Monthly Archive for April, 2009

Kingburg Kitchen – San Gabriel

Published by Gastronomer on April 30, 2009 in Chinese, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review and San Gabriel. 9 Comments

Whenever I walk into a Chinese eatery in the San Gabriel Valley, there’s a very good chance that I’ll be greeted cheerily by the proprietress in Chinese. After saying “ni hao” with confidence, I usually have to come clean and confess that I’m actually Vietnamese.

Sharing a common language has an easy way of making people feel comfortable. Whenever I can’t come through in the conversation department, I find myself resorting to universal signs of satisfaction like smiling wide, giving a thumbs up, and rubbing my belly.

English doesn’t go very far at Kingburg Kitchen, but fortunately, pantomiming works like a charm.

During a mid-week lunch with my friend Carissa, we each ordered Kingburg’s noodle and dumpling combo ($6-7). From the limited menu, we both selected spicy beef noodle soup and boiled pork, sea cucumber, and shrimp dumplings. The only downside to Kingburg’s combos is that pan-fried dumplings are excluded.

The soup arrived first. The generously portioned bowl of noodles came out of the kitchen steaming hot. From the moment the broth’s spicy aroma hit my nostrils, I knew this soup was going to be outta sight. As I slurped my way through the hunks of tender and pleasantly fatty meat, bits of pickled mustard greens, and delicate egg noodles, beads of content sweat formed across my nose. Kingburg makes a fantastically good bowl of spicy beef noodle soup.

The pork-, sea cucumber-, and shrimp-filled dumplings arrived minutes after the noodles. The boiled parcels would’ve tasted fine on their own, but they bordered on bland eaten alongside the bold soup. To bring the dumplings up a few savory notches, I drizzled them in excessive amounts of chili oil.

After downing five dumplings and a large bowl of spicy beef noodle each, Carissa and I waddled out of Kingburg immensely satisfied.

The Astronomer and I, along with our friend Shay whom we met in Vietnam, returned to Kingburg a few evenings later for dinner. This time around, we shared one combo (spicy beef noodle soup and sole dumplings), a bowl of sesame noodles ($4.50), and an order of pan-fried pork and leek dumplings ($6.50).

Served hot, the “sesame” noodles turned out to be intensely peanut buttery. Even though I was hoping they’d resemble something like the cold sesame noodles I savored in Hong Kong, they tasted more like the peanut noodles I sampled at the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an. The addition of chili oil made these sticky noodles even tastier.

The boiled sole dumplings were on par with the dumplings I ate with Carissa, but the pan-fried pork dumplings were a bit of a let down. Although the skins had a nice golden sear, the wrappers were too thin and the pork filling didn’t ooze with porcine juices like the specimens at Dean Sin World and Luscious Dumplings.

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Kingburg Kitchen
715 W. Las Tunas Drive
San Gabriel, CA 91776
Phone: 626-282-2386

Jin Patisserie – Los Angeles (Venice)

Published by Gastronomer on April 29, 2009 in Bakery, Dessert, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review and Venice. 7 Comments

Jin Patisserie is a chick magnet.

Offering handcrafted chocolates, dainty sandwiches, artisanal teas, and painfully beautiful cakes, it’s no surprise that Jin has to fight females off with a stick.

I visited Jin Patisserie with my gal pals Laurie and Bex one sunny Saturday afternoon. Jin’s famously soothing courtyard was fairly empty when we arrived, so we had our pick of tables—we chose one in the sun.

After hemming and hawing over the menu long enough for our waitress to look slightly peeved, all three of us settled on the lunch set. The set included a sandwich of our choice, green salad, chips, and the Cake of the Day.

Bex and I selected the smoked salmon sandwich ($15.50); Bex ordered hers on white bread, while I chose an olive loaf. In addition to smoked salmon, the fixins included thin slices of cucumber and onion, Romaine lettuce, and a shmear of cream cheese. Bex and I liked the sandwich very much, but truth be told, there are limits to how good a cold sandwich can be.

With dreams of Euro Pane dancing in her head, Laurie chose the egg salad sandwich on Ciabatta ($13). Unfortunately, Jin’s creation didn’t come close to matching Sumi Chang’s open-faced beauty.

In regards to the sides, all three of us agreed that the chips tasted just like Lay’s. Laurie desired and expected something more “la-di-da and homemade tasting.” The salad was uninteresting rabbit food. In fact, it was so boring that Bex couldn’t even bring herself to eat it.

The highlight of our Jin Patisserie outing were the cakes. Kristy Choo, the proprietor, learned about food while growing up in Singapore and traveling regularly to Japan as a flight attendant. Her desserts have a distinct style that is aesthetically interesting and palate pleasing.

The Cake of the Day on our visit was a Lavender Gateaux (lavender butter cream layered with dark chocolate ganache on lavender sponge). The Lavender Gateaux didn’t appeal to any of us, so we accepted the $3 surcharge to substitute it for delights that better suited our fancy.

Bex chose the Inspiration (left – soft caramel with bitter-sweet chocolate with a touch of sea salt), while Laurie and I selected the Spring Bouquet (right – fluffy meringue, light exotic cream, fresh mango, and strawberries), which is served on weekends only.

Bex was thoroughly delighted by her Inspiration. The small nibble I had was salty and lovely. Laurie and I adored our Spring Bouquet as well. Laurie said that it was the lightest dessert she’d ever eaten and that it tasted like a sunny day. I agreed on both fronts.

As we paid our bill, Bex, Laurie, and I agreed to return to Jin Patisserie again. However, next time around we’ll lunch elsewhere because even though the cakes here truly take the cake, the sandwiches don’t offer enough bang for our buck.

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Jin Patisserie
1202 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291
Phone: 310-399-8801

BonChon Chicken – Los Angeles (Koreatown)

Published by Gastronomer on April 28, 2009 in Chain / Multiple Locations, Korean, Koreatown, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review and Video. 6 Comments

As soon as the Astronomer and I got engaged, our families and friends wanted to know if we’d set a date. It’s been nearly two months since The Astronomer popped the question, and no date is in sight. Our thinking was location first, then choose a date based on the facility’s availability. We’re trying to be as rational and logical as possible throughout this b-a-n-a-n-a-s process.

On our first afternoon of scoping out possible locations, The Astronomer and I visited The London West Hollywood and The Oviatt Penthouse in downtown L.A. We loved the rooftop and the English gardens at The London, but The Oviatt’s old Hollywood vibe wasn’t really our style. After thoroughly inspecting the two venues, we skipped over to BonChon Chicken in Koreatown for lunch. Wedding planning, like all proper endurance sports, really works up an appetite.

Similar to Chicken Day and arch-nemesis KyoChon, food orders at BonChon are placed up front at the cash register. While the chicken meets the deep-fryer—not once, but twice—patrons must patiently twiddle their thumbs. The wait time at BonChon is comparable to competitors, but a bit more exciting thanks to the compressed napkins distributed to diners.

To entertain ourselves during the tortuously long lull, I made a movie starring The Astronomer titled, “Napkin Fun @ BonChon.” It’s a riot, I promise.

Before our chicken arrived, we were each served a complimentary dish of coleslaw. The thinly sliced red and green cabbage was drizzled in a pleasant Thousand Island dressing. The coleslaw tasted worlds better than the bizarre ketchup and mayonnaise concoction at KyoChon up the street.

We were also served a complimentary dish of refreshing pickled radish cubes.

After a solid twenty minutes of twiddling our thumbs and making silly movies, the chicken finally arrived tableside. Our large order of wings ($15.99), half soy-garlic (left) and half spicy (right), was enticingly presented in a wicker basket.

The texture of both varieties was spot-on, with the requisite KFC snap wholly present. Flavor-wise, The Astronomer and I favored the soy-garlic variety for its dangerously addictive umami properties. The spicy ones were really tasty as well, but we both desired a hotter glaze—more burning, please.

BonChon is a formidable competitor in Los Angeles’ KFC battle, but KyoChon wins by a nose.

POWER RANKINGS

KyoChon > Bonchon > Chicken Day > Hite Kwang-Jang.

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Bonchon Chicken
3407 W. 6th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Phone: 213-487-7878

Grilled Cheese Invitational

Published by Gastronomer on April 26, 2009 in Food Event and Los Angeles. 8 Comments

Created by Tim Walker in 2003 as a competition between friends, the Grilled Cheese Invitational has grown into a national movement “dedicated to perfecting the art of grilled cheese, with thousands of cheese fiends and regional competitions across the country.”

This past weekend, droves of grilled cheese-loving Angelenos gathered on the grassy grounds of the Los Angeles Historic Park to indulge in some awesomely gooey sandwiches at the First Seventh Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational. If you’re wondering what the heck ‘First Seventh’ means, please don’t bother—it’s just the event organizers being really, really silly.

Heeding the advice on the event’s website, The Astronomer and I hopped on board the Metro Gold Line from Pasadena and disembarked at Chinatown. We knew the event would be a big hit, but were seriously floored by the number of people waiting in line to enter the park. Luckily, with my press pass in hand The Astronomer and I were able to bypass the crowds with ease.

The ambiance inside the park was Coachella- and Bonnaroo-esque. The overall spirit of the event was lighthearted, a bit silly, and downright quirky, especially with many of the attendees and competitors sporting their zaniest apparel.

Once inside the park, we headed straight to the Kraft booth for some freebie grilled cheese sandwiches. Throughout the event, the good folks at Kraft were churning out classic Americana grilled cheese sandwiches using orange-tinged Kraft singles smothered in between thin slices of white bread. Working fervently, the professionals manning the grills produced thousands of sandwiches to keep the hungry hoards smiling.

Even though American cheese is technically a ‘cheese product,’ I must admit that its mild flavor and oozy properties make for a most satisfactory sandwich.

Next, The Astronomer and I headed to the main stage to catch a demo by Chef Eric Greenspan of The Foundry on Melrose. Greenspan, a fun-loving and jovial fellow, bantered with the audience as he prepared The Foundry’s signature grilled cheese sandwich with Taleggio, raisin bread, apricot-caper puree, arugula, and braised beef short ribs. This decadent little number was declared the winner of the 2008 Grilled Cheese Invitational in the Kama Sutra category.

With its seriously skewed ratio of cheese to bread, The Astronomer and I knew that this sandwich was going to rule even before taking a bite. What made this grilled cheese special was the intermingling of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors, all wrapped up in a cheesy blanket.

Over 260 competitors entered this year’s competition. The Grilled Cheese Invitational is comprised of four rounds:

The Missionary Position: Standard bread, standard cheese (or cheeses), standard butter and NO ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS.
The Kama Sutra – vegetarian: Any kind of bread, any kind of butter, and any kind of cheese PLUS additional ingredients (the interior ingredients must be at least 60% cheese).
The Kama Sutra – non-vegetarian: Any kind of bread, any kind of butter, and any kind of cheese PLUS additional ingredients (the interior ingredients must be at least 60% cheese).
The Honey Pot: Any kind of bread, any kind of butter, and any kind of cheese (the interior ingredients of the sammich must be at least 60% cheese), and with an overall flavor that is sweet and would best be served as dessert.

The competition portion of the Invitational got underway at 1 PM with The Missionary Position, which was followed by the meatless Kama Sutra, then the meaty Kama Sutra, and lastly the Honey Pot. Although the kinky names weren’t exactly family friendly, I kind of liked ‘em.

In each round, competitors were given 45 minutes to produce five regular sized sandwiches. The five sandwiches were then cut into quarters, thereby creating the twenty possible votes from the judges. The cooks (left) and judges (right) were separated by a barrier of tables.

Everyone who attended the Invitational was eligible to be a sandwich judge as long as they waited in the proper line for an official “judging ticket.”

A judge must hand over an official ticket in order to receive a sandwich with a ballot stapled to the plate. Each sandwich is judged based on four factors: Presentation, Taste, Wessonality (Is this sandwich special? Style of delivery), and SPAZ (The Weird Factor).

Between The Astronomer and I, we sampled and judged six sandwiches across three rounds. We decided to sit out The Missionary Position because we favor adventurous creations.

Baguette rounds, bleu cheese, fig jam—a good sandwich, but the sweetness of the jam was hidden by the pungent bleu.

Jalapeno challah, smoked cheddar, manchego, Oaxacan cheese, corn chutney, Nueske bacon, grated chipotle peppers—my favorite from the Kama Sutra round for its pronounced spicy notes.

Curried ground beef, naan bread, Monterrey Jack—I appreciated the fusion quality of the sandwich, but would’ve liked more cheese.

Sourdough, prosciutto, cantaloupe, fig jam, Muenster—this sandwich would’ve rocked had the cantaloupe been perfectly ripe.

Raisin egg bread, mascarpone, honey, almond, dried figs—I adored the combination of honey, almonds and mascarpone. The dried figs, which were essential to the sandwich’s texture, weren’t plentiful enough.

Feta, Gruyere, quince paste, raisin swirl bread—salty, sweet, perfect. My favorite dessert sandwich of the day.

In addition to the grilled cheese competition, the Invitational also featured a grilled cheese-inspired poetry contest and a live art exhibit. The innovative artist sculpted a deer’s head from grilled cheese sandwiches made of Velveeta.

The Grilled Cheese Invitational was a phenomenal event. The Astronomer and I had a roaring good time chilling in the Los Angeles sun with thousands of fellow grilled cheese-enthusiasts. I can’t think of a tastier way to spend a Saturday.

Grilled cheese? Yes, please!

UPDATE: Click below for the list of winners…

Continue reading ‘Grilled Cheese Invitational’

How to Get a Reservation at The French Laundry

Published by Astronomer on April 25, 2009 in Napa Valley and Potpourri. 30 Comments

First off, thanks to everyone for all of your congratulations and kind words in response to The French Laundry post. Since a few people have asked, I thought I’d share some tips on securing one of the famously elusive reservations. This isn’t really groundbreaking stuff—all the info is available elsewhere on the internet—nevertheless, here goes.

Basically, getting a reservation at The French Laundry comes down to pure determination. They claim there is no special treatment, although I’m sure if you’re someone really important, things would be different. In any case, it is possible for an average person acting alone to get in, but if you are hoping for a weekend dinner, it’s going to take some persistent effort. There are two ways to make a French Laundry reservation; by using Open Table or calling on the phone.

Taking the Open Table e-Route

There are three tables for each dinner service available through Open Table, only one of which is for a party of two. All of these tables become available at exactly midnight pacific time, 61 days in advance. Unlike the phone lines, which sometimes seem to be switched on at 10:01 or 10:02 instead of exactly at ten, the Open Table system is completely automated. Using a trusty internet clock, click ‘Find a Table’ at exactly 12:00:00.

If you don’t mind eating at an odd hour (5:30 or 9:30), Open Table may be the best option, particularly if you have a party of four. In my case, the timing didn’t work—it was easy to pop out of class every day at ten and try calling the phone reservation line over and over for a few minutes, but executing the perfectly timed internet reservation at midnight without The Gastronomer figuring out what I was doing proved to be too difficult.

If you find a desirable reservation on Open Table, it’s not yours until you finish the check-out process, so act fast. You’ll want to open an Open Table account and sign in beforehand. The French Laundry also requires a credit card to secure a reservation, so have that ready as well.

Finally, if you’re fortunate enough to live in northern California or have extremely flexible travel plans, canceled reservations are often made available on Open Table. You can find these by searching for a reservation for a nearby date; when you get the ‘There are no reservations currently available for the day you selected’ message, click on ‘Find next available day.’ There’s a good chance you’ll find at least one table available, probably on a weeknight, within the next thirty days (which is as far in advance as Open Table will look using this option).

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Redial

Phone reservations are taken two months to the calendar day (i.e. call on April 25 to eat on June 25; some months this turns out to be the same timeline as Open Table’s, sometimes it’s different). If you call before 10:00 PST , you’ll get a recorded message telling you the reservation lines are closed. If you call back after ten, you’ll get a busy signal. Almost always. But keep trying.

As it happened, I first called the phone reservation line on January 21, the day The French Laundry reopened after their winter break. The Gastronomer was out of town at the time—so I had the apartment to myself. I started calling at about 9:55 and got the recording. At 9:58 or so I got my first busy signal. 100+ redials later, it was 10:30, and I still hadn’t gotten through. Not surprisingly, the call volume is exceptionally high on reopening day. I took a break and tried again at intervals throughout the rest of the day, but didn’t get through until around 1 PM the next day. Dinner reservations for Sunday, March 22 were all taken, but I was just in time to grab the last lunch reservation. Unfortunately, it was at 11 AM, a ridiculous hour for a $240 meal, but I took it.

The next week, I tried calling again for a Friday dinner reservation. I called a few minutes before ten and got the recording, then a succession of busy signals, and then, at about 10:03, I got the recording again. Frustrated by The French Laundry’s lack of punctuality, I hung up and redialed. At around 10:15, I finally scored. Instead of a busy signal, a voice came on the line, telling me to hold and wait for a reservationist. It slowly dawned on me that this was the same voice I had heard at 10:03—the second recording had actually been different from the first, and if I had just stayed on the line, I would have gotten through twelve minutes earlier. Still, I waited in eager anticipation, but when it was my turn to speak to someone, all the dinner reservations were gone. My heart sank—I had gotten lucky and blown it. It was looking like my proposal might have to be accompanied by a reservation for an early Sunday lunch. Still a nice surprise, but not quite what I had imagined.

The next day I awoke invigorated and determined to try again. By now I was getting the hang of the routine. There was no point in calling at 9:55—I waited until 9:59. At 10:05, magic! I held my breath while I held for the next available operator. If you’ve never tried to get a French Laundry reservation, I’ve got to say, it’s quite an emotional ride. Calling over and over and over and getting busy signals gets tedious, but when you finally get through—what an adrenaline rush! Nearly all of the tables for two for Saturday, March 28 were taken, but I managed to snag one for 5:45. It was the hardest thing not to tell The Gastronomer right then and there. Seven days and 500+ phone calls after I first started calling Yountville, I was set.

Piece of cake!