Dining in Houston – Chapultepec Lupita

Posted on 19 December 2010 by christao408

My week in Houston was spent on the industrial northern edge of the city, in an area called Greenspoint but often called “Gunspoint” for its reputation for violence. Meals were of the highway frontage road variety, chain restaurants of the family style that for the most part don’t distinguish themselves. Friday afternoon on the way to Hobby Airport, I had the opportunity to try something more memorable: Chapultepec Lupita.

Located in a run-down looking, funky former house in Houston’s Fourth Ward, Chapultepec Lupita – “Where the beautiful people meet” according to the menu – is as local as tex-mex is going to get. A friendly staff provided attentive service, although since the place was nearly deserted in the middle of the afternoon, we weren’t competing for attention.

Homemade chips and a fiery salsa were an inviting start.

Skipping the fajitas – although they are recommended by a lot of review sites – I went for stewed beef, the proper name of which I forgot. The meat was very tender and flavorful, which a rich, spice-infused broth. The accompanying tortillas were fresh and hot. The rice, unfortunately, was bland and not noteworthy.

Dishes came with a choice of beans three ways: refried, pinto, or black. I opted for the black beans, which very very tasty. A dollop of sour cream and some chopped peppers and this could have been a soup on its own.

The chicken enchiladas with salsa verde were also very tasty.

In the past few years, Bangkok has seen the opening of several “authentic” (so they claim) mexican restaurants, all of which have been a disappointment. There is just something that they don’t seem to be able to recreate in the flavor of the sauces, the tortillas, and the beans. The first person who does will have my eternal gratitude.

Until then, there remains one more good reason to return to the United States.

Return to La Gaetana Phuket

Posted on 4 December 2010 by christao408

When we were in Phuket a year ago October, our friends Stuart and Piyawat took us to an amazing Italian restaurant called La Gaetana. What sets it apart from other restaurants is that the owner, Polermo native Gianni, takes such tremendous pride in his business and pleasure in serving his guests.

When Piyawat made the reservations, I don’t know if he mentioned that dinner was for friends who were visiting again, but Gianni greeted me so warmly that I felt like a neighbor who had been away for a year and returned.

Instead of essentially re-writing the entry from the first visit, I’ll just cut and paste key portions of it here along with some new pictures.

“… The venue was this hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant called La Gaetana. And let me tell you, it was without question the best dining experience I have had in Thailand.

That may sound like hyperbole, but Polermo native Gianni and his Thai wife Chonchita run the most charming of restaurants with the most attentive service I’ve ever received in the Land of Smiles. The restaurant, located in a warmly decorated 80-year old building, seats just 32 so reservations are a must.

The food is great, atmosphere is cute, etc. but what really makes the experience worthwhile is the passion with which Gianni and his staff, many of whom have worked there for years, attend to your needs. His tableside bottle-opening and decanting is a show in and of itself, and illustrates just how much care is given to each detail of the dining experience.

Here’s a video that shows it all.

…

This is exactly what I could imagine myself doing in the future. Running my own small restaurant in some idyllic town, spending my days making my guests happy and ensuring they enjoy excellent food, wine and service.”

And now, pictures from dinner the other night:

Gianni opens a bottle of champagne, chilling the glasses with ice, as Matt looks on.

Antipasto platter with meats, vegetables, and cheese.

Assorted crostini – small toasts with chopped tomatoes or fresh cheese and pesto on top.

Grilled portobella mushrooms with gorgonzola cheese.

Lamb ribs, beautifully cooked, with a side of homemade gnocchi in tomato and eggplant sauce.

For dessert, apple tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream.

After we left the restaurant, I noticed that the Chinese temple across the street was showing an outdoor movie, with a screen set up in the parking lot and the film being projected from a portable 35mm projector in a tent at the back of the lot. This is the way it was done in the old days – and to some extent, still is – in the countryside.

A view from the inside of the temple compound looking towards the screen. Rather a sparse crowd this evening.

Home Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

Posted on 23 November 2010 by christao408

Frying foods at home is one of those “beyond my comfort zone” aspects of frying. It tends to make a mess and smells up the house. More than a year ago I tried a cold oil method to fry French fries, and that turned out pretty well. But I haven’t done much frying since. Last week my attention was caught by a Cooks Illustrated recipe for fried chicken that uses less oil.

The long and the short of it is that they decided on a method that uses frying in a shallow amount of oil to help form a nice crust on the exterior, followed by oven baking to finish cooking it through. The results is supposed to be a evenly cooked chicken with nice exterior crunch without as much oil and without as much hassle from deep frying.

You start by placing the chicken pieces – I used boneless breasts – in a buttermilk and salt brine, combined with cayenne pepper and other spices for several hours. Would you believe I cannot buy bone-in chicken breasts at the store? I have to get a whole chicken for that. Obviously they aren’t butchering their own chickens.

While waiting, I prepped some long bean. These two-foot long beans look like green beans and are just a little less crispy. Good alternative, though. I stir-fried these with a splash of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of salt, and some slivered almonds.

Next, prepare a coating of flour, baking powder, a little salt, and more spices. The trick here is that you add just a bit of buttermilk and start stirring it, so you form little clumps that make the chicken’s crust more substantial.

Take the chicken out of the brine and dredge it in the flour mixture, being sure to pat on a nice thick coating. Easier said than done!

While waiting for the oil to heat, I finished the mashed potatoes. These keep nicely covered at a very low heat with a bit of butter on top.

Time to fry! Temperature control is a pain. My thermometer doesn’t reach to the bottom of the pan so when there isn’t much oil, I don’t get an accurate read. I ended up scorching the bottoms of the chicken just a little. D’oh… After about five minutes in the oil (turning half way through the time) I transferred the chicken to a rack placed in a baking tray and finished for about twenty minutes in the oven.

Despite the slightly burned exterior, the end result looked pretty nice. Tasted good, too!

Inside was nice and juice, thanks to the brining. Yum.

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

Posted on 18 November 2010 by christao408

A little bit more about the cake I baked for my 40th birthday. For all the cooking I do, I don’t have a lot of experience with cakes and cake-like desserts. I’m more of a bread man, myself. Nonetheless, I decided to make a cake because it is always a good experience and there was a recipe for a Revamped Chocolate Torte in the November-December issue of Cooks Illustrated that looked worth a try.

I started the recipe on Thursday afternoon with a little prep work, then did the actual baking on Friday afternoon. Overall, I think the cake turned out okay although it is such a rich cake – nearly flourless – that it wouldn’t make my list of favorite cakes. But then, I’m not a big cake person. One challenge is that the recipe uses a food processor, which I don’t own. Instead, I used a stand mixer. Things seemed to work okay, but I don’t know if the slower speed of the mixer affected the texture at all.

I’ll give you a rundown of the recipe and the preparation process:

The first step was to make some almond flour, basically finely-processed almonds. You can buy this in some markets (it is used to make macarons, for example) but the recipe explains how to make it yourself since you use a relatively small quantity. Take 1 cup (4 ounces) of sliced almonds and lightly toast them.

Then process in a food processor for a few pulses until finely ground. You then add 1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) of flour and 1/2 teaspoon table salt and process it a few more seconds to combine. Not having a food processor, I used a coffee grinder attachment for my blender and it seemed to work okay.

Note on food processors. I had one in the US and didn’t seem to use it often. But nowadays I keep encountering recipes that call for a food processor, especially in the making of quick and easy pastry dough. I may break down eventually and buy another food processor. Cooks Illustrated recommends the 12-cup Kitchen Aid model.

Next, melt 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate with 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) of butter in a bowl set over simmering water. After smooth, remove from the heat and cool to room temperature, adding 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon of instant espresso powder. Not having that, I had to use instant coffee.

While the eggs are cooling, process 5 large eggs in the food processor until almost doubled in volume. Not having the processor, I whipped them with the mixer. I think this may have made the texture a bit more dense than had I used the food processor. As the eggs are being whipped, slowly add 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) of granulated sugar. What you see here is the almond/flour/salt mixture, the egg/sugar mixture, and the chocolate/butter mixture.

Start by gently folding the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture using the whisk. This does not have to be thoroughly incorporated.

Next, gently whisk in the almond-flour mixture. Divide the batter between two 9-inch cake pans lined with parchment. The pans were not buttered and floured.

After baking about 15 minutes at 325 F. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans and then remove.

Spread a filling made of 1/4 cup raspberry jam and 1/2 cup raspberries (I used frozen as fresh are way too expensive here), mashed together.

Add the second layer of the cake, inverted so the bottom of the cake is facing up, giving you a relatively smooth surface with which to work.

To glaze the cake, melt 5 ounces of bittersweet chocolate with 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream over a simmering pot of water. Then pour the glaze onto the cake and use a spatula to spread it evenly over the cake.

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You can then add almonds to the side of the cake. I think I was supposed to use lightly chopped almonds but all I had were the sliced almonds. This is kind of a messy prospect. Also, you can decorate the top of the cake with fresh raspberries, which I didn’t have. The biggest challenge for me was that the glaze didn’t have a smooth, liquid consistency. Maybe it needed to be melted a bit further or have just a little more cream in it so it poured over the sides in a smooth motion? This is where my inexperience with cakes comes in.

Per the recipe, I put the cake in the fridge for a few hours to let the frosting set. I didn’t get it removed early enough, though, and when it was served it was still pretty cool and the ganache was solid. When I arrived at the restaurant I should have asked them to leave the cake out rather than put it in the fridge. Anyhow, it was tasty enough and considering it was for my own party, I think it turned out pretty nice.

I hope you enjoyed this cooking adventure and encourage you to try the cake yourself.

A Little Weekend Food Porn

Posted on 6 November 2010 by christao408

While my third attempt at macadamia nut cream pie chills in the refrigerator, I thought I’d share a few pictures of other things I’ve recently cooked.

In Hong Kong, my host Dr. Chris prepared a sesame seed encrusted salmon served on top of cold soba noodles for his dinner party. The next day I asked if he would send the recipe to me and he hasn’t yet got around to it. However, since I was his sous chef, I was able to recreate the dish pretty closely. The secret is that the skin side of the salmon is given an egg white and soy sauce wash so the seeds adhere and form a nice crisp crust. You can see the original here.

I also did some baking. Leftover white bread, which Tawn had bought while I was in Hong Kong and subsequently forgotten in the refrigerator, was reconstituted as a bread and raisin pudding. Could have used some more egg, but was still quite tasty. A loaf of half-rye bread is in the back, along with a few dozen oatmeal raisin cookies. I brought those along for a dinner with friends at Soul Food Mahanakorn (since they haven’t much on their dessert menu) and then gave the remainder of them to the restaurant staff. Good way to make friends!

Have a nice Saturday. I’ll let you know how the pie turns out.

Food in Hong Kong: Modern China Restaurant

Posted on 31 October 2010 by christao408

In response to my early posts about this recent trip to Hong Kong, some commenters expressed concern that I wasn’t eating at any Chinese restaurants. Rest assured, I did eat a good amount of Chinese food while there. One of the best meals was my final dinner, enjoyed at a Shanghainese restaurant called Modern China.

Located in the Olympian City Mall in West Kowloon, right above the Olympic MTR station, Modern China blends in among all the other glass-fronted restaurant in a mall that, frankly, could be any other mall in Hong Kong.

The waiting queue is very modern, with numbers posted on an LED monitor along with a map of tables and their status. On a busy Sunday evening, Big Michael and I only waited ten minutes for a table.

The interior of the restaurant is clean and spacious, although tables are packed pretty close together. The wait staff was professional and attentive, although in typical Hong Kong style were not overly friendly. The menu is accessible, offering lots of pictures and clear English descriptions.

A small dish of sweet dried shrimp were served as a complimentary appetizer. Very flavorful, although when I lived here it took a while to get used to eating shrimp with the shell still on.

On the autumn special menu was an intriguing sounding dish: braised seafood in pumpkin.

Sure enough, a beautiful orange pumpkin arrived on our table and upon removing the lid, we discovered a medley of fresh seafood in a rich pumpkin broth. We also scraped the sides of the pumpkin to dislodge some of the cooked, but still firm flesh. Very tasty.

Can’t go to a Shanghainese restaurant without some Xiao Long Bao! Very tasty, too, with delicate wrappers. Really, though, will I ever like any XLB better than those at Din Tai Fung? On the menu, these are rather cutely described as “Mouthful Small Steamed Meat Buns”.

Braised noodles are always a favorite, especially these fried noodles with twice-cooked pork.

Our final dish were these fried pastries filled with chopped beef and preserved vegetables. They were kind of like turnovers, with a very flaky crust and a savory filling.

There was a lot of juice inside and trying to cut them open neatly proved to be a chore. But this will give you an idea, at least.

Overall, I give Modern China good marks for tasty, reasonably priced Shanghai style food served in a convenient location. Good enough to be added to my Google Map of Hong Kong. If you are looking for a break from the Cantonese food while in Hong Kong, head over to Olympian Mall.

Dinner Party at Chris and Antony’s House

Posted on 27 October 2010 by christao408

While in Hong Kong, I stayed with a friend I first met some fifteen years ago, also named Chris. He and his partner Antony are dear people, just wonderful to visit with. They also live in a gorgeous flat in the western Mid-Levels. Trying to be the best guest I could, I let them know that I looked forward to spending time with them but also didn’t want them to feel obligated to bend their schedule around my visit. One thing Chris insisted I must be a part of was a dinner party they were hosting on Saturday night.

I’m glad I did as it was a lot of fun. I also got pulled in as sous chef since it was a public holiday and the maid had the day off. This is fine as I enjoy cooking and the opportunity to let someone else run the show is a good way for me to learn.

First, though, back to the topic of bamboo scaffolding.

Here’s a view from the guest bedroom. I noticed that some work was being done on a unit across the street, on about the twentieth story of the building.

Notice how the bamboo scaffolding seems rather… rickety? But it seems to be the safest way to get the exterior work done. I’m curious how it is actually attached to the walls, though.

Okay, back to food…

Chopping herbs, a combination of cilantro and Italian (wide leaf) parsley. The little roller device was kind of a mess and I think just using the chef’s knife would have been easier. Mix all that with a hefty amount of freshly-ground black pepper.

Slice really good quality tuna into batons about 1 inch (3 cm) square.

Coat the batons with the herb-pepper mixture.

Here Chris is doing the coating while I take pictures. Notice the huge library of cookbooks in the back.

Sear the tuna in a hot pan for exactly 30 seconds on each side.

The goal is to have the interior cooked like this, still pink. These were lovely.

I’m pressed into service slicing apples and cucumbers into matchsticks which are then soaked in a very lightly salted water bath. These were served as a light salad to cleanse the palate before the main course. Very nice idea, although I think it needs some color. That would add flavor, though, which isn’t the idea.

Dining room and living room ready for the guests to arrive. Beautiful, isn’t it? The antithesis of the style Tawn and I did our home in and I quite like it. Very modern but still with an Asian undertone.

Antony did the amuse-bouche, super easy but really complex in flavor. Toasted whole grain bread circles topped with goat cheese, shredded baked beet root, and a few toasted pine nuts. Bake in the oven for just a few minutes until the cheese gets soft and creamy.

The appetizer course. The tuna batons served with some pieces of fresh mango. So simple, so good.

The main course would have benefitted from some advance work as it took almost thirty minutes for the two Chrises to pull this together as the guests chatted. Slices of salmon with a egg white and soy sauce mixture brushed on the skin side, which is then crusted with toasted sesame seeds and then pan fried.

The salmon is then served over cold soba noodles with some citrus slices and a small rocket salad. Very nice and I’ve recreated this at home since returning. I think this needs to be something that you sear in advance and then maybe finish in a low oven, that way you don’t smell smoky while your guests are here. I’ll work on that.

For dessert, little molten chocolate cakes served with vanilla bean ice cream. A bit rushed as two of the guests had to head to the airport, but very nice nonetheless.

As we neared midnight, fueled by two bottles of champagne and several bottles of wine, the guests became more animated. One of them who has a history of performing in drag, decided to give us an impromptu runway show set to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”. Since his identity isn’t clear in the video, I guess it will be safe to share it with you here.

Notice the disco lights. Would you believe Chris and Antony had these built into their kitchen bar area? They are hidden under the seating area. Handy to have at such an event!

Food in Hong Kong: Isola Bar and Grill

Posted on 22 October 2010 by christao408

After the Korean lunch, I took the MTR over to IFC. IFC is the International Finance Centre, a large multi-use complex built atop the Hong Kong Airport Express station. There are two office towers, a hotel, and a nice mall in the complex and it could be a model for the development that might happen around Bangkok’s Airport Express terminal at Makkasan station in the future. While at IFC, I dined at Isola Bar and Grill.

Isola Bar and Grill is a two-story restaurant adjacent to the Lane Crawford department store. It has a fantastic outdoor dining deck offering sweeping views of the harbour and West Kowloon waterfront and Thursday was a perfect day for sitting out there. The restaurant was suggested by Angel, a Xangan from Vancouver who comes to Hong Kong frequently on work.

Since I had just had lunch and he was flying out in a few hours back to Vancouver, neither Angel nor I was in the mood for a full meal so we settled instead for dessert. Thus, this entry isn’t a fair review of Isola.

My hazelnut creme brulee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was okay but I found the hazelnut flavor to be kind of muddy.

Angel had a chocolate cake that, if I’m not mistaken, had ground nuts in it. It was the tastier of the two desserts.

The service was passable, the dessert was passable, so not much to say there. The view was sweeping, though, and the company pleasant, so that made the appointment well worthwhile.

Food in Hong Kong: Jin Luo Bao

Posted on 22 October 2010 by christao408

While in Hong Kong recently for four days, I spent most of my time visiting with friends. Interestingly, I didn’t revisit many of the restaurants from my last trip there, which was a watershed trip in terms of food quality. Instead, I tried some new places. First stop was Jin Luo Bao, a Korean restaurant in Causeway Bay located in the building behind the Sogo department store.

Assorted kim chi, pickled vegetables. Did you know there is a shortage of Napa cabbage in Korean right now, driving the prices higher than the price of meat?

A stir fried dish with a moderately spicy sauce. The tubes are made of rice, basically like mochi. Very tasty and fun to eat.

Bi bim bap – rice, meat, and garnishings in a super heated stone bowl. Add chili sauce and stir as the heat from the bowl finishes cooking the meat.

I always enjoy Korean food and had a fun time catching up with my university friend Tehlin, who graciously (and unnecessarily) paid for lunch.

More soon. For a complete listing of my Hong Kong recommendations, visit my Google Map.

Dinner with the Mac Cream Pie

Posted on 18 October 2010 by christao408

Before leaving for Hong Kong, I wrote about my second attempt baking a macadamia nut cream pie. I didn’t, however, share the rest of the meal.

Preceding the pie we had a nice mixed green salad along with homemade focaccia bread based on a recent Cook’s Illustrated recipe.

Served with a main course of braised pork with star anise, ginger, and bok choy, the same recipe I made a few weeks ago, served over rice. This dish is getting better each time as I’m figuring out how to build a more complex flavor out of the stew. Finishing with some soy sauce and some chopped garlic in chili oil definitely moves it forward a few steps.

christao408

The adventures of an expat American who moved to Bangkok for his husband.

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