the roaming belly

a beagle birthday: happy birthday charlie brown!

2012-01-04T23:11:00.001-08:00

totally dressed to party with his homemade party hat, minus the fallen bow tie.

my little beagle turned 3 today. in dog years, he can legally drink and find himself a whore, but in my household, he just gets a little doggy berfday cake...a carrot/apple sauce birthday cake with cream cheese/apple sauce frosting to be exact. sounds yum enough right?

it was an easy batter and didn't take much effort, especially with my handy dandy kitchenaid mixer. 1/2 hour later, it was out of the oven and onto a rack to be cooled off while charlie and my other two dogs circled around me like vultures in the kitchen.

once frosted, i decorated the cake with a simple number 3 in carrot slivers for charlie's new age. i would have been more creative with my cake decorations if time permitted, but i had humans to feed as well. since the dogs get homemade cake, the humans got prime rib, cheesy smashed potatoes, garlic spinach, and tomato pine nuts salad with a balsamic vinaigrette for dinner. crazy yummy if i must say so myself. it IS a party after all.

after the humans ate and our bellies bulged unattractively with the grub, it was time to slice into the cake! the anticipation must have slayed my furry buddies...one by one. *wimper* charlie was so excited, he started shmeeing (this noise he makes through his nose. rather annoying actually...thank god he's cute!).

"drop it momma...please?"

he was smacking his beagle lips as i took my pics. give me a sec charlie! sheesh!

but his excitement built into an unbearable surge of energy (and defiance) because he sprung up to snatch the piece of cake out of my hands and gobbled it as quickly as he could, smacking his lips furiously as i watched in surprise. then i remembered it was his berfday after all so all was forgiven...dang dog.

of course lucy and bronx got to share in the cake eating as well and they LOVED it. ok, so i know dogs will eat anything, but i really think they were particularly excited about this cake based on their frenzied behavior after their first bites...it must be good right?! right.

it was good times and i look forward to baking many, many more berfday cakes for my sweet pups. happy birthday charlie brown!

cognoscenti coffee and proof bakery baked goods to feed the soul

2011-12-20T23:49:00.000-08:00

yeekai lim's cognoscenti coffee was a pop-up that roamed no more when he finally settled his coffee talents at proof bakery in atwater village. if you want to wrap your cold hands around a good cup of joe that ranges in price from $2-$4, then i suggest you make your way to the eastside and nestle yourself in this stellar bakery with a plate of baked goods as well as a cup of coffee by cog...of course.

the scene around the cups of coffee is no slouch either. proof bakery in atwater village boasts some rather awesome baked good and sandwiches for you to nibble on as you shoot the breeze with your buds. check out this roasted cauliflower and kale sandwich ($7) in its super slender, crusty baguette, and tasty supermodel form. delicious AND pretty to look at.

the roasted pepper, feta, and olives sandwich ($7) was just as yummy. i loved the the pops of olives in every bite.

without a doubt, the baked goods are amazing here. this delicious persimmon scone ($3) was dense with bursts of persimmon chunks.

the chocolate croissant ($3.50) was decadent with a hint of chocolate oozing out. what a tease when you know just one big bite will take you right to its chocolatey center.

the almond croissant ($4) was probably my favorite at proof. flakey, soft, with bits of almond slivers sprinkled with powdered sugar...what's not to love about it?!

the salted chocolate chip cookie ($2) was to die for as well. i've always loved, and always will love, the hint of salt in my sweets. this cookie by far was a sophisticated bite for any cookie monster.

i definitely feel lucky to live in silverlake and to have access to so many great, surrounding neighborhoods. just a short little drive takes me to proof bakery goods and cognoscenti coffee, a luxury any day of the week especially when one needs a coffee break badly. and trust me, when i'm not on vacation, i need coffee breaks really, really, badly.

Proof Bakery
Cognoscenti Coffee
3156 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 664-8633
http://proofbakeryla.com/

price: $
verdict: omg, i love it!

let your dogs, eat my blog

2011-12-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

the 4th installment of eat my blog will be taking place this saturday at pita jungle in pasadena. i'm super excited to be a part of the eat my blog planning committee for a second year in the row and will be baking as well...though you will have to be a four-legged pooch to actually appreciate what i'm making.

i got this idea from tien who baked dog biscuits for emb last year. genius. seriously, we should allow our dogs to stuff face too!! and for a good cause to boot! since i have 3 furry doggies of my own, i really wanted to honor all the four legged friends out there with these pumkin peanut butter dog biscuits.

not trying to sell them too hard *ahem,* but let's just say that after giving my three dogs a taste of the test biscuits i baked, my biggest/tallest dog promptly climbed the counter the following day to steal the rest. a$$hole.

"let me just have a bite of the leg...."

"please?"

i think your dogs will like them too! hope to see you there!!

UPDATE: eat my blog raised $4,323.86!

allston yacht club for holiday boozing (echo park)

2011-11-30T01:11:00.001-08:00

picture courtesy of allston yacht club (ayc)

i did not grow up celebrating thanksgiving. in fact, i might have tasted my first turkey at koo koo roos. shhh.... but as i grew up, the once foreign traditions of thanksgiving and green wreathed holiday cheer began to infiltrate our tightly fobby traditions. as each year overlapped the next, smashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, honey-glazed ham, eggnog etc...began to share the same space as the chow mein, fried rice, roasted duck, and eggrolls that normally occupied our holiday tables. so nowadays, the mere hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cold weather automatically sparks warm feelings of holiday cheer in me too...thanks for the melting pot effect america.

my holiday celebrations were kick started this year by allston yacht club in echo park. my sis and i were invited to try a few of their holiday cocktails and to nibble on some of their happy hour menu items.

accursed fruitcake cocktail. photo courtesy of ayc.

no joke, one of the best holiday cocktails ever. fragrant and boozy in the most subtle way. if you can squish christmas, thanksgiving, and a freakin' decorated pine tree into a glass cup, you will get the accursed fruitcake cocktail. i am TOTALLY going back with my friends to get my asian glow on with this sucka.

figgy pudding cocktail. photo courtesy of ayc.

the figgy pudding cocktail was an ultra sultry, boozy version of eggnog. if you like getting messed up while singing a christmas carol, DO so as you fist a glass of this.

a reasonably priced happy hour menu for food and drinks. yay!

korean style wings with dragon sauce...aka siracha? a tasty accompaniment to the real stars of the show...holiday cheer and boozy cocktails! yeah!

short rib poutine tostada was a bit tricky to eat and not that tasty. the short rib was dry and overly stringy.

the orange french toast grilled cheese sandwich was the oddest bite of food of the night. a definite skip unless you enjoy a failed combo of orange, bacon, and goat cheese....bleh.

you can never go wrong with garlic fries and these particular garlic fries were skinny and crispy, the perfect fry profile if you will. since my sis is a french fry enthusiast, as you can see, we got more than enough of our share that night.

with warm bellies full of booze and a heart clogged with french fry grease, i want to thank allston yacht club once again for jump starting my holiday cheer. i SHALL come back for the accursed fruitcake cocktail and fries as convos flow with old friends about life, love, and all the things we should be thankful for this holiday season. cheers.

Allston Yacht Club
1320 Echo Park Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 481 0454
http://allstonyachtclub.com/

rocking our tastebuds at raku (las vegas)

2011-11-16T23:11:00.001-08:00

you start your life in preschool learning that "sharing is caring," but the real test of unselfish sharing comes when you are forced to part with possessions that you truly, dearly love. for some, it might be material, for others, it might be physical or emotional, but for my fat belly, it is usually of an edible nature. what a great first test for our marriage when we ate at raku in las vegas and i was forced to share each and every bite with my hubs...some harder to part than others.

let the sharing commence!

blue fin sashimi ($25) with soy sauce soaked nori which eliminated the need for a small saucer full of soy sauce. the blue fin was clean, fresh, incredibly silky yet firm at the same time. definitely a challenge to share when all i wanted to do was gobble them up, one piece of raw fish flesh at a time.

sashimi salad ($12) with pieces of blue fin tuna, salmon, and yellow tail on a bed of spinach leaves and crispy onions on top. a tart orange tinted dressing elevated this bowl of crunchy raw decadence to a craveable level. definitely hard to share...but i did. darn.

poached egg with sea urchin and salmon roe ($9) was a textural mess. slimey, cold, and gooey all at once. this one was never meant to be ordered or shared. *shudders*

the agedashi tofu ($10) had a slightly crispy, fried exterior which meant a muddled broth spotted with oil. a silken interior with distinct punches of flavor teases your tongue with every bite.

hanpen fishcake ($1.75) with mochi chakin ($2.50) was a warming bowl of sustenance though the texture of the mochi chakin left me yearning for something more toothesome. i had nooooooo problems sharing this one. unfortunately, my hubs was not too keen about it either so my efforts to share this dish garnered me zero points.

then came the grilled items. first up, grilled pig ears ($3). oh em gee. 'twas a fine day when humans decided to gnaw on little piggly wiggly ears. the crunch was fantastic. do share.

apple marinated lamb chop ($6) was another favorite bite of the night. slightly sweet and oh so tender. my husband had difficulties parting with this one...what a bad man.

tomato with bacon ($2.80) was ordered to pay tribute to my shin sen gumi beer slinging days. i loved the dangerous pop of piping hot tomato innards in your mouth as you quickly chase the warmth on your tongue with a swig of cold beer.

kobe beef outside skirt with garlic ($7.50) totally didn't taste like a ruffled, polka dotted skirt. it clearly had a bold, beefy presence in flavor with a slightly bitter trace from the garlic. share it.

last but not least, one of my favorite offals to finish off a night of sharing, kobe beef liver ($4.50). a perfectly grilled piece of liver will be silky and somewhat creamy in texture. this skewer was perfectly grilled and left my full belly yearning for more. tis a sign of love when i share my liver...and i did.

though there were a few misses with the meal, overall raku taught me a valuable lesson that night. every single morsel tastes 100x better when shared with a loved one so i suppose, "sharing is caring" and sharing what you eat also decreases the calorie count. win both ways.

Raku
5030 Spring Mountain Rd.
Ste 2
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 367-3511
http://www.raku-grill.com

price: $$$
verdict: tasty, try it!

2011-11-11T11:11:00.001-08:00

was the timing perfect? ;) did you make a wish like the gazillion other people that watched their clocks closely? i hope it comes true.

mohawk bend for a quick trip down memory lane (echo park)

2011-10-27T00:00:00.001-07:00

without specifying the digits that makes up my age, let's just say that i remember mohawk bend as an old movie theater and not as its current fashionable state as a vegan/vegetarian friendly feeding ground. in fact, i even watched "ghostbusters" there as a kid. yup, i'm kinda old and echo park has changed A LOT. trust.

after the theater finally closed its doors, the space remained vacant for a very long time and was a hotbed for graffiti and the homeless on sunset blvd. every time i drove by that boarded up theater, i always hoped it would reopen once again so i can catch a flick and reminisce about growing up in silverlake and watching movies with my cousins in echo park. but alas, any reminiscing will now be relegated to beer slinging in the now sultry, sexy mohawk bend. beer vs. popcorn, you decide.

as my friend and i settled down for our mohawk meal, we were given an extensive beer menu to peruse. i decided on the orange wheat beer ($5) which was delicious, fruity, and absolutely lip smacking pleasant for a non-beer lova like me. if i can swig a few glasses like this orange wheat, i reckon i will become a beer guzzling, beer enthusiast in no time. and for all the criticism about mohawk bend's food, you really can't beat their 72 beers on tap which to some folks may make a fine liquid dinner...screw the stuff that requires mastication and jaw work.

that night, we decided to pad our bellies with their fire roasted artichoke ($9) which was standard eats verging on boring. skip.

the cold jj kale salad ($8) with garlic, chili, and jicama fared slightly better. i enjoyed the ruffage and the acid from the dressing, but again, the taste profiles were neither mind blowing nor note worthy.

the keenwah ($10) salad with organic quinoa, pomegranate, red & gold beets, herbs, lemon-maple vinaigrette was tasty. the pistachios added a much needed crunch since the salad wilted rather quickly under the quinoa and beets.

the side of rosemary fries ($4) with togarashi for dipping were probably my favorite bites of the night. but then again, how does one eff up fries? yup, you just don't. the slightly sweet element to the togarashi makes this a must order beer accompaniment for me.

overall, although i am sad that i can no longer catch movies in this space, i am certainly excited for a place to unwind and hang out with friends over drinks. i think to avoid disappointment, do go in with the knowledge that food will be average but the libations are extensive and will cater to most beer lovers. hip hip hooray for drinking sans eating!

Mohawk Bend
2141 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 483-2337
www.mohawk.la

price: $$
verdict: (food) it's aight (beers) tasty, try it!

amour for le saint amour (culver city)

2011-10-04T00:00:00.002-07:00

as my black board eats discount for le saint amour descended into its eleventh hour, a sense of urgency filled my belly. 30% off?! do i allow this percentage to go down the drain or do i contact every single hungry person i know in my hungry people rolodex in hopes of connecting with another starving soul? alas, i was successful and off my sis and i went to culver city for a little french dining.

tools for our night of ravenous eating.

the first item up for consumption was the foie gras terrine ($15) with a side of mesclun salad. my tongue was mesmerized with the decadently smooth, well seasoned, foie gras which paired quite nicely with the sweetness from the apricot jam. the crostinis were superbly buttery and provided a wonderful platform for this fatty goose liver. a must order for me.

the escargots de bourgogne ($12 for 6) burgundy snails, garlic, parsley, with a puff pasty cap was delightfully buttery and garlicky. might i recommend drowning, and i mean DROWNING your already dead snails in the sauce before delivering it to your mouf? please do.

i enjoyed resting my escargot on the puff pastry cap before taking my swift bites.

the truffle mac and cheese ($10) was somewhat disappointing. it was rather watery with just a faint hint of truffle. although pretty to look at and priced decently, it would not be worth the extra dimple that will surely surface on your buttocks from the extra calories after consuming it.

i was rather excited to try their moules marinières ($18) mussels, white wine, shallots, and french fries which came with glowing reviews from justin and misty....until our server approached us with this question in his thick french accent, "do you want the good news or the bad news?" bad news first of course. "the bad news is that our french fry machine broke." WHUT?! OH HELL NO! I WAS TOLD THEY WERE AWESOME! :'( "the good news is that this is good for your body" and he said this while waving his arms up and down his slender frame. UGH. instead, we had to replace the unavailable fries with haricot verts. but luckily, the mussels were delicious and the creamy pool they rested upon was a perfectly delectable sauce for us to dip our bread in. drool. i almost forgot we were missing the fries.....

tasty, buttery, and garlicky green beans...but nowhere near a french fry. oh dear. oh sadness.

chef bruno's housemade sausages; lyonnais, toulouse, boudin noir ($20) was one huge sausage party on my plate. my favorite from the trio was the blood sausage while the other two fell limp in flavor. overall, not my favorite dish of the night.

we only briefly contemplated dessert before we decided to head home. my belly was freakin' full with french food and even a 30% discount wasn't going to expand it anymore than it already did. anyways, au revoir! till we meet again.

Le Saint Amour
9725 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 842-8155
http://www.lesaintamour.com/

price: $$$
verdict: tasty, try it!

85ºC bakery cafe for a carb high

2011-09-27T00:15:00.001-07:00

if you can't say no to carbs, then i suggest you think twice before you head off to 85ºC bakery cafe lest you want to trade your skinny jeans for fat pants just.like.me.

85ºC bakery cafe is a taiwanese owned bakery with over 300 storefronts in taiwan, china, australia, and two in the u.s., conveniently located in irvine and hacienda heights for your grubbing pleasure. this wildly popular bakery, named after the prime temperature in which coffee holds its best flavor, is known for its baked goods as well as its drinks and is the hot spot for carbolicious clusterfuck situations. if you don't believe me, just go during the morning hours when the lines resemble hungry curled pythons.

once inside, you will see rows upon rows of pastries encased in acrylic boxes to protect the buns from bruising as eager patrons jostle for their carbs. sometimes there's a label identifying the baked goods...sometimes not. sometimes you find what you want, sometimes not. sometimes, you just grab what you can.

en route to vegas, we picked up a box of goodies to occupy our mouths. the super affordable price points and rather pleasing flavors to the pie hole is a direct link to its popularity.

one of my favorites from the bunch was the calamari corn ($1.30) which was rather airy and had some cheesy corn bits for a wonderful savory touch. definitely a "must get" item when you are there.

the 85ºC rose cheese bread ($2.50) was the size of a newborn's head and just as soft. the creamy middle can be overwhelming unless you have an equal portion of bread to balance your bite.

unfortunately, the infamous iced sea salt coffee ($3.25) was just not my cup of joe. i found the salty foam on top to be much too thick and creamy, which reminded me of a buttery rim that i did not want to sip through to get to the coffee.

overall, i understand the 85ºC hype and will gladly go there again to partake in a carb high. HOWEVER, i will not go during peak hours to face those monster lines because no matter how you wrap your head around it, it really makes no good sense to wait a long time just to buy things that will turn you into a fatass.

85ºC Bakery Cafe
17170 Colima Rd.
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745

(626) 839-7889

http://www.85cafe.us/

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it!

hitched

2011-09-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

dudes, i got married :0

on august 27, 2011 as a matter of fact. here's the top layer of my then day old wedding cake. the flowers were freakin' awwwwwesome on top don't you think? thanks to fleuretica for the beautiful burst of blooms...i wish they can fill my world with flowers EVERY DAY.

i also went on a horrible diet. i mean, it kinda worked and all...but a diet for a food blogger! that's like fucked up! but it was worth it not to souffle from the back of my white dress even though i still rippled in all the wrong places.

immediately afterwards, i went on an edible rampage...trying to fetch back the coat i was determined to shed for my wedding and what better way to do so than en route to vegas for our mini-moon (more posts to come on that one).

aria treated us well. we were upgraded to a mini-suite when they learned *cough* when i told them we were newlyweds. SCORE!

we were even greeted with a bit of sweetness. "yumz!" said my sugar depraved body as i INHALED and i mean INHALED most of it. no joke.

the mini-suite was spacious and awesome and let's not forget, an upgrade. wheeee!

the night view was uh-mazing.

so what does it feel like to be married? well, it feels just like living together except now everybody wants to know when i'm gonna get pregnant.

wolvesmouth makes me howl

2011-08-18T13:27:00.001-07:00

kids in school call cutting in line "front cuts," but when i was able to bypass the 2,500+ people on the wolvesmouth waitlist by being kung food panda's plus one, i called that move "booyah!"

so here's the deal. check out wolvesmouth's website, get intrigued, and then submit an email to them saying that you're interested in attending while simultaneously praying to the lord hoping that you do get picked. then you wait for a loooooong time (don't hold your breath) and perhaps you will be one of those lucky 12 diners that month to get THE email for a night of wolvesmouth grubbing...kinda like this:

bring lots of wine. the more the better.

then meet craig thornton, the wolf, and watch him work his magic.

butter, lova.

slightly crispy pan-fried brioche. time to loosen the belt. it will be a long night.

corn soup with cotija, aleppo gelee, lime, and a corn fritter. a bowl of sublimely sweet and smooth corn soup with the corniest fritter accompaniment ever. i wished i stole a few when i saw them sitting there looking lonely and delicious.

corn fritters.

a BEAUTIFUL peach, nectarine, chorizo piquillo puree, almond, basque cheese, chorizo, and sherry gastrique on a bleach white plate. one of my faves of the night. deceptively simple, but oh so complex in flavor. a harmony of sweet, salty, and spicy flavor profiles.

Smelt, fried green tomato, buttermilk ranch.

a bowl of squash blossom, marscapone zucchini duxelles, melon, baby squash, and balsamic. a sophisticated reminder of summer's offerings.

tuna, tomato, basil buds, uliva olive oil, wasabi peas, with white soy. the fragrance emitted from this dish was truly intoxicating and i discovered a newfound love for basil buds.

potato, chive, crème fraîche with sneaky lobster pieces hidden underneath the creamy mound. the consistency reminded me of poi due to its viscous nature and the taste was strangely familiar...cuz it really reminded me of lay's sour cream and onion potato chips! no seriously. one word: mutherfuckindelicious. we had to take a break after that one.

next up was the pork cheek, baby cabbage, caramelized onion, dill, pretzel pieces, and mustard.

an electric green cucumber slush to cleanse my palate. how fun considering how a normal palate cleansing routine generally calls for a toothbrush.

lamb, turkish eggplant, watermelon cucumber, watermelon tartare, yogurt, and rosemary. we were all smitten by the cute little watermelon cucumbers and i almost expected a little smurf to strut across my plate and climb over my lamb to grab the watermelon cucumber for their picnic.

mulberry, elderberry, fig, salted brown butta la creme, and croquant. i was officially enamored with the wolf after this one. kung food panda RAVES about wolvesmouth's desserts and i was not disappointed. the sweetness of the dish was tempered by the sour flavors of the berries and the crunch you expect from the bottom of your ice cream cone was nicely represented by the croquant.

cherry sherbet, almond cake, cherry pop rocks, almond cream will send any fruit lover into a dessert high. if not, the cherry pop rocks will at least set your mouth a poppin'.

alas, the dinner concluded with satiated round bellies and a donation of what you feel the meal was "worth" using red envelopes that they provide. but in all seriousness, the amazing meal was worth every bit of the wolvesmouth hype that was fed to me. thank you kung food panda for the invite, and remil, weezermonkey, eleana, and alex for providing the verbal entertainment of the night. and of course, thank you craig for being uh-mazing!

Wolvesmouth
http://wolvesmouth.com/

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

carmela ice cream cools down pasadena one spoonful at a time

2011-07-19T23:11:00.001-07:00

perhaps you cool down by diving into a pool, but for fatties like me, i just eat ice cream...and lots of it....wearing my shorts....with my sandals on so i can get that thong strap tan on my feet that i sooooo love to top off my summer look. so naturally, when delicious sounding ice cream joints pop up on my radar such as cathy's post about carmela ice cream in pasadena, i was totally hooked in to try. i.want.that.salted.caramel.dangit.

the flavors they have are rather extensive and they do allow you to have a taste of their various offerings, but after the 3rd tiny spoonful, my asian guilt settled in and i stopped myself from tasting all eleven flavors. i also recommend that you go earlier rather than later because as you can see, the last thing you want is a bold mean line running across the flavor you craved. sucka.

they do sell other goodies...cake pops, ice cream sandwiches, and other cakey sweets....

but the real deal, the cold calling that lead me to pasadena was their handmade, organic dairy ice cream. i decided to get one scoop which they then allowed me to split into two flavors and got the salted caramel on the bottom and the brown sugar vanilla bean on top. and to take this sweet deal to the next level, they make this crazy delicious waffle cone/waffle in a cup that gives you a most buttery crunch when you bite it.

i really enjoyed spooning my ice cream from the bottom up, mixing the two flavors together. but the best bite of all was a piece of sweet waffle slightly softened by the melted ice cream with a bit of blended salted caramel and brown sugar vanilla bean still clinging to it. but i warn you, eat this delicious yet rich ice cream in moderation lest you want some engorged fat cells clinging to your chunky thighs as well. that is all.

Carmela Ice Cream
2495 E. Washington Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 797-1405

www.carmelaicecream.com

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it!

yujean kang's in pasadena packs a surprising punch

2011-07-14T01:12:00.001-07:00

when i think of pasadena, i don't think of eats. i think of robin's egg blue boxes, apples, and old ladies thinking they will be forever 21. but an invitation from diana brought danny and my belly out to pasadena for a media tasting at yujean kang's gourmet chinese cuisine which promptly changed my mind about what i can eat in pasadena...and how much food my belly can actually hold...oh dear!

first off, i can eat yujean kang's crispy tofu rolls with chicken and mustard greens. the tofu skins had a slight chew to them when fried and are not similar in texture to fried egg rolls. in my heart of hearts, i wanted to believe they were healthier because of the tofu skin. yes?

the shrimp and garlic chives dumplings wrapped in traditional wheat starch skin. the dumplings looked like little doves nestled in their bamboo nest and will perch nicely on your pair of chopsticks before taking flight into your mouth.

the four season dumplings was another yummy appetizer. each pocket was filled with a different ingredient; chopped celery, tomato, wood ear mushrooms, and egg which offered a distinctly different taste based on the orientation of your bite. fun.

yujean kang's hot and sour fish chowder was absolutely AMAZING. this version was tangy, tart, and chunkalicious with fish sans the neon brown look that most hot and sour soups are known for. THIS is the perfect soup to nurse a cold or to accompany any meal. i want to go back for more!

we also nibbled on their braised black cod with soy, garlic, and scallion with baby bok choy.

and chomped on their sauteed jumbo prawns with smoked diced black cod. this dish was well seasoned and the smoked diced black cod was an addictive addition. i used my expert chopstick skills to pluck each and every piece of diced cod before inhaling my prawns.

another stellar dish was their slow cooked pork belly with tofu knots and dark mustard greens. the unctuous nature of the belly and the sweet notes from its caramelization brought just enough savory/sweet decadence to my scoop of fluffy jasmine rice. delicious and a must order!

their spicy scallops with glazed walnuts (normally prepared with prawns), was delightful to eat. each piece of glazed walnut from this dish was like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae because of the delightful burst of sweetness.

mei gan which is a dried, spongy veggie. an interesting texture for the mouth and a definite first for me.

then we partook in a hot cup of tea, asian style with the cup cap and all to keep the contents hot. the best thing about eating at chinese restaurants is the soothing cup of tea to wash all the food down.

and before i knew it, i indulged in their delicious dessert plate; mandarin orange cheesecake with passion fruit sauce and red bean pancake with coconut sauce. each bite had the perfect balance of sweetness and was a wonderful way to end our meal.

yujean kang's chef/owner kept true to traditional chinese flavors but was thoughtful in tweaking certain aspects of his dishes to make even someone like me who grew up on home cooked chinese meals rather interested in coming back. and with a huge wine list, i'm DEFINITELY coming back.

Yujean Kang's Gourmet Chinese Cuisine
67 N. Raymond Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 585-0855

www.yujeankangs.com

verdict: tasty, try it!

hawai'i: side street inn for a greasy kiss

2011-07-05T00:08:00.000-07:00

our last big meal in oahu was spent at side street inn which is known for their late hours, kimchi fried rice, fried pork chops, and a full bar. although eager to eat after a successful day of shopping (i am a gal. i am genetically programmed to shop), i was not ready for the huge portion sizes dished out by this eatery in ala moana. oh woe is me, my fat belly and all.

the ice tea was sweet and refreshing.

colin's homemade oxtail soup ($14) served with nori musubi reminded me of my mom's own homemade soups. this medly of daikon, shiitake mushrooms, and pieces of tender oxtail was a most comforting reminder of my momma as we took sips of this savory brew.

we were told their pan fried island pork chops ($22) was a local favorite so we promptly ordered it. one bite left a greasy kiss on my lips and a lump in my belly. although tasty as all fried things are destined to be, these particular fried pork chops were massive and provoked a sense of guilt that only eating a slice of triple layer chocolate cake can rival.

since they were out of their infamous kimchi fried rice, we ordered their side style famous fried rice ($12) which we were told was their o.g. rice dish. again, tasty, yet greasy. not another greasy kiss i thought...but kiss i did. in fact, the whole meal felt like i was making out with a greasy faced sumo wrestler. not hot. not at all.

Side Street Inn
1225 Hopaka St.
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 591-0253
sidestreetinn.com/

price: $$
verdict: it's aight

hawai'i: infamous coco puffs at liliha bakery

2011-06-13T01:00:00.001-07:00

opened since 1950, liliha bakery has become an integral part of the oahu food scene. their infamous coco puffs even made a cameo on the cbs t.v. show, hawaii five-0, which fueled a resurgence of coco puff lovin' and skyrocketed these pastries into super puffy stardom.

although their puffs placed liliha on the dessert map for those living outside of the aloha state, it should also be noted that they offer more than just their coco puffs which can be seen here

and here

and here too.

but similar to the man in line in front of me who bought 16 boxes of coco puffs to place in his cooler before his flight back to seattle, i knew I HAD TO TRY these darling looking coco puffs for myself.

so i got four coco puffs for us to try. two chocolate ones, the regular coco puff, and the green tea coco puff. and just as quickly as i bought the puffs, they went *puff* in the air as we expertly knocked down each one in rapid succession, not once acknowledging our bulging guts.

because the lovely element about this coco puff was the salty chantilly icing on top which contrasted beautifully with the chocolate filling inside. a definite crowd pleaser as you will see once you do a little more research for yourself. as for me, my most favorite puff of all was not the original but rather the green tea one which offered strong matcha flavors that tempered the overall sweetness of the puff.

and before we left, we bought a box of original coco puffs to give to a relative we were going to meet up that night. and as we presented this box to her, the first thing she said was "ahh, you went everywhere didn't you. you go where the locals go..." which made me sigh happily inside because after a 6 hour plane ride across the pacific ocean, the last thing i wanted to do was eat where the locals won't touch with a ten foot pole. not to mention, these puffs were dang good, too.

Liliha Bakery
515 N. Kuakini St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 531-1651

lilihabakeryhawaii.com

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it!

hawai'i: giovanni's aloha shrimp truck gives you delicious garlic breath stank

2011-05-30T22:20:00.001-07:00

this truck looks busted.

but admittedly, it serves some hoppin' delicious skrimp amongst all the shrimp trucks lined up in oahu's north shore.

giovanni's aloha shrimp truck is easily located by the use of a gps (a godsend when you're driving around hawai'i). their menu is concise and basic because you get skrimp, or you get skrimp...and maybe a hot dog, but i'm not sure why you're going to get a hot dog at a shrimp truck.

the shrimp scampi ($13) was pretty DERICIOUS. huge skrimps swaddled in a garlic butter sauce dotted with finely chopped garlic accompanied by two scoops of rice. although simple and probably replicable in your own home, i can see why you would want to drop by giovanni's if you so happen to crave shrimp and you so happen to be in north shore. i sure did.

on the other hand, their hot and spicy ($13) shrimp was pretty terrible. the hot sauce turned out to be dominated by this vinegar funk which gave these shrimps a very one noted flavor profile. i am not a fan of eating things that taste like vinegar. to add insult to injury, there is a a warning for it on the menu board "very hot. no refunds." omg, bye, bye $13.

before we headed back to our hotel, i HAD to stop by ted's bakery for their infamous chocolate haupia cream pie which is also located in north shore. oh boy, thick, decadent, chocolatey, with a whisper of coconut haupia in the mix. oh dear, how i wish they had a storefront here!

we also picked up a slice of ted's pineapple cheese pie because we had visited the dole plantation earlier that day so i still had prickly pineapples on my mind. though this slice was delicious, it was pretty clear to me that the chocolate haupia pie was the be all and end all dessert in hawai'i. in fact, i think i will be dreaming about the chocolate haupia tonight.

ted's bakery also serves bento boxes and various lunch items which were delicious. alas, we were hungry and scarfed them down before i could take pics. just another reason for me to head back with my belly and my camera. good times!

Giovanni's Aloha Shrimp Truck
66-472 Kamehameha Hwy
Haleiwa, HI 96712
(808) 293-1839

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

Ted's Bakery
59-024 Kamehameha Hwy
Haleiwa, HI 96712
(808) 638-8207

www.tedsbakery.com/

price: $
verdict: omg, i love it!

hawai'i: spamming at mitsu-ken

2011-05-23T00:15:00.000-07:00

like the guy you never thought you would end up falling for...maybe too short, too fat, too hairy, farts too much...i too, didn't think i would fall for spam as hard as i have. oh man SPAM. canned meat pumped full of sodium?! who would have thunk that i would be so smitten by gelatinous pink meat in a can...but that was before i had my first taste of spam musubi about 10 years ago so visiting hawai'i was as much about searching for relaxation as it was about looking for the perfect bite of spam musubi.

with this mission in mind, we were lucky to have found mitsu-ken early into our trip, thanks to a quick tweet from julian informing me about this small stand across the street from helena's. but after such a heavy meal at helena's, my first visit to mitsu-ken was a tentative one so i walked away from this tiny storefront with only one spam musubi in hand.

but literally, after one hefty bite of the spam musubi, a tidal wave of regret rushed in. why didn't i get more? how am i suppose to share just one? does d really need a taste? can we head back there now? WHY THE HECK DID I JUST BUY ONE I AM SUCH AN IDIOT!

so the following day, i was determined not to deal with food regrets from the day before. i picked up a mitsu-ken bento ($6) which consisted of garlic chicken, teri beef, a slice of spam, half a hot dog, egg omelet, and rice with furikake on top for lunch. everything on the plate had a sweet note to it, but since i tend to like sweet/savory foods, this whole bento box was right up my alley. EXTREMELY delicious.

and of course, the spam musubi ($1.25). it was everything i wished a spam musubi would be. it had the right amount of rice (not too much, not too little) and the right amount of saltiness and sweetness from the spam and soy sauce. although relatively easy to make, the "perfect" spam musubi bite can be rather elusive, but mitsu-ken smacked these flavor profiles right on the head. all you have to do is look at my leaning tower of spamisa to see how much i adored them.

sun, sand, spam. i'm hella coming back to this one! and next time, we're doubling up the spamisa to 10. ha! :0

Mitsu-Ken
1223 N. School Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 848-5573

price: $
verdict: holy shit!

hawai'i: the crack seed store supplies me with good crack

2011-05-15T22:11:00.001-07:00

it was just a matter of time before this crack whore found herself in front of THE crack seed store in honolulu. yeah, it might have taken a 6 hour plane ride and flying over the pacific ocean to do so, but once she stood in front of the doors of this tiny temple that glorified all that was crack seed, it was GAME OVER. her slitty eyes immediately zoned in on the rows and rows of glass jars that housed the crack she had long been searching for.

she was overjoyed that the savory crack seeds were aplenty, the legal kind that can't be smoked, shot up the arms, nor snorted lest you want to deal with a big plum seed stuck uncomfortably in your left nostril. because dahlings, crack seed, for those of you unfamiliar with it, is a preserved asian "candy" a.k.a. preserved plum that is typified by salty, sweet, and sour flavor profiles. li hing mui would be the powdery form of crack seed and is utilized most commonly on fresh or dried fruits to provide a contrast to the said fruit's natural sweetness. once eaten and appreciated, these crack seeds are truly addictive, befitting of its name.

crack jars. lovely, lovely, crack jars.

before long, her eyes rested on this glorious green shelf laden with THE THINGS she flew so far for, li hing mui covered gummies. powdery li hing mui covered sour patch kids, green apple gummies, watermelon gummies, sour belts and the like...totally sweet, yet totally sour. loves.

her mouth puckered in anticipation, knowing that each piece of li hing mui covered gummy will taste even better than the last and with giddy anticipation, she ended up buying enough bags to put her over her carry-on limit.

this crack seed store is also known for their li hing mui icee which is a regular icee mixed with a spoonful of li hing mui juice. the salty flavors mixed well with the typically sweet icee flavors.

and how grand was it for her to find a little crack seed in the midst of this refreshing red sea? she was happy. this crack, ain't whack she says and with one hefty sip and a bag full of li hing mui gummies, she bade the crack seed store a fond farewell and swore to come back again. and she will.

The Crack Seed Store
1156 Koko Head Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 737-1022

price: $
verdict: omg, i love it!

hawai'i: helena's hawaiian food will pop your pants good

2011-05-02T23:11:00.001-07:00

while people head towards hawai'i thinking of sunning on the beach or snorkeling with the fishes, my own hawaiian plans involved eating till my pants popped. sure, i can pop my pants anywhere, BUT, i wanted to pop them real good with some authentic hawaiian food like the stuff you find at helena's hawaiian foods in honolulu. omg, ono. no, seriously, ono.

in order to avoid the maddening lines that form almost as soon as helena's open, we got there at exactly 10am (they are open tuesday through friday so plan accordingly). given the option to sit anywhere, i made sure i found a seat that faced the infamous pipikaula short ribs as showcased in the man vs. food hawaiian episode. i think i'm just intrigued by hanging meat and by golly there were lots of them!

after a quick once-over with the menu, we settled on "menu d" ($17.85) which was comprised of their four most popular items; kalua pig, pipikaula short ribs, lomi salmon, luau squid, two cubes of coconut haupia for dessert, and a choice of either two scoops of rice or poi.

although everything was delicious, the standout items by far was the luau squid which consisted of taro leaves, squid, and coconut milk which was cooked until it became a mushy, delicious green mess reminiscent of creamed spinach. although unattractive to look at, it was in fact, one of the highlights of the meal and the silky fragrance of this dish made it rather craveable.

but the king of it all, the main reason to go to helena's is THIS, the pipikaula short ribs. omg. the 24 hour drying process allowed the short ribs to attain an almost jerky like texture but the flavors of the marinade has also deeply penetrated the meat, giving it an intense flavor with every bite. it also didn't hurt the flavor cause that these ribs were deep fried before serving which gave them a crunchy exterior.

we were so smitten by these short ribs, we literally ordered another large order of pipikaula ($10.40) and had to fight each other for the last piece too! in fact, right before we flew home, we came back again to order some food to go. too bad helena's is so dang far away!

alaea sea salt (unrefined sea salt mixed with hawaiian clay that is rich in iron oxide) served with slices of raw maui onion which was a curiously delicious accompaniment to the meal. i was so smitten with the salt after this introduction that before we headed home, i bought 5 bags to take with me which promptly got me pulled to the side by the tsa at the airport.

overall, the food was intensely satisfying and my expectations were met. when i come back to oahu, i will make sure helena's is the first place i visit. and next time, i will be wearing a floral dress so i can avoid all this pants popping business...it is so embarrassing when one cannot zip up one's pants.

Helena's Hawaiian Food
1240 N. School St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 845-8044

www.helenashawaiianfood.com/

price: $$
verdict: holy shit!

hawai'i: tanioka's seafoods and catering for some poke lovin'

2011-04-25T00:02:00.001-07:00

my first trip to oahu was possibly one of the most relaxing, belly stuffing experiences ever. something about the clear blue hawaiian waters, the lush greenery, and the 24/7 warm weather brought out my ultimate relaxed state of mind. and as you might know, when one feels relaxed, one indulges.

thanks to misty and a few other resources i scrounged up, as soon as humanly possible, i searched for my first gustatory indulgence; poke (!) and was lead to tanioka's seafoods and catering in waipahu for some ono poke. OMG. ono is right.

there's all kinds of ono eats here which explained the crazy long line, but i was determined to stick to the poke plan. i mean, i know it's my vacation and all, but i didn't want to be mistaken as a beached whale when i lie on the beach. moderation is key. yes? besides, there were many days of eating to be conquered.

the variety of poke offered at tanioka's was rather amazing so i decided to order a bit of everything with a few extras thrown in. even though it was a bit pricey, the freedom to choose as much or as little as you want since it was charged by weight gave me some leeway with my wallet.

i settled on six different poke flavors; the alaea poke, onion with limu, onion poke, lomi ahi, limu, hot alaea poke, seaweed salad, and spam musubi. i was determined to experience a poke overdose...and i did.

what a fantastic spread! everything looked so fresh too! and the ahi was so chunky....yumz.

the alaea poke had this deep redness to it and was mesmerizing to look at. taste-wise, it was rather light and one dimensional since all i really tasted was the alaea sea salt. i must admit, not a favorite of the bunch but so pretty to look at!

the limu poke on the other hand, had great texture to it. the crunch and saltiness from the sea algae was a pleasant addition to the ahi.

but the best tasting poke in all that bunch was the hot alaea poke. i really enjoyed the spicy sweetness to it and the supple fish was just plain pleasurable in my mouth. i aggressively finished the whole container on my own without sharing and will definitely go back for this baby when i visit oahu again.

and to round out our first official hawaiian meal, i ended the poke overdose with my first spam musubi on the island. not the best that i've tasted but satisfying nevertheless. but boy, tanioka's poke has left quite an impression on me. i shall return.

Tanioka's Seafoods and Catering
94-903 Farrington Hwy
Waipahu, HI 96797
(808) 671-3779

www.taniokas.com/

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

breaking up with gingergrass

2011-04-14T00:00:00.001-07:00

it's like THAT boy. you know. that one lingering one you dated, then broke up with, then dated again, only to eventually break up with once more. perhaps because of the passage of time, coupled with your hunger for companionship, you both reach out for each other again only to realize that lightening does strike twice and you should NOT have taken two steps back by rekindling a messy relationship that once was......

because eating copious amounts of shrimp chips won't ever make it any better.

nor sipping glasses of this uber yummy lychee mimosa ($7) enough to repair what's already been broken once....

because this relationship is quite similar to this persimmon roll ($4.95). random with ingredients that don't complement each other. please don't think that a few strands of persimmon flesh with noodles in rice wrapper should taste magically delicious. oh no, it tasted randomly conceived....just like this bygone relationship that you're trying to restart for a second time. people say your personalities didn't fit...and like this roll, it really just didn't...but you had to try again, didn't you?

and try as you might, an attempt to make the relationship slightly different by "behaving" for the first few months might have worked for the short term, but in order to prevent yourselves from falling back into old destructive habits, the foundation between the two of you must be strong in the first place and should not be accompanied by fatty baggage that cannot be digested. but alas, it was all smoke and mirrors wasn't it? just like this unctuous pork belly dish ($14.95) which tasted great as it was consumed, but as soon as it was fully digested, left one (namely me), pounding at the bathroom door for a belly emergency.

LOOK at all that unforgiving fat!

and by the tail end of this rekindled relationship with its obvious dried up passion like this dried up, overcooked fish in this big red snapper bowl ($10.95), it is probably a good time as any to give up because it's not worth the extra calories or the heartache.

because all the sweetness you had hoped would be there this second time around just did not materialize similar to these fried banana rolls ($5.95) which were served unripened and left a chalky taste in one's mouth. and truthfully, life is way too short to deny yourself of something sweet.

so what i'm really saying is, some relationships are meant to be left alone and once it's over, it should really be over. and now it's time for me to say bye bye to gingergrass. dahling, it was wrong once before and even with this second chance, we are clearly not meant to be. baby, we need to break up...again.

Gingergrass
2396 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 644-1600

www.gingergrass.com

price: $$
verdict: not worth my time

honey pig for a very sweet piglet

2011-04-05T20:58:00.001-07:00

after eating here and there, i know i kinda look like this little piggy, sans the curly tail. so when my friend decided to have her bday celebration at honey pig, there was no doubt in my mind that i was all trotters in.

the impressive birthday meal began with a conical shaped cooking surface for the birthday girl's grilling pleasure. as we sat down, staring at this metal hill, i imagined a sizzling slope of raw meats. hubba, hubba.

after we placed our orders, our server made a beautiful spread of kimchi at the base of the conical grill. heated kimchi?!? oh yum!

we made multiple orders of the special pork bellies ($19.99), beef short rib choice ($19.99), beef thin slice ($17.99), and assorted mushrooms ($18.99) to stuff our bellies silly that night. the meats were placed at the top of the conical grill which meant delicious rivulets of meaty juices which flowed and intermingled with the kimchi at the bottom.

the meats were of high quality and the service was prompt and consistent. it was really difficult for me not to pluck off all the meaty pieces before they were fully cooked but an every expanding waistline begged for some patience and pacing with my mouf.

the end of the meal was signaled by a quick fried rice on top of the charred grill. the little bits of leftover meats were incorporated in with the rice, along with some veggies which made for a yummy, but heavy finisher for the meal.

overall, the experience was rather delicious. great quality meats and good service for a large gathering of hoggishly hungry peeps.

Honey Pig
3400 W. 8th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 380-0256

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

phuoc loc tho for snails and duck fetuses, yay!

2011-03-30T23:11:00.001-07:00

food court food usually turns my tongue flaccid, but phuoc loc tho's food court in westminster does the complete opposite by perking up my tastebuds while inducing wild vietnamese spasms in my mouf. yes, it does.

as i mosey through all the knick knacks and future garage sale items at phuoc loc tho, the food court at the center always beckons me with its plethora of delicious vietnamese treats. and NOTHING makes my tongue wiggle as wildly as THIS treat, trứng vịt lộn (a fertilized duck egg with a nearly formed duck fetus nestled inside). here is a batch of eggs sitting in a warm water bath, awaiting for a lucky pie hole like mine.

to crack one of these suckers open for consumption, one must possess a gentle touch. first, you take a good look at your egg and make sure the tapered end faces upwards. you then make soft taps with the back of your spoon and carefully peel off the pieces of broken shell from the top, being cautious not to spill any of the duck juices that has brewed so potently within its shell. take an initial slurp and you too, will relish in the pure concentration of this duck juice. a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and vietnamese mint sets the stage for a most wonderful bite.

we quickly followed up our ducky mouthfuls with these snails cooked with lemon grass. it was delicious and tangy. my only regret was not ordering more.

these paler versions were cooked in a light, gingery broth. when they were brought to our table, our toothpicks were poised and ready to fish out the meat from these coiled shells. a light dip in the fish sauce gave this gastrapoda just enough zing for consumption. loves.

the bánh cuốn was not as masterful ;) as my mom's homemade version, OF COURSE, but it was delicious nevertheless. the fish cake and the mung bean patties were very filling components to the dish.

and we rounded out our feast with an order of bánh bèo which were delicious individual saucers of steamed rice cakes topped with a bit of dried shrimp. i could have eaten them all if it wasn't for the fact that i HAD to share. BOOOOO.....

and before i headed home, i HAD to grab a box of goi du du, a vietnamese style green papaya salad. what makes this food stall particularly memorable is their beef AND liver jerky on top. i never leave phuoc loc tho without a beloved box of shredded green papaya from this place.

heavenly. the textures and flavors are just amaaaaazing.

man i love this place. phuoc loc tho...where it tastes phuocking great!

Phuoc Loc Tho
9200 Bolsa Ave.
Ste 1148
Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 903-2550

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

liquid pork at ramen yamadaya

2011-03-14T22:10:00.001-07:00

this is how you make LIQUID PORK. you take ms. piggy, pull off her dress and pearls, then boil her in a vat of water for days. the water will then be infuse with her porky juices, thus making a heavenly pork broth for your consumption. OR, you can drop by ramen yamadaya in torrance to treat yourself to some of their heavenly tonkotsu ramen broth. holy oinkster batman, i want to drink a vat of that liquid pork!

to start the meal off in this intimate ramen shop, i chose NOT to go light. i ordered the combination special which came with ramen and two sides. the first side was a crispy set of gyoza quadruplets. oh how i adore these crispy pan fried gyozas with their silky, meaty innards.

the second side, the kimchi fried rice, was stellar as well. each crimson bite revealed a bit of kimchi and chasu. if it wasn't for the fact that i had a big bowl of ramen to look forward to, i would have consumed every single grain of rice in that bowl.

my eating partner chose the kimchi fried rice and the kara-age chicken for his combination special. each piece of kara-age was a plump nugget of breaded chicken bliss. the cabbage slaw was tangy which minimized the greasy bites.

...and the ramen. oh dear lord, the ramen. i chose the yamadaya ramen with the "thin" noodles which had two types of chasu pork, menma (fermented bamboo shoots), nori, and a seasoned egg. oooohhhh emmmmm geeeee DELICIOUS. the broth was full bodied, creamy, savory, and wonderfully hearty. and if this was even possible, each slurp of the noodles tasted even better than the last (i may have just drooled on myself as i type this) and slurp away i did until my whole bowl was dry as a bone.

on the other hand, my friend decided to get their kakuni ramen with the "thick" noodles. an alarming slab of fatty pork belly adorned the bowl and although i am a fan of both pork and their fat bellies, the unctuous nature of this particular piece was just too much. due to the thickness of this fat, it was not "melt in your mouth." it was more like "i bit the thigh of a fat man and now it's in my mouth." *shudders*

but whichever ramen style you decide to order, don't forget to ask for their garlic press and squeeze a few cloves of garlic through. the aromatic raw garlic was a great balance to this slightly greasy broth and truly makes a difference in this gustatory experience.

this soup was the quintessential LIQUID PORK and will pop your tongue with the most satisfying savory flavors. if it wasn't for the fact that ramen yamadaya is located in torrance, i guarantee to you that i would have become a regular pretty quickly. lucky for you westsiders, a second ramen yamadaya storefront will soon open its doors in culver city. so dang delicious and DO check it out when you get the chance.

thank you panda for introducing us to ANOTHER delicious meal!! and as always, we enjoy noshing with you and the other dude :) good times!

Ramen Yamadaya
3118 W. 182nd St.
Torrance, CA 90504
(310) 380-5555

www.ramen-yamadaya.com

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

ichimi-an for a cold soba awakening

2011-03-06T21:35:00.001-08:00

cold soba noodles on a hot day is the best savory way to cool down. imagine them snaking towards your belly while leaving a cooling effect on your body temperature. even better yet is if it's made fresh daily! and there's no radder place (yes, i used rad) to have a savory cool down than at ichimi-an in torrance.

if you get the $15.95 sushi dinner combo, you get to nibble on a bit of everything. the four pieces of fresh sushi i got was a great way to start off the meal.

the set meal also came with the mixed tempura. i'm not one to say "no" to crunchy fried foods and this set was perfectly crunchy.

but the freshly made soba noodles was the star of the show though. borrowed from their website for a little 4-1-1 on soba 101:

The buckwheat for the soba and flour for the udon served in Ichimian are shipped directly from Japan on K-Line vessels in refrigerated containers to keep them fresh as possible. The Buckwheats are milled daily and noodles are made daily. Freshness is the main ingredient that keeps the soba and udon noodles so chewy, healthy, and full of fragrance.

the springy noodles had a nice chew to them and one mouthful quickly lead to the next and the next until i bid my last strand of soba goodbye. refreshing and utterly pleasant for the pie hole.

after the cold soba consumption, the sobayu (the water in which the soba noodles were cooked in), was mixed with the leftover tsuyu (dipping sauce for the soba).

i thought it tasted like diluted soy water...i did not finish my cup though the concept was interesting.

sadly, ichimi-an is located in torrance or else i would make it a weekly visit. seriously, freshly made cold soba noodles when consumed on a hot day is an utterly fantastic gustatory feeling. wowzers.

Ichimi-An
2537 Pacific Coast Hwy
Ste A
Torrance, CA 90505
(310) 784-0551

www.ichimiann.com

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

1/2 priced happiness at saint felix

2011-02-27T23:00:00.001-08:00

sexy shoes.

fishnet legs that go on forever.

that can only mean one thing. time to go to saint felix in west hollywood for some cocktails. better yet, go between the hours of 4-8 when they have their happy hour.

during happy hour, all cocktails are half off. and if you enjoy fruity, jolly rancher hard candy tastes in liquid form, then might i suggest that you try their watermelon martini (happy hour price $6) which is a concoction of watermelon vodka with a watermelon mixer. you will even get a slice of watermelon drowning in it.

then perhaps your sexy self can move onto their firecracker cocktail (happy hour price $6), a blend of finlandia grapefruit vodka, lime juice, and then shaken with raw jalapenos. i asked for "mild" and can distinctly taste the jalapeno in it. it was intriguingly yummy and there was a certain kick to every sip.

and if you don't want an empty belly swishing with alcohol as you walk towards your parked car, you should probably partake in their $5 food offerings. unfortunately, there's not much to choose from on their happy hour menu if you're actually expecting to eat a whole lot while you drink. i decided on their kobe slider which had grilled onions on a brioche bun. CLEARLY, one comes to saint felix to drink and not to eat.

or you can just seat yourself in a cozy corner with your sexy shoes and fishnet stockings and drink the night away....till 8pm course. i'm sure you're not too sexy for a good happy hour deal.

Saint Felix
8945 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 275-4428

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

tongue spasms at patisserie chantilly

2011-02-22T22:10:00.001-08:00

if you have needs that must be fulfilled (not speaking of your carnal ones), PATISSERIE CHANTILLY in lomita is THE place to be to have your needs FULFILLED.

got thirst? quench it with some of their crema coffee ($3). the coffee won't be as mind blowing as some of the ones you might sip at bona fide coffee houses, but it does the trick and will perk you up real good.

got high cholesterol? a piping hot cup of their green tea ($2.50) chocked-full of antioxidant properties should help revitalize your fatty body. unfortunately for me, their cup was quite potent and bitter and for a recreational green tea drinker like me, the robust matcha flavors were slightly overpowering.

got scurvy? their cafe orange ($4.50) with coffee mousse and orange ganache will leave a slight citrus kiss on your tongue and help combat your vitamin c deficiency.....even though it's packaged in a million delicious calories.

got saggy facial wrinkles? partake in their le matcha cake ($4.50) to stall the effects of aging. the consumption of this delectable, slightly sweet, antioxidant laden cake will give you a natural face lift. though the matcha flavors were present in the matcha mousse, the earthy flavors were not at all overpowering like their cup of green tea. delightful.

got misplaced jealousy? patisserie chantilly's black and white cake, the othello, is filled with chocolate and sesame flavors, a murderous MUST order when you're here.

got some pounds to lose? this grapefruit gelee will happily replace your ho-hum grapefruit diet with some refreshing grapefruit juice, rum, and petite morsels of grapefruit flesh. this seasonal item is a MUST TRY as well and i'm pretty sure you will pucker your face in happiness while you consume it.

got a hole in your heart? holy shit eat this!! the choux aux sesames ($2.95) might possibly be the most delicious sweet thang i've noshed in a long time. the sesame flavors and smell reminded me of my grandmother and my mother toasting sesame seeds when they cooked, but the black sesame cream with the hint of honey in their toasted shells elevated these precious seeds to a rather sophisticated level. personally, i found the best bite to be the cap of this pate a choux with a dollop of the black sesame cream. dear lord, thank you.

not wanting to leave patisserie chantilly empty handed after that "holy shit" moment, d and i assembled a box of goodies, kept fresh with their 25 cent ice packs. each bite at home burned a desire in my soul to go back for more. and more. and more.

thank you danny for introducing us to this delicious gem in the south bay and to the talents of pastry chef keiko nojima! my treks to lomita will be frequent because of this patisserie AND sadly because i now have a sesame need that must be fulfilled. someone, please drive me :'(

Patisserie Chantilly
2383 Lomita Blvd #104
Lomita, CA 90717
(310) 257-9454

www.patisseriechantilly.com

price: $
verdict: holy shit!

yakitori nights and dashi broth dreams at torihei

2011-02-15T00:11:00.001-08:00

a trip down to south bay with danny, remil, cathy, vern, and d proved to be a most delicious belly adventure. although i did not attend the epic gorge fest that occured that day with 7 stops total, i was able to drop in for the last leg of the south bay eating frenzy at torihei, a japanese eatery specializing in kyoto style oden and yakitori. hubba hubba, my belly was so excited for some grilled eats!

since torihei is an excessively popular place, danny made reservations for us in advance so that we can avoid the wait. once we were seated, he feverishly marked the many slips of paper tucked into a glass cup. we were then instructed to spoon a bit of shichimi togarashi (red colored) and sansho pepper (green colored) for flavoring onto our plates. personally, i love my yakitori with just a hint of salt and don't normally use either, though i'm sure they went fabulously well with the grilled goods there.

one of the first grilled skewers to arrive was the chicken heart ($1.80) which was tender and delectable. one of my favorite parts of any bird. i heart the heart.

the chicken skin with ponzu ($3.95) was tangy with its ponzu dressing and thinly sliced raw onion strands. each bite was tart and fatty and rather delectable. i would absolutely order this again.

the squid marinated in salt "shio-kara" ($4.95) was my least favorite item of the night. the fishy funk was overwhelming and definitely unpleasant to put in my pie hole.

the homemade chicken liver paste with bread ($4.95) was served with honey and was delightful to eat. pairing the silky, savory pate with the sweet, sticky honey resulted in a harmonious medley of flavors for the tongue. when we tried to order it again and was told they were out, an audible, disappointed sigh escaped from all of us. so sad...too bad. i want :(

the chicken gizzard ($1.80) was also grilled to perfection.

chicken tail aka chicken ass ($2.30). as nasty as it sounds, this clucker's ass has just the right amount of fat and chars quite nicely on the grill. come on now, you probably can't ignore a good piece of ass either.

the garlic wrapped in foil ($3.95) were wonderfully tender and the sting one normally gets from raw garlic was eradicated during the cooking process. in between nibbles of grilled eats, i suggest popping one or two of these babies into your mouth.

the grilled liver ($1.80) was also cooked to perfection. each bite was creamy and dreamy. another favorite offal of mine.

the grilled chicken thigh ($1.80) was juicy and moist.

the chicken karage ($6.95) had a thick coat of crunch but the chicken protected inside was moist and flavorful. a wonderful snack when one fists a mug of sapporo as well.

the half raw egg with ikura ($1.95) in dashi broth was simple yet intensely flavorful. the dashi broth at torihei has been the best rendition i've tasted by far. simply craveable.

the torihei meatball ($1.80) was rather tender and crumbled in in my mouth as i bit into it. the second order we ate revealed an interesting incorporation of cartilage in the meaty balls. yumz.

the chicken skin ($2.30) was also grilled to perfection. a must order when one favors the fatty, smoky flavors of grilled chicken skin. obviously, i am not one to shy away from skin. are you?

the beef tongue ($2.30) was thick and the dots of wasabi instantly cleared up my nose when i consumed it. i LOVE tongue as much as i love blogging. does that explain my love enough?

the chicken cartilage ($2.30) was crunchy and the meat that clung to it gave each bite a smokey, savory flavor.

the fatty pork ($2.30) was unctuous and delightful to eat.

the chicken breast with plum ($1.80) was tasty as well. the plum which i suspect to be a an umeboshi paste added an extra dimension of sour and tart flavor profiles to the chicken.

we finished off the night with the whole tomato ($2.80) which was topped off with a piece of mozzarella cheese in dashi broth. AGAIN, the dashi broth was crazy good and transformed this rather plain, somewhat cooked tomato into something rather magical. i wish i can slurp that dashi broth again.

and as you can see, the skewers says it all. it says, come hungry, leave happy (i might have just quoted IHOP) and i will most certainly come back hungry to torihei and i will fist a few skewers and guzzle that dashi broth until i pee in my pants. thanks danny for introducing us to another fantastic meal!

*priced per skewer*

Torihei
1757 W. Carson St.
Ste A
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 781-9407

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

porky delights at don dae gam

2011-02-06T23:01:00.001-08:00

most restaurants do not advertise to their patrons how rotund their buttocks may become after heifing at their establishment. but don dae gam makes no apologies for it and proudly displays the roundest swine's behind for you to look at and aspire to as you stuff your face silly with all kinds of their delicious porky offerings. not at all intimidated by a potential expanding behind, my dining partner and i dropped in for dinner this past saturday night.

surprisingly, this sister restaurant to park's bbq was rather empty which was a godsend for our grumbling bellies. we were seated quickly at a round aluminum table, woot. the banchan that was brought out to us was standard fare though i quite enjoyed a marinated version of kimchi that reminded me of vietnamese pickled mustard greens. ah...when conical hats meet korean kats.

after a quick huddle over our menus, we decided to go with a combo meal for the best bang for our buck. for $49.99, the combo #1 allowed us to choose two different kinds of pork bbq, a side dish from their "something more" category, and beer/soju. since there were only two mouths that night, albeit big mouths at that, the best deal for us was a combo meal.

although don dae gam offers beef, it seemed counterintuitive to order cow when such a big fat pig was emblazoned on their menu. we decided to choose the special pork neck meat and the seasoned black pork belly as our two porky choices and a side order of fried kimchi rice balls from their "something more" category.

pork neck. WOW. i can't quite say i've had it before and texturally, it reminded me of pig's feet but without the gelatinous element to it. however, the chew was similar. it was LOVE. if i was a vampire, i would forgo your neck and head straight for the swine's. DELICIOUS i tell ya and i would certainly crave this odd piece of meat.

the seasoned black pork belly was dangerously unctuous and was marinated with the same ingredients that one would find for galbi. but i must warn you that one must ENJOY fat to enjoy this cut of meat. i like fat so i likey.

the little football shaped fried kimchi rice balls were a delectable discovery that night as well. although a tad oily, the balls of mixed black and white rice were stuffed in an egg blanket. each bite seared into my memory the desire to return to don dae gam sooner, rather than later, for another order of these savory carb filled footballs.

the meal ended with their tofu and bean paste soup. as you can tell by the picture, we had quite a bit of heat in that bowl. i thought it was too spicy and my dining partner did not enjoy the fermented bean taste.

and rice crust in water, another unnecessary side for us that came along with the meal.

overall, the meal i had at don dae gam was spectacular and i only wished there were more mouths that night to justify over-ordering. not only was there no wait, but the service was quick and attentive....not to mention PORK NECK and FRIED KIMCHI RICE BALLS. and truth be told, my bum was quite robust as i waddled out of their doors that night. ahhh, i do look forward to waddling back through their doors again soon though. oh pork...i oink you.

Don Dae Gam
1145 S. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(323) 373-0700

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

sipping and wooting at haus dessert boutique

2011-02-03T21:27:00.001-08:00

if i was a boy and wanted to woo a girl, i would totally take her here. if i was a gal and had a gaggle of women that i wanted to talk to about boys, then i would totally take them here as well. what i'm really saying is that haus dessert boutique is a cute little place in k-town to chillax and you and i should TOTALLY go here. totally.

and since the ambiance is fun, contemporary, and loungy with comfy seating for your derriere, i'm sure you can wax poetic about your life or lack thereof while sippin' many, many cups of coffee....

or you can moisten your chords with a variety of smoothies and shakes. this green tea shake ($7) had strong matcha flavors but was deliciously addictive and refreshing. my dining companion took a few hefty slurps before i could take my pic...dang saboteur. but let's just say, the $7 filled the smoothie to the very top of that glass just in case your wallet trembled a little at the idea of forking over $7 for a shake. woot?

but if you don't want to spring for a drink, let me mention that they had a promotion in which the mere mention of "twitter" got you a complimentary cup of coffee to go with your piece of cake. woot for social media. but do not expect an "i love twitter" message on your plate like you see here if you can still snag this deal. our server sniffed out that we were social media whores and decided to plate up our dessert with that message....and of course we had to tweet it out....of course. twitter. woot.

after we were done cackling at our chocolatey message, i finally dug my fork into the thick wedge of red velvet cheesecake ($5). unfortunately, the cake was not as fun as the message it sat upon. although the cake part was moist and spongy, the cheesecake portion suffered from a heavy hand of salt. i typically enjoy some salty elements to my dessert which usually highlights the sweetness even more, but this time, it was a tad overpowering. i did not care for this piece of salty-sweet fatness at all.

the chocolate mousse cake ($5) on the other hand was absolutely joyful to eat. it was chocolatey, BUT NOT too sweet, a perfect dessert for the asian palate.

as i sat there watching some korean dudes walk to the restroom sporting asian glows, a couple on a date, and a few girlfriends just sitting around chatting, i realized haus can probably fit the bill for anyone...as long as you come for dessert and with plans to wax poetic about life over a few mugs of coffee. enjoy.

*and happy new year, gong hei fat choi, and chuc ming nam moi peeps! here's to another fatty year! woot.*

Haus Dessert Boutique
3826 W. 6th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 388-5311

www.hausdessertboutique.com

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it!

DGM (Dwit Gol Mok) otherwise known as (D)amn (G)ood (M)unchies!

2011-01-30T22:20:00.001-08:00

the best thing about knowing a panda is their enthusiasm to share their feed with you. fully expecting to find a forest of bamboo shoots last friday night, i was quite surprised by this gritty korean watering hole instead. welcome peeps to DGM (dwit gol mok) and thanks danny for the delicious introduction.

since this was our first visit to dgm, the panda had to escort us the the location or we would have surely gotten lost in this urban forest we call k-town. even though their address clearly points you to wilshire blvd, the actual entrance is from their parking lot which is off of berendo. but like a treasure hunt, once you find the mouth to this gastro cave, your belly will be in for quite a yummy ride.

water is served in beat up gold kettles which adds to the flair of this pub. love it.

their menu is in korean. if you can't read it, do not have a korean friend that speaks it, or a smartphone to show the pictures, then i suggest you learn the names for some of the dishes you'd like to masticate. the servers do speak some english, but i reckon not enough to understand your lively descriptions of the feed or how much you really want to consume it.

and heeellllooo yogurt soju....holy mother of baby jesus. DELICIOUS. this bewitching elixir is a mix of soju and a yogurt drink (possibly yakult or yogu) and was delicious, smooth, and subtly boozy. since you can hardly taste the presence of alcohol, this delicate drink will creep up on you slowly so drinkers beware. after downing a few glasses, all i could think of was, "where have you been all my life?" in fact, i might have shouted that line in my head several times during the course of the night.

the rabukkee was absolutely divine. the ramen noodles and dukboki smothered in sweet and spicy gochujang was a perfect combination of flavors. in fact, it was my most favorite dish of the night and i look forward to devouring many more platters of rabukkee in the future.

fried chicken wings with a side of spicy sauce and a side of cabbage slaw with thousand island dressing. korean fried chicken (aka kfc) is a fixture in all korean pub eats. its presence here was expected and deeply appreciated.

fried oysters, meaty sea animals they were. a perfect snack for drinking.

the spicy intestine soup was a bubbly mini cauldron of intestines, udon noodles, and kimchi. my dining companions were huge fans of this soup, but i had lukewarm feelings towards it. i did not enjoy the floating particles that one typically finds from boiling meat that should be cleared away. the gritty texture from these particles was off putting to eat.

if you head over to dgm between the hours of 5pm-8pm any day of the week, you will get all food items 50% off as long as you order alcohol. if you do not order libation, all food items will be 25% off during those hours. but COME ON NOW, get some yogurt soju baby. i know you will thank me later.

anyways, it was a delicious meal and a wonderful hole in the wall. FOR SURE, my belly will be back. the only question next time is how many pots of yogurt soju should i order?

DGM (Dwit Gol Mok)
3275 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 382-8432

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

go to fraiche for the fraichest happy hour in culver city

2011-01-23T20:28:00.001-08:00

did your boss bitch you out? did you miss a deadline? did you get into a gnarly confrontation with a client? or did you forget to kiss the right ass to move yourself up the corporate ladder...again? yup, the minute your work clock hits "GO HOME," go find yourself a fine happy hour to drown your sorrows in and to reboost your spirits. trust me, you will need it to survive the following work day. and if you are lucky enough to be in culver city, might i suggest happy hour at fraiche. with 7 days a week happy hours running from 3-7 pm, specialty cocktails, well drinks, and wine for $5 and draft beer for $3, you will SURELY drown your sorrows. man i dig this place.

the grape ($5). pumped with vodka, elderflower syrup, crushed grapes, and lime, this sweet cocktail will take you to a better place. i promise.

the good apple ($5) with granny smith infused vodka was fragrant to the nose but the addition of star anise was off putting to drink. my least favorite of the three drinks that night.

the st. tropez ($5) was another winner. the gin, lime, and cucumber ice cube reminded me of boozy spa water. i love, loved the cucumber ice cube and had a ball gnawing at it.

the berkshire pork rillettes ($5) with pickled radish and violet mustard were savory and delicious when spreaded on bread.

the ghetto fabulous nacho cheese tasting jar of classy piquillo cheese spread ($5) with manchego cheese and chorizo. i guarantee endless smearings of this cheesy delight on your bread as you drown your sorrows. a definite crowd favorite.

the pate de campagne ($5) with country mustard and cornichons. oh man i love pate and this one did not disappoint.

truffle fries ($5) with parsley and parmesan. truffle odor, fried tubers...need i say more?

and a truffle burger ($12) with onion fondue, truffle aioli, and boschetto. meaty, filling, infused with savory accoutrements that will make your toes wiggle. this truffle burger was muy delicioso and at that price? NICE.

so whether you have a bad day at work or just need a drink, fraiche culver city is THE PLACE to be. love their happy hour...love, love...and i have a feeling you will love it, too.

Fraiche
9411 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 839-6800

www.fraicherestaurantla.com

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

lazy ox canteen for the not so lazy oxen in l.a.

2011-01-17T13:23:00.001-08:00

sometimes, during the course of the work week, i feel like an ox. one that pulls heavy loads and walk through sh*t strewn about by careless folks that don't think too much about anyone else. although i make it out alive, on a daily basis, my inner ox calls for lazier times made merrier by good food, good wine, and great company. thank god for pam, marie, and remil for giving me that extra gust of wind for my sail last thursday so i could trod through the rest of my work week intact. AND, what better place to refuel the spirits than good eats at lazy ox in little tokyo.

to start off any form of merry making, one must fist a beautiful glass of wine. my choice that night was a glass of gruner veltliner from austria ($9). the wine had wonderful sweet, fruity notes to start off the night.

having read about their infamous lazy ox pig ears, i immediately scanned the menu and the chalkboard for an order...but couldn't locate them. a frantic inquiry with our server revealed a stash of pig ears in the back, the ones that the big bad wolf hadn't already consumed.

when the plate came out piled high with thick strands of crispy piggly wiggly ears, my own ears wiggled in anticipation. they were suprisingly plump, yet crispy. the tart tang from the lime juice and the pickled veggies alleviated the oiliness from the dish and made for a much tastier bite. delectable and a must order for me at the lazy ox.

the beef tongue escabeche with pickled tomato ($12) was tender and tart. the liberal use of acid masked the delicate tongue flavors, but the dish was still good in its own right and was a delicious addition to our feast.

crispy rabbit livers with cucumber and salmorejo ($12). little wabbits, big livers. the thin coat of flaky batter encased perfectly cooked livers. after a bite of that, what i really wanted was a glass of beer to go along with my wabbits.

lamb belly with lebni and mint ($16) might give pork belly a run for its money. unctuous and fragrant from the mint, this piece of baaaa baaaa belly will melt in your mouth. the real question is, can you deal with another piece of belly fat? i did.

the caramelized romanesco with chile, mint, pinenuts ($9) had strong broccoli flavors and was as dense as cauliflower when masticated. the charred bits of romanesco left a smoky presence in my mouth. the whole dish felt like a beautiful summer breeze.

the creamy farro with smoked sundried tomato and bone marrow butter ($13) was a creamy spoonful enjoyed by us all. and bone marrow butter?!? i die.

the blistered shishito peppers with mojama ($7) was simple and delightful.

the night ended with two wonderful desserts. the rice pudding with caramel and whipped cream gave this carb lover another reason to run around the block before heading home. the rice pudding itself had liberal amounts of cream incorporated into it and though unnecessary, the caramel and whipped creme sides should be spooned in for every bite to add another layer of decadence.

the dense chocolate cake was deliciously bitter. a nice reminder that bitterness is not always unpalatable as it is in real life.

AND that, my friends, was my wonderful thursday evening at lazy ox. man, what a fabulous watering hole for all the hard working oxen in l.a.

Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-5299

www.lazyoxcanteen.com

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

a breath of fraiche air

2011-01-09T23:11:00.000-08:00

i am a belly of many, many words, but for this one, i want to shut my pie hole and share my pictures instead. thank you danny, aka kungfoodpanda for organizing yet another delicious meal for jackie, kate, remil, fiona, d, and moi to enjoy. but most importantly, thank you chef benjamin bailly for hitting another feast out of the ball park. it was truly delicious and i can't wait to come back to fraiche for more!

smoked trout rillettes ($8) and pate on bread to tease the tastebuds.

baby beets ($13). baby let me beat you into a delicious pulp in my mouf.

frisee aux lardons with oeuf pane ($14). do not be intimidated by the deep fried hard boiled egg. this salad is rather delicious and i remember you fondly since our first meeting at petrossian. hello love. did you miss me?

belgian endives ($14). i would ABSOLUTELY get this again. crispy and savory. almost perfect.

crispy loup de mer ($28). perfectly cooked and crispy in all the right places.

seared daurade royale ($28) on a lovely bed of farro. if i was a dead fish, i would choose a farro death bed as well.

pan roasted scallops ($26) on smooth cauliflower puree. it's so smooth, it's criminal.

kobe beef cheeks with celery root puree ($28). tender are thy cheeks. i want to pinch thee with the tines of my shiny fork.

moulard duck confit ($26). i loosened my belt buckle for this one. absolutely satisfying and the creamy fregola sarda was 100% ooh la la addictive.

truffle spaghetti (off menu item). effin' brilliant. this dish will drive your nose into a tizzy. the smell of truffles was truly intoxicating and left my head spinning in a lovely way.

sunchokes risotto ($18) with an off menu serving of truffles. omfg. there goes the truffles again. i was under a truffle voodoo and i didn't care one bit to break the spell.

green peas ravioli (off menu item). sweet little pockets for my big mouth.

rabbit garganelli ($22). yes, those really cute, fuzzy wabbits make a good dish.

hand cut maltagliati ($19) with pork ragu.

by the time dessert came out, i was already rolling about from an overly satisfied belly. the desserts were lovely indeed.

chestnut tiramisu ($9) and manjari chocolate pot de creme ($8)

meyer lemon ($8) and caramel pot de creme ($8)

pistachio creme brulee with apricot sorbet ($9). the sorbet was out of control. might i suggest apricot sorbet with a fresh heaping of fruit and make it its own dessert? soooo good.

panettone bread pudding ($9)

chocolate tart with tres leches gelato ($10)

chocolate coulant with peanut butter ice-cream ($12)

apple and pear clafoutis ($9)

*burp*

Fraiche
9411 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 839-6800

www.fraicherestaurantla.com

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

pregnant with pastrami at langer's delicatessen-restaurant

2011-01-02T23:11:00.001-08:00

it is pretty ballsy when one says they are the "best" at something. case in point, j-lo had the "best ass" not too long ago, but then kim kardashian busts into the scene hinny first and now touts the best booty on the block. methinks it's better not to call something "best" just so there's less pressure. the higher the expectations, the further the fall for your round buttocks. the whole point is that the term "best" is purely subjective so whatever i say next is just my opinion ok....

langer's in westlake makes the best pastrami sandwiches. there, i just used the word "best."

they also have the best cream soda ($2.95). THERE, i used that "b" word again.

the matzo ball soup ($3.25) was pretty darn good too. not the best, but close to it, like a stepsister of the best. the soup tasted like it had simmered for hours and was as potent as 80 chickens boiled in one stock pot. a spoonful might make you cluck uncontrollably...i dare you to try it for yourself you naysayer.

ohhh...and the best pastrami sandwich ($14.45) ever, the wicked #19. though this is not my first visit to langer's, i am always drawn to this sandwich like a moth to a flame a la janet jackson. HOWEVER, i do plan to take a serious look at the menu next time and order something else. ahh, new year, new promises.

#19 = unctuous slabs of pastrami with a chilled mound of slaw with russian style dressing and a slice of swiss cheese between uber crusty slices of rye bread. the marriage between these ingredients was just magical i tell ya, magical.

so the best pastrami sandwich can be had here at langer's and though the hours are limited, between 8am-4pm monday through saturday, i urge you to make the trek out to westlake if you haven't already to try what may be deemed as the BEST pastrami sandwich in l.a...according to many sources...the most reliable one being my belly.

you can even call for curb side service if you can't find parking in their small private lot on alvarado and westlake. BUT i urge you, DO make the effort. once you take a bite out of their pastrami offerings, i'm sure you won't be able to resist the lure of langer's pastrami on a consistent basis and you will see that your buttocks will grow just as thick and as round as kim kardashian's.

Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant
704 S. Alvarado St.
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 483-8050

www.langersdeli.com

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

pappaRich has super buttery buns!

2010-12-29T02:02:00.000-08:00

destructive behavior means willingly engaging oneself in bad-for-you activities. for instance, like eating candy right before your dentist appointment or smoking crack. if you find yourself in the presence of this man, he will surely enable you in every single destructive way possible. don't let that happy smile fool ya. bad man.

he guards the entrance to his lair of badness....a lair known for especially entrapping people with muffin tops and those that swear that they won't eat badly anymore but end up DOING THE EXACT OPPOSITE. oh man, i confess...i'm one of THOSE. how the heck did i end up with greasy, buttery lips when i promised i wouldn't overindulge on random fats anymore? fail.

for $5.25, this combo snack did me in. their fragrant english tea washed down the buttery evidence left from their signature papparich bun.

and their bun. dear lord. this korean style bun has a layer of mocha cream paste on top which gets melted on the bun during the baking process. the resulting effect is a sweet, somewhat crunchy exterior. once you break into the bun, you reveal soft, pillowy bread innards AND an alarming pat of butter in the center that barely melted through. "holy crap, i just bought bigger pants yesterday!" i exclaimed once i took my initial bite. the sopping buttery middle was a little bit too much for me to enjoy so i ate around it like a beaver gnawing on tasty driftwood. although papparich has oodles of die hard fans, for once, the fatty in me actually thought it was too buttery and just.too.much. go figure.

i will probably give these buttery buns another try and only if they are piping hot. not to mention all the coffee choices that i did not partake in which warrants a second visit. till then, i give papparich a lukewarm high five.

PappaRich
100 W. Green St.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 440-0009

www.papparichusa.com

price: $
verdict: it's aight

robata JINYA for ramen eating wehonians

2010-12-24T23:11:00.001-08:00

the last few days of getting hammered by unrelentless rain has thoroughly soaked my soul through and through. my shriveled up phalanges turned into flesh colored raisins rather than their normal plump selves that i use to scratch my calves with....but i digress. the main point is that it's been miserably cold and rather dampening to the spirits.

so as i sat slightly shivering on my dog gnawed forest green sofa, i recalled the time after the eat my blog bake sale when i inhaled a bowl full of ramen which left me feeling warm and toasty inside....ahhh, domo arigato mr. robata JINYA. your bowl of ramen would have been such a blessing during these cold, wet, l.a. days.

while the raindrops pounded my wee roof like pellets shot out of a cloudy bebe gun, i often found myself daydreaming about their hakata tonkotsu ramen ($9.50). the complex broth, al dente ramen, and the slices of chasu (though not quite melt-in-your-mouth like daikokuya) would have lifted my spirits even though it would not have dried my socks. the limited servings of 20 orders per day made it the "must order" choice for me that night, though the other ramen choices sounded just as delicious. if you are nowhere near daikokuya, this bowl of ramen would be a fantastic alternative.

i also ordered two robatayakis (skewered and grilled eats). dipping sauce was provided for your, erm, dipping pleasure. there was a yuzu and sesame oil dip, a cilantro dip, and a spicy mayo dip. my favorites were definitely between the yuzu and cilantro ones which did not coat your bites with shlack as thickly as the mayo one did.

the first skewer up was the japanese pumpkin ($1.90) which i suspect to be the kabocha pumpkin. its subtle hint of sweetness was accentuated by tiny flecks of salt sprinkled on during the grilling process. earthy and unadulturated. i like.

the eggplant ($1.80) was a surprise when it arrived to me under a flurry of bonito flakes. tender from the grill, the eggplant was a tasty mush in my mouth. and the bonito flakes? YUM. if you enjoy the taste of smoke, dried bonito fish, then the marriage between the two was a perfect balance of flavors.

robata jinya is a wonderful addition to weho, allowing wehonians that crave ramen to find a tasty bowl close to home. although i was rained in the past couple of days, the memories of such soul warming food made me long for an authentic bowl as i heifed down a bowl of instant ramen at home. anyways, till we meet again...or more realistically, if you have a spot for walk-ins like me!

merry christmas peeps and have a jolly good night!

Robata JINYA
8050 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 653-8877

www.jinya-la.com/

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

ob bear for the chicken win!

2010-12-20T23:11:00.001-08:00

i do not advocate drowning one's sorrows in alcohol, but if you MUST haze your memory or dull the pain brought upon you by a disgruntled god(s), then i suggest you drown yourself in a huge pitcher of hite beer at ob bear. that's right, the bitterness of life can be momentarily forgotten here as you experience all levels of delicious excess.

accompanied by danny of kung food panda fame and d, my usual eating partner in crime, we spent a night drinking, chatting, and sweating as the food burned our tongues whilst the beer simultaneously cooled it...as i had remembered, the ob bear menu did not disappoint and was lavish and craveable as usual. but not wanting a food gut on top of a beer gut, we ordered modestly for two lean boy bellies and my very pudgy roaming one.

we started off with the infamous ob bear fried chicken. the chicken skin was fried to such a delicate crisp that it reminded me of savory tissue paper that one finds in a child's art project. the chicken meat itself was moist and slightly salty and did not require any condiments with it. the finely shredded cabbage slaw with the thousand island dressing was intriguingly delicious as well. i found myself plucking strands of cabbage to eat in between my bites of chicken.

the spicy chicken wings were torturously delicious as well. the sweet heat stung my tongue like a million furious korean bees. as i ate, i inhaled and exhaled feverishly to temper the heat, but to no avail. trying to tame that sweet heat was like dousing fire with gasoline...not going to work. as my dining partners sweated the spiciness out of their systems, i just whined "ohhhmyyygoood this is spicy!" but sooooooo good. very craveable and a must order as well when you visit ob bear.

danny then suggested an order of korean blood sausage. since i've had multiple versions of blood encased in a tube from other cuisines, i was intrigued to sample the korean version. once i nibbled on a slice, i immediately fell in bloody love. i absolutely enjoyed the noodles incorporated in the blood sausage. each bite was springy AND spicy. dangit, everything we ate sans the fried chicken were spicy. i was pretty ready for a tongue transplant at the end of this meal.

although my tongue burned slowly from all these spicy eats, the bottomless glass of hite beer momentarily dulled the heat and my worries. ob bear is a place where sorrows do not exist and the only thing i have to worry about is whether there's enough belly real estate to sock down all these delicious spicy eats. what a damn fine meal i had here...and thanks danny for your company!

OB Bear
3002 W. 7th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 480-4910

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

it's offally delicious at animal!

2010-12-12T13:11:00.000-08:00

nine inch nails might want to "f**k you like an animal," but all i want to do is eat the entire beast one offalicious part at a time. methinks it's less messy that way and definitely way tastier. what better way to do so than at animal.

to eat the beast, one should have a glass of something something to moisten the lips. i chose to wet mine with a glass of silvaner 2009 ($12) which was delicately sweet to my tastebuds and soothed it just right for the intense savory violation of my tongue that was to follow.

our ordering frenzy quickly commenced as all parts of the beast(s) were considered for ultimate mastication. we started with the pig ear ($12) seasoned with chili and lime and topped with a fried egg. the slivers of deep fried porky ears peeked from underneath a blanket of soft, fried egg. once popped, the egg yolk coated the bold limey flavors that made my tongue spasm in a most delicious way. omg.

the sweetbreads ($14) with pickled crosnes and spicy sweet & sour sauce were slightly less successful. the heavily battered, fried thymus lost its naturally creamy texture and the overpowering sweetness of the sauce absolutely masked its flavors. sweetbreads, when treated with a delicate touch are absolutely creamy and sinful.

one taste of the chicken liver toast ($3) may possibly compel you to reach into a live chicken to rip out its raw liver for your immediate consumption. OR, you can head straight to animal and taste their artful preparation of it. this.was.divine.and.i.require.a.dozen.stat.

the bone marrow ($10) with chimichurri sauce and caramelized onions is probably one of the tastiest renditions of this animal vaseline to date. the heavily buttered toast made me speed dial jenny craig to report to her my sins.

the foie gras loco moco ($35) with its slippery piece of foie, thin sheet of spam, a petite round of hamburger meat, and small fried quail egg was a definite crowd pleaser. we continued to pluck the rice off the plate though the main star of this one plate show was long gone.

the poutine ($15) with oxtail gravy and cheddar was heavy and salty. though vastly adored by many food enthusiasts, this dressed up french fry dish was slightly too salty for me.

the one and only green dish of the night, the baby kale ($9) with pecorino, lemon and chili vinaigrette was hearty foliage for our mouth. deliciously prepared and crunchy, i could have eaten another mound of this...and another, and another.

the bbq pork belly sandwiches ($12) with slaw had a heavy hand of sweet bbq sauce. this order was probably the weakest of the night and could have been skipped without much protest.

the hamachi tostada ($14) with herbs, fish sauce vinaigrette, and peanut was weak as well. the delicate hamachi lost its essence as it absorbed the fish sauce.

the night ended sweetly with the sticky toffee pudding ($7) with mascarpone and orange zest. sticky and sweet indeed these jenga-like blocks were dense and moist and were enthusiastically scraped off the plate.

but the best dessert between the two was the panna cotta ($7) for sure. the texture was a cross between whipped frosting and smooth almond jello. delicate and creamy, this was easily the best and smoothest way to end the night.

omg, i may not want to f**k you like an animal, but i give you permission to violate my tongue. without a doubt, animal is a great place to celebrate the beast, one offalicious part at a time. i SHALL return.

Animal
435 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 782-9225

www.animalrestaurant.com

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

sweet successes for the eat my blog bake sale 2010

2010-12-06T23:00:00.001-08:00

once in a while, you might get an offer that you cannot refuse. so when cathy of gastronomy blog asked me to join her and the eat my blog committee (consisting of diana of diana takes a bite and laurie of g-ma's bakery) to become the fourth member, i COULD NOT refuse. charity, baked goods, a fried farro lunch meeting with rendered bacon bits at canele? yes ladies, sign me up!

so i did. i quickly found myself swept up in a whirlwind of eat my blog logistics, helping internally and blogging for the sweet cause as needed. i also brought back my one hit wonder, my yummy rummies for my third stab at baking for the bake sale (they were sold out of course, thanks to my shameless promotion of them and empty threats at customers with fists shaking. yes, i'm quite persuasive ;)~

though the day was exhausting, it was a truly wonderful experience to behold. the camaraderie i witnessed between food bloggers, sweet eaters, and plain ole charitable peeps was a warming sight indeed. furthermore, our common desire to contribute to the los angeles regional food bank whose main mission is to "fight hunger" resonated deeply within all of us and we are proud to say that the winter 2010 edition of eat my blog has raised over $3,700 adding to a grand total of over $12,000 for this three timing bake sale.

too many yummy goods to choose from!

watching your waistline? no problem.

the long but successful day ended with a glass of ice cold hard apple cider at the burger kitchen and a ramen dinner at robata jinya (to be blogged). although barely alert at that point, i knew in the back of my fuzzy mind that my participation in the eat my blog planning committee was an offer i truly could not refuse. so glad that i didn't.....

happy family restaurant for good faux meats

2010-11-30T22:22:00.001-08:00

after watching too many kung-fu movies back in the days, i've always associated vegetarian food with tofu, rice, and bland veggies....well, that's what the shaolin monks were eating before they kicked some serious ass in defensive righteousness. cool, but not tasty.

needless to say, the belief that vegetarian food was flavorless (thank you monks) pervaded my thoughts whenever i came across vegetarian options. why eat bland when i can eat cow? yes, that is a question i ask myself on a daily basis....that is until a few years ago when my practicing buddhist friend took me to happy family restaurant and swore up and down atlantic blvd that it was the best vegetarian eats ever. she was definitely 85% in the right with this one.

i came back a few days ago to their brand new location in the shopping center right off the 10 freeway (the one with the 24 hour fitness). they pretty much packed all their tables and chairs and moved shop, but the food was still as tasty and as righteous as it ever was.

their sweet and sour soup was tart and tangy. this bowl packed as much of a punch as one might expect from the flying fists of a shaolin monk. on a cold day, it immediately warmed my soul and spirit.

the minced squab in lettuce ($7.95) is probably their best selling appetizer and a must order for all. each lettuce cup contained finely minced jicama, marinated tofu, and slivers of fried wonton skins. each ingredient contributed to quite a flavorful explosion of flavors for your mouth.

i.like.this.a.lot.give.me.your.share.please?

since we caught them at their "happy hour" prices which occurs between the hours of 2:45 to 5:00, we ordered two additional dishes at recession friendly prices. this vegetarian fish with spicy sauce ($5.95) has a spongy texture, a fishy taste, and will confound your tastebuds because during certain bites, it REALLY did taste like fish even though it's not. weirdness.

without a doubt, my absolute FAVORITE dish is their vegetarian deep fried house chicken ($5.95) which is battered white button mushrooms slathered in orange sauce. hold the presses, this tastes EXACTLY like panda express orange chicken. and if you flirt with the ghetto fast food side of life like me upon occasion because you hanker after eats like mcdonald's french fries or panda express orange chicken, then this will not disappoint. the only disappointment you will feel is when your dining partner robs you of the last piece.

i really love this place because it's flavorful, reasonable, down to earth, and best of all, i spared a few animals from heading towards the great green pasture in the sky. FURTHERMORE, places like these remind me that explosively delicious flavors need not come from michelin stars or celebrity chefs. tasty is tasty. ok, now i need to go meditate whilst i rub my belly.

Happy Family Restaurant
608 N Atlantic Blvd
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 282-8986

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

my yummy rummies for the eat my blog bake sale

2010-11-28T18:30:00.000-08:00

what do you think vanilla ice, biz markie, and the roaming belly have in common? (other than the ability to rap of course).

we are all ONE HIT WONDERS. yup, that's right! this is my third time baking for the eat my blog bake sale and i've decided that THE ONE baked good that seems to be a hit are my rum cakes. here are a few past GLOWING reviews as i attempt to convince you to come by and purchase a few on december 4th at tender greens in weho.

hari says, "I was one of the lucky ones to get your rum cake. It was really good and reminded me of one of my favourites, the rich plum cake, from back home in India. It was that good!"

harriet b. said, "the BEST rum cake ever!!! bought it at the bake sale and just started in on it today. fabulous topping, not too much rum and cake was velvety moist and delicious. YUM!!!!"

um, if those aren't glowing endorsements for my rum cakes, then i have no future in sales. but seriously, i AM stoked, and i hope you are STOKED, too. not only do you get to satiate your sweet tooth, you can also feel warm and fuzzy knowing that your money will be donated to the los angeles regional food bank! so please come by and say hi, then buy, and then eat...and possibly repeat.

also, visit the eat my blog blog for a complete list of baked goods available for purchase AND sneak peeks of sweets that will make your teeth ache. AND i hear a kitchen aid stand mixer donated by tastespotting and wine shop certificates to domaineLA will be raffled off as well. the whole event is getting tastier by the minute! i'm excited!

see you soon!

furballs and ludo truck balls...it's getting rolly-poly up in here

2010-11-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

i'm a dog lova, but i recalled a time when i was a cat lova too. in particular, with a white cat that wore a red bow and a frog that had too many syllables to its name, seven syllables in fact. i just counted.

when the opportunity arose for me to check out the sanrio small gift pop-up shop on its last day in l.a., i was stoked...i mean, i was meowed. talk about a walk down memory lane. *sigh*

hardcore fans lined up to do mucho cutsey things. hello, hello kitty! and hello to you too badtz-maru!

after winding ourselves in and around the small space that housed this hello kitty clusterfuck, we promptly headed out to the back where the food trucks were located. low and behold, i spy with my little eye a big red coq. kitties and coqs...this is getting unreal folks. seriously.

although other food trucks were present; manila machine, ahn joo truck, che truck, etc...we were drawn to ludo's bold red truck and the images of crispy chicken balls in our mouths. if it wasn't for the impending gorge fest that involves a turkey, this tale may have a different ending...one that involves lots of truckin' good food and one ginormous belly.

we started off with the refreshing basil blood orange drink ($2.28). lovely and refreshing. the hint of basil and the blood orange juice was a perfect compliment to each other. i think they need to start thinking about selling them in big gulp sizes.

the infamous ludo balls, the balls that compell most women AND men to clamor after them. this two piece provencal pepitte combo ($7.52) came with ludo slaw, fries, and a choice of dipping sauce.

as expected, the chicken balls were tender and juicy in the middle. the herbaceous fragrance that were infused into these balls tingled my nose hairs and added an exceptional sophistication to otherwise, err...well executed fried chicken. the bearnaise dipping sauce which i chose was a limey and creamy compliment. for an EXTRA $0.68 (boo), we got the piquillo pepper dipping sauce as well. it reminded me of sriracha....

we also got the two-piece honey glazed garlic wings combo ($7.52) which also came with fries and ludo slaw. they were delicious and sticky and will definitely appeal to those that love the savory/sweet food profile. man they would make terrific snacks during a l.a. kings hockey game!

the entire meal was $19.76 (tax included). although my post may sound riddled with conflicting messages, i would have to concur with other diners that the value was just not there...YES they were tasty, but these were definitely appetizers and not a meal. and peoples, i was looking to eat.

so after the chicken balls and kitty love, we finally left. thank god we came at the time we did because a long line had already formed to get in. bye bye kitties and coq!

Sanrio Pop-Up Tour

Ludo Truck
(213) 973-8839

mobimunch.com/ludotruck

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it

cham sut gol bbq gave me a gut

2010-11-14T21:42:00.000-08:00

baggy cargo pants. check.
stretchy black top. check.
hair tied up in a ponytail. check.
celebrating a family member's birthday at an all you can eat korean bbq joint. check, check, check.

if you don't go to a black tie event wearing baggy jeans, then you certainly don't go to an all you can eat korean bbq joint wearing tight clothes. to do so would be torturous as your belly will surely expand during the course of the night and who in their right mind would want to feel like a sausage after such a feeding frenzy? with such thoughts in mind, i was dressed to heif as our family trooped down to cham sut gol in rowland heights.

the six of us opted for the all you can eat kbbq menu at $18.99 per person. the deal came with marinated galbi, beef tongue, thinly sliced brisket, black pork loin, spicy pork, marinated chicken, whole shrimp, and sliced octopus. i found the quality of the meat to be decent for the price you pay.

sliced brisket formed into pretty, meaty rosettes. if i was the bride of frankenstein, i would TOTALLY rock this meat bouquet down the aisle.

a platter of all kinds of goodies that will make your belly stretch.

the black pork loin chillaxin' in its pool of marinade.

finally, the sizzle and smoke from a well handled, totally occupied grill. love.

the set menu also comes with steamed egg. quite tasty might i add.

and a bowl of bubbly seafood tofu soup.

the meal ended with jiggly jello pieces and sliced orange.

but enough was enough really. i mean, my cargo pants didn't feel as loose anymore and i waddled to our car like i was pregnant with beef. in my book, that was a good feast but one that must not be repeated too often. thank god you're located in rowland heights!

Cham Sut Gol
18722 E. Colima Rd.
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 839-9282

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

swimming with the sugarFISH

2010-11-08T21:37:00.000-08:00

bitterMONKEY, sourPUSS, sugarFISH? i think sushi master kazunori nozawa and his team of sushi enthusiasts picked a winner with the name sugarFISH. nommmm...and this sugarFISH is not your average swedish fish either. more than anything else, it is like sexy, grown-up sushi candy for your tastebuds, seriously.

this past friday, i was invited to a media tasting at the newly opened SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa in downtown l.a. we were warmly greeted by emanuele massimini, one of the partners in the steadily growing SUGARFISH empire. the dinner was a treat for my mouth and my ears as all sorts of nozawa secrets were leaked out, none that can be told to you unfortunately unless you want to end up sleeping with the errr....sugarfishes.....

our meal promptly began with the theNozawa menu ($35- $38) which is comprised of ten items. the organic edamame, the quintessential starter for most sushi meals, were al dente salted pods. what a great way to busy the hands and the mouth as we waited.

next up was the big eye tuna sashimi which lounged in a shallow pool of tangy ponzu sauce.

the trio of albacore, salmon, and snapper sushi were delectable as they laid on delicate mounds of fluffy, warm rice. the quality of the fish were duly noted as i popped them in my mouth, slowly savory them one bite at a time.

very quickly, the toro hand rolls and the crab hand rolls were presented to us. the fragrant nori sheets reminded me of korean laver which instantly tickled my nose in the most delightful way. as soon as these hand rolls were brought to our table we were urged to consume them since the softened nori would ruin the taste and texture of the hand roll itself. (below is a pic of the crab hand roll).

the large scallop sushi was the "daily special" of the night. sweet, tender, and plump, just the way scallops were meant to be appreciated.

the toro sushi was unctuous in a most delightful way. the buttery, fatty fish intermingled with the tart rice perfectly. a wonderful bite for any sushi lover.

the halibut fin sashimi ($7.50) was a textural surprise. the strips of sashimi rested in a light ponzu sauce and were slightly crunchy and limey to the tongue. if you get the chance to order this, i urge that you do. it is a nice departure from the typical dishes one finds at a sushi restaurant and to up the exclusivity factor, it is not always available either.

look at this beautiful, translucent strip of fishy flesh.

one of my favorite sushi items of the night was the halibut sushi. the yuzu ponzu sauce was tart, tangy, and delivered a subtle prick of heat to my tongue. this particular sushi definitely left me craving for more.

i ended my tasting as i do with all sushi dinners by popping two pieces of uni into my mouth. the delicate, creamy, sea tofu was the perfect way to cleanse my palate at the end of a yummy sushi meal.

thank you emanuele for your invitation. sugarFISH is an absolutely chic and tasty addition to dtla and for sure this visit will not be my last. the value and quality i find here is hard to beat!

SUGARFISH
600 W. 7th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 627-3000

www.sugarfishsushi.com

verdict: tasty, try it!

class 302 demystifies yellow snow!

2010-10-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-21T21:39:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

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

yun nan 168 makes my tongue sweat

2010-10-03T20:47:00.002-07:00

sometimes i like walking around with a sign hung around my neck announcing that i'm "the roaming belly, a glutton for punishment." i mean really, who freakin' suffers 113 degree freaky l.a. heat during the second to last week of september and then turns around to eat a spicy, sweat induced meal at night? me, that's who. me. hi, my name is the roaming belly and i am a glutton for punishment.

not wanting to be a debbie downer when my second family suggested yunnan cuisine for dinner, but after hearing how spicy it can get, i must admit, i got a little nervous. in fact, as we pulled into yun nan 168's parking lot, i got a whole lotta nervous because i was worried i'd be dead by the end of the meal.

but the gustatory sight that awaited me placated my fears. even if i couldn't eat anything on the menu, i can at least sample all of these chili oil lacquered cold dishes. man i love this stuff!

we first started off with a cold plate combo (three items for $4.20) of pig's ear, beef tendon, and blanched potato sticks.

the cold plates were so good that we went back and got another plate, this time with tofu strings, sliced chicken livers, and marinated cucumbers. I LOVE THIS STUFF! i loved the subtle heat from the chili oil and all these components were straight up prepared dang well here...the best prepared cold dishes i've tasted by far.

then the parade of spicy food came to town. first up was their stir fried lamb ($9.95) which was supple and silky, an after effect of bathing in cornstarch first which is a trick used often in a chinese kitchen. the flavors were spicy as expected but definitely delicious. as i ate, i carefully collected all the ginger, garlic, and peppers on my plate to avoid a spicy death.

the noodles in chicken broth ($5.25) offered a nice reprieve from the heat. cool and soothing to the tongue, this broth became the safe cellar that i ran back to after the unrelentless tornado of of spices on my tongue.

the twice cooked cured pork in brown sauce ($9.95) was another hit at my table. though not as spicy, the heat was still present...fear not.

the bamboo fungus chicken hot pot soup ($16.95) reminded me of my childhood when i was forced to drink medicinal soups to correct my "inner heat." if not for these traumatic experiences, i would have appreciated the floral notes that infused this soup.

and finally, the graveyard of spices. do take particular note of the black peppercorn looking thing on the right. actually, it is the prickly ash pepper and if you bite into one, you will immediately feel a numbing effect on your tongue. it also releases licorice notes as it numbs your tongue. strangely addicting i must say.

so overall, i am happy to report that yunnan cuisine did not kill me. in fact, the barrage of spiciness that i expected was actually more like numbing heart burn on my tongue. although i had to get use to the oiliness of the dishes due to their generous use of chili oil, i was 100% happy with my meal. in fact, i'll be coming back real soon, yah hear?

Yun Nan 168
1530 S. San Gabriel Blvd.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 280-7688

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

fleshy eats at bludso's bbq

2010-09-26T22:33:00.000-07:00

once there was a boy that liked meat. A LOT of meat. he ate so much meat that he errr....had problems in the water closet. but as fate would have it, he fell in lust with a girl that didn't. in fact, the heavens were quite cruel to him because she was a vegetarian. oh poor meat eating boy!

so this boy tried, he really did when he ate with her. he would masticate greens and tofu when in his heart of hearts, all he really wanted to do was to grip a piece of medium rare beef between his incisors and tear the dead flesh apart. oh the madness of craving beef was driving him mad! to further the insanity, he tells me that once in a while, he would sneak in a bag of chicken to throw into his food when the girl wasn't looking. mayhaps the girl has a nice booty to drive him to these tricks? regardless, i never understood why he was never candid with her about it.

knowing how smitten he is by this girl who loves greens, i'm glad he does not know about this place.

a place that glorifies all that is meat in such a good damn way! BLUDSO'S BBQ in compton would have turned this love struck boy around. yes....meat, bring it.

i went there not too long ago to wrap my mouth around some toothsome meat. yes. not knowing what to order, i ordered a combo package which had enough dead flesh to make 5 vegetarians shudder....the texas sampler ($28.50) which included spicy beef links, pulled pork, rib tip, beef ribs, bbq chix, and beef brisket. yes, this was a formidable man trough if you will. since i was driving home with this hearty man trough, i asked the bbq sauce to be put on the side. i asked for one of each, the spicy and the mild. holy smokes, the best bbq sauce EVER. it would seriously make most meat eaters weep from joy when inhaling this deadly combo.

for the choice of sides, i got the mac & cheese which was extremely cheesy. though tasty, i could only eat a bite or two before it overwhelmed me and i had to drop it for....more meat.

i really enjoyed the greens. the bitterness from the greens mixed with the aromatic pork was a home run in my homestead. i had a bit of an internal struggle trying to willingly share this one.

and this is how a meat eater rolls. i hope that boy can find inner peace between lust and flesh or both or none at all. anyways, he must never read this post. it will self destruct in 5 minutes to avoid contributing to any temptations or maddening cravings that may follow....

Bludso's BBQ
811 S. Long Beach Blvd.
Compton, CA 90221
(310) 637-1342

www.bludsosbbqandcatering.com

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