Where we ate Restaurant Week Spring 2018

Sadly, we only made it out to eat once during the Spring, 2018 Restaurant Week. Work and life kept us too busy to make it out more often.  But the meal we had was well worth it.

Of course, for our one meal of this season, we went to The Shark.

Course 1
There were two available so we tried them both.  A spinach soup and a salad.  Both very creative and tasty.

Course 2
I had a beautiful fillet of Blue Catfish.  If you're from the Midwest, listen up.  This catfish isn't oily, heavy, stinky or crumbly, like the catfish of midwestern rivers.  It's an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay and is a light, white, flaky, sweet fish.  When you have a chance to try it, do it!
It was served with fried green tomatoes, greens and grits, yum!

He had some pork, which was very good, with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted cauliflower.

Course 3
We don't usually get dessert at The Shark, because they like to make them healthy and we like to eat them unhealthy, but they were included so we tried them.  Lemon corn cake with blueberry compote and chocolate cookies filled with coconut cream.

It was a good night.

Blue Fish

One of our family favorites is sushi.  There aren't many places offering sushi in OC, but the good news is, they're all good.

Blue Fish is on 94th street, in what I think was an old Hardees.  It's large and beautifully decorated, and has tons of parking.  If you have a big group to seat, it's a good choice.

Blue Fish holds a special place in my heart because it's where a dear friend of mine tried sushi for the first time.  She was trying to play it cool, but unfortunately, popped the whole pile of wasabi in her mouth at once.  Being a polite person, once she realized how spicy it was, she didn't spit it out but, instead, quickly swallowed it.  It's a scene I will never forget!

94th Street Liquid Assets $$

4 surfers




Hi!  I'm OC Palets's wife.  He said I could write this post since it's about my favorite place.

94th Street Liquid Assets.  Sounds intriguing, right?  My sister and her husband visited it at least twice before I decided we should try it.  It was too far away - all the way up on 94th
street.  Usually, I don't like to venture much past 40th street and rarely past 90.  But, on the off season, I agreed to try it.

It was at LA that I first tried steak tar tar.  I had heard my uncle tell stories of making it as a treat for him and my aunt and quietly gagged as he described the process.  Raw beef.  Ick.

But - WOW - I love it!  It's now something we try at other places whenever we see it, always comparing it to LA's.

Honestly, that's the main thing that clogs my thoughts when I try to post this.  Tar tar.  Raw beef.  Onion.

Okay, moving on...

They have a different menu daily and are sure to keep updates on their facebook page.  Like them!  You'll thank me.  Unless you can't make it there when they're serving tar tar.

Fresh, local ingredients, of course.  Creative chef.  You know, all the usual good restaurant stuff.

This is an avocado appetizer.  Simple, so simple we almost didn't order it.  But it was amazing.

Once, we tried this.  I think it was grits or polenta with shrimp.  We fought over the last bit of it, but I shared because I love him.

And donuts.  Such donuts that you've never seen before.  Want to know the secret?  Ask me, I might tell...  They're also different daily.  This one is honey and blueberry.  Looks kind of gross, huh?  But it's soooo good.

Half of the restaurant is a wine bar, enjoy small bites and conversation with friends over there.  The other half is a few 2-tops with a few larger tables.  Dark.  Small.  Intimate.  Perfect for a date.

Don't all rush there - I'll be mad if I can't get in on my date night!

2018 Spring Restaurant Week

We get to enjoy many great, independent restaurants here in OC, and one perk they offer is a couple of Restaurant Weeks each year.  The spring 2018 one is nearly here, beginning on April 15, (4/15-4/29).

During this time, participating restaurants usually offer a fixed price menu with a few options.  Usually, they're priced at $30-$35.

Here's a link to the participating restaurants.  Our favorites are Micky Finns, Shark, Sello's and The Shark.

One other fave is Jules Restaurant.  It's hidden in a strip mall and very unimposing, but they're a hidden gem, consider checking them out.

Restaurant Week Info

Hope you get to enjoy one or more of these great deals!