Yesi's Adventures...

Pizzeria Mozza - Los Angeles

2012-03-12T15:00:00.021-07:00

I've heard so much about this place and the amazing pizzas, I finally made it out to their L.A. location with my mom and my son... (the best, pickiest critics ever!)

We had reservations and were seated right away, pretty good for a weekend, right?? I will say, I did have high expectations of this place due to all the love it gets on Chowhound and amongst my own family members...

The place was busting at the seams with people, but service was attentive and rather efficient.
Nice starter with the bread stick, although pretty dry mouth feel since they do not bring you any accompaniment.

a very good source told me the meatballs were amazing... and truth be told... they were... they were tasty, tender inside with a nice red sauce, which by the way, I loved that the sauce was not sweet! I hate that... this one had a very nice acidity to it... really tasted like it cooked all day. Great Start!

Meatballs al forno

Another hit dish! The octopus was very tender and well seasoned, beautifully balanced with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, creamy beans, herbaciousness from the oregano and tomato really added a touch of sweetness and freshness.

Calamari al forno with fagioli, tomatoes & oregano

Ok, here things start to go down hill... I hate to say this, because I'm sure I'm the only one in the world that thinks the following dishes are really not much to talk about. I may just be thrown out of Chowhoud and every foodie worthy .com place for the following comments LOL!

The bread with olive oil: Ok, I know that is what we ordered, and you really cannot tell from the picture, but trust me that this was drowning in Oil! waaaayyy too much oil... If that was remedied, the bread would b really superb.

Pane bianco with olio nuovo

Let's start with the crust: They bring you a butter knife to cut your pizza... Butter Knife?? really? Yes, really! LOL
I had the idea that the bottom crust would have this extreme crunch, or any level of crunch would have suffice. instead, it was well cooked, not burned per se, but missing that extra umph! However the nice puffy edges were crunchy and very good.

This really could have benefited from a bit less cheese (although my cheese loving fanatic mom would argue against this) and a little bit of bechamel so its not all bread & cheese... A creamy element would have really saved this.

Bianca with fontina, mozzarella, sottocenere & sage

Our second and last pizza made our mouth water... until it came to the table. Sad, I know, but true.
The Prosciutto was cold and placed onto the pizza after it was baked & cut!! so parts of it were getting warmed up by the heat of the pizza and others were still cold. This temperature unevenness and the fact that the rucola was not even dressed with a little olive oil, lemon or vinegar..nothing! made it almost inedible.

However, once home, we placed it in the oven, let the Prosciutto get nice and warm and a bit crispy (the prosciutto crispy) but also the pizza... oh man! waaayyy better! IMHO, that's how they should serve it... Please Mozza...??

Prosciutto di Parma, rucola, tomato & mozzarella

ANIMAL (2)

2012-03-12T13:30:00.001-07:00

As the day come closer that all California Foodies will have to cease the consumption of Foie Gras (As this becomes Illegal in July 2012) I had to have another try at Animal's famous "Seared Foie Gras, Biscuit, Sausage Gravy & Maple Syrup.... and did so in amazing company!

It was, as always, a full house.. even on a Sunday Night!
Our quartet arrived without a minute to spare, since we were busy with our pre-dinner gathering of delicious appetizers and a wonderfully refreshing Orange-Cucumber Martini! (Thanks Juli!)

The boys in our party had brought some delicious Malbec to complement our meals, and I thought that was a great idea since Animal allows you to bring your own, albeit a $20 corkage fee, but a much more cost effective option IMO, since we finished 2 bottles!

Staff as always very courteous and the atmosphere was well... loud! That was absolutely no problem for "some" in our party, as they speak loud anyways! ha ha

We were not sure how many dishes we'd end up ordering but in the end, ended up trying 11 dishes,
and highlight of the night was the Polenta & 6 Hr bolognese sauce.. which Julio politely ask the waiter if he could have a bucket of it!
The Citrus Dessert was also a very nice way to finish of a rather rich and somewhat heavy meal, it was combined with Sable crumbles and and a very creamy fresh sauce (maybe yogurt?) I thought all the components in this dish went rather well together. I was very sad though that they no longer had the Sticky Toffee Pudding... oh well! That was my favorite, more so than the Bacon, Chocolate Crunch.

I started by trying the very reasonably priced ($3) Chicken Liver Toast: Very good for the price, with a semi-strong liver taste and a nice fruity marmalade on top.
No one else was game to accompany me on this one... I think the fear of the strong liver taste puts people off sometimes... but come on... be adventurous!

The polenta, as mentioned earlier, was really the star of the night. I know, its a simple dish, and with so many other (perhaps more creative combinations) dishes, why was this the star of the night? Well, first I will tell you my family as a whole is extremely selective and persnickety and they all cook amazingly, and second,we come from an Italian background, so we know most places do not do justice to this dish as grandma could! LOL.
So it was much to our surprise that a mere simple ingredient such as polenta could really get us so worked up... in a good way! It must have had 1LB of butter! but I don't mean that in a bad way... it was soo good, creamy and not at all gritty, as most other restaurants. Until this moment, my mom by far... made the best polenta in the world! but Butter makes it Better! It WAS missing the little hole in the middle my mom makes to hold the sauce "in".

Creamy, buttery Polenta with 6 Hr. Bolognese Sauce

The balsamic pork ribs were good, although in the picture they do look as if they've burned, they were not at all, in fact the nice char on the outside gave them a nice smoky taste, although we could have done without so much balsamic, they were very good and tender.

balsamic pork ribs, delicate squash, arugula, pecan

Next came the petit basque melted cheese with chorizo and grilled bread. The bread was your standard french bread, sliced and nicely toasted, but this bread, as I came to find later, is much better than the bread served with the Foie Terrine dish. At first we noticed a very strong, stinky smell coming from a nearby table... first we thought someone must have taken their shoes off? ha ha! JK... but seriously, it stunk! Ohhh, its the Petit Basque!... Ok.. we had to have it!. It was as delicious as yes, stinky. Not rocket science obviously, but still very nice.

melted petit basque, chorizo, grilled bread

My Foie Gras Terrine came along with the previous two dishes and do you notice what I noticed when I saw my plate?????? Julio said: "Is that Wonder Bread?"... Come on guys... you cannot serve me sliced Wonder Bread along such a delicious, buttery Foie!
Besides the bread disaster, the terrine was very nicely done, very mild in taste (no strong liver notes) and nicely accompanied by a sweet fruity & acidic orange marmalade. My sister thought "it taste like dessert!" Yeah!! that's my Sis!! Foie for Ever!!
However, the steamed endive... what?? I didn't get it! maybe for some added texture... but really did nothing for the dish, in fact.. just leave it aside as I did.

Foie Gras Terrine

I feel the dishes were being sent out of the kitchen at a nice pace, giving us plenty of time finish our 1st round, unlike my first visit.

2nd round of dishes:

Grilled baby broccoli, crispy egg, smoked trout, mustard, hatch chili. I only tried the baby broccoli which was nicely cooked (I hate when you get vegetables so raw still that you're afraid you'll break a tooth!) and seasoned, along with the crispy egg which was basically a soft boiled egg with a nice crunchy breading on the outside. It was nice to have something "green" in a sea of "Animal" dishes. Oh, and the romesco sauce was amazing!

grilled baby broccoli, crispy egg, smoked trout, mustard, hatch chili

Veal Tongue:

The Foie Gras Semi-Freddo/Mousse was spectacular with distinct smoky notes and plenty of rich,lush,creamy,buttery goodness. This is a new menu item, and a true winner in my book.

Veal Tongue, Smoked Foie Gras, Pastrami Spices, Crab Apple

I was a little hesitant when we ordered this dish due to the mixed reviews... but sounded amazing and we took a chance. Happy to say, it was cooked to perfection, well seasoned, but not they didn't go sodium happy on it. The Parmesan fondue made this a truly decadent dish. the potatoes were good too, but really, who notices the potatoes when you have an amazingly well cooked piece of meat with lots of parm truffle fondue on top, right??

flat iron, potato hash, truffle Parmesan fondue

Next but not least, the Quail:
Grilled to perfection, nice char, super tender and tasty without that strong "meat" taste. I didn't try much else from this dish, so I cannot comment on the apple and yogurt and how that would combine with the quail, however, the plum sauce was amazing!

grilled quail, plum char-siu, apple, pear, yogurt

Our first of our dessert duo was the Citrus with Sable crumbles which was deliciously creamy, buttery notes from the sable, and of course totally refreshing from the various citrus, pink pomelo being the most prominent on the dish.
I'm glad we gave it a try, because I was so disappointed they no longer had the Sticky Toffee Pudding that I have loved so much!

Citrus, Sable crumbles

Our last dessert was of course the Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar. As I'm my first review of Animal, still rich and chocolate-y with nice hints of the salty bacon for an amazing contrast. I wish the bacon was a bit more generous as the chocolate really takes over the whole dish, the saltiness of the bacon is there, but very very subtle.

Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar, Salt & Pepper Ice cream

Overall, am amazing evening, not only the food, but the company and ambiance of the place!
Can't wait to be back!

BEST TRAVEL WEBSITES!!

2012-02-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

People always ask me how I am able to travel so well an a relatively low budget... well, besides the fact that I do tons of research (and love to share it with all of you) I have some trusted websites that I use.

TRIP ADVISOR.COM

This is my 1st stop... where I start asking questions in the forums (and God knows I ask a lot!). Just choose the Country/City you are interested in, and ask away... "Regulars" of the forum are eager to always help you out.
(Make sure to always "thank" the Trip Advisor Members as many put in a lot of their time in answering questions)

Also great for asking questions on Tours, Lodging, Restaurants... I Don't Really only on the Reviews because those are sometimes from 2 sides of the poles: they either had an amazing (not typical) experience, or a horrible (not typical) experience... The Forum Experts are likely to give you a more honest and straightforward opinion.

MATRIX.ITASOFTWARE.COM

I have used Kayak, which is Ok... Skyscanner is better (but it will not search multi-city which I tend to do a lot).
With Matrix you can do multi-city searches, all airports in your area, search day before/after/2+ - days... lots of combinations... its Fantastic!

SKY SCANNER.COM

Skyscanner.com will search crazy combinations! Don't care where to go... Just input your city and choose "TO" Anywhere!..
Also you can choose to travel in certain months without specific dates... I love this website...I also have the IPOD/IPHONE APP... which is way too cool to put into words...but I will tell you that with the App, you can actually see the Globe and spin it... and it will give you prices to each Country!

TRIPIT.COM

I have been using tripit.com for many years, and with good reason... its an amazing website that really makes your travelling life a lot easier!
Basically, you E-Mail all your reservations to your profile.. and it automatically organizes them, adds maps, Airline phone number, etc... you can also manually add things to your itinerary and notes... it much easier to print out 1 itinerary from TRIPIT.COM, than searching through all your emails and pint each individual Airfare Confirmation, Hotels, Tours, etc... (also they have an APP)

ROOM77.COM

Room 77, which uses official hotel data, reviews, and geographic coordinates to find the best accommodations for you. You’ll also find virtual room views via Google Earth and floor plans for thousands of hotels.Nice views and proximity to (or distance from) the elevator are just two of the criteria you can select. What ever happened to just trying your luck? LOL

VEGAS DEALS

2012-02-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love a nice weekend getaway to Sin City, right?

Here is a deal I have not seen in a long time from The Venetian Suites!

Some of the days are as low as $107 for Sundays, and $125 for Saturday...

CLICK HERE FOR THE VENETIAN DEALS

CLICK HERE FOR THE PALAZZO DEALS

**Please keep in mind you must pay a $20 per day resort fee**

A day at the spa. A night at the club. The trip of a lifetime.

Your luxury Las Vegas hotel experience, now 40% off.

Experience romance, grandeur and unapologetic indulgence at The Venetian^® with this incredible package. You’ll escape to spa bliss with treatment and dining specials at the world’s largest Canyon Ranch SpaClub^®; you’ll savor the exotic fare of Zine Noodles Dim Sum, and light bites of Café Presse; and, you’ll have an unforgettable time at the hottest spot on the Strip: LAVO Nightclub. There’s a world of excitement, relaxation and opulent decadence just waiting to welcome you. But, hurry! This special rate won’t last long.

This package includes a Luxury Suite at up to 40% off* standard website rates with amenities provided by:

Canyon Ranch Grill - 20% off the food bill

Canyon Ranch SpaClub - $25 off a spa service of $125 or more

Zine Noodles Dim Sum – $30 off a bill of $60

LAVO Nightclub – Complimentary admission†

Cafe Presse - 20% off purchase

This offer must be booked by February 8, 2012.

NICARAGUA & COSTA RICA 2012

2012-01-27T15:43:00.000-08:00

After much thought and consideration (and research!) I really fell in love with Granada, Nicaragua and Costa Rica's Rainforests & Beaches.

July 2012 I will be there with my son having an amazing time! We are so excited and cannot wait!

In the mean time, as you all know me, I've been doing massive amounts of research for this upcoming adventure... and I'll leave you with some of my favorite places:

SAMARA BEACH

Of course you cannot go to Costa Rica without a few days in Beach Paradise, right? ... Samara Beach is a beautiful little town on the Pacific side. And the Samara Tree House Inn is truly the only place I want to stay! They have "tree houses located "on" the beach. Its kind of a rustic paradise. Next to the tree houses there is a nice surf shop and school where we hope (or at least I hope) to be able to stand up on one of those boards!

Your Own Private Hammocks

Samara Tree House Inn-Out Door Dining under your personal tree house

Samara Tree House Inn-Living Room with View of the Beach

ARENAL NATIONAL PARK, COSTA RICA

the Arenal Observatory Lodge is the only lodging within the Arenal National Park. From my research I know the food is sub-par and thus being the foodie that I am, I had to think about this one, but in the end a very wise person said: "When will you ever have a chance to stay in the middle of the Rainforest?"

Ok, I'm sold! That is very true, besides this place has amazing views, lots of hiking trails through the rainforest, a bar open until 10pm, pool and jacuzzi and a game room... who cares about food? Ok, only for these 2 nights!

Arenal Observatory Lodge-Pool area overlooking the Rainforest

Rio Celeste-All day tour from Arenal


Arenal Observatory Lodge-Nearby Hanging Bridges through the Rainforest

Granada, Nicaragua

Granada, Nicaragua-Town Center

Granada, Nicaragua

Masaya Volcano-Nicaragua

SURVIVING LONG HAUL FLIGHTS, 2012 PREDICTIONS & THE PERFECT CARRY-ON

2012-01-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hello there!
Happy 2012... As we prepare for a new year of adventures, here are some articles I found most helpful in preparing for all my 2012 travel.
Independent Travel is one of my favorite sites for travel news, so naturally I wanted to share it with you!

Enjoy!

10 Simple Tips for a Smoother Trip Independent Traveler.com

The Perfect Carry-On

2012 Predictions

10 Ways to Survive Long Haul Flights

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE TRAVEL PHOTOS??

2012-01-03T12:55:00.000-08:00

For a long time, I would have to carry around my notebook or laptop in order to show my photos to friends & family... because lets face it, who prints out pictures anymore,right?

I came across this fabulous blog about photo books called Photobookgirl... not the ones you slide in your 4x6's, but the ones you design online and a photo book publishing company print it and mail it to you. You end up with an amazing photo book that looks like something you bought as a coffee table photo book.

I am currently waiting to receive my 1st photo book and I'll be sure to let you all know the results.
I chose My Publisher for my Spain & Portugal photos which you can have a sneak peak HERE

***I just received an offer from MYPUBLISHER... which is an amazing price... A Classic Hardcover Photobook with up to 100 Pages for only $35!!

Use Code: PAGES4FREE at checkout... Offer expires January 9th... that means you must be done with your book and submitted by this day.. hurry! get those travel photos!

2011-12-29T14:56:00.001-08:00

2 DAYS IN SAN DIEGO UNDER $250

Think it's impossible?

Me & my Son managed to stay within this budget just a week ago! and I'll be honest, it's the most fun I've had with him in a long, long time. I guess because we are not so busy going from Theme Park to Theme Park and thus exausted from trying to cram as much as possible in our 2 days.

Arived late on Wednesday do to a tire completly coming appart while driving! Thank God I drive slow...
To make a long story short, we ended up at the gates of Camp Pendelton because there was nothing close to buy a new tire and I was not going to make it with my spare very far... they were kind enough to let us "IN" and had our tire changed at a Firestone Tire inside the base. My son loved seeing all the Fighter Jets & how the Marines live on base... so he loved it!

Once we finaly arrived at DOLPHIN MOTELin Point Loma which was an incredible value at $55 per night with free parking & free breakfast and an amazing owner & staff ( I highly highly recomend it) we went to have a quick dinner at COTIJA'S TACOS in Point Loma.
They have the most amazing Carne Asada Fries (HUGE) for about $6, and we also had really good fish tacos with no skimping on the fish!

Instead we took it slow and it was very relaxing and to my surprise, my 11 yr old was not bored... actually, he enjoyed taking turns with our camara to get some cool & weird shots...

We rode in our car to FORT ROSECRANS NATIONAL CEMENTERY which has gorgeous views, beautiful grounds and my son truly felt respect for all those men & women who fought for us, some were so young and i think it was an awakening for him to see the sacrifice these men and women go through to keep our Country Free.

Later went to Mission Beach and parked at the BELMONT AMUSEMENT PARK for free! (got there early) and went to RAYS RENTALS across the way with a coupon from their website and rented a bike for the whole day for $10!

It was old, but it worked... and my Son had his bike that we took, so that saved me even more money.

We rode all the way to Pacific Beach, nice & slow all day taking breaks for pictures, etc.

had a late lunch at BAHIA DON BRAVO IN PACIFIC BEACH which was just O.K. kinda bland the food.

Rode all the back again and had an amazing bonding time with my son. He was really exited and thought I should buy myself a bike...

I do need to mention that I had not gotten on a bike for about 17 years... so the 1st time i got on I was so scared and i had a hard time balancing the bike for a few minutes... but i eventually got the hang of it! My son though it was so funny!

Later went back to the hotel and relaxed a bit before driving for dinner to SUPER COCINA which was SUPER! LOL

Had Real Mexican Food! My son somehow always chooses the best dishes and this was no exeption,

he had Mexican Squash stuffed with cheese, battered and fried with a light tomato sauce on top, and perfectly cooked Carnitas (all searved with rice & beans)

I had a Delicious Pozole soup with cabage on top and lime and Cochinita Pibil.

It was very good, great service and truly a great deal at $16 for both!

Later went walked about a block to a Mexican bakery and had some sweet breads to go.

Day 2 we were looking for some sort of free walking tour...

and I found I good one!

Went to the HISTORIC PARK IN OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO and they have free tours every day at 11am & 2 pm.

Some of the houses are still originals... and they give you a nice mix of history from those days. Even my 11 yr old son was interested! it took about an hour.
From there we had lunch at CAFE COYOTE which was average at best and the "home made" tortillas were not cooked all the way and too thick so they were "gummy"

i would not recomend it... but if you are not so into food as I am, the ambiance is nice, especially if you sit outside.

After Lunch, we walked around Old Town to window shop... and One of the stores in the Historic Park is a Candy store!!

Of course we had to try it and spend a good amount of time there.. and they even had lots of samples.

We picked & choose our favorites, I paid & then started heading home.

Had a wonderful time!! here's the rundown of our expenses for 2 people:

Dolphin Motel (super super clean & amazing people) : $120 ( 2 night weekday)
Gas (from L.A. and back) $40 (I know its cheap, but I have a small car)
Rays Bike Rental : $12 ( it was $2 extra for the basket & lock)
Cotija's Tacos: $11
Bahia Don Bravo lunch: $15
Super Cocina: $17
Bakery 1 block from Super Cocina: $4
Cafe Coyote: $22
Candy @ Historic park in old town: $4
Total: $245!

ANIMAL- Los Angeles

2011-12-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

As one of the "IT" restaurants of the moment, ANIMAL has been on my list for a while, and with a group of foodies we made our way Sunday night for a spectacular and long awaited extravaganza!

This place is all about Animal parts officially known as "Offal".

But don't let that scare you. Crispy pig ears with lime & fried egg, crispy veal sweetbreads and perfectly seared Foie Gras with a warm soft biscuit, maple syrup & sausage gravy are just a few of the standout dishes you'll find here.
The combinations may seem strange to some, but they are not extremely inventive. Spain has been consuming pig ears for centuries as well as other countries. Foie Gras with Maple Syrup is not that out of the ordinary, the paring of Foie with a sweet element is a classic, so lets be honest, they are not re-inventing the wheel here, but the dishes are amazingly tasty, very focused, perfectly seasoned and well thought out. They leave you wanting more... and that's always a good sign. You will not be disappointed by coming here, with that said, one flaw I found, they were not very well coordinated with the kitchen, as least Sunday night when we were there. Some people had not received any dishes, some just one, while I was finishing my first, with another waiting... and here comes the waitress with my Foie Gras... OH NO!
She kindly took it back as I made her aware of the mishap. Don't let this deter you from trying ANIMAL, the service was still very attentive and the food amazing!

Pig Ear, Chili, Lime, Fried Egg 12

The only other time I tried pig ears was at INK Restaurant in L.A. and loved it, but you never know with a name like "pig ears" what you're in for... This was spectacular... The pig ears were like the upscale version of mediocre bacon... with a nice heat from the chili, a little acidity from the lime to cut through the heaviness of the dish, and the oh-so-good fried egg with a runny yolk... mmmm... it was superb!

hamachi tostada, herbs, fish sauce vinaigrette, peanut 15

Next was the Hamachi tostada, which was recommended by a fellow member of our table... and although skeptical, i gave it a shot. Really, its hard to have a dish come out so light yet satisfying in flavors... but this did just that... I loved the combination of the fish sauce vinaigrette, the crunchy onions and the peanuts along with the freshness from the herbs... the peanuts really did make the dish stand out to the next level for me as it added a nice depth of flavor.

barbecue pork belly sandwiches, slaw 13

A table mate ordered this, and i was so lucky to try them... they don't look like anything special on the menu... how many times have you seem sliders on restaurant menu's... But the bread was very soft and fresh, with lovely buttery notes on top with a perfectly cooked BBQ pork (you know, the one that falls off the bone tender-except no bone here of course) and a very nice fresh (not soggy) slaw.

foie gras, biscuit, maple sausage gravy 24

This was the dish I was waiting for and it was everything I thought it would be and more. Perfectly cooked Foie with those buttery notes and nice sear on top with a tender fluffy biscuit, savory and flavorful sausage gravy and topped off with enough maple syrup to give the dish another dimension. Beautiful!

Veal Sweetbreads, Finger Lime Aioli, Cumin, Shallot 14

Sweetbreads is one of my favorite things to eat... and these definitely lived up to my expectations. Much more mild than your average sweetbreads, the veal variety were soft and silky inside, with a perfect crust outside paired with a nice lemon Aioli, tiny bit of cumin for some smokiness and freshness from the shallots.

sticky toffee pudding, mascarpone, orange 7

Loved the subtle orange tangy-ness along with the rich and dense pudding. I really could taste the toffee which added a nice caramel-smoky note.

bacon chocolate crunch bar, s&p ice cream 7

I didn't think I would taste the bacon, as i've had chocolate+bacon before, and the chocolate really takes over the whole dish. But they must have used a much savory (saltier) bacon because I did taste it, and it was lovely! The ice cream sounds weird, right? salt & pepper? but it was just a hint of pepper, which really went well.

tres leches, dulce de leche 7

The tres leches cake was simple yet very well done. I thought it was not too sweet which I appreciated. Very moist,with the frosting adding a touch of creamyness but again, not too sweet.

Over all, I really felt that they truly knew what they were doing. That they really thought through each dish as they came up with them. I most definitly need to go back, especially before Foie becomes illigal in Caifornia next year!

CHICAGO RESTAURANTS - Mercat a la Planxa & Beard Papas

2011-12-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

Chicago is one of the best cities in the U.S. for us foodies and regardless of your budget, you are bound to find tons of places and you will wish you had booked just "one more night"...
As decisions have to be made, and some places did not make our list for either price or timing reasons... the ones we did go range from really good to superb.

MERCAT A LA PLANXA

We decided to try this Catalan cuisine for lunch and all in our party went for the $18 lunch deal that included a fountain drink, starter and main course.

TRUITA DE PATATAS CON ESPINACAS

One of the appetizers, we most refer to as tortilla de papas in Argentina, and it was so good that surprisingly my even my mom approved (she still makes the best tortillas!) this one was very well seasoned, nice vegetal notes from the spinach and most importantly not overcooked. There's nothing worse than burned eggs.

MIXTO DE CROQUETAS - JAMON SERRANO, CHORIZO & ROMESCO

I ate these all over Spain this summer, and it was still not enough... I came back wanting more... and Mercat's version with chorizo and the Romesco sauce did not disappoint... they were crunchy outside, with lovely notes of the jamon & chorizo, and the sauce added a nice finish to these perfect little bits.

FISH OF THE DAY, POTATO PURE, HERB OIL

For the world I can't remember the type of fish, but I can tell you if was mild in flavor with an incredible nice crunchy skin very nicely assembled with a smooth and creamy potato pure and the herb oil added a nice finish and sublime herbaceous notes.

LAS RAMBLAS GRILLED CHICKEN SANDWICH, BACON, ROMESCO, TOMATO & PARMESAN

I don't usually order sandwiches and this was no exception. The choice was my son's and it was a good one. This was no ordinary sandwich as the chicken was marinated in lots of herbs and unlike any chicken breasts, this one was juicy and tender as opposed to dry. Add to this the bacon, the amazing romesco sauce,tomato and parm... I'd say you have a delicious gourmet sandwich.

BLACK ANGUS HANGER STEAK, POTATO CROQUETTE, BRAISED SHORT RIBS,BEECH MUSHROOM ESCABECHE

This hanger Steak was very nicely done, rare in the middle and a nice caramelization and smokiness on the outside. The short ribs were very and I mean very tender and well seasoned and both meats went really well with the mushrooms en escabeche which added a nice acidity. The only downfall of this dish is that the croquette got soggy in the middle as the beef was atop.

BEARD PAPAS

Beard Papas is a transplant from Japan that has perfected the way of making these incredible puffs without compromising quality. They use NO preservatives, fill them up as you wait and are incredibly light, crispy, flaky, delicious... I could keep going!

The best part is that they have locations here in Southern California!!

STORE FRONT OF BEARD PAPAS - CHICAGO

VANILLA CREAM PUFF

AS YOU SEE, THEY DON'T SKIMP ON THE FILLING!

THE STRAWBERRY WAS THE FAVORITE

CHOCOLATE CREAM PUFF

MY TOP 5 REASONS TO VISIT ARGENTINA

2011-12-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm probably a bit bias, having lived here 6 years out of my young life and had an amazing time doing so, in fact, I still visit my childhood friends whenever I get a chance to escape to such a gorgeous place.
However, I have been to Argentina as a tourist, and visited quite a few other countries... so I believe have some qualifications... right??
Alright Here goes,

Malbec!... Yes, I love it, you'll love it too. The Mendoza wine country is amazing with the most spectacular scenery. There's nothing better than sipping some amazing wine (like Achaval Ferrer) and seeing the Andes mountains so close you feel you could touch them and covered in snow.
Beef! baby... I admit I don't normally consume beef as a true Argentine descendant, but its only because I am very picky... but don't worry... Argentina knows BEEF!... make sure to try the Asados!
Long Haul Buses... are out of these world! really! It's hard to impress a 9 yr old boy with anything, but even my son thought the Suites in the overnight bus with CATA International were "sick" (which I think its the equivalent of "cool") my! I'm getting old!
Pastries... Bizcochos, Facturas mmm! soo good! In Argentina Pastries are called "Facturas" and Bizcochos are sort of like a denser, buttery-er version of Biscuits (on steroids!) LOL All the pastries are buttery, melt in your mouth little mounds of heaven! :)
Nightlife... You really have to experience... Nothing starts until 1 or 2 am... and no one goes home until the sun is coming out!

Fig Restaurant, Santa Monica - 50% off (amazing deal)

2011-12-10T21:51:00.001-08:00

One of the few restaurants of this caliber to offer such an amazing deal, I had to try it for myself. First of all from 5PM to 6PM everyday, Fig Restaurant (Inside the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica) offers their entire menu at 50% off including Cocktails and their wine list!! (excludes truffle dishes). To add to the excitement, park at the valet with confidence, since the restaurant will validate it for you for the first 3 hrs, making this one of the few (and maybe the only) upscale hotel in this area to be able to get valet for free.
For reference the SLS charges $15 regardless if you are dinning at Bazaar.

"Honey under the Kilt" (12 year Scotch, Honey, Tarragon and Lemon)

The cocktail was pretty well balanced (albeit a bit too much Scotch for my taste, but I don't think most would complaint about that) they honey did a nice job at smoothing the punch from the Scotch, along with the lemon to add a touch of freshness and acidity and surprisingly the tarragon added a nice herbaceous finish.

Your own personal mini baguette arrives in this cute little paper bag

Mini Baguette

Fresh baguette was next served along with a nice compound butter. Very good.

Starter - Foie Gras & Chicken Liver Parfait with Fig Marmalade & toasted Baguette

One of the most famous starters at FIG and with good reason. It was very good, the combination of Foie Gras with a sweet accompaniment is classic, and this one did not disappoint. The Fig Marmalade was delicious and I just wished there would have been more of it, as there really was not enough for the 3 pieces of toast.

Foie Gras & Chicken Liver Parfait

The Parfait comes of course with the fat on top, which you take out and set aside to find the delicious livery goodness. Be forewarned though that it is a bit heavy on the livery notes. I wished it would have had more Foie, less Chicken Liver but that's just me. I was able to taste the Foie Gras notes separately from the Chicken Liver ones.

Scallops, Cauliflower pure, Pine Nuts, Golden Raisins and Tangerines

Delicious!! Superbly fresh tasting, well cooked and a very nice combination with the creamy cauliflower pure chewy sweet golden raisins and a nice tang and sweetness finish with the tangerines. The pine nuts added a nice nutty flavor and a bit of crunch.

Nutella & Chocolate Tart with Candied Hazelnuts and Marshmallow cream

This tart is not for the faint at heart. Consider yourself warned! it was very good, but also extremely rich and dense. The crust is almost non existent and the dish really could have used another texture to cut through the richness of all that chocolate. It was difficult to taste the nutella, although hints of it are noticed, it was overpowered by the rich, rich chocolate. Definitely a desert to share.

Chicago Review & Pictures

2011-12-09T22:20:00.000-08:00

Decided to go with my son and my mom to the windy city over Thanksgiving weekend. I know this review is a bit late, but as they say better late than never.
Arrived at O'Hare at Noon on Thursday (Thanksgiving day) and the airport was not as busy as I thought it would be. However, it took us nearly 45 minutes to get to the L blue line to go downtown. The airport is very intimidating! Loved the bathrooms with the automatic seat covers LOL gotta love that! and the fact that they have TORTAS FRONTERAS BY RICK BAYLESS, well, it makes it one of my favorite airports after Paris (mainly due to the Macaroons from Laduree).
Stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel Magnificent mile, and loved the service (5 stars) and the room was modern, super clean, ample enough (although there have been some complaints on the small size of them) you've never seen a small room until you've been to Europe, those are SMALL! LOL
In the next few days we used taxi's and the amazing public transportation system. We did a free tour with Chicago Greeters with Leigh, who took us to the Gold Coast (my mom's favorite of the entire trip). She was extremely knowledgeable, fun and a true enjoyment to have her show us around.
Skated in Millennium Park while realizing we were the only ones literally "ON" the ice... as in falling every 5 seconds! Most everyone else skated very well. It was fun and free (you only rent the skates) but if you have your own, its entirely free.
Downtown (The Loop) was a true joy to walk around and admire the buildings and architecture. Just be careful because you're neck will hurt at the end of the day from looking up! LOL
Had amazing Chicago Deep Dish Pizza at Giordano's, Huge tasty pancakes at the Bongo room, super crunchy and creamy cream puffs at Beard Papas (the strawberry was the favorite) and an unforgettable dessert tasting at TRU with the now famous black and while napkins service in the silver tray.
The Field Museum was my son's favorite of the trip, as he got to see "Sue" the largest, most complete T-REX in the world! He also enjoyed the Egyptian Exhibit, and bragging about what he knew. :)
On our last day we spend the morning at the Art Institute and had an amazing time admiring my favorites: Picasso and Dali paintings.
One thing I missed: There is a true shortage of souvenir shops or knickknack shops. The windy city has this "air" about her I've yet to see in another city. Very proper, high-scale if you will. We had a fantastic time!

Enjoy our favorite pictures

Largest Tiffany Dome in the World at the Chicago Cultural Center

Magnificent Mile from our Hotel (Intercontinental Chicago) looking towards downtown

Our Hotel, Intercontinental Chicago - Magnificent Mile

Mom & Matthew at the German Christmaskindl Market in the Loop

A very good beginning in Chicago, German Potato Pancake & amazing Bratwurst sandwich

Our room at the Intercontinental Chicago with a view towards Magnificent Mile (paid $400 including tax for 3 nights!) great deal.

Our View

Matt & Me (Random picture in Chicago)

Cultural Center - View towards Millennium Park

Millennium Park

Mom & Matt in the Gold Coast (my mom's favorite area) a small box under the freeway costs about $1 Million! LOL

The original Playboy Mansion

Matthew in love with the $1Million cube at the Federal Reserve Bank Museum in Chicago

Hahahaha! My mom had lots of fun at the Federal Reserve Bank!

Matt's Hero! Michael Jordan's (His Steakhouse in Chicago)

Cloud Gate "The Bean" Huge steal sculpture made to reflect the whole city

Millennium Park

Matt & Me ice skating in Millennium Park

Monet at the Art Institute - Love his use of color!

Matt's favorite - Georges Seurat "A Sunday on la Grande Jatte"

Painting by Matta from Chile "The earth is a man"

View at night from the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears tower) which by the way, they sold the name because they needed $$!

San Diego for $250 or Less!

2011-12-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

Sometimes all we have is a "stay-cation" for one reason or another. More often then not, its due to lack of time for a proper vacation or lack of "mula" (money LOL).

If you are willing to forgo the luxuries of the Westin and get out of your comfort zone, I guarantee you will have a good time.

Lodging: DOLPHIN MOTEL ($60/night queen bed) *Rates may vary

*Free Parking, Free Continental Breakfast and Great Reviews on Trip Advisor)

Cuisine:

HARAR ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT (North Park)
*Large Vegetarian Entrees go for about $9.99 (some less) and are sharable. Plus its fun to eat with your hands.

EL ZARAPE (University Heights)
*99 Cent Fish Tacos (which come highly recommended by many)

THE KEBAB SHOP (Downtown)
*Falafel $6.50, Kebab Dinner Plates $8-$10.

Activities:

Walk around The Gaslamp Quarter

Rent bikes for $10 an Hr @ Wheel Fun Rentals

Visit the USS Midway if you feel like a little splurge ($18 Adults, $10 Kids) Flight Simulators $8 per person.

Enjoy your stay-cation!

20 Facts about me

2011-12-05T13:19:00.001-08:00

My favorite part about travel is actually the research & anticipation of the trip.
I have a phobia of flying (Ironic, I know) any little bit of turbulence, I think we're going down.
My favorite city is Lisboa
My favorite country is Spain
If I don't go anywhere in a few months, I get anxious and bored.
I'm a total foodie, but love street food
Australia is NOT on my Bucket List
I have a nitch for finding amazing travel deals
I can easily walk 5 miles per day in Europe (in heals)
I never wear flats, and the few times I did, my feet hurt.
I wish I spoke Italian & Japanese (I do however speak English & Spanish)
I will save money on everything in order to satisfy my Travel Obsessions.
My son has more stamps on his passport than I did at his age.
One day, I will travel without having researched EVERYTHING! Promise!
I love, love to throw stuff out... and sometimes, I needed it!
The only thing I have a hard time getting rid of, are Hotel & Airplane amenities (I love to collect them)
Travelling "Light" makes me feel like a Frequent Flyer
I make conversation with anyone who will listen
I love to travel "Solo" although I was scared the 1st time.
I never had so much beer as when I went to Ireland!

Chicago Restaurants

2011-12-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

Chicago... known for its amazing architecture and of course, a foodie's paradise. Here is my opinion on the places we dined while in the city over Thanksgiving weekend.

David Burke's Primehouse (Thanksgiving dinner - Pre-fix menu)

Its hard to judge a steakhouse when you didn't really have any steak, but there's a good reason for that. Being Thanksgiving night, I really didn't think it would be the best night to sample on of there dry aged meats, as I am very picky, and did not want to be dissapointed. I was rather sure they would be focusing on the Pre-fix menu which included all the obvious for a night like this: Turkey (white and leg confit), sweet potato mash, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce and dessert.

Appetizers: My son ordered the scallops and as usual, his choice was a good one. They were very good, perfectly cooked. (Future foodie!)

I Ordered the Steak Tare Tare which I loved. It came with Shrimp tempura which were tasty but overcooked.

Lobster Salad: Huge chunks of Lobster were well appreciated, but lacking a good amount of acidity.

Pumpkin Soup: Too thick and I would have liked it a bit more savory, as the sweet notes were very predominant. But good.

Salad with Cranberries & walnuts: I didn't taste it, as it was my moms, and I was really not in the mood for anything green... she said it was good, but a salad nonetheless. Nothing spectacular.

Turkey: was good, nothing to write home about... (honesty, my mom makes the best tasting with lovely notes of mushroom & white wine) and DB's did not even come close...and it tasted a bit gamey.

Salmon: My son ordered this and it was cooked to perfection, albit missing some acidity... we both agreed that a little lemon would of made it much better... such a simple addition, but it was missed.

Green Beans: raw!... need I say more... they were beyond crunchy... I didn't send them back, but I should of.

Stuffing, Sweet potato mash with toffee bits: Stuffing was well seasoned and moist, but traditional. Sweet potato mash was mixed with regular potato, which I appreciated, making the dish less sweet and although I loved it combined with the toffee, it stuck to your teeth, not pretty.

Desserts: Apple cheesecake was the best, nice cream cheese notes with a nice acidity from green apples. The crust was sweet and very good (and I usually leave it) but this one was good.
Profiteroles: The shell was not crunchy outside, and the inside was a bit undercooked... not impressed, and we did not finish it.
Creme Brulee: for me, it was not dense enough, however, i know this is not the same version as the Spanish one, which in turn is more so. but nonetheless, it tasted a bit eggy and not enough caramelized sugar on top.

Overall, I'd say the food as a whole was average. I will give it another chance on my next trip to Chicago and will order the dry aged steak. However, I thought it was a good deal for the price, being Thanksgiving: $45 for adults, $15 for children.

PORTUGAL PICTURES

2011-12-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

Portugal is one of my favorite countries in Europe, and one that I hope to visit again. The History of a country that was years ahead in Sea Exploration, the quaint and charming streets and buildings, the amazing views, the warm people, the food... I could go on and on!... Oh, and did I mention that its the least expensive country to visit in Europe?...Just walking through the different areas of Lisboa, which is set on 7 hills, you sort of get taken back in time, however, the Portuguese people are very modern and dress to impress!...
something I didn't really see coming.

My room at Zuzabed Bed & Breakfast (it was incredible, with Luis being an incredible host!)

Rossio Square - My B&B was waayy up all those stairs...I didn't count them, but its more than 100!)

Rossio Square - at the foot of my B&B Zuzabed... after walking down the100+ steps

Jeronimos Monastery

Triumphal Arch - Praca de Comercio

Praca de Comercio - Lisboa

99% of the Streets are steep like this!

One of the Many Amazing Viewpoints of Lisboa

My TripAdvisor Friend Judy

Typical Electrico Tram

Another View of the street right outside my room

Quinta da Regaleira, - Sintra, Portugal

Quinta da Regaleira - Passageways (bring a flashlight, its dark in there)

Quinta da Regaleira (you could really spend all day here, its incredible)

Castelo dos Mouros - Sintra

The Coast, Portugal

Sunset from Ponto Final Restaurant (amazing comforting food & views) its really a must go!)

Ponto Final Restaurant - "Tomato Rice" cooked directly in the clay pot. Superb flavors and make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot, it may not be too fancy, but its the best part, the slightly caramelized rice and broth stuck at the bottom. Yummy!!

Museo dos Coches

Traditional Portuguese Pastry - Pasteis de Nata (Crunchy base & Creamy Yummy Custard)

View of the Hills from my Bed & Breakfast Room (Notice the Castle in the Background) How many places have a view like this, hu?

MADRID PICTURES

2011-12-03T12:46:00.000-08:00

Reina Sofia Museum - Salvador Dali - "El Enigma de Hitler

Reina Sofia Museum - Angeles Santos Torrolea - "Un Mundo" (Notice the Cabaret & Women of the Night at the bottom of the Painting)

...And the Rich at the top of the painting...

Plaza Mayor

Juana la Loca - Best ever, ever! Runny Tortilla with Caramelized Onions! (Sorry Mom, yours is good too!) LOL

Very Expensive Abanicos

Catedral de Toledo - Papa Juan Pablo II (loved him)

Streets of Toledo

Tapas & Wine Tour Group

Chocolateria San Gines

Casa Lucas - Creamy Rice, Boletus, Foie Gras, Poached Egg! AMAZING!

Catedral de la Almudena

Roquefort Cheesecake, Walnuts, Figs & Red Wine

2011-11-18T09:39:00.000-08:00

As my contribution to our family's 1st annual "Pre - Thanksgiving gathering" potluck, Roquefort Cheesecake seemed as a fitting option, and rather reflective of my personality... God forbid I actually create something normal for a change. Well, who wants to be normal? That's boring! ...
So, if you dare (and you should!) here's the recipe for this wonderful, tasty, savory, nutty inventive appetizer.

Roquefort Cheesecake

1/2 C Dry Plain Bread Crumbs
3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 C Chopped, Toasted Walnuts

3/4 Lb Roquefort Cheese
1 1/4 Lb Cream Cheese
3 Shallots, minced and sauteed
4 Eggs
2 Tbsp Flour
2 Oz Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp Chopped Dill

*Pre-heat oven to 300 Degrees.

*Melt butter in pan, add the bread crumbs until slightly toasted. Remove from heat and add the walnuts.
Stir the mixture to evenly distribute butter, bread crumbs and walnuts and press into the bottom of a 9 in. Springform pan.

*Cut a a strip of parchment paper 28in X 3in and place this collar around the sides of the pan.

*Blend both cheeses in a food processor until completely smooth and lump free.
add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Place in springform pan and even out the mix.

*Place the springform pan a water bath (make sure the water is hot) and place in the middle rack of a 300 Degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes.

*When done (it will still be jiggly, but it will set as it cools down) turn off the heat and leave in the oven for 30 minutes, then place the cheesecake on the counter, remove the sides of the pan, carefully remove the parchment paper and allow to finish cooling down. (about 1 hr).

Figs & Red Wine

*Place dried figs in small pan along with 2C of red wine, 1/2 C sugar and 1/4C Balsamic Vinegar.
cook until figs are tender and the sauce has reduced. Serve on top of Cheesecake.

Serve along side a salad of mustard greens or with mini toasts.

Enjoy!

DX Peruvian Restaurant - Santa Ana

2011-11-14T09:57:00.001-08:00

After a hard day of shopping and catching up on the gossip with my sister, she decided to take me to this Peruvian restaurant in front of South Coast Plaza called DX Peruvian Restaurant.
Us two, along with her 2 cuttie toddlers choose to sit outside, relax and enjoy some tasty Peruvian cuisine in hopes to drown the gilt of how much we had just spend on the morning's shopping! LOL

The kids had a very traditional simple combo kids eat in Peru called "Salchipapas" ... for those few who don't get the simple compound word (you know who you are!) ... its Salchichas (hot dog wieners mixed with Papas or French Fries)... Nothing mind blowing for sure, but a nice change of pace from the usual suspects in kids menu's I thought.

The adults in the bunch decided on the "Saltado" I choose the Lomo (red meat) and Sis of course the much healthier option, Chicken Breast.

Both combined with an amazing, tasty broth, tangy wedges of tomato, sweet red onions and mixed with french fries and a side of white rice; which really could have been avoided all together, as it didn't add anything to the dish. If there was a fault, I'd have to say, that would be the only one.
I much preferred the Lomo to the Pollo dish, but nonetheless, both amazing and great value's at $14.95 for the beef and $12.95 for the Chicken options.

Prior to the main dishes, they bring out this bright greens sauce, and bread and trying to decipher what was in the sauce, we realized we consumed all the bread.... and still, had not figured it out. So we resorted to the next best thing... our waitress. She informed us that the main ingredient was Lettuce!... Lettuce, really? for a sauce?... wow, OK... that's why we couldn't figure it out... who would think you can make such a tasty sauce with lettuce as a base?... it was really good, not too spicy and very creamy.

Will definitely come back! Check it out for your self.

Pollo Saltado

Lomo Saltado

Salchipapas

Salsa Verde made with Lettuce & Bread

Banh Mi My Tho - Alhambra

2011-11-14T09:03:00.001-08:00

After reading so much about these sandwiches (Banh Mi are Vietnamese Sandwiches on a crusty yummy french baguette spread with pate, add some sweet pickled veggies, couple of slices of fresh cucumber and topped off with cilantro and your choice of meat) I had to try one for my self.

The whole sandwich experience was just amazing! the combination of the toasted crunchy french bread, the pate, charbroiled pork and all those fresh toppings were as good as it sounds or better. I really liked the pate in place of any other traditional spread (mayo, etc) and the freshness of the veggies and a little kick from the cilantro... wow! Even my mom who is a self proclaimed "picky" person with international foods or anything that does not sound familiar to her... was 100% on board with these.

Add to that, the fact that they are only $2.50 each for a huge yummy sandwich. The egg rolls are also amazing and only $2 for 5 of them. Great seasoning in the pork filling, extreme crunchy-ness bite after bite... these are the type of egg rolls my mom would make (if she made egg rolls) ... and trust me, that is a huge complement to Banh Mi My Tho. You see, my mom is picky because she's an Amazing cook... so all my standards of comparison are to her cooking... As it should be.

#8 - Charbroiled Pork Banh Mi $2.50

Amazing crunchy pork egg rolls - $2 for 5 of them

#8 Charbroiled Pork Banh Mi - Whole sandwich

The Griddle Cafe - Hollywood, CA

2011-11-06T19:47:00.001-08:00

If you have never heard of or been to The Griddle... you are missing out on a total out of body experience, trust me!
It's not for everyone, as it takes lots of patience because the wait is loooonnggg. I saw many people upset about the wait time, even leaving the establishment blurring out a few "bad" words...
Once you get to actually sit, either at the bar, as we did, or at one of the tables, it becomes clear that #1: why the long wait, and #2: you better already know what you're having... because these waiters go a million miles an hr, and to get their attention might be difficult. However, one you do get their attention, don't worry, they are very nice... they don't bite :)
I witnessed most of the breakfast crowd going solo on the pancakes and not as much sharing as I thought I would see... do these people not know about the pizza sized pancakes... or is it because its Sunday, and no one wants to cook dinner (you can count on left overs for lunch & dinner, trust me!)

Our excuse was the latter... well, that and the fact that it was our first time @ the Griddle, and we each wanted to sample something different.

Here's what we had:

*A time to love: these were very tasty, really felt like a marriage between your best thanksgiving pumpkin pie and the best buttermilk pancakes. The moistness level was more that of a cake than pancakes, which I didn't mind, but if you are looking for the traditional texture of an original, this is not it. The pumpkin topping was a nice addition, thus no syrup was required.

*The Golden Ticket: My mom ordered these and I was so jelaous!... But of course she shared plenty, but I had my own battle to fight with my "cakes"... These were amazing! yummy banana & brown sugar baked into the pancakes with big walnut pieces with sweet caramel & the streusel giving it a nice additional texture. These feel more like what you would think of as "traditional" pancakes in terms of texture... but with the taste of banana nut bread. Again, amazing! My favorite of all the ones we sampled.

*Peanut Bubba French Toast: Of course my peanut butter obsessed pre-teen boy had to order these... they were very good, awesome if you love peanut butter... but afterwards he cringed at the slight mention of "peanut butter" ... it was quite funny!

*French Press Coffee: Both "adults" in the group had the Medium & Dark Roast Coffee respectively. I think they mixed them up, because the one labeled "Dark Roast" did not taste as such... The Coffee was not as hot as I Like it... and got cold rather quicky.

*Coconut Hot Chocolate: In terms of taste, it was very good, you could really make out the coconut flavor in the hot chocolate... however I was disappointed with this drink as it was very cold at arrival, and beyond sweet. I would choose it again, only if they can remedy these two very important mistakes.


"A Time to Love" Pumpkin Pancake with Streusel, Butterscotch chips, caramel, powdered sugar & whipped cream

This is the "after" ... Hardly a dent!


"The Golden Ticket" Brown Sugar Baked Banana Pancakes with Caramel, Walnuts & Steusel.

Another unsuccessful attempt to finish this huge Pancakes!

"Peanut Bubba" Yummy french toasts dipped in crunchy Peanut Butter and grilled. Served with Powdered Sugar & Whipped Cream. (no after picture, but Matt was also unsuccessful at finishing these!)

Hash Browns - I know you must be thinking "are you crazy to order a "side" knowing the size of the main dish?... It was actually a nice change to have something savory to counterbalance the huge sugar rush we were experiencing.

The Griddle was definitely worth the wait, even with the weak coffee and overly sweet & cold Coconut Hot Chocolate... because the Pancakes are amazing!

P.H.A.T. Pizza - Yorba Linda

2011-11-05T20:43:00.001-07:00


Stuffed Crust Pizza - Chicago Style

Going to Chicago in less than 3 weeks, and being as "obsessive" as I am with things :) I couldn't wait...
We found P.H.A.T. Pizza in Yorba Linda, CA through a friend, did some research and thought it was worth the drive to check it out.

Here are a few things about the place:

Ambiance: There is none, you should know its more of a place to call ahead, place your order and pick up. They do have a few tables, but the place is a whole in the wall, although very clean. (important)

Service: The service was very good, they were courteous and talkative. One thing I didn't like was the absence of napkins!... really... its a pizza place... they brought out paper towels... that is sooo not acceptable. Maybe they just ran out.. who knows... but the soda machine was also not working... giving me the feeling that these people are not in a hurry... they'll get to it when they get to it...

Food: here's what we had:

*Thin crust pizza (cheese and pepperoni)
The crust was amazing... although I cannot yet compare to Chicago's. It was sort of like a short dough, with a nice buttery taste... I've never had a pizza crust like that. If that is how Chicago's pizza crusts are like... I will for sure be packing my bags more often.
The sauce was just enough and not soup on dough, as most other pizzerias, because I hate when my pizza is drowning in sauce. (there is an exception of course) and that is when the crust can handle it and when its appropriate for a larger quantity of sauce as in Chicago Style Stuffed or Deep Dish.
There was ample amount of cheese. A very good thin crust pizza.

*Stuffed Crust: We choose the cheese and sausage (very classic Chicago Combo). Basically the construction of this massive thing was: crust, cheese, sausage, crust and chunky sauce on top.
I would have liked the sausage to have a more important role in the pizza because I could barely taste it, it was very under seasoned for my taste. The cheese as in the thin crust was liberally added to the stuffed pie and they did not skimp on this. The sauce was nice and chunky, very well seasoned, not that sweet tomato-y stuff you get with others...
One thing I will note on the Stuffed Crust is that you sort of loose that buttery, short dough flaky crust you get in the thin crust, because of all the ingredients on top, its harder for the crust to remain moist free.

Over all, i really liked the pizzas... both the Thin Crust and the Stuffed Crust. Although I didn't like the lack of napkins and soda machine, I would come back for sure because of the amazing pizza's and in the end, they were very nice and courteous.

INK. BY MICHAEL VOLTAGGIO

2011-10-31T16:11:00.001-07:00

3 of us last night had the pleasure of dining at L.A.'s most anticipated new restaurant of the year... Michael Voltaggio's restaurant INK.

From the moment we arrived, the service was spot on, courteous and welcoming.

We were lucky to have been seated just in front of the "line"and have front row seats to the action.
From our table we could see how Chef Voltaggio prepped our dishes and gave instructions along side his team. He was cool and focused and ran the kitchen as a master... I have to say, I love his cool, rock n' roll attitude, his tattoos (very sexy) and that the he can rock out spectacular dishes. That, was my favorite combination of the night.
Someone in our party, however, had a slight "crush" on the sous chef... :) ... I'll stay with the main guy of the night.

Here are some observation from the night:

* Service: Spot on - the waitress was very well informed of all the dishes and cocktails, and explained each dish as it came out, answered all our questions, always very courteous and with a smile... I'm not sure why there are reviews that say the service was pretentious ... I never, ever felt that way, on the contrary, We felt welcomed and the service made our night that much more spectacular.

* Food: My best way to describe the food in a few words would be very focused, the place is "food" driven... as opposed to Bazaar, for example, that sells you a place for ambiance and to see and be seen... here at INK. Food is the #1 reason these people live for... Bitchn' dishes!
One other thing I loved, was that everything on the plate had a reason to be there... take the Steak Tartare... with powdered horseradish... it was superb, very well done... but add to that bite of steak tartare the heart of palm and you understand "why" the heart of palm is there... it brought the dish to a whole new dimension.

*Drinks: We had a few cocktails, and they were well balanced in terms of booze and flavor... I was later chatting with the head mixologist, and exchanging "tasting" notes on his drinks... I loved the scotch with the clover honey & ginger... perfect amount of alcohol... you could really make out the honey and the ginger, which left a slight tingle & spiciness as it goes down. I loved it.

* Meeting Michael Voltaggio: I'll tell you, he has not let all this fame go to his head, he was amazing and personable, very nice. We had the chance to exchange a few words about the dishes we had ordered and he immediately pulled out his phone and started showing us pictures of the prep work they do every day before service starts... he said he brings the charcoal for the CHARRED AVOCADO from Japan... and said he spends hundreds of dollars every night on burning that charcoal... which by the way if you are wondering, they char them whole with the peal on (I saw it on his cell phone!) He was kind to sign our menu's, and of course, I couldn't leave without buying the Voltaggio's bros. new book... which is amazing! you should get it... and he signed it for me, even got a little drawing from Mr. Chef! :) ... the whole experience was amazing, making us not care 1 bit that we spend $290 (with the book) among 3 people... (with drinks, not including tip)... and wishing more bites of the dishes... (I guess that's Voltaggio's goal...after all) leaving you wanting more...
Goal Achieved!

On to the food - Here's what we ordered:

1. Charred Avocado, hen of the woods, whipped fish sauce and mushroom chicharron
     Amazing: My sister & mom don't like avocado... lets start there... but this dish made them believers!... the creamy charred avocado with the earthy hen of the woods whipped fish sauce (foam) and those crispy mushroom chicharrones (OMG... I'll take a bag of those to go!)... well done MV.

2. Kale, Burrata, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin preserve and Yuzu: The slight bitterness of the young tender kale parred beautifully with the sweetness of the pumpkin... the Burrata was delightful, although a bit too soft for my taste, I couldn't distinguish the creamy center from the fresh mozzarella. the pumpkin seeds added a nice crunch to the whole dish.

3. Brussels Sprouts, Pig Ears, house cured Lardo, Apple: This was one of my favorite... The Brussels Sprouts were caramelized to perfection outside, with a nice tender center, topped with julienned crunchy pig ears and a nice tartness and sweetness from the apple.

4. Beef tartare, horseradish, heart of palm, sea bean chimichurri: Me and my sister loved this dish (mom however, does not eat raw meat, so more for us! ) the horseradish was ash'd (as opposed to the usual suspect on your plate) and I though it was much more mild & pleasant this way than the traditional. make sure you add a little piece of the heart of palm to each bite, it adds a nice balance to the dish.

5. Butternut Squash risotto, Chicken wings, Egg yolk, toasted wild rice, aromatic broth: very nice dish, risotto cooked perfectly along with the sweetness of the squash and the richness of the egg yolk.

6. Sea bass, cream of dehydrated potato, black olive oil, lemon, caper: This was a hit!... the skin was so crispy, and the fish so tender & flaky pared very nice with the creamy potato & a nice punch from black olives and lemon. Next time though, I'll over one just for me, as it was sooo good, and too small for 3 people.

7. Berkshire Pork, charcoal crust, macaroni and cheese, leaks: OMG!... this pork was absolutely amazing... it was cooked sous vied... no knife needed... super tender and the charcoal crust added a nice smokiness. The macaroni and cheese was actually, as mentioned in other reviews, long pasta logs, delightfully aldente stuffed with what tasted like Italian ricotta & parmesano reggiano ... I wish there was more Mac n Cheese in the world like these!.

8. Veal Cheeks, red curry, nante Carrots baked in salt, fried & sticky Rice: I had never before tried Veal cheeks so I though I'd give it a go... the consistency was of a super soft (almost slimy) texture... I didn't like the texture. However, the taste was really good, the carrots were a nice sweet n' salty addition as the crunchy rice and red curry.

9. Wagyu Hanger Steak, Turnips, Coffee Cardamom Soil, Mustard, Vadouvan: Ok, at this point, I (and the rest of my gang) were in a food coma, so much of this dish is a mystery still in my mind...

10. Dessert: I really wish I could have tried all the desserts, honestly, they all sounded so amazing from the Goat Cheese Ash to grapefruit curd & avocado... we went a little dish happy with our savory orders... and barely left any room for the most important part of a dinner... the ending!

So, we went for the Apple, Creme Caramel, burnt wood sabayon and walnuts: OMG! this was amazing... I would honestly never order anything that starts with apples... it seems so boring & safe... this was a reminder: don't judge a book by its cover, or in this case: don't judge the dish by its name: It was nutty, sweet, creamy, crunchy, tart (apple) wow!

M.V. also said he was working on side dishes for the menu repertoire... and eventually many side dishes will make a come back (as in the seaweed mash potatoes & hopefully banana polenta)

Drinks: Vodka, Lime, ginger, soda (so refreshing!)
             Scotch, lemon, ginger, clover honey, angostura bitters (omg! sooo good)
            Bourbon, pineapple, anise (very good, although I'm not much of a fan of anise)
My favorite was the scotch... not too sweet, perfect booze levels, nice sweetness from the honey and a spiciness from the Ginger.

It was an amazing night & I cannot wait to come back!!

The Bazaar By Jose Andres-Los Angeles

2011-10-16T22:15:00.001-07:00

I've been wanting to come here for a while, and was able to score reservations last minute for Saturday night @ 10:15pm... arrived by 9:45pm, and they advised us we could wait in the bar area, and they would come get us when our table was ready.
The bar was amazing, full of beautiful people, young, old and in between. its the perfect place to go with a diverse group because no one feels out of place (as opposed to other places that has a crowed too young or too old) this was a nice mix.
We had the Manhattan cocktail with the spherical "cherry" it was good but too strong for my taste (it had whiskey) which being a mainly wine drinker & not a cocktail drinker, I didn't know, but my mom loved it as she loves whiskey.

My mom had the "smoke on water" & it was amazing! with black berry juice and other things which I can't remember... it comes "smoking" having been frozen with liquid Nitrogen!... you 1st think "how am i going to drink this" as its frozen! ... wait a few minutes and it was liquify... it was an attention grabber as everyone around us looked in amazement at the "molecular" drink.

I had the American caviar cone, tiny but tasty with cream fraiche & caviar.

then the attendant came and got us to go to our table, and we were lucky to have been seated at the "chefs" table in front of the kitchen, so we could see all the action.

things we ordered:
Olives: molecular & traditional: the molecular were not as good as the ones I had at Ferran Adria's new place in Barcelona, but if you've never had these, they are a good fun thing to try. The traditional olives were amazing with orange peel & stuffed with anchovies. (the anchovies taste is not too strong, very very good.

Tortilla de patatas "new way": potato foam, caramelized onions & egg cooked to 63degrees... it was small, but very good. (it did have an eggy taste which my mom didn't like) but I didn't mind it... it did taste like a traditional spanish tortilla.

Cotton Candy Foie Gras: This was one of my favorite of the night!... its a 1 bit dish that leaves you wanting more... 1st you get the sweetness from the cotton candy, then the crunchy from the corn nuts and then the buttery livery goodness from the foie... amazing!

Croquettas de pollo: chicken croquetas made with bechamel and shredded chicken... my mom's favorite of the night (i thought they were very tasty, but if you've been to spain... no one does these as the "spanish' nonetheless, they were very good.

Gazpacho: this is a little different from what most people think of when they think of gazpacho... as this was a "algecira" style with bread and sherry vinegar... amazing, creamy but not too thick, amazing taste.

Plate of Jamon Serrano: (served with Pa'am tomaquet: Amazing! the bread was actually superb... perfect amount of tomato, very good bread, well toasted and with the Serrano ham... what can I say... very very good.

Bunuelos: codfish fritters: these were a disappointment.... they were ok, but I wouldn't order them again... the cod was kinda dry & chewy.

we had a couple of beers which complemented the meal wonderfully.

We then were asked if we wanted to move to the Patisserie for dessert: Of Course!
Another attendent came & walked us over the area of desserts, which by the way is beautiful... we had coffee (regular coffee): it was nice and strong (I hate when its so watery) and we shared a chocolate tart with caramel... trust me... share dessert!... this was very rich... we couldn't finish it...

The nice thing is that all the tabs were transfered over from Bar to Restaurant to Patisserie... so we ended up paying all in 1 at the end and it came to: $154 for 2 people which was not too bad.

Valet was kinda expensive ($14) but you can also use a credit card to pay for it)

the service was spot on, perfect and attentive... and for me, service is key: I want to feel like I'm important to them, and they came through with flying colors.

If you don't want to spend too much, but want to check it out I suggest going to the Bar (no reservations needed) order beers & croquettas ($10) for a luxurious inexpensive night out!.

we left at 1am, and there was still people showing up!... actually, it was full!... as if it was daylight!