Dinning Around Harbour Vista 2014

Updated 4 October 2018

Dinning Around Harbour Vista 2014

posted 6 November 2014
Dining Around Harbour Vista PERFECT FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH by Mary Williams Perfect for breakfast or lunch and walking distance from Harbour Vista, Green Street Cafe is located at the corner of Green Street and Warner Avenue. No Reservations No reservations and a little wait on weekends. We waited about 15 minutes for an opening and there was a long line of people. Small dining area outside with heaters and not much bigger on the inside. A eat at bar where they serve beer and wine and watch sports on television. Owned by the same people as Buon Gusto. Good Dishes I had the Eggs Huntington which consisted of grilled portobello mushrooms, sauteed spinach, tomato, avocado and poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce. Nice dish if you are limiting your carbs. No English muffin to be seen. Hollandaise sauce was good. Other dishes ordered were the regular French Toast which consisted of 3 whole slices of bread and an Belgium waffle. Waffle was crispy. All the dishes we had were good. Large Portions Extensive menu and breakfast is served all day. The "big" plates, meatloaf, steak, fried chicken etc. are served starting at 11:00 am. You can build your own burgers, omelettes and burritos from a large list of ingredients. Considerable side dishes are offered. Portions were large but not over whelming. Everything on the menu is available for takeout. Late in Afternoon Becomes Dinner This was my first time eating here and I will be back. They have the traditional Monte Cristo sandwich on the lunch menu so I definitely need to try that. Come late enough in the afternoon and it becomes dinner instead of lunch. ■ Green St. Cafe 4911 Warner Ave., #102 Huntington Beach 92649 (714) 846-0909 or 714-846-4949 www.greenstreetcafehb.com 7am to 4 pm, 7 days

posted 28 September 2014
Dining Around Harbour Vista Better Indian Restaurant by Mary Williams I have been dining at the Himayalan Grill for about 6 years now. One of the better Indian restaurant around. They have approximately 12 tables on the inside and for summer dining there is a patio area with heat lamps. Several dinners in the summer we had at least 24 people and they accommodated us outside with several large tables easily. Denish (Dennis) the owner was telling me they plan to expand soon and take over the next unit in the building. That should be a big plus. Not Strictly Vegetarian There is something for everyone on the menu. The Himalayan does have chicken, lamb and seafood on the menu. It is not strictly vegetarian. Small wine list but adequate. No corkage on Tuesday and Wednesday. Frankly I do not know what the corkage is because I have been going there so long I never get charged. They have a few Indian beers which go well the the spicy food. You can order food, mild, medium or hot. I always order my food mild as I am not into the burning heat. Numerous Variations All sauces are considered curry and there are numerous variations. I have been told hundred's. I am partial to Vindaloo, They also use onions a lot. The menu does give you a description of the food items if you are unfamiliar with Indian cuisine. Top Notch Some of my favorite items are the Samosa's, deep fried dough filled with potatoes, peas and onions. Not at all greasy like some Indian restaurants. Any of the Naan breads. Anything with Vindaloo in the name. Rogan Josh, lamb in sour cream and curry. Lamb or shrimp Saag, Saag is a spinach sauce. Vegetables Korma, mixed vegies in a cashew curry cream sauce. Any of the Chau Chau dishes, pan fried wheat noodles with additions. Thupka, which is a soup with noodles, meat and vegetables. Their Chicken Tikka Masala is top notch. The lamb chops are excellent. Had Everything I have had everything on the menu at some point. Even the Dal, which is lentils, not my favorite but for lentils it was good. I find it best to go with several people and have everyone order a different dish and share. That way you are tasting numerous dishes and not getting bored with just a single item. They do have combination plates for 1 or 2 people also. All orders come with rice and Paradam, which is a crispy cracker/bread item made from lentils. ■ Himalayan Grill 16400 Pacific Coast Hwy., #110 Peter's Landing Huntington Beach 92649 (562) 592-9080 www.himalayangrill.com Closed Monday. Open for Lunch and dinner. Closed between 2:30 and 5:00. Does take reservations and has takeout. A Sunday Buffet.

posted 16 August 2014
Dining Around Harbour Vista A Little Mexican Place by Mary Williams El Chile Frito is very small with only 7 tables. Chips and salsa were given, gratis. Salsa was freshly made and had a small kick to it. Spicy salsa was offered but we declined. Chicken Mole A Chile Relleno was ordered, it came with red sauce, also a plate of Enchiladas Ranchero. Both had good flavor. I ordered the Chicken Mole and was quite happy with it. Chicken was tender and the mole was good. I do not think they make the mole themselves because it is a time consuming sauce and only one dish on the menu featured it. Thicker Version All plates came with refried beans and rice. Just standard rice and the beans were a little too loose for my taste. I like a thicker version of refried beans. Coca Cola Bottle in Mexico They do have Coca Cola by the bottle and it is bottled in Mexico which gives it a whole different taste. They use cane sugar in Mexico and you can tell the difference, No beer or wine. Large, Varied Menu They featured a very large, varied menu with several authentic Mexican dishes that you usually do not see on menus unless you are in East LA. Trying Hard To Please El Chile Frito would be a good place for take out. Ambiance is lacking but they are attentive and trying hard to please you. They do take credit cards. Located in a strip mall near McFadden with adequate parking.■ El Chile Frito 15491 Edwards Huntington Beach (714) 893-7380

posted 17 July 2014
Dining Around Harbour Vista Walking Distance for a "Mediterranean Meal" by Mary Williams Most people consider the Olive Pit to be Greek but in reality it is Mediterranean which includes coastal Italy, The menu reflects that with a variety of dishes. Walking distance of Harbour Vista it is one of the most popular and busy places around. The outdoor seating is perfect during the summer for late afternoon and evening dining. Never Had a Bad Meal I have never had a bad meal here. I have tasted almost everything on the menu and have not been disappointed. Being able to assemble you own plate from the choices listed is another plus. Everyone can have exactly what they want. Portions are good size. Lamb Chops I am partial to some items, including the lamb chops, the wrap made with Pita instead of flatbread. The Rocka salad does rock. Look out for the "octopus" special. Very tender with a nice citrus bite to it. My favorite dip is the Taramosalata.( Cavier dip) . Their Hummus is excellent and some of the best Pita bread around. Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) are another favorite and I have been known to order the Spanakopita for taking to get togethers. The Flat Iron steak is worth a try. Real Tiramisu Small dessert menu. The Tiramisu is made with shredded phyllo dough instead of the traditional sponge cake. Good flavor but I prefer the old Italian traditional version. And you can ever go wrong with Baklava. Wine List OK A wine list that is OK. I would recommend bringing your own bottle and paying the $5 corkage. A Place to Walk To Since parking is a really big issue in this shopping complex if you can I would advise walking. Otherwise go early, before 5:00 to get one of those elusive parking spots. They open for lunch and close after the dinner hour around 10PM. Also have take out. Order ahead and it will be waiting for you.■ Olive Pit 16265 Bolsa Chica St. Huntington Beach 92649 (714) 316-5000 www.olivepitgrill.com

posted 1 June 2014
Dining Around Harbour Vista Good Selection by Mary Williams Harvey's Steakhouse is at Warner and Springdale. Ample parking. Opens at 4:00 for dinner and Happy Hour. Early Bird menu goes until 6:00 which saves you $2 to $5 over the regular dinner menu. A very good selection of entrees. Dinners run form $18 to $35. A special of all you can eat baby Back Ribs with sides for $19 on Monday and full Prime Rib dinner on Tuesdays for $19. Also a children's menu. Happy Hour from 4 to 7 weekdays and 4 to 6 on Sunday. Outdoor patio area. Live entertainment 4 days a week and Karaoke 3 days a week. Old Time House This is your old time steak & chop house with a sports bar. My suggestion for dining is to ask to sit in the back area of the dining room away from the bar. Better lighting for reading the menu and not as noisy. A Quality Feast Soup or salad comes with your entrees along with choice of sides. Salads were fresh and crisp and very good size. Soup of the day was cream of mushroom. Good mushroom flavor but devoid of any pieces of mushroom but then it did say "cream of" . The rib eye steak was cooked perfectly and very tender. Had a good char to it. Garlic mashed potatoes were garlicky. A thick pork chop with a spiced applesauce was ordered and was very tender and juicy. Baked potato came with all the extras you wanted. The shrimp scampi with pasta was alright. Needed a little more flavor. But lots of shrimp and they were fresh, not frozen. Portions were good size and we all took home lunch for the next day. Service was good. Limited Wine Menu Limited wine menu. But some decent wines on the list. Not expensive. I neglected to ask about corkage which is something I always do. Suggest You Go Early Nice local place for good steak at a decent price. My suggestion if you are just contemplating dinner, go early, order from the "Early Bird" menu or the specials and avoid the entertainment. If you are into having music and entertainment go after 7:00. The web site has all the menus listed along with their entertainment calendar.■ Harvey's Steakhouse 6060 Warner Ave Huntington Beach (714) 842-5111 www.harveyssteakhoouse.com Sun-Thu 4:30pm-9:30pm Fri-Sat 4:30pm-10:30pm

posted 9 April 2014
Dining Around Harbour Vista Close and Convenient by Mary Williams The Red Table is located in the Huntington Harbor Mall in behind of Trader Joes. There is parking in the back area off of Saybrook. Large bar that fronts the dinning area. Good selection of craft beers. Decent wine list by the bottle and glass. Corkage is $10 for the 1st bottle, $10 for the 2nd bottle, Third bottle is $25 which leaves this place out for my wine and dine group as we usually have 8 to 15 bottles on the table. But for the 3 of us who dined here recently it worked out well. Daily Specials Daily specials on the blackboard. Specials are worth looking at. I was tempted to order the daily burger special, thick beef patty with a slab of pork belly on top. Maybe next time. We started out with the Red Table Fries, served with a spicy catsup. Tasty fries, nice potato texture and crispy outside. I had a bowl of lobster bisque. This was the non-cream version. Good flavor and just the right amount of tang. Next we had the flatbread special, garlic with shrimp. Loads of garlic which set the flatbread into something really different. Meatball Sliders Two other dishes were ordered. Meatball Sliders, three large meatballs and sauce. I did not taste this dish but I was told it was very good. A plate of Beer Brined Porkchops, two chops, caramelized red cabbage and mashed potatoes on the plate. Tasted the porkchop, brining does make a difference. This dish is worth ordering again. It was on the daily special menu. It Does Get Busy Service was good. On a Tuesday night the place was busy but not full. As the weekend approaches it does get busy. Menu has a large selection along with the daily specials. Portions are on the larger size. The use of of spices add flavors makes the food stand out. Red Table is close and convenient to Harbour Vista.■ Red Table 16821 Algonquin St Huntington Beach 92649 (714) 846-4700 11:30 to 9:00 seven days http://redtablerestaurants.com Comments/Feedback: Harbour Vista News invites your comments/feed back on articles on this web site or on the printed version of the newsletter. Let us know what you like or what doesn't interest you.

posted 25 February 2014
Dining Around Harbour Vista Seafood "To Go Place" by Mary Williams Fish Camp is one of my go to places for fresh seafood. They are owned by Kings Fish House. They have their dining room service, take out and a small fresh seafood counter for purchasing to take home. Prices are a little higher than a regular grocery store but the quality is far superior. You can buy as little or as much as you like. No pre-packaged here. Two Dinning Areas The restaurant has two dining areas, one on the inside and a larger area outside with tall windows and retractable roof. Space heaters are outside to combat the chill of living at the beach. Fish Camp is a bit noisy but it is a laid back restaurant and the level is acceptable. Wide Variety A wide array of seafood is available and can be ordered as a sandwich, salad, plate or taco. and also ordered in 5 different preparations. There is something for everyone here. Soups, small plates, green salads, oysters, lobster, crab are also available. Sand Dabs I had the Sand Dabs with two sides, You have a choice of 9 sides to choose from. The Sand Dabs come with a lemon, butter, caper sauce are are very good. It is one of my favorite plates here. Another dish ordered was the deep fried shrimp and a salmon salad. No one had any complaints. I can also vouch for the fish and chips and oysters. Odd Man Out There is a burger and steak on the menu if you are the odd man out in your group of seafood lovers. A children's menu is available and a few desserts are listed. Beer and Wine There is a wide selection of beer and wine. Wine is sold by the glass, half bottle or full bottle. No corkage if you want to bring your own. Cloth Napkins You place your order at the counter and pay for it ahead of time and your food is delivered to your table. Cloth napkins are standard here. I appreciate that. I have a hard time with paper napkins in restaurants. It's one of my personal quirks. Fast food places are ok, but not a sit down dining room. A 4% surcharge is added to the bill for the wait staff. This I find reasonable as they do bring your food to the table, will get more water and condiments for you, etc. I always try to leave a few dollars more because the service is good. Parking Parking lot is very good size and there is parking on the side street. I have been at the Fish Camp many times when is was really full but the table turnover is good and usually not a long wait at the very peak of their busy time.■ Fish Camp 16600 Pacific Coast Hwy Huntington Beach 92649 562-592-2267 www.samsfishcamp.comOpen 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

posted 14 January 2014

Dining Around Harbour Vista

Definately Will Be Back
by Mary Williams

This is our first time at The Black Trumpet, but definitely will be back. The place is small with a eat/drink bar that holds about 12 people and looks onto the kitchen / cook area and approximately 12 tables.

The Black Trumpet Bistro & Tapas is open for Lunch & Dinner on weekdays and dinner only on weekends. No reservations accepted.
The Black Trumpet specializes in small plates (tapas). Mediterranean/Italian style of cooking. Good wine list with choices from numerous countries. Many wines by the glass. Glasses are decent size but a little heavy. Corkage is $12. I had a couple of glasses of Raimat Albarino at $6 per glass.

Green Olives and Garlic

The Restaurant starts you out with a plate of pita bread and a sauce made with olive oil, feta cheese, green olives and garlic. Very good. But I wish this would have been brought to our table when we ordered our drinks. It showed up after we had been served a couple of the tapa dishes we ordered. Next time I eat here I will ask for it when I place my beverage order.

We had a wide variety of plates. started off with Bruschetta Three Ways, Kalamata Tapendae, Caponata & Cannelini. All had excellent flavor and the bread was soft and easy to eat. Spiced Garlic Shrimp - very garlicky with a hint of red pepper and very fresh shrimp. Stuffed mushrooms - the sauce was outstanding and we took the pita bread and sopped it up. Veal Meatballs in Marinara sauce - large meatballs and very light. Again excellent flavor.

Best I Have Had

A roasted Pear, Spinach and Gorgonzola salad was ordered along with a baked brie- the brie was one of the best I have had.

One of our group ordered the "Parker" plate which was a dinner plate of salmon, with roasted asparagus and rice. All of their dinners are named after Jazz persons. The Duke, Satchmo Bouillabese, Coltrane. Miles, Ella, Parker, Ray, Billie and Louis.

Toasted Coconut

Ended up with a dessert of Dolce Leche covered with toasted coconut. Decadent.

Everything we ordered was either very good or excellent. I will be going back soon to try a lot more of their dishes. This not a place to miss.

Very Popular Spot

Service was good. Noise level was high. People had to wait to be seated. Seems that this is a very popular spot to eat. I would not recommend this place for small children. I would suggest to try dining here early in the week or get there by 5:30. We were here on a Thursday night and it was crowded between 6:00 and 8:30, after that it lightened up. I can imagine what the weekends must be like■

The Black Trumpet Bistro & Tapas
18344 Beach Blvd
Huntington Beach 92649
(714) 842-1122
theblacktrumpetbistro.com

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