Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

To help raise funds for her daughter’s school trip to Washington, DC, one mother decided to make and sell Tamales.  She and her family first took orders from friends, co-workers, neighbors and others for homemade Beef, Chicken or Pork Tamales.  At $1 a Tamale, I ordered 10, 5 Pork and 5 Chicken.  It’s a win-win fundraising idea.  The mother and Tamale maker said it was a fun family bonding experience, but a lot of work.  Many said she should’ve charged more, thus tipped extra accordingly — She happily exceeded her monetary goal.  The Tamales were neatly prepared with nice chunks of meat and were thoroughly enjoyed by me.  And this Spring a little girl will get to join her class on a trip to DC.  It wasn’t easy, but all is good now.

We were full and we lived and it wasn’t horrible and we might get it again.  It’s the Jumbo Deal at Jack in the Box.  For $3.49 you get a Jumbo Jack, (2) Tacos, French Fries and a 20oz. Beverage.  It truly is a Jumbo Deal.

* Cheese on the Jumbo Jack is extra — They always get you with that.

We thoroughly enjoyed the $45 prix fixe meal served at Back Bay Bistro Restaurant on New Year’s Eve — And we’ll definitely be going back again for the Lobster Bisque.  It’s one of the best we’ve had in a long time, due to a perfect balance of complex flavors.  Wow!

Included with the fantastic Lobster Bisque was a fresh Bistro Salad, Surf & Turf (a Petite Filet Mignon and Jumbo Shrimp served with Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Asparagus and Baby Carrots) and Chocolate Mousse with a fresh Raspberry Puree.  All was fantastic.

Back Bay Bistro is a little tricky to get to — It’s tucked back in Newport Dunes near a boat launch.  Be careful walking over and valet parking, so not to get run over by a launching boat.  Once you’re there, it’s a pleasant experience.

We received excellent service from everyone we encountered and were impressed by that alone.  We mistakenly arrived a 1/2 hour before the first seating and were content to hang outside, but a nice manager (Jesse) invited us in early.  That was super cool of him and on this colder evening it was a treat to be sitting inside with a glass of Merlot.

We’ll be going back soon for Happy Hour — It’s an all around good restaurant that’s nice and airy, has interesting views, offers “dog friendly dining” on the outdoor patio, provides on-the-ball service and high quality food.

For all reasons noted above, we were happy with our decision to enjoy our last meal in 2009 at Back Bay Bistro — And we’ll be heading back over in early 2010 for more.

Happy New Year from Nibbles of Tidbits in Newport Beach, near Back Bay Bistro.

We’re excited about the retro priced Burger and French Fries ($2.70) we had for lunch today at Ruby’s Diner.  The service was excellent and the food was fresh and hot at the Irvine Spectrum location.  This should have been reported earlier, but you can get the same before the close of business today (only).  Maybe they’ll offer it again for their 28th Anniversary.

The linked list of 100 Snacking Tips to keep you healthy and satisfied without draining your wallet was sent to me.  It’s marketed towards college students, but I found it to have useful information that everyone could appreciate, thus it’s deemed worthy of being shared here on Nibbles of Tidbits.  Here’s to your health and wallet!

If going to Javier’s Cantina & Grill at the Irvine Spectrum for lunch, early or late after the crowd passes is the best time — It gets busy.  After this lunch we can see why.  What we had here was amazing and many other menu items sound fantastic.  The decor is sexy too, but it ain’t cheap.  The prices are on the high side, but the quality is there.  We started with the Guacamole, one of the best around, thought by all dining together today.

The Carnitas are very good, but wished my cut this day would have been a little less fatty.  Their Refried Beans and Roasted Salsa are incredible.

Callitos Mazatlan— Scallops sauteed in a Butter, Garlic and Chipotle Sauce.  The Scallops were perfectly cooked and even the plain looking white rice tasted special.

And a Chicken Chimichanga, with large chunks of white meat Chicken, plus more Guacamole and Beans — Yum.  There’s definitely remarkable stuff being served at Javier’s.  I want to go back.

Bayside Restaurant in Newport Beach recently had its 10th Year Anniversary.  To celebrate they offered a 4-Course Menu that included some of their best dishes and customer favorites over the years — Our Friday the 13th (coincidentally) menu included Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Hawaiian Pineapple Carpaccio and Macadamias.

Fall Vegetable Bruschetta with Goat Cheese, Pumpkin Seed Essence and a Balsalmic Reduction.

Lamb Loin with a Port Wine Black Garlic Sauce, Roasted Tomato, Baby Artichokes and Potato Puree — This dish was amazing.

Miso Glazed Chilean Seabass with a Sesame Seaweed Salad and Ponzu Sauce.

Mango Sorbet with Ginger Blackberries.

A Composition of Chocolates with Chambord Raspberries.  And a complimentary Glass of Champagne and Amuse Bouche of Beets, Endive and Goat Cheese.  The high quality4-Course Menu was only $25 per person.  Bayside Restaurant offers a lot of specials, so keep checking their calendar.  They’ll also be serving Thanksgiving Dinner this year, along with many other Orange County restaurants.

I scored because my dinner guest doesn’t like Beets or Champagne — I love ’em both, so guess WHAT?  It was double Amuse Bouche and Champagne for me. 🙂

Just went to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for the day.  It was our second time having their amazing Buffet.  Continuing our tour of local Indian Reservation Casinos and Buffets, so far this one is our favorite.  They seem to offer everything you’d want and all was fresh and delicious during both visits.  This is our first report with photographs.  The Brisket (above) and the Turkey (below) were especially good, perfectly cooked and carved to order.

They offer almost every ethnicity and type of food — American, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Salads, Soups, Fresh Fruit, Grilled Vegetables, Cheese and much more.  We captured a lot, but certainly not all.

And almost every Dessert imaginable, Ice Cream, Bread Pudding, Cheesecake, Pies, Cakes, Cobblers, a Chocolate Fountain and more.

Our lunch this day was only $12.99, which isn’t bad for all you can eat — Unfortunately we could only eat so much.  We wished we could take home doggie bags. 🙂

Below is a photo of only one of our plates — We were stuffed and happy by the time we hit the video poker machines.  And we didn’t do too bad at that either.  Fantasy Springs entertainment line-up is pretty good too.  We learned that Morrissey will be playing there on December 5th and are considering going to that.

Check out Nibbles of Tidbits’ Buffet category to see where else we’ve been.  Thumbs up for Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Buffet.

We dared to descend the darkened stairway (freight elevator) into the depths of The Cellar Restaurant to celebrate their 3rd Annual Trick or Eat Halloween Dinner Party.  They report that the lore of haunted restaurants is talked about, but nowhere is it truer than in The Cellar.  The space in which The Cellar inhabits was home to untold mysteries and the haunting of The Cellar is a closely guarded secret that’s only revealed once a year.

Course One:  Radioactive abductor muscles in a pool of gamma charged ooze, black goop, and unearthed fungus AKA Pan Seared Sea Scallops with a Zesty Basil Sauce, Balsamic Reduction and Enoki Mushrooms.

Course Two:  Dissected alien seed pods, toxic forest leaves in slimy secretions, with rotten and moldy milk AKA Mission Fig Salad with Baby Oak Leaf Lettuce, Maple Vinaigrette and Aged Gorgonzola.

Main Course:  Fire charred boat deck aged fishing chum, steamed maggots, and finished with a gangrene and puss (yuck) sauce AKA Grilled Mahi Mahi with Savory Rice, finished with an Herbed Butter Sauce.

Or decayed cow muscles with slaughterhouse drippings and fungal growths AKA Grilled Flavorful Rib Eye Steak, with a Merlot and Mushroom Reduction.

Dessert:  Graveyard mud soufflé with dried blood and bloody sacks AKA Chocolate Soufflé with Melted Dark Chocolate and Fresh Raspberries.

We thought the $49 price for all was pretty great and the show was entertaining.  The Scallops were just okay, a little rubbery, but the Mahi Mahi and Rib Eye Steak were definitely The Cellar’s usual caliber.  It was so dark that we didn’t know the sauce on the Mahi was bright green, until viewing the photos — Sorry a couple are out of focus.  Overall, it’s a good deal and a fun experience.  It’s sold out for tonight, but worth booking next year.  Luckily we survived the zombies.  Happy Halloween!

If interested, be sure to mark your calendar to try Taco Bell’s New Black Jack Taco FREE on Halloween.  After dark (6PM to be exact), Taco Bell will be giving away its spooky black shelled Taco – (1) per customer.  Since we’ll hopefully be enjoying a costume party during that time, we tried one on our own dime ($0.89 to be exact) and it’s not bad.  Three of us tried one this day and all thought it was relatively good.  Aside from the shell that doesn’t taste any different than a tan one, the Sauce makes it different and flavorful.  We may have another before its limited time expires.

Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill currently serves more than (12) different Tacos.  We’ve tried most, but feature only (4) here.  They’re not necessarily our favorites, but what’s photographed thus far.  We’ll be adding to this post, as we sample others.  Pictured above is the Grilled Portobello & Poblano Taco — It’s pretty messy, but is one of our favorites

This day we also tried the Grilled Mesquite Shrimp Taco, the Carnitas Rajas Taco and the All American Taco (R.I.P.), no longer on Rubio’s menu.  The Carnitas was good and the Shrimp was okay (a little tasteless).

And we love the idea of the All American Taco, a Cheeseburger in a Taco, but the meat served in it was way too tough.  It appears this Taco didn’t sell well, since it’s no longer on the menu.  With a few improvements, we wouldn’t mind having it again.

At most locations, Rubio’s “World Famous Fish Tacos“ are $1.25 every Tuesday from 2:30PM to close.  We also like the price of Rubios Street Tacos, but they’re sure tiny.  View their full menu here and be sure to check back for a sampling of Rubio’s other Tacos.

Cafe R+D is part of the Hillstone Restaurant Group.  Its decor reminds me of Houston’s, one of my favorite restaurants in the group.  This R+D is in Fashion Island, another is in Dallas and one just opened in Santa Monica.  We enjoyed the Newporter Roasted Chicken Salad with Avocado, Bacon & Huntsman Cheese (above) — It’s a fun and tasty deconstructed Salad.

Mediterranean Seared Tuna Salad with Sushi Grade Tuna, Avocado, Cucumber & Goat Cheese.  It’s a good flavor combination and the Tuna melted in our mouth(s).

Cafe R+D Chicken & Spinach Salad with Bloomsdale Spinach, Apples, Cashews & Bacon.  During this visit, we realized that all entrees (above) were served with a Deviled Egg — That’s after we had the Deviled Eggs starter.  You might want to take that into consideration when ordering, although they’re only $4, a small concern compared to other prices on the menu.

The Dip Duo includes Tortilla Chips with Guacamole and a Salsa-Queso type dip with a bit of a smokey flavor — We loved it!  The Chips were endless, but we wished the dip was too.  Back to the Deviled Eggs, half of our group liked them and the other half didn’t care for ’em.  There’s a lot of crunch and sweetness in the R+D Eggs and some were hoping for a high quality traditional flavor.

They have an outdoor patio and a window view into the kitchen from the outside of the restaurant, which is always fun.  This day we watched the Chefs making Huntsman Cheese.  Cafe R+D has a small menu and it’s not cheap, but the food, atmosphere and service makes it desirable.  For more information, read what others are saying on Yelp.

If you’re going to eat out today and have kids, be sure to eat at one of these restaurants — They’re offering free meals to kids.  The options are great.  Enjoy.

So far we’ve determined that Bayside Restaurant in Newport Beach has the Best Happy Hour in Orange County.  Their Tapas Menu is fabulous.  This visit we had the Crab Cake with Herb Cabbage Slaw and Chipotle Aioli (above) and  Fusilli Carbonara with Bacon and Parmesan (below).

And the Sliced Beef Sirloin with Roquefort Blue Cheese Leek Fondue (below) is divine.  As like our last visit, the Tapas were top quality and excellent tasting.  The Bayside Tapas Menu is served daily from 5 to 9PM in the Lounge and on the Terrace.  Each item is only $5.95 and unique Martinis and select glasses of Wine are available for $6.

Most Happy Hours end at 7PM — We appreciate that Bayside’s Tapas Happy Hour lasts until 9PM.  We’re still searching for a restaurant that can top their selections, service, prices and hours.  If so, we’ll surely report about it.

During the month of September, Fleming’s Steakhouse & Wine Bar is offering a few great deals.  Be sure to stop in each Wednesday for a complimentary tasting of their Prime Burger Bar Menu.  They serve 5 Gourmet Burgers that you’ll get to try for FREE — Every Wednesday in September, between 5 – 7 PM, they’ll be serving a different mini version of each Burger.

 

I bought these fresh White Currants for less than a dollar at Grower’s Direct.  The price was good, like most of the produce there, and I’d never tried them before.  You’ll find great prices on fruit and vegetables at Grower’s Direct, if you can put up with the narrow aisles, people traffic and (sometimes) parking issues.  I went there for the makings of a Vegetable Platter and tacked on these White Currants for a try.

I quickly learned that White Currants aren’t too edible alone — They’re tart and have a lot of crunchy seeds inside.  So much for simply enjoying a new tasty Berry, HA.  I was hoping to eat ’em like a Blueberry, Raspberry, etc.  The next thought was to make something out of them.  What?  The obvious was Jam/Jelly, which I don’t use.  And I couldn’t see them enhancing the flavor of anything that’s quick and simple to make.

Since I didn’t want to waste all of them, I tossed some in a small batch of Rice Pudding, which isn’t as simple as it sounds.  I had the prepared (leftover) Rice, but it’s necessary to pick off both ends of the White Currants before adding to a recipe.  And by the time you pick off the bottom fur-ish part, you’re left with mostly seeds and skin, HA.  It’s real worth it, not. 

Overall, they weren’t bad in the Rice Pudding, nor good either.  I learned a lot, yet still don’t know the best thing to do with White Currants.  That’s okay, because it’s always fun to try new things — Some are fabulous finds and others just an educational story.  Next.

Nibbles of Tidbits has a Guest Blogger, Bonnie who dines out a lot.  This is her first report about Sol Cocina in Newport Beach.  She offers a unique perspective on a dining experience — Three Interior Designers walk into a restaurant for a birthday celebration and . . .

Greetings and thanks to Nibbles of Tidbits for allowing me to “Guest Blog” today. By way of introduction, I’m an Interior Designer, but have come on board the foodie train since my good friend Shelly started this blog — I will approach this review from that point of view.

Today I am writing after a memorable visit to the brand new SOL Cocina in Newport Beach. First off, you can’t come here without mentioning something about the beautiful view, as this restaurant sits smack on top of Newport Bay. Here, virtually every seat in the house has a stunning water view to begin the dining experience.

Although we didn’t make it to the bar, we began with the House Specialty Margaritas, which are essentially Cadillac Margaritas but obviously made from truly fresh ingredients, just like our server promised they would be. We also tried the Pineapple Serrano Margarita and my favorite, a Tequila Mojito that was to die for! We then started our feast with Naked Guacamole and Toritos. Again, the freshness of the ingredients was what struck us most, but the flavors were memorable too. And ditto for the Black Bean Dip.

Continuing on to our main course, I opted for the Lamb Taco. I am a firm lover of Lamb, and this dish did not disappoint. We also tried the Chipotle Chicken (pictured), which was awesome and worth going back for. The only thing we were a bit perplexed about was that we were served a leg and thigh, rather than a breast for this entree. Perhaps I will ask about this next time. We also indulged in one of SOL’s Street Tacos, which were not only delicious, but at $6.00 for two, proved to be one great bargain. Indeed, the prices at this decidedly upscale restaurant were surprisingly affordable, with the other stand out being the Lamb Taco at $5.25. It’s definitely worth it!

With our birthday celebration coming to an end, we were delighted with a surprise – a complimentary Nacho Desert, which was anything but ordinary. Here, the Desert Nachos consist of Flour Tortillas that are deep fried, sprinkled with Cinnamon, drizzled with Chocolate and normally topped with Whipped Cream, which we had with ice cream. Ole! It made for a sweet and savory desert.

While the food was a definite stand out at this new restaurant, from an Interior Designer’s point of view SOL Cocina is in need of some basic improvement. We could not help but notice that the décor had been completely redone from when it was Mama Gina’s and is quite impressive, but someone completely dropped the ball when it came to the acoustics. Indeed, the restaurant was not even completely full at 8:30 on a Wednesday night when we noticed that it was awfully loud in there.

How about adding some windows that open up to let out some of the noise? This is just one suggestion from us three Interior Designers, who can appreciate the tasteful decor but cringe when we think about going back to a restaurant where the noise level is annoying. Someone definitely needs to take care of this before SOL can, and should — become Newport’s newest spot for contemporary, Baja-style dining.

Sol Cocina DIRECT (251 PCH, former Mamma Gina’s location): http://www.solcocina.com/

There are way better photos than my Guest Blogger took linked directly below.  J.K., but it’s true, although I greatly appreciate the efforts nonetheless. http://ocmexfood.blogspot.com/2009/06/sol-cocina.html

Bonnie Joy Designs: http://www.bonniejoydesigns.com/

For some reason, many like and love Jack in the Box Tacos.  They’re unlike any other, which seems to give ’em a place amongst fast food Tacos.  The taste is reminiscent of grammar school lunches and miniature Tacos from the freezer section, I had several years ago.  And although they’re often too greasy, I enjoy a Jack in the Box Taco every now and then myself, with lots of Hot Sauce.  Their Taco Nachos are made with (2) Tacos cut in thirds, and then topped with a Cheese Sauce and Jalapenos.  They were fun to try, but (2) Tacos for $0.99 is a much better deal.  It costs a little over a dollar more to add Cheese Sauce, Jalapenos, Salsa and a bed of Lettuce — Back to an occasional Taco.

Jack in the Box INFO: http://www.jackinthebox.com/

This is a good Sandwich and the Bread is excellent for it.  We stopped in for a quick Italian Torpedo from Quiznos.  It’s only $4 — Love that.  And since I walk by a Quiznos a few times a week, I was bound to try one at some point.  It’s thinner than I thought it would be, which I liked.  And it’s made on very soft Ciabatta Bread, which makes a Toasty Torpedo tasty.  We highly recommend it.

Jimmy’s Burger Joint took the place of Carm’s Coneys — I had just got to liking the Dogs at Carm’s Coneys, then all of the sudden it was gone and Jimmy’s Burger Joint was there.  It happened in a flash.  My minimal understanding is that Carm and Jimmy were partners who disagreed on the restaurant’s emphasis.  Jimmy’s Burger Joint majors in Burgers and minors in Dogs, whereas Carm’s Coneys did the opposite.  Aside from that, there are a few menu similarities.

Although we miss the Original Coney from Carm’s Coneys, we think Jimmy’s Burger Joint makes an amazing Burger.  And we specifically love the Hawaii Burger with Teriyaki, Grilled Pineapple, Grilled Onions and Swiss Cheese.

This day we had the Hawaii Burger ($9) and the Kobe Beef Burger ($11).  Both were good, but (again) we prefer the Hawaii Burger and Bun.  The 1/3 lb. Burger size is the same, but we found the Kobe Beef Burger Bun top too thick.  And so far I haven’t been bowled over by any Beef labelled “Kobe” anywhere.

We’d definitely go back for a good Hamburger and we look forward to trying Jimmy’s N.Y.C. Dog, Chicago Dog and Sweet Potato Fries.  We’ll report about them next time.

Previous Report re Carm’s Coneys
More INFO and Comments

In honor of Father’s Day that’s fast approaching, Lucca Café Owner, Chef Cathy Pavlos will lead a group of Dads through a course dubbed “Manly Meats on the Grill.”  Dads will have the opportunity to learn about grilling various Meats — Marinating, brining, sauces and more.  Each attendee will get to feast on the fruits (Meats) of his labor, while sipping wine paired by Lucca Café’s General Manager and Sommelier, Elliott Pavlos.  The price is $50 per Dad and includes tax, tip, FOOD and Wine.  It sounds like a good time if you can get your Dad to go — Mine won’t, HA.  He already knows how to BBQ and prefers his Budweiser.  It’s just the way it is. 🙂

Lucca Café: http://luccacafe.net/index.html (FYI & UPDATE: If you click on this link, you will not be able to use the back arrow to return to Nibbles of Tidbits, not even if you double or triple click it — It appears to be programmed that way.  For the record, I don’t appreciate that in any site and will not be linking to similarly programmed sites in the future.  It’s not convenient for the readers.)

Manly BBQ Grill:
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/2009/05/08/i-believe-in-the-right-to-keep-and-bear-bbqs/

Have you been to Orange Hill Restaurant?  You’ve had about 40 years to get there.  It’s on the top of a steep hill in Orange, California.  It’s a bit scary driving up there, but the views are spectacular.  And it’s been a great place for wedding receptions, prom dates, special events, romantic dinners and many good times.

Right now, from 4:30 – 6:30 nightly, they’re serving a Sunset Menu for $19.95 — It’s a prix fixe menu that includes a choice of the Orange Hill Salad or Maine Lobster Bisque, and an entree of Prime Rib of Beef (above), Fresh Atlantic Salmon, Chicken Dijonnaise (below) or Portobello Mushroom Ravioli.  And all is served with a slice of House Made Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis.

It’s an excellent deal for really good food and amazing views — A perfect date place.  I was wishing I wasn’t with my friend, HA.

Orange Hill has seamlessly been remodeling room-by-room over the past few months and has just one left.  It’s more up to date than it once was, but has no major changes — They do have a showcase kitchen you get to pass through on the way to one wing of the restaurant.  That’s fun to see.

And you’ll see tons of Koi Fish in the pond as you walk across the bridge towards the restaurant.  It’s pretty cool.  We were there to see the daylight view and watched the sun go down as we dined.

I’d love to go back for the Sunset Menu — It’s a meal deal on a hill.  Others hang out sipping cocktails near the outdoor fire pits.  Orange Hill Restaurant has much to enjoy, once you get past the drive up.

FYI:  Orange Hill Restaurant is not related to the Orange County Mining Co. Restaurant, which is on a different nearby hill.  Some have confused the two.

Cafe Nordstrom or Nordstrom’s Cafe  should be sought out at many malls.  Where there is a mall, there may be a Nordstrom, and where there is a Nordstrom, there MAY be a Cafe — Some have them and some don’t.  These photos are from our lunch at The Brea Mall.  Cafe Nordstrom is one of our favorite eating spots there.  We like the comfortable environment and food.  This visit we had the Artichoke & Chicken Salad (above), which includes Organic Baby Greens, Romaine, Chicken, Goat Cheese, Artichoke Hearts, Tomato, Red Onion, Basil, Kalamata Olives and a Red Wine Vinaigrette.

And we got the Margherita Pizza again — My Mom loves it.  Below is the Cafe’s Side Salad, which comes consistently colorful.  We always seem to get at least one of them.

This visit we had our ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ kids with us, thus opted for the Grilled Cheese Sandwich & Tomato Soup (swapped for the Soup Du Jour).  All kids’ meals include Fresh Fruit and Milk, Soda or Juice.  The Grilled Cheese combination is only $4.95, and my Sister says it’s the best Grilled Cheese Sandwich around.

You’ll order your food at the counter where the Desserts are displayed — Then choose a comfortable booth or table and all that you’ll need will be delivered to you.  It’s a tasty escape from a busy mall.

The Irvine Spectrum Nordstrom Cafe Bistro:
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/2008/10/03/nordstrom-cafe-bistro-at-the-irvine-spectrum/

Kids in the Kitchen INFO:
http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/category/kids-in-the-kitchen/