Show 61, February 15, 2013: Executive Chef Jason Montelibano, Chapter One: The Modern Local, Santa Ana

orange-county-restaurant-weekThe OC’s most anticipated, and delicious, dining event, Orange County Restaurant Week, returns from February 23rd to March 1st. Diners will have the opportunity to enjoy the wide spectrum of dining options in the County at special prices for prix-fixe menus for both lunch and dinner. Over 100 restaurants are part of Orange County Restaurant Week.

One of the featured restaurants is Santa Ana’s Chapter One: The Modern Local. Chef Jason Montelibano (aka Chef Chicken Wing) joins us to talk about his menu. Given his Filipino ancestry he’s incorporated a few contemporary Filipino touches into his menu.

Chef Jason won Riveria Magazine’s “To Live and Dine” chefs’ challenge event @ SoCo last year with his Lamb & Gnocchi dish.

On his OC Restaurant Week menu are his famous Chef Chicken Wang’s Chicken Wings (Filipino Adobo-style sticky wings with half sour & spicy baby pickles spears, and peanut butter powder) and the award-winning Lamb Gnocchi.

Show 59, February 1, 2013: Chef Hans Rockenwagner, Rockenwagner Bakery and Café Rockenwagner. Continues…

Cafe RockenwagerIn addition to the growing wholesale bakery Hans Rockenwagner has a network of busy bakery cafes in Santa Monica, Venice, and Mar Vista. The most ambitious café to date just launched in Brentwood. This Café Rockenwagner is in the bw (a high-rise luxury apartment building) at the corner of Barrington Ave. and Wilshire Blvd.

Besides a full food menu with breakfast, lunch, and dinner there is an on-site pastry chef here so there is an impressive selection of fresh breakfast pastries, desserts, breads and pretzels available. All the bakery items can be secured grab-and-go, too. Hans likes to think of it as a modern day bistro.

Show 39, August 17, 2013: Alan Jackson, Chef/Proprietor of Lemonade

Alan Jackson of LemonadeChef Alan Jackson has an extensive background in fine dining and high profile event catering. In 2008 he opened his first Lemonade in West Hollywood. Downtown Los Angeles followed within days. He characterizes it as a modern cafeteria serving Southern California comfort food.

The concept has caught on quickly. The 11th location, the first in Orange County, will launch next week in Fashion Island in Newport Beach. Fashion Island will have a wood burning oven for roasting vegetables and flatbreads and a rotisserie for preparing whole roast rib-eye, leg of lamb and chicken. It will be a destination for dinner.

Show 22, March 23, 2013: Anita Lau, Mad Hungry Woman Blogger

Cafe 21 at the Gaslamp District in San DiegoAnita’s San Diego dining find for right now is Café 21 in the Gaslamp District for lunch, brunch, or dinner. (There is also a 2nd location.) The proprietors are Azerbaijani and the food is international eclectic. Anita likes to start with the Sangria sampler. Her favorite dinner item is the Whole Grilled Sea Bass at a reasonable $27.00. Another standout is the Kabob Platter served with house-made bread.