Rene Erm's Profile
What's good in Newport Beach/Fountain Valley/Irvine?
Washington hound and wife accompanying 16 year old dd to a huge softball tournament. We're staying in Newport Bech near the airport, daughter and tem is staying on Main St. in Irvine and playing in Fountain Valley at the fields at Mile Square park. What's good in this area, particularly for teen girls? Mexican and Chinese is always welcome.
Thanks in advance.
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Main St Cafe
450 Main St, El Segundo, CA 90245
Happy Hour and other Aloha Favorites in O'ahu..
I've been on Oahu for 10 days now and spent 4 or 5 days watching the kids surf and shop at
waikiki. I do not recall seeing a shrimp truck during this time.
What's chowish in Ewa Beach?
Visiting my bro for a week or so in Ewa Beach. What's the chow situation? Anything I shouldn't miss without going into main honolulu?
Thanks in advance
What Foods Do You Hate/Dislike that Most Hounds Probably Love?
catsup, majo, mustard, kraut, fruit pies or any fruit dessert except apple or pear, cashews
abalone?! huh?
The "traditional" preparation: slice about 3/16 thick, pound it well with a meat tenderizer mallot. dip in milk, roll in crumbs lightly, and saute in butter and olive oil. It doesn't take much cooking time and it is really tough if you overcook.
Alternative: Teke the whole ab, wrap in a towel and beat on it with a mallat or rolling pin to tenderize, cut a "checkerboard" 1/3 of the way through top and bottom, rub with lots of butter and fresh chopped garlic OR salsa, fresh peppers and a splash of tequila, wrap with foil and put on the grill until tender.
I used to grill them like that a lot when I lived in Cali and collected dozens each year from Sonoma and Mendocino coast.
Yakima or Walla Walla INFO
Whitehouse Crawford is very good. Saffron is better. Brassiere Four is very good but has fairly limited entre menu. T Maccarone's is very good. Plenty good to eat in WW
In which country would you (a Hound & more) like to retire?
Every year my wife, kids and I rent a house at Sea Ranch for a week. I spent a lot of time on that part of the coast when I was younger. I was in school at Davis and I was a scuba instructor, and its nice to get back in the water and collect the various goodies that await. Nothing better than abalone and une that was happily existing a few hours earlier.
REII
In which country would you (a Hound & more) like to retire?
Great thread. I grew up in Northern CA, dove the north coast, lived in Wallowa County Oregon, now live in Walla Walla, WA in the heart of the WA wine and food country. Wallowa County is beautiful but not much for restaurants or markets. And horrible winters. Walla Walla is a nice scene and would be good to retire. However, for a combination of food availability (inclujidng capturing fresh seafood), restaurants, and overall beauty, etc., my choices would be the northern California coast near SeaRanch/Gualala, second, Vancouver BC, third perhaps the Chilean coast.
What would you do if a restaurant wouldnt cook your Burger to Order?
Several years ago a small elementary school district in eastern Washington state undercooked the commercially purchased ground beef for tacos for school lunches. I believe 10 or 12 kids were hospitalized and 2 died from ec0157
Things I ate/drank in college that I will never eat again
This is great. UC Davis in late 70's-early 80's. Much of the year I ate little as I was collegiate wrestler, but Lucky Lager beer, rice cakes, hamburger helper, ramen. We lived in a "upscale" aparftment complex and each Sunday morning they had a donut thing in the "club house." One of my roommates was in charge and be brought home the leftovers, sometimes several dozen. We put them in the freezer and ate them frozen all week.
Mexican restaurant south of Fresno?
Its been quite a while, but once upon a time there was a fabled Mexican place in Selma - Sal's. Is this the place you're thinking of?
Gualala and nearby next weekend?
Last time I was in Gualala, last summer, I found St. Orres to have very good food and very good service, same with Pangaea, although Pangaea was a bit less formal.
dumb restaurant names [Moved from Ontario Board]
I recall 20 or 30 years ago in California seeing a joint called the Scarf and Barf.
how many Chowhounds are professional writers?
ditto - another lawyer who writes for a living. At least I get to work in the wine and food country of Walla Walla, WA :.)
A Chowish Little League snack stand??
Sorry Leu, but I've been there and done that as a parent, coach ( 4 years boys, 4 years girls)and board member. Now is not the time to change culilnary perspectives. Hotdogs, hamburgers, burritos, then go out for a snack and bottle of wine to regain your senses.
My 19 year old is fresh out of bootcamp
Thanks to all Chicago Hounds who repsonded. We had a great time in Chicago for my son's graduation. Absolutely loved Giordano's across from the Sear's Tower. Haad a very good ssteak dinner at Fletcher's near our hotel in Lincolnshire. Extra applause for Fletchers as well - my son was with us wearing his dress uniform the evening after graduation and Fletcher's comped his entire dinner. Very nice gesture.
Overall we had a great time in Chicago.
Deep Dish Debate
Hey there Chicago Hounds - Got back from my first trip to Chicago a few days ago from my son's boot camp graduation. I earlier wrote a post asking for recommendations in that regard. Anyway, in doing the touristy things after graduation, we did the Sear's Tower Skyplaza thing and I noticed Giordano's right across the street. Since I recognized the name from answers to my post, we decided to stop in since it was close and everyone was really hungry and my newly graduated sailor wanted pizza. Got a large stuffed Pep and Sausage, and a medium thin crust special for my wife and I, two teen girls and starving19 year old sailor. I gotta tell you, the stuffed pizza was absolutely fantastic. Granted, the Pacific Northwest is not "pizza country" like NY or Chicago, but every one of us considered it the best pizza we've ever had. Not so much for the thin crust, however. My son will be in corpman school at GL for the next 14 weeks and plans on going back to Giordano's as often as he can when he gets liberty. So count me in as a huge Giordano's fan.
My 19 year old is fresh out of bootcamp
And likely wants some non-military food. DW, DDs and I are coming to Chicago from Washington for son's Navy bootcamp graduation. Where should we eat in Chicago and the area near Great Lakes Naval Base for a Chicago experiance? In particular, son is a pizza freak, I doubt he was fed pizza in bootcamp and I seem to recall Chicago being known for its "Chicago style pizza." Any recomendations for pizza, and steak/meat type carnivore places appropriate for family with teens? Anything we shouldn't miss? We will have a few hours after graduation on Friday, April 18 and likely all day on Saturday April 19, and we will have a car. Thanks Chicago Hounds.
"gourmet" foods you liked as a kid
As a kid I grew up in Half Moon Bay in the 60's with East european parents. Lots of good things grew there and I loved asparagas and artichokes. Also lots of fish and shelfish - we caught rock cod, salmon and flounder, and gathered abalone and and mussels and trapped crabs. My dad would fry salmon sperm sacks. Also loved canned sardines. Would not eat steak, however. Always had lamb chops, which I loved, when my folks had steak.
Mom's Chowhound annoyances
Love this thread. My mom, back in the 60's, was a good but unadventurous cook. My dad was from Estonia, so we managed to get eastern European stuff in San Francisco from time to time. Lots of meatloaf, burgers, hamburger helper, etc. All "regular" but all good. However, she would throw cut potatoes, carrots, onions, browned porkchops in a dutch oven, pour in campbells cream of mushroom and ... voila, out came a masterpiece every time.
Tri-Cities or Walla Walla area
In order, Whitehouse Crawford in WW, Saffron in WW, 26 Brix in WW, Patit Creek in Dayton. I've never found much to speak of in Tri-Cities.
what is everyone cooking for valentine's Day?
Somewhat traditional - grilled lobster tails, lobster bisque, grilled marinated root veggies, bittersweet chocolate torte and champagne
Long Shadows
Yes, they are definetely worth an order. I tried hem at the December Holiday barrel tasting. I've been to almost all of the WW wineries as I'm local, and the red blend is in a class above almost anything else here. To my taste it ranks up there with Leonetti. Really good stuff.
I recently bought some red wines that I am unfamiliar with- who can help?
26 Brix did not change hands, it closed and reopened with a different menu/emphasis. Unfortunately, it was a littleahead of the times for WW originally. Add Saffron and T. Maccarone to the list as well.
Walla Walla wineries
I live here in lovely Walla Walla and I know many of the wineries. Overall, almost all of the wineries are staffed by enthusiastic people who love wine, many times it is the actual winemaker. L'Ecole (about 10 miles out of town) is one of the oldest, housed in a beautiful old school house. Dunham and Buty at the airport area, Forgeron and a host of others in the downtown area, Reineger, Whitman, Amavi west of town and Pepper Bridge and Northstar in the rural area south of town are all good bets. But really, anyone you visit will likely be good. Enjoy yourslf. Lawdragon
What do Chowhounds do for a living (besides eat of course)?
I'm an attorney who moonlights training amateur ultimate fighters
help in walla walla
Actually, WW has really developed. The wine industry has been good for the food scene. Good pastry at Merchant's downtown, also good breakfast. Lots of lunch spots - try Grapefield's downtown, Creektown or 26 Brix. Dinner - 26 Brix, Whitehouse Crawford, Marcus Whitman, T. Maccarone.
Abalone, top shell, conch, snail...
Abalone, simply prepared - sauted in olive oil, fresh from the ocean. I have an advantage in this regard as I'm a diver. They're best when they were happily in the ocean in the morning and in my pan that evening :)
