Restaurants Orange County

Just in front of Disney's new theme park, California Adventure (more about that later), sits the mouse's answer to Universal Studios' CityWalk. It's called Downtown Disney, and it will try to lure your liras with retail shops, entertainment venues and eating establishments. Acting as a money-drawing Main Street that sits (admission- and gate-free) between Disneyland and California Adventure, Downtown Disney boasts a number of noteworthy places to eat.

A procession of more than two dozen Harleys led the way Thursday in a motorized memorial for Donald L. Himes, longtime owner of Brea's landmark La Vida Restaurant, who died Sunday. Motorcycle police cleared traffic as about 30 leather-clad bikers led a caravan of pickup trucks, SUVs, four-door sedans and sports cars from the Carbon Canyon Road cafe between the twisting canyon walls to the Pierce Brothers Griffith Mortuary in Chino.

The environmental health division of Orange County's Health Care Agency performs routine, unannounced inspections of the county's more than 11,000 restaurants, markets and other food establishments. When conditions violate state law or applicable county and municipal codes, inspectors can issue notices of violation. If inspectors find during an announced recheck that conditions have not been corrected, they can effectively close the business by suspending its health permit.

The environmental health division of Orange County's Health Care Agency performs routine, unannounced inspections of the county's more than 11,000 restaurants, markets and other food establishments. When conditions violate state law or applicable county and municipal codes, inspectors can issue notices of violation. If inspectors find during an announced recheck that conditions have not been corrected, they can effectively close the business by suspending its health permit.

The environmental health division of Orange County's Health Care Agency performs routine, unannounced inspections of the county's more than 11,000 restaurants, markets and other food establishments. When conditions violate state law or applicable county and municipal codes, inspectors can issue notices of violation. If inspectors find during an announced recheck that conditions have not been corrected, they can effectively close the business by suspending its health permit.

The leading cause of the sewage spills that have plagued Orange County recently is grease and oil buildup in sewer pipes from restaurants and high-density residential areas, the grand jury reported Wednesday. Although sewage spills do not always result in beach closures, almost all of the closures are the result of contamination from sewage spills into drains or waterways that flow into the ocean, the report stated.

The city of Newport Beach has made good on its pledge to crack down on raucous behavior at a restaurant owned, in part, by former NBA star Dennis Rodman. The city attorney asked an Orange County Superior Court judge Friday to ban live entertainment and dancing at Josh Slocum's, Rodman's bay-side seafood restaurant in Newport Beach.

A judge this week ruled in favor of an Orange County tavern that is fighting California's ban on smoking in bars, marking the latest of several defeats for local prosecutors attempting to enforce the 3-year-old law. The ruling, in which the judge found the law unconstitutional, applies only to Lucky John's in Fullerton. But it and other recent court decisions are setting the stage for a Supreme Court showdown over the law.

Nestled along Interstate 5, near the spot where Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano and Mission Viejo meet, is a little greasy spoon filled with the smell of bacon and fried eggs and the chatter of truckers, locals and early-morning regulars. At Buffy's, real buttermilk pancakes and country-fried steaks still reign. But the grill at this 1960s-style diner and beloved landmark is about to go cold. In a few months, Buffy's will be torn down to make room for a new Carl's Jr.

Nestled along Interstate 5, near the spot where Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano and Mission Viejo meet, is a little greasy spoon filled with the smell of bacon and fried eggs and the chatter of truckers, locals and early-morning regulars. At Buffy's, real buttermilk pancakes and country-fried steaks still reign. But the grill at this '60s-style diner and beloved landmark is about to go cold. In a few months, Buffy's will be torn down to make room for a Carl's Jr.