The Udon Restaurant My Algorithm Influenced Me To Try
REVIEW: With its viral online popularity and well-executed dishes, Tsurukawa Udon may be the restaurant that finally breaks the curse of its location at The District in Tustin.
Edwin Goei
Contributing Writer
Edwin Goei is an award-winning writer who has chronicled Southern California’s dining landscape for more than two decades. He launched Monster Munching in 2005, which grew into one of the region’s most popular food blogs. He then went on to serve as the restaurant critic for OC Weekly for twelve and a half years, where he penned weekly reviews and published daily columns for its Stick A Fork In It food blog. He is now a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times and Daily Pilot/TimesOC, writing travel guides and food stories that spotlight the hidden and unsung places in Orange County and beyond.
Stories by Edwin Goei
Food & DrinksTokyo Central’s Viral Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurant Waka Sakura Arrives in IrvineSeptember 5, 2025
REVIEW: With its viral online popularity and well-executed dishes, Tsurukawa Udon may be the restaurant that finally breaks the curse of its location at The District in Tustin.
REVIEW: From a seafood truck to a surprising juice bar, three spots serve crisp, beer-battered fish tacos done right.
REVIEW: Japanese-Italian fusion gets another spin in Fountain Valley at Momonoki, where a miso carbonara shines and a $28 lunch deal draws crowds.
REVIEW: Chiang Rai, Long Beach’s Michelin-mentioned Thai restaurant, opened a Tustin branch that replaced my local Indonesian spot – but I’m not mad about it.
REVIEW: The reasonably priced sushi at Waka Sakura is worth the wait, even with a standby list that tests your patience and plating that sometimes feels rushed.
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