Photos: Ramen Arrangement: Instant Ramen with Braised Pork

Ichiban Ramen Original Flavor with Braised Pork Belly, Bean Sprouts, and Green Onions... in a pot!
And again!
Shin Ramyun with Braised Pork Belly, Poached Egg, Bean Sprouts, Green Onions, and Carrots!

Homemade Recipe: Braised Pork Belly for Ramen

Just a simple braise for pork belly to serve with ramen (goes great with instant or otherwise). Feel free to experiment to taste but I used (roughly):

• 1 pound of pork belly
• 1 part soy sauce
• 1 part mirin
• 4 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 1 sprig of green onion (chopped into inches)
• 2 inches of ginger (crushed)
• sesame oil

Trim the skin from the pork belly. Then brown the pork belly in a pan.

Mix the other ingredients in a bowl. Taste the mixture and adjust according to your tastes. (Next time, I would add more garlic and ginger and less soy sauce. It turned out a bit too salty, so keep in mind when you taste the mixture, that the it will reduce and the flavors will magnify as a result. I might also try some apple or pear juice next time.)

Put the pork belly in a pot and add the mixture. Add enough water (or you can add canned broth if you like) to surround the meat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer uncovered for about 3 hours till the meat is ready to fall apart. Add more water or broth as necessary to keep the pork belly surrounded but not covered. Slice however you like and serve.

If you want a more intense flavor, you can let the pork cool and store it in the fridge with the juices (after you strain it) overnight. This will allow you to skim the fat and let the pork absorb the juices. Freeze what you don't use and reheat to serve.

Review: KFC - Original Recipe Chicken Strips

Not too long ago, the Colonel (Sanders that is) replaced his Crispy Chicken Strips with the more seasoned Original Recipe Chicken Strips. The result? A blend of Original Recipe flavor with a more crispy batter than KFC's Original Recipe Chicken. The ones I got were juicy and chock full of Original Recipe flavor.

The downside is since it was chock full of Original Recipe flavor, it was no good for dipping. Dipping the Original Recipe Chicken Strips made them too salty. Since the regular Crispy Chicken Strips had more of a neutral flavor, it complemented the dipping sauces well. The Original Recipe Chicken Strips? Not so much.

They do however go great stuffed inside one of KFC's delectable biscuits. Mmmm... chicken in a biscuit...


KFC Store Locator

News: Free Small Breakfast and Coffee at IKEA - Sat., Oct. 10 to Mon., Oct. 12, 2009

IKEA is offering its customers who show up on Saturday, October 10th to Monday, October 12th, 2009, a free small breakfast (which includes scrambled eggs, two strips of bacon, and home fries and normally sells for 99 cents) and a free cup of coffee (also normally 99 cents).

The offer is limit one per customer and is not valid in IKEA Hicksville, IKEA Houston, and IKEA Direct. See IKEA store for details.

Review: Daphne's Greek Cafe - Gyro and French Fries

A Greek gyro, similar to the Turkish doner kebab, the Middle Eastern shawarma, and Mexican al pastor, is characterized by ground meat shaped into a chub, cooked vertically on a spit, and sliced thin for serving. Daphne's Greek Cafe makes a pretty good gyro. The meat is carved fresh off the spit to order and is wrapped with lettuce, diced red onions, sliced tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce (a yogurt sauce usually blended with cucumber and other stuff) in a soft, pillowy, warmed pita. I really enjoyed the warm pita and the veggies are pretty fresh.

The fries were decent, not memorable but okay.

Spotlight On: McDonald's Japan

With McDonald's considered by many, for better or worse, as the embodiment of the West, or rather more specifically, of American cultural imperialism abroad, it's worth taking a look at how the menu differs in other countries as McDonald's caters to its newer audiences. And so, I thought I'd taunt myself with pictures of limited-time, featured McDonald's food abroad (taken from their respective websites) that I'll probably never get a chance to try.

Review: Baja Fresh - Mexican Torta

Baja Fresh has their own version of a Mexican Torta (i.e. sandwich) with grilled seasoned chicken, leafy lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados on a telera roll.

I found it a bit lacking, while the roll had a good texture to it, the strips of chicken tended to shift around in the sandwich making it hard to get a good bite. Also without a sauce, cheese, or beans, which are also sometimes found in other tortas, the sandwich suffered in search of flavor although it's probably a little healthier for it.

Like most Baja Fresh Menu items, the Mexican Torta comes with chips but for the price (around 6 to 7 dollars) I wouldn't get it again.

Review: Popeyes - Mashed Potatoes and Cajun Gravy

Probably my favorite mashed potatoes are the Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy at Popeyes. Although, the gravy is a lot greasier than your typical brown or chicken gravy, it has little bits of meat and a blend of spices that give it an extra kick of flavor that's quite enjoyable.

As for the mashed potatoes themselves, they're probably whipped or instant as they contain no lumps. It's not too heavy and complements the gravy well.

So long as you're not turned off by oily gravy, you should definitely give Popeyes' Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy a try.

Popeyes Restaurant Locations

Nutritional Info - (142g)
Calories - 120 (Calories from Fat - 36)
Fat - 4g (Saturated Fat - 2g)
Sodium - 570mg
Carbs - 18g (Sugar - 0g)
Protein - 3g

News: Starbucks Via Test Challenge, October 2-5, 2009

Starbucks is enticing customers to try their Via brand instant coffee (coined "ready brew") by offering a taste test in comparison to their normal house coffee in their stores this weekend, from October 2nd to October 5th. As an incentive to come in and taste test Starbuck's Via Ready Brew, they are offering an "offer card" (read: coupon) good for your next visit for a free tall brewed coffee.

Having tried Via before, I remember it being actually better than Starbuck's brewed coffee. The reason is probably that the quality of in-store brewed coffee can suffer (or benefit) from variation in its preparation whereas a vacuum-sealed tube of instant coffee will very likely always be the same.

Review: Nong Shim - Shin Ramyun Noodle Soup

To celebrate the spring we call "fall" here in southern California, I decided to enjoy a cold weather favorite of mine, Nong Shim's Shin Ramyun (aka ramen). Wikipedia tells me it's the bestselling brand of noodles in South Korea It's been very hot this September, but at least it was sort of cold tonight... well, comparatively anyway. Close enough for spicy ramen weather! A pack for a buck or less is enough for two servings.
Now a package of ramen by itself is just boring, so this time around I decided to boil some beef balls with the spice mix to start before adding some baby bok choy, spinach, green onions, the freeze-dried veggies, and the noodles.
Mmm... tasty! But very spicy and very hot if you eat it out of the pot like I did! See the steam in the third shot.

But there you go, a quick and easy meal for those who like the spicy or something to warm you up in cold weather. And for the super lazy, Nong Shim also makes Shin Ramyun in a Cup. They call it Shin Cup oddly enough...

Review: Daphne's Greek Cafe - Baklava

For those like myself who have wondered it's pronounced "bah-kluh-vah" and not "bak-la-va" and it's offered at Daphne's Greek Cafe. I didn't care for Daphne's version much. It was too sweet and soggy for my liking. I prefer it to be subtly sweet rather than dripping honey. That way, you can better taste the nuts and enjoy the crispness of the fillo dough.

Sadly, like most things, the longer it sits out, the soggier and less crisp it gets so it's hard to find baklava that I actually enjoy. But this version is no worse than most places.

Review: Chick-fil-A - Chicken Nuggets

Still no Chick-fil-A's nearby in the foreseeable future but at least they're not like Sonic and Dunkin Donuts and taunting me with their commercials. Besides their Chicken Sandwich, Chick-fil-A (that's "chick-fil-ay" and not "chick-fil-ah" by the way) also offers chicken in other forms including nuggets.

Unlike most fast food joints, Chick-fil-A Nuggets are made from whole chunks of chicken rather than the mechanically-separated variety which gives it a more chicken-y texture. The breading is the same stuff they use on their Original Chicken Sandwich.

There a little bit on the small size; bite-sized really but they're only lightly salted which makes them perfect for the large variety of different sauces that Chick-fil-A offers. Unlike most places which place a limit on your sauces, Chick-fil-A humors your curiousity and gives you as many sauces as you can get your grubby little paws on and my cousin got them all. Actually you can order anything on the menu and still get your choice of sauces! Ranging from Buffalo to Polynesian to Honey Mustard, I have to admit a couple of them were so similar that I couldn't really differentiate between them.

While not spectacular or a good value with the small pieces, Chick-fil-A's Nuggets are a nice change of pace from the typical fast food chicken nugget and are especially worth trying if only to satisfy your curiosity about the sauces.

Review: McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast

It's almost like everything on McDonald's breakfast menu thrown into a styrofoam tray... it's McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast!

Review: El Pollo Loco - BBQ Chicken Slider

I tried El Pollo Loco's BBQ Chicken Slider a while back for 99 cents. It was one of El Pollo Loco's entrants to the increasingly crowded fast food slider arena.
El Pollo Loco's BBQ Chicken Slider offered the promise of barbequed chicken and coleslaw on a mini-telera roll (A telera roll is much like a bollillo in texture. Bollillo rolls are the bread typically used to make tortas).

The telera roll usually featured a slightly thick, soft crust with a soft, dense, slightly sweet, interior that I enjoyed. The bbq sauce and cole slaw went well together. But, unfortunately, there just wasn't enough chicken in the sandwich as you can see above. The flavors were there, it was just thrown off by the lack of shredded, barbequed chicken. A bite featured mostly bread and coleslaw.
It is perhaps for that reason that the sandwich no longer seems to be offered. It was a limited-time item but maybe it'll come around again... Hopefully, with more meat...

Review: Daphne's Greek Cafe - Hummus Snack

At Daphne's Greek Cafe, two scoops of hummus and and a soft, warm pita cut into quarters will run you a buck. Not bad for a snack I suppose. It's nothing to write home about but the "Starter Dip" (also available with Red Pepper Hummus and Fire Feta) is a nice snack.

The pita was soft, warm, and pillowy with a slight oven-toasted crispness on the outside. The hummus, while an unappetitizing shade of yellow (a lot darker than most hummuses... Hummusi? ... Just plain "Hummus?" Haha... I could look it up but I won't!) was comparable to most hummus that I've tried. It's not memorable, but it's nice and worth a try should you stop by a Daphne's.

Review: Carl's Jr. - Big Carl

My Favorite "Big Mac"

Priced at $1.99 in the L.A. area (but $2.49 in other markets if the ads are any indication compared to a nationwide average of over $3 for the Big Mac), Carl's Jr.'s Big Carl is set to go head-to-head with McDonald's beloved Big Mac complete with an ad campaign directly challenging the Big Mac. The ads mock the Big Mac's jingle, the Big Mac's miniscule patty size, and the Big Mac's third bun. If the voices in the ads are any indication, the Big Mac is the insecure little nerd that got beat up in highschool and the Big Carl is the confident jock that everyone liked.

Review: Houston's - French Dip

My Favorite French Dip Sandwich

The best french dip I've had... Ever... Although it's not cheap at around $18. Share it with a friend in my opinion. Houston's heats a generous cut of its delectable prime rib under a salamander and then thinly-slices (but not too thin!) it and places the juicy slices inside a soft egg-washed toasted french roll. The completed french dip sandwich is then served with a light beef broth for dipping and horseradish on the side. The result is this is the only place I go for a french dip sandwich anymore. Just thinking about it makes me want to go to Houston's...

The prime rib is moist, tender, and tasty. The bread is squishy soft and bakery fresh but is sturdy enough to hold together even dipped in the broth. The ingredients mesh well together and are well-balanced. If you're looking for a french dip, Houston's is definitely the place to try.

Maybe it's unfair to compare prime rib with regular sliced beef, pork, or lamb but it's really good! An order also comes with your choice of a side: couscous, coleslaw, french fries, or seasonal vegetables.

News: Chick-fil-A Labor Day Giveaway - September 7, 2009

Perhaps since Chick-fil-A rhymes with Labor Day, and Labor Day kicks off the fall sports season, this upcoming Labor Day, September 7, 2009, Chick-fil-A is giving a free Chick-fil-A Original Chicken Sandwich to all visitors who come wearing a sport teams logo between 10:30 A.M. until whenever your particular location closes that day.

Review: McDonald's - Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon

McDonald's recently released their Angus burgers throughout the U.S. after a period of regional testing. I tried an Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon because it sounded the most interesting out of the Angus burgers available. As far as fast food burgers go, it's pretty tasty.

News: Free Coupon for a "Forgiveness Taco" from Taco Del Mar Redeemable on August 27, 2009

In honor of Global Forgiveness Day, August 27th, Taco Del Mar is giving people the opportunity to send "I'm sorry" e-cards from their site along with a coupon for a free taco redeemable on August 27th, 2009.

E-cards can be sent from http://www.tacoforgiveness.com/ until August 26th. Five different messages range from a generic "I'm sorry I did that thing in that place" to a not-so-apologetic "I'm sorry you cannot accept how awesome I am" and are generally fairly inane and silly. Send one to all your friends or to yourself for a free taco!

The coupon is only good on August 27th, is limited to one per person, and, as per usual, only at participating locations.

News: Free Food Coupons Today, August 11, 2009

• Steak and Shake (East Coast and Central U.S. - I've never been to one of these but the food on the website looks pretty tasty and relatively cheap) is giving a printable coupon for a Free Mint Cookies and Cream Milk Shake (expires Wednesday, August 12, 2009) and
  
  
• Jack In The Box (West Coast and Southern U.S.) has a printable coupon good for today, August 11, 2009, for Two Free Tacos!

As always, at participating locations only.

Review: KFC - Apple Turnovers

My Favorite Fast Food Apple Pie

Now this is what I'm talking about. Having bemoaned the fate of McDonald's Fried Apple Pie, I was happy to discover a few years ago that KFC added a deep-fried Apple Turnover (they are "pies" to me) to their menu. You can see above the crisp bubbles caused by the boiling oil. It just cries "crunchy!"  And at two pies for $1, it's hard to resist ordering!

Review: McDonald's - Baked Apple Pie

I miss when it used to be just the "McDonald's Apple Pie" because it was deep-fried and not baked. But, amid concerns that the filling was too hot and maybe health concerns, in 1992, McDonald's switched from fried to baked pies here in the U.S.

Rumor has that at a select few locations, you can still get the fried apple pie, but I haven't seen it anywhere. Still, it's a value since as long as I can remember at two pies for $1.

Starbucks Coffee Demystified...

As anyone who has been to Starbucks (so named after the first mate of the Pequod in Moby Dick but I digress) knows, the menu features three drink sizes: (in order from small to large) Tall, Grande, and Venti. A good question to ask then is "Why?" While I don't know for certain, but I'll take my best shot at explaining... or guessing... You pick.

Review: Baja Fresh - Chicken Burrito Mexicano "Enchilado" Style

Baja Fresh's Burrito Mexicano is described on their site as "Your choice of charbroiled chicken, pork carnitas or charbroiled steak, rice and freshly simmered black or pinto beans all layered with fresh, chopped cilantro and onions and your choice of salsa." I went for the chicken with black beans and decided to try it "Enchilado" style which is "a savory, warm salsa that smothers your burrito, topped with melted jack and cheddar cheese and served with nachos, Pico de Gallo and sour cream."

Maybe you shouldn't trust a chain to make a burrito Mexican style or maybe "enchilado" style didn't agree with me. Regardless, the burrito just didn't have the right blend of flavors for me. It was just off. I've tried the Baja and Ultimo burritos and they tasted pretty good but the Mexicano seemed to lack flavor and I was expecting more tartness in the red sauce for "Enchilado" Style. Probably the most disappointing item I've had from Baja Fresh.

News: El Pollo Loco Invites Customers to "Taste the Fire" -- Free Chicken and Tortillas on Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Probably in response to KFC's "UNfry Day" grilled chicken giveaway on Monday, April 27, 2009, flame-grilled chicken chain El Pollo Loco is offering two free pieces of chicken (leg and thigh), tortillas and salsa to customers on the following day, Tuesday, April, 28, 2009.

Details:

• The Taste the Fire® Offer (“offer”) consists of one flame-grilled leg and one flame-grilled thigh, two tortillas (choice of flour or corn) and fresh salsa.
• Offer is available upon request only.
• Valid only at participating locations.
• No coupon necessary.
• Limit one offer on April 28, 2009 until 8:00 p.m. per customer.
• Must be present to receive. Sides, drinks and breast substitutions are extra.
• Available for walk-in orders only (dine-in or carry-out). Not available for delivery or drive-thru. While supplies last.

El Pollo Loco Store Locator

News Release: KFC Declares Monday, April 27, 2009 “UNFry Day” and Offers Free Taste Nationwide

"KFC is so confident consumers will love the new Kentucky Grilled Chicken, it’s inviting America to sample the newest mouth-watering menu item on “UNFry Day,” Monday, April 27, 2009. Consumers are encouraged to stop by KFC throughout the day on “UNFry Day” and receive a free piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

A full page advertisement will run in USA Today on April 24 to remind Americans to stop by and grab their free piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken. See http://www.unthinkfc.com/ for more details. (At participating locations, limit one piece per person, piece selection is manager's choice and may vary per location.)"

Review: KFC - Kentucky Grilled Chicken

In a bid to offer healthier fare, the folks at KFC have come up with a line of grilled chicken (Kentucky Grilled Chicken) with a blend of spices reminiscent of the Colonel's Original Recipe. KFC touts the grilled chicken as having fewer calories, less fat, and less salt than its Original Recipe Fried Chicken.

The chicken itself is slow-roasted in an oven on grill racks to receive the desired grill marks.

It tastes pretty good, you can definitely taste the blend of spices and herbs, though I still prefer the texture and novelty of fried chicken a bit more. Grilled chicken just isn't as special to me. It is definitely not as salty as the Original Recipe which I sometimes find to be too salty. It is also very juicy and not dry at all. Kentucky Grilled Chicken is definitely worth a try if you feel like KFC flavor without the fried or just want a heathier (though not exactly healthy) alternative.


KFC Store Locator

Review: Taco Bell - Beefy 5-Layer Nachos

The latest change to Taco Bell's "Why Pay More!" merry-go-round value menu is to feature three nachos over the previous ten items at the 79, 89, and 99 cent price points. Taking over the 89 cent slot is the new Beefy 5-Layer Nachos which relegates the previously 89 cent Triple Layer Nachos to the 79 cent slot for an even better value. Of the three new value nachos, the Beefy 5-Layer Nachos is my favorite and is a great value especially in light of this recession.

The Beefy 5-Layer Nachos features tortilla chips piled with seasoned ground beef, nacho cheese, refried beans, a red sauce, and a blend of 3 shredded cheeses. Obviously, it's a whole lot of "not good for you" but it's tasty and cheap! There are plenty of toppings--so much that I ran out of chips. As with all nachos, you should eat them shortly after ordering otherwise the chips will steam and get soggy.

Review: Original Tommy's - Chili Cheeseburger

Another Los Angeles institution, Tommy's was founded back in 1946 and I grew up hearing about their burgers now and again.

Review: Popeyes - Onion Rings

Popeyes' Onion Rings are the best I've had from any fast food joint. These rings are battered (as opposed to breaded) in a seasoned batter and then deep fried. The price is six rings for $1.99 in southern California, which is a bit pricey but they've always given me more than six rings.

Review: Burger King - Iced Mocha Joe

Like McDonald's Iced Coffee, Burger King's Iced Mocha Joe comes in a 20 oz. cup for about 2 dollars.  Unlike the McDonald's version, the Iced Mocha Joe tastes more like chocolate milk then like milky coffee.  To be more precise, the BK Mocha Joe tastes like cold chocolate milk with a slight note of coffee after the initial chocolate milk flavor.

Review: Porto's Bakery - Polverone

The polverone is also known as a Mexican wedding cookie though I don't know why. I guess they must be served at Mexican weddings? Anyway, these are pretty interesting looking which is why I bought one for about 70 cents. The taste is much like a sugar cookie except as you can see above, there are quite a few air pockets and the result is a very crisp and crumbly cookie.

You can expect to make a mess if you ever eat one of these. It's not overly sweet. It makes me think of a cross between an chinese almond cookie and biscotti. It's definitely worth a try if you like either.

Porto's Bakery

315 North Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 956-5996

3614 W Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 846-9100

Review: Starbucks - Sorbetto

I tried Starbucks' Sorbetto a while back, when they were testing it in the southern California area. It was free. I'm not sure if it is planned to be a seasonal thing, or if it has been completely discontinued.

They went for about $3 for 10 ounces and came in two flavors: citrus and grapefruit. I tried the citrus since I don't care for grapefruit. At $3 for 10 ounces, I don't think I would ever buy one. It's basically a fruit juice slushie on the bottom half, topped with Pinkberry original flavor frozen yogurt and that is exactly what it tastes like. Mixing it together just makes for flavored frozen yogurt. No surprises here. No peanut butter and jelly combination here folks.

Review: Porto's Bakery - Cheese Roll

A fairly famous Cuban bakery in the Los Angeles area, Porto's Bakery has two locations: one in Glendale and another in Burbank. I've only been to the Burbank location and it's always really busy but the line moves pretty fast. Porto's offers a plethora (including a vast selection of cakes) of baked goods at reasonable prices. They also offer sandwiches (which I'm not too fond of) and coffee (which can be quite good).

The most famous item on the Porto's menu is the famed cheese roll which is a sweet fillo dough pastry with a layer of cream cheese in the middle.  People love these things and will drive miles and miles just to pick up a box.  They sell like hotcakes for 65 cents each or a dozen for $7.40 which is a pretty good price for a pastry.

They cost about 70-some cents each are pretty tasty. There is a negligible discount for buying them by the dozen but I think a lot of people buy them by the dozen anyway.

They are great for breakfast or a snack. Best fresh but still good the next day. For those with no self-control, be careful not to eat the whole box in a sitting.

Porto's Bakery

315 North Brand Blvd.

Glendale, CA 91203

(818) 956-5996

3614 W Magnolia Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91505

(818) 846-9100

Review: Langer's - #19 Pastrami, Swiss Cheese, and Cole Slaw Sandwich

Langer's is a Los Angeles institution and a must-try destination if you're ever in the area. New York has Katz's and Carnegie Deli, Los Angeles has Langer's.

Langer's has been around for quite a while: since 1947. The then Jewish neighborhood is today a predominately Latino neighborhood which may make it seem out of place, but I like to think it's a piece of history that's far too often missing in Los Angeles. The deli has a bit of that old school '50s diner feel to it.

Review: Popeyes - Big Easy Chicken Bowl

For $3.49, Popeyes' Big Easy Chicken Bowl comes in about $1.50 less than its Jambalaya Bowl which prompted me to try it. It comes in a sturdy and re-useable plastic bowl that you can also reheat any leftovers in.

The Big Easy Chicken Bowl is basically pulled chicken and cajun gravy served atop Popeyes' Red Bean and Rice, and then sprinkled with a blend of shredded cheese. There's supposed to be some parsely as well but I didn't see any. They also give you sour cream and hot sauce in packets if you want.

I wonder where they cook the chicken though since it's a fried chicken joint. It was pretty tasty though, not something I'd crave but it's interesting and a good value.

Review: McDonald's - Chicken McNuggets

My Favorite Chicken Nuggets

Ah, the Chicken McNugget, another McDonald's staple. Formless pieces of minced chicken bits, battered, and deep-fried to a golden, crispy sheen. I pick up these when SoCal McDonald's was running a promotion that featured four Chicken McNuggets (i.e. the child's size) for a dollar.