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By mlb, on September 25th, 2006%
Is it Italian? Is it Asian? I dunno. It was good, though.
You could just as easily serve this over some basmati rice (and omit the cheese) but I really like the huge rigatoni we had with this and of course, the Parmesan. It was a fusion, as the kids call it.
Ginger-Garlic-Cilantro Shrimp
Originally, from Bon Appétit magazine, with 6 tbsp of butter instead of 3.5.
3.5 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (packed) chopped fresh cilantro
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 pound uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp (large — 26-30 ct)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, cored and diced
Lime wedges
1 pound rigatoni or other large tube-like pasta of your liking
salt and pepper
Mix the first six ingredients in small bowl until well blended; alternatively, throw in the food processor and process until smooth. Season . . . → Read More: Asian Pasta Mix-Up: Ginger-Garlic-Cilantro Shrimp
By mlb, on May 9th, 2006%
Flea Street Cafe
3607 Alameda de las Pulgas
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650-854-1226
I have very fond memories of Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park. You see, I used to live in an apartment above the restaurant. I would walk up the backstairs and smell all the amazing smells from the open kitchen door. In the summer, there was even a mini-farmer’s market in the parking lot. As if that all wasn’t enough — my studio apartment also had hardwood floors. All in all, it was a pretty great place to live.
When jwa & I ate dinner there, if we didn’t finish our wine — no problem, they would let us take it upstairs. Awesome. (This happened once — I think when we had 2 bottles, it’s not like jwa and I can’t drink a bottle of wine with dinner. Oh — we can).
This last trip to California, . . . → Read More: The Best Restaurant to Live Above: Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park
By mlb, on February 16th, 2006%
Wild Abandon
2411 SE Belmont
Portland, OR 97214
(503) 232-4458
Traditionally, we walk to Bread and Ink for Valentine’s Dinner, have a bottle of wine, food and walk home. That’s what we did last year and for the last three years. This year, I was in the mood for a change.
I’ve been wanting to try Wild Abandon quite some time and Valentine’s Day seemed like a good night to do so. Yeah, I know — is a holiday when everyone else is trying to go out to dinner really the best opportunity to try someplace new?
The atmosphere was funky and dark. I’m not sure if they made it extra dark for the holiday or of it’s usually that way. I’m not complaining — I’m just saying it was dark but cozy and romantic. Our timing was right on (of course we had a reservation), as we got . . . → Read More: Valentine’s Day at Wild Abandon
By mlb, on January 6th, 2006%
Mendo Bistro
301 North Main St
Fort Bragg, CA
707-964-4974 (Reservations for parties of 6 or more only)
My original plan, when I thought we would be back the Friday before New Year’s Eve, was to cook a meal at home, have some wine, then perhaps some champagne and be in bed by 12:15 AM. All but one of those things happened and Mendo Bistro turned into our New Year’s Eve Plan B.
The Mendo Bistro is in an old building (The Company Store) in downtown Fort Bragg. It’s super cute looking and despite the circumstances, I was excited to eat there for our impromptu New Year’s Feast. The windows look out over the street and it’s a very nice view, as you can see below.
They have a number of appetizers including: an artisan cheese plate, “award winning” crab cakes, mussels with kaffir lime, ginger, garlic and chile . . . → Read More: New Year’s Eve 2005: Mendo Bistro (Fort Bragg, CA)
By mlb, on January 4th, 2006%
Pangaea
39165 S. Highway 1
Gualala, CA 95445
Reservations: 707-884-9669
As promised — the first of the Northern California restaurant reviews. While staying in Gualala, we went to Pangaea for dinner last Wednesday night. We’d never been there before and I was pretty excited to try it. I had seen a sample menu at our hotel (conveniently right across the street) and well, that was that. We needed to go there for our splurgey-spendy meal.
First thing after stepping in the door, I loved the decor — it was very bright and colorful. Each room was painted a different hue — yellow, blue, red, purple. It made me want to come home and paint different areas of the house different colors. Maps and geography (duh!) seemed to be a theme and there were many paintings decorating the walls.
The menu from December 28, 2005 (half-remembered and half pieced together . . . → Read More: Dinner at Pangaea (Gualala, CA)
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About Me I like to cook. I like to eat. I like to take photos. I live in SE Portland with my husband jwa and a grumpy, old lady cat named Chelsea. That is all.
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