mmm-yoso – Page 370

Siem Reap: Tonle Sap Lake, and being “Happy, Happy Everyday”

July 17, 2008 mmm-yoso Cambodia, Memorable Meals, Siem Reap, Travel

We didn’t quite know what to expect as we headed off to Lake Tonle Sap, we had read about it in various guidebooks, and knew it was a UNESCO Biosphere, and that it was Cambodia’s "larder", providing up to 60 percent of Cambodia’s protein. We had also read that "there isn’t much to see", and it was "an over-rated tourist trap". But Narin really wanted us to visit Tonle Sap, and we had learned over the course of the morning that he would not steer us wrong. And we did enjoy the ride down to the Lake.

And it was during this ride, that the Missus snapped what is one of my favorite photos.

It got quite dusty as we approached Tonle Sap. Approaching the boat docks, we saw huts lining the side of the roads.

A bit flimsy you say? We arrived in the midst of the dry season when the lake occupies about 2500 square kilometers. During the rainy season the lake expands to 16,000 square kilometers. When the water rises, all of these huts are disassembled, and the village is moved to higher, dry ground.

As we approached the lake, this hut drew our attention.

A generator was running full blast and car batteries were being charged up. It seemed a bit strange to us, but we’d understand soon enough.

As we approached the boat dock and causeway, the heady stench hit us, a combination of rotting organic matter and gas fumes. A sudden thought went through my mind….."this is where all the fish we’re eating comes from?"

As our boat was steered backwards using a combination of the motor, pushing, and strategic bumping of the other boats, we had a chance to look at the surroundings.

Seeing how people live here was a humbling experience. And tourism is a mixed blessing for these folks; on one hand it brings in much needed income. On the other, the pollution, invasion of space, and noise create problems of there own. Life here is hard, and you can’t help but wonder what effect you’re having……………..

Right now, it’s the rainy season, and all of this is now underwater……quite an interesting thought.

Here’s a large fish trap.

We saw 3 schools on our way to the floating village. One sponsored by Koreans, one by the Japanese, and one by the French. The most interesting thing was the enclosed basketball court.

As we motored out to Chong Khneas floating village, we passed many boats delivering various goods and necessities. These blue jugs which contain drinking water.

And there’s no minimum working age here….

As we approached Chong Khneas we could see floating houses dotting the great brown "plain" of water.

I’d heard and read of people being mobbed by children in buckets asking for money, but we were never bothered. We ended up docking at one of the Fish Farms, and Narin took us around to check out what was being raised.

You don’t want to slip and fall into this pen! Many homes have large "pens" built along the bottom of their home/boat. And it looks like the rest of Tonle Sap….brown water. But throw in some "chum", and you’ll be startled. There are thousands of fishes in these pens. Fish is the lifeblood of Cambodia, in fact Cambodia’s currency, the Riel is named after a fish.

As we strolled around the floating fish farm/convenience store/restaurant, we noticed shrimp being dried everywhere.

Stepping gingerly up a ladder to the roof, we had a nice view of the surroundings.

Droves of Korean tourists were being boated out to places like this.

It’s a floating Korean Restaurant!

Fish pens…..

After a half hour or so, we re-boarded our boat, and Narin gave the young man steering some instructions. We headed off into the heart of Chong Khneas.

The population of Tonle Sap is interesting, 60% Vietnamese, 20% Cambodian, 20% Cham. And seeing such squalid conditions can be a bit disheartening.

But something interesting happened after a few minutes. We started really noticing those little touches that make the place you live "home". Whether it’s your own little flower garden.

Or the herbs and greens you’re growing, under the wood pile.

And then there’s the neighborhood electronics store:

Remember the car batteries being charged? Narin joked that the one thing people in Cambodia cannot do without is television. Even on Tonle Sap Lake…every houseboat, no matter how small, had a television.

We were constantly reminded of the strength and resourcefulness of the people living on Tonle Sap. Check out the pigs.

I guess some people just can’t do without their pork!

And instead of people trying to sell us stuff, they were throwing kisses our way.

In some strange way we were deeply touched. And on a more practical level, I can imagine how many boatloads of tourists pass through here. Now I don’t know about you, but if truckloads of tourists came driving up and down my street, taking photos, putting my daily life under a magnifying glass, I’m not sure I’d be waving and throwing kisses at them.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not over-romanticizing life on Tonle Sap Lake; it is a very, very, hard life. But there’s something to be said about people who live in such challenging conditions who can still manage a smile and wave at the end of the day.

We were pretty quiet on the ride back to Siem Reap. Once we got into the city we started discussing options for the next day. Narin had also started to understand, "my peculiarities" by this time. As we were dropped off, he promised to take us to his favorite noodle stand for breakfast. We were told that the stand served some very special Khmer Noodles. Alright…no more Fish Amok!

Well, at least that’s what I thought. After a quick shower, we took a stroll down to the Old Market (Psar Chas) area. We had intentions on checking out one of the typical Khmer eateries surrounding the market. But while walking through "Pub Street" we were charmed by a young lady into stopping for a meal at Khmer Family Restaurant. The menu was pretty much typical tourist Khmer fare, but that was fine. The young lady who served us was named Akin, who as quick with a smile, very warm, and quite funny. She kept having problems remembering where we were from, so we kept quizzing her; "now Akin, where aaarrrre we from?" At which time she’d go down her mental list, "ummm, no, can’t be Australian….."

Most of the dishes at Khmer Family restaurant are about $3, and there are special 3 item "sets" for $8, which would save you a dollar. We didn’t want the "set" items, even though Akin seemed dead set on saving us that buck. We managed to order what we wanted. After taking our order, Akin charmed another couple into the restaurant. This couple was from Sweden, and were very nice, and fun. We usually don’t socialize much with other tourists when on vacation, but this couple we simply fantastic; mellow, well traveled(the husband had been to San Diego!), and they had a great sense of humor. During one of our conversations about our homes, they asked us what we new about Sweden, which was less than zero. If I were a bit faster, and perhaps wittier, I could have come up with, maybe ABBA…or Ikea? But the Missus beat me to the punch with; "oh, MEATBALLS!" Which sent the couple roaring with laughter. Yes, the two rubes from the States, the only thing they new about Sweden were Swedish Meatballs.

The meal was somewhat forgettable, the Missus got, duh…..Fish Amok!

Actually this was probably the best version we had during the entire trip, it had a good quantity of fish in it(probably from Tonle Sap Lake), and the flavors were more balanced.

We also had a Khmer Curry:

The vegetables were severely undercooked.

The most interesting dish of the evening was Somloo Caco (Samla Kako):

Very much like a mild green fish curry, it had a nice mild salty savory flavor. The dish supposedly had Prahok in it, but it didn’t have a particularly strong fishy flavor.

During dinner we got to know a bit more about Akin, she’s 19, and goes to school during the day. When we asked her if she’s from Siem Reap, she told us she came to Siem Reap 10 years ago to work! As it dawned on the Missus and I that 19 minus 10 equals 9, we looked at Akin, and asked her what her parents thought about this. To which she replied, "no, no mother or father, grandmother, or grandfather." Oh my, Akin was an orphan. What do you say? "Akin, we’re so sorry…." And her reply stays with me, and I repeat it almost everyday, "no worries, no worries, I’m Happy-Happy every day!" The sincerity of the way Akin said that short phrase melted every little snarky, sarcastic bone in my body. We got another surprise when we got our bill, she only charged us $8 instead of $9…she really wanted to save us that buck! As for our $2 tip? She chortled, "oh, for me, thank you, thank you." The Missus had Akin write down her name in both English and Cambodian:

It reminds me of that simple, but noble goal, to try to be "Happy-Happy every day".

Read about Wandering Chopsticks experience at Tonle Sap Lake here.

Punjabi Tandoor

July 15, 2008 mmm-yoso Indian Restaurants

A quick warning, this post is quite long, so you may want to check out moowiesqrd’s more concise post on Punjabi Tandoor, found here.

I’ll say this upfront, we know almost nothing about Indian Food. In fact, it used to be that the Missus had to be in a particular "mood" to eat Indian Food in San Diego. She’d often find the offerings to be; "butter intense", "too cheesy", "too fatty", and basically "too rich". But after eating Indian Food in Siem Reap, the Missus found Herself craving it upon Her return home. And one of the places mentioned in Chowhound, among other places, was Punjabi Tandoor. In several of the posts and comments I was quick to pick up phrases such as "my Indian friend says", which along with statements like, "I’m Chinese so I should know" always raises more questions than answers with regards to diverse cuisines. But an acquaintance of mine(who has since moved on) who is from the State of Haryana, MrR, told me that the food at Punjabi Tandoor was "humble, but quite good". Which I thought was a nice recommendation, just one of many; until I checked a map and found that Haryana is the State directly to the South of Punjab, and from what I remember reading, was originally carved out of the state of Punjab. Unfortunately, MrR moved on to, hopefully, greener pastures before I could get some specific recommendations, so we were left to our own machinations.

Punjabi Tandoor is not found in San Diego’s "Little India" on Black Mountain Road, but a bit further down the street and to your left on Activity Road. The location is a bit odd residing amongst the generic prefab offices and buildings in the area.

The restaurant is a mostly take-out joint, no frills, and the food served in, or on Styrofoam. The heady herby fragrances are everywhere once you enter the tiny restaurant.

The menu is quite large, and can be a puzzle if you haven’t much experience with Indian food, but the staff has always been nice and helpful….somewhat helpful.

There are also different "specials" listed on a greaseboard alongside the cash register.

So here’s a brief rundown of various dishes we’ve tried at Punjabi Tandoor.

Onion Bhaji($2.95):

If you’re thinking "Onion Rings", you wouldn’t be far off. These were fried to perfection, in a nicely seasoned, lacquer-like batter. Served with the standard green and red chutney, we polished this off in no time at all. What we enjoyed most of all, was that you could make out the sweet flavor of the onion.

Kadai Bakra ($8.95):

This was one of the "greaseboard" specials. Once I found out that Bakra (bakara) means goat, we were all over this dish. On the each of the 3 occasions we had this dish, the meat was very tender and moist. It could stand to be a bit more gamey in flavor, but it was fine. The depth and breath of flavors was excellent…..tangy, salty, with a slow building spiciness that was very pleasant.

There was a nice layer of fat on the top, but the result was a definite "fei ur bu ni", "rich without being greasy".

The Channa Masala ($3.95):

This was nice, not too wet and mildly spicy. At most steam-table joints, the chickpeas will be overcooked and mushy. In this case it was the opposite, the chickpeas were almost too hard.

The Bengan Bharta (Baingan Bharta – $4.95):

Eggplant that is first baked, mashed, than cooked with various herbs, onions, and tomato. This had a nice, rich, velvety texture, and good spice. It also stayed molten hot for quite a long time. Great with Nan.

Dal Makhani ($3.95). We had this twice, the first time, it had a nice smoky flavor, was mildly thick, and was very nice.

The second time, the dish had a thick "skin", which was nice, but it was very thick, and tasted too "milky".

Bhindi Masala($4.95):

The Okra was cooked to perfection, but the flavor was out of balance….just plain spicy, and not much else. It did taste better the next day.

Alu Gobi($4.95):

The Missus loved this dish. The Cauliflower and Potatoes were cooked perfectly. I barely had a shot at this one. Per the Missus, "there’s a lot going on here….."

The Garlic Nan($1.95) was not very good on the day we tried it.

It was incinerated and bitter.

On another day, the Nan($1.49):

This was a serviceable Nan….nothing out of the ordinary.

Chicken Vindalu(Vindaloo $4.95):

This was a bit puzzling to me. I’ve had Vindaloo before, and it usually has a tangy-vinegary flavor, along with a good amount of spice. This had a "cheesy-sour" flavor, and wasn’t spicy in the least. The dark meat chicken was excellent though, I could cut it with my plastic spoon.

On the left Nav Rattan Korma (mixed vegetable curry $3.95), on the right the Malai Kofta ($3.95):

The Korma was mediocre, almost bland. The Malai Kofta "sauce" was very creamy, both in texture and taste. The Kofta, fried cheese-vegetable balls, had a nice flavor, but were on the dry side.

So there you have it, a nice sampling of dishes from Punjabi Tandoor. Punjabi Tandoor may not fit the bill as a place for and "evening out", but most of the food is well flavored, and balanced, and the prices can’t be beat.

Punjabi Tandoor
9235 Activity Road
San Diego, CA 92126

Red Beans and Rice Monday

July 14, 2008 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

"Honeeeyyyy……Honeeeyyyy!" So sayeth, or screameth, the Missus one evening while I was right in the middle of one of my posts. I already know that nothing particularly good can come out of this. But the Missus is not to be denied. So what prompted the "3 alarm" call? Well, the Missus is watching some show on the Food Network, I’m not quite sure which. I’ve kind of stopped watching Food Network since reality shows have taken over. The Missus is pointing to the screen, and tells me, "I want that." So just what is "that"? Seared Foie Gras? Wagyu beef Ishiyaki(don’t laugh…I’ve been thinking about it)? No, it was Red Beans and Rice! Huh? Talk about a "Latkes moment".

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, even though I haven’t been to New Orleans(yet) in the late 90’s, I spent a year and a half working in places like Atlanta, Columbus(Georgia), Fort Smith(Arkansas), Lawton(Oklahoma), and such. And I really enjoyed the food, though I never developed a taste for Chitlins. Still, I’ve never tried to make Red Beans and Rice. And of course, knowing the Missus, there were certain ~~requests~~ demands to be followed, "ummm, no bacon fat, and I don’t want it to be too fatty." Talk about spoiling all of my fun. Luckily, this request came during the July 4th weekend, and I was already set on going to Iowa Meat Farms. I really like the Ham Hocks they sell, they have a decent amount of meat, and are really nice and smokey.

So what’s with the Red Beans and Rice on Monday thing? From what I’ve read, Monday was traditionally wash day. So using the left over ham bone from Sunday supper, and slow cooking it with beans would be meal that could be left simmering, while you were busy doing the wash.

So this is what I came up with…it is probably different from any of other 1 million or so versions of Red Beans and Rice, but the Missus enjoyed it.

Red Beans and Rice

1 lb Red Beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked overnight
1 good sized ham hock – or large meaty ham bone
Water
2 (about 1/2lb) Andouille Sausage
1 onion chopped fine
1 bell pepper chopped fine
1/2 Cup celery chopped fine
3-4 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Cayenne
2 Bay leaves
2 Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
3-4 Tb(or more) Hot Sauce – I used Crystal Hot Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Chopped scallions for garnish

1 – Drain beans, and place into a pot with the Ham Hock, and bring to a boil. Skim off foam. Reduce to a simmer and cover.

2 – Prick the andouille sausage, and cook over medium heat in a skillet. Turn and brown, and allow for the fat to be released from the sausage(no bacon fat, eh? Thanks for the tip Mark Bittman!). When the sausage is browned remove from pan, and cut into chunks(it doesn’t have to be fully cooked).

3 – Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper in the pan, and cook in the sausage fat. When the trinity starts getting translucent, add chunks of sausage back into the pan, along with the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes break down.

4 – When the ham hock is tender(this was about 2 hours) remove the ham hock, strip off all the meat, chop, and return to pot. Add all the spices and garlic, simmer for 15 minutes, taste, and adjust salt and pepper.

5 – Add the sausage and vegetable mixture, and cook until the texture of the beans are to your preference.

6 – Just before finishing, I removed bout 1/4 of the beans with a slotted spoon and mashed them up to thicken the mixture.

7 – Garnish with chopped scallions, and add hot sauce to taste.

A couple of things; remember to crush the dry herbs before adding them. The andouille sausage from Iowa Meat Farms tasted a bit different from what I was used to, more like linguica, but I don’t think it affected the dish much.

What about the other ham hock?

Well, the Missus also wanted some collard greens, so that’s what ended up happening. Lots of rinsing, trimming’ and slicing.

There were a couple of problems with this…..the Missus decided to start in on the collard greens before I thought they were ready. And She finished all of them….I used 3 bunches of collard greens. I don’t think I’ll include a recipe, since it’s really not much at all. But I will add a little equation for you:

Red Beans + Collard Greens = you get the picture, right?

Sammy, you better stay upwind from Momma tonight!

Hunan Smoked Pork and Fresh Bamboo Shoots

July 12, 2008 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

While in Phnom Penh, when not checking things out, or eating, the Missus was glues to the television…..and the 3 Taiwanese channels!!! Beyond the various soap operas, there were a few Taiwanese cooking shows; and one of them featured Fresh Bamboo Shoots. Needless to say, the Missus was smitten, and upon returning home, She requested a dish using Fresh Bamboo Shoots. Fresh Bamboo was pretty rare when I was growing up, and quite expensive as well. We had a neighbor, whose son would, on occasion, return from "hiking" with Fresh Shoots. These were usually eaten raw, as "sashimi", or after a few days, simmered in the water left from rinsing rice. I've read that rice bran is also used instead of the rinse water to cook Bamboo Shoots. Needless to say, the shoots we bought weren't what I would call super fresh, but they would pass muster in a stir fry.

It just so happened that we had a ton of leftover rice, and we really don't keep rice bran in the house…..so remembering the cooking show, I used 1/8 of a cup of rice instead. I cut off about 2 inches of the top of the shoot at an angle, and also about a half inch of the bottom, which had become hard. Brought the bamboo shoot to a boil, reduced the heat to a mild simmer, covered, and simmered for about an hour and a half. I knew it was cooked when I could pass a skewer rather easily into the shoot. I left it to cool in the water. Although most recipes recommend adding a few chilies to the liquid to reduce bitterness, I didn't do that. After the shoot is cool, you proceed to peel the thing. I cut off the tender tip, and gave it to the Missus as a snack. She thought it was fairly sweet, and loved the "crunch".

So what to do with the beast? Having left over Hunan Smoked Pork from another recipe, we decided that a simple stir-fry with the smoked pork and leeks on the Big Kahuna would do fine.

This is so easy, it's kind of embarrassing…..but it just shows that the simpler the better. You can do a number of things with the recipe…add chilies, other veggies, and so forth.

Hunan Smoked Pork and Fresh Bamboo Shoots.

1/4 Sliced Hunan Smoked Pork
1 Bamboo Shoot sliced
1 Leek Sliced
2 Tb Good Quality Light Soy Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 – In a hot wok stir fry pork until it releases some fat.

2 – Add Bamboo Shoots and stir fry, until fragrant, and it starts getting tender.

3 – Add soy sauce, and leek, and stir fry until leek is tender, but not soft and mushy.

4 – Reduce heat, taste, and adjust flavoring.

Siem Reap: Angkor Wat

July 10, 2008 mmm-yoso Cambodia, Siem Reap, Travel

After a quick, distracted, lunch, we headed across the street and walked, albeit slowly, in the heat(temp in triple digits, and almost equal humidity) to the causeway leading to Angkor Wat. The benefit to visiting Angkor Wat during high noon is the lack of tourists. As Narin explained to me later, "after lunch, during the hottest time of the day, all the Japanese and Korean tourist head back to the hotel for a rest. The European tourist are visiting the other temples, and will return later in the afternoon, and stay for the sunset." And he was right, the only other folks we saw were Cambodian and Thai.

Angkor Wat was built by Suryavarman II and is dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu God who is the preserver and protector of creation. One of the texts I read, mentioned that during the time of Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat was known as Vrah Vishnuloka, "the sacred home of Vishnu." Suryavarman II identified himself so closely to Vishnu, that when he died he was given the name Paramavishnuloka – "he who has entered the supreme paradise of Vishnu". Almost a thousand years later, Angkor Wat is so ingrained into Cambodia’s National Identity, that all you need to do is to look the Cambodian flag:

Angkor Wat is famous for the spectacular Bas-reliefs that line the walls of the first terrace.

These "galleries" if you will, document great historical events, and significant Hindu legends. The galleries are meant to be viewed in a counter-clockwise direction, and we started from the Southwest corner. There’s so much here, that I won’t delve into them much. I think you’ll enjoy the photos. Click on any of the photos to enlarge.

Panel 1 – Depicts the story of the Mahabharata.

Panel 2 – Suryavarman II and his army.

This is a well known bas-relief of Suryavarman II shaded by 15 parasols:

Panel 3 – The Heaven and Hell Gallery is broken into two; the top shows heaven where people live the leisurely life.

On the bottom terrible punishments are inflicted in hell. People chopped in half, eaten by animals, and forced to watch Jerry Springer Show reruns.

Panel 4 – Is probably the most famous Bas-relief, the Churning the Sea of Milk, the Hindu creation myth. Unfortunately, part of the gallery was undergoing restoration.

The most famous portion, that of Vishnu in the middle of the 92 Gods and 88 Demons in a tug of war for the elixir of immortality was in full display.

Panel 5 – Vishnu conquering the demons.

Panel 6 – Battle between Krishna and Bana.

Panel 7 – The 21 Gods fighting the demons.

Panel 8 – The Battle of Lanka

I’m sure by now you’re relieved that I’m done with the bas-reliefs, no? Near the end of our little "tour", the Missus saw a flash of orange…it was a Monk, enjoying the bas-reliefs. Intrigued, She insisted we follow Him. I had my reservations, "There’s something just wrong about stalking a Monk. This is bad, we may get punished by being sent to one of the 32 hells….the one where we have to watch all of the episodes of Golden Girls." "Hurry up, he’s turning the corner, let’s go!"

Though the bas-reliefs are the main draw of Angkor Wat, there were a few other things we enjoyed. Among them was the Hall of Echoes in the first terrace. If you lean back against the wall of this small room, and thump your chest, you’ll hear and feel the vibration echo throughout the room. Who needs Disneyland?

There’s much to see, much more than I could ever hope to capture in a single post. Here are a few more photos:

After visiting the other terraces, we were amazed…it was already 230! As we left the temple, a wave of tourists started pouring into Angkor Wat.

More on Angkor Wat from Wandering Chopsticks can be found here.

As we left Angkor Wat, Narin met us with fresh cut pineapple, iced towelettes, and iced water. We’d been out since 520 am. As we drove away, Narin, who’d started to get to know us, asked us if we’d like to visit Tonle Sap Lake. Having read in various guides to Cambodia that Tonle Sap was a bit of a tourist trap, we weren’t quite sure. But Narin said, "I think you would like it." He also told us not to worry, we’ll take care of the entrance and boat, and he wouldn’t charge us extra for time and mileage. Because of all the questions we asked, he really wanted us to see Tonle Sap Lake.

And because this is a food blog…….

While I was in the tour office purchasing entrance to Tonle Sap, the Missus caught a whiff of something that put Her on high alert:

It was the fragrance of the roasted sweet potatoes.

The Missus couldn’t help Herself, and bought a couple. The Missus devoured one, and She gave one to Narin, and saved one for later. Per the Missus, these were moist, roasted perfectly, sweet, and were the best She’s had since childhood. Sweet potato – sweet memories……

Coming up – Tonle Sap Lake.

Fredcel Lumpias & Catering Restaurant

July 9, 2008 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants, Sisig

This one is thanks to "Dee" who emailed me, and asked what I thought about Fredcel….. I had heard about them, but just in passing. I didn't realize they were located right off University on 38th street. The reason I hadn't seen them before is that I usually zoom by that intersection, and they are located a door or two down the street. But if you look for the bright yellow building, you can't miss them.

After breakfast at El Salvador Pupuseria y Restaurante, I walked on over. They were closed, but just the photo of the Sisig was enough to bring me back. I don't think I've ever been able to walk away from Sisig.

A few days later, I finally made my way to Fredcel, and walked through the door, tripping the "beeper". The interior is spartan, but clean. The tinsel around the pole made me smile…..it was cheesy, in a nice way.

The steam table held about 10 various offerings. A quiet, but nice young man helped us. I was again with MG, and we were picking up lunch for a couple of us. He was so quiet, that MG first thought he didn't speak Tagalog…..he did of course. The prices here are "bargain city". One item plus rice or pancit is $3.99, two items $4.99, a third item is $2 more.

On this day I decided on the Kaldereta Baka(Beef Kaldereta) and Sisig(my lucky day):

The portion size is not quite the ginormous Tita's Kitchenette-sized plate, but I've heard that prices have now gone over $6 at Tita's. And of course, we don't have to put up with the attitude.

The Kaldereta was interesting. The beef looked tough, but it was fairly tender, with a "fat cap". The flavor was a bit lacking in the tangy, tomato department, in addition it had a bell pepper flavor, without a hint of "heat". It was also too thin and watery. To me, it looked almost looked like a weak Beef Mechado, but I was told it was Kaldereta.

The Sisig was pretty good, at least to my taste. It had a nice bracing, puckery, vinegar flavor, a mild amount of heat, and the Lechon Kawale was still crisp. It was not greasy. A very pleasant version of Sisig.

Speaking of Lechon Kawale……I somehow managed to rationalize("this is going to be 2 meals, so don't worry"), and justify purchasing an order($2) of Lechon Kawale. Mainly because it was sitting there looking all golden and lovely. As Lechon Kawale goes, this was fair to good, crisp but not hard, the fat portions were nice and buttery, and the meat, though on the dry side was not too bad. It was a bit on the bland side, and the lechon sauce was nice, not too sweet, not too "livery".

I did end up sharing everything, which made me feel a bit better. Altogether not a bad meal.

Recently, the Missus was looking to ordering some lumpia for a party. Not wanting to drive all the way down to National City, I mentioned that the prices at Fredcel were pretty good – 100 lumpia/$30. In order to check out the lumpia, I made a Fredcel run.

Man the plate had a ton of rice on it! What really impressed me as I chomped on my lumpia(I needed a quick taste), was that I was given 6 lumpia! I ate one before deciding to take a photo. The lumpia was not bad, lots of filling, decent flavor, not oily, fairly crisp. Can't ask for much more. I'm not a big fan of the sweet and sour sauce though. It is a neon red, teeth hurting sweet concoction, that has hardened to almost a jelly like texture.

Even though I had arrived at 1130, there were only 4 items on the steam table; pork adobo(of course), the kaldereta, pinakbet(which in retrospect is what I should have ordered), and Menudo, which is what I ordered. The menudo was fairly bland, and was probably the least favorite item I've had from Fredcel.

Before we had checked out Fredcel, MG and I had wondered if people enjoyed this place simply because it was the only place that served Filipino food in the vicinity. But overall, the food was decent, and it's a good value to boot. And the Missus is ordering the lumpia from Fredcel for Her party……..

Fredcel Lumpia & Catering
3876 38th Street
San Diego, CA 92105

Open – Mon-Sat 9am-9pm
Sun 9am – 7pm

Thanks for letting me know about Fredcel Dee!

Sunday Shopping

July 6, 2008 mmm-yoso Markets & Grocers, yoso-silly

Are food prices affecting the way you shop? That was the question posed by Caron, who does the fine San Diego Foodstuff Blog, in her May 28th post. I recall reading the post, and for some reason it has occupied a place in the back of my mind for several weeks. If you’re like us, fuel and food price increases have had an effect on how you shop, eat, and play. I’ve noticed that we’ve been eating at home more. And over the last couple of months, there’s been sort of a shopping "rotation" that occurs on either Saturday or Sunday. And at first I thought the rotation was purely random, until I realized that there was a reason, some of them having nothing to do with $$$ cost, but still a reason for doing things in the order I chose. Yes, you’ll finally be able to get a look into the anal-retentive mind of yours truly. I’ve always been a bit odd in that way. My late Mother always enjoyed kidding me about my childhood hobby of reading flight schedules. I remember my favorites were the schedules of the now defunct Western Airlines(who remembers, "It’s the oooonly way to fly!" ). I also hate crowds, so early weekend mornings are best for me, even back "home", my friends used to kid me, saying, "you like to shop with the Obachans(Japanese for Grandmothers)".

So the mmm-yoso express is taking off…….

Stop 1 – Henry’s Farmer’s Market – Clairemont:

Why? Well first off, the place opens early, 7am. I usually get there at about 800-815. There are always a few cars in the parking lot, but the place is pretty empty. This location of Henry’s is also only 3 miles from our house.

For what? Mostly cheap, basic produce. And the Missus always has a list of bulk items. The mid-week ad helps us decide.

Henry’s Farmers Market
4439 Genesee Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

Stop 2 – 99 Ranch Market:

Why? Next stop, 3 miles from Henry’s, and 99 Ranch Market opens at 8am. I’m usually there a bit after 830 (you’ll see why next). I hate crowds, and especially hate the shopping cart demolition derby that occurs later on in the day. It’s nice to see the parking lot looking like this.

At this time of the day you won’t have to worry about coming back to your car to find a whole new set of dings in your door.

For What? All the Chinese ingredients that are running low at home. Chinese greens, and other vegetables, the fruit at 99 Ranch is a bit disappointing. And if you want help at the meat or seafood counter you never have to worry about getting "hip-checked" by grandma…..

The empty aisles also allow for some nice browsing. No matter how many times I shop here, I always find something Id never seen before. I’ve mentioned my preference for shopping here at an early hour before.

"Chinese Spaghetti Sauce" anyone?

99 Ranch Market
7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Stop 3 – Zion Marketplace:

Why? Only 1.24 miles from 99Ranch Market. Zion also opens at 9am…even on "Holy Days". This is one market that gets crowded pretty quickly, so I want to get in and out ASAP. I’ve been jostled, knocked aside, and almost run over by many customers here. I want my shopping experience to be as enjoyable as possible, not something akin to a blood sport. Plus, this parking lot is hell…even with the parking lot across the street. Seeing it like this brings a smile to my face.

What for? Zion always has fruit on sale, also the garlic is usually the cheapest and best quality, along with other produce. Of course there’s the panchan, and the meat. Among other things….

Zion Marketplace
4611 Mercury St
San Diego, CA 92111

Stop 4 – Nijiya Market:

Why?: 1 mile from Zion, Nijiya opens at 9am but is not as busy until later on.

What For? Most Japanese staples, some fish, one of the few places we’ll by chicken. Has always been our dependable standby.

Nijiya Market
3860 Convoy St Ste 109
San Diego, CA 92111

Sometimes I’ll drop by First Korean Market, but usually it’s.

Stop 5 – Mitsuwa Marketplace:

Why? .41 miles from Nijiya. I know it’s backtracking, but there’s a reason. Mitsuwa opens at 9am.

What For? Stuff I can’t find at Nijiya. I enjoy selection of tsukemono at Niitakaya’s little "alcove".

Mitsuwa Marketplace
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd Ste 119
San Diego, CA 92111

Stop 6 – Marukai:

Why? Marukai opens at 930, that’s why I backtrack. .34 miles from Mitsuwa.

What For? We get the monthly ads for Marukai, and because all the sale items are sold at LA/OC prices, they are pretty cheap. So we can plan on what we need from Marukai.

Marukai Market
8151 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111

Sometimes, I’ll hit Vien Dong on Linda Vista, and backtrack home on Genesee. Or like on this morning, I’m finished at 940…just in time for Costco…..

So, how have gas prices affected your eating and shopping habits?

So, what’s cooking this (long) weekend?

July 5, 2008 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

It’s really nice when Independence Day falls either on a Friday or Monday. You really get to enjoy a nice long weekend. I usually do double duty on the first weekend in July….both to celebrate the 4th, and to celebrate Sammy and Frankie’s Birthday. This year, instead of grilling, I decided to stay indoors. I dropped by Iowa Meat Farms and grabbed a 2lb Beef Tenderloin. If anything, I’ve always gotten pretty good service at IMF, they cut and tied a tenderloin while I waited. I also picked up some beef rib bones for Da’ Boyz. At home I sliced off about one-fourth of the tenderloin, this was their share. I seasoned the tenderloin well, and seared it in my cast iron skillet, and finished in the oven. No rocket science, here.

While waiting for the tenderloin to finish, I smoked some corn in my stovetop smoker.

I had also browned the Da’ Boyz share of meat and bones, thrown that in the oven as well. Sammy, who really doesn’t care much for all the chopping, hacking, and pounding in the kitchen, going against character, kept hanging around. I think he knew something was up.

As much as I love Beef Tenderloin, I enjoy Beef Tenderloin sandwiches even more! So while I’m waiting for the beef to finish off, I prepped some Roasted Mushrooms. This time, I just used some white button and criminis. After mixing, I dumped it on a large piece of foil, made s double layer of mushrooms:

I folded up the foil into a little pouch. I also sliced 4 bulbs of garlic crosswise, topped with sea salt and olive oil, and wrapped in aluminum foil.

Then I started up on some mirin caramelized onions. Real easy stuff:

Mirin Caramelized Onions

2 medium sweet onions sliced
4-6 Tb Mirin
2-3 Tb White Sugar
2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Cracked Pepper to Taste

1 – Place onions is a cool dry pan.
2 – Turn heat to medium. Stir onions every few minutes.
3 – After about 5 minutes, when onions start to soften, add Olive Oil, 2 Tb Sugar, Salt and pepper, and stir.
4 – When onions have started getting translucent add 3 Tb mirin, stir turn heat down to low, and cover.
5 – Check onions and stir about every 5 minutes or so. When onions start getting "sticky" taste, and adjust flavoring.
6 – When onions are golden, soft, and "sticky" they are ready.

You can adjust the recipe for any number of uses…add garlic, butter, rosemary, oregano, balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper, etc, etc… I gave "ballpark" amounts, because they’ll have to be adjusted based on the sweetness of the onions.

So, even though I had a nice Beef Tenderloin Salad.

I was thinking ahead to today’s sandwich:

Some prepared Horseradish mixed with roasted garlic, a layer of beef tenderloin, a layer of mirin caramelized onions, some roasted mushrooms….

On Ciabatta I got from Bread and Cie. Topped with local tomatoes(from the Fruit Stand), onion sprouts, and arugula.

Of course while eating the sandwich, I was already thinking ahead. Hmmm, maybe a nice pasta with the roasted mushrooms and garlic?

We hope everyone is having a fun, safe, and delici-yoso long weekend!

Siem Reap: Morning at the Temples of Angkor

July 3, 2008 mmm-yoso Cambodia, Siem Reap, Travel

I know many have been waiting for more on the Siem Reap portion of our trip. The biggest problem for me is trying to figure out which photos to use. Over the course of our trip we took over 4500 photos, and discarded many. But we are still left with about 3700! But without further ado, let’s move forward.

We had no problem waking at 430 am in anticipation of our 520 pick-up. The combination of our still present jet lag, and our excitement over-rode our internal clocks. Our Driver, Narin was there to pick us up exactly at 520am. Narin seemed to be a very nice, mild-mannered, calm individual, and once the Missus started up with Her incessant questions(everything but "why is the sky blue") , Narin warmed up and started smiling a lot more. He took us to get our passes(with your photo), and asked us what we had in mind, and helped us plot out the day. And soon we were off. On some very good advice, we had decided on hiring only a driver. Drivers are allowed to drop off and pick-up tourists, but not enter the temples. Only official guides (costs $2000, + a test, + some, ummm, "connections") are allowed on Temple grounds. At every site you’re supposed to show your pass to the guards. Some are a bit more diligent than others.

The main reason for the early wake-up was for the sunrise at Angkor Wat. We looked for the classic shot of sunrise at Angkor Wat, from the pool on the Northwest side.

What this photo doesn’t show is that everyone else is trying for the same shot.

Even though we had been told by several people how annoying all the clicking of the cameras and jockeying for position was, we never did get that feeling. Perhaps deciding to visit during the hottest month of the year wasn’t too bad an idea. By this time we decided to extricate ourselves from the crowd, crossed over the causeway and took more photos of the sunrise.

Knowing that we’d be returning later that day, we quickly made our way back out to the car. we quickly arrived at Phnom Bakheng. Phnom Bakheng, situated up a hill(sometimes called, "The Strong Hill") was one of the first major temples built in the Angkor era, at about the 9th Century AD. It is believed that the first capital of the Khmer Empire, Yaśodharapura(City that Bestows Glory) was built around the Phnom Bakheng, by Yasovarman I. Due to the hilltop location, Phnom Bakheng is usually packed with tourists during sunsets. All this traffic has badly damaged the original stairways up the mountain, which are now closed off.

Instead, a trail wound it’s way around the mountain, and since it was still fairly early in the morning, the weather was still cool, and we only had the constant electrical buzzing of Cicadas to keep us company for the short walk up the hill.

Having the Phnom Bakheng to ourselves only heightened the feeling of awe and wonder.

And while the Missus was climbing about exploring, I just circled. I still had some reservations about walking on the ruins. And though I would get over the feeling that I was somehow a party to destruction, the thought was always hovering about in the background.

Because this site is elevated it is very popular during sunset. In fact, I’ve heard it’s downright sardine city! During the evenings you can catch elephant rides up and down the mountain as well.

The next stop, Angkor Thom. Many persons I know who have heard of Angkor Wat, believe that Angkor Wat is the only ruin in Siem Reap. They’ve never heard of the "Great City", Angkor Thom. In the 12th Century, the Kingdom of Champa, and the Khmers were at war. In 1166, the Khmer ruler Yasovarman II was assassinated, supposedly by one of his subordinates, Tribhuvanāditya. Sensing the instability in the region, the Cham, in war canoes crossed Tonle Sap Lake and invaded Angkor, destroying Yaśodharapura, and killing Tribhuvanāditya. under the leadership of the person soon to known as King Jayavarman VII the Cham were defeated and driven out. Seems that Jayavarman VII was quite the builder, and one of his greatest achievements was the centralized city of Angkor Thom. I’ve read accounts that have said that within the 9 square kilometers that comprised Angkor Thom resided anywhere from 100,000(low end) to over a million(high end estimate) people. After reading a bit more about Angkor Thom, I couldn’t help but admire the combination of practicality: the city was surrounded by walls 8 meters high, and huge moats, that provided water, as well as protection. Hard to believe from this pastoral scene, but I was told that they used to have the moats filled with crocodiles….for a bit of extra "insurance".

And spirituality: From accounts I’ve read, Jayavarman VII was a fervent Buddhist, so when he was inaugurated, so was Buddhism, replacing Hinduism. I’ve also read that when the Khmer fell to the Cham, so did their faith and belief in Hinduism.

The South Gate is probably the most famous entrance to Angkor Thom. The entrance portal was built to accommodate elephants entering the city.

The causeway to the gate is guarded by 54 "Gods" on one side:

And 54 "Demons" on the other:

It makes for quite a sight. You can read more on The East Gate, and on Angkor in general on Wandering Chopsticks post here.

For me, the one thing that always stood out, and what I consider to be sort of the "trademark" of Jayavarman VII is this:

Each head faces one of the four cardinal directions.

If that weren’t enough, our next stop was one of my favorites. The Bayon. From afar, it looks like a pile of ruins, with spires rising out of it.

But each of those "towers", holds 4 faces, each face has that mysterious, sly-knowing smile….the "smile of Angkor". According to literature, there used to be 54(yes, numerology is very strong) towers, but now only 37 exist at this temple.

The Bas-reliefs at the Bayon are also magnificent. They are carved much deeper into the sandstone, really projecting the various scenes. I’ll go into these a bit later on. We enjoyed The Bayon so much, we decided to return later on.

The temple consists of 3 enclosing walls and a top terrace, where the forest of towers reside. There are a few stairways, and one good metal staircase. You need to watch your step, some of the stairs are really worn down.

At the top you can get up close and personal with the faces. One thing I noticed, look through any window, and you’ll see at least one, or more heads. I’m sure this was by design. But it really gave me a strange and eerie feeling. The only feeling more strange than those provided by those enigmatic faces, was that in the back of what little grey matter still exists, I could hear the faint sound of a song:

"I always feel that somebody’s watchin’ me
And I have no privacy
I always feel that somebody’s watchin’ me
Is it just a dream?"

Egad! You gotta be kiddin’ me…..I’m standing among one of the great wonders of the world, and the best I can do is a "Bad 80’s" song by Rockwell?

Now for the, "yes we’re tourists, and sometimes we do cheesy tourist things" portion. The Missus had always wanted to do this…so for $10 a person, we rode an elephant around the Bayon. I was a bit concerned for the elephant’s sake, but was told that if this elephant wasn’t giving rides, it would be doing logging work. So I guess this is the lesser of 2 evils. So what about the ride? It’s bumpy, and really no big deal. We can now cross the elephant ride off our list….no need to do it again. We were also told that the elephants have set hours, with breaks. Must be a pretty good union…. We did see elephants trotting "home" for lunch. They can move pretty fast.

Our next stop was the Baphuon, just North of the Bayon. The Baphuon was built around 1060, and is still undergoing restoration. For us, the most interesting feature of this temple is the raised sandstone causeway leading to the temple.

It’s hard to see that the causeway is raised in that photo, so maybe this is a better one:

Here’s a view from under the causeway:

Next stop was the Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of the Elephants. The place was fairly crowded when we arrived, but we enjoyed the view, and the various amazing Bas-reliefs.

We took a walk across the road to Prasat Suor Prat, the so called "towers of the tightrope walkers".

The most popular story is that tightrope walkers walked on ropes tied from tower to tower. Another says that the 12 towers were used to resolve disputes. The individuals were placed in different towers, and after a few days the person who was in the wrong would become ill. To his day no one is sure.

Behind Prasat Suor Prat are 2 buildings called the Khleangs.

No one is sure what the purpose of these buildings are.

After walking about, Narin asked us if he could drop us off for lunch. One of his customers needed a ride to the airport. We would have lunch at one stands across from Angkor Wat, and than head on over to Angkor Wat right across the street. This wasn’t a problem with us. We just wanted something small to eat…the combination of excitement and heat had repressed our appetites.

The menu at this place was pretty extensive…but the Missus wanted…drum roll please! Yep, Fish Amok($8.00):

We had a large order, which was served in a coconut…all it needed was an little umbrella to complete the picture. Actually, this tasted much better than what we had at Khmer Kitchen. Much richer, and not as sweet.

And after having all of that very low grade rice in Vietnam, we really enjoyed the rice.

Of course, I was a bit distracted….because right across the way some "dancing girls" were calling to me…..

Pho Ca Dao – Mira Mesa

July 2, 2008 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

I don’t know what it is, but this year, even as we approach the heat of summer, I’ve still been eating Pho. What’s even more interesting, the Missus, never a big fan of Pho, has now developed a taste for it. Recently, we had decided on grabbing a bite at Pho Ca Dao on El Cajon Boulevard. But realizing that we had never eaten at the Mira Mesa location, and since the Missus was having one of Her "I’m so easy going" moments, headed off in that direction instead.

One thing became very apparent as we entered the restaurant. It was very clean, and the folks working were smiling, and quite friendly. No having to know what to order before your butt hits the Naugahyde here. Looking around, I thought I was eating in, perhaps a Marie Callenders?

We saw Servers getting balloons for kids, chatting up the customers. No, menu’s weren’t dealt out on the table like Texas Hold’em, no one hovering around in the "universal Pho ordering stance". They really put you at ease.

The Missus, feeling that it was a bit too hot for Pho, went with the Bun Bi Cha Gio($5.70):

The portion size was quite good, but the Bi(shredded pork and pork skin) was dry, the noodles mushy, and the Nuoc Mam Cham(fish sauce dip) tasted watered down. The Cha Gio("egg rolls") were crisp and hot.

Having not visited this location of Pho Ca Dao, I wasn’t sure what meat offerings were done well here. So I went with the Pho Dac Biet(special – $5.50):

The garnishes were on the skimpy side, but did include Ngo Gai(Saw leaf herb – Culantro) that was starting to brown. On the good side, this place was so accommodating that I could request a bit more basil and Ngo Gai without worrying about ending up with a sharpened pencil in my neck.

The broth had a nice light brown color, and was relatively clear. It also had a nice clove-anise "nose" to it. Unfortunately, this didn’t translate to the flavor, which was overwhelmingly salty. The Rare Steak was decent, not too dry, the very scant amount of tripe was fine, the brisket had nice flavor, but was on the dry side. Just like it’s namesake on El Cajon Boulevard, it’s the tendon that stands out. It is perhaps not as soft and buttery, but it is close enough.

Like I mentioned earlier, we had very friendly and accommodating service. This alone put us into a nice, relaxed state. Even the the wanna be "Gangsta’s" hanging out in the parking lot looked at lot more like over-fed Mama’s Boyz who went on a shopping spree at a gold shop, than hardened young men. I’m not sure if I’ll be eating here again soon, but I wouldn’t feel bad if I had to.

Pho Ca Dao
8373 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

Open 7am-9pm Daily