Truck Watch

This weekend, on a trip to Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, I was lucky enough to stumble upon THE GRILLED CHEESE truck. Food Trucks have sprouted all over L.A. in the last couple of years. I have seen the original taco truck to Vietnamese, to Korean BBQ, to Dim Sum, to Burgers and Hot Dogs, and now the Grilled Cheese. In my opinion, what makes the food truck so popular is its obvious convenience but also its offering of either comfort food like a grilled cheese or a dish that is unique and interesting like the Korean BBQ taco. These trucks are no longer grease mobiles but actually offer high quality gourmet food. The best way to find one of these fun eateries is to follow them on twitter. They tweet their location and the time they'll be there. I've seen them on Wilshire Blvd., 3rd street in Santa Monica, and downtown. If you decide to go on the adventure, be prepared to wait in line especially if it's the weekend. The line for the Grilled Cheese truck was about 45 minutes. But, if you are a foodie, its definitely worth the wait.
Their menu spans from the classic grilled cheese to caprese grilled cheese, to the "Harvest Melt" with butternut squash, gruyere cheese, and a balsamic reduction. Dare I say they even have a dessert sandwich with marshmallow, Nutella, and banana-sooooo good! However, the cream of the crop is their "Signature Melt." Mac and cheese, caramelized onions, and BBQ smoked pork between two grilled pieces of bread, honestly I don't know if it gets any better than that. It just goes to show that if you can do one thing really well with a few variations,that's all you need for success. So keep an eye out for the bright orange truck or any truck for that matter, and try something different. I guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Lunch at Chinois

When we think about Wolfgang Puck's restaurants, we think about Spago, Cut, or his chain of bistros. Rarely does Chinois come to mind. I find Chinois to be more discrete and hidden then most of his other restaurants but special nonetheless. Wolfgang Puck has found a winning combination of Asian flavors and French technique with a bit of California flair. This Asian-fusion restaurant has an open kitchen so you can see the chef prepare your meal and everyone else's. I find this to be helpful when ordering because you can see what people like and what's popular on the menu. Another nice thing is that the restaurant is open for lunch or dinner and is affordable. A 4 course chef's choice menu (for lunch) only costs 37.50 per person. I recommend visiting the Santa Monica Farmer's Market and heading down to Chinois for a nice lunch. Here is what I ate:

1. Chinois Chicken salad- a variation on the Chinese Chicken salad but with a creamy dressing


2. Crab Cakes topped with jumbo shrimp and lobster sauce- DELICIOUS!

3. Grilled Szechwan Beef with a shallot-cilantro sauce- Super tasty.


4. Whole Sizzling Catfish with Ginger and Ponzu sauce- Very impresssive, I usually don't like catfish but the flavors were spot on.

5. Stir-fried haricots verts with black bean sauce and garlic- probably the best Asian vegetable side dish I have ever had- not an exaggeration.


6. An array of desserts including 3 different flavors of creme brulee, a macadamia nut tart, banana cake, chocolate cake with whipped cream and chocolate cookies.

After eating my scrumptious meal, my group had a chance to talk to the staff. Most of the people working there- the waitstaff, line cooks, the pastry chef, the manager, and the head chef-most have been there for 15 years or more. To me, a restaurant is only as good as the people who work there. These people really love what their doing and in turn make Chinois the pleasant eatery it is today.

Fresh From the Farmer's Market

With movements such as Locavore Nation and Eating Organic, a cook cannot help but to be inspired by the produce of the season. Spring is such an exciting time because we can put away the bitter winter greens and take advantage of the spring trio: fresh asparagus, beautiful global artichokes, and sweet peas. These veggies are so tasty on their own that they hardly need any additional flavors. Here are some ideas for these spring vegetables:

Peas: Make a classic risotto and add fresh peas and Parmesan cheese at the end, use peas as the base for a pesto and substitute some of the basil for mint (you can use this as a sandwich spread or for crostini), or make a fresh pea sauce that can be served with fish such as halibut or branzino.

Fresh Pea Sauce (Recipe courtesy of Tiffany O'Reilly)

3 cups blanched shelled peas
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons mint chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, add the shelled peas, chicken stock, shallots, and garlic. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer sauce for 5 to 6 minutes or until peas are tender. Remove from heat. Using a blender*, add the mint and puree the sauce until smooth. Place into a bowl and whisk in the butter. Strain the sauce through a chinois or other fine mesh sieve. Serve while hot.



* Remember when adding a hot liquid to a blender, do not fill it up all the way or the sauce will explode all over you and the kitchen.

**The dish shown in the picture was served at my culinary school graduation. The pea sauce was paired with a sage beurre blanc and fresh peas and asparagus. It was a huge hit with our guests.


Asparagus: Cook a batch of wide pasta such as pappardelle and add blanched asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces, crispy pancetta, cream that has been reduced (simmered in a pot for a few minutes until thick) and Parmesan cheese, dip whole asparagus stalks into a tempura batter, fry, and serve with a lemon aioli, or wrap asparagus in proscuitto* and grill.

*You may need a toothpick to keep it together


Artichoke: Steam the whole artichoke and eat the leaves with garlic butter, trim the artichokes and make a cream of artichoke soup, cutthe center heart of a steamed artichoke into a small dice and add it to a savory tart with herbs, cheese, and dijon mustard.

Don't be afraid to try different varietals of these veggies such as purple and white asparagus or Jerusalem artichokes. I encourage all of you to visit your local farmers market and create a meal based on the seasonal produce you find. You might be surprised of what delicious creations you come up with. Happy Eating!

Hello Fellow Bloggers and Blogees

As I sit at my kitchen table writing into cyberspace, a batch of chicken stock is bubbling away on the stove. Anyone who claims to love food and cooking as much as I do should know how to make a decent chicken stock. It is the basis for so many tasty dishes. The thought of something being homemade, even something as simple as chicken stock, increases its goodness points by at least 10. You (readers) can expect me to be cooking up a storm and writing about my culinary adventures. I will admit my culinary failures and triumph in my delicious successes. I have waited a long time to have a blog. I promised myself when I started college that I could only have a blog once I finished or else I would not get any work done. I am proud to announce that I graduated from UCLA. Now I have to start my "real" life and have no idea where I am going. For the first time, I do not have a path, a plan for the future. The only thing I know is that I want food to be at the center. This blog is a way for me to share my passion with others.

What I hope to accomplish with this blog:

1. Share my recipes

2. Document my Foodie experiences

3. Provide reviews of cookbooks

4. Post interesting tidbits of culinary information

5. Whatever else comes my way

Join me on my food journey and get into the kitchen!