Great Restaurants, Bakeries and People! "Together We Build A Better Future"
My 100th review. Bolsa, where three thriving bakeries can exist side by side in the same plaza. Bolsa, where you can have 5 pho places within walking distance and the only issues are the arguments amongst friends as to which one is better. Bolsa, it is not just a place but an experience. Bolsa is where people join with food and create a mosaic of diverse eateries bound together by the single element of "community." This is, and always has been, one of my favorite places to eat and socialize. It has many fond memories for me. Over the past few months I have been re-visiting the old places and discovering the new. The meanings of Bolsa vary from individual to individual and run deep. As such, the scope of this review is based only on the eating experience.
Bolsa provides a limitless basket of flavorful dishes prepared by dedicated and talented hosts. These are hosts of family owned and operated restaurants, shops, and bakeries that treat you like family. These are the types of businesses where the owners talk to you, remember you and welcome you by name when you return. Bolsa and I are about the same age. As a neighbor of mine, I have seen Bolsa change greatly since I was a kid. My old friends used to refer to it as Khu Bolsa. I still call it "Bolsa" because that is how I remember it.
~~~Location/Brief History
Orange County! Bolsa, so it can be argued, is bordered by the 22 Freeway/Trask on the North, Magnolia on the West, Euclid on the East and Mc Fadden on the South. However the community expands even beyond that. While Bolsa used to be primarily one street, Bolsa Avenue, it has now expanded over the entire city of Westminster and well into Garden Grove and parts of Fountain Valley and even Huntington Beach. This whole area is foodie wonderland and known for its great diversity and flavorful options for the curious palate. Bolsa is the embodiment of "community". The diversity and family environment makes this place unique.
"Bolsa" began in the late 1970's with a few shops and a pharmacy. It has been growing ever since. "On June 17, 1988, then-Governor of California, George Deukmejian, came to Westminster and officially dedicated the name "Little Saigon" to the area bordered by Westminster Boulevard, Bolsa Avenue, Magnolia Street, and Euclid Street." (http://westminsterchamber.org/tourist/index.php ) I actually remember this. I guess this was when people started calling it "Little Saigon." In 1989, the City of Westminster designated "Little Saigon" as a tourist area .
~~~Highlights of the Area
Bolsa has everything. Just a few of the unique aspects include the following:
1.The best bakeries and cafes in Southern California: In addition to
authentic desserts, Bolsa has some of the best French food I have
ever had including the pastries, baguettes, and café. The
Vietnamese twist on these items are what the French could have
only dreamed of coming up with. Bahn Mi and Cafe Sua Da are
probably the best of the best! A few of my favorite places include
Hein Khanh (Westminster Blvd.), Kang Loc(Bolsa Ave.), Le
Versailles Boulangerie and Patisserie(Edinger/Bushard), Banh Mi
Che Cali (Brookhurst near McFadden), Van's, Lily's, Top Baguette,
and Thanh Tam. My favorite was the now closed Song Long (Bolsa).
Back in the day, Song Long was the place!
2.Restaurants: Everyone has their own tastes. The fun part of Bolsa is
trying all the places until you find your own favorites. A few of mine
are: Uyen Thy Bistro, Favori Restaurant, Pho Nguyen Hue, Boiling
Crab, Artist Crawfish, Pho 79 and 54, Seafood Cove, Quan Vy Da, My
Nguyen, and Ngu Binh.
3.Food To Go: Hands down my favorites are Phuc Loc (where you can
still get Café Su Da for $1.00 , Dakao Food to Go and Food to Go from
the bakeries.
4.Nuoc Mia Vien Tay on Brookhurst (sugar cane): This place and its
owners stand alone. Nothing but class and good sugar cane at this
place!
5.There are several unique coffee houses, lounges, bars, and
clubs.There are also many other unique businesses, parks, events,
etc.There are also a couple of strawberry fields still around!
Thank goodness for Yelp. Everyone has different tastes and favorites that can be reviewed by "Yelping!" I wanted to thank Yelp for providing such a wonderful platform for building a community of individuals who share their ideas, opinions and tastes with one another. I have posted several pictures of my favorite places and foods in "Bolsa." I hope other yelpers will do the same.
So, over the years Bolsa has changed. I have many fond memories and have had great times. Some of the old places are still around and there are many new places. I realized that I have one last thing in common with Bolsa. Like Bolsa, I too have improved with time :) read more