The Taco Time - Orange

Yesterday I went to lunch at a local Mexican food establishment named The Taco Time. This isn't the same Taco Time made famous in the Saturday Night Live short. The Taco Time is a small Mexican mom and pop run restaurant located on the border of Anaheim and Orange in a small strip mall that includes both a pizza and a chicken teriyaki bowl joint. I'd passed by The Taco Time on numerous occasions and was curious to find out if it was the famous Northwest fast food establishment or something else. Fortunate for me it was something else, since I didn't really feel like having Taco Bell for lunch. As their menu says they are, "The Place where you find the Authentic Mexican food"; capitalization aside I so far have to agree. Since this was my first visit I went with the old standby and just ordered a burrito. WAIT WAIT WAIT, burritos aren't Authentic Mexican food!!!! Eh who cares, it's authentic enough for gringos like me, and honestly what's better then a large tortilla filled with various items and covered with sauce and cheese? So I ordered the "Special Burrito" ($7.99); a large tortilla filled with chicken, refried beans, and rice that was topped with red sauce and cheese and served with a dollop of sour cream and a scoop of guacamole. The chicken was very tender as well as lightly seasoned from cooking in possibly some light tomato based sauce. That sauce it was cooked in very well could have been the same sauce served on my burrito that has a nice light spicy flavor. The guacamole was fresh and was every bit as good as guacamole can be. The burrito was good and more then enough for lunch. My one complaint is about the chips served before my burrito arrived, they tasted like normal store brand chips, nothing was inherently wrong with them I just enjoy fresh made chips when I go to small hole in the wall Mexican restaurants. The salsa served with the chips was ok, could have used some more flavor but I've had much worse and wouldn't turn it down if they gave me a bunch for free to take home. Other things worth mentioning; They have a total of about 6 tables that fit 4 people at each, so it's not a very large place. I got there before 12 PM so I don't know how big of a lunch rush they get but considering the area (residential) they probably get some good dinner business. The restaurant was very clean and bright inside. I look forward to trying some more of their items. The Taco Time 3209 N. Glassell St. Orange, CA 92865 714-685-0051

Anita's New Mexico Style Mexican Food

Located a few blocks south of Downton Fullerton sits Anita’s New Mexico Style Mexican Food. Situated in a converted house, it has both a walk up counter and a sit down area complete with waiter service. I have never been to New Mexico so I cannot vouch for the authenticity of it being cuisine that can be found in New Mexico. Most of the dishes are what you find at most Mexican restaurants with the addition of some that are probably native to New Mexico. Starting with the standard chips and salsa is a nice way to begin any meal. The tortilla chips are nice and light, while the salsa has a little bit of a kick to it. The Carne Adovada are large chunks of slow braised pork topped with a red chile sauce, a very light sprinkling of cheese and green onions. They are accompanied by rice and beans. The pork is fork tender, moist and juicy while the red chile sauce adds a nice amount of heat. The beans and rice are your standard fare, although the rice was particularly salty. The Stuffy Dinner comes with slow cooked pork stuffed into a large sopapilla, topped with green chiles, cheese and green onions. The sopapilla is a form of Indian fry bread. These are pillowy soft and, on their own, taste like a donut aching for some sugar. Although the pork is very tender, it was a little dry. The Stuffy Dinner come with two sopapillas on the side. The sopapilla are served with honey, if you choose to top them with it turning it into a simple dessert. For a little change of pace compared to your standard Mexican restaurant, Anita’s is not a bad option, but certainly not worth a special trip. Anita’s New Mexico Style Mexican Food 600 S. Harbor Blvd. Fullerton, CA 92832 (714) 525-0977

La Calle

I'm not sure where to begin. I had read good things about this restaurant tucked deep into a tiny strip mall years prior, but every time I happened to be in the area the place was closed. These days however, it is now my good fortune to live a hop, skip, and a jump away from what may be the best Mexican food I've ever had. The first thing I'd highly reccomend ordering is the Panbaso, which is a soft bollillo roll dipped in a mild red sauce, filled with chorizo and potatoes, and topped with lettuce, sour cream, and green salsa. This is quite simply delicious...and at only a few dollars a pop you can't afford not to try one. The Potato and Chorizo Tacos in a hard shell (also shown above) are also especially tasty. I'd also recommend you try the Chicarron (deep fried pork skin) Quesadilla. The crisp homemade dough is finished with lettuce, cotija cheese, green salsa, and sour cream and is light years away from any quesadilla I've ever eaten. The Carne Asada Tacos (shown above) are also great, as are the Mole Enchiladas. I'm slowly beganing to work my way through the entire menu and I have yet to try a dish I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. The place boasts a new name now (El Moctezuma #3), but the food (I'm told) is still the same muy excelente comida as always. La Calle (or El Moctezuma #3) is located at: 1740 W. Chapman Ave. Orange, 92868 Tel: (714) 456-0800

A First Bite: Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen

Mexican restaurants in Mexico cover the gamut from prehistoric peasant cooking to world class sophistication. Yet despite the vast number of Mexican restaurants in Orange County, they fall into three basic camps: great grubbing at the low end of the scale; old school Gringo Mex smothered in greasy yellow cheese and red sauce; and Nuevo Gringo Mex, the sort of overpriced fare decorated with ancho or cilantro colored crema fresca spooged from a squirt bottle. Very few wade deeper beyond those familiar and overcrowded waters. Orange County Mexican food lovers deserve to fill some of the missing gaps in that spectrum, and the quietly lauded Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen leads the counterstrike with traditional, yet gussied up Mexican food. How many places serve the Yucatecan bar snack panuchos, and a delicious version at that? This one's served with a pickled red onion relish supposedly spiked with habanero peppers that lacked any of that chile's distinctive flavor or heat. Those cebollas moradas added complexity to the terrific dish, but it forebode a tendency toward too much sweet and not enough heat in the three other antojitos I sampled on this first visit. If there's a gabacho compromise in the very likable food, this might be it. Now let me puff up the churro maker's head a little. Its crisply fried, cinnamon sugared crust yields to an ever-so-slighly loose, custardy center. They're served with a not-too-sweet, dark chocolate sauce and a crackalicious, sweet-bitter burnt caramel sauce. The menu should simply say: "Sugar coated, deep fried, hot sex dunked in liquid crack." If you see some destitute addict hanging out at the back door in dessert withdrawls, that would be me. Orange County craves sophisticated Mexican food without dumbed down flavor profiles, and the CIA trained Gabbi Parker might be our best hope yet. But please, Chef Gabbi, bring on the heat. Bring on the funk! Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen 141 S. Glassell Orange, CA 714-633-3038 Gabbi's occupies an unmarked storefront next an Army Navy store on the east side of Glassell.

Chubbypanda's Ten Best Ethnic Meals of 2006 (Orange County)

Earlier this week, I received an email from Lindsay William-Ross, Food Editor for LAist, inviting me to participate in their end-of-the-year Ten Best series. After no small amount of agonizing, I've put together a list of Orange County places where I had the ten best "ethnic" meals this year. (Read this article on LAist and check out their other great offerings!) 1. Japanese - Frenzy Sushi (my review) The freshness and quality of the fish served at Frenzy Sushi is amazing. The Hamachi no Hara (yellowtail belly), Saba (marinated mackerel), and Maguro (Bluefin tuna) are must-haves here. If you like rolls, order the Firecracker or Caterpillar. Frenzy Sushi 369 E 17th St, #17 Costa Mesa, CA 92627 1-949-646-1333 http://www.frenzysushi.com 2. Chinese (Shanghai) - New Shanghai (my review) Delightfully cheap and delicious, the fiery flavors of the Shanghai, Sichuan, and Hunan cuisine dishes served at New Shanghai are perfect for a cold winter's night. I highly recommend the Niu Rou Mian (Beef Noodle Soup), Gong Bao Ji Ding (Kung Pao Chicken), and Zhao Liu Yu Pian (Fish Filets in Wine Sauce). New Shanghai 5408 Walnut Ave # B Irvine, CA 92604 (Open until midnight every night.) 3. Vietnamese - Pagolac (my review) I first tried Bo Bay Mon (Seven Courses of Beef) at Pagolac and it was a dining revelation. Even better were the Bo Nuong Vi (Grilled Beef) and Tom Nuong Vi (Grilled Shrimp). Although you may be a little leery of sampling Mam Nem (fermented shrimp sauce), take the plunge and you'll experience a true flavor sensation. Pagolac 14580 Brookhurst St. Westminster, CA 92683 1-714-531-4740 4. Peruvian - Peruvian Kitchen (my review) Peruvian food is one of the world's ultimate fusion cuisines, and Peruvian Kitchen delivers the complex blend of flavors and influences for a very reasonable price. Try the Tiradito al Aji (a carpaccio of fish marinated in a spicy sauce), the Anticuchos de Corazon (grilled pieces of seasoned beef heart), and the Yucca a la Huancaina (cassava cheese puffs covered in a spicy cream sauce. Peruvian Kitchen 8610 Warner Ave. Fountain Valley, CA 92708-3132 1-714-847-7555 http://www.peruviankitchen.com 5. Fusion - Elephant Bar (my review) A chain restaurant with both style and substance, the Elephant Bar in Irvine offers a number of Asian-fusion dishes as well as Western classics. Try the Coconut Shrimp or the Miso Grilled Salmon. Additional locations are available throughout Southern California. Elephant Bar Irvine, CA 14346 Culver Dr. 1-949-651-6087 http://www.elephantbar.com 6. Mexican - Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas (my review) Do not be dissuaded by this hole-in-the-wall's less than classy atmosphere. Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas is packed to the gills with authentic Mexican flavors. You haven't lived until you've tried their Tacos de Cabeza (beef cheek), Tacos de Lengua (beef tongue), or Tacos al Pastor (rotisserie grilled pork). For an early morning pick-me-up, grab a steaming bowl of their spicy Menudo (beef tripe soup) and get some Pan Dulse (sweet buns) to go. Lucia's Tacos and Mulitas (corner of Beach and Warner) 16952 Beach Blvd. Huntington Beach, CA 92647 1-714-842-2404 (If you have difficulty being understood, ask for Lalo.) 7.Korean - Korea House BBQ (review forthcoming) Nothing warms both body and soul like the rich flavors of the Korean food at Korea House BBQ. With fresh, high quality meat, an excellent selection of complimentary Panchan (cold side dishes), a number of fiery stews, and other classic offerings, Korea House BBQ is the place to go when you want to add some spice to your life. Order up some Ross Gui (prime cut beef) or Bulgogi (marinated beef) to grill and kick back with a beer. Definitely best enjoyed with a group. Korea House BBQ 5305 University Dr. Irvine, CA 92612 1-949-552-9998 http://www.koreahousebbq.com/ 8. Chinese (Dim Sum) - Seafood World (review forthcoming) Seafood World is a Little Saigon institution, and one of the best places in Orange County to get delectable dim sum. Bring all of your friends so you can sample lots and lots of the bite-sized delights. Seafood World 15351 Brookhurst St # 101-106 Westminster, CA 92683 1-714-531-5330 9. Vegan (Thai) - Wheel of Life (review forthcoming) If you've never had vegan Thai cuisine before, stop by Wheel of Life and get your healthy groove on. With a culinary history spanning thousands of years of Buddhist dietary observances, vegan Thai food is good for both the body and soul. Wheel Of Life 14370 Culver Dr # 2 Irvine, CA 92604 1-949-551-8222 http://www.wheelofliferestaurant.com/ 10. Chinese (Islamic) - Lotus Chinese Eatery (my review) One of two locations in all of Orange County serving Islamic Chinese fare, Lotus brings the flavors of Northern China to Southern California. All of their delicious food is prepared according Halal guidelines. Order the Zhi Ma Da Bing Jia Cong (sesame pan bread with green onions) or any of their Chao Dao Xiao Mian (stir-fried knife-cut noodles). I'm also very fond of their Hong Shao Dou Fu (tofu in brown sauce). Lotus Chinese Eatery 16883 Beach Blvd. Huntington Beach, CA 92647 1-714-848-4940