The fish was delicious, dipped in Panko bread crumbs, with s little bit of vinegar mmmmmm it was great. It was so nice of them to share and it tasted delicious!!!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Homemade fish and chips
Colleen's boyfriend Chad made homemade fish and chips last night and brought some over to share. The fish was rock fish and literally it was still warm from the fryer when he brought it over.
The fish was delicious, dipped in Panko bread crumbs, with s little bit of vinegar mmmmmm it was great. It was so nice of them to share and it tasted delicious!!!
The fish was delicious, dipped in Panko bread crumbs, with s little bit of vinegar mmmmmm it was great. It was so nice of them to share and it tasted delicious!!!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Hot Dog/ Ice Cream Social
In light of all that has happened over the last couple weeks, my family, and especially my cousins Cooper and McKenna needed some cheering up. My mom, who has been so great to them decided to throw a Hot Dog/ Ice Cream Social to celebrate the first day of school for my two favorite cousins.
All my sisters came over, plus my brother in laws, plus of course Miss Cake, plus my two nieces who are both "cooking in the oven!" It was a full house, including my mom, Jackson and I. It was loud and hot. But Coop and McKenna deserved the best!
Andie brought out her hot dog machine, and kept the bbqd dogs on there for warming. Everyone was responsible for bringing 1 topping for the hot dogs and one for the ice cream.
I brought hint of lime chips and smoked peach salsa to snack on, and onions for the hot dogs.
I made 1 chili cheese dog and 1 brauwt which wasn't delicious at all. Eating a chili cheese dog brought back memories of being pregnant. It was all I craved in the beginning and it tasted so good!
The toppings for the ice cream social were sprawling. I was responsible for bringing cookie dough. Mmmmmmm it was so good. Just like Cold Stone!!!
We had marshmallows, cookie dough, brownies, almonds, gummy bears, sour worms, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, magic shell, pineapple sauce, strawberry sauce, caramel, marshmallow cream puff (a personal favorite), whipped cream, and cherries. And if you're wondering, no- Jackson was not allowed to have any of that sugary junk. I shared blackberries with him for dessert, while I ate ice cream.
It was wild to say the least but exactly what we all needed. The first day of school is always hard, and coop and McKenna braved it well. Tonight was a good break from all that has been going on. We were all together, laughing, playing with Jackson and Cake, and just enjoying being in the moment. I don't know how she does it, but my mom was so right about this. We all needed a dose of family, food, and a lot of toppings to cheer us up. This was the best Hot Dog/ Ice Cream Social I have ever been to. And certainly the most needed one as well.
All my sisters came over, plus my brother in laws, plus of course Miss Cake, plus my two nieces who are both "cooking in the oven!" It was a full house, including my mom, Jackson and I. It was loud and hot. But Coop and McKenna deserved the best!
Andie brought out her hot dog machine, and kept the bbqd dogs on there for warming. Everyone was responsible for bringing 1 topping for the hot dogs and one for the ice cream.
I brought hint of lime chips and smoked peach salsa to snack on, and onions for the hot dogs.
I made 1 chili cheese dog and 1 brauwt which wasn't delicious at all. Eating a chili cheese dog brought back memories of being pregnant. It was all I craved in the beginning and it tasted so good!
The toppings for the ice cream social were sprawling. I was responsible for bringing cookie dough. Mmmmmmm it was so good. Just like Cold Stone!!!
We had marshmallows, cookie dough, brownies, almonds, gummy bears, sour worms, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, magic shell, pineapple sauce, strawberry sauce, caramel, marshmallow cream puff (a personal favorite), whipped cream, and cherries. And if you're wondering, no- Jackson was not allowed to have any of that sugary junk. I shared blackberries with him for dessert, while I ate ice cream.
It was wild to say the least but exactly what we all needed. The first day of school is always hard, and coop and McKenna braved it well. Tonight was a good break from all that has been going on. We were all together, laughing, playing with Jackson and Cake, and just enjoying being in the moment. I don't know how she does it, but my mom was so right about this. We all needed a dose of family, food, and a lot of toppings to cheer us up. This was the best Hot Dog/ Ice Cream Social I have ever been to. And certainly the most needed one as well.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Guest Features.........
Hi All,
Things have been crazy to say the least for me. Life is a whirlwind right now between work, Amy's upcoming wedding on Saturday, my sister Alix and my niece Brylee who cannot decide if she wants to make an appearance or not. The hardest thing happening right now is Wayne, who is like my grandpa, my aunt Andrea's dad is having a pretty rough run right now. I won't get into details but it has been a tough couple weeks. Je is very very sick in the hospital. My cousins are staying with us and it's been pretty hard for everyone. Please keep Wayne and my aunt, uncle, and cousins in your prayers. Every little bit helps right now.
It's been busy and my blog has taken a backseat. I am sorry, but I promise to keep up. Thankfully, my faithful followers keep me posted with guest features. Thank you!
"Crepe: nutella strawberries n whip cream...
Fullerton on Thursday nights has a farmers market street fair w music n food booths"
"Homemade lasagna down to the noodles. For me, by me"... From Andie my oldest sister.
Things have been crazy to say the least for me. Life is a whirlwind right now between work, Amy's upcoming wedding on Saturday, my sister Alix and my niece Brylee who cannot decide if she wants to make an appearance or not. The hardest thing happening right now is Wayne, who is like my grandpa, my aunt Andrea's dad is having a pretty rough run right now. I won't get into details but it has been a tough couple weeks. Je is very very sick in the hospital. My cousins are staying with us and it's been pretty hard for everyone. Please keep Wayne and my aunt, uncle, and cousins in your prayers. Every little bit helps right now.
It's been busy and my blog has taken a backseat. I am sorry, but I promise to keep up. Thankfully, my faithful followers keep me posted with guest features. Thank you!
"Crepe: nutella strawberries n whip cream...
Fullerton on Thursday nights has a farmers market street fair w music n food booths"
"Homemade lasagna down to the noodles. For me, by me"... From Andie my oldest sister.
Friday, August 12, 2011
I caved :-(
So I totally caved this week. Besides my birthday last Saturday, I have been trying to eat pretty healthy to prepare for my friend Amy's wedding which I am in. Salads have been on the menu everyday for lunch for the past two weeks. Boring.
I like salads but they are so boring and I am a carnivore at heart. After 2 I was bored. But I stuck to my guns and have been doing well. Until yesterday.
I couldn't help it. I let the pig inside of me takeover and ordered a #43 from Tummy Stuffers. Oh man it was so good. Every bite was cheesy, greasy, and so bad for me. I enjoyed every last bite!!!
I like salads but they are so boring and I am a carnivore at heart. After 2 I was bored. But I stuck to my guns and have been doing well. Until yesterday.
I couldn't help it. I let the pig inside of me takeover and ordered a #43 from Tummy Stuffers. Oh man it was so good. Every bite was cheesy, greasy, and so bad for me. I enjoyed every last bite!!!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
The Catch- Birthday Dinner with my Dad
I want to preface this dinner by stating what an incredible meal, and overwhelming amount of food this was. My Dad took me to dinner for my birthday on Monday night. I didn't have Jackson :-( so this seemed like the best night to go for an adult dinner. My dad, sisters, Andie, Stephanie, and Colleen all went, as well as Colleen's boyfriend Chad! Alix was my only sister who was missing. She is on total and complete bed rest until my niece Brylee gets here, so she had to stay home. Don't worry- we ate enough for Brylee and Alix together! We had so much fun and it was a really great night.
Table side service- he prepped ahi lettuce cups for an appetizer, as well as searing some yellow tail in hot sesame oil which you will see below.
My Dad insisted on the crab cake which was delicious. It was extremely cheesy and gooey, completely the opposite of what I was expecting.
The crab cake was toasted on the outside and provided that perfect crunch for texture that you needed as you bit into this app.
The previously mentioned ahi lettuce cups. They were great! I did feel like this dish wasn't complete though. It was lacking something, I felt that maybe a touch of sesame seeds would have been perfect to finish it off, but don't get me wrong- I ate the whole entire thing!
This is the seared yellow tail that is done table side. It is incredible. They heat up the sesame oil and pour it over the sashimi. Then they top it off with onion strings which are fried, and as you can see, this is simply delicious. The yellow tail melts in your mouth and the after taste of the lingering sesame seed oil is amazing! This was my favorite appetizer of the night! But I love raw fish so it was a no brainer.
Basic Artichoke- the seasoning was good, but I do not love to eat with my hands if it's not necessary. The choke was so oily that between every bite I found myself wiping my hands off. I find this annoying- I want to taste the food in mass consumption, not spend half my night wiping my hands! It was not a hit in my opinion.
Colleen got a jumbo shrimp cocktail! I am starting to think that she is obsessed with shrimp cocktails the way that I am obsessed with Mac N Cheese.
Yes my Muffin Topzz, that is a picture of me stuffing my face with the seared yellow tail appetizer. If you look closely you can see Andie in the background! Her face is priceless.
My Dad, Colleen, and I started out meal with a cup of lobster bisque. As I have mentioned before, I love lobster bisque. I love a thick cream base and the subtle hint of lobster!!! Oh My Gosh I die for rich food and this lobster bisque did not disappoint!
Chad ordered the shrimp Christopher
Colleen again got shrimp- and ordered a shrimp ceveche
My Dad ordered the scallops- which I am so glad that he did because I had been debating ordering them myself. They were great! Perfectly cooked! I know this sounds pig like with all the appetizers that we ordered, but all I kept thinking was 4 scallops isn't enough food!
I ordered Drunken Mahi Mahi. It was served over a bed of tomato risotto which was heavenly. There were also, as you can see, 3 crab tostadas. OK, don't get me wrong, the tostadas were good and the presentation was pretty, but what was the point? I asked Andie at one point why they bothered putting them on the plate- it was a waste of food and of space on the plate!
As for the Drunken Mahi Mahi, it was delicious. The fish was perfectly cooked which is crucial in my opinion. The seasoning on the top of the fish, once grilled provided that texture that again, we all know I crave. The fish itself was flavorful without being overly done. The risotto was great, if you like risotto. It was creamy, soft and had subtle flavors that complemented the Mahi Mahi really nicely.
Andie had French Onion Soup- BORING
And Stephanie had Fish and Chips- EVEN MORE BORING so I didn't take a picture! Plus I told Stephanie that to get her food on the blog, she had to actually read the blog!
Dessert was incredible. I was again so excited for the table side presentation. For my birthday dessert I was served a mini Baked Alaska! Oreo cookie on the bottom, then chocolate/coffee ice cream, with baked meringue on top. This was served in a bed of berry sauce and between Chad and I, we ate the whole entire thing! I have a MAYJAH weakness for berry sauces and this was so tart and delicious! Definitely a nice touch for my birthday!
Colleen ordered a creme brulee. It was good. My favorite part of the creme brulee, as I am sure most other people feel the same way, is the sugar layer on top that you have to crack through to get to the yummy. It is such a fun thing and makes me feel like such a little kid to shatter the top and ruin the presentation but it tasted great!
I realized as we were eating this that Flan is almost the exact same thing as Creme Brulee but upside down. I don't know how many people have ever made homemade flan, but I have, multiple times and it is exactly the opposite. The delicate sugar that layers is on the bottom of the dish when you make flan, it is the lingering surprise at the bottom of the dish, whereas creme brulee its at the top. The treat is at the beginning. Just a random though I had while eating!
Lastly, was Andie's dessert. She ordered some kind of ice cream thing, covered in frozen chocolate. They do a table side presentation, and cover the whole thing in liquor, then light it on fire. Once on fire, they sprinkle what smells and tastes like nutmeg, and cinnamon over the dessert and the whole thing sparks like a sparkler from fourth of July. It is a really pretty presentation! I took a video for the blog, so everyone can see how pretty it is, but I am having issues uploading the video. I will keep you posted.
As far as taste, I am not sure if the chef had a heavy hand, or if the alcohol didn't burn off all the way, but it tasted like bad liquor and chocolate to me. Neither of those things I love so I cannot say that the flavors held up against the presentation!
Dinner at The Catch was great. Overall the food was incredible, everyone was pleased with their dinners, and the company was great! The service was great and the atmosphere was nice. We sat outside on the patio in the great big lounge chairs which my dad LOVED. My dad is a tall man, at 6 foot 8 inches tall so it isn't easy to find him a chair he loves, but these were it! We sat outside, enjoyed the weather, and had a great evening!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Birthday Breakfast
The day has started off pretty well!!! My stepdad went to Starbucks and got me my favorite drink while my mom made breakfast! I am not a fan of breakfast but it's my birthday and I am enjoying every second of it!!!
Above you will see my favorite drink from Starbucks:
A venti salted caramel hot chocolate with a single shot of espresso. My stepdad also got me two red velvet whoopi pies!
Above, is a Simmons family classic. My mom made egg in a whole- and bacon. Delicious! This day will only get better.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Haven Gastropub- Old Towne Orange
gastropub
gástrō pùb noun Brit. a British term for a public house that specializes in serving high-quality food.
ORIGIN 1990s: blend of gastronomy and pub.
As promised, Amanda and I ventured out on Monday night in hopes of re-doing our date night, with no kids. We had a great night! The food was incredible to say the least and it was really nice to relax for a few hours with a really good friend!
Amanda and I ended up at Haven Gastropub in the Orange Circle. I know, I know; I frequent there a lot, but the restaurants have really come full circle there and you cannot beat the atmosphere.
Haven was opened Street Fair weekend in 2009 and has been doing brilliantly ever since. Everyone I know loves Haven and has nothing but incredible things to say!
I was really bummed because I didn't remember to bring my big camera, but as I quickly decided, this only proved to be a reason to come back! I always want my blog to have the same integrity as the original moment when I tried a certain food or was in a certain environment and while my Iphone takes decent pictures, there is no way that these pictures are doing the blog justice!
If you haven't heard, Haven is famous for their Mac n' Cheese. Of course this is the first thing that I searched the menu for when we sat down. I have had it once before and literally almost died because it was so Delicious.
The atmosphere was good, it was quiet when we got there right at 6pm. By the time we left, there was a wait, the bar was full, and there was a buzz about in the dining room. It definitely is the go-to place in Old Towne for what seemed to be new Chapman students, fresh faced, and ready to show their shiny new fake I.D.'s. At least that was my opinion.
Hefenweizen
Amanda's Mommy Mai Tai
Take note Muffin Topzz- Because this Mac n' Cheese is no joke. I would like to officially declare this the best Mac n' Cheese of my life. While the Barcelona on the Go food truck had its fair run with their Manchego Mac n' Cheese, I can easily say that this is the best I have ever had. It all depends on preference and what you like but this sang to me as if we were soul mates that had been found.
I crave a gooey, cheesy, sharp, rich, melty Mac n'Cheese. The Haven version is delicious and I think that the main reason is due to the pungent cheeses. I said to Amanda that I could smell it before it reached the table. The cheese was so thick and gooey, and the black truffles made it more than a home cooked dish that you could find anywhere. The dish was elevated by the truffles but rich enough and cheesy enough to maintain its integrity as a classic staple in an average Americans diet. Amanda and I literally ate every single noodle in the dish and left no crunchy goodness caked on any of the edges! My mouth is watering as I type this because I can remember the taste with a sense memory and I want more!!!
Word to the wise- Amanda shared with me a crucial tip about when making Mac n' Cheese at home- She was told by her mom, who is soooooo funny, to always heavily salt the water. This makes so much sense to me because a common issue I have with this dish is not enough flavor. I don't think you can rely solely on the cheese, you need that extra push to bring the dish to its full potential- in Haven's case- the black truffles.
Next was the seasonal flat bread which sounded and looked so good. The Apricot chutney was incredible, and happens to be a favorite ingredient of mine as we all know. Something about the pistachios brought a tang and almost spice to the flat bread that reminded me of a yellow Indian Curry. This was the sleeper dish of the night for me.
I expected it to be good, but not phenomenal. The flavors were so bold, and robust, you tasted each ingredient as you chewed each bite. My only gripe is that I hate crunchy bread. I know this was a flat bread, but I feel that it was a tiny bit overcooked which made not for a quite as enjoyable bite when you got to the edges. I skipped mine like a little kid, I know it's rude, but I couldn't help it. I didn't want to ruin the tastes that I had going on in my mouth with the lingering flavor of smoke and burnt bread.
The Haven Burger, as described by our waiter, is their most popular entree. Kevin, Amanda's husband, who was home with their sweet new baby girl Avery, said that this is his favorite thing on the menu. Amanda and I ordered two entrees and shared. The burger was incredible.
There were two things that made this burger stand out to me.
1. The arugula- I enjoy lettuce, but there is something to be said about using delicate Arugula on a cheeseburger. I think the texture is creamier than lettuce and it just complements the meat. Flavor is subtle, and hints to a crispiness that is needed, but not overpowering to the rest of the burger.
2. Pickled Red Onions- I am not a fan of pickled anything, but these were unbelievable. First of all, the crunch and snap that they provided to the burger was exactly what the burger needed. The bright flavor with the cheese and the juicy meat was the perfect combination. I know that I said Peter's Gourmade made the best burger I have ever had, but literally, this burger topped it, hands down.
Fries were basic and delish, but yes Amanda, the ketchup was weird. Really weird.
To me, the standout of this dish was the Cheddar cheese grits. The shrimp was good wrapped in bacon, but not earth shattering as I had hoped. It was good though, don't get me wrong.
The earth shattering item, was the cheddar cheese grits with the Cilantro Oil. The consistency was spot on for homemade grits. The salsa, and cilantro oil were really unexpected, but added so much and made this dish fabulous. There was a hint of spice that kicked into you after you had already taken a huge bite. I really loved the grits, and they seemed to have such a familiar flavor, but were like nothing I have ever had before!
Haven Gastropub, or Haven, as everyone calls it is incredible. It is a must stop for any foodie within 50 miles. If you are a libations connoisseur, their bar, beer & wine lists are extensive and impressive. I cannot wait to go again and to try new items on the menu. Everything sounds incredible to me and I want to spend a month just eating my way through their menu. My wallet wouldn't like that, by I know I would. Don't miss this place, it is worth every single penny!
Contact Us
190 South Glassell Street Old Towne Orange, CA 92866- T:
- 714 221 0680
- F:
- 714 221 0682
Location & Hours
We are located in Old Towne Orange on Glassell street, just south of the circle.
We are open everyday 11:00am-2:00am
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