LongLong's OL Blog - 容容 的洛城OL隨記

Mom and I visited this Shanghai place few weeks ago in San Gabriel. It's so yummy.  I've wanted to post it on my blog for a while- but was lazy lately. 
The restaurant is located at 2nd floor of Focus Plaza. The business is good, luckily we arrived early so didn't need to wait for the table. 
Mom knew someone who works here, so she helped us to order few of their signature dishes. 
We ordered the traditional Shanghai small pan fried meat bum - Don't you think they are like little soldiers standing next to each other? - so cute.  The sauce is really good- house speical black vinegar sauce.  Take a bit of it, and the juice just flowing out of it.  This is yummy - tasted almost like the ones that are sold by street vendors in Taiwan.   This is my faovriate dish in this restaurant.  We actually brought three home for SmallN since Mom thought she would love it - but I ate them for lunch the next day....sorry
Speical Duck Stewed Soup with tofu skin, ham, and chinese mushroom.  They stewed it for a very long time, so the duck meat is very tender, and the soup is very flavorable.    The portion is big, a little too much for two people - it became my dinner for many nights.....
Sweet & Sour Fish and Stir fried veggie.  I did't like the fish too much, I still like steam fish with wine,  ginger, green onion and soy sauce better.  The veggie is good, I like stir fried veggie with garlic.
The price here is very reasonable - Mom thinks next time if we have family events, we should come here.  Maybe we should have dinner here when Nebres is in town for Christmas?

What's your favoriate coffee place?  Mega Starbucks Chain, peet's coffe or local Mom & Dad coffee shop?
For my daily morning coffee   - My favoriate is Illy Coffee, but it's rarely avaialbe in West Coast.  So Tully coffee has become my new love, but now it's hard to find in Southern California.  I again settle for Starbucks as my daily run. 
I've always loved sitting in cafe to kill time.  I studied in the coffee shops all the time instead of library as a student - the smell coffe and soothing Jazz background music actually made me very productive.  Little old beach town styled local coffee house at Isla Vista, University owned coffee house over seeing lagoon in UCSB,  Starbucks at down town Palo Alto, and coffee stands inside Stanford bookstore were all my favoriate hangout place.  I preferred local unique coffee house instead of chain coffee house.  Equator coffee house is one of my favoriate local coffee house located in Old Town Pasadena.
Equator is a hidden jewel in Old Town Pasadena.  SoHo styled coffee house in the little dirty alley - only locals can find it.  It has been opened for at least 10+ years, and Karin took me there first many years ago.  This has become my frequent stops ever since.
Just like many local coffee house in SoHo, no fancy interior design,  just some old sofa, wooden charis and tables with live local alternative music band in the weekend nights.  I always order Black Forest Mocha with one extract shot  - black berry syrup Mocha - very yummy
I took Mom there this Satruday.  Don't be fooled by her big happy smile - she was a bit freak out by the "old" furnitures there and didn't want to sit on the sofa....I guess that's called generation gap????
Equator Coffee House
(626) 564-8656  
22 Mills Pl, Pasadena, CA

I bought a key lime cheesecake for Trader Joe's yesterday, and we had it for dessert after dinner tonight.
 It's a mini version Cheesecake, the length & width is just about the size of coffee spoon.  We can never finish a whole cheesecake, so this mini version is just right.
The cheesecake should be kept in the freezer, and only need to take it out in the room temperature 2-3 hours before serving.  

After being feeded spirtually at the church this morning, it's time to feed my stomach with yummy food.  I was watching food channel this morning making fresh arugula salad - that's what I want for lunch.  I visited this new french bakery in Old Town Pasadena.  I discovered this new french bakery, Le Pain Quotidien last month.  I've bought some bread from here before and it was great, and have been wanted to try their food for some time now.  
The weather in LA is really nice today, the place is crowded for Sunday lunch.   
Full of shoppers or people who just wanted to read papaers and enjoyed a lazy Sunday afternoon.  Luckily I was able to find a corner table.  The decoration is simple, wooden chairs & tables and friendly staffs.  I orded a pot of coffee and arugula salad with goat cheese.
They served the coffee with a cute little silver pot, small bowl, and glass of milk.  It reminds me of how they served coffee in Pairs- a  cup without handle. 
They also brought me some baguette and three different type of jam - mixed berries, orange, and nutella.  Nutella is my favoriate.  I've fallen in love with Nutella many years ago when I fist visited Paris.  I like Nutella crepe, nutella with bread, or just a spoon full of nutelle.  You can now buy nutella in the supermarket, I highly recommend it.  I think Samuel and Hannah will like this.
The service was quick, I didn't need to wait long for my salad.  It's so colorful.  
Fresh arugula, a good portion of goat cheese, toasted almond seed, fresh tomato, and some thinly sliced parmesan cheese, with squeezed of lemon juce plus good portion of olive oil.  It's a perfect lunch.
I actually haven't gone to a cafe by myself for a while.  Sometimes it's actually cool to go for the weekend brunch by yourself at the cafe.  I enjoy watching people, take my time eating, just relax, and be myself.  We all need some time to spend with ourselves......
After an enjoyable lunch, it's time for my facial appointment. Au revoir!

E&O Trading is one of my favoriate restaurant in San Francisco.  It's a trendy Asian Fusion restaurant.  Karin and Robert brought me here in late 90th, and it has become a place I would take my out of town friends for dinner when they visit SF.  I also took my staffs here for Christmas dinner one year, and also recieved a raving review.  
The restaurant is decorated in South East Style.  Bamboo wooden floor, over sized lantern, and candle light setting.  
the signature starter, Corn Fritter is the must have.  Deep fried corn, bell pepper & flour mixed.  The lightly sweeten soy sauce dipping makes it even more tasty.  It's so good that sometimes we asked for the seoncd order.   The ingredients and recipe seem simple, and I should try to make it at home
Jane ordered Clam noodle.  The sauce is really speical.  Unlike the typical clam white wine sauce pasta, the sauce is cooked with lemon grass.  Lemon grass gives it a special taste to the noodle.  It's very refreshing.
I ordered my regular - Five spicie grilled skirt steak.   I am a BIG Meat eater......The meat is well marinated and tender-its tasted like Korean BBQ.  I like it when it comes with Kimchi.  You will never go wrong with this dish!
I highly recommend E&O Trading.  The food is good and the atmosphere is nice, too.  Just make sure you make the reservation, it's usually full house during dinner time.

I love Martini.  I had too many Martini this weekend @ SF.  
My martini feast started this Thursday, few of my old pals went to a small bar near work. - EZ5, and  I had a best Lychee Martini ever (sorry- I forget to bring camera).  Vodka with fresh lychee juice and two real lychee.  Munsieng had a great idea and ordered some chinese fried wings & egg rolls from the restaurant across the street.  Lychee Martini & Egg Rolls is perfect combo!!!!!
Jane and I had our Friday night ritual- shopping in the city after work. We added a new twist to our route, had a glass of Martini before shopping.  Nothing beats Shopping with the girls and sipping Martini.  We went to this little Martini bar near SF shopping center - in the dirty little alley, but inside is Martini Heaven.  
Karin told me this place is known for their Vodka drink.
It's a small bar, nicely decorated- cozy with many interesting vintage type poster.  Per Jane's recommendation, we both ordered Mango Martini.  I can't recall when Jane has become Martini drinker, she usually didn't know what to order when we go to the bar......
Mango Martini is good, I can taste the mango,  It would of be better if they added a piece of real mango fruit. 
After few hours of shopping, we had dinner at E&O Trading (see my article on E&O Trading later).  We both ordered cocktails.  Jane had pomegranate margarita - but it tasted like Martini.  I had some kind of house special martini- it was so bad that I can't remember the name.  We both were disappointed.  
I have to say out of all the Martini I tried this week, my favoriate is Karin's home made pomerganate martini - not becuase it's free but it's really good
Karin used Grey goose vodka with pomerganate juice, lemon juice and some fresh lemon.  it's so yummy.  I had three glasses!!!!!

Everytime after a plane ride, I always feel like having a hot Chinese soup - although I've lived in U.S for 16 years, I guess I still have Asian stomach.
KK has craving for Chinese stewed beef noodle soup, so we decided to have a quick lunch at A&J Restaurant at Cupertino.
A&J is a chian restaurant, it also has stores in Alhambra and Irvine.  This place is known for Northern Chinese dishes - noodle, dumpling, and Chinese breakfast.
The line was long, so we had to wait for the table.  Hannah was a good sport- she wasn't fussy during the long wait.  ---but she did look a bit bored.
Once we sat at our table. Hannah started to play and kept smiling at the young men next to our table .  But I might need to train Hannah for her eyes for beauty, beucase that wasn't a very good looking young man....
We ordered a rice porridge and white carrot (radish) cake for Hannah.  I used to like this porridge when I was litte- I like it with a bit of sugar.  Karin didn't want to add any sugar in it...Hannah didn't seem to like it too much.  White carrot cake is good, the skin is crispy with lots of radish filling.
We ordered some soy sauce spicy pig ear appertizer.  It's really good, they sliced really thin.  It goes well with some chilli and soy sauce
Karin ordered her stewed beef noodle soup, and I ordered a small beef soup. The beef is really tender, and the soup base is good, too.  
I ordered a dry noodle for my main dish. This is the typical northern Chinese noodle dish.  Hand made noodle with chilli and some peanut sauce.  It's just a simple noodle, but goes very well with beef soup.
Both KK and I like the hand made noodle, but we think the noodle wasn't fully cook.  I think the business were so good that they were rushing to get the dish out ---not too good of quality control.

My one case of V Sattui Gamay Rouge arruved today!
V Sattui is one of my favoriate winery in Napa.  It's a very casual and family friendly.  We like to buy a bottle of Gamay Rouge, some baguette, fresh cheese, and foie gras, then have a picnic outside their picnic area.  It's one of the must visit place in Napa, plus the wine tasting is free here.  I've recommended so many of my family and friend there.  My co-worker, Gabe and his family are hooked to this place, especially their Gamay Rouge.  He has joined their wine club, and we somtimes would trade their wine with each other.  Mom, Dad, and Karin also visited this place last week.
V Sattui wine can only be purashed at their winery or thru their website.  You can't buy them anywhere else.  I asked Karin to order me a case when she was there last week.
Gammy Rouge is Rose.  I enjoy Rose during summer time.  I like the clear cherry red color and fresh taste.  It goes very well with BBQ, and is perfect for hot summer days.  It's best to drink while it's chilled (1 hour in freezer would work).  Beside Gammy Rouge, their Muscat is also very popular if you like dessert wine.
Mom, Dad and I finsihed a bottle during dinner tonight.   It's a warm up for my first day at my new job tomrorow.   Wish me luck!

Debra and I went to Mitsuwa for a quick bite.  We both ordered Bento Box.  I love Bento box, becuase we get a bit of everything, plus it's so colorful.

As the countdown of my last day at work continue - Grace, Debra, and I went to Islands Restaurant for burgers as our WaMu three lunch musketeer's last supper together.  Both of them have been my lunch pals for the past year, we tried restaurants after restaurants around the area.  We enjoyed lots of different cuisine, and also gain our own share of weights .  
Islands Restaurant located in nice plaza in Irvine.  Hawaiian  family style restaurant.  Both interior and exterior are decorating with the island style.  Palm tree, bungalows, tikis on the walls, as well as staffs in Hawaiian shirts - very relax environment.
The menu is so cute.....
We ordered onion rings to share - we figure since we are breaking our diet rule on the big burger, we might as well do it right with onion rings.
The onion ring was okay, not too special.  I only had one piece.  I like my strawberry lemonade better.
We all had Hawaiian burgers - burger with grilled pineapple, teriyaki sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, swiss & mayo.  We also added bacon on it.
It tasted good there, juicy but too messy to eat.  The sauce is dripping every where.  I was so stuffed after that burger the whole afternoon.  I think it is at least 1/2 lbs of meat.  I don't recommend this place, becuase I got so sick after I got home.  Without going into too graphic details, I think the meat might not be fresh.  .
Next time for burgers, I would stick with In-N-Out