ONODAWARE

Joel Robuchon Las Vegas

2011-04-24T20:48:00.001-07:00

Kirk and I were lucky to experience a wonderful 16 course degustation menu at Joel Robuchon's in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand. It was 16 course of pure heaven and highly worthy of the 3 Michelin star rating that he received for his restaurant. There were many highlights of the evening including the bread cart and butter log, the coffee flavored mashed potatoes with sea urchin, and just being able to spend time with Kirk doing the thing we love...eating good food!

That yellow block is butter imported from England

This is the carved butter with fleur de sel and extra virgin olive oil from Spain

The most amazing bread selection I've ever seen at a restaurant

Here are the courses:

Le Citron:
Lemon and basil infusion with anise fennel foam
La Cerise:
Cherry gazpacho with sheep ricotta and pistachios

Le Caviar (3 ways):
Asparagus with lemon balm, gelee with smooth cauliflower cream, and maki with daikon and cous cous

La Noix de Saint Jacques:
Seared scallop with heart of palm and coriander scented coconut milk

Les Petits Pois:
Light green pea veloute with peppermint on sweet onion cloud

Les Crustaces:
Lobster in Sake broth
Truffled langoustine ravioli
Sea urchin in mashed potatoes with a hint of blue mountain coffee

Le Black Cod:
Miso marinated black cod in daikon bouillon with yuzu

Le Chou:
Crispy fried cabbage with spring vegetables

La Volaille:
Farm chicken with foie gras and fricassee of young leeks
Les Pousses de Soja:
Risotto of soybean sprouts

L'Amande:
Vanilla panna cotta with Tahitian vanilla and pineapple
La Framboise:
Fresh raspberries with ginger infused sorbet

Escortes de mignardises:

They really treat you well at Robuchons!

The take home gift: a pound cake of raspberries and pistachios

Two very happy and full dinner guests!

Chibi's 6th Birthday Party

2011-03-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

This party was for Chibi's 6th Birthday...Yes he is a dog...Yes he is spoiled. Enough said.

New Year's Eve Dinner at Providence Restaurant

2011-01-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

Kirk and I rang in 2011 with a lovely and quite delicious multi-course meal at the 2 star Michelin rated Providence restaurant on Melrose. It was everything we had hoped for and there were amazing little surprises throughout the night. My favorite was the diver scallops, cooked to perfection and just as fresh as can be. I can't wait to go back again....it was a night of food, I'll never forget!

Happy New Year 2011!

My Kirk drinking his favorite Macallan 18

Unfolding what's in store for the night

Bacon bread and butter

My favorite bread of the night: Nori Foccacia

The amuse bouche: Salmon Mousse

The 2nd part of the amuse bouche: Cheese gougeres

1st course: Kumamoto, Beau Soleil, and Malpeque Oysters with mignonette and cocktail sauce consomme

2nd course: Buri (wild japanese yellowtail) with meyer lemon and smoked sesame

3rd course: Veloute d'Homard with truffled brioche, maine lobster and sherry syrup

4th course: Nancy's down east Diver Scallops: with caviar and herbes

5th course: Agnolotti with Porcini, ricotta, and black truffles

6th course: Wild Striped Bass with pacific razor clam broth infused with yuzu and sweet onion

7th course: Nebraska Wagyu style beef with confit sweet potato, paquet de queue de boeuf, and bordelaise sauce

8th course: Blood orange Sorbet with tarragon yogurt

9th course: Milk Chocolate Cremeaux with gingerbread, pear gelee, and rum ice cream

Petit Fours: Fennel Caramels, Chocolate Truffles, and Vanilla and White Chocolate French Macaroons

My Gypsy!!!

2011-01-02T15:24:00.000-08:00

I'm the proud new owner of the Cricut Gypsy Machine. I've been wanting this little baby for a long time and to my surprise, Kirk's parents gave one to me for Christmas. I have downloaded all of my cartridges and it's all ready to go. I have yet to create a project as I am still trying to figure out how to use it, but as soon as I do, I'll be posting something...stay tuned!

Halloween 2010.....I Love Spam Musubi!

2010-11-02T22:20:00.001-07:00

Kirk officially moved in this past week so we celebrated Halloween together for the first time in our house. We actually got a bunch of trick-o-treaters and some friends also stopped by. I made Kirk a spam musubi costume....its one of our favorite snacks. I wore his spam musubi t-shirt and added some stickers letters to it. It was kind of a pain to make the costume, but well worth the laughs it got.

Ford's Filling Station in Downtown Culver City

2010-10-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

I thought I was going to miss Dine LA week this past few weeks as I have trying to be good about not eating out too much. My sister has been mentioning and going to a bunch of places that I've never even heard of. So, I've been feeling a little out of the foodie/restaurnt world. Lucky for me Kirk surprised me with a dinner at Ford's Filling Station in downtown Culver City. We both have never eaten there (well, I had dessert and drinks before). That whole area was super packed that night. We ended up not getting the Dine LA menu, but it didn't really seem that great. Instead we shared a bunch of small plates including bacon wrapped dates, fig and prosciutto plate, squash blossom flatbread, and roasted beets and burrata. For dessert we shared a butterscotch pudding. All the food was really delicious, sort of a casual comfort food feeling. They seem to be good with the meats and cheeses there. The fig and prosciutto plate was my favorite, a nice little sweet and salty dish with a lot of good flavor in the meat. A definite recommendation!

Kirk's Wonka Themed Birthday Celebration: "Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination...

2010-10-03T12:13:00.001-07:00

This past weekend was Kirk's birthday party and in celebration of that I organized a Wonka themed party. Kirk loves singing the golden ticket song and he loves candy and chocolate, so I ended up going crazy with candy. There was candy garland, a candy buffet, and lollipops all over the house. All his friends and family were there to celebrate. Thank you to all who came.
Special thanks to:
Kirk's parents for bringing the yummy beef and cooling fans
My parents for bringing some very professional looking ca roll, inari sushi, and spam sushi, and chicken teriyaki as well as cleaning the outside
Kimie and Brice for bringing the sign and for staying afterwards to help clean up and keeping us company.

Lollipop Lane

Gumball Tree

The Gates to the Kirk Chocolate FactoryContract to the Party

Cricut Signage

Chocolate room cake: Lilikoi Crunch Cake from King's Hawaiian decorated with Candy, chocolate waterfall, cookies, and rice krispy treats
Kirk going down the chocolate waterfall

Rice Krispy Treats and Candy shaped cookies
Food Spread: Artichoke dip, Spinach Dip, 7-Layer Dip, wontons, Chicken Teriyaki, Flank Steak, California Roll, Inari sushi, Spam sushi, Chili rice, Stir fried veggies, and Salad

Wonkatons...cream cheese wontons

Kid's Corner: Everlasting Gobstopper Toss, Candy ring toss, and Oompa Loompa Bowling

Oompa Loompa Bowling

Prizes

Favors and Prize

Candy Shop

Homemade LiHing Sourbelts and Fruit Salad, Mini Chocolates, Whoppers, Sour Patch kids, Pretzals, and Peanut M&Ms...all of Kirk's favorites

My Signature Personalized Water Bottles

Dots Candy Garland

Game station

Fizzy Lifting Drink Burping Contest

Five Course Guessing game: the flavors were Dr. Pepper, Cotton Candy, Green Apples, Blue Berry, and 7-up

Golden Egg Hunt: golden eggs were hidden in the house for the kids to find and inside were golden kirk tickets

Violet's Bubble gum blowing contest

Golden ticket: redeem tickets for a prize

Candy lollipops with personalized pictures

Washcloth Candies and Lollipop centerpieces

Me and the Birthday boy

Cricut Swarm Party

2010-08-22T22:49:00.001-07:00

Today I invited a few people over for a craft party. I ordered up some Pat and Oscars so we had some munchies. Kimie brought over some wine and my favorite li hing sourbelt candies. Tricia brought Susiecake cupcakes and Joni made her famous apple dip. We chowed down on some food, then got serious about the crafting! I think we officially brainwashed Kimie into our Cricut cult...aka Cricult. Now to be part of this Cricult...you must first own a Cricut machine. Next, you must have Cricut advertising merchandise (Kimie now has a water bottle with the famous Cricut logo). I love crafting with other people, because you get so many great ideas. But at the same time, I see all these cool new things I want to buy. Tricia has the Gypsy and I really want that (Kirk...hint hint, Gypsy...and no, not a woman). We all did a project or two, but it was just fun to spend time together, letting the creative juices flow, and doing something occupationally meaningful and productive with our hands (that's the OT in me). Anyone, else interested in joining the Cricult, or if you would like further information about it, please contact me!

Bob's Okazuya...a BIG Plate of Goodness

2010-08-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

Kirk and I had a nice double date lunch with his sister Kimie and her boyfriend Brice. They introduced us to this awesome hole-in-the-wall Hawaiian plate lunch joint in Gardena. Brice is from Hawaii so he knows all the places to eat at out here. And lucky for me, there are a lot of places in the South Bay. It's nice to learn about more places to eat and it's always great to eat with friends. The food is good and huge, so come hungry. I liked the portuguese sausage fried rice and the mac salad was good. Kirk had the nori chicken which I guess they are well known for. It's really casual and the people there are super friendly. Sundays, they have a live Hawaiian band which sounds nice, but can get a little loud.

Bob's Okazuya
16814 S Vermont Ave
Gardena, CA 90247

Breakfast at the Ocean House

2010-08-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Lately Kirk has been spending the weekend at my house. We try to eat healthy and light when we're at home. And since the weather has been so nice, we've been enjoying our breakfast on sundays, al fresco. Today, I made fruit smoothies...very simple, just frozen costco berries, Kirkland vanilla soy milk, and a banana. I don't feel like you need anymore sugar or ice. I blend mine in my Cuisinart Food Processor. Kirk thought it was cute that I cut a straw and stuck it in the glass to drink.

Melt in your Mouth Tonkatsu

2010-08-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Shin, Kirk and I grabbed a bite to eat at Kagura before seeing Inception this past weekend. Both very good! This is my second time at Kagura and I feel that it is the best tonkatsu served at a restaurant. They use prime choice meats that have just the right fat content. The food is pretty reasonable and the ambience of the restaurant is great. Even though it looks fancy, it is pretty kid friendly. I decided to try the Katsu don (tonkatsu cooked in a flavorful egg mixture). Shin and Kirk shared a bunch of dishes as well as a nice bottle of shochu. See pictures....next time you're in the south bay, make sure you try this place!

Chicken Katsu with oroshi
Eggplant with miso
Millefeuille Tonkatsu (must try...haven't seen this dish anywhere before, very unique)
Miso Kurobuta Grilled Pork
My Katsu-don Set
Shochu (one from our friends who we happened to run into at the restaurant)
Avocado and sashimi Salad

The South Philly Experience

2010-08-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

I joined Kirk's group of co-workers for an after work drink at the Daily Pint on Pico and 23rd. Great place for a nice choice of beers on tap including my favorite Lindemann's Framboise (aka Raspberry Beer, aka punch in a beer stein). They also have every single kind of scotch/whiskeys as well as all types of bar games. But the best part was after the drink. We moseyed outside to grab a bite to eat from the very fragant food truck parked right outside the bar. The South Philly Experience (www.southphillyexperience.com) makes delicious cheesesteak sandwiches. Really tender pieces of beef, with sauteed onions, a soft chewy bread, and some of the best cheez whiz this part of the U.S. has to offer...hahaha. You're supposed to order is "wiz wit"...meaning cheese whiz and with onions. We also ordered fries which were pretty well seasoned and thick. The sandwich was so tasty and I don't think it was just because I was hungry or buzzed. The guys were super funny and always try to strike up conversation while you're ordering and waiting. I know there are a lot of trucks out there, but this one is a thumbs up to try....perhaps after a drink at the Daily Pint!

2010-07-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Angie and Doris so graciously invited us to their pad for a fabulous dinner party made by the two of them. I was wowed by their creativity and gourmet menu along with their tablescape. It was a night of good food, wine, and great conversation. All the food was so perfectly and deliciously created by Angie and Doris..like being at a fancy restaurant. David and Julia supplied a yummy red velvet cake from Vanilla Bakeshop which topped off the night. Thank you to our hostesses Angie and Doris!

Our Hostesses: Doris (chef extraordinaire) and Angie (best dang Sous chef and delegator of tasks)

Group Shot before dinner

The Ladies...with our legs crossed to the right

The beautiful tablescape...I arranged the flowers

Appetizer #1: Grilled Shrimp with Creamy bacon dip

Appetizer #2: Dip with Naan and Pita Chips

Appetizer #3: Bacon wrapped Dates

1st Course: Farmer's Market Lettuce with Heirloom Tomatoes and homemade Gorgonzola dressing

Main Course: Sugar snap peas, asparagus, scalloped potatoes gratin, and Filet Mignon

Vanilla Bake Red Velvet Cake

A Perfect Ending to a Perfect Dinner Party!

Southeast Japanese School and Center Annual Obon Festival

2010-07-26T14:36:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to take Kirk to the annual Obon Festival at my old Japanese School Center. It's a smaller Obon but that have all the necessities....plate lunch, dango, and bon-odori (dancing). This year, we met up with my mom and dad to eat some dinner then had a chance to watch some dancing. We ran into my friend Gary and his family. His little girl Ashley was dressed up in a yukata (summer kimono) and looked absolutely adorable! She had fun dancing next to her grandma while holding a little fan.

Italian Subs at Frumentos

2010-07-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

Kirk and I went to go visit his mom in Montebello, so Kirk suggested we try Frumentos's Italian Deli. It's a family owned shop that sells a bunch of sandwiches, pastas, meats, and salads. I had the "taste of Italy" a sandwich with prosciutto, capocolla provolone, lettuce, and italian dressing. My bread was on the harder side, which I guess that is what it is supposed to taste like. The meats were delicious. This place reminded me of Guliano's near my house or Cortina's in Anaheim. It kind of represents delis on the eastside!Someone once told me that he likes going to places that cops frequent...well there were two cop cars outside when we went.

Frumentos
214 W. Beverly Blvd
Montebello, CA 90640

Swimming at the Miyaharas

2010-07-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love swimming and being in the water. I was super excited to get an invite to the Miyahara pool in Hawthorne to swim with the Kishiyamas (minus BJJ). Lucky for Kirk and I, that day was extremely hot. Except, it was a little bit more mild in the South Bay. The pool temperature was perfect. After a hot afternoon in the Cerritos area and a previous night of food poisoning torture, I really wanted to relax in the water. I also secretly wanted to see if Kirk could in fact swim, since he apparently said he could swim, but failed to do so in Hawaii :) Ok Kirk, I won't make fun of you anymore. Kirk is a great swimmer! He showed me his freestyle stroke and he had a very good technique. I was relieved! I am a total swimmer and I must date a good swimmer! It was also fun to see Evan swim. I haven't seen him swim since about 2 years ago. He was doing flips (backwards and forwards), diving down to the deep end, and swimming across the pool with some breaks. He loves the water, just like his parents. His mom Joni was thrilled when we launched her up into the air to do her cheerleader finger and russian jump. Thank you to the Kishiyama-Miyahara clan for making out saturday refreshing and relaxing!

Tokyo Style BBQ at Seikoen

2010-07-19T12:35:00.001-07:00

Kirk, Shin, and I went to try Seikoen Restaurant in Torrance (Sepulveda and Western). It is a small do it yourself Japanese bbq place located within a small shopping center that it hard to see from the street. It literally is a hole in the wall place. They have about 8-10 tables so it is necessary to make reservations or you may get turned away. We were able to make a 7 pm sat dinner reservation at 630...and when we got there it wasn't too busy. But I have heard that if they are all booked up, they will tell you to leave. And cooking your own food takes awhile so the turnover is not as fast. The meats were very fresh, seasoned well, and tender. I had suffered from food poisoning the night before but I just couldn't resist trying at least a few pieces of the mouthwatering meats. Shin and Kirk went to town on some tongue, kalbi, prime short rib, vegetables, intestine, and raw beef. I ordered some "rei-men" which is cold noodles. They serve buckwheat noodles in a somewhat spicy cold broth along with some kimchi, pork, pear, and boiled egg. It is quite refreshing and I really liked the flavor at this place. Korean restaurants often serve this dish, but I think I like the Japanese version of it better. I normally don't choose to eat tongue, but it was quite tender and flavored with salt. Seikoen definitely knows how to marinate and flavor the meat. The only downfall of this place is the extreme smokiness...probably not ideal for first dates, children, or people with respiratory issues. I had to keep waving my face because I hate smoke. And you must take a shower immediately or else dogs will be attracted to your scent.

Shin...love when he orders in Japanese for us

Bean Sprout Appetizer (similar to the Korean ban chan one)

Raw Beef Sashimi with raw egg (the guys said it was good, I refrained due to my previous night's food poisoning fiasco)

Beef Tongue with Salt

Cooked beef tongue....very soft and tasty (some people think tongue is weird, but it really tastes good when it is high quality meat)

Kalbi and Intestine (the intestine is chewy the kalbi just melts in your mouth...mmmm)

My Favorite Rei-men...cold buckwheat noodles

Mixed Vegetable plate and prime rib

Bistro Beaux...My New Go-to Place

2010-07-15T14:45:00.000-07:00

Bread Gratin with Special Cheese Sauce....pillows of bread doused with creamy, buttery, cheese (it's not too cheesy though, but very rich)

Squid Ink pasta....it will make your whole mouth (and other stuff) black, but highly worth it for the taste!

Butter Sauteed Eryngi (Giant Oyster) Mushroom....buttery, yet sweet taste to a meaty mushroom. Happy hour is from 6-7pm and this was a cheaper menu item

Marinated celery...Kirk's favorite...very refreshing and unique

So lately I have been in love with this restaurant in Torrance called Bistro Beaux (Bose). It is a small little place with a stocked full bar (woohoo) and the most interesting dishes. They serve a lot of Japanese food as well as Italian food....or Japanese style Italian dishes. My favorites are the marinated celery, squid ink pasta, carbonara pasta, bread gratin with special cheese sauce, rice croquette, and Eryngi mushroom. Every dish has such a wonderful taste and it is fun to share dishes here. It's also a great place to have a drink and some yummy snacks. It is a very Japanese place....so much so that I think my friend and I were the only non-Japanese speaking people in the joint. Although, I did understand the guy when he told me that only the bar seating was open and that the seats at the end of the bar had more room. I think this is a total gem in Torrance!

***note...the above dishes came to a total of about $28 pre-tax/tip...it is pretty reasonable

Shabu Shabu Dinner at Restaurant Kishiyama

2010-07-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

Kirk and I were so lucky to be invited to Restaurant Kishiyama yesterday for a really delicious Shabu Shabu Dinner. Our dinner included, appetizers, our own personal burner and pot, a wide assortment of meat and veggies/noodles, rice, dipping sauces, dessert, and even a take home container. It was a 100 times better than going to Gyushintei. Joni truly outdid herself, cutting up everything and setting up her dining table just like a shabu shabu restaurant. Kirk gobbled up his food and of course did not have any leftovers. I absolutely love the freshness of the food and tasty meat. After dinner we got to eat Joni's special Capt'n Crunch french toast with strawberries, also a yummy treat. Thank you so much Joni for hosting us (sorry we were so late!). We loved every minute of spending time with your family. I can't wait to eat my leftovers for dinner tonight. You truly spoil us with your generosity, creativity, and love.

Tree Planting Ceremony

2010-07-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

My super green thumbed Dad wanted to come over for a tree planting ceremony. I guess in Japan they do this quite often. It just includes you actually digging part of the soil and adding soil once the tree is in the ground. I had mentioned to my Dad that I wanted to plant some food in my backyard, now that I have a pretty large one. And "poof" he appeared with some trees! I need to start being careful about what I say around him...."Ipad...."poof" an Ipad appears. JK! I fed him lunch and gave him a home depot giftcard (although he may mostly likely spend that on my house anyways). So he came over with a nice Haas Avocado tree and a Meyer Lemon tree to put in the backyard. I think it will be at least a year or two before any fruit actually grows. It's ok, I'm patient...my dad joked and said he hoped I would still be here once the tree actually starting bearing fruit. And I said, if I ever leave, I'm digging that sucker out and taking it with me! Thank you to my dad for all your generosity, thoughtfulness, and hard work...all traits that I aspire to have to be just like you.

Surprise Weekend in San Diego

2010-07-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

Kirk was so sneaky and sweet to surprise me with a wonderful weekend in San Diego. He told me we were going for a drive to the outlets. So after some brunch, we hopped in his convertible and started for the coast. When we got to the outlet, Kirk kept saying he wanted to get some nice clothes. He bought some nice pants and shirts from the gap outlet. Then he kept saying he wanted me to get a nice dress. He insisted on going to BCBG and picking out a dress for me to try on. I found one I liked and he bought it for me. We walked back to the car and he said we needed to start on our way if we were to make our reservations. I was honestly thinking we were just going to shop and then go home. Kirk had this whole little trip planned. We ended up driving to La Jolla where he made reservations at the Hilton. He had packed my stuff (remembering pretty much everything, even my hair iron) and even packed some nice shoes. He needed to buy me a dress because we were going to have dinner at one of my favorite fancy restaurants in San Diego, called Donovans Steakhouse. We quickly got dressed and headed out to the restaurant. It is my favorite steakhouse with excellent steaks (all only USDA prime quality, apparently the top 3% of meat in the country), great service, and the best bread. Kirk remembered me saying how much I loved this place, so he made reservations. We enjoyed a lovely meal together and honestly a relaxing and special weekend. Kirk, you are the best boyfriend ever! You are truly thoughtful, caring, and always looking to treat me like a queen. Thank you Kirk!
After the awesome weekend in SD, we spent the fourth with his family. Luckily fireworks are legal in Montebello, so we bought a small box of fireworks and lit them in the backyard.

Kirk lighting one of the fireworks we bought from the store....its sooooo big!

Kirk's dad says its not the size that matters :)

I Love Torrance!!!

2010-07-05T16:55:00.000-07:00

After living in Torrance for about 6 months, I realize that I am starting to really love this area. It has the weather of the westside with that cool, breezy wind from the coast. I open my front door or kitchen window and a gust of cool fresh ocean breeze fills my house. I hear the rustling of the maple tree leaves in the front and the smell of my fresh flowers and herbs...it is quite relaxing. Unlike the westside there is a plethora of free street parking, direct access to a garage, a backyard, three Targets within a mile, and just about every single store I need in a close radius. Of course, I miss the "hipster" trendy Westside with the restaurants and non-chainy feel. It was a foodies dreamland. Alas, I have recently realized I can no longer live that foodie life due to the costs of being a homeowner. Luckily, Kirk is ever so generous and always treating me to some delicious dinners. Ok...I totally digressed from what I originally wanted to say. I have experienced some great dining in the southbay for a deal. First place is Bistro Beaux (21605 S Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501). This place is a quaint little restaurant with a full bar! Yes people....lots of choices of alcohol to enjoy a nice after work drink. There is a huge menu of bar food that is a mix between Italian and Japanese cuisine.

The ooey, gooey, yummy, creamy cheesy bread (their signature dish)

Ribeye steak

Carbonara Pasta....my fave!

Seared Albacore tuna salad

Marinated Cucumber...Kirk's fave

Prosciutto wrapped around Melon

The second yummy place to eat is the Torrance Farmer's Market on saturdays at the park on Crenshaw and Plaza Del Amo. I did a previous blog on this farmer's market, but will just put in a quick advertisement again. Kirk and I shared an awesome sausage breakfast burrito. We also bought some tasty gaviota strawberries. Although they are quite expensive ($15 per 3 pack), they are so worth it. Very sweet and a lot less acidity than the normal strawberry. If you love strawberries, you should try these...they are very different than your average strawberry.

e
wThe last new place I've tried is Addi's Tandoor (www.addistandoor.com 800 West Torrance Boulevard, Redondo Beach, CA 90277-3591). I love Indian cuisine so this place definitely impressed me. I think it was the best, most chewy Naan, I've ever had. This place is highly rated by Zagats and by Yelp. There were lots of Indian people eating there as well, which makes me think it is authentic.

KIMO Bake-Off 2010

2010-06-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

Kirk and I have been talking (trash talking) about who is the best baker in the house. Today is the day we found out....it's me!!!! Honestly it was very close, in fact only 22 point difference! And we each won 2/4 categories. So here is a run down of the Bake-Off.
We invited a bunch of our close friends and had about 23 guests and 7 kiddos. Kirk and I slaved away in our respective kitchens on 4 desserts each. The categories were: 1. I love Chocolate, 2. Cakes, Tarts, Pies, Oh My!, 3. Ooey, Gooey, Cookies, Brownies, and Bars, and 4. The Miscellaneous Club. We had official scorecards and all of our guests helped to judge on presentation, creativity, and taste. People were so serious at first....I guess they take their responsibility as a judge very seriously. Each person judged one good sample and then got to try a smaller sample of each desserts. After my friend Loc so graciously calculated the results....the winner was announced. Thank you also to all of you who brought presents for us...you didn't have to! Thanks to Joni and Kishiyama Family 4.0 for taking photos and treating us to dinner after the event.

I love this mug!

We really had a fun time throughout this entire competition

Kirk preparing his dishes

Kirk going in for a sweet tasting!

For the chocolate category I made a Pot de Creme. I used Valrhona chocolate (60% dark chocolate) and cream and baked it in a water bath. I served it with a edible shortbread spoon and fresh cream. Kirk made a Chocolate Terrine. He used Valrhona Manjari chocolate and served it with homemade Earl Gray ice cream.

Michelle's Chocolate Pot de Creme

Kirk's Chocolate Terrine

For the second category, I made a Tuxedo Cheesecake with layers of chocolate cake, chocolate cheesecake, and marscarpone mousse topped with a chocolate dipped strawberry. Kirk made a Passion fruit Mousse cake. It had layers of souffle cheesecake, passion fruit curd, and honey mousse. He served it with a homemade brown butter ice cream. That was my favorite dessert of the day...it took a lot of us back to Hawaii.

Kirk's Passion Fruit Mousse Cake

Michelle's Tuxedo Cheesecake

For the third category, I made a Smores bar served with a shot of hot chocolate. I had an excuse to purchase a torch which I used to scorch the marshmallow whip on top of the bar. Kirk made a Blackberry Financier....it was funny, but I think this cookie lost the competition for him. Good try babe....but you should have made the french macaroons.

Kirk's Blackberry Financier Coffee Cookie

Michelle's Smores Bar

For the last category I made a Japanese Red Bean Burrito. I made fresh crepes, homemade azuki beans, and homemade mochi and wrapped that together. I topped it off with fresh cream and homemade green tea ice cream. It was supposed to look like a burrito with the cream as the sour cream and green tea ice cream as the guacamole. Kirk made a fantastic Champagne Zabaglione. He made a delicious oatmeal cookie crisp and place the Zabaglione on top.

Michelle's Japanese Red Bean Burrito

Kirk's Champagne Zabaglione

We were so honored to be able to share our love of cooking and baking with all of our dear friends. It was a lot of work...but worth it to have everyone try our recipes. I don't know if there will be a next time...but I'm sure Kirk wants a repeat to redeem himself!

The Official Score cards

Kimo Bake-Off water bottles

Evan..."Go team Michelle"

John..."Go Team Kirk"

And the winner is.....Michelle! But it was super close

From the KIMO Bakery...take home freshly made scones and chocolate dipped shortbread cookies

Ryan, Ronin, Marsha, and Onelia

Ken, Kirk, and our official scoring judge Loc!

Kishiyama 4.0 (Dean, Baby John, Evan, and Joni)
Our official photographer and cheering squad

The A-Team (Adrienne, Aaden, and Alex)

Shuya and Shin

Jessica, Doris, Julia, and Angie

The girls (Christine, Nicki, Stella, Mia, and Michelle) and boy (Chase) lounging at the pool

Brice and Kimie

Ronin..."Hey Uncle Kirk...talk to me"

Michelle and Mia judging presentation

The KIMO Bake-Off Golden Spatula..."ooooh...aahhh"

What I've been Doing and Eating Lately...

2010-05-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

I have been a little m.i.a. from the blogging world...partially because I have been very busy at work, partially because I have been trying to be good about not eating out. But enough of the excuses. Lots of wonderful things have been occurring in my life. There are always births, preganancies, engagements, and weddings it would seem.

My favorite SW Joni and my old friend Dean finally had their little bundle of joy...John Higuchi Kishiyama. I was so thrilled and touched that I was on the list to be invited to the hospital. They texted me around noon saying they were on their way to the hospital. I thought to myself, if I go after work, I'll make it. As I was driving over there....John popped out! I was driving and getting all excited and nervous. I had to quickly get some m&ms to calm my nerves down! I got to the room and Joni was there already feeding the little guy. She looked so beautiful and calm. Poor chica is not used to medication, so her poor body was still numb. She looked great and baby John is adorable. He looks just like Evan. And anyone who knows Evan, knows that he is one handsome, cute little guy. I got to hold John who was about 2 hours old. He looked so peacefully, opening his eyes to look at me a few times. It I wasn't so dang hyped on m&ms and adrenaline, I would have cried. I'm so glad I got to be there. Hey Kishiyamas....if you are reading this....congratulations. I love you guys...I can't wait to be Auntie Michelle to Evan and John.

So first came the baby news....now onto the food...mmm, the food. Kirk and I starting dating in October 2008. Our first fancy dinner was to this restaurant called Grace, owned by Chef Neal Fraser. I surprised him for Christmas by picking him up and taking him there...but the dummy snuck his card to the waiter and paid. So really he took me there. Ever since, he's been raving about that food there. He always compares our meals to that meal we had there. I would like to think that I introduced him to the fancy world of dining and eating multi-course meals. Recently, he found out that they are closing the restaurant for the rest of the year and moving to a new location downtown. So before the closing on June 19...he wanted to eat there one more time. We each got our own appetizers, me a roasted warm beet salad and him, fried squash blossoms. Mine was really good, but something I could make at home. Kirk's was so good...something not easy to make. They stuffed the squash blossoms with ricotta, battered, fried it, and placed it on top of a sort of meat ragu. It was delicious. For our entrees, I enjoyed a huge braised pork shank and Kirk had the boar tenderloin with spatzle. My pork shank meat just fell off the bone and was dripping with yummy pork fat. I really liked Kirk's boar and especially loved the spatzle. Spatzle is a German sort of pasta dish. The dough is pushed through holes to make little pellets, then boiled in water. At Grace, I think they also pan fried it so it was nice and buttery. Anyone know where to get good spatzle? For our dessert we had to share the trio of doughnuts. One cinnamon beignet, brown butter doughnut, and salted caramel doughnut were served with cardamom ice cream and brown butter ice cream. Those doughnut are fresh, hot, and to die for. I will miss you Grace...till we meet again next year.

Lastly, another yummy treat for my stomach. Kirk decided to make a mousse cake. He baked some dark chocolate cake and layered it with dark chocolate mouse and milk chocolate mousse. Wow! I am not the biggest fan of chocolate, but I loved it. Kirk and I are having a bake-off next month. I wonder if he will make this dessert....my spatula is shaking...hee,hee...bring it special K!

My Top 10 Hawaii Spots

2010-04-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

1. The Kahala Mandarin Hotel: This hotel is located on the east end of Oahu near Diamond Head. Kirk and I pulled up to this quaint hotel to be greeted by a wonderful, friendly staff who gave us a lei and a hot towel. Our room overlooked the ocean with a nice balcony. We could also see the dolphin lagoon where dolphins, a stingray, turtles, and fish swam around. Our room had a huge bed, separate shower and tub, and even a toto washlet toilet. We were also greeted by fresh fruit and chocolate covered macadamia nuts. Kirk arranged for a daily buffet breakfast where we enjoyed malasadas, fresh hawaiian gold papaya, and japanese breakfast items to name a few things. This was the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in and we felt so welcome. If you ever visit Hawaii and want to stay somewhere near Waikiki, but somewhere quiet....definitely check out the Kahala.

2. Boots and Kimo Restaurant: This was the first time I've been to this place but have definitely heard lots of people rave around the food. They are famous for their Macadamia Nut sauce which blankets fluffy pancakes. They were so darn good...that mac sauce was to die for. It was somewhat frothy and very creamy. I turned my head for a second and Kirk gobbled up most of it. My recommendation is to get your own!

3. Side Street Inn: Apparently this is where all the great chefs on Oahu go to eat after work. This place also has a full bar which adds to the appeal. But seriously the food is great here. Definitely get the Korean short ribs and the lop chong fried rice. It was some serious grubbing here. Having a larger group would be better. I still regret not ordering the oxtail soup along with the other two dishes. Kirk insisted it would be too much food...but you know I'm only in Hawaii every so often so I should've splurged!

4. Lanikai Beach: I was watching the travel channel once day and they talked about the top 10 beaches of Hawaii. Lanikai beach was number one....and for good reason. The sand was very white and the waters very blue. You could see these two islands (not sure what they were called) in the distance. It was picturesque...it would've been more tolerable had it not been so windy that the sand kept being blown in our faces...ugh!

5. Turtle Beach: On the north shore of Oahu inbetween Giovanni's Shrimp Truck and Turtle Bay Resort is this small little stretch where there are lots of Honu....or green sea turtles. Look out for a area of beach where there are a lot of cars parked on the south side of the street and turtle crossing signs. This time I didn't see too many, but last time I was the here the turtles just swam up onto the shore (the picture is from last time since it was so much better). I love turtles, so I really love watching them swim. I didn't great pictures :( this time, but I still love this place!

6. Waiola Shaved Ice: This shaved ice place is much better than Matsumoto's in my opinion. It doesn't have the history, but to me its got the better texture. I like finely shaved ice....Waiola's is just that. The ice is powdery fine. The other thing I love about this place is that they also have snacks like li hing powder covered sour belts. They are homemade and delicious....I didn't see those anywhere else on the island.

7. Puka Dog: This is a hot dog place in Kauai in Poipu. Just think of a nice polish dog stuffed into a bun pouch along with flavored sauces like Mango relish....lilikoi relish, etc. Kauai is definitely not known for their food...but Puka dog will definitely make your taste buds happy. They have good shaved ice in the back too for after lunch dessert.

8. Na Pali Coast: In Kauai, there is only two ways to reach this beautiful and breathtaking coastline...boat or a 22mile roundtrip hike. Kirk and I opted for the boat ride....although must take dramamine and wear chinese magnet bracelets next time. I was ok until the seas got angry and started throwing the boat around. The coastline is a beautiful side with natural caves, stretches of sand, and beautiful coral. We even saw turtles and whales swimming about. Apparently you can also see dolphins jumping in the water too. We took the Capt'n Andy's boat tour (about 130 per person)...well worth it, if not for the hot hot buffed out sailing crew, then for the comfortable seats, toilet on board, and lunch spread. Although, I didn't even get to eat or drink except for some saltine crackers....ugh. I still enjoyed it though.

9. North Shore: I love driving to the north shore along the coast of Hawaii. You basically are driving next to the ocean the entire time. It's also fun to stop at the pockets of places such as Matsumoto Shave Ice, Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, Turtle beach, and Dole Pineapple Plantation. We stopped at all the places for a quick look and quick bite. It was so relaxing taking the car for a long drive.

10. Leonards Malasadas: This was my first time at Leonards known for their malasadas...a Filipino style doughnut. Like Krispy Kreme's famous doughnuts or Cafe Du Monde's beignets, Leonards has made a mark with their version of a doughnut. Crispy on the outside but much more of a doughy chewy consistency inside....the reason I fell in love with this style of doughnut. They serve them filled with flavors like chocolate and haupia (coconut). Kirk didn't care for the coconut (see picture below), but we both loved the plain one....hot and fresh from the fryer.

Chibi's Fabulous Fifth Birthday Party

2010-03-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

Angie made these Chibi cupcakes...I was laughing hysterically when she unveiled them. They were a good likeness to Chibi. Someone put a lot of work into those puppies. The bone cake is a dog cake from 3 Dog Bakery.

My brother and I....he is middle aged now. You would never know because he still acts like a baby.

In celebration of his birthday his favorite food, steaks, were served, along with my mom's potato salad, sugar snap peas, baked potato, and rice.

I was put in charge of decorations. I made this sign, plus some name cards and confetti for the table. Party planner, Angie was quite demanding that the decorations be fabulous.

Chibi gets his special bone. Take a look at how much meat is on there...the bone was pure white when he was finished with it. Angie went to check on him during dinner and he growled at her. We've never heard him growl at us....I guess he really wanted to protect that bone.

The party people with the guest of honor at the head of the table.

Chibi poses for a pre dinner shot

At this point, everyone is stuffed from all the food. Chibi and genki included...but they still had room for doggie cake.

Uncle Kirk gave Chibi this awesome dog seat for the car. It elevates him so that he can see out the window. He also got a monkey toy and winter jacket.

Wow...that is some fancy wrapping. Angie gave Chibi a fancy harness and leash...apparently all the A-list dogs have that kind of leash.

This is from his cousin Genki Nakamori...all his favorites: cucumber, dried japanese fish, and biscuits.

Melt in Your Mouth Tonkatsu: Kagura Restaurant

2010-03-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

Today Kirk's best friend Ken and his family introduced us to this awesome tonkatsu restaurant in Torrance. Located on Cabrillo and Carson, this little place is a total find in the south bay. Ken, who is a great cook, foodie, and Japanese food connoisseur has great taste in Japanese cuisine. He also told us about this place with white soba noodles. Anyhow, this restaurant's specialty is tonkatsu which is deep fried pork cutlet. I have lots of memories of this japanese dish as my mom would always make it. She would serve it on a perfectly thinly shredded bed of cabbage with that yummy tonkatsu sauce. Kagura definitely knows how to make their tonkatsu. I had the millefeuille black pork tonkatsu dinner set. It comes with a cabbage salad, chawan mushi (a delicate savory egg custard), pork miso soup, rice, and a bunch of little side dishes (sweet bean, mayo tuna, glass noodle salad, and pickles). The rice, soup, and cabbage are all you can eat as well for those bigger appetites. They also give you a Japanese version of a mortar and pestle called a suribachi and surikogi. Inside you have to grind up sesame seeds and can add tonkatsu sauce to this for dipping. My mille-feuille (french for thousand leaf and pronounced "meel-fwee") tonkatsu was thinly sliced pieces of kurobuta pork rolled up lightly breaded, and perfectly fried. It literally melted in my mouth upon biting into it. Extremely succulent...the perfect amount of fattyness in the meat. It was delicious and makes my mouth water just writing about it. The mille-feuille tonkatsu is something I've never seen before and I would recommend to all you tonkatsu lovers, this is a must try restaurant. I'd be down to eat there anytime.

Japanese mortar (suribachi) and pestle (surikogi)

Cabbage salad and chawan mushi

Mille-feuille black pork (kurobuta) Tonkatsu

Kirk's Chicken Tonkatsu with Daikon Oroshi

Kagura Tokyo Tonkatsu
1652 Cabrillo Ave.
Torrance, CA 90503
www.littletokyorestaurant.com
310-787-0227 (reservations)

Welcome to My New Home: Housewarming Party

2010-03-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

I finally had the chance to open up my new home to all my friends and family. It was nice having everyone over to see what I've been doing to the new place. Surprisingly we fit over 40+ people (including 8 babies) in the house. It was a little crowded but everyone found a little nook to hang out in. I made a bunch of food as I love feeding people. There was crab wontons, chocolate cake, rainbow jello, shrimp salad, spinach dip, pulled pork sandwiches, chinese chicken salad, mac and cheese, pigs in a blanket, and mushroom tarts. And that was just the food I made! My super wonderful friends and family made: apple dip, chicken teriyaki, chinese noodles, chili, artichoke dip, beef ribs, and sushi. It was a smorgasborg for yummy food.

I must thank a few people without whom, this party would not have been the success that it was. First, my SW, Joni and her family Dean and Evan for the numerous dishes they made. Joni made her famous noodle salad, apple dip, and decorated the most creative cake I've ever seen. She made an exact replica of my house using paper...so cute and creative. Please see the picture for that. I saved the house and it is not sitting in my craft room as inspiration. Joni also came early with Dean to help set up and Joni took all the photos for the party. She is quite the photographer and can be hired for events! Second, Joni's parents, Jon and Chiyo. Despite a long night at the casinos, Jon made his famous chili and Chiyo made her yummy artichoke dip. Both were gone at the end of the night! It makes me so happy to have become friends with them over the years. Third, Angie, my sister, for making the very alcoholic white sangria. Those who sampled it probably got a nice buzz off of the fruit. She also came over very early helping out with the ice, making drinks, rolling pigs in a blanket, etc. She even did a sweep of the house cleaning and straightening up whatever I didn't get to. Fourth, my parents, who always come through for me whenever I need them and even when I don't ask them to. My dad is as my friend says the silent helper. You never hear him as he flits around collecting trash, taking it out, putting out chairs for people, etc. Even after the party was over, he was busily trying to fix a leak in my window. My mom made the beautifully presented and tasty sushi platter, chicken teriyaki, and beef short ribs. She was so worried that people didn't see that food on the table. I assured her that everyone loved it. I must say, I have the best family. They are always so supportive and helpful. And last, Kirk, my boyfriend and other half. Even after working 80 hours in days and working on saturday, came over sat night to help out. He woke up early to get coffee and helped with all the day of cooking on sunday. He was such a great co-host mingling with everyone and making sure all the food was out. He is the best boyfriend a girl can ask for.
Thanks to everyone who came to the party as well...and for all the thoughtful gifts. My house will continue to look beautiful thanks to all the plants, giftcards, and decorations I received. I can't wait until the next Ocean houseparty!!!

My 33rd Birthday

2010-03-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

This year I turned 33 years old! It was just a regular old day speckled with calls, emails, and facebook messages from friends and family. Poor Kirk had to work that day so he couldn't join me and my running buddies for a run then dinner at the new Tofuya. We enjoyed an all you can eat dinner at the korean bbq restaurant on sawtelle and national. I think I like the OG location which is on sawtelle and la grange. Then on the weekend, my mom made her famous potroast dinner which I always request each year. This year, Kirk joined in and got to sample her fall off the bone meat. Angie bought cupcakes from Famous Cupcakes. It was good, but still not as good as Sprinkles. I must say every year has been good to me. So far, the aging process has been good although on the inside, I kind of feel the age. I'm hoping to continue to age like a fine wine :)

Valentine's Day with Kirk at Quality Seafood

2010-02-16T22:46:00.000-08:00

I had a lovely weekend with Kirk this past Valentine's Day. Saturday I cooked Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguinon and some homemade chocolate cake. We spent all day sunday lounging and walking around. We decided to go to the pier to walk around. There we ate at Quality Seafood. I usually eat the steamed seafood, but today we went for the fried goodies. I had this plate of all fried items, shrimp, fries, scallops, clams, and fish. It was alright. I felt so greasy....definitely over did it. Kirk had a whole fried fish, which he pretty much demolished. Afterwards, we walked off the food and this cute little old lady and her dog were sitting on a bench. She commented to us "what a sweet couple you guys are.".....we are :)

A kiss from me

Kiss for the fishy Ugg...put a fork in me and the fish...we're done

Heart attack on a plate

Seafood at Redondo Beach Pier

2010-01-30T18:56:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love shellfish! Crab, lobster, shrimp, etc etc. Kirk suggested we go to Redondo Pier now only minutes away from my place, to enjoy some hot seafood. Our friend Shin came along as he was the one who originally told us about this place. It is Korean run seafood house. You must eat the salad which consisted of raw tuna, smelt eggs, salad, rice, cabbage, and some tasty spicy dressing. Mmm...it was so good. We also had baby octopus and some raw oysters which didn't quite agree with my taste buds, but Kirk and Shin chowed down on them. The main part of our meal were two huge steamed crabs. They gave us some mallets and bibs and we hammered and pulled out juicy fresh crab meat. I always enjoy that kind of seafood because it is so much fun to eat with other people. There is something about hammering crab legs that I love.

Dine LA at Akasha

2010-01-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

I was planning on skipping out on Dine LA this time since I just bought the house and was trying to save some dough. But wonderful, generous Kirk was so nice to surprise me with reservations at Akasha. We had actually gone to dine la here last year and loved it. The restaurant is a very farmers market fresh type of place with lots of organic and free trade this and that. For appetizers we had the pork sliders and grilled shrimp with ciabatta. The sliders were super moist but a little on the salty and very spicy side. The grilled shrimp was served on grilled ciabatta that was slightly burnt. For our main course I had the braised short ribs and Kirk had the albacore and quinoa. You can't go wrong with braised anything is my saying! It was super delicious and moist. The albacore was just alright...I really wasn't digging the quinoa (pronounced Kin-wa). For dessert, we had the banana split cake and smores pudding. They were just alright. For some reason, I was not quite as impressed as I had been in the past with Akasha. I don't think it was quite a representation of what they are capable of.

Year 3 of Angie's Beauty Strategy Meeting

2010-01-24T18:42:00.000-08:00

This is now the third year in the row that I've helped Angie arrange some flowers for her annual strategy meeting. I thought we were totally out of ideas but somehow we put our thinking caps together and managed to come up with a great design to go with the theme of hollywood glamour. Angie found these great silver bowls and crystal pins which we placed in the rose centers. We created a large display for the front that included quince branches with hanging crystals, and wired roses. It looked quite sparkly with all the crystals and crystal pins. It was a lot of work, but in the end everything looked great.

Old Skool Dining at Dal Rae

2010-01-23T18:35:00.000-08:00

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Kirk and his family often go to Dal Rae for special occasions. This year for Mrs. Shintani's birthday, the whole family and significant others went to dine at Dal Rae. It was a very old school vibe with great service and soft leather booths. Our waitress Kitty, was a elderly yet super spry lady who kept the jokes going throughout the meal. Complimentary radish tray came filled with radishes (my favorite), pickles, carrots, pepperocine, and other yummy goodies to crunch on. I had the chilean sea bass ala Ben. Man o man...it was so tasty. I got this huge piece of fish served with parmesan and carmelized onions. The fish was super flaky and it went well with the cheese and lemon butter sauce. A large baked potato was served on the side. This restaurant has a nice menu of american style fish and meat dishes. It reminded me of Lawry's but without the prime rib. Probably one of the nicest restaurants outside the LA restaurant area that I normally dine at.

Japanese Eats and Drinks: Yuzu

2010-01-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

My weak sauce Shochu and Calpico mix

Shrimp salad with sesame dressing

Grilled Yamaimo with nori

Grilled beef with mushroom and bean sprouts

Karaage Chicken

Grilled beef tongue

Grilled kurobuta pork

Lately, Kirk and I have been exploring the Japanese eats and drinks in the Torrance area. Luckily, Kirk's friend and now our new drinking buddy, Shin, is not only knowledgeable of Japanese cuisine, he is an expert Japanese alcohol drinker! He's great to eat with because he knows his Japanese alcohol, food, and speaks in Japanese! On our second drinking evening (first was at Torihei, but forgot to blog), we went to Yuzu in Old Town Torrance. It has a very modern feel inside, but the food is pretty traditional. I think a great date night place.
We started off with some Shochu which kind of reminds me of Vodka without the heavy alcohol taste and less of a hangover effect. I like the lighter tasting ones and I love adding Calpico drink to kill the alcohol taste. I got my own bottle because Shin and Kirk wanted to more manly, stronger tasting one. We ended up ordering a bunch of food. We started off with some grilled shrimp salad with mixed greens and vegetables. They serve some really large pieces of shrimp with some tasty sesame dressing. Next, we had grilled yamaimo....yum. It was lightly dipped in shoyu or teriyaki sauce and grilled, then sliced. For those of you who don't know, yamaimo is a root vegetable that has a sort of crunchy, slithery texture. I also love it grated and eaten with soba. We also had some other typical grilled items like beef, beef tongue, kurobuta pork, which was grilled just right and so easy to bit into. We finished the meal off with some cold soba, hot udon, and grilled rice balls. Of course, I was pretty toasted at this point, so there are no pictures of the food towards the end of the night :)
Japanese eating and drinking is such an art of pacing. You eat a little, drink a little (or in Shin and Kirk's case, drink a lot). We were there for over 2 hours enjoying the food, Shochu, and conversation...albeit the conversation was pretty geared towards the video game Call of Duty. I'm quite excited to keep exploring the restaurants out here in the South Bay. If anyone wants to join us for some good eats and drinks, let me know!

Gyushintei: All You Can Eat Shabu Shabu

2010-01-11T15:35:00.000-08:00

I myself have always been a big fan of Shabu Shabu ever since I was a kid. Although I must admit, I liked Sukiyaki better because it was more flavorful. I also must admit, that I really haven't been to too many Shabu places because my mom would always make it for us. The first time I went, Kirk took me to this in West LA and after dinner, and a big check, I was starving. I felt jipped. More recently, Kirk and I went out on a date night with our friends Joni and Dean, sans Evan :( They took us to their favorite place in Torrance called Gyushintei. After my second time eating there, I am a fan. You get your own cooking pot, which I think is great since I don't like sharing my food while I'm cooking :) We went with the all you can eat, which was also great because there was no chance of me leaving there starving. It comes with all these choices of meat, vegetables, and noodles. It's definitely fun eating there with other people. We can't wait till our next date night with the Kishiyamas...hopefully Evan can join :)

PS. This is my first post as a Torrance resident!

Annual MJ Christmas Party 2009

2009-12-19T00:03:00.000-08:00

Joni and I hosted out annual MJ (Michelle and Joni) formerly JAM (Joni, Adrienne, and Michelle) Christmas Party. Adrienne is super preggos so didn't have the time to host, but still made her fabulous super creamy mashed potatoes. Joni, totally out did herself this year. I was a pretty much MIA due to things being a little crazy at work and home. I owe this girl everything. And if you attended the party, it was all Joni. She worked her butt off making the decorations, food, etc.etc. You are awesome SW. And I promise to do my part better next year!!! You were so on the ball, we didn't have to rush at all this year!
Anyways, the food was awesome thanks to all of our party goers potlucking it. Steph made super sweet and buttery yams, Joni made coffee jello (and other items of course), Henry brought his famous almond jello, Kirk made yummy pumpkin cheesecake, and I made some macaroni and cheese and creamed corn. There was so much food as we decided to get a honey baked ham. I think Joni just wanted me to stop yammering about getting a ham. I love the ham, but I think we definitely bought too much.
Joni planned some great games and of course there was Santa's arrival. Santa was asian santa this year and was totally awesome! Santa let everyone sit on his lap and you even got a cool present. Joni also make this cute cutout of a snowman family. She is so super creative! I love taking pictures in cut outs. Check out the one below of Kirk and I.
I must say, this party just gets better and better every year. Thank you Miss Joni, for not only working so hard while your preggos, but for being such an awesome party planner and co-hostess with the mostess.

My First Home!!!

2009-12-15T00:03:00.000-08:00

So I finally have my very first home. I have to definitely thank a bunch of people who I could not have done this without.
1. My parents and sisters: Their unbelievable generosity made it possible for me to buy in such a wonderful neighborhood. They have also supported me and basically made my dream come true. Even after all these years of supporting me through college, grad school, buying me a car, they basically put my entire down payment. I love you guys....a million thanks!
2. My lender: Dean is not only my lender but my dear dear friend from Whitney. He made everything go so smoothly along with his team at BofA.
3. My realtor: Carol Gilles who I would recommend to anyone looking for a home in Torrance. Also, I would like to thank Lauren Sullivan who was my realtor in West LA. Although I didn't get a house with Lauren, I would definitely recommend her to anyone buying in the Westside.
4. Kirkland Costco: For driving around the Southbay and pointing out his favorite areas and for the countless hours spent at Sears and other appliance stores. Also, major props for putting up with me being stressed out and always knowing how to calm me down.
5. Other folks: Ann for all those tips about Torrance and home buying while at work. Doris, for setting up my move for super dirt cheap. Anyone who had to listen to me talk about buying a house. And everyone for supporting me in the next big step in my life.

Hopefully, I can hurry up and get settled in so I can have a housewarming sometime next year!

5 Course Tasting Dinner at Kirkland's Restaurant

2009-11-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Kirkland decided to make a lovely 5 course dinner for his family. I was his sous chef/runner/cleaner. It was amazing to see all the courses come together and finally eat them. It was quite a bit of work to make that many dishes...and there were so many dishes to wash! But I thought it was really worth it. Kirk is such an amazing chef and baker. It was such a treat to cook alongside him. Every dish was so well thought out and tweaked with special Kirk touches. He even made vanilla french macaroons with raspberry filling. We made those the night before (so much work!), but because they are so difficult to make, we kinda messed up over half the batch. It was sad....we only salvaged 12 really good, serve-able ones. We are going to have to make that one again sometime. Kirk also had purchased a Nespresso machine from Williams Sonoma. Heehee...I made the mistake of drinking a regular espresso at night. I was bouncing off the walls. But lucky (or unluckily) for Kirk, not only did I keep bugging him, I washed all the dishes from the dinner and cleaned up the table. I don't think it will be happening anytime soon, but I can't wait until Kirk's next fancy dinner.

The table setting for Kirk's 5 course meal

Amuse bouche: vegetable soup

Sashimi with red and green tobiko and gobo root

Warm baby beets and spinach salad with di parma prosciutto wrapped scallop

Buta kakuni with eggplant and Matsutake gohan

Braised leg of lamb and roasted red potatoes

Chocolate ganache and raspberry tartlet with ice cream

Fun Day with Evan

2009-11-11T17:13:00.000-08:00

Today was my fun day with Evan (and the Kishiyamas, Joni and Dean). For Evan's birthday I promised to take him to play at Chuckie Cheeses then go to the toy store to pick out his own toy/gift. We ended up going to John's Pizza, this place that Joni raved about. It was so much fun. For 7 bucks you get an all you can eat pizza, pasta, and salad bar lunch. They had lots of different kinds of pizza too like macaroni and cheese, peanut (with whole non-shelled peanuts), jalapeno etc. The food was actually great fast food. But the games were what we were there for. Evan loves bowling and skeeball so we played that for a long time. Joni and Dean had their own fun playing Deal or No Deal and this other gambling game. Afterwards, we all went to Constructive Playthings, a toy store located in Garden Grove. They had Lakeshore type items at more of a discount price. Evan chose a bowling game (no surprise). I think he had a great time....I know I did!

Trader Joe's Burrata and Beets

2009-11-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

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After eating some really good beets and burrata, I was inspired and craving the yummy pair. I heard about Trader Joe's selling Burrata. They also sell beets already steamed and peeled. I thought a nice beets and burrata salad would be tasty for dinner. The beets were excellent and sure beat trying to boil the messy beets yourself. The burrata wasn't that great. It was kind of mushy and although the taste was sort of there, it just wasn't the same as the burrata I've had at Angelini or Mozza. But I guess for Trader Joe's it was ok? Maybe cheese fans know of better places to buy burrata (hmm....maybe Surfas' cheese bar?) I definitely would make the beet salad again with the beets and greens from Traders. Add a balsamic vinagrette for dressing to top it off. Also, my new favorite apple is the breed called Honeycrisp. They sell it at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. It is super crisp, light, and watery if that makes any sense.

2009-11-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

On a beautiful Sunday after a fun time shopping at Surfas cooking and supply store, Kirk and I stopped off at Honey Kettle Chicken in the arts district of Culver City to eat some yummy fried chicken. I'm not the biggest fan of fried chicken (gasp, I know), but this was freakin good friend chicken. I'm not the expert on fried chicken, but this was the best fried chicken I've ever laid mouth on. It was crispy on the outside, tender meat on the inside with a great flavor. The fries that came with it were ok, but the biscuit was so light and perfectly crisp on the outside. Almost tasted flash fried. If you like fried chicken and haven't been here, please go and check it out...definitely worth the drive out to Culver City.
Honey Kettle Chicken
www.honeyskettle.com
9537 Culver Blvd, Culver City -

(310) 202-5453

Place Yuu....Not Me

2009-11-09T14:08:00.000-08:00

So I know that was a corny title...but upon valeting the car at the Sawtelle strip mall, I told the valet that I was going to Place Yuu (pronounced You). And he said place me. It took me a nanosecond to get that joke. Anyways, Kirk has been talking about Place Yuu for awhile so we decided to go there for dinner before D&B's. It is your standard small plates with sushi bar. Casual with a great friendly feel. More traditional than places like Bar Hayama or Orris. I personally like Bar Hayama more but I think that's because I like the fusion style Japanese small plates. If you don't want to venture out with the small plates, the sushi was very standard and very reliable. Kirk ordered a sushi dish called Battera which was a press sushi with I think a Saba type fish. I ordered some spicy scallop and salmon which was delicious. We also ordered Yaki Nasu (grilled eggplant), Yaki Ika (grilled squid) and Buta Kakuni (slow cooked pork). All in all it was a good meal...another restaurant to check off my list of Sawtelle street places.

Place Yuu
2101 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
90025-6200
(310) 478-7450

The Cat is Out of the Bag - Kirkland and Mo Go to Dave and Buster's

2009-11-09T14:02:00.000-08:00

The Big Winner!

We won 2500 tickets that night and bought a bunch of candy (giant gummy bear....see blog)

I've been wanting to just go relax and burn off some steam. What better place than a place like Dave and Buster's. I really wanted to play skee ball, basketball, House of Dead, and that fun game where you try to push off coins from a ledge. Kirk and I (who have started just dating), trekked over to Santa Anita mall to the nearest Dave and Buster's. We ran around like little kids playing for hours. Kirk basically kicked my butt in most of the games. I would say the only game I was better at was that stupid push the coins off the ledge game. Kirk was awesome at all the games. He even played that game where you push the button to stop the light on tickets and he won the jackpot of 1000 tickets!!! I was in total disbelief....like winning the jackpot at a casino. Well, not exactly the same, but I was still jumping up and down and he was beaming, like it was no big deal on his first try. He also won me this cute turtle from the crane game...also a first try win. He's my hero!

Myth or Fact: Giant Gummy Bear

2009-11-07T13:55:00.000-08:00

Just wanna bite his ear off!

Joni performing gummy bear surgery

My friends Joni and Dean introduced me to this candy blog the other day and I've been hooked on her recommendations (www.candyblog.net). She talked about some candies I've heard of and some I haven't heard of. I started getting hooked on the Japanese candy Hi-Chew which this lady loves. Dean and Joni are hooked on an expensive habit called Gummy Choco. We were all intrigued by this one blog about a giant gummy bear. I love gummy bears, but a giant one? I had dreams of just grabbing that bear and biting his nose off. Low and behold, I found it at Dave and Buster's of all places. For a mere 475 tickets, you could own a giant gummy bear, about the size of a coffee mug. I had to get it for Joni. You know what, it was really good! I got the green apple flavor (which you gummy bears fan know that it not an original true gummy bear flavor). The texture was a bit softer than a gummy bear but it was good. I think it was just weird to eat such a large piece since usually you eat a small bear one at a time. Should you come across a giant gummy bear, say "hello", chat it up a bit, then go for the kill with your knife...it won't hurt him at all.

Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwich....Need I Say More?

2009-11-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

I had my first macaroon ice cream sandwich the other day. It was heaven on earth. Delicious, creamy, sweet, chewy...magnificent. My foodie friend mentioned this place to me and I thought it was a myth....a made up story. But it was true...they actually had macaroons filled with homemade ice cream. The macaroon was ginormous (about 3 inches in diameter), the ice cream inside was very fresh tasting and super creamy. They had a few flavors: grasshopper, vanilla bean, coffee/toffee. In addition to the wonderful frozen treats, there was an array of sweets in a beautiful display case. Tres leches cake, chocolate pudding, red velvet cupcakes, blue velvet cake, and on and on and on. It was pure heaven. I will be going back over and over again!!!! If you have a sweet tooth, this is a must try place.

Milk
www.themilkshop.com
7290 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036-2545
(323) 939-6455

Finally...Dinner at Angelini Osteria

2009-11-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

Some complimentary Prosecco...always nice to dine with someone who has some connections (Masaki!)

Braised baby beets

Beets, burrata, and field greens

Gino (not Angelini), debones the Branzino tableside

My green Lasagna with flash fried spinach

Chocolate Crostata and Panna Cotta

I finally got to eat at Angelini Osteria in celebration of Angie's birthday (from last month). The usual family suspects (me, Yuki, Masaki, and Jeni-koro) met up at this restaurant on Beverly Blvd. My cousin Masaki/Bryan has been raving about this place for the longest time. I've heard lots of great things about the chef/owner Gino Angelini. It was delicious....lots of great flavors, simple, but always dependable. The green lasagna was extra creamy with what tasted like, very high quality ricotta and some other fancy cheese (not just your store bought ricotta and mozzarella). My favorite dish was the beets and burrata. So creamy and just goes so wonderfully with the sweet fresh beets. Can't wait to go back and try more of the items on the menu. Be aware, we were there wed night and it was super packed. Reservations are a must! Apparently La Terza is good, but I have yet to try it.

Angelini Osteria
www.angeliniosteria.com
Phone: 323-297-0070
Fax: 323-297-0072
7313 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90036
4 BLOCKS WEST OF LA BREA
ON THE NORTH SIDE
(CROSSTREET: POINSETTIA)

Angie and Jessica's Birthday Celebration: Golf Themed Pub Crawl

2009-10-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

Angie and Jessica's birthday this year was definitely celebrated in style....golf style. I don't think anyone of us actually plays golf, but we brought out the argyle outfits and crawled around the Santa Monica area from bar to bar. We started off at the "clubhouse" which was Jessica and Mark's home. They did a lovely job decorating with golf themed plates, napkins, and coasters. They made some yummy pigs in a blanket, shrimp cocktail, sangria, and Jessica's mom made a homemade lemon bundt cake. Daniella made her always popular cheese balls. Angie and I made Chibi Cheesy Cakes, spicy tuna crudite, and Mac and Cheese. After drinking and eating we took our crew to the SM promenade. I made some golf score cards to help people keep track of their drinking. Each "hole" had a par, or amount of drinks you aimed to drink. Now opposite of golf, you actually want a higher score. There were a bunch of people who were getting their double bogeys. After the tee off at the clubhouse, we continued to Cabo Cantina where we picked up a few more for our team. It was funny, because I would see someone in argyle and think they were part of our party. Next we moved to Brittania where Angie and Jessica love to drink and sing karaoke. The last stop on our crawl (you can really only get to so many places before it turns 2am) was Makai where we got out dance on. It was so much fun hanging out and you know me...I love a good themed party!

The Original Pancake House: Perhaps My New Neck of the Woods???

2009-10-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

I've been searching lately for a place....a home to call my own. I started out in the Westside area because I just love the neighborhood and I work around here. I put a bid on a place in Santa Monica but got outbid. So I kept looking, going to open houses and doing my research. My parents suggested looking for a single family home out of the area. That seed was placed in my head awhile back when I was dating Kirk who always said the closest good city to West LA where you could even fathom buying a home would be Torrance. But I thought, I really want to stay in West LA so I looked for condos. I guess the more I looked, the more I was starting to think $600,000 for a two bedroom condo? I wanted to keep my options open and not be so rigid, so I went to a open house in Torrance. The house was so cute, 3 bed, 2 baths with a perfect backyard for entertaining. It was a bit small, but it had a garage and beautifully remodeled kitchen. The great part was it was in my price range! Of course it got snatched up that day and I didn't even have a chance to blink, let alone put an offer in. But it did give me some hope that maybe I can afford a home. I'm still looking in the westside, but I'm looking in the Southbay as well. I started checking around the neighborhood, doing some drive-bys, and scoping the surrounding areas of the Torrance. Before doing that, we stopped off to try the Original Pancake House. I have always wanted to try it but if you don't get there before 9, it is impossible to get a table without waiting for a long time. We got seated right away and my eyes popped open with a huge assortment of pancakes. I was boring and tried to plain buttermilk ones. Wow, you could taste the buttermilk in that pancakes. It was so delicious. My date had the potato pancakes which were basically like hashbrowns. So good....I can't wait to go here again, possibly as a Torrance resident.

Wilshire Restaurant - Dine LA Week

2009-10-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

My favorite week of the year aside from all the holiday and vacation weeks I have, is Dine LA week. For a few weeks out of the year, a ton of restaurants in the LA County area have specialty 3 course menus that highlight their restaurants. You can try these places for dinner and some for lunch for a reasonable price for a nice tasting menu including a appetizer, entree, and dessert. This year, I toned it down to one place. Lately I've been trying to limit the amount of "luxury" eating due to trying to lose weight, eating healthier, and saving money. Luckily my best friend Jennifer sent me a nice giftcard to Wilshire as a thank you awhile back. What better time to use the giftcard, so thank you Jennifer!

The restaurant was uber trendy and I thought used the spaces quite uniquely. We started off at the bar for drinks. One of the bars was located outside and sort of intertwined with the trees (the bar was basically built around the tree). My friends Adrienne and Alex tried Wilshire and had a bad experience with the food and service, so I was a little biased. However, I think they redeemed themselves and I thought the food was great and the service excellent.

I decided to have the Dine LA menu which included a variety of choices for the appetizer, entree, and dessert. For the appetizer I had the choice of Kabocha gnocchi, grilled octopus salad, or something I can't remember...hehe. I chose the octopus salad which was grilled nicely and served with some frisee and a puree of some sort, I think a red pepper one. My date decided to go off menu and started off with a large crabcake singaporean style. It was spicy with large chunks of crab. For the entree, the choices were duck leg cassoulet, pot pie for two, and diver scallops. The pot pie sounded delish, but it was for two. The duck leg was unique and I've always wanted to try a cassoulet which is a French dish that is slow cooked with white beans. The meat on the leg fell of the bone with just a touch of my fork. It was so tender and perfectly flavored with 5 spice giving it a sort of Chinese taste to it. My date opted for lamb which was tender and served with an interesting array of Indian spiced quinoa, a soy flavor Japanese eggplant, and Raita. I guess they were going for a Indian, Asian, American fusion? For dessert, it was a no brainer choice....doughnuts! Three red garnet yam doughnuts served with praline ice cream. It must of just been fried because it was hot and crispy.

Wilshire has a great happy hour menu and some specials on certain days. It is a great place for some good cocktails and asian-french-american fusion food.

Angie's Sushi Themed Birthday Party

2009-10-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know I've been a little M.I.A. lately, but in my defense I've been a little busy at work. During my off times, I've been training for a little half marathon which I did last week, so now I can breathe a little.

For Yuki's (Angie) birthday celebration, my mom so graciously hosted a make your own sushi party and invited all of Angie's close friends. Of course, my dad and Chibi were there. Chibi made his appearance as co-sushi chef in his sushi man outfit. My mom cut up all sorts of goodies: salmon, tuna, yellowtail, uni, unagi, tamago, sweet shrimp, spicy tuna, spicy scallop, avocado, krab, cucumber, etc. For those of you who haven't had make your own sushi, it is basically like temaki (the hand roll) you get at the sushi bars. You take a piece of nori (seaweed), put some sushi rice on it, then pick and choose what you want on top. My favorite is spicy tuna and kaiware. For desserts, Jessica's mom (Linda C) made two cakes!!! My favorite red velvet cake and she is famous for at her dessert parties that I've previously blogged about and a german chocolate cake. They were to die for. I was in charge of decorations. I decided to buy everyone a pair of chopsticks. I also rolled up washcloths to look like onigiri (rice balls) with a red pom pom to act as the umeboshi. It was a great way to celebrate and everyone had fun making their own sushi concoctions.

A Tale of Two Cities: Atlanta and New York City

2009-09-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

During my two glorious weeks of vacation from work, I had the pleasure of traveling to see two of my best friends, Eric who lives in New York City, and Jennifer who lives in Atlanta. I spent two weeks running around shopping, drinking, and most importantly EATING!!! Of course I did other fun stuff like Shakespeare in Central Park, visiting the Williams Sonoma outlet in Georgia, watching movies, and catching up with very dear friends of mine (Jennifer, Eric, and Gina)...something I needed. Already I miss my east coast buddies and am looking forward to the next time we see each other again.

Part I: Atlanta, Georgia

The first part of my trip was spent in Atlanta, GA with my best friend Jennifer and her new hubby Anthony. They just moved into a beautiful new apartment home in the midtown area and so graciously hosted me at their place. I was so happy to just spend some quality time with my friend whom I rarely see since she lives on the east coast. We just relaxed, caught up on gossip, watched movies, went shopping and ate of course. I didn't take pictures of the Indian take out we had. I still think in the US, that is one of the best indian food places (called Cafe Bombay). I love eating at this place....makes me crave indian food just thinking about it.

This was our breakfast at the Flying Biscuit which has a bunch of chains all over Atlanta. I went there before when I was in Atlanta for her wedding. Their biscuits are very scone-like and their pancakes which are oatmeal pancakes are pretty unique and tasty with fruit on top.

On my last night there, I wanted to try a nice place with my hosts so we went to the Watershed in Decatur. They served nouveau Southern food which is always a favorite of mine. I had the red rice, shrimp, and okra. Jennifer had these delicious salmon croquettes and Anthony had this big plate of fried catfish, fries, and hush puppies. As much as I love southern food, I have a hard time eating a lot of fried food now, which limits your choices. As an appetizer we ate this really tasty grits with cheese bread. Gotta love the grits....especially in the south.

My obsession with cupcakes was satiated at Matty Cakes in Atlanta. And to top it off, they had a red velvet cupcake flavor. I must say, one of the most moist red velvet cupcakes I've ever had. Very rich, but not so sweet cream cheese frosting topped off the cupcake. If you're in the area, try this place.

Part II: New York City, New York

Took this picture with Eric and Johanna in Eric's Brooklyn apartment. He ended up moving back to Brooklyn to his old place he used to live at, now rooming with old Whitney-ite Niroshi. He lives right in the middle of it all (across from the subway stop), so it is pretty hustle and bustle. The first night, I could hear people till the wee hours of the morning, drunk, and fighting on the streets.....totally New York.

On my last day in the city, Eric and I had breakfast at this little eatery called "Egg" which happened to be right down the street from his apartment. It was quite delicious with southern style eats such as grits, biscuits and gravy, and some stinkin hot sausage. My egg was not poached quite right, but the cheesy grits and Eric's biscuits and gravy were awesome.

I was super lucky to have a chance to meet up with my friend Gina. Now most of you know this chica, but for those of you who don't, she is totally cool! With her high fives, gorgeous smile, and excellent taste in food and drink. I think we are very similar and personality and hobbies, that's why we get along so well. I'm so sad she moved away because she was my favorite person to hang out with on the westside. So we met up one of the nights in NYC at this great place called Cafe Mogador (101 Saint Marks Place, NY, NY 10009: www.cafemogador.com). They are known for their tagine dishes (pronounced tazheen)....a pot that looks like of like a teepee that cooks/steams the food making the meat just fall off the bone. I had the leg of lamb with this interesting green sauce of various spices. Oh my...the most tender piece of dark lamb meat...oh so good. We shared some homemade hummus and pita that was also just fresh as can be. I will definitely be looking for more moroccan places in LA!

After dinner with Gina, she took me to this dessert bar called Chikalicious (www.chikalicious.com) right down the street from Cafe Mogador. NYC always comes up with the new hip and happening places. This dessert bar just served desserts. I had the black and white cupckae and a sea salt caramel macaron and Gina had the soft serve. Just both solid, tasty, well executed desserts for an affordable price. I tell you...LA NEEDS to have more dessert only places to hang out at after dinner. I NEED it!!!

When I was in NYC, I was on a quest for a fabulous black and white cookie. I walked all the way down 5th avenue from Rockerfeller Center to MOMA to get try this cookie from a bakery called William Greenberg Bakery (www.wmgreenbergdesserts.com). It was delicious and worth the walk. The cookie was ginormous (see thumb in picture for reference). It was very cakey tasting and the frosting was perfect. I kept trying to get both flavors in each bite (anyone seen the Seinfeld episode at the bakery?) I was so content sitting in front of the nbc studios with my cookie and my iced decaf coffee from Dean and Deluca.

It is a must for me to eat the Halal food lamb on rice that my friend Malcolm got me hooked on. Eric told me to try this one at Rockefellar center so I went there...twice! I loved it so much I made a special trip out there right before my plane ride home to bring it on the plane (so good!!!). The pieces of lamb are shaved off this large roasting stick, then sauteed on a grill with veggies, put over rice with, white and red sauces, and served. All for a mere 6 bucks. I want it soooooo bad right now.

Random find somewhere while driving in NYC....a bar called Chibi's Bar. Had to take a picture of this for my little Chibi and for Angie.

I had to eat pizza in NYC...so Eric and I stopped over for me to try Lombardi's Pizzeria (www.firstpizza.com) . Now Eric must have told me a dozen times that this is not new york style pizza....but I just wikipedia-ed it and it says it is. I think New York style pizza just means that it is thin and foldable and that it is made with the New York tap water and high gluten bread flour. It was delicious and I love folding the pizza and taking a big bite. Lombardi's is also known for their coal oven cooking style which you can taste in the pizza.

Katz's Deli is widely known for their pastrami sandwiches. There is just a ton of meat on the sandwich and the pastrami is cooked fresh and hot and cut in to very thick slices that ooze with juice and fat. I love how they give you a slice whilst you wait at the counter to give you a delectable preview of what's to come. Always crowded....always great meat.

Another must eat for me in NYC is Joe Shanghais in Chinatown. I just love the SLBs (shao long baos) which are the soup dumplings. I've said it before and I'll say it again....Din Tai Fung absolutely does not compare to Joe Shanghai. Joe's has much larger dumplings with tastier meat and soup inside. I also love their other dishes like their handmade shanghai noodles and their onion cake. As Eric would say, they never let you down with their food.

Hungry Hungry Hippo...Who Are You?

2009-08-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

So I basically know all my avid blog readers...except for one: Hungry Hungry Hippo. And out of curiosity I would just like to know a little more about you who has written so loyally to my thoughts. Email me please at mmonoda@yahoo.com. Look forward to it.

Dinner and a Movie: Julie/Julia and Torafuku

2009-08-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

Today I went to go catch the new movie Julie/Julia and it was so good. So good that I would go see it again in the theater (which for me is hard bc I hate sitting there for so long). So good that I would buy it on DVD and watch it over and over again. So good that I would (and have) bought the Julia Child's Cookbook for inspiration. I think for me, I related to this movie so well being the wannabe chef/cook and of course occasional blogger. It hit my two greatest loves: eating and cooking and my newly found love for blogging. I sat on the edge of my seat the whole time, laughing, gasping, and of course drooling.

After dinner, I thought about eating Panda Express at the mall, but like my sister said, we can't eat the PX after seeing all that gourmet food in the movie. So we ventured off to Torafuku which is this Japanese restaurant right next to the Westside Pavilion that I always see but have never tried. It was very "Japanese" meaning the wait staff and cooks were probably from Japan as were most of the clientale. It was as authentic as you could get in the area. I had the chef's Omakase dinner set. It came with all sorts of yummy goodies. The Japanese always know how to present items to look so delectable. The set included some kurobuta tonkatsu, ebi tonkatsu, tamago, 4 pieces of sashimi, miso-shiru, tsukemono, gohan, saba-yaki, and nimono. Very delicious and all for the mere price of $25. I would definitely recommend this place for some tasty, authentic Japanese food.

My Perfect Sunday Part 2!!!

2009-08-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

I'm such a lucky girl....two sundays in a row have been just ideal for me. Today, I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. I drove home to Cerritos and visited the Target nearby my house. Now you think....how is that so great? Well, when you live in West LA, Target is about a good 5-10 miles away and with LA driving time could take 30 minutes just to get there. So it is a convenience to live near a Target, which most likely means you live in the burbs. I had a chance to get some new workout clothes and some bikinis for my upcoming Atlanta/NYC trip (a itsy bitsy teeny weeny, black polka dot bikini....lol). Then I went home to my parents house and spent some time with my parents, Chibi, and Angie who was also visiting. It was just relaxing talking to my parents about buying a place, petting little Chibi and chasing him around the house, and having El Pollo Loco with Angie for lunch. After taking a little nap, I drove over to the Kishiyamas. I just love hanging out with them and they always make me feel so welcome and like part of their family. Joni made a delicious hamburger dinner with some really tasty asparagus and chopped boiled egg salad. Then after dinner she so expertly took some photos of me. She must be an expert because she somehow got me to look good! Then we all went to the park to play. They treated me to some Frostbites Italian Ice and Cream dessert. That was amazing and something I've never had before. Although the experience was very different from last weekend, it was equally special and just as perfect.

My Perfect Sunday: Dinner and Drinks at Riva

2009-08-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

My idea of a perfect Sunday is waking up, reading the paper, walking to the Farmer's Market, cooking my dinner for the week in one pot, walking to the Bally's for a light workout, and having a lovely dinner and cocktail with good company. An extra special Sunday if I get to go somewhere like Bed Bath and Beyond to use my coupon to buy something for my place. And an extra extra special day if I can go to a place like Sur la Table or Williams Sonoma to check out high quality culinary tools you can't find anywhere else. In a perfect world I would get to share this experience every Sunday with someone special.

This Sunday, I was lucky to have a second chance not only to spend some quality time with a important person in my life, but also a second chance to visit a restaurant that I had enjoyed once in the past. Riva is the second restaurant of talented chef Jason Travi of Fraiche. When I last visited Riva in February (see past blog), they were solely known for their pizzas. They changed their menu to include Italian small plates....something pretty unique to the restaurant world. I'm all into the small plates these days so you could try a bunch of different things. They still serve their pizzas sun-tues so we lucked out. We started off with some cocktails. I hadn't had a drink for awhile so it was really nice to enjoy my vodka and pink grapefruit drink with my dinner. We moved on to a few small plates including an asparagus salad with meyer lemon and pecorino cheese along with some tasty greens that we both couldn't figure out what it was. Perhaps pea shoots...or at least it looked like pea shoots. Next, we shared an Octopus Fra Diavola crostini which was spicy but nicely mellowed out with the long crostini pieces. Our last small plate consisted of a braised veal cheek oddly placed on a somewhat sweet tart filled with creamy filling, golden raisins, and apples slices. I have been a fan of the veal cheek every since my taste buds laid taste on them at Sona Restaurant during a wonderful tasting. Of course it was no Sona veal cheek, but it was nonetheless fatty and melted in my mouth. For our pizza, we had the Tradizionale pizza which had spinach, prosciutto, and tomato. Very tasty but if you do go here, make sure you have the Molto Maile....the meatball it to die for.

For dessert we shared an off menu dessert specially prepared by an up and coming baker/chef. It was a flaky tart filled with a luscious Scharffenberger chocolate ganache with golden raspberries and a hint of mint. It was expertly molded into a 4 inch tart pan. Upon first bite, the bittersweet chocolate melted in my mouth and then a few seconds later the raspberry hit my palate, then came the mint. It was seriously orgasmic and I could have eaten another. I can still close my eyes and imagine it. It was truly the perfect way to end my perfect Sunday.

Michelle's Pancakes (not what you think)

2009-08-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

I have been subscribing to the LA Times newspaper in an effort to further my education about the news and current events. Of course I love the food section and have found some new places to check out. Michelle's Pancake was one of those restaurant finds. I am a big fan of trying new and interesting places and I love Chinese food. The restaurant is located in a strip mall and is a small place but the turnover is pretty fast. We tried a few things that everyone looked to be enjoying. We had the plain green onion cake which was cooked perfectly and not too oily. It could be dipped in this extremely garlicky concoction on the table. We also had some steamed dumplings with pork and leeks which was light and healthier tasting. My favorite was the special beef and leek cake. Beef, leeks and some tasty juices were wrapped in a onion cake like layer and pan fried. Looked like a manju to me. When you bite into it, it sort of explodes. Very tasty. If you are interested, read the article....if you are anything like me, it will definitely tempt you to go.

LA Times article:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-find15-2009jul15,0,1798170.story

Michelle's Pancake
706 W Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776-1161
(626) 293-8098

Japanese Desserts at Patisserie Chantilly

2009-07-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

I heard much hype about Patisserie Chantilly in Lomita and me being the dessert lover had to go check it out. I love Bonjour Bakery which has the similar Japanese style desserts. Patisserie Chantilly sells Macarons which Bonjour does not. I was very curious about the macarons since I'm always looking for a good macaron. I was honestly a little disappointed with this place. I bought 4 pastries to try : Cafe Au lait, Kir Royale, Othello, and Alsace (starting from the left bottom going clockwise in the photo). They were all actually just ok....nothing spectacularly good...just good. I'm not sure why....perhaps they were all a bit too light and spongy. There was no real density or flavor to them. The macarons were decently made, but I would much rather have Paulette macarons by far. As for eating Japanese style desserts I would much rather go to Bonjour.

Patisserie Chantilly
www.patisseriechantilly.com
2383 Lomita Blvd
Lomita, CA 90717-1446
(310) 257-9454

Japanese Style Pasta at Il Chianti

2009-07-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

Ceasar Salad

Squid and Nori Pasta

For my friend Rina's birthday I wanted to take her somewhere new and in the area she lives (South Bay). My sister Angie has been talking about this place she tried in Lomita that serves Japanese style pasta. Me, being a fan of Spoonhouse (see blog history) definitely wanted to see how it stacked up. Their menu and the restaurant itself is much larger and therefore you have a better chance of getting in. Actually you can make reservations...making this a nice date place :) The inside of the restaurant had a few nooks where you could dine peacefully with dim lighting. The pasta was very fresh and cooked al dente. I opted to have a salad before dinner. The Ceasar was excellent and it appeared that the dressing was possibly made from scratch. For dinner, I had the Squid and Seaweed Pasta. It was lightly flavored with garlic and butter, but the nori was the main flavoring. Rina had the Carbonara (which I really wanted but tried to order something healthier). I stole a little bite and it was to die for....rich and creamy. I definitely recommend trying this restaurant for all you pasta lovers in the South Bay....this place is worth the drive.

Il Chianti
www.il-chianti.com
24503 Narbonne Ave
Lomita, CA 90717-1136
(310) 325-5000

"A Faithful Friend is the Medicine of Life"

2009-07-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

My friend Joni inspired me to write a blog about my friendships and how grateful I am to have the ones that I do. You really find out who your true friends are during times of happiness but especially during times of hardship. For me it all comes down to one thing: effort. I mean, everyone is busy in their lives with work, family, etc., but I think that if you think past that, outside of your own self, you will put that extra effort for friendship. My friend Joni epitomizes the word friend. She has not only been there for me when things were great, she has been supportive no matter what without judgement. She has made me a get well basket when I had surgery, tupperwares full of food when I didn’t feel like cooking, this awesome recipe book, not to mention to countless letters and cards with her thoughtful words. The list goes on and on. She inspires me to be a stronger person, a better friend, and a better person. And Joni is not the only one….I truly am lucky to have an extensive list of people who somehow always make me feel good no matter what. For that I am grateful…..lucky….honored…..and loved.

A Friend……

-supports you no matter what happens, even if they don’t agree necessarily

-drives to your place even if you do live an hour away or a whole coast away

-calls you without an agenda

-tells you everything will be ok and you believe them

-brings strength into your life

-doesn’t constantly talk about themselves in a conversation

-doesn’t constantly dump negative things going on in their life

-gives advice to you based on their own personal experiences

-reads your blog every once in awhile to find out the goings of your life J (no this is not a ploy to get more readers!)

-doesn’t ever turn their back on you when you need them

-calls/txts immediately to make sure you are ok after news of a difficult event

-sometimes puts you before themselves

-knows what you like and will bring it over to surprise you

-will email you every now and then to see how you are doing

-takes you out to see a ridiculous movie just to cheer you up (in this case Bruno, although I was somewhat disturbed afterward)

-takes care of you when you get sick

-makes sure you’re well fed

-doesn’t just contact you at when it is convenient for them

-makes you feel like everything will be fine in this crazy world

-knows what makes you happy and brings the happiness out in you whenever you’re together

Southeast Gakuen Obon Carnival

2009-07-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Obon traditionally is the celebration of one's departed ancestors and is considered a Buddhist tradition. Here in America, a lot of small Japanese schools and Buddhist churches carry on that tradition. I used to attend a Japanese school in Norwalk called Southeast Japanese Community Center. My parents are very involved still and my dad is on the board of directors. Every year I try to make it out there. I have been going for the last 20 some years of my life now and it has changed drastically. I remember as a kid wearing my yukata and dancing the bon-odori around the lantern lit stage in a circle. I loved going to the obon to eat food and run around playing the games. Now days, things have changed a bit. Due to the americanization of Japanese Americans, the obon is a lot more americanized/hawaiaanized. They still serve sushi, chirashi, and udon...but now also serve asian short ribs, sweet and sour pork, and kalua pork. They still have the games like string pull, goldfish toss, and tic tac toe.....no more jingleboard though. I had a blast this year spending time with my parents and also with my surrogate family the Kishiyamas (Dean, Joni, Evan) and my surrogate parents (Chiyo and John Miyahara). I hold them near and dear to my heart and am so lucky that they let me be part of their family events. I started off eating some hawaiian dinner with my parents. They the Kishiyamas/Miyaharas came for dinner. After dinner, I had a blast watching Evan and Joni and her sister Jil and her son Tanner dance the bon-odori. As a lucky auntie, I got to take Evan around to the games and watch him play and win prizes. I can't wait until next year to spend another fun filled tradition of Obon festival!

The Spareribs with fried rice

Sweet and Sour Pork

My favorite date: always a gentleman and always fun

My beautiful SW

Dean and I

Cole's French Dip Sandwich

2009-07-20T13:56:00.001-07:00

Saturday I went out to hangout at Downtown LA. Now, I know downtown is the up and coming place to be, but I still have a hard time going there to hang out where one street is all trendy and the next street a guy is peeing on the sidewalk. I was curious to try out a restaurant down there called Cole’s. The consulting chef is Neal Fraser (who owns Grace) so I thought it would be awesome. But it was just eh. I had the French dip sandwich with pastrami. I think I am somewhat ruined since I’ve had the pastrami at Katz’s Deli in NYC. Now, everytime I eat pastrami, it just doesn’t compare. I mean the sandwich was ok….but the ambiance was great. It was an old saloon style place with a beautiful mahogany wood bar with an extensive bar list. A great date place due to the ambiance but you won’t be impressing your date with the food, but I would go back for the bar and for the vibe. Also, next door (literally next door) is a lounge type bar called The Association. Great place to head over to for more drinks….it is chill and not pretentious.

Cole’s French Dip

www.colesfrenchdip.com

118 East Sixth Street (and Main)

Los Angeles, CA 90014

Manpuku Tokyo BBQ

2009-07-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went to go try Manpuku BBQ on Sawtelle. I can now cross that off my list of places I have eaten at on Sawtelle. You pick out meats, seafood, and vegetables and grill them on a charcoal grill at your table. We shared prime beef short rib and a salted black pork, along with an assortment of vegetables. I had the bibim men which is a kimchi spiced noodle with bibim bop vegetables on top. I really liked the cuts of beef short rib and pork. With the pork they gave you vegetables and spices to include with a sanchu lettuce wrap. For about $6-$9 per plate, you get about 8 pieces of meat. It is not super cheap, but the quality of meat was good and it was sort of fun cooking the meat yourself. I definitely would go back for some beef short rib….mmmm

Manpuku

www.manpuku.us

2125 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 473-0580

June Eats

2009-07-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

There were a few places that I had the chance to try for the first time but didn’t blog about it last month. Definitely worthy of a try as they were both unique and the kind of dining experience I particularly enjoy.

One place is called Ramen California featured in the LA Times food section as well as the Rameniac blog (which apparently is the go-to place for ramen information). The chef at Ramen California, Shigetoshi Nakamura aspired to mix the Japanese ramen noodle with the ever so popular shift to using seasonal farmer’s market fresh vegetables. He incorporates vegetables such as purple cauliflower, celery root, baby yellow squash, baby corn, potatoes….there were about 20 different kinds of vegetables, making the ramen extremely colorful and tasty. I’m sure most people haven’t even had some of those veggies in there. I tried the Reggiano Cheese Tofu Ramen. Inside a soup ladle lied a soft silken piece of tofu infused with cheese. It was an interesting texture to say the least. Mixed with the ramen and veggies, it worked. If you love ramen, you have to try this place. Just be warned, you mouth will be shocked by the completely unique ingredients you never knew ramen could go with.

Ramen California

24231 Crenshaw Blvd., Unit C,

Torrance; (310) 530-2749

The second place I thought was worthy of a nice blog was the Five Guys Burgers and Fries joint now located in Cerritos (yay Cerritos!). It reminded me of In and Out burger. Very tasty and flavorful meat. The upside is you can pick and choose from a huge list of ingredients that you want on your burger. For some reason I just like cheese, meat, lettuce, onion, mayo and ketchup and I liked that I could order it how I like it without feeling like I am hassling them. If you like burgers, definitely try this place. Very cheap and a great value for your money.

www.fiveguys.com

11411 South St,

Cerritos, CA 90703

(562) 809-0055

The third place I had the experience of trying was Malibu Seafood. A quaint but bustling eatery off PCH, it is a great place to stop if you are taking a drive along the coast. Just be aware that the long line (although it really doesn’t take all that long to get the food) and that you may have to park and walk along the treacherous roadway that is PCH. All in all, they have lots of fresh choices. I tried the fried fish which was basically a whole fish fillet battered and fried. Very tender and very meaty. I also at the squid steak sandwich which was also very tasty and probably a healthier food choice since it wasn’t fried. I would definitely recommend this place if you want to get out of the city life and take a nice drive…..it can be romantic too for all you couples out there.

Malibu Seafood

www.malibuseafood.com

25653 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90265-4550
(310) 456-3430

A Shrimplicious Father's Day

2009-06-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

Today was father's day which is always a special day for me and my family. For those of you who don't know this about my dad....he had a brain tumor about 19 years ago. He had brain surgery to get it removed and went through rehab and recuperation for about a year. Prior to that he had suffered through a lot of pain and not knowing what the problem was. It is a miracle that he is still alive and was able to get back to living a normal lifestyle. So today I am always reminded about how lucky we are to have him around. The day started off not so great however due to my brief visit to the ER. I had the worst stomach problems and had to go to the ER to get it checked out. Everything is alright now, but I missed the breakfast. My sister made Hello Kitty Waffles and a breakfast casserole. Then she went outside to help my dad trim the bushes with Chibi. We treated my mom and dad to massages and then took out food from the Boiling Crab. They ate (I couldn't due to my stomach ailment) shrimp, corn, sausage, and crab legs. It looked so delicious. I think my dad was happy.

Baked Goods: A Humble Thank You

2009-06-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Baked Goods Sampler

Cupcake Bites: Red Velvet Cake covered in Chocolate

As a thank you to the staff I work with, I like to make some sort edible thank you gift. Last year I made my cherry chocolate toffee cookies and scones. This year, I decided to make this new treat I found on a internet blog called cupcake bites. This woman does some amazing things with desserts. Her blog is called Bakerella and it is pretty unique and creative. I took the recipe and idea off her website. Basically she takes some cake and some frosting and mixes it up all good, make little balls, fills a candy mold with chocolate, puts the cake inside the mold, and voila...out pops a cupcake bite. Well, first you have to add some more chocolate then decorate. I thought it was quite cute. It was a little sweet because of the chocolate. I also made a few other baked goodies including Mexican Wedding Cookies, Butterscotch Blondies, and Meyer Lemon Bars. My favorite still has to be the Meyer Lemon Bars. I luckily found some Meyer Lemons at the farmer's market. The mexican wedding cookies are also a good standard. The blondie bar recipe was found at Williams Sonoma's website. It was ok, but I guess I am not a fan of the blondie. I only made one batch of all the recipes which took me roughly 8 hours to prep, bake, and package. I forgot to take a picture of the packaging, but it was cute with a white cake box, brown ribbon, and blue/white label. Incidentally, I needed to take a prescription strength ibuprofen due to the back pain from standing on my feet all day. Though it was worth it to show the school staff how important they are to me!

Wilton Fondant and Gum Paste Cake Decorating Class

2009-06-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

Long time ago in between college and grad school, I was on this kick to take a bunch of home-ec type classes. I took ceramics, sewing, and cake decorating. I took the level 1 and level 2 Wilton courses at the Tall Mouse in Cerritos. 9 years later (yowza I am old), I decided that I wanted to learn how to use fondant to decorate cakes since I am not the biggest fan of the buttercream and icing tips. Fondant and gum paste are more pliable materials and you use your hands to mold and roll out creations...kind of like playing with playdoh (which is my job expertise :). So far the Wilton course is informative...but it is just not quite modern. The decorations we are learning include carnations, daisies, fantasy flowers, draping, and other pretty outdated looks in my opinion. But I think with the techniques I have learned, I can produce something more my style. That being said, here is my first cake that I made with fondant and gum paste. I think it looks like a hat.

Chocolate Crafting

2009-06-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have been very much into making edible gifts for people. I was first introduced to chocolate crafting when I was probably 8 years old or so. My parents were having a garage sale and my mom made some Easter chocolate lollipops of these bunny rabbits. I remember our neighbor bought the whole bunch of them. Every since then, I have occasionally been making chocolate lollipops or chocolate molds as gifts. They have really come a long way with new molds as well as the way the mold is presented. They even have chocolate molds where you can add a cookie to it (I just bought one that I will make and eventually blog).
Here are a list of places that you can find chocolate and the molds:

1. www.candymoldcentral.com (an online place that I have bought from before)
2. Calico Cake Shop (located in Buena Park. I love this place. They have the most molds I've seen in a store) - www.calicocakeshop.com
3. Gloria's Cake Shop (12453 Washington Blvd, LA, Ca 90066, www.gloriascakecandysuplys.com) - this is on the westside, pretty good supply of cake and candy items
4. Michaels or Joann's (they always have chocolate and basic items. They only carry Wilton items for the most part so it is pretty limited)

The Originator of the Kogi Taco - Alibi Room

2009-06-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

I recently tried the famous Kogi Taco Truck one day after running at UCLA where it was camped out. I learned that the chef that created the tacos was working out of the Alibi Room, a bar located very close to the school that I work at. I went to try out the place with my foodie cousin and my sister. We got there around 7pm and it was pretty packed. The Alibi Room is a fully stocked bar as well so you can get your drink on in addition to your taco. We started off with some Korean spiced fries served with a sriracha and mayo sauce. They were so perfectly fried....I could have eated another basket. Then some lady that was sitting near us said that the Vegan Tacos were the unsung hero of the menu, so we tried those. It was just eh for me. But I guess if you are Vegan, you would probably love them. We had the Kogi Tacos of course. I think the pork is the best choice out of the Beef, Chicken, and Tofu. And we ended with some Kimchi Quesadillas which tasted quite interesting. But since I love cheese and I love kimchi...I loved it. This place is a definite must try on my list. Very interesting food and a chill place to hang out and have a drink after work. PS: get there before 8 or there is no place to stand or eat.
www.alibiroomla.com
12236 Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
monday-saturday 6pm-12am