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
★★★★☆

Match Made in Culinary Heaven: Ca Del Sole October 17, 2007

Aside from the excruciating heat wave from May to September and a constant mocking of having the 818 area code, living in the San Fernando Valley, is, like omg, totally awesome. Come on, people, stop with the judgmental finger pointing and take a look around. Where else in the world can you find 15 Starbucks within a mile radius, witness historical landmarks torn down daily to be replaced by those new, shiny Westfield shopping malls, and enjoy little Lauren-wannabes talk in mysterious codes (yep, gagging someone with a spoon is a perfectly acceptable English phrase in this part of town)? 

Well, whatever your opinion of the place may be, nobody can deny the fact that the Valley is, fur shuuuure, blessed with the abundance of dining options. For instance, Ventura Boulevard, the 20-mile blood vessel of the Valley that extends from Woodland Hills to Universal City, is the ultimate restaurant row, and any foodie’s dream. If you remain patient and carefully comb through the evil Jerry’s Deli and the homogenized Cheescake Factories of the world, you will surely find an original, one-of-a-kind gem you can call your own, even in this suburbia. 

Ca del Sole is the needle I picked up in the Valley’s culinary haystack, thanks to my epicurean friend, in the cute, quite, upscale neighborhood of Toluca Lake. Inspired by the Northern Italian cuisine, the place exudes the beauty and the charm of a Venetian trattoria.
A bunch of us from work headed over to the restaurant for lunch to celebrate the end of a week-long training. We grabbed the table outside to accommodate the big party so I didn’t really get to see the elegant interior, but the patio area was so charming that I know I didn’t miss too much. It’s difficult to believe that this hidden place is only a mere blocks from the busy Universal Studios.
The lunch with my newfound friends and colleagues was truly enjoyable, and the wonderful variety of food we ordered was as colorful as the conversation.

The lunch special included a choice of antipasti or insalata, a choice of secondi (pork chop or pumpkin ravioli), and ice cream with fresh berries for dessert. I ordered the special with carpaccio and ravioli and everything was absolutely delicious. I was especially impressed with the pumpkin ravioli with crispy sage. The creamy sauce whispered to me that the autumn is just right around the corner and the aromatic pumpkin puree reminded me why this is my favorite season in a year.

Carpaccio, thin slices of raw organic beef filet served with shaved Parmesan, capers and extra virgin olive oil
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Mezzelune, half-moon shaped pasta stuffed with pumpkin; sautéed with a light sauce ofbutter, sage, and parmesan cheese
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Pork Chop
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Insalata Caprino, goat cheese from “Redwood Hill Farm” with Belgian endive, baby arugula,
oven-dried grapes, caramelized walnuts and 12 year old balsamic vinegar

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Tonno, a seared Ahi tuna filet served on Swiss chards with roasted onion, oven-dried tomatoes, black olives, capers and herbs
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Salmone, an Atlantic salmon filet baked in a paper pouch with herbs, asparagus and acorn squash

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Ice cream with fresh berries

Don’t you think finding an amazing restaurant is very much like finding the person of your dreams? While you can’t help but wonder where the hell this person (or a restaurant) has been all your life, you simply cannot imagine living the rest of your life without him/her (or, it).

I think Ca Del Sole and I are going to be very happy together.

Ca del Sole: 4100 Cahuenga Blvd., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
★★★★★

Picture Perfect: Bollywood Cafe October 15, 2007

I think I owe an apology, ① for completely misunderstanding the Indian cuisine and talking smack about it and, ② for depriving myself of this delicacy for all these years.
I had shy-ed away from Indian cuisines for as long as I can remember because I was never a real fan of curry. Sure, I like the slow-cooked flavor of the Japanese wafu curries and the coconut-y Thai kinds, but I thought the Indian curries were just a little too overpowering for my palette.  Although my feelings toward the potent spices remain the same, the recent trip to Bollywood Café in Studio City made me realize that Indian cuisine is much more than just curry. Much, much more.
Because I had no idea about Indian food, I let my friends order for the group. There were six of us so we ordered an appetizer, several kinds of Naan (OMG, the cheese Naan was too good for words), and six dishes, and ate family style.
First, what blew my mind was the Sweet Lassi, a refreshing drink made out of yogurt (but tasted more like kefir) with a hint of sweetness. Let me tell you, yogurt is one of my favorite things in the world and it was the best drink I’ve ever had. My friends ordered the mango-flavored Lassi and although it was also delicious, I think I like the original one better.

We ordered an Assorted Appetizer (above), which included Chicken and Lamb Tikka, Seekh Kabab, Samosa and Onion Pakora. I didn’t know what the heck they were but they were all absolutely divine.

For main course, we ordered Lamb Coconut Curry, Shrimp Coconut Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala (all pictured on top) and Chicken Tandoori (above). Chicken Tikka Masala was, hands down, the best dish on the table. The creamy tomato sauce was rich, flavorful and comforting, and although I was getting full with all the food, I could not stop dipping the cheese Naan in the heavenly sauce.
I had never imagined a cuisine that I disliked for so many years can climb up to be one of my favorites so quickly but Bollywood Café certainly proved it is possible. If you’re ever in the Studio City area, I recommend you visit this place – even if you think you don’t like Indian cuisine. This place will definitely blow you away and change your mind.

Bollywood Café: 11101 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604
★★★★★