Orange County Food Blog

​The Crow Bar and Kitchen in Corona Del Mar has reinterpreted s'mores, a staple of any campfire, by taking the graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate, and creating a sundae. The Crow Bar's S'mores Sundae, our Dessert of the Week, has all of the essential ingredients, but chef Scott Brandon has amped things up. Made with toasted marshmallow semifreddo (a semi-frozen gelato and whipped cream mixture), homemade graham crackers, Belgian chocolate sauce, and Maldon sea salt, this is not your average sundae.

The graham crackers have a strong brown sugar flavor that is both unexpected and welcome. The texture and deep aromas of the Belgian chocolate sauce make it by far the best part of this dessert. The first bite of the semifreddo tasted exactly like a toasted marshmallow found on a s'more. The one quibble? The semifreddo was not so "semi," just a whole lot of "freddo." Delicious though it was, a crowbar (had to...) could have come in handy breaking down the "marshmallow" component of this dessert.

Despite the not-so-semifreddo of the S'mores Sundae, The Crow Bar is living up to its gastropub format by providing high-end food alongside an extensive beer list. With a dessert menu that includes such items as "Not Just A Ding Dong" and "Irish Car 'Bombe,'" the tastiest dessert of them all is the one without the clever moniker.

​When it comes to high-end desserts, an ingredients combo like peanut butter and jelly is certainly not the first thing to come to mind. Ordering a "PB & J" may bring back memories of plastic lunch boxes and soggy bread, but the upscale Flight Bistro in Huntington Beach has put a new spin on the lunchtime staple. The result? Delicious, and our Dessert of the Week.

All three elements of a PB & J--bread, peanut butter, jelly--are represented in this dessert. The "bread" appears in the form of Zabaione gelato. The key ingredient to this gelato is Marsala, a fortified wine, which gives it a cinnamon-like flavor. The next part is arguably the most important: the peanut butter. Flight Bistro's version of a PB & J hides the peanut butter in a chocolate molten cake topped with crushed Marcona almonds. Breaking through the outside of the cake leads you to gooey mix of peanut butter and chocolate: Think melting Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. And finally comes the grape marmalade, complete with pieces of grape and spread across the middle of the dish as to keep each part of this "sandwich" separated. Although the best way to eat this dessert is to get a little bit of each part on your spoon to complete the PB & J taste you remember from childhood.

 

After looking over the dessert menu at Cafe Tu Tu Tango, the choice seemed pretty clear for the Dessert of the Week: Crazy Bananas. With a description that included sliced bananas, vanilla bean ice cream, walnuts, sopapillas (think tortilla chip meets churro), whipped cream, and a caramel sauce infused with Drambuie and Scotch, this dessert stands out. But of course, what was forgotten when it reached the table? The sauce! Truly a letdown.

Although Crazy Bananas held its own without the sauce, this dessert had potential to reach perfection if it wasn't missing that one vital ingredient. The sopapillas keep this treat from falling into a standard, banana split-esque dessert category. It gives it an international edge and adds a crunch along with the walnuts.

Located at the Block in Orange, Cafe Tu Tu Tango deserves a second visit. Although it's probably just appealing because they bring a "mini campfire" to the table, it will be time to order the s'mores, even if it does cost nearly $10. When the novelty wears off, you are still left with a classic.

 

When first entering Café Zoolu, don't be scared off by the neon pink sign or the cheetah-print chairs lining the bar, for you will soon come to appreciate these quirks. Although this restaurant may look like a cross between a Hawaiian tiki hut and an African jungle safari on acid, the place is packed and the food will keep you coming back.

Tucked away in Laguna Beach, off of Pacific Coast Highway and across from an unsightly Circle K, Café Zoolu is best known for its seafood dishes, and well, charm. What's most overlooked here, though, is the dessert menu. This is where the strawberry shortcake comes in, our pick for Dessert of the Week.

The pile of fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce and bits of chocolate hides delicious, homemade shortcake. Although the presentation makes up a large portion of the appeal of this dessert, those strawberries alone are worth the $8. Owner and chef Michael Leech makes the strawberry sauce himself, a simple puree of fresh strawberries mixed with sugar. Those strawberries, the key ingredient, are shipped to Café Zoolu from Driscoll's Strawberry Farm in Northern California.

Be sure to savor each bite of the dessert, for it will give you more time to analyze the décor of Café Zoolu. With very real, very dead blowfish turned into light fixtures, you may need to be there for a while.

​

The chocolate croissant bread pudding at Opah Restaurant & Bar in Irvine earns the honor of being our first Dessert of the Week pick. This delicious creation is served with a bourbon creme anglaise sauce that will blow your mind. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, fresh fruit and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Every bite of this dessert fills your mouth with warm, melting milk chocolate. The temperature contrast with the ice cream adds dimension, and there's even a bit of crunch from the croissant. Include a blackberry, strawberry or blueberry with each spoonful and your life will be complete. This bread pudding is moist without being that mushy, soggy mess that some restaurants have the nerve to pass off as bread pudding.

If your sweet tooth can handle it, pair this dessert with the creme brulee martini. Just don't ask about the calorie content--that will only ruin things. And if you want the best experience possible, request a table outside (even if you have to wait!) because nothing beats eating this dessert by the outdoor fireplace and bubbling fountain.

​Had a dinner party to attend Sunday night, but was in the Terra Incognita (at least to me) called Long Beach. We were in charge of dessert--what to do? Just drove down PCH and visited a place I hadn't entered in years: Sweet Jill's. They still have those massive, epic cinnamon rolls I recommended to Orange County Register sports genius Randy Youngman a couple of years ago in return for being a guest prognosticator in his Pickin' and Grinnin' column, but there was more. Classic cupcakes bigger than a Chihuahua's head (no mere simile here: there was a Chihuahua inside the store when we visited, and I compared). Big cookies. Some crazy thing made of peanut butter and chocolate chips that looked like a fritter.

But oh, the carrot cake sandwich. Imagine the cake part of the dessert, fluffier and sweeter. Take two slices, fuse with carrot cake frosting. I'm sure other bakeries make this, and they're fools if they don't: such an obvious winner. But don't be a pig: split in four, and share. Don't worry: each quarter will still hep you up for hours.

Sweet Jill's, 123 1/2 Main Street Seal Beach, (562) 598-3445.

​As we mentioned previously, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., participating locations will be handing out a complimentary sample of the delectable concoction that is 'Jack's Creation'.

All you need to do is make a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

So technically it's not a freebie, but it is for a good cause.

Enjoy!

​From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., participating locations will be handing out free 3oz samples of Jack's Creation, in exchange for a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.


The ice creamery is also selling paper "wishes" for $1 during the whole of September. Around 85 per cent of all donations for the entire month will go to the cause, which helps unwell kids' dreams come true (check out the heart-wrenching video on the website; I was blubbing within 30 seconds).


Jack's Creation, by the way, is a yummy-sounding concoction--consisting of sweet cream ice cream mixed with brownie, sprinkles and caramel--devised by a five-year-old Make A Wish kid named Jack.

Dig deep, people!

​So you didn't manage a vacation (or even a staycation) this summer? Try a taste of this froyo café's pineapple and coconut flavor. As you take your first spoonful, you're transported (mentally, at least) to a palm-fringed island--Antigua, perchance--the water lapping at your toes. You can almost hear the steel band in the background.

Admittedly, you do have to close your eyes and ears and ignore the heavy traffic just outside at the intersection of Bristol and Sunflower, but for just a few wonderful seconds you're lost.

And unlike virtually all other frozen yogurt flavors, this one actually tastes of what it's meant to (I swear, does every froyo joint get its flavors and toppings piped in from the same place? I can't tell the difference between any of them, nice as they generally are.)

Just one tip: Don't bother with garnishings, and don't get greedy and deposit too much in your cup. As with most good things in life, less is more. After a while it will get too sickly--much like those cocktails you could be sipping on the beach.

​Throughout September, as well as featuring goodies such as apple pie with a crumble topping and caramel apple cheesecake, the cupcakery (with a branch in Newport Beach) is offering a complimentary applesauce cupcake with cream cheese frosting for any students in pre-school through 6th grade who bring in an A-graded assignment. They can also enter a competition to win cupcakes for the whole class, which is bound to make them really popular, even with the snobs and bullies.

Now if that's not an incentive for the wee ones to ace that history test (or cheat if they don't), we don't know what is.

​For a short while the cupcakery was operating at both locations, but now the Aliso Viejo store is closed, as a few potential customers found out on Saturday when they pitched up there.

Still, if they're that loyal they won't mind the ten-minute drive to the new place...

Am I the only one who finds the Baskin-Robbins "Ice Cream and Cakey Cake" commercial strangely addictive?

From the terminally bonkers song, a snippet of "Ice Cream and Cake" by the Buckwheat Boyz (I'm not making this up), to the ridiculous plastic dinosaurs, the whole thing is hilarious.
 
And cheap. They must've had change left over from $100, considering the only "stars" are six ice cream cakes (from $9.99 each) and a bunch of plastic figures.

And in a world where ads are getting longer and increasingly overblown, the ad is refreshingly short and simple, down to the "Yay" tagline.

I'm not sure we'll remember the tune in six months' time, let alone six years, but it is pretty catchy, as evidenced by the legion of YouTube clips featuring people dancing to the song. Yes, dancing to the song. This one has four and a half stars! (who rates this stuff?):




And, now, for the full lyrics. The pedants among you will notice the words are actually "ice cream n cake n cake", not "ice cream and cakey cake", but it all sounds the same, really.

And you have to agree--they are without doubt the most ludicrous lyrics you'll ever see or hear. All together now: slip, slip slip an slide.

Update, August 13: But wait, there's more! Baskin-Robbins have clearly seen the hysteria over the ad, and are now offering people the chance to win a cool (forgive the pun) $10,000 by performing the official "Ice Cream & Cake" dance. CLICK HERE to see the page and for details on how to enter. It gets no better!!!!!

​I never thought anything could trump the ridiculously tasty cheese and chocolate combo, which I raved about a while back, but I stand corrected.

Bacon and chocolate isn't a new phenomenon, of course, but it's the classy versions I'm in love with, not the heart-attack-in-a-plastic-container that you can get at a certain food fair.


To be precise, my new obsession is Mo's Bacon Bar, just one of a number of choc/pig offerings from Vosges Haut-Chocolat. Founded by Le Cordon Bleu-trained Katrina Markoff, the company's candies focus on "exotic influences of an 'East meets West' theme."

Translation: Markoff has traveled the world and thrown a few ingredients she found into the mix. The Italian collection, for instance, features Taleggio cheese, balsamic vinegar and Tuscan fennel pollen.

Sadly, there are no Vosges boutiques (for they can not be mere "shops") anywhere near here. The closest is Vegas. But you can buy some of the products in CostPlus World Market (ooh, the glamour!) and online.

It's best to start with baby steps, as this really is love-it-or-hate-it stuff. I tried Mo's Bacon Bar, which contains applewood smoked bacon, alderwood smoked salt and "deep milk chocolate" (45 percent). It comes in its own box--as should anything that costs seven bucks(!)--which only adds to the allure. The chocolate is smooth, while the bacon bits and salt providing a smoky, salty, crunchy counterpoint. I loved it. My husband loathed it. Like I say, take it slow.

If you're intrigued enough to go online, be warned: Once you start delving, you might not be able to stop. Even the home page is evil, flaunting a bacon gift box (three words: Bacon. Caramel. Toffee).

So far, my shopping cart contains a bacon bar library (for my bedroom shelves, perhaps?), the bacon chocolate chip pancake mix and the cute flying chocolate pig.
 
Not clicking the "checkout" button takes all the willpower in the world, believe me. Then again, if shops are selling 2010 diaries already then it's officially not too early to start Christmas self-gifting, is it? IS IT?????
 
You have been warned.

Oh, yes, for some wonderful person once decreed that 30 July would be National Cheesecake Day.

Hurrah!

On that day, all day, all cheesecake slices (dine-in only) will be half off.

Rejoice!

At the same time, the CF is debuting its new flavor, "Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake", which won this year's "What's Your Flavor" Contest. It's named after Redondo Beach resident Stefanie Gaxiola, who came up with the recipe.

And, for the next 12 months, 25 cents from every sale of the delightful-looking concoction will be donated to Feeding America.

So as it's all for charity, it must be guilt free, right?

Right.

Unfortunately, though, it's not calorie free.

Yes, it's weird that the powers that be-in this case, Ronald Reagan-saw fit to declare a NICD during NICM (isn't every day of July NICD?) But I'm not complaining. Not when there are one-of-a-kind places like Quinn's, in Los Alamitos, to satisfy my urges. Open since March, the cute parlor sells Fosselman's ices, cupcakes from the Frosted Cupcakery in Long Beach and a huge range of old-fashioned and European candy (Flakes! Crunchies! Curly Wurlies!).

But if you're on a diet, forget it. Don't think you can get away with one scoop as your splurge for the day. Why not? Because one scoop turns out to be nearly a pint. Maybe they were just being super-generous on a really hot day, but it was almost too much. Especially if you want to let the frozen-solid stuff sit for a few minutes to melt a little: the tiny cups can't handle it.
 
Flavors--not the most inspiring in the world--include cookies 'n' cream, vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan, pistachio and a few low-fat options (which, in hindsight, might've been a wiser choice). And for a real time-travel treat, there are shakes, sundaes, floats and banana splits.

It's in a strip mall, of course, as the best establishments tend to be. Right by a Jenny Craig office, as irony would have it.

Or make that "Free Pastry Morning", seeing as you have to get there before 10.30 a.m.


You also have to buy a beverage--and take along a coupon (CLICK HERE)--but it's still a freebie, right?


This outburst of generosity is apparently to celebrate the fact that the coffee chain's baked goods are now free of artificial flavors, artificial dyes, artificial trans fats (*) and high-fructose corn syrup.

* According to Wikipedia, "Milk and meat from cows and other ruminants contains naturally occurring trans fats in small quantities." So there!

As part of the bakery's third birthday celebrations, golden tickets will be baked into ten cupcakes at all three locations, including Newport Beach. The lucky winners won't be handed the keys to the company, sadly, but they will get prizes such as specialty cakes, five dozen mini cupcakes, a dozen cupcakes and free attendance to a baking class.

All ten winners will be entered to win the grand prize: free annual membership to the cake-of-the-month plan, normally worth $600.

In addition, each branch will feature a day-long party with live DJs (!) and giveaways.

And as if further proof were needed that comfort food is booming during these uncertain economic times, SusieCakes is opening a fourth bakery in Manhattan Beach (not quite OC but almost), and will be throwing a "grand party" to mark the occasion, on Saturday July 25 from 10 a.m to 7 p.m.

Starbucks is giving away a total of 20,000 complimentary pints of its own-brand ice cream from now until July 19 (that's around 800 an hour). The catch? You have to be on Facebook, and you have to nominate a "Friend" to receive the coupon (redeemable at local grocery stores).

I've not tried the frozen treats yet, but the Caramel Macchiato sounds the best of the bunch (the others are Mocha Frappuccino, Java Chip Frappuccino and plain ol' Coffee).

But if you're out of luck when you visit the Facebook page, you can still fill out an online form for a coupon to get a dollar off. You can get the coupon even if you don't have an FB account: CLICK HERE.

A self-confessed ice cream addict, I love seeking out new varieties, especially during National Ice Cream Month (July). I'm lucky enough to live near Hans' Homemade Ice Cream in Santa Ana, which takes care of any cravings for the real deal, but if I'm struck by the midnight munchies, store-bought has to suffice.

Although I'm still annoyed with Häagen-Dazs for reducing the size of their pints, I have to put my hands up and acknowledge that their Fleur de Sel Caramel flavor, from their Reserve collection, is as good as it gets. Bonus: the name itself has a lovely ring to it, especially when pronounced with a faux French accent.

Salty caramel is an increasingly common trend--even Starbucks has a salted caramel hot chocolate--and it's not as weird as it sounds.

We're not talking bucketloads of salt here, just enough to contrast with the sweetness of the caramel.

In H-D's version, you get caramel ice cream with chunks of chocolate-covered caramels, and hints of Brittany sea salt in every mouthful. I honestly can't recall a better ice cream, whether artisan or mass-produced.

Try it, and tell me if I'm wrong.

According to its website, Mangiamo Gelato Caffe is opening in HB on 4 July, a few days later than planned. The ice creamery sounds like it has potential, offering 32 gelatos and sorbettos every day. And the story behind it is interesting too (the owner, Bob Hoxsie, is a former construction worker, so it sounds like he's following his dream).

But don't bet on the new date: I've tried calling and emailing numerous times, and haven't gotten a response. Maybe they're too busy putting the finishing touches to the café, but it would be nice to know they're opening for sure.

So, Mangiamo, if you're reading this, let us know: is Saturday the big day or not?

To celebrate the launch of two new flavors, coconut and passion fruit, Pinkberry stores are giving away a free small-sized portion--one per customer--tomorrow, Friday June 26, between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Fresh news toppings are also on the menu for summer: lychees, bing cherries (from the Pacific northwest, don't you know) and, in August and September, Valencia oranges.

Can't say I'll be going for the lychees, but they sure look pretty.

Admittedly, most people go to Scott's for the seafood. It's in the name, after all. But I had to wait right till the end of a meal there recently to be wowed. The dishes up to that point were good, just overpriced and underwhelming.

And then came those beignets. There's a reason they don't call them plain ole donuts. Imagine three of them on a plate, lightly dusted with sugar, interspersed with chopped strawberries and drizzled with strawberry sauce. Now imagine biting into them and finding cheesecake inside. Creamy cheesecake that contrasts with the hot batter, and melts in the mouth like ice cream. Sublime, and strangely not heavy or sickly. But definitely addictive--and, of course, you'll be fighting over the third one, trying (and failing) to split it equally.

This to-die-for trio normally costs $9, but sometimes also appears on the $ix til Six bar menu (which actually runs from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, Monday to Friday). It's not on there right now, but keep an eye out for it. Trust me: donut, beignet, whatever you want to call it--nothing will ever come close.

I'm not normally one to plug Whole Foods--love their grub, but it's way overpriced, to the extent that they once charged me 90 bucks for a chicken. Accidentally, admittedly, but the fact that I didn't realize until I got home is pretty telling.

But this upcoming event at the District at Tustin Legacy location not only involves pancakes, it's also for a good cause.

From 10:00am to noon on Saturday, June 20 (the day before Father's Day), Dan Byers of Daddy Cakes will be cooking and serving pancakes for dads and their families. As well as the 'cakes there will be eggs, sausage and bacon, coffee, milk and juices and a "pancake topping bar" (exciting!!)

The cost for the brunch is $5 for all non-dad guests, and all proceeds go to a local food bank. Reservations are required: call (714) 566-7650.

The Newport Beach-based company, founded by Byers and his brother Levi Silva just two years ago, has already built up a huge legions of fans. It's not the first pancake company to focus on family values, but it does have a USP when it comes to superior ingredients (real fruit, whole grains and organic flour).
 
Plus which, it has a refreshingly simple marketing slogan--"Our Batter Is Better"--and a cartoon. And not every company can say that.

For some bizarre reason, given my love of all things sweet, it somehow passed me by until right now that the first Friday of June every year is National Donut Day. Still, "better late than never" is my motto, so here's the deal(s), which run all day today at participating locations:

One free donut per customer at Krispy Kreme--no purchase necessary.

One free donut per customer at Dunkin' Donuts--with the purchase of any drink.

Job done!

Tastemaster Ray Karam, surely the luckiest bastard in the whole world (his job is to eat ice-cream all day long), has created two limited-edition flavors based on the gelatinous dessert pots. They're available from today through July 28 at all locations.

According to reports, "The new JELL-O pudding ice cream even resists melting, turning into pudding when left at room temperature." As if it will ever last that long, when both varieties sounding so good.

There's Butterscotch Velvet (Butterscotch JELL-O Pudding Ice Cream mixed with Butterfinger, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and Caramel) and Chocolate-y Goodness (Chocolate JELL-O Pudding Ice Cream mixed with Peanut Butter, Caramel and Fudge). Not sure about the "goodness" aspect, but that won't stop me trying it.

Good god, what will they think of next?

Note to Mr Karam: If you ever need an assistant, pick me!
 

In my neverending quest for good-quality budget chow, I thought I'd give the Greek café chain a shot. The $1 menu items were crying out to be sampled, and though I didn't hold out much hope ('how good can they be for a buck?' was my cynical approach), I was pleasantly surprised.

First, there's the lemon chicken soup: okay, it's only a dollar if you order an entrée too (otherwise it's $3.19)...

But was lovely: soothing, creamy and tangy, all at once. Perfect comfort food, especially for someone (like me) recovering from flu.

Next up, two dips, accompanied by warmed pita, which cleared the sinuses in one fell swoop. The chipotle hummus (this version's available for a limited time) was so moreish I wish I'd ordered a vat of it; the fire feta was hot and spicy thanks to the addition of chillis, and a far more interesting version of the gorgeous Greek cheese that's so hard to find in these parts. (Seriously, where can you get decent feta? Everything I've bought has been a pathetic, flavorless knock-off).

And to finish? Baklava so rich with honey it dripped down my chin. The pastry was crisp, the hint of cinnamon spot-on. Two were not enough!

So there you have it: four dishes for a dollar each--not enough for a big meal, admittedly, but easily a great-value snack or light lunch.

Other items on the menu seem overpriced. A veggie combo plate ($8.59) wasn't bad, the highlight being crunchy spanakopita (spinach pie). But the salad was dull, the rice blah. And it just wasn't worth the hefty tag. Which might explain why there were only two customers in the restaurant at peak dinner time.

If Daphne's could slash their prices and beef up their range of bargains, they'd surely be on to something.

The lovely peeps at the famed cupcakery are at it again. Sometimes their giveaways are limited to the first 25 or 50 customers, but others are more generous, such as today's (Thursday's).

Whispher "breakfast" before noon at any Sprinkles location and you'll get a complimentary cinnamon sugar cupcake.

And if it's free it also means there are no calories in it, right? Right?

While fast food chains, on the whole, seem to be weathering the recessionary storm, some upscale eateries are having to bite the bullet and cut back their hours.

Sage on the Coast is one recent casualty, shelving its lunchtime service on Mondays and Tuesdays.  

It's a shame, but thankfully its tasting menu is still available, albeit for fewer services (details below) than at sister restaurant Sage, where we recently sampled it.

The meal was memorable for its unintentionally hilarious waiter.

We asked him to explain the concept behind the small plates and larger plates concept (okay, it's not brain surgery, but we figured we'd get his take on it anyway).

His response? "We tried starters and mains, but there just wasn't the demand for it."

Say again?

He also had us flummoxed when we ordered the Brussels sprouts with bacon. He commented: "That's a first".

Huh? No one's ever ordered them before? Then when he brought them out he added "That's the last of those".

What? They'd only bought one serving's worth?

Insanity!!

Still, amusing service aside, there were some standout dishes, such as a flavorsome tortilla soup, a slab of salmon atop strikingly fresh fava beans and a delectable honey walnut cake with vanilla anglaise.

Chef Rich Mead, in charge of the kitchens at both locations, is a well-known local advocate of fresh, seasonal ingredients, and his insistence on the use of top-quality ingredients is evident, in particular on the tasting menu.

Mead is picky about where he buys his produce; for this lipsmacking, seasonal dessert he gets his blueberries from Pudwill Farm, Nipomo, and the Meyer lemons from Schaner Family Farm in Valley Center.

It's not always on the menu, which is even more reason to make it yourself.

Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding

Serves eight.

3 1/2 cups Half & Half
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of 5 lemons (preferably Meyer)
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons lemon liqueur (optional)

Whisk together all of the above.

Then take one loaf of Hawaiian bread, cubed. Add to the liquid mixture, let soak for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 
Then take one pint (basket) of blueberries, add to the bread/liquid mixture, and pour into an eight-inch by eight-inch pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 350 degrees until set (30-45 minutes). Chill completely before cutting.

For the blueberry sauce, combine one pint (basket) blueberries, 1/3 cup powdered sugar and two tablespoons of water in a pot. Simmer until the berries break down and a sauce forms.  While still warm, taste and add more powdered sugar or lemon juice to taste.

Pour over the cold pudding and serve.

Sage: Lunch tasting menu Monday to Friday; $16 per person. Dinner tasting menu Monday to Saturday; $35 per person, no wine pairing.
  Sage at the Coast: Lunch tasting menu Wednesday to Friday; $18 per person. Dinner tasting menu Monday to Thursday; $35 per person, or $45 with wine pairings.



 

I was delighted to discover that an official food holiday falls on my birthday--tomorrow, May 20.

No, not National Fettucine Alfredo Day, National Cream-Filled Donut Day, or National Onion Rings Day--yes, they're all real!--but Pick Strawberries Day.

It is, of course, peak season for the fruit right now (indeed, May is National Strawberry Month). Locally grown strawbs are available everywhere, with some of the plumpest, juiciest specimens being sold at the farmers' markets.

But if you really want to celebrate tomorrow by getting down 'n' dirty and picking your own, head to Tanaka Farms, an organic, family-owned farm that runs strawberry-picking tours.

Bookings are required for weekday tours (Tuesday to Friday) as times vary, but at weekends they're held regularly (reservations only necessary for groups of ten or more), at 9.30am, 11:00am, 1:00pm and 2:30pm.

If that sounds too much like hard work, stop by anyway and pick up something from Tanaka's onsite produce stand.

And what's coming up on Thursday? National Strawberries and Cream Day, of course!
 
Tanaka Farms, 5380 3/4 University Dr., Irvine, (949) 653-2100/reservations (714) 968-6588. Tours cost $13 (free for children aged 2 and under).

Yes, you read that right.

Say the word "Candace" at any Sprinkles location and you'll get a free dark choc cupcake in honor of the bakery's founder, Candace Nelson, whose birthday it is today.

Hey, Candace, my birthday's coming up in a couple of weeks' time--what do I get?

Sprinkles, Corona del Mar Plaza, 944 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach, (949) 760-0003.

 

 

Update, Tuesday May 12: Whisper "chocolate peanut butter" and you get exactly that: a dark chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting and chocolate sprinkles.

Note to Sprinkles: Please open at South Coast Plaza. Please!!!!!