Japanese Craving

Japanese izayaka and yakitori are comfort foods for me. Over the past few months, I've been trying out the best Yelp rated restaurants in the South Bay. I've tried Gochi, Sumiya, Tanto, and now En. En is my new favorite. It's casual, yet classy, and the food is well made and authentic.

My mom was craving for a plate of Yakiudon. I called Gochi, but their reservations book was filled and a walk-in wait was over 30 minutes (and we were trying to catch a movie after dinner). So we drove to Tanto, but as soon as we entered we were crudely rejected. They, too, were all booked for the night. Driving back down on El Camino, I saw that bright red sign of En and I immediately turned in the parking lot. To our pleasant surprise, they not only had open tables, but they also became our new favorite Bay Area izayaka restaurant.

The Inside, Front Room

The Inside, Back Room

The Beer Pairing
Sapporo on draft. I love the refreshing taste and feel of Japanese beer when I eat izakaya. The beer cuts through the grilling and complements the meal so well.

Creamy Scallop Croquette
I grew up loving Japanese croquettes. My criteria is a light, crispy outside, and a light and creamy inside. This nailed it. The outside was nicely coated with Panko and well fried, yet not overly done. The inside was smooth and creamy with tasty bits of scallop. Delicious!


Teba
Grilled Chicken Wings. The wings were generous in size, well grilled, and still moist and flavorful.

Yakiudon
Like with croquettes, I also have a criteria for yakiudon. Chewy noodles and that high heat taste. Another success. This place is awesome.


UPDATE: The following night and another night soon after that, we went back to En to try out more items on their menu.
Oyster with Miso Sauce
The oysters were smaller than we had expected, and the miso sauce was a bit too overpowering and sweet.

Oyster Agedashi
Oysters wrapped in Bacon, then fried in a tempura batter, and topped with Agedashi sauce. Delicious! The oyster doesn't get lost in the bacon. All the flavors go so well together.

Shishito Peppers
Nicely grilled. A great side.

Bitter Melon with Tofu
I love bitter melon, and this was well done!

Kushi Katsu
Fried Kabobs. This order mixed white fish, salmon, and pork. It was pretty good, but nothing special.

Grilled Saba
Mackerel. The fish was fresh and meaty. The grilling was done so well. The fish was still tender, moist, and with a nice bite.

Uni Fried Rice
Rice topped with Uni, a Ikura, and a Poached Egg. So good! It was a meal in itself. I love all the elements on their own and to put it all together was just awesome.

Nights In

I have more or less worn out the Vegas scene of partying all the time at nightclubs. When I'm here in Vegas and staying at the vacation house, I prefer staying in to enjoy the house.

All Day Happy Hour
I used to feel awkward drinking alone. I would wait until I was with my friends or my parentsto drink. For the past couple of years, I've grown out of that awkwardness. Once my work is done, a glass or so is more than welcome to wind down the day.
A cocktail while watching Bobby Flay's Throwdown. I love martinis, both gin and vodka. I lean towards the non-sweet drinks when I have the option. I love olives, too. So a Dirty Martini is naturally one of my favorite cocktails.

Thai Curry with Shrimp
When it comes to cooking at home, I try to use what's in the pantry before going to the grocery. I found a Green Curry Sauce bottle from Trader Joe's in the pantry. The taste right from the bottle was already great. I just sauteed some onions and yellow peppers to give an element of freshness. I then added super fresh shrimps for a couple of minutes. Delicious!

Corn & Ham Pasta in a Cream Sauce
This is once of my favorite homemade pastas. The sweetness of the corn is a fantastic contrast to the ham - usually bacon or pancetta.

Mushroom Risotto
I found some dried mushrooms and arborio rice in the pantry. I used low sodium chicken brother, dry Sherry, and the mushroom broth (from hydrating the dried mushrooms). All these liquids blended so well together to create a great mushroom taste. I'm inspired to work on this recipe to match it to the best mushroom risotto I had in Paris.

Cheese Omelette
It's been said that if you can cook an egg well, you can cook well. I've taken this to heart. So far, my egg specialties are my scrambled eggs and my omelettes. Both dishes are made without the use of milk. It's just eggs, butter, and seasonings.
For this particular omelette, I used Gouda cheese and red pepper flakes, topped with Parmesan.

Belgian Waffle
This is a house specialty. The batter is made the night before so it can rise. It took us years to find the perfect wafflemaker. The result is a light, fluffy, and crispy waffle. It's the best.

Banana Banana Pudding
After eating at Magnolia and Buttercup in NYC, my mom was inspired to recreate the delicious banana pudding. She made two varieties. This uses banana pudding as the custard base. It was very delicious, smooth, and creamy.

Vanilla Banana Pudding
This is the second variety, using vanilla pudding as the custard base. I preferred this. The banana taste was just as intense, and it was creamier. I love the chunks of Nilla wafers and fresh slices of bananas. So delicious!

Salad Craving

Wolfgang Puck is known for many things. I love him for two reasons: 1) His thick-accented humor and 2) His Chinois Chicken Salad. I love a good Chinese Chicken Salad. When I have that craving, I usually go to Trader Joes. When I'm in Vegas and I have that craving, I go to Wolfgang Puck's Bar and Grill in the MGM Grand. Of the Chinese Chicken Salad's I've tried so far, this is my favorite one.
Note: I left my camera at home, so these photos are from my (incredibly basic) cellphone.

The Menu

The Wine Pairing
Riesling, Monchhof, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, 2007
A nice light white wine paired with the salad.

Pinot Noir, Irony Mountain, Monterey, 2007
This fragrant light red was a great complement to the pizza.

Chinois Chicken Salad
With Candied Peanuts and Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette. This is a half portion because the order was split. We had to ask for extra dressing because it was not as tasty as we had remembered. Once we put a little more dressing, the salad was just as great as always. Fresh, crisp ingredients and a nice tangy dressing.

Tomato, Burata Mozzarella and Basil Pizza
Pizzas have tough competition after I ate in Pizzeria Delfina. This pizza was great because of the Burata Mozzarella. So fresh! So creamy! So light!

Dinner at Home

My mom is one of the best cooks I know. I've eaten at some amazing places, and her food and skills can compete with the best of them. In the states, I have not found a single Filipino restaurant that makes food better than my mom's...actually, I can say the same for restaurants in the Philippines. I know that the few of my friends that have tried her Adobo or Foods for the Gods (Date Bars) or whatever else can attest this.

Table Setting
The joy of eating is not just in the food, but it's also in the atmosphere of where you eat. For as long as I can remember, my mom has made sure we have a proper table setting and centerpiece. We got the olive branches and rosemary twigs straight from our backyard.




Kare Kare
This is my all time favorite dish. It's basically an oxtail stew with peanut sauce. Over the years my mom has developed the recipe to be healthy and the best.
Browning the Oxtail and Shortribs
This brings out the taste of the meat and the sauce. The oxtail is generous with meat and taste, and the shortrib is marbled so well.

Simmering
Mmm, the yummy beef broth is coming together!

Kare Kare!

Bagong
My mom's homemade shrimp paste sauce. It's nice and chunky and not overly salty like so many others.

Green Mango
This is a typical side for Kare Kare. I like eating the green mango with the bagoong. The tartness of the fruit pairs nicely with the saltiness of the sauce.


Adobo
And here it is again - adobo! The dish is so perfectly browned, cooked, and baked every time.
Chicken Wings

Pork Belly
We found this Filipino grocery in Vegas and couldn't resist getting this pork belly cut for the Adobo.

Adobo!
Look at that beautiful color. The sauce of the Adobo was nicely infused in the meat.

Patis
Fish sauce. The salty sauce cuts through the vinegar taste of the Adobo.

Tomato-Onion-Cilantro Salsa
The freshness of this salsa contrasts the Adobo so well.

Atsara
Homemade atsara (pronouced ah-cha-ra) - pickled radish and carrots.


Pancit Guisado
Noodles with vegetables. This can also be eaten with patis and lime.


Adobong Crab
Crab cooked in garlic and its own fat. I loove this dish! It's a recipe of my grandfather's. If you try this dish at home, always get the female crab. She has more fat.


Dessert
Even though we stuffed from the amazing main courses, we always have room for my mom's dessert. She's the best cook, and better than the best baker.

Coffee Crunch Cake
This is one of my mom's specialties. A light fluffy chiffon cake, with homemade whipped cream and homemade crunch. The crunch is an amazing honeycomb candy that's so airy and crispy.
The Wet Ingredients

The Dry Ingredients

Mixing Together

Baking

Cooling and Resting the Cake

The Finished Product
Look at how professional and beautiful it is! And, it tastes even better than it looks.


Leche Flan
Another one of my mom's specialties. The caramel sauce has a deep burnt taste that is so deliciously intense, and the flan is so light and creamy.
Making the Sauce

Coating the Pan with the Sauce

Cooling and Resting

The Finished Product
Look at that glaze and that color! There really is no other flan that can best this.


The best part about a dinner like this is the leftovers for the following days. The amazing eating experience lasts for another few days! And then the salad and fruit days follow suit....