Fooodage

What the Pho?!?

Onion Enthusiast — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:29:45 +0000

My first Pho experience was like no other. I wasn’t a big fan of soup and that caused me to be close minded. The only type of soup I enjoyed was clam chowder at sizzler, and that’s not even close to being Vietnamese. My friend wanted me to try it so bad that he said that he would pay me $20.00 to just to try it. REALLY! So obviously I took the $20.00 and took the Pho. Let me tell you, after taking my first sip of soup… It was like heaven’s light shining down on my bowl. I was kind of pissed off at the fact that I didn’t give it a chance before. I was a hopeless teen that tried Pho at the age of 17. That’s pretty sad, while I was eating Taco Bell for lunch, my friends were eating Pho and Spring Rolls. Now I know the way of a Pho eater. I learned that being close minded won’t get you anywhere and I also learned that money shouldn’t convince you to try something new. LOL. That $20.00 went to Pho alright!- O.E.

Prep Work

This is what I’m going to do after my meal.

I hate it when you squeeze the lime and the juice gets in your eye.

Why am I wearing a sweater? It’s hella hot.

Great, just what I wanted to hear after a dope ass meal. Thanks fortune cookie!

Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Peru in 15 minutes…

Pink Tacos — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:41:38 +0000

Buenos tardes food lovers. It’s me, Pink Tacos, and I’m back with another food loving adventure. I woke up today yearning for some food from Latin America, and conveniently, I found it 15 minutes away from home.

“Tropical Star Restaurant” is the definition of “hole in the wall”. It fronts as a Latin American market, but hidden in the back is its true gem. Walk to the counter and pick up a menu to select from a variety of specialties from Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Peru….

Hungry for some Caribbean style chicken? Try the Fricase de pollo. Or maybe some seasoned pork with grated green bananas? Order the Pastel y Arroz con Gandules. In fact, you can find their full menu (including pictures & prices) here:

http://www.tropicalstarrestaurant.com/tsrest.htm

With Latin American food being new to me, I decided to order the Peruvian dish Lomo Saltado because I could compare it to my experience at “El Rocoto” (see my post below!) My food took about 15 minutes to cook, and during this time, many people begain trickling into the place. The clientelle consisted of local Latin Americans (not Mexicans). It was easy to tell that many people were bringing their friends here to show them what a gem this place really was.

Here’s my meal

To be honest, I think it was worth it for the price. The only drawback was that I would have hoped that they served it with “real” potatoes, and not frozen french fries. On a 5 star scale, I give it 3.5 (only because of the potatoes). The meat was seasoned very well and the presentation was delectable.

If you want to get out of your comfort zone, and try something other than your typical Mexican food, I highly recommend visiting “Tropical Star Restaurant”. The flavors of Latin America offer something you never tasted before in Mexican cuisine. I will definitely be returning to try the rest of their menu.

Take my word for it, It’s a very inviting visit to Latin America, in only 15 minutes!

Platanos anybody?

A variety of authentic Latin American drinks!

… an empanada for the road! ( I still prefer the Filipino/Spanish empanada)

6163 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA – 92111
Balboa Crest Shopping Mall
(between Burger King and IHOP)

(858) 874-STAR (7827)

Open Monday to Saturday
11am to 9pm

Soup of the day

Barbie Q — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:36:42 +0000

I think we can all agree that this hot, cold, hot, cold, earthquake weather is getting a little too confusing. Barbie Q never knows what she’s in the mood to wear these days. Most especially, what she’s in the mood to eat. But have no fear, Cooking Mama is here!

Cooking Mama is my mom.

One day, we (Cooking Mama and I) decided we were in the mood for something soupey. Chicken Tinola? Good, but too predictable. Sinigang? Good, but also too predictable. Pho? Good, but I just had it for breakfast. After much arguing and soul searching, we decided to try something new. Molo soup. For those who don’t know what it is, it’s a filipino version of Wonton soup.

Above is a picture of the individually wrapped “wontons” that we filled with a combination of ground pork, minced shrimp, carrots, onions, raw egg, salt and pepper. The rest of the ingredients are as follows:

Wraps. Make sure you buy the MEDIUM wonton wraps otherwise they will fall apart in the pot. No one likes broken wontons.

Chopped cabbage.

Chopped green onions.

Minced garlic.

Cook the garlic in oil until they are a deep brown.

Boil chicken until thoroughly cooked then shred it into little pieces.

Cut a hard boiled egg into eighths.

Mix patis (fish sauce) and lemon in a separate bowl for added flavor.

Carefully put the wontons into a pot of hot water and chicken broth. Then add the shredded chicken into the pot. Once the broth boils thoroughly, it’s ready to eat!

Put an individual serving of soup in a bowl and don’t forget to garnish it with garlic, green onions, egg, patis and as much cabbage as you want.

Voila! Molo soup.

One buffet, ONE NAP!

Onion Enthusiast — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:01:49 +0000

There’s a time in our lives when we have no idea where to eat. Driving up and down the street deciding if we want Mexican, Chinese, Filipino, Puruvian, etc. then you remember the buffet spot in that plaza where your mom always shops at. Funny right? But true. You approach the building with a smile but you leave with a blank face. Wondering if what you did was really necessary. 5000 calories later, you find yourself in a deep sleep waking up at 8PM thinking that its 7AM in the morning. Here are some flicks. Peep.

Sushi, walnut shrimp, crab salad, & wasabi.

Chow mein, crab salad, broccli beef, and rice.

By the 3rd plate, my plates starting looking like this.

Ice cream lovin.

Ice cream costume.

Ice cream accident.

“YOU ARE GETTTTTTTTTING SLEEEEEEEPY”

Hella wrong grammar.

I like my hotdogs with EXTRA onions…No Homo

Onion Enthusiast — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:48:16 +0000

Every time I eat a hotdog, I ALWAYS have to get EXTRA onions. Here are some fun facts about onions. Taken off of http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/onions.php.

“Onions have a variety of medicinal effects. Early American settlers used wild onions to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to treat angina, coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems. “

I care about your appetite…

Onion Enthusiast — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:37:38 +0000

Get your Poke (POH-Kay) on.

Onion Enthusiast — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:12:08 +0000

“Poke (pronounced POH-kay) is served in most Hawaiian homes and restaurants as a side dish, and no gathering in Hawaii would be complete without a few bowls of poke. In Hawaiian, poke means “cut piece” or “small piece.” Poke is bite-size pieces of raw fish doused in seasonings. Poke is actually the Hawaiian version of the elegant Japanese sashimi (a combining of the Hawaiian and Japanese taste for raw fish). The fish for poke is sometimes even lightly seared or fried.”

“For centuries, Hawaiian fishermen cut their catch of raw fish into cubes and seasoned it with whatever ingredients they had. Modern versions make use of seasonings brought by the many different cultures of the Islands, such as soy sauce, onions, tomatoes, and chilies. Poke is so common in the Hawaiian culture, that you can stop at a local grocery store and choose from several freshly made varieties.”

-O.E.
Quotes from whatscookingamerica.net/History/Poke.htm

Massive Cheetos!

Onion Enthusiast — Sun, 03 May 2009 19:38:02 +0000

I’ve never seen any Cheeto like this. Is this even legal? I’m pretty sure someone can die from attempting to eat on of these. But hey… I finished the whole bag and I had no trouble what so ever. I took some pictures so you can a feeling of how big it is. Peep.

Cheeto VS. Rock

Cheeto VS. Flash Drive

Cheeto VS. Hand Sanitizer

Cheeto VS. Cell Phone

Cheeto VS. Power Adapter

Cheeto VS. Permanent Marker

EMPTY!

El Rocoto Peruvian: Beautiful Food, Beautiful Women

Pink Tacos — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:35:51 +0000

My recent trip up the coast to Long Beach, CA led me to stumble on a hidden gem, and possibly a hidden pleasure, “El Rocoto”. Well, I really didn’t stumble upon it, but my good friend “Onion Enthusiast” recommended we have lunch there and hit on the waitresses. This was my first time trying Peruvian cuisine, but being a fan of all ethnic foods, I was far from reluctant. The ambiance of the establishment was classy and laid back, sophisticated yet comfortable. Vibrant colors on the wall, traditional artwork, and a fish tank with the real life Nemo! Our waitress Ely served us a marvelous pre-appetizer with bread and dipping sauce. Who knew bread could be this good?! But you know what, good can always get better, and it did! I could order this bread and dip alone as a meal, but I had to impress with my appetite in front of Ely. It must have been the way she rolled her R’s, or the way her glasses hugged her face. I was informed that Peruvians are a mix of Spanish and Japanese. Could it get any better? Yes, it did. I ended up ordering un plato de “Arroz con Mariscos” and Mr. Onion ordered the traditional Peruvian dish “Lomo Saltado”. I was in heaven. The servings were enough for three meals, and the price reflected it. A twist to the Spanish dish Paella, my arroz con mariscos incorporated the refreshing,salty, and citrus flavors only expected of a seaside villa. As for the Lomo Saltado, I found myself sneaking my fork into Mr. Onion’s plate.

El Rocoto has to be one of my top 5 all time favorite places I’ve EVER eaten! Yes, it is that good, and yes Ely was that beautiful! I would go back for the food any day, or even just for Ely

For a one of a kind taste and experience of this delectable cuisine:

El Rocoto

11433 South St.

Cerritos, CA 90703

Phone: (562) 924-1919

Ask for Ely

Vibrant colors, well ventilated, clean and refreshing.

One of many highly acclaimed reviews and awards on their wall.

Nemo loves it here too!

Lomo Saltado (Contrary to how simple it looks like, I’ve never tasted anything like this before!)

My plate, the “Arroz con Mariscos”. It came with an actual sea shell, like the ones you buy at the aquarium gift shop!

La Capilla

Onion Enthusiast — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:19:31 +0000

Yesterday we decided to hit up La Capilla in Torrance. Nice little hole in the wall/ family restaurant. The customer service was hella on point. I don’t think I ever asked for anything the whole night, aside from my order. The waiters were freakin psychic! Everytime I thought about getting more salsa, chips, water, etc. they would come with it without me saying anything. Weird right? If your birthday is coming up, I suggest you go here. They have grade A food and you get a free meal. Enjoy the flicks.
- O.E.
La Capilla
1332 Sartori Ave
Torrance, CA 90501

It’s always good to have chips and salsa before the entree.

Mango Margarita…FYI, it wasn’t for me.

Beef Enchilada with refriend beans, and rice garnished with sour cream.

Woooooooo!

The default (Carne Asade burrito with green chili sauce) with EXTRA onions

Couldn’t do it anymore. Too much burrito for seven bucks. Sarcasm.

Barely touched!