Yogurtsoda – Page 58 – Eating my way around the world by Mariam Hosseini

China Village

July 15, 2015July 15, 2015

Who would have thought that some of the best Sichuanese cuisine I’ve ever tasted would be in Albany in the East Bay? San Francisco boasts some terrific Sichuanese food but I thought it was slim pickings this side of the Bay Bridge until I discovered China Village in downtown Albany, just north of Berkeley. When the restaurant reopened in 2013, they kept their numbingly spicy signature dishes on the menu. My taste buds thank them for it.

I probably visit China Village every month and the one dish I always order are the housemade water dumplings with spicy sauce. These rustic dumplings are super garlicy and doused in an oh-so-satisfying chili oil. Mmm, healthy.

Speaking of excess chili oil, I often order the spicy Sichuan boiled fish fillet as well. Tender white fish served over heaps of leeks, onions, cabbage, and garlic, all topped with an fiery chili sauce and heaps of Sichuan peppercorns. What’s not to love? Keep the white rice nearby for this one as you’ll need it to cool down.

China Village’s lamb with cumin is another standout dish. They make one of the best iterations of this regional specialty and the meat quality is wonderful as well.

The menu at China Village is long (and so are the wait times), but nearly everything I’ve ordered there has been stellar. Sure, it might not be the healthiest food, but with cuisine this spicy, it’s sort of an involuntary portion control type of situation. And thanks to China Village, now I can get my Sichuanese fix without having to cross the Bay Bridge.

Japchae

July 6, 2015February 26, 2024

Japchae was the first Korean dish I tasted when I first tried the cuisine years ago as a teenager. It became one of my favorites but I rarely order it at a restaurant anymore because I’ve learned to cook it at home.

These results are restaurant quality and totally worth the payoff. Don’t substitute these sweet potato noodles — they’re worth seeking out for their chewy, slippery texture that soaks up all the flavor. Best of all, japchae reheats well and tastes just as good the next day.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 cup julienned carrots
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 cup julienned red bell pepper
1 cup julienned button mushrooms
1 cup julienned filet mignon
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1 pound dried dangmyeon (Korean sweet potato starch noodles), cooked according to package directions
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
1 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until half-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil, onions, peppers, and mushrooms and add to bowl.
Wipe skillet clean; heat remaining oil. Add steak and garlic and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Add soy sauce and sugar and cook until sugar dissolves. Pour over vegetables in a bowl, add noodles and sesame oil, and toss. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

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.