LA/OC Eats and Beyond - Part I

I've been in the OC (and LA) a lot recently and have tried a lot of tasty eats so I thought I'd share with you all the things that have made my stomach happy. And yes, all these pictures were not taken with a camera. I've been slacking in that department. It's all about taste for me anyway.

 

Vitello's Restaurant, Studio City, California

 



 

 

Enjoyed the Lobster Ravioli and the Chicken DaVinci. Both were real treats. Also had the calamari but it was oily and had me a little woozy. A great place to hang with a few friends or go on a date. Heard the pizza is good here so we discussed coming back here for the pizza next time. I'm sure some of their other dishes wouldn't disappoint as well. I left not feeling well so wasn't sure if it was the food or not. Service was absolutely great. Atmosphere was very cool and relaxed. I'd say it deserves 3/5 hearts: © © ©

Paradise Cove, Malibu, CA

Lobster tacos. I'm a lobsta lover. Enough said. Pricy but whatever. Get them. 5 hearts: © © © © ©

 

Kagura Downtown, Littly Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA

 

 

Fresh fish. Affordable for the area. Would definitely make it back there --which you should, in my opinion, stick to a sushi place once you find a good one. Raw food isn't something to play with and get sick! I give Kagura 4/5 hearts: © © © ©

 

Tokyo Delves, North Hollywood, California

  

 

 

 Came here for the first time for a friends Dirty Thirty party. Sushi wasn't that great. Didn't taste fresh to me. And quite pricy. Entertainment was just okay. Tokyo Delves gets 2/5 hearts: © ©


Jae Boo Do, Koreatown, Los Angeles, California

 

Jae Boo Do is known for their Seafood BBQ. Not the typical AYCE Korean BBQ. I enjoyed this very much so, though my lungs did not! And major chest muscle pain but that had nothing to do with the food. There are 4 options to choose from here and we (4 of us) went with Option C, which came with:

Various Korean side dishes, Shrimp, variety of Clams, Green Mussels, Oysters, various Scallops, Abalone, Baby Octopus, Hag fish, Sweet Potato, Potato, and a warm soup to end the meal.

I enjoyed wrapping the Hag fish in the sesame leaf and eating it with a piece of garlic, onion, and ssamjang, a typical Korean eats. Seafood was fresh here. We left feeling really full but not overly stuffed to the point that we couldn't walk. The bill will be cheaper if you pay in cash. Friendly service. I'm already thinking about my next visit. 5/5 hearts: © © © © ©
 
 Miss Coffee, Koreatown, Los Angeles, CA

After all that seafood, we were in the mood for ice cream! In this HUGE measuring cup, we had green tea ice cream, ice, strawberries, sauce, malt, and all sorts of things in this concoction. Great for 4 friends to enjoy. Interesting experience. I'd come with a group. Fairly priced. I give it 4/5 hearts: © © © ©

To be continued!

Zucchini Chickpea Burgers

Whaaaat??! Veggie burgers? Where's the meat!

 

I know, I know! Kind of strange seeing this girl post a recipe for a veggie burger but hear me out!

 

I made plans for myself to try to go completely meat-less -minus fish and 2 eggs/week, of course!- for a few weeks, starting this past Monday. Doing it mainly for health reasons and actually feeling great about it! This will be my second meat challenge this year and I'm feeling pumped about doing this again but working harder to eat better meat-less meals.

 

So how to do this without giving up, feeling hungry, and getting discouraged?

 

Get creative in the kitchen. Try new things and experiment. Figure out new flavors or combinations that you like and ones you may not but glad you at least had the guts to try. Play around with your food! Make it fun.

 

The first thing I thought of doing was buying three cans of chickpeas and deciding on making three totally different dishes I've never had before than the usual ways of delving into the garbanzo bean. Gotta start somewhere!

 

I looked online for some inspiration or even a new recipe to try and right away I locked my eyes on the recipe for Zucchini Chickpea Burgers....and that was the first new meal I was going to create with one of my cans. I was a little wary but definitely went in with an open-mind.

 

I found the recipe on Vicky's blog: http://avocadopesto.com

 

and here's the link to her recipe: Zucchini Chickpea Burgers

 

I made a couple of changes for my own preferences (and the fact I rarely follow a recipe!) but here is her recipe below:

 



Zucchini Chickpea Burgers

Recipe type: Dinner

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 6

 

Killer veggie burgers made with zucchini, chickpeas, quinoa and sunflower seeds. This will be your new favorite burger. Vegan and gluten free too!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 1½ cup zucchini, grated on the largest setting of a box grater
• ½ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
• ¾ teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper to taste
   
• 1½ cup canned chickpeas
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (1/3 cup dry)
• ⅔ cups water
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• ½ teaspoon smoked and spicy paprika
• To serve::
• 8 hamburger buns or sliced bread (Udi’s gluten free for gluten free version)
• red onion, thinly sliced
• large handful arugula
• 4 tablespoons wasabi mayo (omit for vegan version)
• 4 tablespoons edamame hummus
• 3 small cucumbers, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add zucchini, and saute until zucchini is cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Grind pumpkin seeds, sea salt, and pepper in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add quinoa, chickpeas, dijon mustard, lemon, dill, and paprika, to the mixture. Pulse to combine a few times and then run the food processor until the mixture is broken up but hasn’t completely lost its texture. If you need to, add a little water to the mixture.
3. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl and add the zucchini, onion, and garlic. Mix until combined.
4. Shape the mixture into 6-8 patties with your hands.
5. Heat remaining olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Cook burgers for five minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
6. Serve each burger on hamburger buns with a dollop of wasabi mayo, edamame hummus, sliced cucumbers, red onions and arugula.

 

Here's my end result:

 



 

And my changes:

• I ended up replacing the sunflower seeds with pine nuts. 
• No need to add any water to the mix. It was perfectly moist.
• The olive oil was kind of low for only 2 Tbsp and splitting it for the first steps and when cooking the burgers but I stuck to it.
• I had no dijon mustard in my kitchen so I used regular mustard but cut it down to less than 2 Tbsp. I got a hint of it when I tried the burger but not overpowering at all. I wouldn't mind using this again or just buying some dijon.
• I used dried dill instead of fresh. I don't use it that often to buy fresh so dried came in handy today.
• I had smoky paprika on hand already so used that though it isn't spicy at all.
• I added 1 tsp of red pepper flakes for a kick!
• I was out of arugula. :)
• Instead of making wasabi mayo, I made wasabi yogurt instead. Just made about 1/2-1 tsp of wasabi and added to about 1/2 cup of plain low-fat yogurt. It was more than perfect! That and I'm trying to avoid mayo as much as I can.
• And I didn't have edamame hummus - which I absolutely love, by the way!

My thoughts?

 

I actually really like this burger. I forgot that it wasn't meat for a second! I wouldn't mind making this once in a while. I was able to get 7 burgers out of the mix, which I ended up freezing them to enjoy on another day. So far it's been about 5 hours since I had lunch and I'm still feeling full, no appetite at all, and I'm not missing meat...so far! I encourage you to try this out and taste for yourself!

 

 



Moroccan Lamb Stew

We are slowly coming to the end of 2013 and I decided to look back and post the recipe of the BEST thing I ever made, cooked, and ate this year! And it didn't take me long to think about it. I've had some pretty good meals but one dish has stood out to me and now I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! It's my Moroccan Lamb Stew. And oh my word you need to have this in your life!

The flavor has so much depth to it. Richness yet it is so simple. If this is the best thing I've had this year, I can only imagine what it is like in Morocco everyday! I HAVE TO GO THERE SOMEDAY SOON! Truly I will forever speak highly of this meal and I could definitely eat this every day and not get bored. Or at least finish the whole pot by myself! The only downside to this recipe: It takes too long and the smells coming from the kitchen will have you in a trance! You just want to eat it already! So this definitely takes some patience on your part. :-)

Look at that vibrant color! It's enticing you but don't jump fast! Cooking it low and slow for a couple hours will all be worth it in the end, I promise. Don't make this on an empty stomach!

The stew is served with couscous and it is 100% perfect together. You can just buy a box of the couscous and follow the package directions and it'll be just fine. I added a side note to turn it into a dessert below the recipe. Try this stew. You will definitely not be disappointed. Trust me on this. Without further adieu, here is the recipe for the Best thing I ever ate in 2013:

Moroccan Lamb Stew

Ingredients:

3 lbs Lamb shoulder meat, cut into 1-1 1/2 in. cubes or lamb off the bone (leave some fat on)

1 Yellow onion, chopped

4-5 cloves of Garlic, finely minced

1 Red bell pepper, chopped

1 fresh Pasilla chile pepper, remove the seeds and chop or 2 tsp Pasilla chile powder

1 Tbsp Smoky Paprika (or regular Paprika)

1 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Cardamom

1/2 tsp Thyme

1 Bay leaf

2 cups of Chicken Stock

14 oz can of Whole Tomatoes, pureed, or 14 oz of fresh Tomato Sauce

1 can of Garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained

Salt and Pepper, to taste

2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil

Couscous, for serving

1. Pat the lamb pieces dry. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the lamb and brown the sides (about 7-8 mins). This will be done a few times so the pot is not crowded. Transfer each batch to a plate after browned.

2. Add the onions, red bell pepper, and pasilla chile (if using fresh) to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute or two. Stir in the paprika, cumin, cardamom, thyme, and add the bay leaf. Cook for a couple minutes.

3. Next add the tomatoes, chicken stock, and lamb pieces into the pot. Raise the heat to high and cook until the mixture boils. Lower the heat and let simmer with the pot not fully covered for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the lamb pieces are tender. 

4. About 20-30 minutes before the stew is done (estimate), mix in the chick peas. When ready, season with salt and pepper and serve over cooked couscous. The combination of stew and couscous is perfection.

5. Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy.

*Side note: Getting off topic here. :-) I grew up eating couscous as a dessert and you should try it too! Follow the package directions but cook the couscous in milk, with a pinch of salt, and a couple tbsps of sugar. Serve warm with either powdered sugar on top or very fine coconut flakes! YUM! 

Let me know what you think!

A new BBQ sauce

I have a huge love for BBQ and enjoy it with my usual BBQ sauces but lately I've been looking for something different outside of the norm. Although there are tons and tons of BBQ sauces out there and while they all have their own unique spins, they pretty much are all the same. You rarely see a different BBQ sauce being explored, both in restaurants and on the famous 'Food Network'. I want something different! A new change in my eats. More culture. More creativity in the works---from myself and from others. 

So one day....

I think I found my 'it' sauce. Or I know I found my 'it' sauce. How do I know I found it? Because I crave* it all the time now and that's enough to solve this new sauce dilemma! Or at least start my search for more.

*Growing up, my mom used to crack jokes all the time about my cravings and how they = to pregnant women cravings! Ugh! I can't help it! And that is one of the main reasons why I run, ;) besides the fact I actually do love running!

I got this recipe from an Egyptian friend. -I added a couple things to the mix to make it my own without changing its simplicity- At first, I didn't want to try it---WHAT?! The reason for this is because I asked what was in it and the main flavor you get from this sauce is---tahini. And to be honest, I wasn't too fond of it at the time. It's not a bad thing but in my opinion, too much of it is....too much. It's a strong flavor when used to the supreme. I know it's in one of my favorites--hummus, but I prefer it when it's used lightly. Now, things have changed and I appreciate it more. I've enjoyed experimenting with it now in both savory and sweet dishes.

So of course I tried it anyway and it was love from there. You get the hint of tahini but it really isn't overpowering at all. And it goes great with chicken. It's definitely not your typical 'BBQ Sauce' but I strongly urge you all to give it a go. Just once! Then tell me if you agree or disagree. I added the cayenne and garlic for that little hint of spice and I love love garlic so of course it made the cut. Sometimes I add the vinegar and sometimes I don't. Either way it's still a palate pleasing sauce.

Tahini BBQ Sauce Recipe:

1/3-1/2 cup Tahini
2 cups Plain Yogurt
1 Tbsp Vinegar, optional
Juice of 1/2-1 Lemon
Salt, to taste
1-2 tsp Paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp Cayenne
2 cloves of Crushed Garlic or 2 tsp Granulated Garlic Powder
Water, small amount just to achieve liquid consistency
Chopped Parsley

*Note: May need to experiment to your liking and double/triple/leave as is depending on the number of people enjoying this. Nothing is measured exactly when I make this. Some changes may or may not need to be made, depending on your liking.

1) Combine all ingredients and either use as a dip or pour over your meat of choice*.

*I've only had this with chicken. I haven't experimented yet with other meats.

It's time to appreciate the ingredients we have been given in each and every culture in this world.

Will you try this new BBQ sauce recipe?

Food Trucks GALORE!

Highlights from the Food Fest - Truck Style event I attended a month ago.

More importantly, I FINALLY GOT TO TRY A BANH MI FROM THE NOM NOM TRUCK!

That was my main reason for going to the Food Fest, held here in my area of Southern California. For those who don't know, the Nom Nom truck was on the Food Network show 'The Great Food Truck Race', basically 'The Amazing Race' + Food Trucks within the US. The Nom Nom truck kicked booty in EVERY race they had that season, except sadly, they went down the last episode, the finale. :( Come on, they should have just gave it to them! Anyway, ever since then, I, as well as many others, have been DYING to see what they are all about.

They mentioned that you can follow them on their twitter: Nomnomtruck. That's where you'll be able to track them down for a darn good meal. Now me, I don't have a twitter nor I really don't have the need for one, so that's where my sister comes in. She follows them for me! :)

Here is what I had to do to get what I wanted and the result:


The start of something good..

FOUND THE NOM NOM TRUCK! The picture doesn't do the line justice. The line was much longer than it looks below. I think I waited between 30-50 mins in that line. I lost track of time.

Patience is a virtue.

I nom you too!

The moment you and I have been waiting for...I grabbed the Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi.



You really want to know what I thought? Here goes...

NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!

Yes, it WAS that good. The baguette was just perfectly crisp, not soggy at all. Couldn't have asked for a better sandwich. Lemongrass Chicken. The chicken was so tender and full of that WONDERFUL lemongrass flavor that you know I love. Cilantro. Marinated carrots and daikon radish. Cucumbers. Jalapenos (Which I actually took out. Docs orders.) And mayo.

Seriously, I really enjoyed it and was 100% pleased with it. My sister also tried her luck later that day and was extremely lucky because the food truck sold out 3 people after her! And she agreed with me. Waaay better than she thought it would be. Please follow them and try them out. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Now, I didn't just leave with just a Banh mi! There were quite a few food trucks with pretty much every cuisine around I wanted to visit but I was short on cash and time due to a cake I had to make that evening for a surprise bday party, so I decided to just settle with two more food trucks and hope that something like this would happen again very soon!!

The next food truck I visited was Sugar Babies. They are a cupcake place located somewhere in LA. I've been hearing about them a lot lately so I wanted to check them out.

I ended up getting two cupcakes because they were small and well because I just did! I scored a Strawberries N Cream cupcake and Red Rose aka a red velvet cupcake.


Yeah, pretty miniature cupcakes. My thoughts: Both cupcakes were dry. Probably should have taken them out of the oven sooner because they were smaller than the normal size cupcakes. I did enjoy the chocolate flavor from the red velvet though. Will give props for that.

And lastly, I couldn't resist checking out this truck:

The Shrimp Pimp Truck! Yeah, I had to. Besides that I was just craving shrimp. The usual. The favorite. You know. I ended up getting a Shrimp Po Boy.

The Shrimp Po Boy consisted of an awesomely perfectly toasted French Roll, oh so good Shrimp - tempura style-, Greens, Tomatoes, and a spicy kick from the Remoulade Sauce. It came together wonderfully, deliciously, and beautifully.

***I craved the Banh mi and the Po Boy for quite awhile after that weekend.***

It was a wonderful and filling day at the park with all these food trucks. Go chase after all the food trucks on the streets now! YUM!