Nova is a great spot to go to if you are craving sushi in an elevated space. My favorites are the…read moreSeared with the Kiss, and the Pork Belly Baos. The toro tartare was tasty too but it is pretty small for the price. Alyssa has been an excellent server throughout our experience. Her service was kind, attentive, and overall accommodating! The drinks are really good too! The East Wind is my favorite if you're a Tequila lover

Place was great, vibes were amazing! Our server Alyssa T. was amazing the whole time, very quick…read morewith everything. 10/10 recommended ! Drinks and food was great !!

Everything about vox kitchen is wow…read more There is a bit of a wait (as there always is with delicious restaurants) but the host offered us immediate seating outside, or a 30 minute wait to sit in the patio. We ended up sitting in the patio in the shade. The meal started off with an arugula salad with Asian pear. The salad had a delicious balsamic glaze and sweetened nuts. It was so so good and the perfect portion for 3 people. Next, our server brought out an ube cloud drink and a lychee lemonade. The ube cloud was overly sweet but the lychee lemonade was perfect and had free refills! The saltado fries with filet mignon were so delicious with the green sauce, and I left this meal thinking about the next time I could come back. 10/10 no notes.

First time here and parking was easy to find! I can see it getting busy at night time but I went…read morefor lunch. The restaurant is spacious and has a lot of seatings. I was seated right away. I ordered the garlic noodles with steak ribeye. It was the best steak and garlic noodles I've ever had!! Got the refillable lychee drink on the side and that was sooo good too. Trisha was my server and made sure I got my refill before leaving. I was in and out, barely any wait and I love that! Thank you for the amazing service and food!

I love their pizza here. My particular favorite is the mushroom fungi pizza. I added sausage to…read moreit. Simply amazing. Tried some of the pasta dishes too. I just wish the portions on the pasta dishes were a bit larger. Everyone who ordered the pasta all stated the same. Service is fast and attentive. I definitely would recommend this place!

I've come here a handful of times, and it's usually my go-to spot when I want pasta. However, I…read morerecently had a really disappointing experience. We waited an hour and forty minutes, which is fine for a walk-in on a busy night, but the host was completely disorganized. When we arrived, we were third in line and waited in the seating area. He took our names and party size right away, but what followed showed a total lack of organization. After waiting another 20 to 30 minutes, we were at the top of the list, yet he kept calling other parties of the exact same size ahead of us. I finally had to get his attention to let him know, and that's when he asked if I had received a text. I had--only four minutes prior--even though we were standing right in front of him and he had just taken our name minutes earlier. It felt like he lacked basic observational skills and was sloppy at his job. On top of the host situation, the restroom was outdated and messy, with toilet cleaning supplies left on the ground and chipping paint on the stalls. It really ruined the experience for a place I usually love

Food was great! Tasty without being heavy but moderate portions the Vietnamese salad was have…read moresalad half chips. The seafood Tom Khan Pasta was delicious. Chicken wings were plump. One of the best coffee drinks is the Vietnamese Milk Coffee. Just ask for it with more coffee then condensed milk

Our first visit to Nep Cafe was such a great experience! Our server made us feel welcome and really…read morehelped make our first time special. They take reservations, but we were happy they could accommodate us as walk-ins. We ordered the banh mi chao and garlic noodles with beef, and both dishes had so much flavor! The banh mi chao came with eggs, steak, pate onions, and tomatoes, making it a delicious mix of flavors in one skillet. The bread was so soft and fresh which was perfect for dipping into the sauce. The garlic noodles with beef were another highlight. Between the delicious food and the wonderful service, Nep Cafe made a great first impression. I would definitely recommend these dishes and also try the recommendations our server suggested.

That congee! We…read morecame here a few weeks ago, and we ordered the Congee with crab, garlic chicken wings, and calamari. The congee was sooooooooo good! Talk about flavor bomb! It had a little bit of everything in terms of sweet and savory, rich and thick, and just had such a comforting and warm taste on a cold night. The wings came out hot and fresh, decent sized wings, but I might have to try the cajun wings next time for some additional heat. The calamari was great though, light, and not too heavy with the batter, but perfectly crisp and a great bite. All in all, a great spot to eat at after a day at disneyland, they're also open late (until 1:30am) which is an added bonus! Service was quick, the restaurant was clean, and didn't feel crowded when sitting at the table.

Our friends took us to this new spot they found having calamari and congee a few days ago. We just…read moregot out from church and needed a light snack and drinks. We ordered the Loma Saltado and it was delish to share. I liked the Banana Matcha being lactose intolerant and the rest had Ube coffee and crème brûlée which I heard no complaints. The extra star was for the ambiance being clean and modern. Plenty of parking too. Vincent was the rock star who served us! See you again, Sona! Bookmark this folks if you're a foodie looking for a new spot open late!

I LOVE THIS PLACE…read more Don't let the simple decor fool you - the chicken here is hands down one of the best hole in the wall locations for chicken that I've been to. Unlike your typical rotisserie or fried chicken, this place roasts their chicken in a large clay pot and the marinade is definitely not something that you can find easily. The smell of the chicken is so inviting on its own but you won't be able to smell it outside of the restaurant - gather some confidence and open that door! We got 1 whole chicken, bot chien, crispy rice, and a side of dry noodles. All of the sides are great - I've tried at least 1 option every time I come back here but my favorite is the dry noodles and crispy rice. Their chicken pairs TOOO WELL with the pickled veggies and their special soy sauce. I like mixing a little salt, pepper and lime in mine to make it extra sour but honestly, the chicken is great even without the sauce. It's a small restaurant and flagging down servers is not difficult but I love that they will come to check in on you pretty often without you putting out any effort. I've been here when it was super busy and when it's a little more free, the servers are nice, friendly & really responsive Pro tip : get more than 1 soy sauce!! You DEFINITELY will not be sharing it!

We got three items to try: hainan chicken rice (thigh), dry noodles and half a grilled chicken with…read morea side of com chay (crispy burned rice). I enjoyed the grilled chicken (3/5) as it was flavorful and their sauces paird nicely, but it wasn't memorable. The hainan chicken was so bad (1/5): the meat was chewy (but not in a good, free-range kind of way) and the skin was falling apart; the rice was incredibly dry and bland. I'd say this was the worst hainan chicken I've ever had. The crisy rice (1/5): the same rice was used for this dish. They just packed a big lump of it and fried it on both sides. So no, it wasn't good either. Servers were polite and friendly, so that's a positive. Also, they charge 3% credit card fee.

I love a good Vietnamese place that not only gives you good portions but also great deals. They…read morecaught my eye a while ago and I saw they had the infamous Waterfall Chicken for only $10.99, a steal of a deal especially with tomato price & an egg. The chicken was crispy and the dipping sauce gave it that extra yummy goodness. The dish also came with a side of broth that had chicken bits in it, was nice to help digest your dish. I also loved that they gave you pickled veggies & fresh veggies. We also ordered the Loi's Fusion Saltado, upgraded the rice to garlic egg fried rice. The beef was soft and tender, the fries were nice and crispy and the fried rice was fresh. You 100% need to get the Thai Tea. A lot of place add too much cream/half and half diluting the tea flavor, they do not skimp on the actual tea in their drink. The color speaks for itself on the dark orange hue!

Welcome to Day 2 of OC Food Journals, where I try a new place every day so you don't have to…read more Today's stop was Loi's Kitchen, and honestly, this review is a little overdue. I'm a bit late getting around to writing this, and unfortunately, they are already closed, but I still felt like I had to share my experience. I'm not completely surprised that they closed, especially after trying their bò né. I've had this dish many times at different places around Orange County, and unfortunately, this was probably the weakest version I've come across. The first thing that stood out was the presentation. As you can see in the picture, there was this purple-colored sauce on the meat itself, which honestly did not look very appetizing. To make things worse, the sauce was cold and did not heat in time with the skillet, which really took away from the experience. The flavor itself wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't anything memorable. It was just okay, and when you factor in the cold food and the presentation, it made the whole dish disappointing. With so many places around Orange County serving bò né at a much higher level, I would probably recommend spending your money elsewhere. If you were wondering whether you missed out on some hidden gem, don't worry, you didn't. This one felt more like a piece of coal than a diamond. That being said, every restaurant has its journey, and with more time, maybe they could have found their footing. Hopefully, they can take this experience as a lesson, refine their recipes, and bring something better in their next venture. I am rooting for you Loi!

Garlic and Chives had incredble service. They were very patient with us, because of our…read moreindecisiveness. I mean there was so many great options. We ended up taking their recommendation and getting the Pomelo Salad. My friend got the Grilled Pork Vermicelli and I got the Fried Chili Lemongrass Salmon with Crispy Rice. Pomelo Salad, was hands down the fan favorite, just an excellent combination of flavors. My salmon was good too. I would probably prefer regular steamed rice next visit. Overall, great restaurant. Side note: Please replace your bathroom door handle, the locking mechanism is very SUS. Maybe add a deadbolt? [shrug]

Wanting to eat garlic noodles, while in Orange County, takes me to Garlic & Chives…read more It was 30 mins before closing time and we were welcomed warmly. What interesting is the table set up, it was covered with paper for ease to clean. I ordered garlic noodles with prawn, as in the menu, and learnt that the protein can be changed to anything they have (chicken, beef or pork). It is a 10/10, very tasty and the garlic tasted perfect, not too much yet still quite dominant. The lady who served also a sweetheart. I would definitely come back to try their other delicious food.

Decided to stop by for lunch and arrived at opening and was seated quickly. The waitress told us…read moreabout how the revamped the menu in the past month with bringing back old items and also some new items. The lunch set seemed like such a good idea with the choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert. For four of us, we got two lunch sets and two more pastas. We read that the bread and butter was popular so we decided to try. It came with toasted sourdough with a nice thick butter with miso honey butter that was flavorful. We also got the garlic parmesan fries which was as expected, nice and crispy with grated parmesan on top. We got the miso bacon carbonara which had thick pieces of bacon and heavy creamy and flavorful with slightly spicy kick in the carbonara sauce. The cavatelli had a great depth of flavor without being overpowering from the mushroom sauce. The soy garlic noodles tasted pretty clean without being overly greasy with a slight kick as well from the chili crunch. We all ended with the strawberry lychee ice cream made in house that came with fruit pieces of both lychee and strawberry on the bottom. Lacks the smoothness of churned ice cream so it's more on the ice side but the fresh fruit complements it well. Overall pretty good lunch choice and not too crowded with great variety of options for lunch sets. Great place that is modern and stylish atmosphere to catch up with friends or family with lots of selection and shareable appetizers.

Back again. Still my favorite Italian/asian fusion spot…read more The skirt steak is amazing and so tender. Might have to order two next time. Everything about it is so good. Charred veggies and silky mashed potatoes. Menu changes so we got to try some new things all which were good. Got two drinks as well one was lychee-flavored, the other yuzu. We couldn't decide which we liked better. Thai the waiter was super attentive and friendly. Went around Friday 6/630 and wasn't a wait.

My brother took me here because he said their ramen was out of this world. He was right. What an…read moreincredible bowl of Ramen. Vibes were simple and pleasant Appetizer, Chicken Karaage is a must get. Be careful sharing because the pieces are kind of big Loved loved loved my Chashu Thom Kha. What a blended flavor punch!

Honestly the best chicken heart I've ever had here. It was super tender and cooked perfectly while…read morenot being very irony. 6/5 Chicken Gizzard was amazing as well. I like the added sauce they have to it that makes it a little bit different than regular chicken gizzards. 5.5/5 Chicken Skin was great, who doesn't love some crispy chicken skin? 5/5 Tom Kha was absolutely delicious. The pork belly was SO tender. I think they probably sous vide it as it just melts in your mouth like butter. Even the Spicy Miso Ramen. FUN FACT: You can also get unlimited free noodles. I tried to finish the 2nd order of noodles but I was way too full. Service was awesome. Food came out super quick. Servers were attentive and kept coming by to ask if I wanted free noodles 3 times but maybe I'm just a slow eater. Dope ambiance as it's a more modern take on ramen places with cocktails and all kinds of different dishes. Overall, 11/10 would recommend to any restaurant from Kei Concepts in the same plaza.