Simple Goodness at A & J Restaurant

OH MY GOD. I just realized as I was uploading this picture... that I actually frequent this place back home (Arcadia branch). I never realized until JUST NOW that it's the same place as the one I frequent in Irvine. WOWWWW. Ok. So. THIS PLACE IS GOOD. LEGITIMATE. For today's post, I am going to focus on the Irvine branch.

The plaza it's located is very nice, but I guess my only complaint is that the parking lot is pretty scattered and I feel like it would be easy to get into car accidents there. Anyway, the actual restaurant is not hard to find, and is quite spacious inside. We were quickly seated, and given menus. While the menu was in both Chinese and English, my friend Satoko and I had trouble ordering, because the separate ordering sheet was only in Chinese. But that didn't stay a problem, as we just told the waitress when we came what we wanted. They waiters all speak good English, so no problems with ordering!

While Satoko ordered Zha Jiang Mian (dry noodles with meat & bean sauce and veggies), I ordered Dan Dan Mian (spicy Sichuan noodles with sesame paste). I usually order the Zha Jiang Mian, which is absolutely delicious, and healthily balanced with protein and vegetables. Today I decided to switch it up to Dan Dan mian, and was happy that I did so. The sesame paste kept the dish from being overpowered by the spicy oils, and so it wasn't that spicy at all! I don't know about you, but that's good for me because I am very bad with spicy foods. We both had the option of either thick or thin noodles, and chose the thick ones! Anyway, I like that the servings were of good size, and good quality. The noodles are perfectly chewy, soft, and fresh.

Zha Jiang Mian from A & J Restaurant.

Dan Dan Mian from A & J Restaurant.

I love that the flavors are kept really simple, and similar to True Food Kitchen, the food is pretty light, so I didn't feel weighted down after dinner. But the best part of the meal, apart from how delicious it was, was the bill. I definitely recommend this to those who are on a tight budget, but still want to get the best deal for food!

A & J Restaurant

14805 Jeffrey Rd, Ste D
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 786-3585

As a side note, my friend Kirhan is guest-blogging on Matcha & Pavlova. Please keep checking in to my blog and stay tuned for his post. GET EXCITED.

Jazz Cat Restaurant Revisited

Today, my sister and I went to Jazz Cat Restaurant in San Gabriel for a nice hot pot (I know, again...) late lunch. I remember when we first checked out this restaurant years ago-- it was originally located in Alhambra, and while the food was good back then, they have made many improvements since their move to San Gabriel. Usually the wait for food is insane, anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour! So I'm glad we came at an unconventional eating time, as we were seated immediately.

Since their move, I feel like the restaurant became a lot classier and fancier, with their nice black granite tables, and the black chandelier and beads in the waiting area. The chairs were also very heavy, big, and cushioned. In addition, the walls were painted a deep red and lined with paintings, and the jazzy music really set the mood for a relaxing meal. Another thing that I liked was that even though there seemed to be a lot of tables inside the restaurant, the way it was set up made every table seem very private.

Because Jazz Cat is known for their hot pot (and their incredibly tasty specialty drinks!), I ordered their Mongolian Herbal hot pot combination. I had a hard time deciding between the Rose & Cream hot pot or the Mongolian Herbal hot pot, but finally decided with the latter as I ordered Matcha Milk as my drink. I loved my choice, as the soup base tasted amazing with my meat and veggies. Another cool thing about Jazz Cat is that their hot pots are served individually, so each person has their own type of soup and their own trays of food.

Mongolian Herbal soup base, rice, and Shacha sauce at Jazz Cat Restaurant.

My sister also ordered a hot pot combination, but she chose the Mongolian Spicy soup base. As for how different the two tasted, I can't say because I did not try hers, but you can judge from the photo below! From what she told me, it wasn't that spicy when she first ordered it, but it became a lot spicier by the middle to end of our meal. So be careful if you ever order it!

Mongolian Spicy soup base at Jazz Cat Restaurant.

With our soup bases, the combinations also included a tray of meat (we both chose lamb over beef, chicken, or pork) and a tray of veggies and noodles. I was happy to see that our trays were filled with a variety of items like tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and pumpkin. All together, neither of us were able to finish our own trays, as they were generous in their servings. However, I don't think it's large enough of a meal to share between two hungry people either! I guess it's good for one of those days where you have a larger appetite. To match with our food, we were also given small dishes of Shacha sauce as our dipping sauce (you may recall from my last hot pot post). We added soy sauce and a raw egg in ours to give it an extra kick (trust me, it tastes good together!).

Trays of lamb and veggies for our hot pot combos at Jazz Cat Restaurant.

Shacha sauce with an addition of soy sauce and raw egg for our dipping sauce at Jazz Cat Restaurant.

To wrap things up, it was another good meal out. I loved the atmosphere and the quality of our foods. I highly recommend it to anyone who is up for trying new flavors on a cold winter night (if you ever try that rose & cream hot pot that I was considering, let me know what you think!). Just remember to avoid it during popular lunch and dinner hours if you're starving!

Our meal at Jazz Cat Restaurant

Jazz Cat Restaurant
121 E Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 288-5200

Mid-week De-stress Dinner at True Food Kitchen

True Food Kitchen is just what I needed after surviving the first half of the week. The food and atmosphere was very enjoyable, and I am fueled with enough energy to kick butt for the rest of the week! I went there for an early dinner tonight with my friend Lindsey. When we arrived inside, we were stunned by how big, open, and stunning the interior was. We were both drawn to the outside patio area, which was almost as huge as the inside, and so we requested a table outside (despite the massive wind today!). I loved the setting, because it felt really relaxing.

We were greeted by our server shortly after, and she told us that the restaurant is actually partnered with a nutritionist, so their menu boasts an assortment of nutritionally balanced meals and drinks. And let me just say, their drinks are amazing... They have interesting combinations of ingredients for their drinks, and I was so excited that I wanted to try many of their drinks. At last, because I could not make a decision, I asked our server for her recommendation and ended up ordering the Cucumber Refresher, which is a mix of freshly juiced cucumbers (unpeeled for full flavor) and honey lemonade. I sipped up every last drop!

Lindsey ordered the Oogave Natural Sodas which consisted of Cola, Mandarin Key Lime, and Ginger Ale. When it arrived, it looked like Sprite, but upon further inspection, we saw that it had a pretty light green tint. And the taste was as equally attractive.

Left to right: Water, Oogave Natural Sodas, Cucumber Refresher from True Food Kitchen.

As a starter, I ordered the soup of the day, which the server described as a mushroom broth mixed with carrots, onions, chives, and mushrooms. She called it the Immunity soup I think? Anyway, it had really simple flavors, and tasted pretty basic. However, it had a really nice mushroom aroma that I enjoyed.

Immunity soup from True Food Kitchen.

Afterwards, came our main dishes. We were anxious to eat them, but unfortunately, it took longer than usual for the food to come out. We waited a good twenty minutes maybe. When the dishes came out though, boy were we excited. Lindsey ordered the Panang Curry with chicken, and I ordered the Wild Ahi Sliders with two sides of sweet potato mash and kale salad.

Lindsey's Panang Curry from True Food Kitchen.

Wild Ahi Sliders from True Food Kitchen.

I wasn't sure you'd realize how amazing my slider was, so I included a close-up.
Wild Ahi Slider from True Food Kitchen.

The sliders were PERFECT. The meat was cooked amazing, and I love the way it tasted combined with the avocado and sprouts. At first I was a little worried that two measly sliders would not fill me up, but it was the perfect amount of food (maybe even more than enough). Although I have my eyes on other dishes to order for future visits, I am already very tempted to order the sliders for my next ten visits to True Food Kitchen. They are that good. SERIOUSLY. The only part of the plate that was a little unsatisfactory were the two sides. The sweet potato mash was ok in taste, but way too filling. The kale salad was even worse. It was completely drenched in a vinaigrette that was way too vinegar-y for my liking.

Lastly, dessert! I was debating between the Flourless Chocolate Cake and the Almond Olive Oil Cake, so I asked the server, and chose the Chocolate Cake. It was a good decision. Although they ran out of vanilla ice cream, she offered to replace it with any choice of ice cream from their dessert menu, so I quickly decided on pistachio ice cream. Again, it took another good fifteen minutes for it to arrive, but I soon forgot about how long the wait was when I tasted it. The cake was just the right amount of fluffiness and crunchiness. Super yummy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Ice Cream from True Food Kitchen.

As you may be able to guess, I will most definitely return to eat here again. Although a bit on the pricey side, I think it is well worth it considering the serene atmosphere and the quality of the food. The best part is that after finishing dinner, although full, I did not feel weighed down from the food. In other words, the portions are good in that I did not overeat and the content was not overly heavy. And now that I am not groggy from eating too many filling foods, I guess it's about time to start studying for my midterm...

True Food Kitchen

451 Newport Ctr Dr
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 644-2400

Two Quick Dinners from Wholesome Choice Market

Of my ten-week school quarter, this week 8 has got to be the most busy of them all. I won't bore you with all the details of how many things are still on my to-do list, but with an endless pile of work awaiting me, I didn't even have the capacity to worry about what I should be eating every night for dinner.

With that said, these two nights I have been surviving on the goodness that is Wholesome Choice Market! Last night, on the way back from running errands, I stopped by this market and ordered a meal from their grand food court. Don't be fooled by the fact that it is merely a food court, the selection of cuisines and the quality of food are both top notch. Between Indian, Chinese, Mediterranean, Thai, and Mexican cuisines (I may have missed a few), I chose the lamb shank combo from the Indian cuisine section. Yes, I know you are screaming "YOU SO WOULD!!" at your computer screen right now.

Lamb shank from Wholesome Choice Market.

Anyway, the lamb was amazing (as I expected!). I am very impressed by how generous they are with the portions of food that they sell. Yes, it's a little pricey ($7.99) for takeout food, but it is worth every penny. The lamb was very nicely seasoned with sauce and every bite was succulent and  had me wanting to eat more than I should.

Side of spinach from Wholesome Food Market.

My combo also came with a side of veggies, and I chose my favorite spinach. I'm not sure if it was years of growing up watching episodes of the cartoon Popeye, but spinach has always been my prime choice of greens. It is good in almost every single way you cook it.

So as you may be able to guess, despite my infinite stress, I was able to enjoy an hour each night of pure bliss from dinner. By the way, bonus points for Wholesome Choice for offering student discounts to UCI students! I am definitely going to take full advantage of that...

Wholesome Choice Market

18040 Culver Dr
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 551-4111

Sizzling Hot Pot Night at Lugi Restaurant

For dinner tonight, my siblings and I went to Lugi Restaurant (盧記) for some authentic Chinese hot pot. This was my first time here, and I had a great meal. We went late at night around 9pm, so there weren't many people inside the restaurant. But even if there were many people, it would be no big deal because the restaurant is pretty big. I also liked that everything in the restaurant was super clean (tables, utensils, plates) and was brightly lit. The only down part was that because it is located in a plaza with a few other restaurants, it may be a little hard to find parking.

Anyway, to start off, we ordered the half and half soup base which consisted of their House Spicy soup base and the Napa Cabbage base. I'm pretty sure my siblings would have ordered the House Spicy base if it were just the two of them, but because I'm a total WEAKSAUCE at dealing with spicy food, we added the non-spicy base.

Our half and half soup base at Lugi Restaurant.

For those who are unfamiliar with eating hot pot, basically a pot of soup base is kept boiling, and we add in meats and vegetables to cook in it. Afterwards, we take it out and eat it with a dipping sauce.

Condiments and peanuts at Lugi Restaurant.

Instead of Japanese shabu shabu, where ponzu sauce and sesame seed sauce are used as the dipping sauce, Chinese hot pot uses shacha sauce (pictured in the top left area in the photo above). What my siblings and I did in preparing our dipping sauces was mix soy sauce with shacha sauce and add in the chopped green onions as well as a little of the soup base. I love the way it tastes with everything! It's seriously like magic sauce--it makes everything taste better.

Clockwise starting from the top: mushrooms, winter melon, egg & fish dumplings, scallops, and frog legs at Lugi Restaurant.

All our plates of food came in a very timely fashion, which is expected since barely any preparation is required. Unfortunately, my siblings and I ordered a little more than what we could consume, but I enjoyed everything on the table. Not everything is pictured, but from what I remember, we ordered: slices of lamb and beef, egg and fish dumplings, winter melon, scallops, frog legs, mushrooms, spinach, watercress, taro, and shirataki noodles. We were adventurous in ordering the frog legs, as we've never tried that in hot pot! It turned out very tender and tasty. It was also my first time trying the egg dumplings, which is made up of fish wrapped with a skin of egg. Yummy!

Lamb slices and spinach at Lugi Restaurant.

Another odd item that we saw on the menu list (but didn't order) was spam. I'm curious as to how that would taste in hot pot. Maybe next time...

Our food cooking in the pot at Lugi Restaurant.

I came out of the restaurant super full and fully satisfied. Everything we ate tasted fresh, and the waitresses were very attentive. An extra plus was that they have a long list of drinks that compliment hot pot well: guava juice, plum juice, white gourd juice, passion fruit juice, and apple soda from what I can remember. I will definitely come back again, especially when the weather gets cold again!


Lugi Restaurant
539 W Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 457-5111

Sushi with the girls at Hanabi Sushi Bar

I reunited with my high school friends Holly and Sarah tonight for dinner at Hanabi Sushi Bar in Pasadena. It was my first time there, and I was already pretty impressed when I walked into the restaurant. It's situated on a very lively street (Lake Ave.) and in the nook of one of the plazas. The interior was set with dark, warm lighting, and had nice seats and gave comfortable vibes. Also a plus was that although there were quite a lot of tables, the noise level was never bad. It was perfect for my friends and I who had much to catch  up on!

Upon getting seated and deciding what to order, the waitress came to take our order in a timely fashion. Although seemingly attentive, I had to remind her a couple of times for a glass of water. In addition, after waiting for a good 10 to 15 minutes without the complimentary edamame dish that Sarah said they always gave, we asked for an order of it. We found out later that they charged us for it. Upon asking the waitress why we were charged for it, she told us that while they gave out complimentary edamame, we ordered it, and therefore she assumed that we wanted an actual (non-complimentary) order of it. While she was explaining that to us, I was a little surprised at how assertive and borderline rude she was about the whole ordeal, when she did not even bother clarifying the confusion in the beginning. But we shrugged it off, as it was a deliciously seasoned plate of edamame.

Now on to the food!

One of my personal favorites of the night was the Baby Lobster roll. I love that it was a heated dish, and that the creamy sauce with baby lobsters was topped with a sprinkling of fried carrots (Well, I think they were carrots anyway...). It was a perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Baby Lobster roll at Hanabi Sushi Bar.

Another dish I ordered was the beef sushi. I read about it on Yelp before, and was instantly intrigued! Much to my disappointment, it was actually not that good. Although they were generous with the meat, it was not tender at all. Instead, each slice of meat was impossible to bite apart, and I had to end up swallowing it whole (super gross!). In the words of Sarah, "Definitely not date-night food!" The way the dish was seasoned was also mediocre at best, and not very memorable. Maybe I just had it on the wrong day with the wrong slice of beef, but to anyone interested in ordering it: please proceed with caution!

Beef sushi at Hanabi Sushi Bar.

Another dish that I tried was the Heart Attack roll. I don't quite remember what it consisted of, but I know it contained avocado and possibly spicy tuna. On top of the rice was also a layer of crispy tempura flakes I think? That was probably the tying ingredient of the dish. Without the outer layer of crispy bits, the roll would not be as memorable. But all in all, it was a solid dish.

Heart Attack roll at Hanabi Sushi Bar.

And of course, the perfect conclusion to any meal is the dessert. As you may probably be able to guess, at a Japanese restaurant, I ordered my favorite: tempura ice cream.

Tempura ice cream DONE RIGHT at Hanabi Sushi Bar.

The tempura ice cream was definitely the redeeming dish. The tempura layer was fried to perfection, and they were extremely generous with the portion size as you can see.

Looking back, tonight was a very good meal reconnecting with friends in that the restaurant gave us a good area where we can kick back and bask in the welcoming environment. However, I doubt I will be returning to this restaurant anytime soon as I think there are far more other places with better service and better prices.

Hanabi Sushi Bar
345 S Lake Ave., Ste. 115
Pasadena, CA 91101

Meals at Home: Coca-Cola Chicken

Upon finishing up my leftovers for the week, I finally went grocery shopping and decided to cook myself dinner. Tonight's meal was Coca-Cola Chicken coupled with spinach/garlic rice. I learned the chicken recipe from my sister awhile back, and I have been hooked ever since.

Because it's surprisingly easy to make, I've decided to share my cooking process with you all. I won't go so far as to label it as a legitimate "recipe" though, because most of what I did relied on eyeballing measurements of the ingredients...

So to start, I bought a pack of 14 chicken wings, rinsed them, and placed them in a pot.

Next, I poured about a liter of coke into the pot of chicken wings, and let it sit for about an hour or however long it takes you to catch up on an episode of your favorite show.

Finally, after the chicken has been thoroughly soaked in the coke, I added some soy sauce. I don't quite remember what exact measurements my sister told me to add in, so I added roughly 1/3 the amount of the coke I put in. It really depends on how salty vs. sweet you want your chicken wings to taste like! As for the type of soy sauce, I only had some Japanese Kikkoman soy sauce sitting around in the pantry, so I used that.

Once that's done, just turn on the fire and let it boil for about 20 minutes.

When it's about finished boiling, try tasting the sauce and see if it tastes good. Add more coke/soy sauce if necessary.

During that time, I also prepared a cup of rice to go along with the chicken. Never being a big fan of plain white rice, I cooked up some spinach and minced garlic and added it to the rice. ...And Voila!

An easy dinner for a busy student (with enough leftovers for another meal of it)! If you are ever having trouble deciding what to cook, please try this "recipe" and let me know if you liked how it turned out :)