Sunda social - Chicago

The new Asian cuisine, or as it's advertised, is Sunda's creation for bringing eastern and southeast Asian flavors in a modern habitat.

With an open airy environment, Japanese wood beams, communal bar tables and secluded dining tables behind large Asian statues, the seating arrangements are perfect for both individualized meals, group sharing or mingling at the bar.

The bang bang salad, with ribbons of green papaya, jicama, carrots and zucchini all topped with a refreshing chili citrus dressing was a fantastic serving of greens:


The longevity garlic noodles topped with Blue crab were reminiscent of the garlic noodles at Crustacean in SF.. Garlic infused noodles with chances of blue crab were also quite good:


Sushi chefs adorn the entrance and prepare any number of specials. The wa-machi roll, a hamachi and wasabi spiced roll with tobiko and scallions:



Or the bottom pic, the spicy tail of two tunas, yellowfin tuna, pickled jalepeño topped with white tuna and crispy fried shallots..

For dessert, a unique mango topped tirimisu, light and airy yet tasty with mango freshness:


Sunda social has the makings of a scene setter, a nice balance of fusion with some simple straightforward flavor dishes, fresh offerings and relaxed environment.

- Posted from my iPhone

Eden - 6mo revisit

The breakfast groove is still underway at Eden. With the sunshine peeking it's way through the May gray and June gloom clouds, outdoor activities are about to be kicked up a notch.

The fire pit scene, an outdoor oasis of sunbathing, people watching and endless mimosas will comfort the socialites as the weather warms up. The dishes have been optimized for comfort and bargain. A few modifications but your styled omelets and French toast are available for consumption.


The Michael Angelo with feta cheese, Greek olives and feta wrapped inti an omelette. Simple and straightforward, with a little sarichi sauce, this is one fiery Michael Angelo!




The quiche came two ways this time. Both with black ham, one just a little Cajun style... A different experience everytime!










Fun, food and friends...

- Posted from my iPad

Comfort foods

What's your all time comfort food? For some it's a hamburger. For others its a pizza or French fries, and yet the hummous eating Mediterranean lovers scream for the olive oil topped dipping action. Whatever the comfort food of choice, the warm delight one gets is not to be missed.

Few pizza places around the town satisfy the need for flavor and crunch of a thin crust. Improvising on a TJ foundation is sometimes the path to a fantastic pizza. Farmers fresh veggie lovers, sugar plum tomatoes, roasted zucchini and Parmesan cheese top on a toasty garlic infused crust:



Give it a California spin, with Romano and pecorino cheese and spinach leaves:



Salt lovers crave the fries, French fries that is, tossed with a little herbs and served with a little chipotle sauce here from Eden, tasty little indulgence:


Roasted chicken cooked with thyme, capers and chives... A little pick me up to a simple dish that taste better with a little side of char:


A little slice of comfort always does the heart good...

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CrabCatcher-La Jolla

La Jolla cove, a destination spot for sun lovers, surfers and water babies... Even during the may gray period.. With plenty o artisan jewelry shop, art galleries and classic hotel spots such as La Valencia, the eating establishments have garnered a variety of popular dining spots.

If you live seafood, head over to Crabcatcher. With views of the ocean and the cove, and plenty of oysters, mussels, lobster and of course crab, a sunny afternoon can be a superb California experience:



Welcome the crabby Mary:


A crab claw infused bloody, meaty claws and a little vodka will pacify any crabiness..


Fresh baked croissants (a little odd but hey it's brunch) and garlic toppled focaccia bread were fantastic:


The special of the day was a live Maine lobster, 1.5 lbs, grilled and glazed with a light lemon butter, grilled gulf prawns with red pepper and a pound of king crab legs!


Split open to char the fleshy meat, brushed with a light lemon sauce lobsterlicious...

The king crab legs were fit for a king:



Foot long with tender succulent crab meat, an art to remove the meat, but with a splash of lemon was a simple perfection..

Go catch em crabs, it's crab season after all!

- Posted from my iPhone

Vincenzo ristorante italiano- little Italy SD

Little Italy has plentiful of Italian restaurants. The challenge is always finding one that actually serves pasta al dente, has good tasteful olive oil and regional dishes.

Vincenzo's offers some great Italian classics such as osso bucco, linguine vongole and a variety of risottos, antipasti and classic pasta dishes.


With an outside seating area, a comfortable dining spot awaits you.

The Vitelli piccatta, thinly sliced veal draped with capers, white wine, garlic and lemon sauce was a hearty solid dish:



The funghi risotto and fete one funghi were delicious. Consumed faster than one could snap a pic!

The dessert trio had a serving of cheesecake, tirimiso and a chocolate semi freddo..



The semi freddo took the golden spoon award that night.

For a casual and comfortable dinner that won't gorge your pocketbooks, Vincenzo offers a good balance of prices and tasty food options.

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Sashimi-- loving it raw

Raw fish.. Why does it taste so good? For those that indulge in sashimi, the traditional Japanese delicacy has some fascinating history.

The word sashimi literally means "pierced body" and nothing is short of meaning. Fish that are labeled as sashimi grade have been handled in a particular way. When harvested from the sea, the brain is quickly pierced and the fish is put onto slushy ice. Gruesome as it sounds, piercing the brain prevents the signals of death being released into the body and prevents the production of lactic acid. Quick death reduces the production of lactic acid, allowing the meat to essentially stay fresher for longer.. Hence the vibrant flavors of sashimi.. Around the world, sashimi is an art form that should have high consistency and fresh flavors.

Thinly sliced, Sushi Ota in SD prepares yellowtail, tuna and salmon regularly:







Snapper served up at Kitimura in LA


Tuna and lemon wedges at the Park Hyatt in Carlsbad


Salmon and tuna sashimi, with a little sushi at East NY





Sashimi cocktail of yellowtail, salmon and shrimp at Friends sushi in Chicago





Toro tuna, salmon and yellowtail at Makoto in Washington DC

A good slice is always a fresh one..

- Posted from my iPhone

Cohn Family restaurants

The Cohn restaurant group owns several establishments across san Diego. From Island Prime near the airport, Indigo Grill in little Italy, to the Prado downtown to several others. Although Kemosabe has left the scene, Bo Beau has brought on new flare.


With fresh food choices, creative blends of flavors and innovative presentations, the executive chefs are definitely whipping it up strongly.

The ahi stack, towers of ahi chunks, fresh crab, avocado, mango papaya salsa and with taro chips and tobiko caviar, fabulous:



Skirt steak salad, blue cheese, sugar plum tomatoes, avocado, edamame and spicy vinagrette..


A tantalizing appetizer menu with a waterfront view to Coronado, head to the deck for a fantastic sunset with apps and cocktails to fancy you over!


- Posted from my iPhone

Barbarella- La jolla

Always a festive spirit, Barbarella's in La jolla has a best of both worlds: wood fired oven pizzas and the sounds and smells of the nearby beach!






With a local Italian flare, specials of the night include specialty pizzas. Topped with a little prociutto, Parmesan cheese and thin fired crust, fantastic:



Paired with a bibb lettuce salad, Topped with crumbled blue cheese...



A whole roasted stone style fish is always a preparation of the day. On this occasion, a whole bass, with seasoned lemon... Simply delicious:





Not to forget, a variety of california wines, a spicy zinfandel.. Phenemenal




Definitely competing with Piatti's as the local spot for La Jolla adventures...


- Posted from my iPhone

Manohar's -Hacienda Heights

Off the 60 freeway in a suburb of LA called Hacienda Heights, is a sprawling complex of dim sum, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese foods. Transformed over the last 20 years, the assortment of Asian food options is quite exciting.

On a short trip to the heights, a new Indian place was discovered. Tucked between a carneceria and a strip mall off of Azusa, pleasantly surprised.

The decor was nothing fabulous, Bollywood dance moves were playing in the background on large plasmas decorating the establishment. But strong potent spices were emerging from the kitchen.

Tandori chicken, marinaded to a tasty flavor, sizzled with fresh lemon..


Chicken tikka masala, a creamy coconut, tomato and turmeric sauce was delicious, smoky buttery and fabulous. The bhurtha, a stewed eggplant cooked in garlic and tomato with cumin and coriander and vegetable bryani rice were also flavorful and satisfying.


The lamb vindaloo, a spicy dish with a strong combination of vinegar and several different chilis was also fantastic, chunks of lamb marinaded to a tender perfection. The chicken saag, garlic infused chicken stewed with spinach, cream and array of spices...


Surprisingly, a great find. A great unexpected pleasure...You'll emerge from the restaurant in a garlic cloud :)

- Posted from my iPhone

French cuisine- Paris

French cuisine has classically held the reign for phenomenal flavors, extravagant preparations and artistic preparatory skills that the movie Julia and Julia recently highlighted. But would that count today?

With rich and savory sauces, creamy camemberts and just about every animal body part you can think of as a food ingredient, french cuisine has not really evolved as much as other cuisines. Take for example the Asian fusion craze of SF and other places, the California cuisine developments of organic local farming or the innovative Asian/American/French/Italian/middle eastern hybrids that you find in top cities like NY, SF, LA and Chicago. Even spain has usurped France in the molecular gastronomique arena.

Still, the flavors of French cuisine have some classic resonance with just about everything that makes your taste buds scream fabulous and fantastique! From beouf bourguignon, to tartares, to foie gras, to bernaise anything, haute cuisine is here to stay :)

The classic beef tartare, raw beef with a hint of scallion, Dijon, capers... Carnivore's delight!


With minced onions, capers and seasonings

Or fish style, done ala salmon with tarragon and hollandaise accents:



And let's not forget the terrines. Similar to Pâté, the interesting forcemeat loaves that you see in local French deli are a colorful site.

But the classic foie gras, served pâté is always light, creamy and richly satisfying:



Seared foie gras with a berry sauce drizzle is absolutely divine!

Local spots can whip up basic and simple dishes, omelettes, steak and frittes and classic salad Nicoise:


Fresh greens, deviled eggs, tomatoes, potato and a healthy serving of tuna with a light vinagrette.




Monster omelettes, ham, mushrooms with Frittes (of course) and a salad.





Quiche with fresh greens...





Absolutely fabulous chicken, juicy and moist and full of red pepper flavor with hash brown potatoes cooked in "seasoned" oil to give it a tater tot crunch!





A supersized version of the steak and frittes ... Each visit, the fries seem to get bigger!





White asparagus with sundried tomatoes and a mousseline sauce.. A heavy creamed sauce with rich butter and dill flavor

Simple seems to be the modern. Take for example a sole baked in butter and flour and sprinkled with lemon...



With baby greens, almost healthy (shhh... Butter doesn't count in France!)... Fabulous

The desserts are definitely to starve for, with rich rhubarb, to mini tarts of just about anything, to the cheeses and chocolates, temptations will overcome..


Raspberry pistachio tart.. Fruity and tart,



Rhubarb tart.. Baked rhubarb decadence...




Diabetics nightmare!




Rich chocolate souffle, warm with gluttonous an decadent interior, light dusted with powdered sugar as if it was an innocent veil :)





Brie to camembert, cheese sampling is a must!

Classic flavors, indulgent calories, and memorable savors, there's a reason why Michelin star chefs get their foundation in French cooking technique. The era of globalization should have some interesting things to deliver or should we say eat!


- Posted from my iPhone