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Last weekend, I was onboard an Asiana Airlines flight flying to Hong Kong. The entire journey took almost eighteen hours, which included a 13-hour flight from L.A. to Seoul, then a two-hour layover in Seoul and a 3.5-hour flight from Seoul to Hong Kong. Flying long distance was tiring. As usual, I enjoyed having a decent in-flight meal, especially with a Korean cuisine option.

Appetizer – shrimp salad…..

Bibimbap ingredients – Seasoned vegetables with beef…..

Bibimbap with side dishes (kimchee, beans and dried shrimp soup), red pepper paste…..

Dessert – biscuits and glazed walnut…..

For the breakfast portion, I skipped the traditional Korean congee and opted for the Western Style meal with fruit, yogurt and omelette…..

Pretty standard meal – Egg omelette mixed with bits of mushrooms inside, a smallish sausage, spinach, hash browns and a grilled half tomato…..

Just before landing in Hong Kong, lunch was served – Mixed vegetables salad with ham and salami…..

Main course – beef with red wine sauce, accompanied with steamed rice…..

Cheese plate…..

Dessert – custard over sponge cake, decorated with a piece of dark chocolate…..

I enjoyed the L.A.-Seoul sector, which included quite an authentic Korean meal, but the overall portion was quite small. It would be nice if they add an extra fruit plate. The rest of the meal service was quite delicious as well. One issue with the Asiana Air flight attendants was that I noticed it was an all female staff during the flight service. I wish in the future, they would add in a few male flight attendants!
9:17 pm

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Joss Cuisine – Where to go for an authentic Chinese meal if you are stuck in the west side of Los Angeles? Joss Cuisine is the place! This restaurant is located between a strip of unpretentious retail shops in Beverly Hills, and is not easy to spot from the street. The space inside is small, like the size of a two-car garage, just enough to fit a few tables, which gives us a cozy vibe.

The glazed-clay tea cups are kind of interesting looking…..

Appetizer – Diced organic vegetable medley wok tossed with honey glazed pine nuts, served with lettuce leaf…..

Appetizer – Julienne organic egg plant, topped with garlic and chili in Szechuan spicy sauce….

Appetizer – vegetables and pork siu-mai…..

Chicken and fig soup elixir – delicious tonic broth with lycium berries, white figs, ginkgo nuts, and huai-shan…..

Closeup view of ingredients – huai-shan (left), lycium berried (middle), white fungus sponge (right)…..

Sizzled Alaskan king crab twirled in vermicelli with roasted shallots, fresh ginger, and chili bits…..

Peking duck – crisped roasted duck carved and rolled with cucumber and scallions with steamed crepes and laced with plum sauce…..

Peking prawns – succulent prawns crisped and tossed with onion and Peking sauce…..

Clay pot of heirloom multi-grain rice…..

Dessert – ice cream trio, coconut (front), plum (middle), cocoa (rear)…..

Dessert on the house – coconut mousse with marshmallow…..

Dessert – lychee pudding…..

Near the front entrance, there’s this wall of autograph from a few luminaries, the hand writings are barely legible, just a few names: Lee Ang, Nancy Reagan, Betty White, Nancy Kwan, Alan Alda, etc., it was rumored that Brad Pitt and his ex Jennifer Aniston (plus other Hollywood types) frequent this place too…..

The soup course was the most delicious, which reminded me of the kind mom prepared back at home. The Alaskan King crab was spicy and very delicious, perfect to go together with rice. The entire dinner costs about US$200, which was on the steep side. Overall, Joss Cuisine would be a good choice for authentic Chinese cuisine on the west side of town.

Joss Cuisine | 9919 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212 | (310) 277-3888 | www.josscuisine.com

The Raymond – My brother treated me to dinner at The Raymond , this restaurant is located in a charming little cottage, formerly the caretaker’s house for the once grand Raymond Hotel during the early 1900′s. The cozy cottage resembles a quaint Arts and Crafts home with dark wood accents, period appointments, and a homey feel. The setting – warming fireplace, high-backed wooden booths, flower- and white linen-topped tables spread through intimate rooms – is quite charming. Their lunch, brunch and dinner menu consist of contemporary American dishes, featuring both Asian and European flair, sourced from locally grown markets.

Starters – Barrel aged maple-bourbon Pork belly, cured, pressed and crisped; served with chopped apple, celery and chili…..

Starters – Locally grown heirloom beets; with yogurt-honey spheres, cranberry-olive crisp, young herbs and lemon…..

Angus beef short rib, served off the bone; with liquefied potato, red wine mustard, fennel pollen and market vegetables…..

Medium rare…..

Morocco style Lamb – braised lamb shank with couscous and a roasted rack of lamb; with side of baby cauliflower…..

Rack of lamb, medium well…..

Fried spice cake, with frosted pecans, torched marshmallow, molasses, frozen grapes and sweet potato ice cream…..

Ice cream sorbet trio – pistachio chocolate chip (left), ly-chee (center), rose (right)…..

Pistachio and chocolate chip sorbet (front)…..

Creme brulee – (on the house) Vanilla flavor, burnt sugar and berries…..

The entrees averaged about $30 per dish, and the desserts at $12 apiece, which is not outrageous at all. We were pleasantly surprised when they brought over the free creme brulee dessert. Overall, the dishes were done quite deliciously and well presented. The ingredients were very fresh and the portions are quite huge. I’m planning to return for their Sunday brunch which is served outside the flowering garden patio. Lovely!

The Raymond Restaurant | 1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 | (626) 441 3136 | www.theraymond.com

Thanksgiving dinner, French Style – We were too lazy to cook up a Thanksgiving meal this time around and decided to eat out. It was not easy to find a decent restaurant which will remain open on this very popular public holiday. Fortunately, we were able to book a table at this Michelin ‘two-starred’ restaurant – Mélisse, named after a lemon scented herb from the Mediterranean. Melisse has been in business since July 1999. It is one of (only) four ‘two-star’ Michelin restaurants in Los Angeles (2009 edition), and has been amongst Zagat’s highest rated restaurants for 10 years in a row. The owner, Chef Josiah Citrin emphasizes the techniques of traditional French cuisine, blending with contemporary American flair. The menu items are sourced heavily from local farmers markets, and presented relatively simply at Mélisse, with no avant garde or molecular techniques here.

Amuse Bouche – Orange Gelée, Cashew Mousse, Vanilla Essence. Try to eat this from bottom up, in order to experience the transitions from sweet to savory, from warm to cool…..

Before adding the Pumpkin Soup, here’s the Chestnut Mousse, Cinnamon Toast and Black Trumpet Mushrooms…..

Pumpkin Soup added…..

Herb roasted free range turkey; served with (from left) Praline Pecan Yams, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Braised White Mushrooms and and Cranberries…..

Spiced pumpkin pie, Vanilla ice cream with Sauce “Terre et Merr”…..

Dark chocolate mousse cake, chocolate sorbet, Praline sauce…..

We finished dinner around 9:30pm, most of the diners have left the building…..

It was a satisfying dinner afterall, the turkey being the main course, it was infused with rich flavor and natural juices, simply delicious. We also ordered a bottle of French wine, but I did not have the chance of getting a good photo of it. The dinner costs about US$90 per person, including gratuity. Adding $40 for the wine, it was $130 per person for the entire meal. Not cheap for a simple dinner but I’ll definitely try their tasting menu on another night!

Melisse | 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401 | (310) 395-0881 | www.melisse.com

Sushi, sashimi and izakaya – Bar Hayama is a contemporary Japanese restaurant and sake bar on Sawtelle , where this is also known as “Little Tokyo West”. The “bar” of Bar Hayama refers to their extensive sake bar and the sushi bar. The menu offers traditional Japanese dishes and also even microbiotic ones. The best spot to hang out is the courtyard, where there is a very cozy and hypnotic fire pit.

Amuse bouche (front); lobster miso soup (rear)…..

Lobster miso soup…..

Hotate (scallop) from Hokkaido, Japan; and Uni sushi (sea urchin) from Santa Barbara…..

Sashimi – Toro (from Hawaii), Tuna (from Hawaii), Albacore (from Canada), Salmon (Atlantic), Hamachi (Japanese Yellow Tail)…..

Strawberry melba with vanilla ice-cream…..

It was a delicious and “romantic” meal, Japanese dining around a fire pit and under the starry night sky. The seating is quite limited at the pit section, so reserve a spot well in advance.

On our second visit, we sat inside the main dining room, ordered up more dishes, including chilled sake…..

EBI Shinjo With Sweet Chilli Sauce – chopped shrimp, deep-fried in wonton skins…..

Sauteed mushrooms in butter soy sauce…..

Hotate – scallops from Hokkaido, Japan…..

Sauteed scallops and mushroom with ponzu butter sauce…..

Uni – sea urchin from Santa Barbara…..

Sashimi…..

Amaebi – spot prawn from Santa Barbara…..

Peach sorbet…..

It was a very sumptuous dinner, but a bit pricey overall. I heard rave reviews about their Wagyu beef sashimi, definitely give them a try next time!

Bar Hayama | 1803 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025 | (310) 235-2000 | www.bar-hayama.com

Dumpling at DTF – Making our way to Din Tai Fung during the weekend is like visiting grandma’s kitchen. We know what to expect and where to settle ourselves, get comfy and wait for the delicious dishes. But this time around, there is a pleasant surprise waiting for us – a new item on the menu, Winter Melon & Shrimp xiao-long-bao. Basically, this is a similar sized steamed dumpling with mix of chopped shrimp and melon bits inside. The flavor of this winter melon and shrimp dumpling is on the light side, without the loaded pork and fatty juices in the signature dumplings. We arrived a little early, around 6:30pm, there’s already a small queue at the reception area. This place is still quite popular with the locals!

The appetizer – mix of sliced bean curd, bean sprout, seaweed in a moderately spicy sauce…..

Surprisingly, the shrimp fried rice was served well ahead of other main dishes, well, I guess fried rice is easy to prepare…..

Pan-fried bean stalks are always crispy and tasty…..

Meaty Shanghainese dumplings in spicy red oil…..

Yay….the new dish finally showed up, as we can see the green melons and shrimp bits enclosed inside the thinly wrapped dumplings…..

A closer inspection…..

The more filling item – steamed pork and vegetable buns…..

Filled with meat and Chinese cabbage…..

The trusty dish – juicy pork and crab meat siao-long-bao…..

The entire dinner cost approximately US$50, including gratuity. It was quite fulfilling and delicious, indeed a good revisit of an old favourite. We would definitely come back again soon!

Din Tai Fung | 1108 South Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91007 | (626) 574-7068 | www.dintaifungusa.com

Homemade ‘soon dubu jjigae’ – What to do when it’s cold and rainy outside? Before cuddling in front of the fireplace, we cooked up a warm pot of ‘soon dubu jjigae’, or tofu stew. The idea comes from the cookbook Kimchi Chronicles , which is a companion read to the public televison series with the same name. The television episodes featuring the author Marja (who is half Korean) with husband Jean-George Vongerichten (of Michelin three-starred restaurant Jean Georges, New York) as the sidekick, their culinary and cultural adventures in Korea. The book contains more than 100 recipes showcasing the full spectrum of Korean cooking.

Ingredients (first batch) – green onions, Korean squash, shimeji mushrooms, soon (extra soft) tofu…..

For the soup base – dried kelp, dried anchovies…..

Fresh market shrimp and Manila clams…..

Gochugaru (red Korean pepper), Gochujang (hot pepper paste) and four small garlic heads…..

Gochujang comes in a small plastic container, add two spoonfuls to the mixing bowl, together with the garlic heads and red Korean pepper…..

Mix all the above spices in the blender until pasty…..

Boil 3 quarts of water, then add the dry kelp and anchovies. Simmer for 20 minutes…..

Remove and discard the anchovies and kelp; the boiling water infused with lots of flavor…..

Add the Korean squach and red paste…..

Boil until the vegetables are quite soft, about 15 minutes…..

Add Manila clams, return to a boil…..

Then add mushrooms and shrimp…..

Lastly, add the tofu, return to boil, and cook until the tofu is heated through, about 5 minutes…..

Voila! Ready to serve piping hot, garnish with green onions and ladle into big bowls…..

‘Soon dubu jjigae’ is a healthy, spicy stew which elevates tofu from basic to exciting. In this stew, the base of dried anchovies and kelp (which has got a heavy umami flavor) infused an amazing depth of flavor for very little effort. You can have a strong and tasty stock ready in just 20 minutes. I ‘wow-ed’ this soup when I first tasted it! The 3 side dishes below are all homemade by W’s mom on her recent visit, I was lucky enough to have a taste of these home-cooked cuisine…..

Side dish #1 – kimchee…..

Side dish #2 – gobo (burdock roots which are very crunchy) marinated in sweet soy sauce…..

Side dish #3 – mini-anchovies with walnut…..

“Toad In A Hole” at Bouchon Beverly Hills – It’s been a long while since we had a relaxing brunch for just the two of us. The idea of trying out this relatively new Bouchon Bistro has been floating around for a while, but neither one wanted to get up early on a Sunday and get properly dressed just to eat breakfast. I’d rather have it in my pajamas. Bouchon Bistro Beverly Hills is the most recent establishment opened by Michelin star Chef Thomas Keller, the other two Bouchon Bistros are in Napa Valley and Las Vegas. An interesting bio about Mr. Keller – he is the only American chef to have been awarded simultaneous three star Michelin ratings for two different restaurants, French Laundry (Napa Valley) and Per Se (New York City).
The bistro occupies the sprawling ground level space as well as the second floor…..

The downstairs patio area serves light meals, wine and beverages…..

The smallish bakery section on the ground level…..

The upstairs full service restaurant…..

The brunch special, house-made sausage and scrambled eggs…..

“Toad in the Hole” – crispy pork belly with baked egg in toasted brioche, wilted spinach and tomatoes…..

Tarte au Citron, lemon tart…..

It turns out the brunch special costs almost $40, which is much more than the delicious “Toad in the Hole” ($26.50) dish. I’m not really sure why this sausage dish is so pricey, and quite obvious it’s an oversized wiener. I suppose the labor cost stuffing these sausages is quite dear nowadays. And this has got to be one of the most expensive and humongous wiener I ever had so far!

Bouchon Bistro | 235 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 | (310) 271-9910 | www.bouchonbistro.com

A Night in Providence – I got a nice treat from my baby brother at this Michelin ‘two-starred’ restaurant. It’s not easy to locate this place at night. Providence is housed inside a nondescript building along a rather ghetto strip of shops on Melrose Avenue, not everyone would expect such a gem is hidden here. We tried the ‘five course tasting menu with ‘market specials’, which include items such as truffles, tuna, beef and shrimp…..

Interior is quite subdued and blend…..

Bread basket – French rolls, bacon bread, seaweed bread…..

Amuse bouche – Top: Mojito, Bottom: Screwdriver…..

Amuse bouche – Top: Tomato basil consomme with fennel foam, Bottom: Tomato, basil and mozzarella “bubble”…..

Unknown box of treats…..

Grilled abalone, calamari and chorizo sticks…..

Wild big eye tuna tartare with fresh wasabi, quail egg, assorted herbs and crispy rice crackers (not pictured)…..

Santa Barbara spot prawn (with roe!) roasted in salt with rosemary, lemon, French aoc extra virgin olive oil…..

Black truffle from Australia…..

Sprinkling the black truffle…..

Australian black truffle spaghetti…..

White truffle from Italy…..

Sprinkling the truffle…..

Italian white truffle spaghetti…..

American wagyu style beef, Weiser Farms potatoes, green asparagus, morels, bone marrow bearnaise…..

Octopus, potatoes, arugula and blood sausage…..

Panna cotta with passion fruit sorbet…..

Chocolate ganache, raspberry and sorbet…..

Chocolate marshmallows, sesame macarons, jasmine jelly…..

Miniature macaron…..

The ‘five course tasting’ dinner lasted almost three and-a-half hours. I cannot imagine trying the standard ‘nine course’ menu, let alone the ‘fifteen course’ chef’s special; that’ll take the whole day for sure! It was a very sumptuous dining experience. The final bill was about US$200 per person; it was very worth it! I shall ask for another treat at Providence definitely, on my next birthday!

Providence | 5955 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA | (323) 460-4170 | http://www.providencela.com

YAY! – it’s that time of the year again. Dine LA Week is here again! Eat up! Chow down! Here we come!

Maison Akira – fine dining menu featuring French cuisine with a Japanese flair. The dineLA menu didn’t include some of the dishes the restaurant is most famous for (like the miso Chilean sea bass and Grand Marnier souffle), nevertheless, Chef Akira takes personal interest in preparing each selection in the menu, with the freshest ingredients for a culinary delight.

The restaurant is housed inside a modest brick building, on a tree lined street…..

Amuse bouche – Shrimp over a tomato based seafood custard; a small free appetizer to stimulate our appetite…..

Seared Albacore Tuna, with Wasabi Caviar, and Green Asparagus and Smoked Salt…..

Oyster Flan in a Sea Urchin Beurre Blanc Sauce, with Hijiki, Green Beans & Mentaiko…..

Angus Beef Château Steak in a Cabernet & Bearnaise Sauce with Gratin of Potato & Oyster Mushroom Sympatic…..

Maple Leaf Duck Breast Rôti Sauce Aigre-Doux with Potato Galette and Legumes de Saison…..

Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse Cake and Yuzu Ice Cream…..

The restaurant was full while we were seated at around 7.30 pm. It was a Sunday night, I suppose everyone arrived at the same time. I was very tempted to have the wine pairing as well, but too bad since I don’t have a high tolerance to alcohol. Besides, that’s an addtional $20 over the $44 ‘dine L.A.’ set menu. It was an enjoyable dinner afterall, and will definitely return to try their famous Sunday brunch!

Maison Akira | 713 East Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 | (626) 796-9501 | www.maisonakira.com

We went to Orris on a regular day, not during the ‘dine LA’ week. As you may notice the “Closed” sign at the entrance, we arrived about five minutes early.

We caught a glimpse of owner Chef Shiro busy preparing tonight’s dishes…..

Amuse bouche – Shrimp and endives…..

Seafood salad…..

Red snapper carpaccio…..

Asparagus and prosciutto…..

Grilled artichoke…..

Kurobuta pork medallions…..

One after another, French/Japanese tapas treats coming out of the kitchen, and the result is an evening of sheer bliss. The entire dinner costs about $25 per person, plus service charge. Although the interior decor is very plain, the overall atmosphere is pleasant and this place will be our regular hang-out!

Orris | 2006 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025 | (310) 268-2212 | www.orrisrestaurant.com

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