Baskin - Robbins Soft Serve
Yesterday I read on Fast Food Maven that Baskin-Robbins was going to start serving soft serve ice cream and that some Orange County locations were already swirling up cones. Unfortunately for us the Baskin-Robbins located on Tustin Ave. in Orange was not yet selling their swirled goodness. The machine was there but it wasn’t hooked up and running. So we will have to wait to try out their new dessert.
Islands - Orange
I always enjoy going to Islands. In my opinion they have some of the best sit down restaurant chain hamburgers around. Heck I usually order mine a gardenburger because they have really great flavor and honestly once you get a bunch of stuff on the burger the meat is just filler that adds some consistency to the burger. And then you have to get their french fries along with some BBQ sauce to complete the meal. But today isn’t about burgers it’s about their other main item on the menu…. TACOS!
Last Friday night Kelly and I didn’t feel like cooking dinner and she suggested Islands because she wanted some of their Northshore tacos. So we got there around 7:00 PM and the hostess notified us it was bout to be about a 15 minute wait, so we went to the bar to get ourselves some refreshing beverages. Kelly ordered a strawberry daiquiri which was made to order by the bartended and she thought was good, with just enough alcohol taste to it. I ordered a Kona Brewing Company Pipeline Porter, which was a coffee infused porter that I was extremely impressed with. It was dark but wasn’t really bitter at all, it sort of tasted like an iced coffee with some beer added to it. I was so enthralled in the porter I ordered another one for my dinner.
After about 15 minutes our name was called and we were seated and we quickly ordered since we already knew what we were going to get. Northshore tacos for Kelly and Island Fish tacos for me, and we also both ordered guacamole on the side. After about 10 minutes our tacos came out, three each piled high with just the right amount of meat and the appropriate fixings for the tacos we ordered. The Northshore comes with spicy chicken topped with lettuce and cheese, served with some salsa on the side. Kelly didn’t want the salsa so I used it. My Island fish tacos had a nice sized piece of fried fish, topped with cilantro, some type of white sauce, and cabbage. The guacamole is ok, it’s not the best I’ve had, I’m not sure if it’s fresh or packaged, but it does the job. They make great fish tacos, probably one of my top five on my best fish taco list (as you will find out I love me fish tacos, it’s my go to meal when I’m in stuck on what to order). With a total of three tacos each we were stuffed once we finished out meal. But they are too good not to eat them all!
The restaurant was clean and it’s your typical Islands look, sort of dark, but nice bright lights on your table. Our waitress was nice and checked it on us a couple times to make sure everything was fine.
Lastly, is this cutting edge culinary perfection? No it isn’t. But it is a chain restaurant that does a good job at what they do.
Rating: 
Visit 04/04/08
Islands
550 N Tustin St
Orange, CA 92867
(714) 997-4085
The Auld Irisher - Orange
Had a great time tonight with Kelly and my parents here. We had already gone to the Auld Dubliner over in Tustin (review will eventually be posted) so we decided we’d check the Irisher out as well. They pretty much are the same, in fact the same group appear to own the franchise, these two just have different owners.
We started our night off with some drinks, I had a terrific Belgium White Beer called Hoegaarden which was very light and tasty. Kelly had a Magners Irish Cider which she didn’t care for, so I had to drink it, and my parents just some normal mixed type drinks.
Our food was delivered quickly, I would say it took about 10 minutes for our meals to arrive. My parents both got Fish and Chips which they both agreed were good. The fish was a pretty good amount and looked like it was freshly battered fish. Kelly got a traditional Irish meal of Rasher and Boxty, which is a type of Irish Bacon folded inside a potato pancake with cheddar cheese on top. She liked it although the rasher is pretty salty to have so much of. I settled with a traditional Irish American dish of Corned Beef and Cabbage. The corned beef had great flavor it was thinly cut and had just a touch of a Irish cream sauce on it that enhanced the flavor, especially when I mixed in some cabbage with my forkful.
Our waiter was real nice and came by our table a number of times to check on us. I was impressed especially since the place was so busy because there was a Anaheim Ducks game down the street at the Honda Center.
Sure the place isn’t a “real” Irish pub, heck it’s not even one of the touristy trap Irish pubs they have in Ireland, but it’s a nice place to go and hang out with some friends and have a couple Pints (20 ounce Imperial Pints, might I add!) of your favorite kool-aid.
Rating:
Auld Irisher
1547 Katella
Orange, CA 92867
(714) 240-5505
Mustard Cafe - Orange
I’m in love with Mustard Cafe’s Pastrami Reuben. As I’ve mentioned in other reviews of sandwich shops, I am a sandwich machine, I could live on sandwiches alone. I usually rate my sandwich places on two types of sandwich, one; your basic turkey, cheese, and maybe something else (bacon/avocado), and two; their pastrami reuben.
When it comes to Pastrami Reubens, Mustard takes the sandwich! The toast the inside of the bread and then it’s a loaded with premium pastrami and just the right amount of swiss cheese and kraut to compliment it. They then put the most amazing tasting special “reuben sauce” that is some sort of addictive mustard which dances in my mount with every bite.
Other sandwiches I’ve encountered on my visits have been good as well.
My only knock is that the price is kind of high for just a sandwich. 9 bucks just for the sandwich makes me only go there when I’m really craving the ’strami. It really should be priced at around 7-7.50, but that’s just my opinion, and I’m only a sandwich connoisseur, it’s not like I own a sandwich shop or anything.
Rating:
Mustard Cafe
190 S Glassell Street
Orange, CA 92866
(714) 288-1404
Tummy Stuffer - Orange
I love sandwiches. In fact if you asked my wife she would probably call me a sandwich connoisseur. I can’t have enough sandwiches, and when I used to eat out for lunch every day (before I got married, of course) I would haunt all the sandwich shops that circle the Orange Circle (and by circle I mean are within a 2-3 mile radius!).
I’ve been to three different Tummy Stuffers in the area, three Togo’s (one that no longer exists), Two’s Company, Mustards, Hollingshead, and others that I can’t remember the name of. But this Tummy Stuffer is just average. They don’t seem to have as good of taste as most the other places I would frequent. Plus they recently completely changed their menu and appeared to have upped their prices. Good luck finding seats during the lunch hour rush, since they tend to get packed, and it usually looks sort of dirty whenever I’ve visited.
I haven’t been impressed with the quality of the bread, meat, and produce.
If you need and sandwich, it’s worth the stop, but if you if you want something a little better, there are other places just around the corner that I’d suggest. Heck you are better off changing your mind and having mexican at Arriba Grill, they kick ass.
Rating:
Tummy Stuffer
745 S Main St
Orange, CA 92868
(714) 541-8486
Chipotle Mexican Grill - Orange
I love this place. I’ve only gone there three times, but it’s just so good every time. My last visit I got the hard taco plate, you get 4 hard tacos with whatever meat you want on each, it’s a great way to find out what meats and seasonings appeal to your palate. Service is pretty lightning fast every time I’ve gone since they move you along an assembly line it’s only as slow as the slowest person ordering in front of you.
Rating:
Chipotle Mexican Grill
2202 N Tustin St
Orange, CA 92865
(714) 283-5010
Johnny Rebs’ - Orange
This is one of our favorite places to go for breakfast. They have a great selection of breakfast to choose from and so far we have never been disappointed. My wife loves the sausage biscuit sandwich, which is made with a delicious homemade style sausage and probably the best biscuit you can get in any restaurant in Orange County. I always get something different every time we go there. Last time I got eggs and bacon.
As for dinner they serve some great BBQ. It’s been awhile since I’ve gone there for dinner but I’ve had a couple different dinners and all of them were great. One of my favorites is their sweet potato fries! They are so tasty and sweet and a delicious alternative to having regular old french fries.
Rating:
Johnny Rebs’
2940 E. Chapman Avenue
Orange, CA 92869
(714) 633-3369
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