January 2020 Rundown

Whoo hooo, OOE Benkyodo! Did you get the peanut butter one? I’m told that’s a must try, and on Saturday they sell out even faster of everything.

i did have OOE but didn’t see a peanut butter one. perhaps they didn’t have it that day since i was there fairly early so they shouldn’t have sold out yet.

Well it was our treat…I’m not sure she went there many other times. We used to take her to Gather a lot. They have a good Neapolitan style pizza, and its right by campus.

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isn’t Hang Le a burmese style curry? from making the pok pok recipe a few times i remember it takes about 20 HEADS of pickled thai garlic. along with 12 other ingridients… it’s gloirious.

hey! found my old pic of what went into it

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That looks glorious, but its not kang hang lay tai. There is a hang lay powder which is a spice concoction with 19 ingredients. Sort of like 5 spice on steroids.
BTW and off topic next time you are in the Valley there is a new Russian Armenian deli/grocery on the south side of Magnolia just west of Whitsett. I poked my head in there and it looked pretty impressive. Would love to have your expert opinion on what to get there.

Torimatsu (Gardena)

Chicken yakitori specialist.

Everything chicken, except for maybe the feet and head.

They even have chicken sashimi, I am sure I will most likely be fine but I cannot bring myself to eat that like @Starchtrade and @A5KOBE

The menu and some togarashi, okay let’s do this!!!


Giblets.


Chicken ball and heart


Liver and spicy gizzard


With Shiso


Chicken wing and butt


Rice soup and broth.

That rice soup and broth (zosui), so good and comforting! Was pretty surprise that this was that good from a grilled place @beefnoguy was right, a chicken yakitori specialist would have pretty good zosui. I like the chicken ball, liver, and butt the best, but all of them had a nice grilled flavor.

Why did it take me so long to get here!

Edit: I saw quite a few eggplants go up on the grill, I think I missed out on this and it damn costs more than the chicken


Took some sushi to go next door at Kanpachi while browsing FTC at home don’t judge me

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Thanks for the report! The South Bay always seemed a bit elusive to me, but lots of fun looking neighborhood like places to explore.

Your 2nd pic, the small soy sauce dish contents looks like kiriboshi daikon (dried daikon strips, rehydrated then simmered, served chilled…I love this stuff). Excellent appetizer (I guess that’s their “otoshi”).

Mirinboshi is also a fun appetizer to have. I like to use it to scoop up Japanese mayo with shichimi togarashi sprinkled on top.

Not many places serve zosui up here. Although chicken broth cooked with the carcass from carving up whole chickens shouldn’t be wasted. One yakitori shop up here makes shoyu ramen with it…but only the soup is good (lol).

You should drop by Izakaya Rintaro in SF when you’re up here and have yakitori cravings (and if you have room). Their yakitori has been on fire lately, as is their fried items. No soup or zosui though… also try Ippuku in Berkeley for yakitori.

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i gotta hit up this place, i don’t know why it wasn’t in my radar.

Thanks for this!

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That box of mochi looks soooo good. Have you ever tried the coffee crunch cake across the street at Yasukochi? It’s at a counter inside the Super Mira market, across the plaza.

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i have not but i’ll keep that in mind next time i visit! thanks for the tip.

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Garlic & Chives

hit and miss dinner at garlic and chives. the deep fried salmon belly was delicious as usual but there were a few really fishy tasting pieces.

the “famous roasted garlic crab” was more like a deep-fried frozen crab with stringy meat that clung to the shell. nothing like the versions in the bay area and at $62 even more expensive.

the shaking beef was okay, but the cha ca thanh long (grilled turmeric fish with dill) was delicious. the tender, flaky pieces of fish, instead of being served with the usual nuco cham, was served with a fermented shrimp paste (mam tom) sauce that was funkier than george clinton after a workout.

deep fried salmon belly

kristin’s famous roasted garlic crab

garlic noodles

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Was Sergio in the house?

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Which one did you go? the original location or Artesia?

I’m guessing the GG location. In Artesia, there are tanks so you can see the fresh crab or lobster available. @PorkyBelly did indicate he thought he got frozen crab.

For those that aren’t aware, that’s made from the famous recipe of the late, great, Blum’s of SF.

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the kitchen was full of hispanics so it’s possible a sergio was in the house

the original

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Lunch at I-Naba. Heavenly sashimi platter. Went with my favorite ume shiso soba. My only tempura order this time was gobo burdock. Table enjoyed the tempura pumpkin and onion.


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Pollo A La Brasa Vermont
Half chicken with fries and beans/tortillas. The chicken was good with a few dry white pieces. Nice kiss of smoke. Loved the crispy bits of skin and everything is good with the aji. Fries are reminiscent of In n Out but better somehow. Beans had a nice flavor. Tortillas were fine. Good vehicle to make chicken, fry, bean and aji wrap.

Side of plantains. Best plantains I’ve had in forever. Cooked to order. Took a few minutes longer than the chicken plate but well worth it. Perfect consistency. I don’t like them mushy but they need a little give. Delicious.

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Fat and Flour!!

Banana Cream Pie

Final bite! Dried Banana Garnish

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I almost went to inaba for lunch today. Looks great.

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