An American Idol: Sushi Dan November 30, 2007

I never understood why the public gets so outraged when pop stars are caught lip-synching. It seems like what people fail to distinguish is the difference between “singers,” and “performers.” For me, the Ashley Simpsons and even the Janet Jacksons of the pop world are “performers” who’s job is to entertain the crowd and not to wow them with their singing skills, so I naturally don’t put them on the same vocal standards as, say, Sarah Brightman, a songbird who makes bank on her ability to hold a tune. But that doesn’t make one better or worse than the other. Sarah can sing better than Janet, but Janet sure can move better than Sarah. They’re just …  you know … different, and it’s quite unfair to compare the apples with oranges. 

For me, just like the music industry, the sushi world also has its own classifications. There are the “traditional” sushi establishments that are so hard-core that highly trained, extremely knowledgeable sushi chef will literally chop your head off with a Ginzu knife if you even think about ordering anything with mayonnaise (their names are usually Ken, Hiro, or Kaz). Then there are the “American” sushi places where cute, young sushi chefs (Peter, John, Mike — obviously made-up names) serve creative rolls and call them sushi just because they contain rice and seaweed. The truth is, the food served at both places are equally delicious in its own way, but they are two completely different genre of food and they should not be compared or be subjected to same standards.

I can see why people may think that I’m a sushi snob because I’ve only been able to find to a handful of restaurants that I think capture the true essence of the “traditional” sushi, even in this super sushi-dense San Fernando Valley.  This could be misconstrued as me being highly critical and super selective, although the truth is that I’ve been to many, many good “American” sushi places around. 

Sushi Dan in Studio City, to me, is the quintessential “American” sushi establishment that serves creative and fun sushi rolls, like Shrimp Killer that has a log of cream cheese in the middle of a deep- fried, eel-sauce drenched roll. The clientale is mostly young, hip Hollywood-wannabe type and the atmopshere is busy and lively, even during lunch hours.  It offers traditional sushi menu but why bother when you can have the Yummy Crunchy and all the other interesting creations.  I was introduced to this place by my friends/colleagues only a few weeks ago, but we’ve been back for lunch already twice in a short amount of time.

Shrimp Killer, shrimp tempura, cream cheese and cucumber inside, topped with eel sauce
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Yummy Crunchy, tuna tomato, house dressing on fried wonton skins

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Salmon sashimi

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Assortment of sushi that came with the lunch special

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Philadelpha Roll

Would I recommend this place to hard-core sushi purists (alas my boyfriend)? Probably not. But would I recommend it for someone who’s looking for some fun, delicious “American” sushi? Absolutely. 

Sushi Dan
11056 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604
★★★★☆

Dinner Impossible? Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner November 26, 2007

Changes are difficult to swallow, especially when it comes to something so grand like a holiday supper. But when my mother, an amazing chef, handed me the honor to cook the special dinner for the family this year, I was committed in making something fresh, homemade and healthy — unlike the usual artery-clotting delights that is Thanksgiving dinner.
I was determined to create everything from scratch this year, and none of the packaged stuff was to appear on the table. Most of the ingredients came from Whole Foods, and although they were a little more pricey than usual, the freshness made everything worth the extra splurge. Unfortunately, I could not afford the turkey from Whole Foods so I settled for Butterball’s 8.9-pound birdie, which turned out very juicy, tender and flavorful. I stuffed the bird with lemons and oranges, along with bundles of thyme and rosemary. Aside from giving turkey the light finish, putting citrus in the cavity seemed more humane than stuffing the bird with all the dressing up its behind …

I began the meal with leek and potato soup, a recipe courtesy of my favorite Gourmet Next Door, Amy Finley. I watched her prepare this simple but hearty soup on her new show the other day and got inspired to create a soup dish as a starter. I like Amy – the worthy winner of The Next Food Network Star (I even voted for her!) — and her cooking, which is very simple but elegant. Soup is not something that appears on our table regularly (unless it’s a miso soup) so I caught everyone by surprise when I brought out the warm, comfort delight. It was a bit tough to make this pureed soup without an immersion blender though. I had to use a regular blender and made a big mess (although it is nothing new when I’m in a kitchen)!

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The side dishes included:
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Brussels sprouts sautéed with minced shallots, garlic, and Pancetta. I used the thinly-sliced Pancetta and chicken broth to soften the Brussels sprouts to reduce the amount of oil that went into the pan. I made this especially for my father because ① he’s probably never had this strange looking vegetable before, and ② he is the biggest cabbage fan in the world.  I knew he would find the dish quite amuzing. 
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Sautéed spinach with red onion. This is such a simple but delicious dish. What makes it so delicious is the drizzle of balsamic vinegar that goes in right before serving. The tanginess of the vinegar really brings out the sweetness of the onion and spinach.
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Sweet mashed potato. I still don’t know the difference between yams and sweet potatoes but I think I used the latter … I steamed the potatoes instead of boiling them to help retain the flavor and nutrients and mashed it up with a tiny bit of half-and-half. Absolutely no sugar was added but it was sweet and absolutely heavenly. I think this was my favorite side dish of the night.
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Roasted zucchini and squash. I made my own version of Herb de Provence by mixing thyme, sage and rosemary to my course sea salt and sprinkled it generously on olive-oil-coated zucchini and squash and roasted in the oven for 30 minutes. I decorated the turkey platter with them.
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Stuffing. Okay, I cheated on this one. I bought the boxed stuffing and added chopped celery, carrots, onion and chicken broth to create this holiday staple. I mistakenly picked up the cornbread stuffing instead of the regular so I didn’t care too much for it. Bummer.
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Couple of the things I forgot to photograph were: ① Green bean casserole (Thanksgiving is not complete without the casserole!), ② Cranberry Sauce I made by cooking fresh berries in freshly-squeezed orange juice and a sprinkle of sugar. It was really tangy and tasted nothing like the canned one, and thought it was delicious, and ③ Spaghetti salad with romaine lettuce, which is my mother’s specialty and she made it for us.

Because I’m more a baker than a cook, I was most concerned about the outcome of the pumpkin pie. I made the Pate Brisee from scratch by mixing the flour and butter in a blender (yep, I don’t have a food processor either), blind baked it, and pour the pumpkin pie mixture. I thought the result was fabulous. The dough was flaky and the edges of the pie caramelized perfectly in the oven.
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It took me about four hours (except the turkey) to create everything for a small party but I had a blast! I can’t wait until Christmas dinner. And I would like to take this moment to send my sincere thanks to everybody and everything that makes my every day full of joy and happiness.
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Best Friends Forever? Captain Kidd’s Seafood November 17, 2007

To this date, I cannot decipher Jennifer Aniston’s soaring popularity. Is she adorable? Absolutely. Talented? I guess. Fashionable? No doubt. But the most beautiful? And the Hollywood ”it” girl? Hmm .. I’m not too sure about that one.
For me, Captain Kidd’s Seafood in Redondo Beach is like America’s favorite girl next door. While everyone and their mothers seem be smitten by this cozy, waterfront joint, I’m baffled by it all. The place and the food, I thought, were pretty ordinary — no different from any others alas Gladstones (more casual version, of course). I admit, that the service here is relatively quick, the food is affordable, and you can pretty much find anything that live under water here. In addition, they’ll cook it to your liking whether you prefer fried, sautéed, grilled or broiled.  But I certainly could not figure out what the hype was all about. 

I ordered the grilled salmon sandwich accompanied by a scoop of cole slaw and hush puppies. You can tell that the fish was fresh and nicely grilled but the slaw was bland and hush puppies … very rubbery.
Maybe I didn’t give Captain Kidd’s a fair chance. Because I was there during the Southern California fire, the experience was out-shadowed by the smuggy sky and the fishy air (yikes). Maybe if I return when the sky is clear and the air is fresh, I may have an entirely difference experience.  And maybe try the crabs that they’re famous for too. 

Grilled Salmon Sandwich

My friend ordered the scallops, which here, eh. 

But I have no desire to watch any of Jennifer Aniston’s work post Friends … does this make me a bad person to dis everyone’s best friend like that?

Captain Kidd’s Seafood
209 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
★★☆☆☆

Changing the Dessert Landscape: Beard Papa November 17, 2007

Certain events in history make me feel incredibly proud of my Japanese heritage. For instance …
The moment Kurara Chibana was crowned Miss Universe Runner Up in 2006, although she should have won the title, in my humble opinion (photo courtesy of this site, thank you!) …

The day Yutaka Fukufuji became the first Japanese-born player to debut in the National Hockey League the same yaer with my beloved Los Angeles Kings no less  (and I was there to witness this momentous occasion!) …

And the day Beard Papa came to town and changed the cream puff landscape forever.  Desserts like éclairs and profiteroles used to house exclusively in fancy French patisseries, but the emergence of this Japanese-born bakery franchise made these sophisticated pate a choux desserts more accessible and less intimidating to us all.  Now, that’s a history-changing event! 

Beard Papa successfully replaced donut shops as the source of quick sugar rush by McDonalizing the way cream puffs are made. The assembly line is formed behind the glass-window counter to create each cream puff in flawless sequence: ① select the choux (plain or chocolate-covered), ② insert the choux with custard cream, ③ sprinkle powdered sugar, ④ place the cream puff in a yellow, logo parchment paper, and finally ⑤ carefully place it in a bag or a box. The result is a perfectly soft and airy dough filled with lightly sweetened custard cream that melts in your mouth.  Boy, I love my papa! 

Available flavors vary by location. The original vanilla flavor is available in all locations, but consider it your lucky day if you can get a hold of green tea (subtle yet delicious), Earl Gray tea (too good for words), or strawberry (tangy, just the way I like it), among other delicious flavors. 

I frequent the one in Hollywood and Highland the most because, contrary to its busy location, the store is relatively quiet. This minimizes the wait which, in a popular location like the one in Sawtelle, can add up to a whopping 15-20 minutes. One mistake I made was to go right before the closing time and they were all out of cream puffs, so go as early as you can.

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Beard Papa’s Fresh’n Natural Cream Puffs
Hollywood and Highland
6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028
(Click here for list of locations)
★★★★★

Back to Florence I Go: Ribollita November 9, 2007

There’s nothing more comforting than cooking up a pot-full of hearty soup and enjoying a bowl (or two) in my pajamas. I’m not sure which I enjoy most – cooking the soup or devouring the hearty bowl – but soup making is definitely my ritual when it starts to get chilly outside. Unfortunately, I have yet to venture out to very elaborate recipes (I don’t even own an immersion blender) so, at this time, my meager soup repertoire include those that only require me to chop and, well, open cans. That is probably why Ribolitta is my favorite soup to cook and eat.
But unlike the traditional recipe that requires the baking of the soup (thus the name which means to “re-cook”), I just simmer mine and enjoy it right out the pot. So I guess my version is technically not a Ribollita – perhaps it’s closer to Minestrone – but the flavors of the warm broth, nutty Parmesan rinds, robust cannellini beans and loads of seasonal vegetables are delicious enough to take me back to the streets Florence.

Check out how much vegatables are in this soup!
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The entire house smells so delicious. And I tossed in pieces of dried up whole grain bread.
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I am not, at all, a Rachel Ray fan but I learned how to make this unbelievable garnish from her show. It’s a finely chopped garlic, curly parsley and anchovies mushed together with olive oil. It really gives the soup the additional kick and the saltiness of the anchovies goes excellent with the tangy, tomato-based broth.

My Big Fat Greek Dinner: Eggplant Moussaka November 7, 2007

The first car my father purchased when he moved to the states in the 80s was this ginormous Buick that was a size of my bedroom. I don’t know what it is with Asian men of that generation. It’s like it’s embedded in their DNA that they are suppose be fascinated with big American cars. Maybe it was a pre-requisite in school to watch Super Fly during the world history class or something.

My father’s fascination doesn’t end with big American cars. His enthusiasm extends to big American holidays. When holidays like Thanksgiving roll around, my father becomes possessed and brings home serious loads of food — enough to feed a third world country or two. He makes it his mission to over-stuff us with food. Feeding his family is his way of showing his affection and how can anyone say no to that? I love him so much.

This is the meal I prepare for him the other day. What better way to return his love than by cooking him a Big Fat Greek dinner?

Egglant Moussaka, courtesy of Tyler Florence

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Greek Salad

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Tabouli with Quinoa

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Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  Be afraid, be very afraid : - )

The New “Third Place”: Pinkberry November 5, 2007

Saturday night … out with the girls … and waiting in a long line just to get in to the hot spot in Los Angeles. But unlike the good old days of getting all dressed up and waiting to get into a hot nightclub, we were instead waiting in line of at least 20 people deep at 9:30 p.m. to get a bite of an unbelievably refreshing frozen yogurt from Pinkberry.
I think people either love this place for the mouth-watering flavor of the frozen yogurt that tastes more like real yogurt than the traditional kind, or hate it because its popularity has gotten a bit out of hand. I, myself, belong to the former group of Pinkberry minions, and my heart beats in delight every time I see the brightly-lit pink swirly logo.
Well, there’s really not much that hasn’t already been said about this place so I won’t say much other than to state that I love it. I tried the pomegranate topping for the first time, along with strawberries and blueberries, and it was absolutely jaw-dropping good. What a way to welcome the arrival of autumn. 

The reason why this place works is because it provides people with the “third place,” a place for people to meet and hang out outside of home and work  — the way that Starbucks became a mega success. It’s very smart that Starbuck’s Howard Shultz is now a part of the fro-yo phenomenon because Pinkberry would have given the coffee giant a little, friendly competition.
Pinkberry (they are all over the place now): 332 E. Second Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

★★★★★

Place of Your Own: Marmalade Cafe November 4, 2007

I would have to say that my favorite supper is brunch, or perhaps even lun-ner. I like eating meals at odd times (the non-conformist that I am). I like going out for brunch on a weekend, around 11:00 a.m. so I can sleep in and still feel productive during the day. Having “lun-ner” between lunch and dinner, around 4:00 p.m. is wonderful too because you can overeat a bit and still have good several hours to digest them all before going to bed.
Today was my relaxing Saturday where my best friend and I went shopping at noon and stopped by Marmalade Cafe in Calabasas for a very late lunch and cocktail, around 3:00 p.m. Because we avoided the traditionally-busy weekend lunch traffic, we were able to enjoy the meal in peace and quite, without feeling rushed. There’s always a risk of having to share a space with loud baby or bridal shower crowd around this time, but if you can handle the overly hyper yuppies in floral dresses ooooo-ing and aaaaa-ing over a baby bootie, an in-between meal is the perfect place for good food and company.
We shared three appetizers, which coincidently turned out to be all the edibles from the sea.

Calamari Fritto, calamari dusted with our special coating, fried to a crispy golden brown & accompanied with spicy cocktail sauce.
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Steamed Mussels & Clams, fresh mussels & clams steamed in a white wine garlic broth.
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Maryland Crab Cakes, two crab cakes served with a lemon-caper remoulade & a mixed green salad.
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Sourdough — what a delight!
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Marmalade Café is definitely one of those rare chain restaurants that doesn’t suck. I usually frequent the Sherman Oaks location, but we checked out the Calabasas branch in Commons Way, and both locations have yet to disappoint me (by the way, the lemon champagne vinaigrette they make is absolutely to die for).  I absolutely loved the fact that we had this wonderfully cozy place almost all to ourselves this afternoon. 

Marmalade Café: 4784 Commons Way, Calabasas, CA 91302
★★★★☆

Trick or Treat? Sprinkles Cupcakes November 1, 2007

The recent food trend that settles well with my stomach is frozen yogurt. I’m a self-proclaimed fro-yo addict so the fact that shops are popping up right and left is nothing short of pure delight (competition only helps consumers!). My date night with my boyfriend is not complete until we take a trip to a nearby frozen yogurt shop that we feel, believe it or not, may offer better yogurt than Pinkberry (if that were possible). I somehow always find ways to squeeze in a spoonful (or a bowlful) of ice-y swirl even on a full stomach.
Well, another trend I’ve noticed in the last couple of years is over cupcakes (even a magazine like InStyle dedicated a section on celebrities and their favorite shops). This, unlike the frozen yogurt fascination that is completely justifiable in my book, is still a bizarre concept for me. Although I like eating cupcakes, it’s difficult for me to tell the difference between the gourmet kind and the one you pick up at a local bake sale. Afterall, isn’t a cupcake just a miniature sponge cake smothered in sugary frosting? Really, how do you make a cupcake outrageously better than a bakery next door, and moreover, how can each cost as much as a meal?

So I turned to the trendy and popular Sprinkles Cupcakes for answers. But after sampling a few of its offerings, I became further confused.
Let me preface this by stating the obvious: the cupcakes from Sprinkles are good. The place have great selections, from the basic vanilla and chocolate, to more exotic flavors like Chai Latte and Red Velvet, and the entire experience of visiting the most talked-out place is truly titillating. But if I ignore all the fluff and focused solely on the product, I’m afraid I’m not able to justify the whopping $3.25 each cupcake costs.
I know that cupcakes have great possibilities. Just take a look at this amazing blog, Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit which features colorful and unorthodox recipes like Green Tea, Lavender and Honey Cupcake Bombe (ooooh). Or a mouth-watering recipe like Pomatcha Cupcakes found on Raspberry Eggplant (aaaaah).  Now, for a bite of something like that, I’ll be happy to dish out my hard earned money. But nothing at Sprinkles stood out as extraordinary, and they were just … well, good, at best.
I’m not dismissing Sprinkles altogether though. I will probably pick some up for special occasions as the decoration/packaging alone makes it a lovely gift. I hope someone will bring me some soon so I can enjoy the sweet cake without burning a hole on my wallet.

I went to the Sprinkles in Newport Beach (in the same shopping center as Tommy Bahama) but there’s a more popular one in Beverly Hills.

Sprinkles Cupcakes: 944 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660
★★★☆☆

I met this sweet pup, Hug, dressed up as a lion for Halloween while waiting in line at Sprinkles. He was so charming that I could not resist taking a picture!  Happy Halloween, everyone!