eatTALK: food for blog

Le Petit Jardin Bistro

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Would you like some flowers? No? Maybe some food? With a brunch and lunch menu that covers the basics, Le Petit Jardin Bistro, strays every so slightly from eatery expectations, being a flower shop and all. Service is sweet, but the pace is slow, and no, flowers aren't blooming as you wait. Sometimes food takes time, and here, more emphasis is placed on developing the product than alleviating the impatience hunger brings. There is ample seating inside and out, though for the garden tea party aesthetic, outside seating is preferred. Sure, surprise a date with a floral arrangement courtesy of their alternate business, but in my case, the Croque Madame makes for a more satisfying reason to visit.

Carrot Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

After middle school one day, I sat in our family room eating a snack while fixated on the television. A Carrot Cake was to be made and I had never seen the process. Sure, I've eaten veggie sweet breads and savory pies, but carrots? I've had it before too, but making it was a different story. For the 10-minute segment I saw carrots being peeled and folded into a batter, frosting being made and set aside and a finished cake "magically" being pulled out from beneath the studio kitchen's faux kitchen counter. I needed to make this, I thought. Years later, Carrot Cake has become a fond memory of youth and after a recent visit to Tartine, another sweet treat I wanted to share!

Tacolicious

noreply@blogger.com (Jason M.) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

San Francisco, CA. I was skeptical. The bright dining room was packed with hip urbanites swilling Sunday Funday margaritas, a sunny oasis brimming with positive energy and the aroma of grilled meat. The clever logo, a simple semi-circle evoking a taco shell, was...fun? And the name, oh the name! Tacolicious. Insert arched eyebrow here. This certainly wasn't your neighborhood taqueria, or your favorite street taco cart; it couldn't possibly be any good.

#FoodTour: San Francisco, CA - II

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

San Francisco, CA. Another bright and sunny day, another day to feast our eyes on some tasty San Francisco eats on this #FoodTour II. Round one took us through some of the local favorites and this new day quickly followed suit. Unsure of how exactly the day would turn out, we played it by ear and went where our tastes took us. What does that mean? Well, let's just say it adds to the choices from #FoodTour: San Francisco I in quite the complimentary way!

Tartine Bakery

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

San Francisco, CA. Walking around the city, stumbling upon new neighborhoods and trusting in a guide that has made SF his home for nearly 20 years, initiated #FoodTour: San Francisco I. Tartine Bakery, noted for its sandwiches, pastries, and daily baked breads, was added to the list with no question. Acknowledged by friends, locals, and foodies as the PLACE to go, we did.

We Like Ike's

noreply@blogger.com (Jason M.) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

San Francisco, CA. When I used to think of sandwiches, I thought of childhood. Bagged lunches containing Hawaiian sweet rolls stuffed with egg salad; briny tuna sandwiches made years before I even knew albacore existed; crispy spam and egg with mayo on soft white my mom would make if we asked nicely. These were the sandwiches I knew, and one of the first things I ever cooked for myself was an artery-clogging monstrosity containing two eggs, two slices of pan-fried spam, and two frozen hashbrown patties, set between two slices of wheat bread. Ike's Place in San Francisco–an unassuming hole-in-the-wall that is actually part of a much-loved NorCal chain preparing to open their first SoCal outpost–transported me back to a time when a sandwich held limitless possibilities, before carbs were vilified.

#FoodTour: San Francisco, CA - I

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

San Francisco, CA. Though I've been wanting to go for quite some time to this highly acclaimed 'food city,' timing just never allowed for the excursion. Exploring a community through food is how I travel and lucky for me, the years have identified a number of local eateries to try. On this spontaneous visit to San Francisco, CA, I applied my method: food, food, and more food. Of course, my only hope was that my friends would share in the interest and help make this #FoodTour a memorable one. Either I have great friends, hungry friends, or both, because that's exactly what we did!

Philz Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

San Francisco, CA. A late night, and reasonably last-minute roadtrip, landed a friend of mine and I in San Francisco, CA. The next morning we made a list of priorities, and before dining in one or two restaurants, we agreed on coffee. At Philz Coffee, we quickly acquainted ourselves with a unique blend of flavor, a smiling and helpful staff of baristas, and embraced our individually crafted coffee. The menu of choice blends seemed intimidating at first, but the baristas guided us on our journey to the perfect cup.

Tinga

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles, CA. Though bars, gastropubs, and otherwise American eateries serve up this Latin-American dish, when do we reach a point where someone truly does it best? Or rather, is it even possible to mess up? Blue cheese crumbles slowly melting over blue corn chips, nacho rounds smothered in melted cheddar, a stack of freshly fried sprinkled with jack cheese, guacamole, olives, and ground beef...endless possibilities of savory sights that I've seen across my restaurant journeys. Simple in its making and readily shared, its role has become clear, and I'm not mad at it. Serving up several boastful renditions is Tinga, not a bar, but a mid-city Mexican eatery.

Candied Walnuts

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Is it snack time yet? I rarely have food in my cupboards purposed for grazing. I'm not a grazer; when I eat it's generally more than a handful. When the mood strikes, however, I'll throw together an Unda-Snack if I'm being healthy or I'll make something that is the complete opposite. These Candied Walnuts skew toward the complete opposite and like most snack foods, are difficult to resist when sitting innocently on a table. Snack foods aren't always meant to be 'healthy,' are they? Mix this versatile snack into a salad, sprinkle over ice cream, or just grab a handful and eat up!

Monte Alban Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles, CA. For months a friend teased me with images of this gigantic Burrito a la Oaxaquena. Once with a picture at Monte Alban Restaurant but many times as a sauce laden "To Go" order. Proudly serving authentic Oaxacan cuisine, this restaurant introduces dishes with traditionally known foods like chorizo and chicharron, while integrating less commonly known names like the opuntia cactus, molcajete salsa, and their famed mole negro. So why go here for just a burrito? Though the restaurant has a number of dishes I'd try, I was already hungering for only one in particular.

It All Falls Apart: Pot Roast

noreply@blogger.com (Jason M.) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

When I was a starving college student, subsisting on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Jamba Juice, and tears, I lived for the Sunday nights I could drive 30 minutes from school to get my Auntie Vee's cooking. Sunday nights at her house meant free laundry, the "Amazing Race", and hearty dinners that felt like home. My favorite was her pot roast, a meltingly tender hunk of beef braised in Lipton's Onion Soup mix with carrots and potatoes, and served over a pile of white rice doused in gravy and unconditional love. It was her Pot Roast I learned to make for my friends one Sunday night, kicking off a decade of cooking that continues to this day.

Shamshiri Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Westwood, CA. "Is it nearby?" I turned to my friend, glancing at my watch, anxiously wondering if we actually had enough time. The plan was to meet for a bite then grab a few snacks for the road - donuts were on my mind and I knew just where I could get some. Unfortunately, traffic didn't permit the indulgence, taking nearly two hours to travel across a 5-mile distance. "Yes, yes, it's right up here." We entered into this eatery off Westwood Boulevard that I've never seen before, nor would I have noticed it in passing. My friend and his unique palate brought us to Shamshiri Grill, a local Middle Eastern restaurant.

Unda-Snack, High-Protein

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Let's get on board with Unda-style, shall we? As I mentioned in a previous recipe, I came across a rendition of a quesadilla on 101cookbooks and decided to apply the "Unda" style to my own high protein meal. The version I served up on eatTALK.net was a simple Salmon Salad. This time, rather than making it a quesadilla and stuffing it with flavored accessories, I'm simplifying it down to my staple high-protein snack. Referred to as the "Unda-Snack," by friends, this is a quick bite I make (and now friends make) that actually prevents me from reaching for the fried chicken, large pizza, cake, etc.. Enjoy!

Postcard from Las Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (Erin L.) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Las Vegas, NV. Ah, Vegas. The Bacchanalian capitol of the world, where excess is revered, sobriety is not an option, the price tags are high, the dresses are short, and the lights are brighter than ever. The recession is over; Vegas is hoppin’ again. But where to eat? There’s no such thing as a sure thing in LV, but here are some of the best bets.

Soda Pop's

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles, CA. I'd like a soda - a banana soda - please. Wait...you actually have it? As the name suggests this food shop is a purveyor of soda, with a select supply of sweets to join their sandwiches, wraps, and salads. The sodas are displayed in a small case within eyeball distance of the cashier. Cookies and other desserts, baked or supplied, are packaged and neatly displayed next to the register. Side Salads, house-made chips, and more are directly to the right from where orders are placed. Basically, Soda Pop's makes it pretty easy to grab a filling lunch if time is of essence.

Coffee Cake with Mini Chocolate Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Nostalgia through food? Why not? Several years ago as a newcomer to Los Angeles, I attempted to recreate the community around food I became used on the east coast. I began making friends through my cooking, meeting new people to share in the eats as I baked my way to the relationships I have today. This particular Coffee Cake with Mini Chocolate Chips is how was introduced to one of my first group of friends, and quickly became the most requested dish. Vary it up by serving it in muffin tins, by adding crumble or fruit…or just stick with the chocolate chips. New and old friends alike continue to favor its flavor: within 8 hours of baking it this time around, all of its slices had been claimed!

Elabrew Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Hollywood, CA. I was taking a walk in Hollywood, realizing that I hadn't yet had a morning coffee and wanted to remedy that stat. To my right I noticed a narrow food stand in front of the CNN tower off Sunset Boulevard, later identified as Elabrew. I would've kept walking but for the lone woman slowly sipping her 'jo, sitting in the few tables adjacent to the stand's storefront. Wait, they sell coffee here?!

Plancha: A Taco Joint

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles, CA. The inevitable health-conscious question was posed: find me a healthy Latin American restaurant in Los Angeles. Does one exist? Well, there may be one a lot closer than you'd think! Situated in a small plaza along the 3rd Street Shopping District, is Plancha: A Taco Joint, serving traditional choices with the sought-after lightness, cooked on a plancha, their flattop grill. With friendly staff, a simple menu, and late night hours, the little eatery becomes an easy go-to after a exhausting [work/school/.../etc.] day.

Magnolia Bakery, Los Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles, CA. There's always a time and a place for dessert, but finding a bakery or pastry shop with a stable supply beyond the 6 o'clock hour has become the unending challenge. Good shops close early - I get it. What do I do at 8:53pm on a weeknight when I REALLY need to have a slice of cake, pastry or pie? Well, luckily along the shopping district known as 3rd Street sits the west coast location of Magnolia Bakery, of NYC. It offers seating inside and out, sweets for the hungry, coffee for the weary, and closing hours at the 9 or 10 o'clock mark - now this is making more sense.

Animal: Poutine is Love

noreply@blogger.com (Jason M.) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles, CA. Cheese and potatoes have gone together since time immemorial, like milk and cookies, eggs and bacon, Hall and Oates. Hearty gratins and baked potatoes oozing melted cheddar eventually begat Velveeta-covered french fries, a blistering, radioactive orange showcase of what American food processing ingenuity could achieve. But in typical American fashion, french fry innovators lost interest soon after adding chili to the mix, moving on to tater tots, deep-fried Oreos, and hot dogs inexplicably injected with cheese before being served to unsuspecting school kids.

Kale Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Ever find yourself chewing on a couple leaves of kale while simultaneously tapping through the tv channels looking to fill the idle time with anything...just anything? Neither have I (not often anyway). What I HAVE found, is that this nutrient rich green lasts for about five to seven days in my crisper, despite me gnawing away at it over the week. That being said, I usually end up with more kale than I know what to do with...I've exhausted the rinse and eat, light oil sautee, cream it down, or crisp it up variations in prep diversity. Now it's time to introduce another modification to cozy up to for the times when L.A. becomes a wee too cold for my sun-hungry ways: Kale Soup.

Country Fried Steak

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:00:00 +0000

The sizzling sound of tenderized cube steaks immersed in a deep fryer. SSssss! The water slowly vaporizing through the vent as classic Southern cuisine takes over. Careful, this dish comes with a warning: to be eaten until full. Country Fried Steak (aka Chicken Fried Steak, Pan-Fried Steak) was a shoe-in when I considered a few choices for my deep fried splurges. In my household, I'm more accustomed to the dish being pan-fried, served simmering in brown gravy, but when one has a deep fryer, he uses it! As demonstrated in my Chicken Fried Turkey 'Steak' recipe, the prep process can vary, but it remains just as easy to put together for that reliable and relatable Southern flavor.

Ratatouille and Poached Egg

noreply@blogger.com (Erin L.) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:00:00 +0000

I found myself in a très Provençal mood the other night. I turned my dining room into an Avignon farmhouse: threw some lavender in mason jars, created an Edith Piaf station on Pandora, and immediately set to chopping vegetables for a ratatouille - a French dish of roasted and stewed vegetables. It can be made with whatever vegetables you have on hand (although what I list below are the standard ingredients) and is completely customizable. Eat it hot, warm, or cold. Serve it on bread, on rice, tossed with pasta, or on its own as a side dish. Here, I pair it with a couple poached eggs for a hearty (yet healthy) full meal. Pour some bordeaux, light the fire, and get transported. Bon appetit.

Homestyle Apple Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Y.) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Throughout my life, I've had a devoted interest in crust and crumble, usually my favorite part of a dessert. This Homestyle Apple Crisp is a hearty version that renders that thought a reality. The filling is a combination of sweetened, sliced red apples and a homemade apple sauce. The crumble topping is a flour-sugar-butter blend that brings the 'crisp' true to its name. It takes a little more time to make than using canned ingredients, but I believe that fresh is best for these types of homestyle desserts. Enjoy!!