Latest Headlines on OCRegister.com
[x] Close
Irvine Business ~ From neighborhood stores to global companies. By Ian Hamilton, the Orange County Register

Archive for the 'Dining' Category

« Previous Entries

Kula Sushi: just grab it off the belt

October 8th, 2009, 2:16 pm by Ian Hamilton
Kula Sushi in Irvine. Photo by Ian Hamilton, The Orange County Register.

Kula Sushi in Irvine. Photo by Ian Hamilton, The Orange County Register.

Kula Revolving Sushi Bar is one of the newest restaurants in the rapidly filling Diamond Jamboree Asian-themed shopping and dining center.

It opened just last month in Irvine and it already has more than 50 reviews on Yelp at 3 1/2 stars.

What’s unusual about Kula? You get your food from a revolving belt circling the inside of the bar. Almost everything is $2/plate. In essence, you just grab the food off the belt that looks best to you. I gorged myself there on four plates and a soda for $10.

According to Edwin Goei at the OC Weekly, this would be the fourth revolving sushi place in Orange County. The others are Sushi 5 in Tustin, Kura Sushi in Costa Mesa and Kaisen in Santa Ana, according to Goei.

Here’s what the belts look like up close:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Brightcove video.

Kula Sushi is located at 2700 Alton Parkway, Suite 133. That’s the corner of Alton Parkway and Jamboree Road.

Posted in: Dining • • • | 15 Comments »

Local deli delights in surprise sales

June 25th, 2009, 4:01 pm by Cameron Bird

papadino_blogDean “Dino” Gulo, catering manager at Irvine’s newly menu-expanded Papa Chino’s Deli and Catering, has written in with some good news. Alas, a positive byte from the dust-biting economy:

“Our business has tripled… especially with our new bakery that produces white and wheat subs and new bread, with our top grade meats and hot dogs and delicious French fries and new specialty sandwiches… customers have been referring other customers to us.

“Also, our catering business has doubled and we keep getting more new accounts… To give you an idea what kind of new companies started catering from us, FedEx orders 35 to 55 sandwiches weekly also Fletcher Jones Mercedes orders 85 sandwiches every Saturday for their employees.”

Know about any other success stories from around town? Let me know at cbird@ocregister.com.

Read more…

Posted in: Dining • Economy • | Post a Comment »

Ladies only: mojito and three-course meal deals

June 24th, 2009, 4:59 pm by Cameron Bird

review.p0614.6.sp.jpgKimera Restaurant is hosting a “Girls’ Night Out” on the last Tuesday night of every foreseeable month. From the happy hours of 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., here’s what can be expected:

  • Free hors d’oeuvres (only till 6:30 p.m.)
  • Bacardi Mojitos for $6 each
  • Three-course dinners for $21.95 (reservations required)
  • A raffle will be held with a variety of prizes
  • Free valet parking

The self-described “global cuisine” restaurant has both outdoor and indoor seating areas, and a lounge bar. Its located at 19530 Jamboree Road (click for map).

More info: 949-261-1222 or click here.

Read more…

Posted in: Deals • Dining • | Post a Comment »

The Veggie Grill debuts curbside pick-up

May 26th, 2009, 5:36 pm by Cameron Bird

veggie_grill_chickiThe Veggie Grill, a fast-casual restaurant, has made its 100-percent plant-based fare available for pick-up.

Debuted last week only at the Irvine Spectrum location, on-the-go service is part of an “hassle-free” effort to cater to busy commuters and residents who frequent the establishment, according to co-owner T.K. Pillan.

The Irvine-based company makes meals modeled after traditional comfort foods — with a couple twists. First, everything’s meatless (protein substitutes like tempeh fill in the blank buns). Second, you likely won’t feel ill to your stomach after dining.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Dining • | 1 Comment »

Retail openings: Flame Broiler and Yogurt Passion

May 18th, 2009, 12:56 pm by Cameron Bird

flamebroilerAmid the Grilled Chicken War of ‘09, quick-casual chain the Flame Broiler has quietly opened the first of three new Irvine locations at the Square.

The restaurant offers a protein-heavy menu: poultry, beef, ribs and vegetable bowls and plates. Everything’s cooked in a homemade teriyaki “magic sauce” with absolutely no trans fat, no MSG and no frying pans (or deep fryers for that matter).

Other soon-to-open Flame Broilers are set for the Crossroads (Barranca Parkway and Culver Drive) and Harvard Place (Harvard Avenue and Main Street). Once the expansion is complete, the chain will have a total of five locations in Irvine, including the two that opened last year at Sand Canyon Plaza and the Jamboree Promenade.

The Square location is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.  The restaurant, at MacArthur Boulevard and Main Street (click for map), can be reached at 949-752-7770 or click here.

Deal alert: Thursday, June 4 and Friday, June 5, customers can take 20 percent off their entire purchase.

panel-with-yogurt-cupAdd another fountain to the crowded frozen-yogurt cottage industry.

Yogurt Passion has opened its third Orange County location at The Crossroads. Like its competitor Yogurt Lane, the Passion of the Fro-Yo (as it will henceforth be called) features a wall’s worth of self-serve fro-yo machines with all the usual and unusual varieties and toppings (even lychee).

The Passion is located at 3972 Barranca Parkway, off Culver Drive (click for map). The store is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and can be reached at 949-551-9991 or click here.

Read more…

Posted in: Dining • Openings • Retail | Post a Comment »

A motherload of Mother’s Day happenings in Irvine

May 6th, 2009, 3:28 pm by Cameron Bird

mothersday_blogSeveral shopping centers, restaurants and standalone retailers in Irvine are gearing up to help patrons celebrate the collective Mom and all She does. You know, because it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday.

Here’s a rundown — compiled from a slew of press releases — of what’s happening this weekend:

Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Woodbury Town Center, Sand Canyon Avenue and Irvine Boulevard (click for map and contact information).

  • House of Pilates will feature a Lululemon Athletica trunk show, and drawings for a gift basket valued at $500.  In addition, guests who purchase two “House of Pilates packages” on Saturday only will receive 10 percent off their purchase.
  • Nail & Spa Co. will give away one gift basket valued at $100 and offer a free paraffin with manicure/pedicure combo.
  • The Dinner A’Fare, a studio kitchen with meal prep stations, will have food sampling and give away a six-meal package valued at $115.
  • 2nd Street Beauty will offer free 20-minute microzone treatments by Dermalogica (valued at $35, appointments are necessary, and are available from 12 to 4 p.m.)  In addition, shoppers will receive a free gift with a purchase of $100 in Dermalogica products.  Visitors can also enter to win a European facial valued at $60, redeemable at the Woodbury Town Center location only.
  • Pink Mascara, a women’s boutique with contemporary designer fashions and apparel, will give shoppers a $50 gift card with every purchase over $250.
  • Elite Fitness Tae Kwon Do will offer a complimentary 30-minute women’s self defense class at 12:30 p.m., and a complimentary 30-minute Cardio Boot Camp class at 1:30 p.m.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Deals • Dining • Retail | Post a Comment »

New York-style hot dog eatery coming to Irvine

April 30th, 2009, 9:20 am by Cameron Bird

carms-costa-mesa_blogCarm’s Coneys is expected to open a restaurant at the Irvine Spectrum Center in June, Fast Food Maven Nancy Luna reports.

The New York-style hot dog joint once sold frankfurters in Costa Mesa, but that location closed last year. The parent company of the restaurant has been scouting other Orange County locations for several months. It had settled on a spot in Orange, but building issues have set back that plan.

In Irvine, Carm’s will occupy a spot that was once a McDonald’s. “I think the Irvine Co. is really looking for us to raise the bar at that food court,” investor Glenn Schusterman said.

Click here to read the full post.

PHOTO: Carm’s Coney’s original Costa Mesa store, now closed

Read more…

Posted in: Dining • Fast Food • Openings | 1 Comment »

« Previous Entries