Galley Girl – She's in Your Kitchen

My neighbor approached the subject gingerly. ” I thought I saw you on TV last night when I couldn’ t sleep, but I wasn’t sure it was you.” It was me, with ill-advised teased and highlighted hair, orange capris and a matching orange maternity sweater clinging to my ample belly.

Burrito de Langosta.

Ten years ago, my then boss at OC Weekly, former Editor-in-Chief Will Swaim asked if I wanted to film a piece for KOCE. They were looking for a food critic to shoot eating in a restaurant on a feature about how the brain processes sensory information. 

I was a pregnant food columnist. Eating for two doesn’t adequately describe the massive amounts of calories that I was ingesting on an hourly basis. And they were using Taco Mesa as the backdrop restaurant. I waddled at the chance.

There I sat, take after take, mauling calamari tacos and blackened yellow tail with orange achiote butter, happy as a (giant) clam.

I had reviewed Taco Mesa for OC Weekly  well prior to that shoot.  At the time, los hermanos Calderon were the only ones doing alta cocina on a paper plate with the prices to match. Since then they’ve continued and expanded with pretty Taco Rosa, their upscale counterpart.

Certain items are always hits: calamari tacos,  fish entrees and  agave nectar margaritas. Others, (dry, underwhelming taquitos) are misses. Then there are the burritos. Specifically, the Burrito de Langosta.

Snowy hunks of lobster meat are sauteed gently with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and red onions, swaddled in an extra large tortilla and bathed in a delicate tequila lime cream sauce. It comes with epazote-infused black beans and the arroz del dia. They charge a paltry $9.99 for this obra maestra. I’ve paid nearly as much for a # 5 Del Taco combo meal. No lobster included.

Dear Galley Girl, 

It’s my friend’s birthday we’d like to go out to dinner to celebrate. Problem is, our friend won’t budge. He would prefer to cook for us at his place, and he’s actually a good cook, if prone to heavy risottos and chili involving lamb. On one birthday in recent memory though, he made us undercooked paella and my husband never got over it. 

He mentioned us making dinner for him, and I’d love to oblige, but I need a break from dishes and cooking. Truth is, he doesn’t want to go out at all, but in the event we can get him in the car,  here are a few of his many requirements: 

1.Restaurant must be within a three mile radius, he’s a homebody. ( we live in Cowan Heights) 

2. Must be economical and value recieved, entrees should be $15.00, max. 

3. Ideally will be ethnic or spicy. Holes-in-the-wall are OK, he cares about food more than atmosphere, but frankly, we’re done with the sticky-tabled birria joints he frequents. 

4. Must serve cheap light beer. 

Can you help? 

Sincerely, 

Done with Dishes in North Tustin 

Adobe Pasta

Dear Done, 

Sounds like someone needs a new definition of dinner that doesn’t include contaminated mariscos de la casa or the prix fixe menu at chez vous! 

 Thankfully, there are plenty of options that don’t require you to put Jr. to work as a curb side valet at your place or brush up your sushi making skills on You Tube. 

See if you can coax your shut-in buddy to Taco Adobe in Old Town Orange. He’ll be doubling his max travel distance,  (Adobe is 6.25 miles away from your neck of the woods) but considering he probably hasn’t been out since the summer Olympics in Beijing, your reclusive pal can afford the estimated eleven minute travel time.  

The spot fits into the hole in the wall category. It’s no bigger than a double wide with salmon-hued walls, neighborhood charm and a reach-in filled with ice cold Quilmes: Argentina’s answer to Miller Lite.  A la carte tacos are three dollars, burritos the size of oven mitts are $7.95 and the most expensive entree is $12.50. 

 Try the camarones con chipotle, voluptuous black tiger shrimp sauteed with green onion, mushroom and  orange in a  chili-cream emulsion served with rice, beans and tortillas. The camarones con  tequila y limon is creamy with a tangy citrus bite.  For the birthday boy, I recommend the Adobe Pasta: linguine in a spicy, garlicky chipotle cream sauce  with salmon, grilled shrimp or chicken that will, along with getting out of the house, give him ample reason to celebrate. 

Tell your friend if he can get in the car, this one’s on you,  y feliz cumpleaños. 

Taco Adobe 121 N. Lemon St., Orange, CA 92866. 714.628-0633 

Restaurant questions? Please submit them as a comment on this post and I will do my best to answer them in an upcoming post.