Eat, Pour, Love - The Wall Restaurant Review Written by: Kristen Nichols

Eat, Pour, Love - The Wall Restaurant Review

Written by: Kristen Nichols

Sasaki Time was recently invited to taste the delicious food and drinks at The Wall restaurant located in Old Towne Orange, CA.  We were lucky enough to sample a wide variety of their food and drink offerings and had the pleasure of speaking with some of the staff about the restaurant’s style and philosophy.  The Wall’s menu offers the flavors of traditional street food combined with the shareable design of tapas.  Their Elote Fries have a great aesthetic presentation while maintaining the flavor of traditional street-cart elote.  The Wall is also known for it’s Frito Pie, the only restaurant in Orange County that offers it, and it’s own delicious housemade Choco Taco.  There is also a specialty gourmet burger that changes with each month.  The burger for June is the spicy Green Chili Crunch burger complete with a bacon and ghost pepper aioli.   

The Elote fries with carnitas are flavorful and shareable...although you may want to keep them all for yourself!

The Green Chili Crunch Burger, burger of the month for June, complete with a Bacon and ghost pepper aioli.  Delicious and spicy!

Frito Pie with an egg on top.  The Wall is the only restaurant in Orange County that offers it!

Freshly made Peruvian Ceviche!  So delicious I made sure to take the leftovers!

Housemade Choco Taco - served with Thrifty brand ice cream, a stout chocolate sauce, and a chocolate stout waffle cone shell!  Amazing!

Generally, I’m not a fan of donuts but these Boozy Crullers with candied bacon and a maple bourbon glaze were probably my favorite thing we tried all night!  Light and crispy perfection!

The Wall boasts 55 beers on tap, the most beers on tap in Orange County.  Currently the servers are doing the pouring but a self-serve format is currently in the works.  The Wall will soon be implementing an electronic wrist-band system that allows patrons to select, order, and have their drink automatically dispensed from the tap.  They offer beers and ciders in 5oz taster, 13oz, or 16oz pours.   Patrons can also assemble their own custom flights comprised of four 5oz tasters.

From left to right: Red Nectar - Humboldt, Raspberry Wheat - Alaskan, Shower Beer - Solarc, Shellmaker - Gunwhale, Chocolate Sombrero - Clown Shoes.  My favorite was the Shower Beer from Solarc Brewing!

The Wall is a casual and friendly place to catch-up with loved ones or just hang out and watch the game.  Grab your friends and family and visit The Wall located at 80 Plaza Square in Orange, CA.  You can also check them out on Instagram at @thewall_restaurant or on Twitter at @thewall_orange.  Thank you so much to The Wall for hosting us and giving us an exclusive look at their delicious offerings!  See you there!

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Inspired Bento Boxes by Kristen Nichols

Bento Box Inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Created by Kristen Nichols

“Commodore Norrington, my effects please….and my hat!”  Eat lunch like a true scallywag with these adorable bento boxes celebrating the release of the new Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, out May 26th.  These boxes are a healthy, convenient grab-and-go solution for work, school, or play.  Each of the components are versatile and can be adapted to suit anyone’s individual taste. Our version features Captain’s Hat Sandwich Bites, Captain Jack Sparrow’s Fruit Skewer Beads, and Cheese and Cracker Gold Medallions.  You can also help keep scurvy at bay with mandarin orange slices or prepare for battle with black olive cannon balls!

What You’ll Need:

Captain’s Hat Sandwich Bites:

Sliced sandwich bread

*You can use any type you like.  We prefer wheat or rye bread because the dark brown color is truer to Captain Jack Sparrow’s hat.

Desired spread or filling

*Some varieties we enjoyed were PB&J, cucumber and cream cheese, tuna salad, egg salad, or hazelnut spread

*The sandwich bites are small so you can mix-and-match 2 or 3 flavors to taste.  We like the idea of having both a savory and a sweet sandwich together in one box!

Toothpicks

Fruit Skewer Beads (original idea provided by @thehealthymouse):

Seasonal fruit of your choice - sliced or cubed

Mini-marshmallows (optional)

Bamboo BBQ skewers

*For a more savory taste, try making the skewers with olives, artichoke hearts, cubed cheddar cheese, and a little Italian dressing.

Cheese and Cracker Gold Medallions:

Round table crackers of your choice

Cheese slices cut to fit the crackers

    *We like the look of cheddar cheese but you can use any cheese you prefer

Scurvy Cure:

Mandarin orange (peeled and separated into slices)

“Cannon Fire!” :

Whole black olives

Hummus, ranch, or other dip if desired

How to assemble the sandwich bites:

1. Take a slice of bread and cut a large circle out of the center.  You can do this with a circular cookie cutter or just eyeball it with a knife.  Try to make the circle as large as you can.  As a bonus this process automatically cuts off the crust for pickier eaters.
2. Cover one side of the bread with a thin layer of spread, if desired.
3. Gather and pinch the bread into three corners and use a toothpick to secure each one.  
4. Fill the center with approximately one teaspoon of the filling of your choice.
5. Remove the toothpicks when it’s time to eat and Enjoy!

We would love to see how you create your Pirates bento box!  Leave pictures of your creations in the comments and don’t forget to check out the new Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales in theaters May 26th.

Guardians of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout Inspired Recipes - Ravager Fuel Pizza and Gamora's Matcha Pina Colada by Kristen Nichols

“Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout” - Ravager Fuel Pizza and Gamora’s Matcha Pina Colada

We’re “Hooked on a Feelin” that it’s time for a celebration!  Celebrate National Pizza Party Day (5/19) and get hyped up for the newest attraction at Disney California Adventure Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, opening May 27th, with these easy-to-make recipes.  This Star-Lord approved pizza and Gamora’s Matcha Pina Colada are sure to please all the Guardians of your Galaxy!  Enjoy!

Ravager Fuel Pizza

This recipe combines fresh veggies, wholesome ingredients, and a classic family favorite to properly fuel any Guardian’s next mission.  The toppings can be varied to suit different tastes and dietary restrictions.  Best of all this recipe only takes an estimated 30-45 minutes to cook, making it a great weeknight dinner option.  “Groot said this pizza is frickin’ delicious...only he didn’t use frickin’.”

Makes 1 12” pizza, serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 package Trader Joe’s pre-made whole wheat pizza dough*

1 small jar pizza sauce*

*We used Trader Joe’s brand but you can use whichever brand you prefer

1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

1 small zucchini (sliced in half once lengthwise and thinly sliced)

½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 2.25oz can sliced olives

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

1 clove garlic (minced)

You’ll also need:

¼ cup olive oil (to coat the baking sheet and drizzle on top of the pizza)

¾ cup flour (for rolling out the dough)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven and prepare the pizza dough according to the instructions on the pizza dough package and lightly coat a baking sheet with half the olive oil (reserve the other half for later)
2. Once your dough has been rolled out to the desired thickness and width, transfer it onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.  Using a fork, puncture the dough several times to prevent the crust from puffing up.  Bake crust for 5-7 minutes.

*Trader Joe’s brand pizza dough does not specify the need to pre-bake your crust once it’s rolled out but we’ve found that pre-baking the dough ensures it is cooked thoroughly.

3. Once the crust is removed from the oven add sauce, cheese, zucchini, mushrooms, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes to taste.
4. Mix 1 clove minced garlic with remaining olive oil and drizzle over the top of the pizza
5. Bake for another 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted and vegetables have softened
6. Let cool, slice, and enjoy!

Gamora’s Matcha Pina Colada

“If you like Pina Coladas...and Matcha Green Tea!”  My attempt at a song parody may be terrible but this drink is delicious!  This cool take on a summertime classic can be enjoyed on it’s own, as a sweet pairing with a meal, or dressed-up into a cocktail.  The melody is pleasing and so is this recipe!

Yields approximately 2 8oz drinks

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup ice

3 Tbsp Rishi brand Sweet Matcha green tea powder

8 oz pineapple juice

1 cup pineapple chunks

*Pro-tip: 1 20oz can of Dole pineapple chunks yields approximately 2 cups of pineapple chunks and 8oz of juice

4 oz coconut milk

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth (yep, that’s it!)
2. Enjoy!

For adults:

Add 2oz white rum

Layer with grenadine to finish

For kids:

Decorate with whipped cream and sprinkles

We hope you enjoy these fun sweet and savory recipes!  Leave a comment telling us how you are celebrating National Pizza Party Day and don’t forget to check out Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout in Disney California Adventure when it opens on May 27th, 2017.  Special thanks to @thehealthymouse for the heads up about National Pizza Party Day!  

“What Does Dapper Day Mean to You?” – Reflecting on the Dapper Day Experience by Kristen Nichols

“What Does Dapper Day Mean to You?” – Reflecting on the Dapper Day Experience

By now my love of Dapper Day at Disneyland is widely known and has been thoroughly documented in pictures. With each passing season the outfits become more intricate and creative. This past weekend was Spring Dapper Day 2017 at the Disneyland Resort. As has become tradition, Sasaki Time was in attendance with our generous and talented photographer Kevin, Disneybounding as Carl and Ellie from Pixar’s Up! We had an amazing weekend, as usual, and in addition to our usual photo coverage I wanted to turn my focus outward to the other Dapper Day attendees who make this bi-annual tradition so incredible. As we strolled around the parks I posed a simple question to other Dapper folks, “What does Dapper Day mean to you?” I had the pleasure of speaking with many different people throughout the day to gain a 360 degree view of Dapper Day, from 1^st time attendees to an employee of the Dapper Day organization.

The Dapper Day Story

The first Dapper Day was held at Disneyland in 2011 and in the following years branched out to Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Paris. Both Spring and Fall Dapper Days have been held every year. According to David McCarthy of the Dapper Day organization (@davidfordisney), “Dapper Day loves to celebrate vintage and current fashion and let people express themselves with any kind of fashion they would like to.” In addition to their Disney Parks events, Dapper Day hosts events around the LA area at places like Clifton’s and the LACMA. Dapper Day is its own brand and remains a separate entity from Disney Parks. Despite the fact that Dapper Days remain unofficial and are not affiliated with Disney Parks, that doesn’t stop them from joining in on the fun. This season various photo spots were set up around the parks where cast members took guest’s photos holding retro-inspired photo frames. Character costumes also appear to be themed for Dapper Day, such as Mickey wearing his Dapper Dan attire. David McCarthy revealed the parks in Orlando also have planned themed food offerings for the Spring 2017 season (April 29^th and 30^th) such as picnic lunches, themed cupcakes, and even fresh boutonnieres. There are also additional events such as the Dapper Day Expo at Disneyland and Justin, the creator of Dapper Day, will be making a rare appearance for a meet and greet Saturday April 29^th in the Emporium at the Magic Kingdom. The Dapper Day brand has done a fantastic job of creating events, both inside and outside the parks, helping to create a strong sense of camaraderie and community for Disney and fashion fans alike.

Dressed to the Nines

Dapper Day is intended as a call back to a time when going to the parks was a special occasion and people dressed accordingly. David McCarthy compared Dapper Day to looking at the original concept drawings and early photos of Disneyland “with everyone dressed to the nines even though it’s hot.” While there’s nothing wrong with the shorts, t-shirts, and tennis shoes that have become the uniform of a Disney Parks day, one of the things people consistently love about Dapper Day is having the ability to dress up! Darcy Prevost (@darcyeprevost) called Dapper Day “a slice of history” recalling a time when “everybody cared about what they put on.” Victoria Matautia (@toriam16) was attending her first Dapper Day and said her favorite so far has been that on Dapper Day dressing up is the norm when on any other day it would be weird to see someone dressed up in the parks.

Community, Camaraderie, and Creativity

One of the things I have, personally, always adored about Dapper Day is the strong sense of support and community that surrounds these events. Creativity, camaraderie, and coming together were common themes among those I interviewed. No one is a stranger on Dapper Day. Complimenting the outfit of a perfect stranger is not only acceptable but encouraged. Jeanine Ringer (@mrsringer) shared that one of her favorite things is “appreciating the effort and creativity that [other attendees] put into it.” James of @jameschatstv said Dapper Day is a “wonderful day to express yourself, get into the Disney spirit, and get creative”. Alex Ryser (@lex_ryser) at the park for her 4^th Dapper Day outing said, “My favorite part is coming together for a whole group Disneybound. It’s a day to be together, bond, and have fun.” 

 Here are some of the other sentiments that fellow park goers shared with me:

Shawn Rios (@cravaliershawn @riosoriginals): “Dapper Day is an opportunity to express creativity but also to connect. In my group there are a wide array of instagramers, cosplayers, designers, people who appreciate vintage [fashion] and it represents an opportunity to bring those many many different backgrounds together in a way that show a similar interest and appreciate each other.”

Taylor Simonds (@taylor_on_tour): “It’s my favorite day of the year! I love having an excuse to dress up.” “It’s amazing to feel beautiful but more importantly I love all the people I’ve met through this. It’s such a wonderful community of people. It’s so easy to instantly spot someone [on Dapper Day] and know that you’re like minded, that you also care about fashion and aesthetic and Disney and looking and feeling your best. It’s such an easy way to make friends with people that have the same interests as you.”

Final Thoughts

David McCarthy on behalf of Dapper Day added, “Dapper Day loves to see everyone’s marvelous styles and see everyone make it their own. We look forward to seeing you out in the parks in the future and at our outside events in your most stylish attire whether it be current or vintage.”

Our ensembles for Fall Dapper Day 2017 are already in the works and we can’t wait to share them with you. Fall Dapper Day at Disneyland is scheduled for November 4^th and 5^th of this year. Go to dapperday.com for more information. 

 Check out our Instagram accounts (@sasakitime and @krisnick16) for a close-up look of our Spring experience with Dapper Day in the parks. We hope to see you all Stepping Out in Style next season!

Disneynature’s Born In China – Panda Cupcakes by Kristen Nichols

Sasaki Time, in collaboration with thehealthymouse.com, has created Panda cupcakes to celebrate the release of Disneynature’s new film Born in China.  This recipe incorporates two traditional Chinese flavors, cherry and coconut, in a fun and kid-friendly way.

The cupcake recipe, adapted from the Sweet Little Bluebird Crazy Cake recipe, is dairy and egg free.  The whipped cream frosting listed below can be replaced with a Coconut Cream Whipped Cream frosting to make a completely dairy and egg free treat.  A great Coconut Cream frosting can be found here http://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-coconut-whipped-cream/.

We hope you enjoy this recipe and we would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!  

Cupcake:

Adapted from http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com/2013/03/tried-true-tuesday-crazy-cake-no-eggs.html

Yields approximately 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups flour (all-purpose)
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa (unsweetened)
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp.  salt
• 1 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp.  pure vanilla extract 
• 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil 
• 1 Cup water
• ¼ cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1 ½ tsp. cherry preserves

Directions

1. Mix first 5 dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  
2. Make 3 large depressions in dry ingredients.
3. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other, and the vegetable oil in the third.  Make sure the depressions are large enough to contain the wet ingredients.
4. Pour water over all and mix until smooth.  
5. Add dried cherries and cherry preserves if desired.  Mix until well combined.
6. Spoon the mixture into a lined cupcake pan. Fill cups about ¾ of the way full.
7. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Let cool completely before decorating.

Whipped Cream Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Chill mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes.  Ensure the heavy whipping cream is thoroughly chilled.
2. Using a standing or handheld electric mixer, whip the heavy cream at a medium/high setting until the cream thickens and forms stiff peaks.
3. While mixing, gradually incorporate the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

Decoration:

Ingredients:

Shredded coconut or coconut flakes

Mini Oreos

Chocolate chips

Chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

       1. Top cupcakes with whipped cream frosting and dip in the shredded coconut to create the fur

       2. Use Mini Oreo cookies to create the Panda’s ears

       3. Use 3 chocolate chips to create the eyes and nose

       4. Use chocolate sprinkles for the mouth

       5. Enjoy!

       6. Be sure to check out Disneynature’s Born in China opening Friday April 21st!