tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12981213811828356842024-03-15T18:10:29.926-07:00This Foodie's Life: A food blogA girl obsessed with the world of foodVAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-88237738051587005242010-02-02T00:30:00.000-08:002010-02-02T01:02:59.654-08:00Art: Ludo Bites (Los Angeles)<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4310463563/" title="Ludo Bites: Royal/T in Bed Together by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2698/4310463563_4aa333b378.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Ludo Bites: Royal/T in Bed Together" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I would like to interrupt my Hong Kong/ Shanghai trip blogging and bring you my meal at Ludo Bites.<br /><br />I couldn’t get a reservation for Ludo Bites at the Breadbar, so I was excited about Ludo’s 13-day dinning showcase at Royal/T - “Ludo Bites & Royal/T Get in Bed Together.” Like the event at the Breadbar, reservations for Ludo’s event at the Royal/T filled up quickly. Luckily, I was able to piggyback on my friend’s 9 pm reservation.<br /><br />By 11 pm, we had just received our last course – Grilled Beef Tenderloin. Ludovic, aka Ludo, comes out. “ Hey guys, can you please wrap up, we’re closing.”<br /><br />My mouth drops, as I stared blankly at him and my head runs a mile a minute thinking -<br /><br /></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 star for you, Asshole! We’re not done eating! </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br />Then Ludo’s laughs and goes on saying in his sexy French ascent, “Take your time. How are you enjoying your meal?”<br /><br />We then not only give him a raving review of his food, but go on spending the next 15 minutes interrogating him about everything from his favorite foods (bread and butter and frozen pizza), to inspirations (traveling), and his take on French bakeries. By taking the time to talk to us, not only did Ludo fall back into our good graces and words like asshole faded away, but he allowed us to put a face to the artist behind our food. This helped add personality, color and understanding to each unique creation.<br /><br />For a table of 8, we ordered 2 of 8 different dishes, but 3 of the beignets to share. We ordered: (Due to my hunger, and the hunger of my friends, I was unable to take photos in the special food photo staging area with perfect lighting created by Ludo’s wife Kristy. Thus, I am not posting my photos because there are a million photos on the Internet taken in perfect lighting that will put my photos to shame.)<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4310463749/" title="Ludo Bites Menu by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4310463749_0f3ae0a6fd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Ludo Bites Menu" /></a></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Natucket Scallop, Pineapple, Brown Butter, Black Bread Power $14 –</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />I loved the brown butter sauce and pineapple cubes. To me, the scallops were soft and tender, but the pineapple added a different texture bringing the dish to another level.<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Celery Root Soup, Black Truffle, Parmesan $15 – </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />This soup was rich, creamy and flavorful. I could have a whole bowl on a cold rainy day and be happy. I loved it!<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4310463209/" title="Celery Root Soup, Black Truffle, Parmesan by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2685/4310463209_b9fd46a693_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Celery Root Soup, Black Truffle, Parmesan" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4311201012/" title="Slowly Sauteed Monterey Wild Squid, Chorizo Oil, Kimchi Puree, Black Olive by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4311201012_c5bd3522bb_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Slowly Sauteed Monterey Wild Squid, Chorizo Oil, Kimchi Puree, Black Olive" /></a></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Slowly Sautéed Monterey Wild Squid, Chorizo Oil, Kimchi Puree Black Olive $14 – </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />The squid was soft, not chewy and the spicy kick from the Kimchi, along with the eggplant paper and chorizo oil created amazing flavors in my palette.<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Crispy Confit Pork Belly, Burnt Eggplant Puree, Plantain, Coconut Thai Chili Emulsion $16 – </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />This pork belly is soft and perfectly cooked. But, I did not like the burnt eggplant puree. To me, it tasted burnt. The plantain was also forgettable.<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Foie Gras Beignet, Saffron- Dried Apricots $17 – </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />The beignet was perfectly fried with an amazing glaze. Everyone loves foie gras, but to me, it was too much foie gras. The foie gras filling tasted under cooked and overwhelming. My Foie Gras Beignet must have been neglected, because my friend said that hers was perfect.<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Brittany Cod Teriyaki, Mashed Potatoes, Picked Garlic, Lemon – Miso $24- </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />I LOVE the buttery goodness of the mashed potatoes, but I thought that the teriyaki sauce over powered the cod.<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Braised Veal, Udon, Caramelized Onions, Kombu Dashi, Enoki Mushrooms $ 16 – </span></b><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Kombu Dashi (kelp stock) was overwhelming and did not allow me to enjoy the dish.<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Crispy Lard, Carrots “Vichy”, Mustard $28 –<br /></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was the perfect end to the night, a perfectly grilled beef Tenderloin with crispy pieces of lard and a nice mustard sauce.<br /><br />This meal was truly an amazing experience. It showed case flavors and techniques from around the world. Ludo is no ordinary chef. Ludo is a complex artist. He blends together unique techniques, spices and ingredients like chorizo oil and kimchi puree or pineapple and scallops to create a well thought out masterpiece of textures and flavor for the palette. Ludo is not only sexy, but so his is food!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4310463359/" title="Photo with Ludo Lefebvre by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2801/4310463359_a8a08f8624.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Photo with Ludo Lefebvre" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><blockquote><a href="http://www.ludolefebvre.com/ludo-bites">Ludo Bites @ Royal/T</a><br />8910 Washington Blvd<br />Culver City, CA 90232<br />(310) 559-630</blockquote></span>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-42509366786005500242010-01-20T00:20:00.000-08:002010-01-20T23:22:36.059-08:00Hidden Gem: Lanzhou La Mian (Shanghai)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I spent weeks researching for the best restaurants in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Since I was traveling thousands of miles across the world, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t waste any meal on some mediocre representation of Hong Kong/Shanghai cuisine. I spend countless nightlights Googling “Shanghai food,” “Soup Dumplings,” “Dim Sum,” “Won Ton”, “Egg Tarts,” etc, reading blog upon blog entries and writing countless emails asking for recommendation, in order to create the final list of must eat foods.<br /><br />Although, the bags under my eyes were well worth the great meals I had eaten, but as it turned out, my favorite meal in Shanghai was not found on the Internet. Instead, I found this nameless <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanzhou">Lanzhou</a> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_mian"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">la mian</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (handmade noodles) restaurant in a quiet neighborhood near People Square and Nanjing Lu, with a storefront that most westerners will never step foot in unless dragged into by a local Shanghainese resident. This shop is not about ambiance. If the LA county health department inspected this restaurant, they would never give it a rating higher than a “C.” You will find great food at this restaurant, but risk staying up all night with the runs.<br /><br />Throughout the trip, I passed by many similar street food vendors who could have served the most authentic and amazing food in Shanghai, but because of my western snobbery, I was too scared and missed out. Although, la mian is not a Shanghainese cuisine, but since it is a local favorite, I thank my expat Shanghai resident tour guide for taking me to eat amazing Lanzhou la mian.</span><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We ordered two la mian dishes that was made right in front of us. The noodle maker started with a lump of dough. Then by stretching this dough, it became long, thin strands of tasty noodles. Amazing!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4286903291/" title="La Mian Making by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2744/4286903291_a6467ed511_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="La Mian Making" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4286905335/" title="La Mian by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4286905335_7b9e02a5fd_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="La Mian " /></a></div></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">La Mian Soup (tangmian) -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Hand-made noodles served with a flavorful, spicy, clear beef broth.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4286905849/" title="La Mian Soup (Tang Mian) by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4286905849_f495d9f857_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="La Mian Soup (Tang Mian)" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4286905505/" title="La Mian Stir-Fried (Chaomian) by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4286905505_77d36b99fd_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="La Mian Stir-Fried (Chaomian)" /></a></div></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">La Mian Stir-Fried (chaomian) -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> This was my favorite dish. Soft yet chewy wider noodles served with a spicy, flavorful tomato based sauce with beef and seasoned vegetables. It was the best noodles I have eaten.<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dumplings –</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Pork dumplings. They were okay, but the star was definitely the la mian.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4287646304/" title="Pork Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4287646304_db010cd5d6_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Pork Dumplings" /></a></div>Sometimes you don’t need to do research to find the best local cuisine. Just go where the locals are and it will find you. </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4287646328/" title="Lanzhou lamian Restaurant by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4287646328_63b84a8464.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Lanzhou lamian Restaurant " /></a></div></div>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-78705224024167524982010-01-14T23:11:00.000-08:002010-01-15T16:00:36.888-08:002 Birds 1 Stone: Dong Bei Ren 东北人 (Shanghai)<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4276200038/" title="Pudong by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4276200038_8e0e2d1ae3.jpg" alt="Pudong" width="500" height="375" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After my mini dumpling crawl, we hailed a cab to the Bund for the Huangpu Riverboat Tour. The Bund is currently under construction, so traffic was a mess! We arrived at the Bund Pier at 1:45 pm when the cruise ship was ready to set sail. We threw 100 yuan a person to the ticket agent and rushed toward the boat. I didn’t even bother to negotiate with the ticket agent to lower the ticket price per person. I was most likely over charged because I read that most cruises cost ~45 yuan a person. At least we didn’t waste another hour waiting for the next cruise.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />Oh well, the cruise was worth the cost. We were able to kill 2 birds with one stone by seeing both Shanghai’s past and future in this short 45 minute cruise on the Huangpu River. As the boat sailed up and down the Huangpu River, we were able to see the historical landmarks of the Bund on the western shore and the modern skyscrapers of China’s financial center in Pudong on the eastern shore.<br /><br />After the cruise we spent the rest of the day walking through the Fresh Concession. We decided to kill more birds in one day by trying Northern Chinese cuisine for the first time at Dong Bei Ren.<br /><br />Dong Bei Ren is a colorfully decorated restaurant with wooden structural beams and brown bamboo furniture, filled with loud, happy people eating and drinking. The warm, welcoming environment, along with the comforting Northern Chinese stews and braised dishes created the perfect location for dinner after a long day of touring the city.<br /><br />We ordered:<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Deep Fried Pork With Sweet and Sour Sauce -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> I don’tlike Sweet and Sour Pork in the states, but this was the best sweet and sour deep fried pork I have eaten. The pork is lightly fried. It was not too oily, but perfectly crispy. The sauce was sweet, but not too thick and ugly red like how you find in the states. It was perfect.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4204974025/" title="Deep Fired Pork With Sweet and Sour Sauce by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2555/4204974025_fc2063411c_m.jpg" alt="Deep Fired Pork With Sweet and Sour Sauce" width="240" height="180" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4205727188/" title="Assorted Sour Sauerkraut Pot by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/4205727188_381de9828f_m.jpg" alt="Assorted Sour Sauerkraut Pot" width="240" height="180" /></a></div></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Assorted Sour Sauerkraut Pot -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Pickled cabbaged soup with tofu, pork, vermicelli noodles. It was warm, a little sour. The soup was great over rice. It was perfect for the cold weather.<br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Stir Fried Three Vegetables</b> - Eggplant, Onion and Green pepper, swimming in oil. It was okay, but too oily for my taste.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4204969391/" title="Stir Fried Three Vegetables by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/4204969391_8c0c5c796f_m.jpg" alt="Stir Fried Three Vegetables" width="240" height="180" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4205730442/" title="Pan Cakes by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2690/4205730442_001fc76643_m.jpg" alt="Pan Cakes" width="240" height="180" /></a></div></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Baked Corn Pancake -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> To me, this was a tasteless pancake.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sweeten Bean Paste Baked Corn Pancake -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> I liked the bean pasted filling, but my American tongue wanted more sugar in the corn Pancake.<br /><br />I enjoyed my first experience of northern cuisine. Because we were pressured for time, I needed to maximize my experience and diversify your meals by killing multiple birds with one stone.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4205728362/" title="Dong Bei Ren's Menu by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2547/4205728362_c0078ab2fc_m.jpg" alt="Dong Bei Ren's Menu" width="240" height="180" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4204968615/" title="Interior of Dong Bei Ren by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2490/4204968615_0cb1894b5e_m.jpg" alt="Interior of Dong Bei Ren" width="240" height="180" /></a></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b></b></span><blockquote><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dong Bei Ren - South Shaanxi Road Branch: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />2F, No. 1, South Shaanxi Road, Luwan District (near Middle Yan'an Road)<br />Shanghai,<br />China<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dong Bei Ren - Panyu Branch: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />No. 46, Panyu Road, Changning District (the intersection with West Yan'an Road) <br />Shanghai,<br />China<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dong Bei Ren - Shuicheng Branch: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />2F, Rutai Hotel, No. 555, Shuicheng Road, Changning District (the intersection with Maotai Road) <br />Shanghai,<br />China<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Dong Bei Ren - Changshou Road Branch: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />No. 360, Changshou Road, Putuo District (near Changde Road)<br />Shanghai,<br />China</span></blockquote></span></div></div>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-58308362580983564472010-01-07T00:19:00.000-08:002010-01-07T00:32:18.446-08:00Exceptions: Yang’s Fry Dumpling 小杨生煎館 (Shanghai)<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4253509504/" title="Yang's Fry Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4253509504_7b421a722d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Yang's Fry Dumplings" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am a germaphobe. I constantly bleach my kitchen and bathroom, avoid touching elevator buttons, doorknobs and handrails and use hand sanitizer a few times a day! In fact for this trip, I bought 4 bottles of hand sanitizer and 4 bags of antibacterial wipes - one for my mom, dad, aunt and me. We were armed and protected from germs. Scared of contracting the swine flu and other illness that would stop me on my China adventure, I did not touch my eye, nose or mouth unless I had coated my hands with antibacterial, but for one thing I would make an exception – Yang’s Fry Dumpling (sheng jian bao)</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />After lunch at Jia Jia Tong Bao, I couldn’t resist trying Yang’s Fry-Dumpling. I had traveled across the Pacific Ocean and Yang’s Fry-Dumpling was right in front of me, serving fresh Sheng Jian Bao right out of the biggest round frying pan I have ever seen. Sheng Jian Bao are soup dumplings, but not steamed like it’s Jia Jia neighbor’s. I ordered one tray of Sheng Jian Bao for 4.5 Yuan then waited in line for 15 minutes while I watched the chefs prepare my dumplings.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4252740323/" title="Making Sheng Jian Bao by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4252740323_51a9b257c2_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Making Sheng Jian Bao" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4253509744/" title="The Menu at Yang's Fry Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4253509744_1c78f0810d_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="The Menu at Yang's Fry Dumplings" /></a></div><b>Sheng Jian Bao</b>- Fried to a crispy, golden brown with sprinkles of green onion and sesame. I took a box of 4 to go meet my parents, but I couldn’t resist opening the box while I walked. I awkwardly took a bite while the soup burst out and dripped down my hand. The skin was thick, but crispy. The soup was well-seasoned and flavorful. In fact, it was so good that I licked my hands with out washing or hand sanitizing them first! Gasp! For the next time (Bite a small hole, suck out the juice to enjoy the juicy goodness)</span><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4253509696/" title="sheng jian bao from Yang's Fry Dumpling by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4253509696_64fee8c2c9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="sheng jian bao from Yang's Fry Dumpling" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Well, I’m still alive. Some times you need to make exceptions, like eating a 2nd lunch right after you finish a tray of steamed dumplings or savoring every bite even if it means licking your hands.<br /></span><blockquote><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yang’s Fry Dumpling</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />97 Huanghe Road<br />Shanghai<br />China<br /><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yang’s Fry Dumpling</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />54-60 Wujiang Rd<br />Shanghai<br />China</span></blockquote></div></div>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-68218307132245432062010-01-06T00:13:00.000-08:002010-01-15T00:05:47.843-08:00Day 2: Jia Jia Tang Bao 佳家汤包 (Shanghai)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Day 2 in Shanghai started around Nanjing Lu visiting the People’s Square, or so that was the plan. My excellent sense of direction, which is about 98% accurate, still jetlagged and disoriented, lead me to somewhere unexpected. We walked out of the subway, through an underground shopping mall, to the front a park with manicured lawns, trees, ponds, bridges, and flower beds that was surrounded by modern high rises. The park was peaceful and a nice change of pace from the rest of the hustle and bustle of Shanghai. There were seniors reading the paper, men and women doing tai chi, lovers strolling and children playing. I found the People’s Park instead of the People’s Square. Opps. Close enough right?</span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4249799321/" title="Jia Jia Tang Bao and People's Square by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4249799321_3cbbf75414.jpg" width="500" height="386" alt="Jia Jia Tang Bao and People's Square" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My sense of direction lead me one step closer to Jia Jia Tang Bao. Right across People’s Park and next to Park Hotel was Huanghe Lu, a street famous for its street food. About a block in, you’ll notice two restaurants across from one another filled with long lines - Jia Jia Tang Bao to the right and Yang’s Fry Dumplings to the left.<br /><br />After my disappointment with the dumplings at Yu Yuan. We decided to try Jia Jia Tang Bao. At 11:35 am on a Wednesday, I stood in line at Jia Jia Tang Bao for about 25 minutes. The line grew longer as it became closer to 12 noon. By the time I got to the front of the line only 6 out of 8 of the varieties of dumplings were available. Before sure to get there early, Jia Jia Tang Bao closes when they sell out. The restaurant is small. For some good dumplings, get ready to sacrifice some personal space. If you have less than 4 people, you will be asked to share a table.<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4249799177/" title="Inside Jia Jia Tang Bao by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4249799177_9990a674a3_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Inside Jia Jia Tang Bao" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4249798801/" title="Fresh made Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4249798801_f0bb4a440e_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Fresh made Dumplings" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We ordered the following and then waited 20 minutes for the delivery of the freshly made and steamed to order dumplings:</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pork Soup Dumplings (7.5 Yuan) -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Thin soft, delicate skin with the right amount of soup with a ball of well-seasoned pork.<br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Shrimp and Pork Soup Dumplings (9 Yuan) -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> If you like shrimp then you might like these dumplings. The shrimp over powered the taste of the pork.<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4249799153/" title="1 Soup Dumpling by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4249799153_3f2b016afd_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="1 Soup Dumpling" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4249798989/" title="Pork Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4249798989_f218e81d45_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Pork Dumplings" /></a></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Seaweed and Egg Soup(2 Yuan) -</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> A good companion for the dumplings</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4249798841/" title="Seaweed and Egg Soup by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4249798841_14d93cc0ba_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Seaweed and Egg Soup" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I was happy with Jia Jia Tang Bao. Since we have Ding Tai Fung in LA, I decided not to try the Shanghai one. Jia Jia Tang Bao is only marginally better than the DTF in LA, but it was 1/12 the cost! I'm glad that I have awesome soup dumplings close to where I live, it beats flying over the pacific every time I crave one of these babies!<br /></span><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Jia Jia Tang Bao</b><br />90 Huanghe Lu, by Fengyang Lu <br />Shanghai<br />China <br />+82 21 6327 6878</span></blockquote></div></div>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-31484882696386026492010-01-02T20:08:00.000-08:002010-02-02T00:11:32.635-08:00Hello 2010!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4238891459/" title="Foodie Adventure of 2009 by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2524/4238891459_5bbae5f158.jpg" width="500" height="389" alt="Foodie Adventure of 2009" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2009 was a great year spent with friends and family and, of course, a year filled with good eats! I found good food wherever I was - from chasing down food trucks in LA, to trying Mofongos in Puerto Rico, dinning at <a href="http://www.thisfoodieslife.com/2009/11/hello-mr-robuchon-latelier-de-joel.html">Joel Robuchon’s L’atelier</a> in Las Vegas, waiting in line for <a href="http://www.thisfoodieslife.com/2010/01/day-2-jia-jia-tang-bao-shanghai.html">soup dumplings in Shanghai</a>, and eating egg tarts in Hong Kong. Things will only get better in this decade and 2010 will be filled with more exciting foodie adventures!<br /><br />Recently, I have freed up some time by single-handedly bringing down the ratings of <i>Heroes, Private Practice, Community and The Big Bang Theory</i> by breaking up with them on my DVR. To fill the void, I will be more committed to my food blog. My goal in 2010 is to post a restaurant review or recipe once a week. Keep a look out!<br /><br />Cheers to a year filled with great food, fun adventures and amazing times with friends and family!<br /><br />Happy 2010! </span>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-44792997863205461702009-12-24T21:27:00.000-08:002010-01-15T00:07:01.757-08:00Real Deal: Old Jesse aka Ji shi 老吉士(Shanghai)<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4209181000/" title="Jesse Restaurant by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2532/4209181000_e8c583abcd_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Jesse Restaurant" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4208452597/" title="Jesse Menu by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2575/4208452597_37db5e23de_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Jesse Menu" /></a></div>As a Chinese American, who grew up eating nothing but Chinese food, lived in Hong Kong for 4 months and currently lives 20 minutes to Monterey Park, CA where I can frequent Taiwanese, Hong Kong Café, Shanghainese, Szechuan and of course Cantonese restaurants, I thought I was well versed in Chinese food. In fact, I proclaimed myself, an expert - VA, the Chinese food expert.<br /><br />That is until my dinner at Old Jesse, where my expert card was revolted after a Shanghainese dinner with an amazing blend of sweet and savory flavors that was foreign to my palette. . How can I be an expert and have never tasted authentic Shanghainese flavors? In fact, I was always uninspired by the “authentic” Shanghainese cuisine in the states, but it is the real deal at Old Jesse and the real deal was amazing.<br /><br />Old Jesse was recommended to me by a Shanghai expiate, who told me that Old Jesse is commonly regarded to be the best authentic Shanghainese food in the city. (Please don’t confuse it with New Jesse who serves a modern interpretation of Shanghainese food.)<br /><br />Old Jesse serves traditional food, but it is not located in an old school food stall. Old Jesse is in a small, clean, minimalist, yet warm space located in the outskirts of the French Concession on a quant, quiet street.<br /><br />The restaurant is always busy. Apparently, old money and Chinese A-listers are regular clienteles, but as a tourist, I wouldn’t know one even if they accidentally bumped into me. Reservations are recommended. Be sure to make it a few days ahead of time. Luckily my mandarin-speaking mom called a few days before we arrived in Asia and made a reservation for 7:30 on a Tuesday night for 4 people.<br /><br />Do your homework; the waiter was bad at making recommendations, so I took a mental survey at the other patrons and ordered the most popular dishes that were ordered around me.<br /><br /><b>Jishi’s Salted Chicken -</b> Tough and dried with an alcohol taste like a drunken chicken. I was not a fan.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4208453125/" title="Jishi’s Salted Chicken by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2504/4208453125_8e10116fd2_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Jishi’s Salted Chicken" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4208454229/" title="Braised Pork in Brown Sauce by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4208454229_f00cc43bab_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Braised Pork in Brown Sauce" /></a></div><div><b>Braised Pork in Brown Sauce -</b> Fatty pork in a sweet, savory, oily sauce. This pork was amazing, except, I had to control myself from eating too much. I could feel my arteries clog up.<br /><br /><b>Fried Sword Bean with Potato -</b> (Vegetarian dish) Green beans and potatoes swimming in oil, mixed in the same sauce as the pork. The dish was yummy, but there was too much oil for my taste.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4208454851/" title="Fried Sword Bean with Potato by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4208454851_4df21808c3_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Fried Sword Bean with Potato" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4208455395/" title="Gluten and Mushroom Pot by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4208455395_55b35fe6af_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Gluten and Mushroom Pot" /></a></div><b>Gluten and Mushroom Pot -</b> Various types of mushrooms sautéed together with oil. I feel like there was a little butter too, but I’m not sure if they use that in Shanghainese cooking.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4209220912/" title="Shaken Shrimp by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4209220912_79025f2584_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Shaken Shrimp" /></a> <img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4209220372_0798310961_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Jesse Restaurant" /></div><b>Shaken Shrimp -</b> Mini, fresh peeled, sautéed shrimp. It was tasty.<br /><br />I loved the pork dish the most! It was a great food experience and I enjoyed it. We spent about 300 RMB for the meal. It was well worth the price tag.<br /><br />Shanghainese food in America is watered down for the local plate. I realized that I am not well versed in Chinese cuisine, like me, the food I eat is Chinese American. Maybe one day, after more time in China, I will be well versed in Chinese food too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4209219216/" title="Jesse, Inc Business Card by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2535/4209219216_6b67d4bf4b.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Jesse, Inc Business Card" /></a></div><blockquote><b>Old Jesse</b><br />41 Tianping Rd., near Huaihai Lu French Concession<br />Shanghai,<br />China<br />+ 82 21 6282-9260</blockquote>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-56390999329781631182009-12-17T01:30:00.000-08:002010-01-15T00:07:41.727-08:00Disoriented: NanXiang Steamed Buns Restaurant 南翔馒头店 (Shanghai)<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4186867317/" title="Yu Yuan by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2576/4186867317_dc3ea67b12_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Yu Yuan" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4187629996/" title="Juicy Pork Crab Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2523/4187629996_cab18bfc98_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Juicy Pork Crab Dumplings" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Because of my cheap Chinese parents, we arrived in Shanghai at the most awkward time – 12 am. After almost 24 hours of no sleep, when I finally went to bed, it was the best sleep of my life. I woke up the next day, disoriented – not knowing where I was and what time it was. When I finally realized that I was in Shanghai, I panicked and called my parents in the next room<br />“Mom! Mom! ! It’s 2 pm! We’ve missed the 1st day in Shanghai! “<br /><br />My mom in her sleepy voice said back:<br />“It’s 7 am!! You can get up and explore Shanghai, I’m going back to sleep for 2 more hours!”<br /><br />After a few more hours of sleep, we decided to start the day visiting Chenghuangmiao (City Gold Temple) in the Old City to see the Yu Yuan Gardens. Thanks to my guidebook, we never made it to the actual Chenghuangmiao because I was confused and thought the shopping plaza around Yu Yuan was called Chenghuangmiao. I didn’t realize that there was an actual temple. Oh well.<br /><br />We first went to the beautiful Yu Yuan Gardens. It was the first of many Suzhou style gardens on my trip. In comparison to the others, it was not as elaborate, well maintained, or big in size.<br /><br />Then we walked around the two-story, retail tourist trap complex with stereotypical Chinese buildings. This retail part of the Old City is filled with souvenir vendors, western snack shops such as Starbucks and McDonalds, sub-par, over priced Shanghai street food and droids of tourist following the leader with a flag on a stick.<br /><br />Even, Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant (aka. soup dumplings), situated in the middle of the Old City, seemed like a tourist trap. I’m not one for falling into tourist traps, but I was there and couldn’t resist a restaurant chain named after a city that created the famous soup dumplings.<br /><br />Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant is a three-story building. There is a take out window on the 1st floor and dinning rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors with higher quality dumplings at a higher cost.<br /><br />Due to our time constrains, my parents decided to order from the take out window. Dumplings are a snack anyways. We stood in line around 2 pm and waited about 20 minutes. There is no English menu. Luckily my mom reads Chinese! We ordered 2 trays of the crab/meat dumplings at the 1st window and received the dumplings at the 2nd window. Don’t forget to grab the chopsticks and add vinegar before hungry people mob you.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:16px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4186867835/" title="Menu at Steaming dumplings at Nanxiang Soup Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/4186867835_afe93c691a_m.jpg" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4187630084/" title="Steaming Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2780/4187630084_30ae076bd9_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Steaming Dumplings" /></a></span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Crab Dumplings -</b> The skin was soft, but too thick, starchy and oily. It looked greasier than McDonald’s fries. When I bit into the dumpling, I found a generous amount of meat and only a small amount of crab. Also, instead of the usual burst of soup, I only tasted a bland squirt.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4186867889/" title="Crab and Meat Soup Dumplings by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2610/4186867889_4bf68b302b_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Crab and Meat Soup Dumplings" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4187630764/" title="Chenghuangmiao at night by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2565/4187630764_d3f095640e_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Chenghuangmiao at night" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Disappointed. Maybe the 2nd and 3rd floors do serve better dumplings.</div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I am grateful that Nanxiang created the soup dumpling, but happy that other restaurants have improved on it. Now, that I’m done with this tourist trap, I’m off to find better soup dumplings.</div></div></span><blockquote><b>Nanxiang Steamed Buns Restaurant</b><br />85 Yu Yuan Rd, Old Town<br />Shanghai, 20001<br />China<br />+86 21 6355 4206</blockquote>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-43971782679328608152009-11-20T02:36:00.000-08:002009-11-20T02:50:22.076-08:00Thankful: VA's Mac and Cheese (Home Cooking)<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4118737841/" title="Mac and Cheese by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2592/4118737841_e995bbaabf.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Mac and Cheese" /></a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sometimes we take the little things for granted.<br /><blockquote>A stranger opening the door for you.<br />Finding a failed meter right in front of the expensive valet. Take that!<br />Matching socks.<br />Realizing that your favorite food truck is in front of your office. </blockquote>This year, on Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my family, great friends and all the little things that put a smile on my face.<br /><br />Inspired by the Mac and Cheese from bay cities that put a smile on my face after a long week at work, I decided to make my interpretation of Mac and Cheese for my Thanksgiving Potluck. I know that Thanksgiving is next Thursday, but I will be eating my way through the motherland - Hong Kong and Shanghai.<br /><br />The following is my version of Mac and Cheese. Like me, it is Asian American. I used panko breadcrumbs instead of white bread to create a light crispy topping. And also like me, it tries to be health. Instead of regular pasta, I used gluten free vegetable pasta, but with the 3-cheese sauce, you will never know the difference. Enjoy!<br /><br /></span><div><b>VA's Mac and Cheese</b></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Makes 12 Servings<br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Ingredients</b><br /><ul><li>8 tablespoons Butter</li><li>1/3 cup Flour</li><li>6 cups warm Milk</li><li>¼ teaspoons Nutmeg</li><li>¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper</li><li>1 Bay Leaf</li><li>5 cups Sharp White Cheddar</li><li>2 cups Fontina</li><li>1 ½ cups Parmesan Reggiano</li><li>1 ½ cup<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pank"> Panko Bread Crumbs</a> – crisper, airier texture</li><li>1 pound Vegetable Radiatore Pasta – healthier, gluten free, made of vegetables</li><li>Salt</li><li>Pepper</li></ul><b>Directions</b><br /><br />Preparation<br /><blockquote>1. Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees.<br />2. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish, set aside.<br />3. Place panko bread crumbs in a medium bowl.</blockquote><blockquote><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4119388892/" title="Panko Topping by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/4119388892_cf0ca5073a_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Panko Topping" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. Toss with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.<br />5. Combined ½ cup parmesan reggiano, ½ cup fontina and 1 ½ cups of sharp white cheddar.</span></blockquote>Cooking the Pasta<br /><blockquote>6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.<br />7. Add noodles and stir well to separate.<br />8. Cook until the outside of the pasta is cooked and inside is underdone, about 9 minutes. (Take a piece to taste around 7 minutes)<br />9. Drain the noodles at once and rinse with very cold water. Reserve.<br />10. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.</blockquote>Mornay Sauce (Cheese Sauce)<br /><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">11. In a medium saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat.<br />12. Whisk in flour, about 3 minutes. (Do not allow it color)</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4118617407/" title="Roux by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2530/4118617407_4d7924acdc_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Roux" /></a><br />13. Gently whisk in milk. One cup at a time.<br />14. Bring to a simmer.<br />15. Add bay leaf and nutmeg.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4118617623/" title="Mornay Sauce (Cheese Sauce) by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2592/4118617623_390f3ba8ea_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Mornay Sauce (Cheese Sauce)" /></a><br />16. Simmer until thick, 20-30 minutes.<br />17. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper.<br />18. Remove sauce from heat.<br />19. Stir in remaining cheese. Set aside.<br />20. Stir the reserved pasta into the cheese sauce.<br />21. Add 1 cup of pasta water.<br />22. Pour mixture into the casserole dish.<br />23. Sprinkle topping onto the top.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4119389054/" title="Mac and Cheese by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/4119389054_e73ccd88c6_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Mac and Cheese" /></a><br />24. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes.<br />25. Cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!</span></blockquote><blockquote>Happy Turkey Day!</blockquote></span></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4119388892/" title="Panko Topping by Virg09, on Flickr"></a></div>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-44888367440407324142009-11-18T00:45:00.000-08:002010-01-15T00:09:04.801-08:00Take Me As Is: Terroni (Los Angeles)<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I got into a fight with my friend the other day while we were cooking. I was apparently giving too much cooking “advice”. I gave so much advice that she stormed out of the kitchen and told me to finish the Mac and Cheese myself.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I was wronged to tell her what to do. If I wanted to add my flair, I should have cooked. With each of my modifications, it slowly becomes my dish and no longer hers.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">“No Modifications, No Substitutions. No reservations,” is Terroni’s model. It is the perfect model when it comes to eating someone’s cooking. You want to taste a chef’s flavor profile. Each creation should have been perfected before arriving on your table. Adding or removing ingredients could ruin the magic of the chef’s creation.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Terroni, located on Beverly Blvd, north of the Grove, is a marriage of an old school diner and a modern, trendy LA restaurant.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It is filled with a </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">hodgepodge</span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> of decorations - modern wooden booths, old school leather orange bar chairs, beautiful lighting fixtures and cans and bottles of the kitchen ingredients against the wall.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On a Wednesday Night I was quickly seated and we ordered the following for 2 people to share:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ricchia - </span></b></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(arugola salad): simple salad with fresh mushroom </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">parmigiano reggiano</span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> shavings a light lemon dressing.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese -</span></b></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Handmade pasta with a traditional meat sauce that was complex and flavorful like a relationship between a marinara sauce and ground meat that have matured with time in the pot</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4099548383/" title="Terroni: Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2539/4099548383_558f44ac14_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Terroni: Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4100304258/" title="Terroni: Ravioli di Burrata con Pesto Siciliano by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/4100304258_a83cb99c57_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Terroni: Ravioli di Burrata con Pesto Siciliano" /></a><br />Ravioli di Burrata con Pesto Siciliano - </span></b></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Homemade Ravioli stuffed with creamy burrata cheese with tomato basil pesto and pieces of sun-dried tomato.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fritters with Hazelnut Ice Cream - </span></b></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Round, soft, freshly fried doughnuts that are dipped in nutella and served with creamy Hazelnut ice cream.</span></span></p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4099679405/" title="Terroni: Desert by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2616/4099679405_8987bc807c_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Terroni: Desert" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Terroni’s Southern Italian food needs no modifications or substitutions. It is perfect as is.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This was not the most mind blowing Italian meal, but it was solid and well seasoned food that reminded me of my meals in Rome.</span><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b></b></span></span></p><blockquote><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.terroni.ca/">Terroni</a></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />7605 Beverly Blvd.<br />Los Angeles, CA 90036<br />(323) 954-0300</span><div class="phone" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); text-align: left; clear: left; position: relative; font-family:arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://www.terroni.ca/</span></div></blockquote><div class="phone" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); text-align: left; clear: left; position: relative; font-family:arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></div><p></p> <!--EndFragment-->VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-51821072286308941872009-11-08T14:48:00.001-08:002010-01-15T00:11:04.768-08:00Cupcake-aholic: SusieCakes (Brentwood)<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4039240576/" title="SusieCakes: Brentwood, CA by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2709/4039240576_5414551aab.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="SusieCakes: Brentwood, CA" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I'm a cupcake-aholic. It's been 30 days since my last cupcake. Today has been really hard because I am mourning the death of my Apple Laptop Computer. It's been through countless accidents and surgeries, but sadly, it did not survive the fall from my bed.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Today, I am in need of a soft, moist, fluffy, sweet, creamy cupcake from my favorite cupcake shop -SusieCakes - to comfort this feeling of emptiness inside the pit of my stomach. The dense cakes from other places are not going to cut it. I need a Red Velvet Cupcake. I love the super moist cake and the creamy cream cheese frosting that accents the flavors of the cake perfectly. I might also need a Strawberry Cupcake and a Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafers to make the tears go away. I must stay strong for the sake of my wallet and my ass, but a trip to SusieCakes might be the only way to put a smile on my face.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4038498687/" title="SusieCake: Cheesecake by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2706/4038498687_da29b13ea5_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="SusieCake: Cheesecake" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4038495873/" title="SusieCake: Strawberry Cookie by Virg09, on Flickr" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2477/4038495873_bc85ee2ceb_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="SusieCake: Strawberry Cookie" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif;color:#555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Strawberry cheesecake and sour cream cheese cake on the left and strawberry sugar cookies on the right. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4039241170/" title="SusieCake: Cupcake Case by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2448/4039241170_fe66cff1cb_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="SusieCake: Cupcake Case" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4039251872/" title="SusieCake: Cupcake Case by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3496/4039251872_7b5120d4d2_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="SusieCake: Cupcake Case" /></span></a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cupcakes: My favorite is the Red Velvet (Cream Cheese Frosting and Red Sprinkles in Lt Photo) and Strawberry ( Pink Frosting and Red Sprinkles in RT Photo) </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#555555;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4039252258/" title="Eat more Cake by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2449/4039252258_dc3f431c54.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Eat more Cake" /></span></a></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#555555;"><blockquote><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.susiecakesla.com/">SusieCakes</a></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />11708 San Vicente Boulevard<br />Los Angeles, CA 90049<br />(310) 442-2253</span><div class="phone" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); text-align: left; clear: left; position: relative; font-family:arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://www.susiecakesla.com/</span></div></blockquote><div class="phone" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); text-align: left; clear: left; position: relative; background-position: initial initial; "><blockquote></blockquote></div></span><p></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-43613567240089613102009-11-02T23:37:00.000-08:002010-01-15T00:13:05.454-08:00Hello Mr. Robuchon: L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Las Vegas)<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4042121040/" title="L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Las Veags by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2786/4042121040_0e210dd9a3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Las Veags" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666666;">$200 on Red.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In order to win big, you must play big. If I doubled my money, I would walk up to the Mansion and demand a table. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Black 35.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not today. Instead, I walked up to the hostess at L’atelier and demanded to be seated or else! And it worked! Yah, right. I don’t have the balls to do that. I don't want to be blacklisted from Mr. Robuchon's world! He holds the key to the Mansion. We waited about an hour and half for a seat at the bar at this beautiful and sleek restaurant, filled with black and bright red accents, and colorful fruit and vegetable shape decor. Because we were seated at the section for poor planners who do not make reservations, I thought we were going to be treated like second-class citizens. Really? Who sits at the counter at a French restaurant? But, in Mr. Robuchon’s world, this bar seat was the best in the house! At most fine dinning restaurants, I always feel like a 8 year old kid, wearing her mommy's dress, heels and makeup, looking ridiculous, sitting nice and straight, drinking water with her pinky up, pretending to be an adult. Instead, the bar seating at L'atelier created a world of unpretentious French dinning, removing the stuffiness yet creating warmth with the attentive wait staff and a view of the chaotic cooks working to provide delicious meals while fellow foodies take in each dish with all their senses. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I went with the summer prix fixe menu for $75 instead the discovery menu for $149. It included: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Amuse-Bouche</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">- foie gras with port reduction and form Parmesan served in a shot glass. I took a spoon full and closed my eyes as the salty Parmesan, foie gras and sweet port hit my palette and partied in my mouth. Loved it.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4041375171/" title="L'Atelier: Les Legumes by Virg09, on Flickr"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Les Legumes </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">- Layers of tomato, eggplant, zucchini with Buffalo Mozzarella and dabs of Basil puree on the side. All the vegetables were well seasoned. Each layer of vegetables brought a different dimension to the dish. I loved the tomato confit. It was very sweet and flavorful.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2611/4041375171_a26f4aa495_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="L'Atelier: Les Legumes" /> <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2618/4042122124_31c4022544_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="L'Atelier: La Langoustine" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "></span>La Langoustine</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - Crispy Langoustine Fritter with Basil Pesto. Tissue thin fried batter wrapped around a sweet Norway lobster. Yum. It was nice and crispy. Although, it tasted 100 x better after I figured out that the micro-salad had a purpose other than decoration. One piece of La Langoustine + a few piece of micro salad + a dab of basil pesto = a good favor combination of fresh, sweet and crispy.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">La Porc Fermier</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> - Braised Pork belly with confit sweet onion. Sweet melt in your mouth pork belly. The mashed potato was really tasty. I can taste a heart attack waiting to happen. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2792/4042119014_ee219fe3ac_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="L'Atelier: La Porc Fermier" /> </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4042119214/" title="L'Atelier: Les Fromages by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2654/4042119214_2da79bde68_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="L'Atelier: Les Fromages" /></a><br />Les Fromages </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">- Blue cheese, Creamy sheep cheese and Camembert. Although, the cheeses were awesome quality, I thought that this was filler, so I don't leave starving. I would have rather eaten something else. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4042122682/" title="L'Atelier: La Framboise by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2585/4042122682_5378febf0c_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="L'Atelier: La Framboise" /></a><br />I wanted to try the traditional tarts, but they were sold out. So, being difficult, I petitioned to substitute the assorted sorbet for the <b>La Framboise</b> - fresh raspberry inside white chocolate sphere, yuzu ice cream. It was a little too tart for me, but the sweetness of the white chocolate combined with fresh berries and the distance flavors of yuzu ice cream created a very distinctive unique flavor.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I loved my meal and my experience. It was a beautiful window into Mr. Robuchon's world.</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#555555;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4042118182/" title="L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Las Veags by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2541/4042118182_195c0035a2_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Las Veags" /></a><br /><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.joel-robuchon.com/">L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />MGM Grand<br />3799 Las Vegas Blvd<br />Las Vegas, NV 89109<br />(702) 891-7925</span></blockquote><blockquote>http://www.joel-robuchon.com/</blockquote></span>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-63670391666094549452009-11-02T00:17:00.000-08:002009-11-09T22:11:31.547-08:00A Good Date: Mushroom and Sausage Lasagna (Home Cooking)<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4067959554/" title="Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2508/4067959554_a8e2c5455a_m.jpg" width="240" height="200" alt="Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The other day, I actually took the effort to comb my hair, put on foundation and shave my legs for a big date with a 3 cheese Lasagna. But, the frozen Lasagna from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Albertsons</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; white-space: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> stood me up and his cousin showed up instead - a pill of noodles with no cheese and some sort of red sauce. After a whole week of looking forward to this Lasagna, I was left feeling empty and disappointed.</span></span></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So, this weekend I was inspired to try my first attempt at making Lasagna. If I can tell you myself, my Lasagna was a good mixture of saucy, cheesy goodness. It was a good date. It could have been better, but I think it was the 1st date nerves. In my next attempt, I will need to cover the dish before baking, burnt noodles are not a good look, and control myself from eating the mozzarella. The top layer was a little sad because I ate all the cheese. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mushroom and Sausage Lasagna</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Makes 10 Servings</span></p> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ingredients </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 large Onions (Minced)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 Yellow Bell Pepper (Minced)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 clove Garlic (Minced)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 can of 12 Oz Diced Tomatoes</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">9 pieces of Lasagna Pasta</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">15 oz Fresh Ricotta</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3 Eggs</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1/3 cup of Parmesan</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2 tablespoon of Fresh Basil</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2 tablespoon of Fresh Italian Parsley</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 cup of Mushrooms (sliced)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 cup shredded fresh Mozzarella</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5 Italian Sweet Sausages (cut up)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4 tablespoons of Olive Oil</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Salt</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pepper</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sugar</span></li></ul><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Directions </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mushroom and Sausage Sauce</span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Heat onions and yellow bell pepper until a light golden color, 12 to 15 minutes</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Add garlic and continue to sauté, stirring frequently until the garlic is soft and fragrant, 1 minute</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Add the tomatoes.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook over low heat. </span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Add ½ of the basil and parsley and cook until a good sauce texture, 15 minutes.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Season with salt and pepper and a dash of sugar. </span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cool and put through a blender. (Do not blend too long, like I did. Look for a smooth, but not lumpy sauce. This will help hold the Lasagna together.) Reserve.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a clean pot.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Add sausage and sauté, 5 minutes.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Add mushroom and sauté, 2 minutes.</span></li> </ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Add the reserved tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reserve.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4067207845/" title="Mushroom and Sausage Tomato Sauce by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/4067207845_09b5265510_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Mushroom and Sausage Tomato Sauce" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Making the Cheese Filling</span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="13" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Combine the ricotta, parmesan, eggs, parsley and basil. Mix Well.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Season with salt and pepper.</span></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cooking the Pasta</span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="15" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Add the noodles and stir well to separate.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cook until tender, but not overly soft, about 8 minutes.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Drain the Lasagna at once and rinse with very cold water. Reserve.</span></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Putting the Lasagna together. (Pre-Heat Oven at 375)</span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="19" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a buttered baking pan.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lay 3 pieces of noodles, overlapping them on a 9 by 13 inch baking pan. </span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Spread the cheese filing about ¼ mm thick,</span></li> </ol>Add the sauce about ¼ mm thick.<br /><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="19" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sprinkles mozzarella and parmesan.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Repeat. </span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Finish with a layer of noodles </span></li> </ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cover with sauce and top with mozzarella and parmesan.<br /><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2588/4067208053_ded5439ce8_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Making the Lasagna" /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/4067959348/" title="Making the Lasagna by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2720/4067959348_b3661fa5ab_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Making the Lasagna" /></a> </span><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Baking the Lasagna.</span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="27" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cover with tin foil and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes</span></li> <li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cool for 10 minutes and serve. </span></li> </ol> <!--EndFragment-->VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-69054791578679058992009-05-18T02:21:00.001-07:002010-01-15T00:15:16.062-08:00Burger Heaven: Umami Burger (Los Angeles)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;font-family:'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/3541267005/" title="The 5th Taste by Virg09, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/3541267005_9102eda121_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="The 5th Taste" /></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"></div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Umami is savory taste beyond salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. It is a natural savory flavor from meats, cheese, or mushrooms that lures you to come back for more. The Umami burger did just that for me. After eating the burger for the first time, I was addicted and went back 3 days later for another. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I went to Umami Burger for the first time last Wednesday. Umami Burger is in a quiet strip of La Brea. I've passed by it multiple times and never noticed it. We arrived at approx. 8 pm and waited 20 minutes to be seated. Umami Burger is not your typical hole-in-the-wall burger stand. The space is modern and sleek, filled with black tables and chairs, ceiling high windows, and Asian inspired fixtures. It is a hybrid of a fast-food stand and sit-down restaurant. The tables are covered in white paper with the Umami logo. Waiters take your order, but then place the order number on your table, so other servers know where to deliver your burger.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />I ordered the Umami Burger. It came with caramelized onions, roasted and marinated tomato, Parmesan crisp, grilled shiitake mushroom, homemade ketchup and a medium rare meat patty on a sweat brioche bun. On my first bite, I was knocked out by the complexity of the flavors. Flavors of salty, bitter, sweet, sour and Umami in conjunction with the churchly, soft, chewy, texture and a well seasoned, perfectly cooked and packed meat patty created an amazing tasting burger. Loved it! Can I have seconds please?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/3541266455/" title="Umami Burger by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2243/3541266455_ffd82ca2af.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Umami Burger" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We also ate:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Triple Pork Burger -</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Fresh ground pork spiced with Chorizo and cob-smoked bacon, aged manchego, pimenton aioli.<br />This burger was packed with so much goodness in the meat patty. The first bite was filled with a burst of flavors. It was much more flavorful, than any other burger I've tried.<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hand Cut Fries -</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Tripled Cooked. Although, I prefer skinny crispy fries. It was good for steak fries.<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ketchup - </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I did not enjoy the ketchup. It was more watery and too vinegary than I prefer. Please just give me the Heinz!<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Malt Liquor Tempura Onion Rings -</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> It was like tempura at a Japanese restaurant, except WAY too oily after only 10 minutes</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/3541266845/" title="Triple Pork Burger by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2404/3541266845_a252b9f69b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Triple Pork Burger" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On Saturday I ate:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />Port and Stilton Burger (Blue Cheese, Port Caramelized Onions) with a glass of Charamba Douro 2005 purchased at the neighborhood liquor store down the street. It was recommended by Umami Burger. Loved the BYOB and the $5 corkage fee. I loved the burger, but do not recommend the wine with this Burger. The wine is too over powering for a burger that also has really strong flavors.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I will be back! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">For my 3rd burger, I want to try the Truffle Burger. Truffle + Burger? Sold! </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;font-family:'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23042589@N04/3542072448/" title="Inside Umami Burger by Virg09, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3542072448_c35eaf6ba8.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Inside Umami Burger" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.umamiburger.com/">Umami Burger</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />850 S La Brea Ave<br />Los Angeles, CA 90036<br />(323) 931-3000<a href="http://www.umamiburger.com/"></a></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">www.umamiburger.com</span></blockquote></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298121381182835684.post-37635440527904801832009-05-18T01:49:00.000-07:002010-01-04T01:16:35.895-08:00This Foodie's LifeI eat to live and live to eat. <br /><br />Everyone has a food blog, but this blog is about my life and how food intertwines with everything I do. You will find entries on anything from my hour-long work lunches, to my struggles on cooking Chinese-Vietnamese food, travels around the world on a budget or everyday eats in Los Angeles. I am a foodie with crazy adventures, so join me in my foodie adventures.<br /><br />Welcome to This Foodie’s Life. <br /><br />Cheers!VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18348819867776090947noreply@blogger.com6