Here's why I think Orange County has a better food scene than Los Angeles

OK, hear me out. Yes, Los Angeles has a great food scene. Of course — I'd never deny that. But to get to those top-notch restaurants, you have to criss-cross all manner of freeways, pray fervently to the parking gods and hope that the restaurant hasn't permanently closed in the months it takes for you to actually make it there.

Meanwhile, in more compact Orange County, you have access to myriad of global cuisines — maybe you can even visit a few of them in one day — with more time eating and less time battling traffic, and you likely won't have to parallel park! Take that, City of Angels.

I do admit, however, that being able to taste those different cuisines is particularly important to me. I had a multi-cultural childhood, growing up in Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, so the dishes of my early years were far-flung and varied.

Levantine shawarma, Yemeni mandi, Sri Lankan kottu, Indian chicken 65, Pakistani biriyani, and Malaysian nasi lemak. Even Korean bulgogi and Filipino halo halo made an appearance.

As a homesick immigrant in West L.A. in 2017, I would often stare at the palm trees dreaming of creamy toum (garlic sauce) against smoky, charred chicken, dark green crispy curry leaves contrasting with bright red chicken 65 and tender mutton chunks against golden hued rice.

Then, I learned about the magical place that is Orange County, where I was able to turn my gastronomic dreams into reality. And I'm now an LAist reporter focused on Orange County, so it's my job to explore different communities and see what's on offer.

So I've put together a whole day of meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner — that I love to eat at my fave restaurants. See it as globe-trotting without leaving O.C., plus you'll likely get a slew of leftovers to take home. Enjoy!

Breakfast

• 6100 Bread (Philippines)

A cruffin, a pastry that is a hybrid of a croissant and a muffin, from 6100 Bread in Santa Ana

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Courtesy of 6100 Bread

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While halo-halo (Filipino crushed ice dessert) isn’t breakfast appropriate, ube cruffins at 6100 bread — a cross between a muffin and croissant — is perfectly acceptable. Flaky, sweet with a soft cream center, this is the perfect energy boost in the a.m.

My colleague Gab Chabrán convinced me to also pick up a loaf of milk bread. Let me know if you try it, too!

• Forn Al Hara (Lebanon)

Za'atar, lahem bel ajeen, labneh and honey, and safiyah manakeesh at Forn Al Hara

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Samanta Helou Hernandez

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LAist

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My go-to order at Forn Al Hara, the longtime institution in Anaheim’s Little Arabia, is Za’atar manoushe, a Lebanese soft bread topped with herbaceous za’atar, a spice blend of oregano, thyme and sesame seeds.

Read our Little Arabia food guide for my pro tip on what to pair with the za’atar.

Lunch

• Aleppo’s Kitchen (Syria)

Shish barak or pillowy soft dumplings at Aleppo's Kitchen in Anaheim.

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Courtesy Aleppo's Kitchen

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To be honest, I can eat shawarma for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack. It truly is comfort food for me. The succulent, tender chicken version at Aleppo’s Kitchen is made Syrian style with fries, pickles and lettuce.

I wish they also had this for lunch, but it’s only served at dinner. The shish barak is top tier at this Anaheim restaurant: pillowy soft dumplings filled with lightly spiced meat served swimming in a creamy, yoghurt sauce.

•  Colachi Restaurant (Pakistan)

Tucked away in a strip mall in Placentia is Colachi, a place that transports me to my best friend’s house in Sharjah, UAE. Biriyani is an art form, it requires patience, restraint and care. The meat has to be cooked till it's tender, but not yet falling apart. Each grain of rice should be fluffy and tell tales of spice. And the rice and meat should be layered and cooked together so it sings in chorus. And I think no one makes it better than my best friend’s mother.

But, Colachi’s biriyani is a close second.

• Alta Baja Market (Mexico)

I don’t think I ever had one square of Alta Baja Market’s blue cornbread. It is always two and understandably so. Soft, buttery and a warm hug on a plate, this is a winner always.

The cafe and marketplace in Santa Ana is an ode to the flavors I have come to love living now in Southern California. My go-to order is Nathalie’s chilaquiles served in a bowl with the corn really coming through in the chips. Don’t forget to ask for their specials: I may have eaten my weight in the esquites salad this summer.

Dinner

• M Korean BBQ (Korea)

Featuring a variety of high quality meats and a variety of banchans like kimchi and radish salad, M Korean BBQ is a solid spot for Korean barbecue in Orange County. My favorite way to eat the charred thinly sliced prime brisket is rolled up in a pickled pink radish round with kimchi. Thank me later!

• Belacan Grill  (Malaysia)

Nasi lemak is the national dish of Malaysia. As a high school student in Kuala Lumpur, I would spend RM1 (around 24 cents) on a tightly wrapped banana leaf triangle enclosing fragrant coconut rice, pungent anchovies and sweet and spicy sambal. It was a hearty but cheap breakfast.

Now, I typically get it when I am in Tustin. The Belacan Grill version also includes coconut rice, anchovies and sambal with additional accompaniments like the rich beef rendang, tender meat swimming in a lemongrass, chili and coconut milk curry, roasted peanuts, crispy green beans and cucumber slices.