Twitter, At Last!

After much anticipation and longing, I got a new phone and am now on Twitter. You can read my drivel here or follow me on Twitter. A new day full of possibility and non sequiturs!

Pampas Grill

I spent my Sunday at Hollywood Park race track eating $1 hot dogs and drinking $1 beers (I just love the ring of a $1 priced item, but oddly enough, I do not frequent the 99 cent store). By the time dinner rolled around, the prospect of a frozen dinner or canned soup did not "soul-stir," to borrow a term from my hero, Tim Gunn.

I decided on Pampas Grill at the Farmers Market and was happy to find only a few customers ahead of me (this place is very popular and the peak time lines can be a bit long). The set up is a self-serve salad buffet with Brazilian skewer meats handled by the staff. Your plate is then weighed by the pound, I think it was $8.99/lb.



My plate o' delicious (going clockwise): rice, eggplant salad, beet salad, fried plantains, collard greens, half a hard boiled egg and garlic beef.

This visit was only my 2nd and I can't remember which cut I chose last time, but I liked the garlic beef a lot. For me, I prefer just a small portion of meat and a bunch of veggies, but the man behind me ordered "one of everything," which would be at least 6 different kinds (they have chicken, sausage, a few beef options and possibly pork; I am usually drawn immediately to the red meat options and don't pay attention to the others). I'm sure this guy's plate was a sight to behold, too bad I didn't get to take a look.

This quick dinner hit the spot (I desperately needed the veggies; their mixed salads and garlicky collard greens are scrumptious), especially on a chilly LA night. I'm cautiously loving this cool weather. Dare I break out the apple cider?

Pampas Grill
6333 W. 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-931-1928
Looks like they've got a Culver City location now, too.

Pizzeria Mozza and BCD Tofu House

Vegas was lovely, but yielded zero food pics. We went to the buffet at Rio, which was good, but we were both disappointed in how little we ate. I guess drinking all day pre-buffet will do that to you. Moving on!

For Charles's birthday, we finally made it to Pizzeria Mozza (sorry, again no food photos!). We started with fried squash blossoms (quite good) and cauliflower gratinate (blew us away and made instant addicts of us). As for the pizzas, I got the funghi misti (mushroom with intense cheeses) and Charles opted for the Gorgonzola and potato (this was good, but we both considered the funghi as superior).

We also enjoyed a very delightful Italian white wine that Brandon, the super nice and knowledgeable sommelier, recommended (I tried to get the name off the receipt, but it wasn't the entire description, so I only have "Falanghina" and the price to guide me next time). And for dessert, we split the butterscotch budino (pudding) with caramel. Gawwwd. A perfect way to end the meal; I will be ordering it every single time.

So, when I woke up today, last night's rich meal had done some damage and I needed some simple comfort food to re-align my food chi. My go-to cuisine is, of course, Korean food, so I headed to BCD Tofu House.

Banchan (the freebie side dishes):


Soondooboo (that's a lot of "o"s... it just means soft tofu) stew:

I felt restored immediately and if not for some technological issues and the warm weather, I probably would have been able to indulge in a nap.

Pizzeria Mozza
6602 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 297-0100

BCD Tofu House
3550 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 382-6677

(Multiple locations - I usually go to the Western one)

Sad Lunch... NOT!

This leftover frozen pizza lunch may seem sad to you, but I assure it was not. I was more than happy to eat this meal standing in my kitchen because I am saving my dough and looking forward to this weekend's events of:

1. Jason Mraz concert. The last time I saw him perform was a few years ago right after I moved to LA, which was phenomenal. I am very excited to see him again, he has great stage presence and is so comfortable with the audience (or at least, appears so). Plus, Lisa Hannigan (the girl who sings with Damien Rice often) is opening for him!

2. ZOMG! VEGAS! There is a buffet visit on the agenda, I don't know if I'll carry my camera around with me (it may get in the way of my ravenous blackjack and nickel slots playing), but perhaps there will be a food photo or two I will put up upon my return.

So, don't cry for me (and my lunch), California (and beyond)! Happy weekend, all!

Garlic Shrimp

Oh boy, it's been quite a week so far. I am, at least, getting closer to normal health with each day. As I over-ate at lunch with two slices of pizza and an order of potstickers (no breakfast is really never a good idea), I didn't find myself terribly hungry after work and was able to run to Target and Whole Foods without going out of my mind (which is what happens when I'm hungry, I'm not hypoglycemic, but pretty close in terms of mood). I picked up some shrimp and bagged salad, which turned into garlic shrimp and ... bagged salad. Shrimp cooks up so quickly, it really is a time-saver and perfect for weeknight meals. Try it sometime, although I have to say, keep your shrimp shells in a separate bag and take it out to the trash. You do not want to wake up to shrimpy trash in the morning. Trust me.

Penne with Mushrooms and Tomato Sauce (As Promised)

I had a helluva week. I developed a hacking cough, stayed home sick one day and have been drinking more tea than I can last recall. I am on the mend, but still dread bedtime because I never know if my body is going to betray me and cause me to cough intermittently through the night. Tonight, I felt well enough to make dinner.

I hope that the penne will fortify me to kick this sorry cold in the ass. I hadn't taken Robitussin in many years, but I did the other night and it was very unpleasant. I had to use sour patch kids as a chaser (note: using a chewable "chaser" is not the best way to get the vile medicinal taste out of your mouth). Anyway, stay healthy and remember to wash your hands often as the cold/flu season seems to have arrived!

Chicken Teriyaki - Work Edition

Because after a while, you cannot eat another frozen meal or a $13 salad for lunch. I made even chicken teriyaki (bottled sauce) tonight for a few meals. Enough is enough! I need to make these take-to-work meals happen, especially with all that holiday spending coming up.

I'm lucky because we have a kitchen at work with a full-sized fridge and microwave. I've worked in an office before that had a mini-fridge, which is hardly accommodating. Later in the week, I look forward to taking some penne with tomato sauce and mushrooms. Woohoo!