Category Archives: Lifestyle

Lovely buffet at Culina at the Four Seasons

11 Sunday Aug 2019

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Through the ups and downs of life, one thing that seems to offer a small respite from the sometimes harsh reality is the blessing of a good meal in a very comfortable,  elegant setting, which for a brief instance, enables one the chance to forget and escape.

There was a very enticing deal for the “market buffet” at Culina at the Four seasons in Beverly Hills, so we decided to give it a try. It had been quite a number of years since we were there for dinner.

The restaurant looked a bit updated since my last visit, and we were seated by the window next to the patio where there was a bridal shower party, so the mood became very festive and fun.

The food was beautifully laid out across the bar area in big platters, amongst striking floral arrangements. Even though there were not an enormous amount of offerings, the selections were solid and good.

There were fish tacos on blue corn tortillas, flank steaks and chicken for the protein, and lots of varieties of salads. Being that I love avocados, I was totally content with the big bowl of guacamole next to all the cheeses and charcuterie.

Since it was a Saturday, there was a cook-to-order omelette station as well as savory crepes. I ordered a crepe with smoked salmon and cheese, and it was really good!

I did not find the dessert to be exceptional, so I only ate a small amount and opted to have more of the very fresh fruit selections which included dragon fruit, kiwis, blueberries, pineapples, …

I really enjoyed my time there because of the overall setting and ambiance. I would highly recommend going there not just for the above average food selection but also for a time to relax and escape.

Culina at Four Seasons: 300 Doheny Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90048 Phone: 310-860-4000

 

 

 

Simply San Diego

24 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in American Food, Food, French Food, Italian Food, Lifestyle, Travel

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While life can certainly be filled with many different surprises, the unexpected can at times really throw us off  –  some are good surprises that give us joy, hope, comfort, and happiness, and some…can hurt, really really hurt, and leave you hanging with uncertainties, and disbelief…

The days before, during and after my relatively short trip to San Deigo encompassed a mixture of these surprises which left me to ponder how truly fast and sudden events in life can change from one moment to another.

The month leading up to the trip was the beginning of a revelation, a test of  tolerance, and love. First of all, the trip itself was somewhat unexpected, but very welcomed. I was to accompany my boss who wanted to cheer on her daughter who was going with her school on an athletic competition.

Aside from her attending some of the games, the daily activities were to take photos at scenic locations, and look for good places to eat. The food was of course the best part for me. I searched and read reviews and looked at all the Yelp’s photos to decipher which would be the best choices for her and me.

Most of the ones we did try turned out to be excellent and delightful. The first place we stopped at was lunch at a restaurant named Baci Ristorante.  The restaurant was totally empty when we got there, which made me feel a bit uneasy, but we were told that the reason was because it was the day after Christmas.  Since we were there already, we decided just to stay and try. Being the only customers, the waiter was naturally attentive,  even the owner came over to greet us, and shared with us the history of his restaurant. Later on after the meal, took us on a tour of the whole place and explained to us the stories behind all the artwork, which turned out to have been created by a relative of his who had since passed away. Some of his work were in fact quite distinguished. And after that, he even took us next door to a much more casual restaurant run by his son.

The food turned out to be so much better than expected, in fact, they were excellent in taste and preparations. We started with a white wine reccommended by our waiter. The steamed black mussels in wine and garlic was exceptionally fresh, plentiful and perfect in flavor. My Veal Chop Lamberti topped with roasted garlic, appeared simple, and yet was outstandingly executed, and my boss enjoyed her Swordfish Oregonato, cooked also with white wine and garlic. Everything, the food, the wine, the ambience, the encounter with the owner,  made for a very special and magnificent afternoon.

Elegant yet unrestricted was how I woul describe  Mister A’s, one of San Diego’s finest restaurant on the twelth floor, minutes from downtown offering a spectacular view of San Deigo’s skyline. It had been a while since I felt the sophstication and polished attentiveness of the staff in a restaurant, “classy” would be the suitable word. THe restaurant offers modern American cuisine with influence from the French and the Mediterranean.

My Duck Confit with Fingerling potatoes and sauce Quercynoise was without a doubt the best that I had ever tasted. I usually choose not to eat the potatoes, but the ones on my plate were so different in taste and texture from other potatoes, that I ate them all with glee. There was not one thing that I could criticize about this dish!

The others at the table order the Surf and Turf , which included a Filet Mignon that was truly exceptional, as I was told.

I was again thinking of how very blessed I have been as we dined at George’s at the Cove, Ocean Terrace. The atmosphere and the view would certainly qualify this restaurant to be representational of the sun and fun of a beach town. Situated on the top level of a commercial building admist the bustling shops at the heart of La Jolla, we enjoyed our lunch overlooking the beautiful Pacific ocean with a gentle breeze and warm afternoon sun. I think this was what “being on vacation” is supposed to feel like, all the unpleasantness of life seemed to have disappeared if only for those moments.

The Spaghetti with Clams was an excellent choice for my boss, with ample amount of clams and huge shavings of parmesan. My Prosciutto and Fig Panini, though tasty, was just a tad disappointing because of the heavy bread. However, the ambience and the beauty of being there more than made up for whatever was lacking with the dish.

Foodwise, it definitely ranked amongst the top out of my recent trips, with the exception of Hong Kong. However, because of an incident that happened toward the end before returning to LA, I was reminded that with everything wonderful, there would be things to offset that a bit. The lesson taught me to try to be much more careful in all that I do as I move forward in life’s journey with God’s mercies.

Baci Ristorante – 1955 Morena Blvd. SanDiego, Ca 92110  Phone: 619-275-2094

Mister A’s – 2550 Fifth Ave, 12th Floor, San Diego, CA 92103  Phone: 619-239-1377

George’s at the Cove – 1250 Prospect St. La Jolla, CA 92037  Phone: 858-454-4244

Belvedere at The Peninsula – Simple and Elegant

24 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by in Food, French Food, Lifestyle

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It had been so manys years since I had the good fortune of dining at the Belvedere, before the restaurant was renovated to its current state.

I remembered the food to be superb, service excellent, but most of all, I felt really comfortable and at ease in its elegant surrounding. When DineLA came along, I was very thankful that Belvedere was brought up as one of the option – it was a little answered prayer.

The updated version of the restaurant looked not too different from what we remembered the place to be. Seemed a little bit more airy, perhaps due to the fact that I was seated facing the large windows with a very serene view of the garden-like setting.

This time, however, I did not feel as at ease as the previous. It might had been that the table was a smaller one situated in between two other tables that were placed rather closed to ours. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the people watching part since I could see very much of the whole dining room area from where I was.

The food was as good as I had hoped. We both ordered the French Onioin Soup to start. It was probably the only version that I had tasted that was not too salty – I do not understand why every single one I tried in the past had always been extremely salty. It was rich and flavorful with the largest piece of cheese topping that eventually filled us up so much that I was not even able to finish my entree.

The Duck Confit Orecchiette that I picked, though tasty, had a bit too much pasta in proportion to the duck. I actually found the Pork Belly with the Sweet Breads to be more enjoyable and satisfying, with the pork reminiscent of the Chinese roasted pork that I so adore.

 

Dessert was a perfect looking Chocolate Souffle of which I did not try since I was not having chocolate for that day. I opted for a simple Vanilla Ice Cream which did provide a soothing finish to a most pleasant and gratifying afternoon.

The Belvedere at the Peninsula Hotel: 9882 S Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212  Phone: 310-975-2736

 

 

 

Koi Palace – Dim Sum at its best!

01 Friday Jan 2016

Posted by in Chinese dessert, Chinese food, Food, Lifestyle, Travel

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I was really looking forward to meeting a great friend of mine of whom I have not seen for so many years. I grew up in the Bay Area, and it is always such a warm feeling to go back there and visit and see old friends.

The last time I was at Koi Palace was at least 10 or more years ago. I know it is extremely popular, but I did not realize that it was going to be so busy on a Monday afternoon past 1 pm.  We must have waited ait least 50 minutes or more before we were seated, but it was all so worth the wait the moment I sat down with my dear friend.

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The attention to details in the restaurant is admirable. The tables have Chinese drawings and calligraphy laminated on top. The teapot sat atop a porcelain stand. There were koi swimming in a small pond next to our table.

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The colorful dim sum menu is quite extensive, and I must applaud my friend for picking some of the best  dim sum for me to try.

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The Whole Abalone Minced Chicken Tart stood out as the most outstanding –  there was a whole small abalone that was cooked just right atop a delicious pie crust with chunks of tender chicken inside – easily one of the best dim sum I have ever tried.

There is no doubt that the Xiao Long Bao here is the juiciest, tastiest, and best texture of all, and the presentation of the dumplings in a flower shaped tin made it so much more appetizing and appealing.

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The Shrimp Dumpling Topped with XO Sauce was another excellent selection – the topping must had been dried abalone with XO sauce, which blended well with the perfectly steamed dumpling.

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The Tofu Skin Roll that I chose came inside a soup that tasted like soy milk, of which I found comforting to eat. The Durian Roll had the most(quantity) and flavorful durian filling inside a crispy pastry shell.

The pork filling inside the BBQ pork buns were lean and delicious, unlike some places where the pork can be fatty and of inferior quality.

I had such a marvelous time with my friend and the food that I wish time would stand still for that afternoon. Afterwards, my friend invited me to her newly renovated house to look at the incredible transformation – the tiles and some of the materials used in the bathrooms and kitchen were undeniably some of the most artistically designed. I would love to take a shower there.

I was debating whether I should stay one more day in the bay area so that I could go back to Koi’s for another awesome meal. After much serious contemplation, I opted to leave with a good memory, but Koi will definitely be the top of my list next time I am up there.

Koi Palace: 365 Gellert Blvd. Daly City, CA 94015  Phone: 650-992-9000

 

Wonderful Thanksgiving Buffet @ Trump’s

30 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by in American Food, Food, Italian Food, Japanese Food, Lifestyle

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Not that I do not enjoy a good Thanksgiving meal at home, or at a friend’s house, but having the Thanksgiving Brunch at the Trump’s National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes was truly an exceptional and marvelous experience. In addition to all the traditional Thanksgiving fare such as turkey, stuffing, potatoes, ham, there were the freshest sushi, sashimi, and the best soft shell crab roll. The Seafood Bouillabaisse had large succulent lobster tails, mussels, clams.There were also Korean style ribs, made to order pastas and omelets, smoked salmon, crab claws(so tasty), salads, white and green asparagus,oysters, cheeses, huge shrimp, crepes, and lots of tempting desserts, …

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There were unlimited champagne, orange juice, coffee,..

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All the ingredients were top quality and ultra fresh.  The taste of the food was just right without being salty and overly seasoned. The service was attentive and yet not too formal. The servers were cheerful and everyone was in good mood probably because of the holiday. The room was elegant and spacious, beautifully decorated. The view of the Pacific Ocean was impeccable, unobstructed. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and warm – a terrific day with amazing food for Thanksgiving.

Trump National Golf Club of Los Angeles: 1 Trump National Dr. Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275  Phone: 310 265 5000

$85 person

 

Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Trump’s

12 Friday Sep 2014

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I have been wanting to go to the Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes for quite some time now. It has probably been about 3 to 4 years since I was there.

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After having been to the buffet at the Terranea Resort (also in RPV), I figured it would not be easy to top the food, ambience and service there. I was quite happy to say that the Trump’s buffet did not disappoint. Some of the food qualities there were a bit better than that of the Catalina Kitchen at Terranea. The service was excellent, and the atmosphere elegant and classy. There was even  a harp player near my table which was provided a rather calming and pleasant effect.

The Bouillabaisse was absolutely the best. There were large lobster tails, fresh mussels, clams, …The Melange of Steamed Vegetables and Portobello Mushrooms was another outstanding favorite, I kept asking for more of the portobello mushrooms throughout the course of the meal. What I really liked about the brunch was the fact that the hot food was served by a server as opposed to just getting them ourselves, which sometimes can leave the food quite messy.

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My friend commented that the sashimi were the freshest ever with the raw shrimp being crunchy and sweet. He probably ate about 3 plates of sashimi.

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There were 3 types of caviar,  rolls of smoked salmon, all types of grilled vegetables including white asparagus. I did not tried the raw oysters even though they looked really fresh. I did try the Crab Claw even though I usually don’t eat much crab – they were really fresh and sweet.

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The prime rib was perfectly cooked, very juicy and tender. The omelet was not as good as the ones at Terranea, though still decent. I did not get a chance to try the pasta station, which I would like to do if I visit again.

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The bread, muffins, croissants, however, were disappointing. They seemed  to have been made elsewhere, not on premise, and they were dry and flavorless. I was really surprised that they would serve something that is not of excellent quality given the price of the buffet.

My favorite dessert was the crepe and waffles. I had two crepes with Nutella, and two waffles with lots of whipped cream and caramel sauce.

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There were unlimited Mimosa, orange juice, sparkling wine, coffees and teas. I had some orange juice and a cappuccino. I regretted not trying some sparkling wine or mimosa, maybe next time.

Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles: One Trump National Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275  Phone: 310-265-5000

 

Rice Cakes this Sunday Afternoon

31 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by in Food, Korean Food, Lifestyle, Markets

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For the past few months, right after Sunday service, I have taken up the ritual of visiting various of my favorite markets to do some leisure food shopping and sample tasting. I find these particular times to be immensely relaxing and utterly enjoyable because, unlike food shopping on the weekdays, I don’t feel the pressure nor the time restraint to rush, to get back to work, or to get back before my son comes home from school, or to do more housework and cook.

Given the wonderfully sunny weather of Southern California, most of the past Sundays had been so bright, warm and cheerful.

Previously, my ritual usually began at Whole Foods. More often than not, there would be delicious samples such as pieces of sushi rolls, delectable cheeses, dips and crackers, and sometimes even chocolates and cookies. Knowing that all the ingredients were natural and relatively healthy added to the overall experience.

Next would probably be Trader Joe’s for the excellent coffee, then Sprouts, then a Korean Market, sometimes maybe a pastry shop, before heading home happy and satisfied.

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On this particular Sunday morning, however, I was really craving for some Korean fast food such as Ddeokbokki (Spicy rice cake), and Gimbap (rice and various ingredients rolled up in dried seaweed) , so I decided to visit one of the Korean market in my area named S-Mart, where there is a good selection of these types of prepared foods.

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Being that it was around 11:10am or so, most of the items were fresh and still hot. The Spicy rice cake was selling for $1.49 a box today, sometimes they are only $1 each, so I was not sure why the price was higher. I know that at times, they sell for around $3.5, but those have an boiled egg inside.  The Gimbap came with either fish cake, beef, and sometimes with tempura. I usually opt for the Beef Gimbap with egg, spinach, pickled radish.

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On occasions, I would get the steamed sweet potato, but they are a bit pricey. I have found that after a certain time in the evening, some of these prepared food would be half off the original price which would then be really good deals.

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I also bought a package of dried seaweed flakes which was on sale for $1.99. I like to sprinkle these flakes onto my rice from  time to time. I added some of the flakes to my rice cake, and for those brief moments,  I was blissful and content.

S-Mart: 2515 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, CA 90503  Phone 310-533-6053310-533-6053

 

 

 

Fig and Olive – Fantastic!

23 Thursday Jan 2014

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Finally,  I was able to try Fig and Olive. I don’t recall how I first heard of this restaurant, but I was immediately fascinated because I love figs, and somehow I imagined there to be lots of figs in all the dishes. Well, there was no figs in the dishes that I ordered. I saw one fig on my friend’s plate, but I had enough self control not to ask for it.

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Even without the figs, the food was incredibly luscious and amazing, with some of the dishes having great textures and very distinct flavors. The mostly white and brownish modern decor felt clean, cool and harmonious.

Our waitress was spot-on with her prompt, yet attentive service. Everything seemed to flow flawlessly from beginning to the end. Even the lady’s room felt uncommonly comfortable, warm, with such perfectly adjusted water temperature that it did not even feel like water flowing through my fingers. Even the texture of the paper towels right next to the sink felt so unusually crisp and soft at the same time.

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The appetizer, Truffle Mushroom Croquette, was absolutely perfect in texture and taste. The outer crust had just the right amount of crunchiness without being hard, while the middle was an oozing, warm, delicate, luxurious, soft, and amazingly mixture of béchamel, mushroom, and parmesan! My companion’s Beef Carpaccio was the best I have tasted, with a slightly sweet flavor that I had never encountered before, perhaps it was from the 18 year Balsamic.

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My Primavera Risotto with Lobster was exceptionally rich, I found myself quite full even though the portion size was not that big. The only complaint would be that the serving of lobster was a bit too small to adequately share with my eating companion. The grilled lamb from the Lamb Skewers was delightfully tender, and the side of couscous mixed with onion, scallion and tomatoes was truly refreshing.

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The Chocolate Pot de Crème was fabulously rich and smooth, with just the appropriate amount of sweetness. I loved the cherries from the Dessert “Crostini” – a fun treat with Amarena cherry, mascarpone on pistachio shortbread.

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Even the complimentary focaccia bread that came with 3 types of olive oil was excellent – lightly dense yet soft, truly satisfying.

There were ample meter parking spaces outside the restaurant. If money was no object, one can venture into the many high-priced boutiques on the surrounding streets, or simply take a leisure stroll and window shop.

Fig and Olive Melrose Place: 8490 Melrose Place, Los Angeles, CA 90069  Phone: 310-360-9100

A Wonderful New Year’s Day Buffet – Catalina Kitchen at La Terranea

02 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in American Food, Food, Lifestyle

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It was around this time last year that I had first tried the Sunday Brunch at this beautiful resort in the hills of Palos Verdes. I had wanted to come back here sooner, but never did have a chance.

When I found out they were having a special New Year’s Day Brunch buffet, I was quite excited and thought it would be a great way to start the New Year.

I thought people would be sleeping in and recovering from the New Year’s Eve partying, and the brunch would be a quiet one. Was I wrong, the place was already more than 1/2 full by the time I got there before 11am. There was a small line at the reception area. It was a good thing that I made reservations.

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We were seated next to the windows by the patio, and it was a gorgeous day. I waited a while for the server to come take my drink order, but no one came for quite a while. I got impatient and decided to grab a bus boy and told him that I wanted to order a grapefruit juice and a cappuccino. He looked a bit surprised and uncomfortable. He proceeded to tell me that the cappuccino machine was not working, and upon seeing how disappointed I must have looked, he said he should be able to find me a cappuccino from somewhere else. I said “fine”.

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Meanwhile, I decided to check out all the sumptuous offerings, and by the time I got back, there was a glass of grapefruit juice and a to-go cup with a lid on the table. I opened the lid and realized that it was a foamy and delicious looking cappuccino that he must have gotten me from another restaurant inside the resort. I was so amazed at how quick thinking and resourceful he was, and how this was the perfect example of what good service meant. I was impressed. He walked by, and I thanked him sincerely and expressed my utmost appreciation for his extra effort. It was a great beginning to a most enjoyable and wonderful brunch.

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The food selection was similar to what I remembered from last year. The cheese station looked even better with more varieties this time. The smoked salmon was moist, thick and delicious. I decided to try the cook-to-order omelet/egg station this year, and was I glad that I did.

I ordered the an egg white omelet with asparagus, onions, spinach, green onions, mushroom and it was the best omelet – fluffy. tasty and incredibly light. The guacamole I put on top was not salty, fresh and absolutely fantastic.

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The pizza was extremely thin crusted and probably the best pizza I had ever had with the thick, melty, hot and chewy mozzarella cheese. I enjoyed all the fresh mussels and clams from the hot food station. The french toast was so good that I had three slices of them.

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While the selections were not huge at the sushi/sashimi station, they were what I really liked. There was the lobster roll with large chunks of lobster inside – simple and wonderfully great. Being that I love asparagus, the vegetable roll was exactly what I wanted.

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I waited for the nice lady from the waffle station to make me a hot, fresh off the griddle waffle. It was worth it, crunchy, light, and so satisfying with the freshest whipped cream on top. I also added blueberries, raspberries and blackberries to almost everything that I was eating.

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The cheeses, being my favorite, were numerous and top quality. It was hard to refrained from eating too much.

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My friend commented that the prime rib was the best, even better than that of Lawry’s. I feel that everything in the buffet was so good because of the quality of ingredients. It was probably one of the best buffet ever. One must also go outside and walk around the luscious, beautiful garden after the meal for the most complete, awe-inspiring and memorable experience.

I am looking forward to coming back again, hopefully I do not need to wait another year to do so.

Catalina Kitchen, La Terranea Resort: 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275  Phone: 310-265-2704

Mitsuwa Marketplace – Fun and Yum

06 Sunday Oct 2013

Posted by in Bakery, Food, Japanese Food, Lifestyle, Markets

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Probably the first time I came to the Mitsuwa Marketplace was over ten years ago. As soon as my son was able to sit in one of those light weight stroller, I started bringing him out for lunches at different eateries. As a Stay-at-Home mom, I needed to get out of the house in order to achieve some type of balance and sanity.

The Mitsuwa Food Court provided a good respite since it is casual and offer a variety of choices, and the food are all good and reasonably priced. I was able to relax and eat while my son slept soundly in his little stroller, or if he was awake, I would feed him something.

As he grew older, he really enjoys Japanese food, especially the udons, and ramen. To this day, I believe that Mitsuwa is his favorite food destination. When the place is not crowded, the atmosphere gives a sense of calmness and peacefulness that we both find comforting. And one of our favorite thing to do after the meal is to venture into the supermarket section and look for my son’s favorite Japanese peach candy, and for myself, canned coffee with no sugar.

From the beginning, I have been thoroughly enjoying these lunches with my son. These meal sessions not only provided delicious food tasting adventures, but most importantly, wonderful bonding opportunities for my son and I. We would talk about school, friends, and even life in general at these outings, something that we don’t really do at home, since we are always occupied with chores, computer games, emails, etc.

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The restaurants inside this modest location are probably some of the best of their classes. Santouka is well know for its distinguished ramen, which my son already decided is the best in Los Angeles. Katsuhana, which specializes in deep fried pork, chicken cutlet as well as fried shrimp, is truly superb. While I tried not to eat a lot of fried food, the Pork Katsu is hard to resist –  moist, tender, and flavorful inside with a light and crunchy batter outside. The Katsu meal is a feast that comes with rice, soup, cabbage salad, fruit salad, small side dishes of tofu, and pickled vegetables.

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One of the newer comer to the marketplace is J Sweets , which offers the prettiest, most enticing Mochi Cream –  a mochi ball filled with different delectable flavors.  My favorite is the Cafe au Latte, not too sweet, but with a definite strong taste of coffee. The Mochi Donuts look fantastic but have not tried yet. All the other cookies and sweets in the store are all so beautifully presented and packaged. However, the prices are high so I have not yet had the pleasure of tasting them.

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Miifune is the eatery that I have visited the most throughout these years. This place has a good selection of udons, sobas, and various combo plates. I particularly like the Wakame Soba or udon, the Beef Shabushabu, and the plain Curry Rice. The food is consistent and satisfying.

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I really enjoy the Mackerel plate at Miyabi-Tei. The oily, flavorful fish is grilled and comes with miso soup, a large bowl of rice and some shredded cabbage and little bits pickled radish. A bargain at about $7.00.

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I don’t know why I like these ball shaped octopus snack made with wheat flour based batter, pickled ginger, and green onion, and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. Maybe it is the fact that they are so usual in taste and texture, sort of soft and chewy, salty and sweet, an odd kind of mouth feel and sensation.

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The Hamada-ya Cafe provides a more western style of food selections such as various spaghetti and pasta, risottos, and most delightfully, some of the tastiest cakes I have tried. One can order a set meal which comes with a salad, some bread, and tea or coffee. Almost right next door, is the Hamada-Ya Bakery, which I had already wrote about previously as one of the most outstanding bakery in town.

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The soup noodles here at Beni-Tora are quite substantial in size, as well as the gyozas, which are huge. I like the fact the noodles come with ample vegetables.

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Lupicia, a clean, modern looking store provides over 400  types of teas throughout the year, ranging from seasonal teas to flavored teas. The sales staff are extremely enthusiastic and more than eager to provide a tasting to the teas.

Mitsuwa Marketplace – 21515 S. Western Ave. Torrance, CA 90501  Phone: 310-782-0335

 http://www.mitsuwa.com/tenpo/eindex.html