Kat's 9 Lives

I happened to stumble upon Morizo Sushi Kaisen online and saw the yummy photos that enticed me to go.  They are located inside Marukai.
There isn't any where to sit inside the market or outside.  It's a good place for you to take out or to eat in your car when it isn't too hot outside.  We went to meet Trekkie at Mitsuwa and they had a food court for us to sit and enjoy the sushi.
I opted for something that was not on the menu but they made it to order and will let you know the price.  What I really wanted was salmon belly and uni over rice.  Simple goodness! Everything was fresh and tasty.
We picked up a nigiri special for another and there was only one box left with real crab meat inside.  Everything looked very fresh and the cuts were generous
All in all everything was very fresh and enjoyable.  Prices were decent for the portion.  If this place was located close to home, I'd be willing to stop by a few times a week for a snack.  =D

Morizo Sushi Kaisen at Marukai
3832 Sepulveda Blvd
Torrance, CA 90505 
(310) 375-1538

I just bought this bag of popcorn on a whim and finally decided to open the bag today.  To my surprise, the Popcorn Indiana Dark Fudge Peppermint Kettlekorn was actually very tasty! While browsing the local Whole Foods Market I saw that there was a special sale for this popcorn.  It was only 2 for $5, which was not a bad deal to try out a tasty sounding snack.  After all, 'tis the season!
 Now I wish I picked up two bags! Maybe they will still have the deal at the store.  It's worth a trip to go back and check out what goodies they have to offer! The kettlekorn is crisp with just the right amount of saltiness and a light drizzle of white chocolate along with the fudge with bits of peppermint embedded.  Doesn't that sound tasty?  =D

I had seen my coworkers bring back some sandwiches from Sprouts Farmers Market.  The funny part is that it was the ugliest sandwich I had ever seen with a faux bread beret on top of the sandwich.  It was the oddest sandwich, so why would I want to try their sandwiches out?  Well you can't judge a book by its cover.  Even though the bread was hideous, the sandwich was filled to the brim with tasty ingredients.  Also, for some reason my coworker has also never been charged for the avocados they spread generously into her sandwich.
Finally one weekend I decided to stop in for a sandwich because it was the easiest thing to get for dinner after a tiring days work.  This was my first time there and first time ordering.  They have slips there that you can fill out with what you would like in your sandwich and how much of it inside as well.  I liked that it has that extra option of how much you would like.  The guy behind the counter was super friendly and said that he would take care of me.  He really did take care of me and filled my sandwich to the brim with ingredients.  Normally I am not a huge sandwich fan, but man was I drooling from all the tasty ingredients he added for me.  He was also very sweet to suggest a few treats that he loves.  This gigantic sandwich was only $4.49.  Here's the list of ingredients : Cheddar, Swiss, Tomatoes, Onions, Lettuce, Bacon, Avocado, Ham, Sprouts, and Turkey on Squaw Bread.  They don't have squaw listed as a bread choice but the guy told me that it was the best way to go and he was right!

You can make this into a meal by adding a dollar.  With that you get a bag of chips, a small side, and a bottle of water.  Not a bad deal I must say! Even my picky father agreed that it was a great deal after he saw my gigantically stuffed sandwich! Now that's saying something lol.  Since I had such a great first experience, I went back within a week or so for another helping.  Word to the wise, it really makes a difference who makes your sandwich because the lady who made my second sandwich charged me for every little thing and it was probably half the size of my first sandwich.  Note to self : Only look for him to take care of me! ^_-

Sprouts Farmers Market
3775 Alton Parkway  
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 705-5435

A brand new Mitsuwa has opened up in Irvine off of Culver today. Not that the nearest Mitsuwa is that far away, but at least more of them are popping up and this one is a little bit closer to home! Yay! I can pick up fresh sashimi every day now! It is clean and brand new with a different feel. They do have a food court with Santouka Ramen and more.
Today I went in and scoped out for some Grand Opening deals. They were completely out of the special deal for gyozas but they do have different deals every day. Word to the wise, come early if there is something you really want.
Instead of Miyabi-Tei, this Mitsuwa has Misasa that offers almost the same menu. For the Grand Opening they offered a special deal of Pork or Chicken Cutlet Curry with Rice and Salad for only $3.50! What a deal! They seemed to be the only place to offer a Grand Opening deal, which was nice. By the time I got there they were out of chicken, which was fine since I only wanted pork. The cutlets were nicely coated and fried. The curry sauce was a little thin, but still flavorful. Even though they were busy, the food came out actually pretty fast.
It seems that the regular price for this dish was $7.25, which is a bit on the pricier side, but the food was solid today and at a great rate. I'd definitely come back another night for a meal since this location is a little bit closer and convenient for me. Now if only Mitsuwa would open up in Mission Viejo then I'd be golden!

Misasa

14230 Culver Dr
Irvine, CA 92604

(949) 559-6633

I need to go shopping at H-Mart more often! The Irvine location now offers on the weekend a variety of food stands. As you walk in there is a Fresh Roasted Chestnut stand and a Hot Pastries/Dessert Stand. When did H-Mart become like a night market? I love the idea! Everyone there is super friendly and courteous. I know this is a Korean supermarket but I swear they were speaking Japanese.
The most tempting stand is the fresh made hot pastries. Inside these crisp shells are custard or red bean filling. Make sure not to be too greedy and order enough to eat there because they tend to become soggy as they cool. They are best when they are piping hot and fresh. Sink your teeth into the lightly crisp outer layer and into the steaming hot center filled with sweet goodness.
I personally don't like red beans, so I wouldn't really recommend them. The whole red beans inside are definitely not for me, but if you love the texture of chunks of red bean then you would like this filling. My one qualm is that the red beans barely have any filling inside.
The custard is better because it melts and fills the center. It's very interesting to see them pump the dough into the preset molds and add the fillings.
As I started shopping around the supermarket, my Mom notices the Takoyaki stand. Of course she wanted to get some to eat because they looked good. I didn't get to see them made freshly, but the bright side is I didn't have to wait as they cooked. There wasn't a line, so another plus.
I chose Shrimp and Octopus (Tako). They do offer a vegetable option for anyone who is a vegetarian. I thought the flavors were not bad and there was a decent amount of shrimp and octopus. The texture of the takoyaki was very firm and not undercooked or overcooked at all.
Watching as the nice gentleman drizzle the mayo and sweet sauce in an artistic manner only makes me wish I ordered more. Then he tops it off with fresh chopped green onions and a generous helping of bonito flakes. Yum! Itadakimasu! H-Mart
2100 Alton Pkwy
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 833-0111

Today I was invited to a media preview/tour of Whole Foods Market newest store opening in Huntington Beach this Wednesday! Join their Grand Opening October 13th and be the first 300 customers in line at 9:00 AM for their Bread Breaking Ceremony to receive a complimentary demi-baguette. Instead of the tiresome traditional ribbon cutting ceremony they have elected to represent who they really are by breaking bread. Like today, there will be plenty of their products being showcased and sampled.
If you can't make the Grand Opening October 13th, come check the market out on Community Support Day October 20th where 5% of net sales will be donated to the Bolsa Chica Conservancy. So be sure to save all your shopping needs until that day and stock up so that you can spend money on super fresh produce while contributing to the local community.
The produce looked so fresh and tasty that I wish they would let us purchase some for home. The tomatoes looked SPECTACULAR. I really love the assortment of cherry and grape tomatoes that they offer. It's almost as if I were shopping in a farmer's market. Believe it or not, but they will be carrying a lot of local produce. There will be signs posted everywhere to let buyers know exactly where the wonderful produce comes from.
On Wednesday they will be celebrating the opening of their 300th stores after 30 years in a brand new 30,000-square-foot store. 3 and 0's is the theme of the day. At this store they will unveil a new and bigger Bulk Food section to suit their patron's needs.
Local produce suppliers were out in full force showcasing their products. I was delighted to sample the Reed Avocado that was so plump and savory. Ever since my trip to Florida I have been nostalgic for a gigantic avocado salad.
Today we got to meet Mary and learn about Mary's Air Chilled Chicken. No added water, no antibiotics, and gluten free. Her special method of air chilling does make a difference in taste and texture of the chicken. It's definitely worth trying and changing what chicken you use to cook.
Learn about Whole Foods new 5 Step Animal Awareness Rating. They are there to answer any questions on where your meat comes from. After all, they pride themselves on their natural meat.
We also got to sample some delectable treats from Tracey Downey creator of Xan Confections. The chocolates looked wonderful and shimmery. They are not sold individually at this Whole Foods location, but come in nice boxed sets. I also took note of their huge selection of Vosges chocolates! Although I am behind on posting, I love Vosges and go to Vegas all the time to get my fix. It is good to know where I can get the chocolate bars locally now.Here at their Huntington Beach location they will be integrating Surf City USA and the Vietnamese community culture. They will be serving Banh Mi and make your own Pho in their prepared food section. Be sure to come in on Wednesdays when the self served hot and cold food is at a special rate of $5.99 from their normal price of $7.99. On Sundays they have a special $10 pizza and beer special. Any large pizza plus beer for only $10? Not bad!
Don't miss out on trying some delicious honey from Honey Pacifica. I was ecstatic to see that they offer honeycomb. There were so many honeys to try that were great. My favorite was the Coastal California Wildflower Honey. They take their bees to different areas in California to harvest the different savory flavors.Whole Foods Market
7881 Edinger Ave., Suite 150
Huntington Beach, CA 92647