Pollo ala Brasa Chicken: So Good, Few Words Are Needed

For awhile now, I've been hearing from friends about how good Pollo a la Brasa's Peruvian Chicken was. Though it took awhile, I finally made it there with said friends. Now if you're looking for fancy, this isn't the place. Think hole in the wall dining and you've hit the mark.

However, fancy doesn't always equate good food and Pollo a la Brasa is one example of that. While there, you may want to order the Chicha Morada, the Peruvian purple corn drink. I found this version a little too sweet, but the melting ice watered it down to my preference.

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With the chicken, you have a choice of sides that includes black beans, rice or French Fries. The black beans were a choice by some in the group.

I was in the mood for French Fries, so that's what I went for. As for the chicken itself, Wow! The chicken had crispy skin and took on some woodsy flavors from being cooked in a wood-fired oven. The meat was juicy and succulent and that included the chicken breast. Simply, the chicken was fantastic. Now if only there was a Pollo a la Brasa closer to me. Oh well.

Simply, the chicken was fantastic. Now if only there was a Pollo a la Brasa closer to me. Oh well. :(

Pollo a la Brasa
764 S Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 382-4090




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Introducing...The Dim Sum Food Truck

We all knew it had to happen sometime. With the proliferation of food trucks popping up left and right and having some pretty darn good dim sum restaurants in San Gabriel Valley, it was only a matter of time that those two thing would combine to form the Dim Sum Food Truck, owned and operated by Alex Chu. In February, I was part of a group of bloggers and other food truck owners who got invited to sample some of the tasty offerings from Alex's new venture.

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We started off with their Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) and Shau Mai. Those shrimp dumplings were a fairly substantial size. They weren't kidding around. These har gow put a smile on my face as soon as I took a bite of that sweet shrimp. Sitting next to the har gow in the tray was the shau mai. The shau mai's wonton wrapper was filled to capacity with seasoned ground pork, chopped shrimp, water chestnuts and delicately topped with crab roe and it was simply meaty goodness. What totally blew me away was the garlic sauce that came with the har gow and shau mai. Made with granulated garlic, oyster sauce, chili garlic sauce and other secret ingredients, if I could have taken a jar (or three) home with me, I would have.

Up next were their BBQ Pork Bun and their Steamed Chicken and Mushroom Bun. Unfortunately, I wasn't overly impressed with the BBQ Pork Bun. The bun itself was a little bland, a little too dry and it felt like there was more bread than filling. As for the bbq pork, it was also a little on the bland side. It needed more flavor, more zing. However, I adored the Steamed Chicken and Mushroom Bun. The filling was moist and the use of ginger as one of the ingredients really made my taste buds happy.

My favorite dish of this sampling was their Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf. When I opened the leaf up, it released an enticing fragrance and I loved the ingredients which included pork, Chinese sausage, shrimp and mushrooms. You got a little salty, a little sweet, a little woodsy in every bite.

The last thing I tried was their Turnip Cake. I enjoyed how the top of it was crisped and the little hits of salt and pungency from the small dried shrimp that were spread throughout the cake. Unfortunately, I had to miss dessert because I had plans later on in the day, but overall, I think the Dim Sum truck is a great addition to the LA Food Truck Scene.

Since I didn't get a chance to talk to Alex at the event, he kindly answered some of my questions via email, so look below for a Q&A with Alex Chu.

Q&A with Alex Chu

What inspired you to start the Dim Sum Truck?

I’ve always been interested in food and how I can share my passion for different cuisines with others. Chinese food, especially dim sum, has been a part of my life growing up because it was a way for me to spend time with my family over a nice meal. One of my first paying jobs was also as a dim sum server at a fusion Chinese restaurant. I especially like the food truck business because it's fun and right now it's a huge trend in LA.

Therefore, I can probably get new people interested in trying dim sum. Those who traditionally won't drive to the San Gabriel Valley can try dim sum for the first time from my truck when it comes to their neighborhoods on the Westside. It makes me feel like I can change the landscape of food culture and acceptance and I'm proud to do that.

What is the inspiration for your truck design?

I thought of the logo and design and enlisted some designer friends to help create it. Just like the menu, the design is a mix of modern and traditional. Our logo is based on the ancient Chinese seals and red is the predominant color since that is the color of good fortune. Our
truck's background is a bamboo steamer's panel pattern.

Who developed the recipes?

We follow the traditional recipes used for the dim sum items, such as the steamed dumplings, buns, sticky rice, etc. For the garlic sauce, spicy black bean tofu mulita, and peking taco, I developed the recipes based on my personal tastes and favorites. For example, I love the flavor of cucumber and green onion with my duck so I made a tangy cucumber/green onion topper for the duck. The spicy black bean tofu mulita came about because I wanted a more creative vegetarian option. It's based on the mulitas I used to eat at La Taquiza by USC (where I went for undergrad).

Who or what inspired your recipes? What are you working on that's new right now?

Everything I eat and enjoy inspires the fusion items. We try to stay as close to the traditional recipes as possible for the steamed har gow, shau mai, buns and sticky rice to provide customers with the most authentic dim sum experience possible. We're working on a vegetarian dumpling that should be available soon!

How large are you planning to expand your menu to in regards to the number of items sold every day and specials?

We are going to stick with our current menu for now in terms of item count, but we might switch out a special or two for something unexpected, or something that's requested often. For example, we brought out chicken feet for our grand opening event at the Brig and another possible dessert special is a banana red bean puff.

Is everything prepared/cooked fresh everyday?

Yes! Everything is made fresh every morning before being brought onto the truck to finish steaming - same as a restaurant.

What is the farthest you are willing to drive your truck to?

We are currently going to stick to the greater Los Angeles County, limited by the truck itself and permit rules.

Do you plan to expand to a fleet of trucks eventually?

Hopefully! Or we may introduce a smaller "cart" that will be parked in a high foot-traffic zone for quick, steamed dim sum goodies.

The Dim Sum Truck is definitely on its way and one truck that I definitely think is worth chasing down.

Click here to check out the Dim Sum Truck Website!
Click here to follow the Dim Sum Truck on Twitter!



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Things I Learned From Being a Cupcake Judge at the Drink:Eat:Play Cupcake Challenge

Thanks to an invitation from Dan Silberstein of Drink:Eat:Play Events, I got to be a Cupcake Judge for the 2010 Cupcake Challenge where 24 Cupcakeries offered 40 different cupcakes to win the hearts (and votes) of all the attendees. Having done the LA Chevy Cupcake Tour last December where 4 whole cupcakes almost did me in, I definitely wasn't sure how I was going to survive 40 mini ones and in the end, I actually only sampled 38. My method was simply to take one bite, write down some comments to myself and then move on to the next one. In the process, here are some random things I learned about myself.

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I don't get the appeal of red velvet cupcakes.

I simply don't understand why people are so into red velvet cupcakes. Sure, the cake itself could be moist, which is a bonus, but there's really no distinguishable flavor to it. Usually, the only part I like about a red velvet cupcake is the cream cheese frosting and even then, I don't like it if it's too sweet. Interestingly enough, being able to try some variations of red velvet cupcakes one the same day at the Cupcake Challenge just solidified my feeling that red velvet cupcakes are just not for me. Check out some of the ones I tried below.

Jus Minis "Red Velvet Cupcake"

Big Man Bakes "Red Velvet Cupcake"

Southern Girl Desserts "Martha's Red Velvet Cupcake"

I really like floral-infused frosting on my cupcakes.

I think the only cupcakery that did something floral with their flavorings was Sugar Bliss Sweets. They brought Lavendar Vanilla and Rose Petal Cupcakes. Both of the frostings were killer. Unfortunately, the cupcakes themselves were dry. If this was a frosting challenge, they'd win with me, but the cupcakes still need a little more work.

Sugar Bliss Sweets: Rose Petal (Aromatic rose vanilla cake with
rose petal syrup, light frosting and candied rose petals)

Sugar Bliss Sweets: Lavender Vanilla (Lavender vanilla cake with
lavender and white chocolate frosting, dusted with lavender sugar)

I like my beer in a glass, not a cupcake.

Just like chocolates with liqueur fillings, the cupcakes that were beer-inspired were interesting, but just not to my personal taste. I thought the playfulness that probably came about from the creation of these cupcakes was cool, but there were other flavor combinations I liked better.

Meringue Bake Shop: Pigs on Tap (Chocolate Stout Cupcake
with Bacon Topped with Whiskey Bourbon Buttercream)

Speakeasy Sweets: Irish Bomb (Chocolate Guiness Cupcake Filled with
Irish Whiskey Chocolate Ganache topped with an Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting)

I think pumpkin cupcakes rock!

Of course, if the two pumpkin cupcakes I tried didn't taste good, I wouldn't be saying that they rocked; however, both the pumpkin cupcakes from Fairy Cakes Bakery and Blue Cupcake were very tasty! In fact, the pumpkin cupcake from Blue Cupcake was one of my favorites of the event.

Fairy Cakes Bakery: Pumpkin White Chocolate (Spiced pumpkin cupcake
embedded with white chocolate pieces, topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting)

Blue Cupcake: Pumpkin (Pumpkin Bread Filled with Spiced Pumpkin Mousse
Topped with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting and Pumpkin Seeds)

I'm not into super sweet cupcake frosting and or toppings.

I'm actually more of a savory, than a sweet person. If I was offered a bag of potato chips and a cupcake, I'd probably go for the potato chips. As such, I prefer cupcake frosting and/or toppings that aren't too much on the sugary side.

Frandise Pastries: Chewy Coconut Cupcake

Layers Cupcakes: Chocolate Coconut Cupcake

Sweet E's: (L) Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (R) Chocolate Vanilla Swirl

I think chocolate covered cupcakes are yummy.

I have to say that the first time I've ever seen chocolate dipped cupcakes were at this Cupcake Challenge and it definitely worked for me. It's almost like a gourmet version of a ding dong without the cream. I even liked a red velvet cupcake better just because of that chocolate coating.

Two Parts Sugar: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Babycakes: Hot Chocolate Cupcake

The Cake Shop: Red Velvet Cupcake

I lean more towards non-traditional cupcakes.

You can probably already tell based on what I've written so far, but here's a few other cupcakes that I also really enjoyed sampling.

My Delight Cupcakery: Key Lime Pie Cupcake (Pound cake stuffed
with key lime pie filling, topped with a light and fluffy slightly toasted meringue icing)

Blue Cupcake: Sweeet and Salty Vanilla (Vanilla Cake Filled with
Rich Caramel Topped with Vanilla and Salted Caramel Buttercream)

Jus Minis: Caramel Banana Cupcake

Overall, it was a fun event. The most interesting part for me was watching people come in with containers and bakery boxes so that they could take cupcakes home. Now that's smart thinking. Eat what you can and take the rest of home. Considering that there were 40 different cupcakes and it cost $40 to get in, $1 a cupcake is a pretty good deal. I'm not sure if I'd make a return trip next year, but at least, I'd be prepared.

As for the winners, they are as follows:

Best Traditional
1st Place: Big Man Bakes "Red Velvet"
2nd Place: Blue Cupcake "Sweet and Salty Vanilla"
3rd Place: Southern Girl Desserts "Red Velvet"

Best Original:
1st Place: My Delight Cupcakery "Breakfast Cake"
2nd Place: Jus Minis "Caramel Banana"
3rd Place: Two Parts Sugar "Chocolate Covered Strawberry"

Best Overall:
1st Place: Jus Minis "Caramel Banana"
2nd Place: My Delight Cupcakery "Breakfast Cake"
3rd Place: Two Parts Sugar "Chocolate Covered Strawberry"

Click here to check out more Drink:Eat:Play Events!

To end, here a few more cupcake photos to whet your appetite for the 2011 Cupcake Challenge.

Polkatots: Little Penguin (Chocolate Cupcake with
Rich Vanilla Buttercream )

Hollywood Renaissance Hotel: Applewood Smoked Bacon Cupcake
(Canadian Maple Syrup Frosting, Fleur del Sel and Black Pepper)

Urban Sweets: Spiced Apple with Brown Sugar Cupcake

Cupcakes Couture

Tavern Restaurant: Salted Caramel Cupcake

Click here to see all 129 photos!

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Menuism Sponsored Dinner at Gorbals + GIVEAWAY

Congratulations to Alicia Brandt for Winning the Menuism Giveaway! :)

Last month, as part of a Menuism sponsorship, 3 lucky members from my Meetup Dining Group, Pleasure Palate, got to join me for a free Dine LA dining experience at Gorbals. Owned by Top Chef Season 2 Winner, Ilan Hall, Gorbals is known for combining Jewish and Scottish food sensibilities. For those who you have never been to Gorbals before, you should know that it's inside the historic Alexandria Hotel, so don't look for it streetside.

We ordered a total of 8 dishes that we shared family-style and it all started with the Bacon-Wrapped Matzoh Balls and Horseradish Mayonnaise, one of three different appetizers. The matzoh ball was really more for texture than anything else since the bacon overpowered it flavor-wise, but the horseradish added a nice little bite that was appealing.

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The Persian Cucumbers, Za'atar and Sesame, which was the second appetizer to arrive, was actually a surprise hit. With the cool crunch of the cucumbers and the herby freshness of seasoning, this dish was very refreshing to the palate.

Rounding up our trio of appetizers was the Potato Latkes with Smoked Applesauce. In all honesty, this wasn't a memorable dish for me. I remembered that it I liked it at the time and that it had a nice light crispness to it, but nothing else really stood out.

On to our entrees and the first of the lot was the Octopus, Gizzards and Lemon. There were mixed feelings about this particular dish. I'm not into gizzards, so I only ate the octopus. I enjoyed its tenderness and the char of the grilled skin while a couple of other people in my party preferred their octopus a little more chewy.

Unfortunately, I can't speak about the Lamb Sweetbreads and Green Bean Chutney, which was second to arrive since I'm not a fan of sweetbreads, so didn't partake. I didn't necessarily hear any ooohs and ahhhs from the group, so I have no idea whether it was liked or not.

Our last entree was the Confit Pork Belly, Clapshot (Mashed Potato and Parsnip)and Onion Pickles. I really enjoyed the pork which was juicy and had some good flavor; however, the onion pickles really bothered me. There was just a strange taste to them that I couldn't identify and that I just didn't like. Thankfully, it wasn't difficult to just push them to the side and just concentrate on the pork.

It's dessert time and we shared an Oat Kugel and Whiskey Whipped Cream and a Sticky Toffee Pudding, Ice Cream and Maldon Salt. When it came to the Oat Kugel, we were served two portions. One was a thicker slice and the other was a thinner slice. The thicker slice was really dry and quite flavorless and I wasn't a fan of the whiskey whipped cream either. I would have entirely dismissed it, if I hadn't take a bite of the thinner kugel. That thinner kugel was a vast improvement. I can't remember what was in it, but it was moist and definitely had nice flaky texture.

The Sticky Toffee Pudding was definitely the finale of the evening with a cake that was moist and I enjoyed the counterbalance of the maldon salt agains the sweetness of the toffee. Our group was sharing 2 of these desserts, but I could have easily eaten one of my own easily and without guilt.

In summary, the meal at Gorbals definitely had its ups and down. It wasn't the best meal I've ever had, but it was interesting to me how certain ingredients were brought together to form a particular dish. Interesting enough that I would go back and explore more of Chef Hall's menu and if nothing else, hopefully, the Sticky Toffee Pudding would be waiting at the end of the meal.

Gorbals (inside Alexandria Hotel)
501 S Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 488-3408

Before I tell you about Menuism, first a disclaimer. I work for Menuism on the side. I help manage their Social Media and also work on other special projects as they come up. Ok, now that's all out in the open, let me tell you more.

Simply, Menuism is a restaurant review website. You won't see reviews on dentists, hair dressers or retail stores. The focus is only on food, which is my favorite topic anyway. :) It's a great way for someone who loves to share their dining experiences, but doesn't really want to take on starting and maintaining a food blog. As a food blogger for more than 3 years, I can attest to the fact that it does take work to keep one going.

With Menuism, you can keep an online dining journal chronicling all your eating out adventures, plus you can give specific dish reviews and even upload photos that would show up next to your dish reviews. For example, to see the exact same Gorbals review on Menuism, you can click here. When it comes to your own personal dining journal, features include:

• adding a restaurant to a try list
• adding a restaurant to a favorites list
• a search function via tags or keywords
• quick access to your friends's latest reviews
• quick access to the photos you posted

...and so much more!

Menuism even has a blog with lots of fun foodie information as well as a Monthly Review Contest where you could win up to $100.00. There's a lot to explore about Menuism and they'd like to give you a little incentive to check them out.

Prize Giveaway
(Open to US and Canadian Residents Only)

Menuism has offered to give one lucky winner a $50 Gift Certificate to the restaurant of their choice. Wouldn't it be nice to have a meal on someone else for a change? There are a few ways to enter. The first way to enter is mandatory, but you can gain additional entries as well.

Mandatory (for at least one entry)

1. Sign up to Menuism if you haven't already and post a restaurant review, good or bad, with a minimum of 50 words. The review could be written about a recent or past restaurant visit. Reviews must be posted from March 4 to March 11 up midnight, PST. Once you've posted that review to Menuism, leave a comment here with a link to your review. One review for at least one entry for this Prize Giveaway!
   

Additional Entries: (These additional entries will only count if you fulfill the mandatory entry above.)

New to Menuism? You can do any or all of the things listed below for additional entries.

Already Following or a Fan of Menuism? Please mention whether you've already done 1 through 3 below for additional entries.

1. Follow Menuism on Twitter
2. Fan Menuism on Facebook.
3. Tweet: Win a $50 Restaurant Gift Certificate from @Menuism: http://bit.ly/9AK5Th
   

In both scenarios, you can have up to 4 entries each; however, please note that you have to comment back and let me know which of the actions you took so that I can keep track of them. If you don't, you'll only have one entry for the posted review instead of having a total of 4.

Contest ends March 11 at 12 midnight, PST. Winner will be chosen randomly. Please leave some kind of contact info so that I can get a hold of you if you win.




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