Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

05 Dec 2018

Borneo Kalimantan Cuisine – Alhambra

Filed Under:

The Astronomer, June, and I haven’t dined on Indonesian food ever since the incredible food stalls behind the Duarte Inn permanently shut down. Dining at Borneo Kalimantan, along with our friends Andrew and Miri, reminded us how much we adore the cuisine and its awesomely sweet, savory, and funky flavors. We need more Indonesian fare in our lives.

Pro tip: Make sure to have plenty of greenbacks handy because this restaurant is cash-only.

We shared three orders of the Roti Prata ($3.99)—two at the start of the meal and one near the end. Wonderfully flaky and rich, the breads were served with a spice-tinged curry dipping sauce.

Also great was the Chicken Satay ($7.99), which were served in a pool of peanut-y goodness with a smattering of fried shallots on top.

(more…)

Restaurant Review

28 Nov 2018

Cindy’s Noodle Land – Arcadia

Filed Under:

2 Comments

A recent date night took The Astronomer and me to beautiful Arcadia. Following a sneak peek of the Moonlight Forest exhibit at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, we made our way to Cindy’s Noodle Land, where Shaanxi- and Henan-style noodles and lamb dishes reign supreme.

As soon as we walked into the restaurant, simply appointed with a mostly neutral color palette, I made a beeline for the cold appetizers in the case upfront. I have my priorities straight.

From the available selection, I honed in on the seaweed, tofu skin, and spongy wheat gluten (choice of 3 for $7.49). All three were solid, especially the lattermost, whose tang-forward flavors brought me back to the random street stall in Beijing that The Astronomer and I frequented over a decade ago.

(more…)

Restaurant Review

15 Nov 2018

Ms. Chi Cafe – Los Angeles (Culver City)

Filed Under:

0 Comments

Chef Shirley Chung serves up “progressive Chinese American cuisine” at Ms Chi Cafe, her newly opened all-day restaurant in Culver City. With dreams of pastrami-stuffed scallion pancakes and cheeseburger potstickers dancing in our heads, my colleagues and I endured the long trek across the city for a distinct take on Chinese American fare.

Prior to opening Ms Chi, Chef Shirley competed in seasons 11 and 14 of Top Chef and spent time in the kitchens of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon and Jose Andres’ China Poblano. There’s another Ms. Chi outlet at The Fields downtown, but she considers the Culver City location the flagship.

After placing orders at the counter, our group nibbled on mochi doughnuts ($2.50) while we waited for food and drinks to arrive. All three varieties—black sesame, matcha green tea, and chocolate—boasted admirably chewy textures and true-to-form flavors. The dusty black sesame was tops.

(more…)