Hot cast iron plates cook your meal for you!
When I first saw images of Pepper Lunch, it immediately evoked memories of hot fajita plates at a Mexican restaurant. I wasn't particularly intrigued, but thought I would give it a try being that they have over 350 locations in 15 countries. Their Irvine, CA location was one of the first in the United States and given its popularity, I expect there to be many more.
When we arrived, we found the menu to be a bit overwhelming and we didn't really know where to start. There was noodle dishes, curry, combo deals, and more. Eventually, we simply decided to go with their seafood pepper rice without any add-ons. If you so desired, you could upsize both your meat and rice portions for a fee.
After a very short wait, our plates came out and sure enough, the seafood on the plate was raw when it was placed in front of us. However, you would immediately hear the sizzling sound of the shrimp and eggs cooking right before our eyes.
We mixed our seafood in with the rice and corn, and in less than a minute or two, the raw seafood was fully cooked. To add additional flavor, every table had both sweet & sour and garlic sauces nearby. Even when our meal was complete, the cast iron was hot enough to leave a burn, so even the slowest eater doesn't have to worry about food getting cold.
As we ate, I couldn't help but gaze as some of the dishes that other patrons of the restaurant had ordered. Everyone seemed to have a different take on their dish, so we're definitely going to need to return to try some of the other options.
Aside from the challenging parking on a weekend evening, we were really pleased by the meal at Pepper Lunch. With so many options, we will certainly have to plan a return visit!
Know Before You Go
On a weekend night, the parking is atrocious here. Snag the first spot that you can, because the congestion in this lot is an accident waiting to happen.
A small paper band wraps the cast iron plate so that you do not burn yourself. This probably isn't the best spot to take children as they could inadvertently touch a hot plate.
Look at the menu before arriving - there are so many options that it gets overwhelming.
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Location
Found in the Diamond Jamboree Shopping Center, which is notorious for its congested parking lot. Additional parking is said to open in early 2020. Pepper Lunch is found close to the Kickin' Crab, at the northeast corner.
Video
The below is a short video showing the interior of the restaurant, along with the sizzling seafood dish.
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