I have a giveaway for you readers! Well that's not the point of this post but I figured I'd bring it to your attention lest you miss out on this opportunity. More information is at the bottom. Anyhow, I was luckily invited to a tasting of True Food Kitchen's menu with highlights on popular food items and features of seasonal dishes (this was the one in Newport Beach). My thanks to Allison and the rest who had me and others there - it was my second time to True Food Kitchen and I was quite excited. We all shared a long table with communal bowls of varied crudites to pick at (hence the intro photo!).


Duc and I had actually gotten there before the place had set up the media preview table, so we were directed to start off at the bar. If you've never been to True Food Kitchen, it's quite the expansive space with several areas in which you could stake your claim - table seating, patio seating, bar seating, and special wine room seating. The bar offerings featured healthy drinks with some alcoholic additions. Duc had the Spontaneous Happiness (ginger & vanilla infused shochu, Thatcher's elderflower, and fresh lime), a bubbly, zesty drink with enough power to give you a kickstart to your day/evening. I went the non-alcoholic route and had a Medicine Man (sea buckthorn, pomegranate, cranberry, black tea, and soda) which was not joking around in calling itself an antioxidant blast.


Family-style appetizers for the table were their Thai shrimp dumplings (with basil, mint, and jalapeno), herb hummus (tomato, onion, & Feta), and edamame dumplings (with daikon sprouts and white truffle oil). The Thai shrimp dumplings were plump with their large pieces of shrimp and succulence. The herb hummus was fairly standard fare in terms of hummus as were the pieces of pita. My favorite was the dish of edamame dumplings though because they were creamy, smooth, and healthy - the daikon sprouts really added a nice, micro-crunch to each lovely morself and the dumpling "skin" was the perfect texture.


A round of two salads came our way afterward: the Farmer's Market (kale, Romaine, carrot, beet, broccoli, radish, avocado, Manchego cheese, and champagne vinaigrette) and the Harvest Chopped (squash, apple, pomegranate, walnut, goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette). Both salads were oh so plentiful in fresh ingredients but I found myself more happily munching on the latter due to its pomegranate pop and gorgeous goat cheese. The first one had several delightful elements in it contributed to by the sweetness of the beets, the buttery-ness of the avocado, and the savoriness from the Manchego. However, roasted squash in a salad with some crisp apples and crunchy walnuts made the Harvest Chopped a winner between the two in my eyes. Either way, great salads each.


Two examples of their entree offerings made their way to our table; they were the Panang Curry with Tofu (brown rice, potato, broccoli, ginger, carrot, mushroom, and coconut shellfish broth) and the Grilled Albacore Tuna Sliders (wasabi aioli, radish, avocado, and cucumber) paired with their Tuscan Kale Salad (lemon, Parmesan, and bread crumbs) and butternut squash. The curry was a real crowd pleaser as its slow burn seeped its way into our mouths only after we had coated our tongues in the milky, flavorful broth...and yet, the burn was welcome because it made us remember why exactly the spices were there. The sliders had thick slabs of well-seasoned grilled albacore that were complemented with the kick of wasabi aioli. Everyone seemed to also love the Tuscan kale salad, a simple dish that had enough of a personality to win us over.


When it seemed like we were all about to burst, the lively waiters swept up and out the dinner utensils and replaced the dinnerware with three different desserts - the Squash Pie (with coconut whipped cream), Flourless Chocolate Cake (72% cocoa, vanilla ice cream, and caramel), and Apple Crisp (with pecan maple ice cream). The coconut whipped cream proved to be a lovely way to top squash pie; it was subtle in flavor, yielding to the rich spiced pie that was quite similar to a pumpkin pie. The chocolate cake was surprisingly dense in flavor despite being fairly light in texture. Ice cream is always a great thing to pair with a baked dessert. As for the apple crisp, well...I had had it before and it was good then so most definitely good now with its crunchy granola and nut crust and the soft, cinnamony apple pieces.


If you aren't familiar with True Food Kitchen, it "is a healthy eatery with a menu designed in collaboration with Dr. Andrew Weil, True Food Kitchen Executive Chef Michael Stebner and restaurateur and owner of Fox Restaurant Concepts Sam Fox." For Newport Beach, a new Executive Chef, Matt Tobin, has entered the scene and continues delivering at that location in the True Food Kitchen way. The menu is vegetarian/vegan-friendly and full of local, seasonal good eats. You should drop by sometime...with (and even without) the help of a giveaway gift card!

I have two $25 gift cards to give away for True Food Kitchen. Winners will be by random pick and announced Thursday! Please include your full name in your comment. Good luck!

Ways to enter (1 entry allowed per method; three entries maximum per person):

1. Comment on this post on what food you would order
2. Comment on Facebook on who you would take with you
3. Comment on Twitter on which picture you liked best

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook.

Aw yeah, some of people's favorite things rolled into one dish: bacon, mac and cheese, and panko crumbs. This was actually made for Thanksgiving this year and was the biggest hit. I had a request for mac and cheese from my younger brother so I snagged this recipe as posted from Mr. Alton Brown himself (with a few of my own adjustments). Give it a shot because it's too good to pass up. By the way, in advance, sorry for the poor pictures - my house is not very conducive to pictures PLUS we were all just eager to eat. Oh and if you don't want to add bacon, you don't have to!

Step 1: Ingredients (yields 8-10 servings)

• 1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
• 3 tbsps butter, unsalted
• 3 tbsps flour
• 1 tbsp powdered mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheese, shredded (he asks for Cheddar - I mixed a Seattle-based flagship cheese with some Cheddar)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• black pepper, freshly grated
• 1 lb. bacon
  
  Topping
• 2 tbsps butter
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Step 2: Prepping the ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large pot, cook pasta. Dice your onion first. Then, in a separate pot, melt butter before mixing in flour & mustard - keep stirring for five minutes to avoid lumps. Stir in milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. If you are using different cheeses for this, mix them now. In a large skillet, melt the butter for the topping and toss the bread crumbs. When finished, you may use that same skillet to cook your bacon; when crisp, chop up into many pieces.

Step 3: Creating the sauce
Simmer mixture for about 10 minutes before removing the bay leaf. For cooked pasta, drain and place into a 9x13 baking dish. In the pot, temper in your egg before stirring in 9 oz. of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper before pouring over pasta. Add bacon. Mix well and top with cheese.


Step 4: Finishing
Top casserole with the bread crumbs and bake entire dish for 30 minutes or until golden brown. When it is ready, you may take it out of the oven to serve; just make sure you wait about five minutes before you serve lest they hurt themselves!

6507 Quail Hill Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92603
Pricing - $$/$$$ | Dining - Casual | Cuisine - Italian
www.luccacafe.com

We had promised Chef Cathy that we would come back for a dinner one day since the lunch menu and style is supposedly drastically different from dinner. When we walked in, we noticed right away even though the place was the same decor-wise. The people were dressed a little nicer and the menu was fabulously higher class. We were quite excited.


In fact, instead of just regular bread and butter, we got nice crisps with housemade olive tapenade. Fancy smancy eh? I love olive tapenade and theirs was the perfect mix; atop some crunchy bread crisps, it was a welcome starter as we looked over the menu.


I personally find it hard to resist French onion soup when I'm in a restaurant so we ordered that to start off with. The soup came out oddly in a shallow square bowl but that didn't affect just how good it tasted. It just affected how easily we could spoon up the very last few drops. The soup had a rich melted cheese on top with seasoned toast - the broth was medium-bodied and slowly caramelized onions were apparent in the flavor. Hoorah for this beginning dish.


The pictures captured of the entrees were amazing, not just on Duc's camera but also on Instagram. Actually, our waiter jokingly said to me that he'd find my tags and like the pictures! Anyhow, I ordered the infamous scallops (two pan-seared hand harvested wild Diver Scallops, roasted butternut squash risotto with housemade bacon, leeks, fresh sage, and vanilla bean aioli). If the description itself doesn't have you drooling, I'm not sure what will. The scallops were perfectly soft and practically melted in my mouth when eaten with the smooth creaminess of the risotto. I think my favorite part, however, was the vanilla bean aioli which was very rich and savorily sweet. Duc opted for the "Layers of Pork Tenderloin and Other Stuff" dish (Snake River Farms pork tenderloin, housemade bacon, Cippolini onions in agrodolce, mandolin potatoes, and port wine apple sauce) purely based on its name. Whatever the motivation, it was a very happy choice. The juicy tender tenderloin was just one of the delectable layers in this beautifully presented dish (long rectangular plate allowed for slanted layering!). There was also way too amazing bacon that was thickly cut and pretty much pork belly, crisp potatoes, and sweet apples. What a treat. We'll definitely be coming back.

Photography by Duc Duong.

10522 Mcfadden Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92843
Pricing - $ | Dining - Casual, To-Go | Cuisine - Vietnamese
http://www.comtamtranquycap.net/

One reason why it's so awesome to crave Vietnamese food in my home area is that there's a great abundance of restaurants around Garden Grove where you can get some. Why it's not awesome is because my mom can make much better. However, I can't always access that resource SO when it comes to a craving for cơm tấm, I try to find good places. This one came highly recommended on Yelp so it was worth a shot.


The complimentary fare came out quite quickly with the standard selection of Vietnamese greens for the vegetables. There were also plentiful small bowls of the fish sauce with shredded carrots. We also got a small bowl of warm broth which was just okay.


My dish was the BÁNH HỎI THỊT NƯỚNG, CHẢ GIÒ (vermicelli noodle, BBQ pork, and egg roll). The cơm tấm was going to be ordered already so why not try something different? I really enjoyed everything on top but when it came down to it, the bánh hỏi was definitely old. I mean, it was dry and tough in some areas meaning it had been out a while and most definitely not fresh. All the other stuff was great including the BBQ pork but no amount of drowning the bánh hỏi in fish sauce would make it soft enough for my liking.



Duc got the Combo 2 TÀU HỦ KY, TÔM, THỊT NƯỚNG, BÌ CHẢ (rice with fried shrimp cake, shrimp, pork, shredded pork skin, egg cake). I'll give my rating of this place a slight boost for this because it was definitely done well. Unfortunately, I found the egg cake to be quite tasteless and too cold. The fried shrimp cake had a nice touch to it in bean curd. They do their BBQ pork well here with its slight sauce, flavorful char, and thin texture. The rice was also great and overall, the entree is a dish done well. It all hit the spot so I'll come back. It was inexpensive and the guy even gave us some free tea on our way out!

Photography by Minerva Thai.

362 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036 (Neighborhood: Hell's Kitchen)
Pricing - $ | Dining - Casual, To-Go | Cuisine - Bakery
www.schmackarys.com

What attracted me to Schmackary's as I was cavorting about Hell's Kitchen with my brothers on my recent NY trip was the expansive mural-ed storefront. It was white and light blue with an old-fashioned feel due to the artwork and set-up. We had to go in.


How does one easily win my heart? If you crack a grammar joke at me, you've got it. I was first greeted when I walked in with a warm and friendly "How are you?" When I answered "well, how are you?," he immediately said he was doing well and commended me on using correct grammar because "Superman does good." Insta-win to me. Then of course there were the cookies...the rows and rows of classic and not-so-traditional cookie flavors made it difficult to choose just one. We came in saying to ourselves that we'd get one or two but I convinced my brother to split the cost of six with me. The power of cookies!


We ended up with the sweet corn, maple bacon, fluffer nutter, cookies and cream, candied yam, and blueberry cobbler ("way to pick the weirder ones, Minerva..."). The sweet corn was by FAR my favorite one; it was made of corn flour, cornmeal, sweet corn, cranberries, and pecan bits. If you can imagine cornbread in cookie form, you've got this delicious, delicious cookie. I like my cookies soft and these all were very much so. The maple bacon (candied bacon, maple syrup, toffee bits, and sea salt) was too salty for my tasty but that's actually a compliment to how well they preserved the bacon-y taste. The fluffer nutter (peanuts, peanut butter, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter-marshmallow frosting) was a peanut butter lover's dream come true if he/she also had a major sweet tooth. The cookies and cream (dark cocoa, white chocolate, Oreo pieces, and vanilla buttercream frosting) was a delightful take on the classic. The candied yam (corn flour base, sweet potato, brown sugar, cinnamon, and toasted marshmallow) was my second favorite for its smooth, sweet yamminess. Lastly, the blueberry cobbler (oats, blueberries, white chocolate, glaze, and streusel) was a welcome treat with its subtle fruitiness amidst oats.


We could all see what made these cookies lip-schmackin' good, and though I personally don't live in the area, I'm sure my older brother who does live in NY will be back. Hey, maybe I can ask him to bring me some of that sweet corn when he comes back home to visit!

Photography by Minerva Thai.

So last week's Test Kitchen ingredient was Bleu cheese but I happened to buy an extremely strong-tasting variety so my options felt limited. However, what better way to soften that with a lot of sour cream, potato, and buttermilk? It appeased both my Bleu cheese-loving younger brother and my Bleu cheese-indifferent self. Check out this recipe for a hearty appetizer!

Step 1: Ingredients (yields 8 servings)

• olive oil, for crisping
• 4 medium baking potatoes
• 1-2 oz. Bleu cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 tbsp butter, unsalted and chunked
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp salt
• Optional: cheese for topping

Step 2: Preparing the ingredients
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Wash your potatoes thoroughly and dry. Rub olive oil on the skin of that potatoes in order to help it crisp. Place into the oven on a baking sheet or directly on the rack for 1 hour. In a separate large mixing bowl, crumble Bleu cheese, cut butter into chunks, add salt, and add sour cream.

Step 3: Mixing ingredients
When the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and let cool a little. Slice in half and scoop out softened potato into mixing bowl. Mix everything thoroughly in the bowl and add buttermilk slowly to ease mixing. When the mixture is smooth and light, scoop back into the crispy potato skins. Place back into hot oven on the baking sheet for 12-15 minutes.

Step 4: Finishing
Remove potatoes from oven when done. To embellish your dish, add grated cheese for topping and maybe even bacon (who can deny bacon?!). Place back into oven for 3-5 minutes and then remove to serve. Enjoy!


This week's Test Kitchen ingredient: pearled barley

"Pearl barley (or "pearled barley") is barley processed to remove its hull and bran. Barley must have its fibrous outer hull removed before it can be eaten; pearl barley is taken a step further, polished to remove the nutritious bran layer.

Pearl barley is the most common form of barley for human consumption, probably because it cooks faster and is less chewy than other, less-processed forms of barley. This is in contrast to "hulled barley" or barley groats, which preserves the bran, or "pot barley" (also known as "Scotch barley"), in which the bran is not removed.

Pearl barley is similar to wheat in its caloric, protein, vitamin and mineral content, though it differs in that some varieties are high in lysine. It is cooked mainly in soups and stews, also as an ingredient for stuffing cooked potages or sweet dishes. It is the primary ingredient of the Italian dish orzotto." [Wikipedia]

Photography by Minerva Thai.

I'm rarely down in the area of Costa Mesa/Newport Beach just because I live out in Garden Grove BUT there are really some amazing gems popping up in that area at the end of the 55! One of them is Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop which actually is not the only of its kind but started out in Los Angeles (they have Beverly Hills and Century City locations). I was invited to check out their Happy Hour menu which is featured from 3-5pm every day. Specials for their Happy Hour include $4 glasses of wine at their fun wine wine, $4 glasses of tap beers, $5 rotating specialty Soju cocktail, $5 thin-crust "pizzas" (the crust is actually a tortilla!), and 50% off all side dishes and their newest Small Plates selection.


Those are some really neat specials and the venue was a just an overall neat place! This Costa Mesa location has a old garden feel to it which they complemented with their ample spreading of succulents in antique-looking vases or containers. The windows are expansive, letting in a lot of natural light and letting you look out at the actual greens they are growing around the building. There is an outdoor back area with wooden benches and an earthy garden which can actually be rented out for private parties. The large wooden tables combined with the natural lighting gives you a sense that you are actually seated outside.


In addition to regular seating and the large picnic-style table in the center, there is also bar seating and an outdoor patio. If you go beyond the bar, you'll also see their little shop where you can get drinks and locally-made small pantry items. They've even started carrying some fresh fruit and baked goods! If you're interested in getting some food to go, you're able to call in your order and pick it up through this shop as well.


I guess we can finally talk about the food though right? We started off with their Happy Hour soju cocktail special which was their housemade apple cider soju cocktail. As Devon (PR rep) so aptly put it, the drink was like an adult apple juice! The presentation was appealing in its open jar and two thin slices of Granny Smith apple as garnish. The drink was refreshing and a bit nostalgic because hey, it really was like apple juice with a smidgeon of alcohol! We also had their sangria, a stellar drink; I've normally had sangria that was too watered down and Duc has had ones that were too strong in alcohol content but this one was just right. Full of fruits and accented by some large cinnamon sticks for holiday cheers, this drink is a definite must.


So the Small Plates menu selection is to encourage sharing, and I love how a lot of restaurants have found their way into this type of plating recently. Eating is such a communal thing! Then again, when you make Small Plates this good, how could anyone agree to share? We started off with the Salmon Crudo, Steak Sliders, and Turkey Sliders. The Salmon Crudo was artfully presented with small morsels of clementines, grapefruit, and pineapple; what a bright dish. The sliced green onion garnish contributed to the freshness of this dish which would be a perfect summery snack. The Steak Sliders were one of my favorites with its crisp and tangy sauce. The Turkey Sliders had amazing turkey patties that were soft in texture and yet remarkably hearty in flavor. I highly recommend these.


A favorite not only amongst us but also with customers in general from what they told us were the Turkey Meatballs which were brought out to us in a cute small baking dish swimming in a savory marinara sauce alongside melted mounds of cheese. The fresh basil on top paired with some crusty bread was just perfect to go along with this Italian dish. The rotating Small Plate they have on their menu is aptly called "Grilled Deliciousness;" for us this day, it was a plate of roasted pears, prosciutto, and burrata atop greens drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Does it taste as lovely as it reads? Better. The sweetness of the pears combined with the saltiness from the prosciutto in just the right way while upon a pillowly pile of fresh burrata and crunchy greens. Oh so delicious. Then there was their most popular "pizza" - the Wild Mushroom and Truffle. The crust is a wheat tortilla and the toppings were all sorts of mushroom with greens and freshly shaved Mozzarella.


Speaking of mushrooms, there is also the seasonal bruschetta which was mushroom-based this time. Bring it on, I say! I love mushrooms so, so much. There was an explosion of mushrooms on top of the bread for this one as every common variety was piled on top with sundried tomatoes and basil. We also decided to try some of their sides including some very excellent sweet potato fries that came with an avocado pesto dipping sauce; you wouldn't think that this would be the sauce you'd fall in love with but give it a try. The fries were crisp and sweet but what really brought out the refreshing nature of having more vegetables and healthy food like Greenleaf's in your diet was the pop from the pesto. Fabulous stuff. We also snagged their Beets, Yams, Walnuts, and Goat Cheese Salad (tangy, cold, and full of flavor) and the Quinoa Salad (like a Thanksgiving salad filled with slivered almonds and dried cranberries!) to finish off our meal.


So while it's a great place to meet with people to catch up or just for fun during the daytime because of all the window lighting, it becomes a slightly romantic place when the sun goes down and the candles come out. Wooden French riddling racks above you and dark wood all around, Greenleaf gives off a nice nighttime garden feel too. It's definitely a versatile place that you'd love to just relax at; just a bonus, there is free wireless! I wish I lived in the area so I could come by any time just to eat healthy and feel more alive in this setting. By the way, I've also heard that there is a killer brunch! If you decide to go, take me along please. It was great - my thanks to Devon and Max for having us!

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook.

173 Irving Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11237 (Neighborhood: Bushwick)
Pricing - $/$$ | Dining - Casual, To-Go | Cuisine - Mexican
http://monterosgrill.com

It's breakfast time in Bushwick and since my older brother abandoned us in his apartment since it was Monday and he had work to go to, my younger brother and I wandered around town looking for a place actually open for breakfast. Our original choice of seeking out Peruvian chicken was a fail at that hour but luckily for us, Montero's was ready for our consumption. Walking inside, we saw that it was deserted (who eats breakfast on a Monday anyway?) but the staff quick to answer our door opening. Courteous people!


You tell me you serve authentic Mexican cuisine, you better deliver. I grew up in Orange County, CA so there are plenty of other restaurants to compare the food to! My first thought upon seeing the menu is that these were normal casual restaurant prices at about $8 a plate. Okay, I can't argue with the economy on the ground so I'll take that price point at a Mexican joint. My order was for their Huevos Rancheros (two eggs over medium served on top of fresh corn tortillas and their housemade tomatillo sauce, Cotija cheese, and grilled Mexican chorizo). May I say that these were just lovely? Was the presentation nice? No but who cares when the attractiveness happens in my mouth? The tomatillo sauce was bright and the grilled chorizo reminiscent of a welcoming Mexican home I never experienced.The Mexican rice was also oh so wonderful with its tangy tomato flavor. I also had a cup of bean soup (or was it sauce?) that was great too.


My younger brother ordered the Puebla Style Tortas (filled with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, refried beans, quesillo, mayo, jalapeno peppers, and his choice of carne enchilada for the meat) with a side of fries. This would have made the perfect lunch for me. He only offered me a bite before his teenage self devoured the whole thing (or inhaled?). The meat was tender and well-seasoned; the vegetables fresh. The cheesy melted goodness greatly complemented the bun. The French fries were just about some of my favorite fries ever tasted. Think of a seasoned potato wedge but in fry form - delicious thought, no? We had a good meal there and definitely good service. Eat up here if you can!

Photography by Minerva Thai.