Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

It looks like the Aloha Grill & Tiki Bar is finally open in Costa Mesa.  You’ll see it off Newport Boulevard on Superior.  I wanna try a Hula Burger and “World Famous Rainbow” or the Kahlua Pork Hawaiian Plate and an Aloha-Rita.  I like the nice big outdoor patio – It’s always a plus in my book.  The MENU is linked HERE.  http://www.alohagrill.com/

I like this picture, but it might be hard to tell that the above is fresh-sliced Smoked Albacore Tuna, Lemon and Tartar Sauce.  It’s from The Crab Cooker in Newport Beach and makes a tasty TO GO snack for the ocean and beach across the street.   

When I eat inside the restaurant, I look forward to their Cheese Potatoes, Grilled Fish and King Crab Legs.  And one time I saw Adam Ant dining there.  Do you remember him?  He was just a few tables away.  That was cool because I used to be a big fan — Dog Eat Dog, Ant Invasion, etc.  For fun and quick reference (for myself), I linked two Adam and the Ants videos below.

Okay, back to the food.  The Cheese Potatoes are reminiscent of those served at the old Seafood Broiler Restaurant.  Once upon a time I worked at the one in Lakewood.  Do you remember them?  They were great.  The Crab Cooker reminds me of the admired Seafood Broiler — So if you’ve been looking for the Cheese Potatoes ever since they closed, you should check out The Crab Cooker.  I think you’ll be happy.

Related Links:

http://www.crabcooker.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KNT3NHrCR8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtxuPqjSJDc&feature=related 

Where’s your favorite place to get Chili Cheese Fries?  We’ve been trying a few around town and would love to know whose Chili Cheese Fries you like BEST.  Some are extra good and some are just okay.  We describe a few, but want you to be the judge too.  Each photograph will have a brief description and related restaurant link directly below it.  And we’ll be adding more Chili Cheese Fries photos and observations, so keep checking back.

The Hat’s Chili Cheese Fries with Pickles & Tomatoes – You get a lot of them.  It’s heavy.

Tommy Pastrami’s Chili Cheese Fries – It’s got nice Steak Fries, but the Chili is a bit Tomato-Paste tasting.  It has big chunks of Beef in it, which is ok, but generally not preferred in a CCF.

Carl’s Junior’s Chili Cheese Fries – They’re not bad.

Fatburger’s Chili Cheese Fries – For some reason I expected more, but they were good.  Fatburger offers a choice of Skinny Fries or Fat Fries.  Pictured here are the Skinny Fries.

SONIC Drive-In’s Chili Cheese Fries – I haven’t tried these yet, but others like them.

Orange County Fair’s Chili Cheese Fries – You can only get them during the OC Fair.

Wienerschnitzel’s Chili Cheese Fries – Unfortunately they’re not one of my top picks.  I’d have to go with Carl’s Jr.’s Chili Cheese Fries before these (above).

Pink’s Chili Cheese Fries – Very good.  Second favorite to Original Tommy’s Chili Cheese Fries.

Del Taco’s Chili Cheese Fries – I’d pick them over Carl’s Jr. ones, since the Fries are better.

EZ Take Out Burger’s Chili Cheese Fries – I liked them, especially the French Fries.  Their Hamburgers are similar to In-N-Out’s Burgers, but dare I say I like EZ Take Out’s Fries better.  And Chili Cheese Fries don’t appear to be an option at In-N-Out Burger.

Johnny Rocket’s Chili Cheese Fries – They’re acceptable.  Nothing to rave about, nor rag on.  On a separate note, their Hamburgers are very good.

Original Tommy’s Chili Cheese Fries – They still stand as my favorite over all those pictured.

Wendy’s Chili Cheese Fries — It’s made with Chili that should be served in a bowl with a side of Buttered Crackers, but instead it’s dumped over French Fries and topped with Cheese.  I don’t think so.  They’re not recommended.

Jack in the Box Loaded Chili Cheese Wedges — Good with the Onions picked out.

Portillo’s Chili Cheese Fries — Portillo’s Chili has a really good flavor that goes well with their crinkled-cut French Fries and a little melted Cheese.  We’d have them again.

Santa Fe Cafe Chili Cheese Fries — They’re best had on their outdoor patio with a Pitcher of Beer.

MORE TO COME.

Nick’s Pizza Ristorante Italiano is on Restaurantica – http://www.restaurantica.com/blog/Nicks-Pizza-Ristorante-Italiano/130/

Nick’s Tortellini and Chicken with Artichoke Hearts, Prosciutto and Green Peas in a Light Cream Sauce.

Related Links:

http://www.restaurantica.com/blog/

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1240

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1213

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=249

http://www.nickspizzapasta.com/

It might not sound good to some, but these Vinegar Potatoes for lack of a creative title, end up sweet, soft and crunchy — You can’t stop eating them, or at least I can’t.  I finally write the easy prep steps here.  Three large Red Potatoes were used in the picture, although a few were consumed pre photo op.

VINEGAR POTATOES RECIPE:

Red Potatoes
Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

(1)  Peel and roughly cube Red Potatoes.

(2)  Boil cubed Potatoes until soft (Don’t overcook).  Drain and salt.

(3)  Add soft salted Potatoes to a frying pan with a little Oil (Olive/Canola combo or other) and fry until golden brown.

(4)  After browned add enough Vinegar to reach each Potato in the pan then quickly evaporate, approximately 1/8 – 1/4 cup.  Cook another 5-10 minutes, adjust S & P then serve.

This would make a great Thanksgiving side dish, especially since it can be made a day or two ahead.  It’s successfully reheated in the oven the next day.  I’m telling you they’re Tast-TEE. 🙂

Related Link: http://www.history.com/minisites/thanksgiving/

It’s not always easy to have a picnic on the beach — One careless move and the Seagulls are in.  They’ll initially send in one or two to assess the food situation, so you gotta eat on the down low.  DON’T even think about feeding them.  They’ll immediately summons the rest of the gang and it’s all over.  I learned that lesson a long time ago.

However, this time I learned if you drop food, the same thing happens.  I would have guessed that, but today I accidentally dropped a Tortilla Chip and was forced to flee the scene.  Those darn Seagulls can be so rude. 🙂

Newport Beach in November — It’s one of the nice things about California.  The weather is right for a picnic, but the birds are wrong.  It’s like “MINE, MINE, MINE…” from Finding Nemo.  That movie nailed them, HA. 

I attempted to have a Crispy Grilled Chicken Taco from Las Fajitas Mexican Grill nearby.  I think it was good, but unfortunately I had to forfeit much of it.  I did notice that the Salsa was really good and the service was friendly, and it was a beautiful day after the morning rain.

Related Links:

http://lasfajitasrestaurant.com/

http://lasfajitasrestaurant.com/LasFajitas_ToGoMenu_pages.pdf

http://www.visitnewportbeach.com/

http://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/

They’re so easy to make.  Just dip Oreo Cookies in melted Milk Chocolate and vuala.  To add the contrasting stripes, melt orange Chocolate pieces and drizzle over the Cookies.  We got ours from Michaels — They offer various colors.  The Pumpkin and BOO Cookies were made with Chocolate molds.  If you’ve never tried a Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cookie, you’re missing out.  It’s a simple tasty treat.  Happy Halloween to you!

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1214

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home

Did you know that Island’s Burgers and Sandwiches now come with French Fries?  Yes, they finally do.  It used to cost another $5 for a Basket of Fries, which isn’t that bad if you’re with a group, but if alone it was too many Fries for too much extra money. 

It’s rare that a restaurant start giving more for less, but by popular demand Island’s changed the rules and did it.  Here we had the Pipeline Burger at the Bella Terra location.  Island’s Pipeline is equivalent to a Chili Cheese Burger.  All was very good, and our waiter even asked if we wanted more Fries.

Thanks for the French Fries Islands — It’s a much better deal, which we all need.  Ciao.

Related Links:

http://www.islandsrestaurants.com/

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=270

Here’s the article:  http://www.restaurantica.com/blog/Shelly-Borrell–A-Food-Writer-in-the-Making/124/

Restaurantica offers more than 350,000 restaurant listings across the United States and Canada.  Its format is similar to Yelp and Chow.  Restaurantica’s been providing down to earth, honest restaurant reviews since 2003 and now has more than 184,000 reviews.  You can search for the restaurant you’re looking for, after searching for it here of course. 🙂

I’ll be their Costa Mesa expert, if you will.  I’ll be posting monthly on Restaurantica about all the fabulous food finds in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Orange County, and wherever I might travel.  The above photo is related to my post about Nick’s Pizza Ristorante Italiano.  Restaurantica has ALL the yummy food pictures and details.  http://www.restaurantica.com/blog/Nicks-Pizza-Ristorante-Italiano/130/.

Be sure to check the Restaurantica Blog for monthly reviews and food photos by me, then write about your favorite restaurant.  The more reviews the better.

Related Link:  http://www.restaurantica.com/blog/

Decorating Halloween Treats is now a super fun tradition with my best friends.  One friend makes all the basics and the rest of us just get to show up and decorate them.  I’m one of the lucky decorators. 🙂

The Cupcake topping in the main photo is made from ground Oreo Cookies and the goodies in the bags above are Milk Chocolate dipped Oreo Cookies.  The Halloween Cookies are homemade with my friend’s favorite Sugar Cookie recipe, then cut into pumpkins, bats, witches, cats, ghosts, Frankenstein and more.  The Cupcakes are Chocolate.  All are fresh baked and yummy.

Above are just a few of the tools and below is just some of the fun.  After all, we each get to take home trays of Cookies, Cupcakes and Chocolates.  It’s a lot of laughs too, especially with this crazy bunch. 🙂

I rarely post people pictures on this blog, since it’s all about the food, but I’m wearing my Foodbuzz Apron, so I’d thought I’d let them know.  Thanks Foodbuzz!  And a big THANKS to Loretta for doing all the hard work so we can just show up and have fun.

Related Link:

http://www.foodbuzz.com/

Here’s Deep Fried Crab Ravioli with Spicy Marinara Sauce, an uncommon Appetizer at any restaurant.  Nick’s Pizza in Costa Mesa is family owned and has been open since 1968.  And the name ‘Nick’s Pizza’ doesn’t do it justice, since it offers so much more. 

I hear its Pizza is great, but haven’t gotten around to trying it yet, because the Pasta is excellent.  Below is the Chicken Portobello, a grilled boneless Chicken Breast and Portobello Mushroom, with Artichoke Hearts and White Wine, served with Pappardelle in Gorgonzola Sauce.

I’ll be posting more about Nick’s Pizza on Restrauntica, so please check there for more food pictures and information, and then check back here for more to come.

Related Links:

http://www.restaurantica.com/

http://www.nickspizzapasta.com/

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=249

Here’s another installment of Kids in the Kitchen.  It’s Maple Pork Chops with Apples made by Chef Lexi.  She’s 9 and pretty much prepared the entire dish with little assistance from her Mom.  They said it tasted okay, but they did make a couple substitutions due to lack of ingredients.  Perhaps if the recipe is made as written it would taste better.  It certainly looks good.

The recipe is from one of the best Kid’s Cookbooks, Family Fun Cooking With Kids.  I’ve previously posted about it and will continue to do so, since it has so many great recipes.  Lexi plans to cook many of them.  It’s a great learning experience and she has so much fun with it.  Information about the Cookbook is found in the related link.  Great job Lexi!

Related Link:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?cat=754

Maggianos in Costa Mesa just recently expanded their bar area.  It’s a much needed expansion, since the bar and waiting area was way too small for the volume.  They took over the Corner Bakery and it’s now all Maggianos.  I thought I was going to be walking in through the Corner Bakery as usual and was pleasantly surprised to see that it’s more of Maggianos.  There’s now plenty of room to spread out and meet friends for a drink in the bar.

This night we had Mom’s Lasagna and Veal and Mushroom Ravioli al Forno.  All was fabulous as usual.  Abbondanza!

Related Link:

http://www.maggianos.com/

It’s been open for twenty years, but we just recently stopped in for the first time.  A friend called to get together — Her criteria was that she wanted to go to a place where she can eat, drink and smoke on an outdoor patio.  I told her there’s not too many places left for all that, but then called The Harp Inn to learn they’re still one of them.  She got what she wanted. 

And the food wasn’t bad either.  The Salads were fresh, the Jalapeno Poppers were served with Celery and Carrots (a healthy bonus), and the service was friendly.

The Harp Inn has live music most Thursdays through Sunday.  It starts at 9:30p.m., unless otherwise specified.  They also offer several television screens for sports enthusiasts.  It’s quaint and casual.  We’d go back again for the same and to perhaps catch one of the bands.

Related Link:

http://www.harpinn.com/index.html

This was more of an Eggplant experiment turned into a what’s on hand Ratatouille.  Many Eggplant recipes require that you Salt and drain the Eggplant for an hour before cooking.  Salt is supposed to pull out the bitter flavors sometimes found in Eggplants — But I don’t want to do that.  Call me impatient, plus the process makes the Eggplant seem unappealing to me afterwards, so I never do it.

Here I conducted an experiment.  I cubed an Eggplant and sautéed half in a little Olive Oil and Salt over the stove, and baked the other half with some Olive Oil and Salt in the oven.  Since Eggplant absorbs oil like a sponge, I add more as needed while trying not to add too much.

Overall, I thought the texture of the baked Eggplant was more desirable than the sautéed Eggplant.  The baked Eggplant is pictured above being added to the Sauce.  I thought the stove cooked Eggplant was a little tough and less flavorful.  None were bitter.  I enjoyed eating the baked Eggplant straight from the oven, but the other wasn’t as enjoyable.

I added both Eggplant batches to sautéed Sweet Onion, lots of minced Garlic, chopped Tomatoes and served all over Angel Hair Pasta with a little Shaved Parmesan.  I would have been satisfied if I had just baked the Eggplant, ate it from the oven and skipped everything else.

Related Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratatouille

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071022104958AAVGqPO

Italian Organics sent me a couple bottles of their Organic Sicilian Blood Orange Juice.  They’re based in Staten Island, New York.  I did a little work for them some time ago and have been wanting to try this juice ever since.  Thanks for sending it Alfredo.  It’s tasty.  Italian Organics (I.O.) is working on finding more suppliers across the United States.  Right now it’s available in New York, but let’s hope it’s soon shelved in a store near us.

You can drink to your health knowing that Organic Blood Oranges contain Anthocyanins, which act as powerful Antioxidants.  I.O. harvests this exceptional fruit in volcanic soil near Mt. Etna Sicily.  Not only does it taste great, but it’s rich in Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Fiber, and Vitamins A & C.

And since it’s so good for you, if you want to make a Blood Orange Martini out of it, that’s okay.  The recipe I used is linked below.  Instead of using typical Orange Juice in your Martini, shake things up with this colorful juice.  It makes a prettier presentation too.  And I added a Sugared Rim to sweeten the deal.  Yummy!

Related Links:

http://www.iojuice.com/

http://www.iojuice.com/Pages/ContactUs.htm

http://www.recipezaar.com/282479

http://sarahacconcia.wordpress.com/2008/10/14/blood-orange-juice/

The recipe and Shrimp preparation is linked below.  Unlike the Shrimp, the Chicken is covered with foil while baking, then removed to another pan to broil until browned (approx. 5 minutes) before serving. 

Here I used wings, thighs and legs, since the breasts were used for another recipe.  The Shrimp is only cooked for 20 minutes uncovered, but the Chicken was cooked at a lower temperature, 375° for 55 minutes.  Both recipes made tender, tasty meat.

I just love the flavors in this recipe — They seem to make a fabulous dish out of any meat.  Next time I’ll try it on Beef.  Keep an eye out for that report.

Related Link:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1146

“Crispy Taquitos” are an unlikely choice at The Cheesecake Factory, especially since there are so many great Mexican Food Restaurants around, but they make them soooo good.  We recently had ’em on the patio at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach. 

It’s our third time eating them and they’ve been consistently tasty each time.  They are made with Spicy Chicken and can be found under Appetizers on The Cheesecake Factory’s magazine-menu, if you know what I mean.  You can take a peek at the link below.

Related Links:

http://www.cheesecakefactory.com/

http://www.cheesecakefactory.com/menu.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cheesecake_Factory

I heard Carm’s Coneys on 17th Street in Costa Mesa is really good.  I hadn’t even seen it, since it’s sandwiched among many other small restaurants and businesses.  Its owner was born in Brooklyn, NY.

I stopped in tonight and tried The Original Coney said to be one of their most popular Dogs and is made with all white Veal.  You get a choice between a New England Roll or Bun.  Upon recommendation I had the New England Roll and Carm’s Award Winning Chili.  I liked it — It’s different tasting.  They say if you bite into a Dog you don’t like, they’ll give you something else.

The place is really cute and it had a lot of people inside.  Apparently I’m the only one out of the Famous NY Dog’s loop.  I found the service super friendly, helpful and happy.  I’ll go back and try a few more things.  I’ve got my eye on the Zweigle (Red or White Hot), Bratwurst, Salt Potatoes and Sweet Potato Fries.

And I’ll also try the Chili Cheese Fries, since I’m putting together a post all about Chili Cheese Fries.  Carm’s Coneys first opened in Newport Beach in 1985, closed in 1991 to pursue other interests, and is now re-open with an expanded menu in Costa Mesa.  It’s a nice little place with good food and service.

UPDATE (11/30/08):  The location is now occupied by Jimmy’s Burger Joint, which officially opened yesterday.  Jimmy is/was a partner of Carm’s and says Carm is looking for a new location to re-open.  I’m advised that the Chicago Dog is one of the things to try at Jimmy’s Burger Joint — I guess I’ll need to do that sometime.

Related Links:

http://www.carmsnyconeys.com/

http://www.hofmannsausage.com/home/

I finally tried one of Carl’s Jr.’s Six Dollar Burgers – The Guacamole Bacon Burger, which sells for about $5.00.  I’m not impressed.  It tastes more like a $3.00 Burger, and frankly I like their less expensive Burgers better.  It certainly doesn’t taste like a restaurant Burger, but more like a fast food Burger, which it is.  Don’t be fooled by their advertising.  It’s priced too high and doesn’t deliver what it boasts.  This Burger is smaller and less attractive than the one currently featured on Carl’s Jr.’s website.  If you haven’t tried it yet, be warned, it’s not worth the money and isn’t what it claims to be.

Related Link:

http://www.carlsjr.com/

Here’s a good looking Burger in real life – http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=270

Since I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand to make Banana Bread, I made improvised Banana Cakes.  The experiments started with a White Cake Mix, 3 large extra ripe Bananas and a box of Vanilla Pudding Mix. 

I mashed the Bananas, then added in the Cake Mix and Pudding Mix.  And I prepared as instructed on the Cake Box, less 1/4 Cup liquid.  The Cake Mix I used called for 3 Eggs, 1/3 Cup of Oil, and 1 1/4 Cup of Water – I added only 1 Cup of Water and used Walnut Oil.

For a second experiment I poured most of the batter into a baking tin for the oven, and the rest into a small glass bowl for the toaster oven.  I cooked both Cakes 5 minutes longer than directed on the Cake Box. 

And happily both Cakes turned out really good — Moist and Banana-Bready.  I mixed Powdered Sugar, Vanilla Extract and Milk to make a Glaze that’s seen on both Cakes. 

These experiments were born from over ripe Bananas with no flour on hand — And since there was an excess of batter, why not make a baby Cake too?!  Plus I’d never made a Cake in the toaster oven before, so I wanted to try it.  I had the larger Cake as a back up if it didn’t go well.  

Overall, I would make and enjoy the very same again.  The flavor and texture were agreeable and it was fun to have a “tasting” Cake.  Others really liked it too.

UPDATE (12/14/08):  Subsequent Toaster Oven cooking (experimentation) has revealed it’s necessary to add 5-15 minutes to the cooking time of a Cake, Bread or Custard.

Related Link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_bread

There’s no Cake here right now, but it’s way too easy to make fresh baked Chocolate Chip Cookies.  This is the first time I’ve seen the Nestle Toll House Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies.  And I don’t even need to slice them.  You know how tiring that can be – Ha. 

I just break them off the Cookie block and pop ’em in the Toaster Oven.  They’re great to have in the fridge for a quick dessert, snack or indulgence.  Is four a day bad?  It’s just a phase.

Related Link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_chip_cookie

This is a Chicken & Cheese from Philly’s Best, and they’re grilling Steak below.  Both the Steak & Cheese and Chicken & Cheese Sandwiches are made with White American Cheese, unless otherwise requested — They offer Wiz too, if you’ve got to have it.  And of course grilled Onions, Peppers and Mushrooms can be added. 

The Steak and Chicken Sandwiches are equally awesome.  I like to eat them with Pickles and Peppers.  They have two different kinds of Pickles and I like them both, and I’m particular about my Pickles.  I’ve been to the Irvine and Huntington Beach locations, but ‘Philly’s Best – Authentic Cheesesteak and Hoagie Shop’ now has over twenty restaurant locations.

Related Link:

http://www.eatphillysbest.com/