Viewing entries in
Restaurants

Breakfast with Dad - Ledo Cafe - Rosemead

Comment

Breakfast with Dad - Ledo Cafe - Rosemead

It's my first meal with my dad for the New Years. How's everyone feeling about 2016 so far? Even though it's already been over a week, I am really feeling like I'm living into this year already. I am feeling pretty positive and ambitious for this year. I don't really know what to expect this year, but I'm going to make sure it's going to be a whole hell lot of fun with family, friends, and new faces.

I called my dad this morning like every Saturday morning to have breakfast. I mean, it's pretty obvious where my dad wants to go, but it's always nice to confirm because once in a while he will throw a curve ball at me and suggest a different restaurant. Not today. He's been craving his steak from Ledo Cafe in Rosemead.

Open 7AM - 2AM

8168 Garvey Ave, Rosemead, CA 91770

Chinese Hong Kong cafes in this area is the spot for us around here. I don't know what it is besides cheap eats and some nostalgic feels for our hometown. The food is "alright". Not just saying for this place in particular, but just all across the board. From cafe to cafe, you will literally find the same items on the menu: steak and eggs, instant noodles with spam and eggs, spam and eggs sandwich, preserved egg congee with your choice of: soy egg noodles with sprouts, chinese donuts, chinese radish cake, etc, you get the point.

But my dad loves the steak at Ledo's. He's also saying the same thing EVERY time his order comes. He would raise his glasses above his head and look at his steak very closely. And picks up that one piece of rosemary and say "They use rosemary" (in cantonese) and smile thinking it's super fancy. I'll give it to him though, after eating a bite of it every Saturday from his plate, their steak is starting to grow on me as well.

He orders his steak medium rare with over easy eggs. He grabs a toast, spread a little butter, put one egg in, squeeze the toast in half so the yolk oozes out, and eats it like an egg sandwich.

When you order chow mein, unless you are chinese, they probably won't ask you if you want it "2 face golden". Which basically means the noodles are fried on both sides. If you don't speak any cantonese, say "learn-mein-wong" and they will understand. If they look at you like you cussed, just tell them in english noodles fried on both side.

By having the noodles golden on both sides, it doesn't just create texture, but it adheres to the sauce better. The chow mein here wasn't bad either.

I ordered a cup of 1/2 coffee 1/2 tea called "yean-yern" which basically means ying yang. My dad just ordered coffee.

The rest of the conversation we had though, is classified. He did mentioned to me where he took this hot shot of himself:

1.jpg

Happy 2016!

Comment

Pho Broadway

1 Comment

Pho Broadway

I had to pick up my dad this past Saturday after he's been on vacation in Canada for 2 weeks to be with his brothers, sisters, mom, and all our other our relatives. I was anticipating to eat at Phoenix in Chinatown. Because, it's Phoenix and that's where we always go for late nights when it comes to my dad. When he got in my car, and I mentioned Phoenix, his reply was "If you want" (in Cantonese). That's a NO, I don't want that. This is something all girls will understand. I know well enough to go somewhere else.

Without much time spent, he immediately said pho, in Chinatown. It's kind of cute that your parents will always assume that you know nothing where certain places are. "you will make a left here" - "Another left here" - "And it will be on your right where the bank is". It's like.. dude, dad, we've eaten here so many times. But go ahead. I was hungry and my mind wasn't straight anyways. How did I even make it back to LA?

I was hungry. And all I had to keep me through the traffic was a little pouch of corn nuts. I wanted to order everything when I arrived. And since I was with my dad, I felt like it was okay to do so. After all, my dad has the same eating temperament as I do.

My dad, Peter.

Look how happy he is. My dad ordered the rare steak pho with the rare steak on the side. Not a lot of places do this anymore. I'm sure it has a lot to do with health regulations, but if you request it (at any Vietnamese restaurant) I'm sure they will do it for you. The rare steak was perfectly shaved, and extremely tender even if it was already in the soup (I had mine in the soup). My dad used to be a butcher over 15 years ago, so he knows how he wants his meat.

Egg Rolls (duh)

Funny thing about this was I was looking for the 2 pc order. You know, a lot of places has this option, but it wasn't on the menu. My dad immediately said 4 pc is fine. And I, of course, went with what dad said. I love egg rolls fried with rice paper over egg paper. Both is good, but I love the slight chewiness rice paper leaves as it is crunchy on the outside.

My pho. I like to throw in jalapenos, bean sprouts, all the herbs, a lot of lime, and a squirt of sriracha. For my dipping sauce, I like to have sriracha, the hoisin, and the pickled Serrano.

I also couldn't help myself and ordered the 3 colored ice drink. It's basically sweet red bean, mung bean, green jelly, and sweet coconut milk slush on top. Mix together and slurps up!

This is something I grew up drinking as a kid. For some reason, I feel as we get older, we tend to stop consuming things that were common with our meals. I would remember, I would order this every time we have Vietnamese food. And now, I noticed I only drink water with my meals. That or alcohol, but that's a whole different meal we are talking about. I'm sure you get it. Sugar is bad for you. But a little is okay. The 3 color drink here was very mild. I do wished it was sweeter, just because I haven't had this in a long time. Now that I have, I'm scared that this will be the new trend again every time I have Vietnamese food.

After this, I took my dad home and helped him with his luggage. He gaved me some sweet pastries, which I will share with you later. In the mean time, check out Pho Broadway in Chinatown, Los Angeles. They've been here for decades, accepts credit cards and isn't too packed to accommodate if you need to fuel up before having a few drinks. Just saying.

942 N Broadway Ste 102, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Daisy

1 Comment

Cook's Tortas

Comment

Cook's Tortas

No matter how many different tortas I've tried here, their Molcajete and BBQ pulled pork always wins.

BBQ Pulled pork

The name itself pretty much says it. The pork is always cooked to perfection. Extremely tender and not overly sauced with the BBQ. What makes it amazing is the slaw. Perfect balance to cut through each bite. You really need to eat a whole row, left to right or right to left, each time. It's really delicious and I'm always torn between this and their Molcajete.

Molcajete

The marinade on the beef is outstanding. I love the citrus notes in each bite almost as if you were squeezing lime in your tacos. The chili salsa wasn't too spicy and their grilled queso really cools down the heat. Pack with meat, just the way I like it. The black bean spread wasn't overly strong as well, but made a nice glue for the sandwich. Which again works beautifully with the citrusy beef.

Cook's Tortas is located in Monterey Park, super close to my home. I highly recommend this to anyone if you are around Los Angeles. Don't forget to order their spicy roasted peppers to go along your sandwiches. Sides that we ordered were arroz con leches and mixed fruit. Both very tasty.

Cook's Tortas

1944 South Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754 (323)-278-3536

 

Comment

Table Crush: Simbal

Comment

Table Crush: Simbal

I am excited to share with you another dining experience I had with Table Crush. If you haven't signed up to be on their mailing list, I urge you to do so (CLICK HERE). Not sure if you remember, I attended to a Table Crush event back in October at Gracias Madre. Let me give you a quick recap on how this works. All you do is sign up, and you will get email notifications about when the next Table Crush dinner is. The dinner is consisted of 8 people are so (you better book fast) with a special pre-fixed sampling of the menu. With that, you also get to meet the chef, a very intimate experience.

Here we go! Brace yourself as I open up my experience I had at Simbal for the last Table Crush event of 2015.

Can you guess, according to this list, when I started feeling my jeans getting tighter and tighter?

Yes. This was the tasting menu that we were looking forward to. I don't know how you feel about it, but I sure as hell was f*cking excited. I had a big lunch. But after seeing this, fireworks shot out of my ass and I was ready to eat again.

The restaurant was pretty awesome, and most importantly of all: clean. The restaurant had a welcoming vibe due to the open concept kitchen. The staff was also very kind and hospitable.

Yin's wok fried seasoned nuts

Loved these nuts. This was something I grew up eating, though not even close to being this good. There were dried/fried small fishies and seaweed mixed together. This takes beer nuts to a whole different level. This will put the nuts my dad buys to shame. Sorry dad. TO SHAME!

Minced meat relish on pineapple and mandarin orange.

As part of the opening courses, this was very refreshing and good leeway to open our palates. The fruit was very sweet which paired perfectly with the saltiness of the relish. I feel like this is the Vietnamese version of cantaloupe and prosciutto. Very simple, but the flavors married perfectly.

Pomelo and Shrimp salad, ginger, coconut, lime.

I hate how much I loved this. The pomelo was extremely ripe. The lime was just heavenly with the sweetness of the pomelo and the light poached shrimp. I would order this again, and cry that I won't be able to eat this again till I come back. It's ok, I will drink my sorrows again until we meet.. until we meet again..

Fresh Meiji tofu, tuna, ponzu, sesame seeds, scallions

A very light dish. Reminds me of Hiyayakko, but with tuna added on top. This compliments the silkiness of the tofu. The Meiji tofu paired perfectly with the mild ponzu that does not overpower the dish at all. This screams summer.

Crispy Sweet Potato, poached shrimp and fresh herbs

I've been contemplating on making a crispy sweet potato hash for a while now. This justifies how good sweet potatoes can be. Chef Pham explained to us that this was a dish that can be found in the streets of Vietnam. This was extraordinary. The fresh herbs was stellar. The light fish sauce vinaigrette added a delicate touch to cut through the oiliness of the crispy potato. The shrimp added a nice texture to balance all the crunchiness from the potato. This is a must.

Crispy tofu

This wasn't on the menu, but it was fried tofu doused in a flavorful sweet and spicy sauce. I'm assuming there is some fish sauce in this as well. I just loved how each dish has a hint of fish sauce. I'm assuming it's something renown in Vietnamese cooking, and appreciating that the chef is not intimidated to implement it in so many of his dishes.

Deconstructed Banh mi salad.

This was my favorite. I grew up eating Banh mi since it was extremely affordable. My dad used to buy a few sandwiches for my brother and I to eat during the week. I didn't know what to expect when I saw this. Actually, I didn't think it would be that good. The first bite took me by surprise. And I just feel my cheek, slowly trembling from smiling so much. The carrots and daikon were perfectly, and I mean PERFECTLY, pickled. I know. Chef Pham said it's all vinegar, sugar and salt. NO! His ratios of each component for this pickling liquid, will blow all carrot/daikon pickles in SGV out of the water. A must order.

Prime beef hanger steak tartare, larb seasoning, sesame bread

The tartare was delicious and delicate, obviously. But again, the larb seasoning was spot on. That sesame bread? light and fluffy. Fluffier than my belly and that says a lot. Dang I need a moment to collect myself.

Sweetbreads

Hello fried sweetbreads. I know you freaked out a lot of people at the table, but don't worry sweetheart, everyone tasted you, because I told them you were like tofu. And guess what? the texture kind of was. If I told you it was tofu, you would've probably believed me. The funny part about this,? Everyone was quiet when tasting this. Seeking the "sweetbread flavor", but nothing. NOTHING. Just very yummy fish sauce glazed around with some chinese mustard greens. By the way, the crispy peanuts and mustard greens is something that is eaten in Chinese culture. It pleases me that Chef Pham acknowledges where these ingredients originated from. It's something that I, personally, appreciate. Have to take my dad here for this because he LOVES pickled chinese mustard greens.

Braised pork belly in fresh coconut juice

Looks simple right? The smell was simple as well. But the pork, was perfection. Extremely tender with the ever so slight sweetness from the coconut juice. Chef Pham mentions this was something his grandma would make at least 3 times a week. I believe him. In Chinese cuisine, we have braised pork belly stewed in soy and spices like star anise, cardamon and cinnamon. Pork belly is a cheaper meat, and back then it was even less expensive. So this was something our families definitely took advantage of. I can understand how this dish represents the Chef and his family. Very delicious, served with a side of Jasmine rice. Which was cooked perfectly exactly like how I would cook mine. (this dish is extremely important with rice).

Mussels, chili jam, galangal, lemongrass, kafir lime, Chinese doughnuts

This dish was so perfect for the weather. The chinese doughnut is dipped into the slightly spicy lemongrass infused broth. Dip then eat with mussel together. Amazing and such a crowd pleaser. The mussels were fresh and cooked perfectly.

Broiled black cod with turmeric oil

One of those "MMMMMM" Moments. The use of turmeric was executed perfectly. Turmeric has an extremely strong flavor and can easily overpower a dish. Cod is one of those fishes that you wouldn't want to mask since the flavors are so light. This was so beautifully paired with the fresh herbs and dill. Chef Pham was gracious enough to send another one over.

Roasted Bone Marrow with grilled chili jam, chinese donuts

The bone marrow sunk into the donut with no mercy. Chinese donuts is great to dip into anything, it's literally a sponge. Just imagine the marrow, soaking up the donut through the crevices? My heart is stopping with each bite.

Heavenly beef

The beef is marinated in coriander and garlic. I would like this on skewers so I can walk around little tokyo like I'm in Vietnam. All I need is a little imagination. In no time, these bad boys were snatched out of the bowl. Love the caramelized edges on some of these.

Ginger caramel jidori chicken thighs.

The sauce on this was pretty heavy, so a nice bowl of Jasmine rice will do. The chicken was very tender. The scallions and ginger slices not only complimented the chicken, but added a freshness to cut through the rich sauce.

Marinated Muscovy duck breast

All I can say is cooked to perfection. Slight crispiness from the skin and a refreshing touch by the scallions. The duck spoke for itself, and does not need anything to justify how amazing it was.

 

 

Finally dessert. I'm partially alive guys. But the end of our extravaganza has come to an end. Closing with coconut flan, Sugared chinese donut with vietnamese coffee foam, and banana cake with whipped coconut cream. Everything we had was delicious. But. The coconut flan stole the show, and ran with it. It was amazing, and extremely refreshing especially after everything we just had. Out of many things I would come back for, this has to be one of them.

I hope this presentation is enough for you to sign up for Table Crush. They have one coming in January 2016. If I remember correctly, it might be at an Indian gastropub. I am totally down for that. Sign up now at www.TableCrush.com.

All in all, I really appreciated this dinner experience. Chef Pham was very intimate with our group, and shared a lot of his memories with the dishes that he has prepared for us tonight. His experience and love for his culture really speaks through his food. Check out Simbal if you are in Los Angeles.


Happy Eating,

Daisy

Comment

Rose City Pizza - Rosemead

Comment

Rose City Pizza - Rosemead

Small Business Saturday is today, 11/28. This is a huge day to acknowledge many small businesses out there. The underdogs that are hidden behind large businesses gets to shine, today. Rose City Pizza is located close to me, and I love the vibe that I get when I walk in. No bullshit. No fluff. They are who they say they are and do what they do best. Make a pretty damn good pizza. I've been here a couple of times, and I can really speak that the owners of this place are humble, and hard working (I've never spoken to them, but I can tell just by how they work). This is a joint you will want to come just to show support. So what better way, to share Small Business Saturday, than at a local joint that serves the local community.

Without further ado, it's time for some good pies.

I really wanted pizza fries, tots, anything fried. But I need to calm down a bit since I've been devouring my face in fried greasy foods all thanks to Thanksgiving and Black Friday. I really thought I was going to order their Deluxe. But... Stromboli. Was literally sitting there, with my name, patiently waiting for my arrival like my flight just landed. I couldn't keep my eyes off the sesame crusted dough.

Stromboli

There is a problem when your food is sexier than you. But I did kind of feel sex(ier) eating this. The sauce, is everything that I would want minus the spicy kick. Which is fine because I doused tons of red chili flakes anyways. But the sauce had a strong, beautiful, garlic presence. I love garlic. So when I say I can taste the garlic, I ain't playing around. And if you don't love garlic, then we really have a problem here. I don't want to have to question our friendship... The stromboli is stuffed with gooey stretchy mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and italian sausage. The dough was VERY crispy outside and soft on the inside. The sesame seeds really made the dough pop, and I probably wouldn't have paid attention to it if it wasn't on top. Very delicious.

the Aloha

John ordered the Aloha. Hawaiian pizza is not something that I normally order. But oh my bacon gods has landed. Bacon in Hawaiian pizzas is NOW imperative. And you know what? If you think about the sauce and the pineapple, it's sweet and usually one noted (does that sentence even make sense) but with the salty bacon, it really transformed a classic into something totally different. Simple. But DUH why didn't I think of this?

Make sure to get your foot in whenever you are around. There is a Target and Starbucks. Target was our first destination for Lactaid pills (yes, I know), followed by Rose City Pizza, and then Starbucks for a pick-me-up. I am genius.

 3588 ROSEMEAD BLVD. ROSEMEAD, CA 91770 (626) 280-8885

Cheers,

Daisy

Comment