One of the unexpected upsides of the past couple of months has been growing as a writer. Finding new angles and exploring unexpected stories while reporting on the restaurant industry has been a tremendous challenge and a much-needed distraction. Here are a few pieces that I’m proud to have penned:
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Not much has changed since last. With the pandemic running its course and the upcoming election looming in the not-so-distant future, I’m still trying to make sense of it all while seeking out moments of joy. Amid all the chaos of 2020, I’m truly grateful for the family, friends, and good food in my life. I’m also thankful for this 14-year-old blog and its community of readers, so thank you. Here’s a rundown of where I’ve been eating lately…
It’s hard to believe that Long Beach is the furthest I have traveled since March. Located on the corner of Anaheim and Obispo on the edge of Cambodia Town, A&J Seafood Shack is absolutely worth a trek for incredible Cambodian cooking.
On the surf side of the menu are fresh lobsters hacked and stir-fried with aromatics, along with garlic shrimp that rivals the trucks on Oahu’s North Shore.
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One of the upsides of sheltering in place is having time to tackle fussier recipes. Dreams of homemade spaghetti with clams finally came true when a friend included me in a bulk order from Luxe Seafood, one of LA’s wholesale seafood distributors currently making home deliveries due to COVID-19. With four pounds of the freshest Manila clams delivered right to my doorstep, Noah Galuten’s timely recipe in hand, and an afternoon without plans, it was time to get to work.
Calling for just olive oil, garlic, spaghetti, and clams, this dish is as delightful as it is dead simple. After steaming the clams in a bit of olive oil and plucking out the meat from the shells, the noodles are finished in the clams’ reserved juices — infusing every last strand in briny goodness. With clams this fresh, it’s best to keep it simple and let them shine.
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