November 21, 2009

• Song of the Day
  

  時光隧道…
  是否穿越了這裡…..就能夠回到過往的美好時光呢?

  It was a hectic week, the auditors are doing an annual review of my company, therefore, I have been spending a good part of last week stuck in the office. During the weekend, I dragged W out of the house and we drove thirty miles west of Los Angeles to Simi Valley , where the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is located. The main purpose of the visit is to view the Presidential airplane Air Force One, which was used by six other presidents from 1973–2001. I was under the impression that the plane is quite spacious, after watching the Harrison Ford movie with the same name. But the actual aircraft is a much smaller Boeing 707 and certain features of the film’s plane do not reflect the actual Air Force One. Well, it’s all Hollywood glamour, I suppose.

  The plane was retired in 2001. Boeing, the plane’s original manufacturer, disassembled the plane and transported it to the library in pieces. After the construction of the foundation of the hanger/pavilion itself, the plane was reassembled and restored to museum quality, as well as raised onto pedestals twenty-five feet above ground. As you can see, there’s also a gift shop and a small restaurant on the ground level…
  

  

  No cameras are allowed inside the plane. It was like a walk through time, with 1980′s era furnishings…
  

  

  

  A large piece of the Berlin Wall on display…
  

  Inside the museum, there are thousands of items on exhibit, I’ll spare my readers those dull presidential campaign and Republican propaganda photos. Instead, here is President Reagan’s childhood kitchen which I found interesting. Life was simple back then…
  

  The final resting place…
  

  Have not blogged about food for a while, but that doesn’t imply I am on hunger strike. As a matter of fact, there is a whole clout of foodie porn to be posted in the near future. I just need to take an extended holiday from work to accomplish this task. W and I have tried this eatery, Animal, a couple of times. The food here is quite interesting because the menu items keep on changing based on the seasonal availability of the ingredients. The location of this restaurant is nondescript to say the least. There is no signage, the eatery is tucked neatly between Canter’s and Schwartz’s on one of LA’s busiest kosher districts, up the way from the Farmers Market. Inside the restaurant, décor is minimal and boasts not much more than warm white walls, exposed lightbulb fixtures, simple wooden tables (with lining) on both sides of the room and a little bar area at the back. Oh, the menu, is just simplicity in practice…
  

  First course is a simple tossed salad with lettuce, beets, avocado, pita, feta, and creamy sumac…
  

  You really have to try the “pig’s ear”, thinly sliced and lightly fried to a crisp, served tossed with some chilis and topped with a fried egg making for the perfect balance of texture and flavor, savory and sweet.
  

  Duck confit, dressed with dates, pecan, arugula, apple slices in a sherry vinaigrette…
  

  Flat iron steak with artichoke hash and truffle parmesan fondue…
  

  Tres leches, dulce de leche – sweet condensed milk sponge cake…
  

  We did not order any alcoholic drinks, the final tab was about $40 per person, including service charge. It was certainly not a bargain meal but was very delicious. The food is on the exotic side, although this is not the first time I have tried pig’s ears. The tres leches cake for dessert was perfect, not overly sweet, the creamy topping was an icing on the cake. Our service was quick. Since we shared everything, I was impressed with how fast they changed out our plates and silverware. The staff was pleasant, very knowledgeable about the menu and had excellent recommendations. Next time, we’ve got to try the ‘Foie Gras Loco Moco’ which comes with quail egg and spam.

  • 3:54 am
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