Shoot First Eat Later

Dinner at Sushi One

Our driver, aka cousin Sidney, was too tired to drive after the horrible traffic we passed through earlier. He decided we were going to eat nearby at Sushi One.

I immediately told him I don’t really eat raw fish and rice but he said, “don’t worry!” With that cryptic advice I just shuddered and wondered what food awaited me.

The rest of our dinner group was already there waiting for us – my cousin Kenneth (La and Sid’s eldest brother) and his lovely wife Dianne with Sid’s kids, Kenjie and Ryan.

Warning this picture is the only truly Japanese food in this entry. Everything after will not be recognized by a Japanese national. Welcome to California. Moshi moshi, domo arigato.

edamame $2.50

These mussels were huge and simply to-die-for!!! Sesame mayonnaise topped the mussels and broiled until hot. You know what they say – mayonnaise makes everything good. In this case it’s true! It was creamy and a bit sweet just the way Filipinos like it.

baked green mussels $5.50

If I only knew how much food was still coming I wouldn’t even have tried these two fried dishes although the chicken was not bad at all. The kids loved this.

sesame chicken $6.95

The calamari was plain awful. These unknown objects were hard and definitely came out of a bag from the freezer.

calamari rings $6.95

Spicy tuna is one kind of raw fish I eat. Unlike other versions I’ve tried which were drowning in mayonnaise this wasn’t. The tuna was finely chopped and the heat was just perfect. I loved it together with the salad made up of cucumber, fresh daikon and spring mix lettuce.

spicy tuna salad $8.95

Here’s where the fun begins. All the following dishes were created by some genius mastermind for the American market to enjoy sushi. None of these dishes resemble real sushi found in Japan or authentic Japanese restaurants. If a Japanese sushi chef should see these he will probably faint.

Sad to say I loved it all. Shame on me I know and I apologize to all the gourmands out there but when it comes to sushi I’m 100% jologs. Sid was quite amused at the way I gushed and moaned with each bite.

Why don’t we have dynamite in Manila? Dynamite is made up of baked scallop, shrimp, crab, mushroom, soy bean with masago & eel sauce. That’s what the menu said. None of the seafood was probably fresh but the total dish was creamy, super umami, and just plain delicious. I loved the burnt bits too. I’m sure this would be a big hit in Manila.

dynamite $7.95

Oh how I love dynamite. I can just imagine eating this with sushi rice on the side. Lettuce would be good too.

Can you guess what this is?

Yup that was fried onion strips. Only an evil genius could come up with something as American as fried onion strips and adding it to a sushi roll filled with spicy tuna and topped with albacore tuna and avocado. He knew the contrast in textures and flavors would be a big hit.

blooming onion roll $10.95

The next two creations are another American invention or accident. Maybe one day a chef dropped sushi in a vat of hot oil and discovered it was yummy. The tempura roll was born. Americans fry everything, from Twinkies, butter, ice cream, chocolate bars. Why not sushi?

This roll actually didn’t have rice in it. The filling was made of salmon and albacore and deep fried. The sauce was spicy mayo. I just tried a piece since I was already so full. It was just ok.

red & while roll $8.95

Take your usual California roll, dip it in tempura batter and deep fry the baby. It was actually good but the rice was too mushy. I was lucky enough to get a piece because my young nephew, Ryan, literally inhaled it all and all the rolls disappeared in a flash.

California tempura roll $6.95

Yipee more fried food. Breaded scallops fried side by side with sushi rolls filled with crabmeat and avocado.

crunch scallop roll $8.95

Looks more authentic? Yeah… sushi roll stuffed with crabmeat and topped with baked eel and avocado.

eel & avocado roll $8.95

Yup another successful wipeout! Despite all the Franken-sushi I really enjoyed our dinner. I happily told Sidney I don’t mind going to Sushi One again on my next trip. He was happy to hear that. But I can’t wait for Mary’s plan on our next meal. That excited me more.

Ryan’s dessert. Yum.

green tea ice cream $2.95

cutie!!!

Sushi One menu
appetizer, salad, sashimi, tempura roll, fresh & baked roll,
dinner combination, lunch combination, beverages & dessert

Sushi One
28267 Newhall Ranch Rd. Valencia, CA 91355
telephone: (661) 775-2789

Sweet Lady Jane

After a healthy lunch at Lemonade we deserved the best unhealthy cakes and sweets Los Angeles can offer and that’s at Sweet Lady Jane.

If Sweet Lady Jane sounds familiar to you it’s because they made the wedding cake of Ellen Degeneres and Portia De Rossi.

I was really full from lunch so I couldn’t choose which cake to try.

date oatmeal bar

Sidney chose this 7 layer mocha cake. It was just ok for me. There was more buttercream than cake and there wasn’t much mocha flavor. I did love the thick chocolate glaze outside the cake. We also shared a large French press coffee. That was good!

seven layer mocha cake

I couldn’t resist buying a date oatmeal bar and chocolate pillow cookie to take home. I couldn’t resist anything with dates or figs.

date oatmeal bar $2

When I was in Virginia the cookies I bought remained soft and chewy until the next day. These cookies were rock hard the next day. It must be the weather. Despite being hard I still enjoyed the super dark and rich chocolate cookie studded with lots of chocolate chips.

chocolate pillow $4

We loved the apple tarte tatin with it’s thin, flaky crust. The apples were crunchy and the flavor was excellent.

apple tarte tatin

moi with Mary and Sidney

cake menu

lunch menu

On the way back home we encountered really bad traffic. It was due to this truck that overturned. Our normal 45 minute trip took more than 2 hours. It felt just like I was back in Manila. Only much worse.

Sweet Lady Jane
1631 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA
Bakery Telephone: 310-254-9499
Sun-Wed 6:30am-10:00pm
Thurs-Sat 6:30am-11:00pm
Lunch Daily 11:00am-6:00pm

Healthy Lunch at Lemonade

My cousin-in-law Mary knows all the best places to eat at in Los Angeles. She also knew I was on a diet and was interested in healthier options. In spite of my cousin Sidney’s objection we went to Lemonade in Brentwood.

I’ve never been to Brentwood before and it looked like a very charming place to shop and eat. Too bad we didn’t have time to walk around after lunch.

On their website Lemonade was described as “a modern cafeteria serving seasonal Southern California comfort food.”

This is the California version of a turo-turo.

In other places comfort food meant fried chicken, mac n’ cheese, ribs, burgers and fries. In Southern California comfort food meant lots of veggies, exotic ingredients and unusual flavor combinations. I like it!!! Check out all the salad choices.

Lemonade’s full menu

The spread reminded me of the healthy selections at Whole Foods Market but these were even more colorful and varied.

kale, mushrooms, kumquat vinaigrette
red quinoa, brussels sprouts, sundried tomato dressing
blue lake green beans, caesar

fruit of the day, arugula, blue cheese, balsamic
Israeli couscous, wild mushrooms, parmesan, lemon truffle
soba noodle, kimchi marinated vegetables
fall succotash, butternut squash, white corn, grapes, oregano

avocado, cherry tomato, pine nuts, lime
spaghetti squash, farro, pomegranate vinaigrette
fingerling potatoes, saffron, créme fraiche

This set-up reminded me of a buffet wherein you have so many choices but since you have to pay for each thing you choose there is less chance of over eating.

I was overwhelmed and didn’t know what to choose so I let Mary decide since I trust her taste implicitly. Lemonade was one of her favorite places for good, healthy food.

If salads aren’t your thing there were also many hearty sandwiches to choose from.

sandwiches

Pots of meat they called Braises looked just like something your mom would have simmering on the cooktop. It looked so delectable that we succombed and got two meat dishes. We had to make Sidney happy with some meat.

lemongrass chicken / red miso beef short ribs
chicken Basque, artichoke, olive / beef stroganoff

These were the only parts of the cafeteria line that didn’t look appetizing to me.

buttermilk chicken breast
seared ahi tuna, crushed orange-ginger ponzu

Wine in a cafeteria, I’m definitely in Los Angeles.

We had the watermelon rosemary lemonade which was quite unique and refreshing although I found it too sweet.

six flavors of lemonade $3

One portion of salad was really a big spoonful and cost $4.25.

avocado, cherry tomato, pine nuts, lime and beets, pickled onion, hazelnut vinaigrette

Everything was good but I liked the squash combo the best. It had a vinaigrette dressing instead of mayonnaise which I appreciated.

fall succotash, butternut squash, white corn, grapes, oregano

Mary got a bigger portion of the soba salad since she knew we would love it. She was right. It was our favorite of all the salads. It had a vinegar based dressing so it was tangy, spicy and so flavorful.

soba noodle, kimchi marinated vegetables

beef stroganoff, 1/2 portion – $6

Of the two beef dishes I liked the red miso short ribs more. It was super tender and the sauce was very rich and the miso added a different flavor which went quite well with the beef. Their small portions were quite generous. There were 3 of us and we couldn’t finish all the food which cost a very reasonable $33.

red miso beef short ribs

Sidney had to have rice with the short ribs. Adding the basmati rice pilaf cost only $1.

basmati rice, add $1

For dessert I couldn’t resist getting two cookies. The lemon shortbread unfortunately lacked lemon flavor. The texture was quite good and the buttery flavor was evident.

lemon shortbread cookie

I liked the chewy white chocolate raspberry cookie but I wish it was bittersweet chocolate instead of white chocolate.

white chocolate raspberry cookie

I wish we had something like this in Manila. We really need a casual restaurant serving good and healthy salads that aren’t drowning in carbs and mayonnaise. With food like this it wouldn’t be hard to eat vegetarian. Thanks for bringing me here Mary. I loved it!!!

Lemonade
145 South Barrington Avenue, Los Angeles CA
telephone: 310.471.9700

Dinner at Umami Burger

Goodbye Virginia, hello Los Angeles!!! I arrived at night just in time for dinner and the start of a totally different dining experience. Welcome to land of stars and showbiz. Too bad I didn’t see any celebrities during my short stay.

My cousin picked me up from the airport and gave me a choice where to have dinner. Umami Burger or Umami Burger? Great choices Sid! I’ve been wanting to try their burgers since 2010 when my other cousin Polly insisted that I try it. I didn’t have time then so in Dec. 2011 it was my first meal in L.A.

This is my cousin Sidney and my nephew Kevin. I don’t know if they’re just so happy to see me or because they will be eating at Umami Burger.

There were so many burgers to choose from! The triple pork burger and the Umami burger were calling out to me.

burger menu

Even the specials looked really tempting.

daily specials menu

Coca-Cola in a glass bottle isn’t anything special in the Philippines but in the USA it isn’t sold that way anymore. Coke is sold in cans or plastic bottles. When you see Coke in a bottle it only means it’s Mexican Coke which has a following in the US by fans who claim it tastes more natural. It’s also made with natural sugar unlike the US counterpart which uses high-fructose corn syrup. You can read more about the this here. Kevin knows his stuff so he ordered this right away.

Mexican Coke $3

Kevin immediately ordered 2 orders of sweet potato fries. I told him to order just one since I won’t eat any because it’s not allowed in my diet. Thank goodness he didn’t listen to me. The thin cut fries were soft, not greasy and very sweet. I couldn’t stop eating them! They were specially good dipped in the Umami ketchup or roasted garlic aioli sauce.

sweet potato fries $4

The boys looked strangely at me when I wanted to order a salad. I ignored them and loved my Umami salad made with butter lettuce, shaved veggies, sprouts, green goddess dressing. I never knew shaved veggies tasted so good in a salad. It gave the salad a different texture. I really liked the light herb dressing too.

Umami Salad $7

With all the burger choices available all three of us ordered the truffle burger. It’s their favorite and I really love truffles so I ordered one too.

truffle burger $12

Just the way I like it, no veggies, only pure hamburger slathered with truffle glaze and house-made truffle cheese.

The burger was cooked medium rare by default. This wasn’t how I normally how I like my burger but I must say it was excellent. It didn’t taste raw as I feared. The beef was chunky and had that steak taste I always look for in a burger. There was a slight truffle scent and the cheese was mild.

You may notice I got rid of the bun. I ate my burger with the salad and that’s the way I like it. I commented to Sid that I found the burger to be small. It was probably one of the smallest burger I’ve ever eaten in the US where everything is super sized. For me it’s a good thing. The serving size was just right for my diet.

condiment choices

I was really impressed with the Umami ketchup which was so rich and tomatoey. The flavor was sweet and spicy and about a million times superior to any bottled ketchup. It they sell this I will buy it.

The roasted garlic aioli was surprisingly strong and intense. A little went a long way.

Umami ketchup & roasted garlic aioli

daily desserts menu

I swore I was too full to eat dessert then these babies come out. They source their desserts from Cake Monkey Bakery and Milk.

Milk cookies n cream ice cream sandwich $4.50

Of the two yummy desserts I liked the maple gingerbread cakewich best. I didn’t know which one Kevin ordered so it was a surprise and a delight to bite into gingerbread cake filled with a creamy maple cream and covered with good quality dark chocolate.

maple gingerbread cakewich $3

I spotted a food truck outside. Sid asked me if I wanted to try it. Nooooo! I was too full and satiated already. All I wanted was to go home and sleep since I was still in East Coast time which was 3 hours ahead. Thanks for a fab first meal Sid and Kevin. And yes, the burger was indeed umami.

full menu

Umami Burger
500 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401
telephone: 310.451.1300
hours: M thru W 11-10 Th thru Sa 11-11 Sun 12-10

More Whole Foods Market Love

This post is another reason why I love Whole Foods Market. Bear with me as I show you pictures that will most likely make you drool.

After our first seafood meal at Whole Foods my cousin La who’s an oenophile (I had to look that up – a person who loves wine. In my mind I call her a wino.) insisted that we go upstairs for free wine tasting. I didn’t even know they had that. Whole Foods is definitely not your regular supermarket.

It was actually a wine bar where you can buy wine by the glass.

wine tasting

We arrived at the end of the free wine tasting session but there was still free cheese, nuts and olives.

While La was busy tasting wine I was busy tasting the cheeses. That wine glass I was holding was just a prop.

We loved one of the cheeses we tried so we asked what it was. It was Cambazola cheese which was very buttery brie mixed full flavored blue cheese. This cheese is perfect for those who don’t like the aggressive taste of regular blue cheese.

Cambozola cheese

One of my favorite places in Whole Foods Market is the cheese section. Asides from a very wide selection of cheeses from all over the world they also had ready to serve cheese concoctions. I took pictures so I can replicate them for a future party.

wild hibiscus flowers stuffed with goat cheese

Wensleydale cheese, yumberries, crushed walnuts & port wine

I never knew you could do so much with goat cheese. Any one of these creations will be a sure hit at dinner parties.

rolled goat cheese with crushed pistachio nuts

rolled goat cheese with crushed caramelized walnuts

cranberry orange goat cheese

goat cheese with cranberries & walnuts

goat cheese bon bons

I will try this soon. Looks very doable.

feta with honey & mixed dried fruits

mild brie with fig spread & Marcona almonds

I have a confession. While I was in Virginia last November I went to Whole Foods an average of 3 times a week in a 2 week period. I would often go there to get a quick lunch. This was one of my delicious discoveries – barbecued pulled chicken with cornbread and Allegro coffee. The whole meal cost less than $6. I also tried the pulled pork on another day and it was yummy too.

barbecued chicken with cornbread

Allegro coffee was located in a corner of the supermarket. I should call it SUPERmarket instead.

Allegro Coffee menu

I was amazed that they had freshly roasted coffee beans.

I wish I discovered Allegro coffee earlier instead of a few days before I left Virginia. Imagine pour over coffee using freshly roasted and just ground coffee beans. It’s really my dream supermarket.

pour over coffee

It was really good coffee.

My next favorite section was the cookie display. It was self service which made it more dangerous for me.

cookies & pastries

My favorite cookie is chocolate chip and double chocolate chip. For some reason I tried their jumble cookie which contained choco chips, white choco chips, raisins, almonds, walnuts and oats. Wow oh wow! I discovered a new love! The texture was amazing, chewy and crunchy at the same time. For a big cookie the .99 price was cheap! The first time I bought 2 pieces and my niece Erin quickly ate 1. I learned my lesson and every time I go to Whole Foods I would buy 4 cookies. 2 each for us. My niece is also a cookie monster like me.

This cookie is one of the reasons for my frequent visits to Whole Foods.

jumble cookie $.99

These are my other regular purchases at Whole Foods. I always buy their freshly baked cornbread which we eat for breakfast or dinner. It’s perfect with soup or by itself.

cornbread

Once a week their handcrafted soups go on sale. Buy 1 take 1 for $6. La thought I was crazy for buying 2 kinds of squash soup. We each had our own favorites but both were definitely good.

squash soups

They often had free samples of cheese around the supermarket. Bellavitano black pepper was one which we really liked.

bellavitano black pepper cheese

I bought this Terra Exotic Harvest vegetable chips with kabocha squash, carrots and blue potatoes. I wanted to try the squash chips which were sweet and delish. After trying a couple of pieces I closed the bag. When I woke up the next day the bag was gone. A chip thief arrived during the night and finished the whole bag. Bad Chee! 😀

Terra Exotic Harvest vegetable chips

My favorite purchase was this organic white cheddar cheese popcorn. Have you read the recent news that popcorn is healthier than vegetables? Click here to read about the good news.

365 organic white cheese popcorn

I bought this Paromi chocolate orange tea. The container is a heavy glass jar. The tea is in individual cloth bags. Let me tell you drinking this tea is just like having dessert. The flavors were strong and very satisfying.

Paromi chocolate orange tea

And these are the reasons why I love Whole Foods Market.

Whole Foods Market
4501 Market Commons Dr, Fairfax, VA 22033 USA
telephone (703) 222-2058

Seafood Meals at Whole Foods Market

If you asked me where I had my memorable meal during my US last November was? My answer is Whole Foods Market.

Sure I’ve had wonderful meals at Ruth Chris, Rasika and Zaytinya among many others but our discovery of the seafood restaurant inside Whole Foods Market was the most memorable and enjoyable.

I’ve been to Whole Foods Market at Fair Lakes in Virginia countless of times. I’ve eaten at their super healthy buffet as well as their barbecues and many other food. But I’ve never tried the seafood bar and the sushi place.

One night with La’s kids at home with a sitter we decided to have a quick no fuss dinner at Whole Foods. We decided to try the seafood bar which we never thought of trying before.

It was a very casual set-up with a small kitchen in the middle of circular bar counter.

There were a few small tables too.

The menu was simple and straightforward. There were six kinds of fishes and four ways of cooking it. There were sandwiches and salads too.

Today’s Catch menu (click to enlarge)

I ordered the bouillabaisse and was surprised to find a large bowl filled with mussels, tuna, cod, scallops and shrimp for only $12. The tomato saffron broth was unbelievably rich and flavorful. We learned that the stock was cooked for 15 hours. The fresh seafood was added to the broth upon order. It was magnificent. I don’t know why I don’t see anything like this in Manila’s restaurants. Well nothing this bountiful, cheap and delicious anyway.

bouillabaisse $12

La ordered the crab cake which she said was just ok since she could taste some fillers. Their entrees come with a side salad and a choice of parslied potatoes, rice or English chips. We both agreed that the bouillabaisse was superior.

jumbo lump crab cake $14

We enjoyed our meal so much we went back the next day for lunch to try something new. We found out we can buy fresh seafood and have them cook it for us for a minimal fee. La bought 1 Chilean sea bass fillet.

We ordered a Caesar salad which came with an option of grilled salmon, fried calamari or fried oysters. I chose the fried oysters since that was quite an unusual option for me. Restaurants usually offer shrimp or chicken and I’ve never had fried oysters before.

OMG!!!! Another slam dunk. The oysters were so fresh I could still taste the briny flavor. The flour breading was barely there and the oysters were fried to a perfect crisp without any oily aftertaste. The romaine lettuce was also lightly dressed with a light and tangy Caesar dressing. It was the perfect combination!!!

Caesar salad with fried oysters $10

This big piece of Chilean sea bass good for two cost $12.96 ($25.99/lb). They charge $3 to cook it anyway you want or pay $6 which included cooking and the sides. The chef suggested simply searing the fish in a pan and baking it in the oven til done. Instead of potatoes or rice we chose a double serving of salad instead.

The Chilean sea bass was one of the best fish I’ve eaten in quite a while. It was perfectly cooked and the texture was very milky and buttery. Just a squeeze of lemon and it was divine.

Chilean Sea Bass $18.96

Just look at that and weep.

Oh, did I mention that there is no tipping? Yes a restaurant that doesn’t accept tips!! And a glass of wine filled to the top costs only $5. What’s not to love about this place?

La asked me what I wanted for my last meal in Virginia before I left for Los Angeles? Without batting an eyelash I immediately replied, “seafood at Whole Foods!” We recruited our friends and neighbor Audrey and Chris to join us since they’ve never eaten there yet.

I wanted them to try my favorites – the Caesar salad with fried oysters and bouillabaisse. Well I wanted to eat them one last time too. Fresh oysters were sold at $1 each at the seafood counter. Our salad contained 12 fried oysters and it costs $10 for the whole dish. What a deal!!!

Caesar salad with fried oysters $10

The presentation of the bouillabaisse wasn’t as pretty as when I first had it since the cook was a different guy. Nevertheless it was still as good. Chris and Audrey were equally enthralled.

bouillabaisse $12

La ordered the cod with lemon caper sauce sans carbs. Another winner!!!

Atlantic Cod with lemon caper sauce $14

Chris was our resident gourmand. He bought 12 snails and had it cooked with wine, butter and herbs and it became escargot. It was a bit tough but the flavors were delicious. The sauce was perfect for dipping bread in.

escargot

Audrey ordered the yellowfin tuna glazed in miso-sake marinade and rolled in black and yellow sesame seeds and seared. It was served with wasabi mayo on the side.

yellowfin tuna with sesame miso $15

I wouldn’t have ordered this myself but once I tried a piece of the well seasoned raw tuna in the middle and cooked on the outside with a crisp sesame crust I was sold on it.

Four people, 5 dishes, and you’ve got a fantastic last lunch. I love you Whole Foods!!!! Check your nearest branch if you have this seafood counter and try their scrumptious food. You will not regret it.

Whole Foods Market
4501 Market Commons Dr, Fairfax, VA 22033 USA
telephone (703) 222-2058

Dinner at Zaytinya

Washington DC has so many great restaurants maybe not as much as New York but it’s pretty close. The only reason I don’t get to eat in DC as much as I want to is I stay in Virginia with my cousin and it’s not as easy to go to DC at night without driving and needing a babysitter for my cousin’s kids.

On this day I went to DC with La and had lunch at Rasika and spent the day at Le Pain Quotidien, Cowgirl Creamery and waited at Chinatown Coffee until 5:00 pm when I walked to my other cousin, Sha’s office. We went to the very popular Zaytinya, modern Greek/Mediterranean tapas restaurant owned by the famous chef Jose Andres.

Filipinos and Asians are familiar with Jose Andres through his tv show, Made in Spain with Jose Andres, shown on Asian Food Channel on cable tv.

Zaytinya means olive oil in Turkish.

We feature modern interpretations of the traditional cuisines of Greece, Turkey and Lebanon, served in small-plate style. from their website

Sha was able to get a reservation at 5:30 pm that’s why the place was almost empty when we arrived. We had no choice since that was the only time available for this extremely popular restaurant.

Spit roasted lamb

I found this picture on the menu on their website. Jose Andres, you are right! Your food has changed my life and I’ll never look at Eastern Mediterranean food the same way again. There is so much more shawarma, shish kebab and hummus.

picture from Zatinya

There were so many things on the menu that I wanted to order but there were only two of us. I suggest coming here with more friends so you can try more small dishes. But I’m proud to say we ordered and ate a lot!

specials menu

All the dishes were served mezze style or in small plates meant for sharing. It was perfect for the two of us. We were able to order several dishes to try.

The brussels sprouts were just ok for me. It wasn’t as crispy as I expected. However the garlic yogurt sauce delicious. It wasn’t too garlicky and it was tangy and creamy. Typical with Mediterranean cooking a lot of yogurt was used in their sauces.

crispy brussel afelia $8.50

Simply fried fresh mussels served with walnut tartar sauce. I’ve never tried fried mussels before. Usually it’s calamari, shrimp or even clams that are fried. Fried mussels are a good thing. A very good thing.

midyes $7.50

Check out the pistachio bits in the middle. It added a nice crunch to the tender mussels and complemented the walnut tartar sauce.

I wanted to order the seasonal mushrooms with dates and toasted almonds but our waiter suggested the mushroom saganaki which was the seasonal mushrooms amped up with Metaxa brandy, tomato and kefalograviera cheese.

These were different from any mushroom preparation I’ve ever eaten. The mushrooms were yummy and a bit sour and tangy. Eaten with a piece of nutty, salty fried cheese balanced all the flavors in your mouth. Definitely umami.

mushroom saganaki $11

Sharon’s favorite was the grilled grass-fed veal breast on butter lettuce with lemon and tzatziki. The veal breast so so flavorful and tender and it literally melted in our mouths. The veal was buttery, milky with a subtle smokey flavor.

Our very knowledgable waiter told me that the veal was cooked three ways. First it was seared then cooked sous vide (meat placed in a plastic bag and cooked in a water bath for 72 hours) then grilled. No wonder!!!

moshar souvlaki (veal breast) $10

My favorite was the lamb kleftico made with spit-roasted lamb (pictured above), house-made phyllo, feta cheese and dill yogurt. The lamb was indescribably wonderful. The meat was so fragrant and the quality and flavor of the lamb was the star of the dish. It didn’t need any fancy spices or sauces. It tasted 100x better than the best shawarma I’ve ever eaten. Every bite I took I closed my eyes and said “sh#t sarap.”

lamb kleftico $12

The scallops were seared and served with yogurt dill sauce. So simple but freaking fantastic. The scallops were perfectly cooked and not one second over. It was so succulent and the smell alone could make you swoon. The sauce was a good touch but it wasn’t really necessary.

sea scallops $12

To give you an idea how big the scallops were, that’s my 46mm lens cap beside it.

There’s nothing wrong with my camera’s white balance or the restaurant’s lighting. That’s really what Sha looks like after a glass of wine.

dessert menu

I really wanted to order Turkish coffee of Jose’s Counter Culture blend coffee but I already had my coffee quota for the day.

coffee and tea menu

There’s always a reserved compartment in my stomach just for dessert. All I can say is thank you for mezze dessert. These small desserts pack a punch. Both were utterly delightful.

Since I couldn’t have coffee I did the next best thing by ordering Turkish coffee chocolate which was warm chocolate cake, bittersweet chocolate flan, cardamom espuma and espresso syrup. This dessert fed all my desire for chocolate and coffee. Just a bite and I was happy and satisfied. But then it was silly not to finish the rest, right?

Turkish coffee chocolate $4

I’m not a big fan of ice cream. In fact I can go for a long, long time without it. I can’t say the same for cookies and chocolate though. But since the waiter suggested we try this we ordered a mezze portion to share.

Turkish Delight was made with walnut ice cream, yogurt mousse, honey gelee, orange-caramel sauce and caramelized pine nuts. All the meticulously made components made the unique walnut ice cream into an extraordinary dessert. This dessert was sheer genius. I was seriously tempted to lick the plate clean.

Turkish delight $4

Every dollar of Sharon’s money was well spent. I will never forget this fabulous meal. Thanks Sha!!!

I just had to include the pictures of their bathroom. This is something you will NEVER EVER see in the Philippines whether in hotels or expensive restaurants. Siguradong ninakaw na kasi.

Aren’t the hooks beside the sink a great idea?

Sha and I took a self portrait on the huge mirror outside the rest rooms.

By the time we left at 7:00 pm the place was packed. No wonder our plates were cleared super fast. As soon as we cleaned out a plate it was gone. Fast as lightning.

Some Jose Andres merchandise before you leave?

If you’re planning to go to Washington DC this summer (Manila time), live near DC, work in DC or even if you live in another state, you MUST try Zaytinya once in your life. The food is cooked simply but somehow they manage to make everything taste so good it makes you wonder if everything you’ve eaten before was cooked wrong. It’s like “lamb, scallops, veal, etc don’t taste like this!”

Next time I go back to DC I want to try the other restaurants under Jose Andres’ ThinkFoodGroup which includes Jaleo, Oyamel, America Eats Tavern and the (impossible to get a reservation) minibar by josé andrés.

Zaytinya
701 9th Street Northwest Washington, DC 20001
telephone: (202) 638-0800

Chinatown Coffee

When I was in San Francisco there were specialty coffee shops and roasters everywhere. I didn’t even have time to try more than 4 shops. I didn’t think I’d find any independent coffee shop in DC but thanks to Yelp I found Chinatown Coffee.

Look who I found? My silly cousin Sharon works around the corner from Chinatown Coffee and she never knew it was there. She only bought coffee from Starbucks probably to match her umbrella. Well, now she has a new coffee place.

Here’s a simple explanation of the different brewing methods they offer.

Chinatown Coffee’s menu

I bought a cup of their coffee which was Intelligensia Coffee’s Columbia, Finca El Trapiche.

drip coffee

cupcakes and granola

You probably guess that I couldn’t resist these cookies. Well you are right!

chocolate chip with walnuts cookies $2

Chinatown Coffee doesn’t roast their own coffee beans instead they use coffee from the most popular roasters around the country. You can try any of these blends with your choice of brewing method – hand pour or French press

Brew Bar menu

drip filters or Chemex coffee maker with a Cova filter

They also sell these blends by the bag. Now I know what to ask Sha to bring home for me the next time she comes home to Manila.

coffee bean menu

Tea drinkers have a lot of choices too.

tea menu

I regret not buying any one of these Taza Chocolate Mexicano. I wonder what Mexican chocolates taste like as opposed to the ones I’m used to.

Taza Chocolate Mexicano

My coffee, Colombia, Finca El Trapiche was described as “incredibly balanced with a soft acidity alongside a creamy round mouthfeel. Notes of blanched almonds, nougat and cherry make way for a nutmeg and cinnamon finish.”

Coffee descriptions now seem as complicated as wine tastings. I’m no coffee expert but I agree on the mild acidity. The coffee had a mild to medium roast and it wasn’t as bold as I like my coffee. It was mild yet had a complex flavor. I loved how the taste of the coffee lingered in my mouth for more than an hour after.

I was disappointed with the small cookie that cost $2. Nothing special about it and it was bit hard although it had lots of walnuts which was the only positive thing about it.

drip coffee & chocolate chip cookie

In exchange for sharing my table the guy allowed me to take a picture of his drink called a cortado which was an espresso cut with a little milk. The cortado is a popular drink in Spain.

cortado

I’m calling out to all Filipino businessmen and entrepreneurs. Enough milk tea! Please open small coffee shops like this that sell freshly roasted coffee beans and offer different brewing methods. It’s been proven that Filipinos are willing to pay P80 and more for milk tea or coffee drink. Please bring us more choices and better quality coffee. Coffee, coffee, coffee!!!! If you build it, they will come. Well I definitely will.

Chinatown Coffee
475 H Street Northwest Washington, DC 20001
telephone: (202) 559-7656

Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Shop in Washington DC

Continuing my walk on F Street in Washington DC, I was pleasantly surprised to see San Francisco’s favorite artisan cheese shop, Cowgirl Creamery.

I didn’t know whether to jump for joy or groan in agony. You see, I love cheese. I regretted not being able to go to Cowgirl Creamery at the Ferry Plaza in San Francisco because I was short on time. I was in agony because I was so full from lunch at Rasika that I couldn’t try a single piece of cheese.

Entering the store was like entering a chocolate store. I wanted everything. The only difference is I know what chocolates I want – 72% dark chocolate with or without orange bits. Easy peasy. But cheese is another matter. I love ’em all. From blue cheese, Gruyere, Manchego, Gouda, Comte, mild, strong, runny and even stinky. So how on earth was I to going to choose?

All descriptions are from Cowgirl Creamery’s Library of Cheese and are there to help you drool.

Mimolette extra vieille
Dyed with the annatto seed, Mimolette is aged for at least two years during which time it develops a chewy texture and a smoky, almost bacon-like flavor.

18 month Cave-Aged Gruyere $23.45/lb

Cabot clothbound cheddar
On some occasions, the wheels even bare a certain likeness to the classic savory and sweet flavors found in Parmesan. With its incredible consistency and snappy bite, Cabot Clothbound has garnered many awards and national recognition, making it perhaps the best known cheddar of its kind in the United States.

Midnight Moon cheese
A goat’s milk Gouda made in Holland. Dense and chewy, Midnight Moon is aged for at least one year, during which time it develops a lovely brown butter flavor with intense caramel undertones.

soft cheeses and creme fraiche

L’Amuse signature gouda $28.45/lb
Made in the Netherlands with milk from Holstein Friesians it is then aged for two years. The aroma shows roasted notes of hazelnut and caramel. It is always creamy with slightly salty, nutty notes and a very deep, complex, long finish.

The store carries their own award winning cheeses as well as cheeses from around the world.

Mt Tam $25.95/lb
Cowgirl Creamery named its signature cheese MT TAM. It’s a smooth, creamy, elegant, 10-oz, triple-cream – made with tasty organic milk from the Straus Family Dairy. MT TAM is firm, yet buttery with a mellow, earthy flavor reminiscent of white mushrooms.

Challerhocker $31.45/lb
Dense and creamy, Challerhocker tastes like a harmonious medley of melted leeks, brown butter and sweet cream. Savory flavors with a bit of caramel sweetness in the finish makes this an ideal cheese for the colder months.

They also have everything you need for a cheese board – crackers, jams, chutneys, fig paste and so many more.

Why, they even serve sandwiches, salads and drinks!

I did buy a couple of wedges of Truffle Tremor cheese at the San Francisco Airport Terminal 2’s Napa Farms Market. La and I ate it with crackers and wine. It had an obvious truffle scent and taste. Quite unique and delicious!

Truffle Tremor
The flavor of truffle comes through in this velvety goat milk cheese. The earthiness of the truffles combined with a creamery texture makes for another distinctive cheese from Cypress Grove.

You’ve seen the pictures and read the descriptions. Which ones would you buy? What’s your favorite kind of cheese?

Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Shop
919 F Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20004
telephone (202) 393-6880
Open Monday through Friday 7:30am to 7pm;
Saturday 11am to 7 pm;
Closed on Sunday

Yogurt

Ever since I started the Cohen Lifestyle diet last year I’ve eaten yogurt almost everyday. There are precise brands of yogurt that I must eat but when I was in Hong Kong last December I couldn’t resist buying this French yogurt simply because it was on sale and I liked the blue terra cotta container.

I bought La Fermière yogurt in Hong Kong on sale for HK$30.

La Fermière Citron (lemon) yogurt

I really liked the reusable pots of La Fermière. My used pots are now home to packets of artificial sweetener and creamer. As soon as I have more pots I will use them for desserts in my next dinner party. These would be great for pots de creme, chocolate mousse or even trifle.

The terra cotta pots are cold-proof and ovenproof (freezing and oven baking), you can preserve them and use them in different ways: as an ornament, a pen holder, a baking dish for desserts or a jam jar. from La Fermière

The yogurt was quite thick and velvety smooth. The yogurt simply melted in my mouth. The lemon flavor was distinct yet not too sour and the yogurt had the perfect combination of tart and sweetness.

I wouldn’t eat this on a daily basis since it’s not low fat but it’s a good and healthy treat for me.

To my joy I found La Fermière in S&R (The Fort) yesterday. They only sold two varieties, vanilla yogurt (140 g) and creme gourmand (110 g) both cost P209.05. These sell very quickly so if I were you I’d run to S&R and try them out.

I wish the distributor would carry more varieties since each variant came in different terra cotta pots. I want to expand my yogurt pot collection.

I’m not really sure if this is yogurt or just dessert but whatever it is it’s freakin’ awesome!! The first spoonful made me groan in ecstasy. The texture was the same as the yogurt but the flavor of burnt caramel with hints of fleur de del (sea salt) was just wonderful. The balance of salt and caramel was just perfect. I’ve never appreciated the flavor of salted caramel as much as with this dessert. Truly decadent.

La Fermière creme gourmande au caramel a la fleur de sel de Guérande

You HAVE to try this!!!!

La Fermière creme gourmande P209.95

Back to reality. This is the yogurt I eat everyday for breakfast with either a mango or an orange mixed into it. Studies have shown that having high protein that’s low in fat is the best breakfast one can have. Since I hate eggs I eat yogurt.

Even if you’re not on a diet it’s better to buy plain yogurt and add in any fruit, dried or fresh, nuts or cereal. It’s healthier and it contains less sugar. Fruit flavored yogurt has lots of sugar and preservatives.

I buy Rizal Dairy Farms yogurt in bulk from their stall in Market Market. Their yogurt in fantastic and the price is so much cheaper than their imported counterparts.

I like their creamy yogurt but I love their Greek yogurt even more. It’s super thick and rich it tastes like I’m eating heavy cream instead. Sometimes I can’t believe it’s really low fat.

Rizal Farms Greek Yoghurt (low fat) 350 grams – P110

I always buy the 2 kilo container of low fat Greek yogurt. It costs almost twice as much as their creamy yogurt but Greek yogurt contains more protein so it’s better for you. You need to order the special 2 kilo container a day or two before pick up at Market Market. You can call or text them.

Rizal Farms Greek Yoghurt (low fat) 2 kilos – P600

This is another good way of eating yogurt.

Sometimes I also buy Yoplait’s Yoplus low fat yogurt. This is available in most supermarkets but it’s always out of stock. So when there’s a new delivery and I happen to be in Unimart I buy 3-4 containers since the expiration is quite a long time. Calling ScanAsia, please import more plain Yoplus there are a lot of Cohen dieters!!! There’s always flavored ones left on the shelves and the plain flavor is always sold out.

picture from Yoplait New Zealand

Rizal Dairy Farms products are available at:

Rizal Dairy Farms, Green Shop at the open air section of Market Market!, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
Saturday Market, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Lung Center Sunday Market, Quezon Ave., Quezon City
Home deliveries within Metro Manila for a minimum purchase of P1,000.00

RIZAL DAIRY FARMS
Office: 660-2197, 658-4779
Antonio L. Alleje: 0917-820-2109
Jacqueline Haessig Alleje: 0917-321-8811
info@rizaldairy.com

I usually just text Rosemary (sales person at Market Market branch) my order directly since I’m her suki already. Her cellphone number is 0929-121-2249. Tell her Leslie sent you.