Urban Adventurin’ in Downtown LA

Being on the West Side of LA, there is a certain kind of life I'm accustomed to. It is congested but there is a layer of laid-backness that takes us with the wind - some people even argue that there is lack of strong personality. Whatevas.

Speaking of w/e, the thought of Downtown LA makes me cringe. I do visit on occasion to get my fix of concerts and pro ball games. Not this one Spring Saturday afternoon though. I felt relaxed after an easy night of Tivo, and was ready to take on the world, or better yet Syrup Desserts at the heart of downtown.

GAH! I always am amazed by the amount of traffic on the freeway. Where is everyone going at 2pm on a Saturday? You should already be at the beach, or you're a damn fool if you're heading East where the hotness resides. Well I am neither, I just wanted a waffle with a visiting friend. Silly? Not if you know my track record. After over an hour of agony and heat on the 10E, I exited 6^th Street and landed at a convenient (but expensive) meter across the street from this place. It has been listed on Yelp's hot list for as far as this year goes and I was ready to verify its high reviews.

Syrup Desserts. What a pleasing combination of words. Waffles. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Ice Cream. What music to my ears!, and this was just the beginning. They had an intense menu of sweets of all combinations and unique flavor pairings. Strawberry Jasmine Tea and Pistachio Truffle Ice Cream were the flavors of the day - just to give you an idea of the ammo they packed. They stack these over fruit-infused or plain Belgium waffles with a generous decoration of fruit and syrup. I love waffles since I saw my first Eggo commercial during Saturday morning cartoons, so naturally, my eyes fixated on this end of the menu. There were a few that I wanted to try but I decided on one (I am trying to portion control despite how affordable everything was) which was a Blueberry Lemon Waffle with Blueberry Black Tea Ice Cream and Custard topping. Go anti-oxidants!

My friend, as health conscious as she was, knew I was a fan of Mascarpone and ordered the Little Italy crepe which consisted of berries, the cheese, and a scoop of Pistachio Truffle ice cream. Not much of a crepe lover, I actually really enjoyed this – even moreso than the waffle. It must have been the delicateness of the batter and the silkiness of the ice cream. No, really, it was the block of Mascarpone cheese that they layered on top of the crepe. Oh my fat belly this combination was so good! The best part was that you feel less guilty because the crepe was so light and fluffy. In comparison, the waffle was tough. It must be the Belgium-ness in it – it has a resistance to your bite which is ok if I was training for the annual teeth-athon.

The two desserts were pleasant but those two alone would not be enough to draw me to this place. Enter the décor. Syrup Desserts has that real downtown vibe. It is the blast of culture you'd expect in LA as you appreciate its sights from the top level of the loft. There's a rough black coldness to it – industrial – as you think downtown should be, yet there's a sophistication and chicness echoed in the white couches and tabletops. Being here took me away from LA for a minute. I almost felt the livelihood of NY and it was, ironically, refreshing. I really do need to find more places like this or just get out of West LA. There are so many different experiences and they are usually just a 20 minute (or 1 hour+) ride from me.

To life!

Syrup Desserts

611 South Spring St.

Los Angeles, CA 90014

ToraFUKu - Shut Yo Mouth!

I went to Torafuku for lunch today and it brought back good memories of dinner here. There's a bit of a dilemma. The lunch bentos are super affordable at $12-15/box but their dinner menu is what defines them as a traditional Japanese restaurant.

The lunch bentos come with a ponzu-inspired salad, their signature Kamado white or brown rice (refillable), miso soup, little potato salad & picked vegetables sides, and a decent serving of protein. I got the ginger glazed thin sliced pork and it was ok. It had a good sauce but the flavor didn't fully absorbed into the meat, and I was not so much a fan of the fattyness on the meat. I was a little jealous of my friends' chicken which pretty much looked like a full chicken's breast.

Their signature Kamado rice is basically rice cooked the old style way and I don't know if it's because I heard the story but their rice is pretty damn tasty, especially given I had the brown rice instead.

Like I said, dinner is what sets them apart other Japanese restaurants on this side of town. Their tapas-style menu allows you to try multiple dishes without over-indulging since it is light Japanese (and expensive) fare after all. I highly recommend their miso cod and braised pork with stewed potato in broth. The fish is perfectly cooked and just classy. It looks simple but there's a myriad of flavors that goes into it. The braised pork is just fantastic, especially as you soak it in some of the broth and eat it alongside their old-style white rice. You can find this same dish at Musha in Santa Monica, but I feel this place does it a lot better (less fatty too).

I would stay away from the spicy tuna crispy rice. It's not Katsuya or Koi style. I am also pretty sure I had the overly-crunchy rice pieces stuck in my teeth. I highly advise that you save some stomach area for dessert. I was a little pissed at dinner because I had to pay $4 for a small bowl of non-refillable rice and was disappointed by the crispy rice (despite their stated wins), BUT their redeeming quality that brought up my expectations is their traditional red bean mochi and black sesame ice cream. They flambe the mochi a bit so you get that textured crunch, and its filled with that good-for-you red bean as traditional mochi should be (none of that Americanized ice cream stuff though that is tasty too). The black sesame ice cream is probably the best version I have ever had in Los Angeles. It stays true to the black sesame flavor, not too sweet, and satisfyingly creamy. It would be my Christmas wish to have a carton of this at home, hint.

Overall dinner is a little pricey but I do highly recommend it over lunch - eat light, it is good for summer beach bods! The decor is intimate and sweet. The service is not bad, probably a little more attentive than you'd like but you get things quickly. Did I mention they have awesome black sesame ice cream?

Torafuku
10914 Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
www.torafuku-usa.com

Musha
424 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
www.musha.us

Vintage Puck, Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck is quite the culinary icon. If Michael Jackson is the king of Pop, Cut is the king of steakhouses. I love that place but let's go back, way back to his earlier work at the very retro Chinois on Main in Santa Monica, CA. It is his take on Asian fusion, inspired by all parts of China.

Décor – ultimate 80s appeal. The restaurant is easily missed if you are not actively looking for it. The main entrance on Main St. is very unpretentious. The inside keeps the same consistency with faded plastic aqua chairs, common of elementary lunch cafeterias. There are trinkets of Chinese culture via the red dragon, Buddha, and other pieces I have missed. The interior is a little on the tacky side, but again, think 80s retro. Not knowing what the restaurant looked like when it first opened, I am pretty sure it has kept the same look. My favorite part about the whole place is that you can see the actual kitchen and its many ducks hanging, which is uber exciting for a Chinese American on the West side – tell me where else can you see such things?

The place serves mediocre Chinese food at best but I am glad I have crossed it off my "to eat" list. Nobody can be great at everything, and it's fair to say that this is not Puck's forte.

Garlic Chicken Spring Rolls with Chinese cole slaw in a spicy plum sauce - The slaw was really nice and saucy, but the skin of the egg roll was soggy.

I also ordered a Sizzling Calamari Salad with Chinese chili paste served in a Won Ton cup, which was fantastic. The Calamari was perfectly fried, and there was a really great flavor to it greens. The Won Ton cup also added a very nice texture to the soft salad.

Whole Sizzling Catfish with ginger & ponzu sauce - There was nothing sizzling about it, so the dish name was misleading. I was more than impressed that they served an entire fish, head and tail, on this side of town but did not think it was anything to write home about. I did love the ginger and ponzu sauce, which I generously lathered over my Duck Fried Rice for additional flavor.

Grilled Szechwan Beef with spicy shallot cilantro sauce - Nothing extraordinary and I felt the beef was a little tough despite cooking its Medium preparation.

What really surprised me was the Stir-fried Chicken with cashew, pine nuts, and Chinese vegetables. It sounds like a boring dish but Wolfgang did update this dish with his mix of nuts and savory hoisin sauce. There was a bed of white rice in the center that absorbed all the good sauce that just made it even more appetizing.

We also ordered the Cantonese Duck with fresh plum sauce and I hated this rendition of it. The plum sauce was so tart and inconveniently drizzled all over the duck that I could not even avoid it if I wanted to. It was like Wolfgang was trying to turn it into a Thanksgiving turkey with cranberry sauce, which some people can appreciate had they not loved Chinese roast duck with hoisin sauce. Even Mr.Chow stays true to this dish with his minor twist. Boo on you for messing up a traditionally good dish!

Dessert was somewhat impressive because of its spread of cookies. Our curiosity was piqued by the "Confections of Good Fortune" and we found a tray of French Macaroons, almond-paste bar, and chocolate chocolate cookies at the end of that rainbow. Not the best FMacs I've had (and I am a FMac whore) but it was nice to see. It is a fun spread and none were overwhelmingly sweet.

I may be spoiled by good Chinese restaurants growing up, but I have never knocked upscale Asian cuisine if done right. I am still a fan of Mr.Chow and Crustacean in Beverly Hills, and would love to have them in my take-out boxes MWFs. Hah! BTW, funny how all these Asian restaurants start with C? Guess it makes it more authentic Chinese. Oh and this is a bit of an after-thought, but their Jasmine green tea is amazing. I don't know what brand they use but it is so fragrant and delicious, it melts all the fat I ate this meal.

Chinois on Main
2709 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
www.wolfgangpuck.com

Mr.Chow
344 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
www.mrchow.com

Crustacean
9646 Santa Monica Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
www.anfamily.com

Italia!

I'm usually pretty generous about sharing my leftovers with my family so they can try what good food in LA is (ugh don't get me started on the time where my Mom sandwiched a beautiful Veal medallion from Providence in a Ciabatta loaf from Bay Cities Deli for a snack)... But Toscana in Brentwood might be the first and only place where I will be licking clean my own leftovers (and to prevent such horrid aforementioned incidents).

Quaint, cute place. It's very subtle and easily missed on this busy street - it's actually right across from Tavern, fyi. The place is small and not bougie or snobby by any means, especially after hearing all the rumors of celebrity sightings. I guess this place is like Fritto Misto for the stars? Good ol' hearty Italian cooking with a lot of yum.

I had the grilled calamari to start and it was unique since it wasn't deep fried like most places. It tasted fresh and I loved the char on the tentacles (don't be a prude). I also had the prosciutto pizza to start and it was amazingly thin. It was really light - no heavy cheese or tomato sauce. I'm glad I had this as an appetizer rather than my main lunch entree because I would not have been full because it was so snack-like (even though it was 16" in diameter).

As for my main, I got greedy and wanted to try both the Spaghetti Pomodoro (most popular dish) and their Daily Special Brisket Bolognese Shell Pasta AND they were surprisingly able to accommodate. Oh I was so glad I asked because they were both SO GOOD. Both pasta were cooked perfectly al dente - it had a good elasticity. I was already more than happy with the texture, but the sauce! I never order anything simple because it's just not me but after strong Yelp reviews on the Spaghetti Pomodoro - just tomato and basil sauce - I went against my grain. Boy was I glad because this simple dish had so much depth and flavor that it made me want to keep eating it despite how full I was. The tang gave me good stamina to power through my pastas and dessert. Next, the Bolognese Shell was oh so tasty too! Perfectly seasoned, very meaty, and comforting. My taste buds tangoed with the two pastas while my feet tapped to the rhythm of the sizzling wood grill in the visible kitchen.

As a dessert surprise, they brought this crispy sugar puff pastry pro bono. It was a delicate sugar crisp - perfect after a carby meal. It reminded me a bit of a butterfly pastry but lighter. They didn't have many desserts for lunch but I didn't mind because I rather eat more pasta, which is quite a statement from me.

I left a pretty happy (hefty) camper. I can't wait to come back... I'm like in love! Italia! Sorry mom, I'll save my next Cut steak for you instead.

Toscana
11633 San Vicente Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90049
http://toscanabrentwood.com

PS. The pictures are of my leftovers - Toscana doesn't really serve on Chinese plates. Haha.

Chasing Cars – Mobile Food Frustration

I really hate chasing all these food trucks because the fail rate is pretty high. I've been trying to chase Coolhaus for over a year now and I finally caught them twice in one week... not because I was so satisfied the first time, but because I wanted a better taste in my mouth.

Truck events are just no bueno. I attempted the LA Food Truck Festival in Downtown mid-February and that was just a hot mess (the sun was scorching that day!). I tried again at the mini-truck festival at the Americana this past Tuesday thinking that it was a school day and it is so 'effin far that less people. To my dismay, everyone + their moms were there, literally. The only reason I went was to try the Grilled Cheese Truck because I heard it was amazing. Unfortunately it also had the longest line and I unhappily stood there close to 3 hours before finding out that they ran out of macaroni and cheese. Ok… the Coolhaus line wasn't terrible in comparison but many of their flavors were out after my 45 min wait. I was left with the sorbet (pineapple, coconut, pear, lemon, blood orange) flavors and no brioche - all things that made them interesting were gone. I couldn't not get anything after such a long wait so I sucked it up and had the pear sorbet on chocolate cookie. My world was not rocked by any means, nor was I satisfied after my yearlong anticipation. If you've read any of my previous posts, you know that I am pretty particular about a "good" cookie and I don't feel Coolhaus delivered.

Fast forward to 1st Friday on Abbot Kinney and I had a MUCH BETTER food truck experience. The Grilled Cheese Truck line was still the longest of them all but I was happy to finally succeed in trying the monster Mac-N-Cheese, BBQ Pulled Pork, and Caramelized Onion in a Grilled Cheese sandwich. It made me so happy. One bite reminded me of a BBQ plate lunch from a backyard summer BBQ with The Dove Shack's "Summertime In the LBC" playing in the background. This truck is so worth all those fail attempts at trucking. I wished I had gotten my 5 sandwich per person limit…

Coolhaus at 1st Friday – The lines were still long but I was more than happy that most of the flavors, minus pistachio truffle, was still available. I finally got to try the brioche bun, which I paired with the brown butter and candied bacon ice cream. Yummy… The Brioche was ingenious - pairing such delicate, eggy bread with ice cream. It was nice and soft, and the portion was suitable to the focus of the sandwich - the ice cream. I thoroughly enjoyed the Brown Butter & Candied Bacon Ice Cream - I ate it so fast I didn't even have any thoughts for it. You'd think it'd be odd because bacon is so salty but it was subdued from the caramelized coating. The ice cream was such a dynamic combination of sensations. Crunchy. Savory. Sweet. Creamy. Cool. Softness from the brioche.

I had a bite of my friend's dirty mint chip and that was a pleasant surprise. I expected your run of the mill mint flavor, but it tasted like actual mint leaves. Very refreshing and very surprising - I would have polished one of these off myself too if there had been a shorter line!

The obvious bad thing about these trucks is that they're limited in their resources and staffing, and their schedules are rather inconsistent. I like the idea that there are festivals where they are all in one spot, but I guess everyone else feels the same way. It is much better to catch them on an off-night when they're just rolling to your local hot spot for late night snacking. One thing I hate most is when everybody waiting for their food or in line to order complains the heck out of their experience because of the slow service and long lines. It's a food truck people! Save your bad energy for home or get Chinese takeout if you wanted a convenient, smooth experience.

With the abundance of trucks these days, it's hard to keep track of them all. One tip is to use an aggregator site like www.findlafoodtrucks.com. This will list all trucks in the LA area and where they are along with any specials of the day.

I have not had the chance to try them all but these are/were the ones I am/was most excited about and recommend trying:

Kogi BBQ – The originator of the LA Food trucks. Korean tacos and burritos. My faves are the spicy pork and chicken tacos. I would avoid the kimchi quesadilla and sliders, which I found underwhelming.

Komodo Truck – Uhh only the sexiest truck around! They've been on KTLA morning news and Tasting Table. They use only the finest ingredients and are not restricted to a food genre unless unique is part of the descriptor. I've only had their fish 'n grape taco, and can say they know how to perfectly fry a fish which can be difficult in a truck!

Grilled Cheese Truck – If you've read my post, you know my stand on this. Get it. I wouldn't get a plain grilled cheese here though – go big and get the one with the mac 'n cheese and bbq pulled pork. You only live once right?

Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwich Truck – If they're nearby, have most of their flavors still, try it. They are good in that they do have some inventive flavors and will surprise you with their take on the classics but their lack of appearances and incognito schedules really piss me off. I would much rather go to The Milk Shop who is there when I need them to be.

Frysmith – French fries with melted cheese and meat on top? Sign me up! It's a pretty hefty meal on its own, which can be surprising since this carb is usually a side accompaniment. I recommend the kimchi chicken – unique and the pickled vegetable keeps your appetite up when you think you can't go any further.

Don Chow Tacos – Chinese Tacos and one of the longest standing trucks which popped up soon after Kogi. This truck is made up of one of the nicest people in this industry. Their special chow fun is bomb, their char siu is damn delicious and not a fake red, and they serve horchata. See any flaws? They'll also be on on Guy Fieri's Dives, Diners, and Drive-Ins later this year.

South Philly Experience – Very low key and under-rated. I stumbled upon them on Pico Blvd. after Kogi ran out of my favorite tacos. I've never been to Philly so I can't compare but I really liked their bread. It was soft and buttery, which is more than I can ask for. The food is just more pricey than I figured for a food truck at $8-9 average.

Buttermilk Truck – I have not tried but I saw someone with Red Velvet mini-pancakes… Next mission…

Chasing cars is an exhausting task. My patience for them is shot. Can they just be in a restaurant already so I don't have to find you? I'm a lady and I enjoy being catered to.

Mo’ Mochi Please

In the olden days, the Japanese made mochi only during special holidays as a gift to the gods. Chinese folks would make it for wedding ceremonies or romantic holidays as a tribute to old tales of lost lovers. Fugetsu-Do in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo currently makes mochi to put in my belly while miraculously adding inches to it too. As the mulit-tasker, mochi is one of my food loves.

I wouldn't call it candy; I'd put it along the same vein as baked goods. I used to only be bedazzled by the ice cream mochi sold in your local supermarket's frozen section but now I am pretty serious about it. I still love the ice cream ones but I do very much appreciate the traditional rice cake and filling types – maybe it's my mature, ahem, taste buds now (I do like bittersweet chocolate since we are on the topic).

Fugetsu-Do has been around for ages (like since 1903 to be exact) and they are actually the mochi topping providers for Pinkberry, Yogurtland, or one of those famous places (I want to say the former). I just heard of this place recently through a friend and I love it. They have so many varieties and some unique flavors that are worth trying. Here is a play by play because you should know sooner than later:

Come on! And if peanut butter doesn't appeal to you, I'm sorry about your troubled childhood.

My mom kinda scolded me saying something along the lines of "you'd even buy chocolate mochi?!" She quickly quieted herself after a bite. It is surprisingly tasty for you traditionalists. For those with a more American palette, you'll eat this up... literally.

It is still Saran-wrapped because I wanted to keep my family's claws off them. Heh... the light colored one is a strawberry flavored white bean with a touch of chocolate. It is their signature flavor and rightfully so.

It's pretty yah? It's a white bean mango mochi. The mango flavor is very subtle. Nothing to go crazy over.

The green thing kinda looks like Slimer from Ghostbusters :) Different texture though! He's more tender and powdery from the peanut powder on the outside and he's packed with red bean (great for you somehow as a Chinese mom would tell you). The pink mochi in the background is like the mango too in that it's packed with white bean and nice to look at. The flavor is very mild if you are looking for something... how shall we say... boring?

One of my other favorites - baked potato mochi. It's not your traditional rice cake type. The texture is very unique and powdery. It becomes a sticky mess but it somehow pieces back together in your mouth as the bread it initially resembled.

They are 3 other baked varieties but most of the rice cake mochi come in either red or white bean for your choosing. They also have some without any filling, just lots of good dough. Your call but don't pass this up!

Fugetsu-Do Confectioners

315 East First Street

Los Angeles, CA 90012

They ship them too if you are too lazy to make the trek :) Get 'em for Valentine's Day! And Easter and Halloween and Christmas... oh, and Columbus Day.

Nobu Matsuhisa = Genius

It's so good, I like, cry. Not to quote Paris Hilton and all, but the best sushi / Japanese food I have ever had came from this man.

So I remember reading People magazine and thinking how ridiculous it was that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spent 4+ hours dining at a restaurant for their anniversary or something. It was probably just a PR play to show that their magic was still there right? Yeah, no. After dining at Nobu Malibu, I can see how anyone (with deep pockets) can EASILY spend so much time at one restaurant... eating and eating and eating. Bragelina must have been at Nobu or Matsuhisa because those places are just exquisite.

Tucked away in the hills, Nobu Malibu is neither pretentious or shi shi. It is fancy - don't get me wrong - but in a classy way. The music isn't blaring loud like some of the other obnoxious places in Hollywood. The waiter (great guy Kevin who's been there since only October '09) is down-to-earth, friendly, and straight-up knowledgeable about everything sushi-related. Did you know that all their waiters go through intense training courses on the fish and menu?? I have never had such great service at a high-end place, hands down. This guy paced our dishes so that we were never overwhelmed. He ordered our dishes so that there was a balance between light and heavy, savory and salty, fish and beef, and any other yin yang that I missed because I was hypnotized by the food.

I had more "hot" or cooked dishes at this place than I did at Matsuhisa, but everything I had came out beautifully and magnificent...

<-- Big Eye Tuna on Miso Chip (Cold Dish) - Coolness on top of sweet, crispy chip = win







Tiradito (Cold Dish) - White fish in ponzu/lemon juice with kick of Peruvian sauce ramps up your appetite with the punch of tartness from this dish -->


<-- Yellowtail Sashimi (Cold Dish) - Every fine Japanese restaurant has their own version of this now, but did you know Nobu was the mastermind behind this dish?


Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice Lettuce Cup (off the menu) - Did I not say it was artistic? -->

<-- Tempura King Crab in Jalapeno Ponzu Sauce (Daily Special) - Very meaty and succulent!






California Roll Nobu has a rice plant in Japan that
makes rice JUST for him... that's pretty gangster, and makes for the best CA Roll I've ever eaten - definitely nothing like the Costco sushi roll trays, hah!-->



<-- Beef "Toban" Yaki (Hot Dish) - Brought out on a hot plate, it sizzles with a fragrant butter sauce that is enough to make Paula Dean blush and will put you in pure meat sin...


Tempura King Crab Roll (Off the Menu) - I just wanted to show how meaty this crab roll was. Nobu definitely does not skimp on the good stuff -->



And lastly, 3.5 hours later after the kitchen is closed and the staff starts to clean up, I get to the best part... DESSERT! With a short selection, it is a fairly easy decision - well at least until the waiter goes on to describe the DNA of each dessert, then things get a little complicated. So being the problem-solver that I am, I requested an Omakase of dessert that well... I polished off myself because my buddy lacked a sweet tooth. Luckily for him, I have two rows of sweet teeth.

The dessert omakase included a hazelnut cookie ice cream sandwich complete with a duo of caramel and vanilla ice cream. The cookie was soft and easy to inhale, which I did. The spring rolls was dark chocolate and white chocolate, and came with three sauces--strawberry, chocolate, and caramel. This was ok but I am generally not a fried egg roll fan (I'm a spring-er). The shiso crepe stopped me in the middle of my conversation. I had a moment where everything else in front of me faded away and my mind went numb while my taste buds went into overdrive. How can a green pocket of warm caramel and caramelized banana be so delicious?! The mint crepe was soft and comforting, and just made me want to eat more. As full as I was, I scarfed them both down because this goodness was not to be missed. I am generally no crepe girl (yeah weird right? guess I am more of a guy), but their's was a little thicker and more substantial... a little airy. It was almost a light, spongy bread but not? Not to mention, pairing it with the vanilla ice cream just made it great. I would easily opt for this dessert over ANY chocolate souffle and that is a pretty bold statement guys. Did I mention the vanilla ice cream sat on top of a crunchy meringue? What a nice surprise! I thought I finally found a flaw at Nobu in that they had served me old freezer-burnt ice cream. No, I just got punked. It was actually another texture surprise hidden under good stuff. And lastly, the strawberry ice cream. I'll admit, my "mature" taste buds have taken me away from fruit flavors which include the aforementioned but I was so ever surprised that this tasted like an actual strawberry. It was not the fake Quik Strawberry Milk powder ice cream, it was the bite of an actual strawberry in season. Just slightly tart and refreshing, cooled as it just came out of the fridge. Amazing, Nobu, amazing.

This is such a great Japanese restaurant that the only one that trumps it is Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills, and that is only because I had more of his sushi dishes and all those were just mind-boggling good. Really really ridiculously good.

Nobu Malibu
3835 Cross Creek Road #18A
Malibu, CA 90265

Nobu Hollywood
903 N. La Cienega Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046

Matsuhisa
129 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Ice Queen

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream... well, I just eat it. LOTs of it.

When I was a kid, I loved rainbow sherbet. You know the ones that come in a rectangle square box from Thrifty's where the colors are meshed into each other? (Man, I don't know how those paper boxes every lasted. They got so mushy by the end of their freezer career!) When I was 5 years old or so, my mom had given me the OK to eat ice cream after lunch - probably because I spent another day being the best kid EVER. She was tired so she left it up to me to scoop my own bowl of dairy confection goodness while she napped. With a little spoon for my little hands and a frozen box of ice cream, I slowly chipped away at the rainbow ice and transferred it into my bowl. It was the first time I got to control my sugar portions, and with my mom asleep, it was the perfect time to capitalize on an opportunity o' greed. Scoop... scoop... scoop... I was so focused on my growing ice cream pile, I failed to realize that it had already been 30 minutes later. In life's greatest irony, my mom woke up and saw me with my huge mammoth of ice cream and immediately decreased my load by half. Epic fail.

A bit long-winded but that began my love for ice cream. What isn't there to like really? It's sweet, creamy, and slowly melts so you can enjoy all aspects of it. Or it's still sweet and creamy but you bite through it so fast that your teeth turns cold and you're caught in an immediate brain freeze - what a rush!

20+ years later, I am still the ice queen I once was. I tried to boycott store-bought ice cream 2 years ago because I was extremely upset by the incredible shrinking ice cream boxes - I couldn't believe that Dreyers Ice Cream boxes kept shrinking as their prices kept soaring. I know we're in a midst of a tough economy but I don't like being bamboozled. Don't just sneak in a smaller box and expect me not to notice! Seriously! Dreyers was smart though. They countered my boycott by teasing me with Dreyers Limited Edition Flavors. If these flavors were only going to be on shelves for only so long, I will have to try it as a true ice cream lover before it go-goes. Sigh... ice cream undefeated, me 0. Here is a short recap of the Limited Edition flavors that I just so happen to have on-hand...

• Egg Nog - I get it every year during the holidays; it's better than drinking!
• Vanilla Sandwich - If you love ice cream sandwiches, then you'll like this. Not only that, but it's almost like Cookies and Cream 2.0. There are so many cookies pieces and they're so much bigger at that. Bigger is better! (Greedy confessions of a fat kid by the way.)
• Hot Cocoa - If you dig marshmallow texture; I don't but I like that this takes me closer to Serendipity's Frozen Hot Chocolate.
• Mud Pie - It sounds good but it could use a bolder coffee flavor, especially given how delicious coffee ice cream just is.
  

Other noteworthy Dreyers Limited Editions not pictured:

• Apple Pie a la Mode - Saw it once, got it, and never regretted it! The caramelized apple pieces with graham cracker crust interwoven throughout the box - amazing!
• Pumpkin Pie - Do you like Thanksgiving? Then get it!

You are brilliant Dreyer's. Not only do I keep gaining weight but I continue throwing money your way with your constant inventions. What great marketers...

Good Eats

It is rainy, I am hungry, and it is barely 9am in the morning. Driving back from Irvine after a late night of birthday celebrating, Xiao Long Baos (juicy Shanghainese soup dumplings) sounded divine. I was definitely not about to drive another 50 miles elsewhere, so I resorted to good ol' Yelp for a good place to start off a good, rainy Saturday... and thank goodness for it because Ding's Garden was such a great find.

Ding's Garden is a legit, small-time Shanghainese-Chinese restaurant. Their menu is written only in Chinese (unless you shamefully request for the English version like me - ABC, what what?). There are so many different dishes but most are the familiar classics. The food comes amazingly fast - within 5 minutes - so you won't be kept in much anticipation.

I know I said I came to satiate my craving of Xiao Long Baos but my wondering eyes got the best of me and I feasted like it was Chinese New Year again. Here is the play by play:

APPETIZER / MAIN:
+ Jiao He Jiao He (mixed cold-cut appetizer) - Simple, herby, addictive (not overly sensational to kick off your pallete)

+ XLBs - Excellent! Meaty, soupy, and flavorful. The vinegar and ginger is not even necessary because it's that good. I honestly wished I had ordered 2 crates.
+ Zha Zhang Mian - Tasty with a hint of sweetness. The noodles had a good elasticity and chewiness to it. It still is not comparable to the best-I've-ever-eaten in Hong Kong but I mean, you can't really beat the motherland.+ Pork Chop Fried Rice - Huge pork chop, well crusted, good meat to breading ratio, comforting fried rice
- Spicy Beef Noodles - Great lean cuts of meat without much tendon (my personal preference), but the soup lacked the herbiness that makes this dish - maybe it's the Shanghainese recipe vs. the Taiwanese flavors I am used to, at no fault of the dish if so
- Dan Dan Mian - Very peanuty if you are into that but it tasted too close to a peanut butter sandwich to me; I would have enjoyed more meat flavor in it. As an FYI, I do love PB in every form but this just seemed too much, even for me
- Stir Fried Rice Cakes (Nian Gao) - Ordinary, could have used more salt

DRINKS / DESSERT
+ Winter Melon Drink - Fragrant and sweet
+ Boba Milk Tea - Boba is smaller, which made it easier to swallow without much necessary chew time --> more time to eat everything else! :)
+ Sesame Rice Balls in Sweet Soup - Fantastic! I could not stop eating it for the life of me! You can tell it is freshly made from the delicateness of the rice balls. The sweet soup perfectly complements the balls, and I love the hint of fragrant Osmanthus flowers sprinkled on top. This is definitely worth getting if you can appreciate traditional Chinese desserts, which is especially perfect for a rainy day.
All in all, this meal was excellent - taste, value, and service rocked (the servers are busy folks but they will gladly stop and explain what's what on the menu and what the other table ordered). All the dishes were inexpensive, averaging $6/dish.

My mom said it best in that you know the owners of Ding's Garden are good cooks who care about their food as it clearly shows in the dishes. I can't wait til I come back for my 2 crates of Xiao Long Baos and sesame rice balls!

18922 Gale Ave, Ste A
Rowland Heights, CA 91748

534 E Valley Blvd, Ste 10
San Gabriel, CA 91776