Monthly Archive for January, 2007

Page 3 of 5

Á Châu – San Diego

Published by Gastronomer on January 21, 2007 in Banh Mi, Deli, Restaurant Review, San Diego and Vietnamese. 3 Comments

January 16, 2007
Cuisine: Vietnamese, Deli

4644 El Cajon Blvd Ste 111
San Diego, CA 92115-4432

Phone: 619-281-4066
Website: none

–

Bánh Mì Bì Chả ($3)

–

One of my favorite traditions in San Diego is picking up some Bánh Mì at A Chau for my long flight back to Philadelphia. On our way to the airport, the Astronomer and I picked up two Bánh Mì Bì Chả and one Bánh Mì Nem Nướng for our long trip back east.

I enjoyed my Bánh Mì Bì Chả on the second leg of my flight. Of all the different combinations of Bánh Mì, the Bì Chả is far and away my favorite and A Chau makes it best. Bì is thinly shredded pork mixed with cooked and thinly shredded pork skin. Chả are Vietnamese meats spiced and flavored in a multitude of ways and is often ground to a paste and cooked. Chả is often referred to as Vietnamese sausages or sometimes steamed pâté rolls. The difference in taste and texture between the Bì, Chả, and pickled vegetables is what makes this sandwich so delicious! The onion oil adds another dimension in flavor as well.

The Astronomer ate his Bánh Mì Nem Nướng on the second leg of the flight as well. Nem Nướng is barbecued Vietnamese meatballs. They are often reddish in color and grilled on skewers like kabobs. Ingredients in the marinade include fish sauce. He enjoyed his sandwich immensely.

Extraordinary Desserts – San Diego

Published by Gastronomer on January 19, 2007 in Bakery, Chain / Multiple Locations, Dessert, Restaurant Review and San Diego. 0 Comments

January 15, 2007
Cuisine: Desserts

1430 Union Street
San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: 619-294-7001
Website: www.extraordinarydesserts.com

–

Dessert I: Passion Fruit Ricotta Torte – ricotta cake layers, soaked with passion fruit juice and layered with passion fruit whipped cream, kiwis, strawberries and bananas ($7.50)

Dessert II: Lemon Fruit Tartlette – a crisp buttery tart shell filled with lemon cream and topped with fruits of the season ($7.50)

Dessert III: Chocolate Truffle Loaf ($5)

Dessert IV: Caribe - chocolate mousses infused with mangos, bananas and passion fruit layered between dark chocolate lilikoi soaked chocolate cakes and finished with dark chocolate and topped with fresh tropical fruits ($7.50)

Dessert V: Apple and Berry Croissant Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Ice Cream ($10.95)

Dessert VI: Lemon Bar ($3)

Dessert VII: Hot Fudge Sundae ($10)

–

After reading and hearing good things about Extraordinary Desserts, a group of friends and I headed over to see if their sweets were truly as “extraordinary” as their name implied. Besides serving desserts, the restaurant also has gourmet teas, panini, salads, and bruchetta on the menu. The atmosphere in Extraordinary Desserts is relaxed, trendy, and modern.

Kellie and Justin started the evening with some warm drinks. Kel ordered the White Hot Chocolate ($6), while Justin had a mocha ($4.50). Kellie thought her drink was “the best thing ever.” I took a sip and found it awesome as well. The flavor was strongly vanilla and had a light sprinkling of cardamon. Kellie’s hot chocolate came with a side of whipped cream and an extra serving of cocoa. Awesome. Justin liked his mocha too.

The presentation at Extraordinary Desserts is gorgeous. Pureed fruit sauces and fresh flowers accompanied all of our dessert selections. The Astronomer and I shared the Apple and Berry Croissant Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Ice Cream and a Lemon Bar. The cinnamon ice cream was excellent, but I was too busy chatting with my old friends to give the desserts my full attention. The Astronomer thought both the lemon bar and bread pudding were great, but quite pricey. I agree, eleven bucks is a bit high for dessert. In regards to the lemon bar, the ratio of lemon to crust was 1:1. I prefer more lemon and less shortbread.

Kellie ordered the Passion Fruit Ricotta Torte, which I thought was the best dessert of the evening. The tropical fruit flavors were explosive and refreshing! The fruit purees further intensified the flavors. I will definitely order it on my next visit. Mike ordered the Lemon Fruit Tartlette.

Justin, a huge fan of chocolate, ordered a hot fudge sundae. He was expecting Hershey’s chocolate syrup, but instead got actual fudge! Imagine that! He disliked the copious amount of whipped cream atop the sundae and yearned for nuts. Justin couldn’t finish his sundae because the chocolate was too intense toward the end. Regardless, for $10 Justin was hoping for a larger serving. I agreed.

Even though Cousin Phil is not a big fan of desserts, he ordered a chocolate loaf. He liked it as much as a non-dessert lover could. Tannia ordered the Caribe, which she and Phil both really enjoyed.

In-N-Out Burger – Pacific Beach

Published by Gastronomer on January 18, 2007 in Burgers, Chain / Multiple Locations, Fast Food, Restaurant Review and San Diego. 3 Comments

Photo by Joyous!

January 15, 2007
Cuisine: Fastfood, Burgers

2910 Damon Ave.
Pacific Beach, CA 92109

Phone: 1-800-786-1000
Website: http://www.in-n-out.com

–

Entree I: Double-Double ($2.75) with Fries ($1.09)

Entree II: Cheeseburger, Protein Style, Animal Style ($1.85)

–

Ever since reading Fast-food Nation, I’ve wanted to eat at In-N-Out Burger to support their high food standards and fair employment practices. The Astronomer and I met up with his friend Jason (AKA San Diego H8R) from JBS for a quick lunch at In-N-Out before exploring the wonders of UCSD.

The Astronomer ordered the classic Double-Double and a side of fries. He thought the burger was delicious, even with the Thousand Island dressing. The fries were “nothing special,” but he liked how they were free of nasty trans-fats. Me too.

I normally order a Double-Double, but wanted to try the “secret menu.” I ordered a cheeseburger “Animal Style” (A mustard cooked beef patty served on a bun with pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, extra spread and grilled onions) and “Protein Style” (Instead of a bun, the burger is wrapped in lettuce). The burger was very messy to eat due to the extra spread and lack of buns. The grilled onions were fabulous and the burger overall was very good! The secret menu is quite a novelty, but next time I may just go for a plain old Double-Double with grilled onions.

Nacho's Taco Shop – San Diego (La Mesa)

Published by Gastronomer on January 18, 2007 in Mexican, Restaurant Review and San Diego. 0 Comments

January 14, 2007
Cuisine: Mexican

7589 University Ave
La Mesa, CA 91941

Phone: 619-462-9414
Website: none

–

Carne Asada Burrito ($3.50)

Horchata ($0.99)

–

While Filiberto is my Mexican fast-food standby in La Mesa, Cousin Michael recommended the Astronomer and I try Nacho’s for great carneasada burritos. We took his advice and headed to Nacho’s after the Chargers suffered a devastating lost to the Patriots.

We ordered a burrito and a horchata to share. Cousin Michael was right, the carneasada burrito was excellent. The tortilla was warm and the meat was very flavorful. There was just enough guacamole to keep things interesting; too much meat and tortilla can get boring fast.

The horchata, which is rice milk flavored with cinnamon, was great as well and SO refreshing. I wish Horchata was more readily available on the East Coast. Even though I normally don’t drink my calories, Horchata is the worthiest exception.

Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant – San Diego

Published by Gastronomer on January 18, 2007 in Chinese, Restaurant Review and San Diego. 0 Comments

January 13, 2007
Cuisine: Chinese

3709 Convoy St # 101
San Diego, CA 92111

Phone: 858-565-6888
Website: www.emeraldrestaurant.com

–

Course I: Vietnamese Appetizers: Cha, Shrimp, Octopus, Century Eggs, Jellyfish

Course II: Crispy Quail

Course III: Shrimp and Scallops with Broccoli

Course IV: Seafood Soup

Course V: Abalone with Shitake Mushrooms and Broccolini

Course VI: Lobster with Butter Sauce

Course VII: Steamed Whole Red Snapper with Ginger and Onions

Course VIII: Crispy Garlic Chicken

Course IX: Soft Noodles w/Mushroom & Yellow Leek

Course X: Shrimp and BBQ Pork Fried Rice

Course XI: Lingyoong Bau (Lotus Seed Buns)

–

Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant was the site of my Grandpa’s 80th birthday soiree. The guest list numbered close to 100 and the food courses seemed endless. While there are definitely tastier options for Chinese food in San Diego, my family chose Emerald for its classy ambiance. Emerald was also the site of my aunt’s pre-wedding fete and my Grandma’s 70th birthday party.

Our feast began with some cold appetizers. I especially liked the octopus, century eggs, and jellyfish. It was my first time eating the blackened eggs and I liked them quite a bit, but I admit that the color is a bit off-putting.

I did not try the second course because friends of chicken rarely pique my interest. The third course, shrimp and scallops with broccoli, were very mild in flavor which is very uncharacteristic of Chinese food. I skipped the fourth course as well because I am not a big fan of seafood soup. My family loves this soup; hence we eat it every Christmas.

The fifth course of abalone was one of my favorites! It was my first time trying abalone, I thought it had a very pleasant taste and texture. The accompanying shitake mushrooms were also outstanding.

The lobster was also a standout. The meat was succulent and flavorful. I especially liked how the labor of eating lobster was non-existent because the lobster was disassembled in the kitchen.

The whole red snapper with ginger and onions was great too, but brother thought that it was overcooked. The taste of ginger was prominent throughout the dish and the soy based sauce flavored the fish well.

I didn’t have any of the crispy chicken during the actual dinner, but enjoyed some leftovers. While I am generally not a fan of chicken, these preparations were outstanding. I don’t know how the chefs did it, but the meat was very flavorful (and not just the skin). Well done.

The noodles and rice were very good as well, but I wish they were brought out first rather than last. Carbs and meat go hand in hand in Chinese food.

Our dessert was a type of baozi filled with sweetened Lotus seed paste and it was delicious. The dough was fluffy and the paste was just sweet enough. Most people passed on the baozi because we also had an amazing tiramisu. I had both.