Starchy Marie

Cafe Du Monde

2011-09-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

My last day in New Orleans had to include a stop at Cafe Du Monde, the famous coffee shop established in 1862, known especially for its beignets, which are described on their site as "square French-style doughnuts, lavishly covered with powdered sugar."

So, even though it was mind-numbingly hot, I sat outside on their (covered) patio and ordered beignets and a cafe au lait; yes, I was sweating a lot, but had to drink hot coffee because I wanted the total experience.

So airy and perfectly sweet. These beauties made time stop for me.

Moments of true happiness may be fleeting, but they can be recreated easily at Cafe Du Monde. Although beignets are available elsewhere in the country, I have never been interested because I wanted to try them in New Orleans. As it turns out, I made the right decision.

Cafe Du Monde
French Market
800 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Ph: 504-525-4544

NOLA

2011-08-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

New Orleans is like no other city. I could give you a long list of adjectives to describe its spirit, but you won't get it until you go. I visited for the first time recently and loved spending the weekend taking in the city with friends (old and new), eating well and laughing a lot. I hope you will make a serious effort to visit New Orleans, it's worth it.

Now, onto NOLA, Emeril Lagasse's restaurant in the French Quarter where we had a ladylike lunch.

Pimm's Cup, we finally meet. And fall in love. Why have I let so many summers go by without knowing the joy of this drink? I used to say I wasn't a fan of gin, but then a cocktail comes along and changes everything.

I chose the crispy duck liver as my starter; it was served with greens, caramelized onions and Creole mustard aioli. The dish did not lack in flavor: it was, in fact, a tad too salty. However, New Orleans cuisine does not do subtle, so that's that.

We also shared Miss Hay's stuffed chicken wings with homemade Hoisin dipping sauce, which had a surprising Asian-inspired filling of cabbage, cellophane noodles, and a whole mess of other stuff (look at this recipe; there is seriously a lot going on). I loved the fried exterior of the wings, but the stuffing was just confusing.

My entree was "shrimp and grits," which was one flavor notch too intense. Between shrimp, bacon, cheddar grits and red chili-Abita butter sauce (Abita is a local brewery), that plate of food was overwhelming. Sometimes, bacon is not needed. It hurt me to say that, but it's the truth.

NOLA's food wasn't perfect, but the overall experience was excellent because of the stellar service and honestly, we were on vacation in New Orleans. I would happily eat at NOLA again the next time I'm in town.

NOLA
534 St. Louis Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-558-3947

Dean Sin World

2011-07-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

I work at a snail's pace when it comes to trying new-to-me restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley of Deliciousness. Let's not get into all the reasons, but instead rejoice in the fact that I recently stopped in at Dean Sin World for the very first time!

The ladies who work there were very friendly and despite the fact that I don't speak Chinese, I made it through the meal without too much trouble.

The best thing I ate here: leek (or as the menu delightfully notes, "leak") pork dumplings ($4.25).

When the plate arrived at the table, I was a little bummed because I had meant to order something more potsticker-like (I apologize to my fellow bloggers who have written about Dean Sin World and know the exact names of the must order stuff, but I wasn't able to research beforehand that day). Then, I bit into one and it was a done deal. Their dumplings are juicy, full of flavor and disappear at an astounding rate. I polished off the plate easily.

Smoked fish ($5.50): cold with a lot of bones. I don't mind eating fish this way (Koreans prepare most of their fish on the bone, so it's what I grew up eating), but these pieces required a good amount of work! Just wasn't what I was expecting.

Pancake with green onion ($2.75): I have a thing for savory "pancakes," as they are called on English menus at Asian restaurants. This dish was fine, but lacked a bit in flavor for me.

Dean Sin World is a teeny tiny shop that holds the key to dumpling happiness. On my next visit, though, I will go prepared with a list of their best dishes. Or I could just see how many leek pork dumplings I can consume.

Dean Sin World
306 N Garfield Ave, #2
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Ph:(626) 571-063

Wildwood Ovens & BBQ’s

2011-05-16T21:56:00.000-07:00

I was recently invited to a free hosted event at Wildwood Ovens & BBQ’s, a laid back spot in Eagle Rock where you can do a lot of things: buy a wood fired oven or Brazilian barbeque grill, take a cooking class or throw a party for you and yours to enjoy pizza or churrasco (grilled meat). We got to sample more than a few items from the owner, Michael Gerard, and his team.

Roast pork. There was some beautiful fat, which is the best way to enjoy pork in my opinion.

Asparagus is magical when prepared properly. I could have eaten the whole plate.

Mushroom pizza straight from the (heat) source. Life would be better if every time I reached for frozen pizza, a pie from their wood fired oven would appear instead.

I can easily imagine spending a summer afternoon on the their patio with friends, consuming a lot of pizza dough, grilled meat and cold beverages. I really dug the very Californian vibe at Wildwood and think it'd be a great spot for a party, especially for those who want good grub.

Wildwood Ovens & BBQ's
5020 Eagle Rock Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
323-255-6578

Wako Donkasu

2011-05-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

Koreans love donkatsu (Japanese fried pork cutlet), and I am no exception. Most of the donkatsu I've eaten has been prepared by my mom and enjoyed in my parents' kitchen with rice, shredded cabbage and kimchi. But, out here in LA, I must fend for myself (yes, I can make it, but I loathe frying food in my apartment as the smell insists on lingering).

Enter Wako Donkasu, a tucked away spot in Koreatown, where the main attraction is their pork cutlet, but with various riffs offered as well, such as steak, curry and even cheese. I find it difficult to resist combination sets at Asian restaurants, so I ordered the udon and pork katsu duo ($12.95).

The pork was juicy, but the breading wasn't as crisp as I had hoped and even falling off a little on the bottom of a couple pieces. The dipping sauce was tonkatsu sauce and ground sesame seeds. (Note: after you order, the server brings sesame seeds for you to grind up with a mortar and pestle of sorts. I wasn't sure what to do really, so I asked my server about it when she dropped off my food and she did it for me.)

The dressing on the cabbage was like the slightly sweeter version of the carrot and ginger version found in Japanese restaurants here in the U.S. I liked that it was a departure from the blob of ketchup and mayo found in so many Korean restaurants.

The udon broth was flavorful enough, but it lacked the special touch that makes addicts out of people who just came here for the katsu in the first place (I love when restaurants have that supporting cast dish or side that unexpectedly becomes habit-forming); the noodles were standard and did not stand out.

Wako Donkasu did not take the pork cutlet to new heights for me, but my meal was more than satisfactory. I'm willing to see if everything is a little better next time around.

Wako Donkasu
3377 Wilshire Blvd
Suite 112
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 381-9256

*Other location:
2904 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(213) 387-9256

Cham Bistro - CHAMtail Hour

2011-04-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally did it. I ate at Cham Bistro, the Korean darling of the Pasadena food scene, but instead of a full meal, I stopped in for their weekday CHAMtail Hour when their tapas, beer and wine are 15% off (regular prices noted below - the tapas are part of their full menu)!

Bulgogi beef topokki ($5): loved how tender the rice cakes were, but the beef and sauce packed quite the salty wallop.

Crispy pork belly with fingerling potatoes ($5): the pork belly worked well with the gochujang sauce and potatoes, but the dish was served lukewarm. I would order it again in the hopes of it being served at a hotter temperature.

I had wanted to try the kimchi and cheese pouch, but they were sadly unavailable, so I ordered the spicy chicken and arugula steamed bun, which isn't part of the tapas section, but as they gave me 15% off my entire check, this item was discounted, too. When there was a mixup and I didn't get my steamed bun with my first two dishes, the staff gave me free spicy tuna tofu pockets while I waited!

Loved every single component, even the seasoned rice, which is sometimes given short shrift. I've stopped ordering spicy tuna rolls in restaurants in an attempt to make sustainable fish choices (some places may use albacore tuna for those rolls, but I just decided to cover my bases by not ordering unless noted as such), but these were gifts and already on the table. So, I ate them and they were awesome.

Spicy chicken BBQ and arugula steamed bun ($3): I was pretty stuffed by this point, so I focused my efforts on the chicken, which actually lived up to its name on the spice level (color me surprised!).

Cham Bistro has got two things going for it: the dishes aren't diluted past the point of recognition, so the integrity of the Korean cuisine hasn't completely left the building, and the order-at-the-counter setup is easy breezy, allowing people to take a moment to enjoy their meal or grab their food and go, which has to be appealing to the college students and families alike in the neighborhood. I really enjoyed my Korean tapas (admittedly, I am not used to throwing this phrase around yet) and can't wait to go back for lunch or dinner.

Cham Bistro
*CHAMtail Hour (Mon - Fri: 3pm - 6:30pm)
851 Cordova St
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 792-2474

Adam WarRock - Mon, April 11th

2011-03-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

You know those friends who you haven't talked to in five months, but you can call them out of the blue to discuss a major life decision and it's like no problem? My friend, Eugene, is one of those people for me. And he is finally coming to LA! Not to visit me, though, but to perform a series of shows as his lawyer-turned-rapper-about-all-things-comic-books-and-geek alter ego Adam WarRock. His LA show will be at Meltdown Comics (with comedian Baron Vaughn) on Monday, April 11th at 8pm.

Tickets can be purchased through the event link here. I will be having a glass of wine beforehand at Vintage Enoteca (practically next door) and would love to buy a drink for any of my readers/fellow bloggers/indie music supporters who will be attending the show. So, please comment or drop me a line at starchymarie@gmail.com if you think you'll be there!

A Paris Christmas: Part 5

2011-03-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

And at long last, here we are at the final installment of my Paris series. My family and I absolutely love seafood. I grew up eating sushi, sashimi, oysters, crabs, lobsters: you name it, we've probably tried it, if not harbored an undying obsession with it. During our time in Paris, there were two notable seafood meals.

The first was at Huitrerie Regis, a magical tiny oyster shop with a handful of tables and a small counter. I apologize for no photos, but the couple I snapped turned out woefully blurry. The menu here is tres simple: oysters, shrimp and a few other items. We ordered four dozen oysters and a bottle of Sancerre, which were shucked by the same person who took our order (note: there were maybe two employees running things, which included a stream of to-go customers who seemed to be regulars at carting off massive platters of raw oysters to their holiday soirees). We had a variety of local oysters, which were impeccably fresh, briny and different from what I've had in the U.S. I recommend Huitrerie Regis with all my seafood-devoted heart. They've made it onto all sorts of "Best Of" lists, so you may want to employ our strategy of arriving right when they open up for dinner.

And now onto the second meal, which took place on our last night in Paris. We opted for Le Bar a Huitres (the Saint-Germain location) for our special end-of-the-trip dinner. We were not disappointed.

Yes, this raw platter really happened. Breathtaking. Oysters, mussels, crab, cockles and such. Truthfully, I am not entirely sure of all that we consumed on this bad boy.

My sister ordered scallops again. From what I remember, they were buttery excellence. The French really know their way around a scallop (okay, and a million other food items, too).

I got a crab dish, which caught my eye because the crabmeat was already shelled and required nothing of me, but lifting fork to mouth. I took the photo before I turned over the shell, which was stuffed with crab meat. Light luxury with a side of potatoes, carrots and peas.

My dad's dinner. Prawns need very little adornment on the flavor side, but they did feel the need to spruce things up visually with seaweed.

As seafood-centric people, this meal really wrapped things up on a high note. Thank you for reading about our time in Paris. If you think you don't need to visit the city because it's been touted by too many to possibly be that remarkable and amazing, I would say, you need to go there first. Then we'll talk.

Huitrerie Régis
3 Rue Montfaucon
75006 Paris, France
Phone: 01 44 41 10 07

Le Bar a Huitres (St. Germain)
33 Rue Saint-Jacques
75005 Paris, France
Phone: 01 44 07 27 37

A Paris Christmas: Part 4

2011-01-30T19:11:00.000-08:00

Brunch appears to be big in France, too. We tried to eat at Le Vin Qui Danse, a cozy restaurant with an emphasis on wine, during the weekend and was told the restaurant was booked up! Thankfully, we were able to return for dinner later that week with reservation in hand.

My sister ordered scallops and as I recall, they were lovely.

I ordered the duck, which is one of my favorite proteins,. And of course, it was paired nicely with fruit (the entire clementine was interesting).

A chocolate trio of a brownie (or whatever the French equivalent would be called) and a couple ice cream type desserts.

Tiramisu! Intense and really good.

We also enjoyed a bottle of red wine, which gave us the warmth to brave the cold walk home. This dinner was one of our favorite meals in Paris and I hope to eat there again next time I'm in the city.

A few days later, it was Christmas Day and we had a fantastic dinner of items picked up at the neighborhood cheese, sausage and seafood shops. And wine, of course.

We bought this pre-cooked shrimp at the seafood supplier down the street and oh my God, it was so sweet and amazing. Later that day, I was daydreaming about the shrimp and to this day, I still think of it. Seriously.

A beautiful plate that is signature France: cheese, sausage and bread. Just perfection with wine.

An unusual Christmas Day dinner that I will always remember. Especially that shrimp.

Le Vin Qui Danse
4 rue des Fossés Saint Jacques
75005, Paris
Phone: 01 4354 8081

A Paris Christmas: Part 3

2011-01-17T12:54:00.000-08:00

In the weeks leading up to our trip, I wondered if we, particularly my parents, would make it for 10 days without Asian food. Well, as it turns out, I was the one who led the charge for Japanese food, not because of strong cravings, but I didn't feel like settling for easier options close-by that didn't require multiple Metro line changes (sometimes, I like to prove simple things to myself).

So, we arrived at Higuma on Rue Sainte-Anne, a street chock full of Japanese (and some Korean) restaurants. We had a very brief wait before being seated and I have to tell you, readers, some things are the same the world over: our Asian lady server was as no nonsense and a bit brusque as her American counterparts... but in French! Same thing with the guy at the register where you pay your bill after your meal; I found it amusing that young people's cheery au revoirs went unacknowledged. Of course, I did the same farewell when we left and yes, there was no response, which was strangely kind of comforting. Anyway, onto the food!

I got a ramen and gyoza set and these came out first: slightly crispy on the outside, greasy all over (pretty sure it was a pork filling). An especially welcome sight after having trudged through cold weather. Comfort food, bonjour?!

My dad ordered a set, too, and I think his ramen was the jjam-bbong (which is a spicy seafood and pork noodle soup served up in Korean-Chinese restaurants). I didn't try it, but clearly the spice level is nowhere near the oily red hellish quality we are used to. Still, I think he enjoyed it.

I believe this is my miso ramen. The broth was solid and I assume it was made with pork, but the noodles were much more interesting: springy and very slurpable. We also ordered donkatsu curry and kimchi ramen, which were both pretty good, but at that point, I was too involved in eating to keep up with the photos.

We ate Japanese food on a couple other occasions, but Higuma is the only place I documented. But, I will tell you that we had udon and sushi as a second dinner one night in a different part of the city, and returned to Sainte-Anne on Christmas Eve to try a Korean place, but they were closed, so we improvised and settled in at a small Japanese place where we ate donburi, udon (again), sushi, and even kimchi. In retrospect, that dinner was rather fitting as all the other December 24ths of my life were spent with a side of kimchi and surrounded by these three people. Travel poignancy, it happens when you're not noticing.

Higuma
32 bis Rue Sainte-Anne
75001 Paris
Phone: 01 47 03 38 59

A Paris Christmas: Part 2

2011-01-08T16:19:00.000-08:00

I don't know how often the average French person eats escargot (or snails), but as Americans visiting France, you know we had to order some. I had tried escargot in the U.S., but they were a first for my family. On a cold night, we stopped in at a restaurant which I'm 99% sure was Grand Bar Cluny (sorry, I was foolish enough to think I'd be able to remember everything from our trip with laser accuracy) and lo and behold, escargot were on the menu. The snails arrived on table with special utensils to get them out of their shells (smart French people and their utensils); while an entire meal consisting of escargot would have been too much, my family and I enjoyed trying this well-known dish in real, live Paris.

The rest of the food didn't photograph well, but the picture of my smoked duck salad came out all right. The slightly bitter endive was a nice counterpart to the rich smoked duck; the salad felt very French (okay, through an American perspective) to me.

More Paris food to come, dear readers! Next up is the Asian food! Yes, you read that correctly.

Grand Bar Cluny
82 Boulevard Saint-Germain
75005 Paris

A Paris Christmas: Part 1

2011-01-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

I always spend Christmas with my family, but this year was quite different as we headed to Paris for the holiday! Having never been to Europe before, I had a lot of anxiety and excitement in the months leading up to the big trip. Once in Paris, though, my family and I hit the ground running and ended up having a very memorable and special trip. And as it turns out, most everything I had heard about Paris and French food turned out to be true (the bread! the cheese! the charcuterie!) and the wines were affordable and lovely. I didn't document all of our meals, but did manage to come home with a good amount of food photos. First up is Les Fontaines, a bistrot near the Pantheon that we stumbled upon after our brunch destination, Le Vin Qui Danse, was full.

Foie gras terrine: creamy and oh so French. Apologies for my hazy memory, but I wasn't in the mood for taking notes while on vacation.

Charcuterie plate: all my little heart ever dreamed of in terms of cured meats! Heavy on the flavor and the portions; one of the best starters we ate while in Paris. We also had a few other dishes, but these were the only photos taken. Check my next post for our obligatory ordering of escargot!

Les Fontaines
9 Rue Soufflot, 75005
Paris, France
Phone: +33 1 43 26 42 80 ‎

Sweetsalt Food Shop

2010-11-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sweetsalt Food Shop is one of those places you keep your eye on for months, finally stop in and then kick yourself for not making it in when you first heard of it. Opened last January by husband and wife team Alex Eusebio (Top Chef contestant season 5) and Sara Mann, Sweetsalt is an adorable shop that serves sandwiches, salads, soup and baked goods with an unpretentious French flair. I stopped in on a weekend morning; while there is no breakfast menu, per se, many of the sandwiches work perfectly for starting off your day.

Serrano ham & fig sandwich ($9): crusty bread, salty ham, sweet fig preserves and brie to bring it all together. I was incredibly happy while eating this sandwich and it's been a long time since I've had that blissful feeling. Swoon. The salad was fresh and had a slightly tangy dressing that seemed to be Dijon mustard based. I was stuffed from finishing the sandwich, but I ate as much of the salad as I could.

Eggnog macaron ($1.50): I have started a slow courtship with macarons (I am unsure yet if I can't live without them or not), so I've been ordering them when they're around. Chewy and without an overwhelming eggnog flavor, their version was a light end to an indulgent breakfast.

I want to try so much more on their menu, such as: lavender duck sandwich (lavender as an ingredient intrigues me), Sweetsalt BLT (with pears!) and grapefruit truffle salad (pancetta, wild mushrooms, and a citrus-truffle vinaigrette warrant irresistible investigation). Add the fact that they have espresso and tea? You're going to see me eating and reading leisurely here through the winter, for sure.

You can read LA Weekly's Squid Ink interview with Alex Eusebio here.

Sweetsalt Food Shop
10218 1/2 Riverside Drive
Toluca Lake, CA 91602
(818) 509-7790

Banh Mi Che Cali

2010-11-12T14:57:00.000-08:00

I did something daring today: I went in search of breakfast in the San Gabriel Valley without a game plan! I just chose an exit at random, drove around a bit and stopped in at the first place that looked somewhat promising, which was Banh Mi Che Cali. Of course, I did not get the two things they are famous for: cheap banh mi and buy one get one free boba. Instead, I chose to grab pre-made eats and ended up eating in my car on the side of the street like a madwoman.

I'm going to need some help here, but it was some sort of pork products and noodles. I was starving, so I wolfed it down.

Vegetarian spring roll. I could identify it, but I wasn't that pleased with them. Considering my breakfast total was $5.77, I wasn't that heartbroken about my very basic meal.

I have to say, I felt out of my element because of the language barrier and their counter setup (I wasn't sure if only certain things could be ordered in each area). The important thing is that I got my Vietnamese cravings taken care of for the time being. However, I'm going to have a Vietnamese speaking friend tag along next time around; I want the good stuff (and not my usual scenario of crossing my fingers, hoping for the best)!

Banh Mi Che Cali
7968 Garvey Ave
Rosemead, CA 91770
626-572-3788

Roy's Fall Prix Fixe Menu

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a media tasting for Roy's at the downtown Los Angeles location, thanks to my friend Weezermonkey who asked me to be her plus one! We sampled selections from the fall prix fixe menu, which is $35.95 for one appetizer, one entree and one dessert. [Full disclosure: My meal was free and I also received a $50 gift certificate for Roy's.]

Here are the dishes we tried:

"Elaine's" Kabocha Squash Salad: the cinnamon pepitas and cranberry vinaigrette upped the autumnal flair overall, but the amount of squash was less than expected. The flavors worked together well, though.

Blackened Rock Shrimp and Red Bean Soup: comforting with a lot of flavor, especially with the Portuguese sausage, and it reminded me a bit of gumbo. Funny enough, the soup was one of the items I was least excited about on the menu and it ended up being one of the meal's highlights!

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Crusted Salmon: less rich than the name suggests and the goat cheese element was not strongly present. The sundried tomato sauce was pretty on the plate, but I would've still enjoyed the dish without it. Salmon with a little more oomph, which I would happily eat again.

Cilantro Grilled Tiger Shrimp: slightly overcooked, but I had more of an issue with the lentils, which were fine, but didn't add much to the dish. I was a little confused by the mix of ingredients.

Tender Braised Beef Short Ribs: good flavor and I was able to eat the dish with a fork. I don't need much more when it comes to short ribs!

Pumpkin and Ginger Cheesecake and Roy's Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle: both desserts were fine, but the pumpkin cheesecake got more points because of the ginger and spice, which were more interesting to me than classic chocolate.

Considering the regular menu at Roy's, the fall prix fixe menu is a pretty good deal. We just had tastes of some of the offerings; you can see all the options for the prix fixe here. Thanks again to Weezermonkey and Allison of Formula PR!

Roy's Restaurant
800 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
213-488-4994

Mapo Kkak Doo Gee

2010-09-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I woke up with a strong need for Korean food, but wasn't sure which places would be open for breakfast. I had been thinking about visiting Mapo Kkak Doo Gee for a while after reading about it in LA Times and Midtown Lunch Los Angeles. My Google SMS search wasn't very helpful when I requested the phone number, but Koreans are known to eat full meals at the breakfast hour sometimes and my craving for banchan was so pressing, I decided to take my chances and head over. And lucky me! They were open.

I was hoping for more banchan as pictured in the $5.99 lunch special, but I was alone and not in the mood for being pushy with the middle-aged Korean women servers. I was given a seaweed salad of sorts, a few different kimchis, simmered-in-soy potato and steamed cabbage with a hot soybean dipping sauce. I enjoyed the flavors, which were not heavy handed or underseasoned, and appreciated that they make a real effort with their banchan; a lot of Korean restaurants seem to have an obligatory, but not enthusiastic, approach in that area.

I ordered kimchi jjigae ($7.75), which held a nice surprise in store: dduk (rice cakes)! You can't tell from my picture, but I promise they were in there and enjoyed with gusto. Also, apologies about the photo; I dug in for a while before realizing I forgot to click away (yes, my anticipation was that great). Mapo's is a pretty good version, though I wish there had been more kimchi in the jjigae.

Their menu has lots of dishes I'm eager to try (particularly their fish offerings) and considering the quality level and reasonable prices, I must say that I am their newest devotee. Another breakfast spot to add to my weekend list!

Mapo Kkak Doo Gee (I'm going by the full name version as noted on their Korean signage)
3611 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 736-6668

Jalapeno and Apple Slaw

2010-09-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

Inspired by The Golden State's jalapeno slaw, I decided to satisfy a craving the old-fashioned way: make it! I wanted some crunch and sweetness, so added Fuji apples into the mix. A very simple method:

1. Slice up whatever you want in the slaw.
2. Throw in a couple spoonfuls of mayonnaise.
3. Add salt and pepper.
4. Combine and taste for adjustments. Voila!

Could it be any easier (well, aside from having it served to you and all you have to do is dig in)? I think not. Hope you'll try making your own at-home versions of slaw!

Tiato

2010-08-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty diligent about not spending money on workday lunches, so I felt all right taking a day off the waiting-for-the-microwave rotation and heading to Tiato for, as I imagined it, "something Vietnamese."

Vietnamese rice noodle salad with lemongrass chicken and chicken rice crispy rolls ($9): hit the spot with the flavors, but missed the mark with the portion size. I wish I had ordered a side or soup; I'll know better next time.

Hazelnut macaron ($1.75): my first and I enjoyed it, though not earth-shaking or life-affirming, which I was kinda expecting. The middle was dense and rich; I'm eager to try more macarons in the immediate future.

Although I was still hungry after my lunch at Tiato, I'd go back for another mid-day timeout from my desk. The menu is a bit puzzling (half the items are not traditional Vietnamese, i.e. turkey taco salad and a grass fed burger with beet horseradish aioli), but I suppose a smart move for their customer demographic as it is housed in the MTV Building in Santa Monica.

The serene dining room is full service on one side, pay at the counter and wait with your number card on the other (also grab-and-go with a salad bar and pre-made food). And for those wanting to smell the fresh air and feel the sun, there are tables in the spacious garden area, an unexpected treat. FYI: the restaurant is a little tricky to find; I walked in through the Colorado building entrance and had to ask the security desk for directions (you go through the long hallway of what look like offices and suddenly, there's Tiato); you can also enter through the East Garden Gate on Stewart.

Tiato
2700 Colorado Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-866-5228

Ramen Jinya

2010-08-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

This summer has not been the most exciting for me in terms of food, but I am quite thrilled to have a new place to blog about: Ramen Jinya. My experience with Studio City restaurants has been a mixed bag and although there have been a few high notes amid the chain-heavy neighborhood, I've largely been disappointed. Happy to report, however, that Ramen Jinya is solid and will most likely become a craving-buster haven for me, especially in the colder months (or as "cold" as it gets in Southern California).

I'm not particular about having typical breakfast items for my first meal of the day (which goes back to my childhood of Saturdays eating cold pizza while watching cartoons), so I was quite game for a weekend brekkie of ramen. I ordered the ramen/ crispy chicken/salad combo for $12.50. For the ramen, the two options are Jinya (chicken broth and chicken meatball) or tonkotsu (pork broth and chashu); it wasn't a question for me, I went with the pork and did not regret it. The broth was rich, but not overwhelming, though as is the case with all Japanese ramen, I always have to drink water with the meal and I love salt (just an FYI).

The crispy chicken had great flavor, marinated in a soy/ginger concoction, but as it was white meat, the pieces were a teensy bit dry. Still, I was in the mood for fried poultry, so I was a happy camper. I was very hungry when I walked in, so this amount of food was perfect (the salad was a basic green salad with an Asian dressing, but no pictures because they were out of focus). I enjoyed Ramen Jinya quite a lot and if people aren't already encountering waits at peak times, I have a feeling that will be the case very soon. Hmm, perhaps I've found a new breakfast joint?

Ramen Jinya
11239 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
818-980-3977

Jangtuh Bosam

2010-07-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

I often find myself driving aimlessly around Koreatown, hungry, but wanting to try somewhere new. Most times, I end up folding and just resorting to a consistent-but-not-great mainstay (in this case, BCD Tofu on Western). However, there were a few people already waiting for tables and I thought I'd take a chance on one of the other restaurants in the plaza. Enter Jangtuh Bosam where I had a $7.99 bulgogi lunch special that was sizable in portion, served with perfectly fine banchan dishes and all delivered with friendly service (shocker).

Their specialty is pork, so next time I will venture into bossam territory, which involves slices of boiled pork and a radish/kimchi concoction of some sort wrapped up in cabbage leaves. I will probably not get the bottle of soju usually accompanied with it, though.

Jangtuh Bosam
857 S. Western Ave,
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 387-2241

Black Bean Salad

2010-06-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to think that in the kitchen, the inspiration game is not right for me. Most of the time, I just decide what to make, go buy the ingredients without hesitation and do the damn thing. And that's pretty much how this black bean salad came to be (pertinent information: I spent the weekend drinking a lot of cold beer and eating delectable foods that live many time zones away from virtuous).

There are a lot of black bean salad recipes out there. I made a very pared down version because let's face it, that's my usual approach to food. I put the following in a bowl: black beans, corn, red peppers, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, a very small amount of cumin, olive oil, salt and pepper. I imagine if you made a separate dressing, the salad might taste even better, but on a Monday night, I felt strongly that it wasn't essential. I did, however, run the red onion under a bit of water to mellow it out.

Summer and I have an uneasy relationship, especially since I moved to LA where central air conditioning is rare for renters; I try to keep my wits about me and accept that it's sentencing me to months of eating cold salads/sandwiches/whatever doesn't require the stove as well as fitful nights of waking up really annoyed at how hot it is, even at night. But, whether I'm ready or not, she has officially arrived to torment us all. So, prepare yourselves for a lot of cold dishes from me!

A Little Lull

2010-05-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

It's been quiet here, so I wanted to pop in and say hello. I've been busy with eating not-really-meals at home and traveling (I've got more coming up, which is very good for my wanderlust). This little lull is only temporary and I should be back with posting shortly.

The above photo is from Julian's in Providence, RI, where I had brunch with my sister last weekend. I've developed a habit of ordering a Bloody Mary (sometimes, more than one) when I'm on vacation. As I love hearing about people's food and drink quirks, please indulge me and pipe up about your "travel drink" of choice!

LudoBites 4.0

2010-05-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

I don't tend to flock to things that are hip and happening, mostly because of limited energy and funds. But, sometimes, it happens by accident. Other times, it's fate. One night, I thought about it was too bad that I never got my act together enough to go to LudoBites (getting reservations isn't for the faint of heart nor those who aren't on the web minute-by-minute). The next morning, I got an email from Rants and Craves seeing if I was free to go to LudoBites! And the rest is history.

My other two dining companions for my first taste of Ludo's food were The Truck Chaser and Weezermonkey. A lovely group of ladies to consume butter with, non?

Paris ham soup: unreal. Ludo's take on ham and cheese means utter decadence with Guiness foam and cornichons thrown in for balanced hot-damn-goodness. My (savory) personal favorite of the night. I'll get to dessert in a minute.

White asparagus veloute: We missed the part about this dish being cold. Still, a delicate yet sexy way to highlight white asparagus. And yes, that salmon roe is beckoning you right now.

Foie gras black croque monsieur: are you kidding? Wonderful.

Squid carbonara: who needs pasta when you've got tender squid? I really enjoyed this interpretation, especially with the poached egg.

So, my pictures stop here because of lighting issues. You can check out Weezermonkey's LudoBites post here, chock-full of gorgeous photos per usual.

Now, I must tell you about dessert: my very first chocolate souffle. Pertinent background information: my dessert experience is limited because I don't really care about ending meals on a sweet note. If it's there, I'll eat it, of course (I'm not monastic about sugar, trust me). Now, back to the souffle. I took one bite and everything fell away for a split second. That good. Only the French could have concocted a billowy puff of a dessert that holds a slightly gooey chocolate heart. Souffle, je t'aime.

I'm now going to be chasing the dragon on this front, but I will take on that challenge gladly. Thank you to Ludo for giving me such a special food memory.

And of course, thank you to Rants and Craves, my LudoBites fairy godmother! I had the best time and it's times like these that I thank my lucky stars that I live in LA. Magic can happen anywhere, but living in a city like ours serves up possibilities on a silver platter quite often.

LudoBites 4.0 (through May 28)
Gram and Papas
227 East 9th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Komasa

2010-05-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

Sushi is a constant craving, but it is only an occasional indulgence for me because of the price point. Luckily, The Roaming Belly gave me the heads up on Komasa in Little Tokyo, a place where the quality is good, but the sticker shock is minimal. And she was also nice enough to join me for dinner! Here's what we ate:

Fried softshell crab: a lip-smackingly good way to start our meal.

Albacore salad: eat your veggies even when at sushi and I love salads at Japanese restaurants. I especially enjoyed the carrots, which were lightly pickled.

Tuna, uni and salmon roe: we had another round of sushi as well, but I failed to take a picture before we dug in (a common problem of mine). The spicy tuna roll here is good stuff and with big chunks of tuna; I can't imagine going to Komasa now without ordering one (or two, in our case). Everything I tried was fresh and so reasonably priced.

Our total bill (with tax and tip) came to $60! The only slight downside is that the restaurant is tiny, so you will most likely have to wait, but you are free to roam about because they take your cellphone number down and call when your table's ready. We went on a weeknight, so it only took about 15 minutes to get the call. Plan accordingly; if you're really hungry, going on a Saturday night is not a good idea.

I am Komasa's newest convert. A huge thank you to The Roaming Belly for showing me the light!

Komasa
351 East 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 680-1792
*Parking validated at Japanese Village Plaza structure, entrance on Central Ave (you pay upfront and get your money back with 2 hr validation)

The Village Idiot

2010-04-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

A while ago, Food, she thought wrote about her visit to The Village Idiot and she mentioned a few menu items that were new to me. Having had a few meals and many drinks there before (and enjoying them), I made a mental note to stop by soon. "Soon" is a relative term, but I finally made it there when my friend Seve and I had brunch there.

Seve ordered a 1903 Lager ($6). I stuck with water, but from prior experience, I can recommend their Bloody Marys.

He also had the rancher's breakfast ($11): eggs, black beans, crisp tortilla, ricotta salata, salsa roja and spicy sausage. He liked it.

I was really looking forward to trying a full English breakfast ($13). But, I was let down. Perhaps one mistake is that I decided on a whim to order poached eggs? In addition, the sausage (ahem, banger) was dry, though the grilled rashers (bacon) were good. I guess I will simply HAVE to go to England for the real thing!

I prefer The Village Idiot during the day when the light spills in through the big windows, the conversations are a little less deafening and you don't have to wait for a table. I'll go back sometime again, but perhaps stick to lunch fare.

The Village Idiot
7383 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046-7526
(323) 655-3331

Libra

2010-04-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

I was recently invited to a free private dinner by Libra, a new Brazilian by-the-pound spot in Culver City opened by Marcelo Ahn, owner of Brazilian Churrascaria M-Grill. With a 90% vegetarian salad bar and grilled meat options, Libra's got something for everyone, which is a draw for friends and family whose dietary differences may run the gamut.

At the beginning of the bar, there is a hand-washing station. Unusual, yes, but I like the idea. I fancy the design as well, which could be said of the entire restaurant, which is white and minimalist.

Out of the many salads and sides, these photos turned out the best, but trust me - they've got a lot of stuff (including pasta items and meatballs!).

Snow pea salad was a must for me as I cannot resist the green pods. A good option to balance out the less virtuous (but tasty) items like caramelized plantains and cheese bread. Also pictured: the smoked salmon and pea salad, which I did not try.

Pickled stuff. I had the cornichons, of course, and eggplant.

After you load up on the bar, if you want meat, you give your order to the cooks.

The grill. With the meat.

I chose the picanha (top sirloin cap) and linguica (Brazilian sausage). The beef was fine, but the linguica was very good.

By the grill station, there are sauces available. I got chimichurri and some type of "vinaigrette" (I believe that's what was on the label).

Pricing is a little high: the bar only is $9/lb and the bar with grilled meat items is $11/lb (my plate above weighed 1.01 lbs). I imagine the prices are due to the location and the quality of the ingredients (the restaurant makes all dishes from scratch with no processed items). But, if you're looking to eat a casual meal in this part of Culver City, you're going to spend a bit of dough unless you go to Chipotle. The setup is cafeteria style, so no table service, but the interior seems to be kept very clean with staff members clearing tables and refilling water (at least the night I went).

The food is better than the "bang for your buck" level as the restaurant boasts a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef (who is Ahn's sister). I liked Libra enough that I would eat there again, but probably for a lighter meal. Funny enough, vegetarians may have a rollicking good time here, maybe even more than omnivores.

Libra
3833 Main Street
Culver City, CA 90232

*Park in the Cardiff Center garage (at Cardiff and Culver), which is 2 hours free. I always park here when going to this area.

Spinach and Orzo Salad

2010-04-18T23:55:00.000-07:00

I've been on a nutrition kick lately and wanted to make something not-so-boring for a weekday lunch. I found this Spinach and Orzo Salad recipe over at Simply Recipes, which was used as a starting point. Some adjustments that were made:

I used capers (already had some) instead of olives and left out the pine nuts. I had canned artichokes waiting to be used, so I threw those into the mix. I didn't blend the spinach because I lacked the proper equipment (leaving the leaves whole) and the vinaigrette was made with white wine vinegar and without the dried herbs.

This one is a keeper. The olive oil in the vinaigrette gives the salad a slight richness, which was a pleasant surprise, and the feta works well with the other ingredients. I am so looking forward to my Monday lunch!

Osteria Mamma

2010-04-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

During the workweek, meals for me are usually simple, light and not very interesting. So, you can imagine how much I was looking forward to a "school night" dinner at Osteria Mamma with Weezermonkey! We ordered a good deal of food and laughed. A lot.

Polipolata ($9.25): octopus salad with celery and potatoes. The octopus was so tender. Remarkable! We also had a great gorgonzola arugula salad with brown pear ($8.95).

Tagliatelle bolognese ($15.25): loved the springy pasta and the rich sauce. I was a lucky duck and got to take the leftovers home.

Spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli in butter and sage ($13.95): appreciated the handmade dough, but the flavors were too subtle. Definitely a lighter way to enjoy their pasta, though.

Custard Cream Tart (can't remember the price): A smart choice for anyone who wants a rich, yet not overly sweet, dessert. We split one and it was plenty (it is misspelled as Custer on the menu, which gives it an inadvertent military flair).

I've always wanted an Italian grandmother, but such a relationship is not easy to come by. Instead, I will look to Osteria Mamma whenever I'm dumbstruck with handmade pasta cravings. Their menu also offers pizzas, which might be something to try when I've exhausted myself of their noodles (could this ever happen?).

Osteria Mamma
5732 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90004
323-284-7060

Bayou Grille

2010-04-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

Like many of Bayou Grille's recent first time customers, I was led here by the LA Times write up (note: the address was incorrect in the Times; Bayou Grille is actually on NORTH La Brea). It's not often that I move so quickly after reading a review, but sometimes I just decide to do things with swift determination; to the surprise of no one, many of these instances involve food.

Charles got the tiger shrimp po'boy ($7.29) and gave it high marks. He liked that all the components worked together with not too much of this or not too little of that.

I couldn't get crawfish etouffee out of my mind after seeing it in the article, so naturally I had to order it. I was so glad I did; the flavor was rich and the crawfish were so tender ($11.99 and worth it). They give you the rice and etouffee in separate containers and let you put it all together, which is a smart way to avoid any heated debates since I'm sure lots of people have opinions about the "proper" rice to etouffee ratio!

We split an order of cajun fries ($1.99), which were tasty and aplenty. This seasoning would work nicely on popcorn (because salt on top of salt is perfectly acceptable to me).

The nectar of the Southern gods: sweet tea ($1.50). It tastes like home! I cannot tell you how deliriously happy I am to have located an authentic version out here. I am over the flippin' moon. And self-serve with refills (dangerous, but much appreciated)!

Bayou Grille is for eating, pure and simple. You order at the counter, wait patiently (if I am remembering correctly, the seafood is fried to order) and scarf it all down once it arrives. I plan on returning very soon because I have got my eye on not only the crab cakes, but also the oyster po'boy!

Bayou Grille
1400 N. La Brea Avenue
Inglewood, CA 90302
(310) 673-0824

Broccoli Slaw

2010-03-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Now I know what a home run feels like.

When I cook at home, my expectations are fairly low. Most of the time, I am able to turn out better-than-edible food and once in a blue moon, I make something incredibly good.

This broccoli slaw made my jaw drop. I couldn't believe I made something so awesome. I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe, which nonchalantly introduced me to the best damn version of one of my favorite vegetable dishes (I cannot resist any interpretation of broccoli slaw; you should see how my eyes light up at the very sight of it).

Notes: I have been rather taken with currants lately and used those instead of cranberries. For the dressing, instead of shallots, I used red onion, which is mentioned as a substitute in her recipe.

If you don't know Smitten Kitchen, now you do. She knows what's up, especially if you are a baker (let's not go there right now; let me bask in my glory).

Bricks & Scones

2010-03-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

Bricks & Scones is located up the street from the busy main part of Larchmont, yet its patio is serene and remarkably quiet.

My very enjoyable latte and blueberry scone (with clotted cream) outside. For the record, I had my first good scone here: crumbly, fluffy and delicate. And it had been warmed! These folks want you to love their scones.

Bricks & Scones is civilized, tranquil and with a lot of outdoor flora that makes it very easy to drift away in your thoughts. They've also got free wifi in case you'd rather fall into a Youtube abyss while enjoying your caffeine.

Bricks & Scones
403 North Larchmont Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 463-0811

Warm Cauliflower Salad

2010-03-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

Cauliflower used to be the overlooked sibling of the veggie tray, but in the last few years, it has, at long last, gotten its due. I've been meaning to make this Epicurious recipe for some time now and finally got around to it last weekend. Sadly, I had to leave out the parsley because the store didn't have any.

Notes: I'd only cook the cauliflower about 3 minutes as my florets turned out a tad mushy. To make it prettier, I threw in some whole capers and lemon zest. Please take a moment to appreciate one of my new ramekins from Williams Sonoma, courtesy of my dear friend Mike!

This salad had two components I really enjoy: anchovies and garlic. However, the flavors aren't in your face because you're using such a small amount; in fact, next time, I'm going to double the pow. I imagine this salad would work beautifully as a side for just about any protein, especially with warmer weather right around the corner (okay, it's pretty much arrived here in LA)!

Kaido

2010-03-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Mid-priced Japanese restaurants are grand, aren't they? One such place I've added to my mental black book is Kaido located in Santa Monica in (what else?) a small strip mall.

A girl's gotta unwind.

Complimentary edamame.

Seafood bacon salad ($10): mixed greens, bacon, crab, scallops, shrimp, avocado, asparagus and tomatoes with a bit of the "house" dressing of Japanese restaurants past, present and, most likely, future.

Tempura shiitake stuffed with "crab" and spicy tuna ($9): I believe this crab was the fake stuff, which was surprising since the salad came with the real McCoy. A good idea in theory, or so I thought, but in reality, it didn't work.

Fried oysters with tonkatsu sauce ($7): loved the crispy exterior, but they lacked briny oyster essence. I know that fried versions usually don't have as much flavor as raw oysters, but there is usually some hint of the ocean. Not the case here.

Eel and cucumber roll ($7): I like rolls. I also like old school purist sushi. The two co-exist happily in my food hemisphere.

I was hiding out from rush hour this time, but I've also stopped by at lunch when they've got some great deals. If you're in the neighborhood, I recommend it as a lowkey spot for those times when you need to satisfy a craving, but don't feel like spending a ton.

Kaido
2834 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404-2410
(310) 828-7582

Hot Pot , Hot Pot

2010-03-02T21:15:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I had my first Chinese hot pot at the appropriately named Hot Pot, Hot Pot (formerly Little Fat Sheep) and lucky for me, The Roaming Belly was my helpful and game-for-anything-except-spicy-broth guide (read her post here)!

How it works: items you want for your hot pot are circled on a sheet and handed to your server. We chose the half and half broth ratio and I ordered what I called "medium" spicy, but I should've given my placemat a closer look since it explained their 1-10 scale. I am guessing my server gave me a 5. Or she gave me a much higher one because she and her Anna Wintour bob were irritated by my lack of knowing how they do things. The Roaming Belly (I considered using TRB as an abbreviation, but it wasn't really working for me) got a gentler, more soothing broth devoid of chilis, which is funny because she is rather feisty in personality and sense of humor!

[Important to note: the broth had a Chinese herb medicinal aroma, so if you think such a scent will put you off, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, wear clothes you can throw into the washing machine immediately after you get home unless you are in a vindictive mood and want to answer the door for solicitors to see how long they can make it in the face of... well, you.]

We went a little overboard with the add-in choices, but at the time, it really didn't seem like THAT much!

Thinly sliced beef. We were alarmed when we both got our own plates of meat because I didn't know how I was going to roll myself out of there if everything came in twos. Thankfully, the subsequent items were only one plate each.

Handmade noodles, bamboo shoots (never had them so "fierce" before), fish balls, squid, napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and pork kidneys, oh my! All of the above went into the broth at varying times and amounts. You have to keep a watchful eye on the goods to avoid overcooking (especially the noodles).

I loved the whole leaves of napa cabbage, which got crazy good in the devil water. I am so Korean with my adoration of all things cruciferous.

I drank a lot of tea. You would, too, if you got chili flakes stuck in your throat.

We also managed an order of scallion pancakes.

We ate hotpot for 2 hours. With tip, we each paid $28 (I think). And then we went to the bakery a few doors down, ha! Thank you to The Roaming Belly! Maybe next time, we can tackle your fear/disdain of Ktown parking!

Hot Pot, Hot Pot
120 S. Atlantic Blvd
Monterey Park, CA 91754
626-282-1089

Lunasia

2010-02-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

Rejoice! I finally got to knock Lunasia off my must-try list. And I couldn't have picked better partners-in-crime: Wandering Chopsticks, SinoSoul and his lovely wife, and Charles. Boy, did we do some dimsum damage! Preface: everything was seriously good (notes have been provided for particularly memorable dishes).

Pork dumplings

Shrimp har gow

Pork siumai: one of the best items. I was too stuffed to enjoy them properly at the time of the meal, but they were incredibly good even as leftovers later that night.

Fried taro (couldn't find this item on the menu, so SinoSoul just asked our server), beef chow fun and turnip cake.

BBQ pork bun: they tasted as perfect as they look.

Spareribs in black bean sauce

Rice noodle of sorts. We ordered the shrimp, but what arrived involved shrimp egg rolls and it was damn good.

Panfried potstickers

Chicken feet: while I wouldn't be able to polish off an order by my lonesome, I'm glad that I made the plunge. Tasted mostly like chicken skin to me.

Sesame balls: these were fantastic. I kept marveling at just how good they were.

Egg custard: good and loved the "charred" top, but the sesame balls stole the show for me in the desserts department.

Lunasia was one big blur that came out to $16 per person (including tip). I was giddy walking away with such a low bill. Dimsum is such a major bargain, though, that Lunasia's prices are considered high compared to their competitors (granted the quality is better here).

Big thanks to Wandering Chopsticks and SinoSoul for being my dimsum guides! I enjoyed our meal immensely and hope to break carbs with you guys soon again!

Lunasia
500 West Main St.
Suite A
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-308-3222

Ruen Pair (Take 2)

2010-02-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

Although most of my restaurant meals are with Charles or solo missions, I also love to eat family style with a small group. I don't find myself in such settings often, so I took matters into my own hands and organized a dinner date at Ruen Pair, which I've written about before. The lovely ladies who joined me were Delicious Coma, Eat Sip Chew, Weezermonkey and Wandering Chopsticks. We ordered a little bit of everything.

Papaya salad with raw crab: I loved this version. I've had raw crab a la Korean, but never in this dish (I usually order it with dry shrimp). We also opted for what the server called "Thai spicy," which indeed was fiery, but not as unbearable as you'd think.

Salty vegetable and ground pork soup: I rarely order soup when we go out for Thai unless it is a noodle soup as the main course, but I always WANT to. My wish was fulfilled and I really loved the humble nature of the soup and need I even say how much I adore salty vegetables (i.e. pickled foods)?

Stewed duck noodles (ordered dry): Duck is my happy food and with the wide noodles, it was an enjoyable mix. We got them dry as it was more conducive to sharing. Thanks to Delicious Coma, who suggested we do so.

Green curry chicken: Not particularly outstanding, just a solid dish and a hearty portion, such that I was able to pack the leftovers up only to discover later that I left the box at the restaurant! The dream of a satisfying next day lunch shattered due to my absent-mindedness.

Fried pompano with spicy chili dressing: My first time having pompano, which was not only tasty, but also had Eat Sip Chew exclaiming how cute the little guy was. Pompano is perhaps the Opie of the fish world.

And look at all that spicy chili dressing they bestowed upon us! It was comically awesome. And delicious.

Afterwards, we hopped over to Bhan Kanom Thai for some panchi and sticky rice. No pictures, but it is incredibly cheap and I recommend the place with both thumbs up. Thank you to my dinner dates for the fantastic company!

Ruen Pair
5257 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 466-0153
Cash only

Bhan Kanom Thai
5271 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 871-8030

Cook's Tortas

2010-02-17T23:30:00.000-08:00

I first read about Cook's Tortas on Rants and Craves and was waiting for the right time to make the drive to Monterey Park. Enter President's Day and a wide open schedule for lunch!

I like how they scrawl the name of your sandwich on plain white paper.

Charles ordered the Azteca ($6.98, all sandwiches come with a side): chicken, chipotle cream, onions and corn (I think. The website menu does not have this sandwich listed, darn). Please note my new favorite craving: apples and cream. I had never heard of this concoction, but Charles was quite familiar with it. It has become a running joke that Charles has transcended me as a foodie; it is now becoming the truth (I think I am delighted?).

My Milanesa sandwich ($6.98): breaded steak, jalapeno and tomato. I saved half for dinner and it was even better despite having been in the fridge! Maybe I was more famished the second time around. The potato salad was also pleasing, powered by dill and spared a mushy, overcooked starch fate.

I would say I wish Cook's Tortas was closer to me, but in reality, the prices would be higher and the lines would possibly be dishearteningly long. So, for now, I will just wait for my yearning for apples and cream to reach such a point that I have no choice but to make the very short "roadtrip" east.

Cook's Tortas
1944 South Atlantic Blvd
Monterey Park, CA 91754
323-278-3536

Seungbukdong

2010-02-07T11:28:00.000-08:00

Bibimbap is the safe haven of the uninitiated at Korean restaurants; all the components can be visually identified and anything that doesn't jive can be taken out (well, at least, pre-mix up mash stage). In Korean homes, though, bibimbap is like the equivalent of the sandwich: throw in whatever leftovers you got, squeeze on a dose of your favorite condiment and presto!

So, for me, it conjures up casual home meals, such as weekend lunches or anytime my mom was too busy (or not at home) to cook. So, when I go out to eat, my eyes skip over bibimbap on the menu without a second glance. Not the case yesterday, though, when I stopped in at Seungbukdong and was actually in the mood for bibimbap! Before my dolsot bibimbap arrived, the ceremonious delivery of the banchan.

Japchae, garlic and sesame oil seasoned seaweed, soybeans in a sweet soy sauce, and kimchi. My favorites were the soybeans (you wouldn't think it would be remarkable that they were tender, but in my experience, there's a 50/50 chance they won't be cooked properly) and the kimchi, which was surprisingly good. I loved the bright, sour taste and the delicate, "well-ripened" texture of the cabbage. The bean sprout soup came with the dolsot bibimbap and was a bit weak on flavor.

Bean sprouts and spicy dried squid. These were fine, take 'em or leave 'em.

All the stuff on top of the rice: spinach, mushroom, bean sprouts, ground beef, zucchini, gosari (Korean fiddlehead ferns), shredded dried seaweed and a fried egg. Add chogochujang (a slightly sweet and sour red chili pepper sauce) and get to mixing!

Which leads me to my next point: I have a new found love for the dolsot.

I never cared much for the sizzling stone pot of watch-your-fingers because the browned bits were always too chewy and just got stuck in my teeth. I realize now that those pots must not have been hot enough because that gorgeous rice crust had a crisp bite and made an instant believer out of me.

My dolsot bibimbap was a pretty big portion and I couldn't finish it; maybe some of you bibimbappers could put it away, no problem. According to Yelp, their signature dish seems to be the galbijjim (steamed beef short ribs), which I will try when I'm not flying solo.

Seungbukdong is a small restaurant with only a handful of tables and has a homey feeling with friendly service and food prepared with the level of care that is a step above similarly priced places (my dolsot bibimbap was about $10; I have to get better about writing this kind of stuff down). This place is my new go-to remedy for my Korean cravings because let's face it, one cannot subsist on food court stalls alone.

Seungbukdong
3303 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 738-8977

Soy and Jalapeno Wings

2010-02-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

Buffalo wings are a national treasure and will never go out of style. But, these days, I am more enamored with the Asian variety and decided to try my hand at a soy-based marinade. I threw the following into a sturdy plastic bag with the zip on top: a good amount of soy sauce, a wee bit of mirin and sesame oil, grated ginger, sliced garlic, sliced jalapeno and something like 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

The wings turned out smashing, but not without a couple hiccups with my method. To avoid my mistakes, do two things:

1. Do not dump the wings and the marinade into the baking dish because it is the easy way out. Your wings will not cook (at least, not at the rate a sane person would desire). Somehow, I conveniently forgot about all those recipes that state "pat dry" when dealing with marinated meats.

2. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-30 min. 350 degrees is the old reliable 40mph of cooking, but it was too tame for my wings.

One note about the marinade: the jalapeno wasn't present in the end product, so next time I will try a hotter chili. Making wings in the oven (as opposed to fried) is a less fussy alternative and so much cheaper than at a restaurant. Try them for awards parties and/or sports watching!

Rush Street

2010-01-25T21:30:00.000-08:00

My love affair with the Bloody Mary only started a couple years ago. I never disliked this "anything goes" cocktail; I just hadn't made the time to get well acquainted. I weep on the inside when I think about how much time I squandered. Now in the short time since I saw the spicy-tomato-vodka light, I've had some that were pitch perfect and others that were really terrible and should not have been allowed to see the light of day. (Note: the definition of a good Bloody Mary is a highly subjective matter, much like what is love or what is the best recipe for chili?)

I took matters into my own hands over the weekend at Rush Street, where they offer a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar ($10 for one, $20 for bottomless) at brunch. I opted for the single glass of the vodka they hand to you before letting you loose on the spread; Campbell's and Clamato tomato juice, an assortment of hot sauces, a few different olives, pickled veggies (they had okra, yesss!), carrot and celery sticks, Worcestershire and A1 (not trying to judge with this ingredient, I guess someone out there must like it). My illustrious partners in crime were Yutjangsah and HungryHungryHanh and we brunched for 3 hours!

My Bloody Mary in all its splendor. The glass the vodka came in was much smaller, but the nice bartender offered us these bigger vessels to carry our bounty. It tasted awesome, but I wish I had put more veggies in. Considering I had to sip some down while preparing it, I think I didn't want to risk an overflow situation. I do like how the carrot and celery look like they're cuddling.

Yutjangsah was super virtuous and ordered the jumbo herb shrimp salad. Very pretty and a bigger-than-expected portion.

My fried egg sandwich with prosciutto, tomato and three cheeses (I am guessing one was cheddar, I don't know, it was all melted together when it came out).

Inside shot. A bit too cheesy, but overall it was a satisfying hearty breakfast and I took half of it and the tots home.

Hanh opted for the blackened red-eye burger. Intense! Fried egg, bacon and a burger patty are not for the weak. I can't tell from the picture, but according to the menu, there were also caramelized onions, arugula and HOLLANDAISE.

And we shared a basket of the truffle asiago fries. Approach with caution: they are harrowingly addictive.

Rush Street can be very crowded and loud at night, but it was very serene (read: empty) when we came in for brunch on a Saturday. Thanks to Yutjangsah and Hanh for their company and the non-stop laughs!

Rush Street
9546 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 837-9546

Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-01-18T23:00:00.000-08:00

A motif has emerged in my recent cooking exploits: many recipes are much easier than I think. Today's case in point: beloved appetizer of yesteryear, stuffed mushrooms. As I'm reminded again and again, preparation is key; well, that and good time management, which I failed to utilize yesterday, but do as I say, not as I do, okay? For the record, when one is already behind the "stuffed mushrooms for Golden Globes party" schedule, do not wander around the grocery store trying to figure out if it's cheaper to buy bread crumbs or saltines to crush into cracker crumbs (they turned out to be pretty much the same price, but who was I kidding thinking I would have time to bother with the latter?).

The internet overfloweth with recipes for stuffed mushrooms; crab, sausage and spinach are big favorites, but I was looking for a vegetarian version and settled on this one as my starting point. Lately, it seems like there may be folks who want to know the details of my half-assed cooking, so here's what I actually ended up doing:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook half an onion finely chopped in canola or olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Throw in some salt and pepper.

Remove stems from the mushrooms and chop finely; do the same for a clove of garlic. After the onion is translucent, throw in the mushroom stems and add a bit more oil. Wait until the stems are cooked through before salting and adding chopped garlic.

After garlic is almost golden, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Then add to a bowl of softened cream cheese (about 3/4 of one package), a good amount of breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Mix together until incorporated.

Grease a foil lined baking dish (or cookie sheet). Put filling into mushroom caps and place in baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the caps. Put in oven for 15 min, until the filling is golden brown.

I was in such a hurry that I committed the cardinal sin of cooks: I didn't taste them! In a great stroke of luck, they turned out well and I wasn't forced to eat them all myself to spare the other partygoers. I would make these stuffed mushrooms again in a heartbeat. Looks like I have a successful appetizer to add to my arsenal!

Yum Cha Cafe

2010-01-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

I've been craving dim sum for most of 2010 so far. Yesterday, when I picked up The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee at the library, I knew I had to take care of my Chinese food urges before starting it or it'd get real ugly/pathetic, especially if I was going to be reading late at night (isn't it agony when food cravings hit after you've already gotten ready for bed?). So, this morning, I decided to get breakfast at Yum Cha Cafe, a place that landed on my radar via Wandering Chopsticks and Gastronomy.

As a food stall, there are no carts or anything one expects with the traditional dim sum experience, which is why it's so cheap! The pre-made items are on display, much like a bakery or a cafeteria, and you point-and-choose what you'd like (in my case, I had to gesture a lot because I do not possess any Chinese language skills).

Pan fried turnip cake: this was my favorite and something I order whenever I have dim sum. I love how the humble turnip shines in this preparation that doesn't seem like it has much in it, but packs great flavor.

Shrimp rice noodles (or cheong fun): Another go-to item for me usually and while the flavor was okay, the noodles sat too long and were cold and not very silky.

Fried taro with pork filling: Another old pal, the dear fried taro thing! The filling was very basic and I am 99% sure it was pork. My heart sank a little bit because this version wasn't amazing, but I was still thrilled to be reacquainted with it.

BBQ pork buns: too dry and could have used more filling, but they will be a-okay as a late night snack!

I had been curious about Yum Cha Cafe for ages, so was glad to relieve myself of its mystery. Although I would stop in for a shopping break or as a hold-over between meals, I wasn't blown away by its quality, so wouldn't make the drive solely for it. If I happen to be in the neighborhood, though, I'd like to try their roasted meats, particularly the duck. Here's what I imagine keeps the customers coming back: everything above came to about 5 dollars. YEP.

Yum Cha Cafe
421 N. Atlantic Blvd
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 289-6287
Multiple locations
Cash only

Ma Dang Gook Soo

2010-01-04T19:05:00.000-08:00

Back in the saddle again with a shiny brand new year! For my first post of 2010, I have chosen a restaurant with a name that will likely have you non-Korean speaking folks scratching your heads. It's nothing offensive, I promise! It means, at least as I literally translate it, "patio noodles."

I got the chicken kal gook soo ("knife" noodles): full-of-chicken-flavor broth with chewy handmade noodles and shredded chicken. The huge potato slices didn't bring much flavor to the party, so I left most of those alone, but enjoyed the zucchini and green onion. I liked the touch of seaweed and cooked egg strips (this is probably not the best description) on top. And most important, don't forget to mix a few scoops of the house chili and green onion mixture into your soup before digging in!

A few pickled items: thinly sliced pickled daikon radish, kimchi and non-spicy kimchi. Nothing to note in particular, except the fact that I greeted them like long lost friends, since it had been 5 long days since the last time I ate kimchi.

Considering its large portion, I don't know that the calorie count was low for my bowl of noodles, but it tasted healthy! Kal gook soo is a mild domesticated beast, when compared to other Asian noodle soups. But, its pristine simplicity has a rightful place in the noodle kingdom, especially if you conjure up images of snowy white Christmases like the one South Korea just had!

Eating Korean food is an activity that I associate deeply with my family. Although there are a million places for great Korean grub in LA, I am always a bit sad I can't share the experience with my parents and my sister; my meal at Ma Dang Gook Soo was no different. I'll stop being a downer now. Happy New Year and I'm looking forward to another year of good food and fun!

By the way, check out Eat Drink & Be Merry's write up of Ma Dang Gook Soo, which is where I first heard about this place!

Ma Dang Gook Soo
869 S. Western Ave
Suite 1
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 487-6008
Cash only

Mint Brownies

2009-12-17T11:10:00.000-08:00

Very important announcement: I baked a dessert!

Inspired by the Peppermint Brownies on my friend Jen's blog Fresh from the..., I tackled my fear of baking. Admittedly, I used boxed brownie mix, but baby steps are key here. I also couldn't find peppermint cookies or chocolate chips (wouldn't swirled peppermint chips have been so pretty?), so used mint generic "Oreo"ish cookies instead.

They turned out a bit fudgy, but better than dried out! With this success under my belt, I have a mind to try more desserts. Shocker of the holiday season! Hope you're all staying warm and filling up on carbs and sweets.

Dduk Bok Ki

2009-12-03T16:00:00.000-08:00

I am so excited right now. I just made dduk bok ki, the Korean rice cake dish that was a favorite of mine as a child and still is to this day. My mom makes it when I go home, but otherwise, I've had to rely on food court stalls and restaurants where the price does not reflect its humble-and very cheap-ingredients. But, no more because I have conquered my fear of making dduk bok ki!

I used this recipe from Maangchi as a guide, but instead of making anchovy stock, I used dashi from a packet. Also, the green onions in my crisper were beyond usable, so I used cabbage instead (another vegetable that's been in my fridge for a good while, but somehow retained the spring in its step). The rice cakes I bought directed me to soak them in cold water 2 hours beforehand, but I could only wait around for about an hour before I needed to eat NOW (and they turned out fine). And needless to say, no measuring spoons were used in this process.

Preparing this dish is rather magical: the rice cakes soften up and get squishy while the spicy sauce slowly, but surely, thickens into something that tastes so surprisingly good, you can't believe you made it yourself. I guess a lot of cooking is this way; you do as the recipe says and somehow, it all miraculously melds together to create something edible (and occasionally, even perfect). Today was a solo test run, but Charles loves this dish, so I'll definitely be making it for him! Give it a try, it's oh so easy.

Soi 56

2009-11-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

Does LA need another Thai restaurant? From fiercely authentic to mediocre-with-white-table cloth, this city has a lot to offer/bestow/inflict in that department, but I say yes, there's always room for more. Case in point: Soi 56, a newcomer with Thai street food as their main selling point, divided into skewers and small plates. (Disclaimer: they keep the lighting dim and we sat at the darkest table, so I apologize for the flash photography.)

We kicked things off with a few skewers:

Flap meat and green onions: loved the beefy flavor, not the lukewarm temperature.

Banana with honey and coconut milk: tart and more of a dessert (as the server mentioned to us). A departure from the usual fried appetizer.

Chicken livers: expected perhaps more from these than a normal chicken liver could, err, deliver. I was hoping they'd be creamier, but maybe I'm too used to pate and other types of liver.

In addition to their more nibbly food, their menu also includes larger dishes of curries, noodles, and house specials (such as oxtail soup and spicy quail). Surprisingly, the dishes from the kitchen were better than the skewers from the grill.

Deep fried marinated babyback ribs: this dish and I were meant for each other! Every charred bite of fat accented with a slight acidic zing (I'm guessing lime).

Aromatic butternut pumpkin curry: Charles loves pumpkin curry and this one passed his test with flying colors. I may or may not have cleaned up the last of the curry with a rib.

Soi 56's menu has all sorts of things I want to try next time around: squid leg skewers, crispy mussel crepe, fish sauce wings, roasted game hen... a lot more to cover! On the drinks front, they've got drafts like Hefeweizen and Arrogant Bastard as well as wine and soju cocktails. Perhaps you are just as content with Thai iced teas, but it's refreshing that the restaurant has taken care with its alcoholic beverages.

Service was slow and not very organized, however, which put a bit of a damper on the meal. The servers were friendly when they were at our table, so perhaps just a lack of front of the house communication or an understaffed night. Since it's in a busy area, come prepared to pay for parking (either metered or valet) or walk a few blocks. We were able to find non-metered street parking because we ate pretty early.

Soi 56 is more than what I thought it would be (being located next to Big Wang's may have influenced my expectations, sorry). The menu reflects passion for the food as well as a sense of who their customers may be, appealing to both discerning gourmands and those who don't feel like they're missing out by passing on offal. The restaurant doesn't have things down pat yet, but I'm excited for what things may come.

Soi 56
1556 N. Cahuenga Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 962-5656

Donkatsu

2009-11-17T20:10:00.000-08:00

Dinner tonight was donkatsu, which is basically Japanese for pork cutlet crusted in panko. I picked up a package of pork specifically labeled for donkatsu at my local Korean supermarket, but usually I buy thin boneless chops. And you will know I'm Korean by the way I dress my cabbage (i.e. the high-brow combo of mayo and ketchup). The piece of pork is petite, but it was one of those "one is not enough, but two is too much" dilemmas that befall those who prepare meals for themselves. Luckily, I am fanatical about cabbage, so got carried away with a second helping and ended up barely cleaning my plate.

This dish is something I can eat at any given moment, though without the awesome sauce, it's almost not worth it. Making donkatsu at home is much more satisfying than eating it at a restaurant (unless you go to a specialty joint) because most likely the pork will be more substantial and it's straight from the pan. Lukewarm or tough fried foods are terribly depressing, no?

Broccoli (Not) Au Gratin

2009-11-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

I've been in a vegetable mood these days. Today's star ingredient is broccoli, which I used to eat a lot as a kid. These days, I opt for its more mellow counterpart, cauliflower, but I was looking for a dish to mix things up.

I knew I wanted to try something with breadcrumbs and this Emeril Lagasse recipe caught my eye. What I made is more of a roasted broccoli dotted with some bechamel and bread crumbs, but the recipe was helpful in confirming my instinct that I should blanch before roasting.

I forgot to drizzle the breadcrumbs with olive oil until towards the end of cooking, but as that step is crucial to getting lovely browned bits, please pay better attention than I did! Steamed broccoli seems so depressing now that I've had this version that is more mellow yet luscious.

Creamed Spinach with Bacon

2009-10-28T15:45:00.000-07:00

I had a bunch of bacon, half a bag of spinach and some milk on its last day and wanted to make something that would use all those ingredients. After a quick search, I landed on Simply Recipes where this recipe beckoned me. I'm a frequent reader of Elise's site and though I do not cook the dishes featured much, I certainly do file them away in my head as "some day I will make this for me or someone I care about." If you are more organized and have more energy than me, do yourself a favor and check out the vast index of recipes over there. Please be aware, however, that the recipe linked above was the inspiration and I actually used fewer ingredients and made a much smaller amount.

I consider my attempt a success because the bechamel sauce turned out okay! Although, yes I have to admit, it came out on the very thick side, but that's my amateur fault. Live and learn, though. Next time, my bechamel will shine. I'm so glad I went this route rather than a spinach salad. There's a very good chance I'll be making this dish for Christmas as it would make a rich and very pretty accompaniment for any kind of meat.

Take A Bao

2009-10-20T16:25:00.000-07:00

I very rarely find myself over in Century City, so hadn't been able to try Take A Bao until... today! (I can't believe I'm putting this up on the same day the eating actually occurred!) Now, this place is located at the Westfield Century City mall where all the food court restaurants are priced rather high (at least in my opinion -- A&W cheese fries memories from middle school, anyone?). On to the food...

I chose the Take A Bao combo (two bao and a salad) for $9.50.

BBQ pork bao: I was expecting Chinese style BBQ pork because I overlooked the "braised" part of the menu description. It tasted like a Chinese-American version of BBQ pulled pork.

Miso beef bao: while I liked the flavor of the marinade of the beef, the combination of all the ingredients didn't work very well. Maybe miso and bao dough aren't meant for each other? Also, the texture of short ribs wasn't great because it wasn't falling apart, so the beef was a little tough.

Overall, all the food was on the sweet side (and I like salty-sweet taste combos a lot). I was underwhelmed by the salad because it had napa cabbage, which in general I like a lot. But, not in raw salad form; I don't find it very flavorful. I honestly would've been happier with one of those spring mix with mandarin oranges salads.

I did enjoy the pickled vegetables, though, and the ingredients were of higher quality than most mall food. I ordered both white buns, but somehow ended up with one of each; I think I surprisingly enjoyed the wheat one more.

Take A Bao is an inventive and fun concept, which I appreciate, but I wouldn't fork over $10 on the regular for their bao. I'm glad I tried them, though! I've been in a restaurant lull these days because I've been going to the same old places.

Take A Bao
10250 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90067-6501
(310) 551-1100

La Creperie Cafe

2009-10-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

Recently I was hit with a crepe craving, which is unusual since I eat them maybe once a year if that. So, imagine how happy I was when my friend Carrie suggested La Creperie Cafe for lunch! She had eaten here before, but it was my first time not only at the restaurant but in the cute Belmont Shore area where shops and restaurants line several blocks.

We were crepe crazed and got an appetizer of crepes to kick off the meal. Crepe Vendome: you can't go wrong with chicken, brie, apples and caramelized onions. Well, you can, but luckily, this dish was tasty. We were perhaps over-confident in our abilities because that not-so-light starter was followed up with extremely-not-light entrees.

Carrie ordered the Crepe Carbonara: they sure don't skimp here! That tower of bacon, cheese and cream sauce is probably life-affirming but I didn't try any because I was too busy trying to make my way through my Crepe Monsieur.

Yowza. The Crepe Monsieur was stuffed with ham and had Emmenthal cheese melted on top. Good, but immense.

I was delighted to have crepes, but I think it's safe to say I am not going to be doing this for another year. I enjoyed the ambience and the many options on the menu. I don't know what a French national would think of La Creperie Cafe, but I had a lovely time.

La Creperie Cafe
4911 E 2nd St
Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 434-8499

Seven Stars Bakery

2009-10-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

And for the last of my Rhode Island posts, we end on a sweet note. We stopped in at Seven Stars Bakery for a light breakfast on our last day in Providence (sob!).

My sister got a gingerbread muffin: very gingery in a delightful way. Would be wonderful in the autumn with a mug of cider.

Dad's apple (I think) danish: so rustic and lovely. I can't remember if I snuck a bite, but it looked like it was flaky and delicious.

My raisin roll: I know raisins can be polarizing, but I love 'em. Now, it's been a few weeks so can't recall for sure, but I'm assuming I didn't find this overly sweet because I would've had trouble finishing it otherwise.

I was so tempted by all their baked good offerings, which is unusual since I am not one of those people who go crazy without regular doses of bread/pastry. I imagine if I lived in the neighborhood, I would make my way through their different breads. I really adored Providence, so perhaps one day?

Seven Stars Bakery
820 Hope St
Providence, RI 02906
(401) 521-2200

Haruki

2009-09-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

Haruki is a bustling place that seems to draw in lots of wine-drinking, edamame-eating young people. At first glance, it doesn't seem like fantastic sushi should be coming out of the kitchen. But, believe you me, we had a dizzying and memorable meal with very fresh, shockingly reasonably priced sushi. A few items we ordered:

Thin slices of sea bass: we wanted to try something different in the appetizer department. Tasted clean and light. Originally we ordered fluke, but they were out!

Chirashi: more substantial than expected; we ordered 2 and had to wrap up the second one. And to think we had initially thought about ordering 3.

Uni: yes. I just say yes.

I'm heading back to Providence in the spring and hope to be able to stop by again. We ate ourselves silly and it was yet another Providence highlight to add to the list.

Haruki
172 Wayland Ave.
Providence, RI 02906
(401) 223-0332

Rhode Island Quahog Company

2009-09-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

After seeing the shore in Newport, we stopped at Rhode Island Quahog Company for lunch (note: I believe the menu said quahog is pronounced "COE-hog"). Located near the wharf on Thames Street, this restaurant is probably not one for the locals, but I still enjoyed our meal.

Mussels with julienned vegetables: not sure why that garnish was necessary, but these tasted pretty good. The size of the mussels were smaller than expected, though.

Stuffed quahogs: my first time having these large clams. The meat was chopped up with the stuffing and baked into that hearty appetizer. And yes, the Family Guy town is the made-up town of Quahog, RI!

Clams casino: not quite the preparation I was expecting because I thought breadcrumbs were a major component in this dish. Still tasty.

Blackened salmon Caesar salad: not something I normally order but we were in the mood for a salad. Turned out surprisingly delicious, though there was a lot of dressing.

Though this place is probably not going to end up people's "must visit again" lists, it was a pleasant meal after a bit of time in the car and walking on the beach. I know some people have very strong feelings about eating in touristy parts of a town, but I didn't mind. After all, I was on vacation with my family, which is something that doesn't happen as often as I wish! And I'm pretty happy that I tried some quahog, which IS something I want to eat again on my next trip.

Rhode Island Quahog Company
250 Thames St.
Newport, RI 02840
(401) 848-2330

Brickway On Wickenden

2009-09-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a charming breakfast spot in Providence, Brickway is the place. Like nearly all the buildings in this quaint city, the restaurant is housed in a historical establishment that has witnessed many lively conversations and nursed many hangovers since probably something like the 1700s. Here's what we ate:

My Dad's Western omelet: quite a hefty portion of a classic.

My sister's S-Pet: poached eggs with spinach, tomato and cheese. I was surprised by the raw spinach, but my sister liked it.

My Brickway Benedict: smoked salmon eggs benedict. Rich and more than I could handle! But, I would've regretted not ordering it. As you can see, all of us got potatoes, which were well-seasoned and hearty.

Brickway is the kind of place that would make for a lovely break from studying or a well-earned reward after a grueling week of exams. The interior was darling (lots of brick and a sunken dining area that made me wonder if it was once a sitting room in the olden days); I wish I had snapped some shots. Guess you'll just have to take my word for it!

Brickway on Wickenden
234 Wickenden St
Providence, RI 02903-4330
(401) 751-2477

Legal Sea Foods

2009-09-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Rhode Island, land of picturesque sailboats and scrumptious chowder. I think my heart may be meant for New England (although I may be singing a different tune after my first winter if I ever moved there). Our first meal upon arriving was at Legal Sea Foods, a family restaurant empire with many locations along the East Coast. I've been wanting to visit one of their restaurants ever since I saw Ming Tsai visit one on his show. And let me tell you, I was not let down.

A dozen mixed oysters that were all very fresh and briny goodness.

A dozen cherrystone clams. My first time trying raw clams and I liked them fine enough, but there was the slightest bitter afterate. I much prefer oysters!

We also had New England clam chowder (really fantastic with meaty clams, not those tiny chunks), lobster bisque and mussels, but I was too sidetracked by reverie to snap those photos. More RI meals to come!

Legal Sea Foods
2099 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886
(401) 732-3663

Porto's Bakery

2009-08-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

I know I've been MIA on here, but in my (lousy) defense, I've moved, don't have internet in my new place and been quite busy with life overall. Much of what I've been eating has been unremarkable or already been covered, but I do have a new obsession that is worth sharing with you all: Porto's Bakery!

A Cuban bakery with a big space and a lot to choose from. This photo shows about 1/3 of the bakery case.

Charles loves their eclairs and now he cannot visit without getting one.

Insides! Charles appreciates the fact that they are not stingy with the custard.

One of Porto's signature items is the cheese roll. Similar to a cheese danish, but with a flaky exterior. Get it, it's damn good.

The chicken croquette has a creamy filling and is good. But my favorite is...

The potato ball! Think fried potato ball with taco meat. Not entirely accurate I know because there are specks of bell pepper in the filling, but that's how my brain has filed it away.

A respectable cherry turnover with gorgeous sugar crystals. Would be perfect with tea as an afternoon snack.

Inside shot shows the lovely layers and simple cherry filling.

The best part of Porto's is their pricing. Here is my receipt:

$4.22! And this is when I got extravagant for the sake of the blog. Normally, I get a potato ball and a cheese roll ($0.65) and am full. And don't worry, I didn't forget you folks drooling over the eclair; it's only $1.50! Even with a coffee or milk, breakfast usually runs us $2 something. For a quick breakfast in the greater LA area. I keep expecting someone to say "just kidding," but it is for real. When you scramble over there, though, be aware that there is a separate line for bakery items and other menu items like sandwiches, etc. Hope you'll try it!

Porto's Bakery
3614 W. Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91505-2913
(818) 846-9100

La Grande Orange

2009-08-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

For the latest occurrence of Coffee'n'Cobb, Mike and I went west to Santa Monica!

We were looking to shake things up and wanted to try somewhere new (to us). La Grande Orange was our destination and here's what we ate:

I did the classic last-minute-panic order and got the gazpacho: strong presence of cucumber, but I wanted a more concentrated tomato flavor.

I also got the Evil Thai Princess Salad: yeah, the name is strange, but it was tasty enough. Lemongrass chicken, although the minced chicken's marinade made it a bit wet.

Mike's Turkey Chopped Salad Circa 1971: got the stamp of approval from Mike and I tasted the blue cheese, which was pungent and packed a good punch.

The food was fine and good, but some small details made for a less-than-perfect brunch. Table service is only provided at dinner, so daytime diners have to get their silverware and water at a station near the kitchen/walkway into the dining area, which is awkward when more than two people are up there. Also, Mike ordered coffee, but wasn't given a cup when we ordered nor when the runner delivered our food. Not huge errors in service, but it did affect our experience.

La Grande Orange seems to be a well-intentioned eatery, but I hope it makes adjustments to their confusing set up. I didn't get to try their English muffins, so I do want to return at some point. I just hope it will be a smoother meal!

La Grande Orange
2000 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 396-9152

Starchy Survey: Bibim Naengmyun Edition

2009-08-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Seeing as how it's the time of the year when I'm perpetually craving cold food, I thought I'd kick off the very first Starchy Survey with bibim naengmyun. I love these Korean spicy cold noodles something fierce and I know I'm not the only one, so I hope my findings will help others and you know, heal the world!

First up: California Market. Can one enjoy a delicious meal inside a supermarket? Why yes, one can!

Being within arm's reach of canned goods and packaged rice cake sweets doesn't bother me one bit (okay, maybe not for a first date if we're going to be real). The sauce was a bit soupy, but I loved the balance of flavors: spicy, sweet and tangy. The trio of perfection makes this version sing.

The mild, pickled radish isn't worth tweeting home about, but I still ate all of it.

Some hot beef broth. That description may not dazzle you, but I think it's the same goodness that is served cold in regular naengmyun. I find the stuff irresistible and very comforting.

Up next: Ham Hung. I had high hopes for this joint that has a loyal following and a disconcerting interior; the slightly claustrophobic dining area is located behind swinging doors, which made me feel like I was visiting a front operation to play hwa-tu (a Korean card game).

You'll notice there is a lot more protein (pork and beef)! But, it didn't taste like the kind of noodles that draw praise from the Koreatown crowd (they're tough cookies, folks). The sauce didn't have the depth of flavor I was expecting. Normally, I am easily appeased by a bowl of noodles (even if mediocre), but this batch was quite uninspired. I did enjoy the surprisingly pickled cucumbers in Ham Hung's take as bibim naengmyun is usually served with fresh unseasoned cukes.

Their spicy pickled radish passed the mark. Their beef broth didn't get much love from me, so I guess I didn't care that much when the server took my personal kettle o' broth while I was still eating. What, I don't get my kettle for the whole duration of my meal? Pfft.

Final spot: Yu Chun. I've had their regular naengmyun and rather adored it, so wanted to see if their bibim style was on par.

Visually very appealing! I really like the hefty dose of sesame thrown in and julienned cucumber just makes me happy. The flavor was solid, but there was something overwhelming about this bowl of boldness. Maybe I'm a purist and prefer less adorned, straightforward noodles; there were a lot of toppings in this mix.

I did not care for their beef broth because it was cold with ice chunks! Yes, it works in naengmyun, but it is so bizarre sipping on cold icy beef broth when it is not part of your noodle entree. If that doesn't make sense to you, go try this situation and report back to me, please. Their pickled radish is fine; although when you've already got a whole mess of them already mingling with your noodles, an additional helping is not that enticing.

And the moment you've been waiting impatiently for! I have ranked them as follows:

1. California Market is the winner! After all my research, it figures I am back to my old stand-by. The beef slices aren't plentiful, but taste trumps quantity here.

2. Yu Chun. Flavor wise, it's a teensy step down, but it is an actual restaurant with windows! And the portions are bigger.

3. Ham Hung. Maybe there is a magnetic force that gets people to come back again and again, but it just wasn't for me. I don't get the appeal; maybe the classic naengmyun is a better choice (they had a 2 for 1 special when I visited).

By no means am I saying that I have done a comprehensive overview of all LA establishments offering up bibim naengmyun. But, I like the rule of threes and feel like I satisfied my curiosity about a couple places with a reputation for the dish. I've had my fill for now, but speak up if you'd like to endorse your go-to spot!

California Market
450 S. Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 368-1410
*The last food stall next to the Chinese place

Yu Chun Chic Naeng Myung
3185 W. Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(213) 382-3815

Ham Hung
809 S. Ardmore Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 381-1520

Breed Street

2009-07-31T00:26:00.000-07:00

First of all, I totally missed my 1 year blog anniversary by almost a month (my "debut" was July 9th, 2008)! Although a belated announcement, I'm very pleased to have kept up with blogging for a full year. I've had a fantastic time along the way sharing my food experiences and meeting people both online and in person. Here's to another starchy year!

And now for Breed Street, a Mexican foodapalooza where I tucked a horchata under one arm, ate messily with the other and enjoyed this oh-so-LA (but in an East LA way, not like big sunglasses and spray tanned) meetup with Charles, our friend Seve and a bunch of fellow bloggers.

My gordita with the illustrious protein, chicharron (pork skin)! The man in charge made the tortillas by hand to order, which made them chewier, more substantial and noticeably higher in quality than what I'm used to (i.e. mainstream Mexican food). I ladled on some salsa and avocado sauce; loved the pickled red onions: vinegary and spicy (a stellar combo)!

Seve's FRIED quesadilla with chicharron. The same man in charge slid this treat into a vat of oil where it floated happily until it was ready for Seve to tear into it.

Charles got a chicken sope. He is a big fan of sopes, I still haven't had one. By the way, all three items above were from Nina's. We had to wait a bit, but those folks have got their system down pat. It's worth the wait.

Seve and I split these fried chicken necks. Still dreaming of them. Sigh. I love the waste not want not mentality of eating necks.

Both guys got bacon wrapped hot dogs. Here is Seve's before he demolished it. Sad to report that I was weak sauce and could not rally to try my first bacon wrapped. But, it's gonna happen, do not worry.

Churros. I feel like I never really had them before Breed Street. A small bag of them for $2. Best money spent in a while! I wish the sweet (no pun intended) churro man could set up shop right outside my front door. These things will make you exclaim something loud.

Breed Street is a place where a sense of community makes it possible for so much delicious food to be brought to the public. The food is humble, most of it made to order and so unbelievably cheap. It can be a bit overwhelming in a dizzying way and if you're like me, you'll be disappointed in yourself for not powering through and making the rounds to all the vendors and their flavorful wares. But, it's a positive thing actually because as you drive home, you'll already be scheming for your next visit.

Thanks to my new pal Jocie for organizing this event!

Breed Street Food Fair
E. Cesar Chavez and Breed Street
Cash only (small bills are helpful and nice)

Ira's Gourmet

2009-07-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

Indonesian food has always been a bit of a mystery to me, so I was delighted when Cathy of Gastronomy invited me to a dinner featuring dishes by Ira's Gourmet, an Indonesian caterer based in Pasadena. Charles and I were ready to be wowed when we arrived in Ira's darling backyard and we were not disappointed!

Bacem tempe: fried tempeh seasoned with onion, garlic, coriander and sweet soy sauce. I did not realize at the time that this dish was tempeh, although I do recall being perplexed by what this ingredient could be.

Ayam goreng: fried chicken (my favorite item of the evening). Ira's chicken will make you lose any sense of decorum; I made a mental note to order a tub of this stuff sometime for a party.

Bakmi goreng: fried noodle. Charles liked this dish the most; I see an unsurprising pattern emerging of fried delights being the stars of the show. Although, let the record show that he really loved the lemper (sticky rice filled with chicken in coconut gravy), which I failed to photograph.

Bacem tahu: tofu. I love a simple tofu dish that doesn't skimp on flavor; this was prepared like the tempeh.

Empal: sweet fried beef. I remember thinking of it as almost a beef jerky, but not dehydrated. Another good one in my book!

Sambel goreng terong: eggplant in chili sauce. I know I had some of this, but I cannot remember much besides "spicy," sorry!

Telor balado: egg in balado sauce (a tangy tomato topping of sorts with some chile heat).

Dessert: fruit in coconut condensed milk. A refreshing ending to a laid-back summer meal.

I thoroughly enjoyed having authentic Indonesian fare made with that homemade touch; I would, in fact, call Ira's food "Indonesian soul food!" Big thanks to Cathy and Ira for a lovely night!

To read more about Ira's Gourmet, see Cathy's post about Ira's lunch boxes and menu here.

Ira's Gourmet
704 W. Howard Street
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 345-9931
Cell: (805)708-9888

Zankou Chicken

2009-07-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Zankou Chicken makes me supremely happy. Their grade A hummus and any of their chicken dishes dressed with their garlic sauce make my heart sing something operatic. Now, I realize it's a local chain with multiple locations, so it's not one of those charming Mom-and-Pop operations. But, sometimes I want delicious food that's consistent and efficient, which is what you'll get with Zankou. Charles had never eaten here before, so I was delighted to introduce him to the awesomeness.

Charles got the falafel wrap. It seemed to be exactly what he expected. While the plate options come with a bunch of stuff, the wraps fly solo.

I got the chicken tarna plate, which we shared (okay, I was mighty possessive of the hummus). The tarna was full of flavor, but my usual rotisserie chicken is a better vehicle for the garlic sauce (the foiled container in the bottom right). Next time, I'm going to have to return to the standby!

I had never encountered pickled turnips before Zankou and in fact, I thought it was jicama before reading the menu on their website (whoops!). But, now that they're in my life, I am all about these bright pink beauties and find them to be the perfect accompaniment to round out the chicken goodness. On this particular night, I ate a lot of them because I got Charles's portion, too. Score.

Zankou Chicken
10760 Riverside Dr.
North Hollywood, CA 91602
(818) 655-0469

Sapp Coffee Shop (Take 2)

2009-07-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

I usually drive straight home after work, but last week I indulged in a solo dinner at Sapp Coffee Shop, a spot I've written about before . This time, I ordered some different stuff.

Thai iced tea: The best I've had maybe ever. I think this was only $2, but came in a generous-sized mug! Gotta love that value.

Duck noodle soup: I added hot sauce and vinegared chiles, which upped the delicious level of the broth even further. I could've used a bit more duck meat, but it's so darn cheap, I can deal with it!

I was given this tasty sauce, which was tart and spicy (could be pureed vinegared chiles?).

Papaya salad: I wasn't crazy about their version because it was salty without the zing of lime. And I need the zing!

Sapp Coffee Shop is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to stop and unwind for some Thai comfort food; they've got great noodle soups, very affordable prices (my meal was under $15) and an attentive staff. I was surprised that there was only one other table occupied during dinner time. Maybe I stopped in before the boat-noodles-demanding masses descended for the evening?

Sapp Coffee Shop
5183 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 665-1035
Cash only

Saigon Flavor

2009-07-05T14:42:00.000-07:00

I happen to like pho a lot, but rarely eat it because of the 17 mile drive to San Gabriel (and surrounding areas). But, on this lazy Sunday, I woke up with the hankering for something cheap, satisfying and authentic. We looked around on Yelp and came up with Saigon Flavor, a small and bustling restaurant which is apparently owned by the Golden Deli folks.

Cha gio (egg rolls): I love Vietnamese egg rolls. They are on another level entirely from the kind you might be used to with Chinese takeout. Should have gotten an inside shot; it's packed with pork and veggies. They've got a really good version.

My camera chose to focus on the plant being reflected than my pho! Oh well. The broth was flavorful with thin slices of beef and tendon, which I might have confused with another cut of beef because it was more gelatinous than I expected.

Charles ordered a shrimp noodle soup, which was called Mi Tom on the menu. A very good broth with a bright cilantro flavor and a fair amount of shrimp.

All together, the bill was only $14.49! A feel good way to celebrate the last day of the long holiday weekend. I plan on making it over to Golden Deli at some point, but I was pleased enough with Saigon Flavor that it seems a more appealing, less hectic option for me. We did have to put our name on a list, but only waited about 10 minutes. I can't wait to come back and try some of their rice plates because I was definitely eying what the other patrons ordered!

Saigon Flavor
208 E. Valley Blvd, #B
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 572-6036

Clementine

2009-06-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

The latest edition of Coffee'N'Cobb with my friend Mike involved neither items, but was still lovely! We met at Clementine, a small cheery restaurant with many a baked good as well as sandwiches, soups, salads and breakfast.

Mike's limeade: "weird, but I like it."

Mike's chicken sandwich. For some reason, his bread was grilled and mine was not (yes, we ordered the same sandwich).

I got the combo, which included half a sandwich, a cup of soup (sweet corn chowder) and a cookie (peanut butter). Loved the watercress and the tangy remoulade in the sandwich, but the best part was the bread! I enjoy eating bread, but I don't go out of my mind for it, so it's remarkable that it struck a chord with me. The sweet corn chowder was rustic and with a good amount of potatoes.

The peanut butter element was on full blast here. Delish.

Clementine is a bit pricey for weekly visits (my combo was right under $10), but I am definitely going to return in the future as they've got so many delicious things to try. Thanks to Mike for picking Clementine!

Clementine
1751 Ensley Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 552-1080

Germantown Commissary

2009-06-16T21:56:00.000-07:00

BBQ joints are a dime a dozen in Memphis, which naturally means they cannot be all good. But, I find that BBQ preferences are so subjective that you just have to figure out which establishment makes your heart sing. Now, I haven't done an exhaustive search of the most notable spots in Memphis, but I know there are quite a few who vie for locals' favorites (my sister's number 1, Central BBQ, the Neelys of Food Network fame, Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ (he is Pat Neely's uncle) and on and on).

My go-to supplier of bbq deliciousness has been Germantown Commissary, a small shack located near railroad tracks (and yes, trains will pass by while you're eating and in Memphis, having to wait for a train to pass is a regular occurrence when driving). According to their website, the Commissary used to be a country store (I'm guessing like a general store) for over 90 years before it was purchased in 1981. So, that's a lot of history and the restaurant looks like it was frozen in time, which is one of its many charms.

Kinda love this horse artwork.

A full rack of ribs with charred bits. Very good.

Charles ordered the half rack ribs plate and really loved the baked beans.

My pulled pork plate. Pork was tender, fantastic and got a good dose of BBQ sauce (regular and hot, which are kept on the table). Their deviled eggs and coleslaw were spot-on.

The pork is life-affirming, the servers are warm and friendly, and the sweet tea comes in plastic cups with the saying "BBQ So Good Yull Slap Yo Mama." So, yeah, I love this place. And that's it for the Memphis posts! Back to your regular LA programming.

Germantown Commissary
2290 Germantown Rd S
Germantown, TN 38138
(901) 754-5540

Blue Plate Cafe

2009-06-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

Blue Plate Cafe is one of my family's go-to spots for breakfast and lunch. The restaurant is located inside a converted house and I adore its down-home atmosphere with sunny yellow decor and vintage blue plates on the walls. I usually go for fried chicken with a waffle, but Charles and I actually made it here early enough that breakfast was the only option, which was fine by me.

Wondrous sweet tea with lemon.

Charles had scrambled eggs and a strawberry waffle. Fresh berries are so delightful, I don't know why I ever go the IHOP Rooty Fruity route. Charles had no complaints, so I guess it was solid (maybe I should ask him more about what he thinks about his food).

I got chicken fried steak with eggs and grits (the breading was crisp and well-seasoned, loved it). Charles had never eaten grits before, so though I generally do not order them, I had to give him the full Southern breakfast experience! After I doctored them up with butter and a good dose of salt, we were in biz with the grits.

If you're looking for a bonafide Southern experience for breakfast, Blue Plate Cafe is where it's at. They've also got a bunch of options for meat and two or three (sides) for lunch and dinner; you can't go wrong no matter the time of day. Long live Blue Plate!

Blue Plate Cafe
5469 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN 38119
(901) 761-9696

Memphis Pizza Cafe

2009-06-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

I'm from a family that loves to eat. Many of my fondest memories are associated with really good meals (some homemade, some at restaurants), so it should come as no surprise that during our visit, we were perpetually dealing with food hangovers (we also drank but not as much as we ate!). I didn't snap photos of all the food we ate while Charles and I were in Memphis because it was a vacation and I was in maximum relaxation mode (plus my camera's memory could not hang with the amount of food we ate).

First up is Memphis Pizza Cafe, which holds a dear place in my heart. My sister and I usually eat here while I'm home; this was the first time I ate at the Overton Square location (there are a handful of locations scattered throughout the city).

Greek salad. Love the tangy dressing and pepperoni + pepperoncini = love.

Half Cajun chicken, half BBQ chicken. I am not a pizza purist and I don't care. This stuff was damn good and made me happy.

Notable: Charles had his first sweet tea at this meal! I really liked their version, although our first glasses were pretty sugary (our refills were less wickedly sweet).

Just writing this post makes me want to book it back to Memphis immediately. More to come!

Memphis Pizza Cafe
2087 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
901-726-5343

Daikokuya

2009-05-26T00:45:00.000-07:00

At long last, I ate at the glorious establishment that is Daikokuya, ramen mecca of pork broth lovers. And baby, it was damn good.

I ordered the signature ramen "kotteri" style, which means extra fatty pork broth (I may start calling it "with extra love"). Daikokuya is known for its put-your-name-on-the-list waits, but I lucked out because after a couple minutes, I was directed towards a single seat at the end of the counter (to those of you who do not go out to eat solo: you get seated quickly most of the time, one of the many reasons I like being a lone diner!).

When my ramen arrived, I zoned out into dazed-and-delicious mode. The broth: amazingly rich and comforting. The icing on the cake: slices of falling apart pork, a "soaked-in-a-special-sauce"* hard-boiled egg and a mess of green onions (the crowning glory of any bowl of ramen). In short: a life-altering substance for under $10!

I've officially seen the Daikokuya light. Its reputation is absolutely well-deserved, so if you haven't been yet, don't put it off any longer!

Daikokuya
327 E. 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-1680

*according to their website where you can see their menu items and locations.

My First Banner

2009-05-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

A huge thank you is in order to my best friend, Mary. She is responsible for the lovely banner you see above-- my very first non-default one! Mary was sweet enough to surprise me with some sample banners just because she felt like it (cue "That's What Friends Are For"). After a few tweaks, we had the final product and I have to say, I feel like I've arrived in style. Please show her some love and check out her fantastic hats at Pretty Good Things and her blog. Thanks a million, Mary!

Yu Chun and Scoops with Delicious Coma

2009-05-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

This milestone snuck up on me, but lo and behold: this is my 100th post! Writing this blog has been very rewarding and has helped preserve my sanity in the face of life's monotony and drudgery. Thank you for reading and I hope you'll stick around for a hundred more! Moving on...

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Anjali of Delicious Coma. We had lunch at Yu Chun, a Koreatown naeng myun hot spot. I had never eaten there, but chose the place based on its street cred and it was a winner (what a relief)!

Their famous kimchi mandoo: these babies were big! The filling was surprisingly full of flavor, which I appreciated (I hate it when mandoo are lackluster and unmemorable).

Naeng myun: I loved their version. Glorious broth and ice chunks to keep the bowl delightfully cold. No wonder this place was packed when we went. I wholeheartedly endorse Yu Chun for naeng myun cravings!

And for dessert, where else but Scoops?!

Anjali chose peach red wine and mascarpone Oreo.

I had coconut green tea (would be great at the end of a sushi meal) and brown bread (the Grape Nuts really work and I liked it, but I didn't fall in love with it).

It was so lovely to dine and gab with Anjali, can't wait to do it again!

Yu Chun Chic Naeng Myung
3185 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(213) 382-3815

Scoops
712 N Heliotrope Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 906-2649

Boho

2009-05-18T23:37:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I got to kill two birds with one stone: we ate at Boho (a recent short term goal) and saw The Brothers Bloom (a movie I've wanted to see for at least 2 years)! Trying to park was an absolute zoo, but finally we were seated and enjoying beers (despite their drink menu being extensive, I got hit by a wave of indecision and chose Stella, which is one of my go-to choices, so did not experience anything new)! What we ate:

I ordered fennel, bacon, caramelized onion and gruyere pizza: good, but the onions were not caramelized, which was disappointing. Although the fennel was devoid of that licorice essence I adore, the pizza was solid and I'd order a pizza here again.

Charles had the burger: can we agree that he might have a burger addiction? He approved heartily of the burger and though he offered me a bite, it was messy and I didn't want to get involved in all that.

And the interior shot.

I don't go out for dinner much during the week, but Boho's half-priced Tuesdays are very tempting. Ditto with their Sunday brunch bottomless cocktails! Looking forward to more meals at Boho, particularly as an affordable option for out-of-town guests (it's hip enough yet not so chaotic that you have to yell to hear each other).

Boho
6372 W. Sunset Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 465-8500

Bar*Food

2009-05-17T14:58:00.001-07:00

Twitter is an ever-evolving beast, isn't it? Although I first joined to stay in touch with friends, I now use Twitter for a whole lot more. Case in point: Bar*Food, a new bar in Brentwood, landed on my radar via Twitter and I am so glad Charles and I finally made our way over there on Friday. Hans took great care of us and we also got to meet the owner, Jason; they are super friendly and approachable, say hi if you stop in!

To drink, we both had the Mighty Arrow beer. Good stuff (sorry, should've paid more attention so I'd have more to recall than "enjoyable"). Hans was nice enough to give us a complimentary taste of Black Butte beer (now that I'm typing it out, I have to say it's an amusing name), which was very chocolatey and almost velvety (like Newcastle times 5). He gave us cute little glasses that were the size of gargantuan shots; maybe there is a name for these things?

To eat, we ordered: grilled cheese with tomato soup (sandwich was good, but I liked the soup even more), mussels with the garlic and white wine treatment (fine and a hearty portion), fries (they weren't mushy! nothing makes me happier than crispy fries), calamari (crunchy batter and a great spicy dipping sauce) and bread pudding (we enjoyed the dessert the most, very good). Sorry, no visuals. It was dim inside and my photos didn't turn out very well. Just use your imagination!

Full disclosure: this visit was unusual for me because I don't normally introduce myself or engage in a lot of personal conversation with a restaurant's owner/manager/or staff in general. I can't call this post a review since a) not anonymous at all during our meal and b) it was more social and like making new friends (we even got a beer comped, which drives that point home even more)!

I will say that I'm delighted to find a low-key bar with an affordable menu and good ambiance. Since one of my favorite things to do is have a beer and nibble on drinking snacks, Bar*Food will definitely be an establishment I will be frequenting.

Bar*Food
12217 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 820-3274
On Twitter: @BarFood

Gangadin

2009-05-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

My friend Carrie lives in the OC, but when she's up in LA, we meet for dinner in the valley. Finding good restaurants in that area is always an exercise in web research, but I have done okay so far. Last week, we met up at Gangadin in Studio City (My Last Bite is a fan of theirs, so I felt confident that we were in for a treat).

Vegetable samosas: the potato and pea filling was underseasoned, but with the condiments (a spicy one, a sweet one and a minty one), it was fine.

My chicken korma: great flavor and depth and I ordered it medium spicy, so it had some kick to it.

Carrie's chicken makhani (sorry for the blurry photo): I was too preoccupied eating my korma to try it, but she seemed to like it!

Basmati rice with peas: we ordered two side orders, but it came out on one plate and was larger than I expected (don't you hate it when places require you to pay for rice, but it's like one small bowl's worth? I eat a lot of rice, don't be cheap!). By the way, I like that Indian cuisine gives peas some respect and is very inclusive of them in dishes.

Garlic naan: blistery garlicky goodness. So good. I want to try one of their parathas next time (never had one, but it seems to be a flatbread of sorts).

Mango pickle: boy, was this salty! Like my brain could almost not process how salty these babies were. I've had lime pickles before and liked them, so either I have had weak-sauce versions or Gangadin's version is overzealous.

Both of us enjoyed our meal quite a lot. The quality of the food does mean higher prices, though, so I don't think I'll be eating here regularly. We ordered the above, a Kingfisher beer and a glass of Riesling; the bill was $50 something. Their menu is also vegan/vegetarian friendly, so I'd love to try their paneer dishes (Indian cheese is just wonderful, isn't it?).

Gangadin
12067 Ventura Pl
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 509-0722

Sam Woo BBQ and Tapioca Express

2009-05-12T23:03:00.000-07:00

I don't get to Alhambra or its surrounding deliciously Chinese areas on a regular basis. Therefore, my working knowledge of the best spots for roast pork or soup dumplings is a big mess of names from local blogs to Jonathan Gold anywhere from two years ago to last week.

When I recently felt a roast duck craving coming on, I was overwhelmed by the immense possibilites (read: impatient and unmotivated). So, I asked Kung Food Panda for his expert opinion and that's how I ended up at Sam Woo BBQ with a beatific smile last Sunday (thanks Danny!). Before I embarked, I found Wandering Chopsticks' post, which was helpful particularly in the noodle department as revealed below:

Roast duck plate: the skin was not crispy, but I didn't care. I was too busy losing my mind eating roast duck for the first time in months! It was just the right portion for us. And to think, my original inclination was to order the half duck.

Deep fried fish fillet with sweet and sour sauce: big portion! And sweet and sour sauce that didn't look Simpsons hued. Not amazing, but then again, I wasn't expecting the quality of the fish to blow my mind here.

Shrimp crispy chow mein: I love pan-fried crispy noodles and their version was pretty good. I think they have a BBQ pork one, which I've got my eye on for next time!

Then we stopped by Tapioca Express for some boba.

Charles had a strawberry "icy." Only for those with a severe artificial flavored sweet tooth.

I had a Thai tea milk tea. Refreshing perfection.

And that is how I like to do Sundays.

Sam Woo BBQ
514 W. Valley Boulevard
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 281-0038

Tapioca Express
228 W. Valley Blvd, #105
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 289-9735

Naeng Myun Nara, Patisserie Eguchi and Scoops

2009-05-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

I woke up on Saturday with a Maggiano's food hangover. What can I say, the Grove's options are severely limited. I originally set out for some sul-lung-tang (beef bone soup is how I'd describe it), but a sign for Naeng Myun Nara caught my eye (nara means country or land, so obviously I had to investigate a place that brought visions of meadows and rainbows dotted with bowls of naeng myun).

Naeng myun with cucumbers, Asian pear and half an egg. Only $5.99! Yes, there was one slice of beef, but I still found it tasty and straightforward enough for that price.

Located inside Rodeo Galleria, the restaurant is one of the few food spots inside the shopping center, which reminded me of Mercado La Paloma near USC (any SC folks know what I'm talking about?). It's a big building with individual booths or shops (like an enclosed marketplace with AC). After I finished my bowl of deliciously chilled noodles, I stopped at Patisserie Eguchi and picked up a kimchi koroke (crispy fry bread, maybe you've bought some at Famima!! and eaten them in the car like me?).

Kimchi koroke. Better in theory than execution.

I bit into it with anticipation, but was sorely disappointed. The filling was very lackluster and missing that puckering zing that is kimchi's calling card. And the bread tasted faintly sour. I was so let down that I tried to go to Paris Baguette afterwards, but there was some serious construction going on that deterred me. I guess it was not my day for Korean pastries. But, I did make it to Scoops for some Korean-genius-gelato later that night with Charles and Seve in tow.

My scoops of Kahlua white chocolate and mango white wine. Both very good, but I liked the Kahlua more. Because it was nearing closing hours, they were out of many flavors; I really wanted to try salty caramel! I don't have pictures of what the guys had, but Seve stuck with all Kahlua white chocolate and Charles got Kahlua as well as cinnamon/cheddar cheese, which was surprisingly excellent(or maybe not so surprising, considering the source). I raise my gelato cup to the shop's owner, Tai Kim! And that was my Saturday amongst my people.

Naeng Myun Nara
Rodeo Galleria
833 S. Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 365-1699

Patisserie Eguchi (next door to Naeng Myun Nara)

Scoops
712 N Heliotrope Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 906-2649

Sapp Coffee Shop

2009-05-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

I have heard good things about Sapp Coffee Shop forever, so was very pleased to finally make my way there on a Sunday morning. And as I found out, the tiny parking lots in Thaitown have plenty of spots open at 11am!

Boat noodles special: beef, tripe, fish balls (think meatballs, not... balls), beef liver and a couple other things I couldn't identify. I added a healthy dose of hot sauce and vinegared chiles to spice it up. Breakfast of heat champions!

Thai iced coffee: Not my fave, the coffee didn't taste great to me. I think I should've gotten the iced tea instead, but it was still nice to have something cool to combat the spicy broth.

I was prepared for a very dingy experience based on online chatter, but they had the door propped open and it was bright and breezy. The server was very friendly and overall, the place had a homey vibe. Yes, the interior and tables are old, but for prices this low (my breakfast was under $8), who cares?

Sapp Coffee Shop
5183 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 665-1035
Cash only

The Golden State

2009-04-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

The Golden State is like a neighborhood cafe that happens to serve beer; I wouldn't really call it a bar. When we first stopped by (a month or so ago), it was with hopes of finding a new spot to add into our weekend social rotation, so we were thrown by the atmosphere, which is more of a place to grab a low-key meal with a good friend than say, "dude, let's get buckwild!!!" I am down with both types of places, I'm just saying you should know what to expect. Recently, we returned for dinner:

Charles got the grilled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. No complaints here.

I got the burger, which was flavorful and filling: overall, a good showing. But, the slaw was excellent: so light and crunchy and not drowning in a pool of mayo. Plus, I haven't been eating vegetables much, so it was welcomed with even more enthusiasm than usual (I heart slaws a lot).

French fries with hazelnut romesco (I forgot it was described as such, so thought of it as red pepper dip when I was eating).

The owners apparently love ketchup, curry and label makers as much as I do! This stuff is not with a hint of curry, it's right in your face in a very addictive way. I alternated between dipping my fries in the curry ketchup, regular ketchup and the romesco.

Scoops raspberry triple sec gelato. This was my first taste of Scoops, a much acclaimed gelato shop in town. I was blown away by the complexity of flavors! This gelato was truly an eye-opener. I'm pretty sure The Golden State is the only place to carry their product outside headquarters. I plan on hauling ass to Scoops this weekend, end of story.

I'm hoping to become a regular here, especially with the summer's rapid approach (beer? gelato? forget about it!). The Golden State is a welcome and affordable addition to Fairfax Ave and I hope to see it prosper (looks like they're off to a good start as they were nearly packed on a Tues night)! Viva La Golden State!

The Golden State
426 N. Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323)782-8331

The Infield

2009-04-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

Ever since I read about The Infield on Dig Lounge, it's been haunting my food pre-occupied mind. I am the girl who orders chili cheese hot dogs (although on this visit, I wasn't able to sample their version), so you can imagine how psyched I was to try this hot dog stand. Charles and our friend, Seve, were gracious enough to accompany me last Sunday afternoon.

A classic hot dog (for Charles) and The Daily Special (for me!): a hot dog (I think the New Yorker with red onion sauce), fries and a Coke. Due to the cash only policy, which I hadn't bothered looking into beforehand, we were limited on what we could order! Next time!

Fried Twinkies (for free via Twitter). Behold the powdered sugar.

Recognize. I liked this dessert much more than I thought I would. I'd venture to say the fried version is better because the outside has a delightful crunch to it.

I have to go back to try the following: nacho cheese fries, chili cheese Fritos and one of the hot dogs with sauerkraut (they've got a lot of hot dog creations). My follow-up visit will need to be sooner than later 'cause I'm not doing outdoor dining in the Valley summer heat (it will slay me)!

The Infield
14333 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 501-1850
Follow on Twitter for deals/freebies

Chung Dam

2009-04-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

I was all amped to try Pollo A La Brasa today, but was sadly deterred by their C rating by the public health department! I'm fine with B ratings, but gotta draw the line at C. I've had food poisoning incidents before, so I try my best to avoid living too dangerously. With the parking meter running, I had to improvise fast. Lucky for me, I parked right in front of Chung Dam Korean BBQ, a new restaurant on Western with a sparkly A rating.

Banchan aka Korean side dish freebies. The quality of these small additions are important to me when forming an opinion about a Korean restaurant: these passed the mark nicely (didn't taste terribly MSG-laden and a satisfactory assortment)!

More freebies.

Red leaf lettuce, perilla leaves, seaweed and cabbage to wrap up my...

Bulgogi! I know Korean short ribs get the most love and I adore those, but the thinly sliced marinated beef is cheaper and also delicious. Chung Dam's version is not too fatty.

The best part is that they have lunch specials daily (including weekends)! The above only put me back $12 and I had leftovers (the server was very friendly throughout and did not give me any attitude about asking for a box). The restaurant's interior is new and very clean, and they've got a patio area, which I'm sure will be nice on summer nights. I want to go back and try the grill for dinner (the lunch specials are prepared in the kitchen, not at the table). And of course, gotta try the nengmyun, the cold noodles that account for much of my summer diet!

Chung Dam
808 S. Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 389-0808

Jitlada

2009-04-23T20:36:00.001-07:00

I have most exciting news, friends: I attended my first ever food-blogger-related event last night at famed Thai restaurant, Jitlada! And it was a whole lotta Jitlada. I didn't keep count during the 3 1/2 hour meal, but I'm told it was 17 courses! Not surprisingly, I was the laziest out of the photographing bunch, but with some encouragement and prompting from the other more dedicated diners (thanks, Sharon and Po!), I clicked a couple:

Khua Kling salmon: turmeric flavored Southern style dry curry with green beans and salmon. The salmon was fine, but the fish paste was quite strong (thank you to Wandering Chopsticks for identifying that exquisitely singular ingredient for me!).

Softshell crab mango salad: one of the highlights for me, mostly because I am passionately in love with softshell crab.

Jitlada is known for its punishing and astounding spicy heat (hello, jungle curry!), but thankfully not all the dishes were of the "my mouth is numb and I need a block of ice" variety. Other items I enjoyed a lot: Crispy Morning Glory Salad, Kung Phae Chup Krung Thawt (fried ship with fried basil/tea leaf), Sun Hang Wua (mild and sour oxtail soup) and Kaeng Tai Khai Mang Kon (Southern style curry with jicama and housemade fish ball stuffed with duck eggs).

I'm pleased as punch that I was able to meet my fellow food bloggers and hope that there are many more food-centric gatherings to come! There were 33 of us, so I didn't get a chance to talk to everyone, but there's always next time. Gotta give a heartfelt shout out to the orchestrator of this intense Thai madness: Tony, thanks so much for the lovely event! You're going to throw these parties every week, right?

Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 663-3104

Hi, My Name Is...

2009-04-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

From the management: I am now coming at you as Starchy Marie (no longer "Starchy")! Since it's always been my url, I'm guessing most of you already thought of me as Starchy Marie. I'm changing my blog name to make it a tad more personal.

I don't know that you all have anything to update with this NEWSFLASH, but as they say, please be advised!

Practice Makes Prettier (I Hope)

2009-04-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

Taking good pictures of food is harder than you might think. I have a lot to learn, but I have recently acquired two reinforcements to help me photograph "better":

1. Photoshop Express: a free Photoshop service that probably does not come anywhere close to being a substitute for Photoshop, but is great for people like me (read: newbie to editing photos and without the funds to purchase Photoshop).

Yellow curry noodles at Nakkara: $8 lunch special! This photo was auto-corrected slightly with Photoshop Express; even though it was daytime, there wasn't a ton of light at my table.

2. Lowel EGO Light: Charles got me one of these lights for my birthday, which I'm very happy about! I need to play around and get better acquainted with how to best use this light, but I love it and the crisper looking photos it provides like the one below.

Spaghetti with mushrooms, garlic and pecorino: I was lazy that night and didn't use the reflector board, which would have given a brighter look on all sides (or so I would conjecture).

I leave you with a little round-up of bloggers whose photos have given me a dash of inspiration lately:

- udon & stilettos and her lovely posts about a recent trip to Napa. I've never been, but as her pictures prove, I should've gone ages ago!

- Gazing at Last Night's Dinner on any given day makes me wish I lived next door to this woman. Seriously.

- Each time I visit I'm Mad and I Eat, I wonder, why am I not eating that right this second? Mostly inspiring, but also (excuse the pun) maddening!

Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

2009-04-13T19:59:00.001-07:00

My nutritional intake has been very questionable lately. Weeknights are especially dicey as I will almost never enter the fray that is the dinner-time-rush at the grocery store (I know I should be better about stocking up over the weekend, but let's not dwell on that right now). I have not been abiding by Ellie Krieger's "eat the colors of the rainbow" advice at all, which is probably why I found myself craving a spinach salad over the weekend.

I baked the bacon in the oven (anything to keep the smell of bacon out of my hair), boiled some eggs and whisked up a dressing with dijon, honey, salt, pepper and... bacon fat (you can pretend this part never happened for the sake of your opinion of me). I planned on using extra virgin olive oil, but got to thinking deviously when I saw the fat on the baking sheet.

This salad can be put together very quickly; it only took me about 20 min. from start to finish. Definitely going to be a keeper as the warmer months approach, but it's funny because I can count on one hand the number of spinach salads I eat in a year and I never order honey mustard dressing. Maybe 2009 is the year everything changes!

Hite Kwang Jang

2009-04-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

I have been curious about Hite Kwang Jang for a long time; it's on Wilshire, one of Koreatown's major streets, and the word "Hite" always catches my eye. Now, I have no idea how the delicious Korean beer Hite is affiliated with this establishment, but I do know that I could put away a lot of pitchers here with the kind of no frills bar food they've got going on. Charles and I wrapped up the weekend with a Sunday night dinner amidst the kitschy decor (aside from the Korean alcohol ads, Hite Kwang Jang looks like a place that could serve Swedish meatballs and waffles; as in they have an inexplicable nutcracker statue).

Charles pours icy cool goodness into a glass mug, which I'm sure he would love to own. The beer was wonderfully cold!

One of Charles's favorite Korean dishes: dduk-bok-ghee (I hyphenate to facilitate). A spicy rice cake dish that is probably more snack or late night fare than an actual entree. HKJ's version is quite good and a healthy portion, to say the least.

Korean style (sort of) fried chicken aka tong-dak: see, I don't think of this dish as fried chicken straight up. More like roast chicken with super crispy skin and no breading. That pile of shredded cabbage has the obligatory Thousand Island dressing (Koreans love themselves some Thousand Island).

Sweet pickled radish cubes, which is served with the chicken. ONE OF MY FAVORITE ITEMS ON EARTH.

Freebie (I think) pan-fried cake: I heart Korean savory pancakes. I'm fairly sure this one had green onions and kimchi in it. Simple, but tasty.

We really enjoyed our meal here, it's harder than you'd think to find a quiet place to grab a drink and some grub without breaking the bank. Our bill was about $40, which included the cute 1000cc baby pitcher of Hite. Looking forward to many visits in the future!

Hite Kwang Jang
3839 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 384-8999

8oz Burger Bar

2009-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

We had dinner at 8oz over the weekend, but this is the only photo I could salvage:

Let me describe my Melrose burger in detail as my photo is not much help: house blend beef patty, wild baby arugula, garlic roasted tomatoes and red onion marmalade. I added Bel Paese cheese (it was described to me as similar to provolone, I shrugged and said why not).

Very tasty, although I wasn't stuffed afterwards. I don't like unwieldy burgers, so I don't want these babies to be larger really. Maybe a salad or CHEESE CURDS (never had 'em, but have high hopes) would have been a good way to fill out the meal.

Charles and I split an order of fries, which were a pleasant surprise due to the amount of slightly crispy bits. I am extremely interested in trying a bloody mary on a future visit; maybe the smoky bacon one? A bacon stir-stick sounds worthy of investigation.

8oz Burger Bar
7661 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 852-0008

Ugo

2009-04-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

My friend Mike and I have a long-standing brunch tradition we call Coffee'n'Cobb. Our latest meet-up was at Ugo, a casual Italian spot in Culver City (a place that does not offer Cobb salad, but we had a delightful time regardless). They were still serving breakfast, but I already had pasta on the brain.

I had the rigatoni with bolognese sauce. Pretty flavorful and the pasta was not overcooked! As Jean K. Jean would say: incroyable! And the basil on top complemented the bolognese really well; sometimes I find fresh basil overpowering, but I loved it here.

Mike ordered the egg, bacon and mozzarella breakfast panini. I believe his eyes rolled into the back of his head upon his first bite, so I'm guessing quite good. Didn't get a good shot of the filling, but yes, there was a lot of bread (not an optical illusion)!

And if there's an immense display case of gelato directly across from our table, you know we had to order some:

Mike's mango gelato (an intense fresh mango flavor and would be really good in the summer. Thanks to our server for the initially-confusing-but-later illuminating two spoons per dish, which allowed us to try each other's gelato!)

My dulce de leche gelato (very sweet and awesome! I know I should try another flavor next time, but it'll be hard to branch out from this caramel-y goodness.)

I thought maybe Ugo was yet another hyped restaurant with mediocre food, but I enjoyed the food and the prices were reasonable (with the above and two coffees, our bill was under $40). Their menu has many items I'd like to try, such as lasagna and ravioli, salads and antipasti. Service was okay; friendly, but it took us a while to pay the server. I plan on coming back to Ugo soon (hopefully next time I won't be knocking stuff off the table while trying to photograph my dining companion's food)!

Ugo
3865 Cardiff Ave
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 474-4482

Russet Potato Salad with Greens and Bacon

2009-04-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

I had two potatoes in my possession, which had been planned as cheapo dinner options, but I didn't think about how long it'd take me to preheat the oven and bake them on a weeknight. So, they were still just sitting on the counter by the time the weekend rolled around. After a search on trusty Epicurious, I found this recipe for Yam and Russet Potato Salad with Greens and Bacon. I tweaked it a bit: only used potatoes, had to use regular mustard after realizing I had thrown out the dijon, and halved the recipe measurements. I had some parsley on hand, so threw that in as well.

I liked this warm salad a lot! The smoky bacon worked really well with the greens and the sweet and vinegary dressing (I imagine it is even better with dijon, the regular yellow mustard was a bit harsh). I'm always pumped to discover new ways to cook familiar-bordering-on-boring ingredients! I highly recommend this recipe, folks.

Tere's Mexican Grill

2009-03-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

Tere's is a place I always think about going, but rarely do. Maybe it's the fact that the parking can be problematic (it's in a small shopping center) or that it closes at 9pm. But, I should stop by more on the weekend because I feel better about giving them my business than Chipotle.

Huevos rancheros with spicy green salsa. Simple, straight forward and a reminder that I need to accept that tomatillos don't do it for me. I like them fine, just not madly in love with 'em.

Handmade flour tortillas! Very good in a gloriously chewy way.

I've eaten here a couple times before: one time was the chorizo empanadas (good, but immense if I recall correctly) and the other was probably a burrito or enchiladas. I've read online that the guacamole is supposed to be good, so need to try it next time. And after trying their tortillas, I'm betting their tacos are splendid.

Note: their windows are very dark, so it may appear to be a place of dubious repute. But, not to worry: once you step in, it's small, but brightly lit with the American and Mexican flags tacked onto the ceiling and other jolly decor!

Tere's Mexican Grill
5870 Melrose Ave # 101
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 468-9345
Closed Sundays

Myung Dong Kyoja

2009-03-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

Dumplings are called different things to different people. Mandoo's the word for Koreans. Considering Myung Dong Kyoja is a Korean restaurant, I have no idea why it has "kyoja" in the title, which is a re-imagined spelling of gyoza (Japanese dumplings). At any rate, here's what I ate:

Pork mandoo (Korean dumplings): most of the wrappers did not hold together during steaming, but the filling was tasty enough that I didn't mind. These mandoo were juicier than the fried kind.

Bibimguksoo (spicy cold noodles): these appeared to be green tea noodles as they were... green. Might've been an off night, but I remember this dish being better. It's been close to a year probably since my last visit, so perhaps they've gone downhill a tad.

I've made mandoo before and it's not difficult, just time consuming. You can use store-bought wrappers and mix together a simple filling of beef/pork and Asian seasonings (soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, etc.). I, for one, like to satisfy my mandoo hankerings by zipping over to Koreatown. But, you may be much more virtuous than me!

Myung Dong Kyoja
3630 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 385-7789

Shrimp and Bok Choy Soup

2009-03-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

When I picked up a large bag of bok choy at the farmers market, I figured I'd cook it with chicken stock and garlic per usual. But, on second thought, I wanted to prepare it as part of the main attraction rather than a side. So, this soup is what I came up with: a super easy knockoff to make at home when dragging yourself out to an Asian restaurant is not an option.

Bring chicken broth/stock (I use canned), garlic and ginger to a boil. Drop in some shrimp and bok choy (cook shrimp 2 minutes to avoid overcooking). Chopped green onion is a nice, but optional, touch right before eating.

I was going to throw in some thin Korean noodles, but it turns out that 1 can of chicken broth is not much liquid. As I threw in half a pound of shrimp, the soup was filling enough for a lazy Sunday lunch. There are many ways to doctor this up further: fish sauce, chiles, Asian hot sauces, etc. An Asian granny would not be impressed with my soup, but I think it makes for an acceptable alternative to overpriced restaurant versions!

La Maria

2009-03-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

I had a one-two punch morning last Saturday: first, the farmers market where I picked up a bag of oranges, some avocados, bok choy and parsley. Then, off to La Maria, a cute Colombian/Mexican restaurant in North Hollywood, which beckoned me with its siren call of fried pork skin (nevermind that it was only 11am).

Coffee! How come lowkey Mom and Pop joints often have better tasting coffee than Starbucks?

Bandeja Paisa (steak, fried pork skin, sausage, rice, egg, fried bananas and beans all for only $11.99!)

The salsa mixture provided in the little bowl was amazing and so perfect for spooning over the steak. It was a less tomato-y and more tangy version of regular salsa with lots of cilantro and green onion (very addictive!). The food was good (the fried pork skin was my favorite) and the portions seem to be hefty (at least, that was the case for my little platter o' awesome).

La Maria's menu also offers Mexican dishes, which I did not look at closely as my mission was to have my first taste of Colombian food. They also have hearty breakfast items like huevos rancheros and chilaquiles (can we say hangover buster?). I wanted desperately to try the obleas, a Colombian dessert involving wafers and dulce de leche, but I could not power through. Sorry, I will do better next time!

La Maria
10516 Victory Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91606
(818) 755-8811
http://www.lamariarestaurant.com/

Intelligentsia Coffee

2009-03-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

Charles gave me the Eat: Los Angeles book as one of my birthday presents, which is a pretty comprehensive list of the city's eateries and drinkeries. Last Saturday, I was flipping through the coffee/tea/juices section and Intelligentsia caught my eye. I first heard about this hip Silverlake coffee shop over a year ago on Oishii Eats and was intrigued, but then I kinda forgot about it. Intelligentsia now boasts Western Regional Barista champion Nick Griffith amongst its ranks and looks like it's doing well (the shop was hoppin' when I stopped by).

I loved my latte. It was very pretty, but more importantly, it tasted so smooth. I had to drink it pretty fast because I was parked at a meter several blocks away with only 30 minutes on the clock. But, thankfully, it wasn't scalding hot and was so enjoyable to drink (if I were a cat, I would have been purring). I also had an oatmeal cranberry cookie, which was chewy and made for a good morning snack.

I dug the bright blue decor and the great tasting espresso, which really puts Starbucks to shame (of course, I expected it to be better than the monster chain, but it made me sad because I'm forced to give SB my business almost daily due to location/circumstances). Next time, I'm going to try a cup of their coffee; the names sounded mystical, but promising! If I could come to Intelligentsia every morning, I would be, at least, 30% happier in life.

Intelligentsia Coffee
3922 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 663-6173
www.intelligentsiacoffee.com

Umami Burger

2009-03-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

We finally made it to Umami Burger! Charles and I have had our eye on this place before it opened as we are into burgers lately and there's a serious dearth of reasonably priced food options near us. We both got their signature Umami* burger ($8) and shared an order of fries ($2.50).

Umami Burger: beef patty, parmesan crisp, oven-roasted tomato and shiitake mushrooms (not the most revelatory photo, but the lighting was tough)

French fries with ketchup and house sauce (a mix of dijon and maybe aioli and ketchup?)

Verdict: the burgers were awesome, the fries were not. The burgers were juicy, full of flavor and addictively delicious. I believe I had read somewhere that the fries were lackluster and mushy, but forgot all about it when we ordered, whoops!

Drink wise, they don't have alcohol, but we did enjoy an orange Crush (Charles) and an Abita root beer (me). I hope this little burger spot flourishes because I am definitely adding it to our restaurant rotation!

Umami Burger
850 S. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 931-3000

*In case you don't know the term "umami," it is a Japanese term for the fifth taste (the four others being sweet, sour, salty and bitter); this NPR article is more informative than anything I can say.

Ruen Pair

2009-03-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

I was in a soupy mood and had cash on hand, which led me to make a direct beeline for Ruen Pair (a cash only restaurant located in the same shopping center as my standby Red Corner Asia). The BBQ duck soup was pretty good with meaty slices of duck, Chinese broccoli and wide rice noodles. One thing: I wasn't crazy about the smattering of celery in the soup (for the record, I don't hate celery but just don't care for it if given the choice). The portion is a little dainty, but I was looking for a light lunch anyhow (and it cost $5.95). For dinner, it'd be a good idea to get an appetizer or a salad as well.

I get the feeling that Ruen Pair is one of those places where a few key dishes stand out while the rest of the menu is fine (not amazing). I have not discovered which dishes those are yet, but am happy to continue with trial and error for now. Charles and I ate here a long time ago and we had a very fiery papaya salad, which I should order next time around. Can I get a what what for green papaya? No? Okay, fine, I will continue my love affair with it alone regardless of your enthusiasm.

Ruen Pair
5257 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 466-0153

China Depot

2009-03-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

I ate this whole thing.

I read about China Depot's pork fried rice on Best of LA a while ago and made a mental note to check it out sometime. When I finally made a visit, I wondered if I'd be disappointed. I mean, I wanted to believe that great fried rice could come from this place (it looks very similar to Panda Express and the chicken fried rice in the heating dish did not look good), but could it really be true?

Well, after my first bite, my doubts were put to rest. The BBQ pork is tasty and in small enough morsels to not overwhelm the rice. I also liked the addition of bean sprouts and cabbage a lot (I am rather obsessed with cabbage). The fact that the fried rice was cooked to order made a big difference in taste and compelled me to steadily finish the whole portion without pausing. THAT. GOOD.

Is it worth driving miles and miles for this pork fried rice? No, after all, it's just something very simple that has been executed well and I imagine the combo special items sitting under the heating lights are not as good due to drying out, etc. But, I am so thrilled to have this little place on my radar for a quick dining option for the weekend or before a movie at the Grove. I encourage you to give this dish a whirl the next time you're at the Farmers Market!

China Depot
6333 W. 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Ribeye Steak with Spinach

2009-03-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

I love a good ribeye; it's my favorite cut of meat because of the marbling (I'm one of the fat > lean believers when it comes to flavor). Cooking steaks at home, though, sometimes feel like a production to me. First, I have to put the meat out to come up to room temperature so it's not cold going into the pan (the meat can get tough if it goes straight from the fridge to a hot pan). Then, after I cook the meat, it has to rest for 10 minutes before eating, so the juices can re-distribute and not get dry after the first bite.

NOTE: I am not a patient person when it comes to cooking, so I get antsy during this whole ritual. Still, steakhouses are not a luxury I can afford at the moment (come to think of it, I have not been to a good steakhouse since moving to LA, how weird). So, for now, I will continue getting my red meat fixes at home like the above dinner, which I ate with wilted spinach with garlic (I feel so much better about myself when I eat something green with my meals). I also made a successful red wine/mustard/chicken stock gravy to drizzle over the steak. Not too shabby! I feel such satisfaction when pan sauces come together, don't you?

Izayoi

2009-03-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

I always note places I want to try in Little Tokyo, but rarely get myself down there. But last weekend, I had a limited amount of time to find a restaurant we could grab a quick bite at. I had heard about Izayoi before and wanted to give it a whirl; more importantly, they took reservations (which we ended up being late for, but rushed in right in the nick of time).

As an izakaya (think Japanese drinking food/tapas), Izayoi has a lot of items on its menu and since we were rushed for time, we ordered a slew of things in a blur. We managed to hit just the right number of dishes for a filling dinner. What we had:

Chawan mushi (savory steamed egg that was good, but probably not the best version out there)

Japanese fried chicken (well seasoned, but I would've preferred smaller pieces)

Seafood cream croquette (very good, croquettes deserve their own national day)

Inside shot

Shrimp dumpling (substantial and tasty, Charles went gaga over this dish)

Seaweed salad (a teensy bit of seaweed, so not the kind what we were expecting at all)

We also had a couple dishes I forgot to photograph: a California roll (nothing to write home about, I ordered it to ensure we had enough food) and buta no kakuni (braised pork belly, very tender and rich in flavor). Overall, I really enjoyed our meal here and the vibe was relaxed, but the service was quick and friendly. I can't wait to come back and make my way through more of their extensive menu!

Izayoi
132 S Central Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-9554

Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles

2009-03-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

Being from Memphis, I miss and crave Southern food often (notably sweet tea, although I have not yet found a place out here that offers a good version). Instead of scouring the city for comfort food places, I tend to wait patiently for my next trip home. But, sometimes the spirit overtakes me too strongly and I must consume fried chicken immediately (okay, sometimes I buy it from the grocery store deli and then regret it instantly). Such was the case when I was deciding where to go for a Saturday lunch after waking up hangover-free but hungry. After I got Roscoe's in my head, I knew I had to have it and made a beeline for its Pico location.

The above picture is of the Country Boy: 3 fried chicken wings with a choice of waffle, potato salad or french fries (gotta have the waffle, come on now!). Every time I eat at Roscoe's, I order some combination of fried chicken and waffle, although they do have other items involving smothered chicken, eggs and a few other things I don't pay attention to.

FYI: Roscoe's isn't dirt cheap. My meal (with a Coke) was $11.40. I'm not saying that's terribly unreasonable, but just something to know if you've never been. Also, I don't think you can split checks.

Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles
5006 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 934-4405

Mimosa Restaurant

2009-02-28T13:45:00.000-08:00

Before my birthday bar outing, I stopped into Mimosa, a little French restaurant I had been curious about for ages but never quite curious enough to stop in. After seeing their menu on their website, I decided steak frites would be a lovely way to kick off a boozy night.

Hanger steak with shallots

I was pretty pleased with my meaty dinner. The shallots were in a tangy sauce, which was unexpected and made me slightly wary, but it ended up working well with the steak. The frites were just like any other fries, although I did appreciate they were not mushy or undercooked. I was this close to ordering creme brulee, but decided against it.

They've got a 3 course dinner for $35 and considering one of the first course options is french onion soup, I will probably go that route next time around. Another potentially interesting option is their bouillabaisse, which is a dish I haven't had yet in life. Also, once the nights warm up a bit, I think it'd be very Parisian to sit at one of their outdoor tables in front (although admittedly, Beverly is not very picturesque).

Mimosa Restaurant
8009 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-8895