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 sea urchin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sea urchin. Show all posts
Friday, January 3, 2014
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
160. Please Experience the Softness of Kakuni Pork at Tsujita LA (West LA: Sawtelle)
Grace and I stopped by Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle for their ever popular tsukemen for dinner, but we found out that this main location serves the famous noodles only during the lunch rush. We were not the only guests that were met with this unexpected news... but while everyone else crossed the street over to Tsujita Annex where the ramen is served during dinner, the two of us stayed to explore the evening menu.
The uni tempura with matcha sea salt combined some of my favorite Japanese ingredients with an adored method of preparation. For this dish, a shiso leaf is dipped into tempura batter on one side only and deep fried to an unbelievable crisp. Next, luxuriously creamy pieces of fresh sea urchin roe top the delicate and crunchy shiso. Finally, sea salt blended with traditional green tea powder is sprinkled over the top. The sea urchin itself is not actually cooked, thankfully, because only raw uni is ever so rich and creamy. This uni tempura is unforgettable and must be ordered.
Since it was promised to be super fresh, we also got the sea urchin in uni shooter form. Hidden under the cover of quail egg and green onion was fresh urchin with ponzu sauce. It was cleverly presented, but it isn't my preferred way to savor fresh uni.
Okay, hold onto your chopsticks. The one dish that Grace and I could not stop fawning over was the pork kakuni plate. It is basically a cube of fatty pork belly that is slowly stewed in soy and sauce along with other spices until the fat renders down and infuses itself back into the meat. The menu suggests to "please experience the softness," which is exactly what we did. When we tried to break off pieces of it to eat over the rice, the sinews of the pork pulled apart the way melted cheese would on a pizza. It was juicy beyond comprehension, succulent beyond compare, and tender beyond all possibility. It melts in your mouth. It really melts. You barely have to chew.
The eggs and greens are a nice addition, but they pale in comparison to the pork. Because the pork is so fatty, the greens perhaps may have been better served outside of the sugary soy sauce... and to really complement the supple texture of the pork, a soft boiled egg with the orgasmic runny yolk would have been a wise choice. But forget about the sidekicks. The star is the soft kakuni pork. I don't even recall picking up the miso soup.
While it isn't something many would think to order, the handmade tofu with green onions and grated ginger is highly recommended as well. Anytime tofu or cheese is made my hand, there is extra depth to the flavor possibly due to the naturally imperfect textures of the curd. It tastes much fresher and less processed. But who wants tofu when you can have delicious pork belly? It's not to be missed. Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle
2057 Sawtelle Blvd.
Sawtelle, West LA
Los Angeles, CA 90025
ML - 20131017
The uni tempura with matcha sea salt combined some of my favorite Japanese ingredients with an adored method of preparation. For this dish, a shiso leaf is dipped into tempura batter on one side only and deep fried to an unbelievable crisp. Next, luxuriously creamy pieces of fresh sea urchin roe top the delicate and crunchy shiso. Finally, sea salt blended with traditional green tea powder is sprinkled over the top. The sea urchin itself is not actually cooked, thankfully, because only raw uni is ever so rich and creamy. This uni tempura is unforgettable and must be ordered.
Since it was promised to be super fresh, we also got the sea urchin in uni shooter form. Hidden under the cover of quail egg and green onion was fresh urchin with ponzu sauce. It was cleverly presented, but it isn't my preferred way to savor fresh uni.
Okay, hold onto your chopsticks. The one dish that Grace and I could not stop fawning over was the pork kakuni plate. It is basically a cube of fatty pork belly that is slowly stewed in soy and sauce along with other spices until the fat renders down and infuses itself back into the meat. The menu suggests to "please experience the softness," which is exactly what we did. When we tried to break off pieces of it to eat over the rice, the sinews of the pork pulled apart the way melted cheese would on a pizza. It was juicy beyond comprehension, succulent beyond compare, and tender beyond all possibility. It melts in your mouth. It really melts. You barely have to chew.
The eggs and greens are a nice addition, but they pale in comparison to the pork. Because the pork is so fatty, the greens perhaps may have been better served outside of the sugary soy sauce... and to really complement the supple texture of the pork, a soft boiled egg with the orgasmic runny yolk would have been a wise choice. But forget about the sidekicks. The star is the soft kakuni pork. I don't even recall picking up the miso soup.
While it isn't something many would think to order, the handmade tofu with green onions and grated ginger is highly recommended as well. Anytime tofu or cheese is made my hand, there is extra depth to the flavor possibly due to the naturally imperfect textures of the curd. It tastes much fresher and less processed. But who wants tofu when you can have delicious pork belly? It's not to be missed. Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle
2057 Sawtelle Blvd.
Sawtelle, West LA
Los Angeles, CA 90025
ML - 20131017
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
140. Tokyo - Tsukiji Outer Market: Early Breakfast at Bentomi Sushi / 寿司弁富 (Tokyo: Chuo-ku, Tsukiji / 東京都: 中央區, 築地)
Immediately following the tour of the tuna action, Ken and I went on a hunt for authentic Japanese rice and fish. With the long lines at some of the most popular sushi restaurants, we selected a relatively busy spot that looked more traditional based on the lack of English and just a bit of racial profiling. The menu at this spot featured Edo style sushi as well as donburi (丼), which is basically rice in a bowl with food covering it. Thinking about Yoshinoya? Yup, those beef bowls are also considered donburi.
We each got donburi bowls filled with fresh tuna sashimi and other fish, seafood, and assorted deliciousness. There were at least two grades of tuna, including both the more common maguro (マグロ) and the more fatty toro (トロ).
Mine consisted predominately of sea urchin (uni / うに), which is a personal favorite. The freshness of the seafood was pretty much guaranteed considering that many of the restaurants from the Tsukiji Outer Market purchase their products directly from the wholesalers in the Inner Market.
Even the egg (tamago / 卵) was freshly made. It could almost be described as buttery smooth even though I can almost guarantee that there was no butter used in the preparation.
I still could not believe that Ken and I were having sashimi for breakfast. It was not even 7:00 in the morning yet. This meal was definitely one of the highlights of my time in Tokyo. Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
寿司弁富 / Bentomi Sushi
築地中央卸売市場内 8号棟/ Tsukiji Market Central Wholesale Building no. 8
東京都 中央區 / Tokyo Metropolis, Chuo Ward
築地 5-2-1-8-4 / Tsukiji District, 5 Chome 2-1-8-4
Bentomi opens at 5:00 a.m. every morning, and they are closed on Sunday. For more pictures of our breakfast bowls, check out my Flickr set here.
ML - 20130628
We each got donburi bowls filled with fresh tuna sashimi and other fish, seafood, and assorted deliciousness. There were at least two grades of tuna, including both the more common maguro (マグロ) and the more fatty toro (トロ).
Mine consisted predominately of sea urchin (uni / うに), which is a personal favorite. The freshness of the seafood was pretty much guaranteed considering that many of the restaurants from the Tsukiji Outer Market purchase their products directly from the wholesalers in the Inner Market.
Even the egg (tamago / 卵) was freshly made. It could almost be described as buttery smooth even though I can almost guarantee that there was no butter used in the preparation.
I still could not believe that Ken and I were having sashimi for breakfast. It was not even 7:00 in the morning yet. This meal was definitely one of the highlights of my time in Tokyo. Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
寿司弁富 / Bentomi Sushi
築地中央卸売市場内 8号棟/ Tsukiji Market Central Wholesale Building no. 8
東京都 中央區 / Tokyo Metropolis, Chuo Ward
築地 5-2-1-8-4 / Tsukiji District, 5 Chome 2-1-8-4
Bentomi opens at 5:00 a.m. every morning, and they are closed on Sunday. For more pictures of our breakfast bowls, check out my Flickr set here.
ML - 20130628
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
123. The Savory Uni Goma Tofu from Aburiya Toranoko (LA: Downtown/Little Tokyo)
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Uni goma tofu, wedges of sea urchin roe laid out ever so carefully across a perfectly square cube of tofu made of ground sesame, is served in a fist sized teacup with a puddle of sexy soy sauce at the bottom. It is the star of the Toranoko menu, and it wowed upon first and every subsequent bite. The tofu is savory... it is smooth... and it is packed with sesame flavor. Cutting into it with your spoon is like diving into a savory custard or firm pudding. It is almost flan-like, and you can savor it by swirling it over the waves of your tongue over and over again until the very last bite. It is the most recent amazing-delicious moment that I have had, and I must have more. Made in house by the chefs themselves, it is something that everyone who is a fan of Japanese food should taste.
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Other items that we ordered include the tsukune burger made with chicken meatballs and topped with bacon, the succulent braised buta kakuni, and the squid ink and clams risotto. A few Toranoko crafted cocktails, such as the shiso leaf martini, can round out your experience here in this dimly lit social gathering spot.
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Special thanks goes out to Mr. Ken Lee and his brother John for entertaining that night and introducing me to the very gracious restaurant management. Until the next amazing-delicious moment, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
Read Jonathan Gold's First Bite of the uni goma tofu from Aburiya Toranoko here.
ML - 20130402
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Post 72.1: Taipei - Wrapping Up Two Weeks in Taiwan, Part One
I ate so much during my two weeks in Taipei that I could write one post about each meal per week for an entire year, and I wouldn't even be finished. But since there's a huge backlog of meals from this year that need major attention, it's time for a Cliff's Notes version of my Taipei trip. Here is one picture that was the most memorable part of each day of my two weeks in Taiwan.
September 1: Anxious to board
Sporting my enthusiasm for the trip by way of button at LAX.
September 2: A more than welcome first meal
After a total of 24 hours of traveling (front door to front door, including a 6 hour layover at Incheon Airport), I was desperate for any meal outside of an airplane or airport. We stopped by a local place (金春發牛肉店) for their specialty beef dishes. The curry chow mein (炒咖哩牛肉麵) and this bone marrow dish (炒龍骨髓) stir-fried with tomatoes, garlic, chili and Taiwanese BBQ sauce really hit the spot.
September 3: A cup of home
I discovered many Western style coffee shops serving American breakfasts after waking up in our newly relocated family home of Tamsui. The cafe downstairs is owned by a Taiwanese-Australian, and it serves eggs, toast, and lattes. Heinz and Tabasco, labels of American authenticity are self-serve, a friendly reminder of home.
September 4: Pineapple cake by the box
Overly excited at the thought of pineapple cake, I immediately bought two boxes of 10 each upon seeing the organic variety displayed in a local bakery in Yonghe District. Pineapple cake or shortbread, one of Taiwan's most famous pastries, must be consumed immediately due to the lack of preservatives. I had forgotten that I had two weeks left before returning stateside. Consequently, I ate one pineapple cake per day til the day of departure... then I bought a few more boxes to take home.
September 5: Star sighting
A fellow Triton invited us to CTV (中視) for a taping of One Million Star (超級星光大道), Taiwan's version of American Idol. The majority of the audience was middle-aged housewives who squealed like school girls at the sighting of Aska Yang (楊宗緯). If seeing Aska weren't enough, a connection to the executive level of CTV led us to meet David Tao (陶喆) who happened to be a guest judge on the show.
September 6: Student union
During a visit to Sit Fun for traditional Taiwanese food, my uncle pointed out some of the local sayings posted up on the restaurant's walls. This phrase, uttered in the local Taiwanese tongue, says that eating trumps even the emperor.
September 8: A bowl of Taiwan's national dish
Almost a week into my trip, I finally scored some beef noodle soup from Old Chao. Sweating from the humidity, the heat, and the temperature of the piping hot soup makes for an exhilarating eating experience.
September 9: I'm eating... don't bother me
Anna stealthily takes a shot of me scarfing down some noodles from my favorite hole-in-the-wall while my aunt peers over from her side of the table. Spicy stinky tofu gets heated up by the fire under the steel hot pot. Noodles and stinky tofu... just another day in Taipei.
September 10: Merciful sub-tropic summer weather
Summer in Taiwan is a force to be reckoned with, but one this sunny Saturday afternoon in Taipei, the sky revealed some beautiful blue hues to display as a backdrop at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
September 11: Mid-Autumn Festival
This holiday means different things to different people. For some, it might mean a day to eat mooncakes to commemorate the overthrow of the Mongol rule in the Yuan Dynasty. For others, it might simply mean an outdoor barbecue in the summer night. For my family, it means eating Japanese food... no clue why... we've eaten sushi and sashimi on this holiday for years now. Not to break from tradition, my aunt and I dined at a Japanese restaurant (川賀屋日本料理) in Tamsui District. While there I was able to capture the celebration in the streets outside the restaurant.
September 12: Sausage and beer, Taiwan style
What's better than grilled Taiwanese sausage? Grilled Taiwanese sausage wrapped with a sticky rice bun! We call this delightful delicacy small sausage wrapped with big sausage (大腸包小腸). Throw in an ice cold Taiwan beer... and I'll be able to tackle on any crowd and navigate the mini mazes at Shilin Night Market (士林夜市).
September 13: Riding along the Tamsui River... on a bike
Having finally mastered how to bike ride in the recent years, namely from a biking adventure around Stanley Park in Vancouver, Rina urged me to take another biking tour... this time along the Tamsui River in Taipei. We took the ferry across away from the city to the Bali District (八里區) side of the river and rented bikes for just 100 NTD (a little more than 3 USD) for unlimited usage. Low tide, fishermen taking respite, an ah gong practicing some tai chi... there was something just so tranquil and peaceful on this side of the river. This is something I must do again.
September 14: Uni fusion
A visit to Taipei or Tokyo requires a trip to indulge in exotic Japanese fusion pastas from Bellini. Thanks Nicholas and Tiffany for joining me in the cod roe spaghetti with yuzu (和風柚子明太子麵), calamari and squid ink linguine (茄丁墨魚汁扁平麵), and this sea urchin cream linguine with king crab meat and mushrooms (北海道蟹肉海膽醬扁平麵). Oh, and don't forget about the two pizzas, appetizer, dessert, and bottle of red... a great way to wrap up two weeks of fooding in Taipei. Good job, guys.
September 15: Nanjing Road nightscape
Even at midnight the streets of Taipei bustle with rapid movement from mopeds, taxis, buses and pedestrians. While standing on a pedestrian walkway over Nanjing Road on the final night of my trip in Taiwan, I wondered where everyone needed to go in such a hurry. This city definitely inspires you to go, go, go!
September 16: A contrast to city life
From bustling Taipei proper to Tamsui District in New Taipei, anyone can distinguish downtown city life from what is arguably one of the calmer, more serene suburban areas of the city. An hour outside of Taipei City, you can hear the song of the cicada louder than the roar of the moped motor. There is fresh air, blue sky, and a street to safely jaywalk across.
There are bound to be more trips to Taipei in the near future... so far I've counted six visits in six years. Two weeks is not nearly enough to capture the essence that is Taiwan let alone experience the magnificence that is the city of Taipei. From the (second) tallest building in the world to the most humblest of people, the Taiwanese have really contributed to a place worth visiting. Au revoir for now, Taipei... I'm off to Seoul. Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
金春發牛肉店 (beef specialty restaurant)
Kawaga Ya (川賀屋日本料理)
新北市 淡水區 / New Taipei City, Tamsui District
中山北路 一段 157號 / Zhongshan North Road, Section 1, No. 157
頂好超市對面/ Across from Wellcome supermarket
Bellini Caffé
ML - 201109XX
Sporting my enthusiasm for the trip by way of button at LAX.
After a total of 24 hours of traveling (front door to front door, including a 6 hour layover at Incheon Airport), I was desperate for any meal outside of an airplane or airport. We stopped by a local place (金春發牛肉店) for their specialty beef dishes. The curry chow mein (炒咖哩牛肉麵) and this bone marrow dish (炒龍骨髓) stir-fried with tomatoes, garlic, chili and Taiwanese BBQ sauce really hit the spot.
I discovered many Western style coffee shops serving American breakfasts after waking up in our newly relocated family home of Tamsui. The cafe downstairs is owned by a Taiwanese-Australian, and it serves eggs, toast, and lattes. Heinz and Tabasco, labels of American authenticity are self-serve, a friendly reminder of home.
Overly excited at the thought of pineapple cake, I immediately bought two boxes of 10 each upon seeing the organic variety displayed in a local bakery in Yonghe District. Pineapple cake or shortbread, one of Taiwan's most famous pastries, must be consumed immediately due to the lack of preservatives. I had forgotten that I had two weeks left before returning stateside. Consequently, I ate one pineapple cake per day til the day of departure... then I bought a few more boxes to take home.
A fellow Triton invited us to CTV (中視) for a taping of One Million Star (超級星光大道), Taiwan's version of American Idol. The majority of the audience was middle-aged housewives who squealed like school girls at the sighting of Aska Yang (楊宗緯). If seeing Aska weren't enough, a connection to the executive level of CTV led us to meet David Tao (陶喆) who happened to be a guest judge on the show.
I met up with Diana at Insomnia (睡不著), a dimly lit café filled with local college students chatting about the campus gossip and studying for exams. Diana and I reacquainted ourselves with simple phrases in Mandarin such as 7-Up (七喜), long removed from our memory due to the lack of language practice in America.
September 7: Taiwanese live to eatDuring a visit to Sit Fun for traditional Taiwanese food, my uncle pointed out some of the local sayings posted up on the restaurant's walls. This phrase, uttered in the local Taiwanese tongue, says that eating trumps even the emperor.
Almost a week into my trip, I finally scored some beef noodle soup from Old Chao. Sweating from the humidity, the heat, and the temperature of the piping hot soup makes for an exhilarating eating experience.
Anna stealthily takes a shot of me scarfing down some noodles from my favorite hole-in-the-wall while my aunt peers over from her side of the table. Spicy stinky tofu gets heated up by the fire under the steel hot pot. Noodles and stinky tofu... just another day in Taipei.
Summer in Taiwan is a force to be reckoned with, but one this sunny Saturday afternoon in Taipei, the sky revealed some beautiful blue hues to display as a backdrop at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
September 11: Mid-Autumn Festival
This holiday means different things to different people. For some, it might mean a day to eat mooncakes to commemorate the overthrow of the Mongol rule in the Yuan Dynasty. For others, it might simply mean an outdoor barbecue in the summer night. For my family, it means eating Japanese food... no clue why... we've eaten sushi and sashimi on this holiday for years now. Not to break from tradition, my aunt and I dined at a Japanese restaurant (川賀屋日本料理) in Tamsui District. While there I was able to capture the celebration in the streets outside the restaurant.
What's better than grilled Taiwanese sausage? Grilled Taiwanese sausage wrapped with a sticky rice bun! We call this delightful delicacy small sausage wrapped with big sausage (大腸包小腸). Throw in an ice cold Taiwan beer... and I'll be able to tackle on any crowd and navigate the mini mazes at Shilin Night Market (士林夜市).
Having finally mastered how to bike ride in the recent years, namely from a biking adventure around Stanley Park in Vancouver, Rina urged me to take another biking tour... this time along the Tamsui River in Taipei. We took the ferry across away from the city to the Bali District (八里區) side of the river and rented bikes for just 100 NTD (a little more than 3 USD) for unlimited usage. Low tide, fishermen taking respite, an ah gong practicing some tai chi... there was something just so tranquil and peaceful on this side of the river. This is something I must do again.
A visit to Taipei or Tokyo requires a trip to indulge in exotic Japanese fusion pastas from Bellini. Thanks Nicholas and Tiffany for joining me in the cod roe spaghetti with yuzu (和風柚子明太子麵), calamari and squid ink linguine (茄丁墨魚汁扁平麵), and this sea urchin cream linguine with king crab meat and mushrooms (北海道蟹肉海膽醬扁平麵). Oh, and don't forget about the two pizzas, appetizer, dessert, and bottle of red... a great way to wrap up two weeks of fooding in Taipei. Good job, guys.
Even at midnight the streets of Taipei bustle with rapid movement from mopeds, taxis, buses and pedestrians. While standing on a pedestrian walkway over Nanjing Road on the final night of my trip in Taiwan, I wondered where everyone needed to go in such a hurry. This city definitely inspires you to go, go, go!
From bustling Taipei proper to Tamsui District in New Taipei, anyone can distinguish downtown city life from what is arguably one of the calmer, more serene suburban areas of the city. An hour outside of Taipei City, you can hear the song of the cicada louder than the roar of the moped motor. There is fresh air, blue sky, and a street to safely jaywalk across.
There are bound to be more trips to Taipei in the near future... so far I've counted six visits in six years. Two weeks is not nearly enough to capture the essence that is Taiwan let alone experience the magnificence that is the city of Taipei. From the (second) tallest building in the world to the most humblest of people, the Taiwanese have really contributed to a place worth visiting. Au revoir for now, Taipei... I'm off to Seoul. Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
金春發牛肉店 (beef specialty restaurant)
台北市 大同區 / Taipei City, Datong District
天水路 20號 / Tianshui Road, No. 20
台北市 大安區 / Taipei City, Da An District
師大路 93巷 13號 / Shida Road, Lane 93, No. 13Kawaga Ya (川賀屋日本料理)
新北市 淡水區 / New Taipei City, Tamsui District
中山北路 一段 157號 / Zhongshan North Road, Section 1, No. 157
頂好超市對面/ Across from Wellcome supermarket
Bellini Caffé
台北市 中山區/ Taipei City, Jhongshan District
復興北路 288號 / Fuxing North Road, No. 288
捷運中山國中站 / MRT: Zhongshan Jr. High School Station
ML - 201109XX
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Post 63: Taipei - More Szechwan Flavors / 更多川味 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北: 大安區)
Although beef noodle soup is the supposed national dish of Taiwan, it is rumored to have origins in the Szechwan region of China. Since its creation, beef noodle soup has been altered by the many generations of Taiwanese to what it is today. However, other Szechwan-branded dishes such as mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐), hot and sour soup (酸辣湯), and dan dan noodles (擔擔麵) have generally remained constant throughout their culinary histories. There may have been substitutions for different or better quality ingredients and perhaps slight tweaks in flavors to suit regional palates, but for the most part, these famous items are still considered Szechwan dishes. Chili House Restaurant (四川吳抄手) in Taipei is a great place for a taste of these traditional spicy Szechwan flavors... but it's also a great place for discovering some non-spicy items too.
On my previous visits to the restaurant, I had ordered the usuals: red chili wontons (紅油抄手), super spicy mala noodles (麻辣麵) that numb your tongue, and hot and sour cabbage pork (酸白菜肉絲) wrapped in steamed shaobing pockets (燒餅). This time, though, I had a sudden craving for fatty pork. I doubt the Szechwan origins of this dish, especially because the only remotely spicy ingredient in it is minced garlic, but hey, a craving is a craving. The English translation of this dish is cold white cut pork slices (蒜泥白肉), which doesn't sound appetizing in the least... so let's just use my translation: fatty pork in minced garlic and soy sauce. Yum!
Hey, that's exactly what it is, anyway. Lean slices of pork, which are blanched just quick enough to cook the meat, are bordered by thin, wrinkles of fat without a hint of grease. Before anything else is done to the pork, it's chilled so that the meat becomes stretchy and tender, and the curls of fat on the pork taste almost al dente. Soy sauce paste, a thickened and more pungent version of soy sauce that is widely used in Taiwanese cooking, is later drizzled over the top of the meat. And the minced garlic? Already in the soy sauce paste. No need for rice. It's like chomping on bacon and not worrying about the eggs.
But I guess you can't really eat at a restaurant that serves Szechwan cuisine without ordering any spicy food at all right? Bring the red chili wontons, please. In fact, these red chili wontons are exactly what anyone coming to this restaurant should order. After all, the name of the wonton dish (紅油抄手) is in the name of the restaurant (四川吳抄手).
The chili wontons come six in an order, and they come sitting in a puddle of soy and chili oil... unmixed. You can relish in the tossing, mixing, and marinating of the flappy, Chinese ravioli before indulging in these bite-size poppers. They're mouthfuls of savory, salty, and spicy bliss. And what's even better is that you put effort into these one-bite wonders, and you know... it always tastes better if you've had a hand in the work.
After devouring half a dozen little fists of cloud-like wontons, I dug my chopsticks into the mound of hot and sour cold noodles (冰鎮酸辣麵). The noodles were topped off with Chinese celery, chili and chili oil, green onions, sesame, and bean sprouts... a combination of of ingredients that provided notes of sour tang and chilled bursts of crunchy refreshment. The celery, sesame, and sprouts opened the way to cooling off during the hot and humid Taipei summer afternoon.
A bowl of noodles usually sustains my hunger, but after discovering the refreshing delight from the Chinese celery and bean sprouts, I perused the menu for another vegetable dish. Typical Szechwan vegetable dishes include dry fried green beans (乾煸四季豆) and fish fragrant garlic eggplant (魚香茄子), but somehow I landed on a tofu dish that contained more seafood than it did veggies. The treasure chest of seafood (海至尊) came in a shallow dish filled to the brim with kryptonite green peas, cubes of diced sea cucumber, shrimp, clams, squid, and smoked ham submerged in a sauce made from salted egg yolk.
This was the most disturbing looking dish of the meal. Perhaps the house specialty appetizer, bean sprouts wrapped in tofu skin (芝麻豆皮捲豆芽), was a better choice just based simply on appearance. But this pool of sulfuric tofu was actually pretty tasty. Each item of seafood was diced to the size of the tofu, which meant every bite had equal parts of tender tofu and springy seafood. The salted egg yolk gave the dish a hearty and homemade taste while binding the plethora of ingredients together. It looked ugly, but it tasted pretty damned good. Hey, we aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover anyway, right?
One tofu dish led to another tofu dish... except the next tofu dish was a dessert, and it came compliments of the restaurant. Almond tofu (杏仁豆腐) is typically a simple, homestyle dessert, but I understand why it's offered after a spicy meal. The soft jello (it's not really tofu) has an almond fragrance with a sweet taste that soothes the tongue better than any other spice retardant... better than iced water or cold milk. With or without spicy food, the springy, jiggly tofu in disguise was a great way to end any meal.
Chili House has become a regular stop for me whenever I get a chance to visit Taipei. Hopefully, everyone finds their own favorite spicy, Szechwan stop. Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
Chili House Restaurant (四川吳抄手)
ML - 20110915
On my previous visits to the restaurant, I had ordered the usuals: red chili wontons (紅油抄手), super spicy mala noodles (麻辣麵) that numb your tongue, and hot and sour cabbage pork (酸白菜肉絲) wrapped in steamed shaobing pockets (燒餅). This time, though, I had a sudden craving for fatty pork. I doubt the Szechwan origins of this dish, especially because the only remotely spicy ingredient in it is minced garlic, but hey, a craving is a craving. The English translation of this dish is cold white cut pork slices (蒜泥白肉), which doesn't sound appetizing in the least... so let's just use my translation: fatty pork in minced garlic and soy sauce. Yum!
Hey, that's exactly what it is, anyway. Lean slices of pork, which are blanched just quick enough to cook the meat, are bordered by thin, wrinkles of fat without a hint of grease. Before anything else is done to the pork, it's chilled so that the meat becomes stretchy and tender, and the curls of fat on the pork taste almost al dente. Soy sauce paste, a thickened and more pungent version of soy sauce that is widely used in Taiwanese cooking, is later drizzled over the top of the meat. And the minced garlic? Already in the soy sauce paste. No need for rice. It's like chomping on bacon and not worrying about the eggs.
But I guess you can't really eat at a restaurant that serves Szechwan cuisine without ordering any spicy food at all right? Bring the red chili wontons, please. In fact, these red chili wontons are exactly what anyone coming to this restaurant should order. After all, the name of the wonton dish (紅油抄手) is in the name of the restaurant (四川吳抄手).
The chili wontons come six in an order, and they come sitting in a puddle of soy and chili oil... unmixed. You can relish in the tossing, mixing, and marinating of the flappy, Chinese ravioli before indulging in these bite-size poppers. They're mouthfuls of savory, salty, and spicy bliss. And what's even better is that you put effort into these one-bite wonders, and you know... it always tastes better if you've had a hand in the work.
After devouring half a dozen little fists of cloud-like wontons, I dug my chopsticks into the mound of hot and sour cold noodles (冰鎮酸辣麵). The noodles were topped off with Chinese celery, chili and chili oil, green onions, sesame, and bean sprouts... a combination of of ingredients that provided notes of sour tang and chilled bursts of crunchy refreshment. The celery, sesame, and sprouts opened the way to cooling off during the hot and humid Taipei summer afternoon.
A bowl of noodles usually sustains my hunger, but after discovering the refreshing delight from the Chinese celery and bean sprouts, I perused the menu for another vegetable dish. Typical Szechwan vegetable dishes include dry fried green beans (乾煸四季豆) and fish fragrant garlic eggplant (魚香茄子), but somehow I landed on a tofu dish that contained more seafood than it did veggies. The treasure chest of seafood (海至尊) came in a shallow dish filled to the brim with kryptonite green peas, cubes of diced sea cucumber, shrimp, clams, squid, and smoked ham submerged in a sauce made from salted egg yolk.
This was the most disturbing looking dish of the meal. Perhaps the house specialty appetizer, bean sprouts wrapped in tofu skin (芝麻豆皮捲豆芽), was a better choice just based simply on appearance. But this pool of sulfuric tofu was actually pretty tasty. Each item of seafood was diced to the size of the tofu, which meant every bite had equal parts of tender tofu and springy seafood. The salted egg yolk gave the dish a hearty and homemade taste while binding the plethora of ingredients together. It looked ugly, but it tasted pretty damned good. Hey, we aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover anyway, right?
One tofu dish led to another tofu dish... except the next tofu dish was a dessert, and it came compliments of the restaurant. Almond tofu (杏仁豆腐) is typically a simple, homestyle dessert, but I understand why it's offered after a spicy meal. The soft jello (it's not really tofu) has an almond fragrance with a sweet taste that soothes the tongue better than any other spice retardant... better than iced water or cold milk. With or without spicy food, the springy, jiggly tofu in disguise was a great way to end any meal.
Chili House has become a regular stop for me whenever I get a chance to visit Taipei. Hopefully, everyone finds their own favorite spicy, Szechwan stop. Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
Chili House Restaurant (四川吳抄手)
台北市 大安區/ Taipei City, Da An District
忠孝東路 4段 250之3號 / Zhongxiao East Road, Section 4, No. 250-3
How I get there:
How I get there:
MRT: Zhongxiao Dunhua Station (捷運忠孝敦化站)
exit no. 4; walk east on Zhongxiao East Road
make a right on Lane 248 (248 巷); restaurant is on the leftML - 20110915
Monday, August 1, 2011
Post 57: Wisdom Teeth Food
Not everyone remembers when their first tooth fell out, but everyone remembers when they had their wisdom teeth pulled out. I was fortunate enough to experience this extraction of dental knowledge this past week. After being completely scared by all the wisdom teeth horror stories from friends and family, I was hell bent on making sure I had all the culinary concoctions to make my discomfort bearable. The last few days I have been able to consume the following items... most of which are not the least bit glorious, but I guess that depends on who you ask.
Lucky me... Kimmy dropped by with a dozen mini Beard Papa's cream puffs and two regulation sized puffs. I started off by scooping out the insides of one mini cream puff... but by the end of day, I managed to devour seven mini cream puffs (the puff portion and all) and one regular sized cream puff. Yes, I did that in just one afternoon.
I also managed to spoon in two cups of my favorite Japanese flan from Mitsuwa Marketplace... along with a number (four to date) of Korean honeydew melon flavored jumbo popsicles.
Since my face was throbbing with crimson fury, and the Maytag-produced hemispheres of ice weren't sufficient, I thought that the best way to calm the swollen rage down was with some Taiwanese shaved ice. I dragged my mom with me to a local joint called Tasty To Go for their acclaimed mango shaved snow. Being the obedient son that every Asian parent hopes to call their own (even I make myself sick sometimes), I ate all the cold, frigid, brain freezing ice... and left the nutritious, fiber-filled, vitamin-rich mango for my mom. Heh, heh, heh...
After I thought that I would hit the roof with an uncontrollable sugar high, I decided to counter all the sugar with some protein... eggs. I employed a very sumptuous recipe for Japanese style chawanmushi (茶碗蒸 or steamed eggs), which is a soft and simple way (and probably the most glorious of the aforementioned food choices) to endure the discomforts of wisdom teeth extraction.
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 can of chicken broth
1 package of ikura and/or uni (optional)
To set up a makeshift steamer, pour four or five cups of water into a large soup pot. Fill a rice bowl one-third of the way up with water, and place the rice bowl into the large soup pot. Fire up the stove.
Combine the two eggs and just half a can of chicken broth into a ceramic bowl. Whisk until smooth. Carefully place and balance the ceramic bowl carefully on top of the rice bowl into the large soup pot. This is now your makeshift steamer. Place the cap of the pot on top, and let the eggs steam away for no longer than five minutes. a chopstick into the middle to see if the eggs are still runny; the eggs are ready when the center has solidified. The texture should be similar to a soft custard or a delicate flan.
Here's the glorious part. After the chawanmushi has cooled off, spoon some ikura or uni onto the surface of the egg. All of the ingredients should be easily conquered by even those who under the effects of Vicodin or Tylenol No. 3. Here's my disclaimer: if your medication says you should not operate heavy machinery, please do not attempt to build a makeshift steamer no matter how simple it is. Let your mom and dad, spouse, significant other or indentured sibling do this for you.
I hope these eggs distract you from your dental debacle. Oh, and if the steamed eggs work, fire up the stove again... as long as there are more eggs, you still have half a can of chicken broth left! Until solid food invigorates my diet, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20110728-31
Lucky me... Kimmy dropped by with a dozen mini Beard Papa's cream puffs and two regulation sized puffs. I started off by scooping out the insides of one mini cream puff... but by the end of day, I managed to devour seven mini cream puffs (the puff portion and all) and one regular sized cream puff. Yes, I did that in just one afternoon.
I also managed to spoon in two cups of my favorite Japanese flan from Mitsuwa Marketplace... along with a number (four to date) of Korean honeydew melon flavored jumbo popsicles.
Since my face was throbbing with crimson fury, and the Maytag-produced hemispheres of ice weren't sufficient, I thought that the best way to calm the swollen rage down was with some Taiwanese shaved ice. I dragged my mom with me to a local joint called Tasty To Go for their acclaimed mango shaved snow. Being the obedient son that every Asian parent hopes to call their own (even I make myself sick sometimes), I ate all the cold, frigid, brain freezing ice... and left the nutritious, fiber-filled, vitamin-rich mango for my mom. Heh, heh, heh...
After I thought that I would hit the roof with an uncontrollable sugar high, I decided to counter all the sugar with some protein... eggs. I employed a very sumptuous recipe for Japanese style chawanmushi (茶碗蒸 or steamed eggs), which is a soft and simple way (and probably the most glorious of the aforementioned food choices) to endure the discomforts of wisdom teeth extraction.
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 can of chicken broth
1 package of ikura and/or uni (optional)
To set up a makeshift steamer, pour four or five cups of water into a large soup pot. Fill a rice bowl one-third of the way up with water, and place the rice bowl into the large soup pot. Fire up the stove.
Combine the two eggs and just half a can of chicken broth into a ceramic bowl. Whisk until smooth. Carefully place and balance the ceramic bowl carefully on top of the rice bowl into the large soup pot. This is now your makeshift steamer. Place the cap of the pot on top, and let the eggs steam away for no longer than five minutes. a chopstick into the middle to see if the eggs are still runny; the eggs are ready when the center has solidified. The texture should be similar to a soft custard or a delicate flan.
Here's the glorious part. After the chawanmushi has cooled off, spoon some ikura or uni onto the surface of the egg. All of the ingredients should be easily conquered by even those who under the effects of Vicodin or Tylenol No. 3. Here's my disclaimer: if your medication says you should not operate heavy machinery, please do not attempt to build a makeshift steamer no matter how simple it is. Let your mom and dad, spouse, significant other or indentured sibling do this for you.
I hope these eggs distract you from your dental debacle. Oh, and if the steamed eggs work, fire up the stove again... as long as there are more eggs, you still have half a can of chicken broth left! Until solid food invigorates my diet, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20110728-31
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Post 54: Sushi for the Soul (SD: Pacific Beach)
It's been a while since I've had a nice meal.
I've come to realize that I need a nice meal every so often just to rejuvenate my soul. It doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive meal or have extravagant presentation, and it doesn't require swift customer service. It's just got to feel healthy. And by healthy I don't mean five fruits and vegetables or whole grains... I mean emotionally and mentally healthy... something that's just good for your soul.
So after a brisk run on the sands of Ocean Beach, Allie and I chased our workout with a nice breakfast at To The Point Café. The replenishment was a chicken apple sausage egg sandwich held together by a buttery croissant with pesto cream cheese. And the reward came in the form of mimosas... a traditional one for me and a lavender lemonade mimosa for Allie. Thumbs up for Sunday mornings.
But that wasn't our nice meal. Our nice meal was spent at Sushi Ota in Pacific Beach. We sipped hot green tea, eavesdropped on the conversations from neighboring tables, and watched the quick movements of the Japanese restaurant. And we did this while enjoying a platter of fresh yellowtail (hamachi) sashimi, a deluxe chirashi, and the fisherman's roll. That was definitely some sushi for the soul.
The hamachi, a favorite for both me and Allie, was fresh enough to melt in your mouth. Five beautifully carved, diamond-shaped pieces fanned out across the porcelain white plate, each piece that stood behind the first increased in size on a mound of shredded daikon and shiso. And a drop of wasabi adorned the corner of the plate like the mole just above Niki Taylor's lip. Simply beautiful. And who cares if the yellowtail was from the radiated waters of Japan? I'm ready for my superhuman power, preferably the power to move things with my mind.
Our deluxe chirashi included that same yellowtail, sweet shrimp (ebi), salmon (sake), whitefish, octopus (tako), sea urchin roe (uni), squid (ika) stuffed with fresh crab meat, tuna (maguro), freshwater eel (unagi), fatty tuna (toro), and egg (tamago) that was stamped with the Ota authentic seal of approval. Staring at this stunning box of rice and fish I completely forgot about the pickles (tsukemono) and the salmon croquette off to the side.
The fisherman's roll is what sealed the deal for us. Whitefish and avocado hide within the rice and nori, and two kinds of onion sit atop of the roll. Onions that were fried to a crisp provided the foundation for the topping of expertly sliced, raw green onions. More yellowtail? Yes, please. Slices of the beautiful sakana hung over each piece of sushi... like the smiling cheese from an In-N-Out Double Double... like the tongue of a hungry dog waiting for a juicy steak... or more like my tongue hanging out of my own mouth. Man, just look at that sushi. I'd hang a picture of this on my wall any day.
If that's not sushi for the soul, I don't know what is. Replenished, stuffed to the brim, and happy as a clam, I declared, "I don't want to go to work tomorrow!"
But I knew I was ready for Monday morning. Until the next nice meal, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20110522
I've come to realize that I need a nice meal every so often just to rejuvenate my soul. It doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive meal or have extravagant presentation, and it doesn't require swift customer service. It's just got to feel healthy. And by healthy I don't mean five fruits and vegetables or whole grains... I mean emotionally and mentally healthy... something that's just good for your soul.
So after a brisk run on the sands of Ocean Beach, Allie and I chased our workout with a nice breakfast at To The Point Café. The replenishment was a chicken apple sausage egg sandwich held together by a buttery croissant with pesto cream cheese. And the reward came in the form of mimosas... a traditional one for me and a lavender lemonade mimosa for Allie. Thumbs up for Sunday mornings.
But that wasn't our nice meal. Our nice meal was spent at Sushi Ota in Pacific Beach. We sipped hot green tea, eavesdropped on the conversations from neighboring tables, and watched the quick movements of the Japanese restaurant. And we did this while enjoying a platter of fresh yellowtail (hamachi) sashimi, a deluxe chirashi, and the fisherman's roll. That was definitely some sushi for the soul.
The hamachi, a favorite for both me and Allie, was fresh enough to melt in your mouth. Five beautifully carved, diamond-shaped pieces fanned out across the porcelain white plate, each piece that stood behind the first increased in size on a mound of shredded daikon and shiso. And a drop of wasabi adorned the corner of the plate like the mole just above Niki Taylor's lip. Simply beautiful. And who cares if the yellowtail was from the radiated waters of Japan? I'm ready for my superhuman power, preferably the power to move things with my mind.
Our deluxe chirashi included that same yellowtail, sweet shrimp (ebi), salmon (sake), whitefish, octopus (tako), sea urchin roe (uni), squid (ika) stuffed with fresh crab meat, tuna (maguro), freshwater eel (unagi), fatty tuna (toro), and egg (tamago) that was stamped with the Ota authentic seal of approval. Staring at this stunning box of rice and fish I completely forgot about the pickles (tsukemono) and the salmon croquette off to the side.
The fisherman's roll is what sealed the deal for us. Whitefish and avocado hide within the rice and nori, and two kinds of onion sit atop of the roll. Onions that were fried to a crisp provided the foundation for the topping of expertly sliced, raw green onions. More yellowtail? Yes, please. Slices of the beautiful sakana hung over each piece of sushi... like the smiling cheese from an In-N-Out Double Double... like the tongue of a hungry dog waiting for a juicy steak... or more like my tongue hanging out of my own mouth. Man, just look at that sushi. I'd hang a picture of this on my wall any day.
If that's not sushi for the soul, I don't know what is. Replenished, stuffed to the brim, and happy as a clam, I declared, "I don't want to go to work tomorrow!"
But I knew I was ready for Monday morning. Until the next nice meal, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20110522
Friday, February 18, 2011
Post 45: Oh Mah Gahh...Omakase! (LA-South Bay: Torrance)
The omakase that we had for Ashley's birthday was an inspiring way to start off the new year. I've had the omakase at Kantaro Sushi in Torrance before, but I left my camera at home the last time. Luckily, I remembered to bring it this time so I could document some of the whoa moments of the meal.
Tuna sausage with cucumber, potato salad with corn
B-b-sole and tuna sashimi with ponzu, ankimo monkfish liver
When Duke first saw the pictures from the meal, I remember him saying that some of the courses looked pretty intense. The first sashimi course with the entire fish chillin' right on the plate was definitely intense. I mean... we were eating the flesh of the fish while the body was lying right in front of us. Intense.
Bluefin toro and amber jack sushi, hirame halibut and ika squid sushi
Deep-fried whole b-b-sole with nuggets and roe
Alaskan ikura salmon roe and Santa Barbara uni sea urchin sushi
Anago freshwater eel, spicy tuna hand roll and organic tamago egg
Mini chirashi and salmon sushi with cream cheese
But what else would omakase be? Omakase is the chef's table. It's his way of showing the guest how skillful, creative, and imaginative he can be. It's gotta be intense.
The only other place I've ever had omakase was at Wakasan in Westwood... another birthday outing. Wakasan's omakase involves more hot food items such as croquettes, hamburger steak on cast iron grills, chicken hot pot, etc. That experience, just like this one, was intense. You can read about it on Duke's blog.
Azuki red bean ice cream for dessert
Happy birthday, Ashley!
And thanks for the description, Duke. That one word said it all.
Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
Tuna sausage with cucumber, potato salad with corn
B-b-sole and tuna sashimi with ponzu, ankimo monkfish liver
When Duke first saw the pictures from the meal, I remember him saying that some of the courses looked pretty intense. The first sashimi course with the entire fish chillin' right on the plate was definitely intense. I mean... we were eating the flesh of the fish while the body was lying right in front of us. Intense.
Bluefin toro and amber jack sushi, hirame halibut and ika squid sushi
Deep-fried whole b-b-sole with nuggets and roe
Later, that same fish was grabbed from our plates with bare hands. The cute little missus of the restaurant (do I call her Mrs. Kantaro?) whisked the dreary, gray fish carcass away to the kitchen only to return with a golden, deep-fried whole fish. That was definitely intense.
Anago freshwater eel, spicy tuna hand roll and organic tamago egg
Mini chirashi and salmon sushi with cream cheese
But what else would omakase be? Omakase is the chef's table. It's his way of showing the guest how skillful, creative, and imaginative he can be. It's gotta be intense.
The only other place I've ever had omakase was at Wakasan in Westwood... another birthday outing. Wakasan's omakase involves more hot food items such as croquettes, hamburger steak on cast iron grills, chicken hot pot, etc. That experience, just like this one, was intense. You can read about it on Duke's blog.
Azuki red bean ice cream for dessert
Happy birthday, Ashley!
And thanks for the description, Duke. That one word said it all.
Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.
ML - 20110108
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