Diner Go-To

Rueben Sandwich. Onion rings. Lots of mustard.

And at an LA institution nonetheless.

Happy Birthday to me

It was my birthday right around the time I stopped posting. I know this because my birthday dinner at Animal, a meatlover's haven nestled in the heart of Fairfax, has been my "next post" for 9 months.

This meal was seriously miraculous.




Porkbelly with kimchi. Succulent.



Oxtail poutine. Complexity added to a traditionally simple dish.



Fois gras locomoco. Crazy fusion.



Balsamic ribs. They didn't fall off the bone - the bone just came out when you grabbed it. Decadent and delicious.



Of course whenever my father's in a good mood dessert always takes on a one-of-each approach. Here's the moist, dense tres leches cake. Pure bliss.



Animal's famous bacon crunchbar. That's right rich, dark chocolate and crunchy salty bacon in one bar. Unique.



Best. Donuts. Ever.

There were plenty more dishes but these were the stand outs.

Animal's minimal decor and reasonable prices make it great for dates, family and friends alike. But vegetarians and vegans beware. There's little for you here.

New Edition

Looky what I found in my kitchen when I got home from SF.


Best drying rack ever. I love living like a grown-up.

christmas eve we'll have a goose and see i'm thinking we should make some potatoes, kinda like frites, and then put some curds on them taters, then take that goose gravy and smother them potatoes

Just What The Doctor Ordered...

YES! Bravo announced that they'll be picking up Top Chef Masters! What a treat (except for that awful Padma wannabe Kelly Choi)! Also everyone's favourite Canadienne, Gail Simmons, will be joining the already prestigious table of critics. Kudos Gail, and kudos Top Chef Masters!!

Special Specialty

O&Co. Olive Oil Shop. Fillmore St, San Francisco.

Midnight Snack

Chocolate Pudding Cup with Whipped Cream Tower. Indulgent.

Dinner For One

Chicken, spinach and mushrooms in tomato sauce on a bed of arugula
with heirloom grape tomatoes.

Baby Blues BBQ

After a screening of the frightening (and somewhat hilarious) Paranormal Activity my pals and I wanted to grab a drink and maybe some chow. Three of us, on separate occasions, by different people, had Baby Blues BBQ recommended to us.

This is a place with a great vibe and some pretty delicious BBQ. We all chatted and laughed over a few beers, some sloppy ribs and crumbly delicious cornbread.

I opted for The Deuce, which is a platter consisting of 1/2 a rack of Memphis style ribs, 5 of their BBQ shrimp (which were recommended to our table by some random cook who came out for no reason other than to tell us we should order the shrimp - they were delicious), cornbread and my choice of two from an extensive list of "fixins". It reads like a who's who of barbeque: collard greens, potato salad, baked beans, mac 'n' cheese, okra - fried and sauteed, mashed potatoes, stewed tomatoes, pork 'n' beans, etc. I opted for cole slaw and fried okra. At $22.95 this wasn't such a bad deal.
Top marks went to the honey butter - yes, HONEY BUTTER, that was served alongside the cornbread. It was a true showstopper. I also really appreciated that each table was equipped with its very own roll of paper towels. Not napkins. Paper towels.

Grade: B+

Ultimate Food Weakness

Candy corn

Pink & Cheap Platter

My cousin Sophia and I hosted a joint birthday party this last weekend. The theme was Pink & Cheap. One of the better party themes out there if you ask me. In addition to chili dogs (inspired by Pink's), steak tacos (medium rare and pink) and the famed toasting station (strawberry jam and pop tarts, anyone?) I served up this killer platter:


Pink wafer cookies, Homer Simpson donuts and Mother's Frosted Animal cookies.

Here's a look at the toasting station. It was a huge hit after-hours!

Reaping

Yesterday's Trader Joe's buys. From left: herb salad mix, romaine hearts, baby carrots, dried bing cherries, organic whole wheat penne, organic whole grain quinoa, zucchini, vanilla almond milk, alfalfa sprouts, roma tomatoes, Ezekiel sprouted grain sesame bread (aka fitness bread), portobello mushrooms.

And all for only $34.

Afternoon Delight

Lunch at Silverlakes's Town & Country Café. Roasted beetroot, carrots and garbanzo beans in cumin vinegarette, grilled veg in balsamic. Splendor.

More Perfect

Remember when I told you I had that great midnight snack? Well allow me to one-up myself by showing you what I'll be enjoying tonight.

The man, the legend himself, Thomas Haas, the world's greatest chocolatier, brings us Dark Bark. Perhaps one of his finest creations Dark Bark is, as it appears to be a disc of his finest dark chocolate, adorned with juicy pieces of dried fruit (apricot, candied orange, fig, cranberry) and nuts (pistachio and almond).
Screw my grab bag concoction, this is the real deal.

He has an effect on me, Thomas. His confections, and everything he does, are held in the deepest chambers of my foodie heart. Thomas does only right and brings only sweet joy to the world. He is an inspiration, a machine in the kitchen (and on the mountain, apparently), and a joy of a man to call friend!

I'm breaking this one out in honor of Thomas, who makes me strive to be a better human every time I encounter him, in person or food form.
Warning: expect Dark Bark to last for one sitting and one sitting only.

Corn + Me = Love

I've been thinking about cornbread for weeks now, so I just decided to bake some. Note the amazing molded pan!

Had all the ingredients at hand but the egg. That's what neighbors are for, right? I actually went next door to get an egg!

I spiced up the bread with some scallions, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Perfect with butter and sprinkle of seasalt.

It may not be fitness but it'll make a great dinner! I'm thinking cheese and some herbs for next time...

Food Hotties

Jamie Oliver
king

Giada DeLaurentiis
my girl

Sam Talbot, Top Chef

the hot chef

Nigella Lawson
always a lady

Tyler Florence
the ultimate in adorable

Padma Lakshmi
hostess with the mostess

Bradley Cooper on Kitchen Confidential
enough said

Dreamcake

How insane does this cake look?! That's a cake:frosting ratio a boy could write home about. Courtesy of Whisk Kid, this seems like something I might be trying soon. I'll let you know when/if.

New Acquisition

Vefa's Kitchen by Vefa Alexiadou. Called "the bible of authentic Greek cooking" this goes along well with Phaidon's other bibles The Silver Spoon (Italian) and 1080 Recipes (Spanish). This puppy's still in the plastic and it's delivery was delayed a week due to back order, so please excuse me.

Food Weakness

Red Vines.

Empty Plates