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Dim Sum Truck - Los Angeles

Published

on February 22, 2010

in Chinese, Dim Sum, Los Angeles, Meals on Wheels, Media Event and Restaurant Review

. 27 Comments

Fellow street food lovers: Meet the Dim Sum Truck. It’s the newest (and steamiest) meals-on-wheels venture to grace our fair city. The truck’s official debut is still a few days away, but The Astronomer I were fortunate enough to attend a sneak peek at the T-Lofts in West Los Angeles this weekend. I have a feeling that this truck is going to be mobbed once it hits the street, so it was quite a treat to scope it out before the hoards queued up.

The guy behind the wheel is Alex Chu, a USC grad (’09) with an entrepreneurial spirit, chill demeanor, and megawatt smile (his dad’s a dentist). Prior to joining the pack of Twittering trucks, Mr. Chu interned at BLT Steak and worked as a server at Sino Restaurant in San Jose.

The Dim Sum Truck was the vision of one man, but it took a village to launch it successfully. To assist with recipe development and vendor contacts, Mr. Chu enlisted the help of family friends working in the restaurant business. To create the truck’s distinctive logo and modern style, he recruited his tech and design-savvy high school mates. The team effort resulted in a truck that’s not only pleasing to the eye, but pleasing to the palate as well.

We started the tasting with a trio of parcels—shu mai, har gow, and a chive and shrimp dumpling. Served straight from the steamers, each one was hot, fresh, and packed with the good stuff. What made this dim sum experience different from others was Mr. Chu’s secret sauce. Salty, garlicky, and even a little spicy, this condiment made the dumplings shine and the flavors pop. I didn’t miss the lack of soy sauce or chili oil one bit.

Next, we dug into some sticky rice with sausage and mushrooms. The fist-sized package was wrapped in fragrant lotus leaves. Similar to the dumplings, the flavors and textures were totally spot on.

The final savory sample was a traditional turnip cake. The sides were seared and golden, while the innards were slightly creamy. The Astronomer thought that this was one of the better versions of the dish that he has eaten.

For dessert, Mr. Chu busted out the blow torch! Who doesn’t love dinner and a show?

The bad ass blowtorch-action resulted in an egg tart/crème brulée hybrid that was out of sight. The crust was properly flaky, while the filling was sweet and rich. The sesame ball had a lovely glutinous texture and was filled with smooth lotus paste.

All of the offerings that we tasted this afternoon wouldn’t be out of place served in the dim sum halls of the San Gabriel Valley. I really appreciated that there wasn’t any skimping on ingredients or watering down of flavors on board the truck. Nothing beats an authentic dim sum experience with squeaky carts and the bossy ladies driving them, but when a craving hits and you’re west of downtown, the Dim Sum Truck will surely do.

Follow the Dim Sum Truck on Twitter @DimSumTruck.

POWER RANKINGS

India Jones Chow Truck > Dim Sum Truck > Border Grill Truck > Cool Haus > Lomo Arigato > Don Chow > Kogi > Marked 5 > Dosa Truck > Phamish

M Café de Chaya - Los Angeles (Beverly Hills)

Published

Gastronomer

on January 29, 2010

in Los Angeles, Macrobiotic, Media Event and Restaurant Review

. 10 Comments

The letter “M” in M Café de Chaya stands for macrobiotic, a dietary approach of Japanese origins that is embraced by health nuts and Hollywood-types alike. At M Café, seafood, seasonality, and whole grains get the green light, while refined sugars, eggs, dairy, red meat, and poultry are given the boot. I prefer to simplify the matter and think of macrobiotics as veganism, but with a side of really fresh fish. The Astronomer and I met up with the lovely D takes a B for lunch at M Café in Beverly Hills last weekend.

Executive chef Shigefumi Tachibe provides a fresh take on the macrobiotic philosophies of Michio Kushi at all three M Café locations. What sets the Beverly Hills branch apart from the ones in West Hollywood and Culver City is its concise bill of fare and smaller space. Additionally, the “Little M” menu emphasizes convenience and affordability—to-go items are always available in the store’s refrigerator, and prices are a buck and some change lower across the board. However, considering that the typical clientele are lunching ladies taking a break from shopping on Rodeo Drive, I don’t think that prices or lack of free time are an issue. Zing!

Whether I’m slumming it at hole-in-the-walls or breaking the bank at Michelin starred establishments, I generally feel at ease when dining out. However, a funny thing happened at M Café—I felt totally like a fish out of water. While eating healthfully has always been important to me, I was out of my element navigating a terrain of egg-less egg salads and dairy-free puddings. Thank goodness Diana was by my side to help shed light on the soy bean-intensive menu.

When Diana suggested that we start with an order of sweet potato fries ($3.50), The Astronomer and I happily agreed. Dusted in chili powder and sea salt, the fries were well-seasoned and delightfully crisp. A squeeze of fresh lime juice added a pleasant tang. The fries were accompanied by a beet-tomato ketchup and a soy-based spicy yuzu mayonnaise. The faux mayonnaise was positively creamy.

I snuck an order of tuna tataki inari ($2.50) all to myself. The slightly vinegary brown rice and sweet tofu pocket paired perfectly with the slab of sesame speckled tuna.

Taking a cue from our M Café veteran Diana, The Astronomer settled on the Madras Tempeh Wrap ($9.75) with masala-baked tempeh, brown basmati rice, toasted almonds, raisins, frizzled onions, and crisp vegetables with curried soy yogurt dressing in a whole wheat lavash. From the nutty tempeh to the sweet raisins and creamy dressing, The Astronomer loved everything about the wrap.

I bullied The Astronomer into ordering the scarlet quinoa for his side item. The grains were visually and texturally interesting, but quite ordinary flavor-wise. The little chunks of beets weren’t enough to jazz up the salad.

I ordered the dilled tofu salad sandwich ($8.25) with diced celery, dill pickles, sliced tomato, and mixed baby greens on sourdough bread. Following the savory fries and curry wrap, my sandwich tasted sadly bland. The notes of dill were too subtle to breakthrough the mildly flavored tofu. I wished I had consumed the sandwich before assaulting my palate with intense spices.

My side of kale greens was as tasty as Diana promised. Coated in a spicy peanut dressing, the crinkly leaves were a pleasure to eat.

To finish, we shared a strawberry cupcake. The cake was very moist and dotted with fresh fruit. The frosting wasn’t as smooth or as rich as a traditional buttercream, but it still had an appealingly airy quality about it. M Café’s cupcake ranks alongside Babycakes in New York City as exemplars of vegan sweets. We also shared a chocolate pudding that was nearly spot-on, save for its mildly toothy texture.

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M Café de Chaya
9433 Brighton Way
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Phone: 310-858-8459

Kabuki Japanese Restaurant - Los Angeles (Hollywood)

Published

Gastronomer

on January 24, 2010

in Chain / Multiple Locations, Japanese, Los Angeles, Media Event and Restaurant Review

. 15 Comments

Ask me what my favorite restaurant is and I’ll probably hesitate a bit, then launch into a long-winded and inconclusive answer. Ask me what my favorite cuisine is (other than Vietnamese, of course!) and without pause I will answer Japanese. I find sushi sensational, ramen rockin’, and bentos bomb. I could eat this stuff all day, every day.

I attended a blogger dinner at Kabuki last week to sample some of the restaurant’s classic offerings and a smattering of new menu additions. Media dinners are almost always a treat, but the ones that serve my favorite cuisine are definitely extra special.

Kabuki, a chain of Japanese restaurants serving both traditional and contemporary fare, has been serving Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada for the past 19 years. There are currently 13 locations in all with more openings on the horizon (as long as the economy allows).

The restaurant’s niche is affordable Japanese cuisine served in a hip atmosphere with congenial service. Whereas diners spending only $20 at most sushi joints leave hungry, that is the norm at Kabuki, and most go home more than satisfied.

Joining our blogger dinner was Kabuki’s sake sommelier, Yuji Matsumoto. He paired various sakes with our meal throughout the evening. Logistically, Mr. Matsumoto isn’t able to service all 13 locations personally, but he assured us that every one of Kabuki’s waiters is trained to pair libations masterfully.

Dinner began with one of the newest menu additions—tuna poke with avocado and spicy ponzu sauce ($7.95). The salad was well portioned and extremely fresh. There was an adequate amount of tuna to balance out the heap of daikon and seaweed.

Next to arrive was a yellowtail carpaccio with jalapenos and tomatoes ($8.95). This was also a new menu addition. I was indifferent to the slightly spicy puddle of citrus sauce, but quite enjoyed the thin slivers of fish paired with chilis. I remember enjoying a very similar dish at Nobu in Las Vegas circa 2005.

Following the two light starters was a trio of funky sushi rolls. Of the three, I enjoyed the Baja Roll ($6.95) the most. It consisted of a spicy crab roll topped with a spicy mayonnaise sauce and pico de gallo. I was really surprised by how well the traditional Mexican salsa paired with the spicy crab roll. Score one for Mexican-Japanese-Californian fusion.

The Vegas Roll with cream cheese and salmon fried in a light Tempura batter ($9.95) was a mouthful of richness. The fresh and clean flavors normally associated with sushi were completely absent in this creation.

My least favorite was the Lasagna Roll, which consisted of a thick layer of Parmesan, mozzarella, and cream cheese seared atop a traditional California roll ($7.95). With three cheeses weighing heavily on its back, the roll tasted overwhelmingly dense and all-in-all a bit much. Although this roll wasn’t for me, a few of my dining companions were taken by it.

For the next part of our meal, we ordered entrees straight off the menu. Prior to my main course arriving, I sipped a warm and comforting bowl of mushroom miso soup. The soup contained lots of fresh enoki and shitake mushrooms and plenty of deep miso flavor.

For my entree, I chose one of the restaurant’s specialties—grilled shrimp risotto with brown rice and shitake mushrooms ($14.95). I should’ve listened to my instincts and avoided ordering an Italian dish, because the entree turned out to be a total flop. The rice was tasteless and gluey, while the shrimps were dry and overcooked. I had it boxed up after just one bite.

Thankfully, my tablemates and I ordered a selection of nigiri to supplement our entrees. Clockwise from top left—mackerel ($3.50), fresh water eel ($4.95), fatty tuna ($9.95), and sea urchin ($6.95). Each pair of nigiri met our expectations, although Fiona of Gourmet Pigs found the rice to be too cold and dense. Kubuki’s fishes aren’t earth-shatteringly good, but at these prices, they were more than palatable. I also indulged in an order of inari ($3.25), which was fish-less but still great.

To finish, I ordered a hazelnut craquant ($6.95) with bittersweet chocolate sponge cake layered with chocolate praline craquant and hazelnut mousse. A sweet and pleasant ending.

Kabuki Pasadena, I’m coming by soon!

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Kabuki
1545 Vine Street
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Phone: 323-464-6003