Baker Ranch in Lake Forest / Foothill Ranch

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Irvinecommuter said:
irvinehomeowner said:
Liar Loan said:
I don't completely dislike Irvine.  It just lost it's way sometime in the early 2000's with high-density designs that I personally don't like.  The Irvine of the 1990's was a place that I had great admiration for and actually spent a lot of time hanging out in.

I can remember hanging out in the pool area at Turtle Rock with the high school group from South Coast Community Church (now Mariners).  I can remember making out with my girlfriend in the dorms at UCI.  I can remember going to the Metropolis night club and eating at the In n Out on Campus Dr. more times than I can count.  I can remember my band playing live on KUCI several times.  I even played music entertaining the kids at Woodbridge High during lunch time, and University High during graduation week.  It was nice when you could actually drive 55 MPH on Irvine roads legally with very few stop lights to slow you down.  Those days are gone and I personally just don't like the direction they've taken Irvine in.  It seems like the master plan was betrayed at some point.

I don't remember InNOut and Metropolis night club existing at the same time. I think it was Twoheys during that time. And I forget, was the club before the clothing store or after (I think they were both named Metropolis)?

Bonus points to who knows what the Taco Bell used to be. And I think Chik-Fil-A was multiple things prior too.

Since I'm probably one of the few here that have been in Irvine the longest, I disagree. I think Irvine evolved into what it was master planned to... a large urban community with mixed housing for families, professionals, elders and college students. Combine that with 2 large business areas (IBC and Spectrum), shopping and dining... and you have one of the best (if not *the* best) cities in the OC that has almost every other one beat on location, safety and education. Close to major freeways, short drive to the beach or the snow, between LA and San Diego... next to Disneyland, not too far from Vegas... and weather that's not too inland hot or too beach-foggy.

Liar Loan probably won't fess up to where he lives maybe due to anonymity and the fact that if we did a comparison, most of us would find his city lacking... but this *is* TalkIrvine. It would be like Panda defending Johns Creek... there just is no comparison.

We moved out to Irvine in 2004...and while it was nice, the commercial scene was really bad.  Standard cookie cutter restaurants and shops...despite all the centers, there was very little selection especially minority ones.  TIC had to step up its game with Dimaond Jamboree and the Mitsuwa mall upgrades.  The competition has provided so much  more.

Agree, Irvine has only gotten better since I've been here in 2008. Way more restaurants, shops, and even a semblance of nightlife. It's also clear the wide 3 lane streets were always designed for this much traffic. People just miss when they were at 20% of capacity  ;D. They are getting to design capacity now, which yeah is more traffic than before, but still totally fine and planned.   

 
My friend went to UCI many years ago and he was bored the heck out of the city back then. He now wants to come back and live in Irvine because it's got so much more to do now.
I still think it's missing more authentic shops. There are only nationalized branches like Starbucks or Chipotle. Many plazas look too similar throughout.
Also I've noticed they make it all hip and trendy for new restaurants, but food itself is not that good even within the same franchise compare to LA ones.
I would want to see some Blue Bottle Coffee, Egg Slut, or Shake Shack instead of another Starbucks or 85 degrees.




 
Mety said:
My friend went to UCI many years ago and he was bored the heck out of the city back then. He now wants to come back and live in Irvine because it's got so much more to do now.
I still think it's missing more authentic shops. There are only nationalized branches like Starbucks or Chipotle. Many plazas look too similar throughout.
Also I've noticed they make it all hip and trendy for new restaurants, but food itself is not that good even within the same franchise compare to LA ones.
I would want to see some Blue Bottle Coffee, Egg Slut, or Shake Shack instead of another Starbucks or 85 degrees.

They have some of that in the Union Market and that new eating area near the airport (http://www.tradefoodhall.com/#eat-together).  They also tried bringing in some of the food trucks in the Spectrum and didn't work out.  There are some good stuff out there but it's never going to be West LA or SF. 
 
Mety said:
My friend went to UCI many years ago and he was bored the heck out of the city back then. He now wants to come back and live in Irvine because it's got so much more to do now.
I still think it's missing more authentic shops. There are only nationalized branches like Starbucks or Chipotle. Many plazas look too similar throughout.
Also I've noticed they make it all hip and trendy for new restaurants, but food itself is not that good even within the same franchise compare to LA ones.
I would want to see some Blue Bottle Coffee, Egg Slut, or Shake Shack instead of another Starbucks or 85 degrees.

A student at CSUF has more choices. (It is what it is)
 
eyephone said:
Mety said:
My friend went to UCI many years ago and he was bored the heck out of the city back then. He now wants to come back and live in Irvine because it's got so much more to do now.
I still think it's missing more authentic shops. There are only nationalized branches like Starbucks or Chipotle. Many plazas look too similar throughout.
Also I've noticed they make it all hip and trendy for new restaurants, but food itself is not that good even within the same franchise compare to LA ones.
I would want to see some Blue Bottle Coffee, Egg Slut, or Shake Shack instead of another Starbucks or 85 degrees.

A student at CSUF has more choices. (It is what it is)

Yup...a college student shouldn't complain.  They have tons of the free time...Irvine, Tustin, NB, HB, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Orange, FV, and Westminister are all close by. 
 
As a college student I just worried about school and didn?t have enough money to spend on fru fru food.

Problem was back then, most fast food places closed at 9 but basketball courts lights didn?t turn off until 10 or 11 so there was never anywhere to eat after.
 
Yeah, the masterfully planned says "We close at 9 so go home and sleep then." That's how they minimize the crime rate.  ;D ;D
We go to Costa Mesa mainly for any food goodies.
 
Irvinecommuter said:
eyephone said:
Mety said:
My friend went to UCI many years ago and he was bored the heck out of the city back then. He now wants to come back and live in Irvine because it's got so much more to do now.
I still think it's missing more authentic shops. There are only nationalized branches like Starbucks or Chipotle. Many plazas look too similar throughout.
Also I've noticed they make it all hip and trendy for new restaurants, but food itself is not that good even within the same franchise compare to LA ones.
I would want to see some Blue Bottle Coffee, Egg Slut, or Shake Shack instead of another Starbucks or 85 degrees.

A student at CSUF has more choices. (It is what it is)

Yup...a college student shouldn't complain.  They have tons of the free time...Irvine, Tustin, NB, HB, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Orange, FV, and Westminister are all close by.

The food selection should be better around UCI.
 
eyephone said:
Irvinecommuter said:
eyephone said:
Mety said:
My friend went to UCI many years ago and he was bored the heck out of the city back then. He now wants to come back and live in Irvine because it's got so much more to do now.
I still think it's missing more authentic shops. There are only nationalized branches like Starbucks or Chipotle. Many plazas look too similar throughout.
Also I've noticed they make it all hip and trendy for new restaurants, but food itself is not that good even within the same franchise compare to LA ones.
I would want to see some Blue Bottle Coffee, Egg Slut, or Shake Shack instead of another Starbucks or 85 degrees.

A student at CSUF has more choices. (It is what it is)

Yup...a college student shouldn't complain.  They have tons of the free time...Irvine, Tustin, NB, HB, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Orange, FV, and Westminister are all close by.

The food selection should be better around UCI.

They are renovating that center...there are some pretty good stuff there now. 

Amazon Prime or Amazon Student Prime subscribers will get the ?extra benefit of faster delivery for certain items when placing orders through Amazon?s online store,? the Irvine Co. said.

Some items will be available for free pickup within a day rather than the usual two-day delivery.

The announcement comes as the Irvine Co. has spent the last few years revamping the tenant lineup at the shopping center.  The overhaul includes adding modern food concepts such Mendocino Farms, Adya, Eureka, Tender Greens and Stax Cookie Bar.
https://www.ocregister.com/2017/10/18/amazon-storefront-coming-to-shopping-center-near-uc-irvine/
 
Irvinecommuter said:
Mety said:
I feel bad hijacking BR/FR thread with TalkIrvine. Is there any good place in Lake Forest also?

What are you looking for?

Good food, coffees, any eatery besides Corner Bakery or fake Mexican or bad sushi places. Something like Eatlay would be great. I go for quality than quantity. I'm not really a food truck person either.
 
Mety said:
Irvinecommuter said:
Mety said:
I feel bad hijacking BR/FR thread with TalkIrvine. Is there any good place in Lake Forest also?

What are you looking for?

Good food, coffees, any eatery besides Corner Bakery or fake Mexican or bad sushi places. Something like Eatlay would be great. I go for quality than quantity. I'm not really a food truck person either.

A couple of decent Chinese places. 
https://www.yelp.com/biz/lees-baozi-lake-forest-2

Technically in Irvine: https://www.yelp.com/biz/han-taiwanese-restaurant-irvine?osq=han's

Fukada is also good (next to it)

Apparently good Lebanese:  https://www.yelp.com/biz/barbonzai-lake-forest?frvs=True&osq=restaurants
 
Irvinecommuter said:
Mety said:
Irvinecommuter said:
Mety said:
I feel bad hijacking BR/FR thread with TalkIrvine. Is there any good place in Lake Forest also?

What are you looking for?

Good food, coffees, any eatery besides Corner Bakery or fake Mexican or bad sushi places. Something like Eatlay would be great. I go for quality than quantity. I'm not really a food truck person either.

A couple of decent Chinese places. 
https://www.yelp.com/biz/lees-baozi-lake-forest-2

Technically in Irvine: https://www.yelp.com/biz/han-taiwanese-restaurant-irvine?osq=han's

Fukada is also good (next to it)

Apparently good Lebanese:  https://www.yelp.com/biz/barbonzai-lake-forest?frvs=True&osq=restaurants

Thanks for the list! I will try these for sure. We go to Fukada time to time.
Is China Garden on Jeffrey any good? I always see massive lines there.
 
Mety said:
Irvinecommuter said:
Mety said:
Irvinecommuter said:
Mety said:
I feel bad hijacking BR/FR thread with TalkIrvine. Is there any good place in Lake Forest also?

What are you looking for?

Good food, coffees, any eatery besides Corner Bakery or fake Mexican or bad sushi places. Something like Eatlay would be great. I go for quality than quantity. I'm not really a food truck person either.

A couple of decent Chinese places. 
https://www.yelp.com/biz/lees-baozi-lake-forest-2

Technically in Irvine: https://www.yelp.com/biz/han-taiwanese-restaurant-irvine?osq=han's

Fukada is also good (next to it)

Apparently good Lebanese:  https://www.yelp.com/biz/barbonzai-lake-forest?frvs=True&osq=restaurants

Thanks for the list! I will try these for sure. We go to Fukada time to time.
Is China Garden on Jeffrey any good? I always see massive lines there.

It's okay...dim sum is getting too expensive these day.  For Chinese food, we go to Tasty Garden .

Always love the people who complain about MSG in Chinese food....literally soy sauce.
 
Soylent Green Is People said:

We actually love Alberto's in MV...but that's MV.   
 
Soylent Green Is People said:

Thanks! I think I will like Bru Grill place as well.
I'm not too sure about that unicorn color bagel though.. ;D
 
There are good places to eat in Lake Forest.

Foothills Ranch has the only combo shabu/kbbq joint.

They also have Mongolian bbq and a few Ilalian restaurants.
 
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