The Dish

Filipino Cuisine w/ a little twist

hlodevico — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:48:41 +0000

PONDAHAN RESTAURANT

535 S. California Ave.
West Covina
(626) 856-0416
$-$$

Here is a review I wrote for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune awhile ago. West Covina doesn’t have a shortage of Filipino restaurants, but if you’re looking for something else besides a loud karaoke place or a casual, cafeteria experience, try Pondahan! Be sure to leave room for dessert–banana turon with ube ice cream to be exact!

Adobo

The delicious turon and ube ice cream!

*Photos from www.flickr.com and www.yelp.com

Remember the Name: Warung Pojok

hlodevico — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:28:48 +0000

Warung Pojok

Indonesian cuisine is probably as exotic as you can get in Orange County, considering this new eatery is the only Indonesian restaurant within a 20-mile radius of Orange County. I’m always on the lookout for new culinary experiences and Warung Pojok was a welcomed new addition to my culinary vocabulary, introducing me to the world of Indonesian cuisine.

Opening just a few months ago, Warung Pojok (meaning “casual corner eatery”) offers a variety of distinctly Indonesian flavors. Like many Filipino eateries, the food is served in simple, chafing dish-style. Nothing about the interior suggests a fine-dining experience. It’s fast food, but instead of your usual burgers and fries, you get turmeric rice, chicken drenched in sweet and spicy sauce and beef rendang. Not your usual fast food experience!

The food reminds me of a cross between Filipino and Thai cuisine–not surprisingly since Indonesia sits between these two regions — spicy and aromatic, like Thai food, but hearty like Filipino food. I enjoyed the coconut curry tofu, the turmeric rice and chicken. My boyfriend ordered pretty much the same meal, except opted for the beef rendang. The flavor was a little too overpowering for him, but I enjoyed its richness.

For dessert, we tried cendol, a refreshing drink made with coconut milk, ice and green tapioca. If you like Filipino halo-halo or even boba drinks, cendol is a perfect beverage for a hot day.

To keep customers coming back, the restaurant updates its menu on its Web site every day. Looks like I’ll be having more Indonesian food in the future!

Warung Pojok
13113 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA
$

http://www.warungpojokindo.com/

Little bites of sugary sweet heaven!

hlodevico — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 07:29:51 +0000

I have a cupcake obsession. So when I first baked this recipe from the Food Network’s The Neely’s, I already knew just by the coconut aroma wafting through the house, that these little cupcakes were going to be Yum-o (Sorry, this isn’t meant to be a Rachael Ray shout out!)

The recipe is super easy to make and the cream cheese frosting is simply sinful! They’re like little bites of sugary sweet heaven! Try them at home! They’re delish…ok, enough Food Network for me!

Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe courtesy The Neelys

Prep Time:: 25 min
Inactive Prep Time:: hr min
Cook Time:: 20 min

Level:: Easy

Serves:: 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.

Into a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Using a hand held mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time until just combined. Add vanilla and coconut extract. Add buttermilk and dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Mix in the shredded coconut.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks before frosting.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes, for garnish

Using a hand-held mixer beat cream cheese and butter together until light and smooth. Add vanilla extract and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar 1cup at a time until thoroughly incorporated.

Pour coconut flakes evenly onto a baking sheet. Place in oven for 2 to 3 minutes allowing flakes to cook and turn a golden brown color. Make sure you do not burn.

Frost cupcakes high

What the Pho!!!

hlodevico — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:55:13 +0000

Saigon Cuisine
3930 S Bristol St # 109
Santa Ana, CA 92704
$-$$

Yes, the economy is crappy. I understand that gas will probably never be under a buck a gallon again. But I refuse to believe that pho, the chicken (or beef) soup for my soul can ever be more than $6 ($4.95 sounds more like it!). So after Jinny and I decided to swing over to Saigon Cuisine in Santa Ana (near Costa Mesa), I was sorely disappointed to find nearly $7 dollar bowls of pho! WT-Ph!

OK, I know we were right next to South Coast plaza where all the trendy shopaholics go to feed their Bloomigndales addiction. What is a couple of bucks to someone who will drop $200 on pair of jeans? For me, I can only justify the expense if it matched with quality. Why would I pay more for a bowl heavy on the broth but skimpy on the noodles? Oh, and to the waiter who sat us–we were ready for our order long before that guy with the sharp suit walked in and you took his order! Thanks for the stingy side of sprouts, basil and sriracha too!

On a positive note, the steamy and spicy sriracha broth temporarily cleared up the cold I came down with. Perhaps their entrees fare better, but their pho section is nothing special. The verdict: pho-gettable, but decent enough to feed my pho fix for the night.

It’ tasted better than it looks…

Satisfying the sushi craving

hlodevico — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:25:19 +0000

Sakana Seafood Restaurant
713 W Duarte Rd
Ste H
Arcadia, CA 91007
$-$$

As much as I’m in Arcadia, CA, my boyfriend Isaac and I are always looking for great (and affordable) places to eat in the area. On a Saturday night at 9 pm, we needed a place that would feed our sushi craving. Our usual favorite sushi place (Ichima in Pasadena) was packed, so we decided to try Sakana Seafood Restaurant, a tiny sushi bar and restaurant. The sushi bar took up half the dining area while several tables lined up against the other wall.

The ambiance is small and intimate– a great place if you’re looking for a quiet meal with your significant other. We ordered our usual favorites, Spicy Tuna, California and Unagi (eel) rolls. We also ordered the yellowtail sashima. The verdict, pretty good, although the presentation wasn’t the best. But it certainly satisfied my suchi craving that night. The green tea ice cream was a sweet way to end the meal. While we didn’t try their seafood entres, their menu boasts a more traditional fare, beyond the usual teriyaki and tempura. I think I’ll come back for another go!

Unagi Roll

Yellowtail Sashimi

Kain tayo!

hlodevico — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:27:11 +0000

For as long as I could remember, the above phrase always used to pique my taste buds. That’s “Let’s eat!” in Tagalog and that’s what I’l be doing in this blog — eating, whatever, wherever and whenever! I’ll “dish” about about any restaurant I have a meal at, budget meals, recipes, or a new culinary experience I feel like sharing, and there will be many! I love traveling and enjoying local cuisines. I also believe one way to get to know people and cultures is to try the foods that are a part of everyday life. So sit back and enjoy! Bon appetit!