Memphis at the Santora introduces new fall items

Downtown Santa Ana has seen quite an influx of new, hip, trendy restaurants, but one to start the trend was Memphis. Situated at the historic Santora Building, Memphis at the Santora draws in a huge crows as the evening progresses mainly because they made some of the tastiest cocktails around.

We started with Whiskey Buck which seriously appealed to me even though its base was whiskey. I’m more a tequila or vodka girl, but this particular drink had a touch of sweetness and citrus undertones which worked well for me. Jeffery the bartender had concocted this drink — it’s not on the menu yet — and added some gorgeous lemon and lime peel for garnish.

Gold Rush, another whiskey-based potable was not as palatable. Maker’s Mark isn’t one of my favorites and it overpowered the entire drink.

We came here specifically to try the new fall items which was recently added to the menu. With beets in season at the moment, Roasted Beet Salad ($8) made use of the seasonal root vegetable well with crumbled goat cheese, hazelnuts, arugula, all drizzled with a roasted garlic vinaigrette.

Craw Puppies ($5) were one of our favorites of the night. These hush puppies exposed a little piece of crawfish in the center. Served with Rooster Mayo — using the Red Rooster brand Louisiana hot sauce with mayo — it added a nice kick to the very light craw puppies.

My son was excited about the Barbecued Duck Quesadilla ($13) because well, he just loves quesadillas. When he heard the filling, he said “duck?” but then continued with “I’ll try it”. I’m always so proud when does that. The barbecued duck was a tad too sweet for me, but the kid loved it.

The accompanying black eyed pea salad was also good albeit the peas were a little on the al dente side. I loved how Chef Diego used blue corn tortillas for the quesadillas and the avocado-jalapeno crema was also very flavorful with just a slight kick.

Another favorite of the evening was Barbecued Shrimp & Green Chile Grits ($12). Infused with the flavors of the house cured tasso ham, each bite consisted of succulent shrimp, savory ham and bits of pickled okra added a nice tartness to the mouthful.

Saffron Risotto Jambalaya ($17) uses gulf prawns, Carlsbad mussels, Manila clams and smoked chicken. Served in a paella pan, it was a little wet and on the mushy side, but the flavors were perfect and I enjoyed it regardless.

Old favorites such as the buttermilk fried chicken and meatloaf remain on the menu. I think there would be a furor if they ever removed them — I for one would since in the past, the buttermilk fried chicken was the only thing I ever order with the delicious Hoppin’ Johns that comes with it.

However, the next time I return, the shrimp and grits will be added to my usual order plus a few of those delicious Whiskey Bucks!

Memphis at the Santora
201 N Broadway
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Tel: 714-564-1064

>La Cocina De Mi Abuelita

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handmade tortilla tacos

**version of article is featured on OC Register’s Food Frenzy**

I’ve never ventured down this far on Bristol Street traveling towards Santa Ana before so I was unaware of what was out here, that is, until my friend wanted to meet for lunch, at this hole in the wall. I wasn’t really feeling Mexican food I told her, but I tagged along anyway just so I could see her. Surprisingly, after that initial visit, I returned again for breakfast this weekend as I’d been thinking about the food for a few months now.

The restaurant is small, just what you would expect in Santa Ana. The interior is decorated like an old diner with a life size statue of Elvis in the doorway. There is table service but if you’re in somewhat of a hurry, I suggest just going up to the counter and ordering before sitting down.

The specialty here is carne en su jugo, literally translated as “meat in its own juices”, and this was the dish I couldn’t stop thinking about after trying it the first time. This soupy stew hails from Guadalajara, namely the Jalisco area where Andres’s, (the owner) family comes from. The recipe has been passed down from generations and once you taste it, you’ll instantly realize that this isn’t something that’s thrown together lightly. The recipe is simple, beef, bacon and beans, but not just any beans, not even pinto beans which is so popular in Mexican cuisine, but Peruano beans, which stand up so much better to extended cooking and absorbs flavors well.

carne en su jugo

The carne en su jugos arrives in a festive clay dish with another plate of condiments consisting of diced onions, cilantro, limes and grilled green Mexican onions/sauteed yellow onions. I tasted the soup before dousing it with the condiments and was met with a hearty and beefy broth which enticed the palate. After the condiments were added it brought on a whole new element to the dish, something between menudo and a beef soup but so much better. I was blown away by the sheer simplicity yet deliciousness of it all.

If soupy stews are not your thing don’t fret because this place is known for more than just the carne en su jugo! Their hand-made tortillas are also very good, beautifully textured and a little thicker than the regular tortillas used for street tacos! My favorite is the al pastor — perfectly seasoned and not dry. The carne asada is also flavored very well but just a little too dry for me.

condiment plate

Another thing this place is known for are tacos al vapor — steamed tacos — but surprisingly, I wasn’t all that excited about them. I found the tortilla too dry and the shredded beef filling my friend ordered wasn’t all that flavorful. Maybe it would have been better with al pastor, who knows, but for me, the hand made tortillas are the way to go.

I also tried another of my favorite Mexican dishes, camarones al mojo de ajo, but unfortunately, dried garlic powder was used instead of fresh garlic and the accompanying beans and rice weren’t the best I’ve had. I won’t order this next time.

Like most ethnic restaurants there are a few outstanding items which make me go back again and again for more. This place is no different. Whenever I think of carne en su jugo and the hand made tortillas, La Cocina de mi Abuelita is what I think of. Try it yourself and trust me, your tastebuds will thank you!

La Cocina De Mi Abuelita, 2640 S Bristol Street, Santa Ana, CA 92704. Tel: 714-241-7166

>Royal Khyber — a feast fit for kings

>Growing up in Malaysia, Indian food was a regular staple for me, but little did I know that what I ate as a child was south Indian food and there was a host of Indian regional food that I was unfamiliar with, until that is, I was a teenager and had a good friend from Gujurati. Later on, I met other Indians while working in Hong Kong who were from northern India and hence began my foray into the vastness of what Indian cuisine had to offer.

On a recent visit to an Indian feast hosted by Royal Khyber restaurant in Santa Ana, my blogger friends and I, along with my 10 year old son, were presented with a meal like no other I’d ever had in a restaurant before. This was the type of food I had only experienced in the homes of my Indian friends, food that was lovingly prepared using the best ingredients and not in the least bit greasy and heavy like that I’d found while dining at Indian restaurants in America.

We began our meal with a series of appetizers including smoked lamb cakes, spicy calamari, paneer couscous cakes (pictured left) and olive naan. I always know when something tastes exceptional because my son, who has a very adult palate, will ask for a second helping — which he did with all the appetizers. Lamb cakes were well seasoned patties of ground lamb served with a tamarind, ginger, basil honey sauce — these were wonderful because you can really taste the gameyness of the lamb, but it didn’t overpower the whole dish due to the blend of spices used to season them.

Spicy calamari (pictured right) at Royal Khyber is an Indian take on calamari fritto in that the calamari is dipped into a chickpea batter and fried, similar to the vegetable pakoras, giving it an exotic and luxurious element than its Italian counterpart. Paneer couscous cakes tasted neither like couscous nor paneer, (an Indian “cheese”, but more like a solid milk cube and does not utilize rennet in its solidifying process) but rather a very healthy rissole. Serrano chiles give them a nice little kick.

Dal (lentil) soup (pictured left) was absolutely fantastic! I’ve always been a fan of dal and to have it in a soup that is completely vegetarian and tasted so rich and complex was incredible. This is something I would definitely order again!

Curried seafood (pictured right) wasn’t very strong, in fact, the broth was so subtle it never overpowered the seafood in any way. Like a bouillabaise or cioppino , this beautifully presented stew if you will, consisted of shrimp, salmon, mussels, calamari, scallops and lobster tail swimming in a light broth of Chardonnay, dessicated coconut and a touch of Karahi sauce — traditionally containing onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. And if you thought Indian food wasn’t healthy before, you’ll change your mind when you hear that olive oil is used in this dish. This is Arun Puri’s — owner and innovator of this creative menu — vision, to bringing healthier Indian cuisine to southern California.

Our entrees soon arrived and the spread seemed never-ending. One of the house specialties is the Kyber nectar (pictured left) a slow braised lamb shank which combines a stash of secret spices — and no, they won’t tell you what they are — and the intricacies of this dish includes a 14+ hour slow cook to achieve the lamb shank’s fall-off-the-bone texture. The sauce is richly decadent and you will fall in love with it at first bite!

The use of brown mustard seeds and Sarson Ka Tel (mustard oil) is prevalent in Bengali cooking and it is no wonder that the Bengali mustard fish (pictured right) consists of both these elements. Catfish, usually not one of my favorites due to its muddy after taste was perfect in this dish as the strong sauce, which included turmeric and red chiles, would have overshadowed a milder fish. This was one of my favorites.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo is a potato dish generally cooked with ‘pressure’ — dum means pressure in Hindi and aloo is potato — is a Kashmiri delicacy and the dum method of cooking is said to have been brought by the Mughals from Central Asia. At Royal Khyber, the dum aloo is given a crowning glory by topping them with silver paper.

Methi Punjabi chicken (pictured left) is a mild curry-like dish prepared using fenugreek (methi), but here, it is spiced up some with Serrano chiles, perfect for my obsession with spicy foods! For those who aren’t as savvy with the heat as I am, you can omit the chiles and still enjoy the chicken immensely.

I’m not a big fan of sweets due to my diabetes, but Mr Puri sold me on how he’s been experimenting on lowering the sugar content of his Indian desserts to suit customers just like me who have to watch their sugar intake, but still, wish to enjoy traditional Indian sweets after their meal. I’ve never liked Indian desserts purely because they’ve always been way too sweet for my palate, but I was open to sample these new-age desserts.  
 
Gulab jamun has always been something I’ve shunned from because to me, they’d always been balls of dough soaked in a sweet syrup and nothing else. I was surprised that these gulab jamun weren’t sickly sweet, nor were they super heavy in texture. These were gulab jamun I could eat on occasion. There was also a rice pudding as well as rasmalai (pictured right) a dessert using ricotta or cottage cheese as its basis — I believe paneer is used here — and soaked in sweetened condensed milk. I tried them, but honestly, I could just take it or leave it. The meal on its own was more than enough to satisfy this gluttonous blogger and the best part was, I didn’t slip into a food coma like I usually do after an Indian meal!


Royal Khyber, 1621 W Sunflower Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92704.  Tel: 714-436-1010

>Sahuayo Primo — muy caliente

>Santa Ana, home to literally hundreds if not thousands of Mexican restaurants I know I will never be able to fully explore nor appreciate just due to sheer logistics. Once in a while, I will chance upon one which is notable, but most of the time, it’s due to word of mouth or from Yelp. One such place is Sahuayo Primo, a little hole-in-the-wall which a friend of mine brought me to. The place is not easy to find. There is no real signage except for a few words on its window. The store front boasts a red awning, but that’s about it. The only way to describe it is that it’s on Main between St Andrews Place and Gertrude but much closer to Gertrude, almost at the corner.. Street parking is available if you’re lucky but there isn’t parking right in front of the store if that’s what you’re looking for.

There is chicharron in the window and only five small tables dot the narrow space inside allowing only about 15 people maximum seating, although I didn’t see that many chairs in there to accommodate. The menu hangs above the counter and it is simple: tortas, plates or tacos. Tacos are $1.89 each while the plates were $7.50. The meat choices are good: carne asada, al pastor, carnitas (pictured top), lengua, cabeza, birria and a few others I can’t remember now. Both my friend and I opted for three tacos each and we found a table to sit down at. There is a salsa bar consisting of pickled carrots, pickled onions, three types of salsas, onions, cilantro, limes, everything you need to top your tacos with.

The tacos come au naturel — tortillas and meat, nothing else. You are responsible for dressing your own tacos and that’s the way I like. I started with the lengua but found it very bland and tasteless. The pickled onions are marinated with habaneros so they take on a spicier quality about them which added a lot to the lengua, but I took two bites and quickly moved on to the al pastor. Now, this is a taco! the al pastor was extremely flavorful and it wasn’t too greasy — my friend said the last time he was here, the al pastor was super greasy. I topped it with everything and especially loved the smokiness of the chipotle salsa, but when I returned to the bar to get more pickled onions, the man asked me if I liked spicy, if I wanted some chile. I said sure! He went into his walk in refrigerator and brought out a green salsa with the consistency of the green guacamole sauce they serve at El Pollo Loco, but this one had a serious bite to it. It was absolutely fantastic! Even my friend started adding this to his tacos.

By the time I got to my carnitas taco I was a pro at dressing my taco — a little of this, a little of that, but definitely a lot of the pickled onions and the spicy green salsa. These tacos weren’t your average street taco-sized tacos. These were decent-sized and the guy packed the meat on! I was stuffed after two tacos. I tried my friend’s cabeza, but wasn’t impressed by that since it was similarly underseasoned like the lengua.

I’ve already decided that if and when I do return, I’m sticking to the al pastor and carnitas. These two were definitely fabulous and honestly, I’m already stuffed with just the two! Cash only!


Sahuayo Primo, 2056 S Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92707. Tel:  714-957-8821

>Mil Jugos — a Venezuelan slice of heaven

>I adore Mil Jugos — why? because they have the best arepas in town! Arepa is a a type of unleavened bread resembling a muffin but made of corn and at Mil Jugos, they are filled with a variety of stuffings ranging from meat to just vegetarian. My favorite arepa is the asada, a very flavorful beef slow cooked and pulled (textured like pulled pork) and often, drips down the side of your mouth when you bite into it. The pabellon (pictured) with carne demeschada, black beans and queso is also good although I’m not fond of the black beans in my arepa — the texture doesn’t work for me. They also have arepas which consists of a salad-like filling but to me, both the filling and the arepa have to be warm/hot or else, the cold with the hot just throws my whole eating experience out of whack! The daily soups are very good also and they do a lunch special of a bowl of soup, one arepa and a fountain drink. If you like juices you MUST try one of their many freshly concocted juices, after all Mil Jugos means a thousand juices so how can you leave it without sampling at least one? The staff here are very friendly and aren’t shy about explaining their Venezuelan cuisine or culture — that is, when they’re not busy serving their customers!


Mil Jugos, 318 W 5th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92725. Tel: 714-836-4601

>Lola Gaspar — satisfies my every desire

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Lola Gaspar, the name itself brings a smile to my face! This little bar in the heart of the artist village in downtown Santa Ana has been around for over a year now and still remains one of my favorite places to go for a drink and grab a quick tasty bite with friends. The atmosphere is goth-chic if there is such a thing. Personally, I love it! The people are beautiful, the drinks are sexy, the food is tasty and most of all, it is just a cool place to hang out at. I’ve never brought a friend here who hasn’t absolutely loved it! My favorite drinks here are the mojitos, margaritas (pictured) or my current crush, the Brooklyn Love! The food here is served tapas-style, order an appetizer or two — my addiction is the grilled calamari — such as bleu cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, or get a few of the tacos for good measure. Whatever you decide, I can assure you it’ll be a great time all around. Make sure you don’t stop by on the first Saturday of each month when Artist Walk happens in downtown Santa Ana or else you will be very frustrated and angry when the wait can be up to 2 hours. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

 Lola Gaspar, 211 W 2nd Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Tel: 714-972-1172