El Colmao

Tuca Frita fried yuca (It was like a stringy but crunchy oil stick, ehh.)

1/2 Pollo Al Jerez 1/2 chicken sauteed in wine and onions (The chicken wasn't tender enough and you all know how I feel about onions.)

Pescado Halibut Frito fried halibut (Mine was grilled, not fried. It was overcooked, fish should be flaky, not "meaty".)

Cascos De Guayaba Con Queso guava shells with cream cheese (Way too sweet for my taste buds! Blech.)

Flan egg custard (Again, way too sweet.)
And the winners:

Frijoles Negros black beans (Pretty yummy with the rice that I forgot to take a picture of.)

Pan Con Bistec steak sandwich (Get medium rare. It was yummy!)

Paella Don Edurdo (a La Chorrera O Seca) arroz, langosta, calamares, almeja, pescado, camarones, cangrejo y pollo. puella, maist or dry rice, lobster, squid, clams, fish, shrimps, crab & chicken (The best selection! Call in the order, takes 45 min.)
I'd just come back for the white rice & beans, paella and steak sandwiches. The rest of the food was just okay. I forgot to get plantains. I really wanted oxtail but they ran out! :( I think I need to try other Cuban restaurants b/c there's no way that Versailles can be the best Cuban experience that I've had so far!) Any suggestions?

El Colmao
2328 W Pico Blvd (near Pico and Vermont)
Los Angeles, CA
90006-4002
(213) 386-6131

Major Fooding

With my parents gone for the last few weeks I thought that I'd finally get a chance to cook for myself! I even went grocery shopping twice. But as the dining gods would have it, I ate out practically every day! Too bad I didn't have my camera, it would make my restaurant reviews easier since photos do all the talking for me, hehe.

Regent Cafe (1411 S. Garfield Ave., Alhambra): my Thai tea was too watered down, Ann's sizzling udon dish was pretty yummy but my porridge was a bit bland. If you want something from the breakfast menu go before 11am! I generally go for their HK style breakfast but we missed it by 30 min, darn.

Original Pancake House (1756 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach): YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! The pecan pancakes were moist, fluffy, and flavorful. The marmalade was fresh and zesty and not overbearingly sweet. We also got eggs Benedict and potato pancakes, which were equally delicious. Everyone, your goal this summer is to make it out to the Original Pancake House at least once!

Shin Jung (3450 6th St., LA): I actually went here twice, once with Hyobin and again with Susan. Get the spicy cold noodle here! It's the BEST COLD NOODLE EVER. It's not really spicy, so don't worry. If I can handle it, you all can. The bi bim bap here is really good as well. And as always, great selection of banchan.

JJ Hong Kong Cafe (447 W Garvey Ave., Monterey Park): I had the curry noodle soup, Christina had Hainan chicken soup. I actually enjoyed mine! You can pick any 3 items to put in your soup- I chose tripe, fish balls, and vegetables. I dunno how Christina's dish tasted but I think she ate most of it so it was probably not so shabby.

Hong Kong Cafe (162 W Garvey Ave., Monterey Park): Korean Susan and I actually chose this restaurant on a whim. I originally wanted to go to Heavy Noodling BUT THEY SHUT DOWN, BOO. So we decided to drive down Garvey and see where else we could go besides JJ HK Cafe. I had the Chicken Hainan noodle soup. The dipping sauce was yummy. Susan had the chicken stir fried noodle. Now, that chicken was GOOD! I'd come back for that chicken. Our red date tea was refreshing as well.

Simply Wholesome (4508 W Slauson Ave., LA): I went here twice. I've actually been there a couple times before so I wasn't all that thrilled. But there were some items on the menu that I wanted to try since I was there. You can't go wrong with the curry chicken patty ($2.40ish) but after a while you get bored of it. The second time, we shared a breakfast combo. Ok, so I stuck my fork in something that could only be described as a super long and rectangular tortilla chip. Guess what that was? MEATLESS BACON. Yes...bacon. Personally I think they took the tortilla chip and dipped it in diluted bacon grease. I'd rather have the real thing, thank you very much. Definitely not going back there for breakfast!

California Pizza Kitchen (207 S Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills): My favorite pizza isn't on the menu anymore! It was the peking duck. I know it's weird to have duck on your pizza but it was such an awesome combo. Instead I got the Thai Crunch salad which was not so shabby for a salad. Mmm I love their berry lemonades, I don't care how much sugar is in there!!

Noodle House (46 W. Las Tunas Dr., Arcadia): Okay remember how I really really wanted to try the crab at Noodle House? So Susan finally makes her way back to LA and we go. But guess what! You have to pre-order it! AHHHH I was so sad. Instead we got some sub par overcooked not-so-fresh shrimp dish with nian gao instead. :( Don't get that dish!

Sushi Gallery (16436 Norwalk Blvd., Cerritos): We come here so often the lady recognizes us, hehe. All their rolls are pretty yummy. The beef teriyaki is ehhh but the pork cutlet isn't so shabby for a Korean owned Japanese restaurant. Btw, you have to pay $0.50 extra for miso soup if you get your order to-go!

India Restaurant (17824 Pioneer Blvd., Artesia): I've had prior bad experiences with Indian food (westside and Berkeley) but I decided to give it another try. It was pretty good! We shared an appetizer platter (where everything is fried though) and the chicken tiki masala. We were the only Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean people there though, which I suppose is a good sign. Everyone else was Indian!

I prolly forgot a couple places on this list but oh well. I also ate at 3 of my cousins' houses as well as at Ann's house. I ended up only cooking like 4 times! Sigh. I'm kind of tired of eating out now. I'm picking up my parents tonight so that means homecooked food tomorrow! =D

I'M IN BABY!!!

Dear Ms. Nguyen:
On behalf of UCLA, it is my pleasure to extend to you an official offer of admission to the Graduate Division. Our graduate programs attract an exceptionally qualified and talented group of applicants and the selection process is rigorous and highly competitive. Your selection for admission is a recognition of your academic accomplishments and potential for advanced scholarship. I wish to add my personal congratulations to those of your family and friends.

Sincerely,
Vice Head Honcho at the Graduate Division

Ok, I'm kidding about the last part. But really, I'm in! Even though I was recommended for admission back in Feb, the official notice took more than 4 months because of UCLA bureaucracy! But now, I can breathe many sighs of relief. I'M IN BABY!

Wow, I'm going to be a grad student. That is so cool! I'm so excited! (I'm not going to think about all the studying/memorizing/papering I have to do until September! I'm also not going to think about leaving my CP team :/) Instead, I'm going to celebrate with every friend and family member that was there to help, encourage, and support me. They know who they are. <3

To the next phase of my career, cheers!

Fish Canyon Falls 2

Ann is literally inches away from the waterfall! We decided to venture to the other side of the pool this time.

Best-friend switched her Frap-land shift so we could go back this weekend. Since I had a full battery, I was able to spend more time taking pictures- mostly of flowers. It had only been a week since I was there and already there were some significant changes!

Last week there was water flowing underneath this log! Today it looked like no water had ever been there at all.
There seemed to be less flowers this time around. You could really tell things were drying up.











We got a clear shot of this cute little pool before a bunch of ppl got in the way and started swimming. The upper falls were not as crowded this time around but then again, we did get an earlier start. We didn't get to find Darlin' Donna Falls so that will hafta wait until next spring! Hopefully we'll get some good rain this winter, that makes for such a pretty and lush spring.


I wear nearly the same outfit every time! At least my hat is different.

Kimbap & Haemul Pajeon

Okay, who wouldn't want to buy rice from this gal?!

Evil twin sister taught me how to cook two of my favorite Korean dishes: kimbap and haemul (seafood) pajeon. The first time I ever had kimbap I said: "Ooh Korean sushi!" I didn't really like it at first but it has definitely grown on me. As for haemul pajeon (seafood pancake), I got hooked after eating it at Chosun Galbee. I swear, I automatically drool everytimeI think about the seafood pancake at Chosun, heehee. (I never reviewed that restaurant, huh? I prolly should.)


Kimbap ingredients: seafood paper, fish cake, pickled daikon (radish), eggs, sesame leafs, carrots, mat (You can put anything in it- beef, pork, kimchi, even CHEESE, eww. But I like the fish cake/daikon from the Galleria.)


Spread a thin later of rice up to one inch from the edge, layer sesame leafs, radish, egg, fish cake, carrots. The edge with all the stuff is closest to you (so Hyobin's making this on the other side of the counter)


Roll, press, roll, roll, roll, press...I don't even know how to describe it, it's more like a hands-on experience. After one roll, I was used to the motion so it became quite easy.


Keeping rolling...pressing...


Tada!


Then cut into circles


So pretty to look at!


Ingredients for haemul pajeon: seasoned pancake mix, mix bag of mini seafood, tub of kimchi (we ended up not using mushrooms but you can put whatever you want in it) Next time I want to put fatty pork belly!


Make a batter by mixing the flour with some water, then add in everything else. I like how Hyobin cooks by sight and texture; I try to not follow recipes so rigidly either.


Kimchi adds color to everything!


Fry in pan on low heat


We also heated up some store bought dumplings. What a perfect meal! Healthy too, there were barely any traces of meat except in the dumplings.


Chestnut honey flavored ice cream bar. MMMMMM YUMMY!

Bayou Grille, Inglewood

Geez, with the frequency that I've dined out lately (5 times out of the past 6 days- which is often for me because I prefer homecooked meals) you'd think that I'd be gaining weight and losing money. But luckily, neither has happened...yet! I think it's because I employ frugal/sensible tactics when I eat out. I like to split dishes or eat family style. I maintain an equal balance between being treated and treating others. I try order just enough; since I don't like wasting food I always feel obligated to clean my plate. I also try to eat healthy when I'm dining out, but I don't deny myself high caloric foods either, esp if that's the restaurant's specialty. That said, here is my review of some deep fried Cajun/Creole goodness from Bayou Grille!


Evil twin sister and I shared the catfish/red snapper seafood platter. The first handful bites of the fried fish were yummy but after a while I felt too hot to eat fried foods. (It was 90+ degrees yesterday!) Luckily my coworkers were able to help us finish most of it. There was a spicy-ish and flavorful mayo dip that came with our order- that went well with the fried seafood.
The coleslaw was the bomb! It tasted so fresh and yummy. I usually don't like coleslaw because my stomach feels heavy if I eat food that is heavy on mayo. But I definitely want to come back here just for the coleslaw. The potato salad was not too shabby either. The house salad also stood out to us because you could tell that the lettuce/tomatoes were freshly cut, and not from some pre-washed mix.


The menu catered to everyone's whim. I got to try bites of a shrimp po' boy sandwich, and some fried shrimp and oyster. I think I prefer raw oysters. When oysters are fried, it kills the fresh/salty delicate flavor of oysters that I enjoy so much.


The cakes were supermoist moist but not flavorful AT ALL. On the left is a pineapple/rum/coconut cake, on the right is red velvet. They went cheap-o on the cream cheese, grrr! We still like Phillips BBQ for red velvet cake. I would not get cake here. GET COLESLAW INSTEAD.


Bayou Grille
1400 N. La Brea Ave
Inglewood, CA 90302
310-673-0824
I found this review online. I think I want to try the gumbo, po' boy sandwiches, and crawfish special when I come back. In the meantime, I think we are going to hit up The Crab Pit next! We're all drooling over the prospect of the advertised "world famous" lemon ice box pie.

Phoenix Inn, Alhambra

I rarely ever bother to take pictures of food at the Chinese restaurants I go to because the cuisine doesn't really seem that special. Noodle House is an exception because it's northern Chinese food. I've been to many places for your typical Chinese food-fare but those places don't really stand out. But this was my second time at Phoenix Inn and I really enjoyed it. Heehee, and as you can tell from the picture, so did my grandma.


Broccoli and shrimp- the shrimps were succulent and the broccoli was perfectly cooked. I hate chewy broccoli.


Peking pork chop- I always get the option with the bone. I don't really like the breaded stuff. Really tender, but missing the kick that accompanies the dish when cooked with bell pepper, onions, and pineapple. (None this time, weird)


Clams stir fried in black bean sauce- I don't really think you can screw up this dish. I've had it a zillion times at other restaurants and it tastes the same each time.


Fried tofu- My favorite! I love the delicate crunch of the outside and the soft and tender tofu inside. Mmm!

Phoenix Inn
208 Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-299-1238
Park in front of the restaurant, or park in the lot off Chapel (behind the bank)
Phoenix Bakery is right next door. I've been there a million times...kind of tired of the place. But if your sweet tooth beckons afterwards, just go next door!
I wouldn't go next weekend. It's gonna be super crowded due to Mother's Day. I actually took my family out today to celebrate b/c we definitely didn't want to deal with the crowds next weekend!

Fish Canyon Falls

Fish Canyon Falls is my new favorite hike!

Because...1) close to my house and easy to find 2) fun trail with lovely spring flowers and shady trees 3) random stuff off the trail to explore...like logs to climb over streams and steps leading to remnants of old cabins 4) not so shabby 80 ft 3 tiered waterfalls

Johnny and I caught the shuttle provided by Vulcan Materials. The shuttle goes through the quarry/mine and drops you off right at the start of the trail. To try to reach the trail otherwise isn't a good idea from what I've read online. Unfortunately, they are only providing shuttle service for the next two Saturdays this month. If I decide to come back again later this month or next I'm going to see if they can shuttle us anyway if we special request it.
I liked this particular trail because it was wide and safe but still interesting enough to engage me. We passed a family along the way and I said: "Ok if that little girl can do it, so can I!" Then we passed another group of people and I said: "Ok if old Asian people can do it, so can I!" Hehe I was right! I didn't fall on my ass this time. :P

Some flowers along the way:


And this funky spiny plant was dangling from the bush.


Every time Johnny and I saw a log across the stream we'd try to balance ourselves and go across it (instead of going the easy way b/c that's not as fun!) On the first couple tries we almost fell but I really surprised myself at my sense of balance.


Here are the waterfalls from far away! There was this middle aged Chinese guy who helped us take this picture. It's amazing how much nicer people are when you speak to them in languages other than English! This guy ran around the trail and took multiple pictures of us b/c he was trying to get the perfect picturesque shot, hehe.


The doode who took this picture obviously cut out the most important part of the photo, which is the WATERFALL. Hello! Oh well.
This is at the base, it was the perfect spot for picnicking. There were maybe a dozen ppl down there and despite that, it was still peaceful and quiet. I'm glad we got an early start because by the time we left, we passed by dozens of ppl who had just arrived at the falls. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if there were so many ppl milling about.


Can you see Johnny? We were trying to find Darlin' Donna Falls but we couldn't tell exactly where the non-trail started. So Johnny decides to scramble up this rocky non-path to see if it led anywhere. He ended up causing a bunch of mini rock slides, of which one big rock bounced off my foot b/c I didn't get out of the way in time! Anyways we stopped trying b/c we were hungry but there's always next time. I really want to take Ann here! Too bad her shift at Frapland starts so damn early.

Here are the rest of the pictures. I didn't get to take as many nice ones b/c I was trying to conserve my battery.
Our next hike is scheduled for South Bay. I can't wait! :)

Amateur Empanadas

Since I had a horrible headache yesterday I thought cooking would help to distract me. I don't like popping pills for such ailments. :)

Here is my empanada dough. This recipe yields roughly 18 empanadas, but it can vary depending on how thick or thin you roll our dough, and how big your circles are (I did 3 inches).
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 lb plus 2 tbp butter, cubed
1/3 cup cold water


While I let my dough sit for 30 min, I got started on my filling. I decided use a mushroom curry gravy. Button mushrooms + curry gravy + water + milk + sugar + curry powder = filling


Then it was time to roll out my dough. I got ghetto and used a cup to roll, and a rice bowl to cut out circles.


I found that my filling was a bit on the watery side and the sauce kept seeping out if i didn't press & crimp the edges fast enough.


The result. I totally forgot to do the eggwash so it didn't come up all shiny golden brown as I had imagined. And the crust wasn't as flaky or tender as I would have liked. But, it was still good and that's what matters!

Next time: less watery filling, more effort into prepping the dough (Susan says to not let the butter melt and to work faster and more efficiently), and eggwash. Anymore suggestions?