Hobee's

One of the things I look forward to every time I go to the Bay Area is eating at the brunch spot Hobee's. They make great breakfast and lunch with the best specials. I have some favorites, Santa Cruz Scramble, Mendocino Chicken Sandwich, Coffee Cake and Salmon Scramble but like to venture. I have taken Cristian quite a few times at this point and he always resists wanting to go. Everyone I know loves Hobee's and always wants to have breakfast there. This time we went on Saturday and there was a special that was eggs, chicken apple sausage, gouda and onions on ciabatta. This was very easily the best breakfast sandwich I'd even eaten. I convinced Cristian to order it as well and for the first time he really enjoyed it. It was my saving grace. Now I just have to remember what was in it since it isn't on the fixed menu.

My Christmas Vacation

We headed to see my family this year for Christmas in the Bay Area last Wednesday, with a grueling trek on the 5 freeway. After a way too long trip we arrived at my Mom's house. She had already eaten dinner but decided to make us a little something. It just so happened she and her boyfriend had been in Chinatown recently and bought the yummiest steamed buns I have ever had. There was a black bean bun that was slightly sweet and the dough was soft, most and almost spongy. For Cristian she served up pork steam buns, a bit of heaven in the doughy wrapping. He ate at least three despite our big lunch a few hours earlier. Right then we decided a trip to San Fran would be inevitable.

Christmas Eve we wrapped gifts and sought out supplies before heading over to my best friend's house. She had worked all day long yet insisted on hosting a small party. She made quiche, bruschetta and even spicy cheese fondue. On top of that there was at least a gallon of champagne punch that was amazing. Cristian had found a recipe for espresso martinis while in BevMo and had brought the ingredients to the get together. They were a hit. The drinks allowed the crew to gather enough courage to play Cranium and Wii, a first for my Mom on both accounts. Overall a fun, festive night.

Christmas Day we headed to my best friend's in-laws, the Ladds, after a brief stint at grandma's. I will say she had made bread from scratch that she pulled out of the oven and it was so fresh and warm I could have eaten the entire loaf. At the Ladd's a more traditional holiday feast was served. Steaks were barbecued, mashed potatoes with gravy, home canned green beans and topped off with apple pie a la mode. We entertained ourselves with Scattegories, a new game to me that I highly enjoyed. The whole lot of us then piled in the car to see the festival of lights put on by the Santa Clara County parks.

As promised we made the trip to San Francisco Saturday after a fabulous brunch (see Hobee's blog). We found an amazing assortment of treasures in Chinatown, including a sake set, sushi how to book and a grow your own bonsai tree kit. We even stumbled upon the recommended bakery for steam buns. After purchasing a dozen to go we decided to have a snack while we were there. We ordered shrimp and pork dim sum and seafood and vegetarian steamed buns all for about $6. I tell you the food was mouthwatering and so flavorful.

That night after the after Christmas crowd, my best friend joined us for dinner in Santana Row. We ate at The Counter, a Burger Bar-esque (found in Las Vegas and San Francisco) restaurant. You get a clip board to order your burger exactly as you want. Start by choosing the meat size of the patty. Then add cheese and toppings, sauce and bun. Finish it off with a selection of fries and onion rings. Nothing better than a burger you customize, except the fact you have to narrow down your tastes!

Overall a fun filled, tummy full trip.

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Infamous Kogi Truck

Cristian and I are big fan's of Bobby Flay. He is creative and personable and his food is delicious. I have eaten at Bar American and Mesa Grill, both phenomenal. On one of his episodes of  "Throwdown" he challenged the LA based Kogi Truck owners. The premise is simple, mix Korean BBQ with Mexican style (for example BBQ short rib tacos). On Cristian's last day of his recent internship I let him pick the restaurant where we would have lunch. Of course in Studio City there are so many amazing restaurants it's often a miracle to choose just one. Inevitably the Kogi Truck happened to be nearby and the decision was made. I had the Blackjack Quesadilla and Cristian ordered his Korean BBQ sliders and short rib tacos. Delicious. I highly recommend chekcing out there website and trying to locate a truck near you: http://kogibbq.com. They change locations every week and although the line is usually 30 minutes to an hour, it's worth the wait.

Holiday Parties

As I mentioned in an earlier blog I have attended 1.5 parties per day on average the last two weeks. Here are some highlights:

Last night I attended an event at STK right next to my old favorite the Belmont (which sadly had a fire incident). When you walk in there is a mix of fire, waterfalls and hanging candles. One room is filled with round tables and two others were lounge/bar type areas. There were specialty drinks, my favorite being a pomegranate, rosemary concoction. Servers were eager to feed us so apps were passed quickly and frequently. among the highlights were a skirt steak skewer, a truffle and Parmesan potato, and golden beet with pecans and goat cheese. There was also a slider bar, made to order.  The 80's music was kept low enough to hear conversations yet still have the rhythm in your toes. Overall a great night.

On Tuesday we had our holiday fiesta at a colleague's house and she did an amazing job. She recently bought a new condo that she filled with fresh pine garlands, ornaments and candles. Although we did take out Indian we all contributed to the appetizers including a phenomenal cheese plate, homemade baked doughnuts, graham cracker bars and chicken curry coconut balls. Top it off with some mouth watering pinot and I was set.

One of the most extensive potlucks I've ever seen is held by one of the departments here on the lot. Over 35+ people bring entrees and there's usually a competition for best dessert or food item. From spring rolls to brisket and chili a variety of cultures and regions are covered in a scintillating mix of flavors. There's also an ugly sweater contest and a white elephant exchange full of laughs.

Finally, we have a chef on the lot who creates the most amazing menus. He served us seared tuna with a cucumber radish salad, jambalaya and citrus salad to name a few. Other resident chefs include our firefighters who serve homemade turkey sausage, pancakes and fried catfish that will knock your socks off.

Amazing how different the event can be with varied cuisines. No wonder I gain weight in December! HA! Happy Holidays!

Eggs in Jar

Many of you may or may not know my aversion to eggs due to an incident in Spain. Back in high school I was a vegetarian, an unfortunate circumstance as I traveled to Europe singing on tour to many countries two years in a row. In Spain, their idea of vegetarian was to feed me scrambled egg sandwiches night and day. I once did get spaghetti plain with a bottle of ketchup (that's right). After a few days I could not eat another egg with out the desire to purge. Since then I have rarely eaten eggs and when I do they are mixed with a variety of ingredients to take the "edge" off so to say.

There are a couple of recent preparations of eggs that have blown me away and persuaded me back to the popular ingredient. The first positive experience was at Santana Row with a girlfriend of mine. I ordered crab cakes Benedict. The dish was filling, salty and yes gooey but I loved it. That was the first time I had unscrambled eggs in years. Since then I have made my own version of eggs Benedict that turned out quite well, although I'm still perfecting the Hollandaise sauce. Not too long ago Karen and I went to Jar, Top Chef Master Suzanne's place in Hollywood. I ordered a prosciutto sandwich and there happened to be eggs on top. In the end it was so scrumptious I ate until I couldn't. This is quite possibly the best preparation of eggs I've had. Kudos Suzanne.

Finally, my Dad is one of the best egg chef's of all time. Since I can remember he was very skilled at making omelets. This past trip to Houston reiterated his creativity and talent. Go Dad!

So thanks to those who showed me eggs can be delicious again.

Holidays

Is eating a predetermined part of most of our daily activities/festivities? I feel like I've eaten more in the last 2 weeks than in the last month. It all started with Thanksgiving. My Dad, his girlfriend, Michelle, and I all had a small get together at her house near Houston. Dad got up early to get the turkey in the oven and we all assisted with various roles throughout the day. I made stuffing, helped chop, dice and fry among many other tasks. In the end we had turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, fresh bread and more. It was a great meal. Then Michelle had made a whipped cream pumpkin pie that was unbelievably light and airy, not too sweet. It was a lot of fun. The next day we went to the Renaissance Fair where we had alligator on a stick (you read correctly), cajun steak, sweet potato fries and sangria. A very odd combo but good. Upon my return I relived Thanksgiving at my future in laws, which is always a treat. Since then I have attended no less than 11 holiday lunches, parties and event all of which featured food. I have to say I am quite lucky to not have a sweet tooth or I would have blown up by now. After all this eating all I can say is: Wedding diet 2010. Wish me luck.

Back on Track

Hi fellow foodies,
After a stint of lacking blogs I have decided to write about my new favorite restaurant; Firenze Osteria. It is owned by none other than the fan favorite of Top Chef, Fabio. The new place replaced Barsac on Lankershim Blvd., about three blocks from my studio. The service is friendly and atmosphere warm and inviting. the menu includes an entire page dedicated to martinis. From classic to unusual they were phenomenal. I had the cucumber flavored and my best friend tried the strawberry balsamic. For appetizers we had melon and prosciutto, melon and mozzarella and a yellowtail sashimi. My entree was lobster macaroni and cheese to die for  while my fiance and friend had the lobster ravioli, also delectable. Overall a fine evening.

I highly recommend Fabio's new venture. If you go, let me know what you think!