Save Our Faves 2007! - [Crazies]

(Once Cathay Newport, favorite lunchtime spot of UCI staff and faculty, now a stripped shell.)

This has truly been a bad month to be an Orange Country food lover. First, my beloved Red Onion Cafe announces its imminent closure. Then, Thai food Mecca, Thai Nakorn, burns down to the ground in a mysterious fire. Now, fellow OC Food Blogs contributor ChristianZ is reporting that Cathay Newport, a Cantonese-style Chinese restaurant favored by the UC Irvine set, has suddenly shut its doors.

Cathay Newport Closed

Call it a visceral reaction to the vanishing of so many good restaurants in such a short span, but I think it's time for food bloggers and food lovers to give a little bit extra back to the plucky mom & pop food businesses that make our world such a wonderful place. It's meme time!



I'm happy to announce the launch of my "Save Our Faves 2007" food blogger campaign. The rules are simple.

1. Write a blog post about your favorite mom & pop eatery, grocery, or food supplier. If you've already written one, write another one. It's time to pimp your secret spot, drive some business to a place you think has been unfairly ignored, and help consumers vote with their dollars!


2. Ask your readers to visit your fave and leave feedback on your post about their experiences, good or bad. The food lovers get to be food bloggers for a day. Let's see if your fave is everything it's cracked up to be!


3. Tag at least five other bloggers for Save Our Faves 2007. I'd love to see this spread. Everyone has to have a favorite spot that they think is struggling. As responsible consumers and community-oriented food bloggers, it's up to us to do what we can to keep our faves open. Let's generate some buzz. We don't have to sit by and watch our beloved mom & pops close. We can do something!

My post for Save Our Faves 2007 will go up on Monday, January 15, 2007. I'm going to go ahead and ask my fellow OC Food Blogs contributors to join me.

• Elmomonster of Monster Munching


• Bee of Rasa Malaysia


• H.C. of L.A. & O.C. Food Adventures


• Christian Z of Orange County Mexican Restaurants


• Professor Salt of You Gonna Eat That?


• Julian Hsu of Julian's Weblog


• Wandering Chopsticks of Wandering Chopsticks


• elonweis of Fey Touched


• Joy of Joyful Eating

I'll also be tagging five more food bloggers at the end of my Save Our Faves post next Monday in the hopes that they'll also join me in presenting their favorite mom & pop eateries, groceries, or food suppliers to you. However, anyone reading this is welcome to participate.

Only food bloggers and food lovers like us can keep our favorite mom & pops from closing. Our support is particularly needed during slow periods like the post-holiday dining slump. These are quality, family-run businesses that deserve our patronage. By voting with our dollars can we save our faves. Blog Away and Good Eating!