It's not a holiday hoopla without awesome freebies, fun activities, great food, and fantastic friends. Oh wait..so then this WAS a holiday hoopla! Yelp OC Community Manager Ryan C. has done it once again with a spectacular event that was loads of fun and a great way to give back to the community. I love how the events usually try to have a community-building focus and this one was certainly no different. On a cold night, Yelpers gathered inside the wondrous OC Mart Mix to shop to their hearts' delight (20% for RSVPing, what!) and nom on some small treats from the vendors inside.


I love the OC Mart Mix - I really do. The fact that we were all there supporting some local businesses too was fantastic. There was a make-your-own-s'mores station created through the innovation of using burners for our "bonfire." There was a gift-wrapping station where you could also donate toys to Share Ourselves.


As I had mentioned before, I love the OC Mart Mix and seeing the owners milling about there was a nice get-to-know-you touch. We Olive had a tasting station where I got to nibble at some bread and a variety of olive oil (that jalapeno one was a pleasant surprise). The cheese shop was open with some goodies. Oh and the star of my show was the Savory Spice Shop which I had come specifically to the Holiday Hoopla for (well, and to support Ryan and donate toys of course =] ) - 20% there! I stayed myself pretty well but did run off into the night with a new spice grinder and some black lava salt. Whoohoo!


I also got to meet the sweet owner/creator of Birdie Bowl and Juicery, Jee! You may know her from her other place, Milk + Honey. Not only was everything about the set-up cute but the drinks delicious. I had heard about this new juice bar opening up at the OC Mart Mix a little while ago but had never gotten a chance to sample their drinks. Now that I have, I must come back! Fresh ingredients, fresh ideas, fresh design - what's not to love? It was my last stop of the awesome night and I'm glad to have come out to see and catch up with some Yelp friends I hadn't seen in a while. Great job to our CM!

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook.

I read an interesting article yesterday that made me really think about my relationship with food versus my parents' relationships with food. The article focused on the tension that the author felt between the kids of the family and the parents when it came to food. The children had grown up and moved to more artisan food-centric areas such as New York and San Francisco from their hometown of San Antonio. Thus, reunions with the parents lead to frustrations and disagreements on what constitutes good food - I believe she even stated that there are often shouting matches!

Well, I'm not that bad with my parents. In fact, for the general part, they are quite open to the foods I cook because they know that I have put some work into it. I think they try the food more out of courtesy to my effort and love for me than out of curiosity about the new types of food I try to introduce into the household. When it comes to eating out, they steer towards either Asian restaurants or make the argument that it doesn't make sense to eat out because it's cheaper at home (the latter option being more common). As the article's author points out, much of the older generation (particularly immigrants) grew up looking at food as just sustenance. What filled your stomach was what got you through the day. Who needed all the pomp and fluff that accompanies much of the food we consume today? Food was a means of survival.

Are we so spoiled now that we must have our plates given to us with artistic flourishes and unused droplets of reductions/pestos/etc on the borders? I included a picture above of when my parents went to North Carolina for my graduation at Duke. I took them to a cafe I really enjoyed but the menu contained much outside of their knowledge. They had me order for them and generally liked what I got since I based my choices off of their tastes but they did question almost everything and definitely scrunched their noses at the bill. No heated arguments ensued (unlike in the author's case) but the differences were still visible. Questions like, "Why do they give so little?" "Why does it cost so much?" "Why is everything complicated?" arose during lunch, and I didn't have satisfactory answers.

Are they wrong? Am I wrong? The generational gap that comes with every family touches on many things but because food is so ingrained in our culture and society, regardless of whether it's considered high or low-brow, it can become a point of contention. My mom is always asking me why I eat out so often and points to it as the reason for weight gain. I ask her why she doesn't want to try new things and tell her that her diet needs to change for better health reasons. Small things but constant reminders of differences. I have just been re-inspired to keep to my roots as I move forward in my food exploration; after all, my mom was the one who got me interested in food in the first place! On the plus side, my older brother moved to New York earlier this year so we definitely have grown closer over newfound foods and palate changes. During this holiday season, I encourage you to read the article and think about it & the following quote from it:

Dr. [William J. Doherty, a social science professor at the University of Minnesota,] suspects that parents in suburban and rural areas harbor unspoken pride in their children’s culinary snobbery. Yes, we can be insufferable to dine with, but we can also afford to eat out and learn about foods that were not available where we grew up. But like working-class parents who sacrificed to send their children to college, only to find that they have little in common, different tastes can also highlight familial growing pains.

“Food is a symptom and a symbol of change and how people grow apart,” said Heather Paxson, an anthropology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “People want their kids to do better, but there’s also the fear that they’ll be left behind or judged as lacking in some way.”

Reader questions: Do you have disagreements with your parents when it comes to food? How bad are they? What are your and your parents' perspectives on food? Where are each of you coming from?

Orignal article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/dining/bridging-the-generation-gap-one-meal-at-a-time.html

234 E 17th St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Pricing - $/$$ | Dining - Casual, To-Go | Cuisine - American
www.greenleafchopshop.com

I had come to Greenleaf once before to do a quick media menu preview for their Happy Hour offerings but this time, I wanted to drop by and get some grub that wasn't going to clog my arteries (was going to meet friends up afterward at a tavern). It was a good time to come in and grab a refreshing bottle of blood orange chili drink - that was something else! Duc's grapefruit ginger slaked his thirst quite well too.


He opted for the Mexplosion omelette, an egg-whites omelette filed with grilled corn and black bean salsa with cilantro, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, sunflower seeds, tortilla crunchies, and jalapeño jack cheese with a side salad. What a healthy option! The egg was done well and stuffed with the wholesome goodness of fresh vegetables and being well-planned. It was a fantastic meal item.


My choice was their Buffalo "Wangs" salad (romaine hearts with crispy chicken tossed in chipotle orange BBQ sauce, Bleu cheese, bacon, carrots, celery, and fat-free ranch dressing). They aren't kidding when they compare it to buffalo wings because the slabs of chicken were doused in the sauce! The salad seemed to be good for the first few bites but once the chicken quickly turned soggy from all the sauce, it became a mixture of interesting flavors. A good salad in general but I suppose I should just eat more quickly from the onset! Of course, I've also had plenty of their other menu items which were all pretty much fantastic so yeah, let's give them a 4 for health and freshness!

Photography by Duc Duong.

Test Kitchen! This is the first drink for the "series," if you will call it that. I am listening to your suggestions and two people told me on Instagram (follow me at minervathai) that I should include alcohol with the orange marmalade. So be it! A marmalade cocktail for you all! By the way, this has become just about one of my favorite cocktails already - isn't that strange? So delicious. Let me know what y'all think of it when you try making it!

Step 1: Ingredients (yields one drink)

• ice
• 2 oz. gin (I used Bombay Sapphire)
• 1/2 large lemon, juice
• lemon peel
• 4 oz. orange marmalade

Step 2: Making
Fill your cocktail shaker almost to the top with clean, untainted ice. Squeeze 1/2 large lemon's juice into the shaker and 2 oz. of gin. Save 1/2 lemon for the peel. Add in orange marmalade.

Step 3: Finishing
Using a paring knife (or any garnish tool you have), slice off a part of the lemon's peel to place as garnish; if you have the right tool, making a corkscrew swirl of this would look beautiful. Close cocktail shaker top and shake thoroughly. Pour through strainer and serve! I actually chewed on the garnish too since the zest is so tasty.

This week's test kitchen ingredient: brandy
Actually the brandy of choice for the week is the Chateau de Laubade VSOP Armagnac. It is brandy from a French region called Armagnac, which is smaller than Cognac (the most well-known type of brandy). Armagnac typically is made in smaller-batch productions and also has a richer taste profile than cognac. It is distributed by smaller companies as well. What should I do with the brandy then? Tell me on Facebook!


Photography by Duc Duong.

We were honored enough to get a nice invite to see and taste some of the baked goods slated for offering once Blackmarket Bakery opens at its newest location - The Camp in Costa Mesa. If you haven't heard of Blackmarket Bakery yet, you need to get out of your hole in the ground and make your way either to their Irvine location (a small suite in a business park) or to their soon-to-open location in Costa Mesa (think after Christmas but before New Year's). Their owner/creator Chef Rachel Klemek not only will give you a tremendously great menu to choose from but also a passionate and very friendly personality that can only come from someone who loves to bake and invent for others.


We had more than our fair share of desserts that evening. From the black widow tarts (chocolate tart shell with a layer of caramel covered by decadent chocolate) to the pecan sticky buns (definitely, definitely sticky!) to the Blackstrap Betty cookies (the crunchy taste of fall) and more, Blackmarket Bakery's got its baked goods ready for the sweet tooths in Orange County. A whole pan of wild berry cobbler was out fresh from the oven too to our tummies' delight.


To be honest, my two favorites for the night were the banana butterscotch tarts (banana brulee-d atop a light butterscotch filling in a tart shell) and the grilled cheese sandwiches (in their cinnamon currant bread with mushrooms using a large panini press). The former was caramelized and sweet in just the right amounts and the latter perfectly savory and wholesome. Though they will be open even late into the night and there will be at least one staff member 24/7, the main focus for their savory items menu will be breakfast! Chairs and tables will be lined up under the wooden and steel ceiling which fits the bakery's constant "sci-fi" type of personality.


What makes this location different from the other one? While the first one started out to be a small retail business that expanded into being a provider for some corporate locations (high end coffee shops and other retailers), this one will grow to be more than just a bakery. Come here for your Kean drip coffee. Come here for your freshly pressed breads. Come here for actual breads because they have a large oven, a dough machine, and even a proofer. Come here just to come here and to see what passion and determination can knead out when put into the hands of the talented Chef Rachel Klemek, winner of the 2012 Golden Foodie Awards for Golden Pastry Chef. Oh by the way, pick up a t-shirt while you're at it.


Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook.

5031 E Orangethorpe Ave, Ste E, Anaheim, CA 92807
Pricing - $/$$ | Dining - Casual, To-Go | Cuisine - Thai
http://bangkokspicethaicuisine.com/

On our way to meet up with some of his friends for a belated birthday celebration in Anaheim, Duc and I stopped at this Thai restaurant because he had been craving some. It was a hidden away place that was a bit difficult to find (Google Maps had said it was on one side but it was on the other) but once we got there, it was small and charming.


We started out dinner off with their Thai tea (true to form and scrumptious) and the fried Thai curry. we chose the latter because of the name - it sounded quite curious. What it was was dollops of their curry wrapped in wonton wrappers and deep-fried. Sound awesome? It sure was. I loved the tangy sauce it came with too!


We got a hot pot version of their Tom Kha Gai (coconut milk, chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes,lime juice, chili and fresh Thai herbs) which came in a great bowl that was heated throughout. It was a little hard to scoop once it got to the bottom but we were at the bottom because it was delicious. I found it a bit too sour from the lime but I know that it was Duc's favorite for the night. Hearty and spicy, this was a soup for when you're sick or just need a warm pick-me-up.


The other main entree was their yellow curry which was described as "mild hot slightly sweet with potatoes, onions, carrots, and coconut milk in yellow curry sauce," but really, there was no heat. They did their potatoes quite well where they were in the state between soft and firm (hoorah) and the curry sauce itself was flavorful (though not spicy). Unfortunately, I'll have to dock them for having carrots and onions still too raw and the chicken much too dry. Overall, it was a quaint little family-owned place with an all Thai staff but there were some misses with their supposedly popular dish. Don't worry - I'd still come back. That soup needs a stomach to go into after all!

Photography by Duc Duong.

Happy grand opening day for Surfas Culinary District in Costa Mesa! The place has actually been open for a little while now but the official grand opening happens today, December 15th, from 2pm-6pm with plenty of vendor tastings, giftaways, and kids' activities. Sounds fabulous. I was invited to a Tasting Tour of Surfas earlier this week and was floored by the fare and wares inside. I had been actively avoiding this place when I heard of its initial opening because I knew my wallet would cry after each visit; however, I could not pass up an opportunity to take a guided look around the aisles.


So what is Surfas? It is the newest addition to the SoCo Collection's wondrous array of foodie delights. It is the second Surfas in California (there's a third in Arkansas) with the first being in Culver City. Plenty of long-time Surfas customers were quite elated when this location opened up; wouldn't you be happy too if you didn't have to make a monthly commute up north? This cook-centric emporium of fine foods and gourmand gadgets is a financially deadly spot for the enthusiast but just another reason why you must visit the SoCo Collection. Prior to starting the tasting tour, we got to hear from partners Bryon Ward and Scott Burham (owners of the SoCo Collection) and their story on how they "strong-armed" the Surfas family into bringing their culinary store into Costa Mesa. It wasn't completely about the offerings though - as Bryon explained, there is such a correlation between design and cooking (I wholeheartedly agree) that the SoCo Collection and its tenants focus on that; Surfas has just joined the family and from what I can see, is a welcomed part.


Once inside, it was a toy store for us adults. We were greeted by lines of delectable pizzas with artisan ingredients and crisp dough. Champagne bubbled in glasses contained candied hibiscus flowers (tasted like raspberry gelee!). My tour group started with olive oil tasting presented by Clare - what a treat. I started learning as I walked around just how knowledgeable the staff is there. We tasted dishes from their on-site chefs with pasta made from their very own machines using their own flours. Talk about housemade goodness.


What sets this location apart from the other two is their grand Epicurean Center with cheese and charcuterie from every inch of the world. We only got to sample some of their products but those were certainly enough to pique our interests. I would call this spot my adult candy store. In addition to an expert curator of cheese and charcuterie on hand, this center also features an affinage cabinet above the normal glass cheese displays where they age whole wheels themselves. For your afternoon dining pleasures, they also offer cheese and wine flights, allowing customers to pick out three cheese types to take around the corner to be paired with wines. Not looking for cheese and wine only? Try their varied crostini for a crunchy snack complemented by delicious ingredients (out for that night were the tapenade with grilled eggplant and Sicilian green olives, edamame puree with Beemster wasabi Gouda and shaved green onion, and Colavolpe Mont figs with Bellweather sheep's Ricotta (3 for $10 or 6 for $19).



Around the back is a commercial center for restaurant and chef consulting. There is also a wondrous Test Kitchen area where they bring in students and also host events. We got to try a mac and cheese dish from students that attend Newport High. I love the concept of bringing world-class chefs and restaurant industry professionals to speak to and with the students. There is also an attached cafe (breakfast-dinner until 7pm + catering!) to the main Surfas warehouse section with their Executive Chef Nina who offered us tourists a crunchy and wholesome grilled cheese made with ingredients all from Surfas. I also met Pastry Chef Katie Lively with whom I spoke about her chocolate ganache tarts with their gorgeous flecks of gold (again, all Surfas ingredients). So, not only is every area in the store staffed with professionals with more expertise than I could comprehend but they also cover every need you might have for your kitchen - design, building, installation, cookware, ingredients, servingware, and so forth. Rows and rows of kitchen supplies and delights...rows and rows where I can max out my credit cards!


The evening was rounded out with some takeaways and giveaways (congrats to the winners) but also some more insight into the family who has run the Surfas stores for more than 75 years. If you are looking for quality, they should be your go-to place. Located at the SoCo Collection at 3309 Hyland Avenue in Costa Mesa, this amazing place is open every day of the week until 6pm M-Sa and 5pm Sun. For more information on them, go to www.surfasonline.com!

Photography by Minerva Thai. More photos available on Facebook.