Reviews and Recipes is now The Food Monster

Foodie Rock and Blog Roll, new title

2008-06-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

There is a new feature on this blog. Thanks to
Jenn DiPiazza, Travel Writer, Creative Cook, Food Critic, and Professional Foodie (www.leftoverqueen.com, travel blog @ www.travelcloseup.com), we are now able to share other wonderful blogs with you via the Foodie Blog Roll.

This comes just in time for a change in the address of the blog. ALL NEW CONTENT CAN BE FOUND AT The Food Monster Blog. http://thefoodmonsterblog.com so please adjust your bookmarks and RSS feeds accordingly.

Have a great day!

-The Food Monster

Review #4 Pure Luck

2008-06-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

I feel like I belong to this club now. Two of my friends are writing food blogs of similar nature with me. It is no longer like it is me versus every restaurant in the world. Kirby Von Scrumptious has an advanced palate and is in sync with the word on the street about what is hip and what is good. Liz over at Yo Soy Blog, is a vegan, and can help you with most things "granola" in our neck of the woods. Especially those vegan or vegetarian joints. Saturday night, we all decided to head on out to Pure Luck for some Vegan grub in Los Feliz.
Normally when I think of Vegan food, a bag of freshly ground dirt on a bed of lettuce comes to mind. However, I thought I would give it a chance. 5 of us ended up going, the three bloggers, and two of my roommates.

We arrived around 8:30pm on Saturday night, and every table was packed. It took about 15 minutes to order at the register and we sat down at a tiny 4 person table in a corner that was un-bussed. After another table left, we had enough chairs for everybody.

Our food arrived eventually....

Top Right Clockwise we have: Jack-fruit Carnitas Tacos w/ cesar salad, Torta Sandwich w/ Sweet Potato fries, Burrito Wrap w/ salad, Tofu-Pesto Sandwich w/ Sweet Potato Fries, Burrito w/ cesar Salad

Von Scrumptious got the Tacos, and that is her go to here at Pure Luck, she has already blogged twice about this place and will have another post up shortly regarding our night out. I did not get a chance to sample the dish, as it was gone quickly. Joe had the torta, which I also didn't sample, but his sweet potato fries were delicious. It also came with a side of BBQ sauce which was not overpowering and had a great flavor. I was a little nervous about it but was thoroughly impressed with it's flavor.

My dish was the burrito wrap (not to be confused with a burrito) $9. It contained Jack-Fruit Carnitas, other stuff and sweet potato fries. I elected to add Avocado for $1, bringing the total to $10

I wanted to try the bottomless Lemonade ($2), which was basically a glass full of diluted lemon juice. While not something I would order again, I found it better than the Tea that Liz ordered, and it washed down the Wrap with great ease, helping me to begin my digestion process a little earlier.

My burrito wrap was ok, there weren't any fantastic flavors, but there was nothing bad with it. Completely average I would say. However, since we were talking about Vegan food it was pretty good. Some of the best vegan food I have had. Then again I eat real people food so it will be compared as such. The salad was poor. Baby Spinach leaves and tomatoes with a vinegarette left a lot to be desired. I think I would have also enjoyed the sweet potato fries as a side rather than a filler. Rating C

Liz's Pesto-Tofu Sandwich was really good for Tofu, and a vegan sandwich, but paled in comparison to a burger with thick melted Cheddar on it. They have found a good thing in the pesto sauce. It has a great consistency and flavor. Her sweet potato fries were also super, again out of the wrap. Her tea was basically a lightly flavored water. They need to work on that.

Last but not least, Craig's Burrito had rice and beans and had a much more mexican taste to it than my burrito wrap. I did not sample the cesar salad, but it is kind of hard to mess up a vegan burrito. Just leave the cheese and meat out and voila. That said, it was not super fantastic.

The atmosphere definitely brought back memories of Asheville, NC. Without being offensive, because that's not where I want to go with this the best word I can use would be Granola. You either understand it or you don't. That's not saying it's good or bad, just is.

After the meal we went over to Scoops for some gelato or sorbet. They also had vegan flavors for liz. They hit a home-run with the Thai Iced-Tea flavored Gelato. I tried to go back on Sunday night but they were closed. As a note they close at 10pm on Saturday night, we were the last customers getting in the door at 9:59.

A few things I learned from this experience are that Vegan food isn't necessarilly healthy, as was the case with a fried heavy pub food spot, and also that not all Vegan food tastes like ground dirt.
As a Vegan restaurant, overall: A-
As a normal restauran, overall: C+ (slightly above average)

I will go back just for the sweet potato fries, but only because Liz needs a vegan place to eat at. I wouldn't attend without a Vegan in party.

on the other hand,
Scoops: A

Pure Luck
707 N Heliotrope
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323.660.5993
Hours: 11am - Midnight

If you would like a place reviewed in the Los Angeles area, please send an email to reviewsandrecipes@gmail.com

Recipe # 8 DryThai Noodle Soup

2008-05-30T00:12:00.000-07:00

This started out as a bag of Bean Sprouts in the fridge. My then house mate Felicia decided to sautee them up with green beans, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and maple syrup. They were not bad at all, yet felt like they were missing something. I had always wanted to cook with Pad Thai noodles or Rice Noodles, so I decided to combine them into a soup.

Ingredients:
Bean/Bean Sprout Mixture
Sauteed Onions (3x)
Handful of Sliced Mushrooms - Sauteed
Garlic (Handful of cloves)
Ginger -fresh is better, although in this I had a combination of Fresh and powder, to taste
Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper, Soy Sauce to taste. I had no need for salt.
Soy-Ginger Broth from Trader Joe's
Small Package of Firm Tofu
10-12 leaves of fresh basil

Yields: 1 big ol' pot full

I cooked the Rice noodles, added the bean/sprout mixture, basil and the soup broth, then all of the other ingredients were sauteed together and added. I let it sit covered for about 4 hours. When I came back to it, all of the moisture had been absorbed by the vegetables and rice noodles, yielding a delicious dry soup. There is still something missing that I am sure an authentic Thai chef would be able to add, both in flavor and presentation. But for a Thursday night dinner not bad at all.

***About half the photos in this blog were taken by expert photographer Joe Saunders. Including this one. As I proceed I hope to attribute the proper photographer to the photos.

Recipe # 7 Avocado Salsa

2008-05-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

For those of you out there wondering. Avocado Salsa is not Guacamole. Or Whack-a-mole as I was first introduced to it. There are a few subtle differences. First of all, Guacamole, is usually mashed, smashed, reduced, squished, or otherwise pulverized from its original state. Leaving a nice creamy concoction that can be scooped up with chips. It also contains onion and lemon juice, with the rare exception.
Enter me, I wanted to freshen things up a bit, so I borrowed a recipe for Mango Salsa from Supreme Chef Roz Taubman and began changing it around so the main ingredient was Avocado. This dish is best served chilled, with Chips, Tacos, Burritos, Steak, or any other food with it. You can even eat it by itself.

For 1-2 Servings you will need:

1 Avocado
1 Small ripe tomato
1 small handful of fresh Cilantro, Washed/Chopped
1/4 of a Jalapeno Pepper, minced (add more if you want some hotness)
the juice of 1 Lime
a little Salt and Pepper (I prefer Sea Salt or Kosher Salt) to taste

That's it, pretty simple. Just cube up the avocado and tomato, mix, and chill

Then Enjoy.

*As a note: You can keep an avocado pit or two in the bowl when storing it. Also make sure to press plastic into the mixture when covering to help keep it from turning brown.

Recipe #6 Greek Grilled Cheese

2008-05-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to share with you a take on a classic, the Grilled Cheese. My step mom used to make a variation on this when I was about 12 years old. She claims she learned it while working in a restaurant in the Greek Isles. However, first, let me tell you, that Kirby Von Scrumptious and I threw down some serious sandwiches last Saturday Night (April 26), and the real winners were the judges. But that will all have to wait for a future post. For now, you can also check out her blog at: kirbyvonscrumptious.blogspot.com for more details. Back to the Greek Grilled Cheese.

To make them you have to start with a large appetite. These aren't you Kraft American Singles between two pieces of Miracle Bread.

4 Slices of Wheat Sourdough Bread
8 oz. (or 1 cup) of assorted cheeses (For these sandwiches I used an English Cheddar, Havarti, and a 6 cheese blend
1 Ripe Large Tomato
Handful of Basil, Washed and Ripped.
Irish Butter

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Heat skillet to medium heat, add one slice of bread face down. Immediately add cheese, tomato and basil. I like to have my cheese already in a sandwich shape so I can just lift it off the plate and put it directly on the bread. Then top the sandwich with another slice of bread, butter side up. When golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, flip. Just brown the other side and your cheese should be gooey. Cut Diagonally for best flavor, and largest crustless surface to bite into. I also like to warm up some Tomato Basil soup while I am making the Grilled Cheese, that way it is all ready at the same time. Enjoy!!!

Kirby Von Scrumptious

2008-04-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile, but I moved to Los Angeles, and am getting settled in. I also now have a fierce competitor, Kirby Von Scrumptious. Her Food blog can be found at http://kirbyvonscrumptious.blogspot.com/
Go read her blog, hate it, tell her you hate it, because we are enemies. Enemies, competing for the hearts of foodies everywhere, the battle has begun. She will be my motivation to bring you more recipes, reviews and the like of things you want to see/eat. Together we can show her how much better my food blog is than hers. Sure, she has fancy pictures, and a Jack LaLanne Juicer, but I have a bigger stomach.

In actuality, we will probably end up working together more than competing, maybe even reviewing a few places together, eating the same foods and enjoying lots of Ice Cream, but if doesn't change the fact that we are enemies. However, while technically we are enemies in the food world, we are friends in the real world. So, Kirby Von Scrumptious, with all due respect, consider this a challenge, and may the best food blog win!

If you would like to see a review for a particular restaurant, or want me to whip up a specific recipe, email me at reviewsandrecipes@gmail.com

-The Food Monster

Review #3 Philly Steak Cart on N. 7th St. Philadelphia, PA

2007-09-14T11:47:00.001-07:00

On a return trip to Philly for another audition I decided to give another try at a phillysteak. Staying away from the commercial places that attract tourists I went with a guy sitting in a camping chair outside of his silver cart. A little slow in preperation, he actually had a customer (third in line) walk away cause he couldn't buy some chocolate chip cookies. However, his slowness can be attributed to the attentiveness he gives each customer. Sweet Peppers and red Onions can be grilled no mushrooms, no cheese sauce, american or provelone. White Bread but was a thick and hearty bread. Overall, I would rate it as an average phillysteak. Whether it be in Philly or not. I am starting to question why this place is known for a sandwich that they make pretty mediocre. It shouldn't be made better in Durham, NC but it is. Next time I get the hankering for a phillysteak I will hop on a JetBlue flight to RDU and drive down 40 to get me some phillysteak factory.

Currently #2 on Cheesesteak Tour

Review #2 Philly Steak Factory Durham, NC

2007-09-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

It seems that the regular workers here, from the owner to the general help are proud of their product and put in a little extra effort when hand cutting the meat, or when topping off the cheese with hot meat juice.
It starts with the bread, parmesan and oregano, white, or wheat, add let tom and mayo, then choice of grilled green peppers, mushrooms and onions. I usually get mush and onion as the peppers can overpower the sandwich. The secret here I think, is that the let the steak marinate in its own juices kept at a high temperature, then seperated into smaller pieces by a grillmaster on a hot grill, hot provelone is applied and then a little of the juice to melt the cheese. scoop and arrange it on the bread.
They also have delicious fries with an optional cajun seasoning. Maybe a tad pricey as far as my appetite, but well worth every penny.

Currently #1 on my Cheesesteak tour

Review #1 Gino's Philadelphia, PA

2007-09-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

I was in Philly for an audition and asked a few street people where I should go to get an authentic Philly Cheesesteak. Gino's seemed to be popular. I am not sure why. Underperformed in my book. I was expecting all philly steaks from PA to be better than other places. The cheese wasn't very good, a sauce of cheese product shouldn't go on meat. The flavor of the meat wasn't good, and the white bread was a little stale.
The only highlight was the neighborhood, multi cultural and unique.

Currently ranked #3 on my Cheesesteak tour.

Recipe #5 Homos (Hummus) Wilmington Style

2007-08-19T15:10:00.001-07:00

2 cans of organic chick peas (garbanzo beans) drained, save water
6 TBS Tahini
1 TBS Pine Nuts

6 TBS Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup of Water
1/2 Cup of Water from Beans
10 Pitted Large Black Olives

6 TBS Minced Garlic
1 TBS Ginger Powder (or 1/4 TBS of Minced Ginger or Ginger Paste)

3 Tsp Kosher Salt
2 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 Tsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Ground White Pepper
1 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp Curry Powder

Blend on Low until Beans are to a mince, then blend on high until well blended, don't overblend. Stir after 10 seconds if not mixing well. Re Blend.

Pour into Several Bowls, Garnish with Paprika, a sliced Olive and Pine Nuts.

Yields: 1 Blender full of delicious tasting, healthy, yummy Homos (Wilmington Style, kicked up a knotch, perfectly paired with Recipe #4 Mangoritos)

Recipe #4: Mangoritos

2007-08-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Mangoritos are an irresistable drink whenever you are in a Carribean state of mind, the drink fuzes the best properties of the popular mojito and mango daquiri.

Ingredients:
Mango (Peeled and pit removed)
Lime (halved)
Small Handful of washed mint (muddled)
1 Sprig of Mint
2 oz. of pure platinum white meyer's rum (other white rum's may be susbstituted)
1.5 oz of simple syrup (that's water with sugar dissolved to saturation, silly goose)
15 cubes of ice
Kosher Salt (Optional)

Combine, Ice, Mango pieces, Juice of Lime, Muddled Mint, Rum, and simple syrup in a blender.
Blend on High for 1 minute, until light and well blended.

Optional: Rub the rim of a glass with the rest of the lime, pour kosher salt into a salting ring, salt rim of glass

Pour drink into glass, garnish with sprig of mint

Enjoy,

Yields: 1 Mangorito

Review #1a - Adrienne's Pizza Bar

2007-03-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

4.5 stars out of 5

Adrienne's Pizza Bar is nestled in the heart of the financial district, when I lived in NY I had the opportunity to visit for an evening dinner. It instantly became a favorite in my book. The cobblestone streets leading up to it, street tables, and surrounding shops are reminiscent of small-town Italy. The Grandma pizza is fantastic as well as the other Italian specialties. My party of 3, split a salad, a couple of appetizers, a pizza and a bottle of Red Wine. We were stuffed, and got out under $15 a head including Tax. Next time I am in NY I will bring back pictures and a more in depth look at the menu and dishes. However, do yourself a favor and find it, order something, anything, and enjoy.

Caution- unusually long lines at lunch, make it hard to make on a lunch break.

http://www.adriennespizzabar.com/
Opened til Midnight except on Sunday.
54 Stone Stree, New York, NY

Recipe #3: Mega Bagel Sandwich

2007-02-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 fine new york bagel, halved
1 roma tomato, sliced
black pepper, to taste
2 slices of deli turkey
2 slices of wide cut salami
1 oz. of mayo
1 oz. of brown stone-ground mustard
2 slices of muenster cheese
2 slices of provolone cheese
alphalpa sprouts
hummus
fresh basil, washed, chopped

Broil each bagel half so the top is crispy while the tough outer edge is warm and soft,

To each half, in this order
Add
Mayo, 1/2 sliced roma tomato, black pepper
Turkey, mustard (brown stone-ground), roasted garlic hummus,
Slice of salami, provolone slice, muenster cheese slice,
Sprinkle of parmesan, a big ole thing of organic alphalpha sprouts, and some freshly chopped basil

Then put the two together,

Warning: may cause jaw injury if entire bagel is attempted to be put into mouth. Try eating some ingredients with the top half, then again with the bottom half in a double bite. No chewing between to ensure thorough mix of all ingredients tastes, and aromas.

Important tip, make sure the tomato slices touch the mayo, and the salami touches the mustard.

Enjoy!

Recipe #2: Rasberry, Strawberry, Lime Daquiri

2007-01-05T09:21:00.000-08:00

Rasberry Strawberry Lime Daquiris

Ingredients

20 oz. of rasberry, strawberry, lime infused rum
ice
lime quarters (for garnish)
sugar (for rim)
4 glasses

rub lime quarter over rim of glasses
put sugar on a plate
turn glass over and touch rim to sugar lightly

shake (or blend) rum with ice
pour into glasses

to infuse rum:

1 pint of rasberries, rinsed
2 pint of strawberries, rinsed, stem doesn't need to be removed
1 vanilla bean, or a few drops of vanilla extract
zest from 2 limes
1 half of a lime, quartered
3/4 cup of sugar
1 quart amber rum (such as cackspur or Rondel Barrilito)
1 pint dark rum (such as meyers or Goslings)
1 pint white rum

Rinse Fruit, Cut Limes
Put Rasberries, Strawberries, Lime, Lime Zest, and Sugar into a wide mouthed 1 gallon container and seal
Shake container gently to disolve the sugar, set aside unrefridgerated for 3 weeks
Strain, discard solids, refrigerate liquids

Yields approximately 1/2 gallon of infused rum

Note:
This recipe was adapted from a pineapple mango dauiri recipe found in a great southwestern cookbook of which I no longer have, I do not take credit for inventing infused rum.

Recipe #1: Mediterranean Breakfast Bagel

2006-11-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

You will need:
1 Tomato
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
4 Cloves of Garlic
1/4 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar
2 bagels (cut in half)
4 oz. of cream cheese
Dash of Black or Cayenne Pepper

Slice 1 Tomato (the thinner the better)
Spread out slices on a plate, add pepper
Drizzle lightly with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 Tbs.)
Place in Fridge
Thinly Slice Garlic
Place Garlic, remaining Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar in a small non-stick frying pan
Place pan on Medium Heat for 6 minutes (Garlic should turn deep purple)
Retreive tomatoes
drizzle warm oil/vinegar garlic mixture on top of tomatoes
Let sit one hour in fridge or over night
Slice 2 bagels in half
Toast lightly, then broil for one minute
Spread with cream cheese
top with Tomatoes

Yields 4 Open Faced Mediterranean Breakfast Bagels