Top Asian Restaurant in Costa Mesa
Vietnams Pearl Restaurant
1215 Baker St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
Plus: you will get a free basket of pastries with purchase at the next door when you eat here and brings a receipt l.I am writing the review purely based on the pho.The broth was VERY SALTY!!I think MSG and fish sauce over powers other flavors. I couldn’t taste anything else.I don’t recommend this place to pho l. If you know other good dishes, that’s great.The waitress was nice and friendly. I don’t see many Spanish girl work for a Vietnamese restaurant, so that’s a bit new for me.If you compare the portion and protein contents in the pho, the cost performance is about average.The place is clean. That is good.My only mystery is this. There is another Asian lady at the restaurant, she dresses like she came from some other places open very late night... Interesting. And the way she talks reminded me Anjelah Jonhson’s stand up. Hahathis place doesn’t do anything bad. I just cannot take the salty broth and go better pho places.
Hamamori Restaurant and Sushi Bar
3333 Bear St #320, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
Its been ages since Ive gone out for omakase it seems. However, my friend Kurt hit me up to try a new spot. Such great timing! In addition to that, a recent article from OC Weekly came out listing the top 10 sushi spots, so this dinner was destined to happen one way or another. As we went back and forth on the prime meet up spot, we settled on Hamamori for its convenience and the fact that neither of us have been.Arrived on location at 6p to a slow evening, but it was nice to have the bar to ourselves. As we reviewed the menu, we started the evening with a taste of sake since we were indecisive on which to choose from. We sampled a choice of sweet or dry and settled on the dry to pair with our meal. To go with the ambiance, each pour is served in a champagne flute instead of the usual you see, so it sets the tone for a fancy meal ahead, in which I was eager to taste.We inquired about omakase and the chef began the meal. With each plating, we were served two pieces at a time. The opening sequence was albacore with crispy onions and golden eye snapper. The chef made it a note to request no soy sauce as each was seasoned individually and made to complement the fish.We totaled at 18 pieces:Sea bream and Blackthroat Seaperch.Wagyu Beef/Foie Gras and Lobster/MisoSalmon/Pineapple and Sweet Live Shrimp/Caviar/Lemon ZestHalibut/Foie Gras and King ScallopBluefin Tuna/Bleu Cheese/Seaweed Sauce and Seared Yellowtail/JalapenoO Toro and Shima AjiEel/Foie Gras/Orange ZestHalibut Tempura HandrollSea Urchin and YellowtailTo conclude, the meal was spectacular and just what I was craving for. I could go for a little less foie gras since Im not superbly wowd by it, but it did complement most of the pairings that evening. However, Im just a bit skeptical on pricing since I feel I could get something on par for a third of the price less. Still, it was a great meal nonetheless and I would return for a fancy meal every once in awhile, but its not my go-to sushi fix.
Koyi Sushi AYCE
2075 Newport Blvd #108, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States
Food was good, salmon excellent. Service great. We had the bad fortune to be seated next to a family who forgot to train their ten year old to cover its mouth when sneezing. It sneezed every 30 seconds and after the first 3 we moved a fee tables away. The kid continued to sneeze fifty or more times with no attempt to cover her/,his mouth and parents were oblivious. Couldnt discern gender of the kid who was happy to infect the entire room with germs. Go figure how people are sometimes. Not the fault of the restaurant. Asian tendency is towards non confrontation.
Pho Lantern Cafe
103 E 17th St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States
A-OK. Its a pho place that has opened in an older shopping center in desperate need of renovation, not just remodeling. Still, there is good effort on behalf of the restaurant owners, but it just doesnt live up to competitors in the area.When I order a pho dac biet, I expect to see ngo gai (sawtooth herb) and a variety of meats in my soup. Instead, its the standard fare here, flank, brisket, sliced beef, meatball. Portion size small, lack of creative portions of beef, and the herb plate is super basic (bean sprouts, lime, Thai basil). No cilantro, no mint, just the minimum basics.Hey dont get me wrong, you want to give me the basics, Im totally cool with that, but then dont charge me $8.95 for a basic bowl of pho.Maybe Im just spoiled coming from Phoenix, but over there I could get a bigger bowl of pho, super large portions of beef (and many different kinds) not to mention a variety of herbs on my vegetable plate (and extra free vegetables if I asked!) for less than 5 bucks.Ive been told that California is just more expensive to set up shop in, but then how do you explain how Banh Mi Che Cali just a little further south can pull it off for only $6.99? Very basic pho there, but a more appropriate price point (still not 5 bucks though).I also ordered a Thai tea here once and was shocked at the price point of $3.95 for a large, basically 4 bucks. Hey, I wouldnt be complaining if it was actually a large size, but it doesnt feel like one.All in all, if you ignore prices, its just an okay experience. Factor in prices, and Im scratching my head why people would come here when theres more affordable pho places that serve bigger portions at reasonable prices. But hey, as a customer, you choose where you go, right?
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.
AnQi Bistro - Modern Asian Cuisine & Private Di...
3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
Beautiful restaurant. We had problem with our server even though we had reservations we waited for 45 minutes to order appetizers and get water( at last with manager’s help).Quality of appetizers and dessert are 10 out of 10 but the food is 6 out of 10. This fancy Asian restaurant is a good place to celebrate your events. The table side ice cream is amazing and delicious dessert with the best presentation ever?. Flavio is one of the servers who is super nice and friendly.
Anjin
3033 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
Anjin is a small Japanese BBQ restaurant sitting in a busy plaza in Costa Mesa, serving good quality meats in diet friendly portions.With dinner service starting at 5pm, you can always count on there being a wait a little after the restaurant opens. The later into the evening you go, the longer the wait, until peak hours settle down (past 8:30/9pm). The good news is that theyre open late for folks that dont mind a late dinner or are hungry for a late night meal.Some of their best cuts of meat include the beef tongue, short ribs, and prime rib eye. Theyve got other proteins like chicken, sausage, and even asparagus wrapped in bacon. Their marinades are mild but flavorful (as is characteristic of Japanese food), but theyll seve you sesame oil with salt for dipping if youre more used to Korean bbq.The uncooked meats are also a treat here with the beef carpaccio and raw marinated beef (yukke, a personal favorite). They even have kimchi and similar pickled vegetables, which I find very tasty. Just dont expect the level of kick youre used to at a Korean place! Theyre all about umami here.There are decent soups and side dishes like bibimbap as well if you want variety. Ive yet to try their soju drinks, but theyve got an assortment of fruity options, including red grape soju, that look colorful and promising. Their almond jelly dessert is a really refreshing way to end your meal.The restaurant is cozy and warm with red booth seats and grills built into the table all around. Service is also usually pretty fast moving as theyre trying to keep up with their neverending wait-list. One of the better Japanese BBQ places near Irvine, but expect to pay a premium that you may not be used to with other types of barbeque. If youre more about volume over quality, youll want to go elsewhere. With that said, Anjin a good option to switch things up for a date night or hangout with friends.
Panda Express
2300 Harbor Blvd N-8, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
I used to give this panda Express 5 stars, but after today this is all I can manage. After working in the food industry so long I understand the pressures of getting costumers through, but not at the expense of customer service. The lady that started taking my order asked if I wanted egg rolls and i said yes, she then proceeded to turn around and take the next customer without allowing me to say which ones. The next person who finishes the order, I think his name was Jonathan or something was speaking so fast I could not understand one word he said. And he was sweating sweating so much he proceeded to wipe his face with his sleeve. When I was trying to tell him I wanted egg rolls and I was also going to add rangoons, he turned around and ignored me and went on to the next customer. Once I voiced that I previously wanted egg rolls, but I guessed they were too busy he decided to ask which ones, but obviously I am not going to spend more money at a place with that kind of treatment towards the customers. Given I have been coming here for years this last visit definitely left a more than bitter taste.
Kanok Thai Bistro
1450 Baker St suite c, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
I went there for shrimp pad Thai for my birthday 4/25 at around 6. Which as you can see on the menu it's not spicy. I have esophageal issues and allergic to spicy food. However I love non spicy Thai food. The person I was with ordered a spicy dish. Older Thai lady placed my order Pad Thai spicy because she said she assumed I wanted it spicy too. We also ordered a dinner salad and got a lunch size salad, barely any vegetables. No sprouts or cucumber. She took my spicy pad Thai put new noodles in and same spicy shrimp!!! When I started choking and said I couldn't eat it, she said “It's probably because your on period and not having a good day “ I had uterine cancer and don't have female issues! So insensitive and disrespectful. Never returning to this place and don't recommend it 0/10.
Mogu Mogu
2969 Fairview Rd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
After sharing my Ramen obsession, I was recommended Mogu Mogu in Costa Mesa. Turns out that Mogu specializes in Mazemen, not ramen. Mazemen is similar to ramen, but the main difference is that Mazemen is a broth less noodle dish.Since Mogu specializes in Mazemen, I would do myself a disservice if I were to get a ramen instead of their specialty. I am still going to review the relevant components for fun, but it won't necessarily be comparable to a normal ramen review since I can't judge the (arguably) most import part of ramen, the broth.Mogu provides a friendly guide on how to eat Mazemen for the uninitiated.How to eat MAZEMEN (Soupless noodles):1) Snap It! Take a picture of our good lookingbowl of Mazemen and share it with yourfriends!2) Mix it! Mix really well for about 30 seconds!3) The better you mix the better it tastes!Umami! About half way done with your bowl, try our homemade Umami vinegar for a new taste!4) Oi-Meshi! Small scoop of rice will be served at the end to fully enjoy our bowl ofMazemen.The restaurant features a countertop bar with about 8 seats, and a fair amount of tables inside. They also have multiple tables outside including a tent area in the parking lot for additional seating.The menu offers a selection of Mazemen with various toppings, and spice levels. There is a Tonkotsu and Miso ramen for those who want broth with their noodles. They also offer a vegan Mazemen and ramen option. Accompanying these main dishes are some typical Japanese sides and also a happy hour menu.Today, I ordered the deluxe Mazemen, which is their offering with all the toppings, including:Sliced pork chashu, Spicy minced pork,Poached egg, Chives, Minced garlic, Fishpowder, Seaweed Soft boiled egg, Seaweedflakes, Scallion.Overall: 8/10. Would recommend.As an overall experience I would certainly recommend Mogu Mogu. The noodles are thick in shape and firm in texture. They provide excellent chew, texture, and still have flavor of their own. Mixed in with the sauces and spices, the end result is a noodle dish with an excellent balance of savory notes from the sauce base and fish powder, and also well balanced flavorful spiciness. I think that overall, the chashu and soft boiled egg in the deluxe bowl is not necessary, so I would recommend the Tokyo style.Near the end of the meal, each order of Mazemen is provided a small serving of white rice served in a ramekin. The intention is to mix the rice with the remaining sauce as a finishing treat. Not only does this provide an interesting texture change from the noodles, it pushes the bowl from filling to very filling.