Monthly Archive for October, 2008

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Karina's Mexican Seafood Cuisine – San Diego (Chula Vista)

Published by Gastronomer on October 23, 2008 in Chain / Multiple Locations, Mexican, Restaurant Review, San Diego and Seafood. 1 Comment

After an especially unproductive week of lounging around my mom’s house and napping at odd hours, The Astronomer and I finally kicked our jet lag and started functioning like normal folks. Our first meal out and about in San Diego was at Karina’s Mexican Seafood Cuisine in Chula Vista. Located just nine miles from the Mexican border, the city of Chula Vista has a sizable Mexican-American population and of course, great Mexican eats.

The occasion for this festive outing was Cousin Danny’s 20th birthday. The ultra-exclusive guest list included (clockwise from top left) The Gastronomer, The Astronomer, Cousin Jimmy, Cousin Danny, Cousin Phil and Phil’s main squeeze, Tannia. Cau Bao (Phil and Danny’s papa) was also present, but I’m not sure how he feels about having his mug on the Internet.

The ambiance at Karina’s is lively and casual. The walls are painted a burnt orange (my favorite color) and have arty portraints hanging from them. Dining on a Friday night, we were hoping for some mariachi action, but unfortunately the band was off this particular evening.

The party started with some cold cervezas served inside a bucket. Phil, Jimmy, Cau Bao and The Astronomer indulged in the libations, while I nursed a glass of water the entire evening.

While perusing the menu, which is available in English and Spanish, we nibbled on warm tortilla chips and spicy salsa. We squeezed some lime juice into the salsa for extra zing! Since Karina’s is Phil and Tannia’s jam, we left the ordering up to them.

The Mexican food at Karina’s is nothing like the classic taco shop fare of carne asada burritos and deep-fried taquitos I grew up eating. The flavors here are fresh, nuanced and left me feeling virtuous (yes, virtuous), rather than bogged down by grease. Karina’s style of keeping flavors clean and simple reminds me a lot of dining on Japanese food.

Dinner was served family style, which was a perfect way to taste a bit of everything. The best dish of the evening, and perhaps the entire menu, was the Ceviche Karina’s. Comprised of shrimp, cilantro, avocado, onions, tomatoes and dressed with a chilie infused lime juice, this hefty starter is as lovely as can be.

The oysters on a half shell were beautifully briny and a treat for my uncle who loves these little guys. I indulged in one with a smidgen of lime.

I didn’t partake in the crab legs because somtimes I can’t be bothered with clamps and dirty hands. Plus, the amount of meat yielded doesn’t warrant such hard work.

When it comes to high-quality seafood, simple preparations truly are the best for bringing out natural goodness. The easy-on-the-eyes and light-on-the-labor grilled langoustines were plump and satisfying.

The languoustines were served with rice and beans. I was the only member of our party dying for some carbs, so I killed both with pleasure.

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Karina’s Mexican Seafood Cuisine
986 Broadway (between Arizona St & Moss St)
Chula Vista, CA 91911
Phone: 619-476-8648

Canned Peach Cobbler

Published by Gastronomer on October 22, 2008 in Crumble + Crisp + Cobbler, Dessert and Recipe. 1 Comment

After spending a year in Saigon and returning to Southern California, I’ve completely lost all sense of seasonality. Back when I resided on the East Coast, I craved pumpkin and root vegetables during this time of year. These days, especially when it’s eighty-five degrees with clear and sunny skies, all I want is cobbler a la mode. This recipe calls for canned peaches, so the taste of summer is definitely accessible from coast to coast.

For peach filling

1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 15 oz. cans of peaches, drained
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For biscuit topping

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Accompaniment: vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Make filling

In a large heavy saucepan whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Add drained peaches, vanilla, and cinnamon and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer mixture, stirring, 2 minutes and transfer to a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

Make topping

Cut butter into pieces. In a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. If using a food processor transfer mixture to a bowl. Add milk and vanilla and stir until mixture forms a dough.

Drop topping by rounded tablespoons onto peach filling (do not completely cover it) and bake in middle of oven 40 minutes, or until topping is golden and cooked through. Transfer cobbler to a rack to cool slightly.

Serve cobbler warm with ice cream.

Makes 8 servings.

Adapted from Gourmet, July 1997

Soaked in Sapa

Published by Gastronomer on October 21, 2008 in Banh Cam, Bun Cha, Com Binh Dan, Com Lam, Sapa and Vietnamese. 0 Comments

After five days in Hanoi, The Astronomer and I packed up our bags and headed to Sapa, a frontier town and district in Lào Cai Province in northwest Vietnam. Sapa is home to many ethnic minority groups such as H’mong, Dao and Tay.

Even though The Astronomer and I bought our train tickets as soon as we arrived in Hanoi, they were sold out of soft sleeper seats on the evening we were hoping to depart. Rather than endure a sleepless night on a hard sleeper, we opted to travel during the day. We left Hanoi before the sun rose and arrived in Lao Cai eleven hours later.

The train’s barred windows made us feel like we were trapped in a cage, but the picturesque and lush scenery was still enjoyable through the metal. The fresh mountain air was also a treat for our much-abused lungs.

The night before we boarded the train to Sapa, I was worried that we wouldn’t have anything to eat during our lengthy trip. My worrying was for naught because food and drink vendors were hawking up a storm throughout our voyage with vendors seemed to be hopping on and off the train at nearly every stop. Around lunch time, The Astronomer purchased a pre-assembled container of com binh dan (worker’s lunch) that had rau muong luoc (boiled morning glory), cha (pork forcemeat), two soggy cha gio (egg rolls), rice and tofu. The food wasn’t anything special, but it filled The Astronomer’s pit, which was all he really wanted.

The Astronomer fueling up and hydrating.

When we arrived at the train station in Lao Cai, a hired hand picked us up in a van and drove us to our hotel. It was raining during our drive up the mountain, but we didn’t think much of it. I went on a run as soon as we arrived, and for dinner we dined at our hotel’s restaurant due to the bad weather. The restaurant served a mixture of Vietnamese and Western cuisine. I ate a hamburger.

The following morning, we woke up to low visibility and lots of rain. The Astronomer and I were hoping to trek in the hills and zoom around town on a motorbike, but it wasn’t in the cards on this day.

Since trekking and zooming were out of the question, we decided to eat some hill people’s food and shop for colorful, hand-crafted gifts for our families.

As we headed to the marketplace, we spotted this woman grilling under an awning. After checking out her offerings, we decided to indulge in some grilled meats on a stick and sticky rice in bamboo (com lam). I returned a few days later to try a grilled egg, which ended up tasting just like a regular hard boiled egg.

Here she is brushing our meats on a stick with slick coat of oil to keep it from burning.

The meat on a stick was laced with lemon leaves and tasted nice and smokey. The Astronomer was so enamored that he ordered another. The hearty com lam warmed us up and hit the carbohydrate spot. We dipped the rice in a mixture of sesame seeds and salt.

Our next course were sweet and salty Vietnamese doughnuts filled with mung bean paste—banh cam (or banh ran for Northerners).

After a bit of shopping, we were ready to eat some more. The Astronomer ordered bun cha—grilled pork patties soaked in a vinaigrette with pickled carrots and daikon served with fresh herbs and vermicelli rice noodles. This version was all around inferior compared to those we ate in Hanoi, Saigon and America. Something tells me it’s hard getting fresh noodles in these here parts.

I went for another order of com lam. The grill master at this joint removed the rice from the bamboo to grill. As a result, the sticky rice was much smokier and had a crispier texture. Lovely, lovely.

The following three days were kind of a blur. We woke up to low visibility and an abundance of rain each and every day we were in Sapa. The relentless precipitation due to tropical storm Kammuri caused terrible flooding and mudslides all over the surrounding area, which made it impossible for us to get down the mountain. Even though our situation was bleak, tourists hoping to head back to Hanoi via train were in worse shape because the tracks were seriously damaged.

After way too many days of doing nothing and eating sad western fare, The Astronomer and I were dying to move on to our next destination—this trip to Sapa was clearly a bust. Before heading down the mountain, we rolled up the legs of our pants, slipped on some flip-flops and headed into town to chow on hill people’s food one last time. We ordered the usual com lam and meat on a stick.

As well as a plate of sauteed chayote with carrots. All three items were excellent, but we were mentally ready to blow this Popsicle stand.

A gloomy day at the market.

The weather was so gray that even the peaches looked sad.

More clouds, more rain, more low visibility.

The Astronomer and I eventually hired a driver who owned a military jeep to drive us down to Lao Cai. The rain finally stopped about half way down the mountain and we were able to take in some gorgeous sites.

The beautiful rice terraces of Sapa. We asked our driver to drop us off at the Lao Cai/Heiku land border. After clearing customs, we crossed the border into China and eventually made our way to the Beijing Olympics. I can’t wait to experience Sapa without the interference of a relentless tropical storm.

Hanoi Highlights II

Published by Gastronomer on October 19, 2008 in Bun Rieu, Hanoi, Hoanh Thanh, Kem, Scenes and Vietnamese. 3 Comments

Whereas our first couple of days in Hanoi were spent leisurely walking around town and eating in the Old Quarter, our final day in the capital city was crammed with a bevy of tourist activities. We started our day with a bowl of wonton noodles (mi hoang thanh) on Mai Hac De Street, which was touted by Rough Guide as having excellent local fare. The street had a handful of restaurants, but I definitely wouldn’t classify it as a culinary hot spot. In addition to wontons and noodles, the soup contained slices of barbecued pork, fried wonton skins, chives and a quarter of a hard boiled egg. Overall, a good soup, but it lacked the oomph of its southern counterpart. I say, more fish sauce and more black pepper.

Unsatisfied with our bland bowl of wontons, we headed a few doors down to a bun rieu establishment. Our zesty bowl of vermicelli noodles with tomatoes and crab was solid, and dare I say, nearly as good as Saigon’s beloved Thanh Hai. Fried tofu is the greatest flavor soaker there ever was.

After lunch, we hopped on our rented motorbike and went on a drive by greeting (similar to a drive by shooting, but more peaceful) to Uncle Ho’s mausoleum. One of these days I’m gonna wait in line and see Ho’s mummified body.

The Hanoi Opera House.

After site seeing on the motorbike for twenty minutes, The Astronomer and I were ready for a snack, so we stopped at a shack near the Opera House that sold ice cream and small bites. I ordered sweet sticky rice topped with French vanilla ice cream and toasted coconut (kem xoi). I give it three snaps in “Z” formation.

The always-savory Astronomer ordered a portion of nem ngot ran—slightly spicy meat that’s breaded and fried.

Properly fueled, we zoomed to check out the One Pillar Pagoda—Chùa Một Cột—an iconic Buddhist temple.

While in the neighborhood, we briefly considered going to the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Pros—air conditioning, cons—shame. The Astronomer was shaking in his boots posing outside the museum. After deliberating, we decided to put our dong to good use elsewhere.

Although the Ethnography Museum was not air conditioned, it was definitely an educationally stimulating and guilt-free way to spend the afternoon.

The multi-story museum contained all sorts of colorful and interactive displays featuring Vietnamese minorities. Exploring all of the exhibits got me really excited about heading to the mountainous town of Sapa. Plaid neon-colored do-rags are awesome.

We also saw a plethora of ancient carvings. One part Home Alone, one part The Thinker.

Outside the museum are a number of life-sized models of minority dwellings.

This one was our favorite.

Here’s another shot of the ancient Mccaulley Caulkin / Auguste Rodin hybrid.

After a couple hours in the museum, we headed back to the Old Quarter.

A trip to Hanoi wouldn’t be complete without a water puppet performance.

A water fairy prancing about.

The cast and crew take their bows. Farewell, Hanoi!

Halong Hype

Published by Gastronomer on October 18, 2008 in Cha Gio, Hanoi, Scenes, Seafood and Vietnamese. 6 Comments

If I were given a penny for every time I read the words “Halong Bay: Seventh Wonder of the Natural World” while in Vietnam, I’d have at least 10 bucks in my wallet. I visited this “wonder” back in 2000 with my mom and Ong Ty and thought it pretty, but no prettier than La Jolla Shores. The memory that sticks out the most from that first trip to Halong Bay was my idealistic, 18-year-old self being pissed that my Vietnamese shipmates were throwing their garbage into the The Bay. I’m no hardcore environmentalist, but geez, plastic bags floating in the water is unacceptable.

I would’ve been perfectly content to see Halong Bay once, but The Astronomer would have be devastated if he left Vietnam without visiting the hype that is Halong. Halong Bay, or Vịnh Hạ Long as the Vietnamese call it, is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh Province in the city of Haiphong. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes.

We booked a one-day tour from our hotel in Hanoi after shopping around in the Old Quarter, which is chock full of tour companies (most of which are unoriginally named Sinh Cafe). Not looking for a historic junk to cruise around in, a sleepover under the stars or a one-of-a-kind adventure, we went with a basic package that scooped us up in the morning, showed us around Halong Bay, fed us lunch and dropped us off in the evening.

The ride from Hanoi to Haiphong was long, but expected. We boarded our simple junk at around 11 am and set off to cruise and explore The Bay. Feeling especially festive, The Astronomer kicked off his Halong experience with a cold can of Halida beer. Woot.

Halong Bay looked just how I remembered it, but maybe a bit more crowded.

Hey look, it’s a boat and a tour group just like the one we’re on! Similar to our experience in the Mekong Delta, most tours of Halong Bay travel the same beaten path. Whereas this crowdedness may bother some folks, we’re cool with enjoying nature with others.

More tour groups! Tour groups are definitely not for those seeking intimate experiences. The Astronomer and I have signed on for many tours in our Vietnam days because it’s logistically easier and the company of strangers doesn’t diminish our personal experience.

Now, if this isn’t a karst limestone tower, I don’t know what is.

More limestone, more karst.

And before we knew it, it was time for almuerzo. Idle sightseeing sure does work up an appetite. Although these cha gio were of the frozen variety, The Astronomer said they were pretty decent. The taste of Ba Sau’s homemade cha gio was fresh in my memory so I couldn’t bring myself to eat a lesser version yet.

Crinkle cut fries.

Fresh skinless cucumbers and carrots.

Fresh but bland clams.

My favorite—fluffy scallion omelet.

Whole fried fish with tomatoes and scallions.

Squid. Not Phu-Quoc tender.

This cutie from Japan (and her mom and aunt) sat at our table during lunch. She was an AMAZING eater. I love kids that aren’t picky about their diet. She was also a big fan of the omelet so we had to duke it out for the last bit.

After lunch, we boarded a small boat to explore a secluded isle, which was supposedly the setting of a scene from the James Bond movie “Tomorrow Never Dies.”

We sailed into this small inlet.

This little excursion was the most peaceful part of our tour.

Halong Bay residents.

Our last stop on the Halong Bay express was the Thien Cung grotto.

Thien Cung grotto is a fabulous cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites. I could have done without the rainbow glow, but Vietnam just wouldn’t be Vietnam without the constant abuse of neon lights.