It's National Taco Day

Tacos. They're one of my favorite finger foods. Growing up in a south San Diego neighborhood with a taco shop around every corner, there's no doubt I would love this amazing food. It really is simple to make - corn or flour tortilla, soft or hard shell, and then add whatever your heart desires... or whatever your taco shell can handle. Most days I go loaded with meat (mostly carnitas, carne asada, or even chicken), fresh veggies like cilantro, onion, and tomatoes, and homemade salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and beans. Other days I'll go vegetarian, or make fish tacos. I can go on for days about tacos, but the reason I'm blogging is to share my favorite taco joints in Southern California.


San Diego
Lolita's Taco Shop - known mostly for it's carne asada fries, the carne asada tacos and just as amazing and the meat isn't too chewy. This is one of the best taco shops in San Diego.

Rigoberto's Taco Shop - Carnita's tacos is the way to go. It's located near the Miramar Military Base. This place is open 24 hours so you can enjoy tacos any time you want.

TJ's Oyster Bar Fish Tacos

TJ's Oyster Bar - The only thing you need to know is 99 cent fish tacos. All day, every day. I must say, for the price and quality of this hole in the wall, this is the BEST place for fish tacos.

El Cotixan - Get the rolled tacos. They're about $3 and they actually fill up the taco with meat. And the great thing is this place has several locations scattered around San Diego County

Tacos El Gordo - It's in National City, where I was born and raised. Everything is freshly made here, tortillas and all. The lines can get a bit long, but I'm telling you, it's worth the wait. And it's only abour $2 a taco!

Orange County
Baja Fish Tacos - Amazing fish tacos I tell you that. Order it Ensemada style. It's healthy and delicious. I would say the best fish tacos in Orange County.

Avanti Hot Tacos & Sauce

Taco Asylum - Not your traditional tacos, but to me this place puts creativity and flavor in their creations. It's located at the Camp in Costa Mesa

Avanti Cafe - Don't be fooled or turn away that this is a vegetarian restaurant. Give it a chance. Their Avanti Hot Tacos are the BEST thing you've ever tasted. Not to mention they're gluten free, vegan, AND their homemade hot sauces really add a kick to your taste buds. They were also one of the best tacos in Orange County in 2011.

Kogi BBQ Truck - Mexican and Korean BBQ Tacos. Tell me that doesn't sound amazing. This food truck roams around OC and LA serving these savory bites. Many times I'd find the truck at night, but it makes for a great late night snack.

Los Angeles

Tacos El Korita

Tacos El Korita - East LA may not be the 'Hollywood Glam' that Los Angeles is known for, but it's known for some great street grub. this Taco Truck is a must try. It's a purple truck. You really can't miss it. And you'll stay after trying their tacos!

Mexicali Tacos & Co. - Don't be fooled by the plastic chairs and the handmade signs. This is a definite hole in the wall, but even LA Weekly agrees it's one of the best TACO joints in LA.

Guisados Tacos - Almost Every Foodie in LA will tell you that Guisados has the best tacos in LA. Enough said. One look at the menu and even others eating their tacos and you wouldn't know which to try first. Good thing there's the taco sampler!

7th Street & Mateo - There's a taco stand here that operates from  5 or 6 PM until midnight or later sometimes. The al pastor tacos are amazing. Want to try authentic street tacos? Go here!


Now the big question is, which one of these taco shops will I eat at tonight?!

Orange County Fair

The San Diego County fair was  success! On to the next town: ORANGE COUNTY.

The Orange County Fair runs from July 12 - August 11.

The theme of the 2013 OC fair is 'Come & Get it'. Come on down to the OC fair this month and get a taste of Summer, OC style. Enjoy live entertainment, fun rides and games, and of course delicious fair food.


Like any other fair, the OC Fair has it's selection of delicious fair food from savory turkey legs to fried anything (basically)! And on Friday's during the fair, there will be a Taste of Fair event starting at $2. For a menu of the Taste of Fair Food, click here.

Love Music? The 2013 Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre will feature a wide range of artists such as Colbie Caillat, The Go-Gos, Austin Mahone, Alan Jackson, Styx, The Wanted and many more! 

General Tips:
Open Wednesday - Sunday (Closed Monday and Tuesday)

Ticket Prices - General (13–59) $11, Seniors (60+) $8, Youth (6–12) $6. Children 5 and under free.

Every Friday Noon - 4 'Come and Get' The Taste of Fair Food $2
Early Risers Discount - Saturday and Sunday 10 - 11 AM $3 admission

Additional Information can be found in the fair's website.

Nothing Like An Ice Cold Glass Of Tea

As if the whole month wasn't enough to celebrate National Iced Tea Month, we needed to dedicated one specific day for National Iced Tea Day! June 10 is National Iced Tea Day. Nothing feels more satisfying than a nice glass of iced tea on a sunny day.

Iced Tea is my coffee. I prefer it, and it doesn't give me the caffeine jitters. Just about everywhere I dine, I'm usually the one who orders iced tea (or Arnold Palmer, which is half tea/half lemonade).

For first timer's or new tea lovers, I'd like to share with you my tea criteria:
Real Tea Flavor - If I'm going to have some tea, iced or hot, I want to be able to taste the natural herb. I actually find tea to be a very satisfying taste. So the first thing I look for is the flavor.
Natural Sweetness - Before any added sugar or sweeteners, how sweet is the tea? I rarely add sugar to brewed tea so I would like to feel the boldness of the taste.
Added Sweetness - When I go for bottled or specialty flavors, I know that there will be added sweetness. Of course I wouldn't say no to a sweet tasting glass of iced tea, but I don't want my tea to be polluted by sugar... Unless it's sweet tea of course!
Additional Flavors - Raspberry iced tea seems to be the most popular flavored iced tea. I do love that a few restaurants and brands expand on their tea flavors. Even when it comes to Arnold Palmers, people experiment with the different lemonade and tea combinations.

What's your favorite iced tea flavor?

What's your iced tea preference? Super sweet or natural flavors?

What's your favorite bottled iced tea?

Have you ever made your own iced tea?

So many questions for just one simple drink! Whether you go to the market and pick out a bottle of your favorite brand, dine out tonight and order the fruity iced tea flavors, or steep a few tea packets in the comfort of your own kitchen, let's raise our glasses and toast to National Iced Tea Day! Now today's a Monday that's not so bad ;)

San Diego County Fair

It's summer time and that means one thing for many SoCal natives - COUNTY FAIRS!

The first one up: San Diego County Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds from June 8 - July 4

This year, the theme of the fair is 'Game On'. As described from the SD Fair official website, "The fair will spotlight classic and nostalgic games and show how these have evolved over the years; from board games and pinball, to television, videos and computers."

Enjoy carnival games, wild rides, live entertainment and amazing attractions and exhibits from local San Diego schools and organizations to showcase their accomplishments and celebrate the end of the school year and the start of summer vacation.

I go to the fair for two things: Concerts and Food (of course!) This year, I checked out the line-up for the grandstand stage performances and there are a variety of performers for people of all ages and in different genres. Like oldies? The Beach Boys will be playing opening night and Joan Jett and the Black Hearts will play closing night and will remind us why we love rock and roll . Have kids? Take them to see Big Time Rush, Victoria Justice and Bridgit Mendler (names you might not know, but names they probably worship). Other big names like Steve Miller Band, Train, Colbie Caillat, Martina McBride, and Kendrick Lamar are set to perform during this month.

Now for the food. If you've ever been to a county fair you know the food is delicious. They may not necessarily be the healthiest things - fried twinkies, fried kool aid, fried snickers... you get the point, FRIED FOOD - but they certainly are delicious and the fair should be a fun experience, so why not cheat on your healthy eating just this once. My mom likes to get the grilled corn and turkey legs while my siblings go for the varieties of food around such as chili-cheese fries, funnel cake, hotdogs, krispy-kreme sandwiches and so much more. The baked goods and typical foods like popcorn and cotton candy are always a must and- ok I need to stop before I get ahead of myself. Basically, the San Diego County fair has it all - Games, Rides, Concerts and best of all Food. So mark your calendars... Ready. Set. Game On!


Tickets and general information can be found on the fair's website.
Many business's support the SD Fair so look out for Military Discounts, Albertson/Save-on Discounts, Costco Discounts, and much more!

Tip:
Closed on Mondays except July 2nd.
June 11 and 18 is $4 Tuesday
There are special promos once you're at the fair to come back again for a discounted price.

It's The Cheesiest Day Of The Year

Everyone loves cheese! So naturally there has to be a foodie holiday dedicated to our favorite dairy snack : Today is National Cheese Day.

As a cheese lover myself, I love trying out new cheeses for recipes, simple snacks, and wine pairing. There are more than 900 known cheeses in the world, and they can all be classified by texture. Here are some of the most common cheeses:

• fresh cheese (ricotta)
• soft cheese (feta)
• semi-soft cheese (Fontina) 
• semi-hard cheese (Gouda) 
• hard cheese (Cheddar)
• double or triple crème cheese (Brillat-Savarin)
• blue cheese (Gorgonzola) 
• washed rind cheese (Limburger)
• bloomy rind cheese (Brie)

What's your favorite type of cheese and/or cheese dish?

June Foodie Holidays

It's a new month, but not just any month... It's the month that kick's of Summer!

We're all looking forward to relaxing in the sun, going to the beach, having fun with friends and of course... EATING :)

Let's kick off June by being on the look out for some June Foodie Holidays.

June is...

National Candy Month

National Dairy Month

National Iced Tea Month

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month



We're already in the third day of June, and today is national egg day!


Stay tuned this month because there are a lot of great food holidays in June!

Happy National Wine Day!

May 25 is National Wine Day.

I'm raising my glass to all of you bloggers, foodies, friends and strangers out there who read our blog. Thank you!

When I turned 21, the first thing I wanted to ever taste was wine. I watched so many films when I was younger and noticed how sophisticating, social and just plain happy gatherings were when people were sipping wine and chatting merrily. So I figured something had to be up with wine. Even growing up and going to church on Sundays, wine was something sacred. So since my 21st birthday, I discovered, experienced and shared the wine I tasted and the foods I paired it with. I still can't ever remember what to pair the exact wine with the food I eat, but that's what my friend Matt is for - my personal wine aficionado. The only rules I ever remembered were to pair white wines with white meat, seafood and light food and pair red wines with red and dark meat or heavy meals. But when you're a wine enthusiast like my friend Matt, there are certain wines for every food. Here's a nice chart to refer to when you want to pair your wines this three day weekend.

For a larger view of this image click here

Whether you drink alone or with friends this National Wine Day and for the rest of the weekend, here's to you. Thanks for reading and have a great memorial weekend. Cheers!

Taco Tuesday Time

It's Tuesday and that usually means one thing: Taco Tuesday!

So, where do you go for Taco Tuesday? Same place all the time or do you like to cross off different taco shops on your foodie list?

Personally for me, I've got go-to's if I want to just enjoy the weekly thing. But if I were to go out with friends or coworkers, I'd change it up a bit and probably find a new place to go to.

IF we were in San Diego, I wouldn't need a map or a list to tell you where to get the best tacos. But since I moved to the OC, this was a new territory. So what do I use as a foodie list? The OC Taco Tuesday Finder. It shows every eatery/restaurant in OC with their Taco Tuesday deals.

So I'm going to pass it on to anyone who wants to change up their Taco Tuesday routines from time to time.

http://ocstandard.com/OC_Taco_Tuesday_Finder.html

I'd love to hear where you guys love to go for Taco Tuesdays though so please share with me. I always love discovering new eats!

NoHo Dine Out Fridays

TGIF! Got any plans tonight?

To my Los Angeles Foodies, the NoHo dine out Fridays is still happening.

This event is located at 11458 Burbank Blvd, just west of Lankershim Blvd in North Hollywood.

Admission is free. You can enjoy a variety of gourmet food trucks and local Holiday Boutique tables. Dine with your neighbors and friends and share your foodie tips and ideas with others.

See you there!

Moroccan never tasted so good

Last Saturday DishClips hosted a Dine-With-DishClips event at Asha Moroccan & Mediterranean Kitchen in Long Beach. It turnedout to be a lot more popular that we had planned and some of our foodie fans had to wait nearly two hours to get seated. But the food was well worth the wait (For those of you who waited ). After nearly an hour of waiting outside we snagged a tiny table by the entrance and got busy. My favorite was the Batatas which are crispy fried potatoes sautéed in our home-made cilantro and garlic sauce. I could eat an order of these on my own, oh wait, I did! The lighting is not very picture friendly at Asha.

Batatas

Next up was the Grape Leaves which have extra lean ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and mint rolled in a grape leaf and are slowly cooked with lemon juice. I like the idea of beef in grape leaves. Most places just stuff them with veggies which is nice but for us carnivores it leaves a bit to be desired.

Grape Leaves

The Lamb with Prune and Chicken with Potatoes should have a more fancy name to match the fancy taste. I'm very big into lamb and I have to say that this was one of the better dishes I've had in Southern California (I'll save my lamb exploits in New Zealand for another post).

 If you're ever in the Long Beach area Asha is your best bet for Moroccan food. Don't forget the extra garlic sauce.