tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79942639572927583552024-02-18T23:47:36.462-08:00My Cubicle LunchNot content to settle for Lean Cuisine or what drops from the vending machine's loins, I make every meal at the office at least as good as what I could make at home.Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-19807397225944619092009-08-24T13:33:00.000-07:002009-08-24T13:51:49.846-07:00My Double Disappointment in America's Eating HabitsIs it the return of Atkins, or something even more diabolical?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.foodgeekery.com/reviews/double-down-with-kfc/" target="_blank">Foodgeekery.com</a> says KFC is creating a bacon sandwich which ditches the bun in favor or two fried chicken breasts. It called the <a href="http://consumerist.com/5342699/kfc-has-a-bacon-sandwich-that-uses-fried-chicken-as-bread" target="_blank">Double Down.</a><br /><img src="http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/consumerist/2009/08/8-21-2009_12-16-10_PM.jpg" alt="KFC double down" /><br /><br />Is that "double down" as in the type of bet you'll have to place in Vegas to win enough money to pay for dad's triple bypass? Is it a measure of how depressed you'll feel after gaining 80 pounds and losing your girlfriend? Not just <i>down</i> ... <b>double.</b><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vLwEZRf3www&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vLwEZRf3www&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Is this a hoax? Possibly, but if so, bravo on not only the quality of the food shot and studio lighting, but also taking it guerilla artiste by using a low-grade video phone to record the real-as-you-believe-it-to-be commercial as if a teenager was witnessing a tiger clearing the fence at the zoo (the teenager in this scenario was later devoured -- and we all know that teenagers are the only thing on the planet less healthful than the KFC Double Down).Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-41636170574335887022009-03-17T21:32:00.000-07:002009-03-17T21:38:22.041-07:00My Red Wine Bread is Back!If you recall a couple posts ago I was lamenting the <a href="/2009/02/my-missing-caramels.html">passing of Boule,</a> purveyors of the world's best caramel and red wine bread.<br /><br />Thanks to a lead from the LA Times, I learned that Boule's breads will return via a full-fledged bakery dubbed Comme Ca (anyone know if that's French for something?).<br /><br />Oh, my luscious red wine bread will be mine again! No word on whether they'll also be selling the caramels.<br /><br /><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2009/02/boule-the-chic.html?cid=151224781#comments" target="_new">Read the full story here.</a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-82090113225483434562009-03-11T19:27:00.000-07:002009-03-13T16:22:18.774-07:00My Ultimate-Geek-Out RestaurantCombining two of my loves: food and interaction design.<br /><br /><object height="360" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/flv/newPlayers/universal.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&value=50005453"><embed src="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/flv/newPlayers/universal.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="playerType=embedded&value=50005453" height="360" width="335"></embed></object><br /><br />Before you spend too much brain power on wondering whether the food there might actually be good, or if people just go for the novelty, let me remind you: IT'S ENGLISH FOOD. Novelty is the best they can hope for.Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-17884485515215613342009-03-09T21:13:00.000-07:002009-03-09T22:08:01.743-07:00My 5 Things I Love (and You Don't)My friends all know I'm an aventurous eater, but they still turn cock-eyed at me when I give in to some of my most base cravings. Enjoy reading the list (because you probably don't enjoy eating the items on it).<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>1. White Chocolate</span><br />I'm tired of the debate and the outcry. It CAN be called chocolate, because it's made from the oils of the cocoa bean. It is NOT chalky -- you've just had the cheap stuff. The best white chocolate should be buttery, smooth, slightly vanilla-y, and melt as it sits on your tongue.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Black Licorice</span><br />Or liquorice. Or anise. Or fennel. It's zingy, refreshing, and one of the things I remember sharing with my grandma. I am the sole reason movie theaters still stock Good & Plenty. Slice some fennel bulb thinly for a great addition to salads. If you're a tea drinker, Yogi Tea makes an outstanding <a href="http://www.yogitea.com/Pages/OurTeas/SpiritTeas/EgyptianLicorice.html" target="_new">Egyptian Licorice</a> herbal that has calmed me through many a workday fiasco.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEh9SgUFOPq2A89oQZ61go0s6iCchTxm5gEnul3jyWClFSLRFVYHsoMlKtUvghQPnx5Svt06Rl_4ZH9YnOa5mK-9XLmWQdAAjLGxYLqBt_xzDg_zn5K3P-vaLnmOxsEwbf9REapGxzUqp/s1600-h/fennel.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEh9SgUFOPq2A89oQZ61go0s6iCchTxm5gEnul3jyWClFSLRFVYHsoMlKtUvghQPnx5Svt06Rl_4ZH9YnOa5mK-9XLmWQdAAjLGxYLqBt_xzDg_zn5K3P-vaLnmOxsEwbf9REapGxzUqp/s400/fennel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311415728879792642" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Peeps</span><br />Not to follow one sweet with another ... but I am. Easter is more to me than candy or eggs, but I still can't get let the day go by without one or two of those fluffy yellow marshmallow chicks. My mom still makes me an Easter basket every year, and they're always on top. That being said, the glucose index of these lil' guys is so off the charts, after those few bites, I'm set for another year. I'm decidedly in favor of fresh peeps, and do not support the Halloween, Christmas or other non-Easter peeps.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">. White Zinfandel</span><br />Ok. Not often. And not around dudes. But still, on a hot summer day, you can't beat a great, cool blush wine with a salad, barbecue, or even a spicy fish taco. Do yourself a favor, and at least go to the Beringer level.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Stinky Cheese</span><br />Finally, something on my list that isn't sweet. It took me a while to appreciate a good blue, but now I can't get enough. Gorgonzola is best. A nice Roquefort or Stilton will also do nicely with some dried cherries. And because I can't resist adding a little sugar, pair Sauternes with a good salty sharp blue, and you have an amazing dessert course. Check out this soft, creamy St. Auger (great with honey):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLovzGX9kyfchzWX99PoIAfjKUuqgEfe-rDQmwbosDMt8fml_r1__QLRS8G_Zotl9-1BJPKUFfdegjLX0gw0TlSZhTtzUaY9nYgiuakbhIvvhRElsp2vk2MDeyjeGAQC98k1JfQexXiR6W/s1600-h/st-auger.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 338px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLovzGX9kyfchzWX99PoIAfjKUuqgEfe-rDQmwbosDMt8fml_r1__QLRS8G_Zotl9-1BJPKUFfdegjLX0gw0TlSZhTtzUaY9nYgiuakbhIvvhRElsp2vk2MDeyjeGAQC98k1JfQexXiR6W/s400/st-auger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311414276095248466" border="0" /></a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-40501225955436612142009-03-07T15:43:00.000-08:002009-03-07T17:06:15.669-08:00My Kogi Visit (Finally) ... and a Tree ManDetermination.<br /><br />It's what makes the greats great. It got Edison his bright idea. It got Armstrong to the moon, and then to the winner's podium of the Tour de France. And last night it finally got me my first Kogi taco.<br /><br />I could persuade nobody to come along for an 11PM taco run, but I would not be deterred. Solo, I jaunted down to Abbot Kinney, and to the Brig's parking lot where, under the greenish glow of the oddly Venetian lighting, I beheld the sights and smells that would forever change my notion of food served out of vehicles.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94AqNDljHz3Jad6RHFGP_Ai9T8SH6x2OqceTaNPbWktAIz5a9cF9xdKROKGXfGuXQYB5STre3sYMGt900OaCxkHKyK_TVLKIEXe53sud9X9duJMnrQOrVruZ5Czbk1G-9tKsfkCpnmERt/s1600-h/Kogi-truck-Brig.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94AqNDljHz3Jad6RHFGP_Ai9T8SH6x2OqceTaNPbWktAIz5a9cF9xdKROKGXfGuXQYB5STre3sYMGt900OaCxkHKyK_TVLKIEXe53sud9X9duJMnrQOrVruZ5Czbk1G-9tKsfkCpnmERt/s400/Kogi-truck-Brig.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310601320076951458" border="0" /></a><br />The line was, as expected, pretty long at only 10:30, so I meandered down Abbot Kinney, weaving amongst stoners folding slices at Abbot's Habbit, late-night diners perusing menus of the 40 new restaurants that have opened in the last week, and duded-up barflies who have never been famous extoling how much cooler they are than the actor in the bar they just left, who was famous and now is not.<br /><br />Smells of the ocean air, tobacco, stale cocktails, alcoholic ketoacidosis, clove cigarettes all tickled the senses, but my return to the Kogi truck flushed that all away with the tang of soysauce and the smoke of charring meat.<br /><br />The line hadn't shrunk much, but if part of the experience is the anticipation, then I was keen to drink it in. Entered the line at 11:13, and ordered at 11:43. As one passer-by exclaimed, "It's like Magic Mountain!"<br /><br />But like theme park lines, there was plenty to amuse during the wait. Strangers were chatty and happy to relate the stories of their first Kogi. A window into the Brig displayed drunken revelry like a fishbowl full of Satruday Night Fever. And then, there was the Tree Man ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4ZwpWvQPIAqhIA0goWgxWiB-BztH8uX3ZTwDN-9LOr6-QOdQWQM91dQ3T8FG1wLOxhtc2Oaw5TzfEEVxjSDWsQWJPnoiLEz4_DMslNn0mnyZWOLEgX1eBdu1y6shdiSzsJSmrl57OhSY/s1600-h/Tree-man-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4ZwpWvQPIAqhIA0goWgxWiB-BztH8uX3ZTwDN-9LOr6-QOdQWQM91dQ3T8FG1wLOxhtc2Oaw5TzfEEVxjSDWsQWJPnoiLEz4_DMslNn0mnyZWOLEgX1eBdu1y6shdiSzsJSmrl57OhSY/s400/Tree-man-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310607159885770034" border="0" /></a>Where he came from, no one knows. Where he's going, who can tell? Was he on crack, what's it matter? He looked a lot more green in the ambient light, and blended with the palm trunks. He was nigh invisible until he moved, and scared the chitlins out of a new addition to the line.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0hyphenhyphenkw0oK-hTg5-o1giLvNL-LIl0Q3mXjtR_zEz0Q4SOcU1d4mUWDIorH_-htP7ZxZmlSKUI4vS5DDx0pl_RGCxtfe-O18fxKKEVzZxXqRw5zGeKQ8ENTJE6OZ0BrPgDnnGJNTxNmWAU-/s1600-h/Tree-Man2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0hyphenhyphenkw0oK-hTg5-o1giLvNL-LIl0Q3mXjtR_zEz0Q4SOcU1d4mUWDIorH_-htP7ZxZmlSKUI4vS5DDx0pl_RGCxtfe-O18fxKKEVzZxXqRw5zGeKQ8ENTJE6OZ0BrPgDnnGJNTxNmWAU-/s400/Tree-Man2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310607320243630002" border="0" /></a>It was hard to tell in the dark if the Brig security was surprised to see an <a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=ent%20treebeard&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi" target="_new">Ent</a> at his door, or happy to see a neighborhood regular.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNh2oIEyAa-S4K9cqYP6Hf5O-MZS6dcXv7-OHe9R0jOxXn6FnX7HRlR2kdNp9AzOYw6NyDook7ERqCmvhhx5Q7CCe84hf_KTu8ywZY9l_YxpOFjxJgbuX3-gKRIWkrehO5_uI9sI15IwHw/s1600-h/Tree-Man3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNh2oIEyAa-S4K9cqYP6Hf5O-MZS6dcXv7-OHe9R0jOxXn6FnX7HRlR2kdNp9AzOYw6NyDook7ERqCmvhhx5Q7CCe84hf_KTu8ywZY9l_YxpOFjxJgbuX3-gKRIWkrehO5_uI9sI15IwHw/s400/Tree-Man3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310608332110901394" border="0" /></a><br />All I had on me was $5, American. Which suited me fine, on account of I'd already eaten dinner earlier in the evening. The cash was just enough for two of their tacos ($2 each), plus the recently imposed tax that all the liners were griping about.<br /><br />Sources confrimed that as a <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/53099/saturday-night-live-whopper-virgins" target="_new">Kogi virgin,</a> I should start with the short rib taco and the spicy pork taco. I could not have chosen better.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-u4YOMQ1LnLeMjGN1TNlowdXpDKMUebwFD6xJeQi28YN6WwlhV7AlLrVA0EIQdciDpiMI_2U2VVHJGbVd1VTgPEdH7i_nZ1lSgKHtbm15AjPGdN18VC9WNQ7Cn1OQqo1FY1GExM8xEHZ/s1600-h/tacos1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-u4YOMQ1LnLeMjGN1TNlowdXpDKMUebwFD6xJeQi28YN6WwlhV7AlLrVA0EIQdciDpiMI_2U2VVHJGbVd1VTgPEdH7i_nZ1lSgKHtbm15AjPGdN18VC9WNQ7Cn1OQqo1FY1GExM8xEHZ/s400/tacos1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310610479335652466" border="0" /></a>A little squirt of Siracha on the sidep proved unnecessary. The marinades were pleanty flavorful, and cooled by the lettuce, cabbage, cilantro, green onion slaw on top. This was good-quality meat, tender and free of the gristle delivered on other street vendors' paper plates. The tortillas have the perfect soft, elasticity to them, with a touch of griddled crispiness around the edges. Forget the fork. This is an all-hands meeting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLimWz5tUR6A7lgNWqO0w9YtAUrTSqOedSjX7faxHzHcMjaNbj0-rUij1os5LlSmQ13NH_rrsqoUzyoq7BWPk5keuZXw0nhGLqZLvIoHW_T0QI3uopFqRkmtRrC1dzA8cIm239THMG5VF/s1600-h/tacos2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLimWz5tUR6A7lgNWqO0w9YtAUrTSqOedSjX7faxHzHcMjaNbj0-rUij1os5LlSmQ13NH_rrsqoUzyoq7BWPk5keuZXw0nhGLqZLvIoHW_T0QI3uopFqRkmtRrC1dzA8cIm239THMG5VF/s400/tacos2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310613017520690066" border="0" /></a><br />As I was sitting here writing this post, I got a call from a friend who's been dying to try the truck. I evangelized the tacos to him. Guess what our plans for tonight are.Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-53787957039571631312009-02-28T22:00:00.000-08:002009-02-28T22:27:00.053-08:00My Missing CaramelsI was squiring some out-of-towners around LA today, including my mother. We lunched at Loteria in the Fairfax Farmers Market (one of my favorite eateries in one of my favorite Angeleno attractions - best horchata anywhere). While we ate, I spun them a tale of the tastiest French macarons, the most luscious gelato, the most imaginitve breads, and ... I don't want to oversell this ... THE ABSOLUTE BEST CARAMELS ON THE FACE OF THE ENTIRE PLANET THAT HAVE EVER EXISTED.<br /><br />Fleur de sel caramels, to be exact. Rich, buttery, soft, deeply flavored caramels balanced by delicate flakes of gourmet salt crystals, which enhanced all the notes. These were one of Oprah's favorite things for Jimny's sake.<br /><br />We're talking better confections than the ones Chef Smurf would whip up once a year, giving a small supply to all who lived in the Smurf village. The flavor of which was enough to pit Smurf against Smurf until they started smurfing each other with big, blunt smurfs until there were puddles of smurf all over the smurf and Chef Smurf decided the candy was too smurf to ever smurf again. Smurf.<br /><br />Anyhoo ...<br />After lunch, we were all fired up to go get our caramel on. We lion tamed our way out of the viscious parking lot, headed down 3rd, took a right on La Cienega, found rockstar parking and ... had our hearts (mine mostly) broken by a sign on the door thanking the shop's patrons for their support (past tense slathered on), and stating that both the La Cienega and Beverly Hills locations were now closed.<br /><br />A peak through the window (as if the sign might have merely proved a cruel hoax) confirmed that all that was left of my beloved confectionary shrine were its trademark robin's egg blue walls, now stripped completely bare.<br /><br />If anyone has the recipe for their red wine bread, please send it to me.<br /><img src="file:///Users/drew/Desktop/store_f.jpg" alt="" /><br />the delightful macarons of many colors (photo courtesty of boulela.com)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UR75q4gPspwuY77V6hTh2j7nonHekAe0bNEZebPJJJZZGxbYFvi_8iFXI6FIdv1RV0M3RpIr35DTdB5sC-bMlcxK6p79kNjmEMH-mxosTjX4GfjcwpHJFZtawNmOFpzfkco6XwCDRtFa/s1600-h/store_f.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UR75q4gPspwuY77V6hTh2j7nonHekAe0bNEZebPJJJZZGxbYFvi_8iFXI6FIdv1RV0M3RpIr35DTdB5sC-bMlcxK6p79kNjmEMH-mxosTjX4GfjcwpHJFZtawNmOFpzfkco6XwCDRtFa/s400/store_f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308100079398407042" border="0" /></a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-58207305265197039122009-02-28T21:37:00.000-08:002009-02-28T21:51:09.299-08:00My AnswerLast week, <a href="http://mycubiclelunch.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-unidentifiable-edibles.html">I asked you</a> to guess what the scary food product on my plate was.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRq4Ll0R_6sAoqR2K5HMP-dQ6_pkHKbzN0MUusdYjp3hEo4tEdEz5AsKbfed18QXRql5eYeNPwEk1ajUifVyThRE5owjpMhaCtJdAUU5XAYuEulBp8LhdUeej5u__FIvlUnV59eWs2LB6J/s1600-h/IMG_3458.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRq4Ll0R_6sAoqR2K5HMP-dQ6_pkHKbzN0MUusdYjp3hEo4tEdEz5AsKbfed18QXRql5eYeNPwEk1ajUifVyThRE5owjpMhaCtJdAUU5XAYuEulBp8LhdUeej5u__FIvlUnV59eWs2LB6J/s400/IMG_3458.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306268893757808306" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The answer is *drum roll* <span style="font-weight: bold;">SEA CUCUMBER</span>. Yes, that selfsame squishy little ... mollusk? ... you got to poke and prod in the SeaWorld tide pool exhibit as a kid is now a part of this balanced breakfast.<br /><br />The winner, selected at random from the hordes of correct responses, is ... no one. Not a single soul. Nobody guessed it. Maybe I need to start with super-zoomed-in photos of more-familiar foods, like potato chip crumbs.Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-67766433061975900572009-02-23T23:51:00.001-08:002009-02-24T00:21:53.336-08:00My Unidentifiable EdiblesTaiwanese friends are the best. They introduce you to all kinds of weird foods.<br /><br />Here’s a sample. There’s a lot in the picture, but I’m specifically interested in the bumpy brown thing stage center. Comment in your guess as to what it is. I’ll announce the winner at the end of the week.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRq4Ll0R_6sAoqR2K5HMP-dQ6_pkHKbzN0MUusdYjp3hEo4tEdEz5AsKbfed18QXRql5eYeNPwEk1ajUifVyThRE5owjpMhaCtJdAUU5XAYuEulBp8LhdUeej5u__FIvlUnV59eWs2LB6J/s1600-h/IMG_3458.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRq4Ll0R_6sAoqR2K5HMP-dQ6_pkHKbzN0MUusdYjp3hEo4tEdEz5AsKbfed18QXRql5eYeNPwEk1ajUifVyThRE5owjpMhaCtJdAUU5XAYuEulBp8LhdUeej5u__FIvlUnV59eWs2LB6J/s400/IMG_3458.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306268893757808306" border="0" /></a><br />This particular feast was courtesy of my friend’s wonderful parents, who were throwing her new baby (hi, Kai) a Welcome to the World party at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=18420+Brookhurst+Street+Fountain+Valley+CA+92708&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=0,0,2340465875595587569&ei=sQGhSauQFoKEsAPuv4DHCQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image">Mandarin Restaurant</a> in Fountain Valley. Interesting point: There are no visible hills in the area, so how can it be a valley?<br /><br />This is not your PF Chang’s, egg fu yung, crispy noodles on top Chinese food. It’s authentic, taste of the homeland, “Oh my gosh, I’m white and don’t recognize anything” Chinese food.<br /><br />But it’s tasty.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQoxAQRoYMuu9zXJHpdsha2Dutekb2ncn3ZxEiVlXHKhHYlK4ZGt3xJa5C5XOimiQrM7-xOmy23ulM-SW2L-d0OopYY7ygSwLpwlEi_bL0MmaJfbYlNzI3hv5FX0OQKOYOD2vhbplHm1Z/s1600-h/plate1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQoxAQRoYMuu9zXJHpdsha2Dutekb2ncn3ZxEiVlXHKhHYlK4ZGt3xJa5C5XOimiQrM7-xOmy23ulM-SW2L-d0OopYY7ygSwLpwlEi_bL0MmaJfbYlNzI3hv5FX0OQKOYOD2vhbplHm1Z/s400/plate1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306269972751419634" border="0" /></a>This was an appetizer platter. All cold meats and ... and ... noodles?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBZ2dn8N-8fZYpyrX6lvJV5iyjE10G5craiHKHgi6Nyb7UqVtLZM1qETpYvic7rUacl6xdfLxDyQ6BryQJxtnQGgPFm6SEcKdXkLncsKFgQZ2pbVJRg-GGHj7cB2djwjyvL4hFZxmuqHj/s1600-h/IMG_3450.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBZ2dn8N-8fZYpyrX6lvJV5iyjE10G5craiHKHgi6Nyb7UqVtLZM1qETpYvic7rUacl6xdfLxDyQ6BryQJxtnQGgPFm6SEcKdXkLncsKFgQZ2pbVJRg-GGHj7cB2djwjyvL4hFZxmuqHj/s400/IMG_3450.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306269344719487570" border="0" /></a>Orange shrimp and garlic shrimp. The Americans sighed relief.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuJY7CAGFz2dRlEXn-OuVeYT_6r7tP3Db3-idXIQqopwYxw_g9BEX89Qk6ee_q0DFHW6ei0IFfdKMW7ELW4UdGmM8P-TK4LDaRsEfLAK_jfrXl9meNRYpjuOw3L2bc8qB8vYbONh9bkB1/s1600-h/plate3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuJY7CAGFz2dRlEXn-OuVeYT_6r7tP3Db3-idXIQqopwYxw_g9BEX89Qk6ee_q0DFHW6ei0IFfdKMW7ELW4UdGmM8P-TK4LDaRsEfLAK_jfrXl9meNRYpjuOw3L2bc8qB8vYbONh9bkB1/s400/plate3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306270777404229442" border="0" /></a>Roast duck. It's surprisingly meaty, if that makes sense. Only a couple little pieces, and you feel like you ate a petite fillet of beef.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2wS6dsgnRXCas6HJw6G3NzH89QxchIcl87a4hSttXS1gGG-2xIAKg_4EphWRiZact42fxqhDaA9YYPJM2uQ53B_sHfx0ciEIs2-NsuKtW3bGOInDKoPgFuHbwlUAHww_4ZyWwSfFLeHJ/s1600-h/plate4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2wS6dsgnRXCas6HJw6G3NzH89QxchIcl87a4hSttXS1gGG-2xIAKg_4EphWRiZact42fxqhDaA9YYPJM2uQ53B_sHfx0ciEIs2-NsuKtW3bGOInDKoPgFuHbwlUAHww_4ZyWwSfFLeHJ/s400/plate4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306271584616027538" border="0" /></a>And speaking of beef, this thin-sliced steak over baby bok choy was perhaps the most tender I've ever had aside from Crock-Potted.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheb6aMGw0mesb0-eONUo3LJpF0fR9KHNsGdqZJBLq9WRKR9GzPrbXvQeH4rlTtVmAXrKsvlYKhmbm7XKp9sjyBUR4_vunw-yYOsTWrPkjx39PQmTYbXA3XLa3kR7rje-WADIZRoJASWg1P/s1600-h/plate6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheb6aMGw0mesb0-eONUo3LJpF0fR9KHNsGdqZJBLq9WRKR9GzPrbXvQeH4rlTtVmAXrKsvlYKhmbm7XKp9sjyBUR4_vunw-yYOsTWrPkjx39PQmTYbXA3XLa3kR7rje-WADIZRoJASWg1P/s400/plate6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306272338556095714" border="0" /></a>Steamed sea bass with ginger and scallions. REE-diculously tender, moist, and buttery (from the fish fat, not actual butter). Leftovers were Monday's lunch. And since it's a mild fish, I was able to microwave it without fishing up the kitchen. Apologies to all who stopped by my cubicle and beheld fish vertebrae on my plate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0csKcobyhkIlJ4kc95TkL_0YGMMYqRcpwLeENRz36lp2AodK0rlqgfFnXtMSQ1G96eYdAo4TYrocxX1y44dCTE630QpFANPJHNzr0X6g1gCzLtYbA4Fx48IggDUtLJH8U3uLZp9cz4HUM/s1600-h/dessert.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0csKcobyhkIlJ4kc95TkL_0YGMMYqRcpwLeENRz36lp2AodK0rlqgfFnXtMSQ1G96eYdAo4TYrocxX1y44dCTE630QpFANPJHNzr0X6g1gCzLtYbA4Fx48IggDUtLJH8U3uLZp9cz4HUM/s400/dessert.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306273194437203986" border="0" /></a>Dessert. A kind of rice pudding cratered out like mashed potatoes and filled with sweet red bean paste. There were juicy raisins, maraschino cherries, crushed peanut, and some green and yellow things that I couldn't identify. Super tasty ... I'm still working on leftovers.Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-22401160437637006242009-02-21T00:00:00.000-08:002009-02-21T00:09:57.574-08:00My Blogging StyleI'm not usually one to believe in the accuracy of online personality quizzes ... which never stops me from taking them. But this bemusing gem requires no interaction at all, and -- in my case at least -- was surprisingly accurate (aside from the fact that I'm not a chick; and especially not a drunken bar fly, despite the picture).<br /><br />Oh, and if any of my bosses are reading this, the part about me not being good at management is also wrong. Please promote me soon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARjmDms8QO1zeTTJsNaVQ6zUzaVG0R9Xdo-mSWcYoVzGMiXs1_YPZ3mSEM406G_1m3K-FTkt40Sj9Iq4EcvvcaQ30s2BZerMygSimkLpwNdMlk9XlOPPUIY1YjvTsvgSYxWrZ-RCv05VO/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARjmDms8QO1zeTTJsNaVQ6zUzaVG0R9Xdo-mSWcYoVzGMiXs1_YPZ3mSEM406G_1m3K-FTkt40Sj9Iq4EcvvcaQ30s2BZerMygSimkLpwNdMlk9XlOPPUIY1YjvTsvgSYxWrZ-RCv05VO/s400/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305159250823262290" border="0" /></a>What's your blog reveal about you? Just drop your URL in this tool: http://www.typealyzer.com<br /><br /><img src="file:///Users/drew/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///Users/drew/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-2.jpg" alt="" />Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-14461149884819975752009-02-03T22:37:00.000-08:002009-02-03T23:28:22.791-08:00My Trick for Free LunchI'm all about saving money, especially these days. I accomplish this mostly -- as you've seen in this journal -- by cooking large batches of food to feed me through a week, not eating out for lunch, and bringing home leftovers on the rare times I eat out.<br /><br />But a lesser-appreciated method of saving a buck while not getting stuck in the PB&J trap can be summed up in one beautiful word: friendship. Making friends with those who work -- and eat -- at the desk next door often results in anything from the rest of their fries, to a few pieces of their gourmet bacon chocolate discovery, to (in my case) full home-cooked meals.<br /><br />Today, one of the developers on my team brought me homemade lentil soup and some sort of Indian buns made of lentil flour with sides of spicy coriander sauce and a sweeter lentil chickpea sauce. (I think maybe her lentil tree just had a new crop)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSZfc-CGH2RLFsS-W_7PkzZspdMRzqF5tL__Gmw7tXXPtIyzshIb3AtTeLwn7LA0WI1S5Zm6cPcKXJ7T_14z88upJHhDSLmsE52eqHUOkgTlJgeiK_if-hBrI03fJn1rWEDnzBnQc-V29/s1600-h/IMG_4024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSZfc-CGH2RLFsS-W_7PkzZspdMRzqF5tL__Gmw7tXXPtIyzshIb3AtTeLwn7LA0WI1S5Zm6cPcKXJ7T_14z88upJHhDSLmsE52eqHUOkgTlJgeiK_if-hBrI03fJn1rWEDnzBnQc-V29/s320/IMG_4024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298840202634537954" border="0" /></a><br />If you find yourself wasting away at work, you're probably not well liked and need to sew seeds of harmony ... or just get really rich so people will be nice to you. Though at that point, I guess you can just buy your own food ... but then where's the love?Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-5169388517060829072009-01-25T23:59:00.000-08:002009-01-26T21:14:03.571-08:00My Favorite NapoleonPastry dough, custard, pastry dough, custard ... repeat, repeat, vanilla icing, chocolate piping.<br /><br />A napoleon. But this isn't your impulse buy from the Vons refrigerated bakery section. This is the hands down, foot stomping-est, thickest custardy napoleon ever I've had the fortune of tasting.<br /><br />I had it imported at great personal expense.<br /><br />Ok. My girlfriend was in the neighborhood, and I made her promise to buy me a couple. But she did have to bring them all the way from San Diego to LA. And my first bite was well worth her time and effort.<br /><br />If you're ever in the neighborhood, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/d-z-akins-san-diego" target="_new">DZ Akins'</a> bakery department is the source for these luxurious pastries. And if you're feeling impish, try a josephine -- same deal, but with strawberry (or raspberry ... something red) layers alongside whipped cream (oh, and the restaurant has great Ruben sandwiches ... but that's for another post).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgatLIBfvTC9Gh52OqofIgWNiisoZTYOgaE0TN8mAYoiV5McWDfT0ioRjMzxSDciQOm5T0w8eD5Meg3FtlsOPEA2eNCOkrrIj6nHsMiDYP1Woj4Od9PlZgPhvHSLEOIu2QK4DDcDVBDIv/s1600-h/IMG_3354.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgatLIBfvTC9Gh52OqofIgWNiisoZTYOgaE0TN8mAYoiV5McWDfT0ioRjMzxSDciQOm5T0w8eD5Meg3FtlsOPEA2eNCOkrrIj6nHsMiDYP1Woj4Od9PlZgPhvHSLEOIu2QK4DDcDVBDIv/s320/IMG_3354.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295511703799730482" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lunchtime leftover factor:</span> I have two, and at about 4x6" each, and about a million Joules, it'll take me a couple days to eat each. I don't know what I'm having for lunch in the cubicle Monday, but I know what I'm having for many small snacks. Oh, hell, I'll just eat it as lunch.Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-70027316301258757162009-01-16T23:27:00.000-08:002009-01-17T00:54:54.688-08:00My Dueling Neighborhood Taco TrucksThere's a long-standing tradition of taco trucks roving the streets of Venice. From the Mariscos truck feeding the <span style="font-style: italic;">futbol</span> players of Penmar Park on weekends to ... well, I'm sure there are others.<br /><br />But no matter what you call them -- lunch trucks or roach coaches, they're breaking into the discerning foodie market, with its disposable income and all.<br /><br />In the typical Venetian twist of shabby chic, the venerable taco truck tradition has gone yuppy. If you're in the know, you've at least heard about <a href="http://kogibbq.com/" target="_new">Kogi BBQ</a>, if not queued up at midnight outside the Brig to sup on Korean short rib tacos (see them rolling down Lincoln <a href="http://www.kbs-america.com/vod/details.aspx?vid=2247" target="_new">here</a>). They cruise UCLA too, and once in a while, points east. The best way to find where and when they'll be is by following their <a href="http://twitter.com/kogibbq" target="_new">dutiful Tweets</a>.<br /><br />They were parked outside the Brig on Abbot Kinney tonight, with its built-in clientele in need of grub to buffer a few extra drinks. But just down the street, I found something new: <a href="http://www.greentruckonthego.com" target="_new">The Green Truck.</a> If Kogi broke the glass ceiling keeping mobile restaurants down, GK is aiming to ca<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0AUKkcV71eBIxdMh9Ace3BGwfjITcvTOaXx4Q1QVpyBN3rhvxfmkYahywa_sIP33uX6hwwezUobILpbH14kd_3-D-dQyPWCiDDxkEBXWbUVQUmosimNTf2ijQ3QN_wPYvHcUyYsDygoX/s1600-h/truck-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0AUKkcV71eBIxdMh9Ace3BGwfjITcvTOaXx4Q1QVpyBN3rhvxfmkYahywa_sIP33uX6hwwezUobILpbH14kd_3-D-dQyPWCiDDxkEBXWbUVQUmosimNTf2ijQ3QN_wPYvHcUyYsDygoX/s320/truck-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292181952415136002" border="0" /></a>tapult the genre into the starry LA culinaria by slinging hummus & lavash, harvest salads. Though let's be honest. If you're out for a few beers, you're gonna be wanting the grass-fed beef burger, or at least the grilled cheese. Of course, the shiny Mercedes green machine is a biodeisel running on veggie oil, and they're capitalizing on the organic food revolution.<br /><br />Who wins the night? Green had two lonely souls milling around its maybe-too-fancy exterior and its coconuts with straws (truly). Kogi was swamped by fans who were drawn perhaps by the word of mouth, possibly visiting out of convenience, perhaps following the irresistable smell, but most likely, it's just that late at night when you're eating outdoors spicy barbecue chicken tastes better than vegan sesame tofu wrap.<br /><img src="file:///Users/drew/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMY3ZDEauoINjXqQH1Ft1wQJ0FM2PbAbwC_OOgMqEYyvpVKEUrIShj8UXHv0bW6zBIG-Kcrcg16dfETfG8lLhvSx5Ju0UZxsC5TahLkVyGqMC1xPmh03iWeI30LP-HYnoNEnaXWEiZijg/s1600-h/thumb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMY3ZDEauoINjXqQH1Ft1wQJ0FM2PbAbwC_OOgMqEYyvpVKEUrIShj8UXHv0bW6zBIG-Kcrcg16dfETfG8lLhvSx5Ju0UZxsC5TahLkVyGqMC1xPmh03iWeI30LP-HYnoNEnaXWEiZijg/s320/thumb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292181532173473698" border="0" /></a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-12436621877107685252008-12-11T09:51:00.001-08:002008-12-11T10:03:16.587-08:00My Favorite Lebanese (Cedar House)My Facebook status after my first visit to Cedar House read something like "Finally, something good to come out of North Hollywood."<br /><br />It's near my office, and a few of us hit it up for lunch on a lark. They're not busy during the day, so we were in and out in good time (the food isn't "fast," but fast enough).<br /><br />The ambiance is comfortable and bright, and the Lebanese music makes you want to get up and dance ... which you probably don't want to do during dinner because you'll be competing with the professional belly dancers.<br /><br />The kibbeh is pretty rocking -- perfectly tender and moist inside with a crisp crust. Still not on par with my grandmother's, but better than I've had most anywhere else. My cohorts had never partaken, but I made believers of them all.<br /><br />Someone said the place was voted among the top five places in LA for hummus. I'm not sure it outdoes nearly everyone else in the city, but that IS some good hummus. The real surprise was the baba ganoush -- so light, great texture, good garlic punch.<br /><br />We were joking about how their menu says the chicken is "expertly seasoned," but after trying the chicken shawarma and chicken salad, we conceded. I'd recommend getting the dressing on the side with their salads -- it's really thick and heavy.<br /><br />I was a little let down by the beef & lamb shawarma. The beef was good, but the lamb tasted like it had been marinating too long and had broken down a bit too much.<br /><br />Shawarma comes with a dollop of garlic sauce -- this is not the smooth, savory garlic sauce of Zankou ... it's PUNGENT. The garlic is raw and chunky. It's good, but you've got to have a strong disposition to handle it.<br /><br />Prices on their sandwiches are $7-8, not bad for lunch. Plates are up around $15, but you get a ton of food -- you'll have leftovers for lunch the next day.<br /><br />They're right across the river from the old hospital where they used to tape "Scrubs." I asked one of the waitresses if the cast ever used to come over to the restaurant. She said no, but I get the feeling she had no idea what I was talking about.<br /><br />Find 'em at <br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&q=4805+Whitsett+Ave+91607&fb=1&cid=0,0,14694099529062396433&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image" target="_new">4805 Whitsett Ave.</a><br />North Hollywood, CA 91607<br /><br /><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/cedar-house-cafe-valley-village#hrid:bCffJf7C-7Od3Eez1qUwng" target="_new">See it on Yelp!</a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-86233256782309392802008-12-07T20:55:00.000-08:002008-12-07T21:58:53.024-08:00My Cha Cha ChaWe hit up Brazilian classic <a href="http://www.theoriginalchachacha.com/" target="_new">Cha Cha Cha</a> the other night.<br /><br />I'll go three stars out of five because my spidey sense tells me we didn't catch the kitchen on their best night. Prices were reasonable (and I don't mean LA reasonable)<br /><br />The funky little dining room is cute, if not overly comfortable. We felt genuinely welcomed by the extremely friendly service, from our great server to the manager.<br /><br />The goat cheese quesadillas would have been too strong without the welcomed spread of guava inside to cut the dairy. Try their vegetarian empenadaditas; they're crispy, doughy inside, and so comforting.<br /><br />The downturn came with our entrees. Rice and beans came on the side of both our dishes. The rice was nominal. Beans were watery. My pork chops sounded good with the apricot sauce, but they were presented thin (menu said double cut) and overcooked. The sauce was tasty, but full of too much dried rosemary. The flavor was overpowering, and the leaves were too dry to chew.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiix3abeploGrDZsAaI8TzPjFjoacQRkT1eXT9xWqyLUAgtkdbt2DdvTe1_5q-RCY-yy8oRVD2rHpcNnPm7jQHMMxK3dtULMM1oiSbqxZcdmql_8mREFog9PeF8swNLj7mLSFDetDa0ONPu/s1600-h/IMG_2255.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiix3abeploGrDZsAaI8TzPjFjoacQRkT1eXT9xWqyLUAgtkdbt2DdvTe1_5q-RCY-yy8oRVD2rHpcNnPm7jQHMMxK3dtULMM1oiSbqxZcdmql_8mREFog9PeF8swNLj7mLSFDetDa0ONPu/s320/IMG_2255.JPG" border="0" alt="cha cha cha pork chops"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277293886516685922" /></a><br />My girlfriend's gambas negras shrimp tasted a little fishy. The black pepper sauce was good, but if I'd had more than a bite, I think it might have started to get too strong.<br /><br />I really wanted to love the place. Maybe I'll go back for breakfast sometime -- the banana French toast looked good. <br /><br />Be aware, there's not much street parking, which forces you to use their valet.Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-34167200130182735692008-11-26T16:35:00.000-08:002008-11-26T19:05:46.830-08:00My Early (or Last Minute) Thanksgiving Dinner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJL-yM-7CjsdfKgOJzgzU57fb38cEcVzSPyA-NFVbA5jE3V1QpwX8KVnxzNh9CGuQZt5ymqT2nxJ2-Ws72C4hqLK2ivwQO8yAfnGr5fKdpnwRUpfmx9mxvK5hDf76nJIk5_ij2Hi57gTk/s1600-h/final-roast.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJL-yM-7CjsdfKgOJzgzU57fb38cEcVzSPyA-NFVbA5jE3V1QpwX8KVnxzNh9CGuQZt5ymqT2nxJ2-Ws72C4hqLK2ivwQO8yAfnGr5fKdpnwRUpfmx9mxvK5hDf76nJIk5_ij2Hi57gTk/s320/final-roast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273154561915385026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />It's the night before Thanksgiving. If you haven't bought a turkey yet, or haven't started thawing the one you do have ... well, you're screwed. No main course for you.<br /><br />Thankfully (see what I did there?), you don't <i>really</i> have to do the tired turkey thing for Thanksgiving. You know the pilgrims would have rather had a nice, thick cut of steak ... especially if the grocery store was all sold out of Butterballs. <br /><br />The girlfriend and I are going to be apart this holiday, so we celebrated last week with a dinner for two. Since we'll each be having turkey at our respective destinations, we opted for a beef rib roast -- no thawing, basting, brining, or other time-intensive steps necessary. Use my recipe for any special dinner.<br /><br />A note on the meat: I avoid the supermarket at all costs; their meat is terrible. I'd have gone to Costco, which has great meat at good prices, but for two people that's too much food. So I hit up Whole Foods' butcher counter. They cut me a single rib, which weighed in at just under 2 1/2 pounds and rang in at an obscene $31. It was great meat, absolutely. However, on a subsequent trip to Costco I discovered a whole rib roast (four or five ribs) could be had for the same price! Next time I'll buy big and just freeze the rest.<br /><br /><h2>Herb-Crusted Rib Roast for Two:</h2><br /><h3>Ingredients</h3><br /><ul><br /><li><strong>Meat</strong><br /><li>2-2 1/2 pound cut of rib roast</li><br /><li>2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped </li><br /><li>2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced</li><br /><li>1 teaspoon kosher salt</li><br /><li>3 tablespoons olive oil</li><br /><li>Cracked pepper to taste</li><br /></ul><br /><ul><br /><li><strong>Veggies</strong><br /><li>1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped</li><br /><li>1-2 pounds fingerling potatoes and small or baby carrots (I used pretty colored ones from the Santa Monica farmers market, because if you're going to build a time machine, why not do it with a little style?)</li><br /><li>3 kisses from girlfriend (you have to find a good supplier for this ingredient)</li><br /><li>1 teaspoon kosher salt</li><br /><li>1 clove garlic, roughly chopped</li><br /><li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li><br /></ul><br /><br /><h3>Directions</h3><br /><ol><br /><li>Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. </li><br /><li>Mix chopped herbs in a small bowl or cup with oil. Rub mixture over all surfaces of the meat. Set aside.</li><br /><li>Arrange the root vegetables in a cast iron skillet (if you want to look cool) or a roasting pan and hand mix with remaining rosemary, salt, garlic, and oil. Add kisses to taste.</li><br /><li>Place seasoned meat over veggies, and place pan in oven. Roast for 10 minutes, then drop oven temperature to 350, and cook for another 40 minutes. A meat thermometer should read the internal temp of the roast at 110-115 degrees F for a gorgeous, tender, medium-rare pink interior.</li><br /><li>Take the roast out of the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes (I went closer to 20). It'll still be hot, but will get more tender this way and stay juicy. The vegetables benefit from the dripping meat juices during the cooking process (because why shouldn't a potato taste like a cow?).</li><br /></ol><br /><br /><p><br />Serve this up with roast butternut squash, mashed parsnips and carrots, sauteed baby bok choy, a bottle of <a href="http://www.gratefulpalateimports.com/wine/122.html" target="_new">Marquis Philips Shiraz</a> (actually, I'm not sure I'd go with that one again -- something bigger next time), and a hot apple crisp for dessert.<br /></p><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhujR69JSDHRo-V8jHZJp2GmL5U99mTjRoUTSa9O-RQAC49qx0VwK5nYK9RlbY1WpVNsbr56NEIFhV_-GOtisTn5BcPmskOdjGxpRJSrxrOlmRJoPqT6ZjFBS5PKiNDJ3hthH4IYCs-6LI/s1600-h/potatoes-skillet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhujR69JSDHRo-V8jHZJp2GmL5U99mTjRoUTSa9O-RQAC49qx0VwK5nYK9RlbY1WpVNsbr56NEIFhV_-GOtisTn5BcPmskOdjGxpRJSrxrOlmRJoPqT6ZjFBS5PKiNDJ3hthH4IYCs-6LI/s320/potatoes-skillet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273154281899316770" border="0" /></a><br />Farmers market's best<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVz0p1xLxcOSOsyLyGxPFKVHetrgG-HxyvwMvRDNcAahEabpinIrowD35hdr_eC8_mWZQhWlr3I5zekVeRoVcc-zqvwTnIkSGcPIwsPSUgT7LAxjfr79qlYxMZqxKtEbePfcpUAJRkKvZ/s1600-h/rib-roast-uncooked.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVz0p1xLxcOSOsyLyGxPFKVHetrgG-HxyvwMvRDNcAahEabpinIrowD35hdr_eC8_mWZQhWlr3I5zekVeRoVcc-zqvwTnIkSGcPIwsPSUgT7LAxjfr79qlYxMZqxKtEbePfcpUAJRkKvZ/s320/rib-roast-uncooked.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273161533510320850" /></a><br />Look at that perfect marbling -- it takes the sting off the meat's price tag (a little)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMzrlrbMvScdBhuCyAaEUpZDFr7cZDV4BpNESQ1-GBVylxJhEhFm_niiAfQwO63jwb3iW6pjR6NjZ-wADBsfJRvQMtJeuZlNRvwSzmcQAcFRvB99Mv7iIkQj3liOceyTYtIaTRNntGn9p/s1600-h/rib-roast-cooked.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMzrlrbMvScdBhuCyAaEUpZDFr7cZDV4BpNESQ1-GBVylxJhEhFm_niiAfQwO63jwb3iW6pjR6NjZ-wADBsfJRvQMtJeuZlNRvwSzmcQAcFRvB99Mv7iIkQj3liOceyTYtIaTRNntGn9p/s320/rib-roast-cooked.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273161905452496626" /></a><br />The meaty, juicy payoff<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyn9JHj87mkxilIvdZnzQvFXcohlw-H56f0XxMr0KErVP0Rj7r71_BDENzAWYolA_TsHxjZdVYOO9eLNcqA0YhGUARlJtDGJru_0tGdq2_GLxn4CIEMiIkLnHAfvHRyvuq-X1Ag51SN_63/s1600-h/apple-crisp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyn9JHj87mkxilIvdZnzQvFXcohlw-H56f0XxMr0KErVP0Rj7r71_BDENzAWYolA_TsHxjZdVYOO9eLNcqA0YhGUARlJtDGJru_0tGdq2_GLxn4CIEMiIkLnHAfvHRyvuq-X1Ag51SN_63/s320/apple-crisp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273164443709578658" /></a><br />The apple crisp is my girlfriend's secret recipe. If you want it, you'll have to date her yourself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YTp57PKdktwaurjlx6qiocqWb4JmvnCHyF9fHV3Izb6mQJZvjCX8pRBYz7BOuUHmcVbFDQfJB3PIdtUwFVivlZENnT1uONWKdenkeMJwiccDQTcwMiiaHLl58-6RZGs1mzRL5ylOp_Lx/s1600-h/baked-apple-crisp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YTp57PKdktwaurjlx6qiocqWb4JmvnCHyF9fHV3Izb6mQJZvjCX8pRBYz7BOuUHmcVbFDQfJB3PIdtUwFVivlZENnT1uONWKdenkeMJwiccDQTcwMiiaHLl58-6RZGs1mzRL5ylOp_Lx/s320/baked-apple-crisp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273164874874481698" /></a><br />Sweet, (way) buttery, crumbly top puts the crisp in apple crisp<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXV1Xu4j4dRKKRsBodj5o92jdWkQgnZwhOH77qrylVNIrirGxn4QhFLpgn5Vd5yMYjEJMOF7STt5pAKrHr3apvWAGT2ddaChaxaAF1GlpHJri3_iX1o3s5fyohyphenhyphenfNkmVqKg931mbzG074/s1600-h/dinner-table.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXV1Xu4j4dRKKRsBodj5o92jdWkQgnZwhOH77qrylVNIrirGxn4QhFLpgn5Vd5yMYjEJMOF7STt5pAKrHr3apvWAGT2ddaChaxaAF1GlpHJri3_iX1o3s5fyohyphenhyphenfNkmVqKg931mbzG074/s320/dinner-table.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273165006614123506" /></a><br />Thanksgiving on the coffee table -- this is our bohemian lifeAlways Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-67756683310758288762008-11-07T10:45:00.000-08:002008-11-07T10:50:23.390-08:00My funny findProps to my buddies <a href="http://www.chrischrischrisshow.com/" target="_new">ChrisChrisChris</a> for forwarding this from <a href="http://twitpic.com/khip" target="_new">TwitPic.</a><br /><br /><img src="file:///Users/drew/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnyjxVJS4GYoXVGUZGC0ZJnk4rtCfGqWVVp21blvR5e8kHolOvcAZ0aGRgl9xtxxFyjypr5vMno84jusM2lDFHQCsZPl3RHX4ICfenAD0ti0nTS_9c_gQMkBmE2wtyJIBCRAHVeofnTYx/s1600-h/43rd-prez.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnyjxVJS4GYoXVGUZGC0ZJnk4rtCfGqWVVp21blvR5e8kHolOvcAZ0aGRgl9xtxxFyjypr5vMno84jusM2lDFHQCsZPl3RHX4ICfenAD0ti0nTS_9c_gQMkBmE2wtyJIBCRAHVeofnTYx/s320/43rd-prez.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265989252367702434" border="0" /></a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-12577204092075300352008-05-23T21:51:00.000-07:002008-12-11T03:37:52.302-08:00My Favorite Chicken SoupThe mistake a lot of people make with soup is dropping in their meat while the liquid is boiling, which shocks the proteins, making it tough and chewy. Let your soup come down to a simmer, with only a few more minutes left before the veggies are done, then give your meat just a few minutes of gentle cooking before you serve. The result is super tender.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP9HvbB6ED0_EvcBN-s1xN3T94Mxh8HSJkwknJQMmu3u46FqdV0kaYBvoAAwzrgF5HllSNbaOmxVJCpTNWNuv_NqaPzVxeRGyRBJtZJpGmnMaYAbl_lyyMsWb-OjQTvKA9dbut4OUvLOh/s1600-h/IMG_0538.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP9HvbB6ED0_EvcBN-s1xN3T94Mxh8HSJkwknJQMmu3u46FqdV0kaYBvoAAwzrgF5HllSNbaOmxVJCpTNWNuv_NqaPzVxeRGyRBJtZJpGmnMaYAbl_lyyMsWb-OjQTvKA9dbut4OUvLOh/s320/IMG_0538.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203827865661196498" border="0" /></a><br />Ingredients<br /><ul>1 quart water<br />4 bouillon cubes<br />3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced<br />3 zucchini<br />2 cups green beans, chopped to 1/4"<br />4 medium red potatoes, quartered<br />2 cups baby carrots, cut in halves<br />2 packs sliced white mushrooms<br />2 pounds chicken breast or thigh meat, cut into 1" chunks<br />1 can coconut milk<br /></ul>Directions<br /><ol><li>Bring water to a boil. Add bouillon, carrots, potatoes, and garlic. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.</li><br /><li>Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook five more minutes</li><br /><li>Add chicken, coconut milk, and mushrooms. Cook five minutes.</li><br /><li>Just before serving, add green beans.</li><br /></ol>Serves 3 dinners and 3 lunchesAlways Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-13942035680354516972008-02-29T10:10:00.000-08:002008-12-11T03:37:52.448-08:00My Perfectly Stinky OmeletI love cheese.<br /><br />Cheese, cheese, cheese. Here it goes down, down into my belly.<br /><br />I haven't found any good cheese shops on the West Side, where I live, but have sampled the goods from the <a href="http://www.cheesestoresl.com/" target="_new">Cheesestore of Silverlake</a> (amazing selection), and the <a href="http://artisancheesegallery.com/" target="_new">Artisan Cheese Gallery</a> on Ventura (outstanding grilled sandwiches, dripping with melty dairy goodness). In absence of "legitimate" cheese shops like this, I do just fine with Whole Food's extensive cheese section, and pick up something new every visit.<br /><br />One of my more interesting finds could choke a cow with its pungency. Ciresa taleggio is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese with a musty rind. Imagine brie with the smell of the underside of a fallen log in a marshland. Straight, or even on crackers, it's too strong for me to stand.<br /><br />But when cooked, a magical chemical process occurs. The flavors mellow slightly, and add a great punch to your dishes. I've enjoyed it blended with regular cheddar in a quesadilla. But the best delivery system is via omelet, where it plays off the blandness and fluffy texture of the eggs.<br /><br />I made this one for lunch the other day. It came out perfectly light and golden. The trick is slower, lower cooking. The stuff in the background is applesauce. Zero points for presentation, but the sweetness offsets the sour and salt from the yolks and cheese. I always eat my omelets this way now.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhEKy35CXNS2CWGLjDOkYpeOYGf2rBHpZwDtnBAAznLC-bVK1uF7d08Pxs8FPWdMOE8oBHs_ZIsmkhiS6P6Vhc7xdWudieemvkRATIfZEQ-3Ol5_DFbc2uCsqJQXrhKuJqcjF7sTX8AE1/s1600-h/omelet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhEKy35CXNS2CWGLjDOkYpeOYGf2rBHpZwDtnBAAznLC-bVK1uF7d08Pxs8FPWdMOE8oBHs_ZIsmkhiS6P6Vhc7xdWudieemvkRATIfZEQ-3Ol5_DFbc2uCsqJQXrhKuJqcjF7sTX8AE1/s400/omelet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172472306974410434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><b>Ingredients</b><br /><ul><br />1 tablespoon butter<br /><br />1 1/4 cups fresh spinach, torn into small pieces<br /><br />1/4 cup shredded muenster<br /><br />1/8 cup taleggio (produced by Ciresa)<br /><br />2 eggs, whisked<br /></ul><br /><br /><b>Directions</b><br /><ol><li>Melt the butter over medium heat in a small skillet or omelet pan.</li><br /><li>Pour in the eggs, tilting the pan so they cover the bottom evenly.</li><br /><li>Immediately spread spinach evenly over eggs, and sprinkle both cheeses over the spinach.</li><br /><li>Cook 4-5 minutes, or until top of eggs are just becoming firm. Flip one side over the other, and move to a plate.</li><br /></ol>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-61972738848956743762008-01-18T14:16:00.000-08:002008-12-11T03:37:52.604-08:00My Passage to Porto'sWe've picked up cakes from nearby <a href="http://portosbakery.com/" target="_new"><b>Porto's Bakery</b></a> before for coworkers' birthdays, and with the exception of the Parisian chocolate, they've all been pretty impressive. I've seen the place on a smattering of best-of lists, most notably for their Cuban pork sandwiches, but until today I had not partaken.<br /><br />Lucky for my tummy, I had business that took me past the place around lunchtime today. I stopped in and braved the long (but moving) line for a steak torta and horchata smoothie (can't resist horchata).<br /><br />Apparently, the place can be pretty cheap if you know what to order. My coworker, who was riding shotgun got out of there with two empanadas and a small salad for $4! Mine was over double that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Horchata Smoothie (16 oz): $3.25</span><br />Pretty good, with all the requisite spices that make horchata taste like a little bit of Thanksgiving, but the blended ice waters it down too quickly.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Steak Torta: $6.55</span><br />Soft Cuban bread with a nice sour edge, but you can tell it was baked early this morning. That seems kind of lazy for a BAKERY. The shredded beef was seasoned and slow cooked. I think it'd have been great with some black beans and rice. On the sandwich with lettuce, tomato, guacamole (is that even Cuban?), and cotija cheese, it came off as ok, and not worth the money. It had the feeling of a decent -- not great -- burrito.<br /><br />Overall, it was good, but I'm not sure I'd brave the drive or line again for that level of quality.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOZGsPME4yvtHBGs0ZFF42CkPCYqMKaLuZFfvCH2u9opl-yLMWxFUl0XAYXe6tsFnIdk2fbF5rfX0bAJs23iTXZ4ortW-INEmCTkvajIxxz4vOHe0s-dVrMvMLMmzODZ4dhebINADOPEi/s1600-h/Portos-Steak-Torta.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOZGsPME4yvtHBGs0ZFF42CkPCYqMKaLuZFfvCH2u9opl-yLMWxFUl0XAYXe6tsFnIdk2fbF5rfX0bAJs23iTXZ4ortW-INEmCTkvajIxxz4vOHe0s-dVrMvMLMmzODZ4dhebINADOPEi/s400/Portos-Steak-Torta.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156949790705250882" border="0" /></a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-10038784076969376962007-12-17T23:08:00.000-08:002008-12-11T03:37:52.780-08:00My At-Home CubicleOh, the joys of the last day before a vacation!<div><br /></div><div>I worked from my mom's house in San Diego today, awaiting a plane trip out of Lindbergh Field tomorrow, and the view of a lawn and blue sky from her kitchen table are decidedly more enjoyable a view than polyester gray cube walls. </div><div>Even better than the view is the opportunity to put an oven range to use instead of the office microwave come lunchtime. One of the great aspects of SD's food scene is there numerous health food grocers. My perennial favorite is <a href="http://www.henrysmarkets.com/" target="_new">Henry's</a> for its farm-style produce (as opposed to the test tube stuff of the supermarkets or the gilded produce of Whole Foods), and organic meat. The butcher counter produces top-notch sausages, and we picked up their chicken basil variety. They are plump, juicy, un-greasy, and perfectly seasoned.</div><div><br /></div><div>I sauteed them until the skin had a crispy finished, then removed them from the pan and tossed in leftover mashed potatoes so they soaked up the juice, and got a little smokey flavor.</div><div><br /></div><div>Call it a Californian bangers and mash. To cut the fat and leave a clean finish on the palate, my beverage of choice was a bottle of <a href="http://www.drysoda.com/" target="_new">DRY</a> rhubarb soda.</div><div><br /></div><div>The home office has its advantages.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldwww0iKO-ks4vFAL4G0re51qb05FZyTqfIgEbkIJ3JrjN0J6Wl0VHb4wIEIbFB7IOGfD8IcG_SIVoP_UKefxNhgxk6t0CagCK4po1kGuhAg4GabJwyjSbQdiEbToJjyCh29xLY5lu99S/s1600-h/Sausage-lunch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldwww0iKO-ks4vFAL4G0re51qb05FZyTqfIgEbkIJ3JrjN0J6Wl0VHb4wIEIbFB7IOGfD8IcG_SIVoP_UKefxNhgxk6t0CagCK4po1kGuhAg4GabJwyjSbQdiEbToJjyCh29xLY5lu99S/s400/Sausage-lunch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152043001022968370" border="0" /></a></div> </div>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-54188621165306294592007-12-12T11:25:00.000-08:002008-12-11T03:37:53.216-08:00My Cubicle ChristmasFor an office that had a contest at Halloween to see who could devise the most fiendish cubicle decor, there has been surprisingly little Christmas effort put forward amid the third floor prairie dog farm this month.<br /><br />But in my cubicle, the internet radio is tuned to <a href="http://www.kost1035.com/cc-common/ondemand/player.html?world=st" target="_new">all-day Christmas tunes,</a> and the lights blaze for all to see. I've wrapped a couple strings up the posts at the back of my cube that carry the power and ethernet cables, hoping it would inspire a little Christmas cheer amongst my work-weary co-laborers. While compliments have been many, I have yet to see any trees, garlands, or nativity scenes spring up elsewhere. Granted there was one person who did her whole cube in wrapping paper before I got my decorations up, but that's immaterial to my ranting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzRYThzVrf2Ha1Dd3aH1f6ILKh46CWvQEX2QFwwcTu1xpU3nwHK_SZ274hRMlecP6Wt0fXINxQNyw1T9YhZpdYXwNBrC3fJignIlHXdiYmF_DZQqof2U20I6G9lwxHxNFUHy5abPG78mi/s1600-h/christmas-lights.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzRYThzVrf2Ha1Dd3aH1f6ILKh46CWvQEX2QFwwcTu1xpU3nwHK_SZ274hRMlecP6Wt0fXINxQNyw1T9YhZpdYXwNBrC3fJignIlHXdiYmF_DZQqof2U20I6G9lwxHxNFUHy5abPG78mi/s400/christmas-lights.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143172458784083570" border="0" /></a><br />What the office lacks in decorating spirit, they've more than made up for in seasonal sweets. Every day there are bonbons, chocolates, cookies, candy, and all other manner of winter-coat inducing goodies. The baker in my group brought in a plate of assorted red and green chocolate cupcakes with lush cream cheese frosting. It's red velvet and green ... <i>moss</i>?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ak3PlWSQv3OisHVBWOBMCZ0en7cvij_V_eEjd55XuV2YU3mLAAOGh8dRSRhy-23QP8CbpayoNhofLY7Ya5X0qr2kJBuAtkCXCw9afWnkkEn1Y8wP0SOjQJZhwBVH1uTKZ81aVN3-oAgF/s1600-h/green-cupcake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ak3PlWSQv3OisHVBWOBMCZ0en7cvij_V_eEjd55XuV2YU3mLAAOGh8dRSRhy-23QP8CbpayoNhofLY7Ya5X0qr2kJBuAtkCXCw9afWnkkEn1Y8wP0SOjQJZhwBVH1uTKZ81aVN3-oAgF/s400/green-cupcake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143172222560882274" border="0" /></a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-40994134993198373762007-12-06T16:16:00.000-08:002008-12-11T03:37:53.395-08:00My Happiest DayI haven't posted in a long, long time. But, hey, it's not like November is a big eating month, right? No big food-preparation events in that month, no sir.<br /><br />Kidding aside, I was on a restricted diet of only liquefied foods for a month (A MONTH!!) due to a jaw issue I've been having. It turns out that eating all day, every day, can give you an arthritic jaw. It is the carpal tunnel syndrome of food lovers. It is a potentially life-altering diagnosis. It is a plague that has unseated kings from their thrones, caused the downfall of the American textile industry, extinguished suns, and dashed the hopes of world-famous sports stars like my hero, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=3313743" target="_new">Takeru Kobayashi</a>.<br /><br />Needless to say, you fine readers wouldn't have been too interested reading about the instant Cream of Wheat and smoothies I've been living off of.<br /><br />However, I'm back in the saddle, and so hungry I could eat the horse out from under it. The doctor has given me the go-ahead to eat foods fit for the above-toddler age range.<br /><br />Imagine my joy when rumor of brownies in the kitchen started floating around the office a few minutes ago. I was more than ready to sink my teeth into some chewy, fudgey, cocoa heaven. Where I had been expecting a small plate or tin of someone's homemade confections, there was a ginormous gift basket full of brownies, chocolate chip cookies, white chocolate chip cookies, and peanut butter cookies ... and a hundred employees swarming around the basket like bees about a hive.<br /><br />Where did it all come from? Who cares? My belief is that there are food gnomes hiding in the walls, looking out for us all ... or fattening us up to be eaten. Whatever.<br /><br />I managed to snap this shot after the carnage passed, and there were only a handful of cookies left. But I got my brownie. I'm back and ready to eat.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdzGqz4zuuHh3qcuiZybt0WiJBhtKfUIByNYmZ0nuq-7SJVGguD14OZYhgmv_DqehDIWzZSywMH6lJWw7CQl_8vUYtYEcXfnKUXN-Rwbvf0Meemyd435LEOG3ZUjHp8EIikz99E1XPw1l/s1600-h/giant-cookie-basket.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdzGqz4zuuHh3qcuiZybt0WiJBhtKfUIByNYmZ0nuq-7SJVGguD14OZYhgmv_DqehDIWzZSywMH6lJWw7CQl_8vUYtYEcXfnKUXN-Rwbvf0Meemyd435LEOG3ZUjHp8EIikz99E1XPw1l/s320/giant-cookie-basket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141022067443224146" border="0" /></a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-37059202779912019722007-10-27T20:55:00.000-07:002008-12-11T03:37:53.486-08:00My Ancho Butternut Squash Soup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gHHgPz7RX9_uO_ABERM7SaZ9f0hDVe5HVFat9TiUnv3t6ws55L3PZ5zGTtZdzHT6YBFxadS2XfnTPPKx-NpS8Ze9kW0em9bdFqLRRx4K2wE7AzO0ZYKS31FKj9bwBxpCBPuUjQkG0OLL/s1600-h/butternut-squash-soup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gHHgPz7RX9_uO_ABERM7SaZ9f0hDVe5HVFat9TiUnv3t6ws55L3PZ5zGTtZdzHT6YBFxadS2XfnTPPKx-NpS8Ze9kW0em9bdFqLRRx4K2wE7AzO0ZYKS31FKj9bwBxpCBPuUjQkG0OLL/s320/butternut-squash-soup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126242565609405538" border="0" /></a><br />This butternut squash soup recipe arose largely from one of my many aimless meanderings through the grocery store. I generally grab the first vegetable that looks good, and build a meal around it.<br /><br />It turned out to be a perfect fall recipe, as well as a perfect soft food for this insane diet my doctor put me on to help heal my TMJ. I just try not to think of it as adult baby food. Ancho chili paste adds a wonderful smokiness to the soup, and just a little bit of spice to accent the squash's sweetnesss.<br /><br />The benefit of buzzing down a soup into a smooth consistency is that you can include a bunch of vegetables besides the ones creating the main flavors of the dish. I added fresh green beans and tofu, and couldn't tell the difference. You could even add spinach or kale for some extra vitamins.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><ul><li>1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes</li><li>2 yellow potatoes, cut into 1" cubes</li><li>4 carrots, cut into 1/4" cubes</li><li>1/3 of a sweet yellow onion, roughly chopped</li><li>4 cloves garlic, diced</li><li>1 head fennel or anise, sliced thinly</li><li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li><li>3 large tomatoes, diced</li><li>3 cups roughly chopped green beans</li><li>1 package silken tofu, cut into<br /></li><li>4 vegetable bullion cubes</li><li>1 can vegetable broth</li><li>4 dried ancho chilies, stems pulled off</li><li>1 1/2 cup water</li><li>2 cups sour cream</li><li>optional garnish, crumbled Gorgonzolla<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions</span><br /><ol><li>Heat the oil in a large stock pot. When it starts to glisten, add fennel, onion, and garlic. Cook until onions start to turn translucent. Be careful not to let garlic burn or brown. About five minutes.</li><li>Add 1/3 of the can of vegetable broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot and stir to incorporate any caramelized bits.</li><li>Stir in tomatoes and let them cook down. About eight minutes.</li><li>Add squash, carrots, potatoes, broth, and bullion. Pour in water until it comes to an inch from the top of the vegetables. The amount of water will depend on how much juicy the tomatoes are.</li><li>Bring to a boil, stirring lower vegetables to the top of the pot occasionally. Let cook for 30-40 minutes, or until carrots and squash are very soft.</li><li>While vegetables are boiling, microwave the 1 1/2 cups water in a wide bowl for two minutes. Set the chili pods in the bowl for about 10 minutes, until reconstituted. </li><li>Buzz chili pods and water in a blender or food processor until they become a paste.</li><li>When vegetables are soft, transfer contents of the pot into a blender or food processor, and buzz down to a smooth conistency. Add a little of the sour cream and tofu to each batch so they don't cool down the soup too much.</li><li>Serve immediately with garlic bread or crumbled Gorgonzola as a garnish.</li></ol>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-56990965893072327612007-10-09T14:01:00.000-07:002008-12-11T03:37:53.587-08:00My Tandoori FindNo idea where it came from, but it saved me from having to make a sandwich again today. Once again the food gnomes have left lunch out for me on the kitchen counter. Indian today.<br /><br />I swear, sometimes it's like the ghost of my still-alive mother is protecting me from before the grave.<br /><br />Tandoori chicken (spicy yum), basmati rice (eh), dahl soup (smooth yum), saag paneer (ick)<br /><br />Again, no idea where it did come from but I'll take the chance to promote a great Indian spot nearby that has been fantastic every time we've been there: <a href="http://www.lmdining.com/">Lal Mirch.</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdrCVewuIV4BQgX4Vn8FOAk1_XLUkJfIgy_yLTi9lvhgE3lJOKxyPGvj6aZkKQ-kRDLP3CEmFZJ1PKFK6pCulXd0MTIJx5CAIUBoA38OCfA9dXV5u9TiwyLrF_grDEdzpHOVLLNQmePql/s1600-h/indian-food.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdrCVewuIV4BQgX4Vn8FOAk1_XLUkJfIgy_yLTi9lvhgE3lJOKxyPGvj6aZkKQ-kRDLP3CEmFZJ1PKFK6pCulXd0MTIJx5CAIUBoA38OCfA9dXV5u9TiwyLrF_grDEdzpHOVLLNQmePql/s320/indian-food.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119446727711225298" border="0" /></a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7994263957292758355.post-5963891429958792752007-10-07T22:21:00.000-07:002008-12-11T03:37:55.069-08:00My Catch Up (hold the ketchup and catsup)Heh. Uh ... hi.<br /><br />You may not remember me. I'm the blogger who writes My Cubicle Lunch.<br /><br />I've been really busy lately. No, really. I've had lots of work, and classes, and dance parties, and season 5 of Smallville on DVD. It's just so much!<br /><br />I just kind of <span style="font-style: italic;">haven't</span> been ... blogging. But I have been photographing what I've made and/or reheated!<br /><br />So here it is, folks, my list of recent cubicle meals for your mild voyeuristic amusement:<br /><br />9.4.07<br />My Southwest Bean and Basil Salad<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2qJnWFqSbclLNareXnCuX1J29Ni8pbGHlotrivQHb276Tp4rpr7__QZbLd9tqAdh9lj_Yaiq5qb-aZeQMIL7zd9FmYq_aIwBSwFqpJz6opgaEgTOVdwiymkx5hUKjXJ4ltKCX_C9dOuj/s1600-h/southwestern-bean-salad.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2qJnWFqSbclLNareXnCuX1J29Ni8pbGHlotrivQHb276Tp4rpr7__QZbLd9tqAdh9lj_Yaiq5qb-aZeQMIL7zd9FmYq_aIwBSwFqpJz6opgaEgTOVdwiymkx5hUKjXJ4ltKCX_C9dOuj/s320/southwestern-bean-salad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118835021289059682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>3 cups fresh spinach</li><li>1/4 cup fresh Santa Monica Farmers (SMF) Market basil</li><li>1/2 cup fresh SMF green beans (they're really sweet when fresh), broken in halves or chopped</li><li>1/4 cup black beans</li><li>1/4 cup sliced red grapes</li><li>parmesan or cotija cheese to taste</li><li>crumbled tostaditas for texture, and to make the neat little spire on top</li></ul>9.5.07<br />My Basil-Tofu Open Faced Sandwich<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEuOGTp9ISnl_R0Bzy3uaHdZDxOATvxKFK6xNEq4SGw43PZW05f-QIe89XDk-VMwEFATv1eAmTdtNvGiToMMiWI3lpz_2iahvGfGLNNwDfZ2pFj2YrVOmDDtrrk17ev0WgRka7xh1dqPi/s1600-h/basil-tofu-sandwich.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEuOGTp9ISnl_R0Bzy3uaHdZDxOATvxKFK6xNEq4SGw43PZW05f-QIe89XDk-VMwEFATv1eAmTdtNvGiToMMiWI3lpz_2iahvGfGLNNwDfZ2pFj2YrVOmDDtrrk17ev0WgRka7xh1dqPi/s320/basil-tofu-sandwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118836576067220850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>2 slices oat bread (lots of fiber, with a little sweetness)</li><li>3 tablespoons mayonnaise</li><li>1 tablespoon whole-seed dijon mustard (great texture)</li><li>1 small vine-ripened tomato</li><li>1/3 cup fresh spinach</li><li>1/4 cup fresh SMF basil (yeah, still trying to use it up)</li><li>1 patty firm tofu, drained and sliced horizontally</li><li>1/2 avocado, sliced</li><li>1/8 cup black beans</li><li>pickle slices to garnish</li></ul>9.13.07<br />My Doctored-Up Pad Thai Leftovers<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzlxJ7ZMNLvMeX5Wb_a-w6P7urWsCMHRIPNbBnik8c_gziTUHanzAWwYUd3aSaEW3G62FudT5GXdfttojgmMjyUf9WZo75-B62RtcKfxeEdawbCzK9qAbITJUDVkNmkmR6HiSFY4gmREe/s1600-h/pad-thai.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzlxJ7ZMNLvMeX5Wb_a-w6P7urWsCMHRIPNbBnik8c_gziTUHanzAWwYUd3aSaEW3G62FudT5GXdfttojgmMjyUf9WZo75-B62RtcKfxeEdawbCzK9qAbITJUDVkNmkmR6HiSFY4gmREe/s320/pad-thai.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118838388543419778" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />From <a href="http://mycubiclelunch.blogspot.com/2007/08/anatomy-of-green-curry.html">Original Thai</a>. I just microwaved and added some un-cooked, sliced zucchini to get more veggies in it. I also like the crisp contrast of texture it adds.<br /><br />9.17.07<br />My Empty Pockets<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYB_PPvobaxtYcdwxczRsNYSfu8tQ2hHhzx3_RmaypdeVVry1W8QvMQgQw3M4RRGFyRnuCft4zqTyUewIhn5oJBPSqQl-yqZMFghteyj1QEhvjRJ7LIwKGSW4wobTQ_6S0xuqo69-XlHK/s1600-h/new-plate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYB_PPvobaxtYcdwxczRsNYSfu8tQ2hHhzx3_RmaypdeVVry1W8QvMQgQw3M4RRGFyRnuCft4zqTyUewIhn5oJBPSqQl-yqZMFghteyj1QEhvjRJ7LIwKGSW4wobTQ_6S0xuqo69-XlHK/s320/new-plate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118839797292692882" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Broke, out of money, destitute, hungry. At least I have a few slices of bread and a jar of peanut butter left in my desk's nether realms. Also, I get to take the new plate I bought over the weekend for a test lunch.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PSA:</span><br />Please use non-disposable plates, cups and silverware at work. What you save in plastic and paper could be the earth's future.<br /><br />(*step down from soapbox*)<br /><br />9.27.07<br />My Paycheck Hasn't Gotten Here Yet<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90b_3UJs5t-6eMC1xfPrsxn7qYI8keVKhjMKDjgFRJl20Wmb730_nnNhSGCB-Dx27uH-ZPBXCsJqeKHYBAjAj7OjyLFCB2Y2Bn_leExMJ3jlO_9LpztGsYOrTD9McR7YgIFhXGsRvceWN/s1600-h/banana-toast.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90b_3UJs5t-6eMC1xfPrsxn7qYI8keVKhjMKDjgFRJl20Wmb730_nnNhSGCB-Dx27uH-ZPBXCsJqeKHYBAjAj7OjyLFCB2Y2Bn_leExMJ3jlO_9LpztGsYOrTD9McR7YgIFhXGsRvceWN/s320/banana-toast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118842640561042866" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Another day of peanut butter toast for lunch, but at least I dressed it up with apricot preserves and banana slices. If I could only fry it, Elvis would be proud.<br /><br />Thankfully, my coworker ordered too much at lunch (or saw me losing weight), and brought me her <a href="http://mycubiclelunch.blogspot.com/2007/08/anatomy-of-green-curry.html">Original Thai</a> salad role. She's such a good friend, I don't have the heart to tell her that I don't think these things are all that. But beggars and choosers, etc.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVMrQ_DvjLOIu3WkrZOQN9uSpLfqVteR3BuNhOGZdJh_btxmBo-nLVizekYJ2otufOhyArF4z_uX3oy4ZOtJM7KxsoBtLwA-fwguPwqPxU4Fo8FaseBLOWnlxIX78Xd_7snfcz-csvdUt/s1600-h/salad-role.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVMrQ_DvjLOIu3WkrZOQN9uSpLfqVteR3BuNhOGZdJh_btxmBo-nLVizekYJ2otufOhyArF4z_uX3oy4ZOtJM7KxsoBtLwA-fwguPwqPxU4Fo8FaseBLOWnlxIX78Xd_7snfcz-csvdUt/s320/salad-role.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118841949071308194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />9.28.07<br />My Fatty Payback for a Month of Healthful Eating<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaqa6MD-rzrulXfhiw-CggPNl7My2wiZdpkaUt1ak3xmcQdRnS3RODwzSJW923rqUq3Iy5xGyuJFfke950mEswUI3PdvDwojir8wF0KFTAKzskKABAkvKmuGaU7xnn8FHBGa1FY8_AbnL/s1600-h/casita-burrito.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaqa6MD-rzrulXfhiw-CggPNl7My2wiZdpkaUt1ak3xmcQdRnS3RODwzSJW923rqUq3Iy5xGyuJFfke950mEswUI3PdvDwojir8wF0KFTAKzskKABAkvKmuGaU7xnn8FHBGa1FY8_AbnL/s320/casita-burrito.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118845990635533762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />1 carne asada burrito with a ginormous horchata (no ice -- it's a waste of valuable horchata space)<br /><br />I've been craving a good burrito all week. This was not it. Casita Taco al Carbon may be a convenient taco shop for my office, but it's far from a great one. The meat was mediocre and laced with too much un-chewable gristle, the tortilla was certainly not made on the premises, the rice and beans did not run consistently through the length of the burrito, and the cardinal sin of all: the salsa sucks (though their verde is pretty decent). The horchata is pretty rockin', though. It's a bummer about their salsa, because their chips are always great. However, it's the fountain variety, which is hard to mess up. I will say that the burrito was far from bad, but it's just not up to the quality that is so easy to find in most San Diegan establishments.<br /><br />While musing over the differences between my beloved San Diego's Mexican food and what I am so often disappointed by in LA, I found what is possibly the coolest food-related website EVER ESTABLISHED (besides MyCubicleLunch). It's user-generated Burritophile, a guide to the nation's best and worst in the tightly wrapped world of burrito joints. They cover most of the great spots in San Diego and LA, as well as the far reaches of Mexican cuisine's influence, like Wisconson. My only complaint is that some people are far too generous in their ratings. <a href="http://www.burritophile.com/editorial_review.php?pid=1413&rid=843&uid=306">Case in point.</a>Always Eatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184737570852963306noreply@blogger.com0