Ruby's Shake Shack - Newport Coast

Located at 7703 East Coast Hwy, Newport Coast CA

                                                                                    The Shack

                                                                                    The Menu

                                                                                                                   The Deck/dining area

He Said:  

Burger loaded or Chili Dog, this night my choice was the dog smothered with some good ol' pipe cleaning chili. Ok, the chili wasn't that spicy but did have some chunk to it.  Throw some raw white onion on there with same green onion, you have a Shack Chili Dog.  Although the dog was longer than the bun, they complimented themselves nicely ;).  I added a Butterfinger shake which I can never resist adding to my chili dog or burger meal. I have been just reminded that I lied and have had other shakes, Reeses Peanut Butter Cup and Mixed Berry.  Fries are just your regular burger fry, nothing to write home about so I'm writing this off location. I must say the ocean air does add a bit of extra salt to those fries................that is how CLOSE you're to the Pacific Ocean.  Walked in at 185 and walked out 189. Great views, great food and great atmosphere!

She Said:

This has become our go to place for a burger, fries and shake!

Since I'm a plain Jane eater....I order the Shack Burger beef with lettuce and cheese only.

This is the perfect burger to fulfill that craving for a burger and fries.  

I have always had a spot on, deliciously prepared burger and their fries are super good.  

Along with the ocean view to enjoy this tasty basket of food, it's a perfect meal.

                                                look at that view!

I'm a purist when it comes to my shakes.  I like them simple and traditional. 

Since I'm a HUGE chocolate lover, that's my go to shake flavor.

The Shake Shack offers a Dark Chocolate Shake.....SOLD!  

That is the only one I have had and probably will be the only one I will ever have. 

It's creamy, thick, but not too thick, topped with whip cream and a cherry!  

They serve it before your meal with a wide shake straw and long spoon.

If you are in the area and not hungry for a meal, a shake alone is worth the stop.

The parking lot is small and many times there is a line along the shoulder of the highway with people waiting to park, it's seriously THAT good!  Since we have an annual state park parking pass, so we have parked at the Crystal Cove state park lot and walked the almost mile for a meal.  Probably would be a good idea to do that most of the time! LOL!

It can and does get a little chilly once the sun goes down, so be sure if you are planning to stop by in the evening to bring a lightweight or possibly heavy jacket.  

If you are planning a trip to SoCal and will be in Orange County, Ruby's Shake Shack is worth the stop for a meal!  

Bandera - Corona Del Mar

Bandera is located at 3201 Pacific Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar  CA

He Said:
As expected "she" will say a lot and with much more detail.  All she said and let me start out with our drinks to wet our whistles while we wait for the Iron Skillet Cornbread.  She ordered up a strong Vodka Tonic, this outlasted her cornbread, dinner and dessert. Matter of fact, it is probably still sitting there waiting.  Myself on the other hand requested a Moscow Mule which was an easy accommodation since they did offer a Mezcal Mule, basically tequila instead of vodka.  After that a topper of Stella Artois.  Was surprised both the Moscow Mule and Stella were not in their signature cups/glasses.  Very good and healthy strength.

I ordered a Center Cut Filet, well done, which cut like butter. Just the right seasoning complimented by garlic mashed potatoes with kale.  Although she will talk them up, they were not to my liking. More of texture versus tastes. Would have been more appropriate with a chicken dish.

Overall, I was pleased with the service and meal.  Price point was in line with experience.  Will be returning!

 

She Said: 

We arrived an hour prior to our 5:15 reservation time and decided we were too hungry to wait for our reservation so we went in to see if they could seat us early.  They don't open until 4:30, so we were invited to sit at the bar or on their outdoor covered patio.  We chose the patio and I was pleased to find there is ample space with comfortable seating to wait.  There is also a fireplace out there that I am sure is delightful on a chilly fall evening.  

We were promptly seated at 4:30.   

Ambiance: It was dark, cozy and candle lit.  Perfect for a romantic dinner or enjoyable for a dinner with friends.

Service:  I was very pleased with the service here.  The wait staff was attentive without being too attentive....in other words, they struck the perfect balance of checking on us without disrupting our meal too frequently.  

Food:

Started with the Iron Skillet Cornbread.  This was delicious!  The top was crusty with the sweetness of which I am sure is a honey drizzle.  The inside was crumbly but moist (not dry like cornbread can sometimes be) and the perfect balance of corn.  I believe they add green chilies to the mix which added a slight hint of flavor for a delightful taste on the tongue.

For my Main Dish I chose the Petite Center Cut Filet and substituted the seasonal vegetable (broccoli) for their Mashed Potatoes Colcannon.  I requested my steak Med-Well and it arrived perfectly prepared.  It was melt in my mouth delicious as well as the perfect portion size.  I had never had mashed potatoes colcannon and looked it up afterwards.  It's potatoes mashed with kale and cream.  They were good, the kale providing a sweet slight crunch with each bite, but if truth be told, I prefer a creamy garlic mash or loaded baked potato with a steak.

We ordered dessert and went with the Banana Cream Pie with homemade caramel and chocolate.  The pie was delicious and the crust was interesting.  Upon my first bite I knew it wasn't a regular graham cracker crust, it almost had a granola like texture.  I inquired what the crust was made of and was told it's graham cracker, crushed walnuts and bits of Ghirardelli chocolate.  It was interesting and different, but maybe a bit too different for me. 

Overall I enjoyed our dining experience for dinner here and most certainly plan to return.  I am eager to try their rotisserie chicken! 

Welcome!

Hello!  Welcome to our little space in the land of blogs.
We are a happily married couple of almost 21 years who recently moved to Orange County California from the Seattle area in Washington.  We enjoy spending our time together exploring our surroundings, finding new and fun things to do and see.  We also really enjoy dining out.  We are not foodies by any means, our palates are pretty simple.  Currently we are seeking out local and new to us places to dine in the OC and surrounding areas and have decided to post our reviews on these places. The food we ate, if we enjoyed it or not, the service, atmosphere, that sort of thing.  We have decided to do it in a He said, She said format as we enjoy different foods and can have differing opinions on the places we dined.
Our goal is to make this a fun place for you to come and enjoy our adventures as we explore our new surroundings and maybe find a new place for you to try if you live in the area or are planning to visit. On occasion we will also review shops and places we visit that we think may be of interest to our readers.
Since we love Disneyland and are annual pass holders, you will soon be able to find our reviews of the various places to grab a bite at Disneyland and California Adventure.
We welcome any suggestions or invitations of places to try.
Comments are always encouraged as we love to engage with others, even if we have differing opinions.