Broccoli Slaw

Now I know what a home run feels like.



When I cook at home, my expectations are fairly low. Most of the time, I am able to turn out better-than-edible food and once in a blue moon, I make something incredibly good.

This broccoli slaw made my jaw drop. I couldn't believe I made something so awesome. I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe, which nonchalantly introduced me to the best damn version of one of my favorite vegetable dishes (I cannot resist any interpretation of broccoli slaw; you should see how my eyes light up at the very sight of it).

Notes: I have been rather taken with currants lately and used those instead of cranberries. For the dressing, instead of shallots, I used red onion, which is mentioned as a substitute in her recipe.

If you don't know Smitten Kitchen, now you do. She knows what's up, especially if you are a baker (let's not go there right now; let me bask in my glory).

Bricks & Scones

Bricks & Scones is located up the street from the busy main part of Larchmont, yet its patio is serene and remarkably quiet.



My very enjoyable latte and blueberry scone (with clotted cream) outside. For the record, I had my first good scone here: crumbly, fluffy and delicate. And it had been warmed! These folks want you to love their scones.

Bricks & Scones is civilized, tranquil and with a lot of outdoor flora that makes it very easy to drift away in your thoughts. They've also got free wifi in case you'd rather fall into a Youtube abyss while enjoying your caffeine.

Bricks & Scones
403 North Larchmont Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 463-0811

Warm Cauliflower Salad

Cauliflower used to be the overlooked sibling of the veggie tray, but in the last few years, it has, at long last, gotten its due. I've been meaning to make this Epicurious recipe for some time now and finally got around to it last weekend. Sadly, I had to leave out the parsley because the store didn't have any.



Notes: I'd only cook the cauliflower about 3 minutes as my florets turned out a tad mushy. To make it prettier, I threw in some whole capers and lemon zest. Please take a moment to appreciate one of my new ramekins from Williams Sonoma, courtesy of my dear friend Mike!

This salad had two components I really enjoy: anchovies and garlic. However, the flavors aren't in your face because you're using such a small amount; in fact, next time, I'm going to double the pow. I imagine this salad would work beautifully as a side for just about any protein, especially with warmer weather right around the corner (okay, it's pretty much arrived here in LA)!

Kaido

Mid-priced Japanese restaurants are grand, aren't they? One such place I've added to my mental black book is Kaido located in Santa Monica in (what else?) a small strip mall.


A girl's gotta unwind.


Complimentary edamame.


Seafood bacon salad ($10): mixed greens, bacon, crab, scallops, shrimp, avocado, asparagus and tomatoes with a bit of the "house" dressing of Japanese restaurants past, present and, most likely, future.


Tempura shiitake stuffed with "crab" and spicy tuna ($9): I believe this crab was the fake stuff, which was surprising since the salad came with the real McCoy. A good idea in theory, or so I thought, but in reality, it didn't work.


Fried oysters with tonkatsu sauce ($7): loved the crispy exterior, but they lacked briny oyster essence. I know that fried versions usually don't have as much flavor as raw oysters, but there is usually some hint of the ocean. Not the case here.


Eel and cucumber roll ($7): I like rolls. I also like old school purist sushi. The two co-exist happily in my food hemisphere.

I was hiding out from rush hour this time, but I've also stopped by at lunch when they've got some great deals. If you're in the neighborhood, I recommend it as a lowkey spot for those times when you need to satisfy a craving, but don't feel like spending a ton.

Kaido
2834 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404-2410
(310) 828-7582

Hot Pot , Hot Pot

Last weekend, I had my first Chinese hot pot at the appropriately named Hot Pot, Hot Pot (formerly Little Fat Sheep) and lucky for me, The Roaming Belly was my helpful and game-for-anything-except-spicy-broth guide (read her post here)!



How it works: items you want for your hot pot are circled on a sheet and handed to your server. We chose the half and half broth ratio and I ordered what I called "medium" spicy, but I should've given my placemat a closer look since it explained their 1-10 scale. I am guessing my server gave me a 5. Or she gave me a much higher one because she and her Anna Wintour bob were irritated by my lack of knowing how they do things. The Roaming Belly (I considered using TRB as an abbreviation, but it wasn't really working for me) got a gentler, more soothing broth devoid of chilis, which is funny because she is rather feisty in personality and sense of humor!

[Important to note: the broth had a Chinese herb medicinal aroma, so if you think such a scent will put you off, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, wear clothes you can throw into the washing machine immediately after you get home unless you are in a vindictive mood and want to answer the door for solicitors to see how long they can make it in the face of... well, you.]

We went a little overboard with the add-in choices, but at the time, it really didn't seem like THAT much!


Thinly sliced beef. We were alarmed when we both got our own plates of meat because I didn't know how I was going to roll myself out of there if everything came in twos. Thankfully, the subsequent items were only one plate each.


Handmade noodles, bamboo shoots (never had them so "fierce" before), fish balls, squid, napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and pork kidneys, oh my! All of the above went into the broth at varying times and amounts. You have to keep a watchful eye on the goods to avoid overcooking (especially the noodles).


I loved the whole leaves of napa cabbage, which got crazy good in the devil water. I am so Korean with my adoration of all things cruciferous.


I drank a lot of tea. You would, too, if you got chili flakes stuck in your throat.


We also managed an order of scallion pancakes.

We ate hotpot for 2 hours. With tip, we each paid $28 (I think). And then we went to the bakery a few doors down, ha! Thank you to The Roaming Belly! Maybe next time, we can tackle your fear/disdain of Ktown parking!


Hot Pot, Hot Pot
120 S. Atlantic Blvd
Monterey Park, CA 91754
626-282-1089

Lunasia

Rejoice! I finally got to knock Lunasia off my must-try list. And I couldn't have picked better partners-in-crime: Wandering Chopsticks, SinoSoul and his lovely wife, and Charles. Boy, did we do some dimsum damage! Preface: everything was seriously good (notes have been provided for particularly memorable dishes).


Pork dumplings


Shrimp har gow


Pork siumai: one of the best items. I was too stuffed to enjoy them properly at the time of the meal, but they were incredibly good even as leftovers later that night.


Fried taro (couldn't find this item on the menu, so SinoSoul just asked our server), beef chow fun and turnip cake.


BBQ pork bun: they tasted as perfect as they look.


Spareribs in black bean sauce


Rice noodle of sorts. We ordered the shrimp, but what arrived involved shrimp egg rolls and it was damn good.


Panfried potstickers


Chicken feet: while I wouldn't be able to polish off an order by my lonesome, I'm glad that I made the plunge. Tasted mostly like chicken skin to me.


Sesame balls: these were fantastic. I kept marveling at just how good they were.


Egg custard: good and loved the "charred" top, but the sesame balls stole the show for me in the desserts department.

Lunasia was one big blur that came out to $16 per person (including tip). I was giddy walking away with such a low bill. Dimsum is such a major bargain, though, that Lunasia's prices are considered high compared to their competitors (granted the quality is better here).

Big thanks to Wandering Chopsticks and SinoSoul for being my dimsum guides! I enjoyed our meal immensely and hope to break carbs with you guys soon again!

Lunasia
500 West Main St.
Suite A
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-308-3222

Ruen Pair (Take 2)

Although most of my restaurant meals are with Charles or solo missions, I also love to eat family style with a small group. I don't find myself in such settings often, so I took matters into my own hands and organized a dinner date at Ruen Pair, which I've written about before. The lovely ladies who joined me were Delicious Coma, Eat Sip Chew, Weezermonkey and Wandering Chopsticks. We ordered a little bit of everything.


Papaya salad with raw crab: I loved this version. I've had raw crab a la Korean, but never in this dish (I usually order it with dry shrimp). We also opted for what the server called "Thai spicy," which indeed was fiery, but not as unbearable as you'd think.


Salty vegetable and ground pork soup: I rarely order soup when we go out for Thai unless it is a noodle soup as the main course, but I always WANT to. My wish was fulfilled and I really loved the humble nature of the soup and need I even say how much I adore salty vegetables (i.e. pickled foods)?


Stewed duck noodles (ordered dry): Duck is my happy food and with the wide noodles, it was an enjoyable mix. We got them dry as it was more conducive to sharing. Thanks to Delicious Coma, who suggested we do so.


Green curry chicken: Not particularly outstanding, just a solid dish and a hearty portion, such that I was able to pack the leftovers up only to discover later that I left the box at the restaurant! The dream of a satisfying next day lunch shattered due to my absent-mindedness.


Fried pompano with spicy chili dressing: My first time having pompano, which was not only tasty, but also had Eat Sip Chew exclaiming how cute the little guy was. Pompano is perhaps the Opie of the fish world.


And look at all that spicy chili dressing they bestowed upon us! It was comically awesome. And delicious.

Afterwards, we hopped over to Bhan Kanom Thai for some panchi and sticky rice. No pictures, but it is incredibly cheap and I recommend the place with both thumbs up. Thank you to my dinner dates for the fantastic company!

Ruen Pair
5257 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 466-0153
Cash only

Bhan Kanom Thai
5271 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 871-8030