csa box 8/21/09

csa box 8/21/09
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i guess i haven't been the only one complaining about variety in the csa box. from their newsletter, tanaka farms has indicated that they will try to change out what goes into the box from week to week. it definitely shows in this week's box.

- romaine & green leaf lettuce
- tomatoes
- orange bell peppers
- corn
- cucumber
- edamame
- carrots
- watermelon

curious palate

curious palate
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

we were meeting up with friends across the street for bowling and needed to grab a quick bite to eat. i didn't want to eat unhealthy bowling alley food, so we ate here when we spied it on the way. the word artisanal emblazened on the building made me a bit apprehensive, but the place is a casual and unassuming cafe inside, and indeed, the ingredients are gourmet. food ranges from ok to good depending on what you order.

the curious salad gets mixed reviews from me. parts of it were good, while some did need some seasoning. i liked the light dressing, the fresh artichoke hearts, and marinated beets on crisp greens. the pretty purple lima beans were nice to look at, but bland, and the red peppers could have used a little seasoning as well. you get a pretty good sized portion for a small, if you just want a side salad to go with soup or something else.

the chili, which is made with flavorful pieces of pork rather than ground meat, was delicious. full of smokey flavor and chunky with beans and pork, it had the right amount of heat.

the bf had the wasabi shrimp wrap, which was more like a shrimp salad flavored with horseradish. i'm not a huge fan of wraps, but it was decent.

they offer fresh mixed juices. the day we went, it was rosemary lemonade and strawberry. since they were almost out of the strawberry, i had them mix both, and it ended up being a tasty beverage.

everything sounds good, and they use quality ingredients. prices are on the higher end for cafe food (from $7 - $10 for a sandwich), but they seem appropriate for the ingredients. service was super friendly.

weekends fly

lacma @night
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

what a weekend--moving into a more spacious storage space, bowling match, composting workshop, screening of handmade nation at silent movie theater, visiting lacma at night to see chris burden's urban light installation, walking for miles at the long beach antiques market, barely enough time for the farmer's market.

SPACE i like our new storage space. you can actually walk inside it without having to remove anything. sometimes i think storage spaces seem like such a waste of money. every month, you pay for space just to keep your stuff. there is an invisible cost of having stuff--what you paid for it was only a down payment. if we moved into a larger home, we'd be paying more rent instead--again, the cost of owning stuff. i can whittle down my ownership of stuff, and we desperately need to do that, but some stuff, i can't get rid of. i keep making art, and right now, it's not going into anyone's collection but mine. then there are all the things that could potentially become "art"--my excuse lately for being a packrat. i realize that i have the power to get rid of it all, yet somehow, i can't. in the meantime, i've got to look into making ephemeral art.

of course, we celebrated our new space by going to the lb antiques market. i found a permanent sewing table for my sewing machine piece. i'm hoping to incorporate the piece into the table and use the actual treadle to activate the piece, but that second goal is more of a nice to have. primary is making the table a part of the piece and vice versa.

my knitting machine arrived, but i've had no time to do anything but open it up.

sp vs. rios

sp vs. rios
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

we kicked a$$ once again. actually, the match was pretty close. my first one didn't go as well...trying something new, and it seems a bit inconsistent, but i bowled 118 on my second game. not bad for someone who has sucked at bowling all her life.

the magic of worm poop

composting
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

long beach offers a free workshop every month on composting, but the class fills up fast. we finally were able to attend one this weekend. a nice introduction to how to compost at home, it makes me wonder why more people don't do it.

the workshop covers what is required for composting, and at the end, you can select from four different bin options at discounted pricing through the city. three require a yard, so we went for the vermiposting bin, which is composting by worms. the bin can be stored inside and doesn't require outside insects or yard matter to help with the process. we still need to order our worms, but it sounds relatively easy to set up, and requires minimal maintenance once set up. the bin costs $45, and for $20 through mail order, you get a pound of red wiggler worms. with all of the trimmings from vegetables and fruits we have, it always seems like such a waste to throw in the trash, so doing this seems only natural.

i found out something interesting through the workshop as well--why long beach does not pick up green bins for composting. apparently, most cities (at least the ones around here) that pick up the green bins don't actually compost the materials they pick up. instead, these go onto the top layer of the landfill where the regular trash goes. unlike other cities, long beach incinerates its trash instead of adding to landfills. there is no composting facility in long beach, and trucking all the composting to a facility would add more to the carbon footprint, they do not pick up the green bins.

from what i gather, it shouldn't smell or attract any bugs if done properly, but i think we will start by keeping the bin on the front porch in the shade. apparently, the resulting fertilizer, a dark, moist soil-like concentrated additive, from the vermiposting is magical stuff for plants. i can hardly wait to get started. who knew worm poop would be so exciting?

marked5

marked5
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

the recent spate of food trucks spurred by the success of kogi has brought about some interesting portable food creations. the whole east meets west burger on a rice patty intrigued me, so when a friend arranged a tasting of all of marked5's offerings, i had to check it out. i liked their aspirations of stimulating the five senses as being the inspiration for their concept. good food does that. everything was good, but i didn't find any of the burgers distinctive.

the first burger we tried, the PORK KATSU, which had a sweet spicy sauce and came with cabbage, turned out to the the group favorite of all the burgers. comparatively speaking, it was one of the better ones. i think everyone, myself included, really liked the sauce. the problem for me though was that mine was overwhelmed by it. i didn't get any of the crispyness of the katsu nor the flavor of the pork. all i could really taste was sauce. the katsu didn't have a strong enough personality neither in the meat nor the light batter. i did like the grilled rice buns which had a nice smoky flavor.

supposedly, the BEEF TORAKKU, made with a less sweet sauce than that on the pork, is a favorite among customers. the disc of meat was too well done for me and a little chewy. the idea of wrapping it with seaweed was interesting in thought, but the flavor didn't work that well. also, the problem with seaweed, and in handrolls, is if it soaks up liquid as it did with the sauce, it gets chewy and hard to eat. that's why with handrolls, you eat them quickly. this is much harder to do with a burger. the best part of this burger were the caramelized onions, of which there weren't enough.

the CHICKEN CURRY was ok, though a bit boring. nothing about it really stood out. the chicken meat could have used a little seasoning. i was thinking that this would have been so much better with a fried white fish. maybe they will add a fifth burger with fish.

the last burger, the TOFU TORAKKU, was pretty good. the tofu had some smokyness to it, and in this case, the seaweed flavor with the tofu and rice paired well.

along with the four burgers, marked5 offers two sides, SHRIMP ROLLS and FRIED SHRIMP & LOTUS CHIPS. the shrimp rolls were basically shrimp egg rolls with nothing but shrimp. the lotus chips were a little more chewy but interesting, and you can't beat those puffed shrimp chips. both sides were great for snacking on.

i liked the rice patty, but i found that only the first burger tasted grilled. not sure if it was because of our large group and their feeling rushed to get the food out to us quickly, so i don't fault them for that, but i liked it when the rice was more grilled. i also didn't care for the cabbage, which didn't add anything except texture. lettuce or some other veggies would have been better. my favorite turned out to be the tofu as none of the meat options were tasty enough to warrant the death of the animal.

the guys and gal organizing the tasting were all very personable and kept the food coming at a steady pace. i wish i had liked the food more, but it did not blow me away.

grilling

grilling
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

though not full-size, the weber q100 is plenty big for all of our grilling. this summer has been milder than most, but there are still warm days. cooking outside keeps the house cooler, and as it turns out, gives me more options for cooking up all the veggies in our produce box. the other day, i made a grilled corn and lettuce salad with parmesan. i don't know if i'll be able to eat corn that is not grilled because of how good it is grilled--so sweet and fresh.

cleaning has been relatively easy. i learned quick to line the inside with foil and coat everything with oil. a good steel bristle brush works wonders. having an enameled cast iron grate helps not only in maintaining the temperature for a good sear but makes for easier cleaning.

mom's cooking

fish soup with dill, tomatoes
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

yesterday, my mom flew home to texas. growing up, especially during adolescence, i did not get along very well with my mother, but now i miss her, and her cooking. one thing we always did as a family was eat together. no matter how busy her day was, my mother made dinner ninety percent of the time, and we ate at the same time at the same table, communing over a bowl of rice.

it's well documented that in asian cultures, emotions are rarely expressed outright. it took me some time to realize everything that went into her homemade soup. i do most of the cooking these days at home, which i love, but some days, it's nice when someone else does it for you. just yesterday, leftover eggrolls and a soup with asian melon and shrimp that mom reheated in the microwave equaled happiness.

hatchi - unfamiliar conflict: roberto cortez

smoked shitake terrine
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

the genius of breadbar's hatchi series removes the fluff of fine dining, leaving the substance and offering a great opportunity to sample inventive culinary creations at affordable prices. the words "unfamiliar" and "conflict" are not what you'd want associated with your food, but roberto cortez has cleverly assembled contrasting flavors in such a way as to inspire a hyper-awareness to the sensual experience of eating. the best part is that these conflicting tastes mostly work well together.

we began our journey with a carribbean inspired cocktail consisting of orange juice, ginger, basil oil and spiced rum. the flavor intensity sat in the foam that topped this drink. i couldn't really make out the basil, but the rum was strong, and as i worked my way down, it became more subtle. if you like tropical rum drinks, you'd probably like this one. i found the rum and the drink too syrupy sweet for my taste.

it was not long before the white asparagus cappuccino arrived in a set of two glasses, complete with undeniably cappuccino-esque foam atop a creamy divine soup. the comforting essence of asparagus, this soup came with a surprise in the form of a firm little ravioli that burst through the alkaline warmth with a tart and aromatic liquid of grapefruit and mint. the experience was so fleeting, it left me wanting. the perfectly timed explosion of tastes was like a punchline delivered at just the right moment.

soups must be the chef's forte because the liquid onion ring, a shot glass of onion soup separated from crispy crunchy onion bits sprinkled on top by a layer of foam almost as thick was amazing--salty sweet onion flavors. the rye bread with cheese and sesame seeds that came with it added some body though it couldn't really compete in flavor with the onion.

prepared well and delicate to the tongue, the herb stained salmon was the epitome of light, summer fare. the saltiness of the stacked slivers of salmon over a viscous and refreshing cucumber sauce, contrasted with the pops of tartness with a slight zing in the circles of passionfruit chili decorating the plate as well as the creamy whipped jasmine rice, which was like whipped cream with the nuttiness of fragrant rice.

next up, one of my favorites of the night, the smoked shitake terrine transformed the word veloute into a magical thing in my mouth of sweet, creamy market fresh corn, now and then accented with a fragrant and sweet cinnamon oil surrounding a disc of earthy flavorful mushrooms with a crunchy crust. little leaves of microgreens added some lightness to an otherwise thick soup.

the lemon lacquered chicken put the "unfamiliar conflict" concept to the test. the surprisingly strong lemon flavor in the trio of the sweet, salty, super tart of the gravy that acted as a glue for the texture of crushed almonds blended with coriander seeds and oatmeal gave every bite a punch. in contrast, the foam balanced out the acidity with some creaminess, while the cubes of soy gelee added more meatyness.

the mesh of flavors in the sweet dishes didn't work as well as in the salty. i enjoyed the texture of the malt with the rich chocolate cream in themanjari chocolate dessert, which was delicious, but ultimately all was drowned by a sea of sweet cherry sauce that reminded me too much of cough syrup. the cherries were fresh, but i didn't like them with the chocolate, and though they looked interesting, i couldn't taste the guinness in the guinness pearls. the basil didn't pair well with the other parts of the dish either.

the other dessert, the sparkling lemoncurd mousse was much better, though more novel for the effervescent white powder concoction that fizzed and reacted on the tongue with mouth puckering tartness. the lemoncurd was good, not great. the strawberry water with mint oil was an interesting mix.

entrees were phenomenal. dessert was ok & good. service was inconsistent, with problems figuring out what table ordered what. our server was nice, but kind of a space cadet, at one point, returning to our table to ask if we wanted dessert after taking our dessert order 7 minutes earlier. service is nowhere near what you'd get at a fine dining restaurant, but i didn't expect it to be.

hatchi series @breadbar: michael voltaggio

hatchi series @breadbar: michael voltaggio
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

breadbar started a series of single night dinners by different chefs in which they would prepare 8 dishes for $8 each at their century city location. i was impressed but not blown away by the ludobites meal we had in june, so was excited but not expecting to have my socks knocked off. as it turns out, my feet may be a little cold tonight.

we ordered 7 of the 8 available plates, some of which turned out to be wonderful not only in flavor combinations but curious experiences in perception. the first dish to hit the table, the crispy chicken thigh was more like a rectangle of tender meat with a crispy crust topped with the most delicately, perfectly soft, chewy cuttlefish, yummy mushrooms with a dab of sweet and sour sauce and some olive oil garnish. having watched a program on cuttlefish a few days earlier, i was feeling guilty about eating it, but the preparation of this arthropod was so divine, i feel it did not give it's life in vain. it's such a travesty when animals die to make crappy food.

our wonderful meal continued with the japanese tomato tartare, which turned out to be a tromp l'oeil. what arrived appeared to be an egg overeasy, whose yolk spilled out when split, sitting on top of ripe chopped tomato bits, but after taking a bite, i realized that the yolk was a flavorful yet light yellow puree of what i think was parmesan and tomato that looked convincingly like an egg yolk. the bits of tapenade powder added some complex saltiness, while the basil added some fresh flavor.

i liked the balance in sculptural qualities of the artichokes "barigoule" and enjoyed the flavors, but this dish was one of the lesser favorites. the salmon belly and smoked salmon roe stacked and sprinkled on the plate were excellent, but the flavors overwhelmed the simple preparation of minimally seasoned artichokes. however, the powdered philly cheese, which looked like powder yet transformed into a wonderful creaminess in your mouth, was a nice surprise.

what looked like tuna in the stack that was the hamachi crudo turned out to be sweet watermelon. the sweet and salty flavors along with rich spots of egg yolk worked well together. crispy puffed wild rice added texture.

the wagyu beef, cooked perfectly medium rare, was amazing. even better, though, the paper thin pastrami underneath which could easily be forgotten, so hidden was it, but once i put it into my mouth, its moist juiciness melted into my tongue an array of complex fatty flavors. the broccoli textures and horseradish "styrofoam" was not only amusing in concept but equally rich in flavor. florets had been cooked to intense sweet broccoli flavor and crunchiness. along the plate, a thick stroke of creamy broccoli puree. i couldn't really taste the horseradish, but it was an interesting texture and not unlike styrofoam in appearance. luckily, it didn't taste like it.

for dessert we had the miso cake with jasmine "rice cream", strawberry, yuzu and the fool's gold, consisting of layers of hazelnut praline and salty carmel accented by a large creamy ball of nitro coffee mousse. the miso cake was good, and the spoon of ice cream did taste like rice, while the glazed strawberries were sweet. but i thoroughly enjoyed the fool's gold which had crispy cookie flakes dusted with gold. i enjoyed the coffee flavors in the nitro constructed ball, but also found some unexplained tartness.

adding to my lovely food experience was the introduction to deus beer, a belgian beer full of complex fruit flavor. fermented with two yeasts and following a process similar to champagne in the champagne region, it possesses a bubbliness not unlike a champagne. my palate wasn't partial to its sweetness, but i could appreciate it's richness.

service was great until it slowed at the end, when it got busy. even though it was in a mall, we forgot about the location once we started eating.

ramen california

ramen california
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

ramen california looks like your typical ramen house, but it's not. you'll not find the heavy, salty pork broth here. if that's what you want, go to santouka or shinsengumi or one of the many restaurants in the greater los angeles or orange county that offers traditional ramen. ramen california offers a different experience, one that basks in the abundance of local, fresh produce that us californians are so lucky to have. despite the unorthodox approach to ramen, the noodles are still perfectly al dente with a nice springiness characteristic of quality ramen noodles.

their namesake california ramen has a light broth and is piled high with a variety of brightly colored vegetables that included cauliflower in three colors, beets, and wax beans. with a simple broth, this particular bowl is a celebration of the natural flavors of the ingredients. the heirloom tomato ramen is a fusion of italian flavors which include a delicious olive oil, fresh sweet tomatoes and basil with a light broth accented by tiny fragrant flowers. the rich, earthy broth of the curry ramen may be what you're looking for if you want something a little heavier. it will be a good option when the weather cools.

one of the pluses here is the option for three different sizes of ramen bowls, so you can have more than one kind or stick with the favorite in a large or medium sized bow. to my disappointment, they didn't have the cheese tofu ramen on the day we visited, and the selection of small plate appetizers which sounded like intriguing izakaya type dishes is only offered for dinner.

a couple weeks later, i returned. ramen california called to me with it's fresh, local produce in a bowl. rarely do i visit a resto within six months much less one, but i wanted to try some of their appetizers and sample ramen bowls missed on previous visits. while we waited, they brought us complimentary bread rolls. though simple, these were not ordinary rolls. they had a lightly oiled, thick skin with bits of sea salt and a soft chewy center.

the snapper kanpachi, which was delicately sliced and sprinkled with black sea salt, was simple and delicious. the lobster ravioli with mushroom sauce, sounded more interesting than it was. flavor-wise, it was fine, but the mushroom sauce consisted of little more than sauteed mushrooms. i like mushrooms, but i thought more could have been done with the sauce. the other dish we ordered, the mushroom saute was just that, and after already getting something similar with the ravioli, it was a little disappointing. for some reason, i thought they would be different based on the descriptions. i really do love mushrooms and the natural flavors of ingredients, but these were a tad boring.

the much-touted cheese tofu ramen was indeed rich and evidence that fat does indeed equal flavor in this case. it added a slight creaminess, but i also found that i was reluctant to eat an entire bowl of it. this is probably the closest you'll get to the traditional pork broth. i also enjoyed the smoky flavor of the chicken, which was juicy and seasoned well, in the grilled chicken ramen.

the pescetarian bf is happy he can enjoy ramen with me. even though the appetizers didn't wow me, i still found that i really enjoyed the freshness and lightness of the broths. we're headlong into summer finally, and call me crazy, but the thought of eating a hot, heavy bowl of pork broth doesn't appeal to me as much as having a refreshing bowl filled with lots of vegetables. those cute little flowers that they throw in there are a nice reminder of where the food comes from. so for get for a moment what you think you know of ramen. their enjoyable bowl of soup won't leave you feeling heavy and will lighten your carbon footprint.

service was good, although the place is not large and fills up quickly.

dutcher & flynn wedding in PA by way of DC

dutcher & flynn wedding in PA
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

mike and i traveled to PA by way of DC for his cousin's wedding a few weeks ago. in DC, we stayed at a townhouse style B&B near DuPont Circle, ate at a few nice restaurants, visited the Arlington cemetery, and walked all over the mall, checking out the monuments and memorials that had been built since our last visits.

after a brief stay in DC, we drove through PA and picked up Amy and Paul, Mike's sister and brother-in-law...oh, and little Caroline. there are still amish people in PA, and they do drive around in horse and carriages. though i didn't have one, i discovered the whoopie pie and met a gaggle of Mike's relatives on his mother's side of the family. his cousin's parents live in Lancaster, and no, they are not amish. they recently moved there from DC.

set out in the countryside, the wedding was quite lovely, with scenic views dotted with brown cows eating grass, which incidentally, is suppose to be the norm. now these looked like happy cows. the poignant and genuine service made me teary-eyed, even though i didn't know either bride nor groom. the bride's sister and father played guitar and sang. when the sun set, we were privy to the sparks of lovely fireflys. after a few failed attempts, mike lured one into his grasp with his iphone. we watched it pulsing a while in a cup before letting it go. someone should make a firefly app.

csa box aug 7

- romaine lettuce
- green beans
- cucumbers (2)
- basil
- giant maui onion
- carrots
- cherry tomatoes
- tomatoes (3)
- red pepper
- peaches (3)
- strawberries

grandma's & julian's bday celebration

grandma's & julian's bday celebration
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i recently had dinner with my family for our annual get together to celebrate the birthdays of my grandmother and cousin julian, whose birthdays are a day apart at the end of july. my contribution was a side dish from suzanne goin's cookbook "Sunday Suppers at Lucques." i haven't yet been to Lucques, but i love AOC, one of her other restaurants.

james' broccoli w/ burrata, pine nuts, & warm anchovy butter
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tbs sliced flat-leaf parsley
1 lb broccolini, trimmed
6 tbs unsalted butter
2 tsp minced salt-packed anchovy
1/2 chile de arbol, sliced thinly on diagonal
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 lb burrata or fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup sliced shallots
1 lemon, for juicing
salt & freshly ground black pepper

STEPS
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Toss the breadcrumbs w/ 1 tbs olive oil. Spread them on a baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden brown and crispy.

Spread pine nuts on another baking sheet, and toast them 4 to 5 minutes, until they're golden brown and smell nutty. (i actually save pans and time by using a large sheet, and putting bread crumbs on one side, and half way through toasting, adding the pine nuts to the other half of the pan.) Crush half the pine nuts, and combine them with the whole pine nuts, breadcrumbs, and parsley in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Blanch the broccoli in the rapidly boiling water 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender. Drain, and cool on a baking sheet.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 7 tbs olive oil and the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the anchovy and chile and cook 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon as the anchovy melts into the sauce. Add the garlic and thyme and turn off the heat. The garlic will finish cooking in the hot oil. Season with 1/2 tsp salt.

Cut the burrata into slices, and then cut each slice in half. (to save time, i often use the mozzarella that comes in medium sized balls; however, burrata only comes in a big ball, and it's pretty darn good.)

Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 1 minutes. Add the anchovy butter, shallots, and broccoli, and season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss well to warm the broccoli and coat it with the anchovy butter. Taste for seasoning.

Arrange half the broccoli on a large platter in one layer. Tuck half the burrata slices amont the broccoli, and continue layering the remaining broccoli and burrata. Shower the pine nut breadcrumbs over the top.

proof

proof
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

proof is the kind of restaurant you take someone to for some wining and dining. i'm no wine expert (yet), but with the three different options for pours-- 2, 6 or 8.5 oz--you could quickly become one if you are a regular here. it's a warm, dark environment where the noise level is low enough such that you can carry on a conversation with your dining partner, although too dark to easily stare into his or her eyes. however, if you need to break the mood (or read the menu), a branded LED light source is provided.

made from fresh, quality ingredients, the food is not revolutionary but prepared well and delicious. the bf & i were not super hungry so split several first courses, a small selection of cheeses and a second course. one of the first courses was a GRILLED EGGPLANT SALAD, which had a lovely smoke flavor, although the eggplant needed some seasoning. i enjoyed the combination of sweetness from the peppers, texture of the pumpkin seeds, and tangy saltiness from the dressing. the YUKON GOLD POTATO GNOCCHI was also tasty, with earthy wild mushrooms, sweet corn and spinach in a thick broth sprinkled with cheese. the gnocchi was very soft, almost too soft, but the flavors were good.

the cheeses we shared tended to the mild spectrum as far as cheeses go, and included MAHON--a cow's milk dry spanish cheese-, GARROTXA--a goat's milk soft spanish cheese, and DANTE--a sheep's milk cheese from wisconsin. i liked the dryness of the mahon and the depth of flavor from the garrotxa, but found the dante pretty straightforward.

on recommendation from our server, we had the VADOUVAN SPICED ALASKAN HALIBUT as the second course. i didn't really taste much of the coconut in the broth, but liked the crunchy texture on the surface of the fish, and the flavors of the spices. the fish was perfectly cooked.

our server was quirky, but prompt and helpful. coming from california, i found that attire is dressier, and dinner was a little more formal than i'm used to for a wine bar, but it seems like a great place for a date.

rasika

rasika
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

encountering a contemporary take on indian food is a rarity, especially one that remains true to the essential flavors of indian cuisine, so when i heard about rasika, i had to experience it for myself on a recent trip to DC. the food didn't completely deconstruct indian cuisine for me, but i was reminded that done well, food can be both new and traditional and good.

the four course tasting menu offers an opportunity to sample a broad range of dishes at a reasonable price, especially when sharing between three people, and as i found out, a lot of food. we started with the famous flash fried spinach (PALAK CHAAT), a dish of crispy leaves mixed with fresh tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and yogurt, combining a medley of sweet, salty, tangy flavors. between the first and second courses, came the ASPARAGUS ROLL--sections of asparagus spears rolled in a delicate pasta sheet, sitting in a tangy, mint chutney and sprinkled with mustard and fennel seeds. i didn't care as much for the pasta texture, but the flavors were good, and the chutney had a kick to it.

second courses included the CLAM CALDINE, simmered in a coconut and chili sauce with a slight kick, CRISPY TAWA FISH, a white fish crusted with crunchy rice and accented with a creamy cilantro mayo, and TAWA BAINGAN, consisting of a stack of eggplant and mashed spiced potatos. all were excellent.

the meat entrees, which included CHICKEN MAKHANI and LAMB GUCCHI KORMA, were more reminiscent of traditional indian food. both had thick sauces perfect for dipping the paratha and naan that accompanied the meal. with a tomato based sauce, the chicken was more tangy and sweet, while the lamb was creamy. i liked the appetizers a little better than the entrees. i was so full, i didn't get to try the garlic naan, but found the mint flavor in the paratha refreshing.

the vegetarian options included MAKKI SHIMLA MIRCH--a sweet combination of fresh corn and red peppers-, VEGETABLE TAMATAR RASSA-stewed vegetables in fragrant spices, and an earthy DAL MAKHANI. All were tasty, but I found the corn & vegetable dishes most flavorful.

i found the dessert, APPLE JALEBI with CARDAMOM ICE CREAM, to be a too sweet for my taste. the jalebi consisted of a slice of apple thickly battered and deep fried, which was kind of oily. the donut hole like cake ball that came with it was good, but also very sweet. my favorite on the dessert plate was the rich and creamy cardamom ice cream with hints of ginger.

besides offering a unique twist on indian food, rasika is an elegant, upscale restaurant where service was prompt and friendly as expected. if you like indian food and are open to new experiences, rasika is worth a try.