Bandera Resturant (Corona del Mar, CA)

So my familia wanted to take me out for a surprise birthday dinner...I know I know I already wrote about this spot on Facebook..well now I'm adding it to my blogspot. We travelled to South OC to a restaurant that came highly recommended by a coworker of my better half. Bandera, has the feel of that after-work bar & grill spot with a crowded bar and loud music. Don't expect a quiet sit down dinner atmosphere, it ain't happening here. Maybe because we sat right next to the bar, which was planted in the middle of the restaurant, right in front of the main entrance. How is this not a fire hazard I don't know. From what I heard Bandera is suppose to be a spin-off of Houston's. The food defiantly made up for the noise and the cramped eating quarters. We started off with the Dip Duo with Tortilla Chips, which was a very very rich and sharp creamy cheese dip, almost like a Spinach dip, just extra cheesy. Then on to our Caesar salads with these sweet crunch croutons, something different. Next the main course, I had the Aged Prime Rib Slow roasted on the bone with Mashed Potatoes...the Prime Rib was juicy, flavorful, without the excess fat. The mashed potatoes were tasty but needed a little salt & pepper but ya know I made it work.

Since it was my birthday I did get a House Made Oreo Cookie Ice cream sandwich and it was the lick. I heard that the Skillet cornbread is like the staple of the restaurant so the next time I'm in the area I will have to check that out or I could always pull a "Life" and ask someone "Hey, you gon eat yo cornbread"!!! LOL
So it you're down in South OC, near Fashion Island/Newport Beach area stop by and let me know what you feelin?

Thanks

Fish Shack (Moreno Valley, CA)

I got a tip on this new fish spot in Mo Val on Friday so I decided to slide through Saturday afternoon to peep out the scene. Inside the Stoneridge Towne Centre across the lot from the Super Target, under the Clock tower you will find the Fish Shack (Seafood so good, you'll be hooked!). The Fish Shack has been there for over 5 months, you walk in and it reminds me a of a lil spot in Manhattan Beach with all the surf and beach effects not to mention the 3 mounted plasma TVs. First things first, please please don't get this spot confused with your local fast food spot. Nor is it Rubios and it damn sure isn't Taco Bell or Del Tacos. This is a totally different experience. You walk in and either one of my boys Brian (El Guppy) or Ryan (El Tortuga) will give you the rundown on how the Fish Shack works. First up there's a chalkboard listing all of the fishes of the day..that's right fishes, not just one fish. You pick a meal, choose your fish, the cooking style (fried or grilled), choose a side (Get the Mug O' Clam Chowder - California style...delicious).

I hit the Shack on Saturday afternoon with the familia, I had the Beer Battered Fish & Chips (Mahi-Mahi) with a bowl of California Chowder, talk about some bomb-bay chowder. Brian has a New England and Louisiana background, so they defiantly know what they are doing up in there with the spices. The Beer Battered fish isn't all batter and little fish like most places, its all fish lightly battered, my better half had the Voodoo pasta (Blacken chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, peppers tossed in Alfredo) now this Voodoo wasn't no Black Magic, but it did have a deceptive flavor or spices that will open ya up :) We enjoyed our meal, washing it down with two Cokes, but no meal is never complete without a dessert. Now the shack offers a variety of desserts from Key Lime Pie, Cheese cake and a cup of Mandarin Oranges but you haven't tried nothing until you experience the Fried Twinkie or Oreos. I've seen these things on TV before but never indulged myself, but this day I went for the gusto. OMG, I never imagined that golden sponge cake with creme filling could be perfected anymore until it was dropped into a fryer...My head was spinning with pleasure, I know my Dr wouldn't approve, but hey you only live once right!!!

I think I just found my newest fish spot, on my next visit I will have to try this New Orleans Pasta (Blacken Shrimp and sun dried tomatoes tossed in Napoleon sauce) I will need to find out whats this Napoleon sauce..make sure its not bold but short on flavor :)

If you're in The Stoneridge Towne Centre of Moreno Valley for some shopping or paying your T-Mobile bill (across the way) stop in and tell Brian, Ryan and the lovely Candy that Theo sent ya!!! Happy Hour is where you might find me especially during Football season..Big Screen action, fish tacos and brews are never a bad combination.

Cafe Gossip (Moreno Valley)

Today I hit up that Cafe Gossip, its a lil family owned and operated spot tucked away in the Moreno Valley Plaza, not the Mall on Sunnymead. Its a Koren BBQ spot. One of my coworkers, Liza hit me to this spot. I tried it once or twice before when they first opened. Any real food connoisseur, knows trying a new spot when it first opens, is never the same experience later. Today, I dipped through and tried that chicken teriyaki with the shrimp tempura...One word..BANGIN'. THe Shrimp Tempura was fresh and crispy, chicken was grilled right ont he spot, no heat lamps or frozen meat. The Ginger Salad was rather unique, not a big ginger fan, but I cleaned the plate.

The one thing I real dig about this HIW (Hole In the Wall) spot is its uniqueness. They got a Polaroid menu, thats right, straight up Polaroids...nothing tells the truth than a Polaroid insta-matic...Now thats keepin it real. YOu get to actually see what the food will look like, not these Photoshoped menus where you know your food aint gonna never look that damn good. Prices are very reasonable meal came up to a lil over $8.50 for chicken two full scoops of rice, ginger salad, and 3 crispy shrimp tempura...Washed that on down with two cans of Sprite and now I'm bout to be down like Frazier baby!!! Holla at me if you have hit this spot before, or would like to know about "Cafe Gossip - Moreno Valley, CA"