Blog

Give and You Will Receive
12.18.13
Stock up on holiday gift cards for friends and family at the following multi-location eateries. Each one comes with an added bonus for you.
The Counter
With every $25 gift card purchase, receive a $5 reward card. The Counter--the build-your-own burger joint—offers a $5 reward card (to be redeemed from 1/1/14 to 2/28/14) with every $25 gift card purchase. There are 35 locations in the United States and four international locations, with the newest being in Mountain View and San Diego Airport. For more information, visit thecounterburger.com.
Cheesecake Factory
Gift-givers can share the gift of cheesecake with everyone on their shopping list and receive a ‘Slice of Joy’ card valid for a complimentary slice of cheesecake with every $25 gift card purchased from Nov. 29 – Dec. 31. Gift cards are available for purchase at all restaurant locations and an ‘eGift Card’ can be purchased and sent online at TheCheesecakeFactory.com. The “slice of joy” cards are redeemable on a future visit from Jan. 1 – Mar. 30, 2014.
King’s Fish House
Purchase $100 worth of gift cards, and receive a $20 bonus card for use at King’s Fish House or any other King’s Seafood Company restaurant. King’s Fish House locations throughout Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona, along with any King’s Seafood Company restaurant (555 Long Beach, Fish Camp, Water Grill Downtown LA, Water Grill Santa Monica, Lou & Mickey’s in San Diego, and PierBurger in Santa Monica).
Marie Callender’s
For every $25 gift card purchase, receive a $5 bonus card, redeemable from Jan. 1 - 31, 2014. Marie Callender’s is also offering a Christmas dinner or take home feasts with something for everyone. Choose from five special holiday entrées including: freshly roasted turkey, oven-baked ham, home-style beef stroganoff, Mediterranean salmon, or oven-roasted vegetable pasta. Each entrée includes soup or salad, and is perfect with Marie’s famous apple pie. Find Marie Callender’s locations at mariecallenders.com
Mimi’s Café
With every $25 gift card purchase, receive a $5 coupon. The French-inspired neighborhood bistros is known for its breakfasts, lunches and dinners, friendly service and charming décor. The holiday gift card offer is only available at Mimi’s Cafe restaurant locations and is not available for purchases made online.
Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill
With every $50 gift card purchase, receive a $10 complimentary card that can be used in the first quarter of 2014. Restrictions apply: The complimentary card can be used only Monday-Thursday from January 2-March 31, 2014; Only one per person per day can be used; Not valid on holidays. Purchase gift cards in store or online at woodranch.com.
Dining

Let’s GO! Red O
12.17.13
Orange County already boasts its fair share of sophisticated Mexican cuisine from the likes of non-TV celeb chefs such as Chef Carlos Salgado at Taco Maria at SoCo; Chef Deborah Schneider at Sol Cocina in Newport Beach and Solita Tacos and Margaritas opening Dec. 26 at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach; and Chef Gabbi Patrick's at Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen in Old Towne Orange. Not to mention the machine at Javier’s that’s hands down the best people watching scene in Orange County.
And now, celeb Chef Rick Bayless, most known for PBS’ “Mexico One Plate at a Time” and Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” just opened the upscale Red O Restaurant at Fashion Island, following the success of his Red O on Melrose in Los Angeles.
At Red O, Bayless is showcasing sophisticated Oaxacan influenced cuisine with locally-sourced seasonal ingredients, and the ambience couldn’t be more fantastic thanks to award-winning Los Angeles based interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard who went all out with a European design mixed with traditional Mexican inspirations.
You don’t want to miss our favorite guacamole tasting with pomegranate-walnut, classic guacomole, macha, and yuzu Guacamole with shishito peppers served with fried sweet plantains; or the delicious corn and goat cheese tamales, and braised short rib enchiladas with red guajillo chile sauce, melted Sonoma Jack cheese, black beans, frisee, and watercress.
Bayless is offering signature dishes, as well as exclusive dishes only available at Red O Fashion Island. Choose from hand-crafted tortas, griddle-baked Mexican sandwiches made with fillings such as beer-braised beef short ribs, chipotle chicken, garlicky shrimp and goat cheese; and a lollipop kale salad with avocado, cucumber, ruby red grapefruit, pomegranate seeds, toasted panko, and orange-habanero vinaigrette.
Other menu highlights include Yucatecan shrimp and calamari ceviche, sweet plantain sopes, Sonoma duck taquitos with pork belly sopes, scallops in verde, salmon in serrano crema, and lobster jicama tacos. Classic desserts get a Mexican twist such as creamy goat cheese cheesecake with caramel corn and Mexican “root beer” sauce.
Tequila enthusiasts will appreciate Bayless’ hand select list of 100 unique tequilas, and Red O manages an extensive list of more than 400 international wines and pairings, specialty beers and seasonal cocktails. Have a question? Red O offers an expertly trained staff of sommeliers to help you.
Open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Lounge and bar open until 1 a.m. nightly
Red O Restaurant is at 143 Newport Center Drive in Newport Beach. 949.718.0300.
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