Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani hit homers as Dodgers beat Marlins again

• May 6, 2025

MIAMI — Freddie Freeman doesn’t visit as often as he used to. But he still owns a time-share in the heart of Miami.

Freeman continued his career-long abuse of the Miami Marlins and Shohei Ohtani offered a quick reprise to his most recent visit as the Dodgers cruised to a 7-4 victory on Monday night.

In his first game back at the birth site of the 50/50 club, Ohtani ripped a two-run home run in the fifth inning, a 117.9 mph laser over the wall in right field that could have slipped comfortably into the highlight package from his six-hit, three-home run, 10-RBI, two-steal game at LoanDepot Park last September. He also stole a base Monday, the second time this season he has had a steal and a homer in the same game after doing it a record 14 times during his historic 54-homer, 59-stolen base season in 2024.

“Really good memories, just with the accomplishments last year and playing in the WBC,” Ohtani said through his interpreter, recalling the 2023 championship game of the WBC played at LoanDepot Park. “We had a really good game today as well. This is one of my favorite stadiums.”

Freeman has been tormenting the Marlins even longer.

Thanks to 12 seasons in the National League East with the Atlanta Braves, Monday was Freeman’s 214th game against the Marlins. When he hit a two-run home run off Sandy Alcantara in the third inning, it was the 41st home run he has hit against the Marlins, the most he has against any opponent in his career.

Over those 214 games, Freeman has gutted Marlins pitching for 253 hits (also the most he has against any opponent), 132 RBIs and a .320 batting average – numbers that should merit a thank you in his Hall of Fame speech some day.

“I don’t know the exact numbers, but I guess I’ve hit a few home runs against them in my career,” Freeman said.

“It’s just I’ve played a long time against the Marlins. I’ve played a long time in this league. I don’t know what it is. I don’t have an answer for it. I guess I just play good at the right time, or I’ve just played a lot.”

Freeman added a single to his home run on Monday, extending a hitting streak to 10 games during which he has gone 17 for 38 with three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBIs.

Teoscar Hernandez also had an RBI double as the top of the lineup continued to fuel a Dodgers’ offense that has scored 73 runs in its past nine games – 41 of them in four victories over the Marlins. Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freeman and Hernandez combined for seven hits, five runs scored and five driven in Monday.

But Hernandez left the game in the fourth inning with discomfort in his left hamstring. He felt it tighten up while running down a fly ball in the gap and will go for an MRI on Tuesday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged it was “a little concerning given the person” and Hernandez’s unwillingness to come out of the lineup.

Roberts said the Dodgers will have a player from Triple-A travel to Miami to be placed on the taxi squad or potentially be activated if Hernandez has to go to the injured list. His RBI in the first inning Monday was his major-league-leading 34th of the season.

“Tomorrow will be telling,” Roberts said.

Chris Taylor had an RBI double after replacing Hernandez and Michael Conforto ended an 0-for-30 stretch with a single in the sixth inning. Hyeseong Kim went 2 for 4 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI in his first major-league start.

“It was my first start, but I always want to contribute to the team,” Kim said through his interpreter. “The fact is that I was able to contribute to the team today, so I’m really happy for that.”

Roberts said Kim’s performance as a pinch-runner Sunday and in the lineup Monday had earned him another start on Tuesday.

“Honestly I just think everyone loves Hyeseong Kim. Everyone does,” Roberts said. “Everyone’s pulling for him. Everyone’s happy. He’s just a great teammate.

“There’s just humility. I think people just appreciate genuineness. He’s just a nice guy. That’s refreshing.”

The ample offense provided a security blanket for the Dodgers’ latest ‘bullpen game,’ this one featuring a bulk-y effort from Ben Casparius.

Jack Dreyer retired the first four Marlins then handed off to Casparius, who pitched into the sixth inning, allowing just one run. Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips handled their business but Yoendrys Gomez gave up a 424-foot, three-run home run to Augustin Ramirez in the eighth inning that made the final score tighter.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Monday, May 5

• May 6, 2025

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Scores and stats from Orange County games on Monday, May 5

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

MONDAY’S SCORES

BASEBALL

CRESTVIEW LEAGUE

Cypress 6, El Modena 2

NORTH HILLS LEAGUE

Troy 9, Brea Olinda 5

Sonora 4, Esperanza 1

FREEWAY LEAGUE

Crean Lutheran 2, Pacifica 1

NONLEAGUE

Sunny Hills 8, Yorba Linda 4

Foothill 3, Dana Hills 0

Whitney 14, Western 2

Oaks Christian 12, JSerra 3

SOFTBALL

SUNSET LEAGUE

Marina 13, Newport Harbor 0

Huntington Beach 19, Corona del Mar 2

GROVE LEAGUE

Santa Ana Valley 12, Estancia 0

COAST LEAGUE

Santiago 11, Anaheim 1

Los Amigos 8, Western 4

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Mission Viejo 3, Tesoro 2

NORTH HILLS LEAGUE

Brea Olinda 11, Troy 0

NONLEAGUE

University 15, Laguna Hills 1

​ Orange County Register 

Football recruiting: Mater Dei’s Kayden Dixon-Wyatt commits to Ohio State

• May 6, 2025

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Orange County’s top committed football recruits from the Class of 2026, as of May 5, 2025:

Name, School, Position, Height, Weight, College

Jayden Crowder, Santa Margarita, CB, 5-11, 170, Cal

Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Mater Dei, WR, 6-2, 180, Ohio State

Dash Fifita, Santa Margarita, LB, 5-10, 185, Arizona

Kodi Greene, Mater Dei, OT, 6-6, 310, Washington

Chris Henry Jr., Mater Dei, WR, 6-5, 205, Ohio State

Ryan Hopkins, Mater Dei, QB, 6-3, 195, Wisconsin

Simote Katoanga, Santa Margarita, DL, 6-5, 250, USC

CJ Lavender, Mater Dei, DB, 5-11, 175, Washington

Skylar Lendsey, Western, RB, 5-10, 200, UNLV

Trent Mosley, Santa Margarita, WR, 5-11, 175, USC

Niniva Nicholson, Santa Margarita, OL, 6-3, 285, Arizona State

Vance Spafford, Mission Viejo, WR, 5-11, 185, Georgia

Jonah Smith, Santa Margarita, WR, 6-0, 175, UCLA

Tomuhini Topui, Mater Dei, DT, 6-3, 320, USC

Please send football recruiting news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarityguy on X and Instagram

​ Orange County Register 

Olympic swim great Gary Hall Jr. awarded 10 medals to replace those destroyed in Palisades fire

• May 6, 2025

LAUSANNE, Switzerland  — After all his Olympic medals were destroyed in the Los Angeles fires, swimming great Gary Hall Jr. set an unexpected record replacing them at IOC headquarters Monday.

Ten Olympic medals awarded to one athlete on the same day.

“I’ll do a better job of taking care of these,” Hall Jr. quipped receiving the new set of five golds, three silvers and two bronzes earned swimming for the United States at three Summer Games from 1996 to 2004.

The originals burned four months ago at his home in Pacific Palisades. Los Angeles will host the next Summer Games in 2028.

Replacing them by presenting 10 at the same time was “a unique ceremony,” said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

“I don’t think that it happened ever before and I hope it will never have to happen again,” Bach told Hall Jr. “We hope also to give you a moment of relief and joy which will help you now in the further process to get over what you had to go through with this tragedy.”

Hall Jr. spoke with emotion about being supported by family, former teammates and old Olympic rivals like Australia stars Ian Thorpe and Michael Klim.

“Having friends and family I am a very lucky man,” he said. “The support that I was offered from the athletic community has buoyed me through the darkest of nights.”

He brought with him to Switzerland a deformed gold medal later recovered from the home he fled with his dog, Puddles, after grabbing his insulin medication.

“It’s got some character,” Hall Jr. said of the burned gold at the Olympic ceremony. “The value of friends outweighs the value of objects. We live in a time of capitalism, consumerism and you realize when you lose everything, how little of it you truly need.

“Character cannot be taken away, it cannot be burned and it cannot be lost.”

Thorpe was among the first people to contact Hall Jr. during the January fires.

“I don’t know how he knew,” Hall Jr. said of the surprise call from Thorpe, who was part of the Australian 4×100-meter freestyle team that took gold ahead of the U.S. at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

“That is what this (Olympic) family is about — rivals and friends. I am just so appreciative to all of them. I can’t thank the Olympic movement enough for their support through this very difficult time.”

​ Orange County Register 

Trump has threatened a 100% tariff on movies made outside the US. Here’s what we know

• May 6, 2025

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump is eyeing Hollywood for his next round of tariffs, threatening to levy all films produced outside the U.S. at a steep rate of 100%.

Over the weekend, Trump accused other countries of “stealing the movie-making capabilities” of the U.S. and said that he had authorized the Commerce Department and the U.S. Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of implementing this new import tax on all foreign-made films. But further specifics or dates weren’t provided. And the White House confirmed that no final decisions had been made as of Monday.

Trump later said that he would meet with industry executives about the proposal but a lot remains unclear about how an import tax on complex, international productions could even be implemented.

If imposed, experts warn that such a tariff would dramatically hike the costs of making movies today. That uncertainty could put filmmakers in limbo, much like other industries that have recently been caught in the crosshairs of today’s ongoing trade wars.

Unlike other sectors that have recently been targeted by tariffs, however, movies go beyond physical goods, bringing larger intellectual property ramifications into question. Here’s what we know.

Why is Trump threatening this steep movie tariff?

Trump is citing national security concerns, a justification he’s similarly used to impose import taxes on certain countries and a range of sector-specific goods.

In a Sunday night post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that the American movie industry is “DYING to a very fast death” as other countries offer “all sorts of incentives” to draw filmmaking away from the U.S.

Trump has previously voiced concern about movie production moving overseas. And in recent years, U.S. film and television production has been hampered between setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hollywood guild strikes of 2023 and the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Incentive programs have also long-influenced where movies are shot both abroad and within the U.S., with more production leaving California to states like Georgia and New Mexico — as well as countries like Canada.

But unlike other sectors targeted by Trump’s recently-imposed tariffs, the American film industry currently holds a trade deficit that’s in the U.S.’s favor.

In movie theaters, American-produced movies overwhelmingly dominate the domestic marketplace. Data from the Motion Picture Association also shows that American films made $22.6 billion in exports and $15.3 billion in trade surplus in 2023 — with a recent report noting that these films “generated a positive balance of trade in every major market in the world” for the U.S.

Last year, international markets accounted for over 70% of Hollywood’s total box office revenue, notes Heeyon Kim, an assistant professor of strategy at Cornell University. She warns that tariffs and potential retaliation from other countries impacting this industry could result in billions of dollars in lost earnings and thousands of jobs.

“To me, (this) makes just no sense,” she said, adding that such tariffs could “undermine otherwise a thriving part of the U.S. economy.”

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which represents behind-the-scenes entertainment workers across the U.S. and Canada, said in a statement Monday that Trump had “correctly recognized” the “urgent threat from international competition” that the American film and television industry faces today. But the union said it instead recommended the administration implement a federal production tax incentive and other provisions to “level the playing field” while not harming the industry overall.

How could a tax on foreign-made movies work?

That’s anyone’s guess.

“Traditional tariffs apply to physical imports crossing borders, but film production primarily involves digital services — shooting, editing and post-production work that happens electronically,” notes Ann Koppuzha, a lawyer and business law lecturer at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business.

Koppuzha said that film production is more like an applied service that can be taxed, not tariffed. But taxes require Congressional approval, which could be a challenge even with a Republican majority.

Making a movie is also an incredibly complex — and international — process. It’s common for both large and small films to include production in the U.S. and in other countries. Big-budget movies like the upcoming “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” for instance, are shot around the world.

U.S. studios frequently shoot abroad because tax incentives can aid production costs. But a blanket tariff across the board could discourage that or limit options, Kim said — hurting both Hollywood films and the global industry that helps create them.

“When you make these sort of blanket rules, you’re missing some of the nuance of how production works,” added Steven Schiffman, a longtime industry veteran and adjunct professor at Georgetown University. “Sometimes you just need to go to the location, because frankly it’s way too expensive just to try to create in a soundstage”

Schiffman points to popular titles filmed outside the U.S. — such as Warner Bros’ “Harry Potter” series, which was almost entirely shot in the U.K. “The cost to have done that would have like literally double to produce those movies under this proposed tariff,” he said.

Could movie tariffs have repercussions on other intellectual property?

Overall, experts warn that the prospect of tariffing foreign-made movies ventures into uncharted waters.

“There’s simply no precedent or sense for applying tariffs to these types of creative services,” Koppuzha said. And while the Trump administration could extend similar threats to other forms of intellectual property, like music, “they’d encounter the same practical hurdles.”

But if successful, some also warn of potential retaliation. Kim points to “quotas” that some countries have had to help boost their domestic films by ensuring they get a portion of theater screens, for example. Many have reduced or suspended such quotas over the years in the name of open trade — but if the U.S. places a sweeping tariff on all foreign-made films, these kinds of quotas could come back, “which would hurt Hollywood film or any of the U.S.-made intellectual property,” Kim said.

And while U.S. dominance in film means “there are fewer substitutes” for retaliation, Schiffman notes that other forms of entertainment — like game development — could see related impacts down the road.

Others stress the potential consequences of hampering international collaboration overall.

“Creative content distribution requires thoughtful economic approaches that recognize how modern storytelling flows across borders,” notes Frank Albarella, U.S. media and telecommunications sector leader at KPMG. “The question hanging over every screen: Might we better nurture American storytelling through smart, targeted incentives, or could we inadvertently force audiences to pay more for what could become a narrower creative landscape?”

AP Writers Jake Coyle and Jill Colvin in New York, Aamer Madhani in Palm Beach, Florida and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

LA wildfire recovery’s powerful allies: Brains and money

• May 6, 2025

When Altadena’s air pollution monitors burned up in the Eaton fire, Caltech and Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists installed a network of 25 new ones that measure dust and ash particles for public consumption.

This independent work was something government agencies could not do — providing continuous, local data for the public to determine how safe was the air for families moving back to intact homes, as well as those considering rebuilding homes that were lost in the fire.

This is one example of the unique, abundant resources of Southern California being used to augment efforts led by federal, state and local governments for recovery from the Eaton and Palisades fires of Jan. 7-8.

‘It’s an LA thing’

Help from Caltech, JPL, UCLA, USC and Loyola Marymount University, plus contributions from Hollywood celebrities, are part of the area’s “brain gain” and cash infusion, which could combine to speed up recovery within the devastated fire zones of Altadena, Pasadena and Pacific Palisades.

“It is an L.A. thing,” said Fernando Guerra, professor of political science and Chicano-Latino studies at Loyola Marymount University, who also is director of LMU-based StudyLA. “There are few other places in America or in the world where you have these non-governmental resources.”

He said the concentration of top-notch research academic institutions is unique to Southern California, especially those who focus on air pollution, a very L.A. problem.

“We have an incredible higher-education infrastructure. I can ideally say that all those elements are present in Los Angeles County and very few urban areas have this,” he said, adding that this resource has helped provide more information and help for fire victims.

“We are taking the laboratory out of the campuses and into the community,” Guerra said.

L.A. encourages innovation

Major U.S. cities such as New York and Boston have academic resources, he said. But these cities also have exercised strong, unilateral government control during a disaster. For example, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was in charge after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

Guerra sees that as a bulwark against allowing other efforts. In Southern California, the fires have put in motion L.A.’s Mayor Karen Bass and the L.A. City Council. He said Bass is not as strong as East Coast mayors because she must earn approval from the City Council. And then there are the five LA County supervisors, who wield much power, as well as leaders in other cities. All have roles to play in a disaster.

The spread of local leaders actually opens the door to non-government entities to help out, he said. The de-centralization of power in L.A. County is actually a good thing. “It creates the opportunity for greater intervention,” Guerra explained.

In the air monitors example, Guerra said Caltech was able to move faster than the California Air Resources Board or the South Coast Air Quality Management District because the university has less bureaucracy than government agencies and can find funding faster.

He said academic institutions can respond almost immediately, drop what its doing and engage in the new, more pertinent research. Caltech called property owners and got permission to place new rooftop air sensors in and around the Altadena fire areas and installed the monitors in about a month’s time.

Caltech went to its donors and raised $270,000 in a few days to support environmental testing of the air, soils and streams after the fires, said John Eiler, the Robert P. Sharp professor of geology and geo-chemistry and Ted and Ginger Jenkins leadership chair of the division of geological and planetary sciences.

It was personal

Why did Caltech do this?

First, it is located just a few miles from the southern boundary of the Eaton fire. “Many of the individuals who were involved in research done by the geology division were directly affected by the fires — and they lost homes and multiple people leading research were displaced,” Eiler said.

He said the prestigious university is a leader in researching air pollution and lead in paint, two issues residents were concerned about after the fires. Many homes in Altadena that burned had lead paint on their walls because they were built in the 1970s.

“It aligns with our values. We think of our research endeavors as a public service. It motivates us. We think of this as something that has value to society,” Eiler said.

Filling in the gaps

Caltech scientists studied the air in real time on the days and nights of the Eaton fire — something no governmental environmental agency did. Lead levels on Jan. 9 on average were 100 times higher than the typical range, while chlorine was 40 times higher at the peak, reported Haroula Baliaka, a graduate student in environmental science and engineering at Caltech who analyzed the data.

Caltech professor of geochemistry Francois Tissot tested the soot and dust that accumulated on the inside window sills of four Caltech buildings in Pasadena a few miles south of the Eaton fire. Dust samples contained more lead and cadmium, another metal, than ash samples. The indoor dust had elevated levels of lead but many of the samples tested found lead at or below EPA acceptable levels.

Tissot later tested dust from 50 homes and gave instructions on how to safely clean dust from inside and outside window sills to the public.

Caltech also did remote testing of debris flows in the San Gabriel Mountains after rain storms. The Caltech data predicted where debris would flow and the data was used by state environmental agencies to give warnings of where and when debris flows would become a problem, Eiler said.

Recently, Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, publicized a group of universities that started CAP.LA, and began doing what the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would not do — test soils for toxic substances on the 16,000 destroyed properties in both the Palisades and Eaton fires. For those who signed up, the Army Corps cleared six inches of soil — no more. When residents demanded further, deeper testing to ensure safety, the government agencies said it was unnecessary.

So CAP.LA was formed. The project involved soil testing on 1,200 properties, sometimes 10 inches or 12 inches deep and researcher gave the results to the property owners. The group formed in a few days bringing in UCLA, LMU, and Purdue University. The L.A.-based R & S Kayne Foundation, a philanthropic group, put up $1 million for CAP.LA’s work.

L.A. abundance

Steve Crowder is mayor of Paradise in Northern California. He took on the role in 2018, two days before a wildfire tore through the town burning more than 153,000 acres, destroying 13,500 homes and killing 85 people. Crowder’s home was destroyed.

His daughter, who lives in Altadena, lost her home in the Eaton fire.

After 6 1/2 years, his town is about 35% rebuilt.

“We don’t seem to have the resources that Southern California does,” he said during an interview on May 1.

The only university that helped was Cal State Chico, which he said were not heavily involved in recovery, he said. “Nothing like what is happening in Southern California.”

Former NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who played for UC Berkeley’s Cal Golden Bears and grew up in nearby Chico, donated about $3 million, Crowder said.

The North Valley Community Foundation collected $60 million. Some of that went to help residents with mental health issues, Crowder said. The organization gave $2 million to pay down building permits, he said.

The celebrity factor

In Southern California, several celebrities have been active.

Actor Sean Penn, who formed the Community Organized Relief Effort or CORE with Ann Lee, gave about $1 million in cash at the Red Cross center in Pasadena to people displaced. “Cash is a necessary freedom to get by day-by-day,” Penn told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in a televised interview.

CORE, with donations from philanthropist Stephen J. Cloobeck, worked with the Rubio Canon Land & Water Association, a local water utility, to clean out reservoirs filled with debris in Altadena, helping to restore potable drinking water.

The Tom Petty Estate provided relief to the tune of $15,000 per person for help rebuilding their homes, totaling $100,000, the estate announced. The late rock star’s estate gave $15,000 to a children’s music teacher and piano instructor Jeanina Quizada, 63. who lost her home and studio in Altadena.

Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media Impact charity and also GoFundMe.org gave up to $25,000 to 50 women-owned businesses impacted by the fires. The reality TV star, actress and singer said: “These women are the backbone of their communities. We are not just helping them rebuild — we’re investing in their futures, their families and their neighborhoods.”

One of those $25,000 grants went to the owners of the beloved Altadena restaurant, The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop, destroyed in the fire.

The Pasadena Women’s Business Center will also receive $25,000 from Hilton’s group to provide no-cost advising to local business owners.

Crowder, who was in Washington D.C. on May 5 trying to drum up dollars to help his town build a sewer system, only dreamed of celebrity dollars rolling in — or any dollars to help with the town’s rebuilding.

“I told your leaders I don’t care who offers to provide you help, you take it. We did not have that. Nothing like what you are seeing down there,” he said.

​ Orange County Register 

Man crashes vehicle into Jennifer Anston’s gate in Bel Air

• May 6, 2025

A man was taken into custody Monday after crashing a vehicle into the front gate of actress Jennifer Aniston’s Bel Air home.

The crash occurred around 12:30 p.m., and private security guards at the home helped detain the man at the scene. Multiple media reports indicated the driver was a man in his 70s who complained of unspecified injuries after the crash.

Police said Aniston was home at the time. The driver, however, never made it past the front gate of the estate.

It was unclear what motivated the man to drive into the gate. The suspect was not identified, and it was unclear what type of charge he might be facing.

​ Orange County Register 

The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in April

• May 6, 2025

If there’s one thing that takes over April in Southern California, it’s festival season. Coachella, Stagecoach, and the Festival of Books, otherwise known as Bookchella, all take place one weekend after another. And once they wrap up, there are more music festivals, food festivals, and even wine festivals taking place throughout the summer in Southern California.

With so many Los Angeles residents flocking to Coachella for weekend one, it typically means an unexpected domino effect for those who stay behind: less traffic and not as many out-the-door lines at trending places to eat, such as Courage Bagels and Community Goods. More and more people have caught onto this trend and utilize the weekend as an opportunity for a local adventure with (hopefully) less wait times.

However, when it comes to Southern California food, the locals will tell you it doesn’t need to be the latest TikTok hot spot to be a solid meal. You can also happen upon a fantastic bite to eat just by walking around town, or perhaps a county fair, and seeing what catches your eye.

• Also see: The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in March

This is where our reporters come in to help guide you to some nearby eateries that might not already be on your radar. Here’s a look at the best things we ate throughout Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire in April.

Related: See the best things we ate in Southern California in 2024.

Miến xào tôm cua (crab and shrimp glass noodles) – Bamboo Bistro, Corona Del Mar

While Little Saigon holds court as Orange County’s Vietnamese food capital (that’s practically scripture), Bamboo Bistro in Corona Del Mar throws a few knockout punches. The miến xào tôm cua, a tangle of crab and rice noodles studded with tiger prawns and slicked with garlic-ginger sauce, competes with the big leagues a few miles north. This dish, a recurring star in my culinary arsenal when I first enjoyed it at the Slanted Door in San Francisco in the early 2000s, has long been a favorite, one that I now get to enjoy with more frequency ever since Bamboo Bistro unveiled its new expansion, allowing for double the customers.

— Brock Keeling, Restaurant Reporter

Jerk Lobster Mac & Cheese – The Jerk, Jamaican Eatery, LA County Fair and restaurant in Temecula

Lobster Mac & Cheese is already elevating a classic comfort food, but Jerk Lobster Mac & Cheese takes it to a whole new level. As part of the Los Angeles County Fair Food Preview, my coworker and I went around to various booths to try samples of some of the new and returning items this year. The Jerk’s Jerk Lobster Mac & Cheese will likely go down as the best thing I ate in 2025. It’s what food fusion is all about: the flavors, the texture, the cheese (the cheese pull alone was a moment). This meal was so good that despite being stuffed, I went back for another bowl to take home and have for dinner. The only warning I will give is if you have a low spice tolerance, be prepared with a beverage on hand (I had a horchata nearby) because there’s definitely a kick to this dish. You can find the Jerk at the Los Angeles County Fair, but they’re also opening a new restaurant location in Temecula.

— Carolyn Burt, Audience Engagement Producer

• Also see: Seven outrageous, creative or flat-out delicious foods you can try at the 2025 LA County Fair

Short Rib Poutine – Studio 429, Downtown Upland

A delicious pairing of tender short ribs in a delicious gravy and salty French fries made this a perfect appetizer. Though to be fair with its portion size, this could have very well been a meal. Being that I never saw myself as someone who would partake in poutine, this exceeded all of my expectations. Also, if you happen to go during their social hour (happy hour), you can get it at a discount.

— Mercedes Cannon-Tran, Local Reporter

Soft Shell Crab Sandwich – The Market by the Meat Cellar, San Juan Capistrano

Anthony Villegas, meat master and co-founder of the Market by the Meat Cellar — a traditional butchery, cheese shop, boutique and a full-service steakhouse — hosts a “Meat Master Class” dinner series at his new San Juan Capistrano location. Of the eight thrilling courses he prepared and served, ranging from a steamed Wagyu beef cheek taco to a veal schnitzel, his soft shell crab sandwich proved to be the standout. Topped with a Meyer lemon aioli and a calamansi vinaigrette salad, the succulent crustacean is beer-battered and fried to a golden hue. But really, each dish was a knockout, proving Villegas is a major talent for South County. Look for class to resume on June 16.

— Brock Keeling, Restaurant Reporter

• RELATED: Learning from the master: Inside the ‘Meat Master Class’ in San Juan Capistrano

Single Burger – Oh My Burger, Gardena

At most music festivals, you will find some burger options, but nothing like Oh My Burger served at the Coachella Courtyard. Even as I write this, my mouth still waters. The center was a smashed patty with cheese, topped with pickles, grilled onions, and a sauce with a savory kick that elevated the smoky grilled taste between two slightly toasted buns. I didn’t get the name of the sauce, but I think about her daily. I will spend the rest of my life searching for her with the same determination Prince Charming did when Cinderella escaped, if I have to. This burger is my glass slipper, and the sauce is my princess, waiting for our fates to cross once again.

– Charlie Vargas, features reporter

• This submission was also featured in The best things we ate at Coachella 2025

Paella de Mariscos – Coco Palm, Pomona

A symphony of flavors comes together in one of the best paellas I have ever had. Seriously, the saffron rice alone is worth its own post. The amount and variety of seafood in this dish make it a crowd pleaser and definitely a dish to share. With lobster, squid, fish, shrimp, and mussels, there is no shortage of variety. Did I mention there were sweeping views of the Pomona Valley at the Cuban restaurant as well? I highly recommend a window seat any time of day alongside one of their delicious passionfruit mojitos. Also, don’t miss out on taking a stroll outside on their veranda for great views and photos.

— Mercedes Cannon-Tran, Local Reporter

Triple-decker sandwich – Benjies NY Deli, Santa Ana

Benjies NY Deli doesn’t just serve a triple-decker sandwich; it stacks a geological wonder of corned beef, pastrami and Swiss — a tall, two-fisted affair in an increasingly dainty-dish world. Forget polite portions here as doggie bags are de rigueur at this 57-year-old institution of hefty fare. And its legacy is safe: Chanele Halkett, who got her start at the Santa Ana eatery as hostess three decades ago, is set to buy the place, ensuring the menu and its gut-busting spirit remain unchanged. Don’t even think about skipping out on the crinkle-cut fries, which are a must, or grabbing a black-and-white cookie on the way out.

— Brock Keeling, Restaurant Reporter

• RELATED: 31 years ago, she started as a Benjies hostess. Now she’s buying the Santa Ana restaurant.

Dr. Bombay Pizza – Made From Scratch, Redlands

Made From Scratch is a one-of-a-kind pizzeria that recently opened at 118 Orange St, Redlands. What makes it unique is its 1980s record store theme, including a disc jockey and square menus inserted into replicas of LP inner sleeves. There’s a good selection of pizza. This is Dr. Bombay, $21, made with tandoori chicken, tzatziki and mozzarella, then topped with cilantro. Also, look for brunch on weekends. I liked the egg white frittata.

— Fielding Buck, Restaurant Reporter

Wild Alaskan Salmon – Studio 429 in Upland, Ca

A crispy and delicate salmon paired with an array of flavors like the salmon caviar and enoki mushrooms really made this dish something special. In fact, I like it so much I have ordered it twice now! This dish really does have a nice balance of being satisfying yet not overwhelmingly heavy. I am also a big fan of the crispy salmon skin in contrast to the vegetables.

— Mercedes Cannon-Tran, Local Reporter

Al pastor taco – Tacos Y Birria La Cascada, Santa Ana

A day in Santa Ana serendipitously led me to Tacos Y Birria La Cascada, a food truck holding court at three locations. While on assignment, I stumbled upon La Cascada and, anticipating a feast later that afternoon, ordered a single al pastor taco as a warmup. The spicy, marinated pork, brightened by peppery radishes and a squeeze of lime, offered me the pre-game savoriness I craved. Served atop two soft tortillas, any stray detritus transformed into an impromptu second taco. You can find La Cascada near the corners of 17th Street and Sycamore, 17th Street and Old Tustin and Warner and Yale.

— Brock Keeling, Restaurant Reporter

See more of our monthly round-ups of the best things we ate in Southern California

The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in March

The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in February

The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in January

The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in 2024

The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in November

The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants this October

The best thing we ate at Southern California restaurants in September

The best thing we ate at Southern California restaurants in August

​ Orange County Register