We kept hearing the name - The Smoking Ribs - and how it was a prime spot to find barbecue to knock one's socks off. Followed quickly by those sentiments was also the footnote on how the restaurant was not somewhere one would expect to find a tasty joint in Orange County; The Smoking Ribs (or as they emphasize it, the smoKING ribs) is in Garden Grove. Interesting. In a land of phở and bánh mì, why would a smoked meat kingdom try to establish grounds? Having grown up in Garden Grove, I was curious where the restaurant was located and surprised to see it just down the street; after driving around the plaza, it became obvious that what once stood in these suites were being taken over by the needs of the modern. It looks like The Smoking Ribs is one of those pioneer takeovers!


To ensure a full spread, we were not the only two dining that early afternoon. Our table of four made sure that we would be able to try just about everything on the simple menu so that we could experience the full range that the restaurant had to offer. The dining area was simple with some tables made of dark lacquered wood and the bar made of red brick. The majority of the space inside was dedicated to the smoker though which is only to be expected of a barbecue joint. After sitting down, we began our meal with the raved-about Blueberry Cornbread ($4). They were hearty but perhaps their rarity in Orange County led to the mass accolades; we found them fair but not extraordinary but then again, I tend to favor coarser grit cornbread like that made in the South.


Now I wasn't kidding about getting the full spread. With four people choosing main entrees, you can easily catch the entire array of their side offerings. We ordered the:

• Pulled Pork ($13) with Onion Rings and Corn on the Cob
• Angus Beef Short Rib ($24) with Smoked Beans and Coleslaw
• Angus Beef Brisket ($21) with Mac & Cheese and Mashed Potatoes
• Beef Ribs ($35) with French Fries and Twice-Baked Potatoes

The Smoking Ribs is a fine place to explore a range of barbecue even if you wouldn't expect to find it at its place at 14211 Euclid St, # D, Garden Grove, CA 92843. Perhaps I am biased, having spent a few years in North Carolina where barbecue is part of life out there, so I wouldn't give this restaurant an enthusiastic two thumbs up. However, you can still snag a bit of the smoked meat flair here with plenty of rocking sides to go with it!

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook here.

In the late afternoon and early evening of October 23, 2016, more than 100 people gathered at the beautiful Sherman Library & Gardens in Corona del Mar for The Gray Event, a fundraising reception and dinner conducted to raise donations for the Save Elephants Foundation. This lively event was hosted by Chef Pascal Olhats and featured guests Cathy Thomas and Sangdeaun Lek Chailert for a four-course dinner, cooking demonstration, and information about the amazing work the Thailand-based foundation is doing for elephants. At $100 per ticket for the reception and $250 per ticket for the reception and dinner, the fundraiser attracted plenty of supporters around Orange County who wanted to contribute to the conservation cause and did so to the tune over over $25,000 raised from ticket sales and auction items.


Not only was there support for the organization for what it does but there was also much support that evening for Chef Olhats as this pet project fundraiser was entirely motivated by a personal trip and put together by a dedicated committee looking to help - a true effort of community action. After an ecotourism vacation in Chang Mai, Thailand, Chef Olhats and his wife were inspired by what they had seen at the Elephant Nature Park held by the Save Elephants Foundation. The elephants there being saved had been abused and mistreated in the past for entertainment and other purposes; this was a way to support the mission of the restoration park.

The Gray Event was supported by plenty of sponsors including Melissa's Produce, Newport Meat Company, Superior Seafood, Thai District Restaurant, Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, Sweet Charity Cookie Company, Signature Party Rentals, Bow & Arrow Public Relations, and more, all of whom were showing their support for a locally-driven effort to contribute to the global community.


During the reception, hors d'oeuvres were prepared by Chef Ty Theara and Andre Angles, owners of Thai District Restaurant in Long Beach; seasonal vegetable potstickers, Thai cucumber salad, vegetarian green onion spring rolls, chicken satay, and lemongrass curry were tray-passed amidst a bustling crowd of eager attendees. A signature cocktail was available at the bar, and plenty of participants took advantage of the photo wall with a backdrop of a photograph of an elephant from the Nature Park. The Save Elephants Foundation (SEF) is a Thai non-profit founded by Sangdeaun Lek Chailert with a mission to provide care and assistance to Thailand’s captive elephant population.


Guests were regaled with performances by several Thai dancing groups and musicians throughout before proceeding with dinner. The multicolored tables were decorated with elephant-themed items and descriptions of each unique animal at the nature park in Thailand. Dinner attendees enjoyed a beautiful menu composed of Thai Tom Yum Soup with Rock Shrimp, Somtam Green Papaya Salad, Red Curry with Kabocha Pumpkin & Tofu, Green Curry with Thai Eggplant & Bamboo Shoot topped with Thai Beef Skewers, and Coconut Milk Sticky Rice with Fresh Mangos along with a cooking demonstration by Chef Olhats and Cathy Thomas, using recipes from Lek Chailert's own cookbook.


Silent auction and live auction proceeds grew the funds raised that night even higher, and all for the sake of SEF. It was heartening to see the amount of support out on the 23rd, and perhaps The Gray Event will become an annual occasion to band together to save the elephants.

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available at Facebook here.

As health-conscious as more and more people are becoming, they might not always find choices readily available to them to match a healthful, balanced lifestyle when they wish to dine out. Those with dietary restrictions who find it difficult to enjoy themselves when going out with friends may balk at the options thrown their way. After all, who wants dinner to consist of only an entree-sized "house salad" doused in Ranch dressing as the vegetarian option?

To bring in a wholesome food choice that is delicious and varied in menu while also being respectful of different dietary needs, Anita Allison and Joulia Kallah put their heads together for years and eventually opened the doors to Green2Go in Brea in 2012. They "took everything Americans love to eat like McDonald's (burgers), Taco Bell (tacos), and more" and made similar dishes in the healthiest, cleanest ways possible. That includes making all sauces in-house as well as ensuring they are organic and gluten-free. We sat down with Anita to learn more and were genuinely pleased at what we were able to taste - real food.

"We try to create the healthiest, most delicious, and cleanest food here. For example, our guacamole is only avocado, salt, pepper, and cilantro."

The menu at Green2Go keeps a regular mainstay of favorites while specials are announced on social media and shared with guests during their orders. This way, the restaurant is able to maintain their clean food options for all of the guests that actually come due to difficulty finding eateries that can cater to their dietary restrictions while also ensuring that if you fell in love with something your first visit, you can find it again when you come back. We spoke to Anita whose favorite dish at the time was their tri-tip so keep your eye out for that one!

One of the first things we noticed when we entered the Brea restaurant was the immense amount of art on the walls and the impressive bar area. Local art is displayed here which gives it a closer connection with the community. The beers are focused on being sourced from local craft breweries, and we were pleasantly surprised to see such a unique variety and even some rare ones on draft. Since Green2Go has a smaller volume, they are able to get one keg at a time of special edition beers so keep that in mind should you want to seek out a release on draft (yep, they are on TapHunter!). If you'd prefer to try a variety, Anita also informed us that they host beer pairing dinners along with the breweries themselves; that's quite the perk you get from working with locals!

Personally, we went with the Ginger Peach Black Tea and Acai Green Tea to whet our throats which were lovely in their own right. If you have more of a liking for coffee, fret not - they do also carry Orange County local, Bodhi Leaf, on nitro!


All the talk of fresh, delicious, and wholesome food had our stomachs grumbling so we had to dive into some plates to get a sense of their fare. The spread of options is varied and should tackle every sort of craving. One of the larger sections was dedicated to their many types of burgers - these housemade burgers are grilled to order with choices of brioche, squaw, or leaf lettuce as the buns. You can opt for their standard stack of organic lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and dill pickle or build your own with four choices from their build-your-own bar. Included is a side choice of a cup of their fingerling potatoes or a tossed house salad. Buns not your thing? You can also throw a patty onto their mac and cheese or turn them into sliders on King's Hawaiian roll buns.

Curious, I needed to try out the House Veggie Burger ($11) in the build-your-own style. With a slather of house Pacific Island dressing, the squaw buns (made of real squaw and molasses) were stacked with the veggie burger patty (red quinoa, white quinoa, fresh vegetables, gluten-free brown rice), roasted Brussels sprouts, sauteed mushrooms, artichoke hearts, roasted asparagus, butter lettuce, and mixed greens. The burger itself is quite popular at Green2Go because the patty doesn't contain "filler" as other vegetarian patties due; this one is also seared in grapeseed oil before being baked in the oven, ensuring a crunchy exterior. I truly enjoyed it and the thick squaw bun which had a hint of sweetness. Because of all of the components built into the patty, the burger was hearty and filling; this is a definite "order again" in my book. If you prefer the meat-based type of burger, you'll be happy to know the beef patties derive from grass-fed beef.

Another community favorite is the selection of tacos. These are made in a slightly different manner. Atop their grilled organic corn tortillas (or leaf lettuce, if you prefer), proteins are stacked on housemade kale slaw tossed in a sesame ginger dressing, housemade guacamole, and fresh pico de gallo. Coming in at $5 apiece, the taco is no small street taco-sized thing but rather, a loaded plate for the appetite. The Chicken Taco ($5) featured roasted chicken that had been shredded and then sauteed with some house pico de gallo. It was moist and flavorful, and the crunchy slaw gave a textural balance to the otherwise tender meat. We thought the dressing was a change of pace for tacos that may be exciting to some or just an indifferent addition.

Just the two of those plates were surprisingly plenty for our stomachs because everything was so nutrient-dense. However, we needed to see the beautiful salads of which there were plenty on the menu as well and opted for the Organic California “Chop Salad” ($13.50 - quinoa. cucumbers. tomatoes. artichokes. Kalamata olives. Feta, G2g vinaigrette, and toasted ciabatta). This comes without being pre-tossed and all of the elements are sectioned off so you can choose what to do with each; I just tossed everything together because every ingredient was enticing to me. Full of freshness and a well-planned mix of vinegary, savory, tart, sweet, etc, this was certainly a salad I could do with every day.


Anita stressed the greatness of their dessert menu so you should take a gander yourself. Green2go makes their own sea salt chocolate chip cookies, grated ginger snap cookies, flourless chocolate cake, and berry cobbler. They also are very favored for their banana bread which can be purchased as muffins or miniature loaves to take home. We tried some bites of their Berry Cobbler which came with a generous scoop of organic vanilla ice cream, and it was over at that point. We couldn't just have a taste; we devoured the entire cobbler, berries, streusel, and all.

As Green2go continues to make wholesome, delicious food, we hope they will reach their goal of expanding out into Irvine. A meal prep service is in the works as well for the restaurant so that their quality food can be out and about during busy periods of their community members' days. If you are interested in visiting, they can be found at 2435 E Imperial Hwy, Brea, CA 92821. With so many options, the restaurant is sure to have something for everyone so bring some friends as well!

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook here.

"My story is too old. I'm 3,000 years old." Chef/Owner Walid Alarja was matter-of-fact when initially prompted about his food's and restaurant's journey. We were seated in the outside patio of D'Vine in downtown Fullerton, a location second to the flagship restaurant in Brea, and eagerly awaited what Mediterranean treasures the impassioned chef had available. Cooking was not a new venture for Chef Walid by any means as he grew up in the restaurant industry; his family has been running two restaurants and a hotel since 1946 in Bethlehem. Trained at the French Culinary Institute in Egypt and then teaching culinary school for 18 years, Walid knows his food, and you can immediately sense that at D'Vine where fresh ingredients and authenticity rule the plates.


We were invited to visit the Fullerton location which is the newer of the two D'Vine restaurants. The space is expansive with a large and comfortable outdoor patio that allows for large parties and potentially even to continue the raucous antics so familiar to downtown Fullerton. Inside, there is an impressive bar that is well-stocked and wall furnishings that play to the Mediterranean look and feel, complete with a faux stone wall. We adored the choice of lanterns and woven chairs, and the inclusion of event spaces in the wings of the building definitely showed how versatile the restaurant could be for any size group. We then asked for more details on the menu itself:

"Americans would call this a Lebanese kitchen but if you know about history, there was no Lebanon, no Israel, no Palestine, no nothing. After 1917, the EU just took a portion of the Middle East and gave them all these names. Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Syria - they almost have the same kitchen which is mainly whatever you had in your garden. What you grow, you eat. Your protein is whatever you grew and it's easily cooked on a grill. This kitchen has no fattening, no preservatives, no nothing. Even the marinades come from olive oil, garlic, and salt - all natural."

Pita chips arrived at the table before anything else to start our appetites on, accompanied by olive oil and za'atar seasoning. Already I knew I would like the place. Our cold mezzato begin were the Hummus ($7 - crushed chickpeas with tahini and lemon juice) and Beet Salad ($7 - red beets, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt), both of which came with a smattering of pickles, olives, and pickled turnip which can be ordered as a full mezza serving for $5 (called Turshi). Easily the smoothest, creamiest hummus I had ever had was on our plate. It didn't even look like hummus because it was so unbelievably smooth. Had I never had true hummus until now? Quite possibly so. D'Vine has their technique down pat. In fact, Chef Walid had some things to say about mainstream hummus as well:

"I try to do authentic food. I visited so many different restaurants when I first came to America and discovered that they Americanized the food to be far away from real food. They use cans and bad ingredients. They use so much tahina and then make hummus with avocados, etc which is no longer hummus. We make ours with 99% chickpeas and touch of tahina, touch of lemon, and touch of salt. That's it. I always say I am homemade. I do everything like I do in my grandma's kitchen."

Take one look at D'Vine's extensive menu, and you'll see that a large majority is dedicated to hot and cold mezza dishes. Typically, we'd just refer to these as appetizers and small plates; some may call it tapas-style. These items dominate the experience, and we were glad to get some tastes of many different dishes. For our hot mezza choices, we did a half order of each of the Cheese Fatayer ($7 - lightly fried dough stuffed with Mediterranean cheeses) and Kubeh ($8 - a fried cracked wheat beef and lamb crust, stuffed with minced beef, onions, pine nuts, and spices), both of which we had never had before.

The pastry dough for the fatayer was beautifully golden and explained to be mainly a simple mixture of oil and flour. This flaky dough was filled up with Nabulsi (a very fresh goat's milk cheese) and Halloumi cheeses with a touch of Mozzarella for moisture. They were pleasantly salty in all the right ways and savory at the same time. The kubeh was quite interesting as well with its savory makeup and balanced texture between crunchy shell and soft filling. Chef Walid suggested a few drops of lemon juice with each bite, and that tip really heightened the taste.

To get some vibrant vegetables into our spread, we had sides of the Turkish Salad ($6 - chopped onions, tomato paste, parsley, and house spices) and Sumac Onions ($6 - sliced onions with sumac, lemon juice, and house spices), both of which were brightly tangy and aptly refreshing palate cleansers.


With all of that, we still had entrees to tackle. D'Vine offers its entrees to include a choice of one cold mezza, rice, and pita bread. For starters, just know right away that their rice is superb and addicting. The Calrose rice mixed with broken vermicelli noodle pieces and cooked in both olive and soy oils has a unique taste and texture that makes anyone go back for more. Had there not been proteins available, I'm sure we would have still ordered some amount of the rice to indulge in.

There were protein options however so Duc opted for the Chicken Kebab ($13 - grilled marinated chunks of chicken breast) which Chef Walid recommended to have with the Mutabel - Baba Ghanoush ($7 - seasoned grilled eggplant with tahini, yogurt, and lemon juice) mezza choice. The chicken chunks seemed to come from a single skewer and were pleasantly plump. They held a nice grilled flavor to them and paired beautifully well with the smoky baba ghanoush.

I chose the Lamb Chop ($15 - grilled marinated lamb chops) paired with Chef Walid's suggestion of Cucumber Yogurt Salad ($7 - chopped cucumbers, fresh mint, and house spices mixed with yogurt) for the cold mezza and was quite happy to see how well it turned out. The lamb was tender and flavorful, rich in its own right and the perfect pairing with the cool cucumber salad. Both entrees also came with D'Vine's famous garlic sauce which was so creamy, it almost seemed improbable to have been made in-house. No wonder people come back for that sauce solely.

Though we had initially been lured in with the idea of authentic Mediterranean food, we stayed for its follow-up on its promise. D'Vine does do it right and well for an fairly inexpensive price point. If you are looking for the real deal, visit their Fullerton location at 132 W. Commonwealth Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832 or Brea at 955 E. Birch St, Brea, CA 92821. We don't think you'll be disappointed, and it's certainly time for Orange County to know more about this gem of a restaurant.

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook here.

Beer and bacon lovers are going to like this news - Slater's 50/50 restaurants, infamous for their bacon-centric food and the 50% beef, 50% bacon patties in their burgers, have released a new loyalty program that favors the beer aficionados. This 50/50 VIP Club grants you an exclusive-looking membership card that opens up a long list of perks including Burger of the Month preview tastings, promotions, discounts, and events; however, the greatest perk that pays for itself in our minds is getting one beer a day without additional costs as a club member (no rollovers). That's neat.


Though it is only $30/month right now for members to sign up, we haven't bitten the bullet yet to get ourselves an exclusive card. From an invitation, we did join the inaugural club members on their first ever 50/50 Club VIP dinner which was hosted as a five-course Bourbon paired dinner. The dinner was actually also open to other non-members to attend for a fee but membership wielders got to partake in the dinner without charge. The first dinner at Slater's 50/50 of Huntington Beach was hosted on September 23rd, and the menu looked decadent. I wouldn't have classified this particular dinner as a pairing style, however, as there was just a full bottle on the table of Woodford Reserve and food shuffled out aplenty rather than being paired per dish.


Regardless, what a memorable dinner albeit indulgent. For the most part, we are cognizant of what we eat and what it's made of but going to Slater's 50/50 comes with certain expectations. You will have to accept that the dishes will be bombastic. The tables began with a bowl of the Jalapeno Dip (spicy cream cheese dip with fresh jalapenos, pita chips, and fresh vegetables) which had such a pleasant kick to them without being unbearable. The fresh vegetables made us feel a little better from the start but let's just say, the following courses were in line with the indulgence the restaurant encourages.

As this was the first dinner of its kind for the 50/50 VIP Club members, we weren't sure if the chef's presentations would be part of ongoing perks but it was certainly a fantastic way to add more definition behind the dishes. With each course that was served, out came the chef to talk about why he decided to prepare the dishes as certain way. We all drooled a little bit when thick-cut slabs of Maple Sambal Candied Bacon arrived, glistening in their sweet-salty-spicy goodness. I'm not sure how or if these will appear on future menus but if you see them, get them. Not pictured is the impressive whole hunks of Beef Ribs, cooked to a smoky perfection with a tender juiciness that had us all clamoring for more.


With the VIP dinner and membership overall, members get to preview the upcoming Burger of the Month, and for October, Slater's 50/50 was aptly showcasing a Bratwurst Burger (sweet bourbon apple sauerkraut, pickles, brown mustard, Swiss, and bacon on a pretzel bun) which we all had in miniature slider form. The mixture of ingredients was a fine mix of several different textures and tastes but I found it just a tad too salty, likely from the actual brat patty. To mitigate that, we also had heaping sides of their Potato Salad and Mexico City Corn on the Cob, both satisfyingly filling as well and packed with more than enough flavor.


Now to think that that was the end of the meal would be silly - after all, Slater's 50/50 is also known for putting bacon even in their desserts. Every guest ended up with a full-sized, intimidatingly large Bacon Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich (candied bacon, chocolate ganache, vanilla bean ice cream, and fudgey chocolate brownie) which towered and could easily sate any sweet tooth. The saltiness from the bacon lent a nice twist on many places' tendency to place sea salt atop chocolate, and the chocolate was richly thick. I could barely make it through the first brownie after being so full!

All in all, the dinner itself is worth more than $30 so how could a $30/month membership not be tempting to you? Toss in a few daily brewskis and you have yourself a winning deal!

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook here.