Scoops

Scoops is one of my favorites.  Unfortunately i seem to be incapable of making it there anytime before 9 pm, which means I usually don't get the full range of choices in flavors.  Still, all the flavors, even the leftover flavors at Scoops are pretty exciting.  I had the almond mocha and banana hazelnut.  Saeyoung got the blackberry balsamic and almond coffee.

Scoops

712 N Heliotrope Dr

Los Angeles, CA 90029

323.906.2649

Gingergrass (Congrats Saeyoung!)

Saeyoung and her celebratory champagne cocktail

chicken pho

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Dang-Ade

Summer Rolls

Saeyoung got an internship at the Rose Group PR Firm!!!!  Yaaaay! To celebrate we went out for dinner at Gingergrass in Silverlake.  Vietnamese food is always satisfying, it has all the flavors we happen to love.  Saeyoung ordered the pho which was maybe lacking a little in flavor.  I ordered the Vietnamese chicken salad, which was quite delicious and didn't make me feel like a beached whale since Saeyoung and I have been over-eating to an embarrassing degree. 

Gingergrass

2396 Glendale Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90039

323.644.1600

The Beach Pit BBQ

My dad likes barbecue.  He likes meat. He likes sauces.  Tustin Beach Pit BBQ meets his needs. Saeyoung and I met him the other day and enjoyed a casual lunch.  It's nice seeing our dad.

560 El Camino Real

Tustin, CA 92780

714.929.RIBS

Mother's Day Dinner

Clams in white wine sauce 

old fashioned chicken and dumplings

making the dumplings

opening the clams

making stock

For mother's day, Saeyoung and I made old-fashioned chicken and dumplings and clams with white wine sauce.  Mom had casually mentioned that she wanted to try this Martha Stewart recipe for chicken and dumplings but at the time I didn't make it because it was to work intensive, so this was a good opportunity to bring out that recipe.  Overall, I think a success.

Recipe for Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

Recipe for Clams With White Wine Sauce

Honda Ya-Little Tokyo

Agedashi Tofu

Crab Shumai

Takoyaki

Red Snapper Sashimi with Sea Urchin

Albacore Tataki

Saeyoung and I celebrated the commencement of her vacation with dinner at Honda-Ya in Little Tokyo.  We still think Honda-Ya in Tustin is better, but this fulfilled our craving for Japanese food. The problem with izakaya style restaurants is that you really need to go with 4-6 people in order to enjoy the experience of trying many dishes.  

The crab shumai was especially good at this branch, it tasted like they had steamed tofu mixed in with the crab, but most likely it was something terribly fattening like cream cheese.  

Honda-Ya

333 S Alameda st

Los Angeles, CA

213.625.1184

Macarons Salvaged (Welcome Home Saeyoung Baking Series #3)

So earlier this week I made macarons that I was greatly displeased with because they had developed unsightly fissures while in the oven.  I put them in the freezer because oddly enough macarons are better when they are a few days old.  I pulled them out today and despite being sort of marred they tasted very good, so I decided to add them to Saeyoung's baked goods gift basket.  I feel kind of bad that I dismissed them so quickly.  

Rosemary Shortbread Cookies With Apricot Jam (Welcome Home Saeyoung Baking Series #2)

adorable

Saeyoung has always liked very simple plain foods.  Even when she was a baby, she'd love these biscuit like dry cookies that really didn't have any taste.  I think a little butter and a little sugar is all she needs in her sweets.  I saw a recipe for rosemary shortbread cookies and immediately thought of her.  Shortbread is exactly something she would like.  These cookies are barely sweet, almost more savory but when sandwiched with apricot jam, they make for a pleasing combination.  The cornmeal gives it a nice gritty quality and fresh rosemary gets crispy and delicious in the cookies.  I made the cookies very small, like 1-inch in diameter, for the sake of cuteness really.  

The recipe is here