{"id":1326,"date":"2016-02-16T15:07:40","date_gmt":"2016-02-16T23:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?p=1326"},"modified":"2016-02-16T15:07:40","modified_gmt":"2016-02-16T23:07:40","slug":"bar-review-the-cat-and-the-custard-cup-la-habra-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?p=1326","title":{"rendered":"Bar Review: The Cat and the Custard Cup, La Habra, CA"},"content":{"rendered":"

“The Cat” as locals call it, is a hidden gem in this quite bedroom community in North Orange County.\u00a0 It has been here hidden in the hills since 1979, but its root go back even further.\u00a0 It is part of the family run and operated El Cholo chain which was founded in 1923.\u00a0 But this is not your typical Mexican restaurant, or even your atypical one.<\/p>\n

The structure and interior are English Tudor style with lots of dark wood trim and beams, and a huge Kitchen Hearth in the middle of the restaurant, though it didn’t look like they used it very often.\u00a0 But there are also Southwest elements to the decor.\u00a0 The menu is typical Cal-continental with a few unusual items such as Red Deer.<\/p>\n

I stopped in the other day on my travels to try out their Martini.\u00a0 It was excellent.\u00a0 The stems are pre-chilled in a dedicated cooler which is always a pleasant sign for me.\u00a0 Their Martini was stirred, not shaken as is my preference but it was served quite cold.\u00a0 It was amply and promptly served by a very attentive barkeep.<\/p>\n

I also observed something novel, at least to me.\u00a0 If the stem out of\u00a0 their cooler is not ‘cold enough’ they keep a basin of chipped ice in a drawer in a freezer just for chilling the stem.\u00a0 They do not use this ice for mixing drinks as there is another larger basin of cubed ice for that.\u00a0 The simple fact that they keep a separate container of cold chip ice for chilling your Martini glass is a great idea and contributes to their rating of two stems:\u00a0 \"Martini<\/a>\u00a0\"Martini<\/a><\/p>\n

For selection The Cat gets a \u201cB+\u201d.
\nTheir selection includes the “Big Five” as I now call them: \u00a0 Bombay, Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Tanqueray Ten, and Hendrick\u2019s.\u00a0 Not necessarily because these are the best 5 gins, but because they are ubiquitous.\u00a0\u00a0 Additionally The Cat stocks Oxley, Leopold, Hayman’s Old Tom, and Beefeater.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.catandcustardcup.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

If you like what you\u2019ve read, please subscribe.\u00a0 If not, please post a comment telling us how and why you disagree.<\/em><\/p>\n

*****\u00a0\u00a0 Rating Definitions<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 ****<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“The Cat” as locals call it, is a hidden gem in this quite bedroom community in North Orange County.\u00a0 It has been here hidden in the hills since 1979, but its root go back even further.\u00a0 It is part of … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0},"categories":[37,12],"tags":[9,13],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":90,"url":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?p=90","url_meta":{"origin":1326,"position":0},"title":"Bar Review: Manhattan Steak & Seafood","author":"wlmoon58","date":"February 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"One of my favorite local places to have a drink is Manhattan Steak and Seafood.\u00a0 Located in a rather obscure part of the city of Orange, in Orange Co., CA, it is a great hidden gem well off the beaten path.\u00a0 The food is excellent, the staff is awesome, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Restaurant"","block_context":{"text":"Restaurant","link":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?cat=37"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2305,"url":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?p=2305","url_meta":{"origin":1326,"position":1},"title":"Bar Review: Manhattan Steak and Seafood: Updated","author":"wlmoon58","date":"February 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I am very sad to let you know that the Manhattan Steak & Seafood is no longer in business. \u00a0 \u00a0 Manhattan closed some time ago and I had been hoping that a new owner would appear and re-open this fine local steakhouse.\u00a0 Unfortunately that has not happened.\u00a0 I believe\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Restaurant"","block_context":{"text":"Restaurant","link":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?cat=37"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shakennotstirred.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Marnhattan-Martini-2-265x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":486,"url":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?p=486","url_meta":{"origin":1326,"position":2},"title":"Bar Review: The Ranch Restaurant, Anaheim, CA","author":"wlmoon58","date":"October 12, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The Ranch in Anaheim is a relatively new and excellent restaurant.\u00a0\u00a0 Definitely worth a visit, if you can find it!\u00a0 Not that the address is hard to find, you just don't believe you're there as you approach.\u00a0 The restaurant is cleverly hidden in the first floor of a multistory working\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Restaurant"","block_context":{"text":"Restaurant","link":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?cat=37"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Ranch Martini","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shakennotstirred.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/The-Ranch-576x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1664,"url":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?p=1664","url_meta":{"origin":1326,"position":3},"title":"Bar Review: Larsen’s Steakhouse, Valencia, CA","author":"wlmoon58","date":"September 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Larsen's Steakhouse in Valencia is a hidden jewel, well worth the effort to find it. Because getting into Larson's is not obvious.\u00a0 It is located within the Westfield Valencia Town Center.\u00a0 That is easy to find via the usual assortment of Android and iPhone apps. As you approach the restaurant\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Restaurant"","block_context":{"text":"Restaurant","link":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?cat=37"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":515,"url":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?p=515","url_meta":{"origin":1326,"position":4},"title":"Bar Review: The Grill on the Alley, Westlake Village, CA","author":"wlmoon58","date":"June 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The Grill on the Alley is located hidden in the back of a shopping complex.\u00a0 You have to drive past several other beckoning restaurants.\u00a0 But don't be distracted, the Grill is where you want to be. I've been here a few times and the food it always superb, the service\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Restaurant"","block_context":{"text":"Restaurant","link":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?cat=37"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1652,"url":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?p=1652","url_meta":{"origin":1326,"position":5},"title":"Restaurant Review: Kloof Street House, Cape Town, SA","author":"wlmoon58","date":"September 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I have something a little different for my followers!\u00a0 A guest author!\u00a0 I would really like to thank Delia for submitting the following Restaurant Review and would encourage anyone else who would like to submit a review; Restaurant, Martini, or Gin, or any other general comment. Kloof Street House:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Author"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Author","link":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/?cat=113"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1326"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1326"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1326\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1346,"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1326\/revisions\/1346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/shakennotstirred.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}