Forks and Dorks

My dad’s trip not only brought me two weeks filled with restaurant binges, but also 5 pounds worth of happy fat. Unrestrained restaurant dining isn’t kind to the waistline… So I’ve been trying to stay away from the sinful stuff to bring me back to normal. This only means that I’ve been tortured by my incessant longings for the forbidden!

Bites I crave at the moment:

• Bonchon Korean Fried SPICY Chicken with pickled Radish Cubes – The crackly (twice fried) crust on this chicken laced with some sticky sauce of sugar, garlic, FIERY spices, vinegary tang.  The scent from the sauce is the kind that gets your mouth watering. I really need to try out some other Korean fried chicken (KFC) places in the area.  This is the only place I can think of when I crave it.  In LA/OC, I still have yet to visit Kyochon but I’ve been hearing RAVES about it.
• Liberty Tavern House Smoked Char atop Johnnycakes with Crème Fraiche and pickled shallots... Johnny cakes kind of have the taste of a non sweet cornbread with the look of a pancake… this appetizer was so good that I literally wrote it down on my BBerry Memos immediately after I bit into it. Unfortunately I think the menu has changed for summer and this is no longer available… Time for some attempts in my kitchen to recreate it!
• Fried Potatoes from Open Sesame in Long Beach, CA –I’m not a big fan of fried potatoes, but these were cubes of potatoes that were crisp and brown on the outside, and then tossed in some lemon juice, garlic, cilantro and maybe parsley. Drool inducing.  Dip it in some Tzaziki type yogurt sauce…
• Eventide’s Chestnut soup with bits of bacon and a dollop of crème fraiche – I love chestnuts! I eat packets of this stuff from the Korean markets. This sweet and savory dish was sooo smooth, velvety and delicious. I think this was on their seasonal winter menu, but hopefully they have something equally delicious and seasonal for summer!
• Clotilde’s Yogurt Cake (Gateau Au Yaourt) with strawberries topped with whipped marscarpone strawberry frosting – I’ve been craving cupcakes lately, but something about these cupcakes I made for my ‘spring dinner party’ using the Chocolate and Zucchini Web site’s Recipe just hit the spot.  The tanginess of the batter from the yogurt is just so perfect and refreshing for warm weather.  Mix in some chopped strawberries and you have a winner! The frosting I kind of improvised but it ended up tasting like a fresh homemade strawberry ice cream but richer! TOOT TOOT! Not bad.
• Hummus and Pita Bread from Moby’s – The bread isn’t the best especially when cooled…but the creamy smooth hummus at Moby’s is definitely a winner in my books.  Got a joojeh (chicken) kabob salad last night but my restrictions didn’t let me eat too much of the Bread… which meant I had to stay away from the hummus.  :(
• Hamachi Toro – One of my new favorite Nigiri! I was all about hamachi (yellowtail) until I discovered the fattier relative – the hamachi belly. Buttery, and melt in your mouth delicious…In the hands of a skilled sushi chef, you’re in for a treat!

My – get back to normal restrictions – will be lifted in T-2 days! I can’t wait! Next week I will make my cupcakes and eat them too! And some mobys hummus… and some KFC… Let’s not get carried away…

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