Orange County Food Blog

Once upon a time, there were two Beard Papa's in Orange County. Now there are none. Several months ago, the Beard Papa's shop in Santa Ana MainPlace, which was the last to debut in O.C., was the first to go. Last week, as reported by Weekly contributor and Chowhound Professor Salt, the very first Beard Papa's in Orange County inside the Marukai Market has also shuttered.

It seems that we may have reached a critical mass at Diamond Jamboree. The Asian shopping and dining complex dynamo, which for a while accounted for just about all the new eateries Irvine, has finally seen its first set of closures.

The first actually happened so fast I hardly noticed. Ce Fiore, the frozen yogurt shop that was literally living in 85°C Bakery Café's shadow, has shuttered and turned over to become another branch of Lollicup, which opened last week and makes two for Irvine. This development has to also be the first time I've seen a boba shop supplanting a froyo shop.

Han Arum Roll House was the other surprise closure. Last week, the kimbap station that I recently reviewed on my blog, put up a sign informing customers that they are permanently closed. No word yet what will replace it. I doubt it will be a froyo shop.

Edwin Goei

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If it seems like it's only been a year since Pastagina opened; that's because it has. The concept debuted February of 2008 and won our Best Yogurt category on the Best Of Issue 2008.  And now, it is closed, out of business, kaput, history.

The Italian pasta fast-casual that touted precision cooking of al dente pasta by machines, and one that I reviewed and actually enjoyed, has been getting less popular of late.

But as far as I can tell, it was up and operational up until a few weeks ago. No word on the fate of other Pastagina locations in the L.A. area.

With the recent closings of young restaurants like Bistro West in Tustin, which was also barely a year old, this proves the old rule that nine out of ten restaurants close after the first year.  The down economy probably didn't help either.

Edwin Goei

​Topz "The Healthier Burger Grill" seems to be shutting down all over. The Hutton Center location was completely barren, the space already available for lease. And the Orange store's phone number has been disconnected. Reports of other Topz locations locations shuttering include West Hollywood and also a location in San Mateo.

I would want to see what other locations are still in business, but their main company website is down with a nothing but a logo, a contact e-mail address, and the ominously worded "Stay Tuned... New website underway!"

Yes, this appears to be a lamentable but all-out meltdown of a place that had aspired to offer lower fat burgers and baked fries (the funniest oxymoron this side of "jumbo shrimp").

​Following a period in which the number of closures was down, they've now increased again. September saw five OC places shut up shop for good. They were:

Wienerschnitzel, Mission Viejo

Japonaise Bakery, Tustin (for Edwin's full report, CLICK HERE)

Contodo Mexican Grill, Orange

Vessia Ristorante, Irvine

Yum Yum Donuts, Costa Mesa

Edwin Goei

​Fellow OC food bloggers Julian Hsu and Melissa clued me in to a recent development in Old Town Tustin. Japonaise Bakery & Cafe, which was what beloved hole-in-the-wall bakery Cream Pan expanded and grew up into February of last year, has now folded, ceding its space to a planned noodle shop (which is actually good news, in my opinion).

​Just two places (that we know of) shut up shop for good last month, and even one of those--Hof's Hut in Orange--is being turned into another restaurant, a Lucille's "Rib Shack." The person I spoke to wouldn't confirm that it'll be a more casual version of the famed barbecue chain (although judging by reports--and the name--it will be), but she did say it will hopefully open some time in October. More info as we have it...

The other casualty is Mesa Grill & BBQ, in Santa Ana.

So hopefully the low count is a sign that the economy is turning around. Fingers crossed.

​If you recall, Savannah was David Wilhelm's last ditch effort to save his floundering Culinary Adventures.  It's what he turned Chat Noir in Costa Mesa into, thinking that good ol' American food was the way to bring customers back.  

Edwin Goei

​I found out this week, after writing a blog review of Sushi 5, that the day after I had my meal and the day before I wrote the post, the restaurant had closed for good.

​Yes, it's that time again. After an optimistic June, when no restaurants (that we know of) closed for good, a few did so in July:

Blue Coral Seafood & Spirits, Fashion Island, Newport Beach

Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Irvine

Baja Fresh, Anaheim Hills

Zpizza, Foothill Ranch

Tracht's, Long Beach. The official word is that "Suzanne Tracht and the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel have decided to end their business relationship.  Effective July 25, 2009, Tracht's Restaurant was replaced with The Renaissance Bar & Grill."

And another one, as blogged by Edwin today: Sushi 5 in Tustin.

And, just as we were hoping things were turning around, a report by the NPD Group this week stated that there were 4,000 fewer restaurants in the US this spring (when the last survey was carried out) compared with the previous year. Fine-dining establishments have been hardest hit, while major chains saw slight growth. For the full details, CLICK HERE.

Still, onwards and upwards!

Dave Spataro Photography

​Suzanne Tracht, the first winner of the season's Top Chef Masters*, is going to pull the plug on her namesake restaurant at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach. Food GPS broke the story.

Just spoke to Mark Norris at San Clemente's White Horses, who confirmed that the restaurant is in escrow--and that he'll be moving on to his new venture, Crispin's, as and when the sale is completed--but that it's staying open in the meantime. That's good news for fans of the esteemed eaterie, which, as Edwin pointed out, we named Best Restaurant in OC.

Incredibly, that means that, as far as we're aware, no restaurants closed in Orange County in June, which is hopefully a sign that the economy is moving in the right direction. But, as always, if we've missed any, please let us know.

Manhattan Steak & Seafood

If you blinked you might not have noticed that Manhattan Supper Club in Orange, the new restaurant that we reviewed here last year, is now Manhattan Steak & Seafood. And yep, you guessed it, when a restaurant undergoes a name change, it's usually because it's got new owners. 

White Horses, the esteemed restaurant by Marc Norris that we dubbed the Best Restaurant in Orange County, is going to serve its last meal June 30th.  Immediately afterwards -- like the next day -- new owners will take the reins (pun intended).  Their restaurant will be an Italian one called OltreMare.

So where is Chef Norris going after he leaves his San Clemente Pier baby to new parents?  Well, not that far, actually.  He's slated to open a new venture called Crispin on the site of an old Baker's Square at 610 Camino de los Mares, San Clemente.

As well as at least four Starbucks, seven restaurants closed for good.

This time it was the City of Orange and Santa Ana's turn to bear the brunt.

In Orange, the Cask 'n Cleaver and Mustard's Cafe both shuttered; the latter will be replaced by gastropub Haven later this summer (August, officially).

In Santa Ana, four eateries at MainPlace bit the dust: Umi Grill, Yogurberry, Habana and Beard Papa's. The city's other departure was Blue Fish.

Edwin Goei

I never tried Blue Fish in Santa Ana, but I knew of its existence. Recently, I noticed it ceased to exist. The storefront it formerly occupied has been stripped bare. Inside, there was nothing left but some semblance of what used to be a sushi bar.

Edwin Goei

I saw the "Available" signs as I drove by on First Street, and I nearly slammed my brakes right there in the middle of the road. Haru Izakaya -- the new Korean izakaya restaurant, which I reviewed on these pages exactly one month ago -- has closed. Not just closed but abandoned.

Edwin Goei

I peeked inside and it looked like the place had been ransacked. Toppled shelves. Half-filled moving boxes. Chairs in disarray. No one in sight.

An eviction notice from the Orange County Sheriff dated 4/23/2009 is taped to the door. On it, bold-faced letters read: "If you re-enter these premises, you (sic) in violation of the law."

Also on the window, between it and the "Available" sign, there was my review, clipped from our paper and attached to the glass by Scotch tape.

Edwin Goei

It's always sad to see a place you like disappear, especially when it comes so suddenly; but it's quite another see it happen to a restaurant that you recently wrote about in hopes that more people would discover it.

I have my guesses as to why they couldn't make it. A bad location?  Maybe.  Not enough word-of-mouth?  Possible.  The recession?  Most likely a factor, especially for new restaurants.  When times are tight, diners are disinclined to gamble on a place they don't already now.  On my last visit, there was only one other party in the restaurant with us. And I'm not sure how well it did before or after that. But what I'm sure of one thing: that location has seen its fair share of failed restaurants.

Before I saw Haru Izakaya debut there last fall, there was Sushi Nizi. Before that, it was the laughably-named Fish-Shin.

What will end up there next? We shall see. And I shall watch with a keen eye of its fate.

Well, there was just one. This, coupled with recent comments about signs of an improvement in the economy, may be an indication that we're starting to turn the corner. We live in hope, anyway.

So which unfortunate restaurant was it? Yamabuki, in Disneyland's Paradise Pier Hotel.

But, try as we might to remain upbeat, there may be others we don't know about. If you're aware of any, please mention them in the comments section below. Thanks!

The blood-letting at the once mighty Culinary Adventures continues. March 31st was the last supper for Savannah in Costa Mesa. Now, according to The Daily Pilot, the restaurant group has sold off their French 75 at Fashion Island to a "well known Orange County restaurateur".

The article continues to say that "French 75 will continue as a French brasserie, but the sign on the front and the chef in the back should be different by the end of the month."

A list of places that closed in March. Lake Forest seems particularly badly hit.

Islands, Laguna Hills

Black Angus, Tustin and Lake Forest. The parent company filed for bankruptcy in January, although reps currently aren't forthcoming on whether other locations are on the danger list.

Izakaya Zero, Huntington Beach

Thai Spice, Lake Forest

Cherry Berry, Lake Forest
 
Wendy's, Foothill Ranch

Savannah, Costa Mesa (last service is dinner on March 31)


If you know of any others, please chime in below. Thanks.

Here's a post I'm not enjoying writing. It's a list of OC eateries that closed in February. Whether or not these were good restaurants, it's not nice that people lose their jobs or businesses, so here's hoping that anyone affected gets back on their feet again soon.

They are:

Bobby McGee's, 200 S State College Blvd., Brea

Cafe Europe, 5785 E La Palma Ave., Anaheim

Dairy Queen, 2634 N Tustin St., Orange

Opah, 22332 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita

Tea & Sympathy, 369 E 17th St., Costa Mesa

These are the places that I know about, but if you come across any more, feel free to write a comment below. From now on I'll be compiling a list each month.

So I'm walking through Irvine Spectrum the other day, between Macy's and Nordstroms, when I realized something was missing:  Chuao Chocolatier was gone.  

There was once a Sizzler on Newport Blvd. in Tustin, beneath the shadow of the 5 Freeway overpass.

Then around October of last year the owners severed their ties to the company. They decided that they would rebrand themselves "Triple S". Why "Triple S"? Well because they would serve "Steak, Seafood and Salad", of course -- just like they did when they were a Sizzler. But this time, they'd be independent.

When I saw the change, I chuckled at the name. I don't know. It reminded me of that bad Vin Diesel movie, or its equally awful Ice Cube sequel.

But I shouldn't have laughed, because within what seemed not more than a month later, I drove by and all the lights were dark.

 The neon sign were zapped of their buzz and all the chairs were strewn around like there was a tornado. Saddest of all: The "Grand Opening" paint on the windows was still fresh.

Without talking to those who were involved with the venture (I never got a chance to visit), it's easy to make guesses on what went wrong. The economy. The fact that Sizzler hasn't been relevant since Reagan took office. The location. Or perhaps the change wasn't drastic enough.

I know what you're thinking...but it's too late for a Gordon Ramsay Kitchen Nightmares intervention.

Get it while it lasts, folks.  The final curtain call for The Hidden Kitchen in its current incarnation at the Rooster Cafe will be February 20th.  

Dr. Jeff Dobkin, one of the principals behind the project, wrote the following entry on their blog yesterday:

Next Phase

As those of you who have dined with us know, our current situation/location was/is only temporary.  We continue to search for a space that we can call our own, one where we can flex our creative muscle a bit more (but not too much!): a few more options for dishes, lots more wine, etc.  To this end, we have decided that February 20th will be the final day of service for The Hidden Kitchen at The Rooster Cafe.  Keep coming back until then and make sure that we have your emails addresses, etc. so that we can get you info about our permanent location. 

We have had a blast and thanks to Jack at the Rooster for his willingness to share space.  We look forward to better, but not necessarily bigger, things.

Ciao

Jeff

So there you have it: there's not much time.  And when you consider that it's only open for dinners Thursdays and Fridays, that means you have a total of 14 days to act.

Hopefully the foursome (Jeff, Julie, Jason and Holly) will transition to their own place soon after.

If you still don't have any idea what I'm talking about, read my full review HERE, and then get a reservation already!!!

The revolving door of eateries continues.  According to the Capistrano Dispatch, the space that the recently departed Rendezvous occupied in San Juan Capistrano's train depot is being developed by the people behind Gemmell's of Dana Point.

In the smoothie game, if Jamba Juice can't shake it, then how can anyone else. The giant posted a $12.4M loss last quarter. So I suppose it should come as no surprise that the smaller players are being pulverized like fruit in a blender.

Just recently I noticed that two smoothie purveyors in Irvine disappeared. Maui Wowi on Main St. and also Tropical Smoothie Cafe on Barranca are gone. I only got to try Tropical Smoothie Cafe once. And they were good. Even had a sandwich there. But Maui Wowi got away from me before I had a chance. I can't say for sure, but I don't think Maui Wowi had been around for that long -- maybe a year?

Those who are loyal to Tropical Smoothie Cafe can still find one in Fullerton. Also, there still seems to be a few Maui Wowi's lying around in odd places, according to the corporate website.

Me? I prefer to eat my calories, not drink them.

Yet another restaurant slips into history while another begins to write its own. Ferdussi Taste of Persia -- the Santa Ana institution that proudly wore its Best of OC badge from OC Weekly on its door -- closed a few months ago. Now open in its place, is a new Mexican place called La Terraza.

I haven't tried La Terraza, but I will miss Ferdussi.

One interesting tidbit: The OC Weekly sticker is still there.

When reader and friend of the blog, NP, tipped me off that Beard Papa's in Santa Ana's MainPlace Mall closed up, my heart sank. He writes, "the Beard Papa's in Main Place is now closed! Unless they moved somewhere I couldn't see... The location was boarded up with Westfield signage."

This after we voted them "Best Dessert" in our recent Best of 2008 Issue.

So I went and checked the vitals on the other location, inside Costa Mesa's Marukai Market. And I'm relieved to say that it's still in business.

Phew!

So, I still have a place to occasionally indulge on the dessert that will surely do other things to my own vital signs someday.

For as long as I can remember, there has always been a Peruvian food stall at the Main Street Food Court in Irvine. It was called Lima City for years, though it changed hands at least twice during its tenure.

Then Peruvian Kitchen took it over sometime this past summer, moving out of its spacious Fountain Valley digs to Lima City's cramped quarters. In the meantime, the old space it vacated became Casa Inka, which I reviewed.

Now it appears that Peruvian Kitchen has folded. Our intrepid friend, Wonginator, reports:

Just an update that when I dropped by the food court today (Nov. 12, 2008), Peruvian Kitchen was closed during the lunch period. I think they might be shut down for good because they had been open for lunch time during previous visits.

There rarely was ever a line when I visited this food court location, and I think their higher prices scared away the regular food court visitors.

UPDATE:  Wonginator has reported that Peruvian Kitchen is still OPEN and STILL NEEDS YOUR BUSINESS!!

Both Sumo Seafood & Sushi Buffet locations, in Irvine (on Culver & the 5) and Santa Ana (on MacArthur near Bristol), have been shuttered.

Although I was never a fan of either one (though quite honestly, I belong to the camp that believes in avoiding "sushi" when it's coupled with the word "buffet"), it is still a sad sign of the times.

I peeked inside and saw a geisha mannequin, staring into the darkened store, almost as if she's saying "Sayonara" to Sumo, which has been pushed out of the ring for good...

...And caused this food blogger to use one too many metaphors.