So much to report... coming soon

An airplane meal hardly worth mentioning... a delicious bowl of beef noodle soup and XO Sauce Fried Rice... Taiwanese breakfast consisting of fan tuan (rice wrapped you tiao) , egg wrap (dan bing), soy bean drink, shao bing you tiao, and Taiwanese fruits (especially 蓮霧)... and more... photos and reviews coming soon

The Wedding Banquet

In celebration of their big day, Pammy and Andrew treated all of us to a meal fit for a king at Wing Lei in the Wynn. Priceless! Review to come. Photos first :)







Wing Lei
3131 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 770-3388

Keller Does Breakfast

I claim to be a foodie, but I've yet to make the true-foodie pilgrimage to The French Laundry in Napa. While I've yet to have the opportunity to enjoy a Thomas Keller lunch or dinner, ut I have, however, enjoyed a Thomas Keller brunch at Bouchon. Everything on the menu is delightful, but what I find most pleasing are the fresh complementary baguettes and the cinnamon beignets with Nutella. What one might "order as a part of his/her last meal" good according to Pammy's cousin, Susan. Perfect when paired with coffee...

Bouchon
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 414-6200

Move Over Wetzel

The Venetian Las Vegas has a great little food court for those incapable of coughing up crazy dough to pay or celebrity chef fare. Luckily, their food court offers some really wonderful won't-break-the-bank alternatives. The day of Pam's wedding, Emily (another wedding goer) and I stopped by the New York Pretzel for a lunch of pretzel and lemonade. Emily paired her original pretzel with a honey mustard dipping sauce. I, on the other hand, ventured and chose a jalapeno Parmesan version. SO-VERY-GOOD. Warm, chewy, and cheesy with a kick. Mmm, mmm, mmm! Too bad New York city pretzels don't actually taste like these!

New York Pretzel
The Venetian
3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, 89109

Gobble, Gobble

Thanksgiving meal (Vegas-style) with Pammy, Mr.Debs, and the gang at Stratta, a chicly casual Italian eatery in the Wynn. There wasn't a single item on the menu that we ordered that I wouldn't order again. But in an effort to be helpful to those of you who do decide on going and can't order "everything," I highly-recommend their Bosco pizza (mushroom and truffle thin crust pizza) and short ribs. To die for!

And ooh, our party ordered one plate of Stratta's Thanksgiving special just for all to share. I don't usually do white meat, but when we're talking turkey prepared by Alessandro Stratta and his crew, how could I say no?

Thank God for good food!

Stratta
3131 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 770-2040

Number One

The Coral Cafe has got the most fantastic red velvet cake EVER. EVER, EVER, EVER. And trust me, I've had my fair share of cake! Jennifer and I shared a delectable slice while at the Century City Mall. We had hoped to limit our caloric intake that fateful evening by sharing a cupcake, but when we were rang up, and the cashier uttered the words, "That will be $6.45," I couldn't help but go, "WHAT?!" Yes, The Coral Cafe wanted to charge me over six bucks for a single cupcake. While most folks probably would've walked away, Jen and I went ahead and asked, "How much for a slice of cake?" And that's how it happened. $6.75 bought us a massive slice of pure happiness. THE BEST EVER. I mean it!

Can't Get Enough

Of Clementine...

Photos taken during two separate trips to the cafe (once with Josh and once with my cousin, Jennifer). Pictured: autumn chicken salad (it's got apple slices and a handful of grapes mixed in!), brussel sprouts (sweet red onions complement the bitter sprouts perfectly), salmon edamame salad (never again), shrimp-calamari-lentil salad (must-have), broccoli-cauliflower salad (okay), smoked turkey sandwich (so-so, buttersquash soup (felt sooooooo good going down), German chocolate cookie (the caramel got stuck in my molars), chocolate chip cookie (oh-boy!)...

T'is the Season

... for pomegranate seeds at Pinkberry.

After sharing a meal at Century City mall's Brazilian churrascaria, Ummba Grill, I dragged Josh to my favorite overpriced fro-yo joint to revel in the mystery that clouds the pomegranate seed. They're sweet. No, they're sour. They look like red corn. No, they look like Christmas lights. Whatever. They're tasty. The seeds were somewhat difficult to consume as a topping (definitely not a date-food... I was spitting my seeds into a napkin that Josh was holding... haha, yes, he is good to me), but pomegranates rarely if ever make appearances in my Asian household, so "yay"! I'm feeling jolly.

Pinkberry
Century City Westfield Mall

Ice, Ice, Baby

Mediocre Japanese/Korean fusion food by normal standards, but by Westood Village standards, not bad. I come here for the ice. My friend Sophie and I downed an entire bowl during our girl-talk-fun-time. As a pre-ememptive measure, Sophie also ordered two hot green teas knowing we'd be freezing post ice consumption :) One can only imagine the storms brewing in our tummies.

Iso Fusion Cafe
1108 Gayley Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90025

Feeling Japanesey

My dear college eating buddy Sophie was in town a couple weeks back and the two of us hit up Raku. I was feeling Japanesey.

This place is awesome. A little difficult to park as the restaurant is located in a teeny strip mall and shares a "massive" (I'm being sarcastic) parking lot of eight spaces with a 7-11. But really, Raku is a diamond in the rough! The sashimi is always fresh (check out the super fresh yellowtail belly pictured above), the salads are creative and refreshing (grapefruit and pomello in salads work so well), and the small plates, Japanese tapas, are to die for (the miso-cod is great, but the fried fish cakes with cheese are are real must). If you're a fan of Japanese food, do try Raku. Yum, yummy, yum.

Raku Restaurant
11678 West Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Who Would've Thunk

That I'd ever enjoy Arby's?

5 items for $5.95. According to my Uncle Tom, it used to be 5 items for $5.00!

Josh and I were on our way back down to Los Angeles from San Francisco. Arby's is his favorite fast-food chain. I used to think their food was gross, but for some odd reason, this time around, I was enamored. Their cheesy roast-beef sandwich melted in my mouth and the curly fries... mmm. Yes, I know. I'm hopeless. Don't judge.

Have You Been To...

Father's Office?

And I'm not referring to my father's office, rather Father's Office, the wonderously fabulous, upscale pub best known to locals and visitors to alike, for its great (but over-rated, and more like a sandwich than a burger) gourmet burger, vast beer selection, and absurdly delicious sweet potato fries with tartar sauce.

Haven't been?! Well you should.

And when you go...
1) Order the steak tartar. I enjoyed it more than I enjoyed the burger.
2) Be prepared for dim lighting.
3) Get there a little early. Or REALLY late. There's almost always a line to get in at both the original branch in Santa Monica as well as the Culver City branch. There's a bouncer at the door. Oh yeah. You need to be at very least 21 years of age to enter...
4) Be prepared to wait on yourself. Orders (all orders) are taken at the bar. You seat yourself.

Yum.

Father's Office (Culver City one... there's more seating)
3229 Helms Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90034

Photos to be posted.

Food Babies

A meal at Won Stew is bound to result in a massive food baby. Our last meal during our whirlwind trip up to the Bay Area took place in Fremont. Wanting Josh to have a taste of my favorite pork-chop over rice, I introduced him to Won Stew House, a Chinese take-out joint that serves bentos of gargantuan portions. For $6.50, one can enjoy a meal that one would normally consume in three-sittings. And if you're really looking for value, you may even consider purchasing a pre-paid Won Stew punch card. I believe it's 10 meals for $50, but you may have to double-check. Fried meat over rice accompanied by vegetables, five-spice-marinated tofu, and egg. I guarantee that you'll leave stuffed.

Won Stew House
477 Saratoga Ave
San Jose, CA 95129
(Am offering y'all the address to the San Jose shop because the Fremont one is way too ghetto.)

C'est Si Bon

After attending a Steven Alan sample sale with Kathy, the two of us were ravenous. Presented with several dining options (Fred 62 being the original front-runner), we ultimately decided on the French bistro, Figaro. The restaurant looked sooooo cute from the outside -- that and the fact that it was packed! We'd originally wanted to sit outside (well, I did, because I wanted to people watch -- a fun thing to do in a hip neighborhood like Los Feliz), but there wasn't room, so we set up camp inside. Noticed that were seated alongside lots of Frenchies (folks speaking French)... good sign?!

In an effort to be healthy (and knowing that I'd be placing an order for dessert), I ordered the shrimp-avocado-mango-yogurt-honey salad. Sounds gross, but it was so lovely! So amazing, that the table next to us asked which salad it was that I'd ordered. As for Kathy, she had a craving for fries, so she ordered the mussels & frites. She wolfed down ALL the fries before starting on her mussels...

Bread basket was awesome (they've got this walnut bread that Kathy couldn't stop eating--with butter, of course!)... but the chocolate souffle? Mediocre.

An overall wonderful experience. I'd definitely return.

Figaro
1802 North Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027

In a Land Far Far Away

Lunch in Walnut at Apo Apo with Josh's cousins. Apo Apo - the fobby way to pronounce "Apple Apple". Hehe. I like the name of this eatery. The food was sadly mediocre (noodles in the beef noodle soup weren't chewy enough, the rice of the pork chop over rice combo "pai gu fan" was dry, and the braised tofu that accompanied the braised pork over rice "ru-ro fan" was too salty), but the massive portions made up for the meal's short-comings--for the boys, at least. Tummies left full. While the entrees left much to be desired, the desserts, on the other hand, were de-liciouso! Soooooo good! Pictured is one of the two happy endings to our meal: Fresh strawberries on top of sago, shaved-ice, and soft-tofu. The mango one was better, but I didn't get a chance to take a photo of it as I was too busy shoveling it down.

Apo Apo Deli Cafe
808 N. Nogales St
Walnut, CA 91789

To Cook or Not to Cook...

That is the question. I've never attempted sea scallops before. But since Josh really enjoys them, I thought I'd give Iron Chef Cat Cora's recipes a shot. The recipe I tried was really simple and the success of the dish would be dependent upon the freshness of my ingredients. That said, I hit up fancy shmancy Whole Foods for my seafood.

Pictured: Sea scallops served over field greens... they would have been perfect had I not undercooked my first batch... Gosh, how was I supposed to know? The critters I picked up were unexpectedly ginormous!

Mmm.

Debra: You need to write a review.
Josh: I'm not your slave. I don't want to right now.
Debra: You're mean. I hate you.
Josh: You don't smell like Korea when you leave. You can get round if you come eat here too much. Hahaha.

Josh's favorite Korean BBQ joint in LA. Super yummy. Be sure to order the kalbi and seafood pancake!

Park's BBQ
955 S. Vermont
Los Angeles

It's Better with Butter

"God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well." - Voltaire

Together my college bff Kathy and I consumed nearly a pound of butter at the new Santa Monica bistro, Anisette. Having walked in with no reservations, we felt lucky to have found bar seating. The restaurant set-up is really charming. High ceilings, dark wood, dim lighting, bustling... For a second there, I felt as if I'd been transported to Paris. So wonderful.

Kathy and I ordered the mussels (creamier than we'd anticipated but yummy), steak frites (there were three sauce options and we chose the red-wine reduction option... an excellent choice), and a side of hericot verts (they were swimming in butter, but neither of us complained).

Service was slow, but the waitress' fab attitude more than made up for it.

Anisette Brasserie
225 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90407
(310) 395-3200

One Time...

Two times...

Clementine is so good that I'm featuring it yet again. The food there is fresh, simple, and "comfortable."

Pictured: Grilled shrimp and calamari salad (I highly recommend it), cauliflower and broccoli with almonds and shallots, the most delicious meatloaf I've ever had the pleasure of eating (another dish I highly recommend), Mrs. Miller's cookie (a coconut oatmeal raisin cookie offering just the right amount of chewiness), and ginger-limeades.

Love, love, love this place.

Clementine

Reunited...

... and it feels, so good...

Grubbed with with le cougar cub and my cousin, Albert and his fiance, Marie a couple weekends ago. (The power couple - Albert, a doctor-in-training, and Marie a recent U.Chicago law school graduate - has moved back to Cali!)

Marie suggested a cute Thai restaurant in Pasadena. A good call, as Josh and I hadn't left the west side in ages. Pity that the ambience at Saladang Song outshined the food.

Pictured: Soft shell crab...

Saladang Song
363 S. Fairoaks Avenue
Pasadena

浪人 - Ronin

Josh and I were typing up reviews for Ronin at the same.

This is what Josh had to say:

Prior to a riveting performance by Maya Rudolph and Fred Armison at the Largo, Debra and I had dinner with our friends Casey, Dianne, and Kathy at an izakaya joint called Ronin.

We were delighted by the pleasant selection of both hot and cold tapas. Of course, the ladies enjoyed the complementary warm chocolate cake dessert served with a shot of homemade milkshakes.

And this is what I had to say:

Before catching Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisine's show at the Largo Theater, fellow foodie Kathy, le cougar cub, Casey, Dianne, and I dined across the street at Ronin. Though located next to a sketchy strip club with a blazing neon NUDE NUDE NUDE GIRLS sign, Ronin ROCKS!

The plates here are meant to be shared. With five people in our party, we tried pretty much everything!

Highlights?
The taco shimi (ahi tuna sashimi, avocado, and grilled shitake served on cumin-seasoned flour tortilla chips that come stacked like a napoleon... delish!), the curry fried chicken (yum, yummy, yum), Ronin fried rice (sticky rice topped with a fried egg!), and decadent chocolate cake served with berries and a mini (shot-glass-sized) vanilla smoothie (it was served complimentary, which made it all the more delightful!)...


Whereas most restaurants located on La Cienega are pretentious, over-priced, and outright crappy, Ronin defies the norm. The plates were beautiful, fresh and delicious, service was incredibly friendly, and the restaurant was clean and perfectly lit... gosh, I can't stop raving about this place.

I'll definitely be back.

Pictured: Ronin fried rice. The other photos I took didn't come out due to the dim lighting. Boo.

Ronin Izakaya Bistro
359 N. La Cienega Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(310) 289-8404

Clementine

If it's good enough for Reese Witherspoon, it's good enough for us!

Josh and I were finally able to dine at upscale neighborhood cafe, Clementine yesterday. Tucked away in a random location, the restaurant comes highly recommended by Pulitzer Prize winning food critic, Jonathan Gold. But more importantly, my classmate, Robby had mentioned it various times as well. Josh and I had tried popping in on two other occasions, but the place was always closed! We admittingly dropped in on two straight Sundays... but yesterday, on a Wednesday, in the company of our dear friend, Jeannine, we were fortunate enough to finally enjoy lunch there.

The sandwich Josh ordered had him wondering, "How'd they do that?!" (the answer was "butter") and the refreshing summer salad I'd ordered had me thinking, "I could eat this for every meal!" (But of course I could. The "healthy" salad I'd ordered came tossed with amaaaazing bacon!) Overall? The ingredients were simple, but the combination of fresh farmers market faire made for uber-happy customers.

I look forward to returning.

Pictured: Josh's Clementine Combo consisting of "today's sandwich" (a turkey melt), a mixed green salad, and choice of cookie or drink. Also pictured is my summer salad.

Clementine
1751 Ensley Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 552-1080

Spanish Sushi

I love, love, love tapas. That said, when Josh told me that our b-school Spaniard, Daniel recommended Bar Pintxo, I just had to go.

The tapas served at this cozy, tiny tapas bar were like none that I'd had during my visit to Barcelona. Sitting atop a high stool, I consumed some of the largest tapas I'd ever seen. Check out the photos. I liken them to mega nigiri sushi.

Pictured (from left to right):

TOP: Simple and classic grilled bread rubbed with fresh tomato and topped with serrano ham, the same simple and classic grilled bread topped with foie gras, caramelized onions and apple, and once again, the same bread topped with smoked salmon wrapped around a hearty serving of dungeness crab.

MIDDLE: The special. Homemade flatbread topped with olive oil, figs, caramelized onions, and arugula.

BOTTOM: mushroom, jamon, and diced veggies

Detailed review to come.

Bar Pintxo
109 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 458-2012