ELEPHANT BAR

PICTURED (top to bottom): Restaurant, Warm and Spicy Artichoke Dip, Global Sampler, Macadamia Nut Chicken Breast with Grilled Shrimp, New York Steak and Coconut Shrimp Combo, Sweet Potato Fries, Braised Lamb Shanks.

We had never been to the Elephant Bar, but had been thinking about trying it. We got a coupon for a free entree, the ad looked good and the prices reasonable, so we decided to give it a try. We headed down to the Laguna Hills Mall location, and found it to be a casual but nice restaurant.

The ladies both ordered iced tea, but it had an off taste, so they returned it and settled for water. I played it safe and had a coke. We ordered the Global Sampler to start. It included the "Warm and Spicy Artichoke Dip" which we found to be quite bland and rather "blah". The Chicken Tenders and Coconut Shrimp were good, as were the dipping sauces. The Bruschetta, however, was less than acceptable. It didn't even taste like Bruschetta.

On to the main course. Sweetie Pie ordered the Macadamia Nut Chicken Breast with Grilled Shrimp. It actually had grilled shrimp and sweet sauteed shrimp, both of which were quite good. The chicken breast came with a macadamia nut beurre blanc sauce, which was very, very good-but they skimped on the sauce. So Sweetie asked for more on the side, and our server brought us a large bowl of it. Nice! Her mother had the New York steak and Coconut shrimp Combo. It was a nice sized steak for the price, and the Coconut Shrimp and dipping sauce were great. She also ordered a side of Sweet Potato Fries, which were "pretty good". I ordered the Double Lamb Shanks, which were large, meaty and tender (and not too fatty). They were cooked in a great tasting sauce (and lots of it) and served over mashed potatoes. Definitely worth repeating!

The menu contained a blurb about their 20% Senior Discount Plan. "Just ask your server". Our server informed us that we could pick up our discount cards at the front desk, on our way out. The hostess at the desk informed us they were out of discount cards, but we could ask again after our next visit. Well, maybe there will be a "next visit", if we have another coupon.

Today's Elephant Bar lunch gets one and a half thumbs up from the 3 Tubby Tummys!

CROW BAR AND KITCHEN

PICTURED (top to bottom): Restaurant Sign, Restaurant, Republic of Tea- Ginger Peach, Republic of Tea- Pomegranate Green Tea, Crow Black Label Burger with Gruyere Cheese and Duck Fat Fries, Kitchen Sink Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, Sweet Potato Fries with Aioli Dipping Sauce, Crow Black Label Burger with Havarti Cheese and Duck Fat Fries.

We had been to the Crow Bar and Kitchen in Corona Del Mar a couple of years ago and decided to try it again during Orange County Restaurant Week. We remembered it being a fun place to eat with good food and a very pleasant atmosphere. Our server was very attentive to start, but her shift ended mid-meal and we were left alone and part of our order lost in the shuffle.

When the ladies inquired about the kinds of tea they served, they were delighted to find Crow Bar carried their favorite, Republic of Tea. Sweetie Pie ordered the Ginger Peach and her mother the Pomegranate Green Tea. I opted for a Coke. My wife and I both ordered the signature Crow "Black Label" Burger made with 8oz. of ground prime rib eye, grilled onions and bone marrow butter. She added Gruyere cheese and I had mine with Havarti. We both added the Duck Fat Fries, with Aioli dipping sauce. Wow- these are probably the best fries in town! The burgers were quite large and very good. The meat was very flavorful and tender, and cooked just right. Overall the burger was a little dry, and needed something. We asked for a sauce to add and were offered a minute dollop of aioli (which added a dollar onto our $19 burgers).

Sweetie's mother ordered the "Kitchen Sink" salad with blue cheese dressing and asked to have a chicken breast added to it. She also ordered a side of Sweet Potato Fries, which were delicious (almost as good as our Duck Fat Fries). Well, she thoroughly enjoyed the salad. But it arrived without the chicken breast, because the server forgot to write it down. She left to put the order in, but never returned, as her shift had ended. Her replacement finally brought the chicken breast, freshly grilled, as we were almost ready to ask for the check. No apology was offered.

Overall, the food was good, but the service was not! Tonight's Crow Bar dinner gets one and a half thumbs up from the 3 Tubby Tummys.

BREAK OF DAWN

PICTURED (top to bottom): Restaurant, Vietnamese Coffee (iced and hot), French Toast Creme Brulee, Three Meat, Three Cheese Omelet, Eggs Benedict ("Green Eggs and Ham"), Portuguese-Hawaiian Sausage, Mac and Cheese.

We're always looking for new and interesting places to have breakfast. Sweetie Pie read that Break of Dawn in Laguna Hills was a great restaurant with a very creative menu, so we decided to check it out. 

We arrived just after the 8am opening, and found it to be a very inviting restaurant with a casual, relaxed atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and the service excellent. We started by ordering Vietnamese Coffee. The ladies both had theirs iced and I ordered mine hot. Both were excellent. Then we decided to share the French Toast Creme Brulee- made with Mexican Chocolate and Coconut Custard, Raisin and Cinnamon Brioche, and Caramel Chocolate Sauce. A beautiful sight coming to the table, and sinfully rich and delicious. We did see the Cinnamon Bun going by to another table, and it looked so good we vowed to order it on our next visit.

On to the main dishes. Sweetie Pie ordered an Omelet with ham, bacon, sausage and three cheeses. The omelet was quite large, beautifully prepared and cooked to perfection. It was served with the house roasted potatoes, which were also very good. Her mother ordered the Eggs Benedict- made with Tender Smoked Ham and Asian Pesto Hollandaise.The dish was reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham". The flavor of the Hollandaise sauce was amazingly good, and the eggs cooked perfectly.The dish was a real delicacy, worth repeating. She also ordered a side of Portuguese-Hawaiian Sausage, which was hot, spicy and had a great flavor. I also ordered a side of the Portuguese-Hawaiian Sausage, and I will say it's probably the best Portuguese Sausage I've had!. For my main dish, I ordered the Mac and Cheese- made with Sicilian Sausage and Short Rib, Bacon Fried Eggs and Smoked Gouda-Tomato Carbonara. This dish takes Mac and Cheese to a whole new level- fantastic flavors and swimming in that wonderful cheese sauce. I could have it again and again! However, the menu has so many interesting choices, I want to try something different next time; maybe the Duck or the Lamb Sausage.

Today's Break of Dawn breakfast gets three thumbs up from the 3 Tubby Tummys!

320 MAIN STREET

PICTURED (top to bottom): Restaurant, Mai Tais, Mac n' Cheese, Bleu Tenders, Horseradish Crusted Filet Mignon, Bacon Wrapped/Blue Cheese Filet Mignon, Prime Double Bone Pork Chop, Port Wine Cheesecake, Buttered Scotch Creme Brulee.  

For Orange County Restaurant Week, we decided to try 320 Main Street in Seal Beach. They had a great looking $30 three course dinner menu that we couldn't resist trying. It's a small, but charming, restaurant/bar with a lively happy hour scene. For restaurant week, the first cocktail was half price. So the ladies both ordered a Mai Tai. Half price but double potent! Made with the original recipe from Trader Vic's; reminiscent of sitting under the historic Banyan Tree at the Moana Surfrider on Waikiki. The service was excellent. Our server was very helpful and attentive. The food was also excellent, the portions large and certainly the price was right!

Sweetie Pie started off with the Mac n' Cheese. It was baked with mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, jack cheese and bleu cheese with a crisp Swiss cheese topping. It was rich, smooth and creamy with a fantastic flavor (and big enough for sharing). Her mother and I both ordered the Blue Tenders. Fried chicken breast tossed with blue cheese hot sauce and topped with crumbled blue cheese. The meat was tender and succulent, and the sauce just hot and spicy enough (and also big enough for sharing). I think the Mac n' Cheese was the better of the two dishes, but they complimented each other well. Sweetie Pie states, however, the Blue Tenders were her favorite because of the marriage of flavors with the blue cheese hot sauce and the crumbled blue cheese.

The ladies both ordered the Filet Mignon. Sweetie Pie had the horseradish crusted Filet with Garlic Fries and Honey Glazed Baby Carrots. Her mother had the Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Topped Filet with Sauteed Spinach and Mushrooms and the Baby Carrots. The meat was fresh and firm, and yet tender enough to cut with a butter knife; and it was cooked perfectly, to the ladies specifications. I ordered the Prime Double Bone Pork Chop with pomegranate balsamic reduction. The chop was very large and was cooked through, but still tender, moist and flavorful. The pomegranate sauce was heavenly. I also had the Garlic Fries and the Sauteed Spinach and Mushrooms (both sides really good).

For dessert, Sweetie Pie ordered the Buttered Scotch Creme Brulee while her mother and I both had the Port Wine Cheesecake. The desserts were downsized for the restaurant week menu, but were wonderful and just right after our large meal.

Tonight's 320 Main Street dinner easily gets three thumbs up from the 3 Tubby Tummys!

GABBI'S MEXICAN KITCHEN

PICTURED (top to bottom): Restaurant, Chips and Salsa, Guacamole, Tacos de Arrachera y Tacos Puebla, Tacos de Carne Asada, Burrito Estilo Eduardo, Churros with Caramel and Chocolate Dipping Sauces, Mango Sorbet with Cilantro.

Saturday night is usually our "Taco Night", so we decided to head over to Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen in Old Town Orange. The menu is interesting, and it's a charming restaurant in a great part of town. Overall, the food was pretty good but the service was off the mark today.

We started off with the complimentary Chips and Salsa and a Guacamole appetizer. The guacamole was excellent; fresh, rich, and creamy with a great flavor. The salsa was also very good; but when we asked for extra salsa we were told we could not have any more until we finished what we had on the table. We felt like scolded children.

Our server was also the bartender, and probably would have been more attentive to our needs if he wasn't "multi-tasking". Sweetie Pie ordered the Tacos Puebla (with skirt steak, bacon, Portuguese Sausage, grilled onions and queso oaxaca); and her mother ordered the Tacos de Arrachera (with skirt steak, cilantro, onions, and avocado tomatillo salsa). They also each ordered Tacos de Carne Asada ( with cilantro, onions, avocado tomatillo salsa and pico de gallo. They mixed the order up, and both Carne Asada Tacos showed up on one plate. Also, the Tacos were cold and the tortilla edges hard. Seems they were sitting somewhere between the kitchen and our table for way too long. The ladies had ordered their tacos with corn tortillas, but Sweetie Pie's Puebla Taco came with a flour tortilla. The server told us she got "a deal" because it was a bigger taco. My Burrito Estilo Eduardo ( with Top Sirloin Steak, adobo guajillo marinade, beans de olla, queso, guacamole and mojado en salsa guajillo-jalapeno-crema) was very big and beautifully prepared. But I didn't really care for the flavor of the red sauce (sorry Gabbi).

For dessert  we decided to share the Churros with caramel and chocolate dipping sauces, and the Mango cilantro Sorbet. The Churros were fantastic, hot and fresh and the dipping sauces divine. The Mango cilantro Sorbet, however, was too weird for words.

Today's Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen dinner gets one and a half thumbs up from the 3 Tubby Tummys!