The tasteful adventures of an amateur chef

Hello...Goodbye

2011-04-07T00:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted, and for good reason. Moving, work, et cetera, et cetera.

But guess what, my lovelies? I've moved all the goodness over to my new site, which is updated almost daily (hey, a girl's gotta take weekends for herself, right?) and full of the kind of yum-tastic reviews, recipes, and photos you love.

See you there at FoodieSecrets.com

Happy eating!

Room Forty Goes Downtown

2008-09-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

The late summer evenings are balmy here in LA, cloudless skies providing a peaceful backdrop to palm trees and skyscrapers alike. Bringing the tranquility of the outdoors in, Room Forty held this month’s wine dinner at The Farmers and Merchants Bank on 4th and Main. The dramatically long dinner table held all of us bohemians, side by side by side, comfortable among friends both new and old—including winemakers Russell From and McPrice “Mac” Meyers.

As usual, we started with a chilled pour of a friendly white wine. This time, it was a 2007 High on the Hog blend of Marsanne, Roussane, and Viogner from Paso Robles.

My college chum, JP, joined us this month with his friend T. Never having experienced the goodness that is Room Forty, they were pleasantly surprised at how seamlessly the wines were paired with the food. JP especially enjoyed the Whitehawk Viognier, the first wine poured once we were seated. It was snappy, with a hint of spice that is surprising for a wine of this type. The clam chowder shooter that came for our amuse bouche was a good balance for the wine. Also paired with this wine was our opening course, beautiful brandywine tomatoes with sumptuous burrata and baby basil drizzled with a wonderfully syrupy balsamic reduction.

A meaty pan-roasted sturgeon was next, accented with [ichiline olives, artichoke-basil reduction, crispy artichokes, and farm-fresh fennel. All of the flavors were substantive enough to stand up to the accompanying Barrel 27 Zotovich Pinot Noir (2006), its smooth palate and berry-like flavors bringing the fruity hints of the dish to the forefront.

The 2006 McPrice Meyers L’Ange Rouge (Grenache) had a mild milk chocolate tinge mid-palate and mild tannins. Served alongside a grilled La Belle Farms quail, yam moussiline, baby beet greens, and fig marmalade with blackberry gastrique, the wine lent a refined note to this deliciously bold poultry course. JP smiled as he finished the last bite. “That fig marmalade is outta control!” he exclaimed. “And the yam? It’s bananas!” Indeed, the yam moussiline was almost too good to be true.

Next came a real shocker: coffee-crusted dry aged rib eye, the steak being a departure for Room Forty’s meat courses, which have usually been pork or something more exotic. The rib eye was tender and juicy, perfection in red meat. Topped with a Fourme d’ Ambert butter (which blew my mind) and atop a potato fondue beside some wild arugula and bourbon-caramel drizzle, this course was highlighted by the assertive 2006 Nuts and Bolts Syrah from Herman Story. The slightly oaky, cacao nib-scented wine cut through the thick sweetness of the potato and the savory butter. Truthfully, butter-topped steak smelled so amazing, I didn't even think to take a photo first. And after that initial bite...there was no stopping me. LOVE!

No dinner with Room Forty is complete without an astounding dessert. And this dessert was a show-stopper. The frozen chocolate graham cookie sandwich grabbed me first, the pillowy filling oozing out between the cakey cookies. Vanilla bombolinis, like tiny vanilla donut holes, sat in a puddle of white chocolate sauce. Tasty! Everyone in our area really enjoyed the spiced chocolate shot with mini marshmallows, the cinnamon and nutmeg in the chocolate giving way to the tiniest kick of cayenne or some other spice at the back of the throat. None of us could get enough of the hot chocolate, and it was truly dream-about-it-later delish!

Tons of Fun at 8oz. Burger Bar

2008-09-10T23:13:00.000-07:00

What do you do when it’s late on a Tuesday night and you would give anything for a burger that actually tastes like…a burger?

You go to 8oz. Burger Bar on Melrose.

The Dark Knight and I sauntered in, sans reservations, to this egalitarian omnivore joint sometime after 9pm. After a long day at work, we needed some cocktails. My classic whiskey sour was a mix of bourbon, lemon juice and “sweetness” shaken to a light froth on the rocks and topped with a cherry. It was undoubtedly the best whiskey sour I’ve ever had (downright mind-blowing compared to the bottled mix/well whiskey sours of my past).

The Dark Knight was feeling adventurous, choosing a drink with no description: the “Grounds for Divorce.” When it arrived in all its milky splendor, I knew what it was from one brief sniff of the licorice scent. “Absinthe,” I pronounced before taking a small sip. After a larger taste, the Dark Knight nodded his head in agreement and proceeded to fidget with his straw. Hmmm…

Our food came promptly, smelling like heaven. The truffled potato skins, fat wedges of deep-fried goodness, sat in the middle of the table. After a few moments, the aroma wafted towards the Dark Knight, encouraging him to pick up a potato and take a huge whiff. “It’s like smelling the most fragrant rose in the world,” he said with a goofy smile.

Our burgers were no less than fabulous. My Estancia grass fed burger came dressed with charred escarole, roasted mushrooms (shitake?), and my chosen addition, gorgeous bel paese cheese. The cheese, creamy and beautifully melted, lent a subtle buttery flavor to the burger and complemented the juicy burger and was the perfect foil to the gentle bitterness of the escarole. All of these delicious burger accessories served to highlight the succulent flavor of my superbly cooked beef.

The Dark Knight’s burger, the signature 8oz., looked fabulous. He chose to add avocado and bleu cheese, the creaminess of the avocado smoothing out the pungent cheese. The burgers here come medium to medium rare because Executive Chef Govind Armstrong (who was on premises that night—woohoo!) believes they are best enjoyed that way. We wholeheartedly agree!

Our conversation fell to the wayside as the Dark Knight and I devoured our burgers, stopping only to exclaim around mouthfuls, “I can’t put this down!” and “Oh my God, this is amazing.” We may never eat normal burgers again.

Wide-eyed from the absinthe and giddy from our carnivorous feast, the Dark Knight convinced me that dessert would be a good idea. Well, sure. Let’s dawdle to let the alcohol in our systems work its way out. Little did we know that our dessert would send us into even more fits of ecstasy.

With a dessert list featuring comfort food favorites like NY-style cheesecake with strawberries, chocolate sundae, and Meyer rum bread pudding. We opted for the banana split, pretending that it was less unhealthy because of the banana. So maybe the health benefits of the banana were cancelled out by the rich ice cream and incredibly decadent chocolate sauce, but we couldn’t resist. Fluffy whipped cream, only vaguely sweetened to maintain flavor balance, chopped peanuts, and fresh strawberries were perfect accompaniments. The real star, however, was the caramel sauce. Its deep flavor and velvety mouthfeel prompted the Dark Knight to tell our waitress, “This is no joke. So good.”

Indeed, our entire meal was no joke. Flawlessly executed using the best, freshest ingredients, the first-rate dishes we tried guarantee a return trip.

Among the items we’ve vowed to try in the future (read: on multiple visits throughout the next few weeks because we’re addicted): “small snacks” like chorizo-stuffed fried olives, mini Kobe corndogs with purple ketchup, and deviled eggs sprinkled with smoked paprika (the table next to us ordered them, and the Dark Knight almost asked them for a taste); short rib grilled cheese sandwich with that glorious bel paese, “the best turkey burger in LA,” according to Chris, one of the owners, and the “suds and slider” sampler with mini burgers made variously of wild boar and other untraditional meats.

There’s “nothing artificial” in the cocktails, promised our waitress, making the list especially appealing. The blackberry Collins made with vodka or gin, muddled blackberries, and hand-squeezed lemon juice; the elderflower daiquiri, rum mixed with elderflower liquor, fresh lime and white cranberry juices, and mint leaves; and the cherry vodka sour made with cherry vodka, cranberry juice, housemade grenadine, and lemon juice are definitely on the must-try list. Wines go for $8/glass, $16/carafe, and $32/bottle—a good deal for international and domestic favorites like prosecco and a 2004 Tempranillo that should go perfectly with those mini Kobe corndogs I’m planning on having next week.

The minimalist awnings outside make this amazing burger spot easy to miss unless you're familiar with the street, but it is so worth the hunt. On the other hand, the interior of this space is a highly unique mix of NYC gastropubs (beer menu written on a huge mirror, pressed tin ceiling) and old-school farmhouses (a big, weathered white kitchen table for larger groups, gabled ceiling between indoor and outdoor seating). It’s a charming space, one designed to make the diner feel comfortable and at home, a refreshing change from the starched white linen of its last inhabitant.

So never fear, food fans: the latest incarnation of this acclaimed Melrose location has a brand new life—one that the Dark Knight and I both hope lasts for a very, very long time.

Recurring Recap: Room Forty

2008-09-01T20:33:00.001-07:00

It was another enchanted evening at the estate, with Room Forty’s ever-gracious staff circulating trays of deviled eggs (expectedly yum), sweetbreads nuggets (tastes like chicken, truly), soy-marinated albacore (better than tartare with flying fish roe), and goat cheese crostini (creamy goodness from Humboldt Fog). The 2006 Di Bruno Pinot Grigio, its stone fruit palate and grape skin nose picking up the flavors in the hors d’oeuvres, was a full-flavored treat.

For our first seated course, a perfectly seared day boat scallop sat atop a caramelized corn risotto, the earthy sweetness of which was heightened by the herbaceous basil oil that garnished the plate. Brown butter foam and Marsh grapefruit supreme balanced the plate with nuttiness and the tiniest bit of acid. The Meyer lemon-scented 2007 Grenache Blanc complemented this delish dish nicely.

Our next course was comprised of a shallow pool of roasted Cherokee tomato soup surrounding a hunk of smoked monkfish and petite mizuna greens with a delightful fennel seed cracker. The sweetness of the soup brought out the velvety tones of the accompanying 2005 Badge Pinot Noir.

The always amazing duck (confit this time) on stone ground grits came as our next course, the crisped skin and shaved fennel tying the flavors together beautifully. Slices of warm black plum matched well with the 2004 Di Bruno Sangiovese that was paired with this dish.

My favorite course was our final savory plate: braised boar shoulder and roasted fingerling potatoes with caramelized brussel sprout halves and bits of popped pork skin (a la chicharrones, fyi). The juicy boar, like porkier pork, was delicious with the 2005 Curran Reserve Syrah. The black forest cake finish of the wine highlighted the creaminess of the potatoes and the juiciness of the boar.

Dessert consisted of a rich chocolate torte topped with cassis glaze and wild blackberry cream piped into little blueberry shapes. There was a collective sigh of delight among my dinner companions when we took our first bites. Exquisite.

Room Forty gave us another superb experience, one that (for all its delectable bites and entertaining guests) they’ll have a hard time topping at the next event.

***Special thanks to Killa Bee and his song, which stayed in my head the whole way home! ☺

Chow Time at Animal

2008-07-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

When JP and I heard that the Food Dudes’ newest venture on Fairfax was opening, we knew we had to try it. A week and a half ago, we finally got our wish.

The Dark Knight, JP, and I entered the spartan space with high hopes. Seeming to want their diners to focus only on the food and drink, owners Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo have no décor to speak of, except for light bulbs and a polished concrete floor. Not a problem, for the three of us are exactly the kind of diners Animal was made for, omnivorous oenophiles. With every wine on the list available by the glass, carafe (half-bottle), or bottle—plus some unlisted wines on offer, if you know to ask—this appeared to be the kind of place we could get used to.

And indeed, it is.

With stomachs a-growl, we ordered three starters: tender, toothy, smoky ribs with piquant panzanella; melty, chorizo-heavy, gooey petit basque with crostini; meaty, smoky gravy smothering seared foie gras atop a biscuit base. Yes, our inner carnivores had taken over.

The ribs were expectedly delish, nearly falling off the bone. Paired with a vaguely oaky Spanish red, they blew the Dark Knight away. JP and I split the last bites of petit basque, a queso fundito kind of application, and the creamy foie. Sipping a yeasty French red made those final nibbles of foie even better.

For our mains, we shared the halibut, fried quail, and flatiron steak with sweetbreads nuggets. The halibut, our one nod to healthy eating, was juicy and moist. The steak was perfectly seasoned (I know, I’m obsessed with that) and the sweetbreads nuggets were so mildly flavored as to have almost no taste, save for the seasoned breading. One the one hand, I wish there was more flavor—but on the other, I’m glad I didn’t taste anything funky.

The real star of the table, though, was the fried quail. A heap of tiny halved birds deep-fried to a golden brown, this was the epitome of elevated comfort food. There are no more words, I…I think I’m addicted.

Never a group to shy away from unique flavor combinations, we opted for the chocolate crunch bacon bar as one of our desserts. The Dark Knight was most excited for this dish, as it embodies his two favorite things: sweet and salty. Tasting a bit like a candy bar, the dark ganache was punctuated by the smoky, crunchy bacon shards.

JP’s nectarine and blueberry cobbler, steaming hot and bubbling with goodness, tasted as though the fruits had just been picked that afternoon. The cobbler topping, crumbly and flaky, served to enhance the natural sweetness of the fruit.

My Bellweather ricotta drizzled with honey and served with toasted brioche points was refreshing and light. This is no ordinary ricotta here: fluffy and accented by a citrus-scented honey, it is the very essence of a simple, Italian-inspired dessert.

We may have entered Ditolo and Shook’s minimalist restaurant hungry like wolves, but we left sated and peaceful. Forget music to soothe the savage beast—send it to Animal!

Animal
435 N. Fairfax Ave. (near Oakwood Ave.)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-782-9225

Malibu Magic with Room Forty

2008-07-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, the Dark Knight and I trekked deep into Malibu for another enchanted meal with Room Forty. With the sun slipping closer and closer to the horizon, we were concerned that our sweater-less outfits would prove unwise, but the weather was as magical as the meal.

The passed hors d’oeuvres included deviled eggs sprinkled with toasted slivered almonds, crostini topped with Humboldt Fog and clementine marmalade, beet juice-colored linguine, and sweet pea puree on housemade chips. The eggs and crostini were delicious, tweaked slightly from last month's dinner, but just as tasty. The linguine was perfectly cooked and the pea puree was, frankly, amazing. The 2007 Whitehawk Viognier that was served upon arrival had a bit of a honey nose, a hint of lychee on the palate, and green pear endnotes. When tasted with each of the various hors d’oeuvres, we discovered layers of flavors in both the dishes and wine that were brought out by the pairing.

Herman Story Wines was the featured winery of the night, with winemaker Russell From on hand to give brief notes about each tasting. One of the very best things about these winemaker dinners is talking to someone who really loves wine—but an unexpected perk is getting to taste wines that are not yet (or are about to be) on the market, like the Whitehawk and our next wine, the 2007 Tomboy blend of 40% Marsanne, 40% Roussane, and 20% Viognier.

This velvety wine was served with our first seated course, a mildly creamy roasted red corn bisque garnished with roasted pistachios. Drizzled with pistachio oil, and topped with an apple chip and slightly curried apple compote, this light soup was the perfect match to the Tomboy. The flavors combined to create a feeling of luxury and comfort.

The next course, subtly seasoned smoked Idaho trout over a forest mushroom salad with Pee Wee potatoes, mache, and thyme buerre blanc, was a hit at our table. Even those whose first experiences with smoked trout were less than stellar enjoyed this plate, especially when tasted with the vibrant 2006 Santa Barbara County Grenache.

One of our dining partners let out a low moan of pleasure when the next dish came out: juicy, perfectly seasoned Maple Leaf duck breast over a bed of Napa cabbage and duck confit. The accompanying yellow stone-ground grits and juniper demi-glace tied the entire plate together nicely. Paired with a vaguely raisin-scented 2004 San Luis Obispo County Syrah whose quiet plum flavor opened up beautifully, the succulent duck really shined. “The duck should get five stars,” noted Dr. K, as she finished the last bite of this, her favorite course.

The 2006 Nuts and Bolts Santa Barbara County Syrah tasted of dates and warmth, with a nicely rounded palate. It was served with my favorite course of the night, grilled veal loin over a soothing celery root puree with sautéed spring vegetables and red onion marmalade. The cotton onion nest provided a nice textural contrast, also adding a salt element to balance out the sweetness of the celery root puree and onion marmalade. I adored the veal over all else, though, its tenderness and flavor unmistakable and unique under the care of the highly talented Room Forty staff.

Dessert was a study in chocolate—chocolate banana cream pie with caramelized bananas and chantilly cream on one side, chocolate blackout cake layered with fluffy peanut butter mousse and peanut crisp on the other side. The banana side was heavenly, clouds of banana in a dark chocolate shell. The peanut butter side blew me away, though. Not too sweet, not too rich, the peanut butter mousse lent a wonderful textural foil to the slight tooth of the cake. It was the favorite of our table, a dessert I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about well into the next month.

A lovely final touch to the Room Forty experience was the mini muffin provided to guests, fluffy cake mixed with coconut and sprinkled with sugar. The note on the package says, “Good Morning,” promising a sweet start to the next day.

With stellar service, delicious food, a breathtaking venue, and wonderful wine, July’s Room Forty event was unforgettable.

Comfort Food, a la Mainland

2008-07-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

It’s rare that the Dark Knight and I find ourselves craving dishes day after day. Boba, perhaps. Lasagna, certainly. A new addition to our list: shrimp toast.

Despite our dissatisfaction with Table 10, we decided to give the eateries at Palazzo another try, this time heading to Mainland for a culinary tour of Asia.

On our first visit, we tried the shrimp toast, grilled pork chop over chilled vermicelli noodles, kimchee fried rice, and duck wontons. The shrimp toast was everything I had been craving for the past five years (no one makes shrimp toast in LA, apparently): deep-fried goodness and sweet, delectable shrimp dipped in a medium-spiced kewpie mayonnaise.

The Dark Knight’s pork chop, though expectedly more expensive than its local mom-and-pop counterparts, was thoroughly seasoned and cooked until just done. The juicy meat and pickled veggies left the Dark Knight sated and happy.

My duck wontons carried more star anise flavor than I enjoyed, but the kimchee fried rice created a nice balance against the heaviness.

We also tried their alcoholic milkshakes—vodka and lychee for the Dark Knight, soju and rose petals for me. After first sips that left us reeling from the heavy alcohol content, the rest of the drinks smoothed out. Finally, by the end of the meal, we were slurping the last dregs of our shakes. My drink, made with the ubiquitous Korean alcohol, had a floral aroma from beginning to end of each mouthful. Not too sweet, the intensity of the rose petal infusion was a lovely final taste at the end of my meal. The Dark Knight’s drink tasted just like a non-alcoholic lychee shake, save for that initial sip. Both milkshakes capped off a mostly-wonderful meal.

The next day, we met for lunch at Mainland again, the taste of shrimp toast still lingering on our palates. This time, we enjoyed the toast we’ve been obsessing about, the steamed beef dumplings, and crispy vegetable wontons.

The shrimp toast did not disappoint, and we wolfed it down immediately.

The beef dumplings, tender wrappers filled with pine nuts and grilled steak pieces, surprised us both with the flavor combination. Dipping the succulent bites in a spicy peanut sauce, the Dark Knight and I swooned over the plate between sips of warm sake.

To ensure that we received a serving of vegetables, I ordered the crispy vegetable wontons—deep-fried purses stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, pea sprouts, leeks, and spinach. This modern take on a classic dim sum dish was nicely executed.

And so balance has been restored to the universe: one terrible Palazzo restaurant, two nearly perfect experiences at another. Delish!

Table 10...and a half

2008-07-02T15:35:00.000-07:00

No. No, no, no, no, no. The Dark Knight and I tried so hard to like Emeril Lagasse’s latest offering at Palazzo in Las Vegas, Table 10. But we couldn’t. There are so many things wrong here: billed as a New Orleans-inspired fine dining restaurant, we expected food that would bring our tastebuds back to the glory days of NOLA cuisine; barring the NOLA experience, we wanted delicious food; given Emeril’s long history of successful establishments, we thought it wouldn’t be too much to ask to have a normal table on a fairly vacant night. Foiled on all counts.

This isn’t to say that everything was horrible. Quite the contrary—when the food was good, it was pretty good. My starter of seafood and andouille sausage gumbo with white rice was tasty in all the right ways, though perhaps a bit too spicy for my taste.

My main course, fennel-cured salmon over lightly dressed arugula and mandolined cucumbers, was refreshing and wonderful. The Dark Knight’s dessert of sorbet, including pear, blackberry, and strawberry, was great. And my white chocolate-filled malasadas, those balls of fried dough so central to Hawaiian cuisine, were deep-fried perfection.

But that’s the problem. The one dish on the menu that was overtly NOLA was just…fine. Our favorite dish was Hawaiian (by way of Portugese) in nature, a severe departure from the publicized intent of Table 10.

The Dark Knight’s starter, escargot in a gravy-like butter sauce over a crouton round was barely edible. “Flavorless, rabbit turd-looking mess,” said the Dark Knight as I reached across the table to try it. I nodded in agreement.

We dismissed that dish as an example of a recipe gone awry. But when the Dark Knight’s entrée arrived, we realized that this was going to be a strange night. On the menu, roasted salmon over chorizo and tomatoes sounds pretty good. On the plate, however, it’s downright awful. The salmon, slightly overcooked, arrived atop a mushy mélange of tortilla chunks and chorizo cubes, tossed in a chunky tomato sauce. The sauce itself was rather bland, lending a sameness of flavor to every bite. Given that most NOLA food is not only highly seasoned, but rarely employs tortillas, this plate gave us pause. What was this? We wondered.

Dessert seemed to have come from a completely different kitchen. The sorbets were delightful in their vibrant fruitiness. My malasadas were warm, dusted in cinnamon-sugar, and pleasantly crisp on the outside. The interior was uniformly soft and moist, fluffy with just the right amount of chewiness. The accompanying crème anglaise was nothing to write home about, but it sufficed.

The real star of the show was my drink, an absinthe concoction with fruit juice and blueberries. The licorice flavor of the absinthe was front and center, but nicely balanced by the sweetness of the fruit. Every sip was a search for treasure—the treasure being bits of muddled blueberries. Garnished with a sprig of mint, the aroma was enticing and clean.

Earlier, I noted that the layout of the restaurant is questionable. The reason I bring it up at all is that it is a physical manifestation of all that is wrong at Table 10. The Dark Knight’s half of the table was in one dining room—hardwood floors, a glass wall showcasing an enormous wine collection—while my half of the table was in what appeared to be a walkway. The two spaces were defined by a curtain that, when drawn, would have cut the table in half. A visual cue to diners at our table, and the matching one next to us, that there are indeed two worlds here: the one with inconsistent food, and the one with delicious drinks.

I try not to write about negative experiences on this blog, but this is one instance in which I feel it’s important to alert my (laughably few) readers to the disappointment that is Table 10. After all, no one should have to suffer the way the Dark Knight and I have.

Room for everyone at Room Forty

2008-06-25T23:34:00.000-07:00

On a hot summer night, the Dark Knight and I piled into the car with the Killa Bee at the wheel and Sir James riding shotgun. Ensconced in the air-conditioned comfort of the Bee’s vehicle, the four of us enjoyed a leisurely ride through Pasadena, arriving at one of Alta Dena’s gated communities. Having passed muster, we entered a world far removed from the confines of the smog-filled big city that we inhabit.

At Room Forty’s June dinner, including wine from Justin Wines, hosts Steve and Nicole orchestrated the perfect Saturday dinner. Passed hors d’oeuvres included crostini topped with chevre and black peppered marmalade orange zest, burrata and heirloom tomatoes dressed in balsamic, and deviled white wine eggs. A refreshing 2007 Sauvignon Blanc kept us hydrated, as it were.

Once seated, bowls of corn and summer parsnip puree arrived before us. The toothsome stone fruit salsa garnish provided a lovely textural contrast to the smooth cool of the soup. While I love a good Chardonnay on a warm evening, the 2007 that was paired with this soup seemed a bit piquant when compared with the creamy, subtle sweetness of the soup.

The 2006 Syrah paired well with our fish course, roasted escolar cooked just to temperature. It’s a bold move to pair such a powerful wine with a white fish, but the earthiness of the meaty morels around the fish rounded out the developing truffle notes in the wine. My favorite component was the delicious, well-balanced brandy bacon cream sauce, its smoky flavor mitigating the sweetness of the squash puree foundation of the dish.

A slightly hammy smoked maple leaf duck comprised our poultry dish, with barely blanched baby carrot rounds and spring peas rounding out the plate. The cherry Cabernet sauce unsurprisingly went well with the 2006 Cabernet served with this course, though a 2004 would have tasted better. I found the 2006 to be a bit too young for consumption; only decanting an hour or two before service could have softened the tannic edges and green taste of the wine.

The ultimate pairing of the night was the Niman Ranch braised pork and cheesy, stone-ground grits in a Malbec reduction with the 2006 Justification. Definitely the star of all savory courses, the smoky, fork-tender pork was enhanced by the lush palate and dried huckleberry nose of the wine. This blended wine, Justin Wines’ signature release, was served almost at the peak of its bottle life. Its mouthfeel and endnotes reminded me of sugarplum candies, the smoothness reminiscent of dark cherry-scented dark chocolate.

The Dark Knight was most excited about dessert: a bar of bittersweet chocolate mousse, thick like a ganache but airy like a mousse, topped with a Bing cherry geleé shaped like cherry halves; and baked brie bombolini with apple chutney and apricot confit. The mousse was rich and velvety, bringing out the deep chocolate flavors of the 2006 Obtuse port that was paired with this final course. The bombolini, tiny bundles of pastry, brie, and apple, tasted like apple danishes taken to a higher level.

With a gorgeous setting, succulent food, and fabulous company, the four of us loved almost every moment of our Room Forty event. We can’t wait for the next one!

Rise, revisited

2008-05-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

I spent last night in the company of some lovely people, foodies eager to experience the new menu at Rise. The decor remains the same, as sleek and modern as before. Likewise, the service is still accommodating and courteous, with the drinks being even better than I remember (though that may just be my drink choice--dirty Ketel martinis are typically tastier than vodka/sodas).

Anyway, this wasn't a case of tasting slightly tweaked dishes familiar in that setting. It was, instead, an entirely different experience. With the seven-course tasting menu gone, the savory menu is broken into three parts: quick plates (small dishes like Thai glass noodles with shrimp and veggies or the trio of Mediterranean dips including olive [some sort of tapenade?], chick pea [hummus?], and eggplant [baba ganoush?]) that my table decided against because we were saving ourselves for dessert; small plates like the Dark Knight's favorite spicy tuna tartare, beet carpaccio (beets are my current most-craved veggie), and mini turkey burgers with sweet potato fries; and big plates including Wagyu beef filet mignon, chicken and gnocchi, and pad thai.

Our starters were uniformly tasty. Those in my party who ordered the spicy tuna tartare enjoyed the nice texture balance between the tuna and the crispy rice topper. I loved my beet carpaccio, the tender beets' sweetness tempered by the salty feta and zesty grapefruit vinaigrette.

For our main dishes, the Dark Knight virtually inhaled his Wagyu beef filet mignon. It appeared that the peppercorn sauce and corn agnolotti were delish--though the only thing I got to taste from his plate was the perfection of his Peruvian purple potatoes. The chicken and gnocchi dish was surprisingly interesting, the chicken retaining its flavor and natural juices, and the slightly caramelized gnocchi lending a delightful counterpoint to the fresh, green taste of the asparagus. While not exactly traditional in presentation, I must point out the gnocchi was light, fluffy, and incredibly flavorful.

I went against the grain and ordered a small plate for my main course: the mini turkey burgers. These succulent patties were certainly a pleasant surprise, with their robust seasonings lending them the flavor of my favorite dumpling filling. The glossy buns and accompanying cornichon provided a wonderful counterpoint to the piquant seasonings of the burger. As always, sweet potato fries were a welcome addition to the plate.

Our desserts were equally impressive. Beautifully tart lemon squares cut into triangles adorned every plate, with offerings like rich truffle cake, banana cream pie, pecan pie, and chocolate mousse in the lead roles. One thing I can always count on at Rise is an extraordinary dessert experience. My favorite was the pecan pie, chock full of pecans, buttery and sweet. The pie crust is among my Top 10 in Los Angeles, flaky and subtle to soften the sweetness of the filling.

This pre-club dinner satisfied everyone in our party, and left us eager to try the rest of Rise's re-imagined menu--even on a night that we don't plan on partying at the club downstairs.

Rise
The Highlands Nightclub
Hollywood and Highland entertainment complex
6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
323.461.9800

Hooray for Strawberries!

2008-04-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

It's nearly summer, though from the heat in Los Angeles, it feels like we should be prepping our grills and seasoning our Fourth of July burgers already.

But since it's really only April, and strawberries are cheap and fresh and oh-so-sweet, it's time to celebrate the Farmer's Market bounty instead.

I woke up starving this morning, probably a result of my itty-bitty dinner last night. Rather than the big weekend breakfast that I was craving, I decided to start on getting my daily recommended serving of fruits...

Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast
No need to run to IHOP, people. You can put together this moderately healthy treat for yourself in 15 minutes.

Serves 4.

1/2 loaf bread, sliced into 1 to 1 1/14 inch thick slices
5 large strawberries, washed and pitted
4 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. sugar or sweetener
2 eggs
1 tbsp. skim or low-fat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. powdered sugar or sweetener
4 strawberries, washed and pitted, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mash together strawberries, cream cheese, and sugar. I like to throw it all into my mini-blender (gotta love that attachment on the magic stick blender) and pulse until fully combined.
3. Slice mostly through the thick bread slices, being careful not to cut all the way through. "Don't break the hinge," as the cheesesteak lady says.
4. Spoon 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture in each pocket.
5. Beat together eggs, milk, and vanilla.
6. Dip bread into egg mixture, letting it sit for 5 seconds on each side, before placing dipped bread on a wire rack or parchment paper to give the egg mixture time to soak into the bread completely.
7. While the bread is resting, heat a large skillet to medium-low. Melt 1 tbsp. butter.
8. Cook 2 french toast in skillet for 4 minutes on each side, or until desired brownness is achieved. Add remaining 1 tbsp. butter, cook remaining 2 french toast.
9. Bake french toast on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet for 8 minutes.
10. Serve hot, garnished with powdered sugar and strawberries (for dessert, I like to top the french toast with a mini-scoop of ice cream along with the sugar and berries).

If you're cooking for one (like I am), wrap ungarnished french toast in foil, separated by parchment or wax paper, and keep in refrigerator. To re-heat, simply toast at medium to dark setting in toaster oven or bake at 350F for 10 minutes on a cookie sheet and covered with foil. These make great last-minute desserts or snacks, and can be frozen for up to 2 months when double-wrapped in foil.

The Importance of Being Tasty

2008-04-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

It’s rare that I’m blown away by food. Yes, lunching at REDD in Yountville rocks my world (oh, the foie gras trio!). And I do love the burger at Ravenous in Healdsburg, with its giant oven fries and roasted garlic cloves. But locally (local to my parents, that is), there is a place serving up beautifully innovative food that never forgets the importance of taste over all else.

Shokolaat in Palo Alto is one of those rare finds that makes fine dining accessible to every kind of diner. Starters like the salad of baby greens and micro-herbs with a Meyer lemon vinaigrette, or the caramelized scallops in a porcini mushroom and leek stew are appealing on a mass scale.

However, my first visit to Shokolaat wasn’t about playing it safe. For our starters, we enjoyed the gratin of escargot and bone marrow, an aromatic dish with mushrooms, confit of onions, spinach, and red wine sauce. The orange-scented cauliflower soup, a velvety puree accented with orange blossom water “caviar,” was exactly sweet enough to pair perfectly with the house-made olive rolls. Say what you will about molecular gastronomy, the burst of flavor provided by the “caviar” was absolutely divine.

Our entrees included the Mediterranean sea bass, the duck breast, and the Australian rack of lamb. The sea bass, accompanied by parsnip puree and braised cabbage, was plated with a smear of saffron emulsion. The saffron flavor was distinct, but not overpowering, lending the dish a refined taste.

The duck breast seemed to have been cooked sous vide, being at medium doneness all the way through. It was served with lightly seasoned roasted sweet potatoes sliced nearly paper-thin, supporting a bed of gorgeous ruby chard. The port wine reduction surrounding the duck was smooth and rich.

The Australian rack of lamb, generously portioned, was seared perfectly and came with a lamb reduction that tied together the savory meat and roasted flavor of the accompanying vegetable tian.

We ordered a bittersweet chocolate soufflé at the beginning of the meal, and it arrived with all the flair that you would expect: the waiter took two spoons, opened a cavity in the soufflé, and poured in the aged dark rum sauce. Heaven.

Our other dessert was the chocolate and caramel tart, its rich bittersweet chocolate upper layer tempered by the deep caramel beneath it. Reminiscent of the best parts of my favorite candy bar, this dessert was swoon-worthy.

Shokolaat has quickly become one of my parents’ favorite restaurants, and if I lived up there, it would be my favorite, too. As it is, I guess I’ll have to settle for the occasional magical meal—but I have a feeling I’ll be in need of a Shokolaat fix sooner, rather than later.

(The photos were taken with the camera on my phone, sorry for their grainy look!)

Lemon Meringue Clouds

2008-03-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

I went to tea at the Deb's house recently, bringing these airy treats with me. He and the Duchess enjoyed them and asked for the recipe. For you, my darlings...
(Yield: dependent on size of spoonfuls)

4 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/4 tsp. lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a large, stainless steel or glass bowl, whip together egg whites and cream of tartar into a light froth.
3. Add sugar and salt, then whip until soft peaks form.
4. Add lemon extract, then whip until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold in lemon zest, then whip again for a few seconds to bring back stiff peaks if they have deflated in folding.
6. Drop by spoofuls onto parchment paper or silicon baking pad.
7. Place in oven, then TURN OVEN OFF.
8. DO NOT open oven for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

The result should be smooth, shiny, white puffs with a crispy exterior and a slightly chewy interior.

These will keep for one week in an airtight container. Don't refrigerate, but rather, keep at room temp.

Mea culpa

2008-02-18T17:44:00.001-08:00

Hello, all. It's been ages since my last post. SORRY! I've been busy with my normal career--you know, writing and TV and stuff :)

But keep an eye out on this blog. I'll put together a mishmash of my foodie experiences over the last couple months to make a mega-post full of info and pics. Maybe a recipe or two, too!

xoxo
The Amateur Chef

Under the weather? Feel better...with noodles!

2007-12-04T16:36:00.000-08:00

I remember being young, barely able to see the top of the table at family parties. There were big coolers of sodas and juices, groups of aunties chatting about their kids, uncles huddled outside in the cold keeping watch over a roasting pig as it turned on a spit. There wasn’t much else I was aware of—playing with my cousins and godsisters was my main focus back then. But the one thing we all remember is the food.

There was always a huge platter of pancit, stir-fried noodles tossed with vegetables, meat, and a patis-soy sauce-pepper mixture that changed with every new hand that adjusted the seasoning. Sometimes, when I’m homesick or feeling ill, I make up a big batch of pancit canton. It always makes me feel better.

Spicy Pancit Canton
I tend to blanch my noodles in boiling ginger water to not only remove any excess salt and oil, but also to impart a faint scent of ginger directly into the noodles before seasoning with the rest of the dish. Mise en place is vital in the preparation of this dish, as it will help you preserve the color and texture of the vegetables. Eight servings.

1 lb. Chinese noodles (the yellow kind, like in lo mein)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, medium dice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 cup Napa cabbage, shredded
½ cup carrots, julienned
2 cups bok choy, shredded
1 cup cooked protein (thinly sliced pork, chicken, tofu strips, shredded beef)
1 cup raw shrimp
1 ½ tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce (or half soy sauce and half toyomansi)
1 tsp. patis (or to taste)
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (or to taste)
2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 lemon cut in wedges
minced scallions for garnish

1. Blanch noodles in ginger water for 1 minute. Remove from water and drain.
2. In a large pan, heat vegetable oil on medium. Sweat onions until they start to soften slightly. Add garlic and minced ginger. Continue cooking for 1 minute.
3. Turn heat up to medium high and add cabbage and carrots. Cook for 2 minutes. Add bok choy and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add cooked protein, sautéing until warmed through. Add raw shrimp, cook for 1 minute (or until shrimp starts to turn opaque).
5. Push the vegetable and protein mixture to the sides of the pan, then pour in sesame oil. Make sure the bottom of the pan is evenly coated with oil, then add drained noodles. Toss in oil, then incorporate the vegetable and protein mixture into the noodles.
6. Add sauces and black pepper, toss to coat.
7. Serve with lemon wedges. Garnish with scallions.

Spicy Noodle Soup
Sometimes, the best things are made from leftovers. I didn’t want to eat the same thing the next day, so I made soup. It was almost better than the original dish! Four to six servings (depending on how much pancit you have leftover).

4 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 tsp. minced ginger
leftover pancit
1 cup raw shrimp
minced scallions for garnish

1. Bring chicken broth and ginger to a boil.
2. Add raw shrimp. Boil for 1 minute.
3. Add pancit. Turn off heat and cover for 2 minutes.
4. Serve garnished with scallions.

I garnished both of these dishes with Salt & Pepper Shrimp. To make the shrimp, I dredged raw, tail-on shrimp in cornstarch, then deep-fried them until pink and crispy in 325F vegetable oil. Toss with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, et voila!

Good Food, Bay Area Edition, Part I

2007-11-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

I went home last weekend to see my parents. Our first food stop was Patio Filipino in San Bruno. An unassuming spot located on a busy street, I was pleasantly surprised when we entered and found candlelit tables, white table cloths, and tasteful decor. The menu, though hardly innovative, is full to bursting with some of the best that Filipino cuisine has to offer.

Patio Filipino serves dishes family-style, enabling diners to try many different dishes. We ordered the sinigang na Corned Beef, a beef broth-based soup made tangy with the addition of tamarind. No one seems to know for sure who invented this version of sinigang, with its overtones of Western culture evident in the corned beef, but it is a beautifully balanced dish. The sour of the soup, the saltiness of the meat, the savory creaminess of Japanese eggplant, and the clean crispness of radish slices all work together to create harmony in every bowl.

We enjoyed garlic fried rice with this and other dishes that night. One of my favorites to mix with garlic rice is the pork sisig. Traditionally, sisig is made with meat from the pig's face and bits of minced pig's ears. The Patio Filipino version thankfully reworks this classic by using crisped pork belly and minced pork chops instead. A sweet-salty-garlicky flavor combination, the pork sisig benefits from the addition of jalapeno to brighten up the overall taste.

Beef tapa, marinated and sauteed boneless steak, came with a vinegar-based sauce that cut through the soy sauce marinade of the beef. Perfect when cut into small pieces and mixed with the garlic fried rice.

I'm usually a huge fan of all things soft shell crab-related, but our order of sizzling soft shell crab failed to impress. The crabs themselves were fried in a delicate batter that ended up oily and soggy from the sauce that topped this dish. Called taba ng talangka, it is literally "fat of the small crab." Salty, fatty, and pungent, this delicacy typically makes any dish it adorns an instant winner. However, there seemed to be too much of it here. I guess one really can have too much of a good thing.

We knew we wouldn't be able to have dessert if we finished all of the food, so we packed some up for leftovers and focused on the real star of the meal: Buko con Seta, Patio Filipino's version of halo-halo. In this incarnation, a young coconut is opened, juice drained out, then filled with a layer each of sweet red beans (azuki, also used in Japanese red bean ice cream and other desserts), langka (jackfruit), coconut jelly, and coconut maja blanca (similar to a blancmange in French cuisine, but made with coconut milk), then topped with two scoops of ube (purple yam) ice cream. It tasted even better than it looks.

Patio Filipino
1770 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066
650.872.9888

A Very Special Birthday Dinner

2007-11-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

Most of Hollywood was out Wednesday night to celebrate Halloween. The streets were swarming with revelers dressed in outlandish costumes, performers shivering their way through routines, and police keeping the crowd from turning unruly.

That’s not my idea of a good Halloween—because it’s my birthday, too!

The Dark Knight spirited me far from the West Hollywood/Santa Monica Blvd. madness and instead treated me to a wonderfully indulgent dinner at Hatfield’s. We were seated in the dining room, a compact but efficiently designed space with a spartan, but thoroughly charming, feel.

The seven-course tasting menu beckoned us to order drinks that were light and fresh in flavor: the house special cucumber-mint gimlet for him, and a small (375 ml) bottle of the 2004 Vouvray from Champalou for me. The gimlet had a nice sweetness to it that married well with the green taste of the cucumber and brightness of the mint. I loved my Vouvray, with its crisp flavors of green pear, watercress, and green grapes that proved a perfect match to the dishes that comprised our meal.

Before ordering, we received an amuse bouche plate of deviled quail eggs with a hint of smoked salmon and a shot of creamy cauliflower soup, both of which were perfect little tastes. Then came warm cheese gougères—addictive and amazing, buttery and light in texture. It took a lot of self-control for the Dark Knight and I not to gorge ourselves on these little bits of goodness throughout the meal.

Luckily, the first course arrived shortly after ordering, and it set the tone for the rest of our wondrous ride. We received dishes tailored, it seemed, to our drink choices. Incredibly lovely and considerate, no? The Dark Knight’s cuttlefish atop celery root puree and maitake mushrooms dressed in a lemongrass and galanga root-scented dressing was exquisite. I was very impressed by the croque madame that the waiter placed before me: grilled, buttered brioche rounds housing slices of hamachi and a bit of prosciutto and topped with a sunny-side up quail egg. I was pleasantly surprised by how well hamachi and prosciutto go together. If I could have that dish every day, I would. Though the same could be said about the rest of our dishes, too…

Up next was seared octopus over marinated hearts of palm for the Dark Knight, the Asian-tinged flavors of which tied in nicely with the minty fresh flavors of his gimlet. My warm crab and trumpet mushroom-stuffed buckwheat crepe with beets and marinated radish accented with a smear of fines herbs was ethereal. Sweet crabmeat wins me over every time, especially when accompanied by components that create such harmony on my palate.

Just when we thought the seafood portion of our meal had reached its peak, Chef Quinn’s kitchen proved us wrong. The Dark Knight practically inhaled his poached ocean trout over ruby red grapefruit salad and smoked potato puree. The buttery, bright orange fish was so good, he almost forgot to share with me. No matter, though, because I was engrossed in my hempseed-crusted hamachi collar with creamed chard and Manila clam with cauliflower puree and garlic/pea sprout oil. The hamachi collar was tender and flavorful. Divine.

Three courses down, four to go, and the Dark Knight and I were starting to feel full. We couldn’t help but perk up, though, when we saw our next courses. The Dark Knight’s boneless chicken leg and seared foie gras over black eyed peas looked delicious, but my duck breast and seared foie gras with a whiskey-prune glaze was the only thing I would even consider eating at that point. The flavors, though rich and decadent, were so pleasing that I almost wish my serving had been larger. But then I wouldn’t have had space for the next course, which was quite delicious.

The Dark Knight was served slow-cooked beef rib supported by Chinese broccoli and a garnet yam puree, accompanied by a small handful of fried spätzle. He barely looked up as he dug in to the succulent and tender beef. I enjoyed the lamb, crusted with a date-pistachio-panko mixture and sitting on a potato and garlic chive puree with roasted heirloom carrots and supplemented by a smattering of fresh chickpeas. I’m not generally a fan of chickpeas, but I had already been so bowled over by everything else that I decided to take the plunge. So worth it. Fresh chickpeas are green, both in appearance and taste. They’re sweet and soft and juicy, a more substantial version of spring peas. This dish certainly broadened my culinary horizons in the very best way.

At this point, the Dark Knight had to drink some ice water and take some deep breaths. After such a long and exciting gastronomic adventure, he was experiencing food vertigo. The room started to spin, his breath came in short bursts, and his palms became sweaty. “Too much food, eaten too quickly,” I told him. Upon hearing that the remainder of our meal was all about sweets, the tension faded and the Dark Knight perked up. I guess the mere promise of dessert erased any heaviness he was feeling. I know it worked for me.

True to his word, our waiter brought the Dark Knight a mini lemon tart topped with a cloud of marshmallowy meringue as well as shards of melt-in-your-mouth slow-baked meringue. Yogurt sorbet and sweet grapefruit segments rounded out the plate. As much as I adore a lemon tart as lovely as this, I could not be bothered to have more than a taste once I started eating my buttermilk panna cotta with passion fruit sorbet. The panna cotta had the rich tang of buttermilk, enriched by the velvety texture achieved with the gelatin in the recipe. This course was really terrific, and a great palate-cleanser to prepare us for our “last” course.

For the grand finale, the Dark Knight had a chocolate tart with chocolate ganache shell and chocolate mousse atop the chewy caramel filling, accompanied by an extraordinarily smooth espresso gelato. My dessert of peanut butter-filled chocolate molten cake and salted caramel gelato was such perfection that I would have licked the plate if I were eating at home.

To ensure that we left with a good taste in our mouths, we were presented with dark chocolate and hazelnut petit fours sprinkled lightly with fleur de sel. Nothing could have topped off our meal better than these tiny treats, and the Dark Knight and I could not have been happier with our experience at Hatfield’s. The service was impeccable—warm and friendly but never intrusive, elevated by co-owner Karen’s warm demeanor and keen attention to detail—and the food will haunt my dreams for quite a while, I’m sure. At least until we come back to try the daily market special!

Hatfield’s
7458 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.935.2977

My new favorite

2007-10-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

I picked the Dark Knight up from the airport Sunday morning. After dropping off his friend/flightmate Booker, we headed east on Pico, hungry and in desperate need of brunch. I pulled out my trusty Blackberry, scrolled through a few web pages, and ta-daa! Bloom.

Located on the not-so-genteel stretch of Pico between Fairfax and La Brea, the Dark Knight was concerned that I was leading him to an adventure in the 'hood. Not so, my dear superhero. Huge, colorful flowers are painted on the bright white walls, lit by track lighting. The warm smiles of the waitstaff welcomed us to a table for two right across from the pastry counter, beckoning us to try any of their baked goods, including the ubiquitous red velvet cupcakes.

With a breakfast menu focused mostly on magical egg dishes, the Dark Knight had little trouble choosing their chorizo omelette. "Real chorizo!" he exclaimed upon first bite. Served with a small salad of mixed baby greens and a bowl of fresh fruit (we picked out all the mango first), this breakfast was a real winner.

I had more trouble deciding on my order. With choices like Moroccan lamb pita, smoke salmon tartine, and heirloom tomato salad, it was hard to decide. I finally opted for the red curry chicken salad sandwich with fries. After one bite, I knew I had hit the jackpot--sweet bits of apple and raisin married perfectly with the creamy curry-tinged dressing and the freshly-baked whole wheat seeded bread.

I also had to try their much-lauded crushed mint lemonade, which was refreshing and not at all sweet. It was perfect for our warm Sunday brunch.

One of these days, the Dark Knight and I will be back to try their dinner menu, served from 5:00-10:00pm. Until then, I will refer to this neighborhood joint as my new favorite brunch place.

Rising above the rest

2007-10-14T18:50:00.000-07:00

The Dark Knight and I are used to trying out the latest menus, chefs, or restaurants. But I’m not used to going back to an old haunt from years past and finding it thriving in a new incarnation. I shouldn’t have been surprised, though, that after years of culinary stagnation, the Highlands entertainment venue decided to revamp their VIP lounge/restaurant. How could I turn down the offer to try their new menu? After all, I had spent a few months in that lounge promoting a night and had sampled the old menu. The Dark Knight assured me I was qualified to judge their progress.

Lucky me! The space itself has been done in a clean, modern theme. Spartan décor draws the eye to a gorgeous new bar with plasma display, outdoor fireplace, and breathtaking city view. Dark woods and leather act as strong accents to the pale walls and cool ambient lighting. Strong drinks and friendly service make this restaurant/lounge the perfect place for a night out.

Beyond all that, though, the Wolfgang Puck-designed menu is a real treat. Most Hollywood/LA restaurants focus on Asian tastes, Mediterranean or French methods, and a rather haute mentality. Rise shines among the newest restaurants with its Southern-inspired cuisine and playful sense of plating. Taking advantage of all five senses, the eight-course tasting menu ($35/pp—a great deal!) was quite a ride.

Our first course was a dainty half head of butter lettuce still intact, dressed with a sherry-bacon vinaigrette. Accompanied by Point Reyes blue cheese, sliced hard-boiled egg, and sweet tomatoes, this updated classic was a lovely start.

Next up was a jumbo prawn, peel-n-eat style with a Tabasco-cocktail sauce. I love a good shrimp cocktail, and I rather enjoyed this take on it. However, I would have liked my piece a little less cooked. The prawn was slightly tougher than I’m accustomed to, but I’m picky about my shellfish (a childhood spent eating out at the best seafood restaurants in the state has spoiled me!).

Speaking of seafood, the following course was wonderful in its innovation. A single, plump crab cake sat nestled in sweet corn bisque, looking almost like a crouton in its placement. What a tasty surprise, then, when I cut it open and found deliciously fresh, creamy lump crab meat comprising almost all of the crab cake. So little filler was there, I could not decipher what exactly held the cake together. All I could taste was sweet, sweet crab. The bisque was a yummy, but unnecessary, addition. The only thing I needed on that plate was the crab cake. It was as close to perfect as I’ve found in LA.

Smoked swordfish came next, a petite taste of fish sauced with a peach beurre blanc and sitting atop red beans and rice. The swordfish and sauce were quite complimentary to each other, with the fruity sauce acting as a nice foil to the smoky, slightly salty fish. While I’m usually a fan of red beans and rice, I didn’t think this dish needed a starch component. If any starch were to be used, perhaps a teaspoon of sweet potato hash might have worked better.

As a fan of all fried foods, this next course piqued my interest. Fresh biscuits and a single piece of fried boneless chicken combined with a cider-dressed coleslaw to make six savory mouthfuls. Yes, I counted each bite because I wanted to prolong this course—it was that good. The mini-sandwich was held together by an unusually aromatic sprig of rosemary, adding to my enjoyment.

By the time we got to the next course, my dining companions and I were feeling full. I tried to finish the polenta that acted as a base for the pulled pork and collard greens, but it was simply too much. The pork itself was flavorful, and the greens were nicely seasoned.

Just when we thought we wouldn’t make it through the night, the last savory course came to our table. Slow-braised short ribs, served with crispy shallots and stone-ground wheat, rejuvenated our appetites. The short ribs were tender, juicy, succulent, and expertly cooked. The shallots made for a nice textural contrast, and the stone-ground wheat (somewhat akin to Cream of Wheat, in the best possible sense) soothed the palate after a night of luscious, salty, spicy, sweet, sour goodness. I might have wished for the wheat to be a little thinner, less homogenous, but perhaps I was just feeling starch overload from the beans-rice-biscuit-polenta onslaught.

If I thought I had already OD’d on carbs, I was wrong. Dessert came and blew us away: tiny apple pies topped with haystacks of sugar threads, paper-thin sheets of chocolate forming Kit-Kat flavored Napoleons, miniaturized dark chocolate truffle cakes with unsweetened whipped cream clouds, and the best itty-bitty banana cream pies ever. Yeah, you read that right. Ever. The piecrust was flaky, not at all sweet, a perfect balance for the creamy custard and banana. As for the caramel sauce drizzled around it…well, let’s just say it hit the spot.

Tourist trap or not, the Hollywood and Highland complex is getting it right when it comes to food, and Rise is the latest piece of evidence for this fact.

Rise
The Highlands Hollywood
6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028

Comfort food, luxe edition

2007-10-09T17:08:00.001-07:00

I’ve always loved mashed potatoes. My first cooking memory as a child is making instant mashed potatoes—standing on a stool to reach the stove, my mom next to me at the counter, the aroma of herbed pork chops mingling with the scent of melting butter as I stirred contentedly, imagining that I was a chef.

We don’t do instant mashed potatoes anymore, but I remember that feeling of warmth and comfort every time I make my favorite truffled mashers.

Truffled Mashed Potatoes
For a smoother consistency, peel potatoes before boiling, then beat on medium after mashing. Truffle mince is available at most specialty food stores, and sometimes contains wild mushrooms. Yields 4 servings.

3 large red potatoes, cut into large cubes
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 quarts cold water
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup low-fat cream cheese
¼ cup skim milk
1 ½ tsp. truffle mince
Fresh ground pepper and kosher or truffle salt to taste
Minced parsley or chives for garnish

1. Start potatoes in a medium-sized covered pot with cold water and kosher salt. Bring potatoes to a boil, remove cover, and continue boiling for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
2. Drain potatoes thoroughly.
3. Place butter, cream cheese, and half of the milk in the pot. Cook, stirring, on low heat for 1 minute, or until cream cheese softens.
4. Turn off heat, and return potatoes to pot. Mash until ingredients start to come together. Add truffle mince and pepper, continue mashing. Stir in more milk to reach desired consistency. Finish with a very light sprinkle of kosher or truffle salt on each serving. Garnish with minced parsley or chives.

Late nights, long dinners, lovely times

2007-09-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

The Dark Knight knows me so well. He went to a farewell party earlier in the week at Chef Simon’s Sofitel restaurant and saw something he knew I would love. Being a smart superhero, he did the one thing that he knew must be done: he made reservations.

Simon:LA isn’t your typical celebrity restaurant. Even though the chef is best known for the rockin’ Vegas joint and his appearance on Iron Chef America, the food isn’t pretentious or overly fancy. Chef Simon takes comfort food—my kind of comfort food, homey American cuisine, some Cal-Asian goodies, and junk food—to a dressier level.

Popcorn shrimp? How about baby Gulf shrimp, deep-fried in a tangy Cajun batter, with a kicky remoulade for dipping? Yes, please. The Dark Knight practically inhaled this entire appetizer, leaving me just a few pieces of shrimp. What can I say? He’s a hungry man.

I was in no danger of going hungry, though. The grilled vegetable gazpacho was all mine, since the Dark Knight isn’t much for cold soups, even one as chunky and flavorful as this. It tasted a lot like a slightly pureed salsa made with fire-roasted veggies, accented with a cannelle of jalapeno-accented guacamole and drizzled with cilantro oil. Perfect for dipping the garlic crostini that accompanied this summery soup.

As much as I love things with the word “dynamite” in them (Napoleon, anyone?), I was not incredibly impressed with the tuna dynamite that reviews usually speak so highly of. Sandwiched between inch-thick slabs of sushi rice sat coarsely chopped ahi, a tuna cube instead of a tuna roll. The cube sat atop lightly sweet “eel” sauce (this was closer to teriayaki), and was topped with chunks of sweet lump crab that had been dressed with red chili aioli to mimic the spicy mayonnaise used in spicy tuna rolls. There was a whole lot of rice here. Too much. Too, too much.

But the reputation of this famous chef was saved by the surprisingly aromatic carpaccio pizza: super thin oval-shaped pizza crust baked off with bleu cheese and fresh tomato chunks, then topped with lightly seasoned arugula. Delicate, barely seared, paper-thin slices of beef tenderloin rested atop the greens. Granted, this isn’t traditional carpaccio, but this isn’t a traditional pizza. While I would have loved a bit more acid in this dish (a squeeze of lemon never hurt anyone), I adored the salty cheese against the peppery greens.

Thankfully, proportion is key in masterful preparation of dishes such as these, and we weren’t full yet. After dining on appetizers all night, we were ready for the pièce de résistance: the Simon Junk Food Sampler. The Dark Knight and I sighed happily when the waiter brought this work of art to the table. A cone of house-made cotton candy sat in a bowl full of fresh caramel corn. A small paper bag of warm cookies shared platter space with a tiny peanut butter and chocolate sundae (peanut butter gelato topped with hot fudge and whipped cream), a scoop of mango sorbet, two mini-sized chocolate cupcakes and pink sno-balls (both a la Hostess), three rice krispie squares, three cocoa krispie squares, and a small vanilla bean milkshake.

Damn.

The Dark Knight and I polished off the cotton candy first. Sugar high. I attacked the mango sorbet while the Dark Knight spooned in the peanut butter sundae. We each grabbed a handful of caramel corn as we drank down the silky, smooth milkshake…and then stopped. We may be sugar-holics, but we have our limits.

All packed up—half of the pizza and most of the sweets tucked neatly into plastic containers and nestled securely in a big Simon:LA shopping bag—the Dark Knight and I downed the last of our espressos and headed home. I still want to try the beef tartare and carpaccio duo, the short rib entrée, and a couple specialty cocktails. After all, who could possibly resist the lure of updated comfort food?

Simon:LA
Sofitel Hotel
8555 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310.278.5444

Getting Saucy at the W

2007-09-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Ninethirty at the W Hotel in Brentwood is a calm dinner spot, with impeccable service and strong drinks. A muted atmosphere, with equally muted décor, is punctuated subtly with huge, unframed black and white photos of music legends like Elvis Costello and Diana Krall.

A fairly comprehensive wine list complements a menu whose starters are heavy on the seafood and veg, with mains tending more towards meats. The Dark Knight and I visited this restaurant last night before heading to a party at the hotel lounge. We enjoyed the warm bread selection (cheese bread for him, olive bread for me) as we contemplated the menu. Everything looked appealing, but we decided against an opening course.

The Dark Knight adored his Sonoma lamb chops, cooked perfectly and seasoned delicately. Their subtly gamey flavor was not overwhelmed by the blue cheese gnocchi (“Pillows of love!” exclaimed the Dark Knight upon first bite) and caramelized cipollini onions.

My smoked duck leg confit was tender and falling off the bone, as confit should be. Beautifully crisped skin added a nice textural contrast, though I found it a bit salty. This was easily rectified with a bit of the sweet sherry BBQ sauce that surrounded the dish. The warm mushroom and frisee salad balanced the flavors as well, with a nice bite coming from the greens. Try as I might to control myself, I couldn’t help but also take a few bites of the sweet potato mash resting beneath the salad. It was almost too good—I had to stop myself from finishing this creamy mound of goodness.

The Tantara Shiraz (2004) that I paired with my entrée was a lovely counterpoint to the strong flavors of my food. Heady and robust, this wine’s hearty mouthfeel and slightly strong tannins cut through the oiliness inherent in duck confit. A successful pairing, though not one I would have thought of without a recommendation towards an Australian wine from our server.

For dessert, the Dark Knight and I shared the black and white “banana” cream pie. The bananas were served to the side of the pie, their tops crisply bruleed. The chocolate mousse layer atop this creamy confection was rich and a little too stiff. It crushed the lower layer, a light and fluffy banana mousse that sat on a disc of soft chocolate cookie crumbs. Drizzled with a rum gastrique reminiscent of bananas Foster sauce, this made for a satisfyingly sweet end to our meal.

I’m not sure if the Dark Knight and I will venture to this restaurant again, unless there’s yet another party for us to attend in the area. It was delicious, certainly, but tasty enough to warrant the trek from the Eastside? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe we’ll try again next season to see what the chef has up his sleeves for the winter.

Ninethirty
W Hotel Los Angeles - Brentwood
930 Hilgard Ave.
LA, CA 90024

Until next week...

2007-09-20T20:38:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to be blogging until next week or so. I've been rather under the weather for the past few days, and food is the last thing on my mind. Never fear, dear readers--I'll be good as new soon enough.

New recipes and food adventures next week. Promise.

Banana-rama Muffins!

2007-09-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning craving banana bread. Every time I make it, though, I end up throwing some out. Why? Because one person should not consume an entire loaf of banana bread in three days. It's just not healthy.

So I made muffins. They keep longer, they freeze well, and I can share them more easily. No wasting food in this kitchen!

I adapted this recipe from one I found on allrecipes.com (I am forever referencing that site for starter recipes). My additions include semi-sweet chocolate chips (Valhrona, if possible), an extra banana, and honey subbing in for some of the sugar. Enjoy!

Banana-rama Muffins
Be sure to line your muffin tins with paper liners. Foil liners create too much heat and cook the muffin bases too quickly. Also, this recipe must be tweaked for use in mini-muffin tins--add more moisture to the batter with a few tablespoons of melted butter or some applesauce. Makes 16-18 muffins.

for muffins:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup + 1 tbs. vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

for topping:
2 tbs. chopped walnuts
3 tbs. rolled oats
3 tbs. dark brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, honey, oil, and egg. Mix on medium-high for one minute, or until mixture is pale yellow.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add bananas to egg mixture, mixing thoroughly, before adding flour mixture into wet ingredients.
5. Gently stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.
6. Spoon into prepared muffin tin, filling each liner 3/4 full.
7. In food processor (I use the mini one), combine the topping ingredients, pulsing until the mixture resembles very coarse sand. Sprinkle mixture on tops of unbaked muffins.
8. Bake muffins for 25-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Lazy, Hazy Days of September

2007-09-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, the Dark Knight and I ventured into the tourist-riddled area of Hollywood around Sunset and Vine. We had tickets to the 4:15 showing of "Eastern Promises," which was really dark and gory, but worth watching. Just for Viggo Mortenson's performance.

With a couple hours to kill before heading into the theater, the Dark Knight and I lunched at Magnolia. It was empty inside, since everyone was out enjoying the temperate weather on the sidewalk patio. Halfway through the day and thirsty, the Dark Knight and I ordered our drinks. A Jack and coke for him, a Magnolia Gimlet for me--freshly muddled mint and lime, simple syrup (liquid sugar), and top-shelf vodka on the rocks with a sugared rim.

My drink looked so refreshing, the Dark Knight ordered one for himself for our second round, which arrived just a few minutes before our dishes. In keeping with the season, I had the beet salad with goat cheese, asparagus, and field greens, dressed simply in a mustard vinaigrette. As much as I heart meat, this gorgeous plate of veggies was absolutely flawless!

The Dark Knight could not resist temptation and enjoyed the grilled steak sandwich on toasted Cubano roll with watercress, grilled onion, and a surprisingly light bacon-horseradish dressing. I think the onion rings had something to do with the Dark Knight choosing a sandwich over a salad. Good thing he did it, or those tempting onion rings might have swayed me to the dark side!

Our leisurely lunch took just over an hour, a testament to the efficient and friendly waitstaff. Thanks, Magnolia!

Magnolia
6266 1/2 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
323.467.0660

Crazy Mega Food Overload!

2007-09-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted anything, and I don’t have much of a good reason—except that I’ve been incredibly busy cooking and, of course, eating!

A few weeks ago, I catered a lovely little graduation party in Orange County. On the menu were the usual charcuterie, fromage, and veggie platters, along with some tasty tidbits from my painfully tiny kitchen:

∞ Edamame and white corn salad with a wasabi vinaigrette in wonton skin cups
∞ Pork lumpia shanghai with spicy-sweet dipping sauce
∞ Thai chicken satay skewers with curry-peanut dipping sauce
∞ Maple-ginger glazed bacon-wrapped shrimp
∞ Vegan stuffed mushroom caps with Asian mushrooms and cilantro
∞ My favorite Mexican hot chocolate mini-cupcake soufflés
∞ Anise-and ginger-scented chocolate ganache with fresh fruit for dipping

Also made possible by this big ball of insanity that is my brain:

∞ Lychee white sangria
∞ Mango-vodka cocktails
∞ Lemongrass cooler (that’s gin, baby!)

More recently, the Dark Knight and I enjoyed a wonderfully romantic dinner at our current favorite neighborhood spot, Opus. We had the six-course tasting menu, crafted by Executive Chef Josef Centeno to pair with the off-menu prosecco we drank throughout the evening:

∞ Chilled soup shot of honeydew, Asian pear with chopped marinated shrimp accented by light citrus notes and a hint of cilantro
∞ Hand-cut hamachi in a white soy dressing on a bed of celery ice and topped with land caviar (Tonburi, or summer cypress seed)
∞ Coddled egg with bacon, chive, and fleur de sel topped with sherry whipped cream and a drizzle of acacia honey
∞ Poblano soup, served hot, with crisped pork belly chunks, grape halves, and garnished with crème fraiche
∞ Kebab-inspired minced shrimp “balls” on a caraway-pepper sauce with micro-arugula
∞ Scallop “pancake” (pancake batter mixed with minced scallops) topped with a large seared scallop and drizzled with a sour cherry gastrique
∞ Goat cheese and almond-stuffed pan-roasted quail with asparagus and squash and a red wine reduction

As we waited (and waited and waited) for our dessert, our server brought over a tasting of chilled Aria(?) white port. With its caramelized apricot nose and smooth, toasted hazelnut finish, this was the perfect drink to ready us for our last (and technically sixth actual) course:

∞ Tapioca pudding in a lemongrass soup with fresh lychee and pomegranate

This meal was well-paced (except for dessert, which our server apologized for), leaving us sated but not sickeningly full. I simply cannot find the words (without sounding redundant) to fully explain how utterly entranced we were with our dishes. The Dark Knight and I really appreciated the kitchen creating a menu that went so well with the lightly acidic, yet bright and sweet flavors of our prosecco. I wish I could remember the name…

One thing I do remember the name of is Baby Blues Bar-B-Q, located in a less-than-savory neighborhood on Lincoln in Venice. A tiny parking lot, but plenty of street parking, mark this spot as a locals-joint (though two of my dinner companions on Sunday had driven all the way up from Huntington Beach).

This is a home-spun place, but better and cooler than anyone else’s kitchen/dining room. A long counter and the open grill dominate the front room, but the real charm is in the back dining room. Art by renowned painter/graffiti artist JoeJoe adorns nearly every square inch of the walls, all of it for sale, all of it guaranteed to smell as good as it looks. The scent of low-and-slow smoke permeates the building, you see, enticing anyone walking within 100 feet of this LA favorite.

Because there were four of us (JP, his friend, the Dark Knight, and yours truly), we decided to order as many different dishes as possible:

∞ Memphis-style pork long ribs—juicy, tender, smoky, just sweet enough, a tiny bit spicy (Porno Hot BBQ sauce rocks my world!)
∞ Baby back ribs—really smoky, not overly seasoned, definitely best with a drizzle of the Porno Hot
∞ Beef brisket—moist, lightly sauced shredded brisket…different, but good
∞ Carolina pulled pork—melt-in-your-mouth pork doused in that yummy vinegar-based sauce
∞ Beer-braised smoked link sausage—savory and well-spiced (but not exactly spicy), the flavor of the braising liquid (mostly beer, yes) was strong but not detractingly so
∞ Mac ‘n’ cheese—not exactly my favorite, this version was a little too strong on the bleu cheese and the cheese sauce was thick enough to be more of a coating than a sauce
∞ Sauteed okra—salty and savory, no slimy okra here
∞ Creamed spinach—more like sautéed spinach, no creaminess at all
∞ Chicken smoked rice—I usually don’t like restaurant rice (too dry, too wet, too salty, too gross), but this changed my mind with its spicy, smoky notes and tasty little bits of chicken
∞ Blues on the cob—I really enjoyed this sweet, grilled corn on the cob topped with cojita cheese and a squeeze of lime juice

This is not the end, dear readers. Last night, the Dark Knight took me to our favorite neo-Japanese restaurant, Hirozen. I feel like I’ve blogged and commented ad nauseam about this exemplar of Japanese tradition and high-end Western ingredients, but I can’t help myself. I’ll do it again (all sushi is nigiri-style—no rolls! Ugh.):

∞ Spanish mackerel—three orders of our favorite!
∞ Tasmanian sea trout—a pleasant surprise, with its beautiful bright orange color and mildly briny but mellow flavor
∞ Saury—firm textured, delicious
∞ Ama ebi (raw sweet shrimp)—good, but the texture was not the Dark Knight’s favorite; we adored the fried shrimp heads, though
∞ Suzuki (sea bass)—firm, fresh, and tasty

Since we were at a place known as much for its fresh sushi as its creative cooked foods, the Dark Knight and I ordered our favorite specials:

∞ Blue crab egg rolls—hot, crisp, succulent, and meaty with a light curry dipping sauce
∞ Shrimp-stuffed zucchini blossom tempura—sweet and savory, light and fluffy
∞ Purple yam yokan (dessert)—dense, subtly flavored, with their signature coconut tapioca on the side
∞ Tempura figs (dessert)—perfectly sweet fresh figs in a lacy tempura batter served with green tea ice cream to temper the honey tones of the fruit

All in all, a terrific dinner. While I’m not exactly the biggest fan of the cramped quarters at Hirozen, I am a huge fan of their exquisitely prepared, simply luscious food.

And there you have it, darlings. A culinary tour of some of my best-loved foods and places. I’m hungry again. Time to eat!

Kwik E Mart

2007-07-21T23:40:00.001-07:00

Oh lordy, how I love the Simpsons. With the arrival of the new movie (opens July 27), Fox Films has taken a giant step forward in real-world marketing with their takeover of select 7-11 stores nationwide. Stores feature Simpsons merchandise (giant Pez dispensers with character heads, sleeping bags, board games, etc.) as well as food/drink items from one of the most famous cartoon shows of all time.

The Dark Knight, being his wonderfully indulgent self, gave in to my well-placed hints and took me to the Kwik E Mart in Burbank. From the lit up Kwik E Mart sign glowing on the corner, to the storefront signage to the anti-Principal Skinner graffiti, this store was completely transformed from the homely 7-11 we usually drive past on our way to Ikea.

We were unable to resist buying a couple of cans of Bart's favorite soda, Buzz Cola. Also on sale were the infamous pink frosted doughnuts, complete with multicolored sprinkles, and iconic Squishees in movie-inspired flavors vanilla and Buzz Cola.

The Dark Knight and I sipped our vanilla Squishees and shared a doughnut in the car as we left. Better than 7-11's usual Slurpees, the Squishees had a lighter texture and less effervescent feel than what we were expecting. The doughnuts, though arguably heavier than they ought to be, filled our hedonistic craving. With thick pink frosting atop the glazed doughnut, our fingers and faces were sticky from this sugary treat.

We haven't gotten to the cola yet, but I'm expecting it'll be, well, cola.

Kwik E Mart
1611 W. Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA 91506
http://www.7-eleven.com/kem_bur.asp

Mmmmm...cookies!

2007-07-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

As promised, the following is a list of my favorite (and best) cookies to make:

Fancy
Orange-cranberry mini biscotti
Lemon-ginger mini biscotti
Brown sugar shortbread
Butter pecan shortbread balls (Mexican Wedding Cookies)
Russian tea cakes
Meringues
Oatmeal lace cookies
Florentines
Chocolate truffle cookies
Mini butterfly cookies (puff pastry)
Iced sugar cookies (personalized per event)

Home style
Oatmeal cookies (raisin, cranberry, chocolate chip, or plain)
Double chocolate chip cookies
Peanut butter cookies (plain, honey, salted-peanut)
Cinnamon-sugar cookies
Macaroons (plain, dark chocolate-dipped)

Me Go Run for Mee Goreng

2007-06-29T22:18:00.000-07:00

Oh, man. I had the craziest dream last night: I was running through a jungle, all vines and humidity, following a familiar, yet unrecognizable scent. I ran and ran, searching in vain for the source of this smell that drew me nearer and nearer, yet seemed to evade me at every turn. The heat built all around me--and suddenly, I could taste it. A little salty, a little sweet, a lot spicy.

I woke up in a cold sweat, craving mee goreng.

The Dark Knight, my ever-indulgent boyfriend, bowed to the pressure of my nocturnal visions, allowing me to steer him through the zoo that is the Farmer's Market on Third and Fairfax. Parents with children, children with children, couples about have children...do you get the impression that I'm not too keen on large crowds of kids? That's a whole other blog, my darlings.

Anyway, we wound our way to Singapore's Banana Leaf. I seated the Dark Knight at a table and placed my order just as the clock struck 9. One plate of mee goreng, please. With one limeade and one mango juice.

Six minutes later. Six minutes of watching the guy across from me wolf down his rendang beef. Six minutes of listening to the couple next to me chatting intermittently in Indonesian as they shared a plate of nasi (Indo style, yes please!) and a plate of chicken curry. Six minutes of watching other almost-customers come strolling (or in one case, running) up to the counter, only to turn away, sad-faced and disappointed, when the guy who just took my order tells them they're closed for the night.

And then my number was called, the lady from the kitchen handed me my plate, and I felt a little faint as the aroma coming from the plate mingled with the aroma from my dream and I realized I was home. Home isn't just where you're from, or where you lay your hat, or where your heart is. Home is everything that makes you feel safe, comfortable, happy, and (at least in my world) well-fed. And I was home. Or close to it, anyway.

A steaming pile of noodles, co-mingling with bits of scrambled egg and soft-cooked onions and crunchy bean sprouts, sat on a sheet of banana leaf. A handful of chicken, quick sauteed in chile oil, topped the noodles. A sprinkling of just-snipped scallions.

We dug in enthusiastically, our mouths too full to speak. Finally, a little breathless from eating so rapidly, the Dark Knight spoke, "Those are some good noodles."

I could only nod, my mouth full of spicy chicken, my eyes a little watery from the heat.

"I really like the egg. And the onion. And this chicken is great!" said the Dark Knight, beginning to eat again, lest I clean the plate alone.

Silence for a few more minutes as we finished the food. And then, exhaling a great big breath, I said, "That was so good. We need to order separately next time."

Woohoo!

2007-06-27T01:30:00.000-07:00

After years and years of eating and writing, I am psyched to announce that I have finally been published as a food writer! Check out my article (edited by someone other than me, so there's a missing space between two words) in 13 Minutes Magazine, available at your local Barnes & Noble. My mom found it at the one in Santana Row (Silicon Valley), but I've been told the ones on the East Coast are carrying it, too.

I have another article coming out in their next issue, as well as the following one. The magazine is published quarterly, and it has an Asian focus. They'll be broadening their scope as time goes on...

Happy dining!

Adventures in Craftyland

2007-06-13T23:47:00.000-07:00

Last week, I tried my hand at a whole new game: Craft Services. Sure, I’ve done crafty before, but only on the smallest scale imaginable. And, yes, I have a strong repertoire of dishes that are suitable for large-scale production. And yeah, I’m pretty quick in the kitchen. But I am not meant for crafty.

My little bitty car was not built to carry four coolers, six flats of bottled water, five flats of soda, nine 20lb. bags of ice, a coffee maker, a coffee grinder, two blenders, and two 20-gallon jugs of water every single day, roundtrip. And I was not built to carry this stuff all over the set. I understand that crafty is meant to be mobile. But crafty is mobile when crafty is more than just one person.

So, there it is. I am not meant to be the next Craft Services Star. I am, however, incredibly proud of the original dishes I put out:

Polenta Caprese
Crisped polenta coins topped with basil and tomato, garnished with mozzarella ribbons

Crostini Tapenade
Kalamata tapenade and crème fraiche on top of toasted baguette slices rubbed with garlic

Smoked Salmon Toast
Toasted baguette topped with smoked salmon, crème fraiche, green onion, and lemon zest

Tea Sandwiches
Tiny sandwiches filled with smoked turkey, roast beef, or cucumber and cream cheese, shaved zucchini, and tomato strips

Vegan dip
Spicy, garlic, and tomato-basil hummus mixed with minced roasted bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots served with pita chips and toasted tortilla strips

Despite the disturbingly hungry extras and crew who seemed not to care what they were eating, so long as it was food, this job was fun. And I actually enjoyed cooking for some of the people. But, truly, I learned that without a kitchen, or at least some semblance of organization on the part of the production staff, this cook is not cut out for crafty.

Bacon-wrapped heaven

2007-05-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

The only time LA really smells good to me is at night, outside a club just letting out, among hundreds of tipsy partygoers vying for the very few cabs that exist in this dirty little town. Because nestled somewhere after the red carpet and before the police station there sits a hot, smoky cart selling just one item: bacon-wrapped hot dogs. One of these days I'll get really inspired and spend a whole night recording the locations of these nameless wonders, but just as the masses are fickle in their devotion to a club, so are the purveyors of my favorite processed meat product. For now, I'll provide you with a recipe so you can enjoy this LA street delicacy without staying up until 2am and wandering the not-so-friendly boulevard...

Bacon-wrapped Hot Dogs
This is the simplest recipe you'll find out there, and doesn't require any stinky cheese to get in the way of the smoky, salty, greasy goodness. The Dark Knight and I devoured ours before thinking of pictures for this blog--they're that good! Serves 2.

1/4 cup onions, diced (slice about a half inch off an onion and chop it up)
2 hot dogs, uncooked
2 slices bacon, uncooked
2 hot dog buns
condiments

1. Put onions in a cold saute pan large enough to accomodate both hot dogs and onions. Turn heat on LOW.
2. Wrap a slice of bacon around a hot dog, making sure most of the hot dog is covered by the bacon. There is no need to secure the bacon, as it will stick during cooking. Repeat with other hot dog.
3. Place hot dogs in center of the pan, moving onions to the sides. Be sure to position the hot dogs such that the end of the bacon is facedown on the pan. This keeps the rest of the bacon from unwrapping during cooking. Increase heat to MEDIUM and cook for a few minutes. Roll hot dogs to cook the other side, cooking for a few more minutes, continuing the process until all sides are cooked to your preference. Remember to move the onions around a bit, then remove when they are done to your liking.
4. While hot dogs are cooking, widen the pre-sliced opening in the hot dog buns and toast. When hot dogs and buns are ready, assemble with your desired condiments (I like 2 teaspoons of mayo on the bun, then hot dog and onions, then 2 squirts each of ketchup and yellow mustard).

iTapas

2007-05-13T01:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, so maybe the name is a bit too dot-com to be cool. After all, that bubble burst a long time ago. But maybe that's alright. The tapas bubble seems not to have burst yet, and iTapas is one of many small plates restaurants to take this concept and add a California (read: Asian fusion) twist. Will iTapas survive the downward turn this trend is sure to take sometime this decade? Not being a fortune teller, I cannot predict. I can, however, talk about the food...

I have an unholy obsession with garlic. I will order almost anything with this most flavorful bulb as a main component. I've even tried garlic ice cream (and will again, once I buy an ice cream maker!). So it goes without saying that when we spied not one, but three garlicky dishes, I asserted that all three must be ordered. My suggestion was well-received, and we enjoyed the soft shell crab quick-fried in the manner of Chinese salt-and-pepper squid (fried in a light lacy batter, then tossed with salt, pepper, and chilis). Under the direction of owner Hung Le, this recipe gets an update: threads of garlic co-mingle with the rings of serrano and jalapeno peppers that cover each piece of crab, fighting for prominence with bits of scallion and the ever-present kosher salt.

Veering away from the Asian theme for a few plates, we devoured the simply prepared Brussels sprouts in a garlic, butter, wine sauce. This classic combination of flavors was complemented well by the two out of the three wines in my wine flight. Even more suited to the wines? The most popular tapas dish ever: garlic shrimp. A handful of plump shrimp are cooked gently in chili- and garlic-infused butter, then tossed with a bit of parsley and presented in a steaming hot mound rising from a pool of deliciously rich sauce. This was so good, I sopped up the rest of the garlicky goodness with some bread!

Speaking of sauces, the short ribs in a port wine reduction were delectable. Tender to the point of falling apart, bathed in a sinful, paprika-tinged sauce, this warranted another piece of bread to soak up every last flavorful bit. All three of the wines in my flight went well with this dish, though the Malbec seemed to work the best, its finish turning chocolatey after a bite of the beef.

Back on the Asian side, we really enjoyed the tempura green beans. They had just the barest coat of batter, and were served with an unexpected vinegar and soy sauce mixture, instead of the classic tempura sauce. Also on the table was the duck wonton in duck consomme. This dish comes with about seven wontons, each a little bigger than a large walnut. Flavored lightly with ginger, they are centered in a bowl half-filled with a delicately seasoned, yet utterly savory broth accented by thin shavings of scallion.

For dessert, we had the cheese plate and the miniature churros. The cheese plate came with three different (yet never identified) cheeses that we suspect included a brie, asiago, and port salut (though, really, we can't be certain). Also on the plate were parmesan crisps, crackers, quince paste, and an innovative grape salad--red seedless grapes, halved and showered with thin ribbons of mint leaf.

The churros were, predictably, wonderful. It's hard to go wrong with fried dough, especially when it's rolled in a super-sweet cinnamon-sugar mixture. The shot of hot chocolate that sat next to them was a bit too sweet for my taste, but I think most people would find it just fine for dipping.

Overall, this somewhat overwhelming trip around the world in eight plates was scrumptious. Next time I'm in town, I'll be back for more of that garlic shrimp!

iTapas
445 Emerson St.
Palo Alto, CA 94302
650.325.4400

Opus Restaurant

2007-05-13T00:45:00.000-07:00

Wilshire Blvd. is one of the main streets of Los Angeles, from Santa Monica’s Promenade to the historic El Rey and Wiltern theatres. Nestled next to the Wiltern is yet another reason to get to know Wilshire from beginning to end. Opus Restaurant is a sleek, modern space finished with touches of dark-stained wood and lots and lots of glass. I’d heard from fellow foodie Brie that this was a spot worth visiting for drinks and lounging, but with the arrival of star chef Josef Centeno (formerly of the now-defunct Meson G), I decided this would be the perfect place to celebrate the Dark Knight’s birthday. Centeno has pared down the entire menu, resulting in a smaller selection of dishes per course. This change allows the kitchen to make better food, their concentration no longer split between dozens of entrees, but rather restricted to a handful of tempting plates.

We started with a glass of off-menu sparkling Spanish wine compliments of the chef and munched contentedly on bread from BreadBar while we chatted and perused the menu. Despite just a few offerings for each course, we still had difficulty deciding on dinner. Self-control is impossible when it comes to good bread, and the Dark Knight and I ended up stuffing ourselves before we had even ordered. Too full for our usual feast, we limited ourselves to lovingly prepared entrees: I had the roasted pork shoulder with garlic-chive aioli, while the Dark Knight ordered the sautéed tai (snapper) with charred romaine.

To accompany my entrée, the waiter suggested a glass of Malbec. Its slightly astringent finish cut through the melt-in-your-mouth pork fat, and the ripe berry palate highlighted the sweetness of the market-fresh asparagus and grape tomatoes atop which the pork was seated. The pork itself was a study in simplicity. Braised in what tasted like a deep red wine, shallots, and orange marmalade sauce (but don’t quote me on that), then slow roasted at a low temperature, the pork quite literally fell apart when I moved it off the mound of lightly sautéed vegetables. It retained its tender, juicy texture, and brought me back to my childhood.

The Dark Knight enjoyed a glass of the same Malbec before dinner, but decided to savor his snapper sans drink. Dressed in a kumquat reduction, both the fish and Romaine were tasty. The citrus aroma from the plate was gorgeous—heady and inviting. The outside of the tai was well-seasoned, a perfect crust on the outside and soft meat within. The Romaine leaves were surprisingly tasty due to the high heat method of cooking, which concentrated the natural sweetness of the lettuce.

Wonderfully sated, but craving something sugary, the Dark Knight and I shared a lemon cheesecake slice covered with strawberries macerated in Prosecco and complemented by a refreshing uzu sorbet. The cheesecake tasted more like a creamy version of the lemon bars that my mom used to bring home for me, and again, I reveled in the comforting sensation. The sorbet was lovely, a sublime scoop of icy goodness.

Beyond the nicely presented dishes and excellent taste combinations, Opus also has one of the nicest staffs I’ve ever encountered. From the doorman to the food runners to our friendly and knowledgeable waiter, the Dark Knight and I felt as though we were well-attended to during our visit. Opus has become on of our favorite local places to dine.

Opus Restaurant
3760 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010
www.opusrestaurant.net

Special of the day -- Grapefruit

2007-05-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually one for fresh fruit in the morning. It's too early, I'm too sleepy, it's too much effort. This morning, though, was different. I woke up with a craving for fruit, something sweet and juicy. But you know I can never leave things alone, and I ended up with a dish that is better than just your average grapefruit.

Grapefruit Breakfast Salad
I grapefruit
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. sugar (I used colored sugar leftover from baking cookies)
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. lemon zest

1. Thoroughly wash grapefruit, then cut off the top and bottom 1/2 inch. Slice off the skin in strips, following the curve of the fruit from top to bottom. You should end up with a whole grapefruit, minus the peel and bitter white pith. Carefully cut out the segments of the fruit, leaving behind the membrane that separates the segments. The remaining membranes will look like pages in a book. Discard any seeds. Some people call this process "booking" a fruit, or making "supremes."
2. Place the supremed fruit in your breakfast bowl, then sprinkle with salt and sugar. Drizzle lightly with honey, then dust with lemon zest.

I've found that the honey and sugar cut the sometimes bitter and tart flavors present in grapefruit. The salt works to bring out the sweetness of the fruit, while the lemon zest ties together the whole dish. You might want to try a tiny pinch of freshly grated ginger root or chiffonade mint leaves to make this dish less sweet and balance out the citrus.

Forget take-out! Asian chicken salad magic!

2007-05-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

I had a rare moment of nostalgia the other night as I was rooting around in my refrigerator looking for a quick dinner. It had been a week since my last grocery trip, but I was too exhausted from work to manage even the most abbreviated visit to my local market. Inspired, I recalled a hot summer day back in Boston, when I was between gigs and working with limited resources. I whipped up this super-simple salad in just a few minutes with the sparsest of ingredients, but it tasted better than most restaurant salads. In its most recent incarnation, I added mandarin oranges to the dish for some extra juiciness and texture. Delicious!

Instant Ramen Chicken Salad
You can use any leftover chicken or shrimp, or shred up some prepared rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Alternately, you can try canned chicken or salmon chunks.

1 pkg. instant ramen soup noodles
1 can chicken or 1 cup prepared chicken, diced
1 small can mandarin orange segments
1 bag ready-to-eat salad greens
dried fruits/nuts that come with salad (optional)
2 tbs. orange juice
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 tbs. honey
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil (omit for lower-fat option)

1. Bring water to boil for noodles. Cook noodles for three minutes, or according to package directions. DO NOT add seasoning/flavor packet!
2. While noodles cook, toss together in large bowl or gallon-size zip-top bag: chicken, mandarin oranges, salad greens, optional dried fruits/nuts.
3. In a bowl, mix together orange juice, salt, and pepper. Add honey and stir carefully, but thoroughly. If honey does not mix easily, microwave the entire mixture for no more than 25 seconds. Stir in optional red pepper flakes. Slowly stream in olive oil, whisking mixture briskly with a fork (omit to save on fat grams!).
4. Drain ramen noodles completely, then carefully cut with kitchen scissors so that the noodles are bite-sized.
5. Add noodles and dressing to salad mix, toss thoroughly, and enjoy!

**I submitted this recipe originally to allrecipes.com, and it is awaiting review.

Cafe des Artistes

2007-04-20T18:25:00.000-07:00

The Dark Knight and I celebrated our second anniversary earlier this month at Cafe des Artistes, a quaint Hollywood eatery tucked away on a side street just off Sunset Blvd. Located in a restored bungalow, the cafe boasts a covered front patio serving a limited menu from the kitchen and a full menu from the bar for casual nibblers and those who just want to hang out and chat.

The inside of this homey cafe is decorated with paintings and other artwork inspired by some of Europe's most famous artists. Wood tables and votive candles create a comfortable, elegantly casual atmosphere. But the real star is the food. The Dark Knight and I started with the escargot, served bubbling hot in the traditional mixture of butter, parsley, and garlic. My cabernet (Louis Martini '03, France) had just enough body and spice to cut through the oily creaminess of the perfectly soft and tender snails.

The Dark Knight enjoyed his filet mignon, reveling in the sharp bite of the peppercorn sauce. Served with frites, the filet was succulent, cooked to the ideal medium rare. I enjoyed my entree more, though. The table-prepared steak tartare is a show in itself, with the waiter spicing this mixture of finely chopped top-quality steak and accompaniments to my specifications. The cabernet held up well to this dish as well, lending a subtle sweetness to this very savory course.

For dessert, the Dark Knight and I shared the warm thin apple tart, topped with a rich vanilla bean ice cream. The apples were beautifully caramelized, though the crust was a bit too soggy for my taste. The crust is, of course, the truest test for any pastry chef, and I think we may simply have caught this one on an off night.

Overall, Cafe des Artistes lives up to its reputation as one of LA's best hidden jewels for French comfort food.

Cafe des Artistes
1534 N. McCadden Place
Hollywood, CA 90028
www.cafedesartistes.info

Restaurant O

2007-04-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

I spent this past weekend in the Bay Area, visiting with family and friends. One night, we went to a restaurant that occupies a space I knew years ago as my favorite osso buco spot. Now, it's a tidy little space with upholstered walls, wood paneling, and twisted track lighting. Restaurant O boasts a comprehensive wine list, market fresh food, and a knowledgeable waitstaff that emphasizes wine pairings and witty banter.

We started with mussels roasted in a wood-burning oven, bathed in a lightly seasoned lemon butter sauce. Roasting the mussels gave them a slightly smoky flavor, but it also intensified the natural sweetness and softened the texture. They quite literally melted on the tongue. Also on the table was a Caesar salad with fried anchovies--lovely but not as memorable as what the menu calls a "strawberry napoleon." This dish consisted of layers of phyllo atop single leaves of buttery lime stone lettuce. The lettuce encased a small mound of tender pea shoots and bleu cheese drizzled with a wonderfully acidic strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. Scattered around the plate were thin slices of perfectly ripe strawberries, lending a subtle sweetness to each bite. My sauvignon blanc from Husch Vineyards ('05) played nicely with this appetizer, lightening the thick balsamic.

For our entrees, we had a raviolo filled with lentils and Dungess crab, sitting in a creamy Madeira obster sauce. There was a hint of anise in the sauce, enhancing the succulent crab meat. While I'm not a fan of lentils, they worked well with this dish, adding a nice texture to the filling. The huge veal chop was juicy and tender, the rosemary balsamic reduction serving as a piquant backdrop against the buttery meat. My favorite, however, was the seared scallops topped with pan-crisped foie gras. The grapefruit reduction bore no traces of the bitterness most people associate with grapefruit. Instead, there was simply a subtle citrus essence, which worked as a delectable foil against the apple relish that topped the dish. The scallops, sweet and moist, were accentuated by the creaminess of the foie gras. Again, the sauvignon blanc was a wonderful suggestion from our waiter; cutting through the heavy foie and bringing out the natural fresh flavor of the scallops, this wine was the best choice to accompany my dish.

Our dessert was a layer of cake soaked in coffee, the topped with chocolate and coffee mousse. The cake itself was perfect: rich and velvety, with a tender crumb and spongy texture. The mousse was light and airy, making for a dessert that was a perfect, if sinful, end to our meal.

While it is a bit of a drive from anywhere in the Bay Area, this Campbell restaurant is definitely worth a return visit. I left inspired by the creative flavor combinations, ready to try my hand at re-creating this excllent meal.

Restaurant O
2081 S. Winchester Blvd.
Campbell, CA 95008
www.restaurant-o.com

Check one

2007-04-05T19:11:00.001-07:00

Alas, another test. This time from the Crackberry.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

testing...1...2...3

2007-04-05T19:06:00.001-07:00

Okay, so this isn't about food.  It's about blogging.  But it's all part of the experiment that is my blog. 

I'm using ScribeFire, a Firefox add-on, to compose this.  I'm interested to see how well it works...

Cookies and chocolate and brownies...oh my!

2007-04-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

Well, here we go. This is the first of many posts about finding, eating, and cooking some of my favorite things.

Yesterday was a slightly messy, mostly delicious day. After searching allrecipes.com for a butter cookie recipe that would yield slightly crisp, not-too-sweet cookies, I finally found a recipe that almost suits my needs (search "Classic Butter Cookies II"). I'm a bit snooty when it comes to cookies, and I wanted a crisper product with more interesting flavoring. So what's a girl to do? Why, tweak the recipe, of course.

Crisp Butter Cookies
I cut these with mini cookie cutters to make butterflies and daisies, then decorated them with writing chocolate. The cookies are just sweet enough, with a nice bite to them. They'll keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white, beaten until frothy
1/2 tsp. vanilla, almond, or lemon extract (I prefer lemon for a fresh zing on the palate)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Cream together butter and sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add in egg, egg white, and extract.
2. Gradually add flour, one third at a time, on low speed. Mix until just incorporated.
3. Form into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon non-stick mats (e.g. Silpats).
5. Roll out dough on well-floured surface to 1/8'' thickness. Be sure to turn dough gently between rolls to ensure even thickness and prevent sticking. Cut out shapes with cookies cutters and move carefully with a spatula onto cookie sheets.
6. Bake 8-10 minutes, rotating halfway through time. Immediately move to wire rack for cooling.

Writing Chocolate
This recipe uses leftover chocolate chips or chunks from other projects. Placing the chocolate-decorated cookies in the freezer or refrigerator allows the chocolate to harden and set, but the chocolate will begin to melt again if left out for over an hour. Makes enough to sparingly decorate the above recipe.

1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks (bittersweet or unsweetened works best)
1 tbs. vegetable oil

1. Combine both ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until chocolate is almost melted.
2. Remove from microwave carefully, then stir the mixture until chocolate melts completely.
3. Spoon chocolate into piping bag fitted with your smallest tip, or into a sandwich-sized zip-top bag for decorating. If using the zip-top bag, snip off just the very corner (enough to make an opening the diameter of a pen tip). Decorate cookies carefully, then let set for 30 minutes before putting in freezer to harden chocolate.

Melted chocolate is a little messy, even with my zip-top bag perched in a water glass, open and ready to be filled. I've found it's best to use this method, along with a small silicon spatula, for scraping chocolate or royal icing into improvised piping bags. But it's no big loss if there's any spillage, as long as you keep it on your fingers. Tasty mishaps :)

Another of my favorite derivative recipes is the one for what I like to call "Spiced Chocolate Cupcake Brownies." It goes perfectly with the "Spiced Chocolate Frosting," another adjusted recipe. I found both original recipes on allrecipes.com, the first one"Cupcake Brownies," and the second "Chocolate Fudge Frosting."

Spiced Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes
These brownies are cooked in mini-cupcake liners, and taste like Mexican hot chocolate. Not too sweet, not too fudgy, but perfectly spicy! Makes about 5 dozen mini-cupcake sized brownies.

1 cup butter
1/8 tsp. ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate squares or chips
4 eggs
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. coffee (or coffee-flavored liqueur)
1 cup flour

1. In a small saucepan, melt together over low heat butter, ancho and regular chili powder, cinnamon, salt, and chocolate. Stir constantly. Let cool for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place mini-cupcake liners in mini-cupcake pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until light in color.
4. Add in vanilla and coffee, then beat in chocolate mixture. Stir in flour, combining thoroughly.
5. Fill mini-cupcake liners 2/3 full using a melon baller or mini-ice cream scoop. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out crumby and slightly fudgy looking. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on wire rack. Frost with Spicy Chocolate Frosting if desired.

Spicy Chocolate Frosting
Light and fluffy, this frosting sets up nicely in the refrigerator. Keeps for 1 week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Whip leftovers before using again. Makes enough to frost the entire above recipe.

1/2 cup butter, cut into small cubes
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares or chips
1/4 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup milk

1. In a microwaveable bowl, combine butter, chocolate, and ancho. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time, until chocolate is just melted.
2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, vanilla, and milk. Add chocolate mixture, combining thoroughly.
3. Let stand until spreadable. Mixture will thicken as it cools. If it is too stiff after cooling, re-whip, adding 1 tbs. milk at a time until desired consistency is reached. Put into piping bag with a large star tip to frost above recipe, or use an offset spatula to frost an 8'' round cake.