Tan Cang Newport Seafood

house special lobster

brain and victor

fried squid

Once in a while it's nice to have Vietnamese food that doesn't consist of pho.  Our family really loves this Vietnamese seafood place in Santa Ana, mostly for their house special lobster.  You order the lobster by the pound (we ordered an 8 pound lobster for 9 people).  It comes stir fried with bits of the lobster egg sacs.  I'm not sure if egg sac is the technical term but that's what it looks like and so that's what I'm calling it.  They're bright red and have a very dry taste.  I tend to like fish eggs of all kinds.  Something about the saltiness and the grainy texture.  

Tan Cang Newport Seafood

4411 W 1st st

Santa Ana, CA

(714) 531-5146

Shamshiri Grill

Vegetarian Shirin Polo

Fried Calamari 

Falafel Combo

Tadig 

Nancy, Thomas, and I went out for Iranian at Shamshiri in Westwood.  The winner of the night was the tadig.  I think Thomas wasn't as thrilled with the food as me and Nancy wasn't too pleased with her calamari though I think she liked everything else.  Thomas is just lame and ordered a boring falafel combo.  He later complained about the crispy rice being too crispy.  Oh Thomas.  I liked my dish quite a bit.  The pistachios in the rice were amazing but I could have done with a little less orange peel.  I feel full and round, kind of like that girl that becomes a blueberry in Willy Wonka.  

Korean Flour Noodles In Soy Bean Stew

My mom is the greatest.  We're complete opposites but the one aspect in which I've taken after her is an eagerness to force feed people when we discover something tasty.  She's been trying to imitate a dish we ate in Korea.  Fermented soy bean stew (basically a Korean version of miso soup) is a staple in korean cooking but adding noodles makes it something of a trendy food in Korea lately.  My mom tried making it and being pleased with the results she's systematically making every member of our extended family within a 30 mile radius try her version.  Like everything she cooks, this was delicious.  

Tropicalia

Brazilian Ceviche

Vegetarian Combo

Brazilian Quesadilla

ehh...

The shrimp that Nancy ordered last time was a lot better.  The Brazilian quesadilla was just a quesadilla.  The ceviche was pretty good but will give you onion breath that will last a whole day.  Also, the restaurant smells a little funny.  But you know what?  the rice, plantains, yucca, and pao de queso are pretty delicious.  I feel like the sides are better than the entrees.  

Tropicalia 

1966 Hillhurst Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90027

(323) 644-1798

Lamill, Again

coffee and jelly donut 

passionfruit gelee

brioche donut holes

I've gone to Lamill 3 times this week.  I'm a little embarrassed.   Each time I go I keep thinking about how much Saeyoung would like it.  The other day I took Grace and she ordered the Coffee and Jelly Donut which is a layer of strawberry jam topped with espresso and donut infused milk.  I'm not sure how one infuses milk with a donut and I'm pretty sure we couldn't taste anything donut-y about the milk but it's a neat idea in any case.  The best thing I've had at Lamill was the passionfruit gelee.  It has a small amount of yuzu sorbet on top of a passionfruit jelly round in coconut milk.  The brioche donut holes are pretty much just donut holes-nothing special.

Uhm, this was a late night snack...

Tomato Basil Pasta

1 cup of cherry tomatoes (quartered)

a handful of chopped basil leaves 

parmesan 

angel hair pasta

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

this is one of favorite pastas, partially because it's ridiculously simple.  the only thing you have to do it chop the ingredients and mix together, adding  a healthy amount of olive oil.  having a basil plants comes in handy.

I've Been Wrong

For 23 years of my life I ignored breakfast.  I turned my nose up.  Who needs breakfast?Breakfast is for truckers at IHOP and 70 year olds.  As it turns out, I need breakfast.  I love breakfast.  

Menu:

-leftover polenta chili casserole from last night's dinner

-toast

-sunnyside up egg with runny yolk

-toast

-plain yogurt with mangos, red currants, and blueberries

A Sort Of Frito Pie-just not so trashy

This was a bit of experimentation.  A layer of crumbled polenta.  A layer of roasted potatoes with caramelized onions.  A layer of roasted corn. A layer of vegetarian chili for Trader Joe's.  A layer of shredded cheese.  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.   Top with sour cream.  Excellent with chipotle flavored tabasco.  

Cantina Mayahuel

yucatan seafood stew

vegetarian alegria bowl

guac, salsa, serranos, and chips

This weekend I went down to San Diego to see my friends Felipe and Christina who have recently moved into their first apartment together.  It's been ages since I've been to Cantina Mayahuel and going back makes me nostalgic for the days of Wilson Ave (hi prayer, nancy, albert, joseph).  Unfortunately their chicken mole (possibly the best mole I've ever had) was not available that day but I ordered the Saturday special-Yucatan seafood stew.  The stew was made up mostly of shrimp and scallops over rice and beans in a light broth.  When I think of stew, I think of something thick and chunky but this was quite light.  I like.  Still, I think I would have preferred the mole.  

Cantina Mayahuel

2934 Adams Ave

San Diego, CA 92116

(619) 283-6292

http://www.cantinamayahuel.com

UCI Farmers Market

Over the weekend I just happened upon the UCI Farmers Market.  Something about finding it unexpectedly made me enormously happy.  I bought some red mole chicken tamales and some plants.  I've been nurturing a small basil plant for about 4 months and I've grown increasingly attached to it.  I get anxiety about leaving it alone for the weekends.  I bought a succulent, thyme, cilantro, parsley, and oregano to keep my basil plant company.  Re-potting them also made me happy.  i'm happy! 

Guppy House

Strawberry Peanut Butter Brick Toast

Strawberry Mango Shaved Ice (aftermath)

Ugh.  This place is obnoxious.  Really loud music.  Really loud patrons.  Mediocre service.  That having been said,  I want to shove my face into their brick toast.  

also, note:  portions are large.  a small shaved ice serves 5ish

Guppy House

2730 Alton Pkwy

Irvine, Ca 92614

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Portuguese Sardines With Baguette

Lobster Ravioli with Butternut Squash Sauce

I have re-committed myself to cooking more and eating out less.  This means a $90 grocery bill at Trader Joe's.  The more I think about it, it's actually more affordable for me to eat out than for me to cook full meals for just one person.  And also, going through all the effort of cooking for just myself felt pretty lame.  It was even more lame that I ate my meal on the floor in front of the television playing Jon & Kate Plus Eight with a glass of truly terrible leftover white wine that I should have thrown out weeks ago.  But hey, the food wasn't half bad.  It would've have been better if the butternut squash sauce didn't look like horse poop.  

Recipe for Butternut Squash Sauce (used with Trader Joe's lobster ravioli pictured above)

1 Tbsp toasted pine nute

2 roasted garlic cloves

1 can butternut squash puree

1 tsp cinnamon

fresh sage (as little or as much as you prefer)

parmesan reggiano

chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

1. toast the pine nuts in a pan and set aside

2. roast the garlic cloves in the oven in aluminum foil with some olive oil until tender

3. in a blender mix the garlic, butternut squash puree, and chicken stock until sauce reached desired consistency ( I made mine pretty thick so I put very little chicken stock but I think it works better it you put about 1/4 cup chicken stock)

4. heat the mixture in a pan and add torn sage

5. salt and pepper to taste

6. add pine nuts and cheese

China Garden Dim Sum

I think the best part of dim sum is how there is no wait time between ordering and eating.  you see what you like, you point at it, and there it is.  also, the metal steaming tins are pretty great.  i like that they're stackable.  

China Garden

14825 Jeffrey Rd

Irvine, CA 92618

(949) 653-9988

Joan's On Third

grilled veggie sandwich

prosciutto de parma sandwich

I'm a sucker for specialty food items.  Time and time again, I shock myself with how much I am willing to pay for things like Amish peanut butter, truffle salt, and Portuguese sardines.  I will push the limits of the due date on my electricity bill but my kitchen will be consistently stocked with truffle cheese and aged balsamic.  It's not a good habit.  

So places like Joan's On Third are not good for me.  But most likely I will go back, probably for their sandwiches.  

I love the idea of a small speciality market/deli.  Sandwiches are one of the greatest underrated foods, I've decided.  Very little can go wrong in a sandwich.  The bakery at Joan's On Third looked extraordinary as well, though I was too full to even approach it.

Joan's On Third

8350 W 3rd St

Los Angeles, CA 90048

http://www.joansonthird.com

Lamill Coffee

I want to love polenta, I really do.  I've tried making it at home, with terrible results.  I've had it at numerous restaurants---disappointing for the most part.  Lamill has changed my mind.  woo hoo!  Maybe it was the whipped mascarpone, maybe it was the candied nuts, but most likely it was the butternut squash-my latest culinary obsession of late.  It tasted like something very close to a grainy delicious oatmeal.  I also had a Hong Kong milk tea-again, excellent--not too sweet.  Also, very cute restaurant with sliding panels to expand the restaurant when necessary.  Oh, and purple fingerling (?) potatoes!

Lamill Coffee

1636 Silverlake Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90026

Global Glutton-from seoul