Broadway by Amar Santana - Laguna Beach

328 Glenneyre Street

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Hours: 5:00pm to 11:00pm daily

I've always wanted to try out some of the restaurants in Laguna, and I got the opportunity to try Broadway this past weekend since I received a gift card from a friend. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but the inside is dimly-lit and provides for a nice, romantic ambiance.

Moscow Mule (5/5): One of the best moscow mules I've had, very refreshing! $13

Spanish Octopus A La Plancha (4/5): Perfectly cooked octopus pieces topped with a crispy potato swirl and a creamy black olive emulsion. I just wish they gave us more octopus. $19

Grilled Marinated Skirt Steak (4/5): The sauce on this skirt steak was phenomenal, definitely my favorite. The roasted fingerling potatoes and shishito peppers were a great compliment. $32

Grilled Prime New York Strip Steak (4.5/5) My boyfriend ordered this, but subbed the sides and sauces with my dish. Being a more expensive dish, the meat was definitely better. $46

Overall I would give Broadway a 5/5. It's hard for me to find a restaurant that not only has great drinks and food, but also attentive customer service. While the menu is a little on the pricey side, I would say it is well worth it. Definitely recommend coming here for a birthday dinner or date night!

Poki Monster - Tustin

13771 Newport Avenue

Tustin, CA 92780

Hours: 11:00am to 9:00pm daily

Poki Monster recently opened near my house, so naturally I had to go check it out. Their store is small, but cute and the employees are always friendly. The first time I went the rice was under cooked, which made me hesitant to go back, but all the other times were great. It's a little different here than most poke shops because they don't mix all the ingredients before putting it on top of the rice. They simply put the requested ingredients on top, and then finish with the sauce of your choice.

I recommend getting half rice half chips for the base, and then some salmon and albacore with your choice of toppings. I tried the spicy tuna and spicy salmon, but they weren't very good. For the sauce I like their original sauce with Volcano #1. I also get their Spicy Mayo sauce on the side, as it perfectly compliments the chips.

Overall I would give Poki Monster a 4/5. The fish is usually pretty fresh, and I like their simple flavors. A regular bowl will cost you about $8, which isn't bad at all. Definitely stop by Afters Ice Cream across the street for dessert!

CaliPoke - Costa Mesa

2930 Bristol Street

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Hours: 11:30am to 9:00pm daily

CaliPoke is a new poke shop that just opened up in the LAB by South Coast Plaza. The ambiance is nice and they have plenty of seating. If you check-in on Yelp, you get a complimentary soda! And for a Yelp review your next bowl is 50% off, which is a great deal.

I went with my usual order of a regular bowl with salmon, yellow tail, toppings, and their spicy original sauce. What's different here compared to other poke shops is that they have garlic chips, which I haven't seen before. They put everything in a bowl and mix it up to place on top of the rice. I really like the yellow tail option here, it was fresh. However, the salmon had a stink and left a bad aftertaste, an indication of unfresh fish. This was about $8.

Overall I would give CaliPoke a 3/5. The flavor was good and they have a wider selection of fish to choose from. The employees were also very friendly and I liked that there was a lot of room to sit. I just wish that their fish quality was a little better and I would definitely come back more often.

Bear Flag Fish Co. - Newport Beach

7972 Pacific Coast Highway

Newport Beach, CA 92657

Hours: 11:00am to 8:00pm daily

I've been on a poke craze lately and am set out to find the best poke in OC. I heard that everyone loves Bear Flag's poke so I definitely wanted to go try it out. I ordered the $12.95 seafood plate which comes with your choice of fish and 2 sides. 

Ahi poke (4/5): I enjoyed the flavor and freshness off the ahi. 

Salmon poke (2/5): I usually love salmon, but it had a weird taste and made my stomach hurt. 

Rice (1/5): Overcooked and mushy. 

Vegetables (2/5): I like that they offer veggies as a side, but it was pretty bland. Healthy choice though. 

Overall I would give Bear Flag a 3/5. It's a little more expensive than other poke places, but the ahi was very fresh and flavorful. They do need to improve on the sides though and it would be nice if toppings were available. 

Panini Cafe - Irvine

3041 Michelson Drive

Irvine, CA 92612

Hours: 7:00am to 9:30pm daily

Panini Cafe is one of my favorite spots to grab lunch or dinner since it is delicious, affordable, and fills you up. 

Chicken Kabob (5/5): For just $10.95, you get a kabob full of juicy chicken, tomatoes, and onions next to a bed of basmati rice and a salad of your choice. My favorite is the Mediterranean salad as I love their balsamic dressing.

Filet Mignon Kabob (4/5): The filet is delicious, but at $19.95 it's definitely a little overpriced. 

Tiramisu (4/5): I'm picky when it comes to tiramisu, and the one here is pretty good.

Overall this place gets a 4.5/5 for me. Quality food for a very affordable price. The only thing I don't like is that they change the types of salad leaf constantly. 

Guppy House - Irvine

2730 Alton Parkway, Suite 101

Irvine, CA 92606

Hours: 11:00am to 1:00am daily

Guppy House is located in the Diamond Jamboree shopping center, and is my to-go spot for shaved ice and brick toast. Their food is pretty good too and I love that they're open late at night.

Pineapple Fried Rice (4/5): One of my favorite dishes here, must try. Served in a giant pineapple and has a lot of flavor.

Popcorn Chicken (3/5): This was just okay for me, wouldn't recommend ordering.

Beef Noodle Soup (3/5): Pretty tasty noodle soup to warm you up on a cold night.

Shaved Ice (4/5): The shaved ice is really good, since a regular serving is so huge I would recommend order their to-go size and sharing, plenty enough for 2-3 people.

Brick Toast (4/5): Butter coconut spread, that's all you need to know. Highly suggest adding green tea ice cream. 

Overall Guppy House gets a 3.5/5, the entrees are good for the most part, and the desserts are delicious! I do think it is slightly overpriced though. 

Andrea - Newport Coast

22701 S. Pelican Hill Road

Newport Coast, CA 92657

Hours: 12:00pm to 11:00pm daily

I'm usually not a fan of overpriced "fancy schmancy" restaurants, but I recently got the chance to dine at Andrea for a friend's birthday dinner. Located in Newport's luxurious resort Pelican Hill, Andrea has a quiet, old school atmosphere. It lacks the modern look of typical high end restaurants, giving it a more casual feel. 

Bread Basket (3/5): I normally don't write about the bread baskets, but I loved the rosemary bread included in theirs. However, the bread was served cold which was off-putting.

Grilled Octopus (3/5): This was good, but a little burnt and lost the chewiness octopus should have.

Braised Short Rib Caramelle (3/5): Tasty, tender pieces of wagyu beef wrapped in a ravioli type pasta. Yummy, but nothing special.

Risotto (2.5/5): It was entertaining watching them bring out a big hunk of cheese and make the dish in front of the table, but was way too heavy.

Braised Veal Cheek (3.5/5): Decided to go with this as it seemed like one of the most popular items on the menu. Delicious for the first couple of bites, but quickly became overwhelming due to the fattiness of the meat. I also did not like having the mashed potatoes served under the meat as they got stuck to every bite of meat. 

Overall I would give Andrea a 2.5/5. It was just what I expected, your typical overpriced, small-portioned fancy restaurant. The waiter was a little pushy on recommending multiple dishes per person, which I didn't think was appropriate since I was more than full off of my dish. The decor felt outdated compared to their other restaurant, the Coliseum, which is beautiful and has more affordable entrees. Nothing really stood out to me here, and I wouldn't come back unless someone else was paying for it. 

Bestia - Los Angeles

2121 East 7th Plaza

Los Angeles, CA 90021

Hours:  5:00pm to 11:00pm daily

Bestia is known as one of L.A.'s top Italian restaurants, so of course I had to go and see what the hype was all about. You will need to make reservations about 2 months in advance, or just show up right when it opens and luck out at the bar. It's located in a slightly sketchy area, and the parking is basically a small valet parking lot, so you will have to pay for parking or risk parking somewhere shady. 

Chicken Gizzards (2/5): I enjoy chicken gizzards yakitori style, so I ordered these to see how they compare, and the ones here are definitely liver-like in taste and texture which I didn't particularly enjoy.

Mussels & Clams (4/5): Spicy and delicious, but the seafood was small. $18

Cavatelli Alla Norcina (3.5/5): Not sure what everyone was raving about, but it just tasted like mushroom cream pasta. The pork in it was good and the pasta was perfectly al dente. Pricey at $29.

Pork Tomahawk (3.5/5): This was pretty good, maybe not $75 good though. It is pretty big so I would advise ordering it for 4+ people.

Ricotta Fritters w/ Huckleberry Ice Cream (2/5): Disappointing dessert, especially at $12.

Rainbow Sherbet (1/5): Very average taste, tiny scoop in a tiny cone for $5.

Overall I would give this place a 3.5/5. The food was good, but overpriced. Stay away from ordering any desserts here since they were unimpressive. I would recommend sitting outside or far away from the kitchen because it is extremely smokey inside, indicative of poor ventilation. It was a little hard to breathe in there at times. They also charge a 3% kitchen fee here, which I found to be a little ridiculous considering that I was watching the chefs prepare the food and they were all heavily sampling our plates. Customer service was good for the most part.

Las Brisas - Laguna Beach

361 Cliff Drive

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Hours 8:00am to 10:00pm daily

I've always walked past Las Brisas whenever I went to Laguna Beach, but never tried it out due to hearing about how overpriced it was. One day, I got the opportunity to attend a birthday dinner here. After pouring through Yelp, I was hesitant about what to order since there were so many mixed reviews. 

Frutas Del Mar (3.5/5): I decided to go with the waiter's recommendation, but subbed the rice for pasta. Surprisingly, the dish was yummy and I enjoyed all of the seafood inside. However, it is definitely not worth $40.

Guacamole (4/5): It's hard to mess up guacamole, but wish the chips and salsa were complimentary since everything is so pricey.

Ceviche (3/5): Good, solid ceviche.

Mussels (3/5): Tasty, nothing special though.

New York Steak & Shrimp (3/5): Just your average steak and shrimp, mashed potatoes were bland.

Overall I would give Las Brisas a 3/5. The food was better than I expected, but definitely overpriced. I guess you have to keep in mind that you are also paying for the view when you come here. This is a great spot for a romantic sunset dinner or celebrating a birthday, but I wouldn't come back unless the prices were lowered.

Urban Seoul - Irvine

2750 Alton Parkway, Suite 131

Irvine, CA 92606

Hours 11:30am to 3:00 pm 

           5:00pm to 11:00pm daily

Urban Seoul is one of my favorite places to celebrate Taco Tuesday. Asian Fusion is not an easy flavor to get right, but this place does it well. My first time I ordered the pork belly tacos and loaded fries, since those seemed to be the most popular dishes. Since then, I have also tried the other taco flavors and most of the other appetizers and entrees as well. 

Pork Belly Tacos (3/5): If you like fatty meat, then this will be perfect for you. Comes with crispy and fatty pork belly pieces topped with their signature slaw. Compared to the other tacos, this was probably my least favorite.

Gogi Tacos (4.5/5): These are my absolute favorite here, the meat is nice and tender and the sweetness perfectly balances the spicy flavors. 

Spicy Pork Tacos (4/5): My second favorite taco, highly recommend for those who love spicy food.

Gogi Quesadilla (4/5): A simply, but really good dish. I love the kimchi sour cream that comes with it.

Loaded Fries (2/5): This was just okay for me, had too much going on and it wasn't anything memorable about it.

Bibimbap (1/5): For those who like to eat healthy, I guess this would be for you. Tasted very plain and the sauce didn't do much for the dish no matter how much I put on it. Basically like eating rice with bland vegetables on top.

Overall, Urban Seoul gets a 3.5/5 for me. The food and customer service used to be fantastic, but recently it has gone downhill. They raised their prices while lowering the quality of their customer service, which is sad but happens to a lot of places that become popular. I still occasionally come for their Taco Tuesday when I have random cravings for it, and it is cheaper at $1.75 per taco. 

Mokkoji Shabu Shabu Bar - Irvine

14041 Jeffrey Road

Irvine, CA 92620

Hours: 11:30am to 2pm
            5:00pm to 9:00pm

Mokkoji is absolutely my favorite shabu restaurant in Orange County. My favorite item is the beef belly, which runs at a measly $10 for lunch and $15 for dinner. Includes unlimited cabbage and bok choy too, where else can you get that?! The meat is fatty and delicious, but for those who don't like that their regular beef is great too. Make sure you ask for them to make you the porridge at the end! You can choose from 3 different flavors, but my favorite is squid ink. I believe it's an extra $1 charge for lunch, but it's complimentary with dinner. You get a lot of bang for your buck here, and their goma sauce is amazing! Mokkoji gets a 4.5/5 for me. 

Anjin - Costa Mesa

3033 Bristol Street Suite N

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Hours: 5:00pm to 1:00am daily

Anjin is one of the top rated Japanese BBQ restaurants in Orange County. I used to come here a lot when I was younger and it was pretty good. But coming back recently after 5 years, I noticed that the quality of the meat isn't as good as it was before. I don't exactly remember everything I ordered, but it included:

Premium Kalbi, Regular Kalbi, Beef Tongue, and Intestine (3/5): It didn't taste much different from when I make it at home, which was pretty disappointing as Anjin is not cheap. 

Cold Noodles (3/5): This was just okay, the brother didn't have that much flavor. 

Beef Carpaccio (4/5): A lot of people order this, and it was pretty good. Just be sure to squeeze lemon all over it. 

Overall I would give Anjin a 3/5. It's just not that good anymore and quality of meat has clearly gone down while the price has gone up. I would recommend going to Tsuruhashi instead for the price, or even Gyu-kaku if you don't wanna spend too much. 

Bachi Burger - Los Angeles

2030 Sawtelle Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90025

Hours 11:00am to 10:00pm daily

I first encountered Bachi Burger in Vegas because it was one of the top rated burger spots there. Asian fusion food always makes me curious as it is pretty hard to get right. For $12-15 you get a decent sized burger, larger than Umami Burger for sure. 

Miyagi-san (2/5): I wasn't a fan of the sweetness in this burger. 

Spicy Miso (3/5): Better than the Miyagi-san, but I still found the burger to be on the sweet side. 

Oxtail Fries (4.5/5): These are pretty damn good, fries topped with chili, jalapenos, and an egg. 

Spicy Miso Ramen (3/5): Average ramen. 

Overall I would give this place a 2.5/5. I'm really not a fan of sweet burgers, and I wish they could create Asian fusion burgers that weren't so sweet. The oxtail fries are the best item here. Ramen is just alright. 

Bosscat Kitchen & Libations - Newport Beach

4647 Macarthur Blvd.

Newport Beach CA 92660

Hours 11:00am-11:00pm or later

After seeing so many good reviews about their Sunday brunch, I decided to come here for my birthday. The ambience is what I like about Bosscat. It's decorated nicely, but doesn't feel too pretentious and has an open layout. I had a party of 8, which requires picking four entrees served family style with all you can drink mimosas and bloody marys for $25 a person. We ordered:

Sticky Bun Burger (3.5/5): I thought this was really interesting, and it was good to me because I love cinnamon buns...and partially because I was on a good buzz. 

Short Rib Chilaquiles (4/5): Can't really go wrong with short rib. 

Crawfish & Bacon Ramen Scramble (1.5/5): If you're Asian like me, don't get this. Very basic instant ramen dish. 

Oreo Custard Stack (1/5): The biggest disappointment of all. It looked so good in pictures, but it was salty and got hard pretty fast. 

*I was really bummed out that they stopped making their Fruity Pebbles French Toast that everyone was raving about on Yelp. I guess they change some of their menu every month, but I feel like popular items should be permanent.

Overall I would give Bosscat a 3.5/5 mostly for the ambience. Food was just okay, and served in VERY small portions. I had to split the burger four ways since they only gave us two for 8 people. $30 including tip for Sunday brunch is a little too much considering how little food you get. If it's your birthday they set up a nice sign for your table and give you a free breakfast shot, which includes maple bourbon with oj and a piece of bacon. 

Slapfish - Laguna Beach

211 Broadway

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Hours 11:00AM to 8:00PM daily

I was in Laguna so I decided to stop by Slapfish since it was participating in OC Restaurant Week and the prices were pretty good. 

Lobster Grinder (3/5): Combination of lobster and shrimp inside a roll with a side of chips. The grinder was okay for me, I wish it had more flavor. The chips were good though. $10 

Overall I would give Slapfish a 3/5. I think the food here is for people who like to eat simple seafood. The food didn't have too much flavoring, but it looked nice and was filling. I'm glad I got to try a roll without paying the $22-30 market price for a loster roll or I would've been disappointed. 

BurntZilla - Irvine

14413 Culver Drive

Irvine, CA 92604

Hours 10:00AM to 10:00PM daily

After hearing a lot of good things, I was really excited to hear that Dogzilla and The Burnt Truck were coming together as BurntZilla. Went on a saturday night and the line wasn't too long, the employees were really friendly, and I loved the open layout of the store. 

I got the Golden Combo for $10 which came with a drink, choice of 2 dogs or zillas, and a side.  

Berry Tea (4/5): I loved the berry puree mixed in with the tea, it was a tasty and refreshing drink. 50 cents upgrade. 

Sloppy Joe Zilla (2/5): Meh this was just ok, I didn't really like it though reviews said it was good. 

Dogzilla (3/5): This was good, but the sausage was bordering on cold which made it unpleasant to eat. 

Carne Asada Tots (3/5): I upgraded to these since everyone was raving about it, but found it to be just average. $1 extra. 

Overall I would give BurntZilla a 2/5. The food wasn't as great as I thought it would be, and the fact that everything is served on a Kings Hawaiian bun makes me feel like I'm having too much sweet food for dinner. For $10, I would rather go somewhere else because my meal wasn't filling at all. If I didn't have a bogo combo coupon I would've left very disappointed. 

Gelato Paradiso - Laguna Beach

448 S. Coast Highway Ste A

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Hours 11:00AM to 9:00PM 

Gelato Paradiso is one of my favorite dessert spots in Laguna. There's always a line here, but it moves pretty quickly and the smell of fresh waffle cones is heaven. I love that you can watch them make the waffles right in front of you, and trust me they are a must order. 

Panna Cotta (4/5): My favorite flavor, if you love cheese or tiramisu get this. Creamy and delicious. 

Cookies & Cream (3/5): This is your average cookies & cream flavor, nothing special. 

Tiramisu (3.5/5): Good, but if it had chunks of tiramisu cake in it, it'd be way better. 

Double Chocolate (3/5): Very rich chocolate flavor, not too sweet. 

I give Gelato Paradiso a 4/5 because their gelato is delicious and the employees are always friendly. Make sure you get the waffle cone too, $1 off when you check in on Yelp! Perfect snack for walking along the beach with. 

McCormick & Schmick's - Irvine

2000 Main Street

Irvine, CA 92614

Weekends 5:00PM to 10:00PM 

Came here for the first time since I had a giftcard and it was OC Restaurant Week. $40 came with a choice of an appetizer, entree, and dessert which is a pretty good deal for this place. 

Calamari (2/5): I've had much better elsewhere. 

Beef Carpaccio (3/5): Would've been really good it was served chilled instead of room temperature. 

Grilled Shrimp (4/5): Very tasty with a nice kick to it, polenta was bland though.

Coffee Crusted Filet (4/5): Cooked perfectly, vegetables were seasoned really well. 

Chocolate Molten Cake (4/5): Perfect dessert for the chocolate lover, very sweet. 

Churro Donut Holes (1/5): This is supposed to be the dessert they're known for, but it was very disappointing. Basically an empty puff with dipping sauces, not sure why it's called a donut hole. 

Overall I would give McCormick's a 3.5/5 because the entrees and chocolate cake were delicious. Service was friendly, but it took awhile to get each course. 

Vitaly - Costa Mesa

2937 Bristol Street

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Daily Hours 7:30AM to 10:30PM

Located at The Camp in Costa Mesa, Vitaly is a cute cafe that is known for their tasty gelato flights. I have tried several flavors and found the tiramisu flavor to be the best. I recently came back to try the food since they were participating in OC Restaurant Week. 

For $30, I received a glass of wine, a shot of espresso, an appetizer, entree, and two scoops of gelato. 

Filet Mignon Straccetti (4/5): strips of filet mignon server over a bed of arugula, baked potatoes, and tomatoes. The meat was tender and yummy, and I added a splash of balsamic vinegar which made it delicious! $18

Tomato & Basil Linguine (3.5/5): We also ordered a pasta on the side since Vitaly hand makes their own noodles. I enjoyed the light, simply flavors and the noodles were perfect. $14

Overall I would give Vitaly a 3.5/5. I would rate it higher, but for people looking to eat in it's a little confusing. You have to get the menu yourself, order at the register, find a seat, and wait. We waited awhile for just the drinks to come out. I also didn't like that they served our espresso with the wine, as it should be served last with the dessert. The food and gelato here is great though. 

R+D Kitchen - Newport Beach

555 Newport Ctr Dr,

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Hours 11:00 AM to 9:00-10:30 PM

Located in Fashion Island, R+D Kitchen is a great spot for dinner. It's a nice restaurant that's on the casual side so it's perfect for a date. I'm usually not too big on going out for American food, but I had to try it once I heard about how good their burgers are and how packed it gets. 

Cheeseburger (4/5): The patty was cooked perfectly and the burger was tasty. A little difficult to eat but they have toothpicks so that kind of helped. It's on the sweeter side, so people who prefer salty burgers may not like it as much. It would've been nice if fries were included with the burger. $14

Fries (2/5): They came out extremely salty so I had to ask them to remake it. Average skinny fries. $4

Overall I would give R+D Kitchen a 3.5/5. I really enjoyed the ambience of the restaurant, but the menu is very limited and on the pricey side. Also, when we first entered the restaurant there were three hostesses available but none of them bothered to help us even though they noticed us waiting. Customer service could use an improvement. 

Afters Ice Cream - Fountain Valley

18030 Brookhurst St

Fountain Valley, CA 92708 

Hours 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM 

After hearing all the hype about their Milky Bun, which is ice cream in a donut, I had to go and try it out for myself. Depending on what time you go, there can be up to an hour wait so you might want to go at an off time. I've been here three times so far and have only experienced a long wait at noon. 

Milky Bun (2.5/5): It was good for the first two bites, but then I found it to be very greasy and heavy. If you really love donuts I would say try it, if not, just stick with their ice cream. 

Jasmine Milk Tea (3/5): Nice creamy ice cream with a hint of jasmine tea flavor. 

Cookie Monster (3/5): Basically cookies and cream ice cream with blue food coloring. 

Milk & Cereal (5/5): I was pretty disappointed with Afters, but this flavor really made up for my first two experiences. Milky flavor with crushed corn flakes throughout and topped with more corn flakes (pictured above). It was absolutely delicious and my new favorite ice cream flavor! 

The price for a scoop of ice cream is $3.50 and $5.00 for the milky bun. I would give Afters a 4/5 just because they have Milk & Cereal. I also like that they have a lot of interesting and new flavors like Churro and Triple C. It might be difficult to find the first time because they only have a small sign that says ICE CREAM above their store, but it's right next to the Pick Up Stix in the plaza. 

Komodo - Venice

235 Main St

Venice, CA 90291

Hours 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM Daily

I love Asian Fusion food and have been wanting to try Komodo for awhile. They have three different combos for only $10, which is a pretty good deal. I decided to go with the Killer Combo, with comes with 4 tacos of your choice and a drink. You can upgrade to one of their specialty drinks for $1 which I highly recommend. I also added an order of their truffle fries. 

Komodo 2.0 (4/5): Pictured above, it is one of their most popular tacos that has all the corn on top. This was really tasty and the sauce they put on it is delicious. 

MP3: (4.5/5): If you like tater tots or texture in your taco definitely get this one. It comes with a crunchy tater tot and a quail egg on top. 

Signature (2/5): This is just your basic taco you can get anywhere. I would not recommend it since the other tacos are more unique. If you do get it, then eat this one first or you'll be disappointed. 

Lychee Lemonade (5/5); Delicious and refreshing, a must try! 

Truffle Fries (4/5): Good but nothing amazing, just your average truffle fries. 

Overall I would give Komodo a 4.5/5 due to their tasty flavor combinations and budget friendly prices. Go to the Venice location because it is much larger and less crowded. I went on a saturday for lunch and there was no wait. 

Popbar - Anaheim

440 S. Anaheim Blvd

Anaheim, CA 92805
Hours 11:00 AM-11:00 PM

The most popular place in the Packing House, Popbar offers gelato popsicles that you can customize for about $5. They have a nice variety of flavors including sorbets. Many people complain that Popbar is overhyped, but I think it really depends on the flavor combinations  you get. 

Green Tea Gelato w/ White Chocolate & Waffle Cone Bits (4/5): If you ask for a green tea kit kat, this is what they'll give you. It's pretty similar in taste and I would recommend it to those who love green tea.

Gianduia Gelato Fully Dipped in Milk Chocolate, Covered in Waffle Cone Bits w/ White Chocolate Drizzle (5/5): If you're a chocolate lover like me, definitely get this. Gianduia is a half chocolate half hazelnut flavor, and this popbar tasted like a Ferrero Rocher chocolate! 

I would give Popbar a 4/5 because it's a unique and tasty idea. It is kinda pricey to pay $5 and some change for a popsicle, but you can put as many toppings as you want. Also, if you check-in on Yelp they offer a 10% discount. There is always a line and I would say if it's out the door you'll probably be waiting about 20-30 minutes. 

Old Vine Cafe - Costa Mesa

2937 Bristol Street

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Hours 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

          5:00 PM to 12:00 AM

Old Vine Cafe is located at The Camp next to South Coast Plaza. It's one of my favorite places to go for brunch because of the food and ambience. Everything I've had so far has been pretty good and the service is always friendly. 

Quatro Formaggi Panini (4/5): My go to when I come here! This panini is filled with the perfect blend of cheeses and veggies served with a creamy tomato dipping sauce. I'm a carnivore but I love this so much. Comes with a pickle and their freshly made potato chips. 

Blueberry French Toast (3/5): This was good, but overly sweet to me. I probably wouldn't order this again. 

Open Face (3.5/5): Picture above, it is one of their most popular items. A largeg biscuit covered with a rich creamy sauce and a side of potatoes. I liked it for the first few bites, but it got way too heavy for me to finish. 

Berry Crepe (4/5): This is a great breakfast or dessert crepe to get if you're craving something sweet! Nice and light. 

Old Vine Cafe gets a 4/5 in my opinion. It's a cute restaurant with great food and friendly employees. You can expect a 30min+ wait on the weekends and they don't take reservations so I would recommend going early or at an off time. Entrees range from $12-17. 

Cream Pan - Tustin

602 El Camino Real

Tustin, CA 92780

Hours 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily

Located in Old Town Tustin, Cream Pan is a hidden gem that's quickly becoming more and more noticed due to their famous strawberry croissants. I worked here for about three years and got to try all of their amazing pastries and food items. Pretty much everything here is delicious, but there are a few items I think are the best. 

Strawberry Banana Croissant (4/5): It's a croissant bar topped with nutella, custard, strawberries, and bananas. Simple but very tasty. The custard they use is the best because it's not overly sweet. 

Azuki Cream (4/5): If you're a fan of red bean definitely get this. It's a puff pastry filled with sweet red bean and whipped cream. 

Curry Pan (4/5): A popular snack in Japan, basically a donut filled with beef curry stew. Pop it in the microwave for 10  seconds and it's perfection. 

Katsu Curry (4.5/5): Their only hot dish, I really love the curry here because it's spicy with a hint of sweetness and the sauce is thin. 

Cheese Boule (4/5): If you're able to get this when it comes out fresh, it is amazing. A nice french bread ball filled with gruyere cheese. 

I guarantee you won't be disappointed coming here. There are so many more items that I love, but then this post would get way too long! Cream Pan has high quality products that are budget friendly. Pastries and breads are usually in the $2-3 range while food items such as sandwiches and sushi are $4-9. If you're planning to go on a weekend I would suggest going before 9 AM as it gets very busy. This place is a 5/5 for me. 

Kitchen Story - San Francisco

3499 16th Street

San Francisco, CA 94114

Hours 8:00 AM-3:00 PM

          5:30 PM-10:00PM 

This blog is for food in SoCal, but I visited San Francisco last weekend and just had to share this amazing brunch spot! Kitchen Story is a popular Asian Fusion spot known for their unique and delicious brunch items. 

Belly Rancheros (5/5): They use kurobuta pork belly in this dish, along with pico de gallo and spicy guacamole, and it was bursting with flavor. If you love Mexican food then I would get this. At first I was skeptical about ordering this because it didn't sound that great, but I was blown away by how good it was. 

Ribeye Omurice (4/5): Similar to the Japanese style omurice, it is rice mixed in with pieces of ribeye and glaze sauce topped with an egg. It was pretty good and came with tasty potatoes which also had sweet potato pieces as well. 

Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast (5/5): This is a must try! I am a huge fan of mascarpone and this was just amazing. 

Millionaire Bacon (4/5): This is their specialty bacon drenched in maple syrup which was yummy, but not sure if I would get it again as it was $8 for two pieces. 

There's always a wait for this place which shows how popular it is, the wait around 1:00 on a saturday was about 20-25 minutes which isn't too bad. The entrees range from $12-18. I would recommend ordering different dishes and sharing them as you won't just wanna try one thing. This place gets a 5/5 from me. 

Wurstküche - Los Angeles

 800 East 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Hours 11:00 AM to 1:30 AM daily

I wanted to try something new in L.A. that people rated highly, so I headed to Wurstküche to see what the hype was all about. There were many types of sausages to choose from including exotic animal meat such as rattlesnake, but I ordered the bratwurst sausage with sauerkraut since I prefer my hot dogs to be on the simple side. 

Bratwurst w/ Sauerkraut (4/5): I really enjoyed my hot dog, the sausage was delicious and served piping hot.

Truffle Oil Fries w/ Chipotle Aioli (5/5): I would definitely recommend adding the truffle oil to your fries because they were amazing. If you like a little kick to your sauce I would get the chipotle aioli dipping sauce as I loved it with my fries.

Wurstküche gets a 4/5 for taste, quality, and ambiance.Two hot dogs, a small order of truffle fries, and a soda cost around $30.00, a little on the pricey side but it is L.A. I came on a Saturday around 1:30 and there was no wait, however by the time I finished eating there was a long line out the door so I would suggest coming here before 2:00 PM on the weekends.

Kettlebar - Anaheim

440 S. Anaheim Blvd, 1st Fl
Anaheim, CA 92805
Hours 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM

Located on the first floor of the Packing House, Kettlebar is a nice little restaurant tucked away in the corner next to Crepe Coop. I've been wanting to try it for awhile because I always see it packed on the weekends. I ordered the Calamari and the Kettlebar Pan Roast and was not disappointed. 

Calamari (3.5/5): I thought it was unique that they used squid ink as part of the calamari sauce. The calamari was fried perfectly and the sauce had a hint of sweetness. $10

Kettlebar Pan Roast (4/5): It was my first time having pan roast and this was delicious! This pan roast came with snow crab, shrimp, lobster, and chicken. It is basically like a creamy garlic-y tomato stew with rice. I would recommend going with mild spicy because I thought that was spicy already and I usually like my food medium spicy. You can always ask them to make it hotter if it's not enough. I thought $23 was a little pricey, but they did also have a chicken and sausage version for $16. 

Overall I would give Kettlebar a 4/5. Everything I had was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Week nights seem to be a better time to go since weekends will most likely have a wait from what I've seen.

The Pie Hole - Los Angeles

The Pie Hole

714 Traction Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90013

Hours 7:00/8:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Located in downtown LA, The Pie Hole is known for their unique pie flavors and drinks. It's a small store with seating area for about 20-25 people. I decided to go with the Earl Grey Tea pie and an Iced Horchatta Latte after looking through Yelp reviews and seeing people rave about them. 

Ear Grey Tea Pie (5/5): I would definitely recommend trying this as it was delicious. It's not overly sweet and the tea flavor is subtle for those hesistant on eating a tea-flavored pie. 

Mexican Chocolate Pie (3.5/5): If you like chocolate then I would go with this one, it also seems to be a customer favorite. You might want to share this though because it's a pretty rich and dense pie. 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie (3/5): This one was good but nothing amazing, I would recommend it for people who like cheesecake. 

Iced Horchata Latte (2/5): This was overhyped for me. I was imagining it to be delicious since I love horchata, but it was just an average latte with a slight spice flavor. 

Overall I would give this place a 3.5/5 because of their Earl Grey Tea pie. The pies were yummy, but at $6-7 for a small slice they are pricey so I would say it's a good place to try once. 

Crepe Coop - Anaheim

Crepe Coop
440 S. Anaheim Blvd Suite 105
Anaheim, CA 92805
Hours 11:30 AM-10:30 PM

Since crepes are one of my favorite desserts, I decided to start this blog with Crepe Coop. Located inside the popular new hangout in Anaheim called the Packing House, it's one of the few places in Orange County where you can get a great crepe. They always have different flavors of gelato and you can create your own crepe or choose one of their signature/seasonal crepes. The average cost for a crepe here is about $9.00, but it's pretty big so I would say it's worth it. I like how they shape it into a cone so it's easy to eat. I would recommend asking for a fork, knife, and plate as it starts getting messier to eat when you get towards the bottom.

The OG (4/5): Pictured above, is one of their most popular signature crepes, containing vanilla bean gelato, strawberries, bananas, almonds, whip cream, and nutella. This one was delicious, I would definitely recommend it if it's your first time.

Ape Crepe (3.5/5): Another popular signature crepe, this one comes with banana gelato, speculoos spread, peanut brittle, bananas, and whip cream. Good, but not as tasty as the others I've tried.

Fruity Pebbles (4.5/5): So far this one has been my favorite. It has vanilla bean gelato, fruity pebbles, mangoes, strawberries, sweetened milk spread, and whipped cream. It's on the sweet side, but delicious if you like fruity pebbles.

I've tried creating my own one time but it didn't turn out that great, so I would stick with their signatures. This place can get really busy on the weekends, the most I've waited for a crepe was 20 minutes, but usually there's no wait Monday-Thursday nights. If there is a wait, it's not bad at all since there's a lot to explore inside the Packing House. Crepe Coop gets a 4/5 for their amazing crepes and great location.