Brad A. Johnson
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Brad A. Johnson

Food & Travel

Brad A Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
    • Hotel & Resort Photography
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Posts by tag

orangecounty

33 posts

OC’s Best Places to Eat 2020

  • October 9, 2020
  • Brad A. Johnson
The Orange County Register has begun rolling out the sixth edition of my guide to the Best Places to Eat. The previous five iterations have served as an annual scavenger hunt in the form of a bucket-list ranking of the 75 best restaurants in OC. But it looks a bit different this year because 2020 changed the way we eat. So this year we offer a guide to dining in the pandemic.
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Dish of the Week: Kohada from Sushi Ii, Newport Beach

  • July 27, 2020
  • Brad A. Johnson
It is often said that sushi chefs judge each other by their kohada, or gizzard shad. And the kohada at Sushi Ii in Newport Beach is surely the envy of sushi chefs everywhere.
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Dish of the Week: Cacio e Pepe at Oliver’s Osteria, Laguna Beach

  • March 22, 2020
  • Brad A. Johnson
The cacio e pepe at Oliver's Osteria in Laguna Beach is available for takeout during the pandemic. Stay safe out there!
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Review: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel

  • February 4, 2020
  • Brad A. Johnson
Since opening in 2001, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel has widely been considered not just the nicest hotel at Disneyland but also the best hotel in all of Anaheim. But is it? Here’s the hard truth.
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Dish of the Week: Bistec Encebollado at Isla, La Palma

  • October 5, 2019
  • Brad A. Johnson
Southern California has never had a shortage of Cuban restaurants, but we've never had a truly great Cuban restaurant, either. And, yes, I know the ones you're thinking of right now — and they're not as good as you think they are. Want proof? Go to the new Isla in La Palma.
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Taco Tuesday: La Super Birria, Santa Ana

  • February 26, 2019
  • Brad A. Johnson
Give it a minute. Blowing on it doesn’t help. The consommé at La Súper Birria is served so hot it could melt paint off of an airplane engine. Let it…
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Dish of the Week: Laksa at Uncle Fung, Buena Park

  • February 16, 2019
  • Brad A. Johnson
The laksa at Uncle Fung in Buena Park is legit. They make their own egg noodles, or mee, and the broth is rich and creamy, a mildly spicy curry thickened with coconut cream.
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Review: Hotel Joaquin, Laguna Beach

  • February 1, 2019
  • Brad A. Johnson
The 22-room Hotel Joaquin is probably the best bargain in Laguna Beach, and certainly one of the hippest hotels in town with literally zero attitude. It’s not directly on the beach, but it’s just a three-minute walk down the hill.
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Dish of the Week: Oxtail pho at Pho 101

  • November 9, 2018
  • Brad A. Johnson
This is the best oxtail pho in Orange County. Period. Well, actually, there is one other that's exactly the same...
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Dish of the Week: Torta at Playa Mesa, Costa Mesa

  • October 29, 2018
  • Brad A. Johnson
When the waitress sets it on the table with a thud, I immediately assure myself that I’m not crazy enough to eat this entire sandwich. I’ll just eat half of it, at which point I will assert self control. Somewhere along the way my plan goes awry...
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Cancún’s original grande dame changed its banner from The Ritz-Carlton to Kempinski during the pandemic, but little else has changed (except maybe some upgraded furniture in the rooms and a fresh coat of paint). Posh as ever. Lovely beach. Same staff. Same owner, whose classical art collection alone is worth a look if you've never seen it. You would wander the halls for days looking at art at this hotel. Old-money Cancún at its finest. ⁠ 44 3
Serenity. Checked into the new @waldorfastoriacancun on the outskirts of Cancún for a little pampering. It's lovely. A world away from the hectic hotel zone. I felt like I had the entire hotel to myself. ⁠ 68 2
Cochinita pibil with black-bean soup and wood-fired tortillas at @kinichizamal. Tasty detour. ⁠ 61 3
Nobody walks more than a block or two in Espita. Hardly anyone drives. Motorized trishaws are the preferred mode of transport. That last photo is the country road to Espita, which is located about halfway between Merida and Tulum in the Yucatán. ⁠ 54 0
Is this the prettiest avocado toast you've ever seen or what? That tiny spoonful of chile oil on the right side is more than enough. A perfect breakfast by @chef.jorgeildefonso and chef @_josehauvidal at @casonadeloscedros_restaurante in Espita, Yucatán. ⁠ 45 0
In the middle of seemingly nowhere in the Yucatán jungle you'll find the small, traditional pueblo of Espita, and that's where you'll find @casonadeloscedros_restaurante, an incredible little restaurant by @chef.jorgeildefonso (with chef @_josehauvidal on the pass), tucked inside an amazingly charming inn. This is essentially the only restaurant in town, and it is the very reason to make the journey. ⁠ 116 5
Brad A. Johnson
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Writer. Photographer. Traveler. Restaurant Critic.

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