Singing The Braises Of Guisados, Boyle Heights

While trying to keep yourself toasty this winter, think outside the Ugg boots and heater. Staying warm in the winter for me means doing it low and slow, which translated into Get-Your-Mind-Out-Of-The-Gutterese means braising and stewing. When that thermometer dips, there's nothing better to eat than some hearty, tender food that's full of flavor, falls apart easily yet still maintains integrity. So while you're searching for something to warm your stomach and soul, why not try some Latin stews and braises at Guisados, the latest venture from the people who brought us Cook's Tortas?

For those of us who have been to Cooks Tortas, a few things at this brand new Boyle Heights eatery are familiar: the floor-to-ceiling chalkboard that tells us what's on the menu that day, big jars of aguas frescas that make you feel refreshed by simply looking at them grace the counter, and wall decor like this menudo sign that reflects chef and co-owner Ricardo Díaz's easy going nature and sense of humor.

Díaz found the abandoned sign nearby and thought it was hilarious that whoever made it ran out of space when writing "menudo" but didn't bother taking it out. [Word and print geeks laugh now.]

Tacos de guisado--tacos topped with the restaurant's daily selection of stews and braises-- are what Guisados is all about. At $2-$3-something a pop, they're more expensive than the buck-to-buck-fifty tacos we're used to picking up at our favorite taquerias, trucks, and stands, but they're also a lot more filling. And as with Cooks, the carby outside of the offerings at Guisados doesn't overshadow the fillings but rather, really lets them shine. Slightly coarse around the edges and slightly thicker than the tortilla I'm normally used to, the handmade tortillas here have an unrefined quality which is actually a good thing in this case.

The tinga de pollo was chicken stewed with a chorizo-based sofrito, onions, and cabbage. Sweet and slightly spicy, its heartiness made me think of a Sunday supper with family at home. A chunk of cool avocado was a nice cooling compliment to such a warming dish.

The steak picado had tender chunks of skirt steak cooked a la mexicana with peppers and onions. It wasn't my favorite of what we tried that day but it was still a solid choice.

But the dishes that reminded me of why I adore braising so much were Guisados' chicharrón and mole de pollo. Chicharrón, or fried pork skin, is amazing on its own but add it to a tasty braise and it takes on a whole other level of deliciousness. The crackly rinds are like a sponge, soaking in the salsa verde and taking on an airy yet al dente consistency while also adding a funky smokiness to the whole thing.

Mole de pollo was everything you'd expect in a good mole: hints of spiciness, sweetness, bitterness and nuttiness working in unison. Sesame and pumpkin seeds added a nice contrasting crunch.

The calabacitas featured a succotash of zucchini, corn, tomatoes and pepper. As a veggie whore, I appreciated that there was a vegetable option, and the tangy and slightly spicy flavors of the succotash were just fine. I did, however, find the consistency to be too watery for a taco. I ended up eating most of this one with a fork.

But wait, there's more! Guisados makes tamales with their stews like the tamal shown above with that mole de pollo I loved so much. And they're only a buck-fifty each. If I lived closer to Guisados, I'd buy one of these for breakfast or lunch or a snack every day. And I'd probably weigh 500 pounds as well.

There were no desserts on the menu yet, but Díaz told us he was experimenting with possible offerings. We were lucky enough to test drive a brown sugar, mascarpone cheese and sweetened condensed milk mixture that Díaz had slathered on a handmade sweet tortilla; I don't recall if it had a name, but whatever it's called, I certainly hope it lands a spot on the chalkboard soon!

With so many delicious, hearty options available at Guisados, and with its namesake, a Mexico City specialty, becoming more widely available in LA (check out Elina Shatkin/LA Weekly's and Bill Esparza/Street Gourmet LA's posts here and here about Tacos Carmelita in MacArthur Park to see what I'm talkin' bout) I see many tacos de guisado warming my gut this winter or heck, even after I've packed the Uggs away.

Guisados
2100 Cesar Chavez
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 264-7201
Become a fan of Guisados on Facebook

A Stove Top Haiku

Stuffing from a box
Just add water and butter
I'd like some more, please.

To accompany our organic free-range Thanksgiving turkey prepared Judy-bird style, we had roasted organic brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes with pancetta and thyme, homemade giblet gravy and...Stove Top stuffing.

No homemade gourmet stuff. No mixture of cornbread, sage, fancy charcuterie, chestnut or random autumn fruit here. Just a familiar red box filled with dehydrated seasoned bread crumbs that cook in just 5 minutes and fond childhood memories of my parents doing their best at creating the most American Thanksgiving meal that they could.

Only the best for my family.


(Note: This post was in no way, shape or form paid for by Kraft. I honestly like Stove Top stuffing. Yeah, yeah, take away my food blogger badge already.)

No. 1 Noodle House, Rowland Heights: 1 of 10 Reasons My Job Is So Cool

A Daily Gluttony blog just wouldn't be a Daily Gluttony blog without the irreverent food/work combo posts so here goes.

My job kinda rocks.

But interestingly enough, not very many people understand what it is that I do without having worked in the retail industry. My own mom to this day couldn't tell you exactly what I do. She still tells her old Chinese mom friends that her daughter works in Finance. Usually I am referred to as a Financial Analyst but I've heard myself being labeled a Financial Planner too. Her friends then nod in approval because it's something they can understand. No offense to any of you financial analysts or planners out there, but I didn't shed an insane amount of blood, sweat and tears for years in the retail industry for nothing. No way--my job is so much cooler because:

1) I get to work with fashion and other cool stuff.

2) I get paid to go shopping.

3) I get paid to stay updated on fashion, style, and pop culture news.

4) I am not required to travel.

5) I get to see a bunch of private music shows.

6) I get to listen to music and watch music videos all day.

7) I can wear jeans and 5" platform stilettos to work and not get reprimanded for dressing inappropriately. Visible tattoos and piercings are completely acceptable.

8) I work with a lot of both interesting and nice people.

My mom and her friends would totally not get why reasons 1-8 would make any one think they'd hit the job hunting jackpot. But they would totally get why I'd love my job because of reasons 9 and 10...

9) At the end of the day, I'm doing what I do best which is being a numbers and data nerd.

Things involving math have a decent position on the career totem poles inside my mom's and her friends' heads. High up on that same totem pole are stuff like "doctor," "dentist," "lawyer," "investment banker," "engineer." Bonus points if one had such a career and lived at home with their parents at the same time.

And finally...

10) I work near a bunch of good food.

If my mom was able to meet me for lunch one day, I'd skip having her meet everyone at the office and instead take her to lunch at one of my favorite weekday lunch spots No. 1 Noodle House in Rowland Heights.

No. 1 Noodle House is nothing more than a small space with a counter at Rowland Heights' Yes Plaza. The official menu is in Chinese but there are large photos and English names of the restaurant's most popular selections behind the counter. If, like me, you're not a Mandarin speaker and/or the person behind the counter happens to be English-challenged, just point or talk in broken Mand-glish like I have in the past. Find a table in the indoor seating area to the right or at one of the patio tables outside and someone will bring your order to you. I like sitting outside and being surrounded by Yes Food Court's faux Neo-Classical facades--it makes me feel like I'm on vacation at Disneyland. Or Europe. Or Euro-Disney.

Despite how much I like my job, there are still days where I feel like my head is going to explode from crunching too many numbers. My brow gets furrowed and my face gets all squished up from thinking too hard. On such days, I know I can count on the spicy options at No. 1 Noodle House to clear my head up and relax my forehead. Take that, Botox.

On colder days, I usually opt for their spicy beef noodle soup, niu rou mian, to warm my belly and clear my sinuses. I've heard conflicting reviews about these with critics saying that the soup's bland and lacks spice and/or depth which fortunately for me, has never been the case. Sure, it's not the best I've had, but its rich, beefy broth is fine by me. Tender chunks of beef and pickled greens help to round the whole thing out. If you're worried about the broth not being bold enough, be sure to tell the counterperson that you want it spicy. Usually they'll ask what your preferred level of spiciness is, but in case they don't, just tell them.

When it comes to wontons in chili oil and dan dan mian, my heart still belongs to Shufeng Garden (in the form of Zhong's Dumplings) down the street, but unfortunately, Shufeng Garden doesn't have patio seating where you can work on your tan whilst sweating out chili oil. That doesn't mean that No. 1 Noodle House doesn't make decent versions of the two dishes, however.

Their wontons in chili oil are perky porky pillows that really pack a punch in its glistening orange chili oil bath and sprinkling of scallions and peanuts. A word of advice though: don't take them to-go if you can help it, else the wonton wrappers tend to turn quite doughy.

On warmer afternoons, which is usually the case in Rowland Heights, my dish of choice is the dan dan mian--a bowl of warm chili-oil, ground pork and peanuts slathered over a bed of cool noodles. Mix it all up for a bowl of absolute carby goodness that packs a nice spicy punch. As with the wontons in chili oil, these noodles should be eaten on the spot.

Regardless of what size noodles you get (No. 1 Noodle House offers them in a small or large size), all three of these dishes can be had for under $20 which I imagine would make my mom quite proud of me for finding such a gem in the same neighborhood that my paychecks come from.

"My daughter's a financial analyst and really good at math, and she works near a lot of good, cheap Asian restaurants," my mom can say with a smile. Mom's happy. Her friends are happy.

And I'm happy because of numbers 1-10 above and because my mom and her friends are happy. And that's all that really matters.

No. 1 Noodle House
18180 Colima Rd. #B (Yes Plaza)
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 839-7093
Cash Only

Be sure to read Mmm-Yoso's, Naked Sushi's and Hungrybunny's reviews of No. 1 Noodle House too!

Osteria Mamma: Love To My Mama and My Mamma (Mini Gluttony's Very First Blog Post!)

Hi, I'm Mini Gluttony!

You might know my Mommy. She's Daily Gluttony, the lady who writes this blog.

Well she keeps saying something about how there aren't enough hours in the day and how she's tired. I don't know why grown ups are always tired and want to sleep. Who needs sleep anyways? I don't! In fact, I like to wake up every night between 1 and 3am. It's super fun! Anyways, my Mommy is always doing nice things for me, so I thought I'd do something nice for her and let her sleep while I write her latest blog post for her. I'm a good boy.

My Mommy and Daddy and I went to this place called Osteria Mamma the other night for a family dinner out. We got there right when it opened because 1) my bedtime is 8:30 pm, which means the closer it gets to 8:30 while we are out, the closer I get to melting down from being tired, and 2) Mommy and Daddy said something about being considerate to the restaurant and the people who eat there. I have no idea what they're talking about.

We sat in the corner near a window so that Mommy could take her pictures. You should see my Mommy's bag when we all go out and she brings the big camera. It feels like she's carrying a bowling ball with all that stuff in there. Daddy thinks it's a giant pain in the patootie when Mommy takes pictures of food when we go out because he has to wait until Mommy finishes focusing and composing and all that fancy stuff before he can eat. Grown ups are silly.

First they brought us some bread which I thought was really cool since carbs are yummy. It was warm and sliced kinda thin and soft on the inside and crusty on the outside but not so crusty that I couldn't chew it with my teething gums. They also gave us a side of delicious marinara sauce that Mommy and Daddy had to help me dip my bread in. I'm not that coordinated yet.

Polipolata! I like that word 'cause it sounds like it could be the name of a cartoon character. But it is really the name of a dish of grilled octopus, celery, potatoes and lemon that we started our dinner with. I learned to count to 8 by squeezing the legs on some toy octopus at school. Somehow I don't think this was the same octopus, but it was mmm-mmm good. I like crunchy things like cookies and french fries, so the celery and potatoes in here were right up my alley. And then Mommy and Daddy kept using the word tender to describe the octopus. Do you think "tender" has something to do with the number ten? Hey, I can count to ten all by myself now!

I also made this really cool artsy deconstructed plating out of this dish. Yeah, I'm thinking I could win a future Top Chef competition one day, piece of cake.

Noodles and pasta are my favorite thing to eat in the whole wide world, so Mommy and Daddy ordered three kinds of pasta for me to try.

First was the Trenette Nere alla Bottarga which was black squid ink trenette with organic cherry tomatoes, shrimp and bottarga, which is Italian for dried fish eggs. Most kids my age would think dried fish eggs and black pasta made with squid ink are yucky, but not me. No sirree! This was super! The botarga and tomato made the sauce all nice and tangy and briny, and the shrimp were plump, just like my legs! I even learned some more new words: "al dente" which Mommy and Daddy said is the perfect texture for pasta. It means when something is cooked to have a toothsome bite which I could definitely feel in these noodles even though I don't even have all of my teeth yet.

Next we had the Tagliatelle Bolognese which was my absolute favoritest dish of the evening. I really, really, really, really REALLY like any kind of pasta bolognese. My Mommy can tell you because she makes me spaghetti bolognese at home. Even though I like Mommy's, I love Mamma's (sorry Mommy, you know I still love always you the best) The veal, pork, sausage and tomato sauce was so rich and hearty and the tagliatelle ribbons so (oooh, I get to use some new words I learned!) al dente, that I slurped almost all of this up by myself. The nice lady tried to take my plate away thinking I was done but I wasn't so I gave her some of my best stink eye. She just laughed.

Then we had the Ravioli Burro e Salvia which were (again-new words!) al dente pillows of pasta filled with spinach and ricotta cheese in butter and sage. Me and Mommy and Daddy thought this was good but compared to the squid ink trenette and tagliatelle bolognese, this definitely wasn't as awesome in flavors. Still, very nice and simple.

By this time, my little tummy was stuffed full with pasta, and I was a happy little boy, but Mommy and Daddy still wanted dessert, so they got the Panna Cotta with fresh berries. They said they liked it alot and that it was smooth and creamy and just real yummy.

I liked Osteria Mamma so much that I was a good little boy and behaved myself for almost all of our dinner, except when I tried to stick my hand in the purse of some lady sitting behind us, so I am hoping that Mommy and Daddy take me back here real soon. Mommy and Daddy, are you reading this?

Hey, this blogging thing is kinda fun. Maybe if I help Mommy write more, she will take me out to eat more.

Bye for now :)
Mini Gluttony

Osteria Mamma
5732 Melrose Ave
Hollywood, CA 90004
(323) 284-7060
www.osteriamamma.com

Jook: The Next Best Thing To A Hug From A Chinese Mama

Growing up, no other food that my parents made spelled out love better than jook, or Chinese rice porridge (also called congee). All it took was a little rice and broth or water to make comfort food at its finest. It warmed our tummies alongside noodles on weekend lunches at home. Since it's so hearty yet easy to digest, it made us feel better whenever we were sick with the flu, stomach problems, you name it. It was also traditionally a birthday food with my family--my dad explained it as "simple food that symbolizes your humble beginnings"--pretty wise, eh?

So now that I'm a Chinese Mama, jook has quickly become a staple in my household too. It's cheap, it's delicious, and it's such a feel-good food. Long gone are the days of dragging myself out of bed on a weekend morning to go to brunch in my best I-tried-really-hard-on-purpose-to-look-disheveled-yet-comfy garb. No sirree, I'm up early making jook for my family.

All you pretty much need is this: one part rice to approximately 10 parts liquid (broth, water or a combination of both) I prefer using jasmine rice, and using broth always makes jook alot more tasty than does water, though using water is handy when queasy stomachs call for the blandest of bland foods.

Put the rice in a large pot and add only about 4 to 6 parts of the liquid. Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer and cover. After the rice simmers for a little bit, it will start to break down and look like the photo on the left.

Keep adding liquid in one to two part increments as the liquid in the pot starts to get absorbed by the rice and stir. As you near the 10-parts-liquid-part, the rice will start to look like the photo on the right. At this point, I always taste the jook for consistency before adding more liquid. Remember, you can always add more liquid but you can't take it out, so don't think that you have to use exactly 10 parts of liquid. Sometimes 8 is the magic number for me and sometimes it's 11, it all depends on how you want it and how moody your rice is on the absorbency scale that day. Another thing to keep in mind is that you can't rush jook; hearty, soul warming foods can't usually be made in 10 minutes, so be patient. Jook can sometimes take up to a couple of hours to make.

When your jook is near done, you can also add meat or other ingredients that would make it more interesting. Make jook as simple as you want, or as elaborate as you want. These days, I usually add coarsely chopped chicken thigh or beef because I'm catering to a toddler's diet, but the possibilities are really endless. Seafood makes for a really tasty jook, as do offals. My favorite jook growing up was a chicken and dried squid one; my brother's favorite contained pigs feet and boiled peanuts.

No jook is complete to me without all the condiments. At bare minimum, I've got scallions, ginger, and preserved turnip laying around for our jook meals. But it's an extra-extra-special day when I've got peanuts, thousand year old egg, deep fried bean threads, or yao zhar gwai--a deep fried cruller of sorts--to add to my jook. And oh yeah, don't forget the white pepper!

So doesn't this make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside now? Makes you wanna go hug your Chinese Mama, right? Don't have one? That's OK, just go make some jook--it's the next best thing.