Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

Umami:  A taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (as glutamate and aspartate) — It’s the definition of Umami.  Understand now?

How about this… Umami is a savory taste, one of the five basic tastes (together with sweet, sour, bitter and salty).  A loanword from the Japanese, Umami can be translated as “pleasant savory taste” — It’s basically a description, NOT specific ingredients.  I didn’t know all this.

Pictured is the Original Umami Burger from the Umami Restaurant Group’s Umami Burger.

And Beer Battered Onion Rings from Umami Burger’s Sides Menu.  They were good, but I prefer thinner Onions.  Theirs are thick with too much Onion — Not sure if they are always like that?!

As for the famous Original Umami Burger, I regret to inform that we thought it was just okay.  I’d heard great things about it over the past couple years, but we didn’t find it mind blowingly different.  It’s quite rich actually.  We like its ingredients… Shiitake Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Roasted Tomato, a Parmesan Crisp and Umami Ketchup, but idk — It was pleasantly savory, but other Burgers have been even more pleasantly savory, if allowed.

It’s not inexpensive, but had to try it and you may still want to too.  I’d like to try Umami Burger’s Ahi Tuna Burger.  It looks and sounds impressive, like many of Umami Burger’s other Burgers.

I tried one of these Chicken Biscuit Sandwiches one day while having lunch at Chick-Fil-A.  They were offering samples.  I couldn’t believe how good it was and I’m not a Biscuit person.

Ever since then, I’ve wanted one for breakfast, but rarely seem to be near a Chick-Fil-A, while it’s open and still serving Chicken Biscuit Sandwiches (until 10:30 and not on a Sunday).

When nearby, it’s a must and always a treat.

I’ve liked Chick-Fil-A’s Original Chicken Sandwich for several years and now highly recommend their Chicken Biscuit Sandwich.  It’s surprisingly almost better than the original.  Try it and see.

It’s buttery, flavorful and delicate, and compliments the Crispy Chicken well.

We received this Staub Cast Iron Cookware as a gift for our wedding.

It’s from one of the attorneys I work for as a paralegal — His family swears by it.

I’ve given away Cast Iron Pots in the past — I generally thought them to be unattractive, to rust easy, and be too heavy to use.  Well… This one is NOT unattractive.  In fact it’s so gorgeous I can’t stop staring at it.  I want to keep it nice forever.  It’s still pretty heavy, but I greatly appreciate its enameled surface and think it would be less apt to rust.  Thank you!

The first thing I cooked (several times already) is a Whole Chicken.

This one is seasoned with Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder and Paprika — Each has been different.

And was simply placed a-top roughly chopped Onions and Carrots.

I include Fresh Herbs if I have them.  Dill and Thyme (my favorite) were added to this Chicken.  I add most in its cavity and some to the Carrots and Onions, since I later puree all with a little Chicken Juice and Chicken Stock to make a Sauce to serve with it — A quick alternative to Gravy.  Cook Chicken covered in the oven at 325° for approximately 3 Hours.

Put it in the oven and forget about it until the timer goes off.  It’s a great meal and our house smells good too.  I’ll experiment with a different pot to assess the difference in Chickens using the same cooking method and report back soon, if I can give up this pot for a bit.  Staub is made in France and this one has a self-basting system, you can read more about here.

We’re still looking back fondly while settling in.  Did you see our Wedding Cake?  It was perfect!  Not only did it look cool, but it tasted great too.  We highly recommend Creative Cakes and a few other superb wedding vendors noted and linked herein.  Check them out.

These photos and hundreds of other amazing ones were taken by Tremble Media.  We love them all and the professional Wedding Video they shot and edited for us.  They captured it all.

The Turnip Rose Promenade & Gardens was the BEST venue for us and people are still talking about the FOOD.  We appreciate so much about them — Quality, service, beauty, etc.

And Photo Booth On Wheels did a great job too — Nice people run it.

And mustn’t forget the Most Fabulous DJ around — Andy Nation.  Wow!  He’s an awesome, organized, professional person to work with and did an excellent job at our wedding.

Everything was lovely, seamless, tasty, entertaining and pleasantly memorable THANKS to all.

We’d DO it all again the same way.  Thank you!

The Twisted Vine is a Wine Bar & Shop in Fullerton, but don’t forget the food.

These photos certainly don’t do it justice.  It’s nicely dark inside.  I met a group of friends there for the first time for Wine.  We shared everything pictured here, but didn’t take these photos until I went back a couple weeks later and had the exact same things.  All was that good!

I especially love the Chorizo Crostini (above) and I’m ready to have it a third time.

Also pictured is the Baked Brie in a Bread Bowl, Olives and Stuffed French Toast Empanadas.

Orange County Restaurant Week is over for now, but it’ll be back — I’m not sure when, but you can check here.  Next time, we’ll opt for the Wahoo’s Fish Taco deal more than once.

For $20 it included… (2) Drinks (Beer and/or Wine), an Appetizer (Baja Rolls) to share, (2) Entrees (Two Tacos and/or Two Enchiladas), and Dessert (Churro Chips) to share.

It was the best deal that week — Though it has past, OC Restaurant Week will be back again.

Until then, OC Cocktail Week starts TODAY — Here’s a link to more information about it.

Though full from our Wahoo’s meal, we couldn’t stop eating the Churro Chips, which are similar to those in photo above — We were so busy inhaling them, I forgot to take a photo.

Cinnamon Chips (pictured above) — Photo Credit and Recipe