mmm-yoso – Page 325

Mignon Pho + Grill

November 1, 2010 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

I thought I'd better hurry and do this post before temperatures hit the high eighties and low ninties that the weather folks said is coming up this week. Over time, I've stopped ordering Pho Tai…. rare steak, simply because everyone in San Diego uses a very low grade cut, and it really doesn't matter if you get the beef on the side, in the soup, or on top of your head for that matter, it all ends up being tough and tasteless. Filet Mignon Pho is a whole different story, and I've been waiting for a good long while for what I had at Pho Thanh Lich to make it's way to San Diego. So I was quite happy to see the sign for Mignon Pho go up at the end of August. And yet, there was that little seed of doubt that the name of the place was just a tease….. so of course I had to find out.

Mignon Pho + Grill's grand opening was this past weekend. There was a week long soft opening while I was away……..

The interior of Mignon is very clean and modern. High ceilings, wood panelings, and of course, two large plasma televisions complete things. I like the decor, but the high ceilings tend to make things echo, and the hardwood paneling reflect sound, making it a pretty loud dining area.

Pho prices here are on the high side, starting at $6.50 for a regular bowl with two proteins. A bowl of Filet Mignon Pho goes for $8 for a regular size and $9 for a large sized bowl. I went for something called a "trolley bowl", which would probably be called Dac Biet in other places….. a combination of meats. The regular bowl went for $7.95. When my bean sprouts and herbs arrived, I quickly noticed that this place goes for the modern "big plate" approach. Everything is served on, or in large plates and bowls. I will say that the herbs were extremely fresh, especially the Ngo Gai (Culantro/Saw Leaf Herb).

And of course I went for a side order of Filet Mignon on the side, which cost $1.75 more, for three slices of Filet.

The meat was super fresh, and cut to just the right thickness.

Soon enough, my bowl arrived.

I loved the look of the broth, medium dark and clear. The really nice young lady who served me said it was simmered for sixteen hours. I think a bit more oil/fat would make for a richer broth. In spite of the looks I found the broth to be very mild, and lacking in character. And even though I knew that this broth wouldn't have strong anise or clove accents based on a sniff of the soup, it was also a bit mild in the beef department as well. On the good side, I could tell instantly that this broth wasn't MSG laden. The one aspect that I thought could have instantly improved this was the temperature of the broth. The Filet Mignon is cut a bit thicker than the usual Rare Beef Eye of Round. It should be eaten just barely "colored", letting the beef sit in the broth will just cause it to seize and get more chewy than it should be. Warm broth makes you leave the meat in the broth too long causing it to cloud the soup and get tough. This was probably one of the smallest portions of noodles I've ever had, and it was a bit over-cooked edging on mushy.

The meats were pretty good, especially the tendon which was very soft and buttery. Unfortunately, there was much too little of it in the bowl.

The beef meatballs, usually not my favorite were also pretty good.

This bowl of Pho went over the ten dollar mark with tax….. on the high side for a fairly small bowl. I'll probably have this again, but I'm going for the brisket and tendon with a side filet.

One thing about this restaurant; all the young folks working on this day were very cheerful, polite, and just plain nice. In fact, the young lady who served me took some time to chat with me. She was very proud of the quality of the ingredients as well as how the food was prepared. I was told that I should come back and try the Com Tam, which she preferred over the Pho. And just based on her enthusiasm and attitude, I returned a day later for lunch and went with Broken Rice with Shredded Pork (Bi), Egg Meat Loaf (Cha) and Pork Chop ($7.50):

The rice was cooked perfectly, fairly soft and moist. Even though I think it could have been more fragrant, it's still the best I've had in San Diego.

The best item on the plate was the steamed egg, perhaps a bit on the dry side, but full of savory flavors. I was disappointed that it was only the size of a petit four. Notice the scale of the Cha and the spoon next to it.

The pork chop was fairly tender, and better then most versions in San Diego, though not quite on the level of Pho King. It wasn't very salty, and was perhaps a bit too mildly flavored. The Bi was too dry, and lacked the usual nutty-savory-porkiness that good versions have.

On this day, the service was again very friendly….. that may just bring me back again.

On both visits, I noticed quite a few older folks eating here…. I think they were just like me; curious to see how Mignon was going to be. It would be interesting to see if they return. Mignon Pho + Grill seems to be going for a bit higher quality food, served in a modern environment. Personally I don't think Mignon Pho has delivered food prepared at the level I expected, but they've just opened so hopefully things will improve over time.

Mignon Pho + Grill
3860 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Where I’ve Been

October 31, 2010 mmm-yoso yoso-silly

If you've been wondering why I seemed to have fallen off the side of the Earth….. I had a short business trip, and have just returned. As always, I need to thank Cathy for taking the reigns while I was away. And though this was a business trip, I was able to squeeze a few meals in…. and you know I like to tease you all, so here are a couple of photos with what's coming up….. I'm sure that you'll be able to figure things out by the photos.

And since there was a strong craft brewing scene in one of the cities, I sent out a quick email to FOY Josh Sibelman, who provided me with some recommendations. And it just so happens that the store I went to for bottled water sold beer by the bottle, so each night I was able to purchase a bottle (or two) of local beers…..

On my last evening, I dropped by to buy some water, and decided to get one bottle for the road. This time, I asked the gentleman working there what he'd recommend….. he picked out Lake Louie Brewing Company's Tommy's Porter for me. A customer concurred telling me that an ex-girlfriend of his loved Lake Louie's brew so much that, and I quote, "got the Lake Louie emblem tattooed on her…" (fill in the blanks).

Speaking of Beer:

Well, we were speaking of beer, right? Man, time sure does fly…… it seems that San Diego Beer Week is upon us again. Josh, Andy, and Candice, organized a wonderful dinner at Ba Ren last year. This year, we selected Sab E Lee in Santee as the sight for the spicy Beer Week dinner.

Last I heard there were a few tickets still available. You can get more info, and purchase tickets here.

You can see the menu, and the beer paired with the food at that link. So don't be an ogre….or whatever it was that I took a photo of!

Pho-raging on Miramar Road: Vietnamese Cuisine and Seafood Island

October 22, 2010 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

*** Both of these restaurants have closed

There's an unwritten "law of Pho" that I've heard more than a few times, "one should never have said bowl of beef noodle soup, in a restaurant without Pho in it's name." It's an edict that I've kinda bought into, but still there's that small grain of doubt, that perhaps the saying isn't true, and I could be missing out on a great bowl of Pho…. in a restaurant without Pho in it's name. Really now, I've had terrible bowls in restaurants with Pho clearly written in it's name and flashing in neon lights….

Well, this Urban, or perhaps un-urbane legend was put to the test over the last couple of weeks as I had had a couple of bowls at two shops without Pho in their name. Coincidentally, both shops were on the same street…. Miramar Road.

First, it's Vietnamese Cuisine:

Yes, really, that's the name of the place Vietnamese Cuisine.

For a place with a name that covers a lot of territory, Vietnam is 127,244 square miles, the menu, not surprisingly consists of the usual suspects; Pho, Bun, Spring Rolls… the rice dishes include the basic grilled pork, grilled chicken, etc, etc….

If anything, the interior is even more generic…. I'm sure this was some kind of steam table fast food joint in it's past.

As I walked up to the counter to order, the young lady sitting there was engrossed in that task which separates us from those like Sammy and Frankie, who have no thumbs…. she was busy texting. I managed to get her attention, and placed my order.

Which ended up being the Pho Dac Biet ($6.25).

The woman who brought out the very fresh bean sprouts and basil was very nice. I rarely order rare steak, mainly for the reason I didn't like it here. Tough, and basically dry. The other cuts of meat were pretty scarce as well. The noodles were in the standard issue clump, but weren't overcooked. The broth was pretty weak and cloudy…. no scent of anise, cloves, or even beef in this one.

In the end, I was glad I didn't order a large bowl.

Vietnamese Cuisine
6780 Miramar Rd #104
San Diego, CA 92121

Then it's Seafood Island:

Which I've posted on before. Recently though, a food FOY (Friend of Yoso) who shall go unnamed, said he really enjoyed the Pho at SI, and said I should try it. Which is how I ended up at the restaurant staring at the colorful "Lunch Specials "menu.

In my meals at Seafood Island after my post, I've just kinda decided that SI pretty much specializes in serving cheap food to the masses. And boy was I looking at some pretty low prices on this menu. Even though the young lady kept pushing the rare beef, I ended up with flank and brisket…. they didn't have tendon on this day.

The lunch special comes with two Cha Gio, egg rolls, which arrived very quickly.

The lettuce and other veggies were quite good, but the inside of the Cha Gio were barely room temperature.

This had been cooked up earlier and been lying around for a while.

Soon enough my bowl of Pho arrived, which gave me pause…..

It was darker than the Bun Mam I'd had recently! It was also very scummy, and quite cloudy. And there was an even larger problem…..

Notice my bowl sitting solo…….. is something(s) missing?

Did you figure it out? Well first, there was no plate with herbs, bean spouts, and lime. Second, where's my soup spoon? I felt like I was back in Hangzhou where they expected you to drink your soup from the bowl! The funny thing was, I thought that those items were going to arrive soon….. but I waited… and waited. Which gave me time to check out the flank, which had some really tough looking fat and gristle.

I gave it ten minutes, at which time I went into the kitchen looking for the young lady whom I could hear talking to the cooks, but was nowhere to be found on the floor. This is something I could understand if the place was totally smashed, but that wasn't quite the situation here.

When I asked for a spoon and my plate of herbs and veggies, the young lady gave me a look like I was asking for the moon which was very strange because everyone here has always been very nice.

Eventually my spoon and garnishes made it to the table.

In all honesty, I should have just cut my losses, paid my six bucks, and left…….

This is a case in where photos don't lie.

I really don't know where to start….. the noodles might have been perfect at one point; but having to sit while I mistakenly thought my spoon and garnishes would arrive at any time probably killed that. The broth was scummy and unpleasant…….

The fact is, I feel guilty about leaving food uneaten; and I've never left this much Pho before….

Just as I did with that bowl of soup, I'll step away from this post, and leave it as is…..

Seafood Island Restaurant
7580 Miramar Road
San Diego, CA 92126

I still don't truly believe in that "law of Pho", but this sure does support that argument, doesn't it?

Road Trip: Breakfast at Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop – Gardena (Los Angeles)

October 21, 2010 mmm-yoso Diner, Loco Mocos, Los Angeles County, Plate Lunch, Road Trip

Aahhh yes, breakfast and bowling alleys…. what could be better? Actually, you may be scratching your head a bit on this one. Back in Hawaii, there used to be some pretty good food served in Bowling Alleys. In fact, for a time, Kapiolani Coffee Shop, which used to be on Atkinson close to what was then Aloha Motors, and is now the Hawaii Convention Center, had a shop in Kam Bowl (which has closed). They made the best Oxtail soup!(Don't worry, if I recall you can get the same Oxtail soup at Asahi Grill and Kapiolani Coffee Shop in Waimalu) And in fact, The Alley Restaurant, in the Aiea bowl was on my list (most due to Pomai's post) when I returned home a few months ago. Unfortunately, I was unable to talk the Missus into eating in a bowling alley.

Still, I knew not to expect quite that, since I'd been to Gardena Bowl and the old Holiday Bowl Restaurant's before.

At 7am on Sunday, the place is half full, all old-timers, I'm the youngest by at least 15 years. I had a seat at the counter, and soaked in the atmosphere. I really can't use the word ambiance, because it seems to infer some "high maka-maka" quality. No, this was something special….. I'd never heard so much pidgin since I moved to mainland. And it wasn't just any pidgin, but "time-warp pidgin"….. I heard words, like "holo-holo", "Pake", and "manini"…. Which seemed to indicate when these folks had left for "da' really beeg island……" The folks working really didn't talk that way, but they seemed to know most of the people coming in and eating.

The menu, part of it written on the greaseboard reflected the very old-school Japanese/Chinese influenced dishes I grew up eating.

On one of the greaseboards, it said "Poi – $3.50 extra".

I of course, ordered a Loco Moco ($7.50), which came with a dish of very old-school Tsukemono, just like Mom used to make…. literally, it tasted just like her quick Tsukemono… In fact, much of this had a home made quality, albeit that being the 60's and 70's home….

I like that they didn't ask me how I wanted my egg, it was done easy-over. The gravy was very dark, and there were shreds of what seemed like roast beef in it. It wasn't as salty as I expected, rather it was thick and dense, and I love a drizzle of Tabasco on my Loco Moco anyways. The rice was perfect….

The burger patty was lean, and seemed to have little filler…. which some folks might enjoy, but it was pretty chewy. Plus, I ran into what I call "the old toenail"…. you know, you bite on a piece of bone or other hard calcified item which almost cracks your teeth. Also, the patty tasted like it was about a day or so from going South, that gamey-metallic flavor, which means you no harm (yet), but trips switches in my head.

Still, I enjoyed this meal. Just listening brought back memories, perhaps different from those that Fukagawa elicited, but very strong none the less. A nice step back to the type of "diner" I grew up eating in.

For that, I'd gladly return……… Plus that gravy ain't too shabby….. This was much like what Mom made, and as much as you criticize Mom's food, you always return for more.

Gardena Bowl Restaurant
15707 S Vermont Ave
Gardena, CA 90247

Road Trip: Izakaya Bincho – Redondo Beach (Los Angeles)

October 20, 2010 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Road Trip

**** Izakaya Bincho has closed

Before leaving for Gardena/Torrance I emailed Akira a list of places, about seven, that I wanted to try. On that list was Musha and Izakaya Bincho, a darling of many CH's and Food Bloggers. Apparently, Akira's been to Musha more than a few times, it's his favorite Izakaya in the area, so he wanted to try Bincho. Akira called and made reservations, and I arrived at the Redondo Beach Boardwalk a bit early just to walk around a bit. It's been at least twelve years since I've been here…..

The Redondo Beach Boardwalk you might ask. I think most people knows Quality Seafood.

But an Izakaya? On the boardwalk? Among the fish joints and bars(don't forget the churro stand)?

It would seem to be a bit of a odd location. But yes indeed, there smack in the middle of the boardwalk was Izakaya Bincho.

This little shop is run by a husband and wife team, just the type of shop I love. Strangely, we were approached with a bit of reserved caution. The shop is strangely quiet for an Izakaya…..people speak in hushed tones, closer to a library than an Izakaya.

I let Akira do most of the ordering, except for a couple of requests…… the Butakakuni and the Ginnan Yaki. I also wanted Nankotsu (deep dried chicken cartlidge) but they were out. All chased with a pitcher of Sapporo.

So without further ado…. the Ginnan Yaki (salt roasted ginko nuts):

Shelled Ginko Nuts roasted on a bed of salt, mild salt flavor, slightly bitter, quite a nice combination of flavors. When I last spoke to Akira this past weekend during one of his visits to San Diego, we both thought this was the most memorable. For Akira, it's comfort food, for me perfect in it's simplicity.

The Butakakuni (Briased Pork Belly)…..

Redolent of sweetened soy yet mellow in flavor, this was good. It fell short, being a bit more stringy and tough than I'd like. Still it was rich without seeming greasy or fatty.

The Tori Karaage fell substantially short.

I prefer my chicken karaage to have some crunch, and to have less ginger flavor than this version. There was also a few very tough pieces. I actually enjoyed the sesame dressing on the shredded cabbage more…..

Nasu Dengaku.

The nasubi wasn't broiled/grilled enough, and was also pretty bitter. The miso based concoction was much too salty for my tastes.

Though we both had eaten fairly substantial lunches (I also had the benefit of a pretty hefty breakfast). We decided to order one more dish. I suggested the Agedashi Tofu, which comes with some high recommendations. In the end we decided on the Agedashi Nasu.

I once had a version where the nasubi was positively creamy and volcanic, barely held in place by the katakuriko (potato starch). The eggplant was just slightly North of what I enjoy in doneness. The tentsuyu was excellent though, balancing the mild dashi base with sweet and salty.

After the meal, I asked Akira where he rated Izakaya Bincho. He had it about where I did, good, but not great. In fact, he thought that Izakaya Sakura was every bit as good.

Izakaya Bincho
112 N International Boardwalk (The Redondo Beach Boardwalk)
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Still, you can't get this view on Convoy, can you?

Chinese Kitchen (Chi Tu Thanh Nha Hang) Revisited – This time it’s Banh Canh

October 19, 2010 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Chinese Kitchen has closed

You know, I had one of the young ladies who works at the dry cleaners flummoxed…. she just couldn't figure me out. I'd run into her twice at Que Huong, once picking up a sandwich at Cafe Dore, once while eating at the now defunct Huynh Hoa Tuu. She knows I live nowhere near those places, and yet we're there eating…… She knows I'm not Vietnamese, but there I am tucking into Bun Oc. I think she finally figured out that I just love to eat when she saw me getting something to eat at Chinese Kitchen. I guess in her mind, I must really love to eat, if I'd make the effort to head out to "Chi Tu Thanh Nha Hang" for soup. All of this led to a conversation one day about Chinese Kitchen. I mentioned to her that I'd been going there since 2006, when you were served from an actual little hole-in-the-wall from this actual hole-in-the-wall. I also told her that all I get there is the Bun Mang Vit…… the young lady told me that I needed to try some different things, and recommended the Banh Canh, a soup with noodles made from rice flour and tapioca flour that reminds me of udon.

And this weekend's rainy weather seemed just perfect for a nice bowl of Banh Canh, so I headed out to Rolando, and Chinese Kitchen.

I hadn't been back here since May of last year, and it seems that on every visit there's a change or two made to the place. This time it was the bright blue signs.

All that Chinese fast food stuff is still served here, but it's what's on the smaller menu on the side wall that matters. Prices have gone up a mere 50 cents in a year and a half, but it's still pretty cheap.

The mustard yellow paint job, that seemed so sparkly and new is starting to fade a bit…. but I've never come here for the ambiance.

Things move here at a relatively measured pace…. which for some reason made me think of Laos. After ringing the bell out front, placing my order, and having a seat, waiting about 15 minutes, my Banh Canh Tom Cua ($5.50) arrived.

The soup seemed a little light, but it had a nice clean flavor, wasn't too salty, and the addition of a squeeze of lime really lifted it. It was also piping hot, something I look for in my soups. The noodles were prepared to a perfect slippery al dente.

And yes, there were actually a couple of pieces of real crab (not surumi) in the soup.

Not a whole lot of crab, but hey, when was the last time you actually saw real crab in a soup that's five bucks and change in San Diego? For some reason this really took me back to a stand we called "same-same" in Luang Prabang.

The nice woman also brought me out a little pot of tea (gratis), and asked me the inevitable question, one she's asked me before; "are you Chinese?"

When I finished eating, she actually brought me a toothpick dispenser! No tax either…… she simply told me "Five-fifty….."

Though the Bun Mang Vit is still my favorite here, another customer told me to order the Chao (rice porridge) here next time…. so maybe I will.

Chinese Kitchen (Chi Tu Thanh Nha Hang)
6160 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92115

Postscript: As for the girl at the dry cleaners. I once dropped off a menu for The Original Sab E Lee. Guess who I've seen twice while waiting for takeout at TOSEL??? It is indeed a small world…….

Road Trip: Torrance Farmer’s Market, I-naba Restaurant, and a quick shopping stop – Torrance (Los Angeles)

October 18, 2010 mmm-yoso Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Japanese Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Road Trip

Following breakfast at Fukagawa, I set my sights on the Torrance Farmer's Market. I've posted on the Torrance Saturday Farmer's Market a couple of times already. But, I'll just say it again…."boy do we miss the Torrance Farmer's Market".

There's one stand that we've been hitting for years.

This stand has a huge variety of Asian Vegetables and fruit.

There's a very diverse variety of leaves and greens……

Anybody got a recipe for Ampalaya or Okra leaves? I'm pretty sure I'm going to pick-up the yam leaves next time as well.

On this day, the Jujubes looked wonderful……

The Missus thought these were the best She's had in a while. I also bought three types of pluots, Chinese eggplant, Asian pears, baby bok choy, and these lovely Taiwanese white bittermelon. After all, I had to fill up that large ice chest I had in the back of the car, right?

Torrance Sat CFM
Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw
Sat, 8A-1P

My next stop, was a bit farther away….. but since I had some time to kill before lunch, I did a short detour at…..

I spent a good amount of time sniffing and shopping……..

I displayed amazing restraint, and spent less than $20……

I also asked the very friendly woman at the register if Penzey's would be opening a shop in San Diego anytime soon. I was told that there's been mention of Penzey's opening perhaps late next year….. I do hope so.

Penzey's Spices
21301 Hawthorne Blvd
Torrance, CA 90510

By this time, I'd pretty much digested breakfast, and was ready to move on to lunch. I'd pretty much whittled my choices down to Sanuki No Sato or I-naba. Since it was fairly warm, and I was already near Hawthorne, I chose I-naba.

Eating solo, I was shown to the Tempura Bar.

The environment is somewhat austere, though the people working here are very friendly. Five minutes after I was seated, the dining area of the restaurant was packed. There was only one other person at the tempura bar though.

I was once told that the tempura at I-naba was top notch, so I decided on the Zaru Soba (cold soba) with Ten Don (Tempura Rice) combo ($9.80).

This was a good amount of food.

First off, let me say that this was the best soba I've had in a while. Nothing in San Diego even comes close to this.

The noodles made this dish….. more stretchable and chewy than the norm, and with a more pronounced….. I can only say, almost nutty flavor, I could really get used to eating this quite often. When I mentioned how good the noodles were; the Server, a very nice young lady said it was their own hand made soba. The Tsuyu was good, not as salty as I'm used to, and quite refreshing….. needless to say, I was a very happy slurper on this day.

The tempura on the other hand, the reason I'd been recommended I-naba, did not quite live up to it's reputation. I found the batter a bit gummy for my tastes, and it was also on the oily side. The ten-tsuyu was delicious, as was the flavor of the shrimp. I'm not quite sure if the tempura chef was having an off day….

I'm definitely coming back for the soba.

I-naba
20920 Hawthorne Blvd
Torrance, CA 90510

Thanks to Kat, I won’t ever have to say, “I’ve never won anything in my life.”

October 17, 2010 mmm-yoso yoso-silly

Back at the end of September, one of my favorite blogs, Our Adventures in Japan turned five. I tend to think that being able to last five years in the ever changing and fickle world of blogs is quite an accomplishment. Like many of her readers, I made sure to add a congratulatory comment to that post. What I really didn't pay attention to was the contest Kat was holding as part of their "blogga-versary" celebration. A couple of days later, I received an email from Kat telling me that Satoshi had pulled my name as the winner of the contest! Wow…… truthfully, I've never won a thing in my life…. and I really didn't know how to react. Anyway, I forwarded our address to Kat…. and last week, after returning from a pretty tough day at work, the Missus told me that a box was waiting for me. The Missus hadn't opened it, instead She wanted me to fully enjoy the moment.

The box was stuffed….literally overflowing….

On many items, Kat had written a very neat and tidy description of the item and attached it to the back of the packages. Like these two "Deco-Furikake".

The Missus loved the tea, and has been enjoying it daily.

Even though I don't have a sweet tooth, I really loved the Dark Chocolate Kit Kat's. You can read more about it in Kat's post. I also enjoyed the Lemon Cream cookies.

The Missus, who does have a sweet tooth also loved those Kit Kats, and really took to the cream soda candy.

I also really enjoyed the curry flavored fried okara…… the texture and taste was right down my alley….

The Missus loved the food containers and the utensil set.

And it was all topped off with a really cute t-shirt!

Reading blogs like Kat's, has allowed me to live vicariously through the eyes of another. So thanks so much for the wonderful box of goodies…. but most of all, thanks for sharing your "Adventures in Japan" with us!

Spicy Misoyaki (Saiyko Yaki) Black Cod

October 15, 2010 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

There comes a time when you make something literally hundreds of times where it just kind of loses its spark. It seems that my Misoyaki Black Cod (aka Misoyaki Butterfish). I've added the Saikyo Yaki description for the sake of my buddy Akira, who keeps telling me that I should call it by its appropriate Japanese name Gindara Saikyo Yaki…… even though I use White Shiro Miso, finding most Saikyo Miso to be too sweet.

The Missus hadn't asked for my misoyaki in a while, so I decided to have some fun with it. Spice it up a bit, and this what I came up with.

This is a good recipe if you think that my original recipe is on the sweet side.

If anything, I think it sure looks pretty……

If you've ever read my post on Misoyaki Black Cod, you'll notice that I enjoy adding a bit of Aka (Red) Miso to add additional savory notes. This recipe is basically that basic recipe minus the Aka Miso, replaced with this:

Yes, Kochujang and garlic in place of Aka Miso. Not even close to traditional in any way. I've found that I like to use Sunchang Kochujang. I found the flavor of this Kochujang to be a bit more spicy, and not as sweet as other brands. Apparently, this Kochujang is made in the city of Sunchang, with sun dried peppers and sweet rice.

You can really tell the difference in look and smell. Take a look at the two:

Versus my more traditional version.

Instead of the usual three day marinade, the strong flavor of Kochujang means that I'd recommend making this after 1day, 2 days max. After that it gets exponentially more spicy. Also, remember to save maybe 1/3 cup of the marinade to use as a glaze before broiling. My usual way of making this is to start in a 400-425 degree heated toaster oven until almost cooked, then adding a layer of glaze and broiling to finish.

In the end, the Missus thought this was good, but really enjoyed the batch of my usual misoyaki, so next time it's back to the same 'ol same 'ol…… unless I find another new way of making this!

Spicy Misoyaki Black Cod:

3/4 Cup White Shiro Miso
3-4 Tb Kochujang
2 cloves garlic finely grated
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Sake
1/4 Cup Mirin
1-2 Tsp Whole Bean Real Soy Sauce

Combine Mirin, Sake, Garlic, and Sugar in a small pot. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until all the alcohol burns off.
Remove from heat, and add Soy sauce to stop boiling.
Slowly add Miso and Kochujung mixing until sauce is creamy.
Do Not ever boil miso.
When sauce is cooled marinate black cod completely coating the fish.
Marinate for at least 1 day, not more than 2.
If using a conventional oven, pre-heat at 450 and bake fish for 8-10 minutes.
When fish is almost cooked baste with some left over sauce if desired, then broil for an additional 2-3 minutes until well caramelized.

Hangzhou: West Lake and Zhiweiguan

October 13, 2010 mmm-yoso China, Chinese Restaurants, Hangzhou, Travel

At then end of my last post on Hangzhou I mentioned that we were still a bit confused as to the exact location of the famous Xī Hú (West Lake) I was looking at a pagoda on Wushan Hill, when I heard a woman talking to the Missus. I was to find out later that the woman told the Missus that there's nothing really worth Her time on Wushan Hill. When the Missus asked the woman which direction to West Lake, the woman pointed up at this sign…..

Sigh….. can you say clueless tourists? Actually, this woman was really friendly, born and raised in Hangzhou, and told us to follow her; she'd show us to the bus stop that would take us around West Lake.

And even though there were times that the Missus could only understand every second or third word due to the woman's accent, She did learn quite a bit. The woman told the Missus that most of the young people working the restaurants in all the tourist areas are not from Hangzhou, and really don't care about anything except making money. This was a theme we heard everywhere, if someone was rude or provided terrible service, someone would say that "it is because they are not from here." The woman gave the Missus a few tips and pointed out the bus stop. The Missus was also told that there was a Silk Expo taking place, where everything was real silk, and prices were good. We caught the bus and arrived at the building right across from the famous Long Jing (Dragon Well) Tea Farm.

And did some shopping……

After doing some shopping, and buying a couple of gifts, we got back on the bus. The Missus pointed out a gentleman who had an entire Jinhua Ham lying on the console behind the driver……

The woman we had net told us to get off at the Qu Yuan Feng He ("lotus in the breeze at crooked courtyard") stop.

The woman was right, this turned out to be the part of West Lake we enjoyed the most.

Even though it was pretty hot and humid, this area felt fresh and cool. I'm sure some of it was due to the immense beauty.

Walking along the causeways things started getting a bit crowded, though there were still areas where folks had carved out an area to peacefully read and relax.

You started seeing tourist cruise boats taking people on tours of West Lake.

As we circled the North part of the lake, things started getting a bit more crowded.

The views were still quite beautiful, in spite of the crowds and noise.

There are tons of things to see, including one that got the attention of the Missus; the Tomb of Wu Song. Wu Song, is one of the great heroes of Classic Chinese Literature. According to the Missus, when She was young, all children knew the story of how Wu Song "killed the man eating tiger with his bare hands." Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classic Classic Novels of Chinese Literature tells the story of Wu Song.

By the time we got to the Eastern part of West Lake, I was bushed, sweaty, and had pretty much burned out on West Lake. Plus my left foot was starting to ache pretty good.

You could really tell that the Missus felt pretty tired as well since we started noticing the people more than the views. Like the guy at the right in this photo…..

We started counting the "crimes against Western fashion and mores" this guy was commiting. A short list:

1 – He was carrying his wife's/girlfriend's handbag.

2 – He was wearing capri pants!!!

3 – He was wearing a long sleeved dress shirt tucked into those capri pants.

4 – He had his shirt tucked in, but wasn't wearing a belt

5 – And last, he was wearing capri pants, but had dress socks on!!!

As you can tell, it was time to move on; we were hot, tired, and sticky….. and hungry.

The one restaurant we had heard about before setting foot in Hangzhou was Lou Wai Lou (楼外楼). When the Missus mentioned Lou Wai Lou to the woman earlier in the day, She recommended Zhiweiguan instead. She told us that this is where she brings guests who want to taste Hangzhou food. Zhiweiguan is a monstrous restaurant by Western standards at over 7,000 square feet, and four stories. The area outside the restaurant sells snacks and take-out food.

Like most of these multi-story restaurants, the first floor did snacks, fast-food, and cafeteria style service. It was just packed like crazy on this evening.

Wanting something less chaotic, we skipped the first floor, and went to the third floor. (The second floor did seafood, and the fourth floor holds the banquet rooms and bar). As we stepped up to the third floor, we realized that even though this place was less chaotic, it was just as packed! We won't complain about the service here, as the Servers and staff was literally running from table to table!

Though it was much cooler here, we could tell that the A/C was working full blast.

We were both bushed, and the heat and humidity had sapped our appetite. We just ordered a couple of items.

The Missus wanted ot taste the Nian Gao (rice cake) which She really loved.

The wrappers on the Xiao Long Bao were really thick and gummy.

I thought the filling was decent, but the Missus thought it to be too sweet. In fact, the Xiao Long Bao being served downstairs looked better.

The Missus enjoys a good Jiu Niang Tuan Yang (Fermented Rice with Sesame Balls 酒釀湯圓), and really enjoyed this version.

One of the most well known dishes of Hangzhou involves pork belly…. so you know that I was going to have Dongpo Rou! Named after famous Song Dynasty poet and artist Su Dongpo (Su Shi). According to the story, Su Dongpo had a visitor arrive, and decided to simmer some pork. Su Dongpo and his friend became engrossed in a game of chess. Suddenly realizing that he had left the pork simmering, Su Dongpo rushed to check on his pork. he was amazed when he saw that the pork had attained a beautiful color, and the juices created were wonderful. At least that's how the story goes……

This classic dish is pork belly (aka streaky pork) cooked in a combination of soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing (which is about 60 km from Hangzhou).

We decided to order two of these.

Man this was sweet…. like pork candy, much too sweet for me. It was also tougher and drier than I would have thought that braised pork belly would be. I wasn't really satisfied with this, I needed to have it again to see if this was really how Dongpo Rou should be……..

We returned to our room exhausted, though I had Dongpo Rou on my mind as I drifted off to sleep……