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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Ostionera Bahia-Orange, CA
Apologies for this not being a Baja restaurant but I have to tell you that this is now my favorite stateside Mexican restaurant......at any price
range.
Went there yesterday for the 4th time and the food is just tremendous. So far, we have ordered a carnitas plate, chicken tacos dorados, huachinango
entero frito (yeah right, it's tilapia), a bean tostada, cheese enchiladas and cocteles de camaron, mexican style. Admittedly, we have not tested the
dishes that separate the hombres from the chicos (like mole, chile verde, and chile rellenos), but we will.
The chicken tacos were about an inch across at the bottom, all white meat and the come with almost too much guacamole on them.
The carnitas has that sweet crispiness that defines good carnitas to us.
And I have never had a better coctel than here......large chunks of ripe avo in the mix along with medium sized shrimp. Probably about 20 of these
in a giant goblet for 9.95. Not cheap but well worth it.
Table salsa is the type that is blenderized and medium heat. I like this type as well as salsa cruda. For chips, they bring out whole tostada shells
that seem like they are made on site. I LOVE THIS! I have always bought tostada shells in Baja for chips as I haven't found any down there that aren't
like Doritos or Tostitos.......yecch!.
Great atmosphere, too. On Sunday we were the only gringos in there for an hour and a half. The kind of controlled chaos you experience at a good
ethnic restaurant with lots of families.
Maybe it was because we took home some of the coctel, but the waitress packed us up chips (10 tostada shells!) and salsa to go for no charge.
Down side......only wine margaritas which I refuse to touch. But a good selection of Mexican beers.
Located at the corner of Chapman and Tustin Ave.
Anybody else been there? What have you tried?
[Edited on 7-18-2005 by Hook]
[Edited on 7-18-2005 by Hook]
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marla
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Hey Hook have you been back to this place? Is it still there? Still good?
If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a
speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen. Henry David
Thoreau
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Went there about 8 days ago......
....still just as good. The wife and I are trying to modify our intake for the umpteenth time so we had only the mexican style shrimp coctel and an
order of their ceviche. The ceviche was quite good; we had the one with shrimp and fish in it.
Also really like their corn tortillas there; they remind me of the ones served at the OTMC in Old Town, SD.
Still haven't gotten around to the mole, the rellenos or the chile verde. You'll have to take one for the team, Marla, and order one of these. 
BTW, I have discovered there is another one further east on Chapman on the south side of the street in the direction of Orange Hill. Looks to be a
much fancier affair; I think it was formerly some other restaurant. These restaurants aren't separated by more than a mile. 
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Tifosi
Junior Nomad
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Hook:
You're right, this is a good place to eat. Whenever trying a Mexican place for the first time I order Carnitas. This is my testing gauge. If they
can manage to make good carnitas, then they can't really screw up the rest of the menu that much. Well, you are dead on with your description of the
carnitas. They are perfect!!!! Cruncy, juicy, tender, tasty and the right amount on the plate.
My wife is a big fan of their rice and beans and chile relleno which are very good and my kids love the enchiladas. I have also had the coctel a la
vida (shrimp, oyster and octopus) and it is packed with meat. A definte good value for the money. We have been back twice and really enjoy it.
Second time back I had chile colorado and it was great. I would go every day, but I have to watch my waistline and I also have another great Mexican
place in old towne Placentia (El Faralito), but that's another thread.
Tifosi
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Si, Si......
...it is excellent, no!?
In the coctel de la vida, how are the oysters prepared? Or did you mean clams? I cant remember.
Yeah, I really like the rice there, too. Some places have such dry rice; their's is pretty moist as I recall.
Hard to find places that still put the peas and carrots in their rice. I love that. I dont think Ostionera Bahia does either.
Another good place in OC is in the town I live, SJC. It's called El Maguey and it's north of the mission on Camino Capistrano. Great carnitas! About
15 speciality dishes plus another 20 combinations. Plus about 5-6 caldos. Probably the biggest variety on a menu this side of TJ.
But no tequila..........
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Tifosi
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The coctel a la vida has oysters and they are prepared raw. Also, the rice does not have peas or carrots.
Tifosi
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Tifosi
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Ok, it gets better each time and I know it must be good because my wife who is usually hesitant really likes it. Last Saturday I had the Camarones al
mojo de ajo. Oh my, what a great dish. The shrimp were not overcooked and the butter/garlic sauce was perfect. There was so much on the plate that
I got to mix it with my rice and it was great. That night my wife had the menudo and it was very good. Big chunks of tripe and savory juice, the
perfect amount of hominy. I'm sure some of you Orange County nomads would really appreciate this place.
Tifosi
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Hey, T
How about that outrageous collections of Mexican candies, pastries, etc. by the cash register? There is some weird stuff in there.
Going to a wine tasting at the Exchange next week. I WILL try either the mole or the rellenos. Time to move beyond the conventional at this place.
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Skipjack Joe
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By Jove, this is right next to my work!
Thanks Hook. Now I can visit the Longfin on my lunch break, ogle the equipment, and then proceed a couple of more blocks to:
Ostioneria Bahia Mexican, 4429 E Chapman Ave Orange CA (714) 538-8271
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Skippy Joe,
This is excellent. The one you are talking about is the one that I have NOT been to; only seen as I drove by one day. But, by all means, try it out
and let us know.
The one that involves the bulk of this discussion is the one at the corner of Tustin and Chapman on the west side of the 55. It is behind the business
(maybe a gas station?) on the SW corner of the intersection.
Incidently, Joe, do you own a Skipjack? Have we already talked about this?
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
Incidently, Joe, do you own a Skipjack? |
Hah! If I pulled up alongside a skipjack in my boat I wouldn't be able to see over the rail.
No, Hook, I fish from a 14 footer in baja.
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TacoFeliz
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Excellent!
Had a late Sunday afternoon coctel de camaron and a couple of carnitas tacos, wife had camarones wrapped in bacon -- all perfect!!!! Walked outside
expecting to be in Baja but you can only ask so much from a restaurant. Definitely worth the trip anytime.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
Incidently, Joe, do you own a Skipjack? |
Hah! If I pulled up alongside a skipjack in my boat I wouldn't be able to see over the rail.
No, Hook, I fish from a 14 footer in baja. |
Oh NO!
Does this mean that you actually TARGET skipjack tuna???
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
Oh NO!
Does this mean that you actually TARGET skipjack tuna???
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I humbly confess, I do.
And you know what else? I like eating at Denny's (well ... sometimes).
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Tifosi
Junior Nomad
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It was my wife's birthday on Monday so I told her any place she wants to eat, we are there. How lucky am I that she chooses Ostionera Bahia? Of all
the fancy places, expensive places, need to dress up places for her to choose, she chooses a little slice of Baja. It almost brought a tear to my
eye.
Anyway I need to recommend the Camarones Marea. An excellent shrimp dish in which the shrimp are stuffed with a layer of cheese then wrapped in bacon
and cooked to perfection. Served with rice, beans and tortillas and maybe 8 - 10 shrimp on the plate for $12.95. It reminded me of one of my
favorite Cabo San Lucas places, Mariscos Mocambo. The same dish is available at Mocambo and is their signature dish (especially since it carries the
same name as the restaurant). I'll be back in CSL in mid July, but I'll be back at Bahia long before that for the same great dish.
Tifosi
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Thanks for keeping the flame going.
Sound like a must-do dish. Haven't been in a couple months.
Going to a highly recommended place tomorrow in the Garden Grove area called Cafe Brito. Not fancy, just good. Supposed to have killer mole.
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Tifosi
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Hook:
Awaiting your review of Cafe Brito. If it's good, I'm there.
Tifosi
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Hook
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It was very good
but not called Cafe Brito. It's called La Casa Brito.
I sampled a carnitas enchilada in mole (XLNT!, a special order not on the menu, according to the guy who took me there), the molcajete (not much of a
broth/sauce as most I've had; it was like fajitas in a molcajete with carne asada, carnitas, nopal, onions, peppers and, believe it or not, a chile
relleno in there). I ordered the pollo ranchero and thought it was as good as most any i've had. Seemed like a homemade ranchero sauce.
Also tasted the straight carnitas which was average. It came with very little crispy pieces but that is sometimes the luck of the draw. Very little of
the sweetness that I like in carnitas.
Frijoles were very good; RICE WAS INCREDIBLE! Had the peas, carrots, and an occasional green bean and a few corn kernals, too. Nice and moist. I'm a
freak for good Mexican/Spanish rice.
Tortillas were average.
Relleno was average; very battery (is that a word?) and a smallish Anaheim/Ortega. I prefer pasillas.
Tableside salsa was very good. The molcajete came with a roja that was OUTSTANDING! A very complex flavor.
prices were 8.00 for the enchys, 9.00 for the pollo, 10.00 for the carnitas and the Mrs. ordered the molcajete at 15.00.
No one ordered margaritas.
Waitresses in DAMN short skirts......, I got the evil eye from the Mrs. at
least twice.
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Tifosi
Junior Nomad
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Thanks for the review. Can you please post an address or maybe a phone number? Should it should be in a new thread so as to preserve the Bahia
thread?
Thanks .... Tifosi
By the way, this post makes me a junior Nomad. I'm honored!!!
[Edited on 5-22-2006 by Tifosi]
Can somebody tell me what happened? I had 25 posts, and then a few days later I was missing one!!! Now I only show 24???
[Edited on 5-30-2006 by Tifosi]
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Sallysouth
Super Nomad
Posts: 1835
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Mood: missing Baja...
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How bout that!? Seems like Hook and I are neighbors!! I have seen El Maguey many times and wondered about it, now I know! This will be my next"night
out".
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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