General thoughts - I'll update it with a picture the next time I go because I can't seem to find one online and they don't have an online menu. This restaurant is the real deal. A good indication is that all the ads on the bulletin board are in Vietnamese, there's a long video about Vietnamese and its culture constantly looping, most of the guests are Vietnamese, and most of the staff speak enough English to take your order and that's it. It's about $7 or $8 for a large bowl of Pho and it never disappoints. Their menu is big enough as it is which also includes Chinese dishes, but I have to give them lots of extra kudos for constantly trying to expand their menu. They started serving Vietnamese sandwiches and hot lunches to go where you get to pick and choose specifically what you want. And that's all Vietnamese food too. They added bubble tea, juices, etc.
Foods tasted - #22 (Spring rolls), #25 (the Pho that has all the different meats in it)
Thoughts -
1. #22 - Spring rolls - I only order a half order (2) when I go alone. It comes with a tangy sauce for dipping. I'm not 100% sure of everything that's in it, but I did notice vermicelli (glass noodles), carrots, pork. They're done perfectly every time and are always burn-your-tongue fresh off the fryer. The skin is always golden brown. Love them!
2. #25 - Large bowl of Pho - The actual name is in Vienamese so I basically order by number because the menu does describe the ingredients in English and I do know what Pho is. The broth (which I'm convinced it's beef) was delicious. I do usually add a bunch of hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce (garlic hot sauce with flecks of hot pepper seeds) into my broth to give it an extra kick. It comes with pieces of brisket, raw beef (ends up cooked because it's in the hot broth), meatballs, pre-cooked beef, and tripe. They also provide you with a dish of raw bean sprouts, a lime wedge, a couple of small hot peppers, and springs of basil in case you want to add those in your Pho as well. Since the beef (all different cuts) are thin slices, tenderness is never an issue. The meatballs are pre-made that you buy in a package if you were in a Chinese grocery store.
Final Thoughts - Very Yummy in My Tummy? Oh yeah! Will I go back? Every chance I get when I'm in the Troy/Madison Heights area. It's located at a strip mall in the Southwest corner of Dequindre Road and 13 Mile Road. If you love ramen noodles, this is basically an upgrade of that. Since I don't go there very often, I always order the same thing, but maybe someday I'll try something else. But somehow I got a feeling I'll regret not order my #22 and #25 regardless of how good the new dish is.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Adrianna Restaurant - 9477 Harding Avenue, Surfside - (305) 867-1220
Foods tasted - Shrimp Cebiche, Lomo Saltado Risotto, Peruvian Style Seafood Rice
Thoughts -
1. Shrimp Cebiche - For those not familiar with Cebiche/Ceviche, it's basically raw food "cooked" by just the acidity of (most often) lime juice. The shrimps do turn out pink as if they had hit a pan when they really haven't so it's served cold. It's usually done with thin slices of seafood such as fish. I really did enjoy it because the dish is so simple, No frills, no bells and whistles, just shrimp and lime juice. Accompanied by some red cabbage slaw (or was it shredded red onion - I forgot) and 2 big leaves of heart of Romaine. Not only was it delicious, it was beautiful to look at.
2. Lomo Saltado Risotto - I couldn't help by try it even though there were many menu items I wanted to taste, I want to try the signature Peruvian dish in case I never get to go back again. I thought it was interesting that they were able to incorporate some Italian style cooking into this dish. The dish was really creamy as I expected, the beef was tender, my only complaint was that it was really salty. I don't know if it was because the chef got a little salt-happy that day or was the sauce that salty in general. Unfortunately, I must say that the saltiness of the sauce did robbed me of this overall enjoyable experience with this dish.
3. Peruvian Style Seafood Rice - Honestly, I think this was just a variation of the Lomo Saltado but with rice instead. The sauce was also very similar to the one I had so it was also quite salty but it wasn't as bad. One good thing was that they were very generous with their seafood which is never a bad thing.
Final thoughts - Was it Very Yummy In My Tummy? Some dishes more than others, so I guess that's an eh. Would I go back? If I can find another Peruvian restaurant to go to, then probably not. The dishes were about $20 & up, so as far as prices, it's not bad considering the sophisticated ambianace of the restaurant.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
La Goulue - 9700 Collins Avenue Bal Harbour, FL 33154 - (305) 865-2181
Foods tasted - Endive salad, Escargot, Braised short ribs, Foie Gras (served with crostinis)
Thoughts -
1. Endive salad - It's similar to a Caesar salad with the anchovies but with grilled endives, shaved Parmesan cheese instead of grated, and cherry tomatoes. Grilled endives really adds to the taste and quality of the salad. There is a fine line between just the right amount of anchovies and too much anchovies which can end up overpowering the whole salad, but La Goulue did a great job with its salad. Unfortunately, since I'm not usually a fan of cherry tomatoes I did not taste them personally but I was told they were great.
2. Escargot - It has been a long time since I've had escargot and this dish reminds me why I enjoy them so much. These were cooked outside of their shells in lots of garlic butter with a piece of puff pastry on top of each snail. I'm guessing it's suppose to resemble beef wellington. Although I liked that they weren't overcooked, I think I prefer them served in the shells so that I'm not fishing the piece of escargot out from the bottom of the tray from a pool of butter like this time. Although the puff pastry idea is great and I can see why it would go well with the garlic butter since it's buttery to begin with, I honestly think I could've done without it or have it come on the side because while it was baking on top of the wells of butter, the bottom layers of the puff pastry began to get soggy.
3. Braised short ribs - The ribs were served boneless and the meat was tender but I honestly think the dish would've been better if the bones were left on. From experience, the longer the meat stays on the bones, the better it tastes, and these were just above average. There's something about being able to use a salad fork to pick pieces of meat off the bone because it's an indication that the dish was very well made. The sauce was great. The carrots, celery, and mashed potatoes were all pretty good. As good as it was, I think the restaurant could've done much better in the selection of sides to go along with the braised short ribs and be more creative instead of having their dish turning out like a standard American pot roast that I can make at home myself. So on that note I'm somewhat disappointed.
4. Foie gras (fattened goose liver) with crostinis - I must say that I was a bit apprehensive in trying it because of all the bad experiences I've had with liver growing up, but I suppose it was time for me to suck it up and try something "exotic." The crostinis were nice, warm, and crunchy. The foie gras was surprisingly tasty with no irony after taste like a normal liver. Perhaps something was done to it to get rid of that taste? Since I don't know how to prepare it, I have no idea. As long as I think of it as something similar to salmon pate I'm fine. I don't see myself purposely ordering foie gras, but I think I can deal with taking a taste or two if someone else orders it.
Final thoughts - Very yummy in My Tummy? Yeah I guess it did the trick. Would I go back? I honestly don't know. Other than the fact I don't foresee myself visiting North Beach any time soon, I just don't think the food we got was worth the money. It was a nice atmosphere and all and we got to sit outside, but I think it was
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Miller's Bar - 23700 Michigan Ave Dearborn MI 48124 - (313) 565-2577
Foods tasted - Single cheeseburger, French Fries, Onion Rings
Thoughts -
1. (Single) Cheeseburger - I love that it's served very simply and deliciously. It consists of bun, cheese, about 1/3 lb. of pure delicious meat, and bun served in wax paper. Ordering it medium rare will give you a very juicy and almost rare burger where some of the juice from the burger soaks into the bun. You can add your own ketchup, mustard, raw onions, pickles, but it just seems wrong for me to ruin a perfectly good burger so I always have it plain. Love it.
2. French fries - Being the potato snob that I am, I believe Miller's has its method of making fries down to a science and is perfect every time. I got a feeling they have been blanched before frying, and that's why it's so deliciously crunchy outside and very fluffy inside.
3. Onion rings - Since I love potatoes, I'm obviously more partial towards the fries. Don't get me wrong, these onion rings are great. I'm guessing the coating is something closer to panko bread crumbs rather than standard bread crumbs. I was taught that in order to be able to bit through an onion ring (instead of biting on it and drag out the whole piece of onion) you have to let it cool for several minutes. Seems to work.
Final thoughts - Is it very yummy in my tummy? Oh yes. Will I go back? How about next week? I love that their menu on the website looks like this -
They have since updated their menu to include a grilled chicken sandwich, grilled cheese and if I remember correctly even a fish sandwich for those that are not into red meat. Writing this is making me crave a Miller's Burger right now. You don't go there to eat healthy, you go there to satisfy an nearly insatiable craving. If you're trying to watch your weight, I would suggest you put yourself on a water only diet for a week if you do go get a Miller's burger. It's soooo worth it.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Cantonese House - 3159 S. Winton Road # 8, Rochester, NY 14623 - (585) 272-9126
If you've never had dim sum, think tapas. Servers are weaving through the restaurant with carts piled high with stacklable steamers that has little plates of food in them that they serve to you inside the bamboo steamer cause the small plates are so hot. These are all one or two biters, so you end up ordering a lot. But unlike tapas, each dim sum dish will run you around $3 as opposed to $10 or more. Dim Sum literally means "pieces of the heart". the bites are smaller, and usually takes more care (from the heart) to make than your standard stirfry. Going here makes me miss Hong Kong, I really need to visit again soon.
Foods tasted - Steamed shrimp dumplings (har gau), Steamed Shu Mai, short ribs, chicken feet, Tripe and brisket, Pan fried chive dumplings, deep fried pork dumplings (ham sui gok), Turnip cake, Congee with "thousand year old" eggs and shredded pork, beef stirfry with broad rice noodles/scallions/bean sprouts.
Thoughts -
Steamed shrimp dumplings - Very good. The shrimp was not rubbery or overcooked.
Steamed Shu Mai - I don't have an English translation for it. But it's another form of dumplings that uses a different type of skin that are openfaced stuffed with pork. Pork is always the main ingredient in shu mai. I've seen other places adding other stuff to it, but the pork is a must. This one was also not overcooked.
Short ribs - Seasoned well. Not too tough.
Chicken feet - I thought they were quite good. Not too salty and not too bland. It's usually cooked in some sort of a red/orange colored concoction because I'm pretty sure no chicken out there have orange feet.
Tripe/Brisket - Tripe is cow stomach. It sounds grosser than it is. If prepared wrong it could be gross, but these were great. It was no Texas brisket but still excellent.
Pan fried chive dumplings - I don't know why I didn't like them when I was little, it's veggies and dough. Maybe it looked gross to me when I was little, but I think it's one of my favorites now along with Shu Mai (my all time favorite).
Deep fried pork dumplings - The skin on these are usually thicker because they get dropped in a deep fryer. They're like the shape of footballs. What you're looking for is the initial crunch when you first bite into one and compare to the more gooey middle. They mke good Ham Sui Gok at the Cantonese House.
Turnip cake - These are just ok. A little on the cold side. Most dim sum spots will have separate carts dedicated to Turnip cakes so they can cook them up in front of you fresh. It's a pan fry dish, so you're really looking for your turnip cake to be a bit caramelized on each size.
Congee with thousand year old eggs and shredded pork - The eggs are NOT a thousand years old. They are, however, treated with some sort of chemical so the whites turn into a black color and slightly jello-y, and the yolk into a blue/green color. I assure you these are perfectly safe to eat. I do not know why these were invented to begin with, but it does add a little something extra to what would be other a plain bowl of overcooked rice drowing in water. This dish (with the eggs and pork and all) is often served when someone's sick, similar to the chicken noodle soup idea. It puts some nutrients in you but doesn't shock the stomach.
Beef stirfry with scallions, sprouts, and broad rice noodles - My dad's favorite. We always get that when we go to dim sum. This dish is purposely made with less sauce so it's drier and slightly easier to eat. The alternate version of the exact same dish has more sauce in it and that's the one my mom likes better. I don't care, I just want good food.
Final thoughts - Yummy In My Tummy? Yes. Will I be back? If I'm ever back to Rochester, maybe. It was good but I'll want to see if there are better ones out there. But it seems like they're doing very well for themselves, that is great to see.
Southeast Asian (SEA) Restaurant - 741 Monroe Ave, Rochester, NY 14607 - (585) 473-8031
General thoughts - It's not in the greatest neighborhood but it felt safer than the other Vietnamese place my brother was going to bring us to. It's at a great location though as far as visibility as it's on the corner of a main street. The restaurant is small and only has about 15 tables in it but it was a busy evening for them. The unpretentious decor is reflected in the prices. My mom commented that all the decorations are Thai, which I agreed. But honestly, the same people that say all Asians look alike are not going to be able to tell the difference so I'll chalk that up as part of the charm of the place. The portions truly are huge.
Foods tasted - Fried squid, #10 (I can't pronounce it. It's like the house special Pho that has tripe, brisket, rare beef, meat balls, etc), Iced coffee with condensed milk.
Thoughts -
Fried squid - I like the salt and pepper taste. It's mostly tentacles, so the pieces tend to be slightly tougher. But that's fine with me, because it's a nice change of pace from the calamari rings from the body that we get in most restaurants.
#10 - The noodles were a bit tough when it was first served so I let it sit in the delicious beef broth before digging into it to soften them up some more. I tasted the soup before adding a bunch of sauces in it to sweeten and spice it up. The soup was very fresh tasting and according to my mom, who is an excellent cook and very sensitive to MSG, she said she can tell the broth is the real deal, not from some packet. As with any pho dish, they give you a plate of bean sprouts, sprigs of basil leaves, wedges of lime, and little peppers so you can dress it to your liking. I decided to add some bean sprouts, basil, and a little lime juice to make it more authentic. Those extra flavors do add something else to a otherwise bowl of noodles with meat.
Iced coffee with condensed milk - This is a classic Vietnamese/Thai drink. It's like espresso, but instead of a little cup the size of a shot glass, it's served in a highball with some condensed milk in the bottom to help cut the bitterness. My dad thought I wasn't going to be able to sleep at all, but it didn't surprise me I slept like a rock because I was so tired from the festivities.
Final thoughts - Very yummy in my tummy? Yes. Would I go back? If I for some reason visit Rochester again, sure. It definitely hit the spot and satisfied my cravings. If only there are more Vietnamese restaurants closer to Dearborn. Madison Hts is pretty far for Pho, but writing this makes me want some for lunch. Hmmmm... pho....
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