Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Pasta Shop: A Tasty Backup Plan

Apologies again for the late posting! It's been a hectic week, and it promises to be a pretty hectic month as well, and sadly, I don't have as much time as I would like to dedicate to this blog!


For now, however, I want to share one of my favorite places to eat when I need a quick meal that is sure to be delicious: The Pasta Shop! Both their Rockridge Market Hall and 4th Street locations have a wonderful deli with delicious prepared foods, perfect for when you are having a busy day, are hungry and need something tasty fast! 


The Pasta Shop's Prepared Food. A Lifesaver.
Photo Credit: http://rockridgemarkethall.com/pasta-shop
Sure enough, a few days ago, that very situation arose. I had been shooting my friend Estherina (with a camera––don't worry, I'm not going to jail and she is fine!) for her blog, Estherina's World and for her lookbook. I had just finished a long day of classes and was pretty hungry, but I couldn't pass up the chance to spend a few hours with Estherina before she jetted off to London. So after a fun couple of hours of fashion and photogeeking together, I was delirious with hunger and had my heart set on the Pasta Shop! 


I drove us, god knows how, to Market Hall (my favorite place in the world), and we entered the Pasta Shop. This store is a veritable foodie's dream, it has all sorts of cheeses and fancy olive oil bottles and lots of treats to satisfy even the sweetest sweet tooth. But one of the best things about them is their prepared foods and deli section. Whenever I've been so tired and hungry that I can't even think, this is the place that saves me. And this is the place that saved me that very night.


I ordered their Phat Thai, which I had had before and knew was delicious, as well as a Summer Fruit Galette for dessert, something I had been wanting to try all summer and now, I finally allowed myself t.  Estherina, like me, has a strong sweet-tooth and, after ordering herself a slice of Pesto Lasagna for dinner, also got herself a slice of Chocolate Cream Pie and a packet of homemade Italian Butterhorns. After eating a bites of my Phat Thai in the car to ensure that I had the energy I needed to drive us home safely, we made our way back to my place to enjoy our meals together. 


Phat Thai in the Car. Keeping it Classy.


The Phat Thai was delicious, as I knew it would be. Unlike most other Phat Thai I've tried, this is refreshingly tangy and the peanut flavor is complementary rather than overpowering. For me, this is what makes this Phat Thai stand above the rest. I had a few bites of Estherina's Pesto Lasagna, which was good and filling, but probably not the best thing that I've had from Market Hall. (A word of advice: get their pasta salads, they aren't called the Pasta Shop for nothing). I also had a couple of her Italian Butterhorns, which were so sugary, cinnamony, and buttery that I knew they were bad for me, but they tasted sooooo good. I decided to save my Galette for breakfast in the morning, and at the end of our meal, Estherina headed home and, later, off to Londontown to begin her studying abroad adventures. I was glad I got to spend a few hours with her doing the things we loved to do the most: eating, taking photos, and being all around goofy. 


Photo of Estherina taking a photo of lasagna. This is one of the many reasons we're friends. 


The next morning, my Summer Fruit Galette awaited me, and I was so glad I had saved it. It made the perfect breakfast pastry, it was simultaneously sweet and tangy, which if you know me well, these are the flavors that drive me wild! (And the reason why I love orange juice so much.) 


Summer Fruit Galette Morning Wonderfulness.
So what did I learn from this culinary adventure? First, the importance, for me at least, of eating on time. When I don't, I get delirious and dysfunctional and all around unpleasant. Second, the importance of having a backup plan when you can't eat on time. For me, the Pasta Shop provides one of the tastiest backup plans you will ever encounter.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

In the Kitchen: PLT with Basil Mayo

Delicious, quick and easy: PLT with Basil Mayo.
PLT? Yes, you read that right. I have discovered my new favorite twist on the classic Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich using...prosciutto! Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham, that has a strong and delicious flavor, and, though it can be a little pricey, I was able to find a cheap-o pack at Trader Joe's for about $5. Thankfully, using prosciutto as a substitute for bacon in this sandwich doesn't seem to compromise the spirit of the BLT. While it may not be any healthier than bacon, in terms of taste, you can hardly tell the difference between the two delicious meats. 


There is one way in which, for me, prosciutto trumps bacon in this sandwich––and that is in terms of its convenience. On my busy days, when I only have a one hour-long break between classes, I want to use the majority of that time to unwind, relax, to not think about the next thing I have to do. It is at these times, when I am at my tiredest and hungriest, that I haven't the time to spend cooking an elaborate lunch. Okay, I admit that frying up bacon can hardly be considered elaborate; nevertheless, I need every little bit of energy and time saved that I can get. (Plus, there are those dishes, and that lingering smell of bacon in my apartment that will tease me when I return, to consider.) So, prosciutto offers me a ready-made, slap-it-on-the-sandwich, unapologetically-lazy alternative to bacon for this sandwich, one that tastes good to boot. 


When I first made this sandwich, however, I wanted it to be extra special and extra delicious, so I did manage to put in just a little extra effort. I had tried Elmwood Cafe's BLT with Basil Mayonnaise, and though generally I'm not a huge fan of mayo, I thought the sauce added a tasty bit of freshness to their sandwich. Since I had mayo in the fridge and had just bought more basil than I knew what to do with, I decided to embrace my love for DIY and try to make it myself.


Cutting up basil. Someone buy me a food processor!
Finished basil mayo, with lemon juice. 
 I took a few basil leaves, cut them up as small as I could (these are the times when I wish I had a food processor). I added them to the mayo along with a bit of lemon juice to cut through my least favorite part of mayonnaise: its thick and creamy texture. And voila! I had recreated the Cafe's flavorful spread (albeit somewhat crudely), which gave my sandwich an little something special. And, of course, being the lazy cook that I am, I made enough so that I could have some leftover and save time in the future. Along with grapes and a glass of iced tea, this sandwich made the perfect quick, simple and, most importantly, tasty lunch for a busy student like me.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Blog Backlog + In the Kitchen: Banana Bread

Dearest readers, I must apologize for my lack of blogging in recent weeks. The start of the school year has been keeping me busy (lame excuse, I know). But I'm back and hope to be posting more in the coming weeks, though my budget and my busy student life may necessitate writing posts less frequently or else broadening the scope of this blog a bit. Since I am currently taking an 'Edible Education' class, taught by Michael Pollan and Nikki Henderson, attended regularly by Alice Waters (I sat two rows behind her yesterday, awesome!), with amazing guest speakers so far, I feel that my thinking about food is shifting and that I am becoming more interested in the food movement and food justice in general. So, maybe a few of my future posts will address this theme, along with my regular restaurant reviews and in the kitchen posts. 


But for now, let me bring you up to date on one my culinary adventures from a few weeks ago. I had just returned from Santa Cruz and had lots of leftover food that was too much for me to eat alone. I recruited Ben and ate Zachary's pizza more frequently than I would like to admit and had been making good progress. But there was one item that I received that I was just not interested in eating: three overly ripe, browning bananas. I found this one item to be so frustrating because I really hate throwing away food, especially when there are others out there who are hungry and I was able to get this for free. (This sentiment has only been reinforced by a recent 'Edible Education' lecture by Carlo Petrini, the founder of Slow Food International, who said that in the U.S. alone, we throw away 22 tons of food a day. Eek!). So it felt wrong to waste these bananas, but it seemed I had no other choice, until Ben suggested that I make banana bread. Such a simple idea had never occurred to me, but as soon as he mentioned it, I was thrilled! This way, I got to use my bananas and eat something delicious, win/win. 


Banana Bread: Waste Not, Want Not. 


We decided to spice our banana bread up a bit with some chocolate chips, and after looking up a recipe, ran down to the store to get some. We returned to Ben's apartment and baked up a banana bread storm, which was much simpler to do than I thought it would be. It was, of course, delicious and the bananas were at the perfect overripeness for making banana bread. We did, however, make the mistake of refrigerating the leftover banana bread, which made it pretty tough when we ate some the next day. While it was still edible, it would have been much more enjoyable had we not done that. Overall, though, I felt triumphant in being able to create something pretty darn tasty out of something I was considering throwing away. 

Monday, August 22, 2011

The Santa Cruz Family Vacation Eat-A-Thon

Fuzzy family at Twin Lakes State Beach, Santa Cruz, Ca. 
Saying that my extended family and I ate too much over our vacation last weekend in Santa Cruz would be a gross understatement. Though we had 16 mouths to feed, it never once crossed my mind that we would run out of food (and kudos to my parents, aunts and uncles for ensuring that). After securing the copious amount of food into the fridges (yes, thankfully, there were two) of our vacation house, my family went hard to work on our first nights dinner, which consisted of many boxes of Zachary’s pizzas, which my parents picked up half-baked in Berkeley as they drove over. The pizza was, as to be expected from Zachary’s, delicious, and my aunt and I made a simple salad of mixed greens, bell peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers to go along with the meal. Overall, the dinner was simple, easy, and delicious, which was just what we needed on the first night while we were all still settling in. After dinner, the adults of the family had margaritas with a store-bought mix, Jose Cuervo silver tequila, fresh lime, and salt on the rim. Though I’m a notorious wussy when it comes to alcohol, I found myself drinking this like it was juice, and these margaritas became a little vacation tradition that we indulged in each night. After our drinks, we took a little night walk on the beach, which was well lit by the full moon, countless bonfires and even a few kids with sparklers. It was a beautiful way to end our first night in Santa Cruz.

One of two of our fridges, completely full. 
Maragarita, sans salt.
The next morning I was greeted by the smell of bacon when I entered the kitchen, which happens to be one of my favorite ways to wake up, especially on a Sunday morning. But besides the bacon, our breakfast also included: eggs, cantaloupe, watermelon, smoked salmon, bagels, two types of cream cheese, grapefruits, plums, croissants, sausages, jam, toast, vanilla honey Greek yogurt, grapefruit juice and orange juice. Breakfast happens to be one of my favorite meals, and this one was a delicious and plentiful feast from which I thought I would never recover.

Cantaloupe and Watermelon from our delicious feast. 
Smoked Salmon and Bagels mmmm!
But, miraculously, I found myself wanting to eat again a few hours later when lounging on the beach with my family. It was a specific craving, one that always seems to plague me when I’m near the sea: Salt and Vinegar potato chips. If I were a poet, I would write an ode to eating salt and vinegar chips by the seaside; so salty and tangy, these chips are the most delicious companions to the sea breeze. They are also highly addictive. I knew that I was sharing these chips with my entire family and that I should go easy, but I couldn’t stop and soon, they were gone. I was full and, amazingly, still hankering for more, but I focused on the beauty of the ocean and enjoyed my time in the sunshine instead.

I love you, salt and vinegar chips.
After hanging out at the beach, my mom wanted to put together a little lunch for everyone, but we were just not that hungry. But since we had brought so much lunch meat, she decided to make a lovely spread for all of us to enjoy, including a choice of salami, turkey, and mortadella for meat; pepper jack, havarti and cheddar for cheese; tomatoes; lettuce; mayo, peppercinis and pickles; ciabatta bread to put it all on; and lots of fruits and veggies to snack on. It would have been wonderful if I had been hungrier, but I still made myself half of a sandwich out of respect to my mom and all the work she had done.
After a few hours of foosballing, relaxing and talking with family, we were back at the dinner table again; this time for barbeque. We had two different types of tri-tip, corn on the cob, roasted asparagus, barbequed tomatoes and bell peppers, and one of my favorites: my mom’s pasta salad with orzo, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, feta, olives and balsamic vinegar. Like everything else we had that weekend, it was so tasty that we overcame the laws of digestion and our full bellies and ate copious amounts anyway. We continued to eat later that night when we celebrated three August birthdays with a very rich and chocolatey cake. We continued our nightly tradition of margaritas and had a quick walk on the beach before turning in for the night.


Tri-tip steak, orzo pasta salad, and lots of veggies.
Happy Birthday!
The next morning, we had another breakfast feast, which was very similar to the last one, but also included sunny-side up eggs, straw and blueberries, sliced tomatoes, Persian bread and cheese, and quiche. We went back to the beach again after eating, and, to my delight, there was another bag of salt and vinegar chips, which I hit hard. After having eaten so much, I decided to be a little bit more active on the beach and went for a walk to try to burn off some of the extra calories I had ingested this weekend.


Breakfast Feast #2
When we got home, I became even more active as I got far too competitive with games of foosball against family members. I had hoped to win against my dad, who had single-handedly creamed my brother, my cousin and I earlier that weekend. I had been playing my aunt a lot and felt confident enough in my newfound foosball skills to call for a rematch. Though I scored the first 5 goals, I must have gotten a little overconfident, as my dad came back with a score of 8. I almost caught up to him, and the score was 8 to 9 when my dad scored the final goal. Normally, I don’t tend to put too much stock in these little fun games, but for some reason, after this loss, I was devastated; I blame the corrupting influence of competitiveness. I ate away my pain later that night, when we basically had a leftover banquet and tried to eat as much of our food as we could, as we were leaving the next day and couldn’t take it all with us. It was a challenge to be sure, but we got through a fair amount of it.
Too much foosball competition!

A margarita and a full nights sleep was all that separated us from the end of our trip. The next morning, we ate a simple milk-and-cereal and eclectic leftover breakfast before packing up and leaving, and before we knew it, our lovely long eat-a-thon weekend was over. If there’s one thing I can say about my family, besides the fact that it was loads of fun to hang out with them on this trip, it’s that they know how to eat and they make the roots of my love for food apparent. 

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

A Trip to the Davis Farmers Market and Down Memory Lane.

View of the Davis Farmers Market
Over the weekend, I visited my quaint little hometown of Davis, which is unwarrantedly notorious for its cow smell, but very deserving of its bike-friendly reputation. As you can probably tell by its defining characteristics summarized in the previous sentence, Davis can be a challenging place to find something interesting to do. But despite its boringness, Davis is my hometown, and as such, it can offer unique experiences that make me feel nostalgic in a way unlike any other. One such experience is the Davis Farmers Market, which I re-visited last Saturday morning.


This logo brings back memories. Credit: http://www.davisfarmersmarket.org/

Taking place in Davis’s Central Park, the Farmers Market is not only a place where you can get fresh produce and other goods, but also a place to enjoy the sunshine with family, run into old friends, listen to live music and to see that same guy and his son who have been running the Hot Dogger stand forever. Ok, ok, maybe I’m romanticizing it a bit, but you have to understand that my love for the Farmers Market stems from attending it on countless Wednesday nights. Each time I see the Market’s characteristic logo of a bitten watermelon, a flood of childhood memories rush into my head, including, but most definitely not limited to: the time we bought my first kitten, the times when my friends and I would dorkily dance to whatever local band was playing that night, taking  a ride that giant gyroscope, playing in the water fountains in the summertime, eating incalculable slices of Steve’s pizza, and so much more.


Bolani, yummy yummy. Credit: Diana Prichard



As a kid, I frequented the Wednesday night Farmers Market much more often than the Saturday morning ones. Nevertheless, Saturday morning Farmers Markets are still delightful experiences and my most recent visit was no exception. I went with a few members of my family and my friend Emile, and in the most Davis-like fashion, we ran into a few other members of my family. We strolled through the crowds of people, making stops at a few stands to sample the food. One of the more memorable stands was the East and West Gourmet Foods’ stall, which sold all kinds of Bolani and sauces. After sampling a generous portion, my family bought a few spinach Bolanis and their delicious cilantro pesto and garlic mint cheese sauces. Maybe it's the Middle Eastern side of me (Bolanis are Afghan), but I can’t get enough of the stuff, especially with the garlic mint cheese sauce, which has the consistency of yogurt and is so very very good. And through a bit of industrious internet detective work, I discovered that East & West is Bay Area based and their products are sold in grocery stores (Whole Foods and Andronicos specifically) and farmers markets around the Bay. So I will definitely be revisiting that.



Fat Face Menu: Breakfast Sammies and Popsicles
Emilie's Strawberry Rhubarb Rosemary (left)
      Briana's Hibiscus Mint Grape (right)
Another memorable culinary experience of this trip was the Fat Face stand, which specializes in sandwiches and popsicles. I was thrilled because Fat Face just recently closed down Davis location before I got a chance to try it. Luckily for me, they moved to Midtown Sacramento and still make appearances at the Davis Farmers Market, so I was able to taste their Hibiscus Mint Grape Popsicle. It was as delicious as it sounded; the mint was so refreshing for a hot summer morning like Saturday and the little frozen half-grapes inside the Popsicle were fun surprises.

There were a few other notable experiences of this visit to the Farmers Market, both culinary and otherwise. One of these was buying the best apple juice of all time (Apple-A-Day Ratzlaff Ranch), which is a must-do at the Farmers Market; drinking this apple juice seriously helps you realize the amazing and delicious fact that apples are naturally super sweet. There was also band that brightened my day by playing Klezmer music, complete with accordions (an instrument that I will someday learn) and violins. I seriously felt like doing this dance from Fiddler on the Roof (below, circa 3:00, after the amazing bottle dance, with all the clapping) but was just barely able to restrain myself before I made a fool of myself in public.



With all these distinctive experiences aside, it was amazing to me how little the Davis Farmers Market has changed. Sure, maybe there aren’t as many familiar faces among the crowds and maybe I’ve grown up a little bit, but the Farmers Market is and will undoubtedly continue to be a Davis staple for a long time to come. 

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Gioia Pizzeria: Better than Cheeseboard?

This photo seriously does not do Gioia's delicious spinach and red pepper flake pizza justice.
Is there a pizza place in Berkeley better than Cheeseboard? To answer ‘yes’ to this question is almost blasphemous: Berkeley residents (myself included) unanimously adore Cheeseboard and its truly delicious pizza. But my visit to Gioia’s Pizzeria left me feeling far less confident about where to find the best pizza in town. Though it is difficult to say for sure which takes first place, Gioia’s hole-in-the-wall charm along with the perfect crust on its delicious New York style pizza has won my heart and quite possibly my loyalty.

             I made my visit to Gioia’s Pizzeria a few weeks ago, before my little food poisoning debacle. Ben and I arrived there at 7:15 p.m., about 45 minutes before they closed for the evening and about 30 minutes after driving around aimlessly, trying to find the place. (We eventually discovered that it is right across the street from Monterey Market, a place we visit frequently). My driving frustrations began to melt away as we approached Gioia’s beautiful brick exterior and detected the scent of freshly baked pizza coming from inside the delightfully small pizzeria. Since we arrived so close to closing time, their selection was somewhat limited, but I was still able to order the flavor I wanted: spinach with red pepper flakes. To drink, I ordered the appealing looking reddish-pink beverage that I saw behind the counter, which turned out to be strawberry lemonade.

            When I first picked up my slice, I was slightly disappointed at how floppy it was; I felt like I couldn’t get a good hold on it. But when I did manage to take that first bite, the pizza’s limpness seemed a trivial matter. Ah, it was wonderful! I am a sucker for spinach on pizza and the red pepper flakes gave it a snappy little kick. The best part about the pizza, though, was its crust, which tasted (for lack of a better word) real. Unlike some pizza crusts that just exist for the purpose of having something on which to put the pizza toppings, Gioia's thin and crispy crust had a life of its own, complete with lovely little air bubbles that were burnt in the most delicious way.

Gioia's beautiful exterior. Credit: 2008 Foodnut.com
In terms of tastiness, Gioia’s homemade strawberry lemonade kept up with its pizza counterpart. Every sip came with an abundance of tiny, tasty strawberry seeds, a testament to its authenticity. It was a tart and tangy supplement to the meal that brought it to the next level of deliciousness.

Overall, I loved my experience at Gioia’s Pizzeria. My only complaint, if it can even be called that, was that it was so light and delicious that I could have had at least one or two more slices (which is a lot for me). Sadly, their prices and the fact that their selection was waning prevented me from indulging myself in a few more slices, but the discovery of a potential new favorite pizza joint in Berkeley was fulfillment enough for me. 

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

In the Kitchen: A Coupla Summer Salads



Caprese Salad
Salad Shirazi

My high expectations for my blogging this week have been somewhat dampened by the fact that I ate bad eggs earlier this week, and now have some form of food poisoning. I won’t go into too many details (this is a food blog after all), but it has been a frustrating experience for me. Although so far my symptoms have been pretty mild, they have lasted for a few days and I just haven’t been my usual hungry self. In fact, the idea of using adjectives to describe food at this moment in time is not the most appealing one.

With that in mind, I want to keep this post short. I was able to make a few very simple salads before this unfortunate egg incident that were quick to make and yummy to eat. The first was a Caprese salad: mozzarrella, heirloom tomatoes, and basil, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. The second was Salad Shirazi, a Persian favorite which consists of tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. These two salads are super fresh, super tasty, and perfect for summer. 

 And that is all I have the stomach for right now. Stay tuned for more posts soon (I may just have found a place that can rival Cheeseboard). For now, however, it's time to watch as many Parks and Recreation episodes as is humanely possible for the rest of the day. 

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Santa Barbara: La Super-Rica Taqueria and my Disagreement with Julia Child



The outside of La Super-Rica Taqueria, Julia Child's favorite. 
I thought Julia Child could do no wrong. La Super Rica Taqueria, sadly, broke this illusion. (And yes, I realize how much like Julie Powell I am right now and I will promptly forget it.) According to many Yelp reviews and google searches, this place is notorious for being praised by Julia Child herself as her favorite taqueria. Needless to say, I was thrilled to get the chance to try it.

When we arrived to the little shack of a restaurant that is La Super Rica Taqueria, I thought that it must be one of those hole-in-the-wall places with amazing food, and boy was I hungry! But we soon met the first of many obstacles on our quest to try the famed La Super Rica when we found out that they were cash-only. It was no big deal and we found an ATM not too far up the road.

When we returned, however, the uncrowded restaurant that we had left only a few minutes earlier now had a line that was out the door. Although this too was no big deal, I was starving by this point, and I become notoriously unpleasant and incompetent even with the simplest of tasks when I am hungry. Ordering for 6 people, as my family asked me to do, was not the simplest of tasks, and thankfully, my mom took mercy on me (or was simply frustrated with my ineptitude) and took over for me. As we waited in line, we tackled our next obstacle: to find seats for 6 people, a venture that proved to far too difficult for a place described as ‘good for groups’ on Yelp. We thought ahead and tired to save a table, and eventually decided the easiest thing to do would be to split up into two tables, which we were lucky enough to find. But, of course, the people in front of us in line were not smart enough to think ahead and try to find a seat, but instead, rudely hoevered around one of our tables like vultures. (They also made some rather racist comments about the French. They pissed me off.)


All of this, plus the fact that the place was uncomfortably hot and there were flies buzzing around our heads was enough to put my dad off, and he wanted to get the food and leave, to eat at home where we would be comfortable. I selfishly tried to push for staying in the restaurant, despite the fact that everyone was having such an awful time, so I could fully take in the experience for this blog. But my dad couldn’t handle it and went to wait in the car and my mom ordered the food to go. I was disappointed, but soon got over it, thanks to those same rude people. My mom asked me to get some salsa and these people apparently had no regard for restaurant etiquette, or else they hadn’t notice that a line that had formed, and cut in front of me twice! I was perfectly ready to leave the restaurant and was in a terrible mood.


My only comfort was the thought that it would all be worth it once we got our food. It had to be, right? Julia loved it. I was heartened by the fact that by the time our food arrived, our luck seemed to be turning around. People began leaving, it wasn’t so crowded and hectice, and we found a corner table big enough to suit us all, so we decided to stay. The server was very accommodating to our ever-changing plans and graciously put our food on plates for us.

My order at La Super-Rica: one Taco Bistec, Guacamole and Corn tortillas, and Horchata.
Finally, after all that, we were ready to eat our food. I unrapped my taco from the to-go foil, and was immediately disappointed. The Taco Bistec that I ordered was literally only plain beef on a corn tortilla. But I decided to hold my opinion until I tasted the food. Maybe the ingredients were so flavorful that adding to the dish would have made it cumbersome. Sadly, this was not the case. The food was only mediocre at best. Even the guacamole, which was widely praised on Yelp, was not to my liking; I even felt that my homemade guacamole, which has more tartness to it, was better. Though there were a few upsides to the meal, even these were accompanied by drawbacks. Their salsa verde had a twist that is indescribable, but the restaurant lacked the chips to go along with them. The Horchata was also very tasty, the best I ever had even, but only for the first few sips; after that, it was sickeningly sweet. Overall, the meal did not sit well with me and I was disappointed that we went through that much effort for that little pay off.
The Taco Bistec was underwhelming.
But La Super Rica was not a totally lost meal: it was a learning experience for me. Most importantly, I learned to not let myself get that hungry before I eat. It only makes me crabby, impatient and self-absorbed, and my poor family were the ones who had to suffer me this time. I learned that I should use Yelp and judge long lines with discretion, as popular does not always mean good, especially for someone as snobby as me. Also, I learned that Julia Child is not infallible. Or maybe the taqueria has changed greatly since her visit there, which is certainly possible. Either way, La Super Rica’s current hype is undeserved.

Santa Barbara: Jane Restaurant

My meal at Jane: Penne Pasta with Shrimp and Bay Scallops, Chopped Tomato, Basil, Garlic and Olive Oil. Mmmm.
The best dining experience we had in Santa Barbara was probably at Jane. Their food was solidly good and the atmosphere seemed down to earth (for the most part). My family was still going strong with our strangeness, but unlike other experiences we had had in Santa Barbara, we didn’t feel too out of place.

            Let’s start with their food. I ordered their Penne Pasta with Shrimp, Clams, Bay Scallops, Chopped Tomato, Basil Garlic & Olive Oil, but decided to hold the clams (I’m not that adventurous, especially with shellfish). It was, as expected, very tasty and light and was exactly what I was in the mood for at the time. Though I’m usually not huge on scallops, these were probably the best I’ve ever tasted. The shrimp was just shrimp, nothing to write home about. My dish, however, was not the best one that I tried that night. My dad’s meal won that honor: the lamb chop special with a tomato sauce that he ordered was so hearty and delectable. Although it was a bit heavier than I was in the mood for at the time, I still lamented not ordering his dish. And, though Tolani’s lamb chop special was very different and certainly superior to Jane’s, it inevitably reminded me of that epic meal in New York. (It also led me to the superstitious and irrational conclusion that if there is a lamb chop special to be ordered, it is probably the best thing on the menu.)


Dad's Lamb Chop special. So hearty, sooooo good.

            After regretting not getting dessert after our last meal at the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach, we decided that, though we were very full, we should try some dessert at Jane. The waitress was very nice and brought my littlest sister some soft-serve ice cream, which she thoroughly and messily enjoyed. She was a hilarious sight to behold; cackling with joy as she shoved the dessert into her face, pushing the soft-serve into precarious positions that posed a threat to the restaurant’s ‘children shouldn’t spill’ rule (which I’ll get into in a little bit). It was as if she had never tasted ice cream before and when we told her that, she emphatically replied in a very serious tone that she, in fact, had eaten ice cream before. But enough of her hilarity…
Bad photo of my dessert: Creme Brule, too big to finish, but so delicious.

            Dessert for the rest of us can mostly be described as overwhelmingly large but delicious. The portions for dessert were too much for us to handle, especially after a meal so large as well. I, the great lover of Crème Brule, was only able to get through about ¾ of mine before I stopped for fear that my stomach might actually burst open. I didn’t quit, however, before trying a bit of my dad’s Chocolate Marquise, which proved to me once and for all that my dad was making better culinary choices than I. Though I loved the Crème Brule (especially the crunchy top), the Chocolate Marquise was so rich that it had a slight cocoa bean flavor, and it was accompanied beautifully by a vanilla cream sauce. My brother and sister shared their Coconut Cake, for which Jane is known on Yelp, and that was also rather tasty, if you are a fan of coconut! It was a shame that they gave us so much dessert, as it was too good to let go to waste.

Chocolate Marquise with vanilla cream sauce. 
Coconut Cake.
There was only one slight downside to Jane and that was their attitude towards children, as I alluded to above. With their children’s menu, the management left a little note for parents and the gist of it was this: we love kids, but we’re not going to clean up after them. For my parents, who deal with four to five messy children every day, this was a big turn off. Their reasoning, with which I totally agree, was that it is the restaurant’s job to clean up after its patrons and if you make a big mess, say because you have children, then you make it up to the staff by tipping big.

But this little negative quirk was not enough to make us dislike Jane in the least bit. The service was very friendly, the food was too enjoyable and, particularly when compared to the other experiences we had in Santa Barbara, Jane’s drawbacks were mild.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Santa Barbara: Boathouse at Hendry's Beach


The Boathouse at Hendry's Beach
Lovely atmosphere: right next to the beach!
The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach is yet another example of how your experience at a restaurant can be completely decided by either the atmosphere or the food. We went to the Boathouse twice on our trip: the first time I was impressed by their atmosphere, the second time, by their food.

On our first trip, we were seated outside, which made all the difference in terms of atmosphere. The Boathouse is situated right next to Hendry’s Beach (surprise, surprise), its natural beauty made even more beautiful by the twinkling lights decorating the restaurant and the easy reggae music that floated through the air as we waited for our appetizers. My mom and dad and I split their Seared Ahi Tuna salad, Crab Cakes and a Chile and Lime Crab Cocktail. (If it isn’t already obvious, this place specialized in seafood). The Ahi Tuna salad was the only genuinely good meal out of the three. The Crab Cakes were decent, though a little salty and the Crab and Lime Cocktail was just mediocre. I also ordered a Blood Orange Margarita, which was delicious after I remembered to stir it; the first half of it or so was oversaturated with tequila (or maybe I’m just a lightweight). This trip, I paid more attention to my surroundings than to my food. 

Ahi Tuna.
Blood Orange Margarita.
We returned to the Boathouse, partially because we enjoyed our meal there and partially to satisfy my littlest sister’s beach cravings after spending an entire day “cooped up” at our beautiful beach house. It was a lot less fun than the last time: we were all hungry, we had a long wait, and we were eventually seated inside rather than outside. There were young guys at the table next to us making odd grunting noises, which we all thought was rather strange, especially my littlest sister, who mocked them rather loudly, causing the rest of my family to choke back our giggles and look down in embarrassment. (I could seriously start an entire blog on all the weird and funny things she does). The service was much less friendly and attentive than the first night when our waiter was super nice, likely because it was a busy night at the Boathouse. The only thing that I liked better about the second trip was the food and drink. I ordered the Mesquite Grilled Prawns, which were served on a slice of bread and infused with tons of butter and garlic, making them completely irresistible to me. My dad and I both ordered a glass of the Bridlewood Syrah, from the Central Coast, which was unbelievably good.


Mesquite Grilled Prawns were delicious! Photo Credit
            Both visits I came away enjoying the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach, but for different reasons. Perhaps there will be one day when I return, get lucky and enjoy the atmosphere and the food simultaneously, but for now I’ll have to remember them separately.

Santa Barbara: McConnell's Ice Cream

McConnell's Ice Cream in Santa Barbara
Strawberry Bourdeaux

McConnell’s ice cream in Santa Barbara was rather mediocre when compared to some of the best ice cream places I’ve been to, like Ici in Berkeley, Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz and Van Leeuwen in New York. Why write about it then? Well, apparently, the place has gotten a lot of notoriety, having been featured on Fraiser, is a favorite of Barbra Streisand, and has been called the best ice cream in the world by Time Magazine. Now, it’s possible that I ordered the wrong ice cream, as my scoop of Bourdeaux strawberry was rather unremarkable when compared to the tastes of Chocolate Raspberry Truffle and Brazilian Coffee Chip I had, thanks to my family. But, if McConnell’s is really in the running for best ice cream in the world, shouldn’t every flavor be to die for? My answer is yes and for me, McConnell’s ice cream didn’t live up to the hype.

One redeeming trait of place, however, was that it felt like one of those places that you would beg your parents to go to as a child. McConnell’s had this beach bum vibe that, when combined with the fact that they sold ice cream, produced in me a nostalgic affection for the place. And, they had a cute outdoor eating area, which added to McConnell’s laid back atmosphere. Although it may not have been the best ice cream I ever had, McConnell’s is worth checking out for the nostalgia factor and in order to investigate the hype. 

Santa Barbara: Arts and Letters Cafe

The all-powerful lamb burger at the Arts and Letters Cafe.
Going out to eat with my family is often a hectic but very entertaining experience, as the next few posts will surely demonstrate. But on our trip to Santa Barbara, even when we were missing one of the most rambunctious members of our family, we felt more unwelcome than usual. Although it could have been our imaginations, it seemed like we were being stared at much more than is commonly considered polite when we went out to eat. Now, it’s true that we sometimes appear “strange” as a family, not only because we are not only because we are interracial/multicultural (what have you), but also because my family includes some three adopted members, one of which looks very different from the rest of us. But even without being an odd sight to some strangers, we have other characteristics that might cause some people to stare. I am notoriously loud-mouthed and opinionated, and these traits are only heightened in the comfortable presence of my family. The youngest member of my family has a very distinctive munchkin voice that can cut through the loudest of environments, which would be fine if she didn't happen to be hilariously inappropriate for a six year old. And, of course, since siblings will be siblings, we all bicker like crazy.


 But despite our idiosyncrasies and like most families, we are usually met with respect when we dine out. In Santa Barbara, however, and particularly at the Arts and Letter Café, where we went out to lunch one day, the other patrons in the restaurant tended to stare, rather rudely I might add. There is no way to know the reasons for this impolite behavior; all that I know is that it made me feel ill at ease while I was trying to enjoy my meal.

A slice of cucumber in our water.
Besides this drawback, the Arts and Letters Café was an enjoyable experience. We arrived for lunch ten minutes before the kitchen closed, which ensured that we got our food quickly. Their eating area was a garden patio, which provided a very green and lovely atmosphere in which to ingest ones food. And, unlike the patrons, the service was friendly and courteous. Another virtue of the ALC was the fact that they had cucumbers in their water, which simultaneously provided a refreshing twist to our drinks and gave my family something to battle over (particularly for my littlest sister, who already has the bad habit of sticking her little fingers in the water to get the ice out).

But of course, we didn’t go there just for the atmosphere or the service or the cucumber water. We wanted good food and we received it. I ordered their lamb burger, which consisted of Niman Ranch Lamb, feta cheese, roasted pepper, spinach, basil aioli all on a sesame bun, and the ALC salad which included Shepherd Farm lettuce, red onion, avocado, pecorino cheese. Seriously divine. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the lamb burger, but once I took a bite, all doubts were cast aside. I didn’t even care that I probably looked ridiculous trying to eat a burger that was far too large to fit into my mouth. It was that good.

One of the many benefits of going out to eat with a large family––besides the assurance that you will never have a boring time––is that you are also able to take a sampling of everyone’s dish. The most memorable dish I tasted other than my own was my dad’s seafood salad, consisting of grilled prawns and crab with baby greens, tomatoes, onion and cucumbers with vinaigrette dressing. It was definitely delicious. Crab and shrimp happen to be some of my favorite types of seafood, and food in general. Even so, my lamb burger trumped all of the other dishes I tried there that night. 

Like many of our dining experiences in Santa Barbara, the Arts and Letters Café was a little off-putting, but filled with deliciousness and a little bit of crazy, thanks to my lovely family.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

In the Kitchen: Santa Barbara Breakfast Blurb




This breakfast brought the sunny-side to a foggy morning in Santa Barbara
Stunning view from our place, a little later in the day.

There isn’t much to say about this little breakfast that I cooked up for myself, other than it felt like the right thing to eat whilst on a family vacation in a beautiful house with a stunning view in Santa Barbara. Though that morning was a rather foggy one, our beach-front house still offered a gorgeous view that inspired me to shake up my usual cereal-and-milk breakfast routine. I saw that my mom had made herself sunny-side up eggs and, since that meal happened to fall within my very limited cooking ability, I decided to do the same, but with a slight twist. After making the eggs, I sprinkled some balsamic vinegar on top, toasted a few slices of sourdough bread, washed myself a nectarine and poured a glass of my favorite caffeinated beverage, Tejava iced tea. It was a wonderful way to wake myself up, and I enjoyed it all the more beside the beautiful environment that surrounded me in stunning Santa Barbara. 

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Thursdays at Cafe Elmwood: Sausage and Pint Night



Sausage and Pint at Elmwood Cafe!
"This must be Thursday. I could never get the hang of Thursdays." – Arthur Dent, of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

If you agree with this (rather geeky) quote, take heart. Thursdays have become just a little bit more bearable with the help of Berkeley’s relatively new Elmwood Café. The Café started a weekly Sausage and Pint Night, on (you guessed it) Thursdays.

            I discovered Sausage and Pint Night quite by accident. One Thursday night, Ben and I were being particularly indecisive about where to go for dinner and ended up going to Manpuku, a cheap, nearby and reliable tasty option for sushi. As we were walking home, we noticed that Elmwood Café was uncommonly happening for the time of night. We then saw the chalkboard sign outside their door and were quickly made aware of Sausage and Pint Night. Thinking it was a one-time deal, we lamented our choice of dinner and having missed out on something so European-sounding as Sausage and Pint Night. I went to Elmwood Café for lunch one Wednesday, a few weeks later, and noticed the writing on the chalkboard inside: Join Us Thursday for Sausage and Pint Night. It was a joyous moment, like finding a long-lost sock in the bottom of your drawer, but with the promise of something much more appetizing.

Needless to say, when Ben and I arrived the next evening we were brimming with excitement. We stepped up to the counter, where they had little green order cards for guest to fill out. For my sausage, I picked the Hot Italian on a pretzel with roasted onions, red peppers and their homemade ketchup on top. Ben went with the Chicken Apple Sausage on the same roll with the roasted onions and red peppers for toppings as well. Since neither of us can profess to know anything about beer, we just picked what sounded good. I got the Boont Amber Ale and Ben got himself the Trumer Pils. Despite our ignorance, our server was friendly and complimented us on our choices.

Just as a disclaimer for anyone looking to my opinion about their beer: I am a bit of a “girl” when it comes to beer and alcoholic drinks in general. I like to steer away from anything too bitter. So the Boont Amber Ale was just too much for me, especially an entire pint full. Ben’s Trumer Pils went down a lot smoother. The sausages were wonderful and, personally, I could have even done without the toppings. Overall, my meal (and the nibbles and sips I took from Ben’s meal) made me feel that Sausage and Pint Night has definite potential, and that, next time, I have to order smarter in order to really experience it at its best
Elmwood Cafe used to be Ozzie's Soda Fountain in the 50s. It's been around since 1921!
So, the food was great. But the atmosphere was what made the experience memorable. Elmwood Café truly lives up to the adorable reputation of its namesake neighborhood. And it has quite a history;  it’s been around since 1921! The newest owners have taken care to preserve what they could from the days when it was Ozzie’s Soda Fountain, which give the place a retro, 1950s-style charm. As vintage as it feels, Elmwood Café is truly millennial, giving away half of its profits to charitable projects. While the Café does its share to contribute to the betterment of the world, its contribution to the betterment of Thursdays is enough for me.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Phil's Sliders: Unpretentious Fast Food

Sliders and Chocolate Shake at newly opened Phil's Sliders
       
            Like so many of my foodie adventures, my trip to the newly opened Phil’s Sliders in Downtown Berkeley began with some requirements: Ben and I needed to find a place to eat that we could get in and out of before our date with Harry Potter in an hour, a place that was delicious enough to be worthy of this blog, and a place that was pretty enough to make it worth carrying my giant and super heavy SLR digital camera all the way to downtown Berkeley. Oh, and not to mention, I was craving burgers and something light at the same time. After a quick consultation to the almighty Yelp app on my phone, we found Phil’s Sliders, which exceeded even my most demanding expectations.

            For starters, we were offered a choice: we could either order sliders or…sliders. This limitation in meal options was hardly a drawback for me and my extremely indecisive nature that exponentially worsens the hungrier I get. After ordering 4 sliders and a chocolate milkshake to share, we took our seats and began to notice how adorable the place really was. No matter which direction I looked, I found something that pulled at my heartstrings. To my right was an exposed brick wall, that had a plaque attached to it, telling this super sweet story about the owner’s father, Phil:
“I was 12 years old and my parents Phil and Hadele were hosting one of their many parties; our big but never big enough formal dining room table crowded knee-to-knee with adults. I was sitting next to my dad, and sitting next to me was a foreign exchange student who had been brought to the party by one of my parents’ friends. She was maybe 21, the only other “kid” at the table besides me, and barely spoke a word of English. In fact, she was so quiet, looking down at her plate the whole time, it seemed like she was trying to disappear altogether. Midway through the meal, as she was reaching for a bread roll, she accidentally knocked over her glass of red wine onto the white tablecloth, the stain quickly spreading across the fabric. Everyone froze, except my father. Barely pausing between bites, my dad casually backhanded his own wine glass onto the table. Laughter filled the room and I could tell that the exchange student was relieved. I’ve never forgotten that moment…” (thanks Berkeleyside for the quote)
            To my left was a giant chalkboard that any guests were free to write on and of course, I had to do it; I drew them a pretty heart to show my appreciation. The whole place simply exuded an unpretentious and loving atmosphere that went a long way towards winning my affection.


Making my mark on the giant chalkboard.
Ben, with exposed brick backdrop.
            And my fondness for Phil’s only increased after our food arrived: four simple sliders consisting of lettuce, special sauce and grass-fed beef. Although small, these were pretty tasty in and of themselves and luckily Ben and I weren’t so hungry. But, oh my, the chocolate shake. That chocolate shake, one sip and I was hooked. It was so potent that it even got Ben and I, normally very comfortable sharers, competing over the last few sips. Next time, we’re definitely getting two. 
         
            Sooner than we knew it, our experience at Phil’s was over. We started the evening looking for something to satisfy my many food desires, and we got much more. I will definitely be returning soon for more chocolate shakes and sliders, to tackle their potato tots and homemade sodas, and of course, to appreciate their heartwarming atmosphere.


Be back soon Phil's!