tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61495877427783904842024-03-12T18:45:16.398-07:00The Fifth Deadly Sin<b>Gluttony:</b> an insatiable appetite. a sin of the flesh.Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-78742491043794717852012-12-02T17:18:00.000-08:002012-12-02T17:22:03.947-08:00Tsensational BrowniesLet's bake.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tsensational Fudgy Brownies.</span></i></b></div>
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142g 70% dark chocolate<br />
1.5 Tbsp cocoa (Dutch for dark choco flavor, Natural for milk choco)<br />
240g maximum total sugar (sugar in chocolate + granulated or castor's sugar)<br />
115g butter (you can get away with approx. 95g)<br />
1 tsp vanilla xtract<br />
1 tsp insta-espresso (gives more complex flavor, but not required)<br />
1/3 tsp salt<br />
2 eggs<br />
60g flour<br />
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- <b>This is a small batch for approx. 9" x 6"</b><br />
- Tweak ingredient amounts to suit your preferred texture, taste, and sweetness level.<br />
- Use the best chocolate and cocoa you can reasonably get. I used Scharffen Berger chocolate and Penzeys Dutch processed cocoa for this batch.<br />
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<b>Mise en place. You know the drill:</b><br />
1. Melt choco w/ butter.<br />
2. Beat eggs with sugar until pale and fluffy. The more you dissolve the sugar and work the whites, the better crust you will get. This is key to achieving the paper-thin shiny crust.<br />
3. Sift flour w/ cocoa and salt.<br />
4. Choco/butter should be cool enough by now to dump in w/ eggs. Do it.<br />
5. Mix in flour mixture in parts. Or just throw all of it in, whatever. Just make sure you don't have lumps.<br />
6. Fold extras into batter as you see fit: choco chips, nuts, PB swirl, etc.<br />
7. Oven behavior varies. For my shitty little oven, 24min @ 345F gives me the results I want. You'll have to figure best baking time on your own, sorry.<br />
8. Let cool and devour. Sharing is for chumps.<br />
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Please note that this is for fudgy brownies. For cakey brownies, you'll have to increase the amount of flour. For chewy brownies, increase sugar and/or use a higher protein flour (eg. bread flour).<br />
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<br />Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-12929302446120147542012-11-22T20:33:00.001-08:002012-11-22T22:24:17.310-08:00Big Man Bakes CupcakesBeen having a wicked cupcake craving since October that hasn't been satisfied yet. Walking to my car last night after dinner at <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/2012/11/baco-mercat.html" target="_blank">Baco Mercat</a>, I saw a very unglamorous storefront with a fat display of cupcakes. I was so full that even dessert didn't look appealing to me, so I only bought one. Under normal circumstances I would have purchased like six of them. minimum.<br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Triple Berry</span></b></i></div>
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Each bite you take contains a generous amount of plump blueberries, and as if that wasn't enough, the moist tender cake gives off an intense berry aroma to flood your mouth with fruit. The icing is also very noteworthy--thicker, richer, and less sweet than fancy cupcakeries'. My only complaint is that the crumb is not fine and delicate enough. No one asked for my opinion, but I think they should dry out the blueberries a bit more so the 'stronger' crumb isn't required to give the cupcake sufficient structure when the berries start to bleed during baking. 9/10 in the taste department, though.<br />
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In retrospect, I should have splurged for more cupcakes. Next time perhaps. Can grab a bite at Baco while I'm there too. It's just across the street. Love it when good food is located so close together. At $3.25 a pop for an XL cupcake, you might as well skip dessert at Baco and come here.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bigmanbakes.com/menu.htm" target="_blank">Big Man Bakes Cupcakes</a><br />
413 Main St.<br />
Los Angeles, CA 90013<br />
213.617-9100Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-48353808487203829442012-11-21T21:56:00.005-08:002012-11-22T22:23:44.721-08:00Baco MercatSo Charlie mentioned that he hadn't been to Baco Mercat during a kickass dinner at <a href="http://www.starrykitchen.com/" target="_blank">Starry Kitchen Nights @ the Tiara Cafe</a> and I just had to beat him to the punch. Yes! Finally the one time I'm not playing catch-up!<br />
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I did not bring a tripod to dinner, so this is a photo-less post that is more for my reference than it is for foodporn browsing during business hours on a slow day. Rest assured, a second trip is planned. Just skip the rest of the post if you haven't already. Text blows. Anyone actually still reading this?<br />
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Arrived at 6pm w/ a party of three on Wed. night to find all tables inside Baco already reserved. Outside seating was available, and actually preferable. I found the interior to be a bit too cramped and dark.<br />
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Ordered way too much food. Server raised his eyebrows.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">3</span> Bacos (flatbread sandwich)</u></b><br />
All Bacos are made with a very tender yet sturdy flatbread that's good enough to eat by itself.<br />
<b>1. OG-<i> pork/beef carnitas, salbitxada</i></b><br />
Pretty sure the pork cut is from the belly. Meats are crispy outside but still tender on the inside despite being dry. I'm not making any sense, I know. But that's what it's like. The Chinese have a similar way of cooking meat. Beef cubes were much leaner and this was a major problem if you didnt get a hunk of the pork belly along with it in the bit you just took. Beef-only bites were pretty dry and took some jaw-work. Bites w/ the pork belly were juicy, creamy bliss. So very rich. The salbitxada spread plays a huge role in the OG's flavor, but that's okay because of its depth and complexity.<br />
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<b>2. Beef tongue schnitzel-<i>harissa, smoked aioli, pickle</i></b><br />
Tender tongue that still had enough chewiness. Accompanying spread and sauce brought an awesome combo of sweet, spicy, and light acidity to make all the ingredients and spices come alive in your mouth. Best of the three. Absolutely brilliant balancing of flavors.<br />
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<b>3. Toron-<i>oxtail hash, pickle, cheddar, tater, horseradish</i></b><br />
Think: med.rare oxtail burger+crispy breakfast tater+yogurty sauce w/ pickles and arugula. Meat was cooked perfectly but needed more salt/seasoning. Everything else about it was fine. Could have been a lot better if Baco used lamb. Tastes good, but not as interesting as the other two.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2</span> Coca (crispy flatbread aka fancy pizza)</u></b><br />
<b>1. El Cordero-<i> merguez, harissa, feta</i></b><br />
Fantastic combo of flavors. The harissa and spicy sausage went so well together with feta giving a light pungent aroma at the back of your palate. Served with arugula and cheese on top of the pizza.<br />
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<b>2.</b> <b>El Starts w/ a "B" but I Forgot the Name- <i>three cheese, spicy peppers, sausage</i></b><br />
Loved the use of Thai basil here. It provided a fresh 'bite' to counter the heaviness of the sausage and cheeses.<br />
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<b><u>Soujouk Pork Belly Ragu- <i>ricotta cavatelli, pecorino, tomato</i></u></b><br />
Small portion, and appropriately so. Super dense and hearty dish. Thick and creamy. I would not suggest you solo this one. Very heavy on the soujouk sausage seasoning. I think this is a really good dish, but I'm not sure. Was so full at this point that it only tasted "good" but I'm sure under hungrier circumstances it would have tasted amazing. <br />
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<b><u>Fried Chicken & Biscuits</u></b><br />
Shut up. I was curious so I ordered it. Baco Mercat continues their theme of slightly spicy, a little bit sweet, and a touch of acidity. Pretty good take on fried chicken, which they sandwich between huge biscuit halves. At $13 I would say not worth it except to satisfy your curiosity. Plan Check (post coming soon) does chicken a lot better and around the same price. If your a biscuit fan and don't mind shelling out dough for this dish, then you're gonna love it. Excellent biscuit that's light and flaky yet sturdy enough to soak up juices and hold the chicken. Especially liked the buttermilk twang and sugar to round out the flavor. Light sugar glaze on top was a nice touch.(I do the same when I make 'em!)<br />
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<b><u>Upside-down Caramel Cake</u></b><br />
$10 disappointment. Way too sweet and the crumb was not tender enough. Menu said it is served with apples so I hoped at least some acid would cut through the sugar...but no. Apples were super sweet too. Baco Mercat should consider a lighter cake, holding back the sugar, and some acid or tartness. This sugar bomb is just not appealing to me.<br />
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Yes, it wasn't a perfect experience, but what I failed to describe is the bright complex flavors of each dish that are brilliantly balanced. It's something you have to taste for yourself because words just aren't up for the task. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun eating. Okay Starry Kitchen was pretty good, but Baco Mercat impressed me a lot more with combinations of textures and flavors that I've never experienced.<br />
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Note: Parking next to meters is free after 6pm. Plenty of parking on Main St. or the alleys.<br />
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<a href="http://bacomercat.com/" target="_blank">Baco Mercat</a><br />
408 Main St.<br />
Los Angeles, CA 90013<br />
213.687-8808Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-57582946954883639102012-11-20T17:09:00.000-08:002012-11-20T17:09:24.505-08:00Tacos MexicoAnother one of those places where you drive by almost all your life and never even notice its existence. Behold, Tacos Mexico and its $.075 taco Tuesday/Wednesdays:<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Six asada tacos spread on a plate. Photo taken w/ friend's iPhone.</b></span></i></div>
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Typically when I want to satisfy my after-dinner Mexican fast-food cravings, I go to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/taco-del-rio-la-puente" target="_blank">Taco Del Rio</a> on Azuza in La Puente. $6 gets you a monster burrito with all the fixings. Their tacos are also generously portioned and priced at just over a buck. What we ate as UCSD students can't even compare to TDR.<br />
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...fucking Sergios, Cotixan, Robertos, Rigobertos....ugggh I'm not gonna continue listing them.<br />
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Then I was told about Tacos Mexico in Hacienda Hts who are open 24/7. $0.99 gets you a taco that tastes just like a street taco. So effin' satisfying. To hell with my East LA taco crawls. I'll save myself the drive and just come here. You'll finish a taco in 3-5 bites (2 if you're a pig) so order a lot of 'em at once if you're hungry.<br />
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They serve other stuff too like sopes, gordidas, and breakfast items. Combo plates also available. I think I'll keep it simple and just stick with the tacos. Their meats are pretty decent--well seasoned and juicy. But, Taco Del Rio meats taste better. You'll just have to decide whether you want a street taco from Tacos Mexico or a more meat-oriented Taco Del Rio.<br />
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I've read the Yelp reviews on this place and I have to disagree with some of them. Jason K and Neil's reviews are pretty spot on though. Yes, this won't be a mind-blowing, life-altering gastronomic experience, but at these prices and their 24/7 business hours, the value is pretty goddamn good for what you get. The place is clean, tacos aren't soggy with oil, & the meat tastes good. Just make sure you come early enough while it's still freshly cooked. I'd say a 3 star rating. My second choice after TDR, which closes at 10:30ish.<br />
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Tacos Mexico<br />
1133 Hacienda Blvd<br />
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-69653677980010697762012-11-16T11:28:00.003-08:002012-11-16T11:35:01.107-08:00Fresh DonutsNo this is not a post about my home cooking adventures. The donut shop is called Fresh Donuts. In my opinion, three of their donuts are wickedly good. The best in their category that I've had to date.<br />
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So uh...I actually planned on higher stacks of donuts for the photo-shoot, but I ate too many on the drive back home...<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>From the top: Devil's Food, Honey Oat, Blueberry. </i></span></b> </div>
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What sets Fresh Donuts apart from other shops is that their donuts feel light and clean on the palate because they are less sweet and oily than most. It also tastes like they change the frying oil frequently. (Fry enough donuts at home and you'll know what I mean.) Crumb structure is also pretty good, although I've had some inconsistencies with the traditional buttermilk in the past. <br />
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The Devil's Food has a strong cocoa presence and doesn't feel bogged down by oil and sugar when its in your mouth. It is very common to see this type of donut suck up mindblowing amounts of oil as it cooks. Another common mistake is to overload it with sugar like all creations from Krispy Kreme. BTW, KK makes bad donuts. Sorry if you're a fan, but it's true.<br />
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Honey Oat is something I don't see very often in donut shops. Maybe they sell out when I get there or something. I don't know. Fresh Donuts achieves a perfect balance of sweetness and nuttiness that keeps me coming back every week for more.<br />
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Blueberry is also particularly noteworthy. They don't skimp when it comes to ingredients. Each donut contains a generous handful of berries so your mouth and nose will be filled with blueberry aroma with every bite. Freakin' amazing.<br />
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I have a larger version of the following photo as my wallpaper. Always brightens my spirits when I look at it.<br />
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I've also had the chance to try all their yeast-raised donuts (ie. OG glazed, sugar coated, bear claw, apple fritter, etc). These are merely average. There has not been a single donut shop whose yeast-raised dough can compete with mine. I even find popular ones like <a href="http://www.cafedulce.co/" target="_blank">Cafe Dulce</a>'s to be lackluster, if not slightly below average--especially given their high prices.<br />
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Restaurants, however, are a different story. Mariah Swan (former pastry chef at Grace and currently at <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bldrestaurant.com%2F&ei=IpOmULubDurWiwKr7oDYCA&usg=AFQjCNHG5LT88KAv41cU9yDucA54uOcukQ" target="_blank">BLD</a>) always impresses me.<br />
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Fresh Donuts (next to Trader Joe's)<br />
409 Avenida De Los Arboles<br />
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360<br />
805.492-0566Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-42809614887654842182012-11-11T19:54:00.001-08:002012-11-11T20:01:44.602-08:00Ching Guang Market, TaipeiYesssss! Found more of my photos. A few of these are from Ching Guang Market (晴光市場) in Taipei. I have family who live just a five minutes walk away. A lot of the vendors have been here for decades and super duper nice to the residents who are regulars. They'll only be very nice to you, however. For some reason, Taiwanese are so much more genuinely friendly and welcoming compared to Americans. This is especially true in the South or in smaller cities.<br />
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Chicken sausage. Crispy skin 'cuz nothing is better than frying a sausage.<br />
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Fried tofu. Crispy outside, silky and delicate on the inside. Fun contrast in your mouth. The quality of tofu used was excellent. Very rich. You could actually taste the soybeans and their subtle sweetness.<br />
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My aunt loves this vendor's goose. I don't know how to describe the taste...its like...duck-but-not-really?Tender yet still has enough chew. Taiwanese don't like mushy meat. We want some toothiness and spring to the texture. But of course, the oh so "Q" skin is the best part. Very lightly salted and seasoned but it'll make your mouth water all the same. <br />
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*sniff* *sniff sniff* HEY. THAT SMELL. I KNOW IT! I WANT IT!<br />
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baboom. Fried stinky tofu. Fried of the left, boiled in a ma-la (literally: numbingly hot) base on the right. My favorite Taiwanese dish. The more pungent, the better.<br />
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Some people (foreigners, usually) are put off by the smell. But, I want to help spread the word that this is the equivalent of a "fragrant" cheese. I think Zimmerman (Bizarre Foods) did an episode in Taiwan and was pleasantly surprised at how the smell in no way reflected the taste. Not sure, but I think his tofu was grilled in that episode... IMO, fried is the only way to go. It'll taste nuttier. Try it. You might like it. The fried preparations usually come with spicy picked cabbage and hot sauce. A big plus.<br />
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On a related note, I find it funny that the Taiwanese love stinky tofu but are hesitant about trying stinky cheeses...<br />
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I'll update this post after I find and process more photos. I don't know how my portfolio got out of sync. In the meantime, check out <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=chin%20guong%20market%20taipei&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jinlovestoeat.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fching-guang-market.html&ei=cGugUJqKFITXigLJ2oCQAg&usg=AFQjCNHu6BOZN2KR-KkHjazudoo15eoJwg" target="_blank">Jin's post on this very same market</a>. Damn I miss Taiwan and its good eats...if you want comfort food, look no further than Taiwanese cuisine. So much rich, satisfying, fried, carby goodness.Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-38699431131893990182012-11-09T00:06:00.002-08:002012-11-09T00:12:04.488-08:00BeijingAbout the same time I went AWOL from food blogging and Fb, I worked in Beijing for awhile. The experience opened my eyes and showed me how different life is across the strait. I lived most of my childhood in Taiwan and head over there twice a year (sometimes more) since I moved back to the States. Figured life in China wouldn't be so different from Taiwan since both countries speak Mandarin Chinese and are so geographically close that I swear you could swim from one shore to the other.<br />
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Nope. So very very wrong. What a culture shock. The only thing I could reasonably relate to was Mandarin Chinese, but even then Beijing residents speak in the northeastern accent....which to me is the equivalent of Californian vs a heavy fake Cockney accent. You know they're speaking the same language, but sometimes you just don't know wtf they're saying.<br />
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Yeah okay this isn't a travel blog. On to the food!<br />
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Beef noodle soup is actually a pretty common dish for both Chinese and Taiwanese. The restaurant was fairly well known for theirs, so I gave it a shot because I was curious to compare it to all the Taiwanese ones I've had. The broth here was heartier and deeper in flavor than what I usually have. Good stuff.<br />
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Supplemented my noodles with an order of cumin lamb skewers that were grilled over charcoal. You'll see meat skewers at a lot of restaurants, especially during summer. They have a big grill outside using wood charcoal to impart a wonderful smokey flavor. They also do beef and chicken with a variety of seasonings. I particularly like the spicy Schezwan peppercorns and crushed chiles. Spicy even by my standards.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Inw5yTLbuLc/UJyvzAa5xbI/AAAAAAAABN4/InykJOl9fnE/s1600/Zhajiangmian_rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Inw5yTLbuLc/UJyvzAa5xbI/AAAAAAAABN4/InykJOl9fnE/s400/Zhajiangmian_rs.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Here's some mediocre <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhajiangmian" target="_blank">Zhajiang mian</a>. My mother makes a better sauce. Those house noodles were terrific though. Good tooth and flavor. FYI, you're supposed to mix all of that together.<br />
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Okay so this is what a typical casual restaurant's decor might look like. Pretty damn cool huh?<br />
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Now an example from fine dining:<br />
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NEATO! <br />
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Calamari from a stone pot @ one of the pricier restaurants. One thing I've noticed is that many low to mid-end restaurants in Beijing will typically use a noticeably superfluous amount of oil to prepare each dish. Nice n fancy establishments use just the right amount. <br />
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Rack of lamb Frenched and fried with chili peppers and peanuts. Best. Freaking. Dish. EVAR!! Dramatic presentation to match its equally impressive taste. So many intense and complex flavors here. Texture of the lamb was just out of this world too--crisp on the outside and oh so very very tender and juicy inside. To mix things up a bit, you can crunch on the peppers too. Might be hard to tell from the photo, but the ribs are pretty darn big.<br />
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Hey check out this out of place, uninspiring photo. What gives? Well I was too excited and eager to dig in, so I snapped one shot without any thought to composition. One does not go to Beijing and not eat Peking Duck. My god I ate so much duck. From the very best at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quanjude" target="_blank">Quan Ju De</a> (and its equivalents) to the "oh hey this is still good!" at neighborhood restaurants. What we have in SoCal doesn't even compare.<br />
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I think it was around this time when I stopped taking food photos in Beijing. It was a lot easier (and more enjoyable) to just sit back in a restaurant, take it all in, and enjoy the new experiences.<br />
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Oh! And for some giggles, here is a Starbucks located across from Tienanmen Square:<br />
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Cracked me up when I saw it. It's located in a super touristy shopping attraction. They pretty much built a whole shopping district in the historical Chinese style. Worth a look if you're in the area.<br />
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Makes me sad to think all the good eats I had in Beijing can't be had here.<br />
<br />Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-85267884712082296112012-11-03T01:03:00.001-07:002012-11-03T13:25:37.254-07:00Pier Burger<b>First, a shout-out to a certain blonde yoga-pants-wearing someone</b> who spurred me into reviving the blog: Thanks chica, I've forgotten how fun this was.<br />
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Let me tell you...the commute from Thousand Oaks back home to LA is no fun during peak hours. I'm usually spared this torturous experience since I leave well after traffic has died down, but today I had the <strike>luxury</strike> punishment of leaving early. As I closed in on the 405/101 junction, my BP was perilously high so I said "fk this"and went to go hang out in Santa Monica until the freeway cleared up and I regained my sanity.<br />
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After some shopping to cheer me up, I dragged my hungry stomach over to the pier to make it even more hungry. Found this at the pier and felt like going on a gastronomic adventure:<br />
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How many of you have passed by this place without giving it a second thought? Come on be honest now. Been on the pier a bazillion times and heck...I've never even seen Pier Burger until tonight. Was that hungry.<br />
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Ordered the Double Pier Burger and small fries. No photos this time, but I'll update in the near future. "God what a terrible post. No photos? Seriously man?" I know guys. I'll update it, don't worry. For now, <a href="http://www.theburgerreview.com/2012/09/pier-burger-santa-monica-ca.html" target="_blank">please refer to Pete's blog for photos</a>.<br />
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For a fast food burger, this was just tits. <i><b><u>Fantastic</u></b></i> sear on the patties, which gave a slight crunch to go with the very solid oomph of beefiness--something you don't ever get or associate with fast food burgers. Meat was perfectly seasoned to enhance the sweet mineral notes and subtle funk. To top it off, they were incredibly juicy despite being cooked to well-done.<br />
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Equal attention was given to the buns. Pier Burger used a springy, moist, and slightly sweet potato bun that complemented the beef quite well. Very fragrant. Very good quality. Meat to bun ratio was perfect. Buns were toasted too, as they always should be. None of that Red Robin cold bun bullshit.<br />
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The spread Pier Burger used was almost like the In-N-Out style, but thinner and a tad more sour. I liked it. Worked well with the beef's rich juices.<br />
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This is no rival to my #1 favorite SoCal burger (<a href="http://www.25degreesrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">25 Degrees, Huntington Beach</a>), but they are in different burger categories anyway. As a fast food burger, this one's a big winner. Better than <a href="http://www.gburger.com/" target="_blank">G Burger</a> in La Habra, I dare say, and leaves In-N-Out (which isn't that great to begin with, but is the gold standard for many people) in the dust. Definitely coming back again. Maybe this time with a date. Saw too many couples on the pier. #ForeverAlone haha naw I kid I kid. All Roger needs in his life are desserts.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pierburger.com/" target="_blank">Pier Burger</a><br />
330 Santa Monica Pier<br />
Santa Monica, CA 90401<br />
310.587-2747<br />
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<br />Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-11409421699600895022012-10-31T16:29:00.001-07:002012-10-31T16:29:23.349-07:00CelestinoPasta fans rejoice! Get your fix at <a href="http://www.calogerodrago.com/home.html" target="_blank">Celestino</a>. The place is run by the Drago brothers. No doubt you've already heard of the rave reviews given to their <a href="http://www.celestinodrago.com/Restaurant.php" target="_blank">restaurants</a>. Now here's another one to tack on to your to-dine list if you're around Pasadena.<br />
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I must apologize for the mediocre photos. Not my usual quality of work. This was all hand-shot without a tripod in very poor lighting.<br />
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<b>Fried Mozzarella:</b><br />
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Battered and fried cheese is always delicious. Fancy fried cheese is doubly delicious. Can't go wrong ordering this starter. What? Did you just mutter something about calories? Shush. Just do it.<br />
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<b>Jumbo Scallops w/ Cannelini Beans and Sage:</b><br />
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A very hearty and satisfying appetizer. Will probably fill you up if you are a light eater. Textures were great. Beans had enough 'tooth' in them. Scallops were spot-on.<br />
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<b>Black and White Tagliolini w/ Scallops and Saffron Sauce:</b><br />
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Yeah it looks plain, but actually the pasta packs a huge whollop of flavor and aroma. This was a personal recommendation from <a href="http://clayfood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Charlie (clayfu)</a> and I'm going to slap on my seal of approval as well.<br />
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<b>White Truffle Linguine:</b><br />
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$24+ special of the night. Worth it? Fuck yeah. Any truffle fans want to give me some high-fives? This was such an intense dish that palate fatigue set in a third of the way in. Enough truffle and umami to short-circuit your brain's pleasure center. What I especially enjoyed was how long the taste and aroma lingered in my mouth even after swallowing. As good as this special was, I strongly suggest splitting it. About half-way through your plate, I promise you won't even taste truffle anymore. Wasn't kidding when I mentioned fatigue earlier. I was going back and forth between this and the Half-moon duck ravioli to maintain my sensation of taste and smell.<br />
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Topped all this off with a sorbet trio. Nice and refreshing after all that cheese and creaminess.<br />
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Absolutely fantastic pasta. I know I didn't make a convincing argument, but come on guys. I haven't made many bad calls over the years right? Definitely my #1 dining option if I'm in the area.<br />
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<a href="http://www.calogerodrago.com/home.html" target="_blank">Celestino Ristorante & Bar</a><br />
141 South Lake Ave.<br />
Pasadena, CA 91101<br />
626.795-4006<br />
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<br />Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-62675171985279217642010-09-15T11:40:00.000-07:002010-09-15T12:44:33.401-07:00Mariscos GermanI grew up with sidewalk vendors/carts/food trucks in Taiwan. Street food = awesome taste:cost value (for the most part). I've heard people poke fun or turn their noses up at the idea of eating from a "roach coach". Suckas didn't know what they were missing until the recent food truck craze popularized street eats. So apparently now it is "cool". Can you see me rolling my eyes right now?<br /><br />Mariscos German has been around long before the craze and have a huge fan base, so this is likely to be old news for many. Fish tacos, fresh seafood tacos, ceviche, tostadas, & complimentary seafood soup can be had at super low prices. Best bang for the buck is the $1 fish taco, which I daresay easily ranks in San Diego's top 5. You could either fill up on that, or have something more interesting.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TJEW4mG3UXI/AAAAAAAABLM/5eovjgc8vT8/s1600/Marlin_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TJEW4mG3UXI/AAAAAAAABLM/5eovjgc8vT8/s400/Marlin_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517216180063392114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Marlin Taco -</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> smoked marlin, bell peppers, onions, celery & cheese</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Seafood tacos at Mariscos German kick ass. Choose your (shell)fish and they'll stir-fry it up for you with bell peppers, onions, and celery and then dump it all into two toasty soft corn tortillas w/ melted cheese. Tacos of note: Marlin and Gobernador(shrimp). From experience, the smoked marlin may be a hit-or-miss, though usually it's a hit. This is my favorite taco from the truck because it is such a mouthgasmic experience. Hell, it's my favorite taco in San Diego. That marlin tastes like bacon from the sea and with each bite of the taco, your tongue will get hammered with a huge spectrum of taste and sensation. The play of sweet/savory from caramelized veggies and marlin coupled with the rich creamy mouthfeel of the cheese are complimented by the marlin's smokiness and bacon-like umami. Eat fast enough (before they tacos get soggy) and you'll be able to enjoy the texture contrast of the taco filling and the lightly crisped tortilla exterior.<br /><br />Grab a handful of napkins and a fork. You're gonna need 'em. <br /><br />After a heavy hitter like the Marlin taco, I like to have something light and refreshing:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TJEbFjuZEeI/AAAAAAAABLU/LAJzaXd2ejk/s1600/Tostada_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TJEbFjuZEeI/AAAAAAAABLU/LAJzaXd2ejk/s400/Tostada_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517220800808686050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Seafood combo tostada</span></span><br /></div><br />Mariscos German serves various kinds of ceviche-topped tostadas. Each one comes with a nice big hunk of avocado too! The tostada is pretty huge and is a lunch entree in itself, so if you're not a big eater, I would suggest sharing with another person.<br /><br /><br />Oh, and don't forget to pick up your free cup of seafood veggie soup. It's good stuff.<br /></div></div>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-86035028893357287782010-09-14T14:36:00.000-07:002010-09-14T18:27:30.542-07:00Uncouth GourmandsHola! New posts are going to start rolling in soon. In the meantime, scope out <a href="http://uncouthgourmands.com/">Uncouth Gourmands</a>, a new food portal that has popped up in LA. Ran by three playful and media-savvy ladies, this is sure to become a big hit. What's even more awesome is the fact that the growing UG network spans across America! Searching for good eats in major US cities has just been made even easier.<br /><br />Yes, I am fully aware of this thing called "Yelp". I am not a fan of Yelp. My reasons are many, so if you truly are curious about why I'm such a hater, just e-mail me and I'll send you an essay response.<br /><br />Soon to come: Celestino or Drago Centro, possibly Pie & Burger, Afghan Palace.<br /><br />Lastly, I've been cleaning up the blog layout and decided to scrunch up the blog listings into two links: LA/OC and SD. While I would love to proudly display the work of all food blogging enthusiasts on my home page, it can get rather hairy. Sorry folks!Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-88172621922600097702010-06-21T21:40:00.000-07:002010-06-21T22:02:04.496-07:00Dim-sum catch-up in TaipeiI'm baaaaack! No. Just kidding. But in the meantime, here are some photos to drool over. Can't believe I never posted them after <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/2009/11/xi-men-ding.html">Xi Men Ding</a>...and of course any Taiwan related post requires a shout-out to <a href="http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/">the lovely Miss joanh, author of internet sensation The Hungry Girl's Guide to Taipei</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCJZ7TzLI/AAAAAAAABJs/o5q8pfh0qoQ/s1600/menu.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCJZ7TzLI/AAAAAAAABJs/o5q8pfh0qoQ/s400/menu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485457075483167922" border="0" /></a><br />This set is from a quick catch-up w/ my father's college pal's family near the Taipei train station. It was actually an ambush, really. They wanted to set me up with their daughter. What a cutie! But sorry, girl, Roger is taken!<br /><br />Quick shots in jpg_small, ISO 800. Not all dishes are pictured....again. G'damn I've been slackin'.<br /><br /><br />Enjoy:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCTKQ0PLI/AAAAAAAABJ0/bB8mNKed01g/s1600/ohbabygiveit.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCTKQ0PLI/AAAAAAAABJ0/bB8mNKed01g/s400/ohbabygiveit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485457243077098674" border="0" /></a>I want to see this every time I walk into my kitchen.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBChm3peRI/AAAAAAAABJ8/0TmGcQdwQ_4/s1600/shumai.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBChm3peRI/AAAAAAAABJ8/0TmGcQdwQ_4/s400/shumai.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485457491274332434" border="0" /></a>Dim-sum ain't dim-sum w/o shumai.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCnQ8KbGI/AAAAAAAABKE/c-YIX-TR9f4/s1600/duck.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCnQ8KbGI/AAAAAAAABKE/c-YIX-TR9f4/s400/duck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485457588466904162" border="0" /></a>That's duck.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCr7IzKdI/AAAAAAAABKM/Ad_KdpJ9CYw/s1600/stuff.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCr7IzKdI/AAAAAAAABKM/Ad_KdpJ9CYw/s400/stuff.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485457668513671634" border="0" /></a>STUFF.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCyjEbmXI/AAAAAAAABKU/LVvwh5ydQk8/s1600/stuff2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/TCBCyjEbmXI/AAAAAAAABKU/LVvwh5ydQk8/s400/stuff2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485457782311983474" border="0" /></a>These come in various fillings of your choosing--shrimp is my fav.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Too tired to write more. Those of you who still swing by here, thanks for your continued patronage. Another photo set from Taiwan coming soon!<br /></div></div><br /></div></div>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-40551526546469382402010-04-25T02:43:00.001-07:002012-10-17T00:48:09.691-07:00CrushcakesOkay so after Charlie and I wrapped up lunch at <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/2010/04/santa-barbara-shellfish-company.html">Santa Barbara Shellfish Co.</a>, we headed to <a href="http://www.crushcakes.com/">Crushcakes</a> where we were greeted by a QTpie behind the counter and a jaw-dropping display of cupcakes. To be honest, I didn't even really notice her until after I gave the display a good once-over...<br />
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Gotta prioritize, ya know?<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QPceXDjKI/AAAAAAAABJE/NNLEBoditCY/s1600/crushqt_rs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464009229767773346" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QPceXDjKI/AAAAAAAABJE/NNLEBoditCY/s400/crushqt_rs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a><br />
Got a bunch of stuff. Not all are pictured or listed:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QP6d_28LI/AAAAAAAABJM/-Ld5oeLa84k/s1600/crush7_rs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464009745066553522" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QP6d_28LI/AAAAAAAABJM/-Ld5oeLa84k/s400/crush7_rs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Buttermilk Crumb Cake -<span style="font-size: 78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> moist buttermilk cinnamon swirl cake with brown sugar cinnamon frosting.</span></span><br />Strawberry Blush - <span style="font-size: 78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">fresh strawberry cake topped with rosy pink strawberry frosting.</span></span><br />Peanut Butter Cup - <span style="font-size: 78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">chocolate cake with creamy peanut butter frosting topped with ganache.</span></span><br />Chocolate Chocolate - <span style="font-size: 78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">rich dark chocolate cake smothered in dark chocolate frosting.</span></span><br />XYZ(I forgot) & a better version of the </span><a href="http://www.hostesscakes.com/cupcakes.asp" style="font-weight: bold;">Hostess' CupCake</a></span><br />
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With a 2.5hr drive back to LA, I dunno how I made it without eating them all. For real, I show zero constraint when it comes to desserts. <a href="http://eclipsechocolat.blogspot.com/">Will of Eclipse Chocolat fame</a> can attest to that...so can my UCSD pals who've all seen me destroy a dozen donuts, a whole choco-cake, a whole batch of brownies, or big bag of Oreos in a single sitting.<br />
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It's a wonder I can still see my abs. Not that I'm bragging, of course. I'm just sayin'.<br />
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Alright, so two of them didn't make it home for an afternoon tea photoshoot:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QTHy1Yl4I/AAAAAAAABJU/NVoLmTD3P9A/s1600/crush5_rs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464013272532948866" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QTHy1Yl4I/AAAAAAAABJU/NVoLmTD3P9A/s400/crush5_rs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Survivors</span></span><br />
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I anticipated the Peanut Butter Cup to be my favorite:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QTTfR6TrI/AAAAAAAABJc/HHCDoaHK0jw/s1600/crush6_rs2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464013473442320050" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QTTfR6TrI/AAAAAAAABJc/HHCDoaHK0jw/s400/crush6_rs2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a><br />
I mean, how could it not blow you away? I never pass judgment based on presentation when it comes to food, but this little guy totally had me sold. That is, until I took a chomp out of each of the four. PBCup was good, but nothing terribly remarkable, though the chococake was almost on par with my man Will's. The biggest weakness the PBCup has is the lack of PB flavor. If Crushcake can fix it, then we have a definite winner whose taste would match its perfect construction. On the other hand, Buttermilk Crumb Cake is a real sleeper. I did not expect such rich and decadent creamy/milky flavor from the cake. Holy **** it was like licking an angel. Choco-choco, however, did not wow me as much. It was a pretty standard chocolate cake/frosting combo. Maybe if some ganache were thrown in (kinda like Will's @ Eclipse) it would win more points.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QXPHvj_HI/AAAAAAAABJk/Yr2ff1Cf76Q/s1600/crush1_rs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464017796451269746" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S9QXPHvj_HI/AAAAAAAABJk/Yr2ff1Cf76Q/s400/crush1_rs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Yes, the Buttermilk Crumb Cake blew my mind, but the winner of the tasting is Strawberry Blush. Almost too close to call, though. Stawberry blush packed a big whallop of fresh strawberry taste. I really dig that. Each bite tasted of the sweet aroma of fresh berries. Seriously. The cake is almost as rich as the Buttermilk Crumb Cake, but had a good touch of strawberry to it. Slap on that delectable strawberry frosting and Crushcake's got a signature cupcake. (No idea why their actual signature cake is the red velvet Crushcake. The thing was so unremarkable.)<br />
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I'm all for big bold flavors, but the thing is, I eat desserts in massive quantities. The Buttermilk Crumb Cake is just too heavy in such binging sessions and palate fatigue would creep up way too early. Out of a potential dozen Crushcakes, I'd likely buy three of their best flavors in sets of four. Four BCCs would just be too much even for me. Lastly, Stawberry Blush is just such a refined cupcake. It's "light" and yet it'll smack your mouth around with strawberry. A real culinary marvel. When the weather turns cold, though, I'd bump the BCC to #1 and wolf them down with some city+ roasted coffee.<br />
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Will, you've finally got a worthy competitor!<br />
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<a href="http://www.crushcakes.com/index.html">Crushcakes Cupcakery</a><br />
1315 Anacapa STreet<br />
Santa Barbara, CA 93101<br />
805.963-9553Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-16553560785776696722010-04-06T10:34:00.001-07:002010-04-06T10:52:40.285-07:00Santa Barbara Shellfish CompanyFrom the Lompac return trip. Location is right on the pier and parking (validated) was no problem at all.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7tw9G6OX4I/AAAAAAAABI0/Mk2JEo9QcX4/s1600/beerboilshrimp_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7tw9G6OX4I/AAAAAAAABI0/Mk2JEo9QcX4/s400/beerboilshrimp_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457079568618643330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beer boiled FTW!</span></span><br /><br /></div>G'damn these were so sweet. As sweet as fresh amaebi from a sushi bar. Can't decide which I like better: these or the monster sea prawns at Hong Kong Palace?<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7tyI-u80SI/AAAAAAAABI8/qaIxewdVCfY/s1600/dungeoness1_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7tyI-u80SI/AAAAAAAABI8/qaIxewdVCfY/s400/dungeoness1_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457080872093929762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Dungeoness and her onion ring crown.</span></span><br /></div><br />Last crab season was the best ever and I hope you all took advantage of it. They were just about four bucks a pop at 99 Ranch Supermarket. If you live near a 99 and missed it, then you fail @ fooding, I'm sorry. This Dungeoness was more expensive, but somehow tasted a helluva lot sweeter than the live ones I took home from 99. Shoot, I even watched the kitchen folks prepare the order and it seems no different than what I do.<br /><br /><br />We also had an order of fried clam strips and some chowder. Clam strips were unremarkable. Can't remember the last time I've been impressed by them so I suppose I'll just stop ordering 'em now. Chowder, on the other hand, is terrific at SBSC. Charlie's gal supposedly is more than content to work on her own bowl of chowder, leaving clayfu to finish all the seafood by himself.<br /><br /><br /><br />Sure prices are high here, but what do you expect? It's right on the pier with a spanking good view. If you know a better place for seafood nearby, I'm all ears. But, it'll be tough to top SBSC's quality and execution.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sbfishhouse.com/">Santa Barbara Shellfish Company</a><br />230 Stearns Wharf<br />Santa Barbara, CA 93101-3571<br />805. 966-6676Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-33608040234795228572010-04-03T20:12:00.000-07:002010-04-03T21:19:54.740-07:00Marche ModerneEvery once in awhile I find "surprise money" neglected in the pockets of rarely worn pants. Woohoo! I have cash to spend again! Similarly, after a heavy session of Korean BBQ, I find a "surprise meal" between my teeth a few hours later. Deliciously mmm-yoso! Another one of my favorite surprises comes when sorting through my portfolio.<br /><br />This was from a catch-up last year with one of my dearest gal-pals who was briefly in town. Figured we'd choose one of the best restaurants Orange County has to offer--Marche Moderne.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gGzzCM00I/AAAAAAAABIE/ukNhKuaza_4/s1600/foie2_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gGzzCM00I/AAAAAAAABIE/ukNhKuaza_4/s400/foie2_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456118435501888322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Seared Foie Gras w/ Apricots & Toasted Brioche</span></span><br /></div><br />"Foie gras" means "order me" in French. People who say otherwise are just pretending they know how to speak French....even the French. This was a great dish. Poached apricots packed a surprisingly big whallop of flavor despite being sliced so thinly. Wish there was a bit more acidity to cut through the fat, but who am I kidding? It was good enough for me to horde.<br /><br />Mine...my own....my....PRECIOUS!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gJNdmfyTI/AAAAAAAABIM/GQl_cC-S37c/s1600/sal3_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gJNdmfyTI/AAAAAAAABIM/GQl_cC-S37c/s400/sal3_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456121075448400178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mixed greens, mozzarella, & stuff.</span></span><br /><br /></div>Rabbit food. But for a $30 prix-fix lunch menu, it was a good value. For sure kicks Nine-Ten's ass in freshness and taste. Nine-Ten just throws together greens, salt, and oil, while Marche Modern...um...okay they do the same thing, but add cheese, nuts, and tomatoes. Did I mention better quality greens than Nine-Ten? (Alright alright I'll stop the bashing now.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gKbzCvLqI/AAAAAAAABIc/AHmX5TL9Fjc/s1600/loin2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gKbzCvLqI/AAAAAAAABIc/AHmX5TL9Fjc/s400/loin2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456122421233790626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pork loin with...with...oh who the heck can remember after half a year?</span></span><br /><br /></div>Jeebus Christ my entree was huge. Thick slices(5) of pork placed on top of some sauteed mystery greens (again, who the heck can remember?) then topped off with a bright fruity salsa. That green guac lookin stuff at the bottom is actually some funky cream with like...cumin, cilantro, and yeah okay maybe some guac too. In terms of flavor, I really dug my entree. Big, earthy, meaty flavors contrasted with a feisty salsa that just lights up your tongue. The only shortcoming was the texture of the loin. I mean c'mon, guys. Even I can cook up a more tender loin. Seriously, fellas.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gMudGqUpI/AAAAAAAABIk/JWCoobJhC_g/s1600/trout2_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gMudGqUpI/AAAAAAAABIk/JWCoobJhC_g/s400/trout2_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456124940785439378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Trout" risotto with calamari + shellfish and stuff.</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Gal-pal ordered the "trout" risotto. Pardon my ignorance, but that looks and tasted more like an Arctic Char to me. Best dish of the day. Miles ahead of the foie gras. Everything about the entree was impeccable. The Char walked a fine line between medium-rare and medium-well while the broth soaking the risotto slapped your face around yelling "Hey! I taste like seafood! *slap* Oy!" For realsies, that broth was the biggest and most aromatic combo of seafood flavors I've ever had. A Bouillabaisse on 'roids.<br /><br />I ate 35% of her entree. What? Don't look at me like that. She's a light eater. ahem.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gP6MOKz5I/AAAAAAAABIs/OVApby_RDvM/s1600/dessert_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S7gP6MOKz5I/AAAAAAAABIs/OVApby_RDvM/s400/dessert_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456128440946839442" border="0" /></a><br />Yay! Sweets! Simple, light, and refreshing. I wouldn't have been able to handle anything heavier, though we did tear through a bag of chocolate covered strawberries and truffles from Godiva ten minutes later.<br /><br />Oink oink.<br /><br /><br /><br />What a steal at $30/person. Very very interested in their dinner menu now.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.marchemoderne.net/">Marche Moderne</a><br />3333 Bristol St<br />Ste 3001<br />Costa Mesa, CA 92626<br /><span id="bizPhone" class="tel">714.434-7900</span><br /> <span id="bizPhone" class="tel"></span><br />(That's the 3rd floor of South Coast Plaza, FYI)<br /></div></div>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-16396075686912767172010-03-14T22:17:00.000-07:002010-03-15T00:50:11.656-07:00Berserkerfest IISouthern California food blogging sensation <a href="http://clayfood.blogspot.com/">clayfu</a> invited me this past weekend to Berserkerfest II, an epic no-holds-barred "What Happens in Lompoc Stays in Lompoc" wine party with the fabulous folks over at Wine Berserkers.<br /><br />The trip took us from LA to SLO, then back south to Lompoc for an early afternoon tasting at Arcadian Winery to kick things into gear before heading over to the host of Berserkerfest II, <a href="http://www.loringwinecompany.com/">Brian Loring's Loring Wine Company</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Kc5KKWEI/AAAAAAAABFs/FoQcsfcoY5M/s1600-h/barrels_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Kc5KKWEI/AAAAAAAABFs/FoQcsfcoY5M/s400/barrels_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448733721916758082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Barrel-stand, anyone?</span><br /></div><a href="http://www.hitchingpost1.com/"><br />The Hitching Post</a> catered the event, which was very neat. But the fact that 'Zerkers each brought a motherload of jizzerific wines to share and enjoy with friends totally kicks HP to the curb. Ain't nothin' able to top fine wine and good company.<br /><br />Oh right. I do apologize if I get any names wrong in this post. Too many 'Zerkers to meet! While good n buzzed, no less...<br /><br /><br />Let's begin!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53JjXTdj3I/AAAAAAAABFM/TP3kI7ejWhc/s1600-h/begin_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53JjXTdj3I/AAAAAAAABFM/TP3kI7ejWhc/s400/begin_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448732733576417138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">'Zerkers trickling in and setting up</span></span><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Jv10S2II/AAAAAAAABFU/AC8uLOb7tN4/s1600-h/HitchingPostGrill_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Jv10S2II/AAAAAAAABFU/AC8uLOb7tN4/s400/HitchingPostGrill_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448732947925620866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">HP preparing to feed us. Keep the meat comin', gramps!</span></span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53J9O5TQBI/AAAAAAAABFc/hAix_gvhROo/s1600-h/duckquesadilla_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53J9O5TQBI/AAAAAAAABFc/hAix_gvhROo/s400/duckquesadilla_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448733177995804690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Grilled Quesadillas</span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">-</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">duck, corn, cheese. </span></span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53KVfT8GTI/AAAAAAAABFk/RzmM8iXZdok/s1600-h/beer2_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53KVfT8GTI/AAAAAAAABFk/RzmM8iXZdok/s400/beer2_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448733594719361330" border="0" /></a>BEER!<br /></div><br />No silly macrobrews here. Only craft, micro, and hella rare vintage bottles. Most of the good stuff aren't pictured, but do give you an idea of what was available, some dude popped open a spicy Anchor Brewing Co. Christmas Ale...from 1995. Holy frijoles.<br /><br />Actually, it was this dude (in purple tie-dye):<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53NQCQSr9I/AAAAAAAABF0/P_iC6AEX_P4/s1600-h/beerappreciation2_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53NQCQSr9I/AAAAAAAABF0/P_iC6AEX_P4/s400/beerappreciation2_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448736799554973650" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gathering of my fellow beer advocates</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53PJHVYMZI/AAAAAAAABF8/Te953Y53Bz4/s1600-h/beerappreciation_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53PJHVYMZI/AAAAAAAABF8/Te953Y53Bz4/s400/beerappreciation_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448738879682654610" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Seeing such prime-o booze being opened, I naturally had to toss in my 1.5 y/o Alesmith Grand Cru and year-old Stone RIS for a good measure. But really, I was way out of my league here. And a special thanks to Brian who lugged in some very well aged Belgians. Delicious, matey! Except for the Sour.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53PY1ibWDI/AAAAAAAABGE/YX8hPh3JC7I/s1600-h/fruitcheese_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53PY1ibWDI/AAAAAAAABGE/YX8hPh3JC7I/s400/fruitcheese_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448739149783455794" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53P05n9iTI/AAAAAAAABGM/_-ljVtqvvDQ/s1600-h/wineflow_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53P05n9iTI/AAAAAAAABGM/_-ljVtqvvDQ/s400/wineflow_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448739631916747058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Berserkerfest II underway!</span> </span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53XXnE1mCI/AAAAAAAABHc/G01sAEw1n1A/s1600-h/bbqchickenpizza_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53XXnE1mCI/AAAAAAAABHc/G01sAEw1n1A/s400/bbqchickenpizza_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448747924814403618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Food was solid for the most part. Could not stop munching on the quesadillas, smokey bbq pizza, and BLT pizzas in between mouthfuls of grilled meat. Speaking of meat...<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53YJeWHBHI/AAAAAAAABHk/1BKlTuqkUXY/s1600-h/beefskewer_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53YJeWHBHI/AAAAAAAABHk/1BKlTuqkUXY/s400/beefskewer_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448748781464388722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beef skewers were whatevers, so let's pretend this is beef is the impeccable grilled lamb.</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53ZU5SJfBI/AAAAAAAABH0/3j2t8kFJPn4/s1600-h/saxum03_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53ZU5SJfBI/AAAAAAAABH0/3j2t8kFJPn4/s400/saxum03_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448750077185719314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thanks Humberto! Loved it.</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />As a very interested newbie to the scene, I had just about a bazillion questions to ask and like any enthusiastic hobbyist, several 'Zerkers were more than happy to share their tastes in wine, walk me through tastings, and show me the ropes. Big shout-out to my man Humberto, Fu, Prof. Lin, and Mr. & Mrs. Gonzalles!<br /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53QQFBbs0I/AAAAAAAABGU/jiXIv8kYqh0/s1600-h/pairs2_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53QQFBbs0I/AAAAAAAABGU/jiXIv8kYqh0/s400/pairs2_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448740098832839490" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53RGkQgw0I/AAAAAAAABGc/28YqqDmZFoY/s1600-h/grilledshrimp_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53RGkQgw0I/AAAAAAAABGc/28YqqDmZFoY/s400/grilledshrimp_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448741034930520898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Grilled Gulf Shrimp w/ Cajun 'Slaw</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Rg0J8sqI/AAAAAAAABGk/KH_C5s5sevE/s1600-h/height_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Rg0J8sqI/AAAAAAAABGk/KH_C5s5sevE/s400/height_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448741485874557602" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53RqFDSelI/AAAAAAAABGs/r4SkgiPVKfY/s1600-h/discuss_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53RqFDSelI/AAAAAAAABGs/r4SkgiPVKfY/s400/discuss_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448741645028850258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">50% Prof. Lin and too much Fu</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53W3lgLHeI/AAAAAAAABHU/eO9xff4nfdI/s1600-h/ribs_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53W3lgLHeI/AAAAAAAABHU/eO9xff4nfdI/s400/ribs_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448747374636375522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ribs and shrooms.<br /></span></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53SNzDiIDI/AAAAAAAABG0/bFbWXCEnsUQ/s1600-h/cliovertical_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53SNzDiIDI/AAAAAAAABG0/bFbWXCEnsUQ/s400/cliovertical_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448742258673328178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">So Paul, remind me again what happened here at the end of the evening?</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Tw6HHvqI/AAAAAAAABG8/dxAXujXXYyE/s1600-h/Gs_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Tw6HHvqI/AAAAAAAABG8/dxAXujXXYyE/s400/Gs_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448743961374473890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yoni's tag placed up high to compensate for a certain inadequacy. ;D</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53UX5ypqCI/AAAAAAAABHE/4BdNJubJ6YQ/s1600-h/jokers_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53UX5ypqCI/AAAAAAAABHE/4BdNJubJ6YQ/s400/jokers_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448744631303514146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;">MAH Gs!</span></span></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Dan, Paul, D-Unit (thanks Walsh), and cutie-pie Chris, you guys rock!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />And with a few drinks down the hatch, silliness, hilarity, and violence ensued!<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53VXxbGINI/AAAAAAAABHM/PbB8Z5-kl9M/s1600-h/laruen_charlie_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53VXxbGINI/AAAAAAAABHM/PbB8Z5-kl9M/s400/laruen_charlie_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448745728568860882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Checking for a puncture wound</span></span><br /></div><br />Yeah that's right, Lauren. Don't tolerate crap from Fu! Show him who's boss. Work those sexy heels!<br /><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Y3TTaK8I/AAAAAAAABHs/JSlEYkqCR28/s1600-h/buzzzz_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53Y3TTaK8I/AAAAAAAABHs/JSlEYkqCR28/s400/buzzzz_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448749568774253506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Taking a breather from Burgs</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53a6LWLCGI/AAAAAAAABH8/C-SK26EPXeU/s1600-h/windingdown_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S53a6LWLCGI/AAAAAAAABH8/C-SK26EPXeU/s400/windingdown_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448751817201223778" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, not all the grub and social cliqs are pictured. A real comprehensive shoot would require sobriety and declining offerings of grilled meats held up by cute little blondie servers. Ain't gonna happen!<br /><br />Berserkerfest II was a blast and I am very happy to have had the chance to come out and meet this wonderful online community. What a great bunch of fun-loving folks. You guys really tickle my funnybone. Thanks for the good times and wine education. And of course, a big thanks to Brian for having us!<br /><br /></div></div>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-17551339413208610322010-03-03T22:20:00.000-08:002010-03-07T22:59:14.670-08:00Uncle Jerry's Handmade PretzelsI got hired to snap some product shots for<a href="http://www.unclejerryspretzels.com/"> Uncle Jerry's Pretzels</a> awhile back and it looks like the photos are starting to make their way to their website. See if you can ID my photos and the original ones from Uncle J! Pal of mine from the good old undergraduate days is currently redesigning the website and a second photoshoot is planned, so maybe some lucky San Diego or LA/OC bloggers can swing by for some tasters :) We'll see.<br /><br />Here's a small handful of photos from the first shoot:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49SuFtQdCI/AAAAAAAABEk/9-inqTLok1k/s1600-h/regular_512x768.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49SuFtQdCI/AAAAAAAABEk/9-inqTLok1k/s400/regular_512x768.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444661426273678370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The original Plain-Jane</span></span><br /></div><br />Okay okay. Calling The Original a plain Jane isn't exactly fair. It really puts typical pretzels to shame. I especially like the faint smokiness that the salt gives. Dough tastes light, clean, and fresh. That probably doesn't make any sense, but think of it as a supermarket cake VS cake from a capable bakery or dessert cafe. One's obviously finer. If ya can't tell the difference, then I don't know what to tell you. (Maybe "L2Taste, n00b" ?)<br /><br />My only complaint is that Uncle Jerry was a bit too gung-ho when sprinkling on the salt. I suggest brushing at least 25% of it off or washing it down with some good local brew<span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">*</span></span>. A beefy IPA or Belgian Strong Pale Ale would go very nice with these.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49S3xTL1qI/AAAAAAAABEs/ZEZZGBKx8Io/s1600-h/ExtraDark_landscape%28no-logo%29.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49S3xTL1qI/AAAAAAAABEs/ZEZZGBKx8Io/s400/ExtraDark_landscape%28no-logo%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444661592594306722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Extra Dark</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Hands down my favorite of all Uncle Jerry's offerings, even though I have yet to taste the chocolate pretzels. For reals, you just can't beat that smokey, lightly charred taste. Love it! The Original is good, but giving it a good burn puts it at a whole new level of awesomeness. This variety is definitely for folks who enjoy strong, bold flavors.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49TAEzqSmI/AAAAAAAABE8/xmpb4nTfNMw/s1600-h/milkchoco_landscape.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49TAEzqSmI/AAAAAAAABE8/xmpb4nTfNMw/s400/milkchoco_landscape.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444661735269747298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Milk Chocolate</span></span><br /></div><br />Hope to try it on the next shoot. Smells good, though!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49S7yHwEtI/AAAAAAAABE0/cZnCgdJsWpo/s1600-h/darkchoco_landscape.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49S7yHwEtI/AAAAAAAABE0/cZnCgdJsWpo/s400/darkchoco_landscape.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444661661534261970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dark Chocolate</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Have not tasted this sexay thing yet either, but I do salivate at the sight of it. Like its Milk Chocolate sibling, this baby is one big hefty fella. You can really feel the weight in your hand.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49TMfF70cI/AAAAAAAABFE/sCx9bqTDWdo/s1600-h/combo1_rs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/S49TMfF70cI/AAAAAAAABFE/sCx9bqTDWdo/s400/combo1_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444661948484145602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Family portrait</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Uncle Jerry also carries Whole Wheat and Sesame flavors. I'm not exactly a fan of those two, but they do have their merits other than being higher in fiber and therefore healthier than their chocolate or OG counterparts. The Whole Wheat really does taste like...whole wheat, which is to say it tastes like "blah." Slight nuttiness with a rough texture. I'll eat it only because it's a healthier option. The Sesame is two or three steps ahead of Whole Wheat in terms of flavor. Their textures are similar, but the Sesame is more aromatic thanks to the addition of sesame (ah duuuhrr, Roger). Try 'em and let's compare notes. I'm sure some folks would enjoy the nuttiness.<br /><br />I do want to emphasize that Whole Wheat and Sesame don't taste bad at all, but they can't hold a candle to the OG or Extra Dark. However, when you are working your way solo through a whole bag of OG or Extra Dark like the pig and stress eater that I am, it is really nice to have some sort of palate cleanser. Sesame's my choice fo sho.<br /><br /><br />Stay tuned for Berserkerfest II + me and my bro's Grace burger night celebration.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">*</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE (3/7/10):</span> Apologies to readers and Uncle Jerry. It completely slipped my mind to mention that all flavors are also available in Low Salt. Sorry, fellas!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.unclejerryspretzels.com/">Uncle Jerry's Handmade Pennsylvania Dutch Pretzels</a><br />Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels<b><br /></b><st1:place st="on">PO</st1:place> Box 695<br />Lancaster, PA 17608<br />(717) 872 - 0803<br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-55512859836089888552010-01-09T18:04:00.000-08:002010-01-10T12:02:00.772-08:00Boohoohoo.No one probably checks here for updates anymore, but no doubt some loyal patrons to 5dS have been wondering about the lack of reviews, news, and food porn. Well folks, it looks like I have to close up shop for now until I can get back on my feet. 2009 was pretty rough with all that sacrifice and budgeting but it'll get a helluva lot worse this year. Woohoo.<br /><br />My most luxurious treat these days? A $3 brownie from <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/2008/04/beverlys-best-bakery.html">Beverley's Best Bakery</a>...consumed over the course of a week and a half. Indulged once a month. Sure was hard kissing San Diego and <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/search/label/Eclipse%20Chocolat">Eclipse Chocolat</a> g'bye since fuel costs are no joke anymore. On the upside, I'm getting plenty of exercise walking to the supermarket and to the mall.<br /><br />(<a href="http://eclipsechocolat.blogspot.com/">Will</a>, if you're reading this, I'd like you to know that I dream of your desserts and truffles at least 2x a week. That ain't no lie... Sweets have always been my one and only comfort....)<br /><br />What about those restaurant pig-outs and fine dining? Well, once a month, I take me and my brother to East L.A. for a few .80c $1 tacos on E. Caesar Chavez Avenue where <a href="http://clayfood.blogspot.com/">Clayfu</a> and I went for a taco crawl. (Took two separate trips in order to try every stand, cart, and truck.) How glamorous.<br /><br />Sure I can blog about what my brother and I whip up in the kitchen. After all, we are pretty damn good cooks. But, ya'll would just get depressed at our new 1 1/2 meal a day + 2 snacks lifestyle. I'll spare you. :P On the bright side I can see my abs again due to the forced dieting. Feels/looks like my undergrad body once more! Forget the washing machine, dirty laundry can just roll around on the abs.<br /><br />All praise the sub-1800 calorie diet. And this is on top of my weight training circuits.<br /><br />My fellow food bloggers, I really <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">really</span> miss reading up on your latest eats, finds, and going-ons in life. Haven't been visiting ya'll for so long because...well, damn-it. All your posts get me <span style="font-weight: bold;">ravenous </span>for things I cannot afford right now. Ah man I'm gettin' all teary eyed. ARGH! In any case, keep up the great work documenting all the good eats. Lord knows luckier folks could use a delicious meal or snack to cheer themselves up in these bleak economic times.<br /><br />Future updates will be from archived photographs and notes prior to my current plight.<br /><br /><br />To borrow a phrase from my fav. Winnie the Pooh character...<br /><br />TTFN! Tata for now.Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-90376523843228313562009-11-27T20:21:00.001-08:002009-11-27T21:46:15.324-08:00Truffles from Eclipse Chocolat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SxCmdPmrAZI/AAAAAAAABC8/hq43Ajuy3E8/s1600/truffles1_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SxCmdPmrAZI/AAAAAAAABC8/hq43Ajuy3E8/s400/truffles1_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409006173807116690" border="0" /></a><br />With some time off, I couldn't resist taking a quick trip down to San Diego to say hi to old co-workers, visit my favorite cheap eats, and of course stick my head into Eclipse Chocolat.<br /><br /><br />Though I did not bring a camera, I snapped a quick shot of our dessert plate with my brother's camera phone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SxCn_CuhtNI/AAAAAAAABDM/NDTtPceCvKM/s1600/fall+platter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SxCn_CuhtNI/AAAAAAAABDM/NDTtPceCvKM/s400/fall+platter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409007853977580754" border="0" /></a><br />This lazy half-assed shot certainly does not reflect my usual work, and kinda does Will's hard work a disfavor, but I really wanted to show everyone some of the new selections available.<br />Starting from the rear and progressing clockwise is the masala chai banana bread, sweet potato bread pudding, fig bar, a whoopie pie behemoth, and an azteca cinnamon roll bread pudding in the middle.<br /><br />As usual, I found it hard to immediately decide on a favorite and needed some time to weigh and critique each item. The moist banana bread is very impressive. Masala chai definitely spices things up and gives the banana bread a very unique character and armoa. Sweetness and flavors of other ingredients are balanced extremely well, as usual. My brother's favorite was the sweet potato bread pudding, and with good reason. It felt like the heftiest item on the plate with its rich buttery goodness and subtle sugars from the sweet potato. Furthermore, because of the addition of some sweet potato skin bits, the flavor is amplified--a very good touch by Will. Try it sometime. The meager bits of baked sweet potato or yam that sticks onto the skin packs a surprisingly sweet punch. This is my second favorite. An ideal comfort food, especially when served warm. Perfect for the cold season.<br /><br />Will's grilled fig bar was very enjoyable as well, and though it is the sweetest item on the plate, rest assured that you will still taste the fruit. I loved its crispy exterior. White chocolate pieces only make it taste even better than it looks/sounds. Then we have the whoopie pie...my god this thing was huge. A rich dark chocolate cake/cookie? sandwiches a frozen cream that tastes like a mix of sweet cream, cocoa nibs, and a dash of sea salt. Good, though I enjoyed the <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/2009/08/eclipse-chocolat-summer-09.html">gelatowiches</a> a lot more. It is interesting to note that chocolate flavors do not come forward until you start chewing for a few seconds. This may be due to the fact that our tastebuds have difficulty tasting chilled items. I'm no chef, but I believe that if the whoopie pie's exterior was a bit moister and more chocolately, the delayed-tasting can possibly be alleviated, thus making a better dessert.<br /><br />Finally, after much deliberation, I found the azteca cinnamon roll bread pudding to be my #1. My heart was initially set on the banana bread, but the thick richness of the cinna-roll won me over. Will strikes such a perfect balance of sugar, spice, and cream that you might see angels with your first bite. Okay that's an exaggeration, but trust me...it's damned good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SxCmicGnNWI/AAAAAAAABDE/wZrLaeKvCWg/s1600/truffles5_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SxCmicGnNWI/AAAAAAAABDE/wZrLaeKvCWg/s400/truffles5_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409006263061656930" border="0" /></a><br />We also picked up a box of truffles to take home. As a Thanksgiving special, two complimentary truffles are given with every ten purchased. How could I resist? Eclipse features countless flavors and I've just scratched the surface. Each truffle bursts with bright flavors ranging from the conservative double espresso to the more inventive ginger green tea. Lavender sea salted caramel is another popular crowd pleaser. In my opinion, the bold presence of flavors other than chocolate is what makes truffles from Eclipse stand out from the ones from Godiva (my usual source). A big assertive two thumbs up from me.Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-44995453102144798642009-11-14T14:36:00.000-08:002009-11-16T00:51:30.727-08:00Xi Men Ding - Joanh's Guided TourGolly it's been awhile since my last post! Been awfully busy showing my visiting cousin around Southern California while concurrently carrying on business/financial/academic type things.<br /><br />While I was visiting Taiwan, one of the most well known members of Taipei's food blogging community invited me to a guided food excursion. That's right, folks, I'm speaking of Miss joanh, esteemed author of <a href="http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/">The Hungry Girl's Guide to Taipei</a>! After weighing my locale options, I settled on Xi Men Ding, an area that was once <span style="font-style: italic;">the</span> hangout for college students. (It has since then been bumped down to #2.) Tempting choices for food, shopping, and entertainment here are pretty extensive. Oh yes, this also applies to the co-eds. <3<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv8z_6e7i8I/AAAAAAAABB8/932pkhNtIY4/s1600-h/ximending_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv8z_6e7i8I/AAAAAAAABB8/932pkhNtIY4/s400/ximending_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404095250991647682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">One English word instantly lured me in.</span> </span></div><br />In the above photo, the word "Food" accompanies two Chinese characters that translate to (pardon my colloquialism) "awesome food." A bold claim! Let's put it to the test.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">First stop: A Chung Noodles</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv81j102EvI/AAAAAAAABCE/xfXw6aWo_vo/s1600-h/ahchungnoodles_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv81j102EvI/AAAAAAAABCE/xfXw6aWo_vo/s400/ahchungnoodles_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404096967728304882" border="0" /></a>Mein Xian<br /></div><br />A fundamental street food in Taiwan. Very traditional. The taste is really hard for me to describe since we in the States don't really have something that's similar. I suppose I could say that a good bowl of mein xian tastes really meaty(pork) and a bit nutty with some white pepper, (good) soy sauce, and various spices thrown in. The consistency of the soup is thick and the noodles are vaguely like pho noodles in terms of texture. A good bowl of mein xian gives your tastebuds the sensation of eating a fat juicy steak, except in carb form. Seriously, your umami receptors get totally tweaked out.<br /><br />A Chung has an American branch in San Gabriel (LA County) for those who are interested. I cannot say whether or not it measures up to standards, however, since I have not been there yet. Rest of my family says it's only "okay," though we are quite a picky bunch.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Second Stop: KFC</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv85jUQEtvI/AAAAAAAABCM/T8LCXi5yecQ/s1600-h/eggcustard_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv85jUQEtvI/AAAAAAAABCM/T8LCXi5yecQ/s400/eggcustard_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404101356762216178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Portuguese Egg Custards</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Yep, that's right. KFC. I lol-ed since I thought joanh was just pulling my leg, but she was dead serious. Said I gotta try these desserts at KFC. This was a mindboggling "find." Hard to imagine I was totally blown away by a KFC dessert. They appear to be the same ole egg custards you find at dim sum, but the crust is actually a helluva lot crispier and flakier. Think a really really buttery crispy croissant. Additionally, the custard filling is more than sufficient to put many restaurants to shame. G'damn, this really needs to find its way to the US franchises. Ya hear me, Colonel?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Third Stop: Almond Tofu</span></span> (Forgot the name of the place, will update soon)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv87_GVOZoI/AAAAAAAABCU/uBrfyVm5a1s/s1600-h/almondtofu2_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv87_GVOZoI/AAAAAAAABCU/uBrfyVm5a1s/s400/almondtofu2_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404104033085318786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Almond Tofu</span></span><br /></div><br />This is the dessert shop's #1 seller. Apparently many folks buy it to-go in bulk, but you can have it as a dine-in as well. The texture and consistency is very similar to Do Hua--smooth and silky. This is the real deal. Real almonds are used to make the tofu and milk, none of that processed fake crap. The result is a fresh clean feeling on your palate.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv89gZRBerI/AAAAAAAABCc/KTGLAmJRcio/s1600-h/frozenalmondtofu_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv89gZRBerI/AAAAAAAABCc/KTGLAmJRcio/s400/frozenalmondtofu_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404105704615279282" border="0" /></a>Almond Snow Ice<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Now I was perfectly content with my almond tofu, but joanh ordered this behemoth that made my order seem so very very timid. I have no idea how they make this, but if you take a close look at the photo, you'll see that this isn't your run-of-the-mill shaved ice (aka grounded up ice). This has a silky, airy texture as evident through the bazillion layers and yet feels hefty like ice cream. Four "toppings" are found at the bottom, and the potential accompaniments are many. My favs will always be azuki, giant azuki, and peanuts.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fourth Stop: Dumpling/Noodle House</span> (will update with name once I find business card)<br /><br />Joanh led me to a small alley in the outskirts of Xi Men Ding where a totally kickass dumpling/noodle house finds its customers via word of mouth. Many such treasures in Taiwan can be found if one is adventurous and willing to explore the ins and outs of a city.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv9BJKXvqoI/AAAAAAAABCk/Rao974HRMqw/s1600-h/dumplings_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv9BJKXvqoI/AAAAAAAABCk/Rao974HRMqw/s400/dumplings_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404109703526460034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dumplings (pork)</span></span><br /></div><br />The first thing I noticed was the skin. Just from appearance alone I knew we were in for a treat. Thick, Q (Chinese for "al-dente"), and house-made, a good wrapping skin is crucial for epic dumplings. Indeed, my initial observations proved to be correct. This was among one of the best dumplings I've had. My sole complaint is that the filling didn't have enough meaty oomph to it, but I'm splitting hairs here.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv9C-ypF9-I/AAAAAAAABCs/j_qcKdSGhGk/s1600-h/potstickers_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv9C-ypF9-I/AAAAAAAABCs/j_qcKdSGhGk/s400/potstickers_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404111724381337570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Potstickers</span></span><br /></div><br />I love potstickers. As a kid growing up in Taiwan, I used to inhale them by the box for breakfast as I walked to school. Again, texture is a huge player. See how the chef manages to give the base a deep golden crisping while maintaining all the moistness of the rest of the potsticker? Yeah, that's <span style="font-style: italic;">fantastic</span> technique. The combination of a crispy base coupled with the moist, chewy remainder is an absolute delight to eat. The filling is the same as the dumpling's but I guess since potstickers aren't boiled, the meatiness isn't lost.<br /><br />On a side note, the house-made hot sauce is very much worth mentioning. Joanh attempted to coax the recipe out of the proprietor who was more than happy to oblige, but he (obviously) held back a few secret ingredients and techniques. Long story short, various peppers fried in peanut oil. You can learn more from <a href="http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/2009/10/hungry-in-taipeis-eating-tour-of.html">Joanh's entry</a>.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fifth Stop: Ice Cream</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv9GupnStdI/AAAAAAAABC0/-3ShMCIT4lw/s1600-h/icecream_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Sv9GupnStdI/AAAAAAAABC0/-3ShMCIT4lw/s400/icecream_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404115845126469074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Giant red bean ice cream</span></span><br /></div><br /></div></div>Sure it looked like a typical joint to grab ice cream, but upon examining the menu, a few bizarre/interesting flavors popped up everywhere. Mustard and brandy are two that instantly pop from memory. I consider myself pretty open-minded and willing to try new things, but mustard ice cream... I suppose it's not as bad as a mayonnaise milkshake one can buy in Japan, but I kinda want to enjoy myself here. We settled on the tamer flavors: lychee and giant red bean. Lychee was alright, but I loved the giant red bean. Because they generously use fresh ingredients (case in point: it is NOT recommended that you drive after eating the brandy flavor), the texture of the red bean ice cream was not as thick and silky as I expected. Seems like the "powderiness" of many giant red beans kinda interfered with the texture, but in terms of taste, this was an easy A. I would without a doubt swing by here again if I'm ever in the area.<br /><br /><br /><br />A special thanks to <a href="http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/">Joanh</a> for giving me a guided tour of Xi Men Ding! Be sure to hit up her blog if you ever travel to Taipei. It's only a matter of time before she maps out (nearly) all the great eats in this fascinating city.<br /><br />Gawd I love Taiwan.<br /></div></div>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-70207003771233183192009-10-26T13:10:00.000-07:002009-10-26T14:09:04.981-07:00Home Cookin'Home-cooked meal at my father's college pal's home in Taiwan. Let me tell ya, his wife, kids, and Indonesian housekeeper are all damned fine cooks. Additionally, I will once again showcase my inability to grasp the core concepts of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin">Hanyu Pinyin</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYC7vUnyBI/AAAAAAAABBE/GpEOi0fmZFY/s1600-h/rice_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYC7vUnyBI/AAAAAAAABBE/GpEOi0fmZFY/s400/rice_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397004428788615186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Roger says, "Lu rou fan" aka braised/stewed pork + rice</span></span><br /><br /></div>"Lu rou" rice is fairly common in Taiwan and you can easily find it being sold by a restaurant, street, box-lunch, or night market vendor. There are many variations depending on the cook, but the basic ingredients are soy sauce base, sugar, star anise, black cardamom?, shallots, and other spices. The stewing/braising doesn't take long at all and folks usually throw in a couple of eggs to boil along with the pork. Really really good stuff. Sweet, savory, deep, rich, meaty, and complex. If a kid doesn't have an appetite, garnishing his/her bowl of rice with some lu rou will usually guarantee an empty rice bowl within eight minutes. Hell, the same goes for me too.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYC-whKH4I/AAAAAAAABBM/XF90EBKeCM8/s1600-h/eggplant_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYC-whKH4I/AAAAAAAABBM/XF90EBKeCM8/s400/eggplant_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397004480649240450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eggplant with Thai basil and garlic</span></span><br /></div><br />Fairly basic and common in Taiwanese cuisine. My parents used to make it all the time when I was a kid. Tangy with the bold flavor of Thai basil.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYDFA1TnEI/AAAAAAAABBU/kJVvjTfSvrc/s1600-h/meatballs_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYDFA1TnEI/AAAAAAAABBU/kJVvjTfSvrc/s400/meatballs_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397004588107930690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pork broth with daikon radish and five kinds of meatballs</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This is a more "upscale" version of "gong wan" soup that you see from vendors which usually only feature "gong wan" or pork meatball. In addition to having a thicker broth, this variation has five different kinds of hand-made meatballs(pork and fish). Taste and texture are miles apart from pre-packaged ones found at the market. Everything just tasted fresher and meatier. Texture was also a tad bit fluffier as well.<br /><br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYKIvecItI/AAAAAAAABBc/8jx_ZCS0yuk/s1600-h/eggcrabthing_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYKIvecItI/AAAAAAAABBc/8jx_ZCS0yuk/s400/eggcrabthing_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397012348749488850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Chawanmushi" with lump crab meat, shitake mushrooms, and stuff</span></span><br /><br /></div>This was their own unique creation. I think one could call it a Taiwanese influenced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chawanmushi">Chawanmushi</a>. Loads of lump crab meat went into this dish. Friggin' awesome. Taste was vaguely similar to a good bowl of mian xian.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYME9jbwcI/AAAAAAAABBk/tlgLjIAldw8/s1600-h/fish_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYME9jbwcI/AAAAAAAABBk/tlgLjIAldw8/s400/fish_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397014482832310722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Some sort of white fish with a tangy glaze</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYMR_jBRoI/AAAAAAAABBs/5OGf-HcJ2FM/s1600-h/orangechicken_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYMR_jBRoI/AAAAAAAABBs/5OGf-HcJ2FM/s400/orangechicken_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397014706705745538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Grilled orange chicken</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A bazillion times better than the unholy fried abomination we see at Panda Express. I have always hated that goopy overpowering sauce and soggy-yet-crunchy texture of fast-food orange chicken. Personal preference. Besides, grilling > frying both for your waistline and tastebuds.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYOMHBcQII/AAAAAAAABB0/FAYNL7ddfGg/s1600-h/beerfood_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SuYOMHBcQII/AAAAAAAABB0/FAYNL7ddfGg/s400/beerfood_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397016804656431234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Fried shrimp paste and roasted nuts</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Beer food for the guys. M!ne is a new line of beer from Taiwan Beer. How does it compare to a regular can of Taiwan Beer? Well it's like the difference between a Miller Light and Miller Genuine Draft. Both are shitty, but the higher tier product is less so.<br /><br />Yes, I am a beer snob.<br /><br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-61352509984683437272009-10-17T23:45:00.000-07:002009-10-26T19:17:15.209-07:00EVA Air Fall 2009 Pacific "Mercy of the Chef" Tasting MenuA few weeks ago I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to dine with EVA Air's cute dark-haired, doe-eyed sky-maidens who served me a phenomenal four course tasting menu. Let's have a look.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">First Course:</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Stq6wwKJljI/AAAAAAAABAc/D5khBZAXCd4/s1600-h/eva1_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Stq6wwKJljI/AAAAAAAABAc/D5khBZAXCd4/s400/eva1_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393828850453550642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Smoked Salmon -</span> <span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">bamboo shoots, lettuce, sesame-chili oil</span></span></span><br /></div><br />Ah would you look at that salmon! Rubbery consistency coupled with the unmistakable aroma of a B777's steamer brought tears to my eyes. Such joy. Such grace! It was as if God him/herself had smoked this transcendent piece of flesh. Sublime. The appetizer is finished with fibrous and chewy bamboo generously doused with a sesame-chili oil, thus lending it a delicate nutty flavor and slick mouthfeel. Impeccable.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Second Course:</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Stq9x1m2_FI/AAAAAAAABAs/YnUiAqEkOuM/s1600-h/eva2_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Stq9x1m2_FI/AAAAAAAABAs/YnUiAqEkOuM/s400/eva2_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393832167630896210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Fried pork chops -</span> <span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">spaghetti noodles, caramelized onions, bacon</span></span></span><br /></div><br />A Kurobuta pork chop is lightly breaded and fried to a stiff sinewy block before the chef tosses it in a rich sauce of caramelized onions, bacon, and butter. Mushy noodles accompany this culinary masterpiece and surprise your mouth with occasional crunchy ends--a texture contrast clearly demonstrating the chef's innovation and boldness. But, the craziness doesn't end here! The entire dish is then steamed to lock in the beautiful bouquet that is the B777's steamer. Leave your traditional standards and expectations at home when dining with EVA Air! It is no wonder that they have become the forefront of haute cuisine.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Third Course:</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/StrE3cdN0ZI/AAAAAAAABA0/u48cVj-AXT0/s1600-h/eva3_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/StrE3cdN0ZI/AAAAAAAABA0/u48cVj-AXT0/s400/eva3_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393839960540172690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Organic Apples and Oranges</span></span><br /></div><br />The very best organically grown seasonal fruits are flown in from all over the world by EVA Air's Evergreen Group weekly. There are tasters/shoppers stationed in every EVA Air branch office who are constantly looking for fresh quality produce grown by small organic family-run farms in their region. EVA Air is deeply committed to supporting the slow food movement.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fourth Course:</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/StrHJApINPI/AAAAAAAABA8/sQLha1y6B5Y/s1600-h/eva4_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/StrHJApINPI/AAAAAAAABA8/sQLha1y6B5Y/s400/eva4_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393842461334844658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Castella - Manuka honey, sweet organic Azuki bean</span></span><br /></div><br />Healthy living and eating is a big theme at EVA Air and thus their interpretation of Nagasaki's famed Castella sponge cakes uses Manuka honey from New Zealand, which is well known for its healing properties. This delicate creation is spotted throughout with sweet organic beans, again demonstrating EVA Air's inventive approach towards food. After extensive tastings and experience with Castellas over the years, I honestly feel that the EVA Air pastry chef has created something that will be unrivaled for years to come. Its texture is unparalleled for its ultra-fine cake body creates a perfect harmony of pillowy springiness Its taste words cannot describe, for it can only be experienced in order to comprehend. A dazzling end to a glorious meal.<br /><br /><br />Dining with EVA Air is a showcase of unrestrained luxury and decadence. Attention is paid to every minuscule detail. For example, the individual climate-controlled air is circulated through filters that remove airborne antigens including H1N1. Plush down pillows and small 1500 thread count blankets (I used mine as a napkin) are complimentary and a perfect addition to EVA's sensual reclining chairs that seemingly embrace your body. Even more impressively, your meal is served upon placing an order!<br /><br />As if this wasn't enough already, lights will automatically dim when an onset of food coma sets in. EVA Air does not care whether or not a customer decides to nap after a big meal. In fact, they encourage it. Diners will often wake to a beautiful smiling young lass offering various refreshments and cookies. Of course, one is most welcome to continue napping after consuming said refreshments and cookies. Moreover, the view is unbeatable. Table 55K, among others, offers sweeping panoramic views of the ocean AND city skyline. Even the Five Diamond rated Addison Del Mar would be hard pressed to top the level of comfort and service provided by EVA Air's staff. I definitely look forward to a repeat visit, although I am quite curious as to how EVA Air's chief rival China Airlines compares.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.evaair.com/">EVA Air</a><br />Somewhere over the Pacific<br /><span id="RadEditorPlaceHolderControl1"><span class="contentTitle"><span class="content">+886-3-3516805</span></span></span>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-88958504112539038442009-09-27T20:45:00.001-07:002009-09-27T23:48:14.175-07:00POM WonderfulRecently, the generous Ms. Peters from POM sent me samples of POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice to review and share. As a big health and fitness buff, I am always glad to show others a better way of living. Devotees will remember <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/2008/09/pomx-iced-coffee.html">the positive POMx review I wrote last year</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SsBK9XAqtxI/AAAAAAAABAU/kG5q4VxtOjY/s1600-h/POM-fruit_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SsBK9XAqtxI/AAAAAAAABAU/kG5q4VxtOjY/s400/POM-fruit_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386387572344403730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">POM Wonderful</span></span><br /></div><br />POM prides itself in using the "Wonderful" pomegranate varietal which POM claims to possess "superior antioxidants, delicious taste, and deep crimson color". Since I come from a strong biological sciences background, naturally I felt compelled to verify these claims by hopping over to PubMed and download a handful of articles. I could bore you all to death with a bunch of bio-babble, but in the interest of time: darker aril (the fruit around the seeds) = better. Indeed, Wonderful does have one of the darkest arils in comparison to other common varietals.<br /><br />On an interesting side note, one should also juice the peel in order to maximize antioxidant intake. The result is not as tasty as regular pomegranate aril juice, however.<br /><br />Coincidentally, I grow the Wonderful varietal in my backyard. These are harvested at their peak in October, but because I am due for another long trip, I had to pick some of them early. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Now for the test: POM Wonderful VS home-grown/juiced:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SsA6DIP8quI/AAAAAAAABAM/MR2QH3NXYYI/s1600-h/compare_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SsA6DIP8quI/AAAAAAAABAM/MR2QH3NXYYI/s400/compare_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386368979763505890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">POM Wonderful <span style="font-style: italic;">(left)</span> and backyard Wonderful <span style="font-style: italic;">(right)</span></span></span><br /></div><br />POM Wonderful comes in a much deeper shade and appears to have been filtered, unlike my home-grown pomegranate juice which is opaque. I do not have access to a lab anymore so I can't say which has more antioxidants, but in my opinion, one would be splitting hairs when comparing the two. Both pack a real punch to boost cardiovascular and prostate health. Researchers have all concluded that pomegranates are the single best source for obtaining antioxidants, surpassing even blueberries, the much touted superfood. All it takes is 8oz. of pomegranate juice daily to greatly reduce arterial plaque, reduce plaque formation, lower your risk for prostate cancer, and even help men with their embarrassing bedroom failures.<br /><br />But how do the two taste? POM Wonderful is a concentrated dose of juice that is light, crisp and explodes with pomegranate flavor. Its acidity and tartness is akin to cranberry juice but with subtle tannins in the background. Sugar levels are not over the top like many other juice brands. However, the sweetness tastes "synthetic" and "syrupy" as opposed to fresh-squeezed and natural. This syrupy "fake" taste is common in nearly all juice brands and I was hoping POM would deviate from the pack. POM Wonderful does earn major points for not using any added sugar, though. A pleasure to drink. POM's commitment to quality health products is clearly demonstrated here.<br /><br />But surprisingly, my own fresh-squeeze pomegranate juice is the superior tasting juice. While not as concentrated, it is a much smoother and balanced juice to drink. Acidity is held back and the tartness and puckering feels a tad more subdued in comparison to POM. Tannins are comparable. What really makes this juice shine are the sweetness and mouthfeel. POM's juice tastes synthetic simply because its type of sweetness is so intense and overbearing to the point that it feels like it came from a syrup. My own juice is actually <span style="font-style: italic;">sweeter</span>, and yet it feels more rounded and gentle. POM immediately hits your palate hard while my fresh-squeezed sort of allows itself to spread out and settle. The type of sweetness is completely different. Also, because my pomegranate juice is not filtered, there are more particles present, which contributes to the increased viscosity and smooth mouthfeel.<br /><br />Blind tastings I conducted showed that some folks prefer POM over my fresh-squeezed juice, but the general consensus is that fresh-squeezed is better. This brings us to a very important point: convenience and consistency VS taste. POM is able to sell a very high quality consistent product year-round at attractive prices, thoroughly trouncing its competitors who needlessly corrupt their products with added sugar and filler juices. In comparison, my home-grown/squeezed juice does taste miles better, but I am limited to a small one-time harvest every year. Then there is the great inconvenience of juicing pomegranates. Believe me, it's a real chore to pick out all the individual aril, crush them, and dispose of the seeds. To make matters worse, one average sized pomegranate yields around 4oz. Sometimes less. There is more work than reward when squeezing fresh pomegranate juice. When preparing juice for my family, it took me 45 minutes to pick out all the aril, another 30 to juice them, and less than one minute for my family to finish it all--three cups.<br /><br /><br />Next time I'll just buy a bottle at Costco.Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-80085981016273533472009-09-03T22:50:00.000-07:002009-09-04T00:02:12.721-07:00Nine-TenPlenty of over-rated restaurants in La Jolla. Nine-Ten isn't exactly one of them, though this is really up for debate. Here's a bargain $30 three-course lunch I was able to enjoy towards the end of July.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SqCr6-pIC6I/AAAAAAAAA_k/Y6dgKOsk1uM/s1600-h/breadmmm_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SqCr6-pIC6I/AAAAAAAAA_k/Y6dgKOsk1uM/s400/breadmmm_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377486984816626594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">pre-meal simple carbohydrates</span></span><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SqCsXBeOedI/AAAAAAAAA_s/KIX3SBJZFXc/s1600-h/springsal_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SqCsXBeOedI/AAAAAAAAA_s/KIX3SBJZFXc/s400/springsal_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377487466612554194" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Organic green salad</span></span><br /></div><br />Very light and subtle dressing. Faint taste of shallots and maybe champagne vinegar. Well balanced acidity and sweetness. Most leaves were fresh and crisp (as they ought to be) but I found a few wilted ones in the mix. Wasn't so pleased about that. The hearty and robust olive oil drizzled on crostinis provided a bold contrast to this starter.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SqCswQDvz4I/AAAAAAAAA_0/f3vf8IO-KOY/s1600-h/duckconf5_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SqCswQDvz4I/AAAAAAAAA_0/f3vf8IO-KOY/s400/duckconf5_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377487900024754050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Duck confit</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />While the duck confit is impeccable, it is my opinion that the accompanying arugula salad steals the limelight. The combination of flavors and textures was just brilliant. One should expect no less from a restaurant of Nine-Ten's caliber. Pungent goat cheese is cut by puckering pickled onions whose acidity is dampened and smoothed out by delicately sweet plums. A well thought-out harmony of flavors. Texture runs the gamut from the soft cheese to the crispy nuts. Definitely an exciting salad. And needless to say, Nine-Ten's duck confit is prepared with the same high standard in mind. Use of a knife is wholly unnecessary for the meat needs only gentle encouragement from a fork to fall cleanly off the bone. It is seasoned precisely to my liking while holding back on the salt. Compared to 1500 Ocean (too salty) and Avenue 5 (slightly too heavy on seasonings), Nine-Ten strikes a medium between the two.<br /></div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SqCtAX9DH4I/AAAAAAAAA_8/_4nOPP5knJA/s1600-h/PeachCrisp_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/SqCtAX9DH4I/AAAAAAAAA_8/_4nOPP5knJA/s400/PeachCrisp_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377488177022050178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Peach crisp w/ cherry ice cream</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Epic is the word that comes to mind when shoveling down this behemoth. The light and airy ice cream gives your tongue a brief respite from the thick warm syrupy peaches underneath a layer of vanilla-scented granola. This is truly the epitome of comfort food. Sinfully good. I dare say it offers real stiff competition for my idol <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/2009/06/grace.html">Mariah Swan's desserts</a>. Easily makes my top five.<br /><br /><br />Nine-Ten has received much accolade over the years and it isn't hard to see why. However, I believe that the restaurant should improve upon several key issues. First, wilted greens in a salad is unacceptable. Second, service ranges from spotty to over attentive. Third, my water glass does not fill itself so any help is appreciated. Lastly, pacing needs significant work. I felt rushed when my duck confit arrived as I was finishing the last 40% of my salad. Despite these stumbles, lunch at Nine-Ten was a pleasurable and relaxing experience akin to a refreshing day at the spa. I want to give Nine-Ten the benefit of the doubt and say that it was an "off day" and that my server simply was not up to standard. Surely such great food does not get paired with questionable service! Only a second visit will tell, I suppose.<br /><br />On a side note, I attempted to contact general manager Neal Wasserman for a digital copy of the menu I perused during my visit since the Nine-Ten website menu does not reflect the one I browsed. It would have been tremendously helpful in identifying ingredients and presenting additional dishes to 5-dS readers. Unfortunately, Neal completely brushed off my sincere, polite, and very flattering e-mail. What an insult. Even a simple "sorry I don't have time for amateurs like you" as a reply would have sufficed. Why on earth would management ignore a potentially loyal customer capable of generating favorable reviews to hook the general populace? Honestly, this experience makes me think twice about coming back.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nine-ten.com/">Nine Ten</a><br />910 Prospect St<br />La Jolla, CA 92037<br />858.964-5400<br /></div></div>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149587742778390484.post-40941029681222904242009-08-28T16:29:00.000-07:002009-08-28T23:33:56.794-07:00Eclipse Chocolat (Summer 09)I've been singing praises to Will's dessert cafe <a href="http://eclipsechocolat.blogspot.com/">Eclipse Chocolat</a> for almost two years now and with good reason. Though I am a self proclaimed sugar-fiend, I don't enjoy desserts just for their sugar content. I want various harmonized flavors to accent a dessert with sugar as a compliment, not the main event.<br /><br />Eclipse has adopted a new system for its famed seasonal dessert plates. In the past, items from dessert plates were unique to that season. Thus, if you particularly enjoyed something, ya got no luck in seeing it ever again. Now, however, there is a rotating selection of six items (choose four) that make up the dessert plate, guaranteeing new experiences as well as trusty old stand-bys.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On my most recent visit (July 09), I had the pleasure of enjoying Eclipse's new gelato sandwiches (gelatowiches) along with Will's phenomenal bread pudding, which friends and I just can't get enough of. We'll skip over the bread pudding and focus on gelatowiches since I've raved and rambled about them far too much in the past.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Spho0Rf-9PI/AAAAAAAAA_U/xVTDUdMBJyM/s1600-h/gelatowich2_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Spho0Rf-9PI/AAAAAAAAA_U/xVTDUdMBJyM/s400/gelatowich2_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375161402526725362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwich -</span> <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >bourbon caramel gelato</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Best of the two. Firm yet soft and yielding cookies are the star in this creation. It has been almost a month since this photo was taken, but I distinctly remember rich, fragrant flavors of brown sugar, sweet malts, caramel, and perhaps some cocoa. Dunno about ginger though...*@#$^!!! This is what happens when one puts off a blog entry for too long. Well what this means is, you guys get to go buy one and give me additional details. That way I can both taste it vicariously and provide a thorough review! <br /><br />If Eclipse Chocolat had the option of shipping these babies, I'd probably order a dozen.<br /><br /></div></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Spho39sAgrI/AAAAAAAAA_c/FGwD2g_v0ts/s1600-h/gelatowich3_rs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8NIz8UezZcY/Spho39sAgrI/AAAAAAAAA_c/FGwD2g_v0ts/s400/gelatowich3_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375161465927926450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Sea Salt Nib Ice Cream Sandwich </span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">cyprus sea salt, cocoa nib-flecked cookies, banana-brown sugar gelato</span></span></span><br /></div><br />Excellent combination of flavors, though this particular gelatowich was a touch too salty. Creamy malt and banana flavors dominate the palate with a brown sugar backbone while cocoa nibs and sea salt accent each bite. Cookie consistency and moistness were spot-on--soft and chewy with enough structure to hold this behemoth together.<br /><br />The two featured sandwiches were plated with a not-to-be-missed mixed berry and sticky toffee bread pudding, but they totally stole the show. They appear as "normal" 3-4 mouthful sandwiches, but make no mistake, each beast of a gelatowich is the size of my palm.<br />You could share with someone, of course....but that just leaves you with less gelatowich to enjoy.<br /><br />Life's too short for sharing. Order a plate for yourself and tell your friends to get with the program.<br /><br /><br /><br />Be sure to check out <a href="http://5-ds.blogspot.com/search/label/Eclipse%20Chocolat">my other Eclipse Chocolat posts</a> to see what you've missed in the past year and a half!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://eclipsechocolat.blogspot.com/">Eclipse Chocolat</a><br /><span class="style1">2121 El Cajon Boulevard<br />San Diego, California 92104<br />619.578.2984</span>Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01861795843875510964noreply@blogger.com6