Bring on the Cold! Spicy Thai Curry Soup

I love cold weather, probably because it's so rare here in Los Angeles. While my friends back east and on the other side of the pond envy our near perfect, SoCal weather, I find myself craving cold, crisp breezes and, occasionally, bitter, freezing rainstorms. Do you know how depressing it is to wake up every Christmas morning to 82-degree warmth and blue, cloudless skies? Just once, I want to open my presents wrapped in a cozy, velvet robe in front of a roaring fireplace while the weather outside is frightful.

Happy 100th Birthday to my Obaachan!

My sister and me with Obaachan and Ojiisan in 1987
 
My Obaachan (grandmother) was born on October 16, 1909 and is 100 years old tomorrow, which is pretty amazing. She lives in Osaka, Japan, where she’s lived the majority of her life. She was married to my Ojiisan (grandfather) for 73 years before his death at the age of 95 in 1998, and has survived two of her five children. She lived in the same rented house for about 50 years, and now lives in a home close to her old neighborhood. Though she’s quite frail and has become somewhat forgetful in her old age, she still loves to eat and still manages her chopsticks very well – especially when eating her favorite salty black seaweed condiment, which she always eats with her rice.


Obaachan, 2008  

Though I spent most of my life in the United States, I have great memories our summer visits to Obaachan and Ojiisan in Japan. I remember how much they spoiled us, especially Obaachan, because she didn’t really get to see my sister and I that often. I laugh when I think about the time that, after drinking a bottle of Kirin Lemon soda and telling her how much we liked it, she had a case of the stuff delivered to her house so that we could have as much of it as we wanted. Whenever we were at her house, she’d make sure to stock up on cookies and other treats.

I also recall how she would always have a nice sushi lunch delivered to her house whenever we’d visit, and how she took us to her local food arcade to show us off to her merchant friends. If we so much as looked at something, she’d ask if we wanted it and try to buy it for us (it got to a point where my parents warned us about not taking advantage of this!). She gave us little envelopes of money but was always discreet about it so that our Japanese cousins wouldn’t get jealous or feel left out. My grandparents weren't wealthy, but they were always generous. Obaachan had a cabinet underneath the staircase where she housed many unopened presents that were given to her, and in turn give them to us or her friends.

Obaachan always gifted us with one nice piece of jewelry on our visits, whether it was a pair of pearl earrings or a gold ring. She had impeccable taste and to this day I still have all of the beautiful jewelry she gave me. Obaachan always told my sister and I how pretty we were, and how young we looked, and would stroke our hands and talk about what pretty skin we had; she’d hold her tiny, wrinkled hand next to ours and say, “Look how much younger your hand looks!” Pretty funny since she’s 64 years older than we are!

Though she hasn’t a clue what the Internet is, and probably doesn’t even know what a computer is, I wanted to dedicate this day to my Obaachan on her 100th birthday. I’m sorry to say that I won’t be with her to celebrate, but my parents are going to see her next week and I look forward to seeing the photos of her intimate birthday dinner celebration. Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu Obaachan!

Best Deal in Town: Drago Centro Bar Menu

Things I love about happy hour: Catching up with friends after work. Good deals on drinks and food.

Things I don’t love about happy hour: An array of cheap, fried foods. Good deals on bad drinks. Loud crowds, with lots of “woo-hooing” going on (see the Yard House). The very small window of opportunity (5 p.m. – 7 p.m.) for the good deals.

The reasons above are why I am utterly in love with Drago Centro’s bar menu. The bar menu is pretty damn cheap, and includes some good wines for $5-$6 a glass, German beers for $4 a glass and a variety of specialty cocktails at $5. Wine choices like the Quattro Mani Montepulciano, Abruzzo, a great medium-bodied red with a hint of fruit, and cocktail selections like the Passione 5 (vodka, lychee, fresh peach) are always a hit with my friends and me, and at five bucks a pop, it’s a great deal as well.

Chef Celestino’s bar food menu is even more impressive, with tasty shareable small plates like the la bruschetta di mare (marinated anchovies, onions, tomato on crostini), due kobe hamburgers and the la pizza ai gamberi (shrimp, corn, mozzarella pizza on a very thin crust). Most items are under $5, with a few priced $7 - $9 (still very reasonable). Though the bar menu is served only in the bar area, you can order items off the restaurant menu at the bar if you prefer.

I like Drago Centro’s bar space because it’s laid-back and elegant without being fussy or snooty. There is a plasma television for those who want to catch whatever game is on but it’s never blaring or intrusive. There are lovely cheesy breadsticks along the long, marble table of the bar area and the service, while it can be a bit slow at times (typically all orders in this area is handled by the bartender, so it’s understandable), it’s totally worth the wait.

On a recent visit, my friend Steve and I each had three drinks (wine for me, cocktails for him), and shared three plates. Our total? $45 total, plus tax. What a steal! Oh, and this menu is available during restaurant hours - not just happy hour.

Comfort Food: Korokke

In Japan, everyone LOVES korokke. This little fried, panko-crusted potato patty is served at road-side shacks, fast food stands and casual restaurants all over the country. There's the plain variety (just mashed potato innards with panko crust exterior), and then there are the variations including curry, beef, vegetable, cheese, corn and cream korokke, which is made with a soft cream filling. Whenever I'm back in Japan, I always treat myself to this wildly popular snack. Luckily, Korokke is relatively easy to make at home, and you can add whatever you'd like to the mashed potato base.

Curry Korokke
Makes 4

1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 white onion, diced
2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup white flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
3 cups of vegetable oil (for frying).

Boil the potato cubes in salted water until cooked. While waiting for potatoes, heat the canola oil in a saute pan and cook the onions until translucent. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes. In a mixer, or in a bowl using a hand masher, mix the potatoes, onions, heavy cream, curry powder, salt and pepper together. Be careful not to overmix as the potatoes will get gummy. Put mixture into the refrigerator to cool for one hour.

After the potato mixture has cooled, take a 1/2 cup of the mixture and form it into a flat patty using your hands. Coat the patty in the flour, then egg mixture, then panko. Repeat until you have four patties made. Heat the oil in a frying pan to 350 degrees. Carefully place the panko in the oil, frying for about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel.

Serve with tonkatsu sauce, or your favorite condiment, or just eat plain!

Coming Soon: Centeno's Lazy Ox

“Where the heck is Josef Centeno?”

It’s a question I hear occasionally in foodie circles. The celebrated chef, who had successful stints at Meson G and Opus, spent about a minute at Lot 1 in Echo Park before disappearing for a while. He then popped up as a consulting chef at Pasadena’s Bar Celona, and successfully transformed a mediocre menu into something pretty special. Well, come the end of November (fingers crossed) Centeno will open his much-anticipated Lazy Ox Canteen in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles. So far, so good: he’ll have all required permits by the end of this month.

Today, he gave me a preview of both the space and his menu.

Clearly there’s still a lot that needs to be done, but the space is starting to come together. The main dining room will feature a completely open kitchen with a wood stone oven. The bar area, which is situated directly next to the kitchen space, will seat 11 and offer an array of beers on tap and in bottles, and a good assortment of wine. In a nod to the district in which the restaurant resides, Centeno will also offer sparkling sake and a number of small-brew Japanese beers. Though he’s not sure it’ll make it on the final list, he talked about a Japanese oyster beer he tried the other day and liked.

The dining room will have two, 8-foot communal tables as well as banquettes and tables that will seat a total of 58 indoors, with patio tables that will accommodate an additional 18 seats. Business partner and restaurateur Michael Cardenas is handling the interior design, which will be “lots of wood, earth tones and concrete floors,” said Centeno.

As for the food, it will reflect Centeno’s diverse tastes. There will be a “daily specials” blackboard, with items like Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Biscuits & Bacon Gravy, Whole Boiled Dungeness Crab with Louis Dressing & Cucumber Salad, and Confit Duck Leg with Cocoa Picada, Lentils & Quince. There will also be a blackboard dedicated to gastropub fare like cheeses, cured meats and terrines, Centeno’s signature bacos and burgers. A note regarding the burgers: The chef will be grinding his own meat and baking his own burger buns, and announced that after much effort, he’s finally got the buns right. In fact, he plans to bake all of the restaurant’s bread in-house.

The a la carte menu consists of shared plates, salads, vegetables, meats and pastas, and is a mix of classic Centeno favorites (Sashimi of Yellowtail with Castelvetrano Olives, Pomegranate & Fuyu Persimmon and Hand-torn Pasta with Sunny Side Egg, Brown Butter & Citrus Vinegar) and challenging new dishes like House Made Merguez Sausage with Olive Oil Crushed Potato, Pickled Onion & Parsley Salad and Charred Octopus with Pickled Shallots, Corona Beans & Garlic Rapini. This menu will change daily or weekly. Because he doesn’t already have enough to do, Centeno is also handling the desserts. Right now he’s got a pistachio tart, blood orange flan, chilled rice pudding, and chocolate torchon – among others - on his tentative dessert menu.

Though in the beginning, Lazy Ox will open for dinner only, Centeno eventually plans to roll out a daily brunch menu (8 a.m. – 3 p.m., tentatively). A sample brunch menu he shared includes sweet dishes like the Fat Waffle with Whipped Butter & Stone fruit Marmalade and Brioche French Toast with Apple-Licorice Butter, plus a number of savory items including his well-known coddled egg with cream of wheat, the Breakfast Baco (chorizo, eggs, salsa) and an oyster po’boy with homemade Sriracha aioli.

Hungry yet?

The Lazy Ox Canteen is scheduled to open November 23rd. Parking is available in the lot at the corner of 2nd and San Pedro, for $4 after 4 p.m. and $2 on weekends.

235 S. San Pedro (between 2nd and 3rd)
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Much Ado About Dublin

Lamb with a vegetable tart at the famed Patrick Guilbaud restaurant
I'm currently writing a feature on a foodie few days in Dublin, Ireland, so I can't write too much about it here. But here are some photos that capture the wonderful time I had in this most majestic city. Enjoy!

A proper scone with jam and clotted cream at the Merrion Hotel. Starbucks "scones" are more like gigantic, doughy hockey pucks compared to these light, buttery confections!

Gorgeous teacakes inspired by real works of art at the Merrion Hotel.

Real Irish brown bread at the Cellar Restaurant. The texture is a bit crumbly on the inside, which I've heard is a good thing. It was hearty and delicious.

The architecture around Dublin is really something to see. There are modern structures and buildings that are hundreds of years old, like this one. I highly recommend the bus tour - it's a great way to get an overview of the city before taking it on by foot.

Ahhhhh - a good, strong cup of tea with milk! I drank many, many cups of tea during my trip. "Want a cup of tea?" is probably one of the most commonly asked questions in Ireland.

The famed Grafton Street, the shopping/dining hub of Central Dublin. It's always bustling with activity and makes for fantastic people watching!

Antique Guinness bottles at the Guinness factory in Dublin. No visit to Dublin would be complete without a tour (you can explore it on your own or do a guided tour), which ends with a free pint of Guinness!

An Offal Good Time: St. John, London

Before I embark on a trip, I always ask my foodie friends, bloggers and local chefs where I should eat at any given destination. The response when I inquired about London was overwhelming; there were numerous one-off recommendations for a variety of Indian restaurants, fish and chip shops, weekend farmer’s markets and particular, must-have dishes (English breakfast, Chocolate Flake, a “real” cup of tea, etc.). With only 48 hours in the city, I felt overwhelmed with choices. But one restaurant garnered multiple recs, including from Jonathan Gold himself: St. John.

St. John restaurant is the creation of Chef Fergus Henderson, known for his use of offal (nose-to-tail dining, as they say). With no formal training, Henderson learned how to cook from his mother, and the result is unfussy, simple but wildly flavorful and inventive dishes.

The interior of the restaurant was simple: white walls, plain wooden tables and chairs and wait staff dressed in basic white shirts and black pants. The menu, which changes almost daily, offered a head-scratching array of selections (“Grilled Puffball with Green Sauce” and “Stinking Bishop & Potatoes” were particularly odd-sounding). Our waitress kindly explained that Puffball is a type of mushroom that puffs up and emits a brown dust-like cloud when it ripens, and that Stinking Bishop is actually a kind of smelly cheese. While both sounded appealing (hey, we like that kind of thing!), I went with the classic Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad, and Alice got the Beetroot, Boiled Egg & Anchovy while Graham chose the Gloucester Old Spot & Celeriac (translation: thin slices of a particular breed of pig served with a celery-root slaw).

All the starters were excellent, particularly Graham’s Old Spot. The slices of pork were tender and lean, and framed with a thick thread of tasty fat. The marrow, which I spread on toast, glistened of fatty goodness and played well with the lemony parsley salad. The boiled eggs’ bright orange/yellow yolks were creamy and rich, the perfect compliment to the fresh beetroot and salty anchovy.

Though I usually balance a rich starter with a light entree, there are no light entrees here and that was just fine with me. We reasoned that we’d need the hearty fare to combat the London chill that was descending on the evening…or something like that. I selected the Smoked Eel with Rashers and Mashed Potatoes. Now I’ve only ever had eel Japanese-style, which is heavily marinated and typically served over rice in a bowl or as sushi nigiri (both which I LOVE). But this was entirely different: the eel had a reddish color and was thick and juicy, not at all when I’d expect from a smoked fish. The flesh was so tender it separated with just a touch of the fork – lush, velvety, fantastic. I have never seen eel like this on a menu in the states, but if anyone knows where I can get this, please leave a comment with the pertinent info! I must, MUST have this again.

Alice got the Grouse, which is a type of bird resembles a cross between a chicken and a rooster, and Graham got the Faggots & Butterbeans (another name that begs explanation). A faggot is a traditional dish in the UK and is a meatball made from meat off-cuts and offal, especially pork (heart, liver, fatty belly meat, bacon, etc.). Both gave their dishes a major thumbs-up. Normally when trying new foods I’m all for sharing, but I didn’t want to give up more than one bite of my eel – it was that good. Besides, they live in London and I don’t, so I felt my stinginess was justified!

Though we were pretty much bursting at the seams, we could not leave without dessert, and the one that stood out as a must-eat was the spiced fruit loaf with warm butterscotch sauce and ice cream. It was sweet, tangy and absolutely sinful, and the perfect end to such a sumptuous meal.

Thanks to everyone who insisted I try this remarkable restaurant. It was truly the highlight of my short time in London, and the eel was perhaps the best meal of my entire three-week trip.