Sunday, January 24, 2010

Surprisingly Good ~ Harborside Restaurant ~ Newport Beach, CA

Drinks at the bar ~ poured strong. Complimentary bread with olive butter (or plain if you prefer) ~ hot, toasty, and delicious. Calamari strips with tempura breading ~ moist and tender. New England Clam Chowder ~ a bowl of creamy heaven. Cesar Salad ~ better than average. Blackened Sea Bass ~ seasoned and cooked to perfection. Orange Coconut Crusted Salmon ~ the best thing I've eaten in a long time. Vanilla Creme Brulee ~ perfectly sweet. Apple Tart ala Mode ~ flaky, tart wonderfulness.

Newport Beach Restaurant Week occurs twice a year. Restaurants offer a Prix Fixe menu for a reduced price ~ three courses for $25-35. To keep our food spending budget down this month, we picked the Harborside Restaurant for it's extensive $25 menu. (Most restaurants only offer 2-3 items to choose from in each catergory: appetizer, entree, and dessert, but Harborside Restaurant had lots to choose from.) I wasn't sure what to expect from a restaurant that offered three courses for $25 but my expectations weren't high. I was oh so wrong!

We made a reservation for 6:30 pm but arrived at 6 to enjoy a drink at the bar. I ordered a dirty martini and didn't realize that I forgot to ask for a higher quality vodka until I saw the bartender poor Kettle One. I was impressed that I didn't have to ask (but if you want a cheaper drink, make sure that you ask for something else). Dan ordered his typical Johnny Walker Black on the rocks.

We checked in with the hostess around 6:15 and she told us that it seemed like a window seat with a view of the harbor was going to open up soon. She could have seated us early but we decided to wait to try for a window seat. While we waited, I wanted a glass of wine and couldn't decide between two (the wine list has great options!). The bartendar poured me a taste of both, which was much appreciated. After a window seat still wasn't open at 6:40 we decided to take what was available. It still had a good view and we were seated quickly upon telling the hostess that we didn't want to wait any longer. Once seated, it took a bit longer than expected to be greeted by the waiter but there was a party of 19 right next to us and another group of 8 nearby. Once he did come over, the waiter was very friendly, our water glasses were always full, and we were offered a second bread basket shortly after we finished the first (and the bread was so good, we took them up on the offer).

The atmosphere is great for any situation. The party of 19 were celebrating a birthday, the group of 8 was three Mom's with their children. This restaurant would also be great for a romantic date or a family dinner.

I'd like to elaborate on a few of the brief descriptions of the food. The calamari was surprisingly tender and the tempura breading was light. As I was finishing my clam chowder, I heard someone at a table nearby say that she could like the soup out of the bowl. I laughed because I agreed completely. It had soft chunks of potato, tender pieces of clam with no sand in them whatsoever, and the broth was so wonderfully creamy that you want to get every last drop out of the bowl. The sea bass was blackened with Cajun spices and complemented perfectly with a chipotle cream sauce and avocado relish on top. The fish rested on a bed of scalloped potatoes. It was a gourmet dish but when I tasted Dan's salmon I was blown away. It was oh so lightly breaded with Panko but the sweet ginger soy glaze was really the star. Perfection! Neither of us could stop from stuffing ourselves because everything tasted so wonderful.

And the best part is, the Harborside Restaurant has a regular special with many of the dishes I've mentioned as options for a three course meal including a glass of wine for $35. We will definitely be back!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Another Recipe Creation ~ Southwest Chicken Bowl

After seeing all of those Jack-in-the-Box commercials about their new bowls, I thought to myself "I can make that at home and make it really healthy." I decided to take this one on.

Southwest Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Sauce ~ My Version

Cooking Spray
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp dried cumin
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried, ground oregano
pinch of crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1 in strips
1 can reduced sodium black beans, drained of most of their water
4 oz (or approx 3/4 cup) shredded cooked chicken
2 cups cooked brown rice
5 tbsp light sour cream
juice of 1 lime
pinch of salt, cumin & chili powder, to taste
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
8 tbsp of your favorite salsa

Saute the onion and jalapeno with cooking spray approximately 3 min or until almost tender. Add seasonings and cook 1 min. Add red bell pepper and cook until onions are translucent. Add the black beans and chicken until heated through. While that is heating, combine sour cream, lime juice and seasonings in a small bowl. Put aside and remove chicken mixture from heat. Mix the rice into the chicken mixture and then distribute evenly among 4 bowls. Divide the sour cream mixture, cilantro, avocado, and salsa evenly to top the mixture. Enjoy! (Total cooking time approx 15 min)

Nutrition Information:
324 calories, 10.4 g fat, 2.3 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 31 mg cholesterol, 579 mg sodium, 41.9 g carbs, 10.4 g fiber, 4.7 g sugar, 15.6 g protein, 38% RDA vit A, 46% RDA vit C, 10% RDA calcium, 48% RDA iron

I prefer a little bit of bite to the red bell pepper. If you like it cooked more, add it with the onion at the beginning of the recipe. I used the frozen organic brown rice from Trader Joe's and leftover chicken from a roast I made recently. I put the rice in the microwave and shredded the chicken while the vegetables were cooking. This dish ends up looking similar to a Lousiana Dirty Rice. If you prefer a more clean-looking presentation, do not mix the rice into the chicken mixture. Simply divide the rice evenly into the bowls and then top with the chicken mixture. You can easily add 1/4 cup reduced fat cheese to each serving without making this an unhealthy dish (I like the Trader Joe's or Sargento Mexican Blend).

Compare the Nutrition Information here to the information posted on the Jack-in-the-Box website:
713 calories, 19 g fat, 6 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 67 mg cholesterol, 1273 mg sodium, 109 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 27 g protein

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Our New Thai Restaurant ~ Silk Thai ~ Huntington Beach, CA

On a recommendation from two friends, I looked up Silk Thai reviews online and became very excited to find an opportunity to try the restaurant. The reviews were raving and many gave specific dishes to try. I wrote down some of the suggestions and took them with tonight after running some errands with Dan.

We arrived and were pleased to see that it was crowded enough to know that it was a popular restaurant but not so crowded that we had to wait to get seated. The restaurant is fairly small and simply decorated. It is definitely not a fancy place but it is clean and welcoming. It is a good environment for a date or a family meal, although if you're still in the "Trying to Impress" phase of the relationship you may want to go somewhere fancier.

The staff is very friendly and took our order quickly. We ordered the Fresh Rolls with Shrimp (Spring Rolls) as our appetizer. It came with peanut sauce to dip. The saltiness of the peanut sauce balanced well with the sweet basil and fresh mint inside of the roll. The lettuce and cucumber added nice crunch. We did have to wait a little while for our appetizer because the restaurant got very busy. People were coming in to pick up to go orders, the phone was ringing with people making orders, and several people came in to eat at the restaurant all at the same time.

I ordered the Pad Kee Mao with Chicken (Drunken Noodles). The Thai name of the dish was on my list of recommendations and I was pleased to see the American name because Drunken Noodles is one of my favorite Thai dishes. For most of the entrees, you can choose how spicy you want it. I ordered mine medium and it had the perfect level of heat for my taste. It had Thai chilis sliced thin, which I had never had before. They have a heat like wasabi (although a little stronger) ~ it kicks you hard but wears off quickly. This dish rivaled the best Drunken Noodles I've had in the past. I liked the addition of a little bit of Romaine lettuce in the dish. It helped cool off some of the heat from the chilis and also added crispness.

Dan ordered the Crying Tiger, one of the most raved about entrees from the reviews that I read. It's thinly sliced, marinated Angus beef cooked medium rare served with a lime dressing. I'm not a red meat fan but this dish may have converted me (at least temporarily). I can't put a finger on the flavors but the marinade and dressing were delicious!

We ordered the fried rice as a side dish, which I thought was pretty average and not worth the extra calories. Dan thought it was the best part of the meal. Pretty typical of us to have different opinions on food.

Next time we go (and there will be a next time), we will save room for the Crispy Banana Roll with Ice Cream for dessert. The lunch and dinner specials seem like a great deal. We didn't order the dinner special tonight because it seemed like too much food. Each dinner special comes with a small Thai beer or glass of wine, house salad, appetizer of the day, rice, a choice of main dishes, and dessert of the day for $14.99. What a great deal!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Great Burgers in a Great Atmosphere ~ Hodad's ~ Ocean Beach, San Diego

Hodad's is the first restaurant that I went to after starting a list of restaurants that I wanted to go to. I heard about it on the Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate". I went to San Diego with Dan, my great friend Jessica, and her man, Doug, for the weekend with Hodad's on my mind. We stayed Downtown in the Gaslamp District but drove to Ocean Beach for lunch after driving down in the morning. As we walked up to Hodad's we saw a line and asked someone at the front how long they had been waiting. Since they said only 30 minutes, we decided to wait and let me tell you we were glad that we did! The gentlemen were lovely enough to wait in the heat and allow us ladies to go across the street to a Mexican restaurant for a beer. The wait did end up being approximately 30 minutes.

The environment inside was lively. Metallica was playing loud enough to get us rocking but not so loud that we couldn't talk. There were thousands of personalized license plates hung over every inch of the walls. We ordered beers and frings which came out very quickly. The onion rings were sliced thick and fried to a crisp. The french fries were steak cut and were cooked to perfection. Even better, Doug asked if they had Guinness and even though they didn't, the waitress recommended a great microbrewed beer that had a similar taste.

The hamburger that was featured on the Food Network was the double bacon cheeseburger. Doug had the guts to order it and was gracious enough to let me try it. This might be the best burger on the planet. What makes it different than other bacon cheeseburgers? The ingredients tasted very fresh and the meat was seasoned well. But what really stands out is the bacon. The cooked bacon strips are laid on the flat top and cooked until the make a patty. A delicious patty of bacon. Dan ordered a regular cheeseburger while Jessica and I ordered mini cheeseburgers. We were all very happy with the size and flavor of our burgers. I can't think of a better burger that I've ever had.

In addition to the waitress recommending a great beer, the service remained to be quick and friendly the entire time we were there.

Hodad's is a definite must try. Next time we're in San Diego, we will definitely go back!

Overrated Sliders ~ White Manna ~ Hackensack, NJ

The White Manna is neither coastal nor is it in OC but I think it's worth a review. I keep a running list of restaurants that I want to try in cities that I think I will be in. New Jersey is on the list because Dan lived there until he was 28. On a trip to visit his Mom and friends after Christmas, we took the opportunity to visit the White Manna. It made the list after I saw it on The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network.

How the Food Network got their camera crew as well as Guy Fieri inside of this small diner, I will never know. It is located on the banks of the Hackensack River and is what looks like a small box car. We drove the 30 miles from Dan's hometown to Hackensack during rush hour on a weekday; it took about an hour to get there. The diner wasn't too crowded when we arrived but began to fill up quickly. It took about 10 minutes before the guy at the griddle was ready to take our order and another 10 minutes after that to get our burgers. Fortunately we were able to find a seat but the people behind us were forced to stand, shoulder to shoulder. We both ordered sliders with cheese and onions and we shared a side of fries. I wanted pickles with my sliders but it was impossible to get anyone's attention. Dan tried for a couple of minutes and then I told him not to bother because I didn't want his food to get cold. The fries were just the way I like them - crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. However the sliders were nothing to write home about. After eating, it took at least 15 minutes to get the one other employee's attention so that we could pay for our food. I was standing directly next to the cash register holding money but he kept helping other people who hadn't been waiting before me.

If I lived in New Jersey, I wouldn't give the White Manna another thought. Between the hassle of getting there and the bad service, along with the average tasting food, it wasn't worth it.

It was fun to check a restaurant off of my list though!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Italian Food That's Usually Good, Sometimes Mediocre ~ Luigi's Ristorante ~ Huntington Beach, CA

I've had good food at Luigi's but occasionally the food is only mediocre. Tonight, I ordered the baked trout dish and was not happy with it. The trout had quite a few bones in it and they weren't just pin bones; the sauce didn't have great flavor. However the jumbo prawns that were served on top of the trout were delicious! Dan ordered the mild Italian sausage with peppers and onions on a bed of penne with marinara sauce. This dish was good but nothing out of the ordinary.

I have a special place in my heart for Luigi's because it was the place that Dan and I ate on our second date. That night and a few other times I've had the Chicken Marsala, which I've never been disappointed with. The sauce is sweet and the chicken is pounded thin. About a year and a half ago, we went with several of my family members. As usual, I had to taste everybody's dish. My niece, Daisy, ordered the Chicken Fettucini Alfredo. The Fettucini was freshly made and the sauce was perfect. If I know my younger brother well, Kyle ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. And I believe my older brother Doug ordered a pizza which ended up being a bit doughy. Dan generally orders the Chicken Parmesan which is also pounded thin and crispy. My Aunt Julie and Kyle's girlfriend, Tracy were also there. That day everything that I tried was delicious and everybody was thoroughly impressed.

The portions are fairly large and we've never had bad service. The outside seating is great for people watching. Luigi's doesn't compare to our favorite Italian in downtown Huntington, Luggati's, but it will have to do because Luggati's just went out of business.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

How is Sheperd's Pie This Good?

Tonight I was trying to figure out what to do with some leftover roasted turkey and mashed potatoes. I decided to make my own version of Shepherd's Pie. This will definitely go into my recipe notebook; Dan and I both rated it a 5 star recipe. I think the secret is the mashed potatoes but the seasoning in the gravy really added flavor, too.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

9 Yukon Gold potatoes, peel half of them
1/2 cup buttermilk
1.5 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp light cream cheese (I used the whipped cream cheese from Trader Joe's)
2 tbsp light sour cream
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

In a large pot, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender (until a fork goes in and comes out of the potatoes easily). Drain potatoes and add back to the hot pot to evaporate any remaining water. Add remaining ingredients (except parsely) to pot and mash to desired consistency. I like my potatoes a bit lumpy and rustic, which is why I only peeled half of the potatoes. Lightly fold in parsley.

1.5 tbsp butter
1.5 tbsp flour
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
a pinch of: ground sage, ground thyme, freshly ground black pepper, poultry seasoning, salt
6 oz roasted turkey breast, shredded
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted (mine had corn, peas, carrots, and green beans)
1.5 cup mashed potatoes
paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a pan. Whisk in flour and cook 2 min. Slowly whisk in chicken broth. Start with a couple tablespoons and whisk until completely smooth to avoid lumps. Add a couple tablespoons at a time, whisking until completely smooth in between. Add all seasonings except paprika and cook 5 min, whisking often. Add turkey breast and mixed vegetables and cook until warmed. Spoon turkey mixture into the bottom of a 1.5 quart casserole dish. Spread potatoes on top and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cook covered 10 min; remove cover and cook an additional 10 min or until bubbly. If potatoes are leftover and come from the refrigerator, increase covered cooking time approximately 10 minutes.