Recipe: Gomoku Takikomi Gohan

Today I got a hankering for lotus root. Strange craving, I know. But I was perusing the produce at Berkeley Bowl and I got inspired. So I bought some lotus root, some carrots, gobo, kuro konnyaku, and shiitake mushroom and got to work. Today's dish, Gomoku Takikomi Gohan, is essentially rice boiled with five ingredients. You can use fish, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, whatever you think sounds good. For the version I made this evening, you will need:

carrots, peeled & julienned
gobo, peeled & julienned (today I used PICKLED gobo, I like the flavor)
shiitake mushrooms, caps sliced thinly
lotus root, peeled, sliced thinly & cut into pieces
kuro konnyaku, julienned

2 1/4 c. dashi stock
2 T mirin
2 T sake
2 T shoyu

2 1/2 c. Japanese white rice


Now, I am not good with measuring cut vegetables, so basically I use as much as I think I need. You don't want to overload your rice with stuff, but you don't want it to be ALL rice.

Wash the rice until you wash most of the starch off, then soak in a mixture of dashi, mirin, sake, and shoyu for approximately 1/2 an hour. It is best to use freshly made dashi made from seaweed and bonito flakes, but for time's sake, I often use instant dashi.



Then, you add all the cut ingredients and put them on top of the rice - and cook as you would normal rice. If you have a rice cooker, you can throw everything in there and hit the button, and you're good to go. If you're doing stovetop method, like me, make sure to watch that it doesn't boil over...lower the heat to a simmer and let it steam.

When the rice is done, you can mix everything together so that the vegetables & konnyaku are distributed evenly.

It is a bowlful of oiishi-ness!

NYC Food Adventures

Here are some of my recent Yelp reviews for a few restaurants I went to on my recent trip to New York!

Balthazar Restaurant & Bakery
80 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-1414

Neighborhood: Manhattan/SoHo


It was my first trip to SoHo, and my friend and I were walking very quickly, in the cold, towards the subway station to catch the 6 train uptown. We were thinking about going back to Les Halles, but instead I caught a glimpse of a familiar red awning. How could it be familiar? It was the same bright red color with simple lettering that spelled out a name I know well - Balthazar. I only knew Balthazar through the famous cookbook, and I was excited to find that we could get a table in this bustling, crowded restaurant - and it was a Wednesday night, mind you. The giant mirrors on the walls combined with a votive candle on every table filled the restaurant with a warm glow. We were seated at the tables for two - small cafe tables that are very very close together, lined up against a banquette - a common feature of NYC restaurants.


My friend and I decided to share a cheeseburger and fries and the pork belly. As we waited for our food, a waiter brought out an enormous tower of seafood on ice to the couple seated next to us. The woman commented that it was an "embarrassing" display, and her companion turned to us and offered us some. (He was dead serious.) My friend and I laughed and politely declined, but chatted with the couple while the server brought us the half bottle of wine we ordered (note: Balthazar only carries French wines), which was really delicious and medium bodied.

Our food came, the cheeseburger (cooked medium) accompanied by a giant pile of some really good fries (though Brasserie Les Halles is a bit better), the pork belly (the top part a glistening deep brown, was so succulent and moist that it really did not require a knife to eat) was set atop a bed of these incredible mustard lentils. I could have had an extra order of these lentils. We shared our fries with the couple next to us, and they shared some really fresh oysters.

The entire meal was perfect, even without dessert. The service was impeccable - servers should be like the stagehands during a play - you barely notice them, but they make everything run smoothly. Balthazar was a show for which I'd definitely request an encore presentation.


Caracas Arepa Bar
91 E. 7th Street
New York, NY 10009
(212) 228-5062

Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village

Holy Guacasaca (that would be the name of the Venezuelan style guacamole they serve here) - this place is awesome.

For those of you who have never had an arepa, you MUST try it. Little corn pouches stuffed with deliciousness...I had the Los Muchachos, perfect for those who like the SAH-PYE-CEE - grilled chorizo, spicy white cheese, jalapenos, and grilled red peppers, and the La Surena, a chicken-chorizo-avocado orgasm in your mouth topped with chimichurri sauce.

It's cheap too - $7 or less per arepa. I also had some of the Yoyos - fried balls of sweet bread with plantains and cheese inside. It reminds me of a breakfast food - perhaps like stuffed French toast?

At any rate, thank you to AJ who recommended this place to me before my visit to New York...and buen provecho, y'all!


Brasserie Les Halles
411 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
(212) 679-4111

Category: French

J'adore Anthony Bourdain.

J'adore le steak.

J'adore les pommes frites.

J'adore le vin.

Par consequent, j'adore Brasserie Les Halles.

How fortunate that my icky hotel was located literally a block and a half away from Brasserie Les Halles, the famed eatery that celebrity chef and author Anthony Bourdain put on the map. I was looking forward to having dinner here ever since I found out I was going to NYC for business.

The reviews are true - the fries are absolutely delicious and crispy, probably some of the best fries I've ever had. I ordered the "Fitness Plate", a 6 oz. serving of steak served with various grilled vegetables, sauteed haricots verts, and a small serving of fries (enough to satisfy your pommes frites craving without making you feel incredibly guilty). I also had a bit of the wonderful French bread and butter that they give you with your dinner - the butter they serve with it is nice and softened, always a plus.

I would love to come back and try several other things on their menu - they have a classic cassoulet and confit de canard that sounded really good (two of my favorite French dishes). They also have a pretty extensive wine list, including champagnes and dessert wines.

Les Halles is also open at 7:30am-midnight, daily, so you can go and have breakfast (either 'petit dejeuner' - Parisian style, or New Yorker style - a heartier breakfast) or lunch or a late dinner - they have nonstop service, seven days a week. The restaurant is spacious, and at night, very dimly lit with candles at each table. I like the vintage French posters they have on the walls, and the checkered floor - great ambiance, and probably a really nice place for a date.

I think I will try to make it to Les Halles on every future trip to NYC (yes, it's THAT good).

BUY: This is Ridiculous - Bling H2O

I just had to write about this. Today, while shopping for some food for our Christmas dinner tomorrow night, I ran across this pretty bottle of water. However, when I turned it over, I went into sticker shock as the price of the water was $55.00. I'm not kidding. I thought it was a misprint, until I picked up a smaller bottle and it was $30.00.

Bling H2O is a water designed to cater to the luxury lifestyle - according to their website, it was created because "In Hollywood, it seemed as if people flaunted their bottled water like it was part of their presentation". Apparently FIJI water and SmartWater just don't cut it anymore.

Couture water? Are you kidding me?

For that price, I better be pissing Cristal after drinking it.

OAKLAND SPOTLIGHT: Dorsey's Locker

DORSEY'S LOCKER
5817 Shattuck Ave
(between 58th St & 59th St)
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 428-1935





Hey sister, go sister, where all my soul sisters?

The answer to that question is....not in San Francisco.

With the closing of the famed SF soul food spot, Powell's Place, us San Franciscans are experiencing a dearth of good and inexpensive soul food in our dear city, and had to travel outside of SF to find anything noteworthy. One evening, as we had a miserable dinner at PF Chang's, we asked our server, "Where do YOU go to eat when you're not working?" His answer: Dorsey's Locker. I gathered up a large group of hungry people and made them all drive to Oakland on a Sunday afternoon. Wanna see what we got to eat?


The seafood combination, yummy yummy sides, and the short ribs platter

They do all the classic soul food favorites: fried chicken, catfish, snapper, gumbo, short ribs, pork chops, liver & onions, ...and the sides: collard greens, black eyed peas, rice with gravy, mashed potatoes, fries, yams, red beans, green beans, corn, and mac & cheese (only available on Fridays and Sundays). Service was spectacular and entertaining, the food came in copious amounts, and we all left extremely full and satisfied. I think that Dorsey's is actually vastly better than Powell's Place - even in their presentation of the food. (Sorry Powell's...I loved you, but you have been replaced.) Think I'm exaggerating on how good the food was? My friend Joshua, who had the pork chops, cleaned his plate.

I miss cooking.

Hi Readers,

If you're still out there...it has been a hectic month, and I actually have not cooked a single meal at home that is share-worthy. I have probably spent 95% of the time eating at a restaurant or grabbing a salad from the Whole Foods salad bar. Not to fear...I have a few food-related events coming up this week to blog about!

xoxo,
BernaDiva

SF SPOTLIGHT: My Tofu House

My Tofu House
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
4627 Geary Blvd
(between 10th Ave & 11th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 750-1818




As you can see, I have not been cooking lately - not for lack of want, but more so because I simply haven't had the time. So, for those of you who are not familiar with the wonder of Soon Du Bu Chige, I am presenting you with my current favorite Korean restaurant in San Francico - My Tofu House.

Located on a pretty mellow section of Geary Boulevard, My Tofu House is a favorite amongst locals, apparent by the waiting list that you will encounter during dinnertime. The menu is simple - no mile long list of unpronounceable dishes, rather, two pages in Korean with the English translation on the bottom. Though they make a pretty decent Bi Bim Bap and Bulgogi, their specialty is Soon Du Bu - tofu stew - offering at least nine different variations: original, seafood, dumpling, vegetable...I can't remember all of them, but I have not had a bad one yet.

Once you order, they bring you an assortment of na mul, the various side dishes commonly served with Korean food: bean sprouts, several types of kim chi, a fried fish, and little dried baby fish. Next comes a big stone pot of steamed white rice. And finally, the piece de resistance - your tofu soup in a stone bowl, still bubbling. My personal favorite is the dumpling tofu stew - a rich, spicy broth with soft tofu, rice cakes, and meat filled dumplings. You can choose how spicy you want it - I prefer mine "spicy", but for those of you who can't stand the heat...try the "white" or "mild" version first.





Usually, when I go with friends, we order our soup as well as an additional order of bulgogi - it's a ton of food, and often times the wait staff will offer you refills of any of the na mul that you want seconds on. And it's fairly inexpensive - $10.00 for your soup, and the bulgogi runs about $17 for a pretty large portion. I always leave here full and nice and warm inside.

TRAVEL: Sabor de Puerto Vallarta

I just returned from a quick little trip down to Nuevo Vallarta in the state of Nayarit, Mexico, with a few little trips to the surrounding towns of Sayulita, Bucerias, and Old Puerto Vallarta (in the state of Jalisco). Besides the beautiful sunshine, the warm waters, and the fact that this was my first real vacation in over a year, the most memorable part? The food.

Though our resort was all-inclusive, the hotel's food was only okay, and we really wanted to eat "real" Mexican food - you know, the kind that the locals eat, the kind that brings the possibility of a raging case of Montezuma's Revenge. Our first venture was out into a town called Sayulita, located about half an hour away from Nuevo Vallarta on Highway 200. We decided on a little cafe called El Costeno, situated on the beach, and ordered a few dishes. Tacos de pescado (fish tacos), coctel de camarones (shrimp cocktail), quesadillas, ceviche, and fish. The two standouts were the Ceviche de Camarones - shrimp marinated in lime and chiles, and the Huachinango Frito - two whole red snappers, deep fried. Our bill total was about 500 pesos - a little less than $50, including beers, soft drinks, and tip.



Left to right, El Costeno, Whole Fried Red Snapper (Huachinango Frito), Shrimp Ceviche (Tostada de Ceviche de Camarones)

Our next stop, that evening, was the town of Puerto Vallarta, located in the state of Jalisco. By some divine stroke of luck, we found a parking spot right on the main drag, in front of TWO taco stands. We picked the one nearest to the car, Tacos Arturo, and ordered a few tacos each. These were probably the best tacos I have ever had in my entire life - little rounds of fresh corn masa, grilled, topped with your choice of meat (I had 'adobada', also known as 'al pastor', and chorizo), cilantro, onions, and salsa. Tacos cost 8 pesos (about 75 cents) up to 12 pesos for Cabeza de Res (Lengua - toungue, Sesos - brains, etc.). We washed our tacos down with Coca Cola (made with real sugar, not high fructose corn syrup) and then walked down the street towards the pier.



Left to right, Tacos Arturo, A plate of tacos, Taco de Chorizo (Photos courtesy of Grace Malvar)

First stop: The Casa Cofradia factory store - a tequila shop. They let us taste whatever we wanted to - and each "taste" was a little less than a full shot. About five "tastes" later, and I was a little buzzed. Time to get more food.




Left to right, Casa Cofradia Factory Store, close up of a tequila bottle, many many tequila bottles (Photos courtesy of Grace Malvar)


As we approached the square, the amount of people doubled - it seemed as if everyone and their mother was out that night. At the end of the pier, the five of us stopped and stared: stand after stand of street food - aguas frescas, maiz (corn), hot dogs and fries, ceviche, plantains, tamales - it was like finding Mecca. We started spending our pesos on whatever our hearts desired. The average cost for everything was about 20 pesos per item (just a little less than $2). The ceviche was amazing, the roasted corn was nice and smoky, and I think I had the most delicious horchata EVER that night. After our binge on food there, we headed back towards the car and ordered a bunch of tacos to take back to our hotel. I got all bold (I think it was the tequila) and ordered a taco de sesos - cow brains. I ate half of it and gave the rest to my friend, who laughed at me when she saw the expression on my face. Sesos are not for everyone.




Left to right, Puerto Vallarta Pier vendor, Fried Plantains, and a giant serving of Ceviche de Camarones (Photos courtesy of Grace Malvar)


Our last taste of real local food was our breakfast in Bucerias. I'd heard of this town in the Los Angeles Times, and it was close enough to our hotel for us to go there and make it back in time to return our rental car. We went to a little cafe in the back of a sort of 'food court' (several restaurants sharing a patio). We ordered Huevos al Gusto con Chorizo - a plate of chorizo with scrambled eggs and a side of beans, Birria de Res - a beef soup with lime, cilantro, and onion, and a Machaca burrito - shredded beef and eggs in a flour tortilla. The wait was a little long, but the food was worth every second. You could taste the richness of the beans, which meant they were made in the traditional way - with lard. The corn tortillas were fresh and handmade (you can tell by the irregular shape). Our entire table of five had breakfast (including coffee and aguas frescas) for around $22 USD. I definitely want to visit Bucerias again, since we didn't get to see much of it except for the cafe.




Left to right, Huevos al Gusto con Chorizo, Birria de Res, and a Quesdilla con Carne Asada (Photos courtesy of Grace Malvar)



After this trip, I don't think I can eat Mexican food for awhile, just so I don't ruin the memory of all the flavors for now. I recommend anyone going to Puerto Vallarta to venture out of the resort and go deep into the places where the locals hang out - it's what real Mexican food tastes like.