If you haven’t hopped aboard the Vietnamese food train yet, there’s no time like the present. The unique mélange of Indochinese and French influences have made it one of the fastest-growing cuisines in the United States, and with restaurants like Westmister’s S Vietnamese Fine Dining leading the charge, you’ll understand why. Step in the door and the first thing that you’ll notice is that this restaurant is absolutely beautiful—instead of the hole-in-the-wall aesthetic found in many Asian eateries, S Vietnamese has a classy, composed décor of illuminated bamboo panels. The menu is fairly extensive, with locals raving about the shaken beef, the pho (the traditional beef soup that has become the exemplar of Vietnamese food in America), and the seafood dishes. Prices are a little higher than some of the smaller places in town, but the quality of service and presentation is worth paying for. Desserts are also excellent, as the restaurant owns a nearby bakery.

S Vietnamese Fine Dining
545 Westminster Mall
Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 898-5092
www.sfinedining.com

Best wishes for happiness on Valentine's Day and every day.

If you’ve never had a dosa, you’re missing out on one of the best foods South Indian cuisine has to offer. Almost every culture in the world offers a dish that involves savory food wrapped in some kind of flatbread, and dosas are some of the best. A thin crepe made from rice and lentils, dosas are served wrapped around a variety of delicious food at Dosa Place, from a spicy chili with minced lamb to potato curry. The potato-stuffed masala dosa is a fan favorite. If you’re looking for something different, the menu has a wide variety of other South Indian specialties. Lunch offers a buffet-style meal that allows you to sample a variety of the offerings at a good price. From its humble beginnings in 2001 as a tiny fast food joint inside a grocery store, Dosa Place has grown into a full service Indian restaurant to be reckoned with.

Dosa Place
13812 Red Hill Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 505-7777
www.dosaplace.com