BobtheBigPig's Profile
The wonderful "Le Saint Amour" in Culver City reportedly (hopefully just temporarily!) closed
So sorry to hear—it was our favorite local place too. Thanks for the heads-up.
Any good French restaurants in LA?
We too had Christmas dinner there and it was fantastic. Roast venison in a grand veneur hunter sauce, fondant potatoes, fresh perfectly cooked salmon over lentils. The place was packed but service was excellent. The talent in the kitchen is extraordinary and I believe this to be our neighborhood's best restaurant. Hope it stays good (and affordable).
Anything in Whitehorse and/or Dawson City?
Having been there several years ago, I'd recommend packing a lunch. Food was mediocre, touristy and expensive. There were some fun and friendly coffee places though, if a bit overly moose-themed.
I'd heard there were supposed to be street vendors selling reindeer sausage, which would certainly be worth a try at the expense of being forever on Santa's "lump of coal" list.
Eat Real vs. LA Street Food Fest
Here's another quick review of Eat Real with a few pics.I also went on Saturday and experienced the same mob scene. As Jase said, many of the trucks were running out of food by midafternoon and were fleeing for their lives. I'd deliberately gone between meals hoping the food waits would have died down, but no dice. I think the reason there wasn't more substantial "meal" food was that the promoters wished to maintain a $5.00 maximum price on all food items.
As a chowhound, I have to admit I kind of don't really get the whole food truck thing, not understanding why people will wait 45 minutes in a lineup in the likely false belief that the truck's flashy graphics, cute name and social network marketing savvy are a harbinger of good chow. But, my experiences here proved worth the wait. I didn't eat a lot because the waits were just too long, but I had a chicken pesto sandwich from the Armenian truck that totally rocked. I also had a pork slider from Big Mista's that made my day. Not only was it absolutely perfect pulled pork—smoky, spicy, vinegary and a little sweet—but I'm pretty sure I was served by Mr. Mista himself, who looked down the line and grumbled good-naturedly that "y'all makin' us dig into our backup pork." The idea of "backup pork" was delightful and the sandwich, excellent.
The county-fair styled booths inside had a number of prepared-food craft products that hit a very high quality point, I thought. Took home some Jamaican jerk sauce and a bit of organic honey. Found some terrific Mexican hot sauces as well.
A couple of issues: the beverages were expensive and disappointing. No bottled water, as it is no longer considered eco-friendly; was unable to find the free water "hydration station." Paid $3.00 each for the sort of drinks you find in a Whole Foods bin marketed more for some imagined health benefit or narcotic effect than flavor. In general, much of the sponsors' promise of "affordable" locavore eating was not delivered: one small-batch coffee roaster offered their joe at $4.00 a cup, and many of the stuff-in-glass-jars food group cracked the double-digit barrier.
In general, this was a pretty fun event, although I sensed a concealed underlying political purpose I was unable to quite identify, beyond the obvious promotion of several food buzzwords (local, organic, humanely-raised, sustainable, eco-friendly) which sound great in the same sentence but in reality don't often peacefully coexist. Oddly, vegetarian/vegan interests didn't even seem to be a consideration here. I'll happily go next year, but bring my own drinks.
Photos: #1) An ambulance parked behind the festival marks an auspicious start. #2) People wait in line for a food truck, ignoring the "closed" sign and hoping against hope…#3) An Inglewood Community Garden project demos grilled cheese sandwiches with home-grown tomatoes and basil. Folks gobbled'em up. #4) Dare 2 Dream farms will deliver you live chickens. "Now, what would folks in West LA do with them," I wondered. Then it hit me. Awwwww….
hatch chiles ?
...and who has them? I got lucky and actually found some at a supermarket (Pavilions) last year. Made a bunch of turkey/green chile stew. Excellent chilies—they're like Anaheims on steroids.
Turkey Rolls At 101 Noodle Express In Fox Hills Mall
Tried these turkey rolls today and can't report much except to say I agree with the OP on all counts. These are fantastic, but expensive for mall food. They now have a "two rolls plus side dish" or "three rolls plus side dish" option except the only side dish is...you guessed it...french fries (always what I want with my Chinese food).
I was unfamiliar with these Shandong rolls but really enjoyed them: like Phurstluv suggests, a Chinese burrito stuffed with (my guess) meat, glass noodles, soy sauce, white pepper, and a generous amount of cilantro, with hoisin sauce. Sort of a Mu Hsu/Peking Duck kind of experience. I'd be curious to try the missing condiment, but they're mighty good without.
But yes, it is expensive, and portions are small.
Word of caution: they also don't take plastic at all, cash only. I hope they rectify that soon.
Beyond RealLemon: Why I’m REALLY Not A Better Cook
Seventy miles from esoteric ingredients? Wow! That can make cooking a challenge. OTOH, I can remember when you couldn't get fresh ginger, swiss chard, habanero peppers, pesto, or a host of other stuff nearly any supermarket sells now. Somehow we managed...I have Mexican cookbooks written in several years BC (Before Cilantro) that have a certain old-fashioned charm. But I think if I lived in a rural setting I'd be doing a lot of expensive mail order—too spoiled!
Beyond RealLemon: Why I’m REALLY Not A Better Cook
Ha ha yes, it does seem weird to plate food at home, but sometimes I do it anyway, because it's fun to play restaurant. Then when people go back for seconds, they can slop it all together any which way they want. Which inevitably reminds me of my sister's observation that the Pittsburgh equivalent of fine-dining style stacked food is to stuff the french fries inside the sandwich.
Edible Canada at Granville Island plus other savoury snacks
Wow great report! Last time I was there, Edible Canada was just Edible BC. Apparently, local food movement notwithstanding, they've decided not to limit themselves to one province. I'll bet the Seal Flipper Pie will be a big hit in the cafe.
Those duck-fat fries do look tasty, though.
Beyond RealLemon: Why I’m REALLY Not A Better Cook
OK, so by now we’ve probably all seen the Chow story, “Top 10 Signs Of A Bad Cook” by Joyce Slaton, in which she identifies various ways in which you might determine you are not in the presence of culinary genius. I say “identifies” in the sense of meaning “compiles from Chowhound threads” because the majority of her article appears to heisted from CH contributors.
As seen in the comments below, ‘Hounds—including some of the ones making the contributions—ripped her a new one, calling the article elitist, pretentious and condescending. Although maybe some of us took it a bit too personally, it got me to thinking: I’m guilty of a few of the warning signs listed (“kitchen too clean” is not among them). But, I don’t think it’s my love of the green-tube parmesan cheese that clinches my kitchen disasters. No, there are MUCH WORSE things I do. So, in the interests of transparency, here’s the top ten reasons (ok, six; that was painful enough) I’m not a better cook. And I invite you to share yours.
1) I can’t always recognize poor quality ingredients.
I’ve learned that just because you go to the farmer’s market doesn’t guarantee that the zucchini won’t be bitter, the melon underripe, the avocado flavorless. A pro chef can call his suppliers and scream for a delivered replacement, but most of the rest of us will inadvertently make a bad meal now and then from ingredients we got ripped off on. Usually when we’re entertaining important business guests.
2) I’m not always sure when it’s done.
Some dishes aren’t time critical, but others are. Frequently, my fish and vegetables are one side or the other of perfect. Not inedible, just not timed as precisely as I’d wanted.
3) I rely too heavily on cookbooks and recipes.
The problem with this is there are so many variables that go into cooking, in many cases it’s impossible to make something exactly like the inventor did. Of course, Mario has fresher tomatoes and Emeril better seafood, but beyond that, how finely you chop the shallots or what you consider a “large” onion can make significant differences in the outcome. Good cooks hack, improvise, invent. Recipes should be a starting point for our own cooking styles and ingredients.
4) I don’t spend enough time.
I like cooking, but my time is limited. I don’t make my own stocks, grow my own chervil or raise free-range poultry in my condo.
5) I don’t spend enough money.
My funds are limited as well. Of course, great food can be made on a shoestring, but sometimes if you don’t have the good stuff, it just tastes like...a shoestring. Aged balsamic, highest quality olive oil, top-tier imported cheeses are things I mostly dream of.
6) I bite off more than I can chew.
I attempt dishes from too many cultures and nationalities, all the while knowing my favorite restaurants are ones staffed by professionals who have spent a lifetime learning to perfect a few dishes of a specific ethnicity. Moreover, I believe I can salvage my foreign food fails simply by having the proper condiments, which only results in a refrigerator stuffed with expired jars of unrecognizable glop whose purpose I’ve long forgotten.
Despite these unsavory sins, I DO manage to churn out a decent meal now and then, much in the same way a kitchen full of monkey chefs, working ‘round the clock, might eventually produce the dishes of Escoffier, although perhaps with more bananas. I’m working to overcome my shortcomings, learn new tricks and better my product, and these are the obstacles I face. What are yours?
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 3rd quarter 2011 [Old]
The most wonderful TJ's product: The frozen Arctic Char. I know, the adjectives "frozen" and "wonderful" don't generally apply to the same seafood. "Farm raised" should create even greater levels of suspicion.
I don't know how they do it. But, this stuff tastes like a cross between wild Chinook salmon and the lake trout I caught in the Yukon during a lodge trip a while back. It's fatty, so I'd recommend grilling, broiling, smoking or plank-cooking. I'm going to buy up a few pounds and toss in the smoker. Keep me going between fresh salmon seasons!
Yaletown restaurant suggestions please for family visiting from Boston
I'd recommend Hamilton Street Grille, on...wait for it...Hamilton Street, after dining solo there last year and having a delicious meal and exceptionally gracious service. I had the risotto and scallops, which were rich, tender and perfectly cooked, but I hear the hangar steak is the thing there, a bargain at $19. Not sure if I would bring a baby into the dining room there, but the outdoor patio might be perfect and is a great place to hang out.
Ultimate LA Pork Dish
I'd have to say the carnitas at Roast2go in the Grand Central Market. Sadly, I don't eat as much pork these days, though.
Wondering how long before someone chimes in with an Al Pastor place, though...
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Grand Central Market
317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Why is music necessary in restaurants?
As a musician, I'm glad when there's music in restaurants; it's the sound of me making money, and the necessity of keeping my amp in the sweet spot between "0" and "1" doesn't deter me. That said, out of all the culinary establishments I've played in, I can't honestly recommend eating in ANY of them. And it's a long list.
GAS vs CHARCOAL
Having cooked extensively with both, I feel that charcoal may have a slight taste edge—but the convenience and control of propane usually leads to a better meal, especially when wood chips are used to even the score. Charcoal burns cleaner and more smoke-free than people think it does; much of the "smoke flavour" of a charcoal grill comes from food drippings vaporizing themselves, which they'll do on the lava rock or heat tent of a gas grill as well. Furthermore, most quickly-grilled foods don't stay on the 'cue long enough to pick up much flavor difference from accumulated smoke, anyway. If you're just grilling a hamburger, the benefit will be slight.
Difference between black cod (sablefish) and regular cod?
Wow, I'd been using an old recipe from the Vancouver Sun which they probably stole from Food Network Canada. It looks an awful lot like this one here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/miso-marinated-broiled-black-cod-with-cucumber-relish-recipe/index.html
I think your Epicurious recipe is the real original deal though. And yes, the miso sauce will look like a gloppy paste. It will caramelize nicely though. Let us know how it turns out!
Difference between black cod (sablefish) and regular cod?
Actually, black cod is much fattier than halibut. It's much fattier than just about any fish you'll ever eat, which makes it perfect for the Nobu recipe, which I make on a regular basis. Regular cod may be OK in this recipe, but they're not even remotely similar. Black cod is so delicate and soft that it's near impossible to fry (will fall apart) or grill (will fall through). The Nobu preparation calls for cooking it, unturned, in your broiler, which it will make a mess out of. The sharpness of the miso and sweetness of the mirin work perfectly to cut the fish's fattiness.
Although soft and fatty, the fish doesn't have the strong taste of fat fish like tuna or mackerel. It's very mellow and rich. The flesh is a pearly pure white.
The Nobu recipe is easy to pull off even for an inexperienced home cook and the results are absolutely delicious. The only thing, when I make it I don't marinate for quite as long; I think the original recipe calls for several days and I like my fish fresher. I give it several hours.
I hope you can experience this treat with the real deal some time as it's worth it. Not sure where you're located but black cod is caught in Pacific Northwest ocean waters; if you're purchasing any distance from there, I'd ask a lot of questions.
What is the best Salmon and where to eat it?
At a good sushi place, "briefly" is the operative word: I think 24 hours of freezing time will kill any klingons. This isn't enough to degrade the flesh.
As Sam points out, the quality of frozen fish is affected greatly by packaging and freezing speed. Holding temperature is another factor. Length of time in the deep-freeze also matters. Suffice it to say that properly handled and briefly frozen fish is often virtually indistinguishable from "fresh."
SInce the OP is arriving at the end of June, there will likely be fresh stocks—I've usually been able to find fresh salmon at that time anyway. I agree with eatrustic: spring/chinook is killer, but sockeye and coho are delicious too.
Worst LA restaurant names?
Ha ha this thread reminds me of that 80s movie "LA Story" in which Steve Martin, deep in mid-life crisis, hangs out with empty-headed Sarah Jessica Parker. They keep trying to get into a trendy Melrose place called "lee-dee-oh" or something; when they finally get a reservation (5:30pm on a Monday), the exterior shot of the restaurant reveals the sign: "L'idiot." The more things change...
Finding Dover Sole on the Westside
Baron is right about local "dover sole" -—it's usually been brined and is pretty much inedible. I've seen those frozen Dover sole at Surfas, but they don't always have it. Been tempted but it's really expensive for frozen fish. Given the package size, I'm pretty sure they're whole fish— you'd have to cook it and then quickly debone it like a French waiter before your meal got cold.
The farmers market fish guy often has petrale sole, which I think is our best domestic flatfish option. But next door at TJ's, you can get frozen turbot filets that are pretty decent if handled properly. Allow to defrost in the refrigerator overnight and don't overcook.
If anyone's tried the Surfas sole I'd be curious to hear how it was.
HELP!!! Is it possible to find good FISH TACOS in CULVER CITY MALL (WESTFIELD)??!!
May be too late to help you, but here goes. I don't know of any good fish tacos at the mall. I'm sorry to say this much-hyped food court has been largely disappointing. Kyochon, as already suggested, is pretty good. Another option closer to your fish-taco request is Qdoba, a Chipotle-like place on the lower floor (not in main food court). I don't know if I'd get fish there though, even if they had it.
To be honest, I've rarely had good fish tacos in the USA and never at chain places, which always use frozen fish of dubious quality. I've given up and now resort to making my own.
Identifying game meat cuts
My in-laws had the good sense to befriend some hunters, which has happily resulted in my getting some packages of frozen venison. I've got a couple of pounds of ground meat, which I like to make into meatballs, and a chunk of unground meat which I'm unable to identify, and therefore don't know what to do with.
My limited game-meat experience tells me that like many commercial meats, game cuts fall into two categories: the tough and the tender parts, each with entirely different cooking needs. My instinct is to think it's stewing meat (why would they give the loin cuts away?) and treat it accordingly. But is there an easy way to tell, without sending it to some ruminant processing laboratory?
Hounding at the Chinese New Year Festival Monterey Park
Did anyone else go? It was fun, but the rows of Chinese and Taiwanese street food I'd hoped for simply weren't there. THere were only a handful of vendors, and most of them were non-Chinese: BBQ, Italian, Middle Eastern, Thai, etc.—and the same names that pop up at every street fair in LA.
With so little to choose, the available stalls were mobbed. I got a skewer of curry fish balls from a popular stand which also specialized in some what they called "Hong Kong Pancakes" made in a waffle iron contraption. The "pancakes" looked like strings of small eggs strung together. The flavours were sweet: chocolate, strawberry, coffee.
I also had a nice Hot Pot from a place called Boiling Point. Peppery broth, mystery meat, cilantro, quail egg and my first stinky tofu, which I expect is eaten in Taiwan mostly on a dare.
Since it was the Year of the Rabbit, a man had a bunny on a leash; this was the highlight of my trip. Will try to get a photo up if I can figure out how.
Meanwhile, I'd say give this a miss for Chowhounding.
(Please note that th "Boiling Point" resto link that appears at the end is incorrect—this place is in Monterey Park, not Hacineda Heights).
Sockeye or King salmon
As someone who eats a lot of salmon, I recommend the king (chinook in Canada) over sockeye as I like the oilier richness. But, freshness and preparation matter more. The king's oilier consistency makes it ideal for smoking and grilling. Sockeye is better for baking or pan-roasting.
If both these fish are too strongly flavored you can try coho or silver salmon. Trader Joe's has decent frozen coho. It's super lean and delicate (no strong fish taste).
I can't recommend farmed salmon at all. Although there are a few restaurants that source farmed fish from pristine, clean-water operations, most farmed salmon tastes like it was reared in muddy ponds. Bear in mind almost all Atlantic salmon is farmed, unless you get it from some gourmet shop that gets it from some river in Scotland and flies it here at tremendous expense.
Reindeer Sausage in Los Angeles
Ah, a kindred reindeer sausage spirit. Those of us in the know agree that the rangifer tarandus, known as caribou in Canada, is an ideal beast for pulling a flying sleigh—but really excels at something else: being yummy. Unfortunately, I've never seen reindeer sausage outside of the far north. There are places in Alaska where you can mail order it, but the shipping costs are pretty prohibitive. I used to get ground reindeer from this little market in Long Beach and make my own, but the place is out of business now, sad to say.
You could try Broadleaf Game in Vernon—mostly wholesale and restaurant trade, but they might sell to regular people if you bought enough.
Not the same thing, but Surfas usually has Elk sausage with wine, which is delicious (although different than reindeer).
Please post back if you find it or a reasonable mail-order alternative.
Good luck so far at Fortune Garden lunches in Vancouver
Looks fantastic. I have a salmon recipe supposedly from them and it is awesome. Can you identify the foods in your photos?
Where to eat on Granville Island---and beyond?
Pumpernickel bagel—what a terrific idea. That's one of my favorite impromptu GI picnics too, except I like to adorn my bagel with some cream cheese and a piece of smoked fish from the Longliner. I'm popular with seagulls.
Recs for Pre-Theatre (Bard on the Beach)?
Just a quick follow up. Ended up with eatrustic's suggestion of Rocky Mountain Flatbread. The place was quite busy early on a Sunday evening but we were able to get a patio table right away. I can't issue an exhaustive report because with time running short, we simply ordered a large pizza and split it between us.
We noted as we sat down the place was jammed with kids, which begs the question, who can afford to feed their rugrats organic, artisan, carbon-footprint-reducing pizza? And whose kids will eat it? I had to laugh, remembering my daughter's rejection of Lou Malnati's artistry many years in Chicago. But, back to Kitsilano....
The pizza came fairly promptly and it was quite decent. We had the "classic" with cherry tomatoes, herbs and blended cheeses. The much-touted crust was not that special, but the tomatoes rocked (there's an art to choosing and roasting small tomatoes on a pizza, and they nailed it). The main attraction, though, was the cheese: a nicely blended combination of mozzarella, asiago and goat cheese. Worth the price of admission I think, which is actually fairly steep, considering the nearby Flying Wedge franchise on Cornwall. Not convinced this is the best pizza in Van, but definitely a contender and totally right for a pleasant pre-Bard meal. Thanks for the rec!
Sprouts Market open in Culver City
Reviving this thread after a few visits there myself.
I agree somewhat with Dommy's disappointment. Pedestrian sandwiches, mundane cheeses and deli meats. The produce can be excellent, or it can be mounds of nature's factory seconds. My advice: buy the fruit you can smell, and eat it that day.
So what's good? The bread is fantastic, especially the squaw and whole wheat breads. The fish isn't bad, and reasonably priced. The uncooked chicken bratwurst totally rocks. They sell many Whole Foods brands for much less money. Their deli-counter packaged sides are decent and cheap.
My thinking is that they are very aware of TJ's, and don't want to compete with them on the things TJ does so well: cheeses, stuff in jars, etc. A savvy shopper could do well here, but watch out for rot, mold and quality problems. There are terrific bargains here, but I wouldn't completely trust them not to kill me.
