Monthly Archive for December, 2011

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Eat My Blog Winter 2011: Sweet Sunny Success!

Published by Gastronomer on December 12, 2011 in Eat My Blog, Food Event and Los Angeles. 11 Comments

It was a scorcher this past Saturday at the fourth Eat My Blog charity bake sale. Even though the weather conditions were chocolate-meltingly hot, the turnout was terrific and we raised $4,323.86 for the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. It’s really incredible to think that our baked goods have yielded more than $16,000 over the years. That equates to $80,000 worth of food to assist families in our community that need a little boost. Hip, hip hooray!

We moved the party to the east side this time around, setting up shop at Pita Jungle in Old Town Pasadena. The neighborhood proved to be a great fit for our kind of wholesome food and fun.

On the donation front, we had the biggest turnout ever. With over 50 bloggers baking their hearts out and 20 restaurants doing what they do best, the tables at Pita Jungle were lined with an impressive array of delicious and creative treats. Additionally, Crystal Geyser donated water and iced tea, while Intelligentsia provided coffee vouchers.

We were also very fortunate to have Wesley Wong donate his time to capture some beautiful snapshots throughout the day. Here are some highlights of the sweets and savories that made Eat My Blog an incredible success…

Clockwise from top left—macarons from XT Patisserie, cake pops from The Catty Critic and Rock My Palate, chocolate dipped pecan pies from Sarah the Bear, and malted milk cookie tarts from Nosh with Me.

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Chung King Restaurant – San Gabriel

Published by Gastronomer on December 10, 2011 in Chinese, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review and San Gabriel. 3 Comments

Have you ever attended a dinner where you were so wrapped up in the company and conversation that savoring the food took a back seat? I’m sure that happens all the time for the average bear, but for a food blogging bear like myself, I try my best to keep these rambunctious occasions to a minimum. Otherwise, I end up with a post full of pretty pictures accompanied by vague descriptions, kind of like this one…

The Astronomer and I met up with Remil, Lien, Daniel, Darin, Danny, and Nastassia at Chung King for a weeknight dinner. At one point in the history of great Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley, this place was considered to be the very best Sichuan act in town. I was excited to see how it compared with my current favorites, Lucky Noodle King and Yun Chuan Garden.

With The Kung Food Panda in charge of ordering, food came out of the kitchen at a rapid clip. We worked that lazy Susan like she’s never been worked before.

The first dish to land on the table turned out to be the best dish of the night. The “saliva chicken” was mouthwateringly good with its spicy sauce and supple meat. Served cold, the chicken was appealingly congealed, which played off the spice just right.

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One Final Hurrah in Saigon: Vietnamese Crêpes

Published by Gastronomer on December 8, 2011 in Banh Cuon, Restaurant Review, Saigon and Vietnamese. 4 Comments

For our final meal in Saigon, our friend Hawkins insisted on lunch at Bánh Cuốn Hải Nam. Narrow as can be, this restaurant has been serving the city’s best crêpes for decades. While service and decor is mostly minimal, the food keeps customers coming back time and again.

The restaurant’s tidy alfresco kitchen faces the street, greeting customers with the aroma of hot crêpes as they walk in.

Every serving is steamed and stuffed to order in the minimalist kitchen. We didn’t wait but a moment for our plates of the house special bánh cuốn to arrive.

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Hủ Tiếu Cá – Vietnamese Fish Noodle Soup

Published by Gastronomer on December 6, 2011 in Banh Pate So, Hu Tieu Ca, Restaurant Review and Saigon. 3 Comments

The Astronomer and I were sent to Nam Lợi restaurant for their famous hủ tiếu cá (fish noodle soup) by Loan Le, “The Lady” of The Pig and the Lady popup restaurant in Honolulu. We ran into her under The Lunch Lady‘s tree and got to talking after realizing we were in the company of Americans.

She told us that a trip to Saigon isn’t complete without a meal here. The noodles were fantastic, as were the bánh pâté chaud (pork pastries) served alongside them. “The Lady’s” enthusiasm was infectious, so The Astronomer and I made our way to the restaurant the following morning for breakfast.

As anticipated, fresh-from-the-oven bánh pâté chaud were delivered to the table the moment we sat down. The pastry was flaky and rich, with a heavy-on-the-black-pepper ground pork filling inside. Oh, so good.

During the morning hours, Nam Lợi serves four similarly composed noodle soups based on one delightful broth. There’s fish noodle soup with wide rice noodles or thin egg noodles and chicken noodle soup with wide rice noodles or thin egg noodles. The Astronomer and I both stuck to their specialty fish offerings this morning.

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American Doughnuts on Saigon Soil

Published by Gastronomer on December 4, 2011 in Breakfast / Brunch, Dessert, Restaurant Review and Saigon. 4 Comments

Much has changed in Saigon since The Astronomer and I called it home three years ago. In addition to shiny new skyscrapers, helipads, and highways, an American-style doughnut shop has popped up in District 1.

After admiring Fresh Donuts from afar for the first two weeks of our trip, we finally let curiosity get the best of us and came in for a taste. The shop’s slogan is “fresh, delicious, everyday.” How could we resist such pleasant promises?

While it’s quite common for restaurants throughout Vietnam to display an altar with fruit and tea, it’s highly unusual to see one offering doughnuts too. Just to the left, behind the glowing red bulb, was a plated glazed cinnamon roll. I bet this gesture made the ancestors smile.

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