Quick Bite Highlights @ Umami Burger, Mendocino Farms, Drago Centro & VegeUSA

Just trying to jumpstart into a regular blogging routine again, so gonna attempt a weekly habit of recapping favorite bites that I've Instagrammed from the past week or so . . .

At Umami Burger in Los Feliz, I lunched on one of my favorite turkey burgers in town, the Greenbird that's piled high with assorted green toppings: butter lettuce, sprouts, green goddess dressing, crushed avocado and even a ever-so-slightly "green cheese" (which I found out from LA Weekly is a combo of more green goddess with ricotta & goat cheeses.) I love that the burger isn't dried out or too crumbly, and the assorted toppings gave it an interesting flavor and texture (I even appreciated the green cheese, even though I normally prefer a more melty cheese for a burger.)

The Smushed Potatoes with a smear of aioli were great too, love the contrast between the salty crisp skin and the buttery, fluffy interior. Alas, this was a side meant for sharing and I couldn't finish this on my own!

While working in downtown LA, I lunched at Mendocino Farms with a very yellow meal of Turkey Leg Confit sandwich with a side of Curried "That's a Choke" Couscous deli salad. The sandwich was messy (the housemade "yellow rooster sauce" was pretty watery) but worth it, giving a subtle heat to the juicy pulled turkey leg and providing some balance against the papaya slaw and pickled red onions. Of course, I also asked for a side of their jalapeno relish, which kicked up the heat factor a hundred times with repeated dipping.

The side deli salad was also great, but again, too much food for me to handle after the sandwich. So I'm thankful it already came in a to-go container, which allowed me to convert it into a breakfast (topped with diced avocados) the morning after.

While debating dinner plans that same day, I also made a stop by Drago Centro, which has one of the best bar menu deals in downtown (and possibly LA) with a variety of tasty bar bites and drinks on their all day long happy hour menu. Normally I wouldn't give a second thought about dining at Drago but after the Mendocino carb fest for lunch, I couldn't bring myself to indulge in pasta here (and not ordering it would've been sacrilegious!)

So I indulged on a simple snack four of Crystal Point Oysters topped with rhubarb "caviar", 4 for $5, and a glass of Le Vigne de Alice Prosecco. I was also lucky enough to taste some of their Spring cocktail experimentations, but will keep that hush hush until they're perfected for debut later this month. (Ok, maybe I'm not so great at keeping a secret, particularly after a glass of bubbly.)

And lastly, this past Friday I had a chance to finally check out VegeUSA, a vegetarian marketplace with a small café attached. I went for a trio of their Vegan Tacos ($1.90 each) and even though I'm not big on faux meats, the "fish" taco had surprisingly great flavor and texture -- might've even fooled me for real fish if not for its perfect slice shape, even after a deep-fry.

I wasn't so hot about the other two fake meats ("spareribs" and "BBQ chicken") but the fish taco is promising enough that I'll give some of their other dishes a try (definitely curious about their faux-crabcake salad), and shop from their market as well -- particularly stockpiling on their frozen vegetarian steamed buns!

Tasting Omni Hotels' Simply Street Food Menu @ Noe Restaurant & Bar

As far excitement goes, those in hotel restaurants — particularly chains — tend to be pretty bleh. The drill and the menu reads all too familiar. Overdressed Caesar salad, a minestrone that’s been simmering for who knows how long, and of course the “just kill my tastebuds” club sandwich.

So when Conbon and I were invited to check out Omni Hotels’ Simply Street Food menu, I was definitely surprised to see them do a little risk taking with the bar fare offerings.

Wary travelers looking for comfort grub, don’t fret; Noe still offers the familiar fare of burgers and mac ‘n cheese, though I would definitely steer you towards their seafood-focused offerings, or the more exotic bites of the Simply Street menu, regionally inspired from chefs across the Omni Hotel chain. And out of that menu, these are the ones we loved the best.

Chicken Musakhan Sandwich

A great Middle Eastern spin off a chicken salad sandwich; tender, succulent pieces of chicken are roasted with aromatic spices (the sumac was the most noticeable for me) then wrapped in a pillowy flatbread with tomatoes and sweet onions. It’s festively flavorful and finger-friendly, making it a great bar bite (especially if you have a hoppy beer or an herbacious cocktail in the other hand.)

Duck Confit Empanada with Smoked Tomato Mayonnaise

A lovely high-meets-low snack, sweet duck confit is mixed with cabbage then baked into a crispy pastry crust, rounded out by the tangy & smoky dip. Like the Musakhan, I love that this is also fairly robust in flavors, and can easily hold its own against a more potent & aromatic drink.

Short Rib & Vermont Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Probably the most familiar of the Simply Street menu, I love this elevated take on the classic with short rib that’s been braised for hours, accented with the nutty tang of cheddar and smacked in between two crisped slices of sweet brioche.

And since we were at the Noe Bar, we took the time to check out some of their libations too. While I was impressed with the Vineyard Margarita pictured above (the addition of Sauvignon Blanc gave this usually-too-cloying drink a refreshing, spritzy feel), Conbon and I definitely gravitated towards Noe's Prohibition-era drinks, including a fantastic Boulevardier…

… and an old school Sazerac made with Cognac (which Tyler Dow, Noe Restaurant's General Manager, illuminated me as the original base spirit of the cocktail, before a trade embargo of sorts steered New Orleanians towards Rye; he also share similarly fantastic lore with Conbon while making her Aviation, with Creme de Violette of course!)

Needless to say, we both had a fantastic time at Noe Bar and so glad to know of this Bunker Hill gem where we can grab a fantastic classic drink, and satisfying bites to go with.

That being said, the Simply Street Food menu is expected to run through June, so hope you have a chance to try before then. Though if you're daring in the kitchen, you can always try making them at home with these recipes!

Noe Restaurant & Bar at Omni Los Angeles
251 S Olive St 
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 356-4100
Facebook (for Omni)
Twitter (for Omni)

A Cheesy Midwinter Night's Dream . . .

When twitterings of a grilled cheese potluck/cookoff came to fruition last month w a few blogging friends, I knew this was no ordinary white bread & American cheese occasion (or to use Grilled Cheese Invitational Speak--no missionary positions here, just kama sutra & honey pot all the way! Which makes me wonder, did we just have a cheesy hat trick that night?)

Since I amongst esteemed and well-palated bloggers, I did my best to bring on a worthy sandwich with a drink to match . . . only to get butterflies in my stomach when fellow grillers Anna (@BananaWonder) and Andy (@Windattack) disclosed that they made their own bread for the occasion (or had it shipped from artisan baker far far way, more on that later) making my Panera Honey Wheat seem like the big corporate GMO'd bread of the night.

Just like the last Andy hosted gathering I attended, it was one of those effortlessly elegant, classy-yet-casual affairs that just provokes all sorts of conversation, food geekery and hipstery snapshot taking. And in good hosty fashion, there were snackages of nuts, olives and tangerines to nibble on while we took our turns grilling our sandwiches.

Starting our cheesy lineup was Andy with his shipped-outta-Michigan Roadhouse Rye from Zingerman's. Like Connie (@conbon,) I was skeptical of the bread at first (since rye can go south really fast especially if it's overloaded with caraway seeds) but it turned out quite lovely when toasted up, with a soft crisp, a delicate crumbly texture and a touch of molassey sweetness. And no one complained about the absence of caraway.

The bread made for a wonderful sandwich foundation as it was layered with sauteed chanterelle mushrooms, taleggio & gruyere cheeses and capers--a well-balanced, gooey sensation with hearty, meaty 'shrooms and an occasional pop of brininess from the capers. Definitely a recipe EVERY vegetarian needs to have on file.

Thankfully, Nathan (@chocomeat) brought a dry French apple cider as a pairing, as recommended by Domaine LA, whose crisp lightness, slight acidity and mineral effervescence served as a nice contrast against the heavy dish.

After such a hefty sandwich, we were thankful that Anna's creation was on the lighter side (as far as grilled cheeses go, anyways.) Using her homemade olive oil Tsoureki bread that's as feathery as an angel food cake, it was stacked and grilled with manchego cheese and quince preserves for a simple but divine combo of sweet-and-savory plus fruity-and-nutty, making me giddy-and-happy.

Keeping with the contrasty theme of drinking pairing, the wine for this was a 2009 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon straight from the prestigious cellar of Anna's folks, who in turn got it from good ole' TJ's. Initially puckery tannic, the quince in the sandwich actually brought forth more fruit and cocoa notes in the wine while the wine's acidity helped offset some of the sweetness--possibly creating an exception to the "white wine with white foods" rule.

Moving on is probably the most kama sutra of grilled cheeses, with Andy's other-worldly take on the classic grilled cheese and tomato soup combo. It consisted of his homemade naan coated in coconut butter and stuffed with grilled paneer & onions, served a side of sassy homemade masala sauce with who knows how many ingredients (I lost track when I ran out of fingers to count as he named off the ingredients.)

This sandwich kicked some major ass with all sorts of textures and flavors one'd never expect to find in a grilled cheese, from the vibrant aromatics of the mildly-spicy masala, to the pillowy texture of the naan bread, the distinct ginger-garlic-cilantro flavor from the marinated paneer plus the whisper of a crunch from the marinated sliced onions. Even conbon, who pretty much vetos anything with a smidgen of cilantro/coriander, asked for extra masala to-go with her half-a-sandwich to take home!

To pair with this unusual naanwich, Andy served up an equally eccentric beer, Maui Brewing's Coconut Porter -- a brew that's coffee-ish in color and initial flavor, but gets more coconutty as we noshed on more of the grilled cheese & masala 'soup.'

With everyone feeling plenty stuffed from the three courses of grilled cheese, I decided to make my Granny Smith Fizz as an intermezzo of sorts while I got started on my desserty grilled cheese . . .

. . . of mascarpone, mesquite honey, blackcurrant jam and whole blackberries on honey wheat bread (yes, inspired by version @ Syrup Desserts in downtown.) It was a tasty sweet treat (think warm, molten berry cheesecake) but next time I'd definitely grill or toast the bread on its own first, since the bottom slices got sogged up from all the liquidy components. But a messy sandwich only means finger-lickin' fun, right?

With our bellies more-than-sufficiently full from pounds of cheese, bread, butter and beverages, we spent the remainder of the evening collectively cleaning up (ever-so-slowly, in true food coma fashion) while engaging in more fun chit-chats about food, music and fashion . . . eventually leading into Andy doing an impromptu bow-tying demonstration and Conbon and me tasting Maui's Pineapple-infused Mana Wheat beer before the magical night comes to its inevitable's end . . .

. . . at least until the next potlucky get-together, involving some beery recipes. Can't wait to get my culinary creative juices flowing for that one!

But in the meantime, read the grilled cheese reports (and gush at even more photos) from Andy, Nathan, Anna and Connie! And a few more photos on the flickr set here.

No. 176: Intelligentsia (Pasadena)

So this is what it feels like to be the most popular kid in the cafeteria . . .

. . . a bagged lunch ($13 for the farmers market veggies one) from Heirloom LA, now available at the newly-opened Intelligentsia Pasadena. Since I was running errands all day today in preparation for a road trip along the California coast, this ready-to-takeout meal (along with a cup of coffee, of course!) was a great way to enjoy a little deliciousness on the go.

So what's inside the bag?

A "perfectly sized" veggie sandwich (I placed it by the fork for scale), a container of potato & arugula salad and a wrapped muffin-cup sized tin of chocolate-hazelnut-banana bread pudding.

Making up for the sandwich's small size is its huge flavor, from the fresh-tasting roasted veggies (carrots, eggplant, zucchini and pepers) to the sweet & savory pumpkin puree, just a touch of garlic and herbs plus some cheesiness from the mozzarella and parmigano reggiano. It's definitely one of those sandwiches that saves well and even get better with time, with the different ingredients melding together and the cheesy bread soaking up the flavors. A heavenly half-dozen bites, though I definitely wish I could have a half-dozen more!

When the Intelligentsia barista/cashier told me the sandwich came with a potato salad, I was expecting something heavy, mayo-laden, onion-breath-inducing; so it was a pleasant surprise to see a version that's comparatively light, not to mention tangy, herbacious and slightly sweet. The wedges of roasted potatoes are accompanied by wilted arugula, what I think is balsamic-caramelized shallots, sprigs of rosemary in a honey-ish vinaigrette. For someone expecting a heavier or more savory potato salad, this might be weird or even a turnoff but for someone like me who has a sweet tooth and loves cleaner and crisper flavors -- it was a 'no contest' against the traditional varieties that I can never stand eating more than a few bites of.

Finally, the chocolate-banana pudding with bits of hazelnuts . . . again, deceptively small in apperance but big in taste, absolutely divine in dark chocolate flavors and just rich and gooey and great even served chilled (though now I can't imagine how it'd taste when reheated up!) A wonderful, indulgent finish to a light lunch and in hindsight, that sandwich is indeed 'perfectly sized' since after the pudding I felt satiated and not bloated and guilty (though I still wouldn't mind a few more bites of the sandwich.)

And as expected, the La Maravilla coffee from Guatemala ($3.50) was top-notch and an surprisingly good match with my bagged lunch. It was clean and crisp on the palate like the sandwich & the salad, with some fruit-backed cocoa notes like the bread pudding. And with just a slight hit of bright tanginess, it made for a great palate cleanser between courses without overwhelming the tastebuds.

Of course, now I can't wait to enjoy all the rotated-daily lunch items they serve in-house.

What Do Others Say?
- FoodGPS's Joshua Lurie provided a "what to expect" report for Feast LA.
- Mattatouille attended the media preview (and snapped a photo of me!) and simply called it "one of my favorite places in the city" and looking forward to more from their menu, beer & wine selections and of course, the coffee.
- Gourmet Pigs gave it a first look from the media preview, found it "a definite upgrade in the space that used to be Wok 'n Roll . . . [and] easily the best restaurant in Old Town"
- LA Weekly's Squid Ink filed a more objective outlook but said it's "a beautiful space"
- LA Times' Daily Dish also provided a brief report and some photos from the media preview
- Eater LA checked it out in soft opening phase, deemed it "appropriately hipster-marvelous"
- Gmangoman also went during its soft opening, called it it a "much needed addition to the Old Town Pasadena restaurant mix"

A few more photos on my flickr set here

Intelligentsia
55 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
626.578.1270
Twitter

Also:
Heirloom LA's website & twitter

My new favorite grilled cheese . . .

As far as grilled cheeses go, I'm a simpleton. Generic unsalted butter, any ole' bread and some melty cheese (and yes, sometimes I do use "American") are all I need. Of course, I had my share of gussied up versions, but I always go back to the basic-classic with a side of tomato soup - especially if I'm making it at home.

That is, until I had Andy a.k.a. Windattack's version at his recent honey-themed supper party several weeks ago. Words, and even the photo above, simply doesn't do it justice. My tastebuds were lost in heaven between the homemade honey challah, slices of avocado, a drizzle of avocado honey and the wine-bathed Drunken Goat cheese that Esi of Dishing Up Delights brought. The eggy bread was not too greasy and still had that satisfying soft crunch when I sunk my teeth in, the cheese was rich yet flavorful enough to distinguish it from ordinary and, ahem, "American" cheeses (I call it "Goat-Lite") and the contrast between the slightly savory cheese, the sweet honey, and the "greenness" of the avocado was purely paradise for my palate.

The dozen or so other honey-paired dishes and tastings served that night were delightful revelations too (and I give props to Andy for throwing together a dinner bash resembling those simply-elegant soirees I keep reading in food magazine spreads . . . relaxed enough for everyone to have a casual, good time but with a definite eye to detail, best exemplified in the rustic-chic table decor - Sandra Lee, take a pointer, PLEASE! - and the lavender honey-prosecco shooter amuse - served in a shot glass made out of lavender-embedded ice!) But that grilled cheese definitely lingered and haunted my mind... not to mention inspiring me to do something beyond the basics the next time I fix one up.

And Andy and Esi, I totally see you two entering next year's Grilled Cheese Invitational!

Read more about Andy's "Sugar, Ah Honey, Honey" party on his blog, or on foodblogging friend and fellow guest Anna at her blog Banana Wonder.

Rest of my photos of this party here.

No. 147: Thankfulness for Cupcake Tour around L.A.

Photo courtesy of TaraMetBlog

As I have confessed before, cupcakes aren't on my top list of sweets -- with my fair share of "misses" from an off-ratio of frosting to cake, and more than one instance where the cupcake isn't finger-friendly, defeating their purpose as a portable dessert. Even after judging 40 or so of them at the Cupcake Challenge earlier this year, I was left with an ambivalent aftertaste.

But thanks to bloggerprom committee comrade Tara (of TaraMetBlog and LA Cupcakes Meetup) and GM Chevrolet, I was invited check out four of L.A.'s finest cupcakeries as part of their "Best of Tours" campaign to promote their vehicles.

Needless to say, with the unfortunate rain, we bloggers were lucky that we got to be driven around -- if it was up to our less-than-professional driving skills against the torrential rain and the other extra-rabid L.A. drivers, we'd probably just park our butts at Crumbs (our first cupcakery stop) and scrounge for food around that area, like 9021Pho! Come to think of it, that sounds pretty good for rainy weather, but I digress...

Shortly after entering Crumbs, we were greeted with smiles and, more importantly to a bunch of lunch- and maybe breakfast-skipping foodbloggers, bags of cupcakes in a myriad of flavors, generously offering coffee and "any cupcake flavor not in the bag" to boot, to which Caroline eagerly replied "ELVIS!" (because she wanted the PB & banana cupcake, not because she saw an impersonator or apparition.)

I opted for a cookies 'n creme-style cupcake with chocolate cake and topped with half an Oreo, which def. taste like one of my fave ice cream flavors. Sweet but not sickening so, and the frosting:cake ratio was pretty spot-on, though I wish the cake itself was less crumbly after I peeled off the wrapper. But what I can say, the bakeshop IS called Crumbs!

After a good 15-20 minutes enjoying our cupcakes and hot coffee, we made the two walk block down to the infamous Sprinkles, where Tara and her colleague picked up the cupcakes while we stayed outside since their shop interior is so teensy-tiny. Feeling a bit chocolated out from the previous half a cupcake, I opted to balance things out and got the vanilla one here -- even though the Red Velvet, with not-so-signature dot, seems to be first to go.

Next stop, SusieCakes, which I remembered from the Cupcake Challenge as being too sweet for my liking, but willing to give another try since Tara said it's her fave. I got the Strawberry cupcake to-go after Tara mentioned that Martha Stewart endorsed it, saying it was "DA BOMB" (Ok, maybe not in those exact words.) Being sugared out, I didn't eat this on the spot, but when I did get around to it later, I do have to concede to the frosting's deliciousness. And I agree with Natassia from Let Me Eat Cake in that it tastes a like a yummy strawberry starburst, minus the annoying teeth-stickiness of that chew.

I'm also glad to find out I'm not the only who's overloaded with sugar. Lindsay of the LAist relented to a La Salsa burrito to get some much needed salt and proteins--smart girl!

Last, and I will say least, was Vanilla Bake Shop - which I had prev. positive moments of, most recently from their being featured at the Casa Del Mar dessert buffet brunch. But that quickly turned sour when we entered and started bringing out our cameras ready to take shots, when an enraged-looking manager stormed out from the back and screamed "NO PICTURES!" Now, I'm aware, and have respected, no photo policies at other places (see: Bourbon & Branch in SF) particularly when *politely requested* instead of angrily-demanded to do so.But, whatevs -- maybe she had a stressful day or a bad run-in with a photographer in the past. However, just as I was about to mentally forgive and forget, she comes back out again to say "NO SAMPLES EITHER!" . . . which we didn't even ask for, so needless to say it made for a WTF moment. So I placed my order and was read to just get out of the store when I heard a toilet flush and noticed the restroom door! The mischievious gremlin in me took over . . .

. . . and I took a photo of their cupcake with the toilet in the background, partly to show them what I think of their policy and how they're enforcing it, but mostly for hilarity's sakes. Extra funny points that I just happened to have ordered, by pure coincidence, a dark brown bittersweet chocolate cupcake!


But despite that bummer of a final stop, overall it was a great experience to taste and compare so many cupcakes. Right now I'll say Crumbs and Susiecakes tie for my faves, but hard to compare since it was a chocolatey vs. fruity cupcake (which of course means I gotta make some return trips to do a little more R&D.) And of course, thankful to be participant of such a cool idea, all the while wishing with other bloggers that they'll take this "Best of Tours" idea for a multi-stop drinking excursion, when having a driver would really be a boon.

And following Lindsay's lead, Caroline, Shelley and I swung by The Golden State some much needed real food in the form of sandwiches and burgers, and they served one of the better BLTAs I've had in a while (w arugula, aioli, avocado and lots of glazed applewood bacon) w a refreshing cabbage slaw lightly dressed with a vinaigrette . . . and some beers too.


Other reports on the Cupcake Best of Tour:
Caroline on Crack whose "Elvis!" screams I'll take with a grain of saltLet Me Eat Cake fell into a cupcake comaBurrito-eating Lindsay pits these four with two more local cupcakeries for the bestPretty sandy feet tried on her wedding dress AFTER the cupcake tour... bravo!Happy Go Marni loves the cakes and the ride (Transformers edition Camaro,) only thing missing for her: Shia LaBeoufAnd of course, organizer Tara's got it down in her blog too!And more photos from the trip on my flickr here.Crumbs Bake Shop9465 S Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA(310) 550-9811Sprinkles Cupcakes9635 Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA(310) 274-8765SusieCakes Bakery11708 San Vicente Blvd.Los Angeles, CA(310) 442-2253Vanilla Bake Shop512 Wilshire Blvd.Santa Monica, CA (310) 458-6644The Golden State426 N Fairfax Ave.Los Angeles, CA(323) 782-8331

The best banh mi I've ever had . . .

An overnight-chilled, smooshed flat and partly sogged up (from adjacent water bottle) banh mi bo nuong (charbroiled beef Vietnamese sandwich) . . .

. . . but as a disclaimer, this is after in the midst of an intense dayhike/deathmarch up and down the Vivian Creek Trail to the summit of San Gorgonio Mountain. I guess hunger, and high-attitude-induced delirium, does make the best sauce afterall.

Of course, I had the infinitely tastier, fresh version straight out of Banh Mi My Tho (my favorite V-wich shop) too. And it was all kinds of delicious with the peanutty spread, pickled veggies, fresh 'n cool cucumber, slightly sweet BBQ'd beef and the occasion spicy slice of chili pepper smacked between crispy-on-outside, tender/chewy-on-inside baguette.

And at $2.50 per 'wich, it's super recession-friendly too (this sandwich actually lasted me two sittings during the hike!)

Next time I'll just remember to keep it away from the liquids in my backpack . . .

Banh Mi My Tho
304 W Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 289-4160
Yelp page

Special Foodventure #95: Full of Bull Event at Breadbar (Los Angeles / Mid-City)

In my foodventures with others, I've learned that most foodie folks can be divided into ethnic purists and fusion thrillseekers, I tend to think of myself as falling in the latter camp -- even though I've appreciated many an authentic cultural meal, I also love it when the kitchen get creative and blends different influences together for something distinctively unique. Why not take the best of both (or more) worlds?

And that's what I had in mind when I booked myself for Breadbar's CRUSH event, where Adam Sobel of Full Belly Group (who had cheffed at Vegas' Guy Savoy and Bradley Ogden, among others) put together a special $55 menu showcasing global street food with influences from all over with dishes like marinated bay scallops with young coconut and kaffir lime vodka (I presume Hangar One?), liquid center potato gnocchi with fontina cheese and chanterelle mushrooms, and a curiosity-beckoning pineapple in all forms.

Alas, that wasn't meant to be -- since the day I was available to swing by Breadbar, they decided to showcase his other restaurant concept, Full of Bull, a more casual-Americana restaurant showcasing roast beef, burgers and other diner fare with a Sobel signature. I was slightly disappointed, but also considerably pleased that the meal will now be $20/person and there's no corkage.

Arriving a little earlier than my dining compadres, including newly born foodblogger behind Binary Tastebuds, I decided to take advantage of the just-informed no-corkage policy and headed two blocks down to pick out something go with. Daniela, Breadbar's marketing star, suggested beer (obvious) or a more eclectic pairing with sparkling wine. So that's exactly what I picked out -- an affordable bottle of Blanquette de Limoux from the southwestern region of France.

It was not bad, good citrus and apple notes with some distinct flinty mineral characters, as if a Chablis had intermingled with a sauvignon blanc. Alas, it was better as an opener or a palate cleanser than something to pair sandwiches and fries with -- but definitely an interesting wine I'd consider checking out again.

So my two friends arrived and the waitstaff wasted no time getting us started, beginning with steak fries. Thinner than most other steak fries I've encountered but considerably more flavorful (would love to find out what seasoning salt mix were used on these), these fries were pretty good though I wished they were a little crispier, these had a slight limpness suggesting that they weren't fresh out of the fryer.

While we were still noshing off our large bowl of fries, the waitress delivered the trio of small sandwiches, which were somewhere between the size of the average slider and the McDonald's hamburger.

The first one I tried was the Original: thinly-shaved rare roast beef with their F.O.B. famous sauce on an onion Kaiser roll. One bite of this succulent sandwich and I'm glad this event didn't take place during Lent - rich beefy flavor (and I believe it was dipped in au jus to further sharpen that) and meltingly-tender. The sauce, which tasted like a subtle thousand island dressing with a horseradishy zip, and the onion roll were good complement to the roast beef, taking the edge of the savoriness which may have resulted into a sodium overkill otherwise.

Next up, the No Bull: slow roasted turkey with crispy turkey skin and garlic mashed potatoes on onion Kaiser. I am not sure what Adam did to the turkey skin, but that definitely made this sandwich the star of the meal. While it's not particularly crispy, the skin possessed a bacon-like, fatty quality that really binded the flavors of the delightfully-moist turkey meat, the garlicky (but not overly so) taters, the peppery seasoning and the bun.

Lastly, Adam's Fish Sandwich: with a guiness battered fish with cheddar and mayo and lettuce. This one didn't turn out so well. On top of being not crispy (though that may have been because we had this last), it was a clash of overwhelming tastes from the oniony tartar sauce, the sharp cheddar and the pointedly pungent fish, the combo of which left a unpleasant, lingering aftertaste lasting well after the final bite. But hey, two great sandwiches out of three ain't bad -- and in crystal-clear hindsight, I really should've eaten the fried sandwich first.

We also had soda floats, available in root beer, orange cream or vanilla cream, which Adam brought out. The floats were decent, but the conversation was definitely golden as we chatted about his experiences and his upcoming plans, which includes a Full of Bull eatery opening up off the strip in Vegas (close to Firefly on Paradise,) and hopefully seeing his CRUSH conception coming into fruition (and he's open to having this either in the City of Angels or Sin.) So far, both his concepts sounds solid, the execution just needs a little tweaking (particularly the fish sandwich) and I can definitely see great things coming from this rising young chef. And I'll raise a sparkling Limoux toast to that, while eagerly awaiting for my next fusion thrillseeking foodventure.

For my friend's fantastic and humorous take on the same meal, click here; and also here for my other foodventure, a chocolate tasting menu, at the Century City Breadbar.

Breadbar
8718 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310.205.0124
http://www.breadbar.net

Recipe Time #12: Caprese Style Sandwiches

"Oh, I didn't know they make 9th place ribbons . . ."

They don't.

Nine finalists prepared their healthy recipes for a contest with one mountain bike to win -- let's just say I walked back. But hey, I could've been first runner-up.

Or appeal the Fockers to make me a ribbon.

Nonetheless, I packed this sandwich for a snowboarding/ski trip a while back and it was well received, so here's the recipe.


Ingredients (3-4 servings)
1 baguette (I used a whole wheat loaf instead for the above photo; believe me, it's MUCH easier with the baguette)
1/2 a medium onion (color doesn't matter much), coarsely chopped
2 roma tomatoes, sliced (should make about 8-10 slices)
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced (again, around 8-10 slices)
1 cup baby spinach leaves
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter

Directions
1. Cut baguette halfway across (or have the bakery do it for you when you buy it), hollow out each half with your hand. Dispose or save the breadcrumbs (which is great for thickening soups/sauces, making croutons, or a crispy topping on baked dishes)

2. Combine the honey and the balsamic vinegar, set aside

3. Make garlic-infused olive oil
~~~~~
a. Peel and finely chop the two cloves of garlic
b. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat for about 15-20 seconds
c. Throw garlic in and heat for another 1-2 minutes (done when you smell that wonderful roasted garlic aroma)
d. Set aside
~~~~~

4. Make balsamic caramelized onions
~~~~~
a. Heat butter in skillet over medium heat until melted
b. Add the onions in and continue heating and stirring until they "sweated": translucent and lacking most of that raw flavor when tasted.
c. Add half of the balsamic-honey mixture, stirring and tossing thoroughly until the onions are coated. Continue heating for another 2-3 minutes and set aside.
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5. Make and stack the sandwich
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a. Drizzle one half of the baguette with the garlic-infused oil, the other half with the remainder of the balsamic-honey mix
b. Start piling on the cheese, tomato, spinach & onions however you like. My only advice is to keep the tomatoes & onions away from each other, since they are both slippery and can make for a messy experience upon eating.
c. Close the two halves together and wrap tightly in plastic wrap (you may want to cut the sandwich into individual portions beforehand to make it more manageable)
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6. Store in fridge for two hours (or overnight) for the flavors to meld and marinade, then serve it up and enjoy!

Customization ideas:
1. You sub out half or all the spinach for basil to make it even more caprese-y, I just didn't happen to find any good basil at the market when I shopping so opted to use the Popeye greens instead.
2. I went meatless, but slices of pancetta and/or proscuitto will go wonderfully in here.
3. As you can tell from my picture, you can do this with a loaf too -- but it's much easier with the baguette (which they ran out of at several markets and bakeries when I made it for the contest).