Savannah’s Chophouse: A Night of Food & Fun For All @SavChopHouse

Savannah’s Chophouse: A Night of Food & Fun For All

By Erin

I love a good night of food and fun with friends. Last month I hopped into the car with a couple of good friends and we traveled a little farther South into the OC to try out a steakhouse that was new to all of us called Savannah Steak & Chop House that is in Laguna Niguel.  Gigasavvy has a Social Club now and this was to be their first gathering and we had all been invited to join in on this special night! Savannah’s made it a truly special night to remember, and a lovely date night for those attending with their spouses or significant others.

Savannah-Steak-Chop-House
We were greeted by a very welcoming staff, as well as these cute guys below… uhhh lobster anyone? You really can’t get it fresher than that! The decor is very elegant, classy and refined. A special occasion or date night place for sure!

Savannah-Chop-House

Outside on the patio where we would be spending our evening at, we were greeted by a gorgeous view and a sunset setting over the ocean. How romantic!! Uh, well it would be if I had a special someone like that to share it with! If  you DO have romance in mind though, be sure to ask for Table #1! Table #1 has the best view on the outdoor patio which is perfect for romance and to wine and dine your honey at.  Many engagements have occurred here at this special spot! The General Manager Phil Roberson and Executive Chef Chris Tzorin spoke to us and went out of their way to make sure we all had a wonderful time and that the food was superb. Savannah’s has an amazingly accommodating and attentive team.

Savannah's

We started off with appetizers and drinks that gave us a preview what the rock star chef  Chris Tzorin had in store for us.  The tray passed appetizers included: Smoked Salmon on a Toasted Point, Bruschetta, and Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp.

savannahs-drinks

Cheers to a night of amazing food and company!

SAVANNAH-APPSThe delicious Tray Passed Appetizers.
Tempura-Stuffed-Zucchini

After we had a little bit of time to mingle with everyone, we were seated and the first course was served: Tempura Stuffed Zucchini!  Stuffed with herd goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes on top of a bed of mixed baby greens and a Ponzu sauce. It was the perfect way to start off our meal together.

Savannah-Salads

 Next up for the second course was either a Watermelon Beet Salad with a mixed blend of lettuce,  candied pecans, goat cheese, and a herbal vinaigrette. This was the salad that I had and it was a very refreshing choice for a hot summer day.  The other choice was a Caesar Salad with croutons, Fried Capers, Parmesan, and a House Caesar Dressing.

Savannah-Surf-Turf

The main course was next! It was none other than a superb Surf and Turf plate! A Filet Medallion with Shrimp Scampi, mashed potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, and a nice Cabernet Reduction. I love steak and shrimp, so I was in heaven with this meal!

Savannah-Dessert

No meal would be complete without a dessert or TWO! 😉 The choices to share were a warm flourless molten chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream, berries, and a chocolate sauce. THIS one was amazing. I could have easily eaten a second one of these all on my own!! The other choice was a Strawberry Short Cake, which consisted of a warm vanilla cake, fresh strawberries and whipped cream. This one was also very yummy, but the Chocolate Cake stole my heart.

Other things offered here at Savannah’s includes: live entertainment, childrens’ cooking classes, magician dinners, wine-pairing dinners and other fantastic events that are all excellent reasons to come eat Chef Tzorin’s fabulous food and have a good time with good company. You really can’t go wrong here. It doesn’t matter if you are seated inside by the huge cozy rock fireplace near the bar, in the main dining room, the veranda or out in the patio, you are in for a special treat and a ton of fun! So go on out and start making your own special memories at this delicious restaurant in the heart of Laguna Niguel.

Savannah Chop House
32441 Golden Lantern
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
949-493-7107
Follow them on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter.
A very special THANK YOU goes out to Savannah Chop House and Gigasavvy for a wonderful night out at Gigasavvy’s 1st Social Club Gathering! I hope to be a part of many more to come!

Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill: Feel Good About Eating @SharkysSocial

Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill: Feel Good About Eating

By Erin

Have you been to Sharky’s yet? Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill recently opened its 22nd restaurant in Northridge. At Sharky’s they are all about using innovative and creative recipes and using local, natural and organic ingredients. Their passion for the variety of flavors of Mexico and using organic and natural foods is evident in every bite. I was invited to attend a media lunch sponsored by Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill in Northridge. I made the trek up the 405 to come here from Long Beach, that’s how good it is.

Sharkys-Exterior

Sharky’s is a fresh & modern, fast casual restaurant that serves Mexican cuisine that wants to make you “feel good about eating” again. The visual appearance is also appealing and welcoming. With a sky-high, sloping roofline and outdoor patio with comfortable seating and a communal firepit that is perfect for people watching or to spend time with family and friends.

Sharkys-Feel Good About Eating

The second you step into Sharky’s, you will notice the open and welcoming space. With 20-foot ceilings, cozy booths, a dining bar with prime TV viewing, or a community table, you have many seating options depending on your needs on any particular visit. The Northridge location is at the corner of Nordhoff & Reseda Blvd and is within walking distance from Cal State Northridge. I can totally see this place being packed by students either waiting for classes to start, taking a lunch or dinner break, or after classes to relax and hang-out. I know I would be making this my go-to spot if I were a student at CSUN or worked super close by!
Sharky's Salsa Bar

A couple other things you will notice; the fresh salsa bar and the beautiful bar which serves craft beers, Sangria & kombucha. I loved the Sangria, look at all of the fruit inside!

Sharkys-Sangria

Who would of thought that kombucha would be served at a bar at a Mexican restaurant? The Kombucha has been a successful addition according to David Goldstein, who is Sharky’s COO. I chose to stick with my fruity sangria though. 😛

Continue reading »

Top 10 Food Picks You Won’t Want to Miss at L.A. County Fair #LACFNaturalHigh @LACountyFair

Top 10 Food Picks You Won’t Want to Miss at the L.A. County Fair

By Erin

*I was invited to attend the L.A. County Fair’s Media Food Preview to facilitate this post. This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.* 

It’s every foodies favorite time of year again! It’s fair time, and you know what that means! All the tasty and delicious fair food is back, and it won’t disappoint! I grew up coming to the L.A. County Fair and I always love and adore coming back to enjoy all of the sights, sounds, and smells that the fair brings along with it. This year the Los Angeles County Fair is back here in Pomona and is here through September 27th. A few days ago, I went to check out some of the best food items that the fair has to offer at the fair food preview for media. Here’s a list of my top 10 picks!

LACF-LOGO

10) Deep-Fried Peanut-Butter Pickle at Chicken Charlie’s

LA County Fair - Fried Peanut Butter Pickle from Chicken Charlie

This one is a bit unusual, and probably something you’d never think of to combine together, (I know I wouldn’t have!) but Charlie does it again! By mixing a savory pickle with the creamy natural sweetness of peanut butter and chocolate sauce, Charlie comes up with another brilliant idea that works. It’s a BIG pickle, so it’s perfect for sharing; especially if you plan on sampling a lot of the fair food. 😉

9) Blooming Onion at the Fresh Frys Stand

LACF-Onion

You can’t go wrong with this old fair favorite! A crispy, battered and deep-fried onion with a cool ranch dip that is also great to share.

8) BBQ Beef Sundae at Chuckwagon

LACF-BBQ-Beef-Sundae

The BBQ Beef Sundae from Chuckwagon starts with mashed potatoes instead of ice cream, then layered with a generous portion of barbecued brisket slices, and is topped with a cherry — a cherry tomato, that is. This is probably one of the healthier food options this year, as at least it is not deep fried!

7) Chicken & Waffles in a Cone at Cornucopia Foods

LACF-Chicken-Waffles-Cone

A new twist on Chicken and Waffles! It’s served in a Waffle Cone, making it easy to carry around the fair. This tasty number is loaded up with chicken nuggets and mini waffles that are doused in maple syrup and is then topped with bacon bits and powdered sugar. Can you say YUM???? You will get super sticky after eating this one, so be prepared to get sticky. You might want to have some wipes on hand if you don’t want to be making an extra trip to the restroom to wash them off. Another one to share if you plan on trying everything at the fair.

6) Deep-Fried Corn at Chuckwagon

LACF-Roasted-Corn

A much healthier item at the fair by far, and one of my personal fair favorites since I was a kid. It may be simple, but adding some toppings to it makes it an extra special treat.

5) Deep-Fried Bacon Wrapped Chicken & Waffles at Chicken Charlie’s

LACF-Bacon-Chicken-&-Waffles

You can never have too many versions of chicken and waffles right? I am a total sucker for all things sweet and savory so I love this version of it from Chicken Charlie’s!

4) Deep-Fried Guacamole at Chicken-Charlie’s

Deep-Fried-Avocado

I love all things made with avocado, so it is no surprise that this one is towards the top of my list of “must haves” at the fair this year! Take the crispy goodness of the deep-fried crust with the gooey inside of the soft guacamole and you get one delicious, tangy and flavorful treat. Dip it with just enough ranch dressing to make it the perfect fair snack.

3) Mango Michelagua at Ricco’s Michelaguas

LACF-Riccos

This one is a super refreshing treat! I could seriously drink these all day at the fair and be perfectly happy and this isn’t even an alcoholic drink! You will want one (or two) of these to cool off with on a hot day at the fair. This one shown is Mango but there are other varieties like Pineapple-Spinach and Lemonade-Cucumber. Filled with fresh fruit and topped with cherimoya and chili around the rim, makes it the most refreshing treat to cool down with and quench your thirst.

2)  Teriyaki Chicken Pineapple Bowl at Pineapple Express/Chicken Charlie’s

Chicken-Charlies-Pineapple-Chicken

This has to be my most favorite healthier option at the fair. Take some tender teriyaki chicken in Charlie’s secret sauce and put it over rice and pineapple chunks in a real pineapple  bowl and you get one sweet and delicious tropical meal.

1) Deep-Fried Cinnamon Apple Rings at Chuckwagon

LACF-Apple-Rings

If you only try one thing at the fair this year, make sure it’s THIS! New to the L.A. County Fair, these Apple Rings have been deep-fried and lightly coated and sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar. Dip them into the whipped cream and you have the most sweet and delectable treat one can imagine. Now this may be one you DON’T want to share! 😉

So there you have it! My top 10 food picks for the fair. My advice: if you plan on attending this year’s fair, prepare yourself and pace yourself! Share everything with a buddy so you have more room to enjoy all of the deep-fried goodness that the fair has to offer. Wear comfortable pants that aren’t too tight. If your eyes are like mine, they are bigger than your stomach. So even if you don’t want to, SHARE. Otherwise, half-way in you will already be stuffed like a Thanksgiving Turkey! 😛 Trust.Me. On this! Also, this way, instead of gaining a gazillion pounds, it will probably be more like 2.

 

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the awesome lights at night at Luminasia! It is sadly in its final year at the fair so you won’t want to miss out on that. Don’t forget to say hello to all of the cute animals either, and to play some games and go on a ride or two once all of that food settles a bit…. and  The Steam Punkers at Grinding Gears! They are returning again this year and they are pretty awesome. 🙂

What are you looking forward to pigging out on at the fair this year? 😉

LA County Fair 2015

Dates: Sept. 4 – Sept. 27, 2015

CLOSED Mondays (except for Monday 9/7) & Tuesdays

Fairplex Exposition Complex
1101 West McKinley Ave.
Pomona, CA 

(909) 623-3111