stuffycheaks

Night + Market: exceptional pork-ilicious Thai street food

2012-01-10T15:17:00.000-08:00

After returning from Bangkok a few months ago and experiencing some amazing street food, I was excited to check out Night + Market, the Thai restaurant specializing in street food and was opened by Chef Chris Yenbamroong, the chef-son of the owners of next door Talesai. The restaurant is located on Sunset Blvd, just down the street from Key Club and The Roxy.

The restaurant has vibrant orange colored walls, brown paper lining the tables, simple artwork, and a Woody Allen film projected on the wall.

We made it in time for happy hour which ends at 8pm (all night happy hour on Wednesday) which included small plates for around $5 and drink specials.

Pig ear with chile and garlic
I've had a lot of crispy pigs ears around town but this preparation was stir fried instead of deep fried. It still had a crunch to it but with a more gelatinous texture. I really enjoyed chewing through the pieces. The pigs ear was boldly cooked with spicy peppers, lime and basil. Lots of amazing flavors here.

Pork Toro
The fatty hog collar looked like simple pieces of meat but upon biting it, your teeth sunk into a very tender and fatty piece of meat. It almost reminded me of a very buttery kalbi. The pork toro was seasoned with BBQ flavoring and fish sauce.

Fried Pig Tail

Here's a cross section of the meat. The pigs tail was tender with chunks of fat (my favorite part!). The meat really came off the bone easily and there were quite a lot of bones which reminded me of an oxtail bone. It was a lot of fun to chew around the bones. The breading was well seasoned and was crunchy but not greasy. The sharpness of vinegar based sauce helped to cut the fattiness of the pork tail.

Prawn Satay
Four prawns were skewered and grilled. We could smell the lovely strong fishy and smokey scent. Such as simple preparation but lots of flavors here. Our favorite part was chewing up the shrimp heads just like you are supposed to do if you ate this on the street.

Nam Prik Gapi
We didn't realize that this dish was very similar to the last one. Once again, we got the prawn satay but this dish also included battered fried eggplant with a shrimp paste sauce. The eggplant was soft and paired well with the tangy sweet and spicy sauce.

Kar Moo Parlow
I love whole braised pork hock which is a familiar dish in Cantonese cuisine, except that the sauce here was on the sweeter side. The hock was slow cooked with 5 spice, dark soy sauce, and many other ingredients including pepper, sugar, lime and garlic. The pork hock was such a delight to eat with fall-off-the-bone meat, fatty sticky skin (heart attack!), and gelatinous tendon. We ate all the meat and chewed off all the tendon and cartilage, which I think is rather impressive. I also enjoyed the side of soft braised cabbage.

Pad Kee Mao
The flat noodles were fried with a spicy chile, garlic and basil sauce. Pretty standard Thai flavors which packed a punch. The pieces of short rib were fatty and really tender.

Dinner at Night + Market was really such a treat. I just love how Chef Yenbamroong utilized different parts of the pig (hock, tail, collar, ears). The food is unique, it's delicious, it's bold, and is not something you'll find at your usual Thai joint. I just cannot get over how flavorful and aromatic the food was. The prices were very reasonable too. We only touched upon the surface of the menu, and there are definitely a lot more dishes that I cannot wait to try next, but I will not be able to refrain from ordering some of the same dishes here.

Night + Market
9041 W Sunset Blvd.,
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 275-9724
www.nightmarketla.com

Beer Belly: A gem of bar tucked away in Ktown

2011-12-30T08:29:00.000-08:00

Just a street away from the Wiltern Theatre on Western Street, is the half-year-old gastropub Beer Belly. It may be located in Koreatown, but the food and drinks are not Korean. Here you'll find a nice selection of craft beers. The food menu is not expansive but they do serve up some interesting dishes.

The bar is tucked away on Western Ave and is a bit hard to find. But once you're there, you'll be elated to know that they offer valet - something that is very important in this scarce parking area of Koreatown.

Beer Belly is snug and was rather empty at 6.30pm when we got there. However the hipster crowd started packing in at 8pm. You have to order your food and drinks from the bar, and the waiter will bring the food to your table.

For our beer sampler, the bartender helped us choose a balanced selection of Taps Cream Ale, Stone Vertical Epic Ale, Bootlegger's Chocolate Mint Porter and The Bruery Mischief.

Duck fat fries ~ Smoked Salt, Sweet Onion Sugar, Duck Skin Cracklins, Raspberry Mustard
They also had an option to add duck confit for an extra $2. The fries were pretty darn good. They were crispy and a tad airy. I really enjoyed the crumbles of crunchy duck skin cracklins which tasted fatty and salty. The fries were served with a sweet fruity sauce which wasn't spicy. I thought the sweet sauce was an interesting and nice pairing to the fries.

Brussels Sprouts, Apple, Pancetta, Onions
The slightly charred Brussels sprouts were dressed with a sweet and tangy apple sauce. The sprouts got its smokey and salty flavoring from the large chunk of lardons.

Duck Stewed Navy Beans, Duck Confit, Ground Lamb, Fried Pork Belly, Cassoulet
We were lucky to score the last cassoulet of the night. The cassoulet actually looked like baked polenta. The cassoulet was salty and somewhat creamy. The beans were a mixture of textures: some were mashed and some were firmer. I enjoyed the crispy fried skin and shredded pork belly that topped the dish. Overall a rich and satisfying dish with lots of meaty flavors.

Beer Belly is a great addition to the area. Don't get me wrong, I do like Korean BBQ and Soon Du Bu, but a cool bar serving good food and beer a couple blocks from the Wiltern is truly priceless. Their Sunday brunch menu sounds spectacular with dishes such as duck confit benedict and snickers pancakes. My only issue that night was that the bar area got real crowded, and since you have to head up to the bar for another round of drinks, the hassle of waiting behind a hoard of people while flagging down the one bartender was too much of a hassle on a weeknight. I ended up heading home for my last drink of the night.

Beer Belly
532 S. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 387-2337
http://www.beerbellyla.com/

City Tavern: Another much-welcomed watering holein Culver City

2011-12-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

City Tavern is one of many new bars in Culver City that opened in the past year. The area is really becoming a great spot for a night out. The bar is owned by the same owners of neighbouring bar Rush Street, and you can tell the similarities in decor. High ceilings, dark wood furnishing, and a casual yet modern feel to the space.

City Tavern has a great selection of craft beers. If you are lucky, you can grab seats in the booths that are hooked up to your own beer tap.

The menu is your typical gastropubby comfort fare, with selections such as charcuterie, oysters, poutine, burgers and shrimp & grits.

Brussels sprouts with bacon and preserved lemon
The side of Brussels sprouts was delicious. The slightly charred vegetables gave off a sweetness, and were mixed with citrus and smoked bacon. It was a good combination of flavors.

I never order salads but the waiter recommended this. The pear salad was from the specials menu. I liked the salad because it was simple, fresh yet tasty. The sliced pear was sweet and soft. You could tell that they used real fresh fruit here. The dressed salad was topped with mild blue cheese crumbles and buttered fried pretzel crouton which was a nice touch. Wish I could buy a bag of those croutons.

Brew burger with pub cheese, mustard aioli, ale battered onion ring served on a pretzel bread
The burger sounded great on the menu but stumbled a bit on the execution. The patty was juicy but lacking in seasoning. Thanks to the cheese which added some saltiness to the burger. The onion rings also lacked seasoning but I did like the breading which was airy and not oily.

Buttermilk fried chicken with fried green tomatoes, succotash
The fried chicken was nicely cooked with crispy skin and juicy interior. It was definitely a restaurant quality fried chicken that was not dry or greasy. I am not a big fan of tomatoes but my dining companions enjoyed the large slice of breaded fried green tomatoes. I did however enjoy the side of corn succatash which was plated with a side of sweet chutney marmalade.

City Tavern is a good addition to the neighborhood. Love the decor and beer selection. The prices are also reasonable, with entrees hovering in the low teens. Even though there were some misses (under seasoned patty and onion rings), the place has a lot of potential. There were so many items on the menu that I'd like to try - and that's a great sign.

City Tavern
9739 Culver Blvd.,
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 838-9739
www.citytavernculvercity.com

DineLA: Petrossian

2011-12-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

This post is late but it was too delicious a meal not to post about.
DineLA Restaurant Week is a 2 week dining event that runs twice a year. I usually try to schedule a couple dinner reservations but since I had just returned from a food-indulgent Southeast Asian trip, I decided to trim it down to one dinner.

After surveying the participating restaurants' menu, we decided on Petrossian. Two words completely sold me. Foie Carbonara. Petrossian, the gourmet shop specializing in caviar, spells decadence.

Caviar Salad ~ butter lettuce, shaved egg, shallot chives, parsley, lemon, dill, creme fraiche
I don't usually care for salads in a restaurant, but this dish was a great blend of simplicity and elegance. The butter lettuce was fresh and light, and the caviar added a right amount of saltiness.

Egg Royale ~ Scrambled egg, whipped cream, caviar
The egg mixture was smooth and nicely seasoned. It was such a fun and delicate dish to eat.

Butternut squash soup ~ brown butter, sage, creme fraiche
I was completely pleased with my soup selection. The soup was poured table side into a bowl that contained a interesting mix of spice and crispy walnut. It really worked, and the crunchy texture was nice. The soup was rich and bursting in flavor.

Foie Gras carbonara ~ home made fettucine, bacon, parmesan
The foie carbonara was everything I had hoped for. I was very impressed with the amount of foie in the dish. The al dente strands of fettucine were mixed up with a foie based sauce, and furthermore, the pasta was topped with a slab of foie. There were bits of bacon incorporated into the dish which added a saltiness and smokiness. The dish was extremely rich and decadent, but worth every single bite. I just didn't want it to end.

Scottish Salmon ~ mushroom, leeks, farro, serrano ham, honey mustard
My friend ordered the salmon cooked on the rare side in a mild flavored mustard sauce. The skin on the fish was crispy but the center was still pink and tender. I really enjoyed the accompaniments which included a nicely textured farro, and crispy serrano ham and leeks.

Caviar gelee ~ vodka, white chocolate mousse
The creamy mousse had a very strong alcoholic flavor. There was a crunchy walnut crumble at bottom of the glass which was mixed with caviar. The salty tones in the dessert really worked.

Vanilla panna cotta ~ espresso pearls, cardamon shortbread cookies
The panna cotta was much thicker than what I was used to but it tasted great.

Almond creme brulee~ russian tea cookie
Pretty standard dessert but still good.

I really enjoyed my meal at Petrossian. The foie carbonara was such a treat - when do you ever get such a serving of foie. I was expecting have only enjoyed the foie carbonara, but I thought all the appetizers were strong. Standout meal.

Petrossian
321 N. Robertson Blvd.,
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(310) 271-6300

Fat Spoon: An Uni-licious lunch

2011-11-20T07:33:00.000-08:00

Soon after I returned from my Southeast Asian trip, I started my new job. My new offices are in Downtown LA, so it was a perfect opportunity to check out the lunch dining scene in the area. My friend and I decide to check out Japanese curry house, Fat Spoon, located in Little Tokyo. I am not very familiar with the area, but already knew I wanted to come back to check out Kagaya, Spice Table, Daikokuya, Orochan and Shin-Sen-Gumi.

Fat Spoon is owned by Michael Cardenas of nearby Lazy Ox Canteen and Toranoko, and is known for their curries and pastas. The prices are reasonable at about $10 an entree. There were so many items on the menu that sounded appealing such as pork cutlet curry, pasta with salted cod roe, but I knew I had to order the uni pasta from the Specials menu.
Uni croquette was also available on the Specials menu.
The croquette had a nice panko breading that wasn't greasy. The mashed potato and uni filling was creamy and rich. I love the strong taste of uni, so I thought that the uni flavor here wasn't strong enough. I wonder if they diluted the flavor a bit to cater to more palates, or perhaps there was more potato than uni. Still a tasty dish but I longed for more of that distinct uni taste.
Uni pasta with mushrooms made up in the uni flavor department. I really enjoyed the al dente pasta that was coated with creamy sauce and mixed with earthy mushrooms and chunks of rich orange sea urchin. It was glorious! I wanted to slurp up every last drop of sauce. I loved the amount of sea urchin in the dish. Even their selection of mushrooms was spot on.

Fat Spoon is a great addition to the area. The restaurant is quaint and homey. I liked the simple menu and how comforting the dishes felt. Sure I wanted more uni flavor in the croquette, but that's a personal preference. I enjoyed my pasta and there are many other items that I'd like to try.

Hits: uni, pasta, prices
Misses: like most restaurants in the area, there is no parking
Rating: ***1/2

Fat Spoon
329 E 1st St.,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 621-7890
www.fatspoonfood.com

Hong Kong: Ending Southeast Asia trip with one last dining escapade

2011-11-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

We weren't even planning to visit Hong Kong. After all, our two-week Southeast Asian trip was already packed, with stops in Singapore, Saigon, Siem Reap, Bangkok and Bali. But since our Cathay Pacific flight back to LA had to stop in Hong Kong, we decided to spend a night with the only goal of eating our way through the city. We were staying in Causeway Bay, and it turned out that we didn't even have to leave the area for our culinary tour.

Our first stop was Tai Ping Koon whose chicken wings were recommended by my friend who grew up in Hong Kong.

Complimentary sweet roll was warm and buttery.

Their famous chicken wings are cooked in a sweet soy sauce. I really enjoyed the wings, the flavors were infused into the meat and skin. Finger lick'in good. I thought it was a bit pricey at US$20 until I realized that I was in Hong Kong, not other parts of Southeast Asia.

Our next stop was for the famous snake soup at Se Wong Yee which came recommended by a local. It was a tiny little cafe with all locals, but they had an English menu available.

Snake soup is supposed to be good for the health. The soup was a savory broth (the same consistency as soup that has been thickened with corn starch) with chicken, mushrooms, wood ear fungus, lemongrass and thin slices of snake that looked like eel. You probably would not even know it was snake in the soup because it was mixed in with other ingredients.

Pig's knuckle was not what I had expected. I was hoping for the stewed pork hock with fatty pieces of pigs feet and lots of skin and bones. This version was like a cold cut. It was still tasty with lots of cartilage, just not what I was hoping for.

After walking off some of our food, we stumbled upon a food stand that was cooking up skewers.

Intestines and fish ball skewers were served with a very spicy sauce that really packed a punch. I love just buying skewers and eating it right on the sidewalk, with the sauce still dripping off the meat.

Just down the street was Tai Woo Seafood Restaurant. We were drawn to it because of the fresh seafood in tanks right at the entrance.

We ordered crab and mantis, which the waiter brought live to our table. The mantis was interesting looking while it was squiggling in the bag.

The mantis is like a giant shrimp but the meat was almost similar to lobster. It was topped with some sort of salt and pepper breadcrumbs.

The crab was small and boiled, so it was rather plain. Would have liked some sauce on it, maybe a chili crab style or pepper sauce.

It took a lot of work to eat through it because it wasn't sufficiently cracked, but it did have lots of creamy mustard. Soooo good!

Next we headed to the famous Taiwanese soup dumpling joint, Din Tai Fung.

Here, we ordered the truffle and traditional dumplings. Can never get over how delicious these dumplings are. The truffle was a nice fragrant addition to the flavorful soup in the dumpling.

Our last stop was Ho Hung Kee, for wonton noodles. This is the most nondescript Michelin Star place I've ever been. Tiny hole in the wall restaurant that still had squatting toilets! And the food here is cheap.

A tiny bowl of noodle soup was topped with wonton. I liked the noodles and the flavorful broth. The wonton was plump and filled with shrimp and pork.

The pigs feet was exactly what I had been searching for. It was fatty and glutenous. I really enjoyed eating the skin and biting every piece of fat and meat off the many bones on the trotter. Lots of good salty flavoring too.

We managed to do quite a lot of damage in an afternoon. I don't think we needed more than a day in Hong Kong. If you do it right, you can eat through the city in just one night.

Bali: Feasting on Indonesian cuisine

2011-11-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

On our first night in Bali, we popped by Echo Beach for a bite and drinks.

Bali is known for it's fresh and affordable seafood. We selected the items we wanted, and the chef grilled it up for us.

If you are unlucky, you may stumbled upon pricey and mediocre restaurants in Bali. So for the next couple nights, we decided to stay in for dinner. We had two housekeepers at the villa who cooked up a feast for us. I found their food to be way better than what we would get at a restaurant.

Soto Ayam is Indonesian chicken soup. There was shredded chicken meat, vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, boiled eggs in a spicy chicken broth. I really enjoyed this dish. The broth had very developed flavors, like chicken had been stewing in it for many hours.

Chicken and pork satay were marinated well and juicy. The BBQed meat sticks were served with sliced cucumbers and a spicy peanut sauce.

Gado Gado is an Indonesian salad topped with peanut sauce. There are different versions of gado gado, some with a lot of raw vegetables and fruits, but this version had boiled potatoes, beans, hard boiled eggs and deep fried tofu.

Kang Kong with chili and dried shrimp was spicy to the limit.

Mee Goreng translates to fried noodles. Usually, mee goreng is loaded up with meats when it is served as a main course. This version was simply mixed with vegetables since it was served as a side to be eaten with the curry dishes. The dish was spicy, leaving my mouth was on fire. The great thing about homecooked food is that they can be made to your specification i.e. load up on the heat.

Suckling pig is a traditional Balianese dish that I had been looking forward to. The crispy skin was my favorite part, even though the shredded pork was also tasty. The skin crackled in my mouth and had a thin layer of fat underneath it. I would have been ecstatic with just a whole plate of skin.

The next night, we sampled some more local dishes.

Tom Yum seafood was loaded with shrimp, squid, mushrooms and vegetables. A nice combination of spice and tang.

Wasn't exactly sure what this was called but it was intriguing and very delicious. It was a sort of stir fry with shredded chicken, okra and dried shrimp, young jackfruit and fried shallots. I loved all the textures in this dish, and it was very flavorful.

Chicken curry was spicy with succulent pieces of chicken and potatoes. The curry was fragrant with lemongrass and turmeric undertones.

Sayur Lodeh is a vegetable dish that is cooked in coconut curry. It's usually a more watery curry that is not too spicy. I enjoyed the variety of vegetables and how they were all cooked till soft.

Whole fish was simply seasoned and grilled.

And for dessert, the king of fruits - durian.

Love the creamy and pungent flesh of the durian. I like durian both at room and fridge temperature, but if you are weird about textures, pop it in the fridge first. The flesh will harden a bit, which may be more palatable than the custardy texture when it's lukewarm .

I typically prefer to eat out when I am on vacation, but if you have two amazing local cooks in the house, you'll find a more authentic meal at home. Wouldn't have had it any other way.

Our Villa in Canggu, Bali

2011-11-17T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots of the villa that we stayed in Bali, thanks to my generous dad who arranged this lodging for my bf and friends. My parents usually stay in the Seminyak area when they visit Bali, but this year, they rented a villa in Canggu, just north of Seminyak. It's a quiant little village (what part of Indo isn't quaint!) that is filled with rice paddy fields, and the closest beach just a few minutes away at Echo Beach. I much prefer Canggu to the bustling, touristy and congested town of Kuta.

It is very humbling to see the stark difference outside the walls in the rural village vs. the 5 Star living conditions in the villa.

Our awesome pool overlooking the fields.

View of the sunset never got old.

This is probably one of the nicest places I've stayed on a vacation. In Bali, your dollar stretches pretty far (except for wine, which is rather pricey). The view is gorgeous, the lifestyle is chill, the surf is great, the locals are friendly and the food is great. This really is a paradise town.

East Indy (Sivatel Bangkok): Hotel buffet ain't so bad

2011-11-11T15:35:00.000-08:00

I typically shy away from hotel buffet lunches but I succumbed when we only had a few hours before our flight out of Bangkok, and the sign outside of the East Indy restaurant at our hotel Sivatel boasted of "traditional street food".

We only had about 35 minutes before the restaurant closed so we headed straight for the buffet.

The appetizer selection included spicy pork with sausage, boiled egg with mixed seafood, spicy minced pork salad, pork Chinese sausage salad, green roasted chili dip and samosas.

Stir Fried Kale and Oyster Sauce, and Stir Fried Squid with Curry

Pumpkin Curry, and Braised Tofu and Egg

Fish & Chili Soup, and River Prawns with Chinese Chili Sauce

Egg Noodles with Pork and Black Pepper, and Fried Rice

Preserved cabbage soup with spare ribs had good flavors. I only wished that the soup was hotter, and that the spare ribs had some bone to it.

Dim sum selection was pretty ordinary.

My selection of appetizers were pretty good. The pork larb was spicy with a citrus zing to it. I went to town on the sliced Chinese sausage, and returned for seconds on the samosas.

I enjoyed pretty much everything here. The chili squid and prawns had good flavoring, and the pumpkin curry was quite good. The pumpkin was soft but not mushy, and the combination of the curry spices and sweetness from the pumpkin worked. The only thing on the plate I did not care for was the noodles. It had a black bean sauce that was overpoweringly sour.

For something sweet, they offer coffee and chocolate drinks.

For dessert #1, I had Vanilla ice cream with palm seeds, pineapple chunks, beans and drizzled with condensed milk. Love the creaminess and sweetness of the condensed milk with the ice cream.

Dessert # was a couple choices of kuih (little coconut and pandan cakes).

Overall, not a bad selection of food. I wouldn't say it's outstanding, but it was a good way to get a flavor of Southeast Asian cuisine when you don't want to venture out of the hotel into the heat.

East Indy @ Sivatel Bangkok
53 Wittayu Road
Lumpini Patumwan
Bangkok, 10330 Thailand

Banrie Bai Ka Prao Bork, Bangkok Thailand (where the locals dine)

2011-11-11T07:56:00.000-08:00

On our last night in Bangkok, we met up with my friend from Singapore, who was also in town visiting a buddy who lives in Bangkok. Not only was I looking forward to seeing my friend, but I was also excited to dine out with her friend that lives in Bangkok. After a couple days of amazing street food eating, I was curious as to what the locals eat for dinner. We met up at Banrie Bai Ka Prao Bork (what a mouth full!) located near the Ekamai BTS station. The Ekamai district has a lot of bars and restaurants but is apparently where the locals and expats hang out. This place is so non-touristy that the waiters speak minimal English, and you can barely find anything about the restaurant online in English.

The restaurant has a sizable courtyard but we opted to sit inside because it was raining.

The Tom Yum soup was a great rainy day dish. The soup was filled with mushrooms, plump shrimp and chicken. I enjoyed the aromatic lemongrass flavor and the tang of the soup.

Fried kang kong (water spinach) with spicy sauce was sort of like tempura vegetables. I have only had stir fried kang kong before, not deep fried. I actually couldn't stop eating these. They were crunchy with an airy breading, but were not greasy.

The green curry chicken was fiery even though the sauce seemed deceptively watery. This spice level was what we were hoping for.

The grilled Pork was my favorite dish of the night and one of Banrie's specialties. It looked simple but the meat was cooked perfectly. The pork was so buttery and melted in your mouth. It was also adequately seasoned so you didn't need a sauce and could eat it on its own, so as to savor the porkiness.

Papaya salad with and dried shrimp. I loved the addition of the salted egg.

The Pad Thai was very tasty. This version was similar to the ones served back home, unlike the one that we got from the street vendor a few days ago. Both versions were good. Unliked the geasy Thai takeout that I get at home, everything here tasted fresh and not oily.

The Otak was not what I had expected. It looked and tasted different from the Singaporean version that is wrapped in a banana leaf. Here the fish paste and egg mixture is loaded with lots of seafood, and wrapped in foil and steamed. It was fun to dig into the dome of spicy otak to find whole mussels, crab and prawns.

The whole fish was nice and crispy on the outside. The fish was served with a spicy sauce.

To top of the night, we ended with their coffee which apparently is very popular.

Apart from the otak, the types of dishes offered didn't seem any different from you can find back in the States. However, I do have to say that everything was delicious and cooked fresh, with lots of spice and flavor.

Banrie Bai Ka Prao Bork
Sukhumvit Soi 63,
Bangkok, 10110, Thailand

Bangkok Street Food (a feast on lots of skewered animal parts)

2011-11-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

The thing I was most looking forward to in Bangkok, was the street food. Our goal was to basically graze our way through the city. The street food in Bangkok did not disappoint. It was so good that it made us forget that this was the city where everyone was trying to scam us.

On our first night, we headed to the Kao San area. Sure it may be touristy, but we knew they had lots of street food vendors.

There were vendors serving up grilled meat parts. Lots of offal (gizzards, hearts) but also regular meats (chicken drum sticks and wings). I opted for the drum stick and gizzard skewers.

Just to be safe, don’t buy the ones that are sitting by the side of the grill. Have the guy grill you up a fresh batch. That way, you won't leave Southeast Asia with an upset stomach and bad memories.

Skewered squid was fun to eat. Very fresh and seasoned with lots of spice.

The gizzard was also seasoned with spice and chili. It was chewy, in a good way.

Pad Thai was quite different from the version we get in the States.

You can choose your type of noodles, which include not only the flat ones that we are used to. Next, you choose your main ingredients, which in my case was seafood. The seafood looked really fresh and included a nice selection of squid and prawns.

Freshly fried up with lot of spice. It was essentially fried noodles and did not have that peanut sweet taste of Pad Thai that I was accustomed to. I actually really enjoyed the Pad Thai. It tasted fresh, had good flavors and was only 50 baht (US$1.60).

Corn with sugar, condensed milk and salt was only 30baht (less than US$1). It was so delicious but yet so simple to prepare. The creaminess of the condensed milk was similar to that of creamed corn, but the corn here still held its firm texture

Perhaps my favorite street food was something we stumbled upon in Chinatown. We weren't even planning to eat anything because we were on our way to meet friends for dinner.

This wasn't even in a street food stall area. There was one sole man grilling up some pig ears and stomach on the side of the street. The portions were huge! He grilled them up, then scissored them up into to edible sizes and doused the pig parts with lots of homemade spicy chili.

If you like gnawing on cartilage, this is possibly one of the best bites you'll ever come across. The chewy pieces were so much fun to eat, and the chili was the hottest things I had eaten in the city.

The best part of the Bangkok street food that we sampled, was that the portions were small so we were able to eat all day. I really enjoyed the skewers which are a perfect bite size snack after a full day of boozing.

Scenes from Bangkok, Thailand

2011-11-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

Some non food shots of Bangkok.

We stayed at the Sivatel Bangkok Hotel which was located in the Ploen Chit area in Embassy district. We picked it because it's popular with business travellers so we knew that they would have good amenities. It was about a couple minute walk to the train station, and only a 15 minute walk to the bustling Siam Square shopping area.
Serene infinity pool that overlooked all the office buildings.

Our room had a spacious living room area.

My favorite part of the room was the bathroom. Don't worry, there are blinds for privacy.

The hotel amenities and service was great. The complimentary breakfast buffet had a nice mixture of Western and Thai offerings. Definitely a hotel that I would recommend if you want comfort but don't mind walking about 15 minutes to the bustling part of town.

On our first day, we took a boat ride on the Chao Praya River to get acquainted with the city. You can hop on and off depending on what sights or neighborhoods you want to check out. The boat ride was pretty cool as it allowed us to absorb the scenery.

Lots of temples along the river.

The only tourist site I really saw was the famous Buddhist temple, Wat Po. This is their famous reclining Buddha.

Wat Po is also where the traditional Thai massage originated. The only reason why we decided to pop in for a massage was because the rooms were air conditioned.

Flower markets are also very popular in Bangkok.

Khmer Tasting menu at Meric, Siem Reap Cambodia

2011-11-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

During my trip to Southeast Asia, our goal was to sample as much street food as humanly possible. However, we could not escape our love for a dining experience consisting of tasting menu and wine pairing. Meric is the upscale restaurant located in the gorgeous Hotel de la Laix in the quaint city of Siem Reap. The restaurant is named after the famous Cambodian pepper. It is serves a Khmer tasting menu which I had read over online.

The hotel is so modern and luxurious, that I got pretty jealous when I walked in. This is where I want to stay at next time I am in town!

Gorgeous outdoor patio area.

Bathrooms are amazing too.

We decided to get seats in the patio area, on their famous "swings". They are essentially chaise sofa looking seats that are suspended from the ceiling. It was fun for a while, but was a task to get on and off.

The Khmer tasting is a 7-course menu which features local Khmer cuisine. It was priced at US$33 which is a steal normally, but is considered very pricey by Cambodian standards. Wine pairing which consisted of 3 glasses of wine was an additional US$16.

There was also an ala carte menu which encompassed a more Westernized cuisine, offering dishes such as pan fried quail with crispy sweetbreads, and pistachio crusted foie gras terrine.

1. Pomolo Salad with Crispy Pork Fritter
2. Chicken and Banana Bud Salad
The first course was essentially the size of an amuse bouche. I liked the texture of the fibrous pomolo salad which was topped with salty and pungent dried shrimp and deep fried pork. Good flavors but it was hard to eat the heap of salad with a spoon and in one bite.

The second course was a salad which was rather refreshingly. The chicken was white meat and a bit dry, but it was seasoned with a lot of fish sauce. The banana and heart of palm were sliced thin and added a crunch to the salad.

3. Grilled Maam with Khmer Crudites
Maam, which is fermented fish paste cooked in banana leaf, was quite interesting in flavor. It was salty and a bit sour, and I liked its meatiness. The crudite of jicama and cucumber helped to balance out the fishiness of the Maam.

4. Prawn Sour Soup with Coconut Milk and Winter Melon
The curry had a pineapple flavor, and was rather mild and not spicy. I wonder if that is how Khmer curries usually are, or if the kitchen tempers the spice level for tourists. It was tough to eat this dish without a serving bowl. We were told to eat the rice first, then the soup, but the rice wasn't even flavored. Although the curry was lacking in spice, I liked the tang from the pineapples.

5. Stir Fried Frog Leg with Braised Ginger
The frog naturally tasted like chicken but was a bit dry. I thought the grilled frog from Pub Street that I had the night before was cooked better. There was too much ginger which was rather unbearable - there was a whole clump in my dish whilr my friend had almost none. Must have been a kitchen error.

6. Beer Shank Soup with Green Papaya
The soup looked rather ordinary but I really enjoyed it. I liked the semi-soft mild tasting radish and the meat which had a nice amount of tendon, but was still tender. The soup was even better after adding freshly squeezed lime juice, which brought a sharp acidic essence to the dish.

7. Assorted Khmer Sweets
Not sure how I forgot to take a photo of this. The selection included tapioca cake, sticky rice with 3 bean, cloudless green cake, coconut cake, and something similar to bubur cha cha (yam and sago). It was a nice smattering of desserts which were rich and sweet.

Because the courses were served in pairs, it didn't feel like a seven course tasting menu. In fact, we were done after 1.5 hrs. Not necessarily a bad thing, just that I was expecting something more progressive. Overall, it was a good way to sample the local cuisine in a gorgeous environment. It's tough to describe what Khmer cuisine is, I still am not entirely sure. But I do know that it packs flavor, and they do like their frogs here.

Meric at Hotel de la Paix
Sivutha Boulevard
Siem Reap, Cambodia
(855) 63 966 000

BBQing in Siem Reap, Cambodia (frogs, croc, snake, galore!)

2011-10-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

While travelling in Asia this Fall, my favorite city was Siem Reap in Cambodia. After getting scammed in Saigon and Bangkok, I realized that the safe, quaint, friendly city of Siem Reap was my most memorable stop. I spent many hours sitting on the sidewalk patio of bars, sipping wine, people watching and munching on food. It all felt very Indochine. It is very tourist friendly yet has the charm of an old French colonial town. It's also convenient that almost everything is priced in USD, so you are not left with a bunch of foreign currency at the end of your trip. Even ATMs dispense USD.

My favorite part of the town is its popular Pub Street which houses a bunch of bars and restaurants. It caters to an older crowd, and did not seem like a collegiate scene.

One of my favorite Cambodian street food is their BBQ. There are many makeshift stands on Pub Street that serve up freshly grilled fare. It's the perfect post-boozing food.

I went with a chicken wing and frog which cost only $1 per piece. Definitely a steal. I was very surprised that they served the whole frog! I was expecting only the legs. Even though I've had my fare share of frog legs and other exotic meats, I was actually a bit terrified to take the first bite. But once I got over the the fact that I was eating frog that actually looked like a frog, I realized what a delicious piece of grilled meat this was. Tender, juicy with lots of bones to chew around.

When we were on Pub Street, we noticed a lot of Cambodian BBQ signs, so we decided to check it out for lunch the following day. There were many options but we opted for the restaurant with a nice patio seating area and fans (it's humid there!)

Cambodian BBQ Restaurant also caught our eye because of its exotic menu. It was also very affordable at $15.50 for two people, and you are allowed to substitute two meats.

Garlic bread to start.

A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc goes with anything.

We were koo-koo for spring rolls on our entire trip in Vietnam and Cambodia, so this was a requisite order. Freshly fried with pork and vegetable filling. The nuoc mam dipping sauce is always such a great compliment.

Being the adventurous souls we are, we opted for the snake, kangaroo, frog, crocodile and squid. Ok, the last one wasn't unique but how can you pass up on grilled seafood? I liked the little pictorial signs that show you what meats they were.

They also served fresh yellow noodles, vegetables and pumpkin, which are cooked in the chicken broth.

The waiter actually started to grill these for us, so we just sat back and enjoyed our wine.

A slab of pork fat was used to grease up the grill. The snake was surprisingly a bit tough but fell apart easily.The crocodile was also a tad chewy. I've definitely had better croc in Oz. My favorite was the frogs leg which was juicy. Love chewing off that tiny cartilage between the bones. The kangaroo tasted like beef but much leaner. Finally, the squid grilled up nicely but it kept slipping off the grill and falling into the broth. The meats were served with an array of sauces. Seafood paired the best with the cilantro sauce, which was my favorite. The tamarind and pepper sauce were also pretty good.

After all the meats were gone, we moved to the noodle and vegetable soup that was infused with all the meat juices.

The best part of our meal was the bill, at $40 for two which included wine. Overall, the meats are not of the best quality, but it was a fun experience to sample some grilled exotic meats.

Cambodian BBQ Restaurant
Le passage Alley and Pub Street,
Siem Reap, Cambodia 855

Scenes from Siem Reap, Cambodia

2011-10-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some non-food photos of my favorite city on this Southeast Asia trip.

Our hotel, the Golden Banana Resort was just a short walk to Pub Street. It thought it was clean, up-to-date in decor, and the hotel employees were friendly and helpful.

Our room was comfortable, and was located poolside.

Even though I am not much of a sightseer, I dragged myself to the temples. Our personal guide, Bunvath, spoke good English, picked us up in a tuk tuk (complete with supply of cold bottled water), and took us on a tailored tour of the temples. BTW, the tour cost US$25 for the both of us and another $20 for the tuk tuk. Best deal ever!

I liked that the temples are located pretty close to the town center. Angkor Wat was only a couple minutes away on tuk tuk.

Our first stop was the fortress city of Angkor Thom.

The Bayon Temple is located in the center of the city of Angkor Thom. It is known for the stone faces carved in the towers. The elephant ride around the temple was pretty cool. We got to feed our elephant some bananas afterwards.

Our next temple was Ta Prohm, also known as the temple where the Tomb Raider movie was filmed.

The massive trees growing out of the temples were a sight to see.

Last but not least, we stopped at Angkor Wat, the most famous temple.

Siem Reap is such a magical place that still holds its charm. The locals were friendly and we felt very safe in the city. No one tried to scam us here, and everyone was welcoming.

Airport food can be decent- Singaporean food at the Saigon Airport

2011-10-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

When we were at the Saigon Airport (which by the way is very clean and modern) waiting for our flight to Cambodia, I couldn’t help but pop into Prima Taste when I saw the banner promoting Singapore food. As a Singaporean, my standards for the cuisine is very high, but I was willing to lower it knowing that we were eating at a chain restaurant at the airport.

Curry puff was cooked to order (it was piping hot).

This was probably my favorite of the dishes. I just can’t get enough of curry puff and it’s pretty hard to find here in LA, let alone one that tastes good. The pastry was buttery and flaky. Inside, you’ll find a nice mix of curried chicken, potatoes and hard boiled eggs. Tasted exactly like Old Chang Kee.

The laksa was decent, but tasty for airport standards. There was a good amount of tau pok (deep fried tofu), fish cakes, shrimp and even cockles, although the latter was kind of measly looking. I only wished that the soup was served hotter (both in temperature and in spice level).

Beef kway teow actually didn’t taste anything like kway teow. Yes, there was beef, bean sprouts and fish cake, but this tasted more like pad see ew. It was missing spice and some fatty Chinese sausage. It wasn’t bad by any means, but just not what I was expecting.

Of course you have to take the food here with a grain of salt. It's not supposed to really be "authentic" Singaporean food. You'll be disappointed if you try to compare this (in price, spice and taste) to the hawker centers in Singapore. But if you are craving Singaporean food in Vietnam, and you have time to kill at the airport, this is probably the best airport food stand around.

Prima Taste
Ho Chi Minh Airport
Vietnam

Nha Hang Ngon in Saigon, Vietnam

2011-10-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

After a couple days of street food in Saigon, we decided to “treat” ourselves to a proper dinner at a restaurant on our last night. Nha Hang Ngon is a popular restaurant is in District 1 (the town center) so it was an easy walk from our hotel.

During our stay in Saigon, we realized that wine (regular, not rice wine) was really hard to find. Beer on the other hand, was prevalent and cheap. Thankfully, we were able to order a bottle of white at the restaurant.

We were seated in the lovely courtyard area right when we first entered through the front doors. It overlooked the street and was a great spot for people watching. The restaurant was busy and bustling.

There are actual hawker-type stalls on the perimeter of the restaurant. I say hawker-type because you don’t walk up and order from the stalls, you order from the waitress when you sit down. The menu is fairly expansive with many pages of Vietnamese dishes.

Banh Beo, Bot Loc, Nem Nuong
Banh Meo is steamed rice cakes. The menu described this to be served with dumplings and grilled pork meatball. The dumplings here were actually not what I expected. They were stuffed with shrimp but were kind of flat and gelatinous. It actually tasted really good and wasn’t gummy. The pork meatballs were cylindrical rather than ball shaped. Lots of flavor there. The whole dish was fairly spicy and cooked with lots of fish sauce.

Oc Buou Nhoi Thit, Nam Gung
The snail shells were stuffed with minced pork, snail (which I couldn’t actually tell were in there) and vermicelli noodles, all of which were seasoned with ginger and fish sauce. The meat balls were lean and juicy and had a nice lemongrass flavor. It was quite fun to use a chopstick to get every piece of meat out of the shells.

Bun tre
Vermicelli noodles were served with tre which combines pork ear, alpinia (some exotic plant) and garlic. The cartilage was crunchy which made me realize that they must have sourced a lot of pigs because there were a lot of ears..

Mi Xao Thap Cam
This stir fried noodles was topped with pork liver, heart, kidney and vegetables.

I really loved the offaly flavors, especially the kidneys. The vegetables were actually pretty tasty, similar to Chinese broccoli.

Nha Hang Ngon is a good place to check out if you are fine with a touristy place. It’s great for a nice sit down dinner, if you want something different than sidewalk street food, and if you are looking for a clean place to sit. There are lots of dishes to sample, the portions were fairly large and the prices were pretty decent. Of course the prices can’t compare to the mom and pop shops, but our bill still came out to be US$15 per person including a bottle of wine, which was half the bill.

Nha Hang Ngon
160 Pasteur St,
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
84 8 3827 7131

Street food in Saigon, Vietnam

2011-10-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

The traffic in Saigon is quite terrifying. Pedestrians do not get the right of way as motorbikes whiz by you in herds. I was advised to just look ahead and walk in a natural pace across the street, and the bikes will somehow avoid you. It's the best advice I've ever gotten.

The traffic is not something that I'll miss, but the food on the other hand is memorable. Even though our cyclo (kind of like a tuk tuk) "tour" guide ripped us off by overcharging us, he did take us to an authentic pho place. We knew it was authentic because everyone were locals, no one spoke English and the prices were cheap. Once you stepped in, you could smell the aroma of the pho broth.

The table is set up with a variety of items including rice cakes, deep fried crullers and meat pies. At the end of the meal, the server will tally up what you ate and charge you accordingly. I sampled the crullers which were room temperature (they couldn’t compare to the ones freshly fried up from the hawker centers in Singapore).

I ordered my usual favorite type of pho - tripe and tendon. Loved the broth. It tasted and smelt rich but wasn't overwhelming.

My friend opted for the popular selection which included ground meat, flank steak and meatballs. Love the vibrant colors of the herbs.

Apart from pho, the next most popular Vietnamese item is the banh mi sandwich. A friend/tourguide suggested Nhu Lan, located in District 1. I was a bit concerned because firstly, it was located near our hotel so I assumed that he just picked the closest joint regardless of quality. Secondly, the banh mi sandwiches were already pre-made and wrapped up in plastic. Thirdly, there didn’t seem to be that many selections left by the time we got there.

However, the banh mi turned out to be rather delicious. We shared the classic banh mi which was stuffed with a selection of cold cuts including headcheese and ham. I really enjoyed the large serving of really spicy pickled vegetables, daikon and jalapeno. The French bread was really fresh and airy, and was slathered with a good amount of creamy pate and mayo. Not only was it delicious and very filling, but the sandwich also cost about a buck. You really can’t beat it.

Pho Hoa
260C Pasteur St.,
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
84 8 829 7943

Nhu Lan
66-68 Ham Nghi,
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
84 8 829 2970

Majestic Hotel, Saigon (Amazing lodging, solid breakfast)

2011-09-21T10:11:00.001-07:00

After a 4 day stay in my old hometown of Singapore, I started the next leg of my Southeast Asian Tour i.e. traveling to countries I've never visited. Ho Chi Minh, or Saigon, was my first stop. We started the trip off on a great note at the Majestic Hotel. The elegant hotel is located across from Saigon River in District 1 (the district with the most action). It's been around for almost a century and you still get a feel of the French colonial influence in the architecture and decor, but the hotel is anything but old or shabby.

Most importantly, our room prices came with free buffet breakfast.

We started off with a sweet but strong Vietnamese coffee, and a mimosa (price not included).

Thanks to the French history, the Vietnamese pastries were really good. I am a croissant snob and I thought their mini croissant was amazing - buttery and fresh, with a tinge of sweetness.

So excited for the pork congee which came with an assortment of toppings. I loaded up on the century egg and salted yolk. Lots of fried shallots and dried shrimp added the right amount of salt.

Pate for breakfast, how French.

The dim sum selection was standard but thankfully didn't taste frozen.

One of my favorite dishes was the pho which the chef assembled to order. It included a fragrant broth and topped with beef slices and beef balls. Unfortunately no tripe or tendons here. The addition of fresh squeezed lime, herbs and chili made for a lovely breakfast. One bad thing was that I was sweating bullets while eating this in the 90 degree humid weather.

I love the fresh tropical fruits in Southeast Asia - things you would be hard pressed to find here in the States. This plate included dragonfruit, pomolo, pink guava, passionfruit and papaya.

Hotel Majestic
1 Đồng Khởi
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
(08) 3829 5517
www.majesticsaigon.com

Penang Place, Singapore (Getting a spread of Malay food, all in one meal)

2011-09-19T05:17:00.000-07:00

Since my time in Singapore was very limited (4 days), my mom took me to Penang Place so that I could sample all my favorite Singaporean food in one sitting. Penang Place is located at the new business center Fusionopolis. It's a buffet spread, but the food is actually really good and authentic. It's also very affordable at SGD22 per person

These are the fixings for nasi lemak. Nasi Lemak means "fatty rice" in Malay. This is because the rice is cooked in coconut milk and pandan/screwpine leaves. The rice is then topped with an array of toppings that include ikan bilis (deep fried anchovies), peanuts, cucumbers and spicy sambal chili.

There are many types of laksas and they are all noodle soups. My favorite laksa is the Nyonya laksa made with spicy coconut curry broth. The version I had at Penang Place was the Assam laksa which tastes completely different from the Nyonya version. The broth is sour and spicy, and made with a tamarind and fish base. The Assam laksa was prepared to order. The noodles were topped with shredded fish, cucumbers, pineapple and herbs. I really liked the tang of the broth.

Rojak is a do-it-yourself dish which mixes fresh fruits and vegetables (mango, pineapple, jicama, cucumber) with spicy Rojak peanut sauce. The Rojak sauce is made with belacan, peanuts, lime and spice.

Chicken curry with potatoes were delicious (I went for seconds). I love Malaysian curry, which is richer and thicker than Japanese curry. The spices used here usually include cumin, coconut, lemongrass and ginger.

The beef rendang flavors were well developed. I loved the tender meat and the very spicy sauce. Otak, steamed fish marinated in spices, was wrapped in banana leaf. I also sampled some char kway teow/fried noodles with cockles and chili. Everything on the plate was rich in flavors. Even the seemingly common spring roll was delicious.

Fresh Cuttlefish with kang kong/water spinach was dropped in boiling water to cook quickly. It was then topped with hoisin sauce and sesame seeds

Other items included a few dim sum selections and Assam fried chicken wings (really good, with crispy fried skin).

My favorite was the dessert section with an amazing spread.

Black glutinous rice topped with coconut cream was super rich. I loved the fibrous texture of the glutinous rice. The dessert was sweet and topped with creamy coconut milk.

There was a large selection of Kueh/kuih which are tiny steamed desserts that usually include sticky rice or agar agar/gelatin. I also tried a deep fried jackfruit which had a very interesting texture. The fruit was soft and fleshly (almost similar to room temperature durian) and was fragrant. They also served puddings, chendol (jello in coconut milk) and ice kachang (shaved ice) but I was too stuffed to try.

I have to say that there was a great representation of Malay dishes at Penang Place. I think this is a great place to dine at if you do not have much time in Singapore but want to sample some of Singapore's famous dishes. I was dining with locals who are really good home cooks, and they too were impressed with the quality of the food.

Penang Place
1 Fusionopolis Way,
Connexis #B1-20/24,
Singapore 138632

Nirai Kanai: Okinawan cuisine in Singapore

2011-09-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

I met up with a few old friends from middle school in Singapore. We decided to try an Okinawan restaurant in Tanglin Shopping Center. It's located in a pretty ghetto building that smells of moth balls, not to be mistaken for Tanglin Mall, a much newer shopping mall.

There were four of us so we were seated in the private tatami room.

The food are served small-plates style, with both popular Japanese dishes as well as Okinawan specialties. The menu is huge, sort of in the vein of Cheesecake Factory. There were lots of stir fried and stewed dishes. They also had a special menu focusing on kurobuta (black pig) dishes.

I don't usually like to order salads but the lotus salad was surprisingly so good that we ordered two of these. It was almost like a Caesar salad, with fresh creamy homemade dressing (you could see specks of raw egg yolk) and mayo. The lotus roots were sliced thin and deep fried. They were crunchy and very delicious.

Tuna Carpaccio was thicker than what I expected from a carpaccio. They were much like sashimi slices. The fish was fresh and nicely seared. The tuna was topped with Japanese mayo.

The beef takaki was fresh and soft. I really liked the texture of the beef. The dish was served with a salty dipping sauce.

The Okinawan Pancake was just ok. It was thin and tasted like a crepe, but it was lacking in flavor. It definitely needed the dipping sauce. I also thought that the bonito flakes had a strong fishy smell that was rather repulsive.

Lady finger with tofu and pancetta. The okra was rather slimy so it's not for everyone, but I couldn't stop myself from eating it. I really enjoyed the texture.

Chicken Cartilage was crunchy and not greasy. They were served in pretty large pieces. I liked that it was seasoned appropriately.

Chicken teriyaki was pretty standard but I was glad that the thigh meat was juicy and not dry.

This pork belly is their signature dish. It was pan fried and had layers of fatty and tender meat. The meat had a very distinct porky flavor and topped with crispy skin.

It was Ladies Night on Mondays so it was 30% off drinks of parties of all women. I really liked being able to share and sample various dishes. The pork belly and cartilage were my favorites, but everything (apart from the pancake) were also very good.

Nira Kanai Okinawan Restaurant
19 Tanglin Road, #04-05
Tanglin Shopping Centre, Singapore

Ah Yat Seafood, Singapore (Getting fresh Chili Crab & Bamboo Clams)

2011-09-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

Before I left Singapore, I had to have the famous chili crab so my parents took me out for a seafood lunch at their favorite joint, Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant. This is the place that my parents always take out-of- towners because the seafood is super fresh and the choices are vast. Prices are also very affordable. Ah Yat is located in Turf City, an old racetrack which was converted into a food and shopping mall. The place is pretty old and run down, and unfortunately, it looks like the lease is up and tenants will be asked to vacate by the end of the year.

Besides seafood, they also serve dim sum. The best part is, dim sum is at a 50% discount on Mondays through Saturdays.

Our dim sum selection included chive dumplings, har gow and Shanghai dumplings. The steamed shrimp dumpling was pretty standard but I was pleased with the plump shrimp filling and good wrapper that wasn't thick or gummy. The crystal dumpling w/ chive with shrimp was also pretty good. The Shanghai dumpling had a soft wrapper and nice flavorful broth.

My favorite is always the turnip cake and this was freshly pan fried

Chicken feet is a dim sum staple. Nice spice to it. Much better than the one I got at the hawker center.

Bamboo clam was cooked with loads of garlic. The clams were fairly meaty and very fresh. I love that they didn't overcook the clams. The meat was tender with a sweet flavor.

Oyster with cheese was kind of like an oyster Rockefeller, except that I have never come across such a large oyster. The oyster was still fairly raw and had an amazing oceanic flavor. It was super rich as it was topped with cheese and cream. It looked a bit scary (with the cheese and all) but it was very tasty.

Chili crab is a famous Singaporean dish with lots of garlic and a thick sauce. This crab was an Indonesia crab. The very spicy sauce was so delicious that you'd want to sop it up with fresh baguette. It gets very dirty, and there's a lot of shell-licking. The best part about Ah Yat is their prices. This 1.5lb crab normally costs SGD39.99, but was SGD17 with the discount (or US$13). What a great deal but more importantly, what an amazing dish.

This place hits the marks on all point. There is no corkage. Not only are the prices very affordable, but the seafood is spectacular. They get a huge supply of fresh seafood every day and the selections are massive.

After lunch, we checked out the live seafood tanks in the back area and found really unique seafood such as jumbo clams, conchs, geoduck, many different crabs including Sri lanka crabs, snow crabs, Alaskan crabs.

It's sad that Ah Yat and the other tenants have to relocate at year end. I'm hoping they will find a home elsewhere, because this place really is a hidden gem.

Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant
200 Turf Club Road #03-01
Singapore
+65 6883 2112

Hitting up the Hawker Centers, Singapore

2011-09-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

When you travel to Singapore, you really shouldn't waste your time feasting on western meals at fancy restaurants. You should definitely take in the local food. In a country where many cultures, races and religions co mingle, the local food in Singapore is a lovely combination of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and Peranakan flavors. The best way to get a taste of the local food is to head straight for the hawker centers. Hawker centers are food courts (typically open-aired, although many indoor air-conditioned ones are popping up around town) with many stands that specialize on specific dishes. I love how everything is fresh and cooked to order. Many food stands offer various dish sizes so you can sample a bunch of small plates from different stores.

Ghim Moh Hawker Center

I wasn't intending to eat when I accompanied my mom to Ghim Moh market. We had planned on just picking up fruits and seafood. But when I saw the carrot cake stand, I just couldn't resist.

Carrot cake, also known as Chai Tow Kway, is not what you think. It's not sweet and it's not a dessert. It's turnip cake, fried with eggs and pickled radishes. You can order it black (with soy sauce) or white (as is).

We ordered the black version which was delicious. The scrambled eggs and diced radish cakes were perfectly coated with sweet dark soy sauce. I also loved the crunch and sourness of the pickled radishes.

We also ordered Char Kway Teow, which is a signature Singaporean dish. Noodles are fried up with eggs, sprouts, chunks of lard (very key!) and plump cockles. The noodles are cooked with dark soy sauce and chili. Some stalls exclude the lard and the cockles (for health reasons), but in my opinon, those ingredients are crucial for the perfect kway teow. I love how the cockles are also a tad bit undercooked and taste extremely oceanic. The lard chunks are fried to a crispiness which you know is an artery-clogger but totally worth it.

To end the meal, I stopped for a Chinese donut, also known as youtiao or you char kway. You can't go wrong with freshly fried up pieces of golden-brown dough. It was crunchy on the outside and airy in the center.

Commonwealth Hawker Center

The next day, I went to Commonwealth Hawker Center in search of oyster omelet (oh chien). Unfortunately, it was a Monday and many stalls were closed, including the one I was looking for.

The chicken feet was a bit disappointing. It was lacking in salt and spice. In addition, the skin was soggy and tasteless. I never leave any feets on the plate but I did this time.

Congee with lots of fun innards. Loved the pork intestines, stomach and liver. There was also the more common ground pork. I loved the organ flavors in the porridge.

I ordered the char kway teow again, but thought this wasn't as good as the plate from Ghim Moh. The kway teow here wasn't as spicy and it was a bit watery.

Also, there were fewer cockles in this plate, and they weren't as large as the ones at Ghim Moh's.

Apart from the congee, I wasn't impressed with the hawker food here. They do serve a killer fish head noodle soup which I'll have to try some other time.

Newton Circus
This is the motherload of hawker centers. It's been around for many years, has been remodeled, and houses numerous stalls. It is a bit overpriced for hawker center standards, but is still way cheaper than anything you can get in LA. I really wasn't planning to check it out on the last day I was in Singapore, but I had to get my oyster omelet.

This store had everything I wanted! Satay, oyster omelet and carrot cake (again).
The satay in Singapore is just outstanding. I love how it's grilled up in front of you. The meat (in this case, chicken and pork) is always well seasoned and juicy. The spicy peanut dipping sauce is the perfect pairing to the meat sticks. It's so good that it even makes the plain cucumbers and sliced onions taste delicious.

This is the 'white' version of the carrot cake that I had at Ghim Moh. Tasty but I prefer the sweetness of the dark soy sauce in the dark version. Love the sambal chili that they serve alongside.

Finally, what I was searching for - oyster omelet, or oh chien. It's a mixture of starch, eggs and huge oysters. Similar to the cockles in the char kway teow, I love how the seafood is only slightly cooked. This definitely tasted more like raw oysters than fried. The oyster juices were all mixed in with the egg and starch. Think there was also some pickled radishes in the dish which added a noticeable tang. I enjoyed this dish, but I thought it was kind of pricey - SGD$9 and there weren't that many oysters (probably around 6-7).

Finally, an ice kachang to cool off in the hot, humid climate.

It's a shaved ice dessert filled with lots of goodies such as red beans, agar agar/jelly, sweet corn and palm seed (which is like a hard but chewy jelly). The shaved ice is topped with coloring and most importantly, sweet condensed milk.

I only had 4 days in Singapore but think I was able to get a good flavor of the cuisine in such a short time.

Lee Fun Nam Kee: Chicken Rice, Singapore (Starting my Asia Trip on a great note)

2011-09-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

The first thing I did after getting off a 16 hour plane ride from Los Angeles to Singapore, was to head straight for chicken rice. Chicken rice is known to many Singaporeans as our national dish. It's a plate of boiled chicken, served with rice and condiments. Sounds simple? It's not. Want to make it at home? It's not going to take 30 minutes. Every Singaporean has their favorite version of the dish, their favorite stand that sells it. My go-to place is Lee Fun Nam Kee in Toa Payoh. Some prefer the chicken served as is, others like the soy sauce version. They are both good, but this time, I opted for the latter.

Barley water is a perfect refreshing drink for the hot and humid climate.

A small bowl of chicken broth is usually served with chicken rice. At Lee Fun Nam Kee, we got a large bowl of soup with dumplings, or more specifically, Chinese water dumplings that are filled with pork and crunchy water chestnuts.

Soy sauce chicken can be ordered as either white or dark meat.

The chicken is boiled in a broth consisting of chicken bones and garlic, then shocked in cold water. This results in a very juicy chicken, with a rather gelatinous skin. The chicken is served over rice, but not just any rice. The rice is cooked with the same broth, which results in an oily and fragrant rice. It's so flavorful that you can just eat it as is, without any gravy. But oh, the gravy is so good. It's thick and salty. The sliced cucumbers add crunch and is a nice compliment to the dish. Lastly, the dish is served with condiments - ginger garlic, chili and dark soy sauce.

There's something so perfect about this meal. From the rich, clear broth with plump dumplings, to the supple chicken with jelly-textured skin, to the thick soy sauce and condiments, and the refreshing crunch of the sliced cucumbers. It seems like a simple dish, yet is something that is so much more complex.

Lee Fun Nam Kee
94 Lorong 4
Toa Payoh, #01-04 Singapore
+65 6255 0891

Fat Dog Gastropub: where dogs and booze do mix

2011-08-22T02:19:00.000-07:00

With a name like Fat Dog, I just wanted to like the gastropub. It's also located on my way home from work (at Fairfax and Melrose). The menu looked promising with items such as crispy rock shrimp, lobster roll and short rib french dip sandwich. The place is also dog friendly although I didn't see any when I was there.

The space is pretty cool, with a cute outdoor seating area. Inside, there's a bar, communal tables and booths.

The menu had quite a lot of options. When I'm at a bar, I usually prefer to share appetizers/small plates with my party. Unfortunately, over half the appetizer menu were vegetarian and not really that exciting (hummus, salads, cheese plate, potato skins). They do however have a nice mix of drinks including craft beers, cocktails and wine.

Chili almonds were served with our drinks.

Baby Greens were the only way to get some vegetables in us. Nothing special here.

Crisp Rock Shrimp with scallions, sambal aioli and lemon
I was excited to try this because as someone that lived in Singapore, I'm all about sambal. It didn't taste like sambal to me though. I was hoping for some minced garlic or shallot flavors in the aoli. The rock shrimp was actually disappointing. The coating wasn't crispy and tasted soggy.

The Flight mini burgers: bacon & guacamole, mushroom & swiss, caramelized onions & gruyére
I liked that they offered a trio of sliders so that we could get a variety. Unfortunately, both the bun and patties were dry. We also thought the meat lacked seasoning.

Jalapeño Mac And Cheese (with bacon and crab supplement)
I was pleased with the chunks of crab which tasted fresh. However, similar to the slider patties, the Mac and cheese tasted bland. Even the spice from the jalepeno and the salty bacon bits were not enough to add flavor to this dish.

Braised Short-Rib French Dip Sandwich gruyére cheese, caramelized onions and "au jus"
This was our favorite dish of the night. The French dip was served in a skillet, which I thought was a cool rustic presentation. The meat was juicy and well seasoned. The sweet onions and the salty au jus were a nice combination. I also enjoyed the bread which was perfectly buttered and toasted. A side of onions rings were layered underneath the sandwich. What a nice surprise, and all the jus dripped on the rings.

The Fat Dog all beef grilled hot dog
Possibly the longest hot dog I've ever eaten. The presentation was pretty cool, with an array of toppings (pickle relish, diced tomato, onion, pepperoncini, ketchup and mustard). I liked the selection of toppings but the hot dog was pretty ordinary.

I love the space and am glad that there's a new bar in the neighborhood. However I thought the food wasn't memorable. Perhaps we ordered the wrong dishes but I don't feel the need to rush back to sample more items from the menu. I was there when it was still fairly new, so perhaps they've made some improvements in the kitchen. They do have a happy hour with $3 beers, $4 wines, and bites for $3-6.

Hits: cool space, french dip
Misses: bland patties and mac & cheese
Rating: **1/2

The Fat Dog
801 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 951-0030
http://www.thefatdogla.com/hollywood.html

Mama D's, Hermosa: Good ole no-frills Italian food

2011-08-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

There are quite a number of Italian restaurant in Hermosa Beach in the South Bay. One of my favorites is Zane (great ciopinno). There's also Bottle Inn and Fritto Misto. But the one that is close to my heart is the casual, no-frills, homey Mama D's. Located a block from the beach, this restaurant almost seems out of place in the area. It's does not have a beach vibe and is not at all collegiate. Mama D's also has a location in Manhattan Beach.

The menu is rather large, with the usual Italian staples. Many dishes are served with a side of pasta, and you can choose from a variety of pastas and sauces. They also have gluten free and wheat pasta options. Hey, every bit helps.

No fancy wine glasses here. They have no corkage Mon-Thur, and a modest $7 fee per bottle on weekends.

Their bread and garlic dipping sauce is to die for. Definitely plan on garlic breath afterwards. The waitress does a great drop of refilling the bread basket.

Seafood Lasagne was the special of the day. The dish is rich and very filling. It's a huge casserole of pasta, seafood and topped with their popular creamy pink vodka sauce. There's ample seafood including shrimp, clams, scallops and squid.

I opted for the Veal Marsala which was another giant portion. The thin veal cutlets were sauteed with fresh mushrooms and marsala wine. The dish was served with veggies and a side of pasta, with the pink sauce of course. To make it a bit healthier, I opted for the wheat penne pasta.

Freshly baked cookies came with the bill, and they were really good cookies. Crunchy on the outside, and warm with gooey chocolate chips in the center.

Mama D's offers good ole comfort food, at affordable prices. You definitely won't leave hungry. They load you up with bread and occasional food samples, and their portions are large. My chicken marsala made for a great dinner the next day. The service was also warm and attentive. This is the type of place that makes me want to go back and support the business. Truly a gem in the middle of a partying beach town.

Hits: prices, service, complimentary bread & cookies
Misses: you'll be painfully full
Rating: ***1/2

Mama D's
1031 Hermosa Ave
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 379-6262
www.mamadsrestaurant.com

Kings Row: A great gastropub and brunch spot in Pasadena

2011-08-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

Pasadena has always been that faraway land where the temperature is 10 degrees hotter than the Westside. I hardly venture over unless something is absolutely worth it, like meeting Michael Voltaggio *drool*. So when my friends invited me over for a housewarming party in Pasadena, we decided to make a weekend trip out of it by booking a hotel room for the night (we're not big on drinking-and-driving).

I don't know much about the restaurants and bars in the area, but I quickly found a newish gastropub that opened up in Old Town.

The restaurant has a few dining areas - the bar, the dining room and the outside patio. We grabbed seats at the bar which has high ceilings, numerous plantation fans (thank goodness!), exposed brick walls and ample light from the rooftop glass ceiling. Love the space!

They have a vast selection of craft beers.

We opted for the Allagash White and a floral Saison.

The lunch menu is broken out into salads, sandwiches and pub fare. I was hoping for more appetizer/starter options for sharing. I also didn't see any sides.

Pulled Pork sandwich
A rather delicious burger which was comprised of juicy and tender pulled pork that was slathered with pomegranate BBQ sauce. The sauce was just right - not too sweet or too messy. The burger was topped with crispy onions and served with fries.

Merguez Corndog
I was a bit disappointed with the corndog. I love lamb but I found the merguez sausage to be extremely gamy. I did however enjoy the root beer batter which had an interesting texture (almost like cornmeal) and had a slight sweet flavor.

The next day, we went in search of our usual weekend tradition - mimosa brunch. Coincidentally enough, a quick search online for bottomless mimosas led us back to Kings Row. By the way, the website says that they open at 10.30am on Sundays. They actually opened at 11am. Apparently they have a "Country Line Sunday Brunch" with live music and whiskey. We got there too early for this (phew. not a big fan of country music).

The brunch menu actually looks better with more appetizing items such as the shepherds pie, duck egg benedict and french toast made with homemade pound cake.

Bloody Marys and mimosa are $3 each, while all you can drink mimosas are served in carafes for $12.

Crack Mac with gouda, parmesan, white chocolate and truffle

I really liked the golden cheesy crust on the mac and cheese. I also appreciated that the cheeses were mild - no gorgonzola or stinky cheeses here. Unfortunately the truffle flavor was not noticeable and the mac and cheese lacked flavor. It needed additional salt or some spice like jalapeno.

Ham & Cheese Omelet
This was almost like a meatlovers omelet with three meat ingredients (continental brat, bacon and black forest ham). The meats added lots of flavor and meatiness to the omelet. My favorite was the breakfast potatoes which looked ordinary but had a crispy exterior and were soft in the inside.

Chicken & Waffles
This dish was outstanding. Every element on the plate was delicious. The chicken was juicy even though it was white meat. I enjoyed the buttermilk breading which was nicely seasoned and crispy. I thought the two pieces of chicken were also a generous portion. The buckwheat waffle was also very good. One of my favorite parts of the dish was the mixture of maple syrup with stewed kale, bacon bits and a sweet corn emulsion which were layered on top of the waffle. Absolutely flavorful with a nice balance of sweet and savory.

I really enjoyed our meals at Kings Pub, especially brunch. I was impressed with the quality of the ingredients which are sourced locally. They even served fresh homemade strawberry and blueberry jam. And most importantly, they have a great mimosa deal! This is definitely the type of place that I'd return for either a lunch of pubfare, or a brunch with mimosas.

Hits: ambiance, beer selection, pulled pork sammie, chix & waffles, mimosas
Misses: bland mac, gamy corn dog
Rating: ***1/2

Kings Row Gastropub
20 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 793-3010
www.kingsrowgastropub.com

Mendocino Farms's Lemongrass Banh Mi: Worthy of its own blog post

2011-08-15T13:08:00.000-07:00

Mendocino Farms is a cute little sandwich shop in Marina Del Rey. The first location was opened in Downtown LA, then moved West to MDR, and now the shop has plans to open in West Hollywood in the fall. The restaurant is like a well oiled machine. As you stare at the huge menu on the wall, there is an employee there to answer questions and take down your order. She yells your order out to the open kitchen and you move along the line towards the cashier. As you are waiting in line, you may be offered samples of some of their side salad (I opted for the quinoa salad). The assembly line of cooks are all chipper, friendly, happy to be there, but still very efficient. The sandwiches are made to order but didn't take longer than 5-7 minutes.

The menu comprises of gourmet sandwiches such as prosciutto & chicken, caprese and Kurobuta Pork Belly Banh Mi. They also offer salads and vegan options. The shop sources locally grown ingredients. The ingredients are fresh and the sandwiches unique, but I didn't think the prices were too high. The sandwiches run from $8-10 and are quite large in size. Mendocino Farms also sells beer and wine, which is a big plus for a sandwich shop.

I ordered the Spicy Lemongrass Steak Banh Mi. The sandwich was amazing. The lemongrass marinated steak was juicy and fragrant. It had a spicy kick from the chili aioli and sliced jalapeno. The sandwich was topped with a generous serving of pickled diakon & carrots, cilantro and julienned cucumbers. I was rather impressed with the banh mi. It wasn't completely authentic (it was served on a rustic grilled ciabatta, and no pate), but yet held on to familiar Vietnamese flavors.

Even though the sandwich was large, I couldn't stop eating it. Another sign of a good restaurant is when you are dying to return to try something else. I really enjoyed my lemongrass banh mi but I can't wait to try the pork belly banh mi and the chipotle BBQ chicken sandwich. I don't usually do a one dish blog post, but Mendocino Farm's Lemograss Banh Mi definitely deserves a post of its own.

Mendocino Farms
4724 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 822-2300
www.medocinofarms.com

Taste of the Nation (Better late than never...)

2011-08-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

Oh what a difference a year makes. Last year, I was on top of my blogging. I wrote up my TOTNLA post within a week after the event. This year, work is ramping up so this post is coming to you over 2 months late. At least our strategy for tackling the event has been refined. Last year, we left the place uncomfortably full and even had to forgo some of the stands because we were too full. We foolishly had breakfast at home which consisted of seared foie gras and brioche. This year we skipped breakfast and even opted for a lighter dinner the night before. Last year, we also each had a bite from every stand. This year, we shared the same bite so we were able to hit almost all the stands.

Taste of the Nation is an annual charity food & drink event, where restaurants, bars and winemakers come together to raise money for the charity Share Our Strength. Of a handful of food events that I’ve been to, this has been my favorite because it’s very well-run, the restaurants present are all very reputable, and it never seems too crowded because they hold it at the Culver City Media Park with almost 50 restaurants.

Some of my favorites:

Culina ~ Grilled lamb chops
This was probably my favorite bite of the day. Perfect finger food and easy to eat. The lamb chop was juicy and cooked to a perfect medium rare. It was served with cous cous, sweet corn and saffron mint pesto.

Street ~ Kaya Toastwith coconut jam and dark soy custard
Susan Feniger’s take of Singaporean street food. The kaya toast, made with coconut jam, was delicious and decadent. This is getting me excited for my trip to Singapore in 19 days!

Public~ fried pig skin crispy on newspaper
Public’s dish was a porchetta sandwich which was sold out by the time I got there, but they had some leftover pork which they served up. Perhaps the best thing I ate all day. The fried skin was greasy and porky in flavor. Tasted like suckling pig skin.

Bazaar by Jose Andres - olive sphere, grilled octopus taco
There were a few octopus dishes at the event but this was by far the best. The octopus was grilled to perfection. It was tender and well seasoned.

Joe's Restaurant - Paella with chorizo, mussels and chicken
I love Joe Miller’s other restaurant, Bar Pintxo. Their squid ink paella is to die for. This seafood version was delicious. Bonus points for cooking it up on the spot.

Michael Voltaggio’s upcoming restaurant Ink was set up in the VIP tent, serving a cocktail that tasted like a Pimm’s Cup.

Ink ~ Wagyu beef tongue cold cuts with pumpernickel and drizzled with mustard snow
The tongue was so delicate and buttery. It was served with pickled radishes and a pumpernickel beignet which tasted like pretzel bread.

Other bites:

Fig ~ torta de lengua with breakfast radish and escabeche
The thin beef tongue was spicy with its juices abosrbing into the bread.

Jitlada ~ Crying Tiger Pork, Pork Belly Green Beans
Flavorful and delicious but extremely fiery. I’m glad they served it with rice which helped to dissipate some of the heat. I thought the pork belly was a bit too greasy, but overall, a very delicious dish.

Patina ~ Lobster and Fresh Almond Gazpacho
Light and refreshing for a warm day. There was a crunch in the gazpacho.

Harfields ~ Tropical tres leches cake topped with lime curd, coconut crumble, marinated strawberries, and a coconut filo wafer

Hatfield's - Spanish Octopus Salad
I thought the salad needed additional seasoning and the octopus was rather rubbery.

Grace/ BLD~ Berkshire pork banh mi
The Banh mi was quite tasty with spicy slaw, fresh herbs, and crispy cracklins.

Border Grill: Cold poached Alaska salmon on a jicama tostadita, topped with tomatillo herb salsa, Alaska crab and quinoa fritters with aji amarillo aioli, piquillo pepper romesco

The Foundry: Grilled cheese sandwich made with taleggio and apricot-caper puree on raisin bread
Pretty similar to what they served last year, the grilled cheese is Chef Eric Greenspan's specialty.

Wp24 ~ Chow fueng roll with braised beef short rib
Probably the city’s most expensive dim sum, I think. I just dined on this at WP24. The beef noodle roll had a non gummy nice wrapper and was stuffed with tender meat.

Mozza ~ porcini rubbed BBQ Creekstone Farms short ribs
The meat itself was well seasoned and tasty, but I thought it was too difficult to eat without a fork.Le Saint Amour~ charcuterie
I opted for the rabbit rillette which was fatty. Also sampled the foie gras and cherry pate.Fathers office/Lukshon ~ Chicken Pops
Really enjoyed this chicken lollipop. The meat was spicy with a sweet caramelization.Red O ~ sope stuffed chile with chorizo, dates and sherry almond sauce; grilled Mazatlan blue shrimp with fresh jicama ‘chips’Whist ~ grilled octopus with smoked potatoesLa Siene ~ Coconut jalapeño with albacore, salmon, yellowtail, and aioli
La Siene is Top Chef Alex Reznik’s new French Asian restaurant. The breaded jalapeño had a really nice crunchy breading. Interesting inclusion of coconut in the batter. The yellowtail was fresh and seasoned adequately.

Loteria ~ Pollo en mole topped with toasted sesame seeds, onion, and fresh Mexican cheese; conchita pibil pork slowly roasted in banana leaf topped with citrus, pickled red onion and chile habanero; papas con rajas, potato with roasted poblano peppers
I loved the fatty lengua. They also made a really fresh tortilla.

Chaya ~ Hamachi Mole Pressed Sushi

Chaya ~ Sukiyaki Short Rib
I liked the combination of the salty short ribs with puree

Campanile ~ Olive oil fried egg on grilled bread with black olive tapenade and tomato concasse
The fried egg was cooked nicely with a runny yolk, however I thought the rest of the dish was rather ordinary.

AOC ~ African salad
A bit underwhelming. Wish they served something more appetizing.

Simon ~ Scarlet scallops and yellow beets Napoleon with green garlic goat cheese

Lexington Social House ~ fried chicken and cornbread
I love fried chicken so I was excited for some of this. A bit dry but I liked the seasoned breading. I also enjoyed the kale which was braised in ham hock and garlic.

Playa ~ tamale chipotle
Playa is John Sedler (Riveria)’s new restaurant. Sadly, I found the tamale to be dry.

Picca/ Mo chica ~ Chicken Anticucho
Richardo Zarate’s new restaurant Picca showcased this chicken skewer which was juicy and flavorful. Excited to try Picca after sampling this bite.

Finally, on to desserts.

Scoops ~ Miso cheesecake and bacon maple
Scoops never disappoints. I love the unique flavors of Scoops and I never feel ill even after eating a pint of their ice cream. Can’t wait till they get Durian flavor back again.

We also got some beer from Golden state (sour cherry cuvee) and made a float from the bacon ice cream at Scoops. Comme Ca ~ strawberry panna cotta
I did not care for this dessert. I found it to be bland with a weird consistency.

Similar to last year, I was impressed with the event. The participating restaurants were all pretty top-notch, and the event as a whole was well-run. There were lots of lengua and octopus this year, some better than others. The only critique I had was the VIP valet line was over 30 minutes long. Regular parking was faster than VIP. But at the end of the day, it's all for the kids. Till next year. Here's hoping it won't take me 2 months to write it up again.

Taste of the Nation
June 12, 2011
Culver City Media Park
9070 Venice Blvd.,
Culver City, CA 90232
http://tasteofthenationla.org/blog/

The Rockefeller: An upscale bar in Hermosa Beach (yay!)

2011-07-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hermosa Beach is essentially a beach town where the standard attire is shorts and flip flops, bars are filled with partying coeds and most meals you'll get there will consist of potato skins and buffalo wings. I'm a Brentwood girl and my boyfriend is a Hermosa guy. Therefore, I was so excited to hear about our new compromise: new gastropub The Rockefeller a block from the Hermosa Pier. The Rockfeller is trying to target a mature crowd with their selection of over 30 craft beers, wine and upscale bar food.

The place is bustling. We attempted to check it out on a Friday early evening but it was already packed, so we returned the next day for lunch.

The menu is rather limited for a gastropub. Even though the menu itself looks long, half of it comprises of breakfast items and sides. The lunch/dinner items are mainly a small selection of starters, sandwiches, salads and a burger option.

The outdoor patio is the place to sit but the restaurant has a very open layout so the seats inside still get a good view and ocean breeze.

Special of the day was the deep fried risotto fritter which is essentially an arancini. The risotto was cooked nicely and mixed with wild mushrooms, salty parmesan and bits of truffle. My only critique was that the arancinis weren't hot and tasted like they had been sitting out for a while. I also wished the truffle flavor was stronger.

Giant onion rings were pretty good. They had a crispy breading and weren't greasy. Each side comes with a choice of dipping sauce which includes chipotle mayo, lemon thyme vinaigrette and roasted tomatillo. We opted for the lemon saffron sauce which was an aromatic citrus aioli.

The side of portobello mushrooms was served in a tin can. Similar to the onion rings, these weren't oily. The mushrooms had a nice textural breading (almost panko like) and were not mushy. The side of spicy ketchup had a tangy Worcestershire flavor.

Gourmet Grilled Ham and Cheese consisted of a selection of cheeses (aged cheddar cheese, jarlsberg swiss and mascarpone), black forest ham and pesto on whole wheat bread. The sammie was oozing with cheese and sweet caramelized onions. You can tell that they select good ingredients for their sandwiches, however the homemade pickle was nothing special and tasted like a jarred pickle.

The Grilled Chicken Sandwich was a refreshing and light sandwich. It had arugula, watercress and wild mushrooms. The chicken was cooked nicely and well seasoned. The mushrooms and salad was definitely very fresh.

The food overall was decent and tasted pretty healthy. However I found the menu to be limited and the food items did not seem to jive with what a normal gastropub would serve. They mainly serve sandwiches, salads and a burger. I fell that they should serve food that pairs well with beer, perhaps some flatbreads or gourmet mac and cheese. If they wanted to stick with sandwiches, perhaps a pulled pork sandwich would be more appetizing than a salmon or chicken sandwich. But at the end of the day, I am still glad that we have Rockefeller in the neighborhood. I think it has a lot of potential - it already has a great location, decor, layout and beer selections. Now all it needs is to throw some more beer-compatible hearty pub food items on the menu.

Hits: arancini, mushrooms, dipping sauce selection
Misses: not really a bar menu
Rating: ***

The Rockefeller
418-422 Pier Ave
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 372-8467
http://www.eatrockefeller.com/

Yakitoriya: secret (shhhh) special cartilage skewers in the Westside

2011-07-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

Yakitoriya on Sawtelle in West LA is one of my oldie but goodies. I don't go often (it gets pricey for Asian food) but I always leave extremely happy. Yakitoriya specializes in yakitori (Japanese skewers) but they also offer other more filling dishes on their menu. It's pretty authentic here, the staff speak little English.

They also have daily specials that are posted on the wall.

The restaurant is small, with an open kitchen where the grand master grills up the skewers.

The skewers aren't cheap ($2.50-$3.50 per stick) and are not that filling. There is also a minimum order of 5 sticks per person. They also offer non skewer items such as duck & mushroom ravioli (really good), deep fried gizzards and soboro rice. When we go, we always order from the special menu, which includes a limited supply of unique sticks such as chest bone and chicken knee. All cartilage. Unfortunately they only make a few special sticks a day so we always call in advance to order. They'll take your credit card number down and will charge you if you don't show.

Gyoza ~ A nice start to the meal. The chicken gyozas were perfectly crispy on the outside.

The fried chicken was perfectly fried. The chicken was piping hot and tender, with a well seasoned breading. I just cannot get enough of Japanese fried chicken. So much less greasy than the western versions.

Gizzard skewer ~ From the regular menu. This had a bit of crunch and chew, and lightly seasoned with salt. A small sprinkle of spicy salt gives the skewers a needed kick.

Special heart ~ I really enjoyed the hearts (don't think about how many chickens this came from..) The hearts were very tender and not rubbery. They were drizzled with a sweet soy sauce.

Eggplant with chicken was a good way to get some greens in. The chicken was a thin slice that looked almost like bacon.

Neck ~ This was from the special menu, something that we had not ordered before. For some reason, we thought it would be neck bone, but instead it was the neck meat. It was tender and tasted like chicken thigh. Unfortunately no bone here..

Chest bone ~ This is from the special menu. I love the chest bone of any bird. I love trying to get every piece of meat off the bone. Thankfully, this was easy. It was all meat and crunchy cartilage.

Knee Bone ~ Another one of my favorites from the special menu. Who knew chicken had knees?? I really love the crunch of the cartilage. So much fun to eat. There's a bit of meat attached to the bone.

Skin ~ Totally indulgent skewer that's all skin. The skin was crispy, and reminded me of the skin of a roast sucking pig. There's a bit of crispiness, a bit of fattiness. Amazing combination.

Chicken Wing ~ Always a fun skewer to eat. Lots of skin, meat and bone. The skin was crispy with a slight char.

Their homemade ice cream is one of my favorites. The flavors change daily but I was so excited when I saw my favorite flavor black sesame was one of the choices. The chestnut was another good choice, which I ordered a scoop to go. I love the texture of the sesame in the ice cream. Similar to their special sticks, their ice cream runs out quickly.

Always a great meal at Yakitoriya. The special sticks are my favorite, specifically the tender special hearts and the crunchy chest bones. The only downside is that the bill does add up quickly. We spent about $100 for 2 (with only one glass of wine). You can keep the bill lower by ordering more substantial dishes such as the soboro rice. But Yakitoriya is worth the splurge when you're feeling the need for some original and unique skewers.

Hits: chicken knee, special hearts, ice cream
Misses: can get pricey
Rating: ****

Yakitoriya
11301 W Olympic Blvd # 101
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 479-5400

WP24: Wolfgang Puck's Pricey Asian restaurant

2011-07-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

I’m always hesitant to dine at an upscale Chinese restaurant. It's fine to shell out the bucks for a fresh piece of uni or wagyu beef, but somehow it’s hard to spend $100 per person on Chinese food when you can get a better meal in LA for a fifth of the price. But I was keen when my friend suggested Wolfgang Puck’s newish upscale restaurant WP24 at the Ritz Carlton, at the LA Live in Downtown.

When we first walked in, we sat at the bar waiting for our table. The space is huge, with the outside dining and bar area completely empty. Diners were escorted into the separate dining room with wraparound windows and a gorgeous view of downtown.

While sitting at the bar, I had a glass of bubbly which our bartender kindly filled it up.

The food is served family style and only offered as a three or four course menu. The three course meal costs $80 and includes a starter, main course and dessert. We requested to replace one dessert for another starter, and supplemented the meal with a side of noodles.

Gotta love an Asian restaurant that serves an amuse bouche. The prawn toast is also offered in the lounge menu. There was a large plump shrimp within the buttery deep-fried toast.

The second amuse bouche was seafood turnovers. The pastry was buttery and the filling was well seasoned, although I thought this needed a dipping sauce.

Tasting of Dumplings ($8 supplemental)
This consisted of chive dumpling, dan dan dumpling, tiny dumpling, scallop-shrimp shu mai and shrimp har gow. My favorite was the dan dan dumpling which had a spicy kick and crunchy peanuts. I appreciated that the dumpling skin was fresh and not gummy, and that there was a good serving of shrimp in the filling. However I thought the dumplings tasted almost similar and didn’t offer anything unique from dumplings you can find elsewhere.

Cheow feung rolls with braised kobe beef cheeks, with chile, scallions, cilantro, crispy garlic, hot sesame oil
Once again, I was impressed with the wrapping. The beef cheek filling was tender and spicy. The rice noodle rolls were tasty but I wouldn't have known that it was filled with beef cheeks. The meat tasted almost like braised short ribs.

Crispy suckling pig, quince apple puree, sweet bean, chinese 10 spice
The crispy suckling pig was cooked nicely with layers of fat and a crispy skin. I liked the combination of the salty seasoning and the mildly sweet apple puree.

Singapore Style Chili Prawns, fresh crab, fried garlic, chili, scallions, shallots, pickled ginger
As a Singaporean who has grown up on chili crabs, I was rather disappointed with this dish. While the flavors were fine, I was expecting the layered flavors of a traditional Singapore chili sauce. I was expecting the sauce to have lots of garlic and a zing, perhaps from some homemade sambal. Instead the chili tasted like sriracha. While the dish had good Asian flavors, it did not remind me of anything I’ve had in Singapore.

Crispy glazed Cavendish Farm Quails "General Tso", garlic, dried chiles, ginger, black Chinkiang vinegar
This was perhaps my favorite dish. The portion was quite generous (6 pieces!). The quail was tender and juicy, but still had a crispy skin.

Shanghai noodles with fresh chiles, thai basil leaves, slow cooked oxtail
I thought the noodles needed more seasoning. With all the chiles and herbs, you would think it would have been more flavorful.

Passionfruit Semi Freddo, vanilla scented pineapple, coconut sorbet, gold toffeeMarjolasian, layers of dark chocolate, white espresso mousse, cashew nougatine, coffee ice cream

There was a long delay in getting our dessert. We didn’t mention anything but the waiter told us he would be bringing over an extra dessert. I thought that was a nice touch. Both desserts were pretty good, with lovely presentation. Unfortunately, we were both too full to enjoy more than one bite of each plate.

I have mixed emotions about WP24. I thought some of the dishes were great (quail, shrimp toast), but I expected the flavors to be more explosive. When I compare this to my meals at other upscale Asian restaurants such as Lukshon and Red Medicine, I have to say that WP24 does not meet the mark. The prices are high for dumplings and noodles, and the dishes are not as unique as what you can get from the other two restaurants. The service was also a bit spotty. Our waiter brought by an extra dessert but unfortunately, water glasses were rarely filled, and we had to wait over 20 minutes for our table as we were told that we had to 'wait for hostess' to come back from the dining room. The view was great, so while I may not come back for a full dinner, I may stop by the bar for some cocktails and shrimp toasts.

Hits: quail, view
Misses: pricey, chile prawn not Singaporean
Rating: **1/2

WP24
900 West Olympic Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 743-8824

Bull Ramen Popup at BreadBar

2011-07-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

Ramen Bull is Breadbar's latest new ramen popup, which runs Monday-Saturday until Sept 1. Chef Noriyuki Sugie of Ironnori Concepts is the brains behind the operation, combining hearty meats with steamy bowls of ramen.

I came ill prepared. At Breadbar's Yatai Ramen event last year, we brought our own alcoholic drinks because Breadbar does not offer any. This time, we forgot. However this Hibiscus Tea Soda made with the lime, soda and mint, was quite good. It was refreshing and tasted almost like a mojito, sans alcohol.

The menu is simple. All beef toppings such as short ribs, oxtail and corned beef. You can order additional items either as toppings on the ramen or as sides. We opted for sides so that the additions would not interfere with the original ramen order.

Beef tongue was almost like beef carpaccio. The meat was thin and buttery. It really did not have a strong offal taste so I would recommend this to people that typically avoid offal. The beef tongue was simply topped with ginger scallion dots.

The side of oxtail was incredibly fork tender, with some fatty pieces surrounding the bone. It had a rustic salty taste to it. Eating this really brought back memories of the oxtail stew that my mom would prepare for dinner.

Spicy ramen was extremely flavorful but not too spicy. The marinated ground meat added additional layers of flavor to the already delicious broth.

Because I can't get enough of oxtail, I went for the oxtail ramen. There were two large pieces of oxtail, as well as mushrooms and a soft boiled egg. I preferred this version to the oxtail ramen that I had at Yatai because the soup here was thicker and heartier.

Bull Ramen popup was a great experience. I really enjoyed the meats that were chosen, from the hearty robust-flavored oxtail to the delicate velvety beef tongue. It's a great way to showcase the common household ramen and turn it into something more than just a post-bar drunkard college meal.

Hits: oxtail, beef tongue
Misses: no alcohol
Rating: ***1/2

Ramen Bull at Breadbar
8718 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-205-0124
www.breadbar.net

Zengo: All you can eat and drink brunch

2011-07-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

Zengo, at Santa Monica Place, has everything you want from a brunch spot. Gorgeous patio seating (with heat lamps if needed). Gret view and ocean breeze. Easy parking at the mall. An exciting Latin-Asian menu that includes small-plate items such as banh mi sliders, dim sum and ceviche. But most importantly, they offer an all-you-can-eat-and-drink Sunday brunch for only $35.

This is definitely a place that you should dine with more than 2 friends, so you can sample all the dishes as we did.

Mimosa and mango mimosa. They also have sake sangria and lychee bellini.

They also offer bloody mary, and a bacon bloody mary.

EdamameBacon fried rice ~ fried egg / scallion / shiitake mushroom
This was a fairly normal fried rice, but I thought it was a good first dish to coat the stomach.

Ceviche ~ shrimp / octopus / calamari / aji panca /heart of palm / orange / serrano / bonito
I really enjoyed the ceviche which had a nice spicy-citrus combination. The seafood tasted fresh and was not rubbery. I also liked the crunch of the heart of palm which I don't see enough of at most places.

Sea bass ceviche ~ aji amarillo / red onion / cucumber / apple /tomato / shiso
I preferred the previous ceviche to this. Although this was still tasted fine, I thought there was too much cucumber and the fish needed some flavoring.

Peking duck hash ~poached egg / poblanos rajas / caramelized onion /plantain
I really enjoyed this dish which included a generous serving of tender shredded duck, sweet plantains, caramelized onions and topped with a runny egg yolk. This dish was hearty and was the perfect hangover food.

Shrimp vegetable potstickers ~red chile-dashi sauce
This was a pretty ordinary potsticker but I was pleased to find that the dumpling skin wasn't too thick. There was also a generous filling of shrimp and veggies. Asian Eastsiders may balk at the dumpling and compare it to the ones you can find in Alhambra, but I think it's good enough for someone that's just craving a dumpling and doesn't want to drive 30 miles east.

Pork-mushroom gyoza ~ black vinegar-soy sauce
For a gyoza, I thought these should have been pan fried a bit more. It was missing that crispy skin. But overall, still tasty.

House made meatballs ~ ginger / garlic / tomato / kaffir lime sauce /cilantro / parsley
The meatballs were dense but surprisingly quite tender. Zengo does a great job of meshing Latin and Asian ingredients. The aromatic kaffir lime and cilantro foam was an interesting combination but worked really well.

Thai chicken empanadas ~ chile poblano / oaxaca cheese / mango salsa
The empanadas came out pipping hot, with a buttery and flaky pastry. The shredded chicken was juicy and well seasoned. Flavorful chicken juice ozzed out of the empanada as you bit into it. This was one of my favorite dishes.

Banh mi sliders~ achiote pork / pickled vegetables / citrus aioli
This was similar to a pulled pork slider with a sweet marinade. There was also some sort of a Vietnamese cured ham or perhaps headcheese. The meats were topped with pickled vegetables that was tangy and crunchy. I was quite impressed with the bun which was fresh and soft.

Beef tenderloin benedict ~ poached egg / kimchee / hollandaise
I preferred the previous slider to this. The meat was charred and I hoped it had been a bit juicer. The perfectly poached egg was a nice touch, which added some moisture to the meat.

Thai shrimp lettuce wraps~ chorizo / peanut / cilantro / tamarind chutney
I really enjoyed this version of a lettuce wrap which traditionally is served with only pork. The ground pork was seasoned well, and the shrimps were battered and fried. Included in the mix were spiced nuts and sweet mango mint chutney. The flavors were very unique and bold.

Chipotle yellow fin tuna roll ~ wasabi tobiko / avocado / sesame chipotle rouille
This is a good dish if you are craving sushi but it wasn't as unique as the other dishes on the menu. But Zengo does a good job of offering something for everyone, so this would do well with sushi lovers.

Yucca fries / miso mustard / lemon sake
I actually really enjoyed the yucca fries although some of my friends found the texture odd. The yucca was soft in the center and had a sweet taste. The breading was very crispy and not oily.

Grilled achiote salmon ~bacon / shiitake mushroom / ponzu
The salmon was grilled with a char but I thought it was a bit overcooked. The mushrooms added a heavy, earthy flavor. I liked the use of ponzu sauce, which worked well with the salmon and gave a tart flavor to the fish.

Pan dulce ~ mexican sweet bread / cinnamon whipped cream /licor 43 / star anise
We ended the meal with their only sweet dessert item. The Pan dulce was toasted and airy, and drizzled with a sweet orange agave syrup. I enjoyed the light and spicy cinnamon whipped cream.

I thought an all-you-can-eat meal would result in poor quality and mediocre-tasting food but in fact, the dishes at Zengo were anything but. Some dishes were what you could find at many places (dumplings, fried rice) but they were still tasty. There were other dishes that combined Latin and Asian flavors perfectly, and were quite unique. Apart from the good food, the service was excellent. Our waitress came by often to take our drink orders. She was also friendly and gave us good recommendations. If you love trying different dishes and like to drink, Zengo is definitely a great place for brunch.

Hits: great deal, location/view, service, octopus ceviche, empanadas, duck hash
Misses: -
Rating: ***1/2

Zengo
395 Santa Monica Place.,
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 899-1000
www.richardsandoval.com/zengosm

Brunch at Fig, Santa Monica

2011-06-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

FIG restaurant is located at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, a block from the ocean. The kitchen is known for sourcing local and organic ingredients especially from the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Although the restaurant does not have a view of the ocean, it does look out to the pool and garden area. I have been meaning to check out their brunch menu but unfortunatelyI didn't realize that brunch is only offered on Sundays. On Saturdays, you can only choose from their lunch menu that includes sandwiches, salads and entrees.

We ordered a round of drinks of beer, mimosa and wine. Unfortunately the wine was not chilled enough.

BBQ chicken pulled organic, coleslaw, smoked cheddar
I really enjoyed the sandwich. The BBQ pulled pork was tender and juicy, and lathered with the right amount of sauce that wasn't overly sweet or tangy. I typically don't like slaw but I was blown away with the coleslaw. The slaw wasn't dressed with too much mayo and it had a nice zing to it. The crunchy slaw and tender meat was a nice combination.

Fish Tacos with mango salsa, cilantro, crema
The fish tacos were extremely spicy, a bit too spicy for my friend but I can appreciate it. The fish was nicely grilled and topped with mango salsa and avocado slices. You can definitely tell that the ingredients are fresh and good quality.

Fish and chips, cod, fries, tartare sauce
The fish and chips were decent but nothing too special. I liked that the breading wasn't greasy and that they offered a nice portion of fish which tasted fresh. However the mushy peas didn't really do it for me. I also thought the fries weren't crispy enough. I usually finish every fry on my plate but I left half of mine on the plate.

Lunch at FIG was good, but apart from the BBQ sandwich, I don't think the other dishes were anything special. I think the brunch menu looks much more interesting (such as bacon waffle or lengua taco) so I probably won't venture back unless it's a Sunday.

Hits: chicken sandwich
Misses: not too unique or inventive
Rating: ***

Fig Santa Monica
101 Wilshire Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 319-3111
www.figsantamonica.com

Mozza2Go: avoid the crowd and enjoy your pizza at home

2011-06-24T12:53:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I tried the pizza at Nancy Silverton's Pizzeria Mozza. I was a bit nervous. I don't like most cheeses and I definitely don't care for most pizzas. But after sampling their squash blossom and burrata pizza, I was a changed person. I realized that my repulsion towards cheese only developed because I had been subjected to pizzas with congealed and oily cheese. On the other hand, Mozza's ingredients are fresh and homemade. I was a convert.

When Blackboard Eats came out with a 30% discount for Mozza2Go, it was a good reason to relive my pizza experience. Mozza2Go is Mozza's takeout outfit, located right beside the restaurant in Hollywood. The valet will let you know where you can park for free while you hop out to pick up your order. The food smelt amazing that I was tempted to raid the pizza box on my drive home.

Chicken liver, capers, parsley & guanciale bruschetta
The bruschetta was topped with a huge heap of liver which had a really intense organy flavor. In fact, I ended up scooping part of the liver and eating it with additional crackers. I really liked the addition of chopped capers as they added a lemon tang that cut the heaviness of the liver. The crostini was crunchy, drizzled with olive oil and grilled, and topped with salty, crispy guanciale.

Meatballs al forno
$12 for 3 meatballs sounds like a hefty price tag but I really enjoyed this side dish. The meatballs which were made with beef and veal, and was well seasoned and tender. The tomato sauce was rich in flavor with a spicy kick to it.

Pizza alla Benno: Speck, pineapple, jalapenos, mozzarella & tomato
This is an upscale version of a Hawaiian pizza. The thin slices of speck were salty and delicate. The salty and sweet combination was just right. I also liked the addition of jalapeno which really spiced up the pizza.

Fennel sausage, panna, scallions, & red onion
This is one of my favorite pizzas at Mozza and definitely a must-order for meat lovers. The fennel sausage looked almost like little meatballs with little bits of fennel seeds. I love that there is minimal cheese in Mozza's pizza. Just really good quality meat and vegetable ingredients.

The food at Mozza is standout and I think it's been consistently good since its opening. The pizza comes in four slices and can be pricey at $17-$19 but I do believe it's worth the splurge once in a while. The crust was crispy and light but more importantly, the dough was appropriately seasoned. There was also the right amount of topping. They post heating instructions on the pizza boxes so the pizza will always taste just as good the next day.

Mozza2Go
6610 Melrose Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 297-1130
http://www.mozza2go.com/

Extravaganza For The Senses Food & Wine Event: Tickets on Sale

2011-06-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

The Saban Free Clinic's "14th Annual Extravaganza For the Senses" Food and Wine event will be held at Gower Studios in Hollywood on Saturday June 16, 2011. Last years event was well planend and fun, with a great selection of food (wow! Angelini Osteria's Spinach lasagna and Momed's duck schwarma) and wine. They even had bubbly. I'm excited to see Michael's and Simplethings on the bill this year.

Get your tickets before July 1 for a discount.
P.S if you can afford it, go VIP which gets you early entrance to the event as well seating in the VIP section with shade! Do it. It's for charity.

Event information below:

The Saban Free Clinic will host the 14th Annual Extravaganza for the Senses. Featuring a lively backdrop of music and a silent auction, guests will enjoy unlimited samples of gourmet food and wine from more than 100 wineries and 40 Los Angeles area restaurants. All net proceeds from the event will directly benefit The Saban Free Clinic.

WHEN: Saturday, July 16, 2011
VIP: 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. General Admission: 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
WHERE: Sunset Gower Studios at 1438 North Gower Street, Hollywood, CA 90028
TICKET INFO: Tickets are $80 before July 1 and special VIP tickets are available for $200, which includes VIP parking, early VIP entry into the event, and seating in the exclusive VIP lounge overlooking the event. As of July 1, tickets are $100 and $225, respectively.

Visit www.thesabanfreeclinic.org/extravaganza for more information.

Marea, NYC: Uni and Crab Pasta will forever be ingrained in my mind

2011-06-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

I ended my trip to New York with Sunday brunch at Two Michelin Star Italian restaurant Marea. I actually didn't know much about Marea (gasp) but it came highly recommended among friends and bloggers. Their seafood and pastas are not to be missed, so I've been told.

We were one of the first guests to arrive but the restaurant filled up quickly. I liked the upscale yet modern decor with leather chairs and a lovely view of Columbus Circle.

I don't ever take photos of bathrooms, but I loved their sinks.

Their brunch menu includes 2 courses for $42. First course includes a choice from their crudo or antipasti section, and second course allows a selection from their pastas and entrees. It was a pretty easy decision for me as I knew exactly what I was going to get and had been thinking about it for days - their sea urchin and crab spaghetti.

Bread selection was a seven-grain and olive foccacia.

Assaggio Di Tre ~ tasting of three crudo (additional $9)
This is the way to go if you can't decide between their 9 crudos. I chose the sepia, octopus and razor clams. The sepia (cuttlefish) was served with soffrito and bottarga. I really enjoyed the sharpness of the bottarga. The razor clams were nicely seasoned and served with fennel and peperoncino. It was supple with an oceanic flavor. I loved the texture of the octopus which was dressed with chili oil, lemon and parsley. The flavors of the crudo were really clean and fresh.

Moleche ~ crispy soft shell crab, charred radicchio, orange, pancetta vinaigrette
The soft shell crab was uniquely breaded with polenta which resulted in a grainy texture. It was nicely seasoned. The slightly bitter radicchio was dressed with fresh citrus dressing.

Fusilli ~ durum wheat pasta, red wine braised octopus, bone marrow
This is apparently one of their most popular dishes. The wheat pasta was toothsome and the crevices really held on to the sauce. The large octopus tentacles were cut to the same length as the pasta so they almost blended into the sauce. The pasta was cooked in a rich tomato sauce that was full of flavor. Huge chunks of fatty bone marrow were mixed in the sauce and really added richness to the dish.

Spaghetti ~ fresh cut Semonlina pasta, crab, Santa Barbara sea urchin, basil
This dish was absolutely glorious. The fresh pasta was cooked al dente and mixed in completely with the creamy bright orange uni sauce. I can never get enough of pasta with uni as it has the right balance of sweetness and oceanic flavor. The fresh crab was topped on the pasta for an additional seafood touch. Crumbled breadcrumbs were added for texture and saltiness. Such a standout dish that I hope to be able to make at home.

Ippoglosso ~ herb crusted east coast halibut, broccoli rabe, sopprasetta, royal trumpet mushroom, cipollini
The halibut was perfectly cooked with a crusty coating, and was quite a generous portion. The mushroom had an intense earthly flavor and the soprasetta was sweet with a nice spice. Although the halibut dish was tasty, I think the pasta dishes resonated more with my party.

Petit fours of Pistachio Madeline, espresso and gooey salted caramel were presented. Who needs to order dessert when you can get this for free?

Brunch at Marea was exquisite. I was really impressed with the freshness of the crudo. The pasta dishes were definitely standout, perfectly cooked with hearty and comforting flavors, yet cooked with such finesse. They were also surprisingly served in rather filling portions. My only critique was that our waiter was a bit snobby and rather curt. Understandably, this is an upscale restaurant, but it was also during Sunday brunch, not a weekend dinner reservation. Otherwise, an excellent last meal to round up my New York trip.

Hits: crudo, uni pasta, fusilli
Misses: waiter a bit snobby
Rating:***1/2

Marea
240 Central Park South,
New York, NY 10019
(212) 582-5100
www.marea-nyc.com

Gramercy Tavern, NYC (An American Classic)

2011-06-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize that Gramercy Tavern was such a New York establishment. When you walk into the upscale restaurant or peruse the contemporary cuisine, you wouldn't realize that the Michelin One Star restaurant has been around for 17 years. You may not even recall that Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio was a previous co-owner and executive chef.

The restaurant is split into a bar area and a more formal dining room.

A prix fixe menu is offered in the dining room, three courses for $88. They also offer a six course tasting menu, including a vegetarian option.

Fresh bread with choice of plum ciabatta and sourdough.

Next, an amuse bouche of potato souffle with goat cheese and Parmesan. The souffle was airy and similar to a gougere with a pungent goat cheese essence.

Beef tartare with sorrel and farm egg
The delicate and fresh beef was nicely seasoned. After combining the poached yolk with the finely chopped meat, you get a lovely mixture that's rich and almost buttery. I liked that you could really taste the freshness of the meat, and that the tartare wasn't overpowered by capers and seasoning.

Duck fettucine with parsnips and brussel sprouts.
This was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The pulled duck confit was tender with pieces of fat attached. The sauce was slightly creamy, perhaps from the fat of the confit and the pasta combined. There was also a nice balance of sweetness and tang in the sauce. The leafy sprouts and parnips added crunch to the dish. Overall, a very hearty and comforting dish.

Rack and shoulder of lamb with hen of the woods mushrooms, sunchokes, hazelnut and collard greens
This dish is apparently a crowd favorite. The duo of lamb was perfectly cooked and not gamy. I really enjoyed the pairing of the chunks of sunchokes and earthy mushrooms. The lamb jus really combined with and flavored all the components on the plate.

Pork loin & belly with Heirloom beans and red rice
The pork loin was amazing, perhaps one of the juiciest piece of pork I've had. It was served with a smaller portion of pork belly that was was tender and fatty. I thought the red rice and beans were an interesting choice of sides which gave this dish a very Southern touch. The rice and beans were spicy and flavorful in a sauce that was infused with coriander and thyme. The dish was topped with emulsified pork skin which was a nice touch.

The last course is a dessert of your choice.

But first, a palate cleanser was brought over. Mandarin jelly, marscapone sauce and a meringue which was light and citrusy. It reminded me of a creamsicle. The sharp flavors really did a good job of cleansing the palate.

Sticky coffee fig cake and coffee ice cream
My favorite dessert of the night. The sticky coffee cake was gooey and sticky, with an intense caramel flavor. It was definitely very sweet and rich so a couple bites was more than enough.

Warm chocolate bread pudding with cacao nib ice cream
The chocolate pudding would be a chocolate-lover's dream. It was not super heavy or dense, and was moist in the center.

As if the meal wasn't filling enough, petit fours were presented with the check. Mint chocolate ganache, black sesame meringue and chocolate ganache tart.

I love when restaurants pack some fresh baked goods for breakfast the next day. We were given a homemade muffin which came in handy after the bars had closed.

The 3 course menu was more than sufficient food. Add on the amuse bouche, palate cleanser and petit fours and that's essentially six courses. I definitely walked away full and very satisfied. The food was spot on, flavorful and well executed. A truly lovely meal. After all these years, it seems that Gramercy Tavern hasn't missed a beat.

Hits: all the dishes, portions
Misses: get crowded, so make a reservation
Rating: ***1/2

Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 477-0777
www.gramercytavern.com

Eataly & Picnic in the Park, NYC

2011-05-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

I didn't know much about Eataly until my twitter blew up a couple months ago with speculation that the Italian market would be opening up in Los Angeles. The sprawling 50,000 sq ft space in the Flatiron District in NYC, brought to you by Mario Batali, business partner Joe Bastianich and beloved TV chef Lidia Bastianich, houses every imaginable gourmet food item. It's kind of a cross between the Ferry Building in SF and a Sur La Table. There's a butcher, cheese shop, fishmonger, fresh pasta stand, home made charcuterie and bakery. Unfortunately their rooftop beer garden wasn't open yet. Apparently it will be open to public in the coming week.

There are many seats available for dining but we decided to pick up some fresh bread and cured meat for a picnic at Madison Square Park, just outside of the market.

We went with the packaged Fino Finocchiona and Prosciutto Di Etaly Friulano.

The rustic fig bread was fresh with a nice sweetness from the huge chunks of figs. The salami with fennel was my favorite. It was sweet with a hit of spice. The charcuterie selections were all fresh and tender.

We also picked up some focaccia from the bakery. The Focaccia Genova was topped with sweet onions. It had a bit of a creamy base but without any cheese. The Tomato, Mozzarella & Parma was identical to a ham pizza. The last selection was a broccoli focaccia.

The prices at Eataly are definitely on the high-end ($3-4 for each focaccia, $6 for a small loaf of bread) but the quality is solid. It's also a fun experience to roam the spacious market, buy a serving of gelato, peruse the pasta stand, and select the freshest ingredients for a homecooked dinner.

Eataly
200 5th Ave
New York, NY 10010
(212) 229-2560
www.eatalyny.com

Wood & Vine: Small plates dining in Hollywood

2011-05-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

We decided to grab a bite at Wood and Vine before the Fleet Foxes concert at the Hollywood Palladium. Located in the historic Taft building, the newbie restaurant is housed in a pretty cool space. The restaurant has two levels, soaring ceilings with dark walls and furniture. It's sleek, trendy, bustling yet warm in a very "non-clubby Hollywood" way.

Their dishes, prepared by English chef Gavin Mills, are meant to be shared so we ordered a couple dishes for the two of us.

Their Charcuterie is an absolute must. It's made in-house and is quite affordable at 3 for $8, 5 for $12 or 7 for $16. You can include cheeses to the selection. We went with the chicken liver mousse, pork and cherry pate and Tallegio cheese. The silky liver mousse was my favorite as it was creamy and easy to spread. It had the right amount of sweetness to it. The pate had an intense porkiness with chunks of rich liver. The Tallegio was rich with a strong aroma. I liked the nice setup of the dish with the meats and cheese served alongside the honey, pickled vegetables and mustard. I also appreciated the ample serving of crostini toasted with olive oil.

Their grilled scallop was cooked with such perfection. It had a nice sear outside but was supple inside. The large scallops were paired with creamy truffled grits and artichokes. The grits were really flavorful and decadent.

The braised lamb and ricotta ravioli was perhaps my least favorite of the lot. I thought the lamb had a gamy flavor. The butter did not seem sufficiently browned, hence it lacked that nutty flavor. I did like the citrus of the preserved lemon and the crunchy stalks of broccolini.

Their fried chicken and waffle is a crowd favorite. The white meat was surprisingly juicy and succulent. It had a nice breading and crispy skin. The house made waffle was fluffy and not soggy. I thought it held together quite well. Instead of having syrup drizzled on the waffle, they topped the dish with a sweet maple roasted squash.

In a town that's filled with too many uber-trendy and sceney restaurants, I really enjoyed dinner at this sophisticated yet approachable dining spot. The decor is quite impressive with a lovely outdoor patio area and retro bar area. The food was also good and very satisfying.

Hits: chicken & waffles, charcuterie, scallops
Misses: pasta was ok
Rating: ***

Wood & Vine
6280 Hollywood Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 334-3360
http://www.woodandvine.com/

Steingarten: New Beers & Brats Bar in the Westside

2011-05-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Steingarten is the latest of many beer bars cropping up around town. It's located on the Westside at the old Kay & Dave's location, on Pico Blvd where parking is ample. I love the decor. The dark wooden bar with chalkboard menu feels rustic. The long communal tables gives the place a fun and casual feel. There's a lovely outdoor garden area which is the perfect location on a sunny day. The menu is also quite intriguing. They offer exotic sausages, but also other interesting plates such as deer salami and chicken schnitzel.

Happy hr is from 4-7pm and for $10, you get a choice of 2 beers and any sausage from the entire menu except the game section. The happy hour sausage selection is excellent, however, we only had a choice between the Firestone Velvet Merlin (an oatmeal stout) or the Stone Belgo-barley (a sweet barley wine). I think our waitress was new because she wasn't sure if they had a happy hour special. She also mentioned the choice of two beers, whereas it seems (on Yelp and Steingarten's facebook page) that you can choose from five house taps.

Sausages range from $6.50-$7.50 outside of happy hour. Besides the traditional bratwurst and bockwurst, they also offer exotic sausages such as alligator & pork, bison, and venison & blueberry.

The sweet potato fries was served in a huge cone. I really enjoyed the curry tomato dipping sauce. Unfortunately, I thought the fries were a bit inconsistent - some were cut too thick and felt really dense. We also ordered regular fries, which I preferred over the sweet potato fries. The regular fries were skinny with an adequate sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Trio of sliders included turkey sliders, smoked BBQ pulled pork and beef sliders. They three sliders were all unique in flavor, texture and toppings. The spicy pulled pork was the most flavorful with a zing. It was topped with pickled carrots and jalapeno. The turkey sliders felt lighter and was served with sweet caramelized onions and roasted garlic. I really appreciated the fresh toasted buns.

For the happy hour combo, I ordered the duck and bacon sausage. The sausage had really rich flavors but I didn't get much taste of the bacon. I was blown away by the caramelized onions which were sweet and cooked down really well. The bread was nicely toasted and fresh. Definitely home made and not from the grocery store. My friend got the Wild Boar & berry which was also a good choice. The sausage was quite lean and flavorful.

Steingarten is a nice addition to the area. I think the sausages are generally about 50 cents more expensive than competitor Wurstkuche, but I prefer Steingarten's wider food offerings. However I do think Wurstkuche has tastier fries and a better selection of dipping sauces. It'd be interesting to see the competition between the two when Wurstkuche opens up shop in the Westside this year.

Hits: sausages, ambiance
Misses: fries, HH beer selection, server not knowledgeable
Rating: ***

Steingarten
10543 W Pico Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 441-0441
http://www.steingartenla.com/

Mimosa Brunch at Lokal, Chicago

2011-05-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

Weekend all-you-can-drink mimosa brunches have become a norm, even when I'm traveling. On my recent trip to Chicago, I went in search of such. Lokal, a European restaurant in Wicker Park was top on the search results.

The restaurant has a very artsy feel to it from the paintings to the projection of film on the wall. I also like the exposed bricked walls and ducts.

They also have great silverware.

The owners of the restaurant are Polish and so is the cuisine. Some of the Polish items include Polish sausage rye sandwich with pear mustard, and potato pancake with dill creme fraiche. They also offer many regular brunch items.

On weekends, mimosas are all-you-can-drink for $7. I liked that our waitress even filled up the glasses after we had paid the check. If you prefer bloody marys, you can opt for their bottomless bloody's at $9.

Nutella frites was not what I had expected but it was still delicious. This was essentially a nutella and banana stuffed french toast. I really enjoyed the crispy toasted bread which seemed almost as light as brioche. The banana and nutella combination was lovely with the bananas adding a creaminess and the nutella adding chocolate sweetness. The whipped cream was fresh and homemade. You could tell that they utilize really good ingredients.

Duck confit poached eggs were a variation of eggs benedict. The eggs were topped with an apple star anise compote. The eggs were poached really well and the toasted bread was thick enough to soak up the runny egg. The duck confit was ample, however I think it lacked seasoning.

The regular French toast was topped with fresh whipped cream, an orange-maple syrup and fresh fruit.

To supplement my sweet french toast dish, I also ordered some eggs and toast. Unfortunately the only bread they offered was rye, so we asked for the same bread they used in their french toast.

I thought the food was tasty and reasonably priced. It's a pity we didn't order any of the Polish inspired dishes. The ingredients tasted fresh and the dishes didn't feel greasy or unhealthy. But the winner is the $7 all-you-can-drink mimosas.

Hits: $7 bottomless mimosas, nutella frites
Misses: only rye bread option
Rating: ***

Lokal
1904 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 904-8113
www.lokalchicago.com

Alinea, Chicago: Exquisite and Exemplary 22 Course Tasting Menu

2011-05-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

As you walked through the red corridor and come to the end of the hall, the automatic door to your right opens, and standing behind it is a welcoming hostess. You glance over to the right and survey the kitchen. The kitchen is spotless and the chefs are quietly and efficiently working.

The hostess takes your coat and escorts you upstairs to the modern yet simplistic dining room.

Utensils set on a white pillow lay in the center of the table.

The 22 course tasting menu is presented. There’s only one menu choice. Wine pairing is offered for an additional charge (between $150-$195). The menu itself is insightful. The bubbles beside each course illustrate the size of the course (larger bubble meaning larger serving) and taste (courses go from savory to sweet when the bubble is position left to right). It's brilliant.

You know you are in for a treat. You’re at Alinea, the three Michelin Star, Best North American restaurant and Top 6 restaurant in the world. Chef owner Grant Achatz is known as one of America's best chefs in modern cuisine and molecular gastronomy. So sit back and enjoy one of the best dining experiences you'll ever have.

1. Steelhead Roe ~ dijon, rutabaga, grapefruit
Cocktail of Pierre Gimonnet Brut with Chrysanthemum liqueur and bitters
When our waiter first brought by the menu, he asked if there was anything we didn’t eat. The first course had mustard which I dislike, so he said the kitchen would substitute. I was surprised when the first course was served promptly and both my friend and my plates looked identical. I was sure they had forgotten to omit the mustard. But the kitchen had replaced the self encapsulated mustard custards with thick banana slices. You could not tell the difference between the two dishes. The rutabaga and ruby red grapefruit sauce was thick and complex, and littered with steelhead roe and licorice (not caviar) spheres. The flavors in this first course really came together and popped. It definitely woke up my palate.

2. Yuba ~ shrimp, miso, togarashi
Fried tofu stick was wrapped with shrimp, and dipped in a miso emulsion. I found the texture of the shrimp to be rather interesting. It wasn't rubbery or overcooked, in fact it was a tad undercooked, but in a good way. The flavors in this course were milder than the previous course, but I did find it fun to be able to use my hands to partake of the finger food.

3. Oyster Leaf ~ mignonette
Very interesting course. There was no oyster on this shell but the leaf surprisingly tasted like oyster. The best way to describe how you're supposed to consume this is to eat it like you would an artichoke leaf.

4. Scallop ~ hitachino weizen, old bay
The scallop was cooked nicely and topped with a Japanese beer foam and balanced with sharp scallions. You eat this dish as you would take a shot.

5. Razorfish ~ carrot, soy, daikon
Emmerich Knoll ‘Kellerberg’, Riesling Smaragd, Wachau, Austria 2004
I like razor clams but don't see them served often. The fresh shellfish was topped with carrot, ginger and tapioca pearls. The sauce had a nice spicy kick. Tilt the clam back to get every last drop of sauce.

6.Urchin ~ green garlic, vanilla, mint
The presentation of this course was so delicate. The uni was encapsulated in a vanilla gelee and propped on top of a bowl of green garlic emulsion. Unfortunately I could barely taste the uni and I thought the flavors were overpowered by the intense cilantro and watercress. The broth however was delicious. It was salty, flavorful with a buttery finish.

7. Halibut ~ black pepper, coffee, lemon
Testamatta ‘Cicala del Giglio’, Toscana 2009
The blandest looking dish, you ask? Don't doubt Achatz. There's genius in everything he does. This dish presented in a monochromatic presentation was brilliant. Every element that you know to be black (coffee, black pepper, black licorice) was in fact served in a white form. The dish was anything but boring. This was an exceptionally cooked piece of fish and was appropriately seasoned. The lemon pearls, coffee, pepper foam and vanilla combinations sound odd together but came together. I also enjoyed the parsnip puree which was rich and creamy.

8. Rabbit ~ parfait, rillette, consommé
Niepoort ‘Redoma Branco’ Douro 2009
This was one of my favorite courses of the night because it was a trio of rabbit. The first course was served on the top section of an egg shaped container. After you are finished, you are instructed to remove the lid to continue on with the second and subsequently, third portions. Apparently Chef Achatz first noticed this bowl and conceptualized this course to utilize it.

Part 1 was rabbit mousse with creme fraiche parfait which was smooth and livery. For a contrast in texture, they served this with fried apple, spaghetti squash tuille, puffed butternut squash seeds and fried sage.

Part 2 was rabbit rillette with butternut squash puree, mushrooms and blood sausage. I really enjoyed this dish. The sweetness of the butternut squash and apple gelee worked well with the intense and salty blood sausage.

Part 3 was rabbit consommé with a cinnamon stick. A hot rock was placed at the bottom of the bowl to keep the broth warm.

9) Wild Mushrooms ~ pine, sumac, ramp
Peay ‘Scallop Shelf’ Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2008
I love mushrooms so this was another favorite. The selection of wild mushrooms was earthly and filling. The mushrooms and white peach rested on a pine cream sumac with crumbled pine nut and pickled ramps. Beautiful dish that looked like it was a snapshot of a garden plot. This dish really illustrates the point that fresh vegetables can create a mouthwatering dish.

10) Hot Potato ~ cold potato, black truffle, butter
This is a famous dish because of its unique presentation and is one of Achatz's mad scientist like creations. A pin is skewered with a hot potato ball topped with black truffle, Parmesan chunk and butter cube. When you pull out the pin, the ingredients are dropped into the chilled potato soup. When you shoot everything back like a shot of oyster, you realize the magic of this dish. The soup is simple yet complex with infused truffle flavor. The black truffle lends an upscale factor to this course, and the Parmesan is the perfect nutty and salty component to the dish.

A couple courses prior, our waiter brought by an odd contraption with two orange flags. We weren't told what it was for and were asked not to touch it. We found out it was edible when my friend sampled a tiny corner of the wrapper. Turns out, they left it on the table to encourage conversation and ignite curiosity. The wrappers were for our next course.

11) Short Rib ~ olive, red wine, blackberry
Quinta de Vicosa, Alentejo, Portugal 2005

We were asked to put together our serving equipment which included a metal stand. Ingredients were brought by and we were asked to assemble our own ravioli. I just love how Alinea is daring enough to ask guests in this fine dining establishment to put together their own dishes.

The ingredients include smoked sea salt, blackberry, charred onion, nicoise olive, tart cherry, tobacco pudding in spoon, salsify, parsley, tomato vinaigrette, fermented garlic, and pickled turnip. The short ribs were beautifully cooked, fork tender and braised in a rich salty sauce. I really enjoyed the DIY method as I was able to omit the items that I do not care for. It was fun to play with the ingredients. Who would have thought that blackberry and fermented garlic would go so well with short ribs? I only wished the tomato pasta could have had a little seasoning.

12) Hamachi ~ west indies spices, banana, ginger
This was a spiced banana fritter that had a light and airy breading and was not greasy. The fried ball was infused with ginger, passionfruit and vanilla bean. Once again, unique combinations. Unfortunately I couldn't taste the hamachi, it seemed that the banana flavor overwhelmed the other components.

13) Agneau ~ sauce choron, pomme de terre noisette
Napanook, Napa Valley 2007
The lamb dish is where Achatz pays homage to French chef August Escoffier. The lamb loin sits on a crouton and is topped with a poached artichoke heart and asparagus stem. The choron is a tomato bernaise sauce. The side of hazelnuts adds a crunch. It's a contemporary take on a very traditional dish.

14) Venison ~ cherry, cocoa nib, eucalyptus
The skewered cube of venison was tender. It was served on a bed of eucalyptus leaves and lightly dressed with sweet cherry compote.

15) Black Truffle ~ explosion, romaine, Parmesan
One of my favorite courses and also their signature dish, this was a soup dumpling served in a spoon. You are advised to eat it with lips sealed tight as the warm truffle infused broth may end up exploding at your dining companions. The rush of flavors from the soup was delightful. It was comforting and soothing. The wrapper wasn't thick or gummy. The dish was delicate and delicious, something that I could easily consume many more of.

16) Yuzu ~ snow
Palate cleanser of yuzu frozen by liquid nitrogen. Tangy and cold to the lips.

17) Sweet Potato ~ cedar, bourbon, pecan
Nittanus ‘Premium’ Beerenauslese, Burgenland, Austria, NV
This dish really played with your sense of smell. The dish was served on a heated cedar plank which infused its scent into the food. Sweet potato mousse was accompanied with bourbon, crumbled pecan, cayenne pepper fairy floss. It's good to be reminded that great desserts do not always have to include chocolate. I also enjoyed the sweet dessert wine pairing.

18) Lemongrass ~ dragonfruit, finger lime, cucumber
The test tube was filled with an interesting mix of fluid and gelatin. It was fun to suck all the ingredients out from one end. I found the shot of dragon fruit and lemongrass to be very refreshing and sweet.

The next three dessert courses were served concurrently.

19) Bacon ~ butterscotch, apple, thyme
20) Nutella ~ bread, banana, chocolate
21) Lychee ~ jasmine tea
AE Dor ‘Pineau Francois’ 1es, Pineau de Chartentes

The swine on a swing is the only item that remains from the original menu. It was basically candied bacon with a nice sweet salty combination. The center dessert was a freeze-dried nutella banana sandwich. I loved how the dry items combined together in your mouth. The last item was a thin sheet of lychee chard dusted with Jasmine tea powder that dissolved on your tongue and left an intense lychee flavor.

Last but not least, the dessert grand finale.

22) Chocolate ~ blueberry, honey, peanut
Toro Albata ‘Don PX’ Gran Reserva, Montill-Moriles, Spain
Ingredients were brought to the table but don't touch them. A rubber mat was placed on the table and the dessert chef came by to assemble this last course.

He expertly creates dollops and smears of chocolate and caramel on the canvas.

He also caramelized the creme brulee with a torch.

The end result is a masterpiece of chocolate shortbread, peanut butter nougat, pickled blueberry puree, milk sweetened with honey, hot chocolate, green and purple basil, honey custard brûlée and milk chocolate mousse that was frozen in liquid nitrogen and cracked table side. I enjoyed them all but my favorite was the mousse which had an intense chocolate flavor.

It's hard to articulate how amazing dinner at Alinea was. Service was impressive. Our waiters were professional but also had a sense of humor. I've had exceptional meals at top restaurant, but this one takes the cake on ingenuity and playfulness. It was by far the most fun dining experience I've had to date. But Achatz didn't just wow us with his presentation tricks. His food is impressive. Everything was spot on and well executed. I loved his insight to pair seemingly odd-matched ingredients together. I love how he lets you play with your food. The portions and pairings were perfectly sized where you didn't leave trashed, hungry or wanting to barf. Everything was well thought out from how the ingredients of each dish enhance each other, to the choice of utensils and design of the menu. It truly is a once in a lifetime experience.

Hits: dishes from conception to execution
Misses: reservations get snapped up quickly
Rating: *****

Alinea
1723 N Halsted
Chicago IL 60614
(312) 867-0110
www.alinearestaurant.com

Blackbird, Chicago

2011-05-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

After sampling the charcuterie at The Publican, we had hoped to make it a Paul Kahan-Restaurant crawl and score a small bite and drink at his other restaurant Avec. Unfortunately, there weren't any tables available at Avec and the snooty hostess curtly said that we wouldn't even be able to stand around for a drink. Defeated, we walked next door to Blackbird, where we had reservations for dinner. Blackbird has earned numerous awards including a Michelin Star and James Beard awards. The menu and ambiance at Blackbird is much different from The Publican but similar to Avec, although with friendlier service. There aren’t any portraits of pigs on the wall. You won’t have to share a communal table with other diners. The restaurant is intimate, and the service less casual. And the food here is elegant and cooked with finesse. It’s definitely more upscale, and the prices reflect accordingly.

The appetizers looked the most interesting so we decided to split a handful of them instead of ordering an entrée each.

Warm fresh bread was served with soft butter.

An amuse bouche of fluke was promptly served. The cured fluke was served with a coriander and chicory sauce and white asparagus. This was probably my least favorite bite of the night. The fish was not chilled enough and the asparagus had a disturbingly sharp flavor.

Warm sepia noodles were served with spring onion, avocado, green pumpkin seeds and lime. This looked like a pasta dish as the cuttlefish resembled linguine. It was toothsome and flavorful. I'm not an avocado fan but I appreciated the creaminess that the avocado lent to the sepia. The citrus from the lime kept this first course light and refreshing.

Our waiter split the Foie gras torchon with mandarinquat jam, sesame and nasturtium dish for us. I'm glad that he did, as it is always tough to share foie gras. The foie was very rich as expected. It was served with sour mandarin preserve which was an interesting combination as I usually see foie paired with something jammier. I loved the intensely flavored sesame crumble. I liked the restraint on molecular gastronomy techniques used at the restaurant. They weren't showy about it, and only used it sparingly. My only critique was that I wished they served this dish with toasted brioche as the foie gras was too rich to be eaten on its own.

The maple glazed veal sweetbreads was my favorite of the night. It had a light and crispy breading that didn't overshadow the sweetbread. I love that you could actually taste the sweetbreads, not just breading. The sweetbreads were served with rutabaga, granny smith apple and black caraway.

Sauteed skate wing was plated with little gem, almonds, pickled ramps and whipped butter pudding. The skate was cooked perfectly and was well seasoned. I thought the delicate and light fish was paired well with the deliciously thick and rich pudding. The creamy pudding was something that I would have loved to pack home in a jar.

The Smoked suckling pig was perfectly crispy and tender. I really enjoyed the daring and interesting combination with the oceanic plump hama hama oysters. The dish was layered with a tangy flavor from the giardiniera pickled sunchokes. Hazelnuts added a nuttiness and crunch. I thought all the components would not mesh well but the flavors actually came together in harmony.

Salted Caramel truffle ended the night.

Dinner at Blackbird was lovely. There wasn't any crackling pop rocks or exciting offal dishes, but the food was sophisticated and well executed. I liked the unique combinations such as sweetbreads with tart apple and the sepia with creamy avocado sauce.

Hits: sweetbreads, skate, sepia
Misses: lukewarm amuse bouche
Rating: ***

Blackbird
619 W. Randolph
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 715-0708
www.blackbirdrestaurant.com

The Publican, Chicago: Where the Pig is King

2011-05-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ask anyone in Chicago where the best brunch is at and The Publican will often be top on the list. The pork-focused restaurant in the Warehouse District is the third popular restaurant by Paul Kahan of Blackbird and Avec. I had heard about their fried pork rinds and charcuterie. But I was conflicted. I had reservations for brunch at The Publican but unfortunately they do not serve their charcuterie during brunch. So being the excessive, indulgent eaters that we are, my friend and I decided to stop at The Publican for a quick bite before our dinner at Blackbird.

The restaurant, though expansive, was pretty packed at 6pm. The large German beer hall was lit with bright globe lights, and had ample communal seating and booth seating that looked like a Catholic confessional.

Their dinner menu is meat-heavy with a nice selection of offal items such as pork rillette, sweetbreads and chicken liver. But pescetarians need not cringe as they also offer many seafood options such as fresh oysters, steamed mussels and dover sole.

The Pork Rinds were freshly fried and surprisingly light. It had a nice seasoning which got spicier when you got to the bottom.

The Half charcuterie was offered for $15 (vs. Full at $24) and comprised of pork pie, liverwurst, head cheese, sopressata, morteau sausage, pickles and mustard. The terrine was pork-heavy and had good chunks of meat. The head cheese was tender and delicate, while the sopressata had an intense salami flavor. My favorite was the pork pie which had a buttery pastry crust and a spicy seasoning on the pork. My only critique is that I wished the charcuterie had been served on a wooden block instead of a plate that looked like it was purchased from a garage sale.

We headed back to The Publican the following day for brunch. Once again, the restaurant was packed.

The Publican's brunch menu is unique and ambitious. You won't find the two-eggs-and-bacon special here. Instead, choose between a spanish tortilla with blood sausage, pork pastrami sandwich or the pork belly omelet.

Mimosa might seem pricey at $9 but it came in a 250ml carafe and was served with freshly squeezed orange juice.

Bloody Mary with Weihenstephaner beer back. For someone that doesn’t like V8, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, I thought the drink was good and had a nice balance.

Buttermilk biscuit with honey butter and cherry preserve conserve. Unfortunately the biscuit wasn’t served warm. I enjoyed the soft sweet butter so much that I didn’t think the preserve was necessary.

The Maple syrup braised bacon was possibly the best I’ve ever had. The bacon was thick, fatty and juicy. It was definitely more pork belly than crispy American bacon. The maple flavor added a nice caramelization to the bacon.

The side of hash browns were also cooked well. They were thin and crispy on the outside, but softer and well seasoned inside. I'm always appreciative of a non greasy hash brown and The Publican was able to achieve that.

Shrimp and grits with Toulouse sausage and ramp vinaigrette was a beautifully prepared dish. I appreciated that the shrimps were served with head on. They were grilled and had a slight char that added some smokiness. The grits were creamy, topped with a nutty Parmesan. It's clear that the kitchen can master non pork dishes as well.

The Country ham schnitzel with fried eggs and cornichon-caper relish was magnificent. Firstly, the schnitzel portion was massive. Secondly, it was cooked perfectly. The thinly pounded ham was breaded with an airy panko-like breading and was not oily. The schnitzel resembled a pork katsu in texture and flavor. I was impressed with how tender the meat was. By the time we made it through half of the schnitzel, the other half was still tender and not dried out. Although I am not a fan of relish, I thought the relish added tanginess to the schnitzel that was welcome.

Brunch at The Publican was solid. The ambiance was energetic and lively. Waiters were dressed very casually, and laughter and conversation filled the room. I thought the ingredients used were fresh and the food did not feel too heavy or unhealthy. The dishes weren't fancy or extravagant. They were simple yet well prepared. And they definitely hit the spot. Especially if you are craving some pork. You'll be hard pressed to find a better bacon.

Hits: bacon, schnitzel, grits
Misses: cold biscuit
Rating: ***1/2

The Publican
837 W. Fulton Market,
Chicago, IL, 60607
312-733-9555
thepublicanrestaurant.com

Scenes from Chicago

2011-04-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

Recently, I made a weekend trip to Chicago for the sole purpose of eating. The trip came about when we made a reservation for Alinea, voted #6 Best Restaurant in the World and Best Restaurant in North America in the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards. There was no sightseeing, no architectural cruise on the river, no scenic view from the John Hancock Observatory or no walk along Navy Pier. Just lots of food.

The river looks green even when its not St. Paddy's Day.

There will be pizza, and meals at Blackbird and Publican.

But most importantly, there will be an epic 22 course meal at Alinea.

Stay tuned..

Magnum Pop Up: Uni Tasting Menu

2011-04-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

Joseph Mahon (recently of Bastide) and David Haskell (collectively known as Magnum Crew)'s latest pop-up gig was held from April 17-19 at Royal/T Cafe in Culver City. I signed up for the last night which was offering a special tasting menu, in addition to the regular menu, in celebration of Haskell's birthday. I was elated when I later discovered that the special offering would be a 7 course uni tasting menu.

The special Uni menu totaled 8 courses (including dessert) and was offered at $130, with wine pairing for an additional $80. Because it was a week night, we decided to do the split which came up to $105 for two of us (or $52.50 each). Not too shabby, considering that the wines would be carefully selected by Haskell, who was owner of Bin 8945 and sommelier at Vertical Wine Bistro.

The cured thai snapper with shrimp chips amuse bouche had nice spicy kick and crunch. However I didn't care for the raw sprouts and I wished the snapper had been served more chilled.

Uni/ oyster/ soy mignonette
I loved the seafood on seafood action here. The oyster actually tasted a bit fishy and similar to the amuse bouche, I thought it wasn't chilled enough. Unfortunately the uni flavor was lost in the fishiness of the oyster.

Uni/Tuna Tartare
I was excited to see three large pieces of uni, which were very fresh. I thought the tartare itself lacked seasoning, but was perfect when mixed with the aioli sauce.

Uni Tartine/ Cucumber/ Brined Halibut
Big fresh pieces of uni was definitely the theme in the dishes. I liked the use of toast which made this into an uni crostini. The cucumber balls were refreshing. However, similar to the previous dish, the fish was rather flavorless. I'm not sure what it added to the dish as I would have enjoyed the uni on its own.

Uni/Cauliflower Royale

Hidden in the cauliflower puree were chunks of uni. The dish comprised of Apple cloud, nori powder, cream, apple chunks and cauliflower. The cauliflower puree was creamy and flavorful. I really enjoyed the flavors of this dish and thought this was probably the most unique dish of the night. I think the dishes got significantly better from this point on.

Uni/ pizza/bone marrow
The uni flatbread was very interesting. I liked the concept behind it and the ample amount of uni. The bone marrow wasn't gelatinous, fatty or gooey like what you would expect. Instead it tastes like plain tofu and looked like panna cotta. I wished that there was a buttery bovine taste. I also thought the microgreens were too raw in flavor.

Uni/Veal/tempura Mushrooms/bordelaise sauce
The uni worked really well in this dish. It blended well with the bordelaise sauce so it allowed the veal to be the center of the dish but contributed its briny flavor to the creamy sauce. The veal was tender and the shiitake tempura was perfectly fried. I only wished there were more pieces of the tempura.

Uni/Venison/shiso pepper sauce
The venison was cooked perfectly to a point that it was soft enough for a butter knife to cut through. It was a beautiful piece of meat and was well seasoned. I didn't care for the raw lettuce, but I did enjoy the creamy and rich uni risotto.

Yuzu Creme Brulee/ Poached Apricots/ Kumquats
The dessert unfortunately didn't include uni but it was a nice end to the meal. The dessert wasn't overly sweet and the kumquats added a tart finish.

I commend Chef Mahon on tackling a sea urchin tasting menu. I was impressed with the portions of uni in this tasting menu, they definitely didn't skimp on the urchin. I'm glad I had the chance to try out the menu- when will you ever get a chance to feast on a 7 course uni tasting menu? However on quite a few dishes, I would have preferred to have eaten the urchin on its own. Personally, I didn't think some of the other components enhanced the uni flavor, such as the fishy oyster (perhaps we got a bad one). In such cases, I would have preferred to savor the uni flavor in its original form. But overall, a unique dining experience and a great way to raise money for the sake charity.

Hits: venison and veal dishes, cauliflower, lots of uni
Misses: fishy oyster, fish dishes lacked seasoning
Rating: ***

Magnum Pop Up
Royal T Cafe
8910 Washington Blvd.,
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-6300
magnumfb.com
www.royal-t.org

Drago Santa Monica: 6-course Duck Tasting Menu

2011-04-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

For a limited time only, Drago in Santa Monica is offering a duck tasting menu.

The tasting menu includes 6 courses for $59 with wine pairing for an additional $29.

Our waiter prompted brought over breadsticks and fresh bread when we were seated.

Amuse bouche of Arancini was served pipping hot and was comprised of mozzarella and tomato sauce. I liked the crispy breading which wasn't greasy.

il fegato ~ foie gras torchon, pickled vegetables, toasted brioche, marsala reduction
valter scarbolo, pinot grigio, friuli, 2009
The torchon sat beautifully on a toasty brioche. The foie gras was really buttery and intense. You could tell that it was good quality foie that just needed a sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt. I usually see foie paired with sweet preserve so it was an interesting combination with the sour pickled vegetables and the tangy marsala sauce.

l’uovo ~ 63 degree duck egg, pomme paille, potato espuma, teeny greens
castello della sala, bramito, chardonnay, umbria 2009

The yolk of the sous vide cooked egg was thick and almost gooey. The potato puree was lightly whipped and well seasoned. This was a rich but comforting dish.

gli agnolotti ~ duck mousse filled agnolotti, crispy duck skin, butter glaze
lasseter family winery, syrah rose, sonoma valley, 2009
I really enjoyed the pasta dish. The agnolotti had a nice al dente texture and was filled with tender duck. The Chicharrón flavored cracklings were delightful and added saltiness and crunch to the subtle butter sauce.

il risotto ~ duck confit risotto, amarone wine reduction
miura, pinot noir, monterey county, 2008
The duck was cooked to order and served hot. I was quite impressed with how well the duck was cooked. The skin was crispy and the fat was properly rendered, while the meat itself was juicy and tender. The duck sat on a bed of creamy al dente risotto which had an interesting marriage of sharp pecorino cheese and sweet wine reduction.

il petto ~ seared duck breast, collard green and farro ragout, pearl onion and blood orange
fuedo maccari, saia, nero d’avola, sicilia, 2007
The duck was beautifully cooked, pinkish in the center. As much as I enjoyed the duck, I also loved the accompaniments. The collard greens and the farro added nice textures and really did a good job of absorbing the flavors of the rich duck sauce. I also liked the cippolini onions which were not mushy or strong flavored.

gli involtini dolci ~ foie gras and olive oil mousse, strawberry, black pepper gelato
maculan, dindarello, moscato, veneto, 2009
I was impressed that Drago had incorporated duck into the dessert course, which can be a very tough feat. The airy and salty foie gras mousse was sandwiched between a crispy wafer and a surprisingly mild olive oil panna cotta-like cream topping. I was pleased to see that a traditional restaurant such as Drago had offered a spicy black pepper gelato which was rather unique and the first that I've ever sampled.

I was extremely impressed with the duck tasting menu. Not only were all the dishes perfectly executed and well seasoned, but the price tag was very reasonable at $88 for 6 courses including wine pairing. The wine pours were generous. Although the wine may not be as good as some of the pairings I've had, it was a steal at $29 and there were some standouts such as the Miura Pinot Noir and the Moscato. The dishes came out rather quickly so I was concerned that the dishes had been pre-made but all the items came out hot and cooked well. It's interesting because based on the decor, clientele and elevator music, Drago seems to cater to a much older crowd (we were at least 20 years younger than anyone else in the room) but yet the tasting courses were updated and inventive. This menu is only available for a limited time but it's not one to be missed.

Hits: good deal, all the dishes were amazing, service
Misses: service a bit rushed
Rating: ****

Drago Santa Monica
2628 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 828-1585
www.celestinodrago.com

Son of a Gun: hearty seafood from the Animal guys

2011-04-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

When I first heard that Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo of Animal Restaurant were opening up a seafood restaurant, I was hesitant. When I think of seafood, I think of healthy, steamed, typically not very filling. When I think of Animal, I think of meat, foie gras, sweetbreads, heavy & rich dishes. It still hasn't disappointed me to this date. And recently, I came to find that neither has Son of a Gun. True, there are more seafood dishes on the menu. But it's just as hearty, flavorful and satisfying as its sibling restaurant.

The walls are adorned with nautical props (life savers, fishing poles) as well as wildlife collections (Marlin and antlers).

The restaurant is tiny, it seats 55 and half the seats are available through reservation while the other half are first come first serve. I was a bit bothered at the beginning of the night as we had reservations and had to wait 20 minutes for our table (on a Monday, no less). But the minute we studied the menu and was served the first course, all annoyed feelings went out the door.

Similar to Animal, the food here is served family style.

Shrimp Toast sandwich, herbs, sriracha mayo
This was one of the must-orders based on the reviews online. The airy bread was buttered and toasted, and was thinly spread with shrimp and spicy mayo. The cilantro and Vietnamese basil was sharp and fragrant. We enjoyed this dish so much that we had to get another order at the end of our meal.

Lobster Roll, celery, lemon aioli
This was another crowd favorite. Many suggested getting one for each person (at $7 each). We shared two between three of us and I thought it was sufficient if you just wanted to get a bite. I appreciated the soft roll and the fresh chunks of lobster which was mildly dressed. The potato chip crumbles were a nice topping which added salt and crunch.

Linguine and clams, uni aglio-olio, chili, breadcrumbs
This is one of the simplest pasta preparation: garlic and oil, which the kitchen added a twist to by incorporating sea urchin. To my disappointment, the uni was very mild and almost non existent. But despite the lack of uni flavor, the sauce was flavorful and creamy. I appreciated that the plump clams were extracted from their shell which made this easier to consume. Unfortunately, as with most of the other plates, the portion here was definitely on the smaller side.

Alligator schnitzel, heart of palm, orange
I was excited to try this dish. I love schnitzel and from what I recall from previous alligator dishes, alligator meat tastes merely like chicken. The alligator was pounded thin and coated with a breading that was well seasoned and not loose. It really did taste like chicken. The heart of palm was mixed with spicy jalapeño and dressed in an orange sauce. I really enjoyed the sweetness of the orange sauce which tasted exactly like a creamsicle. The creamsicle sauce surprisingly paired well with the fried schnitzel.

Mussels, tarragon, pernod, fennel, toast
I didn't think I would be wowed by this dish when I saw it. It looked like clam chowder. But in fact, the sauce was rich and creamy, with a tinge of tang. I only wished they provided more than one toast as the sauce was too good to waste.

Fried chicken sandwich, spicy b&b pickle slaw, rooster aioli
Everyone online raved about this, and compared it to Chik-fil-A. Unfortunately I've only had the fast food chicken once so I can't make a comparison. I was glad to see that the portion was pretty large and could be shared between 2 people. The chicken was tender and nicely seasoned. I liked that the breading was crispy and not oily. The tender soft bun, pickles and spicy jalapeño completed the sandwich.

For dessert, I took a bite of this delicious peanut butter toffee bar that I bought from Magnolia Bakery across the street.

Son of a Gun is a great addition to the city. It good to see that the chefs can put out an exceptional meat-based menu at Animal, but can also cater to those that prefer a less bovine-menu at Son of a Gun. I was delighted that the food was not light or unsubstantial. The dishes all had really good and well developed flavors. For me, the mark of a good restaurant is when I am looking forward to coming back and trying more items on the menu. There were definitely more dishes at Son of a Gun that I'd like to try.

Hits: everything we ordered was delicious
Misses: portions can be small, 20 min wait
Rating: ***1/2

Son of a Gun
8370 W. 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 782-9033 http://www.sonofagunrestaurant.com/