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    Koala Grill

    4.7 (76 reviews)

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    Chicken and beef teriyaki plate
    Sandy N.

    I am always a HUGE supporter of independently-owned (mom & pop) restaurants that serve good food with reasonable prices. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across this yummy food find for lunch. Koala Grill is a new establishment in Tustin ~ located in the Tustin plaza that also houses the greats of Gen Korean BBQ and Okidoki by Meiji. It's located on the left side of the plaza, near the 7 leaves. It's a cute named restaurant with equally cute & zen decor. It's bright and vibrant, yet also giving calming vibes with all the pretty crystals displayed. The Korean owner was super sweet. He took the time to talk to us, give us some history & story of his journey of becoming a restaurant owner. You can really feel the heart and pride that he pours into this place. He provided us some good recommendations and thoroughly explained the difference between some of the dishes, because the vast menu can be overwhelming..as you just wanna try them all. The owner even offered us free drinks, since we were new customers. Totally generous and unexpected. In the end, I ordered the chicken and beef plate ($13.99) ~ which was grilled with a teriyaki glaze, accompanied by a fresh salad, mac salad, and crispy egg rolls. The owner explained that the side teriyaki and white sauces used for dipping the meats & egg rolls were made fresh, in-house daily. My hubs got the same plate, but just with chicken ($11.99). The portions are PLENTY (I even had to take some of mine home) and as you can see from my pics, you really can't beat these prices..while it lasts!!! Everything was fresh, meats were marinated well, the egg roll & mac salad were tasty. The egg roll even reminded me of Filipino lumpias ~ which was very nostalgic. The hubs and I will definitely be back again, likely to try their curry and many other dishes. We left with full bellies and a warm heart. It's places like these that you wanna support and see thrive. 100% RxFoodie recommend!!!

    Chicken teriyaki combination plate
    Diana R.

    We have dined here when it was under a different name. Came here with my coworker to check out the new restaurant as Koala Grill. We wanted something fulfilling and simple for our Friday lunch. The layout of the restaurant is the same where you order at the front counter either at the tablet or with the staff. There are a few tables inside and counter seating available. We let the staff know that it was our first time there, but we dined there before when it was Katsu Bar. She explained that they have different new menu items and some were similar to the previous restaurant. We ordered on the tablet individually and ended up, selecting the same exact thing which was their chicken teriyaki combination plate. It came with a large portion of chicken and not too much rice which is fine with me. There were a couple of vegetable egg rolls and a little dollop of macaroni salad and garden salad. I appreciated the variety of textures. As for the taste, it wasn't super spectacular, but it was decent and good. My coworker enjoyed her meal as well and couldn't finish it. It was more food than I would typically eat for lunch and we both brought home leftovers. I'd return to try the curry and other menu items.

    Sweet & spicy popcorn chicken
    Vanessa V.

    Overall my favorite place when I'm out in Tustin!! I've had their bowls, plates and now their combo box and can I just say DELICIOUS! The portions are so big it's basically two meals in one (at least for myself) whether you're eating there or taking it to go the staff is very friendly. It's super peaceful when you walk in, they pick up your plate when you're done & they're very attentive. Pictured is their chicken teriyaki combo box which includes: rice, meat, shrimp tempura, regular & macaroni salad, dumplings & popcorn chicken! Absolutely delicious and filling.

    Charmaine P.

    Just tried their beef and chicken bowl. I appreciate the portion size. Tender meat and the sauce was not heavy, Service was good and place was clean.

    Saundia S.

    Wow what a cute hidden gem! Everything we ordered was prepared with care, great sauces and pickled free add ons, overall a positive experience and delicious food! The customer service was excellent! Give this spot a try it won't let you down!!! 5 stars!

    Golden trial curry katsu bowl pork
    Rick S.

    Koala Grill offers variety of katsu (pork, chicken, beef) and incredible teriyaki bowl with large portions. The katsu were hot, juicy and crispy. The macaroni side salad was also great. The staff were friendly and provided helpful recommendations. Food was made to order and came out quickly. The ambiance is casual, bright and airy. Highly recommended next time you're in Tustin.

    Interior
    Mai T.

    This was my first time trying out the food here and the staff member behind the counter stated the most popular dish was the chicken and beef teriyaki combination. So I gave it a try and ordered the regular bowl. When it came out, the rice bowl was generously covered with chicken and beef, soaked in their teriyaki sauce. The teriyaki was a tad saltier than I liked, requiring me to have some rice with each bite to temper the saltiness. I felt the dish was a good value for the price with an as-I-expected flavor profile. If I were to come back, I would opt for the pork katsu as it seems to be highly rated by other Yelpers. This is a small business with a cordial staff and clean interior. Their food offering is generous with reasonable pricing.

    You have to order here, no customer service
    Frank P.

    Bland chicken teriyaki bowl. They hardly use any teriyaki at all. The Gyoza was decent, but came with no sauce to dip them in. I got what looked like ranch dressing but I didn't try it. There is zero customer service. I had to place my order on a touch screen. I had to get my own can soda, fork, and napkins. An employee wearing a mask was just walking around. They aren't that friendly. With such bad service, I wish I could have taken my tip back. I don't see this place being here a year from now. For Teriyaki I'll stick to Yogis up the street.

    Cherry N.

    The service and quality is top tier here. I always want to support a mom and pop shop and when I went in, I was immediately greeted with the nicest owners. I got the gyozas and the shrimp curry plate. The food was so delicious. The gyozas came with two different sauces on the side and the gyozas were crispy and hot. The shrimp curry plate also came with mac salad and regular salad which was much needed as a cleanser when eating the curry. The shrimps were huge and crispy. I got the spicy curry which was the right amount of spice. The food left me super full and satisfied with some leftovers to take home. Overall come here to support a small business and to eat delicious food!

    Katsu plate
    Pauline N.

    Wow! I'm so glad I went here because the food was amazing! Lots of food, still crispy when I went home too //CONTEXT// I came here for lunch and wanted it for takeout. //ENVIRONMENT// Clean and casual spot! I think it'd be cool if they leaned into some cute wooden decor or something //FOOD// Katsu plate: so good! Loved the spicy curry and that it came with salad and Mac salad which is my favorite! He also gave me kimchi side and some radish too which hit the spot! The katsu was very crunchy still too when I went back home. It was presented in a nice box Overall I'd recommend to anyone

    Popcorn chicken with powdered cheese
    Ryan H.

    I believe this replaced katsu curry? Came and ordered one of their chicken/beef teriyaki bentos. It was decent only downside was there was no chicken? Though the beef was probably the best beef teriyaki I've had! it was a thicker cut, but still tender. 5/5 for what i got and 4/5 for execution since i ordered the combo and didn't get to try their chicken. Their popcorn chicken was on another level! It's breaded with the Katsu breading which I enjoyed and you also can get a dip, we opted for the powdered cheese dip 5/5. They also have curry here and you can add whichever protein you'd like for an extra fee.

    Nhi T.

    Good hot fresh food. Simple filling, healthy dishes. Lots of seatings inside. Friendly Korean service. It was tasty and good portions. I would recommend.

    Kris T.

    Very nice team. They keep the place tidy and well stocked. The food is good, the portions generous and reasonable pricing. Ample parking.

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    Steve H.

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    3 months ago

    You will be missed. Just saw the closed for business sign this Saturday morning. Loved the Katsu curry combos

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    Ask the Community - Koala Grill

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    Curry Do - Chicken Katsu Curry

    Curry Do

    4.5(466 reviews)
    0.4 mi
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    Finally, a really good Japanese Curry spot…read more The girlfriend and I went to the Tustin location while we were in the area and really enjoyed Curry Do. We shared the Ishiyaki Curry and the Burger with Curry and Cheese sauce. The Ishiyaki Curry was REALLY (temperature) hot as expected and the flavor was spot on. The chicken katsu was very tasty, both the chicken and the breading were full of flavor. The curry itself was also very tasty. When it comes to the unique aspect of the ishiyaki, I think it may have been lost on me. The burnt rice mixed with curry was interesting but not sure if it was my jam. That and the curry stayed IMMENSELY HOT for the entire meal which was an unexpected surprise. On the flip side, the Burger was delicious. It's a simple burger with bun, patty, cheese, and grilled onions but it was amazing. The side sauces of curry and cheese were good, but the burger could honestly carry itself without either. If there was one note, it would be maybe a bit more salt on the fries and sauces. The inside of the place is quite spacious with lots of seats. We got lucky and had no wait but by the time we left, the entire restaurant was full. In terms of service, very nice waitstaff. Sometimes a bit tough to catch but that's life when there's a rush of people. Am 100% planning on coming back for just regular curry haha.

    I was excited to try their new smash burger. It looked so…read moregood with their beautiful flyer. They were very nice and helpful. I was so excited to try my burger. It was not what I expected. The meat was burnt to a crisp. Besides meat, there was the bun. Nothing else, nothing more. The cheese sauce was runny and tasteless. The curry was okay. The fries were horrible. They tasted like fry oil and grease. It is obvious, their fryer has not been changed in weeks. It left such a horrible taste in my mouth. I sent them back and asked for rice instead. I tried and tried, but was unable to get that oil taste out of my mouth.

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    TANAKAYA - Matcha Soba

    TANAKAYA

    4.0(884 reviews)
    0.3 mi
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    I wished I lived closer!! I would be here more often than I probably should if that were the case…read more My friends and I stopped in for lunch on Saturday afternoon. There was a small wait but it wasn't too bad. The store is in a small strip mall of Tustin. The parking situation seems like it can be chaotic depending on when you visit but it was perfect for our lunch time. The restaurant is very clean, everyone is extremely friendly and quick to respond anytime anything was needed, I ordered the Karaage soba set and it was more than enough food for at least 2 meals. The udon and katsu don combo my husband had was also extremely filling but delicious, everything retained their temperatures for quite some time. I really wished I were closer so I could come here more often

    We visited TANAYAKA around 7 pm on a weekday and were seated immediately. There were only a few…read moreother parties dining at the time, and there's plenty of parking available. We love soba, so we were really excited to try this spot and ordered the Soba Sampler along with the Karaage. Unfortunately, the sampler was pretty hit or miss for us. Some of the soba was good, while other portions had a strange, almost soapy aftertaste that made them difficult to eat. The Karaage was where our experience really went downhill. When we cut into it, the chicken was very pink inside and had a soft, almost squishy texture. Both of us believed it was undercooked and weren't comfortable eating it. We brought it to the staff's attention and were initially told that it couldn't be taken back or replaced and that it was supposed to be that way. Regardless, neither of us felt comfortable continuing to eat it, so we set it aside untouched and asked for the bill. After bringing us the bill, the server seemed to notice that we hadn't eaten the Karaage, took the bill back, and returned with a new one that removed it from our total. I appreciated that he ultimately did that, but I still have mixed feelings about how the situation was handled leading up to it. The staff otherwise seemed nice, but between the inconsistent Soba Sampler and our experience with the Karaage, the meal unfortunately left us disappointed.

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    Cream Pan - Azuki creams  IG: @chow.witme

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    Cream Pan never fails to deliver! Not only when it comes to fresh, delicious bakery items but also…read morefor savory meals at reasonable prices. The portions across the board are generous, high-quality, and worth every penny.  As you can see from my previous review, their chicken katsu is one of my faves. It is crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside. It's a generous portion with plenty of Japanese curry sauce, and I love the pickled red ginger. There is a kiosk available from 9:30 to 5 pm, where you can now order and pay for their katsu items. I believe the Chicken Katsu Curry was around $17.99. You need to show the receipt when they call your name. I also picked up a couple of sandwiches. The Tuna Butter Roll hits the spot for a quick, comforting lunch. It is packed with creamy tuna, cucumber, and tomato slices--at just around $3.50, it's an incredible value. The Sandwich Box assortment (egg, ham, turkey, tuna) gives you a little bit of everything, making it perfect for a satisfying light lunch on the go. If you're looking for hearty portions at reasonable prices, Cream Pan continues to hit the mark every single time.

    Cream Pan is a solid staple. I haven't tried most of their items, but have tried a few…read more Strawberry croissants: 7.5/10. What Cream Pan is known for, to the point where people call this a cream pan. Solid and I prefer their pastry cream over the whipped cream that a lot of places use. You can easily buy as a set. The more you buy, the larger the discount. It feels like it's gone through shrinkflation though. Also not as good as it used to be. Adzuki cream: 10/10. The hidden star of the place. Absolutely phenomenal. Great flavor. The whipped cream is slightly too sweet but amazing otherwise. Love the red bean in here. There's a good mix of textures. Feels light thanks to the cream. Cream puff: 6/10. Was disappointed by this to be honest. Other pastries I've tried like the one in the photo are just okay. Nothing stand out. Customer service isn't great. Someone cut in front of me and they didn't care. Free parking and plenty of it since it's a large plaza.

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    Karē Japanese Curry - Chicken Katsu plate

    Karē Japanese Curry

    4.5(115 reviews)
    6.4 mi
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
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    Hands down one of our new favorite spots! What I love most is how approachable the menu is--it's…read moresimple without being boring, and the food quality is top-notch. Finding a spot where the food is great and the kids are completely happy is a win in my book. We'll definitely be coming back!

    Quick Take: I'd recommend! The curry is really flavorful and amazing, with their combo being nicely…read morevalued for what you get at that price point. Vibe: This Japanese curry spot is relatively new compared to the Chipotle, Blaze Pizza, and Chick-Fil-A neighboring it inside the UTC plaza. The interior is very clean, nice, and simple, but I opted to eat outdoors with my friend since it was a warm summer night and the AC inside was actually blasting. The tables inside that aren't bar seating are directly underneath the AC vents, which make it feel colder than inteded by staff members most likely. Food & Drinks: The chicken was fully-cooked but still juicy, and the outside was golden brown and crispy. The curry was so delicious, and for the price of a combo, the value you get with the entire set (chicken katsu + rice + ginger + green onion + miso soup + curry + soda can) was great. I already said it, but it needs to be said that the curry was really delicious haha! Work-Friendliness: No outlets or wifi was available. However, bar seating looking out into the greeneries of UTC is nice. If you have a book to read or can do offline work for a little bit, then the bar seating is doable. Be warned that at night, however, you might see big rats roaming around UTC (which is not really within Kare Japanese Curry's control, but still worth mentioning if you want to dine outside at night). Getting There: Moderately busy parking lot, with the parking lot immediately next to Kare Japanese Curry being shared with Chik-Fil-A, Target, and Chipotle -- so it might be busy. If you're a UCI student, it's easy to walk over to Kare via an overpass from the flag poles. There's also an Anteater Express shuttle stop closeby for you to take. Service: Really kind staff! I was a bit confused with their combo deal. I misunderstood and thought that their combo deal would be the same price regardless of the protein that you get with the combo (chicken katsu is not your only option). So when I was going through the self-service kiosk they have up front, I took a little bit longer than expected. However, there was a staff member at the counter that was really nice and kind enough to patiently explain to me what the combo deal was. I really appreciated them since I felt a bit slow that night.

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