Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Fluff Ice is Not Your Typical Shaved Ice

Checking Out Fluff Ice 

Last September, I paid a first visit to Fluff Ice, a shop in Monterey Park that specializes in something that isn't ice cream, isn't yogurt and is not your typical shaved ice.  Instead, it's a dessert that's more on the creamy side and will remind you of fresh, newly fallen, fluffy snow; hence, Fluff Ice.  You don't believe me? That's what I got from the sign below.

Checking Out Fluff Ice

Before I even saw the sign, I walked into a space that was dominated by the company's signature colors of blue, green and white.
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Checking Out Fluff Ice Checking Out Fluff Ice

On the counter, you can check out the various cup sizes for your fluff ice. At the register, you can take a look at the Fluff Ice Menu. Basically, how it works is that you choose 1 of 8 flavors to start with. However, between you and me, sometimes there's a secret flavor or two that is off menu. Just ask the guy or gal behind the counter to see if you can score whatever Owner, Matthew Hui, has been experimenting with in the kitchen.



Checking Out Fluff Ice

Once you choose your flavor and size, you can choose two toppings that are included in the original price; however, you'll have to pay extra for the premium toppers.  Don't feel that you miss much by opting out of the premium toppers because some of the regular toppings include things like red bean, egg pudding, lychee jelly ~ all of which are just as good. After that, your choice of either condensed milk or chocolate syrup is poured on your Fluff Ice, also included in the price, and you're ready to go.


Checking Out Fluff Ice

If you can't make up your mind, check out the Favorite Combos board to get some ideas. Perhaps, the Peach Me! Combo with peach fluff ice, lychee jelly and condensed milk is your thing.  If not, how about the Mango Madness Combo with mango fluff ice, mangoes, mango pudding, mango jelly and condensed milk. There are four other combos to choose from so I'm sure you'll be able to find something to your liking.

Checking Out Fluff Ice

Unlike typical shaved ice that is usually made by putting ice into a machine, fluff ice is done a little bit differently. I don't really know the details, but the ingredients for all the various fluff ice flavors are frozen into cylinders and then there's a machine where that ice cylinder is pushed down and in the process "fluff ice" comes out the other end into the waiting cup.  You can get an idea of what I mean by taking a look at the photos below.

Checking Out Fluff Ice Checking Out Fluff Ice Checking Out Fluff Ice

At the time of my visit, Matthew was able to give me small samples of all the flavors he had on hand which included Thai Iced Tea, Taro, Strawberry, Chocolate, Peach, Kiwi and Original.  Unfortunately, he didn't have any Green Tea, which apparently is a favorite among his customers. I pretty much liked everything I tasted, except I didn't really taste that much kiwi in the kiwi flavor.

Checking Out Fluff Ice

My favorite was the Thai Iced Tea and with the addition of the condensed milk, it tasted even more like I was eating a Thai Iced Tea instead of actually drinking it.

Checking Out Fluff Ice

I was also able to try a couple of their Premium Toppers, which you can actually just order by themselves if you were so inclined. First, there was the Pink Honey Boba, which is actually just boba soaking in honey. Then there was their Popping Strawberry and Passionfruit Boba, which I just tried for the first time a few weeks before at a yogurt shop.  If you've never had them, once you take a bite, you'll know why they are called Popping Boba.

Checking Out Fluff Ice Checking Out Fluff Ice

After all that sampling, I was ready for my own full size Fluff Ice. I was feeling a bit lazy, so I decided to pick a combo. I went for the Pretty in Pink Combo that had Strawberry Fluff topped with Strawberry Pink Boba and Condensed Milk. Matthew personally put mine together.  Thanks, Matthew!

Checking Out Fluff Ice Checking Out Fluff Ice Checking Out Fluff Ice

Overall, Fluff Ice has made me a fan. In fact, I've been back a few times and even brought friends specifically to try Fluff Ice. What I like is the creamy texture that isn't ice cream or yogurt. I don't know how that creamy texture has come about, but all I know is that it works for me. I also love the variety of Fluff Ice flavors that are available and know that there are still more to come ~ something to look forward to. While I'm normally an ice cream fan(atic), Fluff Ice has definitely given my favorite dessert a run for its money.


Fluff Ice
500 N Atlantic Blvd
Ste 153
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 872-2123
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Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Filipino-Hawaiian Chef Blaine Villasin Takes Over as Chef Partner at Roy's Restaurant Downtown LA Location

Media Dinner at Roy's 

As a Filipina food blogger, I'm always excited about supporting Filipino chefs. So when I got a media dinner invitation to the downtown LA location of Roy's Restaurant, where Chef Blaine Villasin, who is of Filipino-Hawaiian descent has taken over as Chef Partner, I was happy to attend. The evening started with cocktails and appetizers including the vegetable wrapped beef carpaccio.
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Media Dinner at Roy's Media Dinner at Roy's

Then Chef Villasin came out briefly to introduce himself and he also mentioned that the food we were going to enjoy that evening weren't necessarily on the menu yet. Instead, the dishes were more like of a preview of what's to come.

Media Dinner at Roy's

Our first course was a Striped Bass Sashimi with Tamari Chimichurri and Black Sea Salt. The fish was light and delicate and could have been overwhelmed by the strong flavors of the salt and chimichurri, but for me, the flavors were nicely balanced.

Media Dinner at Roy's

5 Spice Seared Scallop Salad with Tangerines, Baby Mache and an Orange-Vanilla Vinaigrette was our second course.  The scallop had a perfect sear and I liked the tart notes coming from the tangerine.

Media Dinner at Roy's

Next was the Buta Kakuni which is a Star Anise Braised Pork Belly with Shimeji Mushrooms and a Soy Mustard Foam.  I enjoyed the soft texture of the pork skin and the tender pork meat. The mushrooms added some nice nutty notes while the mustard added a nice "bite" to the dish.

Media Dinner at Roy's

The final savory dish of the meal was Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb with Pomegranate Demi Glace, Pea Tendrils and Summer Vegetables.  I liked that the lamb tender and how the pomegranate added a fruit tartness to the meat.

Media Dinner at Roy's

For dessert, it was all about the Caramelized Pineapple Lychee Semi-Freddo with Shortbread Cookie, Pine Nut Dust and Lime Gel.  The dessert was a perfect way to end the meal.  It wasn't too sweet and in fact, acted almost like a palate cleanser to the meal.  The pine nut dust was a nice touch and the lime gel added a little bit of tartness that I enjoyed.

Media Dinner at Roy's

Overall, it was a nice introduction to Chef Villasin's food which bodes well for Roy's Downtown. Considering that Chef-Partners at all the various Roy's Restaurants have a say in the menu, I'm hoping that Chef Villasin will incorporate some Filipino touches. Only time will tell.


Roy's
800 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 488-4994
Roy's on Urbanspoon ^

Monday, December 05, 2011

Cactus, Moles and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

When it comes to Mole, the first time I ever had a Mole dish was in 2006.  Don't applaud my good memory. I only knew that because it was an experience that was included in my very first Pleasure Palate blog post.  If you don't know what Mole is, you can get more information here,but basically, it's a type of sauce that is part of Mexican cuisine andcould have anywhere from 20 to 40 ingredients.  As a food lover, if you've never had mole, you're truly missing out on something special.  When done right, a mole sauce can show complexity and have layers of flavor that would simply amaze you.

So when a little birdie or actually a friend mentioned a new mole restaurant called Juan's Restaurante, my ears perked up. When I found out that it was a 15 minute drive my house, I knew I had to check this place out and luckily, I was able to do that through a 15 course tasting menu that was set up with the restaurant.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Walking into Juan's, the first thing I saw was a woman making handmade tortillas, but the one thing that really stood out about them was they were bright green. I'll tell you why later in this post.
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Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

In the dining room, there was also interesting wall art, but one painting had a recognizable face.  It was a painting of Chef Rocio Camacho. Chef Camacho is known for her moles and worked her mole magic at a couple of restaurants before finally opening her own restaurant just recently. She worked as a consultant at Juan's Restaurante for a period of time and served as inspiration to Chef-Owner Juan Mondragon as he perfected his mole recipes.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

So now let's talk about our meal which actually started with a beverage tasting.  First up was their Sangria Afrodisiaca which is made up of 30 different kinds of fruit, tequila and agave wine.  It was just the right amount of sweet with a little hint of tartness.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

The second drink was one of three kinds of agua frescas that they serve. If you're a beet lover, then their beet agua fresca that also includes lettuce and apples might be just for you. I actually like beet juice but it can be strong in flavor, so it might not be for everyone. In fact, a couple of people in the group said that this beet agua fresca was like drinking a salad, which may or may not appeal to you.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

An agua fresca with cactus and pineapple was the second one we tried. It was actually my favorite. I really liked the slight grassy-sweet-tart flavors of the drink.  It was really refreshing and also a nice palate cleanser throughout the meal.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

The third agua fresca was the hit of the table and it was their Pumpkin Orchata. Instead of rice milk, it's made with almond milk which gave the drink a sweet nutty taste.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Before I talk about the food, I should mention that there's more to this restaurant than just the moles themselves. There are actually two underlying themes. One has to do with how Chef Modragon's goal is to feature the cuisine of Pre-Hispanic Mexico,  which is represented by his moles as well as other dishes on his menu.

Second, nopal is something that has been consumed in Mexico for thousands of years for its health benefits. It's even considered cancer-fighting. When a Chef's family member got cancer, she started to include more nopal in her diet. To help with the monotony of eating the same kind of food over and over, Chef Mondragon actually developed nopal recipes to offer variety, some of which are also on the menu. By the way, I have to offer a disclaimer and say that I don't know if nopal is indeed cancer fighting, but I can say that his family member is now cancer-free. 

All this brings me to the first dish of our meal, which was a Nopal Empanada Stuffed with Squash Blossoms. I had to do a double take for a second because the empanada was as green as the green tortillas I saw earlier. It turns out that both the empanada and tortillas are made with just cactus and lime juice. As for the nopal empanada, I loved how light and flaky the empanada was.  Apparently, it's that way due to the fibrous nature of the nopal itself.  The squash blossom filling also had a nice flavor.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Next was the Nopal Empanada Stuffed with Huitlacoche. I enjoyed the smokiness and earthiness of the corn fungus and actually marvelled at how the empanada wasn't oily at all.  When I asked the Chef about that, he said that the empanadas aren't cooked with oil. Instead they are grilled and covered to allow the circulating heat to do all the actual cooking.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

After enjoying our first two appetizers, my little birdie friend,who also brought tequila to the party, gave us both a taste and a tequila tasting lesson with a little shot of Siete Leguas Tequila Blanco. Regarding this tequila, it was made in the highlands of Jalisco, which apparently has less of a "bite" than lowland tequilas.  Also, Leguas is the name of Pancho Villa's horse. Now for the lesson. To be able to identify the flavor notes of a tequila, you breathe in, take a sip, swallow and then breathe out. As you breathe out, your palate can sometimes taste the nuances. I think I tasted lemon or lime, but I'm not quite sure.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Queso Fundido with Cactus, Bell Peppers, Onions and Mushrooms with Nopal Tortillas soon came along. Unfortunately, I didn't care for it too much. I love my cheese and the cheese was too overpowered by the size of the other ingredients. The melty cheese should be the star and would have been if all the other ingredients were scaled down in size and were more supporting players. I do have to mention that we were served tasting portions so perhaps the actual dish has a lot more cheese than what we received, so that's something to consider.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

The next cheese dish which was the Queso Fresco, however, was a hit. This particular cheese is house made from low fat milk. It was wonderfully light and ate well rolled up in the nopal tortilla with the spicy salsa they had brought out earlier.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

After the Queso Fresco, came the Cactus Salad with a house made vinaigrette. The cactus was nice and crunchy and most important of all, not slimy. I've had cactus salads at other restaurants where the cactus had a slimy texture which is a total taste turn off.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

One of my favorite dishes was the Cochinita Pibil Taco.  The pork was marinated in mandarin orange juice which gave the meat its citrus flavors, but I also loved the fact that it was spicy.  It certainly woke up my taste buds and made them stand at attention.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

What followed next were 3 different soups starting with the Sopa Mixteca which is a tomato-based soup with nopal and charales, a tiny fish that is either dried or salted and fried. The broth was spicy which I enjoyed and I liked the hint of saltiness that came from the fish.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

After the Sopa Mixteca came the Caldo de Piedra, a seafood soup that came with an interesting story.  Apparently, this Pre-Hispanic Mexican dish was historically a dish made by a husband for his wife every Sunday as a Thank Your for all her hard work.  The preparation goes like this. Put all the seafood and other ingredients in a pot.  Heat up rocks in the fire until the rocks are red.  Place the hot rocks in the soup and that's how the soup is cooked.  That same preparation is done at Juan's. Unfortunately, I found the story more memorable than this soup.  I can't remember any distinct flavors. I do remember that the octopus was amazingly tender, but that the shrimp was a tad over cooked.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Our last soup was the Tlapeno which was a soup with carrots, garbanzo beans and chipotle.  I had an issue with the fact that there were hardly any garbanzo beans at all. I think I had three and the person beside me had only one.  The most anyone had in their soup was probably 4 or 5. On our tasting menu, carrots weren't even listed as an ingredient; yet, it seemed more like a carrot soup than a garbanzo bean soup. Hopefully, a full sized soup will be more garbanzo friendly than our tasting portion was. Garbanzo beans or not, the broth was too smoky from the chipotle for my particular taste.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Done with the soups, the next item to arrive was the Nopal Tres Milpas, which was also referred to as a Nopal Quesadilla. It's basically two nopal halves filled with cheese, Serrano chilies, squash and corn.  Again, the preparation of the nopal was great in that it wasn't slimy and instead had a nice little meaty texture to it. I did think that the filling needed just a tad more seasoning of some kind, but overall, this dish is a great vegetarian option.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

More nopal came in the form of the Carne Asada dish which was cooked with corn, onions, bell peppers and were on a bed of nopal. I'm not sure if by this point my palate was just getting fatigued, but this dish seemed similar in flavor to the Nopal Tres Milpas.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

It was tequila time again and our next taste came from Chamucos Tequila, which is a Raspado. This company that makes this tequila is family-owned.  Their raspado tequila is aged from 2 months to a year in virgin white oak barrels which gives it a lighter yellow color that is not very common for raspado tequilas.  Chamucos, by the way, translates to "devil" and that image is definitely reflected on their bottle label.  The flavor notes from this tequila was all about cinnamon.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

The grand finale for this meal was all about the moles. First, a platter of different meats were brought out that included tilapia, salmon, shrimp, pork and a filet mignon.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Then out came ramekins with 10 different moles for us to try with the various proteins.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

The moles we tried were the following:
  • Mole Poblano (Chocolate Mole - a tad more smoky than Mole Negro)
  • Mole de los Dioses (Huitlacoche)
  • Pipian Verde (Green Pumpkin Seeds)
  • Pipian Rojo (Pumpkin Seeds with Red Chili)
  • Mole de Pistachio
  • Mole de Nopal (Cactus)
  • Aromas de Mexico (Guava and Passionfruit)
  • Mancha Manteles (Special Oaxcan Chile)
  • Mole Negro (Chocolate Mole)
  • Velo de Novia (Pinenuts and Almonds)
When it came to the moles I liked, I definitely gravitated to both the Mole Poblano and Mole Negro, both of which have chocolate as one of the ingredients.  The subtle difference between the two was that the Mole Poblano was a little smokier than the Mole Negro, but both had rich, dark complex flavors.  The Pepian Rojo was also one that did it for me. It reminded me of a Kare Kare, a Filipino stew made with peanuts.  However, my absolute favorite was the Mole de Nopal. I just liked its green herbiness. Apparently, I'm in good company because when Oprah Winfrey is in town, Chef Mondragon will cook for her and the Mole Nopal is her favorite mole, too.

After our mole madness, we relaxed with our third tequila from Volcan de mi Tierra. This particular tequila is an Anejo Tequila which is aged for about 14 months.  This was my favorite of the three because of the lovely caramel notes that came through.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Finally, it's dessert time and the first one that came out were two different types of flan.  One was a corn flan and the other was a nopal flan that was topped with a tuna syrup, which comes from the cactus flower.  An interesting thing about the flans were that they were made without eggs.  I wouldn't have known that if the Chef hadn't mentioned it.  Each had a dense, creamy texture that I really enjoyed.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

However, my absolute dessert was the Rose Petal and Cinnamon Ice Cream and the almond, chia seed and sesame seed brittle bowl it sat in.  I loved that the ice cream was floral with a "bite" but I have to say that the edible bowl was killer.  It was caramel-y, nutty and just downright delicious. Give me a whole bag of that and I'd still want more.

Tasting Menu and Tequila at Juan's Restaurante

Our final dessert was a Corn Cake.  I liked it because it wasn't overally sweet and had an almost creamy texture similar to a Tres Leche Cake, but not as soggy.


Overall, my meal at Juan's Restaurante was wonderful. I really appreciated Chef Mondragon's take on cactus. I've never had cactus in so many different ways before and of course, you can't visit his restaurant without trying any one of  the mole dishes or that amazing cochinita pibil taco and ending with the fantastic rose petal and cinnamon ice cream.  All I know is that I'm glad that Juan's is only a mere 15 minutes from me because I look forward to many visits to come.

Juan's Restaurante
4291 Maine Ave
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
(626) 337-8686
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Juan's Restaurante on Urbanspoon ^