Welcome to my blog for reviewing the best Mexican restaurants and food in Orange County, CA. I intend to cover as many as I can . . . and all sorts and price ranges: "From taco trucks to fine dining . . . and everything inbetween." Newer entries tend to focus on photos more than words. Number of restaurants covered so far: 268+. See The List
Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant & Bar is excited to announce its 5th Annual “Mi Casa Cares” event to support “Operation Gratitude” and our U.S. troops abroad along with a charity raffle to support the “Wounded Warriors Project” and help provide comfort our injured warriors returning home service. Our troops need to know that we support and appreciate the sacrifices they make for us, our families, and our future. Please join us for festive and fun event on Saturday, November 24th from 1-4pm with free appetizer in the bar!
Click the image to see it bigger.
Items to donate:
Toiletries (no liquids)
Personal Care Items (Travel sizes- troops have little storage)
Baby Wipes (Used for bathing in lieu of showers)
Shelf-stable Snacks
Reading material (softbound books and magazines)
New, never worn warm clothing (thermals, hand warmers, jackets, etc…)
Batteries (AA)
CD's and DVD's
Do Not Bring:
Used items
Aerosols
Items that will melt
2011
Click the image to see it bigger.
2010
Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant & Bar is excited to announce its 3rd Annual "Mi Casa Cares" Drive to Support Our Troops Abroad. This is our way of saying THANKS to our troops. They need to know that we support and appreciate the sacrifices they make for us, our families, and our future. This Saturday, November 27th is about giving back to those who give it all! Along with collecting items to send to the troops we will have raffle baskets and free appetizers in the bar for all of those to enjoy that participate. Please spread the word to your social network, website, friends and family that would like to support this great cause.
I've been working up in Torrance lately and have had very little chance to go to all the Orange County eateries I like so when I get a rare chance now there's about 200 places to pick from . . . or more, so I have to get very choosy. When one of your favorite places is always reinventing itself, adding new items, changing menu items with the seasons, and having specials that are available for one day only then they tend to keep pulling you back in. And it doesn't hurt that they are Zagat-rated and recently received the highest rating (28/30) of all the Mexican restaurants in Southern California.
Yes, I'm talking about Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen in Old Towne Orange. I arrived right as they opened at 11am on Saturday to try their Chichilo molé for the day, which was being featured as part of their Seven Moles of Oaxaca menu for the end of October and early November only to find out that the molé dishes are only being served at dinner (if you are going for one of the molé dishes and you can only go at lunch call ahead to check availability because they might be able to do some at lunch). But I was already there, hungry and ready to eat. Fortunately they had a couple things on the menu that I hadn't had there before.
Starting off with the Sopa Azteca I experienced a rich, smoky tomato soup with chunks of fresh avocado, chicken and tortilla strips, the type of dish that it's a crime to consume too quickly. In a perfect world Andy Warhol would paint this.
Then it was on to the tlacoyo de aguacate, sort of the little brother to the much larger tlayuda, one of which you could subsist upon for days. The plating for this appetizer is at once rustic and nouveau. Starting with a crisp masa base and topped with beans, avocado, apple slivers and lettuce and served with a chile arbol sauce this dish was savored in the same lingering fashion as the Sopa Azteca.
Finally I finished off with the new fall dessert, the Pumpkin bread pudding a "warm, spiced Challah bread pastry with a mezcal cajeta and a brown-butter date ice cream." Fluffy, not heavy, I was able to finish off my early lunch with a sweet treat that produced no subsequent regret. In fact, the whole meal reminded me all over again why Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen is high on my rotation list.
If you've ever wondered what Mexican fast food tasted like before it got too kitschy and mass-produced then take a trip to El Taco (not to be confused with Del Taco, Taco Bell, or other such establishments). El Taco has been around since 1958 and is still making its food the same way, with fresh ingredients and most of the fixin's prepared right in the store. All its locations seem to be the originals and you can tell that they have never bothered to update their architecture, but as quaint and charming as it is you don't really want them to. They have an extensive menu featuring nachos, salads, quesadillas, soft and crisp tacos, tostadas, burritos, taquitos, chile rellenos, flautas, and breakfast burritos and tacos. They even have the bun taco and reference it on their menu as something of a Mexican sloppy joe. Out of the different items I tried on several visits the item that needed the most help were the nachos, which were somewhat lifeless and topped with an even more lifeless layer of bland guacamole, which seemed to just be pureed avocados. Apart from this flaw everything else was respectable and can be enlivened with their red or green sauce made on the premises and served in little plastic cups.
For some reason the location on Harbor Blvd. in Costa Mesa has been renamed "Taco Jr." but there is still some "El Taco" branding if you look for it.
Read Dan's review of their Orange location at Eat in OC.
(SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Cantina Lounge is doing ½ OFF everything Mondays open to close.)
Part Javier's, part Yardhouse, and part Sutra Lounge and in the spot of the former Off-Campus Pub the recently opened Cantina Lounge in Fullerton, right near CSUF, is serving up some good Mexican food, drinks, and nightlife. Here are some pictures I took on a recent visit to Cantina Lounge where I met up with frequent guest reviewer "Johnny Automatic" for lunch and some of his thoughts:
I had a house margarita on the rocks and was pleased with the flavor and strength of the drink. Given that this place is a lounge, bar, and nightclub, as well as a restaurant, it is good to know the drinks are good. I had the surf n turf quesadilla filled with shrimp and carne asada. It was a very filling and flavorful lunch. They offer black or pinto beans on the side. I went with the black beans and was pleasantly surprised to find them made with bacon and onion. On top of the hummus appetizers I was stuffed and couldn't even finish the quesadilla.
Exterior
Chips and Salsa
Drinks
When I go to a restaurant and peruse its menu one of the first things I look for is any unique item. I have to admit I wasn't expecting Cantina Lounge to have any item I hadn't heard of before but their appetizer menu had a hummus trio. Doesn't sound very Mexican so I almost didn't order it except that it included a jalapeño-flavored hummus and a salsa-flavored hummus. Once this came we largely ignored the chips and salsa we had been working on. And while we were eating it the manager came over and said that the hummus was made using his wife's recipe.
Hummus Trio
Surf and Turf Quesadilla
My Carne Asada Torta was one of the best I've had in a while where every bite was a perfect blend of perfectly cooked steak, perfectly toasted bread, and fresh lettuce, tomato, and avocado:
Carne Asada Torta
Chocolate Malt Cake
And here is their official press release:
Cantina Lounge is now open for Business, Introducing a Unique Hot Spot for Modern Mexican Cuisine, Sports and Nightlife in Fullerton, California
Great Food and Entertainment under One Roof in a State-of-the-Art Venue for Lunch, Dinner, Sport, and Nightlife
FULLERTON, CA – July 2, 2008 – Cantina Lounge is pleased to announce that it is now open for business, introducing a new experience in modern Mexican cuisine for lunch or dinner that blends fine dining, sports and entertainment for Fullerton and the surrounding areas.
"Our goal was to create a lush environment with outstanding food and entertainment all in one place, where people can come and have a great time with family and friends," said Bassel Salloum, co-owner of the restaurant with business partner Jeff Walker. "We have an excellent chef who has created an outstanding menu for lunch and dinner."
The menu features contemporary Mexican fusion mixed with the flavors of traditional Mexican cuisine. Head Chef Felipe Serna brings his culinary expertise to creating an extensive menu including an Ahi tuna appetizer, jalapeno hummus and every imaginable taco from carne asada to shrimp and lobster in an affordable price range from $8-16. Specialty dishes such as baby-back ribs, grilled salmon and other exquisite seafood items are also available. An extensive list of margaritas and specialty cocktails complement this fabulous menu.
"In the evening, most people go out for a great dinner at one place but have to leave and go to another location for entertainment and dancing," said Bassel. “Cantina Lounge offers both in one beautiful venue." For entertainment, Cantina Lounge features 48 50-inch plasma screens, along with intimate booth seating equipped with personal TVs that can be adjusted to whatever each guest prefers to watch. In addition, an 8-foot drop-down HD screen creates the ultimate sports restaurant atmosphere to watch the big game. With the MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL tickets, Cantina Lounge's sport bar will feature all professional and college sporting events. Any PPV event such as UFC events will also be displayed at Cantina Lounge, making this the ultimate location for sports watching.
After 10 p.m., Cantina Lounge's Resident DJ Ruffnek rocks the crowd with his eclectic music selection and LIVE mixes and mash-ups that include top 40 hits, hip hop, dance, electro, Reggae, and a large selection of classics from the 80's, 90's and rock party anthems. DJ Ruffnek is a triple threat (Remixer, Producer and Performing Artist) that has toured and played alongside artists such as Parliament, The Gap Band, The Time, Digital Underground, Xzibit and Snoop Dogg. Club Nights at Cantina Lounge will be held every Tuesday and Thursday-Saturday night.
Cantina Lounge's food and entertainment features make this restaurant a grand social scene. Happy hour is from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays and Taco Tuesdays feature $2 tacos and drink specials all night.
Cantina Lounge has several great private rooms for special events including birthday parties, corporate events and all other celebrations. Large booths can also be reserved for that special night out with a more intimate group of friends.
The restaurant is located at 2736 East Nutwood, Fullerton, CA 92831, site of the former Off-Campus Pub. "We know how attached the community and especially Cal State Fullerton was to Off-Campus Pub, and we focused on improving the customer experience when designing Cantina Lounge," said Salloum. "It's designed to offer an all-inclusive restaurant with excellent food and entertainment for a great lunch or evening out."
Cantina Lounge will be open for lunch and dinner Monday through Sunday from 11:00 am to 2:00 am. For more information, please call 714-879-8094 or visit www.cantinalounge.com
UPDATE (September 5, 2012): Wow, it's been four years since I've been to Cantina Lounge. Just went back today and they have revamped their whole menu and use more fresh (as opposed to canned) ingredients now and even grow some of their own produce on the lot. What I had for dinner today was chips and salsa, quesadilla fritas (made in a more authentic style using masa rather than flour tortillas), the Enchiladas Montadas with carnitas and sunny-side up egg, and the pineapple sorbet with a strawberry flauta on the side. And I was able to find a seat with better lighting so the pictures turned out better this time:
Click here to see the entire album (23 photos so far) at flickr.
And here's some info they sent me about different deals they have each day of the week:
When I first started this blog I had the goal in mind of reviewing every single Mexican restaurant in Orange County. As time went on that goal seemed harder and harder to attain. While I'm still working at it I have also set some smaller goals. One of them is to try all the Mexican food at the Disneyland Resort. At first I thought that just meant eating at the three Mexican restaurants on the property, but then I found out it would entail more than that since Mexican food can be found at Disneyland that is not available in just the three three Mexican restaurants there.
Then I got the idea of having the goal of trying all the different nachos at the resort. This seems to be an attainable goal, so here are pictures of different nachos you can get while visiting Walt's world:
White Water Snacks
This spot is an adjunct of the Grand California Hotel that rests between Downtown Disney and Disney's California Adventure. It is primarily for hotel guests but anyone can go to it. I believe you can have your nachos topped with chicken or beef.
Tortilla Jo's Taqueria
While nachos are not a super authentic Mexican food item Tortilla Jo's Taqueria is a much more authentic Mexican place overall than you would expect to find at Disneyland. I mean, they even have Jarritos and aguas frescas, and they make your tacos for you right in front of you. Or burritos, if that floats your boat. Here I got some carnitas nachos that beat out the other nachos shown here.
ElecTRONica Truck
This truck may not even be around anymore but if you see it you can get regular cheese nachos with jalapeños or chicken nachos with the works. I just had to show it here because a TRON truck with nachos? Yeah, that's a unique concept. I think the jalapeños were supposed to be reminiscent of the glowing discs seen in the TRON movies.
Avalon Cove Bar
If you can find this bar behind King Triton's restaurant at California Adventure then you can order up some lobster nachos. Of the bunch, these nachos are most definitely meant to be shared as finger foods with probably 3-4 people, not as an entree for one. And don't be concerned that you'll be eating Sebastian from The Little Mermaid. Sebastian was a crab, not a lobster, despite looking like a lobster/crab hybrid.
ESPN Zone
Okay, ESPN Zone also has nachos and I think they used to call them nachos but now they call them Zone Queso Chips (or Queso Zone Chips?).
Are there any nachos available anywhere at Disneyland that I'm missing? If so, please leave a comment and let me know.
Click any photo above to be taken to the complete flickr album.
Mi Casa, the traditional Mexican diner that has been operating in Costa Mesa for some 4 decades, will be celebrating a grand opening for their new Rancho Santa Margarita location this coming weekend. Click on the image below to see all the details:
I haven't posted for a while but I haven't forgotten the blog and there are more good things on the way. Here's a press release that I just got and I'll post it since the proceeds from this event go towards a great cause:
National Dine Out Day - TOMORROW - Dine for a cause!
MasterCard recently launched their Dine and Be Generous campaign supporting Stand Up To Cancer. From July 10, through September 28, 2012, when cardholders spend $10 or more for a meal on their card, MasterCard will donate up to $4 million to Stand Up To Cancer – one precious cent at a time. Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 8th, MasterCard is hosting a National Dine Out Day For one day only, MasterCard is doubling their donation from 1¢ to 2¢ to Stand Up To Cancer when cardholders dine out using their MasterCard card and spend more than $10.
Additionally, MasterCard is teaming up with celebrity chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Rocco DiSpirito to help support National Dine Out Day. From 12 – 2 PM EST on August 8th, Samuelsson and DiSpirito will take over the @MasterCard Twitter handle to answer questions and discuss their backgrounds, experiences, opinions and recommendations as it relates to food & dining.
We encourage you and your readers to login to Twitter tomorrow from 12 – 2 PM EST and take part in the conversation. And if you are dining out tomorrow, don’t forget to use your MasterCard.
And while I still miss their jalapeño rings they do have these new Cheddar Potato Poppers now:
Here's their press release about these new items:
Del Taco's Primo Carnitas Burrito Headlines Star-Studded, Flavor-Packed Carnitas Lineup of New Tastes
(LAKE FOREST, CA) June 11, 2012 – A new Primo Carnitas Burrito leads the pack as Del Taco brings back for a limited time the Shredded Pork Carnitas line that has become a fan favorite. Del Taco's carnitas, unlike anything available in the quick-service category, offers customers the savory taste of tender, slow-braised pork that is simmered in small batch kettles as found in the cooking methods of the traditional Mexican kitchen.
The new Primo Carnitas Burrito delivers the traditional flavors of carnitas in a burrito loaded with shredded pork, seasoned rice, spicy jack cheese, creamy chipotle sauce and fresh pico de gallo salsa. Other shredded pork Carnitas items appearing on Del Taco's menu for a limited time include the Carnitas Combo Burrito, Carnitas Taco al Carbon, Macho Carnitas Burrito and Carnitas Macho Nachos.
Also, for a limited time, consumers can find a coupon for a Free Carnitas Taco al Carbon with any beverage purchase on Del Taco's Facebook page – www.facebook.com/deltaco.
"Del Taco fans love our shredded pork Carnitas tacos and burritos, so we're glad to bring them back for a limited time to fulfill their cravings," said John Cappasola, Chief Brand Officer at Del Taco. "Our shredded pork Carnitas is just one example of the great tastes and quality that we're proud to deliver out of our kitchens at a value that is unmatched in the category."
Del Taco is also adding another cravable menu item with the introduction of new Cheddar Potato Poppers. These cheesy crunchy potato bites feature bits of jalapeno for a hint of flavorful spice. A four piece order is $1.79 and a six piece order is $2.49.
At Del Taco, all menu items are made to order using fresh ingredients including freshly grated cheddar cheese, hand-made salsa, slow-cooked lard-free beans and marinated chicken grilled fresh in our kitchens every day. The menu includes Mexican offerings of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos as well as American favorites like hamburgers, fries and milk shakes. Del Taco also serves breakfast and most restaurants are open 24 hours with a drive thru. Del Taco restaurants serve more than three million customers each week.
Del Taco has more than 535 restaurants in 17 states.
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Below is our old entry from June 8, 2011:
First Taco Bell tried introducing carnitas meat and now Del Taco is testing (at least I think it's just a test item for now). Posters in the windows show the burritos but when you go in you see they also have a carnitas torta and carnitas big fat tacos:
I tried it in the torta and the carnitas meat was pretty good, certainly less processed overall than the Taco Bell attempt was.
The location I got it at was here, and I think I also saw a poster for it here. Click any of the three images here to be taken to the complete Del Taco flickr album.
UPDATE: Del Taco has moved these items from testing to being regular items in all their stores. Here's the press release:
Del Taco Adds Shredded Pork Carnitas: Menu Items Include Combo Burrito, Taco al Carbon and Macho Nachos Free Carnitas Taco Al Carbon Coupon on Facebook
(Lake Forest, CA) Sept. 14, 2011 – Shredded Pork Carnitas is available now for a limited time at Del Taco, offering fans the savory taste of tender, slow-braised, pork that is simmered in small batch kettles as found in the cooking methods of the traditional Mexican kitchen.
Shredded Pork Carnitas menu items include Carnitas Combo Burrito, Carnitas Taco al Carbon and Carnitas Macho Nachos – as a la carte items and meals.
The Carnitas Combo Burrito, features slow cooked beans, tender braised pork, grated cheddar cheese and green sauce wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. The Carnitas Taco al Carbon features shredded pork, California Chili sauce, diced onions and chopped cilantro wrapped in two warm corn tortillas. The Carnitas Macho Nachos start with fresh tortilla chips, loaded with slow-cooked beans, carnitas, nacho cheese sauce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and topped with sliced jalapeño peppers.
Consumers can receive a coupon for a free Carnitas Taco al Carbon with any purchase at Del Taco's Facebook fan page – www.facebook.com/deltaco.
"Shredded Pork Carnitas reinforces once again that Del Taco is the destination for more flavor, more variety and great value," said John Cappasola, Del Taco's Chief Brand Officer. "Fans will find the delicious flavor unlike anything available in the quick-service category. And we've got it for a limited time. So, we're encouraging anyone looking for a fresh taste to come and try our new Carnitas."
At Del Taco, all menu items are made to order using fresh ingredients including freshly grated cheddar cheese, hand-made salsa, slow-cooked lard-free beans and marinated chicken grilled fresh every hour. The menu includes Mexican offerings of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos as well as American favorites like hamburgers, fries and milk shakes. Del Taco also serves breakfast and most restaurants are open 24 hours with a drive thru. Del Taco restaurants serve more than three million customers each week.
Del Taco has more than 525 restaurants in 17 states.
