My food club ventured out to Santa Monica for DineLA for our weekly meeting on Fridays. It was decided by vote that we would go to La Vecchia Cucina. The menu looked great on the DineLA website! Seafood, lobster, filet mignon, and tiramisu ... what's not to like about this restaurant.
The restaurant contains an open kitchen, where you can see Chef Mollica working away at his dishes and managing his staff. With a dark lit environment, large bar space, and many tables, La Vecchia is a great place for a social gathering. Everyone in the restaurant was happily chatting loudly, sipping on wine and cocktails.
The wine list is quite extensive, ranging from California wines from Nappa Valley to Italy. Because most of the dishes were seafood, the waiter recommended a bottle of 2008 Salviano Orvieto Classico (a white wine).
As for the food, our group ordered everything from the DineLA menu so that we can sample each dish.
The appetizers were perhaps one of the best dishes of the evening. The chef utilized one of the freshest mozzarella and tomatoes for a salad that I've ever tasted. In addition, balsamic vinegar that accompanied the salad was especially fragrant and tasteful. As for the seafood salad, consisting of calamari, lobster, shrimp, and green beans with a lemon dressing, it amazed my taste buds with a perfect amount of acidity and oil. The last appetizer on the menu was a spinach ravioli with pomodoro sauce. The ravioli was pretty decent and well seasoned, while the pomodoro sauce's texture and sweetness provided uniqueness to the dish.
Unfortunately, the entrees were not as exciting and tasteful as the appetizers. The three choices were lobster and asparagus pasta tossed in light white wine pomodoro sauce, sea bass with lemon oil herb sauce, and lastly, filet mignon with a port wine reduction sauce.
I'll start with the lobster pasta. This is perhaps on par with the pasta I ate at Covel Dining Hall... too salty and some of the pasta was undercooked. In addition, the pomodoro sauce was definitely not like the pomodoro sauce I tasted from the appetizers. Furthermore, parts of the asparagus were unpeeled, thus leaving a horrible texture in my mouth. The only thing I can find right about the dish was the lobster tail and other lobster bits. Unfortunately, I do not return dishes to the kitchen because that would be wasteful, but if I was Gordon Ramsey, I would have spat it out and lobbed the dish into the open kitchen's trash.
On the other hand, the sea bass was mediocre. One of my friends had to send it back to the kitchen after an initial bite and trade it for filet mignon. The reason? The sea bass was overcooked and the sauce had enough acidity to put in a hole in your tongue. Aside from that mishap, the sauce had a nice herby flavor and the mashed potatoes and spinach were quite delicious, but those are only side dishes and not the main attraction.
Lastly, the filet mignon. Is there anything that can go wrong with this dish? The other two were already two strikes. The third one means its out. Unfortunately, the filet mignon was a home run. Perhaps one of the best steaks I've ever tasted. The outside was nicely seared, leaving the inside medium rare. The port wine reduction sauce was an additional key to making this dish successful. The flavors were sweet, savory, and brilliant. I later asked the chef for the recipe. The key is in the homemade veal stock.
Now onto the desserts. Who doesn't like desserts? I guess no one dislikes desserts. The restaurant offered tiramisu, an espresso shot with vanilla gelato, and molten cake. I will skip the vanilla gelato and espresso shot because, well, it tasted like how it would sound ... pretty normal. The tiramisu was not too sweet and the coco powder did not overpower the overall cake. The lady fingers and mascarpone cream tasted like I was eating clouds. The chocolate molten cake was also brilliant. The hot cake had a perfect level of sweetness and provided a texture to die for.
Overall, I would give this restaurant a 6.5 / 10, where 10 is a 3 Michelin star restaurant, 5 as some place like the Cheesecake Factory, and 1 as a sushi place with fish that has gone rancid.
Unfortunately, no one brought a camera :(. No pictures : (
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Steak with Pomegranate Sauce
Guess what everyone?? Classes have started, and damn, is everything busy these days. On the other hand, I have unofficially started a club called Food at UCLA. Check out the blog: foodatucla.blogspot.com. So far, I'm trying to keep the number of members down because my apartment is sooo small. Until the club can be an official club, it will be limited to 20 members :(.
To celebrate classes, I have made steak with pomegranate sauce. I never knew pomegranate can be used for so many things. It goes so well with the steak by bringing out the flavor of the meat through the sweet and sour taste.
Before I start, people have been asking me how I can tell how done my steak is. Well, I tell them to poke it. If it is very squishy like a sponge, then it is still raw and probably cold on the inside. If it is like the feeling of poking your cheeks, then it should be medium rare to medium. If it is like pushing into a thing of clay, your steak is definitely well done or overcooked. It is all based on experience.
Wine pairing: This goes well with a Syrah
Steak with Pomegranate Sauce
Ingredients
1 lb Ribeye steak
1 cup Pomegranate juice like POM
1/2 Orange
2 tbs White sugar
1/4 cup Golden brown sugar
2 Shallots
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp Orange zest
salt
Prep and Cooking the sauce
1. Slice the shallots thinly
2. Bring pomegranate juice to a boil
3. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 orange into the pomegranate juice
4. Add both sugars into the pan and stir around making sure the bottom doesn't burn
5. Add bay leaf, shallots, and orange zest into the pan
6.Stir until reduced in half.
Cooking the steak
1. Heat a oil in a pan on high heat
2. Sear steak on both sides for 30 seconds each side
3. Turn over and turn heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 4 minutes
4. Turn over, cover, and cook for 4 minutes
5. It should be about medium to medium-rare, so take the steak and slice it into strips
6. Plate and drizzle sauce over the steak strips.
To celebrate classes, I have made steak with pomegranate sauce. I never knew pomegranate can be used for so many things. It goes so well with the steak by bringing out the flavor of the meat through the sweet and sour taste.
Before I start, people have been asking me how I can tell how done my steak is. Well, I tell them to poke it. If it is very squishy like a sponge, then it is still raw and probably cold on the inside. If it is like the feeling of poking your cheeks, then it should be medium rare to medium. If it is like pushing into a thing of clay, your steak is definitely well done or overcooked. It is all based on experience.
Wine pairing: This goes well with a Syrah
Steak with Pomegranate Sauce
Ingredients
1 lb Ribeye steak
1 cup Pomegranate juice like POM
1/2 Orange
2 tbs White sugar
1/4 cup Golden brown sugar
2 Shallots
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp Orange zest
salt
Prep and Cooking the sauce
1. Slice the shallots thinly
2. Bring pomegranate juice to a boil
3. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 orange into the pomegranate juice
4. Add both sugars into the pan and stir around making sure the bottom doesn't burn
5. Add bay leaf, shallots, and orange zest into the pan
6.Stir until reduced in half.
Cooking the steak
1. Heat a oil in a pan on high heat
2. Sear steak on both sides for 30 seconds each side
3. Turn over and turn heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 4 minutes
4. Turn over, cover, and cook for 4 minutes
5. It should be about medium to medium-rare, so take the steak and slice it into strips
6. Plate and drizzle sauce over the steak strips.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Rib-eye Steak with Cheese Butter and Walla Walla Onion Rings
I have returned to America to find rib-eye on sale at Ralphs. Oh boy, I miss a big ole American steak. My recent trip to Taiwan has lacked a huge juicy steak. I've only had petite sized sirloins from Australia. Though I have to say, Australian beef is quite delicious.
To my surprise, I had two issues of bon appetit magazine welcoming me back from Taiwan. The front page of the September issue had a rib-eye steak with blue cheese, which sounds so amazing and fatty goodness. Also, this recipe had onion rings, which are one of my favorite food items.
Blue cheese has always been to mysterious. It has a crumbly texture and sharp taste that makes people like it or not.
Rib-eye Steak with Cheese Butter and Walla Walla Onion Rings
Courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine September 2010
Ingredients for the steak and blue cheese butter
1 lb Rib-eye steak
1 tbs Garlic powder
1 tbs Thyme powder
1 tbs Salt
1 tbs Ground pepper
3 tbs Unsalted butter
3 tbs Blue cheese
1 tbs Paprika
Prep work
1. Let butter and cheese set at room temperature
2. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme powder.
3. Lightly sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the steak.
4. Mix the blue cheese and butter with the paprika.
Walla Walla Onion Rings
Ingredients
1 large Sweet onion
1 cup Cake flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 bottle Beer, about 3/4 cup (I used Blue Moon)
2 tbs Vodka
Prep work
1. Mix the cake flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. Add the vodka and beer and mix until pancake batter consistency. (add more beer if too thick).
3. Let the batter sit in the fridge up to a day.
4. Cut the onion into thick slices.
5. Dip the onion rings into the batter.
You can multi-task and cook both at the same time. Start on the steak first, then after 2 minutes you can start on the onion rings too.
Cooking the beef
1. Heat up the pan and add oil of choice
2. Sear both sides of the steak for 30 seconds each.
3. Turn on medium-low and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium rare.
4. Put a tablespoon of the butter cheese on top of the steak and allow it to melt.
Cooking the onion rings
1. Heat up a lot of oil.
2. Shake off excess batter.
3. Gently drop the onion rings into the oil.
4. Fry until golden.
5. Place paper towels on a plate to soak up the oil.
Enjoy. The onion rings taste so good like tempura onions. The steak is also delicious with buttery cheesy goodness. School is in session!
To my surprise, I had two issues of bon appetit magazine welcoming me back from Taiwan. The front page of the September issue had a rib-eye steak with blue cheese, which sounds so amazing and fatty goodness. Also, this recipe had onion rings, which are one of my favorite food items.
Blue cheese has always been to mysterious. It has a crumbly texture and sharp taste that makes people like it or not.
Rib-eye Steak with Cheese Butter and Walla Walla Onion Rings
Courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine September 2010
Ingredients for the steak and blue cheese butter
1 lb Rib-eye steak
1 tbs Garlic powder
1 tbs Thyme powder
1 tbs Salt
1 tbs Ground pepper
3 tbs Unsalted butter
3 tbs Blue cheese
1 tbs Paprika
Prep work
1. Let butter and cheese set at room temperature
2. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme powder.
3. Lightly sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the steak.
4. Mix the blue cheese and butter with the paprika.
Walla Walla Onion Rings
Ingredients
1 large Sweet onion
1 cup Cake flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 bottle Beer, about 3/4 cup (I used Blue Moon)
2 tbs Vodka
Prep work
1. Mix the cake flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. Add the vodka and beer and mix until pancake batter consistency. (add more beer if too thick).
3. Let the batter sit in the fridge up to a day.
4. Cut the onion into thick slices.
5. Dip the onion rings into the batter.
You can multi-task and cook both at the same time. Start on the steak first, then after 2 minutes you can start on the onion rings too.
Cooking the beef
1. Heat up the pan and add oil of choice
2. Sear both sides of the steak for 30 seconds each.
3. Turn on medium-low and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium rare.
4. Put a tablespoon of the butter cheese on top of the steak and allow it to melt.
Cooking the onion rings
1. Heat up a lot of oil.
2. Shake off excess batter.
3. Gently drop the onion rings into the oil.
4. Fry until golden.
5. Place paper towels on a plate to soak up the oil.
Enjoy. The onion rings taste so good like tempura onions. The steak is also delicious with buttery cheesy goodness. School is in session!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Taiwan Culinary Exhibition 2010 - Day 1
Hello my readers! I am in Taiwan at the right time! This weekend is the Taiwan Culinary Exhibition at the Taiwan World Trade Center Exhibition hall 1. This exhibition features great talent from all over Taiwan. Personally, I believe that you can't find such skill back in the states.
I will be more to update when I have more time and internet ^_^.
I will be more to update when I have more time and internet ^_^.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Flaming B-52
Seems like I have been slacking on posting on this blog... I think summer has gotten to me and made me become lazy as hell. Oh well xD. On the other hand ... I'm going to Taiwan for a month and will be taking lots of food pictures and learning from great masters how to make Taiwanese goods.
Anyways... from my drink collection, my housemate, Victoria, and I have been experimenting with various types of mix drinks like bartenders. Today, I decided to be daring and play around with my blowtorch and lite my drink on fire.
Flaming B-52
Ingredients
.5 oz Coffee Liqueur
.5 oz Irish cream
.5 oz Grand Marnier (or Whiskey if you don't have Grand Marnier)
1 Shot glass
Directions
1. Carefully pour the coffee liqueur first, then the cream, then the Grand Marnier.
2. Take your blowtorch and go kaboom on the shot glass.
*I should have mentioned this to those dumbasses out there.
BLOW THE FIRE OUT BEFORE DRINKING IT
Anyways... from my drink collection, my housemate, Victoria, and I have been experimenting with various types of mix drinks like bartenders. Today, I decided to be daring and play around with my blowtorch and lite my drink on fire.
Flaming B-52
Ingredients
.5 oz Coffee Liqueur
.5 oz Irish cream
.5 oz Grand Marnier (or Whiskey if you don't have Grand Marnier)
1 Shot glass
Directions
1. Carefully pour the coffee liqueur first, then the cream, then the Grand Marnier.
2. Take your blowtorch and go kaboom on the shot glass.
*I should have mentioned this to those dumbasses out there.
BLOW THE FIRE OUT BEFORE DRINKING IT
Sunday, August 1, 2010
21st Birthday
Now I am 21. My birthday was 3 days ago.
No big deal. I can buy alcohol to drink and cook with instead of asking my friends. I'm trying to figure out what I can make with all these bottles I got. It was also my housemate's birthday. She has the same birthday as me, so yea we got various types of alcohol as you see in the picture below ^_^.
List: Bacardi, Jack Daniels, Patrone, Kahlua, Malibu Mango flavor, Honeymoon
My favorite is still Honeymoon (Blue Moon summer edition).
No big deal. I can buy alcohol to drink and cook with instead of asking my friends. I'm trying to figure out what I can make with all these bottles I got. It was also my housemate's birthday. She has the same birthday as me, so yea we got various types of alcohol as you see in the picture below ^_^.
List: Bacardi, Jack Daniels, Patrone, Kahlua, Malibu Mango flavor, Honeymoon
My favorite is still Honeymoon (Blue Moon summer edition).
Gneral Tso's Chicken (左宗棠雞)
Summer is still in progress ... Looks like I haven't been posting on this in awhile. I've been quite busy now that Starcraft 2 is released. Time to get my Asianfied gaming face on. Meanwhile, I still got to eat.
What does a typical gamer eat? I dunno ... cup noodle? Yea... I have been eating some Shin ramen on some days. On the other hand, I been making a lot of Chinese/Taiwanese foods. Right now I'm experimenting how to make the perfect meat bun (肉包). I find it quite difficult to make the dough properly unless there is the perfect temperature, but it has been too cold recently that the dough won't rise properly.
Anyways that is for another blog post.
On to the main topic.... I made some general tso's chicken because it is a popular dish in America. The origin of this dish is disputed. Some chef in Taiwan claimed he invented it, while other chefs in America claim so too.
General Tso's Chicken (左宗棠雞)
Ingredients
2 Chicken breasts
2 eggs
Corn Starch
1 tbs Brown sugar
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs Rice wine
3 tbs Soy sauce
1 tsp Ginger
2 Garlic cloves
1 Dry chili
1 Green onion
Prep work of Chinese American hybrid dish
1. Take about 1/2 inch ginger and slice
2. Smash garlic and peel
3. Slice green onion
3. Beat eggs
4. Mix wine, soy sauce, sugar, and 1 tsp corn starch together for the sauce
5. Dry chicken with paper towel
6. Cut chicken into bite size pieces
7. Dump enough corn starch to coat each chicken piece
Cooking
1. Heat up pan and about 3 tbs of oil
2. Add chicken and fry until crispy (about 3 minutes)
3. Add garlic, chili pepper, and ginger and cook for 2 minutes
4. Add Sauce mix and let it reduce and coat the chicken pieces (2 minutes)
5. Add green onions for garnish
What does a typical gamer eat? I dunno ... cup noodle? Yea... I have been eating some Shin ramen on some days. On the other hand, I been making a lot of Chinese/Taiwanese foods. Right now I'm experimenting how to make the perfect meat bun (肉包). I find it quite difficult to make the dough properly unless there is the perfect temperature, but it has been too cold recently that the dough won't rise properly.
Anyways that is for another blog post.
On to the main topic.... I made some general tso's chicken because it is a popular dish in America. The origin of this dish is disputed. Some chef in Taiwan claimed he invented it, while other chefs in America claim so too.
General Tso's Chicken (左宗棠雞)
Ingredients
2 Chicken breasts
2 eggs
Corn Starch
1 tbs Brown sugar
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs Rice wine
3 tbs Soy sauce
1 tsp Ginger
2 Garlic cloves
1 Dry chili
1 Green onion
Prep work of Chinese American hybrid dish
1. Take about 1/2 inch ginger and slice
2. Smash garlic and peel
3. Slice green onion
3. Beat eggs
4. Mix wine, soy sauce, sugar, and 1 tsp corn starch together for the sauce
5. Dry chicken with paper towel
6. Cut chicken into bite size pieces
7. Dump enough corn starch to coat each chicken piece
Cooking
1. Heat up pan and about 3 tbs of oil
2. Add chicken and fry until crispy (about 3 minutes)
3. Add garlic, chili pepper, and ginger and cook for 2 minutes
4. Add Sauce mix and let it reduce and coat the chicken pieces (2 minutes)
5. Add green onions for garnish
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