The Luck of the Irish...

“Best Burger in the O.C.” Award
-Orange Coast Magazine

“The Best Hamburgers in O.C., At This Celtic Bar that has Something For Everyone”
-ZAGAT Guide

Newport Beach, California, Thursday, 11:30 am. Three friends in business suits sit down next to a crackling fireplace in the dark back room of an irish pub across the street from Fashion Island. In researching the state of burgers in OC, all signs had pointed this direction as an example of the best.

We perused the menu, but had no time this day for bangars and mash or corned beef, all three of us zeroed immediately in on the burger choices. We decided to go in three different directions and to split potions with one another. All burgers are hand-formed 100% certified Angus half-pounders. All burgers came with an inordinate amount of lettuce, tomato, choice of raw or grilled onions, and a REALLY good brioche-esque grilled bun. They asked for our temperature prefences and actually did a perfect job meeting the requests of two mediums and one medium-well. The burger quality and flavor was very high and all ingredients were high-quality and fresh (two characteristics not usually associated with Irish food. There were several sides to choose from, but we all chose pub fries which were good, although a tad bit undercooked.

Burger Choice #1: The Bleu's Burger




Our waitress recommended the Bleu's Burger as a "must have." Listed as having crumbled blue cheese and onions, it actually was more of a blue cheese dressing-type spread with crumbles in it, this is a good thing, not a bad thing! The flavor of the blue cheese dressing was very good, however, against the overall size and number of ingredients, it was not overly forward. It contributed to the overall flavor rather than overshadowing it. If you wanted more flavor, you could always get a side of blue cheese dressing and add even more (which we may or may not have done).

Burger Choice #2: The St. Patty's




Although our waitress steered us in a different direction than the St. Patty's we all wanted to order it. Listed as having tillamook vintage cheddar, oak-smoked bacon, and homemade guacamole, it was an interesting option at an Irish pub. One would assume a burger named the St. Patty's would be a patty melt (which, if Muldoon's wanted to be really creative, they could do with soda bread, irish cheddar, and corned beef or something suitably irish like a Guiness reduction sauce or something). BUT, this St. Patty's Burger must be named in honor of the green guacamole. We all agreed that this was the best of the three burgers because the guacamole really added a lot of interesting flavor to the overall taste.


Burger Choice #3: The Macho




The choice of the Macho Burger was really just to try something totally different since we figured it would be academically lazy to order more than one of the same burgers. Listed with jack cheese, sliced avocado, and grilled ortega chili, it was another unusal option for an Irish-themed place. It was very good and the sliced avocado was very generously added.

Overall Impressions:


I don't know what it is about Irish pubs, but I have never left one without feeling happy. Beyond that, Muldoon's is a "best of breed" Irish pub that has something literally for everyone. Were the burgers as good as all of the hype? The jury is still out according to us since there are many other burgers to try before labeling them the best in OC, but there really isn't much that Muldoon's could improve on. The highest quality ingredients, handled properly (we could hear and smell our burgers being cooked on the char-grill ten feet away from us), and served in a friendly and happy environment (our sassy waitress Amanda was a good combination of engaging when she was there, mocking when we mocked her, and not overly present when we didn't want her there) probably add a few points to the overall review. A burger eaten in this environment, with good friends, will always taste better than the alternative. Imagine the review if we had been drinking pints!

Note: We cut a piece of burger for our missing wingman, reviewer B who couldn't make this particluar outing. We didn't let it sit for too long though...all pieces were consumed by the end of the meal.

Muldoons
202 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 640-4110
http://www.muldoonspub.com/

True to Form

I know what you're thinking...True Food Kitchen is not a restaurant you would read about during the year of the burger, right? Surprise! That is the great thing about this blog. We can do whatever the heck we want!

I have experienced True Food just once before, but for drinks only. I enjoyed the company of a co-worker and, of course a few ginger margaritas. Not on the menu, these margaritas ,pack a punch that gave me some temporary relief from my chest cold. But on my most recent visit, no ginger margaritas. It was lunch and I was hungry, which concerned me at a place like True Food. For those that don't know let me describe True Food. Sustainable, simple, fresh, healthy, locally-grown, organic. Rather than venture too deep into the menu I decided to have the waitress order for me. The first item she recommended was, coincidentally, the turkey burger. Perfect! She warned me that the burger is served with raw kale, seasoned with lemon, Parmesan and bread crumbs. I bought it.

After sucking back a Green Arnie, made of Matcha Green Tee and Honey Lemonade (don't say that I didn't warn you) our food arrived. The burger was served on a flax seed bun with a large slice of avocado, lettuce, tomato and provolone. Just so you have a visual, the turkey patty was not shaped into a perfect circular patty. It was rough around the edges. I thoroughly enjoyed this burger, despite it falling apart 1/2 way through me eating it. I resorted to eating the second 1/2 with a fork and knife, which took nothing away from it. The kale was the biggest surprise. Crunchy, citrus-y and overall a nice healthy side dish.

My thesis on True Food's turkey burger (and True Food in general)...true to form. The burger was solid. Not too "earthy" or overly "crunchy" as you might suspect. It was different and simple, yet solid.

What I like about this Year of the... assignment is our ability to go beyond the conventional. To try things that do not fit the mold. We know that In' N Out is going to be great. We know Fuddruckers and Knowlwood will deliver. But it's the burgers at places like True Food that make this fun.

B

True Food Kitchen

Fashion Island

451 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

949.544.2400

Tacos & Co

Tacos & Co is a small chain of mexican food restaurants that I have been to many times (because their location at Bristol & Jamboree) is central to everything. They have five total stores and I have not been to any of the others ones. My regular order at Tacos & Co is the carnitas and I have always enjoyed them.

As I drove up today, I saw a huge sign advertising fish tacos for $1.99 hanging out in front of the store. On the wall menu, I saw both grilled fish tacos and Sonora fish tacos (fried) offered. I ordered two grilled fish tacos with rice and beans. Each one was $1.99 and the rice and beans was an additional $0.99.

There was a small mix-up with my order and I only received one taco (as pictured) with the sides, but they quickly rectified the mistake and brought me out my second taco within a minute. The tacos are standard in their construction; double corn tortillas, yellow-tinged chopped up and grilled Tilapia, mixed-cabbage slaw (very crunchy), crema, and diced tomatoes. I tasted the first one without any additional salsa and found it to be a very good fish taco. The best part of it was the crunchy cabbage mix which was much more toothsome (although pleasingly so) than others. I couldn't detect what the mysterious yellow seasoning on the fish was and forgot to ask. I will be back to sample the Sonora style tacos and will ask then.

My overall review is positive. The tacos were above average, incredibly well priced, and the cabbage mix was really pleasingly crunchy.

They have great nachos and give student discounts as well (though my student discount days are growing farther and farther away at an alarmingly rapid rate).

Tacos & Co
3601 Jamboree Road, STE #6
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Good coupons on their website here