Taste of Santa Ana was a flavorful, gut-busting adventure

The admission to this event was provided by Taste of Santa Ana but the opinions expressed here are my own.

The 5^th Annual Taste of Santa Ana was a great way to sample restaurants in and around Santa Ana from the convenience of one place. Tasting events are all about pacing yourself and being strategic. Sometimes when you get there, these helpful tips can go out the window because: a) you didn’t eat all day before the event started and/or b) your nose takes over and your taste buds tell you to eat everything in sight.

Here are some of my favorite bites:

The Pizza Press presented Ice Cream Sandwiches – a scoop of their ice cream sandwiched between two fresh baked cookies. The cookies were soft-baked, so it didn’t crumble when I bit into the sandwich. So good!

Boudin SF presented Turkey Havarti Sandwich – turkey breast, Havarti, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo on a sourdough baguette. I love Boudin’s bread! It brings back memories for me – my first visit to San Francisco for a family reunion back in the 1980’s and my days working for WDI when the Boudin Factory was being built in the Pacific Wharf area of Disney’s California Adventure. At the Taste of Santa Ana, they gave a hefty sandwich portion and it was just so good. I love turkey and Havarti together and their sourdough bread made with mother dough (nurtured over 166 years) really brings it all together. That’s why their bread tastes the same no matter which location you go to.

Conchitas and More presented their Fruity Conchita – a smaller version of a concha (traditional Mexican sweet bread), hence conchita, filled with vanilla ice cream mixed with Fruity Pebbles. I first tasted these delicious desserts at Viva Los Tacos a few months ago and just fell in love with them. These also bring back memories of my childhood. My dad worked in Santa Ana. On weekends, he would bring home fresh Mexican breads and pastries. I always liked conchas with their shell-like swirly design on top that came in different colors like pink, white, and brown. Every time I see Conchitas and More, they bring a smile to my face!

Mustache Mike’s presented Da Bomb – cherry, lemon, blue razzberry swirled Italian ice. Mustache Mike’s was one of the first food trucks around when I started my food writing career almost 10 years ago. Da Bomb is my absolute favorite flavor. It is so pretty like the American Flag in a cup – the flavors are like fireworks in your mouth from the sweet cherry, the puckery lemon, and tart razzberry. Another vendor that always puts a smile on my face!

Ritter’s Steam Kettle Cooking presented Clam Chowder. It is hard to find a good New England Clam Chowder now days, especially when you’re 3,000 miles away from the Atlantic coast. My favorite place for it was Jimmy’s in Seal Beach, but they closed a few years ago. What makes a good clam chowder is a roux-thickened cream base, uniformly diced vegetables like potatoes, onions, and celery, herbaceous seasoning, and LOTS of clams. Ritter’s has the best clam chowder around Orange County. All I need is a sourdough bread boule from Boudin and I’m set!

Hopefully, the YouTube video and these photos make you hungry and plan for next year’s Taste of Santa Ana!

For more information:

Taste of Santa Ana

If you enjoyed this blog post, check out these:

• The 16^th Annual Taste of Huntington Beach dazzled the senses yet again
• Boudin SF is bringing BBQ pork to the menu for a limited time!
• 4^th Street Market is a dining mecca in Downtown Santa Ana, California
• Blaze Pizza bring build-your-own artisanal pizzas to Santa Ana, CA
• Tangata, a hidden gem of sophisticated California cuisine in Santa Ana, CA