In the Midst of Madness (and Still Making Every Meal Count!)

Like I mentioned in a post about a year ago, going to college is still NO EXCUSE to eat haphazardly (half-ass-ardly)...ever.

One more month until this super full-time semester is over. And in the midst of writing 10 page Memoirs for my Creative Nonfiction class, producing whole paragraphs in Mandarin and parrying Foil swords in 15 touch, whole-day long Fencing Tournaments at UCLA...I still make time to eat well.

Here is what I mean...

(Oh, and my little sister got a camera for her birthday, meaning I basically have one now, hence the use of pics)

Sunday Nov. 9: The 22nd Annual Great Chefs Event of Los Angeles

It was a beautiful day, maybe even more beautiful for me due to the fact that I went with a certain someone that I've...wait, sorry. Anyways hmmm, oh yeah...food, a certain type of magic happens when chefs of such caliber come together for a good cause. As is the case in this enchanted afternoon. Local, seasonal, fresh, flavorful...everything that makes up the signature Los Angeles Standard.








(photos: Julia Hasenbein)

Smoked Scallops with pomegranate from Tanino Ristoraunte Bar.

Wed. Nov. 12: Suckling Pig Dinner with Fooddigger at Fords Filling Station:

In honor of the Bizarre Foods episode here in L.A, the considerate people over at Fooddigger hosted a dinner to re-enact the scene from the show. Fooddigger is an up and coming foodie guide with one of the most reliable methods available to find out about a restaurant. Fried eyeballs stuffed with ham hocks, roasted pork butt and all...a lovely experience. Especially, when combined with a bunch of other foodbloggers (Mattatouille, L.A-O.C-foodie, Food Destination, Dig Lounge, Gourmet Pigs) not to mention a humble Ben Ford himself.


A joyful Ben Ford (happy because not that many people eat like this anymore)


From snout to tail


Little Piggy #1

Nov. 20-23: 3 Day Meditation Retreat with Edward Espe Brown at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center

Sitting in meditation from 6AM to 9PM sure does rouse up a hefty appetite...
They serve up 3 full vegetarian meals a day (a lot of the time incorporating the stuff they grow themselves)


Fresh baked bread was dunked into the daily soup, daily; Spelt Levain with their enticing Cardamon spiked Yam Soup and GGF Kale Salad


Fresh baked GGF Cranberry-Apple Everything Muffins served after the Sunday Dharma Talk

And I finally got a chance to stop by Cafe Gratitude, courtesy of some older lady I met over there who gave me a ride back to the Greyhound station. Cafe Gratitude is this raw, vegan and whatnot place up in the Bay area. The point of interest though is the way to get food here. Everything on the menu is an affirmation. So instead of saying you want a 'Rawsagna' or any other of those cheesy "raw" puns, you have to utter out I am awakened (Key Lime Pie) or some other affirmation-named menu item to get any food here.


I was definitely feeling awakened after eating this. Gotta give it up to the creativity these guys put into reenacting food, food. This thing was made using the creamy, buttery characteristics of an Avocado but taken over the savory threshold finally; sweet avocado lime custard. Mmmm.

And then there was the Jungle Food Marathon. Man...I wish I had time to do a complete post on this. This was one of the best events in my life thus far. Seven hours of eating tropic bounty + seven other food aficionado's = Good times 'a plenty.

Nkechi African Café

Ogbono soup with fish that had this "going-sixty-on-a-dessert-road-somewhere-and-suddenly-getting-a-flat-tire" smokiness to it and the texture...think the biggest loogie you ever hocked up. That stuff next to it was ebi fufu, a ball of starch made from raw Yucca/Cassava/Manioca; bitter.

El Rocoto

Aji Verde y Rojo. Peruvian pepper'ed Salsa's emulsified with egg. Need I say more?

Siem Reap Asian Cuisine

Sadao leaves and fish salad
Bitter, bitter, bitter! Actually a medicinal herb but still one of my favorites for the day.

Quan Hop

Jack fruit Salad.
Meaty. This place was not your typical Bun and Pho place. They have some fine, top quality, intricate Vietnamese cuisine a step above many others, albeit small portions.

Nuoc Mia Vien Tay

Fresh Sugar Cane Juice with Kumquats
Perfect ending to the night. What would of been cloyingly sweet otherwise was brought to a whole other dimension with the tongue-numbing acidic citrus of Kumquat Peels. I rationed it by eating every single ice cube in the cup. Simply amazing.

Oh, and my band wants to get back together again so I've been with that too.

I was supposed to play that night at some house in Montebello, and found one of these bad boys there. SPECIAL cookies, and they were made from scratch!!! A nice change from the usual vehicle of a brownie...

Chocolatey, toasty, herbaceousness...ha,ha,ha,ha...

Me as a Canvas: My first Tasting Dinner at Minx

Since food captivated me when I was about 15, I remember I would always stand amazed. Dish after dish, dessert after dessert, the Multi-Course Tasting Dinner's I only read/daydreamed about were of the most intriguing; left entirely up to the Chef's whim and season's vigor, man, when that day came where I would finally get to experience...

Well, it finally came...

Minx is this swanky spot up in Glendale, chic all around--happening club at night, 'New American' cuisine during the day--totally incognito, sharing a parking lot with an In & Out that actually made me feel less intimidated being there.

I was ecstatic since I first received the invitation, (the only I way I can experience these type of things now), finally.

The first dish was approaching...

Tomato Bisque Cappuccino/Warm Caprese Salad with Goat Cheese Pinenut Fritter: Fascinating, served in a little mug, foam teeming over and all, seasoned exorbitantly, the tomato's key tartness was kept, not creamed way down--made me think about reconsidering my breakfast drink of choice. The fritter was standard but skillfully fried, fat pierced by the seared high-acidic yellow tomato slice underneath.

2nd
Seared Scallop, Kabocha and Pumpkin Ravioli, Candied Pumpkin Seeds, Upland Cress, Chestnut Brown Butter Sauce: Coordinated, bringing out the sweet qualities of each of the ingredients into perfect unison but still kept controlled by the bitterness of the Cress.

3rd
Pan Seared Foie Gras, Dark Chocolate Risotto, Port Cherry Sauce: Daring, although skillfully executed, flavors were kind of awkward. Chocolate rice pudding? Everyone's least favorite of the night.

4th
Peppered Seared Hawaiian Ahi Tuna, Parsnip Puree, Shallots 3 Ways, Grilled Asparagus: An avant-garde Surf and Turf. Graceful, light Tuna contrasted deftly with the heaviness of earthy, creamy Parsnip brought together with the varied textures of shallot: 1) a shallot-intensive Demi-Glace, 2) half of one braised to fragility 3) fried, crispy bits on top (my favorite).

5th
Midwestern corn-fed, 4oz center-cut Filet Mignon, Mushroom Strudel, Lobster Bearnaise, Mulled Red Wine Sauce: Headliner, it seemed like each preceding dish was leading me up to this. The beef was cooked rare and of course tender. It did not have that much actual "beef" flavor by itself, but in conjunction with the earthy mixture of mushrooms and couple of Collard Green pieces in the flaky strudel...edible harmony. The Lobster Bearnaise took it a bit overboard in the richness factor, but there was always the other half of the plate (Red Wine Sauce)

It was then that I concluded--I was basically the canvas for the artist which was the chef(s), this case, the savory artiste being Executive Chef Geovanny Delgado. Now it was time for the pastry masterpieces of the virtuoso Dadi Revivo...

Desserts

1st
Dadi's Famous Molten Spiced Dark Chocolate Cake, Red Wine Infused Dried Figs, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: Synonymous sounds of "wow" throughout the whole table was heard. Ever so delicate, not overly sweet or rich, at all.

2nd
Bolle, Mascarpone Wild Berries Cheesecake, Walnut Crust, Fresh Berries, Maple-Coconut Sauce: My personal favorite item of the whole night...and I've never been a fan of cheesecakes, ever. Mascarpone did an interesting thing; keeping the signature creamy texture of cheesecakes but without the signature heaviness. The cameo of the naturally buttery flavors of coconut and maple were sublime, serious.

3rd
Pumpkin Stollen, Roasted Apples, and Dried Fruits, Pumpkin Mousse, Pecan Strudel Crust and Vanilla-Eggnog Sauce: Every one was whining and about to burst at this point, but out came these little carved pumpkins filled with elevated twists on the classic fall flavors and still, compliments all around.

A unanimous decision...the desserts were definitely the predominant pieces of the night. Nonetheless, wondrous work from both.

Wow.

Minx Restaurant & Lounge
Glendale, CA
91206
(818) 242-9191

Things Continue Coming Up Glutster: Featured on My School Paper! (The Courier; Pasadena City College)

Didn't just "come to me" though, trust me, I had to really throw myself out there (like usual :)


Trip out, yet again...

It's Not that Bad: 22nd Annual Great Chefs of LA this Sunday

I know it sounds kinda crazy to pay $150 for a food event right now, but to me, this is the equivalent of paying a similar amount of money for "scoring some tickets to (insert old band here)"...like 'normal' guys around my would usually do. And plus, it is for a good cause after all.

I hope I make it, somehow.


Kidney Social

Mole Finals today at 2:00

Hope its not too late but the mole part of today's celebration will start at 2:00PM.

see you there!

Feasting, Courtesy of Carousel....

"Yeah, that eggplant dip thing was so smoky there!"

My brothers words ringing through out my mind endlessly while painstakingly waiting for my stop to finally come. And sooner than later...there I was, and there it was. The rich, jet white, creamy Muttabbal (Babaghanoush) in all its glory. The texture just right...rich and thick--yet light. The flavor...smoky in the subtlest way. Held up its reputation pretty good until I had a forkful of that engaging Muhumarra, a tart dip made with roasted red pepper and pomegranate, rustic chunkyness provided by the crushed walnuts notoriously present in it. The raw hamburger patty-looking, sort of Armenian Tartar Kebbeh Nayyeh was coool, but I like the gamier lamb version in other places instead.

We were told that there was a lot "more to come" but the aforementioned Mezzas have always been my highlight of most Middle Eastern meals. Then Falafel finally made its appearance... flaky? crispy? light? "Excuse me, what's in your Falafel?" It turns out the owner is the only one with the complete recipe, but the waiter spilled a little of the beans--or chickpeas--being the case here..."there is actually some yeast and flour in their, actually healthier." There you go, leavened falafel frybread!? Interesting...

All night, I patiently awaited the mutton. Soujuk (Homemade Armenian Beef Sausage) flambeing at my table eased my lamb angst, basically bombarded with nothing but garlic. I was also quite curious about how geometrically exact they shape the Kebbeh ("spheres of cracked wheat, onion and pine nuts"), they looked exactly like a model sized football. Then it came, just one little chop, too much anticipation I guess: charred edges were good, but a tad too done--dry--for me.

Several savory seconds later, I wondered how exactly they were going to end this P.R feast? I would of been happy with some Baklava. But no, no, no, that was "much to simple", what they were going to bring out was "much better than Baklava". Not just bringing out a dazzling seasonal fruit platter complete with carefully widdled kiwi's and strategically arranged strawberries, but the more elegant cousins of Baklava. The same signature textures (phyllo), flavors (buttery) and aromas (Rose) but taken up a notch with things like Halaweh B' Jheben (a blend of semolina, Lebanese cheese and fresh cream).

Feast!

Carousel
304 N Brand Blvd
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 246-7775