Adventures of a Wannabe Foodie

Thoughts on Top Chef All-Stars

2011-04-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

I was very diappointed that my Dale T failed to make it to the end. However, he made a strong showing. I was beyond shocked to see Mike Isabella in the finale. Not because I don't think he has the chops. The man was EC at a Jose Andres restaurant for goodness sakes. The man can cook. I just didn't see it coming.

Anyway, kudos to Richard. While, he's a fav, I actually started to root against him. I really didn't like the way he dismissed Stephanie's win throughout the season. Stephanie was a strong competitor throughout the season. She didn't choke. She deserved it. Oh, and congrats to her on the James Beard nod for Girl and the Goat. I need to make it out to Chicago. Back to Richard. Also, I'm just a little concerned about his mental state. I know it's your career and all, but homedude needs to chill. He's going to have a heart attack.

Looking forward to the reunion. I hope Tom lays the smackdown on Elia...again.

Dec. 1st Cannot Get Here Fast Enough:Top Chef All-Stars

2010-11-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

Say What?!? The absolute best thing about the Top Chef Reunion was the announcement of the next season of Top Chef...Top Chef All-Stars. The NEXT best thing was the fact that I didn't have to wait long to see it...December 1st. Again, say what?!? I can barely contain my excitement. Some of my favorites (Dale T, Tre, Carla, Richard, and Marcel)are in the cast. Sadly, Casey, Dale L and Mike I are back and my Andrew isn't. *sigh* But, I guess I should thank my luck stars evil Lisa isn't in the cast.

Here's the list of cheftestants:

Elia Aboumrad
Stephen Asprinio
Richard Blais
Jennifer Carroll
Tiffany Derry
Tiffani Faison
Carla Hall
Mike Isabella
Jamie Lauren
Dale Levitski
Antonia Lofaso
Spike Mendelsohn
Angelo Sosa
Dale Talde
Casey Thompson
Marcel Vigneron
Fabio Viviani
Tre Wilcox

If you are an avid Top Chef viewer, you know that this is a very talented group. Also, they are all so different style wise. It's going to be hard to call the winner (but I bet Jamie is the first to go home). So,again...super excited! This is going to be AWESOME.

Holy Macarons!

2010-11-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

I never cared much for french macarons. They've been the big thing around these parts for awhile now. I mean, they're everywhere. Macarons are the new cupcake. I've tasted quite a few, and my assessment was always, "eh". I realize I've never been to Paris. So, I have not had a proper introduction. But, lately, I've really wanted one. I mean, I've had a serious craving for macarons. Why, you may ask?

Four words. Top Chef: Just Desserts!

It seems that someone made a macaron every freakin' episode. While I knew I didn't care for them, I just had to have one. They looked amazing. I literally died when I laid eyes on Morgan's red hot macaron. ***fainting***

So, I conducted a little search and came across a little spot in DTLA. Paulette, with additional shops in San Fran and Bev Hills, has created a new macaron devotee.

As I entered the shop, I was greeted by a case filled with an assortment of the tasty treats. Caramel,caribbean chocolate, coconut,Colombian coffee, lemon,
Madagascar vanilla,Sicilian pistachio,sweet wedding almond,earl grey tea,violet cassis,rose,and passion fruit.

I selected coffee, pistachio, almond, earl grey, violet cassis, and rose. OMG! They were crunchy and chewy. Just delightful. My favs were the pistachio and earl grey. The pistachio was the first one I ate and by far my fav. Again, the texture was perfect.

Best part, macarons are gluten free. Score!

Thank GOD I live in LA

2010-11-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I'm so over Los Angeles. But, more often than not, I thank the good Lord that I'm a Cali girl. Since the start of my new eating plan, I find myself grateful to live in a City with so many awesome resources and options. But, the one thing I'm most thankful for (foodwise) is Babycakes NYC.

BabyCakes is a bakery located in DTLA that offers all-natural, organic goodies free from the common allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs. Also, no refined sugar. I know what you're thinking...blech! That's everything that's good and right about sweet treats. But, it's unbelievable how delicious the goodies are. Over the course of a few weeks, I've tried a number of things. They are probably most famous for their cupcakes. Honestly, I'm not a fan. I've tried a couple, and I just don't enjoy the texture or the icing. However,my favorite thing is their chocolate chip cookie. It's not just a good vegan, gluten free cookie. It's a fantastic cookie...period. After one bite, my sceptical colleagues became believers. It's crisp on the outside, with a chewy center. Mmmm. I actually might brave the heat just to get one cookie. They are really THAT good.

If you are in LA or NYC, do yourself a favor and go grab a cookie.

NEW YORK CITY, NY

248 Broome Street (Btwn Orchard & Ludlow)
New York City, NY 10002 (Google map)

Telephone 212.677.5047
Email info@babycakesnyc.com

For delivery information, click here.

Hours of Operation
Monday: 10am-8pm
Tuesday-Thursday: 10am-10pm
Friday-Saturday: 10am-11pm
Sunday: 10am-8pm

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, CA

130 East 6th Street
(between S. Main Street and S. Los Angeles Street)
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Telephone: 213.623.5555
Email la@babycakesnyc.com

Hours of Operation
Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-10pm
Sunday: 10am-6pm
Monday (very limited menu): 12pm-6pm (or until we sell out!)

Hello Again

2010-10-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

I'm a terrible blogger. I mean, for reals. My schedule is still really nuts, with no end in sight. So, I'm just going to have to make the time to blog. Although, I've been seriously busy, that doesn't mean I've stopped eating. Oh, and I do mention my food outings on Twitter @wannabefoodie08.

I've had some really great food this summer. Highlights include: More meals at The Bazaar, BLD (blueberry ricotta pancakes are a revelation), Comme Ca (I live for their crab cake with the celery root and green apple), Petrossian (amazing blinis and the most amazing mushroom cappuccino I've ever tasted), Perilla (Harold's spot in New York--um, farro risotto anyone!), Richard Blais' Flip Burger Boutique in Atlanta (buffalo sweetbreads!! yum!), Rivera (again, amazing! and I have to go into detail later), 'witchcraft, Peaches in Brooklyn (quaint little restaurant...the Low Country bowl was off the chains good), Morimoto's in Philly (OMG! The Duck Duck Duck rocked my World), and all of the awesome food trucks in LA. Oh, and the ultimate, lunch at the 3 star Michelin restaurant Le Bernardin in New York. It was my summer of food, y'all. But, alas...all good things must come to an end.

So, I've officially switched to a gluten-free, dairy-free diet. I know. For someone who's favorite food mantra is "Everything is better with butter and bacon", it's tragic. But, alas it's something I have to do. I'm actually quite excited about the whole thing. I'm still a foodie at heart. I think of it as not only a challenge, but the ultimate adventure for this wannabefoodie!

FAVORITE THING: Mendocino Farms

2010-05-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile. Technology has encouraged my inconsistent blogging. It's much easier to spread the word about a great meal or a new restaurant via Twitter. I know I've said it before, but I'll try to do better.

My last blog post was about Mendocino Farms. Since that time, I've eaten there a few times. Each time, I tried a new sandwich. I've loved each one. My only complaint is that the sides are just OK. But, honestly, it's all about the sandwich.

I've tried:

Kurobuta Pork Belly Banh Mi- Take on the Vietnamese sandwich with caramelized cubes of delicious kurobuta pork belly, pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro (hate it, but works), cucumbers, jalapenos, chili aioli on panini grilled ciabatta. This sandwich was AMAZING! Seriously. I couldn't finish the entire sandwich for dinner and ate the rest the following morning. It was even better. Everything just works. The heat is not overpowering. You also have the daikon (which I LOVE)and cucumber to provide a refreshing end. I could eat one everyday. It's that good.

A French Onion Soup Melt -smoked gouda-gruyere fondue with caramelized onions, panini pressed on Dolce Forno pretzel roll. Yum! I also added the homey ham to this sandwich. I have a love hate relationship with caramelized onions. I mean, I love them, but they can be a bit much at times. It's the issue I have with French Onion soup. I love it, but sometimes it's a little too sweet. Cheese was nice and gooey. The bread was AMAZING. Good sandwich. It's on the Spring menu, so it's only around for a limited time.

Chicken MBT -roasted chicken, mozzarella, basil pesto, tomato, balsamic vinegar, and greens on ciabatta. This is a sandwich I often make (well,I switch out the tomato for roasted red peppers). So, it's a fav. This version was tasty, but unremarkable when compared to the others. I almost forgot I had it. Also, I prefer hot sandwiches.

Blue Buffalo, Not a Blue - roasted chicken in buffalo sauce, blue cheese cabbage slaw, tomato, fried onions on panini grilled ciabatta. Although, I love these flavors I was a little unsure. But, it was tasty. My fav part was the blue cheese cabbage slaw. I only had it one other time and really enjoyed it. The big drawback is that the sandwich was REALLY messy. So, it was good, but I'm cool.

PB^3 - Crunchy PB, Honey Roasted Almonds, caramelized Bananas, and Applewood Bacon, on Ciabatta. Oh, and on one occasion, my sandwich had green apple. This sandwich was the April secret sandwich. I'm a little upset that it's not available anymore. It was really, really a great sandwich. It had a lot going on, but it ALL worked.

Oh, and let me not forget the other awesome thing about MF...the Boylan’s sodas. Specifically, the diet Black Cherry. Delicious! It's such a cool idea. Honestly, who wants to drink a Sprite while eating one of those amazing sandwiches? Not me.

They are now at three locations: FYI; the Grand location is difficult.
444 S. Flower St, Downtown LA, 300 South Grand Ave, Downtown LA, and 4724 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey

Must-visit lunch spot in Downtown LA

2010-01-06T12:29:00.000-08:00

I recently had lunch at a wonderful spot downtown. Getting there was more than a notion, but once there, I was in 7th heaven. There was a long line, but the staff was very effecient. I decided to have soup and sandwich. I selected the Vegan Butternut Squash soup. It was creamy and silky smooth. It was by far the most flavorful butternut squash soup I have ever tasted. Love it!I had the Wine Country Steak and Brie Sandwich. YUM! The sandwich consisted of Point Reyes Farmstead Blue Cheese spread, horseradish crema, carved steak, french brie, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, tomato (I nixed the tomato). I don't love carmelized onions on sandwiches, but I didn't mind it as much. All of the ingredients combined to create a truly yummy, extra cheesy sandwich.

http://www.mendocinofarms.com/

I'm a Slacker--but, not really

2009-11-09T16:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know. I'm a slacker. But, not really. I've really overextended myself in other areas of my life. I'm always at a meeting for something or another. But, the new year will be a time of re-prioritizing and taking the time to do the things I enjoy...namely, eating great food and talking about it!

I actually have a tasting at a restaurant tomorrow. So, I will write about it shortly. Also, Thomas Keller's Bouchon is opening next week. Since, I'm all about French at the moment, I'm planning to get there before the end of the month.

Tapas at The Bazaar

2009-10-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

After nearly a year since it's opening, I finally made it to The Bazaar. I ventured to The Bazaar during DineLA Week with a group of fellow foodies. We tried about 20 items from the menu.

Highlights:

Sweet Potato Chips and Dip- Lightly seasoned and beautifully fried, thin sweet potato chip. They were accompanied by a delicious, interestedly flavored dip of Greek yogurt with a tamarind sauce and star anise. I love tamarind and this was a real treat.

Shrimp Cocktail-This was a special treat from the kitchen. This was no regular shrimp cocktail. The skewer was a droplet containing the sauce. Food with instructions! Fun!! We were asked to lightly press the the dropper to release the cocktail sauce. It was a surprising burst of flavor. Loved the spin on an oldie, but goodie.

Apple and Fennel salad-I LOVE apple and fennel salad. It just works so well. Refreshing and crisp. The Bazaar apple and fennel sets itself apart by the inclusion of manchego cheese and walnuts. Again, refreshing, light, and simply delicious.

Sauteed Cauliflower "couscous"-I'm not a huge fan of couscous, but I LOVE cauliflower. This spin on couscous is a definite win. Cauliflower puree, harissa, lemon and fried quinoa. Fantastic!

Ottoman carrot fritters-Who doesn't like a good fritter? I am a HUGE fan of chickpea fritters (Tiara Cafe--if you haven't had them, go now!). So, I was excited about the carrot fritter. The texture was really nice. It was nice and crispy on the outside, not too soft on the inside. Nicely flavored with ras al hanout (with I LOVE), and the addition of apricots and a nice pistachio sauce. Carrots didn't know they could be this good.

Foie Gras Cotton Candy-Foie, while ethically wrong, is delicious. I'm sorry. I'm just not a warm, fuzzy animal person. I eat meat. It's good. We sat at a table right next to the machine. So, we were able to watch as it was prepared. Pretty awesome! I mean, how often do you see a cotton candy machine in a restaurant? It's a small piece of foie surrounded by fluffy, cotton candy. It was ok. The foie was cold, so it was a little off-putting. However, it was a highlight, because it was one of the most interesting foods I've ever had.

"Philly Cheesesteak" (pictured above)-Ok, I truly saved the best for last. It was love at first bite. OMIGOODNESS! It was simply the most delicious thing I've had in a long time. Jose Andres' interpretation of the Philly Cheesesteak is air bread, filled with warm cheddar, and topped with thinly sliced pieces of Wagyu beef. ***fainting*** Yes, it was that good. It's an expensive two bites ($8). But, well worth it. I could have eaten them all night.

Favorite Thing: Farro Salad from Fraiche

2009-05-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

I ate my first meal at Fraiche a couple of years ago. It was pretty good. However, I didn't go back for about a year. That time, I had the Branzino. It was good, but not great. However, I tasted the monkfish and was blown away! It was mighty tasty. But, I didn't want to bother with the always full restaurant. Fast forward to 2009. It's still busy, but not crazy. So, now I stop in from time to time for cocktails and a light supper. Right now, I'm totally obsessed with their farro salad. Farro, English peas, feta, and a little lime. Simple and light, yet filling. It is absolutely delicious. One of my summer favorite things.

Lattes for Less---Recipes from America's Top Barista

2009-04-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

Times are hard. Forking over $4 for your daily Skinny Vanilla Latte is not as easy as it once was. Heather Perry, a U.S. Barista Champ, has joined with the fine people at Got Milk? to help Americans satisfy their need for high quality caffeinated drinks on a budget. She has created some amazing latte recipes for people to make at home. Each recipe can be made for under a dollar. You can't beat that. Here are a few recipes to try out:

Classic Cappuccino

Hot Latte Recipe

A very Italian, traditional, and classic hot beverage for only $0.35

Ingredients:

1 oz. of espresso or strong brewed coffee

4 oz. of milk

Begin by brewing your shot of espresso using either an espresso machine or a strong brewing method, such as a moka pot. Heat your milk by steaming it using your espresso machine, or by slowly heating it up on the stove over medium heat, and then whipping it using an electric hand frother until the desired amount of froth is created. Put espresso in the bottom of the cup and fill cup with heated milk.

by GOTMILK?/TOMA LECHE in collaboration with Heather Perry, 2007 and 2003 U.S. Barista Champion

Classic Mocha

Hot Latte Recipe

This recipe mixes three ingredients resulting in a chocolaty treat for $0.90

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. of your favorite chocolate syrup or powder
2 oz. espresso or choice of strong coffee
10 oz. steamed milk

Begin by brewing your 2 shots or 2 oz of espresso using either an espresso machine or a strong brewing method, such as a moka pot. Take a 12 oz. cup and place your espresso at the bottom. Then add your favorite chocolate and mix well. Heat your milk by steaming it using your espresso machine, or heat the milk separately and use a hand frother until the desired amount of froth is created. Fill cup with heated milk and top with whipped cream, if desired.

by GOTMILK?/TOMA LECHE in collaboration with Heather Perry, 2007 and 2003 U.S. Barista Champion

Spiced Latte

Hot Latte Recipe

A unique beverage with a zing at $1

Ingredients:

1 star anise
3 cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean
8 oz. milk
2 oz. espresso or strong coffee

Begin by brewing your 2 shots or 2 oz of espresso using either an espresso machine or a strong brewing method, such as a moka pot. Combine spices and milk and heat together by either steaming or by slowly heating it up on the stove over medium heat, and then whipping it using an electric hand frother until the desired amount of froth is created. This will not only heat the milk, but also gently infuse the flavors of the spices into the milk. Place your espresso at the bottom of the cup and top with spiced milk.

by GOTMILK?/TOMA LECHE in collaboration with Heather Perry, 2007 and 2003 U.S. Barista Champion

Breve Blast

Cold Latte Recipe

A refreshingly delicious “morning-pick-me-up” that alerts the senses for $0.60

Ingredients:

2 oz. espresso or choice of strong coffee
1 oz. vanilla syrup
4 oz. milk

Begin by brewing your 2 shots or 2 oz. of espresso using either an espresso machine or a strong brewing method, such as a moka pot. Place at the bottom of a 16 oz. cup and add your syrup. Top with 8 oz. cold milk. Gulp down for a quick jumpstart.

by GOTMILK?/TOMA LECHE in collaboration with Heather Perry, 2007 and 2003 U.S. Barista Champion

Crème Brulee Latte

Sweet Latte Recipe

This decadent drink is a hit with dessert lovers at $0.97

Ingredients:

2 oz. espresso or choice of strong coffee
8 oz. steamed milk
1 oz. vanilla bean syrup
2 tbsp. caramel topping

Begin by brewing your 2 shots or 2 oz. of espresso using either an espresso machine or a strong brewing method, such as a moka pot. Take a 10 oz. cup and lace the sides of it with 1 tbsp. of caramel topping. Then place the syrup at the bottom of the cup and top with the espresso. Heat your milk by steaming it using your espresso machine, or by slowly heating it up on the stove over medium heat, and then whipping it using an electric hand frother until the desired amount of froth is created. Fill cup with heated milk and top with remaining caramel.

by GOTMILK?/TOMA LECHE in collaboration with Heather Perry, 2007 and 2003 U.S. Barista Champion

My Hatred of Casey---renewed on Top Chef Finale

2009-02-26T16:33:00.000-08:00

I really disliked Season's Three chef, Casey Thompson. I found her extremely annoying. So, while I was beyond happy to see Richard and Marcel (two finalists who were worthy of the title of Top Chef and fell short), I was less than pleased to see Casey. But, as much as I cringed at the return of Casey, I was so mad at Karla. She managed to do the VERY thing that landed her in the bottom during the competition...being amiable.

Sooooooooo, Hosea is Top Chef. Congratulations Hosea...I guess.

Stefan was robbed.

Recipe: Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2009-02-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

I hate to toot my own horn (who am I kidding; TOOT TOOT!), but I make a pretty good Spinach and Artichoke dip. I am not one to hold on to my favorite recipes, I share them freely. I once took a few friends step by step through the process (after which they decided it was just easier for me to do it). So, here it is!

Ingredients:

1 10oz bag of frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1 4oz jar of Italian marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
1 cup of Alfredo sauce (I use the jar kind)
4 oz garlic herb cheese spread
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, chopped
1 tbs of olive oil
2/3 cup of Parmesan Cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 350.
2. Saute garlic and shallots in olive oil. Add artichokes, and saute for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together spinach, alfredo sauce, garlic herb cheese spread, the artichoke mixture, and 1/3 of cheese.
4. Transfer to a dish (I use a large tart/quiche dish)and top with remaining cheese
5. Bake in oven until bubbly and slightly brown around edges (about 15-20 minutes).

Serve with baguettes or tortilla chips

ENJOY!!

Favorite Thing:Tender Green's Grilled Flatiron Steak Salad

2009-02-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

I can go on about how salads aren't that special. I mean, you have to try really hard to make a bad salad. However, I've learned that even if my previous statement is true, that doesn't mean that a salad can't rock your world. Because, it can. Oh, and that salad is in Culver City.

The flatiron steak salad consists of tender red and green butter lettuce topped with breakfast radishes and red and golden beets. The salad is tossed in a light and flavorful horseradish vinaigrette. This lovely salad is then topped with a nice piece of medium rare flat iron steak, and finished with a sprinkling of chives. Omigoodness!I could eat it everyday.

Tender Greens prides itself on providing the freshest product available. Their food is not complicated, however, it is simply delicious.

9523 Culver Blvd., Culver City, Ca 90232

Top Chef Five: Ho Hum

2009-02-13T10:49:00.000-08:00

*sigh* Once upon a time, writing about Top Chef was a big deal on this here blog. I will admit, my excitement tapered a bit during Season Four. But, I still blogged occasionally. However, there is only one real episode left in Season Five and not a word. Why? It's not because I'm not watching. I've watched every single episode of the show this season...more than once. However, I have no real excitement for any of the cheftestants. Carla is entertaining. I'm glad to see the tortoise nearing the finish line. I could listen to Fabio forever. Oh, and Stefan amuses me. His crush on Jamie was a little funny. Still, I'm not compelled to write at length about anything that's happened. Most of the chefs were forgettable and that's unfortunate. Oh, and where the heck was Anthony Bourdain?!? So, yeah...whatever.

Favorite Thing: Soon Tofu Soup

2009-02-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

Soon from Beverly Tofu

I work with a very diverse group of people. While always a fan of Asian foods (Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Filipino foods are my favs), I've been exposed to a variety of new dishes. Some I've enjoyed so much that I have incorporated them into my diet. One of those dishes is Soon Tofu Soup. I was introduced to it a couple of years ago, and on a cold day like today I crave it like my parent's gumbo. It is the ultimate comfort food. There's nothing better than enjoying a big steaming bowl of delicious spicy soup, filled to the brim with beef, shrimp, clams, and silken tofu. This delicious soup is topped off with the introduction of a raw egg. The boiling hot soup cooks the egg, adding a little something special to the flavor of the soup that you didn't know was missing. Mmm.

It's about 48 degrees here and I'm headed out to get a bowl at lunch time.

Where I get my soup:
BCD-There are various locations in the LA area. Visit their website for location information. http://www.bcdtofu.com/
Beverly Tofu-2717 W Olympic Blvd Ste 108, Los Angeles, CA 90006-2642, (213) 380-1113

My Favorite Things

2008-12-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

Move over Oprah. I think I want to start highlighting some of my favorite food-related things. These include, restaurants, dishes, cooking utensils, products...you name it.

My Japanese Breakfast at Fukagawa in Gardena

2008-12-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

One of my food groups is in the midst of a series, "Ain't Always Eggs and Bacon". Basically, we are exploring various non-American breakfast spots. They previously went to 3 Square Cafe and Bakery in Venice (German breakfast). Due to my schedule, I was unable to join them. However, I can vouch for the great food at 3 Square. I had very yummy corn pancakes, poached egg, smoked salmon, and fruit. Also, after wandering into the bakery, I was able to sample my friend's triberry scone. I was rather annoyed by her going on and on about this scone. I mean, I like scones, but how good can a scone be? Apparently, a scone can be amazing. Seriously, after one taste, I coveted the scone. I actually talked about this scone for a good week.

But, I digress. Back to Fukagawa. Breakfast at Fukagawa consists of four specials.
The basic (Combo A) is a bowl of rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, seaweed, an egg (hard-boiled, raw, or tamago) and a small dish (perhaps a potato croquette, boiled spinach or tofu). Combos B-D just add on to the items in Combo A. See all combos below:

Combo A:
Rice, miso soup, small dish, nori (seaweed), pickles, and an egg.

Combo B:
Combo A + Natto (fermented soy beans)

Combo C:
Combo A + fish (grilled Aji-spanish mackerel, Saba-mackerel, or salmon) or steak

Combo D:
Combo A + Natto + fish or steak

Since, it's not everyday that I have Japanese food for breakfast, I decided to get Combo D. My final order consisted of a bowl of rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, nori, a raw egg, a tofu small dish, a bowl of natto, and grilled salmon with a side of grated daikon radish. It was quite a bit of food.

The miso soup was good. However, there were so many other things to concentrate on, that it became an afterthought. This was also the case for the pickled cabbage. As for the salmon, it wasn't my favorite. I found the grilled salmon a little overcooked and dry. Based on information from our group organizer and yelp.com readers, there is a special way to eat the rice. You mix a raw egg and soy sauce in the rice. The steaming rice partially cooks the egg and you end up with a delicious dish. I love steamed/runny/poached eggs, so I decided to try it. However, as it turned out, my rice was not as hot as I expected. So, I did not have the desired outcome. Still, I enjoyed the taste of the egg, soy, and rice. It was different. The tofu dish was very nice. There were two large pieces of tofu in a very flavorful broth. The dish was accented with shaved bonito flakes and green onion. I really enjoyed it. Oh, let me not forget the natto. Hmmm, what to say. I came to natto with an open mind. Even as one of my Japanese dining mates went on about how much she disliked it. The natto arrived with a raw quail egg in the center and topped with green onion. There was also a little bit of spicy mustard on the side of the bowl. As I attempted to stir in the ingredients, the natto began to foam and spiderweb like strings developed. The more I stirred, the more it bubbled. I finally decided to bite the bullet and just taste it. Remember, I have an open mind. Well, after one taste of natto, it was officially closed. The taste was akin to a teenaged boy's dirty gym sock. It was without a doubt the most unpleasant thing I have ever eaten. I strongly believe in second chances, but I think it's a wrap for me and natto.

Overall, an interesting experience.

Kogi Taco Truck-update

2008-12-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I caught up with the Kogi Taco Truck. It was really nice to see them out in their element. They were located just outside The Brig in Venice. I got the chance to sample a couple of the other items (in addition to my spicy pork and short rib tacos).

The night's special: Mole

It was a little bowl of mole, with a little onion and sesame on top. It was rich and flavorful. Also, it had a real nice heat. I couldn't finish it all, but I wanted to. So, I took it home and enjoyed it the next day. It was even better.

The Kimchee Quesadilla

Apparently, it's a big hit and has become a sort of regular special. It consisted of kimchee, cheddar, and jack cheese. Oh, there was also a very delicious salsa on top. I found myself scooping a little more on with each bite. I will openly admit that I'm not a huge fan of kimchee. However, I don't dislike it. It was nice, however, it was very different. The traditional flavors are so familiar, that I was always a little surprised when I took a bite that included the crunchy kimchee. While it's not something I can eat a lot of, I can appreciate how others would enjoy it.

Taco Truck: Korean Style--Kogi Korean BBQ

2008-12-19T09:47:00.001-08:00

One Saturday afternoon, my food blogger group was invited to sample the newest Taco truck in town, Kogi. Don't expect the typical carne asada or carnitas. No, this is Korean BBQ, taco truck style. As someone with a love of Korean food, I was all over this idea.

(l to r: Eric Shin, web administrator.photographer, Chef Roy Choi, Mark Manguera, and Caroline Shin-Manguera)

Kogi was the brainchild of Mark Manguera and his wife, Caroline. It is the fulfillment of an idea Mark threw out after leaving a club at 2am one morning. Mark, who worked many years in the hotel business, decided to team up with Chef Roy Choi (of Rocksugar in Century City) to bring his idea to fruition. After many taste testing sessions, including Mark, his family, and Chef Roy, they arrived at the menu we were presented with.

Their main menu consists of tacos and burritos. You have the choice of four proteins: short rib, spicy pork, chicken, and tofu. The burritos are a breakfast burrito consisting of eggs, hash browns, and your choice of protein. According to Mark and the others, the burrito is a big hit with the late night crowds. However, we sampled the four tacos, along with a special treat.

We were told that each protein has it’s own distinctive marinade and special sauce accompaniment. The tacos came in a small taco shell, along with a little lettuce and sesame seeds as garnish. My first sample was the spicy pork taco. It was served with an orange wedge. I squeezed a liberal amount on the spicy pork and had my first taste. The pork was simply delicious. The pork was tender and flavorful. The orange partnered beautifully with the sweetness of the pork. It added a little something extra that was surprising and very delicious. Next, I tried the short rib taco. It was served with a lemon wedge. Unlike the spicy pork, the short rib did not particularly benefit from the addition of the acid. While, not my favorite, it was very good.
(l to r: short rib taco and spicy pork taco)Next up, was the chicken. It was just ok. I found the chicken a little over-cooked and there was nothing special about it. I finished up my taco sampling with the tofu taco. I love tofu, so I was really looking forward to tasting it. However, while the sauce was flavorful, I found the tofu itself lacking in flavor. Also, the actual pieces of tofu were a little large for my taste. I would have preferred if it were similar in texture/look of tofu scramble. In short, it wasn’t my favorite. Of all of the tacos, I could have eaten the spicy pork all day long. It was outstanding.

As we were preparing to finish up, Chef Roy presented us with a Korean BBQ Slider. WHAT??!? Ok, I was excited at the prospect. The slider consisted of the short rib, lettuce, sesame seeds, and mayo served on a King’s Hawaiian bun. One bite, and I was in heaven. It was incredibly tasty and I enjoyed every single bite.

All in all, it was very good. Many noted that the dishes would benefit from the addition of more Asian elements. Some suggestions included rice based wrapper instead of tortillas. Or, possibly the addition of crunchy cabbage, kimchee, or a little pickled daikon. Still, the Korean taco is an intriguing concept. Again, it was all quite tasty and I anticipate that it will only get better with time. Mark and Chef Roy are really open to feedback and invested in bringing the best food to the hungry late night masses.

Since, it is a taco truck, they are on the move. You can track them down via Twitter http://twitter.com/kogibbq. Also, don't forget to check out their website http://kogibbq.com to see more great pictures and learn about Kogi. After a recent visit to the website, I noticed that they are spicing things up with various specials, like the recent Kimchee Quesadilla. Sounds interesting. They are in Venice tonight, so I might have to make a special trip over there.

Why I'm Mad at Guy Fieri (or My Visit to Chino Bandito)

2008-12-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

Every year, during Thanksgiving time, my family travels to Arizona. When traveling to another city, I always look forward to visiting a new restaurant. Usually, that’s not the case when I visit AZ. We have a tradition of sorts. The day before Thanksgiving, we have Ruby Tuesday (mainly because I insist), Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, and pizza the day after. However, that all changed after I saw an episode of Diners, Dives, and Drive-ins. Guy highlighted a little place in Phoenix called Chino Bandito. It’s Mexican/Chinese fusion. Um, hello? WHAT? Anyway, it looked really interesting and I had to taste that food.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I was able to visit their new Chandler location. Prior to my visit, I heard a lot about their unique ordering system. Since it was our first visit, we were treated to a tutorial. In short, all of the entrees were available with rice, in a quesadilla, or in a burrito. During our tutorial, we mentioned that we were not in a hurry, so we were able to partake in a tasting.

We started with a sample of their black beans. I really like black beans. However, I found the Chino Bandito version incredibly salty. Frankly, it was inedible. Next, we were offered the emerald chicken. It was sautéed chicken with garlic and ginger. It was simple, but not memorable. The same could be said of the carnitas and jerk chicken. The jerk fried rice was so spicy that it totally killed my taste buds. It took several sips of whatever and a couple of minutes for me to resume tasting. The last sample was jade chicken. They were lightly fried chicken pieces in a delicious, spicy sweet red sauce. Of all of the samples, this was the one standout.

Since I was ordering for a few people, it was my opportunity to sample several items. My final order was chile rellano quesadilla, jade burrito, pork fried rice, refried beans, and jerk fried chicken. The chile rellano quesadilla was extremely disappointing. After two bites, I was done. The fry was both soggy and hard. It was disgusting. The jade burrito, while tasty, was also disappointing. I spent a great deal of time thinking about the possible makeup of a Chino Bandito burrito. No one was more surprised then I to find that a Chino Bandito burrito consisted of the entrée wrapped in a tortilla. No rice, no beans. No lettuce. No tomato.No imagination.

However, I did enjoy the pork fried rice and the refried beans. Overall, I was extremely disappointed by my visit to Chino Bandito. This was clearly a case of the interesting concept and disappointing execution.

I'm Not Going on Another Break...seriously, I'm not

2008-12-10T00:20:00.000-08:00

I know my posts have been few and far between. I've been super busy lately. I have several reviews on the horizon. Look forward to posts on the Kogi Korean Taco Truck, early dinner at Comme Ca, Korean food at Beverly Tofu, and a visit to the Chinese/Mexican fusion spot in Arizona, Chino Bandito.

Oh, and comments on Top Chef.

Top Chef Returns!!!

2008-11-10T10:35:00.000-08:00

With Project Runway and Mad Men ending, I'm so glad to see the return of my favorite show.

This year, we have 17 contestants vying for the honor to become this year's Top Chef. CAN'T WAIT!!!

Appetite Stimulus Plan--November 17th-21st

2008-11-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

Open Table is advertising an Appetite Stimulus Plan. During the week of November 17th, various restaurants will feature special 3-course menus at $24 for lunch and $35 for dinner. You do not want to miss out on this! I've already made my reservations.

For more info, visit

Sunday Brunch at Jar

2008-11-03T16:25:00.000-08:00

I love Jar. Haven't been back since my dinner last year. Memorable meal. Well, I've heard great things about their Sunday brunch. So, one Sunday after church, I decided to go and check it out. As usual, I checked out the menu beforehand. I eyed a couple of items, namely the lobster benedict and the Edy's chilaquiles. Oh, and I had fond memories of the delicious char sui pork. I noticed that they offered it as a side dish during brunch. So, I had a lot to consider.

It was a last minute decision, so I did not have reservations. But, I called ahead and they were very accommodating. As I walked in, the first thing I noticed was that the feel of the place was a little different than my first visit. While, my dinner was quiet and enjoyable, the place was full and bustling.

The waiter welcomed me with a delicious plate of sticky bread. Nice! It was covered with a gooey icing and sprinkled with nuts. It was very hard to resist. It was delicious and harkened to cozy brunch at home, not a restaurant.

After going back and forth about what I was in the mood for, I finally settled on the chilaquiles. I love chilaquiles. Until recently, I would have them about once a week for breakfast. Just imagine crispy tortillas, covered with a delicious chile sauce and cheese. Again, pretty hard to resist. Jar's tortilla chips were thick and fried hard. Definitely a good choice. This allowed for a great crunch even after the addition of the sauce. The chile sauce initially was a nice mild flavor. However, there was a creeping heat. I love the presence of heat without killing my taste buds. The addition of juicy, flavorful carnitas and a dollop of cooling crème fraiche further elevated the dish. As with all Jar entrees, the portion was considerable. While, I attempted to devour every delicious bit of it, I was unable to finish the dish.

I thoroughly enjoyed my brunch at Jar. While the food was fantastic, the price left me elated! It was a delicious, filling, and reasonably priced meal. I may have to make it a regular Sunday outing.

I'm a Culinary Groupie!

2008-10-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking, "What the heck is that?" That's a perfectly valid question. A question I will answer in this post. However, I do so with a bit of trepidation. By retelling the story behind this photo, do I REALLY want to expose the enormity of my craziness (and the craziness of the people I know) to the abyss that is cyberspace?

*sigh* Why not?

The question, "What the heck is that?" Well, my friends (sorry I'm channeling JMac), that is a picture of Anthony Bourdain sitting in his car taken from the PASSENGER seat of my friend's car with my Blackberry. *sigh* I know that your next question is probably, "Why?". That question is a little more difficult for me to answer. Thinking long and hard, it boils down to the fact that I'm a Culinary Groupie! There! I finally said it.

So, my willing accomplice and I were on the 405N headed back home after an afternoon of playing racquetball in Redondo Beach. I was completely spent and decided to nod most of the way back to Culver City. I decided to rouse myself from my exhaustion-induced stupor and enjoy the remainder of the ride. Well, when I looked up, I saw a car with an interesting license frame. However, I only saw the bottom half of the frame that read, "Support A Chef". Of course, I perked up. I asked my friend to speed up a bit so that I could see the rest of the plate. OF COURSE, my friend sped past the car. As I looked over to my right, I noticed that the driver was none other than Anthony Bourdain. Ok, I lost it! I started screaming. It went something like, "Omigod...omigood, that was Anthony Bourdain...SLOW DOWN!" Seriously, all of that. So, my road dog, who encourages my madness said, "Nuh uh!" As she attempted to slow down (for all you Angelenos--yes, on the 405), he decided to slow down as well. I looked in the side mirror and caught a quick glance of him. What was he doing? SMIRKING! He totally knew what we were doing and intentionally slowed down. What a jerk! Oddly, at that moment, I started to love him even more. What did I start to do? Like a LUNATIC, I started to wildly wave my hands out the window and scream "I love you". I know...I know. Clearly frightened, he managed to stay behind us a safe distance. That was all well and good. We didn't want to get shot for slowing down traffic, so we decided just to keep driving and take our exit.

But, WAIT! He got off at my exit!!!

In the back of my mind, I'm wondering why he's going to Culver City. But, hey...I love Culver City, so why not! A part of me also thought that this was meant to be. Exactly what "this" entailed, I can't tell you. Anyway, we both arrived at the stoplight at the same time. So, there we were. Me and Anthony...side by side. Now what? Of course, in all of the excitement, I never thought about what I WOULD do if we caught up with him. Inside the car, there's a bit of back and forth about whether or not I should take a picture. After all of that, we have a minute long back and forth about "to take a picture or not take a picture". The light, not caring about the weight of my dilemma, turns green. Realizing, that it's now or never, I quickly reach over and snap a picture as he starts to drive off. The very picture that precedes this little story.

So, there you have it. I know. Wow! Ok, that happened a couple of months ago. I thought the craziness factor would diminish with time. But, it really doesn't.

By the way, I did finally get a chance to read the rest of the frame. It said, "Support a Chef...Eat Out Often". I couldn't agree more.

Kiss My Bundt

2008-10-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

I first heard of Kiss My Bundt when one of my food groups scheduled a visit. My weekends are usually scheduled a month or so in advance, so I knew I would be able to join them. However, my curiosity was piqued. It's like me and my book clubs. I belonged to two book clubs last year. My schedule prevented me from actually ATTENDING the club meetings, but I always read the books. Same with my food groups. If I can't make an event, I make a mental note to check out the place when I have time. I made a mental to note to stop by the bakery the next time I was in the area. Recently, after a late breakfast and a little shopping with my road dog at The Grove, I decided to head over to the bakery. Although, finding a parking space was daunting task, it was well worth the effort.

As we entered, we were warmly greeted by the owner,Chysta Wilson, who freely invited us to try samples of her cute little cakes. As the child of Southern parents, bundts were frequently present at family gathering or an older relative's kitchen table. Growing up, 7-up, lemon, and Million Dollar bundt cakes were staples. As I stared into the case, filled with familiar treats, I was reminded of my childhood.

The store is an explosion of pink and brown. I happen to love the color combination, and was downright giddy to see it applied so liberally throughout the store. My favorite element was the bright pink couch. A pink couch! So girly, and so perfect. While I LOVED the couch, it led me to the one negative thing about the bakery. As far as seating, the couch is it. So, my desire to sit down and chat while eating my cake and drinking a glass of milk was immediately squashed. But, enough about that. Let's get to the cake.

There is a wide array of flavors available at Kiss My Bundt. There are over 30 flavors and 20 different frostings. Wilson has a selection of eight flavors that are available everyday (Daily 8), along with a few flavors from her list. I had the pleasure of tasting six flavors: vanilla with buttercream, red velvet, pumpkin spice with cinnamon sugar glaze, carrot cake, luscious lemon, and banana chocolate. Each cake was firm, as a good bundt cake should be, but still moist. Also, if you are a frosting fiend, you have found your heaven.

The red velvet was one of the best of have tried in Los Angeles. In the past few years, Los Angeles has become OBSESSED with red velvet cake. Wilson stated that it was by far her most popular flavor. Red Velvet cake has been around for a very long time, especially in the South. My best friend's mom, Mrs. B makes the absolute BEST red velvet cake. Hers was the first I had tried and 14 years later, it's still the best. But, as I can't travel back to the South for a piece of Mrs. B's cake whenever the craving hits me, I can travel on over to Kiss My Bundt's for the next best thing.

Her carrot cake, pumpkin spice, and lemon cakes were heavenly. The lemon cake was light and intensely flavored. True to it's name, it was luscious. The lemon cake was a definite throwback to one of those flavors I remembered and loved from my childhood. However, I did not enjoy the chocolate banana cake. I think it had more to do with the combination for me. I love banana. I like chocolate. But never the two shall mix. So, I pretty much confirmed that I do not like the combination.

However, my favorite by far was the pumpkin spice with the cinnamon sugar glaze. I can't even describe how delicious it was. I love the spice cake. The cake was extremely delicious. But, it was the icing that got me. Again, the icing took me back. I remembered my mother and my aunts making bundt cakes. They would prepare these simple glaze icings made from confectioner's sugar. They would drizzle the icing all over the still warm cake letting the icing slowly cascade down the sides. Mmmm. It was so simple, yet it was such a delicious addition to the cake.

My visit to Kiss My Bundt allowed me the chance to recall a lot of really fond memories from my childhood. The cake was not the focal point, but a wonderful centerpiece of times spent with my family. When I asked Wilson why she chose bundts, she also told a story about family. She shared memories of cooking bundt cakes with her aunt. This same aunt would send her care packages, while she was away at college, containing a bundt cake and a little money. I too, remembered receiving similar care packages. So, what's so special about bundt cakes? I mean, it's just cake. It's a little more than that. It's also tradition. I realize as I get older, seemingly unimportant things become more significant.

Also, although, I never thought this would happen, I'm getting tired of cupcakes. I welcome the switch to the cupcakes soulful cousin, the bundt.

Kiss My Bundt Bakery
8104 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Located at Crescent Heights Blvd., near the Grove)
Phone: (323) 655-0559
http://www.kissmybundt.net/

Recipe: Pizzeria Mozza's Butterscotch Budino

2008-10-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

I loved Pizzeria Mozza’s Butterscotch Budino. Here’s a recipe that was posted in the May 9th, 2007 edition of the NY Times. You may not be able to find all of the items in your local grocery store. However, a trip to your local gourmet or specialty store will surely produce the items. Enjoy! I know I will. I’m thinking Thanksgiving dessert.

Butterscotch Budino With Caramel Sauce

Adapted from Dahlia Narvaez of Pizzeria Mozza

Time: 1 hour, plus 3 hours’ chilling

FOR THE BUDINO

3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/8 cups dark brown sugar
1 1/2teaspoons kosher salt
5 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum

FOR THE SAUCE AND TOPPING

3/4 cup heavy cream
Scrapings from 1-inch piece of vanilla bean, or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
2tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons fleur de sel
3/4 cup crème fraîche.

1. For the budino, combine cream and milk in bowl or pitcher, set aside. Whisk egg, egg yolks and cornstarch in medium bowl, set aside.

2. Combine brown sugar, kosher salt and 1/2 cup water in pot. Place over medium-high heat and let sit until edges start to brown. Tilt pot as needed to even the browning until caramelized, nutty and deep brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Immediately whisk in cream mixture, mixture will steam and caramel will seize. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Whisk a cup at a time into egg mixture until half is incorporated. Remove from heat, and immediately whisk egg mixture back into pot until custard is very thick, about 2 minutes.

4. Whisk in butter and rum. Pass through a fine mesh strainer and divide among 10 6-ounce ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap, allow to cool, and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or up to 3 days.

5. For sauce, combine 1/2 cup of cream and the vanilla in medium saucepan. Heat until simmering. Add butter and remove from heat; set aside.

6. In large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine corn syrup, sugar and enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make a wet, sandy mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling pan for even cooking, until mixture is medium amber, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in cream mixture; set aside and let cool. (May be refrigerated and reheated before serving.)

7. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup cream in a large bowl until it begins to thicken. Add crème fraîche and whisk until thick and fluffy. To serve, spoon a tablespoon of warm caramel sauce over each budino. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon fleur de sel, and add a dollop of cream topping.

Yield: 10 servings.

Late Night Stop at Pizzeria Mozza

2008-10-10T14:30:00.001-07:00

Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza. *sigh*

I've wanted to visit both establishments since they opened. Moreso, Osteria Mozza. However, I was frightened away by all of the horror stories surrounding getting a table. I'm not one who really likes rejection, so I've put a much-needed visit on the back burner indefinitely. I've heard that Pizzeria Mozza gets pretty packed as well. The lines forming outside the entrance as I pass the restaurant on the way to the Arclight only confirmed the talk. Since, I'm not into standing in lines; I've put that off as well. That is...until recently.

After a happy hour drink at J's Lounge and a couple of cocktails (and more cheese than I care to admit) at an event on Sunset, my hunger overcame me. While trying to decide where to grab a late night bite, I summoned up a little courage/

"I want to go to Pizzeria Mozza"

I figured its 10pm on a Thursday; surely, I can get in without waiting. After the short trek over to the restaurant, I opened the doors and saw a packed (and quite lively restaurant). Semi-defeated, I asked for a table and luckily the host pointed to two chairs at the bar. I grabbed them quickly and thanked God for loving me. As soon as I sat down, three other parties came in and had to wait. Score!

It's totally as cute as can be. The reds, orange tones, and dark wood. The decor certainly added to the warm and intimate, yet lively feel of the restaurant. The table setting was an adorable paper placemat chock full of pizza trivia (I LOVED that! BTW, did you know that those crazy Costa Ricans favor coconut on their pizza?). The silverware was presented in an adorable little paper bag. Adorable, just adorable. One of the things I loved most about Pizzeria Mozza was the thoughtful touches. There were hooks under the bar to hang my purse. There was a little foot rest that prevented my legs from dangling all night. The wait staff was phenomenal. True professionals. My water glass was never empty. They were attentive. They gave helpful suggestions. In short, they were the epitome of awesome.

I had the insalata mista to start. It was a simple salad of mixed greens and a light, sweet dressing. But, salad is salad. At Pizzeria Mozza, it's all about the pizza. I selected the Speck, bufala mozzarella, olive tapanade & oregano pizza. The waiter informed me that the items were added to the pizza after the dough was cooked. I admit, I was a little put off by that. I mean, come on! I was dreaming of gooey, hot mozzarella. There's nothing better than that! But, I absolutely love everything on the pizza, so I ordered it anyway. It was really good, but still a little different and surprising. The pizza crust was delicious and extremely flaky. I thoroughly enjoyed eating every bit of it. The cheese was nice and soft, elevated by a little dollop of tapenade atop each piece. With the addition of the deliciously generous slices of speck (smoked prosciutto) and fresh oregano, the flavors melded together to form a truly delicious pie. Full, from two consuming two pieces, I decided to take the remainder home. While, I found the hot and cold aspect interesting and still enjoyed the flavors, I'm looking forward to popping it in the oven for a few minutes and enjoying it hot.

As mentioned before, I've heard a lot of "talk" about Pizzeria Mozza. In all of the talk, there was one item that was mentioned time and time again. The Butterscotch Budino. Although, I was full, my inner foodie would not let me go without tasting it. That's not to say that our waiter didn't prod us a bit. The couple next to us ordered the budino. The waiter asked us to watch them take their first bite. If we were on the fence, their reaction would seal the deal. It did (not that I needed much convincing). The dessert arrived in a glass. The majority of it filled with a deliciously smooth and creamy butterscotch pudding. It was a serious pudding. Not that overly sweet stuff that you often find. Sitting atop the pudding was a dark, sticky caramel sauce. The dish was finished by a dollop of whipped crème fraiche and fleur de sel. I loaded my spoon, making sure to get all of the elements of the budino. It was simply sublime. I guarantee I will have dreams about that dessert. It also came with a couple of tiny rosemary pine nut cookies. The cookies were savory and a nice accompaniment to the budino.

So, in short…I enjoyed Pizzeria Mozza. At the end of the meal, the waiter asked for our opinion of the dessert. As we sang the praises of all things butterscotch and caramel, he made a statement that mirrored one of my cardinal food beliefs, “If you are going to eat something, it should be good. Don’t waste a meal on bad food." His statement only served to confirm what I already assumed about Pizzeria Mozza. It’s a place where people who love food can enjoy simple food done extremely well. Their love and respect for food is very present. You find it in the décor. It exists in the staff. It’s present in the people dining there. But, it’s especially there in the food.

Pizzeria Mozza
http://www.mozza-la.com/pizzeria/about.cfm

Endless Summer Barbecue Sunday's at Ford's Filling Station

2008-10-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, a friend and I decided to go to Ford's Filling Station for dinner. My last visit was earlier in the summer with one of my food groups. The outing was a progressive dinner, and the organizer chose Ford's for our 1st course. The memory of all of the wonderfully prepared dishes led me there. I had to stop myself from salivating at the thought of their simple, yet delectable flatbreads (white shrimp and jamon serrano were superb). How could I forget their lovely roast beef salad? Because I enjoyed so many dishes during my last visit, I had no idea how to settle on one dish with visions of all of their yummy food dancing in my head.

Luckily, my "dilemma" was resolved rather quickly. Much to my delight, I found that in addition to the tasty regular dinner menu, Sunday was Endless Summer Barbecue Sunday! Since September 21st, Ford's has offered a special barbecue menu at dinner. For only $18, you have your choice of two meats and two sides. There was no way I could pass up that deal! The meat selections were numerous. There were pork ribs, pulled pork, chicken, sausage, and beef brisket. The side dishes selection was also quite nice. The choices included Tuscan cabbage, succotash, heirloom tomatoes, corn on the cob, and a few other items.

I selected the brisket, pulled pork, Tuscan cabbage (or carvolo pero), and succotash. The portions at Ford's are ridiculous. I was presented with a heaping plate of meat and veggies. I found the brisket flavorful, but a little over done. I was expecting slices of tender, juicy brisket. I was a little disappointed. Even with the addition of the spicy barbecue sauce, it left much to be desired. However, the pulled pork more than made up for the lackluster brisket. The pork was tender and packed with flavor. It was moist and succulent. Everything you expect to find in pulled pork. I could see bits of onion and red bell pepper sprinkled throughout the delicious meat. Mmmm! For my side dishes, I selected the Tuscan cabbage and succotash. The cabbage was very similar to kale in appearance. The greens appeared slow cooked with onions and other spices. They were good, but I did not enjoy the texture of the greens. They were still a little too crunchy for my taste. Sadly, most of them remained on my plate. However, the succotash was AWESOME. This version of succotash included, fresh corn, fennel, onion, and black-eyed peas. In general, I REALLY dislike black-eyed peas. As a girl with Southern roots, black-eyed peas occasionally found their way to the family dinner table. One of the few constants in my culinary dislikes is my loathing of black-eyed peas. I've never had them and enjoyed them...that's no longer the case. I enjoyed them very much as a part of the succotash. They were not the focus. Instead they served the role of a minor, yet important supporting character. So, while Ford's didn't convert me, I'm starting to come around. The dish was absolutely delicious and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Again, I'm enjoying the wonderful restaurants in and around Culver City. Ford's Filling Station is certainly becoming one of my favorites.

Ford's Filling Station
http://www.fordsfillingstation.net/

I'm BACK!

2008-09-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

I'm officially returning from my hiatus! Yay! In my last post, I mentioned taking a hiatus due to health reasons. Overall, I'm fine. However, I have to dramatically alter my eating habits. Huge adjustment. Less going out and more cooking at home. Fortunately, I love to cook. This brings me to my main point. The focus of adventuresofawannabefoodie will expand a bit. Prior to the hiatus, I began to expand my focus with the MILK review. Now, I'm just planning to open the doors a little wider. Now, I'll share my healthy recipes and dining experiences, in addition to my fine dining experiences.

Also, let's not forget Top Chef. I literally squealed with excitement when I saw the teasers for Top Chef: New York. I'm looking forward to writing more thorough recaps this year. My schedule was really crazy last year and I didn't have the time to write. This year is different. My schedule is still crazy...just not as crazy as last year.

Hiatus

2008-08-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I'm taking a little break. I went to a progressive dinner in July that I need to update, but I just haven't had time to sit down and write about it. However, for health reasons, I have to take a little break.

In the meantime, Happy Eating!

Got Milk! Recipes

2008-07-03T07:02:00.001-07:00

I know I'm late. But, here are a few of the recipes from the Got Milk event. Additional recipes are available at .. ENJOY!

ICE BLENDED GREEN TEA
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon Japanese green tea powder
1⁄4 cup nonfat powdered milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1⁄2 cup low fat condensed sweetened milk
1⁄2 cup low fat evaporated milk
1 1⁄2 cups nonfat milk
6 cups ice

DIRECTIONS:
Sift together tea powder, powdered milk and sugar.In a blender, add tea powder mix along with the rest of the ingredients and blend on high speed until smooth.

MILKIE WAY MALT
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 quart vanilla bean ice cream
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons malted milk mix
1⁄4 cup caramel sauce
1⁄4 cup chocolate syrup
1⁄4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup malted milk balls
whipped cream to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Freeze 4 glasses. Drizzle caramel and chocolate syrups in each of the chilled cups for decoration. Place one pint of vanilla bean ice cream, 1/2 cup of malted milk into the blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour malt into 2 of the glasses, then repeat the process with the rest of the ice cream and fill the other glasses.Pipe whipped cream on top of the malts and top with the malt balls

CORNBREAD WITH RASPBERRY JELLY
SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS:
1⁄2 pound sugar
2 tablespoons pastry cream powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
9 ounces whole milk
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces flour
5 ounces cornmeal, fine or medium ground
5 ounces butter
1 tablespoon baking powder
1⁄2 cup raspberry jam
2 ears of corn

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place butter in a thick bottom sauce pot and cook over medium heat until butter begins to brown and smell a bit nutty. Set aside. Remove husk from corn, along with corn sills (hairs)and cut the kernels from the cob. Reserve kernels
and discard the cob. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Whisk together egg, vanilla extract and milk and set aside. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet, whisk until just combined. Do not over whisk. Add corn and brown butter to the batter and whisk to combine. Pour half of the batter into a buttered loaf pan
(3"x3"x8") or 10" round cake pan. Spoon the raspberry jam down the center of the batter, then pour the rest of the cornbread batter in the pan. Sprinkle some of the cornmeal and sugar on top of the bread to produce a nice crust. Bake at 325ºF for about 30-35 minutes or done. Check by inserting a skewer into middle of the
loaf. Upon removing, it should be dry. Let the loaf cool to room temperature. Remove the loaf from the pan. Note: For easier removal of loaf from pan, cut a piece of parchment or baking paper the size of the bottom of the pan and place in pan before adding the batter. This will help it release from the pan when ready to de-mold.

Way to Go STEPHANIE!

2008-07-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

So, I started this post on June 13th, and now it's July 2nd. The finale was a couple of weeks ago and I really don't have much to say about it. I'm glad Lisa lost. I'm glad Stephanie won. I'm sad Richard did poorly. The finale was the most anti-climatic thing I've ever seen. I mean, seriously.

Champagne Tasting at K&L Wine Merchants

2008-06-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

So, a couple of weeks ago, I went to a champagne tasting at K&L Wine Merchants! Can you say yummy? K&L, which was founded over 30 years ago,is a wonderful little place.

Every Thursday, the Hollywood location has wine tasting for $10. Because I'm a LA Foodie, it was discounted to $5. Yay me! I thought what better way to unwind from my busy week. Another plus, I might learn a little something other than the fact that I like champagne.

The tasting consisted of six champagnes ranging in price from $30-$80. Also, they were all Bruts. There was the Gosset Brut Excellence ($29.99). It was a a blend of of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. It was nice. I was a little put off because they were not served in flutes and I missed the bubbles. I find the bubbles very exciting. It's really the best part of drinking champagne. The next was the Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve. It was mostly Chardonnay, but still a blend of the three grapes. I found it very aggressive. It also didn't have the usual finish that I come to expect from champagne. It was smooth and you could really taste the fruit. The third wine was the Delamotte Brut Champagne. It was 50% Chardonnay. I really enjoyed this one. It was a little lighter and sweeter. Some of the other tasters didn't like it as much, but who cares. Again, it's all about what YOU like. The fourth wine was the Jacquesson Brut Cuvee#732. This particular producer numbers their wine. This particular wine was from 2004. It contained more Pinto Meunier and very different in taste. I really did not enjoy it. Next was the Laurent-Perrier "Grand Siecle" Champagne. It was a vintage blend of 1995,1996, and 1998 wines. It was 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. It was not too acidic and VERY good. Mmmm. Finally, we received a special tasting of the Delamotte vintage 1999. It was ok. It just didn't do it for me.

One of the other tasters commented on how unimpressed she was with the choices. Frankly, I thought they were all fine. Of course, I enjoyed some more than others...but still, it was all good. She went on to comment that she really likes Perrier Jouet. Well, I mean come on. That champagne is a little more expensive and I have to agree, delicious. NO contest.

I actually learned a few interesting tidbits about champagne. For instance, I did not know that champagne cannot be released for at least 18 months. Fascinating. Also, I never really thought about the composition of it all. All of the champagnes I tried were blends. I found that most champagnes, with the exception of blancs are blends. Also, I learned about the difference between vintage and non-vintage champagne. Every year, champagne producers must set aside at least 20 percent of the wine for use in a future non-vintage wine. Also, producers get to decide which years will be vintage. Vintage wines are composed of grapes collected all in the same year. See, I didn't know the difference. Now, I do. Pretty neat.

K&L is considered one of the best wine stores in CA, and an excellent source for the online shopper. They have three locations:in San Francisco, Redwood City and Hollywood, California. I had to rush off to a meeting on the other side of town, but I can see why they are so highly regarded. For a moment, I got a little lost in the vast array of wines from all around the World. I had to tear myself away. I found their prices really reasonable (actually a little less than BevMo---my go to place for alcohol. Also, the staff was really knowledgeable and helpful. Always, a plus. I will definitely make my way back over there.

K&L Hollywood
1400 Vine Street
Hollywood, CA, 90028
(323) 464-WINE (9463)
(323) 836-0853 (Fax)
Store Hours: M-F: 10-8pm, Sat: 10-8pm, Sun: 11-6pm

Time to Hang Up His Hat-Spike's OUT!

2008-05-30T10:22:00.001-07:00

And then there were four, the wrong four, but still four. This past episode was really good. Marred only by the fact that pinched face Lisa is still there.

Quickfire-They have to change into AWESOME meat packer uniforms and break down a humongous rack of beef into several frenched tomahawk chops. Spike, the progeny of butchers kicks everyone’s behind. The chops are beautiful. I have to give him props. After butchering, they have to return to the Top Chef kitchen and prepare a perfect medium rare chop for the guest chef, Chicago chef Rick Tramonto. Next we are treated to some lovely food porn. Seriously, there is nothing better than a good, steak. Just watching them grill, broil, and sear those steaks made me so hungry. MMMMM. In the end, Spike reigns supreme. No surprise there.

Elimination challenge: Prepare an appetizer and entree using what they find in the guest chefs restaurant. Cool! I actually love these challenges every year. It forces them to be creative, without imposing ridiculous obstacles. Due to his quick fire win, Spike was able to pick his proteins first. Why, oh why did that knucklehead pick frozen scallops? EYE don't use frozen scallops. For me, the texture is just never right after freezing.

Highlights: Harold and Hung! I love them and it was nice to see them again. Richard's sweetbreads and hamachi dish. Yum! Antonia's steak. Mmmm. Ribeye is the most deliciously marbled cut. I wanted that steak! Antonia's quip - Antonia: (explaining why the stove needs to remain partially open) It needs air or it will die. Lisa: What if I die? Antonia: Well, I guess you aren't going to Puerto Rico. Tee hee!

Lowpoints-Ilan. Ugh. Lisa moving forward to PR. Me rooting for Spike to stay.

It's witch'Craft

2008-05-27T16:14:00.001-07:00

I've cancelled more than one reservation at Craft since the Los Angeles location opened last year. However, my favorite shopping soror-buddy wanted to have an early dinner this past holiday weekend, so although I was still salty about Top Chef, I decided I really wanted to go. So, I did...AND IT WAS FREAKIN' GREAT! Craft has totally bewitched me. Craft is a little on the expensive side, even for me. But, I really didn't mind. Everything was so delicious and the wait staff was so attentive...even before I took out my little book to take notes (which I FINALLY remembered to bring). I'm so glad I remembered that little book. If I didn't, I would leave out so much. I still think I'm going to leave stuff out.
So, let me get on with it!

The amuse consisted of a little crostini with tomatoes and house made ricotta (another friend noted that it was goat cheese-but I found it too mild for goat cheese). I'm going to make an assumption that the tomatoes were heirlooms. Also, I could taste oregano. My initial comment was that it tasted like pizza. It was the perfect, yummy first bite.

1st course-Japanese hamachi and Tuscan melon and Veal Sweetbreads. I LOVE yellowtail. Seriously, it's my standard sushi/sashimi order. It took a minute for me to find it on the expansive menu. But, once I did, I knew I had to have it. The fish was fresh, sliced nicely, and seasoned with a bit of olive oil and salt. The melon was presented in the form of nice cubes and thin slices (resembling pickled ginger). I'm a huge fan of salty sweet. I frequently sprinkle a bit of salt on melon. So, that flavor was very familiar. There was also a little cranberry and sliced ginger to round out the dish. It was an interesting combination, especially with the cranberry. However, it was a light and harmonious start to the meal. My soror ordered the veal sweetbreads, and I had to have a taste. They were also very delicious. Initially, I was resistant to sweetbreads. Once again, I remembered that my parents are from the South. Over the years, I've had various types of offals before I even knew what they were, so I went for it. I'm so glad I did. While, the sweetbreads were nicely cooked, they were able to shine with the addition of a nice onion marmalade and kumquat. Mmmm.

Entree-The black cod and ramp. The cod was wrapped in prosciutto. Double yum. I rarely eat bacon/ham, but I get downright giddy when something is COOKED with bacon/ham. I am especially fond of prosciutto and pancetta. Alone, it does nothing for me. But, in the right dish, it provides such great flavor. The cod was nestled atop a bit of ramp puree and beluga lentils. The fish, which was a little under seasoned otherwise, really benefitted from the prosciutto. But, the texture of the fish was really nice. I was extremely pleased to see the lentils. They were a nice addition to the dish. While the ramp puree provided great color, it didn’t add much to the dish. But, all in all, it was a really great dish.

Side dish- roasted Jerusalem artichokes (or sunchokes).After ordering the artichokes, the server asked if I was familiar with them. I knew that they were not your standard green artichoke. Jerusalem artichokes (or sunchokes) are a root veggie. Not a very attractive thing at all. But, it is QUITE tasty. The site wiseGEEK gave a great description as "a cross between a rutabaga, potato, sunflower seed, and water chestnut." They were lightly seasoned and had the right amount of oil. I literally could not stop eating them. They were that delicious. My only complaint was that I wished they were a little tenderer. Just a tad.

Dessert amuse-Yogurt panna cotta, tangerine sorbet, and sauterne gelee. I was very excited when I saw the little dish. I love panna cotta and this was nice. I didn't LOVE the texture of the panna cotta. It was not as firm as I would have liked. However, I think it was not meant to be. The sauterne gelee was really nice.

Dessert-Peanut Butter Cup with peanut brittle, caramel gelee and caramel gelato. I had a hard time deciding on a dessert. Everything looked wonderful. I was actually leaning towards the many interesting gelatos and sorbets. In the end, I recalled the many great reviews of the peanut butter cup, and ordered it. It was quite literally a peanut butter cup…the largest one I’ve ever seen. It had a chocolate cookie crust (that I wished was a little sweeter) and a layer of delicious salty peanut butter topped with chocolate. It was good, but not as sweet as I anticipated. It was a little too much on the salty side for me. However, as I continued to pair it with the ice cream, I liked it a little better. The ice cream was very good. Perfectly, smooth and creamy. Nice color and subtle caramel flavor. Still, in retrospect, it was good. However, I don’t think I would order it again.

Post-dessert treat- For our post-dessert treat we were presented with a raspberry macaroon. It was very similar to the one I had at MILK, however, the temperature was right. It consisted of two raspberry macaroons with raspberry gelee or jam in the middle. I'm not a huge raspberry fan, so it was just ok. I kept dreaming I had the MILK macaroon at the correct temperature. Oh, and this brings me to the only thing I really disliked all night...the citrus petit four (that was actually similar to a jelly candy). I made the mistake of popping the entire thing in my mouth. WHY?!? It was soooo tart and intense. I quickly ate it and drank a few sips of water. NOT A FAN. But, after paying the check, it was quickly forgotten. Why you ask? TO GO TREAT! We were given a little banana walnut muffin packaged in a cute little bag secured with a Craft sticker. Since my soror is allergic to nuts, I got TWO muffins. I ate them the next day (one for breakfast and the other for dessert after dinner), and I have to say they were delicious! They were moist. I could see and taste the banana. The density of the cake was just perfect. The nuts were numerous and crunchy. It was one of the best muffins I've ever had. Seriously, that was a good muffin.

I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner at Craft. I can't wait to go back and try other items. Now I finally know why Chef Tom is the bees knees!

Got Milk? Blogger Event at MILK

2008-05-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

It's official, I'm a food blogger! On Monday, I attended an event at MILK. The wonderful folks at Got Milk? (a wonderful non-profit organization based in California that promotes the consumption and use of milk) partnered with Chef Bret Thompson of the 15-month old MILK to share a few of his delightful treats. This partnership was a first for both parties, as well as the first time Got Milk? hosted a blogger event!

First of all, MILK is totally cute. It's reminiscent of an old time ice cream shoppe. Upon entering, you are greeted by an overabundance of delicious treats in, around, and atop of the cases.

That day, Chef Thompson showcased a number of his special treats for us to enjoy.

Milky Way Malt-One of the servers noted that this treat was one of the customer favorites. The look of the malt resembled cookies and cream ice cream. The cup lined with streams of gooey chocolate and caramel sauces. Nestled on top of the malt was a small dollop of whipped cream, sprinkled with tiny malted chocolate balls. Full disclosure, I'm not a huge chocolate hound. I prefer fruity to chocolate. However, even I have to admit that this was a sinfully delicious malt.

Raspberry-Corn Muffin-I had my doubts about this. I had a little bit of a block when it came to the creamed corn and the raspberry. After one bite of the moist muffin, with the creamy corn center and raspberry jam at the bottom, I became a believer. It was quite yummy and one of my favs of the night.

Ice-blended MILK green tea-Ok, one word...YUMMERS! I love green tea. LOVE it! The drink was nice and smooth. The green tea flavor was ever so subtle. To top it off, there was a nice dollop of whipped cream. This was one of my favorites of the night. I think I had at least three of them.

Arroz con leche-This was my least favorite of the night. It was basically a tiny ice cream sandwich. The texture of the rice cookie and the ice cream did not work for me at all. First of all, they were both a bit hard. Although, I think the problem had more to do with the temperature than the actual execution of the dessert. Still, not a favorite.

Berry tres leches-I LOVE tres leches cake. However, if you've ever had/made one, you know most cakes are rather dense. However, Chef Thompson uses a sponge cake. The cake was layered with two types of cake. One infused with blueberry used as a soaking liquid and another that was vanilla. Between the layers was a deliciously light custard. The cake was topped with whipped cream and fresh berries. This cake was light, moist, and beyond delicious. Many attendees selected this cake as a definite favorite of the night, and I wholeheartedly agree.

Banana dulce de leche ice cream dipped in butterscotch and almonds- Whew, that was a mouthful! Again, not to sound repetitive, but I LOVE dulce de leche. This wonderful ice cream arrived on cute little cones. The cones were then dipped in butterscotch and covered with almonds. The ice cream had an intense banana flavor that I really enjoyed. Again, dulce de leche, bananas, butterscotch, and almonds...all things I love. However, it was a bit much for me. It was a little too sweet. After so many desserts, it was difficult to finish it. Dessert overload?!? I never thought I would see the day.

Last, but certainly not least, the Butternut squash soup-The only thing, besides a great deal of water, that saved me from collapsing into a sugar-induced coma right in the middle of MILK was this soup. Chef Thompson felt it was important to include a savory dish to the mix. I'm so glad he did. The soup, served in a champagne glass, was my hands down favorite of the night. It was perfect! It was creamy, silky smooth, and perfectly seasoned. It was further topped off by a bit of cream fraiche and spiced pepitas. So, the creaminess of the soup was truly enhanced by the nice crunch of the toasted seeds.

Now, I know that in addition to the yummy sweet treats available at MILK, I can enjoy the great food offered there as well. Something, I plan to do very soon. Why you may ask? Um guess, who won the grand raffle prize? Me, that's who! I received a pail with a stuffed cow, Got Milk? t-shirt and travel mug, chocolate chip cookies and cranberry-pumpkin walnut bread from MILK (which my co-workers enjoyed), AND a $50gift card from MILK. I never win anything, so I was so geeked!

Also, since Chef Thompson was nice enough to share, I will post some of the recipes next week. But, if you can't wait, PLEASE stop by for a visit. MILK is located at 7290 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046,(323) 939-6455.

You've GOT to be kidding me!

2008-05-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

I mean, seriously! Come on!!! Top Chef decided to pick up the fragments of my broken heart and stomp on them! I'm still in shock, however, I was not surprised. Once, he decided to head that sinking ship, I knew it was over. If Lisa and her pinched little face is not knifed next week, I'm not sure I can stomach the rest of the season. Lisa, Spike, and Antonia should have left before Andrew and Dale.

*end rant*

Fine Dining in Atlanta

2008-05-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm returning from a weeklong trip down South. I was in Atlanta this past weekend, and I made a point of going to Restaurant Eugene. Once my trip to Atlanta was planned, I had to research restaurants. Restaurant Eugene was atop several lists as the best restaurant in Atlanta. So, I made a reservation for myself and several friends for Friday night. Then, I received confirmation. Chef Linton Hopkins was on Iron Chef. While, he lost to my fav Chef Morimoto, his dishes looked absolutely delicious. I was really excited!

Of course, my friends and I got lost on our way to the restaurant. Mind you, we had directions. And no, we had not had one sip of alcohol at that point. But, I tell you. One wrong turn can do you in. We finally made it. Ok, who opened the door for us as we walked into the restaurant...um, Chef Hopkins. How cool is that! He was super friendly and welcoming. That really made the night for me. Of course, I'm the only idiot who is totally starstruck by chefs. Seriously, I saw Hubert Keller walking through Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas last year and was over the top excited. I'm crazy, I know.

Anyway, the restaurant is really beautiful. Simple, earth tones, lovely. Since we were going to a wine bar for drinks after dinner, we all skipped wine and I ordered an entree and dessert. For my entree, I had halibut, with fried coleslaw. The halibut had a perfectly browned, crispy crust. The fish was delicate, flaky, and buttery. Perfectly cooked and delicious. Now, on to the coleslaw. I have never heard of nor imagined fried coleslaw. But, I will say it was quite tasty. It was fashioned in a stack, with fried crust. Also, to my delight, the coleslaw stack included lobster. Mmmm. It was finished off with shrimp and shaved fennel on top. It was unique. I really enjoyed the crunchiness of the dish. The veggies were crunchy and fresh. The seafood was nicely cooked. The dressing was also light, albeit a bit too vinegary for my taste. Still, I loved the concept. Sadly my dessert, carrot cake with butter pecan ice cream, was lackluster. The carrot cake was carrot cake. Nothing inventive or exciting about it. However, I will note that the ice cream was really good. Not too sweet, creamy and smooth. I find many places have ice cream that is too icy...if that makes sense. So, while delicious, it too was just...good ice cream. Nothing special.

All in all, it was pretty darn good. One of the better fish dishes I've had. Sadly, the dessert was a miss for me. However, the service was spectacular. Our waiter was friendly and very attentive. Also, a couple of managers came around to check on us. Oh, yes, we were welcomed by the chef. That's always adds to the experience. Most of all, it was a great meal because of the conversation and laughter my friends and I shared over our meals.

I'm so sad!

2008-05-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

*sigh* Why? That's all I have to say. Why Andrew?

A Taste of the Nation

2008-05-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Share our Strength is a wonderful organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America. A Taste of the Nation is one of their big fundraising events. The event is held in various cities throughout the US. If it comes to your city, please try and attend. It's a unique opportunity to support a great cause, while eating the best food available in your city. I know I'll be there on June 1st when it comes to my City! Remember, it's tax-deductible and 100% of the proceeds go to organizations dedicated to ending childhood hunger.

Orange County, CA
May 2

Houston, TX
May 4
Austin, TX
May 4
Northern New Jersey
May 5
New York City, NY
May 14
Manchester, NH
May 19
Hartford, CT
May 22
Los Angeles, CA
June 1
Denver, CO
June 1
Baltimore, MD
June 2
Philadelphia, PA
June 2
Minneapolis, MN
June 3
Las Vegas, NV
June 4
Pioneer Valley, MA
June 9
Ft Lauderdale, FL
June 11
Ithaca, NY
June 17
Portsmouth, NH
June 18
Baton Rouge, LA
June 19
Portland, ME
June 22
Dallas, TX
June 29
New Orleans, LA
July 13
Miami, FL
July 24
Seattle, WA
July 31
Salt Lake City, UT
August 3
Orlando, FL
August 9
Napa Valley, CA
August 25

Checking in

2008-04-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

To say things have been hectic lately is an understatement! However, I am now on the other side of the mountain and things are settling down. My last foray was Sunday Supper at Lucques. Again, that was wonderful. I have managed to watch every episode of Top Chef. SOOOOOO much to say.

1) Still love Dale. He's just precious. I LOVED his apology to Lisa. From that day on, I promised to apologize to people in the same manner. Basically, I'm sorry for yelling/being mean to you, but you get on my nerves/I just don't like anything about you. :-)

2) Love Stephanie and Andrew. I think Stephanie might be our next Top Chef.

3) I'm glad Spike was FINALLY able to make that damn squash soup.

4) Why is Nikki still there? Even better question, what is up with her HAIR!?! That updo thingy she has going on looks insane.

5) I'm glad Jenn's gone. Liked her until Zoi left. I just wanted to SCREAM every time she told us she was "doing this for Zoi"

6) Spike and Mark?!? I'm going to leave it alone. I'm so un-PC. I'm sure to offend someone.

7)The food looks fantastic this year. I seriously want to make/eat everything.

8) I'm tired of the catering challenges. Seriously...TIRED! Don't mind the team challenges as much, but I'm almost tired of them.

I'm still considering my next visit. I'm leaning towards Comme Ca or Josie. Also, I'll be in Nashville and Atlanta in coming weeks. I've identified two restaurants that I will visit while out of town. Looking forward to sharing my experiences.

Anonymous Shout-out

2008-04-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

I believe I mentioned in a previous post that I sometimes fail to mention if I am dining alone or with others. There is really no rhyme or reason why I do it. Sometimes, I don't feel like writing about other people because I feel the need to describe what they ate. My posts are long enough. Sometimes, I'm just lazy. I don't feel like writing. It just depends.

So, my road dog decided to catch up on reading my blog and discovered that she was omitted from two or three of my posts. Today is a lazy (and BUSY) day for me, so I'm not about to go back and fill in. However, she requested a shout-out. However, I seriously doubt that she would want me to put her name all up and through here. Isn't that ironic?

So, big shout out to she who will not be named here! :-)~

Top Chef: Block Party

2008-04-08T14:16:00.001-07:00

I HATE that I do not have time to watch Top Chef and write about it. Also, I'm still sans lap top. *sigh*

So, Block Party.

* Spike and Andrew need to kill the Borat shtick. Seriously, I've reached my limit.

*Tired of the "true to the street food" and "soul chef" crap. Make the freaking taco and shut up about it. I just didn't understand it.

*I wanted to reach through the screen and grab Drew's duck taco with plantain jam and cotija cheese. Yumalicious!

*Richard's taco was really interesting. However, I thought a little shrimp or something would have worked better for me.

*HELLO! Can we see what EVERYONE made!? I wanted to see Dale's dish. It was all layered and stacked and stuff. :-(

*Erik and the corndog. How can they make a similar mistake twice in a row? Crazy!

*Didn't care for the elimination challenge

*I thought Red had a slight advantage, but they both kinda sucked

*Who makes a bad pasta salad? Wow!

*Drew's outburst...WOW!! LOL. That's right boy! That's your house!

Sunday Supper at Lucques

2008-04-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

So, I dined at Lucques (pronounced Luke--very important) this past Sunday. The Sunday Supper is a Lucques tradition and a great way to experience Lucques if you are on a budget. The Sunday Supper consists of a three course meal for $40. Considering the fact that Chef Suzanne Goin is a James Beard award winner and Lucques was just named the best restaurant in Los Angeles, $40 is a steal. I had the great pleasure of dining with another member of my food group. As I said before, although we were strangers, we just chatted away. I could talk about food all day.

The first course was a salad of james birch's baby escarole with mustard, lemon, parmesan and garlic croutons. I'm of the opinion that a salad is a salad. But, I will admit that the salad was really tasty. Fresh greens, nice creamy dressing, and the crunchiness from the croutons. It was a rather large salad, and I ate the entire thing. Again, fresh ingredients can elevate the mundane.

The second course was the ragoût of beef shortribs and spring vegetables (asparagus and french green beans) with farro and savory crème fraîche. I love short ribs...love them! Since they are so hearty and it is spring, I thought my short rib window was closed. But, alas, here they were. The short rib was tender and nicely flavored. It was one of the best short ribs I have ever had. The creme fraiche was dolloped on top of the entree. I was able to identify chive. It was delicious and added a pleasant creaminess to the dish. The veggies were nice and crisp. A surprising and nice contrast to the tender short rib. Farro. Wow. This was my first experience with farro. Farro is a wheat grain. It had a very unique texture. I can totally see people not appreciating the texture. However, I thought it played well with the meal. It was simply delicious.

And then there was dessert. The dessert was almond cake with citrus zest, candied rhubarb and strawberries, and vanilla custard. The cake was moist, yet had a deliciously crunchy top. The custard was smooth and a perfect consistency. As for the fruit, I was not particularly fond of the rhubarb. But, the strawberries were nice. Frankly, I would have enjoyed the cake with a little bit of the cream. Yum!

Sunday Supper at Lucques is divine. I highly recommend it. I have a feeling I will make my way there again very soon.

Top Chef: Zoo People

2008-03-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, I realize that there was actually a new episode on last night. However, I fell asleep while attempting to watch it. Not once, but twice. I was exhausted. Anyway, here are my thoughts about the Zoo People episode.

1) Spike and the fedoras. Um, what's that all about? Dude, as soon as you wake up you reach for your fedora? So strange. Cute, but strange.

2) Val reminds me of Rachel Dratch. The Debbie Downer version at times. I realized this last week. I thought it was a revelation until I read the TWOP recap and noticed that the recapper thought the same thing. I swear!

3) Reminded of how much I love Farmer's Markets. LOVE THEM! Spike had the right idea. You just can't rush an afternoon at the Farmer's Market. Dale made a very astute point about the quality of meat at a Farmer's Market. Honestly, I never buy meat at Farmer's Markets. All this talk of markets, I might go this weekend.

4) Wylie Dufresne-wow! Molecular Gastronomy is not really something I'm all that interested in. I mean, I admire what they do, I just don't really want to eat it.

5) Braised chicken wings. I HATE braised/barbecue/baked whole chicken wings. It's just so messy.

6) I hate that Andrew didn't follow directions. His dish looked yummy.

7) Zoo challenge was kinda wack. Yes, I said wack. No other word to describe it.

8) Erik the Soul Chef? puke

9) I'm tired of the 'hands in the air' thing after the challenges. I will NEVER forgive the Season Twosies for that.

10) Challenge food...I wanted to try the ceviche, lamb meatballs, stuffed anchovy, and the banana cake. Mmmm

11) Ahem...Top Chef contestants. For the love of all that is good and holy, stop making freaking mushroom caps. What are you TGIFs? I mean seriously. I actually like mushroom caps, but they are not very attractive. Especially, if they are filled with more brown stuff.

12) I'm glad that people are capable of making desserts this season. I mean, seriously.
13) My boy Andrew won! Coooooooooolness!

LA Magazine Names Top 75 Restaurants in Los Angeles

2008-03-19T15:33:00.002-07:00

This is no secret to people who know me...I LOVE LA Magazine. Of course, the restaurant stories and reviews are a definite highlight. So, imagine my glee when I received my mag this week and noticed the feature...Top 75 restaurants in Los Angeles. Here's the list.

1. Lucques
2. Melisse
3. Providence
4. Bastide
5. Urasawa
6. Sona
7. Vincenti
8. La Cachette
9. All'Angelo
10. Patina
11. Hatfield's
12. Osteria Mozza/Pizzeria Mozza
13. Mako
14. Wilshire
15. The Dining Room at the Langham
16. Valentino
17. Angelini Osteria
18. Spago
19. Campanile
20. Fraiche
21. Josie
22. Saddle Peak Lodge
23. Craft
24. Cut
25. Water Grill
26. Ortolan
27. Joe's Restaurant
28. A.O.C.
29. The Grill on the Alley
30. Gardens
31. Xiomara
32. Jar
33. Nishimura
34. Mimosa
35. Comme Ca
36. Mastro's Steakhouse
37. Ciudad
38. Simon LA
39. The Foundry on Melrose
40. Grace
41. Bar Hayama
42. Michael's
43. Drago
44. Il Grano
45. Kiriko Sushi
46. Matsuhisa
47. Lawry's the Prime Rib
48. Blair's
49. Massimo
50. Madeo
51. Sushi Katsu-ya
52. La Botte
53. The Hump
54. Sushi Dokoro Ki Ra La
55. Tanzore
56. The Buffalo Club
57. Mori Sushi
58. The Lobster
60. Chameau
61. Il Carpaccio
62. Trattoria Tre Venezie
63. Nanban-kan
64. Asanebo
65. The BLVD
66. Paperfish
67. Petros
68. Sam's by the Beach
69. Bashan
70. The Ivy
71. Cafe Pinot
72. Crustacean
73. Cafe Pierre
74. La Scala
75. Tasca Wine Bar

Ok, so wow! I've only dined at seven. I have alot of eating to do! But, I do have reservations at Lucques. I'm so glad the reservations were made prior to this list. Hmm, perhaps I will work from this list. Eh.

Top Chef Ep. 1

2008-03-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

Season Four is officially here! I will not bore you with a complete recap of the show (frankly, I have no desire to write a thesis this morning). However, I have a few little comments.

1) They all have potty mouths! It was insane.

2) The couple...the lesbian couple. Interesting spin.

3) Sista girl Nimma...wow! I know she's a line cook, but she seems a little too soft-spoken for that world. Good luck to her. I might try to eat at her restaurant when I go to Atlanta.

4) Top Chef crush...kinda hard this year. But, I'm leaning towards Spike and Dale (I have an Asian thing--I can't explain it)

5) Ones to watch: Dale, Stephanie, Richard. They are on my radar now. Just too many folks right now. I had to rewind and pause a million times to get people straight.

6) Lastly, I think I love Andrew. No, seriously. I think he's my favorite. The New York thing, mixed with his frenetic speech was just too much. He reminded me of a Spike Lee character. His reactions made me giggle on more than one occasion. LOVE HIM!

It's Back!!!

2008-03-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

Oh Joy of joys! Top Chef is back! As previously noted, I LOVE this show! If you didn't know before, I'm sure the excessive use of exclamation marks tipped you off. In addition to blogging about my restaurant visits, which are few and far between, I will post my thoughts on the show. I’m looking forward to a great season (please, no reverting to the ridiculousness of Season II). I’m also looking forward to possible Bourdain and Hung appearances.
*One last thing…I’m very excited. My top picks for Top Chef and Project Runway actually won. My pony never wins. Let’s hope my streak extends itself to the Democratic Primaries and the General Election.

I've Found My People!

2008-03-04T14:08:00.001-08:00

Soooooooo, yes. I've joined a food group. In the Violet recap, I mentioned that I dined with a member of the food group I joined. What? How? Why? I'll cover all of that. The important thing is, I've found my people.

One day, as I perused Chowhound, I came across a post listing several LA food groups. Some focused on wine. Some focused on ethnic food. However, one group covered it all. So, that's the group I joined. Basically, it's a yahoo group consisting of people who are interested in food. There is discussion on various food related topics. More importantly, there are outings. Perfect! Since starting the quest, I find myself dining out alone. Sure, I am usually joined by a friend or two. However, sometimes they are just not as excited as I am. They just want to eat. Also, fine dining is expensive. It's my thing. I know that. I certainly don't begrudge folks not wanting to spend $50 to $80 (or more) on a meal. That being said, it's all good now because I have found my people. How do I know?

I made a side comment about my dinner at Violet in a discussion thread, and soon others wanted to join me. They were just as excited about going as I was. I ended up dining with a member of the group. Mind you, we were total strangers. However, the conversation flowed the entire night. We discussed our meal. We talked about other restaurants, the group, everything. It was great! So, I'm looking forward to many new and exciting culinary adventures!

Dine LA: Violet, A Night of Highlights

2008-02-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

Omigoodness!!! So, I squeezed in last minute reservations at Violet during Dine LA. After viewing a demonstration by Chef Jared Simons on the Dine LA website, I just had to. The dish looked absolutely delicious. Ok, I will openly admit, that it wasn't just the food. Full disclosure, the chef is superhot! He's like a rock star. Seriously.

As it were, I ended up dining with another member of a food group I joined recently...more on that later :). The Dine LA menu was a prix fixe meal for $25. Fantastic value for the quality of the dishes. Of course, I left my damn book again. I mean, seriously. I know...I'm kinda hopeless. Therefore, I resorted to emailing descriptions of the food via my very handy Crackberry.

My starter was the house cured salmon, with baby beets and horseradish. The salmon was sliced into very thin strips. It was reminiscent of thin pancetta slices. The baby beets were cut into nice sized cubes. I know that I'm officially an adult because I love beets. The salmon and beets were topped with freshly grated horseradish. It was surprising. Everything worked really well together. It was a lovely dish, and indeed a wonderful start. My entree consisted of the grilled skirt steak, with celery root mousse, red wine sauce, and braised leeks. My dining companion noted that the steak was not hot. Sadly, I agreed. Although the temperature was off, it was cooked perfectly. Really good skirt steak is not common. Many tend to overcook it and the result is a piece of meat that is as tough as leather. However, this was cooked medium rare/medium and it was juicy and tender. Not perfect, but pretty darn close. The celery root puree was new for me. Honestly, celery root is kinda gross looking. So, it's not something I think to pick up or eat. However, I'm glad I did. It was really smooth and creamy. It greatly benefitted from being plated next to the red wine sauce. Mmmm. The leeks, while nice, were more of a garnish. That was a little disappointing. Now, on to my 2nd favorite thing (I'll get to the first later...I promise)about this meal. The dessert. I had the ginger panna cotta with roasted pineapple. Again, omigoodness. It was wonderful. The panna cotta was spicy and smooth. I've had panna cotta in the past, but never a ginger panna cotta. This rendition was a real treat. The pineapple, ohhhhh the pineapple. Can you say delicious? What a wonderful pairing of spicy (the ginger in the panna cotta and the cinnamon on the pineapple) and sweet (the sweetly carmelized pineapple). Roasting the pineapple created this wonderful caramelizing effect that enhanced the sweetness of the pineapple. Mmmm, so delicious.

So, I mentioned that the dessert was #2 in a dining experience complete with highlights. So, what was #1? Three words: macaroni and cheese. Violet is kinda famous for their mac and cheese, so we decided to split the dish. I'm generally weary of restaurant macaroni and cheese. While a Cali girl, I have Southern roots. Southerners are serious about their macaroni and cheese. So, to say I was hesitant was an understatement. But, I took a chance. If this is the payoff I get for throwing caution to the wind, I will definitely do it more often. It was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!! Macaroni, gruyere cheese, leeks, and serrano ham. I cannot stop raving about this dish. Yes, it was that good! So, good that I plan to replicate it very soon. But, at only $9, it's easier to just go to Violet.

To top it off, the check came with a shot of milk and a cookie. How precious it that? Also, Chef Jared was in the house. Chillin! Oh, and our waiter was Sam's (from Top Chef 2)Doppelgänger. So fantastic food and eye candy. How can you top that?

Violet was the perfect ending to my brief Dine LA experience. I will definitely make it back. Sooner, rather than later.

Dine LA: Sadly Coming to an End

2008-02-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

*insert sad face here*

Have you ever really anticipated an event? I mean, it's on your mental calendar. You tell all your friends about it. You make preliminary plans to participate. I mean, you make a totally big deal out of it. Talking to anyone who will listen about it...then forget about it when the day arrives. Sadly, that happens to me all the time. Actually, less often now that I have my Blackberry. But, alas, I have to REMEMBER to put the item...correctly...on my actual calendar. I say all of that to say, I let the entire first week of Dine LA pass me by. Thanks to a gentle reminder, I will be able to fit in at least two restaurants before it ends. I'm really looking forward to dining at a new restaurant on Friday. Super excited! Stay tuned!

Dine LA- Simon LA

2008-02-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

So, what started with me mentioning going to Simon ended up a group dinner. I'm so glad it did. My dining companions were lovely and a good time was had by all.

Simon LA is located in the Sofitel Hotel...which is absolutely lovely. Also, we had to walk through the Stone Rose Lounge, which is super cute, before reaching the restaurant. Since we were early for our 6:30 reservation, we had time to have cocktails. I decided on the Honeytini. It was really good. Grey Goose Pear, pear puree, honey and simple syrup. It sounds really sweet, and it was. However, it was not syrupy sweet. So, we talked and sipped on our cocktails until time for our seating.

Everyone decided to try the Dine LA menu. My three courses consisted of the Jumbo Lump Crab Salad, Fresh Hearts of Palm, Soybeans, Pea Shoots and Grapefruit Vinaigrette, Braised Beef Short Rib, Sweet Potatoes, Brocollini, and Dried Cherries, Citrus Watercress Salad, and Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

My thoughts. First course. Initially, I was torn between the crab salad and the yellowtail carpaccio. I really love yellowtail. It's just a really mild, nice textured fish. However, the crab salad won out when I realized the yellowtail dish contained cilantro. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I hate cilantro. It tastes like soap. So, I had the crab salad. Prior to ordering, our wonderful waiter mentioned the crab was served with guacamole. Hmm? I actually like guac. But, it would have thrown me a bit if he hadn't told us. So, the crab is nestled on the guac with the watercress (lightly dressed) on top. Verdict. It was good, not great. I think I would have preferred nice little chunks or thin slices of avocado instead of the guac. The texture was just weird. I will add that the vinaigrette was very delicious. Perfect amount of acidity. Second course. The short rib was cooked very nicely. Juicy, tender, and well seasoned. The side was good, but I would have preferred more. The dried cherries, couple with the sweet potato was really nice. Third course. Cupcakes. I make a pretty gosh darn good red velvet cake. Frankly, I'm usually disappointed in most. First of all, I prefer a little more cocoa in my red velvet cake. Oh, and nuts. It's not red velvet unless I have pecans! Still, the little cupcakes were good. Perfect little size to pop them in your mouth (which of course I didn't...I used my utensil, of course). Finally, they topped off our dinner with a little whimsical bowl of cotton candy. It was adorable. Oh, let me not forget that one of my dining companions knew one of the managers and he sent over a delicious flatbread pizza. Good cheese, tomato, basil. Yum! Honestly, it was so simple, but a definite highlight for me.

Oh, I want to kick myself. I almost forgot the best part. The Simon LA bread basket is Awwwesome! It was literally a cornucopia of flatbread crackers, small flavor packed squares foccacia, mini challah loaves, and biscuits. It was the United Nations of bread baskets. I don't think I've ever been that excited by a bread basket before. I was a little disturbed by my reaction, but I couldn't help it. Simply, it rocked.

Final thoughts. It was good, not spectacular. I definitely plan to hang out at Stone Rose Lounge again. I will give Simon another try. I have to try out the regular menu. Most of all, I had a great time hanging out. My dining companions were a hoot and a half!

Dine LA

2008-01-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

From January 27 to February 1, 2008 to February 3 to February 8, 2008, Los Angeles will embark on it's first official Restaurant week. Many restaurants throughout the city plan to participate. Restaurants will serve a selection of three-course menus at special prices ranging from $15 or $22 for lunch and $25 and $34 for dinner. I intend to dine at one of the participating restaurants in the coming week. This is truly a wonderful opportunity (dinner at Grace for $34...hello!) to experience some of the finest culinary treasures of Los Angeles. Check out the link below for more info. In the meantime, happy dining!

http://www.dinela.com/data/restaurantweek/

Founders Day Dinner at Table 8 ('08 that night)

2008-01-29T20:35:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of my beloved sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, me and two other Sorors decided to dine at Table 8. This was not my first visit to Table 8. However, on my previous visit, my focus was solely on the late night menu. On this special occasion, I planned to take full advantage of the delicious offerings. In addition to a wonderful night with my dear Sorors and a deliriously funny run in with a D-list celebrity at the next table, I had one fabulous meal.

Before sitting down and reviewing the menu, I seriously considered the prix fixe menu. However, one dish continued to call me. But, I'll get to that later. We decided to start with the grilled cheese with pulled shortrib, truffled potato chips and parsley salad. Luckily, I decided on that very dish on my previous visit. It was just as delicious then as it was the first time. Possibly, even a little better. I remember thinking that it needed a little more salt. However, paired with the truffled chips, it was perfect. The chips were flavorful, light, and crispy. Simply perfect. The parsley salad was light and crunchy. A nice addition. For my entree, I chose the American kurobuta pork with cheese grits, braised collard greens and bacon glazed turnips. Ok, let me just say this. I may be a California girl, but I am a Southern girl at heart. I have really strong feelings about, and I'm in love with cheese grits. I am really in love with these particular cheese grits. They were spectacular. Familiar and comforting. Made all the more delicious thanks to the drippings from the bacon that accompanied the turnips. Mmmm. Ok, let me calm down. Seriously, I'm getting very excited just thinking about those grits. The greens were good, but not spectacular. Honestly, compared with the the grits and pork, it was a bit of an afterthought for me. Oh, yes. Let's talk about the pork. This was my first experience with kurobuta pork. What is kurobuta pork? Well, it's a type of pork popular in Japan. It's a Japanese black hog. However, it's origin dates back to England almost 300 years ago. However, this kurobuta is raised here in America. The meat is darker, heavily marbled, and tender. The tenderness of the meat was something I noted immediately upon taking my first bite. When the server placed the plate in front of me, I was a bit perturbed. The pork apparently had a dry spice rub and appeared a little dry. However, it was the opposite. To say I was pleasantly surprised was an understatement. It was tender, juicy, and delicious. Yum! I ate every bit of it. The only thing that kept me from licking my plate was the image of Emily Post turning over in her grave. Finally, the dessert. We all ordered different desserts and passed them around. The dulce de leche cake and the panna cotta were delish. With a little encouragement from our server (who was delightful), I selected the lemon almond cake with mascarpone sorbet. Lemon and almond, a wonderful combination. Sweet, light, and moist. I love mascarpone, and the sorbet was delightful. The sorbet paired really nicely with the cake. Serving to cut the sweetness of the cake wonderfully.

In, short...wonderful friends, great wine, delicious food...perfect night.

What is a Foodie?

2007-12-07T14:18:00.000-08:00

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a foodie is "A person who has an ardent or refined interest in food." As of now, I would say that I have an "ardent" interest in food. While, I still eat junk on occassion, I've come to use the phrase "wasting a meal" quite a bit. I have become passionate about cooking, experiencing, and exploring food at a higher level. I become upset when I have to "waste a meal" because of circumstances (others deciding the restaurant, restaurant fails to cook my meal properly, etc). I become excited at the sight of a beautifully presented dish. I become excited when I discover new and interesting flavor profiles. My passion for food led to this new adventure. An article on Slashfood.com states, "To be a foodie is not only to like food, but to be interested in it. Just as a good student will have a thirst for knowledge, a foodie wants to learn about food." I'm interested in learning more about new spices and preparations. This requires an adventurious spirit. I'm the first to admit that I am not a risktaker. However, I have found the world of cuisine a fairly safe place to test the waters. Perhaps, this burgeoning spirit will manifest in other areas of my life. I don't think that would be a bad thing at all.

So, why am I a wannabe foodie and not a foodie? Well, I don't quite have down the second part of the definition, namely the "refined interest". A large part of my adventure is refining my palate. As I experience new flavor profiles, I am widening my perspective. I'm learning more about what I do and do not like, and why. I'm learning more about how important quality ingredients are. It's more than a notion. I'm increasingly looking forward to exploring this world. It's good thing I'm a patient student.

Culinary Drive-bys

2007-11-26T12:15:00.000-08:00

I'm slipping. I have not updated my blog in over a month. I'm horrible. But, my schedule was kinda hectic. My crazy schedule, coupled with the oddest financial shenanigans...I just could not make it work. HOWEVER, since last month, I've had the opportunity to dine at three fine dining establishments. Table 8, Bouchon, and Napa Valley Grille. The latter restaurants are not on the blog list, however, they were on my original list.

Table 8- I dined at Table 8 on the 27th of October. I've heard great things about Govind Armstrong, and after his appearance on Top Chef, I was even more interested in checking out the late night menu. So, we (a soror and I) decided to go after a Halloween event. Of course, I had a cocktail. It was delicious. I was also excited to see the fresh ingredients they had on hand to prepare the cocktails. Fresh basil and other fun things. I had a delicious cocktail made of mango puree and champagne. Mmmm. For my little snack, I had the grilled cheese with pulled pork. Omigoodness, it was so good. My only complaint was that I wish there was more. I also had a chance to sample my soror's dish. She had the grilled rare tuna crostini with chick pea puree and tapenade. Now, I'm not a big fan of tuna. However, I have never met a tapenade I didn't like. So, I gave it a try, and I LOVED IT. It was absolutely delish! Add to that, friendly and prompt service. I'm so there for dinner. On Tuesday night they have a $50 five course prix fix meal that I will check out later.

Bouchon- I dined at Bouchon (Cal-French fusion) on November 11th. My lovely best friend and I went wine tasting in Santa Barbara. I told her that I would have to drag her to this restaurant. I just HAD to go. This was the restaurant I decided not to go to on my last visit. Of course, I left my little notebook at home. So, here we go with my failing memory. I started with a broccoli soup. It was really smooth. I'm so jealous of how smooth that soup was. It was tasty, but not memorable. I really wanted to start with the Lobster Pot Pie, but it was too much for one person, so I didn't get it. Regret, thy name is Lobster Pot Pie. Anyway, I ordered the Bourbon & Maple-Glazed California Duck Breast with thyme-infused jus, succotash of corn, fava beans
applewood-smoked bacon and Windrose Farms butternut squash. The duck was perfect. It was simply perfect. Tender. Seasoned well. By far, the best of my Santa Barbara ducks. But, even the duck could not rival the vegetables. Now, I'm a big fan of veggies. However, I almost didn't order the duck because of the vegetables that accompanied the dish. Butternut squash? Succotash? Fava beans? Bacon? Ok, not a fan of ANY of those. But, hey, I tried it. I'm not 5. Really, I'm not. I'm so glad I did! It was magic. I know, strong words for vegetables, but I did not want to stop eating them. The sweetness from the corn and squash. The salty sweetness from the bacon. Also, add to that an unbelievably creamy sauce. Again, it was magic. See, that's why I admire great chefs. They can make a believer out of me. Alas, no cocktails or wine were had with dinner. We spent the day drinking an unbelievable amount of wine. That's about it. I know I'm leaving out a lot of details. Considering how much I drank that day, I am going to pat myself on the back for remembering anything at all. **pat pat**

Napa Valley Grille-Two of my wonderful soror-friends took me out to a surprise lunch to celebrate my AKAversary. So, last weekend I dined at Napa Valley Grille. First of all, can I just say CUTE. It was just so nicely decorated. Just, simple. Clean. Loved it. For lunch, I had the Yountville special. All of the lunch specials are named for a city in the Napa Valley. It included a soup, salad, and sandwich (which appeared on my plate trio style). Very nice. So, I started with my Onion Soup, not French Onion. I cannot remember the city, but the waiter made a point that it was not French Onion. It wasn't. It was a little sweeter and there was no cheese. Still, it was very good. Contrary to the actual size of my bowl, it turned out to be a neverending bowl of soup. Next, was the apple salad. It consisted of radicchio, blue cheese, apples, and a vinaigrette. It was refreshing, crisp, and light. Perfect in between the soup and the sandwich. Ok, thanks to my never ending bowl of soups, my dining companions were almost done with their meals before I started my sandwich. I took one bite of my tender braised BBQ Short Rib Sandwich and it was over. It was so good, I finished it in record time. I admit, it was a little messy, but the taste was wonderful. The short rib was so tender. I think I will have to go back...soon...just for that sandwich. I love when something as simple as short ribs are done so well. Again, that's the beauty of good chefs. Not only do they have the ability to deliver delicious high end products, they are able to elevate the mundane.

We had dessert and wine. For dessert, we had the Chocolate Sampler. It included a milk chocolate mousse, warm chocolate cake, and a mocha semifreddo. They were really tasty. I've heard of semifreddo's, but I've never had one. It was good. The consistency is very hard to describe. It's like a softly frozen mousse. We also had a dessert wine flight with our trio. The wine was divine. Since, they were out of one of the wines commonly included with that flight, they gave us a replacement. I'm SO glad they were out because we were in for a treat. We were presented with a glass of Dolce Late Harvest dessert wine. It was a rich amber color. Lovely. So, great end to a great afternoon.

So, that's it for now. I'm trying to decide when and where to schedule my next dinner.

So, what now?

2007-10-12T15:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I've completed all of my flashbacks and I'm officially finished with Top Chef. So, what now? I continue my quest that's what! Because I failed to write down my comments from the previous restaurants, I didn't want to visit new ones until I finished my flashbacks. Meals and reactions were all mushing together. From this point on, I will take notes. Cause, with food, it's all about the details.

So, here's the list of restaurants I plan to visit. Only the ones in Los Angeles.

Providence
Spago
Lucques
Simon LA
Craft
Taste
Osteria Mozza
Social
Table 8
Cut

My goal is to dine at a new restaurant at LEAST once every two weeks.

Hung and his Monkey Win Top Chef!!!

2007-10-05T15:53:00.001-07:00

I made no secret of the fact that I was rooting for Hung and Tre. I thought we saw the final two during the first elimination challenge. Unfortunately, Tre was eliminated far too soon. Despite all the hateration from the likes of Dale, CJ, Brian, and occasionally Casey, Hung has claimed the Top Prize. Already an Executive Sous Chef at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas, he has managed to get his name out there in a major way. Not only is he known to the many Top Chef viewers, legends of the culinary world know exactly how talented he is. Way too go Chef Hung! Oh, and congrats to your monkey as well.

The recap. The chefs are taken on a ski lift to the exclusive Aspen Mountain Club. They are greeted with an array of wonderful, fresh seasonal ingredients to work with. Their challenge-simply to make the best three course meal of their lives. They have 35 minutes to work out a menu. Important changes this year-the chefs will present their courses at the same time. Awesome! So, the chefs begin to plan their menus. Later sharing their menus so that they can coordinate the meal. Again, although a couple of them had their itchy moments, this cast is so professional and mature. It's awesome. We did not see this much collaboration in group challenges last season. Dale: 1st-foie gras, 2nd-prawns (later changes to lobster), and 3rd-Colorado lamb. Casey-1st-foie gras, 2nd-prawns, and 3rd-pork belly. Hung:1st-hamachi, 2nd-prawns, and 3rd-duck. Ok, yum!

So, then we come to my least favorite part-the selection of the sous chefs. In past seasons, the sous chefs were former contestants. Um, bad idea. I know every reality does it. I even understand why they do it. But, I still think it's dumb and I hate it. They draw knives and Hung gets 1, Casey 2, and Dale 3. Hung is anticipating Clay (the first knifed chef), Micah (the fake South African), and Howie (the sweathog). But, oh no. Top Chef proves how awesome they are. Out comes Rocco, Michelle Bernstein, and Todd English! AWESOME!!! People who were nominated and/or won James Beard awards (that's like the Culinary Oscar). The chefs are relieved, humbled, and excited at the same time. The sous chefs have to take direction from the contestants, and they cannot offer advice. Although, we see that they REALLY want to. Hee. They prep. Rocco and Hung work well together. Casey is a mess. Dale is confident. I'm excited. The next day, about an hour before service, the chefs are told that they will have to prepare a fourth course-which can be served at any point in the meal. Dale cracks me up by adding that he wants to punch Tom in the face. ROFL. I understand. I've had that same feeling once or twice. AT THIS POINT, Sara, Howie, and CJ arrive to serve as sous chefs. Hung gets Sara, Casey gets Howie, and Dale and CJ-BFFs- get one another.

First course-Hung- a play on fish and chips using raw hamachi and fingerling potatoes. Dale-foie gras mousse with beets and donut peaches (and a bunch of other stuff). Casey -foie and cinnamon scented scallop with sous vide apple and lemon poached celery with a bit of roe on top.

Second course- Hung prawns caramelized with palm sugar, tamarind and garlic. Dale's dish is his "surprise" dish of purslane, fennel, and marinated grape salad under a seared scallop, which is topped with freeze-dried corn. Casey-sake-poached prawn on a crispy bamboo rice cake, surrounded by a yuzu-lobster broth topped with more roe.

Third course-Hung-sous-vide duck breast, a chanterelle and lobster mushroom ragout with foie gras, and a sauce of duck stock with lemongrass and black truffle essence. Dale- summer ragout with butter-poached lobster, raw sweet corn, chanterelle mushrooms, basil gnocchi, and curry jus. Casey-crispy pork belly over gingered pea shoots, a "perfectly roasted summer peach" with a sherry and shallot reduction, and a cardamom-whipped crème fraîche.

Fourth Course-Hung-molten chocolate cake with raspberries, an almond and nougatine tuile, and fresh vanilla cream. Dale- rack of lamb poached in duck fat (Mmm) with eggplant and onion puree, olive oil-poached cherry tomatoes, and raw summer squash. Casey-seared sirloin with roasted fingerling potatoes, roasted chanterelles, ruby chard, and a red wine reduction.

Hung won the first course, despite comments about his lack of acid. Dale's scallop dish won the second course. Hung's duck won the third course. Finally, Dale's duck fat poached Colorado lamb won over the judges. Only Casey's sirloin dish received positive reviews. However, she admitted that it was all Howie's work. Hung's dessert selection was heavily criticized as being uninspired and unoriginal. Tasty and beautiful, but unoriginal. Dale's lobster dish was totally panned as the worst of the evening. So, Casey was out of contention. So, the judges had to consider Dale and Hung's meals. In the end, consistency and superior technique won out. Hung was declared the new Top Chef!

Finale Part I

2007-10-01T09:57:00.001-07:00

Tonight, our four finalists arrive in Colorado. We get a little bit of info about why they cook. Honestly, it was very informative and touching. Hung and Dale's backgrounds were especially touching. The chefs are giving the opportunity to relax and catch up during a hot air balloon ride. Nice. Soon, the fun is interrupted by their Quickfire challenge.

This quickfire REALLY bothered me. I felt it was too late in the game for this type of foolishness. The chefs were asked to make a delicious dish from freshly caught trout....next to a river with equipment suitable for campers. Their judge? None other than Eric Ripert from Le Bernardin. Le Bernardin is regarded as one of the best restaurants in the entire country. Chef Ripert is considered one of the best chefs in the world, and the chefs knew that. Add this fact to the horrendous cooking conditions, I cannot imagine how nervous they were. In the end, Dale's was too spicy, Hung (aka Dash) finished several minutes before the end of the challenge and left off a very important ingredient, Brian's (who is an executive chef at a seafood restaurant) was a bit of a mess, and Casey's was great. So, Casey was victorious.

We later see that the contestants were able to bring a few items with them. Casey was allowed to use them during this challenge and not just the second part of the finale, which is the norm. Their elimination challenge was to cook for a bunch of cowboys. Their protein...elk? Eww. Dale and Brian turned out two very complex, ingredient laden dishes. In the end, it worked in Dale's favor. Not so much for Brian. Hung's dish, while described as technically perfect, lacked something the judge's called "soul". ***rolling eyes*** Whatever. Casey's elk was cooked too rare. However, her "smokey" sauce was apparently amazing. I call it magic sauce. Were it not for the sauce, I think she would have been in serious danger. In the end we bid adieu to Brian and congratulate Dale. Next up...Finale Pt. Deux!

FLASHBACK: Grace

2007-09-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here it is, my last flashback. I truly saved the best for last. This was perhaps one of the best meals I have ever had. Simply delicious from start to finish. Standing ovation for Chef Neal Frasier.

As previously mentioned, I review the menu prior to visiting the restaurant. Most menus are posted on the website or on http://www.menupages.com/. Everything looked so appetizing, I just could not decide. So, I had to revisit the menu when I arrived at the restaurant.

One of the more interesting items on the menu is boar. On the web site, there is a picture of the boar chops. I have to admit, they looked very good. Also, I'm a wannabe foodie. Foodies are culinary adventurers. In the end, I decided that I needed to take baby steps. The key word was WANNABE. Next time, I might try the boar. Because there will be a next time. But, I'll get to that in a minute.

For my first course, I had the red wattle pork belly with purple sticky rice and roasted fig. Pork belly is everywhere. I've noticed it on quite a few menus. Again, my parents are from the South, so I've had my fair share of pork. However, I'm not really a huge fan of all types of pork. I hate bacon. I will eat pancetta and prosciutto though. Other ham, no thank you. Pork chops, eh. love Pork loin, yes. But, I suspect I enjoy cooking it more than eating it. My pork aversion aside, I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Verdict: the pork belly was very tasty. It took me a minute to adjust to the texture. After my first bite, I had not yet decided if I liked it or not. Soon, as I took in all of the components of the dish, I really enjoyed it. Pork has an element of sweetness. The purple rice with the fig complemented and heightened that aspect of the pork. It was unlike any pork dish I have had ever eaten in the past. The texture is hard to describe. It was fatty, yet throughout there were nice tender pieces of pork. Different, yet familiar.

When it was time to order my entree, I vacillated between the pork shanks and boar. Considering my first course and the season, I felt braised pork shanks were too heavy. Boar? Do I really want to eat boar? I thought about the first Top Chef episode and their exotic protein challenge. Boar was the winning dish (and the losing one). Bourdain went on to extol the greatness of wild boar. Blah, blah, blah. In the end, I decided it was another pig. So, I nixed it. Oh, but that was just the regular menu. I forgot about the specials. There were quite a few specials. I noticed sand dabs. I haven't had sand dabs in quite some time. I recall fishing trips when I was a girl and coming home with loads of them. They are delicious little fish. But then, Bourdain popped back in my head. He mentioned that restaurants have specials on Tuesday and Wednesdays because they are trying to get rid of fish. So, it's not that fresh and one should avoid ordering fish on Wednesday. *sigh* In the end, I decided on steak. That's not exciting, but hey. I ordered the NY Steak with bleu cheese ravioli. OH MY GOODNESS! That dish was freaking awesome! Most know that steak and bleu cheese complement one another quite well. On occasion, I have cooked steak with a bleu cheese filling. However, I never thought about a ravioli. I ordered the steak medium, and it came out perfectly cooked. It was tender and juicy. Next to the steak were a few perfect pasta pillows filled with a fine bleu cheese. The two flavors were beyond divine. I'm sure a "mmmm" escaped from my lips as I ate. All the while, I was thinking, THIS is food.

Although, I wanted to eat every bit of food on my plate, I refrained. Why? Three words: Donut Shoppe Wednesday. The reason I decided to dine at Grace on Wednesday night is because of donut shoppe night. Every Wednesday, the pastry chef presents an array of gourmet donuts. I had a selection of five donuts and two ice creams. I cannot remember all of the donuts. I recall a tiramisu, meyer lemon, butter brown sugar, and butterscotch. The ice cream flavors were vanilla and pecan rum caramel. Yes, it was as good as it sounds. My favs were the pecan rum caramel ice cream. It was really delicious. I'm a big fan of ice cream with nuts. The sweetness with a hint of saltiness and crunch is always nice. I'm also a big fan of rum. So, I was in heaven. All of the donuts were light, fresh, and delectable. However, the standout for me was the meyer lemon donut. Meyer lemons is a favorite of many chefs. Since I usually try to stay clear of citrus(allergies), this is my first time experiencing meyer lemon. Native to China, the meyer lemon is widely grown in California. They look alot like a lime, and flavorwise they are a cross between an orange and lemon. The donut was delightfully sweet with a hint of tartness. It was so good. The flavor was memorable. I soon realized why chefs love meyer lemons.

If one can fall in love with a restaurant, consider me smitten. I enjoyed everything about Grace. I cannot wait to go back. My long list of restaurants to visit is the only thing preventing me from taking up residence in the restaurant. Honestly, I went to sleep dreaming about the meal. In case you missed it, I highly recommend Grace. It is a bit expensive. However, the portions are extremely large and it is worth every penny.

http://www.gracerestaurant.com/

Top Chef Recap

2007-09-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

This was the most awesome episode ever! Ok, so the chefs finally made it to New York. Finally, they were able to enjoy a bit of free time in the city before their challenges...which as I mentioned before were AWESOME.

The cheftestants were invited to eat at the legendary Le Cirque. While there, they were treated to a meal of sea bass paupiette--a potato wrapped sea bass sitting on leek fondue and mushrooms. It looked absolutely delicious. OF COURSE, the chefs were not able to enjoy their meal for too long. OF COURSE, this was all set up for a QF. The quickfire required the cheftestants to recreate the famous Le Cirque recipe in 20 minutes. Hung was first and recreated the dish perfectly. The owner was very impressed by the taste and technique. When he goes back to the table, Dale asks Hung to describe how he did it, and Hung declined to explain his technique. Dale called him heartless. EXCUSE ME!! This secured the nail in the I CAN'T STAND DALE coffin. Is he insane!!! That's the point of the entire challenge. Dale is next and his fish was dinged for lack of flavor. Brian did not completely recreate the dish. The taste was good, but he did not completely wrap his fish. Casey's was touted as the best tasting. Sara, oh Sara. She served seared bass. After proving he was a little pervy with his comment directed at Casey, he selected Hung as the winner. YAY!!! Hung was VERY pleased with himself.

Next up, elimination challenge. The chefs were taken to the French Culinary Institute. The test was to create a fantastic meal using only chicken, potatoes, and onion. Perfect ingredients. Hung made chicken by using the sous vide method (vacuum sealed and then 'poached' slowly). Casey made a variation of a Coq au Vin. Dale created a "duet" of chicken and mashed potatoes. Brian served a type of shepherd's pie using ramps and pheasant sausage. The ramps turning the potato layer neon green. Bleech. Finally, Sarah undercooked a fricassee. In a double smackdown, Hung won. Considering the judges, I was not surprised. Of the remaining chefs, Hung is the most technically skilled. I'm sorry, I don't care how good Brian's dish was. I would have never found out because the appearance was so scary. Who over the age of 5 wants to eat neon green potatoes? Casey, oh Casey. Not a good idea to label your dish Coq Au Vin when it technically wasn't. I know that most people use chicken in that dish now. However, one of your guest judges is responsible for introducing french food to Americans in a big way. If you call it Coq au Vin, he expects Coq au Vin. Know your audience. Dale and his disastrous duet were placed in the bottom two. Sarah, with her undercooked chicken was there also. Alas, the cheesemaker was sent home. I'm actually amazed she made it that far. She was seriously outclassed by the other chefs. Bye bye Sara.

So, now it's finally time. FINALE TIME! I'm so excited! At the same time, I hate to see my favorite show end. I'm pleased as punch at how they managed to redeem themselves from last year's disaster. Again, I'm pulling for my boy Hung. I think he could take it all.

Again, I loved this episode. The chefs were allowed to cook. Great judges and straight up good food.

Dining the Friendly Skies

2007-09-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Top Chef recap time!!! Yeah, I realize it's really late. Yes, I'm aware that this week's episode will be on in a few minutes. What can I say?

It's morning and the chefs are asleep in their beds. That is, until Padma annoyingly calls for them to wake up. CJ was all kinds of excited. Dale, not so much. Tee Hee. Hung dared to dream that maybe she had cooked breakfast for them. But, no. As Dale guessed, it was a breakfast challenge. So, there they are in tattered sleep clothes, robes, slippers, and bare feet...expected to cook a delicious breakfast. LOL. Of course, Hung and his monkey (throughout the show, Hung has referenced 'his monkey') in his manic running around knocked over a glass jar. Of course, he left it on the floor. But, enough about that. The food. Oh my goodness, after this challenge, I had a hankering for breakfast. Hung prepared eggs sunnyside up, seared NY steak topped with mushrooms and onions, and a smoothie. Ok, I wanted that smoothie. It consisted of papaya, bananas, honey, condensed milk, and Grand Marnier. That sounds sweetly delicious. Sara decided to prepare egg in a hole, using whole grain bread. The bread was prepared in the manner of french toast. She also added some prosciutto and maple syrup. She had the salty sweet action going on. Casey prepared a savory french toast with a sunny side up egg. She prepared a celery salsa to accompany her dish. CJ prepared strawberry and cream crepes. He also served a smoothie of blueberries, dates and marscapone. Dale presented a ham, apple, and onion frittata with mustard hollandaise. Brian presented a lobster and butter poached egg with smoked salmon and kalamata olives. There was more. A lot more in fact. He had alot going on with that dish. He also made a berry smoothie. Hung and his monkey reigned supreme. His prize, Padma's book. I was underwhelmed on his behalf. But, Hung was surprisingly non-snarky.

After the quickfire, the contestants were told that they were going to NY. Of course, they were super excited. But, oh no. This is Top Chef. The Magical Elves have a great time pulling the carpet from beneath the chefs. So, only the chefs that survive the Elimination Challenge will move on to the Big Apple.

Elimination Challenge: To create delicious airplane food. It must fit in a certain space, and withstand cooking for at least 10 minutes in the same container. Since Hung won the GF, he selects his protein first. He selects the seabass, which is an oily fish that will not dry out after the nuking. Brian selects NY strip. Dale selects filet mignon. Sara selects salmon. Casey selects veal. CJ selects halibut. My favorite part of this challenge is that my favorite person in the culinary world, Anthony Bourdain is a guest judge. He is the King of Snark. The only thing better than his little zingers is how much HE enjoys his little zingers. In the end, Hung and Casey emerge with the best dishes. Casey is victorious. That's two weeks in a row. She is really pulling out in the end. The judges were not happy with Sara's dry salmon and not-so-good couscous, CJ's too minty salmon and horrid broccolini, and Brian's mushy lobster-purple potato hash. Sadly (or not so sadly) CJ's broccolini is declared the single worst dish in Top Chef history (an overstatement I'm sure), and he was told to pack his knives and go.

FLASHBACK: Epiphany

2007-09-15T20:09:00.001-07:00

I was under the weather this past week, so blogging was not at the top of my list of "things to do." However, I'm all better and my fingers are itching to make up for lost time. After I post my experience at Epiphany, I will have one flashback left. After that, expect more detailed accounts of my dining experiences.

I dined at Epiphany on my first night in Santa Barbara. Again, after extensive research, I decided that I had to dine at Epiphany. Not only were the reviews great, but the menu looked amazing.

The B&B was only three blocks away from the restaurant, so I enjoyed a lovely stroll. Since I was a bit early, I stopped in at the bar to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail--a Grey Goose Pear martini. Mmmm.

I decided on an entree after reviewing the menu online. I decided to have three courses. I ordered a glass of Pinot and looked over the menu. Soon, I was presented with an amuse bouche of a baked baby eggplant chip topped with goat cheese and a thin slice of grape tomato. That little morsel served as the perfect first bite. Eggplant and goat cheese have really distinctive flavors. Initially, I was unsure of the pairing. However, it was really nice. I actually wished there was a second bite. But, that was it. I decided to focus on my three courses.

I ordered a salad...which was unusual for me at a fine dining establishment. Salads are sort of a side show attraction at a fine dining establishment. It's sooooo not about the salad. But, I really wanted a salad. So, hey, I ordered a salad. I selected the Apple Bibb Salad. It consisted of a wedge of fresh Bibb lettuce. Bibb lettuce is a good place to start with a salad. It's not as common as romaine. It's not bitter like arugala, radicchio, or frisee. Bibb is buttery and tender. Highly enjoyable. It was accompanied by thin julienned apple, spiced pecans, and a blue cheese vinaigrette. It was a tasty salad. The sweetness and tartness of the apple paired well with the lettuce. The spiced pecans provided the right amount of spiciness and crunch. But, that was not the best part. The blue cheese vinaigrette was amazing. The blue cheese was not overpowering. I believe it was blended with balsamic vinegar. The combination was a revelation--if, a salad dressing can be described in that way. It was just so good. It was so good, I sat there trying to devise a way to replicate it. It was just that tasty.

For my entree, I selected the Crispy Skin Roasted Duck with foie gras risotto. The star of this entree was the risotto. It was creamy, but not runny. It was absolutely delicious. The only negative thing I could say about the risotto is that I wish there was more on my plate. The portion was minuscule. Sadly, I cannot applaud the duck. The skin was not as crispy as I anticipated. Again, I love Chinese duck. THAT is crispy skin. This, not so much. Also, the worse duck sin was committed. The fat was not rendered completely. Gross. It completely took away from any pleasant elements. Of course, there was a healthy serving of duck. Bleech.

So, because of my disappointment with the duck, I decided to seek refuge in an oldie, but goodie for dessert...Creme Brulee. For those who know me, that might not sound like a good idea. I have left many a restaurant complaining that their rendition of creme brulee was not indeed creme brulee, but pudding. So, there was a chance, that I would leave mad. But, I had faith. I knew they would make it up to me. The creme brulee was custard, not pudding. So, the meal ended on a happy note.

While, Epiphany was a bit of a disappointment, I cannot deny the highlights of the evening. Also, the staff was attentive and accommodating. However, a fantastic salad and side dish does not equal a good review. But, I am open to giving them a second chance. Next time, I will give the Limo Ride (their name for their tasting menu) a try.

http://www.epiphanysb.com/

FLASHBACK: JiRaffe

2007-09-12T07:43:00.001-07:00

JiRaffe is a beautifully appointed restaurant in Santa Monica where Chef/Owner Raphael Lunetta reigns supreme. The restaurant specializes in California/French cuisine. For Top Chef devotees, he was the guest judge on last year's beach Elimination Challenge. So, not only is he a much beloved California chef, he is a surfer dude. Gotta love it.

Before entering the restaurant, I had no idea what to expect. Indeed, one cannot imagine the elegant, tastefully decorated two floor restaurant that is JiRaffe. Very simple, but refined. The decor set the tone for the meal. Simply put, the food is both simple and refined. Unpretentious fine dining.

JiRaffe emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients. The amuse, which was a little more substantial than a traditional amuse, was a little salad of fresh nectarines and walnuts. It was fresh and delicious.

Instead of the usual glass of wine, I decided to have a cocktail. It was a potent elixir comprised of pomegranate juice and ice wine. Ice wine is a dessert wine produced from grapes that were frozen on the vine. That was my first experience with ice wine. Definitely plan on revisiting it.

For my entree, I selected the Roasted All Natural Chicken with a Garden Ragout of Sweet Corn, English Peas, Caramelized Pearl Onions in a Roasted Chicken Jus. Again, the food was simple, yet very satisfying. The chicken was cooked perfectly. Juicy and succulent. The jus adding even more flavor. The sweet corn, english peas, and caramelized onions ragout was reminiscent of vegetable medley I ate when I was younger. The vegetables were good, however, the caramelized onion was a tad bit aggressive.

If you are in the Santa Monica area, give JiRaffe a try. Fine dining, done simple.

http://www.jirafferestaurant.com/index.html

FLASHBACK: Wine Cask

2007-09-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I started this blog was to maintain a record of my culinary experiences. Since I visited a few restaurants prior to the start of this blog, the flashback reviews will be a challenge. I blame it on turning 30 and therefore losing my memory. Initially, I planned to write my flashback posts in order. However, this week's LA Times Food Section focused on Santa Barbara. I was inspired to write about my experiences there last month. I will try my very best to remember the highlights.

My solo trip to Santa Barbara was my reward for surviving the very stressful process of planning my family reunion. After months of running around and taking care of logistics, followed by a weekend of togetherness and love, I wanted to be alone. So, I booked a trip to Santa Barbara. Took the train, stayed at a charming B&B, and looked forward to a weekend of peace and quiet. Ahhh.

I thoroughly researched the restaurants in Santa Barbara prior to my trip. I decided on three resturants, one for lunch and two for dinner. Initially, Wine Cask was not one of my choices. However, it was noted as being one of the best restaurants in SB on several lists. How could I pass it up?

The restaurant was located a block off of State street and about seven blocks from the B&B. As I turned to enter the path to the restaurant, I entered this lovely courtyard. I was immediately transported to another place and time. As I walked along the path to the restaurant, I was no longer in Santa Barbara. Now, I was in a small Spanish town. It was absolutely peaceful and lovely. Serene. A perfect introduction of sorts.

The decor was simple, yet lovely. I settled in instantly. Ready to enjoy my meal. I started with the Vodka Infused Potato Soup. Ok, let me just say that I'm in love with this soup. No words can adequately convey my feelings about this soup. I just never wanted to finish it. Yes, I wanted a neverending bowl of this soup. The potato soup also had a potato gaufrette (thin waffle wafer), caviar and chive Mmmm. The soup was as smooth as silk. The perfect consistency. The flavor of the soup was unlike any potato soup I had ever tasted. The gaufrette and caviar were wonderful additions. The soup on it's own was strong enough. However, the added texture was a welcome treat.

I followed my superb soup with the Muscovy Duck Confit with dried cherry and sage stuffing with foie gras, wild arugula and cherry spiked duck jus. Whew. I know, that's a mouthful. In case some are unfamiliar with confit, it is a preparation in which food is preserved and cooked in it's own fat. The duck was absolutely succulent. Juicy and cooked to perfection. Outside of Chinese Duck (which is my favorite), this was by far the best duck I've had. The fat was rendered correctly and for that I was elated. When it's not, it can really spoil the experience. The jus. Omigoodness, the jus. It was marvelous. Simply delicious. The stuffing was interesting. It did contain my favorite element...a slighty crunchy crust. The bread was cut into little bite-size squares. The sage was a little strong, but the sweetness of the dried cherry made up for it. I love the juxtaposition of sweet and salty in food. It's just so interesting. As I am not a fan of arugula, it remained largely untouched. I took a small bite, and even I will admit it was pretty good. I enjoyed it far more when prepared this way than uncooked in salads. Since I was in Santa Barbara it was of utmost importance to enjoy a glass of wine with my meal. Frankly, I enjoyed quite a few glasses of wine that weekend. Hey, I say when in Rome.... I believe it was a nice Pinot Noir. I really can't remember. I do know that I am now instituting a note taking element to my excursions. I don't want to forget anything. I was stuffed after my soup and entree, so dessert was not an option. There was a creme brulee on the menu. Although it is my favorite dessert, I must admit that a creme brulee at a good restaurant is a creme brulee. The white chocolate bread pudding sounded delicious. But seriously, I could not eat another bite.

I had a truly enjoyable dining experience at Wine Cask. I plan to dine there the next time I'm in Santa Barbara. When I go back, I will remember to save room for dessert.

Goodbye Sweaty McSweaterson

2007-09-06T06:59:00.000-07:00

So, today is Thursday. Therefore, it's Thoughts on Top Chef day. After the huge disappointment of Tre's departure a couple of weeks ago, this is exactly what I needed. I am not a Howie fan. Frankly, he is a bit of a curmudgeon...which is nothing new to Top Chef. In fact, one might characterize Season One winner, Harold Dieterle as a bit of a curmudgeon. However, he was of the cuddly variety. However, I never felt the warm fuzzies for Howie or thought of him as cuddly. He was sweaty, or Sweaty McSweaterson, as I like to call him. Also, he was not a team player. Something essential for a Top Chef (which he realizes as he packs his knives). Season Three is probably the nicest group of chefs...clearly the most professional and accomplished group. However, he was always moaning and complaining and sweating profusely. Eww. He also had a serious problem with speed and timing. Considering almost all of the challenges are timed, that's a problem. So, I say all that to say, tonight was my favorite episode EVER!

The episode starts off with CJ talking about the last challenge and how he did it "for the team". True, Tre is an Executive Chef and more qualified for the position. However, dude you are not a slouch in the kitchen. You own your own company. You want to be Top Chef. Step up to the plate. Also, not helping with Tre's Unbread Pudding was not in the best interest of the team. So, I'm not buying it, but whatever. We find Hung upset about Tre's departure. He considered Tre on his level and pretty much felt bad that his primary competition was gone. Well, he felt bad for all of five minutes. As he should be. No need to wallow. I'm rooting for Hung...it's his game to lose. Lastly, we find Casey saying something. I think it had to do with the fact that she is one of two female chefs left in the competition. But, I could not get over an observation made on one of the Top Chef message boards (yes, it's that serious for me)...namely, Casey is like the Black Widow. Seriously, I hope she never considers Hung a friend. The day she does is the day he's gonna pack his knives. I mean, seriously, stay away from her.

Now, on to the quickfire challenge. They were assigned an aisle at a store and given $10. They were asked to come up with something using ingredients from their assigned aisle and a few items from the Top Chef pantry. Interesting challenge. Hung's dish reminded me of Frank's Alice in Wonderland fantasy. I thought it was creative, but so not right for this. Casey's "banana pudding" looked interesting. I can imagine the ginger and mango pairing up really well. Casey is growing on me. Brian, Brian, Brian. I'm so mad that he ended up with the canned meat aisle. I have a hard time feeling it was decided by the pull of the knife. He picked up Spam. Seriously, he did. The dish he created was composed of Spam, corn beef hash, onions, and a balsamic reduction. I'm not sure how that all worked. I guess it worked just fine. He won the quickfire. I have to admit, it was beautifully plated. Then, there was Howie, who was so displeased by his dish that he trashed it and presented nothing. *sigh* That just annoyed me. First of all, everyone knows that although the judges constantly complain about the cheftestants (TM Keckler from TWOP) serving dishes they need to shove down the disposal...they really don't expect you not to present a dish. But, he blathers on about integrity and blah blah blah. It was lame. The other dishes were not that memorable, so I'll wrap up my thoughts on the quickfire.

Elimination time. Party food for 60 beautiful people at a fashion party. So Fun! Brian allowed everyone to have input. Good idea. However, he failed to make any decisions. Seriously, there were too many items. Ambitious, but not really. I mean, chicken salad on crostini? Salmon mousse on Cucumber? Asparagus with Prosciutto? Word? My appetizers are a little more ambitious than that. So, disappointed. Ambitious quantities of food, but a rather unambitious menu. However, Casey's beef carpaccio went over well. Served in a Chinese soup spoon. I'm so over stuff being served in spoons. But, I admit it was pretty. Oh, Sarah's tomato bread pudding. It looked really good...like a little popover! I will definitely have to try out that recipe. They attempt dessert again. Again, they fail miserably. What is with these people and dessert?!? I understand they are not pastry chefs, but come on. Everyone has at least ONE dessert they can make with their eyes closed. If not, have they never watched this show. Dessert is the Achilles Heel of almost every contestant. I can recall only one person, Dave, who actually thought to memorize a dessert. OH, and he was from the 1st season. Call me MC Lyte, cause I cram to understand.

Judges' Table. Basically, everyone sucked except Casey, Sarah, and CJ. While they were discussing what went wrong, Howie requests permission to address the judges. Then, here we go with all the pontificating and blah blah blah. He withdraws from the competition. So, I get up and start doing my happy dance. But, wait...Padma says it's not up to him. Really? Word? He can't decide to quit something he volunteered for. They let Otto quit last season. They allowed Mia to quit last season. But, noooo not Sweaty McSweaterson. Not Tom's Sweaty Golden Child. All of this was rather unsettling. They have to let him leave. He should have left the 1st episode. LET HIM LEAVE! They dismiss the cheftestants, discuss amongst themselves, call them back in...only to knife him. Woooooooow. That was mean. If they did that to another cheftestant, I would have called shenanigans. But, since it was Howie I just got back up and resumed my happy dance...complete with maniacal laughter.

Grabbing a Burger on Rodeo Drive

2007-09-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to thank everyone for the feedback. Please bear with me as I get more comfortable with this blogging thing.

Before hitting the stores yesterday with my shopping buddy, we had lunch at the Blvd in Beverly Hills. The restaurant located within the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, or as I often refer to it...the Pretty Woman hotel. Prior to visiting a restaurant I always have a little look see at the menu. So, I usually arrive with a pretty solid idea of what I will be eating. So, as I looked over the menu on Friday. One particular item jumped out at me...the Blvd Burger.

I've had burgers on the brain for a minute. Admittedly, I don't eat burgers very often. When I do, I expect to enjoy it. There is nothing better than a good old-fashioned hamburger...or cheeseburger in my case. But, back to my point. A couple of weeks ago on Top Chef, the quickfire challenge involved burgers. The chefs were asked to use the Red Robin menu for inspiration. Most of them were probably inspired more by the chef judging the quickfire...Chef Daniel Boulud. Boulud is a past James Beard award winner and chef of several restaurants. On the show, they highlighted one of Boulud's most popular dishes at his restaurant Daniel...the DB burger. In case you missed the description, the DB burger is composed of an exterior of ground sirloin with a filling of boned short ribs braised in red wine, foie gras, black truffle and a mirepoix of root vegetables. The homemade bun is topped with toasted parmesan and layered with fresh horseradish mayonnaise, tomato confit, fresh tomato and frisée lettuce. All of that, coming in at a cool $27. Amazing. Seriously, I'm salivating just thinking about how wonderful that burger is. It's a carnivore's dream.

So, when I saw the description of the BLVD Burger on website, I knew I had to have it. The website noted that the burger was composed of Kobe Beef, Foie Gras Mousse, Truffle Butter, Chanterelles, and Crispy Onion Rings. However, the burger I ate was a bit different. First of all, let's talk about the bun. The burger bun was a brioche with sesame and sunflower seeds. The texture was perfect. Not too soft, like a traditional bun and not too hard like the bread used for The Cheesecake Factory's Factory Burger. It was also a beautiful dark brown. So, great buns. hee hee

The patty was sirloin, not Kobe. That was fine with me. I enjoy sirloin. The patty needed a little bit more salt and it would have been perfect. In addition to the sirloin patty, we have foie gras mousse and truffle butter. The truffle butter just melted into the bun and added the perfect amount of moisture to the burger that we usually count on mayo to provide. The menu identified the mushrooms as simply "wild mushrooms". However, they appeared to be trumpet mushrooms. Which bring me to my least favorite part of the burger. They are a little waxier than the average mushroom, but very good. Still, the texture didn't work well for me. The burger was so juicy and the mushroom just interfered with the experience for me. I enjoy trumpets more in pasta dishes. Lastly, the onions were not fried rings, they were grilled red onions. I was a very happy camper. I love love love grilled onions on burgers. So, that made up for any disappointment with the mushrooms.

Since I gorged myself on the fantastic pretzel bread prior to the arrival of my meal, I was unable to finish my burger. However, what I did eat, I loved. It was rich and decadent. Extremely enjoyable. But, I would expect nothing less from a $20 burger.

http://www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire/dining/the_blvd.html

Flashback: Fraiche

2007-08-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

I live in Culver City. For the past year or so, we have experienced an influx of new restaurants and wine bars. I'm loving it. One of the first of the new restaurants was Ford's Filling Station (which is owned by Harrison Ford's son, Chef Ben). I completely forgot my trip there when I wrote my first post. It was sometime late last year. Honestly, I forgot what I ate. I think it was a pot roast with lots of seasonal veggies. I don't recall any details. I just remember it was delicious. So, fork up to Ford's Filling Station.

But, this post is about Fraiche. I went on Sunday, July 22nd. I remember because it was the day after the Harry Potter book was released. Can you say non-stop reading machine? Earlier that day, I went to brunch at Taste (still salty that my poached eggs were overcooked) with a couple of friends and the most adorable baby this side of the Mississippi. I had nothing else to do that day except read my book. So, I holed up in a Starbucks after brunch and read for awhile. Then, I decided that I was hungry again. I thought, I know I'll try out that new restaurant down the street. Apparently, I didn't know what alot of real foodies know---it's not exactly a walk-in spot at the moment. It's really busy. So, picture my surprise when the hostess told me they MIGHT have a table in an hour. An hour? She said I was welcome to sit at the bar. Not. I didn't want the limited bar menu, I wanted a meal...the experience. So, I told her I'd wait. And, wait I did. But, as a true Potterhead, I whipped out my book. Wine and Harry Potter on a lovely, quiet Culver City day...what could be better?

Fast forward one hour. The hostess informs me that a table is available. I am seated at a table in the outdoor patio area. Lots of good people watching. So, I was very happy. Now, let's get down to the viddles.

I started with the Roasted Corn soup with clams and basil. It was so good that I had to remember that Emily Post would roll over in her grave if I did what I wanted to do...which was lick the bowl. Yeah, that was some good soup.

For my entree, I selected the Lamb Spezzatino with Ricotta Gnocchi and gremlota. Spezzatino is an Italian stew. It was a rich, nicely seasoned stew with little tender morsels of lamb. The gnoochi (potato based pasta--kinda like a little dumpling) was really nice. Coupled with a nice Pinot Noir, it was a very successful dish.

After eating every bit of the dish, I had no room for dessert. I was fine with that. Nothing really spoke to me.

Overall, Fraiche was great. I will definitely go back. It's close and yummy.

http://www.fraicherestaurantla.com/

Dining with Frankie and Dean

2007-08-30T07:16:00.000-07:00

So, I dined at Jar last night. Let me start off by saying I felt like Frankie , Sammy, Dean, and Peter were going to walk through the door at any minute. The decor was modern retro. I don't even know if that's a real thing, but that's what it felt like. Ok, enough about that. Let's get to the food.

I had the Fried Ipswich Clams, cocktail sauce and roasted garlic tartar sauce as an appetizer. I was not that wild about them, and I love clams. I mean, they were tasty, but I wasn't super excited about them. I was ho hum about the tarter sauce and the cocktail sauce tasted like cocktail sauce. BUT, I was very excited about what I found underneath those little clams...crispy, grated potato goodness. It was a nice little surprise. They were crispy and delicious and a nice break from traditional fries.

My entree was the Char Sui Pork Chop. I ordered duck fried rice and braised mustard greens as sides. Ok, pork is delicious. I spent many years denying how tasty it is. While, I still dislike bacon, I have grown to love tenderloin, pork chops, and pancetta. Anyway, back to the chop. First of all, it was huge. The char sui sauce was really nice and I could taste the flavor throughout the meat. Mmmm. The sides were very good. The duck fried rice was delicious. I'm a big fan of the duck. So, the duck fried rice had me at hello. I also think it was prepared with brown rice. Sad to say, I'm not sure. All I can say is thumbs up! Now the mustard greens. I've eaten my share of mustard greens. I enjoy greens a great deal. So, I had high expectations. Thankfully, they were prepared quite nicely. Very flavorful. However, in the back of my mind, I could just imagine my mother having a fit about me spending $9 on a side of mustard greens.

Dessert. Yes, I had dessert. I was so full, but Banana Cream Pie was on the menu. I LOVE banana anything. It was a nice-size tart overflowing with bananas and cream. OH, and a nice little caramel drizzle. Mmmm. The cream itself was not sweet. As someone who grew up with banana pudding, it was a bit of a shock. However, coupled with the sweetness of the caramel, it worked...subtle.

I also had a glass of wine...white, of course. On the sweet side. I wanted a glass of Riesling or Gewurstraminer, but they did not come by the glass. The sommelier recommended a nice white (don't remember the name--I was kinda busy with my pork chop). So, it was really nice. The sweetness of the wine worked well with the sweetness of the pork.

In the end, I racked up a nice little tab---a subject I will explore on another day. But, I have lunch for today as well. Overall, great meal.

http://www.thejar.com/

So far

2007-08-29T14:01:00.001-07:00

It all started with a dinner at Fraiche last month. Well, not really. It started a few months ago at this French restaurant in Culver City. But, it was a forgettable meal. So I will pretend that Fraiche was the start. Followed by dinner at Jiraffe a few weeks ago. After that, I went to Santa Barbara for the weekend. While there, I dined at Epiphany and Wine Cask. Two weeks ago, I ate at Grace. On donut shoppe night, of course. I really want to talk more about those meals. However, I will spread it out...kinda flasback style. Tonight, I'm flying solo at Jar. I'm really looking forward to this meal. More details to follow!

How it all began

2007-08-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

I never thought it would come to this, but here I am. Let me start by asking for your grace when it comes to my writing. I can express my ideas, but I am horrible with technical matters. Ok, back to the how it all began. One of my sorority sisters asked if I authored a blog about a foodie in training. At the time, I didn't. However, I thought about it and it's a really great idea.

For the past few months, I have been obsessed with experiencing fine dining. Before that, my interest in fine dining was piqued by a little show called Top Chef (which I am obsessed with) and reading Anthony Boudain's Kitchen Confidential. While I am a decent home cook and enjoy the occasional cooking class, I know that I don't have what it takes to be a chef. However, that doesn't mean that I can't benefit from the fruit of someone else's labor. So, I decided to take up a new hobby---eating.

In the past month, I have been to about 5 or 6 fine dining establishments. I gave my opinions to family and on a couple of message boards. However, capturing my thoughts in one place will be awesome!!! So, this blog will mainly be about food. I'm sure there will be a little Top Chef commentary here and there. However, the focus will be the adventures of a wannabe foodie.