HAVEN Honors Taco Asylum with New Taco Tuesday Menu

HAVEN craft kitchen+bar has introduced a new Taco Tuesday menu featuring inventive, globally inspired tacos that celebrate a beloved Orange County favorite from more than a decade ago, Taco Asylum.

Taco Asylum opened in 2011 as the sister restaurant to HAVEN and quickly gained a loyal following for its non-traditional, gourmet tacos influenced by flavors from around the world. 

Known for creative ingredients, house-made sauces, sustainable meats and seafood, and support of local farms and vendors, the restaurant made its mark before changing ownership and later closing. It left a noticeable gap in Orange County’s dining scene.

HAVEN is bringing that spirit back every Tuesday with its new à la carte menu available all day. Executive Chef Scott Green has created a lineup that includes:

Braised Pachamama Pork
salsa quemada, smoked pork cracklings

Beer Battered Icelandic Cod
chili-lime slaw, aji crema, pico

Steak Alambre
beef filet, bacon, panela cheese, pickled serrano, bone marrow aioli

Charred Spanish Octopus
smoked shishito chimichurri, charred scallion aioli, crispy bistro potato

Duck Confit
mole, avocado crema, pickled onion, cotija, pico, cilantro

Sofritas
tofu chorizo, avocado, pico

The beverage team has also created agave-based cocktails that pair with the bold flavors. Highlights include the Scorched Earth, a margarita variation with Pueblo Viejo tequila, mezcal habanero honey, mango and lime, and Mexican Morphine with Pueblo Viejo tequila, mezcal, coconut pineapple, orange, lime and aromatic bitters. Guests can also explore an extensive list of craft beer, wine and spirits.

Taco Tuesday is offered from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for in-house dining. For reservations and details, visit HAVENCraftKitchen.com.

Haven Craft Kitchen + Bar
190 S. Glassell St.
Orange, CA 92866
714-221-0680

Costa Mesa Welcomes Sweetgreen’s New Sweetlane

Sweetgreen is set to open its latest Orange County location in Costa Mesa at 280 Bristol St. on Tuesday, November 18, featuring the brand’s first Infinite Kitchen “sweetlane.”

On opening day, Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests can enjoy special treats while supplies last, including:

• Free mini scoops from Stella Jean’s Ice Cream
• A chance to win a 9-foot-4 surfboard courtesy of Daydream Surf Shop
• Vintage VW vans and photo opportunities with A Timeless Day
• Fall candles from Happy Organics
• Sweetgreen swag and more

For every meal purchased on opening day, Sweetgreen will donate a meal to Food Finders to support individuals in Orange County experiencing food insecurity.

The new 2,223-square-foot restaurant will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving popular salads, warm bowls, protein plates, and sides. Guests can enjoy favorites such as the Harvest Bowl, Crispy Rice Bowl, Caramelized Garlic Steak, and Miso Glazed Salmon. The Fall Seasonal Menu will also be available for a limited time and features roasted tomatoes, candied pumpkin seeds, and maple-glazed Brussels sprouts.

This location is the first to introduce the Infinite Kitchen sweetlane in Orange County. Guests can place digital orders in advance and pick them up directly through the drive-up lane, combining Sweetgreen’s signature hospitality with the efficiency of its advanced technology.

280 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

Sip, Savor, Repeat: Better Buzz Expands in Orange County

Better Buzz Coffee Roasters keeps the momentum going in Orange County with three cafés opening this fall. The San Diego favorite is known for its fun, creative drinks, freshly roasted coffee and bright neighborhood atmosphere. Each new spot will offer an exclusive drink for its first month, plus early-morning celebrations at 5 a.m. on opening day with giveaways while supplies last.

In Orange, the café on East Chapman Avenue just opened and is pouring a special Chocolate Cream Cold Brew topped with chocolate vanilla cold cream and cocoa. Placentia is next, opening Nov. 21, and will introduce a Gingerbread Best Drink Ever with gingerbread chai cold cream, a gingerbread cookie and chai spices. 

Anaheim joins the lineup on Dec. 18 with a Churro Best Drink Ever, finished with horchata cold cream, cinnamon sugar and a mini churro.

Better Buzz first started as a college coffee cart in 2002 and has grown into a go-to stop for everything from the Best Drink Ever to organic coffees roasted weekly. LIFE’S BETTER BUZZED® is the motto, and now more OC communities get to experience it.

Locations:
Orange | 4420 E. Chapman Ave. | Now open
Placentia | 1285 E. Imperial Hwy. | Opening Nov. 21
Anaheim | 2026 E. Lincoln Ave. | Opening Dec. 18