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Downtown Fullerton’s Heroes Bar: go 34-ounces big or go home ANDERS HOWMANN Daily Titan
I’ve never had bigger portions of food than at Heroes Bar in Downtown Fullerton. The burgers are massive, the curly fries are amazing and the
beers come in 34-ounce mugs. Everything comes super-sized for the price of a normal bar and grill. The bar’s speciality is its burgers. I once made the mistake of ordering fish and chips, and I ended up drooling over my roommate’s
sandwich for the majority of the night. Even though the burger was larger than his face, he managed to devour it with a full plate of curly fries. The fish was passable, but I would recommend staying away because
there were much better meals.
The grill’s specialty is their 34-ounce beers. They have a large variety of beers on tap. Drinks are decently priced...
There is a lot to look at in Heroes. Lights hang from the ceiling and hundreds of random pictures, plaques and even a bicycle hang from the walls. There is also a full-size mannequin of a security guard. The bar is located in the “So-Co” district of Downtown Fullerton.
Parking is fairly open, but on a Thursday or Friday night it may become difficult to find a spot. All of the random items in the bar are collected by the bar’s owner and put up in the space as symbols of “Americana,” according to the bar’s website. The bar’s owner named the location “Heroes” after his parents, who he feels are the true heroes in his life. The grill’s specialty is their 34-ounce beers. They have a large variety of beers on tap. Drinks are decently priced and the service is excellent. While I was not able to partake when I went to the bar a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my roommate’s 21st birthday, chances are, I will come back when I turn 21 at the end of the month.
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California Fish Grill: First Visit IAN WHEELER Daily Titan
Ever since the Brea shopping center on the northwest corner of Imperial Highway and Associated Road was renovated, people have been flocking to the new “upscale” fast food restaurants there, including Chickfil-A, Panera Bread and Chipotle. Right next to Panera Bread, a restaurant I had never heard of also opened: California Fish Grill, a chain specializing in fresh fish and providing a casual pay-up-front restaurant atmosphere. The chain was started by owners who were interested in starting a restaurant that specializes in healthy, light, nutrient-rich fish. When you walk in, you immediately see what appears to be most of the kitchen behind a couple of cashiers. The smell and sight of cooking fish hits you immediately. Beer and wine are served by the bottle and glass. The place was crowded when I
went with my family. We had to wait for a table to open up; I’m not sure what would happen if they had tried to bring us our food and we didn’t have a table yet. The new place might be too popular for its own good. Food-wise, the fish was pretty good. I ordered the Cajun-style catfish (about $8), which was cooked perfectly and had a nice spicy flavor. The fish was served over rice with a side of coleslaw and bread. The rice absorbed some of the flavor from the fish, so it had a great flavor as well. The coleslaw was standard; I didn’t really like the bread. I also ordered a small clam chowder (I am a huge clam chowder aficionado). It wasn’t great. The potatoes weren’t cooked all the way through and it was missing some pepper. For the price, portion and overall quality, California Fish Grill is a go. Don’t go at a time when it’s likely crowded – you’ll be standing around waiting for a table, and will likely be fighting over it with someone else.
IAN WHEELER / Daily Titan California Fish Grill, located in the Brea shopping center near Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread, offers fresh fish and a casual atmosphere.
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Competitive eating, a sport? DANNY CHAU Daily Titan
SUSANA COBO / Daily Titan Two women and five men stuff their faces full of food at the 3rd Annual Hot Dog Eating Competition, hosted by the Entrepreneur Society.
It’s a zany concept to some, but the world of competitive eating has seen exponential growth in the last decade. Shows like Man v. Food have glorified the act of eating as a measure of one’s physical and mental fortitude, reshaping our understanding of athleticism. It has slowly trickled into mainstream culture, for better or worse. But is it a sport? The best and most recognized figures in the competitive eating scene certainly treat it as one. While the act of eating is one inextricably linked to weight gain, much of the world’s top eaters are in excellent fitness. The goal
is to make sure all reflexes are sound and sharp. Snappier hands make for quicker grabs, stronger jaws mean more food down the gullet and a lean belly means there is little inhibiting the stomach’s expansion. It all makes a difference. Football is a game of inches; the same goes for baseball and tennis. Competitive eating is a game of seconds. Ultimately, the most important gift competitive eaters have is their stomach. Most eaters are naturally born with a will to eat far beyond what is necessary and a sturdy stomach to hold it all. Still, one’s will and stomach can be trained. Many competitive eaters, including Joey Chestnut, one of competitive
eating’s brightest (and only) stars, train and expand the stomach by spending days on liquid diets before competitions. Consumption during these days means copious amounts of liquids: water, milk and liquidprotein supplements. Gallons and gallons of water and other liquids help stretch out the stomach while emptying it for the upcoming event. Believe it or not, these monstrous eaters are still human. They still feel full like anyone else. Though cliché, it truly is a case of mind over matter. In an interview with Deadspin’s Luke O’Brien, Takeru Kobayashi, the most popular and successful competitive eater ever, detailed what could be seen as the “Tao of Competitive Eating.” “If you taste something, you’re not at the maximum of your ability,” said Kobayashi to Deadspin. “What I think about in competition is temperature and texture. It has nothing to do with taste or emotion.” It takes more than just gluttony to do what these men and women do. It takes an insane degree of discipline – something I didn’t quite have. Last year, I entered a Chick-fil-A chicken nugget eating contest in La Habra, Calif. I fared well, eating 85 chicken nuggets and finishing somewhere near the top. But it was my first experience with any sort of eating competition. I wasn’t prepared for “the wall.” I could have eaten more, but after a while, the food in front of you gets cold. The oil begins to seep out. The nuggets stiffen, and it forces you to chew harder and faster. All the while, each bite taken releases more of the cold grease toward the back of your throat. I felt dizzy. My hands and face were tingling. I love Chickfil-A chicken nuggets. But in that moment, I realized love had nothing to do with eating competitions. And that’s when I knew it wasn’t for me. The ability to “come through in the clutch” – it’s a phrase often used in sports. The best athletes from all sports have a knack for playing well under pressure, to break through the wall. This is what competitive eaters do. We’ve all been to buffets with our hands pressed against our bellies saying, “I can’t eat any more.” If competitive eating shows us anything, it’s that we can. But only a few of us have the stamina, the physical skill and the mental strength to do so. Is competitive eating a sport? Of course it is.
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February 13, 2012
A taste of ‘olde’ England The Olde Ship brings British comfort foods, such as Yorkshire pudding, to the table LANCE MORGAN Daily Titan
Past all of the shopping, chic coffee shops and Americana-style dive bars in downtown Fullerton, some real international culinary treasures are hidden. The Cellar, which is literally set up in the cellar of the historical Villa del Sol building, offers fancy French cuisine. Lizarran Tapas serves up popular Spanish appetizers that please the taste buds. Angelo and Vinci’s offers familystyle Italian food that will have you coming back again and again. Yet, there should be no debate about where to nourish your weary bones when you crave some good old-fashioned British food and drinks. The Olde Ship offers a culinary experience that will take you back in time and across both a continent and an ocean, allowing you to enjoy the tastes of ‘olde’ Britain. The Olde Ship has two locations
in Orange County, in Fullerton and Santa Ana, but many firsttimer landlubbers could mistake the restaurant as only a place to eat. “What is a British pub? A pub is state of mind, and that alone sets it apart from any other eating and drinking establishment. It is a place where relaxation, stimulation and conversation are the order of the day,” according to the pub’s website. Not only does The Olde Ship offer relaxation, it offers an authentically British experience with some darn good food to boot. Before you even set foot into the actual restaurant building, you can often observe an Englishman or two smoking a “fag” outside and speaking in their native tongue. Their native tongue is not anything like American English, so you may just catch a word here or there, but the dialect is the original after all. The interior of the restaurant is somehow charmingly dark and drab. It almost gives you the feeling that you are eating in a makeshift pub in the bottom levels of a wooden ship. If someone who knows something about British food is there to advise you, the food can be quite good. My favorite would be the
Bangers and Mash, which consists of two sausages served with mashed potatoes and gravy, dark caramelized onions and steamed vegetables. The meal can be anywhere from $10-$15 depending on the time of day. Yorkshire pudding, the Mariner’s Meal and shepherd’s pie are also favorites of the regulars. The Mariner’s Meal offers you a “plump English sausage,” fried eggs, baked beans and thick English chips (fries). The Mariner’s Meal is a hearty meal that sticks to your bones for a fair price. It’s about the same price as the Bangers and Mash. Although I was stuffed and content after my meal, the rhubarb crumble on the dessert menu caught my eye for next time. For beer they have English favorites, Newcastle and Bass, along with the Irish favorite, Guinness. However, if you are feeling lucky, ask someone who looks like a regular what they like to get, and you will have a more unique experience. British food is something I prefer only every now and again, but when I feel that hankering, The Olde Ship offers a good experience and is only a hop and a skip away from Cal State Fullerton.
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JOEY BECERRA / Daily Titan Although most wouldn’t envision a boat when they think of a British-style pub, the name The Olde Ship conjures up visions of a travel-bound vessel.
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Hole-in-the-wall eateries SEPIDEH NIA Daily Titan
Chain restaurants that serve bland and normal foods leave little inspiration for taste buds. Little known or hole-in-the-wall restaurants are increasing with zest and a fire to cure hunger all across Southern California. Shouka Sharifpour, a transfer student at Chapman University, goes to hole-in-the-wall restaurants often. “Hole-in-thewall restaurants are like your favorite independent band that many people don’t know about. I always get that comfort vibe from them,” said Sharifpour. There are a lot of restaurants
that deserve to be known and loved. Yelp.com has helped a lot of little-known hole-in-the-wall restaurants shine in the spotlight. However, it is still slightly alarming when people who live within miles of one of the arguably best eateries around have never even heard of the place. Niloofar Sarshar, a fourth-year student at Cal Poly Pomona, enjoys trying out new eateries and isn’t afraid to spend a lot of money on good food. However, she finds herself drawn to holein-the-walls. “Hole in the wall places (don’t) have the fussiness; you can get a damn good burger for a damn good price in your sweats and no one will care,” said
Sarshar. Here is a list of some of the most popular and delicious small joints in Southern California: The Boiling Crab If seafood gets your salivary glands working and Cajun spices excite your senses, then why haven’t you been to the Boiling Crab? With 1,000 reviews on Yelp, the Boiling Crab is a food sensation. Be prepared to wait over an hour for a table — but it’s worth it! The most popular dish on the menu is the shrimp, sold by the pound and mixed with either: Rajun Cajun, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Butter or the Whole Shabang (all of the above) seasoning. For the most adventurous seafood lovers, the Boiling Crab offers fresh crawfish, crab, clams and much more! The quality of the fish, mixed with their mindblowing spices, make the Boiling Crab the food sensation it is today. Joe’s Italian Ice Let’s go back to the days when soft serve ice cream was actually soft serve and not just watereddown ice cream. The creaminess of Joe’s soft serve will shock even the most loyal Yogurtland customer. Joe’s is located a few minutes from Disneyland — but don’t miss it. The store is a very small box of an ice cream parlor, with no inside room for customers.
SEPIDEH NIA / Daily Titan Bruxie’s buttermilk fried chicken and waffle, topped with chili-honey and cider slaw.
Joe’s is known for their Joe Latti: a mixture of their Philadelphiastyle Italian ice, which resembles a snow cone, mixed with their soft serve ice cream. Taqueria de Anda Taqueria de Anda has a location in Fullerton, two in Anaheim, one in Orange and one in Santa Ana. With the exception of the two locations in Anaheim, the other restaurants are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Taqueria de Anda is not fancy, but it is good. “This restaurant has the best tacos I have ever had, and what I love the most is that they make nothing except for five kinds of meat and you have two options: taco or burrito, rice and beans, mild, medium and hot. That is it, they make it fresh to order and it’s cheap,” Sarshar said.
Bruxie With a new Bruxie location in Brea, students don’t have an excuse to not having tried Bruxie’s take on a traditional sandwich. Bruxie replaces a sandwich’s bread with waffles. At first, the thought of eating a waffle burger may seem a little odd. Jon Ball, a former CSUF student, thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of Bruxie. “It was really juicy and there was a waffle. Who would think that a waffle would taste good with a burger?” said Ball. Bruxie is best known for their buttermilk fried chicken waffle sandwich. They also have special seasonal options, which is why they can never get old. Peter’s Gourmade Grill From the outside, Peter’s looks like a place people would advise against eating at. sIts location, attached to a gas station, leaves some people a little worried about the quality of the food. The fact of the matter is, Peter’s Gourmade Grill has food that will knock the socks off any foodie. “The idea of having a hole in the wall connected to a gas station is completely bizarre and not something you hear about everyday. Plus, their Greek fries are out of this world!” Sharifpour said. Hole-in-the-wall restaurants are the new “it” places to eat. It might just be their ambiance, or because they dare to be different. Either way, there is one thing that remains to be true: Hole-in-thewall restaurants have some of the best quality meals around.
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Fontina-filled burgers with dried tomato DANIEL ZAMILPA Daily Titan
6 slices firm-textured white bread ¾ cup drained dried tomatoes packed in oil, minced oil from dried tomatoes 3 lg. eggs, beaten 1 ½ tsp. salt ¾ tsp. freshly ground pepper 3 ¾ lb. 93% lean ground beef 1 ½ cup shredded smoked fontina cheese 12 hamburger buns Various garnishes Whirl white bread in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Pour crumbs into a bowl and combine with minced tomatoes, 6 tablespoons of reserved oil, eggs, salt and pepper. Add the ground beef and gently mix with a fork just until the ingredients are evenly blended. Divide the meat mixture into 24 equal portions, each a generous ½ cup. With your hands, shape each
into a 4-inch wide patty. In the center of 12 of the patties, gently make a shallow depression about 2 inches wide, place about 2 tablespoons of the fontina cheese in each depression. Gently top each cheese-filled
patty with a plain patty; press edges together and seal well. Lay patties side by side on two platters. Cover airtight and chill at least 20 minutes up to 24 hours. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for high direct heat. Place patties
on oiled grill. Cover gas grill and cook 6 minutes, then turn the burgers over. Continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink inside,about 7 minutes longer. Transfer burgers to a platter
and loosely drape with foil. Place buns with cut sides down on the grill and cook until toasted (about a minute). Lift buns and place on separate platter. Place the burgers inside the buns and garnish to taste.
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A taste of Naples: Prosciutto and wine MIKE WHITE Daily Titan
As you enter the doors at Cucina Alessa in Laguna Beach, Calif., you
are immediately taken in by its warm, Italian charm. Family photos depicting Chef Alessandro Pirozzi’s Southern Italian
roots cover the red brick walls. The smell of garlic and oregano permeate from the open kitchen. Hanging above the kitchen,
under the words “prosciutto e mozzarella,” is a selection of fine, imported, cured and aged Italian prosciutto and salamé. Welcome to Orange County’s first prosciutto and mozzarella bar. The offerings are a simple selection of imported meats and cheeses. Formagi Misti is a choice of any three cheeses. Affettati Misti is any three meats. Affetati e Formaggi lets the patron choose a mix of any three meats and three cheeses. The meat selection includes 14-month, aged Parma prosciutto and the 18-month aged “king of prosciutto,” called San Daniele. There are also several choices of imported salamé, spicy Sopressata Calabrese, truffle-cured Tartufotto prosciutto and speck, a ham cured with sea salt and juniper berries before being smoked to bring out its tantalizing flavor and aromas. The offerings at Alessa’s mozzarella bar are not the traditional Americanized cheeses one might expect when they hear the word “mozzarella.” The selections include a daily
chef ’s choice of fresh imported buffala mozzarella. Nodini is a delicious, braided mozzarella rolled in aromatic breadcrumbs and baked until crisp. Scamorze, which is smoked mozzarella wrapped in speck, is baked until warm and then served over baby arugula and bruschetta tomatoes. The two Laguna Beach favorites are Burrata, a soft imported mozzarella that has a blended center of mozzarella and cream, and Burricotta, which is Burrata stuffed with ricotta cheese and then finished with black lava sea salt and rosemary-infused extra virgin olive oil. The selection of aged meats are delicately sliced, paper-thin, placed on wooden boards and garnished with imported Castelvetrano olives and marinated Italian artichokes. Chef Pirozzi combined his charming personality and timehonored family recipes to bring an authentic taste of Italy to Orange County with locations in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Laguna Beach. Buon Appetito!
Courtesy of Alessa Laguna Beach Fresh locally grown organic vegetables are the key ingredients in all of Alessa’s award winning homemade Napalitano family recipes.
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February 13, 2012
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Jalapenos serves great Mexican dishes Get your fill of traditional Mexican dishes at this Old Town Orange restaurant MEAGAN CASTRO-FLORES Daily Titan
I love it when I find a great place to eat, get a seat on the patio outside with friends and peoplewatch. Jalapenos Restaurant, in Old Town Orange, is just that kind of place: Great Mexican food with a reputation of being a neighborhood staple. Jalapenos is located right by Chapman University — steps away from the Orange Circle. This
family-owned restaurant serves authentic, fresh and affordable Mexican dishes. My favorite dish is the two-taco carne asada combo. The combo comes with two tacos, beans, rice, tortillas and I like to top it all off with their amazing homemade salsa. Jalapenos’ portions are generous, so I normally come home with a nice-sized doggie bag. Jalapenos’ great menu serves everything from tortas and burritos to taquitos and shrimp ceviche. They have daily specials: Taco Tuesdays and Wednesday Madness’ $1.99 menu. This restaurant caters to everyone, especially the average college student looking for a good deal and wonderful food.
You can get your food to-go or for dine-in. During the day, the restaurant is filled with a mix of suits and ties and students grabbing a quick bite to eat. In
the evenings, friends meet up and sports enthusiasts sit and cheer for their teams with great food, cold beers and margaritas. For more information, visit
their website at jalapenosorange. com. On the site you can find their menu and daily specials. Jalapenos is located at 154 N. Glassell St. in Orange, Calif.
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Best 2-for-20 special JOEY BECERRA Daily Titan
We all want a cheap meal. Let’s face it, we’re college students — we don’t have a lot of money. That’s where “2-for-$20” meals come in. The concept is simple: Offer a meal that consists of an appetizer, two main courses and a dessert for two people to share. Lately, it seems like every chain restaurant has begun to offer “2-for-$20” meals. TGIFridays and Chili’s Grill & Bar Restaurant were the forerunners, but higher-end restaurants like Romano’s Macaroni Grill are joining in on the trend. The best “2-for-$20” option that I know of, comes from the Guppy Teahouse, or “Guppy’s,” as my friends and I have come to affectionately call it. The “Guppy Special” is a great deal for college students to split. Included in the meal is a small strawberry shaved ice, a popcorn chicken and a brick toast.
The strawberry shaved ice is anything but small. A truly magnificent display of what can be done with strawberries and condensed milk, the shaved ice towers out of the large bowl that holds it. The popcorn chicken isn’t like American popcorn chicken; the texture of the breading is soft and velvety, as opposed to the crunch that American popcorn chicken has. The flavor of the chicken can be described as moderately sweet. The coconut brick toast is warm, crunchy and lightly sweet with hints of rich chocolate and butter. Baked in the oven and crusted with warm, molten sugar, it is a musthave dessert. The best thing about the combo is that it is a guilty pleasure. Most people have expensive vices such as drugs or alcohol. Some food obsessions such as chocolate can also be expensive. Overall, if you want an inexpensive meal that will leave you and your wallet feeling full, the “Guppy Special” is the way to go.
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JOEY BECERRA / Daily Titan A bowl of shaved ice, strawberries and condensed milk from the Guppy Special.
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February 13, 2012
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Kale: A veggie that deserves love In a fight to be the supreme health food, kale manages to claw its way up the ladder and defeat its stiffest competitor spinach ANDREA AYALA Daily Titan
I’m not going to lie to you; I have always been spinach’s biggest lover. I’m a fan of living long, but since I’m also a fan of stuffing my face with drippy grease and clogging my arteries with fried trash, I am always in search of something I can eat often and that can balance my less-than-healthy habits quickly. Disclaimer: This is a story about a love affair, not a story about love. Since the day I first discovered that spinach is one of the healthiest foods around, my life changed for the better. I’ve become happier, more energetic and generally felt more
eating it and started talking about it to all of my friends. Many of my friends thought I was becoming too involved in a vegetable that I had just discovered. They suggested I should do more research to see if other vegetables were healthier. They begged me to add variety into my diet. However, I could not be convinced, and I’ll admit it: I was in love. For two years, I was very serious with spinach and an advocate for its benefits. Meat? “Please,” I argued. Eating enough spinach can get you enough protein without having to damage your colon. Vitamin C? No thanks, spinach has got me covered. That is, until I met kale. I wasn’t looking for a new vegetable when kale came along. I was perfectly content with my high
I felt a little nervous standing in line at the grocery store with a bag of kale in my cart — almost like I was stabbing spinach in the back. ‘I have to know,’ I justified.
healthy. I went from casually being interested in its health benefits to becoming fully attracted to the amount of fiber that it contained per ounce. I began spending more days
vitamin A choice, but one fine day, while I was sitting at my desk at work, ranting about spinach, a friend casually mentioned kale, and I looked it up. I must admit, my jaw dropped. The first thing that drew my at-
JOEY BECERRA / Daily Titan A love affair with kale may seem like an unlikely thing, but with a higher content of fiber and protein than other vegetables, kale is going to be every girl’s true valentine this year.
tention was that kale has about twice the fiber and protein as spinach. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had never seen a vegetable with that much protein (about two grams per serving). It has three times as much calcium as spinach, and about five times as much vitamin A and C. “Okay, so it’s good on paper,” I thought. “But is it really that great tasting?” Something in me became ensconced with curiosity; I had to know. I felt a little nervous standing in line at the grocery store with a bag of kale in my cart — almost like I was stabbing spinach in the back. “I have to know,” I justified. “How could I say that I loved spinach truly if I’d never tried anything else?” In fact, I was
doing spinach a favor, I argued. Rookie mistake. I prepared a simple kale and tomato salad; one I’d previously made with spinach. To my relief, my first taste of the rugged texture of kale was not as soothing as the gentle one of spinach. However, bites later, I realized that there was something about the texture that was oddly... sensual. It was a unique taste, something I’d never had before. It was new, exciting,and to be honest, I loved it. I finished the salad and put my plate to the side. Something in me felt changed, my world was opened. I couldn’t believe that after spending so much time being an
advocate for spinach, my opinions had changed so quickly. I felt strange about putting my love for spinach aside, but it wasn’t like I’d never eat it. I’d keep in touch and have a taste every now and then, maybe on holidays or with mutual spinach lovers. I don’t know how spinach will take it, truthfully the spinach industry will lose a lot in sales, but I don’t care. No matter how many people talk to me from now on about the benefits of spinach, how many tell me that I should go back, that spinach is easier on the palate and that it is much easier to make dishes out of it, I am not changing my mind. Guess what spinach? This Valentine’s Day, I’m spending it with kale.
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Top 5 Sports Recipe: Rum cake Bars Near Cal State Fullerton DANIEL ZAMILPA Daily Titan
If you’re looking for a sports bar near Cal State Fullerton, here are the top 5 locations in the area COLIN PENKOFF Daily Titan
Big’s Bar and Grill Located on the corner of North State College Boulevard and Chapman Avenue is Big’s Bar and Grill. The establishment is busiest during UFC fights and NFL games. Ashly Pitt, a bartender at Big’s, said UFC fights require a $5 cover charge and also offer $5 Jack Daniels drinks along with $6 Jagerbombs. “It gets packed and rowdy for UFC and NFL,” said Pitt. NFL Sunday mornings, which occur from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., offers a $9.99 breakfast buffet with any drink purchase, or a $16.99 breakfast buffet with the choice of bottomless mimosas or a 21-ounce “build your own” Big’s Bloody Mary. With four projector screens and 17 TV screens, a good view is available with any seating. Big’s also has karaoke, rockabilly bands, billiards, Golden Tee golf and trivia games. Roscoe’s Deli In the heart of Downtown Fullerton is Roscoe’s Deli. With billiards tables, shuffleboard, a music stage, additional seating and an additional bar, the bar can house more entertainment. Their deli is open until 12 a.m. and drinks are served until 2 a.m. daily. On Mondays and Tuesdays ,from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., 12 shuffleboard teams compete. On Wednesday nights, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., there’s a free comedy show. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, starting at 9:30 p.m., is live music entertainment. Their 23 televisions feature many sports games. Los Angeles Lakers fans flock to the bar for NBA games, and Angels fans enjoy pregame drinks before using the nearby train station for a safe ride to Angels Stadium.
Yard House In downtown Brea, a short distance from the Cal State Fullerton campus, the Yard House sits on Brea Boulevard. With the widest variety of beers served on tap, consumers will surely enjoy the drinks they serve. With no cover charge, and televisions conveniently located in each seating area, patrons can enjoy their diverse menu of delicious foods. A heated patio is enjoyed at nights, and servers are kind to adjust the temperature. The lighting is dim, which accentuates the televisions’ bright screens. Yard House is an ideal place to go with a group because of its seating availability and moderate noise level. Brian’s Beer and Billiards Since 1981, Brian’s, located on North Placentia Avenue, has been serving barbecue foods such as chicken, ribs, burgers and delicious appetizers. On Wednesday nights, from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., is “College Drown,” the longest running beer special in Fullerton. They have many television sets that receive great sports packages for NFL, March Madness, CSUF baseball and Angel games. They also subscribe to Big West TV and show most Titan baseball away games. Brian’s also has a pool table, darts and shuffleboard. The Bench Sports Bar Just three months old, The Bench Sports Bar, located on Yorba Linda Boulevard, has a happy hour from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. They serve pizza specials on Wednesdays. Their menu also serves breakfast, sandwiches and appetizers. As they are undergoing renovations, their updated billiards and menu will be available in two months. Sports fanatics pack into the bar for the L.A. Lakers, Anaheim Ducks, L.A. Angels of Anaheim and NFL games.
1 package yellow cake mix 1 package yellow pudding mix 4 eggs 1/2 cup combination of cooking oil, dark rum and cold water mixed 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup hot water 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoon dark rum, or more to taste oil and flour, for greasing pan
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil and flour a bundt pan and set aside. Mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, liquid combination, vanilla extract and cinnamon until combined. Bake in a bundt pan for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Melt together the butter with the hot water, sugar and rum to make a glaze for the top of the cake. Pour over the cake when the cake is still warm. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
ARIANNE CUSTER / Daily Titan Fruits, such as red, ripe strawberries and others are the perfect addition to any desert or healthy snack.
CAMILLE TARAZON / Daily Titan
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Crepes, the French delicacy Have a craving for crepes? Try this simple recipe for the perfect pastry CHARLOTTE KNIGHT Daily Titan
If you’re looking to make a tasty treat for you and your loved ones for breakfast or dessert, I would recommend following these eight easy steps to create this exquisite French delicacy. The biggest perks are if you consider yourself a pathetic excuse for a chef, crepes are incredibly easy to make and tricky to foul up. Plus, not much grocery shopping
needs to be done because the recipe calls for essentials that you can find around the house. But just in case, make sure you have everything: · Non-stick skillet · Bowl to mix the batter · Plate for the crepes · Wax paper · Spatula · Whisk · 4 large eggs · ¼ teaspoon salt · 2 cups flour · 2 ¼ cups milk · ½ stick melted butter · 2 tablespoons sugar · ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. I’ve read online that there may be a standard procedure as to what you mix in first, but I’ve discovered that it really doesn’t matter as long as you have all the ingredients in your bowl. Add the eggs, salt, flour, milk, melted butter, sugar and vanilla extract. 2. Whisk it smooth so that there are no lumps in the batter. The batter can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a couple days if you do not wish to make the crepes right away; just give it another good whisking before you are ready to cook. 3. Preheat the non-stick pan on your stove’s medium setting. The size of the pan will not have an impact on the taste of the crepes, but it will determine how many you will have. You can make anywhere from 10 to 15 crepes per serving. I would recommend coating the pan with cooking spray or adding a little slab of butter for extra non-stickiness. 4. Pour some of the batter into the pan. Remember, you don’t need a lot of batter to make one crepe. You want just enough to completely cover the bottom of the pan. So twirl the pan around as you pour the batter to determine
how much you need. Crepes are not the same as pancakes; they’re supposed to be as thin as humanly possible. 5. The crepe is ready to flip when you can slide it around in the pan and the spatula will easily slip underneath it. When the crepe is flipped over, you may notice a light golden brown coloring with a lacy pattern. You’ve cooked it perfectly, and you want the other side to look the same as well with a lacy pattern running across the bottom. The bottom side should not take that long to cook. We’re talking 30 seconds at the most. Even if the coloring looks moist and doesn’t have a similar golden brown color, it’ll be completely cooked through. (One of the bigger issues I have with making crepes is that my first one comes out looking awful and tasting undercooked because I started cooking the crepe when the pan wasn’t hot enough. Don’t get discouraged if your first one comes out terribly; you’ll get a knack for it the more you practice). 6. Using a spatula, slip the crepe out of the pan and onto a plate covered with a strip of wax paper. You will want to lay down a strip
just big enough to cover the top of your crepe every time one is ready to be served. This will prevent the cooling crepes from sticking to each other. 7. Repeat steps 4-6 until you have used up all the batter in your bowl. 8. You’ve successfully made your first batch of homemade crepes! Dig in! If you know how to make a fruit compote, you may use that to fill your crepes. Chocoholics may spread a light, even coat of Nutella over their crepes, add some powdered sugar and whipped cream, and eat it like a burrito. Crepes also taste delightful with honey and cinnamon. Be creative with how you fill your crepes! That’s not something I can give you direction in because there’s no right or wrong way to fill them. Cleanup isn’t too terribly bad, but if you spilled a little bit of batter on your stove or kitchen counter, make sure you clean it up as soon as you possibly can. Once the batter hardens, it’s a pain to scrub off. You can soak your pan and bowl with soap and hot water while you enjoy your crepes. Bon appetit!
Mariscos 4 Vientos, a true Mexican street-food eatery JENNIFER LISIGNOLI For the Daily Titan
My boyfriend visited me two weeks ago and he has always raved about a seafood place in Los Angeles called Mariscos 4 Vientos, which means “seafood four winds.” The place is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, packed with locals and people who have traveled from Orange County, San Diego and other counties just to get a taste of the Mariscos 4 Vientos’ seafood. When we got there, I ordered a shrimp taco and a dish called aguadita tostada. Aguadita is an extremely spicy Mexican chili, but makes food quite flavorful if you can handle the heat. After patiently waiting and
sipping on my sangria soda, it was time to see what the craze was all about.
This is what Mexican street food is known for - not commercialized, and true to the form.
At first bite, I literally felt happiness and pure satisfaction. It was a delicious combination that I had never tried before with any other taco. The aguadita tostada had shrimp marinated in lime juice and was accompanied with the spicy chilies.
I would definitely say that I can handle plenty of spicy chilies and foods, but the aguadita made me know what spicy food really is. The shrimp tacos were grilled and mixed with onions. The tortilla was fried with a nice crisp. The tacos were topped with fresh salsa and avocado. I would definitely get the tostada again because the flavors were exceptional. I cannot wait to come back to this place. It had all the elements I enjoy from food — texture, flavor, spiciness and freshness. This is what Mexican street food is known for – not commercialized, and true to the form. The place is completely affordable and anyone can try all of its menu varieties, but remember to bring cash – it’s cash only.
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February 13, 2012
CRAVE
Cambodian cuisine SUSANA COBO Daily Titan
SUSANA COBO / Daily Titan
The French influence in Cambodia is seen in its baked breads. The baguette accompanies dishes like Cambodian vegetable stew, which includes taro, eggplant and carrots in a curry broth. For breakfast, it’s eaten with butter, jam or eggs. Specifically in areas near the ocean and rivers, fish is a staple of Cambodian cui-
sine, better known as Khmer food. Even vegetable dishes will have a fishy substance. Complementing fish are cucumbers, lettuce and rice. The fish, rice and cucumbers are wrapped in the lettuce, and then eaten with hands. Fruits like watermelon, mangosteen and pineapple are eaten as dessert.