POLL: Ultimate OC Restaurants, 2009

[OCAnn]

Hi folks, here's OC's version of the 2009 Ultimate Restaurant poll.

Please rank your top 10 restaurants in Orange County that, as succinctly stated by previous pollster Mr Grub, "you would recommend to houndly out-of-town visitors or to chowfriends for a special occasion. Since we worship at the altar of deliciousness, your ranking should be based 75% on food and 25% on everything else."

Please reply with a list of your top 10 choices:
- five restaurants in the OVER $25/person for food and
- another five restaurants for UNDER $25/person (also food only).

For details & instructions, please see Max's post/thread for LA proper:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/665207 :: PLEASE POST YOUR VOTES HERE: Ultimate Los Angeles Restaurants 2009
...I'll be tabulating the same way but will keep the OC poll open until 12/31/09.

The more replies we receive, the more useful the poll’s findings are, so please reply. I'll publish the results shortly after the new year.

And as an fyi, here are the results of past polls:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585999 :: Ultimate OC Restaurants, 2008; RESULTS
2007 results were lost in cyberspace
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/356299 :: Ultimate Orange County Restaurant Poll Results 2006
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/76035 :: Ultimate Orange Country Restaurant Poll Results 2005

[OCAnn]

The results are here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/679834 :: POLL RESULTS: Ultimate OC Restaurants, 2009

(with apologies to ijack for not having them in time for your weekend visit)

[OCAnn]

The polls were supposed to close 12/31/09, but I will accept whatever was submited before this. Poll is officially now closed; results to be posted in the next couple days.

[ijack]

I can't wait to see this list, we're visiting OC this weekend :)

[High Maintenance]

>$25
Mastro's Ocean Club
Houston's
A
Sage (Newport Beach, not the Coast!)
Bungalow

<$25
Galley
Mi Casa
Ruby's Deli (not the diner)
El Toro
Tommy's

[Das Ubergeek]

Over $25
1. Marché Moderne
2. Xanh Bistro
3. Mastro's Steakhouse
4. Old Vine Café
5. Da Bianca

Under $25
1. Break of Dawn (just plain awesome)
2. Thai Nakorn (Thai)
3. Vien Dong (Vietnamese)
4. Tana (Ethiopian)
5. Wadiya (Sri Lankan)

[Servorg]

Based on my meal yesterday at Break of Dawn I give it another very, very enthusiastic vote (it it's not too late to vote). Just a great restaurant with exceptionally friendly and efficient service.

[BubblyOne]

> 25

Tabu Grill
Antonello
French 75
The Ritz
Dizz's

< 25

Javier's
Coyote Grill
Mollie's Country Kitchen
Mi Casa
The Galley

[exilekiss]

Hi OCAnn,

Thanks for taking the time to wrangle this for us this year. :) Here's my vote:

Over $25
1. Marche Moderne
2. Maki Zushi
3. Tsuruhashi
4. Shin Sen Gumi Robata Yakitori (not Ramen)
5. Shibucho

Under $25
1. Kappo Hana
2. Thai Nakorn
3. Vien Dong
4. Japonaise Bakery Cream Pan
5. Veggie Grill

Thanks~ :)

[mrhooks]

Haha, 4 of our 5 over $25s are the same. If only I'd been to Marche Moderne...

[stuffed]

under $25
Rialto Cafe (lunch)
Pascal Epicerie
Sushi Momo
Pizzeria Ortica
Olive Pit Grill

over $25
Brasserie Pascal
Old Vine Cafe
Beachcomber
Sage
Taps

[OCAnn]

Hi folks...we have two weeks left, so if you haven't already, please chime in! =)

[Funwithfood]

In the under $25 category I vote for Taco Mesa. The bacon wrapped shrimp is divine; served with roasted vegetables & herbed rice--best value in OC at...$10!

[jaykayen]

>25
Napa Rose

<25
Honda-Ya

[jaykayen]

Adding Sushi Momo for the <25 category, so that would be my 2nd choice under Honda-Ya.

[kdoc]

> $25
Sushi Wasabi
Marche Moderne
Tradition by Pascal
Old Vine Cafe
Roy's

<$25
Cafe Hiro
Honda-Ya
Tulsa Ribs
Mariscos Puerto Esperanza
Thai Nakorn

[geat]

Only the unders (the economy man!)
MPE
Mas' islamic
Hollingshead
El farlito (the original on Bradford, down town Placentia)
Sushi momo

[ocshooter]

Over $25
Tabu Grill
San Shi Go on Balboa
Wasabi in Tustin
Roy's
Javier's

Under $25
Coyote Grill
Thai Nakorn
Honda-Ya (either one)
Laventina's Big Cheese
In-and-Out

[aklectic]

>$25
Marche Moderne
Maestro's Ocean Club
Napa Rose
Maki Zushi (Yoshi-San)
Cucina Alessa

<$25
Thai Nakorn
Dosa Place
Mariscos Puerto Esperanza
Pho Thanh Lich
Zon Baguettes

[OCAnn]

> $25
1 Nello
2 Old Vine Cafe
3 Mastro's
4 Sushi Shibucho
5 Marche Moderne

<$25
1 Thai Nakorn
2 Cafe Hiro
3 In-n-Out
4 Molcasalsa
5 Stadium Tavern (for B'fast)

[OCAnn]

I'm changing my #5 from MM to Napa Rose.

[degustateur]

>25
marche moderne
the golden truffle
sushi shibucho
tradition by pascal
onotria

<25
merhaba
mariscos puerto esperanza
shin sen gumi
jagerhaus
memphis

[dockhl]

Wondering about this....I haven't eaten here for a long time and some reviews indicate that the quality has gone downhill. Any input? We'll be in OC from Paso Robles Jan 1/2 and I'd love a place similar to eat on Friday night.

-----
Golden Truffle
1767 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92627

[degustateur]

Quality is virtually assured when owner/chef Alan Greeley is in the house. He's generally there during lunch Tuesday thru Friday and usually not there Friday evenings or Saturday. They're closed Sunday/Monday.

Call and reserve first. Go for the prix fixe and allow Alan the creative license to blow you away. A large part of his business involves exclusive catering engagements. Going prix fixe avails you to off-menu surprise and greatness. In 10 years, I've yet to be disappointed.

I should mention that over 90% of my visits have been for lunch.

[dockhl]

Hmmmmmmmmmm...........I hadn't thought of going there for lunch on Friday sincce we'll just be driving down then but maybe I should! Since we are staying near SC Plaza (Hyatt) I'll ned to find us a place for a light dinner, then. Thanks so much !

[dockhl]

Duh..........it didn't show that I was responding to the inclusion of the Golden Truffle ! Still good?

[jacknhedy]

>25
1. marche moderne
2. shibucho
3. blue fin
4. shin sen gumi
5. basilic

<25
1. thai nakorn
2. santouka
3. nory's peruvian
4. mariscos puerto esperanza
5. vien dong

[kwicknb]

Over $25
1) Mastro's Ocean Grill
2) Canneletto
3) Javiers
4) Tabu Grill
5) Bungalow

Under $25
1) 25 Degrees
2) Enriques
3) Fuji Yama (only with Shun-San or Kazuo-San)
4) Caliente

[russkar]

Over 25-
Marche Moderne
Basilic
The Ritz
Sushi Wasabi
Zushi Maki

Morton's (lunch Burger)
Roma D' Italia
Houston's
China Garden
Avilia's El Ranchito (santa ana)

[cdmedici]

Under $25
25 Degrees
Santouka Ramen
El Toro Bravo
Bahn Mi Che Cali
Fuji Yama (only with Shun-San or Kazuo-San)

Over $25
Mastro's Ocean Club
Nana San
Sushi Shibucho
Maki Zushi (only with Yoshi-San)
Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen

[I got nothin]

Over $25
1) Marche Moderne
2) Napa Rose
3) Maki Zushi
4) Old Vine Cafe
5) Tradition by Pascal

Under $25
1) Mariscos Puerto Esperanza
2) Banh Mi & Che Cali
3) Shin Sen Gumi (Ramen)
4) Newport Seafood
5) 25 Degrees

-----
Napa Rose Restaurant
1600 S Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802

Marche Moderne
3333 Bristol St 3001, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Newport Seafood Restaurant
4411 W 1st St, Santa Ana, CA 92703

Maki Zushi
1641 Edinger Ave # 101, Tustin, CA

Old Vine Cafe
2937 Bristol St # A102, Costa Mesa, CA

Mariscos Puerto Esperanza
1724 N Tustin St, Orange, CA 92865

Tradition by Pascal
1000 Bristol St N, Newport Beach, CA 92660

[peppermonkey]

< $25
Hwang Hae Do (for their yooksu bulgogi)
Past Memories
Com Tam Tuan Kieu
Kyochon
Brodard

>25
Corner place (Does Cerritos count as OC?)
Rosine's

[OCAnn]

Sorry, Cerritos is not part of OC.

[choctastic]

Hwang Hae Do also has decent naengmyun specials in the summer, or they used to anyway.

[peppermonkey]

still have them during the weekdays at lunch as well as the 4 dollar soju bottles which i will always have to get even though it's early

[mikester]

< $25:
Crow Bar
Mariscos Puerto Esperanza
Mulitas Y Tacos Ruben (taco truck)
Santouka Ramen

> $25
Napa Rose
Sushi Wasabi
Mastro's
Marche Moderne
Watermarc

[mikester]

To my < 25 category I would like to add:

Veggie Grill

[groover808]

Under $25
- Veggie Grill
- Fukada
- Ngu Binh
- Santouka
- Taqueria De Anda

Over $25 (Been going to LA for my pricier eats, need to explore more in OC)
- Tsruhashi
- Taps

Going to hit up Mastro's soon, so should be on my list next year!

[lawdog262]

Over 25:

Old Vine Cafe
Marche Moderne
Koi (Seal Beach)
Onotria
Royal Khyber

[reflecting where we went this year, i.e, I have no doubt that Stonehill and others are better than Royal Khyber, but we didn't make it to Stonehill, etc this year. That being said, we didn't make it to thise because we kept going back to OVC, MM and Koi.

[mrsjoujou]

>25
Marche moderne
Sapphire
Charlie Palmer
Cucina Alessa
Xanh bistro
<25
Bear flag fish Co

[mrhooks]

I don't dine in OC much except for Japanese, but:

Over $25:
Sushi Shibucho
Tsuruhashi
Yakitori Shin-Sen-Gumi
Maki-Zushi
Mastro's

Under $25:
Santouka
Hakata Ramen Shin-Sen-Gumi

I'm sure that, if I ever got around to going to some other places, this list would look much different.

[OCAnn]

Nice to see you making the rounds in OC mrhooks!

[choctastic]

I only have a below $25 list now, because I am poor.

<$25, places I recommend to out-of towners.

1) Veggie Grill
2) Fukada
3) 85c (kind of cheating since it's a bakery, but whatever)
4) Santouka
5) Pizza e Vino (if they're not from LA, Phoenix, or NYC)

Honorable Mentions:

1) Grande Bakery for being the absolute best panaderia in town, imho, even better than a lot of the places in L.A. that I've been to. Hands down, one of the best panaderias, short of Porto's. Nobody ever talks about this place, but it is the bomb.

[choctastic]

Well, okay, it's not nearly Porto's level, now that I think about it. But it is definitely the best panaderia in OC.

I also liked the panaderia in what used to be Gigante Market in Anaheim.

[A5 KOBE]

> 25

Hamamori
Marche Moderne
Stonehill Tavern

< 25

Marc Burger
Santouka
Vien Dong