Don Jacinto Pollo Grill

Don Jacinto Pollo Grill 2413 S. Fairview St. #H Santa Ana, CA 92704 (714) 434-0821 Listing on UrbanSpoon Listing on grubHub Official Site

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(This is an "only-photos-first" post, done quickly to get photos up and a new entry on the blog, with the expectation that text may be added later. Guest reviews can also be added to this entry and each published one will be paid $10.)

View the complete photo album (18 photos so far) on flickr by clicking here.

Del Real Foods Giveaway

Winner Announcement

November 1, 2013: We have a winner! The drawing was held today (basically me putting all the entrants names on little slips of paper and pulling one blindly out of a bag) and Anne L. of Texas was the lucky winner. Congratulations to Anne; your prize package from Del Real Foods is on its way.

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It's time for another contest. Del Real Foods recently sent me a package of some of their stuff to try and they have agreed to send an even better gift package to the lucky winner of this contest. To enter, simply e-mail reviews@ocmexfood.com with the subject line "Del Real Foods Giveaway." You have until October 31st (spooky!) to enter. On November 1st I will draw the lucky winner and notify them by e-mail. If you are the winner then you can give me your mailing address which I will have Del Real send the prize package to.

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Here's a video with Chef Sergio showing how to make a pulled pork sandwich using their carnitas:

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About Del Real Foods:

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in California, Del Real Foods is a family business committed to preserving the rich gastronomy and traditions of Central Mexico. Designed to satisfy all palates and promote healthy eating, Del Real Foods refrigerated products offer authentic taste, using the freshest, locally sourced ingredients and cooked with traditional methods for an enhanced dining experience among family and friends.

Del Real Foods refrigerated products include carnitas, barbacoa, tamales, seasoned shredded beef, shredded chicken and more.

Del Real Foods products are based on the following pillars:

• Authenticity: the family strives to create deliciously simple products based on traditional recipes infused with Mexican culture and bold colors. Prepared in an industrial, home kitchen, the products will provide comfort and familiarity.
• Healthy People: cooked with a safe open-kettle method, the products are made with the freshest, ingredients, most of which are locally sourced. Once prepared, they are ready to enjoy. The products are also gluten free and do not contain any trans fats.
• Healthy planet and better communities: the company has adopted sustainable initiatives including wastewater management and recycling to help the environment. Del Real Foods has also sponsored local sporting events and made donations to local communities to contribute to their improvement.

For more information, visit: delrealfoods.com

Taco Nights at Tiki Monster

Tiki Monster H2O 7731 Katella Avenue, Suite A Huntington Beach, CA 92648 (323) 533-6702 Listing on Yelp Listing on Menuism Facebook Page

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Park Ave. may have put Stanton on the map but Tiki Monster is helping it to stay. Tiki Monster is first about inexpensive, alkaline water that you can get for only 20¢ a gallon, second about a huge selection of craft sodas, and third about Taco Nights, mainly on Tuesdays and Fridays. And they make the tacos out in front on a grill and they even have a trompo for making al pastor tacos. The Taco Nights tend to go from about 7 to 11pm and they tend to post on Facebook shortly before they start. Oh, and Tiki Monster is also about tiki memorabilia, old movie posters, old punk, reggae and metal posters, old video games, etc. This place is about as anti-corporate as it can get. Come on out. It's a little west of the Beach and Katella intersection.

After you indulge in as many tacos as you can you can finish up your meal with a sweet corn/elote helado (ice cream bar) that also has French and Korean writing on the wrapper:

View the complete flickr album (19 photos, 1 video so far) by clicking here.

Fred's Mexican Cafe

Holé Molé 300 Pacific Coast Hwy Ste 201 Huntington Beach, CA 92648 (714) 374-8226 Listing on Trip Advisor Listing on Stock Team Official Site

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(This is an "only-photos-first" post, done quickly to get photos up and a new entry on the blog, with the expectation that text may be added later. Guest reviews can also be added to this entry and each published one will be paid $10.)

Click here to view the complete photo album (26 photos so far) at flickr.

Hole Mole

Holé Molé 14430 Newport Ave Tustin, CA 92780 (714) 505-2502 Facebook Page Listing on Place123 Official Site

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Holé Molé is a place that started in Long Beach and built up to 5 locations there and I had it recommended to me but never made it to one until shortly after one opened in Tustin. I was figuring it's be all about molé (you know, Pueblan molé, Oaxacan molé, etc.) but it was more like a Rubio's that has a number of items but focuses on fish tacos with the small difference that they also have one molé dish on the menu; well, you can get it in a bowl or a burrito. It's a standard, acceptable mole served over cubed chicken. I'd venture to guess that the people who started it wanted to start a fish taco joint and they thought the name Holé Molé sounded clever so they went with that and threw a molé dish on the menu just so the name would make some sense. And… I'm fine with that. They also have a dessert I've never seen anywhere else and when I see a Mexican dessert I've never seen anywhere else I tend to get it. This one is called "Flanquitos" and from the promo picture I saw of it I thought it was three taquitos surrounding a flan. Turns out it's three taquitos stuffed with flan and surrounding a dollop of whipped cream. Gooey and creamy and crisp and cinnamon-y all at the same time. Very satisfying.

Flanquitos

Click here to view the complete photo album (10 photos so far) at flickr.

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As a bonus, here's a Cooliris album (direct link in case it doesn't show up here on whatever device you're on) from when Abby of Pleasure Palate went on a fish taco crawl with some friends in Los Angeles. Looks like their first stop was Holé Molé:

Gabbi's Quick Stop #12: Mitos del Maiz 2013

Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen 141 S Glassell St Orange, CA 92866-1421 (714) 633-3038 Listing on Yahoo! Local Listing at The Guide Official Site

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Still no sign

From now until around August 8th Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen in Orange is celebrating the origin of corn with a special menu with several appetizers and entrees to choose from as well as a newly created dessert. Read their writeup here. And here's some pictures from when I sampled the menu last Friday:

Fish Tacos at PDM Kitchen

PDM Kitchen 1000 N. Bristol Newport Beach, CA 92660 (949) 553-1206 Listing on Place123 Listing on Taste Genius Official Site

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Was thumbing through a magazine and saw a picture of these fish tacos and made a mental note to try them sometime. After I tried them I started to see mentions of them everywhere. Wow, I guess they are popular. PDM Kitchen used to be known as Pain du Monde and has locations in Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Dana Point and Irvine.

The tacos are big and fresh and cabbage-y as well as pricey. I think it is $14.50 for the platter of three but at least they are big tacos with plenty of fish and I was okay with eating my first one like a taco and the next two by forking the contents out of the tortillas. I was slightly bummed that they didn't grill my lime halves like in their promo pics. Overall it was a decent upscale treat to be enjoyed on occasion.

Click any photo above or here to be taken to the complete flickr album.

Taqueria la Vida

Taqueria la Vida 3620 W 1st St Santa Ana, CA 92703 (714) 839-5390 Listing on MenuPix Listing on Yelp Facebook Page

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Great little taquería in Santa Ana that I never knew about until a friend pointed it out recently. Highlights are the awesome jeep outside, an awesome and extensive salsa bar, menudo y pozole, different taco specials on different days, the drive-up window, and the fearsome cartoon taco character seen on a few of their walls.

View the complete photo album (21 photos so far) at flickr by clicking here.