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The banh mi sandwich @ Auberge du Soleil, with a yellow and green bean salad (not pictured: Auberge's unrivaled patio view).
Back when I first moved to the Napa Valley, I took a job as a line cook at Auberge du Soleil, and despite two years of chef school and several years of prior professional experience, Auberge proved to be an education unto itself. It not only redefined my standards, but it also redefined stress and adrenaline. These elements are inseparable, especially with Michelin-star cooking, and I reserve so much respect and admiration for the line cooks who [... read more ...]
Fit for a king: Chicharron de Pollo @ Limon Rotisserie.
I first visited Limon Rotisserie a few years ago, shortly after the restaurant had opened (back then, Limon Rotisserie was the new spin-off of Limon, San Francisco’s wildly popular Peruvian restaurant, also located within the Mission District). I ordered the ceviche de pescado and the chicharron de pollo; the former dish was awfully good, but the latter dish marked a small revelation. Who knew that fried chicken could take such exotic directions, but still maintain its inherent deliciousness? Pictured above, the chicharron de pollo offers exactly what its [... read more ...]
Although the panko-crusted pork cutlet has captured the spotlight, the show-stopper is the rusty-red curry sauce itself, pictured at the upper right.
When I used to live in West Los Angeles, I learned to take full advantage of the wonderful Japanese eateries that dotted Sawtelle Boulevard (additionally, I was no stranger to Sawtelle’s all-night karaoke scene). Among my favorite restaurants, Hurry Curry of Tokyo offered a terrific pork cutlet, and this dish soon became a weekly staple during my post-college years. Although curry finds its true roots in India, curry was first introduced in Japan by the British [... read more ...]
End-of-the-year recaps present a great opportunity to “re-purpose” some old content (I learned this valuable euphemism during the dot-com era). Here are 10 dishes that I really enjoyed this year, in no particular order. I’m not saying this list comprises my top 10 dishes for the year, but some of them could definitely qualify. Clicking the photos will transport you back to the original article — and perhaps, a much simpler time and place.
Crispy shrimp with ginger and onions @ Huong Tra, Richmond.
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Flounder special @ Yuet Lee, San Francisco.
What most Americans would recognize as “Chinese food” is far more likely to be Chinese-American, than anything truly Chinese. That said, it may seem surprising that there’s no chop suey or General Tso’s chicken in China, at least not as we know them. The staunch food-snob might label these Americanized dishes as a bastardization of the original form, although I feel that “bastardization” is much too strong of a term. Okay, if the food is served from a steam-table, then it probably is a bastardization. But whether it’s a buffet set-up or not, mom-and-pop Chinese restaurants outnumber McDonald’s franchises [... read more ...]
Photo by Anne Fishbein, LA Weekly, 2010.
These days, I see lots of food photos. When you consider all the blogs, the magazines, and the cookbooks that have become available, there is so much more today than there was yesterday, and amazingly, there will be even more tomorrow. The photo above really caught my eye this afternoon, as I was flipping through the LA Weekly’s top food photos for 2010. I rely on the LA Weekly almost exclusively to keep up with Los Angeles food culture (as I did when I lived there for 10 years). The last [... read more ...]
"Gastronomical Map of China" as published in "The Chinese Festive Board." Click the image for more detail…
Originally published in 1935, “The Chinese Festive Board” offers a brief-yet-comprehensive overview of Chinese cuisine, including etiquette, sample menus and an impressively extensive food glossary. The core of the book, however, is its collection of 50 recipes, which addresses the basic foundation of Chinese cookery. The specific edition of “The Chinese Festive Board” that I found was a sturdy paperback from 1985, published by Oxford Press Hong Kong, and featuring the pictogram map presented above (this clever line-drawing provides the design [... read more ...]
How much for just one rib? Sweet ginger pork spare ribs with basmati rice and steamed vegetables.
As the weather’s become cooler, I’ve become increasingly fascinated with curries. Both rich and filling, curry certainly ranks among the great comfort foods of the world. I had ventured over to Sa Wad Dee Thai for some green curry today, but when I sat down to order, the owner sold me on the daily lunch special, which was sweet ginger pork ribs with basmati rice, pictured above. It happens. Perhaps she sensed that I was a proponent of pork, or maybe [... read more ...]
Better than the photo: The Garlic Pork Ramen @ Ramen Dojo, San Mateo.
I must admit, the garlic pork broth at Ramen Dojo caught me a little bit off guard last week, as I had to stifle a small cough after the first jolt of pepper hit the back of my throat. Wow, I thought, this is the regular spicy? Okay, then. As my eyes began to water, I wondered, have I totally lost my edge? Maybe so. I chased the first spoonful of soup with a healthy swig of oolong iced tea, then readied my taste buds [... read more ...]
The Shōyu Ramen with Kurobuta Pork @ Santa Ramen, San Mateo.
Despite my best attempts, the lack of natural lighting at Santa Ramen lends itself to some pretty garish photographs, heavily contrasted, and vaguely reminiscent of a 70s-era cookbook. I normally wouldn’t publish a photo like the one posted above, but what other choice do I have? Santa Ramen does not offer to-go orders, and none of their tables border any windows (which all face east, allowing for almost zero afternoon sun). The restaurant itself is tucked away into an unassuming San Mateo strip mall, sharing a parking [... read more ...]
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