks ago as Alberto's. The building certainly makes more sense as an Alberto's than a Subway.

I met up with my cousin Scott for a very impromptu lunch. He got the carne asada torta:

And I got the camarones empanizado, breaded fried shrimp with tartar sauce, rice and beans, and pico de gallo:

For dessert they have plain, cream-filled, or strawberry-filled churros:

Oh, and they are open 24 hours.

El Chavito Tacos

Tacos El Chavito Morgan Lane (Monday thru Friday) Queens Lane (Saturday & Sunday) Huntington Beach, CA 92647 No known official website.

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(This is NOT the only taco truck in OC we have covered. Click HERE or on the 'taco truck' label below for our complete coverage of Orange County taco trucks.)

Having been helping out Francisco's Automotive recently with their website venture I made a stop about a week ago at a nearby taco truck. You can see a satellite photo of this truck in the image above.

El Chavito's signature thing is selling two tacos for one dollar. They've got numerous kinds of meat to choose from, including "safe" (by gringo standards) meats and "adventurous" ones.

You give your order to the owner who is inside the truck who pokes his head out of the little window like the gatekeeper to the Emerald City of Oz.

Francisco himself got his usual carne asada torta:

I ordered a pescado, a buche, and an al pastor taco. Perhaps they are used to making tacos only in multiples of two because in addition to the three tacos I ordered they threw in a carne asada taco as well.

Made with tender, finely chopped meats, topped with fresh cilantro and onions and a red salsa and garnished with lime, carrots, and radishes these tacos are inexpensive yet flavorful, priced to satisfy any size appetite. I was fine with four tacos but could see some people getting six or eight or more.

UPDATE:

Here's a picture from when I went back and got a lengua, a carne asada, a carnitas, and an al pastor taco and a pineapple agua fresca:

The grand total for it all was $2.

UPDATE (May 18, 2010):

El Chavito just debuted a new truck:

Taco Rosa April 2009 Specials& Gabbi's Quick Stop #9

Okay, so I'm doing a bit of a mashup here but I've been to Taco Rosa and Gabbi's recently (what else is new?) so thought I'd mention some of their items that may only be available for a limited time.

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Taco Rosa began a monthly specials program in September 2007 and I tried and chronicled pretty much everything they offered, with the vast majority of these items being brand new, while a few may have been briefly offered as daily specials before. When September 2008 came most of the monthly special items had been seen before and I still liked them all but didn't have much reason to mention them again here. Now that April 2009 has come along this is the first month in a while where all their special items are brand new.

Soup

First up is a Mayan white bean soup with spinach, carrot, plantains and potato chunks.

Entrees

For entrees there is an excellent pork chop dish with a cilantro/pepita pesto sauce and roasted cactus strips and a caramelized apple taco (above) and duck enchiladas:

Dessert

For dessert they are offering a spin on churros I'd never seen before. These churros are served with white chocolate mousse, dark chocolate chips and mint leaf shavings. I didn't know what to think about mint on churros but actually quite enjoyed a subtle hint of it.

I should mention that coupons for Taco Rosa have been appearing pretty regularly in The Orange County Register.

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Still no sign at Gabbi's

Earlier tonight I met up with Jenn and Evan Vincent of the OC Arts and Culture website for dinner at Gabbi's. I wanted to talk with Gabbi and Ed (husband and wife co-owners of Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen) and introduce them to Evan and Jenn but found out they are on another one of their trips to Mexico conducting further culinary research. Looking forward to seeing what recipes they bring back.

I did get to try their special Kobe beef dish with amazingly tender meat, served with a side of guacamole, corn, nopales, and onions, along with Gabbi's excellent handmade tortillas:

Jenn and Evan shared the chocolate chili creme brulee which they thoroughly enjoyed:

While I got the capirotada (bread pudding) but had it presented in a way I had never seen before:

The encroaching darkness of the evening reduced the quality of my photos but here's a slideshow of other Gabbi's dishes in better light: