i-Tea Cafe in Irvine

A Taiwanese style cafe that serves food. Apart eat in area, they also have a counter for take out, which seem to be very popular. Some of the menu were handwritten on paper and sticked to wall. We ordered 2x special menu, both served with free drinks. Food was pretty good, two people for $23. The seating was slightly cramped though.

The Balcony Grill & Bar in Irvine

A Taiwanese restaurant that serves Shabu Shabu. It is located on the 2nd floor of the Diamond Jamboree Shopping Center in Irvine. They also serve fresh soy drinks by Soyumi - a fresh delicious healthy soy drink. Portions are pretty big. We ordered pineapple fried rice, braised pork chop noodles and shrimp in spicy garlic tomato sauce. My wife likes the desert from here. Dinner cost $50. As this place has a bar, lighting is dim (the only negative point for me).

Cocary BBQ Restaurant (可加麗) in Monterey Park

Cocary is a Taiwanese hotpot/BBQ place. They serve hotpot/BBQ on a table for 4 peopl as well as on the rolling-belt at the bar individually (as seen in picture). You just grab the meat plates ($2.99/dish) and veggie plates ($1.99/dish) from the fridge, and cook that yourself. Tea, rice and sweet potatoes congee are all included. There is currently a 20% off for lunch. Only $20 for 3 of us, that's a bargain. There was also a railway train going around the rolling-belt, but no food was on those small plates on the day. Recommended.