Category: Orange County

The Skoop on the New Frozen Treat at Nekter Juice Bar

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I’ve always been a fan of Nekter Juice Bar! They have a ton of locations and their menu features a great mix of juices, smoothies and acai bowls. Their Tropical Cooler smoothie is my favorite green smoothie besides the ones I make at home. I can’t wait to give you an exclusive look at their newest menu offering, Skoop! It’s going to be your new favorite frozen treat!

Skoop is dairy-free, gluten-free, and has no refined sugars, but trust me when I tell you that it is so creamy and full of flavor! Nekter will be launching Chocolate Bliss and Viva Vanilla as their first two flavors. Both are made with creamy cashew milk and clean, plant-based ingredients. The Chocolate Bliss is a blend of pure cocoa, casher milk, honey, coconut palm sugar and agave nectar with a pinch of sea salt. The Viva Vanilla is a mix of Tahitian vanilla, cashew milk, honey, coconut palm sugar and agave nectar with a pinch of sea salt. Of the two, the vanilla was my favorite, but the chocolate was a close second. The secret to the decadent consistency is in the churning process, and the fact that it is made fresh in store in small batches to ensure that you are getting the freshest product possible – instead of being made in bulk and sitting in a freezer all day. When ordering, you will be able to choose any of the 3 following toppings for $1, coconut flakes, vegan chocolate chips, chocolate syrup, strawberries, blueberries, cacao nibs and hempseed or gluten-free granola.

I have some exciting news! Nekter will be hosting a FREE SKOOP DAY on Friday June 9th from 6PM to close at participating locations. Visit your local Skoop location and get a free skoop to celebrate summer!

For more information, visit the Nekter website, and scroll down for more information.

There’s even MORE EXCITING NEWS! Two new flavors will be launching later this summer, so keep an eye on my Instagram for a first look!

*This is a paid post sponsored by Gigasavvy.*

Korean Fried Chicken Wing Dreams

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Among my long list of untapped restaurants and food items, Korean Fried Chicken kept moving closer and closer to the top. I had heard of some spots in LA, but hadn’t gotten the courage to bypass my Downtown favorites in order to get there. When I was invited to check out Bonchon Costa Mesa, the newest Korean Fried Chicken franchise location, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see what it was all about. I’m so glad to see the continuous growth of the Orange County food scene, but I didn’t know what to expect from this place, since the region is already bustling with endless Asian cuisine options. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and vast offerings of this fast casual spot just off of the always crowded Harbor Blvd. The restaurant is white, crisp, clean and well lit. There are a variety of seating options including tabletops, barstools, and seats at the bar – which in expected OC fashion is serving a rotating menu of local craft brews in addition to imported beers from Korea and Japan. As for the offerings, the menu is quite large, larger than one would expect from a specialized Korean-style friend chicken spot. In addition to the crispy and juicy wings, Bonchon is serving up an array of approachable starters, sides and main dishes, including delicious bulgogi tacos. They even have bibimbap and japchae on the menu to satisfy all your Korean food cravings. This spot is a great addition to the neighborhood, and truly has something for everyone. Bonchon is so much more than a Korean fried chicken spot and will have no problem pulling in traffic from the 405, to PCH, and beyond!

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The wings come with two sauce options, and are served with cubed daikon radish – the ultimate crisp accoutrement. Did I mention these fries yet? These fries were killer. They were perfectly seasoned and crispy.

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Japchae: Glass noodles, red peppers, carrots, spinach, mushrooms and thinly sliced marinated beef flavored with Bonchon Soy Garlic sauce & stir-fried with sesame oil.

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Korean tacos: Three warm flour tortillas filled with your choice of meat on a bed of crisp lettuce, seasoned with buttermilk ranch dressing and spicy mayo.

For more information, visit bonchon.com/korean-fried-chicken-costa-mesa-ca.

Exploring a New Corner of Garden Grove

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flataly

Newly opened restaurant Ha Noi Corner, in Garden Grove, is serving up the most authentic Northern Vietnamese cuisine this side of, well, Hanoi. Right off of Garden Grove Blvd., this family owned establishment presents a full menu with recognizable Vietnamese dishes, as well as more specialized regional items, such as deep fried egg fish and grilled escargot. Vietnamese food has become one of my favorite cuisines to explore as of recent. I enjoy phở, búns, and baos as much as the next gal, but it was definitely a nice change of pace to experience some of the more unique dishes that the culture has to offer. Below were some of my favorites from our foodie feast!

taco

Hến xào xúc banh đa: Baby clams chopped with various spices and served with rice crackers. I love dishes that encourage you to eat with your hands. With the rice crackers on the side, this was the perfect opportunity to build my own Vietnamese nachos.

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Bánh cuốn thịt chả nướng: Steamed rice paper with Ha Noi grilled pork served with fresh herbs and fish sauce. The grilled pork was flavorful, juicy and the perfect portion size.

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Gỏi cuốn nem nướng: Spring Rolls with Grilled Pork. You can never have too many grilled pork rolls in your life. Never ever.

eggie

Bánh cuốn thịt bằm: Ground Pork, fried tofu, ham, and a sunny-side-up egg on top of rolled rice paper. I fully believe that you can put an egg on 90% of your meals and it will take it up just one more notch. This dish would’ve been just fine with the meats and tofu on top of the rolled rice paper, but the egg on top made it the perfect small plate of comfort food.

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Bún cá rau cần thìa là: Vermicelli soup with fried fish fillets, fish pastry, dill, and water celery. Irene of YuRockstar.com demonstrates her superb noodle pull skills in this photo! I thought that I knew all there was to know about búns, but boy was I wrong! I loved this hot take on the cold noodle dish that I was more familiar with.

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Special thanks to my fashionable friend for modeling the House Special Coffee with Sea Salt Cream. In addition to their extensive food menu, you will be overwhelmed by their drink list. They have Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Strawberry Lemonade, a variety of iced and hot teas, and a variety of milk teas with optional add ons, including Honey Boba, Egg Pudding, Jellies, Red Bean, and Aloe Vera.

fooood

As you can see from the full spread, this was truly a foodie feast for the record books. We all had a great time learning about each dish, many of us trying something for the first time. Between the wonderful hospitality and numerous dishes to choose from, I will be back.

Speaking of returning, this Saturday and Sunday (January 7th and 8th), the first 100 guests will get a FREE drink. After that, it’ll be a BOGO drink deal for everyone, AND all meals will be 10% OFF! Be sure to LIKE the Goc Ha Noi Corner FB page or Instagram to qualify! See you this weekend!