Sundae in the Park

We went full Thanksgiving last week for 2.5 people, which has resulted in a LOT of (planned) leftovers. Still working on Tday re-creation plates since we only finished the first dishes (green beans, cranberry sauce, and gravy) last night, but tonight we'll actually transform some turkey into a couple of pot pies. Oh, also, fried eggs over sausage dressing is pretty much an ideal breakfast. 

Thanks everyone for your input! It's gonna be a Wusthof Classic. Almost everything else I tried felt too light! I knew my old knife was a bit of a beast but wasn't aware how heavy it was compared other knives. Everything but the Calphalon felt like a toy. The Shun knives are gorgeous but too light and I don't like the long handles.The Globals are also too light and the metal handles are bound to get slippery. The other Wusthof knives didn't feel substantial enough and/or I didn't like the handle materials. Same with the the Henckels I tried. Plus, it turns out I like a raised bolster that goes all the was to the cutting edge. Just personal preference developed from my old knife, and this was the final detail that prevented me from just going with the Misen, which, even sight and touch unseen, presented a mighty temptation and bargain. I went to Williams Sonoma to try out the knives and received SUCH attitude from the (older, male) associate about proper grip (yes, I know about and use the pinch grip but also use a handle grip a lot so want to know how it feels, thankyouverymuch) and how they don't have any Henckels in the store, who then rolled his eyes and audibly sighed when I said I wanted to try more brands before buying on the spot. Ugh. Even if the same knife weren't $40 less online, he would have totally lost the sale!!! Note to folks looking to try/hold a Henckels knife  and also lack access to a good kitchen store - Macy's carries them, though they might not have a great selection to hold in the store since most products are packaged. 

Now, price - I mentioned the price discrimination in the store, but was honestly astonished, since I'd already done my homework online before I went in. I realize that most are not people of the internet like us, but still found it rather shocking that the markup was so large. And I'm not even talking about a comparison with Amazon or the like - the $40 differential is between the W-S brick and mortar store and its own online store! Way to make people feel like schmucks for buying in person…

Great, will have to try, thanks!!! Interesting that you don't use onions.

4 hours ago, Simul Parikh said:

I have a killer baingan bharta recipe. Made it this weekend for the feast and it disappeared before I could even have any.  16 people crushed pretty much everything made.

Care to share? I haven't tried to make it in a while...

The last day or so of being hunkered down in misery at home reminds me of another value of making/eating good food at home - you don't have to put on pants/get dressed at all. Which, sometimes, is a very attractive incentive.

On November 8, 2016 at 4:13 AM, dcandohio said:

I had a very, very, very long day on Saturday.  My meals were Thai eggplant with ground beef, and penne with mushrooms and sausage, both extracted from plastic bags in the freezer.   I could've easily popped into a neighborhood place for a burger, or a slice of pizza.  But I find, lately, I am more mindful about the decision to eat out, both for cost, and excess sodium, and excess calories.   If I am really craving something, I don't deny myself.  Usually, though, what is in my freezer is more enticing to me than easy restaurant options within walking or short driving distance.

And yes, frozen leftovers from batch cooking are a godsend when you want something homey and good and are too sad to leave the house or cook.

Like many others, we find ourselves mostly going out for certain dishes/cuisines, because it's really difficult to swallow paying others to make food that you can prepare nearly/as well at home and tailored to personal taste. Fried foods, Neopolitan pizza, most fish dishes (my parents had a saying about fish stinking up the house that I've carried with me ever since), Thai, Szechuan, KBBQ, ramen, pho, sushi, breads, certain Indian dishes…(I was never able to get my baingan bharta to come out; on the other hand, we like my chana masala better than just about all restaurant chick pea curries except for Ravi's - anyone got a recipe for those?) are all eating out foods. But we almost never go out and get soups and stews, stir-fries, salads, Italian, simple grilled or roasted foods, or most basic curries. The time savings in eating out is definitely factored into our decisions, but we are still mostly going out for things we don't/can't make at home. Plus, I enjoy cooking and stocking our fridge with homemade foods for the week. 

Ooooh, thanks for you suggestions, all! We'll see what fits best and go from there.

23 hours ago, MarkS said:

It is all personal preference.  I lean towards an 8" knife over a 10".  Recently bought several Misen knives on Kickstarter and am just starting to use them.  I tend to have many knives as I have a large kitchen and have room for several folks to be working at once.  And I would not hand a guest a 10" knife.

When I was assisting at L'Academie de Cuisine, students were given 8" knives for the non-professional classes.

I've been really curious about the Misen knife ever since Kenji's glowing review. What do you think? How would you say it compares  with the big deal German knives?

Sounds like jian bing to me. Scroll down to day 3 in Beijing in Kenji's great Asia adventures and the picture of jian bing actually shows it in a two-fisted hold.

Hey All,

I dropped my beloved, Kmart-purchased (I think? It was back in college), no-name, 8-in chef knife and it is finally dead after almost two decades of service  so I need something to cook with ASAP. My knife was quite heavy but could do anything (hence the only backup I have is a gifted Wusthof santoku that is nice but too light for heavy-duty work), and I think I liked having a non-metal handle, so Global is probably out. I know I won't care for it too attentively, so I want something that will hold a keen edge as long as possible. Reading about the major finer knife brands, it seems that I'm looking for a Wusthof Classic or something similar. I'm going to go to a store to try things out personally, but are there any other brands/particular knives folks think I should consider? I'm not picky or wedded to any brand ideal at the moment, but I want something I love so I don't have to buy another knife for at least a decade. Thanks!!!

On November 2, 2016 at 5:27 PM, DonRocks said:

Ask him what's better in South America, and if he doesn't know, ask him why he didn't say "Western Hemisphere."

Heh, I did ask and while he has eaten Persian food in various Canadian cities, he's never tried any in South America, so feels comfortable saying best in North America rather than the admittedly clunkier "best in the US, Canada, and presumably Mexico" but not in making any broad claims about the whole Hemisphere 

For context, my friend used to live in DC and favored Shamshiry back in the day.

On 2/1/2016 at 3:49 PM, Sundae in the Park said:

Raffi's Place definitely has an air of the glamorous side of Tehrangeles, despite not being in that part of town. There is both indoor and outdoor seating - the outdoor section is in their own interior courtyard, so has the open air (with heated lamps if necessary) feel without the downsides of being curbside. I got the kashk o'bademjan and the soltani kabobs, and both were excellent, very similar to what I'd expect at Attari. Tart and creamy eggplant (didn't like the onion topping as much, though), juicy and well-seasoned kabobs, and fluffy rice. The bread, a thin, floppy lavash,served with cold butter in foil packets, is correct but I don't care for that style. The portions are large and the service is deft. I saw lots of business diners and Middle Eastern-looking folks on dates or having family dinner. It's a nice, casually upscale-feeling space (more from the clientele than the decor, which isn't particularly notable except at night when the courtyard lights are on. Rather, I think, it's the atmosphere of the place). Naturally, there is valet parking, but street and lot parking is also available nearby (which is very appealing after almost always having to park illegally to get my Attari fix!). I had enough for a big dinner and a full lunch the next day, which was great cold. I know they do takeout through their own to-go window, but I'd be inclined to say the strengths here are eating in, preferably in the courtyard at night. Would definitely go back.

FWIW, a food-obsessed Persian (1st generation American) friend of mine is adamant that Raffi's Place is the best Persian restaurant in North America which is a fairly bold claim but it is what it is. When pressed he doesn't pick favorites and says that "everything" is excellent. 

On October 25, 2016 at 5:18 AM, genericeric said:

I do like the tempura green beans here - makes me feel more virtuous than my typical side order of fries though they're probably just as bad.  I like the concept of the grilled tuna, but in the 4-5 times I've ordered it at the Ashburn location, it is consistently cooked below the requested temp.  A decent sear is fine, but I find the completely (or nearly so) raw doesn't work as well on the sandwich.  

I…never noticed tempura green beans on the menu!!! Must try, thanks!! (I think)  

Got my usual Santa Barbara style burger and forgot to omit the onions and pickles and: 1) WOW, the caramelized onions are legit! I don't usually like them but they are genuinely soft and sweet. They are chopped, not in rings, but quite delightful. 2) It makes the burger quite a bit taller!!! Too tall for my tiny baby mouth! 3) Consequently, I got a few bites without meat and, honestly, the sandwich doesn't really need it. The grilled, buttery sourdough and shredded iceberg lettuce crunch nicely, the avocado, cheese, and mayo are rich and creamy, the tomato isn't mushy, and the pickles are a normal jar pickle but provides a bit of tart contrast. It's actually a pretty delicious vegetarian sandwich. Given that they actually have a veggie burger and tuna filet on the menu, there are some good non-salad options for vegetarians/pescetarians here.

On January 21, 2013 at 10:14 AM, Sundae in the Park said:

Merriman's Market Cafe in Waikoloa is lovely, with fresh, local ingredients and a variety of lighter options (salads, non-fried fish dishes). We had an ahi burger and fish tacos. The ahi burger had Asian flourishes (pickles) and came with an addictive mustard aoli. The fish tacos were grilled and came with hummus, which is an odd but welcome touch for a person who doesn't care for tartar sauce. It’s in a nice outdoor strip mall, and the service is friendly and efficient.

Island Fish and Chips is in the same shopping center as Merriman’s and is really just a window/booth shop by the man-made lake. Almost everything is fried. The non-fish dishes and fries aren't anything special, but the fish of the day (mahi mahi when we were there) is fresh, coated in a tempura-like batter, and surprisingly great with their industrial tartar sauce. The view is pretty and they will pipe in music to the outdoor-only (there is some shade) seating area when musicians are performing in the shopping center square. This may or may not be a good thing ;-) There was also a teeny farmer’s market on Wednesday morning-afternoon in this shopping center.

Island Gourmet is a grocery/ABC store down the street from Merriman’s in the Queenstown marketplace, which also has some prepared and prepared-to-order foods, including sushi, rice bowls, breakfast, and sandwiches. It’s a decent place to grab drinks, snacks, and souvenirs. They do have li hing mui (salty plum powder-coated things) treats and powder for sale.

We were staying at the Hilton Waikoloa and ate a couple times at the Chinese restaurant, Kirin. 

We ate twice at the Hawaiian Style Café in Waimea. It’s everything as promised – huge portions of plain and simple local dinerish food. I think the clientele is now pretty evenly mixed between locals and tourists. The loco moco is huge and tasty (they use short-grained, stickier rice) and the pancakes are GIANT and fluffy. The lamb ribs are fantastic – grilled to perfection and simply dressed. We sucked those bones as dry as possible. It’s only open until 1:30 PM and there is usually a fairly fast-moving line in the morning.

We stopped in Tex’s Drive-In every time we drove by for the malasadas (Portuguese donuts). Hot and fluffy, dusted with sugar, and filled with fruit or cream toppings, these little pastries are the BOMB! They are amazing when they first come out hot, but hold up throughout the day. If you gorge on these they will carry through hikes to Akaka falls or around Volcanoes national park.

We went back in March and boy, is it a different experience with a kiddo! Not much new to report since we barely went anywhere, but Merriman's Market Cafe and Kirin are gone, and Island Fish and Chips, Island Gourmet, Hawaiian Style Cafe, and Tex's were very similar experiences as last time. At the Hilton, there is now a rather meh (and yet so convenient when you stay on property), casualish Italian place (all we tried was the pizza - bready and oddly sweet, and yet kind of wonderful because we got to eat in our room) in place of Kirin. Our one interesting meal was in Hilo at Puka Puka Kitchen, but they were out of several dishes by early evening and our baby woke up at a weird time so we ended up eating in the car. Still, our curried rice and chicken katsu dishes were lighter and tastier  than expected, especially for an awkward car meal. 

On September 10, 2016 at 8:32 AM, DonRocks said:

I could swear I've read something in the past month about active volcanic activity on the island of Hawaii.

The lava flow from Mt. Kilauea is reaching the ocean again, plus there is a current lava lake!!!

And here's the thread for the Big Island. 

Congrats and have fun!!

The LA Weekly's 99 Essentials list highlights Maude and Spago for Beverly Hills.

On Jonathan Gold's 2015 list of the 101 best restaurants in LA, he recommends Spago, Maude, Cut (another Puck restaurant), and SAAM (by Jose Andres, similar to Minibar) in Beverly Hills, and Sotto (Italian) is close by. 

All of these except for Sotto are super fancy/$$$$, so don't know if they meet your criteria. 

I've never actually been to that area so don't have any personal recs.

Its location as a stand in the Mercado la Paloma might lead you to believe that the food at Chichen Itza is casual or ordinary…until you notice the line (all afternoon, when I was there, and mostly of Spanish-speaking people) and the beautifully composed plates of colorful, book-cover-worthy food (not by accident – the owner wrote Sabores Yucatecos: A Culinary Tour of the Yucatán). The closest comparison restaurant I can think of is Los Agaves in Santa Barbara, for style of service and quality of food and presentation, though the menu at Chichen Itza is a much shorter list of curated Yucatecan specialties. You order at the stand and receive a # for your order, and the servers run the food out to you. They also bring silverware and drinks, and the tables/chairs are big and solid, nicer than most food-court operations. Based on many recommendations, we tried the cochinita pibil (prettily mounded, long shreds of incredibly tender, juicy pork, in a tangy sauce), fish tacos (crunchy, well-seasoned, and bright), plantains (nicely fried), and panuchos (basically a shredded turkey taco, with the tortilla fried – I thought it was dry but it was my husband’s favorite dish). Our friends got the tikin-xic (fish fillets in a citrus sauce over rice – I want to add this to our order next time), pork tacos, more plantains, and chips and salsa. Almost everything was sprinkled with the pickled red onions (which I ordinarily don’t like but in this case found delightful. Thank goodness.) Except for a few bites of the rather ordinary rice and beans, we polished off everything with gusto while proclaiming it delicious. Prices are so gentle you feel as if you’re getting away with something.

The location is low key and families abound so fear not in bringing small children (though you might have a hard time finding a high chair). It’s less than a mile from USC and Exposition Park (home of the California Science Center, Rose Garden, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County), so pairs perfectly with a day of exploring. I might not walk the distance, due to on-ramps under the highway and slight sketchiness of the neighborhood, plus there is a parking lot at the Mercado and some street spaces available. Really can’t recommend this place enough - I can’t wait to go back!

I would be interested in this as well!! I don't know of a good forum like DR for travel-related discussion. When I research a trip, I come here , look at Eater's 38 lists, look for a Tom S. postcard in the WaPo, check Serious Eats for city-specific articles, and scan TripAdvisor, Yelp, and do internet searches for the "top" activities in a given area. The 36 Hours In XXXX column in the New York Times usually has some good ideas. Cross referencing these resources usually gets me to a list of things I'd like to do. Oh, and I'm usually working in whatever National Park Service site is in the area. 

I’ve been to a few outposts of Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill, a local-ish chain, which has 16 locations all over southern California and, oddly enough, one non-CA location in Springfield, VA. It’s a reliable and reliably nice place for more-than-decent BBQ, good salads, and solid service. I know that sounds like I’m damning it with faint praise, but I’ve actually been quite a few times because it’s such a general people-pleaser. I like the tri tip in all its forms – entrée, sandwich, salad – it’s always tender with lots of beefy flavor (similar to Buckhorn Grill in northern CA). The peanut slaw, with its vinaigrette base, is a standout side. I’ve had the slaw at several catered and potluck lunches (they do a brisk takeout business) and it’s gobbled up for a reason. I’ve also tried the brisket, chicken, and pulled pork, and all are fine-good, but I prefer the tri-tip. The hot, buttered, garlic rolls are also worth eating, even if you’re limited carbs! The restaurant is decorated with warm wood and mostly (or all) booth seating, and the servers and hosts are well-trained and friendly (and younger and good-looking). I think I’ve been to 3 or 4 different locations and they all seem to be similar. They work well for meals with coworkers or picky groups, and I’ve even done an interview there! All in all, going to a Wood Ranch is very much like going to a branch of the Great American Restaurant group.

2 hours ago, goodeats said:

I believe all locations have the thin form to fill out. I recall doing so in Taiwan locations, too. I believe the servers just need to punch it in the computer, instead of them marking + punching it in.

It works really well! This is one Chinese restaurant that really had its service down pat. The computerized ticket is placed on your table and servers tick off each item as they drop them off until your order is complete. The roving service team is also really great about refilling water, tea, etc.

So, lots of news. The original location in the US, the Arcadia 1108 S. Baldwin location, is temporarily closed as of Monday (yesterday)! The annex at 1088 S. Baldwin is apparently closed for good. In the meanwhile, a huge, brand-new location is now open down the street at the Westfield Mall (400 S. Baldwin) and is apparently intended to serve as the new flagship location. The 1108 location will eventually reopen in a more limited capacity. Glad I got in there one more time last week (3 orders of XLB for 3 hungry people is not enough if you are all greedy!).

They will also be opening a new location in Torrance in a few more months. 

I notice that the newer stores seem to be in nicer, higher-end spaces, such as in malls (Glendale, OC, this newest iteration, and the Torrance-to-be) versus strip malls. While that is good for logistical considerations like accessibility (oh man, the parking situation in the original location was brutal, and apparently a major contributor to the move) and customer flow (not that they had a problem with that before), it will be interesting to see if quality and prices can be maintained in these larger spaces with perhaps a less discriminating customer base. On the other hand, at my one meal at the OC mall location, I saw almost exclusively Asian faces in the crowd, so it might simply mean that the same customers will have a shorter wait for a table. 

New favorite summer meal: somen noodles with red cabbage and carrot slaw, plus shredded, poached chicken and whole sugar snap peas, all lightly dressed in a peanut-sesame sauce. 

The egg tarts are indeed good, both to scarf in the parking lot and to take as gifts (cute boxes!). The swiss cake roll slices sold in the refrigerated case (they have several other versions, roll or otherwise, that are not refrigerated) have an extra dollop of sour cream in addition to the cream, to punch up the richness. Yum!

I can't remember if this is true for other locations, but at the Baldwin Ave location in Arcadia, they give you a thin form/list to fill out and order your items, similar to ordering sushi. They also have regular-sized menus with pictures and descriptions, upon request. I don't think the larger menus have more items; they are just intended to give you a better idea of what you're ordering. 

The bean curd/seaweed salad dish is light on the seaweed and heavy on the curd, with some cellophane noodles thrown in. It has a bit of stinky tofu flavor and is a small, dim sum portion. 

Stir-fried rice cakes were fine but really greasy. XLB were perfect.

It was nearly full with no wait for a two-top at 4:30 PM on a Sunday.

Dropped by the Glendale location today to pick up some snacks for a work week. It was still crazy bustling at 4:15 PM on a Sunday, with longs lines everywhere, including the 1-stall (!!??#$%^&*!!) ladies' room. I think the bakery line moves the quicker than the Cafe line even though it always looks longer, because fewer people are ordering sandwiches and there are SO many staff working the counters. It only took about 10 minutes to work through a a full line (not quite out the door, but with the entire line path filled). Be sure to grab a paper menu by the registers before you get in line! The staff are nice but really want you to have your order ready if at all possible, to keep the line moving. The chocolate croissant wasn't as good today - not quite as flaky-stretchy as usual. Everything else looks/tastes good so far; we'll see how long they last!