Top Asian Fusion Restaurant in Costa Mesa
AnQi Bistro - Modern Asian Cuisine & Private Di...
3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
AnQi Bistro is probably one of the best Asian Fusion restaurants Ive been to. I ordered their best selling tuna tacos and theyre light with a crunchy exterior with a somewhat heavy interior of tuna. I also ordered their garlic noodles which you cant go wrong with, and the orange chicken which had a very crisp outside of breading. When coming here, you should definitely order the tableside ice cream before you leave if youre here for the first time! The quality here is amazing for a more extravagant version of everyday Asian food, and I hope to come here again soon.
Nguyens Kitchen
488 E 17th St B102, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States
Was enticed to go to this place by all the appetizing pictures on social media. They had a variety of menu items to choose from: sandwiches, noodles, snacks, and now serving pho!I got the garlic noodles with chicken thigh, the pork banh mi, and the garlic chicken banh mi. Smother the garlic noodles with the house spicy green sauce they give you. It tastes to much better with it! Its not super spicy, gives it a small kick with a hint of sweetness. The noodles itself without the green sauce could use it a little more garlic buttery flavor. I didnt really care for the chicken that I added to the noodles. It was pretty bland, but they did give a decent portion of chicken.Pork banh mi was my favorite out of all the dishes I ordered. Pork had good flavor, gave lots of meat, and bread was soft. Also tried the garlic chicken breast chicken banh mi. It was the same sortof bland tasting chicken that was in my noodles. The garlic sauce was really watery and the overall taste was underwhelming. I added the green sauce to my sandwich and it got 10 times better.Overall, pictures make this place look a lot better than what it actually is.
Uroko Cafe
3030 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
I was looking around online for something light to eat nearby after a day at South Coast Plaza that was budget friendly and Urokocafe came up in my search. It might be easy to pass by at first since their entrance is actually in the back. I got to the location by going through the Chevron station.As a fan of Poke, Im always up to trying a new Poke spot. Like other Poke restaurants, they offer build-your-own-bowl options. While most places offer 2-4 scoops of protein they actually offer up to 5 scoops of protein if wanted. Theres a variety of bases, sides, proteins, sauces, & toppings to choose from. They even offer vegan meat and tofu for people that are plant-based. You can also order appetizers, pre-made bowls, a kids bowl, or even miso soup. Another option that makes them unique is that they offer sushi and hand rolls. So if youre not in the mood to have a big bowl then you can order sushi rolls instead. I opted to get a 2 scoop of protein bowl which I very filling for me since I had a big lunch earlier. The service is fast & friendly. The simple yet modern design makes for a relaxing place to eat at.In terms of value, Uroko Cafe offers reasonable prices considering the quality and portion sizes. Theres plenty of seating to eat there or you can always take it to-go. If Im ever in the area again I would definitely check out Urokocafe for some good poke.
Bonchon
1534 Adams Ave B, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!!We came in around 6PM on Saturday night. There were 2 people of our group of 5 came in first and were told that they would only seat us with the full party. We understood and willing to wait until our friends came in even though there were still many open tables.After we decided what to order, it took 15 mins to get the server's attention and finally someone came to our table to take order. (It was a Saturday night and there were only 2 servers on the floor...)Things got worst when 1 of our friend who was currently sick and she wanted to change table to inside (we were seated at the table next to the main entrance, very cold and windy since people keep open the door to get in and out). 1 of us decided to ask the male server (not wearing nametag so I couldn't know his name) if he could kindly move us to the table next to us (there were 2 open tables next to our table).At that time, he was just bussing the table, not even looked at the person who was talking to him and replied “No, I can't. Sorry”. My other friend approached him again after 5 minutes and explained the situation, he replied “If you get cold, other guests will get cold too.” - with a very rude and cold tone of voice then walk away without saying something like “Sorry for the inconvenience.” (It seemed like you didn't care about your customers.)We were very disappointed about the poor customer service and decided to leave because we couldn't accept that bad attitude from the server. Before we left, we told the other female server that we would cancel our food. She just replied “Okay” without asking what happened.This isn't my first time here in Bonchon. I like their chicken so that's why I'm bringing my friends here to enjoy but it might be the last time I visit.
Sweetfin Costa Mesa
259 E 17th St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States
We order a lot of poke bowls from various places. Sweetfin at Costa Mesa is a solid 2.5 stars.The pros:Variety - they offer toppings not a lot of other poke restaurants do such as truffle oil, eggplant, jicama, etc.Quality: This is a pro and a con as you'll see below. The pro part is on their website, it states that the fish is sustainably source, although it doesn't state the salmon is wild caught.Cons:Portion: As other reviewers have noted and were correct about - the bowls themselves look like you accidentally ordered from the childrens menu (ages 2-5 to be specific). Also, we both ordered two types of fish and we had to look for it. There were maybe 3-4 pieces in the entire bowl. Also, the ratio was off in everything. It felt like it had been thrown together, and I felt excited to find one shred of the slaw I added.Order mistakes: We had the forbidden rice and veggies missing and sushi rice instead in one bowl and the other bowl had the forbidden rice and the extra veggies I paid for. So, essentially they messed up on both bowls, which wouldn't be a big deal if they were able to fix it but since I ordered on uber eats (and you know how uber eats is)…nothing was done and we were left with two messed up orders.Customer service: Sweetfin doesn't pick up their phone but they have a text service. I told them what was wrong and even though they do deliveries themselves, their response was “too bad, go through UberEats for any issues…Those fried onions that have been mentioned: We love fried onions but these were so burnt, it was just off-putting.Lastly, Quality: There was something rotten or borderline rotten tasting (not the burnt onions) in one of the bowls. We could not make out what it was. You know the taste. It was bad and we had to stop eating from that bowl.So, the cons here clearly outweigh the pros so with all of the Poke places to choose from here in OC, I would not recommend Sweetfin.
Top other services in Costa Mesa:
East Borough
2937 Bristol St B102, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
Its been a very long time since Ive revisited. I was in the area to get a tire rotation and wanted to grab lunch while I waited. The service was going to take roughly 30-45 minutes, so why not start the year with a brisk walk. Plus, it beat the hassle of looking for parking in that lot!After a short stroll, there were only a few places opened before 11am when I arrived, but East Borough caught my eye considering it was the first shop I saw when I entered the plaza. After a quick walk through, I chose to stop in and grab a sandwich. I wanted something quick at first, but then I decided to place another order to bring home to the boyfriend, which happened by two transactions haha.First and second order was pork banh mi. Once bf confirmed, I went on to Yelp and found that they had a check in offer for $2 specialty drinks. The options were Jasmine Lime Ice Tea (similar to an Arnold Palmer as its mixed with a sort of lemonade), Oloong Tea (unsweetened) and Vietnamese Iced Coffee. I originally wanted to try the Jasmine, but the drinks are pre-made and not adjustable by sweetness. I was a bit hesitant about it, so I opted for the Vietnamese coffee (originally $4.50). It probably has way more sugar out of all the drinks, but at least I can dilute it for the next few days since its such a strong beverage for someone whos sensitive to caffeineThe pork banh mi is prepared with all the toppings: pickled radish/carrot, cucumber, cilantro and jalapeño all inclusive. The jalapeños were not too spicy and the pickled vegetables were an equal balance of crunch and pickled flavoring. I love their baguettes since theyre not the type to cut sh*t up in your mouth, while maintaining a good crust + fluffy interior.Quality feels the same from when they first opened and the menu, to me, has expanded from what I remembered. They now have brunch and other unique items - dip sandwiches, rice bowls, salads, spring rolls.Now that I think about it, I prob should have gotten two different protein options, but I was playing it safe! Next time, Ill have to try their other protein options - shrimp (cajun coconut milk), tofu (braised black sesame?!) and braised pork belly. Hopefully before my next tire rotation appointment!
Tableau Kitchen and Bar
3333 Bear St Suite 119, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
A open side restaurant inside the mall where you can see passerby's. I really wanted to try their fried burrata sandwich but they just switched it out. They replaced it with the new burrata. This is a seasonal every changing menu type restaurant. Come while you can still try some of your favorites. The aperol drink reminded me of the flinstone orange hard vitamin in essence but for adults. Had slight sweetness but the mix of the citrus flavor gave it that bit of punch. I would say the rigatoni was decent, had a bit of a kick just enough to keep it going. A bit light in flavor overall. It's shareable enough with about 30 PCs +. The burrata crab cake was pretty good. I think the way it was fried really did it for me. Don't know how they fried that burrata crab cake but it was quite delicious. There's a bed of spaghetti noodles underneath as well. Portion wise, it's just enough to share. Can't imagine what that fried burrata sandwich would have been like if it was done this well for their burrata crab cake. If you're really hungry then you'll probably want one more shareable dish. Which is why I felt a cheeseburger was a great way to top it off. The cheeseburger was better than expected, no fries needed. The bread reminded me of a McDonald's style cheeseburger bun in its essence but also like a Hokkaido milk bun in some sense like a light doughnut in its own way. All of this in a good way. The bacon had a hint a sweetness but really added to the burger, same with the egg as well. The pickle had a lightness to it but vinegary/acidic. It was like a lighter sweeter version of a regular dill pickle. Really good. The burger meat patty itself was delicious as well. Overall it was a clean solid tasting burger. The garlic aioli for the fries tasted like a lighter slight tangy/citrusy hollandaise or lighter béarnaise sauce, not overpowering. I would say I really liked the burrata crab cake and burger. I would come back for the day time menu just to try all their other goodies. If you're trying to fill up, I would say order at least 3 items. Would recommend giving this place a try.
Hanuman Thai Eatery
355 Bristol St Ste U, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
Overall: 4.8/5 (dine in)We came at 8:40 PM on a Saturday night and they turned us away due to the long wait even though they closed at 10 PM. We came back on a Tuesday evening at 9:15 PM and were scared they were going to turn us away but they were able to seat the two of us. The guy with glasses was our server and he was super professional, always had a smile on his face, and was very attentive. We were the last one there at closing time but they didnt rush us. Everyone was really nice and didnt seem stressed as they were cleaning up. A+ for service.Crying Tiger ($20): The filet mignon was indeed medium rare & super tender. The Jeaw sauce was good but I do wish that it packed more of an umami punch.Khao Soi ($21): This is one of their specialities and what I came for. The bowl was huge so we had leftover for lunch the next day. The broth was so good and flavorful without being overly powerful or salty. However, if you get the Gai Todd Hat Yai, do not switch between the two OR eat the Khao Soi first. The Gai Todd Hat Yai has a stronger flavor profile so when you eat the wings then the Khao Soi, the Khao Soi somehow tasted more bland. When we ate the Khao Soi the next day, it was back to being on point in terms of flavor. They put a spoonful of chili oil and some green sauce in the bowl but the broth didnt taste spicy. The bowl came with 2 chicken drumsticks and like what everyone said, the meat was so tender it fell right off the bones. The noodles - both the one in the soup and the fried ones - complimented the broth so well. Everything in this bowl was just in harmony. You just have to try it to appreciate the complexity of this bowl.Gai Todd Hat Yai ($20): These were one of the best fried chicken weve had in awhile. They were plump, juicy, crispy, and flavorful. They give you sticky rice to eat the wings with. We like to pour their house recipe dipping sauce on the rice, add the fried shallots on top, and eat it after taking a bit of the chicken. Definitely see why this is a speciality and a must try item.Mango Sticky Rice ($15): This wasnt on the dessert menu but the server confirmed that they had it. I saw a lot of reviews about it and how its sometime not available so I decided to get it. I didnt see the price until after we paid but I dont think its worth it. The presentation was nice though. The coconut sauce they used is not sweet but salty - not in a good way. The coconut sauce is fine on the mango as sticky rice but when I tried it by itself, it wasnt good. I dont know what kind of mango they used but its not the sweetest one which I thought would have been better. The best thing about this dessert in terms of taste is the blue sticky rice. This was the perfect texture and level of sweetness. The topping didnt add much but everything together was probably what made people rave about it.Destinata Carbonic Grenache ($12 glass): This is a chilled red wine which just doesnt bode well so its a no for us.
Oak & Coal
333 E 17th St Ste 2, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States
We ordered take out today. 6 different dishes1.Steamed Chicken lemongrass dumplings 9/10The noodle around was so delicious. I loved the texture and flavor. The lemongrass chicken was well seasoned and also really good.2. Bao Buns 10/10These came with a twist. I somehow thought of Bao, round, steamed dumpling. But these were more like little Tacos, except the shell was a Bao Bun.Flavor was amazing. The little sprouts added a little tinge of spice, the ginger was pickled and sweet and a little sour. The pork belly tasted smokey and juicy. Overall perfect!3. Kurobuta Pork Belly Skewers 12/10Omg!!! This! Coming from germany I am used to grilling pork belly. We call it either belly-rag - Baulappen or a grill-torch - Grillfackel (name explains itself, since they love to light on fire due to the high fat consent.The smoky flavor and seasoning was on point. I loved that they werent dried out. Just pure deliciousness .4. Plain Garlic Noodles 8/10The noodles were ok, overall really greasy and sloppy. The flavor was good, but I wouldnt order them again, others loved them.5. Blistered Brussle Sprouts 8/10Generally really good, crispy and a mild spiciness. What we noticed was that a lot of the dishes included lemon flavor. I liked it but others commented that it was generally too much6. Chicken Karaage 6/10We somehow expected something totally different. The thighs were jucy, but not as crispy as we thought they would be. The batter reminded me of calamari and my brain tricked me and said - thats calamari! It somehow weirded me out and I didnt want to finish the chicken. But this is my own opinion someone elses brain might not play mind games.The ordering happened over the homepage and was super easy. We didnt even wait 30minutes.The food was hot and fresh. This was definitely not our last time. Thank you for making dinner for us ❤️
2145 EATS
2145 Placentia Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States
It was a pleasant surprise. 3 restaurants didnt allow us to make reservations on Mothers day, but we were allowed to make one on this one fourth restaurant. We absolutely loved it. I had reservations because it says pizza restaurant but honestly, the pizzas are made from scratch....you can tell its all made with love. They also have a variety of other dishes besides pizza, and they seem plain, however, their flavor and spin to these dishes are game changers. My party ordered many things to share and taste...what was shocking was that the corndog...a corndog... was just so different and amazing. You would just have to try it to enjoy and know it. I usually take pictures, but I was so hungry. I ate too much. I love that its so close toNewpirt Beach that I can just cross over and enjoy this restaurant. We were all shocked that we found this location because apparently it used to be a store. They only have Valet because its a small parkinglot and its narrow. I loved the whole vibe to the place. The patio area is lengthy, its breezy, shady, and so peaceful. They grow a lot of herbs all along the sides. Im just excited that we found a new spot that we will continue to come. Oh! And on Thursdays they have an open mic/band that comes in. We didnt see the stage because it was closed off. So, we are coming back on a Thursday to check it out. Our waiter was awesome, kind, and handsome. Haha, but not as handsome as my fiance ;)