Cheap(er) ethnic restaurants in Orange County (Long Beach, Santa Ana: apartments, condos)

[Charles]

Looking for recommendations for less expensive, maybe hole in the wall, restaurants in Orange County (not Mexican because they are everywhere and there already is a good thread on Mexican Restaurants in OC).

Saw this in today's LA Times.

Chili Chutney restaurant review: Chili Chutney, an Afghan restaurant in Lake Forest - latimes.com

And there was this posted on another thread awhile ago:

Originally Posted by Gurbie

Gustavo Arellano, of "Ask a Mexican" fame, writes a weekly food column for the O.C. Weekly called "This Hole-in-the-Wall Life" He ONLY reviews greasy-spoon, ethnic dives in OC. Most of the reviews are of Mexican/ Central American joints, but his second-favorite type of food is middle-eastern. You can check out his columns on-line on the OC Weekly web site.

Middle Easterm, Lebanese, Armenian, kabobs, weird stuff, etc.

[Fontucky]

Thai Paradise Restaurant
3551 Camino Mira Costa # B, San Clemente

There's a greasy chop stick in El Toro at ETR and Trabuco. "The King and I Thai" is the name. It's hit and miss, but cheap. They also offer fish and chips . Yeah, I know...???

[bhcompy]

Kamal Palace in Marina Pacifica has pretty good Indian cuisine. I realize Marina Pacifica is in Long Beach, but it's right on the border with Seal Beach.

Valhalla Table is supposed to be pretty good. Located at The Camp in Costa Mesa. German style sausage, Belgian style fries, ran by Indonesians who own the bakery next door(Layer Cake) which adds some odd Indonesian dishes(or sauces) to the menu

[arplayer2k]

Bismillah Restaurant in Buena Park for good Indian / Pakistani food.

Bismillah Halal Tandoori - Google Maps

Also a hole in the wall Mexican joint that is inexpensive and open 24 hours. Taqueria off of Katella and Glassell in Orange.

Taqueria - Google Maps

Wholesome Choice Food Court Good ethnic foods, like Iranian / Persian, Arabic, Chinese, etc. They have lunch specials too.

Wholesome Choice, Irvine - Google Maps
Wholesome Choice, Anaheim - Google Maps

Great Wall Chinese Food in Santa Ana for Chinese food that doesn't suck or cost you an arm and a leg. Good portions too.

Great Wall Chinese Food - Google Maps

For Cuban food, Felix Continental Cafe in the Orange Circle.

Felix Continental Cafe - Google Maps

Hopefully this gets you started. I can't think of any more at the moment, but I will try to post again in a few days with some more places.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by arplayer2k

Hopefully this gets you started. I can't think of any more at the moment, but I will try to post again in a few days with some more places.

It does, thanks (to all). And, yes, please do post more.

Here is a list of all the "Hole in the Wall" columns from the OCWeekley. They are written by GUSTAVO ARELLAN.

http://www.ocweekly.com/search/index...%22/limit:700/

[BVitamin]

Well these aren't hole in the walls but they're cheap and good.

Sam Woo (Irvine) - Chinese food on Culver and Irvine Center Dr, just be very wary when you drive in that shopping center. Also 99 Ranch market is a great grocery store if you need any Asian ingredients or if you want any mochi-type sweets.

Sushi Boy (Irvine) - Japanese food on Culver and Walnut. They've got a variety of sushi instead of those places that seem to only offer one type or a variation of that one type a la california roll. Sushi isn't cheap but if I can afford it, it must be and if I'm recommending it then it's good; not to gloat or anything.

[agnt.starling]

I know you said no Mexican Food, but this place is well known mainly for its Puerto Rican Dishes

Here's a link from yelp, w/info & reviews, mind you the majority of bad reviews were for the Mexican portion of it....
Senor Big Ed - Cypress, CA

It is a hole in the wall and parking can be a challenge at times, but its only worth it if your in for something different, I love it, because its close as I can to get some boriquen food, (other than flying out to visit the relatives for some, lol)

The pasteles are to die for, the arroz con gandules with pork, any of the green plantain dishes (especially the "mofongo" or any stuffed dishes) delicioso!

I'd also recommend a Cuban Restaurant, but the two in OC I've been to so far, in my opinion were just ok. The closest which is also a Cuban Bakery (Tropicana Bakery & Cuban Cafe), is in Downey--I know a little too far perhaps. (aside from Porto's in Glendale, which is really out of the way)

[OC Investor2]

Not sure about the "Hole in the wall" factor, but there is a new shopping center at Jamboree and Alton - Diamond "Plaza" or something or other - that has several asian restaurants (Japanese, Chinese, Korean,etc.) and it is PACKED like ALL the time, and mostly by Irvine's asian immigrants & ex pats. I've heard some good things about it from some asian friends, but I'm not knowledgable enough about asian cusine to navigate it on my own.

[DewDropInn]

Euclid or Broohkurst Streets. Start in Fullerton and eat your way towards the beach.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by OC Investor2

Not sure about the "Hole in the wall" factor, but there is a new shopping center at Jamboree and Alton - Diamond "Plaza" or something or other - that has several asian restaurants (Japanese, Chinese, Korean,etc.) and it is PACKED like ALL the time, and mostly by Irvine's asian immigrants & ex pats. I've heard some good things about it from some asian friends, but I'm not knowledgable enough about asian cusine to navigate it on my own.

It's called Diamond Jamboree. Lots of places there, but most of them expensive. Oddly enough most of the places are open until midnight or later, I guess because there isn't much directly around there but there are plenty of apartments and condos