Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Now Closed

20 Feb 2012

Shaanxi Gourmet – Rosemead

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It’s been almost four years since The Astronomer and I visited Xi’an, the central Chinese city famous for its terracotta soldiers and Islamic cuisine. However, the moment we stepped foot into Rosemead’s Shaanxi Gourmet, our dormant memories came rushing back. With its guardsmen-flanked entrance, Chinese-only menu, and homey service, Shaanxi Gourmet transported us back to Xi’an for one night.

We were lucky enough to have the Kung Food Panda in our company this evening, which meant that the Chinese-only menu wasn’t a problem. For those dining without a Chinese speaker in tow, the restaurant’s walls are helpfully plastered with photographs of the most popular dishes.

To start, we dug into (clockwise from top left) shredded potatoes, congealed pig’s ears, and beef shank marinated in chili oil. The silky spuds were the surprise hit of the trio. Who knew raw potatoes could be so refreshing?

We also tried two versions of cold noodles. The one I liked best came simply dressed with chile, Sichuan pepper, and vinegar, which highlighted the noodles’ angular shape and springy texture.

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Now Closed

17 Feb 2012

Hungry Cat – Los Angeles (Hollywood)

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Weekend brunches and seafood shacks are two of my favorite things, so it was only a matter of time before I made my way to Hungry Cat. A collaboration between Maryland native Chef David Lentz and his wife Chef Suzanne Goin, the restaurant is famous for impeccably fresh seafood, served without fuss, just like they do back east.

The concept has been so well received that the restaurant has opened outlets in Santa Barbara and Santa Monica in addition to its original Hollywood location where I dined.

With the restaurant located on an uber-touristy stretch in Hollywood, I found it impossible to channel the seaside spirit. Still, the restaurant tried its best to evoke that eastern seaboard ambiance with fresh lobsters and oysters on display over ice and pictures of cats eating the day’s catch.

My friend Amy and I shared a selection of oysters to start. With three varieties on deck this afternoon, I decided to go for one of each—Kumiai from Mexico, Chincoteague from Virginia, and Malpeque from Prince Edward Island, Canada.

The oysters were shucked to order and served with lemon wedges, a red wine vinegar, a rice wine vinegar with ginger, and cocktail sauce. Slurping these briny bivalves instantly transported me somewhere beachy.

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Restaurant Review

15 Feb 2012

Waffles de Liege – Los Angeles

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It seems like just yesterday that the gourmet food truck trend exploded here in Los Angeles. Truth is, it’s been nearly four years since Kogi first hit the streets, tweeted its location, and wooed diners all over town. While the movement was rooted in providing late night grub for inebriated club-goers, it has matured over the years into something that appeals to the masses.

While attending the Santa Anita food truck festival a few weekends ago, The Astronomer and I were taken aback by the public’s still ravenous appetite for the trend. With demand exhausting supply, lines snaked on forever and food came out at a snail’s pace. One of the most popular trucks this afternoon was Waffles de Liege, Southern California’s first waffle truck.

Founded by George Wu and Lawrence Tai, Waffles de Liege specializes in Liege-style waffles that are wonderfully dense, flaky, and studded with pearl sugar. The dough employed on the truck is made from scratch daily using a recipe that the boys created after countless trials.

Waffles can be ordered plain, slathered with Nutella or Speculoos, or the most popular option, a la mode with ice cream from Fosselman’s in Alhambra. I ordered mine without bells or whistles in order to feel the crunch of the sugar in between my teeth.

After chilling by the truck for a solid 30 minutes, my waffle was finally ready for pick up. An upside to the truck being so darn popular is that each waffle is made to order, assuring that the product is impeccably fresh.

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