Newsletter: Counter: O.C. food halls and more fun with noodles

It’s September already, somehow, and that means that your kids have gone back to school, football is about to start, you probably have a long weekend — and you may or may not be reading this from the Paramount Pictures lot, where this paper is now holding the Taste, our annual food festival. In which case, put down your device and get some food.

You might also consider heading to Orange County, where there are some pretty awesome food halls these days. We check them out — with tips on what to eat and what to Instagram. Also this week, we have a story on Vietnamese noodles, a ramen drive-through, a new Northern Chinese-style restaurant, what beers to put on your fall list, and why you should head to the Border Grill in Santa Monica now — the restaurant is closing after more than a quarter-century.

– Amy Scattergood

O.C. food halls

Deputy Food editor Jenn Harris heads to Orange County to eat and drink her way around the many food halls that have opened up in the last five years. She tours six great food halls, where she finds some great things to eat, from tacos to beef dip sandwich to Fanny Bay oysters, as well as cocktails and coffee. All the details, plus what to Instagram.

The tacos at Taco Maria are the stars, including Jardineros, left, and Mole de Pollo.

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times )

Where to find bun cha cá

There are many, many reasons to frequent Vietnamese restaurants, but one you might not immediately think of is bun cha cá, a rice noodle dish served with chunks of turmeric-marinated fish and generous amounts of dill, onion and roasted peanuts. Food writer C. Pete Lee finds four restaurants that have stellar versions of the addictive dish.

Ramen drive-thru

Shin Sen Gumi, the Hakata-style ramen specialist, is expanding to Torrance — and the new shop will have a drive-thru window. Because why should hamburger fans have all the fun. If you prefer slurping your noodles while sitting at a ramen bar, there’s that too.

More fun in the SGV

Food writer Cathy Chaplin checks out Eastern Spice, a new restaurant in San Gabriel that brings Northern Chinese-style cooking to a former Wienerschnitzel — which explains the bright orange A-frame roof. Inside, there’s jian bing, also called “Chinese crepes,” a street food staple, scallion pancakes, stewed duck, and whatever else former masseuse Yu Xin Hou is making.

The last days of Border Grill

If you really needed a reason to go eat green corn tamales and drink some tequila, here’s a good one: Chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken are closing their Border Grill in Santa Monica next month. Though Border Grill will still exist in other iterations (Las Vegas, trucks), it’s the Santa Monica restaurant that’s been open for over 26 years. And what’s next? A new project.

Your fall beer list

It’s September already, which means that school’s back in session, pumpkin lattes are coming — and pumpkin beers are on the shelves already. Beer writer John Verive picks six beers for fall, including pumpkin beer and also a few Oktoberfest brews.

The Taste here: Our annual Labor Day food festival is happening this weekend; here’s how to get tickets.

Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants, the authoritative annual guide to local dining, is online for subscribers.

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