Find All in the Circle Around Triangle Square

Like the Block at Orange, Triangle Square in Costa Mesa is the perfect destination for the one-stop shopper. This mini-mall has plenty of hip stores with fab food, clothing, movies and free appearances by such hot bands as Orange County’s No Doubt.

There are few things it doesn’t have.

For instance, one cannot buy a fishing license or read comics at the Triangle. Luckily, there are places to do both just across the street on Newport Boulevard.

Oh yeah, and there’s one last thing the Triangle doesn’t have: Taco Mesa.

Everyone Goes to Taco Mesa

It’s easy to miss Taco Mesa (647 W. 19th Street, Costa Mesa [949] 642-0629) if you don’t already know about it. Located in an old Taco Bell building, the food at the Mexican restaurant is served quickly but is far from the typical, prefabricated, fast-food fare.

From the vegetarian and fish tacos to the classic blackened chicken New Wave burritos ($4.95), all the food at Taco Mesa is tasty. Witness the constant line for the counter or a table on the small, covered patio any time of day.

“Our customers are Mexican, American, Chinese, Taiwanese. They come from all different places, like New York and Texas,” said Nelvi Rosales, a cashier since 1991. “They tell us, because we’re like friends. We try to make them our friends.”

Two or three cashiers try to get the orders taken and food out at lightning speeds. But there’s always time for smiles and jokes.

“People tell us they’ve come so far and that it was worth it, because they love the food,” Rosales said.

But you won’t pay much. Complete meals are less than $10 and most a la carte items cost $3 to $5. Taco Mesa is open 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

Not Just Readers, Collectors

It’s easy to see why the Marvel Comics line of X-Men books are the top sellers at Superior Comics (1970 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa [949] 631-3933). With the multimillion-dollar action movie coming out next month, sales at the tiny shop are expected to boom.

“We’re getting a lot of publicity from the movie,” said Richie Antee, store manager. “People are looking for hats, belt buckles, all kinds of things related to the movie. It gets wild.”

With action figures selling for $10 to $20, comics--at $2.95--make up the majority of store sales. And the store offers a discount for subscribers, those who purchase a number of serial comics each month.

“Many of my customers are subscribers who have been coming here for years; not just readers but collectors,” Antee said. “We have some subscription people who just like to read. But most are adults who have been reading since they were kids.”

To prove the point, Antee points to the store’s best seller, Preacher, a dark adventure comic for adults about a man possessed by a divine spirit who searches for God with his girlfriend and an Irish vampire.

More proof is that most kids probably can’t afford a $350 lunch box. Hanging from the store’s ceiling are dozens of old, cartoon-based lunch boxes. Many, featuring Snoopy and other Peanuts characters, sell for $20 but can go as high as the 1956 Space Cadets box priced at $400. “Even the collectors don’t know we have them until they look up,” said Antee.

Superior Comics is open daily at 11 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. Sundays through Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays.

And, Inside, Outdoor Gear

It’s hard to miss the Old West facade, the two giant cutouts of six-shooters and the sign reading “Grants for Guns” that have been a familiar sight to Newport Beach-bound drivers for almost half a century.

Located just beyond the end of the Costa Mesa Freeway, The Grant Boys (1750 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, [949] 645-3400) has been providing hunting, fishing, camping and outdoor apparel to shoppers since 1953.

Yes, The Grant Boys is a camping store too.

The store began as a U.S. Army surplus store in a small building on the opposite corner opened by Buddy Grant. “Back in ‘40s and ‘50s there was a lot of surplus from recent wars that had ended or were ending,” said Jack Carver, company vice president. “There was a steady flow of government surplus: guns, sleeping bags, tents, apparel.”

But surplus began to run out it the late ‘60s, Carver said, and the store began carrying new merchandise. Carver got his first job at the store as a stock boy in 1969 while attending Newport Harbor High School, not knowing that his uncle and Grant were good friends.

The store, now owned by Grant’s daughter Alexa Garell and her husband Randy, still focuses on outdoors equipment.

“We cater to the family car-camper, the small family that’s taking the kids out camping,” said Carver. “They’re not climbing Mt. Everest, and they want affordable. They don’t need the high-tech sleeping bag that costs $600 and is capable of keeping you warm at 40 degrees below zero.”

They carry sleeping bags from $25 to $130 and tents from $35 to $300.

The Grant Boys is open daily at 10 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 6 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. Sundays.

Hoist a Pint

After a hard day of shopping for fishing poles and Archie comics, head down to the local watering hole, the Goat Hill Tavern (1830 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa [949] 548-8428).

Not much has changed at the bar since it moved to its current location in 1984. There’s still sawdust on the floor, free peanuts at the tables and 141 beers on tap.

“The people who live around here come in a lot,” said the bar’s manager, Kevin Sand. “Like any other bar, you have your fair amount of regulars.”

But it’s the large number of first-time visitors that makes the Goat Hill a great place to meet people. It’s got classic decor--eclectic knickknacks like a mounted hippo head, vintage bicycles, streets signs and pictures of patrons.

There are pool tables, shuffleboard, video games and a good stereo. But there are never live bands. Which means it never gets unbearably loud.

And the prices are fair, considering a drinker has 141 beers to choose from. Imports and microbrews average $3.50 with domestics at $2 ($1.50 during happy hour).

“We have at least 45 microbrews, maybe more,” said Sand. “We could definitely have more, but we like to keep everything on tap fresh.”

Happy hour at Goat Hill is daily until 7 p.m. The bar is open noon to 2 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 10:30 a.m to 2 a.m. Fridays and Sundays.

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IF YOU GO

* Getting There: Take the Costa Mesa Freeway south until it ends and becomes Newport Boulevard.

* One-Stop Shopping: Triangle Square (1870 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa [949] 722-1600) is one of the best malls in Orange County if you’re not big on walking. There’s an Edwards Cinema, restaurants and plenty of stores: Barnes & Noble, the Gap, Niketown, Golfday and the Northface. The Virgin Megastore often has free, in-store appearances by Orange County musicians such as rap-rockers Dial-7, blues guitarist Kid Ramos and ska-rockers No Doubt.

Discover Costa Mesa

1. Taco Mesa, 647 W. 19th Street, (949) 642-0629

2. Superior Comics, 1970 Newport Blvd., (949) 631-3933

3. The Grant Boys, 1750 Newport Blvd. (949) 645-3400

4. Goat Hill Tavern, 1830 Newport Blvd. (949) 548-8428