Happy new year, everyone out there in the blog world. It is safe to say that 2013 was filled with moves on the career front, changes in my personal life, and discoveries in the culinary world that made the year quite memorable. I can only hope that 2014 will be full of unforgettable moments as well. Before we traverse across to the delicious things I've already eaten so far in the new year, I want to finish off a post from my birthday in November and a series of posts from my trip to Taiwan in July.
I had been eagerly anticipating the gigantic bowls of fresh fish, seafood and uni over rice for the longest time. My bowl, in particular, was stocked with both salmon and tuna, scallops and sea cucumber, fresh, boiled and salted sea urchin roe, salmon roe, and sweet Japanese tamago. It is a big, big, big bowl. Come hungry, and come early before the massive lunch crowd arrives. Thank you to Vickee, Kevin, and Brian for treating me out the entire weekend. Maruhide Uni Club was a great start to my 28th birthday. Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20131122
Showing posts with label scallops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scallops. Show all posts
Friday, January 3, 2014
Monday, February 11, 2013
Post 104: San Diego Restaurant Week - Marina Kitchen (SD: Marina/Harbor)
San Diego Restaurant Week, an increasingly popular showcase of the best restaurant menus in the Whale's Vagina, came around once again this past January. The week long event has been so frequented by both locals and tourists that it now happens twice a year. The last time I dined at a SDRW restaurant, I was a recent Triton graduate. Needless to say, it has been quite a while. It was due time for a visit.
Fellow Triton alum Angela and I decided to try out the menu at Marina Kitchen, which is located inside the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina right by the water. Marina Kitchen stood out the most because its menu was one of the few that did not feature roasted beets or miso marinated fish, both of which seemed to be on every other SDRW menu. For just 40 per person, we could piece together our own three course dinner. And for an additional 25, the sommelier put together wine pairings to complement each course. This is what we ordered.
Pre-course: Charcuterie. Bresaola, coppa la quercia, la quercia speck, shaft's bleu, truffle gouda.
This was not on the Restaurant Week dinner menu, but Angela and I have been looking for a meat and cheese platter that bests the charctuerie from Bow & Truss that we had last fall. Of the meats and cheeses available, the clear standout was the truffle gouda. It was so smooth, creamy, and buttery that we wanted to take some home. No joke.
Michael's first course: Sesame crusted seared ahi tuna. Uni sauce, chili oil, micro arugula.
Wine pairing: Paul Goerg Champagne Blanc de Blanc Brut. Champagne, France.
The crust was crisp. The tuna was tender. And the uni sauce was rich, creamy, and delicious. I was glad that there was such a disproportionately large pool of uni sauce on the plate because it was just begging to be lathered up.
Angela's first course: Bresiola carpaccio. Arugula, shaved toma, truffle oil.
Wine pairing: 2008 Biondi Etna Rosso Outis. Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy.
Michael's second course: Jidori chicken & black truffle pot pie. Leek and Yukon gold potatoes.
Wine pairing: 2010 Equis St. Joseph Syrah. Northern Rhone Valley, France.
I have loved pot pies since childhood, albeit it was usually the Marie Callender's pot pie that I loved until I came across the handmade pies from The Pie Hole, but I have cherished the compact little baked comfort food for quite some time. Seeing that Jidori chicken was being used only heightened my curiosity for what was inside the pie's crust. The black truffle was not as apparent in flavor, so perhaps a drizzle of warm truffle oil would have enhanced the taste. But I still really like the fresh leeks and earthy potatoes in the pot pie. The chef did a superb job at conveying a warm sense of comfort with the pie.
Angela's second course: Local seared diver scallops. Stinging nettle sauce, Jerusalem artichokes, crosnes.
Wine pairing: 2009 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Prelude. Margaret River, Western Australia.
When we were eating this I had no idea what nettles and crosnes were or what the difference was between a Jerusalem artichoke and the kind that is usually in my spinach dip. But whatever the chef used to make the sauce and to top off the scallops was delicious. Nettles, so I later found out, are those little screw like twists that somewhat resemble a mutilated escargot. The scallops were cooked perfectly too... seared but still rare in the center. It was an elaborate dish with a beautiful presentation... and it ended up being one of our favorite dishes of the meal.
Third course: Valrhona milk chocolate caramel candy bar. Guanduaja chocolate center, white chocolate ice cream.
Wine pairing: Ramos Pinto 10 year Tawny Port. Douro, Portugal.
Third course: Meyer lemon chiboust. Blood orange, milk chocolate.
Wine pairing: 2009 Donnafugata Ben Rye Late Harvest. Sicily, Italy.
We liked the white chocolate ice cream in the flower petal shaped cookie shell, and we liked the drops of blood orange too. The carpaccio was not bad, but it would have been better if there was more meat to shaved cheese ratio. At the end of the meal we still wanted to take the truffle gouda home. It was that good. The seared scallops and ahi tuna with uni sauce were definitely the highlights of the meal.
The next San Diego Restaurant Week will begin September 15 and will feature 180 restaurants. Without a doubt I will head back down to Daygo to try out some more restaurants. And I know food fanatic Angela will too. Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20130118
Fellow Triton alum Angela and I decided to try out the menu at Marina Kitchen, which is located inside the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina right by the water. Marina Kitchen stood out the most because its menu was one of the few that did not feature roasted beets or miso marinated fish, both of which seemed to be on every other SDRW menu. For just 40 per person, we could piece together our own three course dinner. And for an additional 25, the sommelier put together wine pairings to complement each course. This is what we ordered.
Pre-course: Charcuterie. Bresaola, coppa la quercia, la quercia speck, shaft's bleu, truffle gouda.
This was not on the Restaurant Week dinner menu, but Angela and I have been looking for a meat and cheese platter that bests the charctuerie from Bow & Truss that we had last fall. Of the meats and cheeses available, the clear standout was the truffle gouda. It was so smooth, creamy, and buttery that we wanted to take some home. No joke.
Michael's first course: Sesame crusted seared ahi tuna. Uni sauce, chili oil, micro arugula.
Wine pairing: Paul Goerg Champagne Blanc de Blanc Brut. Champagne, France.
The crust was crisp. The tuna was tender. And the uni sauce was rich, creamy, and delicious. I was glad that there was such a disproportionately large pool of uni sauce on the plate because it was just begging to be lathered up.
Angela's first course: Bresiola carpaccio. Arugula, shaved toma, truffle oil.
Wine pairing: 2008 Biondi Etna Rosso Outis. Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy.
Michael's second course: Jidori chicken & black truffle pot pie. Leek and Yukon gold potatoes.
Wine pairing: 2010 Equis St. Joseph Syrah. Northern Rhone Valley, France.
I have loved pot pies since childhood, albeit it was usually the Marie Callender's pot pie that I loved until I came across the handmade pies from The Pie Hole, but I have cherished the compact little baked comfort food for quite some time. Seeing that Jidori chicken was being used only heightened my curiosity for what was inside the pie's crust. The black truffle was not as apparent in flavor, so perhaps a drizzle of warm truffle oil would have enhanced the taste. But I still really like the fresh leeks and earthy potatoes in the pot pie. The chef did a superb job at conveying a warm sense of comfort with the pie.
Angela's second course: Local seared diver scallops. Stinging nettle sauce, Jerusalem artichokes, crosnes.
Wine pairing: 2009 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Prelude. Margaret River, Western Australia.
When we were eating this I had no idea what nettles and crosnes were or what the difference was between a Jerusalem artichoke and the kind that is usually in my spinach dip. But whatever the chef used to make the sauce and to top off the scallops was delicious. Nettles, so I later found out, are those little screw like twists that somewhat resemble a mutilated escargot. The scallops were cooked perfectly too... seared but still rare in the center. It was an elaborate dish with a beautiful presentation... and it ended up being one of our favorite dishes of the meal.
Third course: Valrhona milk chocolate caramel candy bar. Guanduaja chocolate center, white chocolate ice cream.
Wine pairing: Ramos Pinto 10 year Tawny Port. Douro, Portugal.
Third course: Meyer lemon chiboust. Blood orange, milk chocolate.
Wine pairing: 2009 Donnafugata Ben Rye Late Harvest. Sicily, Italy.
We liked the white chocolate ice cream in the flower petal shaped cookie shell, and we liked the drops of blood orange too. The carpaccio was not bad, but it would have been better if there was more meat to shaved cheese ratio. At the end of the meal we still wanted to take the truffle gouda home. It was that good. The seared scallops and ahi tuna with uni sauce were definitely the highlights of the meal.
The next San Diego Restaurant Week will begin September 15 and will feature 180 restaurants. Without a doubt I will head back down to Daygo to try out some more restaurants. And I know food fanatic Angela will too. Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20130118
Monday, November 12, 2012
Post 96: Two Times Quartino (Chicago: Near North Side)
In my very short trip in Chicago, most of which was spent in the suburbs by O' Hare Airport, I managed to come across Quartino twice. The first time was a planned dinner with an old friend. The second time was accidental... the result of a digestive walk after consuming Chicagoland staples on Ontario Street. Quartino, is a tapas restaurant, but one that specializes in Italian small plates rather than the traditional Spanish snacks. The menu is extensive, ranging from pizza to pasta to risotto. There is a section for salumi and formaggi, and three of the eight folds in the paper menu are dedicated to wine. Quartino was an ideal place to meet Jen, my friend from back home who had recently moved to the Windy City.
Whether sitting at the bar in the afternoon or settling down for dinner in the evening, the meat and cheese charcuterie is one that must be ordered. The full platter is of salumeria tasting is two selection of meat and cheese each, three spuntini, and an assortment of olives. The star of the salumi on the menu is definitely the house made duck proscuitto, a seasoned duck breast that is smooth and fatty, peppery and fragrant, vibrant and beautiful. Another highlight is the fontina val d'aosta, a cow's milk cheese that is creamy and soft, and perfectly spreadable over crusty bread.
And now we turn to the dishes we ordered for dinner the night before. The first thing we ordered was crisp calamari, which has become a must as an Italian appetizer. It was cut in wide curls, and it was so fresh. It was not overcooked to the point of tasting like a rubber band, just tender in the middle and slightly crisp from the breading on the outside. The lemon and organic tomato sauce only added to its freshness. It had to have been one of the best calamari plates I have ever had.
The next item we ordered was the sea scallops, grilled with beautiful sear impressions with a hint of lemon and caperberries. There are not too many ways to grill sea scallops, so I appreciated that the restaurant served them on a bed of vegetables and sliced peppers in a buttery sauce. The peppers gave a pleasant kick to an otherwise mild dish. It wasn't completely out of the ordinary, but it was just different enough to make this dish have its own personality.
When Jen and I saw that angus beef carpaccio was on the menu, we had to order it. Any carpaccio, tartare, or steak for that matter, is simply a favorite of mine. Topped with shaved celery, parmigiano reggiano and extra virgin olive oil, the dish was a perfect balance of savory protein, salty dairy, and light greens. I really liked that celery leaves were shaved along with the stalk. The celery leaves gave the dish a very clean taste. My only wish was that the cheese was grated as thin as the beef, but it was good nonetheless.
For a more substantial dish, we also ordered the roasted Tuscan sausage and peppers. It was the first truly meaty dish that was served during the meal. Even though the calamari and the scallops were hot dishes, the sausage and peppers were the first dish to make me feel warm. Thanks to this dish I had forgotten all about the elements in the Windy City. It was raining, and the wind was definitely blowing hard.
Of the four risotto dishes on the menu, we selected the mushroom risotto made with portobello, balsamic and pork stock. The risotto was creamy and hearty, cooked to just al dente. The comforting, hot food was a smart way to cap off the meal to make us feel full and satisfied.
Even though we were absolutely stuffed, we had to have dessert. Okay, so maybe I had to have dessert, and I conned Jen into joining me for dessert. First were the zeppole, freshly made Italian doughnuts that were like a cross between giant donut holes and mini cream puffs. They were dusted with powdered sugar on top and served with chocolate dipping sauce on the side. Chocolate, of course, made the deep fried ball of dough that much better.
We also got chocolate cake. What's wrong with us? Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs that night... maybe not just that night. The torta al cioccolato topped with vanilla gelato sealed the deal for the night. The hot chocolate cake melted the gelato too quickly, so I had no choice but to order another scoop. Jen looked at me like I was crazy, but a cold gelato must be eaten the proper way. I made sure to walk up and down the stairs to the bathroom a number of times to somehow stir up the digestion. I'm not sure it worked out the way I had thought.
It had been years since I had eaten with Jen, but it seemed like we made up for all the lost meals in one night. I was very glad that we were able to catch up while trying a variety of different Italian dishes all done tapas style. With all the food that we had ordered for two people, I was surprised that we didn't even order from the pizza or pasta section. That, I guess, will be saved for next time. It was good to see both Jen and Chicago again. Jen, come back and visit soon! Until the next business trip, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20121018-19
Whether sitting at the bar in the afternoon or settling down for dinner in the evening, the meat and cheese charcuterie is one that must be ordered. The full platter is of salumeria tasting is two selection of meat and cheese each, three spuntini, and an assortment of olives. The star of the salumi on the menu is definitely the house made duck proscuitto, a seasoned duck breast that is smooth and fatty, peppery and fragrant, vibrant and beautiful. Another highlight is the fontina val d'aosta, a cow's milk cheese that is creamy and soft, and perfectly spreadable over crusty bread.
And now we turn to the dishes we ordered for dinner the night before. The first thing we ordered was crisp calamari, which has become a must as an Italian appetizer. It was cut in wide curls, and it was so fresh. It was not overcooked to the point of tasting like a rubber band, just tender in the middle and slightly crisp from the breading on the outside. The lemon and organic tomato sauce only added to its freshness. It had to have been one of the best calamari plates I have ever had.
The next item we ordered was the sea scallops, grilled with beautiful sear impressions with a hint of lemon and caperberries. There are not too many ways to grill sea scallops, so I appreciated that the restaurant served them on a bed of vegetables and sliced peppers in a buttery sauce. The peppers gave a pleasant kick to an otherwise mild dish. It wasn't completely out of the ordinary, but it was just different enough to make this dish have its own personality.
When Jen and I saw that angus beef carpaccio was on the menu, we had to order it. Any carpaccio, tartare, or steak for that matter, is simply a favorite of mine. Topped with shaved celery, parmigiano reggiano and extra virgin olive oil, the dish was a perfect balance of savory protein, salty dairy, and light greens. I really liked that celery leaves were shaved along with the stalk. The celery leaves gave the dish a very clean taste. My only wish was that the cheese was grated as thin as the beef, but it was good nonetheless.
For a more substantial dish, we also ordered the roasted Tuscan sausage and peppers. It was the first truly meaty dish that was served during the meal. Even though the calamari and the scallops were hot dishes, the sausage and peppers were the first dish to make me feel warm. Thanks to this dish I had forgotten all about the elements in the Windy City. It was raining, and the wind was definitely blowing hard.
Of the four risotto dishes on the menu, we selected the mushroom risotto made with portobello, balsamic and pork stock. The risotto was creamy and hearty, cooked to just al dente. The comforting, hot food was a smart way to cap off the meal to make us feel full and satisfied.
Even though we were absolutely stuffed, we had to have dessert. Okay, so maybe I had to have dessert, and I conned Jen into joining me for dessert. First were the zeppole, freshly made Italian doughnuts that were like a cross between giant donut holes and mini cream puffs. They were dusted with powdered sugar on top and served with chocolate dipping sauce on the side. Chocolate, of course, made the deep fried ball of dough that much better.
We also got chocolate cake. What's wrong with us? Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs that night... maybe not just that night. The torta al cioccolato topped with vanilla gelato sealed the deal for the night. The hot chocolate cake melted the gelato too quickly, so I had no choice but to order another scoop. Jen looked at me like I was crazy, but a cold gelato must be eaten the proper way. I made sure to walk up and down the stairs to the bathroom a number of times to somehow stir up the digestion. I'm not sure it worked out the way I had thought.
It had been years since I had eaten with Jen, but it seemed like we made up for all the lost meals in one night. I was very glad that we were able to catch up while trying a variety of different Italian dishes all done tapas style. With all the food that we had ordered for two people, I was surprised that we didn't even order from the pizza or pasta section. That, I guess, will be saved for next time. It was good to see both Jen and Chicago again. Jen, come back and visit soon! Until the next business trip, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20121018-19
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Post 48: No Boos for Nobu (LA: West Hollywood)
I bought a Gilt City certificate for Nobu a while back, and since it was about to expire, it was finally time to make a reservation. Procrastination... isn't that how we all do it?
So Allie and I went to West Hollywood to check out world-renowned, eponymous chef Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurant Nobu. The Gilt certificate treated the two of us to four tapas style plates and two drinks each. Dessert was not included, but of course, we caved into the demands of our sweet tooth.
Here's what we ordered:
Shiso Asahi and cucumber martini
A cold beer is simply great. But throw in the fragrance of shiso leaves that permeate through the crispness of the bubbly Japanese alcohol, and your simple cold beer becomes a truly refreshing beverage. The combination is as beautiful as the pairing of mint and chocolate chip ice cream. It's cold. It's sweet. The green waltzes across your tongue. It's calmly exotic. Pour me another, please.
Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño
Yuzu, soy, jalapeño
The combination of soy with an Asian citrus and a Latino pepper produces a great blend of salty, sour, spicy flavors. But the flavor may have had too much strength for the delicate yellowtail. I like to know that the sashimi is fresh when I bite into it, but the sauce almost drowns out the natural freshness of the yellowtail. Perhaps if the ingredients were separated upon serving, it would be easier to control the desired amount of sauce, japaleño and garnish. Personalization... who doesn't love that?
Oysters with Nobu sauces
Nobu salsa, Maui onion salsa, ponzu
Whenever I encounter a raw oyster, I feel like I am holding a newborn for the first time. It look so squishy, and I'm afraid liquid will gush out if put too much pressure on it. A part of me doesn't want to touch it at all because... well, it looks gross. The liquid surrounding the raw oyster is like the saliva that pools up around the baby's mouth. Ew. But once the fear has been overcome, whether it's swallowing the oyster or holding the fragile infant, the reward is tremendous. It's a newfound love connection. Three oysters between the two of us... sorry Allie, but I'm holding onto the last one.
Lobster sashimi tacos
Wasabi aioli, tomatillo salsa in wonton shells
I've had lobster sashimi before, and I'll tell you right now that soy sauce and wasabi alone cannot mask the intimidation that is a piece of lobster sashimi. But drizzle wasabi aioli and tomatillo salsa over the piece of uncooked crustacean and wrap it with something deep fried and crispy, and the lobster becomes nothing more than a piece of shrimp cocktail. The citrus from the lemon brings the flavor the creamy spiciness of the aioli and salsa forward, which really tops off the taco. If there's one way to have lobster sashimi, this is it.
Wagyu tacos
Aji amarillo, spicy cilantro in wonton shells
To yin out the yang of the lobster tacos, we ordered the wagyu beef tacos. Whereas the sauce stood out in the lobster tacos, the beef really shined here. It was marinated and seasoned right, and the flavor was strong but not salty. In just one bite, it was easy to tell that the filling was made with beef and that the beef was done right. The lime and the cilantro cut whatever grease happened to be there. The wonton shells cracked under the pressure of excitement, which led to beef and sauce getting all over my hands. But hey, that was just another excuse to lick my fingers.
Wagyu and foie gras gyozas
Ginger, megi, scallions with orange ginger den miso and jalapeño ponzu
If you can imagine a fatty meat mixed with another fatty substance, wrapped in a layer of carbs and then fried to a crisp, you're imaging Nobu's wagyu and foie gras gyozas. This is the higher end version of the deep fried butter from the county fair. Fat fried in more fat... mmmmm. Shivers. The gyozas, although delicious, hung in purgatorial limbo. I couldn't tell whether I liked the filling or the gyoza skin more or whether I prefered the ginger miso or the jalapeño ponzu. Shrug. I'm guessing that's why both sauces are provided with the overstuffed gyozas. You can nom and dip repeatedly until you make up your mind. But it was hard to make up my mind... bring on more gyozas please.
Scallops truffle panko crust
Panko crust, sauteed mushrooms and mizuna, yuzu truffle butter
The scallops dish was the first course that didn't feel like just a small tapas plate. The scallops were delicate but robust from the panko and truffle combination. The mushrooms were hearty and provided more substance for the stomach. And the peppery mizuna, reminiscent of arugula, cleansed the palate from the buttery truffle and the truffly butter. Compared to the previous dishes, this was like a full entree. Allie liked this dish so much that we ordered another; it was the only dish that we ordered seconds of.
Foie gras and crispy soba
Shredded daikon, sugar snap peas, aji amarillo with soba crackers
More foie gras? Can't stray from a favorite. By this point in the meal, Allie and I were both rolling from how unbelievably full we were... but no matter because there was still the fat-bursting taste of foie gras to consume. And although the foie gras was prepared perfectly, what really held my attention was the daikon that trapped the fatty oil and sauce within its hairlike strands. It was as if prey had been entangled in the tentacles of a giant King Kong octopus... and devour was the only verb that the octopus understood. Muahahaha... the analogy only works if you think you are the octopus.
New tiramisu
Tipsy coffee sponge, tiramisu gelato, frozen chocolate, kinako powder, Thai coffee drip
Asian inspired tiramisu? No, this new tiramisu is not from JJ Bakery. It's from Matsuhisa-san's restaurant, and it is the ultimate example of a deconstructed dessert. The new tiramisu looked like a house before construction... the coffee sponge, substituted for lady fingers, provided the foundation for the building... the frozen chocolate was the concrete; only it was better tasting and not as hard... the kinako powder, made from soybeans, could be thought of as the insulation for the house. It was a little chalky, so it was probably best that we didn't breathe it in. And the roof? There was no roof. There was only tiramisu gelato. Sips of the Thai coffee in between each spoonful of tiramisu made me appreciate the dessert even more. Forget the roof. This dessert went through the roof. Let it rain Thai coffee over the house.
We also ordered a second dessert called the Cebu kamameshi, and it came in a metal cauldron that was cooked over an open flame. It was filled with vanilla flavored risotto, purple yam ice cream, purple yam pieces, mochi pearls, and soba pop crunch. Although the ingredients and presentation gave it a bit of avant-garde appeal, it was simply not cooked to its full potential. The texture of the risotto tasted like stale Rice Krispies; but had it been cooked down to its meant-to-be-softness, the dish would have been tops. The dessert was sweet... but naturally sweet. Sweet from the roots of purple yam and vanilla rather than sweet from syrups, sugar, and chocolate. If it wasn't for the cardboard risotto, the kamameshi would have been extremely addicting.
So no boos for Nobu. The food was tasty, and the service was attentive al dente. We could tell that our server had a true passion for food, possibly just as much as passion that was conveyed on our plates by the master chefs in the kitchen. Between the yellowtail and the kamameshi, Allie and I became slightly intoxicated... but from the food more so than the wine. Oh, did I mention we had a couple of glasses of wine? Nobu is a bit pricey, but the food and drinks make it worth the visit. We will return! We hear they have great happy hour...
Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20110122
So Allie and I went to West Hollywood to check out world-renowned, eponymous chef Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurant Nobu. The Gilt certificate treated the two of us to four tapas style plates and two drinks each. Dessert was not included, but of course, we caved into the demands of our sweet tooth.
Here's what we ordered:
A cold beer is simply great. But throw in the fragrance of shiso leaves that permeate through the crispness of the bubbly Japanese alcohol, and your simple cold beer becomes a truly refreshing beverage. The combination is as beautiful as the pairing of mint and chocolate chip ice cream. It's cold. It's sweet. The green waltzes across your tongue. It's calmly exotic. Pour me another, please.
Yuzu, soy, jalapeño
The combination of soy with an Asian citrus and a Latino pepper produces a great blend of salty, sour, spicy flavors. But the flavor may have had too much strength for the delicate yellowtail. I like to know that the sashimi is fresh when I bite into it, but the sauce almost drowns out the natural freshness of the yellowtail. Perhaps if the ingredients were separated upon serving, it would be easier to control the desired amount of sauce, japaleño and garnish. Personalization... who doesn't love that?
Nobu salsa, Maui onion salsa, ponzu
Whenever I encounter a raw oyster, I feel like I am holding a newborn for the first time. It look so squishy, and I'm afraid liquid will gush out if put too much pressure on it. A part of me doesn't want to touch it at all because... well, it looks gross. The liquid surrounding the raw oyster is like the saliva that pools up around the baby's mouth. Ew. But once the fear has been overcome, whether it's swallowing the oyster or holding the fragile infant, the reward is tremendous. It's a newfound love connection. Three oysters between the two of us... sorry Allie, but I'm holding onto the last one.
Lobster sashimi tacos
Wasabi aioli, tomatillo salsa in wonton shells
I've had lobster sashimi before, and I'll tell you right now that soy sauce and wasabi alone cannot mask the intimidation that is a piece of lobster sashimi. But drizzle wasabi aioli and tomatillo salsa over the piece of uncooked crustacean and wrap it with something deep fried and crispy, and the lobster becomes nothing more than a piece of shrimp cocktail. The citrus from the lemon brings the flavor the creamy spiciness of the aioli and salsa forward, which really tops off the taco. If there's one way to have lobster sashimi, this is it.
Wagyu tacos
Aji amarillo, spicy cilantro in wonton shells
To yin out the yang of the lobster tacos, we ordered the wagyu beef tacos. Whereas the sauce stood out in the lobster tacos, the beef really shined here. It was marinated and seasoned right, and the flavor was strong but not salty. In just one bite, it was easy to tell that the filling was made with beef and that the beef was done right. The lime and the cilantro cut whatever grease happened to be there. The wonton shells cracked under the pressure of excitement, which led to beef and sauce getting all over my hands. But hey, that was just another excuse to lick my fingers.
Wagyu and foie gras gyozas
Ginger, megi, scallions with orange ginger den miso and jalapeño ponzu
If you can imagine a fatty meat mixed with another fatty substance, wrapped in a layer of carbs and then fried to a crisp, you're imaging Nobu's wagyu and foie gras gyozas. This is the higher end version of the deep fried butter from the county fair. Fat fried in more fat... mmmmm. Shivers. The gyozas, although delicious, hung in purgatorial limbo. I couldn't tell whether I liked the filling or the gyoza skin more or whether I prefered the ginger miso or the jalapeño ponzu. Shrug. I'm guessing that's why both sauces are provided with the overstuffed gyozas. You can nom and dip repeatedly until you make up your mind. But it was hard to make up my mind... bring on more gyozas please.
Panko crust, sauteed mushrooms and mizuna, yuzu truffle butter
The scallops dish was the first course that didn't feel like just a small tapas plate. The scallops were delicate but robust from the panko and truffle combination. The mushrooms were hearty and provided more substance for the stomach. And the peppery mizuna, reminiscent of arugula, cleansed the palate from the buttery truffle and the truffly butter. Compared to the previous dishes, this was like a full entree. Allie liked this dish so much that we ordered another; it was the only dish that we ordered seconds of.
Shredded daikon, sugar snap peas, aji amarillo with soba crackers
More foie gras? Can't stray from a favorite. By this point in the meal, Allie and I were both rolling from how unbelievably full we were... but no matter because there was still the fat-bursting taste of foie gras to consume. And although the foie gras was prepared perfectly, what really held my attention was the daikon that trapped the fatty oil and sauce within its hairlike strands. It was as if prey had been entangled in the tentacles of a giant King Kong octopus... and devour was the only verb that the octopus understood. Muahahaha... the analogy only works if you think you are the octopus.
New tiramisu
Tipsy coffee sponge, tiramisu gelato, frozen chocolate, kinako powder, Thai coffee drip
Asian inspired tiramisu? No, this new tiramisu is not from JJ Bakery. It's from Matsuhisa-san's restaurant, and it is the ultimate example of a deconstructed dessert. The new tiramisu looked like a house before construction... the coffee sponge, substituted for lady fingers, provided the foundation for the building... the frozen chocolate was the concrete; only it was better tasting and not as hard... the kinako powder, made from soybeans, could be thought of as the insulation for the house. It was a little chalky, so it was probably best that we didn't breathe it in. And the roof? There was no roof. There was only tiramisu gelato. Sips of the Thai coffee in between each spoonful of tiramisu made me appreciate the dessert even more. Forget the roof. This dessert went through the roof. Let it rain Thai coffee over the house.
We also ordered a second dessert called the Cebu kamameshi, and it came in a metal cauldron that was cooked over an open flame. It was filled with vanilla flavored risotto, purple yam ice cream, purple yam pieces, mochi pearls, and soba pop crunch. Although the ingredients and presentation gave it a bit of avant-garde appeal, it was simply not cooked to its full potential. The texture of the risotto tasted like stale Rice Krispies; but had it been cooked down to its meant-to-be-softness, the dish would have been tops. The dessert was sweet... but naturally sweet. Sweet from the roots of purple yam and vanilla rather than sweet from syrups, sugar, and chocolate. If it wasn't for the cardboard risotto, the kamameshi would have been extremely addicting.
So no boos for Nobu. The food was tasty, and the service was attentive al dente. We could tell that our server had a true passion for food, possibly just as much as passion that was conveyed on our plates by the master chefs in the kitchen. Between the yellowtail and the kamameshi, Allie and I became slightly intoxicated... but from the food more so than the wine. Oh, did I mention we had a couple of glasses of wine? Nobu is a bit pricey, but the food and drinks make it worth the visit. We will return! We hear they have great happy hour...
Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20110122
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Post 25.5: Welcome to Seattle - Day 1, Part 2
continuation from from Post 25.2...
Our journey through Seattle takes us to the area around Pike's Place Market. Our journey in numbers:
5
The number of dollars it costs per person for wine tasting (and food pairing) at La Buona Tavola, a small shop with everything from wine to pasta to truffle salts, truffle oils, and truffle creams galore. Duke and I had a red wine tasting; Connie and Diana chose some sweeter whites. Totally worth it.
You can read Duke's post on our wine tasting experience here.
4
The bowls of chowder we ordered from the highly recommended Pike Place Chowder. One cup each of (clockwise from top left) traditional clam chowder, shrimp and crab clear chowder (special of the day), scallop chowder, and Manhattan chowder. The scallop chowder had a hint of lemon, and it complemented the dill very well. We came back here again before our flight back to LA.
See which chowder Duke likes, and view higher resolution pictures from his post here.
3
The cups of coffee we (we as in Connie, Diana and Duke) drank from the original Starbucks location. The line to order (not to the mention the line just to get into the store) looked more like the branches that hang off of the tree that produces coffee beans. Super touristy. Yes, we were super tourists. Along with their coffee purchases, they also rang up a bill for Starbucks coffee mugs.
One of the baristas attempted to engage the tourists in conversation. "How many of y'all are from America?" (a few scattered whoops and shouts). Then, "how many of y'all are from overseas?" (silence... then nervous laughter from the crowd). I don't think the non-American tourists quite understood her. =\
2
Too much cheese! Also, the number of cheese-filled items we tasted from Beecher's Handmade Cheese, a cheese shop that not only serves cheese-infused food but makes their cheese in-house too. They claim that they have the world's best mac & cheese, but I think Duke and I agree... we've have better. However, the panini-style grilled cheese sandwich was to die for.
There's more of the cheese-making process in Duke's post here.
1
Gyro cut into four sections from Falafel King. And one conversation with the store employees about where their homeland of Eritrea is.
Me: So where is Eritrea exactly?
Employee: You know Ethiopia?
Me: Yeah.
Employee: Okay, right next to Ethiopia.
Me: (pointing at the employee's small map of Africa) Here?
Employee: (flips it in the opposite direction) HERE.
Read Duke's post about our pit-stop at Falafel King here.
And those were our daytime activities for our first day in Seattle. The next post will show of the loot I brought back from Pike's Place. Until then...
ML - 20100709/20100529
Our journey through Seattle takes us to the area around Pike's Place Market. Our journey in numbers:
A lesson in truffle oils.
Connie gets a whiff of the buttery essence of the truffle.
5
The number of dollars it costs per person for wine tasting (and food pairing) at La Buona Tavola, a small shop with everything from wine to pasta to truffle salts, truffle oils, and truffle creams galore. Duke and I had a red wine tasting; Connie and Diana chose some sweeter whites. Totally worth it.
Is the glass half empty or half full?
Well, really it's one-tenth... but who's counting?
You can read Duke's post on our wine tasting experience here.
The house that chowder built.
Small store, little space... but big chowder taste.
The bowls of chowder we ordered from the highly recommended Pike Place Chowder. One cup each of (clockwise from top left) traditional clam chowder, shrimp and crab clear chowder (special of the day), scallop chowder, and Manhattan chowder. The scallop chowder had a hint of lemon, and it complemented the dill very well. We came back here again before our flight back to LA.
See which chowder Duke likes, and view higher resolution pictures from his post here.
Est. 1971.
The company has since gone public but has adopted a more private logo... ifyaknowatimsayin.
The cups of coffee we (we as in Connie, Diana and Duke) drank from the original Starbucks location. The line to order (not to the mention the line just to get into the store) looked more like the branches that hang off of the tree that produces coffee beans. Super touristy. Yes, we were super tourists. Along with their coffee purchases, they also rang up a bill for Starbucks coffee mugs.
Smelly cat?
We learned that the storefront performers share the space with each other.
Too much cheese! Also, the number of cheese-filled items we tasted from Beecher's Handmade Cheese, a cheese shop that not only serves cheese-infused food but makes their cheese in-house too. They claim that they have the world's best mac & cheese, but I think Duke and I agree... we've have better. However, the panini-style grilled cheese sandwich was to die for.
Duo of dairy.
The best grilled cheese sandwich and a so-so mac & cheese.
There's more of the cheese-making process in Duke's post here.
The falafel princess.
A very shy falafel maker attempts to hide from me while another prepares with zest.
1
Gyro cut into four sections from Falafel King. And one conversation with the store employees about where their homeland of Eritrea is.
Me: So where is Eritrea exactly?
Employee: You know Ethiopia?
Me: Yeah.
Employee: Okay, right next to Ethiopia.
Me: (pointing at the employee's small map of Africa) Here?
Employee: (flips it in the opposite direction) HERE.
How can we split this? The knife was dull, but we managed.
It was tough to see the meat under there, but the meat was far from tough.
Read Duke's post about our pit-stop at Falafel King here.
And those were our daytime activities for our first day in Seattle. The next post will show of the loot I brought back from Pike's Place. Until then...
ML - 20100709/20100529
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Post 25.2: Welcome to Seattle - Day 1, Part 1
Welcome to Seattle!
The friendly taxi driver who took us from Sea-Tac Airport into downtown exuded a warmth that the temperature lacked. He was welcoming and friendly. (The cabbie on the way back was a different story.) The taxi driver did think I was Korean, but that's probably due to a number of reasons:
(1) The cabbie said that Koreans were the predominant Asian in the Seattle area... did he forget about how Chinese people are everywhere?
(2) He said he really can't tell the difference between Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc. Okay, completely understandable... Indian? Pakistani? Sri Lankan? Uh... sorry to say, but I can't tell the difference either.
(3) He could probably smell the kimchi coming from my sweat... it's probably my constant craving for haemul pajeon that triggered that olfactory sense.
No matter, the cabbie was cool. We even negotiated a $40 flat rate (the meter was higher) from Sea-Tac to the Westin. Thanks for the ride, man. He set a positive tone early on for the trip.
Inside the cab. Downtown Seattle from the freeway.
See the green aligning the road. Clean air for all.
So where to? Pike's Place Market, of course. That was the one place that we all (Connie, Diana, Duke) wanted to hit up. And I can tell ya... we spent quite a bit of time there.
Here's our morning and early afternoon of day 1 at Pike's:
The public market.
Formerly used as a basic trade center... now called Pike's Place.
All quiet on the western front. A peaceful walk down to the entrance.
The body of water behind the market leads to the Pacific.
First bites in Seattle.
The goodies from Le Panier provided some fuel for the trek through Pike's.
Garden or market? Bundles of bouquets line the east side of Pike's.
Cheery cherries. Chukar Cherries offers a wide array of chocolate-covered cherries.
Fresh produce, of course!
An eclectic recipe for Brussels sprouts here.
A refreshing respite.
Doing a little bit of people watching as we trek on to the second half of the market.
Super shellfish. The scallops were almost about the size of my fists!
Pike's Place Fish Market.
A crowd gathers to watch the famous fish fly.
The goods. It's all about the salmon here.
Not only produce and seafood. But... internal organs of poultry too?
A small Japanese corner shop sold some deliciously crispy chicken hearts.
Endless aisles of everything. Can you spot Duke?
A mountain of cheeses.
A culinary conoisseur's dream. A lactose intolerant's nightmare.
Petting the Pike's pig.
Depositing some coins into the life-sized piggy bank.
A glimpse of the group.
Crouched down low now... see how high we can jump later.
There it is! One of the most photographed sights in Seattle.
A slew of people and a ton of cars crowd the main entrance.
Leaving the market we all decided to make at least one more stop here before we left Seattle. There was too much, really, too much stuff inside the market to go through in just one morning. It was just a little past noon, but it was time to find Pike's Place Chowder, the spot where locals say supposedly has the best chowder in all of Seattle.
To be continued in the next post...
ML - 20100625/20100529
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