Pink’s Hot Dogs
(clockwise from the left: Mullholland Drive Dog, seasoned fries, Pepsi, tamale topped with chili and nacho cheese, side of nacho cheese and chili cheese dog)
After several months, Wes and I finally visited Pink’s in Buena Park. I read the menu to Wes while he was driving and I think he was having trouble deciding what to order because he almost got on the wrong freeway!
When we got there, it wasn’t too busy so we were able to order quickly and find a seat. (By the time we left, it was starting to pick up.) My meal is pretty self-explanatory. I got the chili cheese dog and tamale smothered in chili and nacho cheese. Wes ordered the Mullholland Drive Dog, which is their 10” Stretch Dog with grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, nacho cheese and bacon.
There were a couple of other items we wanted to try, so we’ll be back again. At least we won’t have to drive to LA and stand in a two-hour line to get our Pink’s fix!
Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish
So I finally got around to uploading a picture of the entree from our cooking class at Roy’s. Boy was it delicious! The recipe included ingredients such as black cod, miso, soy sauce, bell peppers, onions and some oil to cook the fish. They make it seem so easy and yet I know it would take me twice as long just to prep the ingredients. I sure hope my end result is half as good as theirs when I attempt this on my own.
I was encouraged to attend the class by a friend who shares my enthusiasm for Roy’s. I had been curious about the cooking demonstration with Partner Chef Ron Plata, but when I learned that we would also get to eat, I was sold! (Then again, it never takes much to convince me to eat at Roy’s!)
The class is actually monthly; depending on how busy they are, they might schedule two classes to try and accommodate all the folks who are interested in attending. Ron was really friendly and open to answering any questions. He and his sous chef were thoroughly entertaining. And luckily for us, our class included a group of people who knew how to let loose and have fun, so that in itself was very amusing.
Just a few comments on the roll and dessert. The Lakanilau roll was excellent! I am an extremely picky eater. I do not like anything green, but I ate everything in this roll and did not pick out any of the green bits…it was that good. And once I saw the ingredients for the Caramel Macadamia Nut Tarts, I knew it would be divine. I left the class very satisfied and very full. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend this month’s class but I can’t wait for next month! Hopefully I will make it then!
Toro Sushi (Fatty Tuna) @ Takaraya in Orange
We found Takaraya on Tustin Street though Yelp. A terrible experience was had the night before at some sushi place near Disneyland on Katella - quite forgettable as I don’t even care to rememer the name. All I recall was that it was by a McDonalds and was part of a series of loft apartments on Katella.
So naturally we had to make up for the bad experience. Tak’s was good if not great. The conversation for the evening revolved around the difficulties of marriage with children, and how during challenging times it can all spiral downwards with a lack of understanding and communication. It seems so easy to blame the other person when situations develop unfavorably and unexpectedly that I have to admit that I really admire those who have the commitment to make it work. Also, the iPad is nice.
Herb Grilled Chicken with Three Cheese Risotto
Happy Easter! The risotto was from Fresh and Easy market, and was their branded rice was very easy to make if not time consuming. The uncooked rice is toasted in olive oil, and then boiled and later simmered in water, butter, and the include seasoning. I added grilled chicken that had been marinated in butter, lemon, pepper and random herbs on hand. The picture includes two servings of the risotto at 300 calories and a sliced chicken breast at about 150 calories. the risotto was surprisingly flavorful despite coming from a box, and recommended if a fan of this type of rice. I think shrimp would also go well with it. While I was making lunch, Steph was cleaning the dishes while watching Dancng with the Stars using the ABC Player app on her new iPad. That also was quite delicious.
Caramel Macadamia Nut Tart
This was the finishing touch as the third course of Roy’s Hawaiian cooking class. I do not remember the recipe, which I am sure is a travesty that Steph will rectify once she sees this post, but I vaguely recall that it consists of a disporportionate number of unhealthy and savory ingredients (i.e. sugar, cream, eggs, butter, more eggs, and more butter).
In addition to the appetizer roll referenced in the previous post and the aforementioned dessert, we watched prepared and throughly enjoyed the Roy’s signature Hawaiian-style Miyosaki Butterfish. I was already ready to eat at this point and did not give myself an opportunity to take a picture. Hopefully Steph was able to control her self and can put one up later.
Lakanilau Roll
We had this at Roy’s Hawaiian in Anaheim as part of the weekly cooking class by executive chef Ron Plata. The roll consists of Wagyu beef (think Kobe beef not from Kobe, Japan), snow crab, tempura asparagus, avocado, sesame miso (love anything miso), and truffled greens. The roll was prepared much like any other roll, although the most enjoyable part of making this dish is the need for a blowtorch to cook the beef that is layered on top.
When Steph signed us up for the class, I thought we would be getting our hands dirty and making the food ourselves. What I dreaded most was having to eat what was attempted. Luckily, the chef demonstrates the preparation of the dish, and the kitchen staff prepare the meal the correct way. You simply watch, and then eat, each course.
I hear executive chef, and I imaging a stuffy, older gentlemen wearing chef’s whites and a big poofy hat. Ron was truly a down-to-earth guy. He was just a regular guy who likes to cook and has no problem sharing that passion with others. Surprisingly, he communicated regularly by phone and email with those in the class who frequent these sessions, handing out tips and advice or just shooting the shit. Through this easy and natural reaching out to the local community, Roy’s definitely went up a few notches on my restaurant totem pole. It makes sense now why Steph absolutely adores this place.
Lemon Rosemary Salmon
We got this recipe from a Lifehacker post about cooking cleanly and quickly with nothing but a baking sheet. I would follow the link to get full details on the complete meal, which included a side of veggies and potatoes and was more food than we needed. We cut it down and simply added rice, which absolutely must be incorporated in every meal somehow in an Asian household /stereotypes.
For our meal, we took an 8 oz. pink salmon steak and brushed both sides with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. We placed a few slices of lemon and some fresh sprigs of rosemary, and wrapped the whole thing up in foil and baked for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. A cup of cooked medium grain white rice and a cup of sauteed mushrooms for me (none for Steph of course) completed the dish. A full meal at 700 calories - not too shabby.
The food smelled great, and the lemon and rosemary aroma really made this dish sing. Cleanup was super quick with just two plates to clean since everything was prepared in the foil and on the baking sheet.
We also tried this with chicken a few nights later, and it wasn’t that good. I would definitely do this with just fish.
Mini “Pizzas”
This was our first attempt at making mini pizzas, not quite from scratch. Trust us, it tasted much better than it looked. Presentation will definitely be worked on in the future. For instance, we would cube the chicken smaller or do pulled chicken next time. For each “pizza,” we used a 1/2 slice of Oroweat sandwich thins, a tablespoon of marinara sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella 2% cheese, and 1/4th of a grilled chicken breast seasoned lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper - all baked for 10 minutes. It was pretty filling at 285 calories a piece, and two of them made a great lunch.
Delicious crepe we picked up in Orange County.
CA Roll @ Sake’s
Mixed Sushi @ Sake’s
Spicy Ramen @ Sake Sushi and Grill (again!)
Crunchy Tempura Shrimp Roll @ Sake Sushi & Grill
Spicy Lobster Dyna Roll @ Sake Sushi & Grill
Ramen @ Sake Sushi & Grill
