Rainy day + Krohn Porto 2003 = GOOD!

it's been raining today on and off. but after 6pm.. it started pouring cats and dogs.

so, on a rainy day like this.. it's best to cuddle up and spoon with your wife or your lover.

for me, i'm cuddling up with my baby chloe and a bottle of Krohn Porto 2003.

just picked it up from Whole Foods and cracked it open.

pairing it with some chocolate angel food cake, i think i'm going to have a wonderful Easter evening.

Salute~!

craving for crab cakes...

well, tonight... i just had a sudden craving for crab cakes. don't know why, but at least i'm not pregnant. roflmao (rolling on floor, laughing my ass off).

anyway, crab is too expensive and it bad for my cholesterol. thus, i decided to make something else. instead of using crab, i used black cod. yup, you heard it, black cod cake, that's what i'll call it!

i used the following ingredients:
2 x black cod fillets
2 x potatos (any kind will do, probably the red potato or the creamy yellow ones will taste even better)
1 tsp of butter
1/2 yellow onion
1 tsp of season all (guess it's the US version of MSG... haha)
1/4 cups of grated Gouda cheese (aged 6yrs)
2 eggs
1/2 bag of panko (japanese bread crumbs)
dash of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1) cut up the potato in small portions and boil in water till soft. smaller portions of potato size will cook faster and more evenly. you can also add some sea salt into the water to make it boil faster. after poking it with a fork to ensure it's soft, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. let it sit and cool while still draining.

2) dice up the onions and pan fry it with 1 tsp of butter. add a bit of sea salt and a dash of pepper and let it cool on the side. don't cook it till it's super soft, just enough where the onion is caramelized and smells sweet.

3) take you black cod fillet and pan fry it till the fish starts to tenderize and fall apart. don't worry if it doesn't look good, cuz it's going to be mashed up in the end anyway. pan frying it will bring more flavor to the fish.

4) find a bit bowl or pot and put the potatos, black cod, grilled onion, Gouda cheese and season all. start mashing it like mash potatos and adding sea salt to bring the flavor to your liking. remember not to put too much salt. it's back for your blood pressure and also because the Gouda cheese will be salty too. once the taste is to your liking, now add the 2 eggs in and mix till it's even.

5) panko time. if your mixture still looks to be too moist, throw some panko in there and mix it up to absorb the moisture.

6) heat up your frying pan and just use a tad bit of oil. keep it at medium heat. like about 3-4 tsp of any kind of oil, except olive oil! olive oil is not too happy with extended heat and will cause the oil to breakdown chemically, which isn't going to sit well in your body later on in life. best oil to use is corn, it's happy with extended heat and won't breakdown that easily.

7) take the mashed up cod and potato mixture and using a spoon put a small amount in your palm and roll it to a size of golf ball. then roll the golf ball in the panko so it's evenly covered on the outside. next.. press your palm together so its flatten a bit. don't flatten it all the way.

8) gently put into the pan. u should be able to fit 4 pcs at once. when you start seeing the edges a bit golden brown, gently flip it over to the other side. once golden brown on both side, put it on a dish with paper towels and let the oil drain.

9) now enjoy with either ketchup, tarter sauce, or cocktail shrimp sauce. i only had ketchup at home, too lazy to make a cocktail shrimp sauce.

who would have thought pan fried food could be good for you and help raise your good cholesterol? as Elton Brown would say... "Good Eats~!"

here's a photo of the finished black cod cake... super delish~!


here's chloe anxiously awaiting for her steamed black cod fillet..

Paris Baguette

today, we went to a neat little place called: paris baguette. it's located in a korean shopping plaza around the corner of lawrence expressway and el camino real.

it's a bread shop where they have all sorts of different kinds of pastries and bread to choose from. if you are not planning on counting your carbs (carbohydrates) then this is the place to be! this place is so different from all the other pastry or bread shops i've been in. this place is popping all the time. i really mean that!

this is the second time we came here because the first time here, we fell in love with the pastries and bread that we ate them all before we thought of taking photos for the review. haha. ;)

trust me.. you can't blame me on that, because when you try it.. you will know why we forgot to take the photos! so this time, i remembered to take some photos.

enjoy~

a shot of interior decor... very scenic~



here's a little statue of the Eiffel Tower.. surprise that no one has tried to walk off with it. i think it's cute decor to add to the shop.



now for the reviews on the pastries. prepare to open you mind because as you sink you mouth into these pastries, you mind will be blown away by the symphony that's being conducted on your palate. the rich creamy, moist yet crunchy textures on the pastries will get you hooked like you're on crack! time to GET INTO MY BELLY~

here is my favorite - blueberry pastry. i'm a sucker for blueberry in general, but this is the bomb! it may look simple, but the texture is crunchy and when mixed with the blueberry and the powdered sugar on top within your mouth, it produces such a creamy sweet taste that will have your taste bud hitting the climax.

blueberry pastry - $1.30
i give this 5 lickity fingers out of 5



i didn't get a chance to try this, my mom in law picked it and she said it was good and not too sweet, but just perfect harmony.

raspberry pastry - $1.80



now comes my most favorite one. usually i get them with blueberry fruit filling; yes i know.. i'm a blueberry addict! but this time, they only had raspberry fruit filling, which was still very good. this is called the "berlin choux donut". it's not your ordinary donut, but instead it's a sandwich type filled with fresh whip cream and fruit filling. man... this donut blows all the dunkin donuts or Krispy Kreme out of the water! most of all, the price is very reasonable for the overall taste, texture and the yummy, yummy comfort feeling you get from it. whether if you are feeling blue or super stoked and happy, this will send you overboard to that cream of the top ecstasy.

berlin choux donut (w/ raspberry fruit filling + fresh whip cream) - $2.00

here's a clean look of what's sandwiched inside... whip cream with raspberry fruit filling inside.. i'm getting hungry again just writing this!!!

finally, here's what you would be staring at once you take a bite into it. at that moment, you will catch yourself wondering, "how is this even possible to have all this word can't describe feeling from a donut!" that's right.. it's not an ordinary donut.. it's a MAGICAL donut.........

so, just remember, whether if you are feeling down that day or just need a pick me upper place for comfort food, look no further. a cup of their latte with a couple of these pastries, it will melt away all that's bothering you.

cheers~

DISCLAIMER: i am not and will not be liable for any additional weight you put on after reading my reviews and actually going there and stuff yourself full with these tasty little treats. eating too many of these pastries will make you sick, both physically and mentally; but at the same time, will get you hooked to come back for more. if you find yourself sitting there not being able to eat any more, give me a call and i'll help you kill off those berlin choux donut one at a time... hehe ;)

Bun Bo Hue An Nam Restaurant

during saturday, we decided to try a vietnamese restaurant called: Bun Bo Hue An Nam in san jose, located on story road. it is a place where you can get vietnamese style spicy beef noodle soup that is very different than you regular pho. a lot of ppl recommend it as being one of the best, but i'll be the final judge on that.

generally i would go to Pho Nguyen located off of calaveras in milpitas nearby my work place to get my bun bo hue craving fixed. anyway, the place was jam packed even though we got there at 1:30pm; yet there was still a line.

gesh... this place must be the delish, otherwise why would these ppl be waiting in line for no reason. the good thing is, the turnover rate is fairly quick, so the wait was no more than 10 mins. it isn't the most baby friendly restaurant, but they did put us in the back private room where there was plenty of space.

if you have a baby, leave your strollers in the car and just bring in the car seat. the isles between the tables is fairly tight, so if you us one of those fancy Quinny, Bugaboo, Stokke or even those big ass Graco stroller, you'll be lucky if you can even make it through the first isle.

take my advise.. leave the strollers in the car, you'll thank me later.

one of the reason why this place is so hot is besides the fact that many ppl come here, mostly young people, is because the bun bo hue has a special ingredient called: OX PENIS!

yup! that's correct ya'll.. OX PENIS! hey guys... it suppose to help you man up on you know where. but it's over-rated though. most of ppl that came here and wrote a review on this place either was too chicken to try it or couldn't even find it in the soup. so, i tried it, it tasted like tendon. it was a bit gamey and chewy, but other than that, it was ok. just make sure when you are chowing down not to think where of how many puntang that has been in and you'll be fine. as for who gave me that idea... you can take a guess. haha

here's the front of the restaurant.. nothing fancy here..

the bun bo hue much pricer than most of other places. the broth is tasty, but not a whole lot of noodle; even for a large bowl. plus the meat, which has both pork and beef, along with pig blood jello, was ok, but the flavor didn't penetrate in all the way. after you finish eating, you will feel like you are ready for another bowl. maybe that's their trick to get you hooked.

but ppl beware, if you are not capable of spicy, order something else. i've seen ppl sweat like pigs while they are eating this. for me, the normal broth is ok, so i had to add more satay to make it pop more. their spicy flavor is not the type that BAM! hits you right in the mouth, rather it's one of those that grow and crawl on your palates after several bites later.

here's the large bowl of bun bo hue with all the veggies on the side for $8.95.

i give this dish: 3 lickity fingers out of 5

ah... here's the mysterious OX PENIS. in case if you are wondering what to look for when you order it. look no further, because i've pointed it out just for your chewing pleasure.. haha

finally to wash the spicy meal down, we've ordered a sugar cane w/ orange juice drink. for $2.99, it's the bomb!

i give this drink: 5 lickity fingers out of 5

so all in all, it was a good meal, but an expensive one. two large bowls plus 1 drink with tax and tip came out to $23. then two hours later... we were hungry again.

would we go back again? perhaps. but with the economy the way it is, i think we can get more bang for our buck elsewhere.

Carmel Trip - Part 1 "Katy's Place"

today, we went to carmel. it's been a while since we went there and decided to make a quick day trip. during the last time we were there, we found a place call Katy's Place. it was super packed and had lots of people going there to eat.

thus this time, we decided to go there for brunch. what you will see next will make you drool, crave and wish you had smell-a-vision.

here's a photo of inside decor that you will see. it's a very homey like diner with super friendly service. most of all, they are a baby friendly restaurant as well!! they sat us at a table for 6 people just so we can place our stroller inside.

generally when i go to a new place where it's crowded, i tend to look for the special menus. things that are posted on the wall, or handwritten in chalk. BAM! there it was... special of the day, seafood omelet.

it had was stuffed with fresh crab and maine lobster meat and it was not those imitation type either. they were not kidding when they said it's stuffed with crab and lobster meat! it was really really there!

it also has avacado, mushroom and some cocktail shrimp all mixed with monterey jack cheese. super yummo!! whether you taste the crab or lobster individually or together with the omelet, the flavor is to die for. i've tasted a lot of different types of omelet when i travel, but this takes the cake!

your mouth will start to drool the second you put that fork into the omelet and let the aroma flow into your nose. your brain will signal an image of hitting the jackpot on a slot machine in vegas with all the blinking lights! then as the portion enters your mouth, your palates will be in nirvana and your stomach will be in a moment of pure bliss.

seafood omelet stuffed with fresh crab and maine lobster meat - $15.95

i give this dish: 5 lickity fingers out of 5 - it is the BOMB!!!

in the meantime, cherie ordered their crab and shrimp eggs benedict; which is to die for!! we usually get this dish at the little swiss cafe around the corner, but their's is so rich and thick that generally if you finish all you will feel kinda sick.

but Katy's version of eggs benedict is awesome. the flavor is all there and you can still taste the flavor of poached eggs, shrimp and crab meat. heck, you can even taste the flavor of the english muffin on the bottom. all these flavor rolled into one with the hollandaise sauce is a symphony in your mouth!

katy's shrimp & crab eggs benedit - $12.95
i give this dish: 5 lickity fingers out of 5 - it is the BOMB!!!



we can't wait till next time we visit carmel again, as we will definitely go to Katy's Place again to try out other selections!! Katy ajima... you ROCK!

Carmel here we come... errr, took wrong turn

after several weeks of weekends ruined by rain, finally we got a sunny and beautiful weekend. on friday night, we were thinking about where to go on saturday. it was a no brainer actually.. of course to my favorite city of all time known as the "timeless city by the sea", carmel.

i really love that city, just way too expensive for living though, since all prices are jacked up by the numerous tourist that visits there everyday, every weekend. yet, surprisingly the city still kept their originality. but others may argue that the city has lost it's touch.

nevertheless, while driving toward carmel, our gps gave us the longer route which lead me onto hwy17 towards santa cruz. after several minutes of driving twisters, we decided to go to santa cruz instead. silly me... guess i should have listened to cherie. but who can blame me.. it was near lunch time and i was starving. *if you are reading this honey.. i love you dear and yes, i'd admit.. you are right~*

by the time we got into santa cruz, we drove directly to the pier. last time while we were there with my parents, we ate at Gilda's Family Restaurant; which was yummo!~

so this time, we decided to be the pioneer for once and be brave to try out new restaurant. most ppl that know us will tell you that we're pretty much like a hermit, anti-social. haha~ but we're trying to change...

this time, we decided to eat at Gilbert's Seafood Grill; which we should have checked on yelp before dining there. in terms of the quality, quantity andprice, the food was ok, but much more pricey compared to Gilda's. would i recommend ppl to go there, well.. it all depends.

Gilbert has a section in the restaurant that is perfect for families with baby. in our case, this had really surprised me when they seated us in the (as i would like to call it) "special" section. it was much more roomy compared to Gilda's and more family friendly for strollers and such. this is a BIG Plus in my book.

as for the food, we liked it. but it's one of those type that it will satisfy your immediate hunger, but won't make you crave to drive 30 mins plus to go and eat again.

here are the 3 dishes we had ordered that day...

1. Grilled red snapper w/ rice pilaf & steamed veggie - $14.95 or so
the red snapper is really yummo.. but i can grill fish much better than they can do and yet they own a restaurant. this was abit of disappointment for me. the rice pilaf is very yummy and full of flavor but doesn't overpower the fish. the steamed veggie really compliments the snapper with the tartar sauce. for the price, i woudl have expected more volume than what you see on te plate. you are not going to be full unless if you as for extra french rolls to go with your meal.

i give this dish... 3 lickity fingers out of 5.



2. Special of the day: Half Crab Bake w/ Clam Chowder - $9.95
as many ppl know.. i'm a sucker when it comes to crustacean, like crabs & lobsters. so i had to give it a try; plus the price is reasonably fair for the amount. the crab is real crab.. not those imitation type, mixed with some mushrooms, chives or green onion, and others. it's then covered by gooey cheese; most likely mozzarella, over a piece of bread and baked.

i was too hungry then to try and figure what's inside... i'm still amazed that i had taken the time to take the photos before all goes down into my belly. as fat bastard would say.. "GET INTO MY BELLY" haha... (you probably won't get it if you are not an Austin Powers movie fan)

as for the clam chowder, i can do without. it was powdery like it was mixed and the taste was far from being alright. i was really disappointed in that. next time, probably safer to pick the garden salad.

this is one dish i would recommend if anyone goes there to dine. their regular dish is a full crab bake; which i assume the portion is much bigger than the one pictured, for $12.95.

i give this dish... 3.5 lickity fingers out of 5 (for the crab bake, not for the chowder)



3. Seafood Jambalaya w/ their homemade spice - $16.95
i love jambalaya. it's one of my most favorite creole dishes. to learn more about jamabalaya click here. there was a total of 3 grill shrimp in there and the rest was cocktail mini shrimps with sausages. the grill shrimp was tasty and fresh, but the sausage was just dry and tasted old. as for the mini cocktail shrimp.. while, the tomato based red sauce totally overpowered the dish as a whole that i wouldn't have know it was cocktail shrimp if i ate it.

for the price, i was truly disappointed by this. the portion was acceptable, but the overall taste and the materials used to make this does not justify the price. the pilaf that came with it, when mixed and spooned with the grill shrimp was very tasty. but then again, there was that powdery after taste.

i've had many different jambalayas and this is the first one that i had where i didn't have to go searching for tums afterwards. the spice was there, but not the kick. if you like spicy... then you'll be disappointed at this dish. heck, even the jambalaya dish from elephant bar is much better than this (in terms of price, volume, and tasty satisfaction). if they had given more grill shrimp, then this overall taste of this dish might have been saved.

i give this dish... 2 lickity fingers out of 5



finally, my beautiful daughter whom was sooo quiet sitting there for the very first time while we ate. usually, either cherie or me would have scarf down our food quick before haley starts to cry for attention. haley would always want to participate and grab our food to eat, but she was quiet this time.

so how come she was soo quiet all this time? do you really want to know?

lets put it this way... some how santa cruz brings out the best in her every time we are there. hot fresh organic brownie right out of the oven... haha

Happy New Year~

A year has passed by so quick and so much has happen during 2008. Let's see.. I finally became a DAD to a wonderful, beautiful, healthy daughter named Kiera Haley Chang. *Thank You GOD and Thank You Honey~*

I wanted to mark my first posting on 1/1/09, since it is my wife's birthday; but after a BBQ dinner and cleaning up.. it's already 12:19AM on 1/2/09. Happy Birthday Baby~ You're another year older.. but your still a hot mama to me~ ;)

I wanted to get her a cake at Whole Foods, but when we went they didn't have any more, which sucked big time, cuz I should have gotten the cake yesterday when we were there. A big DOH on my part.



Anyway, we ended up getting a Lime Tart and a Creme Brulee. These aren't the best photos, since I'd be first to admit I'm not good a product photography.. but still gotta keep experimenting right?

Well, it's getting late... Happy New Year everyone.. may this year be even better than the last~
Cheers~