as a well-deserved respite from my days and nights of dissertation writing, i got to see the lovely miss lina AND the lovely miss alison this weekend in SD. miss lina was down for a conference, and miss alison trekked down for a little respite herself, so it was wonderful to have some catch-up time w/the ladies.
although we were definitely headed to ED for sweets, we weren't quite sure what was going on for lunch. not until alison's colleague suggested piatti over in la jolla. now i must admit that, when lina told me alison wanted italian, i was a bit crestfallen, especially since italian certainly isn't my cuisine of choice. however, i thought i'd give the menu a chance, considering that i never choose italian myself, and i was absolutely delighted when i saw sweetbreads on the menu. (and FYI that i'm a BIG offal eater.)
sweetbreads, when done well, pretty much do it for me. (i had them done NOT so well at comme ca in LA, and i've vowed not to go back -- well, at least for a very long time.) piatti had sweetbreads both as an appetizer dish, and as a brunch dish w/eggs. and as soon as i saw that, i knew that's what i was getting.
when we arrived, we were shown through the main dining room to the back patio. although i don't like my restaurants empty, i also don't like them packed, especially when i'm planning catch-up time and i need to hear what my companions are saying. thankfully, the place was fairly empty when we showed up around 11, which pleased me immensely. it was also nice and sunny, and just on the warm side, so it was the perfect day to sit outside. the sun was in my eyes from the start, so we shuffled over to the adjacent table with our plates. i personally don't have any qualms about doing this, especially when a place isn't crowded. and even though our server seemed surprised (and ready w/an umbrella), i'm glad the busboy made it a point to say that it wasn't a big deal. as a patron, if i wanna move, i wanna move. please don't try to stop me. it's impolite.
honestly, i must admit that the waiter was a little too old-school italian for me. he spoke a little too close to my face, and he looked a little too intense. perhaps that was his natural expression, but it weirded me out just the slightest bit. another thing that weirded me out was the fact that the big fat dude at the adjacent table literally kept staring at us. it was so bizarre. i mean, yes, we're stunning, but seriously, fans can wait outside. it was only slightly disturbing, and thankfully, i was probably the only one who noticed. two other random observations were that we seemed to be: 1) 10-15 years younger than anyone else there (at least the people paying) and 2) the only people of color. now, as someone who studies diversity, i simply notice these things. and it certainly isn't a big deal (i mean, the same thing happened at tavern in brentwood, and i absolutely LOVE tavern.). it probably just reflects the demographics of la jolla. i mean, who else would wake up for brunch at 11 on a sunday? ;) well, us, obviously.
and i'm certainly glad we did b/c the food was totally delicious and satisfying. lina went w/the french toast, which looked (and apparently tasted) quite decadent. the bread looked like huge crostini, and she made it through 2.5 slices before admitting defeat. alison chose the breakfast panini made w/pizza dough. the thing looked quite monstrous (size-wise), but she polished off a fair bit of it before we mentioned that we still had ED left on the day's food agenda. otherwise, i think it was scrumptious enough that she would've considered finishing it.
i personally LOVED my sweetbreads on egg whites (my preferred substitution for eggs -- did you know one egg is 70% of your daily cholesterol?!?). just so folks know, sweetbreads, when served in isolation, are generally prepared w/a nice sear on the outside and a melting quality on the inside. w/this particular dish, the sweetbreads came sauteed w/mushrooms and placed lightly over egg whites. first of all, both the sweetbreads and the mushrooms had just the right amount of chew. you certainly don't want either of them mushy or rubbery, and both were done perfectly in this case. secondly, the sauce was rich in flavor but not in texture. it totally brought the sweetbreads and the mushrooms together without weighing down the dish. minus the egg whites, this dish would've been perfect -- which is probably why they have it prepared as an appetizer that way. plus the egg whites, it wasn't bad. they just made the dish more breakfast-ey. in fact, they actually did a good job of soaking up the sauce and filling me up, so that i couldn't inhale the whole dish within the first five minutes of brunch. the sauce was actually so good that i allowed myself to have bread, just so i could use it to soak up the remaining traces of sauce on the plate.
in addition to my meal, i ordered a non-alcoholic mint julep, which consisted of ginger ale, lime juice, and a bit of mint. it was quite good, and i'm always appreciative of a few non-alcoholic options on drinks menus. as a non-drinker, i always feel left out, so i'm totally happy when my needs are considered.
the waiter came by at the end of the meal to tell us about a fundraising effort they were taking part of to raise money for breast cancer research. for the month of october, they were asking each patron to donate $5, and with each donation, each patron would receive a free cappuccino or coffee. considering that each drink was about $2.50, it was like each patron was donating $2.50 and the restaurant was donating another $2.50. it was quite a nice offer, and the ladies too advantage of the opportunity to get some additional sugar and caffeine. i, on the other hand, was saving up my pennies (and tummy space) for ED. i felt a little bad, but not enough to throw in another $5 from my dwindling coffers.
all in all, piatti gets two thumbs up. i'd definitely come back and i'd definitely request the back patio. as lina commented, it's probably even lovelier w/the lights and heat lamps on at night. pretty AND toasty.
btw, i just found out that piatti's actually a chain. so if the food's this good AND it's a chain, i'm certainly more than impressed.
piatti restorane & bar
2182 avenida de la playa
la jolla, ca 92037
858.454.1589
http://www.piatti.com/
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
where the wild things are
as most of you know (or should know), i'm not a fan of kids. at all. by any means. well, to be totally honest, i'll let christine's daughter veronica hug me -- she's the only one. and i think michelle and will's son danny is about the best-looking child i've ever seen. other that, i'm a fan of no other. not even my own nephew. so i'm a bad aunt. whatever. i don't care.
seeing as this semi-hatred of children is a verity, i'm always tentative about watching any movie directed at, related to, or even involving kids. animation is pretty much out, though i did enjoy "up" and "coraline" most recently. i found "wall-e" stupid (yes, stupid), except for the reference to the world becoming full of fat, lazy people. that was just hilarious in a sick, sad way. and a nice commentary on what the world could become if our relationship with technology were to go completely awry. fascinating. anyways, i digress.
considering that i'm in a reflective period of my life, i thought "where the wild things are" might be appropriate for my mood. i'd never read the book (nor had it read to me) as a child, and i really couldn't tell from the previews what it was actually going to be about. all i'd heard was that spike jonze hadn't wanted to make it more audience-friendly, which, honestly, was enough of a hook. i'm not into gift-wrapped movies unless they're romantic comedies, so i thought this might be perfect. (FYI that karen thought i might like it too, but few really know my movie tastes well enough. yes, i'm complicated.)
judy & i caught the 12:30 show and made it just in time to miss 1/2 the previews and find good seats. there were a ton of kids in there, which, after what little i'd heard about the movie (and what i thought about it afterward), meant that they hadn't really thought about what they were doing. ok, so i don't think much of modern-day parents. so sue me.
considering all my aforementioned confessions, i have to say that (drumroll, please) i thought the movie was actually quite good. before i go into why i thought it was quite good, i'll just say that the shots were a little too indie-grainy for my tastes -- as if there were a layer of dust over them. the colors were fairly muted as well, though i suppose that was appropriate for the mood spike was going for. regardless, the rest of the movie certainly made up for these minor annoyances.
in terms of plot, don't expect one. this isn't a plot-driven movie, folks, which is why i didn't think it was child-appropriate. children generally need things to HAPPEN, so unless your kid is some freak precocious thing that can sit still and appreciate the *tone* of a film, you should pass and move on to something involving a dated wrestle mania retiree. seriously.
for the *rest* of you, i'd say that this is a must-see if you're a fan of great character, cinematography, and mood in your movies.
first of all, there *is* only one real character -- max. now i must say that i found him tramping around in the same outfit the entire movie a bit gross. but then again, i'm like emma from glee -- i hate dirt. that being said, i think there was something so basic about his character that anyone could connect to it.
and all those monsters? a manifestation of all his inner selves. anxiety, fear, disappointment, anticipation, earnestness, joy. a collection of selves that don't know reality, that know reality, that want to escape it, that want to embrace it. all these big monsters, these big emotions, trapped in one little body, one little mind.
and carol? that's the self that lives in the past, that lives in memories, that won't let those memories go. that turns violent when someone tries to take those memories away. the one that resists moving forward, at the risk of destroying all the other selves.
not only does this single character give you something to think deeply about, but he draws you in, because sometimes, all you want is to be in a perfect pile of your inner selves, in a mystical happy place where they all exist and co-mingle without any thoughts or worries about a world outside. or the need to live in it.
in addition to a singular resonating character, this movie offers some spectacular cinematography. the scenes of max in the ocean are amazing. reminiscent of harry potter and dumbledore standing on a rock as the waves crash all around them. the dark hues are ominous during the rainstorm and the light hues are hopeful with the sunrise. all basic techniques i'm sure, though they coalesce brilliantly here.
the music didn't move me in the same way, though it certainly didn't detract from the film. if anything, it kept the movie going, so that you had no idea that time was passing. things happened, but you were thinking about them more than you were watching them. in fact, you have no idea how long max is gone, except for the tired look on his mother's face. the look that says, you have no idea what you've put me through, but i'm just glad you're home.
a picture of childhood.
http://wherethewildthingsare.warnerbros.com/
p.s. the cameo of mark ruffalo was a nice perk! ;)
seeing as this semi-hatred of children is a verity, i'm always tentative about watching any movie directed at, related to, or even involving kids. animation is pretty much out, though i did enjoy "up" and "coraline" most recently. i found "wall-e" stupid (yes, stupid), except for the reference to the world becoming full of fat, lazy people. that was just hilarious in a sick, sad way. and a nice commentary on what the world could become if our relationship with technology were to go completely awry. fascinating. anyways, i digress.
considering that i'm in a reflective period of my life, i thought "where the wild things are" might be appropriate for my mood. i'd never read the book (nor had it read to me) as a child, and i really couldn't tell from the previews what it was actually going to be about. all i'd heard was that spike jonze hadn't wanted to make it more audience-friendly, which, honestly, was enough of a hook. i'm not into gift-wrapped movies unless they're romantic comedies, so i thought this might be perfect. (FYI that karen thought i might like it too, but few really know my movie tastes well enough. yes, i'm complicated.)
judy & i caught the 12:30 show and made it just in time to miss 1/2 the previews and find good seats. there were a ton of kids in there, which, after what little i'd heard about the movie (and what i thought about it afterward), meant that they hadn't really thought about what they were doing. ok, so i don't think much of modern-day parents. so sue me.
considering all my aforementioned confessions, i have to say that (drumroll, please) i thought the movie was actually quite good. before i go into why i thought it was quite good, i'll just say that the shots were a little too indie-grainy for my tastes -- as if there were a layer of dust over them. the colors were fairly muted as well, though i suppose that was appropriate for the mood spike was going for. regardless, the rest of the movie certainly made up for these minor annoyances.
in terms of plot, don't expect one. this isn't a plot-driven movie, folks, which is why i didn't think it was child-appropriate. children generally need things to HAPPEN, so unless your kid is some freak precocious thing that can sit still and appreciate the *tone* of a film, you should pass and move on to something involving a dated wrestle mania retiree. seriously.
for the *rest* of you, i'd say that this is a must-see if you're a fan of great character, cinematography, and mood in your movies.
first of all, there *is* only one real character -- max. now i must say that i found him tramping around in the same outfit the entire movie a bit gross. but then again, i'm like emma from glee -- i hate dirt. that being said, i think there was something so basic about his character that anyone could connect to it.
and all those monsters? a manifestation of all his inner selves. anxiety, fear, disappointment, anticipation, earnestness, joy. a collection of selves that don't know reality, that know reality, that want to escape it, that want to embrace it. all these big monsters, these big emotions, trapped in one little body, one little mind.
and carol? that's the self that lives in the past, that lives in memories, that won't let those memories go. that turns violent when someone tries to take those memories away. the one that resists moving forward, at the risk of destroying all the other selves.
not only does this single character give you something to think deeply about, but he draws you in, because sometimes, all you want is to be in a perfect pile of your inner selves, in a mystical happy place where they all exist and co-mingle without any thoughts or worries about a world outside. or the need to live in it.
in addition to a singular resonating character, this movie offers some spectacular cinematography. the scenes of max in the ocean are amazing. reminiscent of harry potter and dumbledore standing on a rock as the waves crash all around them. the dark hues are ominous during the rainstorm and the light hues are hopeful with the sunrise. all basic techniques i'm sure, though they coalesce brilliantly here.
the music didn't move me in the same way, though it certainly didn't detract from the film. if anything, it kept the movie going, so that you had no idea that time was passing. things happened, but you were thinking about them more than you were watching them. in fact, you have no idea how long max is gone, except for the tired look on his mother's face. the look that says, you have no idea what you've put me through, but i'm just glad you're home.
a picture of childhood.
http://wherethewildthingsare.warnerbros.com/
p.s. the cameo of mark ruffalo was a nice perk! ;)
Sunday, October 11, 2009
extraordinary desserts!!
next to the san diego zoo, this is my absolute FAVORITE place in san diego. hands down, no two words about it. there are two locations: one in hillcrest and one in little italy. and i favor the latter b/c: 1) the hillcrest one is kind of small, 2) someone got shot/stabbed at the hillcrest one, 3) the little italy one is way spacious and has great interior design, and 4) the little italy one offers a much better display of karen krasne's delicious masterpieces. emphasis on masterpieces.
even if you never set foot in either location, you'd need a drool bucket just staring at the incredible photos and descriptions online. ever since a friend brought me here a few years ago, the tastes and textures of karen's delicious cakes have been burned into my memory. and i've had monthly (or weekly or daily) pangs to go.
after many angst-ey FB posts, judy mentions that she's available this weekend if i needed a quick ED fix. and of course, i almost fall out of my chair with joy. (i literally had a panic attack when i thought we might not be able to go b/c she felt sick the night before! thankfully, she felt better. whew! crisis averted..)
needless to say, i was thrilled when she was up for doing brunch instead of dinner. plus, it was the perfect meal to have after a nice, long, swim workout. just the thought of all that sugar put me into a tailspin. a happy tailspin, that is! :)
one of the best things about the little italy location is that they have a savory menu on top of their wide array of sweets & teas. this is totally strategic, b/c even if you stuff yourself on their yummy salads & sandwiches, there's no way you'd leave w/o getting dessert -- even if it has to be in a to-go box.
as soon as you walk in, you're greeted by a series of display cases, filled with tiers and tiers of lovely cakes and pastries. it's like you're in a museum and willy wonka's chocolate factory at the same time. all you want to do is stare and touch and grab and eat, stare and touch and grab and eat, stare and touch and grab and eat.... well, you get the point. if you went and looked at every single item carefully (the way my brother does w/museum placards), it'd probably take you at least 15-20 minutes. i know, b/c, well, i've done it. and seriously, don't judge until you get here.
even though i was distracted momentarily by all the gorgeous sweets, judy made a beeline for the hostess and we were seated right away. after she'd mentioned on FB how good the grilled cheese sandwiches were, i didn't even really bother considering any other options (though the paninis looked quite good). we both decided that coffee and grilled cheese were the way to go. judy w/her fontina, roasted poblano, and pumpkin pesto. me w/my gruyere, caramelized white onions, and whole grain mustard.
both sandwiches sounded really balanced in terms of salty/sweet, and i know mine was quite scrumptious. the sandwich was done panini-style w/all the ingredients sandwiched in nicely w/in the edges of the bread, and everything oozing out *just* slightly when i bit into it. to some degree, i wished the sandwich had been a bit more substantial. (i suppose i was expecting a bit more oozing!) then again, i could've just been hungry and wanting that portabello & brie panini i was eye-ing. *sigh* ;) the only other real criticism i had was that the bread was a little greasy, so i suppose a little less butter would've suited me better.
regardless, the sandwiches were merely to make sure we didn't have *just* sugar in our tummies upon departure. and as soon as we were done w/them (and we pretty much polished them off), we sauntered back up to the front of the house to make our dessert picks. after choosing our own favorites, we decided on which ones we'd be willing to split, and we went w/the ivoire royale and the triple chocolate mousse torte. (FYI that i'd pretty much decided on the roasted coconut cream torte after surveying the options online, but unfortunately, it didn't show up in the case until we were already done! i totally should've asked whether they had it, but thank goodness for lina's upcoming visit! :D)
out of the two, the ivoire royale was definitely my favorite. the vanilla bean soaked pound cake was super light, the berries offered just the right amount of sweetness and acidity, and i'm an absolute sucker for white chocolate mousse and white chocolate shavings. even though i always tell myself that i want coconut or lemon or fruit, i always seem to get pulled in by chocolate. needless to say, it happened again. this time, the triple chocolate mousse torte did me in. even though i'm glad we tried it (especially since i just noticed online that it's the "most recent decadent addition"), i found it way too dense and way too rich. i literally had had enough after a few bites, though i felt like i should continue eating it so as to not let it go to waste! while tiramisu isn't usually my dessert of choice, i'm thinking now that judy's pick of the torta misu (ED's version of the traditional dessert) might've been a better way to go. thankfully, i found out ED is one of her favorite places too! so we'll just have to get that next time. :)
to anyone who EVER visits san diego, this dessert paradise is NOT too be missed. and for those of you who want to try a little bit of everything, ED also offers a lovely sunday brunch spread!
extraordinary desserts
http://www.extraordinarydesserts.com/
even if you never set foot in either location, you'd need a drool bucket just staring at the incredible photos and descriptions online. ever since a friend brought me here a few years ago, the tastes and textures of karen's delicious cakes have been burned into my memory. and i've had monthly (or weekly or daily) pangs to go.
after many angst-ey FB posts, judy mentions that she's available this weekend if i needed a quick ED fix. and of course, i almost fall out of my chair with joy. (i literally had a panic attack when i thought we might not be able to go b/c she felt sick the night before! thankfully, she felt better. whew! crisis averted..)
needless to say, i was thrilled when she was up for doing brunch instead of dinner. plus, it was the perfect meal to have after a nice, long, swim workout. just the thought of all that sugar put me into a tailspin. a happy tailspin, that is! :)
one of the best things about the little italy location is that they have a savory menu on top of their wide array of sweets & teas. this is totally strategic, b/c even if you stuff yourself on their yummy salads & sandwiches, there's no way you'd leave w/o getting dessert -- even if it has to be in a to-go box.
as soon as you walk in, you're greeted by a series of display cases, filled with tiers and tiers of lovely cakes and pastries. it's like you're in a museum and willy wonka's chocolate factory at the same time. all you want to do is stare and touch and grab and eat, stare and touch and grab and eat, stare and touch and grab and eat.... well, you get the point. if you went and looked at every single item carefully (the way my brother does w/museum placards), it'd probably take you at least 15-20 minutes. i know, b/c, well, i've done it. and seriously, don't judge until you get here.
even though i was distracted momentarily by all the gorgeous sweets, judy made a beeline for the hostess and we were seated right away. after she'd mentioned on FB how good the grilled cheese sandwiches were, i didn't even really bother considering any other options (though the paninis looked quite good). we both decided that coffee and grilled cheese were the way to go. judy w/her fontina, roasted poblano, and pumpkin pesto. me w/my gruyere, caramelized white onions, and whole grain mustard.
both sandwiches sounded really balanced in terms of salty/sweet, and i know mine was quite scrumptious. the sandwich was done panini-style w/all the ingredients sandwiched in nicely w/in the edges of the bread, and everything oozing out *just* slightly when i bit into it. to some degree, i wished the sandwich had been a bit more substantial. (i suppose i was expecting a bit more oozing!) then again, i could've just been hungry and wanting that portabello & brie panini i was eye-ing. *sigh* ;) the only other real criticism i had was that the bread was a little greasy, so i suppose a little less butter would've suited me better.
regardless, the sandwiches were merely to make sure we didn't have *just* sugar in our tummies upon departure. and as soon as we were done w/them (and we pretty much polished them off), we sauntered back up to the front of the house to make our dessert picks. after choosing our own favorites, we decided on which ones we'd be willing to split, and we went w/the ivoire royale and the triple chocolate mousse torte. (FYI that i'd pretty much decided on the roasted coconut cream torte after surveying the options online, but unfortunately, it didn't show up in the case until we were already done! i totally should've asked whether they had it, but thank goodness for lina's upcoming visit! :D)
out of the two, the ivoire royale was definitely my favorite. the vanilla bean soaked pound cake was super light, the berries offered just the right amount of sweetness and acidity, and i'm an absolute sucker for white chocolate mousse and white chocolate shavings. even though i always tell myself that i want coconut or lemon or fruit, i always seem to get pulled in by chocolate. needless to say, it happened again. this time, the triple chocolate mousse torte did me in. even though i'm glad we tried it (especially since i just noticed online that it's the "most recent decadent addition"), i found it way too dense and way too rich. i literally had had enough after a few bites, though i felt like i should continue eating it so as to not let it go to waste! while tiramisu isn't usually my dessert of choice, i'm thinking now that judy's pick of the torta misu (ED's version of the traditional dessert) might've been a better way to go. thankfully, i found out ED is one of her favorite places too! so we'll just have to get that next time. :)
to anyone who EVER visits san diego, this dessert paradise is NOT too be missed. and for those of you who want to try a little bit of everything, ED also offers a lovely sunday brunch spread!
extraordinary desserts
http://www.extraordinarydesserts.com/
Saturday, October 3, 2009
ba ren szechuan & pearl chinese cuisine
seeing as how my day has practically disappeared already, i might as well take a few moments to reflect upon two other blog-worthy asian eateries i've had a chance to enjoy since getting to san diego.
the first: ba ren szechuan. a pick of miss wendy, who loves her spicy food! we went on a monday night, and it was fairly quiet around 7-7:30. we weren't even sure it was still open for business, given that we didn't receive any sort of greeting upon walking in the door. thankfully, the situation was quickly rectified, as a waiter pointed us to an open booth. even before i could take a few steps, i was distracted by the case of yummy goodness on my left. in it was house a huge selection of cold dishes: seawood, pigs ears, tripe, and who knows what other kinds of offal. to which i say: YUM!
yelp had warned us that at least 1/2 the menu would be in chinese. that didn't dissuade us, as we were starving and we already had a few things in mind. we started with a few of the dishes from the case by the door. the pigs ears had just the right amount of chew and spice, but methinks they could've used a bit more salt. the pork tongue was more flavorful and disappeared fairly quickly. i believe we also picked out some seawood, that offered a nice cool contrast to all of our other dishes.
this was necessary (as was the white rice that i normally don't eat) b/c the rest of the meal was HOT. so very HOT. not bad hot, just HOT. (get my drift?) seeing that it was just the two of us, we couldn't order everything we wanted. so we went with two yelp suggestions (the sliced boiled fish & the chicken with hot peppers), the smoked duck (a personal must-try), and some sort of spicy veggy dish (i think). let's just say that the first two were SPICY, with the chicken being the spiciest of them all. it was one of those things where you eat it and you think you're ok. but within seconds, you realize, you're not ok. it's a "creeper" spicy, as i like to call it. so thank goodness for lots of rice and water. again, it wasn't bad hot, just simply very very HOT. the little chicken pieces were nice & crunchy, which made the whole experience seem like eating spicy pop rocks. the fish also had a bit of a kick, so the duck was definitely the palate calmer/cooler/cleanser. personally, i think the duck could've been smokier and saltier, but it provided a nice contrast to all the intense spice.
all in all, ba ren was definitely a great way to kick off asian eating in SD. thanks, wendy, for picking the first yummy spot!
ba ren szechuan
4957 diane avenue
san diego, ca 92117
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ba-ren-szechuan-san-diego
**********
to kick off a fun weekend/week w/the in-laws, i decided to partake in family dim sum at pearl, located in rancho bernardo, only a mere 15 minutes away. i wasn't quite sure if i was up for it, as i'm not the biggest fan of asian carbs. it's not that my tastebuds don't enjoy them -- i just always end up eating too much! but considering that i haven't had dim sum in a year, i thought i'd cut myself some slack, especially post-2-hour workout. (it's painful how i challenge my body. *sigh*)
i was certainly pleased to roll up to a lovely restaurant front. as most of my dim sum experiences have taken place in cramped NY and LA (and even sydney) restaurants, this was definitely a treat. first of all, i arrived to see a big purple sign w/"pearl" in hip font. i'm a big fan of exterior & interior design, so this boded well. i walked in to see a sea of tables & chairs done up in wedding attire -- all white w/the requisite bows on chair backs. according to jerry, "it always looks like this" -- our waiter even switched out two of our chairs so that they would all match! in addition, one side of the restaurant (which was a nice long rectangle) looked out on a man-made pond w/ducks floating past. (we checked out "webb park" -- the park out back -- after the meal, and it was definitely the perfect spot for wedding photos.) in addition to providing great service, the staff were all dressed in uniforms or traditional chinese attire (chi paos & mao jackets), which added a nice touch.
foodwise, i was quite pleased with the variety of dishes, which included traditional as well as more contemporary options. the dragon's claws (chicken feet) were intensely flavorful and meatier than i've ever had them. even though this meant that there were only 2-3 of them on the small plate, i'd much prefer this over skinny claws w/nothing but skin. we picked out both the steamed bbq pork buns (which T&J preferred) and the roasted bbq pork buns (which i preferred). both were scrumptious, though mine could've had a better meat: bread ratio. regardless, 2 of these buns (and a crispy spring roll) were a good use of my allowable carbs. the salt & pepper calamari dish (apparently a big fave of the aussies in sydney, as they were literally on every single menu i saw) was actually a bit too salty (though i'd never admit that to teresa) and definitely did not come straight out of the fryer. the thing was room temp, if not chilly to the tongue, and could've used a flash-fry or something before coming out to the table. (a nearby table also mentioned one of their dishes being too cold, so this may be something that management needs to work on.) the mango pudding was also in need of some serious sugar AND mango flavor, plus it could've done w/o the non-ripe cantaloupe & honeydew (which cameron promptly spit out). the fam did, however, enjoy the roast pork noodles, the pork ribs, and the shumai -- none of which i partook in, though i trust their assessment enough to mention it here. the rest of the dishes on the carts floating by looked delectable (and worth a taste in the near future), though the roast pork in san diego all seem a bit too lean for my tastes. what's w/the lean meat, folks??
the phuong trang gang did mention pearl as one of their top dim sum picks in the area (the other two being jasmine & emerald), so i'm glad i made it out. jerry also mentioned pearl & emerald having the same owners, so it seems like jasmine is next on the list to try. for now, this place gets two thumbs up. it was 11:30AM by the time we sat down on a saturday morning, and we still had TONS of elbow room -- a definite plus in my book!
pearl chinese cuisine
11666 avena place
san diego, ca 92128
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pearl-chinese-cuisine-san-diego
the first: ba ren szechuan. a pick of miss wendy, who loves her spicy food! we went on a monday night, and it was fairly quiet around 7-7:30. we weren't even sure it was still open for business, given that we didn't receive any sort of greeting upon walking in the door. thankfully, the situation was quickly rectified, as a waiter pointed us to an open booth. even before i could take a few steps, i was distracted by the case of yummy goodness on my left. in it was house a huge selection of cold dishes: seawood, pigs ears, tripe, and who knows what other kinds of offal. to which i say: YUM!
yelp had warned us that at least 1/2 the menu would be in chinese. that didn't dissuade us, as we were starving and we already had a few things in mind. we started with a few of the dishes from the case by the door. the pigs ears had just the right amount of chew and spice, but methinks they could've used a bit more salt. the pork tongue was more flavorful and disappeared fairly quickly. i believe we also picked out some seawood, that offered a nice cool contrast to all of our other dishes.
this was necessary (as was the white rice that i normally don't eat) b/c the rest of the meal was HOT. so very HOT. not bad hot, just HOT. (get my drift?) seeing that it was just the two of us, we couldn't order everything we wanted. so we went with two yelp suggestions (the sliced boiled fish & the chicken with hot peppers), the smoked duck (a personal must-try), and some sort of spicy veggy dish (i think). let's just say that the first two were SPICY, with the chicken being the spiciest of them all. it was one of those things where you eat it and you think you're ok. but within seconds, you realize, you're not ok. it's a "creeper" spicy, as i like to call it. so thank goodness for lots of rice and water. again, it wasn't bad hot, just simply very very HOT. the little chicken pieces were nice & crunchy, which made the whole experience seem like eating spicy pop rocks. the fish also had a bit of a kick, so the duck was definitely the palate calmer/cooler/cleanser. personally, i think the duck could've been smokier and saltier, but it provided a nice contrast to all the intense spice.
all in all, ba ren was definitely a great way to kick off asian eating in SD. thanks, wendy, for picking the first yummy spot!
ba ren szechuan
4957 diane avenue
san diego, ca 92117
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ba-ren-szechuan-san-diego
**********
to kick off a fun weekend/week w/the in-laws, i decided to partake in family dim sum at pearl, located in rancho bernardo, only a mere 15 minutes away. i wasn't quite sure if i was up for it, as i'm not the biggest fan of asian carbs. it's not that my tastebuds don't enjoy them -- i just always end up eating too much! but considering that i haven't had dim sum in a year, i thought i'd cut myself some slack, especially post-2-hour workout. (it's painful how i challenge my body. *sigh*)
i was certainly pleased to roll up to a lovely restaurant front. as most of my dim sum experiences have taken place in cramped NY and LA (and even sydney) restaurants, this was definitely a treat. first of all, i arrived to see a big purple sign w/"pearl" in hip font. i'm a big fan of exterior & interior design, so this boded well. i walked in to see a sea of tables & chairs done up in wedding attire -- all white w/the requisite bows on chair backs. according to jerry, "it always looks like this" -- our waiter even switched out two of our chairs so that they would all match! in addition, one side of the restaurant (which was a nice long rectangle) looked out on a man-made pond w/ducks floating past. (we checked out "webb park" -- the park out back -- after the meal, and it was definitely the perfect spot for wedding photos.) in addition to providing great service, the staff were all dressed in uniforms or traditional chinese attire (chi paos & mao jackets), which added a nice touch.
foodwise, i was quite pleased with the variety of dishes, which included traditional as well as more contemporary options. the dragon's claws (chicken feet) were intensely flavorful and meatier than i've ever had them. even though this meant that there were only 2-3 of them on the small plate, i'd much prefer this over skinny claws w/nothing but skin. we picked out both the steamed bbq pork buns (which T&J preferred) and the roasted bbq pork buns (which i preferred). both were scrumptious, though mine could've had a better meat: bread ratio. regardless, 2 of these buns (and a crispy spring roll) were a good use of my allowable carbs. the salt & pepper calamari dish (apparently a big fave of the aussies in sydney, as they were literally on every single menu i saw) was actually a bit too salty (though i'd never admit that to teresa) and definitely did not come straight out of the fryer. the thing was room temp, if not chilly to the tongue, and could've used a flash-fry or something before coming out to the table. (a nearby table also mentioned one of their dishes being too cold, so this may be something that management needs to work on.) the mango pudding was also in need of some serious sugar AND mango flavor, plus it could've done w/o the non-ripe cantaloupe & honeydew (which cameron promptly spit out). the fam did, however, enjoy the roast pork noodles, the pork ribs, and the shumai -- none of which i partook in, though i trust their assessment enough to mention it here. the rest of the dishes on the carts floating by looked delectable (and worth a taste in the near future), though the roast pork in san diego all seem a bit too lean for my tastes. what's w/the lean meat, folks??
the phuong trang gang did mention pearl as one of their top dim sum picks in the area (the other two being jasmine & emerald), so i'm glad i made it out. jerry also mentioned pearl & emerald having the same owners, so it seems like jasmine is next on the list to try. for now, this place gets two thumbs up. it was 11:30AM by the time we sat down on a saturday morning, and we still had TONS of elbow room -- a definite plus in my book!
pearl chinese cuisine
11666 avena place
san diego, ca 92128
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pearl-chinese-cuisine-san-diego
Friday, October 2, 2009
phuong trang - vietnamese heaven
after i was pretty much facebook pummeled for not having had pho before last weekend, i couldn't say no when dave suggested a vietnamese food outing this week. with some snazzy coordination skills, we were able to get a nice-sized group together. asian meals are best done family-style -- it's so much easier to sample stuff!
and sampling was priority, as i've only had vietnamese a couple of times, and andrew had never had it at all! (a total travesty, i know! ahem.) thankfully, dave & an were semi-experts, so we let dave pick everything (w/our suggestions, of course). and we ended up with a lazy susan that was, well, lazy. the poor thing was covered in so many dishes that we had to eat & clear, eat & clear, eat & clear.... well, you get the picture. plus we had to keep the fried rice (which was a total throwaway) on another table.
we weren't sure we'd get through it all, but we did a pretty good job jamming everything into our tummies. the highlights for me included: the cha gio (the fried egg rolls), the tom rang muoi (the fried salted shrimp), the goi sua tom thit (the shrimp, pork, & jellyfish salad), the ca kho (the catfish sauteed in fish sauce), the dan hu xao xa ot (the tofu w/lemongrass & hot pepper), the bo lu lac (the beef cube steak), and the suon ram man (the pork spare ribs sauteed in fish sauce).
now i know you all think that i just typed out the whole menu for you, but i assure you that the menu was GINORMOUS. thank goodness most of us had skimmed through it online. and thank goodness we were all so starved that we just let dave do all the work. [thanks, dave! ;)]
aside from the fact that the restaurant didn't have dungeness crab OR lobster available to us on a tuesday night at 7PM (i mean, seriously?), the service was actually quite impeccable. water appeared fairly quickly, our server was on top of his schtuff, and our food came out as soon as each dish was ready.
first things first, the apps were the perfect intro to the meal. the egg rolls were just greasy enough so that you knew they were fried, and they were *so* hot (as in, straight-from-the-fryer hot) that you had to be careful not to burn your tongue. that said, the skin offered an audible crunch as your teeth sank into the salty filling. the fried shrimp was also a big hit. after i was politely schooled by dave on how i should *not* take off the crispy shells encrusted with yummy salt, i had a much easier time. (i swear i was burning my fingertips!) these apps went quick, so it was clear that it was going to be all-hands-on-deck for the rest of the meal. (FYI to all those who are squeamish, the heads are left on and the bodies aren't de-veined. if you have issues, the shrimp aren't for you. ahem, chris, ahem.)
[btw, i'm glad some of the other folks were more polite, b/c otherwise i wouldn't have been able to get back for the necessary seconds and thirds!]
wendy & i had both skimmed rave reviews on yelp for the sauteed catfish & the lemongrass tofu, so they absolutely HAD to be ordered. dave & an had had the catfish on previous visits -- and both raved. after it came to the table, we ALL raved. i was just telling jerry & teresa the other day about how i didn't like catfish. well, let's just say, exceptions can be made. this catfish was absolutely PHENOMENAL. the sauce was practically lacquered onto the fish (in a good way), and the blend of sweet & salty w/just a hint of spice was heavenly. there was also just enough fat on the fish to make it go down super smoothly. wendy & i split a piece, and i swear my chopsticks went into the pot a few more times. (and apologies to all, b/c that was definitely NOT a very big pot.)
in similar fashion, the tofu was pretty much encased by the sauce (again, in a good way). the cubes came out with a thin crispy yellow exterior, a warm melting white middle, and a light coating of red spicy sauce. a great balance of textures and tastes that worked a whole bunch of tastebuds at once. as we were trying to cool down from the physical heat of these early dishes, the salad was a great last-minute addition. first of all, who doesn't love the jellyfish chew? (that's a rhetorical question btw.) secondly, i noticed that the kitchen actually took the time to cook the shrimp perfectly (not chewy like the jelly) and to halve them neatly! it was quite a contrast to the fried shrimp, but just as good.
and b/c wendy & i are carnivores, andrew eats at least 4000 calories a day, and the rest of the table was hungry too, we asked for LOTS of meat. my personal faves were the beef cubes & the pork spare ribs. i'm partial to pork, so spare ribs pretty much have to be ordered whenever they're on the menu. from what i can tell from the menu, the sauce may have been similar to the one on the catfish. this is likely as i found myself going back for more of the pork. there's something about this caramelized fish sauce thing that's got me hooked! at any rate, the beef was also very good, though anything that comes over to me sizzling is bound to grab my attention.
the rest of the dishes -- some plates of chicken, a catfish soup, the fried rice -- were pretty typical and throwaway and possibly American-ish. while this doesn't mean they weren't flavorful, they definitely couldn't compete w/the others i took time to describe. it would've been nice to try some of the desserts, but it seemed like everyone was a bit too stuffed by the end of the meal. granted, dave could still inhale a few bowls of rice soaked in caramelized fish sauce, but the rest of us were spent.
despite my lack of familiarity with vietnamese food, and my preference for virginia's homecooking, i have to give this place 5 stars. yelp can be temperamental, but i certainly swear by the suggestions offered up for this strip mall hot spot!
phuong trang restaurant
4170 convoy street
san diego, ca 92111
858.565.6750
http://www.phuongtrangrestaurant.com/
and sampling was priority, as i've only had vietnamese a couple of times, and andrew had never had it at all! (a total travesty, i know! ahem.) thankfully, dave & an were semi-experts, so we let dave pick everything (w/our suggestions, of course). and we ended up with a lazy susan that was, well, lazy. the poor thing was covered in so many dishes that we had to eat & clear, eat & clear, eat & clear.... well, you get the picture. plus we had to keep the fried rice (which was a total throwaway) on another table.
we weren't sure we'd get through it all, but we did a pretty good job jamming everything into our tummies. the highlights for me included: the cha gio (the fried egg rolls), the tom rang muoi (the fried salted shrimp), the goi sua tom thit (the shrimp, pork, & jellyfish salad), the ca kho (the catfish sauteed in fish sauce), the dan hu xao xa ot (the tofu w/lemongrass & hot pepper), the bo lu lac (the beef cube steak), and the suon ram man (the pork spare ribs sauteed in fish sauce).
now i know you all think that i just typed out the whole menu for you, but i assure you that the menu was GINORMOUS. thank goodness most of us had skimmed through it online. and thank goodness we were all so starved that we just let dave do all the work. [thanks, dave! ;)]
aside from the fact that the restaurant didn't have dungeness crab OR lobster available to us on a tuesday night at 7PM (i mean, seriously?), the service was actually quite impeccable. water appeared fairly quickly, our server was on top of his schtuff, and our food came out as soon as each dish was ready.
first things first, the apps were the perfect intro to the meal. the egg rolls were just greasy enough so that you knew they were fried, and they were *so* hot (as in, straight-from-the-fryer hot) that you had to be careful not to burn your tongue. that said, the skin offered an audible crunch as your teeth sank into the salty filling. the fried shrimp was also a big hit. after i was politely schooled by dave on how i should *not* take off the crispy shells encrusted with yummy salt, i had a much easier time. (i swear i was burning my fingertips!) these apps went quick, so it was clear that it was going to be all-hands-on-deck for the rest of the meal. (FYI to all those who are squeamish, the heads are left on and the bodies aren't de-veined. if you have issues, the shrimp aren't for you. ahem, chris, ahem.)
[btw, i'm glad some of the other folks were more polite, b/c otherwise i wouldn't have been able to get back for the necessary seconds and thirds!]
wendy & i had both skimmed rave reviews on yelp for the sauteed catfish & the lemongrass tofu, so they absolutely HAD to be ordered. dave & an had had the catfish on previous visits -- and both raved. after it came to the table, we ALL raved. i was just telling jerry & teresa the other day about how i didn't like catfish. well, let's just say, exceptions can be made. this catfish was absolutely PHENOMENAL. the sauce was practically lacquered onto the fish (in a good way), and the blend of sweet & salty w/just a hint of spice was heavenly. there was also just enough fat on the fish to make it go down super smoothly. wendy & i split a piece, and i swear my chopsticks went into the pot a few more times. (and apologies to all, b/c that was definitely NOT a very big pot.)
in similar fashion, the tofu was pretty much encased by the sauce (again, in a good way). the cubes came out with a thin crispy yellow exterior, a warm melting white middle, and a light coating of red spicy sauce. a great balance of textures and tastes that worked a whole bunch of tastebuds at once. as we were trying to cool down from the physical heat of these early dishes, the salad was a great last-minute addition. first of all, who doesn't love the jellyfish chew? (that's a rhetorical question btw.) secondly, i noticed that the kitchen actually took the time to cook the shrimp perfectly (not chewy like the jelly) and to halve them neatly! it was quite a contrast to the fried shrimp, but just as good.
and b/c wendy & i are carnivores, andrew eats at least 4000 calories a day, and the rest of the table was hungry too, we asked for LOTS of meat. my personal faves were the beef cubes & the pork spare ribs. i'm partial to pork, so spare ribs pretty much have to be ordered whenever they're on the menu. from what i can tell from the menu, the sauce may have been similar to the one on the catfish. this is likely as i found myself going back for more of the pork. there's something about this caramelized fish sauce thing that's got me hooked! at any rate, the beef was also very good, though anything that comes over to me sizzling is bound to grab my attention.
the rest of the dishes -- some plates of chicken, a catfish soup, the fried rice -- were pretty typical and throwaway and possibly American-ish. while this doesn't mean they weren't flavorful, they definitely couldn't compete w/the others i took time to describe. it would've been nice to try some of the desserts, but it seemed like everyone was a bit too stuffed by the end of the meal. granted, dave could still inhale a few bowls of rice soaked in caramelized fish sauce, but the rest of us were spent.
despite my lack of familiarity with vietnamese food, and my preference for virginia's homecooking, i have to give this place 5 stars. yelp can be temperamental, but i certainly swear by the suggestions offered up for this strip mall hot spot!
phuong trang restaurant
4170 convoy street
san diego, ca 92111
858.565.6750
http://www.phuongtrangrestaurant.com/
Sunday, September 20, 2009
a new life in SD
yet again, yet again, it's been months and months since my last posting. it'd be a surprise if anyone were still reading this! :( if you are, i applaud you! (and virtually hug you!) :)
i only have about 20 minutes before i have to get to work, but life in SD has been good to me. VERY good. needless to say, it's been a blessing and a curse that i can't drive in the suburbs. while i don't have easy access to, well, just about anything, it's amazing how much work i've been able to get done w/o the distractions of LA life. i miss my friends though, so thank goodness for facebook and gchat and the modern miracles of technology.
since i've linked my blog accounts, i'll direct any interested (and worthy) individuals to my other blog (http://lilmissdissertation.blogspot.com/) for dissertation-related commentary. (and yes, folks, i know it's empty. i can only do so much! or else risk getting comments that i'm not directing enough time to my dissertation -- which i hate, btw, so if you've done it or you've thought about doing it, don't.)
for now, i'll just jot down a few notes of worth re: movies & munches in SD....
1. the time traveler's wife - overrated. i love rachel mcadams and i'll watch anything she's in. but i don't think eric bana is cute AT ALL. there was a reason i couldn't get through the book. and it's possibly the same reason that i'm thinking my movie ticket was a waste of non-existent funds. (FYI that i have no income for this academic year! though i'll try to minimize regular comments re: my super tight purse strings.) there was just no real PLOT. i know, i know, some movies/stories are more about character development. but honestly, i need PLOT. and yes, i did tear up during some parts of the movie. but as most of you know, i cry at EVERYTHING. so this isn't really a reflection of movie quality. sorry, new line, for the first time in a long time, you disappointed. (sorry, dani! i really thought that i thought the movie was ok. until i didn't.) :(
2. royal india restaurant (http://www.royalindia.com/index.html) - pretty decent. i'm a sucker for a good indian buffet -- and now so are my students! :) i must admit that the lunch buffet selection was small compared to our last group excursion to jaipur (http://www.jaipurcuisineofindia.com/). that being said, what the restaurant did offer was pretty darn scrumptious. the naan (both garlic and regular) had a pleasant chewiness, the meats were nice and moist, and the sauces were flavorful (as melissa knows gail simmons likes to say) w/o being overwhelmingly weighted down by butter (which apparently many indian sauces tend to be).
3. la jolla beach (http://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches/cove.shtml) - too crowded. enough said. but FYI that i hate beaches. sand = dirt.
4. the first wives club at the old globe (http://www.theoldglobe.org/tickets/production.aspx?performanceNumber=6950) - AMAZING. thanks to a work connection, jerry & teresa have been able to usher shows at the old globe -- a lovely and intimate venue situated w/in the confines of balboa park. i got the chance to sub one week and watch a performance of the broadway-bound musical, the first wives club. not only did we get great seats (only a few rows back!), but the show was absolutely AMAZING. it's been a while since i've seen a musical, but the voices were wonderful. some movies don't work out when turned into musicals (ahem, dirty dancing, ahem), but i had no complaints about this one. in fact, i think i might've liked it even more than the movie! bravo, bravo.
5. rancho family YMCA (http://www.rancho.ymca.org/english/) - RP's saving grace. this is one of the few places w/in walking distance of the fortress that is known as my brother's house. FYI that this area is WAY hilly and that this house has close-to-zero sprint reception. thank goodness for: a) internet, b) cable, and c) the local Y. i have to admit that i had reservations when teresa told me this was the local gym. jerry & i grew up in the projects, and i have absolutely heinous memories of the uber crowded flushing Y & the super annoying swim classes in the heated pool (despite a hot, red-headed swim instructor). that being said, i can't be w/o a gym, so i was thrilled when my reduced-fee membership (given my current financial status) finally got approved. even though this process required documentation of every penny to my name (what little there is! ok, ok, i'll stop.), it's worth it to pay only $15 a month for a pretty decent gym. i'll admit that Y's always seem to have way too many kids little running around them (FYI that i hate kids -- yes, yes, it's true). but the cardio/strength room has never been too crowded during my workout times, and i can easily get an hour (plus, even!) on the treadmill w/o interruption. while some of the instructors leave a lot to be desired (one of them took calls DURING class! another one was 10 minutes late, didn't have her sneakers on, & didn't think the participant who set up her step for her!) and the music is usually too fast (as an instructor myself, i must be critical!), i've had success w/one step instructor, a kickboxing class, a bootcamp class, and a zumba class. the last one is a recent addition to the repertoire, but the instructor is just so peppy that you can't resist wanting to get your hips moving. i can't wait to start volunteer teaching (first aid certification -- check!), but it looks like the schedule may not change till early october. bummer. well, fingers crossed that i can sub soon! also, i signed up for a potential Y running group. so hopefully that'll get me motivated for half-marathon training. woohoo!
6. point loma seafoods (http://www.pointlomaseafoods.com/) - super affordable and fresh seafood. part seafood purveyor, part seafood restaurant, this place offers delicious and fresh seafood at great prices. thanks to my brother's (continuing) generosity, i got to try a super simple yet yummy crab sandwich. literally, it was nothing more than chunks of fresh crabmeat & a bit of tartar sauce slapped in b/w two slices of sourdough bread. BUT BOY WAS IT GOOD. my SIL had the same thing, and we were both quite pleased. i thought it could've used slightly more salt, but she thought it was missing something else. my brother got a cod plate w/fries, but needed an extra order of sushi to get full. i think the fam was a bit underwhelmed (they're pretty picky), but i was perfectly happy w/my sammy. i do have to say that there were a bit too many pigeons (and babies) hanging around the indoor space for my tastes. sitting outside under the umbrellas would've been much preferred.
7. cupcakes squared (http://www.cupcakessquared.com/) - totally worth the trek. after staring longingly at their cupcake calendar, i was super excited when the fam suggested that we go out for a seafood and cupcake adventure. after a light seafood meal, a decadent cupcake is surely the best ending. while neither my brother nor SIL were planning to have any (pfft!), neither of them could resist after we walked into the shop. not only does this place have regular-sized cupcakes, but mini-sized cupcakes as well. and all in unique square shapes! (even now i'm annoyed at myself for not "getting it" sooner -- cupcakes squared, as in, cupcakes SQUARED. right? RIIIIIIIGHT. eeeeeeeeee-diot!!! *sigh*) while it was a bit annoying that they didn't have all their sunday flavors in mini version, they had a nice enough selection for us to choose from. and samples of the peanut butter berry (which totally tasted like a PB&J sandwich) and the not so red velvet (which was totally light brown and not red at all). we went w/the regular-sized lillikoi (jerry's pick), the regular-sized mocha squared (my pick), and a mini vanilla chai (which just happened to be available). flavor-wise, my brother & i really enjoyed the lillikoi frosting over the vanilla cupcake. teresa's not a fan (your loss, lady), but the ngai's really dig the passionfruit -- nice sweetness w/just enough tang. jerry doesn't like chocolate (which is ridiculous, if you ask me), so i pretty much inhaled the mocha squared on my own. a great coffee/chocolate blend. the mini cupcake totally tasted like a vanilla chai latte. overall, the fam enjoyed CS much more than sprinkles, particularly the cake to frosting ratio. (this kinda makes me sad, only b/c i really REALLY love sprinkles.) they find sprinkles frosting way too rich -- and think there's too much of it. i have to agree w/the latter point, but i definitely prefer the decadence of sprinkles frosting. i found CS frosting to be a bit too fluffy, a bit too whipped. i prefer buttercream to taste like BUTTERcream, not WHIPPED cream. cake-wise, it's a tie. both are nice and moist, w/CS cake being slightly lighter. that being said, i must admit that i do prefer the size & price of CS cupcakes. i'll inhale sprinkles cupcakes, but i'll inevitably feel gross after b/c they're just so big. plus, cupcakes aren't really meant to be stored, so it's no use trying to make the experience last over a few days. w/CS cupcakes, i can have just one and be satiated but not feel fat. always a plus.
8. SD farmers markets (http://www.sdfarmbureau.org/BuyLocal/Farmers-Markets.php) - YAY! thank goodness for family members who love food -- and shopping for food! if you're ever looking for us, we can be regularly spotted at Vons, Henry's, or one of many local farmers markets. the fam prefers poway, and i love seeing everyone & their dogs winding their way around the stalls. upon request, jerry picked me up a scottish egg and i devoured it quickly upon completion of my regular 2-hour saturday workout. not the most healthy thing i suppose (an egg wrapped in sausage meat and covered in breadcrumbs), but unique and filling nevertheless. we'll be getting started with a bi-weekly CSA box soon, so i'm excited to cook up some yummy veggies. i've been really into *themed* meals recently (linked to the never-ending stream of season premieres), and my brother & i did a really nice job w/gossip girl -- new york strip w/blue cheese butter, roasted beets w/olive oil & sea salt, and sauteed beet greens. DEE-LISH. i baked up a pear upside down cake, though the two hot tamales recipe may need a bit of tweaking. next up is grey's anatomy, which may require a bit more thought. we'll be attempting a chicken with figs in ras-el-hanout and couscous recipe (c/o epicurious.com) this week, and possibly some glazed/roasted figs for dessert. fingers crossed!
9. seeing as this blog entry has already taken away two hours of my precious sunday, i'll end w/a quick list of final thoughts. royal pains - oh how i can't believe i need to wait till next summer to see you again. GLEE - great first episode, great second episode, mediocre third episode (meaning: get your act together before you lose your audience). eragon - great story that i'm sad i don't have time for every single night. wired - so engaging, so interesting, i'm so glad you only come monthly or else i'd never get any work done. FB/gchat - thanks for keeping me sane. friends of all sorts - i miss you and i'm happy that you're always willing to call me back on my home phone b/c of really bad sprint reception in the boonies.
for now, i bid you all adieu! btw, we have stairs in the house and i *totally* started singing the "so long, farewell" song from the sound of music. (eri, i know you hate it, but i was good -- totally karaoke-worthy.)
i only have about 20 minutes before i have to get to work, but life in SD has been good to me. VERY good. needless to say, it's been a blessing and a curse that i can't drive in the suburbs. while i don't have easy access to, well, just about anything, it's amazing how much work i've been able to get done w/o the distractions of LA life. i miss my friends though, so thank goodness for facebook and gchat and the modern miracles of technology.
since i've linked my blog accounts, i'll direct any interested (and worthy) individuals to my other blog (http://lilmissdissertation.blogspot.com/) for dissertation-related commentary. (and yes, folks, i know it's empty. i can only do so much! or else risk getting comments that i'm not directing enough time to my dissertation -- which i hate, btw, so if you've done it or you've thought about doing it, don't.)
for now, i'll just jot down a few notes of worth re: movies & munches in SD....
1. the time traveler's wife - overrated. i love rachel mcadams and i'll watch anything she's in. but i don't think eric bana is cute AT ALL. there was a reason i couldn't get through the book. and it's possibly the same reason that i'm thinking my movie ticket was a waste of non-existent funds. (FYI that i have no income for this academic year! though i'll try to minimize regular comments re: my super tight purse strings.) there was just no real PLOT. i know, i know, some movies/stories are more about character development. but honestly, i need PLOT. and yes, i did tear up during some parts of the movie. but as most of you know, i cry at EVERYTHING. so this isn't really a reflection of movie quality. sorry, new line, for the first time in a long time, you disappointed. (sorry, dani! i really thought that i thought the movie was ok. until i didn't.) :(
2. royal india restaurant (http://www.royalindia.com/index.html) - pretty decent. i'm a sucker for a good indian buffet -- and now so are my students! :) i must admit that the lunch buffet selection was small compared to our last group excursion to jaipur (http://www.jaipurcuisineofindia.com/). that being said, what the restaurant did offer was pretty darn scrumptious. the naan (both garlic and regular) had a pleasant chewiness, the meats were nice and moist, and the sauces were flavorful (as melissa knows gail simmons likes to say) w/o being overwhelmingly weighted down by butter (which apparently many indian sauces tend to be).
3. la jolla beach (http://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches/cove.shtml) - too crowded. enough said. but FYI that i hate beaches. sand = dirt.
4. the first wives club at the old globe (http://www.theoldglobe.org/tickets/production.aspx?performanceNumber=6950) - AMAZING. thanks to a work connection, jerry & teresa have been able to usher shows at the old globe -- a lovely and intimate venue situated w/in the confines of balboa park. i got the chance to sub one week and watch a performance of the broadway-bound musical, the first wives club. not only did we get great seats (only a few rows back!), but the show was absolutely AMAZING. it's been a while since i've seen a musical, but the voices were wonderful. some movies don't work out when turned into musicals (ahem, dirty dancing, ahem), but i had no complaints about this one. in fact, i think i might've liked it even more than the movie! bravo, bravo.
5. rancho family YMCA (http://www.rancho.ymca.org/english/) - RP's saving grace. this is one of the few places w/in walking distance of the fortress that is known as my brother's house. FYI that this area is WAY hilly and that this house has close-to-zero sprint reception. thank goodness for: a) internet, b) cable, and c) the local Y. i have to admit that i had reservations when teresa told me this was the local gym. jerry & i grew up in the projects, and i have absolutely heinous memories of the uber crowded flushing Y & the super annoying swim classes in the heated pool (despite a hot, red-headed swim instructor). that being said, i can't be w/o a gym, so i was thrilled when my reduced-fee membership (given my current financial status) finally got approved. even though this process required documentation of every penny to my name (what little there is! ok, ok, i'll stop.), it's worth it to pay only $15 a month for a pretty decent gym. i'll admit that Y's always seem to have way too many kids little running around them (FYI that i hate kids -- yes, yes, it's true). but the cardio/strength room has never been too crowded during my workout times, and i can easily get an hour (plus, even!) on the treadmill w/o interruption. while some of the instructors leave a lot to be desired (one of them took calls DURING class! another one was 10 minutes late, didn't have her sneakers on, & didn't think the participant who set up her step for her!) and the music is usually too fast (as an instructor myself, i must be critical!), i've had success w/one step instructor, a kickboxing class, a bootcamp class, and a zumba class. the last one is a recent addition to the repertoire, but the instructor is just so peppy that you can't resist wanting to get your hips moving. i can't wait to start volunteer teaching (first aid certification -- check!), but it looks like the schedule may not change till early october. bummer. well, fingers crossed that i can sub soon! also, i signed up for a potential Y running group. so hopefully that'll get me motivated for half-marathon training. woohoo!
6. point loma seafoods (http://www.pointlomaseafoods.com/) - super affordable and fresh seafood. part seafood purveyor, part seafood restaurant, this place offers delicious and fresh seafood at great prices. thanks to my brother's (continuing) generosity, i got to try a super simple yet yummy crab sandwich. literally, it was nothing more than chunks of fresh crabmeat & a bit of tartar sauce slapped in b/w two slices of sourdough bread. BUT BOY WAS IT GOOD. my SIL had the same thing, and we were both quite pleased. i thought it could've used slightly more salt, but she thought it was missing something else. my brother got a cod plate w/fries, but needed an extra order of sushi to get full. i think the fam was a bit underwhelmed (they're pretty picky), but i was perfectly happy w/my sammy. i do have to say that there were a bit too many pigeons (and babies) hanging around the indoor space for my tastes. sitting outside under the umbrellas would've been much preferred.
7. cupcakes squared (http://www.cupcakessquared.com/) - totally worth the trek. after staring longingly at their cupcake calendar, i was super excited when the fam suggested that we go out for a seafood and cupcake adventure. after a light seafood meal, a decadent cupcake is surely the best ending. while neither my brother nor SIL were planning to have any (pfft!), neither of them could resist after we walked into the shop. not only does this place have regular-sized cupcakes, but mini-sized cupcakes as well. and all in unique square shapes! (even now i'm annoyed at myself for not "getting it" sooner -- cupcakes squared, as in, cupcakes SQUARED. right? RIIIIIIIGHT. eeeeeeeeee-diot!!! *sigh*) while it was a bit annoying that they didn't have all their sunday flavors in mini version, they had a nice enough selection for us to choose from. and samples of the peanut butter berry (which totally tasted like a PB&J sandwich) and the not so red velvet (which was totally light brown and not red at all). we went w/the regular-sized lillikoi (jerry's pick), the regular-sized mocha squared (my pick), and a mini vanilla chai (which just happened to be available). flavor-wise, my brother & i really enjoyed the lillikoi frosting over the vanilla cupcake. teresa's not a fan (your loss, lady), but the ngai's really dig the passionfruit -- nice sweetness w/just enough tang. jerry doesn't like chocolate (which is ridiculous, if you ask me), so i pretty much inhaled the mocha squared on my own. a great coffee/chocolate blend. the mini cupcake totally tasted like a vanilla chai latte. overall, the fam enjoyed CS much more than sprinkles, particularly the cake to frosting ratio. (this kinda makes me sad, only b/c i really REALLY love sprinkles.) they find sprinkles frosting way too rich -- and think there's too much of it. i have to agree w/the latter point, but i definitely prefer the decadence of sprinkles frosting. i found CS frosting to be a bit too fluffy, a bit too whipped. i prefer buttercream to taste like BUTTERcream, not WHIPPED cream. cake-wise, it's a tie. both are nice and moist, w/CS cake being slightly lighter. that being said, i must admit that i do prefer the size & price of CS cupcakes. i'll inhale sprinkles cupcakes, but i'll inevitably feel gross after b/c they're just so big. plus, cupcakes aren't really meant to be stored, so it's no use trying to make the experience last over a few days. w/CS cupcakes, i can have just one and be satiated but not feel fat. always a plus.
8. SD farmers markets (http://www.sdfarmbureau.org/BuyLocal/Farmers-Markets.php) - YAY! thank goodness for family members who love food -- and shopping for food! if you're ever looking for us, we can be regularly spotted at Vons, Henry's, or one of many local farmers markets. the fam prefers poway, and i love seeing everyone & their dogs winding their way around the stalls. upon request, jerry picked me up a scottish egg and i devoured it quickly upon completion of my regular 2-hour saturday workout. not the most healthy thing i suppose (an egg wrapped in sausage meat and covered in breadcrumbs), but unique and filling nevertheless. we'll be getting started with a bi-weekly CSA box soon, so i'm excited to cook up some yummy veggies. i've been really into *themed* meals recently (linked to the never-ending stream of season premieres), and my brother & i did a really nice job w/gossip girl -- new york strip w/blue cheese butter, roasted beets w/olive oil & sea salt, and sauteed beet greens. DEE-LISH. i baked up a pear upside down cake, though the two hot tamales recipe may need a bit of tweaking. next up is grey's anatomy, which may require a bit more thought. we'll be attempting a chicken with figs in ras-el-hanout and couscous recipe (c/o epicurious.com) this week, and possibly some glazed/roasted figs for dessert. fingers crossed!
9. seeing as this blog entry has already taken away two hours of my precious sunday, i'll end w/a quick list of final thoughts. royal pains - oh how i can't believe i need to wait till next summer to see you again. GLEE - great first episode, great second episode, mediocre third episode (meaning: get your act together before you lose your audience). eragon - great story that i'm sad i don't have time for every single night. wired - so engaging, so interesting, i'm so glad you only come monthly or else i'd never get any work done. FB/gchat - thanks for keeping me sane. friends of all sorts - i miss you and i'm happy that you're always willing to call me back on my home phone b/c of really bad sprint reception in the boonies.
for now, i bid you all adieu! btw, we have stairs in the house and i *totally* started singing the "so long, farewell" song from the sound of music. (eri, i know you hate it, but i was good -- totally karaoke-worthy.)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
april activities catch-up
alas, readers, it's been quite a while since our last rendez-vous. ok, that's a total lie. it really hasn't been all that long. i've just been out and about a ton these past few weeks. but what can i say? life's too short to not be regularly indulging yourself. the worst part about being out so much is simply that i'm too lazy to blog about every single experience in as much detail as i'd like. that being said, i think it's better to share my faves (and not-so-faves) than not! so here are some highlights (and lowlights)....
1. HIGH: profeta's white chocolate baguette. OMG. i wasn't quite sure what to expect when the barista recommended this bakery item, especially since i'm not the biggest fan of bread. plus, baguettes tend to be crunchy on the outside, which wasn't what i was looking for. thankfully, the exterior was soft and there was just enough white chocolate to add a lovely sweetness to the nooks and crannies inside. i pretty much ate the whole thing on my walk home. which, as those of you who know the area know, isn't all that far. (FYI that the baguette gets to profeta through bread bar @century city i believe. miss d & i tried out their dark chocolate baguette, which she loved, but i found a bit too chocolate-y for my tastes.)
http://www.espressoprofeta.com/
2. HIGH: trader joe's mango sorbet. first of all, i love the reusable container. at first, i wondered how many phd candidates it'd take to open the damn thing. but after figuring it out, i realized that the effort was totally worth the prize. the taste was light and refreshing, and definitely very mango-ey. i realize more and more how much i appreciate sorbet over ice cream. i mean, i still love the density of ice cream, but the lightness of sorbet really does make me feel good. especially given my old age and my declining metabolism.
3. HIGH: m cafe's gado gado salad & madras tempeh wrap. eri & i finally got to have dinner w/marie, and it was awesome to see her so much more fit & happy. we celebrated this occasion by schlepping out to marie's side of town and checking out m cafe's melrose location. the space was a lot smaller w/o a lot of parking. 2 big no-no's. however, all of the dishes i saw at the culver city location were there, plus other ones that dani had mentioned! so i decided on the gado gado salad, which was delicious w/tempeh triangles & peanut dressing. and i picked up the madras tempeh wrap to have for dinner the following night. SO good. i love tempeh b/c of the semi-crunchy outside and the semi-mushy inside, and the way it soaks up flavors. much like tofu, but w/more substance.
4. LOW: observe and report. CRAP. total CRAP. and not just b/c i'm a priss. the premise was stupid. the story line was stupid. the dialogue was stupid. enough said.
http://observe-and-report.warnerbros.com/
5. HIGH: mama's hot tamales. i schlepped out on the heinous metro for these tamales (c/o tina park's rec) so i was PRAYING they were good. happily, i wasn't disappointed. while the chicken verde tamale turned out to be quite dry, the beef adobo tamale and the spinach & mushroom tamale were both moist and tasty. (dry masa is absolutely disgusting.) even though there were several sweet tamales to try, i was set on trying the flan. while mama's version was less creamy than what i'd generally prefer, i actually enjoyed the chunkier consistency. plus the flavor was quite good. i also really liked the tamarind agua fresca that i had to wash everything down with. i was jealous when i overheard the adjacent table asking more thoroughly about the other agua frescas, so i'll definitely be back to try the other ones. though i'm not sure when, especially since macarthur park was absolutely dismal-looking! talk about needing to clean up bird poop. i mean, isn't that toxic or something?
http://www.iurd.org/mamasHotTamales/
6. LOW: la brea tart pits. what a bust. fake animals in a pool of oil & methane. gross.
7. HIGH: LACMA's BCMA. a solid number of paintings in a great space. the serras were amazing -- you can totally get lost in them. the rest of the pieces were a great representation of modern art w/o being too overwhelming. my favorite pieces were the serras, the gigantic blue balloon animal, and the gigantic red cracked egg. i forget the artist, but they were fabulous. i kept wanting to touch them, but felt like i'd set off an alarm or something. the current post-war/post-wall exhibit (which i deliberately went to see) was quite extensive & engaging as well. there was one particular piece that was composed of shoes from the concentration camps. it was really sad, except that i couldn't help laughing when the guard barked at anyone who came w/in 6 inches of the edge. eek! visitors -- beware!
8. HIGH: i love you, man. OMG. PAUL RUDD - I LOVE YOU!! the other guy was pretty hilarious too. everything about this movie was either sweet, funny, or sweet & funny. definitely worth seeing more than once. YAY NEW LINE!! and thanks to dani for a fun girls night out!
9. HIGH: the bowery's falafel & sweet potato fries. so i have to admit that i was totally NOT hungry on this evening. i was so NOT hungry that i still remember being NOT hungry. this was probably due to the fact that i'd stuffed my face with 3 tamales, a flan, and a ton of agua fresca. yes, i know, my bad. at any rate, i felt guilty not ordering a meal (especially after dani commented on how great the food was), so i decided to check out the falafel and to splurge on sweet potato fries (to happily share w/the ladies). i was shocked when the rest of the group didn't order all that much, but i wasn't disappointed in the least w/my food. the falafel was a wee bit cold, but a nice size, and the texture was great. and the sweet potato fries were fabulously crispy, w/a nice blend of salty & sweet. now that i've opened up myself to sweet potatoes (as opposed to yucky other potatoes that i still don't like), i've decided that sweet potato fries are, wait for it, DA BOMB.
http://www.theboweryhollywood.com/
10. HIGH: the UCLA planetarium. as part of a GSRC-organized event, i ended up at the UCLA planetarium atop the math sciences building. FYI that i've wanted to check out this place for the past several years, but i suppose i've been too lazy to get on it. after all this time, it was just as fun as i thought it'd be! i dragged jeannine along w/me and we sat in a dark room w/15 other grad student nerds who wanted to hear about the night sky. it was awesome! we had a wacky astronomy student talk to us about galaxies for about an hour -- complete with quirky sidebar comments. i've always loved the planetarium, but it's always been hard to stay awake during the light show, especially when they turn off all the lights and you feel like you're lying out in the middle of a field somewhere staring at the stars. thankfully, our lecturer was funny enough to keep me awake. and i was so impressed when he could just point out random constellations! i can certainly find the big dipper & the little dipper on a clear night, but the rest are seriously beyond me.
http://www.astro.ucla.edu/planetarium/
11. EH: orris. i haven't been here in AGES, but i've always loved the idea of japanese/french fusion tapas. and seeing that jeannine is continuing to check off her 99 list, we decided to find our way here after our planetarium excursion. we skipped out on the shrimp dishes b/c of jeannine's food allergy, but i simply can't seem to remember anything we ate that night, except for the mushrooms and the apple dessert. i think we ordered 2 of the specials, and i'm positive we had some beef & fish, but i can't remember the details for the life of me. that being said, i'm giving this experience an 'EH' rating -- at least for the night. if i can barely remember what i ate, that's not a good sign.
http://www.orrisrestaurant.com/
12. HIGH: cafe elysee's desserts. kelly & i finally got catch-up time w/o being interrupted by a thousand people we both know! YAY! and even though i should've ordered a real dinner in honor of this momentous occasion, i decided my tummy was more in the mood for lots and lots of DESSERTS. i started with a piece of chocolate cake (yummy yummy), moved on to a triple chocolate mousse (which i couldn't finish -- surprise surprise), and kept myself from ordering a chocolate-covered cannoli. i wish i could've blamed it on PMS, but alas, it would've been a lie.
13. HIGH: BFF's in town!! derek schlepped out from atlanta last weekend, and we had the absolute bestest time eating our way through west LA. we started off with a grilled cheese special, a mushroom scallion quiche, a blueberry cream cheese coffee cake, and a mushroom broccoli salad at clementine -- everything was absolutely delicious. no complaints whatsoever. we made our way through the santa monica farmers market for some super fresh fruit. and before we schlepped down to venice, we made a stop at vanilla bake shop to taste several of their adorable mini-cupcakes -- the best ones being the filled ones!
http://www.clementineonline.com/
http://www01.smgov.net/farmers_market/
http://www.vanillabakeshop.com/
to work off the morning's calories, we strolled all the way down the boardwalk from santa monica to venice. our moderate cardio activity was quickly counteracted by a stop at jin's patisserie for some flavored chocolates (and a bathroom run). to be quite frank, we didn't partake of these sweet treats until we'd waited about 30-45 minutes for the bus in culver city a few hours later, only to decide that we probably missed the last bus of the night. w/derek's feet starting to blister, we decided to make a run for it -- from culver & washington to culver & inglewood. UM YEAH, folks, that's FAR.
thank goodness we had tacomiendo waiting for us! i got this rec from my foodie friend saunders, and the place is a total dive, but derek was in heaven w/a carnitas burrito that was twice the diameter of his forearms combined. i mistook a torta for a tostada on the menu, so i ended up getting a beef tongue sandwich rather than a beef tongue salad. either way, the beef tongue itself was scrumptious, though it could've used a bit more color & salt. i thought the meats in general could've used more color, but i suppose taste overrides appearance at these sorts of places. the menudo, however, was AMAZING. (way better than shanghai red's!) and i'm so glad i decided to take it home b/c i had it for dinner several days later, and it was even more flavorful. all in all, we left stuffed, so we were thrilled when eri agreed to come pick us up. (thanks, eri!)
after a night of some serious sleep, derek & i decided to trek out to beverly hills. nothing's open on sunday, but the boy just HAD to see rodeo drive, so we grabbed some yummy breakfast at jack n' jill's (one of my faves) and walked around until sprinkles opened its doors. derek ordered the croissant french toast which was OK in terms of flavor, but i swear it tasted like rubber. as derek suggested, by soaking up all the egg batter, the croissant totally lost the airiness that made it a croissant in the first place. w/a total lack of appetite, i got the granola parfait, which was delicious, and i thought, at least healthy. to manage our appetites, we picked up 4 sprinkles cupcakes and took them home to eat, rather than attempting to stuff our faces on a hot sidewalk. out of the 4 we picked up, we were both decidedly biased towards the peanut butter chocolate chip. i'm almost positive they used chunky peanut butter b/c i swear i've never tasted such serious peanut butter flavor in cake before. derek went so far as to say that sprinkles trumped his fave nyc cupcake shops -- which is MAJOR. i wish we'd had a cupcake container (what a totally indulgent creation btw) to bring some home to melissa!
http://www.eatatjacknjills.com/
14. HIGH: 17 again. there are some SERIOUSLY awkward moments in this movie, where they SERIOUSLY pushed the limits of propriety. that being said, matthew perry & zac effron are both ADORABLE. a must-see. and of course, yet another new line film!
15. HIGH: the counter. i've been DYING to go here for years now. and b/c eri hates crowds & lines, the b**** is never willing to take me. GRRR!!! and of course, everyone else has either gone already or isn't willing to go. (damn you all! ok, not really.) so i was thrilled when gina (who was out here on her west coast tour) was totally agreeable to my dining suggestion! after staring at the online menu for hours, i decided on the 1/3 lb. veggie burger in a bowl w/gruyere, mushrooms, bacon, and caramelized onion dressing. the combo was delicious, though i found the dressing a bit too thick for my tastes. it all seemed to go a bit too quickly, so perhaps i may have to try a heavier burger next time. the beef burger looked gorgeous from a distance, though i'm generally trying to avoid red meat, since it seems to sit heavy in my tummy. i also decided to try the sweet potato fries & the onion strings. the fries were perfectly done, though i may avoid the slighty-too-greasy strings in the future. post-burger fest, we stopped by ben & jerry's for free cone day, which was a great way to top off the evening.
http://www.thecounterburger.com/
16. EH: the bazaar. while i would've loved to end this blog entry w/a rave review of the bazaar, i was unfortunately underwhelmed by my experience. dani had already forewarned me, but marina & maria loved it so much that i was hoping for the best (especially since i'd loved moto so much). i suppose i should never ask for too many recs (or pay too much attention to yelp) b/c we ended up ordering all of the recs and none of the other stuff i would've loved to try (like the mushroom soup, for instance, which i ALWAYS get whenever i see it). in addition, i bit my tongue by accident at the start of the meal, which i'm sure didn't impact my experience positively.
while the presentation was definitely creative & playful, i was disappointed by the lack of flavor in some of the dishes, as well as the lack of substance across the board. granted, it's hard to enter into a place like this expecting to be full at the end (which made me feel for miss d), but i certainly expected more than we received. we were also the first guests (from what i could tell), so i can't comprehend how the food wasn't perfect. for example, the eel in the japanese taco was WAY overdone & dried out. i mean, seriously? even ralph's has better eel! also, the 'not your typical' caprese didn't delight me in the way that it seemed to delight everyone else. though i suppose it didn't help that i popped my mozarella sphere w/my fork by accident. (this was obviously not my night.) the salads & the brussel sprouts (that our waiter raved about) were all fairly mediocre. the flavors were bright, but they weren't anything special. that being said, i thought the jamon platter (w/the crusty bread covered in diced tomato) and the lamb loin were scrumptious. perhaps i simply needed meat last night.
another thing that bothered me was the service. the dishes came out one after the other after the other. granted, we ordered them all at once, but we didn't expect to be done in less than an hour. we barely had time for conversation! apparently, we weren't told (until we were completely DONE, that is) that groups usually order a few things at once, and then wait to see how their appetites are before ordering more. i mean, wouldn't that be something you'd mention in the beginning? or if you knew that ahead of time, wouldn't you have spaced out our dishes for us? or at least asked if we were in a rush? in terms of appetite, i'm sure miss d & i could've eaten more, though it wouldn't have necessarily been worth everyone's $$ to sit there for another round. furthermore, we got switched from our waiter to another waitress totally randomly! i have a feeling it's b/c he failed to structure our meal accordingly, but we just didn't quite understand what was going on.
while our transfer to the patisserie was a bit rough as well (our new waitress totally forgot to mention our move to the patiesserie staff -- another strike), i must admit that i was more impressed by the desserts than the tapas (though they faltered here as well unfortunately). the clementine & lemon sorbets were AMAZING -- so light, refreshing, and tangy. great palate cleansers as marsha suggested. the flan was also AMAZING -- definitely way creamier than the one at mama's hot tamales, but definitely the way i prefer it. the chocolate cake & the coconut sphere were both quite pretty, but they didn't especially thrill me. we all picked out small items for ourselves from the patisserie display, but i think lisa & marsha were much more delighted by their picks than miss d & i. i liked my coffee cookie (that tasted like coffee grinds in cookie form -- a nice & intense flavor) and my lemon & ginger bon bon (which had liquid ooze out from the middle), but my saffron gum drop tasted just, well, gummy. miss d was not so pleased w/her choc chip cookie, though nothing can really top a good, normal, ccc.
as miss d is wont to say in her matter-of-fact way, "i just don't get it." even though i'm all for putting down serious $$ for cool molecular gastronomy, the bazaar really didn't live up. i should probably give this place a second chance, by going in w/a blank slate and ordering what i want to order. and i'm hoping that'll do the trick, but ultimately, i think this place is simply overrated. the rooms were WAY overdone (to the point of gaudy) and the slickness of the environment was just too much. i saw a huge group of gaggly sorority girls and i felt a little sick in the tummy. plus a woman that was wearing a dress that barely covered her a**. it was quite disturbing. i mean, what are you THINKING? we did manage to see an actress (that we still can't name), but the overall experience was disappointing. (sorry, lisa & marsha!) the one highlight was hanging out w/some cool new friends -- and thank god they weren't as crabby as i was about the meal!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
guest blogger: mel @ momofuku ko
i totally couldn't resist throwing in this super detailed foodie review c/o my very special guest blogger! thanks a bunch, mel. : ) (if anyone else wants to guest blog, do let me know!)
Ko totally rocked.
Getting there, it's an easy place to overlook - no large sign, and the windows/door are covered with a grate so it's easy to think it's closed. It's built like someone's kitchen and you get to sit at the counter - lots of blond colored wood and excellent rock music.
The three chefs don't talk much other than presenting the food and occasionally asking how things were, but that's fine with me, I don't need talk, I'm there to eat.
I was sat next to these three college/grad(?) students who kept going on and on about themselves about what they were reading in the NYT dining section, restaurants they've been to in SF/bay area/NYC etc. and their favorite dishes, and going "ooooh, the_____!" when it really wasn't because the menu changes slightly - if that's a foodie, I don't want to be one - I'd rather be an eater.
The dishes are presented and the chefs tell you what's in it, but it's a little hard to hear over the rock music. And photos aren't allowed, so all this is reconstituted from memory and the help of other bloggers' testimonies:
1. Oyster on a half shell with blood orange relish. YUM. Oyster was small and with just the right amount of resistance, and a great flavor. The blood orange relish was good, but the oyster didn't really need it.
2. Buttermilk biscuit with black pepper butter and mirin, so rich that a little grease spot is left of the slate when you pick it up. One of my favorites, about 1 inch in diameter and 2 inches high. I could eat these by the double handful.
3. Chicharron - essentially pork rind. Very light colored, very porky and topped with some togarashi salt on it. Really fun to eat.
4. Long-island fluke sashimi on buttermilk sauce with poppy seeds and chives - the buttermilk was on the salty side, but the flavors worked well together for the mild fish. I really liked the poppy seed crunch.
5. Cold dashi soup with raw pea pods, pea pod stems, Santa Barbara uni - this would be a little better with lukewarm dashi than cold, but the elements otherwise worked well together. I've never had raw pea pods before, but this was a great experience - minty, spicy, crunchy and I don't know what else. The pea pod stems were as good as anything you could get in a Chinese restaurant. The uni was also great - tender without falling apart with a great fresh flavor that I’ve only found in Tsujuki Fish Market - nothing bathroom-ey about it, which was my first encounter with uni in Boston.
6. Soft boiled egg with black caviar, soubise onion, fingerling potato chips - another favorite. I love eggs. I love soft boiled eggs. I liked how they took advantage of the runny yolk to bind all the textures and flavors together. Absolute winner.
7. Hand-torn egg pasta in some kind of cream sauce with burgundy escargot-chicken sausage, pecorino, and deep fried chicken skin bits on top - not as inventive as the other dishes, but excellent all the same. Pasta cooked to a perfect al dente, the sausage had the texture of SPAM (excellent to me) but had a nice umami flavor, and who wouldn't like fried chicken skin?
8. Panfried Halibut with some kind of crumbs on top including freeze dried olive flakes; on apple artichoke sauce, pickled cauliflower: halibut was cooked perfectly, tender and sweet. The topping was a little salty, probably because of the olive flakes, but the sauce was another discovery. I wanted to lick my plate. The pickled cauliflower was done Vietnamese style, so sweet and tangy - great accompaniment to the dish.
9. Shaved frozen foie gras on lychee and Riesling gelee and pine nut brittle. I know people wax rhapsodic about this dish - I'm one of them now. Little crunchy sweet bits of brittle, little alcoholic jelly bits, little bits of fresh lychee, showered with grated frozen foie gras. It just looked like a pile of sawdust, but OH - in the mouth, the foie gras reconstituted in its greatness, and went well with all the crunchy/jelly/fruit sweetness that was buried in the dust. I wanted to lick this bowl, too.
10. Braised beef short rib (from what I read online, it's cooked sous vide for a few days and then quickly deep fried for a crust) with red wine sauce, pickled jalepeno sauce, and chanterelle and "cauliflower mushrooms" (white fungus), brussel sprout leaves and pickled onions. As the chefs were preparing this dish, they brought out the piece of meat out of the fryer, let it sit for a bit, then cut it up into about 8 pieces. THEY THEN DUMPED HALF OF THE PIECES IN THE TRASH and plated the rest. I was horrified. I was even more horrified when I ate the beef, and wanted to dig out the pieces from the trash. It was that good. Extremely tender without losing its beefy characteristics. The chef knew I didn't have good tolerance for spicy, so he plated the jalapeno sauce on the side (good thing too - it was pretty spicy for me). I could have eaten the beef on its own - but the wine sauce worked well with all the elements, and the accompaniments (mushrooms, brussel sprouts and onions) are just classic, with the twist of using white fungus and using brussel sprout leaves instead of whole sprouts. Another favorite dish for me.
11. Guava sorbet with cream cheese skin - I was sad to see this since it meant that the end was near. Somehow, this sorbet was covered in a layer of cream cheese, like it had been dipped somehow in liquid cream cheese without melting the ice cream. The flavors went well together and was a nice palate cleanser.
12. FUNNEL CAKE with powdered sugar on the side, the bowl with a scoop of black sesame ice cream sitting in a pool of lemon curd and a pool of coconut cream. So a lot of people talk about the deep-fried apple pie, but this was pretty damn good. When they brought it out, I couldn't believe it, and I think I just cried out "FUNNEL CAKE!" before the chef even began his spiel. Of course, one can't help eating the funnel cake by hand and licking up all the powdered sugar (which got everywhere, but such is the nature of funnel cake). The lemon curd/coconut cream/black sesame combo was really the only odd note in this entire meal. Individually, worked well with the funnel cake, but together, it was just too odd. I think the lemon curd just overpowered everything - coconut and sesame are more subtle flavors that need a little time on the tongue to come out.
I was in and out in an hour, 10 courses + two amuses for $100. The chefs were breaking out the alcohol for themselves by the time I was leaving (around 10:30). I was just about as happy as I was after eating at Canteen in SF – blissful, full, and just excited about everything I ate since it was so inventive.
If you haven't gone yet, I recommend it.
http://momofuku.com/ko/default.asp
Ko totally rocked.
Getting there, it's an easy place to overlook - no large sign, and the windows/door are covered with a grate so it's easy to think it's closed. It's built like someone's kitchen and you get to sit at the counter - lots of blond colored wood and excellent rock music.
The three chefs don't talk much other than presenting the food and occasionally asking how things were, but that's fine with me, I don't need talk, I'm there to eat.
I was sat next to these three college/grad(?) students who kept going on and on about themselves about what they were reading in the NYT dining section, restaurants they've been to in SF/bay area/NYC etc. and their favorite dishes, and going "ooooh, the_____!" when it really wasn't because the menu changes slightly - if that's a foodie, I don't want to be one - I'd rather be an eater.
The dishes are presented and the chefs tell you what's in it, but it's a little hard to hear over the rock music. And photos aren't allowed, so all this is reconstituted from memory and the help of other bloggers' testimonies:
1. Oyster on a half shell with blood orange relish. YUM. Oyster was small and with just the right amount of resistance, and a great flavor. The blood orange relish was good, but the oyster didn't really need it.
2. Buttermilk biscuit with black pepper butter and mirin, so rich that a little grease spot is left of the slate when you pick it up. One of my favorites, about 1 inch in diameter and 2 inches high. I could eat these by the double handful.
3. Chicharron - essentially pork rind. Very light colored, very porky and topped with some togarashi salt on it. Really fun to eat.
4. Long-island fluke sashimi on buttermilk sauce with poppy seeds and chives - the buttermilk was on the salty side, but the flavors worked well together for the mild fish. I really liked the poppy seed crunch.
5. Cold dashi soup with raw pea pods, pea pod stems, Santa Barbara uni - this would be a little better with lukewarm dashi than cold, but the elements otherwise worked well together. I've never had raw pea pods before, but this was a great experience - minty, spicy, crunchy and I don't know what else. The pea pod stems were as good as anything you could get in a Chinese restaurant. The uni was also great - tender without falling apart with a great fresh flavor that I’ve only found in Tsujuki Fish Market - nothing bathroom-ey about it, which was my first encounter with uni in Boston.
6. Soft boiled egg with black caviar, soubise onion, fingerling potato chips - another favorite. I love eggs. I love soft boiled eggs. I liked how they took advantage of the runny yolk to bind all the textures and flavors together. Absolute winner.
7. Hand-torn egg pasta in some kind of cream sauce with burgundy escargot-chicken sausage, pecorino, and deep fried chicken skin bits on top - not as inventive as the other dishes, but excellent all the same. Pasta cooked to a perfect al dente, the sausage had the texture of SPAM (excellent to me) but had a nice umami flavor, and who wouldn't like fried chicken skin?
8. Panfried Halibut with some kind of crumbs on top including freeze dried olive flakes; on apple artichoke sauce, pickled cauliflower: halibut was cooked perfectly, tender and sweet. The topping was a little salty, probably because of the olive flakes, but the sauce was another discovery. I wanted to lick my plate. The pickled cauliflower was done Vietnamese style, so sweet and tangy - great accompaniment to the dish.
9. Shaved frozen foie gras on lychee and Riesling gelee and pine nut brittle. I know people wax rhapsodic about this dish - I'm one of them now. Little crunchy sweet bits of brittle, little alcoholic jelly bits, little bits of fresh lychee, showered with grated frozen foie gras. It just looked like a pile of sawdust, but OH - in the mouth, the foie gras reconstituted in its greatness, and went well with all the crunchy/jelly/fruit sweetness that was buried in the dust. I wanted to lick this bowl, too.
10. Braised beef short rib (from what I read online, it's cooked sous vide for a few days and then quickly deep fried for a crust) with red wine sauce, pickled jalepeno sauce, and chanterelle and "cauliflower mushrooms" (white fungus), brussel sprout leaves and pickled onions. As the chefs were preparing this dish, they brought out the piece of meat out of the fryer, let it sit for a bit, then cut it up into about 8 pieces. THEY THEN DUMPED HALF OF THE PIECES IN THE TRASH and plated the rest. I was horrified. I was even more horrified when I ate the beef, and wanted to dig out the pieces from the trash. It was that good. Extremely tender without losing its beefy characteristics. The chef knew I didn't have good tolerance for spicy, so he plated the jalapeno sauce on the side (good thing too - it was pretty spicy for me). I could have eaten the beef on its own - but the wine sauce worked well with all the elements, and the accompaniments (mushrooms, brussel sprouts and onions) are just classic, with the twist of using white fungus and using brussel sprout leaves instead of whole sprouts. Another favorite dish for me.
11. Guava sorbet with cream cheese skin - I was sad to see this since it meant that the end was near. Somehow, this sorbet was covered in a layer of cream cheese, like it had been dipped somehow in liquid cream cheese without melting the ice cream. The flavors went well together and was a nice palate cleanser.
12. FUNNEL CAKE with powdered sugar on the side, the bowl with a scoop of black sesame ice cream sitting in a pool of lemon curd and a pool of coconut cream. So a lot of people talk about the deep-fried apple pie, but this was pretty damn good. When they brought it out, I couldn't believe it, and I think I just cried out "FUNNEL CAKE!" before the chef even began his spiel. Of course, one can't help eating the funnel cake by hand and licking up all the powdered sugar (which got everywhere, but such is the nature of funnel cake). The lemon curd/coconut cream/black sesame combo was really the only odd note in this entire meal. Individually, worked well with the funnel cake, but together, it was just too odd. I think the lemon curd just overpowered everything - coconut and sesame are more subtle flavors that need a little time on the tongue to come out.
I was in and out in an hour, 10 courses + two amuses for $100. The chefs were breaking out the alcohol for themselves by the time I was leaving (around 10:30). I was just about as happy as I was after eating at Canteen in SF – blissful, full, and just excited about everything I ate since it was so inventive.
If you haven't gone yet, I recommend it.
http://momofuku.com/ko/default.asp
Friday, April 3, 2009
jack n' jill's too & bodega wine bar
after months of saying we should have a foodie session together, eva & i finally made it to dinner! i always say that it's hard to get together w/married people (don't get me wrong, i adore all my fabulously wonderful couple friends!), mainly b/c i want to make sure i'm not intruding on all-important couple time that folks rarely get after long work days. aren't i considerate? totally.
and after much deliberation, we decided to try jack n' jill's too, a cute place that eva found after brunching at jack n' jill's in beverly hills (my suggestion, of course!). the menu for jack n' jill's too is less brunch-ey, but just as casual in fare. eva & i had both reviewed the menu beforehand, and found it suitable to our tastes.
upon entering, we sat down and realized that we were literally in the midst of a restaurant identity crisis. the decor seemed way too hipster and upscale for the cutesy name and menu, so we suspect that the restaurant may have changed ownership at some point. even the business cards still had the old name of the place (creperie, i think?). we weren't quite sure what to think. on one side of the room, there were mirrors w/cute cartoon dog prints. (quite adorable.) on the other side of the room, there were mirrors w/black & white photos. (also lovely.) i suppose it was all OK in the end, but still a bit alice-in-wonderland-ish.
as for the food, we were quite pleased w/what we ordered to share. the menu has a lot of yummy comfort food, and we decided to get the mini blueberry muffins w/our meal. cute and soft and warm! mmm.... partially based on the recommendations of our very cute waiter (i hate that i notice these guys so much! ok, maybe hate's a strong word.), we decided to try the cobb salad and the bbq chicken wrap. the cobb salad was delicious tossed together w/the goddess dressing. i'm not a fan of balsamic, and blue cheese dressing is usually too much. here, there was just enough dressing to lightly coat all of the salad elements, making for a great convergence of flavors. the wrap was delicious as well w/a significant portion of greens inside and yummy chicken that wasn't covered in sauce. (i'm not a fan of overly saucing anything -- i think it's a cop-out in terms of appropriate meat tenderness.)
eva was committed to getting a sweet crepe, so we decided on the lucky number seven, which involved caramelized pears and toasted almond slivers. the pears were perfectly done (not too hard, not too soft), but the almond slivers were definitely may burnt (at least the pieces that i got). on the overall, it was quite good and a great way to top off the meal.
FYI that the only other diner in the restaurant finished half a roast chicken and a side of beans in no time flat. it was obviously good. time to plan a return trip.
http://www.jacknjillstoo.com/
**********
after 2 years worth of random FB chatting, i finally got to catch up w/anton in person! he recommended bodega wine bar, and i decided that i definitely wouldn't mind schlepping to SM to check out a new place. thankfully, i bumped into antonio on the blue bus, and i had a lovely companion on my quick journey, plus a guide to make sure i got off at the right stop!
surprisingly, i arrived at bodega before anton (who was stuck in a client meeting), and i decided to grab a high table. the menu looked delectable (despite my limited appetite -- is this a bad trend or what?), so i decided to order a few things before he arrived. i went w/the cheese plate (which i rarely get, but always think about) and the PLT panini (which involved a portabello mushroom and cheese -- what more could a girl ask for?). anton showed up shortly, and we both dived into the food. without fail, both dishes were really flavorful and fairly hearty, despite the lack of meat. FYI that i'm trying to eat more vegetarian, and anton gave up meat for lent. (seriously, who DOES that?) the rest of the menu consisted of some yummy comfort foods as well as some great salads and pizzas -- definitely a strong happy hour contender.
the overall vibe was definitely cool and hipster, but the crowd didn't seem overly so. we were in on a weekday night, and we were eating later, which may have affected the ambiance and crowd. but i loved the combination of high tables and lounge areas, and the pervasive red lighting. i also found out that anton is an investor! which is pretty darn cool. the waitstaff were very attentive, and even though i wasn't able to partake, anton pointed out the varied wine and drinks list. we ended our catch-up meal with a bit of tiramisu, which came in a nice portion that wasn't too overwhelming. apparently, the original location is in pasadena, and the new location is opening in hollywood. look out for both! and make sure to come often -- and bring people!
http://www.bodegawinebar.com/
and after much deliberation, we decided to try jack n' jill's too, a cute place that eva found after brunching at jack n' jill's in beverly hills (my suggestion, of course!). the menu for jack n' jill's too is less brunch-ey, but just as casual in fare. eva & i had both reviewed the menu beforehand, and found it suitable to our tastes.
upon entering, we sat down and realized that we were literally in the midst of a restaurant identity crisis. the decor seemed way too hipster and upscale for the cutesy name and menu, so we suspect that the restaurant may have changed ownership at some point. even the business cards still had the old name of the place (creperie, i think?). we weren't quite sure what to think. on one side of the room, there were mirrors w/cute cartoon dog prints. (quite adorable.) on the other side of the room, there were mirrors w/black & white photos. (also lovely.) i suppose it was all OK in the end, but still a bit alice-in-wonderland-ish.
as for the food, we were quite pleased w/what we ordered to share. the menu has a lot of yummy comfort food, and we decided to get the mini blueberry muffins w/our meal. cute and soft and warm! mmm.... partially based on the recommendations of our very cute waiter (i hate that i notice these guys so much! ok, maybe hate's a strong word.), we decided to try the cobb salad and the bbq chicken wrap. the cobb salad was delicious tossed together w/the goddess dressing. i'm not a fan of balsamic, and blue cheese dressing is usually too much. here, there was just enough dressing to lightly coat all of the salad elements, making for a great convergence of flavors. the wrap was delicious as well w/a significant portion of greens inside and yummy chicken that wasn't covered in sauce. (i'm not a fan of overly saucing anything -- i think it's a cop-out in terms of appropriate meat tenderness.)
eva was committed to getting a sweet crepe, so we decided on the lucky number seven, which involved caramelized pears and toasted almond slivers. the pears were perfectly done (not too hard, not too soft), but the almond slivers were definitely may burnt (at least the pieces that i got). on the overall, it was quite good and a great way to top off the meal.
FYI that the only other diner in the restaurant finished half a roast chicken and a side of beans in no time flat. it was obviously good. time to plan a return trip.
http://www.jacknjillstoo.com/
**********
after 2 years worth of random FB chatting, i finally got to catch up w/anton in person! he recommended bodega wine bar, and i decided that i definitely wouldn't mind schlepping to SM to check out a new place. thankfully, i bumped into antonio on the blue bus, and i had a lovely companion on my quick journey, plus a guide to make sure i got off at the right stop!
surprisingly, i arrived at bodega before anton (who was stuck in a client meeting), and i decided to grab a high table. the menu looked delectable (despite my limited appetite -- is this a bad trend or what?), so i decided to order a few things before he arrived. i went w/the cheese plate (which i rarely get, but always think about) and the PLT panini (which involved a portabello mushroom and cheese -- what more could a girl ask for?). anton showed up shortly, and we both dived into the food. without fail, both dishes were really flavorful and fairly hearty, despite the lack of meat. FYI that i'm trying to eat more vegetarian, and anton gave up meat for lent. (seriously, who DOES that?) the rest of the menu consisted of some yummy comfort foods as well as some great salads and pizzas -- definitely a strong happy hour contender.
the overall vibe was definitely cool and hipster, but the crowd didn't seem overly so. we were in on a weekday night, and we were eating later, which may have affected the ambiance and crowd. but i loved the combination of high tables and lounge areas, and the pervasive red lighting. i also found out that anton is an investor! which is pretty darn cool. the waitstaff were very attentive, and even though i wasn't able to partake, anton pointed out the varied wine and drinks list. we ended our catch-up meal with a bit of tiramisu, which came in a nice portion that wasn't too overwhelming. apparently, the original location is in pasadena, and the new location is opening in hollywood. look out for both! and make sure to come often -- and bring people!
http://www.bodegawinebar.com/
seattle: my new favorite city - part 3
on the first full day of my trip, i got rain. on the second full day of my trip, i got sun. on the final day of my trip, i got a 50/50. my guess is that seattle didn't want to overly bias me one way or the other. but any city that can hold my love and attention in the rain certainly goes on the top 10 list. YAY SEATTLE!
to relax during my last day in this fabulous city, i decided to check out early, drop my stuff off with reception, and take advantage of the free shuttle service from the inn to downtown. my lunch reservation wasn't till 11AM, so i thought i'd walk around pike place market again and let the smells of yummy foods waft over me....
during our quick shuttle ride, i met a woman and her daughter who were headed back to new york! they'd been in seattle for a family gathering, and the woman's husband is actually a professor in journalism at NYU by the name of david dent! what a small world. and then of course, the other passenger was himself a professor of history at FSU, who was in town for an american history conference! and academic worlds collide on a hotel shuttle. it's wonderful how life works out that way.
plus, the woman and her daughter were on their way to take the bus to the airport (the 195) from the downtown terminal. and as soon as the man (who was also going to the airport) realized he didn't need to pay for a $50 cab ride, he took their lead! and finally, when our driver noticed that a young couple parked on a street where they were going to get towed, we all screamed out of our windows to let them know! i mean, does this stuff happen anywhere else? probably. but all in one ride? doubtful.
as i walked through pike place market, i walked past all these stalls where i wanted to spend lots and lots of my non-existent money. but i stopped. and i decided that the sights and sounds were good enough -- at least until my next visit! i even passed by the fish market again, where i caught the glance of my cute fishmonger, who asked me whether i wanted to do another oyster shooter. i smiled, told him it was too early in the day, and quickly sped off toward my next destination. these are the things a girl remembers. and quite fondly!
my last seattle foodie destination was purple cafe and wine bar in downtown. it was very close to the market, but of course i'd gotten so distracted that i was racing to the restaurant. once again, i was the first diner of the day! when i walked in a few minutes before 11AM, they were still sweeping! thankfully, i didn't have to wait long, and i was seated at a lovely table by the window. similar to my experience at tilth, my left arm was pretty much frozen solid (due to questionable installation), though i suppose a sweater would've much improved the situation. at any rate, i was so distracted (do we see a trend here?) with the gorgeous decor and the fabulous menu to really care. the hostess was a bit off, but my server was wonderfully friendly and i felt right at home.
after perusing their extensive menu, i decided to choose a bit of this... and a bit of that... a wonderful sandwich/salad combo of a half turkey/havarti/bacon sandwich and a simple caesar salad. in addition, i was dying to try their cider-braised beets. i also tried to order a sample of the ewephoria cheese (which i basically wanted b/c of the name), but it was probably a good thing that they'd run out, since there was already too much food coming my way! the beets came first, and although the dish was plenty colorful, the flavor was very basic and didn't do much for the palate.
on the other hand, the sandwich i can STILL taste in my mouth. perhaps i was hungry, but i honestly can't ever remember liking ANY sandwich as much i adored this one. it was the perfect blend of crusty bread w/warm turkey, smooth & melting havarti cheese, and crisp bacon. i was literally in heaven. and i'm so glad it was only a half sandwich b/c i would've keeled over w/a whole one. it was seriously the most fabulous melding of flavors and textures. it made my day!
to top off my meal, i decided to try 2 small desserts -- a goat cheese ice cream and a meyer lemon mousse. purple is known for its small plates, so this was quite perfect for someone like me who enjoyed trying a little bit of everything. when the desserts came, even one of the women at a ladies lunch nearby couldn't resist a bit of a stare. on my left, the goat cheese ice cream was a warm yellow scoop that i almost mistook for the lemon dessert! on my right, the lemon meyer mousse was a slightly lighter yellow, but just as inviting. on first taste of the ice cream, i was in love. it was wonderfully smooth, not too sweet, and ever so slightly savory. i tried to eat it as slowly as possible. while i love tart and tangy, i always worry that lemon desserts will hit me too hard. this one was perfect -- a mildly lemon-ey mousse w/a more intense tangy center, all on top of what i think was a lightly lemon-ey shortbread cookie. mmm.... what a fabulous way to end the trip!
http://www.thepurplecafe.com/
to relax during my last day in this fabulous city, i decided to check out early, drop my stuff off with reception, and take advantage of the free shuttle service from the inn to downtown. my lunch reservation wasn't till 11AM, so i thought i'd walk around pike place market again and let the smells of yummy foods waft over me....
during our quick shuttle ride, i met a woman and her daughter who were headed back to new york! they'd been in seattle for a family gathering, and the woman's husband is actually a professor in journalism at NYU by the name of david dent! what a small world. and then of course, the other passenger was himself a professor of history at FSU, who was in town for an american history conference! and academic worlds collide on a hotel shuttle. it's wonderful how life works out that way.
plus, the woman and her daughter were on their way to take the bus to the airport (the 195) from the downtown terminal. and as soon as the man (who was also going to the airport) realized he didn't need to pay for a $50 cab ride, he took their lead! and finally, when our driver noticed that a young couple parked on a street where they were going to get towed, we all screamed out of our windows to let them know! i mean, does this stuff happen anywhere else? probably. but all in one ride? doubtful.
as i walked through pike place market, i walked past all these stalls where i wanted to spend lots and lots of my non-existent money. but i stopped. and i decided that the sights and sounds were good enough -- at least until my next visit! i even passed by the fish market again, where i caught the glance of my cute fishmonger, who asked me whether i wanted to do another oyster shooter. i smiled, told him it was too early in the day, and quickly sped off toward my next destination. these are the things a girl remembers. and quite fondly!
my last seattle foodie destination was purple cafe and wine bar in downtown. it was very close to the market, but of course i'd gotten so distracted that i was racing to the restaurant. once again, i was the first diner of the day! when i walked in a few minutes before 11AM, they were still sweeping! thankfully, i didn't have to wait long, and i was seated at a lovely table by the window. similar to my experience at tilth, my left arm was pretty much frozen solid (due to questionable installation), though i suppose a sweater would've much improved the situation. at any rate, i was so distracted (do we see a trend here?) with the gorgeous decor and the fabulous menu to really care. the hostess was a bit off, but my server was wonderfully friendly and i felt right at home.
after perusing their extensive menu, i decided to choose a bit of this... and a bit of that... a wonderful sandwich/salad combo of a half turkey/havarti/bacon sandwich and a simple caesar salad. in addition, i was dying to try their cider-braised beets. i also tried to order a sample of the ewephoria cheese (which i basically wanted b/c of the name), but it was probably a good thing that they'd run out, since there was already too much food coming my way! the beets came first, and although the dish was plenty colorful, the flavor was very basic and didn't do much for the palate.
on the other hand, the sandwich i can STILL taste in my mouth. perhaps i was hungry, but i honestly can't ever remember liking ANY sandwich as much i adored this one. it was the perfect blend of crusty bread w/warm turkey, smooth & melting havarti cheese, and crisp bacon. i was literally in heaven. and i'm so glad it was only a half sandwich b/c i would've keeled over w/a whole one. it was seriously the most fabulous melding of flavors and textures. it made my day!
to top off my meal, i decided to try 2 small desserts -- a goat cheese ice cream and a meyer lemon mousse. purple is known for its small plates, so this was quite perfect for someone like me who enjoyed trying a little bit of everything. when the desserts came, even one of the women at a ladies lunch nearby couldn't resist a bit of a stare. on my left, the goat cheese ice cream was a warm yellow scoop that i almost mistook for the lemon dessert! on my right, the lemon meyer mousse was a slightly lighter yellow, but just as inviting. on first taste of the ice cream, i was in love. it was wonderfully smooth, not too sweet, and ever so slightly savory. i tried to eat it as slowly as possible. while i love tart and tangy, i always worry that lemon desserts will hit me too hard. this one was perfect -- a mildly lemon-ey mousse w/a more intense tangy center, all on top of what i think was a lightly lemon-ey shortbread cookie. mmm.... what a fabulous way to end the trip!
http://www.thepurplecafe.com/
as i sauntered back to the hotel, i realized how much i really appreciated the freedom and independence to wander about at will. i think i'll really miss being able to travel like this on a whim. but then again, maybe i'm just looking for the right city to be in, where i won't feel this constant need to leave. all suggestions welcome!
before i headed to the airport, i'd gotten an appointment for a deep tissue massage at the jill bucy spa a the marquette hotel nearby. considering that i'm still aching from my trapeze lesson THREE weeks ago, i really needed it. and boy did the masseuse find some SERIOUS knots. she did her best to work through them in 60 minutes, but my trapezius and neck muscles are still a big ole mess. and i've decided that NP's suck b/c the one i saw didn't even touch me and told me to take naproxen twice a day. (UGH!) so i've made an appointment to see an MD to get checked out again, and an acupuncture appointment to start working through the inflammation. Oh, back to the prosaic realities of life in LA....
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