Desserts, drinking and summertime dishes rule the roost this week. Go with what you crave, and your stomach will not lead you astray. Now if you’ll excuse us, we need to book our next appointment at the gym.
Sun’s Out, Buns Out at . . . Bruxie?!? – All locations
Our resident waffle sandwich kings have expanded into buns. Sweet, Portuguese ones that’ll complement the new pair of fried chicken mouthfuls now available. We suggest trying the El Jefe, with cabbage-jalapeno slaw, carnita-spice rub and chipotle mayo. Dig in! www.bruxie.com.
Oggi’s Helps Your Summer Bod – Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Fullerton
Best known for three other things, Oggi’s Sports|Brewhouse|Pizza is pushing some seasonal alternatives for your eating pleasure. Crisp Brussels Sprouts and Fresno (Fres-YES!) chiles are treated to a Sriracha soy glaze. A Southern Chicken Sandwich is topped with avocado and lots of Swiss. And our choice (pictured), the SoCal BBQ Chicken Salad, with corn, black beans, Gouda and crispy onion straws on chipotle chicken. Taste the rainbow! www.oggis.com.
Portillo’s Lemon Cake Two-fer – Buena Park
Initially, we planned to report the return of their seasonal citrus treat. Available through September 10, you can stop by to pick up, or order their famous lemon cake online [Editor’s Note: The link was down when we tried using it]. However, Portillo’s is sweetening the deal this Sunday for Father’s Day. When you order any entree (even a hot dog), Dad gets free dessert! If he’s not a fan of lemon, a milkshake or any other treat will work. And yes, drive-thru orders count. 8390 La Palma Ave., (714) 220-6400; www.portillo’s.com.
National Lobster Day at Ways & Means – Huntington Beach
Food holiday alert! TOMORROW is all about the tasty, clawed one. So head to the beach for some lip-smacking, seafood action. Ways & Means Oyster House is getting cray on a Friday with $9.99 whole Maine lobsters in limited quantities. Treat yourself (or Dad, because holidays) for lunch and kick off the weekend early at Pacific City. 21022 Pacific Coast Hwy., (714) 960-4300; www.wmoysters.com.
Congrats to The Blind Pig! – Rancho Santa Margarita
Why the shout out to The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar gang? For starters, they’ve got a second spot gearing up in Yorba Linda this fall. Their man with a plan, bartender Ryan Autry also kicked some serious butt at the Negroni Week kickoff at Mesa last Monday. If those aren’t reasons to celebrate, well find an excuse to visit Lake RSM and test out Ryan and Chef Karl’s specialties for yourself. 31431 Santa Margarita Pkwy, (949) 888-0072; www.theblindpigoc.com.
SweeTARTS Flavor Alert! – Here, there and a lot of other places
Who loved those OG candy discs that tasted both sweet and tart? Well, they’ve evolved over the years to include gummies, jelly beans and even chewy ropes. While everyone is on a matcha bandwagon, apparently classics never lose their appeal. Just ask the 1,000+ students nationwide who were surveyed about their favorite fruit. With strawberry topping at 55%, it only made sense for SweeTARTS to make it the next flavor in their candy line (the first being cherry). Find them at your local Walmart, Walgreens and Circle K. www.sweetartscandy.com.
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.