Mr. Cookie's Profile
Good Mexican in Cincinnati
I'm not sure what having lived in Los Angeles has to do with being served an unacceptably soggy taco in Cincinnati or anywhere else, but I am looking forward to trying some of the other local Mexican places mentioned in this and other strings.
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Los Angeles Cafe
280 E Haven Ave # 30, New Lenox, IL 60451
Good Mexican in Cincinnati
I tried Rincon after recently moving near Eastgate, and although it's better than the other local Mexican eateries I've tried, having spent the last dozen years in Los Angeles, I found it kind of...so-so. On the plus side, it had Negra Modelo beer, and an OK chile relleno. On the down side, the taco I ordered got so soggy sitting on the plate that it fell apart when I tried to eat it. This has happened to me at other places, too. Why not fry the tortillas and serve the tacos so they're not swimming in juice on a plate? Aren't the chefs/cooks/owners sampling their own dishes to see what their clients are experiencing?
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Los Angeles Cafe
280 E Haven Ave # 30, New Lenox, IL 60451
Eastgate Bar
26449 Gratiot Ave, Roseville, MI 48066
Anyone made BonAppetite's Dessert of the Year - Choc Pudding Pie
I made this over TG weekend, using those super-thin chocolate wafers you can buy at the store. I forget the brand, but they crumble easily and are quite a bit drier than Oreos.
As I recall, I actually had to add a little extra melted butter. Then, I was careful to bake the crust only about 12-13 minutes, because it looked like it had a high sugar content in it (from the wafers) and overbaking could lead to hardening. I think that's probably what happened to the posters who reported their crusts turned out hard. Mine was easy to cut with a fork, more or less like a cookie crust for a cheesecake.
This dessert had an excellent flavor and texture, but whoa! what a sugar rush it was. One piece kept me wide awake, heart pounding, half the night. The next day I ate a smaller piece and I was awake only 1/4 of the night.
What is the name of the sushi place on the corner by the Pantages?
Here are my recent comments on a visit there:
Katsu-ya Hollywood
Tried this new restaurant with Mrs. Cookie on Friday. Basically it seems to be more of a "scene-and-be-seen" place. Noisy and busy -- and our service was so fast it was a little off-putting. Still, that beats sitting around waiting for a waiter or waitress to show up.
Grilled shishito peppers for an appetizer were quite good -- nice smoky flavor but not over-grilled, still had some crunch (and a few had some spice!) to them.
After that we went with a couple of the waitress's suggestions, including the spicy tuna with crispy rice and the seared albacore with crispy onions. The former just missed -- it was mushy and not that flavorful. The seared albacore was better, although the finely chopped onions weren't exactly crisp.
Toro sushi and yellowtail sushi with jalapeno were actually OK. However, it was weird when we ordered the toro -- the waitress asked us if we wanted the "special" toro or just the plain old toro. We went with the plain old toro and were pleasantly surprised to find it meltingly tender, if not as fatty as really good toro.
We also got scallops with a fried almond crust. The thin slices of almonds that made up the crust encased the scallops on all sides, and totally overwhelmed them in terms of flavor, but this dish still provided kind of an interesting contrast between the crunchy almonds and the soft, tender scallop inside.
After that we ordered an eggplant and tuna dish that was another miss. The eggplant was hollowed out with the center part cut into chunks and cooked, and the final product wrapped with the cooked eggplant "shell," including the skin. The eggplant was perfectly cooked but the tuna bits were way overcooked and added no flavor to the dish at all.
Overall, too many of the dishes we were served were goopy, and many were dressed up with hot spice of some sort. The result was that none of the fresh fish flavors were allowed to come through.
We were in and out in 75 minutes. Valet parking was $10 -- ouch. Won't hurry back.
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rodeo grill vs. la parilla in echo park
Jonahlee has it right when he mentions Tijuana chic. La Parilla is one of the few Mexican restaurants I've been to in California (and I've been to a bunch) that recalls the casual, fun places in Ensenada, Tijuana and Rosarito that cater mostly to Americans but still serve up good Mexican food.
I've had some good meals at La Parilla, including the chicken pozole, but the last time I went it was really busy and my chicken enchiladas suizas were lousy. It also disappoints me that they don't seem to make the guacamole tableside any more -- this was campy and fun and also gave you the opportunity to weigh in on the ingredients. Still, I'd go back.
Olive Tapenade suggestions
Val's on the right track for sure. Roasted or grilled salmon pairs great with olive tapenade.
Katsu-ya Hollywood
Tried this new restaurant with Mrs. Cookie on Friday. Basically it seems to be more of a "scene-and-be-seen" place. Noisy and busy -- and our service was so fast it was a little off-putting. Still, that beats sitting around waiting for a waiter or waitress to show up.
Grilled shishito peppers for an appetizer were quite good -- nice smoky flavor but not over-grilled, still had some crunch (and a few had some spice!) to them.
After that we went with a couple of the waitress's suggestions, including the spicy tuna with crispy rice and the seared albacore with crispy onions. The former just missed -- it was mushy and not that flavorful. The seared albacore was better, although the finely chopped onions weren't exactly crisp.
Toro sushi and yellowtail sushi with jalapeno were actually OK. However, it was weird when we ordered the toro -- the waitress asked us if we wanted the "special" toro or just the plain old toro. We went with the plain old toro and were pleasantly surprised to find it meltingly tender, if not as fatty as really good toro.
We also got scallops with a fried almond crust. The thin slices of almonds that made up the crust encased the scallops on all sides, and totally overwhelmed them in terms of flavor, but this dish still provided kind of an interesting contrast between the crunchy almonds and the soft, tender scallop inside.
After that we ordered an eggplant and tuna dish that was another miss. The eggplant was hollowed out with the center part cut into chunks and cooked, and the final product wrapped with the cooked eggplant "shell," including the skin. The eggplant was perfectly cooked but the tuna bits were way overcooked and added no flavor to the dish at all.
Overall, too many of the dishes we were served were goopy, and many were dressed up with hot spice of some sort. The result was that none of the fresh fish flavors were allowed to come through.
We were in and out in 75 minutes. Valet parking was $10 -- ouch. Won't hurry back.
Haven't seen my friend in 3 years, good catch-up place with view in LA?
If you go to Takami, go for drinks only. Do not order the food, it's terrible. The view is very nice.
TAKAMI - disappointment
she's pretty good overall, I think, but one of her glaring weaknesses is sushi. she just doesn't get it. i shoulda factored that in before i went to Takami for a forgettable meal.
TAKAMI - disappointment
yeah, i shoulda known. but Geisha and Koi are glam spots and their food has gotten favorable reviews. i haven't been to either one so i wouldn't know.
Sushi Roku on Beverly is sort of a glam spot and if you stay away from the plain sushi, its food can be pretty good.
i heard the food at the new Katsu-Ya at Hollywood and Vine is pretty good, too. now THAT's a place destined to be a glam spot...
TAKAMI - disappointment
Virbila's review was mixed, I'll grant you. But phrases like "stakes its claim to be the latest glam spot," "stick to basics," chef "had a handle on what appeals to the trendy set" gave me hope. I mean, I stuck to basics, and they were terrible. Guess I'll pay more attention to her cutting comments next time.
TAKAMI - disappointment
I agree with you totally on the overpriced aspect. Reviews, including the one in the LA Times, made this place sound like one of the next new hot places. It aint.
TAKAMI - disappointment
Mrs. Cookie and I went to Takami Sushi Bar and Robata for the first time recently. I had high hopes we would find a sophisticated new Japanese restaurant downtown.
First impressions: Nice view, friendly staff.
Lasting impressions: Amazingly mediocre food.
The tuna in the sashimi salad was tasteless, and the rest of the fish was just OK. Plus, the salad came with florets of an unidentified paste/garnish in three different colors. We had to ask our waiter about them -- he explained they consisted of mashed potatoes mixed with different ingredients to flavor them. Not a bad idea, but why didn't he explain this to us when he brought the salad?
The robata (grilled skewers) were disappointing. One, eggplant, came with three pieces, two of which were undercooked. The chicken "meatball" was overly salty, but OK. The asparagus was OK. The duck breast was fatty AND chewy, virtually inedible.
The Pop Art Crab, one of the restaurant's specialty dishes, was forgettable -- dull flavors.
So much for my high hopes. Nice view, though -- next time I'll limit myself to enjoying it over a drink.
Turducken Advice?
Every time I think about making turducken I get stopped by the first four letters of the name. Anyway, it sounds like a novelty more than anything else.
HELP: Survey on Pasta Cooking
Fleur suggests some very sensible proportions. You need that much water so that it doesn't take long to boil again after you add the pasta, which cooks faster that way -- and better, in my opinion.
Since 6-8 quarts takes longer to bring to a boil than a smaller amount of water, I'm not sure you save energy overall. But I don't think you use more energy, either.
Mexican Wine.........
Like I said, it's been too long since I've made a pass thru that area...Is the food at Laja any good?
My expectations are always pretty low when I drink Mexican wines. But I had a Monte Xanic white -- probably a sauvignon blanc -- last year that was pretty good. Mexican reds have pretty much left me cold across the board.
Mexican Wine.........
In my experience the best Mexican wines are made by Monte Xanic from the Guadalupe Valley. I've had Camou wines but wasn't impressed with them...I haven't had Laja, but but there are some small wineries in the G. Valley that seem to be developing fast and becoming more sophisticated every year, so I wouldn't be surprised if there are now others in the Monte Xanic mold. Time to make a pass through that area again....
Secret Food Myths - Let the De-Bunking Begin!
wow, very scientific, and sounds definitive. thanks for sacrificing your time.
Secret Food Myths - Let the De-Bunking Begin!
Agree with C. Hamster: pasta water that "tastes like the sea" does not render pasta that tastes like the sea. It's not as if 100 percent of the salt in the water (or any percentage even close to that) is transferred to the pasta, as some "no-salt addicts" on this string seem to believe.
Secret Food Myths - Let the De-Bunking Begin!
Whoever made this argument seems to have made some sort of intellectual point that is a) not practical for baking, and b) just plain wrong for more delicate baked items such as cakes.
The leavening issue raised by amyzan is legit, and in addition it seems to me that any mixture with whipped egg whites or double-acting baking powder in it could well lose some of its initial bulk (i.e. air bubbles) as its sits in an oven waiting for the heat to reach the desired temperature. You generally want to get these mixtures into a hot oven as quickly as possible after mixing them.
Secret Food Myths - Let the De-Bunking Begin!
Yeah but it would be a lot harder to gauge when the item is done. And opening the oven to check is a no-no for many baked items.
Starting the baking at a specific temperature just makes it easier (and quicker) to get to the desired state of doneness.
A lot of eggplant, a can of fire roasted tomatoes and a crock pot! Will it work?
Ditto on sauteeing the onions first until they're soft, at least a few minutes. Then throw in minced garlic for another minute or two. THEN add the other ingredients.
This will make the taste of the finished product more complex and savory.
Turley wines opinions?
To clarify: I'm not a vegetarian. I don't eat meat, but I do eat poultry and fish. Those and a lot of other foods I enjoy would pair nicely with a lighter-style zin. I wish there were more zins in that style. They're few and far between.
Turley wines opinions?
basically, i agree with robert lauriston and domaine 547. but in my experience, zinfandels as a group have been plagued by being big, overly fruity and extracted, and high in alcohol. I'm not saying every last one is like that, but a lot of them are, that's for sure. turley's achieve more complexity, balance and finesse than most, as do ridge's. neither would be my go-to wine for back porch sippin' or pairing with food -- i don't eat meat -- but as a novelty once in a while, they're worth sharing. i can't say that about a lot of other high-alcohol fruit bombs.
best way to cook eggplant
Yeah, grilling. I like to do Japanese eggplants -- split them in half but leave them connected at the stem end, then press on the stem end with the palm of your hand to separate the two halves. Brush with a little olive oil and put 'em on for about 10 minutes....so creamy!
Cooking Japanese eggplants gives you a higher ratio of skin to flesh, if that's what you're after. Someone down below on this string said you can avoid the charred aftertaste by steaming eggplant, but to me the somewhat charred, bitter taste of the eggplant skin sets off the creamy flesh just fine.
LaTerza better than O'Mozza
I've been to La Terza a couple of times and had excellent food both times. The food is a little more ambitious than Angelini, which in turn is more rustic, trattoria style, I think. But the rap on La Terza is that it has been inconsistent. Some people go there and say the food is mediocre. Hopefully it will stabilize in the upper-achievement range.
Boston chowhound seeks LA sushi
You've gotten a lot of good recommendations, let me just add a couple things:
1. You're coming to the right place in the U.S. for sushi, because L.A. has the best sushi in the country;
2. $50 per person is on the low side, altho, if you don't pig out like I usually do, it's probably doable. At most of the top sushi joints in the city -- Nozawa, Sushi Gen, R23, even Ike -- $100 a person for dinner is more like it. That's with a couple-three beers and your heart's content of sushi.
Screw tops (moved from DC board)
Unfortunately I don't recall the wine now, other than that it was red.
I should also say that the retailer took the wine back and gave me an exchange, but I was nevertheless left with the strong impression he didn't agree with me at all.
I've been wondering about that ever since, and that was what was behind my original question on this string.
I've had a lot of wines that are earthy, certainly, to the point of not being to my taste. But once a wine smells and/or tastes even a little musty or moldy, whether it's TCA or not, it strikes me as a flaw.
