Tokyo Fried Chicken Co. - Monterey Park

While eating at Hot Pot, Hot Pot! - Monterey Park, I noticed a crowd of people waiting in front of The Open Door, a Japanese fusion izakaya located in the same corner of Atlantic Boulevard and Garvey Avenue. I made a mental note to check it out, but wasn't in any hurry because there was a no photo policy and well, no photos means no point in going, right?

Then in August 2013, The Open Door shuttered and reopened as Tokyo Fried Chicken Co. Same owner, different menu. Apparently, the rebranding also meant a loosening of the no photo policy. While the menu now focused on fried chicken, that didn't mean the Japanese fusion dishes were gone completely.

On a quiet weeknight, lil' sis and I finally got around to checking out Tokyo Fried Chicken Co.

Goya Champuru (Okinawan Bitter Melon Stir-Fry with Pork Belly, Tofu, and Eggs)

After making Vegetarian Goya Champuru (Okinawan Bitter Melon Stir-Fry with Tofu and Eggs), it was obvious that I needed to make a proper version with pork belly. Oh did I like this version so much better! The unctuousness of the pork belly was absorbed by the tofu and perfectly complemented the bitter melon.

I cheated and simply added sliced pork belly to my vegetarian goya champuru leftovers, but I think my method of pan-frying the meat first to get a slight char also made it more flavorful. Feel free to substitute bacon for the pork belly if you wish.

Vegetarian Goya Champuru (Okinawan Bitter Melon Stir-Fry with Tofu and Eggs)

Ever since my Canh O/Kho Qua Nhoi Thit (Vietnamese Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup) recipe, when I found out that some Vietnamese eat bitter melon at the start of the year to signify that the "kho qua" (hardship over in Vietnamese), I've thought it was a quirky little tradition. And while my family calls bitter melon "o qua" so we don't dwell on bitterness, I figured this recipe would come in handy at the start of this year.

Last summer when I was experimenting with ways to make bitter melon less bitter, I searched for additional recipes and stumbled upon Goya Champuru (Okinawan Bitter Melon Stir-Fry with Pork Belly, Tofu, and Eggs). Normally, this dish is made with pork belly, but I wanted a healthy side dish. I was making Chinese Deep-Fried Chicken Wings with Spicy Salt, since my dad liked them so much the first time, and I figured I'd make them again before he left to go back to Oregon.

I sliced and parboiled the bitter melon to reduce the bitterness. Then it was a simple stir-fry of eggs and tofu, before tossing in the bitter melon last since it was already half-cooked. Just soy sauce was my only seasoning.

Japon Bistro - Pasadena

A week after making my own Hawaiian Salmon Poke and Spicy Tuna Poke, I was still craving poke. It was the tail-end of DineLA and while perusing the list of restaurants, I saw that Japon Bistro in Pasadena offered a three-course lunch set for $15 that included poke.

Score!

Or so I thought.

But, let's backtrack to my first visit in June 2010 with Gourmet Pigs.

Hawaiian Spicy Tuna Poke

I wanted to stick to a pretty typical Hawaiian poke for the sashimi-grade tuna that I picked up from Yama Seafood - San Gabriel. So it was the usual seasonings of soy sauce and sesame oil, with the addition of chili sambal and Sriracha to kick it up a notch.

I looove spicy tuna, and while cheaper cuts are often used in the rolls, I can't stress enough that you should really splurge on sashimi-grade tuna for poke. Freshness makes a big difference, especially when you're eating raw fish.

Yama Seafood L.A. - San Gabriel

I don't know how many times I've driven past Yama Seafood L.A. on Las Tunas Drive in San Gabriel and not really noticed this rather non-descript Japanese grocery store. Until March 2008 (I know, going a ways back for this one). How could I have missed the large "Sushi Takeout" and "Sushi" and "Sashimi" signs?

Sometimes, I'm not in the mood for a whole sit-down sushi restaurant experience. Sometimes, I just want a few sushi rolls, and you know the American grocery store versions are not gonna satisfy that craving!

Parking is around the back. I ducked in to see what Yama Seafood had to offer that day and have been happily indulging in freshly-made and inexpensive sushi and sashimi at this little mom and pop shop for years.

Hawaiian Salmon Poke

While catching up with my friend Ivan at Snow Monster - Westminster (Little Saigon), I asked him what foods he'll miss in SoCal after he leaves. He mentioned North Shore Poke Co. - Huntington Beach, specifically that he could get poke made with salmon instead of the usual tuna poke. Mmm. Poke. I haven't had poke in forever and the Hawaiian places around me usually just have the typical cooked dishes.

The next day, I couldn't get poke out of my mind. I bought half a pound of sashimi-grade salmon from Yama Seafood - San Gabriel. Since salmon is more delicate than tuna, taste-wise I mean, I opted to use Korean chili flakes for the spice portion instead of Sriracha. A little bit of grated ginger seemed appropriate. And a small tomato, diced, to make it more salad-like and add a little color.

Totally satisfied my craving. I even sent a photo to my friend to show him what he started. Was it really only two years ago that he moved here? And while saying our good-byes, we realized it's been 10 years since we met that long-ago summer in Wisconsin. Time flies when you're old!

One last word about poke, since you're eating the fish raw, it really is worth the splurge to buy sashimi-grade salmon. Pick up some ready-made seaweed salad to add to the mix and the dish comes together as quick as you can chop the ingredients.

Nabeyaki Udon (Japanese Hot Pot Thick Noodle Soup in a Metal Pot)

I have a soft spot for Nabeyaki Udon (Japanese Hot Pot Thick Noodle Soup) since it's the first udon I ever tried long ago. Who can resist thick slurpy udon noodles in a warm savory broth with crispy tempura shrimp?

I picked up this 1-quart Dutch metal pot at the thrift store several years ago and knew it was perfect to keep the nabeyaki udon hot. After all nabe means metal pot.

The versions I've eaten frequently featured chicken, mushrooms, spinach, an egg, and tempura shrimp. The only item missing from my version is the sliced Japanese fish cakes.

While it looks like there are a lot of ingredients, this really isn't a difficult recipe at all. I crave a piping hot bowl of nabeyaki udon during the winter, but it can be enjoyed at any time of the year.

Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Skewers

The last recipe from my Easter barbecue is really more of an update. Or rather, more of an update in technique. I've blogged Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus before, but grabbing bacon-wrapped anything can be a bit greasy. Obviously, with chicken and ribs on the menu, hands were already going to get greasy, but I wanted to wrap the bacon around each asparagus spear and then skewer them like I've seen the chefs do at Shin-Sen-Gumi Yakitori-Shabu Shabu - Monterey Park.

Luckily, the older '88 showed up just in time to help me finish prepping. I tried wrapping bacon around an asparagus spear and scallion, and while tasty, it was more difficult to make it look nice. The bacon didn't go as far as I thought. Despite using a pound of bacon and making a giant platter, these pretty much all disappeared by the end of the evening.

Candied Okinawan Purple Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow Topping

Four years after making Mashed Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato, it finally occurred to me to use the Okinawan purple sweet potatoes in a more traditional Thanksgiving recipe -- Candied Okinawan Purple Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow Topping. Actually, it came about when Gourmet Pigs requested candied yams, which I dismissed as too pedestrian.

What if I made them with purple sweet potatoes, she suggested.

Lightbulb!

Apologies for the less than stellar photos. Poor evening lighting and no leftovers the next day to photograph. That ought to tell you how popular this dish was at the Thanksgiving table!

I boiled the sweet potatoes with some sugar and spices -- cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice -- and then baked them until the marshmallows on top turned golden. Easy. I kept the sugar content low, figuring the natural sweetness of the Okinawan purple sweet potatoes and the marshmallows would provide plenty. The only caveat is that the sweet potatoes took a lot longer to soften than I expected and didn't further soften in the oven. I was afraid boiling too long would make them mushy, but the Okinawan sweet potatoes were still a bit firm. So, I would suggest boiling them for 45 minutes, instead of half that time like I did.

A colorful twist on this traditional Thanksgiving treat.

Japanese Meiji Ginger and Milk Chocolate

Speaking of Japanese chocolates, lil' sis brought gave me this Meiji Ginger and Milk Chocolate after she got back from Japan. I loved the individually-wrapped sticks. Love great packaging.

The flavor was very mild and smooth.

She also got me these cute panda pins to decorate bento boxes and food-safe pens since she remembered the ones I used for the Hello Kitty Cake Pops didn't work so well.

Japanese Wasabi Kit Kat

While waiting for our orders at Ton-Chan Ramen - San Gabriel, Gourmet Pigs brought out a wasabi-flavored Kit Kat she picked up at the airport in Japan.

It's been a while since I've done a fun food post, so thought I'd share.

Ton-Chan Ramen - San Gabriel (Closed)

Last February, shortly after Ton Chan Ramen opened I went to check it out with Tony of SinoSoul, who said the restaurant featured the milky tonkotsu-style broth that so many people in SoCal seem to prefer.


Ton Chan Ramen is housed in what used to be Aji Man Japanese Restaurant, which closed just short of its three-year anniversary. :( In looking up other ramen restaurants I've posted, I discovered Kappa Ramen - Anaheim is now closed as well. Seems like only the ramen chains are weathering the economic storm, or I need to try more mom-and-pop ramen restaurants.

Japanese Shishito Peppers with Chinese XO Sauce

After eating the shishito peppers in "Asian seasoning" sauce at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant - Tustin, I wanted to try recreating the dish at home. I could taste dried seafood, perhaps dried shrimp or oysters? A little kick from black pepper? Probably a reworked Chinese XO Sauce? I could do this, right? Or make a pretty close approximation?

I bought a huge bag of peppers from Woori Market - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo) for only a few bucks so it was worth experimenting. The result was savoriness from the dried shrimp and oyster sauce, a little kick from chili sauce and black peppers, and a touch of sweetness from brown sugar.

RA Sushi Bar Restaurant - Tustin

In early February, I was invited by Lauren Campbell of Beach House | Penthouse PR to dine at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant - Tustin to taste their new menu items. When I said I couldn't make it down to Orange County in time for the blogger dinner, she let me schedule it at a more convenient date and time.

Perfect. Because then I was able to invite my friend DP since she works nearby. Except, she was working at home that day and had to drive down for our dinner. Doh! I got to RA Sushi first and noticed that the bar and restaurant areas were packed. Good thing I had a reservation. While waiting for her to arrive, I ordered a Ginger Blossom drink, Hendrick's Gin, St. Germain, muddle strawberry, pink grapefruit juice, lime juice, and a splash of ginger ale. Girly, fruity, and yummy.

Dessert Sushi with Swedish Fish Candy and Rice Krispies Treats

I've made dessert sushi with fruit and coconut sticky rice before, but since it was the niece's first birthday party, I wanted to make some desserts for the little kids. Remembering Lan of Angry Asian Creations' candy sushi, I figured this was perfect for a kid party, even though most of them were too little to really appreciate the humor in this. Oh well, they enjoyed eating the regular Rice Krispies treats that were leftover.

The Hello Kitty cake pops had turned into such a laborious task that at 3:45 a.m., I decided I wanted to have at least one item for the party finished before I went to bed. The Rice Krispies treats had been made hours before and had cooled down by then. So it was a simple matter of cutting and assembling. Done in about 15 minutes.

First party item checked off.

Kappa Ramen - Anaheim (Closed)

Kappa Ramen opened in a sleepy strip mall in Anaheim back in September. And unless you live near it, or in Orange County, you might not have known. So when Marguarite of Marguarite Clark Public Relations invited me to dine there, I figured it'd make a good halfway point for me to meet up with lil' sis.

Did I really need a free ramen meal? Probably not. But, would I have ventured into Anaheim if I hadn't been invited? Probably not either.

That's how it works sometimes.

Torigara Shoyu (Japanese Soy Sauce Chicken) Ramen

As I was saying, the Tori No Nimono (Japanese Simmered Chicken) was destined as topping for my homemade Torigara Shoyu (Japanese Soy Sauce Chicken) Ramen. I had tried to make ramen a few times before, but it was missing that extra something-something. I figured trying to make a milky tonkotsu broth was too difficult, so I would opt for shoyu since the soy sauce would be pretty flavorful. This time around I went a little crazy supplementing the two chicken carcasses by adding in Dashi Kombu (Japanese Kelp), dried shrimp, dried little fish, and two apples.

But it worked! The result was a flavorful, savory broth that wasn't too salty or too sweet.

Dashi Kombu (Japanese Kelp Broth)

One of the ingredients I've been experimenting with in cooking Japanese food is dashi kombu (Japanese kelp).

I've been eating and enjoying seaweed forever. And like it wrapped in sushi, simply roasted, or as Canh Tao/Rong Bien (Vietnamese Seaweed Soup). Though my first two attempts with Shio (Japanese Salt) Ramen and Shichimenchou (Japanese Turkey Bone) Ramen were OK, I knew my broth needed an extra oomph.

The best way I could describe using kelp in soup stock is that it provides a natural savoriness without overpowering the broth.

Combine the kelp with shaved bonito flakes and you have the quintessential Japanese stock for ramen, miso soup, udon, or any other soups. Sometimes I add tiny dried anchovies too, but the kelp and bonito flakes are musts.

Tori No Nimono (Japanese Simmered Chicken)

In April, I had two roast chicken carcasses that I was turning into Torigara Shoyu (Japanese Soy Sauce Chicken) Ramen. Instead of my usual Buta No Kakuni (Japanese Braised Pork), which would have necessitated a trip to the grocery store, I raided my fridge for some frozen chicken thighs. Not that you have to serve this with ramen, the slightly sweet, saucy braised chicken goes great with rice as well.