Room Forty Goes Downtown

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Hooray for Strawberries!

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

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!)

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

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!

Mmmmm...cookies!

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

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."

Adventures in Craftyland

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

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).