Sweet Nostalgia: Cream Puffs May 11, 2008

Cream puffs (or we call them “Choux Cream”) have a very special place in my heart, and probably in many Japanese kid’s as well. They were one of those special snacks that you only get on special days in Japan – birthdays, graduations, or when your mother’s rich friend visits (the guest either brings them as a gift, or your mother goes out to buy them to show off). Even now, I get pretty nostalgic when I make cream puffs, remembering the colorful rows of French-inspired puff pastries in a glass showcase in an upscale department store and wishing that I can have a piece.
Despite the sophisticated exterior and image, cream puffs are one of the easiest desserts to make. I’ve tried several recipes and liked them all, but decided to go with Martha Steward’s recipe from Baking Handbook this time for the first time because her version used a total of eight eggs between the pate a choux and the pastry cream, which was exactly the amount I had in a refrigerator (I was too lazy to run out to the store).

I didn’t follow the recipe exactly and altered it slightly, and instead of using the recipe for Cream Puffs, I used the recipe for Pate a Choux and the Pastry Cream and combined them together to make my version of Cream Puffs. I added fresh strawberries to add a touch of spring to the dessert.

And look at the beautiful bouquet of flowers my boyfriend brought for my mother for Mother’s Day. They were beautiful and the wonderful floral scent, coupled with freshly baked cream puffs, filled the entire room with sweet nostalgia.

Mother’s Day Celebration: Kushiyu May 11, 2008

Every year, a Mother’s Day celebration is a toss up between Kushiyu and a few other Japanese restaurants but the yakitori house in Tarzana won out this year.  And I’m glad it did.

I like the playfulness of yakitori, the Japanese skewers. It’s like eating fondue, expect contents of vegetable and protein are a little more nutritionally dense than a melted cheese and a piece of bread. These yakitoris are more of a casual eat in Japan – perhaps something you munch on while enjoying ice cold Sapporo at izakaya (Here’s the 411 on yakitori) – but Kushiyu, a popular Ventura Blvd. joint, somehow turned the Japanese pub food it into a chic, trendy staple of an upscale Valley community. It’s not uncommon to run into some celebrities here dining at a sushi counter.

But unlike those celebrities, I like to go straight to yakitoris and a few appetizers when I’m at Kushiyu (we don’t mess with sushi here), and I’m glad my family was up for it as well.

Oyster in curry sauce (front) and fried crab and shiitake mushroom (back)

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Crispy tuna (crispy rice topped with spicy tuna)

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Chicken and Vegetable Yakitori Combination
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Vegetable and Seafood Yakitori Combination

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Renkon (our favorite!)

Happy Mother’s Day, mom!  Thanks for everything and we love you! 

Kushiyu
18713 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, CA 91356
★★★★★

Simply Sophisticated: Seafood Risotto May 4, 2008

Risotto is like a great little black dress. It’s very simple to make yet it gives that feeling of sophistication and class, and is appropriate for any occasions – for a dinner party with friends, or on a lazy night like tonight.

I realized that I hadn’t cooked anything in a long time so I thought tonight would a great time to put on an apron (okay, I don’t do that), roll up my sleeves and slave over the stove for a fantastic supper. But the problem is, I didn’t really want to get down and dirty and also wasn’t crazing anything particularly extravagant (I think the recent heat wave in the Valley has gotten to me a bit. It’s been pretty hot lately, especially in the armpit of hell where I live) so I needed something simple and quick but still satisfies like a real, meaningful dinner. 

Remembering that I still had Arborio rice left from my last risotto attempt and some chicken broth in a pantry (yes, I don’t eat the flesh of the meat but I still freely consume animal products when it comes in a liquid form … haha), I decided to give this Italian comfort food another try.  Only this time, instead of mushrooms and pancetta, I made it with shrimps and scallops I had in a refrigerator.

If Risotto is a little black dress, La Cruset pot is like a wonderful pair of Jimmy Choo heels that completes the outfit. This lime green cast iron pot is magical, and there’s no other way to describe it. The way it makes chopped onion and carrots caramelize is nothing short of perfection, and it has a way of making the cooking process incredibly enjoyable.
With a glass of iced Riesling in her arm, my Risotto was definitely the talk of the party tonight.

 

Breaking the (fear of) Bread: White Sandwich Loaf April 24, 2008

Although my last attempt ended in utter failure, I decided to put aside my fear and give bread baking another chance. I also wanted to take my newly acquired KitchenAid Stand Mixer in Komen pink for a little spin, and I thought making bread would be a perfect way to welcome the arrival of the newest member of the kitchen family (I think she and the lime green Le Cruset pot will get along well).

I used a recipe I found on the Food Network site to make a white bread loaf. (click here for the recipe).  I decided to go with this recipe instead of using the baking books I have because of the success rate I’ve had with recipes that came from Food Network Kitchens. All their recipes are very simple to follow and I’ve been quite satisfied with the outcome.  Let’s just hope that this will provide a similar result.  (Oh, and please note that this post is not an instruction on baking bread … it’s merely a documentation of my first attempt of a potentially-disasterous bread baking endeavor.)

Yeasts scared me a bit at first. First off, they stunk like a mo-fo, and second, they were … alive (ewwww)! I knew all these but watching them grow and get foamy in front of my eyes was … well … interesting, at best, and yes, pretty unappetizing, at worst. But I quickly developed a special attachment to these hard-working cooties, and I found myself talking to them during the course of the proofing process (“come on, guys, get frothy and make me proud”).  What you see here is a mixture of warm milk, melted butter and sugar, with a packet of yeast sprinkled on the surface of the liquid.  This was added to the flour and salt, and got massaged in the mixer for few minutes. 

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When the dough came out of the mixer, it was bouncy and sticky, but after kneading for about 10 minutes, it firmed up and becomes tough. This was strange for me because cakes and cookies discourage you from mixing too much but I guess it’s encouraged to knead continuously for breads. (Even though I was slightly sore afterward, I really enjoyed the kneading process. Seriously, who needs to go to a gym when you can work on your upper body like this?)

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When I finished kneading, I put the dough in an oiled bowl and let it multiply in size (it took me 1-1/2 hours). I used extra virgin olive oil to grease the bowl. Some recipes discourage the use of olive oil because the flavor is strong, but I did it anyway.

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Well, the next step got me confused. The recipe didn’t call for more kneading at this stage but every other white bread recipe did. So I decided to go with my gut feeling and kneaded some more.

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I placed the dough in a baking pan, and let it sit again until it enlarged in size. This took about 1-1/2 hours. I took the dough out, kneaded a bit more, and put it back in the pan for baking.

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Drum rolls, please!  Ta daaaa … here’s my baby fresh out of the oven.

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Okay, okay, please don’t laugh. I realize that the dough turned out a little funky in shape and it pretty much exploded on top, but I was happy with how my baby turned out.  As for the flavor … well, let’s just say that it was exactly what I had expected for my first attempt — not better, not worse.  I certainly would not call it the best bread I’ve ever tasted but it was still edible.  It’s actually quite tasty when toasted with a little drizzle of honey! 
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I was most impressed with the way the crust caramelized perfectly at the bottom. Although very subtle, I can taste the sweetness of the butter, milk and sugar in the backdrop.  The crusty sound it made when slicing the loaf was a real music to my ears.  And don’t get me started on the heavenly aroma that filled the entire house!  

The main concern I had was that the inside turned out a bit too dense.  It was lacking that certain lovely airy-ness that comes from a perfectly baked loaf.  I need to figure out if this was a kneading issue (do I need to do more or less?) or a fermentation of yeasts.  Boy, bread making is an endless process, isnt’ it? 
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This was my first attempt but I know that I’ll be back for more. And I’m really excited to explore the world of bread baking!

Heart Breaker: Daikokuya April 22, 2008

I suppose I should not repeat the kinds of vocabularies that came of my month, but you can probably imagine the tantrum I threw after I saw this sign posted on the door of my favorite ramen joint, Daikokuya.  A flood of tears inevitably followed.  

Until I can compose myself, I’m going to indulge in Keizo’s blog, Go Ramen!, and pretend that I was there slurping the ramen noodle swimming in flavorful pork broth. 

Daikokuya

327 E. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Batali and Silverton Reign Supreme: Osteria Mozza April 21, 2008

I have always known that he cooked great, authentic Italian meals, but I was never a huge fan of Mario Batali (of Motto Mario and more famously, Iron Chef America on Food Network).  But after experiencing the mouthwatering dishes at his restaurant, Osteria Mozza, I was ready to put on a pair of orange Crocks and join his fan club.

Osteria Mozza is one half of Batali’s joint venture with the master bread maker Nancy Silverton of the popular  La Brea Bakery (aka my Goddess), and is a more fancy and upscale eatery to its counterpart, Pizzeria Mozza, located next door. Of all the celebrity chef-owned restaurants that I’ve been to in Los Angeles and Vegas (Emeril’s Seafood, Delmonico, Spago, Nobu, and the usual), this was, hands down, the most impressive. All the bourgeois elements where there – the glitz and glamour, fancy zip code, stylish decor, a valet parking that costs my entire paycheck – but one thig that was missing from Osteria Mozza, and gratefully so, was the pretentiousness that’s usually attached to LA hot spots. The service here was down-to-earth and very friendly, and our server blessed us with great recommendations that certainly hit the hungry spot for all of us. 

We were seated in a little room in the back of the restaurant which reminded me of a cozy Bed and Breakfast you can find somewhere in a little town in England. We were the first group to arrive but were surprise to see the tables fill up quickly with patrons of all kinds – the young, the old, the casual, the suit-and-ties.

The menus were a bit confusing because they were pretty much all written in Italian but our server lady helped us decided on a wonderful bottle of red, appetizers to share, primi and secondi for all three of us, and of course, desserts. 

While we waited for our first dish to arrive, another friendly server brought us a complementary plate of crostini with fresh goat cheese and olive tapenade which showed great promised to how the night’s dining experience would turn out. 

 

Mozzarella tasting: burrata, fior latte & bufala mozzarella
My goodness – who knew that there were so much depth and complexity in mozzarella cheese? Each cheese was so different in texture, flavor, and the way it melts in your month.  One even tasted like fresh, silky and buttery tofu that I ate in Japan (which tastes nothing like the ones you buy at a supermarket here). This dish demonstrated the pride Batali has in cheeses, and these little balls, accompanied by Silverton’s out-of-this-world toasts, made us crave for more. 

Grilled Octopus with potatoes, celery & lemon
Please excuse the cliché, but this grilled octopus really tasted like chicken. But not one of those cardboard chickens, this tasted like a wonderfully grilled poultry that falls apart perfectly in your mouth. The celery and lemon added a refreshing touch to this northern Italian staple.

Fresh Ricotta & Egg Raviolo with browned butter
This is not your ordinary ravioli in browned butter. Check this out – there’s an egg yolk in the middle that greets you on the first bite!

 

Beef Brasatowith polenta & horseradish gremolata
We all expected this dish to be slightly sweet but that wasn’t the case. It was simple and more on a bland side but the sprinkle of horseradish coupled with grainy polenta made this dish memorable. Yes, you caught me, I ate a little bit of meat, but it was worth every bite.

Tortellini e brodo

Sorry, I forgot what this dish was called but I hope this is the correct name.  These little tortellinis were filled with blend of sweet meats. Don’t worry, single order is not this tiny – the server lady was kind enough to split the dish into three separate plates.

 

Torta della Nonna with honey & pine nuts
Just talking about this dessert makes me squeal in delight. The torta was fluffy and surprisingly light, and these three different kinds of money were so unbelievable that I had to try really hard to restrain myself from licking the plate.

Almond Cornette with tangerine and blood orange compote & yogurt gelato
The blood orange compote and yogurt gelato were so refreshing, they were the perfect end to our wonderful night of great wine, delicious food and a wonderful company.

 

Osteria Mozza
641 N. Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036
★★★★★

If There’s a Will, There’s an “A”: Young Dong Tofu April 4, 2008

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I must have been in sixth grade, when I got my book report I had written back from my English teacher. The paper had a big “C” written in red ink but was later crossed out, and replaced by an “A.” Next to it, she had left a comment that read, “I changed the grade because I wanted to reward you for what you know, instead of penalizing you for what you haven’t yet learned.” The English language was still very new to me then and I could not structure a sentence worth a damn, but she decided to focus on my potential instead of dwelling on the limitation. I frankly don’t remember much from my junior high days (thank goodness … can you say, “neon”?) but I’ll never forget my English teacher and the way she approached life. That’s how I now approach my life as well — or at least I try to look at a glass half full (as much as I can). And the way I approach my new vegetarian lifestyle is no exception.
When I tell people that I have given up eating meat, the first reaction is usually, “then what the f#%# do you eat?” I would have probably asked the same question a few months ago but now that I’m aware of all the possibilities that’s out there in the culinary world that doesn’t necessary involve meat, I can smile and answer, “everything.”
One thing I didn’t want to become was one of those annoying vegetarians who refuse to eat anything, or someone who always complains that there’s nothing on the menu that they can eat. Sure, it may be a little difficult to find something to eat at a steakhouse, but I’m telling you, if there’s a will (and a little creativity), there’s a way. Just because I gave up meat, that doesn’t stop me from frequenting, say, Korean restaurants to enjoy the delicious food I’ve always loved and enjoyed.

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Speaking of Korean restaurants, Young-Dong Tofu in Arcadia that is famous for dundubu Jigae (tofu hot pot) deserves an “A” in my book. I ordered the tofu soup with seasonal mushroom and vegetable bibimbap, and enjoyed the endless plates of banchan, and everything was delicious, satisfying and simply heavenly.
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Instead of focusing on things I cannot eat, I look at all the wonderful ingredients that are available – wonderful selection of mushrooms; fresh, seasonal root vegetables; picked everything – and savor them. Once you open up your eyes to the possibilities, you’ll quickly realize that the sky is the limit.
Life is definitely a glass half full. Or in this case, my stomach completely full.

Young Dong Tofu Restaurant
1311 S. Baldwin Avenue, #B, Arcadia, CA 91066
★★★★☆

Paris in Your Backyard: Little Next Door April 3, 2008

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When I walked into Little Next Door for desserts and a cup of warm cappuccino the other night, I felt like I was suddenly back in Paris. The smell of freshly ground coffee beans, the menu written on a chalkboard, and the colorful macarons in the glass showcase took me back to a neighborhood café in Paris, where I spent hours writing postcards to friends back home.
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Little Next Door is a little sister of the lovely The Little Door located … well, you guessed it, next door, and although it’s more of a café than a restaurant, its charm is undeniable. Just like the cafe in Paris, Little Next Door is one of those alluring places where you can sit for hours with friends – and that’s frankly what we did that night, while enjoying late night desserts of Madame Framboise, Macaronade, Éclair, a colorful arrays of delicious French Macarons … with a side of laughter.
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Madame Framboise, chocolate genoise, chocolate mousse, & raspberries
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Macaronade, almond dequoise with pastry cream and raspberries
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Eclair, choux puff filled with vanilla or chocolate pastry cream
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Little Next Door
8164 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
★★★★★

Dude, Where’s My Food? Nobu Los Angeles March 27, 2008

 

(Excuse me, may we eat these peanuts? We’re still hungry.)

My mother always told me that Japanese food is meant to be savored with the eyes first, then the stomach. She certainly practices what she preaches because everything she prepares (even a little bento box she packs for father daily) is vibrant, playful and charming — a total visual and gastronomic treat.

My pals and I — craving something new and interesting – made a trip over the hill to check out the buzz surrounding Nobu in Los Angeles.  Located only a few blocks from the original restaurant that started the sushi revolution in Los Angeles, Nobu is the newest member of the Matstuhisa empire — and a perfect epicurean getaway for us foodies looking for a little fun in the city … or so we had hoped. 

We ordered several dishes to share as suggested by our server, and when plates arrived to our table one by one, I remembered the wise words of my mother.  Dishes at Nobu were definitely a feast to the eyes.  Just a quick glance at the beautiful Toro Tartar that resembled an abstract artwork proves the pride chefs put into presentation. 
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Toro Tartar with Caviar
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However, what Nobu forgot was the second part of the philosophy, that it should also be enjoyed with the stomach. I understand that the majority of the clienteles in a trendy restaurant like Nobu are size 2 models and actresses, but are you kidding me?  These dishes were way too tiny!  Especially for the price we’re dishing out for these plates, we would have loved to see something with a little more substance, than just a sprinkle of chopped fish for a full order of ceviche. We ended up ordering a couple bowls of steamed rice just so that we didn’t have to make a beeline to a nearby fast food drive thru after dinner.  I was even tempted to eat those peanut-looking lights hanging from the ceiling!

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Ceviche Nobu Style
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King Crab Tempura with Amazu Ponzu Sauce (the best dish of the night!)

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Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno
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Black Cod with Miso
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Mixed Vegetable with Truffle Butter (the only dish with real substance, I thought.)
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Make no mistake about it – everything served at Nobu is fresh, tasty and fabulous, and the service is absolutely out of this world (I think there were more servers than customers there!).  And Nobu Matsuhisa is pretty much a culinary God.  His ability to use traditional Japanese ingredients like yuzu and mixing it up with South American (Peruvian) touches like jalapeno is nothing less than magical.  However, the magic was lost a bit by an unsatisfactory portion. Maybe it’s just me, that I don’t have much of an appreciation for trendy, pretentious, anorexic-portion-serving dining spots, but I think I would choose the generous portion of my mom’s bento box over this fancy meals any day, thank you very much.

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Nobu Los Angeles
903 North La Cienega Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
★★★☆☆

But the food alone gets ★★★★★

Friendliest Place to Dine: Daphne’s Greek Cafe March 18, 2008

I don’t ususally eat fast food. I’m not a health nut by any means (you probably figured that one out by now), but I just think they are evil (with exceptions of sub shops).  The only time I would eat at a place like McDonald’s is if it is the absolute last place I can grab something to eat before I die of starvation. After I watched Morgan Spurlock nearly kill himself by only consuming items purchased at the Golden Arches for a month in his documentary, I began asking myself if I wanted to keep putting that kind of junk in my body. And the answer was a big, fat, greasy, supersized ”hell no.”  Sure, I eat food that are not good for me all the time (more than I care to admit), but I don’t have any desire to pollute myself with artificial, chemical-laden food like the ones served at fast food joints. (But I must say, those cocaine-laced French Fries still taste pretty darn good.)

What I’ve noticed in the last few years is the emergence of places that I call “semi-fast food” – restaurants that serve delicious, relatively-healthful food quick, and I’m so thankful of these places.  One of my favorite “semi-fast food” establishments is California Chicken Café that offers a generous portion of rotisserie chicken, salads and other comforting sides for people on the go (although the place specializes in chicken, it is very vegetarian-conscious). Another one of my favorites is Daphne’s Greek Café that features a colorful array of affordable Greek food.

I love everything about Greek food – spanakopita, falafel, dolmas, hummus, feta cheese, pita, everything. I also love the fact that Greek food in general is very friendly to people with particular dietary needs — whether it be no meat, low carbohydrate or low fat  – and we can all still have good, satisfying eats.

For lunch, two vegetarians ordered Vegetarian Plates …
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And one Adkin guy ordered a steak salad (the spicy feta cheese here is amazing!) and we were all very, very happy (so happy that we had to force ourselves to return to work). 
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Daphne’s Greek Café
1781 N. Victory Place, Burbank, CA 91502
★★★★☆