Good Times at Tempo Urban Kitchen | @TempoKitchen #TempoUrbanKitchen

Good Times at Tempo Urban Kitchen

By Erin

Tempo Urban Kitchen in Brea, California is marching to its own culinary beat and creating some amazing dishes that are not to be missed. I knew right from the start that we were in for a fun evening the second we walked through the door (you’ll see what I mean once you see the pictures below..) I was invited to attend a media tasting last week here to check out not only the amazing eats, but also the very eclectic atmosphere, some behind the scenes action in the kitchen and meet not only one out of this world chef, but 3! All of the invited guests were treated to 3 outstanding local OC chefs who each prepared a special dish for our dining extravaganza. Check out what these talented chefs are cooking up here at Tempo Urban Kitchen! You are in for a very enjoyable dining experience here.

Tempo Urban Kitchen

The ambiance of this dining haven is very friendly, welcoming , urban, chic and very eclectic, with lots of colorful contemporary artwork on the walls, that I noticed were also for sell. I think it’s pretty safe to say we were all super excited to see this new bar and eatery from owner, Jorge Cueva and to finally get to taste the Latin American offerings that we have all been seeing pictures of leading up to this night. It was awesome to be back to taste some of Chef Chris Tzorin’s crazy delicious creations as well since late last year we were all treated to an amazing dinner by Chef Chris Tzorin. Chris has been on several Food Network shows and is one amazingly talented and inspirational guy. He never gives up and keeps going for his dreams.Tempo-Urban-Kitchen-Drinks

Ok, so NOW you see why I said earlier this is such a super fun place? THIS is what you see the second you step into the door! The bar greets you full on with this beautiful setup! They have a very nice selection of tequilas and spirits offered. 🙂

Tempo Urban Kitchen Lights

Make sure you look up when you walk in as well. I love all the natural light and the other creative lighting hanging throughout the dining area.

Tempo Urban Kitchen Chefs

Chef Chris Tzorin had us start off the evening with a tour through the kitchen and to meet the other chefs and staff who were diligently preparing dinner for us. The owner of Tempo Urban Kitchen Jorge Cueva; hand picked and brought in these three awesome and talented young Chefs: (from left to right) Executive Chef Salvador Carrillo, Chef Chris Tzorin,  & Chef Charly Perez.

Tempo Urban Kitchen Prep Chef Charly Perez cooking up the deconstructed Korean tacos we were about to devour and enjoy.

TUK Margaritas

Once seated, we were greeting with these sweet things. Some Mango- Serrano Infused Margaritas with a Tajino rim. Sweet and spicy and so refreshing.

TUK Grilled Octopus

Our first bite of the night was the Marinated Grill Octopus, Created by Chef Chris Tzorin. Made with guajillo chili oil, a creamy Serrano sauce, lime cream and chipotle mayo, and topped with microgreens.  Served on wood planks to make it easy to dip into the Chipotle Aioli and greens. Oh my, so good. I did not want to share this. With anyone!! A very enjoyable dish, you will want to savor every last morsel of these bites of pure joy.

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The Melting Pot: A Fondue Paradise in Brea, California

The Melting Pot: A Fondue Paradise

By Erin

*I was invited to come in as a guest and check out The Melting Pot. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.*

Chocolate, strawberries, cheesecake, oh my! Who doesn’t like some good old fashioned fondue? At The Melting Pot, not only do you get an amazing meal, but a truly unique experience as well. If you love cheese and chocolate as much as I do, then you will surly be in heaven here! With quite a few locations to choose from in Southern California, there are also many others spread throughout the United States. Check their website above for exact locations in order to find your nearest fondue paradise. 😉

Perfect for a girls night out, date night, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, happy hour, some dessert after a movie or other outing, or any other special occasion! Get ready for the experience of a lifetime!

The Melting PotMy local Melting Pot is in Brea, California.

The Melting Pot 1

Getting ready to fondue it up! 😉

Experience Fondue Paradise at The Melting Pot

You get to customize your fondue experience any way you like. Their menu allows you to order 1, 2, 3, or 4 courses. Whether you’re craving a duet of cheese and chocolate fondue or want to experience all four courses, you can pick and choose to your hearts content. We went with the 4-Course Experience in order to give you all a little taste of what you can expect here.

4-Course Experience

1. Select one cheese fondue per cooktop.
2. Select your individual salad.
3. Select your individual entrée from their menu.
4. Select one chocolate fondue per cooktop

Melting Pot Cheese Fondue

Cheddar Cheese Fondue being made table side!

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Eat. Live. Love. At the Olive Pit Grill!

Eat. Live. Love. At the Olive Pit Grill!

By Erin

If you love a good Mediterranean/Greek meal, have I found the place for you! Nestled off of Bolsa Chica Street in Huntington Beach (they also have a location in Brea, CA as well) there is a true hidden gem,  the Olive Pit Grill .  This place is a tasty delight for your taste buds. The best part is how fresh the food is and that it is all homemade in-house, which shows in the quality and flavor of every bite. The prices can’t be beat either! We were invited out to try many of their delectable items that they have to offer. I must say, I have been back a handful of times already as I can’t get enough of the stuff! 🙂

Their slogan is Eat. Live. Love. It is very evident as when you are here, you are like family, everyone is so warm and friendly. You definitely eat well here. The love and passion for the food can be seen in  everything as well, as everything is homemade daily and made from scratch! You will find many items here that are NOT on their regular menu. They offer many specialty items you will want to check out and try out for yourself! So make sure to ask about them the next time you go!

1OlivePit2

The first thing we tried was the Frappe “Greek Style” Ice Coffee ($2.25) and the Three Dip Combo ($8.85) which comes with three homemade dips and pita bread. For ours we had the Spicy Cheese, Hummus, & Melitzanosalata (eggplant) dips.

Olive Pit Grill

The Ice Coffee was amazing, mine didn’t last long. It was just sweet, smooth, and Frappe enough for my liking. The pita bread was extremely warm, soft and fresh out of the oven! It was tempting to just fill up on the pita bread alone the dips were all so flavorful and tasty!

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