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It’s Finally Fall at Sidecar Doughnuts

October 4, 2015Leave a comment

Sidecar Doughnuts is a dessert destination in Orange County, and they are gearing up for their next location in Santa Monica! In addition to their delicious selection of flavors, they have specials each month that are truly over the top! October’s flavors have definitely been my favorite so far!

Malasada with Blackberry Jam: Raised and filled with house made blackberry jam, and topped with a sugar sprinkle.

Hummingbird: Banana pineapple spice cake with cream cheese glaze and roasted pecans.

Pink Lady Apple: Raised and topped with a house made pink lady apple compote and quince glaze; finished with our signature pie crust crumble.

Pumpkin: Pumpkin spice cake topped with house made pumpkin glaze.

(not pictured)

Butterscotch Pot de Creme: Raised and topped with house made butterscotch creme, maple creme fraiche, and Jacobsen Sea Salt.

Chocolate with Sea Salt: Raised and topped with Callebaut chocolate glaze and Jacobsen Sea Salt.

An American Kitchen with Greek Soul in Long Beach

October 4, 2015Leave a comment

I’m obsessed with Kafe Neo in Long Beach. It is a favorite of many locals, and it took me way too long to try it. They are located at the beginning of Retro Row on 4th street in the middle of all of the action! They have a beautiful patio and small indoor space with daily specials and an extensive menu, but I definitely have my favorites…

The Zeus Fries are BOMB made with seasoned fries and topped with their secret spicy sauce and feta. SPICY MEAN SPICY, people! If you are prone to heartburn, I highly recommend getting the Feta Fries, which are just as delicious without the burn. All of the fresh dip appetizers are delicious as well, and there is a Check-in Deal on Yelp for a FREE one. The Lamb Burger, Blackened Chicken Pasta, and the Pita Sandwiches are also great choices! The Crusted Chicken Salad is my favorite! It is a large plate of romaine lettuce, cucumbers, red onions, homemade croutons, and topped with crispy chicken and ranch dressing. It’s awesome!

If you are a local, or you find yourself in LB for a casual lunch with friends, this place is perfect!

For more information, visit http://www.kafeneolb.com/#about

What’s Cookin’ at the CulinaryLab?

October 4, 2015Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to tour the brand new CulinaryLab inside the popular Anaheim Packing House. This new addition turns the eclectic food hall into even more of a destination. The space is the brain child of a collection of chefs, bakers, cake masters, and other culinary masterminds. In addition to being a beautiful event space, this modern culinary experience transforms students into skilled industry-ready cooks, placing them in restaurant apprenticeships while they train to become chefs. This is especially fitting because Orange County is continually proving itself as a force to be reckoned with as far as food destinations go.

We were lucky enough to watch two demonstrations. One involved the preparation of locally caught tuna prepared two different ways, and liquid nitrogen ice cream.

Raw, locally-caught tuna cured with seaweed and topped with crisp veggies.

Bacon ice cream topped with maple nuts.

As you can see, this a multi-purpose space that will be doing great things! One of the first to look forward to is their dinner with Chef Mark McDonald of Old Vine Cafe. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets: http://bit.ly/1Pk4FEE.

For more information on CulinaryLab OC, visit https://www.facebook.com/CulinaryLabOC.