class 302 demystifies yellow snow!

i was always warned never to eat yellow colored snow. that makes sense. i have dogs and i know a thing or two about drunk dudes wandering around during cold, snowy nights.

BUT, i did not heed this well known advice as a friend suggested class 302 for dessert. although i was not expecting it, i was just a few moments away from eating some yellow snow myself.....

class 302 is a taiwanese classroom themed eatery that specializes in shaved snow, taiwanese style lunch box eats, and a small selection of savory bites, stinky tofu being one of them. this place was first brought to my attention on gastronomy blog and boy was i excited when our friends and i went during one hot, sunny so. cal day.

as expected, class 302 was a popular hangout. after a long wait, we were then seated behind little wooden desks in a tight little space. the close proximity to other diners induced an urge in me to pass a note to one of the cute ones, preferably one that states "do you like me? check yes or no." since i didn't want to be caught by the teacher, i amused myself with looking at the huge chalkboard and colorful school uniforms which adorned the walls instead.

but if you require a little more space when you heif, you may want to take advantage of their outdoor space to soak in some sun while you put something incredibly cold in your mouth.

ahhh yes, yellow snow. here's a heaping bowl of yellow snow (mango snow $6.50) with pieces of mango, mochi, and a generous dumpage of condensed milk. yummy!

the shaved snow is difficult to describe. the edges look sharp and jagged when you start digging into it, but in fact, once it's spooned in your mouth, you are met with the most wonderfully soft flavored snow. it is quite a playful bowlful for your eyes and your mouth. wow, yellow colored snow ain't so bad after all!

the fresh strawberry and mango shaved snow ($6.50) was just as delicious. the strawberries were a tad tart which eased the sweetness after a constant barrage of sweetened snow and condensed milk.

if you can brave the crowd that gathers outside its doors during a hot day, class 302 is a class act when you want to cool down. when the sun blisters again, you bet i will be heading down there...even if it's in rowland heights which is faaaaaaarrr. :(

Class 302
1015 S. Nogales St.
Ste 125
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 965-5809

price: $
verdicte: tasty, try it!

the magical number that brought me to providence

here's a few facts about the number 40. it's an even number. if you double 20 then you will see 40 again. if you get your speedometer up to 40 on a residential street, then a speeding ticket you will make. and lastly, if you're my dear friend eric, turning 40 will get you to....

if done right, turning 40 can be an elegant celebration indeed. one willed into reality by celebratory thoughts and a unanimous love for great food and great company. as i sat there peering at all the folks that came to celebrate our friend eric's 40th birthday, i thought, "you really picked a good one my friend. providence is infamous for its divine intervention to the tongue."

then i sat back, mesmerized by the tea light nestled in the beaded sea anemone and waited for the rebirth of my taste buds a la providence style.

the celebratory night started off with an asian pear cocktail. fruity, sweet, and smooth, i felt the spiked pear juice wiggle itself down to the core of my belly and subsequently warmed me through and through.

the bread basket that was then circulated amongst us was overfloweth with all manners of carbs. though challenging to narrow down the options, it really wasn't.

you ALWAYS pick bacon, and bacon it was. tiny flecks of porky bits dotted this rather delicious bacon roll that went straight into my mouth.

the amuse-bouches of the night included a yummy foursome; a petite rectangle of icy mojito, spherified greyhound, a cheesy gougere, and last but not least, a shot glass of cured trout with lemon jelly.

edible gold flecks dotted the cured trout for a decadent touch.

the first course of the night was the japanese kanpachi. crispy rice crackers gave each bite texture while the soy creme fraiche with pickled endives added tartness to the fish. delicious, fresh, and craveable.

the second course was bobby's block island sea scallops with buckwheat, dashi, and nappa cabbage. the perfectly cooked, sweet centered scallop was deliciously bathed in a savory dashi foam bubble bath.

the third course was the wild alaskan halibut with fresh cranberry beans, meyer lemon, red pepper, and mussels. i really enjoyed the burst of acid from the meyer lemon as the flavors interplayed with the subdued flaky fleshed fish.

the fourth course was the sous-vide veal tenderloin with tahitian squash and broccolini. the veal was wonderfully tender and melted in your mouth as one would expect from meat prepared in this manner. the crispy veggies were addictive as well.

the night could not end without a cheese plate which was an addition to our five course tasting menu. we had a compilation of muenster reserve cheese, an award winning blue cheese, black truffle cheese, artisanal goat cheese amongst many others. take that lactose intolerance! who says asian folks can't eat dairy?!

my belly was stuffed at this point...but a plate of well crafted cheeses i cannot resist....

the fifth and last course was the banana bread pudding and barley ice cream. i really enjoyed the tart coating over the banana and the bread pudding was the perfect size to indulge your sweet tooth.

the mignardises of the night included cubes of elderflower jelly, chocolate macarons, and hand crafted chocolate marshmellows. i.was.stuffed.

and that concluded our two michelin star rated gustatory experience with our three michelin star rated friend. happy slappy birthday eric! here's to many, many more!

-five course tasting menu is $65/$100 with wine pairing (october deal. follow them on twitter for updates)
-full tasting menu is $110/$165 with wine pairing
-chef's menu is $160/$245 with wine pairing

Providence
5955 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170

www.providencela.com

price: $$$$
verdict: omg, i love it!

fall prix fixe menu at roy's

do you know how to speed up a slow work week? lottsa alcohol and a media tasting at roy's restaurant in downtown l.a., that's what. woot! an invite back to roy's to try their fall prix fixe menu was a breath of much needed fresh air especially after painful meetings that run themselves into the ground. yes. renew my tastebuds and my spirit please? roy?

my spirits were immediately lifted with a glass of these spirits, the original hawaiian martini which encompassed a whole lotta vodka and a touch of rum...not to mention a tasty splash of pineapple juice that's always a welcomed element. this is definitely a drink one drinks when one is drinking on a beach. preferably on the lovely sands of hawai'i and wearing a tiny drink umbrella behind the ear....

or perhaps this one? the 1988 tasted like a naughty version of ocean spray grapefruit juice. the delicious combi of pomegranate and grapefruit juice, lychee liqueur, and vodka makes it dangerously addictive. without divulging too much info, let's just say smuggling a water bottle of this stuff during one of my meetings may actually make it an interesting and productive one. hmmm.....

the tasting started off with the delicious "elaine's" kabocha squash salad. yums in the tums. imagine a thanksgiving turkey dinner sans the turkey and a whole lot healthier. i really enjoyed the traditional cranberry vinaigrette, toasted pumpkins seeds, and a hearty piece of kabocha squash to start this fall meal.

the blackened rock shrimp and red bean soup was a favorite amongst a lot of folks that night. the petite cup was an explosion of favors, one that reminded me of a happy orgy of flavors between a bowl of chili, salsa, and gumbo.

the artichoke and goat cheese crusted salmon laid on a bed of sauteed spinach. although the salmon was tasty, the sauteed spinach clearly stole the show for me. seriously, make the spinach into a side dish please? if it's good for popeye, it's good for you roy! come on....

my favorite bite of the night was the cilantro grilled tiger shrimp with stewed curried lentils. the shrimp was perfectly cooked and the lentils was love, love. i kinda wished i inhaled two or ten.

the tender braised short ribs was indeed tender. tender like a lover's kiss but a lot beefier than one. yum.

the night ended with a plate of dessert, just like how all yummy dinners should end. the signature roy's melting hot chocolate souffle provided the perfect chocolate touch and the pumpkin and ginger cheese cake was spicy and creamy to the tongue.

and of course, no roy's restaurant posting would be complete without an uber cute pic of chef partner garrett mukogawa, the captain of this downtown l.a. branch. to the embarrassment of my dinner companion, i HAD to snap an adorable mug shot of chef garrett while calling him a cutie. yes, that's what two cocktails will do to this belly! thanks for humoring me chef!

so a delicious fall prix fixe menu at roy's for $35.95....so what the heck are you waiting for?! i told you the secret to speed up the work week, now didn't i? so go now and get it rolling!

Roy's Restaurant
800 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 488-4994

www.roysrestaurant.com

verdict: tasty, try it!

porto's makes me chonies tight

there are only 4 reasons why your underwear may suddenly feel tight.

1. you're bloating.
2. you accidently picked up your child's undies and thought they were yours.
3. you flipped your chonies around so that the back is the front and vice versa.
4. you ate too much at porto's.

when my underwear starts feeling tight, i know porto's is usually to blame. come on, cheap, good, sweet, and fried...such a recipe for disaster as i trade up my chonies for a larger size instead :(

horrible. awful. delicious. darn!



disgusting. fried. yummy. dang!

as you can see, my love-hate relationship with porto's can be summed up in these following heart clogging pictures and profuse use of repetitive adjectives:

cheese omelette in a sesame croissant ($3.25). served before 11am and guaranteed to hit the butter portion of your food pyramid. b-u-t-t-e-r......

the ropa vieja ($6.55). this sandwich did not rope me in with its flavors even though the ingredients sounded dynamite. what isn't there to love about cuban style shredded beef, bell peppers, onions, and tomato sauce in a cuban bread...unless it's SALTY and it was soooo salty. bleh.

the medianoche aka midnight sandwich ($3.65). between two slices of sweet roll lies slow roasted pork, ham, melty swiss cheese, pickles, and a slew of other condiments which makes your underwear tight. i think it's a tasty, hearty sandwich and a steal at that price. not to mention the pile of plantain chips too...yum!

the meat pie, or flaky disk of meaty love ($.70 each) is what i prefer to call them. puff pastry filled with seasoned ground beef. every savory bite leaves pastry freckles on your face. do get one or three.

potato balls ($.85 each). lovely, luscious, and absolutely addicting...a lot more interesting than the ones you have in your pants. the breaded exterior keeps the squishy mashed potato filling with seasoned ground beef from spilling out. do squeeze a little tapatio sauce on it before you bite because i promise you, you will have a mouthful of joy as you eat this shepard's pie-ish tasting spheres.

don't forget to order some desserts while you're at it. this apricot pastry was tasty and went well with the coffee. porto's is definitely known for their fruit tarts and cakes and is a truly wonderful place to pick up sweets for all occasions.

and do wash it all down with this virgin basil mojito ($2.95). a refreshing drink to counteract all the grease you will surely inhale when you're there.

the lines are always long and the weekends are the worse. but all you peoples, i must warn you once again that you WILL have tight underwear after this meal. trust me, i KNOW. as a matter of fact, i need to drop by the mall and pick a few bigger sized chonies. oh porto's...you, fat maker.

Porto's Bakery & Cafe
315 N. Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 956-5996

www.portosbakery.net

price: $
verdict: omg, i love it!

dogtown dogs makes me go nutty for shrooms and tubers

i don't chase food trucks anymore. my knees aren't what they use to be and it's kind of cumbersome running after one with a big ole fish net. besides, what you catch ain't always that tasty and making the efforts to hunt one down and getting disappointed by the food is like walking around with a tiny pebble in your shoe...just plain annnnnnoying.

that's why, the best kind of food trucks nowadays are the ones that i stumble upon. the serendipitous kinds that just happen to be waiting for me when i just so happen to have a rumbling belly. finding out that the food is tasty to boot is like finding a mint on my pillow...a nice, refreshing "oh yeah baby...." mint that sets it apart from the ever multiplying trucks that we find roaming about our streets nowadays. yes, dogtown dogs, you are delicious. whew.

although their menu choices seem limited, all the major grease groups were represented.

i decided against ordering a dog and ordered a fungus instead, the portabello cheese steak ($7). WOW. just plain wow. eating this meaty mushroom sammich made me forget that i craved things that walked on four legs or things that mooed in the night. it was quite satisfying, a gustatory orgy of swiss cheese, red and green peppers, caramelized onions, and mushroom...ooey, gooey cheesey and pleasing to the palate...hubba hubba. thinking of it just makes me want to lick my computer screen. so dang good.

the tator tots ($3) were nothing short of a masterpiece as well. the addictively crunchy, crispy shells protected a tender, starchy middle. if these tator tots had wings, given how light they were in my mouth, i would not be surprised if they can fly. dangerously delicious.

so there you have it, a food truck done right. although i can't vouch for their dogs, i sure will be running after this one again when i crave anything remotely fungal and tuberous.

Dogtown Dogs
(310) 663-2911

dogtowndog.com

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it