SDRW: Café Chloe

This past September was another San Diego Restaurant Week, which is a great opportunity for Mr. Tall and I to try new restaurants. Mr. Tall and I initially wanted to go to Market in Del Mar, but could not get a reservation (a week in advance!). So, our second choice was Cafe Chloe in the East Village. This restaurant has been on our radar for a few years, but we just have never made it there until now.

The ambiance of Cafe Chloe is fantastic--it really captures the look and feel of a chic, Parisian bistro. When we stepped into the restaurant, it was a bit confusing at first because there was no host/hostess; but we were quickly greeted and seated once someone spotted us by the door. The SDRW menu had a nice selection of 3 options to choose from for the appetizer, main, and dessert courses.

Mr. Tall started with the classic French Onion Soup served in a darling ramekin. Sweet and savory caramelized onions in a rich broth, topped off with a piece of baguette crouton and cheese--can't go wrong with that.

I started with the Warm Crottin Goat Cheese and Fig Salad, which was simple and delicious. The Crottin goat cheese was coated in breadcrumbs and lightly fried. The warm goat cheese went really well with the perfectly ripe and slightly sweet fig. My only complaint was that I could have used more figs than one sliver of it! Nonetheless, the meal was off to a good start.

On to the main course: Mr. Tall again went for the classic choice of Steak and Frites. The steak was served with herbes de provence butter, a side of roasted corn and peppers, and, of course, a stack of pomme frites. Mr. Tall thought that the steak was cooked well, but tasted average and underwhelming. Not sure if it was just not the best cut of beef, but the only flavor came from the herbes de provence butter. (Cafe Chloe's website says that they use products from local and sustainable sources, so I do wonder where the beef came from ...)

I have a soft spot for mussels and seafood stews in general. So, the choice was obvious for me to go with the Mussels Belgique with Pomme Frites. The Belgian-influenced dish was nice, but the cream-based broth was a bit salty and one-note in flavor. Maybe I could have used more white wine or lemon in the sauce. Anyway, I can't hate on the dish though because I pretty much devoured all of the frites.

To end our meal, Mr. Tall went with the Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Creme served with vanilla bean whipped cream and a brandied cherry. The pot de creme was good, a bit dense, but he enjoyed it.

I chose the Apple Galette with Creme Fraiche Ice Cream. The apples were not overcooked, and the ice cream was delicious and not overly sweet. However, the galette crust dough was way too thick and not flaky, so the crust was disappointing for me. Overall, Mr. Tall and I did enjoy the meal and the ambiance of Cafe Chloe--a great place for date night! And you can't beat the SDRW price tag of $30 for a 3-course offering!

Two weeks after our visit to Cafe Chloe for SDRW, we went there again to meet some friends for a weekend brunch. I had the House-Cured Salmon Gravlax Tartine with Creme Fraiche and Cucumber-Dill Salad, and Mr. Tall had the Two Eggs with Bacon, Baguette and Herb Butter. We really enjoyed the brunch, and would definitely go back to Cafe Chloe again for brunch and at least once again for their full dinner menu. They also have "Urban Tea," which I will have to try one of these days because I absolutely adore high/afternoon tea.

Enjoy,
LMC

Coming up next: LMC's Culinary Adventures in Los Angeles!

The Marine Room

While I was studying for the California Bar last year, Mr. Tall had promised that when I pass the Bar that we would celebrate at The Marine Room. Even though the July 2010 Bar results came out in November (yay, I passed!), Mr. Tall and I decided to wait until summertime for a better sunset. Also, Mr. Tall was saving his change for almost a year for us to go to there. So, finally, the time came a few weeks ago for us to finally go to The Marine Room. 

The evening didn't start out perfectly. Mr. Tall made reservations for 7:00pm on a Saturday, which was not the best idea because that is apparently the middle the restaurant's dinner seating, so we were not able to get seated at one of the tables by the windows (which obviously have the best ocean views). If you plan to go there, I would recommend making an early reservation for 5:00-6:00pm or a later reservation at 8:00-8:30pm (but you will likely miss the sunset with a later reservation). But without further adieu, here is the rundown of our dinner. 

I started with the Ocean Trilogy Tasting--Vanilla Lobster topped with Spanish Trout Caviar, Plum Tuna Tartare in Sesame Cone, Yellowtail Sashimi, and Lemon Myrtle Aioli. The tuna tartare was probably my favorite tasting, followed by the yellowtail sashimi and then the lobster. The tuna tartare was prepared impeccably--each piece of tuna was diced perfectly; the plum sauce had the perfect sweet and salty balance; and the sesame cone provided a tasty, crunchy vessel for the tartare.

Mr. Tall started with the Ancho Cacao Rubbed Brandt Farm Beef Carpaccio served with Winchester Cumin Gouda, Watercress, Fig Vincotto, Tamarind Pate de Fruit, and Horseradish Oil. There was also a toasted rye cracker and cocoa nibs. As you can see, the presentation is impressive (and the portion size was quite generous as well). There were so many unique components on the dish that you don't usually see with beef carpaccio. But once you put them all together, each bite was amazing and flavorful.

For the main course, I ordered the Lemon Verbana Annatto Basted Lobster Tail, which was served with Plaintain Timbale, Habanero Mango Sausage, Tangerine Lace Canton Ginger Butter, and seasonal vegetables. It was getting dark, and the photo doesn't do the lobster justice. The lobster was cooked just right, and the ginger butter was absolutely delicious and well-balanced. The dish was not as innovative as the appetizers, but really well executed.

Worth noting that The Marine Room has an impressive wine list with many wines by the glass and bottle, as well as classic cocktails. My appetizer and entrée went really well with a glass of Voignier (my new favorite type of white wine), and Mr. Tall enjoyed a Pimms Cup No. 1 (which is dangerously delicious considering how much liquor is in the cocktail).

Mr. Tall ordered the Midwestern Center Cut Filet Mignon, served with Hazelnut Potato Pie, Tilston Point Blue Cheese, Moutain Berry Chutney, all atop Mustard Seed Garnacha Sauce. He was initially going to order a halibut daily special, but they were out by the time we ordered. The filet mignon was cooked to a perfect medium, and the sauce was deliciously savory with a hint of sweetness.

Of course, we couldn't pass up desserts. We ordered the Spindrift Cobblestone Pie, which is definitely their most popular dessert item. It is essentially a gelato pie with a chocolate cookie crust, layers of Vanilla and Espresso Gelato, topped off with toasted hazelnuts and Myer's Rum Butterscotch. The pie was good, but nothing to write home about--and the butterscotch made the dessert too sweet.

We also ordered the Organic Cordillera Chocolate Bomb with Gianduja Crunch Crust, Griottes, and Red Currant Coulis, served with a shot of Pomegranate Aquavit. This is definitely the dessert for chocolate lovers--it was deep, rich, dark chocolate--and the more sophisticated dessert of the two we ordered. Mr. Tall and I took sips of the Aquavit, but it was powerful and had a really strong taste of cardamom.

The Marine Room is undoubtedly one of the most romantic and best fine dining restaurants in San Diego, so Mr. Tall and I definitely had high expectations. Our waitress was knowledgeable, friendly, but not intrusive, and the service was first-class as expected. The Marine Room didn't exceed my expectations because I was expecting perfection, and The Marine Room was perfect.

Enjoy,

LMC

Sunshine Means Strawberry-Lime Yogurt Pops

Since the weather in San Diego has been warming up, it was finally time to bust out the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, which Mr. Tall's mom got me last Christmas. I remember making popsicles using sodas and various juices when I was younger, but this Zoku Quick Pop Maker made the process, like its name, quick and easy--you can have popsicles in your hands in less than 10 minutes! 

Strawberry-Lime Frozen Yogurt Pops (Makes about 5-6 pops)
1-7 oz. container of Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
4 teaspoon agave nectar (add more to taste)
4 strawberries (de-stemmed and hulled)
A couple of tablespoons of milk

Blend all the ingredients in a blender and add milk until mixer turns to a pourable/smoothie-like consistency. I followed the instructions on the Zoku, which required the Zoku itself to be frozen for about 24 hours prior to use. These yogurt pops actually took about 12 minutes to freeze, but I think it generally takes less time (8-10 minutes) when it is a juice-based pop recipe. The tang of Greek yogurt is stronger than regular yogurt, so you may want to add more strawberries and agave nectar to balance out the flavor to your taste.

I can't wait to make other kinds of popsicles. I love acai, so I'm going to try and incorporate that into a popsicle recipe. I like the Zoku, but my popsicles will come close to the incredible and gourmet popsicles of Viva Pops.

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather!

Enjoy,

LMC

Happy V-Day 2011!

I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day because it is such a Hallmark holiday, so Mr. Tall and I don't really celebrate it. But it sure is a good excuse for me to bake! 

I made these heart-shaped Glazed Butter Cookies--they were super easy and fun to make!

Butter Cookie Dough (Cook's Illustrated, Holiday Baking 2007)
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup superfine sugar (or granulated sugar put in the food processor for about 20 seconds)
1/4 teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, room temperature
2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature

In bowl of standing mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt on low speed, and add butter 1 piece at a time with the mixer still running on low until mixture looks crumbly. Add vanilla and cream cream, and mix until dough just begins to form large clumps. Knead dough in the bowl to form a mass, then turn out onto counter top, divide in half, form into two 4-inch disks, wrap, and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes (or up to 3 days).

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out 1 dough disk to 1/8-inch thickness between 2 large pieces of parchment paper and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutter. (Cook's Illustrated suggests that you refrigerate the dough after it's rolled out and before it's cut out, but I didn't and it still baked up fine.) Bake until light golden brown, about 10-12 minutes, and cool on wire rack.

Glaze
1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Whisk cream cheese and milk until combined and no lumps remain. Wish in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Drizzle or spread glaze on cooled cookies.

I sprinkled rainbow baking sugar on the cut out dough before baking the cookies that I didn't plan on glazing--a colorful and festive option if you don't like the glaze. Although I like this glaze recipe because it's creamier and less sugary than most recipes, so it's worth trying the cookies with the glaze.

Happy Valentine's Day--however you spend it!

Enjoy,

LMC

Travelogue to Greece, Part II: Meteora and Santorini

After some sightseeing in Athens, my family and I traveled to Meteora. During the road trip, we made a pit stop where I enjoyed my first slice of Baklava.

The baklava had layers upon layers of crispy phyllo dough, bits of nuts, all drenched in syrupy Greek honey. It's definitely a dessert that you need to sit down with a cup of coffee, espresso, or tea--and to be shared--because it is so sweet.

While in Meteora (which in Greek means "in the heavens above"), we visited many monasteries that were literraly "suspended in the air," or set atop of hill tops and rock formations. We hiked up to a few monasteries, but others like the one in the picture below are not really by the public.

For lunch, we visited the simply named Cafe Meteora, which is family-owed and operated.

The place was so charming and had a lot of character--they even had a torch from the 2004 Olympics in Athens!

Every diner was invited to walk through their kitchen and see huge pots of stews, rice, and potatoes. We got a few different dishes, including lamb meatball stew served with rice. It was delicious and hearty.

The better dish though was this stewed lamb. The lamb was so tender and had a wonderful depth of flavors from the time it spent on the stove.

After a wonderful visit to Meteora, we went back to Athens for a night before we flew out to Santorini. We decided to keep things relatively low key and went to Athens' Old Town, Plaka, where there are many shops and tavernas. Because there are many tavernas, we didn't really quite know where to go, so we just chose a random taverna in one of the alley ways in Plaka. The ambiance was really nice, candle-lit tables, and an acoustic guitar band serenading the diners.

We started with this grilled Halloumi cheese. I'm not sure if this was just not the best Halloumi since I've never had it before, but I was not a big fan of the dish.

My sister Pinnerton really wanted to try the Dolmadakia, which are grapevine leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables. Pinnerton thought it was good, but I was really put off by the briny and sour taste, so I really did not enjoy this dish.

And the meal went down hill from there ... We ordered this sad looking plate of stewed lamb, and shared even sadder looking plates of chicken Souvlaki and stew that I don't even want to post.

Finally, we made it to Santorini! After a short flight from Athens, we are ready for lunch. My mom had read somewhere that a little gyro restaurant by the tourist information booth is supposed to be good.

The gyro pita sandwich was a bit disappointing. The meat was not as good of a quality as the gyro we had in Athens.

The Souvlaki suffered the same fall of low quality meat, which made the dish not as enjoyable as it could have been. But who cares about the food, when you're in Santorini--I mean, look at the view!

Santorini is even more beautiful in person--the blue ocean's contrast with the white structures is so breathtaking. If I thought Athens was hot, Santorini is ten times as hot! We were practically drenched in sweat just walking around.

After wandering around the island, we needed to cool down. So, we stepped into this little cafe and sipped on some deliciously strong iced coffee. I don't even drink coffee, but it was so good!

Here's another gorgeous view of this Greek island. 

After we watched a beautiful Santorini sunset, we enjoyed our last dinner in Greece at a rooftop restaurant. I ordered yet another lamb meatball stew--I can't help it, I love lamb and stews! It was not the best meal of the trip, but we were so exhausted by that point that we just wanted to sit somewhere and take in as much of Santorini as we could. 

I would definitely want to go back to Santorini and the other Greek islands, but am not sure if I would return to Athens. Overall, Greece was a fantastic experience! 

Enjoy, 

LMC

Travelogue to Greece, Part I: Athens

After the nightmare called the Bar Exam, most people take the obligatory post-Bar trip as the last hurrah before their law school career officially ends. So, of course, I went back to Thailand to see my family, and off we went to Greece! We arrived in Athens, checked into the hotel, and wandered around the historic city. After a bit of sightseeing, my sister and I needed a little snack. Restaurants all over the city offer street-side gyros served on pita bread--yum! 

Most places offer lamb gyros, but some also offer pork and beef. Definitely a tantalizing sight and smell as you're walking around the city!

Here is our official first lamb gyros sandwich of the trip--and probably the best! The gyros had a nice crust and caramelization from the lamb rotating on the vertical spit. The creamy Tzatziki (cucumber yogurt sauce) and fresh tomato perfectly complemented the gyros on the delicious pita bread. 

We wandered around Athens a bit more, stopping at some outdoor market. The Greeks sure love their dried fruit, nuts, honey, cheese, and yogurt!

Some apricots and oranges preserved in honey. After looking at all the beautiful food, we were ready for a real meal! 

We walked up to a little restaurant and ordered a couple of dishes. We got a plate of lamb Souvlaki, or marinated lamb grilled on skewers, served with the staples--pita bread, tomatoes, red onions, and Tzatziki (excluding that sad handful of fries).

We also got a pork gyros pita sandwich, which came with fries inside. It was like a Greek equivalent of a California burrito--not too shabby!

My sister Pinnerton ordered this dish of grilled eggplant, generously topped with dices of tomatoes and crumbles of feta cheese. I was not a big fan of this dish because there was no texture contrast--everything was just mushy. 

After lunch, we visited the National Archaeology Museum of Athens where we got a taste of how much history is in this country. 

The museum housed, among many artifacts, the famous Gargon's Head (350-325 B.C.!), which represents the head of Medusa, the most famous of the three Gargons. 

We spent the first evening in Greece on some dinner and a show tour (I believe it was called a Night in Athens), which was just awful. I wish we would have stayed away from that and just checked out a local taverna in Plaka (Old Town). 

Our first full day in Athens, we did a lot of sightseeing. We visited the Syntagma Square and made our way over to the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The most famous structure at the Acropolis of Athens is undoubtedly the Parthenon. The architecture and history were reflective in this impressive sight, and, as you can see, they had started a wide scale restoration of the temple and other structures in the Acropolis. 

By the way, Greece is scorching HOT in August! I think we nearly died of exhaustion and heat stroke hiking up to the Acropolis. The blood orange Powerade was definitely a much needed replenishment of electrolytes! 

Since we were starving and exhausted, we just stopped for quick lunch at cafe atop the Acropolis Museum. 

I ordered the sandwich with salami from Lafkada with Cretan gruyere cheese, rocket (arugula), and virgin olive oil. A simple and tasty sandwich that showcased local products.

My parents opted for a smoked trout sandwich with celery and lime. I think they enjoyed it, but I'm not a big fan of smoked trout and celery, so I didn't bother to try any. The cafe at the Acropolis Museum was a nice way to take a breather and enjoy a view of the ancient city.

After a day of sightseeing in the heat, we took it easy for dinner and just walked over to a mall in Athens where there is a small diner on top of the building with a nice view of Athens. My sister and I tried our first ever Moussaka, which is a traditional dish layered with ground meat, eggplant, and bechamel sauce. It's like a Greek lasagna, but I thought this one had a little too much bechamel sauce. 

Part II of LMC's travelogue to Delphi, Meteora, and (the best part) Santorini is coming up next!

Enjoy, 

LMC

The HI Life: Part II

After spending Day 4 snorkeling and laying out in the sun at Hanauma Bay, Mr. Tall and I headed to Ono's Hawaiian Food for dinner, which is a very popular restaurant for locals and tourists alike in Waikiki.  

The restaurant is in a quiet, commercial area, with a nondescript store front. There was a little bit of a wait, but nothing that would deter most people away, as the place seats only about 20-something people at a time.

 Mr. Tall and I ordered the Kalua Pork, Pipikaula (way better at Helena's), Lomi Salmon (which the owner of Ono's joked was the only way that Hawaiians get their vegetable, i.e. onion and tomato), and, of course, my personal favorite, Lau Lau. We also got a side of Spam fried up on the cooktop, and it was salty Spam goodness! While at Ono's, you felt as if you were at a neighbor's home who were cooking up some delicious authentic Hawaiian food. If you're visiting Waikiki, Ono's is a must if you don't want to venture out as far as Helena's for some good local cuisine.

Before Mr. Tall and I knew it, it was our last full day in Oahu. We decided to spend it just hanging out on the beach of Waikiki. For lunch, we walked over to Puka Dog--it's hot dogs with Hawaiian flair!

I got a veggie Puka Dog with lilikoi mustard and habanero garlic lemon sauce, and it was so good! I loved the combination of the sweet lillikoi mustard with the heat of the habanero garlic lemon sauce, all melded together with the perfectly salty dog, held together in a soft bun. I wish we had one on the mainland!

To end our Hawaiian vacation on a high note, Mr. Tall and I started the evening at The Halekulani.

The place to be in Waikiki for cocktail hour(s) is undoubtedly at House Without a Key at The Halekulani. We sipped on the classic Mai Tai and Ambrosia, which came with complimentary house potato chips. We also ordered an appetizer of chicken swekers to go with our cocktails. A full lunch and dinner menu is served at House Without a Key, but most patrons, like us, were there for the pre-dinner cocktail hour and the unbeatable ambiance.

We sipped our cocktails while enjoying the view of Diamond Head, the Waikiki shores, and traditional Hawaiian music and dance under the century-old Kiawe tree. The evening got even more beautiful as the sun set.

I got another cocktail called the Chi Chi, which for someone who's not a big drinker like me was great because it tasted like a coconut smoothie! If you can afford it, I would stay at The Halekulani. But if you can't (like us), definitely visit House Without a Key at least one evening, if not every evening, while you're in Waikiki. The classic cocktails, traditional Hawaiian music and dance, and the Waikiki sunset--it was a beyond perfect way to start our last night in Oahu.

Mr. Tall did some Yelping before we went out that night, which was how we discovered Yakiniku Hiroshi. There is a wide selection of Japanese restaurants in the Waikiki area as there are many Japanese tourists who visit Oahu, and, boy, we we glad we found Yakiniku Hiroshi!

You can order a selection of various (pretty pricey) meats or a la carte for fewer items (and to keep the costs down), and grill the meats yourself at each table's yakiniku grill. I don't remember what the cut above was as it was one of the specials that night, but it was so freakin' delicious.

This was the paper-thin steak grilled up and served with green onions, cripy garlic chips, and Ponzu sauce--totally mouth-watering!

Mr. Tall's favorite of the night was definitely the US Kobe "Toro" Kalbi served with Hiroshi's Special Marinade. The ridiculous marbling made for some of the most tender and flavorful beef we had ever had! If you are a quality meat lover, don't miss Yakiniku Hiroshi!

With all the good eats during the trip, Mr. Tall and I somehow didn't manage to find any Spam Musubi. So, on our way to the airport in the morning, we stopped by 7-Eleven for me to pick up a couple of them. I know that there are probably better Spam Musubi out there, but these were quite tasty, convenient, and satisfied my craving! Since our trip, I have made Spam Musubi at home several times, which is super easy thanks to my Musubi mold.

Unfortunately, there aren't very many good Hawaiian restaurants in San Diego to satisfy our cravings. There was a Leilani's Cafe that opened near Mission Valley, which I thought had the best Hawaiian food in town, but it closed after a very short time (there is still the original location PB). We have found Chamorro Grill on Mission Gorge, which serves Guamanian food but offers many familiar Hawaiian dishes like Kalua Pork and Spam Musubi. Mr. Tall and I have already been trying to figure out when we can make another trip to Oahu or another one of the islands--we definitely left our hearts in Hawaii.

Enjoy,

LMC

Coming next: LMC & familia travel to Greece!