San Francisco Vietnamese: Tu Lan

I spent the weekend in San Francisco, reacquainting myself with the city itself and old friends. While some things appear to have changed in the past ten years since I last lived there, other things remain steadfastly the same, namely the Tenderloin. Nestled blocks away from the tourist destinations of Union Square and the tony neighborhoods of Pac Heights and Nob Hill, the Tenderloin is, to put it mildly, "colorful". Unless you are a law student, have business at a nearby courthouse, or happen to be a frugal hotel guest who somehow, unluckily, ended up booked at the Renoir Hotel under promises that it is "Union Square adjacent", then you have no reason to go the Tenderloin. That is, until now.
On Sixth, a half a block south of Market St., resides a hole in the wall bearing the name Tu Lan. While it certainly looks sketchy, with the people loitering outside, the not so pleasant stenches rising from the street, and the random convenience store on the corner, you would be hard pressed to find better, cheaper, faster, or more delicious Vietnamese food. Score. Enter the restaurant and you are greeted with a few tiny dilapidated tables and chairs and people seated at a long, bustling counter where the food is being prepared at lightning speed. Smoke and steam is rising in great clouds and you may wonder if the place has ever passed a health inspection. Who knows? A drawing of Julia Child eating with chop sticks graces the menu (she was a fan of the restaurant back in the day) and her endorsement isn't given with health code contingencies, so don't overthink it. If you don't get a spot downstairs you'll be ushered up some rickity stairs to an overheated attic area with some tables and chairs. To get over the heat and any misgivings you might have at this point, order a cold beer and peruse the menu. Anything you get will be delicious and fast and reasonably priced, so settle on something quickly. It's too hot up there to loiter! Plus, if there's an earthquake (or maybe even a firetruck going by), the floor is surely to collapse, so minimizing your time up there is probably a good idea.

Although it'd been ten years since I'd been to Tu Lan, nothing has changed about the place at all - not only has it not been painted, but the food is still, happily, the same. I remember the shrimp dishes being very good but since my lunch companion couldn't eat shrimp we settled on the fried pork sausage rolls (No. 2), a bowl of beef pho (No. 7) and a chow mein dish with chicken (No. 19). All of them delish. And huge. There was no way we could finish it all, even with large (and we thought were bottomless) appetites, but with the whole bill ringing in around 20.00, it is worth it to try a few things. The sausage rolls were a huge splurge (in calories, not cost), but so worth it. Seasoned pork sausage covered in a crispy wrapper of goodness and fried to perfection, sliced up, and presented to you on a plastic plate with a bowl of dipping sauce containing vinegar, fish oil and chilis. Oh, artery clogging yumminess, how GOOD can you get? There were two rolls, each about six inches long, and further sliced into three very large pieces. There was no way we could eat all of them, so we rested, before plundering on. Next up in the efficient delivery system was the steaming bowl of pho containing a broth that was really clean and light, and instead of being presented with a plate of fresh basil and bean sprouts and such to season your own soup, it came pre seasoned. Normally this would be a disappointment, but the soup was so well flavored, with just the right amount of peppers and fresh basil, perfectly cooked rice noodles and nice cuts of lean beef tenderloin, the novelty of throwing a bunch of things into your bowl and watching it wilt with the hot broth was soon forgotten. I did decorate my portion with a bit of Siracha sauce, but it hardly needed it. At this point we were about to burst, but up from the bowles of the dragon emerged our server, unceremoniously throwing a huge plate of chow mein on our table along with the bill before she bustled off. And, oh, it was so, so beautiful, what could we do but eat? After garnering some admiring looks from some nearby diners and questions about "what is that?", we dug in.
A gigantic mound of slightly crispy chow mein noodles sauced to perfection with garlic, soy, and other delightful goodness and stir fried with crispy crunchy broccoli, moist and well seasoned chicken and spring onions, it really was to die for. There was a bunch of other veg in her too, but since I was in a food and heat coma at this point I can't remember what they were. Suffice it to say, if you settle on this dish (definitely enough for two on its own), you'll be happy.

Leaving cash to cover the bill (plus tip) on our table, we finally ducked out of there, carefully picking our way down the rickety stairs, past the busy counter and out onto the street where we were reminded once again that we weren't really having an exotic Vietnamese cultural vacay but instead we were in the center of "Traffic". Ah well. So worth it. And, if you venture a few blocks past Powell and you're not in the mood for Vietnamese, Market and Sixth just around the corner from Tu Lan (on Market) you'll find Taqueria Cancun which used to the best burritos ever. I wasn't able to reconfirm their quality this trip around, but they are still in business, so hopefully that's an endorsement to their continued quality.

Recipe: Healthy Eggplant Parmesan. Thanks, HungryGirl!!

This past weekend I was lucky enough to receive an absolutely gorgeous eggplant from my friend's garden. Blasted by the heat of the central valley it was ripe, purple, smooth and just waiting to be made into something delicious. What to do? Grilling it sounded boring. Baking and turning it into a baba ghanoush did not entice me. Eggplant parmesan came as a suggestion and so I headed to HungryGirl (aka Best Blog EVER) to see if she had any recipes to try.

Here it is - tried, tested, and absolutely delicious!!! Extremely flavorful, the eggplant comes out completely crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. This "oven frying" method deserves a big thumbs up. You could make it even better by making your own tomato sauce. Super easy, too!

*****
1 large eggplant,

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large egg whites) - I used Egg Beaters

1 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original) - I used Flax Cereal from Trader Joe's, popped it into a blender with a little bit of salt, pepper and Italian seasonings and ground it up to a cornmeal-like consistency.

1 cup canned tomato sauce w/ Italian flavoring (such as Hunt's Tomatoes Sauce with Basil, Garlic & Oregano) - I used a jar of Trader Joe's Bruschetta Sauce that I had in the cupboard

1 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup reduced-fat grated parmesan-style topping - I just used some regular parmesan I had on hand. Slightly defeating the low-cal goal, but whatever

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice ends off of eggplant, and cut it lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Use a paper towel to blot eggplant slices on both sides (to remove excess moisture). Spray a large baking pan with nonstick spray (I skipped this step).

Coat eggplant slices on both sides -- first with egg whites, and then with cereal crumbs. Place slices flat on the baking pan, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, flip slices over and bake until browned on both sides (about 10 minutes longer). Remove pan from oven, but leave oven on. Spread 1/4 cup of sauce over the bottom of an 8" X 8" baking dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Arrange half of the baked eggplant slices evenly over the sauce. Continue to layer ingredients evenly in this order: sauce (1/4 cup), mozzarella and parm topping (half of each), sauce (1/4 cup), eggplant (remaining slices), sauce (1/4 cup), and cheeses (remaining amounts). Cover dish with foil and return to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated throughout. Allow to cool slightly, and then cut into quarters. NOTE: I had some regular tomatoes that I needed to use so I sliced these on top of the last layer of eggplant and sprinkled a little more seasoning on top before popping it in the oven.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Serving Size: 1 generous portion (1/4th of recipe) Calories: 170Fat: 2.5g Sodium: 872mg Carbs: 29g Fiber: 13g Sugars: 5g Protein: 15g

Sprinkles Begone: Kiss My Bundt Is Kicking Butt

Almost everyone loves cupcakes. That perfect portion of cake, complete with frosting and sometimes a little decoration is so self-contained, so perfect, and so manageable. Who cares that some can down THREE of them in a sitting - they can still claim that, oh, it was "just" a cupcake. In Los Angeles the cupcake fad has been upon us for awhile and little cupcake boutique bakeries selling "designer cupcakes" have been sprouting up all over L.A. for some time selling overpriced, very pretty, and sometimes also delicious little morsels. The most well known of these is Sprinkles, which has been featured on multiple TV shows and maintains a continuous line of celebs, tourists and locals, patiently standing on the sidewalk in front of the upper crust Beverly Hills address, waiting for the chance to turn over an exorbitant amount of cash for a red velvet - or maybe a chai tea cupcake.

While I do like Sprinkles' red velvet cupcake (although I think it is too crumbly now that I've been shown the way), and I've also sampled Yummy cupcakes (tasty, too) and Crumbs (too many ridiculously sugary toppings, in my opinion), all of them might as well shut their doors now that Kiss My Bundt has come on the scene. As the name suggests, Kiss My Bundt is launching a one store attack on the cupcake fad, attempting to replace it with, you guessed it, BUNDT CAKES. And wow. They single handedly may just win the battle.

Chrysta Wilson is the founder and owner of the shop and can be found there most any day of the week baking up her own perfected recipes for mouthwatering, moist, tender, light and delicious cakes which you can get in three sizes. Of course the normal sized large bundt cake is available (or can be special ordered). There's the baby bundt (the size of probably 1.5-2 cupcakes) and mini preemie bundts, which are just a mouthful. Topped with any number of rich and creamy homemade frostings or perfect glazes, and these things are really worth writing home about.

Chrysta has about a zillion flavors that she can make, though she generally only has about 10 to 15 flavors available on any given day (you can special order a large sized bundt cake or a minimum of 3 baby bundts of any flavor at any time - just give them four hours notice). Flavors include red velvet, German chocolate, milk chocolate, luscious lemon drop, carrot, 7-Up pound cake, and strawberry lemonade, to name a few. There's also a myriad of hand whipped and stirred frostings, glazes and syrups adorning the tops including lemon glaze, cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, etc. The full menu is on their website. Drool trays recommended. Or at least a napkin. Every single flavor that I've tried has been consistently amazing - perfectly moist, perfectly flavored, perfectly divine, but my personal faves are the red velvet or the luscious lemon with my own requested additions of cream cheese frosting and coconut (yes, I know it comes with glaze, but just entertain my absolute gluttony and add cream cheese frosting and coconut shavings too - PLEASE, thank you). Bonus neato: Chrysta offers baking classes too -check the Kiss My Bundt blog here or call for deets.

Though they are definitely lacking in the corporate and institutional smoothness of Sprinkles (the labels look like they were printed out on a home printer), and they don't yet have that "I'm better than you because I have-or-am-at SPRINKLES" attitude, they do have the charm of a local "mom and pop" (or maybe just "mom") business and they have cake that will send you to the moon with one bite. Or at least send you to the corner of 3rd and Crescent Heights over and over and over again (free valet parking in back).

Taco Truck Review Installment 2: Don Chow Tacos - Mexican Chinese Fusion

One of the things I love about L.A. is the pure variety of things that you can do if you get on a few mailing lists and stay reasonably aware about what is going on. Another thing that fascinates me about L.A. (notice that I didn't use the word "love") is the obsession with fads. Currently the food community is in the Taco Truck Fad, with more launching everyday. Now some appear to be taking this to new levels (like the new Nom Nom truck, which supposedly serves Vietnamese street food), but others are trying to recreate what they know already works, while trying to lend it a few twists. Enter Don Chow Tacos - otherwise known as the attempt to capitalize on the Kogi phenomena by creating Mexican tacos with a Chinese twist. I'd heard about Don Chow before, but, since I refuse to twitter and Don Chow hasn't yet established itself in the way that Kogi has with an actual bar where you can order their food, I hadn't bothered to track it down.
Then one of my list serves organized a tasting with Don Chow and, after corralling some friends and signing up through Pay Pal (12.00), we counted the days 'til we could check it out.

The hot August day finally arrived and, after making sure the beer was secured in a shopping bag in the back seat (along with some unassuming plastic cups), we headed to uncharted territories of downtown L.A. The directions proclaimed that, at one point, we would see a "parking lot of taco trucks", but to proceed past that and park on the street. And it was true. A parking lot of Los Angeles Street Food Heaven. There were the three Kogi trucks (the signs visible above the concrete wall) and countless other unidentifiable taco trucks parked in a city block worth of space. Making a mental note of Roja and Verde, we proceeded down the street where the Don Chow truck was pulled out and setting up shop.

Within half an hour there was a rag tag group of Angelinos of all ages standing on the street waiting for the tasting to begin. Some had brought lawn chairs to park themselves on and others blankets. The true intrepids came only with their empty stomachs. A few people brought cameras so they could photograph the food (including me, although the photos are still sitting on the memory card). As far as we could tell we were the only ones drinking out of gigantic plastic party cups. Ummm - apple cider people, apple cider.

We received a short lecture from the Don Chow guys - super nice USC grads who have day jobs and no formal culinary training, but who decided to launch the taco truck because of their love of food. One of them confessed with a smile that originally they were getting up at 4 a.m. to bake their own bread for the tortas but they soon abandoned that practice in favor of purchasing the bread and getting some more shut-eye. Currently they only operate on weekends.

The truck was your run-of-the-mill taco truck, still adorned with the original menu proclaiming hot dogs and burgers. Just to be clear - there are no burgers or dogs available. We each received a ticket with the tasting menu on it, and lined up for the food. Every time we were handed a new round, the item on the ticket was crossed off. Don Chow is organized!

The items we tried were the following:
ROUND ONE:
A round of tacos containing a Kung Pao Chicken Taco, a Chinese BBQ Pork Taco and a Soy Ginger Shrimp Taco.

The Chinese BBQ Pork taco was a definite hit - perfect flavors of soy, hoisin, ginger and garlic with zing. LOVED it.

The Soy Ginger Shrimp taco was STUFFED with nice sized shrimp that were well cooked and seasoned, though I would have preferred more of a punch of the ginger. Not sure what was Chinese about the avocado topping, but I love avocados so no harm no foul. It was, overall, a nice flavor and the shrimp were delicious. Not sure that the tortilla added anything -- I could just eat a plate of those shrimp.

The Kung Pao Chicken was passable, though I think it could definitely be improved upon. I can't say that there was anything Kung Pao about it. There was basically chicken (tender and of good quality) sautéed in Chinese spices, garlic, and probably some soy, but it missed the mark as far as the Kung Pao goes. It really could have used some scallions, peanuts, and some more spice.

Overall review of the tacos: stick with the Chinese BBQ Pork and maybe a shrimp one and you'll be happy. I think the Kung Pao could be improved upon, but don't bother ordering it until it gets fixed up.

ROUND 2:
1/2 of a Kung Pao Chicken Chamale, 1/2 of a Soy-Ginger Tofu Burrito and 1/2 of a BBQ Pork Torta.

The BBQ Pork Torta was the same filling used in the BBQ Pork taco, except that instead of the tortilla it was sandwiched inside a lovely torta. Don Chow's torta supplier rocks and this was much more successful than Kogi's attempt at a "slider" because the torta was light and not too bready. If you love the pig you'll love the BBQ Pork torta. Just different packaging, but delish all the same. Don Chow has this filling down.

Verdict on the Chamale - the dreaded "okay". The corn cake was really good and moist. Plus, unwrapping a tamale is always a little like unwrapping a present and who doesn't like presents? But the fascination ended after a few bites. The filling was the Kung Pao chicken filling, although it didn't seem as course as the taco filling, maybe because it had been steamed into the tamale so it took on more of a "pulled chicken" texture. The spice was definitely there but again, if you eat something that pronounces itself as "Kung Pao", then you probably have a very different expectation. At the very least, you expect some peanuts. The Pao didn't wow, as far as I'm concerned.

The Soy Ginger Tofu Burrito missed the mark entirely. Really just a refried bean burrito with a chunk of soft tofu thrown in there. No texture to speak of and the whole thing was a mushy mess. I love a good bean burrito as much as anyone, but this one was pretty flavorless. Plus, there was no real reason for the tofu to be in there other than to distract your mouth with a mooshy mushy flavorless goo. Even the yummy salsas on hand (habanero and a verde salsa) couldn't save this one. We all agreed that this one could have been improved if the tofu used had been a super firm tofu that was marinated first and then fried or baked so that it crisped up, thereby offering up some more textures (I should note that the Don Chow guys said they marinated it, but that flavor didn't some through). Really, I think this one requires so much work that it really isn't worth it. If you're a taco truck operator with a vegetarian option, either make sure it is a dish that wows the tastebuds or skip it all together. If it's not good it distracts more from your menu than it would if you just didn't have a veggie option at all.

ROUND 3:
Surprise round of Carne Asada "Chao Fen" (aka "Chow Fun").

This is something that the guys are testing out and, in my opinion, represents where they could really go with this truck. Delicious shahe fen wide rice noodles sautéed in soy sauce, garlic and spices with bits of beef thrown in and served with a fork in a little cardboard box. Greasy, chewy, yummy, flavorful, perfect for a late night post 2AM snack, and definitely something that would end up on the "Must HAVE NOW Craving List." Unfortunately I could only eat two bites because I was so full, but I give this one a big thumbs up.

OVERALL THOUGHTS FOR OUR DON CHOW PALS
I think Don Chow is a good concept, but they need to think a little less about copying Kogi and the Mexican twist and think a little more about really getting fun food with Chinese flavors into the hands of Angelinos. For example, they could shed the typical lettuce/cilantro/onion Mexican taco toppings (which were sort of haphazardly thrown onto the tortillas) in favor of things that would go with the Chinese fillings - peanuts, scallions, sesame seeds, more ginger, etc. They could also get rid of the typical tortilla and maybe use Chinese pancakes - like the ones served with moo shu pork, or a scallion pancake.

Along the same line (and obviously pending an analysis of the cost of ingredients and the difficulty of preparation), they could change up some of the other dishes with more of a Chinese flair - i.e., have a burrito, but fill it with Chinese black bean concoction and maybe some fried rice, for example. They could also make some kicking veggie options with veggies stir-fried in Chinese spices and flavorings and used to stuff a burrito or a taco type dish. A duck option would be amazing, but possibly cost-prohibitive.

I hope these guys succeed because they have a great attitude and I think they are getting more creative with their menu, if the Chow Fun is any indication. If you ever get the chance I encourage you to try them out. And if you're not lucky enough to have a tasting arranged for you, then check them out on Twitter. Plastic party cups with "apple cider" highly recommended.

Taco Truck Review Installment 1: KOGI Korean Mexican BBQ

I don't twitter, track things on twitter, or read tweets. I also don't wait in line. So, I thought I'd never be allowed to experience the KOGI (practically a deity, the KOGI must be in all caps). But, after some savvy internet research it became apparent that you can head to the Alibi Room in Culver City where they serve the same food everday except Sunday starting at 6 pm. Sweet.

Another benefit of the Alibi Room is that you can enjoy libations and, if you time it right, couch your behind on a seat instead of wolfing down your food standing on a street corner after waiting in line for an hour and a half (or so go the stories of the KOGI truck, but I digress). If you get there on a Saturday get there at 5:45, stake your seat at the bar and order a beer. It will be so crowded by 6:05 you won't be able to find a seat. Otherwise it's not so bad - getting there at 7:00 on a Monday night yielded plenty of seats. If all else fails you can order to go.
I've been to the Alibi Room twice thus far and this is my overall review.

The food. Oh, the food. Heaven. I've tried the following:

Kim chi quesadilla - interesting. Not bad, not great, just interesting. Certain bites yield spicy kim chi yummi-ness. Other bites yield all cheese (an orange cheddar). I think more Siracha would have made mine better. And the tortilla could have been crispier, I think, which would have ended up with a better result.

Hot Dog with Kim chi - delicious. Though the bun is a little bready, I would recommend just shedding it and chowing down on the dog and toppings. Somehow the really good quality beef frank works with the kim chi in a subtle spicy manner. At first your mouth thinks you're in a ball park and then accepts confusion when the chi hits, but it's all good.

Spicy Fries: Nirvana.
They're crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and now I know to dip my fries in sesame mayo and/or a lot of siracha. No matter what you get you must get these. They are dusted with something that looks like cayenne, but really, the dip is where it's at.

Sliders: unless you are really into bread don't bother. The filling is the same as the tacos, but it's sandwiched between a bready bready bun. I say next unless you want a tummy of spongy enriched flour.

TACOS - Ah. KOGI TACOS. Nirvana on crack. They come in a little tray of three and you can choose chicken, pork, shortrib or tofu or a combination. People, you're at a bar eating Korean BBQ. If you were that into tofu, you wouldn't be there, so stop pretending. Just say no. What's the point? Chicken tacos: too dry. Shortrib and Pork: I can't decide which is my fave. The meat is good quality, very finely diced, seasoned impeccably and then mixed with a korean slaw with kim chi, cabbage, sesame seeds, etc. and served on little tortillas. Get a set of three (I get two rib and one pork) and a side of fries. Top it off with a Shock Top ale and you are good to go. Sit back and watch the crowd.

For two people I recommend ordering two sets of tacos, fries, and, if you are hungry, one more dish to split like the dog.

The Alibi Room has dessert ice cream bars too with cool flavors like guinness and chocolate. But they're nothing spectacular. Skip dessert and have another taco. And then tell your friends in NY that yes, you went to KOGI and it rocked. Nanny nanny na! KOGI gets bonus points for trying to be green. Utensils are optional and the food comes in cardboard trays.

Stay tuned for Taco Truck Review Installment 2 coming soon.

Kale Salad: Healthy and Filling

The vegetable aisle is full of all kinds of things that I'm not too sure how to eat or cook and one of these things shrouding itself in mystery is kale. Kale or borecole is a form of cabbage green or purple in color, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms. It is super healthy, very high in beta carotene, vitamins K and C, calcium and is considered to have potent anti-cancer properties. Thanks Wikipedia!!!



In anycase, it's super dark green and leafy and therefore is ridiculously good for you. But how to make it? Well, apart from the normal steaming, stir-frying, throwing it in some soups, this kale salad is scrumptious, perfect to take to lunch, is very filling, and also relatively low calorie (if you watch the cheese and nut additions). I cannot take credit for this recipe, as it was given to me by the lovely T., but I absolutely adore it. WARNING: Be prepared to chew a lot as the kale is very sturdy.

Kale Salad

1 bunch of kale chopped and removed from the ribs
Wilt it in a pan. I use a little veggie stock or water - about 1/4 cup - heat it up and throw the kale in there for about 3 minutes or so.

In a separate bowl add lots of ingredients:
feta cheese, dried cranberries, pine nuts, a whole shredded or chopped carrot, 1 whole cucumber chopped, avocado and/or tomato if you like. You could also add garbanzo beans, chopped chicken breast, broccoli - whatever you have around. I really love the cranberries and pine nuts though and think they add so much to the salad.

Add the wilted kale, squeeze 1/2 of a fresh lemon over it, season with salt and pepper and olive oil if you like. That's it. It holds up very well for lunch and is super filling as well. Here's to superfoods (that's for you, D!)

Restaurant Review: The Tasting Kitchen (1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice)

Yesterday evening I had planned to have dinner with a dear friend of mine - a celebratory friend date, actually, rejoicing in her new role as mommy and also reconnecting over a glass of wine and tasty treats sans the little one. Although we had originally planned to try Cjelina, the wait was 45 minutes (apparently Cjelina is not experiencing that little thing called a recession). Rather than waiting, we strolled down the street and, serendipitously, in fact, happened upon the Tasting Kitchen. When we came upon it my friend remarked that she had read something about in a blog or article recently and wanted to try it. We walked past the lovely bamboo covering the windows and into a homey little restaurant with lots of wood and cozy tables. Rather than walking straight into the dining room, there is a suspended wall separating the dining room from the door way, making a sort of hall/entry way, at the end of which is the host. When we were ushered around the wall and seated at the table, we noticed that contained in the suspended wall is a fireplace, adding to the comforting atmosphere.

Apparently the Tasting Kitchen (which replaced a defunct restaurant) is a temporary set-up while the restaurant undergoes some changes. I hope it doesn’t undergo too many changes because it is just delightful the way that it is. The menu is handwritten everyday, with spaces to be filled in for various food groups. I.e., "hen", "pork", "beans", etc. It's roughly set up into four sections with the first two supposedly being more like appetizers (as the server informed us), then entrees and then desserts. The division between the sections is really nothing more than a few extra spaces, so I'm still not sure what makes a "hamburger" more of an appetizer rather than an entrée, but I digress.

Unique takes on comfort foods with lots of seasonal ingredients is how I would describe the menu. The wines are listed at the end. Service was extraordinarily friendly and pleasant, and when I asked for a red that was really fruity I was told that although they didn't have one that evening that he would recommend, that he would be happy to open a bottle of an Italian wine that he thought would fit the bill. I also appreciated the fact that he volunteered that his suggestion was only $8/glass instead of leading me astray.

In any case, the La Crima was delicious, with lots of blueberry and notes of vanilla, setting off the evening and allowing us to settle in with the menu. We ended up sharing a really lovely dish of sautéed green beans, crushed toasted almonds, pancetta and a few chunks of creamy burrata thrown in - a nice use of burrata outside of the usual burrata caprese route. The other appetizer was also unique - endive, just barely coated in a browned butter sauce, with a little soft apricot compote and a tiny bit of sage. Fresh, not overwhelming, and delicious. I opted for the roasted hen with baby rutabagas and kale and my friend opted for the burger. I did not try the burger, but it looked great and I can attest to the quality of the fries - made better by the addictive aioli dipping sauce which was more sage than garlic and obviously using very very high quality olive oil. Again, a unique take on the usual garlic aioli. The chicken was perfectly cooked, juicy, and just what I was looking for. A shared apricot tart rounded out the meal with flaky pastry, ripe apricots and a little vanilla ice cream on top. Not cheap but not outrageous - the entire bill was 100 (before tip, with three glasses of wine).

I recommend trying it before they revamp the place (target date - the beginning of Fall).

Lunch or Dinner Suggestion: Super Easy and Super Yum BBQ Chicken Salad

I'm always making salads for lunch, and just decided to concoct this one one day, throwing things into a Tupperware with wild abandon. It's really tasty, really healthy, and really low-cal (especially if you leave out the avocado and/or the corn). Yay!

In a Tupperware or other non-trademarked container layer in this order, from the bottom up:

chopped tomato (I like halved cherry tomatoes)
1/2 a chopped cucumber
1 grated carrot (or a handful of pre-grated carrot from Trader Joe's)
2 stalks of chopped celery (you can even include some of the leaves)
diced cooked chicken breast or black beans (or a little of both) OR soy chickenless chicken strips
2-3 T of chopped fresh cilantro
1 chopped green onion
a little chopped avocado if you like
1/4 to 1/2 cup of corn kernels if you like - I like the roasted corn kernels that are frozen from Trader Joe's
2 handfuls of torn lettuce - any kind. I like romaine for this one.

In a smaller container make the dressing - I like to use 1 T of Annie's Natural BBQ sauce and thin it out with a little vinegar (about 20 calories worth of dressing). You could also use a pre-made cilantro dressing if you like and thin it out as well. Pack the small container of dressing into the bigger container with the salad, throw in a few slices of lime if you like (you can even squeeze a little of the lime over the avocado (if you used any) to keep it from turning brown). Store in the fridge til ready to eat. This keeps for a few days in the fridge. Be on the lookout for more salad creations from yours truly. I've been going a little crazy lately!

Lunch Suggestion: Low Calorie, High Protein, Low Fat and Trader Joe's. What's Not To Like?

I LOVE Trader Joe's. I mean really, really, really love it. What's not to love, really? There's amazing produce, fabulous frozen food, terrific tapenades, lovely smelling lavender dish soap, and a great selection of wine and beers. Oh, and my dogs are big fans of the dog biscuits too. Everyone wears Hawaiian themed shirts, is super duper friendly, and they often pipe eighties music into the aisles (that alone would win me over, seriously). And on top of it all the sunshiny checkers not only send you on your way with a smile but they also ORGANIZE all of your purchases when they pack them - i.e., when you get home you find the frozen things together, the herbs and produce together, the canned good together, etc., etc. It just makes sense and lends an ease to unpacking, quickly allowing you to place all of your items in your cupboards, the freezer, and wine rack(s) without having to dig through the bags and reorganize the contents while you stretch out all over your kitchen trying to place things in the proper area.
But I digress.

One of my favorite lunches at work or quick dinners at home is the Trader Joe's Egg White Salad With Chives. This little delight is found in the refrigerated section near the prepared salads and has the perfect amount of chives, celery and spices set off with a bit of vinegar and mustard and, of course, egg whites. And, get this, an entire container is only 100 calories. Yes, it's true. With 4 grams of fat, 4 of carbs and FOURTEEN grams of protein I think the $2.69, while slightly on the pricey side, is well worth it. One of my favorite ways to eat it is to pile a whole container (hey, splurge - it's only 100 cals) into a spelt or whole wheat tortilla (you could even go for a carb cutting tortilla made of whole grains), add arugula or spinach or lettuce or micro-greens, some small cherry tomatoes of you like, and roll it all up for a very filling and healthy wrap. Eat with a side of fruit and/or carrots and you have a satisfying lunch that is around 300 calories total. Hard to beat that. I often leave a bag of tortillas in the fridge at work so they're there when I want them, and bring in my container of egg salad and a little Ziploc of my greens and tomatoes (leaving the tomatoes uncut so they don't wilt the leafies). The result? in a quick minute you have a very easy lunch to pack, and one that you can eat without guilt while sitting on your derriere at your desk surfing the web or working away. Plus, it's also good for a snack straight out of the container.

Trader Joe's also makes the salad in a spicy "ranchero" style (I'm not a fan) and "Santorini" style utilizing spinach, feta and parmesan (tasty!). That one packs a little more calories (deep breath now - a whole 140 cals for the whole container) and a bit more fat (7 grams), 4 grams of carbs and SIXTEEN grams of protein. (See the Footnote at the end of the entry.) There's also an "eggless egg salad" (presumably with tofu). I haven't sampled this one so I can't comment, but I'm sure it is worth a try.

Of course you could get egg whites and probably come up with something similar yourself, but really, if you're already a victim to mornings and can't seem to pack your lunch as often as you'd like as it is, who are you fooling? Just pick up a couple of these containers and you're set for the week!

Footnote: Don't ask why I had to put "sixteen" written out and in caps and yet typed the other numbers. I am trying to suppress the urge to make everything consistent so I will not go back and change it. I will not. I will not. I will also not check for spacing errors or other inconsistencies that do not matter. Writing a blog is supposed to be fun and not another outlet for OCD. And for all of you readers who also obsess over formatting issues and font size and if a comma is accidentally italicized (I know who you are), use this space for therapy as well and please keep those critiques to yourself. Do feel free to let me know of any spelling errors, however!

Gift Suggestion or For Yourself: The Best Cookbook Ever and a Dutch Oven

One thing that you will undoubtedly discover about me if you continue to read this blog is that I love theme gifts - you know, a few lovely items that just fit cozily together like puzzle pieces, all wrapped up and presented to the recipient in a self-contained little world of awesomeness. The gift that they can just open up and immediately cash in on the excitement by using it right away, rather than allowing it to gather dust while they search for the other components they may need. Well, that's what this is: a cookbook and a dutch oven. First, let's discuss the cookbook, Glorious One-Pot Meals by Elizabeth Yarnell ($12). This cookbook is unlike any cookbook that I have ever owned -- i.e., it is stained and tattered and actually frequently used. I could go on and on about this cookbook because it is so amazing, but in one sentence it allows you to cook a complete meal in 45 minutes, utilizing only one pot. You layer the ingredients (for example your starch, veggies, seasonings and proteins), sling it into the oven, and 45 minutes later you have a perfect meal which, get this, looks as if you have actually cooked the items separately. It really is that easy. My first foray into this was a five minute project of layering some cut up potatoes, frozen tilapia, some lovely dill seasoning mix I had laying in my cupboard and fresh asparagus. In anycase, 45 minutes later the pot emerged with perfectly cooked potatoes, a flaky, moist and deliciously seasoned piece of fish and a side of steamed asparagus. And may I once again mention that the fish was frozen?

Using the tenets that great food will result when utilizing the right pot and cooking at the right temperature for the correct amount of time, Yarnell developed this theory she calls "infusion- cooking", which produces, without fail, perfect meals with no fuss. Each recipe is a nutritionally complete meal so you don't need even a side salad - unless you want one, of course. You can rely upon the recipes in the book (which include a number of standard faves like pasta recipes, pot roast, or a one-pot Thanksgiving dinner, as well as lots of variations with ethnic twists such as greek chicken, tandoori salmon and kale, or Thai curry with tofu) OR you can venture out on your own utilizing the easy to understand method set forth in the beginning of the book. By using any ingredients you have on hand and layering them in a designated order you will have a perfect meal every single time. Forgot to take things out of the freezer - no problem! The meals come out just as perfectly utilizing rock-hard items just pulled from the freezer (you can also use dried and canned foods, as well as fresh, of course, or any combination thereof). And you can even layer the items in advance, throw the pot in the fridge, and then cook it when you get home. Awesomeness!

Besides the book, you'll also need a dutch oven. Yarnell discusses the virtues of various types of dutch ovens in her book, generally favoring enamel coated cast iron. You could go top of the line with a lovely Le Crueset (ranging anywhere from $120 to $250, depending on size) or you can go with a middle of the road and perfectly serviceable Lodge enameled cast iron (about $80). If you are being super budget conscious you could also get a plain pre-seasoned cast-iron dutch oven (about $30-50), which will last a lifetime and will work just as well (it will just require a bit of maintenance and will need to be re-seasoned and oiled once in awhile since it isn't enamel coated and will lean towards rusting). Get a 2 quart one for one person, a 3 or 4 quart one for two people, and a 5 or 6 quart one for a family.

Wrap it all up (or have it shipped to the recipient from an online merchant like Amazon.com) and you've got a perfect gift that will be used by everyone including singles, couples, moms, college students, newly marrieds, etc. Don't forget to have an extra one shipped to yourself!