The Kick It Spot » World

Furaibo – Tebasaki (Nagoya style chicken wings)

admin — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 01:15:40 +0000

Surprisingly, AH, who is Japanese, has never had Japanese fried chicken.

So, I took it upon myself to introduce her to some of her people’s deliciousness, and also to satisfy a craving =)

Link: Furaibo

Din Tai Fung – Xiaolongbao (Soup Dumplings) Yum

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:46:59 +0000

Had a quiet dinner of xiaolongbao to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

Famous steamed pork dumplings

Fact: The Hong Kong branch of this place was awarded 1 Michelin star in 2009.

Of course, we also had other stuff like…

Braised beef soup.

Pork and crab dumplings.

Shrimp Fried Rice.

Steamed pork glutinous rice dumpling, wrapped in bamboo leaf.

Pork and glutinous rice shiaomai.

Fried pork chop.

Some kind of appetizer.

Green melon and shrimp dumplings.

All of it was delicious and cheap, which leads me to the only downside of the place – the wait and the fact that they don’t take reservations. Oh well.

Link: Din Tai Fung

Ondal 2 – Spicy Kalbi Soup was way better than the Spicy Crab Soup

admin — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:17:29 +0000

RA agrees…

obligatory spicy, crab soup.

even tastier spicy galbi (short ribs) soup..

after we killed the soup, they dropped in noodles in one pot, and made fried rice in another pot. yum.

On Dal 2, 4566 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

International Fight Showdown 9 – Clash of Kings

admin — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:51:34 +0000

Watched some Muay Thai in the City of Industry.

Link: IFS

N/Naka – Kaiseki

admin — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:57:59 +0000

Haven’t seen RA in 8 years or so. Ran into her while shopping. Made plans to catch up.

Had Kaiseki.

First dish, or Sakizuki, comprised of “a pairing of something common and something unique.” To me, it just comprised of deliciousness. The anchor to this dish was definitely the eggplant purée.

CHEF’S GARDEN EGGPLANT PUREE, SCOTTISH SMOKED SALMON, OSETRA CAVIAR, CRÈME FRAICHE, CHIVES
Pair: JEAN PHILIPPE, CUVEE

Zensai, made up of seasonal ingredients, was a playful dish. Each bite required some assembly. Before indulging, from right to left, sprinkled a bit of the bacon powder on top of the sliced calamari, which was stuffed with Maryland blue crab, then, topped it with mushrooms and greens, and finally, dipped the whole thing into the balsamic reduced dots. Yum.

BLUE CRAB STUFFED SWORD SQUID, MUSHROOM SAUTE, BACON POWDER, BALSAMI REDUCTION
Pair: 2010 ALBARINO, MORGADIO, RIAS BIAXAS, SPAIN

Modern Zukuri was interesting… sashimi was wrapped with avocado, topped with a yuzu sorbet, and were flanked by jalapeno jello dots.

KANPACHI TARTARE IN AVOCADO, PONZU GLAZE, YUZU SORBET, JALAPENO GELEE
Pair: 2007- PINOT BLANC, DOMAINE PFISTER, ALSACE FRANCE

Otsukuri was just regular, high quality, sashimi. =)

TUNA, JAPANESE SEA BREAM, LOBSTER, KUMAMOTO OYSTER
Pair: SAKE-TOKUBETSU JUNMAI SAKE, CHIYOMUSUBI, TOTORI, JAPAN

Mushimono comprised of an egg custard with mushrooms and crab. It was topped with uni.

UNI CHAWANMUSHI
Pair: 2007 — SLUMBERGER GEWURSTRAMINER PRINCE ABBES:

Shiizakana was a perfect al dente pasta.

ABALONE PASTA, PICKELED COD ROE, ABALONE LIVER SAUCE
Pair: 2010-CONTESE DI GAVI, PIO CESARE, PIEDMONTE, ITALY

For Niku, sashimi-grade beef laid on a big leaf, while soaking up sauce.

AMERICAN WAGYU, HOUBA YAKI, KYOTO RED MISO SAUCE
Pair: 2007 — PINOT NOIR EVENING LANDS, WOLA-AMITY HILLS, OREGON

Towards the end of the meal, Shokuji arrived, with six pieces of nigri sushi.

JAPAN SNAPPER, TORO, AJI, LIVE SCALLOPS, AMAEBI, SEARED TORO
Pair: SAKE-SHICHIDA YAMAHAI KARAKUCHI, SAGA JAPAN

These two were my favorite. Spanish mackerel and live scallop.

Ama ebi is another one of my favorites…

Miso Soup with ama ebi head.

Finally, Mizumono. Green tea crème brûlée, chocolate cake with ice cream, and fresh fruit – mangoes, white kiwi, grapes.

GREEN TEA CRÈME BRULEE, FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE, VANILLA ICE CREAM, FRUITS
Pair: 2008-LATE HARVEST SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON MALDANADO, CALISTOGA, CA

Not pictured are the many wine and sake pairings that came with each dish, which if we drank them all, would’ve gotten pretty buzzed. Yea, so next time, I take a taxi….

At the end of the meal, Chef Nakayama greeted us.

This place is definitely a new favorite. Tasty dishes. Intimate setting. Great service. Wonderful experience.

I’ll be back.

Cheers!

Link: N/Naka

Kobawoo – Bossam

admin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 19:03:17 +0000

Met up my kickboxing friend for dinner. Since he has a fight coming up soon and has to cut weight, we kept the carbs to a minimum. Instead, gorged on pork belly. Delicious.

Kobawoo. 698 S Vermont Ave, Ste 109, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Wurstküche – Late Night Eats

admin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:58:17 +0000

On this visit, they ran out of alligator, so I got the Duck & Bacon with Jalapeño Peppers…topped with sweet peppers and sauerkraut.. large Belgian fries with the white truffle oil glaze, of course.

Link: Wurstküche

Rivera – Modern Latin Cuisine

admin — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 18:48:28 +0000

It’s been about 2 years since the last time we were here.

Perused the special St-Estèphe menu, that chef John Sendler resurrected for the month of September, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the birthplace of modern Southwest cuisine. Despite even the prices being the same as in 1981, we passed. We, or rather I and I dragged her along, intended to eat the pibil!

Started with one of my favorite drinks, Rivera’s classic Barbacoa with mezcal. The beef jerky in the drink never gets old. This time, I really appreciated the sliced bell peppers infused with the drink. Always tasty.

To start, we had the Choros al Vapor. mussels, chorizo, aji amarillo pisco broth. So good, I wish that they had offered us more bread to soak up the juices!

Rather than get another appetizer, we dug ourselves into the delicious black mess called duck enfrijolada. blue corn tortillas, black bean puree, chevre, red wine chile sauce. the duck was prepared and had the texture of carnitas.

Before the main even, I had the Oaxacan Piece Pipe. Chichicapa (this word caught my eye and was the reason why I ordered this, Ha!) mezcal, rye, black pepper, cumin syrup, dandelion and burdock bitters, grapefruit essence. This thing was strooooong. Good and strong.

and why we came here……. the Yucatecan Puerco Pibil. banana leaf-wrapped pork shoulder, braised sous-vide. I’d argue is Rivera’s best dish.

So good, we each had our own.

For dessert, we were intent on getting the Spanish Olive Oil cake. lemon extra-virgin cake, creme fraiche ice cream, strawberry sorbet, jerez vinegar reduction.

… and at the last minute, we got the baba cachaca. individual sponge cake soaked in brazilian rum syrup, dulce de leche, fresh citrico. Amazing; it was my first time having baba.

A great dinner. I’m looking forward to coming again.

Link: Rivera

Comme Ça Restaurant – always a treat

admin — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 06:51:11 +0000

had an early dinner with Sooj…to talk some business………

Started with my favorite drink from this place.. The Penicillin..

doing a quick Google search, I was able to find how to make it!

2 oz. Blended Highland & Islay Scotches
¾ oz. Fresh lemon
¾ oz. Ginger syrup
¾ oz. Honey
Spritz Laphroig scotch
candied ginger for garnish

1. Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
2. Pour in a rocks glass with a block of hand-chipped ice.
3. Garnish with candied ginger.

Of course, we both got the burger… One thing that I really like about Sooj is that she’s always down to eat fattening food…. and she’s not fat.

To cap our dinner, we had a chocolate tart… it went well with the cappuccino.

Always a pleasure.

Link: Comme Ça Restaurant

Yong Su San – Korean multi-course meal

admin — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:46:55 +0000

Met up with a few friends for dinner and partook in a 10-course Korean meal. It was the first time for me. I thought it was tasty.

The ddok guk was a standout…

..as was the kalbi..

Link: YongSuSan

Palsaik Samgyeopsal – 팔색삼겹살 – Korean Pork Belly

admin — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 05:09:31 +0000

They serve pork belly in 8 different marinades. Miso was my favorite.

Western Soondae – 순대 – Blood Sausages!

admin — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:40:40 +0000

Met up with a couple of friends to try Korean (pig) blood sausages. It came out on a plate with a bunch of other pig parts. It was all pretty good.

Random: I think it’s kind of funny that Western Soondae has two locations and that they’re both on Western Avenue. We went to the one in Gardena.

Also had their dukbokki. Spicy and also delicious.

Link:
Western Soondae

Drago Centro – Seasonal Tasting Menu

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:57:12 +0000

Emi was in town, visiting from Korea.

Took her to one of my favorite restaurants, Drago Centro.

Quite famished and to make this reunion less complicated, we had Chef Celestino Drago’s latest tasting menu, which featured a variety of classic dishes with a twist (of course). It was a leisurely two and half hour dinner where we had a merry good time catching up.

For libations, I had the American Graffiti, a root-beer tasting concoction featured in the “New Classics” section of the Spring/Summer Cocktail menu and highly recommended by a couple of our servers. It was refreshing.

Shortly after, we were presented with amuse bouche (sausage croquette over romesco?)… and began our gastronomic journey…

The first course was a salad comprising of prosciutto, bocconcini mozzarella, and compressed melon. The sweet and savory combination was phenomenal.

The second dish came out in clear plastic baggies that required the server to cut open with scissors, indicating that it was cooked sous vide. On the plate, we were greeted with a healthy piece of white sea bass, mussels, clams, and baby vegetables. It was a very clean dish that left me wanting more. Even the juices from the seafood mixture lent itself to being enjoyed with the table bread. I savored it all to the last bite.

As the sun set, we experienced two of my favorite dishes of the night.

The first (third dish) was a trio of conchiglioni pasta stuffed with snails and coated with herbs, garlic, and brown butter. This was sinfully rich, and though it does not look like much, the portion was perfect.

Whenever I go to Italian places, the experience never feels complete without a taste of gnocchi, whether it be from my order or from a companion’s plate. So, it was to my delight that the fourth dish comprised of crunchy, pillow-soft pork belly, gnocchi, and fava beans in tomato cream. The meal could have ended here and I would have been content.

Anyways…

For the last savory course, we were presented with a perfectly-cooked medium rare lamb chop, panelle, and cipollini onion, over romesco sauce. It was a robust dish full of provincial flavors.

As the moon made an appearance over head, we capped this adventure with delicately ribboned chocolate pudding and rhubarb sorbet. Like everything else that preceded it, delicious.

C’est tout.

Link: Drago Centro

Comme Ça Restaurant – Perfect, Early Dinner

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:53:30 +0000

In the area and in the mood for oysters, and also craving their burger.. a few friends and I ate at Comme Ça…

Fanny Bay and Kumamoto oysters.

Because we showed up on the early side, we had a few drinks and appetizers off of the happy hour menu while our table was getting prepped. I ordered these pork sliders, which looked like fancy Sloppy Joes. They were very tasty.

For the main event, we all ordered the Comme Ça Burger - certified angus beef, cheddar, dressing, pommes frites.
Fact: New York Times’ Jane Sigal, in 2009, called it the Perfect Burger Recipe.

Perfect is debatable. Still, delicious.

Something cool. The New York Times even published the recipe for this burger and bun.

Here’s a Copy + Paste:

Adapted from Michael David, Comme Ça, Los Angeles

Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 to 2 hours’ chilling

2 pounds ground beef chuck, 80 percent lean

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoon ketchup

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of chili powder

1 cup finely shredded iceberg lettuce

4 light brioche buns (see recipe) or other large hamburger buns, split

1/4 pound thinly sliced medium-sharp Cheddar cheese

4 thin onion slices.

1. Lightly shape meat into 4 4-by-1-inch patties, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.

2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a hot fire on a grill, or heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle each burger all over with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and season generously with black pepper. Sear burgers on grill or in skillet for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer burgers to a broiler pan and bake for 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove pan from oven. Position an oven rack closest to broiler element, and heat broiler to high.

3. In a bowl, whisk mayonnaise with ketchup, cayenne and chili powder, and season with salt and black pepper. Add lettuce and stir to coat. Toast buns. Top burgers with Cheddar and broil until cheese melts, about 30 seconds. Set burgers on bottom buns and top with lettuce and onion slices. Cover with top bun and serve, whole or cut in half.

Yield: 4 to 8 servings.

Adapted from Hidefumi Kubota, Comme Ça, Los Angeles

Time: 1 hour, plus 2 to 4 hours’ rising

3 tablespoons warm milk

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

3 cups bread flour

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened.

1. In a glass measuring cup, combine 1 cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 1 egg.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, unfloured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let buns rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.

5. Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Yield: 8 buns.

Link: Comme Ça Restaurant

El Rey del Mar – Cocktel de Camaron

admin — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:05:48 +0000

Small size. Delicious.

El Rey del Mar, 18530 Sherman Way,Reseda, CA 91335

Chichen Itza – Cochinita Pibil

admin — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 02:33:33 +0000

Remember Johnny Depp’s character, Agent Sands, in Once Upon a Time in Mexico? Well, in the movie and in practically every other scene, he was found eating puerco pibil. He was obsessed with the dish, even going so far as to kill the chef if he made it too well….

Chef Centina of Chichen Itza can take solace then that Agent Sands was only a fictional character because his pibil is AMAZING.

Seriously, one of my top 5 dishes.

You know what’s cool? The Los Angeles Times has the recipe. One of these days, I will make it myself.

Copy + Paste:

Chichen Itza cochinita pibil

Total time: About 1 hour, 10 minutes, plus marinating and baking time

Servings: 8 to 10

Note: From chef Gilberto Cetina of Chichen Itza Restaurant. Ground annatto seeds and frozen banana leaves are widely available at Latino markets. To thaw the banana leaves, remove the bag from the freezer about 1 hour before using.

Cochinita pibil

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

2 whole cloves

1 whole allspice berry

1 small pinch dried oregano

6 tablespoons ground annatto seeds

2 tablespoons salt, divided

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 cup orange juice

3/8 cup grapefruit juice

3/8 cup lemon juice

5 pounds pork (pork butt or boneless pork shoulder)

1/2 pound banana leaves, previously frozen and thawed

Pickled onion for garnish

8 to 10 whole habanero peppers for garnish (optional)

1. In a spice grinder, grind the peppercorns, cloves, allspice and oregano to a fine powder. In a bowl, combine the spice mixture with the ground annatto seeds, 1 tablespoon salt, garlic and vinegar along with one-fourth cup water; stir until it reaches the consistency of a paste. (Makes about one-half cup; it can be refrigerated for several months.)

2. In a large bowl, make a marinade by stirring 2 heaping tablespoons achiote paste with the citrus juices and 1 tablespoon salt until well-blended.

3. Cut the pork into large pieces about the size of your fist. Add the pork to the marinade, stirring to cover completely; cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 12 hours, turning at least once.

4. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a Dutch oven or heavy casserole with the banana leaves, overlapping the leaves slightly and covering the bottom and sides of the dish.

5. Place the marinade and pork in the banana leaf-lined pan. Pour the remaining marinade over the meat and fold the banana leaves tightly over the meat.

6. Cover and tightly seal the baking dish with heavy aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until the meat is tender to the point of falling apart with a fork. Divide the pork among plates, skim the fat from the marinade and pour over the pork, sprinkle with pickled onions and place a fresh habanero pepper on top. Serve with tortillas and habanero salsa if desired.

Pickled onions

1 large (or 1 1/2 medium) red onion, cut into 1/4 -inch dice

2 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 tablespoon salt

In a bowl, combine the onions, vinegar and salt with three-eighths cup water; let stand for 2 hours. Drain and serve with cochinita pibil.

Roasted habanero salsa

9 habanero peppers (stems removed)

7 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Place the habaneros and garlic in a small, heavy frying pan and roast over medium-high heat until slightly charred. Place peppers and garlic in a food processor with vinegar and salt and blend until pureed. Add the oil and stir well to combine.

Each of 10 servings with 2 tablespoons pickled onions and one-half teaspoon salsa: 397 calories; 39 grams protein; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 23 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 135 mg. cholesterol; 431 mg. sodium

………..i guess it’s also worth mentioning that I tried the Ceviche Pescado, which was basically basa fish marinated in lime, cilantro, onion, and tomatoes.. very refreshing…

Cheers!

Link: Chichen Itza Restaurant

La Serenata (Northridge) – Campechana

admin — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 03:17:38 +0000

La Serenata, 19265 Roscoe Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91324.

Versailles – Sandwich Cubano

admin — Tue, 24 May 2011 02:14:54 +0000

for the longest time, a friend has been recommending the sandwich cubano. the other day, i tried it, and i thought it was not very good. hahahaha. the meat was kind of dry and the whole thing was just greasy…. oh well.

Link: Versailles

Oomasa – Chirashi

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 02:43:30 +0000

Sapp Coffee Shop – Great Thai Food in the most unexpected place

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:36:06 +0000

the kickboxer found this place… it was good.

this particular dish was called Jade noodles…. i’m assuming because the noodles are green?…

the kickboxer made us come here to try this…. it was pretty good as well….

Cash Only!

Sapp Coffee Shop, 5183 Hollywood Blvd, 90027.

Songkran Festival Los Angeles 2011

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:20:30 +0000

Celebrated Thai New Year over the weekend in Hollywood with PR girl and the kickboxer….

Link: Thai New Year Los Angeles

Yasmin Levy – Mi Korason

admin — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 03:38:41 +0000

From Israel.

Giuliano’s Deli – Torpedo Large Special

admin — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:47:37 +0000

After our morning hike, sooj and I grabbed a bite at one of my favorite delis, Giuliano’s, in Torrance.

Italian mortadella, cotto salami, Buon Gusto Italian salami, Italian capocollo, provolone cheese, peperoncini & crisp lettuce…all on 16” torpedo roll.

Also picked up a Sopranos-branded soda… Amaretto flavor… yum!

Links:
Giuliano’s Deli
Drink Sopranos

Crème de la Crêpe…fondue savoyarde

admin — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:37:54 +0000

Picture a Paris street café, add sunshine and a cool ocean breeze….

For Friday dinner, Sooj and I met up in Redondo Beach…for fondue savoyarde ..

made with Emental, Gruyére and Comté, white wine, mustard, garlic & herbs…and served with French ham, proscuitto, smoked turkey, apples, and croutons…yum.

Link: Crème de la Crêpe

Empress Pavilion – Yum Cha

admin — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:46:49 +0000

i love dimsum. brunch with the PV kids. first time at Empress Pavilion. to make the experience feel authentic, made EA order for us in Chinese. =)

tried something new…

… tripe…well, not new.. just new for dim sum… YUM.. like chicken feet without the bones!

I think I will add this to my regular dim sum orders.

Link: Empress Pavilion

Rivera – Yum!

admin — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:49:48 +0000

Last night, PR girl and I had fancy Mexican food at one of my favorite restaurants, Rivera.

Looking back at old blog posts, I realize that it’s been a year and half since I’ve been back!

We were in the neighborhood for the Clippers game (vs. the Houston Rockets) at Staples Center, and needed to grab a bite to eat.. or rather, I was craving their signature Barbacoa drink >=)

Anyways, the mezcal-based drink included chipotle, bell pepper, ginger, and beef jerky! Sounds weird, but I guarantee that it is one of the most refreshing drinks ever…pardon the crap iphone pic…

as for food, we started with the piquillos rellenos…stuffed spanish peppers, chorizo, golden raisins, and gruyere. delicioso

remembering how tasty the yucatecan puerco pibil sous vide was, I suggested she order it…

wanting to try something new but also kind of wanting pork… i chose the costa rican puerco from the samba menu… similar to PR girl’s dish, my hunk of kurobuta pork tenderloin was braised in coffee, and it was served in a sugar cane sauce….yummmmmm..

We skipped dessert to make our way to the game………..

Bonus:

Blake Griffin shooting a free throw!

Link: Rivera

Pho So 1 (Reseda) – Cha Gio

admin — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:26:06 +0000

Egg Rolls.

Link: Pho So 1

Ramen Jinya – Hakata Ramen

admin — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 19:40:48 +0000

After reading reviews about Ramen Jinya in LA Weekly and on Rameniac, I ventured into Studio City to give this place a whirl…

Being my first time, I really wanted to try something special. I was very curious about the tomato seafood ramen served with garlic bread, but alas, they didn’t have any for lunch time. So, I settled on the hakata ramen. I’m not going to lie, I was initially drawn to it as a second choice after reading on the menu that it was limited to 20 servings per day. Ha!

Arriving with a bit of an appetite, I made my order a combo, which added a side salad served with a grated daikon vinaigrette..

…and a small bowl of curry rice.

So, did I like it? Well….. it was okay. I definitely think the reviews that I read overhyped this place. Situated in Studio City, I expected prices to be a higher than the norm and even the taste to be different. The use of fried onions as a garnish to the soup, I think, detracted from the broth. It was unique, but it reminded me of the chinese egg noodle soups. Though I was pleased to find the pork belly slices to be generously cut, a big hunk of it was straight fat. On the plus side, the noodles were properly prepared – firm, slight chew. As for the sides, they weren’t memorable.

I would return and try something else, maybe get lucky, and be able to order that tomato seafood ramen.

Link: Ramen Jinya

Ortega 120 – Tasty Margarita, but mediocre food.

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 21:39:26 +0000

Last night, I joined a few friends for margaritas, inside jokes, and a bite to eat at Ortega 120 in Redondo Beach. For the most part, it was fun. We drank a couple of pitchers of their house margarita and sampled a few of their dishes.

I was actually looking forward to it. The place is known for their house margaritas. In fact, LA Weekly considered them the best in 2009, one year after opening up shop. And did it live up to the hype? Yes! It was refreshing, and had just the right amount of tequila. I’d definitely come back for drinks or happy hour, but for straight food, that’s another story…..

Always on the look out for interesting items, I ordered the Lamb Shank Birria, which included a 21 oz braised lamb shank, served with pickled onions, rice, and corn, in some kind of chile broth. Presentation-wise, it was acceptable. Taste-wise, it was well, edible. There was no wow factor, and actually, left me a bit disappointed. Though the meat was tender and fell right off the bone, it did not appear that it was properly marinated. The trimmings weren’t very spectacular, as well. Oh well, lesson learned. I think I will stick to ordering Lamb shanks only at Persian restaurants.

I tried some of PR girl’s Enchiladas Rojas Sencillas, which was supposed to have included braised beef shortribs, but really, the meat was pretty dry, almost like carnitas. Did the chef fuck up and stuff it with the wrong meat? Or was it just overcooked? During this time, I had a nice margarita buzz going to really care. In hindsight though, the enchilada wasn’t very good. So, this will be another dish that I’ll never order again.

Eventually, we made it to the end of the meal, and satisfied our collective sweet tooth with some churros! In contrast to the rest of the meal, this was yum and I was actually pretty sad that I didn’t just skip the appetizers and entrees and go straight to dessert. But really, you can never go wrong with vanilla ice cream, chocolate, and fried, sugary dough.

Overall, the experience was acceptable. I might be back. We will see.

Link: Ortega 120

Shin Sen Gumi Hakata Ramen

admin — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 21:34:20 +0000

Last night, Sooj was craving Hakata ramen, so we went to Shin Sen Gumi. We had to wait 40 minutes to be seated, but it was worth it!

I ordered egg and pork toppings, not knowing that the regular already comes with half an egg and pork.. -_-

Link: Shin Sen Gumi Hakata Ramen

Santouka – #81

admin — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 21:30:27 +0000

My Guatemalan friend loves ramen… but up until now, she’s been exposed to pretty mediocre ramen. So, took a 3 hour lunch break and took her to one of my favorite Ramen joints in So Cal…. Santouka!

I ordered the Shio for both of us. She loved it.

#81 is my default order. It’s regular sized Shio Ramen + Egg + Pork Bowl.

Sinful. Delicious!

Link: Santouka

Carillo’s Mexican Deli – Go to spot for Mexican in the valley

admin — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 21:19:25 +0000

the other day, a friend wanted to eat Mexican, so we went to her favorite place in the valley.

I got the el caldo…beef and vegetable soup. It was tasty and had that home-cooking aura. I really liked the corn tortillas that they make in-house; they’re thick and flavorful.

. forgive the crap iphone pictures.

tried some of the half chicken special. It was like a leaner El Pollo Loco.

I don’t eat Mexican food that much, but if I’m ever in the valley and want some, I come here.

Carillo’s Mexican Deli. 19744 Sherman Way, Winnetka, CA 91306.

Simpang Asia – Happy Valentine’s Day Dinner

admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:26:21 +0000

Had V-Day dinner with a few of the PV kids……

I want to say that last night was the first time that I had Indonesian food. PR Girl picked the place. She did a good job. Stuff I tried……..

Nasi Bungkus. Rice with chicken curry, beef rendang, Balinese style egg, spiced potato w/ bits of chicken gizzard, and vegetable light curry. It came wrapped in a banana leaf.

Chicken Satay…

Es Cendol……

Chicken with this tasty, spicy eggplant

More fried chicken!

Otak Otak…fish cake….. it was good!

Kwe Tiau Sirem…Nooodles!!

Roti Bakar. Toast with Cheese, Condensed Milk, and Chocolate Sprinkles…………….. Interesting.

Cheers!

Link: Simpang Asia

Kushiyu – Ikura and Salmon-Zuke Don

admin — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 22:35:32 +0000

it was okay.

Link: Kushiyu

Red Corner Asia – Late night Thai food

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 06:40:15 +0000

yum roast duck

fried rice

hot and sour (tom yum) soup

Link: Red Corner Asia

Kushiyu – Soboro Don yum

admin — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 02:04:34 +0000

After a few months searching, I finally found a place that serves a decent soboro don in the valley.

… though a bit sweet, it was still tasty.

this place is known for kushiyaki.. here, i had asparagus, swordfish, chicken meatball, chicken with green onions…

…and gizzards….mmmmm

they also serve sushi. amaebi.

I’ll definitely be back. Cheers!

Link: Kushiyu

Drago Centro – duck. rabbit. veal. apple. chocolate.

admin — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 08:07:56 +0000

had dinner with finance chiq, darth’s sister, darth’s sister’s bf, and restauranteur.

drago centro is one of my favorite downtown LA places. i love their smokehouse drink. anyways, ate a lot. tried new things.

amuse bouche

duck risotto. swiss chard, gorgonzola crème. SO flaavorful.

caciucco. spicy seafood broth, crostini

braised rabbit. gnocchi, fennel, carrots. in celebration of chinese new year =)

veal loin. speck, chick peas, parsnips

chocolate budino. walnut soil, banana chips, chantilly cream

apple cranberry crumble. vanilla ice cream

zabaglione semifreddo. tropical fruit. YUM!

mignardises.

c’est tout. will be back for sure!

Link: Drago Centro

Comme Ça – the burger is yum

admin — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 03:01:29 +0000

Sooj was craving a burger. I suggested we hit up French brasserie, Comme Ça. To some people, they make the best burger in Los Angeles. I disagree (Father’s Office and Pete’s are my favorite), but do value their burger high up there.

We had some drinks at the bar, while our table was getting prepared.

Penicillin: Blended Scotch, ginger, honey, lemon, Laphroaig 10 year…
and Rumble: Rum, lemon, blueberries

When they were ready for us…

mac n cheese

beet salad

darth playing with new phone and kickboxer having a good time

darth’s filet mignon. it was ehh.

burger. mmmm.

darth’s sister. i don’t think she really liked the burger. she only had one bite and tossed the rest away.

oh well. i’d come back.

Link: Comme Ça

Drago Centro with PV Kids

admin — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 02:16:10 +0000

With PR girl back from her Jakarta/Bali vacation, I met up with the PV kids for food and drink at one of my favorite Downtown LA restaurants, Drago Centro.

amuse bouche. started off with some mozarella… yum.

famous for their creative cocktails, had the Smokehouse. It was comprised of Laphroaig 10 yr scotch (my favorite scotch), clear creek cranberry, berentzen apfelkorn, fresh apple, fee bros. whiskey barrel bitters, and candied bacon. DELICIOUS.

“bro” got this…

PR girl sucked on the 5th and Fig…a concoction of bertagnolli grappa, housemade fig syrup, fresh orange juice, fresh lemon

For the first course, PR girl and I had the Beet salad – l’insalata di barbabietole all’agrodolce. baby beets, warm goat cheese, pine nuts, and chile vinaigrette.

others had this thing that looked like a granola bar.

PR girl

Second course, I had the raviolli – i ravioli di zucca. butternut squash ravioli, amaretti crumble. YUM!

EA and “bro” ate some buckwheat noodles. i pizzoccheri della valtellina. buckwheat pasta, cabbage, potatoes, fontina, sage cream.

For my entree, I ordered scallops. le cappesante. seared diver scallops, artichoke, celery root, fennel. YUM.

PR girl had the gnocchi. lo gnocco alla romana. semolina gnocchi, oxtail ragout, gorgonzola creme

EA and “bro” had salmon. il salmone. salmon, asparags, piquillo peppers, potatoes, balsamic.

so good, i had another.

EA and “bro”

C’est tout!

Link: Drago Centro

Medina – Vi To

admin — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:48:12 +0000

Awesomeness from Denmark.

Ayame – Omakase

admin — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:45:56 +0000

had dinner with JC and tomimito.

Link: Ayame

Fun at Gaam.

admin — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 18:54:33 +0000

all came to celebrate darth’s birthday.

darth.

madame.

lots of people.

At this point, she called herself Darls

cheers.

Mottainai Ramen

admin — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:10:10 +0000

Looking through pics in my digital camera, I noticed that there are quite a few things I forgot to post about. One of which is this ramen joint inside Marukai Pacific Square. It’s a relatively new place that serves some pretty good ramen. I recall that everytime I would talk about ramen around my kickboxer friend, he would ask me if I ever got the chance to try Mottainai. Apparently, he really likes this place. Anyways, the other day, we went.

I ordered the miso and added all sorts of toppings, like an egg and wonton. I also tried a bit of their spicy paste, as well. The noodles were different (not in a bad way) from what I’m used to. Nevertheless, I thought everything was pretty tasty.

I’ll be back.

Link: Mottainai Ramen

Pitfire Pizza – an okay pizza

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 21:08:17 +0000

had dinner with PV kids.

tried being seasonal, and had the goat cheese, persimmon and pistachio salad. fuyu persimmons, medjool dates, goat cheese, winter lettuces, golden balsamic vinaigrette, toasted pistachios. delicious.

..the merguez sausage, spinach, and feta pizza. huntington lamb merguez sausage, wilted spinach, roasted pepper harissa, feta, red onion. it was just okay.

still kind of hungry… got another pizza. this time a White Pie. creamy ricotta, mozarella, red onion, parmesan, torn basil, mama’s lil hot pickled peppers. this was tastier.

EA sad. hahahahaha.

i’m not really a pizza person, but this place was okay. i’d come back…. in a year or so.

Link: Pitfire Pizza

The Cure – Just Like Heaven

admin — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 03:29:03 +0000

Gum Tree – Aussie Meat Pie

admin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:37:51 +0000

met a friend in Hermosa Beach for breakfast. had the meat pie. delicious!

they serve good coffee too! i’ll be back.

Link: Gum Tree

International Fight Showdown 2010

admin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:49:14 +0000

Went with my kickboxer friend to watch some Muay Thai.

My friend was supposed to compete, but his opponent backed out (chicken). Instead, we watched one of his gym mates (blue shorts) break the nose and TKO his opponent. It was awesome!

Link: International Fight Showdown

Bool BBQ – Korean beef taco

admin — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 01:28:35 +0000

I’m not into taco trucks, but this was tasty.

Link: Bool BBQ

School Food Blooming Roll – 떡볶이 Yum

admin — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:51:05 +0000

Justin and Tomimito took me to try School Food, a Korean chain that’s recently landed in Los Angeles. It was tasty.

ddeokbokki

got these anchovie rolls to dip in the ddokbokki

dipped these fried mandus in the ddeokbokki also

sweetness. yum.

Link: School Food

LA Paella – Birthday

admin — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:59:28 +0000

it’s been a few years since i’ve been here. used my birthday as an excuse to come back. good times.

our group was large enough to order two different kinds of paella, and have them served together.

Paella Marinera. Rice with saffron, calamari, mussels, clams, shrimp, small lobster tail, etc
Arròs Négre. Cuttlefish, calamari, baby shrimp and mussels cooked with rice and squid’s ink

paired the meal with a syrah and a cabernet sauvignon from the liquor store down the street. paid the corkage. also had some of the house sangria. yum.

hot and cold tapas.

Croquetas de Pollo. Fried chicken croquettes
Patatas Bravas. Fried potatoes tossed with spicy tomato sauce
Almejas Marinera. Steamed Manila clams with white wine
Gambas al Ajillo. Shrimp sauteed with garlic and chili pod
Jamón Serrano – doméstico. Slices of domestic salt-cured ham
Queso Manchego, en tacos. Small cubes of Spanish year old sheep cheese

Caracoles al Ajillo. Snails sauteed with garlic and a touch of chili.

Tip: no valet service (thank God). lots of street parking.

Link: LA Paella

Sue’s Kitchen – Tan Tan Mian

admin — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 05:38:26 +0000

Kickboxer friend introduced me to real Tan Tan Mian -Sichuan Style at this hole in the wall Chinese cafe in Torrance.

FREAKING YUM.

also had these…

soup wontons

onion pancake

Highly recommend getting the spicy peanuts also.

Sue’s Kitchem, 23918 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Oumi Sasaya – never really liked cold udon until now

admin — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 05:11:16 +0000

They make their udon fresh daily. yum.

Sesami Flavored Shrimp Tempura Udon

Link: Oumi Sasaya

Oktoberfest 2010 at Alpine Village

admin — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:56:08 +0000

Fun Times in the South Bay.

german beer and german food.

not german, but still good.

We sat outside and missed most of this. We’re going to have to show up earlier next time to snah a table.

Link: Alpine Village

Musha Izakaya – Cheese Rissoto

admin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 02:23:16 +0000

creamy and rich. AMAZING.

Link: Musha

Viva Madrid – Spanish Tapas in Claremont!

admin — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 02:52:06 +0000

Bacon-wrapped dates.

Our waitress recommended the lamb chops.

Link: Viva Madrid

Gonpachi at Miyako Hybrid Hotel

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:40:27 +0000

After a good study session, went with Sooj and the kickboxer to get some soba. Wanting to try a new place, I suggested we go to Gonpachi, since they make their own soba. Having been to the Gonpachi in Tokyo, I had high expectations for this place. And though the modern decor was slick and good enough to be called a date place, I was really disappointed with the food. It wasn’t bad tasting; it just did not impress me…at all. I will give this place another try, but not for a while. Anyways…

Meiji Tofu Temptation – four kinds of tofu served with sea urchin and truffle oil, lemon and olive oil, balsamic and salmon roe, and gochujang and black caviar.

takowasa – raw octopus and wasabi plant stalk

popcorn shrimp

kamo seiro udon – served with a warm duck broth

kamo seiro soba

close-up of the duck broth. it was actually pretty tasty.

C’est tout.

Link: Gonpachi

Uncle Bill’s Pancake House (Manhattan Beach)- YUM!

admin — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:57:16 +0000

Had breakfast at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House with the sooj and the kickboxer.

I ordered Mitch’s Scramble – eggs, mild green chile, and cream cheese. DELICIOUS!!!!!!
It came with hashbrowns and a couple of buttermilk pancakes…..

… also had some of Uncle Bill’s famous Potatoes Straganoff – potatoes, bacon, and melted cheese.. toppe with sour cream… mmmm.

Link: Uncle Bill’s Pancake House

Red Cliff – Tortoise Formation

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:19:16 +0000

Here is a screenshot of one of my favorite fighting scenes of one of my favorite movies, Red Cliff.

In it, the bad guys are lured into this maze, where they are methodically massacred by the underdogs. Amazing cinematography.

Trailer.

Link: Red Cliff

Mifune – Ten zaru Soba

admin — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:01:36 +0000

Sat at the lunch counter. It was cheap. Taste wise, it was eh … probably the same status as if I were to make this myself =)

… which is why I eat out 85-90% of my meals..

Link: Mifune

Federico Aubele – Despertar

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:59:56 +0000

It’s still one of my favorite songs.

Marmalade Cafe at the Farmer’s Market

admin — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 07:43:51 +0000

Baja Cioppino. Jumbo Shrimp, crab meat, scallops, clams, calamari, and fresh fish simmered in a mexican seafood broth, chili flakes, cilantro, bell peppers, and garlic toast. I added pasta. Delicious.

I like this place. My dish was tasty, and it was the right portion size.

The madame’s cool clutch and sooj’s hand, wearing my ring.

See, we’re all a bit goth.

Link: Marmalade Cafe

I wear red shoes, like the Pope.

admin — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 07:21:39 +0000

Penny loafers

Picked them up on a whim at Neiman Marcus. Comfortable.

Rosa Mexicano comes to Los Angeles!

admin — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 07:10:14 +0000

Upscale Mexican?!?!

I ordered the Chamorro, or Pork Shank. Crispy marinated pork shank served with red bean-chorizo chili and chipotle creamed spinach. It was huge and pretty delish.

Apparently, they’re also known for their fresh guacamole made table-side.

Overall, it was okay. Upscale? Maybe just the prices.

Link: Rosa Mexicano

Cooking Dinner by William Hereford

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 05:35:18 +0000

Making Roasted Duck, Potatoes, and Salad. Beautifully shot.

Cooking Dinner Vol. I from William Hereford on Vimeo.

Uni!

admin — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 10:12:38 +0000

Uni – Sea Urchin. Had a random craving that needed satisfying.

Royal Orchid – Red Curry and Pad Thai for lunch!

admin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 02:12:15 +0000

Hole in the wall place that serves solid Thai food.

Royal Orchid. 21038 Victory Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Woo Young Mi – Fall/Winter 2010-2011

admin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:13:45 +0000

Cool coats and great hair.

Link: Woo Young Mi

Recipe: Broiled Cod in Miso Sauce by Nobu Matsuhisa

admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 03:35:11 +0000

Copy + Paste from somewhere on the internet.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons white miso (fermented soybean paste)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
1/4 cup sake
4 6-ounce black cod or sea bass fillets (each about 3/4 inch thick)

Start marinating the fish for this dish at least two hours before you plan to serve it.

Mix first 4 ingredients in shallow baking dish. Add fish and turn to coat. Cover dish tightly and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.

Preheat broiler.

Remove fish from marinade. Broil until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side.

Shin-Sen-Gumi Gardena Ramen Restaurant – Ate so much, going to explode!

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 06:14:08 +0000

Sooj joined me for dinner…

ordered way too much.

takowasa

hiyayakko

cheese eggroll

soboro don

hakata ramen

Takoyaki

Sushi Ichiban Kan – no sushi for me today

admin — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 21:13:40 +0000

Went to a sushi place and didn’t order any sushi…. hahahaha.

Tempura Udon…. plus red chili powder.

baked green mussels…YUM

agedashi tofu

Yep, non sushi items are pretty good here as well.

Link: Sushi Ichiban Kan

Crepemaker – Caesar Steak

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 01:18:45 +0000

steak, melted mozarella cheese, grilled portabello mushrooms, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, caesar dressing.

Link: Crepemaker

Mitsuwa – UMAIMONO GOURMET FAIR

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 10:04:17 +0000

Umi no Sijuso… from Otaru (Hokkaido)

it was delicious.

Link: Mitsuwa

La Paz – Cochinita Pibil

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 03:09:04 +0000

Was in the area and had a craving for cochinita pibil. Found La Paz. Presentation kind of sucked, but it was decent taste-wise. I doubt I’ll be back. Ha!

Link: La Paz

Matsui – Grilled Black Cod marinated with miso sauce

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 02:51:00 +0000

I’m going to teach myself to make this.

Matsui, 21605 S Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501

Ukon No Chikara in the United States!!!

admin — Sat, 22 May 2010 01:39:29 +0000

Checking out the latest mailer from Mitsuwa, I noticed that they’re having a special fair (5/13/10 to 5/23/10) to celebrate products by House Foods. And when I glimpsed a picture of Ukon No Chikara with a starburst “new” caption, I got in my car and made a dash to the market. Up until now, these were not available anywhere in the United States.

Oh… for those not familiar with this drink, it’s an EXCELLENT hangover cure or preventer (if you drink it before your night on the town). One of these saved my life when I was in Tokyo.

I’m not sure if it will be a mainstay at Mitsuwa or is just part of the “House Fair.” In either case, at $15 for a 6-pack, I think I’ll go back to stock up.

Links
Mitsuwa
House Foods

German Cold Cuts International – Mixed Cold Cut Sandwich

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 04:08:43 +0000

ME took time out of her “busy schedule” and wanted to try something different and sort of new. I had Germany on my mind, so that’s what we did. Ordered the mixed German cold cut on a french roll, small side of potato salad, and a wiener würstchen…

It was my first time here and I really liked the place. It was small and staffed by three women – had a true mom and pop feel. It reminded me of the trips I took with my pops to Alpine Village, where we’d pick up cold cuts and sauerkraut, and while waiting for our order, the nice people there would give me a wiener würstchen to hold me over..

I’ll be back here for sure. Cheers!

German Cold Cuts International, 6019 Topanga Canyon Blvd Ste C, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

La Frite Café – craving French Onion Soup

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 01:48:50 +0000

Today was a gloomy day, which put me in the mood for a cup of Onion Soup Gratinée. I wouldn’t say it’s the best French onion soup that I’ve ever had, but it’s worth a repeat visit.

I also had a savory crêpe. In this case, tomato, cheese, spinach, and sausage, served in a casserole dish. It was pretty rich.

Craving satisfied. Cheers!

Link: La Frite Café

Kavinsky – Nightcall (Xavier de Rosnay Remix)

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 06:19:35 +0000

Ichimi Ann – Eel Box Sushi

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 22:09:01 +0000

I’m making this place a regular go to spot on the weekend. It helps to give my life some sense of structure.

This time, I got a 6-piece thing of eel box sushi.

Link: Ichimi Ann

Shibuya – Sushi Spot in Calabasas

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 01:13:11 +0000

At the sushi bar, I asked the chef, “what’s good?” He recommended the sake-steamed clams, so that’s what I started with.

(were live) sweet shrimps

shrimp heads with some pozu… mMMm

Namesake, Shibuya House Roll. Americanized, tempura filled fatness. Guilty pleasure.

Salmon Skin Hand Roll. I really liked that they baked the salmon skin. Other lesser places would’ve fried it.

Other than the chefs, my friend and I were the only Asian people. Ha!

Shibuya, 4774 Park Granada, Ste 8B, Calabasas, CA 91302

Two Door Cinema Club – Something Good Can Work

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:17:26 +0000

Currently opening for Phoenix.
They’re Irish, and will be playing Bardot and Troubador this coming week.

Sushi Ichiban Kan – Gindara Saikyo Yaki

admin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 07:56:25 +0000

For lunch. The filet was hugeeeeee.

Link: Sushi Ichiban Kan

O Dae San

admin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:41:12 +0000

All you can eat Korean BBQ. You can’t go wrong with this place.

cha dol is my favorite. i like dipping it in the salt.

towards the end of the meal, cooked some spicy calamari.

O Dae San. 2889 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006

Dan’s Super Subs: Jumbo Italian Sub

admin — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 23:19:53 +0000

Hi, I’ll take a jumbo 12″ Italian sub delivered….. Uh, huh. My name? Batman. Thanks, see you in 10.

Link: Dan’s Super Subs

Lee Ga Eun (Page) – Song of Devotion

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 06:08:31 +0000

From the Korean Drama, Damo.

Didn’t watch the drama, but came across this song while at a cafe in Koreatown many, many years ago….

Google searched, and apparently, you can watch the drama >>here<< Even has English Subtitles. Cool!

Ichimi Ann – Unagi Don

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 01:56:20 +0000

It was okay.

Link: Ichimi Ann

Cavaretta’s Deli: Caprese Sandwich

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:59:56 +0000

I guess you can say I like mozarella…. a lot. For the third time this week, I needed it to satisfy a lunch craving. This time, I got my fix from Cavaretta’s Italian Deli. Similar to South Bay’s Giulianno’s or Santa Monica’s Bay Cities Italian Deli, Cavaretta’s is an institution to Canoga Park. The place has history and a cult following.

Service is decent, ingredients are of high quality, and the bread is fresh. I’m getting hungry all over again.

Tip: Phone in your order to avoid a potentially long wait time.

Link: Caveretta’s Deli

Gomorrah – Awesome Italian Gangster Film

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:48:17 +0000

Gomorrah was a joy to watch. Gritty and honest, it intertwines five stories of people who were affected by the Camorra, Italy’s largest organized crime syndicate. Matteo Garrone, the director, did an excellent job portraying how entrenched the group is in Italy’s culture and economy. From drugs and weapons to high-fashion textiles and waste management, they’re everywhere.

The above picture is from the story of Marco and Ciro, a couple of wanna-be gangster teens who quote Scarface and try to create their own little gang. Kind of funny.

Trailer.

Instead of providing a mediocre review, here’s a Copy+Paste of Frank DiGiacomo’s really good one from Vanity Fair:

Gomorra is a film about the Mafia, but unlike any of the American classics of the genre, such as Francis Ford Coppola’s first two Godfather films and Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas and Casino—it is devoid of any Hollywood romance. This might sound strange, but Gomorra reminded me of Ridley Scott’s science-fiction masterpiece Alien more than any of the aforementioned mob films, because it is a movie about a relentless, voracious, ever-morphing force that seems to have an almost omniscient capability of tracking down and dispatching its victims and adapting to its surrounding environment.

Garrone’s Gomorra is an adaptation of Roberto Saviano’s bestselling book, Gomorrah, and both are a pun on Camorra, the name of the Neapolitan Mafia, which, according to Saviano, has killed more people than the Sicilian Mafia and the Irish Republican Army. I read Gomorrah after I saw Garrone’s film, and I should say that, in its own way, the book is as compelling as the film. In one of my favorite passages, Saviano describes Hollywood’s influence on the Camorristi, members of this far-ranging mob that has its hands in fashion, narcotics, gambling, and the illegal dumping of toxic waste. One Neapolitan gangster dresses like Brandon Lee in his ill-fated role in The Crow, and Saviano writes that there are female bosses whose bodyguards wear vivid yellow bodysuits like the one Uma Thurman sported in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies. Tarantino’s influence on the Camorra extends beyond fashion, too, although with messy consequences. Saviano quotes a “veteran of the Naples Forensics Division” who complains: “Ever since Tarantino, these guys don’t know the right way to shoot! They don’t keep the barrel straight anymore. Now they hold it crooked, like in the movies, which makes for disaster. They hit the guts, groin, or legs, seriously wounding but not killing. And so they have to finish the victim off with a bullet to the nape of the neck. A pool of pointless blood, a barbarism completely superfluous to the goal of execution.” (Apparently, even the cops in Naples speak eloquently.)

The Camorra reportedly did not react kindly to Saviano’s inside look at their operations and he has since gone into hiding with round-the-clock police protection. Apparently, the Neapolitan mob is more forgiving of filmmakers because, as far as I know, the same fate has not befallen Garrone. In fact, when I first saw the film last fall, the director was in the audience, and Scorsese was introducing the picture, telling the crowd that one of the great strengths of Gomorra was that “there is no exit: forget exposition; traditional narrative: you don’t know what country you’re in, you don’t know what city; you don’t know what street it is. You never know that.” Scorsese, who knows a thing or two about stomach-turning realism and claustrophobic tension, continued, “You’re just dropped onto another planet, and you’re on your own. There’s no relief…. The only way out for the people in the film is going to be bad”.

A large part of Gomorra takes place in what appears to be a cookie-cutter apartment complex that is the essence of depressing. There are endless concrete stairwells and bleak landscapes that enable ambushes and gunplay, and the gritty sameness of the landscape underscores the fact that no one is to be trusted. The Camorra seems to infect everything it touches, even childhood, and, for me, one of the most memorable scenes in the movie depicts a small group of young boys who wait in line to don a crude bulletproof vest and brave a gunshot to the chest—what amounts to a rite of passage in a region where manhood is brutal and often brief.

The violence may be local, but both Saviano’s book and Garrone’s film show how the Camorra’s reach is increasingly global. Early in the book, there is a chapter titled “Angelina Jolie” that depicts the Camorra’s involvement in producing high-end clothing designed by Italian fashion houses in underground sweat shops. Near the end of the chapter, a particularly talented worker at one of these factories is at home channel-surfing his television when he sees Jolie walking the red carpet at the Oscars wearing a custom-made outfit that he had assembled. Garrone wanted to use Oscar footage of Jolie for a similar storyline in his film, but, at the screening I attended, he explained that the Academy wouldn’t release it to him. So, the filmmaker improvised and bought footage of actress Scarlett Johannson walking the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival in 2006. (Press reports indicate it was a vintage gown.) “I don’t know if Scarlett Johansson knows she is in the movie,” Garrone said at the time. A few days ago, I asked Johansson’s spokesman Marcel Pariseau if his client was aware of her appearance in Gomorra. Via e-mail, he replied that Johannson hadn’t seen the movie and, thus, didn’t have any comment.

She should see it. And so should you.

Links:
Gomorrah (Blu Ray)
Gomorrah (Regular DVD)
Gomorrah (book)
Oscar Crime: Gamorra Shoulda Been a Contender by Frank DiGiacomo, Vanity Fair, 2/26/09.

Ichimi Ann – Negitoro Don

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:51:56 +0000

To go with my zaru soba….

It sucks that this place isn’t open at night. I could eat here every other night at least.

Link: Ichimi Ann

Ichimi Ann Honten (Bamboo Garden)

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:58:13 +0000

For lunch, craved soba, so I dropped by this much-hyped about place in Downtown Torrance. It’s a self-service, standing soba shop, something pretty common in Japan. Order and pay first, help yourself to hot or cold tea, and even pour your own soba yu. No frills, just a nice atmosphere and quality food.

They import their buckwheat from Japan, and make the noodles fresh daily.

Indeed, as part of the Inaba group, the soba was pretty much the same as that served at I-naba and Ichimi Ann Rolling Hills. That means, fantastic. Of course, soba wasn’t the only thing I ordered.

Oyako Don. The egg had the right amount of runniness to it. YUM!

Battera – marinated mackeral box sushi. This can be ordered 2-, 4-, or 6-pieces at a time. I really only wanted 1 or 2, but I thought 4 would take a better picture. Ha!

Awesome lunch spot. For dinner or a date however, I think I’d rather pay more and go to Inaba. In any case, I’ll be back.

Tip: Cash only and street parking can be a bitch.

Link: Ichimi Ann

Shirin – Repeat visit was a mixed bag

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 02:17:19 +0000

Tried the Ghormeh Sabzi, and herb stew, which kind of looked like a swamp. It was basically sauteed green herbs, some veal, red beans, and dried lime. It came with a side of basmati rice. It was ok. I’m sure it was authentic and anyone growing up with this stuff would’ve approved. Unfortunately, it didn’t really do much for me. Oh, well.

Last time, I got the salad, which was so underwhelming that I didn’t bother taking a photo (basically, it was a garden salad with ranch dressing). This time, I opted for the soup. A’ash-e Reshteh is what I think they call it. It’s a hearty vegetable soup with some noodles. I’m definitely getting this going forward. It was pretty thick, almost like a curry. mMmMmMm…. I actually liked this more than my stew.

ME got the koobideh, and since she’s tiny, I ate some too. It was delicious. The best I’ve had, seriously.

another friend got the shrimp. It was okay.

That’s that. You know I’ll be back.

Link: Shirin

Pho 999: Another pretty good Vietnamese joint in the valley

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 01:59:18 +0000

They have a pretty big menu, having items that lesser places fail to provide. Since it was my first time, I stuck to what I know.

Che Ba Mau. mMMMmmm. shaved ice, red beans, mung beans, green strips of jello, coconut milk.

Rice dish with crab cake, shredded pork, and grilled bbq pork.

Pho 999, 7255 Reseda Blvd, Reseda, CA 91335

Spring Mishima Bento Box Fair at Mitsuwa

admin — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:58:07 +0000

Stopped by to pick up some food. Part of the Spring Picnic Fair.

shrimp tempura.

eel.

Links:
Mitsuwa
Mishima

Kyushu Ramen: Shoyu Ramen + Fried Rice Special

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 03:14:47 +0000

For Good Friday, stopped by Kyushu Ramen and ordered the “Special Combination,” which comprised of Shoyu Ramen and a half-portion of Fried Rice. Overall, it was just okay. Next time, I think I’ll stick to their namesake, which is made with a more robust broth.

Fried rice was pretty yummy.

I also tried the chicken karaage. It was okay, nothing fancy.

Kyushu Ramen, 15355 Sherman Way Ste N, Van Nuys, CA 91406

Sandwich Express – Vietnamese Bánh mì Deliciousness

admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:08:18 +0000

What a Find! I recently discovered a Vietnamese sandwich shop in the valley that does Bánh mì right. I love that it looks like a hole in the wall kind of joint, and family-own/run. The lady at the counter seems a bit sassy (maybe because I paid in quarters), but I suppose that’s part of the charm.

In any case, the ingredients in these sorts of sandwiches are pretty standard. What makes one standout then is the bread. This place must make the French baguettes fresh everyday, as they’re consistently crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside. mMmMm.

Grilled Pork #6. My Favorite.

Special Dac Biet #1

At $3 bucks for a footlong bánh mì, where the bread doesn’t need toasting, eff Subway.

Sandwich Express, 18575 Sherman Way, Reseda, CA 91335.

I-naba – Tried their Chirashizushi

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:52:36 +0000

It was okay. Quality ingredients. Variety. Portion size, however, was a bit lacking.

I also had small salad, gindara saikyo yaki (miso-marinated black cod), chawanmushi (egg custard), hiyayakko (cold tofu), and miso soup. They were delicious.

Link: I-naba

Gaja Moc – Okonomiyaki!

admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:58:58 +0000

The last time I had okonomiyaki was on a rainy night almost 2 years ago, in the Tsukishima Town of Tokyo. I’ve been craving it ever since. IMHO, Gaja Moc is the best place in Southern California to recreate the experience…

Ordered the Spicy Cod Roe, Mochi, and Cheese Mix. We were looking forward to warm, melted, gooey mochi – knew it would be delicious.

Sooj mixed it up… and we started off prety traditional.

while watching it sizzle… munched on some spicy mayo takoyaki.

flip. sizzle, sizzle

Plop. Putting on the condiments. okonomiyaki sauce. mayo in a star-pattern. green stuff. dancing. bonito flakes. Hit the Spot nicely!

next, we got a little creative. my pac man eating sooj’s heart.

last scoop was all me.

Craving satisfied! Cheers!

Link: Gaja Moc

Shirin – Persian Deliciousness

admin — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 22:45:32 +0000

Found another pretty good Persian Restaurant out in the valley.

Baghali Polo. Baked Lamb Shank in Tomato Sauce served with Basmati Rice Mixed with Fresh Dill and Baby Lima Beans and Saffron.
I really liked the rice here, so much so that I ate the entire serving! The massive amounts of dill made it fragrant and provided a very appetizing texture. The lamb was pretty good; it fell off the bone. The sauce was a bit thin, but that’s okay. I’m definitely coming back for more.

Chicken Barg. Skewered Charbroiled Marinated Chicken Breast served with Broiled Tomato, Vegetables and Basmati Rice with Saffron
My friend ordered this and loved it. As the portions were giganormous, she plopped half of the chicken on to my plate. So, I tried it and was very impressed. At a lesser restaurant, this would’ve been dry as Hell, but not here. It was so juicy and flavorful. If white meat is your thing, I’d recommend this.

Link: Shirin Restaurant

Sushi Ichiban Kan – Unagi Don

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:23:43 +0000

Lunch. Had to satisfy a craving.

Ramen Nippon – Mabo Don

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:39:40 +0000

Lunch. Nothing fancy, but pretty satisfying.

Ramen Nippon, 6900 Reseda Blvd, Reseda, CA 91335