Local Faire...

So while I was writing up my last travel blog I realized many of you may actually live in the OC so I should post some yummies you can go to for lunch or a dinner maybe... I gathered a few of my favorites to share so here they are in no particular order:

I just had a fantastic dinner at a hole in the wall pool hall. Yes thats right 5 star food at none other than The Rio Vista! Their chef works 2 jobs. He works at Rembrandt's ( fancy shmancy) and when he thought they were closing he got a job at the Rio and now he does both. We had the best prime rib ever tonight! It was tender and flavorful and not all raw in the middle, but I am getting ahead of myself. I should start with the reason we went there to begin with, their shrimp ceviche. This dish is crazy good with their crispy fresh made chips. For me it has just the right amout of acid and tang with not too much salt. The chef also puts in half a perfect avocado sliced so you get a playful array of textures in your mouth. Now back to the prime rib, it came with broccoli, baked potato and garlic toast. I have never had broccoli that has flavor like this it was perfectly cooked, not crunchy yet not mushy. The twice baked potato had perfect savoryness and texture cut in half and baked again creating a slight flavor crust development on top.

My long time favorite in Orange is Rutabegorz, it has got to be the best salad, vegetarian and healthy option locally. I absolutely adore all their food. They make their food with fresh ingredients from scratch. The salads come in a giant mixing bowl and the dressings are sooo good. Besides the best salads ever (not that you need anything after one of their salads) they serve so many delicious dishes. They have a fantastic veggie lasagna and a to die for Mexican casserole. They have burritos, enchiladas, pastas, stews, sandwiches, tacos, stuffed mushrooms, and much more. They have yummy fresh juices (veggie and fruit) along with many other beverages. My favorite beverage when its cool is the cherry cider. Everything Ive tried Ive loved and there is still lots to sample. Go and find your favorite, you will love it! For your convenience and taste pleasure they have 3 locations: Fullerton, Tustin, and Orange.