lunasia

lunasia
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

here's a tip. if you're a hardcore dim sum lover, you arrive early. I'm talking 9am or whenever the restaurant opens. it's never too early for dim sum. besides, doesn't the early bird get the worm? our large group of 8 had no problem getting a table because we arrived early. no fuss. no wait. they even started seating us before the entire party arrived.

i'm surprised to see this place received such poor reviews. after trying 25 or so of their dishes, i found the food to range from good to excellent. there was only one dishi didn't think was good, the xiao long bao, but this is not a dim sum specialty, so i'm not surprised. ordinarily, i wouldn't order this at a dim sum restaurant, but we love dumplings so much we couldn't help ourselves.

excellent:
tofu with abalone sauce - fried tofu, softened by a flavorful sauce stuffed with a seafood ball
pork & shrimp siu mai - large, plump, juicy
vegetarian rice noodle - crunchy, tasty vegetables rolled into sheets of rice
shrimp rice noodle - delicious, springy freshness to the wrapper
salt and pepper chicken wings - crispy, slightly spicy & so good
salt and pepper tofu - the vegetarian version consists of super crunchy small cubes of tofu
green onion pancake - crispy
roasted pork belly - crispy strip of skin, nice balance of fatty flavor with lean meat
roasted duck pie - a flaky pastry filled with sweet, marinated duck
wolfberry jello - light, refreshing

good
har gow - plump shrimp dumplings in a glassine skin
cilantro rice noodle - not as strongly flavored, but good
bbq pork buns - perfectly cooked, sweet and juicy
pumpkin pie - sweet pumpkin dumplings filled with red bean & sprinkled with sesame seeds
sticky rice wrap - sticky rice with a filling of pork & mushrooms, wrapped in a banana leaf
steamed rice noodle with pork spare ribs - nice flavor to the meat
sauteed eggplant - sweet, spicy glazed stir-fried fresh japanese eggplant
chinese broccoli with oyster sauce - fresh greens, rich oyster sauce
fro gura (foie gras) dumplings - a little strange to be eating a dumpling filled with foie gras, but it was good, though kind of rich.
mashed dumpling - typical
pork meatball

don't recommend
xiao long bao - lacking in soup, and kind of dry
taro cake with chinese sausage - kind of dry

one of the nicer, cleaner dim sum places i've been to in sgv, lunasia's dim sum was solid. although the carts can be fun, ordering from a menu means the food is hot and fresh when it gets to the table. you can also get what you want right away instead of hoping it will show up on the next cart. service was pretty good.

csa box oct 30

- green leaf lettuce
- romaine lettuce
- squash
- russet potatoes
- huge head of cabbage
- parsley
- carrots
- apples
- strawberry jam

csa box 9/18/09

csa box
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

almost a week late, but here it is. in the midst of the havoc that has been wrought by my latest project, i have been eating lots of veggies.

- romaine & green leaf lettuces
- celery
- zucchini & squash
- cucumbers
- corn
- carrots
- apples
- basil
- beets

azuma

azuma
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

in a section of gardena where most signs aren't in english, the warm glow of azuma invites you into a cozy diner-esque japanese restaurant whose authenticity and down-to-earth feeling is almost startling. we sat at one of the two seat tables huddled against the wall beneath vertical strips of paper with kanji and numbers. i really should learn some japanese as i often feel like i may be missing out on some special morsel reserved only for those in the know or who can read the signs.

there is one small eraserboard of specials in english and menus come in both english and japanese. how nice that you get a small dish of EDAMAME to snack on while you wait for your food. they are perfectly seasoned, where the salt has been absorbed into the beans themselves.

their AGEDASHI TOFU was a little disappointing. although i enjoyed the lightly toasty skin encasing delicate silken tofu insides, i thought the broth needed more flavor. luckily, everything else we had was quite good. the GINDARA, a piece of broiled black cod with miso, was the highlight. it was sweet, salty and full of flavor infused into the buttery flakes of white fish. the skin was lightly crispy. some parts were a little more burnt than i liked, but overall, very tasty.

the CREAM CROQUETTE-an oval ball of shrimp, vegetables and cream that has been deep fried--was standard, good.

somehow, i ended up ordering quite a few deep fried dishes without really noticing until the food came out. the EBI-FRY, is a dish of panko crusted deep fried whole shrimp prepared well.

i think i like the YAKI ONIGIRI here better than at torihei. you have a choice of salmon, fish eggs, bonita flakes, seaweed or plain, which is nice. the salmon adds a lot of flavor to where they could have cut back on some of the soy.

glad i discovered this place. the main sign is in japanese, and you can just make out the lit green Azuma sign in the window, so you have to be on the lookout to find this place. there's a lot of variety, and even the combination dinners look good, which i usually steer clear of. i'll definitely be back to try other dishes soon. the place is small, and the staff seems limited, so service was mostly ok, but sometimes slow. it wasn't slow enough to bother me though.

torihei

torihei
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

torihei specializes in yakitori and oden dishes. the lightness and warmth of the oden pairs well with the fat and smokiness of yakitori. though you can easily find good yakitori at several places in the area, i'd never had oden until torihei.

we started with the daikon oden, a delicate section of braised daikon topped with seaweed and a generous helping of bonita slivers waving about in a light broth. the subtle sweetness of daikon spoke comfort and reminded me of some of the squash and melon soups my mom use to make. some people seem to think this is bland, but i think it is in the nature of this dish to be subtle and accent the more natural flavor of the daikon. a strong broth would have overpowered it.

then came the beef tongue, which was surprisingly tender and juicy. of the izakaya places i've eaten, i think this is the best preparation of beef tongue. so simple. so good. it didn't need any seasoning. just the flavor of beef with a hint of wasabi.

in terms of flavor, the fish cake oden, was stronger than the daikon, being sweet with a slightly chewy texture and subtle hints of the sea. this one definitely tastes homemade.

i recommend the chicken thighs--also tender, juicy, and the not surprisingly flavorful half raw egg with cod roe. eggs are delicious. also excellent are the petite tomatoes, which consist of grilled cherry tomatoes bursting with sweetness and slathered with sauteed garlic. the shitake mushrooms, which come with bonita flakes, are one of the better preparations i've had. some places burn it, and it ends up being bitter.

i liked the combination of crunchy and soft rice in the "robata" rice ball, a fried triangle of onigiri seasoned with soy sauce. the whole shrimp on skewer, was probably my least favorite. i enjoyed the grilled flavor of the shrimp, but it was not especially exciting for the price compared to the other dishes.

overall, i found torihei to be skilled in preparation of the foods. i like the yakitori at shinsengumi and kappo honda, but sometimes, some of the skewers have partly burnt bits which add bitterness. i was impressed with how even the cooking was on the skewers here. the whole restaurant has a refined air to it even though it's not particularly fancier than any other japanese restaurant in the area. service was friendly and good. if you get there early, there may be little to no wait.

marked5

marked5
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

grilling

grilling
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

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

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

mom's cooking

fish soup with dill, tomatoes
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

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

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

hatchi - unfamiliar conflict: roberto cortez

smoked shitake terrine
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

hatchi series @breadbar: michael voltaggio

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ramen california

ramen california
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

dutcher & flynn wedding in PA by way of DC

dutcher & flynn wedding in PA
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

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

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

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

csa box aug 7

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

grandma's & julian's bday celebration

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

proof

proof
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

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

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

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

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

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

rasika

rasika
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

csa box 7/24/09

csa box 7/24/09
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

- lettuce
- cabbage
- basil
- cilantro
- green bell peppers
- one giant onion
- cucumbers
- oranges
- tomatoes
- peaches

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.

csa july 3, 09

i was dreading seeing the two heads of lettuce in our box this week since we hadn't even finished eating the two heads of lettuce from the last box, but all the new and fun items made up for it. needless to say, i'll be making a cream of lettuce soup again.
*marks what's new

- romaine lettuce (2 heads)
- purple cabbage (2 heads)
- cucumber (3)
- purple carrots*
- japanese eggplant*
- green beans
- cilantro
- corn
- tomatoes (not sure, but they look like heirloom)
- strawberries (1 qt)
- apples (4)

i'm not sure how they determine how much to put in the box, but it seems that there are a lot more in quantity and variety this week, which is exciting. i'll probably use the japanese egpplant in a red coconut curry. not sure what i'll make with the purple cabbage, yet. anyone have suggestions for something relatively easy? i usually just stir-fry with some red pepper, onions and basil.

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.

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.

csa box june 5 '09

- romaine lettuce
- green cauliflower
- carrots
- spinach
- yellow beans
- cucumbers
- maui onion
- strawberries
- apples

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.

paciugo gelato

paciugo gelato
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (41/143)
even though paciugo is a chain, the mother daughter team that own this franchise--the first one of its kind in california--are so personable and passionate, you wouldn't know it. the unusual flavor combinations are unexpected and worth the visit alone. i came with a group of foodies for a tasting of a variety of gelati and sorbets and liked pretty much everything we sampled, although some i loved more than others. tastings, in order of appeal:

chocolate coconut curry - rich chocolate enhanced by curry with hints of coconut; sometimes plain chocolate just isn't enough. this one's got complexity

black pepper olive oil - the spiciness and complexity of the black pepper was really nice against the backdrop of a super creamy vanilla. olive oil was super subtle, but it added to the creamy mouthfeel.

sweet corn thorntree honey - corn ice cream may be more common in mexico, but it is really good. i love how corn can add sweetness to cooking, and the combination of sweet corn and cream in this one works well. couldn't really make out the honey, but i assume it added to enhancing the sweetness, which was just right.

mango chile lime - first comes sweet, smooth mango, then the spiciness lingers in the back of your throat. mexican paleta or thai green mango salad? you be the judge of this sorbet's cousin. not as spicy as either, but it keeps your mouth engaged through every lick.

strawberry balsamic vinegar - mostly sweet strawberry flavors with a smooth consistency to this sorbet. i couldn't really taste the balsamic, but i think it rounded out the sweetness of the strawberries, which can be tart.

cilantro lime - a tart lime sorbet. the cilantro was barely noticeable, but overall very refreshing

mediterranean sea salt caramel - creamy and sweet, a little too sweet for me, and the salt was a little lost

violet chocolate chip - if you like lavender and other such floral flavors, this one's for you. it had the character of a society brunch at an upscale bistro--elegant, but sweet. tasty but not really my cup of tea.

beer chill - this one is kind of the opposite of the violet chocolate chip. they pretty much captured the flavor of corona and lime. i guess if you like corona, you'll enjoy this sorbet. i personally think they could have found a more interesting beer as the flavor provider. granted guinness is overused, but there's a reason.

i sampled a few other flavors outside of the tasting, and these were smaller samples.
german chocolate - good, but not as interesting as the chocolate coconut curry
wedding cake pannacotta - very sweet and creamy
cheesecake chocolate crunch - too much like an oozy dessert. you might like it, but i thought the chocolate crunch was overkill on the already sweet cheesecake.
ginger vanilla - very nice, light pairing

get a cone or a cup or take some home with you. i highly recommend it. they have styrofoam takeout containers that come in three sizes, all of which are fairly large. with the small, you can get up to three flavors. the medium--four flavors, and the grande--5 flavors.

csa box may 15

- a huge head of cabbage
- lettuce
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- spring onions
- beets
- carrots
- green beans
- apples
- strawberry jam

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.

fresh from the farmer's market

fresh from the farmer's market
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

some of the best dinners are simple. wanting to make something "quick," i roasted golden beets and asparagus i had picked up from the farmer's market that morning. arugula & tomatoes were also fresh from the farm and perfect with creamy avocados, some shaved parmesano reggiano and a champagne vinaigrette. israeli couscous is easy. boil veggie broth, add couscous, butter, salt & pepper and simmer for 10 min.

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.

fluffy scrambled eggs

fluffy scrambled eggs
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

the secret to getting fluffy scrambled eggs lies in the technique used for making souffles. separate the whites from the yolk, then beat the whites to soft peaks. it's a good morning workout for your arm. whisk the yolks with salt & pepper, and fold in the whites before cooking. excellent with mushrooms & caramelized onions and home fries.

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.

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.

csa produce box: april 17

- romaine lettuce
- green leaf lettuce
- spinach
- sugar snap peas
- celery
- spring onion
- carrots
- apples
- strawberries

bacaro LA

bacaro LA
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

bacaro is the kind of place you want in your neighborhood--a casual, unpretentious wine bar with delicious small bites. i sure wish it were in mine. the beauty of italian food is its simplicity, and though the food here is more mediterranean-inspired meets gourmet pub grub, it leaves you with the same comfort food satisfaction.

except for the leeks that came with the seared scallops being overly salted, i'd recommend most of the cicheti that we tasted. they include:

bruschetta w/ roasted red peppers & white beans - you get a choice of two different bruschetta from their selection. classic, tangy vinegar marinated toppings on crispy bread. they were as good as they looked

crostinis: chevre w/ dill, ricotta w/ olive tapenade, & mascarpone w/ sun dried tomato pesto - all were great creamy, soft cheeses paired with a salty and/or sweet spread on slices of crunchy french bread.

artichokes, parmesan - fresh artichokes topped with parmesan and and browned.

estancia grass-fed beef burger - bacaro's version of a burger. a quality piece of juicy, smoky meat on a thick slice of toast with sweet carmelized onions, heaped with a creamy sauce with a slight kick. thank goodness i could eat it with a fork.

i will definitely come back to try their vast, ever-changing selection of wines, cicheti and their sunday all you can eat steak special. for the quality of food and drink you get, this place is also a great deal, especially compared to what they charge at other restaurants for similar food. even the wine is reasonable.

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.

csa produce box: april 3

- green leaf lettuce
- celery
- spinach
- sugar snap peas
- carrots
- red radishes
- purple cabbage
- potatoes
- bananas
- strawberries

dear tanaka farms,
i love your fresh produce and having it delivered to my doorstop. sugar snap peas--they're relatively new. strawberries--i could eat them all the time, but would you consider growing other types of lettuces and greens, like arugula, baby lettuces, mache, escarole or endive? some asparagus or even brussel sprouts in lieu of cabbage would nice too.

thanks,
me

*sigh*

potato tacos w/ roasted poblano & mushroom

potato tacos w/ roasted poblano & mushroom
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i've been on a taco kick lately, but i was remembering how good the potato tacos were at jonathan gold's food & wine event a few weeks ago, so was feeling inspired. roasting poblanos intensifies the flavor of the chiles, and with some mushrooms and garlic, adds a little something to the comfort food goodness of potato tacos. our potatoes were extra creamy, with a little creme fraiche, which we happen to have leftover from the salad ingredients for the westside cooking society dinner.

first signs of spring salad

first signs of spring salad
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

we had sugar snap peas and lots of lettuce in our produce box as well as lots of leftover roasted beets, so naturally, i made a colorful salad with a lemon vinaigrette and shallots

westside cooking society inaugural dinner

westside cooking society inaugural dinner
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

the westside cooking society convened for our first dinner last sunday at george's home in culver city. susan goin's sunday suppers at lucques served as inspiration for our dinner. menu consisted of...

broccoli salad w/ pine nuts & burrata (tresa)
cassoulet soup w/ herb pesto (george)
cathy's blood orange granita (george)
dungeness crab salad w/ avocado, watercress, roasted beets, creme fraiche (me)
seared halibut w/ meyer lemon salsa, fingerling potato, pea and pea shoot smash (george)
boeuf nicoise with mushrooms & pearl onions, buttered noodles (george)
meyer lemon chocolate tart (sue)

everything was delicious. i stressed myself out somewhat making what i thought would be a simple salad, but took a bit longer than expected due to picking fresh crab meat and peeling a lot of beets.

our next dinner will feature authentic interior mexican a la rick bayless. i'm a little worried since there's a lot of preparation involved in his recipes, and i don't have a lot of experience cooking real mexican food, but it should be fun to learn. i may have to finally splurge and get a cast iron grill to roast chiles.

cilantro marinated shrimp tacos

cilantro marinated shrimp tacos
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

here's a recipe for some flavorful marinated shrimp tacos:
makes 6 tacos

marinade
100 ml olive oil
1 bunch coarsely chopped cilantro, woody stems removed
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
juice & zest from 1 lime

1/2 lb small medium shrimp, shells & head removed, de-veined
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup vermouth
6 corn tortillas

fillings
these can be whatever you like with tacos
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
1 green onion chopped
1 avocado, sliced
4 lettuce leaves, chopped
1 cup cheese (a combo of monterey jack & cheddar)

in a blender or using an immersion blender, puree the olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, zest & garlic. season the cleaned shrimp with a generous pinch of salt, mix and cover with marinade and refrigerate for 30 min.

in a saucepan heat 2 tbs olive oil and saute onions for about 10 mins or until they are browned and caramelized. put onions aside. add 2 tbs olive oil and heat medium. dip shrimp in flour and cook in oil for 3 min on each side. once you put the shrimp down, don't touch until you turn them over so they get a nice crusty sear. when done, place in bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.

while the onions are caramelizing, brush the tortillas with olive oil and warm in a separate pan. place in covered container to keep warm.

add 1 tbs oil to the pan that you used for the shrimp and the previously caramelized onions. then add the vermouth to de-glaze the pan. cook the vermouth down and add the remaining marinade. cook for 3 mins.

assemble your tacos using the cooked shrimp, sauce and fillings. top with sour cream or if you're feeling fancy, some creme fraiche.

this week's csa box

- carrots
- green leaf lettuce
- iceberg lettuce
- cabbage
- spinach
- cilantro
- green onions
- apples
- strawberries

csa produce box - march 6, 09

csa box march 6
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

today's box included:

green leaf lettuce
celery
spinach
snap peas
red radishes
carrots
yellow onions
cilantro
navel oranges
strawberries

molecular gastronomy demo @ surfas

molecular gastronomy demo @ surfas
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

on a semi-random visit, mike went to pick up some ingredients for me at surfas, which is a wonderful cooking/baking supply shop that is very close to where he works. he found out about their regular demos, and that there would be one on molecular gastronomy. not only was it free, you get tastings along with the demo. i had to go!

there were quite a few people already there when we arrived about 5 min before the start, and the place filled up quickly! despite the large turnout, there were some hands on opportunities, and recipes were given out. it was fun making balls of midori that floated in sprite, and little rose infused panna cotta caviar to top chocolate mousse. not sure about some of the demo'd flavor combinations, but i'm excited to incorporate some of the techniques into cooking, although it would probably be more of a special occasion kind of thing.

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.

tofu, shitake, spinach with soba soup

tofu, shitake, spinach with soba soup
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

healthy and light, this lovely soup is easy to throw together. this loose recipe makes enough for two big bowls, and you can easily vary the recipe depending on your preference.

1/2 onion, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbs shredded ginger
spinach, coarsely chopped
1/3 rectangle of tofu, chopped into small cubes
6 oz shitake mushrooms
soba noodles
2 stalks of chopped green onions
3 tbs chopped cilantro
3 cups vegetable broth or water
1 tbs fish sauce
1/2 tsp soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste

saute the onion in 1 tbs of peanut oil for 5 mins. add garlic, ginger, celery and the white parts of the green onions and cook for 3 mins. add mushrooms and a tsp of salt and cook until mushrooms soften. add the tofu, vegetable broth, fish sauce & soy sauce. cook the broth for 10 - 15 min, then add spinach, the rest of the green onions and the cilantro, reserving some for garnish. add salt & pepper to taste.

while the broth is cooking bring to a boil some water. then add salt and soba noodles. when noodles are al dente, drain and divide into bowls. spoon soup over noodles, garnish with herbs.

gordon ramsay @ the london

gordon ramsay @ the london
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (26/143)
refined and elegant, the food and the experience at gordon ramsay surprised me after two weeks of mostly unexceptional food during restaurant week. the interiors take the luxury of old world louis iv and the hipper details of the fanciful eighties without all the excess that both are known for. what you get is this subdued dusty pink and warm place that makes you feel like you're eating at a fine restaurant but you don't have to be afraid of sitting on uncomfortable furniture or worry about which fork you're suppose to be using. it's really a cocktails and conversation over small plates of goodness kind of place.

the french bread and bacon rosemary bread were both very good, especially with the seaweed butter. the amuse bouche consisted of a shitake mushroom & bamboo shoots chawanmushi w/ soy dashi sauce. chawanmushi is a tofu custard, and although the first bite, which had a lot of sauce, was a tad salty, this dish had a nice texture and earthy flavors with bits of chewy mushrooms & bamboo shoots. it definitely whet my appetite.

rich, creamy and full of flavor, the wild mushroom veloute w/ sauteed mushrooms and chive cream appetizer was one of the best dishes of the meal. it seemed like such a simple preparation, but they really brought out the wonderful and complex mushroom flavors. i had to try the rabbit & smoked bacon ballottine w/ vegetable piccalilli & toasted brioche. how often do you get to eat stuffed meat, and one that is done so artfully. the stuffed part as well as the bacon wrapping the disc of meat were surprisingly light and not gamey at all. the pate that came with it was very intense and kind of gamey, but the tartness of the pickled vegetables provided a nice balance.

the sea trout, which is very similar to salmon, was nicely browned with a crispy exterior, and sat atop some sweet cabbage and cubes of kohlrabi. the celeriac cream was simply delicious. we also shared the creamy jerusalem artichoke risotto w/ artichoke chips, black truffle & sherry caramel reduction. although i thought it needed some other stronger flavor in there, it was a well done risotto.

the pre-dessert was a layered glass of cara cara orange in 3 preparations--orange slices w/ rose syrup, orange cinnamon cream, and orange granita, tart, sweet and creamy without being too heavy, it was a nice palate cleanser.

both the desserts we shared were excellent. the chocolate savarin w/ malted milk emulsion, salted caramel ice cream & caramel powder refines classic flavors sure to please any chocolate lover with creamy, crunchy, airy textures.

i enjoyed the balance of creamy creme fraiche with tart quince panna cotta and spicy gingerbread ice cream.

service was excellent. i will definitely be back to try their tasting menu or even their weekend brunch tasting menu.

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!

baked, mashed potato & egg

dinner
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i really enjoyed the tortilla de patata we had at the bazaar last week and was craving that wonderful combination of egg & potato, so i threw together this potato & egg concoction. basically, poke holes in some russet potatoes and microwave them for about 8 min. then bake them for 20-30 min in the oven. when they are just cooked, take them out, cut an opening, and scoop out the potato into a bowl. add butter, heavy cream, a little sour cream, salt & pepper to taste, and mash up until it gets a cream consistency. return the potato mixture to the skins, crack an egg in each potato and bake for another 5 min or until you see the whites of the egg turn opaque. garnish with parmesano reggiano, green onions & cilantro.

leftover over-ripe or wilty produce

csa
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

often, there are leftover portions or produce starts to ripen or wilt before i can cook them. trying to save them from the trash bin, i started chopping them up and freezing them. vegetables, especially celery & carrots, can be saved for soup stocks or even flavoring basis as mirepoix, and sliced fruit is perfect for smoothies.

romanesco (broccoflower)

csa box 2/20/09
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

this unusual vegetable with fractal forms is romanesco, a variant of broccoflower. i think i'll roast it, to maintain it's lovely form.

csa box 2/20/09

csa box 2/20/09
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

our produce box today included:

- red leaf lettuce
- iceberg lettuce
- red radishes
- celery
- beets
- spinach
- cabbage
- carrots
- cilantro
- romanesco (broccoflower)
- apples
- bananas

purple cabbage w/ basil & carmelized onions

dinner
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

found this easy recipe for spicing up the pretty purple cabbage we received in our last produce box

1 yellow onion chopped
1 small head of purple cabbage, sliced in 2 inch strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste

saute the onions in 2 tbs olive oil for 10 min until they have browned. add 1 tsp salt and the red pepper flakes and cook for 1 min. add the cabbage and a tbs of water and cover. let the cabbage steam for 5-10 min until cooked down. add garlic, basil and salt and pepper to taste. cook for another 5 min and you're done!

valentine dinner at the bazaar

hilly & philly cheesesteak @ the bazaar
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (27/143)
a homophonetic and conceptual play on words, the bazaar is not only delightfully strange, thanks in part to philippe stark's eclectic vision but a cornucopia of taste, texture, smell & form created by jose andre, student of ferran adria (famed chef of el bulli in spain) & passionate chef of pbs' "made in spain".

we arrived early to take in the details of moss, where you'll find an assortment of curious, sometimes beautiful, designed objects elevated in stature by their placement in glass vitrines more history museum than "gift" store, a high-end indulgent yet child-like evocation of a dessert hall with "candy" for the eye & tongue in bell jars, and the dark bar centro with various conceptual sitting apparatuses. i marveled at the plate-sized round cutouts in a communal table displaying black & white videos through the texture of wood-grain-like fabric and a pink, fluorescent light, internally lit hot pink armchair. did you know you can have your fortune told behind a curtain or get a caricature drawn on weekends for free?

rojo is dark, semi-casual, sensual and rustic. its menu, a bit heavier, classic spanish tapas, but even that is filtered through the lens of jose andre's vision. we sat in blanca--light, postmodern, contemporary. having heard positive things about the resto, and watched andre's show, i was nervous my high expectations might end in a disappointing dinner. luckily, i was not disappointed. of the thirteen dishes we sampled, all were excellent except two, which were ok, tasty in parts but did not live up to the quality of the others.

philly cheesesteak & hilly cheesesteak - kudos for offering meat & veggie versions of this tapa. the hilly has delicately sliced, tasty mushrooms with a sprinkling of chives on top, while the philly has wagyu beef. both were crunchy sea-creature-shaped bread sculptures filled with creamy, melty cheese that oozes into your mouth w/ each bite. beef had a lovely sanguine taste.

olives ferran adria old & new: liquid & traditional - a ceramic tray of porcelain spoons, each yielding earthy green spheres that explode liquid olive essence. the texture contrasts with the traditional olives stuffed with anchovies & sweet piquillo peppers, a melding of sweet, salty & pungent sea.

brussel sprout leaves, lemon puree, apricots, grapes & lemon air - one of the faves, this delicious combo tickled my tongue with sweet, salty, tart & highly aromatic flavors as well as textures. the crunchy leaves with the creamy lemon puree, the bursts of sweetness from the apricots and grapes were fabulous.

tortilla de patatas 'new way': warm potato foam, egg 63, carmelized onions - a well-composed dish. you can't go wrong with potato, egg & cream. this one hides the flavorful, poached egg with the right amount of liquid under the creamy potato. topped with nutty pistachio oil and mini-barbie sized cubes of crispy potatoes. yum!

mozzarella tomato pipettes: micro basil - you may think this is just an unconventional take on the caprese, but capreses are good. tomatoes, basil, mozzarella are proven palate mates, but the new experience of squeezing creamy, liquid mozzarella & olive oil out of a pipette while your tongue is wrapped around a skinless cherry tomato has the intended teasing effect of creating desire.

watermelon tomato skewers: pedro ximenez reduction, cherry tomatoes - fresh, sweet, salty, slightly acidic, an unusual combination of tomato seeds & crisp watermelon cubes

galician lobster medallions, olive oil, potatoes, paprika - merely ok. it wasn't so much the flavors that bothered me (those were good), but the lobster was a bit mushy in parts. the grassy olive oil, seafood infused foam & earthy paprika were all great with the potatoes and non-mushy lobster parts

tortilla de atun, tuna belly omelet, dry bonita flakes - i won't take eggs for granted. it's not just for breakfast any more. this classic dish is a little moist in the center, with chunky bits of salty tuna, topped unusually with smokey bonita flakes.

crab meat steam buns, pickled japanese cucumbers - good crab meat, though straightforward except for the tart contrasting flavor & crunchiness of the pickled cucumbers. don't expect the steam buns to be as soft & moist as the ones you find in sgv though. the other dish i thought was not up to par.

apples carlota: bread pudding w/ saffron sauce - moist cake, creamy saffron sauce, tasty

nitro coconut floating island - opaque, white "mushroom" cloud that disintegrates into airy coconut creaminess in your mouth comes balanced on short, banana pillars pillars. spots of espresso chocolate contrasts with tropical passionfruit & vanilla bean syrup.

what do i love about the food? jose andre takes simple, delicious flavor combos, deconstructs them, and re-presents them in such a way that i can enjoy food on many levels. good or bad, it's the artistry in the details of the decor, playfully embellished objects and experimentation in food forms that narrowly separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom.

service was good. our waiter seemed unsure but was responsive. i liked the pacing, with several tapas served at a time. pricing & servings comparable to an elegant tasting menu. i didn't leave with leftovers but a deep satisfaction and a hope to return soon.

creamy lettuce & potato soup

creamy lettuce & potato soup
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

our csa must grow quite a bit of lettuce. we usually get one, sometimes two heads (green leaf & iceberg) in our produce box. you would think it being somewhat of a staple food, we'd have no problem using it up, but i get tired of making boring salads with lettuce. i had some wilty lettuce so made soup out of it the other night. our last box had some russet potatoes and celery, so i threw those in there as well. here's the recipe.

8 cups lettuce, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
2 medium potatoes, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs butter
5 cups of vegetable broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tsp thyme
2 tbs flour
1/3 cup chopped green onions (optional)
1/3 cup chopped parsley (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil

sautee onions in 2 tbs olive oil in a dutch oven or stock pan for about 8 mins, until translucent. add celery, potatoes, garlic, thyme, 1 tbs salt and butter and cook for 5 mins. add flour and whisk until incorporated and cook for 1 min. add wine and cook down for 3 min.

add vegetable broth and bring almost to a boil and add lettuce. when soup returns to bubbling, lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 min.

after lettuce has cooked down, using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the stock or pour into a bowl and little by little puree soup in blender before returning to pot. add heavy cream (or milk if you are fat conscious), green onions & parsley, reserving some of the herbs for a garnish. heat for another minute or so until cream is incorporated. add salt & cracked pepper to taste

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.

today's csa produce box delivery

purple cabbage
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

included:
purple cabbage
celery
romaine lettuce
carrots
red radishes
green onions
cilantro
large gold potatoes
bananas
tomatoes
strawberries

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.

mozarella caprese panini

mozarella caprese panini
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

in an effort to get mike to branch out on his usual sandwich-making of pb&j and facilitate usage of produce from our produce box--e.g. lettuce & tomatoes--i threw together some grilled mozarella caprese paninis without a panini/grill pan or press this past weekend. actually, a pot of water and some pressure for a minute on each side works great. the recipe is simple and easily modified to your liking.

ingredients
large pieces of mozarella sliced
ripe tomatoes sliced
olive tapenade (or diced black & green olives; capers also work well, but you may want to add them to some mayo for stickiness)
lettuce
basil
mayo

brush slices of crusty bread on one of the sides with olive oil. on one slice of bread, spread olive mixture. then add basil leaves, slices of tomato, then mozarella. sprinkle with olive oil, balsamic glaze (or regular balsamic vinegar), coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper. then top with lettuce. on opposite slice of bread, spread mayo and add to sandwich stack. make as many sandwiches as you need.

heat up a flat (or near flat) bottomed pan and add a little bit of olive oil. place sandwich in pan, and using another pan (or press if you have it) press down on the sandwich for a minute or two until the bottom is browned. then flip and do the same for the other side. voila! easy peasy.

guelaguetza: dineLA false start

guelaguetza
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (20/143)
i kicked off dineLA with a lunch at guelaguetza, which i've been wanting to try--at least i tried to. our waiter had no idea what i was talking about when i asked for the dineLA menu. i double checked the address, and it was correct. the hostess looked equally confused and said if i wanted the lunch special, that was only during the week.

we decided to order off the menu. i don't think i ordered the best dishes because although some were good, some were merely ok. the botana de molotes is a tasty chorizo & potato filled fried corn dough appetizer that reminded me of a samosa, but only in concept and not in taste. mike enjoyed the botana de chalupas, which consisted of seasoned veggies atop fried corn tortilas. we thought the ensalata nopalitos, a cactus salad, sounded interesting, but it was more like a plate of pico de gallo with strips of fresh cactus and crumbled cheese. the cactus, which was slightly tart and tender, tasted like a cross between a sour green chile and a green bell pepper. next time i would try it grilled with some kind of sauce.

we also sampled a tortilla stuffed with huitlacoche, a corn fungus, which had a nutty flavor and chewy mexican cheese. in retrospect, i think i should have ordered the tamale with chicken and mole because the one i did order with chile & spices was a little bland.

overall, the food was authentic and fresh, but without trying more dishes, it's hard for me to get excited about the food here. service was a little slow, and our waiter completely forgot to bring us our drinks. by the time we finally got someone's attention, we were pretty much done so just asked for the check. there's a small are by the cash register where they sell spices and prepared ingredients like chorizo or cecina for cooking oaxacan food.

catching up to the new (lunar) year

tet (lunar new year) '09
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

last week, post-inauguration, i was feeling tired and under the weather, partly due to a work-related deadline and general uncertainty over the economic climate. mike & i have been busy with projects up until now, but the future is looking rather scary. on the positive, he will be getting fridays off. hopefully, it will be temporary. i suppose if freelance work starts to dry up, i'll have more time to work on a new website.

we spent our saturday cleaning for the new (lunar) year. i must say that we made considerable progress. except for the daunting garage, which seems to have no beginning or end to the chaos and freaks me out every time i look at it, our apartment is looking pretty good. mike wasn't too thrilled about all the cleaning, but he went along with it. he's much more thorough than i am.

dinner with my family that night was really nice. we had fresh steamed dungeness crab, which i've been craving all season! sunday night, i was tired and not up to the games and gambling, so sat with my grandmother watching tv, while mike engaged with the rest of my family and their friends.

2009 is the year of the ox--my brother's year. interestingly, barack obama was born in an ox year. steady, and trustworthy, the ox achieves prosperity through hard work.

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.

bon marche

bon marche
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (17/143)
my mother's not chinese, but this strikes me as food she would make if she were. it's good chinese comfort food prepared simply with fresh ingredients. their toasted duck is tender and juicy from braising with hints of five spice. the salty shrimp in claypot actually wasn't very salty and could have had more flavor, but we thought it was prepared well.

the sauteed ong choy with garlic is a must to balance out the meal with some healthy greens. our favorite and most flavorful dish was the baked scallop and egg, which was like an omelet but not so fluffy with chunks of scallops, delicately covered with an emusilfied, sweet and salty soy based sauce and green onions.

the dinner menu is a single side of a two-sided sheet, but there are sheets of colored paper hanging on the walls with additional offerings, many of which is in chinese. there's also a note on the menu that you can request anything and they'll cook it if they can. the service was friendly and fast, even when the restaurant is full.

favorite eats from 2008

favorite eats from 08
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i think it's obscene how well i ate last year, but then i look at the photos and get hungry. we try to keep our food outings to two times a week, making those memorable experiences. sometimes i cheat, and we go over our quota. the rest of the time, i cook, trying new recipes when i can. it's not easy with a busy schedule, and some nights i need to just make something quick to stave off the hunger. the best meals are shared with friends or a loved one.

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.

cauliflower curry soup

cauliflower curry soup
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

here's a great way to use up cauliflower in one fell swoop, and it tastes good and is healthy for you too!

1 head cauliflower, chopped into pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 - 2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth (use more if you like it less chunky)
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp yellow curry powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp brown sugar (optional if you like a little more sweetness)
salt to taste

1. Saute onion in butter and olive oil for eight minutes, or until onions begin to caramelize, browning slightly. Add celery and cook for a few more minutes.

2. Add spices and 1 tbsp salt and stir. Then add diced cauliflower and garlic and stir for a few minutes.

3. Pour in broth, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.

4. Using an immersion blender, coarsely blend the soup in the pot. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender or food processor and blend a little at a time before returning to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve with chopped cilantro.

csa produce box: our first one!

community supported agriculture
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

yay! our box of produce arrived, delivered in the wee early morning hours by the milkman. wondering what's in the box?

- carrots
- cabbage
- spinach
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- cilantro
- 2 different lettuces--romaine & iceberg. i'm not a big fan of iceberg, but this one actually looks good
- cherry tomatoes
- bananas
- strawberries

there's definitely enough here for two people, cooking 3 - 4 days a week for two weeks. i knew it wouldn't have everything we need, so we'll have to supplement with occasional trips to the grocery store for other things like mushrooms, which aren't usually farmed locally due to the dry climate.

except for one moldy strawberry at the bottom of the container, everything looked fresh and in excellent condition--no wilty bits on any produce to be found. the bananas are perfect--not fully ripe, which is great as it will give me some time to eat before they get too brown, nor are they too green.

i will need to be creative with cooking lettuce, since we received two heads. we're spoiled by having mixed greens or arugula for salads, so i will pick up some herbs to spice up the lettuce, and maybe even try grilling the lettuce and serving with cheese.

my only disappointment was that there weren't any beets or squash, which should be in season, but i'm hoping we get some in our next delivery. the tanaka farms newsletter did mention those as being in the box, but that not everyone would get the same thing, and there might be some substitutions based on availability.

the veggies included are basics, the kind most people would use. they can be used to easily make simple dishes--soups and salads, but i find that can get a little boring for my taste which means more creativity in cooking them. it makes sense that the farm would have more basics than unusual veggies that may not be as popular, like asparagus.

as far as value, the cost seems to be cheaper than buying organic from the store, and there's the bonus that they deliver, and of course, supporting local, small farms.

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.

cooking show excess, but no produce

if you're disappointed there's no pretty picture of fresh produce, so am i that i saw the usual dead plants instead of a produce box when i ran to my porch this morning in anticipation. the delivery guy had trouble finding our house, which i have to admit is a bit tricky to find, since we're actually on a corner, and our door faces a different street than the one on our address. so, it looks like i'm waiting until monday, not knowing what will arrive, for them to redeliver. we usually get groceries over the weekend, and i was hoping that if we didn't get everything we needed in the box, we could supplement with a trip to the farmer's market. looks like i'll be going on faith and possibly to the grocery store on tuesday.

to gear up for our produce box that was scheduled to arrive this morning, i have been engaging in marathon cooking show watching. you would be surprised by the number of cooking shows there are on pbs. by tues, 38 programs had been tivo'd, which means i'm going to have to be more discerning about my cooking shows. we don't have cable, and apparently, don't need it. thank goodness for public tv.

already, i'm noticing that personality does matter to a certain extent. there's a vegetarian cooking show that i was really looking forward to, but discovered was the most pedestrian show due to the hostess not making eye contact and putting me to sleep with her slow stirring and banal kitchen. honestly, i don't think i need to watch a woman stirring veggies for ten minutes, not when i have several episodes of america's test kitchen and made in spain.

the emphasis on cooking fast in a number of programs is telling. even jacques pepin is jumping on the bandwagon. with a busy schedule, i like to learn techniques to make the process quicker, but some programs put too much emphasis on that part of cooking for my taste. i prefer to be excited by flavor combinations and food culture and history. well, with all the shows to go through, i'll be prepared when my box arrives.

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.

more on community supported agriculture

organic reed avocados
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

after some research, i found quite a bit of general information about community supported agriculture programs and mixed reviews from people with first hand experience. upside benefits include supporting small, local farmers and getting fresh, organic produce that is better for you and the environment. sure, i could get organic produce from whole foods as i've been doing, but not all of it is local, and they buy from industrial organic farms which put the small farms out of business. if you want to know more about that, read michael pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma or you can peruse his essay here.

we do have a local farmer's market here in long beach every sunday, and i often shop there, but we can't always get out there on a sunday, and there are only a few vendors who sell organic produce. granted, locally grown produce may be better than organic produce from industrial organic farms trying to lower the restrictions of what can be labeled organic, and not all farms go through the process of getting certified even though they do engage in organic farming. participating in a community supported agriculture program is a commitment i'm wanting to make.

no control over what comes each week could be a downside if you're a control freak like me. yet, tapping into my creative culinary repertoire would be a bonus. it also appears that quality and variety can vary from region to region and farm to farm. luckily, i live in california, the land of perennial (mostly) sunshine, so i'm hoping for some happy produce.

sifting through the many and bewildering options this weekend made my head spin. spud, which stands for small potatoes urban delivery, offers home delivery of organic produce in addition to a variety of other things you might need from the grocery store and espouses supporting local farms, represented by a tally of food miles for each item, incentives for buying locally produced items and being able to indicate that you want all your produce sourced locally versus locally whenever possible. being able to enter preferences on what goes into your produce box, specifying the regularity of your deliveries (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly), plus plenty of customization and additions/deletions to your standing order are all pluses.

unfortunately, and to add to the confusion, closer inspection revealed that prices tended a little high compared to whole foods and many of the farms represented were the same large industrial organic farms. i don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. it would be preferable if more people bought organic produce from whole foods or spud than food from non-organic industrial farms via one of the chain grocery stores or worse, processed chemically treated foods. for most people, i think the convenience of spud would be great. for me, i want to support a local farmer.

so i went back to tanaka farms and found out that they do deliver to long beach. my concern before was that they are based in irvine, and their website only mentions delivering to that area. i work two days a week in the area, but not on one of the delivery days, so it would be an extra out of the way trip, which means more gas and time. i found out from the farm that they partner with rockview farms for home delivery, and it was a snap getting set up. since there's only two of us, i opted for the bi-weekly delivery as their boxes are purported to be enough food for 3-4 people for a week.

rockview farms doesn't have a fancy website like spud, but they do offer other items like milk and eggs along with your box of produce. the friendly woman i spoke to told me they usually deliver in the wee morning hours (2am - 6am)--just like the milkmen in the olden days--before we even get up so if you work regular hours, you don't have to worry about not being home to pull in your order. pricing of their milk is on par with some of the more expensive organic milks at the store, but it comes farm fresh and not ultrapasteurized (ultrapasteurization basically kills everything that's good for you in milk).

i couldn't believe she didn't even ask for my credit card. believing in honesty, they leave you an invoice, which you can pay by leaving a check for the next delivery, but you can pay by credit card if that is more convenient. her optimism made me all warm and fuzzy inside, so i made the plunge and am excited about my first box, which comes this friday.

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.

his & hers @ yogurtland

yogurtland
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i'm a big pinkberry fan, but was drawn to the diy aspect of yogurtland. their original tart is tasty but not as good as pinkberry's. it was a little icy. however, the yogurt comes in a variety of flavors, including a nutty, sweet taro, fresh mango, and chocolate.

the great thing is that you can get as much or as little or as much as you want as they charge you by weight. this is great. i often feel the small is too small and the large is too large at pinkberry. you can even get several flavors of yogurt in one container and fill it full of all the toppings if that is your thing. because of the many options and permutations, you can visit often and have something different each time.

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.

winter squash w/ lemongrass & coconut milk

winter squash w/ lemongrass & coconut milk
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i like a challenge because i believe it makes me grow as a person, discover my limits and push them. at least that is what i was telling myself this past weekend on my 6th trip to the grocery store for yet more squash (ten pounds total) and struggling with peeling said acorn & butternut squash with already thrashed fingers from crocheting electrical wire the past few weeks before.

the challenge was not merely that i was making a soup stock from scratch in addition to the soup itself, but comprised of making 10 quarts of soup i had yet to test out for a swap on sunday during an already busy weekend schedule that included an electronics workshop & homework for the workshop. it's been a while since i've made that large a quantity, and there are difficulties with any project when you go bigger, like the sizes of your normal pots and pans, the size of a small apartment kitchen and maintaining consistency across batches of soup.

then there was the organizational aspect of the whole thing. ten containers with labels and a non-existent until this weekend trip to the grocery store ice chest for transport of soup to marina del rey then down the street and up three flights of stairs. oh, and how to package the garnish of sliced jalapenos & cilantro. i am a kitchen goddess (and poor mike a saint for helping with the peeling).

after all that, the soup turned out tasty, although i don't think it had enough squash to make the soup nice and thick, so next time, i'm compensating for that. still, if you make the stock from scratch, it does make for a more flavorful broth. however, if you'd rather not, i completely understand. you could use some vegetable broth and simmer it with the spices, herbs and vegetable trimmings before adding to the soup.

i learned a valuable lesson or two. i don't think i could cook winter squash more than once a year, and next time i cook with chiles, i'll use gloves.



from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Quick Stock
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or olive oil
1 onoin, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
Trimmings from the soup vegetables, rinsed
2 bay leaves and several thyme sprigs or 1/4 teaspoon dried
4 or more garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
8 parsley branches, including the stems or a small handful of stems
Additional herbs and spices appropriate for the soup
Salt

Stock for Curried Dishes
Make the basic stock, but lightly brown the vegetables in 1 to 2 tablespoons clarified butter, with 1 3-inch cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds.

Winter Squash Soup with Lemongrass and Coconut Milk (serves 4 to 6)
6 cups Stock for Curried Dishes
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1 lemongrass stalk, tender middle section minced
5 pieces galangal or 3 slices ginger
For garnish: 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and diced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Salt
Juice of 2 limes to taste

Include in the stock the squash skins and seeds, lemongrass trimmings, galangal, and any trimmings from the herb garnish.

Coarsely chop the squash. You should have about 4 cups. Heat the oil in a soup pot, then add the squash, onion, half the chiles, the minced lemongrass, and the garlic. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the strained stock and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Puree the soup, then return it to the stove and stir in the coconut milk. Taste for salt and add lime juice to sharpen the flavors. Serve garnished with the fresh herbs and the remaining chile.

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.