Restaurants – Page 13 – Insider Irene

Sushi Lunch Special @Hashigo Sushi in Huntington Beach, CA

Published on June 1, 2013June 1, 2013 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Sushi is one of those food items that is so simple and so wonderful. Unfortunately, many of the quality sushi restaurants are also an arm and a leg, which is definitely not a sexy characteristic. But alas, a fair compromise for quality and price could only lead to one thing- lunch special, horray!

I discovered Hashigo Sushi (Yelp Review) through a fervent search on Yelp and let me tell you this little sushi shop was NOT an easy find. But after discovering it nested right in the corner between the Java Cafe and the Bank of America, I knew that this was going to be legit. But to my surprise, this literally hole-in-the-wall, was ultra elegant and super chic. Completely caught me by surprise and I was actually nervous on whether a lunch special here would even be a worthwhile investigation… it was, but I’ve definitely been in situations where the restaurant appearance and food taste did not share the same caliber of excellence. Yeah… not fun, but not the case for Hasigo Sushi!

I sampled the three cut roll special, complete with miso soup and salad for $10. It was a very filling meal and the presentation was impeccable. This is definitely the type of restaurant I would take colleagues or prospective clients to impress. Everything was just awesome and if you’re in the Huntington Beach area, this restaurant is definitely worth checking out!

What’s your favorite sushi lunch spot?

XOXO

Rockstar

BBQ Tri Tip Chopped Salad Lunch Special @Stonefire Grill in Fountain Valley, CA

Published on May 24, 2013June 1, 2013 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

It’s no secret that I love Stonefire Grill (Yelp Review) because of their fresh ingredients and expansive menu selection. But it’s also a destination that bargain hunters swarm to as they prepare large portions of food for a very reasonably price. I love taking large groups because the food is served family style and we’re able to sample many dishes with a low per person average cost. They also have a large seating area that makes it a popular spot after a team victory meal or office outing.

However, there are times when I just don’t feel like sharing and just want to indulge in a dish all to myself. My all time favorite dish there is the BBQ tri-tip chopped salad and it is amazing! The salad is topped with freshly chopped tomatos, roasted corn, carrots, black beans, red cabbage, cilantro and jack cheese then tossed with tortilla strips and Buttermilk Ranch. Mmm… makes me hungry just thinking about it!

And going during lunch for their lunch special is just twice as nice since this petite entree also includes a delicious garlic bread stick. For about $7, this healthy entree does double duty as a tasty value-worthy meal that’s good for you pocket-book and belly. There are several branches in the southern California region and if you haven’t paid them a visit, you’re definitely missing out!

Locations

What’s your favorite lunch spot?

XOXO,

Rockstar

8 Course Yelp Elite Tasting @Yori Modern Japanese Restaurant W/ Yelp OC & Friends

Published on May 19, 2013June 1, 2013 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

I confess that I have been spoiled rotten with opportunities to sample some of Orange County’s best. As I had mentioned in my previous post that I was invited to a Pre-Grand Opening for Yori Modern Japanese Restaurant (Yelp Review) in Brea, CA. It was such an amazing event, though I’m easy to please if free food is involved. 🙂

Usually on these events we are given the opportunity to bring a +1, but on this occasion our Community Manager, Ryan, pushed us outside our comfort zone and assigned us to tables to make new foodie friends. Shout-out to my table buddies Minh D, Sarah S, and Quynh P and to all my old Yelp friends Minerva, Rodney, Steve, and Craig. But let’s move on to why you’re really here- to see all the food porn!. Yum!

We started off with a Mango Ceviche and Shrimp Dumplings to kick off our feast. Mind you the first dish was to die for and I highly recommend diners to order this appetizer. So incredibly refreshing and the perfect dish to cool down on a hot summer day. Following these dishes included the Grilled Asparagus, Heart Attack, Udon Salad (my next favorite dish!), Tofus Burger, Seafoodyaki Roll, and Cod Misoyaki all of which had excellent presentation and were presented to us promptly.

UPDATE: WordPress is proving to be more difficult than I am willing to deal with today. So on today’s post I am going to upload all the beautiful photos of all the dishes. Once I become more comfortable with formatting I will further infuse my passion for photographer and journalism together. Sorry loves!