Greer's OC | The latest in Orange County fashion, dining, and trends.

Beachy bistro

By Greer Wylder

March 29, 2010

Nick’s in Laguna Beach has the ideal location for prime people watching on Coast Highway. Formerly The Cabana, Nick’s offers casual American comfort classics like burgers, mac & cheese, baby back ribs and great bar snacks like short rib sliders and fried deviled eggs (a fun and tasty take on an old-school treat). Try the Grilled Ribeye Salad, thick slices of perfectly cooked steak served with warm potato salad, arugula and roasted bell peppers, all tossed in a bacon mustard vinaigrette. Nick’s is located at 440 South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach 949.376.8595 Hours: Monday - Friday Open at 11AM…

Korean BBQ feast

By Greer Wylder

March 29, 2010

If you’re unfamiliar with the gut-busting feast that is Korean BBQ—well, now’s the time to put on some loose-fitting clothes and head over to Shik Do Rak in Irvine for some cook-it-yourself fun. Choose from a variety of meats to cook, from flank and rib-eye to the popular Angus deckle (unmarinated beef)—just toss the meat onto the sizzling tabletop grill and fish ‘em out when they’ve got that perfect kiss of char. Shik Do Rak is known for its duk bo sam style of Korean BBQ, which comes with small squares of thin glutinous rice wrappers perfect for rolling up…

Burgers without the Frills

By Greer Wylder

March 26, 2010

Everywhere you look lately, there’s some glamorous burger tricked out with fancy accoutrements and a hefty price tag to match. It’s enough to make one just crave a plain ol’ burger: just a grilled beef patty with a slice of melted cheese and two fluffy buns and a side of fries. At TK Burgers, it doesn’t get much more simple than that. The small burger chain (with locations in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and recently, Mission Viejo)—delivers solid burgers with perfectly chargrilled patties tucked in soft bread buns (and on paper plates no less) for a comforting, down-home…

Calixican cuisine

By Greer Wylder

March 22, 2010

There’s authentic Mexican fare and then there’s the California spin on Mexican food. Which brings us to La Fogata in Corona del Mar. The small, fast-casual eatery is known for its juicy rotisserie chickens and emphasis on Mexican fare done fresh and healthy. There are no chemicals, frozen meats, lard or preservatives used in the cooking, the chile relleno is baked (not fried), and only organic tortillas are used. Among the trademark La Fogata offerings is a giant wet burrito known as the California Grande, which is almost as large as a brick and came stuffed with fresh grated zucchini…

Icy cool treats

By Greer Wylder

March 16, 2010

If you haven’t tried the Asian-shaved ice dessert trend that’s been all the rage the last few years—well, it’s never too late. At Milk + Honey at The Camp in Costa Mesa, the small coffee and tea shop has been delighting patrons with The Milk+Honey Special, a giant parfait of shaved ice, fresh fruits, frozen yogurt, sweetened red beans and condensed milk. The shop’s selection of iced teas has recently been given a extra boost with the addition of flavored crunchy jelly bits. The bits are crunchy and fun, totally different from the chewy and mushy tapioca ball drinks known…