Happy 4th of July!

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday despite the June gloom in San Diego. I don't really have time to celebrate or enjoy the fireworks by the harbor this year since I'm still studying for the Bar, but I did have time to make this super quick, super simple, and super delicious No-Bake Chocolate-Raspberry Cream Pie.

Raspberries are so abundant this time of the year and this recipe does not require you to turn on the oven, so it is the perfect summer pie. I made it for Mr. Tall's mom when she visited us last summer because she loves raspberries, and she really enjoyed it. One thing though: Mr. Tall and I could not find chocolate wafer cookies anywhere. We substituted it Oreo cookies (minus the cream) last time, and this time we used some chocolate wafer "snacks," and they both worked fine.

Enjoy,

LMC 

Out & About: Urban Solace

Many things have happened in the past few months for me, including graduating from law school. I recently started studying for the California Bar, so I will be a hot mess from now until the end of July. In any case, I need study breaks to keep me sane. So, Mr. Tall and I try to go out to dinner (or the movies) once a week, and I signed up on Yelp to write occasional reviews of  our culinary adventures. 


I just wrote my first review on Yelp about Mr. Tall and I's recent visit to Urban Solace (US). Mr. Tall and I use Yelp very often, but I have never written a review on their until now. So, I've posted it here--sorry, no pictures though!


Mr. Tall and I went to US the other Friday night for dinner. We tried to make a reservation that afternoon for a 7:00pm dinner, but the only time slots remaining were at 5:45pm or 9:00pm. The restaurant suggested that we just walk in, and they would likely seat us in the patio area which is not subject to reservations.

We arrived at around 7:00pm and were seated in the patio after about 15-20 minutes. I ordered a Plantation Ice Tea (ice tea and pineapple juice), and Mr. Tall ordered an Arnie Palmer (ice tea and lemonade). Both were refreshing for a summer day and good alternatives to their cocktails.

We shared an order of Sweet Potato Fries with Maytag Blue Cheese-Buttermilk Dressing as our starter. US uses a different type of sweet potato for their fries, not the yam variety you would find at most grocery stores. I'm not sure what kind of sweet potato it is though; it has more of a yellow flesh, as opposed to the orange color we're familiar with. Although the fries were fresh, they were a bit mushy and not quite crispy--presumably from either not being cooked at the right temperature, or not being cooked long enough. They tasted fine, but it could have been a lot better in comparison to sweet potato fries I have had elsewhere.

Mr. Tall ordered the "Not Your Momma's Meatloaf" Ground Lamb, Figs, Pine Nuts, Feta Cheese with Fig Jus, which he enjoyed but it wasn't anything to write home about. I tried a couple of bites, and I thought it was pretty moist but the texture could have been better.

I ordered the Bacon Wrapped Sustainable Idaho Trout, stuffed with Spinach and Mushroom, and served with Lemon Butter and Roasted Potato. I was not a fan of this dish at all. First, the bacon was not cooked very well and not at a high enough temperature to create a good crust for the fish. Bacon almost always makes everything better, but, in this case, it just made a chewy, unappealing crust. To make matters worse, the skin of the fish was left on underneath the bacon. Ultimately, the dish ended up with the trout's slimy skin, barely cooked, stuck on the bacon. Not a pretty sight and not a tasty combination.

The best thing about our dinner at US was the dessert: Salted Caramel Pot de Crème, topped with Dark Chocolate Cap and Cocoa Nib Crust. The combination of the sweet and salty caramel was irresistible, and the dark chocolate perfectly complimented the smooth custard. I may be slightly biased because I adore anything with caramel and sea salt/fleur de sel. Regardless, the Pot de Crème was so delicious that it redeemed the shortcomings of the fries and the entrées.

Overall, the ambiance and service was good. I have been to US for dinner a few times prior to this and once for lunch. So, I have come to the conclusion that, in terms of the food, US is a better place for lunch, or their Bluegrass Brunch may be worth a try.


Enjoy!


LMC

A Food Travelogue: Tokyo and Yokohama, Part II

During our fourth day in Japan, we explored the hectic streets of Tokyo. I had researched for a place for us to do lunch while we were district-hopping around Tokyo, and found the perfect place--Maisen in the Shibuya. Maisen is famous for its Kurobuta (more commonly known as the black or Berkshire pork) Tonkatsu. Although Maisen is hidden behind the Omotesando Hills shopping area, it was relatively easy to find using our city map. 

The bottom level of Maisen consists of the bar area where most solo diners are seated; and the upper level is the seated dining area. My family and I were quickly seated upstairs, and I knew exactly what I wanted. 

We started out with the Korobuta Siu Mai (my parents' selection, above), which was decent, but not anything special.

My parents also shared the Katsu Don (above). While my sister went for the "regular" Tonkatsu, I went for the real deal--the Kurobota Tonkatsu! And it was perfection. 

The Kurobota pork was extremely moist and flavorful, and the panko breadcrumbs had the most amazing crunch. Maisen, of course, makes their own Tonkatsu sauces. My Tonkatsu came with its own sauce, which was a big deviation from what we're used to in bottled sauces and Japanese restaurants in the U.S. I could not decipher what ingredients exactly were in their sauce, but I would imagine that it had finely grated dikon, maybe some ginger, among other things. The sauce was sweet, savory, slightly tangy, and perfectly complemented the rich and crispy katsu. This was undoubtedly my favorite meal in Tokyo. 

After lunch, my family and I wandered over to the Meiji Jingu, where we witnessed an incredible part of the country's spirituality and history from the Meiji era. 

We finally made our way to the heart of Harajuku, where we sampled its immensely popular crepe from one of the packed crepe shops. 

Before heading back to the Tokyo Dome Hotel, we asked around for suggestions of where to have dinner, and were kindly directed to a nondescript ramen shop behind the Harajuku subway station. And, boy, were we happy to have found it! Like many ramen shops in Tokyo, there was the usual "vending machine" where customers conveniently order and pay for their ramen selections. 

After you purchase your ramen, then you are seated individually in a carrel stacked in rectangular arrangements. The servers operate in the center of the carrel arrangement, and you never see their faces! (See LMC's Mama above in a carrel about to dig into her rame.) It was a very anti-social dining experience, but the ramen was amazing! 

I really don't remember what I had ordered exactly, but it was even better than any of the Ramens we sampled at the Ramen Musuem. The ramen was one of the smaller noodles with a miso-based broth, a few slices of pork, and a generous sprinkle of scallions. Definitely, my second favorite meal in Tokyo--so much fantastic food all in one day!

On our last day in Japan, LMC, Pinnerton & Co. visited another must-see tourist destination, the Asakusa Namamise. After wandering around Sensoji, or the Asakusa Temple, I was excited to try some of the food vendors in the Namamise--and there were a lot of vendors!

We started with Amazake, or sweetened hot sake which is served during the winter season, then moved on to various kabidango, or sweets--they were all so good! 

 

 

 

Finally, we took departing photos at the Kaminarimon Gate. 

That's it for LMC's culinary adventures and travelogue in Japan. More traveling and good eats to come! 


Enjoy, 


LMC