Author Archives: Cathy Thomas

Tweet   TERRACE opening soon! Chef Ross Pangilinan is gifted with vision, talent and guts. In late 2016, after seven years as executive chef at Leatherby’s in Costa Mesa, he opened Mix Mix Kitchen Bar in Downtown Santa Ana. The … Continue reading →

Tweet A savory tart cries out for a summer picnic. This Caramelized Shallot and Bacon Tart is a favorite, whether served at a summer outing or as a first course for a showy company dinner. The sweetness of browned onions … Continue reading →

Tweet Puesto’s fresh take on Mexican cuisine has been the O.C. buzz since the first Orange County location in Irvine’s Los Olivos Marketplace opened (near Irvine Spectrum). Now with a second location at Park Place in Irvine, the fan base … Continue reading →

Tweet Recently, I wrote a story for the OC Register (as well as other newspapers owned by the Southern California News Group) about delectable dishes suitable for camping, cabins, and the great outdoors.  BUT, I soon discovered that many of … Continue reading →

Tweet Florent Marneau, executive chef-owner of Marche Moderne in Newport Coast, prepares Poisson Cru adrift in a frothy Coconut-Lime Vinaigrette. And yes, it’s perfect dish to cook when entertaining at home. Some critics have named Newport Coast’s Marche Moderne the … Continue reading →

Tweet Happily, I’ve known Denise Vivaldo for decades. She could have been a comedian. A good one. Most of what she says and writes is funny. But no … She made her mark in food styling and food writing. She … Continue reading →

Tweet Years ago, long before Gourmet magazine closed up shop, I found (to my mind) the queen of asparagus-pasta combinations: food writer Zanne Early Zakroff’s Asparagus Lasagna. It’s an exquisite meatless dish that can function as a main course, first … Continue reading →

Tweet Orange Coast Magazine’s restaurant critic, Gretchen Kurz, named Hendrix’s burrata-spiked muffins “Dish Of The Year.” Kurz wrote: “A crusty muffin exterior hides the unexpected inside – eggy; buttery house-made spaetzle, that is scarce on today’s menus. The nutmeg-spiced muffin … Continue reading →

Tweet According to a story by Anne Valdespino in the Orange County Register, rumors are flying that the Sunset Beach tiki-themed Don The Beachcomber is set to close. Owner Delia Snyder and her late husband Arthur Snyder, opened Don The … Continue reading →

Tweet Kristin Nguyen, executive chef-owner of Garlic & Chives in Garden Grove, serves lots of Vietnamese classics in her eatery, many of them adapted with her own unique twists. Dishes such as pomelo salad up with pork belly, and spicy … Continue reading →