Best part about a slow cooker is that you throw all the ingredients in and wait about 6 to 8 hours, and your dish is ready. Take a look at my tacos:

I bought the tortillas from Huicho’s Bakery, a local bakery and tortilleria in Los Angeles. I got there right when the fresh corn tortillas had just been packed. When the cashier handed me two bags, they were both warm and I put my nose to the bag and the smell of maize seeped out – I inhaled. If you haven’t already, I highly suggest you stop by  your local tortilleria and pick up a bag of fresh tortillas – it’s not expensive and the taste is 10 times better than the prepackaged stuff you buy at the grocery store that’s been shipped from miles away. Plus, you can support your local business!

Here’s the checklist of things you need for shredded beef tacos.

1. Tortillas
2. Cilantro and onions – I bought some cilantro and onions from the farmers market and chipped them up and put it in a bowl as a side for the tacos.
3. Limes – I cut up lime wedges for folks to squeeze on their tacos.
4. Mexican cheese – I bought queso fresco and crumbled them up so people could top off their tacos.
5. Hot sauce – Tapatio is my hot sauce of choice.
6. Shredded beef (see below for recipe)

The shredded beef is a simple recipe. I didn’t really use measuring spoons – just seasoned to the eye and didn’t over do it. But hopefully you’ll be able to find the right combination for yourself and experiment.

1. Meat – Buy a large chuck roast and trim the fat. Then cut the meet into 4 pieces and put into the slow cooker.
2. Garlic – Add 5-6 cloves of garlic (I put in 8 because I’m a big fan of garlic).
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Beef bouillon – dissolve it in 1/2 cup of water and drizzle it over the meat.
5. (optional) My friend Marc also recommends serrano peppers too if you like it spicy. I didn’t add the peppers for my taco.

Set the slow cooker to LOW and leave it in for about 6 -8 hours. Mine were done a little after 6 hours. You know it’s ready when the meat is tender and falls off each other. Do not set it to high or leave it in too long because the mean will get tough and rubbery.

If you want a shredded beef taco recipe with more direction and recipe I found this one, this one, and this one.

This was a simple recipe that everyone enjoyed and it was easy to prepare. Looking forward for my next taco night!

I was there during crawfish season and went to Charlie’s Seafood just outside of New Orleans in Harahan. My friend did some research and found it and I was up for the adventure.

I definitely felt like an outsider when I walked it because it felt like a local place, not for tourists – I liked that! It was loud, and everyone was peeling crawfish and drinking beer. I had a feeling I would love everything I ate. First thing we ordered were a couple pounds of crawfish to share. It was crawfish season so we were there at the right time. Normally, I don’t really eat crawfish because it’s a whole lot of work for just a little bit of food. I have to admit it was the best crawfish I ever had – the meet was sweet and good.

I also ordered the Cane River Meat Pie because our waitress said it was popular with the folks there. It was amazing! It was basically like a fried hot pocket with seasoned meat served with creole mustard and pepper jelly.

For main course, my friend and I split the UN-Fried Seafood Platter that was grilled fish, shrimp, crab, baked oysters, and cornbread. The seafood was so fresh! I loved that the flavors weren’t drowned by butter which is what a lot of seafood places do which is unfortunate. Because the seafood was fresh, the butter and seasoning only enhanced the natural flavors. I’m salivating just remembering this dish right now.

For dessert we really wanted pecan pie but they had already sold out. So instead we got the white chocolate bread pudding and creme brulée. Personally, I liked the creme brulée more because I found the bread pudding to rich and sweet for me but I could see why people would order it.

When in New Orleans, it’s a must to go to Café du Monde. I had heard so many things about Café du Monde so I was more than elated when I was walking closer and closer to it. It’s a coffee shop in the French Quarter that has a lengthy history – it’s been around since 1862! When you get there, don’t wait to be seated – grab your seat and a waiter/waitress will come by to take your order. They also have a walk-up if you are going to take it to go or get some souvenirs. Also there are some other locations if you don’t get to this location. For me, I loved the architecture and the area where it’s situation.

I really didn’t need to look at the menu. I knew what I wanted: cafe au lait and beignets. They serve French-style beignets which are fried dough that is dowsed with powdered sugar. I wonder how much powdered sugar this place goes through in a week!

Be warned that when you order a beignet, you will most likely get powdered sugar everywhere. I hear some of the servers who work there carry their cell phones in plastic bags so not to end up with a powdered sugar phone at the end of their shift – smart!

So was the experience what I hoped it would be? It was better! The cafe au lait and beignets were great but what I loved is the atmosphere. I had no idea how bustling it would be in the late evening.

Here’s also a video that I shot at the Café du Monde at the Riverwalk mall in New Orleans. There’s a window where people can look into the kitchen while they make beignets! Check it out here:

Another sweet treat I had in the French Quarter were pralines! I’ve had pralines before but not like the one I had here. When I saw a sign that said “pralines” at Southern Candymakers and saw some fresh ones being made, I had to stop in.

Pralines are a southern treat – very sweet and buttery. It’s actually not hard – it’s soft and creamy like fudge. You don’t need a lot to get a good fix because they are pretty rich. When you do get a praline, make sure to smell it – the brown sugar, pecan, and butter… it’s a scent you want to bottle up and take with you.

For my final meal highlight, I took advice from someone I trust who was born and raised in New Orleans. I asked him, to recommend a place off the beaten path that’s a good neighborhood spot he went to growing up in NOLA that he thinks I would love. He directed me to Dick & Jenny’s. This place isn’t in the French Quarter, we had to take the car to uptown.

It’s a warm and cozy place – you feel like you’re going to someone’s home for dinner when you walk in. When I opened the menu, my eyes immediately went to the shrimp and grits. I was sold.

The shrimp was sweet – not overcooked – and the savory sauce was well seasoned. This was the first time I had grits and I thought it worked really well with the goat cheese that was mixed in. At the end of the meal my eyes wanted more but my stomach was full (unfortunately!).

If this post doesn’t inspire you to visit New Orleans, I hope it’s motivated you to cook up some southern food at home!

I blogged about Hawaiian shave ice last week and right now as I’m laid up on my sofa, I’m craving malasadas from Leonard’s Bakery. Leonard’s is a neighborhood treasure to Honolulu locals and also a place tourists flock to. They have everything from cookies to Hawaiian sweetbread. But it’s the malasada I crave.

Malasadas are actually Portuguese and are deep-friend dough and covered in granulated sugar. Sounds simple, right? Like a donut? But what’s special about this is the dough – the soft and fully dough that melts in your mouth. It actually has relation to beignets at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans.

My friend and I got to Leonard’s right after the morning rush and before the noontime crowd. When I was in line, I met someone who lives close by and she said I made a good decision to stop by for malasadas. I ordered the regular malasada and the woman taking my order recommended I also get the custard filled on – how could I not! First, I tried the regular malasada.

You can get the malasadas rolled in sugar, cinnamon, or li hing mui sugar – I went the original route and got the sugar. My malasada was fresh out of the frier. I had to weight a few minutes to cool down so I can eat it – it was the hardest few minutes! When I took my first bite, my teeth smoothly sank into the sugar fried exerior into the doughy bread. It was heaven.

Here’s a short video where I take a bite of a custard filled malasada. Sorry for the bad quality of video but it was on my old camera that was not HD. Still trying to see if video works with my blog so please be kind.

Leonard’s Bakery
933 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816

It’s a traditional Hawaiian shave ice place but the bonus is that they also serve Dole Whip. Yes, THE Dole Whip – the one that was only found at Disneyland and Hawaii.

Now you can get it on a cone or at the center of Hawaiian shave ice at Brian’s. Note: If you only want Dole Whip, there’s also a place that opened up in West Hollywood that only serves different fruity combination of the soft serve. Here’s the menu and various combinations you can get at Brian’s.

That’s Brian shaving some ice in the photo above. He’s a cool guy and brought his love of Hawaiian shave ice to West LA.

My friend and I each got a shave ice with Dole Whip. For my syrup flavors, I got pineapple, melona, and POG (passion, orange, guava). Also, I topped it off with some li-hing mui powder.

Check out that dollop of Dole Whip! It’s a nice smooth surprise at the end of the shave ice. You know when the syrup runs to the bottom, it can get a bit soup? Well, the soft serve mixes in and makes it easy for you to finish it off. This is a light dessert that won’t weight you done after a big meal – it’s just fine shavings of ice. I have to say, I’m so happy that Hawaiian style shave ice is here on the mainland – it seems so right!

If you miss the Living Social deal, no worries because they post specials on their Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Brian’s Shave Ice
11301 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Alinea presents… edible helium ballons! You have to see it, then you’ll want to inhale it!

And for you Angelenos who live off of coffee, looks like artisan coffee is the big thing right now. I’ve added some coffeehouse brewing porn for you…

Handsome Coffee, Downtown LA Arts District

DripLA, Koreatown

Demitasse Cafe, Little Tokyo

Cheese or Cool Ranch taco shells? Taco Bell test kitchen has been testing Doritos taco shells and looks like you might be able to try one yourself! And if you want proof, humorist John Eick is tweeting about it.

Yes Virginia, Cool Ranch #doritoslocostacos exist twitpic.com/8kt76e

—
Jon Eick (@sogoodblog) February 16, 2012

The Salton Sea is idyllic from afar. The water is still and seems to stretch as far as the eye can see. The mountains cradle the body of water. But as you get closer and turn all your senses on, you realize that something is off.

Even though the word “sea” is in the name, it’s actually more like a lake. Salton Sea is known for their yearly fish die offs in the summer. However, I were there in March and saw some dead fish near Salton Sea City. And yes, there are residential property along parts of the lake. I do wonder how they get used to the stench of the rotting fish.

When you walk along the shore of the lake, you think you’re walking on sand but when you crouch down and look more closely, it’s actually fish bits and bones that have collected over the years. Most of the fish that you see in these photos are Tilapia. You’re probably wondering why there are so many dead fish. This is a natural lake, actually the largest lake in California, but in 1902 man disrupted the path of the Colorado. The story goes that the Salton Sea used to be known as the “California Rivera” but now with the high salinity and farm run-offs and pollution, it’s far from the Rivera.

But not all of Salton Sea looks like this. When you drive to the other side, it’s a completely different look and feel.

When we drove to Bombay Beach, it’s how I imagined a post-Apocalyptic world. There were some residents living in mobile homes and small houses and lots of open lots but when you walk closer to the water, it’s desolate. Silent.

There were more people inhabiting this area but in the 70s there it was flooded twice. This is what’s left.

Photographers love the Salton Sea – at each turn there is something to capture. I also recommend the Salton Sea to sound designers because there are thousands of birds and the sounds they make during the golden hour is pretty amazing if you have some high frequency mics – the flapping of the weeks, the bird calls, the flitting in the water – it’s an audiophile and photographers oasis.

Cafe Gratitude is a popular vegan spot in my neighborhood that I’ve been wanting to try but also at the same time trying to avoid because of the crowds. However, one night I met up with my friend and his vegetarian girlfriend from Minnesota. I suggested this place because he vegan dishes are something the Twin Cities wouldn’t have. Cafe Gratitude has had their bit of news lately but this post is about the food so let’s get to it.

One of the really unique things about this place is the positive affirmation labeled dishes they serve up. They all start with the first person, “I”, and a positive descriptor. For my main dish, I ordered “I am transformed.” And yes, when they serve the dish to you, they say “You” and the descriptor.

My “I am transformed” was basically corn tacos with caramelized butternut squash, black beans, avocado, salsa fresca, and cashew nacho cheese with a side salad. The tacos were surprisingly filling and also rich with flavor. I liked the little kick in the sauce. When I finished the tacos, I saw this little surprise on my plate…

They had the same message on my “I’m so adoring” (aka tiramisu) plate.

The tiramisu is vegan so that means there’s no dairy. I was a bit hesitant at first but the waitress insisted it was one of her favorites. My fork smoothly cut through my slice of tiramisu that had layers of chocolate mousse, whipped cream, and almond-espresso batter. Because of the almond, it had a nice rounded nutty after-taste that I liked. This is a pretty dense dessert so I recommend splitting it with someone – I wasn’t able to finish it on my own.

So on this Valentine’s Day, I hope you give gratitude to yourself and enjoy some good food.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cafe Gratitude
639 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004

My food blogger pal, Lynn Chen, told me the Mendocino Farms folks were opening a sit-down restaurant and bar in downtown Los Angeles. Immediately, my tastebuds perked up when I heard this! Lynn then invited me as her plus one for one of the preview days where we had our meals comped. How could I resist!? The new restaurant is called The Blue Cow kitchen & bar. It’s located in California Plaza where Casa used to be and grand opening to the public is… today, Monday, February 13, 2012.

From the moment you approach the restaurant to scanning the interiors, the aesthetics is very Mendocino Farms – rustic and comfortable.

And yes, this place has a bar with bars on tap and a menu of specialty cocktails. For this trip, we didn’t have any alcoholic beverage but I’m hoping to head back one of these days to check out their happy hour – yes, they have one!

Let’s talk about the food. They have a lunch and dinner menu. We chose from the lunch menu. We started with the “Baked and Fried Potatoes” that came with housemade horseradish ketchup and sour cream-onion whip dip.

The potatoes had a perfect crunch when you took a bite – and it was hot and soft in the middle – perfectly done. These are large potato wedges and perfect to share for 2-3 people as an appetizer. We also got an order of the “Root Chips ‘n Dips” which is basically crispy roots that are thinly sliced and crunchy like potato chips served with a side of sour cream-onion whip dip.

For the main course, I wanted to be different and get a plate but I couldn’t resist the hamburger. It’s an 8 oz. grass fed Marin county beef paddy with butter lettuce and some spicy remoulade on a buttermilk bun… also added a applewood bacon to indulge myself a little. I figure if you can serve up a simple burger well, other stuff on the menu is worth coming back for. I was not disappointed.

The burger paddy was juicy and flavorful. The buttermilk bun and stuffing was a perfect combination. It’s a tall burger so I had to smash it down but despite that, they kept the burger simple yet refined. I hate it when burgers are complicated – it should be simple where you can taste each of the layers between the bun. Well done, Blue Cow.

Across the table from me, Lynn ordered the “BarbaFaux’s Torta” which is a vegan dish.

The torta roll is stuffed with seitan and pinto beans that have been braised in chipotle agave BBQ sauce. There’s also some tofu, avacado, and lettuce. I’m usually on the fence about seitan and tofu because if it’s not marinated properly, it’s pretty tasteless. I have to say, Blue Cow did a great job of putting flavor into this torta. Granted, I only had a bite of it. If you want the close-up photos and more info, check out Lynn’s post here.

We had hoped to try their dessert but they only serve that for dinner. Guess I’ll have to go back for that… and happy hour!

The Blue Cow kitchen & bar
350 S Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Last week, they were serving up one of my favorite choices that I hadn’t had in a while: Taiwanese Fried Pork. Check out this photo of my Taiwanese Fried Pork served in a banh mi with a side of shallot fried rice. I often get the banh mi because I love the baguettes they use.

One of the reasons why this pork is perfect in every way is the green. See it? It’s flash fried basil! Last time they had this dish, I remember just picking one leaf off and the flavor of the light and delicate basil crunch when I ate it.

Next, the pork is battered with 5 different spices and sweet potato flower and fried according to their menu. This savory dish looks even better up close.

I can’t forget the side! Starry Kitchen has a few side dish choices, one of them is usually a fried rice. The week I was there, they had the shallot fried rice which has bits of shallots mixed in. I love this fried rice because it’s not super oily or greasy. I admit I often take a bite of the sandwich, then a bite of rice, and switch back and forth because I don’t know which part of the meal to give my attention to because I love it all.

Hopefully, if you’re in the downtown area this week, you’ll be able to catch this meal before it’s gone.

Also, a special note about the staff – they are always in a good mood and they remember their loyal customers, like me!

Starry Kitchen
350 S Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Last year, hoards of food trucks made their way for the event. Recently, the food trucks haven’t been around but businesses have moved into some of the empty storefronts – businesses like Semi Sweet Bakery.

Right when you walk in, it’s brightly lit with an array of sweets behind the glass. They have several type of “ding-a-lings” which are like specialty mini Ding Dongs.

It was obvious they had a lot of sweets but what I was craving something savory. I ended up ordering a short rib empanada. They have three flavors – mushroom, beef, and short rib. I admit I was questioning myself on why I did that but the guy at the register handed me a fresh empanada – I put my nose to the bag and inhaled and all questions disappeared. I made a good choice.

The exterior was buttery and flaky. The short rib was tender and moist. It’s actually a perfect snack or something for an appetizer tray. Also, I got something sweet – a homemade Pop-Tart… um, I mean pocket tart!

Yes, a pocket tart looks like a Pop-Tart but it definitely doesn’t taste like one. The strawberry pocket tart I ordered didn’t overwhelm me with sugar. The shell was a hearty crust with strawberry preserve in the center. The glaze was subtly sweet – all the flavors worked together really well.

When I ordered, I also got a complimentary triple chip cookie that just came out of the oven. Basically, it’s a chocolate, butterscotch and potato chip cookie. There’s a slightly salty aftertaste from the potato chip that lingers after each bite.

The name of the bakery is perfectly fitting and I’m definitely looking forward to getting more treats!

Semi Sweet Bakery
105 E 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90013