Tokyo Observations

Another visit, more discoveries. M&M loved it too.

• Gochizen (Minato-ku): with so many restaurants to choose from in Tokyo it isn't surprising that they must find a niche; here it is best quality organic veggies and a special breed of pork supplied directly from a farm. First up was a bagna cauda with an assortment of vegetables, most notably this green leafy mache-looking vegetable with what looked like a solidified mist covering its surface. Then came the house specialty which was roast rolled filet of pork with forest mushrooms and clarified butter with baby leek and chives. 
• Sushi Kanesaka (Ginza): sushi-master Takao Ishiyama took good care of us with highlights like baby sardine with salt & yuzu, then a Spanish mackerel with chive oil, and a sea urchin that came au naturelle; we washed this down with a creamy foamy beer, then some recommended sake.
• Kawakami an (Aoyama): a very local place with a very sophi crowd, just hang a right before the Franc Franc store, down the lane. In a small, multi-story house with top floor outdoor terrace; great for small dishes, including a very cool baby weiners and mustard, but best know for its soba. Colleagues asked for the special noodle sauce, made with walnuts.
• Bamboo (Nishi Azabu): a very casual little izakaya suggested by Quinn on one of my favorite little Tokyo streets, full of cozy and intimate restaurants, probably wonderful in winter. This was just a stop off on the way to dinner, so we had a beer, fried prawns & spicy mayo, then some octopus sashimi & wasabi.
• Ukai-tei (Ginza): a good Teppanyaki place recommended by colleagues for next time.
• Kigoji (Ginza): good for shabu-shabu....again, next time.

Los Angeles Observations

If I had to live anywhere in the US right now, it would probably be LA. Unabashedly and proudly American, it's got my vote over its "cosmopolitan" neighbor up North.  I didn't even begin to do justice, but here are a couple of reminders for what they are worth.

• Fountain Coffee Room: an unpretentious little diner that seems out of place in the basement of the Beverly Hills Hotel; it turns out that this diner churns out some pretty high quality breakfasts and burgers, club sandwiches and the like. Apparently regular people are democratically elbow-to-elbow with celebrities here, so quite unique.
• Chateau Marmont: a hidden-away neo-neo-gothic hotel that exudes Hollywood; no time to eat here, but my Americano was pretty good, once I clarified to the young waiter that I had not ordered a coffee.
• The Hungry Cat: was on my list, but couldn't go; fresh fish in an industrial-cool kind of place.
• Best Fish Taco in Ensenada: darn I didn't go but on the top of my list next time.

Pepper & Anchovy Pintxo

Watching one of Anthony Bourdain's shows on location in Spain, saw a lovely little pintxo that I need to do soon. Keep the pepper stems on because it looks prettier. Would be amazing with a chilled glass of Cava.

pickled hot green pepper (Spanish brand)
anchovy
pitted green olive
toothpicks

1. slide a toothpick through a a pepper, then anchovy and olive 
2. assemble a dozen on a plate

Gnocchi & Shrooms

Another dish that caught my eye at Komi. Sounds like a great idea for a tapas. Guests wouldn't need more than 3-4 gnocchi. I don't have the recipe, but this is how I'd do it.

best quality gnocchi, short of making them yourself
best quality combination of forest mushrooms (no supermarket white mushrooms)
EVOO
butter
minced garlic to taste
sweet sherry
1 dried pepperoncini
single cream
3 tblsp beef broth
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
parsley
chives
chervil

1. heat oil and some butter on high flame, fry up mushrooms making sure not to overcrowd pan; you want to see mushroom brown
2. when mushrooms attain some color, add garlic to taste; just before they turn golden add sherry then broth; let liquid reduce, add cream to taste, then gnocchi
3. season, add chopped herbs right before turning heat off
4. boil gnocchi while doing step 2; drain and add to sauce 

Medjool Date & Mascarpone

Reading about this fusion Japanese resto in Washington DC called Komi. This mention caught my eye, waiting to hear back from the chef on exact recipe. This is how I might do it though..

6 Medjool dates, pitted
mascarpone
EVOO
lemon juice
orange rind
maldon sea salt

1. mix mascarpone with a bit of EVOO, lemon juice and orange rind
2. dab some of this mixture inside the dates in some uniform way
3. sprinkle with a quarter pinch of maldon sea salt

Squid Ink Paella

Although risotto is one of my favorite things, there's so much to be said for paella with its intense and drier yet oilier consistency. Here I got inspired by a dish at Mesa 15 in Hong Kong, which I think is probably the best Spanish resto in town. A perfect squid ink paella was adorned by some grilled squid and herby aioli. I reproduced the same tonight, using some basil in my aioli  and a treviso salad with a very sherry vinegar dressing that cut nicely into the oily rice and thick aioli. If I serve this as one of many tapas, I think I can make a smaller portion in my cast iron pan...would look nice too.

2 cups of spanish paella rice
3 cloves of garlic
1 yellow onion
5 tbsp EVOO
2 skinned / seeded tomatoes (or 6-8 cherry tomatoes)
4 cups of fish stock
1.5 tsp sweet spanish paprika
2 tsp squid ink
around 450 gr of chopped squid
aioli with basil
treviso
sherry vinegar
maldon sea salt
parsley
freshly ground pepper

1. heat EVOO in a 14" paella pan over medium high heat; add half of the squid and cook stirring frequently until all juices exuded by squid evaporate
2. reduce heat, add tomatoes, onions, garlic and cook for about 3 minutes
3. set aside 1/4 cup of stock in a small bowl, heat remaining stock and add paprika to dissolve
4. stir rice into paella pan, generously season with salt, then slowly add hot stock; increase heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, until rice begins to swell, about 10 minutes.
5. mix squid ink into reserved stock, then pour into pan; stir once, then reduce heat to low and cook until all liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes
6. remove from heat, cover with dish towel, and cool 20 minutes
7. in a frying pan, heat 2 tblsp EVOO and saute remaining squid on high heat, add garlic and parsley when almost done, saute an additional minute
8. make salad dressing of EVOO, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper and dress treviso (or some other bitter chicory)
9. serve paella with some sauteed squid alongside, a spoon of aioli and some salad  

Vietnam Observations

Vietnamese food is always good, and glad we were able to sample the real thing in Saigon and Hoi An. The whole family enjoyed, especially Ms Ly's in Hoi An.

• Hoa Tuc (Saigon): former opium refinery churning out simple, home-cooked fare with the occasional inventive streak.
• Quan An Ngon (Saigon): busy old colonial villa converted into a restaurant; the theme here is street / hawker food brought under a single roof, with various prep stations circling a tropical eating terrace.
• Trois Gourmands (Saigon): Gils the mustached chef has many stories to tell at this cozy villa in expat hood Tong Huu Dinh. His absolute stand-out home-made cheeses were an inspiration: fromage frais with truffles, fromage frais with herbs and some mimolette-type cheese marinated in a olive oil for 3-, 6- and 9 months. The beef cheeks and foie gras was hardly 90 degree weather dish, but the subsequent air con ride to the airport, along with the excellent St Nicolas de Bourgeuil, helped ease it along the digestive tract.
• Miss Ly's Cafeteria (Hoi An): we had endless sumptuous dishes here, but standouts were the white roses (open face wontons), fried wontons & crab salad, cold rice noodles & grilled pork, and the ubiquitous shredded chicken & papaya salad.
• Morning Glory (Hoi An): a cooking school and restaurant; fun in that the owner/chef clearly cares about food, but a tad too big and touristy.