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From Thai Brunch to Soufflé Pancakes: Irvine’s Hottest New Breakfasts

Issue # 0564

Author

Joshua Tjia
06 Feb

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

🥞🫐🧇 From Thai Brunch to Soufflé Pancakes: Irvine’s Hottest New Breakfasts

🚜🚲 Marine Way Undercrossing to Feature Protected Bike Lanes and Shared Trail

☀️📝 Now Hiring: Summer 2026 Camp Counselors at Woodbridge

📄🚮 Frank Bowerman Landfill Cited for Foul Odors Affecting Parts of Irvine

🚌🚸  School Zone Safety Reminders for the Busy Semester

❄️🥾 Explore Winter Trails with Confidence: Smart Planning for Safe Hiking

🌳🚶🏻‍♀️ Bommer Canyon Exploration Day Opens Trails for Self-Guided Hiking & Biking, Feb. 13

🎶🎤  Choral Classics and Contemporary Works: Concordia Choir’s Spring Concert Returns, Feb. 13

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

🔋♻️ Battery Clean-Out Made Easy: Free Battery Drop-Off Locations Around OC

🏀 UC Irvine Men's Basketball Beats CSU Bakersfield 78–62, Leads Big West

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

🏀 Irvine Valley Women’s Basketball Defeats Saddleback, Moves Into Tie for First in OEC

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚔🚨 Irvine Police Arrest Suspect Linked to Catalytic Converter Theft

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

🌟🏪🎉Irvine’s Best Kept Secrets: Is Your Business One of Them?

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

What did one plate say to the other on Valentine’s Day?

“Tonight, dinner’s on me.”

We hope this joke brings some laughter to your day! 😁

From Thai Brunch to Soufflé Pancakes: Irvine’s Hottest New Breakfasts

Irvine’s breakfast scene just got a glow-up with five new spots offering everything from Thai-inspired brunch and Vietnamese coffee to Japanese soufflé pancakes and artisan pastries.

Kinaree Eatery (Quail Hill)

  • Thai-American brunch with bold flavors

  • Standouts include Thai omelets, lobster Benedict, soufflé pancakes, and khao soi

BLK Dot Coffee (The Market Place)

  • Vietnamese coffee and hearty breakfast plates

  • Hot Honey Avocado Toast, BEC bagel, and loaded Brekkie Bowls

Bluberry Social (Northpark Plaza)

  • All-day café with brunch favorites and cocktails

  • Blueberry ricotta pancakes, breakfast burritos, espresso drinks, and mimosas

Bag of Cakes (Cypress Village)

  • Artisan bakery

  • Croissants, scones, savory pastries, plus coffee and matcha

Gram Cafe & Pancakes (Culver Plaza)

  • Japanese soufflé pancakes made to order

  • Sweet and savory pancakes, French toast, and small plates

Marine Way Undercrossing to Feature Protected Bike Lanes and Shared Trail

The City of Irvine is sharing a closer look at how bicycle and pedestrian safety is being built into the Marine Way extension and undercrossing. While current renderings are conceptual, the final design will include protected, accessible, and well-lit features to better connect the Great Park with surrounding areas.

Key Highlights

  • Class IV protected bicycle lanes in both directions, separated from traffic by raised concrete barriers

  • 11-foot off-street Class I shared trail for cyclists and pedestrians

  • ADA-compliant design to ensure accessibility for all users

  • Enhanced lighting to improve visibility and safety

  • Safer, more connected travel route between the Great Park and nearby neighborhoods

Construction Update

  • Excavation currently underway

  • Steel reinforcement being installed beneath the Borrego Channel and Marine Way crossings

  • Continued excavation and temporary support work south of the railroad tracks

  • Preparation in progress for the next phase of foundation construction

Now Hiring: Summer 2026 Camp Counselors at Woodbridge

Woodbridge Village Association is hiring Summer 2026 Camp Counselors. Apply online at jotform.com/WoodbridgeVillage/apply, scan the QR code, or pick up an application at the Woodbridge Community Center.

Email any questions to [email protected]

Frank Bowerman Landfill Cited for Foul Odors Affecting Parts of Irvine

An Orange County–owned landfill has been cited following complaints from some Irvine residents about recurring odors in nearby neighborhoods.

  • The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued three violation notices to the Frank Bowerman Landfill after receiving reports of garbage-like smells, particularly during Santa Ana wind conditions.

  • Residents in areas including Portola Springs report that the odors affect daily activities, while other nearby residents say they have not noticed the issue.

  • County officials say they are working with regulators and have implemented odor-monitoring and mitigation measures, including drones, misting systems, and neutralizing fans, and are awaiting permits for additional odor- and gas-control systems.

School Zone Safety Reminders for the Busy Semester

As the school year gets busier, Irvine Police remind everyone to slow down and stay alert in school zones. Leave extra time for drop-offs, follow traffic signs and staff directions, and watch for students walking, biking, or riding e-vehicles.

Quick Safety Tips

🚗 Drivers: Use designated drop-off areas, never stop in the street, slow down, avoid distractions, watch for students.

🚶 Pedestrians: Use crosswalks, follow crossing guards, make eye contact, look both ways.

⚡ E-Vehicles: Follow school rules, obey traffic laws, wear helmets; e-scooters and Type 3 e-bikes require riders to be 16+.

🚲 Bikes: Check brakes/tires, use lights and reflectors, skip headphones, wear reflective gear at night.

Explore Winter Trails with Confidence: Smart Planning for Safe Hiking

Snowy winter trails can be breathtaking, but they also demand extra awareness and preparation. UCI Health emergency medicine specialist Dr. Robert J. Katzer reminds hikers that winter conditions can quickly change even familiar paths, making safety planning especially important.

Quick Tips

  • Check weather by location, elevation, and timing

  • Avoid steep, icy, or exposed terrain

  • Dress in layers (synthetic/wool base, insulation, weatherproof shell)

  • Bring 24 hours of food & water plus emergency supplies

  • Use crampons and an ice axe when needed—and know how

  • Stay together and turn back early if conditions change

  • Tell someone your plan; carry a satellite beacon if possible

Bommer Canyon Exploration Day Opens Trails for Self-Guided Hiking & Biking, Feb. 13

Explore Bommer Canyon during a special self-guided Exploration Day on Friday, February 13, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy rare access to the southern Irvine Open Space Preserve, including trails in Bommer Canyon and Shady Canyon that are usually guided-only, for hiking and biking.

Choral Classics and Contemporary Works: Concordia Choir’s Spring Concert Returns, Feb. 13

The Concordia Choir will present its Spring Concert on Friday, February 13, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in Lake Forest. Led by conductor Michael Busch, the concert will feature an eclectic program of beloved choral classics alongside standout works by modern composers.

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

  1. February 11-14: Musical -Mean Girls, NHS Theater

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://timbmusic.org/events/

Upcoming Woodbridge High School's Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.whs-music.org/

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

  1. February 26-28, TBD: Cinderella, WHS Performing Arts Center

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://woodbridgechoirs.weebly.com/calendar.html

Upcoming Irvine High Choral’s Music Calendar

  1. February 21: CSUF SSAA Festival, CSU-Fullerton

  2. February 25-28, 7:00 PM: Seussical, IHS PAC

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.ihschoralmusic.org/calendar.html 

Upcoming Portola High School Music’s Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.phsmusicbooster.org/buy-ticket

Battery Clean-Out Made Easy: Free Battery Drop-Off Locations Around OC

Before you toss those old batteries, here’s a safer (and free!) option. All kinds of batteries—including lithium, rechargeable, car, 9-volt, and even greeting card batteries—can cause fires if they go in the trash. OC residents can easily drop them off at Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers in Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine, or San Juan Capistrano. It’s a quick drive-through drop-off that helps keep homes and neighborhoods safe.

Learn more here

UC Irvine Men's Basketball Beats CSU Bakersfield 78–62, Leads Big West

UC Irvine men’s basketball rolled past CSU Bakersfield 78–62, led by freshman Tama Isaac’s standout double-double of 14 points and a career-high 13 assists as the Anteaters won their fourth straight. UCI improved to a 16–7 overall record and leads the Big West at 9–2.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Women’s Basketball

  • Sat, Feb 7 – vs Santa Barbara , 2:00 PM

Men’s Volleyball

  • Wed, Feb 11 – vs USC , 6:00 PM

Irvine Valley Women’s Basketball Defeats Saddleback, Moves Into Tie for First in OEC

Irvine Valley’s women’s basketball team earned a key 65–49 home win over Saddleback, moving back into a tie for first place in the Orange Empire Conference at 6–2. Sophomore Symantha Barnett led with 19 points as IVC improved to 20–4 overall.

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Women’s Beach Volleyball

  • Fri, Feb 6 - vs Moorpark, 10:00 AM

  • Fri, Feb 6 - vs Grossmont, 12:00 PM

Women’s Flag Football

  • Sat, Feb 7 - vs Simpson University, 12:00 PM

Baseball

  • Fri, Feb 6 - vs Cerro Coso, 1:00 PM

  • Sat, Feb 7 - vs Cerro Coso, 12:00 PM

Men’s Volleyball

  • Fri, Feb 6 - vs Moorpark, 6:00 PM

Men's Basketball

  • Tue, Feb 10 - vs Riverside, 5:00 PM

Women's Basketball

  • Tue, Feb 10 - vs Riverside, 7:00 PM

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With February Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

February 2026

Friday, February 6

  • Wrestling, Boys - PCL Finals

  • Wrestling, Girls - PCL Finals

Wednesday, February 11

  • Beach Volleyball, Girls - 3:30 PM vs Montebello

Thursday, February 12

  • Beach Volleyball, Girls - 3:30 PM vs Esperanza

Irvine Police Arrest Suspect Linked to Catalytic Converter Theft

On December 20, 2025, Irvine Police officers investigated a reported catalytic converter theft at the Irvine Spectrum after a witness observed a suspect underneath a vehicle and provided a license plate number. Detectives from the Crime Impact Unit identified the suspect as Kevin Castro, 31, of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, detectives conducted surveillance, observed Castro inspecting vehicles in a Huntington Park shopping center parking lot, and arrested him. A saw and floor jack were recovered from his vehicle, and Castro was booked at the Orange County Jail on a charge of grand theft.

Irvine’s Best Kept Secrets: Is Your Business One of Them?

We know our community is brimming with businesses that have fascinating stories and big hearts. If you’re a local business owner making waves, crafting unique experiences, or simply putting a smile on our faces, we want to chat with you! “Irvine Insider” is eager to shine a light on the unsung heroes of our city. Let’s collaborate and let the community know what makes your business special.

Click the link below and fill out the Local Business Spotlight Application Form to be featured and let’s celebrate the spirit of Irvine together!

Irvine Insider is sent to a local audience of Irvine residence Monday through Friday with 50% - 60% open rate. Our newsletter is a great way to reach Irvine residents.

  • Kaiser Permanente Irvine Farmers Market

  • Saturday Farmers Market at Mariners Church Irvine

    • When: Saturday, 8 AM - 12 PM

    • Where: 5428 Bonita Canyon Dr, Irvine, CA 92603

  • Great Park Certified Farmers Market

  • Manassero Farmers

    • When: Daily, 9 AM - 4:30 PM

    • Where: 33 Irvine Valley, Irvine, CA 92604

  • Tanaka Farms

    • When: Daily, 9 AM - 5 PM

    • Where: 5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine, CA 92612

    • More Info:Tanaka Farms

February 7 Edible Gardening Workshop 10 - 11:30 AM

February 7 A Concert for Valentines 4 - 5:30 PM

February 7 The Ten Tenors 8 PM

February 12 Free Grocery Food Box 9 AM - 12 PM

February 14 Hide & Squeak 6th Anniversary 11 AM - 2 PM

February 14 - 15 Modern Makers Mart: Woodbury Town Center 10 AM - 4 PM

February 15 America 250 3 PM

February 21 IUSD Recycling Event 9 AM - 12 PM

February 21 IRWD Community Tour 10 AM - 2 PM

February 21 Lunar New Year 8 PM

February 26 - 28 From Mozart to Mahler 8 PM

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