I picked this beer up at the local Cost Plus World Market where they were having a deal to design your own six-pack for less than two dollars a bottle.  Not a bad deal, so I picked up four new beers for myself and two Woodchuck ciders for the girlfriend.  This Franziskaner is the first of the four bottles that I’ll be reviewing this week.

For a hefeweizen, this is remarkably un-bright, but in a good way.  It lacks the acidity or punch that other hefeweizens come with, due to the extra orange flavors added during the bottling process or when being served with a slice of orange (as an American tradition).  What it lacks in “brightness,” it makes up for in creaminess in texture, almost like a glass of cold milk.

The Franziskaner is not bright orange like some American hefeweizens; it pours a nice hazy, light-brown liquid whose cloudiness is emphasized when you pour the yeast sediment from bottle to the glass.  Some prefer not to do this, but I like to as I think it adds flavor to the beer.

As for flavor, it is nice and wheaty (of course!), like liquid bread with just a hint of bananas.  The banana-like quality will trick you into thinking that it’s sweeter than it actually is.  I suppose you could add citrus if you prefer to brighten it up a little, but I like the understated flavors here.

I’m taking it easy today, waiting for the end of Lost as the series finale is tonight.  I’m having an enjoyable day and relaxing with an enjoyable beer.

Working in Irvine, its hard to find good, if not, great Vietnamese restaurants nearby for lunch.  They are either limited in selection, poor representation, or overpriced compared to the eateries you can find in Little Saigon.  Understandably, the rent is more expensive in Tustin/Irvine, and the food (or price) usually suffers for it.

Thankfully, the price is the only thing that suffers at Zon, whose sandwiches are a delight and an almost-perfect rendition of the many delicious mom-and-pop bahn mi places in Westminster.  You can expect to pay $3-$4 a sandwich, a little bit more than what you’d find at the many “Buy 2, get 1 free” places in Little Saigon.

The bread has the perfect crust with the requisite snap in texture that makes way to the chewy inside.  The ingredients are par for the course: the charbroiled park is well-seasoned and has just the right amount of charring; the dac biet (house special) is the usual Vietnamese standard, various slices of Vietnamese cold-cuts that work well.  Like any good Vietnamese bakery, they sell their bread by itself.  Do yourself a favor and buy a loaf.

One thing I did notice when ordering is that the cashier will ask you if you want peppers in it.  This is usually a standard in Little Saigon: you don’t get a choice.  I think the option is given to the more American palate.

I love, love, love the iced Vietnamese coffee here.  What sets it apart is the coffee is brewed stronger than most bahn mi shops.  You still get the sweetness of the condensed milk, but the Vietnamese coffee tastes like, surprise, coffee.

For dessert, I ordered the flan hoping for something perfectly creamy with a bit of caramel flavor.  I was vastly disappointed.  The texture was alright, but it was certainly lacking in flavor.  Skip the flan and take an extra baguette home to go.

Sobanh Express is located in the small (like 3 shops) food court side of H-Mart, a Korean supermarket. Parking can be troublesome and it can be hard to get a free table during the busy lunch hour, but it’s well worth it if you give it a chance.

Most of the hot stone bowls come with either rice or noodles, some veggies, protien, and a raw egg which cooks as you stir the ingredients around the nuclear-hot bowl when it comes to you.  The meat is tender and well marinaded.  On top of that, you get two small pickled-sides (kimchi and radish).  In Korean sit-down restaurants, you’d normally get five to seven sides; the fact that this “fast-food” gives you any sides is a plus. I would have preferred one pickled and one non-pickled side just for variety.  Not bad for just $7 to $9 dollars (depending on the type of meat you order).

There are soft tofu hot stone bowls as well.  The menu for those are limited compared to a full on Korean restaurant but a decent number is presented.  Get a cold drink if you go with the soft-tofu, I guarantee you’ll burn your tongue at least a little.

One really interesting departure from traditional Korean fare is the bulgolgi (Korean bbq beef) sandwich.  A single-serving baguette is hallowed out and stuffed with meat and sauce.  It’s actually tasty and quite satisfying.  One option of sides to go with it are rice fries which is exactly as it sounds: french fries made out of rice.  I really couldn’t get into it, there was something off about the flavor.  You won’t miss anything if you skip the fries.

Sobanh Express is a fast and cheap option if you’re looking for some good Korean food while shopping at H-Mart or on your lunch break.

Salteñas are a kind of empanada, slightly sweet and spicy.  This particular one was filled with pork, eggs, potatoes, and peas.  The crust was perfectly baked and had the right amount of give.  You can eat it with a fork or you can pick it up and sink your teeth into it, but be prepared for a burst of the sweet and savory juices if you do.  These things are delicious! Don’t be surprised if they are sold out if you come later in the day; they’re made fresh and sell quickly.

On a separate visit, I had a few of Rollie’s tacos: al pastor, carne asada, and chorizo.  The first two are your standard fare, nothing revelatory about them. But the chorizo! Wonderfully greasy and full of flavor, the broken up sausage with potatoes are a wonder to behold.  Paired with the fresh, home-style tortillas these tacos are amazing.

You’ll probably want something to wash down all this good food.  It’s disappointing that such a delicious and authentic Mexican eatery should have a lackluster jamaica.  It’s just too sweet and is almost syrupy. Skip the jamaica and grab a Mexican coke instead.

If you get a chance introduce yourself to Ebie, the owner.  She’s happy to chat with you about the ingredients and is really proud about the food she produces.  Rollie’s is a small independent cafe with bold big flavors.

I hope you’ll join me in this endeavor by suggesting places I should try and engaging me in conversation about the reviews I write.  I’ll have a contact page up soon, but the best way to reach me is probably through comments on this site.

Thanks!