April 2012 – Wong Eats

Bob’s Noodle 66

As far as ethnic cuisines go, visiting a Chinese restaurant is far from the top of my list. Why? Having grown up in Southeast Asia, I have been spoiled by great eats around me ranging from my maternal grandmother’s delectable rendition of Cantonese cuisine (at least 8 main dishes for dinner each night) to fine dining at top Chinese restaurants in Kuala Lumpur where the offerings were so sumptuous but way beyond the skill set of the home cook. A suggestion of eating Chinese food here usually conjures up in me a visceral aversion and a few brief flashes of nondescript dishes further marred by non-distincitive flavors that tend to look and taste like a complete brown-hued blur. Simply put, I have never been happy by these offerings and I try to avoid them at all cost.

Well, since I have started food blogging, the sense of equal opportunity has been overriding this dread for the cuisine (is there a Food EEOC Police?), and it has thrown down the gauntlet in my search for something worth writing about. While conversing with a buddy on Facebook (who has time to pick up the phone and chat, right?), he suggested Bob’s Noodle 66 near the Rockville Town Center that he has visited a number of times. Located in a vast parking lot among other non-restaurant establishments, its offerings cater to the Taiwanese palate that is influenced by all the directions being an island off the coast of mainland China. Having watched a few bizarre foods episodes on cable, I had heard of some of these “unique” dishes and one was sitting on top on my curiosity list – Stinky Tofu. I knew I was going to get on a gastronomic ride, and I was ready for it.

We started with a round of Bubble Tea. These are green teas that have been mixed with various fruit juices, made with or without milk. They arrived with huge straws in order to suck up the pea-size tapioca balls at the bottom looking like tadpole eggs about to come to life. Mine was made with the exotic Lychee fruit that packed that unique flavor that is quite indescribable except for the word refreshing. An aftertaste of tea bitterness lingers in the mouth once the sweetness has dissipated from the tongue, which is indicative of the strong tea essence. I have to admit that I enjoyed this odd but rather refreshing drink, including the chewy bits at the bottom of my glass.

My friend insisted that we tried the Taiwanese Hamburger to start the meal off. I was kind of hesitant at first, not wanting to go for something that sounded like an Americanized dish. When it arrived, I realized that its name is a total misnomer, and I bit into it with some curiosity. The slice of braised pork was very fragrant, moist and savory, punctuated by an interesting mix of sour pickled mustard greens (much like sauerkraut) and a nutty mix of crushed peanuts and sugar, highlighted by some fresh cilantro, and all packaged by some fluffy and light steamed Chinese buns. Wow! This small bite packed lots of flavor and gustatory interest, and we could have eaten more of it. But we had to make room for the rest of the ride.

For the next appetizer, we ordered the Fragrant Bean Curd Skin Roll. It is made with a stuffing of minced fish meat, onion, water chestnuts, wrapped in bean curd skin, deep-fried, and slathered by a slightly sweet sauce. This dish brought back the memory of my grandmother’s version but the restaurant’s offering was milder than my grandmother’s heavily spiced one. However, I did enjoy the smooth meaty fish cake stuffing, the crunchy water chestnut bits, and the sauce on top that made this an interesting sweet-and-sour combination without going overboard like most Chinese take-outs. Another good eat.

While we were waiting for the other dishes, anticipation was building up for “The Dish”. The Stinky Tofu seemed to be sitting at everyone’s table which somehow reassured me that it was going to be quite tasty and OK after all. No-one seemed to be doubled-over their chairs or running to the bathroom in panic. I thought to myself that there was probably more hype over its infamous reputation.

The next appetizer was a plate of Oyster Pancake. It is a pancake made with sweet potato powder, eggs, and oysters, sitting on a bed of Chinese spinach and topped by a sauce. The pancake was soft, very light and fluffy with bits of equally soft baby oysters, and flavored by the savory sauce. This dish did conjure up the memory of a similar dish that I used to enjoy at the seafront restaurants in my father’s hometown in Malaysia. This dish was milder than the Southeast Asian version but interestingly they go by the same Hokkien name, thus pointing to its Fujianese origin. I quite enjoyed it but it was not exactly a study of contrast of flavors and textures – everything was just soft and fluffy, which a friend found disconcerting (most Americans have this textural issue). Not bad for me, though.

Drumroll – Stinky Tofu arrives. Nothing from its appearance made it stand out as it looked just like any regular fried tofu dish. Although it is listed as “Crispy Smelled Bean Curd”, the waft that it exuded announced its arrival loud and clear. Still feeling that it was rather innocuous and not so foul, I was excited about the dish. First bite. OMG, WTH, WTF, SMH, LOL, IDK, IWC (I wanna cry), LMAO, Call a friend, Call your Momma, Call your pastor, Call the Almighty! I am lost for words! The best way to describe it is an Asian vegetarian version of chitlins (chitterlings, for those unschooled in the parlance), which I have had my share of (only 2 spoonsful) living in the Mid-South. Why would someone want to eat this? It is tofu that has been fermented in a blue-green bacteria bath for a few weeks. Well, if some folks like chitlins, I guess there are others that enjoy a similar version, albeit made from soybeans. Thank goodness for the spicy cabbage pickles that sat on top that provided the necessary relief (much-needed) from this mind-blowing bite. Once I got past a couple of pieces, I went back for more (are you crazy?), trying to wrap my brain around the crispy and spongy bits that were sending me on a rollercoaster ride. Oh wow – Need I say more!

To even out the rough going ride from the previous dish and bring us down from the mind-blowing tizzy, a couple of main dishes arrived, and thank God/Buddha/Universe. One of the mains was Shredded Pork with Bamboo Tips. Pieces of young tender bamboo tips have been sautéed with thin slivers of pork and spiked with some fresh chilis. The light sauce was very savory and fragrant, which made the dish a hit among all of us. The other dish was Sautéed Baby Short Rib with Black Pepper. Thin slivers of short rib are coated by a black pepper sauce (peppery for sure) that added the body and piquancy to the thick savory sauce coating the meat. Despite a few rather sinewy pieces, this was very delectable and finger-licking good for me.

Still reeling from the Stinky Tofu incident whose undeniable impression was still lingering in our taste buds and minds, we did not hesitate for a split second to order a dessert dish to cleanse our palate. Shaved Ice can be ordered with different toppings, and for ours, we chose grass jelly, Lychee fruit, red beans, and taro root. Above the toppings, sits a mound of shaved ice that is flavored with evaporated milk and sugar syrup. Again, this brought back childhood memories of enjoying this favorite cooling bite for lunch in my school canteen or at local coffee shops in Southeast Asia. My eating companions and I attacked this shaved ice mountain with full gusto, enjoying the various toppings that provided the different textural and flavor elements. Besides cleansing our mouths from all previous dishes, most importantly “the one”, these sweet offering held its weight as a refreshing and very pleasing dessert. Great ending and safe landing from the ride.

Bob’s Noodle 66 is quite a trip on a few levels. Along with the mostly delectable offerings in this eatery (I can’t wait to taste their large offerings of noodles), it appears that “the dish” that was not so appetizing for me was a great hit among the cognoscenti of the strange and exotic, thus my objective appreciation for this kitchen’s authenticity. In addition to this, the place provides pure Taiwan here – loud, crammed, pushy and frenetic wait staff (the check came with the dessert), and large crowds. If you can overlook these shortcomings and deal with the frenziness, here is the place to taste some authentic Taiwanese offerings. And I dare you to order “The Dish”. Go ahead and make your day.

Ruan Thai

Restaurants

Ruan Thai 019.jpg Ruan Thai was really not on my radar that day. Initially, I was going to review a Japanese ramen-noodle house a couple of doors away. I decided to meet up with my college-mate who lives around the corner for lunch on Easter Monday when we teachers are granted this rare weekday respite (slave labor here). Upon entering the noodle house, it appeared empty and I asked the young host if I could sit near the window for some good photos. He was very amenable and I plunked myself at my table of choice. While I was testing the camera’s settings with a test shot of the tableware, I heard a knock on the table. There was Mr. Chef staring me down and asking why was I taking a picture. I explained my purpose of visiting his eatery with my equipment, but he denied me permission to use my baby Nikon – two run-ins now with Mr. Chef’s over photos in the course of two days (see last blog – Ristorante Piccolo). I packed my stuff up and quickly bolted out of there – I refuse to write a blog without a single visual representation. No photo, no food, no blog!

I walked out feeling incredulous that a restaurant would not want some free publicity. Looking around and waiting for my ambling friend, I noticed Ruan Thai, a place mentioned by another friend about his foray into this Southeast Asian eatery as a Thai virgin (foodwise, that is). When my buddy arrived, I told him of the incident and we made our entrance into our chosen place. Even though I have already reviewed 3 Thai eateries, the demise of my favorite Thai restaurant around the corner has spurred me to find a decent and veritable replacement. And I am glad that fate has pointed me to Ruan Thai, and I paid it a couple of visits to write this review.

To start the meal off, I decided to order a couple of traditional appetizers. Kanum Jeeb are steamed dumplings with a ground chicken and crabmeat stuffing. The filling was rather bland and the wrapping a bit understeamed. But the thick caramelized soy sauce brought these small bites to life with its sweet and salty flavors – I find that most Thai appetizers are underseasoned in order to allow the accompanying sauces to play a vital role in the dish. The next opener was Peek Kai Yud Sai which are deep-fried chicken wings that are stuffed with a filling of chicken, crabmeat, Chinese black mushroom, and spring onions. The filling here had more flavor and the tempura-like batter provided the contrasting crunch to the moist stuffing. The sweet and spicy sauce added another interesting note to one of my favorite Thai appetizers, which are not often found in many eateries these days. It did bring up memories of the version served by my favorite eatery before its closing.

On another visit, some friends and I decided to try out their soups. Gang Jued Woon Sen is a clear chicken broth filled with minced pork or chicken, slippery beanthread noodles, crunchy wood fungus, and fragrant spring onions. I had a taste from my friend’s bowl and I really enjoyed a couple of spoonfuls. What elevates this soup is the use of the dried salted vegetable that adds a salty and slightly crunchy element to this simple soup. For my order, I had a classic – Tom Kha. It is a rich coconut milk soup spiked with chili paste, lemongrass, galangal root, kaffir lime leaf, cooked with shrimp and straw mushrooms, and lifted by a sour hit of fresh lime juice. This is a true study of contrast with the rich coconut against the sour citrus, the strong flavored spices and aromatics against the mild shrimp and mushrooms. Love the soup offerings here.

One of the strong suits in a Thai restaurant is the curry that it serves, and I decided to try out the Green Curry. My dish came with slivers of pork, crunchy bamboo shoots, not-to-soft asian eggplant, fragrant basil leaves, crunchy sweet peppers, all in a spicy, slightly sweet and coconut-rich green curry that exuded a complex flavor profile. The dish would have been perfect if the pork had not been overcooked, thus its slight toughness – Asian restaurants tend to do this with this meat, perhaps a common practice on the other side of the globe. However, I enjoyed its rich tastiness with the fluffy jasmine rice which made the perfect foil.

My eating companion’s entrée was Pla Pad Ped, which is fried catfish bites in a spicy red chilli sauce along with sweet peppers, basil leaves, and julienned rhizome. The fish pieces were slightly crispy, the sauce real ped (fiery), while the basil leaves provided the fragrant relief from the heat, and the julienned rhizome an interesting je-ne-sais-quoi note to the sauce, akin to mild ginger. Even though my friend was comparing it to the version from our defunct favorite joint, he seemed pretty pleased with this rendition, and the searing heat was totally up his alley, which is a far cry from his earlier virgin days when he was intolerant of such spiciness.

On my second visit, I ordered Gai Yang Som Tum as my main course. It is a grilled young chicken that has been marinated in coconut milk and fragrant spices like coriander root (stronger than the leaves themselves) and pungent black pepper. This is a Northeast Thailand dish that is not commonly served in the restaurants, and I’m glad that this eatery had offers it as one of its specials. The chicken was moist and fragrant from the marinade, covered by the skin made crispy from the grilling. Accompanying the chicken were the customary sides of steamed sticky rice that came in traditional rice basket (keep it in the container or not it will dry out quickly), and a Green Papaya Salad. The salad was a hit with its slighty crunchiness, the sweet and sour lime juice dressing, the briny dried shrimps, and the nutty crushed peanuts – a perfectly balanced salad that complemented and rounded-off the chicken dish. A great offering, indeed.

Another friend’s order one night was Ped Tod Kob, a half duck that has been marinated in aromatics and fried crispy. It was fragrant from the use of the complex 5-spice powder, flesh still quite moist, and the skin properly rendered from its fat and made crispy from the frying. The sweet 5-spice infused sauce added the necessary moisture and flavor to the duck meat. Even a mate who finds duck quite unappealing said that the skin was nearly devoid of the fat and he found it quite palatable.

Ruan Thai offers many classic dishes that are commonly found in most restaurants. What sets it apart from the others are the not-so-common offerings like the stuffed chicken wings and the Isaan grilled marinated chicken. Whether the dish is easily recognizable or a new discovery for the eater, the kitchen does a good job providing authentic flavors and it delivers in its tasty offerings. So far, it is nearly tops in my search for a replacement for my favorite Thai restaurant. I see myself making future visits to sample more of this kitchen’s wonderful cooking.

Ristorante Piccolo

Restaurants

After spending nearly a week on the West Coast (see blog on LA/Pasadena) and battling an excruciating sinus infection on the way back on the plane the night before, I mustered enough energy on a beautiful spring day to trek down to Georgetown in order to use an online coupon for an Italian restaurant before it would expire a few days later. Having such an affinity for Italian cuisine, I could not help myself but purchase another coupon to sample the different eateries that could offer dishes as authentic as those I savored in the Tuscan region last summer, much like searching for a definitive interpretation and recording of a piece of music.

Visiting Georgetown has some serious challenges, mainly finding and paying for parking. Ideally, street parking is the best since they are much more reasonable (free on Sundays) than the flat-rate garages that jack their rates up knowing that the public will have some serious challenges finding a space. Since Georgetown is not metro accessible, one has no choice but to drive and park there, wishing that the Parking Gods are working to his favor. And they were when I paid my visit. I had to make one circle around the area before a pedestrian waved his keys to me before getting in his stretch limo and pulling out. Even better, the restaurant was just the next street over.

Ristorante Piccolo is the sister restaurant of Tuscana West (see blog), and it occupies a quaint converted row house along with many other restaurants on that row. Immediately, you notice the upstairs balcony with a few tables jammed in that rather narrow space. Upon entering, I was told that by the young hostess that there were no tables available, except for those in a dark cavernous back room. I requested a table close to the window so I could take some decent shots. An older man, in chef’s garb, told me that the upstairs was only for reservations. Being Easter Sunday, I did not protest and made my way to the bar as the holding area. After 30 minutes, the young hostess told me that a table on the balcony was available – Yay! While I was waiting for the table to be cleared, the same older gentleman started to interrogate me on why would I want to take pictures in his restaurant stating that customers were already complaining about my photo-taking – I was puzzled as I had only taken a shot of an inner dining room with no-one in it. After explaining that I wrote a food blog, he relented and showed me to my table.

After waiting for quite some time, I placed my order, which was taken by Mr. Chef himself. I decided to start with a plate of Italian cold cuts and cheese. When it arrived, slices of Prosciutto ham, Sopressata, and Salami decked the plate along with a few unpitted olives (which I prefer than pitted), a couple of slivers of pickled peppers, and a couple of slices of Pecorino cheese. The Prosciutto was a bit too thick, dry, and past its prime judging by the slight brown coloration on the meat, whereas the rest of the meatcuts were fine but nothing extraordinary. The Pecorino was a bit too dry and perhaps has been sitting around a bit too long. Nothing beats fresh pieces of sliced dried ham and sheep cheese that retain a fair amount of moistness along with its flavor. A request for another piece of tasty sourdough bread never materialized, nor did I see much of my waiter. An OK Opening Act but I was not feeling too optimistic, and I was still reeling after “the interrogation.”

For the next course, I decided to try out the restaurant’s signature dish – Porcini Agnolotti. These are Northern Italian style raviolis that have been stuffed with chopped Porcini mushrooms that exude a rich woodsiness while having a meaty texture in each bite. The covering pasta was a light semi-translucent sheet that was more akin to wanton skins than fresh pasta. The sage butter sauce provided the slight resin-like mintiness and the light creaminess in the sauce. A hint of pecorino cheese added the further richness along with some nuttiness to these light heavenly pillows. I must admit that four of these agnolottis for $18 was short on value for money but they were worth every bite. Better Second Act.

Seafood Pasta in Parchment Paper arrived as my main course, which was served by Mr. Chef himself. Strands of al dente Spaghettini were covered by a tomato sauce that was made aromatic by fresh basil leaves, spiked with dried chili peppers, and enriched by seafood stock. My dish had pieces of juicy and plump seafood – scallops, shrimp, mussels and clams. This Sicilian classic is usually baked in a parchment paper until the pasta has absorbed the sauce and the seafood cooked. I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant’s rendition with its tasty sauce and fresh seafood. However, the parchment paper lacked any burnt marks thus making this critic wonder if the dish ever made it to the oven. Good Third Act, no doubt.

Mr. Chef came up and took my plate away and asked me for my dessert order. Since the restaurant offers the ever-present Tiramisu in half orders also, I decided to try a small portion of it. He came back later apologizing that it had sold out, and he was really being super nice with me – hmmmm. Using my newly found trusty Yelp application on the smart phone, I decided to order the Mango Mousse cake that many reviewers had raved about. And rightfully so. It was a light mousse that was still slightly wobbly (not too much gelatine), and it packed that rich yet unmistakable exotic mango flavor sitting on a layer of sponge cake. Not being much of a sweet-tooth person, I was uncharacteristically diving into this with full gusto and savoring every forkful and morsel. I feel that most desserts do not warrant my attention unless the calories are worth eating, and at this point I was not counting a single one. Great Finale – Bravo.

Despite a faulty start and slow service, I enjoyed the dishes that I had savored at Ristorante Piccolo that day. Just like any relationship, if you can overlook an overbearing personality and slow response to one’s needs, things can warm up and get better with time or in this case, with subsequent courses. If you are patient enough, the experience may result in hitting the jackpot, like the Mango Mousse that won me over at this Italian Tratorria. If I happen to be strolling in Georgetown and battling hunger pangs, I will make another stopover to savor some of their tasty and well-made dishes, making sure I have room for that heavenly dessert.

Tiffin

Restaurants

Langley Park is a real funky place in an interesting way. Where else in the DMV (DC, MD, VA – not the dreaded lines to pay your traffic tickets) can you find a slew of different cuisines within a stone throw of this Maryland suburb – Vietnamese, Pakistani, Chinese, Caribbean, Latin American, African, and countless more. Since it is located just down the road from my university halls, I used to haul myself down the road for these tasty bites and also head to the different markets that cater to the ethnic population in that area. Without amiss, there is a slew of Indian eateries and markets dotting that same strip which I have paid my many visits, especially to one of my favorites.

Tiffin is located just off the amazingly busy University Boulevard that never ceases to slow down even on the weekday. It is sandwiched by other Indian stores that are hawking off either cheap saris or the latest Bollywood DVD. Not too long ago, Udupi, an Indian vegetarian restaurant, merged with this meat-serving eatery. But Tiffin still serves the same vegetarian buffet with the adddition of a few meat selections at the end of the line. What better day than a cool dreary one for me to step in and taste some Indian food.

My favorite starters are the soups that greet you first. Without doubt, Samber is what I look forward to to ingratiate my tongue with. It is a complex concoction of lentils, zucchini, pumpkin, red radish, red chili, long squash, “vegetable drumstick”, curry leaves, bay leaves, mustard seeds, and tamarind pulp that brings the sour element to this light yet flavor-packed vegetable broth. A Yellow Dahl Soup maybe less complicated than the above but it is not short in flavor and spiciness from both dried red and fresh green chilies, especially the whole cumin seeds that explode in the mouth with their pungent fragrance.

An array of small bites made some decent appetizers on that day. Alu Bonda is basically Fried Potato Balls and Medhu Vada are, as the waiter put it, Lentil Donuts. They are lightly spiced with either some cumin or curry leaves, but they are rather tame in comparison to the other highly spiced offerings. What elevate them beyond the level of starch are the side sauces of one consisting of cilantro and the other sweat and sour made with tamarind. Masala Dosai is a crispy fermented rice pancake stuffed with a potato curry onion mix that is contrasted and complemented by a cooling, slightly sweet and sour, and rich nutty Coconut Chutney that immediately transports you to South Asia with this tasty bite.

For the vegetarian mains, there is a wide variety and here we see the kitchen’s cooking strength. This day’s offering were Mixed Vegetables that consisted of cauliflower, corn, spinach, daikon; an Aloo dish made from broccoli, mushroom, potato, carrots, and spiced with cumin, and curry leaves; the omnipresent Chana Masala which are chickpeas cooked in a tomato sauce and various spices; and an exotic Tendli Masala which had the interesting small cucumber-like vegetable cooked with onion and tomato spiced with cumin, mustard seeds and bay leaves. These offerings were very satisfying due to the skilful manner and the variety in the kitchen’s handling in the spice department. Such wonderful vegetarian dishes would only change the mind of the skeptic or naysayer.

Since the merging of both restaurants, Tiffin offers, along with the above dishes, meat dishes to appease the carnivores and their primordial desires (just kidding). The buffet offerings were Butter Chicken, Goat Curry, Chicken Curry, and Tandoori Chicken. All the dishes were perfectly spiced and cooked properly – the Butter Chicken was moist and a bit rich from the butter sauce, and the Tandoori Chicken was quite smoky from its high searing in the charcoal tandoor. But the radioactive red coloring on it, which seems common in most Indian eateries, was quite scary and in my estimation, and quite unnecessary. Once I could get past this slight eye-sore, I was enjoying the rather moist and tasty bite.

The now-defunct Udupi had near its entrance a sweet and candy display counter, which, regrettably, is missing in its new location. However, the buffet line does have a sweet offering at the end. I finished my fiery and spicy meal with something rather mild – Rice Pudding and Almonds. It was only slightly sweet with the rice grains completely cooked and filled with bits of fragrant almond slivers. The use of cardamom and probably rose-water added some interesting fragrant notes to this simple yet tasty dessert.

With the abundance of Indian restaurants in the metro area, Tiffin stands out for its dishes that are well-spiced and that do not shy away from flavor. In addition, it is a place where one can indulge in vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices, and the presence of many satisfied Indian or non-Indian customers is a testament to the high quality cooking. Even if you are not vegetarian, you will walk out of there quite sated from the spicy and tasty offerings, whether made with vegetable or meat. Just make sure to stop by the counter for a breath mint, or a spoonful of anise seeds from a bowl sitting by the Hindu God Ganesh, before heading back to work, unless you run it at your workplace!

Thai Pavilion

Restaurants

A call from a friend took me completely by surprise – he invited me out for dinner to celebrate his birthday (age withheld here). Shouldn’t it be the other way round, which is the customary practice? But he explained that he is trying out my yearly practice of doing something for others on my birthday, which entails me spending a week cooking and inviting my friends over, or by hosting the party in a reserved section in my friend’s restaurant, Cafe Asia (see 2 blogs back). He added that he wanted to show his gratitude for our friendship that has lasted 20 years since our first meeting in Grad School (has it been that long?).

As the day progressed, we could not firm up our decision to where we would meet for “the meal”. Upon the 11th hour, I suggested that we could try one of my favorite vegetarian haunts up the road from his place. Being the die-hard carnivore that he is, he quickly shot it down and suggested a place in the newly built Rockville Town Center. This development is a confluence of shops and restaurants that cater to the rather affluent population in this part of Montgomery County, MD. He suggested that we visit Thai Pavilion which he has been a few times, and since it was his birthday, I did not offer any resistance.

The restaurant is located at the intersection of two walking boulevards and one would immediately notice its happenings through the large department-store-like windows flanking this corner. Upon stepping in, you realize that this place attempts to create a modern and rather casual feel, obviously an attempt to cater to the younger and those with deeper pockets. The guitarist strumming and crooning away in the background sounded more like Hard Rock Cafe Bangkok with the selection of familiar but over-played classics. But it was barely grinding on my nerves since not a bare soul paid him any mind, me included.

Well, right to the food (do I hear some singing in the background?). For the appetizers, my friend decided to try a couple of offerings that are not your usual Thai fare. The Spring Rolls here are not the typical vegetarian or chicken versions found is most places. Instead this restaurant’s rendition, a special, was stuffed with moist pieces of chopped shrimp, flaky bits of crab meat, cellophane noodles and mixed vegetables, all wrapped up with a thin crispy pastry. Obviously, the restaurant is making an effort to set themselves apart for the usual, which made for a good start to the meal.

As for me, I choose the Duck Pancakes which I have not seen in any Thai eatery. It is lightly battered roast duck that is sandwiched by a homemade pancake and seasoned with scallions and a slathering of the house duck sauce, obviously a take on the Chinese Peking Duck. The duck was still moist with a faint hint of 5-spice powder (not enough for me), sans crispy skin, but the pancakes were just a bit too thick for my taste and their gumminess made it quite a filling bite, which was not what I was trying to achieve. Nevertheless, a pretty good appetizer and an odd Thai offering.

As for the mains, my friend went for the familiar – Seafood Yellow Curry. Since he is a bit allergic to coconut milk, the dish was made with half-and-half. When his plate arrived, it was redolent with a myriad of seafood – plump mussels, huge shrimp, moist scallops, and tender squid. All the seafood was enveloped by a rather fragrant yellow curry sauce that was a bit lacking in the chili-heat department but did not overshadow the seafood sweetness. Crispy snow peas and carrots added the counter balance to its richness while providing more sweetness to the dish. This was indeed a seafood delight.

For my choice, I decided to go with a Thai seafood classic – Shrimp Clay Pot. The earthenware was filled with pieces of large plump shrimp, crispy sweet onions and sweet peppers, pungent scallions, gravy-soaked beanthread noodles, fresh woodsy shiitake mushrooms, all spiked by large julienned pieces of fresh ginger. Although it was lacking in the pepperiness that I had tasted in other versions and the crispiness from a heated clay pot (this one was not), the dish hit the spot for the quality ingredients and the good cooking coming out of the kitchen.

Well, I’m glad that my long time friend decided to be “generous” on his birthday and insisted that we ate at Thai Pavilion. The restaurant knows what it is doing with their twist on the traditional dishes and the finesse in the dishes that we sampled. It is definitely worth stopping by if you happen to be in the Rockville Town Center. Now if only I can pinpoint where that darn singing is coming from.

LA/Pasadena

Restaurants

In order to recover from my winter blues, albeit a snowless and mild one on the East Coast, I decided to spend a week on the West Coast and to get reacquainted with a new online friend that I had met in the DC area last November. The last time I spent some time in the Los Angeles area was nearly 20 years ago with my sister’s high school mate. Since my new friend lives in Pasadena, which he speaks highly of his beloved city, I thought it would be an opportunity to learn about the city that hosts the annual Rose Bowl Parade with hundreds of flower-decked floats parading down its tree-lined streets.
Pasadena is indeed as beautiful as my friend touted it to be with the charming houses, parks, and the abundance of greenery amidst an arid climate, which left me parched most of the time. Knowing that I was quite the gourmand and a food blogger, my host was the perfect gentleman by making himself available to take me around and locate the restaurants that I was interested in trying out, as well as some of his and his friends’ recommendations.

After picking me up from an amazingly serene LAX airport (catching the first flight on a Sunday must be the secret here), we headed out to Lemonade, a new chain whose food can be best described as California Fusion. As you walk into the serving line, you notice that the first items offered are the side dishes, followed by salads, meat and seafood, sandwiches, stews and hot dishes, and lastly the dessert choices. Since the sides came in large portions, customers are encouraged to order them in half portions. My selections were a varied quartet consisting of a seared tuna salad with snap peas, watermelon radish, black sesame seeds, ginger, and a hint of nutty sesame oil; a daily special of fresh asparagus, crisp red radishes, and sweet lychee (yumm!)in a biting horseradish sauce; cubes of roasted sweet potatoes mixed with roasted pistachios; and Israeli couscous with mushrooms, parmesan, and lemon truffle – all the sides were amazingly fresh (no surprise since we are in bountiful California) and packed with flavor, except for the last side which seriously lacked any seasoning beyond the taste of olive oil. For protein, strips of seared sashimi-grade tuna with a sweet and citrusy yuzu sauce hit the spot. Since my friend is a sweet-tooth fiend, an order of the banana cake was quite heavenly with the very light sponge batter seeping in banana flavor and the layers interspersed with banana slices and mascarpone cream. The meal was washed down by the different lemonades which this eatery is known for – mine was Ginger Peach which was a good spicy choice. This is fast, fresh, but not-so-cheap eat since all the portions do rack up quite a bill before your tray arrives at the cashier (notice how the sides are strategically placed at the front of the line). However, it is worth an occasional visit for their fresh and rather creative offerings.

The next morning, my friend suggested eating at an LA institution, Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles House. I had tried their food before in another branch in Oakland, CA a few years back, and this day’s offering did not disappoint me a single bit. My friend had an order of crispy waffle and a piece of fried chicken that had its seasoning permeating every inch of each bite. A side order of grits (well-cooked here, unlike most places) and gravy that was fairly light (yeah, sure!), yet tasty, rounded off this rib-sticking “itis”-producing breakfast. My order of Southern-style sausage and over-easy eggs were a lighter (only by a few calories) yet satisfying choice for me. It seems that this place is a “must-visit” kind of eatery judging by the photos of the famous and not-so-famous celebrities on the surrounding walls.

For lunch, we checked out a couple of places. The first was Mediterranean Café which serves typical Lebanese fare. According to my friend, there is always a line wrapped around the block when he pays his frequent lunch visits. And understandably so – the Chicken Shwarma and Beef Kabob were well seasoned with the smoky charring from charcoal grilling, Greek Salad ingredients fresh and ripe, the Hummus creamy and correctly seasoned to claim its new identity beyond chickpeas, the Rice Pilaf buttery and fluffy, and the Pita Bread freshly made and still pliable. A conversation with the owner would only confirm the level of quality control and passion that he and his son bring to this simple yet wonderful eatery.

A hunt for a roving Taco food truck in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood (see what I would do for good eats!) proved to be futile since most do not open for lunch as they tend to cater to single men looking for grub after working hours. With the help of the Yelp application on my smart phone, I came across Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant that had received many glowing reviews. After locating this eatery, we sat down at this rather quaint and very clean restaurant. We decided to try an assortment of Tacos – Barbeque Pork (Carnitas), Beef Tongue (Lengua), and Breaded Shrimp (Camarones) all enveloped by soft tortillas. All the meats and shrimp were well-prepared and not overly seasoned, and the side sauces of green tomatillo and red roasted peppers took these bites to a fiery level. An order of Beef Quesadilla (Carne Asada) was very delicious with the thin freshly made tortillas sandwiching a hint of cheese and brimming with small chunks of seasoned beef. The sides of Mexican Rice and Refried Beans were fresh tasting and surprisingly light. An order of the exotic Pickled Cactus Salad (Nopales) had the right hint of vinegar without being too acidic, which my not-so-adventurous friend was stabbing at with curiosity after some time. A washing down with the cinnamon-laced rice milk (Horchata) was perfect since it was not too sweet or too thick. I knew I would eventually find some good Mexican eats around the LA area, and I’m glad I paid a visit to Mi Casa, with the help of modern technology, of course.

For dinner, we decided to visit one my friend’s favorite haunts. Harold and Belle’s has been serving Creole cuisine since 1969 in the heart of Black LA in the Crenshaw/Inglewood area. Stepping in, you are immediately transported to the Southern bayou state with the French influenced décor that speaks of a forgotten era. We started with the Filé Gumbo that was rich, although a bit thin, but filled with dark flavors from the brown roux, sassafras root, and the smoked meats. Our mains started with Fried Catfish Strips that were amazingly light with a clean flavor and incredibly thin yet crispy cornmeal batter. The sides consisted of Jambalaya, which was decent, and the Red Beans, which were smoky and flavorful from the use of smoked sausages. The other main, a cocotte of Crawfish Etouffée, was just heavenly with its rich tomato based cream sauce and a plethora of moist and bouncy bits of peeled crawfish tails, whose richness was complemented by fluffy white rice. Even though we were quite stuffed at this point, my friend insisted that I tried the Bread Pudding. This dessert was indeed an eye-rolling-back and toe-curling experience with the moist pudding studded with sweet plump raisins that was drenched in a mean salty rum sauce that was boozy enough to call it a shot. This is not cheap eats here but definitely worth visiting and lapping up the amazingly delicious food. Just don’t ask the Bloods and Crypts gang members next to your table (I guess good food knows no boundaries) to take your picture – I should have noticed the tattooed teardrop under their eyes before my observant host stopped me.

The LA/Pasadena area has an amazing variety of good eats and different cuisines due to its multi-cultural population. It is worth exploring these different places while one has to be a bit adventurous and have a good guide or host, or smart phone application, to find these places. I’m sure there are many more eateries worth checking out, and I can’t wait to pay the West Coast another visit in the near future.