Je T'aime

Valentine's Dinner with lovely friends.

On the menu:

1. personal pizzas

2. caprese

3. roasted rosemary fingerling potatoes

3. beaujolais wine

Jam Love

I've developed a deep love for making homemade jams.

On the menu for my first try:

1. strawberry with pomegranate wine

2. strawberry, mint, and black pepper

3. apple, honey, and almond. 

Oleana, Boston

baked alaska with coconut ice cream and passionfruit sauce

seared tuna (saeyoung orders seared tuna every time it appears on a menu)

duck with vermicelli noodles

can't remember, but it looks good

tabouli, hummus, and cheese

the fanciest falafel ever

carrot soup and fried goat cheese

Thank you for this incredible meal Saeyoung!  Ugh, I would brave Boston cold for this again.

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