Kat's 9 Lives

On a hot sunny day, we decided to catch a little snack before a sneak movie premiere testing. I decided to finally come try Haven Gastropub for some gastronomic treats since it was close to the theater. Parking is not that difficult around that area. We got a spot right across the street. I love that it is still free parking around this area. To get away from the heat, we chose to sit inside. They had a classy dark wooden motif.
I debated on what to try out. For me, I had to have the Mac n' Cheese with Black Truffles, Gruyere, Fontina, and Parmesan. How can you deny yourself this cheesy goodness with the essence of truffles? Yum! Freshly baked with crisp melted cheese on top and a piping hot gooey mess inside. This was pretty fragrant and cheesy. A great treat to start off the meal or to finish off.
It was a relaxing day for me and MBA. She chose to get the Short Rib Tacos with Pickled Red Onions, Cotija Cheese, and Salsa Borracho. The meats were nicely seasoned and the flavors came together well. My biggest qualm was that it was a mess! Tons of flavor but at a price. There was sauce spewing out of every orifice. Not a pretty side and will definitely dirty your hands. It's also a bit pricey for $14 and you only get 3 tacos. I am glad she enjoyed it but it wasn't something to write home about and I definitely wouldn't order it based on the price, personally.
After a long debate, I decided to try their Chicken n' Waffles. Things sounded better on paper. I was expecting a crisp fried chicken to go along with my waffles, but instead it was a more wet fried chicken. Albeit, the flavors were not bad but it wasn't quite what I was looking for when I order chicken and waffles. The cornmeal waffle was a bit on the soggier side which could be a result from the heat of the fried chicken. It was a sloppy soggy mess to be honest. I thought it was inventive to use beer in the maple syrup but it wasn't anything too special. For $15, it was not that filling and left me kind of blah afterwards.
All in all, I thought they were a little overpriced and overrated. I wasn't too impressed. Maybe I expected a little bit too much after all the hype?? I mean the food is solid but some stuff wasn't worth the price IMHO. The one thing I wanted most was the Bacon Ice Cream, but since we were running late for the movie screening MBA food blocked me! I was devastated that I couldn't get me some bacon lovin'!!! Hence, despite not being amazed... I will have to come back one day for that bacon goodness. =) They do offer Happy Hour, so I just might return and give them one more chance.

Haven Gastropub
190 S. Glassell St
Orange, CA 92866
(714) 221-0680