Lunch Around the Corner

Corner Bakery Cafe
1019 Westwood Blvd
Westwood, CA 90024
(310) 824-1314
http://www.cornerbakerycafe.com
$7 or so for a sandwich

I've been enthralled with the idea of microliterature, four word movie reviews and twelve word novels. I think that restricting yourself to only four words allows for some amazing bit of creativity. Plus the puns come out en masse and God knows I love wordplay. So from now on, I'm going to try to sum up my reviews in four words or less as the title to this entry suggests.

Corner Bakery Cafes are a chain of restaurants similar to Le Pain Quotidien. The comfortable seating and atmosphere brings a varied customer base of students, business people and bored Bel-Air housewives eager to gossip about the summer after dropping their kids off for the first week of school. When I used to work in Westwood and order my lunch to go, Corner Bakery was usually my top choice. We all know how much food suffers when it is not served immediately or whether it'll even survive the journey from restaurant to desk. But it's hard to completely dismantle a sandwich in a to-go container. My favorites are the DC Chicken Salad on Steakhouse Rye (pictured below) and the Chicken Pesto on Ciabatta. The chicken salad has large identifiable chunks of chicken with light dressing and raisins. The crisp green apples add variety in texture, a satisfying crunch to an otherwise squishy salad. My one complaint about the sandwich is its difficulty in eating. I found myself reaching for the fork to finish off the remaining pieces of chicken. The chicken pesto on the other hand, doesn't suffer from this lack of cohesiveness.


DC Chicken Salad Sandwich

I bought my lunch for take-out today, explaining the photo taken at my desk. First off, it was 10:30 in the morning and I wanted to save it for later. Secondly, I feel awkward eating in restaurants alone. The only exception is fast food which I can purchase, consume and be out the door before the other patrons realize that I'm by myself. The appeal of Corner Bakery is not its uniqueness, there are a million other bakery cafes, but in its familiarity. A wide chain like this must be popular to continue expanding. The public has spoken, and Corner Bakery is in.

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Destination Peru #12: Peru has Pizza?

Amaru
Agua Calientes, in the town square with the Incan fountain

I apologize for the lack of addresses or more specific directions, but this is probably the easiest way to find the place paired with the above photo. Restaurant Amaru is upstairs, providing a scenic balcony view of the square.


View from the restaurant

I wonder if you noticed something peculiar about the sign of the restaurant in the first picture. "Bar,restaurant..." yes those all make sense, "...pizzeria"? Now in itself it may not be quite so strange, but pizzeria is actually a fairly common site in Peru. How many of you knew that Peru has pizza, and lots of it? After passing by many of these places, I couldn't help but try it.



And it was good. In fact, so good, it beats most of the pizza I've had here. Maybe it even holds a candle to NY style pizza. Though they are quite different types of pizza, I'd be hard pressed to choose a NY slice over a Peruvian one. The crust was thin, like a slightly risen cracker but crisp from the wood oven. This pizza is a pizza mixta, with ham, palm hearts, olives, bacon, cheese and oregano. As much as NY pizza is defined by the dough and the sauce, I think Peruvian pizzas are characterized by the cheese. I'm tempted to say it's queso fresco, but I can't confirm that. All I know is the the way the ham paired with the gooey strands made me go back to another pizzeria the next day.

Besides the marvelous pizza, I also had an empanada which I regrettably forgot to photograph. The crust was different than the Argentinian ones I had before. It wasn't flaky as much as it was smooth. I think they messed up my order and gave me a pure cheese one. Ultimately, it was too much dairy for me to handle.

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White Meat Society

One thing I never understood about Americans, speaking as a native born and raised in California, I never understood the American fascination with white meat.

[A simple scientific primer on white and dark meat

The color of the meat is determined largely by the presence of myoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen in muscle tissue. Through some interaction with iron, myoglobin forms the red pigments we associate with meat. Muscles that are designed for endurance, such as legs on chickens, have much myoglobin to supply oxygen because these endurance activities typically require oxygen. Breast meat on the other hand, has less myoglobin because the quick bursts of activity can happen without oxygen. ]

Growing up Chinese, we ate the cheapest parts of the chicken. Drumsticks and thighs were always cheaper than breasts and so that's what I ate. However, breast meat is also significantly leaner. As I mentioned in my post on veal, fat conveys flavor. As anyone who has had a well-marbled steak can tell you, we like our meat fatty. Let's accept for the moment that everyone likes flavor, then why would you voluntarily choose the meat that has less of it?

I've heard many reasons for the white meat preference. Among them, one that occurs most often is for health reasons. True, white meat chicken is a good source of protein without too much fat. But do you know why we describe so many meats as tasting "like chicken"? We usually say this when the meat has no flavor of its own, therefore tastes like chicken. Chicken does not need to be relagated to this level as generic protein, but it has to be treated right. Okay, if your health is so much of an issue that you need to give up the good stuff, then white meat is better than tofu.

Another thing I hear often is that breasts just tend to have more meat. I think this has much to do with the accessibility of the meat. It carves nicely into slices. Americans just seem to be lazy in what they eat. God forbid they need to eat deal with a bone, or worse yet, a whole fish unfileted. There's much flavor in the bones and cartilage so often neglected. Consider that stocks are made from bones.

In reality, I think the biggest reason for the preference of white meat is brainwash marketing. How often have you heard the term "all-white meat"? I've never understood the appeal of that. Perhaps it's to assuage you that they didn't stick some chicken feet into your chicken nugget. You accept that it's reconstituted meat anyway, why does it matter if it's all-white? But because advertising as position white meat to be so appealing, the public has fallen for it. I don't know whether this preference developed before the advertising or vice versa. I suppose it's the same problem of the white chicken and the egg.

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Destination Peru #11: The Cuy Finally

Restaurant Pachatuzan
Pachatuzan Road, Agua Calientes
$16 for the cuy

If any of you have talked to me about my trip already, you'll know that I got a chance to try guinea pig. In Peru, guinea pig, or cuy, is usually served for special occasions. From what the guide said, it sounded like the equivalent of a goose. How often do Americans eat goose except for special dinners around holidays? Well cuy is an Andean dish, so I waited to get into the mountains before selecting a restaurant. Many of the places in Agua Calientes serve it to the tourist clientele. I saw a few of them skinned and sold in the markets, but none alive. I chose Restaurant Pachatuzan because we had been to plenty of fancy places and this one looked simple and somewhat less frequented. They featured a large wood oven in the back for roasting many of their dishes. Soon after we sat down, the lights went out. But the owners were quick to bring out candles and resume service. It occurred to me that blackouts were probably not too uncommon.






My mother had the cordero a la parilla. Looking in my trust pocket dictionary, I realized that it was roast lamb. It was simple, no fancy garnishes, but according to my mom, a great dish.



My dad chose the trout because of its ubiquity. Apparently, it is a regional specialty showing up on most of the menus around town. The skin was crisp, but the fish lacked much flavor of its own. Every dish came with a side of thin fried potatoes.

Finally, my order came.



I was hoping to see the whole guinea pig comfortably lain with its paws tucked underneath like a whole roasted pig. Mine came spatchcocked, which makes sense from a cooking perspective, but lacked the dramatic effect. Well if anything, it certainly looked more grotesque. It didn't bother me to see a whole roasted rodent on my plate, except when it stared at me as I was eating it. I turned the plate around so I could eat in peace.



Well that's the presentation, but what did it taste like? To be honest, there was nothing unique or distinct about the flavor of the meat. The taste and texture bore a striking resemblance to dark meat chicken, although the skin was very elastic and chewy. Perhaps I just had a bad cuy, but I was disappointed. Besides the novelty, I don't really see the appeal.

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Horray, Triumph for Taco Trucks

A Los Angeles County Judge overturned the unpopular ordinance regarding taco truck parking. I acknowledge that taco trucks may have lower costs and could be driving brick and mortar businesses out, but that's what competition is all about. Plus I would rather get a meal at a truck than many of the so-called taqueiras. Regarding the claims that taco trucks create noise and trash, I haven't seen it personally so I can't speak to that.

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-me-tacos28-2008aug28,0,2873228.story?track=rss

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The VGT Omnivore's Hundred

Thanks to the investigative food blog browsing of my friend Audrey, I found this list. I figured it would be a fun way to fill an entry. So here we go.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison - at Josie
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile - Did you know Louisiana is the only place to have alligators and crocodiles?
6. Black pudding - as blood sausage, which Wikipedia tells me is the same.
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht - not big on beets
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich - Yes, but I don't understand the American love affair with this sandwich.
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart - One of the best hot dogs I ever had was from a cart in SF.
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle - I've had it shaved into other dishes, but often not in enough quantities to really tell what it tastes like.
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras - First time was actually relatively recently at Plumed Horse.
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper - more for my own safety than anything else.
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl - The best sourdough is in SF hands-down.
33. Salted lassi - I've had Persian doogh though.
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar - only because I don't smoke.
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects - scorpions and sandworms; I don't know if I could do a beetle or cricket.
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk - Just tried it the other day actually; There might be an entry later.
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu - Thought I did, panicked that I would be paralyzed. I think I just drank too much that night.
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut - For several year I actually gave up Krispy Kremes. But the first one I had after a several year hiatus was heavenly.
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal - Strangely enough, I only eat Big Macs when I'm overseas.
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine - didn't know what this was, but looks appealing on Wikipedia.
60. Carob chips - Why would you eat these by themselves?
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads - at Restaurant 2117.
63. Kaolin - maybe as a part of a stomach Chinese stomach medicine
64. Currywurst - haven't heard of it, but from the name, it sounds delicious.
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis - I'm not adverse to haggis, but it just doesn't sounds very good. Usually things boiled aren't very good.
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho - Surprisingly, I don't think I've ever had it.
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill - Initially, I would've objected, but Dave's Cupboard suggested that a deer could be roadkill. I'd gladly eat that.
76. Baijiu - There's a reason they serve it in tiny cups.
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky - This is a truly odd list, isn't it?
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant - I've only gone as high as two.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare - rabbit? Is there a difference?
87. Goulash - not big on Eastern European, i.e. borscht from above.
88. Flowers - I'm not sure what this means since so many flowers are edible.
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam - musubi baby!
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor - Why would you do that to a lobster that's delicious enough on its own?
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

70 Eaten

2 out

28 to go

Come on LA bloggers, lets see some lists!

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Why Locavorism is a Pipe Dream

I grew up in California and I've lived here all my life. While I don't necessarily want to stay here forever, I do love the state. As a foodie, California's appeal is apparent. The incredible bounty of the state is unparalleled by anywhere else in the Union. California's climate and soil conditions are so versatile and suitable to a wide variety of produce. Visiting New York, I hated paying a premium for fresh fruits and vegetables that look like they came from the bottom of the sale bin at 99 Ranch. Considering my love for the ingredients here, its easy to appreciate the utopian dream of the locavore movement.

Sure, eating local foods seems to be a great concept for building self-reliant communities. The food on your plate comes from no further than your nearest farms and ranches. The huge carbon footprint on that Australian rack of lamb is enough to deter some environmentalists. Why not have lamb from the farmers' market instead?

Well as Stephen Dubner and James McWilliams argue on the Freakonomics blog, the local food movement is just not very sound from an economist's perspective. When you emphasize small farms, you lose economies of scale. When you lose that, you create inefficiencies may have other undesirable effects. True, agri-business sounds pretty sinister these days, but mostly because these large companies are efficient at what they do. The Green Revolution has been credited with feeding groups of people with cheap and readily available foods, but perhaps at the cost of the environment. Yet how many people are willing to give up most of the foods on their local grocery shelves for the sake of the environment. I like to eat bananas, but they don't grow anywhere near me. How many of you are willing to make that sacrifice?

Not everywhere that people live is suitable for agriculture either. California is lucky in that sense, but ask the people in Arizona if they're willing to only eat locally. Would it be worthwhile to heavily irrigate Arizona for the sake of growing oranges? How can that be good for the environment.

On paper, the local food movement is quite appealing. But in practice, it just doesn't address all the complexities. Our agricultural system is flawed, but certainly not broken.

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