A&J

(takeout) from China Moon in Laguna Niguel (Photo by Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG) 9. A&J Most people know A&J as the place that makes the best Taiwanese beef noodle soup in Orange County. Pre-pandemic, people would stand in line for hours

for this soup, even in summer. Also, just as good as the beef soup: Taiwanese dan dan noodles with peanut sauce and minced pork. 14805 Jeffrey Road, Irvine, 949-786-3585, aj-restaurant.com Tawainese-style dandan noodles at A&J Restaurant in Irvine

Peking Restaurant    Din Tai Fung    Meizhou Dongpo    J Zhou    Sichuan Impression    Yang Ming Garden    Ta Chen    China Moon    A&J    New Moon   

) A&J This Taiwanese import serves some of the best beef noodle soup and dandan noodles in the county. Takeout: Yes. Delivery: No. 14805 Jeffrey Road, Irvine, 949-786-3585, aj-restaurant.com Tawainese-style dandan noodles at A&J Restaurant in Irvine

somewhere between Nice Time's and A&J's, with a barely there shimmer of batter that I don't think was meant to be particularly crunchy or even crisp. Instead, the defining characteristic of Kingchops' chop was the flavor–a pervasive sweetness probably owed

of hog the size of my face that was covered in a bubbled batter, then chopped into spears and served alongside a heap of rice doused with ladles of soy-stewed ground pork, wedges of tofu and a boiled egg. When Nice Time closed a couple of years ago, A

where boba is almost a requirement. ] This is Sunmerry Bakery, and like 85°C before it, it's based in Taiwan where it has multiple stores. This Irvine outlet, next door to A&J's at Jeffrey and Walnut, is its first in California, opened July 1st. There

. Across the street, there's A&J. ] Now there's one more. Wei Shian Noodles serves not just beef noodle soup and scallion cakes, it does just about everything else the other beef noodle joints do, including rolling those scallion cakes up with meat into the

List: 85. Beef Burger at Rider's Club Café 86. Smoked Trout at Provenance 87. Small Plates at A&J Restaurant 88. Corn Cheese at Zoomak Asian Bistro 89. Pumpkin Curry at Bhan Baitong 90. Poke at Costco Tustin II 91. Pambazo at Tacos Radioactivos 92. Beef

: 87. Small Plates at A&J Restaurant 88. Corn Cheese at Zoomak Asian Bistro 89. Pumpkin Curry at Bhan Baitong 90. Poke at Costco Tustin II 91. Pambazo at Tacos Radioactivos 92. Beef Pho at Pho Crystal Noodle House 93. Breakfast Burrito from Cafe Calacas

List: 83. Peanut Butter and Jelly Donut at the Donuttery 84. Dan Dan Mian at Wei-Shian Noodle 85. Beef Burger at Rider's Club Café 86. Smoked Trout at Provenance 87. Small Plates at A&J Restaurant 88. Corn Cheese at Zoomak Asian Bistro 89. Pumpkin Curry

boring, easy-to-churn-out standards to keep up with this kind of demand, but 85°C's popularity seems to only embolden its resolve and spur its creativity. Every hour yields something new. A&J A&J is the Methuselah of Irvine's Taiwanese joints. It's cash

Provenance 87. Small Plates at A&J Restaurant 88. Corn Cheese at Zoomak Asian Bistro 89. Pumpkin Curry at Bhan Baitong 90. Poke at Costco Tustin II 91. Pambazo at Tacos Radioactivos 92. Beef Pho at Pho Crystal Noodle House 93. Breakfast Burrito from Cafe