Greer's OC

Dining

SAVE SCIENCE AT FALL FLINGO!

11.01.11

By Sheryll Alexander

Did you know Newport Mesa’s award-winning Kaiser & Woodland schools no longer have funding for science programs? You can do something about it by attending Kaiser & Woodland Schools Foundation’s “Save Our Science” Fall Flingo.

Held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Newport Harbor Drivers Club (729 Farad St. Costa Mesa), Fall Flingo costs $45 per person and includes a no-host cocktail reception, music provided by DJ Craig, a four-course, French-themed dinner catered by Irvine Ranch Market, bingo games orchestrated by an entertaining host and a Texas Hold ‘Em-style poker tournament. In addition, the silent auction features with more than $30,000 in prizes from local retailers and restaurants.

Here's more information about Fall Flingo:

Bingo, which will be held from 7:30-9 p.m., includes a hilarious host and prizes for the winner. 12 cards for $50.

Texas Hold ‘Em Poker has limited seating, starts at 7 p.m. and features first, second and third place prizes. $100 buy-in donation.

The first prize in the Fall Flingo opportunity drawing is a week at a flat in Roquebrune Village in the south of France. The second prize is an Apple iPad and the third prize is a year’s worth of pizza from Original Pizza in Costa Mesa. Tickets costs $10 each or three for $20.

To purchase admission tickets, visit [url=http://www.kwschools.org]http://www.kwschools.org[/url]

To purchase opportunity drawing tickets or for more information, contact flingo@kwschools.org or call Paul Hilson at 949-254-3167.

ROYAL HAWAIIAN BRUNCH!

10.25.11

By Sheryll Alexander

North Laguna is the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely Saturday or Sunday morning and the historic Royal Hawaiian restaurant makes the weekend journey even better.

On a recent visit one foggy Saturday morning, we passed right by the way-too-crowded The Cottage and the way-too-swanky Las Brisas. Just across from the Laguna Art Museum on the beach side of PCH, Royal Hawaiian beckoned with its quiet interior and totally unpretentious dining room.

Once no more than a beach bungalow in the 1940s, The Royal Hawaiian has been completely remodeled (and without too much tiki kitsch) as a way cool hang out for singles, couples, families, groups and for those who love to sit at a friendly and cozy bar. Sports plays on the TV during the day in the iconic Royal Hawaiian bar, but live music is on the menu almost every night of the week.

We were here, however, to try out Royal Hawaiian’s new weekend breakfast menu.

Grown ups who drink before noon must order a spicy Bloody Marty, a famed Lapu Lapu or an umbrella-laden Pina Colada. We were steered towards the “sparkling” drinks and we were not disappointed. The “Big Island Bellini” was especially refreshing with its prosecco, peach schnapps and splash of cranberry juice.

As for the grub, Chef James Harris did an excellent job mixing Royal Hawaiian classic appetizers and entrees into this spot’s new breakfast menu as well as adding some soon-to-be brunch favorites such as the spicy Portuguese sausage and scrambled eggs or the fluffy French toast with coconut syrup and smoky bacon.

We were surprisingly wowed by the spam, egg and cheese sandwich entrée with light-as-air and slightly sweet brioche bun. The hot spam was sliced not too thin, not too thick and grilled to perfection. The egg was fried with a crisp exterior and a creamy interior. Yum!

If you are thinking about the ribs, please remember these Asian-style sticky and sweet ribs are not what you may expect if you love Southwestern barbecue.

An don’t miss the bread pudding dessert. This Hawaiian-inspired bread pudding comes with sliced bananas and a delectable caramel sauce. The brownie, which came topped with vanilla ice cream, tasted almost homemade and was deemed “worth the price and extra calories.”

After we were full and happy, we stepped out of Royal Hawaiian for some of Laguna’s most spectacular views (Heisler Park), places to play (Main Beach), shop (downtown Laguna), walk (South Laguna) and revel (Laguna Art Museum).

Royal Hawaiian, 331 Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, 949-494-8001, www.royalhawaiianlagunabeach.com

Sheryll Alexander runs a news media agency based In Costa Mesa, California. Follow her! @sheryllalexander or visit her journalist Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheryll-Alexander/252517508109644

Dining

SAVE SCIENCE AT FALL FLINGO!

11.01.11

ROYAL HAWAIIAN BRUNCH!

10.25.11

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