Don't worry-while it might seem like you'll starve to death on American soil, there's good news for foodies who swear their fix is international cuisine seulement.More and more (quality) ethnic restaurants are popping up all over Orange County. And while they can certainly dish it with their food, they also offer a surprisingly authentic country-specific ambiance for their diners.
From menus in the native tongue (with translations...usually), to beers on tap that must have cost a small fortune in import tariffs, hungry patrons can pad their mileage balances without so much as packing a passport (don't forget to pack your airline credit card though to rack up the miles).
Visit these restaurants for convincing international fare and flare:
Brussels Bistro- Laguna Beach Go for the French fries. Although they sound like a product of Paris, they're rumored to have been born in Belgium. I could care less. The next time I'm in need of a French-fry-fix, I'm going to Brussels Bistro in Laguna Beach. Despite the hectic nature of trying to fit eight people around the tiny bar and then into the shoe box of a restaurant on a busy Friday night, the Belgian waiters spared no charm (including speaking to me in French). Our evening was filled with excellent food, consistently refilled cocktails, and the best French fries served in a cone this side of the Seine.
Formosa Chinese- Lake Forest Don't let the location make a fool of you. You might be tempted to skip Formosa because it's in a Best Western, but don't do it. The food was cheap, amazingly fresh, and delicious. And I bet the specials were too- they were posted in Chinese characters on a whiteboard, sans translation, so we stuck to the English menu. Exceptional touch: the Chinese chef came from the kitchen to check on us personally, which is especially unconventional in domestic restaurants these days.
Jägerhaus- Anaheim Ein prosit, ein prosit. der Gemutlichkeit. That's the toast at Oktoberfest, and also the toast I'm giving Jägerhaus. Just off the 57 freeway near Angel Stadium, this German restaurant and banquet room offer authentic and filling food from Deutschland. Tiny appetites need not apply. If schnitzels and wursts don't appeal to you, still come for the variety of German beers on tap. While they're colder than you'll find them in Germany, they hit the spot and pair well with the filling cuisine.
Sabatino's- Newport Beach When the food hits your lips and goes right to your hips, that's amore...or Sabatino's. Here, exquisite, homemade Italian sausage is cooked up a variety of mouthwatering ways. From S.O.S. (sausage on a shingle) at brunch, to the Sizzling Sausage Platter at dinner, Sabatino's has brought a taste of Little Italy to a boatyard in Newport Beach. Go for the champagne brunch on the weekend and try to score an outdoor table. The food, the location, and the background Sinatra music cannot be beat.
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