How To Enjoy Your Local Faves Again – The Local Squeeze with Amber

Hey everybody and welcome back to the blog! So many different thoughts were in my mind this week and so I thought I’d get them all out there. From the reopening of many of our OTO faves to a new restaurant alert, we have the scoop for you here!

This week, our podcast guest was I Heart friend and Old Towne Orange bartender Amber Dube. Amber shared a lot with us, including how restaurants are safely opening back up, what her favorite menu items are, and even tipped us off about a new restaurant opening in OTO (read below!).

Woody’s Diner

Amber shared that Woody’s Diner, as well as the majority of our favorite spots in the circle, are open under the new California health guidelines. These guidelines include that all employees must wear gloves and masks, undergo new disinfecting protocol, and keep restaurants at half capacity with plexi dividers, to further support physical distancing. At Woody’s specifically, because the bar is not open (however you can sit at the high-top tables in the bar area), they have opened up a happy hour to the entire restaurant from 2-7 PM, so there is some good news! Amber told us that she highly recommends the honey mustard chicken sandwich (with avocado, of course) at Woody’s. 

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The District Bar and Lounge

Amber is also a bartender at The District, one of the most popular bars in OTO. Although you cannot sit at this bar either, they have moved the high top tables closer to the bar, so you can order drinks while still maintaining a physical distance. As for The District, you must have a meal on your check if you want to come in and drink. Amber says that if you eat before, you can also just get a side of wings to snack on or save for later. Taco Tuesday is still popping at The District with $1.25 tacos! Amber shared with us that The District is also working on a new specialty cocktail menu and to be on the lookout for that. All of the info above about Woody’s, The District and more can be heard in this week’s episode of A Circle in a Square podcast. Give it a listen! The show is so much fun!

Jaxons Scratch Made Chix Tenders – NEW RESTAURANT ALERT 

With the closing of Burger Parlor comes a new addition to OTO (same owners, new concept) and we are excited to share that Jaxon’s Chix Tenders has made their debut on Glassell St, right between Provisions Market and The Pizza Press. Jaxon’s offers 16 house-made sauces, 20 craft beers, and a Tennessee whiskey bar coming soon! We are excited to give them a try, a full review, and a huge welcome to OTO! Check out their Instagram here for updates and pics of their fried chicken!

New Fire Department in OTO?

Orange City Council members are considering financing $34 million to replace our current fire headquarters with a new fire station that is 15% larger than the current one. While some say that it is long overdue, some worry because the city also faces a $16 million shortfall for the next fiscal year’s budget. This shortfall comes from revenue and tax loss due to the coronavirus pandemic. What do you think? Read the full article here.

Philz Coffee – We’re Waiting! 

If you’ve driven by the circle, you will notice that Philz has made huge improvements recently. I’ve noticed a Philz street sign, interior design, and fresh paint, but now we’re still waiting on an update for the open date. If you know anything about their plans to open, DM us on Instagram so we can share the scoop. For now, we found this Instagram account that appears to be the Philz Orange account, however, it does not say anything officially nor have they posted in 2020. However, this account is the first Philz Orange piece of media we’ve seen, and we hope it brings us good news soon!

Dunkin’ in OTO?

According to this article from the OC Register back in 2019, Dunkin Donuts was set to open inside of Wells Fargo in the space that the Starbucks kiosk previously occupied. However, since this article there has been no information put out by Wells Fargo, Dunkin’ or the city. 

Supporting Our Local Businesses during COVID

We just updated our blog on How to Support Local Businesses During COVID-19. Check it out for the updated hours and ways that you can experience your favorite OTO restaurants, flower shops and potting sheds. As businesses start to open up, many of them are utilizing their Instagram bios to constantly update their store hours, so be sure to check Insta for quick and easy updates!

Citrus City Grille

On the podcast, Amber shared with us that if you are looking to sit at a bar, Citrus City Grille is one of the few restaurants with an open bar. They have plexiglass dividers that are movable for different party sizes. However, as lovers of OTO and lovers of you, our readers, we encourage you to dine at your own risk and stay safe. 

Saying Goodbye to Fork and Salad

Fork and Salad, the franchise from Maui, has closed due to COVID-19. They shared with the OC Register, “We apologize to our wonderful customers for the inconvenience. Stay safe and keep healthy.” Read the full article here. What do you think is coming to OTO next? What do you want to see? Let us know here or on our Instagram! Speaking of, we just passed 8,000 followers on Instagram! Hooray! Thank you to everyone who has followed and kept up with our posts, stories, and lives. If you aren’t following us, do it now and help us reach 9,000!

Thank you for reading and getting the scoop with us today. We had fun! Have a good weekend everyone and we’ll see you around OTO.

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Last Updated on June 24, 2020 by