Orange County – Page 6

Restaurant Marin Redefines the Modern-Day Diner

May 13, 2016Leave a comment

I’m not afraid to drive far for good food, and when I live in between LA and OC good food isn’t hard to come by. However, there are too many places on my ever growing list, especially when it comes to newer openings. I am a huge fan of Arc in Costa Mesa, so when I heard that the owners were opening a modern-day diner right next door, I was counting down the days until they opened. I was lucky enough to try Restaurant Marin for an early Mother’s Day lunch with my parents a few weeks in to their opening. Read on for the many highlights:

First off, this place is teeny tiny in the best way possible. The decor is clean and modern while still evoking the cozy diner feel. Breakfast is served all day, but they also offer unique Lunch and Dinner menus. They have a no-tipping policy, but hospitality is included in their pricing, which is on the higher end. Don’t let that deter you. The service is personable and top-notch and the quality and portion sizes of the dishes won’t make you think twice when the bill comes. Now, for the most important part, THE FOOD.

First of all, you can order this breakfast sandwich at all hours (7AM-12AM) since breakfast is served all day. Appropriately names, The Muffin, this breakfast sandwich is a force to be reckoned with. A fried egg, aged cheddar, heaps of shaved bacon, and spinach are served in between a freshly baked muffin bun. If you are a follower of the blog, you know that I am a breakfast sandwich addict and aficionado, and I have to overwrite any previous statements that I have made about having had the perfect breakfast sandwich. This tops them all. Even better, you can remove the top muffin and ask for a side of fresh jam and save that for ‘dessert.’ Worth it.

I ordered the Fried Chicken sandwich filled with warm brie, peppers, red cabbage, and fried lemon. The chicken was perfectly crunchy, not overwhelming in size, and the juiciest chicken I have ever had. Seriously. It will be difficult not to order this again and again.

On the healthier side (since this picture doesn’t do the sizable portion justice), this Grilled Steak salad was heavenly. Served with farro, arugula, blue cheese, roasted sweet peppers, parmesan, and flavorful grilled steak, this dish was also a winner. They also have 4 other salads on their lunch menu, one of which is protein-less for any vegetarian friends you may have.

Did you really think we were going to leave without having dessert? Our table happened to be very close to the counter where they display some of the cakes and pies that they are serving that day, so it was inevitable that we were going to indulge. After careful consideration, we settled on the Apple Pie. It was served hot with fresh whipped cream and was packed with sweet apples and cinnamon. The crust to filling ratio was spot on. We were unable to finish the whole pie between the 3 of us.

Before we left, we made reservations for an early Father’s Day dinner in June, because their dinner menu looks just as amazing, if not better, than their lunch and breakfast options. Let me reiterate, for some, the prices come with a bit of sticker shock to those expecting a ‘diner’ experience, but if you are level-headed and appreciate UH-MAZING, fresh, carefully crafted dishes, you won’t bat an eyelash at the bill. Soon, this will be a difficult reservation to nail down, I feel it. Go now, before the masses discover the experience that Chef Noah Blom and his wife, Marin, have created.

For more information, visit http://www.restaurantmarin.com/.

Adventures in Fooding: Orange County

April 21, 2016April 21, 20161 Comment

There is nothing more exciting to me than having a friend or family member say, ‘I’m in the mood to try a new restaurant!’ They could just be saying it, but if they truly mean it, and you’re in Orange County, I have some ideas for taking people on a fun culinary adventure! Don’t worry, I’ll give you a breakdown on a scale of 1 to 10.

We’ll start out easy with this Instagram favorite: The Unicorn Bagel from Bagels and Brew. This baby is stuffed with birthday cake cream cheese (sprinkles included). The bagel tastes like a regular bagel, which is obvious, but tricks your taste buds a bit since it is SO colorful. You can get your cream cheese of choice, but why wouldn’t you go with the rainbow one to match? Due to social media popularity, we recommend you place an order to one of their locations in advance, but if you do choose to take your chances, their other options (including the ultimate pizza bagel) won’t leave you high and dry.

Adventure Level: 4

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Because of the endless office parks, UC Irvine, and Irvine Spectrum, the city can get a little crowded around lunchtime, and this place is no exception: Fukada. They are known for their Udon and Spicy Tuna Rice (pictured), but everything on their menu is a win-win. The food itself can be a bit of an adventure for those not used to having a pile of pink goo on top of their rice, but half of the adventure is getting their BEFORE they open to put your name on the coveted wait list. I guarantee if you show up 20 minutes before they open, you still won’t be the first name on the dotted lines. It’s worth taking your chances!

Adventure Level: 5

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I’ve never been a huge fan of soup or hot liquid in general (coffee, chili, etc.). However, when I discovered pho, my life was changed forever. When I found Pho 79, I felt silly for ever doubting this cold-weather comfort food. You’re probably thinking to yourself that pho isn’t very adventurous. It is when you order it with a side of Oxtail, and you MUST do that here. If you don’t, your trip doesn’t even count. Their broth is hearty and very flavorful and with the addition of all the table sauces and bean sprout, you are in for a treat. However, when you start breaking apart the side of Oxtail and adding it to your dish, you will know why this place is the best in OC.

Adventure Level: 7

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This photo says it all. Yes, that is me ready to dig in to 4 lbs. of beautiful lobster on top of garlic noodles at Tan Cang Newport Seafood. This place is not for the faint of heart or the impatient. You will wait and wait and wait (unless you show up on a weekday at 4PM, which I’ve done). If you come here and don’t order this, they might ask you to leave before you’ve had a chance to sip your hot tea. Don’t get me wrong, you have to work for the meat, but it is oh, so delicious. All of the juices and flavors dripping on to the noodles made them just as much a star of the dish as the lobster. This is a great place to take a group of adventurous eaters too (many of the tables seat 8+). Other notable dishes include, Chinese Broccoli and garlic, Ginger and Onion Clams, and the Salt & Pepper Pork Chop.

Adventure Level: 9

There’s obviously too many foodventures to choose from in Orange County, but these are definitely my favorite. If you try any of these, be sure to comment and let me know what you think! For more adventures in fooding, follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/eatdrinklovejen

Simple Green Smoothie Recipe

April 21, 2016April 21, 20161 Comment

Ingredients:

1-3 handfuls of washed Spinach or Kale

2 spoonfuls of nonfat Greek Yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1 banana

1 Lemon

1 spoonful of Chia Seeds

Soy milk, orange juice, or water

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated the blog, and I’m not proud of the lull. It’s been a very busy new year, but I’m excited to share that there is a lot of fun content coming your way that I can’t wait to share! Since I’ve been so busy, I’ve been eating a lot of meals on the go. While a green smoothie here or there isn’t unusual for me, I’ve ramped up my green smoothie intake to almost once a day either for breakfast or lunch. This habit can get a little pricey, especially if you’re grabbing from your local juice shop, health food store, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I have my favorites, but it’s SO simple to make this healthy drank right at home with very little ingredients. Keep reading if you’re ready to add in 7 healthy minutes to your morning routine:

Gather all of your ingredients listed above. Place the greens in first, so that they hit the blades first and become small particles that you will barely be able to taste. If you don’t have spinach or kale, you can use romaine, iceberg, chard, etc., but be prepared for a less appetizing taste. Spinach blends in with the flavors the best and can be masked easily with orange juice. The next ingredient you will want to get the most mixing is the yogurt, so add two spoonfuls in next on top of your greens. Next, add in your banana, whole or halved is fine. Squeeze in some lemon juice. Add in chia seeds now, or sprinkle them on top once you’re done, your choice. I recommend adding in splashes of soy milk, orange juice, or water until you get the consistency you want. Some like their smoothies on the thick side, I like mine so that I can take it to-go with a straw and not worry about it being too chunky. Filling your blender up to the level that your greens are stuffed at the bottom tends to do the trick. Blend, blend, blend. Pour and enjoy!

If you don’t want to take the DIY route, my favorite green smoothies are from Whole Foods and Nekter Juice Bar, but also check your local health food store or smoothie stop for their options. Also something to keep in mind, although the juice craze is booming right now, if it’s mostly fruit based, the juicer strips the fruit of a lot of their fibrous material and leaves a ton of sugar, which is why they taste so good. Smoothies are the way to go, just keep an eye out for too big sizes sold in stores and those that use ‘juice’ ingredients instead of blending everything and keeping all of the nutrients and fiber in tact!