Hey all you foodies and kitties!
I will be taking a break from blogging this week!
Will be resuming right after Thanksgiving, with lots of turkey pics and recipes to share!! :)
Happy Holidays!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Noms On My Phone #12
Ah, today's special is from my favorite food truck ever- the Ludo truck!!!
Who: Me and my friend Jeremy
What: Honey-garlic glazed chicken wing, crispy breast strips, honey lavender biscuit, and watermelon (or was it blood orange...) agua fresca
When: May 3rd, 2013
Where: Ludo Truck! You can find out where they are via their website (http://www.ludotruck.com/).
Why: Because I am addicted to fried chicken
How Much: Honey-garlic wings 2pc for $5.50; crispy breast strips 2pc for $5.50; honey lavender biscuit for $1.50. I forgot the price of the agua fresca (sorry!!)
Overall Verdict: I absolutely love the Ludo Truck. I wasn't able to take a picture of my favorite item on the menu (buttermilk chicken) because they were not serving it that day. However, these were still very very good- flavorful, juicy, and simply delicious. It is definitely a bit expensive, but I think it is worth it considering how flavorful everything is!
I give this 4.9 deep fried twinkies out of 5!!!
* minus 0.1 because this truck is always so darn hard to find!!!
Who: Me and my friend Jeremy
What: Honey-garlic glazed chicken wing, crispy breast strips, honey lavender biscuit, and watermelon (or was it blood orange...) agua fresca
When: May 3rd, 2013
Where: Ludo Truck! You can find out where they are via their website (http://www.ludotruck.com/).
Why: Because I am addicted to fried chicken
How Much: Honey-garlic wings 2pc for $5.50; crispy breast strips 2pc for $5.50; honey lavender biscuit for $1.50. I forgot the price of the agua fresca (sorry!!)
Overall Verdict: I absolutely love the Ludo Truck. I wasn't able to take a picture of my favorite item on the menu (buttermilk chicken) because they were not serving it that day. However, these were still very very good- flavorful, juicy, and simply delicious. It is definitely a bit expensive, but I think it is worth it considering how flavorful everything is!
I give this 4.9 deep fried twinkies out of 5!!!
* minus 0.1 because this truck is always so darn hard to find!!!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Noms On My Phone #11
Wow, I'm on number 11 already! Woohoo!!
Let's see what we are going to have today!
Ah, this is an oldie, but very much a goody!
Who: Me and my friend Jeremy!! (We are both Voltaggio groupies.. hehe)
What: Foie gras and waffle with toasted maple marshmallow and home made hot sauce (There is a bit of a foie gras trend on all my posts so far... I wonder why)
When: April 22nd, 2012
Where: Ink (Michael Voltaggio's restaurant: 8360 Melrose Ave #107, West Hollywood, CA)
Why: 1. Because I love MV. 2. Because I love foie gras 3. Because I LOVE MV AND FOIE GRAS TOGETHER!
Overall Verdict: Probably THE BEST dish at Ink. (RIP) Sadly, this will never be on the menu again since foie gras has been banned in California (those bastards... but good for the ducks I guess...). This dish was the epitome of flavorgasm. Yes, flavorgasm. You get sweet, spicy, salty, nutty, and tart paired with a variety of textures- crunchy, marshmallow-ey (fluffy, I guess?), buttery, and sauce-y. This was like a clever spin of the chicken and waffles concept, except with foie. Genius. The maple marshmallow and hot sauce went together so well. I loved this dish so much that I ordered another.... and then another... and then one more. I'm a fatty. Sorry about it.
Overall, I give this 200 fat ducks out of 200!!
Let's see what we are going to have today!
Who: Me and my friend Jeremy!! (We are both Voltaggio groupies.. hehe)
What: Foie gras and waffle with toasted maple marshmallow and home made hot sauce (There is a bit of a foie gras trend on all my posts so far... I wonder why)
When: April 22nd, 2012
Where: Ink (Michael Voltaggio's restaurant: 8360 Melrose Ave #107, West Hollywood, CA)
Why: 1. Because I love MV. 2. Because I love foie gras 3. Because I LOVE MV AND FOIE GRAS TOGETHER!
Overall Verdict: Probably THE BEST dish at Ink. (RIP) Sadly, this will never be on the menu again since foie gras has been banned in California (those bastards... but good for the ducks I guess...). This dish was the epitome of flavorgasm. Yes, flavorgasm. You get sweet, spicy, salty, nutty, and tart paired with a variety of textures- crunchy, marshmallow-ey (fluffy, I guess?), buttery, and sauce-y. This was like a clever spin of the chicken and waffles concept, except with foie. Genius. The maple marshmallow and hot sauce went together so well. I loved this dish so much that I ordered another.... and then another... and then one more. I'm a fatty. Sorry about it.
Overall, I give this 200 fat ducks out of 200!!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Noms On My Phone #10
Sorry guys! This is a bit late today! I had to go to a funeral (sadly, my first one of many to come) this morning and didn't have time to post a daily pic.
Here you go!
Who: Me and my friend Phoebe!
What: One of my favorite dishes from the 10 course line-up: Deep fried quail with deviled egg puree, some sort of beans, beets, and nuts
When: November 2nd, 2013
Where: Wolvesmouth dinner by the genius chef, Craig Thornton
How Much: They do not charge by plate. Rather, the dinner's price is really up to you, the participant of the dinner. At the end of the meal, they give you an envelope to anonymously put in as much money as you would like!! With that being said, most people during my dinner seemed to put in somewhere between $80-100, which is reasonable for a very well made 10 course dinner (with all you can drink booze!).
Overall Verdict: For those who have never heard of Wolvesmouth or Craig Thornton, Wolvesmouth is a exclusive, invite-only, "underground" dining experience headed by Chef Craig Thornton. The location is either at his artsy loft or some other small apartment in the LA area. The invitations are pretty hard to get and you have to submit a request for one in order to get invited. Some critics even call Wolvesmouth "LA's toughest dinner reservation"- see http://www.losangeles.com/articles/wolvesmouth-las-toughest-dinner-reservation.html.
If you do get the chance to go to one of these, I advise you to come with an open mind and a bottle of wine. The whole dining experience is one of a kind and you truly meet very different and eccentric individuals from all over the place. My dining group was just a pleasure and everyone was so kind, friendly, and just happy to be there. I not only enjoyed my food, I definitely enjoyed my company as well.
Now on to the food. This quail. DAMN. SO. GOOD. I am a sucker for game meats, particularly quail. Plus, anything deep fried is a winner to me. This is like fried chicken's hot younger brother. The meat was so juicy, skin so crispy, and overall flavor so delicious! I don't know how I can ever go back to eating Popeyes or KFC after this fried quail. It seriously puts most fried chickens to shame. Not to mention, the pairing of the quail with the deviled egg and beets was genius. The puree, beets, and nuts toned down the gamey-ness of the meat and added a hint of sweetness to the dish.
Overall 50 flying turkeys out of 50!!!!
Just a warning: I will be posting the remaining 9 dishes from Wolvesmouth in a separate post! So keep an eye for that if you are interested in specific details from the full meal!
Here you go!
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| look at that crispy, juicy goodness! |
What: One of my favorite dishes from the 10 course line-up: Deep fried quail with deviled egg puree, some sort of beans, beets, and nuts
Where: Wolvesmouth dinner by the genius chef, Craig Thornton
How Much: They do not charge by plate. Rather, the dinner's price is really up to you, the participant of the dinner. At the end of the meal, they give you an envelope to anonymously put in as much money as you would like!! With that being said, most people during my dinner seemed to put in somewhere between $80-100, which is reasonable for a very well made 10 course dinner (with all you can drink booze!).
Overall Verdict: For those who have never heard of Wolvesmouth or Craig Thornton, Wolvesmouth is a exclusive, invite-only, "underground" dining experience headed by Chef Craig Thornton. The location is either at his artsy loft or some other small apartment in the LA area. The invitations are pretty hard to get and you have to submit a request for one in order to get invited. Some critics even call Wolvesmouth "LA's toughest dinner reservation"- see http://www.losangeles.com/articles/wolvesmouth-las-toughest-dinner-reservation.html.
If you do get the chance to go to one of these, I advise you to come with an open mind and a bottle of wine. The whole dining experience is one of a kind and you truly meet very different and eccentric individuals from all over the place. My dining group was just a pleasure and everyone was so kind, friendly, and just happy to be there. I not only enjoyed my food, I definitely enjoyed my company as well.
Now on to the food. This quail. DAMN. SO. GOOD. I am a sucker for game meats, particularly quail. Plus, anything deep fried is a winner to me. This is like fried chicken's hot younger brother. The meat was so juicy, skin so crispy, and overall flavor so delicious! I don't know how I can ever go back to eating Popeyes or KFC after this fried quail. It seriously puts most fried chickens to shame. Not to mention, the pairing of the quail with the deviled egg and beets was genius. The puree, beets, and nuts toned down the gamey-ness of the meat and added a hint of sweetness to the dish.
Overall 50 flying turkeys out of 50!!!!
Just a warning: I will be posting the remaining 9 dishes from Wolvesmouth in a separate post! So keep an eye for that if you are interested in specific details from the full meal!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Noms On My Phone #9
Ahh. Today's special is from the ever-so-popular Sushi Gen in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles! They are known for their fresh sashimi, decent prices, amazing lunch special ($15 for a big plate of sashimi), and their (one) cute sushi chef (hehe.. ok, I made this one up. But, for reals, there is a cute one!).
Who: Me, myself, and I
What: Uni and Sashimi Combination Dinner
When: February 12th, 2012- But let's be real... I basically ordered this once a month for 4 years.
Where: Sushi Gen (422 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012)
Why: Because I love uni!!!!
How Much: $36
Overall Verdict: I love ordering this because I get my own whole box of uni plus around 6-7 pieces of tuna, red snapper, and yellow tail sashimi! The uni plate comes with some kani (crab), tamago (egg), some boiled squid, dried fish, and a scoop of negi-toro (fatty tuna scraps mixed with green onions).
For an uni lover like me, this is a great combo, although the price tag is a bit hefty. But, what can you expect? This is some pretty darn fresh uni and sashimi! Definitely perfect for a "treat yo'self" kind of day!
I give this 4.9999 Blue Whales out of 5!
*minus 0.0001 for the SUPER DUPER DUPER LONG LINES that are always present at Sushi Gen. Seriously. Over 2 hours just to get seated!
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| ahh no such thing as too much uni! |
What: Uni and Sashimi Combination Dinner
When: February 12th, 2012- But let's be real... I basically ordered this once a month for 4 years.
Where: Sushi Gen (422 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012)
Why: Because I love uni!!!!
How Much: $36
Overall Verdict: I love ordering this because I get my own whole box of uni plus around 6-7 pieces of tuna, red snapper, and yellow tail sashimi! The uni plate comes with some kani (crab), tamago (egg), some boiled squid, dried fish, and a scoop of negi-toro (fatty tuna scraps mixed with green onions).
For an uni lover like me, this is a great combo, although the price tag is a bit hefty. But, what can you expect? This is some pretty darn fresh uni and sashimi! Definitely perfect for a "treat yo'self" kind of day!
I give this 4.9999 Blue Whales out of 5!
*minus 0.0001 for the SUPER DUPER DUPER LONG LINES that are always present at Sushi Gen. Seriously. Over 2 hours just to get seated!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Noms On My Phone #8
Throwin' it wayyyy back today!
Here we go!
Who: Me and my friend Chelsea!
What: Squid Ink Fettucini with Yellow Coconut Milk Curry, Salmon Roe, Wild California Sea Urchin
When: September 2nd, 2011
Where: Petrossian West Hollywood (321 North Robertson Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90048)
Why: Um... squid ink + salmon roe + uni! Who wouldn't want to try this match made in heaven? Plus, I wanted excited to hear that Giselle Wellman was the executive chef! Great to see a female executive chef in this predominantly male-dominant industry!
How Much: $26
Overall Verdict: Yummy yummy in my tummy. The coconut curry blended really well with the briny tang from the salmon roe and the sweetness of the uni. The flavors were well balanced and the squid ink fettucini, itself, was perfectly al dente. However, the portion size was a quite small and left me wanting more.
I would give this dish a 4.5 Octopi out of 5!
Here we go!
Who: Me and my friend Chelsea!
What: Squid Ink Fettucini with Yellow Coconut Milk Curry, Salmon Roe, Wild California Sea Urchin
When: September 2nd, 2011
Where: Petrossian West Hollywood (321 North Robertson Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90048)
Why: Um... squid ink + salmon roe + uni! Who wouldn't want to try this match made in heaven? Plus, I wanted excited to hear that Giselle Wellman was the executive chef! Great to see a female executive chef in this predominantly male-dominant industry!
How Much: $26
Overall Verdict: Yummy yummy in my tummy. The coconut curry blended really well with the briny tang from the salmon roe and the sweetness of the uni. The flavors were well balanced and the squid ink fettucini, itself, was perfectly al dente. However, the portion size was a quite small and left me wanting more.
I would give this dish a 4.5 Octopi out of 5!
TChen eats... P de Q's!!
The first time I tried these cheesy balls of goodness at Fogo de Chau in Los Angeles, I fell in love.
Recently moving back home to Fresno, I suddenly had a craving for some chewy tapioca p de q's. Luckily, a p de q specialty store just opened 20 minutes from my house!!! I knew I had to give it a try and boy, oh boy, were these p de q's good.
For those unfamiliar with p de q's, they are small cheese balls made with tapioca starch. They can be sweet or savory, though I prefer savory!
Alright, on to the food, I got 2 p de q's- one cheese and one bacon. Yes, bacon. How could I say no?
Also got 2 maple donuts that were gluten free... but these were just normal donut tasting, not chewy like p de q's.
Here are the pics!!
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| Bacon, bacon, bacon! |
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| Original Cheese |
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| Maple donuts |
TChen makes... Lobster Tails! (Quick Recipe)
In a rush, yet want to be a bit fancy?
Trying to impress that special someone, using as little culinary skills as possible?
Want to make this???
Well then, you are at the right place! Try out this incredibly simple, yet delicious lobster tail recipe that will be sure to impress!
What you need:
- 2 Lobbie tails!! Preferably 4-5oz. I find that in this case, bigger is not always better. hehe.
- Parsley (Either dried or fresh works)
- Olive oil
- Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
- Half a Lemon
- Oven/broiler
Alrighty, because lobster tails are sweet and a tad salty in taste, there really is no need to over season them. You can go nuts on the olive oil, garlic powder, and parsley, though!
To prep these tails:
- Get them out of your fridge! That means that you have to previously thaw your lobs if you choose to buy them frozen.
- Clean them first to make sure that the shell isn't dirty. (I can be a bit of a clean freak... but hey, trying to be safe here)
- Get a super super sharp knife, or kitchen shears, and carefully cut down the center of the lobster tail shell. Be SUPER careful not to cut through the meat . If you do, that is A-OK, but the meat will look kinda sad and saggy later on- taste will still be good though.
- Once you cut the center of the tail, you need to use your fingers to do some sneaky work.
- Gently use your fingers to separate the meat from the shell (much like how you separate turkey skin from meat when you season it....). Just stick em in there and wiggle the meat separate from the shell. This will take some getting used to and could also result in a few minor scratches if you are not careful.
- Once this is done, gently try pulling out the meat (still attached at the fins) so that it exits the opening that you had previously cut and sits on top of the shell.
To season:
- drizzle with olive oil (you can use butter too... but I went the "healthy" alternative- basically, I had no butter present and only olive oil aka I'm just tryna function!)
- sprinkle with parsley
- sprinkle with garlic powder
- add a touch of salt and pepper to taste
To cook:
- Turn on your broiler and make sure it is hot before you put these in
- Also, make sure your lobster tails are not cold, but close to room temp before you cook.
- Stick these lobbies in the broiler for a good 5-7 minutes on high heat and then turn the oven off.
- Now let them sit in the residual heat for a remaining 1-2 minutes.
- Take them out and sprizzle with a little lemon juice to taste!
Ta dah! You should get beautiful lobster tails, fit for a king and queen!
Now here are some pics:
Trying to impress that special someone, using as little culinary skills as possible?
Want to make this???
Well then, you are at the right place! Try out this incredibly simple, yet delicious lobster tail recipe that will be sure to impress!
What you need:
- 2 Lobbie tails!! Preferably 4-5oz. I find that in this case, bigger is not always better. hehe.
- Parsley (Either dried or fresh works)
- Olive oil
- Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
- Half a Lemon
- Oven/broiler
Alrighty, because lobster tails are sweet and a tad salty in taste, there really is no need to over season them. You can go nuts on the olive oil, garlic powder, and parsley, though!
To prep these tails:
- Get them out of your fridge! That means that you have to previously thaw your lobs if you choose to buy them frozen.
- Clean them first to make sure that the shell isn't dirty. (I can be a bit of a clean freak... but hey, trying to be safe here)
- Get a super super sharp knife, or kitchen shears, and carefully cut down the center of the lobster tail shell. Be SUPER careful not to cut through the meat . If you do, that is A-OK, but the meat will look kinda sad and saggy later on- taste will still be good though.
- Once you cut the center of the tail, you need to use your fingers to do some sneaky work.
- Gently use your fingers to separate the meat from the shell (much like how you separate turkey skin from meat when you season it....). Just stick em in there and wiggle the meat separate from the shell. This will take some getting used to and could also result in a few minor scratches if you are not careful.
- Once this is done, gently try pulling out the meat (still attached at the fins) so that it exits the opening that you had previously cut and sits on top of the shell.
To season:
- drizzle with olive oil (you can use butter too... but I went the "healthy" alternative- basically, I had no butter present and only olive oil aka I'm just tryna function!)
- sprinkle with parsley
- sprinkle with garlic powder
- add a touch of salt and pepper to taste
To cook:
- Turn on your broiler and make sure it is hot before you put these in
- Also, make sure your lobster tails are not cold, but close to room temp before you cook.
- Stick these lobbies in the broiler for a good 5-7 minutes on high heat and then turn the oven off.
- Now let them sit in the residual heat for a remaining 1-2 minutes.
- Take them out and sprizzle with a little lemon juice to taste!
Ta dah! You should get beautiful lobster tails, fit for a king and queen!
Now here are some pics:
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| Needed an extra 1 min of cooking! |
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| Look at that profile! Would look better with a bit more browning on the sides |
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| Not the same lobster friend from pics above... but still turned out great! |
Enjoy and good luck in the kitchen!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Noms On My Phone #7
Good morning everyone!!
Nothing like waking up to a medical school acceptance! Woohoo.
Alrighty, let us get started with number 7!
Who: Me and my parents!
What: Pan seared Hawaiian ahi with grilled asparagus, mixed veggies, and rice!
When: August 19th, 2013
Where: The Galley Seafood Grill and Bar (899 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, CA 93442)
Why: We wanted a mini-vacay/escape from the summer heat. Morrow Bay was nice, overcast, and a bit chilly!
How much: A whoppin $26 for this entree.
Overall verdict: I really enjoyed the freshness of this fish and how the preparation of the ahi was a perfect medium rare. I often find that restaurants sear their fish for way too long, making the outer crust too tough and the inner meat not juicy enough. But this was not the case here! The fish was great! The sides were great! Presentation was great! Only thing that I was a bit iffy about was the price. Yes, the fish was fresh. However, I still think that the $26 price tag was a wee bit too high. But then again, I agree that this is quite the touristy spot and it makes sense why they would raise it high- if people are willing to pay, why not??
With that, I shall give this a 4.5 Tuna fish out of 5!
Now here are some pics from the trip!
Nothing like waking up to a medical school acceptance! Woohoo.
Alrighty, let us get started with number 7!
What: Pan seared Hawaiian ahi with grilled asparagus, mixed veggies, and rice!
When: August 19th, 2013
Where: The Galley Seafood Grill and Bar (899 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, CA 93442)
Why: We wanted a mini-vacay/escape from the summer heat. Morrow Bay was nice, overcast, and a bit chilly!
How much: A whoppin $26 for this entree.
Overall verdict: I really enjoyed the freshness of this fish and how the preparation of the ahi was a perfect medium rare. I often find that restaurants sear their fish for way too long, making the outer crust too tough and the inner meat not juicy enough. But this was not the case here! The fish was great! The sides were great! Presentation was great! Only thing that I was a bit iffy about was the price. Yes, the fish was fresh. However, I still think that the $26 price tag was a wee bit too high. But then again, I agree that this is quite the touristy spot and it makes sense why they would raise it high- if people are willing to pay, why not??
With that, I shall give this a 4.5 Tuna fish out of 5!
Now here are some pics from the trip!
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| so eerie |
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| gone fishin' |
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| where we ate! |
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Noms On My Phone #6
Let's get started!
Who: Me, myself, and I.
What: A full slab of St. Louis style ribs (dry-rubbed and slow smoked over apple and cherry wood) with deep fried corn and the most amazing green beans
Where: Pappy's Smokehouse (3106 Olive St, St Louis, MO, 63103)
When: September 21st, 2013
Why: Because I've always wanted to try out some real St. Louis BBQ.
How much: $22.99
Overall Verdict: SO WORTH IT. I may have overestimated myself and ordered wayyyy too much. The whole slab was HUMONGOUS. Way bigger than my head (and yes, I always compare the size of things to the size of my head). The ribs were so juicy, tender, and flavorful even without the sauce on top. The sides were also so delicious and yummy. Hands down, the best green beans of my life and I, my friend, am a self proclaimed green bean connoisseur.
I'd give this 20 Candied bacon strips out of 20!
What: A full slab of St. Louis style ribs (dry-rubbed and slow smoked over apple and cherry wood) with deep fried corn and the most amazing green beans
Where: Pappy's Smokehouse (3106 Olive St, St Louis, MO, 63103)
When: September 21st, 2013
Why: Because I've always wanted to try out some real St. Louis BBQ.
How much: $22.99
Overall Verdict: SO WORTH IT. I may have overestimated myself and ordered wayyyy too much. The whole slab was HUMONGOUS. Way bigger than my head (and yes, I always compare the size of things to the size of my head). The ribs were so juicy, tender, and flavorful even without the sauce on top. The sides were also so delicious and yummy. Hands down, the best green beans of my life and I, my friend, am a self proclaimed green bean connoisseur.
I'd give this 20 Candied bacon strips out of 20!
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Noms On My Phone #5
Good Morning!!
Also, I just wanted to say "GO TROJANS, BEAT THE FARM" in honor of game day!! Nothing I want to see more than that silly tree get chopped down!
Alright, so back to the real stuff. Here we go!
Who: Me and my friend, Joe!
What: UNI and other sashimi. For those who don't know what uni is.... it is basically sea urchin gonads. Don't let that scare you away though! It is basically heaven on earth- the sweetest, tastiest pieces of heaven. Mmmm. Give it a try before you rule it out! You may be surprised
Where: Maruhide Uni Club (2130 Redondo Beach Blvd, Torrance, CA 90504)
When: Too damn long ago!! August 7th, 2013.
Why: Because I am an uni addict.
Overall Verdict: EERMAHGERD. This is one of my favorite places ever because of their generous and reasonably priced uni bowls!! Plus, they come loaded with other fresh sashimi like hotate (scallop), ikura (salmon roe), maguro (tuna), sake (salmon), uni tamago (egg omelet with uni in it), etc. Plus, you can try uni prepared in many ways- boiled, marinated, frozen (so good- try the uni ruibe), in a paste, raw, etc. While the uni isn't the BEST BEST, it is still pretty darn good for its price and convenience.
10 Starfish out of 10!!
Also, I just wanted to say "GO TROJANS, BEAT THE FARM" in honor of game day!! Nothing I want to see more than that silly tree get chopped down!
Alright, so back to the real stuff. Here we go!
Who: Me and my friend, Joe!
What: UNI and other sashimi. For those who don't know what uni is.... it is basically sea urchin gonads. Don't let that scare you away though! It is basically heaven on earth- the sweetest, tastiest pieces of heaven. Mmmm. Give it a try before you rule it out! You may be surprised
Where: Maruhide Uni Club (2130 Redondo Beach Blvd, Torrance, CA 90504)
When: Too damn long ago!! August 7th, 2013.
Why: Because I am an uni addict.
Overall Verdict: EERMAHGERD. This is one of my favorite places ever because of their generous and reasonably priced uni bowls!! Plus, they come loaded with other fresh sashimi like hotate (scallop), ikura (salmon roe), maguro (tuna), sake (salmon), uni tamago (egg omelet with uni in it), etc. Plus, you can try uni prepared in many ways- boiled, marinated, frozen (so good- try the uni ruibe), in a paste, raw, etc. While the uni isn't the BEST BEST, it is still pretty darn good for its price and convenience.
10 Starfish out of 10!!
Friday, November 15, 2013
TChen makes... Asian Fruit Cake (again!)
For those who haven't checked out my Asian bakery cake recipe: http://tchensays.blogspot.com/2013/09/asian-bakery-cake.html
Anyways, my family decided to host a dinner party tonight and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make some yummy fruit cake.
I'm not going to bore you with the recipe, which you can find in above link, and will just leave the talking up to the pictures. Enjoy!!!
Anyways, my family decided to host a dinner party tonight and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make some yummy fruit cake.
I'm not going to bore you with the recipe, which you can find in above link, and will just leave the talking up to the pictures. Enjoy!!!
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| This one was a bit lopsided.. woops! Still good though! |
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| Sprinkled on some powder sugar on top! |
Noms On My Phone #4
Woops. Late start today... but here we go!
Welp. Well this is awkward- definitely not going along the whole "gourmet food" trend that I was hoping for. Oh well! I did say that I was going to pick randomly, so I guess this will do! (note: you can kinda see my dad in the background with his hands in his face when I took these pictures... hahah sorry Dad for embarrassing you!)
Who: me and Papa Chen
What: Mickey D's new-ish Mighty Wings with fries and vanilla iced coffee
When: September 30th, 2013
Where: McDonald's, duh.
Why: Because I was starvin'!!
Overall Verdict: No, just no. 3 nasty cough drops out of 5!
Where to begin...
Let me just list what I hated about these wings:
1. TOO DAMN SALTY! My poor kidneys
2. Not that crispy- a bit overcooked, too!
3. Overpriced! Gimme some of that 99 cents Tuesdays from Popeyes ANYDAY.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Noms On My Phone #3
I've been posting all of these so far in the morning when I wake up... Hmm must be because I always dream of yummy foods and wake up starving!
Here is today's feature!
Here is today's feature!
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| Close up of that burger! |
Details:
Who: My burger, of course!! Dined with medical school student hosts from Tulane Medical School!
What: Pan seared foie gras, sunny side up egg, duck bacon, & foie gras mayo on carmelized onion brioche with pork cracklin and abita root beer & foie gras ice cream float. (YES, FOIE GRAS ICE CREAM)
When: October 20th, 2013
Where: SoBou (310 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130)
Why: Treated my hosts out to dinner the night before my medical school interview!
Overall verdict: 20 gold stars on catnip out of 20!!
I can never say no to the foie. Plus, this one was perfectly cooked! For those who are a bit wary of foie gras ice cream, let me just say that it is probably the best ice cream ever! I tried foie gras ice cream back at Petrossian in West LA when foie gras was legal in Cali (SNIFF SNIFF. RIP) and automatically fell in love. The ice cream is still sweet with a hint of nuttiness (think peanut butter) mixed with a bit of saltiness (kinda like salted caramel). Overall, it is delicious and well worth a try! Do not be scared my kittens! It is well worth it.
Oh. I almost forgot the rest of the food on the plate. The burger patty was solid too! Just what you would expect from a gourmet burger- nice and thick, juicy, not too fatty, and cooked medium rare. The brioche bun was a real treat too- nice crisp to it. I loved having an egg on the burger and poppin' dat yolk all over the beautiful foie burger. The strips of duck bacon tied it all together.
I didn't eat much of the pork cracklins since everything else was so filling. They tasted like pork rinds though... nothing to write home about.
And foie gras root beer float. One word: genius.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
TChen makes... Sous Vide Duck Breast!!
I am a huge sucker for a perfectly cooked duck breast, but struggled for many years trying to figure out the best way to cook it.
What you need:
1. 1 Big Pot (big enough to fully submerge your duck breasts!)
2. Cooking thermometer (I was lazy and used a cheap meat thermometer.. worked fine though!)
3. Stove (doesn't matter what kind as long as you are able to adjust heat settings)
4. Large freezer zip lock bags (durable ones! don't settle for cheap ones)
5. A straw (optional)
6. Duck breasts and whatever seasoning you want to add.
Now how to set it up:
1. Fill pot with water high enough to cover your duck breasts (try measuring it out first before pouring in water)
2. Heat up water to somewhere between 130-140 degrees F (usually the LOW setting on my stove)
3. Make sure your thermometer is in the pot/attached to pot at all times to make sure the temperature doesn't fluctuate out of this range! (I'm a cheap miss and just used an elastic band to tie the thermometer to pot handle!)
Prepping duck breast:
1. If frozen, thaw completely to room temp.
2. Score the skin of the duck by making shallow diagonal cuts on the skin. *Make sure that the cuts do not cut through to the meat. ONLY THE SKIN!
3. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Feel free to add whatever spice you like. I hear thyme works very well! I added in Chinese five spice powder... mmm!
4. Once you are done seasoning, place duck breasts in zip lock bags and use your hands to squeeze out as much air as possible.
5. If you want to get more air out, stick a straw in the bag with the duck and zip up bag so that there is only enough space for the straw. Now here is the unsanitary part! Suck out all the air from the bag with the straw and quickly seal!! DISCLAIMER: I do not know if sucking air from a zip lock bag filled with raw duck is unsafe. Please note that this is optional and only do it if you feel comfortable.
6. Now that the duck is sealed, let sit for 10 minutes to soak in the seasoning.
Cooking:
1. Just place the sealed ducks in the 130-140 degree water.
2. Make sure the temperature does not fluctuate. If it gets too hot, turn down the heat or add cold water.
3. Cook for 2 hours!
Optional: Move the bag of duck around a few times every 30 min or so.
4. After you cook for 2 hours, remove and take out the breast. There should be little juice in the bag (good sign!). Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on the skin.
5. Now heat up a pan to low-medium heat and place duck breasts skin down on the pan when heated.
6. Be patient and let the fat render out of the skin on low heat. This took around 7-8 minutes.
Optional: I like to take out the accumulated rendered fat every few minutes and save it in a container to use later on. If you keep too much oil in the pan, it could get quite messy.
7. Once all the fat is rendered out, let the skin crisp up by keeping it on medium-high heat for a minute or two.
8. Turn to other side and sear the meat side for around 1 minute on medium-high heat.
9. Now take it off of the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes.
10. Slice and serve!
You should get perfectly cooked (medium rare/135 degrees F) duck breast.
Boom.
Simple, yet delicious. You just need some time and patience, but the results are so worth it.
Enjoy and good luck in the kitchen.
I finally stumbled upon a stove-top sous vide recipe by the fabulous Chef John from Food Wishes (http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/) and decided to give it a try!!!
The results were not only extremely delicious, but aesthetically pleasing as well! This recipe is quite simple and seriously amazing. I made a few modifications since I was lacking a few ingredients, but I assure you that your duck will still taste amazing!
Here we go!
What you need:
1. 1 Big Pot (big enough to fully submerge your duck breasts!)
2. Cooking thermometer (I was lazy and used a cheap meat thermometer.. worked fine though!)
3. Stove (doesn't matter what kind as long as you are able to adjust heat settings)
4. Large freezer zip lock bags (durable ones! don't settle for cheap ones)
5. A straw (optional)
6. Duck breasts and whatever seasoning you want to add.
Now how to set it up:
1. Fill pot with water high enough to cover your duck breasts (try measuring it out first before pouring in water)
2. Heat up water to somewhere between 130-140 degrees F (usually the LOW setting on my stove)
3. Make sure your thermometer is in the pot/attached to pot at all times to make sure the temperature doesn't fluctuate out of this range! (I'm a cheap miss and just used an elastic band to tie the thermometer to pot handle!)
Prepping duck breast:
1. If frozen, thaw completely to room temp.
2. Score the skin of the duck by making shallow diagonal cuts on the skin. *Make sure that the cuts do not cut through to the meat. ONLY THE SKIN!
3. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Feel free to add whatever spice you like. I hear thyme works very well! I added in Chinese five spice powder... mmm!
4. Once you are done seasoning, place duck breasts in zip lock bags and use your hands to squeeze out as much air as possible.
5. If you want to get more air out, stick a straw in the bag with the duck and zip up bag so that there is only enough space for the straw. Now here is the unsanitary part! Suck out all the air from the bag with the straw and quickly seal!! DISCLAIMER: I do not know if sucking air from a zip lock bag filled with raw duck is unsafe. Please note that this is optional and only do it if you feel comfortable.
6. Now that the duck is sealed, let sit for 10 minutes to soak in the seasoning.
Cooking:
1. Just place the sealed ducks in the 130-140 degree water.
2. Make sure the temperature does not fluctuate. If it gets too hot, turn down the heat or add cold water.
3. Cook for 2 hours!
Optional: Move the bag of duck around a few times every 30 min or so.
4. After you cook for 2 hours, remove and take out the breast. There should be little juice in the bag (good sign!). Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on the skin.
5. Now heat up a pan to low-medium heat and place duck breasts skin down on the pan when heated.
6. Be patient and let the fat render out of the skin on low heat. This took around 7-8 minutes.
Optional: I like to take out the accumulated rendered fat every few minutes and save it in a container to use later on. If you keep too much oil in the pan, it could get quite messy.
7. Once all the fat is rendered out, let the skin crisp up by keeping it on medium-high heat for a minute or two.
8. Turn to other side and sear the meat side for around 1 minute on medium-high heat.
9. Now take it off of the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes.
10. Slice and serve!
You should get perfectly cooked (medium rare/135 degrees F) duck breast.
Boom.
Simple, yet delicious. You just need some time and patience, but the results are so worth it.
Enjoy and good luck in the kitchen.
Noms On My Phone #2
Day 2... let's see which food pic I randomly pick today!
Here are the deets.
Who: Me, myself, and I (Yes, 6 mini tacos all for myself)
What: mini taco sampler plate
When: April 26th, 2013
Where: Guisados (2100 East Cesar E Chavez Avenue, Los Angeles)
Why: Guisados is always listed as one of the best places of Yelp. Decided to finally see what the hype was about.
Overall Verdict: Worth the hype? YES 5 Godzirras of 5! Homemade masa + perfectly stewed meats = 1 very satisfied kitty. MEYOW I want some more.
Here are the deets.
Who: Me, myself, and I (Yes, 6 mini tacos all for myself)
What: mini taco sampler plate
When: April 26th, 2013
Where: Guisados (2100 East Cesar E Chavez Avenue, Los Angeles)
Why: Guisados is always listed as one of the best places of Yelp. Decided to finally see what the hype was about.
Overall Verdict: Worth the hype? YES 5 Godzirras of 5! Homemade masa + perfectly stewed meats = 1 very satisfied kitty. MEYOW I want some more.
Noms On My Phone #1
Just as the name suggests, I will be randomly posting a pic(s) a day of a snack/meal/entree/drink that has been taken by my phone.
Disclaimer: I am in no way a legit food photographer or any kind of skilled photographer. I'm just try'na fuction.. ya feel?
First up:
Let me just start by saying that I miss this dish so so so so so ridiculously much.
Here are the deets.
Who: Me and my good friend Nancy
What: Foie gras creme brulee with blood orange, toasted cocoa nibs, and salted brioche(yes, that is right. THIS IS HEAVEN ON EARTH). Such harmony between all the different flavors and textures.
When: March 18th, 2013
Where: Sage in the Aria, Las Vegas
Why: It was spring break and Vegas just seemed like the obvious choice.
Overall Verdict: 5 Cat Kings out of 5! aka *DING DING* We have a winner!
Disclaimer: I am in no way a legit food photographer or any kind of skilled photographer. I'm just try'na fuction.. ya feel?
First up:
Let me just start by saying that I miss this dish so so so so so ridiculously much.
Here are the deets.
Who: Me and my good friend Nancy
What: Foie gras creme brulee with blood orange, toasted cocoa nibs, and salted brioche(yes, that is right. THIS IS HEAVEN ON EARTH). Such harmony between all the different flavors and textures.
When: March 18th, 2013
Where: Sage in the Aria, Las Vegas
Why: It was spring break and Vegas just seemed like the obvious choice.
Overall Verdict: 5 Cat Kings out of 5! aka *DING DING* We have a winner!
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