tluu's Profile
What to bring to Chinese New Year dinner?
One suggestion, if the hosts are at all tradition/superstitious try not to be the first guest to arrive as the first guest to the home after the New Year determines the household's luck for the year. Unless of course, you are young, fortunate and happily married if which case you may be sought out to be the first guest.
No self-respecting hound would go out to dinner tonight - what's on your home-cooked menu?
By request Yuk Kae Jang, made the Korean beef broth yesterday to cut down on the prep time today.
The perfect Foodie Wedding--what would you do?
My wedding experienced is mostly comprised of Chinese banquets which are all about the food and hospitality. 8 to 10 courses often including lobster, abalone and shark fin. Unfortunately for the sake of food people usually sacrifice on decor since the best meals are usually at Chinese restaurants.
What's a typical week-long menu for you at home?
I am trying to adjust from cooking for one which allowed me to just run to the market each time I planned to fix a meal for myself to cooking for two and having dinner ready by a reasonable hour which requires some meal planning. My bf does not appreciate meals served at 8-9pm which was always fine by me. I highly recommend this FREE website
http://www.mealsmatter.org
which I have found really helpful. It lets you add recipes, create a meal plan, organize your pantry and manage your shopping list. I have just planned a menu a week ahead for the first time. This isn't a typical meal per se as I haven't cooked Korean in awhile but we don't really have typical weekly menus and my bf has asked me to cook more Korean.
Tonight Gumbo
Monday Ddeokbokki (Fried Rice Cakes) & Dubu Doenjangjigae (Soybean Paste Soup
Tuesday Korean BBQ
Wednesday V-Day out
Thursday Marinated Pork with Kimchi
Friday Dakgalbi (Chicken in Spicy Sauce
Served with banchan I'll make for the week
What's for supper tonight?
Clams with black bean sauce. Honey is working too late for dinner, and he hates shellfish.
Vietnamese GOI (not goi cuon)
Goi is basically Vietnamese style salad similar to Thai papaya salad which you may be more familiar with. It's seasoned with among other things fish sauce, lime and chilies.
Korean Chicken
I think the dry fried chicken at San Tung in the Sunset is similar but better than Korean style fried chicken. Since moving down to LA, my friends and I have been scouring K-town looking for a place that serves a similar dish without any luck. San Tung is always an obligatory stop on our trips north.
Terrible Indian -- Westside -- Sad
Yes but that's part of the charm of Shalimar. I always recommend it to my friends with that disclaimer = ) Others on the board may recommend Al Watan (disappointing) and Bilal (haven't tried) to you that are nearby, but try Al Noor first. It seems like a family run operation with an authentic old world grandma. Just don't expect a smile.
Terrible Indian -- Westside -- Sad
Yeah I've found Westside Indian pretty dismal too. After years of the Tandoorloin I've had trouble adjusting to Indian here in LA, but if you like Shalimar in SF you must head out to Al-Noor in Lawndale which is not so far from the Westside. Tiny place with no atmosphere whatsoever in a depressing strip mall, surly staff but truly great, affordable food and big portions. I think some of the dishes are actually better than Shalimar but very similar in style. Oh and when you order spicy you get it. They don't dumb the heat level.
Al Noor
15112 Inglewood Ave.
Lawndale, CA 90260
310 675 4700
Bringing baked goods on plane? Permitted??
The restrictions relate only to liquids, gels and aerosols. Your baked goods should be fine. Make sure that they can be easily inspected if needed.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm
Sha Tin Yau -- Is this pomelo? How to pick out the sweetest ones?
Pomelos are white fleshed with a yellow rind and are sweeter but less juicy than grapefruits. They also have a very thick rind with a lot of pith. They taste distinctly different from grapefruits and are definitely not big grapefruits. I just had them last month in Vietnam and the ones in Asia are pretty similar to the ones here (though juicier). You should be able to get pomelos in any large Asian market or Chinatown in the Bay Area as they are pretty common. Here in LA, Costco even has them and they're pretty good. The biggest thing you should watch out for in state side pomelos is that they can be dry so look for pomelos that look heavy for their size as they tend to be juicier.
HELP!! What are the BEST ASIAN MARKETS around town?
I used to live in K-town and my favorite market there now is Assi Super at 3525 W. 8th St. (cross street Oxford Avenue) and I am pretty picky about markets. I live in West LA now but I still occasionally make the trek to K-town to shop there even though I'm surrounded by Japanese markets. Of all the K-town markets Assi is cheap and high quality. Their prices for produce is what you would find in a Chinese/Vietnamese market. My bf's mom who is super old school Korean and goes to different markets in K-town for produce, meat, etc. frequents Assi the most. I hear their fresh banchan is good but I haven't tried it. They did have some labor problems so if that is an issue for you, California Market is good too. Koreatown Galleria is fine but I think they're pretty expensive.
A memorable food from another land...
Long beans maybe? If so it's available in the US in areas with large Asian populations (LA and SF, etc.)
Ambala - on the way up
The lunch specials average around $10 and you are given a tiny portion of the main dish. We were there last month and my bf ordered the chicken tikka masala lunch special and was charged $2 extra for white meat which would have been fine as it's disclosed but his order only came with 3 small chunks of chicken. And we thought the food was only so-so and lukewarm. We wished we had gone to Shamshiri across the street. Any better options for tasty Indian in the area?
Gui Rim in Koreatown?
I tried this place on a Friday over Labor Day weekend. The meat is good and it is still AYCE for $14.99 but it's quite a wait. They told us 30 minutes for a party of 4 and we ended up waiting an hour and a half. Plus the fans in the restaurant are only for show. They do not turn them on so if you end up on the inside room, it can get awfully smoky.
Furiwa Seafood Restaurant - Garden Grove, CA (Review w/Photos)
Can you post the price range for the wedding banquets? A friend is considering Furiwa to do the catering for her wedding banquet. Also, what does the catering include (ex. linens, tableware, waitstaff, etc.)
The OBar Restaurant review and... does anyone else make a better mojito?
Luna Park makes great mojitos though I'm not crazy about the food.
Does Pho have any Soy products in it?
Traditional pho does not have any soy or soy sauce in the broth, but I have tasted it in the broth at Chinese-owned pho places. If in doubt, ask.
three trips to scoops
Searched out this place on Saturday after reading about it on the board. Had the pistachio saffron which was really nice with small strands of saffron. Please support this unique, interesting place. The owner is extremely friendly and devoted.
Asian Market Extraordinaire.........
I was there this week and their produce has definitely improved. In the past even their napa cabbage and lettuce were tired (staples in a korean kitchen). They're even offering samples of many types of fruit and if you're in the SFV much cheaper than the Galleria market in Northridge.
Green Tea Treats
Beard Papas in Hollywood and on Sawtelle often offer green tea flavored fillings in the cream puffs sprinkled with matcha powder but check before you go to see what flavors they are offering that day.
updated ultimate list to a lot of different types of cuisine
please post about the pao de quejo lady. it sounds really great. i love those balls of cheesy goodness!
