A new Vietnamese restaurant called Saigon Beach is now selling pho and banh mi in Newport Beach, near the Newport Pier. Also offered: steamed bun sliders stuffed with pork belly, a chicken and rice dish called “420 Green Rice”, and a so-called “Pho Baguette Dip”. Saigon Beach takes the place of Pizza Del Perro Negro.
2233 W Balboa Blvd. Ste 102, Newport Beach, CA 92663
The first OC outlet of “Wokcano Asian Restaurant & Lounge” opened in Huntington Beach in February. The second opened in Santa Ana's MainPlace Mall. Now a Wokcano has opened in Tustin. Like all the other Wokcanos in Burbank, L.A., Santa Monica, Valencia and Long Beach, the Tustin branch features a menu of sushi and sushi rolls. But because of that “Asian” catch-all, you can also expect Sweet and Sour Pork, as well as a Thai-style curry, or Teriyaki chicken, and then add Singaporean noodle to your meal.
3015 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92782
Wings Empire, a chain based out of San Diego, has opened its first OC restaurant in Anaheim. The restaurant serves wings, ribs, and burgers. The wings come in thirteen saucing options, including something called Tropical Thunder, Mango Habanero, and Chipotle.
909 S Euclid St., Anaheim, CA 92802
A new Korean sundubu specialist called The Tofu Shop has opened in Anaheim. Along with other dishes, it offers 10 different options of Korean tofu soup. Combos that add galbi, or beef, pork or chicken bulgogi are also served.
3010 West Lincoln Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801
A Japanese shabu shabu joint called Yojie Japanese Fondue has opened right next to the Yost Theater at Fourth and Bush. Yojie has locations in LA, Artesia and Diamond Bar. If you're not familiar with shabu shabu, the restaurant—with locations in Diamond Bar, LA and Artesia—specializes in this Japanese version of fondue where you can swish and swirl raw slices of beef, pork, chicken and fish in a heated pot of broth or water. Then for dessert, it offers chocolate fondue with fruit.
303 N Spurgeon St., Santa Ana, CA 92701
Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.