Oak Coal - Costa Mesa

The Mai Tai was delightful, but the dining experience was somewhat unusual. The unagi crispy rice was quite mediocre; the rice wasn't crispy enough. The Cunning noodles were overcooked, resulting in a soggy texture. The Huhn Karaage had a strong hot and sour flavor.

But the main reason I'm writing this is because of the staff. Even if the amazing food would have drawn me back, they went above and beyond for me tonight. I’m dealing with older, sick parents in the hospital, and Hailey (I hope I spelled that right) was incredibly friendly, thoughtful, generous, and supportive. She even let me cry! And I don’t cry easily. I was so touched by the kindness of these strangers; the staff truly gave me a glimmer of hope in humanity tonight. Thank you for a wonderful experience! Will I be back? Absolutely!

--- Today we ordered six different dishes, and here’s what we thought: 1. **Steamed Chicken Lemongrass Dumplings - 9/10** The noodle wrapping was absolutely delicious. I loved the texture and flavor. The lemongrass chicken was well-seasoned and very tasty. 2. **Bao Buns - 10/10** These came as a delightful surprise. I expected traditional bao, but these were more like small tacos with bao bun shells. The flavors were amazing! The sauces added a nice spice, while the ginger provided a sweet and slightly sour kick. The pork belly was smoky and juicy—simply perfect! 3. **Kurobuta Pork Belly Skewers - 12/10** Oh my goodness! These were phenomenal! Coming from Germany, I’m used to grilled pork belly, which we often refer to as "belly racks" or "grilled torch" because of the high fat content that tends to flare up. The smoky flavor and seasoning were spot on, and I appreciated that they weren’t dried out. 4. **Plain Garlic Noodles - 8/10** These noodles were okay, but a bit greasy and messy overall. The taste was good, but I probably wouldn’t order them again, although others seemed to enjoy them. 5. **Blistered Brussels Sprouts - 8/10** These were generally very good—crispy with a mild spice. We did notice that many dishes had a lemon flavor, which I liked, but some in our group thought it might be a bit overpowering. 6. **Chicken Karaage - 6/10** We were expecting something different here. The chicken legs were juicy but not as crispy as we anticipated. The batter reminded me of calamari, which made my brain confuse the two, so I struggled to finish the chicken. That’s just my personal take; others might not face the same dilemma. Placing the order through the website was super simple, and we didn’t wait more than 30 minutes. The food arrived hot and fresh. This definitely won’t be our last visit. Thanks for a wonderful dinner! --- Let me know if you need any more help!

Lots of friends recommended this place but my first visit. Nick helped us try all the best items. We loved it and are coming back. Don't miss this gem.

Came here on a whim with moderately high expectations for a special evening out and this place blew us away! Our first dish we received was the New York strip skewer (pic attch?d . I can say without a doubt it was the best beef skewer I?ve ever had. The meat was super tender and full of flavor. We got 3 skewers with about 7 pieces of New York on each for $17. This dish is a must try, (unless they have the Wagyu in stock!! . Our second dish was the Mixed Chicken skewers which again, left us longing for more. They use some sort of plum sauce that just enhances the whole experience. If you have some room left, this is another great grab. We finished up with the Fluffy Cheesecake which I can confidently say is now my favorite desert in Costa Mesa. The side of green tea ice cream was equally as satisfying and was the perfect finish to our night. I?ll be coming back here extremely soon to show off this great place to my friends.