No, I haven't gotten a Mac.... yet
but I have made the switch to Wordpress. I know... I sound like a traitor, but it's like people say "Sometimes change is good"
imlivingtoeat.wordpress.com
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Friday, October 23, 2009
Fleur de Lys, Las Vegas
There are very few things in life that evoke such an ethereal response from a person. For some, it could be a certain fragrance or aroma. For others, it could be something they see throughout their day or as they pass by. No matter the means, the result is always the same: a celestial response followed by pure serenity. (at least that’s what happens to me)
As for me, the only thing that truly brings forth the aforementioned response is food. More so when I am dining at a higher end restaurant. In what I firmly believe are one of the very few things in existence to utilize all five senses at once, food, particularly good food, is one of life’s universal languages and is a great vessel for people to come together. It is the ultimate excuse to hang out with friends and family over a special occasion or not.
The most recent of these moments I experienced with food was over Labor Day weekend at Fleur de Lys in Las Vegas, acclaimed Chef Huber Keller’s flagship restaurant, 2nd only to its counterpart location in San Francisco. As an individual who is in the industry, I highly look up to Chef Keller and praise his contributions to the restaurant scene in not only San Francisco and Las Vegas, but across the entire country. He is a chef who is highly respected and loved and deserves all of the accolades he has received. The San Francisco location has also received the highly-coveted Michelin Star rating, so I was very excited to pay a visit to this establishment.
The restaurant itself is beautiful. There is not any artwork or decorations on the walls, as the layered slate stones do not need artwork. Plus I could imagine how difficult it would be to attempt to hang a painting on a wall that is uneven. The tables are simply adorn with solid white table cloths and are surrounded with dark wood chairs. The high ceiling aides in the illusion that the restaurant is much larger than it probably really is, with the wine cellar (though inaccessible to the public) is housed upstairs, leaving the patrons to admire it from afar.
There was a slight delay with our reservation at 8:30, so the hostess, on her manager’s behalf, offered us complimentary champagne to be enjoyed as we continued to wait in their lounge. The lounge itself is rather small and VERY poorly lit, but I suppose that might have been their intention in some way. It did however seem to make our wait instantly shorter.
Once we were sat, our table was semi-tucked away in the back corner of the restaurant, offering a subtle sense of privacy. Almost immediately our server, Marcus, came by to introduce himself and give us our menus. I should add that we probably would not have decided to come to this restaurant had it not been restaurant week in Las Vegas. A majority of the restaurants were offering a 3 course meal for $50. In terms of fine dining, that is a very good deal.
The only problem was once we opened our menus, a 4 course “Elegance Menu” for $89 was staring right at us. It was almost like a proverbial splash of water in the face. Normally I would have difficulty justifying 1 dish for $39, but my justification was that this Elegance Menu had more and better choices than the 3 course RW (Restaurant Week) menu. The only steak offered on the RW menu was skirt steak, whereas on the Elegance menu, there was a choice of prime filet mignon. Skirt steak vs. filet mignon: who do you think will win 9 out of 10 times?
After some deliberation and some discussion, I decided to get the following courses:
- Ahi Tuna Tartare – shaved fennel slaw, ginger ponzu, fennel seed tuile
The tuna was very fresh and the fennel slaw underneath was a very nice and refreshing flavor and textural contrast to the fish. The ginger ponzu was not overpowering nor too salty. Very nice opening.
- Veal & Yukon Gold Potato ravioli – sunchoke foam, veal jus, English peas, pea shoots.
The ravioli were nice and well seasoned, however I feel the jus was a little salty. Overall a nice 2nd course leading into the main entrée
- Prime Filet Mignon – potato puree, baby spinach, wild mushrooms, and a red wine reduction.
Quite possibly the highlight of the evening. Hold on, let me think about that for a second…. Yes, it WAS the highlight of the evening. A perfect medium rare piece of filet. Very tender though slightly under seasoned. I can overlook an under seasoned piece of meat than other mishaps. The potato puree was very buttery and the vegetables were cooked just right. The only thing I would have changed about this meal was that there was an option to add foie gras and black truffles for an additional $25. I opted not to partake in that, however, a couple others at the table did and I have to tell you, they definitely received $25 worth of foie gras and truffles. The foie gras was as round as the filet and there was a copious amount of truffles. It was not just 3 or 5 or 6 slices, but a PILE. My guess was it had to be at least a dozen or so slices. I was very jealous but lucky for me they were generous enough to both give me some of their foie gras and truffles. My eyes grew incredibly enormous with anticipation in devouring such delicacies. I almost did not want my dessert because I did not want to rid myself of the flavor.
- Banana Chocolate Lava Cake – Peanut butter milkshake, Baileys ice cream, chocolate tuile and crushed peanuts.
As an aspiring pastry chef, the dessert course is one of my favorite if not the favorite course of my meal. The cake itself was very good and cooked perfectly and the “lava” had a pleasantly subtle banana flavor. The peanut butter milkshake was very good and had a smooth texture. I do not, however, necessarily understand the Baileys ice cream.
On top of these 4 courses, a friend and I shared an order of the veal sweetbreads, which came with a deep fried poached egg and spinach and apple salad. I absolutely LOVE sweetbreads and they were cooked to perfection.
Going back to the desserts, I had taken a few bites of both the Grand Marnier soufflé and chocolate soufflé and I think the grand marnier soufflé was much better.
The meal ended with an assortment of petit fours. There was a classic French canele, passion fruit gummy thing of sorts (I didn't try it), a homemade marshmallow (I forget the flavor) and a macaron (I forget the flavor as well). My lack of remembering these shows just how memorable (or lack thereof) they were.
Service was impeccable. The lady that gave us bread was very courteous, offering 4 different types of bread. I will have to say while it was still very good, the pretzel bread at CUT is way better. Our server Marcus was very attentive and patient with us. He was very helpful and he and the expediters explained each course and each different dish thoroughly and patiently. Marcus even showed proper wine pouring etiquette by pouring our wine label up. I learned from my wine instructor in culinary school (who I believe by now is a master sommelier) that proper wine pouring etiquette means pouring the label up as well as slightly twisting the bottle as he raised the bottle from the glass so it doesn't drip. Yes, I pay attention to these things.
Again, I feel so very fortunate to have dined at such a fine establishment and look forward to dining at the flagship San Francisco location very soon. If Chef Keller were reading this right now, I would have to say “Merci beaucoup Chef Keller!”
As for me, the only thing that truly brings forth the aforementioned response is food. More so when I am dining at a higher end restaurant. In what I firmly believe are one of the very few things in existence to utilize all five senses at once, food, particularly good food, is one of life’s universal languages and is a great vessel for people to come together. It is the ultimate excuse to hang out with friends and family over a special occasion or not.
The most recent of these moments I experienced with food was over Labor Day weekend at Fleur de Lys in Las Vegas, acclaimed Chef Huber Keller’s flagship restaurant, 2nd only to its counterpart location in San Francisco. As an individual who is in the industry, I highly look up to Chef Keller and praise his contributions to the restaurant scene in not only San Francisco and Las Vegas, but across the entire country. He is a chef who is highly respected and loved and deserves all of the accolades he has received. The San Francisco location has also received the highly-coveted Michelin Star rating, so I was very excited to pay a visit to this establishment.
The restaurant itself is beautiful. There is not any artwork or decorations on the walls, as the layered slate stones do not need artwork. Plus I could imagine how difficult it would be to attempt to hang a painting on a wall that is uneven. The tables are simply adorn with solid white table cloths and are surrounded with dark wood chairs. The high ceiling aides in the illusion that the restaurant is much larger than it probably really is, with the wine cellar (though inaccessible to the public) is housed upstairs, leaving the patrons to admire it from afar.
There was a slight delay with our reservation at 8:30, so the hostess, on her manager’s behalf, offered us complimentary champagne to be enjoyed as we continued to wait in their lounge. The lounge itself is rather small and VERY poorly lit, but I suppose that might have been their intention in some way. It did however seem to make our wait instantly shorter.
Once we were sat, our table was semi-tucked away in the back corner of the restaurant, offering a subtle sense of privacy. Almost immediately our server, Marcus, came by to introduce himself and give us our menus. I should add that we probably would not have decided to come to this restaurant had it not been restaurant week in Las Vegas. A majority of the restaurants were offering a 3 course meal for $50. In terms of fine dining, that is a very good deal.
The only problem was once we opened our menus, a 4 course “Elegance Menu” for $89 was staring right at us. It was almost like a proverbial splash of water in the face. Normally I would have difficulty justifying 1 dish for $39, but my justification was that this Elegance Menu had more and better choices than the 3 course RW (Restaurant Week) menu. The only steak offered on the RW menu was skirt steak, whereas on the Elegance menu, there was a choice of prime filet mignon. Skirt steak vs. filet mignon: who do you think will win 9 out of 10 times?
After some deliberation and some discussion, I decided to get the following courses:
- Ahi Tuna Tartare – shaved fennel slaw, ginger ponzu, fennel seed tuile
The tuna was very fresh and the fennel slaw underneath was a very nice and refreshing flavor and textural contrast to the fish. The ginger ponzu was not overpowering nor too salty. Very nice opening.
- Veal & Yukon Gold Potato ravioli – sunchoke foam, veal jus, English peas, pea shoots.
The ravioli were nice and well seasoned, however I feel the jus was a little salty. Overall a nice 2nd course leading into the main entrée
- Prime Filet Mignon – potato puree, baby spinach, wild mushrooms, and a red wine reduction.
Quite possibly the highlight of the evening. Hold on, let me think about that for a second…. Yes, it WAS the highlight of the evening. A perfect medium rare piece of filet. Very tender though slightly under seasoned. I can overlook an under seasoned piece of meat than other mishaps. The potato puree was very buttery and the vegetables were cooked just right. The only thing I would have changed about this meal was that there was an option to add foie gras and black truffles for an additional $25. I opted not to partake in that, however, a couple others at the table did and I have to tell you, they definitely received $25 worth of foie gras and truffles. The foie gras was as round as the filet and there was a copious amount of truffles. It was not just 3 or 5 or 6 slices, but a PILE. My guess was it had to be at least a dozen or so slices. I was very jealous but lucky for me they were generous enough to both give me some of their foie gras and truffles. My eyes grew incredibly enormous with anticipation in devouring such delicacies. I almost did not want my dessert because I did not want to rid myself of the flavor.
- Banana Chocolate Lava Cake – Peanut butter milkshake, Baileys ice cream, chocolate tuile and crushed peanuts.
As an aspiring pastry chef, the dessert course is one of my favorite if not the favorite course of my meal. The cake itself was very good and cooked perfectly and the “lava” had a pleasantly subtle banana flavor. The peanut butter milkshake was very good and had a smooth texture. I do not, however, necessarily understand the Baileys ice cream.
On top of these 4 courses, a friend and I shared an order of the veal sweetbreads, which came with a deep fried poached egg and spinach and apple salad. I absolutely LOVE sweetbreads and they were cooked to perfection.
Going back to the desserts, I had taken a few bites of both the Grand Marnier soufflé and chocolate soufflé and I think the grand marnier soufflé was much better.
The meal ended with an assortment of petit fours. There was a classic French canele, passion fruit gummy thing of sorts (I didn't try it), a homemade marshmallow (I forget the flavor) and a macaron (I forget the flavor as well). My lack of remembering these shows just how memorable (or lack thereof) they were.
Service was impeccable. The lady that gave us bread was very courteous, offering 4 different types of bread. I will have to say while it was still very good, the pretzel bread at CUT is way better. Our server Marcus was very attentive and patient with us. He was very helpful and he and the expediters explained each course and each different dish thoroughly and patiently. Marcus even showed proper wine pouring etiquette by pouring our wine label up. I learned from my wine instructor in culinary school (who I believe by now is a master sommelier) that proper wine pouring etiquette means pouring the label up as well as slightly twisting the bottle as he raised the bottle from the glass so it doesn't drip. Yes, I pay attention to these things.
Again, I feel so very fortunate to have dined at such a fine establishment and look forward to dining at the flagship San Francisco location very soon. If Chef Keller were reading this right now, I would have to say “Merci beaucoup Chef Keller!”
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Sacramento
This post is long overdue. I apologize to my maybe 3 readers.
I recently had the opportunity to go up to visit Sacramento as a way point on my way to visiting my brother and sister in law in Portland. I have a couple of friends who live in Sacramento and we see each other about once a year or so. Sometimes they come down here to Los Angeles, but I figure if I'm going up to Portland, I might as stop by Sacramento for a couple of days. I unfortunately had a little mishap with my identity getting stolen right before I left for my trip, so I didn't to as much as I would have liked while I was in Sacramento, but I still managed to enjoy myself. And as I always do when I travel, all I pretty much do is eat. Within an hour of landing, me and my friend were at a restaurant/lounge eating $10 t-bone steaks. They were mediocre at best, but for $10, you can't complain.
I had the chance to visit La Bonne Soup Cafe, which is this small little French sandwich shop in downtown Sacramento. The elderly gentleman running the place makes everything fresh and makes all the sandwiches himself.
I had the smoked duck sandwich which was simple but good. The bread was a little too crunchy and killed the top of my mouth, but it was a good sandwich. I also got the French onion soup.
Then the following day, courtesy of FoodNetwork's "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives", I finally had the chance to try to famous squeeze burger at Squeeze Inn in Sacramento. I won't get into the details of how it's made, but it's cheeseskirt glory.
It wasn't by any means the best burger I've had, but it was up there. I love burgers and anything involving melted cheese is a winner in my book.
I unfortunately did not have the time to visit Tower Cafe for the French Toast I so absolutely love, but again, due to the unfortunately occurrence of my identity being stolen right before leaving for this trip, I couldn't do quite a few things I had been wanting to do while there. But I still had a wonderful time and I thank my friend for the hospitality he displayed. If it weren't for my friends and these couple of restaurants, I would have no reason to visit Sacramento.
I recently had the opportunity to go up to visit Sacramento as a way point on my way to visiting my brother and sister in law in Portland. I have a couple of friends who live in Sacramento and we see each other about once a year or so. Sometimes they come down here to Los Angeles, but I figure if I'm going up to Portland, I might as stop by Sacramento for a couple of days. I unfortunately had a little mishap with my identity getting stolen right before I left for my trip, so I didn't to as much as I would have liked while I was in Sacramento, but I still managed to enjoy myself. And as I always do when I travel, all I pretty much do is eat. Within an hour of landing, me and my friend were at a restaurant/lounge eating $10 t-bone steaks. They were mediocre at best, but for $10, you can't complain.
I had the chance to visit La Bonne Soup Cafe, which is this small little French sandwich shop in downtown Sacramento. The elderly gentleman running the place makes everything fresh and makes all the sandwiches himself.
I had the smoked duck sandwich which was simple but good. The bread was a little too crunchy and killed the top of my mouth, but it was a good sandwich. I also got the French onion soup.
Then the following day, courtesy of FoodNetwork's "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives", I finally had the chance to try to famous squeeze burger at Squeeze Inn in Sacramento. I won't get into the details of how it's made, but it's cheeseskirt glory.
It wasn't by any means the best burger I've had, but it was up there. I love burgers and anything involving melted cheese is a winner in my book.
I unfortunately did not have the time to visit Tower Cafe for the French Toast I so absolutely love, but again, due to the unfortunately occurrence of my identity being stolen right before leaving for this trip, I couldn't do quite a few things I had been wanting to do while there. But I still had a wonderful time and I thank my friend for the hospitality he displayed. If it weren't for my friends and these couple of restaurants, I would have no reason to visit Sacramento.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Yakitori
An actual conversation with my cousin:
Cousin: So where are you guys going for your birthday dinner?
Me: Honda Ya Izakaya
Cousin: What's that?
Me: Yakitori
Cousin: What's that?
Me: Japanese BBQ on a stick
Cousin: Oh.....
Cousin: So where are you guys going for your birthday dinner?
Me: Honda Ya Izakaya
Cousin: What's that?
Me: Yakitori
Cousin: What's that?
Me: Japanese BBQ on a stick
Cousin: Oh.....
Thursday, February 12, 2009
My Last Supper
Inspired by last night's Top Chef, this post is what I would want as my last supper if I were to die tomorrow. Of course there are many many foods I would love to have, but if I had to pick and choose, this is one of the few I would narrow it down to.
I would start with just a simple salad (but not the "airplane food" Fabio served), but a lightly dressed green salad with seasonal berries and candied nuts. Or a caesar salad. For an appetizer, I would want Cut's maple glazed pork belly, which is cooked confit style in duck fat for 3 days. That was a PHENOMENAL dish.
Personally, and of course I would have a lot of other options, I would want surf and turf for an entree. I would want a perfectly cooked, well seasoned steak (12 oz Japanese Wagyu rib eye) with a truffle demi-glace and a perfect butter poached lobster tail. On the side would be a heaping mound of smooth and creamy roasted garlic mashed potatoes. That's it.
And then for dessert, I would want bread pudding, not with raisins, but with chocolate chips and walnuts, made with brioche or croissants. The top would be crispy, but the inside would be soft and delicate. Served alongside vanilla bean ice cream and creme anglaise.
I would start with just a simple salad (but not the "airplane food" Fabio served), but a lightly dressed green salad with seasonal berries and candied nuts. Or a caesar salad. For an appetizer, I would want Cut's maple glazed pork belly, which is cooked confit style in duck fat for 3 days. That was a PHENOMENAL dish.
Personally, and of course I would have a lot of other options, I would want surf and turf for an entree. I would want a perfectly cooked, well seasoned steak (12 oz Japanese Wagyu rib eye) with a truffle demi-glace and a perfect butter poached lobster tail. On the side would be a heaping mound of smooth and creamy roasted garlic mashed potatoes. That's it.
And then for dessert, I would want bread pudding, not with raisins, but with chocolate chips and walnuts, made with brioche or croissants. The top would be crispy, but the inside would be soft and delicate. Served alongside vanilla bean ice cream and creme anglaise.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Stolen Avocados
The other day I'm out somewhere and I get a call from my mom saying that all of our avocados from the 3 trees in the backyard are all gone. Even the ones way at the top of the trees. We have no idea when they went missing or who it could have been. I speculate that whoever it was, they came in the middle of the night and patiently took every single avocado.
It really is mind boggling. I could understand if they took all of the ones lower to the ground, but they took their time to get the ones at the top. So I'm talking abou hundreds and hundreds of avocados. And it's not like the trees are in the front yard or on the side of the house to make them somewhat accessible. They're all in the backyard where you wouldn't be ale to see them unless you've been in our backyard. We absolutely hav no idea who would do such a thing. My brother suggested my mom call the police, which she did and was told this is a crime, so they took a report and got the names and numbers of everybody who has access and reason to be in our backyard: our gardener, our contractors, and maybe our termite guy. At this point, there's nothing we can do really.
What upset my mom that she didn't realize until today when we were out there talking to our contractors about the next project is that whoever stole our avocados stood up on her expensive natural jade table which ended up having a hairline fracture across the top, as well as a couple of smaller cracks and scuffs.
Honestly, I wasn't so upset about the avocados, but I'm pretty pissed about the table. Those F*CKING bastards. I hope whoever it is gets what's coming to them. I normally don't wish misfortune on people, but when you do something like this that especially upsets my mom, I sure hope they get what they deserve.
It really is mind boggling. I could understand if they took all of the ones lower to the ground, but they took their time to get the ones at the top. So I'm talking abou hundreds and hundreds of avocados. And it's not like the trees are in the front yard or on the side of the house to make them somewhat accessible. They're all in the backyard where you wouldn't be ale to see them unless you've been in our backyard. We absolutely hav no idea who would do such a thing. My brother suggested my mom call the police, which she did and was told this is a crime, so they took a report and got the names and numbers of everybody who has access and reason to be in our backyard: our gardener, our contractors, and maybe our termite guy. At this point, there's nothing we can do really.
What upset my mom that she didn't realize until today when we were out there talking to our contractors about the next project is that whoever stole our avocados stood up on her expensive natural jade table which ended up having a hairline fracture across the top, as well as a couple of smaller cracks and scuffs.
Honestly, I wasn't so upset about the avocados, but I'm pretty pissed about the table. Those F*CKING bastards. I hope whoever it is gets what's coming to them. I normally don't wish misfortune on people, but when you do something like this that especially upsets my mom, I sure hope they get what they deserve.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Catering
It's technically been 3 years since I started my catering business. Business has been slow, especially with the way our economy is right now. But I have been fortunate to have done a few jobs here and there.
Most recently I did a dessert demonstration for a group of Yelpers. As an actve member of yelp myself, I was happy to do it and it was great to see some familiar faces and meet new ones.
Thanks to David K for taking some awesome photos of the event.
I demo-ed 3 desserts. A Nutella creme brulee, my signature Chocobanana parfait, and a warm chocolate souffle cake. They didn't come out 100% the way I would've liked them to, but I was still happy with them and everybody loved all 3 desserts.
This is the Nutella Creme Brulee. I shot this the day after the demo.
Most recently I did a dessert demonstration for a group of Yelpers. As an actve member of yelp myself, I was happy to do it and it was great to see some familiar faces and meet new ones.
Thanks to David K for taking some awesome photos of the event.
I demo-ed 3 desserts. A Nutella creme brulee, my signature Chocobanana parfait, and a warm chocolate souffle cake. They didn't come out 100% the way I would've liked them to, but I was still happy with them and everybody loved all 3 desserts.
This is the Nutella Creme Brulee. I shot this the day after the demo.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Fine Dining Part II
I had a FABULOUS time at Cut after a small hiccup with a bitchy hostess
an excerpt:
"OH....MY... F********CKING GAAAWD!!!!!! Both appetizers were probably the best thing EVER!! I swear once it hit my tongue, my tastebuds were doing the happy dance while on steroids!!!!! The bone marrow was so soft, flavorful and was so good with the mushroom "marmalade". And the pork belly? So soft and succulent it just melted. It was told by the bread lady that it's cooked in duck fat for 3 days. SAY WHAT NOW???? Duck fat? 3 days? Fat cooked in fat (confit style), how can you go wrong with that????"
you can read the full review here:
http://www.yelp.com/user_details_review_search?userid=NBJVYt7sO-2WDg3bPwBT0Q&q=wagyu
an excerpt:
"OH....MY... F********CKING GAAAWD!!!!!! Both appetizers were probably the best thing EVER!! I swear once it hit my tongue, my tastebuds were doing the happy dance while on steroids!!!!! The bone marrow was so soft, flavorful and was so good with the mushroom "marmalade". And the pork belly? So soft and succulent it just melted. It was told by the bread lady that it's cooked in duck fat for 3 days. SAY WHAT NOW???? Duck fat? 3 days? Fat cooked in fat (confit style), how can you go wrong with that????"
you can read the full review here:
http://www.yelp.com/user_details_review_search?userid=NBJVYt7sO-2WDg3bPwBT0Q&q=wagyu
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Fine Dining
Over the Years, both before and after attending culinary school (but mostly after), I've had the privilege to dine at some very nice restaurants throughout Southern California.
Places like the French Laundry, Guy Savoy, and Le Cirque, and Craft will always be among my list of restaurants to eat at in some point of my life, but until then I will have to stick to the ones LA has to offer. Now don't get me wrong, LA has A TON of higher end restaurants that have helped shape LA's reputation for fine cuisine, but New York still is the food Mecca of this country.
Of the restaurants that I've been to that have been higher end meals: Delmonico's (Las Vegas), BOA Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris, Roy's, Napa Rose, and... that's all I can think of so far.
In terms of LA restaurants that I want to try, there's Hatfields, Providence, Craft, Table 8, and many others.
I suppose this is all a warmup to my dinner this Saturday. I will be dining at Cut Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. I will be dining with my cousin and a couple friends. I am a huge carnivore and I love a very good steak and I will be looking forward to this meal. I try not to overhype or expect too much out of a restaurant because I've found that contributes to ruining your overall dining experience. I of course will be expecting a good dinner, but I will not set specific standards for the food or the service.
I'll post a picture... that's if I remember to take a picture.
Places like the French Laundry, Guy Savoy, and Le Cirque, and Craft will always be among my list of restaurants to eat at in some point of my life, but until then I will have to stick to the ones LA has to offer. Now don't get me wrong, LA has A TON of higher end restaurants that have helped shape LA's reputation for fine cuisine, but New York still is the food Mecca of this country.
Of the restaurants that I've been to that have been higher end meals: Delmonico's (Las Vegas), BOA Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris, Roy's, Napa Rose, and... that's all I can think of so far.
In terms of LA restaurants that I want to try, there's Hatfields, Providence, Craft, Table 8, and many others.
I suppose this is all a warmup to my dinner this Saturday. I will be dining at Cut Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. I will be dining with my cousin and a couple friends. I am a huge carnivore and I love a very good steak and I will be looking forward to this meal. I try not to overhype or expect too much out of a restaurant because I've found that contributes to ruining your overall dining experience. I of course will be expecting a good dinner, but I will not set specific standards for the food or the service.
I'll post a picture... that's if I remember to take a picture.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Website
I apologize to my maybe 3 readers that I haven't updated my site in awhile. Honestly, I sometimes forget about it.
Anyway, I just want to let you guys know that my website is still under construction. I know, I know, it's been taking a long time but please be patient. In the meantime, please visit my flickr site for some samples
www.flickr.com/photos/austios
And please check back often for the launching of my site!!
-A.
Anyway, I just want to let you guys know that my website is still under construction. I know, I know, it's been taking a long time but please be patient. In the meantime, please visit my flickr site for some samples
www.flickr.com/photos/austios
And please check back often for the launching of my site!!
-A.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Gluttony
This past Sunday I made it to the last day of the LA County Fair.
The fair, or any county fair for that matter, is synonymous with gluttony. What else is there to do besides check out the demonstration, the petting zoo, the pig races, and play the carnival games? Eat, eat, and eat. Did I forget eating?
The food at the fair is usually pretty good. There's no denying it. I have my favorites and I also have discovered new delicacies each of the past 4 years I've gone. Well, the first 3 years I went to the Orange County Fair, which is basically the same thing.
So this year, I went expecting myself to eat quite a bit. Funny thing was I wasn't even very hungry when we showed up Sunday afternoon, but I knew once we got inside, that wasn't going to stop me.
I started out with BBQ corn, which they dip in melted butter and offer various seasonings to sprinkle on as well as things like vinegar and lemon juice. I sprinkled a little bit of lemon garlic powder and pepper on mine. I then shared a turkey leg with my friend, which meant that she took maybe 6 bites and gave me the rest, which I didn't have a problem with because I tore that thing up. I got it down all the way to the bone and left very little meat on it.
We moved on and made our way to Chicken Charlie's, where the fried chicken smelled so good but I wasn't totally in the mood for it, so I just got a deep fried twinkle and an order of deep fried oreos. I've had both before, but they were so good. I'm a little sad I didn't see deep fried love me tenders anywhere. A love me tender is a peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich. It was Elvis' favorite snack and is probably what sent him packing for Heaven, haha. Don't quote me on that. But I had them last year at the OC Fair and it was REALLY good.
We made our way into the Lifehouse concert and we all shared a basket of kettle chips.
Not for one moment did I feel full. I probably could have had another turkey leg and still not be full.
The fair, or any county fair for that matter, is synonymous with gluttony. What else is there to do besides check out the demonstration, the petting zoo, the pig races, and play the carnival games? Eat, eat, and eat. Did I forget eating?
The food at the fair is usually pretty good. There's no denying it. I have my favorites and I also have discovered new delicacies each of the past 4 years I've gone. Well, the first 3 years I went to the Orange County Fair, which is basically the same thing.
So this year, I went expecting myself to eat quite a bit. Funny thing was I wasn't even very hungry when we showed up Sunday afternoon, but I knew once we got inside, that wasn't going to stop me.
I started out with BBQ corn, which they dip in melted butter and offer various seasonings to sprinkle on as well as things like vinegar and lemon juice. I sprinkled a little bit of lemon garlic powder and pepper on mine. I then shared a turkey leg with my friend, which meant that she took maybe 6 bites and gave me the rest, which I didn't have a problem with because I tore that thing up. I got it down all the way to the bone and left very little meat on it.
We moved on and made our way to Chicken Charlie's, where the fried chicken smelled so good but I wasn't totally in the mood for it, so I just got a deep fried twinkle and an order of deep fried oreos. I've had both before, but they were so good. I'm a little sad I didn't see deep fried love me tenders anywhere. A love me tender is a peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich. It was Elvis' favorite snack and is probably what sent him packing for Heaven, haha. Don't quote me on that. But I had them last year at the OC Fair and it was REALLY good.
We made our way into the Lifehouse concert and we all shared a basket of kettle chips.
Not for one moment did I feel full. I probably could have had another turkey leg and still not be full.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Wedding Cakes
As a pastry chef, one of my favorite thing about weddings is the cake. I have a major sweet tooth and I'm always looking forward to diving in to something sweet after my meal.
I've had several people ask me if I do wedding cakes, as I do private catering. To that I promptly reply "no", going on to say that it's too much trouble to make a wedding cake from home. There are a few, however with my set up, it's a little harder. Plus I don't have the patience to make elaborate wedding cakes.
With as many weddings as I've been to in the past 9 months (which is still only 5), but overall over the years, I've had the opportunity to sample many cakes from various bakeries. I also always find myself asking where the cake is from. I guess its just so I know where to refer people if they are in that area.
Back in April, at Jeremy & Serena's wedding, I actually don't remember the cake nor do I have a photo, as I didn't bring my camera with me into the banquet. However, as a wedding photographer, Serena gets to see a lot of cakes and like it when she posts some photos up on either her website, flickr, or facebook profile and it includes the cake. I remember wen she shot Darren & Tiffany's wedding, their cake was very simple yet elegant, almost an art deco kind of design, and Serena said they got it from Porto's Bakery in Glendale. I did not know Porto's did wedding cakes...
And then last week was Eddie & Tina's wedding. I don't think I asked where they got the cake, but it was good
I suppose this is all a setup for Torrance Bakery. 2 of the weddings I've been this year have been from there and it by far has been my favorte wedding cake that I can remember. The cake is very moist, flavorful, not overly sweet, and the frosting is not too sweet either. They are decorated very beautifully as well
The first is my brother's cake. They got married back in April in Redondo Beach, so I assume that bakery was referred to them because it was near by. I want to say it was a green tea cake with I don't remember what frosting. I just remember the cake being very moist and delicious.
The 2nd cake was at my cousin's wedding in July. They got married in Palos Verdes, so I also assume Torrance Bakery was one of the bakeries that was referred to them. They got a half white, half red velvet cake. 2 of the tiers were white, the other 2 were red velvet. I was lucky and got a piece of red velvet. Again, very moist, flavorful, and wasn't overly sweet. Their cake was decorated more simpler, but still looked very beautiful.
I have a feeling when I get married (whenever that is), I will be wanting to get our cake from here....
I've had several people ask me if I do wedding cakes, as I do private catering. To that I promptly reply "no", going on to say that it's too much trouble to make a wedding cake from home. There are a few, however with my set up, it's a little harder. Plus I don't have the patience to make elaborate wedding cakes.
With as many weddings as I've been to in the past 9 months (which is still only 5), but overall over the years, I've had the opportunity to sample many cakes from various bakeries. I also always find myself asking where the cake is from. I guess its just so I know where to refer people if they are in that area.
Back in April, at Jeremy & Serena's wedding, I actually don't remember the cake nor do I have a photo, as I didn't bring my camera with me into the banquet. However, as a wedding photographer, Serena gets to see a lot of cakes and like it when she posts some photos up on either her website, flickr, or facebook profile and it includes the cake. I remember wen she shot Darren & Tiffany's wedding, their cake was very simple yet elegant, almost an art deco kind of design, and Serena said they got it from Porto's Bakery in Glendale. I did not know Porto's did wedding cakes...
And then last week was Eddie & Tina's wedding. I don't think I asked where they got the cake, but it was good
I suppose this is all a setup for Torrance Bakery. 2 of the weddings I've been this year have been from there and it by far has been my favorte wedding cake that I can remember. The cake is very moist, flavorful, not overly sweet, and the frosting is not too sweet either. They are decorated very beautifully as well
The first is my brother's cake. They got married back in April in Redondo Beach, so I assume that bakery was referred to them because it was near by. I want to say it was a green tea cake with I don't remember what frosting. I just remember the cake being very moist and delicious.
The 2nd cake was at my cousin's wedding in July. They got married in Palos Verdes, so I also assume Torrance Bakery was one of the bakeries that was referred to them. They got a half white, half red velvet cake. 2 of the tiers were white, the other 2 were red velvet. I was lucky and got a piece of red velvet. Again, very moist, flavorful, and wasn't overly sweet. Their cake was decorated more simpler, but still looked very beautiful.
I have a feeling when I get married (whenever that is), I will be wanting to get our cake from here....
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Coming Soon...
I know... I've been neglecting this blog for a couple months. I have a few things I should and want to share with you.
I'm actually on my way out, but I promise you some more "auditory" and visual food porn to come....
I'm actually on my way out, but I promise you some more "auditory" and visual food porn to come....
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Sacramento
I had the pleasure of visiting my friend up in Sacramento a couple weeks ago and my friend Kevin gave me a couple of restaurant recommendations while I was there. For a really good burger that rivals Fatburger, he told me to go to Ford's Real Hamburgers.
I got the half pound cheeseburger. Nothing fancy, just an all beef patty with 2 slices of cheese, lettuce and tomato on a bun. With a side of steak cut fries and a milkshake, it was good... definitely better than Fatburger.
Then the next day, for breakfast, Kevin lead me to Tower Cafe.
They had seriously the BEST french toast I've ever had. It was soft and delicate in the middle like bread pudding, but nicely toasted on the outside. I would go back to Sacramento just for this french toast.
On Wednesday when I went to Ford's, I spent the rest of the day walking around Downtown Sacramento and saw the Capitol Building. On Thursday when I went to Tower Cafe, I drove out to Napa Valley for some wine tasting and had a great time there. I definitely need to go to Napa again, next time with at least one other person, and spend more than an afternoon there.
I saw a place on FoodNetwork's "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" in Sacramento that I actually looked up but didn't have a chance to make it out to. It's called Squeeze Inn. They have a burger there with so much cheese, it melts and gets crispy on the griddle, it forms a skirt. Looks really good and I have to go there next time I'm up there in the area.
I got the half pound cheeseburger. Nothing fancy, just an all beef patty with 2 slices of cheese, lettuce and tomato on a bun. With a side of steak cut fries and a milkshake, it was good... definitely better than Fatburger.
Then the next day, for breakfast, Kevin lead me to Tower Cafe.
They had seriously the BEST french toast I've ever had. It was soft and delicate in the middle like bread pudding, but nicely toasted on the outside. I would go back to Sacramento just for this french toast.
On Wednesday when I went to Ford's, I spent the rest of the day walking around Downtown Sacramento and saw the Capitol Building. On Thursday when I went to Tower Cafe, I drove out to Napa Valley for some wine tasting and had a great time there. I definitely need to go to Napa again, next time with at least one other person, and spend more than an afternoon there.
I saw a place on FoodNetwork's "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" in Sacramento that I actually looked up but didn't have a chance to make it out to. It's called Squeeze Inn. They have a burger there with so much cheese, it melts and gets crispy on the griddle, it forms a skirt. Looks really good and I have to go there next time I'm up there in the area.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Nor Cal
I've been in Northern California all this week. Eaten at a couple places recommended by friends. Will post pictures when I get back.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Top Chef May 14th
For those of you who have been watching Top Chef, can you believe the drama going on?!?!?!
I mean oh my gosh, people do not like each other right now. Well, at least between Lisa, Dale, Spike, and Andrew. It's known that Dale & Lisa don't like each other, a few people don't like Andrew, and almost everybody doesn't like Spike. Spike is a little bitch and no matter what he or anybody says, I feel he used his win in the quickfire to indirectly sabotage eveybody else. But it was good to see the judges call him out for not making great use of the ingredients he used.
I think it was uncalled for Lisa to call Andrew out for not fulfilling all the rules. Granted that the judges criticisms that his dish lacked substance were valid, I was a little surprised he was picked to go home. But I guess it just goes to show that rules and rules and it's apparent the judges will take that over anything else.
Speaking of Lisa, I just don't like her. I think she's got a bad attitude and just looking at her whenever she's on judges table, she's got that "Why the F**K am I here?" look EVERY TIME. Tom was right in saying that no matter what, she needs to keep a better eye on her items. I say that because I've been told that before and it's true, someone else's doing or not, it's no excuse.
I just can't believe the drama going on and it'll be crazy to see it continue..
I mean oh my gosh, people do not like each other right now. Well, at least between Lisa, Dale, Spike, and Andrew. It's known that Dale & Lisa don't like each other, a few people don't like Andrew, and almost everybody doesn't like Spike. Spike is a little bitch and no matter what he or anybody says, I feel he used his win in the quickfire to indirectly sabotage eveybody else. But it was good to see the judges call him out for not making great use of the ingredients he used.
I think it was uncalled for Lisa to call Andrew out for not fulfilling all the rules. Granted that the judges criticisms that his dish lacked substance were valid, I was a little surprised he was picked to go home. But I guess it just goes to show that rules and rules and it's apparent the judges will take that over anything else.
Speaking of Lisa, I just don't like her. I think she's got a bad attitude and just looking at her whenever she's on judges table, she's got that "Why the F**K am I here?" look EVERY TIME. Tom was right in saying that no matter what, she needs to keep a better eye on her items. I say that because I've been told that before and it's true, someone else's doing or not, it's no excuse.
I just can't believe the drama going on and it'll be crazy to see it continue..
Sapphire
I had the chance to have lunch at a restaurant that I had no idea existed and went to on a recommendation from my mother. Yes, my mother. The restaurant is Sapphire Laguna Restaurant & Pantry in Laguna Beach.
I walk in and I'm greeted immediately by one of the 2 hostesses. Both seemed very upbeat and that they loved working there. As I was shown to my table, the hostess kindly asked me for my name. I suppose it was so they can make it seem more personable. She saw that I had my camera with me so she stated the obvious fact that it was such a nice day out to take photos. After she left, I was almost immediately approached by who I'm assume was the floor manager to take my beverage order. I got iced tea. My server returned with my iced tea and a little ceramic pitcher which contained simple syrup. A nice little change from the typical packets of sugar and sweeteners, which he brought as well. I still was looking over the menu and he went off to come back a couple minutes later.
A lot of the menu choices looked pretty decent, but nothing really seemed to stick out. Down at the bottom was where I saw the Kobe Burger with havarti cheese, caramelized onions and arugala. That seemed to be the only dish where all of the components I really liked and could have any meal. It came with a side of shoe string fries.
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The service here was pretty good. If you read some of my other reviews, you'll notice how much of a stickler I am for good service at a restaurant. Never did I ever have to ask for more iced tea and I seemed to have enough simple syrup to last me the several refills. My food came within a good time from being ordered and came open faced, with the top bun sitting along side the patty. The 2 slices of tomato staring right at me noticeably had salt on it, which tells me they season all components of their food. That's a good thing.
Again, everybody here seemed very nice. During my meal, my server came up twice to make sure everything was ok and to see if I needed anything, and even the executive chef went from table to table to see if everything was in order. It's good to see the executive chef take a moment to do something like that. And then after I finished my burger and fries and my plate had been cleared, the other hostess came up to talk to me because he thought she had seen me somewhere previously. I kindly corrected her but then we got to talking about how I'm in the industry and that most recently I was the pastry chef at Scott's Seafood in Costa Mesa. She excuse herself and as I was ordering dessert, my server asked me about Scott's and said he helped open the Costa Mesa location back in 1981. I'm saying all this because it wasn't like they were bugging me, but they were all nice and pleasant about it.
Anyway, dessert. I ended up ordering the warm Valrhona chocolate cake. Served with pistachio ice cream, chocolate sauce and caramel sauce. Again, nothing to really rave about but you can't really go wrong with a warm chocolate cake.
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I would definitely come back here again. On a nice day, it's perfect for lunch. I could imagine it'd get a little colder at night being right on PCH in Laguna Beach and I didn't take the time to notice any heat lamps. I'm sure they do.
A very pleasant restaurant considering it was on a relative whim.
I walk in and I'm greeted immediately by one of the 2 hostesses. Both seemed very upbeat and that they loved working there. As I was shown to my table, the hostess kindly asked me for my name. I suppose it was so they can make it seem more personable. She saw that I had my camera with me so she stated the obvious fact that it was such a nice day out to take photos. After she left, I was almost immediately approached by who I'm assume was the floor manager to take my beverage order. I got iced tea. My server returned with my iced tea and a little ceramic pitcher which contained simple syrup. A nice little change from the typical packets of sugar and sweeteners, which he brought as well. I still was looking over the menu and he went off to come back a couple minutes later.
A lot of the menu choices looked pretty decent, but nothing really seemed to stick out. Down at the bottom was where I saw the Kobe Burger with havarti cheese, caramelized onions and arugala. That seemed to be the only dish where all of the components I really liked and could have any meal. It came with a side of shoe string fries.
.jpg)
The service here was pretty good. If you read some of my other reviews, you'll notice how much of a stickler I am for good service at a restaurant. Never did I ever have to ask for more iced tea and I seemed to have enough simple syrup to last me the several refills. My food came within a good time from being ordered and came open faced, with the top bun sitting along side the patty. The 2 slices of tomato staring right at me noticeably had salt on it, which tells me they season all components of their food. That's a good thing.
Again, everybody here seemed very nice. During my meal, my server came up twice to make sure everything was ok and to see if I needed anything, and even the executive chef went from table to table to see if everything was in order. It's good to see the executive chef take a moment to do something like that. And then after I finished my burger and fries and my plate had been cleared, the other hostess came up to talk to me because he thought she had seen me somewhere previously. I kindly corrected her but then we got to talking about how I'm in the industry and that most recently I was the pastry chef at Scott's Seafood in Costa Mesa. She excuse herself and as I was ordering dessert, my server asked me about Scott's and said he helped open the Costa Mesa location back in 1981. I'm saying all this because it wasn't like they were bugging me, but they were all nice and pleasant about it.
Anyway, dessert. I ended up ordering the warm Valrhona chocolate cake. Served with pistachio ice cream, chocolate sauce and caramel sauce. Again, nothing to really rave about but you can't really go wrong with a warm chocolate cake.
.jpg)
I would definitely come back here again. On a nice day, it's perfect for lunch. I could imagine it'd get a little colder at night being right on PCH in Laguna Beach and I didn't take the time to notice any heat lamps. I'm sure they do.
A very pleasant restaurant considering it was on a relative whim.
Addiction
I used to have these maybe once or twice a month. Now I am up to twice or thrice a week.
And the funny thing is this is usually how I order and the exchange goes down:
me: "Venti passion fruit iced tea with melon syrup"
cashier (holding cup and sharpie): "Any sweetener with that?"
me (thinking 'is he/she deaf??'): "melon"
I think those high school and college students need to clean out their ears
And the funny thing is this is usually how I order and the exchange goes down:
me: "Venti passion fruit iced tea with melon syrup"
cashier (holding cup and sharpie): "Any sweetener with that?"
me (thinking 'is he/she deaf??'): "melon"
I think those high school and college students need to clean out their ears
Monday, May 12, 2008
Regular
Let me ask you folks: are you a regular at any restaurant? And I don't mean a regular in terms of you go there all the time, but a regular in terms of the people who work there know you.
I am a regular at Cafe Blanc in Costa Mesa. I believe I have mentioned about this place in previous posts, and I am just in love with it because it is exactly like the type of patisserie I want to open.
For those who don't know, Cafe Blanc is owned by Chef Tomi Harase. A well-mannered Japanese man in his 50s runs the kitchen and is helped by his lovely wife and who I'm assuming is his daughter, as well as 2 or 3 additional staff, all Japanese. His English isn't perfect and I sometimes have a hard time understanding what he's saying with his still heavy accent, but he is a very wonderful and genuine individual. I became a regular because over a period of maybe 3-4 months last year, I was going into his store once, sometimes twice, a week. I am the type of person when I find a restaurant I really like and/or I believe in the product or find a dish I REALLY like there, I am very loyal.
So now every time I go in, he always says hi from back in the kitchen and always comes out front to greet me again with a handshake. He knows I am also a chef and have worked at various restaurants. We usually just exchange small talk, but you speak with him for just 5 seconds and you'll immediately pick up on his kind character.
Anyway, my point. Lately, but not always, every time I go in to get several desserts to go, he has been generous enough to give me a complimentary item as a gesture of thanks for always coming in. For instance, the first time he gave me something for free was actually an item that he was soon to put on the menu. It was a coffee and hazelnut based dessert that is now called Volcano.
But throughout these months he has given me items such as macarons, cookies, chocolates, and just tonight when I went, he gave me a rather large croissant, bagging and holding it up, saying, "for breakfast tomorrow". I generously thanked him, made my purchase, and went on my way. I think one of the best parts is whenever I leave and the way he says bye:
"ok, thank you. See you next time. Have a good night, thank you. See you soon" - like he sort of repeats himself. It's funny.
As long as Cafe Blanc remains open, I will always be a loyal customer.
I am a regular at Cafe Blanc in Costa Mesa. I believe I have mentioned about this place in previous posts, and I am just in love with it because it is exactly like the type of patisserie I want to open.
For those who don't know, Cafe Blanc is owned by Chef Tomi Harase. A well-mannered Japanese man in his 50s runs the kitchen and is helped by his lovely wife and who I'm assuming is his daughter, as well as 2 or 3 additional staff, all Japanese. His English isn't perfect and I sometimes have a hard time understanding what he's saying with his still heavy accent, but he is a very wonderful and genuine individual. I became a regular because over a period of maybe 3-4 months last year, I was going into his store once, sometimes twice, a week. I am the type of person when I find a restaurant I really like and/or I believe in the product or find a dish I REALLY like there, I am very loyal.
So now every time I go in, he always says hi from back in the kitchen and always comes out front to greet me again with a handshake. He knows I am also a chef and have worked at various restaurants. We usually just exchange small talk, but you speak with him for just 5 seconds and you'll immediately pick up on his kind character.
Anyway, my point. Lately, but not always, every time I go in to get several desserts to go, he has been generous enough to give me a complimentary item as a gesture of thanks for always coming in. For instance, the first time he gave me something for free was actually an item that he was soon to put on the menu. It was a coffee and hazelnut based dessert that is now called Volcano.
But throughout these months he has given me items such as macarons, cookies, chocolates, and just tonight when I went, he gave me a rather large croissant, bagging and holding it up, saying, "for breakfast tomorrow". I generously thanked him, made my purchase, and went on my way. I think one of the best parts is whenever I leave and the way he says bye:
"ok, thank you. See you next time. Have a good night, thank you. See you soon" - like he sort of repeats himself. It's funny.
As long as Cafe Blanc remains open, I will always be a loyal customer.
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