Kat's 9 Lives

You know how some days you don't know what you would like to eat and you suddenly see a commercial on TV... darn the media! lol It has been ages since I have gone to KFC because the only location in MV closed down a long long time ago! =*( So what is a girl to do when she has a craving? Luckily there was a location nearby. Unfortunately the location in Ladera Ranch is somewhat confusing even with a GPS. I saw the KFC sign and parked to walk in, but the sign says A&W... I was like... ummm where is the entrance to order? It looked like a diner so I was really confused and decided to look for the drive thru. Here's my tip, the KFC in Ladera Ranch is a part of the A&W apparently lol.
I have been meaning to try out their Value Menu. To start off I ordered the KFC Snackers, 99 cents. You can choose from Original, Honey BBQ, and Buffalo. I ordered the Honey BBQ and Buffalo flavor. The Buffalo was more flavorful and savory than the Honey BBQ. It's pretty bite size IMHO. The chicken inside doesn't really fit in the sandwich. From the picture you think it would be filled to the brim but it's lopsided in the bun. Still, for a buck it's not bad and does its job. I always have cravings for Buffalo flavored items, so this will do... now if only they were located closer! lol
What I really enjoyed was the Toasted Wrap, $1.49. This was actually very nicely filled and tasty. Again, these are all bite-size smaller items but still good. I liked this a lot because the component come together very well. The chicken was very juicy and tender. There's not too much carbs to overpower the taste of the chicken.
Since I had to drive out to find myself a KFC, I was going to try as much of the Value Menu as possible. I got the Popcorn Chicken Snack Box, $1.99, to try. This comes with French Fries under. The popcorn chicken was mostly breading and over fried. This was a whole mess of fried goods, lol. Even though I do love my fried food, this wasn't really hitting the spot. I think the Toasted Wrap is a better choice and more well-rounded taste. The Snack Size Bowl for $1.99 consists of Popcorn Chicken, Cheese, Corn, Gravy, and Mashed Potatoes. Be sure to eat this ASAP before the popcorn chicken becomes soggy. It's a mix of flavors and different textures. The best part was that you don't need to de-bone anything. lol
All in all the food was just aiight. Next time I will stick to the Toasted Wrap and Buffalo Snacker. I think they were the most bang for the buck. When you don't know what you want to eat and don't want to waste too much money food when you are blah, then I'd recommend to try their Value Menu. Hmm... doing this post makes me want to stop by again. lol Luckily I have some great leftovers from YunChuan Garden to tide me over. O=)

KFC
27622 Antonio Parkway
Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
(949)364-2982

Before I left for SF a while back Coconut, Tofu, and I met for dinner at Cosmo's Italian Kitchen. It's right off the corner of Oso and Antonio Parkway. I have heard rumors about this place being "Cosmo Kramer's" place, Michael Richards. Personally I don't really care about who owns it or who goes there as long as the food is good. It's a very homely environment. Monday night is pasta night.
Coconut ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo, which was a little bland for my taste. It's just pasta and sauce with no meat. To me that is UNHOLY! ^_^ I need some chicken or shrimp or any type of meat to satisfy me. This definitely would not be something I would recommend.
Tofu ordered Cosmo's Homemade Ravioli with Ricotta and Spinach in a Bolognese sauce. The raviolis were over cooked and a little to soggy for my taste. I prefer it to be al dente. There wasn't anything memorable about this dish.
He also got a Side of Sausage. Tofu loves his Italian sausages and these were not one of his favorites. The ones from Costco are much better in taste. I think we were all a little disappointed with the food.
I chose the Chicken Gremolata, which is one of their specialties. It's Grilled Chicken Breast, Garlic, Fresh Tomatoes, Capers, and Herbs. Surprisingly, this was actually pretty good. In comparison to the rest of the dishes Coconut and Tofu got, mine was great! It was flavorful and tasty. I am a huge fan of capers. This definitely was the best dish of the night, but that doesn't say much looking at the other dishes.
Coconut got Tiramisu for desserts. It's Lady Fingers dipped in Espresso, then layered with Mascarpone Cheese and Chocolate. This was a little bland and flavorless in my opinion.
Tofu decided to try Spumoni. It's Black Cherry Ice Cream with Diced Red Cherries and Mixed Nuts layered with Pistachio Mousse, Rich Chocolate Sauce and Crushed Shortbread Cookies. We didn't see any shortbread cookies. The description of the dish was not what you go. I think Tofu was extremely disappointed in what he got.
All in all I think the restaurant was a let down. The service was fine, but the food was bland and not worth the time. Only the dish I ordered was tasty. Everything else was just blech. I don't think I would ever be back. There are many better Italian restaurants in MV or all of OC. Stay away from this place! Even if it is decently priced.

Goodness, I don't know why I am up so early today! Being up at 9AM is unholy for me, so I thought maybe I should post something then ^_^. I have been here before with my ex-coworkers and they loved it. For me, I have only thought this place was mediocre. I mean Pink's was good, but I don't think I am a big hot dog fan. What sold me at Pink's was their Jalapeño Sausage it's so delicious. I decided to give Jerry's Dogs a second try. The service was friendly as usual and the place was clean. For Orange County, this is not a bad place. This time around I have a buy one get one free coupon too!
I wanted to try their Chili Cheese Fries. To my surprise, I actually really liked it. The fries were crispy and drenched in chili, I only wished they put more cheese on it. It was really good and I would recommend this, but I don't know if it's worth $3.50 when you can get a similar thing at other fast food places for like a $1.29
Since I really love the Jalapeño sausage at Pink's, I wanted to give this place a try. It's a Texas style lean pork with Tex-Mex spices then smoked with jalapeño. The specialty of this place is that you get to choose an endless amount of toppings on your dog. There was so much that you can't even see the picture of the sausage. I got the mushrooms, bacon bits, white onions, red onions, and sautéed onions. The spicy flavor was subtle, not as big of a pow wow like Pink's. It was decent, but I don't think I will order this again.
We also decided to try the Smokey Joe's Kielbasa sausage. This was actually really good! I got the same toppings, but after a while you get tired of the toppings because I can't even take a full bite of everything at once. Eventually I gave up and just ate the sausage. This was packed full of flavor, unlike the jalapeño sausage. The texture and snap was just right.
All in all this place was alright. I am still not impressed. Service was friendly as usual. The best part of the meal was the fries I think, although the Kielbasa was a close second. There's still some coupons left for me to use, but I don't know if I'd come back to use them. If you like hot dogs or sausages and can't or won't go to Pink's in LA, then I guess this is a good 2nd choice. Whoever wants to try this place and wants coupons, let me know I still have two of them.

Cheers! I love this place that Mama Panda introduced! Since I don't use any real names, might as well use their cute nicknames! It is tucked away in a shopping center on the way to where I use to work. You wouldn't think there would be decent sushi in the boonies of Ladera Ranch, but you'd be surprised here. They have a pretty good lunch deal. I haven't been there for dinner but it is only like $2 or $3 more so it isn't that bad.
Warning to all, do NOT order their LAME Sashimi or Sushi lunch combos! I was dumb and tried that the first time, man was I jipped! You only get 5 lame pieces for like $11, but if you get the yummy Chirashi you get tons more! For about the same price you get almost 10 cuts of different fishes and they are great! I actually really LOVE their mayonnaise and crab! They make it so tasty, and you know I am an avid raw fish eater so it must be good for me to like the cooked/fake stuff. Mix it with the yummy Masago in the Chirashi and it is like a party in your mouth!
I also tried their special hand roll in soy paper. It was pretty good, full of spicy raw fish and avocado. For the price, I'd rather order another Chirashi! More yummy food! Can you tell I love the Chirashi there? ^_^
All in all it is a great lunch place and the prices are decent. The service often varies. Warning, they are kind of slow. Their Chirashi is wonderful and their normal lunch menu is good. Nothing outstanding or different. They range around $6-$8 so not a bad price and a decent amount of food. If you are a sushi lover then definitely try the Chirashi and don't fall for the Sashimi or Sushi Combo! They also do togo, so you can always swing by and pick one up!