Salt Creek Grille

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Erin

Salt Creek Grille

By Erin

Salt Creek Grille has some amazing eats and drinks. You will want to make this place a regular or make it a special trip anytime you are in the Southern California area!

About Salt Creek Grille

Tim McCune and his original business partner, Pete Truxaw, dreamed of creating a neighborhood restaurant tailored to their community. They envisioned an upscale yet casual American-themed grille, where friends and family would come to relax and savor a unique dining experience. It was from that dream that Salt Creek Grille was born. I think it’s safe to say this is a success as both the outside patio and indoors were packed upon arrival with folks both relaxing and enjoying a nice meal, on a Wednesday evening.

Salt Creek Grille grills their meats over hot, mesquite embers. With a dedication to sourcing responsibly, their food is crafted with the freshest meats, poultry, fish, and produce available. The menu is paired with unique wines from boutique vineyards and well-known cellars, catering to both the connoisseur and causal taster.

The menu is only one part of the dining experience. Creating a nurturing culture among the staff that emphasizes sincere and attentive hospitality is of the utmost importance and is very noticeable the second you walk through the door. The atmosphere is warm and comfortable to make dining a relaxing and memorable experience for everyone. Take a look!

The entrance to Salt Creek Grille.

The beautiful and inviting patio. I chose to wait until we were leaving to grab this shot, it was THAT busy before!

The cozy and warm fire pit where you can hang out while you wait for your table.

This intimate organization of restaurants is located on the two coasts: Rumson and Princeton in New Jersey, and Valencia, El Segundo, and Dana Point in California.

So come experience the Salt Creek Grille way with me!

First we started out with some drinks of course!

I love blood oranges, so I just had to try the Blood Orange Margarita. It was divine. We were here on Wine Wednesday where you can get wine for 1/2 off, so my friend ordered some wine.

Next up we tried a couple of the appetizers. Boy were we in for a real treat!

Ahi Tuna Stack

Served up Sashimi Style with avocado, cucumber, wasabi, and ginger soy. So yummy!

Risotto & Goat Cheese “Beignets”

Next, we tried one that came highly recommended to us, so we HAD to try it. Arborio Rice, Black Truffles, Asiago, Goat Cheese, Roasted Tomato & Red Bell Pepper Sauce. Let’s just say this didn’t last very long… so yes it is good. These are amazing!

Then we tried one of the side salads.

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Big Catch Seafood #thebigcatchseafood

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Erin

Big Catch Seafood

Two weeks ago, the husband and I had the pleasure of visiting Big Catch Seafood in West Covina. Located at the Plaza West Covina, it is a wonderful place to enjoy true Cajun seafood in a casual setting. The menu is extensive, so everyone will find something they like. With the portions being large, it also makes for a great family dinner restaurant. Prices are affordable and very fair considering the amount of food you get, and they even offer a happy hour. With flat-screens all over the wall and multiple choices for seating — the bar, small tables or large tables to seat big parties — it’s got a fun vibe that will suit everyone.

We attended as media so our very large meal was complimentary for the purpose of sharing the news with you. When we arrived, we were immediately seated and given water with lemon while we checked out the menu. We chose to let the chef make the decision on what to serve us, and I’m so glad we did that. The choices were just too hard!

Within just a couple of minutes, we were served a steamy plate of fried calamari that was by far the best calamari we’ve ever had. (I’ve traveled all throughout the South, eating Cajun food down by the bayou, so I’ve had authentic Cajun food. It’s hard to find good Cajun food that’s truly authentic and The Big Catch Seafood House pulled it off without a doubt!) The calamari was the perfect consistency, it was as ‘melt in your mouth’ as you’re going to get, and it was extremely light. The batter wasn’t greasy and it didn’t overwhelm the calamari. I could order that every single time and never tire of it.

Next up, we received an order of the Crispy Brussels Sprouts and a serving of fish tacos. We make brussels sprouts frequently but we’ve not had them this way before. They were deep-fried yet you couldn’t find any actual oil or coating on them; they just had this fantastic slight crunch and deep-fried, smokey flavor that was very unique. The fish tacos had sliced radishes and very thinly sliced apples, as well as a surprise we’d never had in tacos before: fennel shavings! The fennel gave just a hint of flavor that complimented the tacos overall.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts and a Fish Tacos! Yum!

We barely had finished the tacos before a huge bowl of Cajun rice with shrimp and sausage was delivered. Commence the OMG face — so much food! The spices were spot-on, the rice was moist but not sticky and the shrimp, so delicious. We each enjoyed a bowl of it before the main course was delivered. Yes, MORE FOOD. The Big Catch Seafood House knows how to feed people!

Burgers and Craft Cocktails at Black Box!

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Erin

Burgers and Craft Cocktails at Black Box!

By Erin

If you are looking for the perfect place to enjoy a craft cocktail and tasty burger in Orange County, I have found the place for you! The other week I was checking out the new Black Box in downtown Santa Ana (DTSA) at a media tasting and was anxious to see what the former Little Sparrow Restaurant has blossomed into. The Black Box has a very eclectic feel to it. There is a family dining area and a separate speakeasy area down a hallway that one can walk down to that is located on the right of the kitchen. I absolutely loved the atmosphere of this place!!

The bar area is very cozy, a few tables and seats maybe 30 people max. The mixologist are amazing and they put so much love into each drink. The drink menu is also very eclectic but there are some classics that are lovely. Just look at that bar! It’s a very large well-stocked bar.

We chose to sit on the cozy speakeasy side that boasts a Deborah Harryesque mural on the far wall.

The atmosphere is very casual, chill and friendly. You could easily spend hours just hanging out and catching up with friends or enjoy a very chill date night here. Upon arriving, our server offered our group their ‘Welcome Punch’. It was the perfect start to a very relaxing evening. After we all looked at the cocktail menu though, we found many others that looked tempting to try as well. Below is the delicious and refreshing Welcome Punch displayed on the bar.

The Welcome Punch. I could have easily just had this all night, but decided to be a little adventurous and tried a couple others too. They do make the drinks very strong here, so you should be good after a couple of drinks. I couldn’t finish all of mine.

Each of the drinks were just as delicious as they were pretty. These are the two drinks I had and sipped throughout the evening. The Changeling, $11 on the left: House made strawberry shrub, muddled basil, lemon, Jamaican bitters wth choice of vodka or bourbon. I chose vodka for mine. The one of the right is the Barkeeps Inspiration, $15 Let them know your mood, favorite liquor, or drink preference and they’ll mix something up to suit. I asked for something fruity and a little on sweet side with vodka.

A couple other options that friends ordered included the Penecillin #2, $12 which consisted of Mezcal, ginger, honey, lemon, and Fernet Vallet mist.

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Salt Creek Grille