Yummy Crave // The World on My Plate

Houston's - Guilty Pleasure

2010-03-09T23:27:00.000-08:00

Normally, I'm hardly obsessed with food from chain restaurants. But, I would go nuts for Houston's two particular things...

Spinach and artichoke dip. creamy and rich. dipped with hot tortilla chips.

Barbeque ribs. Slow-cooked, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs, with hand-cut French fries and coleslaw

Houston's

10250 Santa Monica Blvd
Ste 45
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 557-1285

LAMILL - Silverlake, CAffeinated.

2010-03-08T01:11:00.000-08:00

In this era of recession, who's willing to drive all the way from west LA to Silverlake for a cup of coffee? Or pay some good amount of dollar for a shot of espresso? Well, let me break it down why Lamill coffee is not your average cup of Joe; it's a magical gourmet experience in a cup from the people who are most passionate about their beans and loyalty.

When I walked into Lamill, my attention wasn't to the sleek espresso counter, it was a split between the teal faux alligator seats and the dazzling vintage chandelier. Not only the chic and comfy space got people hooked, dog-friendly patio, free parking and wifi are additional rejoice for people who spend 5 bucks on a shot of coffee and a jelly donut.

select your extraction: hand dripped ice coffee. Japanese Hario extraction brewed at your table with customized ice.

select your beans: Brazil Serra Do Boné

the end product in a glass with added cream.

Taste: Dark chocolate, with texture of cashew butter, orange, sweet dried fruit and a floral finish.

One of the many things that differentiates Lamill from other coffee shop is that you can actually chillax on your seat. Having their all-rounded and knowledgeable waiters explains everything you wanted to know about Blanco y Negro or their clover extraction brewed at your table is really worth the dime.

Caramel Corn. Fresh peanut milk & espresso topped with popcorn infused cream and caramel sauce. I truly enjoyed this sweet yet bitter blend.

Coffee and jelly donut. Strawberry essence layered with donut-infused milk and topped with espresso. don't underestimate this tiny shot, a must for all early birds and those who need to be revived.

tea champagne. booze and tea?! cheers to that...

butternut squash soup with croutons and espresso powder.* WOW in a bowl! the creamy soup is the highlight of my day... yummycraveness!

Chipotle chicken salad* /Apple, currants, scallions, almonds, celery served with sliced ciabatta. perfectly sweet and tangy.

Arctic Char Tartare* / Quatre épices, crème fraîche, capers, hard boiled egg, toasted house-made brioche.

ABLT* / Pork belly, arugula, tomato, preserved black bean. you know I will not resist pork belly. I almost can't handle succulent fat porky, grilled cippolinis, and yukon gold chips on one plate.

Buckle up, kids! the savory and sweet delicacies menu in Lamill is designed by two-Michelin Stars Michael Cimarusti and Adrian Vasquez, Providence's very own chefs. Dessert fanatics, if you're not up to gulping some caffeine, you can't go wrong with the desserts.

Passionfruit Gelee / Lychee-shiso sorbet, coconut-soy milk soup, basil seeds. yes this dessert was on my Providence escapade. balanced sweet, sour, and refreshing. it's a whimsical delight that you must savor.

I don't know why I never hung out at Silverlake, but now is not too late for a start.

*sample size only.

LA MILL Coffee

1636 Silver Lake Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 663-4441

lamillcoffee.com

LA Food Truck is Easier to Find With Google Maps

2010-03-04T15:31:00.000-08:00

Hooray! Google Maps and Truxmap collaborate for real time food truck locations. Although claimed to be 99.9% effective, it's nice to have a search all engine with hours of operation, live traffic, twitter feeds, and yelp reviews at the same time.

LA Weekly 2nd Annual Gold Standard

2010-03-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

40 hand-picked restaurants by LA Weekly Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic, Jonathan Gold, gathered for an annual food fest. Packed with hungry people, food editor and blogger, everyone were enthusiastically tasting, taking notes, photographing, and boozing LA's finest eclectic dishes and bottomless wine/beer.

Sona's

The event was held at the Petersen Auto Museum from 1PM-5PM, for $60 GA and $80 VIP. Angelenos hustle and bustle around the room mostly with plastic forks ready, and the impatient ones just use their hand to chow down the dishes. Although plentiful of food were overflowing and endless, a few of the restaurants wrapped their table at around 3PM.

Participants:

Alcazar Express - Angeli - Babita Mexicuisine - Beacon - Bistro LQ - Bulgarini - Ciudad/Border Grill - Good Girl Dinette - Huckeberry Cafe - Hungry Cat - Jar - Jitlada - Kogi BBQ - Kyochon - La Casita Mexicana - La Mill - Let's Be Frank - Little Dom's - Ludo Bites - Loteria Grill - Lou - Meals By Genet - Mo Chica - Moles La Tia - Mozza - Natraliart - Nickel Diner - Palate - Pollo Ala Brasa - Saffron Spot - Sona - Tiara - Upstairs 2 - Wurskutche

Ludo Bites

Bistro LQ

Nickel Diner's Donut hole glaze and bacon bits

Palate's

Top Chef Master and Jar's Chef de Cuisine, Suzanne Tracht

Wurskutche's

Border Grill's non-alcoholic mojito

Tiara's cupcake

Art Institute's

Bulgarini's pistachio, white wine, chocolate

Lou's

Urth Cafe's espresso maker keeps on working!

At the end of the day, it was a great event that at least must be explored for once if you're in LA. Great food and great people: we met Jar's Suzanne Tracht and Ludo Bites' Ludo Lefebvre, both were Top Chef Masters contestants. Just come hungry and you'll leave in food comma.

Judging Mr. Craftsman

2010-03-01T12:41:00.000-08:00

Proud to be a sucker for Top Chef, I was so ecstatic to visit Tom Colicchio's restaurant. For namesake, we're dying to try Tom's crafts and see if the critic is a true craftsman. Now, the table has turned and it's our time to be the judge.

I was digging the dinning room. It was a modern architecture with a touch of woods and beige color. hundreds of Edison bulbs are dangling all over the ceiling, we appreciate the wonderful settings of the color scheme.

The serving was a family style, so we were enthusiastically shared all the dishes. Amusingly, Craft is very generous with amuse bouche: complimentary bite size hors d'oeurve to tickle our taste buds. In our case, three time's a charm!

Three first courses, five main courses, two side dishes, two desserts, and three amuse bouche later...

artisan bread. sourdough and dark squaw bread. warm and crusty.

First courses:

1st complimentary amuse: butternut squash topped with pumpkin seeds.

Peruvian octopus with pineapple cubes, jalapeno, and yogurt. perfectly grilled to tenderness on the inside.

roasted foie gras. even though this foie gras was delish, I still would prefer to eat Animal's foie gras on any given day.

Pork Tortellini & Medjool Dates. pretty bland, my least favorite appetizer.

Main Courses:

Venison saddle, cocoa nib & cipollini. medium cooked, juicy, and divinely cooked.

organic farm chicken. flavorful chicken but for me it was just decent.

This one got me drooling over and over. Diver sea scallops. perfectly seared with buttery taste, making the boring-looking sea creatures the most succulent thing on the table. Must try!

35 Day Dry-Aged Sirloin. the lightly seasoned, medium cooked meat is rich of flavor. One of my favorite dishes.

Side dishes:

Au Gratin. creamy, cheesy, heavy loaded sliced pie potato. yumm...

Yukon Gold Purée. soft textured and light. the boys find it unsatisfying, but for the girls it was a dreamy feeling.

Dessert:

2nd complimentary amuse: yogurt panna cotta with sour gelee. the best stuff keeps on coming! the gelee is very sour but when you get to the vanilla bean, hmmm.... can't beat this on the house dessert.

rhubarb cobbler & mexican vanilla ice cream. my least favorite dessert: uber sour and boiling hot rhubarb. thank goodness for the vanilla ice cream on the other side of the island, my tongue was rescued...

chocolate banana tart, macadamia nuts, dates & coconut sorbet. decadence on a plate, highly recommended!

3rd complimentary amuse: caramel popcorn...+

white macadamia cookie, apple hazelnut cookie

and a home made granola for each of us!

Overall, Craft is pretty outstanding. Not only the food was mouthwatering, the portion was surprisingly generous. In terms of the restaurant design, it's officially one of the most ravishing layout. Seeing Tom Colicchio himself in person throughout the dinner was another bonus added to the stellar experience. And who can say no to plenteous of amuse bouche?

Craft

10100 Constellation Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90067

(310) 279-4180

www.craftrestaurant.com

Jin Patisserie - Life's a Box of Macaroons

2010-02-22T16:13:00.000-08:00

say hello to world's mischievous rainbow

Life isn't a box of chocolate, instead a box of macaroons, colorful ones. You'll never know what flavor you will get until you take a gentle baby bite of it. Though all is mysterious, surely at Jin Patisserie each macaroons is exquisitely crafted with love and filled with luscious cream. I've tried all of their flavors, and some held a special place in my heart, particularly ume, pistachio, sea salt caramel, tea, and vanilla flavors.

americano coffee, macaroons, poire cake, and a cup of peche mignon. Chinese green tea scented with pieces of fruits, vineyard, peaches, melon, passion fruits, and wild strawberry flavors.

Not only they're famously known for the French macaroons, but this little gem at Abbot Kinney has wide tea and dessert selections. All created by Kristy Choo, a Singaporean born who studied at San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy and pour all her creative passion to the patisserie. She always around the shop with all smiles and looks so low key. Exactly like her concept of Jin, so sit back at the little garden with a cup of tea and plenty of macaroons. You're all set...

Poire cake. poached pear flambe wrapped dark chocolate and pear william creme.

vanilla, ume, tea, yuzu, and pistachio.

Jin Patisserie
1202 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 399-8801

www.jinpatisserie.com

Gjelina - (Pronounced: "Ja-leena")

2010-02-21T23:13:00.000-08:00

sipping mimosas on one sunny LA afternoon

I think this was one of the best unplanned/laid back Saturday ever. When we decided to rely on pure luck walked into Gjelina with no reservation, we got ourselves in within seconds. To celebrate the VIP parking spot in front of the restaurant on the always crowded Saturday Abbot Kinney, we cheered with their bubbly mimosas and enjoyed the wooden dark feel of the ambiance.

To start with, a bowlful of chickpea stew is belly-warming and tangy yogurt flavored soup. I recommended to share this dish because every spoon is so mouthful, leaving you pretty full before you get the chance to enjoy the next delicacy.

Chickpea Stew with Greens, Cous Cous, Spiced Yogurt & Harissa

One of the most memorable dish is the grilled pears with burrata cheese and prosciutto served on a board. I have to say it's the most decadent prosciutto platter that a restaurant could offer. It deserves a review of its own!

Grilled Bartlett Pears, Burrata, Prosciutto, Arugula & Radicchio. Foodgasm on a board!

We ended with the butterscotch for dessert and it was the perfect mixture of solid sweet caramel and salty aftertaste on your tongue. Don't get yourself too carried away and make funny foodgasmic faces while eating this pot of heaven.

Butterscotch Pot de Crème with Salted Caramel & Crème Fraiche

Gjelina

1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 450-1429

www.gjelina.com

Scoops - Tounge Twisted

2010-02-20T17:20:00.000-08:00

pistachio, jasmine tea on top // hazelnut coffee on the bottom

Have you ever feel you like something so much that every time you go to the same place you want to order the same thing? Thankfully, Scoops rotate their flavor everyday or else, you'll be stuck with your same favorite flavor and you'll be missing out big time! Scoops has big and mixed up flavors that you can't think of but they're awesome! Like oolong tea and salty chocolate?! yummycraveness!! This time I tried the pistachio/jasmine tea and Oh My My, it's to die for! Seriously tasty and freshly calming - okay that doesn't sound right together but expect to be dumbstruck when you enjoy Scoops...

Scoops

712 N Heliotrope Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 906-2649

SugarFISH - Back To Basics

2010-02-16T22:07:00.000-08:00

Cut to the chase, simply sushi. The minimalist and clean decor give an immediate unpretentious vibe and that's exactly what chef Nozawa delivers: sushi and nothing fancy.

Chef Nozawa is taking sushi back to basics by offering three core omakase selections: Trust Me, Trust Me/Lite, and The Nozawa. Each consists of the best hand picked fresh fishes and the amount of sushi pieces differs the sets from one another. Relying simply on the freshness quality of the fish, warm Japanese rice and Nozawa's knife cuts, the home-made soy and ponzu are just added complimentary elements.

Presenting, naked fish from the Nozawa omakase menu:

edamame.

tuna sashimi, ponzu, and green onion.

salmon sashimi and sesame seeds.

albacore, ponzu, and green onion. no soy is necessary. the best sushi out of the bunch.

yellowtail sushi.

halibut sushi.

"daily special" - unagi sushi.

toro hand roll. eat this immediately to enjoy the seaweed at its best.

crab hand roll.

of course we added uni sushi, since it's not on Nozawa set. and... the uni just melt in my mouth. it sealed the deal.

SugarFISH

11640 W San Vicente Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 820-4477

www.sugarfishsushi.com

The Bazaar - Avant Garde Tapas

2010-02-09T12:09:00.000-08:00

Being a fan of the SLS Hotel for occasional drinks at their lounge, I've finally experience a different level of brunch prepared by The Bazaar. With intimate indoor offering modern minimalist or outdoor terrace with ethereal wooden nuance, The Bazaar created ambiance of Spanishness in vogue.

The menu is a mixture of traditional and modern twist of the small plate movement, where liquid gelee and nitrogen plays a whimsical role in creating magical dishes and unbelievable taste. Now, buckle up for an extraordinary gastronomic ride and feast for your eyes.

not your everyday caprese. the name says it all, manage to scoop the cherry tomatoes, basil puree, crackers and liquid mozarella onto the spoon. the encapsulated mozarella cheese into the tiny balls will burst in your mouth. the taste is fresh and as magnificent as the idea.

foie gras sandwiches. three minis buttery toasted brioche sliders with smooth textured duck liver.

12 tiny eggs sunny side up. Huevos ala Cubana "Andy Garcia". 12 quail eggs, chives, bacon on top of crispy rice cake. the combination of warm egg yolk and the crispy rice cakes are so lip-smacking but 12 is too much to share for two.

Olive oil pancakes with maple syrup and mixed berries. 5 stacked fluffy pancakes drizzled with olive oil and warm maple syrup are the most scrumptious savory pancakes I've ever tasted. just melts in your mouth. I lust for these every time I wake up in the morning.

nitro coconut floating island. with caramelized bananas, passion fruit sauce, and vanilla. break the icy nitro shell and enjoy a cloudy ball of coconut cream. feels so sunny tropical on a winter time. such a whimsical delight!

The Bazaar

SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills
465 S La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 246-5567

www.thebazaar.com

Lala's Argentine Grill - Not So LalaLand

2010-02-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

Hmm... this one is not gonna be easy. Don't get me wrong, I totally like the whole concept, decor and the cool vibe of this Argentine restaurant. From the get-go, this place is definitely famous for their steak. Wide variety of the menus is also a plus but meat dominates the list. The food is not terribly bad, but unluckily, let's just say I had a bad piece of steak.

weird thing I prefer to eat this whole basket of bread and uber tasty dipping oil rather than the steak.

spinach-onion and ground beef-onion empanadas. definitely a kick-ass appetizer. the crust is very crunchy and fillings are all well seasoned and satisfying.

Entraña al Champignon. Grilled Certified Angus Beef skirt steak, topped with sautéed mushrooms in a light red wine cream sauce, and fries. the infamous steak really let me down. not only they tasted bland, this piece was a bad cut and hard to chew.

Costilla. grilled choice ribeye steak. still cannot believe that this place is raved for the steak, because this one is even worse than the champignon. bland was an understatement.

Panqueque de banana con dulce de leche. Warm caramel crepes and diced banana, with caramelized sugar on top. this one is a yummy dessert for those of you who wants of to get the sugar rush. after three bite of the sweet chunk, I think I'm high...

Lala's Argentine Grill

7229 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 934-6838

www.lalasgrill.com

Ord Noodles - Porky Galore

2010-02-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

Krrissspy pork....I'm a total sucker for major fatness of crispy pork. So wherever I could find them piggy, I will hunt them down! Thai food is no stranger for their crispy pork and word on the street is Ord Noodles handle the business like a BADASS!! Wait, crispy pork and noodles?? Good news keep on comin'.

As a noodle lover, Ord Noodle is one of the best noodle that I crave for the same way I do for Indonesian noodle. If you like spicy, this place will keep up with you 'till your tummy can't handle it. Selection of thin egg noodle, thick rice noodle, and thin rice noodle are available for your choice. Don't let the bowl size fool you, the small portion is only a fistful of noodles, so don't think twice just get the large size times two.

everything pork. thin egg noodle with ground pork, bbq pork, pork balls with dried shrimp and peanut. and of course extra crispy pork.

thin rice noodles with bbq pork, spare ribs, dried shrimp and peanuts.

the inglorious basterds!

Besides their noodles, the crispy pork and Chinese broccoli over rice is the next best thing in this Thai joint.

Ord Noodles
5401 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 468-9302

Sunnin - Old & New

2010-02-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

beef kefta kebab platter. Finely ground beef with chopped onions and parsley, seasoned with a blend of spices, grilled on a skewer served with hummus, rice, Lebanese salad and pita bread.

The first time I visited Sunnin, it was hole-in-the-wall which had no more than six small tables with "intimate" kitchen full blast of order yelling, long waiting, and paper plating. I'm not a fan of the place, but the good food and reasonable price, I'm in!

The second time I visited Sunnin, it moved across the street to a new and improved spot. With larger space, cozy settings and cleaner look. Although I'm a fan of the new place, it causes price increase and slower service. blah~

combo grill. beef kebab, chicken kebab, and kefta Kebab, served with hummus, rice, Lebanese salad and pita bread.

I'm always here for the kefta kebab and hummus. OMG, their hummus is the best, hands down!! Their kefta kebab is good, but not as delish as Shamsiri's, another Mediterranean restaurant one block up from Sunnin. Sunnin's kefta kebab is tasty but a bit dry. I recommend to put the green hot sauce on your kebab to make your experience at Sunnin more sizzling.

Sunnin Lebanese Cafe

1779 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 477-2358

www.sunnin.com

Joe's - Lunch Long Overdue

2010-01-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

Jidori Chicken Crisp "Panzanella", Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Cipollini Onions, Japanese Cucumber, Lemon & Basil, Chicken Sauce

Long before I went home for my winter holiday, I spent an afternoon at Joe's located at one of my favorite neighborhood, Abbot Kinney. When I looked at the Michelin guide, this place used to have one star, I wonder maybe the quality has changed. I tried this place for dinner and it was not memorable, so I thought Joe's will redeem itself for a round of lunch. All of the food tasted good, but not spectacular. Especially with splendid presentation, I expected to have sensational bite after bite. Thank goodness for the chocolate crunch cake, which change the mood to an A-OK ending.

Open-Faced Seared Albacore Sandwich, Cherry Tomatoes, Celery, Japanese Cucumber, Shaved Red Onion, Eggplant Puree, Grilled Garlic-Rubbed Baguette

Chocolate crunch cake. Hazelnut Praline & Coffee Crunch Ice Cream, Candied Hazelnuts

Joe's Restaurant

1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 399-5811

www.joesrestaurant.com

Koi Kei Bakery - Tart Delicacies

2010-01-24T07:06:00.000-08:00

presenting: scrumptios Portuguese egg tart

If you have a chance to visit Macau, you have to get your hands on these babies!! They disappeared quickly before your eyes, due to high tourist demands. The warm filling is creamy and has silky texture, the outer crust is flaky and messy once you get your bite on - just they way they perfectly should be.

Surely, Koi Kei Bakery is always jam packed with tourist grabbing their almond cookies and pineapple pastry. but I only got my eyes on you, egg tart...

Koi Kei Bakery

Venitian Hotel &

City of Dream

Macau

Aurora - Enchanted

2010-01-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

Living up to its one Michelin star, Aurora is the go-to place to make you feel inevitably spoiled whenever you're in Macau. A serene atmosphere and wondrous Macau peninsula view created a jaw-dropping impact, especially at night. Choice of high tables for tapas, poised dinning room, and Japanese-style rattan terrace for the ocean view are available. Just a flawless spot to celebrate our new year...

The exquisite eight courses cuisine were tantalizing our taste buds and the 500-strong wine list is no less impressive. The stellar service added touch of real class in the overall experience.

oysters in bellini jelly, oscietra caviar, lobster and sicilian blood orange mousse

pan-seared foie gras with black truffle, celeriac cream and rossano licorice flavored juice

scallop cappuccino with porcini mushroom, belgium endive and coffee emulsion

smoked scamorza and eggplant ravioli, orange duck ragout, five years old parmesan broth

wild smoked amadai with winter vegetables and herbs sauce

japanese beef tenderloin with purple potato puree and gaja sauce

italian cheese selection

manjari dark chocolate mousse with chesnut cream and hazelnut eclair

two sets of petit fours

the other companion. a glass of red.

As if the fascination of Aurora was not enough, we lounged at the terrace to enjoyed Macau skyline light up together with fireworks working its magic. Sealed with toasts, hugs, and kisses of new year.

Altira Hotel

10F Avenida de Kwong

Tung, Taipa

Macau

www.altiramacau.com

Modern Toilet - Holy Crap!

2010-01-20T10:32:00.000-08:00

welcome!

Pardon me for the shitty welcoming figure above. It took me by surprise when we walked into the restaurant and the giant shit-shape cushion gave us a crappy greetings. Oh well, obviously from the name Modern Toilet, I should expect to see some random shiz...

bathroom atmosphere with toilet seats as chairs, faucets as tables, and showers on the wall

The franchised restaurants spread in Taiwan and Hong Kong uniquely decorated the space with bathroom elements while visitors get to sit on real toilet seats. The toilet themed restaurants also went all out by serving their meals on miniature toilet bowls, bath tubs, and even squat toilet containers.

korean kimchi hot pot on toilet bowl

braised sirloin hot pot on a toilet bowl

toilet, lavabos, toilette, privada, lokus. you name it..

When you think the idea is really disgusting but cute, wait 'till you hear the flushing sound while enjoying your beef curry on a squat toilet. yummm...

p.s: it's best to keep potty-training-in-progress kiddies at home.

Modern Toilet
4th Floor Capitol Centre 5-19
Jardines Bazaar, Causeway Bay
Hong Kong

Thai Basil - Fusion At Its Best

2010-01-13T02:47:00.000-08:00

Coming to Pacific Place shopping enthusiasm, but first, I gotta feed my empty tummy. My friend tried Thai Basil and upon her previous visit, she completely satisfied. If you're sweating for extra spicy curry, try to look elsewhere. The dark, romantic, and seemingly classy interior adds the impression of a non-authentic food, rather fusion Thai fare. But it's good. Wait, they're delicious.

pepper beef with yellow curry, green pepper corn, shallot, and onion. tender and juicy beef are best served with flavorful curry.

pad thai with prawns, scrambled egg, pea shoots, peanuts, and chili flakes. not every thai restaurant could serve a simple yet delicious pad thai, but Thai Basil got this one under their belt.

wok fried thai spicy crab with lemongrass, lime leaf, chili, garlic, thai basil, shallot, and fresh green pepper. the only complaint is the lack of meat!

sticky banana pudding with honeycomb ice cream and caramel flakes. the combination warmth of the naturally sweet banana pudding and not-overly rich ice cream is a must order! you'll die over the crispy caramel flakes alone...

Not only Maxim's group done it again with a great restaurant concept, but the food are consistently spot on.

Thai Basil

88 Queensway, lower ground fl.

Pacific Place

Hong Kong

Mochi Cream - Filling Me Softly

2010-01-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

green tea mochi cream before

after. the best bite after shopping for endless-joyous hours in causeway bay..

Food is number one thing on my mind, shopping comes second. So, when my friend told me we gonna stop by at Mochi Cream before hitting the next shopping arcade, I said hallelujah sistah!

Mochi Cream as everybody can tell, is Japanese glutinous rice cake filled with flavored ice cream. They have a wide range of flavor, from cafe au lait to sweet potato. But being the indecisive of me, I choose the safest bet which is green tea. It taste so fluffy, delectable, and chewy, the ice cream just melt me away.

black sesame mochi cream. this thing is equally good. oh boy....dangerous love!

I believe you can find Mochi Cream in anywhere else, since it's originally from Japan. So anytime you accidentally find these babies, grab 'em, chew 'em, love 'em!

display only. they will take cold mochi from the back fridge.

hello, pretty lovers!

I couldn't believe that I only got one for myself. I should've got three. at least. Urghh silly me...

Mochi Cream

Sogo Department Store

555 Hennessy rd.

Causeway Bay, HK

Hutong - Location, Location, Location Is Not Always The Case

2010-01-06T02:15:00.000-08:00

The huge array of bird cage and beautiful carved wood panel makes you feel instantly in vintage China era and makes you almost forget the breathtaking harbor views. The authentic atmosphere and one Michelin star Cantonese restaurant, however, fail to deliver some impressive dishes. Unsure with which dishes to choose, we trusted the "Hutong's signature dishes" all the way, from starter to main entrees. I've had taste better Cantonese cuisines before.

chili spiced bamboo clams steeped in chinese rose wine and chili sauce

beef tenderloin wok fried with scallions. plenty of scallions, as you can see. finding the tenderloin is like finding a needle among haystacks. The beef were perfectly seasoned and cooked.

sugar-cane prawns in lemongrass-chili sauce. we adore these pretty looking prawns, but not the taste. so bland was an understatement.

crispy boneless duck served with scallion sauce. my favorite dish among all. the so crispy skin, yet tender duck meat so scrumptious yet so never-ending, at least for the three of us girls.

the view under the misty grey HK skies

night view sparkly lights midnight skies

Presentation wise, dishes look splendid. Location wise, flawless. However, I suggest just come here for the view, and go to the street down at Tsim Sha Tsui Nathan rd. for more delicious and cheap finds.

Hutong
28F, One Peking Rd.
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
www.aqua.com.hk

Yuyu Sushi - Where It All Began

2010-01-03T06:39:00.000-08:00

I know, I know.... It has been weeks of my long hiatus. This holiday season I got some time off of La La land and traveled to Asia. After months of anticipation, finally I hit Hong Kong, Macau, and home :)...

My galfriends and I did more than shopping, awesome dinning, drinking - we laughed 'till we almost died.... Just the best time of our lives. So, with no further due, let's get down to business.

The first stop after I got off the plane, we ate at Yuyu Sushi. A trendy kaiten style sushi bars located in Wan Chai district of HK. The place seemed too fancy for serious sushi, but their sushi were no kidding.

salmon sashimi

korean grilled salmon sushi. spicy*sweet kimchi salmon

uni sashimi. We can't resist to these ultra fresh sea urchin.

sweet shrimp sushi

eel yakitori

deep fried soft shell crab avocado roll

cutlet pumpkin croquette - kabocha

tuna mixed shanghai onion & california hand rolls

foie gras sushi. this particular item blows our mind away! we couldn't believe what we tasted. the so gooey center, yet uber crispy outer layer of these foie gras with warm vinegary rice were just the real treat!

This seemed underestimated sushi joint might seemed doubtful for real sushi, but our impressions were completely unfounded. Certainly by no means authentic, but the consistency of these fresh and mouth watering raw fish were impeccable. Start to finish, yakitori to sashimi, basics to artistry, supremacy!

I'll cover the rest of my HK cuisine findings soon, stay tune hungry piggies ;)

Yuyu Sushi

3 Ship St.

Wan Chai, HK

KC's Cafe - Crepêries

2009-12-17T01:08:00.000-08:00

Honey, good luck on finding a decent crepe place in LA. After one disappointment to another, those bad crepe days were over. Actually, I enjoyed KC's crepes the first month I got to LA and good grace it was deli-freakin-cious! After my first enjoyment of a great crepe, in the back of my mind thought that this must be the beginning of the pursuit of another delish crepe, but I couldn't be more wrong. So meanwhile, let's just stick with KC's.

croque madame - egg, ham, and cheese

roast beef melt with grilled onion, cheese, and gravy

Their crepe has the right amount of crisp. Their melt is my favorite savory crepes 'cos they got the goods - grilled onion and gravy!! On a sweeter note, any dessert crepe with their custard creme is lusting...

The lame part about KC's is you have to be patient with your orders. The cute Asian crepe makers may look so sweet but after 15 minutes and your crepe isn't ready may cause some temper!

the best of them all. nutella, strawberry, banana, and custard creme

These picture don't do the justice. So just come by to KC's and enjoy them for yourself!

p.s: cash only and closed on mondays.

KC's Cafe
8320 Lincoln Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 348-9697

Mitsuru Cafe - Pit Stop

2009-12-11T01:40:00.000-08:00

Before Shabu Shabu House and after, I can always use some Japanese street food. Mitsuru Cafe is the perfect pit stop for appetizer and dessert at Japanese Village Plaza. Mainly for savory skewers and ~~red~~ rad bean cakes a.k.a Imagawayaki.

fried beef ball skewers with sauce and sesame seeds

takoyaki - three happy little balls which contains fried octopus with seaweed powder, skewed.

imagawayaki in the making. flip those suckas

freshly made imagawayaki - not overly crispy pancake with hot azuki bean center. will vanish within seconds

Mitsuru Cafe

117 Japanese Village Plaza Mall
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-1028

Shabu Shabu House - Dip Dip Hooray!

2009-12-10T23:24:00.000-08:00

shabu shabu medium - lean meat with sesame and ponzu sauce

12.30 pm: Arrive and enter the shabu house, list down my name, # of party, and the plate size and meat preference. you can order medium (10 slices) or large (15 slices). You can also mention how you like your meat... lean or marble.

12.33 pm: Sit in front of ce fiore yogurt because it's right across the shabu house. stomach start growling!

1.05 pm: The grandpa manager walked outside and yelled my name... I stood up and ready to attack, but no..."wait wait....not yet...want to make sure you're still waiting" *ARGHHH*...

1.15 pm: my name was called and OH YEAH.... prepare for shabu galore!

1.16 pm: mix the green onion and garlic to ponzu sauce, put some chili oil on the meat, and DIP DIP HOORAY!! dip the meat into ponzu and then sesame sauce and they will melt in your mouth!

1.40 pm: full stomach...but still more to come, the ice coffee! it's so good!

1.47 pm: pay the bill, get 2 hours validation parking, walk out in full satisfaction..

be aware:
-busy hours may take up to 1 hour and 30 minutes wait
-close on Mondays
-don't text msg while you eat, grandpa will be mad

Shabu Shabu House
127 Japanese Village Plz Mall
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 680-3890

Skratch - Healthy Never Tasted So Good

2009-12-08T02:01:00.000-08:00

slow braised pulled pork sandwich - fig & white grape compote. green apples, organic baby field greens. topped with truffle oil vinaigrette.

Organic, healthy, fast, top-notch ingredients, cheap! wait, cheap is included in making those sandwiches taste awesome? yup. Welcome to Skratch where you have fine selection of healthy alternative of fast food! Yummy? don't ask...

Skratch

3867 Hughes Avenue
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 558-3400