I am excited for this weekend because Randy and Donniel are going to take us to their favorite Korean hotpot place.  It’s going to be perfect for what looks to be like a rainy weekend!

Jiraffe had a nice ambiance to it and I loved that there were giraffes subtlety embedded into the decor.  The menu even made me smile because it was the Eiffel Tower turning into a giraffe!  We were pretty lucky because when I called the restaurant, they told us that they would have a table ready for us in 25 minutes and by the time we arrived, we didn’t have to wait long.  As always, Taro and I share food, which really allows us to try more when we only get one entree.  We decided on the ceviche (which was the special of the day), the Purple Peruvian Gnocchi – with rock shrimp, pearl onions, Mandarin tomato concasse, and herb-infused tomato nage, and the osso bucco (another special of the day).  To start off the meal, there was an amuse-bouche which was gazpacho.  It was actually great because we were considering soup and instead, the gazpacho satisfied us.  It was really refreshing and I really enjoyed the bits of croutons and the light tomato base.

Before our ceviche came out, Taro and I had a funny debate over the bread.  I said that it was olive bread while he claimed it was raisin bread.  In the end, we were both right.  It turned out that because the bread looked nearly identical, he had given me an olive one while he had raisin bread.  It was really funny just because both of us were so adamant AND confused at how the other could possibly mistaken olive for raisin and vice versa!  So after this the ceviche came out and it was very good.  I enjoyed the chunks of fish and it just soaked in the lemon/lime.  Shortly after the gnocchi and osso bucco came out.  The gnocchi was amazing!  The texture was soft, but still had some chewiness to it.  It was not overdone and the shrimp was also cooked nicely.  The osso bucco just came apart with the fork and what I enjoyed most about it was the abundance of vegetables (I love veggies!) with the meat.

To finish off dinner we had a toffee dessert which was sweet, but very good.  Overall, we had a great night at Jiraffe after a wonderful session at LMU.  I feel like I am living a dream – meeting really nice people from engagement sessions, doing photography which I love, discovering and eating at great restaurants, and best of all, doing it all with Taro.

This month’s Menu Molière featured veal.  My mom and I decided to order from this menu while Taro and my dad ordered from the Menu Rabelais.  I decided on the Sautéed Crispy Veal Sweet Bread with Green Salad in a Honey Pepper Sauce and the Roasted Medallion of Veal Tenderloin in a Shiitake Mushroom Sauce.  Taro decided on the Crispy Soft Shell Crab Tempura on a Hijiki Potato Mousseline, Japanese Hamachi Sashimi and Momotaro Tomato Appetizer, and the Snake River Farm “Kobe” New York Steak in a Bordelaise Sauce.

The dinner started with an amuse-bouche, which was salmon.  It seemed like a weird mixture – was it sashimi or smoked? The texture itself was different and I am not quite sure whether I liked it or didn’t.  However, the Sautéed Crispy Veal Sweet Bread was delicious!  It was juicy pieces of veal, light and crispy.  The only downside was the salad was filled with carrots (I am allergic to carrots.), but the upside was that I just ate the veal, which I was perfectly content with!  The Crispy Soft Shell Crab Tempura was good as well, but pretty similar to the type of dish found at a sushi restaurant or bar.  What I enjoyed most about the Hamachi Sashimi was the wasabi infused masago.  It was very different and provided a nice pop of spice into your mouth.

The Roasted Medallion of Veal Tenderloin in a Shiitake Mushroom Sauce followed next and the veal was oh so tender.  And since I love mushrooms, I made sure that each piece I cut had some mushroom sauce on it.  Taro’s Kobe New York Steak was equally as tender and it was nice to have a duo of meat.  In the end, I don’t think you can have too much veal…or steak.  I also had a bite of the fish my dad ordered and it was a nice piece of bass.

To finish off, each of our dinners had dessert so we decided to order one of each!  It is awesome eating as four because I can try a bite (or two or more) of each dessert.  So at the end of the night, we ended up with Brioche Pudding with Raisin and Cream Fraîche, Macha Green Tea Cream Brulée, Grand Marnier Soufflé Classic, and Baked Alaska with Green Tea Ice Cream and Raspberry Sauce.  I love that the Baked Alaska comes out on fire and you get a nice charred meringue as you dig your spoon into the packed green tea ice cream underneath.  This one is a favorite, but the soufflé definitely rivals it.  I love soufflé and this (so far) is one of my favorites next to the raspberry soufflé from Arnie Morton’s.

It was a great dinner with Taro and my parents.  I can’t wait to go back to Maison Akira.  I really enjoy the quiet environment, the staff – I love their French accents! – who really help to make the night enjoyable, and the sheer fact that Chef Akira (who studied under Joel Robuchon, who I love, love, love!) walks around every table to say hi and ask how things are.

Until next time…next month for Scottish Salmon, perhaps?

I seriously am a lucky girl.  First we saw Boyz II Men.  And then on Sunday, we dined at Joël Robuchon Restaurant.  I have already been lucky enough to go to L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon (the first time with the girls, the second time with Taro) and the food was stellar then.  However, it could not prepare me for the restaurant itself.  To say that it was amazing does not give it enough credit.  From the rich, luscious purple decor – sofas, summer place settings with gold shells, a giant chandelier – to the incredible staff constantly at your service to the flawless presentation and flavors presented in each dish, I was in heaven.  I finally understand why Joël Robuchon Restaurant is a 3 Star Michelin restaurant and why it has all the other accolades – Forbes Five Star Award Winner and AAA 5 Diamond Award Winner.  It is for the incredible attention to detail from the staff, both in the kitchen and on the floor, and the experience was just one of a kind.

The menu at Robuchon is either the Le Printemps (Menu 16 Courses) or the Composez Votre Menu Selon Votre Appetit (Create your menu following your appetite).  There was no possible way for the two of us to tackle the 16 course menu – the thought alone made me stuffed beyond belief – so we opted for the 4-course menu: L’Amuse-bouche, Entree, Soupe, Un Plat Au Choix, Dessert, and Moka – Thé.  The menu is seasonal and initially, I wasn’t bold enough to take out my camera to shoot photos of the food.  However, after asking politely with the waitress enthusiastically responding “Of course,” I documented the rest of the evening (after the l’amuse-bouche) and our culinary experience.  To begin, the l’amuse-bouche was Le Caviar.  It was absolutely delightful – caviar on top with crab beneath it.  I think with each bite, I just sighed…literally.  During the caviar, a waiter rolled a cart filled with bread to our table.  There were probably at least 15 different varieties to choose from and I didn’t even really know where to begin (I love bread!).  After we made our selection, the waiter (The entire staff is constantly aware and waiting on each and every table.) warmed up the bread for us.  Warmed it up!  I was baffled and to top it off, once we were done with our bread, someone would constantly come around to check if we wanted more.  That is what I mean by impeccable service.

For the appetizers, I chose Le King Crabe – un blanc-manger d’asperges, fleurie d’un bouquet de légumes aux couleurs de saison (king crab and asparagus blancmange, medley of season vegetables) while Taro ordered the La Langoustine – truffée et cuite en ravioli à l’étuvée de chou vert (truffled langoustine ravioli with chopped cabbage)  The ravioli was definitely the favorite between the two of us, especially since each one had a large piece of lobster.  What was nice about the dish was that the truffle was not overwhelming; it was so subtle that it didn’t take away from the dish as a whole.

On the menu there were two choices for soup, so we had one of each: Le Tofu – en fin velouté aux zestes de yuzu sur une gelée d’algue chaude à l’anguille fumée et caramélisée (delicate tofu veloute on warm smoked eel seaweed gelee) and Les Petits Pois – soupe crémeuse rafraîchie à la menthe poivrée sur un voile d’oignon doux (light green pea cream with a hint of peppermint, sweet onion cloud).  The Le Tofu felt like it had some Japanese influence, especially with the pieces of eel (Yum…unagi.) layered on top of the broth and pieces of tofu.  The green pea soup was definitely one of a kind, especially with the sweet onion cloud.  It almost seemed to have a hint of bacon as well and digesting the cloud was interesting.  It felt like it just fizzed and dissolved in your mouth.  Between the two soups, the Le Tofu was the more outstanding one.

With the l’amuse-bouche, appetizer, and soup, along with the countless bread, Taro and I were headed into a comatose state.  That is when our entrees came out.  I ordered the Canard – et foie gras à l’aigre doux de cerises et amandes fraîches (duck and seared foie gras with cherries and fresh almonds).  It was perfectly medium-rare and the foie gras melted with each bite of duck.  The duck was rich, but again, not overwhelming.  I liked that I was able to taste the duck flavor alone.  Taro ordered the Le Veau – les joues confites avec une semoule végétale aux brocolis et un bouillon Thaï (braised veal cheeks in Thai broth, vegetable couscous with broccoli).  All I can say is wow.  I really enjoyed the fusion aspect of the dish and the cheeks just collapsed at the touch of the fork.  There was that tang and lemongrass flavor of the broth mixed in with the beautifully braised veal cheeks.  I’m not sure which was the winning dish because both were oh so good.

Our meal didn’t end there because we still had dessert!  I chose the La Myrtille – une compotée rafraichie au citron, milkshake à la violette (blueberry compote and lemon brulee, finished with a violet milkshake) while Taro had the La Framboise – à la fragrance de Brandy, gelée frappée à la noix de coco (fresh raspberries and raspberry brandy granite, light coconut foam).  We were in dessert heaven.  The violet milkshake was definitely one of a kind (Taro wasn’t a big fan of it.) and I liked the mix of sweet (blueberries and violet) with the hint of sour (lemon).  The La Framboise was very refreshing and both the desserts helped to end the dinner on a light, summer note…but we weren’t done yet!  The waiter rolled another cart and this time it was filled with chocolates and pastries made in-house.  There were 45 different items to choose from!  45?!?  As she was explaining what each chocolate/pastry was, I was lost – completely lost in the madness of the cart.  In the end we chose four different items and they all went well with our coffee and tea.

That was Joël Robuchon Restaurant.  It was a treat beyond a treat, amazing, spectacular, utterly devine and romantic, a one-of-a-kind culinary experience, and just absolute goodness.  I have really learned to appreciate food and also, great service at a restaurant.  I think it comes with age and right now, Taro and I are at that stage where we can really appreciate hard work and service and good food.  And what is even better is that we can appreciate it together.

Thank you, Taro, for making Vegas a super awesome trip.  To end it with Robuchon…a girl couldn’t ask for anything more.

After the engagement session at Cal Poly Pomona, Taro and I headed off to Vegas.  We arrived in the wee hours of the morning so we pretty much checked in (Aria is a beautiful hotel!) and slept.  When we woke up Saturday morning, we were refreshed and ready to eat and gamble.  The first place on our list was the Oyster Bar at Palace Station.  Even though it wasn’t a crowded weekend in Vegas, there was still a line, but we thought we made the count (The bar only sits 18 people at a time.) for the first batch of people to sit down.  Unfortunately there were 17 ahead of us and instead of sitting down right at 11 a.m. (when it opened), we had to continue to wait.  Good thing we weren’t starving or else the smell of the food alone would have killed us!  We eventually did sit down and we ordered a dozen oysters (We were smart this time.) and the combo pan roast.  It was another delicious meal at the Oyster Bar and a must stop every time now.

After lunch, we played some blackjack, but eventually headed over to The Orleans Casino.  Why, might you ask?  As we were driving into Vegas, Taro and I were contemplating whether to watch Viva Elvis or not.  And then I noticed Boyz II Men on a billboard.  I jokingly said that we should go watch them perform and during lunch at the Oyster Bar, Taro managed to contact someone selling tickets on Craigslist!  So that is what we decided to do for the night – watch a group that we loved when we were in junior high can you say…oh…nearly 20 years ago?!?  We were excited and I was dying to bring our camera along.  However, we called and they said professional cameras were not allowed.  I was extremely bummed out, but figured I would enjoy the concert regardless.  However, midway through the show, the girl next to me sneaked out her SLR and started shooting!  Darn, darn, darn!  Even though I don’t have photos, I won’t forget their amazing performance – women were swooning over “I’ll Make Love to You” and everyone sang to “End of the Road” – and the women who were wildly screaming for Boyz II Men – literally grabbing their legs and expressing their adoration.  Over a decade later -almost two!?! (Where did the time go?) – , I can still remember the lyrics to “4 Seasons of Loneliness” and “Motown Philly.”  Insane, don’t you think?

After the concert, we headed back to Aria to grab a late dinner.  I love that in Vegas, anytime is a good time to eat.  We picked Julian Serrano, which serves tapas, and Taro and I each made selections: Fisherman’s Soup – shrimp, mussels, whitefish, and sofrito; White Ceviche – fresh white fish, red onion, jalepeno pepper, cilantro, and lime juice; Creamy Risotto – wild mushroom, manchego, and natural jus; Grilled Lamb Chop – alioli sauce; Marinated Garlic Chicken and Mushroom Skewer – chilindron sauce; and Mediterranean Stew in Deconstruction.  All the dishes were rich in flavor – an explosion of flavor in your mouth, especially the risotto with the truffles.  It might have even been too rich at times, but luckily they were tapas so it wasn’t an excessive amount of food.  By far the Fisherman’s Soup and White Ceviche were the outstanding dishes of the night.  The soup was hearty and had a nice variety of seafood in it – we even took the shrimp from the Mediterranean Stew and put it in the creamy broth – and the ceviche was light and refreshing, especially with the taro chips.  We ended dinner with a dessert of churros.  Overall, it was a nice dinner to sit down to after the shouting and sing-along with Boyz II Men.

Mediterranean Stew in Deconstruction:

Fisherman’s Soup and Creamy Risotto:

White Ceviche:

Garlic Chicken and Mushroom Skewer and Grilled Lamb Chop:

When we finished dinner, our night continued with Blackjack Switch, our new favorite card game in Vegas.  If you haven’t tried it, it is addicting!  If you know me well, I’m not a huge gambler and tables easily intimidate me – all adding skills are lost once I sit down – but even I want to sit down and play…ALL NIGHT LONG.  So that is what Taro and I did for the rest of the evening and into the early morning hours of Sunday.

Up next…Joel Robuchon.

What is next?  Photos from Joel Robuchon Restaurant!

Immediately upon sitting, we ordered a half dozen oysters to share.  I really enjoyed the Endless Summer ones out of the three different types.  This time around, we had Steak Tartare – hand-cut hanger steak, mesclun salad – as a starter.  Part of Taro just could not get over the fact that it was raw meat.  However, I dug right in and despite it being underseasoned, it had a nice flavor with the capers mixed in with the steak.  If you ate it with the garlic toast croutons provided with the tartare, it added the salt needed.  However, I preferred it on the fresh, warm bread, hence lacking a bit of seasoning.  Overall, though, it was a nice starter.  The second appetizer we had was  the Moelle de Boeuf – roasted marrow bone.  I tried it with Kris the first time and I just wanted Taro to at least try bone marrow to see what he thought.  Part of him thought it was good, the other part of him could not get over the oddity of eating bone marrow and the texture itself.  However, by the end of the night, he said that he would have it again, but to share amongst many people rather than just the two of us.  For the entree, we ordered the Ratatouille – zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes.  It balanced well with the tartare and bone marrow since it was strictly vegetables.  I love vegetables, but if we didn’t order the two appetizers, I don’t think I would have been satisfied eating the Ratatouille alone – keep in mind I didn’t see the description of the dish since Taro picked it out.

Overall, it was a good experience and Taro enjoyed the decor and overall atmosphere of Church & State.  Now, for the Lazy Ox Burger…

We ended the night by getting ice cream at Fosselman’s, one of our favorite, local ice cream shops in our neighborhood.  If you are ever in Alhambra, this is the place to go for some fresh, homemade ice cream, minus Taro’s of course!

We will still be on the hunt for stellar Mexican food, but for now, it was a fun attempt at trying a new restaurant in L.A.

Whenever I go to Richard Walker’s, I cannot resist getting the waffles.  This time I chose the Fresh Strawberry Patch Waffle (instead of just the plain waffle) with a side of bacon (always!).  There were tons of strawberries loaded on top of the waffle and as always, the waffle was light and fluffy.  Taro was going to order Corned Beef Hash and Basted Eggs, but then reconsidered and focused his attention on getting an omelette.  BUT then, the one breakfast item that we always see – and of course, always after we have ordered – came out and immediately Taro asked our waiter what it was.  It was the Apple Pancake – Fresh Granny Smith Apples and pure Saigon Cinnamon glaze.  It takes 20 minutes to make and whenever we see other people order it, it is a huge, puffed up looking pastry that overfills the plate.  It almost resembles a souffle (poke a fork through and it deflates).  So Taro ordered it…along with a side of corned beef hash.

As you can imagine, our table was covered with food along with our two cups of coffee.  The neighboring tables looked on with curiosity at the Apple Pancake, which I can only describe as a hearty version of an apple pie with cinnamon with every bite.  It is a very sweet pancake and if you have a sweet tooth and you love apple pie, this is something to try.  However, it is not something that you can conquer alone; the Apple Pancake can easily feed 3-4 people.

Richard Walker’s Pancake House definitely completed our mini-trip down to San Diego.  I cannot wait to come back – possibly in September? – and enjoy the city that has a special place in my heart.

To start, we ordered the soup of the day, which was garlic soup.  First off, I have never been to Stinking Rose (garlic central) nor had garlic soup.  However, I felt pretty adventurous and said, what the heck, and ordered it.  It was definitely rich in garlic flavor, but not to the point of it being overwhelming, with finely sliced onions mixed in.  The croutons sitting on top of the soup was a nice touch since it added that crunch.  Overall, I was pleasantly surprised.  Our next appetizer came out, which was flatbread.  Similar to the soup, there is a flatbread of the day, and this one was pretty much like a pizza with cheese, sausage, and apples.  The apples provided a nice crisp, tangy bite to the flatbread, complementing well with the cheese and sausage.  And this is where the ad-ven-ture(!) really started.

What do I mean by adventure?  Before our food arrived, the table next to us wanted to take a picture and Taro offered to take it for them.  They politely declined, but then offered to take one for us.  We said yes and shortly after, our food came out.  When the flatbread arrived on the table, the girl at the table next to me pointed it out to her parents and mentioned that they had thought about ordering it.  The conversation wasn’t directed at Taro and I, but she just casually mentioned it.  Since the tables were so close together (You could hear neighboring conversations.) we could not help but overhear and Taro, being the generous person he is (I love this trait about him.), offered flatbread to their table.  They declined, but we insisted, especially since there was more than enough to share.  This one act started it all.  We started talking and commenting on the food.  And thus the exchange began.  As our dishes came out, we shared it with our neighboring table.  They had ordered an extra dish – they were there first and were eating by the time we ordered – and decided to share that dish with us!  It was a passing of plates between the two tables and our waiter came back stunned by what we were doing!

So what did we eat and share?  We ordered the Chorizo Date Fritters, which came out after the flatbread.  The date is fried, perfectly crispy, and when you bite into it, you initially get the taste of a fruit,which is still soft and chewy, followed by the bite of chorizo.  There is a mixture of sweet and salty – sheer perfection in your mouth! They are almost bite-sized and you feel like popping them into your mouth one after another.  Next came the Stuffed Roasted Jidori Chicken – cipollini onions “agro dolce,” Tuscan kale, and pancetta.  Usually I am not the biggest fan of ordering chicken – Taro has this chicken me crazy phase every once in a while – but this chicken was to die for.  It was moist and tender, seasoned with just enough salt.  The skin was very crispy and contrasted nicely with the tender meat.  I was so full, yet I could not stop eating.  Our neighbors shared their dish with us, which was Tagliatelle Bolognese – slowly braised beef, porcini, rosemary, and parmigiano-reggiano.  I really enjoyed the texture of the pasta – egg-like and thick – and it reminded me of the handmade noodles of Mandarin Noodle House.

We didn’t stop there, though.  After conversing with our neighboring table, they insisted on buying us dessert.  It was so sweet of them and we decided to order the Plum Wine Panna Cotta – blueberry compote and sesame orange crisps.  They, too, ordered dessert, but what was really funny was that our waiter brought out an extra dessert – it was his treat – so that we could all share the desserts!  So in addition to the panna cotta, we also had the Espresso Custard – chantilly, chocolate caramel, and butter almond thins, Strawberry Shortcake – buttermilk biscuit, candied kumquats, and basil whipped cream, and Flourless Chocolate Pave – brandied cherries, morello cherry gelato, almond, and dark chocolate bark.  Between the two tables, we passed around the desserts, continued to talk, and enjoyed our drinks – our neighbors even shared a glass of wine with us from their bottle! – together.  This was the epitome of good food and good company.

At the end of the night, we had to get the kitchen a sixer – when you order them drinks – because we had too much fun at Whisknladle.  It was definitely a memorable evening – segways and then good food! – and it could not have ended on a better note than by sharing and experiencing dinner with strangers…who are now our Facebook friends.  San Diego was an ad-ven-ture(!) this time around and one that I will remember for a long time.

A picture with our neighboring table: