Little Sandong Chinese Restaurant

Little Sandong Chinese Restaurant reminded me of my dad's Chinese restaurant.  We used to use the same place mats that is depicted in the picture below, but also our restaurant was called Sandong Restaurant.  This was long before when I was a little elementary/middle school.  Oh the memories.

Ahjangpi - Combination Plate with Vermicelli

This was the first time I've ever heard of ahjangpi.  It was good.  They served it with a side of Chinese mustard which I didn't care for but everyone else in my party ended up adding more of the sauce on their plates.  The picture above depicts the ahjangpi before it's mixed all together.  Iust wanted to show you their attention to detail cause technically they could have brought the dish out already mixed.

I ordered the jajangmyeon since that's what I used to eat at my dad's restaurant all the time.  Jajangmyeon, also know as black bean noodles, is an inexpensive, wheat noodle dish with a black, salty soybean paste mixed in with onions, vegetables, meat, and sometimes seafood.  For the longest time I thought jajangmyeon was a traditional Chinese dish (which it still is); however, after reading the history about it, the popularity of this dish didn't boom until it was first introduced in Incheon, Korea when the Sandong Chinese immigrants settled there during the Japanese rule in Korea.  he jajangmyeon above is the Korean-version which is wet, creamy, and dark black.

Little Sandong's jajangmyeon unfortunately wasn't as good as my dad's jajangmyeon when he owned his restaurant.  My dad's jajangmyeon has much more meat and veggies whereas this dish at Little Sandong has more noodles and black bean sauce which was a little too bland for my taste.  It did seem as though the owners at this restaurant were remodeling, but according to Yelp, they have 64 reviews, four stars, but people have commented that there has been a change in ownership so it might not as be as great as before.  Who knows what it is...

<3  Lina Chen

11740 Artesia Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701

562.809.3887.

TAPS Fish House & Brewery

Fireplace creating a warm ambiance.

My Raspberry Quince Tea

My unsweetened raspberry quince tea was good after adding about 5 (maybe 6 or 7 or 8...) packets of sugar.  There's a light raspberry taste, so if you're used to drinking sweet drinks like sodas and juices I wouldn't get this.  However, if you like tea from just tea leaves/packets without any additives, then you may like this.

Manila Clams

Manila clams slowly cooked in a buttery, white wine mixture with herbs and garlic.  A must-have as an appetizer.  Clams in all that buttery goodness made it worth while.  What's even better is that once everything has been consumed, you can dip the complimentary sourdough bread in the broth without wasting any of the juice!  Yup, fatty status.

Complimentary Sourdough Bread

TAPS' sourdough bread is paired with minced garlic swimming in a balsamic vinaigrette and olive-oil infused dip.  I've been to places where they've only served olive oil on the side, but combining it with small pieces of garlic and vinaigrette is genius!  Generally I like to avoid eating bread because they are fillers, but we couldn't stop ourselves from asking for more.

Oysters

Three types of oysters but unfortunately I didn't catch their names.  The four oysters at the top let corner were okay.  The next four in the middle and the last four were my favorite.  Both similar to one another but the middle oyster had a stronger seafood taste.

Eric's 32 oz. Tomahawk Chop

This tender cut ribeye was my favorite.  The meat alone had so much flavor but the charbroiled taste is what got to me.  The cheesy sauce on the potatoes were too flavorful and over empowered the potatoes so I stole some of Eric's potatoes that didn't have as much sauce on top.

Cold Water Maine Lobster Tail

The cold water Maine lobster tail was huge--I mean HUGE!!!  It was so big that I had to take a picture with it so that you can have something to compare it to.  Like everything I tried thus far, the lobster was tasty and worth every bite.

New England Clam Chowder

The clam chowder at TAPS is the best better than the clam chowder they serve at Fisherman's Wharf which I think says a lot.  Don't believe me?  Go see for yourself.  I even confirmed it with both Eric and his dad who are also avid food lovers.  I don't know what it was but this clam chowder had the right amount of creaminess to it too.  

N'Awlins Style Gumbo

Last night was the very first time I've tried gumbo and was it good.  The first bite I took I immediately associated the taste with beef jerky and pizza.  A weird combination, but I guess I didn't expect gumbo to taste like it did.  I had this false notion that gumbo was made of various seafoods but last night's N'awlins Style Gumbo had sausages and tomatoes hence why I thought it had a pizza taste to the dish.

I ordered the special of the day which consisted of a 12 oz. filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms and asparagus and lobster mac and cheese on the side.  This dish was superb.  I enjoyed ever bite of it.  Earlier I pointed out that I the 33 oz. steak above was my favorite and it still is because it had that charbroiled taste.  Both dishes are wonderful and I wouldn't hesitate ever getting this dish ever again.  Unfortunately this is a special that they rarely serve at TAPS, hence why I ordered it instead of their well-known dish, the miso-marinated Chilean sea bass.

Red Velvet Cake

Before our waitress arrived with the main entrees, she had asked us if we wanted dessert.  At first I thought that was odd, but after listing a couple of their dessert items I realized that some of their desserts take about 30 minutes to prepare.  The red velvet cake is one of those desserts.  The waiter/waitress brings out the red velvet cake in a small skillet, then prepares the dessert right then and there by spreading the cream cheese, vanilla frosting on top, and adds toasted pecans and fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries).  Served with a side of vanilla bean ice cream on the side.

Happy Birthday Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Even though Eric's moms' birthday isn't until the end of this month, I had requested the restaurant to place a candle on top of the red velvet cake I had ordered because it's rare to have the entire Fang family all together.  Surprisingly they brought a cup of vanilla bean ice cream just for her birthday and then another one for me after our waitress found out my birthday was at the end of this month.  Our waitress was so nice.

Last night's plethora of foods was unbelievable.  Finding a gem like this place was like hitting the jackpot--only it was food.

<3  Lina Chen

101 E. Imperial Hwy, Brea, CA 92821

714.257.0101.   www.tapsfishhouse.com

Road to Seoul Korean BBQ

If you've never had Korean BBQ you are missing out.  The meat is marinated to perfection and the culmination of meats that come together is just mouthwatering.  Most places serve it with ban chan (side dishes), kimchi (fermented spicy cabbage), man eul (raw garlic), rice or rice paper, and an endless number of foods.  Honestly, Fourth of July BBQ's got nothin' on KBBQ!  Depending where you go and the many options that they provide all determine what you get out of it.  Before I left for California, Eric and I would drive all the way up to Thornton, Colorado to the only all-you-can-eat (AYCE) Korean BBQ restaurant at the time.  I'm not sure if they have anymore AYCE restaurants there but the one in Thornton, Q-Table, is more of a buffet style where there's many options to choose from in addition to Korean BBQ such as sushi, fresh fruits, and other Korean dishes you would normally order from a sit down menu.  Great thing is that it offers more foods, ideal for those who want a variety of foods to try from.  I wouldn't necessarily say that they quality is superb since buffets tend to emphasize more on quantity, but the food was good enough for me since it is a Korean-owned restaurant with real Korean foods that I would see on the table in my very own home.  

As my friends and I ventured out towards downtown L.A., we stopped by a few places in search for the best AYCE Korean BBQ.  At first we went to a place called Hae Jang Chon Korean BBQ off of 6th street but the place was packed!  After placing our names on the waiting list and standing around for about 15 minutes, we decided to leave because the wait time was well over 2 hours and I'm pretty sure there were 20+ groups ahead of us.  Not individuals.  Groups.  As much as I would have loved to eat their unlimited Korean BBQ, there was just no way we could wait that long for food.

Road to Seoul was our next and what deemed to be our last destination.  Parking wasn't as difficult to find since they have their own parking lot.  We did, though valet the car ($2) and went inside.  By the time we got inside, there was a heap of people but the wait time was only an hour (Thank God!). 

As soon as we were seated I immediately hit up the common items on the menu from option A which gives you the option to get AYCE...

-  Steamed Egg
-  Black Pork Bacon
-  BBQ Chicken
-  Bulgogi
-  Beef Sirloin
-  Whole Squid
-  Korean Pancake
-  Seasoned Beef Rib
-  Baby Octopus
-  Pork Belly
-  Galbi

And other things that I can't quite remember.. The list was quite extensive...Option A only entails every individual at the table to pay $17.99.  The list for Option B has more options to choose from.  Fortunately Option A has, to me, most of the essential and popular meats such as bulgogi, sang-gyup-sal, and galbi.

Road to Seoul brings out a bowl of salad, rice paper (which was a foreign concept to me until I moved out to L.A.), raw garlic, Korean pancakes that consist of green onions, gyeran jjim (계란찜)--steamed egg casserole, kimchi (김치)--fermented, spicy cabbage, and a Korean version of a potato salad--all I remind you are unlimited as well.  I generally take the rice paper, place a few pieces of lettuce on top, then take the meat which is lightly dipped into Road to Seoul's rock salt (which is pretty neat), and then wrap it all up and take a bite into it.  If you want to go traditional, traditional...dip the raw garlic in the this brown pasty sauce called ssamjang (쌈장) and place it on the meat before wrapping up the rice paper.

At a Korean restaurant I generally lean towards galbi but the sirloin steak here was juicy and delicious so I highly recommend you getting

Overall the place speaks for itself.  There's a high demand for Road to Seoul BBQ for a reason.  That reason is because this place is soooooo goooood!  The sole purpose of this write up is because I'm currently craving it at this very moment...

<3 Lina Chen

1230 S. Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006

323.731.9292

Korean New Years Tradition: Dduk Guk

Happy New Years!!!  Can't believe it's already 2013!  Hopefully everyone had a wonderful time ringing in the New Years with friends and loved ones.  I, of course, spent it with my boyfriends family stuffing our faces with delicious hot pot (火鍋) and mochi ice cream with cream puffs for dessert!  As much as I enjoyed my first year celebrating with Eric's family, I did occasionally thought of my parents back at home and how I miss their presence. 

The one other thing I longed for was the traditional Korean rice cake soup, also known as dduk guk (떡국), my mother would make for us on New Years day.  I'm not 100% sure where the traditions come from but there probably is some meaning behind it like how the Chinese believe consuming noodles symbolizes a long and healthy life ahead.

Dduk guk is usually served in a beef, chicken, or anchovy broth with bits of dry seaweed, garnished egg, dumplings, and green onions.  Meats are optional.  It's slightly seasoned with sesame seeds, egg garnishes, and a little bit of salt and pepper to add some flavoring to it. 

If you are interested in making dduk guk you would gather (ingredients):

1. 2 1/2 beef, chicken, or anchovy broth
2. 1 Package of sliced Korean rice cakes (Can be found in a Korean supermarket like H-Mart)
3. 1 Tablespoon of Dashida (Korean soup stock in power-form)
4. 1 Bunch of chopped green onions
5. 12 Korean dumplings also known as mandu
6. 4 Beaten eggs (including the yolk)
7. Sesame seeds
8. 2 Sheets of Nori seaweed
9. 1 Minced garlic
10. 1/2 Chopped white onions

How to make dduk guk (directions):

1. Rinse and soak Korean rice cakes in bowl of cold water for 10-15 minutes.
2. Preparing the egg garnish:
1. Place a dab of oil on a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat and slowly pour the already beaten eggs in the pan.  
2. Immediately lift the pan and swirl the egg around.  The idea is to evenly distribute the egg so that it is a thin-sheet like that of crepes.
3. Carefully flip the egg onto it's other side.  Once fully cooked place it on a cutting board to cool off.
4. Fold the pancake-like egg into a tri-fold and cut the egg into strips.
3. Preparing the soup base:
1. Bring the beef, chicken, or anchovy broth to a boil.  Add dashida, minched garlic, chopped white onions, salt and pepper for added flavor.
2. Optional:  Add thinly sliced cooked meat into the soup. 
   Note:  Meat needs to be cooked prior to adding in to the soup base.
4. The grand finale:
1. Add Korean dumplings into the soup base.
2. Then Drain and add the sliced Korean rice cakes as well.  Boil both the dumplings and rice cakes until they tender or start to float.
3. Add the chopped green onions and cook for one minute.  
4. Remove from heat and serve in a big bowl.  Garnish it with slices of egg, sprinkle some sesame seeds, add salt and pepper (if needed), and lastly crumbled pieces of the Nori seaweed and serve.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Prepare as much dduk (Korean rice cake) as you want be make sure to eat it all without having any leftovers.  Like noodles, dduk will become very mushy, the soup thickens, and the flavor may lose it's taste.  Personally, it's better to keep the soup and the dduk seperate to maximize your taste buds!

Consider trying dduk guk in the forth coming year.

Happy New Years Everyone!

<3 Lina Chen

SNOOZE (Revisited)

It was great to be home for the holidays.  A week or two week extension would have been nice but of course life back in Cali had to resume sometime or another.

Putting aside time to get together with people was hard to manage since it seemed like the days had zipped by so quickly, but I was able to see some of my oldest and bestest friends while I was back home.  It seemed like we never grew up.  To this day it amazes me at how much we've grown so much these past few years.  On my last day in Denver, me and my girlfriends had brunch at Snooze.  This is actually my second post about it but feel free to read about my review the first time I've ever had it by clicking here!

The great thing about eating with friends is that everyone can order something different and try individual dishes without spending a whole lot.  Me and my friends ended up ordering the pancake of the day to share--buttermilk pancakes with chocolate chips and a creamy pineapple frosting on top with coconut shavings on the side to accommodate the girls who dislike the coconut flavor.  Personally, the coconut complimented the pineapple; the chocolate chips complimented the buttermilk taste.  Snooze definitely has perfected their art of making pancakes!  Yummy!

My dish, the Harvest Hash "welcome(s) fall with a hearty hash of butternut squash, gala apples, red chard, leeks and parsnips served atop roasted garlic Ciabatta with poached eggs, cream cheese hollandaise and friend capers."  Couldn't have said it any better myself.  I thought the apples and the squash were pretty tasteless and the Ciabatta bread a bit soggy since everything is so moisture and wet.  I usually like my breads pretty toasty and crunchy and so when it gets all soggy, it's not really appealing perhaps the sole reason why this entree was just okay to me.  I'd rather get the Upstream Benny which is no longer on their menu or the Breakfast Pot Pie (quite appetizing to say the least)!

In addition to the few locations that they have in Colorado, Snooze has opened a restaurant out around the Hillcrest neighborhood in San Diego, California. 

<3 Lina Chen

700 N. Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80206

303.736.6200  www.snoozeeater.com