Early Bird’s tasty dinner menu launches tomorrow!

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Mad Hungry Woman

Last week I attended a preview of Early Bird’s new dinner menu which is launching tomorrow night starting at 5.30pm. Chef Frank DeLoach has created small and large plates which rotates seasonally depending on what’s available on the market. Small plates are priced between $7-$10, while large plates will run around $11-$15. The Dungeness crab is market price and requires a one-day advance request at time of reservation.

We started with some salads. Early Season Greens is a palate bursting canvas of white lemon, strawberry, pecans, mint, edible flowers, radish and basil. The dressing is all lemon and you can taste the freshness in each mouthful. Love the textural contrast of all the ingredients too!

Summer Squash was a combination of shaved squash and chunks of green and yellow baby squashes tossed with za’atar and sumac and dotted with slices of preserved lemon and pickled shallots. Crunchy, fresh, tart, just a wonderful vibrant pop in your mouth every time.

I didn’t think I’d like Pork Belly Po’ Boy but the flavors were incredible! Smoked sriracha and B&B pickles gave the sliders a spicy, tart, rich deliciousness so comforting yet so complex in flavor.

One of my favorites of the evening was Salt Cod. I am a sucker for salt and combine that with crispy rice and Thai chiles and all the flavors I love? Well, need I say more? One more please!

Sweetbreads was my least favorite of the night, but strangely, my son loved it. I can never tell if he’d like it or not. I was even afraid to tell him what it was thinking he wouldn’t try it, and when I told him they were brains, he replied “oh, they were good”. That kid always surprises me! Maybe it was the finely diced crunch of the celery, or the hot sauce and ranch that he loved. Regardless, my kid ate “brains” and liked it!! Who woulda thunk?

I saw Poutine go to other tables around me and was afraid we wouldn’t get to try it, but we did. Tender beef cheeks over crispy fries topped with Oregon cheddar and a runny egg, who could ask for more? It was a comfort food lover’s wet dream! This was another winner!

I love fried chicken and if the salt cod wasn’t enough to tempt me, the Twice Fried Chicken cinched the deal. The coating was crispy and had flavors which brought me to my childhood even though when I questioned Chef Frank on the ingredients, there were none which brought my palate to its ratatouille moment. Hmmm, maybe he was lying? Regardless, this is a must order on a return visit.

When Singaporean Chili Crab arrived, I knew it was all over. Early Bird has got me hook line and sinker. I grew up in southeast Asia and chili crab is something I am extremely familiar with. Although this isn’t exactly what you will find in Singapore, Chef Frank’s version is pretty damn good.

The sweet spicy flavors (oooooooooo I’m salivating just writing this up) were too much for the wusses at my table and I ended up devouring almost the entire portion on my own. Oh well, too bad for them because it was incredible. All I wanted was some piping hot steamed rice to eat the remaining sauce with.

We ended with Street Melon, a perfect finish to a 99% perfect meal. The watermelon sprinkled with Mexican chile and lemon spices topped with lime ice and beer emulsion cleansed the palate and didn’t overwhelm our very full stomachs.

Early Bird’s dinner menu is a winner in my book. Simple dishes bursting with flavor, but most of all, familiar flavors which bring me back to a time lost to adulthood. Maybe they won’t be ratatouille moments for you, but it doesn’t matter because good tasting food is good tasting food no matter how you look at it.

Early Bird
1000 #B East Bastanchurry Road
Fullerton, CA 92835
Tel: 714-529-4100

palate pleasers at Pelican Grill

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Mad Hungry Woman

A few weeks ago I was invited to a sampling of the new spring menu at the The Resort at Pelican Hill’s Pelican Grill. We started at the Sports Lounge with a few bites available at the lounge as well as some of the cocktails expertly concocted by their resident mixologist.

**A handful of the below items are already available. All items will be available April 22nd. Please note photos depict sample portions while prices reflect full menu portions**

Some of the cocktails include Pelican Cloud with Effen Black Cherry Vodka, fresh lemon juice and Tuaca-infused foam. Lido Lemonade combines Van Gogh blueberry vodka, Ketel Citron, Limoncello, fresh lemonade and gel pearls — very pretty! Last but not least, Greyhound Prosper Tanqueray Ten Gin, fresh grapefruit juice garnished with a candied grapefruit.

While sipping on cocktails, you can order some delicious items to munch on such as Pelican Grill Wood-Fire Pizzas ($13) — and they come with a variety of toppings.

Ahi Tuna Tartare ($17) is light and delicious. Beautifully fresh sushi-grade ahi tuna with chunks of avocado is seasoned perfectly and served with sesame crisps. Or try the Bourbon-Smoked Beef Brisket Sliders ($14) which have unctuously tender pieces of brisket sandwiched between a soft brioche bun.

After the lovely bites at the bar, we moved into the main dining area to enjoy items from Pelican Grill’s menu by Chef Derek Brooks.

In-House Smoked & Beet-Cured Skuna Bay Salmon ($28) includes perfect slices of salmon with deep maroon hued edges from the beet. Served with a tian of traditional garnishes such as chopped egg yolk and red onions, capers and pumpernickel bread, my mouth was longing for more than just a taste! Definitely a dish I’d return for it was THAT good!

The next item we tried was the Warm Bloomsdale Spinach Salad with Irvine Ranch Strawberries ($15). Sweet, fragrant strawberries from local Irvine Ranch means you’re getting the freshest picked fruit from farm to your plate. Pistachios add a nice crunch to the strawberry-champagne vinaigrette-dressed salad. If that wasn’t enough, soft, creamy burrata cheese is added for even more decadence to every mouthful.

My favorite item was Seared Sea Scallops ($31). The presentation itself was worth it (this presentation is only available when ordering the chef’s table menu) with the scallop sitting atop its own shell surrounded by sea kelp. Irvine Ranch green asparagus and chive oil, along with a seasonal white asparagus puree completes this item.

By the time Braised Short Rib ($32) hit the table, I was already very full. The garlic mashed potatoes, Irvine Ranch vegetables and thyme jus accompanied the ever so succulent piece of meat braised in a heavenly, rich marinade.

Even as full as I was, I managed to devour the Strawberry Souffle ($15) which Chef Brooks gave us in an espresso cup. I was very sad when I finished the souffle in about four bites. Even my non-sweet palate wanted an entire portion of this.

Every restaurant in this luxurious resort is worth a visit, whether for an evening out, birthday, or anniversary, you will always have the best experience ever. Don’t take my word for it, go give them a try! Complimentary valet parking is offered at the resort when you dine at any of its restaurants.

This week, The Resort at Pelican Hill generously offers one of my readers the opportunity to win dinner for two at Pelican Grill valued at $125. Offer expires March 31st, 2014. Leave me a comment with your FULL name and tell me who you would bring to enjoy this dinner with and why for a chance to win. Entries close Sunday, April 14. Winner announced Monday, 15th.

Restrictions: Alcohol, tax and gratuities not included. Dining credit for Pelican Grill only – not to exceed $125. Certificate has no cash value, is non-transferable and may not be combined with any other offers or promotions. Some restrictions and blackout dates may apply. Not valid during special events, holidays or holiday weekends. Certificates are strictly not eligible for extension. May not be replaced if lost or stolen.

Pelican Grill
at The Resort at Pelican Hill
22651 Pelican Hill Road
Newport Beach, CA 92657
Tel: 949-467-8551

the ARC of rustic simplicity

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Mad Hungry Woman

I’ve visited ARC several times now after its opening at SoCo’s The OC Mix. My son absolutely loves it and often asks if we can go back again and for me, I find the simple, yet rustic menu very appealing. After several visits, I feel I’ve tried enough of the menu to give a good rundown of what Chef/Owner Noah Blom and partner Marin Howarth’s vision for this trendsetter of a restaurant is all about.

They call the concept “scratch cooking”, a hands-on approach to cooking like we did back in the day before we had all this technology. Everything is cooked on an open flame, or a wood fire oven, there are no stoves here. It’s going back to the basics of cooking.

I’ve had many people “complain” to me regarding the menu, how it is overly simplistic. I, on the other hand, loathe an overly complicated menu. Simple, I like. The menu is very straight-forward — fish, pig, duck, veg — that’s the only heading you’ll get, plus a handful of accoutrements for some idea what’s in the dish. But then again, what else do you need? You’ll be served a part of the animal as they plate it because Chef Blom uses the entire animal.

Everything here is served in a cast iron skillet, scalding when it arrives. Trivets are placed on the table for them to sit on as each dish comes out of the oven. One of our favorites was Calamari ($15), with potato, lemon (we’ve had both regular lemon as well as kaffir lime) and pepper. My son pointed out how nice it was that the calamari wasn’t fried.

Casserole ($12) with chicken, broccoli and cheddar was a rectangular iron pan of cheesy, gooey, deliciousness. So rich and comforting I don’t think my son wanted to share.

One of the items we ordered on every occasion was Duck ($15) which is first cured and then crisped in the oven and served with lemon, jam and honey. The sweetness and tartness from the jam and honey is perfectly paired with the fall-off-the-bone duck. I believe everyone loved it and we are still talking about it a month plus after our visits.

The selection for the Veg ($12) always rotate. Farm fresh vegetables — zucchini and shimeiji mushrooms were in the skillet on this visit and it was eaten up really quickly by all.

If you’re a fan of Bacon ($8), I highly suggest you order a side of it. Cured and smoked in-house, these thick slices are perfect for sharing. So rich and so decadent, a few slices of this sandwiched between some bread with lettuce and tomato is all I would want for the perfect sandwich!

The only item off the regular menu I didn’t really enjoy was Soup ($10) and onion soup which wasn’t rich and hearty like the onions soups I prefer.

After all that, now is the time to tell you about the “secret menu”. Well, it’s not really THAT secretive, but if it’s your first visit, you probably won’t know about it. Every day, behind the open flame is the secret menu, surreptitiously written on the refrigerator door.

We ordered The Salad ($18) — essentially, a grilled chicken salad served in a wooden serving platter enough for two to share or four as an appetizer. Yes, there was THAT much food!!

The Burger ($18) is also not on the regular menu but it’s there — oh, it’s there! I’m not even a burger person and I wanted a second bite of this. It’s a big burger and I’m glad there were a lot of us to share it, but I could seriously eat this whole burger myself.

Another special is Salmon ($30), a piece of grilled salmon with vegetables and served with a glass of white wine. This off-the-menu item is an homage to Noah’s mom, who, according to the chef used to cook salmon so dismally it was dry and unpalatable. Here, the salmon is flaky moist and absolutely delicious. It serves as a meal on its own or if you’re like us, we shared!

One more little secret at ARC is that everything on the menu can be ordered as a sandwich. So if you wanted the duck, steak or pig as a sandwich, they’ll put it between some delicious bread from OC Baking Company for you to enjoy! Just ask!

There are no desserts here. I’ve heard many reasons why from Chef not particularly fond of making desserts to Chef not particularly fond of eating desserts. This way, I don’t have to save room for the desserts my friends order and I can utilize all the space in my stomach for the savory. Someone told me “the cocktails are the desserts!” Music to my ears!

I love ARC and I know you will too. This week, I have $50 for one of my readers to win to visit ARC and sample the delicious eats and libations they have to offer. Leave me a comment with your FULL name telling me why this style of cooking appeals to you. Entries close Sunday 31st. A lucky winner will be announced on Monday, April 1st — and no it won’t be an April fools, you’ll REALLY get the $50 to ARC!

ARC
3303 Hyland Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Tel: 949-500-5561

a meal for the Animal in you

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Mad Hungry Woman

It’s been several years since I last visited Animal. I never wrote about it because my photos didn’t come out the last time and I never post anything without at least reasonably clear photos. On this trip, I made sure to bring my good camera, plus lighting because I remembered how dark it was in the restaurant.

My friends and I left really early so we’d make our 6.30pm reservation. We couldn’t believe our luck when we dodged Friday afternoon LA traffic and arrived 45 minutes before our time and managed to find decent parking as well!

We started with a few beers, but pretty much launched straight into ordering! The Chicken Liver Toast ($3) was so good we had two orders of these. The chicken liver was creamy with a smoky caramelized shallot topping adding a hint of sweetness.

I remember Pig Tails ($11) from my previous visit, but unfortunately, some at the table weren’t fans of buffalo sauce. I, on the other hand, loved it and was chewing the crispy parts off the bone with glee. Like a true buffalo style dish, it was accompanied by celery and ranch.

Although I wouldn’t recommend non-meat eaters to come to Animal because the menu is predominantly meat-centric, the Local Burrata ($12) was seriously good! Baby broccoli, katsuobushi, green garlic, leeks and jalapeno complete a very complex mouthful of flavors which even my son wanted more of.

Pig Ear ($12) was a plateful of thin strips of pig ear fried crispy, flavored with chili lime and topped with a runny fried egg. The oozing yolk added a creaminess to the crunch of the ears making this a hit with everyone at the table!

The richness of the Melted Petit Basque ($12) dotted with chorizo and served with grilled bread meant I only had room for a small portion. I was glad there were many of us to share this item even though I know my son wanted more, but we had a lot of food still to come.

My least favorite item of the evening was Shrimp & Rabbit Sausage Spring Roll ($13). The texture of the spring roll didn’t appeal to me. The filling was mushy and the entire dish bland and boring even with the green curry.

Hamachi Tostada ($15) on the other hand was my favorite. I remember this being a favorite from my previous visit and it wasn’t a surprise everyone loved it as well. The cabbage slaw with fresh herbs, fish sauce vinaigrette and peanuts made it a very Vietnamese flavored dish — refreshing and palate cleansing! We had another!

The Yellowtail Collar ($16) with jerk spices was strangely addicting but not everyone at the table felt that way. Some found the jerk seasoning killed the flavor of the fish and another found the texture of the fish spongey. I liked the combination of the citrus and palm sugar with the jerk spices making it a spicy, sweet and tart finish. It would’ve been better with a bowl of rice!

Another favorite was Poutine ($18) topped with oxtail gravy and cheddar. My son and Austin of The Hungry Dogg devoured the second plate very quickly! Rich and intensely flavored, this is comfort food perfection!

I could have eaten a whole plate of the Grilled Quail ($19) myself. The quail was not gamey at all. In fact, it was on the mild side. The plum char siu sauce with pear, apple, yogurt and pomegranate created a sweet tart finish which would have been even better had the quail been stronger. Still, it was absolutely delicious!

The star of the night in terms of entrees was definitely the Braised Rabbit Legs ($29). The mustard jus combined with the potato puree made for a creaminess like no other. The addition of bright green snap peas and flavorful mushrooms made this the ultimate in comfort eating. We were all very sad we had no room for another round of this.

If you still have room for dessert, there are four to choose from. Since I didn’t really care one way or another, the table chose Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar ($8) s&p ice cream — nice if you like chocolate. Has a nice texture and the saltiness of the bacon was very mild.

The Page Mandarin Sherbet ($8) with cheesecake, sour grass granita and bits of meringue pieces didn’t do it for me. In fact, I thought it was weird and gross both in taste and texture. Austin was the only one who enjoyed this dessert.

If you haven’t had the Animal experience, I highly recommend you go and have one. Make a reservation because although walk-ins are accepted at the bar, chances are you won’t be able to get a seat. This is one of those places where the creativity and innovation behind the menu is truly eye-opening and you will be glad you did it!

Animal
435 N Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: 323-782-9225

Tender Greens is now a new favorite!

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Mad Hungry Woman

My BFF has been asking me for years “have you been to Tender Greens yet?” My answer has always been nope. She lives in LA county where there are a handful of Tender Greens, but there wasn’t one in Orange County until recently. A couple of weeks ago, she asked me again and I told her it was about time I went!

Located at the Irvine Spectrum, the environmentally friendly decor and hugely inviting colors of the restaurant doesn’t feel like a ‘self-serve’ style restaurant. You order at the front of the line and then mosey on down with a clear view of the counter where the meals are being prepared. When you reach the end where the cashier is, you pay, and within minutes, your food is ready for you to take to a table, or away if you’re having it to go.

We arrived when the restaurant opened and I’m glad we did. Within 30 minutes, it was already more than half packed and before an hour was up, it was pretty much completely full. However, no need to worry because the lines move really quickly even though it might seem a daunting wait when you see the hoards of people.

We started with some soups. Fisherman’s Stew ($4) was decent although the fish was a tad tough. Each day the restaurant offers a version with ‘meat’, another that is vegetarian and lastly, a vegan option.

Kale and Multigrain ($4) the vegan option was absolutely delicious. It was piping hot and filled with bits of goodness even this carnivore was happy with. I would definitely order this soup again!

Not being a regular fan of salads, we chose one to try. VR Green Farms Harvest Salad ($11) was on the specials board and includes tangerines, tangelos, grapefruit, shaved fennel, candied walnuts, California feta cheese, with tender greens and golden balsamic vinaigrette. As far as salads go, it was very good.

Now, if you think Tender Greens only serves vegetables, then you’re wrong! That’s what I initially thought, but they have some wonderful meaty options as well. These items can be enjoyed as part of a sandwich, as a plate, or put together the way you choose.

For example, we chose the Backyard Marinated Steak ($11) as a sandwich. The steak is grilled medium rare and served on grilled ciabatta bread. You can choose a side salad from the “Simple Salads” selection. We opted for the spinach salad for this item. The flavors were perfectly executed and the quality of the meat was top notch. I brought half of the sandwich home and even after several hours, my son said it was absolutely yummy!

When I saw Fried Chicken ($11) on the menu, I knew I had to have it. We ordered it as a hot plate with mashed potatoes and the kale side salad from the Simple Salad selections. The buttermilk coated chicken was moist and juicy with a perfectly crispy exterior. I know where I’m coming from fried chicken from now on!

Another stand-out is the Herb Brushed Albacore ($11). We didn’t want any more mashed potatoes and you can choose to substitute that or the salad for soup for an additional $2. The fish was lightly seared and the freshness of the fish is unequivocal.

As we went through the line, our mouths were watering from the selection of vegetables on display. We wanted to try some of these as well.

Roasted Grilled Veggies ($3/$5) was a vibrant plate of red garnet yams, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, broccoli rabe and breakfast radishes. Who would’ve thought to grill radishes!! They were soooo good!

Every day, there is a featured Special Side ($4) and on the day of our visit, it was a farro salad with butternut squash, sweet potato, kale, broccoli rabe, caramelized onions tossed in a roasted garlic vinaigrette. Nutty and oh so tantalizing!

As if that wasn’t enough, they have some really awesome desserts as well. My favorite was the Orange Olive Oil Cake! So moist and filled with the aromas of citrus just floats through your palate.

I will definitely be a frequent visitor from now on. For those of you who have never been, I highly suggest you try them out for yourself. This week, I have a $25 gift certificate plus an Orange Olive Cake for one lucky winner. Leave me a comment and tell me what you’re most excited to try! Entries end on Sunday, 10th March. Winner will be announced on Monday! Good Luck!

Tender Greens
31 Fortune Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
Tel: 949-679-9135

a stunningly eclectic cafe in San Diego

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Mad Hungry Woman

I love restaurants with a great story behind it, and Cafe 21 has one of those stories which would make you want to go there right this minute. But before I get into that particular story, I want to say that even without it, you would want to go just purely because the food is pretty fantastic.

We are there for brunch over the weekend and the restaurant is packed. The buzz is incredible with a line gathered outside in the heat patiently waiting for a chance to eat something off this eclectic menu. The decor has hints of the owners’ homeland — Azerbaijan — but just enough to pay homage without being overwhelming. After all, the menu isn’t Azerbaijany, but rather, with influences to honor the heritage.

Husband and wife Alex and Leyla moved from Baku, Azerbaijan to San Diego and after their son was born, Leyla found herself at home baking for friends and neighbors to pass some of the time alone. Alex meanwhile was pursuing a BS in Hospitality Management and after graduating from SDSU, worked at Barona Casino as the Food and Beverage Manager .

To cut a long story short, Leyla baked some baklava for friends who owned a Persian restaurant downtown — they LOVED IT — and she ended up providing them with it to sell in their restaurant. The extra money was great and it allowed them to fulfill their dream in 2007 when they opened Cafe 2121 at 2121 Adams Ave. Later that year, after relocating a few blocks up, the extra 21 was dropped to its current Cafe 21 moniker.

The experience here starts with a Signature Bloody Mary ($9) complete with olives, peppers, grilled prosciutto and spices — well at least for me it does! I can’t pass over a Bloody Mary no matter what. I usually request it extra spicy and on this day, I forgot, but luck would have it that the one here is already spiced up and perfectly seasoned. The grilled prosciutto made it a meal on its own, but I had to leave some room to sample a bite of everything we were ordering.

If you’re wanting a lighter libation, there are six different types of sangrias made in-house to choose from. We chose the Sangria Sampler ($21) Fruit Punch, Strawberry Basil, Traditional, Strawberry Pineapple, Lemon Rosemary, Peach Mint (goblet $9/$21 pitcher) to get a full range of what they were serving up. My favorites were Fruit Punch, Strawberry Pineapple and Peach Mint. Everything had that incredibly vibrant taste of muddled herb or fruit so it can be dangerously deceiving because it is so easy to drink.

There were a good number of sweet treats on the menu and Tiramisu Pancakes ($13) was one of them. My initial thought when they arrived was “holy… these look REALLY sweet”, but surprisingly, the mascarpone cream sauce, cocoa powder and maple espresso sauce came together really nicely without being oppressively sweet. The texture of the pancakes was what blew me away, so fluffy and light as air. Simply sublime!

If I liked the tiramisu ones, the Rhubarb Pancakes ($9) made me eat bite after bite — a seriously outstanding feat for those who know me well. I just don’t have a sweet palate. I ended up eating about four big mouthfuls much to the chagrin of myself and everyone else. I think the strawberries, together with the strawberry and rhubarb compote made it just heavenly. I love rhubarb and the pancakes were airy and very addicting.

Vegetarians have a lot of sweet choices, but if you’re wanting a savory one, the Spinach Crepe ($10) is definitely worth getting. Organic spoon spinach, basil pesto, mozzarella, and feta cheese stuffed inside a thin crepe makes it not only healthy, but tasty enough that non-vegetarians will love it too.

One of the house specialties is Short Rib Omelet ($14). This skillet omelette has fluffy egg (frittata style) dotted with bell peppers, grilled onions, blue cheese, mozzarella and topped off with tender, braised short ribs. The potato cake served alongside is to-die-for and if you don’t end up ordering something which comes with it, you can order it as a side. It is well worth it!!

One of my favorites was Shrimp Corn House Cakes ($13) with shrimp sweet corn potato cakes topped with two poached eggs and house made cilantro cream sauce. It was like a take on eggs Benedict, but such a delicious one. The sweet corn cakes were salty sweet and with the perfectly poached eggs oozing into the corn cakes I have only three words to describe it — mmm mmm mmm.

Finally, there is also a brunch menu only offered on weekends. We ordered the Turkish Lavash Rolls ($14), housemade flat bread rolled up and stuffed with tomato, onion, spinach, bell peppers, and mozzarella, then baked and topped with cheddar with your choice of chicken, turkey, salmon or veggies. Garnished with pesto and ajika (or adjika is a red pepper paste), this is one of those dishes relective of their Azerbaijany roots.

Service was outstanding. Our server was knowledgeable and very attentive making sure our meal was perfect. I am contemplating returning for dinner in the near future. They have a completely different menu at dinner which looks creative and unique, just like its breakfast/lunch menu. Cafe 21 is one of those little gems you must check out when you are down in San Diego next. Don’t let the wait scare you off, it is definitely worth waiting for!

Cafe 21
750 5th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: 619-795-0721

2736 Adams Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116
Tel: 619-640-2121

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Category Archives: dinner