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.

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.

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.

long beach museum of art

long beach museum of art
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#65 of 101 in 1001
don't take your local art museum for granted. one day, it could be too late, and they could be gone. financial times have made it difficult all around to make ends meet. it was not too long after my first visit to the long beach museum recently that i found out they are in danger due to financial woes.

the show i went to featured artists taking book arts to large sculptural forms, and it along with all access to the museum is free on fridays. i can't believe i never took advantage of this before. it's such a good deal. i hope enough people visit the museum and take advantage of all they have to offer, including free video screenings related to concurrent exhibitions on fridays.

point reyes

point reyes
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#80 & #81 of 101 in 1001
on our trip to northern california, we stayed in marin county to do some sightseeing in point reyes. my allergies slowed me down some, but we had a nice little trek to abbott's lagoon on one of the state park's trails. the highlights of the walk were all the little birds including vultures and egrets and a deer we saw along the way.

winchester mansion

winchester mansion
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i don't know if i was really expecting anything when i arrived, but my first impression walking through the stereotypically obnoxious gift store then to the waiting area outside that reminded me of being at disneyland left much to be desired. luckily, once the tour started that changed.

during the tour, i spent most of my time taking a lot of photos of the home, over 500 photos in fact, but from what i could gather, the tour seems geared towards a large audience. there are some interesting historical tidbits, but the whole thing seems written to entertain rather than educate.

still, a look inside the house, if you take your time, past the slick paint, can offer a view of architectural details, quirky "mistakes", and detailed motifs that came out of the eccentric mind of sarah winchester. the conservatory is quite lovely, with all the windows and light and open space compared to other parts of the house, with room after small room of confined space and twisting stairs. some areas of the home were damaged by earthquake, and it was interesting that they left those parts of the home unrepaired as if time had stopped.

the tour moves fairly quickly through this large estate. at one point, i did one of the things the tour guide warned us about which was to fall behind the tour taking photos and almost got lost. all of a sudden it was quiet, and extremely spooky, since there was no sign of anyone in #58 on my 101 in 1001 list
the house. the place is huge and small at the same time, and the labyrinthine hallways and staircases make it difficult to orient yourself. i have to give it to the tour guides to lead us through this maze. luckily for me, the fussy child in our tour group saved me from the ghosts, and i eventually made my way back.

not sure if historically, the home has been preserved in the truest sense. the gardens were nice, but felt small in comparison. because of the shrunken acreage of the estate, the whole place feels confined and partly consumed bye the encroaching modern city around it. if you're in the area, it's worth a visit.

beverly soon tofu

beverly soon tofu
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (53/143)
a friend recently introduced me to beverly soon tofu, mentioning that she loved this place for their banchan, and after eating here, i have to concur that the banchan stands out for being fresh and tasty, definitely better than most i've had in my limited experience with korean food. you can tell they put some heart into it, that it's not just about the tofu soup, their specialty.

one of my favorites was the tofu with nori & scallions, which consists of soft tofu in a dashi-like soup with strips of seaweed. it was really light and refreshing with hints of sesame. other items included some crunchy bean sprouts, tangy, sweet lightly pickled cucumber, fresh celery, a super vinegary daikon kimchee, cabbage kimchee, potatoes in a sweet brown sauce.

you can get a combo meal that includes a tofu soup with galbi, which is what i did. i was amazed by the delicious galbi. tender, sweet, juicy, it was quite good. with our combo, i ordered the shrimp and vegetable tofu soup. except for needing some salt, i thought the flavor of the shrimp really came through, and enjoyed it overall.

my friend ordered the bibimbap, which comes in a large bowl with dried seaweed, cucumber, chopped pork, tofu, carrots and a fried egg. i didn't try any of it, but it looked really good. i'll have to next time.

honey's kettle fried chicken

honey's kettle fried chicken
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (52/143)
every now and then, i crave fried chicken, one of the few chicken dishes i crave. it's not one of those things i can indulge in very often due to the whole fried thing and lack of healthy sides, but the chicken here is worth the extra exercise (or weight). i wasn't very impressed with roscoe's but after walking by the honey's kettle chicken in culver city and hearing good things about the chicken at the compton location, i had to check it out.

sure, it's a little ghetto, but seems more like one of those places that's been around for a while, so mostly just worn around the edges. don't be fooled by the exterior. their chicken tastes more homemade, is worlds above KFC and far better than Roscoes.

there are two qualities that make their chicken so good. number one is the crust--a crunchy, perfectly crispy and flavorful crust. i could almost just eat the crust. the second thing is the meat. i'm more of a dark meat person, but i mixed it up by getting a breast and leg. the breast was surprisingly moist. most fried chicken breast or breast meat in general often turns out dry in the cooking process. i'd like to know if they brine their chicken to get it so moist. my chicken came out hot, almost too hot to start eating right away.

you can get three different dipping sauces: a hot sauce, a spicy bbq-like sauce, and honey. the chicken is so delicious and well seasoned, you don't even need a sauce. sides include fries and a super buttery and tender biscuit.

ludobites @ breadbar

ludobites @ breadbar
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (51/143)
i've never been to breadbar, but on the recommendation of a fellow foodie i had to check out ludobites. this review primarily is for our sampling of tastings at ludobites, which is in breadbar, but not really a part of breadbar. chef Ludovic Lefebvre takes over tues - saturday evenings offering an eclectic menu. my experience of the flavor combinations ranged from good to great, but nothing was boring. if you're interested in creatively and intricately prepared chef's tastings at tapas prices, ludobites is worth checking out. the concept is that you build your own tasting from a menu that changes nightly.

we snacked on crusty olive bread with a sweet lavendar honey butter, while waiting. it was hard not to fill up since the bread was so good. our first course, an HEIRLOOM TOMATO SMOOTHIE with celery granite and basil turned out to be one of my favorite selections of the evening. a cold, thick soup with celery flavored shaved ice, basil oil and fresh basil, it combined tangy, salty, herbaceous flavors that likened it to a cross between a bloody mary and a gazopacho.

next up was a POACHED EGG 65 DEGREES with chorizo, saffron. the process for cooking the egg rendered it creamy, and tasty with the tangy, salty, smokey chorizo. the tart side of pickled cornichons helped to make it less heavy.

the CALAMARI, AVOCADO, EXOTIC FRUITS, almonds, lemon combined some unusual ingredients and gave the dish a tropical twist. the battered and fried calamari was straightforward, but made a little unusual with the salty avocado, sweet banana, and tart passionfruit seeds as garnish as well as variations in texture from soft to crunchy.

the KING SALMON CUBE with WATERMELON, oranges confites, and sesame oil arrived with some instructions for the order of tastes. i thought the sweetness of the watermelon after the saltiness of the salmon cube and roe was interesting, but subtle and not as huge an impact flavorwise as it sounded, maybe because the watermelon was a little bland and not as sweet as i thought it would be to provide a huge contrast in flavor.

of course, simple can be quite good too, but even simple here is not so simple. the MARINATED GRILLED BELL PEPPER and mozzarella ice cream combines sweet peppers with fresh cherry tomatoes and a creamy cheese.

our last savory dish, the SAUTEED DIVER SCALLOP with curry-yogurt, spinach was another unusual flavor combination. i don't think i've had scallops with curry before, but this was pretty good.

we ended with the CHOCOLATE MOUSSE with COFFEE SAUCE and CHERRY CHANTILLY. the chocolate mousse had more of a gooey, thick sauce texture to it than a light mousse as i was expecting, but it was plenty rich. i found the intense tart and sweetness of the cherry a nice accent.

the meal made me feel like i traveled to different countries for each course, with the diversity of spices, seasonings and flavor combinations. service at first was a little overly helpful, which made me nervous, but relaxed as the restaurant filled up. ingredients and freshness were all top notch. it's too bad this only goes through the summer, but maybe the chef will find a permanent home. i would definitely go for more.

bottega louie

bottega louie
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (50/143)
when it came time to go out for the m's birthday, i picked bottega louie because--he wanted something casual, we hadn't been before and they have two of his favorites, pasta and pizza. this place is so casual that they don't take reservations, but luckily, we didn't have too much of a wait, about 10-15 mins on a saturday evening. even though it's casual, it still feels upscale, so you feel like you're getting a nice meal without worrying about what piece of silverware to use.

we started by sharing the basic arugula salad with red onions in a lemon vinaigrette with shaved pecorino that was spicy from the fresh arugula and prepared well--light on the dressing. m chose a napoli pizza, which i thought was ok, not great. he enjoyed it. toppings include mushrooms, red onions, and olives with a tomato sauce. i liked that they put two of my favorites together--mushrooms and kalamata olives.

our waitress recommended the tagliatelle bolognese. i love bolognese, so couldn't argue with it. it was tasty, but not as good as i had imagined due to the expectations set by the waitress. i liked the delicateness of the pasta. we also shared a couple sides, including the lightly battered portabello fries and some arancini arrabiata, which are these fried rice balls. the portabello fries consist of portabello mushroom slices deep fried. the crispy breading added some texture, and it was yummy with the pesto aioli. i enjoyed the smokiness and crunch from the bits of bacon in the arancini. they have quite a selection of sides, so if you didn't want to fill up on an entree, you could get a few sides. another plus is the amount of wine you get, when you order by the glass. you get a half glass typical of most places, then extra in a small carafe to refill the glass. etiquette is often such that you only get a partial glass even though you are supposedly ordering a glass. it was nice that wasn't the case here.

for dessert, i had an eclair from their pastry shop. it was ok as far as eclairs go, but the peanut butter terrine the m picked was excellent. the combination of slightly salty peanut butter with rich chocolate was so good.

overall, i think the meal was enjoyable, and found the ingredients to be fresh and high quality, but the ambiance lends itself to being more of a fun place to go as a group where you don't have to worry about being loud. they have plenty of large tables, and the place gets pretty loud due to the carpetless flooring and high ceilings no matter how quiet people are. we weren't too bothered by the noise, but it's definitely not the place to go if you're looking for a romantic evening. service was fast and friendly. they have a great selection of deli and dessert items for quick take out, too.

my only complaint was the cost. though i thought the food was tasty, i don't think it was special enough to warrant how much they charge. it seems that you could get similar offerings cheaper elsewhere.

pizzeria delfina

san francisco
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (47/143)
a juxtaposition of crunchy and chewy textures in a smoky crust as well as fresh toppings make for delicious pizza. pizzeria delfina's style is distinctively neapolitan, and while they serve authentically italian style pizza, it's with local flavor. i first had their pizza shortly after they opened, but since i no longer live in the area, have only dreamed about it.

i finally made it back, and it's still as good as i remember it. the margherita is classic. we tried one of their specials--a porcini mushroom pizza with panna, thyme and val d'aosta--which was very rich and creamy from the panna. not exactly traditional, but i loved the earthy mushrooms and fragrant thyme. photo: http://www.flickr.com/...

the casual environment is great. we have a similar resto in LA - pizzeria mozza -- that doesn't quite have the same relaxed atmosphere. delfina is gourmet without pretensions. good food, prepared well with quality ingredients.

tea room cafe

petaluma
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (46/143)
during our stay in petaluma, we discovered this cute cafe near the hotel on our search for breakfast. tea room cafe is a clean, casual cafe not too big, not too small that serves an excellent breakfast. it's the kind of place with good lighting that makes you feel like you're in an old house with a large screened porch. you order at the counter, and they bring it to your table. breakfast is typical fare with gourmet touches.

i had the french toast, which was a nice combination of crispy edges, tender bread with a little sweetness and hints of cinnamon. they lather it with butter, no syrup necessary. the fruit cup was a light addition, filled with fresh strawberries, apple slices, grapes and some melon. the bf had an omelet with goat cheese and avocado, super creamy and filling but not heavy. you can get fresh squeezed orange juice, and the usual coffee, tea offerings. they also start serving lunch around 11am.

the environment is relaxing, and food preparation took about 15 mins. not super fast, but not slow, either. service was friendly.

big mista's bbq @ watkins farmer's market

big mista's bbq @ watkins farmer's market
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (52/143)
i'm slowly making my way through the bbq offerings in the LA orange county area, in search of tasty cue. still haven't found anything as phenomenal as the best i've had in texas, which generally has more smokey flavor, but the bbq here is pretty good. thanks to a foodie friend for arranging this event, i was able to sample a large variety of their offerings, all of which were delicious.

my absolute favorite were the thick slabs of BRISKET. slightly fatty, tender, moist with a seasoned crust to accent the natural flavor of the meat, it was good with the vinegary bbq sauce, which was more a kansas style liquid sauce than the thick sauce i'm accustomed to, but had a slight kick and was good nonetheless. the RIBS were another favorite. they really know how to cook the meat so it stays moist. the rub gives it a peppery coating of spices.

they offer two varieties of SAUSAGE. the hot links didn't really blow me away, but it was good. the "fatty," a rich breakfast sausage had a lot of flavor. i don't think i could eat more than a couple pieces though, since it was so rich. the TRI-TIP looked like a good, lean piece of meat, although not as moist compared to some of the others, and better with the bbq sauce.

their CHICKEN, tender and sufficiently moist, is also slathered with similar combination of spices. in fact, most of their meats are well-seasoned with a nice crust, so you don't need a heavy bbq sauce, and the sauce becomes more of an accent to the natural flavors of the meat.

i loved their COLLARD GREENS. not oily at all, it tasted freshly made, with just the tiniest bit of vinegar. i'm not a huge coleslaw fan, but i liked theirs. it was crunchy, not too sweet, with a light tanginess. the potato salad has a kick, and the beans are sweet, a little too sweet for my taste, but they seemed fresh and nicely spiced.

for dessert, i enjoyed their red velvet. not phenomenal, but good. cobbler was a little inconsistent. some of the dough didn't seem fully cooked.

big mista's can be found at various farmer's markets, including the one we went to on saturday at watkins memorial park. i recommend checking them out. they're like one of those hidden food gems. the bbq here is much better than that at any of the chains like johnny rebs or lucille's. big mista's wife organized the food, and it was nice of her to give us some history on how they got started bbq-ing.

louisiana best seafood

louisiana best seafood
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (54/143)
there are far scarier neighborhoods you could have lunch in, and louisiana best seafood may not be the best, but they do fry up some good seafood. of course, some options are better than others. it actually reminds of me a little seafood shack by the beach except it's in a lesser frequented part of long beach. if it was in a small coastal town, people would think it was quaint. there's an inside area with video games and plastic chairs where you could eat (we did), although it probably was intended more as a waiting area. no tables.

i sampled a variety of their fried offerings, including shrimp, red snapper, scallops, oysters and french fries, and was surprised that nothing was oily. the crust has some texture, like cornmeal, in it, but it's not too thick, and cooked just right. the shrimp, which was even butterflyed, with it's fresh flavor, was a favorite. scallops were good too. they had a thin layer of chile between the meat and the crust that added a slight kick.

their fish, also a bit spiced, is pretty standard, but you do have to be careful. i found small bones along the edge that hadn't been completely removed. luckily, i found them before taking a bite. i prefer my oysters raw, but these fried ones were pretty good too. i think they should provide us with some lemon wedges. it would have been so much better with citrus. everything was seasoned, but not overly salty.

they offer many combo options depending on your preference for seafood. fish is primarily of the white flaky kind. fries were ok. not the worse fries, but i didn't care as much for them. their macaroni salad tastes like it came from the grocery store, so i wouldn't recommend that. the combos are pretty big. i couldn't eat it all, and didn't even get to the coleslaw or hush puppies that also came with it. my friend mentioned that the hush puppies were also spiced.

it seemed like there may have been some confusion with orders. the woman working the front was having trouble reading order numbers. my friend's order came out after mine although she ordered before me, but otherwise, service was fine. we didn't really have to wait more than 10 min. if you're looking for some fried seafood in the hood, check it out--a far better option than fast food crap. it is definitely freshly fried. i almost burned my tongue on the scallops.

veggie grill

veggie grill
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (53/143)
i'm pretty skeptical of gimmicky food places at the mall that tend to be more style than substance, but the food here is pretty good, and a much needed healthy reprieve from a week of sausage tasting, bbq, and fried seafood.

whoever says healthy food doesn't taste good should try veggie grill's portobello burger. it definitely rivals the one at native foods, but is not so hardcore (vegan). the combination of flavors from the smokey grilled portobello mushroom, sweet caramelized onions, flavorful pesto and spicy chipotle ranch makes for one delicious burger. you don't need any meat or extra fat.

i substituted a mixed green salad for the coleslaw that comes with. it's a nice mixture of baby lettuces, chopped tomatoes. some quinoa to help with regularity, corn and wispy curls of carrots. the citrus vinaigrette didn't have much citrus flavor, but it was a tasty vinaigrette.

the bf got the stack, which consists of their "steak", tomato, onion rings. i thought the onion rings added some interesting texture, but the steak was kind of bland. it had a meat texture, but little flavor. the portobello burger was definitely better tasting. the sweet potato fries are quite good and actually taste like pure sweet potatoes.

they give you three options of iced tea, including a regular and two fruity ones. i had two glasses of the strawberry lemonade, it was so good. tasted like it was made from real fruit and not high fructose corn syrup. you could see the little strawberry seeds floating in there.

my only complaint was that it is a little pricey after all the substitutions. it would be nice if the burgers came with fries, because i am not into coleslaw. native foods' burger comes with fries. still, i hope there will be a veggie grill close to home because it's tastier than most of the chain dining establishments out there.

lal mirch

lal mirch
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (49/143)
who knew there was excellent indian food in studio city? even though the name is unusual, lal mirch looks like many other generic indian restaurants--nice, but somewhat outdated decor with a buffet for lunch. the experience however, stood out. for me, it was love at first bite. everything we had was so good. it's the kind of indian food i crave--a rich mixture of spices in a thick sauce paired with tasty starch you eat with your hands.

the vegetable samosas, which come with a cilantro chutney and a tamarind chutney, are a perfect starter. crispy outside, spiced potatoes, corn, peas and beans. most places only have two ingredients in their samosas, but you could tell these had something extra.

the entrees we ordered, the shrimp tikka masala and vegetable korma, fueled my butter addiction. they were so amazingly crispy, perfectly spiced and creamy. i kind of wished we received more shrimp in our tikka masala, but it was fine because the sauce was a meal in itself slathered on some buttery parathas (in case all that ghee in the sauces weren't enough). i couldn't decide between naan and paratha, but either way would have been great. the parathas are like butter soaked tortillas, but with a slight crunch to them. they seem so simple at first, but the more you eat the more you want to keep dipping them in sauce and consuming until you explode.

the vegetable korma consisted of cauliflower, peas, carrots, potatoes in a turmeric yellow coconut curry. i liked the added texture and subtle nutty flavor from the coconut. i haven't tried their chicken tikka masala, which seems to be the thing to get, but judging by their shrimp tikka masala, i'm sure it's good too. tangy, sweet, salty and creamy, it brings together some fragrant spices and delicious flavors. their vegetable biryani had similar vegetables to the korma, and was also tasty and hearty--equal parts vegetables to rice.

oh, and the mango lassi i had was one of the best i have tasted. there was something much more complex here than i have had at other places. the bf doesn't like mango or yogurt, but he could appreciate the flavors.

service was so friendly and fast. this place is worth driving far to get good food.

coolhaus ice cream

downtown la artwalk
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (48/143)
we happened upon the coolhaus truck in downtown la during a recent third thursday artwalk. i love the concept--ice cream sandwiches with flavors inspired by famous architects like the frank berry or richard meyer lemon. the idea of gourmet ice cream sandwich isn't new, but you're not just getting any old ice cream sandwich, you're getting a minimalist building-like sculpture that tastes like an ice cream sandwich, and out of a mobile truck. if only the ice cream trucks in my neighborhood were this cute or the ice cream they were selling was as fresh.

they were out of all cookie varieties except for the sugar cookie, so i had some of m's mint ice cream sandwiched between sugar cookies. the ice cream was intensely minty but otherwise not memorable. cookie was more chewy than crunchy. i don't know if it was so awesome that i would seek it out any time soon, but if this cute little silver truck with a bright orange camper top rolled up on my street on a hot day, i would be happy to see it. i would like to try some of their other flavors and sandwich combinations. because i like the cuteness factor of the truck and think the ladies who run this outfit are super friendly, i'm giving them an extra star.

ludobites @ breadbar

ludobites @ breadbar
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i've never been to breadbar, but on the recommendation of a fellow foodie i had to check out ludobites. this review primarily is for our sampling of tastings at ludobites, which is in breadbar, but not really a part of breadbar. chef Ludovic Lefebvre takes over tues - saturday evenings offering an eclectic menu. my experience of the flavor combinations ranged from good to great, but nothing was boring. if you're interested in creatively and intricately prepared chef's tastings at tapas prices, ludobites is worth checking out. the concept is that you build your own tasting from a menu that changes nightly.

we snacked on crusty olive bread with a sweet lavendar honey butter, while waiting. it was hard not to fill up since the bread was so good. our first course, an HEIRLOOM TOMATO SMOOTHIE with celery granite and basil turned out to be one of my favorite selections of the evening. a cold, thick soup with celery flavored shaved ice, basil oil and fresh basil, it combined tangy, salty, herbaceous flavors that likened it to a cross between a bloody mary and a gazpacho.

next up was a POACHED EGG 65 DEGREES with chorizo, saffron. the process for cooking the egg rendered it creamy, and tasty with the tangy, salty, smokey chorizo. the tart side of pickled cornichons helped to make it less heavy.

the CALAMARI, AVOCADO, EXOTIC FRUITS, almonds, lemon combined some unusual ingredients and gave the dish a tropical twist. the battered and fried calamari was straightforward, but made a little unusual with the salty avocado, sweet banana, and tart passionfruit seeds as garnish as well as variations in texture from soft to crunchy.

the KING SALMON CUBE with WATERMELON, oranges confites, and sesame oil arrived with some instructions for the order of tastes. i thought the sweetness of the watermelon after the saltiness of the salmon cube and roe was interesting, but subtle and not as huge an impact flavorwise as it sounded, maybe because the watermelon was a little bland and not as sweet as i thought it would be to provide a huge contrast in flavor.

of course, simple can be quite good too, but even simple here is not so simple. the MARINATED GRILLED BELL PEPPER and mozzarella ice cream combines sweet peppers with fresh cherry tomatoes and a creamy cheese flecked with salty pieces of dried black olives.

our last savory dish, the SAUTEED DIVER SCALLOP with curry-yogurt, spinach was another unusual flavor combination. i don't think i've had scallops with curry before, but this was pretty good.

we ended with the CHOCOLATE MOUSSE with COFFEE SAUCE and CHERRY CHANTILLY. the chocolate mousse had more of a gooey, thick sauce texture to it than a light mousse as i was expecting, but it was plenty rich. i found the intense tart and sweetness of the cherry a nice accent.

the meal made me feel like i traveled to different countries for each course, with the diversity of spices, seasonings and flavor combinations. service at first was a little overly helpful, which made me nervous, but relaxed as the restaurant filled up. ingredients and freshness were all top notch. it's too bad this only goes through the summer, but maybe the chef will find a permanent home. i would definitely go for more.

road trip to northern california

point reyes
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

we took a mini road trip of sorts to visit some friends, check out point reyes, the wildflowers and wildlife, the new academy of sciences designed by architect renzo piano, the new rooftop sculpture garden at sf moma, moecular gastronomy at coi, maker faire in san mateo & the winchester mansion in san jose.

bouchon

bouchon
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (45/143)
though the cuisine at bouchon appears so straightforward classic french bistro, you can taste the craft and precision of expertise that went into it. what i came to appreciate here was not the inventiveness of the menu, but how good good technique can be. with all the craze over molecular gastronomy these days, it's easy to get distracted.

our meal began with bread from their bakery and butter and a white bean dip. the white bean dip was fabulously creamy with hints of the herbaceous olive oil that was drizzle on top. excellent with the toasted mini sourdough rounds. we shared a beet salad with mache, rhubarb, and asparagus. good but not exciting.

the entrees from the list of specials we ordered ended up being the highlight of the meal. the bf had the salmon sous vide on ratatouille. sweet tomato-y vegetables. this is the one of the few instances when i like vegetables mushy. salmon was delicate and flavorful. i had the pork shoulder which was shiny from a sweet glaze and laid on top of a ragout of corn and arugula accented with sweet currents. pork was wonderfully tender. the glaze was perfect. the zippyness of the arugula, the slight sweetness of the fresh corn and the more intense currents were all excellent.

i would recommend bouchon for a solid meal. the hostess was a little stand-offish, but our waiter was great--amicable and responsive. fine restaurant with a somewhat more casual atmosphere. it was a lovely evening for dinner on their patio. even on a weeknight, it was packed. we didn't have reservations, but were able to get seating immediately.

coi

coi
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (44/143)
at first glance, i didn't recognize many of the ingredients on the menu at coi, which are sourced from local producers. unusual descriptions which apply more to things found on a nature walk than food, combined with the distinct presentation of mostly vegetarian, minimalist food intrigued me, serving to slow and enhance the experience of eating.

our AMUSE BOUCHE consisted of milk & honey packaged in a transparent membrane. a nectar of milk and honey oozes comfort and some sweetness into your mouth. not sure about it being room temperature though.

with the first course, PINK GRAPEFRUIT (ginger, tarragon, black pepper), which looked like a small white cloud atop smaller pieces of grapefruit, comes with a drop of essential oil which is applied to the wrist for comparison. dominant flavors were fragrant citrus tartness from the grapefruit & tarragon. the combination of taste and aroma were nice- with aroma being the foreplay to the more intense flavors. by itself, i wonder if the flavors would have been more subtle.

the martian landscape that was our third course, called EARTH AND SEA (new harvest potatoes, cucumber, borage, sea beans, ice plant flowers), was almost too pretty to eat. the tiniest potatoes i've ever seen cooked to creaminess were huddled against greens, pink flowers atop a vinegar-y squid ink dyed chunks of cucumber. drizzled with grassy olive oil. fragrant, simple flavors, tasty!

an investigation of architecture, INVERTED ANDANTE DAIRY GOAT CHEESE TART (black olive, vadouvan, preserved lemon, wild arugula) consisted of a canti-levered wonton made from black olive atop creamy goat cheese and littered with bits of preserved lemon & arugula.

haiku-like, WINTER INTO SPRING (chilled english pea soup, buttermilk snow, mint), pairs simple, natural flavors--sweet, fresh peas, tart buttermilk & aromatic mint--with a twist on temperature. all i want to know is how you turn buttermilk into snow.

taking all that is good about fried chicken and packaging it in small tater tot-like cubes of intense flavor, the FRIED CHICKEN CONSOMME (artichokes, fava beans, radish, green garlic) is a good thing if it makes me feel like i don't need to work out after eating it. crunchy on the outside, with a gravy-like inside. garnishes added texture. the bf doesn't eat meat, so they made him roasted mushrooms with mayo. i definitely got the better option.

the SAUTEED MONTEREY BAY ABALONE (escarole, caper berry-sea lettuce vinaigrette) was a little hard to slice, but not as chewy as i thought it would be. it sits atop some cooked escarole and an emulsified vinaigrette. seasoned well, with slightly caramelized skin.

a bite of the MORELS (burnt rice, ash, smoke, pine) is like a walk in the forest. earthy, fragrant green, slightly salty. i overheard one of the servers explain the molecular evolution of this dish. even if i remembered, you'd be thinking huh? as well. if you like mushrooms, this dish refines them for a delicately flavored course. plenty of interesting textures as well.

slightly rare, the MARIN SUN FARMS GOAT (sprouted seeds/nuts/beans, wheatgrass) was surprisingly healthy (and not gamey at all) for a meat dish. tender meat, delicately prepared, with crunchy nuts and beans. a combination of perfectly runny yolk and buttery foam, the bf's SLOW COOKED EGG (farro, chard, brown butter)--a meatless sub--was quite good too!

after the previous courses, the few slices of COMTE with lightly coated lettuce leaves was a bit underwhelming, although the cheese was good.

the intercourse of BEET juice puree atop a creamy powder was sweet, slightly tart and salty

couldn't taste the olive oil in the OLIVE OIL SHORTCAKE (strawberry-rhubarb, lemon balm, long pepper), but the combination of fruits were prominent in flavor--sweet, tart, salty

the WHITE CHOCOLATE SEMI-FROZEN (brooks cherry, lime thyme) is a creamy white pillar accented by soft little thyme leaves, tangy sweet cherries in syrup, and crumbly cake

the crunchy cookie crumbles coating the CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES were the dominant texture and flavor. texture was more interesting than flavor. along with the truffles, we ended our meal with OLIVE OIL VANILLA bean milk shake. the olive oil added another layer of creamy complexity.

healthy, light, earthy, the cuisine at coi seems the kind of food forest elves would eat. some looked strange, but the flavors were familiar, often combining savory with sweet and tartness. some flavor combos were better than others, but none were off. each course delicately crafted.

they only offer a tasting menu-no a la carte & small portions. for me, grazing on ten courses over three hours was sufficiently filling, but i don't recommend coming here starving. kudos for cloth towels in the bathroom & interesting artwork on the walls, which appeared to be photograms of cross-sections of food in black and white. excellent service. more silverware than you know what to do with.

elements kitchen

elements kitchen
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (43/143)
fresh, locally grown produce. quality ingredients. reasonable prices. a beautiful sunny day, we found ourselves on a late saturday afternoon at elements kitchen starving for some good eats. we almost missed the place as the door and "resto" faces a side street instead of the street address. judging from what other diners were having, i was anticipating a beautiful meal at least.

they have a specials menu, from which we ordered a couple items, including a shrimp chile lime ceviche. fragrant, refreshing and perfect for the warm weather, it was one of the best ceviches i've had. sometimes simple is best. the tangy lime juice with the shrimp and little bits of fresh tomatoes, cucumber and avocado were perfect. shrimp is so good as ceviche. partially cooked, it takes on a tender juiciness not found in fully cooked shrimp.

for entrees, we shared the salmon red coconut curry, also from the specials menu, and a quiche filled with mushrooms and caramelized onions. i enjoyed the crunchy exterior texture of the seasoned and seared piece of salmon as well as the sweet and salty, spicy creamy curry with vegetables. it was topped with an eggroll filled with creamy potato. though the dish didn't blow me away, it was prepared well and tasted great. the quiche was excellent. i loved the sweetness of the onions and the texture and meatiness of the mushrooms. it came with a salad of mixed greens with so much variety and a light, sweet vinaigrette.

everything was perfect including service until the end, when our waitress disappeared, and we sat around for a while, waiting for our check. i asked another person working their for the check, and we waited some more. i had no idea where our waitress went. when i had gone inside earlier to find a bathroom, there were no people at the tables inside, and there were maybe 5 other occupied tables outside. finally, the bf had to go inside to retrieve it. i really enjoyed the food, and hope the service improves. the servers are nice, but inconsistent.

bamboodles

bamboodles
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (42/143)
the main attraction for bamboodles is for their freshly made noodles, which they prepare the same day, and the novelty of watching them do it through the big fish bowl window, but you would probably have to go early to catch the show. we were there for dinner, so no show. the restaurant is clean, bright and modern.

as far as their noodles, i could tell that it was fresh, much firmer than most places with a springiness to them. the spinach, translucent green with little flecks, was more interesting than their regular noodle. the one soup i had--the shrimp wonton noodle soup--was pretty dull. i liked that the delicately skinned wontons consisted mostly of shrimp stuffing that was tasty--flavored with sesame oil, and the broth was light and healthy, but as far as broths go, it was a little bland.

the bf had the garlic shrimp noodles, which are pretty much what they sound like--regular noodles and shrimp sauteed with garlic. garlic flavor was good, though preparation was not very creative.

i also tried their seafood delight dumplings, a thick skinned, light (not oily) dumpling that satisfied my craving, but definitely not the best dumpling you'll find in the area. however, shrimp dumplings seem to be less common than the pork variety, so i would say it is a plus here. overall, i enjoyed our dinner and may come back to try different soups, but wasn't overly impressed. the one waitress we had was very personable. one perk is that they offer uncooked noodles, wonton wrappers and premade dumplings for very reasonable prices for those who wish to prepare them themselves.

marche moderne

marche moderne
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (40/143)
marche moderne offers a 3 course prix fixe--$20 during the week and $25 on the weekends--seven days of the week, which is a great deal on some good gourmet food. their prix fixe changes out almost every day.

i came here with a few other foodies. some of us ordred the prix fixe, while a couple ordered off their lunch menu. everything looked amazing and fresh. the prix fixe came with a butter lettuce, pine nuts, watermelon salad. the sweetness of the bits of watermelon as well as the crunchiness of the pine nuts were paired nicely with the lettuce and simple vinaigrette. my only complaint was that they may have mixed the salads with a little too much dressing, so everything was super wet.

the options for the entree were roasted sand dab with sweet peppers, cilantro emulsion and preserved lemon salad and braised pork belly with sauteed rapini and frisee salad. the fish could have been seasoned more, but it was cooked to flaky perfection, and the sweet peppers were a nice complement that added some flavor. the braised pork belly was so tender and moist, a little bit sweet from caramelization and salty. the rapini was a little overcooked but tasty with a simple preparation. one person in the group ordered the maine scallops tagine, which was excellent. the combination of the tender scallops with the earthy, spicy tomato based harissa worked well.

for dessert, i had an espresso gateau with mascarpone cream and tahitian vanilla ice cream. the cake, which was airy and infused with espresso, reminded me of a refined tiramisu, and was made decadent with a little sweet cream and ice cream.

udupi palace

udupi palace
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (39/143)
its a good sign when you're the only non-indian at an indian restaurant. granted, i've only started eating south indian food last year, but the spinach cheese dosa i had here is the best i've had in my limited experience. dosas are delicate but large crepes usually filled with some combination of potatoes, vegetables and/or spices. what makes the dosa and other dishes we ate here so great is how well spiced and balanced the flavors are. sporting a crispy chewy outside and only available on weekends, the spinach was well seasoned with wonderful curry and great with bits of cheese.

bf & i also shared the thali to try a little of everything, which comes with 2 veggie options--that day it was chana masala and gobi masala (both were good; the gobi was sweeter, while the chana had a tangy tamarind flavor)--, a delicious daal (one of the better i've had--most are usually a little bland--lentils with fennel and mustard seeds), sambar (a tasty lentil soup), rasam (broth cooked from lentils), poriyal which was spicy, turmeric-y cabbage, tomato rice, raita which is yogurt with chunks of cucumber, and payasam which appeared to be a sweet coconut milk flavored with saffron and chopped almonds.

we should have stopped there, but we had to have some baigan bartha, a slow cooked eggplant curry dish with some kick. i was eyeing our neighbors' poori, which are these puffed bread things, and paratha, which are thicker tortilla like bread, and was intrigued by the coconut rice, so will have to return to try other things. everything tasted great, and though there was some heat, it wasn't unbearable, especially if you have a sweet and creamy mango lassi.

service was friendly and fast. utensils are optional.

good girl dinette

good girl dinette
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (38/143)
walking up to good girl dinette, i could smell something baking. i couldn't tell you what that was, but the aromas were warm and inviting. for me, vietnamese food is comfort food. modernizing it by commingling of a little americana is an intriguing concept. the resto itself is casual and bright, at least during the day. the large windows along the front let in lots of light, but no direct sunlight. i loved all the quaint little touches in the interior design, from the vintage modern comfy chairs to the bright orange chopsticks.

we started with the mushroom imperial rolls. first, i was impressed they were made with traditional vietnamese wrappers. even in little saigon, it's getting harder to find eggrolls made with these wrappers, which have not only a great crunch, but a certain chewyness that feels good when you're eating it. the ones that seem to be more prevalent these days are made with wrappers commonly found on chinese eggrolls. those are brown and made from wheat flour rather than semi-translucent wrappers made from rice flour.

balanced out with pickled veggies and lettuce, these mushroom rolls were the best vegetarian eggrolls i've had. the mushrooms gave the rolls umami so much so that i wasn't missing the pork. the dipping sauce that comes with the rolls is a sweet, salty and tangy concoction that is reminiscent of nuoc mam. although it is probably more vegetarian friendly and tasty, i was still wanting the more intense flavor of nuoc mam.

the cauliflower curry pot pie, which had a lot of flavor and a slight kick, came piping hot to our table. a great vegetarian alternative, it had comfort food written all over it.

i had the slow-roasted pork baguette. the french bread was perfectly crunchy and lathered with a light mayo, buttery spread, pickled veggies that added another layer of crunch and fresh cilantro. overall, it was surprisingly light, which was nice. some pieces of pork were a little dry, while fattier bits were perfect. overall, i enjoyed the combination of flavors. i thought there was going to maggi on it, but i didn't taste any. eating this sandwich, i was really craving the taste of maggi as it was a new take on the banh mi. the baguette came with a side of spicy fries, which actually weren't too spicy, more like garlic and jalapeno rubbed fries. they were delicious.

the almond custard with kumquat sauce looked promising, but was a miss for me. the almond part was super creamy, which i liked, but almost too rich in almond flavor, which would have been fine, but the kumquat sauce ended up being overpowered by bitterness that left a bad aftertaste in combination with the strong almond.

one of the standouts about this place is how vegetarian friendly it is. there's a non-meat option for just about every meat option on the menu, and there didn't seem to be any sacrifice in flavor as is often the case. some restos offer vegetarian options, but much of the focus is on the meat, while the veggies come across bland and treated as an afterthought. i didn't get that here. the veggie dishes were equally composed as the meat dishes.

the people who waited on us were friendly and eager to please. when we went for a saturday lunch, it was quiet, and we had a lovely meal. the menu seemed minimal, but it hasn't been open for very long, so i'm hoping the chef, diep tran, will add specials and more items to the menu. some flavors could be intensified, but this place has a lot of promise.

spain restaurant

spain restaurant
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (37/143)
religiously watching episodes of "made in spain" and having a love for tapas may not make me an expert (after all, i've never even been to the country), but i get the feeling this place is authentic. at the end of a nondescript strip mall near the entrance to the freeway, spain restaurant isn't quite a dive, but it's far from trendy or pretentious, and makes me think of comfort food, the kind perhaps my grandma would make if she were spanish.

even if you've had little experience with spanish food, the dishes have familiar elements. take for example, the tortilla de papas. it's basically a thick omelet with potatoes--a classic pairing that's not just for breakfast. they have a variety of tortillas with different ingredients. we enjoyed the one with shrimp. the tortilla is prepared well, with the potatoes being soft, and the eggs being moist on the inside.

we also enjoyed the champignones al ajillo, which are mushrooms sauteed with wine and garlic, and the tomate relleno, tomatoes filled with tuna and topped with flavorful spanish olives.

their tarantela is worth trying if you like sweet desserts and never had it before. it's a combination of two tasty desserts--flan and bread pudding--which has nothing to do with the dance as far as i know.

though all the food was tasty, i wasn't blown away by the few dishes i had, but i would like to return and try their empanadas and paella. they also sell a variety of imported flavored sodas and other spanish products in a little mini-mart section of the restaurant, including chorizo, jamon, rice, saffron and pimenton. Service was friendly and fast.

bludso's bbq

bludso's bbq
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (36/143)
texas-bred, i am extremely picky when it comes to bbq. when i heard the bbq here was texas-style, i had to join in on Robert's meat fest. it's still NOT the best bbq i've had. that's in texas, unfortunately. however, it is pretty darn good. i wouldn't say all offerings are equal.

in order of tastyness:

beef ribs - hallelujah. i can taste some smoke. if i wanted to be knit-picky, i would say the smoke could have permeated the meat more, but the crust and the fatty bits falling off the bone, the best parts, made it good. this particular meat option had the most smoky flavor.

brisket - tender, moist. fat equals flavor!

pork ribs - tender on the inside, yummy crust on the outside

collard greens - fresh, with a little kick

corn bread - great texture, slightly sweet

pulled pork - tender

mac & cheese - cheese topping was a little dried in parts, i think from sitting around, but it was fine

potato salad - a little mushy, but flavorwise, typical potato salad. you really need the vinegar to help offset the fat and protein

turkey - tasty crust, though meat needed some seasoning

chicken - a little dry, and the meat needed some seasoning, although the crusty skin was tasty

baked beans - sweet, which i wasn't expecting, nor did i care for, but they had a nice texture

sausage (beef, pork & chicken) - of all things, i don't recommend the sausage as it tasted a bit off. i don't think the quality of the meat was that great. disappointing since i love me some sausage.

as for dessert, i sampled some of the bread pudding, peach cobbler, pumpkin pie and red velvet cake. all were good, but my favorite was the peach cobbler, which was warm, cinnamon-y and sweet.

their sauce comes in mild and spicy. for some reason, the mild sauce that day seemed more flavorful. maybe the bit of spice in the spicy masked some of the flavors of their sweet and tangy bbq sauce. mr. bludso and his friends and family who fed us were all extremely nice and accommodating.

pho 79

pho 79
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#57 and #25 (35/143) on my 101 in 1001 list
the first meetup event i organized, which was at pho 79, turned out quite well. everyone was excited about the food and the experience.

one of my many gastronomic missions is to find some damn good pho. this place has been on my list. that list is a long one, so it's taken me some time to finally try the pho here. the broth is not as sweet as i like it, but it's pretty good.

they have a large variety of options as far as what you can get with your pho. my favorite combination is the pho tai nam gan, which includes rare beef (theirs is thinly sliced and tender), well done flank and tendon. i went with a group, and after seeing my neighbor's bowl of pho with the fatty brisket, i was wishing i'd gotten that too. what's good about the pho here is not so much the broth, which was fine, but the natural flavors of the meat that comes through. although they offer other vietnamese food, i would recommend sticking to the pho, which is what they're known for, unless you really need or want something else. we shared some spring rolls made with shrimp and bbq pork, which were ok not great. i prefer the roasted pork in my spring rolls rather than the bbq pork, which was cold.

be prepared to wait some, as this place is very popular. at 11:30 am on a sunday, there was already a 15 min wait for a table, but luckily, the service is quick. it's a typical pho joint, and not one of the newer ones, but sanitary enough.

LA arboretum & botanic garden

LA arboretum & botanical gardens
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#57 of 101 in 1001
after a month and a half of non-stop "work" on various art projects including install and subsequent maintenance for the show at bc, i decided a little leisure time outdoors would be a nice break. besides, spring is here, and though the vernal equinox has long passed, i haven't felt like i've had a chance to go outside my little apartment and appreciate it.

like the Huntington library and garden, the LA arboretum & botanic garden is situated northeast of LA proper near Arcadia, that would be close to the mountains far. though not as big, it boasts 127 acres of plant collections from all over the world. i definitely recommend going early. by noon, it was really starting to heat up. temperatures are much higher this far inland.

the place is really quite expansive. we walked around for almost three hours, and still did not quite cover the entire garden. one of the great things about the arboretum is how friendly the animals are. they seem so used to people being around that they aren't afraid to let you get close, excepting maybe the squirrels. you'll find beautiful peacocks screeching quite loudly. geese musically honking and turtles basking on rocks.

walking around and not having to stress about something was so lovely, i was starting to feel guilty at my lack of "productivity."

crab zone

crab zone
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (34/143)
at first sight, crab zone looks like your stereotypical beach town seafood resto catering to the tourists. i quickly realized there was something unusual about their vietnamese-inspired the menu that consisted of some interesting sounding asian fusion dishes like garlic noodles, tamarind crab, and cassava in addition to more typical fare.

in the end, after a long day, i was really craving a shrimp po-boy, so that is what i ordered, along with a mixed green salad, gumbo and curly fries with cajun spices. green salad was fresh and included slivers of crunchy jicama and delicate fried wonton skins. i doubt the dressing was made in-house, but it did not taste like your typical cheap, cisco, comes in a large vat variety. gumbo was not memorable, but the warmth was nice. the po-boy really hit the spot and took me back to one i had in galveston, texas, another seaside town. shrimp were crispy on the outside, fresh with a snap on the inside. cajun spices were fairly subtle, but the fries were great.

the resto feels casual, but serves up quality food which has some attention to detail. definitely a step up from the usual tourist trap. plus, the prices are very reasonable, especially in this part of laguna where many things often feel superficial and overpriced. i would eat here again if i were in the neighborhood craving seafood.

mi la cay

mi la cay
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (33/143)
i've only tried their signature dish, which is mi kho dau hao - dry egg noodle with oyster sauce, bbq pork, fried shrimp, chicken. you can get it with broth mixed in or on the side. mine was on the side. the dish is a little salty due to the thick oyster sauce without the broth, but i like to get it on the side to maintain the firmness of the noodle and pour it in myself or eat a little noodle and drink some broth depending on my mood.

the noodles, the star of the dish, are perfectly cooked, both soft and firm, with a bit of snap. you can get a variety of different options with your noodle. as i mentioned, the signature dish has all kinds of meat, but the best is the bbq pork, which has a nice, natural flavor with simple seasonings. the piece of chicken i got was a little on the dry side, but otherwise, tasty. it's a typical vietnamese place. service was fine.

canadian pizza

canadian pizza
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (32/143)
it was one of those nights. i had been working all day in my studio, otherwise known as my small apartment, when i realized it was 9pm, and i hadn't eaten dinner. i usually order from pizza hut (there's one a few blocks away), but thought i would try some place new and support a local business, so canadian pizza fit the bill.

we ordered two vegetarian pizzas and a side of breadsticks, and all were tasty. most pizza dough is lacking in flavor which is more concentrated in the toppings. the standout for both was really the dough, which tasted fresh and toasty. the fact that it tasted like anything was a big plus. covered in garlic, parmesan and oil, the breadsticks were so good, i could just eat that all night. i also liked the puffed up crust on the pizza, too.

their pricing is suited to getting two pizzas for close to the price of one. although, it costs more for a little variety, you can get a pretty good deal on a lot of tasty pizza. delivery was surprisingly fast.

lucky devils

lucky devils
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (31/143)
maybe my expectations were set high from reading reviews or their enticing menu descriptions, but i was not impressed by their burgers. first, they no longer had the grass-fed beef burgers, which i was hoping to try. second, many of the burger options were very similar, including some variation of their secret sauce otherwise known as thousand island and hot sauce. at least that's what it tasted like.

i ordered their basic burger with cheddar and fries. the burger had a faint smoky flavor which was good, but once i got to the meat of the burger, it was bland. though their secret sauce gave the burger a little kick, there wasn't much of the meaty flavor i love about burgers that comes from the blood, fat and other meat juices, and it was in need of some seasoning. it wasn't a bad burger. the quality and taste is better than the average burger joint, but i much prefer the burger at the counter, and it's not in the same league as the one at father's office.

their fries were ok. again, it was missing a little something to make it a 4 star place. the bf liked the veggie burger, as it tasted like it was made from scratch rather than just a gardenburger patty (although i love gardenburgers) and had a lot of texture. according to the menu, it's made from 23 different ingredients.

huynh restaurant

huynh restaurant
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (29/143)
fresh, tasty food made from quality ingredients and great service are two reasons i'm coming back. so far, i've only had the canh chua tom (a hot &sour shrimp soup), mi xao don (pan fried noodles with shrimp & squid) and the ca kho to (simmered catfish in hot pot). the catfish, which was a great balance of sweet and salty, was my favorite. the canh chua tom was good, but could have been a little more intense in flavor. the pan fried noodles, although pretty to look at was ok. i think it needed some sesame oil or something to kick it up a notch. the resto looks newish and is bright and clean, one of the nicer casual places in little saigon.

la casita mexicana

la casita mexicana
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (30/143)
you could almost miss this quaint little restaurant in bell, ca and not realize there's delicious, reasonably priced food here! i came with a largish group of 9 people, and we easily took up half the restaurant. jaime and romero, the chefs and proprietors and the nicest human beings, created a fabulous multi-course tasting menu of on and off the menu dishes and showed us how to make salsa verde with a traditional molcajete.

we snacked on chips with not one but three different moles--chocolate, green pepian & red pepian, which are made from pumpkin seeds and different chiles. my favorite was the green, although all were good, and the chocolate had the most complexity. then came potatoes, simple red-skinned spuds covered in a tangy, tasty chile sauce, and guacamole with chauplines, excellent guacamole topped with crunchy, smoky little grasshoppers.

their fish ceviche was refreshing, fragrant and tangy w/ bits of cilantro & chile. then came four cheeses, nopales (cactus), mushrooms wrapped in a banana leaf. one of my favorites, the combination of melty mexican cheese with tangy cactus and mushrooms was excellent.

within their red pozole w/ pork and tostadas, large pieces of hominy and tender pork give texture to a hearty, tomato-y soup. Another favorite were the cotija cheese enchiladas--deceptively simple, but so tasty. the chile flavors permeated the little rolls of goodness.

chocolate mole is an acquired taste, but it's very intense and complex here. it pairs well with the chicken in their chicken mole poblano. even their side dishes were good, which included creamy refried beans and a cactus sald with plenty of crunchy textures and tangy flavor.

the so simple, so good cecina de res al chipotle, a skirt steak rubbed with chipotle chiles had a lot of kick from the chiles. for something lighter, the filete de pescado, fish cooked with aromatic herbs & chile morita, was perfectly prepared, with an infusion of flavor from the chiles.

one of the more interesting dishes, chile en nogada consisted of a stuffed poblano filled with ground meat and topped with a creamy sauce & pomegranate seeds.

just as we were getting full, they served several tasty bites of desserts. the envueltos de arroz con leche y crema de nuez looks like a wonton filled with a rice pudding, dusted with cinnamon sugar and topped pecan cream sauce - fried sweet dessert with pudding inside - yum!

for something light, the guayabas con rompope is guava & mexican style eggnog. then my heart melted when i saw the chocolate filled churros. seriously, i could eat a lot of these. crunchy, sweet cinnamon, oh, yes! then there was the delicate flavor and texture of sweet potato & pineapple sitting atop a crispy cinnamon sugar dusted thick chip.

we washed down dessert with mexican hot chocolate - cinnamon and chocolate. yum.

this is definitely one of my favorite mexican restaurants. they offer gourmet quality food, with an attention to details in an unpretentious, cozy restaurant that is very affordable. tacos may be what we're most familiar with, but if you want to get a feel for the range of mexican food, i highly recommend this place.

full house in chinatown

seafood tofu hotpot
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (28/143)
i happened to be in the area for a workshop and needed a quick bite. the dish i ordered, a seafood tofu hot pot was prepared well with a very tasty soy based sauce. it included scallops, squid, octopus, fish, shrimp, tofu, bits of lettuce, and green onions. all the seafood was fresh, and the squid was tender with a bit of a crunch. not chewy at all! my only complaint is that the steamed rice was a little dry.

grace (dineLA dinner)

grace (dineLA dinner)
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (25/143)
after my dinner here during DineLA, i was beginning to wonder if restaurant week was all it was cracked up to be. many of the fine dining establishments, including grace, that i tried this year and last were mostly mediocre. you would think they would pick the best items on the menu, but if this is the best, i'm not sure i would come back any time soon. it wasn't bad, but rather inconsistent and didn't live up to the quality you would expect. here is what we had:

dungeness crab salad, english peas, meyer lemon vinaigrette - i love crab, but this salad was lackluster. i could barely taste the lemon, and the crab needed something else.

shrimp cavatelli - cavatelli pasta, english peas, chanterelle mushrooms - the best of the dishes and an addition to the menu published on the website, it was a delicate balance of simple and delicious flavors. the firm, fresh shrimp, sweet bits of peas and nutty chanterelles were great together.

dayboat scallops -smoked bacon, mashed potatoes - another menu surprise, it ended up being too salty, between the bacon and seasonings, and i love scallops!

john dory - gnocchi, pea shoots, shitake mushrooms, sweet soy sauce - a sweet and salty mixture that was good. the fish was cooked well but a tad boring, and there were maybe two pieces of gnocchi, which was disappointing. pea shoots and shitake mushrooms were the most flavorful part.

mascarpone panna cotta - rum soaked cake, passionfruit, pomegranate - again, kind of lacking in personality creamy dessert thing

sticky toffee pudding - hazelnut gelato, bruleed bananas - better than the panna cotta. you can't go wrong with chocolate, although i didn't really taste too much hazelnut in the mix

service was good. the restaurant has a lovely warm atmosphere lit with candle light and warm wood surfaces.

i'm glad we went when it was less expensive. although the food was fine, and some dishes were pretty good, i wasn't blown away, and i don't know if i would want to pay regular prices for their food!

at last cafe

at last cafe
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (24/143)
at last cafe is what a neighborhood cafe should be--fresh, delicious and affordable, and for now is my new favorite in the hood resto. it's a cute little place, and the emphasis is on "little", which means that if it continues to be popular, take heed and make reservations. we came for lunch on a saturday, and though it wasn't bustling, the majority of the tables were filled up from just two parties. if you're lucky enough to live in the hood, definitely ride your bike or walk as parking can be difficult at times.

everything on the menu looked good, but for our first visit, we opted to start off with some roasted artichokes from their specials board. it was done well, with a little red pepper sauce and sprinkled with parmesan. we also had the arugula salad, which tasted fresh from a garden. some of the stalks were a bit thick, but it was nice and peppery with some bitterness, shredded cheese & homemade croutons. i quite enjoyed it, although some people may not like bitter greens.

the mac and cheese is simple and delicious. a good balance of cheese and cream with some contrasting texture from the breadcrumbs, it is a comfort food done well. it's probably not the healthiest thing, but somehow it tastes like it's good for you!

for those who may be in a hurry, i warn that it can seem a little leisurely because the chef is cooking by himself, and there was only one waitperson when we were there, waiting on everyone, but we were fine. service was responsive and friendly. we're definitely going to return and try all the things on the menu.

la cachette (dineLA)

la cachette (dineLA)
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (23/143)
thank goodness for dineLA. we can go out for a nice meal without spending a fortune in these harsh economic times. traditional romance isn't my cup of tea, but i thought this resto has a nice ambiance and is very comfortable and unpretentious.

the amuse bouche that started our meal consisted of a sun-dried tomato with pesto rouille, a layer of olive tapenade atop a little piece of baked pastry. not sure if it was the olive or the tomato, but something was a little bitter, but otherwise, i enjoyed everything else in the combination.

for the first course, i had the compressed papaya with brandade & blinis which were more like little pancakes with a bit of cream on top. the subtly sweet and light papaya balanced out the salty, flavor rich brandade nicely, and the bit of starch from the blinis was good. my bf had the roasted bartlett pear w/ melted gorgonzola & baby arugula, sprinkled w/ pomegranate balsamic glaze. it was excellent. the sweet pear was perfect with the blue cheese and combined with the slightly bitter, slightly tart arugula, made for a tasty appetizer.

i was less impressed with the entrees than the appetizers, but the two we sampled were prepared well. i had the nieman ranch pork chop w/ apple chutney & mashed potatoes. some of the pork chop was a tad dry in parts, but i enjoyed the traditional preparation and flavors. the sweet chutney was a good complement. the other entree, the petrale sole w/ lemon emulsion, mushrooms & peas, was fine, although a little conventional. the lemon emulsion added flavor to a crisply fried, fresh piece of fish.

the desserts, which included the baba au rum and thin apple tart, were both delicious. the baba rum was a little sweet for my taste, but i thought it was done well, and my bf loved it. soft and rum-soaked with sweet sauce and sour bits of chopped pineapple. the delicate apple tart had a lovely flaky crust with super thin slivers of tart apple that was excellent with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

everything was tasty and surprisingly light for french food. my only complaint, if any, would be the lack of creativity in the entrees. i'd like to return to try their regular menu. the waitstaff were attentive and not overbearing. the chef came out to check on diners, which was nice. it seems like a great "date" place.

patina (dineLA lunch)

patina (dineLA lunch)
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (22/143)
restaurant week is a great time to get a taste of restaurants that you might not get to due to the many choices for good food and a limited budget. i came here with a group to find out if patina would be worth a return visit for one of their dinner tasting menus.

our lunch started with delicately chopped salmon with a vinegar-y, mini floret of cauliflower and a sliver of cucumber. light and refreshing, the amuse bouche had a nice balance of tartness from the little bit of cauliflower with the creaminess of the fresh salmon.

for our first course, two of us had the seared scallop, vegetable crudites & wasabi espuma. the scallop was perfectly prepared and fresh. it had a slight crunchy outside with a sweet, juicy inside. the slivers of radishes that made up the vegetable crudites was a little bland. i could taste some vinegar on a few pieces, but it was more crunchy texture, and little taste. the wasabi espuma was tasty and added some flavor to the veggies. i tasted my bf's butternut squash soup, which was creamy and flavorful. i thought it was well done, but i wasn't sure what to make of the pumpkin seeds which were still in the shell. i liked the toastiness, but thought leaving them in the shell made them chewy. i also tried my friend's beet & endive salad, which was pretty good.

three of us chose the grilled sea bass, anis polenta and carrot jus for our entrees. the fish was bland, but the polenta was creamy and flavorful as was the carrot jus, and the sunchokes were sweet. the carnaroli rice forest mushroom risotto was creamy and prepared well, but was also a tad bland. i didn't get as much of the mushroom flavor from this dish as i had expected.

for dessert, we tasted all three of the options: delice of tangerine & cinnamon walnut linzer, an assortment of cookies, petits macarons & flavored marshamallow pieces, and a selection of sorbet. all were pretty tasty. i wasn't sure what to make of the icy creamy tangerine mixture, but it was fragrant. the linzer was more of a sweet and salty granola mixture under a small scoop of orange sorbet. the sorbets were all good, and included a green tea macha, persimmon passionfruit, which tasted more of tart passion fruit, and a creamy coconut. my favorite was the variety on the plate of cookies. i liked the little macarons and cookies. we also opted for the red & white wines recommended with the lunch. the red was good, but the white tasted a little stale.

overall, we enjoyed our meal except for a few things. i am still interested in trying their tasting menu, although the cost may be prohibitive for some time. the restaurant is a lovely, bright space, and our waitstaff were attentive. even though most things were done well and beautifully arranged on the plate, i'm only giving them three stars because i expect more flavor in an entree from a restaurant that normally charges as much as they do for food.

johnny rebs

johnny rebs
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (21/143)
steph & i came here for lunch during dineLA to try out their bbq. it's a cute little restaurant that although strongly branded with the look of a southern bbq joint wasn't over the top. the friendly staff made the place feel down home. i'm sad to say that i was a bit disappointed in their bbq after seeing all the positive reviews. it's not bad, but overall, i thought the meat lacked the smokey flavor of good bbq. i noticed that there wasn't the smell of sweet smoke emanating from the building when we walked up. i don't know what the circumstances were of the fire that burned this place down a few years ago and if that has anything to do with how they cook their meats now, but i didn't smell or taste bbq. the sauce, sweet, bright and orange was tasty and helped some, but that was most of what i could taste of the meats. however, the quality and freshness of the food was good.

for appetizer, i had the fried green tomatoes, which were lightly breaded. the slightly tart vinegar in the green tomatoes balanced nicely with the salty bits of bacon. steph ordered the onion rings, which were made with large, fat rings of yellow onions and were crisply fried. i thought they were excellent, and some of the better ones i've had--no oiliness and the right amount of crunch.

we both had the combo. mine included brisket & hot links with sides of sweet potato fries & collard greens. the brisket was rather bland, although it looked like a quality cut of meat. the hot links were tasty, not too spicy with a uniform dark pinkish red color. the sweet potato fries tasted good but were limp, lacking the crunch of good french fries. the collard greens looked fresh. often, i find places overcook collard greens, and they get the dull, lifeless green color, but these were good. i was surprised there wasn't more flavor from the meat that was cooked with it. if you like healthy collard greens, these seem to be it.

i thought steph's combo of pulled pork & pork ribs was a little better than mine. her pulled pork was tender, but like the brisket lacking the smokiness. the pork ribs were probably the best of the meats we had. it was tender, and the natural pork flavor from the fat was good with the bbq sauce.

for dessert, we both had the peach cobbler a la mode, and we both enjoyed our desserts. i wasn't blown away by the bbq, but i thought the dineLA prix fixe lunch was a good value. i may come back to try their chicken fried steak.

elite restaurant

elite w/ jason & kelly
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (19/143)
my friend jason is in the area teaching at caltech for a semester, and his wife was here visiting. we had to go out for dim sum, since she had never had it before. there are so many dim sum places in san gabriel, and plenty of good ones to choose from. i had heard good things about elite, so we ended up going there on a sunday morning.

except for a few misses, the dim sum here is quite tasty and fresh. there's a homegrown comfort with lots of flavor quality to the food here. some of the classic dim sum is quite good, but the more unusual items stand out. overall, this place is near the top of my dim sum list.

MISSES
egg custard - had some burnt spots, and the crust tasted day old

har gow - looked big and plump, but was a little fishy, and i never complain of fishy. i like fishy, but there was something off about it.

seafood fried rice - the rice was dry

OK
chinese broccoli w/ oyster sauce - crisp greens with a thick sauce

sticky rice in lotus leaf - mostly ground meat filling

shrimp w/ almonds - a tad bland

HITS
roasted pork - crispy skin, a thin layer of fat, and lean, just the right amount of saltiness meat

xiao long bao - succulent, only complaint is not getting enough ginger

shrimp rice noodle - one of the better i've tasted. with large pieces of
shrimp, crunchy greens. what made this great was the wrapper

fried turnip cake - buttery, with a crispy edge and slightly spicy

pork & shrimp shui mai - great chewy texture and flavor

it's not a huge banquet hall like some places, and due to popularity, there's usually a wait. the earlier you go, the better. we went around 10:30am, and waited about 15 min. i was a little annoyed at having to sit in an awkward area where there was lots of foot traffic, but we quickly forgot once the food started arriving. the service is pretty good. you order from a picture menu rather than carts. i'm guessing it's because the resto is small, and it would be difficult wheeling carts around in this place.

mulberry st. pizzeria

mulberry st. pizzeria
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (18/143)
i love thin crust pizza, but wasn't wowed by the pizza here. as far as flavor, it's ok. others recommended the white spinach as their specialty, but that turned out to be my least favorite. the sauce had gelled into a solid mass that wasn't exactly cheesy, more of a tofu texture, and lacking in any flavor.

the most interesting pizza was the combo half lasagna, half eggplant we ordered. the slices of breaded eggplant stayed crunchy and was good with the tomato sauce, while on the lasagna half, the acidity of the tomato sauce broke up the heaviness of the ricotta.

we also had a half cheese, half cheese with sausage, meatball and mushrooms, which were good. the meat added a lot of flavor to the tasty cheese pizza. they put the right amount of cheese so it wasn't too goopy, and the crust was nice and crunchy.

i wouldn't drive far for their pizza, but if i lived in the neighborhood or happened to be in the neighborhood craving pizza, i would recommend it for that. it's a very traditional pizzeria, typical of what you would find in new york. however, i wouldn't say it was among the best here or in new york. i find it interesting that it maintains it's casual dining and traditional (and authentic) new york pizza by the slice persona in spite of being in beverly hills.

mr. pizza factory

mr. pizza factory
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (16/143)
koreans know how to make decadent pizza. i wonder what it says about the the rest of the year that i begin it by eating a generous helping of starch, cheese, and cream in addition to typical and not so typical pizza toppings. reading the menu, you'd think you would be eating some strange bastardization of east west comfort food, but the flavors aren't as strange as you think. it's imaginative, yes, and it works. don't expect run of the mill or traditional pizza though. if you want that, go elsewhere. and be forewarned that you will leave on the verge of a food coma.

i came here with a group, and here is what we sampled:

potato gold - yes, potatoes are good on pizza! salty bacon (freshly fried, not the dried overcooked kind either) and ground beef are balanced by sweet nuggets of corn, onions and drizzled with sour cream, and even with all those toppings, you can still taste the sweet & tangy tomato sauce buried underneath. finish that off with a crunchy chewy crust filled with soft, pureed, slightly sweet, sweet potato reminiscent of starchy asian desserts. the overall favorite of the group.

shrimp nude - this shrimp may be nude, but it comes with plenty of accessories, including ground beef, cream cheese mousse, salsa, corn, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, blue cheese, bacon. phew. that was a mouth full.

bulgogi - of all the pizzas we tried, this seemed most akin to traditional pizza as the bulgogi was like a sweet sausage, and it was minimalist compared to the others.

gesal montand - most rich, this alfredo sauce covered pizza was thick with cheese, bell peppers, corn, crab meat and featured the sweet potato pureed crust

fresh, high quality ingredients and prompt service make for a great meal. with newish and festive interiors, it's a fun place to gather with friends, have some beers and watch the pizza guys launch those pizzas into the air.

making ice cream

chocolate ice cream
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#16 on my 101 in 1001 list
mom gave me an ice cream maker mixer attachment for xmas, so i made chocolate ice cream today. making ice cream is fairly easy, but does require some time, attention and several steps. i used a recipe based on a custard from the perfect scoop. you do have to make sure you are constantly whisking when it comes to tempering the eggs, which means bringing it to temperature with the milk you're mixing into it so you don't get scrambled egg bits.

it can also be a very messy process pouring the mixture into the freeze bowl as there is not a lot of space between the dasher (mixing attachment) and the edges of the bowl. i ended up dropping a huge scoop of chocolate custard on the ground as well as getting chocolate all over the mixer. the recipe came out a little sweet, so i think i'm going to cut back on the sugar, and maybe use bittersweet instead of semisweet chocolate. watching the chocolate custard turn into ice cream is magic though.

kitchen cabinet

kitchen cabinet
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#34 on my 101 in 1001 list
the economic news has been getting me down, so i decided to do some cleaning and organizing around the house. ok, so the kitchen cabinet still looks crazy, but you should have seen the before photo. can you tell i'm into food? i also organized some paperwork and receipts for taxes, but the photo was too disturbing to reveal.

orris

the view from my mouth as it starts from one end of the plate
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (15/143)
a fusion of japanese & french cuisine made from fresh, high quality ingredients, the food at Orris may not be all that inventive but it's tasty and made with care. everything we had was good, although some things could have been more inspired. It's a typical bistro-sized restaurant that's very popular and doesn't take reservations, so if you come with a large group, i suggest arriving early.

here is what we enjoyed:
oysters on the half shell w/ salsa - the tomato chunks & cilantro was a nice addition that made eating these fresh, light oysters ceviche like

tuna tartare on chips - standard tuna tartare with little bits of apple which were non-descript; very garlicky, the tuna was the dominant flavor

salmon croquettes - these well-prepared little croquettes were crunchy on the outside and had a strong smoked salmon flavor inside, accented with salty roe on top

grilled veggies w/ goat milk cheese - again, simple, but done well, veggies included meaty mushrooms, sweet bell peppers and smokey zucchini

scallops with mushroom and mustard sauce - perfectly seared and tasty scallops with a dollop of minced mushroom in a tangy, horseradish-y mustard sauce

ravioli with shrimp mousse & mushroom sauce - delicate ravioli stuffed with pureed shrimp in a rich, buttery, sweet mushroom sauce, which was almost too much for the ravioli, but we enjoyed dipping bread into it

creme brulee with fruit - this was our least favorite item; the custard was a bit runny, and there was too much of a caramelized sugar top. there was also fruit in the custard, and the ratio of custard to fruit was off--too much fruit. the star of this should really be the custard, and it wasn't.

prices are typical and reasonable for small plates dining, but the portions are on the smaller end compared to other places we've been. i was just full, but my bf could have eaten more with what we ordered and shared between the two of us. the waitstaff was responsive and friendly.

l'express

shaub xmas montreal 08
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (13/143)
This may not be the best place to eat in montreal, but the preparations are consistent, made from fresh ingredients and flavorful. We wanted to eat characteristically canadian french on our visit and were looking for a delicious lunch. A casual, but elegant restaurant, this place fit the bill. With your meal, you get complimentary cornichons, tart and crunchy, along with warm, well-made french bread.

Here is what we ate:

Soupe Poisson (fish soup) - thick & flavorful, with a creamy tomato base that complements the seafood flavors, it comes with a side of cheese crusted toast

Brandade - a salty fish & potato puree dip that is great with bread

Country Soup - a hearty vegetable soup with clear broth with lots of flavor, warmth and is good for you too

Croque Monsieur - i didn't try this, but it comes with a salad, and was tasty according to my bf's sister who had it.

Lobster Risotto - rich, creamy, delicious with chunks of lobster

Duck Confit w/ salad - moist, seasoned duck meat is balanced by a nicoise type salad of lettuces & green beans and sprinkled with bits of bacon

Crème Caramel à L'orange - a flan-like custard in a sweet, light caramel with hints of citrus

Chocolate Tart - rich, dark chocolate; like eating a tart made of truffles

The waitstaff was friendly and not annoyed we spoke english. Then standard menu offers translations in six different languages, and our waitress helped with the specials, which are on an insert.

los compadres

los compadres
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (14/143)
last week, i realized how lucky i am to live close to good mexican food when i finally made it to los compadres for dinner. within biking distance, they have a parking lot, good, fresh food in a full restaurant and a variety of tasty margaritas. being from texas, i can be picky when it comes to mexican food, so i'm usually a bit skeptical about authenticity. i am by no means an expert, but this place feels like the real deal, offering a variety of interior mexican specialties along with familiar favorites.

enchiladas michoacanas - cheese enchiladas made with corn tortillas in a light red sauce, topped with cabbage & avocada, choice of meat and spiced potatoes & carrots. the enchiladas were very good, partly owing to the cheese and flavors of red sauce. the white meat chicken was in need of some salt, but the skin was more flavorful.

molcajete de camarones - a hot pot full of shrimp, cactus, pieces of chorizo, chilis, string cheese marinating in a thick salsa. comes with a side of beans & rice and homemade tortillas. you can taste the smokey without heat chili in the chorizo, and the shrimps are on the spicy side from the salsa. tortillas are tender and fresh, not like the dry ones you get from the grocery store.

the margaritas are on the sweet side, but made with quality tequila. i had the patron margarita, which was made with patron silver, patron citron, orange juice and sweet and sour. so good on the rocks with salt and you get a beer mug's worth! service is friendly and fast.

la banquise

shaub xmas montreal 08
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (12/143)
there are a number of recommended places for poutine, a quintessential canadian comfort food, in montreal. not only was la banquise mentioned by anthony bourdain, but a preview of the menu online indicated there was, in addition to a vegetarian version for the pescetarian bf and the classic poutine, a variety of options of toppings for your poutine including a variation on the gravy.

we opted for the classic (cheese curds, gravy & fries), the veggie (green peppers, mushrooms & onions plus classic ingredients), the mart (sausage, bacon plus classic) and the jaco (minced beef, onions, pepper sauce instead of generic gravy). although the fries were on the greasy could have been more crunchy side (my main complaint), they were all tasty, and definitely worth the experience. i liked the pepper sauce on the jaco the best. the gravy on the others were a little bland and not memorable. i think if you're going to cover your crunchy pommes frites and render them somewhat mushy, you better have some tasty sauce.

the resto has a casual, youthful cafe feel and being open late, seems like a great place for snacking after (or during) drinks. the regular sized poutines are pretty sizable. even if i could eat more, i don't think i could eat a large quantity of such heavy food. they also serve hamburgers and other pub-type foods.

bollini's pizzeria

bollini's
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (11/143)
so the best pizza i've had to date is still one made by dom at di fara pizzeria in brooklyn, but this pizza is pretty damn good, almost 5 stars good, maybe even better than fancy mozze good, but i'll have to return to try the others.

it's a small, warm shop with a wood-fired oven where they make thin crust neapolitan pizza, my favorite kind of pizza. they were out of a few items, including the stuffed mushrooms which sound fabulous, and the arugula salad we wanted. they instead prepared a mixed green salad the same way as the arugula, with corn, cherry tomatoes, smoked bacon, sauteed mushrooms & goat cheese. it was a substantial and delicious salad.

for the pizza, we tried one of their signature pizzas, the cal twist. made with tomato sauce, basil pesto, shrimp, sun dried tomato, roasted peppers, mozzarella, herbs and parmesan, it was a flavorful combination of fresh ingredients. i liked how the ingredients were concentrated in areas rather than evenly distributed across the pizza so that as you ate from the point you get pesto, sweet peppers, then sweet tomato sauce and finally a firm piece of shrimp.

we are definitely coming back. the service was excellent. waitress was really nice, and one of the guys making pizzas kept coming by to check on us. seating is limited, but so worth the wait.

ao dinner @ moun of tunis

ao dinner @ moun of tunis
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (10/143)
moun of tunis is a great place to go for food with friends. they have several combinations of shared dinners centered around typical moroccan/tunisian or lebanese dishes. i went with several assistant organizers and abby of pleasure palate, and we were able to get our own room in the back with small tables. the casual and relaxed atmosphere is conducive to conversation and general revelry, especially when the belly dancer comes out, usually introduced with the sudden change of music.

we started by snacking on the complimentary hummus, olives and pita bread and decided on the moroccan feast, a set menu which includes brik-- a fried crepe-like dish filled with an egg, potatoes, capers and parsley, four salads with choice of grilled shrimp or lamb, b'stilla--a puff pastry sprinkled with cinnamon & powdered sugar, and filled with egg and chicken, an entree choice of salmon, lamb or lemon chicken, hot black tea and almond cake dessert.

the brik reminded me of a breakfast burrito, except fried crispy on the outside. the capers in mine tended to one side, so i didn't get the benefit of flavor until the end. there were four salads which consisted of a salsa-like mixture of tomatoes and cucumbers, a bbq'd version of the salsa which was more intense in flavor, thick cut, sweet carrots, and finely minced fragrant carrots & orange blossoms.

it was really, dark, so the b'stilla was more of a textural experience between the flaky exterior, chewy egg & meat. it's usually made with pigeon or squab, but theirs is made with chicken. our group was divided into four smaller table, and each table selected a different meat entree that is shared among the table. the entire meal was shared by table actually.

our table had the salmon, which was braised in a tomato broth with vegetables. the broth was nice, but the salmon was a little dried in parts and for some reason hadn't absorbed much of the flavor of the broth. the chicken & lamb had a bit more flavor, but i thought they were both surprisingly mild. both lamb and chicken were tender and juicy.

i found the couscous with braised vegetables and meatballs that came with the entrees to be more flavorful than the entrees. the almond cake was a densely soaked in liquor and sweet dessert. the hot tea helped to wash it all down.

overall, the food was tasty, although some things were a little bland. our service was excellent. we had a group of about 15 people. our waters were regularly filled, and i didn't notice any long wait times for food. the waiter was friendly and helpful in recommendations.

din tai fung

din tai fung
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (10/143)

how do the juicy dumplings at din tai fung compare? i thought they were tasty. they're better than the ones you generally get at the dim sum houses. the crab & pork leaned more towards crab, than pork flavors, which was interesting and different than the fattier, slightly more flavorful ones i had at mei long village. there was soup to be found, though not a lot, and overall, it was a lighter dumpling with a delicate skin.

the restaurant is clean and newish, and the menu is simple, but you have a variety of options as far as dumplings. we also had the vegetarian dumplings which were stuffed with glass noodles, mushrooms and greens. we also had the shrimp fried rice and baby bok choy. both were standard and properly prepared.

make a (fruit) tart

fruit tart
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#15 & #20 on my 101 in 1001 list
making a fruit tart is a multi-step process involving multiple recipes, one for the sweet tart dough, another for the pastry cream and the final one combines both. i used the recipes from the tartine cookbook, and it came out beautifully. except for the apricot jam, most ingredients were easily obtained. the closest i found was apricot preserves and strained them, but it was quite a waste. next time, i'm going to use egg yolks instead of whole eggs for a richer pastry cream.

#27 pay off credit card debt

i don't know how this is possible, but it has happened. i have paid off my credit card debt--at least for now. slowly, but surely, i've been consistently making payments and curbing my spending. even the yarn purchases have been limited. and making a sculpture out of cat fur turned out to be a fantastic idea since it saved me some money.

there's hope for our economy after all, if i can do this because i have had debt for as long as i can remember. i actually think good things can come out of these crazy economic times and spiralling into recession. hopefully, it will lead to a change in how we live our lives. that's the only way the direction of our country is really going to change. i certainly am trying my hardest.

kogi korean taco truck

kogi korean taco truck
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (7/143)
there's a new taco truck in town, & it's serving up korean bbq. using quality ingredients, something not always equated with cheap taco trucks, chef roy choi creates a balance of sweet, savory, spicy & tart that excites the taste buds.

tacos and burritos come in four protein varieties--beef shortrib, spicy pork, chicken and tofu--, and each with its own spicy sauce is topped with a lettuce and onion mixture and sprinkled with sesame seeds. tacos run $2, and burritos are $5.

the caramelized sugars of the beef shortrib, the sweetest of the bunch, has fused with the meat, giving it a rich flavor. this was my favorite. in contrast, the dominant flavor of the pork, which is also slightly sweet and equally rich, is smoky chili. a small wedge of lime or orange that comes with the meat tacos adds some acidic citrus to help break through some of the fat and heaviness. for a lighter alternative, i recommend the chicken, which has a fresh grill flavor accented by the nuttiness of the sesame with just the subtlest of spiciness. for vegetarians, there's the tofu, a light, softly textured taco. compared to the others, this one could have benefited from more marination or a more flavorful sauce. they're still working some things out, so hopefully, this will improve.

chef choi unveiled a new menu item--kogi sliders--bbq shortribs with mayo on a king's hawaiian dinner roll. i liked the idea, although the additional sweetness of the roll, which, if you've never had king's hawaiian bread, is quite good, but very sweet was a little cloying. i'd be interested in seeing other proteins on the sweet roll.

i hope this truck is here to stay. Los Angeles is known to be blessed with ethic diversity, and with it, plenty of good, authentic eats as well as fusion fare that you would be hard-pressed to find in other parts of the country. this truck combines two favorites, and after tasting them, you wonder why no one ever thought of it before as it makes so much sense.

their current favorite spot is next to Green Door and Cabana Club, but regular twitters on their site--www.kogibbq.com will keep you apprised of their whereabouts.

tasca

tasca
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (6/143)
after our mediocre meal at cafe sevilla a few weeks ago, i was still craving spanish tapas, so we ate here. we arrived early on a saturday night without reservations, and were promptly seated, which made me a little nervous about the quality of the food because any good restaurant in LA would not be empty on a saturday night, but it turns out maybe we were just a little early, as people didn't start filling up the restaurant until 7pm.

have you ever ordered a good burger seared so it gets that smoky flavor on the outside but is still juicy on the inside, then the juice flavors the lettuce. well, the ceasar salad--a special--we ordered reminded me of that. it consisted of a heart of lettuce that had been grilled and thus infused with a nice, smoky aroma and drizzled with a tart, lobster flavored dressing and plated with a single grilled shrimp. the only complaint i had was the shrimp was a little overcooked and mushy.

in addition to the salad, we also ordered two similar, but different tapas--bunuelo de bacalao, which were salted cod fritters in salbetxada sauce and arancini, which were wild mustroom risotto fritters. both had a light crispy shell like a japanese croquette. the tender cod had a light texture that reminded me of canned tuna and a subtle flavor. the accompanying tomato relish, however, was very garlicky and slightly tart from a vinaigrette. in contrast, the arancini had a creamy, earthy flavor that was further enhanced by the creamy sauce that came with it. both were tasty.

they offer both tapas and entrees, although the entrees aren't full entree size, and the tapas are a little bigger than typical tapas. we shared the pasta special, which was a tagliolini pasta with chanterelle & shitake mushrooms with shaved black truffle. if you like mushrooms, this is earthy, nutty dish is for you. the mushroom sauce is creamy and rich as well.

we ended our meal with a pot de creme, a sizeble cup of chocolate mousse with cardamom infused whipped cream and copious amounts of shaved chocolate topping. the mousse was a little more sweet than rich like i like it, but it was still good. i loved that they give you lots of bits of chocolate, and the cardamom in the whipped cream enhanced the dessert.

we tried two different wines that were specials that night--a french bordeaux (chateau sorbey) rich in tannins & an earthy chilean syrah (bayo oscuro--and a sweet, oaky meritage from mendocino. the first two were ok. i liked the last the best, as i thought it had a richness that had a strong finish.

our waiter was very attentive, although service slowed towards the end of our meal as more people filled the restaurant. a good meal overall. i would come back to try other things on the menu.

machine project @ lacma

machine project @ lacma
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#11 on my 101 in 1001 list (3/32)
yesterday, machine project took over LACMA with installations, workshops and performances. i weathered the post-apocalyptic air from regional fires and lost myself in the whole experience, and though i spent most of the day there and still didn't see everything, i did discover parts of the museum i'd never been to, explored a familiar process (crochet) in a new way, and experienced the museum in a new way. in contrast to the usual quiet museum experience, the many people that attended added a feeling of controlled chaos as well as festive excitement to the event. there were lots of families with kids who could actually touch things inside the museum.

i started the visit learning to crochet a hyperbolic object using plastic bags as "yarn." crochet easily lends itself to three dimensional surface and materials experimentation. already, i'm thinking about making something on a bigger scale or in other materials. the two women who were orchestrating the class are working on a huge coral reef project made up of crocheted pieces.

after a few hours crocheting, i wandered around the museum, which is really quite large, now that they have the bcam. i've never even been inside some of the buildings. most of the time, my visits are to specific shows that take place in some of the same buildings. i had no idea there was a huge tony smith sculpture in the ahmanson building--i didn't even know that was the name of the building.

one of the favorite things i saw was this interactive piece using the monome interface. it consisted of what looked like a keyboard of white buttons with internal lighting that would turn on and off as you pressed them and would activate the rhythmic tapping of metal mallets on fabricated ceramic vessels. it was mesmerizing to watch and listen. it would take too long to go into detail on everything, but there were plenty of amusing things, and while some were more interesting than others, i thought it was great to see an intervention/installation of this kind at a major museum.

xinjian bbq

xinjian bbq
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (5/143)
if you like skewered meat and are looking for something off the beaten path, xinjian bbq is worth a visit. the food here represents a certain variety of street food found in the northwest part of china. dusted with cumin & and chili spices, skewered and grilled, these snacks will satisfy. i went with a group, and we shared a number of appetizers and bbq'd meats. though all i had were tasty, some tended on the dry, overcooked side. here is what we had:

gouba soup: tortilla like pancake pieces in a five spice flavored thick gravy. some people liked it better than others.

oil pancake: like a buttermilk biscuit--good as a side to the meats rather than an appetizer

beef pancake: same pancake except filled with marinated beef with cilantro & green onions. the marinade was flavorful.

cucumber salad: i couldn't taste much beyond the copious amounts of garlic

vegetables: blanched vegetables flavored with sesame oil--pretty good and a nice balance to the heavy meats

pork & chives dumplings: these were juicy and flavorful, but they are on the big side, and the skin is rather thick

lamb chop: you can either get the lamb or lamb chop. others in my group got the lamb and really liked it. i got the lamb chop, which was a little tough, but the combination of cumin & chili went well with the meat.

chinese sausage: sweet, salty & spicy, this was good skewered as the fat kept the meat from drying out.

chicken wing & pieces of chicken: the skin and fattiness of the dark meat on the wing make for some good flavors. i recommend it over the chicken by itself

quail eggs: i like quail eggs. these needed a little soy sauce

corn: can't beat sweet grilled corn

yellow croaker: tender white meat inside, crispy skin on the outside

beef: these look like short rib slices and were on the tough and dry end. i wouldn't get them again.

mussels: i didn't taste these, but were told they were dry and overcooked.

it's a small place, and little english is spoken, but the prices can't be beat. also, the rub is spiced but not super spicy. each table has a variety of spices including white pepper, cumin, chili paste and red pepper flakes which you can add if you want more.

fur in process

fur in process
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#2 on my 101 in 1001 list
the installation of my cat fur sculpture in the display case at long beach city college made me realize how installing is half the work, and almost more difficult than the nearly mindless, meditative handwork that went into the piece. i still have more to do, but it's looking pretty good. another thing i've learned is that not all cat fur is created equal. some kinds are easier to work with, some felt better, and are more inclined towards certain shapes and manipulations. not sure what i will call it yet, but it furthers my investigation of time and process in art. one of the best things about this piece is that it's the cheapest art piece i have ever made, which is a consideration in these trying economic times.

week in review: 101 in 1001

starling diner
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

the difficulty of making a list of 100 goals and sticking to that list has not been lost on me, especially as i move further away in time from the initial list-making part. it's sunday, and i'm looking at 250 sit ups that need to be done before the end of the day. not impossible, but there are other things that need to be done today. i also missed calling my mom and seeing the ocean last week. it rained last weekend, and i bought yarn instead of riding my bike along the beach. flossing itself is not so bad, but remembering to do it every night is.

at the same time, i have tried at least two new restaurants a week. enjoyable, yes, but also points to my need to do sit ups. one thing i have realized in this experiment is the amount of focus and reassessing of goals that are required to meet those goals.

shinsengumi yakitori

shinsengumi yakitori
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (4/143)
steph & i checked this festive yakitori joint out on monday. from the start, workers welcome you by shouting in japanese and bowing. we sat at the bar where we could watch the griller cook up a variety of the skewered items we ordered. all were tasty and made from quality ingredients served by friendly and attentive waitpeople. we ate:

chicken livers: i love pate, but have never been a fan of liver. theirs didn't completely sell me, but it was the best that i've had, and if i were to eat liver, i would recommend theirs. marinated in a slightly sweet, salty marinade, they were fresh, dark pink and plump.

quail eggs: i love quail eggs, and grilling them adds a smoky flavor

chicken thighs w/ salt & chicken thighs w/ special sauce: both were good, but i would recommend the special sauce, which is slightly sweet, over the salt.

bacon-wrapped enoki: the flavor of the bacon soaked into chewy bundles of enoki mushrooms wrapped inside which makes for a great combination of earthy, sweet and smoky flavors.

fried chicken: this one is quite tasty. lightly crunchy with a batter similar to that typically found on the fried soft shell crab, it was not at all oily or heavy.

scallop special: you get two whole large scallops, uncut, and seared. a little pricey, but i thought it was worth it for the flavor.

green chilis: these remind me of shiso peppers, though not as bitter. good if you like chilis.

smelt: these 3-4 inch whole fish come two on a skewer and are filled with tiny, cream colored eggs. they taste like the sea. i think they're less fishy when deep-fried.

shitake mushrooms: tasty.

they offer quite a variety of desserts, including creme brulee and ice cream. we had the green tea ice cream, which was a little on the icey side, but had a good, strong earthy flavor.

the service was really top notch and fun. we didn't drink this time, but seems like a great place to wind down with some beer or sake and some good food.

king's hawaiian restaurant

king's hawaiian restaurant
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on 101 in 1001: 3/143
saturday, i went with fellow knitters to the torrance spinning & weaving fiber festival. unfortunately for the lack of space in our little apartment, i undid the stash busting from the yarn swap a month ago, but discovered a great lunch at king's hawaiian.

the restaurant with adjoining bakery is diner-esque with a splash of hawaiian flavor and familiar comfort food. i went here with a large group for lunch, and it seems very popular among families. they offer typical breakfasts with a twist. you can get a side of spam, portuguese sausage or char siu with your omelet. if you get a burger, you have the option of one with pineapple and teriyaki sauce.

we shared an order of the macadamia nut encrusted onion rings which were awesome. i liked the textured, crunchy, nutty batter covering thick slices of onions. yum! i had the fried rice with egg over easy. the fried rice, although a little more moist than i like it, tasted homemade, with bits of char siu, imitation fish, green onions and egg. the fried egg on top is good, although mine was a little more cooked (not as runny yolk) than i liked. the bowl of fruit i had was freshly chopped and a good balance for an otherwise heavy meal. oh, and their rolls are sweet and buttery good.

everyone's food looked great, and no one had any complaints. i highly recommend it for kids, especially if they may be picky eaters. there's something for everyone.

Animal

Animal
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on 101 in 1001: 2/143
if you didn't get a clue from the name, Animal caters to meat-eating foodies. even though the meats were surprisingly lean, you could easily fill up on meat-heavy appetizers alone. i went with a group, and most of us shared, so i was able to sample a broad range of appetizers and entrees on their single sheet menu.

appetizers
i found the appetizers to be more interesting than the entrees, though no less heavy on the protein.
house smoked pork belly, lentil & butterbean salad- one of the better choices of the evening, the pork belly was a shockingly lean piece of meat with a section of fat. marinated in a thick bbq sauce, it was sweet on first bite and ended with an almost too salty finish. thankfully, the tangy vinaigrette from the beans cut through some of the intensity of the sauce.

pork ribs, balsamic, delicata squash & rocket salad, pecans- smothered in a dark balsamic sauce, the meat was tender and easily came off the bones. thank goodness for the spicy rocket salad with sweet slices of squash to balance all the pork. the sauce was somewhat generic.

poutine, ox-tail gravy, vermont cheddar- theirs is a gourmet version of a canadian specialty that consists of french fries covered in gravy and cheese curds. the gravy on this had pieces of ox-tail in it. without much to compare it to, all i can say is that french fries do taste good with gravy on them. the cheese was a little scarce on this one.

entrees
flat iron, sunchoke, lobster & chanterelle mushrooms, hotel butter- this is a quality, thick piece of meat. another diner in the group thought their medium rare was a little too rare, but i found it to be just right. the steak was tender, simply prepared and mostly focused on the natural meat flavor. personally, i would have preferred more mushrooms, less meat.

halibut, king crab, tabasco butter, gold rice succotash, cipollini- one of two fish dishes on the menu, this one consisted of a piece of halibut that has been pan seared and covered with a good amount of king crab, plated with a mixture of beans and sweet corn and a butter sauce. i love crab, and it was good with the butter, so nothing to complain here.

although the preparations are straightforward, and the flavors are a little uninspired, overall, i thought the food was tasty. the ingredients, fresh, high quality, mostly organic and locally produced/grown, were good. our waiter was attentive and friendly, answering the various questions from our large group. though it's definitely not a place for vegetarians, but they do have fish and vegetarian salads, so if you wanted to eat a little lighter, it is possible.

week in progress 10/26

see Louise Bourgeois in person: not only did i go see her work, we went on opening day, and attended a talk with the curator. the only disappointment was that there wasn't more work in the show.

no coke for a week: i did it. i went an entire week without coke. instead of coke, i drank ginger brew or water. it wasn't as difficult as i thought it would be. as a result, i've picked up more soda so i can keep my coke drinking to a minimum.

flossing every night for 30 days: it's been a little difficult to remember to floss, but i'm doing it.

sit ups 250/wk: ok, so this has been the most difficult to work into the routine. not to mention that it's not all that fun. i have a crapload to catch up on.

try a new restaurant a wk (2/143): no problem here. friday, we had lunch at nem nuong khanh hoa, and tonight, i had a decadent meal at animal (review forthcoming).

see the ocean once a wk (1/143): had another nice bike ride along the beach. this time we did 3 lengths of the shoreline path from junipero to belmont shore.

participate in a class through the public school: this wasn't on the list, but it really should be. mike & i spent last sun and this one frantically reading various essays on site specific art and discussing them with art history geeks inside richard serra's sculpture Symmetry. it started out a little confusing, but turned out interesting. i think i would have gotten more out of it if i had been more versed in contemporary criticism and art history.

uWink

hollywood scavenger hunt
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 of 101 in 1001: 1/143
we were in hollywood for a scavenger hunt so tried this restaurant where you can place your order and play games through a touchscreen. food was ok. the veggie burger was actually tasty. for what it was, a restaurant in the hollywood highland mall, it was fine and fulfills my one new restaurant a week goal. the games won't push any boundaries in the gaming world, but they were entertaining while you wait for your food.

progress

ok, so it's only been a few days, but i have made some progress on my 101 in 1001.

150 sit ups done
3 days of flossing
researched composting on the LB recycling site
acquired more cat fur for free (although steph's cat yuki is getting a bald spot. poor thing) for my sculpture
2 outings planned to 2 restos i've never been to--uWink in Hollywood and Torimatsu for yakitori in Torrance
called mom

oh, and scavenger hunt really should have been on my list. i've always wanted to participate in one, being a lover of games and puzzles and general running amok. lo and behold, today, my friend abby invited me to one. so far so good. i even considered my no coke thing this week, but i was thinking that may be too much. damn. i'm craving one now.

101 in 1001

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
For more info on meme, click here.

1. Apply and get accepted into an MFA program
2. Make an art piece that costs nothing to make
3. Finish my big led project
4. Make a solar-powered art piece
5. Make an art piece involving video
6. Use Processing in an art project
7. Collect hair from the drain & make art out of it
8. Submit work to four juried shows a year (1/11)
9. See Louise Bourgeois’ work in person
10. Experience James Turrell's crater
11. See art at least once a month (4/32)
12. Learn to make cream puffs & eclairs
13. Bake a cake
14. Bake a pie
15. Make a tart
16. Make ice cream
17. Bake crusty artisan bread
18. Learn to prepare five Vietnamese dishes (0/5)
19. Learn to make sushi
20. Make something from the Tartine cookbook
21. Experience a tasting menu at a 3-star Michelin restaurant (this one's from another meme)
22. Try all the Michelin-rated restaurants in LA
23. Check out Sundays at Three at Silverlake Wine
24. Try a restaurant specializing in food from Africa
25. Try one new restaurant a week (37/143)
26. Have brunch on the Queen Mary
27. Pay off credit card debt
28. Open a High Yield Bank Account at Schwab
29. Figure out expenses and a budget and stick to it
30. Buy a house
31. Clean out & organize garage
32. Get rid of 20% of clothes
33. Stay within household budget of $100 on groceries each week
34. Reorganize contents of kitchen cabinets
35. Get rid of anything > than three years old from kitchen cabinets
36. Get a maidenshair fern and not kill it
37. Clean out dead plants
38. Whittle Netflix queue down to 400
39. Build a content management system
40. Learn to program an arduino board
41. Become more proficient in video editing
42. Become an expert in dom-scripting
43. Redesign my website and build a new one
44. Design & build a database for my website
45. Buy a terrabyte external drive
46. Sew a bag/purse
47. Make a quilt
48. Knit a long-sleeved sweater
49. Knit something with fair isle
50. Knit something by Kim Hargreaves
51. Knit something by Wenlan Chia
52. Knit something from Rowan
53. Crochet an amigurumi
54. Don’t hoard yarn. Knit with the yarn I want
55. Take a walking tour of downtown LA
56. Visit the newly remodeled Griffith Observatory
57. Visit the Arboretum
58. Visit Winchester Mansion
59. Visit Point Reyes
60. Visit the Museum of Jurassic Technology
61. Visit Catalina Island
62. Visit Watts Towers
63. Visit sculpture garden at UCLA
64. Visit Griffith Park
65. Visit Long Beach museum of art
66. Buy a digital slr
67. Complete a bike marathon
68. Don't eat fast food for a year
69. Don't drink Coke for a week (yikes!)
70. Floss every day for a month
71. Reduce red meat consumption to two times a week
72. Get rid of food baby
73. Do 250 sit ups a week (perhaps this will take care of 49)
74. Exercise with Pilates video
75. Finish reading Sync, Omnivore's Dilemma, Stumbling on Happiness, & Hot, Flat and Crowded
76. Make a road trip to Salton Sea
77. Make a road trip to Joshua Tree
78. Take a vacation somewhere tropical
79. Visit another country
80. Visit three state parks (1/3)
81. Take six hikes in California state parks (1/6)
82. Go kayaking in Belmont Shore marina
83. Visit a water park
84. Make a cross-country road trip
85. Watch the sun rise
86. Watch the sun set
87. Organize and host a food event
88. Change out all batteries for rechargeable ones
89. Remember to bring bags everywhere I shop for a month
90. Figure out how to compost at home
91. Make a diary of how much I drive in a month and cut by 20%
92. Make cloth napkins & stop using paper napkins
93. Buy Organic or Local food
94. Buy & use a reusable water bottle
95. Sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture program
96. Make three new friends
97. Make dinner for a friend four times a year (0/11)
98. Call mom once a week
99. Make dinner for my mom
100. See the ocean once a week
101. Complete this list