Nuff Nang

Sep 30, 2009

The Golden State

The Golden State, an ode to California!

This little gastropub along the hip street of Fairfax celebrates burgers, beers and 'dogs in true California fashion... Basically, everything comes from the state and is fashionably fresh and in season. To name drop a few items, the gelato comes from Scoops and the hot dogs are by Let's Be Frank. I'm not big on the booze but I know the local beer selection is hoppin' for such a small joint. Complaining about prices won't happen here, everything is deliciously affordable!

My friend Claudia and I wanted a "buffet" style dinner, so we split everything we ordered: the burger, the hot dog, the fries and the slaw. It made for quite a variety on our plates! The house burger is one of the best I've tasted... If you don't specify, they will cook it medium-rare; I had mine done medium-rare and it was bomb. I kind of got carried away with the curry ketchup - never tasted such a condiment before - and put it on my burger, hot dog and sweet potato logs. You gotta try it when you go! This industrial space lined with brick walls and splashes of yellow was the perfect place to start the weekend - Cheers, California!

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Curry Ketchup x Dijon x Ketchup

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Let's Be Frank Turkey Dog

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Side: Fried Sweet Potato Wedges

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2 Sides: Caramelized Onions + Sauerkraut

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The Burger [harris ranch beef, fiscalini farms cheddar, glazed applewood smoked bacon, arugula, house-made aioli]
Side: Jalapeno Cabbage Slaw

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DRUNK WITH DESIGN via STATUS MAGAZINE

The Status Magazine blog always finds dope sh*t!

Check out their find (here) on Evian's new packaging designed by Paul Smith. I say these bottles should be served up in the club too... Me likey *thumbs up*

Follow Status Magazine on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/StatusMagazine

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Sep 29, 2009

Luxirare

One of my current blog obsessions: Luxirare.

Taking the blog world by storm with killer clothes and fine cuisine, Luxirare seems to share the same 2 favorite "F words" as myself. Last week, the Bento Box feature blew my mind and stirred up my taste buds... Peanut butter + nutella + banana is pretty much heaven to me, and Luxirare managed to combine the trio into one amazing soy paper package! Talk about taking the Bento Box to a whole new level... The stunning photography paired with utterly imaginative food concepts create an outcome that truly is a work of art. I love love love this site and will for sure keep crawling back! Xo

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Matured & Distinguished

Last weekend, my favorite wifey threw an intimate get together for her husband's birthday... I'm obviously talking about B & T :)

Tyson and his boys worked the grill - we had amazing hamburgers for lunch with a super side of cheesy baked potatoes. Brooke and myself took care of dessert - it's what we do best! She made a vanilla bee cake with creamy chocolate frosting; bees are her and Tyson's thing... I remember when Brooke received the bee cake pan at her Cupcake Couture bridal shower - seems like ages ago, crazy! Liz would be proud you put it to good use, B ;) I made mom's baked cheesecake recipe, this time with a blueberry topping. There were a few cheesecake fans in the house - I hope I passed the test. Happy Birthday, Ty!

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B's Bee Cake

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P's Cheesecake

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Happy Birthday!!

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Mr. & Mrs. D

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M, B, P, B

Sep 28, 2009

Mark Bittman on Chocolate Souffle

Watch here to learn how Mark Bittman (Bitten, The Minimalist) makes a "drop dead, easy, fool proof, THIS MEANS YOU, all-time" chocolate souffle.

Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes

My fav-uh-rit dessert is anything along the lines of chocolate souffle slash chocolate molten cake slash warm chocolate cake... When deciding on my next set of cupcakes to bake, I wanted to mimic a souffle in cupcake form. I've never ever baked a souffle before, so I just kind of went ahead with it and learnt the techniques along the way (we haven't done souffles in baking school yet!). I feel like I've watched enough cooking shows to get the general idea of what goes into making a souffle.

They turned out enchantingly delicious; airy, fluffly and light. Yet they were still uber rich in chocolate flavor! I could use one right about... NOW.

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For my Mama

For you, Mom.

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Sep 27, 2009

In Less Than 2 Weeks...

I've already started counting down the days until my loverbun and I can make a Trader Joe's trip and get all our fav things!

Time, can ya hear me?? SPEED UP YO!!

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Asia de Cuba

The Mondrian on Sunset Blvd was the location for celebrating Dad's last night in Los Angeles. To be more specific: Asia de Cuba. Of course he will be back again, but we like to make occasions out of "last nights." It's just how we do...

Asia de Cuba's new design decor -can you say white-on-white- can be attributed to none other than Philippe Starck, who seems to be dabbling in lots of restaurant interiors for the city of angels. Making for an even more unique dining experience, the Los Angeles skyline is framed by the windows upon entering. A fusion of Asian and Cuban cuisine keep the menu interesting and innovative - just know that appetizers and entrees are meant to be shared, "family style" as we like to call it. A few of the highlights were the butterfish and the pork roast. It's a bit ironic because my family has eaten at Asia de Cuba twice before, and the reason we come back is for the beef short ribs... This time, the ribs seemed to have changed. I swear they used to be bigger, meatier and more tender! It's alright though, now's not the time to complain about beef short ribs... Bon Apetit!

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Tony & Bebette

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Asia de Cuba

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Tuna Tataki Special

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Asian Pesto Grilled Shrimp / Wok Charred Tropical Fruit, Crisp Lotus Root Chips

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Char Sui Beef Short Ribs / Congre Tostones, Chili Orange Mojo

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Miso Cured Alaskan Butterfish / Cuban Black Bean & Edamame Salad, Tempura Shishito Peppers

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Honey-Rum Glazed Pot Roast of Pork / Sauteed Shanghai Bok Choy, Fried Plantains, Enoki Mushrooms

v
Lobster Mash

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Chocolate Opera Cake / Chocolate Sponge, Coffee Cream, Chocolate Ganache, Espresso Ice-Cream

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Pear Tart / Creme Fraiche, Cheesecake Ice-Cream, Sliced Fruit

Eat, Drink, Stay, Play..

Zagat has just released their 2010 Restaurants for Los Angeles and Southern California compilation! Eater LA posted an update (here) giving us a little preview of what's new this year. I was happy to see some of my restaurant entries on the list, yahoo!

Decor: Penthouse, Baazar
Popularity: Spago
Newcomers: Baazar, Huckleberry Cafe

Not bad!

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Sep 26, 2009

Baking School

There's always a first time for everything... Last week at baking school I learned how to work with yeast. Having never used yeast before, I now understand why it's quite a temperamental ingredient to bake with. Another lesson I learnt: the difference between "rich" and "lean" breads. Rich breads are those that call for butter and eggs, while lean breads contain mostly flour and salt. The line-up of yeast breads we made as a class was a loaf-full ;) Collectively we made:

*Pain de Menage (Country Bread)
*Brioche
*Focaccia
*Buttermilk Cheese Bread
*Buttermilk Wheat Bread
*Easy White Bread
*White Whole Wheat Bread
*Grissini (Bread Sticks)
*Panini
*Hamburger Buns
*Pizza Dough

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Sep 24, 2009

Find LA Food Trucks

It's taking more and more work to keep track of the trucks! I manage to hear about a new one some way or another all the time... Find LA Food Trucks has made the work easier, they've created one go-to site that let's us foodies know the whereabouts of the most talked about meals on wheels. All the Twitter posts in one place, perfecto!

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Black Board Eats

Now this is a black board I don't mind staring at! I just found out about Black Board Eats today - and I suggest you do the same :) 3 easy steps to getting "unreal deals at the best restaurants"... Check out the site and find mealy dealies that you dig!

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Sep 22, 2009

Venice Beach, CA

After Seed, we went for a stroll down Venice Beach... I took a couple photos of the food joints along the strip. Food joints that Mr. Macrobiotic would unquestionably shake his head to! I wanna come back and try some beach grub :D

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Seed Kitchen

Not that I'm on a macrobiotic kick or anything, but I happened to try another cafe serving the "M" food: Seed Kitchen. Located just upon the main Venice Beach entrance, Seed Kitchen is based around the notion that the food we eat provides the beginnings of a vibrant, flourishing life - just like a seed does for a plant. With that being said, Seed Kitchen focuses on ecological sustainability: no microwaves, no non-stick pans, biodegradable packaging, etc. The simplicity of the place keeps the vibe very fresh and uplifting. I really enjoyed it!

My friend and I shared both the sandwich and the salad... The salad was great; the fried tempeh cubes do a lot for the flavor and texture of the chop-chop. The soysage panini is obviously a "sausage" substitute sandwich. I'm not going to say, "It tastes exactly like sausage guys!" because we all know it really doesn't... BUT it was a filling and satisfying panini keeping in mind that is of the "M" kind ;) Also, soy cheese isn't my favorite... but it's all good. To end on a good note, the pesto added just the right kick to the mix!

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Seed Chop-Chop

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[romaine, red cabbage, cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, tempeh, ume-ranch dressing]

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Italian Soysage Panini

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[Italian soysage, roasted red peppers, arugula, vegan soy cheese, pesto]
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