Behold the beginning of our annual 100 Favorite Dishes countdown! Every day until the publication of our fantabulous Best Of Issue, we'll list our favorite meals this year in descending order. Enjoy, pass it on, and tune in daily!
Trying to locate above average grub in a space full of options can be a challenge. With multiple levels, different price points and a bunch of options, we could take an hour just scoping out a place. Unless you plan to settle for whatever is nearest to your seat, deciding what to eat at Honda Center isn't easy.
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Our tasty snack ended up being on Plaza level, not even in the main corridor. It was at Standing O, formerly [Wolfgang] Puck's Tavern. Open on event days, the full-service dining room still served upscale eats, minus the double entendre name.
Place an order for their smashed potatoes, and you'll get a pile of fingerlings a cook took their aggression out on. Fried up, they have a consistency that reminds us of a wedge fry– crisp outside, with a soft interior. Having that smush factor just means more crunchy surface area to savor, which is fine by us! A garlic herb butter toss finishes the fries, but dunk one in some not-too-sweet house ketchup, and you've scored.
The List:
76. Dim Sum at Seafood Cove #2
77. Loco Moco at Bread Crumb Ohana Cafe
78. Bratwurst at Barley Forge
79. Beef Noodle Soup at (Wafting Fragrance) Noodle House
80. Taco de Nopal at Urban Cactus
81. Fried Chicken at Crazy Chi-Mac
82. Mole Tots at Amor y Tacos
83. Khao Soi at S.T. Noodle Bar
84. Chili Cone Queso at Cozy Cone Motel
85. Crispy Smelt at Big Catch Seafood
86. Teriyaki Chicken Plate at California Plate
87. Combo Plate at MasalaCraft
88. Cornbread Waffle N Chicken at Mrs. Bea's
89. Everything at Crispy Town
90. Kurobuta Pork Belly Bánh Mì at Mendocino Farms
91. Tostilocos at Tortas y Biónicos “Nice”
92. Milanesa at Delicias Peruanas
93. Super Nachos at Kelly's Korner Tavern
94. Tortas at Sliced and Diced Eatery
95. Seasonal Dumplings at Coconut Rabbit
96. Burrito de Birria de Res from Burritos La Palma
97. Bò Kho at Song Long Restaurant
98. Pancake Sandwich at Willowick Golf Course
99. Tahdig at Tanor Fresh Mediterranean Grill
100. Quatro Formaggi Panini at Old Vine Cafe
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A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.