Change of A Dress

Girls love options.  That's why we can stock a closet with multiple dresses, tops, slacks, skirts, cardigans, etc,....even though there are only 7 days in a week.  So I am using this born given talent of mine to change my blog address!  Thank you for supporting my journey thus far, and I hope you join me in my future food adventures by clicking on the link:

Girl Eats World

Jalapeño Poppers

Whenever my girlfriends and I decide to have a get together, two things happen.  #1 is we all assume we're having it at Alyssa and David's place, and #2 we ALWAYS make sure Jalapeño Poppers are invited to the party.  In fact, these babies normally don't even make it onto the serving plate.  Usually when that heavenly aroma rising out of the oven can be detected in the family room, we distract the guys by turning on their 60" Sony Bravia to a game and stealthily make our way into the kitchen to "grab more wine".  When it comes to these bite-sized, melt in your mouth, easy to make treats, there is no sharing and no asking, "...are you sure you don't want the last one?"  Literally, it's a clear case of every man for them self!  I've talked these bad boys up so much that it's only fair that I share them with you.  So here is the recipe:)  Enjoy!

Jalapeño Poppers

Cooking Gear:
9x13 casserole dish or Baking Sheets
Paring knife
3-4 Bamboo BBQ Skewers
small mixing bowl
GLOVES!

Ingredients:
12 Jalapeño Peppers (at least 4 inches in length each)
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 pkg Ranch Dressing Mix (powder)
1 pkg Bacon
GLOVES!....or 1/2 a Lemon....trust me.

Directions:
Step 1)  PUT ON YOUR GLOVES....also empty cream cheese from it's wrapping into the small mixing bowl.  Put aside for the time being to soften.
Step 2)  Cut the stem off of each pepper, as well as making a slit down one side of the pepper so that you
open it up like a book.  Carefully de vain and remove all the seeds from each pepper.  Then cut them in half across the width to make them about 1-2 inches in length.  Rinse them under cold water and set aside.

Step 3)  Combine the dry Ranch dressing packet into the softened cream cheese, making sure that you thoroughly mix both together.  **if you want to kick the heat up into these babies, mix half of the seeds extracted from one of your peppers into this ranch cream cheese.

Step 4)  Stuff each halved pepper with the cream cheese filling a spoonful at a time.  Be careful to not over stuff them.  Don't worry, you can always use the left over cream cheese on tomorrow's breakfast bagel!  

Step 5)  Wrap each pepper with a strip of bacon and use the bamboo skewer to hold everything together.

Step 6)  Bake in the oven at 400˚F for 20-25 minutes.  Or until you can smell them in the other room and the bacon is sizzlin'! 

Final Step)  Grab them out of the oven and be prepared to make it like a running back!

  

        

Lunch Time = Broken Piggy Bank

Like the majority of all working gal's out there punching a time card for corporate America, the 1-hour lunch time limit is just not enough for me!  In fact, I told my boss the other day that it's actually killing my inner child...she told me to go take a 15 minute break.  Lol!

As is the case in most beach towns, Santa Monica boasts an awesome array of eateries that are not only fresh and healthy, but also within walking distance from Santa Monica Pier/Beach, 3rd Street Promenade, and Santa Monica Place Shopping Center.  The only downside is that because the area is high in tourist traffic, the prices are a tad high.  I feel like my piggy bank is forever broken!

I have been making an effort to walk around town during my lunch hour.  Not only to ensure that I don't start looking like a "Piggy Bank," but also because the weather has been so nice lately.  Along my walks, I have discovered a few hidden gems that are fast, affordable, and super scrumptious.  One of those places is Café Crepe, located on the corner of Broadway and 3rd St.  

Like their namesake, they specialize in and offer an extensive menu of sweet, savory, and vegetarian crepes.  My favorite lunch time item is their French Onion Soup.  It's probably the best I've ever had in Los Angeles.  It's not overly salty, and the Gruyére cheese is melted to that perfect point where it's like a firm blanket protecting that rich and savory broth, yet still stringy on spoon to cheese contact.  The best part is, a cup of this liquid love is only $3.50!  Which means if I want to put on my pink beret and the one pair of Christian Louboutin heels I own, and feel über french , I can splurge on a Parisian Crepe (lemon + sugar), and settle my bill for under $10.00.  C'est tres bien!   

          

GEN in line

What I actually meant to say is GET in line...because that's what you'll have to do if you want to experience the best Korean Yakiniku (aka BBQ), outside of Los Angeles's K-Town!

I was born and raised in New York, but at the age of 10 years-old my parents dragged me kicking and screaming to....Hawaii.  Yeah, yeah I know I can be a total brat sometimes.  However, if you were in my shoes, going through that awkward growth phase where everyone says, "Oh, you are going to be so pretty when you grow up!"...but the truth of the matter is your teeth don't know what straight is and your limbs are just..not..proportionate, you wouldn't be too excited to leave your friends and the awesome cousins you grew up with either.  The people and culture in Hawaii is so diverse, and unlike any other state in this country.  Think of it as a big melting pot.  Basically what it means for Foodies like you and I, is that we can pretty much find every style of culinary fare imaginable, AND all within a pretty close proximity to each other.  The cuisine is fairly traditional, and as authentic as if I was eating Jenn Kim's homemade Mandoo (thnx Omoni!).  

WE LOVE Korean food.  The 3 most popular Korean places in Hawaii are Yummy Korean BBQ (it's like a fast food version), Sorabol, and Millions.  I have to admit that the last two make the list solely based on the fact that they are both opened really....really late.  I mean like till 5am late...as in a few of the only places you can go to eat after a long night of partying.  Since I have moved to L.A. I haven't been to a Korean yakiniku restaurant that beats or even comes close to my favorite, Millions.  For an establishment to make the cut, they have to excel in 3 categories: 

3) The side dishes have to be varied, plentiful, and housemade

2) They have to give good dipping sauces and seasonings (miso past, sea salt, white pepper, etc.)

1)The meat selection has to be fresh, and of high quality cuts (not too fatty, freshly marinated)

...and we finally discovered a place that not only meets all 3 requirements, but one that can also compete with our hometown favorites!  Gen Korean BBQ and Yakitori Bar in Tustin, CA.  We went around lunch time and there was about a 15-20min wait.  The restaurant was recently remodeled, so it's very clean and inviting.  The staff is super attentive and very helpful with translating the menu.  The only downside is that it's not properly ventilated.  Most of the more established and modern yakiniku restaurants have fans/vents built into the grills, or at least a suction vent attached to the ceiling.  This way you don't walk out of there smelling like a grilling pit, which we totally did that day.  But I have to admit that it was sooooo worth it!  The meat/seafood selection, sauces, and side dishes were so yummy.  The best part....it was all you can eat for $40 per couple!  Need I say more?....I don't think so!            

Crack is Wack....***disclaimer: unless you're referring to an amazing sauce on some awesome fries!

One of the things I love about Los Angeles (aka La La Land), is that people get REALLY creative here.  Whether it's the influence from Hollywood to acquire fame, or the simple fact that the immediate Downtown/Hollywood/West LA area is a gypsy town made up of mostly transplants rather than born and raised "Angelinos", this city is hell bent on making a "hear me roar" type of presence in this world.  Everything is cool in LA, everyone tries to be trendy...which of course includes the food.
I was never a big fan of The Burger until I moved to LA.  Don't get me wrong, I could always appreciate a good burger every now and then, but it was never my #1 mission to mop the town's best burgers till this past year.  I have to blame it on Umami (more on this bad boy at a later date).
The burger of my childhood like most of you was a juicy grilled patty with maybe some onions...perhaps a dash of worchestershire sauce...at the very most a slice of chedder and of course all the fixings.  The most flavor I ever experienced was when I moved to Hawaii at the age of 10 years-old and had a May's Patty burger at a pot luck, (by the way I HATE May's patty burgers...disclaimer #2).  That all changed for me when 18 years later Jason "put a ring on it", and I found myself living in LaLa Land.  Let me break it down for you:
My fiancé, Jason, and I met up with my girlfriend Twixxy and her husband for a late night munching session at this place called FukuBurger in Hollywood.  Like I mentioned before, the restaurant set up was very trendy with the Neon sign, projector screen playing Pulp Fiction, and picnic style table and bench seating.  Their menu selection was limited and parking was whatever you could find on the street, but as soon as I found out they had Guinness on tap, things were looking up for me and I was beginning to see the potential.
After a quick toast, and an enlightened conversation where we discovered that Twixxy's husband is an aerospace software engineer, and that his department actually made that discovery which was mentioned on the news about the OTHER universe with THAT planet that could also sustain 70 degree weather just like earth, (yeah...I am never showing him my SAT scores), we decided to order.  Fact #121: Han is EXTREMELY indecisive when it comes to food.  For me, it's like Sophie's Choice, I can't pick because it's like asking me to pick between my children.  I..Just..Can't..Do..It.  Sooooooo, we all decided to order one of each burger and just share.  Long story short, it was THE BOMB!  My favorites were the Buta and the Tamago Burgers.  I love bacon and I love eggs, what more can I say.  Their french fries were probably the best I've had in my entire life.  Their secret weapon is a house creation coined "Crack Sauce" that they put on almost everything.  It's so addicting... it's literally like crack to a foodie person.  It's part savory, mayo-ish, while at the same time salty, spicy, and sweet.  It's not like teriyaki or ton-katsu sauce.  It's a little garlic-y.  I can't put my finger on it, but i could put that $h!^ on everything!

Feel free to drool over below pictures.

It Starts At the Beginning

Is this really happening?  Have I jumped on the Blogger Bandwagon?  In the past, whenever people tried to entice me into following their blogs...I never did.  It wasn't until my cousin Thao, author of the blog Diary Of A Melting Girl, started her journey that I FINALLY got it.  I realized that blogging isn't just a place for the crazies to showcase their love for Good Luck Trolls (You know what I'm talking about...those scary 3 inch dolls with the rainbow dyed hair and jeweled belly buttons), though I completely support that they have their place in this Internet universe as much as any of us do.  Blogging is a place where references can be made and supported, where people can connect and find out information not found in Wikipedia.  It's a place where a first generation, Chinese-American girl, with unusually sensitive olfactory senses, can share her massive obsession with food.  


Because of my love for all things that give me nutritional sustenance, I get around a lot...around the eatery scene I mean, haha (p.s. I also like making bad jokes).  When I'm not trying new foods, you can most likely find me returning/checking-out books at the Santa Monica Public Library.  What I love about books, and why I have so much respect for great writers, is that they can organize thoughts and emotions, portray characters and exotic scenes in a way that transport us out of our day to day lives and into the world THEY want us to experience.  You know you've read a really good book when it leaves you with an excitement for your own adventure.  For me, this blog is a way to document my food and life adventures in this new chapter of my life...And if it saves even just one person from making the mistake of trying a mediocre restaurant, instead of experiencing an awesome eatery you would be proud to bring your cousin Julie from Boston to, let's just say "mission accomplished".