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

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

That'sa Pizza!

Pizzeria Mozza: This place will always have a fond place in my heart. I had this place earlier on in my food career when my boyfriend at the time whisked me away after a stressful day at work to introduce me to the best pizza he ever ate. Not knowing how different gourmet pizza can be from my favorite take out joint, Pizza Hut, I became a new person that night.

While I have not gone very often, I hold Batali’s pizza as the bar for what great pizza should be. Their pizzas are made with the freshest ingredients. The tomato sauce is tangy and rustic. Their cheese is made in-house and sprinkled with just the right amount (not too much, not too little though nobody ever complains about extra cheese!). And… the perfect bubbly crust which makes the pizza. Just to give you a little background, I am not a crusty person. I am that girl that would cut the middle of the pie and eat it if you’d let me. Why waste my stomach space on an area that does not contain cheese, meat, or tomato? Worse of all, it is usually pretty dry and hard to eat. Well that mentality changed after having Mozza’s light, airy crust.

Fast forward a few years, I have yet to find another pizza place as tasty as Pizzeria Mozza. Recently his pizzeria gave me a new reason to come back: Nancy Silverton’s new Wednesday night Italian-rubbed baby back ribs. Boy oh boy were they tasty! Extremely flavorful – tangy, savory, spicy, and moderately saucy. The aromatics on the ribs fill your senses with every new bite. They aren’t bbq so don’t expect smoke or grill marks on this baby. Also, unlike your traditional baby backs, these are much smaller. It’s an interesting cut – only half the size of what you are used to. (They are more like Chinese short ribs if that means anything to you.) Don’t fret though! The volume of flavor truly does make up for the smaller size.

On that night, I also shared two pizzas – the Bacon, salami, fennel sausage, guanciale, tomato & mozzarella and the Egg, bacon, Yukon gold potato & Bermuda onions. The first one was basically a meat lovers-kinda pizza (YEA!!). It was ok. I wished it had a little more tomato sauce on it and more bubbly in the crust. The second pizza was better. I was surprised by how tender the potatos were, and I was more than stoked to have an egg on my pizza. The egg didn’t quite live up to the idea I had of it – maybe if it was bigger? It is tough to get enough of the egg on the pizza when its divvied up into four slices.

Sadly, the pizzas weren’t quite what I remembered. Maybe I did not order the right ones. Their maragherita (mozzarella, tomato & basil) is their best pizza after all, and I previously loved their prosciutto. Maybe it was the ribs. They were just so damn delicious it suppressed every other capable sensation that night. Or maybe it was that treasured first memory – it’sa Amore! Regardless, I will still love this pizzeria and now I have the ribs to look forward to.

641 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Animal Cruelty

You break my heart Animal. I've longed you for months, but you killed my spirit with your lack of lamb, savory-less dessert, and plates for ants (I thought it was another bad Mugatu joke).

Animal
The appetizer list is extensive and the most interesting of the menu items. The quality was good--definitely rich and paired well--but it was bite-sized and dissatisfying. Yea apps are smaller, but I never expected a SINGLE ravioli to come out. Otherwise, the head cheese and sweet bread was unexpectedly good. It was the first time I had the latter, and I'm glad it was a good experience. As for the head cheese--I just love banh mi and pâté, so I will love this dish regardless.

I had the following as my mains: foie gras loco moco, the flat iron steak, and the lamb. I thought the loco moco was the most original and unique. I really liked the maple syrup, teriyaki, and sriracha sauce they used in place of traditional plate gravy. The dish was topped by a fatty piece of foie gras, contrasted by a delicate fried quail egg. In accompaniment was also a (over-done) hamburger patty and spam (uhh yumm!). The flat iron was ordinary, though the size should have made it an appetizer. Now the lamb! I can't even talk about the lamb because I never got it after 45 minutes of waiting! You know really, it's fine if you don't have it, but please don't promise it to me, have me wait longer, and then end up canceling the order for me because somehow it's not available anymore. It's not that serious, just be honest! That kinda soured my experience, but it's fine because the much-anticipated bacon crunch bar is next on my palette. Well uhh.. yeah. Under-whelming. The bacon bits tasted like the fake bacon in cans used for salads. Maybe they played it too safe with this one--not wanting to interfere with the sweets--but if you're going to pull this stunt in the first place, balls out son! I preferred the tres leches--moist, milky, and adequate.

I am glad I tried the place. Some plates were unique and well-executed... I just wouldn't come back. There are so many better restaurants at this price point.

435 N Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Cellulite Please?

Friend: What are you doing tonight?
Me: I'm going to craft
Friend: Oh! How fun! What are you making?
Me: Umm... I'm making cellulite.

Craft Los Angeles
And that is exactly what I did with the never-ending dishes that made its way to our table at Craft Los Angeles. I had been once before, but was not blown away. It had great ambiance but the dishes itself didn't present anything unique. This time around, I had a greater appreciation for Tom Colicchio's restaurant. While not the most creative, the restaurant serves the finest ingredients and let its quality speak for itself.

I had an interesting conversation with my cousin yesterday, in which I was quick to fight him on but could not think of a counter-example. The experience at Craft today seemed to back up his theory that appetizers are the stars of any meal, while the entree is the boring supporting actor. Hmm... bold statement. I love meat, I love carbs, ergo I love main entrees which is essentially the meat (is there a better word in the culinary dictionary?) of each meal. I didn't want to believe it, but it makes a bit of sense. Since apps are smaller, chefs can be a little riskier... adding as many ingredients, texture, and flavor as they like. Entrees have to deliver certain expectations. Period. It makes up most of the bill, so it better taste like that fond memory (did someone say pot roast? ok, who am I kidding? I mean, Chinese roast duck). On that note...

Appetizers/Sides
Japanese Hamachi & Tuscan Melon - The citrus jelly that skirts the fish is bombastic
Assorted Mushrooms - Really really good, as in I-think-there-was-bacon-in-it good
Gnocchi - Carb bomb but light and fluffy
Lemon Asparagus Risotto - Too citrusy
Variety of Heirloom Tomatoes - At its peak season and sweet to the taste
Lobster & Avocado - It's ok. Even bacon doesn't make this outstanding.

Entrees
Flatiron Steak - It's what it is. You can find this anywhere.
Pekin Roast Duck - Underwhelming. Fatty. The grape-inspired peppercorn sauce could have tasted better with an extra pinch of salt.
Halibut - Delicate. It's fish. Don't have much of an opinion.
Braised Beef Short Rib - Really tender, really juicy but how can you mess up a slow-roasted short rib really? Throw it in a crock pot with some good spices and you are set (really!).
Lamb - Not gamey at all, really meaty and just flavorful. They stuffed this chop with herbs, causing it to almost taste like an Italian sausage.

Dessert
Watermelon Granita with a dash of Salt - Refreshing! This would have been the best note to end on.
Almond Pound Cake - Where's the almond taste?
Souffle - Wow.
Beignets - Delicious and delicate despite its fried doughness. Drizzle with a bit of honey and chocolate, and you're walkin on the moon
Petit Fours (White Chocolate Cookies, Brownies, Caramel Popcorn) - Now these intricate little bites ought to be in a fine dining restaurant!
Lavendar Lemon Muffin - I'm having this for breakfast, so verdict TBD

Yeah we had about 1/2 the menu... thank goodness it is family style, which is the best attribute of this restaurant. As far as my opinion, I am going to be nice and say indifferent in the realm of fine dining. (Disclaimer: I have been to some really really good restaurants.)