Yogurtsoda – Page 57 – Eating my way around the world by Mariam Hosseini

Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles

June 26, 2015

Does Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles really even need a review? I used to visit the Roscoe’s on West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles back in the early 2000s, and it wasn’t until last year that I tried out the Roscoe’s in Long Beach. It was Nishan’s first time in Los Angeles, and after a long day of sightseeing at the Griffith Observatory and Beverly Hills, we stopped at Roscoe’s for some fried chicken.

For those who have visited, you already know that the menu at Roscoe’s is primarily countless iterations of magical fried chicken served alongside heaps of whipped butter, waffles, and or collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread. I’d sung Roscoe’s praises to Nishan for years, but it wasn’t until he tasted it for the first time that he understood what I’d meant.

We had reservations at Jose Andres’ Bazaar the following night. I am not at all ashamed to say that we cancelled our reservations and went back to Roscoe’s for dinner again. When in Rome, eat all the Roscoe’s. Wait, what?

Come to southern California for the sights, stay for the Roscoe’s.

Hama Sushi

June 25, 2015

I was in Long Beach last year for a conference, and whenever I’m anywhere near Los Angeles’ radius, I have to go to Little Tokyo for sushi. I’m a proud Bay Arean, but LA has us beat when it comes to Japanese cuisine.

Hama Sushi is a tiny little restaurant along East 2nd Street in Little Tokyo, and it’s my favorite. There are signs telling patrons to not to ask about teriyaki or tempura; this simply isn’t that kind of place. The long wait is well worth the reward and once we were sitting at the sushi bar, I began ordering in earnest. We began with the albacore sashimi, which was delicious, gorgeously presented, and did I mention delicious?

Next came a parade of nigiri and I quickly lost track of what kind of fish we were eating; retaining only that they were all sublimely flavored and incredibly fresh.

We capped off our feast with some of the best uni I’ve ever tasted in my life. The only other uni that comes close is what I’ve had in Tokyo. This uni was creamy and mind blowingly flavorful. More of this, please.

Hama Sushi may be a no-frills type of joint, but it delivers like no other. Space is limited, and ordering is fast and to-the-point, but Hama Sushi does not mess around.

Korean-Style Mixed Green Salad

June 18, 2015February 7, 2019

This isn’t a green salad, per se. This recipe came about one evening when I had an abundance of Persian cucumbers and not being quite sure what to do with them, I turned to Maangchi, my favorite Korean food blog. Gutjuli, or mixed green salad, is typically leafy, but I adapted it to be heavy on the cucumbers and light on the leaves. Either way, this dressing packs a punch and works well with nearly any fresh salad vegetable.

Ingredients:

2 cups mixed lettuce greens
3 Persian cucumbers
1 green onion
1/2 clove garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon gochugaru (hot pepper flakes)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sesame oil

1. Slice cucumbers thinly and add to a large bowl along with the lettuce. Thinly slice the green onion and add it to the bowl.

2. Prepare the dressing by whisking together soy sauce, gochugaru, sugar, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Mix the vegetables with the dressing and serve.

Pyeongchang Tofu House

June 10, 2015

After Sura Korean Cuisine closed in Oakland a couple of years ago, I was convinced I’d never find another Korean restaurant in the East Bay with the same dedication to quality ingredients.

I was wrong.

Pyeongchang Tofu House is just a stone’s throw from where Sura used to be, in Oakland’s Temescal district. Specializing in, well, tofu, Pyeongchang Tofu House churns out bowl after steaming bowl of tofu soup, or sundubu jjigae. I often get the kimchi tofu soup with beef, but the mushroom tofu soup and dumpling tofu soup are in regular rotation too. They all come bubbling hot in cauldrons filled with creamy, housemade tofu and fiery broth. A steaming bowl of rice helps cool things down. Pyeongchang Tofu House isn’t limited to just tofu, though. Their dolsot bibimbabp is also top notch.

My favorite thing about Pyeongchang Tofu House is actually the banchan. The selection isn’t huge, but it’s always rotating, seasonal, house-made, and impeccably fresh. The kimchi is outstanding, as are the namul and jjim. So healthy, so delicious.

The service at Pyeongchang Tofu House is wonderful, too. The staff is always friendly and happy to explain what makes their spicy kimchi different from the others, or how to best remove the crispy rice at the bottom of a hot stoneware bowl.

Looks like I have a new favorite Korean restaurant in the East Bay after all.

Yin Du Wonton Noodle

May 28, 2015

The number five. I always order the number five.

Yin Du Wonton Noodle opened up in Chinatown less than two years ago and early on, I became a regular. A short walk from work, I go there whenever I’m craving a warm, comforting bowl of Chinese soup (which is often).

Yin Du’s cash-only menu is somewhat limited, and despite trying a few of their other dishes, I always come back to the number five: dumpling noodle soup. The chewy egg noodles and shrimp and wood ear mushroom-filled sui gao are perfect with a drop of fiery chili sauce. I often order their steamed beef brisket and noodle soup too, which is equally satisfying. The beef brisket sauce is delicious enough to stand on its own. The wonton noodle soup is pretty good too.

Yin Du Wonton Noodle is a casual operation and closes early at seven in the evening and is often packed for lunch. Plan accordingly and the next time you’re craving noodle soup, go for the number five.