Wordless Wednesday

I don't think I've ever been to a place as gorgeous as Capri, Italy.  Pictures just don't do it justice.  And the food?  Absolutely divine.

I will return.  Hopefully sooner rather than later.

A Bunch of Bananas

Sometimes life gets busy and when life gets busy I don't have nearly enough time to go on as many "Dining Underground" excursions as I'd like.  This is one of those times.

I'm currently in what you would call "crunch time" at work, which means my dining adventures have been less than thrilling (unless you call daily trips to Starbucks for tea excitement).  Somehow in the midst of all this craziness I managed to purchase an excessive amount of bananas.  How this happened I'm not too sure, but in my sleep-deprived-due-to-work haze, bananas were purchased.

In between my numerous work meetings and picking at my chipped nail polish, I decided on the only logical thing to do with my sudden bounty of bananas.  Make banana bread!

Not just any banana bread, VEGAN banana bread.  Why vegan you may ask?  While I'm not a vegan by any means, sometimes I just have an urge for vegan baked goodness.  That coupled with the fact that I was out of eggs and in no mood to run to the store for more.

This recipe takes only 10 minutes to make and then another 45-50 minutes in the oven.

Vegan Banana Bread (based loosely off of this recipe from Joy the Baker)

2 large or 3 small very ripe bananas
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup agave nectar
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon flaxseed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas really well. Add the agave nectar, flaxseed, brown sugar, oil and mix together.

Smushed banana goodness

Sift in the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Use a wooden spoon to mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with cinnamon on top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should be lightly browned when the bread is done baking, and then enjoy.

The end result

 Absolutely delicious and filling.  Just what I needed to get me through this week.

Sampling a little bit of everything at the Taste of Newport

Every year the city of Newport Beach hosts "Taste of Newport", a 3-day street festival with food offerings from many popular restaurants located in Newport Beach and bordering cities.  There's food, there's booze, and usually some form of entertainment (Foreigner anyone?).  You load up a card filled with "food credits" aka cash, and then enjoy amuse bouche size dishes from a variety of vendors.  This allows you to try many different dishes without getting overly stuffed.

This was my first time experiencing the Taste of Newport, and with my lovely parents as my guides, we eagerly began scouring the food stalls to decide which places would be worthy of our food credits.  But first, as all dining adventures should go, we started with a glass of champagne.

Bubbly before feasting!

Bubbly in hand, it was time to start exploring.  My game plan for the evening was to try dishes from places I haven't dined at before, and to try something new.  My dad made a beeline for the Kityama booth (Kitayama happens to be one of my favorite sushi restaurants) and got some chicken teryiaki and a spicy tuna roll.  My mom decided to go the Spanish route and enjoyed some paella from Tapas Flavors of Spain.  I sampled both of their selections and they were excellent.

Still feeling undecided, I wandered over to the Palm Terrace and my gaze fell upon the truffle mac n' cheese.  Truffle mac n' cheese?  Clearly I was going to have to try this.

Kinda makes you want to dive right in huh?

This was truly decadent - you could really taste the crushed truffles mixed with the pasta.  My dad had the lamb chops from the Palm Terrace and they were excellent as well.  Way to go Palm Terrace.

Wanting something with some protein, I found myself intrigued by the Kobe beef sliders at Back Bay Bistro made with carmelized onions and bleu cheese.  These bad boys were so good I devoured TWO of them, and so quickly that I didn't even pause to take a picture.  I'm definitely going to have to make a trip to the Back Bay Bistro in the near future.

After some more champagne, it was time for dessert.  My parents opted for ice cream cones from Ruby's but I was looking for something else.  Enter Tuxedo Strawberries from the Ritz Restaurant.

White + Dark Chocolate = Bliss

These suckers are so cute that you almost can't eat them.  Almost. ;)

We also grabbed some macaroons and chocolate from Christopher Michael Chocolates to enjoy later.

Overall, it was a delightful evening.  I got to try food from places I normally wouldn't dine at (or couldn't afford) and left feeling perfectly content.  Taste of Newport - I'll see you again next year.

The Yardhouse: A Conflicted Opinion

While this blog has mainly focused on all of my favorite Orange County eats, there are also places that leave me feeling conflicted.  The Yardhouse is one of them.

The Yardhouse is a chain restaurant/bar that prides itself on their extensive beer selection (and the fact that you can order beer by the yard).  It's the perfect place for happy hour, watching your favorite sports match, and of course, having a beer.  So why the conflict?  Quite frankly, it's the food.

I've eaten at The Yardhouse many times, and while there is absoultely nothing wrong with the food, I always leave just feeling meh.  And this is a place that even caters to gluten intolerances and other allergies so you would think I would be singing it's praises. But instead I always leave thinking "Oh Yardhouse, if only you put in a wee bit more effort."  For example, once while dining there I ordered the summer salad with chicken.  The salad arrived, but the chicken was still en route according to our server.  10 minutes later after I had already made a dent in the salad, the chicken arrived on a plate, looking like it was nuked in the microwave.  Le sigh.

And it's not that the sliders and the tuna rolls and pasta dishes don't sound enticing, but I just don't want to invest my time or money on just sub-par food.  Yes, I appreciate the fact that they list all of their nutritional information and are willing to modify for any dietary needs, but I just wish it had a little more of the "wow" factor considering the price.

For now, I will continue to go to the Yardhouse and enjoy their beverage selection and keep my fingers crossed that one day, just one day I may grow to love their menu.  As long as they don't ever serve me microwaved chicken on the side of my salad again.

Pumpkin Spice is Oh So Nice

Fall is (unofficially) here, which means it's time for everything pumpkin: pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin scones, pumpkin bread....need I go on?

Every year I'm always lured into a Starbucks or other coffeehouse/bakery establishment with the promise of delicious pumpkin baked goods and drinks.  However, since many of these treats either have some sort of corn or soy additive, I unfortunately cannot partake.

So I figured, "why not make your own pumpkin treats?"  I'll know EXACTLY what is in them, and can modify them to my liking (aka if I'm feeling healthy or indulgent). 

Now I know this blog is about the dining secrets of Orange County, but I figure it doesn't hurt to throw a recipe in there now and then.  Capiche? Capiche.

Lately I've had muffins on the brain, so clearly the logical answer was to make pumpkin muffins.  This recipe comes from one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen, with a few modifications.

Since I don't feel like going for broke yet, this is the healthified version of pumpkin muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins (see the original recipe here)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp baking powder (I used Hain baking powder which uses potato starch instead of corn)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1-1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup agave nectar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 350F.  Put liners in muffin cups or lightly coat muffin cups with cooking spray so they do not stick.

Combine pumpkin, oil and eggs in a large bowl.  Whisk together until smooth.  Stir in the agave nectar.

In another bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder.  Slowly pour the dry ingredients into your pumpkin mixture.  Whisk together until everything is combined.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups and then sprinkle with additional nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.

Bake until puffed and golden brown for 25-30 minutes.

Let muffins cool for 5 minutes, then eat and enjoy!  Yep, it's just that easy. 

Now you have a healthy breakfast treat or snack that can be enjoyed anytime.

Hidden Italian gems inside a Strip Mall

I'm becoming more and more convinced that the best restaurants are the little hole in the wall ones - the taco shop that looks like it could undergo some serious renovation, the sushi bar that has no name on the outside but somehow everyone knows how to find it, and delicious Italian restaurants tucked away in a strip mall.  For now, let's talk Italian (although I do have some tasty taco shops and sushi bars that I will need to discuss in the very near future).

Capone's is a small Italian Cucina that has been a Huntington Beach staple for over 17 years.  It's a family run restaurant that prides itself on homemade sauces, soups, and desserts made with only the freshest ingredients.  The restaurant is reasonably priced, and has a very homey vibe to it.  Plus, Monday and Wednesdays are 1/2 off a bottle of wine or no corkage fee if you choose to bring in your own bottle.  Not too shabby if you ask me.  But let's get to the food.

Of course, I forgot my camera when feasting on all of this Italian goodness, so a picture of Capone's entrance will have to suffice for the time being.

If you wish to start your meal with some antipasti, the Calamari Fritti with spicy marinara sauce or the Bruschetta Capone are light and especially flavorful.  I'm always a sucker for fresh bruschetta, and this is one of the best I've ever had.

For my main course, I settled on the Spaghetti Primavera - spaghetti noodles with fresh vegetables, olive oil, basil, and grilled chicken.  It was fantastic (and huge!) and seasoned perfectly.  My dining companions enjoyed Chicken Marsala, Linguine with Clams, and Penne con petit de Pollo with a balsamic glaze.  Judging by the fact that nearly all of us cleared our plates, I think it's safe to say the entrees were a hit. 

We all contemplated sampling something from the dessert tray (namely the tiramisu) but our bellies were so full and content from the delicious wine and dinner that we decided to pass.  Next time Capone's, next time.

I love meals like this when I leave feeling full but not overstuffed, and eager to come back to the restaurant to try some of their other dishes.  Good food, good friends, good night.

Capone's Cucina
19688 Beach Blvd #10

Huntington Beach, CA 92646