jschyun

I trust that Chris will not lead us astray. But it still might be a good idea to double-check with the Japanese friends that are inviting us, and make sure everything is okay. Also, since this is a public forum, if privacy is really an issue, but they still want us, perhaps we can email each other for this event.

From the article, I would venture a guess that "ethnic following" means Asians, esp hungry second gen Asian kids who seem to love this place. But I think the idea that the plate lunch concept will die outside the "niche neighborhoods" (whatever they really mean by that) is not an opinion I would agree with. Basicallly, if they go to every university town and plant themselves a store or two in each one, I thhink they'll do great! I have to admit that I think some peple may find the idea of a mac salad and rice with grilled beef kind of a weird combo , frankly, they'll get over it once they try it. I think. I think the main reason why L&L would fail would be lack of advertising. The reason Californians know about it is because they've been to the islands, but not everyone in the U.S. is so lucky to have access to those cheap fares from OAK or LAX. So they really have to get the word out. With the right ad campaign, I fully expect L&L to take off big time. As it is now, I feel it will remain a "niche" fast food joint unless something changes. Personally, I think the L&L's that I've been to here in SoCal have been pretty good. The one near my house in Irvine, CA is actually the best I've had so far. We have the right demographic: tons of Asian students. I have tried several things on the menu, and I must say, the chicken katsu with a side of mac salad is still my favorite. The chicken is fresh out of the fryer, crispy crunch coating with moist breast meat inside. As far as copycats are concerned, I suspect that they mean "non-Hawaiians" who are pushing the plate lunch concept. I guess I understand this sentiment.

another rum and coke hater. what a way to ruin a good coke. mescal I think is the name of another drink I can't do. I just think of that shriveled gray worm staring up at me as if in an accusatory manner. one time in college tried mixing up minute maid citrus punch with a fifth of vodka. I didn't mind the punch at the time, but never again. --vodka was absolut citron. how could I forget. agh

pizza crust into nacho cheese sauce, when ordering from papa johns, but they provide the sauce for you to do this. order the nacho cheese sauce instead of the garlic sauce they provide automatically. biscotti in green tea?

My parents went to Honolulu recently, and really enjoyed Yummy BBQ. They were amazed at the size of the portions and (small) price. They said the food was quite good too, esp for fast food. My parents ended up going there every day during the last part of their trip.

So did you pick LA for your next move, after all the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth from those of us in the SF Bay area? --sniff!-- ← muahahaha Come to the dark side, Ore...

I have to say that the German gummy bears taste better than the American ones for some reason. I still don't like them, but they do taste better. --I like those coke bottles for some weird reason.

I believe it's this recipe in the L.A. Times for the red pork chile sauce.

California chiles also go by the name of Anaheim chiles and others as sladeums said. Here's a pic in case you want to see what they look like dried. Fresh, they are rather large and pointy, with only a mild bite. At least in my experience. But hotness varies in peppers a bit. side by side pic of fresh and dried anaheim chile

No, Urasawa is in L.A., but I can understand why milla put it in...

Yes there are two, one in Garden Grove and one in Irvine

BCD on Wilshire still v good last time I checked (admittedly a couple of months ago). I guess it's the most famous, but heck if I know that sort of stuff. Still 24 hours, still good soft tofu. My favorite is the everything including the kitchen sink version called "sukkuh" soondubu. But it depends on your taste. There's a bunch of good places. I am hardly the one to ask since there's like a million places. Also, they seem to open like one per minute. In terms of best of's, I thought I remembered Jonathan Gold liked Beverly Soondubu, which to me seems kind of on the heavier, spicier side than BCD. I haven't been here in a ong while, but last time I was there, business wasn't that good. Competition is really cutthroat. They're a decent place, so that's in case you want to try them out... I realize that's not much of an answer, well, I have to say I need to brush up on L.A. because I've been in OC a lot. --of the BCD's, the one on Wilshire is still the best IMHO. --in OC, my fave is Gaju Soft Tofu. There's a BCD in our county as well, and I used to like them when they had gaejang as part of the banchan. But I don't know the soft tofu wasn't so good after a while, at least IMO.

That would be great if we could all get together with Sun-Ki! I had to work late today so missed this one. *sigh*

I've had the ghiradelli ground chocolate. too sweet for me, but that is just me. Has anyone tried that devon double cream butter? I think that's the right name.

Very intriguing.

I think it's somewhere in the South Bay area, right Chris? I'm still recovering from the last one.

I think I recall Russ Parsons of the LA Times did at least a couple of pieces around that area. One restaurant that comes to mind is Echo. Here's an excerpt about it from his story: See his review here You have to register with the Times website to see this story, but you can register using our own egullet username and password. Simply look at the latest postings on the LA Times digest posts, found on the top of the California board.

I was shocked to learn that a bunch of people around me have made this dish using dungeness crabs. Why am I always the last to know this stuff? According to those who have had it, dungeness is the king for use in gaejang.

I personally don't know all the ways to use black (wild) rice in Korean cooking, but I do know that my favorite rice combinations tend to have some black rice in there. If I remember correctly, my co-worker made rice with black rice, brown rice, and a little sweet rice (chapsal is korean name) and it was really good. her technique is very good, I don't know how she does it. Also, there's mixed grains rice which can have everything from beans to wilid rice, to barley mixed in with the Calrose rice. It seems to be all the rage in the restaurants around me (Orange County, California). I noticed a bunch of them recently starting to offer it. I remember a restaurant in Seoul the last time I went that had this really interesting rice dish. It wasn't exactly mixed grains rice, but in retrospect, it probably was something similar. Light and airy, with distinct tender grains of rice and other stuff. Amazing. Can't wait to go back. --I forgot, if you want to try mixed grains rice, you probably should ask for "japgokbab" (pronounced "jahp-goke-bahp").

i would like to know more too! unfortunately, i dont know too much...i am not sure what those photos are. that first one is of dried persimmons. i think. the second one might be something called dashik and it might be the kind made from pine seed pollen and black sesame seeds. i asked my husband and he just sort of shrugged and said "you probably know better". sorry i dont know for sure! i am working on this one though. as for buying them, i think yeah, you do buy these set up like that. my husband and i dont know what these tall towers of food are called. (thats whats making this search so hard) i have seen plastic mock ups of these food towers at stores though. and i think ive even see the fake ones here in the states. what i do know is that these foods are special ceremonial foods. you see these sorts of stackings during weddings and possibly during: new years, ancestor rememberance ceremonies and certain specific birthdays like the <a href="http://www.family-food.co.kr/images/servic1.jpg">60th</a> (you can see "double happiness", "long life characters" and "return to the beginning"(*) -- <a href="http://www.family-food.co.kr/service_6070_2.asp">context</a>) and <a href="http://www.party119.co.kr/data/photos/jong11.jpg">100 days</a> (the food tower in the center says "congratulations 100 days" -- <a href="<a href="http://www.haeorum.com/First_Birth/Best_BBS/content.asp?idx=2554">context</a>). you also stack up fruit and rice cakes (i know that for sure) as well as a lot of other really fussy, hard to make foods that no one really makes at home anymore. i mean these days making rice cakes and preserved fruits and nuts is not something the average middle aged korean will know much about. they will know who tom hanks is, though. i think the same can safely be said of the average middle aged american too, come to think of it! before i posted i wanted to confirm all of this. but i wont be so uptight tonight. ill just post what i found so far. if eunny, joon, jschyun or anyone else knows, i hope they pipe up! (*) within the 60 year cycle. ← Sorry, I've been really busy. Torakris' second picture looks like yakwa (korean honey cookies) in shape, but since it's colored pretty and not brown, it's probably those sugary tasteless sugar cakes. Don't know the name. As melonpan mentioned, I don't think anyone makes these towers at home anymore. There might be some significance to each of the towers of food, but I don't know the meanings, sorry. These days people go to the dduk jip (uh, translation Korean bakery) and then I think they have set prices for the janchisang (party table) items. You can pick which one you want according to your budget. Great links melonpan.

We must be on the same wavelength. So far the dishes I like best at GD are the lobster, lamb and oyster app, which happens to be what I got on my first trip there. Have not found a dessert here that I really like though (if you don't count the little sweets tray at the end), which is a shame. Perhaps if they did not wear those blue business suits it wouldn't look so corporate. I like this restaurant, and feel it is a good value, esp if I order my favorites, and don't order wine. It's hard to compare GD's 5 course meal with Manresa's 23. Also they're at different price points (if you don't count wine). If this is an all-out occasion, well....I get the feeling that you might get more "wow" at Manresa, though I have not been yet. And it sounds like cost is not really a factor.

I wasn't going to say anything so hordes of people don't descend on this place, but looks like everyone else is talking about it anyway. But it's been especially deserted lately so perhaps it's time to get the word out. I too vote for Shibucho, if not for the best sushi in OC, then at least the second best (maybe after Wasabe in Tustin?). Like Wasabe, the decor is kind of drab and in a strip mall setting. Shibucho is next to a Mexican video store in a run down strip mall in CM, but the sushi inside when at its best is excellent, esp for the price. Sometimes a couple things have been off, but I forgive it because in general my experiences have been good. Both Shibutani-san and his son are extremely nice, but I noticed that if you chat up to the older Shibutani, he whips out all sorts of interesting stuff. Last time was just tamago but it was skillfully made tamago, and it had a very interesting topping that made it taste completely different. He made some pieces with and without for me to see. Naturally I had some of everything else too. I have been here and tried everything he has in the restaurant (with seconds or thirds on favorites) and still come out of here for about $50-60. By contrast, Wasabe in Tustin arguably has the freshest fish around. OTOH, Shibucho seems to be getting more attention than Wasabe. Maybe it's because they're really friendly and will take the time to teach newbies about good sushi. But Wasabe is also excellent, and a very good value as well at around $50 per meal for me and I'm a big eater. Still amazing to me that M. Wong made it all the way from SF to OC for Shibucho. She really gets around! I don't know that I'd travel to OC just to go to Shibucho esp when I could go to L.A. and hit good sushi places by just randomly driving around, but I gotta respect that kind of research.

Hmm, I've taken the AirBART bus from the airport to the BART station, but I don't think they make stops at any of the hotels, but I could be wrong. --oh wait, do you mean take the hotel shuttle to the airport and then AirBART to the Coliseum BART station? That would probably be the cheapest solution.

The Oakland airport area is slim pickin's. I actually think the food inside the airport is better than what you'll get outside. I fly into Oakland frequently. Depending on the hotel, if you can't take the hotel shuttle to the BART station, then maybe you can pay cab fare to the station. It's not all that far. Then you're free to go wherever you want. I think Chez Panisse is a good idea, but it's another cab ride or a long walk from the downtown Berkeley BART station. It's about 10 or so blocks, I think. Just remember when BART stops running which is around midnight. You can check the BART website (www.bart.gov) for more details, schedules, etc.

A person I know hates Korean food but loves Soot Bull Jeep, go figure.