Happy Harbor Restaurant

Okay, so I must admit to being very behind on posting. >_< Many apologies, but I think the food content in this next entry will make up for the long wait…maybe. A few weeks ago, I was very fortunate to be treated to dinner along with my parents by my parents’ friends at the Happy Harbor Restaurant in Rowland Heights, CA because this friend happens to be not only exceedingly generous, but also one of very refined taste, so I had the chance to dine on some of the best that this restaurant had to offer, and could not pass it up. It works out perfectly because I got an angle quite a bit different than either Elmomonster or Mmm-yoso! so it won’t be utterly repetitive.

The first dish was of sea cucumbers and an unknown chewy substance, sautéed with scallions and a bit of ginger. My mother thought that it was julienned geo-duck clam (also known as giant clam, or marugai when sashimi) however I’m not sure about this claim because I wasn’t immediately repulsed by the taste of it, and the texture was unfamiliar. The texture could be different because for once, it was actually seasoned and cooked, however I feel the sauce might have been too delicate to mask that distinctive flavor that I’ve come to dislike so much.

The next course, which I completely forgot to photograph, was a platter of freshly caught amaebi (sweet shrimp) sashimi. They were delightfully sweet and briny with a satisfying crunch gleaned only from the freshest shrimp, however I hold with my previous preference that they be cooked rather than raw. While delicious in either form, I must favor the supple crunch of the cooked version, over the somewhat slimy crunch of the raw.

This next dish is refreshingly creative and actually just plain refreshing. Served as a cold dish somewhat akin to a salad, it featured slices of real abalone and cooked sweet shrimp on a bed of fresh, sliced honeydew, cantaloupe and tomato, dressed in sweet mayonnaise and garnished with bright maraschino cherries. Arriving beautifully arranged on a large platter, it was quickly and skillfully divvied up amongst the 11 diners, hence the minor disarray pictured above. The abalone was perfectly supple and tender bouncing marvelously to all corners of my mouth before smoothly sliding down the gullet. To my surprise, the ripe melons were the perfect accompaniment to the abalone and shrimp; playing up the subtle salty sweetness of both, while tasting even sweeter with the mayonnaise dressing. Unfortunately, I don’t like mayonnaise so I spent several minutes scraping off as much as possible, but I will concede that it did well to bring out the innate flavors of each ingredient and harmonizing them. In my personal opinion, the tomato and cherry didn’t contribute anything to the dish except aesthetic appeal. Their flavors didn’t mesh with the others, and quite simply, they were just... there; probably just edible garnishes.

At this point, I’m about half full when a large bowl of shark fin soup with shredded crab meat. In my previous experience, shark fin soup contains a few small shreds of the delicacy so I was utterly flabbergasted when I gazed into my bowl and found a gigantic slice the size of my hand. Unfortunately, such was my surprise that I totally forgot to take a picture of it. Such sadness… Aside from the obvious deliciousness of the shark fin itself, the soup was delicious in its own right. A far cry from the usual thick gravy-like consistency of other specimens of the same name, this version had a reduced consommé filled with lump crabmeat.

Now this is one of the most amazing dishes I have ever beheld. Abalone is already a delicacy but this particular kind is even more uncommon. It is bigger in size than those found in the fruit/salad dish previously mentioned and has an extraordinary texture. I took a few extra pictures that will speak for themselves and shall thus refrain from gushing like a little school girl.
The first picture displays knife marks in this remarkably tender piece of abalone that I’d delicately sliced. The latter picture exists merely because I found the appearance of the slice comparable to the grain pattern of wood. Incredibly tender without the slightest bit of mushiness, this luscious shellfish gave easily between the teeth with a subtle rebound. Accompanied by clear, somewhat viscous gravy, steamed broccoli and chicken’s feet, this dish was stewed to perfection.

A massive dish of lobster was then presented before being removed and portioned by the server. Tangy and slightly salty, this was a preparation unfamiliar to me. At best guess, the lobster was sautéed with chopped scallions, cracked black pepper, soy sauce or black bean sauce, some sprigs of an unfamiliar herb and something unidentifiable that accounted for the tanginess of the flavor. Sweet and succulent it was obviously very fresh and wonderfully prepared.

Chilean sea bass with asparagus appeared next. By this time, I was beyond full, so I merely took a small bite and gave the rest to my mother who had hers wrapped up to take home. It was flaky and tender and very lightly seasoned in a way that could be considered somewhat bland. Although sea bass is quite delicious and this dish was well prepared and beautiful in presentation, it was admittedly a little boring after the magnificent fare that came before.

Fried rice appeared next, as though to ensure that no one went home feeling hungry. Most everyone had their portion boxed up to take home but I took a couple small bites before committing it to the Styrofoam. This was my least favorite dish of the evening. Not because it was not a delicacy, but rather that it was bland in taste, boring in texture and decidedly unimpressive. Though scattered through with different ingredients that probably should have beheld a variety of textures and flavors (including bits of unknown brown stuff), the dish looked far more appealing than it tasted.

For dessert, bird spit! I was quite wary with this one. A lightly sweetened almond soup speckled with gelatinous lumps. Sound familiar? No, these were not merely large, overcooked tapioca balls (an initial, fleeting thought of mine) but fairly flavorless bits of birds nest. O_o?! You mean birds nests aren’t made of sticks and straw??! A Chinese delicacy, these particular nests are made of the gummy saliva of the swiftlet. Harvesting these nests from cave walls is a treacherous task and bowls of this luxurious dish can apparently range from $30-$100 in Hong Kong. This was a special dish indeed, even if it was a bit of an acquired taste. For those who have not tasted this dish, I feel the texture can be likened to a sweet equivalent of fish maw soup.

Finally, a large platter of second dessert! The burnt orange object on the right was a sweet potato flavored hybrid of sweet and salty mochi. Fried like the savoury version, but filled with a red bean paste like some kinds of the sweet variant, the sweet potato attributed a delightful pairing of flavours. On the left was a specimen of the same outer texture, but filled with a black sesame paste and dyed to a delightful green.

All-in-all it was an amazing experience! I highly recommend this restaurant because the chefs are so skilled in preparing cuisine of any price range and almost everything is bound to be delicious.

Myung Dong Tofu House and Sushi Kamon(in Diamond Bar and City of Industry, respectively)

So on Fathers' Day, I got very lucky in terms of cuisine. Being that I'd just returned from college and that my family is moving away soon, my parents decided to let me pick where we went out to eat for the day. The final picks: Myung Dong Tofu House and sushi (well technically my dad picked the place, I just clamoured for some sushi ^_^) This tofu house has become so successful that they have opened up several chain locations, one each in Diamond Bar, West Covina, and Rancho Cucamonga. The japanese restaurant in question is called Restaurant Kamon, but most people know it better as Sushi Kamon.

The sushi place is down the street from Myung Dong and across the street from the bookstore where I spent my afternoon as my parents went off to take care of some business at the office. The bookstore was the smallest Barnes and Nobles I have ever had the displeasure to see -_-^ but that is a story for another time. Ok ok, less babbling and more pictures:


My parents and I always get the combinations that come with rice cooked in the stonepot, tofu soup, with one each of galbi and bulgogi and in the past we've tried the shrimp and scallop, which is quite good as well, but not a favorite, so this time we opted to try something new, and my mom and I tried the "fish grilled with seasonings."

But first, banchan! :D

I love their banchan, even if it is a little bit different everytime I go (which is to be expected considering I've only been a few times in the last three years). Today, the cubes of stewed beef are tender and sweet, as if foreshadowing the tender sweetness of the bbq to follow, ending with a very subtle flare of spicyness. The potatoes are also stewed in a sweet sauce until tender and melts so soft it is easily cut with a pair of chopsticks and practically disintegrates on the tongue before it is even chewed. The cold sauteed bean sprouts crunch sweetly and cleanly between the tongue before melting away. Okay, I admit it.. I'm a big wimp and spiciness kicks my ass.. so I am not a huge fan of kimchi.. >_< I'm not sure whether this next appetizer counts as banchan or not.. but it's probably my favorite of all. Korean style pancake? I find it interesting that I like it so much even though I have no idea what it consists of. I can identify the green onion and red bell pepper embedded within, but the texture is so soft and crispy at the same time, I have no idea what kind of flour it's made with. Rice? cornmeal? plain wheat? @_@ The yellow color makes me think there's some egg in it, but it must be thoroughly incorporated into the batter because it doesn't quite taste like eggs either.. I'm mystified but it's delicious nevertheless!



I always ate the default one day, I saw a sign saying that black rice was available; I tried it and since then, that's all I eat. The black rice is slightly sweet, with some peas and a hard bean inside as well as some kind of fruit that I believe are called chinese jujubes or red dates. I have decided that my favorite bites of black rice are those containing morsels of these soft reddish delights. The stickiness of the black rice is perfectly paired with the melting sweetness of the dates.


Next we have non-spicy (>_<) tofu soup. No, despite what it looks like in this picture, it is not murky water in a stone pot. The soup arrives boiling vigorously in which one must immediately crack the egg, and push tofu on top so that the egg will partially cook and take on the texture of a barely firm custard, not dissimilar to that of the tofu itself. The tofu is very soft and silky and by the time it arrives in your mouth, it has absorbed the perfect amount of saltiness and flavor from the soup. The soup itself contains also contains a couple types of mushrooms and some green onions, and in my personal opinion is enough for a small meal (I often take only a few mouthfuls, opting instead to take it home as another delightful meal or snack).

The first protein to be served was the bulgogi. Tender slices of beef marinated in a sweet soy-based sauce (whose recipe is unfortunately unknown to myself or I would make it at least once a week, I love it so) and cooked with mushrooms and onions until the onions become very tender and sweet as it sizzles on the iron pan.



Next, the galbi. The meat is also tender but has a chewier texture than that of the bulgogi and sometimes stubbornly clings to the bone resulting in a deliciously messy fight that I prefer to not have in public. I am always kind of amused by the cow plate that it is served on though... :)



The fish was delicious. It was perfectly salty and crispy on the outside (enough so that the bones were rendered crunchy and edible) and the flesh itself, flaky, juicy and tender enough to melt.

Finally, with the check came a few colourful candies that I fought the urge to photograph. Ok I lost the battle, so.. here it is: my red hardcandy that was so prettily swirled with a subtle white.


For dinner, my mom and I selected a few kinds of sashimi (with a piece each for her and I as my dad doesn't eat seafood of any kind, except seaweed, so he opted instead for a beef teriyaki and shrimp/vegetable tempura combination box) and a shrimp/asparagus cut roll and spider roll. Unfortunately, between talking to/watching the sushi chef, and listening to both parents talking to me and shoving things on my plate (I sat between them at the sushi bar) I ate with wild abandon before remembering to take some pictures.. but it was too late. We were almost done eating but there was still half a spider roll so I took a picture of that. >_<

The sashimi consisted of a hamachi (yellowtail, my mom's favorite), uni (sea urchin "roe" but is actually sea urchin gonads, something I'd heard about and wanted to try), giant clam (I wanted to try scallops but must have pointed wrong because this is what my mom ordered and I decided to try it anyway), amaebi (sweet shrimp, also something new I'd heard about and wanted to try) and my personal favorite: toro (or what I thought was my favorite, except it was way more amazing than I remembered).

The yellowtail didn't look or taste like any other kind of yellowtail that I'd ever had (which is usually kind of plain tasting.. if that makes sense) but this piece was very flavorful but not fishy, and strangely, just like what I thought toro tasted like but it was a different color, somewhat darker than the yellowtail that I'm used to. The sea urchin gonads were very interesting. At first taste, I thought it was tasty, but then (since we had five pieces of it, as five are in each urchin) with each morsel that I ate, the taste got to be too strong and I felt almost compelled to dull it with some julienned cucumber (which is weird considering I don't particularly like cucumber, and sometimes feel that I dislike it). The giant clam turned out to be geo-duck clam which I have long since decided that I don't like. I've had it many times, encountering various degrees of freshness as well as different degrees of cooking and amount of seasoning/flavoring and still there's a very particular flavor to it that I strongly dislike, so after taking a small bite, my mom had to eat the rest. The amaebi was pretty delicious but I've got to admit that I like it much better cooked. Not that I mind, but the texture was not unlike that which a non-sashimi eater might imagine of raw fish and therefore feel disinclined to try it: that soft, kind of slimy, texture with a slight residue that lingers on the tongue (that is quite dissimilar to raw fish). The deep-fried shrimp head was absolutely delicious, though I must admit I spent several seconds gazing at it while trying to figure out how best to attack it ^_~. Toro was simply heavenly. It was so thoroughly marbled with fat that it really melted on the tongue. I thought for sure I'd had toro before, but never anything like that, so maybe not. I did wonder how it was possible for a piece of fish to melt, but now I know!

The shrimp/asparagus roll and the spider roll were both decent though I was too full to enjoy it properly. One thing that I distinctly remember is that the spider roll had bigger pieces of soft shell crab inside than most other places I've been too, which is a big plus for this place. All too often, it is so small that it is simply overwhelmed by cucumber and rice (though, I've grown so accustomed to sashimi that anything more than a small dab of rice seems too much and too filling... I like trying lots of different things and all the rice from a cut roll keeps me from eating more than the equivalent of a whole cut roll) . Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of white rice, especially sticky rice! ^_^ But for some reason I can't eat that much sushi rice (hehe I know it's redundant but ya know..) maybe its the vinegar?


I had a bit of my dad's bento too so I will also comment on that. The rice was perfectly fluffy and sticky and absolutely delicious (I love Japanese rice, anyone know what kind it is? Some say jasmine rice, but I feel like there's all kinds of jasmine rice, and I don't really like the long grained kind..which is usually the kind served in Chinese restaurants. I mean, I'll eat it, but I never get the same enjoyment out of it). The beef teriyaki was slightly over-sauced, but quickly remedied by a deft twist of the wrist (a little scraping! :D) but it was very tender and obviously relatively high-quality beef. The tempura was quite good. The batter was nicely delicate and crunchy (though my mom says it can't compare to anything in Taiwan or Japan, as I apparently will find out later this year, but for the US it's quite good) and slightly seasoned so that it was still good without the dipping sauce, unlike the gummy blandness of some other restaurants.

Overall, an excellent day! :)

First cooking lesson and treats from JJ Bakery - Irvine

I've never been very good at cooking, at least on the stove. I can do prep work, and baking, and simple things like spaghetti with meat sauce, japanese ramen, chinese pork chops, and pan-seared steak, but things like vegetables always turn out kind of dry and funky.. so, as an official first lesson of the summer, we started with cabbage with mini-shrimp otherwise known as "tzao gao li tsai"(please excuse me as I butcher chinese romanization.) I think it's called Sauteed Taiwanese cabbage in English, or maybe cabbage stir-fry?

I think in America, cabbage tends to get a bad rep because many Americans are all too familiar with the reek of overcooked, boiled cabbage. Personally, I love cooked cabbage and am amazed at the tastes and textures that all exist in one head of cabbage. There is an innate sweetness that comes from Taiwanese cabbage(available in most asian supermarkets), that is less distinct in the American version.

American cabbage (left) is a brighter green with a more spherical shape. Raw leaves have a crunchier texture than that of their Taiwanese cousin (right). The Taiwanese cabbage is paler in colour with a flatter shape, and sweeter taste. The texture of the uncooked leaves is less crunchy, and more tender and tastes much better cooked than raw(in my humble opinion).

The leaves cook much more quickly than the base of the leaves, so the bases must be added first and allowed to soften a bit before the addition of the leafy units, so that the leaves don't get overcooked and become mushy. When fully cooked, the bases release sweet broth in one's mouth, and the leaves themselves are tender and seem to melt on the tongue. All this is achieved quite simply with only a few ingredients: a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil, a small handful of dried mini-shrimp, coarsely chopped taiwanese cabbage, a dash of salt, and if desired- a dash of chicken boullion powder and voila!



For dessert, my mom handed me a big white ball in a little square pink paper cup that I eyed warily before realizing that it was a really FAT mochi. The sticky rice powder wrapping encased a mini strawberry shortcake. Ingenious! It's so simple and delicious and yet I'd never had anything similar before. Instead of the usual red bean, black sesame, peanut or lotus seed fillings that I'd previously encountered, there was a small piece of vanilla spongecake, some real whipped cream and a whole fresh strawberry. Amazing. (I'll add a picture as soon as we get some more... I tried taking a picture earlier today but my mom informed me that they'd all been eaten already! hehe)


I've been an avid fan of the dry milk powder buns since I was a kid; especially the ones that my mom makes, though unfortunately, she hasn't made any for a good decade...( note to self: convince her to teach me how to make them :D) so imagine my delight when I discovered a bakery that makes an even better version: a milk powder bun with an extra filling made of real taro paste! If you've ever had real taro, you know how insufficient artificial taro flavoring can be (especially in bubble tea, I still cannot understand why the fake purple liquid is so popular) Suffice it to say, this became a new favorite until I left for college. Yesterday, I revisited the bakery and had another of these delicious buns. However, I must express my regret that the one I had yesterday was not nearly as good as I remembered. The filling has been much diminished in portion, so it becomes a small patty-like filling about half the size of my palm, enshrouded in lots of bread, rather than the delicate roll that I used to be so fond of. And I've noticed that prices have gone up too, on some items, as much as 2 dollars. Alas.. inflation sucks sometimes.

But the mochi is from the same bakery so it's still a decent bakery and they have some nice mousse cakes, though I'm not entirely sure what the bakery is called. I thought it was another branch of the JJ Bakery, but elmomonster called it J Sweet Bakery, and yellowpages lists a bakery called Double J Bakery that is on Walnut and Jeffery (in Irvine) and I think that must be it. It's next door to Tapioca Express and in the same shopping center as the 99 Ranch Market on Walnut, across from the street from the shopping center that houses Yogurtland.

I think this is the right address
Double J Bakery
(949) 654-1768
5408 Walnut Ave
Irvine, CA 92604

*edit 6/22/07 pictures of fat mochi next to quarter added*

Introduction

I have never been much of a writer so this will be a trial blog for me, but I hope to expand my writing skills as well as photography skills (or current lack thereof). I am however, a munchkin because I am of petite stature and I do so love to munch, or pretty much anything that has to do with food. If this takes, well I suppose we shall see where it goes! :) Any comments and/or critiques are much appreciated!

To begin, I'm spending my last month in Irvine, before my family moves to Klamath Falls, Or. and then at the end of summer, I will be spending a couple weeks in Japan and Taiwan before going back to school in Seattle. Elmomonster has so inspired me with his own blog, that I have decided to create a blog to record all the fun eatings as I dance from place to place over the next few months. I am also including discussion on any new food related skills I pick up: ranging from basic Taiwanese family style cooking, which my mother will be teaching me, to barista-ing. I might also include experimentation with various baking and dessert-making techniques. Stay tuned for the life and eats of a student foodie! If anyone is interested in shared posting on this blog, shoot me an email and we'll make it happen.

cheers all,
Dancing Munchkin