We all know Irvine is missing a solid dumpling and noodle house. A&J makes a decent attempt, but it still leaves a big void. I mean, if I knew how to make awesome dumplings, I would totally open up a joint in Irvine because I knew it would win big. I’m talking lines out the…
Category: OC
Ikko
After a very long and exhausting morning/afternoon of smiling, posing, chit chatting, and sweltering in the heat, Dumpling Man, some friends, and I headed out for some fun and entertainment at the center of all that is hip, cool, and Asian in the OC…Diamond Jamboree! For those of you unfamiliar with Irvine, you should know…
A&J
Even though Irvine is packed with Chinese people, the Chinese food is still inferior to that in the San Gabriel Valley. The SGV is more like bleeding Chinese people, so that probably explains the difference. This was my first time at A&J which is a Taiwanese restaurant, I think. They serve dumplings, noodles, small cold dishes,…
Sushi Wasabi
I will have to be frank. Food in LA is better than OC. Argue with me all you want, but I stand by that statement. LA is just bigger with more variety. This is not to say that you can’t find good food in OC. There are some great eats here and there. Of course,…
Nem Nuong Khang Hoa
The Vietnamese spring rolls usually brings to mind a rice paper roll filled with rice noodles, lettuce and aromatics, and pork and shrimp slices to be dipped in a peanut sauce. My family never ate this very much. I don’t know why. In recent years we’ve become fans of nem nuong cuon, or grilled pork spring…
Break of Dawn
In an attempt to be more adventurous in the OC, my family and I tried a Vietnamese fusion restaurant in Laguna Hills for brunch. All of those descriptors are totally atypical for the H.o.P. We don’t eat “Vietnamese fusion.” We certainly don’t do brunch. And who the heck eats in Laguna Hills? The chef/owner of…
Vien Dong (The Best Northern Vietnamese Food in Westminster!)
When you think of Vietnamese food, what do you think of? Pho , right? What else do you think of? Spring rolls? The more informed foodies may know of rice noodles and broken rice. And then what? There’s a whole other world when it comes to Vietnamese food. I am referring to Northern Vietnamese food….
Eating My Way Through Memorial Day Weekend
The H.o.P. strikes again! We did what we do best, EAT! Here’s the quick rundown: Holiday weekend plans in my house always seem to revolve around food, especially when my sister is running the show =) On the way to running some errands, we stopped by a papuseria, or maybe it was just an El…
Overworked. Underfed. 