P's Hot Dish

2011-12-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

Coffee, Tea and Tulips

As I entered the small restaurant, the chef gazed intently at me from behind his kitchen counter. Affectionately known as the “Moody Chef”, he can throw down against any expert pastry maker. The clotted cream and scones are handmade daily by this cantankerous culinarian. She is a dark-haired, classic beauty who pours over 15 types of tea and runs the front of the house. With the congeniality of a doting mistress and the contrasting command presence of a Marine Corps Drill Instructor, my hostess had me feeling instantly at ease. Together, this ying-yang duo own and operate Coffee, Tea and Tulips, a shabby-chic tea parlor and petite bistro in Mission Viejo.

I was promptly seated in a comfy corner of the restaurant with a full view of the buzzing bistro. The hot teapot of Midnight in Paris tea bellowed steamy fumes of ginger, crème de coconut and vanilla flavors triggering endorphins and similar feel good chemicals in my brain. At Chef’s Michael’s recommendation, I ordered the freshly made orange scone with sides of clotted cream and raspberry imported jam. My scone was light and crispy on the outside and warm and tender on the inside - similar to a southern style biscuit. Moody Chef’s ability to whip up a mean scone and equally rich and thick clotted cream caught me off guard! How could an obviously brash personality create such a delicate and delicious scone? After all, his nickname was the “Moody Chef”.

Several years ago, Chef Michael Samawi left his corporate job and with his wife Lina (also hostess and waitress), once a missionary travelling the globe, opened Coffee, Tea and Tulips offering full tea service and internationally inspired dishes. “Tea and scones before any meal” is Chef Michael’s motto. Chef Michael and Lina’s concept is to cook healthy, homemade and sustainable food items serving the dishes “fast food” style – in a timely manner.

The charming parlor and bistro is nestled between an arts and crafts store and bowling alley in the confines of a large commercial shopping center. The setting is “country cottage” - a dried flower wreath and small pictures hang on walls, dining chairs sport comfy back pillows and a rustic armoire filled with tchotchkes rests against one corner of the restaurant. Each table setting is unique and a menu, as thick as a coffee table book, graces each place setting. Recipes are inspired by Lina and Chef Michael’s Middle Eastern heritage with many options from which to choose. Sandwiches are made with artisan bread and tortilla wraps are meticulously rolled and stuffed with crisp ingredients. The Tomato Bisque is thick, rich and velvety and served with a topping of big crunchy croutons.

My tapas of sliced hard boiled eggs, bright red Roma tomatoes and a hearty anchovy filet was drizzled with quality extra virgin olive oil then sprinkled with finely minced black olives. The briny flavor of the anchovy filet and salty black olives are the perfect spice for the otherwise bland tomato and plain boiled egg.

Ninety-five percent of the menu is vegetarian with many vegan alternatives available. The Roasted Vegetable Sandwich, a favorite of mine, is over-stuffed with an abundance of roasted veggies and pungent blue cheese. Lina’s Organic Spinach salad is fresh and filling. A towering pile of organic spinach, thick avocado slices and bacon pieces along with chunks of white skinless-boneless chicken breast overflow on my plate. The spinach salad is very good and a nice combination of lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy essential fatty acids.

Despite a busy “walk-in” lunch crowd, Lina managed to maintain a controlled calmness while taking precious time to greet each patron individually. In spite of Moody Chef’s intense demeanor and apparent nonchalant attitude, it is evident by his cuisine Chef Michael has a docile soul with a passion for cooking. Along with Lina and her heart for service, Coffee, Tea and Tulips will be recognized as a dining haven where guests may enjoy traditional tea service and healthy meals in the comfort of a warm, inviting setting.

Cheers!

Open daily - except Monday
Tuesday – Saturday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Serving breakfast and lunch

www.mycoffeeteaandtulips.com

2011-11-19T21:39:00.000-08:00

Broadway by Amar Santana

Years ago, I recall walking into one of the trendiest dining spots in downtown Laguna Beach – fondly and formerly known as “Michael Kang’s 5’0” restaurant. Upon entering the establishment a partition wall blocked my view of the dining room. A small waiting area with hostess stand and several chairs were in the foyer for patient patrons waiting to enjoy the flavors of Asian fusion style cuisine. In the dining area, was a wall painted with head shots of local loyal Laguna residents…I recognized a few faces. A fond memory for me was the “power” table in the back corner where I celebrated my 25th birthday with a gregarious group of my gal pals while we enjoyed a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne that had been sent over to my table by the gracious Donald Bren himself.

Those days when a painted wall of local faces gazed upon dining customers and where power tables were comfortably tucked in the corner are long gone. Currently, in 5’0’s stead is Broadway by Amar Santana. Of course, as is expected with a new restaurant and the personal style the owners want to convey, Broadway’s interior has experienced a major transformation - an open room with high beams and several dining areas. Corresponding with the name “Broadway”, the atmosphere conveys a lively New York scene with visuals and Broadway music to match the ambiance. An open kitchen (with a dining counter and six seats) allows patrons to witness first hand intense energy from the ebb and flow of Chef Amar as he commands with a controlled yet gentle manner his talented staff. The bar area hustles with busy mixologists blending special cocktails and customers who prefer a view of the flat screen television. Broadway musical tunes are heard through the speakers blending into the buzz of the dining crowd.

Ex-CIA graduate (Culinary Institute of America @ Hyde Park) and former Executive Chef at Charlie Palmer in South Coast, Amar Santana is no newbie to the restaurant scene. His daring creativity and deep conviction to perfection are apparent. Chef Amar is a new force to be reckoned with in the competitive culinary arena of Laguna Beach with the city’s many wonderful restaurants.
Mayan Eyes blends Corazon Blanco tequila, Xtabentun (an anise liqueur from Mexico), fresh squeezed citrus juices with herbaceous cilantro and jalapeno slices. Not too thick with a gentle spice, this cocktail is one of my favorites! The licorice flavor along with cilantro and spicy pepper slices is almost comforting. On this particular evening, I decided against ordering another drink since Mike McConnell, our waiter who also possesses a vast knowledge of wines, offered me a glass of pinot noir (I had hit my two drink maximum). A full bar with an extensive wine list and beers is available.

I always appreciate the efforts of a Chef who puts serious forethought into the amuse-bouche (bite size portions of hors d’oeuvre). Chef Amar composed an amuse-bouche of Ahi tuna in crème fraiche curry foam. It was a creative flavor combination and most enjoyable! Note: the latest trend for serving Edamame, Japanese style soy beans, is to either grill or sauté the small bright green legumes. Chef Amar serves this appetizer grilled and tossed with Yuzu (Japanese citrus). The smoky grilled flavor off-sets the tartness of the citrus - they are both “finger licking” good and addicting!

Generally, I like to dine at a restaurant on a couple of occasions before reviewing the establishment but my maiden voyage to Broadway left me feeling a bit perplexed since I heard rave reviews about the Executive Chef. Truth-be-told, I had gone to Broadway several weeks after they had opened the doors and clearly that is not a fair review on my part…the restaurant was newly opened and had a few kinks to work out. Service was lagging terribly, hubby’s duck breast was over-cooked and my Jidori chicken was rather pedestrian in flavor.

Upon my return I enjoyed the “special of the evening”- Lamb Pork Belly; Chicken Liver Mousse; Roasted Bone Marrow with Anchovies and Panna Cotta dessert. Lamb pork belly is an unusual find on any OC restaurant menu. Chef Amar cooked the meat a perfect medium-rare leaving a sweet crisp outer belly and soft, moist inside. Delicious!

The beef marrow bone is split lengthwise in two, oven roasted and topped with several small bites of marinated white anchovy fillets. Bone marrow is pure fat and has a very “heavy” taste therefore the mild vinegar-tart flavor of the white anchovies was a perfect topping to the fatty bone marrow. Kudos Chef Amar!

I am one never to pass up dessert so I ordered the Panna Cotta with a large quenelle of berry sorbet, tender strawberry quarters (they appeared lightly poached) and tiny black currants. The pretty presentation was a welcomed sight for sore eyes. On this particular evening after a heavy meal of fatty roasted bone marrow and anchovies this dessert was light and refreshing and a treat.

Laguna Beach has become a foodie destination with many restaurants seemingly opening every month. My humble opinion…Chef Amar Santana and Broadway restaurant he oversees is destined to be one of the best local restaurants and a tough culinary competitor worthy of a visit!

Open daily for dinner 5:00 pm
Full Bar

Chapter One: the modern local

2011-09-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

As I veered off the 1st Street exit towards downtown Santa Ana, bittersweet memories flooded my brain. You see, it has been years since I have stepped foot into old “Santana” - the vicinity of the Civic Center area – where Mexican markets buzzed with loyal customers, neighborhood “eloteros” (corn cob vendors) meandered about selling fresh, roasted corn cobs slathered in mayo with dry hot spices and my abuelita’s home on 3rd and Baker streets where the aroma of freshly roasted tortillas permeated the breeze. Those were treacherous days when the local Calle 3rd Street gang bangers, like sentinels, packed heat and hung out at the corner park. Today is a different story. A fresh, revamped downtown Santa Ana highlights a wonderful artist’s community with small boutiques where peppy restaurants are sprinkled throughout the neighborhood.

Approximately six months ago, Chapter One: the modern local came to life and like the adjoining businesses also buzzes with loyal customers. The energy inside is intense. Hip patrons nibble on interesting food and sip creative cocktails while live tunes float through the air from the corner of the bar. I have dined at Chapter One on three occasions - with a concept based around food and the kitchen and a seasoned chef named “Oge”, I have yet to be disappointed. Each time I walk into the dining area past the shelves of library books, I expect to see Hemmingway sucking on a stogie while sipping his favorite booze – literary giant meet gastro pub!

The black bean soup was a mixture of al dente black beans and aromatic roasted sweet pineapple. The flavors were very rich, sweet and spicy at the same time and the consistency thick and chunky. The beans were slightly crunchy…some folks may prefer softer beans but I like my legumes slightly crunchy! My soup was topped with a fried plantain which had been sliced lengthwise and placed over the soup bowl creating an uncommon and creative presentation.

Stuffed squid, fare not normally offered in an American cuisine gastro pub, is usually served in Italian and Asian restaurants. That being said, I was curious about Chapter One’s “Stuft Squid”. Whole squid (sans tentacles, tube only) filled with sweet sundried tomatoes and salty Kalamata black olives. The calamari was tempura batter-fried, sliced into rings and served alongside a fresh tomato coulis. The rich tomato-olive filling held up well with the squid and had well balanced flavors but the accoutrement of tomato coulis was on the watery side and rather bland.

Sunrise in Jalisco was served in a martini glass with a crisp cucumber floater - was made with Russian Standard Vodka and Agave Underground Anejo blended with Rouge cherry liquor and muddled cucumber and simple syrup. Daily, the bartender fresh presses ginger root and diligently carbonates water to make fresh ginger beer for his Moscow Mule. This libation is served in a cold tin cup over special ice cubes which have a slow melt rate maintaining the smooth RS vodka flavor - my favorite cocktail from Chapter One!

Although I am not a vegetarian, I enjoy all foods herbivorous. Chapter One’s Eggplant and Portobello Mushroom Sandwich was light and refreshing - a hefty mound of tofu, eggplant ratatouille and balsamic marinated mushrooms aretopped with garlic tomato relish and piled in a sandwich roll. Another vegetarian dish was the panko crusted Potato Pear – mashed potatoes are molded into a pear shape and served atop mushroom Marsala sauce. Japanese style panko bread crumbs are light and flakey and as I bit through the crunchy exterior my teeth sank into a creamy mashed potato mound.

Desserts: A must try is the Milk & Cereal! Vanilla panna cotta, Kataifi (Middle Eastern shredded phyllo dough) and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are paired with peanut butter ice cream. Although the citrus chunks and sweet creamy panna cotta meritage seemed a little harsh on my palate, I would still toss my diet out the freakin’ window - that dessert put a Cheshire grin on my face. I closed my eyes, took a bite and the flavors took me back to pleasant childhood days when I was able to enjoy cereal for breakfast - guilt free!

Some free parking & valet parking offered
Sunday brunch
Live music nightly

Sabatino's - Lido Shipyard Sausage Company

2011-08-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

With only a handful of weeks left before summer is officially over, I felt it imperative to showcase a backyard BBQ favorite …sausage. Tucked away in a Newport Beach shipyard is Sabatino’s – Lido Shipyard Sausage Company. Peter Sabatino’s privately owned food factory is located next door to his restaurant where the family’s special sausage recipe, dating back to Sicily in 1864, and other food items are made fresh daily. The tubby tubes of encased meat are mixed with imported Sicilian goat’s milk cheese, various herbs and come in mild or spicy flavor.

As I left the comfort of my home in Laguna I contemplated the many dishes I wanted to try. Hungry and salivating, I walked past the outdoor hostess stand and dining patio into a lobby and storefront where a large refrigerated window display full of seafood, large coils of homemade sausage, fresh bell peppers stuffed with rice and sausage and other food items for take home beckoned.

Several of the pleasant staff greeted me and I was immediately seated. The bus boy quickly served me a small basket of French baguette slices and a delicious cup of complimentary soup. During these tough economic times I was pleased to discover Sabatino’s giving away a free cup of soup with my meal. My clam chowder was excellent - made with thick bacon pieces, tender bites of clams, dices of firm potatoes and oyster crackers. I may have enjoyed the chowder too quickly as the bus boy noticed me hastily gobbling up my soup and kindly offered another free cup (yes, I accepted)!

Grilled calamari steak limone is served piccata style with garlic, capers and fresh herbs, surrounded by lemon wedges and roasted red peppers. I am a seriously tough critic of properly prepared calamari (over-cooked, tough and rubbery calamari sucks) and my squid steaks were well prepared with a good balance of salty capers off-setting the tart lemon juice.

I rarely eat sandwiches but had to try the sausage sandwich at Sabatino’s. Peter and C’est Si Bon Bakery in Newport Beach have teamed up to create special baguettes made without yeast and very low in gluten with the end result a light, less filling bread. My Sicilian “low-fat” sausage sandwich over-flowed with fresh green peppers, onions and was served with a side of marinara sauce and a mixed green salad. One bite of the glistening, moist sausage sandwich filled my mouth with herbaceous flavors and sweet-salty cheese. I was satiated!

For my last attempt at a food coma I ordered the Pizza Sabatino – sauce and cheese pizza. With the addition of mushrooms, black olives, sausage and green peppers and made with fresh pizza dough this thin crust pie was mediocre at best. I must admit, my heart’s desire was won over by the fresh sausage, not a pizza pie.

Desserts at Sabatino’s are made fresh daily and include the “best Tiramisu around”, New York style cheesecake, cannolis and “After Dark in a Blanket” - homemade crepe stuffed with vanilla bean ice cream served with zabione crème, hot fudge and fresh strawberry sauce. After tasting many savory dishes my palate lacked the desire for sweets – my belly was full therefore I passed on dessert. Albeit, the After Dark in a Blanket teases my senses and sounds tantalizingly tempting!

My primary goal in dining at Sabatino’s was to try the homemade cheesy sausage. Fellow foodies don’t be mistaken the restaurant offers many more Italian food items from pastas, poultry, veal and seafood to a vegetarian menu. Wine and beer are available and should you decide to bring your own wine, there’s a $22 corkage fee.

Note: After my solo lunch I purchased one pound each of mild and spicy sausage and looked forward to the sights and lingering cheesy smell of grilling the fat tubes at home. After several minutes of cast iron grilling, I turned the sausages to grill the other side and noticed some crispy-chewy cheese chunks had oozed out of the meat casings and sizzled on the hot grill. As the goat cheese caramelized and hardened, I quickly picked off the crispy cheese cracklings and popped them into my mouth. The taste combo of moist and lean flavored sausage and Sicilian goat cheese was delectable!

Beer and Wine
Open daily for breakfast, lunch & dinner
Champagne brunch served Saturday & Sunday 8:30a.m. - 1:00p.m.

Starfish Asian Coastal Cuisine

2011-07-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

Starfish Asian Coastal Cuisine

Upon entering Starfish - the latest venture for local Laguna Beach resident and business owner, Nancy Wilhelm - I zone out and escape from busy Pacific Coast Highway where the cacophony of street cars buzz in my brain and the dusty funk of engine exhaust wafts through my nostrils. As I’m escorted past the hostess cubicle to my table, I find myself engulfed in a warm Shangri la and instantly my perception shifts from frenzied to peaceful-exotic as I anticipate the upcoming continental feast.

For her encore Nancy has succeeded in creating another alluring dining establishment with Starfish Asian Coastal Cuisine. Le Cordon Bleu graduate Chef Jarvis Yuan - a native San Franciscan reared by Taiwanese parents - is credited for confidently expediting dishes with his talented kitchen staff. Having spent many days of his childhood hanging out in his family’s many restaurants, Chef Jarvis confidently transports flavors from Southeast Asia to south Laguna Beach.

The setting of avant garde Asian inspired décor: thick padded-jade colored banquettes, shiny black lacquer furniture and Asian antiques, rekindles my memory of the wonderful dining establishments I visited in Southeast Asia. For an instant I consider a surreptitious pinch to my arm. Am I merely just minutes away from my home? Immediately I notice the pretty emerald colored glass tiles glistening from the horseshoe shaped bar where attractive mixologists cater to thirsty and equally attractive bar patrons. I gently shake the marbles in my dome grounding myself back to reality. A little voice in my brain confirms that I am in Laguna Beach and advises me to sit back against the comfy banquette and enjoy the culinary adventure.

Ahi poke, Korean style tacos, Vietnamese pho, garlic noodles and whole Asian style fish are merely a sampling of the many dishes I have enjoyed at Starfish. And that does not include the fabulous cocktails and dessert. I’m not quite sure where to begin!

Sichuan Yu Sang small Japanese eggplant is slow braised to tender perfection with house made sambal – Asian spicy chili sauce. I could have devoured this whole side dish alone had I not been forced to share with my dining comrades. A slow braising method reveals the rich deep purple hue of the eggplant and the sweet-salty and spicy combo triggered my greedy craving for more!

Starfish poke - small chunks of yellow fin tuna, crunchy pine nuts, micro shiso and tobiko caviar - is tossed with a hint of truffle oil and served with a side of taro chips. Traditional sesame oil does not over power this dish and the woodsy truffle oil blended with aromatic tiny shiso leaves is a nice gourmet touch.

The highlight of my dining experience at Starfish was the “fish of the day.” My dining group and I decided on the wok braised method. After all, woks are essential cookware in an Asian kitchen – it would have been sacrilegious not to eat wok fried fish. Choy sum (inner core of bok choy) cabbage, sweet Thai basil, black bean sauce, bits of sweet garlic and bright red Thai chilis are generously ladled over a whole slightly-crispy fish. In an interesting, non-traditional presentation, the fish seemed to “stand on its own” as it was methodically placed in a sculptured u-shape form on the plate. One of the servers offered to “filet” the fish and, needless-to-say, the server could use a little more experience filleting whole fish. But the flavor was lovely and I would not hesitate to order this dish upon my next visit to Starfish.

My first experience with the garlic noodles left me feeling less than satisfied due to the oil which had coagulated at the roof of my palate. Alas, never give up…every restaurant deserves another chance. Upon my third trip to Starfish, I ordered the wild mushroom garlic noodles. Third time was a charm as these noodles were prepared well with a blend of three types of exotic mushrooms, sweet basil and delicate noodles. One taste confirmed the over- dressing of oil problem had been solved although my dining partner complained that the ratio of noodles to veggies seemed a bit out of balance – he would have liked more veggies in the over abundant noodle mound.

I would gladly visit Sarfish solely to drink the specialty cocktails. A groovy libation is the Citrus Brynner made with Hangar One Citron Vodka, elder flower liqueur, white wine, grapefruit bitters and lemongrass. As I sip my refreshing aperitif, I remind myself of the medicinal benefit of lemongrass being a gentle degestivo and I take root looking forward to my upcoming dessert.

Those in the know appreciate my love for all things coconut – especially coconut cuisine! Therefore, at the conclusion of my savory meal it was imperative that I had my very own order of coconut panna cotta. To my delight I was served an over-sized portion of Bavarian cream layered with essence of exotic passion fruit. Although the consistency was a bit gelatinous, the flavors and creativity of this dessert was wonderful. I closed my eyes and savored each layer separately. As I enjoyed each individual flavor again I was reminded that Nancy, along with Chef Jarvis, had succeeded in transporting me – even for a brief repast – through the tastes, sights and smells of Asia at Starfish. Bravo!

Open Daily 4:00p.m.
Spirits, Beer & Wine

2011-07-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

ALESSA – Laguna Beach

My motis operandi - dine at a restaurant on several occasions before critiquing the place. I broke my own rule regarding Alessa in Laguna Beach…it is worthy of a first time food critique. Besides, I have kvetched long enough about having to travel outside the perimeters of Laguna Beach to get consistent, well prepared Italian food - therefore, I gladly share my Alessa experience with all interested foodies.

Chef/Owner Alessandro Pirozzi commands a southern style Italian restaurant on Forest Avenue in the heart of downtown Laguna Beach (formerly the Pomodoro site). With locations in Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, the restaurant has been in operation since November last year. Walk past the dining patio with a pretty ceramic tile wall water fountain and you will find the warm glow of lantern light fixtures hanging from the ceiling and a wall montage of Pirozzi family photos creating an inviting environment. Should you decide to take in busy energy and witness the hustle-bustle of kitchen staff in action, belly up to the full bar, pull up a barstool and dine at the counter.

The prosciutto and mozzarella bar is stocked with some of the best burrata in the OC. High quality, pillowy chunks of Italian fresh milk mozzarella cheese were plated with roasted marinated baby artichoke hearts and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkles of sea salt and spicy tendrils of arugula were blended in a delightful citrus flavored salad!

I expected traditional gnocchi (mini football shapes) with a rich potato flavor but instead received small gnocchi balls filled with pesto. Alessa’s gnocchi fritti are stuffed with rich-creamy pesto, the potato dumplings are gently fried and served with a small bowl of delicious pomodoro sauce for your dipping pleasure. The small fried balls, sprinkled with grated cheese and parsley, taste equally good sans the side of pomodoro.

Penne Norma combines smokey/sweet flavors of penne pasta cooked al dente then tossed in a tomato basil sauce with small pieces of sautéed eggplant and melted smoky mozzarella. I surprised myself for breaking my “no carbs after lunch” rule – the pasta dish was a mixture of well balanced flavors and cooked to perfection.

As for pizza, the Salame E Scamorza pizza was rather bland. I anticipated a more flavorful Napoli style pizza crust and have had better. Albeit, I will not rush out to Alessa for the pizza, I thoroughly enjoyed my Capesanti al Limone! Grilled herb-marinated huge diver scallops were served with roasted red bell pepper puree atop a mound of Meyer lemon risotto. The scallops were grilled and remained firm yet juicy and sweet.

Risotto is a difficult dish to prepare properly involving constant stirring to accomplish the end result – an al dente yet creamy smooth Arborio rice dish. Alessa’s risotto fell short of a perfect risotto. The flavor of the rice, although very good with a gentle essence of grilled Meyer lemon, was a slightly dry. Without a doubt, I would order this dish again in hopes of a different outcome - a perfect creamy consistency. Surely there are folks out there who would beg to differ with my culinary criticism of risotto – I merely base my opinion on a trip to Italy and my many experiences of eating my way through risotto dish after risotto dish prepared in the mother land.

The finishing touch was a cream filled pastry ring stuffed with chocolate chips and ricotta cheese. One bite and the Sicilian style crunchy fried cannoli with drizzled chocolate syrup melted in my mouth. After a meal of tasting many wonderful savory dishes, the sweet cannoli dessert was a perfect finale!

Cheers!

www.cucinaalessa.com

2011-06-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

BRODARD CHATEAU

A Bit of History
In the mid 70’s, General Nguyen Cao Ky of the South Vietnamese army fled communist controlled Vietnam and relocated to Orange County, California. Along with a “boat” load of refugees, General Cao Ky moved to the city of Westminster, opened up a liquor store and assisted in making OC home to one of the largest and most prominent Vietnamese communities in the west. The Vietnamese boat people colonized certain areas of Westminster and Garden Grove designating their little slice of the American dream the “Little Saigon” area of Orange County.

New Food Culture Comes to the OC
The Little Saigon area is home to hundreds of Vietnamese restaurants specializing in various foods from “pho” (beef noodle soup), Banh mi (baguette & pate sandwiches) to “Ca phe da” (iced coffee) houses. With culinary influences from France, China, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia, Vietnamese food remains very healthy, low in carbohydrates and fat, and light – all good reasons why Vietnamese food is one of my favorite foods in the world!

Brodard Chateau & Vietnamese Cuisine
In existence since 2006, Brodard Chateau, a two story restaurant owned and operated by the Dang family (Bamboo Bistro in Corona del Mar and Brodard in Westminster), offers traditional and Asian fusion cuisine from the Saigon, Hanoi and Hue regions of Vietnam. The restaurant has a well stocked bar, indoor staircase and a stylish Vietnamese setting with art deco ambiance.

I begin my repast with one of several Brodard Chateau specialty cocktails. David Xaygnavong, my gracious waiter and bartender mixed my favorite - the Lychee vodka martini. Shaken with lychee liquor, white cranberry juice, vodka and fresh lychee fruit this libation is light, sweet and crisp. Although I could have easily guzzled another, I decided one was my limit (after all, I was scheduled to host an evening soiree of ten and I thought it a grand idea to remain coherent and charming for my guests)!

My dining trips to Little Saigon eateries would not be the same without an order of Cuon Chay - freshly made Vietnamese spring rolls. Moist and chewy rice paper is filled with tender steamed shrimp, sliced avocado, bean sprouts, mint leaf, lettuce & thin strands of vermicelli. Delectable bobbins are tightly wrapped into neat rolls, sliced in half and served cold with a creamy peanut dipping sauce. I know how fresh the rolls were as I observed the kitchen staff carefully hand rolling and slicing my made to order rolls.

A common dish at many Asian fusion restaurants is the “salt and pepper” style seafood. Muc Rang Muoi are lightly breaded rings or strips of squid (similar to calamari Italian style) flash fried in a very hot wok together with sea salt, scallion slivers and fresh jalapenos. I squeezed a wedge of fresh lime on top of the calamari rings, popped a couple in my mouth and relished every morsel. The flavors of tangy lime juice, spicy fresh pepper slices and onion made a great pre-dinner appetizer!

My first course was set before me with sizzling sounds emanating through my ears alerting my brain. The precariously hot cast iron skillet full of blazing chunks of delicate sole filet and the essence of turmeric spice sautéed with caramelized onion slivers, fresh baby dill and garlic chips had me salivating. The aromas are slightly intoxicating (guys, it doesn’t take much to intoxicate me when food is involved). David delivered my plethora of accoutrements: a platter laced with fresh mint leafs, thinly sliced red onions, roasted peanuts, vermicelli noodles, slivers of fresh lemon grass stock and lemons wedges. Methodically, I make a “Vietnamese taco” with the seafood and accompanying goodies and drizzle a side of savory shrimp based dipping sauce over my taco. After one bite instantly I am in food heaven and speechless.

Pan seared Vietnamese rice flour crepes over-flow with bits of pork, chunks of shrimp, crisp bean sprouts, mushrooms and onions. Served with a bunch of crunchy Asian veggies (including lettuce and basil) and chili-lime fish sauce, these ingredients allow a diner to make a Vietnamese “lettuce wrap” according to their dietary desires.

Taro root, a starchy tuber vegetable, is often used in soups and desserts and is a very popular culinary staple in Asia. My preference is to expand my culinary horizons and step outside of the box, therefore, my food choices are diverse items not normally found on menus. Che Khoai Mon Nuoc Dua (say that fast 10x) is Brodard Chateau’s version of a sweet taro root dessert. The presentationand preparation for this confection was similar to a steamy bowl of cream of wheat (like my granny used to make). My dessert was served warm with a hefty spoonful of thin coconut sauce poured over the top. I was impressed and pleased with the simple yet creative concept for this particular dessert – it was not a typical, banal sweet course found on a menu.

I have travelled to Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand and thoroughly enjoyed the various foods from those regions (excluding the “baby frogs on a stick” at the open air market in Thailand). I delight in the knowledge that there are so many Asian restaurants to choose from - not far from the 405 freeway within 40 minutes of my home in South Orange County.

Cheers!

Open Daily 10:30)
Beer, wine & cocktails served

Laguna Beach Chef/Owner - Backed Into Corner To Defend Championship Title!

2011-05-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

The second OC Sunday Night Chef Fights found Laguna Beach Chef Lindsay of Nirvana Grille sans the championship title of “Best Chef in the OC”. Despite a very close scoring decision, Chef Lindsay yielded her championship status to new champion Chef/Owner Nicola Bellazzi of Enne Cucina Italiana in San Clemente.

In front of an anxious sold out crowd of 65 OC foodies, both chefs and culinary teams worked quickly to accomplish the goal of assembling, plating and serving 3-4 dishes incorporating the main ingredients: sweet potato, ham, cauliflower with the secret ingredient coconut. Note: the hidden item is revealed to the chefs 48 hours prior to competition!

Chef Nico, first to take the stage, did a great job of utilizing all ingredients in his four dishes. First course presented was a cauliflower & sweet potato zuppa with crispy prosciutto bits & shaved coconut. Although the soup had great flavor and was seasoned well, I found the consistency of the soup thin and runny.

A coincidence? Chef Lindsay’s first course was also a cream of cauliflower soup blended with pancetta and cauliflowerettes. A perfect, creamy consistency and lovely presentation using pretty swirls of crème fraiche does not account for flavor – my dining companions and I agreed the soup lacked in taste. Second course presented by Chef Nick was penne pasta with prosciutto, arugula, coconut cream and truffle oil. The vibrant arugula leafs made a colorful presentation with a hint of truffle oil offsetting the rich coco cream and salty Italian ham. And leave it to a classically trained Italian chef to cook perfect al dente pasta. Kudos Chef Nico. Although pasta is not on my gluten-free diet, I savored every morsel and wanted more!

Chef Nico served an entre of white meat chicken tender wrapped in prosciutto which had been cooked in coconut milk then topped with cauliflower and served over sweet mashed potato, scented with gorgonzola cheese and coconut bits. One taste and I was baffled – this dish was pedestrian and left me unimpressed. I had higher expectations from a well-trained chef/owner. Chef Nico had done a great job with his prior dishes blending all the flavors together but this dish was trite and lacked the flavor I had expected.

Slow braised chicken was Chef Lindsay’s entree for the evening. Using various exotic Indian spices including curry with coconut, dark meat was cooked for several hours and served with a beurre blanc sauce then plated over a bed of coconut-cilantro rice. Albeit my rice had a mushy consistency, accolades to Chef Lindsay for her creativity, appearance and nice flavor combos. Chef Lindsay did a fine job with regards to the combination of ingredients!

After plenty of savory small plates I was ready for dessert. Both desserts lacked in creativity. With so many desserts to create incorporating sweet potato, coconut, cauliflower and ham, why settle for a traditional crème brulee or standard custard? Chef Lindsay’s sweet potato custard with caramel sauce had well balanced flavors and was not too sweet but was runny in consistency. In fact so runny, I was able to pour some custard out onto my dinner plate – not a good example of properly cooked custard. Consistency was not an issue for Chef Nico’s sweet potato and coconut brulee but the confection lacked the traditional crispy-thin caramelized topping.

When the time clock stopped and the final scores tallied, the breakdown was: Creativity – Chef Nick: 284, Smith-Rosales: 258; Appearance –Chef Lindsay: 279, Chef Nick 263; and Taste: Chef Nick: 285, Chef Lindsay, 255. After an intense evening, the winner by a ‘razor thin split decision’ was Chef Nick.

Please come out to support our local chefs when Chef Nick returns to defend his title in the next Orange County Sunday Night Chef Fight competing against Challenger Chef James Harris, Executive Chef of the Royal Hawaiian in Laguna Beach on Sunday, August 21st at the Standards of Excellence showroom in Huntington Beach.

Cheers!

Patty Pinto
pgpinto@cox.net

http://www.OCinSite.com/

http://www.p3shotdish.blogspot.com/
www.twitter.com/PsHotDish

For more information on Sunday Night Chef Fights visit http://www.sundaynightcheffights.com/ or email info@sundaynightcheffights.com

2011-04-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday Night Chef Fights Come To Town!

Sunday Night Chef Fights was a bout to remember for my local hometown gal Chef Lindsay Smith-Rosales of Nirvana Grille. Congratulations to Chef Lindsay for taking home the covetous championship last night at Sunday Night Chef's Fight in Huntington Beach hosted at the Standard of Excellence Showroom in the “culinary arena”.

For the uninitiated, Sunday Night Chef Fights pit local county chefs against each other in a drag out, no ifs ands or buts culinary brawl with the winner lugging home a trophy and bragging rights as the “Best Chef in the OC”. Through word of mouth and research local chefs are chosen for competition and unlike the typical notable T.V. food competitions with hand selected celeb judges, Sunday Night Chef Fights embraces the audience as the evening’s arbiters. For a very reasonable fee - $75 VIP, $50 general seating - the assemblage of sixty bon vivants sample 3 different chef inspired “specific ingredient” dishes with an additional “secret ingredient” that is revealed to the chefs that morning (BTW foodies, that is 6 courses total). Dishes are judged by appearance, taste and creativity with a score card placed in front of each referee. The champ’s fate is in the audience’s hands or shall I say, at the mercy of their palates.

In addition to sampling the chef’s combative food fest, gourmands enjoy an entertaining evening with master of ceremonies Chris Kern, Creator, Host & Executive Producer (founder of Friends of the Forgotten Grape and wine phemon) who matches three types of wines for the oenophile’s tasting pleasure. Chris has been in the wine business since 2006 when he began leading private wine tours to France and parts of California in search of the “forgotten grapes”. Being a wine lover myself and having the pleasure of a private wine cellar at home, I was very impressed with Chris’ passion and obvious love for wine! I am sure Dionysus gazes down upon Chris with shear content for his loyal wine enthusiast.

Chef Lindsay held her own, sparred well and narrowly defeated contender "Rock’n Roll" Chef-Owner Phil Knoke of SteerCrazy International BBQ & Catering in San Juan Capistrano. Make no mistake, Chef Lindsay delivered a rock solid right hook to Chef Phil’s jawbone making him weak in the knees with her entrée of perfectly roasted herb crusted over-sized lamb lollipops and sun dried tomato couscous. The lamb chops were cooked to a succulent medium-rare, served with a veal demi glace and nicely seasoned with fresh herbs.

Albeit tasty and in my most humble of opinions, Chef Phil’s Hawaiian style Kalua 10 hour smoked pulled pork with his secret Hillbilly Pirate Hawaiian BBQ sauce did not stand a chance against Chef Lindsay’s lollipops…her chops had the opponent shivering under his notorious cowboy hat!

As a starter, Chef Lindsay served a fresh radish and cucumber salad with golden raisins, dates, orange blossom honey, orange zest and secret spices. I am sure the salad must have started off fresh and crispy but by the time it was set before me and shoveled into my fly trap due to an over-dressing of Raita (Indian style yogurt dressing) my once crisp salad was lightly soggy with a mushy texture.

For his appetizer Chef Phil presented a Hawaiian style cucumber and radish salad. Simple in flavor, lacking sweetness with a little too much acidity the salad left a strong vinegar flavor on my tongue. Chef Phil rose to the occasion with his salad presentation by adding a boiled ginger-brined quail egg which he strategically placed in the center of the bowl surrounded by two chopsticks…very creative.

My final decision was that his dish fared better than his competitor’s radish salad. Kudos to Chef Phil for his creativity in dessert planning. Instead of the usual confection Chef Phil served the judges a Hot Toddy in a mini brandy snifter with a cinnamon stick garnish. Job well done with a tasty, traditional Hot Toddy incorporating honey, the secret ingredient…very creative and warming to my cold bones!

Lastly, the sweet tooths in the crowd must have been satiated with the arrival of Chef Lindsay’s standard Chocolate soufflé. Although, the soufflé was traditional in appearance, fluffy and puffed up it lacked depth of rich chocolate flavor and was a tad bit on the dry side with a spoonful of honey infused Crème Anglaise coming to the rescue.

When the time clock stopped and the final scores tallied, the breakdown was: Creativity - Knoke: 172, Smith-Rosales: 181; Appearance - Knoke: 159, Smith-Rosales: 185; and Taste: - Knoke: 186, Smith-Rosales: 184. After a nail biting close of day, the winner by a ‘razor thin split decision’ was Chef Lindsay Smith-Rosales. In any event, the evening was most enjoyable offering an opportunity to experience local OC chefs at their finest and taste some otherwise ‘unknown’ varietal wines….what a great concept!

Please come out to support our local chefs when Chef Lindsay must defend her title against world trained Chef Nico from "Enne Cucina Italiana” (San Clemente/Talega) on Sunday, May 15th at Standards of Excellence in Huntington Beach. Hurry, buy your tickets as it will be a sell-out and I will be there for sure!

Cheers!

For more information on Sunday Night Chef Fights visit http://www.sundaynightcheffights.com/ or email info@sundaynightcheffights.com

2011-02-24T16:30:00.000-08:00

NEWS FLASH!

Howdy foodies! I have recently teamed up with http://www.ocinsite.com/ as the restaurant critic & food writer for Orange County's newest, hippest e-newsletter. Twice a month I will feature articles related to any and all things having to do with food in the greater O.C. area--from new restaurants, mom & pop diners, food festivals, farm to table dinner events and even an occasional celebrity dinner party blog hosted in my own dining room!

Please click on the above link (read about Sunday Night Chef Fights), check me out, sign up for your free e-newsletter and give me a follow...you never know who may show up for dinner?!

NOTE: I will continue to supply my personal blog--PsHotDish--with continued restaurant reviews...after all, there is a whole nation full of restaurants waiting to showcase the talent behind the burner!

Thank you for your anticipated support and "cheers" from Laguna Beach!

P.S. PsHotDish restaurant review to follow soon!

2011-01-31T11:12:00.000-08:00

ROCK’N FISH

A neighbor from the South Bay has made a comfortable home in our charming community. Settled upstairs (above Tommy Bahamas) in the notable Heisler building with views of the dazzling Pacific Ocean is ROCK’N FISH, a steak and seafood restaurant. Owners and high school chums Michael Zislis and Jim Donegan often conceived serving American fare and classic New Orleans cuisine to hungry patrons and with two other Southern California locations these mates have accomplished their goal opening their latest venture in beautiful Laguna Beach. Expect proprietors Michael or Jim to stop by your table for their nightly meet and greet to make sure everything is copacetic from service to food. Upon entering ROCK’N FISH a staircase beacons you up into a wonderfully designed restaurant where four popular Laguna Beach artists showcase their creative and whimsical custom-made workmanship. Adjacent to the main dining room is a great bar that boasts several flat screen televisions where friendly mixologists aid you in fulfilling your cravings for signature libations of all types. Rock’n Spirits sets the bar very high with an inventory of 47 tequilas, 29 different vodkas, 43 Scotch Whiskies to mention a handful. If you are a connoisseur of draught beers the 24 on tap will quench your brew thirst! For special private events the separate dining room with an extensive wine cellar accommodates fifty guests.

Chef Joseph Tripi, a 24 year veteran in the food industry, has teamed up with Newport Meat Company, Santa Monica Seafood and LA Specialty to dish up the best quality meats, freshest fish (which is shipped in daily from local purveyors) and finest produce. Unlike the competitors, ROCK’N FISH’s unique method of grilling the meat and seafood over 100% red oak wood makes a noticeable tasty difference. Foodies, you will not be disappointed!

My favorite item on the appetizer menu is the Signature Grilled Fresh Artichoke and the side of roasted garlic aioli…it is FANTASTIC and you can really taste the red oak grilled flavor difference! Where most restaurants boil the artichoke, Chef Joseph first steams then grills adding salt and pepper. I make a point to order the artichoke every time. Another choice starter is the light and Crispy Calamari with tarter sauce and horseradish cocktail sauce. Along with ten different appetizers you may also enjoy fresh seafood starters: Poke Martini, Colossal Shrimp or Dungeness Crab Cocktail and fresh shucked Oysters. Arthropod lovers will not want for fresh, well-prepared seafood at ROCK’N FISH.

For a delightful salad try the Blue Cheese Wedge. A huge chunk of cold and crispy iceberg lettuce arrived at my table slathered with a creamy mixture of Mine Shaft Blue Cheese dressing, sweet red onion slivers, thick crumbles of Nueske Applewood Bacon and candied walnuts. The salad is refreshing with an excellent balance of sweet walnuts and salty bacon.

Hubby had the Oak Grilled Chicken Sandwich and within several minutes devoured every morsel. With a facetious tone I asked him if he enjoyed his “sammie” and almost choked on a chunk of iceberg when I heard him say, “It’s better than mine!” (guys, my hubby is an outstanding home chef with very “high” standards!). The chicken breast is marinated for 24 hours in a special sauce giving it a great flavor then served hot on a freshly baked sesame seed bun with all the accoutrements. A “must try” on my next visit.

The “D.Z.” Burger will knock your socks off. Oak grilled Angus beef is cooked to order then topped with gooey melted Gruyere and Mine Shaft Blue Cheese, caramelize sweet onions, Applewood smoked bacon and garlic aioli on a grilled French roll. The burger arrived to our table long after the other entrées and although it was a tad bit salty we all decided this burger was well worth the wait and sodium bloat.

My carnivorous craving for the Aged New York Steak was appeased when my chow arrived with perfect grill marks and cooked to order medium-rare. The fare, along with my side of sautéed garlic spinach and coleslaw was simple yet enjoyable and my predatory craving indulged.

Unless you are on a serious low-fat and calorie restricting diet at all costs avoid the Seafood Jambalaya! A steaming hot dish piled high with fresh clams, shrimp, chunks of moist fish and spicy Andouillesausage in a Cajun cream sauce is served over your choice of rice or linguini. After one taste, I could feel my coronary vessels constricting but my tongued dance the boogie woogie when these flavors passed my lips…I highly recommend this dish! Heck, order it as a first course and share it with your dinner group that way you may all share in the calories!

As the waitress meandered towards my table the slight pang I felt deep within my gut slightly intensified, therefore, when she handed me the dessert menu I considered tossing it on the floor…glad I didn’t! After all, how could I turn down a sweet confection from ROCK’N FISH since all my other meals from this dining establishment have been pretty dang good? Repeated flashbacks of the intense savor of Sticky Toffee Pudding, a steamed - dark brick of delectable moistness enhanced with a caramelized butterscotch-like flavor and toffee sauce, keep firing off in my brain. Alas, I would love to thank the Queen Mum herself for sharing this glorious sweet pudding with us yanks!

My experience with other cuisine from the ROCK’N FISH menu left me feeling very satisfied since they were very tasty, well prepared and fresh. I have dined at ROCK’N FISH on several occasions and although the food is very good, more than once the service was careless with cocktails taking too long to arrive to my table, dirty dishes and empty plates hanging around a tad bit too long and one evening my dining partner’s entree arrived long after I was done eating mine. I am hoping before summer with the huge crowds of tourists arriving in town the service will improve. All-in-all, I am glad ROCK’N FISH decided to grace Laguna Beach with its presence and I know we will enjoy a splendid relationship together!

Cheers!

Open Daily 11:30 until close
Great $Price$ Point

Wonderful Wine, Beer & Spirit Selections

2011-01-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN

Those who know me are aware of my many passions in life: food, wine, fitness-exercise and alternative healing (to name a handful). Therefore, I was pretty dang excited when I learned a new restaurant was to open in nearby Newport Beach that would focus on serving fresh, some organic, sustainable, low-fat and healthy dishes implementing Dr. Andrew Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid diet with all meals created and approved for optimum health by Dr. Weil himself. Bring on the healthy vittles baby, bring ‘em on!

As a foodie and fitness expert I have often fantasized (yes, periodically I have food related fantasies!) about dining at a trendy spot where delectable, well prepared food is served, with a lovely ambiance pleasing to the eyes, great cocktails and various wines flowed. In addition to all of my standards, an extra benefit is that the food served is equally as healthy for my body. That being said, welcome to Orange County Mr. Fox and Dr. Andrew Weil…both of you have satisfied my healthy culinary desires at True Food Kitchen in Newport Beach, a wonderful alternative to folks looking to eat healthier in 2011!
Sam Fox, a San Diego entrepreneur, knows restaurants learning the business while a student at the University of Arizona with a total of 29 restaurants under his belt and more rolling out on the horizon. In case you did not know, Dr. Andrew Weil is a well regarded author and Harvard Medical School trained physician. As a highly “respected alternative medicine guru” (with healing retreats around the country), he is an expert on several alternative modalities some of which include eating anti-inflammatory diets and implementing cooking methods to help maintain a healthy body and lifestyle. Dr. Weil and Mr. Fox have teamed up to design a healthy menu at True Food Kitchen that will satisfy just about every taste bud out there.

I have yet to enjoy a feast in the outdoor patio next to the “living wall” of green succulents, nor dine in the 800 bottle wine cellar, but I have sat at the juice bar (which offers freshly squeezed fruit and veggie juices and handmade libations) enjoying a light lunch and in the large dining room on more than one occasion. The various times I have been to True Food Kitchen there has always been a wait to get in – standing room only, so I suggest you arrive early or plan on waiting a bit since the restaurant is very popular and you will wait! For those who enjoy healthy sweet-dried fruits, light and lean protein with some crunchy greens, the “Chicken Chopped Salad” is right up your alley (it was up mine…hum, that just doesn’t sound right)! Diced fresh dates, cranberries, Marcona Spanish almonds, white meat chicken chunks, crisp salad greens, Manchego cheese and the ancient grain farro mixed with a refreshing champagne vinaigrette graced my plate. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to order half a portion of the salad since they are so large (and a great value) and I needed to save room for an appetizer or two! My idea of a successful dish is when the chef designs and creates the food item to taste great as if the item was to stand alone…well, each ingredient blended in my chopped salad tasted wonderful by itself, from the tender chicken to the quality of the dried fruits. That, my friends, is a successful tasty salad.

Another salad which rocked my gustatory cells was the “Tuscan Kale Salad”. I am a huge fan of collard so I gladly ordered the mound of deep-green freshly chopped kale that was gently blended with fresh lemon, parmesan and bread crumbs accompanied with a side of the Italian high-protein farro grain. The farro had a slightly chewy texture and a nice nutty flavor but lacked an interesting presentation (my senses are easily stimulated visually). Although the grain was just plopped onto my side dish, it had a nice essence and each tiny grain was gladly gobbled up.

I have had the fortunate experience of tasting many items from True Food Kitchen:

· Edamame Dumplings
· Caramelized Onion Tart
· Today’s Raw Fish
· Tuscan Kale Salad
· Roasted Eggplant
· Panang Curry
· Miso Glazed Black Cod
· Organic Ricotta Ravioli
· Flourless Chocolate Cake
· Apple Cranberry Crumble; and
· Banana Chocolate Tart

With all of these dishes being very appetizing, it is pretty tough to choose my favorite. But alas, I suppose I must…therefore the “Miso Glazed Black Cod”, bok choy and Asian mushroom was very yummy with a lovely sweet/sour miso glaze on a thick cod fillet that was cooked to perfection, tender and moist.
I have yet to try the “Wild Ahi Sliders” with wasabi aioli, radish, avocado and cucumber. They look fabulous with a generous slice of seared ahi tuna and chunky avocado spread sandwiched between a golden wholesome mini bun…two per order. They are a must order on my next visit.

In all fairness I must mention the desserts, they are luscious! How can one expect worthy sweet treats from a “health food” restaurant? Guys, trust me when I tell ya that True Food Kitchen delivers the unexpected with their desserts. Out of the three I tasted, my favorite was the “Banana Chocolate Tart” with its mesquite flour crust and Brazil nuts giving the tart a sweet and smoky flavor. Never before had I ever heard of ‘mesquite flour’ much less taste it in a confection and it was worth every calorie(s) that accumulated on my chunky thighs!

Of course, I did not include all the libations that have crossed my sweet lips! How can one go wrong ordering the “Cucumber-Kumquat Skinny Margarita” (for goodness sakes, it’s a ‘skinny margarita’)? Hand mixed with Casa Noble Silver Organic Tequila, fresh lime, fresh mint and soda this cocktail had me craving for more! For those in need of a little therapy the “Retail Therapy” with Belvedere Vodka, Grand Marnier, fresh strawberry, basil and lemon will settle the most anxious of nerves. And for all of you whiskey drinkers out there, “Peace Maker” will chill you out for sure with the perfect blend of smooth whiskey, black tea, honey lemon syrup and Averna (Italian liqueur). In addition to the many fabulous hand mixed cocktails, TFK has a good beer and sake selection along with many wines by the glass from various regions around the world.

Folks, my point is…True Food Kitchen has very tasty, well prepared, fresh, low-fat dishes that would satisfy just about everyone from the strictest vegan to the hungriest carnivore (beef tacos are on the menu also) and my heart flutters with delight knowing that I can dine out guilt free without feeling overly stuffed having eaten too many unhealthy calories, processed foods and bad fats.

Cheers!

Open Daily
Great value and price point!

REPOSTING: In Honor of Jose Andres - Cafe Atlantico!

2010-12-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

CAFÉ ATLANTICO & Molecular Gastronomy!

Molecular Gastronomy: “ the application or study of scientific principles and practices in cooking and food preparation; a discipline practiced by both scientists and food professionals that studies the physical and chemical processes that occur while cooking…”.

So…how often does one order absolutely everything off the left side of a menu? Call it a first for my dining party when we enjoyed a fabulous meal at Café Atlantico in Washington, D.C. As if that was not enough, we also ordered one entrée, all five sweet treats off the dessert menu, a magnum of wine, another bottle of wine and each enjoyed a special aged rum aperitif! We were a gaggle of gluttonous fools taking pleasure in everything that passed our lips!

In October hubby and I along with dear friends from Los Angeles, Peter & Joan, had a delightful dining experience at the haute Nuevo Latino style cuisine of Café Atlantico in Washington, D.C. Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, Café Atlantico is a hip three story restaurant and home to world famous chef Jose Andre’s “minibar by Jose Andres" where small plates of indescribable goodness are served. To get a coveted restaurant reservation for minibar one must set their alarm clock to phone 30 days in advance at 10:00 a.m. east coast time. Well, on a rare occasion, hubby over-slept and we missed our reservation opportunity but ended up in the main restaurant at Café Atlantico instead.
Jose Andres is an executive chef, restaurateur, business man, father, husband, food scientist and a master of molecular gastronomy with hands on experience in world famous kitchens (protege to Ferran Adria of world famous El Bulli in Spain and various Michelin star restaurants) since the age of fifteen. In addition to overseeing seven restaurants offering “avant-garde and classic Spanish cooking” he also teaches a course on culinary physics at Harvard University and has been the recipient of many culinary awards as well as a semi-finalist for the prestigious James Beard Foundation award for outstanding chefs.

Never have I walked into a restaurant and ordered everything on the appetizer menu - 14 items…along with an entrée, every dessert (5 total) and copious wine and liquor (does this make me a lush?). My dining team decided the only way to truly experience Jose Andres in all his culinary glory was to “taste” everything on his appetizer menu, and then some.

Oy vay…where to begin?! How about with the Fried Oysters and Uni or the Dominican Conch Fritters or Shrimp & Grapefruit w/Chayote Spaghetti? For starters the Tuna Ceviche was spectacular. Small cubes of tender sashimi grade tuna folded into creamy coconut milk and topped with firm, ripe avocado slices was visually appealing and very refreshing. I was surprised to see my hubby eat his portion since he does not care too much for coconut milk…need I say more?

The Foie Gras Soup blended with wild mushrooms and poured table side was a first for me. Not that I have never dined on foie gras in the past just never served as a warm, rich, creamy soup…OMG! A chilled carrot soup with passion fruit and fresh herbs was served along side the warm soup and it was a cool accompaniment.

Once our server realized our passion and excitement for anything epicurean she alerted the famous minibar and the wonderful staff continued to send over several samples (little taste “gifts”) of their molecular gastronomic creations. Most praiseworthy was the ultra thin Cheese Empanadas. Gladly breaking the rule of polite society, I promptly shoved the small wafer thin morsel in my pie whole and was immediately pleased with the flavor sensation – a rich cheese taste emanated through the ultra thin empanada and disappeared instantly on my tongue. Enjoyably the cheesy aftertaste lingered in my mouth for several seconds. WOW!

There were many other items worth mention such as the Grilled Octopus and Watermelon Salad but I will leave you with a description of out main entrée. Cobia is a dense white fish which was thickly sliced and plated in overlapping layers sashimi style and floated in a broth of chicken jus! Who in their right mind puts fish chunks and chicken jus together? Creative Jose Andres does…and he does a mighty fine job of it too! The accoutrements of summer melon, fresh lime, passion fruit and green almonds plated with the fish were unimaginable combinations but truly glorious eaten as one.

Although Café Atlantico is known for their molecular artistic cocktails such as the Magic Mojito and Old Man and the Sea we selected from their extensive yet reasonable wine list a magnum of red and bottle of white wine and topped it all off with a special aged rum suggested by the sommelier to accompany our rum infused dessert. As for all the desserts we ordered I do not recall what they were (I was slightly inebriated) but I do recall they were utterly fabulous!

I have had the benefit and joy of experiencing many world class restaurants in my life (Joel Robuchon, Taillevent, Louix XV, etc.) but my conclusion is Jose Andres’ Café Atlantico is outstanding in its own right with their many combinations of ingredients and use of molecular gastronomy in melding flavors extracted through a scientific approach! I look forward to one day dining at the six other restaurants Andreas owns and operates and I am certain I will experience a bon vivant’s delight all over again!

Cheers!

Great $Price$ Point
Vast Wine Selection; Wine & Beer
Closed Mondays Lunch & Dinner

SAPPHIRE LAGUNA

2010-10-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

Well known to locals as the old Pottery Shack building in charming Laguna Beach is “Sapphire Laguna” restaurant. Executive Chef Azmin Ghahreman (formerly of the St. Regis and Four Seasons) has been offering cosmopolitan dishes since 2007. Sapphire’s indoor/outdoor dining areas - enchanting outdoor fire pit, warm dining room ambiance, global cuisine and Chef inspired signature cocktails lure loyal locals and tourist alike.

When Chef Azmin is not overseeing kitchen prep and creating new menu items, he chivalrously spends time helping the children of our community by creating alternative healthy, low-fat meals for our local school cafeteria lunches. Kudos to Chef Azmin for his commitment and energy serving the progenies of Laguna Beach and surrounding areas!

I have dined at Sapphire on a handful of occasions for lunch and dinner sampling many different dishes and my favorite on the menu is the “Hawaiian Style Steamed Barramundi”. Barramundi is a dense Hawaiian fish and my fillet was moist-tender and melted in my mouth. The fish was served with a mixture of fresh ginger, shitake mushrooms, cilantro, green onions and shoyu – soy based sauce and was very well prepared.

A big hit on the menu are the “Home-Fried Potato Chips” which are lightly sprinkled with sage-rosemary sea salt and for a mere $4.75 should be ordered by every potato chip aficionado before every meal - they are pure potato chip perfection! There is nothing better than fresh and warm, thinly sliced potato chips!

My last dining experience at Sapphire invoked the global cuisine gods who bestowed upon me the desire to order “outside of the box” for a Laguna Beach restaurant. From the Global Cuisine menu I ordered three items to see for myself what this “global cuisine” fuss was all about. With seven different small plates to choose from, I decided on the “Tak-Koji Tacos”, “Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Skewers” and the “San Francisco Rickshaw Pork and Shrimp Dumplings”.

The Skewers were so-so with the shrimp in need of a little more gusto and the Pork and Shrimp Dumplings were pretty average with subtle flavor (guys, periodically I drive to Little Saigon in Westminster for some serious authentic Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine where dumplings are perfected hence, a tough standard to live up to). Alas, I did click my heels with joy when I tasted the Korean style Tak-Koji Tacos with tender grilled chicken meat that had been marinating in a spiced marinade sauce and served with freshly chopped cilantro and a lime sour cream. The accompanying Crunchy Sesame Slaw was slightly sweet and refreshing creating a nice balance with the savory spiced chicken in my tacos.

During one afternoon repast my dining partner and I shared the “Lunch Box” which offers a handful of “surprise” samplings. For the most part everything I tasted was good with a couple of minor exceptions. The “Southern Fried Chicken Salad” left no noticeable impression on my taste buds with an over-dressing of Buttermilk Ranch making a very soggy salad. Although, the "Crazy Cobb Salad" with fresh seafood and smoked pork was crisp and yummy! We also concurred that the “Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps” were rather “dull” but we thoroughly enjoyed the “Sesame Crusted Ahi Salad” with lightly seared Ahi and Enoki mushrooms and we agreed that the “Sautéed Jumbo Shrimp in Rosemary-Garlic Milk” was delicious ultimately leaving us totally satiated!

Chef Azmin does a wonderful job of offering many international dishes such as the “Greek Octopus Salad”, “Hong Kong Style Salt/Pepper Shrimp” and “Tiradito of Kampachi” to mention a few. Although I have yet to taste the various items on the menu, I am sure I will find more than one of them to satisfy my finicky palate.

Sapphire has a well stocked bar for those who just want to hang out, order a couple of small plates and whet their whistle. I have savored a couple of the chef inspired “Signature Cocktails” and the “Lychee Martini” with lychee puree was delightful. My dining partner ordered the “Pure Passion Martini” which was dressed with a cayenne sugared rim and mixed up with fresh passion fruit puree and vanilla vodka. One sip told me I should stick to my “lighter” Lychee Martini since her cocktail was a bit thick and sweet for my taste buds. I was informed by Chris the bartender that the “Adult Lemonade”, a refreshing libation made up of homemade lemonade, vodka and St. Germaine was also available for those desiring a lighter specialty tipple.

In addition to a full bar Sapphire has approximately 900 bottles of wine, 37 wines by the glass (rather impressive) and the gourmet food shop “Sapphire Pantry” which is conveniently located next door! In addition to a varied cheese and wine selection, the Pantry offers various “to go” items including sweet and savory for your beach picnic needs. During one trip to the Pantry I was thrilled to find “Boquerones” (Spanish white anchovies) in stock…these tender marinated plump white anchovies are pretty difficult to find and I am happy to know I can purchase them within a ten minute drive from my home!

Cheers!

Open Daily for Lunch and Dinner
Sunday for Brunch
Reservations recommended on a beautiful Laguna day!
Good $Price$ Point

MY BIRTHDAY BLOG PART II - THE FINALE!

2010-09-13T22:19:00.000-07:00

In 2001, Charles Schultz (creator of Charlie Brown) decided to bring into existence the beautiful Mayacama Resort in Sonoma County. Where the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys all come together and minutes from lovely Healdsburg, Mayacama is snuggled within 675 acres of natural forested beauty with such amenities as a Jack Nicklaus golf course, European spa, state of the art fitness center, underground grotto for the members only wine cellars (members by ‘invitation only’), swimming pool, tennis courts, secret hiking trails and private chefs. It has come to be known as the “Vintner’s Resort” as its membership includes some of Napa and Sonoma Counties most renown wine makers.

Through the years I had heard many wonderful things about this enchanted retreat therefore I was truly looking forward to my maiden voyage in order to experience the resort and all its glory first hand. Due to my hubby’s sweet connections, we were able to enjoy a private casita at Mayacama which was our home base for the next several days, and not a bad spot at all.

The drive from San Francisco to Mayacama is only about 60 miles. We arrived late morning, checked into our Tuscan style casita and after unpacking, my spousal unit left to make his morning golf tee time. I sat outside on the dining patio with beautiful views and enjoyed a solo light lunch which involved a fancy martini from the Mayacama bar. Besides, how does one prepare for a tranquil afternoon of spa beauty treatments without enjoying a cocktail prior to embarking on a tough schedule of massage, exfoliating body scrub and European facial?
On our first night we drove to Healdsburg to dine at “Barndiva” joining our dear friends from Sebastopol. Barndiva is a family operated business with Chef Ryan Fancher (formerly of Thomas Kellar restaurants) in the kitchen serving up organic, sustainable food…support your local organic farmers! I always enjoy dining with more than one person since we are able to order various items and we end up sharing each dish with one another.

We began with the “Haricots Verts Tempura” - the crispy Healdsburg string beans (local) were fried nice and crispy accompanied by a creamy Thai Basil Aioli and served with tiny basil leaves on a wooden cheese board. Such a pretty presentation of fancy green beans too! I followed with the “Compressed Watermelon Salad” which consisted of one of my favorite veggies - heirloom beets. Crystalized ginger, freshly picked Purslane (another local field green) and Lemon Verbena made up this salad arrangement which was refreshingly, delicious and very pleasing to the eye.

My main course was the “Chicken & Dumplings”, a fricassee of young chicken with gnocchi (potato dumplings), fresh corn, fava beans and some bacon. Although this entre was very tasty, I would have liked more fava beans in the dish as I am also a huge fan of fava beans. Alas, hubby never lets me down with his private wine selection and on this particular evening we sipped a 2006 Kistler Pinot and a 1996 Pahlmeyer Red Table Wine.

The piece de resistance this evening was a special luscious dessert from talented pastry chef Tracy Mattson (formerly of Cyrus). Fresh, large, succulent mission figs were bruleed (caramelized with a dusting of sugar) and placed over a crème Anglaise, balsamic drizzle and crunchy, chocolate ganache nibs sprinkled on top. I am not a big fan of sweets but this dessert was great. Thursday afternoon we took a ten minute drive to Healdsburg for a leisurely lunch in the warm sun at a local brewery. Healdsburg is a quaint country town with many small boutiques, what seems like a wine store on every corner and very good restaurants! We made a pit stop in “The Wine Shop” a local wine boutique and wine bar owned by Aaron Tomforde and his family. Aaron, a former Navy deep sea diver and submarine rescue dude (and artist), currently runs his family’s wine store business. He is a wonderful host as he was very helpful and patient with us in determining which local wines we should try and why we should consider buying them. Need-less-to-say, we walked out with a case of local wine - thank you Aaron for the education on local wineries and their products.

“SCOPA” is a very small, fabulous Italian restaurant in Healdsburg with indoor and outdoor seating. I am sorry that I did not take notes or photos of my various taste treats to write a small review but that night we dined with a local couple whom I had just met for the first time and I did not want to be rude with my camera flashing and note taking. If you ever get a chance, dining at SCOPA should be on your list of dining experiences!

I am unable to share very much information about the chef other than as of 2008 the owner/chef was Ari Rosen (who spent some time honing his culinary skills in Tuscany) and I will tell you it is the best Italian restaurant I have ever dined at…outside of Italy, of course! One of the many courses I had was “Nonna’s Tomatoe-braised Chicken” with sautéed greens and toasted polenta. The chicken, served in small, black iron cassolet pan, was tender and moist and the polenta toasty on the outside and rich and creamy on the inside. It was delicious!

As I recently perused SCOPA’s menu, I noticed many other fascinating items. How about the “Trippa Napolitana”, tomato braised tripe with pecorino cheese, chili and mint? Or, the “Sardines ‘In Saor’ which are Venetian style sardines that have been marinated with currants, pine nuts, onions and vinegar? I am willing to make the more than seven hour drive just to dine at SCOPA so that I can experience items I missed on my maiden voyage.

I was glad I burned so many calories with my workout and glorious morning hike because hubby and I had lunch reservations at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg. I like the atmosphere of this restaurant with its huge sliding glass doors that open up to outdoor patio seating. My hubby and I both ordered the pre-fixed lunch menu which totaled $32 for three courses and wine pairings. A very reasonable price for some very good food and nice glasses of wine! Without going into any detail I will say this lunch spot was a very good choice with the usual seasonal produce and herbs, local ingredients and exclusive Sonoma district bottlings of tasty and reasonably priced wines. As a connoisseur of fine food and wine it is my sincere belief that at least once a year I need to venture out for an outstanding and memorable meal. Well, my hubby and I did just that for my ultimate birthday dinner celebration. We thoughtfully choose “Cyrus”. I feel strongly in stating that Cyrus is one of the finest restaurants in the world. Yep…I said, “in the world”!

Nick Peyton (Masa & Gary Danko) and partner/chef, Douglas Keane have created a culinary masterpiece with the beautiful building and façade of Cyrus, the indoor ambience and fantastic world class gastronomy! Chef Keane and staff have been awarded two stars from the prestigious Michelin Guide, a James Beard Award (Pacific) and numerous awards from Gourmet Magazine, Esquire and the Zagat Guide to mention a few.

The fist time I dined at Cyrus, I was fortunate to experience the Grand Caviar and Champagne cart since how could one say “no” as the fancy cart is rolled alongside your dining table with at least six bottles of superb champagne and a handful of delectable caviar to choose from. On this special occasion hubby and I did say “no” to the caviar but we did say “yes” to the huge (brain size), aromatic black truffle flown in from Australia. For a reasonable fee (2 grams for $18) the black truffle was generously shaved and added to any of your dishes - we elected to add it to our chicken dish. With a tasting menu of eight courses (which did not include the canapés, amuse bouche and mignardises), needless to say, you won’t go hungry. I will not inundate you with all of the fine haute cuisine which satiated my palate during this awesome repast but I will explain a couple that left a deep impression on my gluttonous soul. Several nice slices of fresh black truffle could be seen peeking through the transparent crispy skin of my “Poussin with Potato Moussseline and Haricot Verts and Fine Herbes”. I could not have served up a finer tasting poussin in the comfort and security of my own kitchen! The “Soft Shell Crab with Rice Noodles and Pickled Green Papaya-Coconut Milk Froth” was pure excellence. I am a sucker for coconut milk and Chef Douglas worked magic with the tropical flavors of the coconut milk and papaya. The crab was delicious, very crispy on the outside yet tender and moist inside (and believe me when I say that these thin crabs are very easy to ruin by over cooking) and they were perfect!

Our tasting menu included three desserts and the dessert concoction I was most impressed with was the sweet and savory “Passion Fruit Gelato with Miso Custard and Sesame Sable” served with a chilled peach soup and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) drizzle. Guys, it was a very interesting combination of sweet and savory creating an amazing taste.

Part of me is grateful that my birthday is once a year since the 10 day road trip eating and drinking my way through Northern California and the Sonoma wine region “forced” me to gain several fatties (which I have yet to drop!). As of this very moment I am back to the reality of my daily existence thinking about my client’s next workout program, who will receive a much needed Reiki treatment from me this week and what simple meal I will make for dinner.

Until next year…Cheers!

My Birthday Blog - Part I

2010-08-21T16:22:00.000-07:00

I’m taking it upon myself to force just a little bit of my personal life upon my loyal followers out in blog land. After all, one can only experience so many good restaurants, write about them and expect everyone to stay interested. Therefore, I decided to throw a little coal on the embers to keep the flames red-hot and my readers somewhat interested…I hope it works. Please enjoy!

My birthday was in July but during the week of that glorious day, my family and I journeyed to Lake Tahoe for a family wedding and reunion. Hubby and I decided since we were driving (I just love long drives: naps, reading, introspection, Reiki self-treatments, more reading and naps!) why not make a long road trip out of it, wining and dining along the way.

With much fore-thought and planning the 10 day trip was in the bag with hotel and dinner reservations, day spa appointments, tee-times, trails to be hiked, etc. We were leaving the beauty of “So Lag” (South Laguna) to drive to a different type of beauty only to discover later that my soul deeply longed for this particular trip.

On Thursday, July 15th my spouse and I arrived at the lovely Ritz Carlton Resort at Northstar in Lake Tahoe where we met up with our three adult children (“adult children”, is that an oxy-moron?). After morning hikes on the Ritz Carlton hiking trail (I LOVE hiking) which led to a view of the very pretty Sawmill Creek Lake, workouts in the well-equipped fitness room, good food, and hot, lazy days by the pool with pool side cocktail service (my kids and their cousins managed to buy out Ritz Carlton’s supply of some tasty concoction of ice tea flavored vodka!!) it was time to switch gears and head out to the next destination on the agenda…misty and cool San Francisco, aka “Bagdad by the Bay.” With all the fabulous dining establishments in the city, it made sense to stop in the quaint little town of sweltering Auburn for a fresh country home-style lunch and an ice cold brew before venturing out to the big city.

We arrived in San Francisco in the early afternoon and checked into Joie de Vivre’s very boutiquey, “Hotel Drisco”. Located in the Pacific Heights residential area and built in 1903, the hotel lives up to its standard of excellence with luxurious personal service, a fancy breakfast buffet and extremely comfortable goose down beds. For the fitness enthusiasts (remember guys, I am a ‘fitness enthusiast’ whose always on the lookout for an out of town exercise session), the hotel is within walking distance of Golden Gate Park. Should you decide to do a challenging stair workout walk or jog over to the Lyon Street steps (Lyon and Broadway streets). The start of the training steps is a couple of blocks from the hotel which allows time for a nice warm up and an opportunity to trek right past Diane Feinstein’s grand pad…worth seeing with its lovely garden sculpture!

One of my favorite restaurants in the City is “The Slanted Door” at the famous Ferry Building. Although most locals consider this spot very “touristy” each time I travel to the city, it is imperative that I get my feast fix of The Slanted Door’s wonderful, low-fat and fresh cuisine of Vietnamese and Asian fusion. On this particular trip, I did not hesitate to stuff my face for fear of not returning soon enough for my next fix! I indulged myself with “Wild California Uni” (sea urchin) with avocado mousse and black tobiko caviar. It melted in my mouth with a familiar sweet ocean flavor. The “Caramelized Tiger Prawns” were caramelized, plump and cooked moist to perfection making them along with the accompanying garlic slivers and onions slices naturally sweet and juicy. I had many more courses during that satiating meal…way too many to mention at this time but did enjoy my ‘fix.”

The highlight for dinner my first night in the city was “Flour & Water” a very small Italian restaurant nestled in the heart of the Mission District with Chef Thomas McNaughton specializing in local, seasonal foods. Chef Thomas (trained at CIA at Hyde Park in New York and in European kitchens) creates such taste treats as the famous “Thin Crust Neopolitan Pizza” (cooked for a couple of minutes in an imported Italian Valoriani oven at 800 degrees farenheit), house made pastas and “Salumi” – house cured and smoked meats. My dining group of four shared many items from the very interesting menu and each was equally fabulous! One fact I must mention - the Italian whole grain “Farro Radiatore” with anise braised pork cheek and fennel pollen was utterly marvelous. The farro was nutty and al dente and the pork cheeks moist and fork tender. Although, the reastaurant sets half the seats aside for walk-ins, you would be very wise to make a dinner reservation at Flour and Water since without one you, like Steve Jobs, would be turned away at the door like a sad pooch with his tail between his legs!

After sleeping in late and a day trekking around the city, I eagerly anticipated my maiden voyage to “Spruce” in Presidio Heights. Informally trained chef, Mark Sullivan, rocks with his contemporary American cuisine of organic produce, line caught fish and naturally raised beef. Spruce is the place to hang for those who want to see and be seen….hip and trendy. The large glass wine locker behind the bar, brilliant Baccarat Crystal chandeliers and overstuffed faux ostrich benches with chocolate mohair walls are all pretty damn impressive and a site for sore eyes.
This special birthday repast was celebrated with four dear friends, allowing us to order plenty of lovely dishes for communal sharing. A starter course was “Seared and Preserved Foie Gras” atop fresh strawberry chunks, pink peppercorns in a strawberry broth. Chef and staff did a great job of pan searing my foie gras perfectly since even the slightest overcooking would have ruined this dish. I was fortunate to enjoy this first course with a Chateau Roumieu La Coste Sauterne. Guys, foie gras without sauterne is like the desert without rain…unbearable and just plain painful!

My main course was “Honey Lacquered Duck Breast” on a bed of spicy fresh arugula with cinnamon spiced foie gras and poached apricot halfs. This dish may have been one of the best duck breast courses I have ever tasted! I have had duck liver served with sautéed apples or peaches but never fresh apricots and they were a pleasant fresh fruit alternative. Given an opportunity hubby brings wine from his cellar and on this particular night we were fortunate to imbibe a 1999 Kistler Chardonnay and a 1995 Araujo Eisele Vineyards Syrah. Both wines would have smacked a crisp smile on Bacchus’s chubby face. They were wonderfully delightful. I finalized my meal with a sampling of the four desserts our table ordered and I will not list all of them but allow me to inform you that Spruce’s beignets would rival those of New Orleans any day. Steamy hot and sprinkled with sugar, served alongside a chocolate sauce and cream anglaise, they are sinfully yummy!

After two days and two nights of gourmet gluttony I should be ashamed to divulge that before departing the city hubby dragged me out to “Bi-Rite Creamery & Bakeshop” in the Castro district for the “best ice cream in all San Francisco”. The ice cream is handcrafted in small batches using local, organic and sustainable ingredients and I must admit it is pure decadence. For my sweet tooth (and I hardly ever indulge in sweets) I choose “Honey Lavender”, “Balsamic Strawberry” and “Chocolate/Coconut Vegan” (made with creamy coconut milk). All of the above flavors and the consistency of my frozen taste treats were worth every calorie and fat gram they embedded in my thighs…bring it on baby, bring it on!

Stay tuned for Part II of my Birthday Blog Journal which will take you to the serene Santa Rosa foothills and Healdsburg- soon to follow.

Cheers!

HIDE-E-HO EVERYONE!

2010-08-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on my next blog review...mine. YIKES!!! My birthday travel journal blog. It will include trips, eating and drinking and just a tab bit about my private life.

Please stay tuned!!!

Cheers!

Patty Pinto

"ERIN Go BRAGH!" - PATSY'S IRISH PUB

2010-07-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

With a plethora of pubs to choose from in the O.C., in my most humble of opinions, “Patsy’s Irish Pub” in Laguna Niguel is the grooviest of them all. If you are wondering why I feel this way (after all, it is my blog, haha!)…two of the many reasons are the pub’s great atmosphere and very good food. With two full bars, energetic and accommodating bartenders and waitresses, small dance floor, a handful of flat screen televisions (for the sports enthusiasts) and karaoke seven nights a week, this pub is most definitely my favorite!

As a young lassie, Patsy’s Irish Pub namesake, Patsy Donahue Wagoner, dreamt of opening up a seafood/oyster house restaurant. Patsy’s is no longer a seafood restaurant but I can guarantee you it is one of the best pubs (if not “the best”) in the O.C. – some of you foodies out in blog land agree with this little fact since several months ago a handful of you voted Patsy’s #1 on my “best pub in the O.C.” poll.

Do not let Patsy’s gentle demur and petite stature fool you….she may be one of the toughest Irish gals you will ever meet. A successful business owner of a fine china and crystal shop and a single mother of three young children, Patsy left Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and drove out west to settle in Laguna Niguel, California to begin a new life. Well folks, I will say Patsy has succeeded in attaining her goal of making this Irish pub (and sister pub in the city of Mission Viejo) a great neighborhood watering hole.

Most folks go to the local pub for a pint and the social aspect of catching up on the local area news (think of the former T.V. show “Cheers”) and may not give a hoot about the food the pub has to offer. If your taste buds crave that old fashioned recipe of “Corned Beef and Cabbage” you will not be disappointed when your dinner arrives. The plate is full of an over abundance of very lean corned beef and large chunks of buttery cabbage which is cooked to firm perfection yet still slightly crispy.

Although I have yet to taste it, the “Philly Cheese Steak” is a local favorite. I did have the pleasure of eating the “Deviled Crab Cakes” - huge, moist and freshly, delicious, they are made with a “secret spice” which gives them a devilishly yummy flavor. The “Clam Chowder”, a rich creamy soup with tons of clams and veggies, is also very good. I savored pleasant flavors of clams and not flour – which one tastes in most restaurant chowder.

The “Corned Beef Tacos” come three to a plate with chunks of lean corned beef, fresh salsa and a creamy horseradish sauce. A must for oyster lovers is the “Devils on Horseback”, sautéed fat oysters in zesty garlic, wine sauce topped with bacon….WOW! In addition to other traditional Irish fare, Patsy’s offers eleven different sandwiches, several very fresh salads, three types of burgers, and many “seafood delicacies” and appetizers. There are also a couple of home style desserts on the menu.

"Wexford" are battered french fried fresh green beans and they are succulantly amazing! The beans arrive at your table crispy fried and sizzling hot with a yummy, thick dipping sauce. I found them to be rather addicting. The "Bangers and Mash" with peppered caramelized onions and cabbage are worthy of a Gaelic Bardic Poet!

Two completely stocked bars with plenty of bar stools for lounging and a nice selection of beers from Smithwicks, Guinness and domestic brews would please any finicky pub officianado. Red and white wine are also available for the non-beer drinker. During my last visit I enjoyed a “Snake Bite” which is a libation consisting of one-half pear cider and one-half Guinness. It was a nice balance of sweet and savory on my tongue and went down my throat easily in a rich and creamy gulp. This cocktail looks like a cocktail for chicks but it was very flavorful and worthy of any Champion comfortable with his male prowess!

“Erin go Bragh”…Up With Ireland!

Cheers!

Open Daily for Lunch and Dinner
Karaoke Nightly and Great $Price Point$
Happy Hour Specials (Monday – Friday) from 3 – 6:00 p.m.
Early Bird Specials Daily from 4 – 7:00 p.m.

THE PRIDE OF LAGUNA - "TABU GRILL"

2010-06-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

Fellow foodies out in blog land, I have unanimously decided that “Tabu Grill” in Laguna Beach is arguably one of the best restaurants in Orange County…if not in all of California! Yes, my friends, you heard it here! I am well aware that this statement is a matter of opinion but the well-recognized Zagat national restaurant rating guide has given Tabu Grill a rating of 29 out of 30 two years in a row (the highest rating was given to star Thomas Kellar’s French Laundry in the beautiful Napa Valley). Located on the hillside of Pacific Coast Highway in South Laguna Beach (near the Nyes Place intersection), Managing Partner and Laguna Beach resident Nancy Wilhelm oversees all the magic that is Tabu Grill. Nancy has guided the restaurant into utter success for the last six years and brings over 30 years of restaurant experience to Laguna Beach having assisted in putting Sorrento Grill (formerly Cucina) of Laguna Beach on the map. Along with the Executive Chef of Tabu, Kevin Jerrold-Jones, she is a breath of fresh air in a town where restaurants can easily become stifled due to lack of creativity, imagination and the sluggish economy. Laguna Beach is very lucky to have Nancy and Tabu Grill to tantalize our taste buds!

Upon entering Tabu Grill, with its Pacific Rim theme, I instantly felt a sense or warmth and coziness. The restaurant’s interior color hues of royal blue and dark green painted walls and the golden glow of the soft lighting created a cozy mood beckoning me to sit, rest and enjoy what was to come. The sexy lit umbrellas which hang upside down from the ceiling along with a lovely painting of a Polynesian goddess made me think of the tropics on a toasty summer evening. As quickly as I entered the restaurant I was at ease and ready to enjoy a lovely repast.

If you are interested in meeting new people and observing the kitchen staff perform their magic then request or reserve a seat at the counter. It is also a great way to chat up Chef Kevin or his staff asking them any questions you may have regarding your meal. Heck, you may even walk away with a few culinary tricks you can use in your own kitchen!

At the helm and doing a wonderful job of navigating Tabu Grill through the tumultuous rough waters of these economic times is Executive Chef Kevin Jerrold-Jones whose knowledge and experience range from the St. Regis to the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach. While most restaurants are struggling to attract and keep loyal customers, Chef Kevin does not seem to tussle with keeping his customer base due to his create innovative dishes and use of fresh ingredients which are always seasonal.

In my most humble of opinions the best dish on the menu is the 16 oz. “Angus Bone in Rib Eye Steak” plated on a bed of “Forbidden Rice Risotto”. A sexy concoction of firm yet creamy Black Bali Thai Rice (while dry, the rice is black in color but when moisture is added it cooks to a deep beautiful purple color), exotic mushrooms, caramelized onions and a creamy sauce, this entree had me begging for more (I am a glutton for a delicious grain dish). The steak was seasoned very well and cooked to perfection for my picky palate.

Seriously fellow foodies, it is extremely difficult for me to decide on a favorite dish at Tabu Grill since I find them all to be rather delectable. The seasonal soup of the day was the “Corn and Lobster Bisque” and it was better than good, it was great! The consistency was a velvety cream base that included smokey flavored lobster chunks, crisp sweet corn, tiny diced ham hock and purple potatoes. My mother-in-law with her sophisticated palate (she cooked for James Beard and Julia Child in her day) said the bisque was “ambrosia”…and yes, I must agree with her whole-heartedly.

Although I felt there were too many different flavors going on in my palate, the “Ahi” was interesting but very tasty. A compilation of Dungeness crab, avocado and stir-fried veggies is served atop a mound of sticky rice. What makes this dish very different is that the accoutrement's are little balls of “frozen dipping sauces” in the flavors of Soy Sorbet, Wasabi Frozen Yogurt and Pickled Ginger Ice Cream. I must admit that eating the Ahi with the frozen sauces created an interesting explosion in my mouth! I will definitely try this entree again upon my return to Tabu.

A light and refreshing starter is the “Tabu Style Yellow fin Poke”. The Poke was yummy and delicate with fresh diced mango, small chunks of avocado, mint and soy ginger essence. Although I have yet to savor it, the “Three Cheese Macaroni” is a favorite among diners along with Tabu Grill’s signature “Caesar’s Salad”.

Chef Kevin has just changed his menu to the new summer menu and one particular dish that perked up my senses was the “Colorado Double Lamb Chop” with oven dried strawberries and a champagne strawberry-mint gastrique. I have yet to try this dish but it sounds amazing with a combination of complex flavors and based on the many dishes I have had at Tabu Grill, this entree will be amazing I am sure!
To celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary (after all these years of matrimony they still like each other!) hubby and I took my in-laws to Tabu Grill. My spousal unit dug into his wine cellar and we all shared a 1999 Kistler Chardonnay and a 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild….they were absolutely exquisite on my taste buds (enough boasting)! In any case, Gretchen Andrews is Wine Director at Tabu Grill and I was pretty impressed with her nice variety of wines from many different countries (from Italy, Spain, France to the Russian River and Napa Valley in California). There is also a multitude of wines available by the glass including split bottles as well as various beer and ales.

I was assured by Nancy that Tabu Grill accommodates vegans and vegetarians alike with fresh made to order dishes. And, for those who are looking for great food at a great price from Sunday to Wednesday, Tabu offers a four course fixed price menu for a mere $35….reservations required.

Do not experience Tabu Grill without savoring some dessert! I have had many yummy taste treats at this fine dining establishment but one of my favorite desserts is the "Valrhona Chocolate Cake" with white chocolate ganache and house made ice cream. My dessert came with house made caramel ice cream and fresh berries...lovely!

With great food, a lovely setting, excellent service and a wide range of wines from countries all over the world, Tabu has earned every point Zagat has awarded them. I look forward to my return to Tabu Grill to experience the many other tantalizing items on the menu.

Cheers!

Open nightly from 5:30 p.m.
$25 Corkage fee

TACO MESA...SI, SI, SI!

2010-05-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

I have often wished for tasty, authentic Mexican food that is also good for me and much to my delight my genie-in-a-bottle granted my wish at “Taco Mesa” in Costa Mesa. This small dining establishment and three other restaurants throughout the county bearing the same name have been owned and operated for 18 years by Ivan Calerdon. Across from the DMV and the site of a former Taco Bell restaurant building with an outdoor dining area, Taco Mesa is a non-descript little Mexican diner and offers all the healthy taste treats my tummy periodically needs and craves.

The “House Salad” is a simple salad for a mere $3.99 but requiring much needed protein, I requested a full order each of Grilled Blackened Shrimp and Calamari Strips. My salad was fresh and delicious with crispy romaine lettuce, firm tomato wedges, pepita seeds, queso fresco and served with a side of cilantro ranch dressing. The grilled seafood was cooked to perfection bringing out the natural sweetness of the shrimp and tenderness of the calamari. I know much care is taken in the kitchen when my grilled shrimp taste sweet and succulent not over-cooked and old tasting.

One very popular item is the “Blackened Chicken Breast Burrito”. In fact, this burrito is so good that Sunset Magazine called it the “Best of the West” burrito a number of years ago. My hubby orders his burrito “wet” with a spicy chipotle sauce drenched over the top melting the blend of flavorful, gooey cheeses together.

A scrumptious dish that satiated a huge craving of mine was the “Salmon Enchiladas”. The enchilada was filled with fresh spinach, caramelized onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and topped with an overly-generous amount of tangy lime cream sauce. The flavors were wonderful but next time I will ask my order taker to cut back on the amount of sauce. Although very good, it was a bit too heavy for my palate.

If I rated my dishes on a scale from one to ten, I would give the “Tacos de Cangerejo” a ten! Several mini flour tortillas are crispy fried and filled with a generous portion of crab meat and diced fresh mangos in a drizzle of habanera cream sauce then sprinkled with shredded cabbage and mango relish. “Cilantro Rice”, crisp jicama slices, cucumbers and orange wheels are the healthy, low-fat accompanying side dish.

Most Mexican restaurants offer a mediocre version of “Escabeche” but I have decided the Escabeche that Taco Mesa offers is my favorite. For the uninformed, this accoutrement is a blend of spicy, pickled thick carrot slices, onion slices, jalapenos and herbs (usually bay leaf and oregano) served room temperature which brings out all of the veggies glorious flavors. I gleefully nibble on the tasty, crunchy nuggets while waiting for my order to arrive.

I dig that fact that Taco Mesa dares to serve a “Taco Alambre”…grilled steak with bacon (si, bacon!), peppers, onions, marinated Serrano chilies and Oaxaca cheese. Guys, we all know that bacon makes everything taste amazing. They also serve breakfast all day! If “Machaca con Huevos” does not appeal to you, try the “Fresh Fruit Salad” topped with trail mix and honey. This mixture of fresh, sweet seasonal fruits will wet any appetite.

In addition, I treated myself to the house made “Sangria”, a lovely combination of fresh squeezed natural juices, sweetened with Agave (a natural sweetener from the Agave cactus) Aquamiel and topped with a plethora of fresh sliced strawberries. I found my drink to be very refreshing and yummy. Beer, wine and homemade Margaritas are also available. Those beverages alone, along with weekly dinner specials and delicious food, will keep me coming back for more!

Cheers!

Open Daily 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

What the heck...Fish & Beer?!?

2010-04-16T20:33:00.001-07:00

Yes-sir-ee, ya got that right, ‘fish and beer’! “HOUSE OF BIGFISH & ICE COLD BEER” lives up to their name…big, plastic fish on the walls surrounded by fish netting, big fish fillets on your plate and a menu of fifty beers (yep, guys and gals...50) to choose from!

Located on the second floor (former site of the Aegean Café) in a shopping center within walking distance from downtown Laguna, Chris Keller, et al., (“K’ya” and “Roof Top Bar” also in Laguna Beach) has introduced a new type of restaurant to our sweet little town which combines wonderful seafood and a plethora of great beers.

With views of the ocean, a full bar, five flat screen televisions showcasing various sports from surfing to mixed martial arts, and a separate…albeit enclosed, dining patio, I would say the ambiance of this dining establishment is “baja style” and a cool place to hang out with your pals. I expected Jimmy Buffet to stroll in at any moment and settle himself among the crowded room of happy patrons who range between the ages of the early 20’s to mid-late 60’s. House of Bigfish & Ice Cold Beer is a great meeting place with excellent energy everywhere. Folks, I do not recommend dining at Bigfish if you are looking for a quiet, romantic setting since the noise level can get fairly loud. For a quieter experience reserve or suggest a spot in their separate dining patio.

I have had the pleasure of dining at Bigfish & Ice Cold Beer on several occasions and found the food very good and the service to be mostly inconsistent with my dining partner telling me he believed the service “sucked” (omitting explitive!) on one particular evening! In defense of the restaurant, they are recently opened therefore working out the “service kinks” is still in the making.

The first time I dined at Bigfish my waitress was the lovely Natalia, a Laguna local with a wonderful smile and gracious disposition making my experience even better! Although the restaurant is still in the infancy state Natalia managed to do a fantastic job serving us in a timely manner. My next couple of visits left me feeling as if the service was somewhat off. I must admit the service one particular evening was an utter disaster since I was unfortunate to have a waitress who must have sniffed way too much glue (she was a ding bat and screwed up all of our simple orders). Alas, I reminded myself that is why it is not a good idea to review newly opened restaurants.

Allow me to discuss food…for all of you herring lovers Bigfish has a delicious “Pickled Herring”on the menu and I found that to be a pleasant surprise since I have yet to find a restaurant that offers herring much less the picked version. My appetizer (a large portion) was tender chunks of lightly pickled herring with small diced sweet onions which made for a nice flavor balance.

My hubby and I decided the “Steamed Clams” were the best we have ever tasted! They were served in a huge bowl with an over abundance of baby clams which nestled in a gently spiced tomato-garlic and fresh herbed broth. We used our garlic bread for dipping and they were just delicious!

I very much enjoyed an order of “Hamachi Poke” which was presented as a mound of small cubed yellowtail in a sweet-soy base with threads of cabbage, seaweed and crispy chips. Although the fish was very tasty I must say there was not enough of it. I found my amount of Hamachi to be very minimal and would have been much happier with another spoonful.

Bigfish has eight different types of fish to choose from with preparation and sauce options along with “side fish toppings” for an extra buck. My entre was the grilled “Opakapaka”. For those in the know, I love my spice and for folks, who also enjoy an extra “bite” of spice, order your fish fillet blackened instead of Cajun style. The blackened spices are pressed into the fish fillet and the effect is pretty hot on your tongue bumping up the scoville units leaving you to beg for an ice beer to cool down your pie hole! In addition, you also get a choice of two sides from Cajun rice, grilled vegetables, home-style potatoes and coleslaw. The grilled vegetables are a blend of bell peppers, onions, carrots, zucchini and teeny tiny cauliflowerettes; they are very well prepared and tasty.

For patrons with small appetites Bigfish offers small plates for $5 each which are “irresistible to your wallet”. If fish does not sound appetizing, how about a “Hot Sausage Sandwich”, “Steak Bites” or “Shrimp Scampi Pasta” (guys, so “shrimp” is seafood, please do not discount the pasta aspect of that dish with garlic butter, tomato and Parmesan cheese) to satisfy all the non-pescetarians out there? Heck, you may even be in the mood for “Huevos Rancheros”…the choices are endless. I have yet to try some but rumor has it the “Shrimp Cocktail” tasted mushy as if it were frozen way too long.

To end a lively evening filled with people watching, a full bar, high energy and well prepared food have one of the five desserts on the menu. Actually, I guess I should count six desserts but the sixth is not for under age drinkers…“adults only” when ordering this dessert. The “Raspberry Beer Float with Chocolate Ice Cream ($6) has Lindemans Framboise Lambic…a berry flavored liquor. Yummy, must try it next time!

Due to the incredibly reasonable prices I highly recommend dining at “House of Bigfish & Ice Cold Beer”. Go and enjoy well prepared food, an ice cold “Organic Pinkus Heffeweiazen”, “Dopplebock” or a “Redhook Mud Slinger”, check out the scene or wait for the live entertainment after hours. Give them some more time to work out the service kinks and you will have a grand ol’time.

Cheers!

Dinner 4:30-10:30p.m.
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4:30-5:30p.m.

$GREAT$ Price Point

BISTRO LQ & Chef Laurent Quenioux

2010-03-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

As I sat and contemplated what I believe to be a horrendous drive from the O.C. to the greater L.A. area dodging cars, sitting in traffic and stressing having to make my dinner reservation, I had no idea the ultimate destination was going to knock my stiletto pumps off my tootsies and leave me feeling extremely satiated and happy!

Ok…ok, tired of guessing as to where I ended up…well, the ‘ultimate destination’ for my lovely repast was “Bistro LQ” just shy of West Hollywood. Chef/Owner, Laurent Quenioux from Sologne, France (formerly of The Regency Club of Los Angeles, 7th Street Bistro in downtown LA and Executive Chef at Dodger Stadium in the 1990’s) opened this great dining spot in July of 2009. Chef Laurent’s philosophy regarding gastronomy is that food is, “an orgy derived from the alchemy of the flavors and the senses.” I concur whole heartedly! Now that, my friends, is a very passionate Chef!

Bistro LQ is well known for its superb cheese selections and condiments, handmade breads and extremely reasonable wine selections with many French reds and whites on the menu with a sprinkling of lovely sparkling wines. Bistro also has a handful of tasty artisan beers. For some odd reason (full moon maybe?) my dining party did not partake in the inviting cheese tray nor were we interested in the wines with a great price point. Maybe due to the fact that we brought wine from hubby’s cellar and savored those two bottles with our meal. How could one go wrong with a 1989 Margaux and 1990 Chapoutier Le Sizeranne Hermitage? Truth be told, upon our arrival we ordered a bottle of Louis de Sacy "Traditional" Champagne for a mere $70 and it was just lovely. Pure wine bliss!

A generous portion of sea urchin fillet sat boastfully atop my serving of “Sea Urchin Tapioca Pudding” partnered with a side of “Kumamoto Oysters in Yuzu Martini Gelee”. Come on, tapioca pudding with oysters and lemon flavors…ah duhh, DELICIOUS! The firm oceanic uni made a lovely meritage with my deeply flavored tapioca.

“Smoked Herring” anyone? Ours was served with Mousseline of Potatoes, Jerez Vinaigrette and Sautéed Quail Eggs. Once again, for the average American, eggs and bacon are the perfect combination…not if you are from Sologne, France. The herring had a subtle smokey flavor that kissed the quail egg with a gentle salty delightfulness. Fish and eggs my friends, fish and eggs!

My fellow foodies when was the last time you had “Black Scabbard in Caul w/Celery Root, Pomegranate Nage?” Yeah, I didn’t think so! For those of you who were wondering, black scabbard is a fish from the Atlantic Ocean that is very popular in Spain and the ‘caul’ adds moisture and more flavor to the fish. My black scabbard was extremely moist and full of flavor with an accompanying velvety pomegranate nage. Wonderful preparation and execution Chef Laurent!

I could go on and on explaining all the details about the many other savory dishes my dining group enjoyed together but I will not. But, I must mention the “Wild Boar Shank Tamales with Empanada” and the "Chukar Partridge" they are luscious treats to behold on your palate! Guess that means you will just have to trek on over to Bistro LQ and create your own personal dining extravaganza.

I will leave you with this…have some dessert! Ditch the diet for an evening…you won’t be sorry you did. The desserts are designed by Jun Tan and his desserts are to die for. Out of the four we tasted my favorite was the “Le Gateau” which is Chocolate Cake with Crème Anglaise and Whipped Cream. Although, the “Huckleberry Moussse w/Pistachio Cake and Beer Brittle” did tantalize my tongue. Need I say more? Surely I need not offer an explanation. Just leave it to your imagination and enjoy! More, give me more!!

Perhaps the nicest surprise of the evening was the cost. While not inexpensive, the prices are quite reasonable particularly considering the uniqueness, quality and amount of work involved in producing such gastronomy. My dining experience at Bistro LQ will make future drives out to the LA basin less daunting - I look forward to my next one.

Cheers!

Bistro LQ
8009 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 951-1088

Exceptional $Price$ Point
Open Daily Except Monday
Valet Parking Available
Unbelievably Reasonable Wine Selection

Olamendi's Monarch Beach

2010-03-07T20:41:00.000-08:00

If an ice cold Bohemia, Organic Margarita or Hot Chocolate de La Selva with Organic Tequila sounds enticing, then you need to seriously consider tripping on down to “Olamendi’s Monarch Beach”. Better yet, forget the cocktail hour and go have a wonderful south of the border repast experiencing family recipes and dishes from the States of Jalisco and Veracruz. South Orange County is lucky to have Jorge and Maria Olamendi spoil us with tempting, spicy flavors from south of the border.

My maiden voyage to Olamendi’s had me feeling as if I had stepped back in time to old Mexico…a collage of Mexican culture which took over thirty years to collect is displayed throughout the restaurant from floor sculptures and wall photos to handmade furniture (made by Jorge himself). The only thing missing was the mariachi musicians serenading me with sultry, rich Mexican ballads.

Numerous visits to Olamendi’s have left me enchanted each and every time due to the fresh, very well prepared food overflowing with robust flavors! With a full bar, flat screen T.V. (for reviewing your favorite soccer game), fun cocktails, delicious food and pleasant service, how could one not have a nice dining experience? Olamendi’s has many signature margaritas to choose from and a favorite tipple of mine is the “Monarch Beach Margarita”. Slightly spicy, this cocktail is made with organic tequila, fresh jalapenos and fresh lime juice. Ay, caramba…es muy sabroso!! Yes folks, refreshingly delicious and not too sweet having the perfect blend of tequila and spice for my picky palate. In addition, you may also order a glass of red or white wine with the Olamendi’s private label.

I love garlic and avocado, therefore, when my “Pescado al Mojo de Ajo” arrived I was very pleased since my lightly battered fish fillet was smothered in tons of golden-crisp, sweet, caramelized garlic cloves and fresh sliced Haas avocados. I asked our lovely waitress Esmeralda to cancel the accompanying side of potato wedges that came with my dish and she replaced them with beautiful grilled ribbons of carrots and zucchini which were mounded nicely on my plate.

An old family recipe, the “Puerco en Mole Oaxaqueno”, is a heaping pile of moist pork chunks in a blend of eight different exotic chilies. My personal preference is a mole sauce that has more chocolate flavor with a hint of sweetness. At Olamendi’s the mole sauce is a little bit on the tangy side but tasty nonetheless.

A special order which is not listed on the menu is the “Enchiladas Rancheras” and you can request either cheese or chicken. The sauce for this dish is awesome and made with fresh tomatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, caramelized onions and chili peppers and is delivered steamy-hot to your table. Since this dish is made to order it takes a little longer to whip up but worth every fresh, palatable bite! If you are in the mood for a bowl of soup then you must order the “Albondigas Soup”, it is very yummy. This bowl of savory, handmade rice-meatballs comes with large chunks of potatoes, zucchinis and carrots in a hearty thick broth. Guys, the soup is only $5 for a bowl…eat up my friends!

The refreshingly, light “Olamendi’s Chef Salad” will satiate any vegetarian in town. A plate full of spring lettuce medley, thinly sliced fresh onion rings, cilantro, tomatoes, avocado and nopalitos (cooked diced cactus) is offered with your choice of Spicy Ranch Dressing or House Vinaigrette. This salad could be a great palate cleanser after a hearty Mexican feast. In addition, the "Grilled Shrimp Salad" is a shrimp lovers delight with its large portion of succulent crustaceans, tender avocado chunks and cherry tomatoes.
To satisfy a sweet tooth craving traditional “Flan” and “Raquellas” are available for your end of dining pleasure. The Raquellas is a flour tortilla which is filled with fresh strawberries or fresh pineapple then deep fried and sprinkled with sugar. WOW! Although I have yet to try this dessert, it sounds deliciously amazing…next time (followed by 30 minutes of intense cardio…yeow!). Whether you order dessert or not Olamendi’s treats you to a small plate of sliced churros and sweet, crispy tortillas chips which are drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

I have had several other fines dishes at this restaurant and have been satisfied with all of them. *Welcome to Monarch Beach Olamendi’s and please stay a while!

Cheers!!

Olamendi’s Monarch Beach
8 Monarch Bay Drive
Dana Point, CA 92629
(949) 218-7394
Open Daily…CLOSED Tuesday
Opens at 11:30 and serves Lunch & Dinner
Great price point & tons’o’food (for great leftovers)

*Please note that there is an Olamendi’s restaurant in Laguna Beach which is owned and operated by Rosa another member of this large family. The Olamendi’s I refer to in this blog review is the Monarch Beach restaurant which is owned by Jorge and Maria.

"Studio" at The Montage Resort

2010-02-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

Although it has been since January 27th that I last dined at “Studio” at the luxurious Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, it seems as if it was just yesterday that I was able to experience the wonderful flavors I savored that special evening. I must tell you, the fact that I shared the evening’s culinary treats with my daughter Monica, herself a classically French trained chef, made it an even more spectacular food adventure…we both felt like kids in a candy store waiting for the next awesome bite of yummy goodness!

Welcome to lovely Laguna Beach Chef Craig Strong! Formerly of the Ritz Carlton in Pasadena, Chef Strong has been serving gastronomic delights at Studio since May of 2009. Laguna Beach is also fortunate to have Chef Craig and his lovely wife reside in town. Guys, that way we have him in very close proximity to the restaurant to oversee quality control and maintain consistency in his kitchen! You may even “run” into him sometime since he takes advantage of this town’s numerous beautiful hiking and biking trails (note to self…that’s probably why he appears so lean and fit under his chef’s coat!).

Our evening included a six course tasting menu which Monica and I thoughtfully customized. Where most restaurants are sticklers to their printed menu and what is to be served that evening, Studio is very accommodating when it comes to satisfying their dining guests allowing you to mix and match their menu. There is NO SPLIT CHARGE and complimentary Sole Sparkling and Figi bottled waters (oh..."SNAP" all other restaurants that charge for quality bottled water)! In addition, the freshly baked crusty bread rolls are delicious and served with organic, lightly-salted butter. Heck, I could eat crusty bread rolls all day long (with a lovely dry Chardonnay, of course).

Although the amuse bouche of grilled asparagus, Serrano ham and red pepper couli was wonderful, I won’t describe it in detail. Our first course was “Chilled Kusshi Oysters” from British Columbia which were lusciously plump, moist and I could taste the fresh ocean in each bite. Chef Craig floats the oysters in a tomato consommé and serves them with a quenelle of Bloody Mary Sorbet. Utterly delightful!

The “Roasted Beet Salad” was served two ways and it was unlike any other beet salad I have ever tasted. First and foremost, the visual presentation was almost too pretty to eat with ultra thin slices of fresh red beet wholesome, goodness which were then shaped into gentle flower raviolis and filled with cauliflower cream then topped with gracious amounts of caviar which was spooned onto a bed of horseradish dressing. Oh Lord, please have mercy on my gluttonous soul! The thicker yellow beet slices each had a trout fillet which were perfectly seasoned with salt and blended well with the sweet fresh root slices.

I could go on and on about how fabulous the remainder of my meal was but decided the four other “tastings” were all pretty spectacular in and of themselves. That being said, the dishes were: “Pan Seared Monterey Calamari”, “Dungeness Crab Leg Risotto”, “Sautéed Hudson Valley Farms Duck Breast”, and a “Toasted Meringue (which had the appearance of a fat, luscious, toasted, marshmallow) with Passion Fruit Crème, Banana Fritter and Passion Fruit Banana Sorbet”.

In all fairness to all you serious foodies in blog land you deserve to know every detail about the mouth watering Crab Leg Risotto I experienced! For those that love and appreciate risotto, Chef Craig makes a killer version. First of all, this particular dish is very difficult to perfect…there is a lot of stirring involved and attention to detail in making it and the grain (Arborio rice) needs to be served al dente. Chef, job well done! Your risotto was perfectly creamy and ‘al dente’ at the same time with mega chunks of sweet Dungeness crab legs, essence of preserved lemon, vanilla bean and mascarpone cream. In addition to the fabulous flavors, this dish is served with teeny tiny eatable baby orchids (from the vanilla bean family). If you click on the accompanying photo you will see the beautiful teeny orchid flowers. Heck, go to Studio for this dish alone…worth the trip!

I have only one complaint…my preference would have been to have a tad bit more “acid” flavor in my naturally spicy arugula salad which accompanied my stuffed calamari dish since the garlic aioli was a little too creamy for my palate (I prefer a more tangy aioli...a personal preference). A dash of lemon juice would perfect an otherwise wonderfully emulsified salad dressing andother than that, I am back to Studio as soon as I drop a couple of fatties. This whole blog thing is conflicting with my fitness goals. Oh well, a gal has to prioritize…right?!?!

In a nut shell, the service was great (alas, I do expect great service at a high end resort such as The Montage), the food very well prepared, visually intriguing and wonderfully delicious.

Cheers!

Closed: Monday and Tuesday.
Hours: 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Reservations Required and Upscale, Elegant Attire.

Bludso's BBQ - The Real Thing!

2010-02-07T14:23:00.000-08:00

Question: How often do you travel beyond the comfort and familiarity of the “Orange Curtain” to experience different types of dietary delights? If your answer is, “rarely” or “not very often”, maybe now is the time to expand your culinary horizons and venture out of the O.C. for some splendid BBQ! For all of you serious carnivores out in foodie blog land “Bludso’s BBQ” in Compton offers the best Texas style BBQ and BBQ sauce I have ever tasted (sorry Saul and Jami!) and all their accoutrements are just as fabulous.

Kevin Bludso, owner and operator of the BBQ joint, has been in business for a mere nineteen months and has incorporated fabulous recipes from his 90 year old grandmother who currently resides in Corsicana, Texas. Family is obviously very important to Kevin since he also employees them with sweet cousin Kiescha as the pleasant hostess and order taker and wonderfully, cool cousin Ronnell as manager, window washer, bus boy, grill master, etc. You name it, Ronnell does it.

We arrived at the BBQ joint and were lucky to find a parking spot on Long Beach Boulevard right in front of the restaurant. Although there is a small parking lot next door it only accommodates a handful of vehicles since half the other parking spaces are required to house the huge Texas style BBQ smokers that Kevin uses for grilling. Also, I should not call Bludso’s a “restaurant” since upon entering the rib joint you will find two small barred windows where you place your order and about 6 bar stools and a narrow counter to enjoy your feast. Sitting on an uncomfortable stool at the countertop waiting to eat my meal was the least of my concerns since the wonderful aromas wafting from the kitchen into my nostrils informed my brain that I was soon to experience some fine ass BBQ.

After much contemplation I decided on Order No. 33, “Meat Lunch Combo with Two Sides”, which included BBQ pork ribs, chicken and corn bread. For my two sides I choose collard greens and macaroni and cheese. I also decided on the sweet potato pie (screw the added fat and calories because I was going to have some of that dang pie and believe me it was worth every added centimeter on my waistline!). Come on folks, BBQ without southern sweet potato pie is like a summer day without sunshine…tolerable but not so nice afterall! The hubby also had pork ribs and chicken but his side choices were baked beans and potato salad. Kevin was also kind enough to send us an order of flavorfully, moist beef brisket for our sampling pleasure and trust me beef brisket fans out in foodie land, you will not be disappointed with his beef brisket.

Do the terms “orgasmic” and “meal” work well together in a sentence? If not, too bad since that is how I will describe my meal...it was ‘orgasmic’. Despite the fact that Kevin’s recipes are a family secret he was kind enough to share with me a couple of insightful facts that make his BBQ superior to all others I have tasted. The baked beans have small pieces of diced brisket in them and brown sugar creating a sweet, lovely infusion. Guys, the baked bean are absolutely delicious! As for the collard greens, Bludso’s adds diced pieces of moist, tender ham hocks, garlic and onions which gives these greens a nice broth-like consistency, unlike other collard greens I have tasted which are usually dry and bitter leaving a nasty after taste in my mouth.

As for the meats themselves they were all perfectly seasoned with cracked black pepper and other hidden spices and grilled fork tender. Bludso’s offers a choice of mild or hot BBQ sauce…I prefer the hot sauce and actually ate my sauce by the spoonful (I know, how utterly tacky of me. Manners aside…more sauce please)!

If I were in the business of rating dining establishments on a scale of one to ten, I would rate Bludso’s a “ten” for food and a “three” for ambiance and that is only due to the seating arrangements since you dine at a slender, cold, metal counter on uncomfortable bar stools. Hey, do not let that dissuade you from cruising out to Compton for some heavenly BBQ since Kevin’s future plans are to purchase the building next door and create a full service restaurant with comfortable seating for your dining and gluttonous pleasures.

In addition to ribs and chicken, Bludso’s offers pulled pork sandwiches, sausage links, fried and smoked turkeys and many more taste treats. For that sweet tooth fix desserts include peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, red velvet cake and banana pudding. Currently, there are no alcoholic beverages available due to a lack of a liquor license but maybe in the future when the new addition to the restaurant is complete.

Thank you Granny Bludso for your diligence, commitment and expertise in perfecting Texas style BBQ, BBQ sauce and all the yummy side dishes that accompany this great meal and for allowing your grandson to bring those delectable recipes to Compton, California for our dining gluttony. Venturing out of the O.C. for fabulous BBQ may not be such a bad idea after all!

Cheers!

Open 6 Days a Week - Closed Mondays

Restaurant Winner!

2010-01-31T11:50:00.001-08:00

Fine, only a handful of you foodies out there voted for the Best Restaurant in O.C. "Marche Moderne" wins with "Tabu Grill" and "Studio" at the Montage tying for second place. Thank you for your votes...it was fun! Congratulations Marche Moderne, and keep up the excellent work! Until next time.

Cheers!

San Shi Go

2010-01-31T10:42:00.000-08:00

The jewel of a town Laguna Beach has about six sushi bars between north and south Laguna to satisfy your sushi desires. The one that has my heart is “San Shi Go” and my family and I have been loyal fans of San Shi Go for the past twenty-one years. The restaurant is located on the third floor in a three-tiered shopping center at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Oak Streets. In addition to a full sushi bar menu, San Shi Go offers a complete traditional Japanese lunch and dining menu.

Yuji-San, our sushi chef for this particular evening, has been behind the sushi bar serving his customers for fourteen years and we were pleased to have him wait on us that night. Folks, don’t get me wrong…all the sushi chefs at San Shi Go (Koichi, Taku, Yoshi and Jimmy) are wonderful each with a special creativity and at times it is difficult deciding which sushi chef we want to serve us.

My traditional favorite dish is the “Spicy Seafood Salad” with fresh ginger dressing (a top secret recipe). This refreshing salad is a pleasant mixture of crispy romaine and iceberg lettuce layered with slices of salmon, yellowtail, albacore tuna, octopus, shrimp and crab meat then sprinkled with thinly sliced Thai chili peppers, crispy radish sprouts and drizzled with the famous house ginger dressing. I have had ginger dressing at other Japanese restaurants but San Shi Go’s ginger dressing tops them all due to the hearty flavor and lack of heavy oils in the ingredients.

Another favored of mine is the “Cajun Salmon Roll” which is filled with lots of veggies, crab meat, shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber and a tad bit of spicy mayonnaise then rolled with Cajun seared salmon slices. This cut roll is then drizzled with ponzu sauce then topped with either slivered green onions or crispy fried onions and both toppings add a pleasant, distinct flavor. I could sit here and choose the perfect adjective to describe this cut roll, but you would have to experience it for yourself to get my drift.

The sushi chefs are so creative, any vegan or vegetarian can easily dine at the sushi bar counter and the chefs will make up all kinds of non-fish cut and hand rolls. Although, if you are a veggie head or vegan, you may want to dine in their dining room and save the sushi bar for the serious sushi and sashimi eaters. In any case, all you have to do is have the sushi chef eliminate the bonito flakes from the shishito pepper dish and omit the side of spicy calamari rings from the wonderful spinach salad and you have a dish fit for vegans and veggie heads alike!

A local favorite amongst the non-fish eaters are the “Shishito Peppers” which are vibrant little sweet-hot Japanese peppers. At San Shi Go the peppers are served two ways…one wrapped with seared albacore tuna and the other sautéed and topped with bonito flakes. For those with tender palates, do not let the peppers keep you from ordering them since they are only mildly spicy (humm…could that be an oxy-moron?).

San Shi Go offers a wonderful “Spinach Mushroom Salad” consisting of fresh spinach leaves which have been gently sautéed with sliced domestic and Portobello mushrooms. Crispy thin julienned potatoes and a special dressing are the finishing ingredients for the spinach salad. Occasionally, my spousal unit has an order of Spicy Calamari pieces added to the salad…a nice crunchy bite.

As sushi dishes go San Shi Go has all the traditional fare but another favorite of mine is the “Kampachi Sushi”. Nice size pieces of yellowtail (a firm white fish) are sprinkled with uzu zest (Japanese citrus) then topped with a special black pepper paste. It is a brilliant blend of lemon and pepper and very refreshing.

I had no room for dessert but San Shi Go serves up a good looking “Tempura Ice Cream” which is ice cream wrapped in pound cake then tempura battered and deep fried. This sweet, crispy dish is served to you with a mound of whipped cream…dig in!

This dining establishment has been doing great business in my little town since they opened their doors due to the fact that they have very fresh sushi, creative chefs, great service, an outdoor patio dining area for those sexy summer nights, sake, beer, wine and $great prices$.

In conclusion, two generations of my family have thoroughly enjoyed San Shi Go and, the restaurant is also a favorite local dining spot for the cast members (when they're back home for a visit) of the former MTV reality show, ”Laguna Beach”...bring your autograph book! Thanks San Shi Go and see you tonight for my sushi fix!

Cheers!

Open Daily Serving Lunch and Dinner

Bistro Le Crillon

2010-01-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

How is it that some of the quaintest little restaurants are hidden away in measly little strip shopping centers? Tucked away in the Eastbluff Shopping Center in Newport Beach is a diamond in the rough, the charming French bistro, “Bistro Le Crillon”. Owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Chantal Berton de Crillon as chef and Diego Ostroski as Wine Director, Bistro Le Crillon has been at this location since 1989. Chantal, originally from the south of France, can proudly say she is a descendent of the famous Hotel de Crillon family in Paris whose grand hotel, impeccable service and extraordinary haute cuisine date back to the 1700s. Chantal also happens to be the Executive Chef and a “seasoned” one at that!

To get into the bistro you must first walk through a semi-enclosed courtyard that has a warm fireplace and plenty of comfortable seating. Should you decide to order a drink from their full bar prior to your dining experience, the outdoor patio with classic French songs playing in the background is a lovely place to enjoy a cocktail (guys, for the record… Diego mixes up a perfect vodka martini) or glass of wine before you head into dinner. Although hubby tapped into to his personal wine cellar and brought along a 1989 Vieux Telegraphe Chateau Neuf-du-Pape (ONE of my favorite varietals!), next time I dine at Bistro I may just have to try a bottle from their extensive wine collection – a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

We ventured out to Bistro Le Crillon on a weekend and although our reservation was for 7:30 p.m. the restaurant had only one patron who was sitting at the bar chatting with Chantal. The fact that business was extremely slow did not keep Chantal from greeting us graciously and serving up some wonderfully tasty Provencal bistro fare.

For our first course we ordered the “Terrine of Wild Duck with Pistachios and Cornichons.” Guys, a cornichon is a baby gherkin pickle which is small, very crunchy and sweet. The terrine was a tad bit on the dry side and I did expect a creamier texture but the flavor was very good. My spousal unit started with “French Tomato Soup” that Chantal makes with low-fat sour cream, croutons and parsley. It was velvety and delicious, we almost licked the bowl (ok…”I” almost liked the bowl)! How in the world can a “low-fat” soup be so darn tasty?

My second course was the “Medallions of Venison” with a scoop of pureed chestnuts, polenta, lingonberry sauce and green apple and celery puree. Chantal suggested I cut a small piece of venison then dip the piece into each separate sauce so I would be able to experience the various flavors that accompanied my meat. Great idea since each sauce and the puree had such distinctive flavors each one working very well with the gamey venison. My chestnut puree had a nice “earthy” flavor and my only “beef” is that it was slightly dry but the green apple and celery puree made up for it since those sauces were so delicious. The mixed puree reminded me of pommes mousseline (classic French mashed potatoes) with its rich taste and perfect consistency. I could have done without the polenta since it was a little on the torrid side. Chantal also makes a spectacular lingonberry sauce which is a slow reduction of mixed berries. My sauce was splendid and had a beautiful, vibrant burgundy color!

For hubby’s second course he chose the “Wild Boar Papparedelle” which marinates in “secret” ingredients for hours then is slow cooked in its own juices and served aux jus. The intense aroma and smooth texture of the Wild Boar stew tantalized my taste buds and had me humming La Vie en Rose…it was a lovely dish. I have dined at Bistro Le Crillon in the past and have had the “Lapin Aux Prunes” (rabbit stew braised with prunes) and tasted the “Navarin of Lamb Tenderloin” with turnips, carrots and potatoes. Both dishes were spectacular and I have yet to experience a bad meal at Bistro Le Crillon! I must confess Chantal works wonders with wild game.

The piece de resistance for the evening was the “French Valrhona Dark Chocolate Soufflé” which has to be ordered in advance. There are two words that come to mind when I think about that dessert…”deliciously decadent”! The perfect accoutrement to the soufflé would have been a lovely sweet dessert wine such as a golden Chateau Eyquem Sauterne. Alas, maybe next time I will enjoy a glass of sauterne with my dessert from their award wining wine collection.

During these cold, blistery nights should you feel the need for some Provencal comfort food take a ride over to Bistro Le Crillon and allow Chantal and Diego to make you feel warm and fuzzy all over by satiating your palate with their delightful taste treats.

Cheers!

Lunch and Dinner Served
Reasonable Price Point (wild game dishes is more expensive)

Burgers and Beyond!!!

2010-01-22T21:26:00.000-08:00

I ask ya, who in the world does not love a great grilled burger?!! “The Counter - Custom Built Burgers” in Irvine offers the best ingredients for a fabulous burger. Located in a huge shopping center at the corner of Sand Canyon and Irvine Blvd., The Counter gives everyone from adults to wee lads the chance to customize their own burger.

I love what they stand for…all of their meat patties are 100% natural and certified humane raised and handled (although I’m not quite sure how one humanely slaughters a cow for its meat?). They also have chicken, turkey, veggie and vegan burgers and use locally sourced produce.

Once you enter the burger joint your server shows you to your table and hands you a small clipboard with a form attached at which time you begin the “steps” to build your own burger - from the personalized ingredients to the size. They have so many wonderful items to choose from and at times when I am really hungry I struggle to make a decision.

Some of The Counter’s great cheese options are Danish blue cheese, soft ripened brie, jalapeno jack and gruyere, just to name a few. Then you move onto your choice of toppings and some selections are Bermuda red onion, dried cranberries, roasted red peppers and grilled pineapples for the fancier burger connoisseur. Once you decide on your topping the next step is to choose a sauce. Oh geez, they have tons of yummy sauces to choose from: apricot sauce, chipotle aioli, ginger soy glaze, tzatziki sauce and hot wing sauce. Those are just some of the sauce options! A hamburger is not a hamburger without a bun and you get three types to choose from -: a regular bun, English muffin or honey wheat bun. If you are going carbohydrate free and for an added $1 you can order the “In a Bowl” option. Although, I do not quite understand why eliminating a bun would make you have to pay more. Hey, I don’t make the rules.

For and extra fee, they also offer “premium toppings”. How about some black forest ham, a fried egg, sun-dried tomatoes or honey cured bacon on your gourmet burger? “Heavens to Mergatroid”, the varieties are endless, where do I start??

Since I have heard so many wonderful things about The Counter’s veggie pattie I had to try it. Guys, it is by far the best veggie burger I have ever tasted…and I have tasted many! Homemade daily, the veggie patties are a scrumptious mixture of fresh brown beans, red peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach, corn, zucchini, carrots and dried cranberries. Yes, dried cranberries, a great balance of sweet and savory! This veggie burger is my idea of healthy, low-fat, comfort food.

My custom built veggie burger consisted of sharp provolone cheese, Bermuda red onions, dill pickle chips, sprouts, tomatoes and tzatziki (diced cucumbers) sauce on a honey wheat bun. Yum-mee!!

My husband ordered a 2/3 lb. chicken burger on a regular bun with grilled mushrooms, tomatoes, avocado, Muenster cheese, grilled green chilies and garlic aioli. The two skinless, boneless chicken breasts were pounded thin, grilled to perfection and piled high in his bun…it looked and smelled delicious. For starter appetizers you can order the “Fried Dill Pickle Chips” (I have never had them and they don’t sound good to me), “Hobo Pack” (mixed grilled veggies and fresh herbs), “Turkey Chili” or “French or Sweet Potato Fries”. They also have several sandwiches on the menu, a child’s menu and various desserts. The hubby and I split the “Fifty-Fifty”, half crispy french fries and half sweet potato fries. The french fries were lightly seasoned and the sweet potato fries cooked to a crispy perfection. You get a side of horseradish mayonnaise but because the fries were so good, my taste buds were happy without the accompanying sauce.

The Counter also has a great beer and wine selection. Their wine list has a decent variety of California red wines and white wines from New Zealand, Spain, France and the Napa Valley. I preferred a nice lager with my veggie burger so I opted for the “Organic Sam Smith Lager” from the U.K. Sam Smith is a small independent British brewery and they produce a very good lager. The Counter also has an “Organic Wychwood Duchy Ale” and four different Belgian beers in addition to several foreign and domestic beers. “Bitburger” brew anyone?

If you find the room to enjoy dessert after your delicious burger, you have four different choices from “Apple Crumble” to “Key Lime Pie” and a couple of other sweets in between.

Unfortunately, The Counter is at least a thirty minute drive for me (with no traffic) but once I got there, enjoyed my delectable veggie burger and lager, the drive was long forgotten and well worth it!

Open Daily & Very Good Price Point
Outdoor patio for those balmy summer nights.
Many more locations throughout Southern California too!

JETS Wipe Out CHARGERS!

2010-01-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

Yep…thought that would get your attention! Actually, I refuse to discuss the game other than to say that the Chargers never showed up, nor did their coach. The outcome was especially hard on my hubby since he is a second generation season ticket holder dating back to 1961. In conclusion, regarding the Chargers all I can say is, “boo-who”!

On a much lighter note, I must share with you our wonderful tailgate party meal and do a review of our own food. My son always teases the hubby and me for our elaborate tailgate food, appetizers and wine…and rightfully so since in the past we have enjoyed the likes of grilled Australian leg of lamb, air-chilled organic whole roasted chickens, teriyaki organic Cornish game hens, New York steak salad, etc.

As tailgate meals go we decided the best playoff game meal should be more traditional so we opted for a special sausage sandwich with a freshly baked French baguette roll and all the accoutrement. Therefore, the ol’man made a special trip out to “Sabatino’s Sausage Company” a.k.a. “Lido Shipyard Sausage Company” in Newport Beach to purchase his prized sausages.

The Sabatino family is from Sicily and they have been making these delicious sausages since 1864. Their sausages are unique in that they are made daily and stuffed with a special goat milk cheese from Sicily and fresh herbs. You can purchase a sausage coil then cut it to order at home before grilling. That is a very fresh sausage my friends!

In my most humble of opinions, to call a sausage sandwich delicious, one must have equally tasty and prepared accompanying toppings. Therefore, we grilled green, orange and yellow bell peppers with sweet Maui onion, fresh garlic slivers and thinly sliced jalapenos, and also served sides of roma tomatoes, sauerkraut and Dijon mustard. As noted in the photo, the veggies were sautéed with a dab of butter which brought out their lovely sweetness but we decided to leave the tomatoes fresh and serve them along side the sauerkraut.
Hubby sliced up the fresh sausage roll into small enough pieces to fit within the wonderful crusty French bread (which, was also baked fresh that very morning!) and began grilling away. As the aromatic Sabatino’s sausages began to grill, you could see some of the cheese begin to ooze out of the casings of the succulent slices of yummy goodness. The cheese actually began to caramelize and turn crunchy on the grill (yes, I nibbled!).

For his special contribution to this hearty meal, our dear friend, John, chopped up a lovely fresh baby spinach salad (he even hand picked the spinach leaves that morning…what a great guy!) which included diced cherry tomatoes, candied pecans, red onion, green grapes, avocado, Craisins (dried cranberries and raisins), crumbled goat cheese and Jenny Craig Balsamic Dressing (advertisement, hey, they should really pay me for this one!). The salad was lively and full of luscious flavors. Thanks John!

For dessert we all enjoyed a grand slice of delectable Cherry Pie…what a way to end a tailgate. Although, I can not end this tailgate review showcasing the perfect sausage sandwich without telling you that with this meal we all shared some very nice wines together.

Our little group was in agreement that the 1999 Arajo Altagracia stood up extremely well to the sausage and jalapeno slices which were in the bell pepper medley leaving the 1995 Palmeyer Red Table wine as our second choice. The crispy, refreshing 2006 William Selyem Chardonnay was very nice with the spinach salad.

In addition to homemade sausages, Sabatino’s serves brunch and has a varied menu offering all the traditional Italian dishes with a touch of Sicily. They also offer vegetarian dishes for the non-carnivores out in blog land.

In any event, the Chargers may have played like chickens with their heads cut off but we decided our tailgate meal showcasing the Sabatino’s sausage sandwiches made their loss seem bearable. And the wine helped! Until next time.

Cheers!

Sabatino’s Sausage Company
251 Shipyard Way, Cabin D
Newport Beach, California 92663
(949) 723-0621
Open Daily and Catering Available

Oki Doki

2010-01-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

“Oki Doki” is located in Costa Mesa in a small shopping center at the corner of Bristol and Paularino. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner and offers healthy Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese style food.

If you do not arrive before noon, good luck my little pork dumpling…there are a handful of other restaurants in the center that cater to the busy lunch crowds - therefore, parking is very limited. I spent about 10 minutes looking for a parking spot (and yes, “patience is a virtue”!). The dining establishment is pretty small with about 18-20 tables so you may feel a little crowded.

I started with a “Thai Ice Tea” which is a mixture of Thai tea, sugar, cream and condensed milk (try not to think about the calories!). My tea was flavorful and not too strong or sweet.

The “Imperial Rolls” are rolls wrapped in rice paper and filled with vermicelli, shrimp, basil, cilantro, mint leaves, bean sprouts and julienned lettuce along with a peanut dipping sauce. Although the accompanying sauce was very good, my roll was over-stuffed with vermicelli noodles and not as much shrimp as I would have liked.

Some folks think you should not go to a Chinese style restaurant without trying Egg Drop Soup. Oki Doki makes a wonderful egg drop soup with a nice flavor, velvety texture and plenty of pieces of corn…I thoroughly enjoyed it!

My dining partner and I decided to share the “Seafood Chow Fun”, a combination of calamari, shrimp, scallops and imitation crabmeat (pounded white fish), bok choy, tomatoes, carrots and broccoli served atop chow mein noodles. Although we asked our waitress to have the chef “spice up” the dish for added intensity, the entre came to us sans the requested spice. Bummer! The combined flavors were delicate but tasty none-the-less.

We also had the “Chicken with Vegetables” and I have to admit the dish was quite dull, lacking in rich flavors. The chicken was skinless, boneless white meat but very plain in seasoning. Guys, don’t get me wrong, I understand some folks like simple food with delicate flavors! I did not take photos of the dishes since there was practically no variation in appearance compared to my Seafood Chow Fun dish. I will say that all the veggies in the dishes were very well prepared in that they were slightly crunchy and not soggy or over cooked.

The service was lacking, possibly because the restaurant was full and it was the lunch time crowd. We asked our waitress more than once for extra water and had to inquire about one dish that came to the table late.

My desire is to return for their dinner menu since it looks much more interesting with items such as “Sautéed Shrimp & Scrambled Egg”, “Burdock Salad”, “Little Neck Soup” (most likely clams), and “Seafood Pancake” to name a few.

My take on Oki Doki is that their lunch menu offers dishes that cater to folks who enjoy simple food…simple food for subtle palates! All in all, I will return and give Oki Doki another chance, albeit, not during the lunch hour so that I can avoid the traffic jam in the parking lot and try the interesting dishes that are only available on their dinner menu.

Cheers!

Open daily. No lunch on Sunday.

Proud of "Proud Mary's"

2010-01-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

If you have the good fortune to visit or dock at the Dana Point Harbor walk, run, rollerblade or bike to “Proud Mary’s” restaurant. Family owned and operated for 5 years, they are located on the waterfront at the harbor (next to Dana Wharf Sport Fishing) with a beautiful view offering breakfast and lunch daily. Should you decide to hang around for a table, since they do not take reservations, you can mosey along the waterfront for some window shopping and if you are lucky you may even see some cute seals frolicking merrily in the water.

I must admit after a lengthy road bike ride there is nothing better than a hearty breakfast and a “Guava Mimosa.” My friends and I gladly ditch our helmets and bikes and take a seat at the front counter area or outside patio to share the “Short Stack with Bananas & Walnuts” and the healthy “Fitness Scramble.”

Proud Mary’s serves up the best banana walnut pancakes I have ever tasted! They are made with oat flour, walnuts and fresh sliced bananas. The cakes are light and fluffy and the bananas are perfectly caramelized into slices of sticky, delectable, sweetness with the walnuts adding a nice healthy crunch. Delicious! Actually, if you want to cut the calories and sugar you do not even need to add syrup since the cakes are great eating all by themselves.

Surely, it is common knowledge that a combination of protein and carbohydrates after a workout is imperative for refueling our bodies! Therefore, the “Fitness Scramble” is ideal with the combination of egg whites, mushrooms, onions, spinach and grilled ground turkey. This low-fat, high protein dish comes with a side of cottage cheese & sliced tomatoes. One of my favorite dishes too (geez, I have lots of ‘favorite dishes’)!

Do not be fooled, Proud Mary’s has all the traditional breakfast and lunch foods including breakfast sandwiches and breakfast burritos. A local’s popular sandwich is the “Turkey Avo” sandwich. This ‘sammy’ is filled with turkey, avocado, provolone cheese, sprouts, tomato and mayo on squaw bread. For a low-fat, healthier version, omit the cheese and mayo…guilt free.

For the vegetarian/vegan foodies out in blog land, Proud Mary’s also offers an “Avocado Sandwich”, “Bean & Cheese Burrito” (with salsa), “Avocado Burrito” (with beans and salsa) and “Three Cheese Quesadilla”. Of course, the staff will gladly hold the dairy for the vegan folks.

They also have a full bar that faces the lovely view of the harbor. Nick, one of the bartenders and owners, also serves up a lovely “Guava Mimosa” with champagne and guava juice. For those who enjoy a “Bloody Mary” along side their ‘breakie’, your friendly bartender also makes a killer one with just the right amount of spicy kick to it.

Cheers!

Open Daily & Great Prices

VIVA MEXICO!

2010-01-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

Senores y senoritas, boy do I have a treat for you! I’m going to share with you a little known secret. ”Chato’s Del Agave” in San Clemente offers some of the best Mexican food I have ever tasted (grandma...don’t be hatin’. Your food was great but you are dancing with the angels now. Miss you!!).

Chato’s Del Agave, a family owned restaurant, is located in the heart of San Clemente and has been there for about 13 years. Bummer for me since I just discovered them within the last couple of years! Entrance to the restaurant is through a wrought iron gate which takes you to a beautifully decorated courtyard. I always feel as if I am in a private hacienda when I go to Chato’s with its beautiful courtyard filled with many cactus plants, bird cages and water fountain. Not to mention the fact that the owners of this wonderful restaurant are almost always present making sure everything runs smoothly. The dishes are from the owner’s Michoacán family recipes which date back six generations and “holy goodness” this family sure knows how to cook up a delicious Mexican feast!

For starters their “Nachos-N-More” are superior to all others nachos I have ever eaten. Typical nachos are a pile of chips drenched with cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc. At Chato’s the nachos are made and served individually on each tortilla chip similar to mini pizza slices. Each and every one is topped with delicious pork carnitas, cheese, beans and salsa. These nachos are by far the best ever!!

Every time I dine at Chato’s I order their splendid “Caldo Talpeno” which is their signature soup. The soup consists of white meat chicken, diced avocados and tomatoes in a light, pleasant broth. I also ask for diced fresh jalapenos on the side and pile them into my soup dish for an extra spicy kick.

This week I had their “Chicken Mole” which is superb! The mole takes two days to make and you can taste wonderful flavors of chocolate and chili power along with at least a dozen other fresh ingredients, which were not revealed to me (I asked, no answer, their secret). What a great combination of flavors!

In addition to all the traditional Mexican fare, Chato’s makes their sopes (very small thick corn tortillas which are filled with tasty goodies) and tortillas homemade…you can really taste the difference. I ask you, how many restaurants make homemade tortillas and sopes?? Not many, and chain restaurants that do make homemade tortillas don’t taste as good as Chato’s. "AY PAPI...quero mas tortillas de maiz"!

Another favorite of mine is the “Carnitas Salad”. I was pleasantly surprised when my waitress brought a plate of chopped lettuce greens topped with a huge mound of carnitas (shredded, roasted pork), radishes and carrots. You have a choice of two dressings; tequila or cilantro and they are both very refreshing…none of the typical heavy ranch or blue cheese dressing at this traditional Mexican restaurant.

In addition to their mouth watering food, Chato’s has a full bar, large beer selection and 147 (you read it right baby cakes, 147) tequilas to sip or shoot. They also offer several special margaritas. My favorite is the low calorie “Organic Margarita” made with organic tequila, fresh lime juice and agave nectar. Two other popular margaritas are the “Coronita” which is served up in a large schooner glass with a mini bottle of Coronita beer poured upside down in the glass and the “Kick Ass Margarita” with an extra added shot of tequila (“tequila tonight, for tomorrow we ride”) in the form of a mini Hornitos tequila bottle also tipped inside the glass. I must say an interesting and fun presentation for a margarita. "Salud chicos y chicas"!

In a “tortilla” shell, you should head down south and try Chato’s Del Agave. I think you will be very pleased. I know I was! Adios amigos!

Open Daily.

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG...QUESTION?!?

2010-01-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

Greetings everyone! Recently I have been advised not to “blog everyday”. My “blog advisor” said I should not pester all of you with my trivial daily existence exploring different restaurants then sharing my dining experiences with you (Note: My existence is hardly ‘trivial’). Another blog advisor told me I should be ‘professional’ when writing my reviews so folks would take me seriously. I am no freaking professional and refuse to bridle expressions of my personality through my writing. Phooey on my blog advisors!

I feel compelled to share the story of how my blog site came to fruition. First of all, as my family members and dear friends are aware, this blog began out of pure fun and silliness! During the holidays, I decided it would be nice to leave the comfort of my home, my 50 inch flat screen T.V., super comfy barcalounge and spend the money (guys, we all know going out to a movie has gotten just a little $pricey$...that is why I prefer matinees – does that make me frugl or wise?) to see recently released holiday movies. Usually, I would enjoy a meal be it lunch or dinner while out taking in a movie.

When I returned home I would email my gang to share my food experiences with them at which time I received positive feedback. Two of my pals said they, “live vicariously through me” while two others told me to, “keep ‘em coming”. Mostly, I was told how my readers “love to receive” my emails and told me to start writing a restaurant/food review column. There you have it…my blog was born.

If you have read my profile you will note that I came from scant beginnings which have evolved to a different world altogether. In my cultured travels I have dined in some of the finest restaurants in the world, including, but not limited to, a floating junk (riverboat) on the Halong Bay in Vietnam. Therefore, I thought it was appropriate for me to express my worldliness in the area of fine dining with those who display an interest. And, believe it or not, there are many - it’s a simple as that.

When you check my archived restaurant reviews you will notice how my blog has evolved. The first two are extremely casual then I began to try and be a little more ‘professional (although, I am NO professional). Guys, I have no formal education, nothing. Just a couple of night classes here and there…no degree in journalism or English. I merely enjoy fine dining, have a palate for fine food and wine and like sharing my experiences with my friends and family. This blog is only one of several hobbies of mine. Those who know me are aware of my zest for fitness, athleticism and non-profit charity work.

It is now time to sign off and think about where I will go for my next meal. Of course…I will write about it. Cheers!

"O" So Good

2010-01-08T16:20:00.000-08:00

Friends, a new restaurant has moved into our lovely town. “O fine japanese cuisine” (yes folks, that’s the correct spelling) is located in the Albertson’s shopping center at Pacific Coast Highway and Wesley Drive in South Laguna. “O” is an off-shoot of a small chain of Japanese restaurants based in Irvine. Upon entering the eatery, behind the blue beaded curtains, you will find a small dining room which offers traditional Japanese cuisine and a lovely sushi bar that has a warmly-lit countertop which is filled with pretty cut blue glass. The ambiance with soft mood lighting, sushi bar countertop, beautiful hanging hand blown blue pendant lights, along with comfortable seating, is very inviting!

When my husband and I walked in we were graciously greeted by a smiling staff, seated and immediately served a nice amuse-bouche (a single, bite-sized hor’doeuvre, different from an appetizer, not ordered by the customer and selected by the chef as a pre-dinner treat). Our amuse-bouche was radish slices which were marinated in sesame oil, soy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Very tasty and a nice change from typical soba noodles or marinated cucumber slices.

Our meal consisted of:

Hamachi Belly Sushi;
Yellowtail Kampashio;
Crunch Salmon Tataki Roll;
Yellowtail Hand Roll;
Steamed Asari Clam Soup;
Mountain Potatoe w/Umei (Chef special treat);
Yellowtail Bones (ribs) Baked w/Garlic Chips; and
Mango Pudding w/Seasonal Fresh Fruits

The pieces of fish for the sushi were very large and very fresh. No skimping on fish at “O”!! My Crunch Salmon Tataki was a visually gorgeous cut roll filled with crab meat, crispy tempura shrimp and white onions (we had our sushi chef add asparagus for some veggie) then rolled with salmon slices that had been dredged lightly in cornstarch and quickly seared on the outside. The final result was a delicious roll which was topped with ponzu garlic sauce and red tobiko (flying fish eggs). I also tasted a hint of smokey flavor, very nice. Yes sir…may I have another!!

A wonderfully refreshing treat was the Yellowtail Kampashio. Small cucumbers cut into delicate flower halves were filled with a generous portion of sliced yellowtail sashimi then topped with jalapeno slices, tobiko and pickled wasabi. I have never had “pickled” wasabi and found it to be a little hot and spicy…just the way I like it!

For all you clam lovers out there you must have the Asari Clam Soup. The soup is a very simple but tasty light clam broth with an over abundance of fresh clams which flavors intensify over time. Delicious.

Mountain potatoes anyone? Prior to my maiden voyage to “O”, I had never heard of these little taters. The julienned potatoes were served sushi style in nori surrounded by a quail egg; shiso leave and umei (salty plum paste). When I popped one of those babies in my mouth the raw quail egg exploded and the crunch from the mountain potatoes and salt from the umei blended very well together. Obviously, raw quail eggs are an acquired taste but this chef’s surprise was a delight!

My evening concluded with the Mango Pudding which was topped with fresh fruit (diced strawberries, blueberries and kiwi). When I tasted the pudding I could only think of an exotic summer day…very light, refreshing and not too sweet. The pudding and ice cream are made fresh every week.

As for the booze menu, “O” stocks 24 (yes, 24!) premium sakes, including, but not limited to, Hot Plum Sake, Grape Sake and Yuzu Omoi Sake (with a citrus scent from the yuzu oranges). They also carry traditional Japanese beers, red wine, white wine and champagne.

As a local in Laguna for over 20 years I have been a loyal fan of the same sushi bar in town. I must admit I enjoyed stepping out of the box and trying a different sushi restaurant. O fine japanese cuisine is splendid, the chef is very creative and the sushi extremely fresh. I highly recommend “O", they definitely have my seal of approval. Welcome to Laguna Beach “O”!!

Open daily – lunch too!
Convenient parking and good $price$ point
Shelley Teng (owner)

Church & State

2010-01-06T20:59:00.000-08:00

In my last email restaurant review, I noted that I would 'not bore' you with the details of my upcoming multi-course meal at Church & State restaurant. Well, boys and girls, I must retract that comment! Not sharing my out-of-this-world dining experience with you would be just plain selfish. Besides, many of you have asked for a review of this particular restaurant and requested that I "keep 'em coming". Holy goodness...where do I start?!? I guess I will begin by telling you that at 4:30 a.m. this morning I had a food hangover and major gastric distress (yep, expected it and worth every gut pain). Yikes!!!

Church & State is located in the old Nabisco Biscuit Company building in an industrial section of Los Angeles and specializes in French bistro food. The restaurant is designed as a very rustic, industrial style eatery with an open kitchen and Chef Walter Manzke at the helm as Executive Chef. To appreciate my review of this amazing restaurant, you must first understand who the executive chef is. For those how have no knowledge of Chef Walter Manzke he is an excellent chef who has mastered the art of French cuisine. Chef Walter was one of only two Americans "allowed" to study and hone his culinary skills working at the world renown Louis XV ("Louis Cannes", as referred to by those in the know) restaurant in the Hotel de Paris in Monaco (I was fortuante to have dined there!). Folks, please understand Louis XV chooses only 2 Americans a year to enter into their world of gastronomic greatness.

Orange County and Los Angeles, welcome Chef Walter, formerly executive chef at Patina (LA), Bastide (LA), Bouche (Carmel), Auberge de Carmel (Carmel) and Cantinetta Luca (Carmel). I am proud to say he is a dear friend and mentor to my daughter Monica and each and everytime he cooks for us he treats us like royalty creating special dishes not on the regular menu...and, last night was no exception. The 6 diners in my party arrived at 8:00 and were seated immediately.

Please be aware that bistro style eateries are normally extremely casual, loud and can be crowded so go prepared to sit amongst loud diners family style. No intimate booths at this restaurant. Chef Walter greeted us immediately and his sweet wife, Margarita (also a fabulous pastry chef), waited on us throughout the evening. Guys, we had 15 tasting courses plus dessert (decadent to say the least)! Oy vey...the fat and calories. Weight Watcher's take me away!! I won't go into detail about everything we tasted but I will share with you my favorites and the most interesting items on the menu. Out tasting menu:

Kumomoto Oysters - Diced shallots, red wine vinegar and cracked pepper
Tartine au Crabe - Crustini, Dungeness crab, mushroom duxelle (puree), celery remoulade (celery root chiffonade)
Tartine au Oursin - Crustini, fresh sea urchin and Castelas olive oil
Gambas a la Grenobloise - Live Santa Barbara spot prawns, white wine garlic butter sauce
Hamachi Cru - Yellowtail sashimi, blood orange, piment d'Espelette (red chili pepper from the Basque region), fleur de sel, lime rind
Coureau - Fresh razor clams, escargot butter, herbs
Assiette de Charcuterie - Selection of artisan and house made pates, terrines and saucisson sec

Tarte de Brie - Oven-dried red flamed grapes, bacon, brie cheese
Escargots de Bourgogne - Grain feed snails baked with a puff pastry topping and garlic butter parsley

Oreilles de Cochon - Crispy pig's ears, sauce bearnaise
Salad Frisee aux Lardons - Soft poached egg, warm bacon vinegarette w/pigs feet terrine breaded in panko
Turnedo Rossini - Prime beef filet, foie gras, black truffle
Cassoulet du Toulouse - Duck confit, pork belly, sausage, white beans
Gratin de Macaronis et Fromage - Mac N Cheese
Pommes au Lard - Pomme frites, aioli

Profiteroles - Banana ice cream, chocolate-hazelnut sauce
Pot de Creme au Chocolat - Chocolate, hazelnuts, caramel
Creme Brulee - Caramelized vanilla custard
Croustade aux Pommes - Warm apple crisp, vanilla ice cream

So, there you have it...our grand tasting menu. That did not include the cocktails and 4 bottles of wine we all shared (ah wine, nectar of the gods...another blog altogether). They have a full bar and my tradtional pre-dinner Vodka Martini was ice cold shaken to perfection...yummy!

I will comment on my favorites and what I believed to be the most interesting:

The Tartine du Oursin was wonderful. Crustini toast rounds were topped with fresh sea urchin and a velvety Castelas olive oil drizzle. The sea urchin was so fresh and sweet you could taste the ocean in every bite. Just splendid! I am sure the Gambas a la Grenobloise had Long John Silver flipping over in his grave. These shrimp were amazing and it was my favorite dish of the evening. The gambas were split half length-wise then topped with a delicious white wine and garlic butter sauce. Gambas a la Grenobloise was the best shrimp I have ever tasted...seriously! An item one does not see very often in restaurants is razor clams. The clams were extremely fresh and served whole on your plate with the shells split then drizzled with escargot butter and fresh herbs. They were a little sweet so the escargot butter was a great balance of sweet and savory. The Crispy Pig's Ears are not for the faint of heart nor advised for diners with a sensitive palette! Although they were served with a side of béarnaise sauce, one of my dining partners said she thought them to be rather pungent, smelling of a pig sty having the consistency of gelatinous goo. As you can imagine, she did not care for them. In spite of, my other dining partner could not eat enough of them as he dipped his crispy ears in the accompanying velvet mixture of bearnaise sauce. To each his own, right?? The Gratin de Macaronis et Fromage (mac-n-cheese) was not as creamy as I would have liked and had a thinner consistency than the traditional American mac-n-cheese (well, after all, it is a French bistro). The Pommes Frites were cooked in duck fat and had an outstanding flavor. I highly recommend them.

Of the desserts, the Pot de Crème au Chocolat had to have been the most delicious and the richest in flavor of all the desserts. This divine pot of sweetness consisted of a rich chocolate pudding layered with salty caramel and hazelnuts. All I can say is I tried one small spoon and could taste no more. It was deliciously sumptuous but my tongue begged for a break (personally, I am not a huge fan of very sweet desserts). Alas, I could take no more. For all you gooey chocolate lovers out there...this is your dessert!

In conclusion, Chef Walter and staff have done an outstanding job of bringing bistro style French food to Los Angeles. The food is heavenly!! Kudos to Chef Walter and I hope one day you can experience his culinary greatness.

Church & State
1850 Industrial Street
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 405-1434
Open 7 days a week (lunch weekdays)
$$$ (great price point)

Cafe Mimosa, San Clemente

2010-01-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

...last night with my 30 year old daughter Monica (Le Cordon Bleu graduate classically trained in French cuisine and gastronomy). We chose "Cafe Mimosa" in San Clemente and were immediately welcomed by the attentive, kind staff. The restaurant is a very quaint two-story house with a warm hue of lighting that bathed my body when I entered the premises making me feel all warm and cozy inside while Ella Fitz Gerald tunes were piped in through the indoor speakers. The current chef at Cafe Mimosa is formerly from Troque (a Tim and Liza Goodell restaurant. Now out of business). I'm a huge patron of restaurants that support the Slow Food Movement offering local, sustainable and organic farmed food and produce. Cafe M is fortunate to have the local farmer's market right outside their doors every Saturday morning. I'm sure Chef Tim takes advantage of the freshest of local farm raised organic ingredients. Although it was drizzling last night, we decided to sit outside taking advantage of the overhead heaters and plastic walls which protected us from the breeze and cold. I always enjoy experiencing a meal with "Dolly" (Monica) since we always try and order items on the menu that are just a little "different" expanding our horizons in the world of gastronomy and fine dining.

One of those 'different' items was "Stuffed Baby Calamari" which was filled with Bilbao Chorizo (from Spain), Piquillo Peppers and Grilled Artichoke Hearts. The flavors melded great together very well but my only criticism is that I would have preferred my calamari sautéed a little more giving the seafood a nice golden brown outside crust as opposed to the 'milky white" look of the plated baby calamari which was presented to me. The "Salt Roasted Beet Salad" was delightful. Large roasted beautiful golden beets and small purple baby beets sat along side a chunk of goat cheese with baby greens and lemon emulsion. Perfection!

Dolly ordered the Charcuterre Plate with artisan cured meats and homemade cured asparagus. The asparagus was perfectly cured and not too tangy. Believe it or not, for dessert we went for savory and finished our meal with a dish of "Bloomsdale Spinach" and the "Market Veggies"! I was pleasantly pleased with the divine flavors in both veggie dishes!!! First of all, I love spinach but have never heard of 'Bloomsdale' Spinach. The spinach is visually pretty (not dull and flat looking like regular baby spinach) and sautéed to crisp-tender exquisiteness!! The market veggies were a scrumptious mixture of haricot verts, asparagus, cippollini baby onions and mushrooms. The teeny, tiny sweet onions are delicious when cooked up allowing their natural sweetness to emerge in your mouth with every bite.

In the past, I have had the "English Cucumber Blood Orange and Cilantro Salad"...very lovely. There is also a "Crispy Tempura Squash Blossom" dish on the menu which is accompanied with green apple, fennel slaw and aioli. I must try that next time!! Although, Dolly whips up killer stuffed squash blossoms when they are in season and available at the farmer's market.

If you ever head down south to San Clemente Cafe Mimosa is a must. They also offer brunch.

Plans Saturday night are to attend "Church and State" in LA for a multi-course wine and food tasting compliments of Chef Walter. You won't hear from me about that meal...don't want to bore you with an explanation of 10-12 different food tastings! DETOX time again!!!

p.s. My kitchen is totally under construction therefore, my tubby ass has had the opportunity to try many different restaurants (most of which aren't even discussed yet!). Hence, me inundating you with my experiences and criticisms of my dining choices. Should you find my 'write ups' dull and unmoving, and lack further interest in them...tell me to BUZZ OFF and I'll take you off the email list. Ciao for now!

Little Saigon Seafood Feast

2010-01-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

If you're craving fresh seafood and have a chance to drive to Westminster you must try "Sea Food Cove Chinese Restaurant"! The restaurant (formerly Dragon Phoenix) is adjacent to the Asian Garden Mall, located upstairs in a strip mall in the heart of the Vietnamese community and shares a parking lot with the infamous live seafood grocery store,"A Dong Market" (come now ladies, no giggling). Once you exit the 405 freeway and head towards Bolsa Avenue and Brookhurst Street, you'll feel as if you have arrived in Saigon City, Vietnam (less the hundreds of scooters on the streets). No kidding.

Entering the restaurant can be a challenge for those who try to avoid stairs since a spiral staircase greets you at the door along with a counter where a server mixes up fresh juices of coconut (succulant slices of fresh coconut meat included in your juice...and my favorite), watermelon, orange, and tasty Ca Phe Sua Da the traditional Vietnamese iced coffee. Once at the top of the stairs, a beautiful crystal chandelier beacons you into a world of exquisite smells...keep treking, the food and experience is worth the stair hike. For the cardio challenged, there is an elevator to wisk you to dinner should you have trouble with the staircase. The wait is anywhere from a couple of minutes to 20 minutes depending on the time you arrive. My party of 3 walked right in and we were seated immediately.

The smorgasbord of food included: Thai Style Hot & Sour Soup w/Coconut Milk and Shrimp; House Special Lobster; Shrimp & String Bean w/Garlic Sauce; Hot & Sour Fried Whole Fish; Sauteed Pea Sprouts w/Garlic (love the golden brown garlic!!); traditional Steamed White Rice and TsingTao Chinese Beers.

My Thai Style Hot & Sour Soup was just exquisite with flavors that teased my tongue! The soup was served steaming hot family style and had large pink succulant shrimp floating in a perfect combination of lemon grass, coconut milk, fresh jalapeno pepper slices and fresh thai basil. Very exotic and delicious! I have leftovers for my lunch today...yeah!

Should you order the House Special Lobster, you have your choice of live lobsters in a tank to pick from (small lobsters are sweeter and more tender). Once chosen, the lobster is coated with cornstarch for a light, crisp coating then hot wok fried in vegetable oil with fresh garlic, jalapeno peppers and a dash of sesame oil. I never lick my fingers but this dish had me tossing my dining manners out the door (sorry Emily Post) and I licked my fingers till I could lick no more! The lobster was fit for a king and, shall I say, finger licking good!

Flounder was the fish for our Hot & Sour Fried Whole Fish. The fresh whole fish was quick sauteed in hot oil creating a lovely, crispy skin and laddled with fresh sliced red & green jalapeno peppers then topped off with a thin red sauce. You will find that fresh sliced peppers are used in many of the dishes at Sea Food Cove so if your palette is sensitive to capsaicin and high scoville units you may want to avoid eating the peppers (oh baby...I love it HOT!). Although the fish is not described as sweet, I tasted a hint of sweetness making a perfect combination with the spicey peppers.

I don't want to keep anyone from eating sauteed pea sprouts but they kind of resemble freshly mowed grass...and, I love them!! Usually they're just steamed with a simple flavor but at Sea Food Cove they offer them lightly sauteed with garlic chips. Every tendril of beautiful bright green pea sprout is seriously scrumptious!

There's no way I can tell you how the Shrimp and String Beans dish was since the shrimp arrived at our table way too late and my dining party was stuffed to the gills (imagine) unable to eat one more bite. Based on the appearance and aromatic scent of the shrimp dish and how the other dishes tasted, I'm sure they'll be fabulous as leftovers.

For the food bon vivant challenged who don't frequent Vietnamese eateries, a typical favorite dessert is Tapioca Soup served hot (and, yes, another favorite dessert of mine). I also discovered Sea Food Cove makes their tapioca soup with tapioca, duh...obviously, fresh seaweed, sugared water and fresh green beans. And, yes, I said, "green beans" which are pulverized to create a broth for the soup base. The soup was lightly sweetened and had a nice creamy consistency...I savored every drop of my hot dessert soup while my two dining guests passed their portions to me (must kick up the fat burning mode on my cardio machine). My tapioca soup was ambrosial...more, I want more!!.

And, at times when I'm craving veggie and vegan food I can also order several of the many veggie dishes on the menu which include tofu and buckwheat noodles. I counted 9 different veggie dishes on the menu.

Please don't hesitate to try Sea Food Cove Chinese Restaurant. The costs of the live lobster was only $10.99 per lb. and everything else on the menu is very reasonably priced. They have my vote of excellence!!

Avanti Cafe

2010-01-06T20:48:00.000-08:00

Ventured out to "Avanti Cafe" (alas, solo...come to think of it, all of my veggie/vegan meals I savor alone...shame!) last week for another vegetarian/vegan culinary experience. The Avanti Margarita Maxima is thirst quenchingly yummy. Not too tart nor too sweet, made with fresh squeezed juices (no sucky, preservative laced Sweet and Sour mix in this margi!). I highly recommend JUST ONE! Remember to allow yourself enough time to metabolize the booze then clear your mind and drive home safely. The Soup du Jour - Celery, had my taste buds experiencing BORING flavors. Their celery soup consisted of a thick, heavy broth which resembled the bucket of mop water after a long day of swabbing down the decks or a dirty kitchen floor and the taste lacked any hint of seasoning (once again, BORING). I don't recommend that soup. Unless, of course, you enjoy mop water out of a bucket! My favorite salad is the Roasted Fruit, Citrus Miso, Caramelized Garlic & Shallot & Candied Walnut Salad. The food expeditor mixes just enough salad dressing as to not leave my fresh spring greens drowning in dressing and overly soggy. Very refreshing salad! I ended my meal with a fresh Vegan Mixed Berry Walnut Crust Tart. It was the perfect combination of luscious fresh berries with just the right amount of sweetness (not too!) surrounded by a crunchy nut crust. They also have several lovely pizzas for about $10. The cafe is pretty small and in a strip shopping center. All in all...I highly recommend Avanti Cafe. Until next time. Cheers!

Dinner and a Movie...or two...

2010-01-06T20:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, here goes...saw "Sherlock Holmes" on Monday. Loved it! Actually, besides liking Robert Downey, Jr. (he is lean and muscular in this role), I very much appreciated the martial arts moves (Randy, you love the deadly combinations too!!). Waiting for the sequel!

"Up in The Air" was good. Interesting story line and who doesn't enjoy ooggling at George Clooney shirtless, laying on the floor?? Enjoyable, but it had it's moments of sadness. Worth it. The precursor to this movie was an absolutely delightful vegan lunch at "The Loving Hut" vegan restaurant in Ladera Ranch. My maiden voyage and well worth the 30 minutes it took me to drive there! The Aulac Salad satiated my Vietnamese salad cravings and tingled my tongue with the fresh crispiness of the greens and cabbages which were topped with a splendid peanut dressing. Their version of won ton soup, a.k.a., Heavenly Soup made me smile. Although, the Wong Tong soup at Greens Cafe in Irvine is the best I have ever tasted!!. Holy crab cakes, I'd drive to 'samesville Irvine' just for the soup at Greens Cafe! David the waiter and Lawrence the owner are very engaging allowing a lone patron to feel comfortable while dining solo making for a lovely repast. I often frequent dining establishment by my lonesome therefore, when the proprietor is friendly, the experience is much more enjoyable. No worries, I'm used to it. Oh yes, everyone who truly knows me (sisters) knows I just LOVE coconut. Loving Hut has the best vegan German Chocolate Cake I have ever tasted. Coconut and dark chocolate, which, is not too sweet! Agave nectar happens to be their sweetener of choice for this delicious culinary sweetness. I highly recommend their cheesecake too....delectable and vegan.

I'll see "Blind Side" and based on what I've heard, I'll cry too. I'm the poignant, sensitive type...despite my strong, lean chick muscles. Hahaha!!

If your lucky, more opinions to follow in the near future. Then again, I may resort to my On Demand movies and save the extra $$$ it costs (even the matinees are getting pricey).