mmm-yoso – Page 362

Luang Prabang: The Morning Fresh Market

December 22, 2008 mmm-yoso Laos, Luang Prabang, Markets & Grocers, Travel

The Fresh Produce Market in Luang Prabang gets going pretty early in the morning. I've been told 5am or so. I really wasn't too excited about visiting the market since it was located on a side street right past the Palace Museum, and just steps from tourist central. Man, was I totally wrong! The Fresh Market proved to be the most fascinating market I've ever visited. The following photos were taken during the course of our stay in Luang Prabang, as we passed through the market on the way to "Same-Same" every morning. It got even more interesting after I started recognizing some of the more exotic items after taking a cooking class. So off we go…..

At first glance, this market looks just like any other outdoor market in Southeast Asia.

There's a ton of fresh produce:

The covered meat and poultry section….

Where I snapped one of my favorite photos….

And all the usual suspects.

Everything you'd need, and also a ton of prepared food as well.

And so we strolled along. Just your typical SEA market, ho-de-do (Lunag Prabang has a way of putting you into a calm, relaxed state)….until we turned the corner.

And ummm, isn't that chopped and portioned python? And what about all those honeycombs?

And were those silkworms? And what the heck is in that blue bucket? Is that someone's pet, or "what's for dinner?"

Later on we'd (well, I) found that fried silkworms and bee larvae are delicious!

There's a lot of various dried critters, many of which are used to flavor various Or Lam (stews).

And there were many forest animals, some cleaned and prepped, and some, like that snake on the left, very alive.

And those little bodies in the center were the same as the little dude in the blue bucket. I was told they called these "forest rats". And no, we never saw any Laotian Rock Rats. But this was a veritable edible zoo.

There is a premium on "live"…….

I also saw a good number of turkeys, something I didn't expect.

This woman sold live poultry, which were kept in baskets. Inquire about one of her chickens, she'd quickly pull one out of the basket in a smooth motion for inspection.

Purchase something, and it is dispatched and cleaned in a quick and efficient manner.

The variety is staggering!

Water Buffalo Skin is very popular for dishes like Jeow Bong…..

And no matter how many times we visited, we always noticed something new and different. Like the weird human looking "fruit" the sign said was "Karipom". I haven't been able to find anything on this, so if you have some info I'd love to hear from you!

And there were those items we learned to identify after eating and learning to cook some of the dishes. Like the river moss that they make into Khai Pene:

On the lower left are "Lao Olives", on the right, Sa-Khan, the branches used to flavor Or Lam:

This is called Cha-om….and if you think it looks familiar, you'd be right. It's acacia.

On the right is Wick Wai – Rattan, also used to flavor stews:

Many of the folks in the market are very friendly….even to clueless tourists like us. The (relative) cleanliness was also apparent.

Many of the vendors live in the forests, mountains, and along the rivers surrounding Luang Prabang. Much of what you see is what was gathered for market. Sometimes it's just a few items….a bird, or maybe a few mushrooms……

Whether you want them unplucked, or ready for cooking, you'll find it here.

And of course, that all important staple, Padek, is represented in full ripeness.

I started looking forward to our walks through the market every morning. You'd never knew what you'd see. And in spite of the camcorder carrying tourists, this is a vibrant "people's" market.

At the end of the market is the grill area…….. where all manner of sausages and "meat on a stick" are grilled up.

Grilled pork belly is very popular……

Ever had the feeling that someones dinner was staring you down????

So if you're ever in Luang Prabang, don't forget to check out the Fresh Produce Market….. you'll never know what you'll find!

Our Revised Rotation – What is yours?

December 18, 2008 mmm-yoso Pho, Thai Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

So finally…… I've revised our "Rotation Page". And removed a few places, a few because they've closed down (Sammys and Mo's), and one because, well, we hardly go there anymore (Mama's - which may make a comeback when the weather gets a bit warmer).

In place of those 3, I've added 2.

**** Pho Lucky is under new ownership.

First, folks keep asking about my favorite Pho shop. And my quick response is Pho Lucky.

There are places that have better tendon and places that have better overall meat, and on any given day there are several places that can do a great job. But for my money, I enjoy Pho Lucky. In fact, when FOY (Friend of Yoso) the "CAB" asked about my favorite bowl of Pho, I was quick to recommend Pho Lucky. You can read about her experience in this post.

I also enjoy the Banh Mi Bo Kho(Vietnamese Beef Stew w/Baguette) here as well. But on one recent visit with Cathy and Ed from Yuma, I was less than pleased. So before doing this post, I (well the weather helped me to) decided to have the beef stew again.

On my visit with Ed and Cathy, I found the beef to be tough, and the broth to be lacking in flavor. On this visit, everything was as I remembered. Hopefully, that was just an off day. The bread itself is unremarkable, I'm pretty sure they get it from Le Chef, as I've seen tags from their packages lying around. Still, I enjoy the beef stew here.

So if you hold my feet to the fire, I'd have to recommend:

Pho Lucky
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92126

**** This location of Sab E Lee has closed

And of course, Sab E Lee would have to be added. We've been eating there at least once a week. I still go for most of the larb and salad style dishes. Like the Larb Pet (Duck Larb):

Recently, I got to sample a new addition to the menu Naked Shrimp, served the right way…. that would be raw:

The first time I had this dish with a group of FOYs, I thought it pretty good, but a bit out of balance with regards to the amount of citrus. But a few days ago, I tried it again with Ed from Yuma, and it was very good. Nice heat from the chilies, with the bite of raw garlic, topped off with tangy citrus. Ed compared it to Camarones Aguachile, but with a more interesting and complex flavor. As I mentioned before, for me it's the Issan dishes that shine here, so of course it's a bit humorous to hear folks saying the food here isn't "Northern Thai" because it's not like what they had in Chiang Mai (which is Lanna, not Issan). Issan is Northeastern Thai food..…..

Sab-E-Lee Restaurant
2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111

So if you're interested, our updated Rotation Page can be found here.

And I'd love to hear what's on your rotation this winter!

Osaka Kitchen Returns

December 16, 2008 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

*** Sorry to say Osaka Kitchen has closed once again

I nearly caused a major pile-up on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard….. while heading East, I took a quick glance at the strip mall right before Shogun Kobe, which includes Suzuya, and had to do a double take!

Was Osaka Kitchen really back? Had the Sushi Deli empire been pushed back to Hillcrest and the Gaslamp? I made a U-turn, and saw for myself. First thought thru my cabeza, "wow, this is great!" Second thought, "you dork, why didn't you notice this before?"

That evening I coerced the Missus into grabbing a quick bite at Osaka Kitchen. I noticed that menu had changed a bit…. long gone were the Izakaya type dishes. This menu was much more abbreviated, though many of the better items like the Menchi Katsu, Omurice, Mayonnaise Shogayaki (Mayo Ginger Pork) were still on the menu.

For some reason, the Missus ordered stuff from the Sushi Menu…. and even though I warned Her, "I think these are items left over from the Sushi Deli menu……" She still ordered it. The Hamachi Hand Roll ($2.90) and the Salmon Skin Hand Roll ($2.50):

In a single word; yuck….. I'm still trying to erase this from my memory, as is the Missus.

I wasn't very hungry either, and went with the Beef Curry Udon ($7.75):

This was not bad….. a bit thinner than I remembered, and perhaps saltier. But there was still some nice heat, even with the curry flavor watered down a tad. The beef was tough. I always enjoyed the Udon noodles here, they always were cooked well….nice stretch, decent bite. And it did a decent job of hitting the spot on a cold night.

I had noticed the specials on the wall, Sujinegiyaki (beef -green onion okonomiyaki), and a few other items. So I returned for lunch. Apparently, I hadn't been paying much attention on my previous visit, as I found, that just like their previous incarnation, Osaka Kitchen is basically a Teriyaki – Rice Bowl kind of place for lunch. Still, I'd be happy with some Chicken Karaage. Until I was waylaid by the very nice and peppy Server, who put this in front of me:

And I'm not sure what happened, but I ordered the December special ($6.50):

Granted, this was a lot of food, and without a doubt worth $6.50. But mass produced gyoza! I've never been a fan of the heavy mayo salad dressing that Osaka Kitchen serves. And I couldn't remember the last time I had a California Roll….. The rice was on the dry side, and the vegetable tempura was terribly bland as was the tentsuyu (tempura dipping sauce), though it was served hot. The shrimp tempura was nice, and the flavor brought back memories of what Mom used to make. The batter was fine, a medium-heavy tempura batter.

The teriyaki pork was okay, a bit on the tough side, but edible. This teriyaki sauce is slightly heavier on the ginger, and not as sweet as many. Which is something I kind of enjoy. It does seem as if Osaka Kitchen was not quite the restaurant it used to be. But I was determined….. next time, it's Mayonnaise Shogayaki, or some similar fascimile or bust!!

Osaka Kitchen
5447 Kearny Villa Road
San Diego, CA 92123

Lunch:
Monday – Friday 11am – 2pm

Dinner:
Monday – Saturday 530pm – 10pm

Closed on Sundays

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Luang Prabang: The “River of Orange”, and breakfast at “Same-Same”

December 14, 2008 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Laos, Luang Prabang, Travel

Every morning, there flows a river of orange through the streets of Luang Prabang:

From where we stand, it's a quiet river, a solemn river. Instead of the rush of water, there is just the sound of bare feet shuffling against against asphalt…

and the swishing of robes….

For the uninitiated there is the distinct feeling that something special, and perhaps sacred is taking place. Even the dogs stop their search for food and tuk-tuk chasing to stop and watch:

Sometimes called the "Saffron Circuit", it is the collecting of "alms" by the Monks that occurs every morning. At just before 6am every morning, the Monks from the Wats around Luang Prabang start lining up. And at a prescribed drum signal start a well beaten path around the city of Luang Prabang collecting sticky rice, fruit, and other sustenance for the day. This occurs every day…. rain or shine.

Upon check in to the Chang Inn, the young fellow working at the front desk asked us if we'd like to give alms the following morning. Having just an inkling, of what needed to be done, we said yes. And woke at 5am. Walking to the front desk we were prepped for alms giving. Right on street in front of the hotel everything was nicely made ready for us.

It was a nice touch that we, being totally ignorant of the how and what's of alms giving, really appreciated.

And so it came to pass…. kneeling on my creaky knees, we gave sticky rice and bananas to the young Monks…. some of them looking no older than 8 years old. They would walk by, discreetly open the container by their side, and we'd place some sticky rice or a banana in it.

For some reason, I felt a deep stirring, and was touched in a strange way that I wish I had the eloquence to convey.

After the rice and bananas were gone (we were told that at this time there were over 300 Monks in the Wats surrounding Luang Prabang), we retreated across the street.

Even though we found this to be beautiful and exotic, we tried to keep a respectful distance. During our stay in Luang Prabang, we woke every morning at least by 530 am, and stood outside to watch this. Watching this ancient tradition became our own little ritual.

We had another little ritual in Luang Prabang…. breakfast here:

Located at the end of the "Fresh Market", on the street which heads to the Mekong, is this little stand. The sign is in Lao, except for the phrase "Lao Coffee". We had been wanting to try some Lao Coffee, so we stopped here on our first morning in Luang Prabang.

The Woman running this stall, never moved quickly, but at an exact measured pace. And always exactly the same steps were followed each time.

The coffee was made following some exact steps; glasses were rinsed out with hot water from the boiling water pot. An exact amount of what looked like very highly condensed coffee was placed in the bottom of the cup, followed by condensed milk and a sprinkling of what looked like raw sugar. The cup was topped off with hot H2O, and served in the traditional manner, with a chaser of mild hot tea.

The coffee was wonderful, rich, smooth, yet strong, with chocolate overtones. Much better than any cup of Vietnamese or Thai coffee I've ever had.

While savoring our coffee, the Missus and I decided to try some of the noodle soup, which everyone else seemed to be getting.

You chose the type of noodles you wanted, and what kind of meat, and again the Woman worked at a careful cadence, with exact steps that were followed for every customer on every visit. The soup can be adjusted in taste with fish sauce, chili sauce, limes, various herbs, etc, etc…..

This was a great bowl of soup. Even though it looked clear, the mild essence of pork came through. And though I'm pretty sure that the infamous 3-letter flavor enhancer was used in the broth, it was savory without being too salty. The noodles were fresh, and obviously bought from one of the many noodle vendors in the Fresh Market. It had a nice stretch, and a good al dente chew. The pork was an afterthought……tough and chewy….but man this was great broth and noodles.

And the Missus enjoyed munching on some green beans while waiting:

So why do we call this place "same-same"? The Woman running the place doesn't speak much English. When we arrived on our second morning, She greeted us with a small, pleased smile, and simply said; "same-same?" And so, every morning, we'd walk pass the main streets and the Fresh Market, up to the stall, smile and greet the Woman, and place our order; "same-same". Same order, same price (2 coffees + 1 bowl noodle soup – 20,000 Kip, approx $2.50/US), same great coffee, same comforting soup. Same-same……..

One last word(s) about the Saffron Circuit:

The area we stayed in was a short distance from most of the Guest Houses, and Lunag Prabang's main drag. We were situated right next to Sensoikharam, and several other Wats. This made the viewing of the morning alms collecting a peaceful and relaxing experience.

On our fourth morning in Luang Prabang, we noticed a bunch of buses parked alongside the road. With ever more mini-buses driving and parking along the street.

We noticed loads of Thai tourists disembarking, and had also realized that our little Hotel was booked solid with Thais. Many of whom lined the streets giving alms.

But for each person giving alms, there were two friends or relatives taking photos…..whether a photo opportunity, or to prove they gave alms, I'm not sure. But these folks were getting right up close and personal with the Monks.

We followed the procession down into Luang Prabang and couldn't believe the feeding frenzy.

Having checked my cynicism at Luang Prabang Airport I found this a bit disillusioning. These are still young men, and they are following a time honored tradition, so we tried to approach things with respect and discretion. It is a special moment for us tourists, something that I may never have the chance to see ever again. But this was a bit much, and very tough for us to see……….

Upon return, I watched Anthony Bourdain's episode on Laos, and paid special attention to the last portion where he mentions the mixed feelings about doing a travel show, and the damage to a culture that it can do….. I've come to really appreciate his viewpoints, he seems to get it. Striking that balance is important………..

This obviously well to do "businessman" was especially aggressive…….

It made us concerned about the future of this tradition. What's going to happen in 10 or 15 years? Our tourist dollars are important, but I'd hate to see a culture forever altered. And will rue the day that some facsimile of this becomes a tourist show. And even more….. I wondered what the dedicated true believers thought of us? And even worse, what terrible things were we(the Missus & I) doing to this culture. Did we do things the right way???

Saturday Stuffs: Update on 97 Market moving and becoming The Village Market, and Thuan Phat Supermarket opens

December 13, 2008 mmm-yoso Markets & Grocers

I drove up to 97 Market to stock up on Beer Lao, and was told that they won't be bringing in Beer Lao until they finish moving at the end of January. So when I asked where they were moving to, I was handed this pamphlet, and of course all the information was there!

To bad I don't read Cambodian……

But as always with the nice folks here, I was given some directions to the new location, and the bottom half of the flier was pretty clear.

So I followed the handy-dandy map, and this will be the location of The Village Market, right off of University on 30th street.

Pretty interesting location. No Asian markets nearby……

4679 University Avenue.

Thuan Phat Market opens:

Having received a flier in the mail, I drove by earlier this morning.

You can't make out the huge mob, but it was packed! I don't ever recall seeing cars parked in the stalls near Linda Vista Road…. must be the free 10 pounds of rice being given away to the first 500 customers. I think I'll wait until the mob settles down to visit. But just in case you've been waiting for the market to open…. it's here!

And if I wasn't already confused….

Check out this restaurant, right off of Aero Drive:

It is just one restaurant…really. But two different signs. The greaseboard in the front lists Chinese "lunch specials". What made it more confusing is that the Owner is Vietnamese….. but no Vietnamese dishes on the menu.

El Sol Mexican Restaurant

December 11, 2008 mmm-yoso Burgers, Mexican Restaurants

**** El Sol has closed

Claims of the best burger in San Diego are spoken by the patrons of this little shop on University, just North of Park Boulevard.

The Owner, whose claim to fame is making burgers for former President Clinton at his former place of employment(Danny's Palm Bar), runs this little Mom and Pop shop with a menu full of variety. Serving everything from Chimichangas and Quesadillas, to Veggie Burgers.

The cozy interior is full of knick-knacks and memorabilia, much of which follows "the Sun" (El Sol) motif:

You can figure out what I ordered….. a burger of course. Hamburger with Cheese and Onion Rings($7.99). First up came some chips and salsa:

Nothing special, but for free so who's going to complain?

I ordered some Iced Tea, and for $2.50 expected a large glass……but got a full glass, and a pitcher.

And a Tecate six pack holder also arrived at the same time with the various dressings….mustard, mayo, salsa, etc… nice job of "recycling".

And soon enough my burger arrived.

The onion rings were a 100% pure Sysco-fied, and no big deal. The lettuce, tomato, and pickles are provided on the side, and just as with the iced tea, and dressings, you can add what you desire. Freedom of choice reigns supreme here.

The bun for the burger had been placed on the grill, and was a bit dried out. The cheese was also very mundane. The burger had an interesting taste….mildly peppery, and you could definitely taste the oregano. I found the burger to be dry, and on the mealy side…. I think it had been pressed pretty hard on the griddle, and much of the juices had escaped.

Maybe not the best burger in San Diego, but not too bad. What about Bill Clinton? Well, you gotta remember that 'ol Bubba loved his McDonalds burgers…… Still, not bad.

I returned a few weeks later, earlier in the day, and decided to grab some breakfast. This time I went with the Nopales and Eggs ($5.99). Nopalitos are the prepared pads of the prickly pear cactus.

This was, in essense, a Nopalito Scramble, and was quite a bit of food. From the salsa and pickled carrots and peppers, a bit too mild fo my taste. To the beans, of which a whole plate was provided…. lots of bulk, but a bit short on the salt end.

However, the eggs were not short on salt……

And though the Nopalitos were canned, and much of the mild tartness was gone, the flavor was very much like green beans. I like the way this was cooked, not too runny, and not dry. A perfect amount of salt was used. The corn tortillas were packaged mass produced, but I expected as much.

In the end, this was a lot of food, and bang-for-the-buck, this was well worth the $5.99.

While you may not experience any culinary epiphanies at El Sol, you get a pretty good value for your money. I consider it a pretty solid Mom-and-Pop eatery. I'm still trying to figure out what a "Nayarit Burger" is…….

El Sol Mexican Restaurant
2037 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92104

Open 9am – 9pm Daily.

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Luang Prabang: We arrive, “Wats going on”, and dinner at View Kheam Khong

December 10, 2008 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Laos, Luang Prabang, Travel

As we arrived at Luang Prabang Airport and walked to the transportation stand, things just felt right. We were dropped off on Ban Wat Nong, and went looking for accommodation. Our first choice was full, but just as with Vientiane, we lucked out, and chose The Chang Inn. Quite expensive by Luang Prabang standards, but it was located away from the real touristy part of Luang Prabang. Which proved to be a blessing as I'll describe a bit later.

If you thought Vientiane was laid back, just arriving in Luang Prabang dropped my blood pressure and pulse rate several notches. We were indeed charmed by this UNESCO World Heritage site. But even more captivated by the people, who, though a bit quiet at first, are warm and friendly.

Make no mistake about it; parts of Luang Prabang, especially Sisavong from Luang Prabang Primary School to Kitsalat are very touristy. But even during the busiest hours, except for a short period in the morning, and the afternoon rush, things are relatively quiet.

Even the evenings exhude a quiet charm. And though we didn't spend much…. or in fact, hardly any time on the main tourist drag, we walked past it several times a day.

There are only 4 main streets going East to West in Central Luang Prabang, so you'll be familiar with the town in no time. There was one Australian couple who caught the same van to the airport in Vientiane, whom we kept seeing. And we saw one young lady from Singapore, named Audrey, who came up to me, because she thought she knew me, everyday. In other destinations, when we started seeing the same folks more than twice it was time to leave. In Luang Prabang, we joked that no day would be complete until we saw them!

Luang Prabang is the "City of Wats", with over 30 temples! Don't worry, I won't bore you with all of our Wat photos. Here are just a few:

Wat Xiengthong:

Called the "Golden Tree Monastary" this beautiful Wat is located on the tip of the Luang Prabang Peninsula.

Built in 1560, the Monastary was under royal patronage until the monarchy was terminated in 1975. The North Gate has an direct entry from the Mekong River.

For us the most interesting of the 20 or so structures in the Wat were the tapestry of the "Tree of Life" and the Tripitaka Library(built in 1828), with it's beautiful mosiacs of local traditions.

If you check out only 1 Wat in Luang Prabang, this should be the one.

Mount Phousi:

Smack dab in the middle of town, and right across the street from the National Museum are the steps up Mount Phousi (also called Phu Si):

At the top of the mountain, you'll get a total 360 degree view of peninsula-like Luang Prabang, with The Khan River, Vatmou-Enna (the main street from the airport)

And a distant view of Wat Phol Phao (aka Santi Chedi – The Peace Pagoda).

And the beautiful Mekong and the distant mountains on the other.

And of course at the summit of Phousi is ….. you guessed it; a Wat:

Check out the "little guy" taking a rest near the Buddha in the lower right hand corner. Rising out of the summit is That Chomsi:

Which can be seen from all over Luang Prabang.

We left via the winding stairs, opposite of the way we came:

Pastanother shrine (not really a Wat), and large collection of Buddhas:

And even Buddha's Footprint….a photo oppotunity not to be missed!

Since we had such a wonderful dinner on the banks of the Mekong in Vientiane, we thought we'd do it again here in Luang Prabang. There are many restaurants lining the cliffs alongside the Mekong. Every Guesthouse has a restaurant! View Kheam Khong was one recommended by Lonely Planet, so we thought we'd give it a try. Being famished, we ordered a ton of food; and many dishes that I'd been waiting to try.

We started with the Khai Pene served with the traditional accompanyment of Jeow Bong:

This was love at first bite! Khai Pene is made from river moss that is dried and pressed with sesame seeds, garlic, tomatos, and the like. It is fried before serving. Jeow Bong is Luang Prabang's signature chili dip, garlicky-salty-mildly sweet-spicy, laced with Water Buffalo Skin for texture. The Khai Pene tastes like high-octane fried kelp with the bitterness toned down, or nori with flavor cranked up times 10. I'd end up getting this dish whenever I could. Great with a Beer Lao.

Here's the Missus's love at first bite; the Luang Prabang Watercress Salad:

The Missus loved the tender and leafy, shoot-like watercress in Luang Prabang, which was less bitter than any watercress I'd ever had. If I could only tell you how many times the Missus had this dish in Luang Prabang. I've already covered the dressing, which is egg yolk based. This was the second best version of this dish we had in Luang Prabang.

Fish Laap (Fish Larb):

The fish was kind of mushy, but not muddy in flavor. A bland version of Laap.

The Lonely Planet recommended the Fried Green Chili with Duck:

Which was nothing more than a mediocre stir-fry. And the duck was tougher than the water buffalo skin in the Jeow Bong!

I'd been looking forward to having the classic Laung Prabang version of Or Lam, a very distinctive "stew". So we ordered the Or Lam Pa (fish stew):

Again the Missus had problems with the "bitter" flavors that pervade certain Lao dishes. The fish was mushy and without flavor. There were lots of hard pieces of lemongrass stem, and of course there was the Sa-Khan, pieces of stem from the Piper ribesioides tree…..more like branches. The Sa-Khan when eaten….you actually knaw on the stem/branch (minus bark), gives you a tingling sensation, not unlike Sichuan Peppercorns. I was to help make a version of this when I took a cooking class, which tasted much better than this.

Half the fun was just having a Beer Lao (or two), marveling that we were actually in Luang Prabang. Sitting in this empty restaurant, watching the Mekong quietly flowing by, I was embraced by a feeling of tranquility. Author Natacha Du Pont de Bie mentioned a legend that said the site for Luang Prabang was chosen because it was "so remarkably beautiful". All I know is here I was having dinner (again) on the banks of the Mekong, watching some folks fishing….

And I don't ever recall feeling so relaxed during a vacation………

Road Trip: Food Cabin – Rosemead (Los Angeles), CA

December 9, 2008 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, Xiao Long Bao

**** Food Cabin has closed

What's in a name? Alot really, but in this case? What kind of cuisine would a restaurant called "Food Cabin" serve? When I first mentioned this place to the Missus, She guffawed out loud, obviously picturing a combination "Northwoods Inn" (home of the dirty snow) meets Denny's kind of place. She gave me a look that said, "you're running out of new places to eat, aren't you?" Honestly, the name Food Cabin just doesn't really inspire you to run out to the car and visit, does it?

Yes, Food Cabin just doesn't seem to get much respect; even the Restaurant's signage plays second fiddle to "The Best Car Wash" (now that's a name!!!):

As with many restaurants in the SGV, the Chinese name, has nothing to do with the English name. In this case the literal translation of the Chinese characters is something along the lines of "Dragon, Dragon, Good Food" or something like that; not a cabin reference to be found.

Food Cabin, the Restaurant, is located on the quiet end of Valley Boulevard, in, well, something that looks a lot like the manager's office of one of those cookie-cutter apartment complexes, converted into a restaurant. Having said that, I don't think the name Food Cookie-Cutter-Apartment-Manager's-Office is particularly inspiring at all either.

The interior is kind of apartment like; the Missus and I were trying to determine which "room" we were being seated in. The place was empty except for one table when we arrived at noon on a Saturday!

The menu is large, and quite varied, with mostly Northern Chinese style favorites. There are a number of specials, posted on the ubiquitous colored paper on the walls. One of the specials is a "buy 1 beer, get one free" deal.

The woman who seated us, looked very smart in her glasses, was very nice, and friendly. Not your typical SGV server. She started us off with some pickles, good, but on the salty side, and asked us twice if we wanted more.

We started off with the "Thousand Layer Meat Flat Bread" – aka "Pork Pancake" on the menu ($5).

This was nice, not greasy, as many versions of this dish is. The texture was good, crisp crust, a bit chewy in the interior. Not much meat to be had, but that is pretty much how the home made versions of this is. With a bit of the salty-pickly spicy broadbean paste, this was quite good.

But what I'd really come for were the Shengjian Bao(10 for $6.45), a "Bao" that is fried-steamed.

The Missus told me of a stand right across the street from Her High-School in Qingdao, that made Shengjian Bao. Which would inevitably end up being Her "snack" on most days. Shengjian Bao, is a semi-leavened bun, stuffed with meat, that is of a Shanghainese origin. Being both fired and steamed means that when done right, you'll get the best of both worlds.

The Missus and I were both surprised when 10 rather large Bao arrived at the table. Glistening with oil, I expected these to be heavy and greasy. Boy was I wrong, these were very light, and I enjoyed the contrast in textures. A crisp bottom, the rest of the Bao was nice and bready. To be sure, the bottom could have been a bit more crisp, but I really enjoyed the texture.

The filling was pork, with coarsely chopped squash for added texture. Moist and light, it could have perhaps been a bit more savory, but the provided soy-vinegar-cilantro dipping sauce was the perfect match. The nice Server even provided a small container of sauce for the left over Bao we took home!

The Missus, suffering from XLB withdrawals, ordered the Xiao Long Bao (Steamed Juicy Pork Dumplings – $6):

I wasn't too impressed with this version, I thought the wrappers on the hard side, and the bottoms of the XLB were hard. There wasn't very much soup, and the filling was much too sweet, and left me with an odd, almost camphor like aftertaste. The Missus, on the other hand, ate 7 of the 10 XLB. Even though I wanted no part of it after eating the first one, She made me eat the last 2 since XLB doesn't keep and reheat real well.

We requested a few containers for our leftovers, and our check. ($18.88 – a bargain!) And the Server told the Missus in Mandarin to wait because She shouldn't miss the free dessert. Which turned out to be a sweet rice porridge….no big deal, but very nice service:

As you can tell, we enjoyed this meal. It wasn't perfect, but it sure hit the spot. We found the service to be very nice, and the pace much more laid-back than other restaurants in the area. This place started to fill up as we left, with several groups of older folks.

So next time someone asks you if you'd like to grab a bite at a "Food Cabin" don't hesitate. It might be worth your while!

Food Cabin
9510 Valley Blvd
Rosemead, CA 91770

Why the leftovers you may ask? Well, you know why…… another meal was in store during this roadtrip!

Pho La Jolla

December 8, 2008 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

Pho in La Jolla? When I received an email a few weeks back telling me of a Pho Restaurant opening right off of La Jolla Village Drive, that was my initial response. (Thanks Dan!) But after thinking about it, the location, close to many businesses, and the UCSD campus, made perfect sense.

Which led to me check the place out a few weeks back.

You'll quickly recognize the location as being the home of International Market & Grill.

The interior is clean, but they've sure managed to squeeze in a lot of seating in the place.

The prices on the menu pretty much fit the zip code… about $2 more than similar places in other areas.

Not having eaten here before, I went with the Pho Dac Biet (special – $7.50) so I could sample the whole range of meat. It's been my experience that each Pho restaurant will do different things well, so the first visit is exploratory.

The large bowl arrived several minutes later:

Along with a rather sparse amount of "garnishes", after tasting the broth I asked for, and received with no hesitation more basil. Ngo Gai (Culantro) was a "no go" however.

As for the broth, it had decent oil, but was just faintly beefy, and I mean faintly. There was no other flavor to make this broth stand out in any way. Overall, it tasted watery and bland, and reminded me of Pho T Cali, and not in a good way.

The noodles were in the standard clump, and were on the soft and over-cooked side.

The rare steak was dry and hard, the flank was not bad, soft, but lacking flavor, the tendon was good, but scarce, as was the little bit of tripe provided. Much like Phuong Trang, Pho Cali, and the afore mentioned Pho T Cali, this was MOR (middle of the road) Pho.

As you can tell, I was underwhelmed, especially after paying $7.50. This is Pho not to offend. I'm guessing if you are in the area, and are desperate for a bowl, this would be passable. But I'd be wondering why you wouldn't drive a few miles to Mira Mesa. Since this bowl was eaten just 2 weeks after opening, perhaps things will improve over time.

I heard that UCSD students and staff get %10 off with their ID. So perhaps you'll try it out, and let me know what you think.

Pho La Jolla
3211 Holiday Court #102
La Jolla, CA 92037

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The Big Kahuna Files: Shrimp Chow Fun & Stir Fried Morning Glory

December 7, 2008 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

This one is for FOY "Liver" in hopes that he did, or will soon get his Big Kahuna Burner!

Every so often, when I check referring sites, searches, and other stats, I will without fail, always notice that someone has been using one search engine or another using the phrase "high BTU burner" or "Big Kahuna". And it always seems that I'll get at least one comment on any post where I've used my Big Kahuna (why does that just sound wrong). Even though Amazon seems to have replaced the Big Kahuna with another Eastman Outdoors product called the Outdoor Gourmet New Revolution Burner, it looks like Eastman Outdoors still sells the Big Kahuna. With that in mind, I've created a category called the Big Kahuna Files. My high-heat cooking experience has been limited to various stir-fry and noodle dishes, and I usual don't bother to post. Those posts would contain an ingredient list of only oil, dried shrimp, garlic, salt, and "insert green leafy vegetable of choice". I just let her rip…….and high heat will do her thing.

But for a change, here are a couple of other items I've cooked with the Kahuna recently:

Shrimp Chow Fun:

This came out waaaay better than expected, even with the lousy noodles I picked up at 99 RanchMarket. The shrimp were also too large, I had 12-16U, and smaller shrimp would have suited me better. One more thing, I also tried out Lee Kum Kee brand Seafood XO Sauce, which should be renamed, "rancid, second rate chili oil…." Better to go with sesame oil, or even better, make your own XO sauce…. but that's another post.

Some key points – at least for me:

- Don't crowd the wok, more is not necessarily better.

- Have your mis "en place". Have everything, including seasonings within easy reach.

– Control of the heat is important.

– Don't disregard your "nose" it'll tell you so much.

The Recipe – though I don't think you'll need one! Let's just call this a "pseudo-recipe"….

1/2 lb Chow Fun Noodles
4 Tb Canola Oil
1/3 Pound Shrimp

For Shrimp:
2 Tb Shao Xing wine
1 Tb Light Soy Sauce
Salt

1/2 Onion Sliced
1 Cup Bean Sprouts (I didn't bother to pick through them)
Up to 1 cup vegetable of your choice sliced. (i.e. celery, green bell pepper, etc)
2 Stalks Scallions, green parts only, sliced in 1" lengths.

2 Tb Dark Soy Sauce
3-4 Tb Light Soy Sauce
White Pepper
Sesame Oil to Taste

1 – Shell and devein shrimp, marinate with wine, soy sauce, and salt for 10-15 minutes.
2 – Remove shrimp from marinade and use 2 Tb oil to cook over high heat for a few minutes. Remove from wok.
3 – Replace oil and add vegetable (in this case all I used was 1/4 of a red bell pepper) and onion to wok.
4 – Stir fry for 1 minute, or until vegetable starts to barely soften.
5 – Move the veggies to the side of the wok using your spatula. If the bottom of the wok is too dry, add another Tb of oil.
6 – Add noodles separating them as you place in the center of the wok. A clump is a no-no.
7 – Let the noodles sit for a few seconds. You'll notice that they'll start to caramelize and blister. Using a pair of long chopsticks, mix noodles, add dark soy and 3 Tb Light Soy and mix. Don't do the "pour around the rim of the wok" thing, unless you want to add a burnt soy flavor to your noodles.
8 – Lower heat to medium and add bean sprouts and shrimp while using chopsticks to combine ingredients.
9 – I add the scallions last, as I like them crisp, with a bit of a "bite". Keep on stirring.(Keep them chopsticks going….)
10 – Lower heat, taste, add white pepper to taste, and more light soy sauce if necessary.
11 – Remove from heat and add sesame oil to taste.

All of this will take just a few minutes…….

Stir Fried Morning Glory:

It just seemed like we couldn't get enough of this during our trip. The Morning Glory in SEA is much more tender than what we have here in the states. The prep is simple, and I guess this is another pseudo-recipe. The results are wonderful:

In this case, I didn't use any sugar, and just a few drops of fish sauce, mainly for the fragrance.

1/2 bunch Morning Glory (aka Ong Choy, Pak Boong, Kang Kung, Kang Kong, etc, etc, etc…)
3 – 12(!!!) Thai Bird Chilies.(The 12 is out of respect for Joy from Tamarind, who told me, 12 chilies is Lao heat)
2 Tb Canola Oil.
4-5 Cloves of Garlic sliced
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
1 Tb Oyster sauce
Fish Sauce (optional)
2-3 Tb Light Soy Sauce

1 – Slice rinsed and dried morning glory into 1 1/2" lengths
2 – Remove green stem from chilies, and slice garlic. Alternately, you could bruise the chilies and garlic in a mortar – this will make them significantly hotter.
3 – Mix together Oyster Sauce, sugar(if using) and 2 Tb of the Soy Sauce.
4 – Heat wok over high heat. Add oil, then chilies and garlic. Stir quickly.
5 – When the garlic starts to soften (sometimes in a few seconds). Add morning glory and stir fry.
6 – When morning glory starts to wilt, lower the heat to low, and add oyster sauce mixture.
7 – Taste and add Fish Sauce(if using) and additional soy sauce if necessary.

They'll be no more excuses for soggy Ong Choy…….

You know, I haven't been very delicate with my Big Kahuna….. it sits on the back porch, at the mercy of the elements. I should probably treat it better. But it has held together rather well. During their last visit, I cooked a few simple stir-fries using the Kahuna for the In-Laws. They proceeded to tell the Missus that She "shouldn't bother learning how to cook anymore since I've taken my cooking to a whole 'nother level."

Oh the joy of 65,000 BTU's……