Class 302 - Snow in SoCal

Back in high school days, I used to ditch classes and when we get caught, we entered detention room. I wish detention room was like Class 302. Their setting reminds me of my elementary class room where huge blackboard was filled with multicolor chinese characters and drawings. Elementary text books are clipped on a cloth string beneath the board and school uniforms are hung-up on the wall. We were seated in wooden school chairs and desk and greeted with school-uniformed waiters.

mango snow ice with mango chunks, mochi, and condense milk

Not only they have an extraordinary concept of ambiance, their shave ice is to die for! Unlike usual shave ice, their snow ice so flavorful yet super smooth like sorbet. Instead of condense milk drizzle on top of the ice, the milk is actually frozen together with the ice and shaved delicately to create flaky ribbon-like ice. Top that off with chunks of ripe mango, mochi, and condense milk and we welcome mango snow ice heaven!

green tea snow ice w/ red bean, mochi, and condense milk

After saying "Oh my goodness, why I never had this before" for like ten times, the green tea snow ice arrived and I was even more dumbfounded! The green snow ice has a subtle green tea flavor to it, and it's topped with sweet lavish red bean and mochi chunks. I'm hooked!!!

If only classes were like Class 302, I wouldn't mind to be stuck in 6th grade my whole life...

Class 302

1015 S. Nogales St. #125
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 965-5809

Java Spice - Taste of Indonesia

Regardless I'm a native Indonesian, I have to admit Indonesian food is my personal favorite in terms of flavor, spice, and ingredients. Growing up, daily cuisines were Indonesian beef Rendang, Tumeric fried chicken, and Gado-Gado which created heavy cravings for serious relish whenever I'm away from home. Java Spice is one of a few authentic Indonesian restaurants in LA that reminds me that home isn't ten thousand miles away.

Now, enjoy some Indonesian food porn...

Empek-empek // deep fried fish cake with egg filling submerged in hot and spicy vinegar sauce. Simply my favorite!

Crispy yet moist deep fried Tilapia complimented with spicy, pungent dried shrimp chili sauce.

Tasty pork satay with peanut sauce

Kankung hotplate //stir fry water crest with garlic, belacan, quail egg, and shrimp.

Ayam Kalasan // Deep fried chicken with sweet hints of coconut flavor. tasty!!

Java Spice

1743 Fullerton Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748

(626) 810-1366

85℃ - Bake Them Goods

 Strawberry Cadina Slice

Ooh I wish I didn't stop by 85℃ in full tummy. Because all those eye-candy desserts on display are like temptation island and my jaw dropped wondering which one shall be the winner to complete me. Thank heavens, my buddy who have been promoting about hitting the gym to get his beach body ready in a month was willing to get two strawberry theme cakes. So, I decided to choose Double Dark Chocolate Mousse for less sweet delicacy.

Double Chocolate Mousse

Strawberry Roll Slice

*MEEEH* the cakes were mediocre tasting and the only piece that worth the waste of two sessions of my spinning class is the Strawberry Cadina Slice which is light, sweet/sour and not overbearing. Although the desserts don't taste as bang-up as they look and decorated, their breads were off the chain!! Taro Swirl is my favorite bun that's freshly produced from 85℃ oven..Pillow soft and airy bread with taro cream and purple marble swirl texture on the outside.

Any kind soul from Irvine, please bring me some Taro buns to LA!

85℃ Bakery
2700 Alton Pkwy
Irvine, CA
(949) 553-8585

www.85cafe.us

Honey Pig - Oink Oink

Korean BBQ is my thing! And who wouldn't love a Korean BBQ joint with a smiley fat pig as the logo? Although Honey Pig seems to be the perfect place to eat like one, my hope dashes when I figured out that it wasn't all you can eat.

Endless kimchi and bean sprout on the grill!

What to love is the dome grill which is big enough to pack so many meat and slips the oil residue to the outer edge of the grill. As much as I hate eating oily, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't give the usual sesame oil with salt as the dipping sauce, but instead hot sauce which is anything but spicy. However, I love that they put bottomless fresh kimchi and bean sprouts to the dome grill - genius!

pork belly and beef tongue 

Let's talk about meat people! I guessed their specialty was pork *duh* so we ordered the infamous pork belly. I don't get all the hype about their pork belly - they basically remind me of thick bacon which means 2/3 of the piece is fat. It's so overwhelmingly thick, it took a while to bring the crisp out of them.

minced garlic on top of beef short ribs

The thinly sliced beef is very tasty and even though I'm a more beef short ribs kinda person, their thinly sliced beef is winner. The marinated beef short ribs have plenty of marble and drizzled with minced garlic *Faboosh* - once again I'm weak for garlic so I like this meat very mucho. I'm also a fan of the non-marinated beef tounge - perfect thickness and A+ quality.

thinly sliced beef and the whole nine yard

After you're done with your porky experience they turned the magic grill to cook fried rice, sorta. They bring a mound of rice, load it up on the grill and mix it in with all the last bits of meat and bean sprouts. It's known as bokkeumbap, and if all those meat craze isn't enough for your stuffy tummy, this will seal the deal. 

Honey Pig
3400 W 8th St
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 380-0256

Boiling Crab - No Utensils Allowed

 Dungeness Crab- finger-lickin good!!

Waking up after a food comma, I tried to remember what happened last night. All I know my hands smell like garlic...

Then I remembered we were driving on the 10 east highway bound for a long 40 minutes.
I remembered we were waiting our asses off for an hour, freezing outside the restaurant with my flip-flops on.
I remembered I was never been so excited wearing a bip looking like a true nerd.

 Shrimp + Corn smothered in The Whole Sha-Bang! 

I remembered we ordered 1 lbs of shrimp, 1 lbs of crawfish, 3 lbs of dungeness crab, all in the flavor of "The Whole Sha-Bang" medium spicy, 1 cajun fries, and 3 corns.
I also remembered three lovely ladies weren't in lady-like behavior after bags of plastics containing seafood treasures landed on our table. We turned into beasts eating and finger-lickin.
I remembered splatter of red sauce and seafood shells flying around the table and managed to pick some spots on my face.

Crawfish is pain! not worth the hassle for such tiny piece of meat.

We won't stop stop eating this cajun fries 'coz the flavor really pop pop!

I remembered we panicked when a waiter told us that it was last call, so we ordered 1 more lbs of shrimp, another basket of cajun fries, and 3 more corns. Ooohh greedy...
Boiling crab is BombASStic and "The Whole Sha-Bang" is bangin'!! After we were stuffed, we didn't stop laughing from the minute we pay our bills to our way back to the west bound. Yupp, we were so high on cholesterol...

The Boiling Crab
742 W Valley Boulevard
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 576-9368

www.theboilingcrab.com

Cafe Brasil - Lazy Afternoon

Churrasco Picanha Steak 

As I walked into Cafe Brasil, I was greeted with the yellow/lime painted wall and the vibrant colored wooden chairs with mix-match cushions. The sunlight gazing through the window compliments bowls of lemon on top of dinning tables and knick-knacks abound, setting the mood of homey Brazilian kitchen.

Churrasco Lamb Chops 

While getting comfy with the atmosphere, I truly enjoyed the simplicity and authenticity of the food. The steak was impeccably seasoned and tenderly grilled, the only thing I wish they could do was to trim the unwanted fats and get a thicker meat. I also recommend their lamb chops which was thoroughly cooked but still has a strong lamb aroma. What makes Cafe Brasil so special is their spicy black bean soup and their fried plantains - the BEST! Even better they come with every entree you order. The black bean soup was intensely tangy and the plantains are perfectly cooked. The rice is flavored with special Brazilian spice and when you blend them in with the salsa - OHmazing...

Cafe Brasil

11736 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 391-1216

www.cafe-brasil.com

In Touch With Your "Animal" Side

If I can have a complete set of meal before I die, Animal will be the last meal for me. Not only Animal gives me a solid best of culinary experience, I wouldn't be surprised if Animal will boost my cholesterol level instantly - but I'll enjoy it with no regrets. Living up to its name, Animal is dedicated to all of you carnivore who has the ultimate urge towards meat and other animal parts. Pig ear? Duck liver? Three layer of pork fat? Relax... although the menu might give you a sensory overload, just set your fear aside 'coz Animal will magically turn all of your disgust and leaving you with foodgasm of wanting for more and more..

Enough said, let's get down to business...

Oxtail-drenched Poutine - gourmet cheese melted fries with oxtail braised on top. We were swimming in the richness of oxtail gravy...

Foie Gras on top of biscuit in maple gravy tub - controversially scrumptious and decadent. The only downside about this is $22 for such a small portion. We were fighting over this like true animals...

Sunny side up egg on top of thinly sliced pig ear covered in scallions and slightly spicy lime-chili - crispy and overly salty - interestingly good but we're not rushing back for this.

Pork belly topped with kimchi, scallions, peanuts and chili-soy - the moist and cruchy pork belly was vitalized by the sweet sour contrast of the Korean kimchi - one of the best picks of the night!

Quail fry with grits, chard, slab bacon, maple jus - full of moist and juice for such tiny birds but wasn't too memorable for me.

Bacon Chocolate Truffle Bar - loving the filling taste and texture of the dark chocolate - not too sweet and the bacon bits adds salty finish. Bacon and Chocolate? Everything tastes better with bacon!

My new food quest: to try every single dish Animal has to offer. Now you know where I can be found for dinners.

Animal
435 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 782-9225

www.animalrestaurant.com