Food Freaks: Two Food-Obssessed Friends Review Restaurants, Products and Recipes

Butter Lettuce and Radishes with White Balsamic Vinagrette

2009-05-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

I made this salad today...it's a snap. I refuse to use bottled dressing..so flat and salty and yucky:

toss together (enough for 2 people):
thinly sliced radishes
torn butter lettuce
2 T. fresh thyme leaves

dressing:
1/4 cup "O" white balsamic
2 Tbsp. olive oil (I really like Caroliva from Spain, nice and buttery)
1/2 tsp salt
fresh cracked pepper
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small minced garlic clove

whisk dressing ingredients, pour over salad, enjoy!

Indian Food in a CAN? Yes We Can!

2009-02-28T16:30:00.000-08:00

Yes I purchased Indian food in a can at my local hippie/organic market and it was DAMN TASTY. It's a product from Jyoti Foods, and I was surprised at how delicious and fresh this tasted, as if that Indian woman pictured on the web site had just made the food for me in my kitchen:

I got the Punjabi Chhole. Talk about EASY. Just microwave a packet of Trader's Joe's Thai Jamine rice (they are pre-cooked and come frozen). Then split a can of the Punjabi Chhole btw two bowls and microwave. Divide the rice among the bowls, stir, and top each with a big dollop of 2% Greek Yogurt (also courtesy of TJs). It was SO GOOD. I bet it would be even better with a little squeeze of lemon in the Punjabi Chhole and maybe some fresh cilantro.

Monkey & Son: Possibly the Best Coffee of All Time?

2009-01-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

Please consider trying out this coffee! You can order it from:

http://www.monkeyandson.com

We have been hooked on it for 2 years. Thom Fuhrman's own hand-crafted beauties are not only fair trade, but organic. The Sumatra is our fav. It is so rich and smooth, without acidity. Nice to know you're not drinking pesticide and the people that grow the coffee have a decent life! Click here to check out the espresso machine we use, where apparently I already espoused the virtues of Monkey & Son before. See! PROOF that this coffee has lasted throughout the ages....That's saying a LOT when it comes to my fickle consumerism and the amount of competition that's out there on the coffee scene.

Home-Made Bagels

2008-12-31T15:49:00.000-08:00

I just ate the most heavenly, warm, perfect bagel...minutes out of the oven! I found this recipe online and it worked like a charm:
Home-Made Bagel Recipe

"Homemade bagel recipe

4 cups bread flour

1 Tbls sugar

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 Tbls vegetable oil

2 tsps instant yeast

1-1/4- 1-1/2 cups of warm water.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. You don't have to worry about soaking the yeast when you use instant yeast (most yeast sold these days is instant yeast). The dough should feel stiff, but add the extra water if it's really stiff, or you can't get all the dry flour incorporated.

Plop the dough down onto the counter, and knead for about ten minutes, or until the dough is uniform and smooth.

Cut the dough into 8 equal sized balls, and let rest for 10-20 minutes.

Pre heat your oven to 425.

Now, take each of the dough balls and using two hands, roll it into a little snake on the counter. When the snake is longer than the width of your two hands, wrap it around your dominant roiling hand. The dough rope should be wrapped so the overlapping ends are together at your palm, near the start of your fingers. Now take the two overlapping ends, and use your palm to squish/roll these two ends together. Once the dough is fused, you should have a perfectly circular bagel-to-be! This is the only part of the process that can take a little practice before your bagels will look really professional. Don't get discouraged if they don't look perfect, it just takes practice!

Let your bagels rest on the counter for about 20 minutes, and meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil, and grease a large baking tray lightly. You can just rub a splash of vegetable oil and rub it around.

After the 20 minute wait, your bagels will start to look puffy, and it's time to get them boiling! Add them as many at a time as you can to your boiling water without crowding them. Boil for about a minute, turn them over, and boil for another minute. Take them out a let dry for a minute and then place them on your oiled baking tray. Repeat until all the bagels are boiled.

Add the tray to the oven, and after 10 minutes, flip the bagels over, bake for another ten minutes; and they're done!"

It was so easy and the bagels came out perfectly! I used a high quality baking sheet (a little thicker than typical) and used grapeseed oil to rub it down. The grapeseed oil worked really well and imparted a nice, slightly buttery flavor to the bagels. I also added a tsp of baking soda to the boiling water to assist with browning the bagels. I only made 4 bagels to start as I was worried about how they would turn out--so I literally cut the recipe in half above and it still turned out GREAT. Before baking, I dipped the bagels in sea salt and raw sesame seeds.

These were so heavenly we didn't need to toast them at all. Just added a touch of butter about 10 minutes after they came out of the oven. I've never had more awesome bagels in my life! this is a must-try home experiment.

With the rising costs of food, knowing I can make something like this at home with just a few simple ingredients makes me feel very self-empowered.

Parsnip and Rosemary Risotto

2008-12-10T22:12:00.001-08:00

OK just had to share one more huge success. It has been a number of years since I made risotto, and I only had Trader's Joe's vegetable broth concentrate packets around the house, but it turned out to be a huge success. Maybe the TJ's packets were the key? They are these little tubes with a shot of concentrated veg broth that you add water to....I had to tear open 8 of these little buggers and add 8 cups of hot water. It makes a pretty savory broth...darker and more strong than your typical broth from the can or box.

I was also intimidated by the parsnips. It takes some time to chop them up. My fiance kept wondering if maybe I was in over my head, what with the veggie broth boiling, and all the parsnip cubes. I also was worried about over-processing the onion...you know when you overdo it in the food processor and you end up with an almost onion "soup"...strangely enough I think that also may have been a factor that made for a very smooth and delicious risotto.

This cooked a lot faster than I thought...I just had to keep tasting the risotto while cooking until I got it right. I have to say I am new fan now of parsnips! The taste is like a cross between cauliflower and potato in flavor. Very mild and sweet and creamy. A huge hit, even with my fiance, who claims to not like anything with rice.

I will definitely be making this again! I ate it for dinner and then for lunch for 2 more days and it just kept getting better.

Linguine Avgolemono with Artichoke Hearts and Green Beans

2008-12-10T21:48:00.000-08:00

I've tried a lot of recipes from magazines, and should probably come as no surprise that the ones I tear out from Bon Appetit are consistently very good! Sharing one I made tonight. The plate is still steaming in front of me as I write. (Incidentally, I am also watching Top Chef).

Here is a link to the recipe on Epicurious: Linguine Avgolemono with Artichoke Hearts and Green Beans

It's really a cinch. Once you have a big pot of water boiling, add frozen artichoke hearts...and I used frozen haricort verts from Boundelle, so I didn't have to do any trimming/prep of the green beans. I also invested in some gourmet, hand-crafted linguine that had a more rough texture that allowed the sauce to really cling to the noodles.

I went a little light on the whipping cream--don't really feel a full half cup was necessary. But it was so simple to whisk together the yolks, cream, lemon juice. It's also key to not overcook the veggies or the pasta. You want the veggies just barely tender and then pasta still al dente. Taste the pasta while you cook to get the texture just right. Once you throw the cooked pasta, veggies, cheese, parsley and sauce together and start simmering, it's so fun to watch the sauce thicken up and all the ingredients marry. I didn't need to add any cooking liquid to thin it, but I did add some salt to kick up the flavor.

My only regret now is that I have 3 more servings and no friends over for dinner! I would definitely make this again for friends and feel confident it will be a crowd-pleaser.

Some 2006 Alicanto Sauvignon Blanc really complimented this pasta very well! The sauce is rich and the tang/grassy flavor really cuts through and refreshes your palate between bites.

ROASTING: An Alternative to Throwing Away Food

2008-11-11T11:13:00.000-08:00

How many times have YOU been in this situation: You go to Traders Joe's Saturday afternoon and snatch up those plastic bulk packs of Roma tomatoes and red plums. You try your best to make as much Caprese salad as humanly possible, try to bring a plum or two for lunch every day to work. But by the following Thurs you glimpse those items you bought, certainly still very edible, but now a bit mushy or wrinkly. And it gets harder and harder to bring yourself to eat them.

There's nothing worse you can do with today's cost of food and global hunger crisis than to throw these out! I have a solution that has been working really well for me....

ROASTING.

Most people know you can halve tomatoes, brush them with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and roast at 400 degrees for 45 min- hour for a tasty treat that can be tossed with your favorite hot pasta and basil, or just spread on toasted bread (topped with a fried egg...it's even better for breakfast).

But roasting fruit is just an incredible kind of alchemy, too. (Technically tomatoes are a fruit--yes--but I'm talking classic "fruit" here with the plums). I halved/pitted the plums (had 4 for 8 halves), microwaved a T. of butter, brushed it on the plums and then sprinkled them with brown sugar. I laid out the plums on a sheet of parchment on a cookie sheet. I recommend a higher quality baking sheet for these and most recipes. I roasted them at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until they slightly carmelized and released their juices. here is the best--sprinkle a little sea salt on them right before serving! Wonderful.

there are so many stone fruits you can do this with and so many ways you can present the dish. I served the plums with a scoop of Haagen Dazs Light Vanilla Bean ice cream. Heaven!

ParadiseO Organic Fruit/Veggie Delivery

2008-06-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

I highly recommend the service provided by ParadiseO. I've used them twice now, and have been very impressed. You can opt for their $25 box of fruits or veggies, or you can upgrade to $35 boxes or combinations of veggies and fruits. You can even create an account on their site and enter in foods you absolutely do not want--I for one, am not a fan of pears, watermelon or kale.

I opted for the standard $25 fruit box the first time, and got a lovely array of goodies: a whole pineapple, 2 gala apples, 2 pears, a mango, 2 bunches of bananas, carton blueberries, carton strawberries. The delivery was free and for the price this is an incredible deal for organic food! I also like the fact that the freshness is guaranteed--no moldy berries (booo! trader joes!) or excessive plastic packaging (booo again trader joes!!).

The second time I ordered, I ordered the standard $25 veggie box, plus an ala carte assortment of fruits. For about $60 I got 2 avocados, 2 sweet potatoes, a huge bunch of romaine, a huge bunch of spinach, cherry tomatoes, 2 zucchini squash, a big bag of green beans, 2 cartons raspberries, 2 cartons blueberries, 2 cartons strawberries and 1 bunch of bananas.

This is a LOT of fantastic fruit and veggies--you cannot beat these prices....you are supporting local, organic growers and you don't even have to get up off your butt to go to the store. Love it!

Espresso Geek Heaven!!

2008-05-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

So, for the last year we've been using those individually-wrapped 1 shot espresso pods with our machine. We finally decided that the cost of them, plus the packaging and energy wasted trucking them out to us (we were on Illy Coffee's home delivery program) was expensive and wasteful. I had also heard recently in my archived podcasts of "The Splendid Table" that to really get a fantastic cup of coffee you need to use freshly ground whole bean on the spot. I ended up buying a slightly used Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder off Ebay and bought some independently-made whole bean coffee down the street--it was an organic Sumatran blend made by Monkey & Son. I have to say, taking 30 extra seconds to grind before making my cappuccino made all the difference! The grinder grinds slowly and quietly, apparently to avoid generating the heat that would erode the taste/aroma of the beans. I used the "fine" grind setting for espresso. The grind was very even and consistent. It made one of those wonderfully hot and slightly smoky, "European-style" cappuccinos (cappuccini?) with that great brown toasty ring around the edge.

By the way, the machine we use at home is the Francis Francis X3 in hot pink. I believe after lots of hunting, I found it for about $399. It was either on Ebay or I also like the AAbree Coffee Site. I know that sounds insane, but consider this: buying a latte for $4 from Starbucks 5 x week is $80/month or $960/year. We've had this wonderful machine for about 3 years now, so the return on the investment should be clear.

Shelton's Chicken Chili Mac

2007-12-12T16:16:00.000-08:00

We are not too proud to espouse the merits of canned or frozen food on this blog! :-) I had to give props to Shelton's Chicken Chili mac--yes... its in a can and YES I am really enjoying my lunch today at work. Shelton's is delicious--a nice blend of spices and tang and low in calories and fat...packing a good punch of protein into your day. Highly recommended! Shelton's is a family-run, all-natural ethical farm...read more here.

Sauteed Radish Greens

2007-10-14T16:33:00.001-07:00

I buy radishes a lot and I always feel bad about tossing away the tops. So this time I washed them really well and trimmed the stems (also picked out and threw away any leaves that were too old or not fresh.)

I sauteed them in some olive oil, salt and garlic and added a squeeze of lemon (of course). They were actually pretty good! Kinda like a cross btw spinach and basil and they are a heartier texture overall. I read that they have tons of vitamin C and calcium in the greens. I recommend using an olive oil that is not on the green/peppery side, since the greens themselves are pretty peppery. Use a nice golden, sweet oil to counterbalance the taste.

2007-05-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

Vinum popoli kiosk

RECIPE: ORZO SALAD

2007-05-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a wonderful recipe I whipped up that just gets better each day it sits in the fridge! I've seen this salad make an appearance in some variation at many BBQ's, but I have typically found it to be too bland. Added a good deal of lemon zest, fresh mint and pine nuts really picked up the flavor. This was the hit of our BBQ and many friends of mine went rolling out the door, stuffed to the gills with this tasty pasta salad. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:
1 box (16 oz) Orzo Pasta
1 dozen "strawberry tomatoes" (if not available, grape is fine)
8 oz crumbled feta (I used black peppercorn flavor)
6 oz pitted/halved Kalamata Olives (do not substitute black--too bitter for most people!)
3 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
4 thinly sliced green onions
Zest of one Lemon
Fresh Mint
~dressing~
1/2 cup + 2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil (use a flavorful oil for taste, not cooking)
2 Tbsp White Wine
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. ground cumin
1. tbsp minced garlic
Pinch Salt

Cook the orzo according to directions. I used Ronzoni brand and made sure to do a quick taste test to make sure it was al dente. Rinse with cool water and drain in a colander. Set aside and let cool. Toss in a large bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil. Add all the other ingredients leading up to the dressing and toss well. Prepare dressing in a small bowl, add to the the pasta, etc and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Chill in the fridge for at least several hours to allow flavors to marry.

I just ate the last of it for lunch two days later...it just keeps getting tastier!

Recipe: Creamy Polenta

2007-04-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

I cannot say enough about this simple and quick recipe I found in Body and Soul Magazine. It was fantastic! Would be great as grits for breakfast or as a side accompaniment to grilled chicken. I just ate it as is and it was great! Below is my slightly adapted recipe (I took the butter and cheese amounts down to lighten it up a bit and adjusted the recipe for 2 generous servings).

1 can chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
2/3 cup polenta
1/2 tsp salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup grated or shredded fresh parmigiano cheese

Heat the broth in a medium saucepan until boiling. Whisk in polenta, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and keep whisking until mixture thickens. Turn off heat and stir in butter and cheese. So easy!

Recipe: Kinda Healthy Banana Bread

2007-04-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a wonderful recipe for banana bread at:
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001465banana_bread.php

But I decided to increase the healthy factor on it by using whole wheat flour, earth balance spread instead of butter, and omega-3 rich walnuts. I also reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup. I found the texture to be delightful and the moisture content perfect--it made a moist cake that was neither too dry nor too oily/heavy.

3 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted earth balance
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup of white flour
3/4 cup of wheat flour
1/2 cup broken walnut halves

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mash butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a 4x8 inch loaf pan which has been lightly greased with olive oil. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack and serve.

California Frost Devastates Farmers

2007-01-22T10:14:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to post here a strong encouragement for you to get out to your local farmer's markets in Southern Cal with a big fist full of dollars and buy up all the produce you can. Surely you heard by now about the unusually low temperatures that occurred here as well as the snowfall in Malibu, the home of sun-kissed surfers. The results have been devastating to local farmers, who have lost as much as 80% of their citrus crops for the year. The estimated loss to the industry is somewhere around a billion dollars! Not only are the growers affected, but so are their workers, the truckers, etc. Farmers have to apply for a line a of credit with banks just to cover their bills for the next few months, and even when they start getting income again...well, we all know how much it hurts to pay the NEW bills in addition to the interest on the credit. Some smaller farmers will never recover from the loss.

It is very important to be mindful and thankful for the effort and sacrifice that goes into putting that beautiful orange or pear into your hands.

Please--instead of buying a crapload of granola bars from WalMart (that are probably laden with high fructose corn syrup anyway) take your kids on a trip to the farmer's market and fill up the car with fresh fruit and vegetables. Here is a handy link to help you find markets and co-ops in your community:

http://www.localharvest.org/

Easiest and Most Innovative Way to Make Bread!

2006-11-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, I love fresh-baked bread, but somehow I just can't get on the bread machine bandwagon (seems to take the soul out of it to me somehow). I usually resort to making Irish soda breads, which require a lot less work. But check out this article on slow-rise bread making technique. If you're not in a hurry to dive into that loaf, this process seems so easy! You can check out the video here: click to see video.

Restaurant Review: Warszawa

2006-10-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

OK, I'll admit that when I heard there was a "Polish Restaurant" in Los Angeles, I pictured plates of beets being served by stooped over old women in babushkas. I've clearly demonstrated my ignorance regarding Polish culture and cuisine.

Their web site has some historical prose on it, claiming that "Polish cuisine occupies a distinctive place among Slavic food...Ancient merchants traveling the famous amber trail from Byzantium through Poland brought exotic spices like cinnamon and cloves, while invaders from Asia brought steak Tatar, and Bona Sforza." Well I was already hypnotized by that description, as well as the surprisingly fresh and varied menu offering everything from crisp salads to pierogies to duckling, chicken, lamb, etc. We booked a reservation for 7pm.

I ordered the red and green leaf romaine salad with tomatoes and marinated mushrooms. Warszawa has to have ones of the BEST salad dressings I've ever tasted, hands down! I think it was a combination of plain yogurt, lemon and fresh dill. My guy had the shrimp and avocado salad which had the same dressing ladled on tender baby greens, juicy shrimp and avocado chunks. The sourdough bread basket was always replenished and was accompanied by a delicious black olive tapenade that was more lemony and mild, not as bitter as most olive pastes. For dinner I had the salmon poached in chardonnay with an exquisite sorrel sauce. It also had some baby carrots (a favorite of mine) , dreamy mashed potatoes and some broccoli florets uniquely flavored with what I believe was some caramelized pecans. Wow! My guy had the chicken schnitzel, which was a generously-sized chicken breast with a crispy breaded outside and a pocket of oozing herbed butter inside. I found it to be slightly on the dry side...I imagine without the butter inside it would not be too great. Maybe they can try poking a few holes in to let the butter disperse throughout the chicken a bit more while it cooks?

I had also heard their Bison Grass vodka is legendary; unfortunately they were out so I opted for another one (promise I will call them to get the name!). I don't normally drink straight vodka, but this was so delicious, smooth, and...dare I say...sweet? And absolutely ice cold. Very refreshing and crisp...a nice change from wine.

The dessert was so-so. We split some kind of espresso-ice cream concoction. It was not memorable but I do appreciate that it was a great deal less sweet than most restaurant desserts. I wish they all made them that way!

Finally, our service was very good and the restaurant overall had a cozy, romantic atmosphere. We really enjoyed ourselves and we did NOT experience what we call "the post-restaurant blues" which is a horrible feeling of being overstuffed and nauseous. This has happened to us at a number of restaurants even when we didn't eat a lot, and I think it has something to do with the cook just using way too much butter or oil or something. We felt quite satisfied, happy and energetic after eating at Warszawa.

No I actually didn't try a pierogie! I will next time...and there will be a next time very very soon.

4.5 out of 5 Babooshkas!

Warszawa Restaurant
1414 Lincoln Avenue
Santa Monica, CA
310-393-8831
http://www.warszawarestaurant.com

Restaurant Review: Cafe Niebaum-Coppola

2006-08-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

I sort of stumbled onto Cafe Niebaum-Coppola while out with friends at the Palo Alto Festival of Arts. Of course, I've heard of Coppola wines but didn't know that he ran a tasting room/restaurant too. It's not a place I would have made special plans to visit, nor make reservations for because of the big name associated with the place, which often means mediocre food and service. But I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the experience -- the food part of the experience, not the service. After a few tastings of wine, though, the poor service bothered us less and less. Our party of four had a decent sampling of light fare: a grilled tiger prawn/white bean/artichoke salad; an Italian tuna/grilled vegetable/arugula salad; a wood-fired pizza topped with olives, ham and artichoke; and a pasta aglio e olio, which was done perfectly, between the al dente spaghetti to the garlic chips, red pepper and fresh parsley. It's when I have dishes like this that my belief that the best Italian dishes are the most simple is confirmed all over again.

All four dishes were perfect accompaniments to the 6-7 wines we tasted. What was great was that even though the tasting room was next to the restaurant, our waiter brought us the wines we wanted to taste. We tasted one South African savignon blanc. The reminder were California reds. My absolute favorite was the 2003 Storrs Rusty Ridge Santa Clara Zinfandel, medium to full bodied zin with lots of jammy fruit.

All in all, a fun place, with great classic Italian dishes and lots of wines to taste!

3.5 out of 5 forks and 4 out of 5 grapes!

Cafe Niebaum-Coppola (Palo Alto location)
473 University Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-752-0350
http://www.cafecoppola.com/

Restaurant Review: LEAF

2006-08-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I must have sealed my fate when I mused recently: "I wonder when I'll actually have a negative review". Unfortunately, I had what can only be described as a sort of "creepy" experience when I sampled some food from the increasingly popular LEAF restaurant in Culver City.

I basically define myself as a "flexitarian", I eat just about anything except red meat and anything deep fried. Otherwise, fish and the occasional bit of chicken make their way into my diet. About 90% of the time my eating lifestyle is vegetarian, mostly due to preference, but also due to the health benefits and low resources needed to grow, say peas vs. cows. I am basically a vegetarian in the purest sense of the term: I LOVE VEGETABLES. Many a friend has laughed watching me eat everyone else's salads at wedding receptions. Yesterday's visit to LEAF almost eradicated my life-long love affair with everything green.

I decided maybe a raw food lunch would help me getting over this flu bug I've had. In LEAF's defense, the restaurant seemed incredibly clean, the staff friendly... and of course, if you aren't a regular practitioner of a raw food diet, raw foods can seem, well, rather scary. At least, that is what a few friends had reported to me about LEAF, but I just figured they were closed-minded about raw foods. Ummmm....I was wrong.

I ordered a seaweed salad, something I typically love when prepared Japanese style, but LEAF's version of it is a slimy, rubbery, gooey mass with a creamy ginger dressing that is way too thick and strong in its flavor...I could barely eat two bites and off it went in the trash. To even think of it now makes me shudder. Another lunch choice was the Bedouin wrap, which is LEAF's version of hummus and chopped tomatoes, greens, sprouts wrapped in a thick dark green leaf. The serving was huge, almost as big as my forearm! Upon the first few bites, I enjoyed the lemony zing to the hummus, but about a third of the way through it just became a little too intense and cumbersome to eat more. I made myself eat most of it, since I hate to waste food or money. But I found myself feeling strange afterward. This is a feeling that increased exponentially throughout the day (more on that later). I had the "veggie combo" juice drink, which was so-so but not as good as other veggie drinks I've had and had a considerable amount of sludge/chunks in the bottom of the cup. Finally, dessert, which I guess they have a good rep for, was a strawberry mousse torte. It was certainly decent I guess but those creams that are made from nut butters (in this case cashew) are really just too intense for me. The date nut crust was very good, but I feel that somehow they could have made a better filling using some other kind of ingredient...but since nothing can be cooked, I don't know what that would leave? Perhaps they could use agar as thickening agent along with strawberry puree and something else?

As the day wore on, that Bedouin wrap sat in my gut like a brick...perhaps it was a sprouting, living brick. And the gas I was sprouting myself could have been labeled as "hazardous waste". How could I expect any other outcome, after eating a two pound, leaf-wrapped missile stuffed with raw chickpeas and sprouts? I felt like that poor guy with the baby creature in his stomach in "Alien". I was in a mild state of misery for most of the afternoon, considering going in to the hospital to get someone to "induce labor". My boyfriend took me to dinner late that night and was shocked to see me completely avoid anything green on the menu. I opted for some good old empty carbs like white bread and pasta to soak up the green heaving monster on my stomach. I felt better but even today my digestive system is still not back to normal.

My advice to you if you're considering LEAF, is to use common sense and order some very small portions of things. Go for some items that are more commonplace and not as exotic as the choices I made. Try experimenting with a few raw food creations here and there before trying trying a full meal at LEAF, or probably any raw food restaurant. Oh...if you have lunch at LEAF, be sure to not make any plans to hang around anyone else for the rest of the day in an enclosed room.

How do YOU spell "RE-LEAF?"

1.5 out of 5 leaves! :-(

11938 W. Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
http://www.leafcuisine.com
310-390-6005

Restaurant Review: Robin's Restaurant (Cambria, CA)

2006-08-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had a glorious time biking and wine tasting in Paso Robles with my best friend Miki, the co-author of this blog. We'll be posting our reviews of restaurants and wineries in Paso Robles and Cambria throughout the week.

Last Friday night we headed over to Robin's Restaurant in Cambria, on the enthusiastic recommendation of my cousins, who haved lived there for over 3 years. They frequent Robin's often, which I figured had more to do with the sparse cultural offerings in Cambria. Once I sat down in the homey, inviting little restaurant, which is in a cute little adobe style house (kind of feels like you're visiting "grandma" and she's a gourmet extraordinaire!) and took a gander at the lengthy and varied menu, I could understand why everyone keeps coming back.

You can get everything from Vietnamese spring rolls to Malaysian chicken curry to lobster enchiladas. I often find restaurants that try to get too creative and varied with the menu can't pull it off, but I have a strong feeling Robin's can pull it off. I say this because I saw everyone around me stuffing down various exotic dishes with zeal; I myself didn't get too "ethnic" with my choices because I was too seduced by the salmon bisque (a dreamy combo of cream, tomatoes, garlic, and fresh salmon that is simmered all day to perfection).

The special that night: seafood in a saffron leek sauce served over al dente pasta. Scallops that managed to be tender and sweet in spite of their generous size, manila clams, juicy mussels and a light white fish (sorry folks the name escapes me--I must take better notes at dinner). The saffron leek sauce was amazing and the owner of Robin's was kind enough to email me the recipe. I'm sorry but I am sworn to secrecy on that one.

Robin's had a young, enthusiastic and helpful staff and that just makes your night all the more fun.

I don't usually take part in dessert when dining out, but had to try the light and fluffy dark chocolate mousse that left me feeling happy and chocolate-blissed, not over-stuffed.

The entire meal was perfectly complimented by a bottle of Piedra Creek Winery's 2003 San Floriano Blended Red, which had a bold fruit flavor, notes of cherry and spicy cinnamon. Simply wonderful. Apparently it won the gold best of class award at the California mid state fair, among other accolades. Read this fascinating article about the rocket scientist who started Piedra Creek winery and crafted this wonderful wine himself. (psst! you can buy it from fermentations.com.)

I'm actually wondering when I am going to have a bad experience so I can post it here on the blog. But I tend to research carefully before wasting my time and money...most of the places I go or things I buy tend to be fairly trusted and respected as it is. :)

4.5 out of 5 bowls of Salmon Bisque!

Robin's Restaurant Contact Information:
4905 Burton Drive
Cambria, CA 93428
1-805-927-5007
http://www.robinsrestaurant.com

Coffee Review: Philz Coffee

2006-07-21T16:22:00.000-07:00

If you are in San Francisco and you want to experience the ultimate coffee satori, you must visit Philz Coffee on 24th Street. Phil has a genuine, charismatic personality and he loves to talk about...you guessed it, coffee. The man is a true alchemist and has perfected his own special formula roasts over the decades. Each cup is individually prepared with precision and love. It's a pleasure to hang out at Philz and chat with him, his son or any number of the friendly and funny regular patrons. If I lived in SF I would be there every day, and probably going to him to get advice on life in general. :-)

The first time my boyfriend and I went, Phil initiated us with a lecture, a tour of his shabby chic coffee shop, and an iced "Philharmonic", an icy blend of his philharmonic roast, ground cardamom, cream, ice and mint sprigs. It tasted amazing and powered us up for the 6 hour drive back to LA.

Phil may not be so undergound anymore after his celebrity appearance on KCRW's "Good Food" in an interview with Evan Kleinman. You can check out the podcast of the interview here.

5 out of 5 cups! (that's right...a full 5!)

Philz Info:
3101 24th Street at Folsom Street
San Francisco, California 94110
Cafe: 415.282.9155
http://www.philzcoffee.com

Wine Review: Familia Zuccardi wines

2006-07-17T22:09:00.001-07:00

I went to an Argentinian wine tasting event featuring wines from Familia Zuccardi (www.familiazuccardi.com), one of the largest wineries in Mendoza (Argentina's Napa Valley), and was impressed by the large variety of great wines I tasted. They weren't serving your run-of-the-mill mix of cabernets and chardonnays, or even syrahs, that we're all familiar with. Instead, they were pouring organic Torrontes (white), Tempranillo (red) , Caladoc (red), a few other reds, and a dessert wine called Tardio (white).

My favorite was the 2005 Santa Julia Torrontes Organica, a delicious, fruity white with notes of peach and pear, that reminded me of some of my favorite Pinot Grigios. It's an excellent summer wine. At the tasting it was served with the first course, a butter lettuce and herb salad with a hint of a citrus-champagne vinegar dressing.

I've always been curious about Argentinian wines, having heard that they, along with the Chileans, produce quality products at good value. While Argentinian wines are generally more difficult to find than French and Italian wines, it's certainly worth seeking out. I can't speak for all Argentinian wines, since I've tasted some that are not as tasty, those that are produced by the Familia Zuccardi winery are worth trying. Hope you have a chance to check some out!

4 out of 5 Argentinian grapes!

Familian Zuccardi Wines
www.familiazuccardi.com

Product Review: Pomi Marinara Sauce

2006-04-24T23:15:00.000-07:00

I had to post up a quick note about what I consider, hands down, the most perfect packaged pasta sauce available: Pomi from Parmalat.

Most upscale or gourmet markets carry it now; it used to be difficult to find. You can spot it immediately in the signature box. The taste is so fresh, the perfect balance of sweetness and garlic. None of that gross high fructose corn syrup or preservatives you see in pre-fabbed sauces....it's all-natural. It's also a smooth paste that makes a great base for all kinds of sauce variations, stews, pizza and soups. Try my recipe below and you will never be short of friends wanting to come over for dinner:

The Perfect Pink Sauce

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet on medium heat
Add 2 pressed garlic cloves
Simmer the garlic cloves until very aromatic
Add 1/2 cup Pomi marinara sauce
Add 2-3 Tbsp fresh cream
Simmer/stir 1 more minute to marry the flavors.

This sauce tastes wonderful tossed with freshly cooked pasta (al dente, cerdo!). I'm in love with Riscossa Bucatini. Toss with torn fresh arugula.

Another option: you can also add roasted tomatoes. I like to thinly slice roma tomotoes and lay them out on a well olive-oiled cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 300 degrees for one hour. Delicious!!!

3.5 out of 5 tomatoes

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

2006-04-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

Just heard the interview on NPR's "Fresh Air" regarding the rampant processing, sugar and additives that go into most American foods. Check out the book The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. The author also recently appeared on KCRW's "Good Food".

I went to the store today and I can assure you everything was all natural. I check every label for high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, etc. Basically the fewer the ingredients the better!

Restaurant Review: Piccolo Ristorante

2006-04-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

Recently, this Venetian (by way of Venice, California) made her way to the much-esteemed Piccolo Ristorante, formerly known as Piccolo Cipriani.

Piccolo Ristorante is so cleverly tucked away on the tiny Venice boardwalk side street of Dudley Avenue, that in my seven years here in LA I never even noticed it! I had heard the raves throughout the foodie community, but had never tried to find this tiny gastronomical oasis until my curiosity got the best of me.

Piccolo's staff immediately greeted us with a warm Italian welcome. Very much like a dining experience in a small Italian village, you'll find that the people here are sincerely interested in your hunger, your well-being and your life in general. Manager Vittorio Viotti personally discussed menu options with us, mindfully refilled our wine glasses and wished me well on my 5K race in the morning. (Next time I go back I'm showing him my 1st place medal!) Chef Alberto Lazzarino gained fame for a number of years at the Il Moro in West L.A. (my boyfriend used to work in that building, so I enjoyed a heavenly lunch or two under Alberto's magical guidance back in the day.)

Piccolo has a mind-boggling selection of wines, but we opted for a simple glass of the house Chianti, which was delicious, full-bodied and ripe blackberry jam notes in its character. We dove into a basket of delicious breads baked on the premises (nothing I love more than crusty focaccia laced with sea salt and rosemary). For an appetizer we split the seared sea scallops served in a bed of truffle fondue. At first glance, it might cross your mind that the appetizer is a bit skimpy (next time we'll each get our own!) as there are only two scallops, but they are indeed HUGE, plump and sweet and Piccolo is extremely generous with the truffle shavings that grace the plate.

After an agonizing period of indecision (Linguine with Manila clams, white wine, garlic and a touch of lightly spicy tomato sauce or organic free range guinea hen with spicy lemon zest and sage?), I finally selected the house specialty: TORTELLI DI PATATE E FICHI, which are fresh homemade pasta dumplings stuffed with pureed potato and fig served in a butter, sage and Parmigiano sauce. I have never heard of that combination before, and let me testify that it is a match made in heaven! The fresh pasta pockets that held the filling were very tender and the sauce was incredibly rich. The serving size is moderate, but believe me the dish is so rich overall you will not need much. In fact, my only regret is that I went a little TOO crazy on scooping up all that divine sauce with my bread...I ended up feeling just a touch ill as I can't handle really rich food like that too well. You will have to decide for yourself how crazy you go with demolishing every molecule of sauce like I did. :-)

For dessert we split the UNBELIEVABLE Crema Vangilia, which is essentially the classic Italian Panna Cotta superbly done! Picture a smooth and rich vanilla custard topped with a layer of buttery caramel and garnished with perfect, tart little blueberries that explode in your mouth. We are positive they hand-selected every berry (no "mushies"). After getting halfway through that dessert I was happy as a clam but I was so full they practically had to roll me out on a gurney. Good luck trying to restrain yourself--it's nearly impossible. Consider it a blessing if you have to park rather far away (its impossible to park close to the restaurant). You'll need to get a little walk in to get the digestion going. A little fresh air from the Pacific Ocean helps too!

For a superior authentic dining experience in a very romantic spot, you cannot beat Piccolo.

4 out of 5 Gondolas!
Piccolo Ristorante Italiano
5 Dudley Ave.
Venice, CA 90291
Voice: (310) 314-3222

Restaurant Review: CAFFE ROBERTO

2006-03-29T15:11:00.000-08:00

I work at a busy little software company, so usually during my lunch hour I am cramming in a couple of errands or wolfing down microwave leftovers at my desk. Today was one of those crystal-clear blue sky L.A. days after a rainy night. I decided to meet my boyfriend for lunch at Caffe Roberto, which is situated midway between our offices on Jefferson Blvd where it meets the 405 in Culver City.

I know, I know... "Culver City?" To me, it doesn't matter where a restaurant is located if the atmosphere, food and service are top notch. Besides, the poor souls who have to work at the Howard Hughes center need a different option than Jodi Maroni's Sausage Kingdom.

Caffe Roberto offers a no-frills but sincere Italian dining experience. They have an excellent wine selection and the house Chardonnay was crisp and slighty fruity without being too sugary or acidic. The menu offers simple but reliable fare: excellent pizzas, sandwiches, salads and commonly requested pasta dishes and entrees such as penne arrabiata or chicken parmesean. Don't look for some obscure fusion creation here: look for common Italian specialties done CORRECTLY. In the limited space they have, Caffe Roberto creates a pleasant dining ambience with their dark wood ceiling beams and artist murals of the Venice Canals (the ones in Italy, not LA!) on the walls.

I had what I consider the perfect bowl of linguine with fresh clams. The linguine was cooked to a perfect al dente, and just the right amount (no heaping on of rubbery pasta noodles to give the impression of a "value"). The sauce was light and refreshing: a melange of clam broth, white wine, a splash of olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh parsley topped with a generous handful of sweet fresh clams. Simple yet delicious--no need to complicate this dish. I polished off the dish and felt wonderful...hate to think of how over-stuffed I would feel at the Olive Garden's butter-laden version of this dish. My boyfriend opted for a perfect lunchtime pizza, using Roberto's signature smoked mozzarella.

We did not have the good fortune of seeing Roberto himself and exchanging a few kind greetings, but as usual the staff was attentive without being obtrusive. The only complaint I would have is that Caffe Roberto makes a weak cappuccino. They need to make sure to heat up their equipment and their milk properly so the beverage is piping hot. They also either need to add another shot or switch to a different brand of espresso as the flavor was weak.

All in all, a lovely experience. It made me remember that Italians go out for a two hour lunch and a glass of wine EVERY day...maybe that's why they are so happy most of the time? :-)

3 out of 5 canoli! ***

Caffe Roberto is located at:
11800 W Jefferson Boulevard, Culver City, 90230-6310 - (310) 390-5736.

Latest Addiction: Genji Pie

2006-03-06T14:55:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been having an afternoon snack...a cup of brown rice tea and a few of these wonderful Japanese biscuits called Genji Pie.

Part of the reason I like them is that they only have 4 ingredients: wheat flour, butter, sugar and salt. They also come two to a package so they make a cute little teatime snack.

Product Review: LaLoo's Goat Milk Ice Cream

2006-02-13T21:12:00.000-08:00

Laura Howard quit her career as a film producer, moved to Sonoma County, took up yoga and adopted 450 goats. She has crafted a goat milk-based artisinal ice cream, which is a brilliant concept! The nutritional benefits (low fat and lactose) of this all-natural, hand-crafted premium ice cream were enough to lure me, but the taste has me hooked! So far the only flavor I've tried is the deep chocolate, made with 77% Scharffenberger cocoa. It has a rich, earthy taste and a slightly chewy texture (which is the way I happen to like my ice cream...hard enough to potentially break a plastic spoon..ha ha).

Lately I've found myself curious about the "Black Mission Fig"... and the "Strawberry Darling", which is swirled with a ribbon of balsamic vinegar reduction sauce.

Here's the catch...at $8/pint this is a treat I can only afford once in a while. Or perhaps it will keep me from eating it all too fast! I hope someday LaLoo can bring her production costs down a bit....I'd gladly pay $6 or even $6.50.

3.5 out of 5 goats.

To find out more, visit:
http://www.goatmilkicecream.com

My First Hollandaise Sauce!

2006-02-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest memories of my mom is her cooking, and in particular, her talent for sauces. When I was little, my dad and I watched the NFL on Sunday in the late '70s...my mom would walk through the tv room announcing that she was making our favorite: "Artichokes with Hollandaise Sauce!" and my dad and I would respond with a resounding cheer.

Now I'm in my 30s, and I get a nostalgic craving for Hollandaise just like mom used to make it. Unfortunately, she passed away when I was 28, and didn't really leave me any documented legacy for how she made things. I've had to work off of the fuzzy recollections of what I watched her do in the kitchen.

Tonight the market had some wonderful baby artichokes, so I trimmed and steamed about 4 of them using my black & decker veggie steamer for about 40 minutes. While that was going on, I conducted the careful alchemy that is required to make this delicious sauce. I whisked 2 egg yolks with 2 T. water in a small heatproof bowl. I set this bowl into a large pan of barely simmering water (making sure the water only rose to up the sides of the bowl halfway). I proceeded to whisk in a half stick of butter, which I had cut into 5 pieces and added one by one. You have to be patient--it takes about 15 minutes and a LOT of whisking. It also helps to turn up the heat if it doesn't look like the egg yolks are cooking/thickening. By the end of it I had a nice thick sauce; I removed it from the heat and whisked in the juice of half a lemon and a dash of cayenne. It was perfect! The photo shows the results of my efforts. Unfortunately, my boyfriend doesn't like artichokes or lemon sauces. Wish I had a friend to help me eat those chokes because now I'm STUFFED!

I got this recipe from my cookbook, "The Silver Spoon", which is the ultimate, must-have "bible" of Italian cooking. I'm pretty sure I remember my mom making the sauce exactly as described, jut adding the dash of cayenne at the very end for a little burst of flavor. I cannot recommend a more comprehensive book than "The Silver Spoon", so make sure you run out and grab it.

Market Hall in Rockridge

2006-02-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

Will be moving into this hip neighborhood called Rockridge, near Berkeley. There's a local market called Rockridge Market Hall (www.markethallfoods.com) that will be a few blocks from where I live. The wine shop, Paul Marcus Wines, hosts wine tastings and other events. Hapuku Fish at Market Hall not only sells the freshest fish but also prepares fresh entrees, like Thai Spiced Fish Cakes and Spicy Lemon Marianted Prawns, to name a few. I think I'm really going to like living in Rockridge!!

Restaurant Review: NOBU MALIBU

2006-02-08T18:04:00.000-08:00

Just about any foodie knows about Nobu. His reputation precedes him, due to his ownership of many restaurants sprinkled throughout the world and his business partnership with Robert DeNiro.

I've had the luxury of visiting Matsuhisa on several occasions to experience Nobu's delectable and creative sushi dishes, but recently my trip to "Nobu" in Malibu has to take the cake (or is it, the Hamachi?)

Placed in the casual beach town ambiance of a Malibu strip mall, the atmosphere at Nobu Malibu is considerably more fun and less stuffy than Matsuhisa Beverly Hills... although patrons still act a bit like rubbernecks, checking to see if celebs are tucked away in a dark corner or walking in the door. I could care less if Madonna, Brad Pitt or Bill Clinton walked in (ok, maybe I would stop to look at Bill) because I am too focused on the magic of Nobu's food.

The essence of Nobu's meals is in the beautiful simplicity of preparation, the high quality of the fish itself and juxtaposition of flavors and textures. Nobu has been long influenced by the flavors he experienced while living in South America. In his signature Tiradito (Peruvian style sashimi) dish, he combines a delicate white fish with a splash of tangy citrus and a dot of hot chile sauce. You will find your feet dancing under the table with every luscious bite. The yellowtail sashimi is marinated in lime and has a thin sliver of jalapeno on top of each slice. Wonderful! And I cannot recommend a more delightful drink than the Pear Martini they make at Nobu Malibu: it was a magical elixir and really seemed to compliment the sushi.

Nobu's signature dishes are pricey, so walk in with a fat wallet or with a rather conservative view of what it means to be "full". Some of the more standard offerings like spicy tuna rolls or simple 2 piece nigiri sushi are about the same as they would be at any other (decent) sushi establishment, so do what I do: fill up on the "cheapies" and splurge on 1 or 2 of the "fabulous". Or just drink water with the meal! Honestly, I don't go to this place often, so I don't hold back too much. When I experience the wonder of Nobu's art, I usually opt to sit quietly and savor each bite like a Shinto monk rather than gobble down huge amounts.

5 out of 5 Chopsticks! *****

Nobu Malibu
3835 Crosscreek Road
Malibu, CA 90265
310-317-9140

Gastro Casts

2006-01-27T17:06:00.000-08:00

We all know podcasts are the rage, and I have to recommend my favorites right now. I've listened to a LOT of them, and a lot of them are a waste of time, believe me. Here are my top picks:

1) "Good Food" with Evan Kleinman, owner of Angeli Caffe in LA, is the Supreme Diva of food. I totally adore her. Her show, regularly broadcast on KCRW, doesn't just talk about great recipes or what's in season. It features interviews with people about food, cooking and eating in a larger sociological context: for example, how astronauts deal with eating food in space or cultures that eat bugs. The show is very well produced and head and shoulders the best of the bunch. Laura' Avery's Farmer's Market report is also great ... there is a 3rd woman (whose name escapes me) who reports on recipes using seasonal farmer's market produce and has the most laughably cartoonish voice. :-) Evan's guest experts are great, such as Jonathan Gold (LA Times "counter intelligence" food writer) . Be sure to grab her podcast feed here: http://kcrw.com/podcast/show/gf

2) "All You Can Eat": Don Genova is a food critic based in Vancouver. He has a fun narrative style and his "breathless" interviews while walking down the street with food industry writers and experts are very fun. You really can picture the sites and sounds of some of the foodie neighborhoods in Ontario and Vancouver or imagine the food grilling up while he cooks with his friends in France. The only downside to his podcasts are that they are too few and far between, and sometimes they just aren't too interesting (like the interview on Obesity in America). But overall highly recommended: http://www.pacificpalate.com/shows_podcast.html

3) "The Remarkable Palate": Mark Tafoya is a personal chef based in NYC. This guy is a true artist when it comes to putting together exotic tastes and aromas for the customized meals he does for private dinner parties around New York. He hails from Albequerque, NM, and I loved his interview with the owner of Freemont Finer Foods. He also does amazing "soundseeing tours" and podcast #40 features a walk and talk through New York's markets with Don Genova. Great stuff and very addictive! My only complaint is that sometimes when he tapes his cooking classes you can't hear what he is saying very well and the experience doesn't really translate too well to audio. Check out: http://www.remarkablepalate.com

4) "On Food" with Hsiao-Ching Chou This podcast is not as slick as Evan Kleinman's...it's endearingly simplistic in its execution. But what it lacks in theme music and production values it makes up for in substance...Ms. Chou is a well known foodie in the Pacific NW and covers a broad variety of topics with a particular focus on Chinese cuisine and culture. She is an excellent writer. I enjoy her interviews with people more than I care to listen to her just read off one of her food columns and call that a "podcast".

You'll find the one that's right for you, or subscribe to them all like I do! ;-)

Welcome!

2006-01-20T11:09:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Food Freaks! This is a blog maintained by two long-time friends and food freaks. Here we'll be sharing our restaurant reviews, food fetishes, recipes, experiences and frustrations.

As we blog, we hope to learn a lot that we can use in the future when we realize our dream of running our own gourmet food store. And we hope you'll have some fun reading our adventures along the way.

One book I picked up recently is "How to Open a Financially Successful Specialty Retail & Gourmet Foods Shop". I haven't had a chance to crack it open yet, but it looks like a good read.