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@foodography14
Bacon Fries
July 31, 2016
Location: Kitchen24 (Hollywood)
Nothing sounded that good, so I settled on this starter, which left me wanting something else to finish my evening. The top half of the French fries with the bacon + melted cheese was pure pig heaven, but the bottom half with the way too rich + way too prodigious blue cheese sauce was very off-putting. If it were just melted blue cheese, it would’ve been great.
Steak Nachos
July 31, 2016
Location: Frida (Glendale)
This was an appetizer size. For how many folks? A starting basketball team? Regardless, it was tasty as hell. The chips were adorned with steak, three different types of cheese, frijoles refritos (refried beans), jalapeños, sour cream, pico de gallo (diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro mixed with salt + lime juice), and guacamole. Delish. I couldn’t finish, but I nibbled on it throughout my illuminating convo with a friend, and even took some home. When the nachos are good, don’t let them go.
B 56
July 25, 2016
Location: Stout (Hollywood)
Following a friend’s hilarious sketch show, we went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant. It has been forever since I had a ground chicken burger. It called out to me like a siren song and I was so glad I paid my phone bill this month. On a white bun, the juicy burger had a bunch of co-stars: Emmi’s creamy gruyère (Swiss cow’s milk cheese) clinging to the bun like a savory shower cap to the chewy rosemary bacon. The arugula + Thousand Island dressing endowed the burger with a rich goodness. Plenty of hilarious chat mixed with this chicken magic made for a nice end to a fun day.
Almond Brittle Salted Ganache + Freckled Woodblock Chocolate Ice Cream
July 25, 2016
Location: Salt + Straw (Larchmont)
This Portland ice cream import was definitely on my summer wish list. However, as grateful as I was for the large scoop sizes, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, the salt was too much. It was like a salt lick swallowed a salt shaker. Next time, I will try for a less salty experience.
Almond Brittle With Salted Ganache: Whatever Grandma Malek did to her almond brittle recipe is phenomenal. Almonds were added to a sugar/water mix heated to the hard crack stage, and cooled to a slab. The salted chocolate ganache (heated cream poured over chopped chocolate) pairs well with the vanilla ice cream. However, if this was a third or half the size, I may not have had to cringe my way through it.
Freckled Woodblock Chocolate: Portland cocoa bean-to-bar chocolate maker Woodblock’s chocolate is suspended in an untempered state in an old-school ice cream making technique called "freckling." The addition of the Jacobsen sea salt was great, but again, too much. I am all for the mix of salt + chocolate, but this mix was far too potent for my poor palate. I thought it would get better, and I kept going just to see if I hit a particularly salty patch, but the salt content actually increased. I actually threw away most of the remainder of the cone.
Dandan Noodles
July 25, 2016
Location: We Have Noodles (Downtown Los Angeles)
Part two of Smorgasburg: these scrumptious noodles made me smile (and also frown because I chose this over everything else). Though some of the essentials are present (拉面/lāmiàn/wheat noodles, chili oil, green onions), what I gobbled down was definitely a fusion of sorts: chopped cilantro, half moon cucumbers, flavorful tahini (sesame paste, which means that this is likely the Taiwanese or American Chinese version of the dish), and best of all, slices of 叉烧 (chāshāo, red braised pork). I wanted 18 more servings of this summer-friendly spice bucket.
Watermelon Shiso Singria
July 25, 2016
Location: Summer Crab (Downtown Los Angeles)
I went with a friend to the LA version of the Brooklyn flea food market Smorgasburg, a fantastic weekly collection of gourmet food truck options. Next time, I will definitely not eat beforehand.
While my friend ate the spicy soft-shell crab Trap Queen sandwich, I sampled this luxe drink on this hot as a firecracker’s ass day. Freshly squeezed watermelon was mixed with shiso (an Asian mint relative), aloe vera, gelatinous basil seeds, and fresh snow/ice. Refreshing doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Popcorn Chicken
July 22, 2016
Location: Donut King (Van Nuys)
I was CRAVING Taiwanese-style popcorn chicken. My search seemed hopeless until I found this strip mall spot on Yelp. Yes, it’s a 20 minute drive from my work, but it is SO worth it! There are plenty food options for my sample eventually, but I had a singular purpose: the crunchy, lightly-battered chicken thighs that I have fever dreams about ever since.
Carne Asada Fries, Mac + Cheese, and Poutine
July 21, 2016
Location: City Tavern (Downtown Los Angeles)
Thank goodness the two friends I had a catch-up session with enjoy food. I’m so fortunate to have good friends + good food.
Carne Asada Fries: Marrying French fries + marinated steak is pure American genius. This delicious dish is only augmented by finger-licking melted cheddar cheese, refreshing pico de gallo (diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro mixed with salt + lime juice), and a surprisingly good guacamole.
Mac + Cheese: The most disappointing dish of the night was this bland facsimile of a cherished childhood dish. The macaroni was cooked to a nice al dente + the crisp bread crumbs were on point, but the white cheddar + lack of spices felt like a giant "F.U." to flavor.
Poutine: What this version of the Quebec dish lacked in cheese curds was made up with a decidedly Southern American choice: pimento cheese (cheddar cheese mixed with mayonnaise + pimiento peppers, aka "The caviar of the South"). Also in exchange for the cheese curds, I gladly accepted the slow-braised short rib (even if it was a tad sweet). The garlic fries were perfectly cooked and didn’t get too soggy when enveloped by the savory gravy.
Churrasquinho No Pão (Barbecued Skirt Steak Sandwich)
July 14, 2016
Location: Bossa Nova (West Hollywood)
It has been YEARS since I have been to this L.A. Brazilian stalwart, and I have never been to this particular location. I always said I would go there after a long, sweaty night at Rage or The Abbey, but never made it. I went to their Hollywood location with a good friend years ago when we were both less poundage (me for gluttony, she for being pregnant). I went with two friends after seeing the amazing documentary Holler If You Hear Me: Black + Gay In The Church, which everyone should watch ASAP.
Churrasco, a (South) Brazilian catch-all for "barbecue" (like asado in neighboring Argentina + Uruguay), is one of Brazil’s most popular culinary exports. This Italian bread sandwich features a medium-well slab of charbroiled skirt steak with melted Monterey Jack cheese, crunchy romaine lettuce, and unintrusive mayonnaise round out a worthwhile sandwich during a worthwhile afternoon.
Soju Sangria
July 14, 2016
Location: Chez Moi
Though I have been making this for a couple years now, I never seem to make the correct amount: either WAY too little or WAY too much, either really popular or everyone is being really good about their drinking. I made this sucker for mi amor’s birthday at a local hookah spot where they let us bring our own liquor. Be jealous.
Because I have to insert my Koreanness into everything, I ruin augment this Spanish/Portuguese drink with the potent sneaker 소주 (soju, Korean rice liquor). Further evidence of me foisting my yellowness on everyone: amongst the diced limes, green grapes, mangoes, and plums is 배 (bae, Korean pear). Yes, there’s Triple sec (French liqueur made from dried bitter + sweet orange peels) and simple syrup (dissolved sugar in water). I didn’t put 김치 (kimchi, pickled cabbage) in it. That’s just crazy…
I know, I know, it’s not authentic sangria: no (red) wine or brandy. "Sangria" is derived from the Spanish + Portuguese words for "blood" (sangre + sangue, respectively). Though white wine-based sangria blanco (aka clerico in Argentina + Peru, peaches/nectarines-infused zurra in southern Spain), the original red wine sangria from Spain + Portugal is now protected under European Union geographical labeling rules.
Fried Chicken Sandwich
July 8, 2016
Location: Joan’s On Third (Beverly Grove)
On a busy day, we had this upscale rustic food delivered to our work venue. My large + luscious ass could not resist the fried chicken, and I am so glad I didn’t. The chicken thigh/breast combo kept it juicy, and the thin breading kept the calories down (a bit). The jalapeño cole slaw brought some spicy crunch, while the garlic aioli tied all the flavors together in a luxury meets farm table sort of vibe. Perfect light lunch that packed in some heat.
Cornmeal + Ricotta Waffle with Bacon Maple Syrup, チキンカツ (Chicken Cutlet), and Bacon
June 19, 2016
Location: Chez Moi
Recipes: Waffles - Food & Wine, Chicken Katsu - TabiEats
My version of chicken + waffles had to have some Asian flair. I can’t help but go all out.
Cornmeal + Ricotta Waffle: Faithful readers will know I am recently obsessed with waffles made with cornmeal. I stumbled upon a cornmeal waffle recipe from Michelin star-awarded chef + restauranteur Michael Mina, and knew I had to try it. Both crispy from the cornmeal and moist from the ricotta (a creamy Italian whey cheese), the waffles covered all the textural bases. The dry ingredients - cake flour (low protein, finely milled wheat flour ideal for cakes), baking powder, and salt - were gradually added to the pre-mixed wet ingredients - ricotta, milk, egg yolks (and sugar) - before adding in the firm peaked- egg whites before slapping the luxe batter onto the waffle iron. I precooked some bacon and added it to some maple syrup for additional bacon goodness.
Chikin-Katsu: Per the recommendation of gay TabiEats chef’s mother, I diagonally sliced the chicken breast, unintentionally creating heart shapes, to create medium-thick pieces, just enough that they would cook completely during the oil soak but not so thick that they would dry out. Salt + peppered with chicken pieces were then given a light flour skin before taking a dip in beaten egg and getting dressed up with パン粉 (panko, Japanese bread crumbs). The chicken came out pretty perfectly. It was still juicy, which is a feat given how notorious chicken breast is for drying out during frying.
Ricotta, literally "re-cooked" in Italian, is a creamy Italian whey cheese made with the whey of sheep, cow, goat or Italian water buffalo milk that dates back to the second millennium BC during the Bronze Age. Ceramic milk boilers unique to the Italian peninsula shifted cheese production away from fresh whole-milk cheeses to rennet-coagulated cheeses. The byproduct of the rennet-coagulation, sweet whey, was mixed with milk to make proto-ricotta. However, the short shelf-life of ricotta made it unpopular in urban markets, and was likely eaten mostly by shepherds who made it. Though the ceramic milk boilers gave way to metal milk boilers, little has changed in ricotta production since its origins. Whey further ferments and becomes more acidic at room temperature over a 12-24 hour period. The acidified whey is heated to a near-boiling temperature, sometimes with additional acidic assistance from vinegar or lemon juice, to catalyze the coagulation of proteins albumin + globulin. A newer version made with whole cow’s milk is primarily popular in the U.S., where the original whey with a bit of milk is called ricottone. Other variations include the salted, dried, and aged ricotta salata; oven-charred ricotta infornata; and the aged pungent brown ricotta forte/scanta.
Flaming Ball
June 18, 2016
Location: Seoul Sausage Co. (Koreatown)
As part of the KTOWN Night Market, I went with some friends, old + new, to experience the crazy. Luckily, we got there during a lull time, when there weren’t so many folks there to raise my crowd anxiety hackles. There were a lot of food options, but I really only ate this one item. But it was SO worth it.
This fried ball of cheesy 김치 볶음밥 (kimchi bokkeumbap, kimchi fried rice) with spicy pork was magical just by itself that it almost did not require the creamy, flavorful DMZ sauce (garlic jalapeño kimchi sriracha aioli). Just that string of words together is pure balls of amazing. Latin, Korean, Thai, Mediterranean flavors merging together to concoct an all out sensory amalgamation blew my mind. BUT it was not necessary to appreciate the decadent starch + dairy combo that fueled the rest of the afternoon looking at vendors exchanging Facebeezy Likes for a spin at a wheel or selling soup noodles in environment-marring plastic bowls.
Seoul Burger
June 11, 2016
Location: The Fix Burger (Silver Lake)
After some errands, my man + I ended up FINALLY visiting this local burger spot, which is right next to the gym I haven’t been to in more days than I care to count. With diverse burger options from fast to fancy, this burger sure hit the spot, even if it was a tad overpriced.
Eastern + Western flavor fusions in burgers can be very successful, and this one was no exception, if a bit ordinary. The medium-well Angus beef lounged on a puffy French brioche bun with melted Jack cheese and a bit-too-copious-for-my-taste mayonnaise. The richness was offset with a tangy Korean BBQ sauce + crunchy, sour 김치 (kimchi, pickled cabbage). I don’t know if the burger was consummately Seoul, but it possessed a lot of nice flavors.
Breakfast Burrito
June 3, 2016
Location: World Empanadas (Burbank)
This ONE POUND monster is probably the best breakfast burrito I have had in Lost Angeles and damn near the best I’ve had so far (for the record, this one is still tops). Ensconced in a warm flour tortilla are scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheese, and an artery-clogging amount of bacon. Never before have I had a burrito so packed with meat. They usually have no shortage of potatoes, cheese, or other veggies, but the meat is rarely the star. This burrito deserves an Academy Award for all the star power of that damn bacon! No wonder everything is made to order and they run out around noon because DAMN that’s a lot of meat. I grabbed the tomatillo salsa but needed none of it because this was the whole package. The fattie foodie impulses in me say to get this every damn day. This’ll be a problem.
The breakfast version of the burrito was invented in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Local Tia Sophia’s restaurant claims they made the original burrito in 1975 by filling a tortilla with bacon + potatoes covered with chili + cheese. McDonald’s débuted their version in the late 1980s, with other fast food restaurants catching on since the 1990s.
Prime Rib, Salami + Cheeses, and Steamed Buns with American Paddlefish Caviar
May 29, 2016
Location: Tres By José Andrés (Beverly Grove)
For the final meal of my friend’s birfday, we hit up this fancy ass brunch from decorated Spanish chef José Andrés, the man who has won James Beard Awards, is credited with introducing tapas to America, and served as a culinary consultant on one of my favorite shows in recent history Hannibal. In addition to the food pictured, there was a lovely dessert buffet with chocolate mousse with fresh seasonal berries or tuile (thin baked wafer). The watermelon agua fresca was made all the better by the birfday girl’s suggestion that I add the sparkling Spanish wine Cava. However, Cava cannot officially live up to its nickname of "Spanish champagne" (though the beverage is still called champán/champaña in Spanish or xampany in Catalan) because champagnechampagne possesses European Union protected geographic status, meaning only the sparkling wine originating from France’s Champagne wine region can legally possess that name.
Prime Rib: Though I usually prefer my beef medium to well done, this decently rare upper back cut was an absolute treat. Beyond the meat basically melting in my mouth, the accompanying au jus gravy + whole-grain mustard only augmented the already stellar steak.
Salami + Cheeses: I could’ve been happy just eating the charcuterie, cheese, and crostini (toasted sliced bread) course. Not really.
Steamed Buns With American Paddlefish Caviar: This was a tough one. When I saw the buns in a bamboo steamer, I immediately thought they were 馒头 (mántou, Chinese steamed bun) like 烧包 (shāobāo) or 奶黄包 (nǎihuángbāo). My disappointment must have been palpable. Just like many TV shows I take chances on, these buns had no substance inside. They were just dense facsimiles masquerading as something tantalizing. The dark eggs felt like an overindulgence on the empty buns, like using Tahitian vanilla in a McDonald’s sundae or foie gras in a Cup Noodles. The caviar did have a briny tang that complemented the blandness of the bread.
The American paddlefish (aka Mississippi paddlefish, spoon-billed cats, and spoonbills) are a species of fish native to the Mississippi River basin closely related to sturgeons (same order but different families) whose roe are harvested for caviar. Since the 1979 enactment of an ever-increasing trade embargo with Iran, highly sought-after supplies of caviar from the Caspian Sea’s beluga sturgeon are limited, with overfishing + poaching further exhausting the supply. Because American paddlefish roe can be processed to become similar in taste, color, size, and texture to Caspian Sea starry/sevruga sturgeon caviar. However, strict state, federal, and even international regulations (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna + Flora, aka CITES or the Washington Convention) severely restrict the harvest of wild American paddlefish and the illegal trafficking of their roe. Beyond overfishing, other factors disrupting American paddlefish populations including habitat destruction (a series of Missouri River dams prevent the paddlefish, who require free-flowing rivers with zooplankton rich areas + gravel bars for spawning, from flourishing + spawning) and zebra mussel infestations that significantly limit food supplies. However, American paddlefish are now being raised in parts of Europe (Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine, and others), China, and Cuba.
Honey Butter Chicken Bites
May 28, 2016
Location: Zan Beer (Koreatown)
The "Best Sports Bar in Koreatown" may or may not live up to its name, but this boneless chicken appetizer was ree-dick-a-donk-a-saurus good. Twice-fried Korean style, the tender chicken breast was coated in a tad too sugary sauce, but I cut through it with a shot of sweet/sour mango 소주 (soju, Korean liquor). Don’t front on that Korean Fried Chicken.