Pike Place Chowder

If you think about Seattle, 2 things probably come to mind: endless rain and GREAT food.  When we decided to make a weekend trip to Seattle, I immediately started looking up places to eat.  What is good travel without good food?  That's my philosophy anyways.  I'll probably never visit a place for the sole reason of visiting unless its got something good too eat.

Pike Place Market has to be one of the main tourist attractions in Seattle.  I don't know why it's so famous exactly because it seems like any other farmer's market, fresh produce, meat, seafood, handmade goods, and ready made eats.  Maybe its the fish tossing?  Missed any of that action.  Pike Place Chowder happens to be a great little attraction in the market for its award winning chowder and crab roll.

Instead of going with just the famous New England clam chowder, I opted for the 4 chowder sampler.  Four  5 oz cups of any 4 chowders of your choosing for $10.95.   I went with all the chowders except the salmon chowder, and swapped it out for the seafood bisque instead.  All of the soups were good but nothing to write home about it.  They certainly hit the spot on the cold rainy day we were having.

Southwestern Chicken & Corn Chowder grilled chicken, corn, assorted vegetables, creamy southwestern style broth
Creamy with a great grilled chicken flavor, accented by sweet kernels of corn in every bite. 

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Davis Street Tavern

I haven't had a bad dining experience in Portland.  I wouldn't go so far as to say that Portland is a "total foodie town" but it's fair to say it does well for itself.  It's size and limited diversity will always be the limiting factor in its rise to greatness like the cities of LA, SF, and NYC.  I think there are probably more restaurants out there that are solid, but it doesn't seem like a lot of people Yelp about it enough.  So that also limits my ability to come across the good finds.

Davis Street Tavern is a well reviewed good little find in Portland.  Solid New American cuisine that's not too fancy, but probably pricier than most would be willing to shell out.  Nice, spacious, and pretty happening for a Friday night with a live bluesy rock band.   Dumpling Man opted for the 5 course tasting menu at $48 while I choose some things a la carte.

Kunamoto Oyster fresh cucumber, pickled shallot, rainbow trout roe *tasting menu*
I've never quite acquired the love for oysters.  It's just one of those things that taste too much like the ocean for my liking.  But I certainly can appreciate people's love for this raw shellfish.  In fact, I've had a wonderful oyster or two and they were fresh, perfectly chilled, briney, and always highlighted by some wonderful flavors.  This version for instance had the pickled shallots for that contrasting flavor and crunchy texture also enhanced by the cucumbers.  

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Red Onion

It's official, I LOVE Thai food.  I love the harmonious interplay of bold flavors: sour, sweet, spicy, salty.  It's probably the food I crave the most when I've gone a period of time without it.  It's a good thing Dumpling Man also likes Thai food, but his version of Thai food is limited to Thai curries and pad se ew.  Anything beyond those staple dishes is all on me, meaning I'm the only one who's gonna eat it.  That is why I jump at any opportunity to eat Thai food with other larger groups of people so I can try other Thai dishes I'm sure I will also love.  Alas, this rarely happens, so I'm stucking eating the same things.  It's not really all that bad because I always leave a Thai restaurant satisfied.

I was worried that Portland would be lacking in the Asian food.  While I have been underwhelmed by the dim sum, the Thai food has well exceeded my expectations.  I would easily say the Thai food here is better than any Thai food you could find in LA, excluding the Hollywood area where Thai Town thrives. 

Tom Mamuang & Pla Trout Tod Krob shredded green mango, carrot, mint, cilantro, cashew nut, crispy rainbow trout, sweet spicy lime juice
I will not belabor the point I've made before about my love for Thai salads.  This was an interesting variation with the addition of crispy trout as the protein.   The shredded mango and carrots were not overly sour or sweet.  They took up the dressing without imparting too much of their own strong flavors, like a really really sour green mango can.  The dish was of course brightened up with the use of mint and cilantro.  It was all rounded out with the earthy soft flavors of cashews sprinkled throughout.  I can't complain about this salad.

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Built to Grill

Another trip to Portland would not be complete without more visits to the Portland food carts.  I ventured out to the 3rd & Stark food carts which are about 10 blocks away from where I'm staying.  I didn't go here last time because my little delicate LA feet thought it was too far to walk.  I manned up and went trekking for good eats.  After a quick walk, maybe 10 minutes, I arrived to another block teeming with food carts.  I had to try Built to Grill, the only food cart rated on yelp with 5 stars!





You'd think Built To Grill specialized in burgers or meat of some sort with a name like that.  Stand corrected, because Buil to Grill is all about Italian, pastas and paninis.

The downside of the majority of the food carts are the limited hours.  They target the working lunch crowd, so if you happen not to work in the area then its probable that you'll never get to experience the wonders of the food carts.  Lucky for me, I have all the time in the world when I'm here in Portland.  The only limiting factor is the size of my stomach and the fact I'm usually going by myself so I can't order that much food.  Or can I?

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Whiskey Soda Lounge

I think Portland has a lot of Vietnamese and Thai people.  I could be wrong, but that is just my initial assessment just based on the type of Asian eating establishments.  There just seems to be a lot more good Vietnamese and Thai places.  Ironically, the most popular Thai restaurant happens to be owned and operated by a white guy.  What does a white guy know about Thai food?  How authentic could this food be?  People wait 1-2 hours just to be seated at Pok Pok Restaurant.   Andy Ricker even opened up a bar across the street, The Whiskey Soda Lounge, to deal with the overflow.  It offers many of the same dishes, including the famous chicken wings.

Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings
Can you say "crack wings"?  Holy Jesus!  These wings are DELICIOUS!  DELECTABLE!  FANTASTIC!  WONDERFUL!   They really pack a punch of flavor with a strong salty sweet tang from a blend of fish sauce, sugar, lime, garlic, chillies.  They were served hot and crispy from the fryer, with a golden crusty layer of caramelized sugar from the savory marinade.  I actually found the recipe online so will one day attempt to make them.  If you make just one trip to Portland and eat only one thing, I suggest you make it these wings!  BEST WINGS EVER!

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Kobawoo House

Since we had such a gay ole time at K-Zo, our gang of 3 (Me, Lo-Ma Linda, and Bighead Talksalot) decided to make another dining trip.   It was my chance to show Lo-Ma Linda that there is more to Korean food than just tofu and bbq.   It was Bighead's chance to eat something more than tofu and bbq.  After listing off all the Korean food I know that did not consist of the aforementioned foods, we decided on Kobawoo House.  I know of no other restaurant in Ktown that is as popular as Kobawoo is for bossam.  Ssam literally means "wrapped" and refers to a dish where meat (specifically pork at Kobawoo) is wrapped in leafy vegetables traditionally.  At Kobawoo, pork is taken to a whole new level.

First, the banchan...

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K-ZO (DineLA)

My next DineLA adventure was inspired by His Majesty, King Arthur.  He spoke great things about Chef Keizo and his extraordinary sushi skills.  Too bad King Arthur wasn't around this time to foot the bill to his pharm rep buddies.  Lucky for us, the DineLA menu offered 3 courses at $44, which actually still  amounts to a significant amount of $$ after tax, tip, and drinks.   As long as the food isn't atrocious and the portions bitesize and I am dining in good company, you won't find me bitching and moaning at the end of the night.


Bouillabaisse seafood soup, sashimi grade scallop, green mussels, shrimp, white fish, salmon
I was expecting something more exciting from this dish.  It was served as bowl with the seafood, and the broth was served table side out of a giant teapot.  The presentation was a step from the ordinary, but the soup splashed a bit and was on the tepid side.  And the seafood?  Well don't they look sad and lonely?  One shrimp.  One clam.  One mussel.  One white fish.  One salmon.  The broth didn't taste as authentically French as proclaimed.  I tasted a hint of soy sauce?  It did have a really rich deep flavor, but nothing that knocked my socks off.

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The Water Grill (DineLA)

DineLA descended upon the hungry citizens of Los Angeles last week.  For $26/$34/$44 (depending on where you dine), you are offered a pre fixe dinner menu from a wide variety of restaurants throughout LA.  My previous experience with DineLA has been really hit and miss.  Locanda Veneta was superb, but Craft was stinkin'!.  Sometimes Dine LA may not be reflective of a restaurant's true quality because you may not necessarily be offered the best things off the menu or the restaurant gets lazy and does a half ass job (ie Craft).  So I made reservations at various restaurants hoping for the best, but not surprised if I got something average.

The Water Grill seems like a restaurant that has been around for ages.  As you could imagine, a well established restaurant serving more traditional American cuisine doesn't generate much buzz in the food community.  I was hoping the food would quell any doubts I had about dining at a place nobody talks about.   Besides, Amanda works here, and I was very much impressed by her sous chef skills.


Amuse Bouche spicy tuna
Served on ice cold spoons, the amuse was a singularly harmonious bite of perfectly brunioused accoutrements and tuna wrapped in a thin cucumber slice.  It was refreshing and clean with well balanced light flavors.

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Nem Nuong Khang Hoa

The Vietnamese spring rolls usually brings to mind a rice paper roll filled with rice noodles, lettuce and aromatics, and pork and shrimp slices to be dipped in a peanut sauce.  My family never ate this very much.  I don't know why.  In recent years we've become fans of nem nuong cuon, or grilled pork spring rolls.  I feel like Brodard, in Westminster, popularized this to the masses.  If you think Brodard is da bomb then you need to try Khanh Hoa because it is da shit.  I think the differences are probably subtle and if you don't eat this a lot you probably will not be able to tell the difference.

Nem Nuong Cuon (Grilled Pork Spring Rolls) grilled pork, lettuce, mint, cilantro, perilla, cucumber, deep fried egg roll wrapper
The key to a good roll is good meat.  Here, the meat tastes very meaty and is perfectly seasoned with the right balance of salt and sweet.  The reason why half the restaurants in Westminster suck is because they are heavy handed with the sugar.  That is my hugest pet peeve.  But here, they do the meat right.  The grilled pork is always served warm too, which makes each bite that much more succulent and tasty.  At Brodard, the meat tastes just a tad bit overprocessed and artificial.  Here, you know what you're eating.  Don't ask me what the sauce is made up of.  I can never figure it out nor can I really detect any strong flavors.  At best its slightly sweet and chunky, from what?  I don't know.

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Test Kitchen: Marcel Vigneron

I'm a groupie through and through.  I freak out when I see a celebrity of any caliber, from the A list to the D list.  I'm scream.  I point.  I gawk.  Then I hide into the farthest corners of my shyness.   I will not approach them.  I will not talk to them.  I will dart my eyes away if they there is any hint of potential eye contact.  Sadly, this holds true for even reality TV stars, who are at best C list celebrities, but are probably more like a solid D.   Celebrity chefs are no exception, if not a large focus of my undeserved attention. 

Marcel Vigneron, being the runner up of Top Chef Season 2, was the main draw for my visit to Test Kitchen this time around.  When I walked into the restaurant and laid eyes on that giant mane of hair from scalp to chin, I became especially effusive with girlish immaturity.  Just as quick as the inane giddiness washed upon me, compelling me to snap photos of Marcel, did the feelings of embarassment soon follow, quelling the stalkarazzi in me.  I did manage to get one good photo before the restraint of my sheepish nature kicked in.

Marcel fared quite well on Top Chef.  He seemed like a young, but truly talented and innovative gastronomist.  I was eager to taste his culinary creations.

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The Bazaar

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like food is like the new "it" thing.  By that, I mean food seems to be on everyone's minds.  Whether it's talking about favorite foods, eating at the best new restaurants, or checking out foodie events.  Food is everywhere!  Dumpling Man voiced a similar sentiment.   Maybe food has always been "in" and I'm just coming late to the party.   Maybe this is just a natural process of getting older, appreciating fine dining and having a bit more cash to spend on it.

In any case, you'll need a lot of all of that (especially the cash) to dine at The Bazaar.   It's one of those places that has been the talk of the LA foodie scene since its opening in 2008.  Most people rave about it, but I have run into a few non believers.  One thing, that I think most people would agree on is that the restaurant itself is beautiful.  It is in the SLS hotel, which is about as trendy, hipster, and "LA" as it gets.   The crowd ranges from Hollywood beauties to wannabe hipsters to flaming douchebags.   Unlike most other trendy LA eateries, The Bazaar actually has some credibility rooted in its famous executive chef, Jose Andres.

The H.o.P. descended upon The Bazaar for Smooth Obturator's birthday.   To make sure no member of the H.o.P. went hungry, we made sure to order multiples of many of the dishes since the restaurant offers tapas style dining.

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Patina

What is a "shill"?  Wikipedia describes a shill as a "person who is paid to help another person or organization to sell goods or services. The shill pretends to have no association with the seller/group and gives onlookers the impression that he or she is an enthusiastic independent customer."   King Arthur (not the fabled one from the stories and movies) may be considered the king of shills with his support of many a pharmaceutical company or two.   Lucky for me, I have fallen into the good graces of His Majesty.  And when a king looks favorably upon you, you reap the rewards of his bounty.  Bounty, of course, being fine dining with free flowing libations.

Melisse was just the start of it all, with Patina being the continuation of what I hope to be a fruitful foodie harvest this year.  I dined with King Arthur and his loyal subjects, Wontuan, The Communist, Soprano Man, Tofu, and a smattering of the king's groupies from The View (not the morning television show).  

The wine was divine...

...the cocktails, ambrosial.

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Carnevino @ Palazzo

I've become a BIG fan of Mario Batali since trying Osteria Mozza.  So after hearing we would be going to Carnevino during Triple F's bachelorette party in Vegas, I was pretty excited.  Eating out in Las Vegas always brings much anticipation and excitement.  I can't think of any other city, besides NYC, that has such a concentration of fine dining establishments from so many well renowned chefs.  One day, I hope to work my way up to a night at Joel Robuchon, but a Mario Batali restaurant is more than enough for now.

Carnevino is an Italian steakhouse created from the culinary minds of Mario Batali and his partner Joe Bastianich.  Granted Batali does not really cook at all his restaurants, I was still expecting great things.  Nobody has ever seemed to convey any sort of disappointment after dining at one of his outposts.  It seems like he, unlike many other chefs that slap their name on various restaurants across the country (I'm looking at you, Michael Mina), has been able to maintain the quality and integrity of food while bringing fame and glory to his name and furthering the brand.


Amuse Bouche
These were some cheesy bread balls, served piping hot.  They had a slight crunch to the exterior which revealed a slightly chewy and cheesy texture within.  I'm not sure what cheese was used, but it was a little bit too salty. 

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Spago @ Caesar's Palace

I remember when California Pizza Kitchen first opened up near my house when I was in high school.  It was a wildly popular restaurant back then.  It took traditional restaurant items such as salad, pizza, and pasta and transformed them into hip trendy eats with a "California" twist.  How do you define "California Cuisine"?  Wikipedia says California cuisine is "marked by an interest in 'fusion' -- integrating disparate cooking styles and ingredients."  I think BBQ chicken pizza certainly qualifies as "fusion."  Wolfgang Puck is considered one of the pioneers of "fusion" cuisine.  He is known for his Euro-Asian flare on food, as well as his smurf like qualities. 

I have long since moved beyond the novelty of "fusion" cuisine, instead preferring more authenticity and innovation than the different ways to make Asian food not taste very Asian.   I think it took me a while to get here, because only after having Spago's did I realize where I used to be with regard to my food preferences. 

Bread Basket focaccia bread, herb parmesan flatbread, rustic italian bread
The focaccia was doughy and soft.  There were bits of caramelized onions on some pieces.  I loved it.  The flatbread was also very addicting.  Light, but intensely cheesy.  You could keep munching and not realize that you just went through a whole baskets' worth.

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Ondal 2

You're probably thinking, how's Ondal 1?  That is a question I have no answer, but I would guess it's probably closer to Ktown than this place.  Yes folks, this very KOREAN restaurant is not really located in the general vicinity of Koreatown.   There's a lot of Hispanic businesses around.  In any case, the place was filled with Koreans, so we knew it had to be good.  It's a place many have been wanting to try, but requires bigger parties.  Ondal 2 is known for their spicy crab soup.  When you walk into the restaurant, you know for sure that there is definitely some seafood cooking.  The air is rich with that indescribable delicious ocean smell.  Hates Asian Food, The Communist, Soprano Man, Buff Bear, and myself gathered for some seafood spicy soup goodness.

Salad


Pan Chan
All pretty standard...


...but this was my favorite.

Tofu spicy sauce
We loved how the tofu still retained the shape of the container from which it came, like a plastic tube.  It was silky smooth and deliciously seasoned with the spicy sauce.


Raw Crab
I don't see this dish too often at many Korean restaurants.  I've only had it at So Kong Dong, but I never like it much there.  Here, it was ok.  Maybe my taste for Korean things is just growing.

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Serrato

In anticipation of many future trips to Portland, I became worried that I wouldn't find any good food.  People told me over and over how the food is AMAZING.   How amazing could it really be?  I mean, I hail from LA.  While haters from NYC or SF may turn their noses at the food scene here, I'm pretty happy with the LA's depth and breadth of prices, qualities, flavors, cuisines, and scenes.  So I looked to Portland with a lot of foodie hesistation.  And now, while I have not been amazed, I have been pleasantly surprised by all my outings so far.

Dumpling Man, Big Spoon, Zhu Zhu Hamster and her friend, and I came upon Serrato in hopes of a nice Italian meal.  The restaurant itself is quite spacious and wasn't terribly crowded for a Saturday night.  It has a pretty standard menu for Italian.  I wasn't expecting any tricks here.


Beet Salad bosc pear, chevre, baby organic greens, dijon-tarragon vinaigrette, fried garlic
I don't know if beets are just native to Portland and therefore taste fresher and better, but these were again very delicious.  The beets were sweet and juicy and were well complimented by the crunchy sweetness from the pears, and the creamy sharpness of the chevre, or goat cheese, and the tanginess of the vinaigrette.  I thought the fried garlic was an interesting touch, which I really liked.  More beets please!!

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Mother's Bistro & Bar

I like brunch.  I don't love brunch.  Aside from Norma's in NYC, I can't say I've had a mind blowing experience when it comes to this very popular meal.  Granted, most of the places I've tried are not in the same price range as Norma's so it may be an unfair comparison.  I've done Doughboys, Blu Jam Cafe, Toast, etc.  My problem is that when I eat brunch, I never order the brunch items.  I love the idea of pancakes and waffles but cannot stand to have that as my meal.  I'd prefer to have that as dessert, but then that just seems excessive.  So this time I compromised and ordered my sweet with a side of savory.

Mother's Bistro is a pretty popular brunch place in Portland.  There are few restaurants that have hundreds of reviews on Portland Yelp, Mother's Bistro just happens to be one of them.  It's actually quite a big place with multiple dining rooms.  I couldn't tell if they served different things.  In any case, we came at ~1pm on a Saturday and were seated immediately. 

Fresh Oregon Blueberry Pancakes made-from-scratch tender cakes, local berries, pork apple sausages
After hearing our total order, the waitress suggested we order just 1 pancake instead of the standard 2.  We were like "Don't worry, we'll be fine."  Uhh, maybe we shoulda listened.  The cakes were huge!  They were also PERFECT.  Soft, fluffy, with just the right amount of chew.  My favorite part were the fresh blueberries.  They were large, sweet, and full of berry flavor.  Most of the time, blueberry baked/breakfast goods tend to have very tasteless berries.  These were the complete opposite.  They totally made the pancakes.  The sausage were whatevers, but it was nice to have real meat in the meal. 

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Animal

You know how they post those warming signs on big rollercoasters, "If you have a heart condition or a seizure disorder, do not get on this ride."   They should post a sign like that outside of Animal.  "Those with known coronary artery disease or coronary artery disease risk equivalents should not dine at this establishment."   This place is unabashedly carnivorous.  And what is meat's best friend, but fat?  Some places you go for "meat and potatoes," but this place is a "meat and fat" type of place.  Ok, enough!  Because I think I'm scaring everyone, but I'm just being frank.  Don't bother coming here if you're not ready to indulge.   Triple T, Triple F, Running Man, Smooth Obturator, and I were all ready to do just that.

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Mo-Chica

Mo-Chica is just one of those places you hear so much about, but never get a chance to go.  Well, I finally went and now I feel like I'm part of the "The Club."  I think MC Bowtie, Hates Asian Food, and Brown Bear (who has now joined our forces) and myself were a bit put off by the set up of the place.  I think it would be an understatement to say the ambience, decor, and location of Mo-Chica is underwhelming.  I was in such a state of surprise when I walked into the "restaurant" that I didn't really get a good picture that conveys the setup of the place. 

I suggest you squint very hard and imagine that Peruvian flag to be replaced by an emblem of a panda encircled in red and the color scheme to be more warm, like orange and red.  Yes folks, I'm trying to get you to see what I saw, a Panda Express turned into a Peruvian sit down restaurant.  I was waiting for someone to ask me if I liked a sample of some orange chicken.  The goddamn "restaurant" is in a food court/cafeteria!  The guy at the table next to us looked like he was eating pad thai.  I dunno where he got that from, but it was noodles!

I felt embarassed walking in and telling the cashier that I had a reservation for 4 people.  It really felt like a grab and go place than the wildly lauded and talked about restaurant boasting delicious Peruvian cuisine. 



See all the awards?  This place is no joke.  How a restaurant like this, located where it is, can garner so much attention is proof that all it takes is solid and affordable food to bring the masses. 

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Kalbi Burger

To my lucky readers, we have another guest blogger!  Care Bear has so willingly offered her authorship for today's post about the very popular Kalbi Burger.

******************************************************************************

Well hello everyone!  Let me introduce myself, I’m sometimes referred to as Care Bear but don’t let the name fool you, I could still be a lethal assassin like Nikta, my new TV show interest. Anyhoo, today I am honored to be a guest writer for Overworked’s blog (aka BO per WonTuan).

The target of the week: Kalbi Burger.

The top secret mission: To gather intel on this new Asian infused burger joint and to annihilate some burgers while we’re at it.

The elite undercover burger tasting agents (and yes, everyone will be bears): Overworked Bear, Hates Asian Food Bear, Panda and Little Bear, Bowtie Bear, Buff bear, Hawaiian bears consisting of Luau and Macadamia Nut Bear. Luau brought Farm Bear. And then there’s me and Token Bear. 

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Farm Cafe

If you haven't noticed by now, I am a proud carnivore.  How can one live without meat?  The juicey tenderness of a perfectly roasted chicken?  The marbled succulence of a cut of rib eye steak?  The hearty homey taste of your mom's pork stew?  I won't even delve into seafood.  It's safe to say, I could NEVER live as a vegetarian.  I probably would not date a vegetarian either.   Sorry vegetarians, it's nothing personal!

So as I was looking at Farm Cafe's menu online, I noticed there were no meat dishes.  Fish, shellfish, yes, but meat, no.  I looked at the pictures on yelp and I saw pictures of chicken.  I still don't understand the deal with Farm Cafe, but I think they only do certain days with meat.  While Dumpling Man welcomes vegan/vegetarian places with open, unprejudiced arms.  I, on the other hand, look at those places with a disgruntled, dissatisfactory cold shoulder.  But it's Portland, and maybe I just need to embrace the Portland ways.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll be a crunchy granola tree hugger.

Clams & Mussels sauteed in golden ale, garlic, butter, red chilli flakes, served with grilled bread
I won't say too much about this dish, except that it was solid.  The seafood was fresh, the broth was delicious, the portion was generous.

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Angelini Osteria

Ever since Osteria Mozza, Italian food has made its way back into my life.  It's not that I disliked Italian, it's just that I never had GOOD Italian food.  It all tasted the same.  It was all a lot of carbs and tomato sauce.  Dumpling Man, having many preferences above Italian, was also a contributing factor.   But now, I've been on Italian adventure, and I'm loving it!  Smooth Obturator and Triple T had been here before and felt it a solid Italian eat worth revisiting.  

Duck Prosciutto arugula, apple salad

I LOVE prosciutto.  My mom and Miss Rhee could probably attest to my LOVE for this Italian cured meat.  At Costco they sell a package of prosciutto of pretty decent quality.  I'm not sure how much the package weighs, but it's from Costco, so you know it's a good size.  I can eat the whole thing in a week.  Everyday I'd just eat a couple slices.  By itself!  I eat it like its potato chips.   If I could have a whole Costco sized package of this, I'd be in heaven.   I know how to share, since I grew up with 2 siblings, but sometimes I just DON'T LIKE to share.  This was one of those moments.

The problem with poor quality prosciutto is that it just tastes like salt.  This however was mindblowingly cured to perfection.  It had such an interesting flavor, probably from the duck aspect, as prosciutto is usually made from pork.   Paired with the apple arugula salad, it was a winning combination.  The peppery arrugula played perfectly off of the tart apple slices.   My mouth is watering just remembering the dish.  I also loved the next 2 appetizers, however, they were not as AMAZING.

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Break of Dawn

In an attempt to be more adventurous in the OC, my family and I tried a Vietnamese fusion restaurant in Laguna Hills for brunch.  All of those descriptors are totally atypical for the H.o.P.  We don't eat "Vietnamese fusion."  We certainly don't do brunch.  And who the heck eats in Laguna Hills?

The chef/owner of Break of Dawn has a very sad/interesting/inspiring story.   Perhaps for some, it makes the food taste better knowing how hard the chef/owner had to work to get where he is.   For others, it probably doesn't make a lick of difference.  I suppose I fall in the middle.  I admire the guy, but I wish the food was a bit better.

Kabocha Squash creamy soup, crispy lobster & shrimp roll
The soup was quite watery, not the thick heartiness I expect from anything containing squash.    As a result it was on the bland side.   It was creamy sweetness, but not the good kind.


The shrimp roll was a nice addition.  Flavors were light for any Vietnamese egg roll.  I don't think I tasted much lobster.  A good eggroll in the end, but pretty standard.

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Magnolia Bakery

Why oh why is there such a cupcake craze?  Why not cookies (my personal favorite)?  Why not brownies?  Why not donuts?  I guess I'm not much of a cake person surprisingly.  I prefer a good pie or tart.  In any case, when it comes to cupcakes, I am a follower and I agree that Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcake is the best.  Granted, I have not tried many other cupcake places, but I generally use it as my baseline for comparison. 

Once upon a time, Magnolia held a special place in my heart-stomach.  This was back in the day, when my heart-stomach was young and naive.  It was also during a time when a cupcake was just a cupcake.  Fast forward like 8 years and my heart-stomach has matured into a discerning individual, unwelcoming to the dull and flavorless.  Magnolia is now in LA, but is no match for the hipster cupcake scene here.

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Test Kitchen: Young Team

This food blog has become both a blessing and a curse.  It is a blessing because I am reconnecting with old friends and also making new friends.  People are just coming out of the wood work wanting to eat and try new places with me.  It is a curse because dining at this level is burning a hole in my wallet and unless I start moonlighting or robbing banks, I'm gonna be showing up to LA Free Clinic for my medical care.  Also, I'm starting to feel waaay unhealthy and my GERD is acting up.  Oh, this blog also takes a lot of time to maintain!   The witty writing and dazzling photos don't just magically spill onto the page.  In any case, I plan to stay the course for now because making new friendships and keeping up the old ones over some good food is too much fun.

Case in point.  I haven't talked to Hungry Douche since graduation probably.  But he discovered a fellow "food-liking" (Hungry Douche dislikes the word foodie) friend in me and was excited to have some new dining companions.  He already had been to Test Kitchen for Michael Voltaggio, Starry Kitchen, and some other ones that I forgot.  He found it hilarious that almost EVERYONE, save himself and his sister, busted out their SLR cameras for the Voltaggio night.  So he was amused to find out that I had a food blog and that I obnoxiously snapped photos of my food in the same way.

When he invited me to "Young Team" night at Test Kitchen, I was curious.  Sous chefs collectively from Bastide, Water Grill, L'Orangeries, Ludobites, and the Bazaar were to be cooking up a surprise menu which later on was revealed to include foie gras donuts.  At that sound of foie gras donuts, I immediately said yes.    Then we were hypothesizing who these "mystery chefs" could be.  We thought one of them had to be Marcel from Top Chef since he works at the Bazaar.  We found out there would be no Marcel, but instead there would be Amanda from this season's Top Chef.  Sorry Amanda, but I found you really annoying on the show and it really seemed like your food sucked.  Tom Colicchio told you to go to Italy to learn what Italian food tastes like.  Plus you had what looked like a cold sore on your face for a good deal of those interviews.  So not only was Ed dripping his personally seasoned sweat into all the food, you were shedding viruses into the food.  I kid, but these are the things we joke about sometimes.  Enough of this since I'm beginning to drone on like some other people.

Foie Gras Powdered Donuts shallot jelly dressing (Dan Moody of Ludobites)
The most anticipated dish of the night turned out to be the most disappointing.  Don't put the words "foie gras" into the title and not present any "foie gras" that any of my senses can pick up because thats just criminal.  Apparently they took tapioca starch with rendered foie gras to make the "powder." 

It didn't even taste like a donut either, more like a dinner roll.  And it wasn't even warm!  The filling was more interesting, slightly sweet from beets and figs, but with hints of savory from the shallots and leeks  It had more of a paste texture than a jelly texture.   I really liked it and wished there were more of it to go around.

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Musha

I often don't get too many opportunities to try small portioned foods such as izakaya, yakitori, or tapas (somehow dim sum does not fall under this category) because Dumpling Man likes his food in large sizable quantities.  My sister on the other hand, Triple F (for Food, Fun, and Frivolity),  not to be confused with my sister-in-law, Triple T, loves small portioned little eats.   So we went to Musha, a very popular izakaya/fusion type place in Santa Monica.  I overslept and almost didn't go to meet my family, but I am glad I did.  This place was fantastic!

Spicy Tuna Dip with crispy rice crackers

As sisters, Triple F and I naturally share a love for many things, Tea Station Green Milk Tea, anything shrimp, men who are poor communicators, and spicy tuna!  We both agreed this dish was Mmm Mmm Good!  For once, spicy tuna was NOT served on some stinking "cruchy" rice ball, like at Katsu-Ya and many other Japanese fusion joints.  This was like eat chips and dip, but like 100x better!

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Melisse

I have a special treat for all my dedicated readers!  Today's entry has been written by my foodie friend, WonTuan.   Unlike my guest writer, I'll keep it BRIEF, and let him explain the why's, who's, and what's.

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Andina

So Andina has to be one of the most popular restaurants in Portland.   It serves modern Peruvian cuisine.  It was just a regular weekday and the place was paaaaaaacked.  There seems to be 2 parts to the restaurant.  A quieter sit down part, where all the old stuffy people were hanging out, and then a place adjacent to the bar where it was loud and crowded.  I don't think they mean to separate the restaurant like that, but what do you expect to happen when you're near the bar?  In the central part there was a cool guy playing ethnic tunes.   The vibe was really energetic.



The amuse bouche was a fried cheesy risotto ball.  It was lightly crunchy on the outside, and deeply unctuous on the inside.   A good amuse bouche, always says a lot about the meal to come.

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Jitlada

Boy was I looking forward to trying Jitlada. Care Bear really hyped it up for me. Alas, as we all know, hype goes hand in hand with disappointment. Don't get me wrong, most of the food was good. I just don't know why people think it is soooooo good. I mean, it was on FoodTV's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Hot & Spicy" episode. Apparently, Chef Curtis Stone thought the crying tiger pork dish was the best hot & spicy thing he ever ate. Who is Chef Curtis Stone?

This is Chef Curtis Stone:


Do I trust Curtis Stone's opinion? Much less so after this experience.

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Taste of Beverly Hills 2010 (a.k.a. Disneyland for Adults)

It was my luck day when Cathy of Gastronomyblog let me know that I was the (randomly selected) lucky winner of her 2 tickets to Taste of Beverly Hills, a weekend long celebration of great wine and fantastic food from local restaurants in the Beverly Hills/Los Angeles Area, hosted by Food & Wine magazine.  I'm sure you could imagine my reaction.   I had just won $300 worth of foodie fun festitivites!  I am usually aware of the various food festivals taking place around LA, but usually do not attend because of cost and crowds.  I'd hate to fork out money when I can't guarantee the food will be good, or when I can anticipate being elbow to elbow with other obsessive foodies.

I took Miss Nancy Rheeeee, and she brought The Millionaire Man, who obviously purchased his own ticket but at a discounted price.   I was planning on being uber cheap and parking at the Century City Mall and walking over to the shuttle stop nearby, instead of parking in the $15 lot.  I got lazy and parked there anyways.  They had shuttle buses, but they also had these cute little trolleys, which I got to ride. 

Everything went smoothly from parking, to shuttle busing, to will call line, to entering to the festival.  It was pretty well organized and set up, as you can see below.  There were two large tents like these with all the food & wine stations, and various smaller tents and tables with cocktail, beer, beverage, and demo stations.

Wide-eyed, hungry, and camera-ready, I made my way through as many stations as possible.  Big thanks to Nancy Rheee and Millionaire Man for being so patient with me and my photography.  I managed to do a decent job with the pictures considering I was eating and fighting crowds at the same time.  

Foie Gras Duo brioche crouton, honeycomb, strawberry marmalade, spiced duck jus - One Pico @ Shutters on the Beach Hotel, Santa Monica.
I should have enjoyed this in two bites to appreciate the cool, smooth, creaminess of the foie in contrast to the marmalade.  The marmalade was probably a little too overwhelming for the subtle flavors surrounding it.  It was a good bite in the end.

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