Some Cool Links

Ok I know it's been like a month since I've updated my food blog. Sorry. School and other things have gotten in the way, but I haven't forgotten about it.

HOW COULD I?

Ok. This blog will be about a few links that I've been wanting to post. Later (hopefully before the end of the month), I'll have a review of a local Korean BBQ joint that my friends and I tend to frequent. :)

Ok ... now the links hehe.

The first 2 are related to CUSTOMIZATION.

Have you ever wanted to make your own cereal? Like ... take that box of Cap'n Crunch and mix it with Honey Bunches of Oats, and then mix it with fruit? I have. :) And now you can too! With Me & Goji, you can make custom mixes and have them delivered right to your door! I ordered my very first mix the other day, and I can't WAIT to get it in the mail! I'll be sure to take pix and stuff. Keep in mind, it may be a bit pricey ... but I think it's worth it. :)

What about your own protein or sports bar? Or your own shake mix? Or how about your own trail mix? Well one site can take care of all of that for you: YOUBAR. At this site you can make your own version of a PowerBar, your own SlimFast, and your own Bear Naked Trail Mix from the click of a mouse button! I have yet to order from here, but I will eventually. :)

The last link is related to promoting healthy eating ... and the First Lady, Michele Obama. She's very gung ho about promoting healthy eating, that she's making the rounds on television. Sesame Street, The Biggest Loser, and even Top Chef. Perty cool eh? GO HEALTHY EATING! First lady takes healthy eating message to TV.

Keep eating y'all! ^_^

Foods to help reduce stress? HELL YES!

I think most college students are starting to feel the pressure of the semester, as the middle approaches. Projects, papers, exams, etc. are starting to build up and cause unneeded stress. Plus those of us in public universities are "suffering" from furlough days, which ends up piling more info on the other days of class.

PRESSURE. STRESS. Let's eat them away with some stress-buster foods, provided by Delish.com hehe. They list the 9 foods that'll help reduce stress. Check em out, breathe, and relax! :)

9 Foods That Reduce Stress

CUPCAKES IN A JAR?!

The Nibble.com recently posted an article reviewing these interesting renditions of cupcakes. They look delicious, and shelf stable at the same time!

Check em out for yourself ... enjoy! :)

Yummy Cupcakes - Cupcakes In A Jar

The Twenty Biggest Chef Empires

If I could get 1/8 of the success of some of these guys and gals, I think I'd be happy. :)

Crazy stuff ... their triumphs and successes. Wow. :)

Much respect to everyone on this list ... check it out!

20 Biggest Chef Empires!

Restaurant Review - CLUB 33!

Club 33 - Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA

In celebration of my friend Janice's birthday, and thanks to our friend Rudy's company hook ups, we were able to enjoy a dinner at the extremely exclusive Club 33, hidden next to the Blue Bayou in Disneyland Resort's New Orleans area.

Location: The legend of Club 33 is in the way it's hidden from the common guest. Utilizing a very unappealing color of split pea green, the Club 33 door is rather unnoticeable, unless you were looking for it specifically. So if you plan on going here, and you've never been ... look it up online or have someone who knows where it is to go with you. - 5 Jocey Faces

Parking: You basically have 2 choices for this one ... either pay for paking in the Mickey & Friends structure, and then walk into the resort itself, OR park across the street @ Mimi's Cafe for free, and walk from there to the resort. I parked at Mimi's for this occasion, so I'll review that. FREE = AWESOME. BASICALLY NO WAIT = AWESOME. The only thing is walking. You have to walk a decent amount to get to the resort. If you're used to it (like I am), then it's no problem. But if you're used to the convenience of a tram taking you from point A to point B, this isn't the route for you. All in all, it was convenient. - 6.5 Jocey faces

Ambiance: FANCY. The door on the outside may look like a joke, but once you set foot INSIDE, you are taken away to completely different place. From wall to wall, there is legendary Disney history there. - 10 Jocey Faces

Cleanliness: Outrageously clean. The table, napkins, floor, bathroom, waiting area, EVERYTHING. Clean. They train their bussers very well. - 10 Jocey Faces

Service: First off, the wait time for the party I was in (there were 12 of us) was practically non-existent. We went upstairs to the dining area and were automatically seated at our table. From that point on, we had 2 servers taking care of us. Whatever we needed, we got. It was crazy! And they were extremely attentive to our water glasses. Always having a cold bottle of SmartWater in their hand, ready to pour some more water into our glasses. Bread baskets were replaced as soon as they were done. Plus they would take the plates away rather quickly, but in a good pace. Excellent. - 10 Jocey Faces

Quality Of Food: Since we were in a larger party, our menu was pre-set. It was a 4 course meal starting with a salad, a cheese course, the main entree, and dessert. Here's the basic run down of what we ate ...

SALAD = House Caesar Salad


The salad itself was presented to us in an asymmetrical bowl. That automatically caught my attention in a good way. I had this salad before (the only previous time I've been to Club 33), and the flavor was just as awesome this time as it was last time. It was very light, refreshing, and a decent amount. The portion size was just right for me. Beautiful.

COMPLIMENTARY BREAD = Raisin Nut Bread



Along with our meal, we received some complimentary bread and butter. It was a raisin nut bread that had little raisins and walnuts in it. The bread was colder than I thought it was going to be. With the amount of money I knew I was going to be spending, along with the occasion on why we were there, the least they could have done was to place the bread in the microwave. This nicked a point from the score for me.

CHEESE COURSE = Plate of 3 Cheeses



First off the plate was BEAUTIFUL. There were 3 types of cheese on the plate: chevre (a Goat's milk cheese), Brie (French cow's milk cheese), and Petit Basque (a hard Sheep's milk cheese). The chevre was creamy and not too salty. The Brie was very smooth and light in flavor. The Petit Basque had a natural bitterness to it, but the condiments on the plate (kiwi slices, peach slices, grapes) were sweet, so they went amazingly well together! Great stuff. :)

ENTREE = Filet de Chateaubriand



First off, as soon as the plate arrived, my mouth watered even more. THe beef was cooked perfectly, with a wonderful crust on the outside, along with the root vegetables and the Port wine reduction. Once I sliced into the filet, it was a lovely medium inside. Kudos to the chef for knowing how to cook a steak properly. It had a wonderful texture. It practically melted in my mouth when I put that first bite in. The Port wine reduction went so well with both the potatoes and the meat. It was just awesome.

DESSERT = Kahlua Chocolate Bombe



Ok. When I got the dessert plate, I just wanted to take a picture of it, and that would have been it. It was so pretty I didn't want to eat it! The piping of both the chocolate and the raspberry coulis was just like a painting. Then going into the dessert itself, it was decadent. As soon as I took my first bite, it basically told me "hi there, I'm made of chocolate and kahlua, and I'm delicious" haha! It was very bold and rich ... the sauce went so well with the chocolate. It was truly divine. Plus the fact we received coffee at the end of our meal, was just excellent. It helped cut through the richness of the dessert so that at the end of my meal I didn't want to just fall asleep. I was satisfied.

Quality of Food - 9 Jocey Faces

Overall Score: 8.4 Jocey Faces

This isn't the highest score I've given, but it is up there. Maybe my review will change if I review it again when I'm eating in a smaller group, but this'll stay for a while (since I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to go to Club 33 again in my lifetime hahaha). If you are able to go, I'd say go, but be prepared to shell out some money. If you are invited to go to Club 33, your Disneyland Resort entrance will be free, but there is a minimum food purchase price, which is equal to the park ticket price. So basically, go if you can, just be monetarily prepared. :)

Me in my "Pix or it never happened" mode. PROOF! :)

CLUB 33 OMG!!!

Hi everybody!

Sorry for the lag of updates. School recently started, and I've basically been focused on that.

BUT NOT TO WORRY!

Tonight I'm going to dinner the exclusive Club 33 for my friend's birthday. I guarantee that by the end of the day, an awesome restaurant review will be available for your viewing pleasure.

Until then ... keep eating y'all! ^_^

Customizable Sweet Treats!

Coldstone's and mixins for ice cream is a thing of the past, according to this QSR Magazine article.

Create your own cupcakes and cookies are on the rise ... and they're both getting popular in CALIFORNIA! (yay for my state)

These places are on my "need to visit eventually" list haha!

Beyond The Marble Slab

Keep on eating y'all! ^_^

OMG AUTHENTIC PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS IN LA?!

Apparently they exist ... and on a roaming truck no doubt. (Man ... everything in LA is on a roaming truck now hahaha)

It's called South Philly Experience, and it sounds awesome. I need to try this whenever I'm back in LA.

If one of you out there has had a sandwich from South Philly Experience, please let me know how awesome it was ... thanks. :)

The South Philly Experience

Keep on eating y'all! ^_^

Create Your Own Cereal

With everyone talking about organic and healthy foods, why not include breakfast in that conversation?

The company [me] & Goji have created a site where you can literally create your own cereal with one of the plethora of ingredients they have in their stash.

[me] & Goji: Custom Artisanal Cereal

Now, I have yet to purchase one myself, but I have played around with the site, and honestly it's fun. Plus everything I've read about this place has been positive! It tastes good, it's good for you, and even the packaging it comes in is cool.

I'll try it eventually, but I figured I'd spread the word on this customizable cereal.

Enjoy and keep on eating y'all! ^_^

Meat + Alcoholic Beverage = Delicious?!

Yeah that confused me too, until I read this article about "carnivorous cocktails" from seattlepi.com

I swear ... bacon is getting into EVERYTHING lately. It's crazy!

Carnivorous cocktails put meat in your glass ... yeah.

Crazy eh? Oh well ... keep on eating y'all! ^_^

KFC has a CRAZY sandwich!

So KFC has apparently jumped on the bacon bandwagon as well.

Only their take is a little more unique than others. Check out this article and see what I mean haha! :)

KFC Has A Bacon Sandwich That Uses Fried Chicken As "Bread"

Keep on eating y'all! ^_^

Can I Start A Restaurant Right After College?

This is honestly a question I have been asking myself time and again. I have so many possible ideas in my head for restaurants/cafes that I want to eventually put effort into ... but I have no idea on how to exactly do it.

This article gives a little insight into what I need to do. If you're in the same boat as me, you better read this too. :)

Can You Open A Restaurant With NO Money?

Cheese. YUM.

The Condimental Divide

At Bistro LQ, the condiments are plentiful, and accent the cheese platters they accompany well. So well, in fact, you might need to ask them for help. The plethora of items available may confuse you, so be sure to ask. :)

Cheese carts are usually simple ... but at Bistro LQ (according to Tasting Table), it can become quite a challenge, but worth the trouble.

Enjoy and keep eating y'all! ^_^

Cupcakes are awesome ... but LASAGNA cupcakes?!

Yeah I know what you're thinking ... WTF is a lasagna cupcake? You're not the only one.

But Chef Matthew Poley from Heirloom-LA has the answers for you. Check out this article from Tasting Table talking about his new take on this portable Italian classic! :)

Lasagna For One

PIZZA!!!!

For some reason, I've really been craving pizza lately. Maybe it's because I haven't had it in a while ... maybe it's because I haven't made it in a while. Either way, it's been on my mind for a while.

This article just talks about various ideas that some pizzerias and restaurants have been using on their menus.

DELICIOUS! :)

Any Way You Slice It: 50+ Pizza Ideas

How Does a Restaurant get 4 Stars from the NY Times?

Check out this article, and you'll find out exactly how.

Four Stars, More Thoughts

Outgoing New York Times Restaurant Critic Frank Bruni wrote this blog explaining the exact thing THIS blog is asking.

What does it take to get 4 stars in the NY Times? I was always curious about it ... especially after I finished reading Ruth Reichl's (former NY Times Restaurant Critic) book Garlic & Sapphires, which chronicled her career at the New York Times.

It's pretty interesting stuff. Maybe you'll find a way to rate a restaurant yourself after reading this (or even from reading MY blog hehe). We'll see what happens, right? ;)

Keep on eating y'all! ^_^

2 Very interesting links, somewhat unrelated haha!

I normally receive food news emails every day. I read em, and I try to see if there's an interesting story to put on my blog. Normally I just post them on my Facebook if I think it's worth reading, but I decided to post 2 of the links here (it'll get to Facebook eventually hehe).

Baskin-Robbins Introduces 2 New Concepts

and

Reality Check Please: Gordon Ramsay, Famous for Terrorizing Would-Be Chefs on TV, Is Facing Tough Times in His Own Restaurant Empire

If I find any more cool or interesting stories, I'll be sure to post them here too.

Keep on eating y'all! ^_^

Easy Snacks Your Kids Will Love

These are actually really great ideas if you have kids (regular or the adult kind), and they're pretty simple and easy to do.

Easy Snacks Your Kids Will Love

Posted using ShareThis

Keep on eating y'all! ^_^

Foodie Joce's Mixed Nut Brittle

So apparently my dad LOVES my brittle. So much so, that he said it's better than See's Candy's version.

Now ... I'm no candy maker. Honestly, I suck when it comes to working with sugar ... except with this brittle.

This recipe originated from my HFHM 276 class at CSULB. It was a basic recipe in our handbook, and I just tweaked it a bit (added more nuts, removed extra salt by using salted nuts, etc.) so it would fit what I wanted to do.

So far each time I've made it, I've received rave reviews. If you decide to make it, lemme know how it goes for you!

I made some today ... and I burned my left index finger in the process haha! So when you DO make brittle ... BE CAREFUL! Hot sugar (especially at 300+ degrees) can BURN!

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Nut Brittle
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Ingredients:

1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups salted nuts (i.e., peanuts, cashews, macadamias, etc.)
1 tbsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Non-food hardware:
saucepan
baking sheet
candy thermometer
spoon
spatula
non-stick cooking spray

Procedure:

1. Grease a piece of heavy aluminum foil or a baking sheet. OR if you have a silicone mat, place that on top of a baking sheet.

2. Combine water, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan.

3. Clamp a candy thermometer to the pan so that the bulb is immersed in the mixture.

4. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.

5. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 234 degrees F (112 degrees C).

6. Stir in nuts and margarine.

7. Cook until mixture reaches 300 degrees F (149 degrees C), stirring constantly. Do not allow mixture to burn.

8. Remove pan from heat. Blend in vanilla.

9. Stir in baking soda thoroughly.

10. Pour into greased foil. Quickly pull to form a thin sheet (or use a spatula sprayed w/ non-stick spray to spread it around evenly).

11. Cool. Break into pieces.

12. ENJOY!

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My brittle cooling down on a Silpat.

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Enjoy y'all and keep on eating! ^_^

Dinner for my Bro & Sis-In-Law

Howdy y'all!

Been a bit since I posted last, so I figured I'd throw another post here in case you missed me. :)

Anyway, yesterday (Monday, Aug. 3, 2009) I cooked dinner for my bro Brian & his wife, Amanda.

This was part of an anniversary gift I gave them a while back. I couldn't really afford a gift, so I printed out 2 coupons that stated that I would cook dinner for them. So yes ... they redeemed one of them. :)

I made Chicken Cordon Bleu with a Pinot Grigio Butter sauce, accompanied by broccoli mashed potatoes and some glazed baby carrots. I decided that since I completely forgot to take pictures (my bad ... I'm sorry ... we kinda scarfed everything haha), I'll post the recipes.

These all were originally found at AllRecipes.com, but they've been slightly changed to fit what I wanted to make for my bro & sis-in-law.

If you decide to try one of these recipes, let me know how it goes!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chicken Cordon Bleu w/ White Wine Butter Sauce
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FOR THE CHICKEN:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 slices Swiss cheese
3 slices Colby Jack cheese
4 slices cooked ham
2 large slices of bacon
Melted Butter
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
White Wine Butter Sauce (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 7x11 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Sprinkle each piece of chicken on both sides with salt & pepper. Place 1 Swiss cheese slice, 1/2 a Colby Jack cheese slice, 1/2 a slice of bacon, and 1 ham slice on top of each breast. Roll up each breast, and secure with a toothpick. Roll the chicken in melted butter and coat with bread crumbs. Then place in the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove toothpicks, add sauce, and serve immediately.

FOR THE SAUCE:

6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (Pinot Noir or Grigio if possible)
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add wine and bouillon, and reduce heat to low, and stir until bouillon is dissolved. Reduce slightly to cook alcohol out of the wine.

2. Blend the cornstarch w/ cream in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken.

SERVES 4.

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Broccoli Mash

Ingredients:
2 large broccoli crowns
1 tub Country Crock Mashed Potatoes
2 oz butter (½ stick)
2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
Kosher salt, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste

Preparation:

1. Bring about 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. A small handful of Kosher salt should be about right.

2. Peel the tough outer skin off the broccoli stems and roughly chop the broccoli, stems included, into pieces.

4. Add the broccoli to the pot. Simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until the broccoli is tender but still slightly firm.

5. Drain the broccoli into a colander, then return them to the pot and add the butter & Italian seasoning. Gently mash the broccoli in the pot, and mix together with the butter and seasoning. Set aside, but keep warm on the stove at a very low
heat.

6. Prepare the Country Crock Mashed Potatoes according to the Manufacturer's instructions. Combine in the pot with the mashed broccoli, and stir together until broccoli is evenly distributed.

7. Season to taste with Kosher salt & Parmesan cheese, and serve right away.

Makes 4 portions.

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Glazed Baby Carrots

1 (16 ounce) package baby carrots
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the carrots into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.

2. Return the pot to the stove; reduce the heat to medium-low. Melt the butter in the pot. Stir in the honey and brown sugar; add the carrots and stir until evenly coated; cook another 5 minutes. Add salt to taste (to offset the sweetness a bit).

Serves 4.

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Keep on eating everybody! ^_^

Tru Blood ... very interesting hehe.

I'm not sure how many of you out there watch HBO ... but there's this show on HBO that's sweeping the nation (on the popularity of vampires in recent years especially).

It's called Tru Blood, and it's basically a story of a young woman who falls in love with a vampire (hey haven't I heard this before?) ... and how vampires have recently "come out" to the world, so that society knows they exist.

Just search for it online, and you'll find links to various advertisements and even Youtube videos that are basically different marketing techniques for the show.

Apparently in the show itself, the vampires who are "good" (i.e., the ones that don't like to kill people) drink some kind of synthetic blood beverage, which the title of the show is named after.


HBO decided to make this drink available to the public, but obviously not as fake blood, but as a blood orange soda. LOL!

TRU BLOOD SODA.

So for $16 you can get yourself 4 bottles of this beverage.

Honestly, now I'm curious as to how this Tru Blood Soda tastes ... how about you? =P

Restaurant Review - Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine in Anaheim!

Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine - Anaheim, CA

My family and I had dinner here, celebrating my sister-in-law's birthday. We all had never been to any of the Roy's restaurants, so we were rather excited (especially me) to eat here.

Location: Located in the newly built Anaheim Gardenwalk, conveniently across the street from the Disneyland Resort, it is quite easy to get to this restaurant ... if you're on the right side of the street. The island on Katella makes it somewhat difficult for cars coming from Harbor to enter the parking structure for the Gardenwalk. You'd have to make a U-turn, or instead of entering on Katella, you'd have to enter on the alternative entrance at Disney Way. Either way, it's all quite visible while you're on the road. - 8.5 Jocey Faces

Parking: The structure for the Gardenwalk is quite large, and rather spacious. There are plenty of spaces (of course this was a Wednesday evening), along with an optional valet section. There were some areas slightly confusing, due to the fact that some of the labeling was not completely clear. I could read the signage for the specific parking areas for the 300 Bowling Alley and 24 Hour Fitness, but others may miss it, since it is rather subtle. Other than that, parking was great. - 8 Jocey faces

Ambiance: When you walk into the restaurant, you can feel the "coolness." There's a bar right at the entrance with a large TV playing some kind of local sporting event. People are at the bar conversing with one another with various alcoholic beverages in their hands. Sitting down, it just felt like you knew you were going to have a great time. Everyone's awesome personalities, along with the lighting, and the way the decorations matched the table settings just made you want to stay and enjoy yourself. - 10 Jocey Faces

Cleanliness: PRISTINE. Seriously. Everything I saw was very clean. The floor, the table, all the plates, etc. I did not go to the restroom, but I was told it was very clean, and I believe them. Even the napkins were re-folded for us in order for our areas to look clean! I was like "WTF?" but it was very nice, which leads me to the next category! - 10 Jocey Faces

Service: Steve, our waiter, was awesome! Even though during our experience they ran out of 2 of the dishes we had previously ordered (trout, and the Creamsicle dessert), he was able to suggest a substitution for both, AND because of the inconvenience, deducted the price of the trout from our bill as an apology for running out of the products! Aside from that, the expediters and bussers were SUPER attentive to our table! It was great! Even the manager came by several times! He came by to ask how we were doing, then he brought out our desserts, AND he bussed our table once! When does a manager of a restaurant do that? PRACTICALLY NEVER. It was great. Awesome. - 10 Jocey Faces

Quality Of Food: Here's the good part. The part of the review everyone's waiting for ... THE FOOD! :) Ok people here's the low down: IT'S AWESOME! I'm only going to deduct a 1/2 point, due to the fact that some of the items my family ordered had run out ... but my thinking is that they ran out of those items because THEY WERE SO GOOD! I wasn't able to try them this time ... but I'll be sure to return. Of what we DID eat ... oh boy ... it was awesome. Here we go ...

While waiting we were given some seasoned edamame. It was complimentary, which was awesome, and the flavor was great! They used some kind of chili and salt on it, so it had a little spice to it. Great stuff.



On the menu we had a choice between choosing our own appetizers, entrees, etc. or choosing a prix fixe menu which had an appetizer, entree, and dessert. About half my party chose our own stuff, while the rest chose from the prix fixe menu.

APPETIZERS!

My brothers and I shared the Roy's Canoe Appetizer For Two (even though it was the three of us hehe), which included grilled beef satays, Szechuan Baby Back Ribs, Seared Tiger Shrimp, Lobster Potstickers, and Panko Spicy Tuna Roll. Starting off with the tuna roll, the flavor was quite good. They had a little kick to them, but it wasn't too spicy. The slight crunch meshed well with the sticky rice. Next were the tiger shrimp. Honestly, these were a tad bit bland, compared to the previous offering, but the sauce they offered with it had a sweet and spicy essence to it. It was decent, but not the best. After that were the ribs. MMMMMM RIIIIIIIBBBBBBSSSSS. These were great! They had some sort of hoisin glaze on them, and it was very tender. The smoky flavor was carried through all the way to the bone, and it was just a great piece of meat. The beef satay following the rib fell slightly short in flavor compared to the rib. There was a distinct curry flavor to the beef, but it just couldn't hold up to the flavor of the rib. Finally the lobster potstickers. OMG SO GOOOOOD!!! It was so creamy, rich, and delicious! They were crisp, and the filling melted in your mouth. The sauce accompanying it was so buttery and delicious ... my brothers and I were tempted to just eat that all night long. EXCELLENT.



I then tried the appetizer my aunt, sister-in-law, and dad got from the prix fixe menu (Summer season), and it was the Crispy Shrimp Lumpia with a Mango Sweet & Sour sauce. These were actually quite good! The crispy shell of the lumpia matched the silkiness of the shrimp. The flavor was quite light, and slightly sweet, but it wasn't overwhelming. It was rather refreshing!


Don't know why Blogger made my pic turn sideways, but whatevers hehe.

ENTREES!

There were basically 5 different entrees that I was able to taste while at dinner. Each had their own flavor profiles, and each provided my mouth with AWESOMELY DELICIOUS FLAVORS. :) I'll start from my less than favorite (though it was still good) to my most favorite.

Caramelized U-10 Sea Scallops & Teppanyaki Seared Tiger Shrimp with a Curried Yellow Tomato Coulis, and Wild Mushroom Risotto. This was my bro Ben's selection. If you know the Uy family, you know that we're suckers for seafood. Seriously ... if you took meat away from us, as long as we had seafood, we'd be happy ... so this dish is right up there for us. The Flavors were very clean, and the mushrooms in the risotto were very earthy and nice. The scallops were also quite good, though I think it needed just a tad bit more seasoning. Same with the shrimp. The coulis provided decent flavor, but it wasn't as flavorful as I think it could have been.



Grilled Salmon & Roasted Beets on a bed of Wilted Spinach and Goat Cheese. This was my aunt's selection from the prix fixe menu. I had read online that many of the "Yelpers" that had ordered this dish had regretted this decision, so I was hesitant when I saw the dish come to the table ... especially with the little globules of goat cheese surrounding the dish. But honestly, the flavors of the dish were quite good! It had a light sweetness to it, and the goat cheese, along with the earthy spinach added another element to the salmon. Salmon and goat cheese was just as good as lox & cream cheese ... it was that same combination that just worked together. The beets had reduced to almost a candied flavor, and their sweetness accented the salmon so well.



Pecan Crusted Rainbow "Trout" with Farro, & a Shaved Fennel & Tangelo Salad. This is what my mom, dad, and aunt originally ordered, before our server told us that they had run out of trout. My aunt settled with the salmon, while my mom and dad asked our server for a replacement suggestion. He suggested that his favorite fish was barramundi, which is another type of white fish. So they ended up ordering the same preparation with the different fish. Honestly, I think the restaurant running out of trout was a good thing, because the barramundi was delicious! It was very light and easy to eat ... it didn't weigh you down once you were done eating it. The citrus flavors all were mellow, and flowed together with the pecan crusted fish. The farro and fish together were really good. They accented each other perfectly!



Yama's Kobe Beef Meatloaf with Scalloped Potatoes and a Shiitake Mushroom Sauce. This was my sister-in-law's dinner, and I believe she chose something REALLY good. The meatloaf itself just melted in your mouth when you ate it. It was so fork-tender and delicious FOR A MEATLOAF, it was unbelieveable. The cheesy scalloped potatoes and the sauce just went along with the richness of the meatloaf so well. You can't go wrong with Kobe beef ... seriously.



Roy's Classic Roasted Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi with a Maine Lobster Cognac Butter Sauce. This was MY dinner. :) I'm just going to let the pictures speak for this. :) (FYI: The sauce makes this dish. You could eat saltines with this sauce, and it would be uber delicioso!)



The only dinner I wasn't able to try was my bro Brian's surf & turf combo of the Pink Peppercorn Crusted Filet Mignon & Teppanyaki Seared Tiger Shrimp with a Horseradish Cream Sauce & Potato Au Gratin. I'm assuming that it was because it was so delicious that he just happened to eat it all. It did look good, so I completely understand. :)



DESSERT!

Dessert was fun. :) I was lucky enough to be able to try 3 different desserts during my dining experience.

Macadamia Nut Tropical Shortbread (not sure of actual name ... this is what I came up with). This was the free dessert my sister-in-law received for her birthday. They even decorated the plate in chocolate with her name, and the Hawaiian greeting for Happy Birthday! It was very light, citrusy, and delicious. At the end of a meal, I wouldn't mind eating something like that, since my stomach felt like it still had room for that dessert. That's always a comforting thought.



Mango & Orange Creme Brulee. My dad and aunt got this after the "Creamsicle" dessert had run out. I want to eventually try that Creamsicle the next time I go, but oh well. This creme brulee was excellent. With a creme brulee, it's all about technique, and their technique is flawless. Beautiful and crispy caramel crust, and a light and creamy custard on the bottom. The mango and citrus flavor was very light and subtle, but it was a welcoming flavor profile in my mouth, after the delicious meal I had just had. Great suggestion by the waiter, and a great dessert in general.



Roy's Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle. This is basically a flourless chocolate cake with a molten chocolate center, and it was served a la mode with homemade vanilla ice cream and a raspberry coulis. If you like chocolate, you will LOVE this dessert. I was reading on Yelp.com before going to the restaurant some of the review, and many of them have said that they would return to the restaurant just for this souffle, and I don't blame them. To produce something like this in mass quantity is extremely difficult, and to be able to pull it off every time is quite a sight to see. We had 2 of these on the table, and each one was just as the other one, hot, delicious, and divine. Technically it was perfect, and the flavors were perfect too. It was rich, chocolatey, and the centers were molten hot, just as described. The homemade vanilla ice cream and the raspberry coulis really brought the flavor of the chocolate to the forefront, and all the flavors supported each other very well.



Quality Of Food - 9.5 Jocey Faces

Overall Score: 9.3 Jocey Faces (WOW WOW WOW!)

It was an excellent meal, and quite the first impression to me. I will be sure to recommend this location to anyone in the area, and I'll be sure to visit again ... when my wallet is a little heavier. :) That is one main concern that I did not take into consideration for this review. It is quite pricey to eat here. But if you're at the Anaheim Gardenwalk, you should already be prepared to spend a bit of cash. Money should not be an option if you go here. :)

THIS IS WHY YOU'RE FAT!

I'm not trying to steal the idea from that website ... I'm actually trying to get more people to visit the actual site!

This Is Why You're Fat.com

I love going to this site to see what culinary monstrosity that'll clog my arteries will be featured next.

I noticed that bacon is a popular ingredient hehe.

Check out this site, and enjoy it ... or have a heart attack ... OR BOTH. :)


The Luther Rory
A one third pound of sirloin topped with two slices of white American cheese, four strips of bacon, peanut butter, between two Krispy Kreme donuts ... HELL YEAH!

Converting the Foodie Joce blog from one site to another ...

Hi all!

It's your friendly neighborhood Foodie Joce here. Back in the day, I attempted to have a blog on a different site which was strictly for reviewing different restaurants I had eaten at.

I found that it became too boring, and uninformative. So, I've decided to abandon that old blog and start anew here! :)

This blog will not only feature restaurant reviews, but it'll feature anything cool, culinary-wise, that I think people should know.

I'll post up my opinions on different food trends, chain restaurants, along with recipes if I have time, and other ... stuff. :) Because culinary stuff is cool.

Stay tuned everybody ... and remember ... KEEP EATING!!! :-D



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Oh yeah! I'm bringing my restaurant review "method" back from my other site... I basically copied and pasted this, so I wouldn't have to type it up again hehe. Enjoy!

There are 6 different categories that I will be grading: location, parking, ambiance, cleanliness, service, and of course quality of food. Each will be graded by a scale of 1 to 10 Jocey Faces, 1 being the worst, and 10 being the best.

The overall grade of the restaurant will be based on the average of all the previous scores.

So for example Restaurant A gets these scores:

Location - 5
Parking - 7.5
Ambiance - 6
Cleanliness - 8
Service - 4
Quality Of Food - 5.5
Total - 5 + 7.5 + 6 + 4 + 8 + 5.5 = 36
Overall score - 36/6 = 6 Jocey Faces.