Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

It’s happening NOW folks… OC Wine Week.  It means several of the best restaurants in Orange County are offering prix fixe menus with course wine pairings — That’s FOOD and WINE for one fair price.  It’s a great time to dine out.  And for FOOD and BEER pairings OC Beer Week starts October 2nd, the day after OC Wine Week ends.  Get out there and toast!

McCormick & Schmick’s Pilsner Room still serves above average Happy Hour Food — They’ve offered an ever changing menu of high quality appetizers at great prices for many years.

This day we had the King Crab Legs with a Tomato Chili Gastrique.

Current MENU and prices above.

1/2 lb. Cheeseburger with French Fries – A long time staple there that’s always good.

Risotto Balls — Enlarge menu for more description on all.

Carrot Chipotle Wings.

Dynamite Mussels, a favorite — Photo doesn’t do ’em justice.

Legume Empanadas.

Marinated Olives — Since prices are so good you can’t pack anything to go, so eat up.

California Roll.

Gravlox.

Its interior is hipper looking these days, mixed in with appreciated old school.

View of Pilsner Room from above.

There’s an outdoor patio too. 

Entrance to McCormick & Schmick’s.

A peek inside M & S’s.

Flight of Beer — We took a couple flights.

Can’t we skip this part? 😉

Peace out — Thanks for the GC Sarnoff from my other life.

A Segway Tour of Huntington Beach purchased through Groupon ended up better than expected — The price was right, the process was seamless and riding a Segway is a blast, though I admit to being a little scared at first.  Now I wanna be a Mall Cop.  Is that joke over played in Segway circles?  Zimzala Restaurant & Bar is the post segue in that it’s FOOD related, we’ve enjoyed many great meals there (some pictured, others are here), Zimzala is also BUDS with GW Tours and HB Segway Tours offers a Segway/Zimzala Combo Tour.

We got to ride the Segways on hard and soft sand, along streets near downtown HB, on the beach path, over grassy hills, and up and down ramp ways — A fun variety of terrains.

Zimzala Salmon above, zigzagging on a Segway in HB below.

A bonus surprise of the day was running into Jack, a former co-worker, friend whom I haven’t seen in 20+ years — He happens to be Mr. HB Segway now.  Super cool.  He’s still a funny guy and provides a well run, entertaining tour experience that starts at 120 PCH in HB.

I went on the Segway Tour at the suggestion of Bonnie Joy Designs, friend and OC Interior Designer, who called out the homophone / heterograph, “segue” of the event.  Comprende?  If not look it up, as I just learned how to spell segue and ride a Segway, though ready again.

Segs on the Beach — Contact Jack and them for all the details.

View from Zimzala.

Happy 30th The Original Fish Company — It’s been one of my favorite restaurants for the majority of the thirty, though it’s been too many years since I’ve dined there.  Once upon a time I lived in Los Alamitos and went there all the time.  Now it’s just an occasional luxury and it was awesome to get back.  We shared an amazing meal of classic appetizers starting with the Crab Trio with chilled Dungeness, Jumbo Lump and King Crab.  I want all of the same.

Steamers with 1/2 Clams and 1/2 Mussels — The “Original” Broth is the best.

Finally satisfied a craving for Oysters Rockefeller, not often seen on menus.

The Smoked King Salmon was moist and flavorful — I used to get the Smoked Albacore a lot.

And must get their Award Winning Clam Chowder every visit.

We built a Tower of Shell — The Fish Company is still remarkable.  For fun we used the Clam Shells as mini cups to drink the Steamer Broth.  Cheers!  This night we had the nicest Server, Curtis (pictured below).  Ask for him.  I’m already standing by to go back.  Got that Jack?

SONIC also known as America’s Drive-In officially opened in Costa Mesa today.

It’s fun to see a SONIC in the neighborhood, so we chose a car stall on opening day.

And tried the Kickin’ Coney Dog — We like the new Coney’s & Hot Dog Menu. 

Eat in your car or outside — Learn more about the SONIC experience here.

Read about previous SONIC visits and contests here, here and here.

Or just drive through — Supersonic Supersonic.

It seems the number of Gourmet Food Trucks has grown exponentially and several were at the OC Foodie Fest — Previously noted, we were lucky enough to taste and judge many of them.

The Savory Judges consisted of me, the Pig, the guys from Food Beast and Ryan of Foodoofus.

Various media sources were photographing all.

As you can see, we were pretty busy eating.

It was a little tricky keeping track of all the food coming our way, but we managed.

And completed our score forms after each new Slider, Taco, Pizza, Hot Dog, Sandwich, etc.

Eating and scoring — Separate Judges were assigned to the Desserts.

You see it, we ate it.

One favorite was the Lobster Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Gazpacho from The Lime Truck.

We were excited to finally try The Lime Truck and it delivered.  As many know they’re currently one of the top contenders on The Great Food Truck Race.  They put forth a lot of personality and impressive food.  Didn’t make it to the Skyy Vodka VIP Lounge — Too busy eating, judging and drinking a lot of water.  It was a hot Summer day at Angel Stadium.

Tables filled with hand delivered food described by proud Gourmet Food Trucks.

Kind Bars happened to have a booth at the event — Yeah they’re a fave!

Its representatives were cute and kind too.

Didn’t try their food, but liked the back of the Flavor Rush Truck.

We enjoyed the OC Foodie Fest at Angel Stadium though wish the trucks were on the field.

Last year it was held at the Honda Center — Read about it here.

Swing down next year.

This day it was all about the view and Bloody Marys at Newport Landing.

We were underwhelmed by our food choices — The Sliders, Fish Tacos and Crab Cakes were just okay.  Can’t say we’d get any of them again, but will go back for the view, drinks and Oysters Rockefeller, because I like them and don’t see ’em on a menu often.

The best spot for two at Newport Landing Restaurant is the upstairs patio.

Enlarge MENU for closer examination.

Nearby Seals claim a boat.

Across the street from Newport Landing on the Balboa Peninsula is the Pacific Ocean.

And fishing off the Balboa Pier for free food.

Hasta manana.

I always want to JUDGE a FOOD Contest, I think — Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.  Today I helped judge food from endless Gourmet Food Trucks at the OC Foodie Fest.

It happened at Angel Stadium and one favorite was the Oki Slider from Ranchan Ramen.

Shown here is just the tip of the iceberg — Truck after truck, after truck, after truck delivered their respective goods for the Judges to sample.  We were stuffed.  More about ALL post digestion.  Though full, wish we had to-go boxes for all we tried.  Most was above average.

Do you know where to find 100 Gourmet Food Trucks, an Angels Baseball Skill Camp, a Budweiser Beer Garden, a SOCO Certified Farmer’s Market, Free Snack Giveaways, Live Entertainment, Cooking and Eating Competitions, an Import Car Show, Shopping and a Skyy Vodka VIP Lounge???  All can be found in one place this Saturday, August 27th at the 2011 OC Foodie Fest taking place at Angel Stadium from Noon – 6PM.  Hope to see you there.

I’ve often thanked God on a Friday and everyday for that matter — T.G.I. Friday’s offers a notable special for two that includes 3 Courses (Appetizer, 2 Entrees and Dessert) for $20.

Menu choices (above), T.G.I. Friday’s Bar view and a Droid at The Block at Orange.

We opted for the Chicken Quesadilla as the Appetizer, but would choose something different next time — Ours was too greasy.  It’s okay though, Friday’s has other Apps to pick from.

For Entrees we had the Petite Sirloin and Bruschetta Chicken Pasta — Both were terrific.

Our Dessert was this Strawberry something.

An eye will be on the Banana Split next time — All things considered, it’s a respectable deal!

View from Newport Landing — FOOD soon to be delivered in photos and words.

Takin’ it easy now.

This weekend we highly recommend VIP Rib Village at the Orange County BBQ Bonanza.

Tender Ribs can be found within Fountain Valley Sports Park August 18th – 21st.

The VIP Rib Village experience includes all you can eat Ribs, Sides, Drinks and Desserts.

Check out The Big 6 National BBQ Cookers to learn more about the Ribs.

Entrance to unlimited Ribs and more.

Of course we tried them all several times.

Just one tasty option from Cowboys

Going back for another plate of everything.

Endless sides above, if you bother — We were diggin’ the bottomless Ribs, Beer and Wine.

There are plenty of tables with umbrellas in VIP Rib Village.

Different bands will be playing throughout the weekend — We enjoyed Grand Junction.

Some were dancing.

Others were eating.

We narrowed down our favorite Ribs to three, then tried them again — TBA.

As noted, VIP Rib Village includes all you can eat Dessert too — The cost for all is $100.  Why not make a day of it?  Enjoy excellent Ribs, good music, dancing and Drinks on a Summer eve.

He’s just sayin’…

More Ribs and Dessert in the Village.

Go in — It’s a messy, fun, flavorsome time.

Tennessee Q ended up being our favorite this kick-off evening.

And Johnson’s was a close runner-up.

You don’t have to spend $100 to try the Ribs — Event INFO is posted here.

The 2011 OC Fair went out with a munch, a moo and an oink and set a record breaking attendance of 1,400,280 attendees. The OC Fair saw a 21 percent increase over last year’s highest attendance record of 1,154,969, it surpassed on Day 20.

“My belief is the 2011 edition of the Fair establishes that the OC Fair has perfected the formula for staging a successful fair,” said Dr. Steven Beazley, OC Fair & Event Center President & CEO. “That formula will now be applied to educate and entertain our community for years to come.”

Fairgoers took the theme “Let’s Eat!” seriously and consumed 10,000 Mexican Funnel Cakes, 3,000 chocolate-covered corn dogs, 125,000 balls of Deep-Fried Kool-Aid, 10,000 slices of deep-fried avocado, 2,000 deep-fried frog’s legs and 75,000 colossal turkey legs.

The top five attended concerts in the Pacific Amphitheatre, in order of attendance, were Big Time Rush/Avery, Selena Gomez & The Scene, Weezer, Blake Shelton and Bob Dylan. Overall, there were nine sold-out concerts in the Fair’s premiere entertainment venue.

In the Action Sports Arena, the top most thrilling events, in order of attendance, were: Orange Crush Demolition Derby, Motorhome Madness Demolition Derby and X-treme Freestyle Moto-X.

The top shows in The Hangar were Sweet & Tender Hooligans (tribute to Morrissey and The Smiths); Moonwalker (THE Reflection of Michael Jackson); Journey Unauthorized; Which One’s Pink?; and Dead Man’s Party (The Oingo Boingo Tribute).

More fun numbers for the 2011 OC Fair:

• 1,000 12-inch-high Jumbo Mexican Funnel Cakes were eaten and only four Fairgoers met the challenge to consume one by themself.
• 284,982 visitors bared the cold visit into the Ice Museum and more than 350 300-pound blocks of ice were used to create its contents.
• More than 20,733 people were the ultimate Fairgoer as holders of their own Super Pass (season pass) compared to 11,100 in 2010.
• 32,439 people took advantage of the free Opening Hour on July 15 compared to 25,461 in 2011.
• 3,668 exhibitors submitted 12,697 entries which received 4,195 award ribbons and won more than $30,065 in cash awards.
• A total of 540 livestock exhibitors presented 3,190 animals, received 2,170 ribbons and were rewarded $30,065 in cash awards.
• For the four “We Care Wednesday” community donation drives, 81,267 generous Fairgoers donated 85,000 pounds of food, 62,736 children’s books, 100,000 pieces of clothing and 100,000 new school supplies.
• Born into the Centennial Farm family this year were two piglets and four goats.

The 2011 OC Fair, themed LET’S EAT!, was July 15 – August 14 and featured 23 days of food, rides, exhibits, animals, music, action sports and fun, as well as the popular Super Pass (season pass), Pacific Amphitheatre Summer Concert Series, The Hangar and Action Sports Arena. The Fair was open Wednesday-Sunday. The 2011 OC Fair was voted the Best Fair in Southern California by Los Angeles Times’ readers and the 2010 OC Fair was ranked the eighth highest attended fair in the U.S. by Venues Today magazine.

Note:  The above is an official Press Release received from the OC Fair Communications Department.  And ‘record wins’ pertains to the two 1st Place Ribbons and one 3rd Place Ribbon I received this year entering the Culinary Arts Competition — See you in 2012.  Results and ribbons from previous years are pictured here.

Orange County BBQ Bonanza — It’s called The West’s Best BBQ All-In-One Outdoor Family Festival and it’s taking place at Fountain Valley Sports Park on August 18 – 21, 2011.  If attending, be sure to check out VIP Rib Village, a designated seating area whereas you’re served all the Ribs (and more) you can eat.  If unable to choose amongst the top competitor’s BBQ, try them all.  We’ll be there on opening day to take in as much BBQ as possible.

Our last day at the OC Fair included Cupcakes.

More Chili Cheese Fries.

And everything FOOD related.

Champagne in the Wine Garden with Cheese and Grapes.

Another Sky Ride — Love the view, but it still scares me.

We will miss all there is/was to do at the Orange County Fair.

See you next year.

Fortunata’s Oven at Inka Grill in Costa Mesa puts the emphasis on Rotisserie Chicken.

Finally discovered that it’s worth dining in or taking out at Rotisserie Chicken Inka Grill.

Our first bites included 1/2 a Chicken, Aji Sauce, Tortillas and Cilantro Rice.

Inka Grill reports to have “The Best Chicken on the Planet” and it’s certainly good, especially with their Aji Sauce (Serrano Chili Sauce).  All is deliciously spicy.  Reasonably priced and conveniently located, we’ll be going back again and again — We now see there’s more on the inside than the outside.  It’s a taste of Peru too.

It’s an exciting year at the Orange County Fair — More Culinary Arts Competition ribbons won.

In the 2nd Show, I happily accept another First Place Ribbon for my Snickerdoodle Scones and a Third Place Ribbon for my Blackberry Mascarpone Cheesecake.  And still delighted about the First Place Ribbon received for Blondies prepared for the 1st Show — I feel lucky.

Didn’t win anything in the Blog Post Competition on display above, but maybe next year.

Our Guest Blogger, Bonnie won a Second Place Ribbon for her professional table design.

And thought the above was adorable — Entered in the Crafts & Hobbies Competition is a mini replica of the Table Design Competition.  It’s rightly a First Place and Division winner.  Congratulations Donna!  The OC Fair is happening now through August 14, 2011.

Yeah!

Linked is Food Network Magazine’s compilation of the Best Pizza in each state — To see the magazines choices and learn which Pizza made the cut in your state, click here.  Pictured is one of our local favorites found at The Beachcomber in Newport Beach, California.

Knowlwood Restaurant claims to be The Home of the World’s Best Hamburger since 1957.  I’m not sure about that, but some I know say they might have the best Turkey Burger.  Having never had a good one, it may be the most flavorful I’ve had, but it still can’t beat the Beef.

When Irish Nachos are smiling, they’re at Knowlwood.

They say it’s not just another spot to grab an ordinary Burger — Bordello meets Burger Bar.

We finally tried one of Twenty Five Degrees raved about Burgers, the Number Three with Mezzo Secco Jack, Green Chilis, Chipotle and Avocado.  Be prepared, it’s pretty spicy.

The Sweet Potato Fries are good, though our batch was slightly overcooked this day.

We like the dark, cozy environment and the prices aren’t bad either.

Enlarge Menu for a better view — We’re going back to try a lot more.

Twenty Five Degrees in Huntington Beach is a cool place.

Hollywood is in the OC — Pink’s is at the Orange County Fair.  We crave their Chili Cheese Fries and must share them every visit, especially since they will only be in town until August 14th.  They’re one of the top rated CCF’s listed in our Chili Cheese Fries Comparison post.

Aerial view of the Orange County Fair happening now.

Pie Eating Contest (above) — Ever seen a Rib Eating Contest?

Beef Brisket Sundae from the Chuck Wagon.

Pork Ribs.

Chicken.

Pink’s Chili Cheese Fries — Love ’em.

Cakes entered in the Culinary Arts Competition.

Chuck Wagon Waffle Fries next to The Best Beef Brisket Sandwich at the Fair.

Unwrapped perfection from the Chuck Wagon.

Photography Competition photos on display.

The Pig Race Track.

Daily Cooking Demonstrations.

Wine Tasting in The Wine Garden.

Let’s Eat! (again) — Floral Design Competition results on display.

And much more at the OC Fair until August 14, 2011.

Seeing more on Day 2 at the Orange County Fair — Let’s Eat! is the theme.

Garden & Floral Competition results.

BBQ smoke in the air as the sun starts to set on a portion of the Fair.

Get there before August 14th.