irvine — Wine & Dine

All you Los Angeles natives out there have been crazing over EMC. And if you aren't not from LA, the chances of your friends taking you hear is pretty high. Just like the poke craze, ice cream donuts, and even F'ing churros, you know have tons of restaurants serving up their own raw bar. EMC was one of those top hitters that made it popping first with their location in K-town. It's like 10PM and my friends would still want to head out for Happy Hour. Well wait no more because they also have one open in Irvine. I'm not sure how long the wait can get considering how packed the location in K-Town gets, but those of you that huddles in one car for this, that live out of LA can worry no more.

14346 Culver Dr, Irvine, CA 92604

Best part yet is that they are conveniently right off the 5 on Culver. Not even a mile off the exit to find yourself the grand restaurant waiting for you to devour everything they have.

And they have a lot:

Lobsters are still alive. Oysters are still shut. Sea Urchins just laying there, looking dead, but you know they are hella alive and waiting to be popped out of their shell. Whole f'ing branzinos. I can go on and on, but it won't be fair for me to relive this moment at home.

Crispy Garlic Brussels Sprouts. I know. Before you start talking about how I am ranting about the seafood, and I start showing you a bowl of sprouts. Because these were so delicious! Just so perfectly cooked and extremely flavorful. And, I am a huge advocate about having some kind of greens with your meal. Like a big steak with a piece of broccoli. That good balance talk, you feelin' me?

We had 1/2 a dozen of Kumamoto oysters and 1/2 of Kusshi. Fresh, sweet, perfectly shucked, with cocktail sauce and jalapeno lime. Always a must order.

I know. Here I go again. Now, what the F does fries have to do with anything? These are fries with truffle mushroom aioli. Like shut the front door who the hell comes up with this stuff? That garlic you see right THERE is some good umami-mouth-gasm right there. Fried so crispy with soft centers, ooooo that just gets me right here *points at my heart*. And for the record, it's on the starters menu so it ain't no side dish psssshhh (I literally did the hair whip).

The glorious Uni pasta. Also, that one Uni pasta that everyone talks about. It really does live up to the rave. The spaghetti was perfectly cooked and coated in a cream, Fish Roe, Chives, and Dried Seaweed concoction. The fish roe did it for me. I love-love-loved the texture that it gave the noodles.

If this is the only thing you came here for, by all means do it. If you want to eat a lot of other items, make sure you get this to share. It's a heavy dish even though a delicious one.

Toro Toro Roll - Ground yellowtail and albacore belly inside, topped with chu toro and caviar on top. The kind of fishes you want to eat simply. A touch of wasabi and soy sauce to compliment the fattiness of the fishes. Cleanse your palate with some ginger after before headed for your next bite.

Lobster roll definitely winning. Served with a slice of lemon and melted butter. I am sensitive to butter. Makes me really tired if I have too much so I just use a tad. But what's really a tad when it's melted? Feels like you can easily pour the whole thing on, no regrets. The lobster is cooked in Tarragon Butter, Sea Salt, and stuffed inside a Brioche Bun. Thumbs up for the flavor combo.

We also ordered their black pepper filet mignon to those allergic to seafood. Delicious, tender, and perfect with the bowl of rice it comes with. We also had their crispy pepper calamari that's served with spicy aioli shown below:

14346 Culver Dr, Irvine, CA 92604

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First of all, save this address:

1208 S Brookhurst St. Anaheim, CA 92804

I got the opportunity to taste some home style Middle Eastern food in Anaheim. What's special about Kareem's, is the history. They've been opened for 20 years with the same owner. The father of the restaurant, named it after his son, Kareem. Over the years, a few other Arab restaurants opened up. About 20. Though some closed, Kareem's still stands as one of the flagships landed on Brookhurst.

I've had plenty of Middle Eastern food, but I never know what to expect. I know there are small regions all over the place that serves the same food, differently. Kind of like Asia. From Chinese dumplings, to Taiwanese, to more Southern, it's all similar but different. What was special about Kareem's was not just their family recipe, but how the mom still cooks in the kitchen. But that will be saved for later. There are a lot of intimidating dishes that I'm sure a lot of people won't be too comfortable eating. Like, lamb liver. I am definitely going to come back to try this.

With that said, I left the choices up to Kareem himself.

Fatoush Salad

This is my favorite salad to order at a Middle Eastern Restaurant. I love the vinegar and the tanginess of the Sumak which was doused pretty liberally, just the way I like it. The pita was nice and crunchy. The greens, tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, were all extremely fresh and crisp. The amount of salad that you get are pretty generous, so I would recommend sharing this.

Falafel Plate with Hummus

These home made bad boys are vegan. And boy OH boy are they bad to the bone in the best way possible. I've had my fair share of falafel, but never quite like the ones here. They are piping hot, and is forgivable even after eating them cold. They were very crispy on the outside. But on the inside? you be the judge:

Super moist and seasoned perfectly. Their falafels is the same original recipe that Kareem's father created 20 years ago. These will even make your forget you are eating something that is vegan. I highly recommend getting these when you arrive. And if you would like to take some home, they are sold in local markets like Super King, Irvine Ranch Market, and a few others.

French Fries

They must know I've been craving fries. These were perfect. Soft and slightly crispy, sprinkled with Sumak. I would order these again, and dip them in whatever I can. I was even eating these with the chicken instead of the rice. And I was also eating these together with the pita, falafel and hummus.

Chicken Kabob

Grilled chicken Kabob was served with hummus and rice. The chicken was very juicy. Goes so well with the charred tomatoes and onions. Don't forget the hummus and pita. Extremely fresh and jaw dropping deliciousness.

You must order their hummus. If it already comes with your plate, fine. But this was one of the best hummus I've had. Creamy and slightly nutty, doused with paprika. The olive oil and paprika just swims in the hummus. It was a beautiful sight.

Going back to Kareem's mother. She was more than a sweetheart, she is exactly what she was, a mom. I felt her energy. The "Hi" to the "thank you for eating my food". I wanted to hold her hand. No I wanted to hug her. And give her a kiss on her cheek. She is the cook in their kitchen. And if this was my last meal, I would be content and happy. Because I know a loving mother made this meal for us. She told us to wait, as she brings us mint tea which was huge in their culture. But for me, I felt like it was my own mom telling me to drink some tea to digest the food. In no time, she comes out with:

Ceylon black tea with fresh mint. Ceylon is a tea from Sri Lanka. It has a very robust flavor and works well with creamers if you love english tea. To some, this is familiar to the Moroccan mint tea. The tea though, is different in a Moroccan mint which is normally used with Gunpowder green tea. This was soothing, and cleansing after eating all that food.

At the end of the meal, we were extremely pleased not just with the food, but the service. We were the only asians in there. To everyone else, it's like going to moms. I am definitely coming back. I'm really tempted to order the same things again, but will try my best to order something else. Everything was too delicious.

This is what it's all about. If you want a hole in the wall, a good one, a restaurant with history, family oriented, this is the place you should definitely check out. I live 17 miles away, and will drive out to have home made Middle Eastern food.

1208 S Brookhurst St. Anaheim, CA 92804

Make sure you say hi to the mom. It doesn't get any better than that.

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Wine & Dine

EMC Seafood & Raw Bar - Irvine, CA

Kareem's Mediterranean Restaurant