http://timefordinner.wordpress.com A thirty-something’s babble about food and everything epicurean in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley (and wherever there's food) Mon, 12 May 2008 06:25:20 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/sweet-nostalgia-cream-puffs/ 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/mothers-day-celebration-kushiyu/ 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/simply-sophisticated-seafood-risotto/ 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/breaking-the-fear-of-bread-white-sandwich-loaf/ 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/heart-breaker-daikokuya/ 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/batali-and-silverton-reign-supreme-osteria-mozza/ . 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/if-theres-a-will-theres-an-a-young-dong-tofu/ . 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/paris-in-your-backyard-little-next-door/   (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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/dude-wheres-my-food-nobu-los-angeles/ 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 ... http://timefordinner.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/friendliest-place-around-daphnes-greek-cafe/