Gonna be in the neighborhood tomorrow afternoon for an errand. It’s been a while since I’ve explored around here. Anything new or cool in the area worth stopping in for?
It’ll be too late in the afternoon to rush home immediately and sit in traffic.
heard good things, haven’t been yet.
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Tres Muchachos, they’re cooking with real care and a nice wine list.
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Hanuman Thai
Mario’s Butcher Shop
Wine shopping at Hi Times
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Aside from Ry’s
Folks pizza
ZeroZero 39 pizza
Riip city Pizza
Turkish Kitchen
Sofra Urbana
Portugal Imports for Natas
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I do love HiTime Cellars! They rock.
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If you have not been, you could check out Mercado González Northgate Market in Costa Mesa. Or, if the weather permits, the rooftop RH Ocean Grill at Fashion Island.
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Mercado Northgate is an excellent time! My friend’s kid performs there twice a month on Fridays.
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HiTimes so fun! I used to buy rare rolling tobacco there. #youth
The Mercado Gonzalez at Northgate Market is really great.
I have nostalgic attachment to the Kashiwa Ramen on Harbor. First place I had Tori Paitan ramen (their specialty). Thick-ass broth. Down the opposite end of Harbor is Aoki no Chuuka, a good Japanese-style Chinese restaurant.
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I haven’t visited Portugal Imports new location…those natas are excellent.
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I love po tats and egg tarts more but natas are always high on my list of desserts
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Boil and Bake (until 4pm). Really want to try their bagels. Possibly the best in OC?
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Boil & Bake is most excellent, but I think I’ll miss them by a smidge.
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How late? Pioneer in Costa Mesa opens at 5p. It’s a cocktail bar from the folks at Hopper & Burr (Santa Ana)
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Wow! Ask and y’all deliver! So many options…let see how many bangs I can fit in an extended afternoon. Challenge accepted!
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Hopper and Burr is one of the best coffee shops in OC so I would expect this place to be pretty darn good!
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Can’t wait!
Thanks, all!
My appointment was a hop, skip & a jump from Hanuman Thai Eatery…and @js76wisco has really noted a bright spot. This is really thoughtfully made Thai food and a few steps up from your neighborhood Thai spot.
Tom Yum Koong is one of the best renditions I’ve had…ever. The flavors were just well-balanced. I don’t usually love coconut milk, but this really worked for me since it wasn’t heavy-handed. I just wish that the super fibrous ginger and inedible lemongrass was cut into bigger pieces so you can avoid them or just fished out entirely.
Solid Drunken Noodles with pork. I love noodles.
Panang curry with hangar steak. The cook on the steak was perfect. The curry could have had a little more salt and some acid…it was a little sweet for me. I probably should have amped up the spice factor, too.
@ysancia This is one of the coolest bars. The menu is wild and the team here is really cool. The owner parks at the bar and does an opening shot with his folks at the beginning of service. They put a lot of effort and detail in making their cocktails…they were toying with the formulation of one of the cocktails when I strolled in.
The cocktails are been batch-made. Snack list is pretty limited…you have a couple of drinks and bounce to the next place.
The flavor combinations and mixology skills here are a little mad scientist and a fair amount of whimsy.
My margarita was bleu cheese scented, but totally tasted like a margarita. This falls in the kinda weird, but good and fun. My companion had the carbonated Americano, which was strong for her because of the bubbles but I found really balanced. The carbonation does end after 10 minutes.
Ended up at Houston’s for dinner with another friend. It’s Hillstone. It’s not awe-inspiring, but it’s easy and solid. I like the Bee’s Knees cocktail there. It was a fun adventure.
Will be out this way again, and I’ll definitely hit pizza next time.
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