Kat's 9 Lives

Leave it to Asians to come up with inventive ways of spelling. Corea BBQ is located inside the Freshia market off of Red Hill in Tustin. This was the first time I went to the Freshia in Tustin. Stacy 2 **inside joke** took me there for lunch while running errands... umm during class! O=9 Tsk tsk! lol It is good that I had her around because there was a little bit of a language barrier because I asked for a substitution. Having her around made life easier. Don't worry, if you don't speak Korean they have tons of pictures of the food up so you can just point and order. ^_-
The weather had been cold and the flu had been virulent throughout... Stacy 2 needed something hot to warm her and keep the flu at bay. She was in the mood for some kind of soup. In the end she decided to get the Ox Tail Bone Soup. Rice comes with the soup so that you can just dump it in and eat it together. The soup was thick and hearty but on the bland side. I personally like soups to be more flavorful and rich. This soup was rich in another way and could be seasoned to add more flavor.
As for me, I am a meat girl! O=9 That day I was looking for some Spicy Cold Noodles. My favorite one, which I still need to blog about it, is the one I get at the Korean bath house on Beach Blvd. The picture they had up wasn't too distinguishable on what type of noodles that it was made with. I was going to order spicy cold noodles and some type of meat. Luckily Stacy 2 was there and recommended that I get the Cold Noodles and Any BBQ Combo. I told her that I wanted spicy and that was just regular cold noodles so she just asked them for me. This is where having someone who can bridge the language gap comes in handy. So they let me choose any noodle and any bbq all for ~$8.50 before tax. The noodles were not what I expected. They were much thinner and not as chewy as the type of cold noodles I am used to. Apparently Stacy 2 told me that these were the typical noodles that come in the type of spicy noodle I ordered. C'est la vie! I tried to eat as much as I can but boy do they give a HUGE PILE of noodles. Normally for cold noodles they give scissors to cut the chunk of noodles into smaller piles, but it was a huge clump here. Needless to say, I had TONS of leftover noodles. ^)^ As for the BBQ, I chose Kalbi (Galbi) because that is the most expensive and tasty! The trade off is that you get a lot less meat. The flavor was good and it really hit the spot. I liked that they gave me the cup of broth to go with everything. It really hit the spot in the cold weather.

All in all I thought for the price and portion... not bad! I have already been back once more and I took some other classmates on another umm "school" trip. O=9 Of course you can buy the marinated meat from the supermarket that you are already in and cook it at home yourself too... which I did buy as well... tons of BBQ for me I guess. Mmm! It is convenient if you are just looking for a quick fix and a reasonable price. I recommend that you order first and then go shop around the grocery store so that you maximize your time. ^_^

Corea BBQ
14551 Red Hill Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 508-0024

After lunch at SinBala with friends we decided to go shopping at the supermarket next door. While I was browsing around I saw something very interesting next to checkout. I saw Flamin' Funyuns! Lately, I have been really into spicy things and this seemed like a great combo! It's been years since I have had Funyuns and to find out that they now offer "Flamin'" ones was music to my ears. The delectable crispness of Funyuns topped off with the savory spicy powder made my mouth sing. Sadly, I was being good and only bought a small bag to try. As soon as I opened the bag, all my classmates "helped' finish it off! lol I have yet to see it in the regular supermarkets. Maybe it is time I go to SinBala again just to get me some more Flamin' Funyuns!

Saturday was a day of catching up. One of our friends was down from SF so Burumun and I decided to hang out. I invited PK to come along to join in the fun and to hang out afterwards as well. Our first stop of the day was at Spoon House. At first we planned to go elsewhere but I suddenly remembered how much Burumun raved about this place. Why not try it out while I'm in the area. =9 The parking is in the back so if you past it like I did, just make a U-turn and park behind.
Ironically, I'm the only one who hasn't been here out of everyone in the group. The outside might look a bit run down but the inside is a cute cafe/diner style. Apparently they are known for their French Bread. PK doesn't remember much of this place except for the yummy bread. Needless to say we went through our basket fast and asked for more. They sell the bread for $3.00 per loaf. It's much better if you just eat it there for FREE!!! lol The bread is light and fluffy with a crispy and flaky outer crust. It's the way Japanese people make French Bread. ^_- I made sure to have some left for the bottom of the bowl to soak up the sauce.
For my dish I debated on what to try. At first I wanted to get the Barca D'Oro but Burumun was getting it so I decided to try the Garlic Beef with Italian Sauce and sneak a bite of her's instead. O=9 I am actually really glad I chose this dish because it was on the safe side. The sauce was stronger and more flavorful with all the chopped garlic. MmMmmm Good. Some of the meat was a bit overcooked but some were just the right chewy texture. Overall I enjoyed my pasta the most. It's simple but a good price. The noodles were nice and firm but I wished there was more sauce. At the end there was enough to soak up with the bread. ^_-
PK wanted to try the Japanese-Style Cod Roe, Squid, Sea Urchin, and Seaweed. We were going to share the pastas as well. I took one bite of the pasta and I was like umm... yah... push the plate to the side! lol PK being as sweet as always, offered to switch back but I said it's okay if we don't. She took a few more bites and switched back, which was very nice of her. I was okay with not eating anymore because I had my fill of carbs. The carnivore inside of me wanted meat! lol This pasta was very very light in flavor and a bit too fishy for my taste. I know it's a seafood pasta but it had that awkward seafood taste. You couldn't really taste the sea urchin in the sauce at all. Luckily we were going to eat live sea urchin later ^_-. *stay tuned*
Burumun had the Barac D'Oro, which was Seafood with Italian Sauce. Inside there was Squid, Shrimp, Clam, and maybe some Octopus. Her pasta looked much better than mine because it was saucy and full of content, but I tried a bite... and I like mine better in flavor. ^_^ The sauce wasn't as rich or flavorful as the one I had. Although looking back on the photo, it looks really tempting. Still, I prefer the garlicky sauce on top of the beef on my pasta.
Our friend ordered the Spoon House Napolitano with Tomato Sauce and "Wiener". The pasta looked hearty and full of ingredients. He said it was good. All in all it was a nice fun meal with friends. The food was not bad for the price, but I wouldn't drive out especially for this. I am glad I got to try it and have some fun with friends. You can make a lot of this at home and you can always buy bread somewhere to accompany your meal. Although if you really love the bread there and want to buy some, why not just eat there and have your fill as you are enjoying your pasta. ^_-

Spoon House
1601 W Redondo Beach Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 538-0376

I wonder how many hours I spend thinking about where I would be eating for a meal or where my friends would like or where we should end up going. Man, I must spend half my life think about food and the other half... eating it! lol O=9 Actually, it is sad... but I think we think about food or where we should go more than anything. That is the case for me. MBA and I always have a difficult time deciding where to eat but wanting to stay close, have it be a good deal, and taste good! It is like catching lightening in a bottle or finding the perfect man! Needless to say, we weren't ever going to reach the end of the rainbow for that pot of gold. For the longest time we thought about where to go and we couldn't come into agreement. I want something at least halfway decent and she wants a good deal. O=9 After wracking our brains on places nearby, I actually thought of one that turned out good. Ironically this is right next to MBA's work and she has yet to try the newly opened California Fish Grill, well not so new now 1/23/10. I have been to the one in Irvine a few times and it has always been a hit with my friends. Too bad I didn't come here earlier because they had a coupon ad a while back when they first opened to attract business. Now they don't need it because they are pretty packed.
Somehow my luck has been hit or miss with the Irvine location. The first time I went I had the fried shrimp and found out that I should have gotten the Mahi Mahi. Then the second time I had Mahi Mahi with Tofu, I wish I had the Orange Roughy. Somehow I am always one step behind on the yummy fish. This time I saw that they had White Roughy and I pondered if I should give the Mahi Mahi another try. Good thing that I tried the White Roughy with Garlic Butter and Fries. It was tender and delicious, just right this time. Yay I finally got/won the best dish. MBA asked me if she should get Salmon or Mahi Mahi and I gave her a look, then told her that she shouldn't waste such a meal out on Salmon. You can get that anywhere and make it at home easily. Luckily she listened to me and she really enjoyed the Cajun Mahi Mahi, but she didn't follow my Garlic Butter lead. You bet she will be back again with her co-workers and she will try it my way next. ^_- The tenderness of the fish varies with who cooks it but the fish is always fresh and simple. What makes everything better are the prices. You get a decent fillet for under $10. My dish was only $7.99, can't beat that for a filling seafood dinner meal!

California Fish Grill
41 Auto Center Drive, Suite 113
Foothill Ranch, CA 92610
(949) 470-9600

We were tricked. I was especially misled and made the wrong choice to follow my Mom and Aunt to Home Town Buffet. They were super stoked about the coupon, but they didn't read the coupon clearly. It ended up being way more than it is worth. We basically paid 2 full priced dinner and the "deal" price. For the price and value I was going to walk away because I didn't think it was worth it but they still wanted to stay and eat there. In the end I still didn't have to pay but I think it is a waste of their money. Even though it was in between lunch and dinner time, there was still a decent amount of people inside. The people who work there aren't friendly and there isn't much service, but what can you expect. It is pretty much self-serve and fend for yourself.
What are the choices there? It is pretty much all junk food and food that has been sitting out for a really really long time. They had a bunch of meats to choose from, but nothing you can't make better or would write home about. There were giant slops of beef ribs, fried chicken, ham, chicken fried steak, and more. I wish I could say heart attackingly good, but you would probably only just get a heart attack and unsatisfied. Usually I don't mind fatty or junk food, if it is good... but here... nah! This is the funny thing though, I thought the best thing I had there was their grilled cheese sandwich! I think this turned out to be leftovers from the lunch time because they took it away and I was saddened because that was the only thing I found edible. =*( You know it is sad that I pick the non-meat item as what is the best there.
None of us really liked the food there but a lesson learned, right? We all agreed that it was not good but my Aunt has been psychotic enough to suggest we all go for brunch on the weekend... I said WHAT? Why would you go back? She actually thinks it is different. It will be better for breakfast... umm... delusional? Even though people think it is a better deal to go to these buffet places, it really isn't. I can't remember how much was dinner but it was at least about $12-$13. For that price I can go to a lot of local restaurants or mom & pop shops and get food I actually like! It's not always about quantity when the quality is so low. I will stick to my cheap eats thanks.

Home Town Buffet
24381 El Toro Rd
Laguna Woods, CA 92637
(949) 595-0971