The Summer Dog

Dodger Dog courtesy of Serious Eats

Just got home from a Dodgers game and had one of my favorite summer treats: the hot dog.

The Dodger Dog is one of LA's best - I think there's something about eating it alongside a cold beer and with a ball game in the background.

My absolute favorite LA hot dogs are Pink's Guadalajara Dog and Wurstkuche's Mango Jalapeno Sausage.

Guadalajara Dog courtesy of Kahuna of the Kitchen

The Guadalajara Dog comes with relish, onions, tomatoes, and sour cream. All the hot dog purists out there are probably shaking their head at that ingredient listing, but I swear the combination is fantastic. The tang of the relish and onions and the coolness of the tomatoes and sour cream pair perfectly with the crisp snap of the hot dog. Just make sure to head over to Pink's at an off-hour, or else you're looking at a minimum of an hour wait.

Mango Jalapeno Sausage courtesy of Tomo Style

The Mango Jalapeno Sausage is made with a mixture of chicken and turkey. Wurstkuche offers a choice of sauerkraut, caramelized onions, sweet peppers or hot peppers as toppings. I usually go with a blend of the caramelized onions and hot peppers. And you MUST get an order of the Belgian fries with chipotle aioli on the side.

Inspired by the Food Network

Recently I've been feeling inspired by the Food Network. I'm a big fan of several of the chefs (as evidenced by my large collection of their cookbooks in the above picture). I regularly DVR Giada at Home and Barefoot Contessa. Both women make simple, tasty recipes, and they're easy to tweak if you don't have 100% of the ingredients at home.

I fell in love with all of the recipes on Giada's Saturday episode on spicy dishes - "The Heat is On." I'm planning on making the spicy gazpacho and meatballs stuffed with smoked mozzarella in the next couple of weeks. The ravioli with spicy sage butter is going to be a frequent "go-to" weeknight dinner - Boil store bought spinach and cheese ravioli; Melt butter with 16 leaves of sage, paprika, salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Serve sauce over ravioli with grated pecorino. Yum.

Barefoot Contessa taught me two great tips this week on her show:

1) If you don't have cake flour for a baking recipe, replace 1 cup cake flour with 2 T of corn starch and a bit less than 1 cup of all-purpose flour (corn starch + all purpose flour should equal one cup)

2) Homemade vanilla extract: Fill one air-tight jar with at least 8 vanilla pods (or as many as the jar will fit) and fill the jar with vodka (will take 1-2 bottles depending on the jar size). Store at room temperature for at least 1 month, preferably 6 months. I'm seriously considering making this as homemade holiday gifts. Such a fabulous idea!

If you're lacking food inspiration, tune into a Food Network show or check out their website. There's an abundance of menus and recipes.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

I debated over what dessert to bring to the dinner party this past weekend, but ultimately decided on ice cream sandwiches with chocolate sea salt cookies and Guinness ice cream. We recently got a Kitchenaid ice cream maker attachment, and I've been looking for excuses to use it.

My favorite ice cream sandwiches have soft and slightly chewy cookies. Crispy cookies are hard to eat, especially when paired with ice cream. This cookie recipe was wonderful and resulted in some decadent and fudgy chocolate cookies. The recipe calls for 10 minutes of baking time, but I found that the cookies were still too undercooked at that point. After 15 minutes, I was happy with the consistency. I also added a hefty amount of flaked sea salt (Maldon brand) to the cookies - maybe 8-10 flakes per cookie?

The ice cream didn't scream Guinness flavor, but definitely came across as a luscious, beer-ish ice cream. The subtlety of the ice cream paired perfectly with the richness of the cookies.

Melted chocolate and butter for the cookie batter

Ice cream base

Using the ice cream maker attachment

Sea salt chocolate cookie with Guinness ice cream

Farmers' Markets and Fresh Produce

Roman Farmers' Market

I have found that you can make the most wonderful food simply out of fresh ingredients. You don't need a complicated recipe or expensive items like truffles and kobe beef. A good meal just requires in-season produce and family and friends.

I adore going to farmers' markets without a menu or grocery list. I usually do a lap to see what looks good and is at a fair price. Then I purchase my goods and off we go. We call these days Farmers' Market Meals, where we hang out in the kitchen for hours, cooking lots of small plates, drinking wine, and eating each dish as it's ready. We shared one of these days with our friends' Chris and Natalie, and, based off her blog post, I'm pretty sure they had a blast.

Josh brought home some fresh tomatoes from his coworkers' garden that we get to enjoy this evening. I'm thinking that bruschetta could be the perfect appetizer.



Tomatoes for the Weekend

Various Fruit in Capri



Squash Blossoms in Radda in Chianti

 

Papayas in Hawaii

Dinner Party Etiquette

Courtesy of Brown Eyed Baker

Now that life has calmed down a bit, I have more time for one of my favorite pastimes - dinner parties. PW (pre-wedding), we used to attend at least one dinner party a week and host one of our own. But with our chaotic loft (wedding crafts and Crate and Barrel gift boxes everywhere) and a long to-do list, we weren't able to get together for many social dinners.

This Saturday evening we'll be heading over to our friends' home in Brentwood. I believe that in proper etiquette, the guest should always offer to bring a course (appetizer or dessert are usually good) and always, always bring a bottle of champagne, wine, or microbrew. Another tip - make sure to offer to clean up all of their hard work!

Josh and I we'll be bringing a Bruery beer, some red wine, and dessert to the dinner party. Now I just need to determine my dessert selection. I'm deciding among the following three:

1. Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches (guinness ice cream with sea salt chocolate cookies)

2. Summer Fruit Tart (nectarine tart with homemade honey whipped cream)

3. Raspberry Shortbread (raspberry shortbread bars with a glass of port)


I'll report on Monday!

Champagne Bubbles

I have a deep love for champagne. There's something so celebratory and feminine about it. The fact that Josh proposed to me at Domaine Carneros, a sparkling wine chateau, probably contributes to this love of the bubbly.

We incorporated champagne in both of our signature cocktails at the wedding: Wedding Whiskey Punch and Champagne Cocktail

Wedding Whiskey Punch

3 lemon peels

5 tablespoons superfine sugar

1 cupe fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup real pomegranate grenadine (we recommend Scrappy's)

4 heavy dashes Angostura bitters

2 cups bourbon

1 (375 ml) split of champagne

1 large block of ice

In large bowl, muddle lemon peels and superfine sugar. Pour in lemon juice and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the pomegranate syrup, bitters, and bourbon. Add cubed ice to chill the mixture, and stir until mixture is cold. Strain the mixture into a punch bowl over the block of ice and top with champagne. Serve immediately. Yields: 15 servings

Champagne Cocktail

Sugar cube

3 dashes Angostura bitters

Champagne (preferably brut)

Lemon peel

On a napkin, add 3 dashes of bitters to the sugar cube so that it is adequately soaked. Drop the soaked sugar cube into a champagne flute and fill with brut. Garnish with a lemon peel.

CHEERS!

Homemade Cappuccinos

My breakfast came with a cappuccino every morning on our honeymoon. The espresso was dependably smooth and the milk was rich and frothy. At my cooking class, I asked the instructor what type of espresso maker most people use in Italy. She recommended the simple Bialetti stove-top espresso maker (we bought ours at Crate and Barrel). You put cold water in one section and ground espresso in another, then it boils on the stovetop for about 5 minutes, and it's done! The espresso came out wonderful - just like I remembered from our trip. We used Groundworks espresso beans, but there's plenty of great options out there.

Since we don't have a fancy milk frother, we simply put some milk in our Magic Bullet (or a blender will do) to froth it up and then quickly heated it in the microwave (be careful not to scald the milk). Voila! Cappuccino.

Corn Soup

There's something so comforting about soup to me. I grew up eating it on cold days, tired days, or simply days that we didn't feel like making a big ordeal out of dinner. It took me about five years to convince Josh that soup was a legitimate meal. He's still not a giant advocate, but he enjoys this specific recipe for corn soup.

I love this recipe because it has a luxurious, creamy consistency but it's completely dairy-free. Oh, and it costs about $10 for all the ingredients! Throw in a loaf of good bread and this recipe makes about 4 dinners.

**I left out the thyme from the recipe since my market was out, and I added a red bell pepper since we had one in the fridge. I also love to garnish with creme fraiche or sour cream to add a extra bit of creaminess.

The last 365+ days

So something big happened on 5/17/2010. We got engaged. And then something even bigger happened on 7/9/2011. We got married.

Unfortunately, the whole "planning a wedding" thing took over most of our free time, and we were forced to walk away from Bourbon and Bleu for the past year.

After an amazing honeymoon to Italy - filled to the brim with delectable meals, wine, amaro, and even a pasta making class - we're rejuvenated, inspired, and ready to share more of our food and cocktail love with you.

learning to make pasta in Radda in Chianti

Glorious Ice Cream

We dropped by the new Sweet Rose Creamery in the Brentwood Country Mart last night and were thoroughly impressed. We got a scoop of the banana ice cream and the salted caramel ice cream. The banana flavor was just like homemade banana bread. The salted caramel was almost a frozen custard consistency. While the ice cream itself had the right amount of salt to add some depth, the shop actually topped the scoop with a bit of high quality salt for some extra punch and texture.

We desperately wanted to try the soon-to-be infamous Valrhona Fudge Pop, but they were already sold out. Next time.

The shop has about 10-12 daily homemade flavors, ice cream sandwiches and pies, and shakes/floats/malts. The store is reminiscent of those old school soda shops and plays the 1950’s music to go with it.

Because it’s summer time, and you need your ice cream fix…
Sweet Rose Creamery
225 26th Street
Santa Monica 90402
Temporary Hours: Wed-Sun 12pm -9pm

The Unassuming Stand of Awesomeness: Yuca's

On a lazy Saturday, I asked my roommate what he felt like for lunch. The usual answer was muttered back without much thought, "Tacos." Of course, I should have known. My mind started wandering to all the various taco places I have wanted to try, only to end up on the 2009 Taco Madness Champion from LATaco.com: Yuca's. While I knew to expect some delicious food, I was unprepared for the history and acclaim that Yuca's has achieved.

Yuca's, first opened by Jaime and Socorro Herrera in April 1976, has maintained its classic taco stand appearance and quality since day one. Honored with a James Beard award in 2005, Yuca's continues to gain praise as a taco landmark in Los Angeles.

So with a craving for some fresh tortillas, my roommate and I picked up a friend and made our way up Hillhurst to the understated stand that is Yuca's. The line wasn't as long as I thought it might be on a Saturday at lunch, only around 4 people, and the ordering system goes quick. A person sitting outside the small stand writes your order on a paper plate and collects your cash; now all you do is wait.

The menu offers a variety of options: the standard tacos, burritos and tortas, as well some other offerings such as hamburgers and hot dogs. I opted for a carnitas taco, a cochinita pibil burrito, and a Yucatan-style tamale (only available on Saturdays).

The carnitas taco was excellent. As you can see in the picture, the tortillas are so fresh that a soft spot was still sticking to the meat. The carnitas was some of the best I have had. Not too salty or dry, all the best characteristics of the pork came shining through.

The cochinita pibil burrito was what I was excited for. Cochinita Pibil is a Yucatan Style pork that employs citrus juices to tenderize the meat while it is slow roasted. This pork had an immense amount of richness and flavor to it, as evidenced by the thick sauce that slowly dripped on my plate. The beans were also cooked perfectly; they had a good amount of crispness too them but still blended beautifully in with the meat.

Finally, the Yucatan-style tamale came out still wrapped in the corn husk with a homemade pico de gallo on top. Perfectly moist and fluffy, the corn meal exterior easily gave way to the meat filled interior. The meat was seasoned well and further complimented by Yuca's green Chile Habanero hot sauce.

All in all, this was one of my top mexican food encounters. The group agreed that the food was delicious, but that one thing was missing: HORCHATA! Nothing says authentic mexican food like an oversized styrofoam cup full of the classic mexican rice drink, horchata. Yuca's doesn't serve Horchata, but that didn't stop our cravings. After scouring numerous potential horchata spots in Los Feliz, we were directed to a Chinese fast food place (I swear I am not making this up). Lo and behold, there stood the glorious Ole! coolers teaming with icy horchata. A buck fifty later, we hopped in the car and rode home happy.

Yuca's
2056 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Chinese Place for Horchata:
Daily Chinese Express
1907 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027


Cheers,
Bourbon

My Starry Eyed Surprise

Working in Downtown LA year round has its perks. I have the same commute each day (on foot I might add). But that also means that the lunch scene remains pretty constant as well. While Downtown LA may have a good number of places to eat, very few hit the trifecta of lunch criteria that I eat by: under $10, walking distance, tasty.

Enter Starry Kitchen.

Nguyen and Thi Tran opened Starry Kitchen at the end of February to a Water Court crowd that was craving something new (there's only so much Mendocino Farms someone can eat in a year). The Trans' "restaurant" was previously known as Apartment 205 in North Hollywood (they ran an underground restaurant out of their actual apartment for nine months, see the full LA Weekly Article for more). Thankfully for me, the Trans decided to take their underground cooking public at the Water Court on 4th and Grand. Starry Kitchen brings a simple and delicious approach to lunching.

The restaurant lays out their menu in an easy to follow format. First, you pick your protein (chicken, pork, beef, veggie, etc.). The protein options change all the time, with different styles being rotated on and off the menu every few weeks, so there is always something new to try!

Here is a list of the proteins I have enjoyed on my trips to Starry Kitchen:

-Lemongrass Chicken

-Pan Fried Taiwanese Pork Chop with Basil

-Vietnamese Coconut Pork

-Japanese Curry Meat Balls

-Chinese Hoisin Hamburger

-Fried Tofu/Corn Balls (sounds funky, tastes AMAZING)

The next step is to pick your "vessel" for the protein. You can choose between a Wrap, Banh Mi (see our earlier post for a definition), Chopped Salad, Thai Cobb Salad, or Lunch Plate (protein, rice, salad). The Wrap, Banh Mi, and Lunch Plate all come with Daily Sides (for FREE!). Daily Sides have included Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles), Asian Sesame Slaw, Pineapple Fried Rice, Coconut Rice, Curry Fried Rice, Peanut Noodles, and a side chopped salad.

I usually go with the Banh Mi because their baguettes are fantastically fresh, with a nice crackly crust on the outside and pillowy-ness hiding on the inside. Also, the Banh Mi usually serves as a nice "vessel" for the heavier or more flavorful meats like the Curry Meat Balls or the Coconut Pork.

So, for a reasonable $8.12, I can walk out with a delicious 12" Banh Mi and a generous sized side dish. All three conditions (money, taste, convenience) are all gloriously satisfied. Welcome to the weekly rotation, Starry Kitchen.

Check out their blog. They post the new menus when they become available (click the menu link on the mid-left side)...

Starry Kitchen

350 S. Grand Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90071

(213) 617-3474

Westside Mai Tais: Tastes Like Marketing

We decided to be spontaneous on Friday and try out an event we read about on some of our favorite sites -- The Modern Mai Tai Experience at The W Hotel in Westwood. The event promised the "World's Best Mai Tai" from Joey Gottesman's (Royal Hawaiian Mixologist) recipe. The venue itself was fine and all the bartenders/servers were friendly enough. But the Mai Tai...most definitely not the world's best. It tasted like watered down pineapple orange juice, with too heavy a pour of something that tasted like bad vodka (Bacardi 151?). We've been to Hawaii quite a few times and tasted quite a few Mai Tais. Where was the Orgeat syrup? Where was the lime juice? This cocktail most definitely lacked in the delicious department.

If you want a great Mai Tai, without the cost of flying to the islands, head over to Tiki Ti's in the Silverlake area. It's a family owned place with amazing tropical cocktail recipes. You can choose from over 75 family recipes listed on their landscape size menu (makes the perfect checklist if you want to conquer them all!). There is a brief description of each drink, but the exact recipes are all secret so you'll never know exactly what's in your cocktail. You just have to learn to trust.

For all of you lucky enough to be flying over to Waikiki sometime soon: stop by the House Without A Key bar at the Halekulani Hotel. THIS is what a Mai Tai should taste like (Caution: these are potent and just a few could lead to hazy dinner memories).

For those of you who can't make it to the Islands anytime soon, here's Bourbon's Mai Tai recipe that he derived from the original Mai Tai recipe as Trader Vic Bergeron made it back in 1944:

1 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Dark Rum
1/2 oz. Orange Curacao
1/4 oz. Orgeat Syrup
1/4 oz. Simple Syrup
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
Garnish with lime wheel and sprig of fresh mint.

Fun fact: Mai Tai means "Out of this World" in Hawaiian.

Okole Maluna!

-Bourbon and Bleu

Underground Dinner Parties

Our friend Kevin started this new dining society called Just Call It a Dinner Party. Basically he puts on dinner once a month at a friend's home. He charges $30 for a multi-course meal and wine. Oh, and did we mention he works at Providence and is an amazing chef?!

We've been to two of his dinners so far -- both hosted in Silverlake. The first one was more of an outdoor, Summer-themed meal. He served a roasted corn and bacon salad to die for. He took some fresh corn-on-the-cob and cut off the kernels, mixed in some salty, crisped up bacon, added juicy grape tomatoes, and sprinkled it with red onion for a bitter touch. He also put together a proscuitto and squash blossom salad. He added shavings of parmesan and cucumbers for crunch. Finally he drizzled a generous helping of some of the most aged balsamic vinegar we've ever tasted (the vinegar was so thick and so sweet -- delicious).

For the main attraction, he grilled up an amazing piece of white fish, steamed a generous helping of clams, and prepared grilled steaks for the non-fish lovers.. The fish was served on a chopping block, so everyone could help themselves family style. He also brought out some perfectly crisped potatoes, which made for some amazing warmed up leftovers for days to come. We rounded out the dinner with homemade sorbet and fresh figs.

The most recent dinner was seated inside and set up a bit more formally. We started with warmed olive bread, served alongside whipped butter. First course was a bean cassoulet (a stew of sorts) with fresh beans, greens, and squid. Then out came little bits of roasted cauliflower with parmesan shavings. This was hands-down the best way we've ever eaten cauliflower -- bite size pieces, roasted until golden brown, which even created a sweetness to the vegetable. Then, to top it off, salty creamy parmesan. The last of the first courses was a sauteed potato and onion mixture. The dish was reminiscent of the potatoes from Kevin's Summer meal, but we didn't mind. They were crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, and deliciously oniony.

This specific dinner event was unique because several people wrote in that they were vegetarian or had food allergies -- so to accomdate everyone, Kevin served up 4 main courses. Keep in mind, all these dishes were family style, so you can try anything and everything you want. In the shellfish arena, we were served scallops with a deep, smoky romesco sauce and steamed clams in an herbed broth. For the vegetarians: a potato and kimchi pancake with fried egg. And for the meat lovers: delicious, tender pork belly. The potato pancake was one of the more unique dishes we've seen prepared. Kevin mixed in homemade, pungent kimchi to the shredded potato and then proceeded to make a pancake the size of a dinner plate. We broke the egg yoke and spread it all over the pancake to add a creamy aspect to the dish.

Finally, we rounded out the evening with some homemade sorbet and cheese.

We can't wait for the next dinner - Sun, Mar 7! If you're interested, email dinnerpartyla@gmail.com and sign up. There should still be a couple of spots left. The dinner will be located in Echo Park and is guaranteed to be a fun and delicious time.

Here's the menu:
cute little hors d’oeuvres
santa barbara spot prawns & grits
sweetbreads lime/chile/queso fresco
pommes lyonnaise
korean short ribs, braised french style
fava beans a la plancha
cheese/sorbet

LA Food Fest 2009

We headed over to the LA Street Food Fest this past Saturday. After we got over the tragic lines (we were one of the lucky ones who only waited an hour to get in), we got down to enjoying ourselves and the immense amount of street food. We ended up eating enough to satisfy ourselves for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and neither of us spent more than $25.

We had a plan of attack once we got in: one of us would wait in a popular long line (Ludo's Fried Chicken was our obvious choice) and the other would run to a shorter line (like Coolhaus or Del's Frozen Lemonade), pick up two portions, and bring it back to the other. This way we could make the most of our time and sample the most food. Yes, we are food crazed. Here's the low-down on what we got:

After a long wait in the entrance line on a hot, mid-70s day, the first thing we bought was Del's Frozen Lemonade (peach mango and watermelon). The slushies were refreshing - only complaint was that the watermelon flavor was pretty weak.

Next up was Coolhaus (because one should always start the day with dessert). Coolhaus specializes in homemade ice cream sandwiches. We sampled 4 mini flavors - chocolate chip cookies with maple bourbon bacon ice cream, gingersnap cookies with wasabi ice cream, brownies with strawberry ice cream, and brownies with mint chip. Maple bourbon bacon for sure won our hearts with the salty-sweet mix, but strawberry was a close second.

Bourbon brought back some Komodo tacos next. We tried 2 signature tacos (steak tacos with guacamole), 1 cheeseburger taco (you can figure that one out), and a short rib and cucumber taco. Actually, the cheeseburger won! As weird as it sounds, it was delicious! Nice ground meat with good lettuce and cheese toppings, and they had a special sauce that was pretty close to In 'n Outs. We'd get it again.

Bleu ran into some friends while running around and got to try some of Gastrobus' slow-cooked pork with grits and pickled onions. She's a sucker for the creamy goodness of grits paired with tender pork. So obviously she loved it.

Then came Louk's beef and lamb gyro. This is the first time either of us have seen the gyro prepared the true Greek way -- served with french fries inside of it. Yes, this is how they actually do it in Greece and it makes it taste so much better - healthier too, ha :) The gyro was a generous size, with plenty of shaved meat, fresh tomatoes, and red onion, which added tons of flavor.

Time for something sweet- we headed to Get Shaved, the shaved ice truck. We ordered a 3 flavor bowl with POG (passion orange guava), Lychee, and Tiger's Blood. We get a pour of sweet cream to top it all off. This shaved ice stole the day. Up until this point, it was our favorite purchase. It reminded us of the fluffy and silken Matsumoto shaved ice you can only get in Hawaii.

Finally we rounded out the day with the infamous Ludo's Fried Chicken. And yes, for all of you wondering, we waited in a 2 hour and 15 minute line to order the chicken. And then waited 2 additional hours to receive our order. But, yes, that was the best damn 4 hour and 15 minute fried chicken we've ever had. Quick background: Ludo Lefebvre is a famous Los Angeles chef, most notably for serving as Executive Chef at Bastide from 2004-2006. He decided to "surprise" the food fest by taking over a food truck for one day and one day only. The only thing he was selling was fried chicken. Basically, $5 got you 2 (large) pieces of chicken, soaked in buttermilk and rosemary, deep friend in a thick golden batter and served with sweet and spicy piquillo pepper sauce. We think the picture says it all.

All in all, we got to try tons of delicious food. All in all, the day was worth it. But boy did we enjoy a line-exhausted, food coma-driven nap afterwards.

For the love of ramen

We got a recommendation to try out Daikokuya in Little Tokyo for a superb ramen meal. Just a warning though, this place is not for the impatient. The wait on a Tuesday at 8pm for 2 people was over an hour, but the food is definitely worth it and once you're seated, the service is quick.

Bleu ordered the Daikoku ramen ($8.50) and Bourbon ordered the Daikoku ramen combination with shredded pork rice bowl and salad ($10.95). We both asked for some hot tea (free, nice!) The salad came out first -- shredded cabbage with a creamy dressing. Good crunch with a bitter touch. Then out came the pork bowl. The shredded pork is actually bits of slow cooked Kurobuta pork belly...delicious. There's a nice and simple teriyaki-esque sauce (not too sweet, not too salty), some green onions, and lots of dried seaweed shreds. Bourbon said it tasted like the best Yoshinoya bowl he had ever eaten. It could actually suffice for dinner in itself, but we were here to indulge in the ramen.

The ramen was made up of 4 main components: 1) The tonkotsu broth -- the broth was cloudier than we were used to. We're guessing there was a hefty amount of miso. Overall the broth had a strong umami taste - meaty and filling. Great to slurp down. 2) The ramen noodles - this was our only complaint to the meals. The noodles were undercooked, which caused them to stick together and made for more difficult eating. Apparently this complaint is consistent with the rest of the online reviews. 3) The soft boiled marinated egg - The yoke was still loose when we broke into it. Added some creaminess. Bleu's favorite part of the ramen 4) The pork -- thin pieces of pork belly laid on top of the ramen. The best part was the equal part of meat to fat in each thin strip, and the thin nature allowed it to melt in easily with the ramen. Not quite as delicious as the chunks of pork belly from the rice bowl, but added a nice meatiness to the meal.

Overall, Daikokuya is a must hit spot for any ramen fan in Los Angeles. Plus, it's on Jonathan Gold's 99 Essential LA Restaurants (another checkmark for us!).


Daikokuya
Little Tokyo
327 E 1st St (between Central and San Pedro)

Lazy Farmers' Market Saturdays

There's something about sleeping in on a Saturday and riding your bike down to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. The world feel as if it's a happier, more wholesome place where everyone smiles and waves at each other.

For this reason and the fact that farmers' market produce is just plain better, we've made a point of going at least once a month (if not every weekend). This past trip, we made some good buys and cooked up this fantastic lunch that we figured we'd share here.

First up, Bleu has an obsession with roasting heirloom carrots. These are nothing like your ordinary mini, precut orange carrots. These are dense and flavorful and come in purple and white and golden orange. The baby heirloom carrots (about 1-2 inches in length) are the best -- and show up usually around late Spring. We like to toss about a pound of carrots with some good olive oil, a hefty amount of kosher salt (Maldon is a favorite), some pepper, and about 2 tablespoons of cumin. Roast the carrot mix at 475 degrees for about 45 minutes, but check on them after 30 minutes to make sure they're not overcooking.

We also picked up a vibrant bundle of some long asparagus. We steamed the asparagus so that it glowed green, seasoned it with some salt and pepper, topped it with a spoonful of pesto, and shaved fresh Parmesan on top. Then - the ultimate part - we placed two freshly poached eggs on top.

Not gonna lie, we love poached eggs. You know how some people put ketchup on everything? Well, Bleu could put poached eggs on anything. So it is very convenient that Bourbon has become quite the master at poaching eggs. Here's some tips for perfecting the poach: In a saucepan, add about 2-3 cups of water and 2-3 tablespoons of white vinegar and bring to a heavy simmer, then turn the heat down to medium low. (Warning: Do not skimp on the vinegar; it helps the eggs form together into the nice, round poaching shape and won't let them stick to the bottom too much). Crack your eggs into a ramekin (or use a coffee mug, like us, if you don't own ramekins) before pouring into the water. You'll want to crack and pour each egg individually. Once the eggs start to rise up from the bottom of the pan (about 2-3 minutes), use a spoon to lightly gather the out edges of the egg whites and fold over the yoke. When the eggs are done (about 4 minutes total), use a slotted spoon to gently pull them out of the water. Pat dry with a paper towel (no water is key), then serve!

Santa Monica Farmer's Market
Arizona Ave, from 2nd to 4th.
Saturdays, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm

Babycakes -- the healthy side of sweets

This morning we headed over to Babycakes NYC for the second time. It's the newest bakery to make the jump from New York, and it specializes in vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free pastries. They bake up everything from cookies and cupcakes to breakfast goods like biscuits, donuts, and cinnamon buns.

We know what you're thinking -- how could any bakery that eliminates sugar, butter, and gluten be any good? Well, we don't know the exact science behind it -- but this place is DELICIOUS.

Our past two visits have both been in the morning, so we've tried out mainly breakfast items -- chocolate glazed donut, coconut lemon donut, biscuit with raspberry jam and vanilla, and blueberry crumb cake. Buuuttt we also managed to sneak in a miniature chocolate chip cookie sandwich. Babycakes NYC serves gluten-free items and pastries sweetened with agave, as well as vegan treats made with spelt (a less processed grain that is an ancient relative of wheat, but contains gluten). The great thing about these ingredients is they don't give you that sugar high and crash. And they fill you up for quite some time and make you feel good, not guilty about your sweet tooth.

Our favorite of the treats would have to be the biscuit (with raspberry jam and vanilla) and the cookie sandwich. We know, random right? This biscuit is creamy and flaky, with a generous helping of raspberry jelly and some vanilla custard-like spread. It went perfectly with our Stumptown coffee. (and yes, they serve real milk to go with the coffee. Bleu was nervous about that one). The cookie sandwich was made up of two chocolate chip cookies with a big spoonful of vanilla frosting in between. Again, the right mix of sweet and creamy. We opted for the mini the first time (only because it was with breakfast), but we could go for a full-sized one (or two!) next time.

B&b's Savings Secret: Monday is "Day Old Day" and all stock is 50% off!

Babycakes Bakery
Downtown LA
130 6th Street (in between Main and Los Angeles)