Chrysanthemum

Birthday dinner at Saison Chef's Table

2012-01-07T02:54:00.005-08:00

Chef Skenes in Blue

Almost 2 months have passed since I had my birthday dinner at Saison. I've been meaning to go over the pictures to relive my meal because I have been thinking about it since. My best friend told me a few weeks ahead she was going to surprise me for dinner. I was guessing for weeks because we've dined almost everywhere together in San Francisco. I mentioned Saison a few years ago when it was a pop up restaurant, only open on weekends. I work on weekends and never made it out to Saison during its pop-up tenure.

As my sister was driving towards the Mission area I thought we were going to Range. Not only did she make reservations at Saison but it was for the Chef's table. I was surprised and excited.

1.) Please excuse the poor quality pictures because I used my iphone camera and didn't want to take more than 1-2 photos per course so I didn't hold up the kitchen and also enjoy the surroundings and conversation.

2.) I don't remember every ingredient from the dishes as I did not ask for a menu and the online menu only mentions the main ingredient.

3.) Saison changed their Chef's Table format after Thanksgiving 2011 to a prepaid reservation system which includes wine pairing, tax and tip for $498. I dined right before the change, the chef's tasting menu was $250 and wine pairing $180. I did not opt for the wine pairing because I can barely handle one glass of wine before sounding like Ozzy Osbourne on a good day.

Egg courses

Carefully stepping onto cobblestones with heels and approaching the hostess podium in the quiet dining room we gave them our name and she escorted us through the kitchen. The contrast of utensils quietly clanging together and soft murmurs in the dining room from the bumping soundtrack of the kitchen, it felt like a different restaurant.

Fish courses

The soundtrack. It is one of those soundtracks where I can sing-a-long to every song. Some Jackson 5, some Bryan Adams, some Mariah Carey, some Journey (because every soundtracks needs a little Journey) and just when I was thinking where is Tevin Campbell his song comes on.

Sommelier Mark Bright was thoughtful to fill our glasses with courtesy champagne for a toast before our first course. After exchange of sentences with exclamation points with my best friend and sister we noticed how calm and soft-spoken everyone was in the kitchen. Of course this isn't a diner where we hear people shouting, "Adam & Eve on a raft and wreck 'em" or reality TV where Gorden Ramsey is spewing profanity like it means unicorns and rainbows. The conversation between the cooks were barely louder than a whisper.

Oyster. Bread and Butter

My best friend, sister and I are usually very animated when we talk and maybe the two sous chefs in front of us noticed our restrained demure. He said we could ask them any questions and talk to them any time. My first question was where did they foraged their ingredients and he said it was a secret location he was unable to reveal.

Our meal began with 'eggs' unraveling in three courses from caviar to salmon roe to egg. Some of the next course followed in this pattern with two courses of oysters and 3 different types of fish course and so on...

My favorite dish of the night is the bluefin tuna tartare with a crispy cracker dusted with perilla. The dish was so sweet and tender and my only way to describe it is 'golden sweet' (金甜) in Chinese. After the prelude of the tuna was my second favorite of the night, the bone marrow of the fish. Gelatinous and a bit oozy.

The bread was presented after our 8th course, much like French Laundry which helps with pacing. At that point, I didn't even eat the bread because I was afraid of feeling the law of diminishing returns. Of course it does not happen at Saison because usually at tasting menus I expect a sequence of fish, meat, and sweets but every course was an unexpected discovery.

Lotus Roots. Uni. Foie Gras. Deer. Mushrooms. Salad.

There is a theme at Saison where most of the dishes are described as 'cooked over our embers' and 'foraged' by our chefs. Somewhat rustic but very clean and true. We started to talk about how 'embers' was repeated throughout our meal when we glanced to the left and watched a cook sear the fish with a coal. The coal clasped between a tong and quickly seared on the surface of the meat for 1 second, rotate, sear, rotate and sear. A labor intensive and detailed work for one dish. The dinner lasted over 2 hours but as each courses arrived it was love at first sight again and again.

We ended at 18 courses with popcorn ice cream. All the kernel goodness without any stuck in my teeth. Chef Skenes came over to ask if we had enough to eat. And yes, we did.

Since saison means seasons in French I hope to experience a meal there for every season. And maybe have a chance to try Skenes famous #days dried meat I see others experienced.

Saison was definitely one of my best meal in 2011.

Cheese. Lemon. Candied Raspberry Mignardises.

*Dedicating this post to my best friend who made sure I had a wonderful birthday this year which we celebrated into the weekend in Las Vegas. Men come and go but girlfriends and (sisters) are forever.

Hello Kitty cupcakes from Cafe Madeleine

Foodbuzz 24x24: New Year's Eve Crab Fest

2012-01-02T10:57:00.007-08:00

Every year around November we anticipate the fruitful boost of Dungeness Crabs in the Bay Area However, Crab season started late for the Bay Area because of a price dispute between the Crab fisherman's and seafood wholesalers. After Thanksgiving the dispute was finally resolved and Crab season began.

Shirley Temples to start off the night

I got so excited I think I personally ate over 8 crabs in the first week. I had crab cooked and seasoned in my favorite ways. I thought it would be fun and delicious to host a meal which features only crab prepared in four different ways.

In addition, we wanted to celebrate with Dungeness Crab for a holiday since it reflects the Bay Area's Winter Season and prepared in ways that reflects our food culture.

For New Year's Eve we had a Crab Fest. The crabs were prepared in my favorite ways:

Salty Egg Yolk Crab
Sauteed Ginger and Green Onions Crab
Salt and Pepper Crab
Steamed Crab with nuoc mam cham dipping sauce

Salty Egg Yolk Crab

Ginger and Green Onion Crab

Salt and pepper Crab

Steamed Crab

Before the end of 2011 we cracked claws, mixed the crab roe with rice and relished in the fragrance of salty egg yolks.

Sauteed Garlic Bittermelon

The plate looks like art

How did you spend your New Year's Eve? I went to San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf flanked by the boats and sky of fireworks.

Christmas Cornflake Wreaths

2011-12-22T17:04:00.004-08:00

Do you believe in fairy tales? I don't but I do now...believe in blog fairy tales. Just last week I made No Bake Cookies because my oven broke in the midst of the holidays. Enter the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online from the UK who's mission is to bring joy and happiness to the world’s bloggers by providing treats. Fairy Hobmother sparkled a $40 Amazon gift card for me and I got myself some silpats for future baking projects. Check out Appliance Online "Best Washing Machine" and leave a comment and the Fairy Hobmother may sprinkle some sparkle your way. Fairy Hobmother found me via my comment on Foodhoe's blog -- I would consider her my blog stepsister (the non evil kind.)

Continue with making non-oven Christmas treats for my friends and family. I used everything I already have in my kitchen and quickly whipped up Christmas Cornflake Wreaths. I am going to wrap up the wreaths in cellophane with a pretty bow.

Cornflake wreaths

4 Cups of mini marshmallow
4 1/2 - 5 Cups of Cornflakes*
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 tsp green food coloring
cinnamon candies

Microwave the marshmallows and butter in a bowl for 90 seconds. Stir to incorporate the ingredients and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir in food coloring and then cornflakes. Drop the cornflakes onto greased parchment paper and use greased hands to shape wreaths. Decorate with cinnamon candies. Glue cinnamon candies with royal icing if needed.

*Depending on the freshness of the marshmallows and if using food gel or liquid food color, the recipe may need more or less cornflakes. Experiment with the first batch.

Next year I think I will decorate my Christmas tree with edible ornaments and include cornflake wreaths.

Happy Holidays!

Drop it like it's hot - No Bake Cookies

2011-12-19T17:35:00.007-08:00

The scene is perfect, the lighting is stupendous and I'm in the perfect moment when I "click" my camera to only find out I forgot to put in the battery. Story of my life, so I am not surprise when my oven decided to not turn on. Actually, my oven decided not be like my refrigerator and "run" so I can't "catch" it because I need a brand new one. Merry f##king Christmas to me.

Like most backstabbing friends, my oven decides to pick the perfect moment to not work. Two days before I meet fellow food bloggers for lunch and a cookie exchange. But like MacGyver I whittle my way out of the backstabber and make no-bake cookies. Actually, I've been meaning to make these cookies so there is a silver lining.

I tweaked the recipe a little because the first batch I made via allrecipe.com was too sweet and not enough oats.

No Bake Cookies
adapted from allrecipe.com

3 1/4 Cups of Quick Cook Oats
4 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 Cups of Sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 Cup of Crunchy Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup of Milk
1 teaspoon of Vanilla

Put butter, milk, sugar, and cocoa powder in a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is at a full boil, let it boil for 90 seconds. Take the pot off the stove and stir in peanut butter, vanilla and oats.

Drop the cookies like it's hot with a spoon (Actually it is very hot) onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Let cool and chomp.

The variations are endless! I am thinking about using nutella, marshmallow, cheerios, pretzels and even potato chips next time. I think frito chips would work really well.

Cookie exchange with fellow food bloggers:

Raisin and Walnut Cookies by Visda of eat, drink and just be!
Ginger and Cardamom Cookies (and her family secret Italian cookies recipe) by Gina of SPcookieQueen
Ginger Cookies with Nutella by Patty of Patty's Food

Peppermint Snickerdoodles Cookies with Hershey's Kisses

2011-12-12T17:47:00.008-08:00

Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookies and happen to be the first cookies I learned to bake. Growing up in an Asian kitchen we rarely baked desserts, the sweets my Mom made usually included fresh fruits, stewed or steamed dumplings.

I am going to start my Snickerdoodle story with, "Remember when Mariah Carey actually sang good songs without taking fashion advice from Snooki's stylist?" The year was 1993 when Mariah Carey's Hero and Dreamlover songs were always on the radio. My home economics teacher turns the radio up while we were baking. I would sing along faking my soprano abilities while licking the cookie dough off the bottom of the bowl.

For a 6th grader I was either lucky or unlucky to be paired with my first crush in Middle School. He was tall, wore glasses and played basketball. I made a fool of myself when the teacher presented the recipe for Snickerdoodles and I said, "Is it a cookie with Snickers?" My crush grunted a laugh. I didn't turn beet red because I was oblivious and still wondered why we didn't have Snicker bars in the pantry.

"No dear" my teacher replied, she proceeded to demonstrate how to roll the cookie dough into a ball and cover them in cinnamon and sugar. My mouth formed a O and I exclaimed, "OH..." I finally turned beet red and thought to myself that my crush will never ask me to the homecoming dance now.

For the 1st Food Blogger Cookie Swap hosted by Julie and Lindsay I decided to bake Snickerdoodles for the memories and to set the mood I played Mariah Carey's Christmas Album while I was baking. Since it is the Christmas season I rolled the cookies in crushed peppermint and topped them with a Hershey's kiss. I WISH I could share these cookies with my 6th grade crush. Hey Zack if you are reading this I have a big batch waiting for you.

Peppermint Snickerdoodles with Hershey's Kisses

adapted from Martha Stewart

makes 48 cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
2 large eggs
1/3 cup crushed peppermint candy
48 pieces of Hershey's Kisses

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine.

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small (1 1/4-ounce) ice-cream scoop to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar. Then press the top half of the dough into the crushed peppermint.

Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 5 minutes. Immediately top each cookie with a Hershey's kiss.

*I like to make big cookies the size of small bread plates. I roll each cookie dough into the size of a golf ball and top each cookie with 3 Hershey's kisses. Bake the cookies for 13-15 mins. People are happy after one cookie. For the food blogger swap I made "normal" size cookies and for some cookie batches I mixed the crushed peppermint candy into the dough for a different variation.

If you want to be notified about next year's food blogger cookie swap. Sign up here. Thank you Julie and Lindsay for putting the event together!

Oozy Luscious Egg Yolk on Beef Tartare at Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle

2011-12-04T14:25:00.009-08:00

Clockwise from Lemon: Barron Point, Eagle Rock, Penn Cove, Amai

I have a weakness, I get weak in the knees for big, round, bouncy, luscious --- egg yolks. My last meal would be between a banh mi or a bowl of rice with a sunny side egg and maggi. I love to puncture the egg yolk and watch the gooey yellow yolk ooze onto my rice. I have an obsession with egg yolks.

Bay Water Sweets and Effingham Oyster

Walrus and Carpenter's beef tartare fulfilled my egg yolk fantasies. I've had beef tartare numerous times and seen the egg yolk staple on the dish. But like big, round, bouncy, and luscious "objects" some are more gorgeous than others. I went to Walrus and Carpenter to gorge on oysters but I left with eating the best beef tartare to date.

So luscious...

In September Bon Appetit named Walrus and Carpenter in the top 10 best new restaurants in America. I would say Walrus and Carpenter is one of my best meals in 2011 which also includes Alinea, The Girl and the Goat and Saison. The experience at W & C also made it memorable - the clean cool oceany scent I usually smell on a oyster farm, clings and clangs echoing, the oyster shucking "crack" accenting the noise ambience. In my mind, the whole place was a oyster/seafood/dinner Blue Man Group.

To beat the rush, we arrived 10 mins before the restaurant opened to score seats and happy hour. During happy hour all oysters are half off, to repeat, ALL oysters are half off. My favorite oyster of the pick was the Effingham (say that fast 5 times.)

Speck - Pork Meatball

Back to the beef tartare, the dish was so addicting we ordered a second one midway through dinner. The beef was firm and flavors were on point with tang, saltiness and herbs.

Sardines

Every dish felt clean and simple yet every ingredient was highlighted. For example the sliced avocado size in the anchovy dish held up well with the meat and the sprinkle of shallots.

White Anchovies

As the sky grew darker, the air got cooler and I slurped the last oyster I felt happy. I could only think about how Walrus Carpenter was one of the best meal I've had in a while. The candle in the lanterns were lit as we left to experience more of Seattle.

I must be a fan. Din Tai Fung in Arcadia, CA and Bellevue, WA

2011-11-15T19:07:00.005-08:00

Arcadia, CA

Years ago, my Shanghainese friend and her boyfriend would drive to L.A. with a COUPLE of coolers in their trunk. They loved the Asian food in San Gabriel Valley and would bring back frozen food to share or ration them in the freezer until their next trip. I asked them what is the one place I have to visit when in San Gabriel Valley. They both said "Din Tai Fung" at the same time.

Thus, my first experience at Din Tai Fung was over 5 years ago and I like to return whenever I am close to San Gabriel Valley. A few of my friends stand by mom and pop joints for xiao long bao and I do too. But what I really enjoy about DTF is their wrapper - elastic, springy and leak-proof. When entering any of the Din Tai Fung locations there are an army of cooks kneading, rolling and wrapping the dumplings all day long.

Eating a xiao long bao is like eating ice cream. My anticipation grows as I patiently wait for the xiao long bao to finish steaming. My chopsticks goes in for the kill and tries to gracefully pick up the dumpling and "POW" the dumpling wrapper breaks and all the luxurious liquid escapes the container.

Salty Cabbage and Pork Noodles

How is the experience like eating ice cream? You know the moment you take an excited first lick and the ice cream scoop drops onto the floor? I have the same disappointing feeling when my xiao long bao pops.

Bellevue, WA

Din Tai Fung's wrapper is springy like a 18 year-old face and I am almost always guarantee not to experience the ice-cream-scoop-drop disappointment. The wrapper is also thin and translucent so I get more pork flavor.

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup and Soup Dumpling

So while I was in Seattle for vacation in August I decided to have Din Tai Fung for dinner in Bellevue after a long day shopping at the outlet. I did not realize I would be going into the Microsoft building to dine at DTF so it was a pretty cool experience to explore the building and rest of the neighborhood.

Vegetable and Pork Buns

Taro Dumpling for Dessert

The window seat at DTF has a beautiful view and I just found out Bellevue means beautiful view. Very fitting indeed.

A visit to Pike's Place, lunch at Paseo, dessert at Trophy's Cupcakes, Seattle

2011-11-07T00:19:00.008-08:00

When I think of Seattle's Public Market a few thoughts come to mind - the original Starbucks, the fishing-throwing market, and the famous Pike Place clam chowder. I did all of the above in the first hours I was in Seattle. Hungry from the short 2 hour plane ride, especially when one is excited the hungry pangs build up quickly.

Masculine Triumph! A Great Catch.

Segueing with pangs, a while back Kevin Pang, one of my favorite food writers tweeted his love for Chicken Valley Farm in Pike Place. He tweeted somewhere along the lines that it was the only fried chicken he would wait in line for. With that, the chicken place was our first stop, buying a sampler of fried chicken organs - heart, gizzard, and liver, oh, we also got a few fried chicken drumsticks. The chicken was fried in the style of Asian deli markets, in a rice flour mixture, very crispy and seasoned well. Amazingly, even though the chicken organs were fried they were still tender and juicy. And liver is usually horrible when overdone. I went back for another plate of organs later in the afternoon.

Very fresh Ahi Tuna Poke from a stand

I always wanted to witness the fish-throwing fish market because one of the most beloved Hong Kong personality Lydia Shum aka Fei Fei visited the market on her show and gleefully participated in throwing the fish. When I say she is beloved I am not kidding because her sunshine personality made everything fun times 100.

Pike Place Chowder Sampler and Crab Sandwich

Big vibrant fresh cut flowers, enormous seafood of every varieties, local produces, and snacks dominated the market. A very energetic bustling market.

The next day for lunch we drove to the original Paseo location at 11 am. I hear the lines can be long, we arrived with a slight line and promptly ordered the famous pulled pork sandwich, chicken and a scallop plate. We squished into one of the three tables in the shack and our food was served in red floral Asian style plastic dishes. The red floral dishes were used in almost all the Chinatown restaurants when I was a kid. I got a little nostalgic.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Paseo lives up to all the praise with moist and full fledged flavors from the many spices in the marinade. I can see why the lines are always long throughout the day. I was partial to the scallop dish since the pieces were large, juicy and sweet served with rice.

What's lunch without dessert, just a little something sweet for a pick-me-up. I had Trophy's cupcakes on my list for years since she was featured on Martha Stewart's show. We went to the location where it use to be a elementary school. I thought the cupcake shop was very fitting in an elementary school because there were many kids eating cupcakes with frosting all over their face. We ordered and sat in a old school desk and unwrapped our goodies.

The cupcakes were very sweet so one per person was enough sugar for the day.

Coconut and Blueberry Cupcakes

Fotos Friday - November Birthdays

2011-11-04T02:08:00.003-07:00

My best girl's birthday

November is full of birthdays, including yours truly. Also - my sister, one of my best girl and my cousin are November babies. Scorpios belong to the water sign and are passionate and intense.

Loyal. My Chinese name means loyal/righteous, the name was given by my Grandfather.

Happy Birthday to my fellow November babies!

Birthday wishes

Halloween Costume : Flower Garden

2011-10-31T17:07:00.007-07:00

This year I decided to make my costume, the last costume I made was a few years ago and I was a "gold digger." I had a gold shovel, gold rocks and a gold outfit. This year I did not feel like paying $60+ for a premade costume and run a chance of having a twin (or even triplets) at a party.

the supplies

The "Rose" costume idea ran through my head a while back and this year I tried to translate it into a physically outfit. Intially, I wanted to wear rose petals around my eye (the idea is from manwomanfilm) with a rose covered skirt, and butterflies and leaves around my hair and shoulders. However, a red rose dominant skirt with leaves made me look like a Christmas tree so the idea evolved into a flower garden.

I bought a bunch of faux roses in different shades at Michael's. Armed with my hot glue gun and a old skirt I will never wear - the results turned out pretty, well....pretty!

I detached the roses and laid them flat and hot glued the petals onto the skirt. I had flower beads in my craft box and hot glued them in the middle for some sparkle. The leaves from the faux roses covered the rest of the skirt.

The rest of the costume was accessories (my favorite part!) I wore a simple tank top with butterflies attached to the shoulders.

Butterflies everywhere. Hair and hairpiece with green glitter leaves

I also did a simple scroll rhinestone design on my face with 3D rose stickers to tie in the theme. My faux lashes also had rhinestones, there is never enough sparkle.

Multi-color butterfly ring. Vintage leaf earrings.

Purple flower cuff

I plan to wear the same outfit next year because it took so much time and I love it so much. I will be in Las Vegas for Halloween next year so I plan to change the outfit a little, e.g. make leaf cuffs for my ankles and fake rose tattoos along my collar.

Foto Friday - Wedding Love Lines

2011-10-28T12:43:00.003-07:00

Probably one of my favorite candid shot of a wedding party posing for photos. I was in Granville Island in Vancouver on a beautiful day and the wedding party was jesting and posing for photos. I love the lines and blocks of colors.

Billy the Saw Puppet Cake Pop and Meeting Bakerella!

2011-10-24T19:03:00.008-07:00

I have been a long time fan of Angie aka Bakerella. I love all her adorable cake pop postings but it was the wedding proposal post that really grabbed my heart. In a nutshell - the boyfriend knew his girlfriend was a fan of Bakerella and checked her website every Sunday. The boyfriend collabrated with Bakerella to do a wedding cake, cake pop and at the end of the posting he asked "will you marry me?" My heart just gushed into a million pieces and it was then I was a bigger fan of Bakerella.

And meeting her in person was the icing on the cake. Bakerella is as sweet as a red velvet smiley cake pop and she has the beautiful hair and smile down! Foodbuzz had four bloggers - Shikamoo, SPCookieQueen and Eat, Live and Run and I (Bonnibella) attend a small event at the Foodbuzz office. We were to make cake pops for Bakerella and she would choose the winner, some Foodbuzz staff also made cake pops.

Bakerella

The theme was Halloween, I intially wanted to do the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' because it is one of my favorite kitschy films (I was thinking of lips, fishnet legs and a beard) but I wanted something scarier. I decided on Billy the Saw Puppet because after watching a Saw movie I have to sleep with the lights on for a few days.

What I did:

1) Bake two 9 inch vanilla cakes and let them cool
2) Crumbled the cake with one can of frosting and shaped the cake pops into oval shapes
3) Used icing to attach half of a candy corn for the nose and two sixlets chocolate candies for the cheeks
4) Heated one bag of Wilton's white candy melts in a deep bowl and dipped the cake pop without swirling
5) I used a chopstick to help define the cheeks and nose, the candy melts were too thick (Bakerella advised to add vegetable oil to thin out the candy melts)
6) While the candy melt is still wet, apply two pieces of brown Reese's (or M&Ms) for the eyes and two Boston Beans for the bow tie. Let the cake pop dry
7) Use red icing to dot the eyes, swirl the cheeks, and smile
8) Use black icing and a star tip to apply the hair

Bakerella came with her Mom to the foodbuzz office and checked out the cake pops. She still gets excited and happy looking at cake pops. I can't imagine how many adorable and inventive cake pops has graced her presence via book signings and her blog. Angie went through each person's cake pop and commented on what she liked and tips on how to improve. It was the first time all four of us bloggers made cake pops so there was a lot of questions and she answered them all.

Like a true blogger, Bakerella had her camera in tow and took pictures of all the cake pops and posed with everyone for a photo op. After all the OOOOOs and ahhhhhhs with the cake pops, Bakerella sat down with each person to sign a copy of her book. I love mine!

I can see why making cake pops are so addicting and I already have so many ideas swirling in my head. But first, I must make my "Rocky Horror Picture Show' cake pop.

Happy Halloween!

p.s. When Bakerella saw my cake pops she immediately exclaimed "The Saw guy!"

Delicious Vietnam #18

2011-10-18T02:07:00.006-07:00

Once again I am very happy to be hosting Delicious Vietnam currently on its 18th edition. My first time hosting Delicious Vietnam was over a year ago (August 2010, 4th edition.) What I love about hosting the monthly event is discovering new blogs with their love toward Vietnamese food and culture and this month we have some fun ones! Lots of savory dishes...

Dishes

Chicken Curry Spring Rolls (Cary Cha Gio)
Sandy of Ginger and Scotch from Dubai, UE

Miến giò lạnh (cold buckwheat noodle soup with pig trotters)
Mai of Flavor Boulevard from Berkeley, CA

Bánh Pa Tê Sô (Vietnamese Savory Meat Pies)
Nam Nguyen of The Culinary Chronicles from San Diego, CA

Bun rieu cua (tomato and crab noodle soup)
Anthony Huynh of Food Affair Vietnam from Sydney, Australia

Thịt kho trong trái bí (caramelized pork braised in squash)
Dang and Oanh of Rau Om from Michigan and California

"The rich pork flavor, caramelized coconut sugar, fish sauce, and spices permeate the squash while extracting from it a smoky sweetness. The dish taste different and new yet comforting, containing within it home-for-the-holidays flavors both from the New World and the Old Country."

Sauteed Apple Snails with Perilla and Tofu
Bonnibella of Chrysanthemum from San Francisco, CA

Desserts

Chi Lang Profiteroles with Caramel Rum Sauce
Doug of Javaholic from Sacramento, CA

Mini bánh tiêu (Asian fried sweet sesame donut)
Anh of A food lover's journey from Melbourne, Australia

Delicious Vietnam is created by Anh of A food lover's journey and Kim and Hong of Ravenous Couple. Sandy of Ginger and Scotch (gin @ gingerandscotch.com) is hosting Delicious Vietnam #19 (November 2o11.) Please submit your post by the first Sunday of each month.

Apple Snails with Perilla (Purple Mint) and Tofu

2011-10-16T01:42:00.003-07:00

Our regular fish monger at our regular Asian supermarket told us about the superb deal of the week - half off on Apple Snails! We could not pass up the good deal and proceeded to buy 25 pounds. (We have a large family of snail lovers.) There are a few snails recipes in our repertoire such as bun oc, coconut curry, and steamed with lemongrass and served with nuoc cham. One of my personal favorite is sauteed snails with perilla and tofu.

Steamed Apple Snails and nuoc cham

I do not use exact measurements but here are the basics and snails are easy proteins to cook because it can't really be overdone unless you cook it to death.

Ingredients:

Perilla - pick the leaves and save the steams
Garlic - as much as your heart desires
Apple Snails with shells
Fish Sauce
Salt
Sugar
A dab of soy sauce for color
Fried Tofu

Wash the Apple Snails with a little vinegar and salt. Rinse. Fill a pot big enough to fill the snails and cover with water, pour a little vinegar and salt into the mixture. Boil for 15 mins for about 2-4 pounds (I boil 10 pounds at 30 mins.)

Let snail cool enough to handle and shuck, seperate the head and tail and discard tail. Once done shucking the snails, rinse to remove any scum.

Heat the pan with olive oil, garlic and perilla steams until fragrant, 3 mins. Put in the snails and a ladle of water, fish sauce, salt, sugar and soy sauce, stir for 1 min. Put in fried tofu and mix until the tofu is covered in the sauce, simmer for 2-3 mins. Toss in the perilla leaves and mix well, 2 mins. Remove perilla steams and serve.

The tofu soaks in the perilla and the essence of snail flavor. A great dish to serve with rice noodles or rice.

Enjoy!

This blog post is an entry for Delicious Vietnam #18, a monthly gathering of Vietnamese related post created by Anh from A food lover's journey and Kim and Hong of Ravenous Couple. October's #DeliciousVietnam is hosted by yours truly.

Peach and Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Ramekin for Two

2011-09-03T01:24:00.001-07:00

Before I went on vacation, I made a medley of crispy brown rice cakes to clean out my refrigerator. So....what's a meal without dessert? I had a lonesome peach and a pint of blueberries I never got around to eating. The lonesome peach wasn't going to be alone anymore since I was combining it with plump sweet juicy blueberries.

The oatmeal crumble was quick and easy AND I didn't even have to leave the house to go to the supermarket. I had everything ready at home! I love recipes where I know I have all the ingredients right now! The house also smelled so sweet and "bakery."

The portion size was perfect for one person split between two meals or to share with a love one. Whip out the candlelight and music by Journey and call it a romantic date.

Peach and Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble

1 peach
1 pint of blueberries
3/4 Cup of quick oatmeal
1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon of honey
2-4 Tablespoon of butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the peach and cut the peach into chunks. Combine the honey, peach and blueberries and fill into four 4 oz ramekins. Mix the brown sugar and quick oatmeal and cover each ramekin with the topping. Dot each ramekin with 1/2-1 Tablespoon of butter. Bake for 30-35 mins. Serve with ice cream (optional.)

*I am trying to cut out white sugar when baking so I tried using honey and it worked out fine. Add more if you like it sweeter but I like the natural sweetness and tartness from the fruits. I also like Trader Joe's hot cereal mix for the topping because it has rye, barley, oats and wheat. If you find 1/2 Tablespoon of butter not enough to keep the topping moist, try using 1 Tablespoon. I actually like the crunch of the oatmeal topping.

The best part of eating this dessert alone is licking the ramekin clean. My dog is my only witness when I lick the bowl clean.

Go for a romantic stroll after to burn off the calories

A Medley of Crispy Brown Rice Onigiri - Leftovers Galore

2011-08-27T03:14:00.004-07:00

When leaving for a vacation, one must find ways to clean out the refrigerator so no food goes to waste. I was leaving for vacation in a few days so I had to find unique ways to use my perishable ingredients. One of my favorite smörgåsbord dish is a panzanella salad. I get all my grains, vegetables and meats in one fabulous and delicious dish. However, I had a few cups of brown rice left from the previous night so I decided to make crispy brown rice cakes.

As part of the foodbuzz tastemaker program I was sent Crisco's extra virgin, pure and light olive oil. I used all three olive oils for my onigiri lunch. I must say, I had an amazing lunch worthy of table linen, silverware and classical music playing in the background.

The cold brown rice was formed into small patty cakes the size of my palm. I wet my hands to keep the brown rice from sticking but brown rice is easy to work with because it is not as glutinous as white rice. I fried the brown rice cakes in the light olive oil on medium heat for a few mins on each side until the rice was lightly brown and crispy. The fragrant of crispy rice is insanely irresistible.

I topped the brown rice cakes with whatever I had leftover in my pantry - heirloom tomatoes, basil, apples, tofu, pickled ginger, seaweed and eggs. I tossed the heirloom tomato with pure olive oil, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon. I made the miso dressing with the extra olive oil to dress the pan seared tofu.

I was doubly happy because I used all my leftovers and it was a satisfying lunch. Sometimes the best meals are enjoyed alone with striking colorful ingredients.

Driving along Big Sur, CA to the Hearst Castle

2011-08-22T18:51:00.007-07:00

The year began with a quick trip to the Big Sur and Hearst Castle. Since I am heading to Vancouver tomorrow I wanted to recall my first trip of 2011. The drive along Big Sur is a great place to reflect onto oneself or make it a big event and go with a group. I drove the Big Sur with my friend but I think it is a fantastic journey for a solo traveler.

There are so many Vista Point where one can sit on a rock, take in the warm sun and watch the waves crash endlessly...

The Big Sur is such a wonderful place to practice serenity and slow down a pace and admire natural beauty.

We began our trip in San Francisco very bright and early, we stopped in Monterey after 2 hours of driving to grab breakfast but since it was a holiday Monday lots of places were closed so we continued to truck on...

We happen to spot a vulture by the Post Inn Ranch

We stopped whenever we thought the view was breathtaking. One of the must stop along the Big Sur is the Brixby Bridge. The concrete bridge is featured countlessly in car commercials and ads. A very iconic scene.

Public Phone Booth along the Big Sur

Our first stop for food was at the famous Big Sur Bakery. The tiny wooden house was busy and within minutes I ordered a ham and cheese croissant, rosemary cornbread, persimmon pudding and one of the best chai tea I have ever tasted. One of my greatest pleasure is sitting outdoors, drinking my beverage, nibbling my snack and people watching. With great surprise there was a newlywed couple filling gas, laughing, gazing into each other eyes and acting all "newlywed" which was so adorable, especially since they were taking a road trip for their honeymoon trip.

Before heading to the Hearst Castle, we stopped at Piedras Blancas Beach (which is literally across the street from the castle) to look at the seals. January is nursing season for the seals so there were plenty of baby seals rolling around in the sand.

Piedras Blancas Beach

This was my first visit to the Hearst Castle and videos and print cannot express the grandeur and vastness of the property. What I really revered about the Hearst Castle is the different art pieces from all over the world anthologized together at the Castle. In addition, the fact that very famous people like the founder of Bank of America and Charlie Chaplin stayed within the premises.

The Big Sur definitely belongs on a travel bucket list.

The famous Hearst Pool

Ginger Chilled Milk Pudding

2011-08-19T14:49:00.002-07:00

Chilled milk pudding: Part 2 of the Asian milk dessert series. After making steamed milk custard I had plenty of low-fat organic milk left. The chilled milk pudding recipe is even easier than steamed milk custard and it goes from mixing to the refrigerator to eating. I made this recipe over a dozen times in the last few weeks because it disappears so quickly every time I make a batch. Because I made chilled milk pudding so many times I have a few tips on how to get your chilled milk to acquired a "soft-tofu" like firmness and silkiness texture.

I'll have to write to Harold McGee or Alton Brown and ask about the chemistry in milk and ginger that makes the ingredients miraculously gelatinize. The milk pudding firms up in the refrigerator after only 5 mins, I scratched my head in amazement like I did as a kid baking cakes in a easy-bake oven.

Chilled Milk Pudding

2 1/2 Cups of Milk*
5 Tablespoons of ginger juice**
6 Tablespoon of Sugar***

Use a 10-14 oz knob of old ginger and run it through a grater. Grate the ginger in the smallest hole possible, a microplane works best. Put the grated ginger in a fine mesh sieve, use a back of a large spoon and press the ginger to extract the juice and reserve. Bring the milk to a scalded boil or microwave the milk in 30 second intervals until tiny bubbles form on top, do not boil the milk. Put the scalded milk in one pitcher and mix in the sugar. Pour the milk back and forth 8-10 times between two pitchers to aerate the milk.

Spoon a tablespoon of ginger juice into 4-6 oz ramekins and then spoon the milk to the top.

Chill the milk pudding in the refrigerator. The custard will set in about 5 mins but wait an hour or more for a cold refreshing dessert. Garnish with homemade candied ginger (optional.)

*I use organic low-fat milk and the pudding sets up very nice and firm. I have not use whole milk but I assume the pudding would be more rich and firm with the addition of fat.

**Use old ginger i.e. ginger over 10 days old since purchased from the supermarket. The older the ginger the firmer the pudding. Young ginger does not set very well, the pudding becomes very watery and loose. Do not even try making the pudding WITHOUT any ginger, the pudding will not set at all, the results will be chilled sweet milk.

***My parents like the pudding without any sweeteners. I prefer the pudding with Splenda and Oz likes the pudding with sugar. Try experimenting with agave nectar or honey.

This recipe really impress and the ingredients are almost always on hand. I think it is a great recipe to make when there are impromptu guest(s) visiting. Try using cute bowls to make the recipe even more fun.

Beauty-full Girls Guide to Surviving a Steakhouse Giveaway, Fleming's Steakhouse

2011-08-15T13:46:00.004-07:00

Petite Filet Mignon with Lobster

My girlfriends and I make it a point to have a 'girl's night out' at least once a week. I look forward to our dinner dates because it is a great excuse to sip on cocktails and catch up on all the current gossip, laugh, and most importantly, enjoy a good meal. As much as we love to indulge on a chocolate cake every week when we see each other, the girls and I find different ways to compromise the chocolate cake calories (we do have about five spoons attacking one cake.)

Usually, when we dine at a steakhouse it would often lack healthier options, i.e, a baked potato smothered in butter, sour cream and bacon is married to the steak. So, on a care-free warm weekday night, my girlfriend Laila and I dined as guest of Fleming's Steakhouse and ordered up a storm of guilt-free dishes. Don't get me wrong, Fleming's offers all the traditional steakhouse staples like the well-dressed baked potato but there were also so many other healthier options.

We were kindly greeted by the staff and embraced by the leather booths, warm lights and an active open kitchen. Fleming's offers a 99 calorie skinny cocktail, the Russian Prom Queen. A fun and light cocktail to clink and cheers to a wonderful night. To begin, Laila and I split a Fresh Mozzarella and Sweet Tomato salad. The cold tart cherry tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar served with cold mozzarella was a nice way to start the evening.

Split Plate of Fresh Mozerella and Sweet Tomato Salad

Next, I couldn't pass up the Seared Ahi Tuna served with a vegetable salad in a mustard sauce. Our server said it was one of his favorites and the best seared ahi tuna he had in any restaurant. I am a fan of tuna because it is lean and I love the texture of the seared crust and medium rare center. Plus, tuna is full of vitamins and omega 3 so it was a win-win situation.

Seared Ahi Tuna Salad

Of course at a steakhouse I ordered a steak for my main dish, the bone-in rib eye and a side of sauteed french green beans. Our server told us the bone adds about 40% more flavor. He was right, the bone-in rib eye was very flavorful, just the right amount of crispy sear from the flames. And of course, I did not polish off the entire steak and had leftovers for lunch the next day. Graciously, Fleming's website has recipes for the leftover steak. I made the steak and vegetable lettuce wraps for lunch the next day. Click here for the recipe.

Instead of a carb heavy side dish I went with the Sauteed French Green Beans which retained the fresh crunch but still tender. I think the green beans should be married to the steak.

After my savvy healthier picks for dinner I went ahead and ordered dessert. I ordered the the frozen ginger lemon pie, a little treat to end a warm glowy night with great conversation. I really did make an excellent choice, the frozen custard was tart and cool, it really picked up the palate at the end of the night. Oz called me when we finished dinner and I told him about my meal. He was drooling and he is someone who loves to order an extra side of baked potato with his steak.

Frozen ginger lemon pie

Do you want to enjoy the same meal I had at Fleming's Steakhouse? There is also a gluten free menu!

I am giving away a $50 gift certificate to Fleming's steakhouse and a makeup goody bag, click here for locations.

You can win this!

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment about how you would use your Fleming's Steakhouse gift certificate. For a second entry, follow me on twitter @bonni_bella. I will announce the winner on Monday, August 22, 2011.

You can also recreate the sounds of clinking cocktails glasses at home. Below is Fleming's recipe for the 99 calories skinny 'Russian Prom Queen' cocktail.

Cheers!

Fleming's Steakhouse [Menu]
Follow @FlemmingsSteak on Twitter
'Like' them on Facebook

Food, Love, Life and Cup of Tea with Kodak Photo Gallery

2011-08-14T14:54:00.006-07:00

Some of our favorite dishes

I stayed up way past my bedtime last night creating my photo book by Kodak Gallery. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a medium hardcover photo book. I have so many digital photos that never get to see reality.

The book cover - the dogs messing around

My photo book is about my family - Mom, Dad, little sister, my two Pom-chi dogs and myself. My little dogs are like my kids and my parents' grandkids. We love them unconditionally and they bring us so much joy into our lives.

Our munchkins

I had so much fun putting together the book because it made me realize how many places we've traveled together, favorite dishes we have shared and belly-laughing times. Although my sister and I are busy with work and our significant others we make it a point to travel with my parents once a year.

Some of our travels - New Orleans & Chicago

Kodak Gallery was easy to use because I can upload up to 400 photos from my computer or connect to Facebook. Each page had many different layout to choose from and all I had to do was drag and drop. Simple and fast.

The photo book encompass my blog's motto: Food, Love, Life and a cup of life...

Kodak Gallery is providing an exclusive 40% offer to my readers at www.kodakgallery.com/creativity The offer ends 8/31/11. What would you create?

Steamed Milk Custard 燉鮮奶

2011-08-08T01:02:00.006-07:00

After watching No Reservations: Macau episode, I was reminded and inspired to make steamed milk custard. On a side note, the episode also featured Baccarat which I can attest to being very exciting. I haven't been lucky like Mr. Bourdain to walk away from the table winning $3000.

As a youngster one of our favorite pastime was hanging out at an Asian dessert house into the wee hours of the night. We would gossip, nosh on sago, sesame dumplings, soy sauce chicken wings, boba milk tea and steamed milk custard while the latest Chinese pop music was blasting in the background.

Every time without fail, when one of my friends ordered the steamed milk custard I would exclaimed, "I could make that at home!" My older cousin who was a big fan of the New Kids on Block at the time taught me how to make steamed milk custard. I was in awe as she open the piping steam pot and took out the bowls of milk custard. (I was also in awe because she had very high bangs.)

It has been a long long time since I made steamed milk custard and the No Reservations episode definitely brought back memories. It is so amazing how food can affect one's memory, the scene of my cousin making the custard was vividly playing in my head. To bring back the memory to my taste buds I immediately went into the kitchen to make the custard after the episode ended. The best part - the steamed milk custard is so easy and takes only 3 ingredients (4 or 5 ingredients if one desired more flavors.)

Steamed Milk Custard

Makes about 5-6 servings in 4oz size ramekins

2 1/2 Cups of Milk*
6 Tablespoon of Sugar or 1/3 Cup of Agave Nectar or 4 Tablespoons of honey or 6 packages of Splenda
4 egg whites
5 teaspoons of Ginger Juice** (optional)
Coconut Milk for serving (optional)

Mix milk and choice of sweetener and bring mixture to a scalded boil. Or microwave the mixture in 30 second intervals to an almost boil. Whip the egg whites with a fork until light and frothy. Temper the egg whites with 1/4 of the milk mixture, stirring quickly and then add the rest of the milk mixture. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and skim any bubbles off the top. Ladle mixture into ramekins or heat safe bowls. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and steam for 6-7 mins. Serve immediately or room temperature with coconut milk (optional.)

*I used Organic low-fat milk which produces a fragrant rich milk flavor. My cousin made the custard with whole milk but I found low-fat works just as well.

*Peel skin off a 6-8 oz knob of ginger and run it through a grater. Put the grated ginger in a fine mesh sieve and press ginger with the back of a spoon to release the juice. Put one teaspoon of ginger juice in each ramekin before spooning in milk mixture.

I hope I don't forget this recipe in my cooking repertoire but then again it is marvelous to be reminded of good memories.

The recipe is very economical to make at home too as it is about $5/order while it cost pennies to make at home and much healthier too.

Candied Ginger Recipe

2011-08-05T02:15:00.013-07:00

The allergy season is very aggressive for me this year. Instead of pumping myself daily with over the counter medicine I used a few natural remedies to sedate my sneezing and watery eyes. Two remedies I found really effective are local honey and ginger. The fun part of my allergies are finding and trying out new recipes (to me) with honey and ginger.

I was browsing the bulk dehydrated aisle at the supermarket and saw candied ginger. I haven't had candied ginger in awhile and was reaching to fill a plastic bag with some. Well...after looking at the price I retrieved my hand and searched for my phone. I goggled candied ginger and Alton Brown's recipe popped up and it was so simple. I went to the Asian Supermarket and stocked up on fresh knobs of ginger.

Candied Ginger
by Alton Brown

Nonstick spray
1 pound fresh ginger root
5 cups water
Approximately 1 pound granulated sugar

Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.

Peel the ginger root and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandolin. Place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.

Transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.

*I used a box grater to slice the ginger. The small side of the box grater has a plain slicer which sliced the ginger to the perfect size. Slowly push down on the grater and gravity will help guide the ginger.

**A spoon is also an effective way to peel the ginger.

***DO save the sugar bits to use in coffee, tea, pancakes, ice cream, or fresh grapefruit; it's amazing!

The candied ginger turned out wonderful! I eat a piece or two mid afternoon when I want a little something sweet.

This recipe is great for the upcoming holiday season. At about 20% of the price of packaged candied ginger I am going to make a bunch for my friends and family. I am thinking of packing the ginger in a mason jar with a bow and a handwritten note.

Korean Tacos with Roasted Seaweed

2011-07-30T23:44:00.004-07:00

Since I have discovered roasted seaweed as a healthy and tasty snack. I admit I have been obsessed, not a little obsessed more like 'Fatal Attraction' obsessed. Eating a few sheets of roasted seaweed helps me curb my naughty midday junk food cravings. My mind wanders while I'm tearing into the roasted seaweed and I start to wonder what other ingredients will work with seaweed.

Brown rice and pickled ginger. (Pretty normal thought.)

Clam and cream cheese dip. (Yes, that may work.)

Vanilla ice cream and candied walnuts (Hey, don't knock it till you tried it.)

----(Oh, yea how about those Namu Korean tacos)---

Namu is a San Francisco restaurant in the Richmond district that serves the "Original Korean Tacos" the tacos are very popular at the restaurant and their Ferry Building Thursday Farmer's Market. I had the tacos a few times and they are indeed very good. The tacos are a perfect light snack or an appetizer to whet the appetite. The Namu tacos consist of cubes of beef, rice, tomatoes and a kimchi relish.

I made mine Korean tacos with rice, kimchi and bulgogi. I like the spiciness and tartness of kimchi so I rather keep it whole than make it into a sauce.

Namu inspired Korean Tacos

Roasted seaweed sheets
bulgogi
kimchi, chopped
rice
sesame seeds and chopped scallions for garnish

Bulgogi

1 lb of thinly sliced *sirloin beef
1/4 medium onion, sliced
2 scallions, white part only, sliced lengthwise
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon Sesame oil
1/2 Tablespoon sesame seeds
2 1/2 Tablespoon soy sauce
Splash of pineapple juice (optional)

Bring all the ingredients together in a bowl and combine well with hands. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight. Grill or pan-sear until done.

*I like to use thinly sliced fatty rib eye, the same type of meat I use for Hot Pot.

I use a store bought kimchi from my local Korean grocery market and the roasted seaweed is from Costco. I get to eat over a dozen Korean tacos without worrying about my pocketbook because it is about $4/taco. The tacos were a hit with my family and friends, they could not stop stuffing their faces. I made about 4 lbs of bulgobi so there was plenty to go around.

My dad dabbed a little sirachi on each taco. My brother shook a little Tapatio on his tacos but I prefer one or two slices of jalapenos.

Next time I am going to make a roasted salsa blended with a little kimchi as a sauce for the tacos.

Foto Friday - Coffee in a Real Cup

2011-07-29T12:41:00.005-07:00

Sightglass Coffee at Outerlands, San Francisco

A favorite moment in life is drinking coffee out of a real cup. I find myself drinking coffee in a paper cup more often than I like to admit. So when I get a chance to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee in a real cup, I savor the moment.

DoubleTree Cookie CAREavan Tour - San Francisco

2011-07-27T15:53:00.008-07:00

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

DoubleTree by Hilton is celebrating their Silver Anniversary by driving the CAREavan across the country and handing out their signature cookies at every stop. The CAREavan is finishing up the last leg of their tour in the West Coast.

The CAREavan stopped in San Francisco on July 27, 2011, and parked at Pier 41 from 10am - 4pm to give out thousands of cookies. I received an email about DoubleTree's stop in San Francisco and decided to head over to check out the digs.

The DoubleTree staff (special thanks to Sarah) gave me a quick behind-the-scene tour and a brief summary of their cross-country trek. The CAREavan is labeled "care" for a reason, at each city tour stop, Doubletree donates cookies to a charity. Sarah said it perfectly, "A little sweet surprise to brighten up the day." The CAREavan made a charity drop off in the morning to a teenager rehab center in Berkeley before heading to the famous Pier 39/41 landmark. The DoubleTree staff was served a Proclamation from the city of Berkeley for their charity work; almost every city they visited awarded the staff with a Proclamation.

Everyone taking pictures of the food truck

I asked the staff what was their most memorable experience with the tour so far. They gleefully told me about New York City. The city was celebrating Fleet Week and by serendipity a busload of Miss America contestants was driving by. DoubleTree asked the beautiful ladies to help hand out the cookies to the Servicemen. I wish I was at THAT tour stop!

The cookies are baked locally at each city and the local DoubleTree staff volunteers their day to help hand out cookies and talk to people about their history and giveaway prizes by signing onto Facebook.

I stayed at Doubletree while in New York and Chicago and it was one of the most pleasant hotel experience. Beside the fluffy bed and pillows, the staff were always courteous and sweet. However, the experience is never complete without the warm cookies during check-in.

CAREavan was conceived with the popularity of food trucks. I asked about social media's role with the promotion of free cookies. Sarah said their Facebook page has grown over 89% since the beginning of the tour. People are following them on Twitter for news and they are also on Foursquare. I can't agree more; I, myself discover news and promotion through Twitter, Facebook and blogs.

The best part of the experience was learning about DoubleTree's charity work and how much the staff are having fun promoting DoubleTree but also proud to talk about each charity they reached along the way.

The number of cookies given away at each city

Follow DoubleTree on Twitter
"Like" DoubleTree on Facebook to enter their sweepstakes

Foto Friday - Making Sesame Crackers until the Sun Sets...

2011-07-22T01:19:00.003-07:00

It is easy to lose track of time when cooking and baking, especially baking. Flour on every surface, powdered handprints on my apron and flour snowflakes on my eyelashes. I was busy as a bee making dozens of sesame crackers to snack on for the week and the warm sun set was streaming through my curtains...

Strawberry (unfiltered) Sake Mojito

2011-07-17T02:05:00.007-07:00

My cousin "beauty" made this fantastic drink for us during Christmas dinner one year. Beauty was infatuated with the raw food movement. She cooked and talked endlessly about her new diet and how great the food tasted.

Her raw strawberry mojito is my favorite of the bunch. Of course it helped that the drink was boozy, sweet and fresh. Mint grows like weed in my garden and whenever company is over (or when I am watching a chick flick) I make this drink. So easy and I usually have all the ingredients in my pantry.

And.

Of course. It is not necessary to use raw sake in the drink, honestly, any sake type will still be lip-smacking good. The mojito is delicious raw or "unraw" (it that even a word?)

Strawberry Sake Mojito

6 oz chilled raw unfiltered Sake
4 slices of *macerated strawberries
4-6 mint leaves
2 oz club soda
2 teaspoon of raw agave nectar
Half of a lime
Couple cubes of ice
Slices of macerated strawberries and mint leaves to garnish

Put strawberries, agave nectar, and mint in a glass and mash well with fork. Pour in sake and squeeze in lime, add ice and stir, top off the glass with club soda. Garnish with strawberries and mint.

*I use macerated strawberries because I usually make this drink when I have leftovers in the refrigerator. May substitute with fresh strawberries.

I really don't take out the measuring spoons when I am making the mojito. I take any glass available, mash up a few strawberry slices and mint leaves, and drizzle in the agave nectar. Then pour the glass 75% full of sake, throw in the lime juice, ice cubes and fill the glass to the top with club soda.

Now I only wish I have a deck so I can watch the sunset while sipping on a strawberry mojito.

Chando's Tacos 1 Year Anniversary Celebration, Sacramento

2011-07-12T00:54:00.009-07:00

By serendipity, I was in Sacramento when Chando's Tacos was celebrating their one year anniversary. Chando's celebrated in a big way, they offered $1/tacos (usually $1.75), raffle prizes, free soda pop, a bouncy house, and a live Mariachi band. Everyone, including the workers were having a good time.

I had a brief exchange with the worker at the window. She cheerfully greeted me with "Welcome to Chando's!" and I proceeded to tell her it was my first time and I was recommended by many for their street tacos. She told me the tacos are really good and people complain about the price but they use high quality ingredients. I told her San Francisco fusion taco trucks cost twice as much or more. She laughed.

All Smiles

The adobada and fish taco are the stars of Chando's with people often raving about the mulitas which are two taco tortillas melted together with cheese and adobada. This is the first time I ever had adobada and I asked how it was different from al pastor. They told me adobada is pork marinaded with adobo (chili, vinegar, etc) seasoning and stacked together, spit roasted with pineapple for the sweetness and then shaved and grilled.

The adobada was phoneomal, thick shaves of pork, juicy, caramelized from the fire and sugar, savory and smokey. I can't believe I never tried adobada, it only reminds me I need to make trips to the Southwest States.

Adobada

The asada and fish tacos were also fantastic, each taco was mounded generously with filling and drenched in cool salsa, cabbage, creme, cilantro, onions and dressed with lime and radishes. The worker was right, the taco was indeed filled with deliciousness and quality.

Everyone was having a grand ole time - children bouncing, adults dancing to the band, hungry people chowing down taco after taco and everyone was all smiles (even though the line was long.)

One of the many smiling workers. Wish I won one of the Chando's shirts.

Congratulation to Chando's one year anniversary and many more to come.

P.S. I wonder if the Governator ever ate here?

Chando's Tacos
863 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95815

Foto(s) Friday - Alameda Fairgrounds

2011-07-08T13:18:00.009-07:00

Every year the Alameda Fairgrounds open 1 week before and after Fourth of July. The perfect moment at the fair is when the sun is beginning to set and the colorful flashing lights from the rides begin to glow brighter and brighter.

I never miss a caveman-size Turkey Leg and Funnel Cake. I think the Fairgrounds are a great place to go on a date, it is cotton candy sweet and stuffed animal cute; as I've been on a date here before.

BBQ Oysters

From Juicy's. One of the best funnel cake I've had at a fair.

World "Largest" Waffle Cone

I want to take you home

July 4th Buttermilk Fried Chicken at Bouchon, Las Vegas

2011-07-06T00:58:00.007-07:00

July 4th was a perfect weekend for my friends and I to get away to Las Vegas. Many of my friends are new moms and our schedules are never in sync, it was a treat to get away with my girlfriends for the weekend. In addition to the wonderful, fun-filled, and Katy Perry's 'Last Friday Night' music video weekend; my twitter feed announced Bouchon Restaurant's special night for buttermilk fried chicken.

@BouchonLV

"http://yfrog.com/khrizvj Ad Hoc Fried Chicken at Bouchon, LV, July 4th!"

I made reservations immediately. I visited Ad Hoc in Yountville for fried chicken once and I have been craving the dish since. Driving to Yountville from San Francisco is over an hour and to do it on a Monday is rare, so I was excited to have Thomas Keller's buttermilk fried chicken in Las Vegas.

Unlike Ad Hoc, Bouchon restaurant served the fried chicken a la carte so we had the opportunity to order other dishes. We were short on time and finished dinner under an hour. Our server was accommodating, especially since it is Las Vegas and many other patrons are rushing to watch a show.

Since it was July 4th, the bartender made us a special drink named 'American Beauty' a sparkling grapefruit background with alcohol.

American Beauty

The famous pain epi was placed on the table after we ordered. We began the meal with the Salade de Cresson et d'Endives au Roquefort et Noix, watercress & endive salad with Roquefort, toasted walnuts & walnut vinaigrette.

To experience luxury without paying an arm and a leg I highly recommend the Terrine de Foie Gras de Canard, the restaurant has a small and large option. The large is 5oz and the small is half the size for half the price about $27. When the foie gras is served, a server comes along to scrape off the foie "gold" aka top layer and brings it back to the kitchen.

My friends and I were puzzled because we wanted to consume the foie "gold" too but the server left before we had a chance to say anything. The texture is rich and smooth, smoother than butter. In my opinion, the terrine de foie gras is just like the torchon foie gras served at the famed French Laundry. But at French Laundry there is a $30 supplement on top of the $270 tasting menu.

Now onto the buttermilk fried chicken, the $36 dish included grilled baby corn, macaroni salad, collard greens, a bacon biscuit with gravy and 4 pieces of chicken - a drumstick, thigh, two strips of "chicken tenders". The fried chicken was fantastic - juicy, tender, crispy crust with lots of crumbly fried bits and a loud crunch factor. Fried chicken is one of my favorite types of food and Keller's version is the best.

I hope Bouchon Las Vegas puts fried chicken on the menu every Monday. If I am in town on a Monday I would definitely make a reservation.

Two photos to describe our weekend:

Champagne Surprise

Room Service at 4am

I hope your July 4th weekend was as memorable as mine!

Sugar Free Lemon Granita

2011-06-28T15:28:00.005-07:00

The recent burst of sweltering heat in the Bay Area automatically lead to cravings of something cold. One cannot indulge in ice cream every day so to satisfy the cold and sweet craving during the heat; lemon and splenda comes to the rescue.

After the block of lemon ice froze, I let the ice sit at room temperature for 10 mins before I took my sturdy fork and scraped. The lemon granita turned out wonderful - tart, sweet and icy cold. I had the lemon granita after dinner and it was great was to finish off the meal and sedated my craving.

I will serve this at BBQs so people can have a "unpretentious" palate cleanser OR a quick way to cool off.

Splenda's website lists the recipe as sorbet but I did not have time to mix it during the freezing process. I think it turned out really well as a granita.

Sugar-Free Lemon Granita
by Splenda

4 Cups of boiling water
2/3 Cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 Cups of Granulated Splenda Sweetener
1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest

Dissolve the splenda with the boiling water. Cool slightly. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Put the mixture in a shallow pan and freeze. Scrape the lemon ice with a fork and put into a resealable container. Serve with fresh mint.

After the "work-out" of scarping the block of lemon ice, I stuffed the granita into empty lemon halves for a pretty presentation. The stuffed lemon halves came in handy because I brought it on-the-go.

Now I can have my guilt-free icy treat and still fit into my pants.

Hasselback Beets - Nature's Sweet Side Dish

2011-06-24T00:54:00.005-07:00

Beets.

Other side dish - Sugar Snap Peas, butter, shallots, reduced balsamic vinegar (must try!)

Overzealous, the perfect word for my shopping habit when I am at the Farmer's Market. I am overwhelmed and excited about the fresh selections, energy from the crowd and the prices. When I shop at supermarkets I am sticker shock at the prices of herbs and vegetables other than broccoli and salad mix. I had my beets for over a week and was afaird I had to throw them out.

Low and behold, the beets were still firm (this is why I love the freshness of Farmer's Market.) I made rib eye for dinner and decided the beets will be a great side dish. I always see gorgeous pictures of hasselback potatoes on foodgawker. However, since I didn't have potatoes, I used my picture-perfect beets.

Hasselback Beets

3 whole beets
olive oil
salt
pepper

Turn oven to 350 degrees. Trim the stalk from the beets, rinse and tightly wrap with foil. Bake for 45-55 mins and remove the beets from the oven. Wait until the beets are cool enough to handle and peel the skin with a knife or with your hands.

Slice the beets without piercing through the body. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Loosely cover beets with foil and return to oven for 15-20 mins or until fork tender.

Viola!

Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse

2011-06-02T20:53:00.002-07:00

Naturally, I tune out commercials when they play on the radio especially the "body wrap" commercials which is overplayed like Lady Gaga's latest single. I subconsciously thought of the commercial when I had a big event coming up. After some research I made an appointment at a holistic clinic and I wished I spent the money on a pair of shoes instead.

I was dressed in a plush bathrobe and slippers and waited in the "relaxation" room with a cup of herbal tea splashed with almond milk. The sounds of waves thrashing on rocks were playing and I was browsing their collection of magazine.

On the last page of a "raw" lifestyle magazine I came across a recipe for avocado chocolate mousse. I like avocado in sweet dishes and I couldn't wait to try the recipe at home. At least I got something good out of the whole experience. The buttery smooth texture of avocado is a fantastic vehicle for dessert dishes.

Agave Nectar Lake

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a few California Avocados.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse
1-2 servings

1 ripe avocado
1/4 Cup cocoa powder
1/4 Cup raw agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Peel and quarter avocado. Put all the ingredients in a blender or use a hand mixer and blend well. Serve immediately.

I usually make 1-2 servings because when I am craving for something rich and cocoa I turn to this dessert. The amount is perfect for a little noshing while playing 'Words for Friends' or reading my comic books.

The chocolate mousse is vegan and healthier than the original version. But seriously, who cares, as long as the dessert is good. (I say the above sentence because if I mention the word "raw" or "vegan" to some people I know, they already frown and contrive a bias before actually tasting the food.)

This one is saying "Peek-a-boo"

Vegan, raw and whatever else, it does not matter as long as it's good. I served the avocado chocolate mousse to "some people" and didn't tell them it was raw or vegan and they scarfed it down. Warmer weather is coming, aka more leggy outfits, so I'll be seeing a lot of you Mr. Avocado Chocolate Mousse.

Vietnamese Grilled Meatballs (Xiu Mai)

2011-05-31T03:10:00.008-07:00

The smell of cooking meatballs from the kitchen is an indication of a fantastic meal. My mom would complete the meal with all the fixings - rice noodles, red lettuce, purple mint, cilantro, grilled pork (Thit Nuong) and cucumbers; a Sunday night worthy dinner on a school night. My mom shopped for groceries in Chinatown everyday, she ran her errands while the kids were in Chinese school. She purchased what was in season and what was the freshest ingredients of the day.

So, whenever I make Vietnamese meatballs I reminisce about the nights when I helped my mother in the kitchen slapping the uncooked pork (more on that later.)

My family has a few "secret" ways of making the meatballs and I am sharing them today. The meatball recipe is so good I had a guy ask me out after he tried them. No joke. Since not every one is in a relationship to try the "engagement chicken" recipe. Why not try "Get a Date" Meatball recipe?

Reminds me of the scene from The Incredibles

Vietnamese Meatball

1 pound ground pork (make sure there is some fat in the pork)
3 stalks of green onions, minced, including the *white stems and separate the white stems
**3 cloves of garlic
1 Egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 tablespoon sugar

*Saute the white stems of the scallions for a few minutes until slightly brown, cool before adding to mixture
**Run the garlic cloves through the microplane

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl with hands.

Here comes the "slapping" part. Divide the pork into three sections, pick up the pork and throw it back into the bowl and continue with the rest. Repeat.

Form the meatballs into ping pong size (or your own size preference.)

Meatballs can be grilled, pan fried or baked.

House of Carrots

The meatballs are fantastic in a baguette with some pate, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh jalapenos, cilantro, and red lettuce.

with rice noodles, purple mint, mint, cilantro, fresh cucumbers, red lettuce and Nuoc Cham.

My quick nuoc cham recipe by using ratios - I use a soup spoon as my ratio measurement tool.

2 : 1 : 1 : 1/2

Water : Fish sauce : Sugar : Rice Vinegar

3-5 cloves of garlic, smashed with side of knife. Serve with wedges of lime or lemon for personal preference adjustments.

Please tell me if "Get a date" meatball worked its magic and maybe we can start a (dating) urban legend.

I am submitting this blog post to Delicious Vietnam #14 hosted by Rau Om created by Anh of A Food Lover's Journey and Kim and Hong of Ravenous Couple.

Foto Friday: Heart in Sweet Sparkling

2011-05-27T14:59:00.005-07:00

A beautiful day in Rutherford, CA at Mumm Napa's vineyard. The sweet sparkling wine was described as "chocolate raspberry." What's sparkling wine without a little diamonds as ice?

Accidentally Fell in Love with Pittsburgh & Sights

2011-05-13T07:21:00.001-07:00

View Deck of Pittsburgh's Skyline

Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water is a place I wanted to visit in my lifetime. I just didn't know it was going to happen in November of 2010. (I even dreamt about my lunch at the Falling Water months ago.) My friend and I visited Philadelphia because LL recently moved there with her husband. I did a little research and found out Pittsburgh was only a short one hour plane ride and the cost of airfare from SFO->PHL->PITT->SFO was the same as SFO->PHL->SFO.

So why not?

I wasn't expecting it, like the best kind of love, I accidently fell in love after spending 3 days in Pittsburgh. I am not saying I wasn't forecasting a beautiful city but Pittsburgh does not have publicity like California. I had a wonderful time exploring the sights. I can't wait to return when I visit Falling Water again for their 'Twilight Nights' in the near future.

Right outside of Phipps Garden

Through airbnb.com I stayed in Little Italy and the neighborhood was featured on the cover of Pittsburgh Film Festival magazine. Pretty cool huh?!? The neighborhood was close to everything including -- The Strip district and a 15 min drive to all the museums. Read about my Saturday at the Strip district.

Heinz Memorial Chapel

Cathedral of Learning at dusk

I would love to study for classes at the Cathedral of Learning

The Carnegie museums are located by the University of Pittsburgh and I explored the campus, spent a good 2 hours at the Cathedral of Learning, and hopped over to the Phipps Garden. All the big sights were within walking distance.

Frick Fine Art Building

'A Song of Nature' outside of Frick Fine Art Building

aka Schenley Fountain

The most vivacious vist of the trip was the Andy Warhol Museum. When I attended (in November) the feature exhibit was Marylin Monroe. The entire top floor featured photos (some unpublished) of Norma Jean and Warhol's pop art of the bittersweet actress. The Warhol museum is 7 floors of nothing but Andy Warhol's work or art work related to the late eccentric artist, SEVEN floors! The "Silver Clouds" exhibit was lively, as I got to do Matrix style moves to dodge the balloons.

Andy Warhol Bridge

Andy Warhol

Warhol's Silver Clouds

Monet's Water Lily

I visited Monongahela incline; to take in the view of the city at night. A roundtrip ticket to ride the cable car to the incline was a dollar and change. The vista point balconey was a plus to get a closer view of the skyline, the PNC Park Stadium emmited light so bright I wouldn't be surprise if E.T. saw it while riding his bicycle.

Monongahela Incline

Pittsburgh

X0X0

Saturday at the Strip District, Pittsburgh

2011-05-09T13:02:00.003-07:00

I was staying in Little Italy which is only about 10 mins away from the Strip District. I got up bright and early to experience the Strip District on a Saturday morning. I was prepared for the traffic jam and parking situation but it turned out to be easy. While doing research for the Strip District it felt like a mixture of San Francisco's food truck scene and Los Angeles' Fashion District.

The sun was out for a calm November day, the streets were packed with people like sardines, enticing food smoke vapors from the vendors, colorful buildings, stands and even dogs were covered in black and yellow, the color of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was my first visit to Pittsburgh and I cannot help but notice the city's pride for the Steelers. I saw it everywhere from bumper stickers, home flags, clothing, college campus, and the millions of retail shop selling football fan gear.

Black and Yellow, black and yellow...

The Strip District has supermarkets specializing in seafood like Robert's Wholey, Asian markets, Mexican markets, Middle Eastern Markets and more; restaurants, coffee shops, bars, chocolate stores, and retail shops. Most definitely a must stop in Pittsburgh.

Lemonade Stand! Wish I had this as a kid!

Chinese Food Vendor

I started by walking down one side of the block and passed all the famous places: Pamela G's, Primanti's and Deluca's had lines around the block. I avoided the lines and snacked at the vendors as I walked down the strip.

Gyro Stand Outdoors

I love how he toast the taco shells first

Lots of different ethnicities represented and enough baked goods to make the Tooth Fairy rich. The baked goods are prevalent all along the strip but my best tip - make a stop at Mon Aimee Chocolat shop where they have Capogiro gelato! The gelato is from Philadelphia and I don't know any other vendors outside of the city that carries Capogiro. Don't miss a chance to have a few scoops of the gelato when visiting the strip.

Line was long throughout the day, next time.

Roasting Peanuts Outdoors

The energy is contagious, everyone - adults, seniors, teenagers and children were all giddy happy and enjoying the sights and eats on the strip.

Pastrami Sandwich at Primanti's

I dined at the famous Primanti's, every sandwich is stuffed with fries and coleslaw. The fresh soft bread and thick slices of meat with the vinegary coleslaw made for a delicious yet simple meal. I can see why the sandwich is so poplar with lines around the block during lunch hour. I went during off-peak hours and was promptly served at the bar with a VIP view of the grill and a chance to chummy up with the server.

I can't wait to return to Pittsburgh!

Eggs in a Basket OR Eggs in "Jail"

2011-05-06T01:47:00.007-07:00

For Mother's Day, I recalled my memory box and made "eggs in a basket" a simple and easy dish. I started cooking at a young age, my mother was a homemaker which meant she was at the Asian market every day and cooked dinner every night. I helped her for as long as I can remember.

Eggs in a basket is the first dish I made all by myself for my Mom on Mother's Day. The toast was a little burnt from using vegetable oil instead of butter (we never ate butter as kids, it wasn't part of the Chinese pantry) and the egg yolks broke from my clumsy egg-cracking skills. Of course, my mother appreciated the gesture and complimented my dish.

Dribble, dribble

I also made it for Oz years ago when he wasn't feeling well and brought it to him for breakfast. He devoured it with ketchup and I swear I give him a few extra smile wrinkles that day.

I bought one of those 101 cookie cutter set from Costco and choose the heart and double heart cookie cutter. I think I will try the spade and diamond shape next time.

Cut a hole in the middle of bread with desired shape.

Butter one side of the bread and the cut-out bread piece.

Use a non-stick pan and turn the fire to medium-low.

Crack the egg in a bowl first and pour it into the hole (if you have skills, crack egg directly into the pan.)

Cover the pan with a lid OR use a piece of foil and loosely cover the eggs.

Season with salt and pepper.

Once the bread is golden brown, the "baskets" are done.

Nice brown on the egg whites

As a kid, I flipped the toast and cooked it for a minute but I realize covering the egg with a lid will semi-poach the egg. I like the results better because it does not over cook the egg.

There is a restaurant in San Francisco that calls this dish "Eggs in Jail".

Nice "poached" texture

Happy Mother's Day!

Pebble Beach Food and Wine Grand Tasting Event 2011

2011-05-02T18:48:00.008-07:00

Food Network Family - Chris Consentino, Anne Burrell, Michael Symon

I attended Pebble Beach Food and Wine Lexus Grand Tasting Event on May 1st 2011, courtesy of Foodbuzz. The event was indeed "grand" and the food was indeed "tasty." The last event of the almost week-long Food and Wine Event finished with a big bang. The big chef names of the culinary world and wines from family-operated to big corporation was at the event.

Kelly McCown - Ella Dining Room

Emily Luchetti - Pastry Chef, Waterbar & Farallon

Joseph Humphrey - Murray Circle

Steve Salle - US FoodService

The event lasted for 3 hours and attended by thousands. The chefs never skipped a beat, there was enough food for everyone, the lines (if any) moved quickly, and the best part was the food was actually plated by the chef. Everyone (workers, chefs, guest, Driscoll's berry girls) were in good spirits and it was one of the most fun, exciting, and "feel-good" food related event I've attended.

Walter Manzke - Chicago

Ray Garcia - FIG restaurant

Roland Passot - La Folie

Levi Mezck - 1833 restaurant

Some of the highlights:

Meet and greet with Tyler Florence, he was amazingly patient and cheerful to all his fans who waited in a line for a photo op.

Michael Symon's infectious laugh while he was plating food, signing autographs and posing for pictures.

Roland Passot of La Folie! One of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. La Folie was the first place I experienced fine dining. What I revere about La Folie is the Chef Passot is almost in the kitchen every night. Chef Passot had his signature charming grin throughout the day.

Pig Parts - Not only because Chris Consentino's of Incanto was at the event (he served beef tartare) but a number of chefs served headcheese, pig trotter burger, bacon fat and so much more.

The star/most distinctive tasting dish - From Kelly McCown of Ella Restaurant. He served freshly shucked oysters topped with ahi tuna, creme fraiche, bread crumbs and caviar! I liked Chef McCown's strategy because many chefs served pig or a refresher, so his tasting dish was the most memorable. A great way to have someone remember his name.

Lexus sponsored a personalized cooking show flipbook.

William Bloxsom-Carter - Playboy Mansion Executive Chef

Joachim Splichal - Patina Restaurant Group

Jerry Regester - C Restaurant

I tasted many many dishes and put them in a slide show. If interested, please click for a larger view and description of the dish.

Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.

Thank you Foodbuzz for sending me to the Grand Tasting and I look forward to next year's event.

The Beauty of Montreux, Switzerland and Dinner at Majestic 45

2011-04-28T11:55:00.002-07:00

I did not know much about Montreux, Switzerland before I arrived. I read a little about the town but was fully informed by the travel guide who hosted the one hour shuttle bus ride into the town of Montreux from the Geneva airport.

Driving to Montreux

View of the Swiss Alps from Hotel

Supermarket Denner Chocolates, under 1 euro

Montreux turns out to be one of the most expensive zip codes in the world with an even more famous yearly jazz festival. (Sting is headlining the 2011 Jazz Festival.) The city has been graced by some of the biggest names in jazz, blues and rock. Most notably is Queen's tie with the city, they owned a recording studio and Freddie Mercury's 'A Winter's Tale' is inspired by Lake Geneva. There is a tribute Freddie Mercury statue by the river walk.

Montreux Night Skyline

Speaking of the river front, Montreux boosts one of the most spectacular river view with the Alps in the background. The water is so close to the sidewalk it almost feels like one is walking on the water.

A very fun fact is the next town over is Vevey where Charlie Chaplin settled down during the McCarthy era. His home will be turned into a museum in 2012, I will definitely make a stop if I am ever close. I studied his work for a fun movie class I took in college and it sparked my interest in silent films. I own all of his movies and read a few of his biographies. A very interesting man.

Montreux is one of most beautiful and relaxing places I've ever visit and it was during the cool month of February! I was greeted by the gorgeous Alps view every morning, surrounded by watches, chocolate and banks. The people were friendly and Cuban cigars were available (if one desired to smoke one.)

We asked the concierge which restaurant had a view, good food and a nice atmosphere. He told us Majestic 45 located in the Grand Hotel Suisse. We were greeted warmly by one of the server and promptly seated. The restaurant is completely encased in floor to ceiling windows to enhance the view of Lake Geneva and the Alps. Our server said during summer, there are many weddings because the windows open up to a patio.

Beef Tartare

Juicy and Tender Steak with Bearnaise Sauce

I ordered the house signature, the beef tartare served with toast and fries. The beef tartare is one of the best I've had and I was still thinking about it the next day. The meat was finely chopped into tiny cubes so it retained the texture unlike the usual moshed ground beef. The best part was also the finely cubed Gruyere cheese in the dish, which is fitting since the City of Gruyere is about an one an hour away. The beef was fresh and firm.

There's a baby tomato in my Creme Brulee!

Chestnut Mousse Log

The hotel can also exchange money since we only had Euros, actually majority of the town takes Euros.

Jazz Chocolate Shoes by Zurcher

Afternoon Tea at Laduree after the Palace of Versailles

2011-04-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

After an afternoon at the Palace of Versailles enjoying the history, the view of the garden and standing on my tippy toes throughout my visit I was ready for a break. There is a kiosk size Ladurée at the Palace of Versailles but I wanted to save my experience at the fame Rue de Royal location.

Gold Outline

Outrageous Headboard

Hall of Mirrors

After the hour and half train ride back into downtown Paris we walked over to Rue de Royal for an afternoon pick-me-up. The window display was decorated for Valentine's Day and the vibrant colors was exceedingly dominant against the dreary grey February weather.

Smell like Macaroons?

There was a 15 min wait for a table around 3 pm and the cozy snuggle room was exactly as I imagined. The bakery display had confections of every pastel color, bright sugar glazes, macaroons galore and an efficient staff they made the ordering process breeze by.

We were seated in the middle of the room and welcomed sincerely by our server. He was attentive, soft-spoken, and answered any questions without hesitation. Ladurée is a fun place to people watch:

I could not lay my eyes off the sophisticated dressed woman in leopard boots, leopard gloves, leopard scarf, jeans and a white button shirt. There was a couple who were talking to each other with their noses touching like hummingbirds, affectionately holding hands and still managed to eat a croissant and drink their coffee. There was two very posh Senior Citizens a la Betty White, dressed in black pumps, a mink wrap, ruby red lipstick and carried a Birkin. There was a group of unruly and loud teenagers who were snapping their fingers at the servers. I could go on and on with the people watching...

Naked Fruits Dressed in Simple Syrup

Some of the Creamiest Eggs

Crustless Sandwiches

No Introduction Needed

We ordered an Afternoon Tea Set and two pastries to share. Other than looking forward to sampling the macaroons (afterall, Laudree is credited to inventing the macaroons) I was more impressed by their Mille fueille. I can't seem to find a decent Mille feuille in San Francisco or along my other travels. I was impressed by the caramel sticky layer and flaky buttery layers.

Thousand of Leaves

The cassis jam that accommodated the bread roll was fantastic, so fantastic we bought two jars so we can slowly enjoy it at home. The jam was very tart with just enough sweetness to keep the lips from puckering. I only wish we had more time to try the rest of the pastries.

Moi

The Little Luxuries in Life - Room Service Breakfast

2011-03-31T02:37:00.021-07:00

The most gorgeous 5 star hotel I've experienced

I recently got LASIK for my eyeballs and I could not be happier. I would rate the happy-level a little under the love for my dog. I am a -8.00 for heaven's sake so my world is a blur and a half without my contacts or glasses. FREEDOM from glasses!

The next day after LASIK surgery I needed a hug because I felt like there were tiny grains of sand in my eyes (due to squeezing my eyes too tightly.)

I was dreaming of breakfast in bed...

Since I am not Kate Middleton with maids waiting on me while I stare at my shiny diamond tiara or even Charlie Sheen with "Goddesses" living in my mansion, however, I could reminsince WHEN I did have breakfast brought to my room at 7 am prompt everyday for a week from my recent trip to Paris and Switzerland.

At the Westin hotel in Paris:

I love the chocolate Eiffel Tower

At the Fairmont Montreux Palace:

The best room service breakfast (or breakfast, for that matter) was at the Fairmont Montreux Palace. The breakfast was fresh fresh fresh, with detail and care. I was, literally, in heaven with the view and delicious breakfast. I could only wish life was this everyday.

Fresh SWEET guava?!? In the middle of February. Even the strawberries and papaya was sweet!

Organic eggs, look at the vibrant orange hue

Softest creamiest scramble eggs

There was a warming oven underneath the cart!

Swiss yogurt is where it is

Toast, croissant, chocolate croissant, blueberry muffin, country roll. Too much for one person!

The butter

The quality was incredible, even the leafy condiments tasted better than average. How did they do it? The hotel chef must be cooking the breakfast with a rainbow spatula and then seasoning the food with unicorn tears.

Drinking espresso while enjoying the view from hotel room

(The Swiss Alps, Lake Geneva)

The moments in life...

Photo Essay of Paris Trip February 2011

2011-02-23T17:38:00.008-08:00

A photo essay of my short trip to Paris...

I just returned from Paris and Switzerland and it was my first and definitely not my last visit. I stayed for 3 days and then took the rail to Montreux, Switzerland. Three days is too fast to really experience the "City of Lights". I was lucky to stay right next to the Jardin des Tuileries which is also walking distance to Musée de Orsay, Louvre, Place de la Concorde and Grande Roue de Paris and the autobus (boat shuttle.)

Flying over the Sierra Mountains, en-route to Paris

The Many Faces of the Tour de Eiffel

Welcome! Chocolate Eiffel, Macarons, Truffles

Bokeh Eiffel

Sprinkled Raindrops Eiffel

Light show Eiffel

Eiffel from the Boat

Cars in motion. Cars parked. Lamppost Star bursts. The Eiffel Tower

Musée de Orsay is by far my favorite museum from the list of museums I have visited on my travels. The space is grand but small enough to see everything in 3 hours. I love the history of the museum as it was a Train Station and a place for wounded soldiers in its past life. The crowd is much smaller and manageable than the Louvre so I was able to actually enjoy the art pieces.

July Column

Over the bridge to Musee de Orsay

I had afternoon tea at one of the many Laduree. The window display "pops" out of the dreary, cool February weather and grey concrete space.

Macaron Cake at Laduree

Along the Seine River...

Lovers in Paris

Pont Alexandre Bridge

Norte Dame

Through the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel to the Louvre

I took the metro out to the Palace of Versailles, surprising only a 40 min ride and the train stop was about 3 blocks away from the attraction. Versailles was packed with lines like Disneyland and I visited during off-season. I can't imagine navigating the Palace during the Spring and Summer months and truly getting to enjoy the splendor and beauty.

Place de la Concorde & Grande Roue de Paris

At the break of dawn

Spinning

I did not have an opportunity to dine at the many recommended places on chowhound because the visit was so short I could not commit to a set itinerary. I wanted to dine at Spring, L'astrance, Jules Verne, L'ami Jean Bistro, the pressed duck dish and many more.

Ah, but it only means a return visit to Paris and maybe during a warmer season.

Moi peeking out from the garden of Versailles

Until next time...

Road to train station Paris-Gare de Lyon...to Montreux, Switzerland

Foodbuzz 24x24: Roast Duck - 3 different courses

2011-01-30T16:41:00.008-08:00

Lunar new year is often a hectic and joyous time in our family. As long as I can remember, my mother pulled all the stops. She would make an elaborate New Year's Eve meal with each dish representing a significant meaning such as a scallion dish which translate to 'smartness' and 'knowledge." My mother would also make us perform the superstition preparation before Lunar New Year - cleaning the house throughly, cutting one's hair, making sure the rice bin is full, returning any items and fulfilling any debt.

For January's Foodbuzz 24x24, my dad prepare the 3 course roast duck meal in celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year of the rabbit.

The Lunar New Year celebration is in coherent with my Chinese school celebration. In school, we would practice 'Good Luck' phrases in Chinese brush calligraphy, sing songs in Choir and make lanterns with red envelopes. As a child, the best part of Lunar new year is receiving red envelopes and good luck candy from friends and relatives.

As an adult, the best part of Lunar New Year is spending time with family and cooking together. Lunar New Year last for 15 days and between that time there is a plenty of eating, eating, eating and visiting family and friends.

One of the meals my dad prepares during the 15 days of Lunar New Year is Roast Duck: 3 different courses. My dad roasts the duck the old fashion way - the way his father taught him back in Vietnam. Due to the limit in technology and equipment in Vietnam and it was also the 1960s, they used creative ways to prepare the duck. The duck is seasoned with spices such as white pepper, anise, chicken essence, salt and other ingredients. The duck's skin is separated from the meat by using a tube connected to a bicycle air pump. The tube is situated between the skin and meat and air is pumped through to separate the two. The duck is air dried in the refrigerator overnight before roasting in the oven.

The duck's skin is used for course 1, the duck's meat for course 2 - sauteed with noodles and vegetables and finally, for course 3 the duck's carcass is used in a soup with vegetables and tofu. The 3 course duck meal is a delicacy now in restaurants and pretty pricey because it is time consuming and laborious.

Course 1: Crispy duck skin with steamed buns

My dad skins the duck in large pieces and proceeds to scrap off the excess fat. The skin is served with steamed buns, thinly sliced scallions and hoi sin sauce. Course 1 is the everyone's favorite - the crispy skin combined with the hot steamed soft buns and aromatic touch of scallions equals heaven for a minute.

Course 2: Sauteed Duck Meat and Mushroom trio

Continuing with the trio theme, my dad sliced the duck meat into bite size pieces and sauteed it with clear vermicelli, enoki, black and white button mushrooms, and carrots. The dish is lightly flavored with mirin, soy sauce, scallions and white pepper.

Course 3: Tofu and Gai Choy Duck Soup

The duck's carcass is used to stew a soup with gai choy (Chinese mustard greens), soft tofu and unsweetened soy milk. Yes, you read it right, soy milk. The soy milk is a flavoring agent and gives the soup a milky consistency. The soy milk becomes velvety with extraordinary flavor from the well seasoned duck bone. The soup is lightly flavored with chicken boullion powder and tastes even better the next day. I also like to gnaw on the duck bones for the little bits of meat left on the bones.

duck carcass

Nothing goes to waste with the roast duck and sometimes we will change the menu and make duck congee with the carcass.

I hope this post and back story inspires you to make the menu at home because while the dishes are delicious it is the tradition and memories that makes me so fond of Lunar New Year.

新年快樂!

chúc mừng năm mới

Hot and Sour Shredded Potatoes [醋溜土豆]

2011-01-21T01:12:00.004-08:00

Hot and Sour potato has become one of my favorite dish in Sichuan Cuisine. The first time I had the dish was in Washington D.C. with my best friend S and her boyfriend W.

W took over the ordering process which he usually does in a Chinese restaurant. A guy with a fluent tongue in Mandarin and experience in China, we let him take charge. After all, through the S and W I've had many first food experiences - Ethiopian cuisine, Peruvian chicken, Italian Beef sandwich and hot and sour potato.

The dish is simple: thin matchstick size potatoes sauteed with dry red chilies, jalapeño and Sichuan peppercorn (when avaliable.) I really enjoy the dish because it is a far departure from the usual mashed, gratin, fried, or baked potato. I revere in the texture of the potatoes --crunchy, sweet, light and devoid of the starchiness.

Hot and Sour potato is so easy and fast to prepare at home and for pennies versus the average $8/plate price tag in restaurants.

I had some purple potatoes from my mixed bag of red and yellow wax potatoes. I decided to add them for a pop of color.

Hot and Sour Shredded Potatoes [醋溜土豆]

2-3 potatoes, peeled, sliced into thin matchsticks size
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 jalapeño, sliced
red dry chili pepper, amount depends on perference
2-3 cloves of garlic, sliced
olive oil

*1 teaspoon of Sichuan peppers (optional)
**1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)

Soak the potatoes in salted water for 15 mins, enough water to cover the potatoes. Drain the potatoes very well and heat a pan or wok on meduim heat. Pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan and toss the garlic, chili peppers and jalapeno for 1 min.

Put in the potatoes and vinager and toss the potato throughly in the pan for 3-5 mins until the potatoes turn opaque.

Serve.

I like to eat the dish cold too so it's a great meal to pack for lunch.

*If you have Sichuan peppers on hand, stir in the peppers with the oil for 1 min and then take them out before adding any other ingredient.

**A few Chinese chefs told me to add soy sauce but personally I do not add any. The potatoes get a lot of flavor from the salted water bath but may be added depending on your preference.

Shout out to S and W. Miss you guys!

Blue Bottle and Mondrian Cake at San Francisco MoMa

2011-01-12T00:07:00.007-08:00

Only at a San Francisco museum would there be pastries inspired by art. The blue bottle rooftop cafe in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) has a selection of pastries inspired by art pieces. I stopped at the cafe while visiting the current exhibit, 'How Wine Became Modern'.

Left: Pastries selection Right: Pulling tea

Mondrian Cake

Mondrian

I took a break and ordered a caffe latte which came with a floating "leaf" milk foam. There were several interesting selection including a white hot chocolate inspired by 'Bubbles', Jeff Koon's golden Michael Jackson and Bubbles statue. I, however, had my sights on the Mondrian cake - a dense pound cake with chocolate ganache. The cake is visually simulating like the real art piece. I am picturing how to construct the cake in my mind, a rainy day project.

'Bubbles' White Hot Chocolate

Jeff Koon's Bubbles

The 'How wine became modern' was a fun and interactive exhibit with hundreds of bottles on display, the process of fermentation, unique carafes, types of barrels and even a row of different types of wine to smell.

The San Francisco MoMa is also great for students where the tickets are half off, a fantastic deal at $9 where most place only discount a few dollars.

San Francisco MoMa
151 3rd St
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA

Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia

2011-01-08T01:17:00.004-08:00

I wish I had more time more time to pitch a tent at the Reading Terminal Market and eat my way through each food vendor or have an extra stomach. The highlight was Dinic's Roast pork sandwich where we visited twice.

Miller's Pretzels

Dinic's Roast Pork and Beef

I was gunning to try scrapple while in the state of Pennsylvania and wanted to pop my cherry at Dutch Eating Place. However, we arrived after breakfast so we had their famed apple dumpling. The apple dumplings are displayed in the kitchen's window, pre-packed by the dozens and almost every diner ordered it for dessert. I can certainly see why, the bottom crusted with sticky thick caramel; the apple dumpling was sweet, warm, flaky with the apples holding its integrity. We wanted the best of both worlds and topped it with whipped and heavy cream.

Luscious Apple Dumpling at Dutch Eating Place

Moving along the aisles, I grabbed a cold apple cider from Lancaster Diary Co. and skimmed through candles made out of beeswax and honey at Bee Natural. The next stop was browsing barrels of pickles from AJ Pickles Patch and Salads - hot and sour, spicy, black pepper, mustard, every type of pickles. The Amish women were quick to help with questions and packing my pickles. There were also canned products, I especially loved the bacon dressing.

Left: Can you spot the Bacon Dressing? Right: Chocolate Philly Cheese steak

We stayed at the Pennsylvania General Store for hours, fawning over the varieties of chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate covered potato chips. My friends and I brought plenty of boxes to bring home to family and friends. The chocolate cover potato chips are unique because they use Herr's potato chips. I also found a bottle of maple cream to use in my coffee.

The speciality "find" of 2010 for me is the butterscotch peanut butter from Kauffman's Lancaster County Produce. I was heading towards Miller's Pretzel when I spotted the counter of samples. I took one of the rice crackers and smeared on the butterscotch peanut butter. I stopped my tracks, it was that good. The owner was very sweet, he even made a fresh batch because we cleaned out the pre-pack ones. Kauffman ships their products so I will have a consistence flow of butterscotch peanut butter. (215-592-1898)

Pennsylvania General Store Chocolate Covered Pretzel and Kauffman's Butterscotch Peanut Butter

There is so much to eat at the Reading Terminal Market, I wish I had several extra days to visit all the vendors. Other highlights include, Basset's ice cream, Miller's Pretzel, La Colombe coffee, and Beiler's Bakery.

Until next time...

Reading Terminal Market
51 North 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Cleopatra and Bobby Flay and Capogiro, Philadelphia

2011-01-04T01:58:00.009-08:00

My friend, LL was gracious to host us during our stay in Philadelphia. She drove us around town to sight see and even a two an half hour ride to Woodbury Outlet in New York. Her husband is a rocket scientist and works at a University in Philadelphia.

Buffalo Style Burger

In fact, when LL and Rocket Scientist found out about my blog they were racking their brains to bring me to the best places in Philadelphia. Bless their hearts when they suggested Bobby's Burger Bar. Before we arrived to the restaurant, they said, "it's the guy from the TV show on the food channel" and "you know the guy that cooks....that guy." I have to love them.

Philadelphia Burger

Bobby Flay's joint is filled to the brim with college students. The menu's motto is 'crunchified' where potato chips may be added to any burger for no additional charge.

L.A. Burger

The menu features burger combinations with cities which associate the region's ingredients like avocado for California.

The ingredients were fresh but I can't say it worked well together. The burgers suffered the "simple is more" concept, the severe toppings masked the beefy taste. The meat was very soft as it was broke apart after one bite. The "softness" of the meat did not register as juicy or tender but bland without texture.

Sante Fe Burger

Bobby's Burger Palace
3925 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Because we are in a college neighborhood it also means there are coffee shops within stone's throw. Two doors down was Capogiro gelato and cafe. I was stoked, I've heard so much about Capogiro and our gelato scooper let me try every single flavor before I settled on Melon and Pistachio. The flavors were crisp like the air, clean with the flavors humming - lingering on my taste buds.

I asked my gelato scooper what sets Capogiro gelato from others and he said they use Amish milk from Lancaster. Capogiro gelato makes my list of "best thing I ever ate".

Capogiro
3925 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104

We visited the Benjamin Franklin Institute for the 'Cleopatra' exhibit before arriving to Bobby's famish. I say it was a very productive day - culinary and culturally.

Does he need an introduction?

The stairs at Benjamin Franklin Institute. I'm falling...

Cleopatra headless because they don't know how she really looks

Bonnibella's top 2010 food memories

2010-12-31T03:29:00.015-08:00

I am recounting a wonderful and blessed 2010 food-filled year. 2010 began with a goal. A goal to stop "wanting" and start "doing". I always wanted to go visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park Studio and Falling Water. I always wanted to visit New Orleans. I always wanted to seal a "movie" dipped kiss on the Empire State Building. Ok, the last one did not happen this year but who knows what is in store for 2011.

I had some marvelous meals and new exploits in the food field. Here are my favorite meals/dishes for 2010.

Alinea, Chicago

Every time I re-read Alinea's menu (signed by the amazing Chef Achatz, thank you very much) I am able to relive my meal. Yes, the meal was so incredible I am able to recall my reactions, taste bud and general amusement for each dish. I was lucky to experience "the tour" tasting menu consisting of 26 courses before Alinea converted to one tasting menu choice.

truffle explosion, king crab

The menu was fun, interactive, and unexpected in every way. My favorite was the 'king crab' course, king crab prepared 3 different ways (cold, warm, hot) with each course hiding from each other. The ultimate was when Chef Achatz prepared our dessert personally at our table.

New Orleans, LA

My first and very short trip to New Orleans will certainly not be my last. The warm October air, our hotel on Bourbon Street and cafe du monde open 24 hours. The vibrant energy and countless restaurant choices make New Orleans food destination worthy.

The highlight was our meal at Antoine's - the history, the magnificent and labyrinth restaurant, and the hospitality beats many Michelin star restaurants.

Sandwiches

When I was a kid and played "stranded boat in the middle of Pacific ocean" we were allowed to only bring one food item on board. My choice was and still is a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) from Saigon Sandwiches. I love sandwiches - the simplicity of meats, vegetables and spread is enough to turn my frown upside down.

2010 marked a year where I ate out of my sandwich comfort zone. The pulled pork sandwich from Dinic's in Philadelphia literally melted like buttah or better yet, melted like ice cream on the sidewalk on a hot day. Primanti's famous french fries and coleslaw in the sandwich and Wholey's one pound fried fish sandwich in a Fish Market, in Pittsburgh, PA. The city of Pittsburgh really surprised me, the 'burgh offered a lively food scene, beautiful views, amazing museums and history.

Wholey's fish sandwich, Primanti's corned beef

An Italian ice and Italian beef and red hot combination at Johnnie's in Elmwood Park, IL brought me back every night for one week straight.

My first muffaleta at Central Grocery Co. offered a soft, meaty, chewy, vinegary and olive-y sensation in one bite. The Mississippi River view and basking in the warm glowy sun as I was eating my sandwich was...perfect. Another New Orlean's unforgettable sandwich was the soft shell crab po'boy from Stanley's, just look at the size of that thing!

Central Grocery's Muffaleta, Stanley's Soft Shell Crab Po'boy

The infamous Mousse and Fleur Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Grasde Sel at Hot Doug's. A foie gras and hot dog lover's dream.

Thomas Keller's Empire

The French Laundry - dialing at exactly 10am two months in advance, serene and quaint Yountville backdrop and a progression of refined dishes of fish, meat, vegetables and dessert.

Ad Hoc's famous every other Monday night buttermilk fried chicken. We drove 1 and half hour to Napa on a Monday night just to get a taste of the fried chicken. My expectation was thrown out the window after my meal. The fried chicken was better than I could imagine, I can't say the same for many many other situations.

Bouchon Bistro was a disappointment but the raspberry beignets was my breakfast savior.

I don't know how many times I've eaten at Bouchon Bakery in Yountville and Las Vegas. I will give a shout out to the doggie foie gras biscuit from my pom-chi, Momo. He goes absolutely crazy for the biscuit and can smell where I hide them, on top of a 6 ft shelf -- in a shoe box.

San Francisco's new restaurants - Benu and Prospect

Funny, one of my favorite blogger Ulterior Epicure named Benu's black truffle risotto and uni one of his favorites dishes of 2010. I can not agree more, the dish was sumptuous and luxurious. I also won't forget the dish because I asked my pregnant friend who could not eat seafood, I asked if she missed it as the uni dish arrived. She exclaimed, "No shit, I mean, just look at that [uni dish]." I laughed so hard I cried.

Uni risotto, pig trotter

Prospect's open airy space where is in between modern, minimalist, and fancy is my favorite new San Francisco restaurant. The fried pig trotter and lobster was a new flavor combination. The gelatious and crispy pig trotter paired with a sweet bouncy lobster made me roll my eyes to the back of my head.

Las Vegas, NV

I should really consider Las Vegas my second hometown as I travel there 3-5 times a year and love to venture off the strip. There are always new and exciting restaurant openings by famous chefs. Todd's English P.U.B's dirty chips - kettle chips, bacon lardon, blue cheese fondue and fried chicken liver. My sister and I greet each other "Duuuurrrty, duurty....chips!! Yes, so delicious it makes me roll my r's.

Raku has become my "regular" place. Best homemade tofu. Don't ask why, just go and see for yourself.

My 2011 wish list:

Attempt to make macarons at home.

Save enough for Joel Robuchon, The Mansion in Las Vegas.

New York City!

Big Sur, CA road trip.

Ashland, OR for Shakespeare theatre and Crater Lake.

Japanese cooking class.

Improve my Mandarin and Spanish.

Oprah and Stedman finally getting married.

Favorite home cooked meal?

My mom's labor intensive pig blood sausage in pig intestine casing.

Pig offal heaven. Click on picture for more info

A Lawry's Restaurant inspired Prime Rib Christmas Dinner at home

2010-12-27T17:28:00.002-08:00

One of our favorite restaurant is House of Prime Rib in San Francisco. The place is an old stand-by where I am guarantee a delicious complete no-brainer dinner for about $40. Since House of Prime Rib's recipes are not available, Lawry's restaurant is almost the same; and Lawry's recipes are available online.

I was looking forward to making the whipped horseradish cream since I like to smear it on my prime rib like Paula Deen licks butter off her lips. We were tasting while we were cooking and made some adjustments to the recipes along the way.

We purchased 2 pieces of prime rib at 3.5 pounds each. The butcher recommended 1/2 pound for each guest but we estimated about 3/4 pound per person to ensure leftovers. My family preys on prime rib like Joan Rivers on celebrity fashion faux pas.

We coated one prime rib liberally with salt and fresh cracked black pepper and one without any seasonings (that is how my parent prefer their meat.)

I roasted the prime rib at 350 degrees at 13 mins/pound for medium rare. The recipe called for 20-25 min a pound but that would had been too well-done.

Cream Spinach
adapted from Lawry's

2 pkgs. (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
8 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 cup milk

Drain spinach well and squeeze out excess moisture with hands; chop finely and set aside. Fry bacon in heavy skillet until crisp; remove, drain and chop. Sauté onion and garlic in bacon drippings; add flour, Lawry's Seasoned Salt and pepper and blend thoroughly. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add spinach and bacon; heat.

Creamed Corn
adapted from Lawry's

1½ tablespoons butter
1½ tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream
3 cups fresh, frozen or canned whole kernel corn

Melt butter in heavy saucepan; add flour and salt, stirring to blend. Slowly add whipping cream, stirring constantly until thickened. Add corn and heat.

Double Baked and Stuffed Potatoes

I make this dish every year and it is a hit with my family and relatives. My relatives request this dish every year and always take home all the left overs. I use to make it with large Idaho potatoes - scoop out the potatoes and re-stuff the potato shells with toppings. I found it to be too much work, now, I use small red potatoes (which taste better) and bake them in a tray.

Boil red potatoes until soft, peel the skins. Mash the potatoes with liberal amounts of unsalted butter, a tiny bit of whipping cream, sour cream, shredded mozzarella, scallions, chopped cooked bacon, black pepper. Bake potato mixture in casserole dish topped generously with Parmesan cheese.

I eat an obscene amount of whipped cream horseradish with my prime rib at the restaurant. This was my first attempt at making the horseradish at home. I adjusted the recipe to contain more horseradish and really make sure to drain all the liquid out of the horseradish. I used a spoon to press the horseradish against a strainer.

Whipped Cream Horseradish

1 cup whipping cream
¼ teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, well drained, or 4 tablespoons finely grated fresh horseradish root
Dash Tabasco sauce (optional)

Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in Lawry's Seasoned Salt, horseradish and Tabasco until well mixed.

Roasted Garlic, Garlic, Garlic Bread

This garlic bread ensures you will be sleeping alone.

2 garlic bulbs
olive oil

Cut the top off of each garlic bulb, leave the bulb intact. Drizzle with olive oil and wrapped with foil. Roast in 350 degree oven for 20 mins or until brown.

2 sticks of butter
6 pieces of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
2 baguettes, sliced lengthwise

Incorporate the roasted garlic, minced garlic, garlic powder, butter and smear liberally on bread. Bake for 5-7 mins in 350 degree or until crunchy.

Saracco's Moscato D'Asti is my favorite post dinner drink

干杯! Cheers!

After dinner we drove around the city to see Christmas house lights and Coit Tower for the view of San Francisco. I also practiced bokeh Christmas lights on my camera which I am loving at the moment.

Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco

House on Castro and 16th street, San Francisco

I tracked Santa on Norad this year. He was faster than a speeding bullet...

Pasta Crab Carbonara with Crab Roe

2010-12-20T14:30:00.006-08:00

Tis the Dungeness crab season! Forget about Christmas presents under the tree, I look forward to Dungeness crab season all year. The crabs are fat and the price drops as low as $1.99/lb. There are endless recipes but some of the frequent dishes we cook - crab sauteed with ginger and scallions, crab cakes, cua cha gio (Vietnamese crab eggrolls) and salty egg crab.

After de-shelling almost 10 crabs for various crab recipes, we were left with an over abundance of crab roe. I realize it has been a while I made pasta carbonara at home and it was a good opportunity to incorporate the crab roe in the sauce. Plus, the recipe is fast, easy and have the "ta-da!" effect on people

Crab Carbonara with Crab Roe

serves 4

1 pound linguine or fettuccine (I like to mix both types of pasta)

1 Cup frozen peas

1/2 Pound Bacon or Pancetta, diced

3 egg yolks

1 Cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

1/4 Cup Crab Roe

1 Cup Crab Meat

2 teaspoon of fresh crack pepper

Red pepper flakes to serve

Cook bacon in a skillet, drain on paper towel. Bring a pot of hot water to boil seasoned with salt. Cook pasta according to direction. Meanwhile, combine bacon and the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Drain pasta, reserve some pasta water. Mix pasta into the bowl of ingredients and toss very well. Add the reserved pasta water to thin out mixture.

Serve immediately. Although the dish does gets better after each day.

I did not use any salt in the dish other than in the pasta water. The crab roe, crab meat, bacon, and cheese have enough salt to carry over into the dish.

I, personally use a high crab meat to pasta ratio because of the wonderful crab prosperity during this time of the year, however, the amount of crab meat may be scaled back. I also love peas so I use over one cup, but if you are not a pea lover I think 1/2 cup is enough to accent the dish.

Hopefully, I will be able to make some time this year to go crabbing on the Pier in San Francisco.

Happy Cracking!

Running up the "Rocky Steps" after the Franklin Fountain, Philadelphia

2010-12-11T01:06:00.008-08:00

After our late lunch at Garces Trading Co. in Washington Square we walked to Olde City neighborhood for dessert. The walk was brisk since we stopped by a wine and clothing boutique along the way.

The Franklin Fountain has been featured on a few food television shows for their authentic old school ice cream parlor. The owners, the Berley Brothers are part of the theme with curly mustaches, stripe vests, and flat top hats. I was drawn to the Franklin Fountain because it reminded me of the movie 'Pleasantville'.

My favorite character was not the protagonist but the soda fountain owner, Bill Johnson played by Jeff Daniels. He was an artist whose creativity is hindered by the conservative 1950s TV land. My favorite scenes - Johnson painting a portrait of Betty (Joan Allen) and wiping off her black and white makeup...it was sexy. Sexy without kissing, sexy without Matrix-style slow motion, sexy with their raw vulnerable emotions.

Ice cream is sexy and we fulfilled our desires with the "Lighting Rod" as explained on the menu,

"A dark chocolate brownie surmounted by COFFEE ice cream bathed in a DOUBLE-SHOT of ESPRESSO and peppered with chocolate covered espresso beans, sweet coconut flakes and finished with a pretzel rod.

Will surely ELECTRIFY even the most enervated."

A video below of our server putting together our order:

San Francisco is lucky to have so many heavenly ice cream shops - Bi-Rite, Humphry Slocombe, Mitchell's, Ici, Joe's, Mr. and Mrs. and many more. The Franklin Fountain is unique with their many sundae and split combinations and the atomphere is a plus.

The Rocket Scientist friend approved!

After all the caffeine consumed in dessert form, we went to the Museum of Art at midnight to do the touristy "Rocky Steps" with the "Eye of the Tiger" song playing in my head. I also threw up my arms in celebration and Oz happen to call at that very moment (who is a huge Rocky fan) could not stop telling me he was rolling his eyes.

Running up the "Rocky Steps" at Midnight, Museum of Art, Philadelphia

Laughing at ourselves, we drove toward the Boat House Row for the scenery while listening to Kokia's cover of 'Desperado'. Magical night.

Doesn't it make you wish for a boat?

Boathouse Row, Philadelphia

The Franklin Fountain
116 Market St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 627-1899

Iron Chef's Garces Trading Company, Philadelphia

2010-12-06T14:14:00.006-08:00

Graces trading Co. is an all-in-one food experience. The restaurant is in the middle, one wall dedicated to cheese, cured meats, olive oil, anti pasto condiments and take-out sandwiches, another wall for coffee and pastries, the last wall is a wine cellar with a little bit of everything.

The bargain at Graces trading Co. is the BYOB policy and if you forget your wine, walk two steps and purchase a bottle with price points as low as $10.

Baby Artichokes

Because the space is a market with a full service restaurant we went a little crazy with the sourdough bread. After ordering, we browsed the rest of the place and discover white and black truffle olive oil and varieties of aged balasamic vinegar. We tasted so many olive oils and vinegar (which were all fantastic) and ate over a loaf of bread. If our server did not clear our plates we would have continued to eat until we exploded, literally.

Duck Lyonnaise Salad- duck confit, poached egg, bacon lardons, mustard vinaigrette

Everything we ordered was clean, comforting, substantial and flavorful. One of my dining companions, Tiff does not care for food. She is unique because she is the only one in my circle of friends who does not enjoy eating. Tiff prefers frozen Chimichanga and whatever is available and will make her hungry pangs go away.

With that, Tiff was raving about the food and I heard her "ooo and ahh" throughout the meal. This is a big deal because I am slowly trying to open her up to new food experiences. Side note- Tiff hates ALL seafood, offal and not adventurous.

Cubano Clasico - Roast Pork, ham, gruyere, mustard, pickle

The duck confit salad with poached egg was phenomenal, oozy custardy egg dripping over the big pieces of duck confit. There was big pieces of lardon and potatoes, basically an elevated lardon salad.

All the other dishes were in line with the salad, evenly salted which brought out the flavor of each ingredient.

Hopefully, next time when I am in Philadelphia I have a chance to dine at Jose Graces other restaurant, Amada.

*After lunch we walked over to Franklin Fountain for dessert and take in the view of the Benjamin Franklin Suspension Bridge.

Benjamin Franklin Suspension Bridge - the bridge twinkles at night

Garces Trading Co.
1111 Locust St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-574-1099

The Dining Car and Market, Philadelphia

2010-12-02T00:51:00.004-08:00

My friend, LL resides in Port Richmond district of Philadelphia was very excited to bring me to The Dining Car and Market. The diner was on LL's list for awhile (and it is close to her neighborhood) after she saw it on Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives. I did not see the episode but realize most of Guy Fieri's recommendations are disappointing.

The diner is a kick back to what a diner should look like - booths, neon light signs, down home cookin, fast talking servers and affordable prices. Every dish includes soup or salad and choice of sides. The portions are large enough to share.

The chicken croquette were featured on the show and surprising very good and under $10, including soup or salad and choice of a side dish. Two crispy mountain peaks (or if you are 10 years old they look like boobies) served with mashed potatoes and gravy. There were lots of shredded chicken and chicken essence through and through.

Chicken Croquette

LL told me there is usually a line on weekends which deterred her from visiting the diner sooner. Fun conversations with my girlfriends after a long cold day with on and off down pour of rain made for a satisfied comforting night.

Beef Bourguignon

Wait, our night of eating wasn't really over because we went back home and pigged out to $30 worth of pastries from Isgro's and polished a bottle of Sweet Catawba Wine from Finger Lakes Country. It was definitely a very Mid-Atlantic evening.

The Dining Car & Market
8826 Frankford Ave

Philadelphia, PA 19136
(215) 338-5113

Porky Goodness at Tommy's Dinic, Philadelphia

2010-11-29T01:39:00.008-08:00

The "sibling" to the Philly Cheesesteak. Food related television always push the cheesesteak as the mascot of Philadelphia, I think culturally the sandwich is synonymous with the city. However, at 2010's SF Chef 'Whole Hog' lecture and Native Philadelphians proclaim it is the pork sandwich that reign supreme.

I had my first Philly-style pork sandwich at the 'Whole Hog' event, thinly sliced roasted pork, provolone cheese and broccoli rabe, it was fantastic - light, juicy and no food coma.

Dinic's at the Reading Terminal is popular, the stall had a line throughout the day, however the line moves fast. Adam Richman on Man v Food featured the roast pork but the pulled pork dominated.

Roasted Pork, Provolone cheese, broccoli rabe

The pull pork was so tender it almost dissipates upon consumption. We dressed the pull pork with provolone, peppers and spinach. The sandwich was slightly soaked from the pork drippings and the bread held up throughout consumption. Really a fully flavorful porky goodness sandwich, I put it in my top 5 of sandwiches.

Pulled Pork, sweet peppers, spinach, Provolone cheese

The roasted pork was slightly dry and bland especially since we all tried the pulled pork first, the difference was noticeable. Still an excellent and large sandwich for under $10.

Italian Pork Sausage, Provolone Cheese

The staff was friendly and fast with the order. The workers moved around in the tight space with precision. Dinic's is a most stop when in the Reading Terminal. Bonus: Dinci's takes credit card.

Oh, how I am craving for one right now...

Tommy Dinic's
Reading Terminal Market
1136 Arch St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 923-6175

Crossing the t's at Benu, San Francisco

2010-11-21T04:30:00.005-08:00

The food at Benu was thoughtful and meticulous, like crossing the t's after every sentence...

I will try not to bore you with a long detailed recap of my meal at Benu with info such as Cory Lee, ex Chef de cuisine of French Laundry or the most anticipated restaurant opening of 2010 or-- See, I am already spouting all the facts. There are a plethora of blogs covering the details especially from one of my favorite food blogger Ulterior Epicure, click here to read his post.

On a breezy weeknight I meet 3 of my girlfriends for dinner. These girlfriends are some of my favorite people in the world. Most of my spectacular meals in San Francisco are always with these girls.

We were immediately greeted by two Gavin Newsom-like host who lead us to the quiet and fabric covered dining room. The dining room had a feeling of softness, cream colored heavily cushion chairs, gray plushy carpet and even triple-ply toilet paper. The entire feel of the restaurant was 'plushy.'

Amuse - basil, gin

matsutake mushrooms, crab and foie gras custard, green yuzu

The restaurant was business causal, most guest were dressed in business wear with Alicia Keys' 'No One' playing in the background and our server was polite but not too formal. We ordered a la carte to try as many dishes as possible and we were able to share which is my preferred way of dining even in " small portion big plate" places.

sea cucumber, pork belly, lettuce, wood ear mushroom, fermented pepper

After each dish my mind would naturally take note of the thoughtfulness and details of each presentation. The details are elevated like a boyfriend who gives flowers and a boyfriend who gives your favorite flowers and a card signed with a personal message.

abalone grenobloise, cauliflower, caper, lemon, parsley

The monkfish torchon had the texture and airiness of the foie gras but it had a milder flavor and slight sweetness which exposed my mind to the color blue.

monkfish liver torchon, turnip, persimmon, mustard, brioche

Another dish as luxurious as the monkfish torchon was the black truffle risotto with uni. The custom printed art ceramic plate arrived with a lid and dramatically lifted to revealed the treasure. The visual evoked emotions similar to seeing my childhood crush. (You know, the spidey tingle feeling.) Luxurious with a lingering luxurious finish.

risotto, sea urchin, butternut squash, celery, black truffle

The only disappointing dish was also the most expensive at $75, egg yolk tagliatelle with freshly shaved Alba white truffle. Our nervous 'truffle shaver' was fumbling with the lid and quickly shaved it onto our plate. I was hoping to take a glance of the truffles but she quickly put everything away. I understand, I would have stage fright too handling hundreds if not thousands dollars worth of truffles.

egg yolk tagliatelle with white truffles from alba

Aside from the table side presentation the truffle was very mild and the texture felt awkward even though truffles, pasta, heavy cream, and eggs are a winning combination.

rigatoni, squid and ink, karasumi, artichoke, spicy sausage

Some of the minute details and refinement were the components of the dish. The wood ears in the sea cucumber dish was most memorable, the crunchiness versus firmness of the wood ear was in absolute ratio. There were no grits or sandiness in texture; one side was crunchy, shiny, silky and the other side was firmer. I go on about the wood ear because it is one ingredient that is in concert to a song or be a noticeable sore thumb.

sea bass, shrimp, beech mushroom, broccoli, lily blub, eggplant, xo jiang

Another component that I found accentuated a dish was the cucumber in the duck dish. The cucumber was cubed, flesh only, devoid of seeds or skin and cooked to a perfect tenderness. The tenderness had a similar feel to fish cheeks, almost transparent enough to see the pierce of my fork.

left: duck. cherry, black olive, sunchoke, cucumber

right: beef rib cap, daikon, chestnut, mustard greens

We ordered two desserts and a cheese plate, Benu uses Andante Cheese. The huckleberries, douglar fir meringue, candy cap sable, cultured cream dessert was unique in an 'Installation art' way. My friend commented it tasted like a "Christmas tree." The dessert had a woody scent with a grainy layer, it was odd and we did not enjoy it or maybe like an 'Installation art' piece we might not understand how to enjoy it.

selection of Andante cheeses

I was not pleased about our server's push for the menu. She was adamant about us ordering the tasting menu even when we declined twice and reminded us over and over about plate portion. We were informed about the smaller sizes when we were looking over the menu but she re-emphasize it during the meal and when we were ordering dessert. The first few times is courtesy to the patron but bothersome after awhile.

huckleberries, douglas fir meringue, candy cap sable, cultured cream

Soft chocolate ganache, feuille de brick, banana ice cream, Bourbon caramel, ginger

The custom chocolate box filled with velvety chocolate was a sweet touch. The options included matcha tea, hazelnut and others my hands weren't fast enough to grab.

chocolate mignardises

The overall experience felted like a Bette Midler concert with some upbeat songs but majority of the dishes were harmonious love ballads. I left with a feeling of calm happiness especially when my friends and I were discussing the dishes. Chef Lee waved to us gleefully from the window as we were walking by the kitchen outside. Cute.

*Chef Cory Lee is hoping to open for late night grub in order to use up all the leftovers from the kitchen. High-end post drinking food, I will be first in line. Read article here.

Benu
22 Hawthorne St
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 685-4860

Wasabi Deviled Eggs with Salmon Roe

2010-11-16T03:56:00.004-08:00

*I am dedicating this post to my friend, LL - a tough-love friend who is sweet the other half of the time.

During my trip to Philadelphia in November 2010 LL was our host, tour guide and chauffeur. After each day of sightseeing we would chat, eat and laugh ourselves silly into the wee hours of the morning before our tired eyes dragged us to bed.

She introduced me to several of her favorite Japanese movies and was my personal translator. We laughed ourselves silly at 'Wasabi' starring Jean Reno and Japanese actress Ryoko Hirosue.

The scene which refers to the title 'Wasabi' is when Reno is eating large amounts of 'wasabi' without a flinch. His partner Momo (also my dog's name) was waiting for a reaction but Reno was non-chanlant and ate a bowl of 'wasabi' like ice cream.

I am not a big fan of mustard, actually mustard is my cringe ingredient. I cannot stand yellow mustard but can tolerate low doses of Dijon mustard. This prologue leads to my rare consumption of deviled eggs...until I discovered the wasabi deviled egg recipe.

Am I like Reno in 'Wasabi'? Let just say I would probably be the last one standing in a college game of wasabi shooters.

I occasionally will splurge and buy salmon roe in bulk and eat it for a week ( with the help of family members) I am always looking for new recipes to mix up the monotonous of Ikura don.

Wasabi Deviled Eggs with Salmon Roe

adapted from Martha Stewart

8 large eggs
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup Creme fraiche or use mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi paste
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice-wine vinegar
2 large scallions, minced (3 tablespoons)
Coarse salt
Salmon roe for garnish

Prepare an ice-water bath. Place eggs in a medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover eggs by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 13 minutes. Drain, and transfer eggs to ice-water bath until cold.

Peel eggs, and halve lengthwise. Transfer yolks to a medium bowl, and mash with a fork until smooth. Stir in mayonnaise, creme fraiche, wasabi, vinegar, and scallions. Season with salt. Pipe or spoon filling into whites.

One of the difficulties I have when eating deviled eggs is the amount of calories there is in one bite. Deviled eggs are like donut holes, they are pop-able and pretty soon I eat an equivalent of a dozen regular size donuts.

Moderation is key or I suggest making it with extra wasabi!

*I like to use a little creme fraiche with the mayonnaise for a less oily creaminess when using only mayonnaise.

The wasabi scene from "Wasabi' movie.

Panorama of Prospect's Menu, San Francisco

2010-11-04T00:03:00.003-07:00

One of my good friend was celebrating her birthday at Prospect and it was a great excuse to dine at Nancy Oaks and Company's newest addition to the San Francisco restaurant scene. Prospect in Rincon Hill is very attractive, like Kim Kardashian strutting in a tight short dress it is hard not to look twice when walking by. The restaurant is surrounded by floor to ceiling windows, illuminated by chandeliers clustered in strategical positions, and tall flower arrangements composing "pops" of color throughout the space.

There is a science to restaurant design (after all, it is a billion dollar industry), the mood lighting and seat placements; I could not help but notice the plates. The restaurant is warmly lit, not too dark but hazy in a beer-goggle way. Majority of the dishes were plated in curved large white plates which picked up the light. The ingredients on the dish were "spotlighted" so beautifully it enhanced the sensation of taste.

Chilled Beets - vadouvan yogurt, candied pistachios, spiced onion rings

Garlic Roasted Quail - roasted almonds, preserved lemon, pomegranate, tabouleh

Luckily, my friends love to eat family style no matter what type of restaurant. I was able try 12 dishes off the menu and it was very solid. The cuisine is contemporary American, which is prevalent in San Francisco. The flavor pairings were slightly "unexpected" but "expected" once it was tasted.

Crispy Pig Trotter - Maine lobster relish, lobster aioli, summer squash, mint

The "unexpected" was the potato dumpling and escargot, soft gnocchi-like potato with a sprinkle of chewy escargot to contrast. The Seared Scallops which was "expected" a little boring but still prepared very well with a firm caramelized crust and bouncy like Heidi Montag's fake boobs.

Potato Dumpling & Escargot - dandelion sauce, maitke mushroom, parsley and garlic

The Crispy Pig Trotters was the favorite of the night. I've heard and read about pig trotter logs and tried it for the first time earlier this year at SF Chef and Wine. Pig trotter is pig's feet cooked down, usually only held together with mustard, formed into a log, cooled, sliced then lightly breaded and fried. Prospect's topped each pig trotter with lobster and served with shaved squash. The trotter is extremely rich and gelatinous, technically, in my book, the shaved squash made the dish a "salad."

Wagyu Zabuton - butterball potato, creamed cippolinis, smoked trumpet mushroom, spinach, mustard seed au jus

The Wagyu Zabuton (the chuck cut) was excellent, generous in size, seared to a deep "Carrie" red. The mustard seed sauce help the meat shine brighter, it was thick and rich with the aro-smoky-matic from the spice.

Dayboat Scallops - roasted brussels sprouts, pickled butternut squash, bacon relish, pumpkin seeds

I believe the Ricotta donuts are becoming the restaurant's signature dessert, it was on every table and highly (twice) recommended by our server. The donuts were light and sweeten by chocolate and the berry compote.

Veal Chop - madeira mushroom cream sauce, parmesan-nettle crushed potatoes, roasted carrots

Pork Belly & Cheek - ancient grains, confit fennel, fuji apple, preserved orange, scarlet turnips

The miniature ice cream sandwiches, espresso-chocolate cookies with coffee-cocoa streusel ice cream were a hit at the table. Our other friends were jealous of our expert selection and immediately ordered enough for the entire table. The cookie intensify the coffee ice cream. A nice and cool way to end the night.

Asian Pear Tartine - butter orange roasted shinko pears, chevre ice cream, candied fennel, viognier reduction

Ice Cream Sandwiches, Ricotta Donuts

Black and Tan - butter-bourbon pudding, bittersweet brownie, billionaries' shortbread, chocolate sorbet

The service was attentive but not intrusive, especially since we were a large group. We were very well cared for, our wine and water glasses were never empty. In my recent memory, Prospect exceeded my expectation with solid reliable good, romcom-like surroundings and wonderful company.

Prospect
300 Spear St
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 247-7770