World Cup of Yum

Atchara

Atchara is a Filipino side dish of pickled green papaya. The crunchy acidity of atchara makes it a great accompaniment to cut through the grease of fried or grilled meats. I remember going camping with one of my best childhood friends, and happily sitting by the fire eating a big bowl of rice, meat, and…

Son of a Gun Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #37 Son of a Gun is another of Jon and Vinny’s eateries that makes Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. You can also check out my Petit Trois review and my Animal review. Son of a Gun is their seafood spot, or as they refer to it on their website – a “hip, nautical-themed restaurant”….

Greek Salad

I like a Greek Salad because it’s got great crunch and body, but also feels hearty, probably because of the feta. It’s easy to throw together, and keeps well as it’s another one of those salads with no lettuce to get soggy in the dressing. You can use whatever kinds of cucumbers and tomatoes you…

Avocado Pasta

Did you know that Compton used to be a giant avocado grove? I didn’t. My friend lives there, and she has one of the remaining avocado trees. It is the most epic avocado tree I have ever seen. Huge, with giant incredibly delicious avocados to match. Every year around avocado season, I try to make…

Creamy Broccoli Salad

I love this Creamy Broccoli Salad for a picnic or a day at the beach. It doesn’t have any lettuce to get soggy, and actually gets better with some time soaking in the sweet creamy dressing. It’s got so many layers of flavor and texture, and lots of good for you veggies! Guessipe 1 lb…

Grand Central Market Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #36 Grand Central Market isn’t so much a restaurant as it is an experience. It is an indoor market in Downtown LA, filled with stalls of cooked food, fresh produce, breads, cheeses, and spices. I have somewhat mixed feelings about it being part of Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. I understand his love for…

BBQ Pork Pita Pizza

I put this BBQ Pork Pita Pizza together using leftover bits of this and that rummaged from my fridge. It turned out so good that I have since endeavored to end up with Chinese BBQ pork and pita leftovers whenever possible so that I can whip up this tasty snack. It’s a little spicy and…

Tsujita Restaurant Review

Gold Dig #35 Tsujita is the ramen spot that makes Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list, and is also on pretty much every “top 10 ramen spots in LA” list that you can find. It’s easy to figure out which of the many Japanese restaurants in the Little Osaka area on Sawtelle is Tsujita… it’s the one…

Chili Garlic Snap Peas

I always loved it when my mom made snap peas, because the snap peas are barely touched by heat so they stay nice and crunchy. I think lots of people grow up hating veggies because they are frequently over-cooked and under-seasoned. Chinese veggie dishes tend to be only slightly cooked so they maintain their flavor…

Cinco de Mayo

I’ll take any reason to gather around food, especially if it’s themed. So Cinco de Mayo was as good an excuse as any to do a taco night. Considering that we started floating the idea around late Wednesday night for a Friday party, it came together quite nicely. We had five different taco fillings, and…

Coffee Braised Pork

When you slow-cook pork in a delicious braising liquid, two awesome things happen – the pork becomes so tender it literally falls apart, and the meat absorbs all the juiciness and flavor of the liquid. When that liquid is coffee… it’s magical. If you dry rub pork with coffee grounds then braise it, you’re basically…

Spicy Sausage & Mushroom Tomato Sauce Pasta

I adored this spicy sausage and mushroom tomato sauce pasta when I was a kid. My mom always made it with spaghetti noodles, and half the fun was watching my brother eat it. He would suck each individual noodle through his lips, and then eat the sausage and mushrooms later. By the end of the…