this brunch definitely TAPS my interest

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Mad Hungry Woman

I’m not a huge fan of buffets because I can never eat a lot in one sitting. I get full very quickly and generally, I leave feeling like I didn’t get my money’s worth. So when I visited TAPS for its Sunday brunch buffet, I was surprised to find over 100 items among the choices for a mere $35.99/adult and $12.95/children age 3-12.

The restaurant is packed and after a quick walk-through to peruse the vast array of food, I decided what I was going to pick for round one. An antipasti platter offered an array of meats including salami, ham and mortadella.

There is also charcuterie of prosciutto, speck and salami, served with cornichons, olives and whole grain mustard.

A fresh station comprising oysters on the half shell, crab cocktail, shrimp and ceviche enticed and I enjoyed the latter with relish.

My son loves smoked salmon and I found him with half a plateful upon his return one trip.

Eggs Benedict lured me into the hot food area and these perfectly poached eggs atop pillowy muffins were so immensely popular that a tray lasts barely five to seven minutes before it is completely wiped out.

TAPS’ luscious cinnamon rolls sit in another tray next to the eggs Benedict and these were soft and gooey just waiting to be eaten.

There is a pasta station with cooked-to-order combinations of your choice. I ended up getting clams in wine sauce without the pasta and they were delicious.

In order to not inundate the already sprawling buffet spread, TAPS has made it a bit more fun by adding some items you can order through the kitchen at no extra cost, such as the Chorizo and Eggs.

Or, the Huevos Rancheros are pretty good too if you want a meatless option.

Beignets are on the same menu for $1 extra and you get seven of them. These tasted more like profiteroles than beignets and what we loved was stuffing them with whipped cream and eating them that way. SO GOOD!

I’d be lying if I told you I tried everything, I don’t think I even got through half what was offered. This is the kind of buffet I like — an abundance of items I actually want to eat, with a price tag that is affordable and very reasonable. I didn’t walk away feeling like I didn’t get my money’s worth. I started with this plate and went back several times after.

The price of the brunch includes mimosas, sparkling wine or two TAPS hand-crafted award winning beers — my favorite was the coffee one (can’t remember the name) — as well as tea or coffee. Do note that items on the buffet change from time to time so don’t get upset if you can’t find the things I’ve listed.

TAPS Fish House and Brewery has generously offered one of my readers the opportunity to try this awesome Sunday brunch. Leave me a comment with your FULL name and your thoughts about buffets by Sunday, May 20 for a chance to win. One lucky reader will be announced as the winner on Monday, May 21.

TAPS Fish House and Brewery
101 E Imperial Hwy
Brea, CA 92821
Tel: 714-257-0101

Tabu Shabu opens in Costa Mesa

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Mad Hungry Woman

I’m not really sure what the appeal of hotpot is to kids, but my son sure loves it, and he’s not even fussy what kind it is. Between Chinese, Japanese, and what we do at home, he will even eat it when it is scorchingly hot outside.

This time, I didn’t bring him along, but instead, lunched with my friend Brenda. We had heard that a new place had opened up in Costa Mesa and went to check it out.

Like all the other shabu places, you get your own pot with your choice of cooking broth and there are three types to choose from: traditional, spicy miso, and sukiyaki.

There is a variety of proteins to choose from and we decided to try an array of everything. Certified Angus Ribeye ($14/$18/$24) was of very good quality and I like my meats cooked no more than medium. The best way to do this is to wait for your broth to come to a rolling boil, then swish your meat in there about four to five times, lift it up, dip into sauce, and enjoy!

For a few bucks extra, the Prime Marbled Rib Eye ($16/$20/$26) is even better than the ribeye with even marbling throughout. The same goes with this meat, a quick dip into the water, dip and eat.

Or, if you prefer seafood, I particularly enjoyed the Brown Mexican Shrimp & Jumbo Scallops ($16/$26). Don’t cook the scallops too long as these are so fresh you can practically eat them raw. You don’t want to ruin them by overcooking them.

There are two sauces which come with the meal, a goma (sesame) and ponzu (citrus soy), which you can add the different condiments to, including garlic, grated daikon, and scallions.

If you prefer poultry, Jidori Free Range Organic Chicken ($14/$16/$22), is available…..

….. or Kurobota Pork Shoulder ($14/$16/$22) as another alternate.

I’m usually not a fan of cooked salmon, but the Scottish Loch Durant Salmon ($16/$26/side dish portion pictured) served here is so tender (again, DO NOT overcook) that it melts in your mouth.

Your regular entree comes with a veggie plate comprising udon noodles, napa cabbage, carrots, broccoli, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, onions, tofu, spinach and bok choy.

After your initial entree, you can order the proteins as a side — if you need to — and trust me when I say this, they are very generous portions. A bowl of white or brown rice accompanies and at the end, with the remaining broth, I like to make a porridge with the rice — I’m not a fan of udon noodles.

If you still have room, try Kakigori ($7) — shaved ice with red bean, condensed milk, syrup and fruit cocktail. It reminds me of Filipino halo halo and is a refreshing finish.

Tabu Shabu
333 E 17th Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Tel: 949-642-2660

look to Panera Bread for a fast and tasty alternative

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Mad Hungry Woman

With my busy schedule, fast casual restaurants like Panera Bread serves as a good stop no matter what time of day to grab something delicious and healthy — and QUICKLY! And if you have time to sit and enjoy your food on the premises, they offer free wi-fi, so you’ll see students studying there and often, people conducting a meeting or two over coffee and pastries.

I’m lucky enough to have a couple of them near me, although, this particular one is closest to me, and one which we have frequented often.

For those of you with only a few minutes to spare before rushing off to work, a selection of Baked Goods are available on a daily basis such as Pecan Roll, Strawberry Pastry, Chocolate Brownie or Shortbread Chocolate Chip M+M Cookie to grab and go.

A new item on the menu is the hot Mediterranean Egg White ($4.49) — breakfast sandwich. It resembles a caprese sandwich but in fact, the only thing they share are tomatoes and basil — they are roasted here. The other green is spinach and the white are the egg whites with cheese on ciabatta. The result is a stunningly flavorful and gourmet breakfast sandwich I can enjoy.

If you are stopping by for lunch, there are so many things you can choose from such as Bacon Turkey Bravo ($6.99) served on tomato basil bread with smoked turkey, applewood smoked bacon, smoked gouda, lettuce, tomatoes and Panera’s signature spread.

Right now, you can delight in the Strawberry Poppyseed Salad ($9.29) which I love but it is a seasonal item and disappears when strawberry season is over. The salad comprises of romaine, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, pineapple pecan, citrus herb chicken served with a poppy seed dressing. It is a great source of antioxidants and each mouthful is sweet, tart, crisp and crunchy.

I love soup and every day there are new ones on the board. Creamy Tomato ($4.19 cup/$4.99 bowl) is one of my favorites. It is thick and topped with toasty croutons, served with baguette and makes for a perfect light lunch, or, as a start to something else.

Other great choices included the Chicken Tortilla, or French Onion.

Whether you’re a kid or an adult, Mac N Cheese ($4.99/$7.99) is always loved by all. Now, I’m very particular about mac and cheeses and the one here was approved by both my son and I. It was creamy enough and seasoned well, although an additional sprinkling of cheese would just kick it up a notch.

I don’t have a photo of their Acai Berry iced tea, but I absolutely LOVE it and could loiter at Panera just to keep re-filling my cup over and over again.

This week, I have a $10 giftcard to Panera to giveaway. Leave me a comment with your FULL name and tell me why Panera would be a great place for you to visit. Entries close on Sunday, May 13th and the winner will be announced on Monday, May 14th. Good Luck!

Panera Bread
3988 Barranca Pkwy
Irvine, CA 92606
Tel: 949-786-8800

where’s the Umami?

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Mad Hungry Woman

Normally I wouldn’t even bother with writing up a place I didn’t enjoy, however, I couldn’t pass this one over purely because EVERYONE seems to love it and sadly, I didn’t.

The Umami Burger hype has stretched from Los Angeles down to Orange County and I finally jumped on the burger bandwagon and went to give it a try. The restaurant has taken over Valhalla Table’s space and looks relatively the same. We were the first ones in the restaurant, seated, ordered and waited for our meal to arrive.

As we watched table after table receive food except us, I started to get agitated, and 35 minutes later, we finally got Sweet Potato Fries, a bit over-fried as they were dark and a bit burnt, with a sprinkling of brown sugar on top. Perhaps it was to enhance the already sweet SWEET potatoes but whatever the reason, it took away from its natural flavors. Dislike!

Smashed Potatoes were bland and tasteless and the smidgen of aioli dabbed on the edge of the serving bowl was neither enough to flavor of the potatoes, nor was there enough for the amount of potatoes in the bowl. Dislike!

I wasn’t about to visit Umami without trying their signature burger and the Umami Burger — cooked to medium rare — was smaller than I’d imagined but looked good with a parmesan crisp on top of the patty. What was very unfortunate was the fact that the beef patty was not seasoned and was devoid of any beefiness I’d expect of a patty made with freshly ground meat. The parmesan crisp soon soften and was a soggy mess making the burger an unpalatable disaster. A burger without any redeeming qualities to deserve its name. Dislike!

We hoped the Port Stilton Burger would be more flavorful and while we were hit by overwhelmingly strong blue cheese which overpowered the entire burger, again, the under-seasoned meat disappeared underneath everything else. We could’ve been eating a veggie burger slathered with blue cheese for all I knew and I’ve had veggie burgers with more flavor. Dislike!

At $11 a burger with no sides included, your meal becomes rather pricey after you add a side here and there and a drink which averages around $3 and you are allowed ONE refill. The staff are highly efficient when refilling your drink — when you’re not even done — and at one refill, I’d expect you to bring me a fresh glass instead of filling up a glass that’s only 1/3 left.

After waiting this long for the Umami Burger experience, I was disappointed, especially when the meal came to $40 after tip — definitely not something I’d call bang for your buck. I don’t mind paying good money for something tasty, but when I walk away feeling so unsatisfied, I can’t help but walk away feeling wounded and cheated.

Umami Burger
2981 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Tel: 714-957-8626

a marriage of Chinese & Indian at Tangy Tomato

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Mad Hungry Woman

About 13 years ago, I was visiting some friends in Toronto and they took me to this Chinese-Indian restaurant and I fell in love with the cuisine, but since then, I’ve not had this food, so when my friend informed me that there was a Chindian restaurant in Artesia, I was psyched to visit.

While Tangy Tomato is not predominantly Chindian cuisine — in fact, there are more Indian offerings than “Chinese Indian” on the menu, but both are offered via a buffet at lunch time as well as a la carte. – start with a Lassi ($2.50-$4), and there are three, or Mango Tango ($4) to sip on while perusing the menu.my friends and I opted to go a la carte instead of buffet.

We started with some appetizers. Punjabi Somosa ($4.50) are stuffed with potato and peas and should be shared. They are filling, but pretty good with the mint sauce in the condiment container they will bring to the table. The mint sauce here is different to the others. It is not bright green and doesn’t have yogurt mixed in. It is refreshing and light and so easy to eat.

I am new to Bombay Frankie ($7) and found them rather interesting. Traditionally, they are more like wraps, but here, they look like egg rolls and are filled with paneer (cheese) and vegetables. This is a vegetarian item and surprisingly good — I’m not usually a fan of paneer. A dipping sauce of chilis infused in vinegar is served alongside and adds a zing by cutting the heaviness of the fried item. In fact, the sauce is also good with the samosas.

One of my favorite items was the Murg Malai Kebab ($13), chunks of white meat, grilled and topped with this delicious sauce. I can’t tell you what’s in the sauce, but my son ate the leftovers and demanded more so I know it’s REALLY good.

I’m a huge fan of okra and so Bhindi Aloo Mirch Masala ($10) was right up my alley. I would’ve liked no potatoes (not a fan of them) and all okra, but the name of the dish is bhindi (okra) aloo (potatoes) and not just bhindi — *sigh* — I can eat this all day. The okra was slightly shriveled so all the flavors were sucked into them, simply divine.

If you’re a fan of chili fries, try the Szechuan Fries served on a sizzling platter. I can’t remember what they are called on the menu, Chili Garlic Potatoes ($11), I think, but these are tossed in a slightly spicy Sichuan sauce. I brought the leftovers home and my son devoured them.

Next came Spicy Gobi Manchurian ($11) which is a Chindian dish of fried cauliflower tossed in a sweet sauce — I didn’t detect much heat. I don’t like sweetness in my savory food so this obviously wasn’t my favorite, but everyone else liked it a lot.

Besides okra, eggplant is another item I can eat all day long. Therefore, it wasn’t surprising that I ordered Hot Garlic Eggplant ($11), which is pretty much similar to the ones you get at Chinese restaurants. I liked this a lot.

Chicken Tikka Masala ($14), or butter chicken is good here — not one of my favorite items — chicken is tender and flavor spot on. It seems like this is a dish loved by all, but me. There are tons of other dishes I’d much rather eat, such as the next one.

Housboat Fish Curry ($14) is essentially Goan Fish Curry and I absolutely adore this dish when done right. I had it at Tamarind not long ago and frankly, it was tasteless. When I put the first spoonful of this curry into my mouth, I knew I had found the right one.

The aromas of curry leaves permeated throughout the sauce and the fish was moist and tender. This is not a spicy curry, in fact, there isn’t any heat to it at all, but the layers of flavors creates a complexity which is essential to a good Goan Fish Curry. Just writing this up right now is making me salivate and wanting some over piping hot basmati rice.

Besides rice, you can opt for Laccha Parantha ($2.50), a flaky bread or, the quintessential Garlic Naan ($2.50) to accompany your meal with.

Those of you who have never tried Chindian food, Tangy Tomato has generously donated a $25 gift certificate for you to go try it. Leave me a comment as to why you would like to try Chindian food with your FULL name by Sunday May 6th for a chance to win. Winner will be announced on Monday, May 7th.

Tangy Tomato
18728 Pioneer Blvd
Artesia, CA 90701
Tel: 562-924-2719

new spring items at Seasons 52

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Mad Hungry Woman

Four times a year, you can expect to find the menu at Seasons 52 change along with the seasons. Right now, the restaurant is offering its Spring Menu items which is a little lighter than those from last season.

The new additions include Artichoke-Stuffed Artichoke Leaves ($9.95) with organic arugula, Parmesan drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Individual artichoke leaves are topped with a mixture of artichokes and breadcrumbs and served atop a bed of argula. I’ve tried this on several occasions and enjoy its sweet-tart flavors from the dressing and balsamic reduction.

Tomato & Hass Avocado Salad ($8.95) is great if you’re looking for a delicious salad. Organic arugula, balsamic glaze with generous chunks of tomatoes and Hass avocados make this one of my favorite salads around.

I’m a big fan of the restaurant’s various flatbreads and Portobello Mushroom Flatbread ($10.50) with four cheeses, spinach, roasted garlic and truffle sour cream is simply delightful. Great to share or as a light meal for one, these flatbreads are crispy, flavorful and loved by all.

Mediterranean Shrimp Salad ($16.20) is average — not one of my favorites — but as a salad, suffices with organic greens, garbanzo beans, roasted peppers, cucumbers and feta cheese.

The same goes for Grilled Tiger Shrimp Penne Pasta ($18.25), again, not one of my top choices, but a light option with spring asparagus and oyster mushrooms in a light lemon-basil sauce.

Grilled Lamb T-Bone Chops ($25.95) is my kind of entree. The chops are seasoned well with asparagus, truffle mashed potatoes and red wine glaze. If you love meat, you’ll love these chops, it’s a simple ‘meat and potato’ dish for under 475 calories — what more can you ask for?

I usually stay away from veal for humane reasons, but when I found out that the one served here was free range, I decided to give it a try. Grilled Free Range Veal Porterhouse Steak (26.25) is prepared medium rare and served with the most flavorful rainbow carrots I’ve tasted. The grain-mustard jus adds more flavor to the meat already brushed with the mustard before grilling. This was a definite winner!

Columbia River Steelhead Trout was grilled boneless rainbow trout served on top of basmati rice with spring vegetables in a lemongrass sauce shiitake ($21.95). I like trout a whole lot more than salmon and find this a filling, yet light option for days when I don’t want red meat. The lemongrass was too subtle to detect but I loved the edamame and shiitake mushrooms with the rice.