@foodagrammer

Heritage has a Michelin Bib Gourmand and was a James Beard Foundation finalist, so I finally made my way down to San Juan Capistrano to see what the hype was about. I got lucky because it wasn’t that busy when I went, but parking right around the restaurant is limited. I parked farther down the street and walked over. They’re open Wednesday–Sunday from 11–7, but they can sell out, so earlier is probably the move if there’s something specific you want. Texas has completely ruined my barbecue standards. Where should I go next? 📍 Heritage Barbecue // 31721 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 #heritagebarbecue #sanjuancapistrano #ocfood #orangecountyfood #barbecue

Okay, I finally understand why this one keeps ending up all over my feed. They have a pretty big selection beyond bánh mì too, so I definitely got distracted looking around before remembering why I came. For the King Banh Mi regulars — what else am I supposed to try here? 📍 King Banh Mi // 9296 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683 #kingbanhmi #banhmi #westminsterca #vietfood #foodagrammer

Came in for the bánh xèo tacos, got sold on the whole tower because… mimosas. And look at it. We also randomly added the chili crab pasta because I forgot what it was called until I looked at the menu again. Their menu is HUGE and kind of all over the place in the best way — snails, noodles, rice, porridge, coffee, sugar cane, smoothies, desserts and more. 📍 Pink10 // 9741 Bolsa Ave Ste 101, Westminster, CA 92683 #pink10 #westminsterca #vietnamesebrunch #orangecountyfood #foodagrammer

The rotating flavors are what keep getting me back in here. There’s usually something different mixed in with the regulars, and this time I caught the limited-time mole along with the fig and Killer B. Getting here right at opening might be the move if you want the full selection before the crowd shows up. And apparently 11 AM isn’t too early for an apricot beer. 📍 Sugo // Costa Mesa, CA What slice are you grabbing first? #Sugo #CostaMesa #OrangeCountyEats #Pizza #Foodagrammer

Tastea’s throwback pricing continues all week from 3–8 PM at participating locations: 9/16 — Thai Milk Tea $2.25 9/17 — Strawberry Ecsteasy $2.45 9/18 — Bootea Shaker $2.45 9/19 — Free Honey Boba 9/20 — $2.50 off Specialteas & Milk Teas Limit 1 featured drink per order, per day. Restrictions may apply. 📍 Tastea // participating locations Which one are you going for? #Tastea #Tastea25 #Boba #BobaDeals #Foodagrammer @Tastea

Note to self: those viral waves crashing against the windows happen during high tide, and they have special seatings for it. We didn't book one, but still got an amazing window view for sunset. Parking can be a pain since it's tucked into a neighborhood, so give yourself extra time. We stayed nearby and walked over. 📍 The Marine Room // 1950 Spindrift Dr, La Jolla, CA 92037 Sunset or high tide—which would you book? #TheMarineRoom #LaJolla #SanDiegoEats #SanDiegoFood #Foodagrammer @The Marine Room

Apparently there’s another ice beer spot — this one in Downtown Fullerton. It’s in the plaza by The Old Spaghetti Factory and Hopscotch, so parking can get rough when it’s busy. Kids are allowed earlier, but there’s a 21+ cutoff later at night, so keep that in mind if you’re going with family. Did you know there was another ice beer spot around here? 📍 Yeokjeon Halmaek // 100 S Harbor Blvd Ste D, Fullerton, CA 92832 #YeokjeonHalmaek #DowntownFullerton #FullertonEats #KoreanFood #IceBeer

FYI: the Huntington Beach location isn’t even listed on Smoking Tiger’s website yet. I was told the Double Matcha and Coconut Matcha are exclusives here. Also, look around before you order because I completely missed a whole cabinet of sweets, including black sesame mochi. There’s a lot more than I realized, so maybe bring a friend and divide and conquer. And Northern Cafe just had its grand opening next door, so there’s another reason to check out this plaza. What would you grab first? 📍 Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab // 16622 Beach Blvd, Unit 102 N, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 #SmokingTiger #HuntingtonBeachEats #OrangeCountyEats #OCFoodies #Foodagrammer

A little FYI before you make the drive: Chamon is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and on open days they take a break from 3–5 PM. And yes, it’s negitoro. Don’t come for me, I said it wrong the entire video. If you’re eyeing the grab-and-go hand rolls, check them out when you first walk in instead of waiting until you’re leaving. Now I know for next time. 📍 Chamon // 5020 W Spring Mountain Rd Ste 6, Las Vegas, NV 89146 #Chamon #Negitoro #LasVegasEats #ChinatownVegas #Foodagrammer

Shoutout to @HungryInLA for finally getting me to stop at a truck I’ve probably driven past a million times. I actually trust this man’s taste, so when he came all the way down here talking about these tacos, I figured I should probably listen. Glad I did. The Playa Baby Truck is a husband-and-wife operation running out of a converted school bus in the Walmart parking lot. Their currently listed hours are Thursday–Friday 11 AM–11 PM and Saturday–Sunday 10 AM–11 PM, so check before making the trip. What’s one food spot you kept passing until somebody finally convinced you to stop? 📍 The Playa Baby Truck // 13331 Beach Blvd, Westminster, CA 92683 #PlayaBaby #WestminsterEats #FishTacos #OrangeCountyEats #Foodagrammer

I’ve been to plenty of 99 Ranch locations, but I wasn’t expecting this smaller one to have this much going on inside. 99 Asian Gourmet Kitchen is exactly why I still wander through supermarket food counters even when I’m not grocery shopping. There are a LOT of choices here, so what are you picking first? 📍 99 Asian Gourmet Kitchen at 99 Ranch Market // 17713 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701 #99AsianGourmetKitchen #99RanchMarket #ArtesiaEats #CheapEats #Foodagrammer

First, I have to correct myself because I said his name wrong in the video — it’s Little Fat Boy Frankie. I’ve been following @littlefatboyfrankie for a while and watching his creative process, so seeing one of his designs actually come to life like this was pretty damn cool. The concept mixes the nostalgia of old-school American popcorn boxes with Asian snack packaging, right down to turning the Panda into a Chinese American cowboy. Very fitting for something that immediately takes me back to boba shop + popcorn chicken days. If you’re trying to get one, Panda Express has a finder showing the participating locations. USE IT. Save yourself from calling a bunch of stores like I did asking about popcorn chicken while they have no idea what you’re talking about. Limited locations + while supplies last. 📍 Panda Express // 2120 E Florence Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90255 #PandaExpress #LittleFatBoyFrankie #TaiwanesePopcornChicken #LosAngelesEats #Foodagrammer @Frankie Gaw @PandaExpressOfficial

@OakStrEATZ23 My nephew put me onto this one. He plays football and apparently the football kids know where the food is because Oak StrEATS 23 has been running this whole operation out of the neighborhood. Definitely order ahead because everything is made to order and wait times can vary. Portions are no joke either. We picked ours up and literally drove down the street because there was no way we were waiting until we got home to eat it. Also, cash only. Now that my nephew gave me the plug, what should I order next time? 📍 Oak StrEATS 23 Kitchen // 1501 S Oak St, Santa Ana, CA 92707 #OakStrEATS23 #SantaAnaEats #OrangeCountyEats #OCEats #Foodagrammer

They do take cards, but there’s a sign letting you know cash is preferred. Cash is king, I guess. If you’ve been here, what should I order next time? 📍 Rocco’s NY Pizza & Pasta // 580 E Windmill Ln, Las Vegas, NV 89123 #RoccosNYPizza #LasVegasEats #VegasPizza #VegasFood #Foodagrammer

It looks like this little spot is run by a couple, and I love seeing small businesses like this still doing their thing. They’re open 10 AM–8 PM and closed on U.S. holidays. If you’ve been coming here for a while, tell me what I need to order next because that menu is way bigger than I expected. 📍 Just Hot Dogs – Chicago Style // 15223 Beach Blvd, Westminster, CA 92683 #JustHotDogs #WestminsterEats #ChicagoHotDogs #OrangeCountyEats #Foodagrammer

INS Ice Beer is inside The Source and is definitely more of an adults-only hangout — no kids allowed. It’s a Korean spot built around ridiculously cold beer, but they also have a full food menu, so it works for actually hanging out instead of just stopping in for a drink. Okay but how fast do you actually have to drink this before it gets warm? Has anyone timed it? Because how? 📍 INS Ice Beer // 6982 Beach Blvd, Ste C-1118, Buena Park, CA 90621 #INSIceBeer #BuenaParkEats #TheSourceOC #KoreanFood #Foodagrammer

This little area in Torrance is such a good Japanese food find. There’s a Japanese market in the plaza, plus Japanese sweets, shops and a bunch of other places around here I still want to try. Red Rock was the choice this time, but I definitely need to come back and explore more of the area. And if you get the roast beef don, add the egg. Trust me. What else around this plaza should I try next? 📍 Red Rock-Torrance // 2141 W 182nd St, Torrance, CA 90504 #RedRockTorrance #TorranceEats #JapaneseFood #SouthBayEats #Foodagrammer

I always see the family in here working whenever I stop by, so this is one of those small businesses I’m happy to keep supporting. Now I need someone who actually knows how to properly break down a whole catfish because I know I’m leaving way too much meat behind. Taking volunteers. Also, I need to know who has actually ordered the 4XL. How many people did it feed?! 📍 Nam Giao Restaurant // 10145 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843 #NamGiao #GardenGroveEats #VietnameseFood #Catfish #Foodagrammer

If you’ve been wanting to try Rainbow Cone, Happy Hour definitely helps with the decision fatigue. From 3–5 PM they have select flavors available at a discount. And when they say “Baby,” they literally mean it — that’s actually the name of their smallest size. I went with the Small because the Baby doesn’t get the signature stack. 📍 The Original Rainbow Cone // 9527 Valley View St, Cypress, CA 90630 #RainbowCone #CypressEats #OCFoodie #IceCream #Foodagrammer

They used to be a taco stand and now they’ve upgraded to a truck. Same spot, just a little glow up. My usual order here is the tripas extra crispy, but this time I kept it simple with three asada tacos. You’ll find the white truck outside Bank of America near Magnolia and Bolsa. 📍 Tacos El May // 15002 Neece St, Westminster, CA 92683 #TacosElMay #WestminsterEats #OCTacos #OrangeCountyEats #Foodagrammer

Apparently I need to keep a closer eye on Kura because I had no idea they did deals like this. The Trio promo is over now, but Kura, how do I get on the list for the next one? Hook me up. And pro tip: if you didn’t know about the light rice option either, now you do. This might be the only way I’m ordering from now on. Did you already know about light rice or am I late? 📍 Kura Revolving Sushi Bar // 13826 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove, CA 92843 #KuraSushi #GardenGroveEats #OCSushi #OrangeCountyEats #Foodagrammer

Ramen Nagi has rotating limited ramen specials, and this time it was duck ramen. It wasn’t listed on the regular menu when I went, so I had to ask for it. If you’re planning a visit, keep in mind they close between lunch and dinner from 2:30–5 PM. For easier parking, use the structure on the Crystal Court side near West Elm and Williams Sonoma. The restaurant has an exterior entrance right there. 📍 Ramen Nagi // 3333 Bear St, Ste 151, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 #RamenNagi #CostaMesaEats #OCRamen #OrangeCountyEats #Foodagrammer

Every location is a little different, so when I heard there was one in Brea, I had to check it out and see what they were doing differently. Definitely a lot of options here beyond just the meat, and a few things I haven’t really seen at other AYCE spots before. Come hungry. There’s a lot to get through. 📍 Wagyu Factory // 120 S Brea Blvd #1, Brea, CA 92821 #WagyuFactory #BreaEats #AYCE #Wagyu

The “mini bowls” are definitely not that mini 😂 I didn’t get a good shot of the actual robots, but if you go, look toward the back — you can see the robot woks doing their thing. Kinda cool knowing that’s what’s making everything. I originally went all the way to Burbank to try this, so finding out they’re opening in Lake Forest is much more convenient for me. Maybe now I’ll actually go back and work my way through more of the menu. Lake Forest soft opening: Sept 4–18, 11am–9pm. 📍 Tigawok Burbank // 132 E Palm Ave, Burbank, CA 91502 📍 NEW Lake Forest // 23622 Rockfield Blvd, Unit 703, Lake Forest, CA 92630 #Tigawok #LakeForestEats #OCFoodie #ChineseFood #RobotCooking

Two burgers and a drink for $1.74. We’re definitely not complaining about that. The wait was a little crazy, but for 80¢ burgers, it was worth it. Had to take advantage of Irv’s one-day birthday deal — especially since it happened to fall on my birthday too. 📍 Irv’s Burgers // 3663 S Las Vegas Blvd, Unit G008, Las Vegas, NV 89109 #IrvsBurgers #VegasEats #LasVegasFood #BurgerDeal #Foodagrammer

Okay, so apparently my friend is right about me and my supermarket gems. What I didn’t know when I went: the chef behind Big Dan Xi’an Taste earned James Beard recognition for his handmade noodles. Really reasonable prices for the quality, too. Also, only TODAY did I find out the guy who gave me his recommendations was Big Dan himself LOL. I distinctly remember looking at him and thinking, damn, he’s tall. Apparently 6’7” tall. And honestly, having this inside a supermarket was convenient because I got to shop while I waited AND finally found those viral boat noodles I’ve been looking for everywhere. If you know, you know. I grabbed a whole box, so I’ll be passing them out to my friends like Santa now. Noodles on noodles. Win-win. What other supermarket gems am I missing? #BigDanXianTaste #HandPulledNoodles #VegasEats #LasVegasFood #Foodagrammer

A friend put me onto Pho Song Hai YEARS ago, and he knows food. It’s been that long since I’ve been back, but I remembered this place being bomb. This is one of those spots you kind of just have to know about. You come here for the chicken, and they’re known to sell out early. We got there around 10:30 AM and the leg was already a 20-minute wait, so we went with the breast and wing instead. Still good after all these years. She went straight into a food coma after. Maybe I need to start a chicken series. What chicken spot should I try next? 📍 Pho Song Hai // 9033 McFadden St, Westminster, CA 92683 #foodagrammer #HaiNamChicken #LittleSaigon #WestminsterCA #VietnameseFood

Japan is always finding new ways to confuse us with food. These flat udon noodles went viral in Japan, and when I was there the lines were insane, so of course I had to try them when they made their way to OC. They look cool, but actually trying to pick them up and eat them was a struggle. We eventually went with the rolling method and made it work. And technically, this isn’t the first flat udon in Orange County. Anyone know where the first spot is? 📍 Tsurukawa Udon // 2427 Park Ave, Ste S003H, Tustin, CA 92782 #TsurukawaUdon #TustinEats #OrangeCountyEats #Udon #Foodagrammer

If you’re into hand rolls, this spot specializes in them, with a few other things on the menu if you want to switch it up. 📍 Seaweed Hand Roll Bar // 318 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203 #SeaweedHandRollBar #GlendaleEats #GlendaleFood #HandRolls #Foodagrammer

What I ordered — one piece of each: — Bluefin Tuna — Salmon Belly — Yellowtail Belly — Mackerel — Japanese Jack — Red Snapper — Amberjack — Uni — A5 Wagyu — Jumbo Scallop — Fatty Tuna Toro — Golden Eye Snapper — Sweet Shrimp — Miso Salmon Pro tip — if you’re coming in close to last call like I did, order everything at once and ask for the check early. I was in and out in about 30 minutes without keeping them there any longer than necessary. So… what’s your guess? 👀 📍 Sushi District // 488 E 17th St B105, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 #SushiDistrict #CostaMesaEats #OCFoodie #OCSushi #OrangeCountyEats