Pok Pok PDX

My last day in Portland Mike and I headed over to the latest hot Thai joint in PDX (aka Portland). It more than lived up to the streams of praise & accolades. Starting out as a small lunch cart, they've evolved and now occupy a small house right next door which they've named Whiskey Soda Lounge.


The reviews said we had to try the Papaya Pok Pok, a green papaya salad with tomatoes, long beans, Thai chili, lime juice, dried shrimp, ground pork & peanuts tossed in a coconut milk dressing. Just enough chili to give it a little kick!
We paired that with Kai Yaang, charcoal roasted game hen stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, spices and served with a sweet & sour dipping sauce.

I'm a Thai soup fan and we added an order of Kaeng Om Neua, a brothy beef jungle curry soup. This was my favorite! Pair these with a couple of Thai beers and it's a beautiful thing. Although eating outside was fine with us, if you prefer to eat inside the Whiskey Soda Lounge, they only accept reservations of 5 or more, and yes...reservations are needed. My only complaint was the rice. You actually have to order it separately (which is a little unusual that it doesn't come with any of the dishes) and it's $2.00 for about 1 cup?... Don't get me wrong it's no deal breaker, but it continues to nag me.

Good Thai, unpretentious and fun location. Next time your path crosses Portland, treat yourself to some amazing Thai.

Eat up!

The 'Vacation Five'

You all know what I'm talking about...That "What the heck, I'm on vacation" attitude every time you pick up a menu. Well, I won't disappoint!I spent a wonderful week in San Francisco for a sales conference. LOVE that city!





I checked out the Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building and checked out The Slanted Door for lunch. No photo ops here, but phenomenal food!


I flew home on Friday and flew out to Portland on Sunday for a week of R&R with my man. We spent the week exploring the Oregon Coast. Insanely beautiful and very relaxing!

We hit The Rogue Breweryfor a cool one and some lunch. Kobe Beef Burger topped with Oregon Blue Cheese and a salad. Although beer is not usually my drink, I had a Will Ferrel Old School moment.. "It tastes so good when it touches my lips!". We also visited the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Pretty wild watching the process, but I have to say I prefer the romance of the beautifully over crowded cases @ Cowgirl Creamery.

On to the Inn at Cape Kawanda for (that's right), more eating drinking and a weak attempt to hike it all off. We indulged in a beer flight along with the 'Tower of Onion Rings', another Kobe Burger & Fish and Chips. I have to make this clear. I am a fish and chips snob. I like mine battered, not breaded. Lightly please so when it reaches my table, it's light & fluffy, not oily and dense. Unfortunately we did not hit the mark on this one, but the beers I'll give a 10. Finish and take that harrowing 50 yard walk to our place across the street. It's all good.

We do love the 'little guy'. You know, the guy just trying to make it and happens to put out incredible food. We landed on
Harvest Fresh River Deli. On a Tuesday "all you can eat" pasta night to boot! They had 5 pasta dishes to mix & max and eat your fill. It included soup or salad so we got one cup of Mushroom Barley & and one Potato Cheese soup. Mike had the sausage lasagna while I had Linguine with chicken, lemongrass pesto and chili. Round 2: It was so good we stuck with the same.


That's all for now. Next stop (post), Manzanita!

Eat up!

O.K.....I'll play.

I've been tagged by Natalie @ The Liquid Muse. Seems she'd like to know 7 things about me that fellow bloggers don't know. Let me say that I'm fully aware none of this info might interest you, but what the hell...I'll play.

#1. Tomorrow I turn 47. yes...that's correct, THREE years from 50! I haven't decided whether I'm going to have issues with this or not.

#2 I'm engaged to a great guy and will be moving to Portland in a year to start a new chapter in my life).

#3 I was a stylist (old school definition: hair/makeup artist) @ Warner Bros in the early 80's.

#4 I up and moved to Colorado when I was 23. I lived @ 10 thousand feet in the middle of the Rockies. No phones (c.b. radio's), rode horses, 10 other people lived on "the mountain", snow 10 months out of the year. I escaped from a broken heart, & lived in a killer apt above the cafe/bar I ran with my aunt.

#5 I LOVE to cook & entertain...I don't do either nearly enough

#6 I HATE sweets (I know.... that's really weird)

#7 I grew up with 5 brothers....no ballet in my house. Strictly self defense!

Natalie...this does not replace our drink date. I'll e-mail you next week when I'm back in town! ;)

Who would have known?

Work brings me to Culver City about once a week and each time I discover another gem. Although Cafe Surfas is not new to me...it's one of my favorites. Surfas restaurant and cooking supply has been around since 1937 and with this years addition of Cafe Surfas, it makes the perfect lunch time stop and shop. I'm like a kid in a candy store. The store offers gourmet foods and oodles of awesome cooking supplies for everyone from the recreational to professional cook. Today I picked up an OXO Mandoline. I've wanted a mandoline for a while and this one got great reviews by Gourmet Magazine so there you have it. All that walking up & down the seemingly endless isles of wares, made me hungry!

How convenient....the cafe is right through the doors! I take my usual stance in the center of the cafe. This way I can clearly see the beautiful cheese case, with a connecting case holding sandwiches just waiting to be dressed, grilled and served. The side salads are all wonderful. My favorite is a pea, minced red onion, Spanish ham salad dressed with creme fresh. Today I decide on the Roasted Turkey Club. Turkey, grainy mustard, sauteed arugula, Taleggio Cheese grilled on Rosemary Bread. Yes..... it was delicious. The sandwiches are served with baby greens lightly tossed with a raspberry vinaigrette and pickles. I pass on the hand crafted sodas and go with a simple bottled water for a near perfect lunch that never disappoints.

Everything from the Kobe Beef Haute Dog with horseradish mustard, blue cheese cream, cioppolini onions on a french baguette or the Kurobuto Ham Panini with Snake River Farms Kurobuto Ham shaved thin, Schoolhouse Kitchen Chutney, appenzellar cheese on rosemary bread are divine. They also serve some incredible breakfast sandwiches, soups and salads. Next time you find yourself in Downtown Culver City, swing over to Washington, do some kitchen shopping and grab a little something to eat!

Get to cookin!

Lately I've been slackin....about cooking that is. I have 2 teenage boys (you'd think that would keep me busy in the kitchen!), but they're never home and so the dilemma continues. If I cook, who will eat it?? Well, I've been catching up on my favorite blogs which have inspired me to cook more, and blog one dish weekly.

Last night while laying in bed reading one of my (90+) cookbooks, I came across the following recipe in Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef Takes off.

white risotto with lemon thyme, sliced prosciutto, percorino & crumbled goat's cheese
yum.........

As I'm finishing the dish, my 19 year old son Rob comes in for a taste. He loves it, but we have different opinions. Far too rich for me. The recipe called for 4 ounces of both freshly grated Parmesan and percorina cheeses. Top this with the goat's cheese and prosciutto and it was over the top. I'd make the dish again, but cut both cheese in half, add fresh peas and eliminate the goat's cheese.


I love the whole idea of how cooking gets our wheels turning. How can the dish be better? How would we put our 'stamp' on it? And when you land on the perfect recipe.....you share it with everyone you know.
What a great thing to love...this cooking..

Eat up!

Consumed....

Just back from Boston...gotta love that city! Mike flew in from Portland (Oregon) and me from sunny SoCal for our annual trip to the Boston Marathon. No.... I'm not the one running it. The nor'easter kicked our @$#%!'s but we still managed to have a great time. Luckily most of the bad weather hit the night before and the day after the race. In the meantime....we filled in the blanks with some incredible food. Mike and I are passionate fans of the 'hole in the wall', the 'little guy', the 'OMG, I can't believe this place isn't packed every hour of the day' kind of place. Well, we hit em!


Our favorite part of town in the North End. It's got history, phenomenal food and a very cool vibe. The one spot we've got to hit...no exceptions, is Cibo (twice as a matter of fact!). We started with fried calamari, but what makes this one especially good are the slices of pickled peppers that are fried along with them. Just enough of a tangy hot kick to finish off each bite. I really like that they serve the marinara dipping sauce warm. Ever get fried calamari served with cold sauce? We ordered the following dishes (on different nights), all of which were incredible: Caprese Salad, Pan fried Italian Greens (INSANE!), Linguine Carbonara, Pollo Parmesan & Ribbon Pasta served with spicy shrimp & scallops in a wine sauce. Bread...wine.......ahhhhhhhhhh.

On to our fav follow up, Caffe Vittoria where we order up a Caffe Mocha,Caffe Latte and a Cannoli (chocolate dipped please!) for Mike this is a must. The nice guy in this pic is the head Barista. Friendly enough but he is serious about his work. Once you taste his caffe, you'd know what I mean. Did I already say 'ahhhhhhhhh' ?!


Tuesday, while looking at my carefully written directions to find Flour Bakery we got lost. I don't get it?! Well...in true 'Deb' style, I had written directions down for a completely different restaurant, Sorriso. Time for lunch? We started off with a wonderful Split Pea Soup with barley and panchetta. Then Mike ordered a Pizza Margherita with Fennel Sausage added. Straight from their brick pizza oven and very tasty. I had the Chicken, Pesto, Arugula & Tomato sandwich. Again, very good but served on Foccia and was a little more bread than I like (too filling).

For me, Boston presents some challenges. How can I walk away from the sure bets we love so much in the North End, while balancing it out with the multitude of other much deserved establishments? Next year....

Eat up!

Check this out!

While blog browsing I came across this little jewel, Real Meals TV! Home cooks and pro's alike send in cooking videos, sharing recipes and techniques. I've spent the last haf hour watching and couldn't get enough. My mind went wild thinking of the bloggers out there I'd like to see on Real Meals TV, (you know who you are). Get cookin and send in those videos! (I'm not worthy). Such a cool idea...

Eat up!

Everybody loves pizza!

Last Thursday was my 'L.A. Day' for work. As I was driving into Beverly Hills, I was thinking Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali's new pizza joint Mozza just might be nearby. Punch it in my nav and there it was...3 miles away from my final destination!

You know, I read a lot of glowing reviews and then the ones that worn you about the long lines and craziness, but I encountered none of that. There were about 10 people waiting (it was lunchtime), and got in without a reservation. Since I was alone I opted to sit at the bar where you can watch them weave their pizza magic. The pie I ordered had spring onions, roasted garlic, Coach Goat Cheese and bacon. Coach Farms is owned and operated by Mario's in-laws. Keepin it in the family!

I've always made my first judgement of any pizza by the crust. It's got to be cracker thin and very crisp. They get an A+ here. The pizza was certainly tasty, (and I'm sure I could quickly become very unpopular here...) but I would have made some changes with the toppings. Don't get me wrong, great combination of ingredients, and not overpriced ($14), but some minor changes non the less. The roasted garlic was delish... but gigantic. Huge cloves dotted the pizza and I felt it would been more enhancing if the cloves were smaller. The cheese and the bacon were outstanding, but the springs onions were cut into 3 inch long stings, which promptly embedded themselves into every space between my teeth they could find.

Did all this stop me??? Pllllleeeeease! It was extremely good, just not one I'd order during lunch time again. The staff was unpretentious and attentive. Small space...fills up quickly. Go for the bar. It's much more fun!

I struck up a conversation with an older couple while waiting to get in. They lived near by and made a weekly lunch or dinner trip there. They did tell me dinner reservations are at 1 to 1 1/2 months out, but you can almost always get in for lunch with no problem. The husband said he was a 'pizza hound' and they hadn't served him a bad one yet. Would I go back for dinner (or on a weekend)?, no. Lunch....you bet!

Pizza $14
water- $0
___________

A

Mozza Pizzeria
641 N Highland
Los Angeles, Ca. 90036
323-297-0101

Can we eat or what?

Should I be bragging about that??? When the food is great... I say yes!

Took a little mini vacation to see my fiance Mike in Portland. He planned a little over night road trip to Seattle and what a great time. We ate our way back to Portland! Thursday before we left we checked out Ken's Artisan Pizza. We ordered a classic Margarita. It was evident the ingredients were fresh and nothing beats a brick oven, but the crust was lacking. We like the classic Sicilian Pizza's. Paper thin and crisp. The center of the pizza needed just a few more minutes to get there. We ordered a Sausage & Olive to keep our Margarita company. They each served 1-2 and yes.... we polished them both off (along with some vino & beer!)
Forgive me... I thought I was being such a diligent food blooger by taking notes & menus, but got home and can't find them!


Friday we get to Seattle and check into our hotel in the Queen Anne neighborhood. We asked the front desk for a lunch recommendation and landed on Phuket. This was our lucky day!!

We started off with mini spring rolls, then Mike ordered Chicken Curry Rice and I had a Tom Kha Gai with Chicken Curry. We'd never seen Chicken Curry Rice prepared with the curry blended into the rice (versus laddled over it)but Mike was in love. My Tom Kha Gai was good, but a little sweeter than I like. I prefer it tart and spicy. NEXT!

Mike had stayed up late and researched someplace for breakfast (it's my favorite meal!)
So before heading back to Portland, we hit Portage Bay Cafe. This was a keeper! The picture does not do it justice! I ordered Eggs Benedict with a twist...Spicy black black bean-pancetta cakes, homemade organic cornbread, with our house-smoked tomato and saffron sauce. It was incredible!!!!

Once back in Portland we did what we do best....explore the city. Mike needs a little something to go with the pot and a half of coffee he's consumed, so how about some chocolate at Sweet Masterpiece!
He went for the beautiful Chocolate Tower...layers of chocolate on chocolate and a few additonal pieces 'to go'.



Vino Paradiso is the hot ticket for some great wine and even better small plates. The Cheese and Salami plates were great, but the real treat was the Filet topped with Sun Dried Tomato & Garlic Butter with a side of Butternut Squash & Parmesian Risotto.


Before this turns into something imitating a poorly written book...I'll shut it down, but not without leaving you with a 'closer'. ;)

Whaaa.....I miss my 'Joe'!

I seem to be breaking down...literally. I've been exhausted (I mean REALLY exhausted) for some time now. Then I pinched a nerve in my back...this week I have the flu! What the #@*%?! On top of this..my doc says to cut the coffee. Talk about killing me!




Thursday I was heading into L.A. to see clients and thought it the perfect time to hit one of my favorite coffee/tea haunts, The Conservatory for Coffee, Tea & Cocoa in Culver City. It's a little joint that backs up to Sony Studio's on Washington. They roast their beans daily and the smell alone drove me crazy. I imagined diving head first into the sacks of beans waiting their turn to hop in the roaster. Knowing how great the coffee is, I thought I'd pick up some tea. There is nothing like great brewed tea. I know it sounds snobbish, but I won't get tea from Taco Bell unless it's brewed. That concentrate/machine stuff is horrible!





After perusing the large selection I landed on a quarter pound each of Yerba Mate',Cinnamon Apple Spice, Hibiscus Flowers & Cherry Senchea. I've had a cup of each and they're all very good. My favorite is Yerba Mate', I'm sure due to the small amount of caffeine it contains as well as it's neutral medium bodied flavor.


It was a little to dark to get a decent picture of the inside so you'll have to check it out for yourself. It's just what you'd expect...small, a little eccentric and a great cup of brew...whatever you choose!

The Conservatory for Coffee, Tea & Cocoa
10117 Washington Blvd
Culver City, Ca. 90232
310-558-0436
800-441-3796

The most beautiful things.......

Last weekend I went to Dim Sum lunch with several food blogging friends and I asked the question "Anyone know of a good French Bakery". Who I am kidding.... I was in the presence of Chubby Panda and Elmo (O.K....I knew one of them could give me the skinny). Sure enough Panda Man gave it up. Not one, but TWO bakeries right next to each other. I thought Boulangerie Pierre & Patisserie was exceptional. You need to understand that I do not like sweets. I know.... it's weird, but I never have. I can't even get a graham cracker down, but I think baked goods and pastries are some of the most beautiful foods there are. So pictures and Boulangerie's reputation will have to do.


That's all I have to say about that!

Boulangerie Pierre & Patisserie
14352 Brookhurst St
Garden Grove, Ca. 92843
714-418-9098
&
801 E Valley Blvd.
San Gabriel, Ca 91776
626-571-0108

Good Reads!

I love to cook...I love to read...so lucky me, Mike included these 2 in my Christmas gifts. I just finished Heat and started My Life in France. Heat was interesting, great writing style and literally sucked you into the experience of working in a kitchen. As with most food books, it made me aware of what actually happens in professional kitchens, things I do not wish to know. Yeah.... big baby! I subscribe to the 'What I don't know...' way of thinking. ;)
Julia's book is sweet and romantic. I love when people reminisce over times that provided them with boundless joy, not dependent on the amount of their pocket books.


After this, I'll start the Unprejudiced Palate.

Gotta go, I've got a lot of reading to do!

Cafe ZooLoo /Cafe ZooLu/ZooLoo Cafe??

O.K., this is my favorite restaurant in Laguna Beach and until writing this post, I never realized it's got some a.k.a.'s!? Google it and you'll find it listed all 3 ways! Oh, well...the important thing is you'll find it. ZAGAT deems the swordfish "The best on the planet" and I won't argue that one. Besides, you gotta love any chef that enjoys a glass of wine while he's cooking!

Last night we celebrated Jamie's birthday and ZooLoo was the place. It's off the beaten path (so tougher for tourists to find) small, cozy, eclectic and always hoppin. The decor is reminiscent of my first apartment at the beach, functional, eclectic and cool (no interior decorator used here).

Swordfish is their specialty and the sampler platter is a must. Three (baseball sized) pieces of swordfish arrive on your plate, each served topped with it's own sauce and resting on a bed of mashed potatoes. The sauces (Macadamia Butter, Mango Papaya and Cajun Spiced) are distinctive yet don't 'get in the way' of the other.
This trio is outstanding and is what I order every time I go, so this time needed to be different. Jamie ordered the Cod Fish drizzled with coconut oil, fried leeks, shredded coconut and sprouts, and served with coconut mashed potatoes and peppered mango sauce .


I ordered the 16 ounce Cowboy Steak served with a beef stock pepper sauce and horseradish spiked mashed potatoes.

Perfect for sharing and it's a good thing....I was only able to knock off about 1/4 of that steak. Needless to say, my 16 year old was very happy to see that doggy bag!


None of us are big on deserts, so we asked the server to surprise us with a slice of something we could share...his choice was chocolate cake with raspberry cream sauce..

Dinner averages about $30 a plate and is worth every penny! I'll chalk this up to another outstanding evening of good wine, great food and incredible friends. To be 'rich in life'...it's all good!

ZooLoo Cafe
860 Glenneyre St.
(bet. St. Anne's Dr. & Thalia St.)
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-494-6825
A+!

Eat Your Veggies!

O.K… time to come clean. I was a vegetarian for about 11 years (even through one of my pregnancies) and loved it! After my late husband had his kidney transplant, he was told to drastically (if not completely) cut meat from his diet, since animal protein is difficult to digest and hard on the new kidney. To support him, I went cold 'turkey' & cut out meat completely, while he continued to order his Porter House medium rare. Although I've been eating meat again for about the last 7 years I still crave that great veggie meal, the one that fills you up without that 'stuffed’ feeling as you push yourself away from the table.

Years ago I found a vegetarian gem in Newport Beach called The Last Mango. It was an upscale eatery with an eclectic menu, beautiful presentation and most importantly, delicious food. Everything was outstanding but for whatever reason, they closed shop. Since then, I've been searching the O.C. for something similar with no success....until now!

I LOVE innovative vegetarian fare...something more than the standard vegetable stir fry & rice, and The Veggie Grill has it! The menu includes hearty Wheat Meat & Tempeh based sandwiches and sides. I've been several times now and not a single disappointment. On one visit my son ordered the Chill Out Wings (bite size 'chickin' with tangy BBQ sauce). I've enjoyed the Philly Peppered Steak (pepper seasoned wheat meat w/mushrooms, caramelized onion & cashew cheese), and the Don’t be a Chicken ('chillin' chickin', chipotle ranch, lettuce, tomato & red onion) all served on a whole wheat bun with slaw or you can upgrade to Sweetheart (sweet potato) fries, steamin kale or spring salad. They serve a variety of teas, natural sodas, organic beers and organic & low-sulfite wines.

Last night I had an empty nest and decided to treat myself. I was determined to order something new (I tend to stick to my favorites) and went for the Papa's Portobello & Sausage. This baby is loaded with Portobello mushrooms, Italian sausage-spiced wheat meat, tomato, basil & garlic pomodoro, caramelized onions & pesto.....come hungry! The slaw is lightly dressed and not overly sweet. Couple this up with a glass of organic house red and you're set!



The crowd is diverse, as you'd expect since they're located across the street from UCI. The decor is fresh and clean, lending itself fun & relaxed. The service is fast and friendly with none of the inconvenient hic ups you might experience in a such a new establishment. It's the perfect pre-movie dinner spot or just the place to grab something that's quick and healthy. The menu includes starters, entree salads, soups, sandwiches & burgers as well as deserts and a kids meal!

I got plenty of ribbing from my family and friends while I was on my 'reprieve from meat', but I tell you, once you've had good vegetarian food...you'll be hooked. The Veggie Grill, you've got to try it!!!!!

Papa's Portobello & Sausage...$8.50
Organic Wine... $5.50

The Veggie Grill
4213 Campus Drive
Irvine, Ca. 92614
949-509-0003
11am-10pm

Sushi 5

After reading Elmo's review @ Monster Munching I decided to call my blond haired sushi lovin 16 year old and ask if he was for up sushi with mom (it's the best way I know of to get him to eat out with me!). Was this a trick question??? He informed me he was 'in' and off we went.

Sushi 5 is owned by the same folks @ Sushi Laguna in Laguna Beach. I was impressed by the simple, clean decor and frankly.... I kind of like the revolving sushi bar. It's the perfect was to 'take the edge off' without the expense of the regular 'sushi induced coma' evening. There are several revolving sushi bars in the Portland area, and Mike & I make sure to hit them several times before I head back home.

We opened the place at 5 o'clock sharp and waited for the magic to begin. Our server explained how everything worked and we got busy. Some sushi & rolls are ordered, then sent 'down the line' numbered, matching the number of your seat. Pretty nifty I thought...I want everyone to know that's my yellow tail heading this way.





10 plates later and full bellies, the damage came to $25 (food only). We'll be back!


Sushi 5
13962 Newport Ave
Tustin, Ca. 92780
714/669-3124