New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Food

OCCTAC to hold a charity fundraiser silent auction tonight to support their new food bank

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Charities, Education, Entertainment, Food, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

OCCTA Silent Auction

The Orange County Children’s Therapeutic ARTS Center will hold a fundraising event in support of their new Community Food Bank on Thursday, Sept. 11 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This event includes live art demonstrations, entertainment, raffles, refreshments, and a wide variety of auction items. Many important members of the local community are also expected to attend.

The ARTS center helps young people, especially those of limited financial means or in foster situations, by offering a program that combines academics, the arts, and creative therapies. The objective is to inspire and empower youths to realize their full potential despite their current situation. Continue reading→

Mother’s Market & Kitchen’s 36th anniversary event set for 9/27 in Santa Ana

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Business, Entertainment, Food, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Mother's Market in Santa Ana

More than 2,000 Orange County residents are expected to attend Costa Mesa-based Mother’s Market & Kitchen’s 36th Anniversary event on Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mother’s Santa Ana store located at 151 E. Memory Lane.

The event is free and open to the public.

“Oldies, but Goodies” rock band, Full Spectrum, will perform and a balloon twister and face painter will be on hand to entertain the community. Drawings will be held for multiple prizes that include a paddle board, bicycles, gift baskets, gift cards and much more. Continue reading→

Thousands expected at 36th Annual Fiestas Santa Ana weekend event & parade on Sep. 12-14

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Family, Food, Latinos, mexico, music, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Fiestas Santa Ana

City of Santa Ana
Community Alert: Thousands Expected at 36th Annual Fiestas Santa Ana Weekend Event & Parade on September 12-14

SANTA ANA, CA (September 9, 2014) – Thousands are expected to converge on the City of Santa Ana for the 36th Annual Fiestas Santa Ana Weekend Event & Parade on Fourth Street. The festivities begin on Friday, September 12 at 5:00pm with carnival rides provided by Christian Amusements. The street fair will be held on Saturday and Sunday starting at noon with great food, information booths and cultural products for sale.

Entertainers include Banda Arkangel R-15, El Dasa, Banda Tierra Explosiva, Marisa Ronstandt-Mendoza, Los Chicos de la Calle, and Adriana La Morenita. Continue reading→

Tokyo Bento now open at the CityPlace in north Santa Ana

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Business, Food, Restaurants, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Tokyo Bento combo

Tokyo Bento has arrived in Santa Ana. They offer Japanese lunch boxes at affordable prices and are located at the CityPlace, at 2775 Main St., in Santa Ana. You can like them on Facebook here.

Tokyo Bento is a fast casual restaurant chain, serving core Japanese flavors with unique dipping sauces featuring global influences. A Yelper described them as ” It’s basically Flame Broiler set up with the Chipotle assembly model.” Another Yelper had a worse comparison – “Yoshinoya meets Chipotle. Yoshinoya for the Americanized Japanese food, Chipotle.” Continue reading→

Planning Commission to consider the Fourth Street Market’s CUP request on Monday

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Business, Entertainment, Food, Hipsters, Restaurants, Santa Ana 50 Comments

Fourth Street Market

Santa Ana’s Planning Commission will be considering a request by representatives of the Fourth Street Market for conditional use permits to allow a Type 47 Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) license, after hours operation, and a banquet use in the Specific Development 84 (SD84) zoning district on Monday, August 25, 2014 at 5:30 pm. (Click here to read the Planning Commission agenda).

The Fourth Street Market is the crowning gem of the Downtown Santa Ana (DTSA) gentrifiers. It will be located at 201 East Fourth Street and is owned by Ryan Chase’s East End Partners. What is this development? Well it is a “groovy food hall” – and when it opens it will join five other hipster eating establishments including OC Mix in Costa Mesa, the Anaheim Packing House, the Union Market in Tustin and, by the end of the year, another high-end artisinal food complex in Mission Viejo, according to Orange Coast Magazine.

So far at the Anaheim food hall, the crowds have not let up – though many visitors have complained about the lack of nearby parking, according to the OC Register.

I found a public relations article that had quite a few details about what the Fourth Street Market will look like: Continue reading→

Does the new DTSA Blackmarket Bakery’s logo resemble the Islamic Jihad flag?

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Business, Food, Health and Medical, Restaurants, Santa Ana 20 Comments

Blackmarket Bakery Santa Ana

Blackmarket Bakery owner Rachel Klemek has signed a lease to open a bakery in the Santora Building at 211 N. Broadway in downtown Santa Ana, in a space that was previously a clothing store, according to the OC Weekly.

While the Blackmarket Bakery in Costa Mesa has very good Yelp reviews, the new Santa Ana location has upset a few local artists, who contacted me to complain about Blackmarket’s logo, which resembles the Islamic Jihad flag used by terrorists all over the world (see pictures below). Continue reading→

The owner of American Barbershop is opening a German sausage restaurant in DTSA

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Carlos Bustamante, Food, George Mendoza, Restaurants, Santa Ana 16 Comments

Wurst Haus

By now you have surely read about the racial fracas that occurred near the American Barbershop, in Downtown Santa Ana, last Friday. But did you know that the owner of that enterprise, George Mendoza, is also working on opening a new restaurant called Wursthaus, across the street from his barber shop, at 305 E. 4th St., #106?

The Wursthaus restaurant plans to open at 305 E. Fourth St., near the Frida Cinema. Gabriel Ruiz and George Mendoza plan to serve gourmet sausages, side dishes, wine and craft beers at the German-themed eatery. The 2,000-square-foot space will seat 85 and operate from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Thursday and until 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, according to the O.C. Register.

What you may not know is that reportedly disgraced former Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante is an investor in this new business. That could lead to some odd marketing – come try Bustamante’s hot sausage! No bueno… Continue reading→

Build your own fancy pizzas at Santa Ana’s Pizza Rev starting on 8/14

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Business, Entertainment, Food, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Looks like Santa Ana’s going to be the next city in Orange County to get a fancy build-your-own pizza joint. PizzaRev, a Blaze Pizza/Pieology-style pizzeria will be opening the doors of its corner store on Bristol Street and MacArthur next Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014, according to the OC Weekly.

PizzaRev is a “build-your-own” fast-casual pizza concept that has reinvented the way America eats its favorite food. Guests are empowered to fully customize a personal-sized 11” pizza for under $8. Homemade dough options, flavorful sauces, delicious cheeses, and over 30+ fresh toppings, everything is on display at PizzaRev and assembled right before your eyes. The pizzas are then fired in a four-ton, 900 degree, stone-hearth oven producing a thin and crispy “Roman-style” pizza in just three minutes, according to their Facebook page. Continue reading→

2014 OC Fair’s closing week features the return of the Budweiser Clydesdales

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Costa Mesa, Family, Food, OC Fair, Orange County, Orange County Fair, Youth Activities Leave a comment

2014 OC Fair’s Closing Week Features Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Brand New Wild Turkey Stampede, Return of the Budweiser Clydesdales and 5 Nights of Demolition Derby August 6-10

The OC Fair will salute Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Irvine, La Habra, Lake Forest, Tustin, Villa Park and Yorba Linda on select days August 6-8 with a community flag salute and admission discount

Costa Mesa, Calif. (August 4, 2014) – The 2014 OC Fair (July 11-August 10) continues into its last week of summer fun and festivities featuring world-class entertainment in the Toyota Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre and hit tribute band concerts in The Hangar. The OC Fair also welcomes the new Wild Turkey Stampede event and the return of the Budweiser Clydesdales exhibit and parade. Both events are held daily for the rest of the 2014 Fair and are free with Fair admission. The Fair is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Here is a quick look of the events going on this week (August 6-10) at the 2014 OC Fair: Continue reading→

2014 OC Fair’s 3rd week features Lifehouse, KIDZ BOP, OC Fair 5k Fun Run & a Celebrity Chef

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Costa Mesa, Family, Food, music, Orange County Fair, Youth Activities Leave a comment

2014 OC Fair’s Third Week Features Lifehouse, KIDZ BOP, OC Fair 5k Fun Run & Celebrity Chef Kelsey Nixon Plus Free Activities and Family Fun July 30-August 3

Plus, the OC Fair will salute Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley and Newport Beach on July 30 and Garden Grove, Westminster and Stanton on July 31 with a community flag salute and ticket discount

Costa Mesa, Calif. (July 28, 2014) – The 2014 OC Fair (July 11-August 10) continues onto its third week of summer fun and festivities featuring world-class entertainment in the Toyota Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre and hit tribute bands in The Hangar. The OC Fair also welcomes the Oasis Camel Dairy with daily demonstrations and all-day exhibit that’s free with Fair admission. The Fair is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Here is a quick look of the events going on this week (July 30- August 3) at the 2014 OC Fair: Continue reading→

Grantburgers’ New Chile Relleno Pretzel Burger ranked top OC Fair food item

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Costa Mesa, Food, Orange County Fair Leave a comment

Grantburgers’ New Chile Relleno Pretzel Burger Ranked Top OC Fair Food Item for 2014

Best of OC Fair Food Named During Concessionaire’s Cup

Costa Mesa, Calif. (July 25, 2014) – Amid all things fried or on a stick, it was a spicy, loaded burger that won the Best of the Best award in the 2014 OC Fair Concessionaires’ Cup Contest. Grantburgers’ new Chile Relleno Pretzel Burger made it through four rounds of judging to be the top food item in the annual contest held July 18.

The 70 entries submitted by Fair food vendors were first judged on a set standard for Gold, Silver and Bronze rankings. All Gold-ranked items were then judged on creativity and originality for the Special Rosette round and these items were further judged based on value for menu price in the value round. Judges included The Bikini Chef Susan Irby, Foodie-A-GoGo Blogger Rich Manning, Chef Lindsey Smith Rosales of Laguna Beach’s Nirvana Grille and Master Food Preserver and OC Fair demonstrator Ernest Miller. Continue reading→

Original Mike’s to host a cigar event on August 2

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Bars, Cigars, Entertainment, Food, music, Restaurants, Santa Ana Leave a comment

A Cigar Event will be hosted on August 2, 2014 at Original Mike’s, located at 100 S. Main St. in Santa Ana.

The event will include Cigars, Live Music, Scotch Tasting, Rum Tasting, a live DJ, and Dancing.

The event will be held on their beautiful 6,000 sq. ft. outdoor patio. There is also a private Smoking Lounge inside and a fully stocked Premium Bar. Continue reading→

2014 OC Fair’s 2nd week features The Go-Go’s and free family activities

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Costa Mesa, Family, Food, music, Youth Activities Leave a comment

2014 OC Fair’s Second Week Features Performances by The Go-Go’s, ASA Action Sports World Tour and No Duh Plus Free Activities and Family Fun July 23-27

Plus the OC Fair will salute Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Los Alamitos, Orange, Santa Ana and Seal Beach on select days July 23-25 with a community flag salute and discounts

Costa Mesa, Calif. (July 21, 2014) – The 2014 OC Fair (July 11-August 10) continues onto its second week of summer fun featuring world-class entertainment, deep-fried munchies, Texas-sized donuts, daily exhibits and thrilling rides and games. The Fair is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Here is a quick look of the events going on this week (July 23-27) at the 2014 OC Fair: Continue reading→

OC Pride’s inaugural Closet Ball is set for July 31 at Diego’s Downtown SA

Posted on July 20, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Food, LGBT, Santa Ana Leave a comment

OC Pride’s Inaugural Closet Ball is set for Thursday, July 31, 2014, at 7 pm, at Diego’s Downtown located at 224 E. 3rd St., in Downtown Santa Ana. Tickets are $10 at the door.

This event will be an entertaining mash-up of Dancing with the Stars and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Watch as contestants come out of the “drag closet,” transforming right before your eyes and performing in drag for the very first time. Continue reading→

The OC Fair 2014 welcomes celebrity chefs Carla Hall, Roy Choi and Kelsey Nixon

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Costa Mesa, Food, Orange County Fair Leave a comment

The OC Fair 2014 Welcomes Celebrity Chefs Carla Hall, Roy Choi and Kelsey Nixon Demonstrations & autograph signings are free with OC Fair admission

Costa Mesa, Calif. (July 16, 2014) – The 2014 OC Fair announces cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs Carla Hall (July 17), Roy Choi (July 24) and Kelsey Nixon (July 31) in The Hangar. Demonstrations are free with Fair admission and will be followed by autograph signing sessions.

Carla Hall is chef and owner of Carla Hall Petite Cookies, co-hosts ABC’s “The Chew” and appeared on “Top Chef.” Watch Carla’s French and Southern cooking style live at the OC Fair on Thursday, July 17 at 4 p.m. Continue reading→