Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

SOCO Sushi & Gastro Pub — It opened a few weeks ago.  It’s SOuth of COmmonwealth (hence the name) in the cool, fun part of downtown Fullerton, amongst other bars, restaurants and shops.

It’s a Sushi Bar and Gastro Pub all sushi-rolled into one — I like the variety they offer.

We had the Fiery Rice Bombs (above) and Melts My Heart Quesadilla (below).

Most appreciated is SOCO Sushi & Gastro Pub’s hospitality — Everyone is welcoming and friendly.

And we thoroughly enjoyed the cooked, meaty Yellowtail Cheeks (above), after having different parts of Hamachi (top)  — We mustn’t discard the cheeks of Matt’s next Yellowtail catch.

It’s nicely styled inside to accommodate small and large groups.

One can dine and drink at SOCO’s Sushi Bar or at their Gastro Pub Bar — That option is matchless.

You can reserve a private room if needed.

Albacore on Acid (above) is another one of SOCO Sushi & Gastro Pub’s unique creations — Menu items are differently and comically named, adding to the fun there.  Much sounds great to try.

It’s said to be the place to start your night — I’d agree with that and from what we experienced and sense, it could be the place you’ll want to end your night also.  It’s positively distinctive and offers food dishes and drinks to please all.  Say “Hi” to Davis Jeong, Executive Sushi Chef.  He and all care about your satisfaction.  Check out their MENU for more info re the pictured items and others.

I previously reported about Dami Sushi & Izakaya — We really liked the Sushi and people there.  It was located at the Village Circle off Beach and Malvern in Buena Park, but apparently the space is under new ownership.  Though the sign still reads Dami Sushi on the outside, it’s now Ki Sushi & Sake Bar.  Their temporary sign currently hangs below.  Of course we had to give them a try.

We had Blue Fin Tuna, a listed special, as Sashimi (below) and seared in a well-flavored Salad (top).

The rest was selected for us by Ki Sushi’s Chef Hak Sang, who named the Halibut Belly (second from top) after me — It’s also posted with #shelly on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/HakSushi.

We were surprised with the little nuggets below, tasty combos of Salmon, Crab and Spicy Tuna.

And we much appreciated the creative Orange Dessert too — All was impressive.

 It appears we have a new Sushi Bar to go to — It’s now called Ki Sushi & Sake Bar.

My husband says Dami Sushi & Izakaya is his new favorite Sushi place.  We were in awe over their Hamachi and Maguro (above) — Both were strikingly gorgeous, fresh and delicious.

It’s a hip place too.  I didn’t take many photos, since most seats were full and I didn’t want my camera to flash in people’s faces.  We’ve dined at their Sushi Bar a couple times since they opened a few months ago.  We appreciate the promptly served Edamame and Pickled Vegetables.  Upon our first visit, we were served Miso Soup — A nice bonus that varies.

Everything that came out of the Sushi Bar this night looked like a work of art.

We had Dami Sushi’s Beach Roll (below) — It’s made with Spicy Tuna, Crabmeat, Avocado, Gobo and Salmon and is deep fried.  It has an enchanting combination of flavors.  It’s not guaranteed that yours will look exactly like ours, but it’ll be pretty and fresh.  They also have an extensive, GREAT sounding menu, with several listed items I’d love to try.  See MENU.

Izakaya — A Japanese drinking establishment that serves food to accompany the drinks.  A tavern or pub for after work gathering for drinks and small dishes to share.  Dami does it well.

Dami Sushi & Izakaya is at the Village Circle on Beach in Buena Park — Open 5 to Midnight.

02/12/15 Update:  The property is under new ownership and it’s now called Ki Sushi Sake Bar — See report here.

Thanks to Katie Chin of The Sweet & Sour Chronicles — I’ve already made three dishes from her new cookbook, Everyday Thai Cooking.  We learned a lot at her recent cooking class.

You can obtain her latest cookbook through Amazon or attend her next book signing and cooking class scheduled for May 8, 2014 at the Inspire Artistic Minds Culinary Center.

The IAM Culinary Center is located in Orange and is brought to you by 100Eats and Le Gourmet Kitchen.  More information about Katie Chin’s upcoming book signing and cooking class is linked here.  She’ll be making a few items from Everyday Thai Cooking, as pictured.

We got to try her Chiang Mai Chicken in Lettuce Wraps with Lime Ginger Dipping Sauce, Pineapple Fried Rice, Panaeng Curry Meatballs and Coconut Cake with Mango Sauce.

All were flavorful and relatively easy to make.

After our class, I made the Pineapple Fried Rice, Shrimp Coconut Soup (last photo) and the Chiang Mai Chicken in Lettuce Wraps and all turned out fantastic — Thai food is so tasty.

Also, thanks to Greg of the OC Beer Blog, who brought Beer to compliment the food.

Though I don’t have the specifics, he did a great job — His Beer selections paired well with all.

Katie’s Coconut Cake with Mango Sauce is on my “To Make List.”

If this looks good to you, be sure to attend Katie’s next cooking class and book signing.  She’ll be making all shown here and signing more books.  Thanks Katie — We’re happily cooking.

And thanks to the IAM Culinary Center too, for current and future food possibilities.

I’m new to Dim Sum and Capital Seafood at the Irvine Spectrum was a good place to start.

A knowledgeable friend took me there and led the way — She ordered several of her favorites and I tried them all.  I can’t tell you the names and/or ingredients in what we had, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the food.  They serve over 100 types of Dim Sum.

Much is offered by way of the traditional push-cart.

Cart after cart, after tray, after cart, after cart stops by your table throughout.

Servers have scissors ready to cut each or any as requested by you.

Each piece is like a mini grab bag when you don’t know your Dim Sum.

I’d like to study-up before next time to know and choose what I might like best.

Capital Seafood Restaurant is fairly large inside and out and was mostly full this day.

We sat on the outside patio where much was offered to us.

We shared a good variety of Shrimp, Pork, crunchy, soft, sweet and hot Dim Sum.

All was a well-rounded starter kit at a good restaurant for Dim Sum.

There’s much more for me to learn about Dim Sum.

Order off the menu or point to what you want from the ever-changing, then repetitive carts.

They also have a Bar — $2 Beers are offered at Happy Hour M-F (3-7).

The adjacent Wine fridge is pretty cool too — No pun, really.

It also claims to be a trendy, hip and upbeat place to enjoy sports on multiple screens.

I’d like to go back and try more as soon as possible.

Our to-go boxes looked like this (below).

Capital Y for Yes — I want more Dim Sum at Capital Seafood.

“You’ve got to try the Combo Salad at Ho Sum Bistro” I’ve heard (and read) over and over.  It’s like… “You’ve got to see the baby” on Seinfeld — Well, I finally tried it aka saw the baby, and it’s not breathtaking.  In real world terms, it’s okay, better than the TV reference.

The Combo Salad is the Ho Sum Chicken Salad (Roasted and shredded Chicken Breast with Lettuce and Red Ginger Dressing) and the Sesame Seed Chicken Salad (Romaine Lettuce tossed with Sesame Seeds, Almonds, shredded Chicken and a Sesame Oil and Vinegar Dressing) combined.  It’s good, but next time I’d try a few Dim Sum dishes I saw on the menu.

It’s a lot of Salad.  Pictured is the 1/2 Combo Salad to go — Two can share it.

UH-LOW-HAH Aloha Roll (above) — We can’t wait to go back to Sapporo Sushi (f/k/a Niko Niko Sushi) to have it again.  It’s made with Baked Pineapple, Spicy Tuna, Avocado and Mango.

A Tempura Special Roll of some sort (above) for another table — It sure looked good.

We also had the Hungry Roll (above), which is layer upon layer of texture and flavor.  It’s over the top.  Watching it be made was crazy — It’s got Shrimp Tempura, Spicy Tuna, Popcorn Shrimp, Avocado and Crab.  Sapporo Sushi is near CSULB off PCH/7th Street in Long Beach.

Where can I find the BEST Bánh Mì Sandwich?  Locally all answers lead to Little Saigon.

We collected suggestions, then set out to eat at a few of them in one day.

We started at the Coffee Factory with extra strong Coffees and a Bánh Mì (Thit Nuon).

It’s a BBQ’d Pork Bánh Mì Sandwich that we’d go back for, and the Coffee too.

We were also referred to Paris Patisserie & Boulangerie aka Au Coeur De Paris for Macarons.

It’s formerly known as Le Versailles, I think.

We got a box filled with one of each Macaron flavor to go.

At Tip Top Sandwiches (below) a Chicken Bánh Mì Sandwich on a Croissant was recommended.

There are a couple Tip Top Sandwiches locations off Brookhurst around Little Saigon.

Good, but we liked the Bánh Mì at the Coffee Factory better, though vow to try more.

Also went to Brodard Restaurant for Nem Nuong Cuon and more Macarons (below).

Nem Nuong Cuon are popular Pork Spring Rolls that are wrapped in Rice Paper.

Though a favorite of many, I don’t particularly like Rice Paper over a fried Spring Roll.

And we got another box of Macarons from Brodard to try and compare.

I loved the colors and Macaron flavors at Brodard.

Gorgeous — Never thought to describe a Cookie as gorgeous, but couldn’t stop staring.

We had no complaints about the Macarons — Both boxes were above average.

Without recommendations, it seems impossible for an outsider to know where to go and what to eat in and around Little Saigon.  The above was a good start, but we’re not done searching for the best Bánh Mì and already have other suggestions on a list.  Do you have a favorite?

An all you can eat Korean surprise is at Moodaepo’s Korean BBQ Restaurant in Fullerton.

A surprise, because its exterior does it no justice — It’s a significant, stylish restaurant.

Look beyond the strip mall situation.  It’s a whole new world inside.

Each prepares his/her food on a tabletop grill.

Pick your price, available meat(s) and grill and eat away, then order more if you want to.

Though there’s a lot of room, it gets crowded as many are already in the know.

A pitcher of Beer to accompany the experience.  Hite, Hite, Hite, Hite — Gun Bae.

This evening featured an expert meat cutting demo that fascinated Food Bloggers and all.

Fast and precise — It was Impressive.

A grill (below) ready for your meat and Korean condiments to compliment all.

Other cooked dishes can be ordered — The Bulgogi below was sweet, tender and tasty.

Load your grill with all you can eat.

And don’t burn it, unless you like it that way.

In addition to Moodaepo’s large interior, the patio is quite sizeable and ready for events.

Moodaepo’s owner received an award from the city (I think) — Ask them about the specifics.

Congratulations seem deserving!  Don’t let the outside detour you — It’s utterly in vogue.

It’s a neat place with nostalgic pieces of Korean culture on display to honor its origin.

I look forward to going back — Thank you.

At Ka Shabu, YOU are the Chef — Make your own Japanese Hot Pot / Soup.

Choose a Meat, Fish or Vegetable, or a combination of all.

Each seat has its own cooking station to create the Soup Base of your dreams.

Entrees include Rice, Vegetables and Soup Base, as pointed out by the chipped-polish server.

Add Green Onions, Garlic and Daikon Radish for texture, and Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil and whatever else you fancy.  I added much of the Ponzu Sauce that’s also served with the meal.

Kanpai Tomodachi.

YOU grind Sesame Seeds to help prepare a Sesame Peanut Sauce.

I had the Beef Filet and others had the Chicken, Shrimp and Vegetables.

The Chicken looked like Hamachi, which I’d prefer, though it’s not served here.

It’s an engaging experience and my Soup Base turned out pretty darn tasty.

Ka Shabu — The fantastic smell of Garlic boiling in Soup pots hits you when you walk in.

The lovers, the dreamers and me at Sushi Wave for a lunch escape, next door to Radio Shack.

A (blurry) vision, but not an illusion — It’s a House Salad and Rainbow Roll at Sushi Wave.

Delight on a whim — Past ready for lunch, I stepped away from the audio/video connector’s world for a peaceful, fresh, satisfying bite.  Don’t let this option hide from you on Newport Blvd.

Title and word play inspired by a favorite songwriter and the pictured Rainbow Roll.

What fortune would you write?  I was fairly uncreative, since I made them on a whim.

Though not perfect, from thought to fruition I had Fortune Cookies in 30 minutes.

Most recipes for Fortune Cookies seem to be the same — One of the many I stumbled upon.

And must give a shout out to the SILPAT — It’s perfect for Fortune Cookies (and much more).

RECIPE — While still warm, fold Cookies in half over the fortune, then bend ’em over the rim of a glass (or similar), as blurrily shown (above) to cool.  Voila!  I may add Orange Zest next time.

You will soon receive a large sum of money said my Fortune Cookie.  What?  Is that legal?

Wow it’s right, I did blog about it — Illustration Credit.

In respect to Asian traditions, you’re encouraged to share dishes with friends and family — I read it on the Starfish Menu (created for sharing), and gladly did so.  Embrace the custom.

Starfish in Laguna Beach serves Asian Coastal Cuisine that’s best described here.

Its atmosphere is sexy and stylish, set for passion, desire, pleasure, romance and sensitivity. 

As well as energy, unity, strength, compassion, patience and heart, they hope — I see it.

It’s good for the eyes and soul — And so are the amazingly flavorful Korean Galbi Tacos.

We also had the Wagyu Banh Mi Sliders (above) and Starfish Baby Back Ribs (below).

Every dish packed a punch of flavor and the Ribs were fork tender, a must for my vote.

I love its light blue and red colors, and the back lit wall in the Bar area — It’s beautiful.

Starfish is an alluring find in the Aliso Creek Shopping Center, across from the Montage Resort.

And they also wish YOU luck, longevity, prosperity, happiness and wealth.

Che Loong Starfish — We appreciate the FOOD and well wishes.

Although no voting takes place here, you’re cordially invited to peek at my who cares anymore dinner party, a blog post formerly known as the Challenge #3 Luxury Dinner Party in Project Food Blog.  I’m kidding (kinda), I care.  And we did have a nice party, after I drank away my sorrow, just kidding again (mostly kinda).  The links will provide more information about all that.  We’ll continue with the party — I prepared a few Thai dishes, since I’m familiar with the cuisine and dinner guests were not.

I invited my awesome family to partake in the food and since none were familiar with Thai food, this post is really titled Thai One Over On The Family, instead of who cares. 🙂 I know they do.  They’re generally Steak, Seafood and Potato people.  The Potato People — Sounds scary.  Anyway, they were game to try it all.  I didn’t tell them about the Fish Sauce, but used it sparingly just in case.  Busted — They know now.

Since this post is no longer in competition and other stuff needs to get done, it’ll mostly consist of photos, a few words and relevant links.  Hover your cursor over each photo to learn a little more.  We had a great time together, as always.  I appreciate them so much.

Grilling Chicken and Filet Mignon Satay in the backyard on a beautiful day, with the Coconut Peanut Sauce waiting on the sidelines.

They take just minutes to cook, so turn them over quickly, take ’em off the grill and dig in.  The Satay was the family favorite, as expected.

They’re finally ready to dip into the Coconut Peanut Sauce.

Just a few of the ingredients used to prepare our Thai meal, certainly not all.

The Shrimp and Coconut Milk Soup started with defrosting homemade Chicken Stock, Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime Leaves and Galangal.  I’d made this soup many times before, but it’s been a few years.  About 10 years ago, I was working as a Paralegal at a large law firm and we were having a fund raiser for the United Way.  To assist, I offered to prepare ‘any dish’ for the highest bidder.  One law partner paid $750 for a spicy Tom Kha Gai, a variation of the pictured Soup.  Thank God it turned out well and all proceeds went to the United Way.

Wish we could show you the Shrimp in the “Shrimp” and Coconut Milk Soup.  It’s too late now.

The pots were filled and the Lemongrass Tea chilled and ready for guests.  I’m not sure if the above photo can be considered artsy or if it’s just plain blurry!?  If just blurry, I apologize.  Had I still been in the competition, I would’ve taken more photos. 🙂

I also prepared a Vegetable Curry with a bountiful array of fresh Veggies (Baby Bok Choy, Sweet Pea Pods, Yams, Asparagus Tips, Carrots, Potatoes, Cauliflower, Zucchini and Broccoli).

And a Thai Peanut Noodle Salad, Saffron Rice and homemade Mango Lime Sherbet Ice Cream.  I found the BEST Peanut Dressing recipe for the Noodle Salad and coincidentally it’s by another Foodbuzz Featured Publisher.  It’s linked here and definitely a keeper.

The girls at the Thai Dinner Party (l-r) Niece Lexi, Mom, Sister Ami, Niece Bailee and Maggie, the King Charles Cavalier.  The boys were in the den watching football.

Lexi entertaining the crowd, as usual — She’s staring at YOU.

The Mango Lime Sherbet turned out too tart and I even added more sugar than the recipe called for.  Although everyone claimed to love tart flavors, it was pushing it.  My Dad took one bite and handed it back to me with a pucker on his face.

Above is a little sampling for the dog, just kidding — It’s what I had the next day, a Mini-Meal.  For the Satay and Coconut Peanut Sauce, I used a recipe similar to the one linked here.

My Nieces were in charge of the camera most of the time and secretly recorded us on video too many times.  I can’t use that, hahaha.  And I’m not even sure who this is, but it’s funny.  When it’s discovered by its Star, I may need to take it down — Until then, enjoy. 🙂 The only photo of me is the BBQ’ing hands.  I’m okay with that.  Thanks Kids in the Kitchen.

Happily I’ve never had a bad meal at Benihana — The restaurant chain opened more than 40 years ago.  I’ve dined at several locations across the states and haven’t left any without a smile on my face.  The food is always fresh, cooked perfectly and it’s fun to watch it happen.  And if you join The Chef’s Table, you’ll receive a complimentary meal during the month of your birthday, a $30 value.  It’s a great deal.  If you have a birthday coming up, join now.

This visit we ordered the Land ‘N Sea, which includes Benihana’s Onion Soup and Salad, a Hibachi Shrimp appetizer, Zucchini and Onions, steamed or fried Rice, Ice Cream and Green Tea, as like most meals.  The Land ‘N Sea also consists of Filet Mignon and Sea Scallops that are grilled with Lemon and Butter.  Everything tasted fantastic and the cooking show was entertaining as usual, especially when our chef missed catching an Egg that fell and cracked on the floor — It happens.  Unfortunately that photo turned out blurry.

These photos were taken at Benihana’s Newport Beach restaurant.  We recommend Chef Roberto, who is pretty darn funny and talented.  The service seems extra good at this location.  Management was walking around making sure everyone was happy and satisfied.

Chef Roberto made a heart out of the Fried Rice and a volcano out of the Onions.

Our Filet Mignon and Sea Scallops were perfectly cooked, as usual.

Keep it coming — We’re always stuffed on the way out and have leftovers for the next day.

Although we’ve enjoyed countless meals at Benihana, this is Nibbles of Tidbits’ first report.

We celebrated a couple birthdays at our table, thus appreciated the complimentary photo, beautifully carved Pineapple and song.  Chef’s Table birthday meals are honored without a hitch — Just bring in the printed voucher with an ID and you may redeem it anytime during the month of your birthday.  It’s a terrific deal.

Just peeled my first Lychee fruit — They’re super easy to peel, but the fruit sure sticks to the seed (pit) pretty tightly, and the seed sometimes colors the fruit around it with a brown tint.  No wonder why I rarely see a pristine white, plump, seeded Lychee, at least where I’ve been.  It’s necessary to expose myself to certain things.  For total immersion I’ll book a trip to South China, where they are considered a symbol of romance and love. 🙂

Today my food and legal worlds happily collided — I happen to make a livin’ as a Litigation Paralegal and Freelance Writer majoring in food. 🙂 Our law office was invited to a Summer Splash Party that was hosted by Sarnoff Court Reporters and catered by Kogi BBQ trucks.

By now most have heard about the elusive Kogi BBQ trucks drivin’ and parkin’ around Orange County and Los Angeles, offering Mexican/Korean cuisine to eagerly awaiting Kogi lovers — And today they came to me with ease.

Since Sarnoff sponsored the party, we had the Kogi trucks all to our legal selves.  We only had to wait in line a couple minutes, unlike many others at popular destinations.

We each received a Kogi Beef Slider, Kogi Pork Taco and Kogi Chicken Taco.  All were very good as reported by countless others, but we weren’t knocked off our chairs.  We wouldn’t wait hours as some have, but maybe 15 minutes or so for another Beef Slider and their Short Rib Taco (a specialty not offered today).

Thanks Sarnoff — You always have the best food at your parties!  And thanks Kogi BBQ for the fast tasty food.

Just got back from Las Vegas and although we didn’t eat at Beijing Noodle No. 9 at Caesars Palace, it’s definitely worth showing.  The entrance is truly amazing, as it includes aisles of giant fish tanks stocked with hundreds of large goldfish.  Just pick the one you want and they’ll get it out of the tank and cook it for you — Just kidding, that part is just for show.  They do, however, offer an authentic taste of Northern Chinese Cuisine.  We’ll have to test it out next visit.  This time we chose to eat at Rao’s and BOA Steakhouse and will be reporting about them shortly.  Las Vegas has too many great restaurants to choose from, not that we’re complaining.  Viva!

What a great bunch of people they have working for Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine.  We recently visited Roy’s in Anaheim at The GardenWalk.  Did you know that each location’s Chef Partner is trained by Roy Yamaguchi himself, yet is encouraged to infuse their own style and inspiration into Roy’s classic menu items?  We just learned that cool fact, which makes each Roy’s special in its own way, thus if you’ve been to one Roy’s, you haven’t been to ’em all.

Roy’s just kicked off its L.A. Ohana Tour, which will give guests the opportunity to experience the different taste variations each time they visit a new Roy’s location — The specifics are detailed in bullet points below.

During our first tour stop, we thoroughly enjoyed Roy’s Original Hawaiian Martini, which includes fresh Pineapple, SKYY Vodka, Stoli Vanil Vodka and Malibu Coconut Rum.  And we loved the flavors of the Ekolu Tuna Roll, the “Rim Fire” Calamari and the Sweet Corn & Blue Crab Crusted Barramundi, which was our favorite — It’s made with a Sun Dried Tomato and Wild Mushroom Anisette Cream Sauce.  If you’ve never tried Barramundi, you’re missing out.  It’s a sustainable farm raised Fish with sweet succulent flesh indigenous to Australia. 

And for dessert, Roy’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake with caramelized Pineapple baked with Brown Sugar Pound Cake and Coconut Ice Cream was the perfect finish.

Roy’s recently announced the launch of its L.A. Ohana Tour, a new rewards program designed for diners to experience the creative chef variations on popular menu items offered at each location.  From June 9th until August 31, 2010, guests are invited to visit (3) Southern California Roy’s restaurants to receive dining rewards and be entered to win an all-inclusive trip to Hawaii, where guests will enjoy a personal dinner with founding chef Roy Yamaguchi.

Your chance to win a trip to Hawaii starts with an inaugural visit to any one of Roy’s participating restaurants, as noted below: 

· At the inaugural (first) trip to any participating Roy’s restaurant, guests are awarded an Ohana Tour Card to present at the next Roy’s location.

· On the second visit, guests will receive a complimentary Chocolate Soufflé with the purchase of an entrée.

· At the third location, guests will receive a $20 Gift Card with the purchase of an entrée, plus an entry into the Hawaiian sweepstakes.

· Restaurants participating in the tour include Roy’s Anaheim, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Pasadena, and Woodland Hills locations.

THEY SAY:  “In the Hawaiian culture, ‘ohana’ means family,” said Leiala Whattoff, V.P. of Training & Development, Roy’s restaurant. “We designed this tour to thank our frequent guests and encourage new guests to experience our exquisite food and the aloha spirit with their friends and family. By visiting three of our Southern California locations, guests will receive delicious rewards and the chance to win the ultimate dining experience in Hawaii.”

Nibbles of Tidbits will be heading to Roy’s in Fashion Island next for our complimentary Chocolate Soufflé.  Hope to see you on tour!

* We had hoped to post more food photos, but unfortunately didn’t capture the deserving quality of all aforementioned dishes.

Here’s a simple way to enjoy Lettuce Wrap Tacos — We marinated Chicken Thighs in our favorite bottled Sesame Dressing by Feast from the East for a day, then grilled them on the BBQ.  The flavor turns out delicious and sweet.  Shredded Chicken goes well on an Iceberg Lettuce Leaf, with the addition of a little Soy Sauce, Sriracha and Sticky Rice.  Any Chicken part will do for this recipe, but Thighs (and Drumsticks) are cheaper and marinate quicker than Breasts.  Our Sticky Rice wasn’t that great, thus we have no instructions for it.

Note: This post was one of many drafts with previously uploading photos.  We’re reviving a few while working on technical issues with respect to the upload of new photos.

Since this sounds like a fun contest with a great prize, and its proceeds benefit a much needed organization (all good criteria), we’ve reprinted the details here on Nibbles of Tidbits.

MAKI MADNESS SUSHI SHOWDOWN

Attention Surf City: It’s Time to Put Your Sushi Where Your Mouth Is — March 21, 2010!

WHAT: On Sunday, March 21, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is partnering with CASA of Orange County and OC Weekly to host its inaugural Maki Madness Sushi Eating Contest to coincide with the NCAA March Madness. Whether you’re a professional food eater or just like a little competition, you’ll definitely enjoy this sushi throw-down. One participant will be named Surf City’s 2010 Maki Madness Champion – winning sushi for a year, which is equivalent to 12 $50 RA gift certificates. Think you’ve got what it takes?

All interested gamers must register in advance online at www.ocweekly.com/RAsushi – space is limited to 40 participants. All of the proceeds from the $10 cash only registration fee and raffle (no purchase necessary), will benefit CASA of Orange County.

RA will feature its signature Tootsy Maki and offer guests a selection of themed drink specials. In addition to the sushi showdown, spectators and cheerleaders will enjoy full coverage of the NCAA March Madness tournament and may take part in mini basketball competitions.

WHEN: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: RA Sushi Bar Restaurant
The Strand in Huntington Beach
155 5th Street (at PCH)
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Phone: (714) 536-6390

* The Hamachi in the photo is from a Sushi experience of another time.

So far, Diho Siam has the best Wor Wonton Soup in Costa Mesa.  The broth is amazing!  Due to the weather and being under the weather, I’ve had a lot of Soup lately.  This is the second day in a row I’ve had the Wor Wonton Soup Bowl from Diho Siam — (949) 645-3259.  Too bad I didn’t photograph it yesterday, the Broth was crystal clear like the best Consomme ever seen, and the Shrimp was on top.  It would’ve made for a better photo.  Consistently both, and all previous bowls, were flavorful, convenient and satisfying.  If local and under the weather too, you’ve got to try it.  And if searching for other cold comforts read here or to view more Diho Siam meals click here.