Seasalt Woodfire Grill Brings Santa Maria-Style BBQ to Huntington Beach

Santa Maria-Style BBQ is one of my all-time favorites and it's great to see it here in the OC. Seasalt Woodfire Grill brings this style of cooking to Huntington Beach. What sets this style of cooking apart is cooking meat seasoned with sea salt blends over red oak coals.

The bar has farm crafted cocktails, wines and a good selection of locally crafted beers. The first cocktail we tried was the The Grilled Pina which has tequila, pineapple and jalapeno. A great blend of flavors and I loved the kick of the jalapenos.

The second cocktail we tried was the The Boozy Horchata which has vanilla vodka, spiced rum and horchata. I am a huge horchata fan and this cocktail won me over with it's flavor and smoothness.

The Smoked Pork Belly Mac N Cheese is simply quite amazing. The smokiness of the pork belly goes perfectly with the mac n cheese.

When in doubt, you try all the various cuts of steak they bring out. The tri-tip, ribeye and the New York strip are all amazing and melt in your mouth delicious!

Take a look at the 28 oz bone-in ribeye. Doesn't it just make your mouth water?

Some of the most flavorful ribs I have ever experienced.

The linguisa is unreal. So much flavor and spice that will keep you coming back for more and more.

Even the seafood offerings are rubbed in the unique sea salts. The shrimp is perfectly grilled and salted.

The jumbo tiger prawns and snow crab is unbelievable. You won't want to share what's on your plate.

The last cocktail we tried was the Salty Hog which has vodka, grapefruit and bacon. A great blend of sour and salt. Typically not a flavor combination I typically would enjoy but this has changed my mine.

We ended the meal with this delicious vanilla ice cream with Central Coast Olive Oil and topped with black lava seasalt. The flavors blend together seamlessly for a totally unique experience. The perfect ending to our meal.

So, if you love Santa Maria style BBQ or just interested in experiencing it (and you will love it), then head to Seasalt Woodfire Grill. It will be an unforgettable meal from start to finish.

To learn more about Seasalt Woodfire Grill, check out their site at the link below:
seasaltwoodfiregrill.com

Sasaki Time's Zocalo (Roseville, CA) Restaurant Review

My friend Carrie took me to one of her favorite restaurants in the Roseville area in Northern California.

I love that the tortilla chips come with both fresh salsa as well as black beans. I love chips and salsa and could eat these all day. The chips are huge and crisp and that salsa has just the right amount of kick. The black beans is a welcomed addition and go well with the salsa or just by itself to dip the chips in.

Carrie ordered her favorite, the Americanos. These are tacos that have braised chicken, crispy tortillas, shredded lettuce, salsa ranchera, jack cheese, tomato, house hot sauce, cotija and sour cream!

As you can see the dish is complete with cilantro lime rice, black beans and a seasonal salad. Everything is fresh and locally produced.

I went wit the tacos de cazuela! Check out this amazing dish! You can choose between steak or chicken. I went with the steak! The steak is then sauteed with house chorizo, onions, mushrooms and queso baked and served casserole-style.

The flavors here are unbelievable. This dish is the best parts of tacos and a stew! It's so rich and hearty and all the flavors really come together! This is a must try dish!

If you are looking for a great place for fresh Mexican food, then look no further! A great location with a great staff are all waiting for you!

Address:

• 1182 Roseville Pkwy
  Ste 110
• Roseville 95678

Restaurant Review: Bistro Bleu! Fantastic French Food in Anaheim!

This is my new favorite restaurant! Bistro Bleu is a charming little place in Anaheim! The front is very simple.

The inside is very simple as well. I am a big fan of simple!

Started off with a few drinks. I had a Stella and my friend Heidi had an Elysee, sparkling wine with strawberry and passion fruit essence.

Heidi went with the planche de fromages. You can choose from six different cheeses and go with a three cheese or a five cheese selection. Heidi went with three choices. The board also comes with fruits, nuts and toast. All of the cheeses were excellent and combining them with the rest of the board made for a great appetizer. I could have this and a glass of wine and be totally content.

I went with the moules - frites which is mussels and fries. You get a massive bowl of PEI mussels prepared one of three ways with a bowl of fries and some toast. I had my mussels prepared in the classic way of white wine, garlic, shallots, butter and fresh parsley. This dish is absolutely amazing and I could eat it and drink the broth all day long. The serving size with a beer would suffice as a meal for pretty much anyone. The fries are not really necessary in my opinion.

My friend Anthony ordered les escargots a la provencale. The escargots are slow-cooked in garlic, white wine, tomatoes and mushrooms, It is finished with creme fraiche and fresh parsley. I have never had escargot before and it reminded me of abalone, a bit tough and chewy but absolutely delicious! If it wasn't for the mussels I would order this one as my appetizer!

My friend Rachelle who wasn't too hungry ordered the beet salad. Chilled beet salad with spring mix, smoked Meunster, toasted hazelnuts and an orange-dill dressing. A great mix of flavors for anyone eating light.

Heidi ordered the French onion soup as her entree. It looked perfect on a cool evening!

I ordered les cotelletes d'agneau, the marinated lamb chops with a fresh rosemary/red wine sauce with vegetables and mashed potatoes. The lamb chops were so soft and tender and literally melted in my mouth. I was so happy to have ordered this and I almost didn't want to share.

My friend Anthony ordered the steak frites, a juicy marinated hanger steak with herbed butter, demi-glace and fries. The steak is marinated in the same sauce as the lamb chops and the herb butter just made this dish perfect!

I loved this place so much I came back for another visit just a few days later. I got le steak au poivre, a grilled Angus New York steak with a 3-peppercorn brandy cream sauce, fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes. Another perfectly cooked steak that once again literally melted in my mouth. The sauce is light and flavorful. Another winner for sure!

Anthony ordered the creme brulee which was light and delicious! When you aren't sure what to order, you can never go wrong with the creme brulee.

I went with the chocolate souffle. Please allow 20 minutes to make one. It came out pipin hot and with chocolate sauce and whipped cream to pout into the souffle. One of the best I have ever had and will order this one again and again!

Great service with fantastically delicious food make this hole in the wall a must go to restaurant! I am already planning my return!

Bistro Bleu

Address: 918 S Magnolia Ave, Anaheim, CA 92804

Phone:(714) 826-3590

• Web site:
• bistrobleudining.com

Hours

Mon	Closed
Tue	12:00 pm - 2:00 pm 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Wed	12:00 pm - 2:00 pm 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Thu	12:00 pm - 2:00 pm 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Fri	12:00 pm - 2:00 pm 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sat	12:00 pm - 2:30 pm 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sun	Closed

Slow-Cooker Steak Chili Recipe!

What you'll need

• 1 cup dry pinto beans, rinsed
• 1/2 pound steak
• 1 14-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes, with juice
• 2 cups broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable work fine)
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon ancho chile powder
• 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt

Notes:

If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a potato masher to break up the tomatoes and slightly mash some of the beans.

How to make it

1. Place all ingredients in the slow-cooker (no need to cut up the steak first) and cook on low for 8-10 hours (or high for 6-7 hours). 
2. Remove steak from slow-cooker, and cut into small chunks or strips. Set aside. With an immersion blender, do a few quick blends of the contents of the slow-cooker (not enough to make it all smooth - just to combine it a bit and break up the tomatoes). Return the steak to the slow-cooker, salt to taste, and let cook another 10-15 minutes. 
3. Serve with your toppings of choice. Enjoy!
4. Source: http://spoonful.com/recipes/slow-cooker-steak-chili

Grilled Crusted Steak With Lemon Butter Recipe!

 

Makes 4 steaks

 

Ingredients:

Lemon Butter

4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Steak

4 sirloin steaks
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1 Mix together butter, parsley, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
 

2 Place butter mixture in plastic wrap and roll into a log shape.
 

3 Chill until firm.
 

4 Combine black pepper, white pepper, red pepper flakes, coriander, sugar, salt and garlic powder.
 

5 Rub spice mix into both sides of steaks.
 

6 Shake off excess.
 

7 Place steaks on a hot grill and cook for 2 minutes.
 

8 Turn and cook for 2 additional minutes.
 

9 Move steak to a cooler section of the grill and continue to cook until desired doneness.
 

10 Serve each steak with a slice of the lemon butter.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/grilled-crusted-steak-with-lemon-butter-30360

Simple and Brilliantly Tasty Grilled Steak Recipe!

 

Makes 1 steak

 

Ingredients:

1 lb steak, trimmed of fat to within 1/4 inch (any cut you like just make sure it is a tender cut and good for grilling like sirloin, rib eye, etc.)
1/2 tablespoon butter or 1/2 tablespoon Butter Buds
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt, course grind, to taste
black peppercorns, course and freshly ground

Directions:

1 Trim any large fat around steak so that it is within 1/4 inch- prevents meat curling up on grill.
 

2 Rub both sides of steak with butter or butter buds then repeat with olive oil. This will allow you the flavor of the butter without it burning as the olive oil raises the burn point. Season with salt and pepper.
 

3 Allow steak to come to room temperature letting it rest on counter for about 45 minutes or so.
 

4 Meanwhile, preheat gas or charcoal grill to highest setting- nice layer of white ash for charcoal.
 

5 Place steak on grill and let it sear for one minute. Lift with tongs- never a fork as this will pierce the meat and allow juices to escape.
 

6 Turn steak and allow to sear on other side for one minute. If you want crosshatch grill marks, turn 45 degrees and lay steak down on grill to sear crosshatch lines into the meat.
 

7 Allow steak to cook for about 6 minutes total for medium rare, about 8-10 for medium and longer for well done.
 

8 Remove steak from grill and let rest on platter or cutting board for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Resist temptation! Do not even pick any crispy edges off. The meat will relax and all the juices will redistribute making this the juiciest steak you may have ever had.
 

9 Now you can add any other seasonings you like. DH likes it just as it is.
 

10 Enjoy!~.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/simple-and-brilliantly-tasty-grilled-steak-320856

Steak Marinade Recipe!

 

Makes 3 servings

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or 1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
pepper

Directions:

1 Mix all ingredients together and place steaks into freezer bag with marinade, preferably overnight.
 

2 The original recipe used balsamic vinegar.Seems I never had that on hand so I just used white and listed that in the recipe, but balsamic is definitely better.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/steak-marinade-66648

Restaurant Review: ARC Restaurant!

Finally got to check out ARC, a great new restaurant in Costa Mesa in the OC Mart Mix that is also the home to Portola Coffee Lab and Seventh Tea Bar!

 This non-descript building is the home to ARC!

ARC cooks everything over fire and you can see that by the cords of wood at the entrance that you are going to be in for something entirely different. This a throw back to the time when cooks used only fire as their fuel.

There is not a lot of seating and because of this they do not take reservations. So, we ordered some beer and waited for a table or three seats at the bar. They also offer wine and make some great looking cocktails. I will order one of their cocktails next time for sure.

The bar is a great way to watch the chefs at work. Because the place is fairly tiny, it makes for a much more intimate setting.

We ordered a few items to start. Everything is cooked over the open flame so everything comes in an iron pan! Careful these pans are going to be hot! We each ordered an appetizer. The meatballs came out first. There are three large meatballs in a fresh marina sauce. The meatball was perfectly cooked. It had a slight crust on the outside but was nice and light pink on the inside. The meat literally melted in my mouth! Great start! You also get a couple slices of wonderful garlic bread!

We also ordered the dip, a delicious concoction of tomatoes, peppers and ricotta with more of that amazing garlic bread to scoop it up with!

We also ordered the calamari which was a perfect blend of calamari, onions, shishito peppers and potatoes mixed with vinegar and citrus.

ARC also cuts all of its own meat and has special aged cuts that are off menu. One of my friends is a huge meat fan and asked if he could see the choices. The presentation was fantastic and they recommended that since this was our first time here to order off the menu and see if we liked their style of cooking and when we come back and if we would like a different cut of meat then we can order from there special selection.

There was another tray that was brought out with some expensive cuts. Perhaps next time.

One of my friends went with the tart which was a flatbread with onions, parsley and their hand cut bacon.

My other friend and I both went with the steak! This dish was amazing! The potatoes were great and dare I say the portion was too much! The steak was cooked to perfection! There is a slight crust on the steak seasoned with salt and the meat was still pink on the inside. It was moist and tender and if I had room I would have ordered another one.

Great service, a fun environment that seems to have quite a few regulars, plus great food makes this a new favorite of mine! I can't wait to come back!

Oh and they do not offer desserts on the menu. This may change in time! Keeping my fingers crossed!

ARC Restaurant Food & Libations

3321 Hyland Ave
Ste F
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

(949) 500-5561

 

http://www.arcrestaurant.com

 

Menu

Hours:

Mon-Fri 11 am - 11 pm

Sat-Sun 10 am - 11 pm

All photos taken with the HTC One and not touched up or enchanced! These are the raw photo files!