There’s a reason corned beef and cabbage mostly shows up once a year. The salty, brine-cured brisket simply isn’t that great. It’s not terrible, but it’s no pastrami or smoked brisket.
But cabbage? That’s a different story.
The sturdy, foot-soldier leafy green (or white, purple or red) has been elbowing its way onto produce-forward menus across California over the last two years, often taking center stage rather than being relegated to coleslaw duties. Blistered, charred, fermented and even shaved into bright salads, cabbage is still having a moment.
For this St. Patricks’ Day, and well beyond it, here are three choice dishes in Orange County where cabbage is the star.
Romanian stuffed cabbage rolls at Dunarea Restaurant are made with ground pork wrapped in pickled cabbage leaves in Anaheim on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Cabbage rolls at Dunaera
The cruciferous vegetable’s sturdy, leafy structure makes it an ideal vessel for all for myriad stuffing. Enter the cabbage roll. At Anaheim’s Dunaera, a longtime spot for Romanian and Eastern European fare, the kitchen turns out one of Orange County’s best versions.
Using a pork mixture studded with rice and tinged with onion and spices, Dunera wraps the rolls in cabbage leaves they picked in-house. Once rolled snug, they’re cooked anywhere from three to four hours in a rich tomato sauce. The result is a hearty yet light dish paired alongside soft cornmeal (mămăligă) and cooling dollops of sour cream.
Find it: 821 N Euclid St., Anaheim, 714-772-7233
Deok Eui Kim, owner of Hansung Ggoolmott Kimchi, with a gallon-sized jar of his Kimchi in Buena Park on Monday, March 9, 2026. In 1987, Kim started making kimchi in his garage and opened the storefront location in 1997. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kimchi at Hansung Ggoolmott Kimchi
Kimchi powers plenty of iconic dishes – kimchi jjigae, fried rice, even Roy Choi’s kimchi-spiked grilled cheese sandwich– but it also shines on its own. In Buena Park, longtime Korean market Hansung Ggoolmott has been producing its house-made kimchi using Napa cabbage since the 1980s, opening its brick-and-mortar shop in 1997.
Fresh batches are produced each week, which allows customers to choose their preferred level of fermentation. Younger kimchi delivers a bright, crunchy bite, while longer fermentation develops a deeper tang and umami punch. Pair it with rice, pile it onto fatty meats or noodles, or simply eat it straight from the jar.
If you can’t make it to Buena Park, pickups are also available in Los Angeles and other Orange County locales; visit hansungkimchi.com for more details.
Find it: 7443 La Palma Ave, Buena Park, 714-690-0333
Darkroom’s inventive take on cabbage. (Photo by Brock Keeling, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Conehead cabbage at Darkroom
At Santa Ana’s Darkroom, one of Orange County’s more inventive kitchens, cabbage gets a thoroughly modern makeover.
The restaurant sources its conehead cabbage from Weiser Family Farms, a variety prized for its elongated shape and naturally sweet leaves. The cabbage is charred until tender, then coated in a red Szechuan-Calabrian chile emulsion that brings both heat and brightness. Crispy guanciale adds a salty crunch while a fine dusting of shaved pecorino ties it all together.
The result is a smoky, spicy and unapologetically rich, proving that cabbage, in the right hands, can steal the spotlight and make you forget all about its corned-beef past.
Find it: 211 W. Fourth St., Santa Ana, 657-777-3275