The Real Deal in Real Estate

Welcome to Mitsuwa Marketplace in Irvine!

Mitsuwa Marketplace is a Japanese grocery store here in the U.S.  There are several stores located throughout the country, including a relatively large one in Costa Mesa.  Prior to the opening of Mitsuwa in Irvine just last month, the Costa Mesa location was the only one here in Orange County, California.

When I heard about the opening of a new Mitsuwa in Irvine a few months back, I was really excited since it’d be closer to where I live than the Costa Mesa store.  I was even more excited to have easier access to the food court, since I really enjoy the variety of food counters at the Costa Mesa location.

Mitsuwa Marketplace in Irvine is located at 14230 Culver Drive, Irvine, CA 92604, where the old ACE Hardware store used to be, in the well-known Heritage Plaza, a shopping center that includes a unique mix of both franchise and mom-and-pop stores, restaurants, specialty stores, fast food places, grocery stores, banks, and businesses.

Upon arriving at Mitsuwa last week for lunch, I was taken aback by the smaller location compared to the one in Costa Mesa.  I shouldn’t have been surprised since I knew that there wasn’t that much space available for such a large store at Heritage Plaza, but I guess I was just used to seeing the larger Mitsuwa stores in Costa Mesa, as well as in Torrance (near where I grew up).

Upon walking in, the entire store is clean and quaint, which is the same experience and feeling that I get walking into the other Mitsuwa locations.  But the grocery store section was super small compared to what I was used to.  But I wasn’t there for grocery shopping at that moment — I wanted to check out the food counters!

The food counters are all against the far left end of the store.  There are currently only three food counters there, with no room for more.  There was ample seating there at the time, though if you had a huge group of people, that of course would be a challenge at any cafeteria-style seating area.  One of the food counters (i.e. restaurants) was some sort of pastry place, I think.  Another was for ramen; the other was for other types of Japanese cuisine.  I didn’t see any sushi there.

Seating area near the food counters at Mitsuwa in Irvine.

I ended up getting a couple of dishes from Misasa, the food counter with Japanese cuisine.  Soba noodles and a rice dish…quite good.  I’m not much of a food critic, so I won’t go into whether it’s the best Japanese food I’ve ever eaten, but it certainly left me full and not wanting anythign more (except maybe some dessert!).

Meal from Misasa, one of the food counters at Mitsuwa in Irvine.

Walking around the grocery section after lunch was interesting too.  There’s a little bit of everything there in terms of Japanese items — teas, candies, snacks, frozen foods, desserts, meats, seafood, vegetables, and kitchenware.  There’s just not huge aisles of this stuff, and the prices are not the cheapest around, in my humble opinion.

Overall it was a positive experience, and I think Mitsuwa will do well at this location in Irvine as long as they can attract people who are looking specifically for Japanese grocery items that they can’t find anywhere else in the local vicinity, and for those who don’t want to drive to other places for a quick Japanese meal.

Congratulations to Mitsuwa Marketplace for your grand opening in Irvine!

For more info on Mitsuwa, visit their website here: http://www.mitsuwa.com/english/index.html

For more info on Irvine, Costa Mesa, Orange County, and other local spots, feel free to contact me.

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(Note: Please welcome Tasha Poblete to our blog family!  She will be contributing some wonderful blog posts starting this year, including some great features of local professionals and businesses, that will add some “flavor” to what we’ve already been talking about when it comes to life and real estate in Orange County, CA.  Enjoy! – Alicia)

Living in Orange County, there are many different community activities to choose from. So when I found a Yoga Booty Ballet class, aka “YBB”, offered through OC Dance Productions (OCDP), I couldn’t have been more excited!

I’ve been looking for a unique approach to my regular workout routine (walking to the mailbox) as to hold my interest and produce real results. I first heard about YBB through celebrities on TV swearing by it. Turns out OCDP had the only certified instructor in Orange County. Director and owner Kimberly Esmond started OCDP in 2007 and has been steadily expanding ever since.   

OCDP offers the full spectrum of dance and fitness classes. Taught by qualified instructors who all have specialized training, each class is specifically catered to our community’s needs. From Mommy and Me classes, traditional ballet, and Glee-inspired hip hop for kids, to Barre Cardio and Burlesque Body (meow) for the mommas, there’s something for everyone. The best part is that it’s truly great for any age or experience. When I took YBB for the first time, I was eager to get my workout on. Having a dance background myself, I could easily maneuver the moves to my comfort level; as could the 60-something year-young fitness nut up in front. She often outstretched me and finished all the cardio, all while looking cute in her matchy-matchy jogging suit. Alas, grandma rocked it.

Being a mom, I often look for classes that are well suited for my two daughters.  I am thankful that I found OCDP. My girls have participated in dance classes, cheer camps, Girl Scout events, and even had a birthday with OCDP! (yup, affordable birthday packages uniquely done for your child!) We are even participating in OCDP’s first community dance recital this summer.

Above all, Kim and her team have found the perfect combination of professionalism and fun. all while keeping the integrity of the fundamentals of dance.

To find a class in your city, visit Kim at www.ocdanceproductions.com.

Now go dance the day away…you know you want to!

For more information on OCDP and other local activities, feel free to contact us.

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