phuoc loc tho for snails and duck fetuses, yay!

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

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

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

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

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

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!