udon...

well like most people when i don't have time or company to go out to grab some food, i tend to attack the kitchen on a mission to make something to eat. when you're bit of a foodie/cook, you tend to make things a bit more extreme then the normal person.. not just a simple grilled cheese sandwich. for one thing i always have stocked in the house is udon noodles. 

udon noodles are one of my favorite types of noodles. its big and white, soft and filling and just happy. they remind you of just the simplicity of good slurping times. when i'm sad, there is nothing as delightful then a big bowl of noodles just waiting for you to slowly or quickly enjoy. on a cold day a bowl of udon noodle soup is just great. although i am not of japanese background, i adore these noodles. they are happy. having them in stock is amazing, stir fry or just in soup base, its just delicious treat.  

when i started this blog i did not think of putting my recipes, and i'm still having to deal with giving recipes out or sharing them. so with the indecision, i will not yet or for now put my recipes up. but i made some great noodles last night. simple, fresh ingredients are the key. hot wok, onions, mushrooms, garlic, beef slices, black bean sauce, sesame oil and of course udon. and you get something amazing. this is one of my favorite after school snack when i was younger, when i didnt have anything to make anything else. but now i realize that what i eat at home is never on the menu of some places so its a special treat. of course i'm one of those odd people who have home made kimchi stocked at all times and i love my sister for that. and serve a little spicy kimchi with your beef stir fry udon noodles and you have a delicious treat. 

i think everyone has a favorite type of noodle. i mean the Italians have pasta and the Chinese with noodles.. so many forms but all the same comforting feeling. 

eat extraordinary everyday. 

we're cookin!

when you're a foodie., you become very particular in how your food is prepared. and in my case both myself and my significant other of a dining partner are very big on food. so when it comes time to decide what to eat and where,  we both need plenty of time to pick a place. but the other day i decided to go to a new place. the idea is Japanese BBQ. kinda very similar to Korean BBQ.. 

its a little place off of Sawtelle- now if you know this street you know that all the good Asian foods are here. well specifically Japanese food. and great karaoke there too! its a great hang out if you don't want to drive down to the San Gabriel valley.. or Korean town or Japanese town...

 so this is a great place to go if you live on the west side and hate traffic... 

so we order a little of everything.. beef tongue, prime steak, squid, veggies and two bowls of rice for the entree. then we have a nice seaweed salad and ox tail soup to start.. and of course a side of mixed kimchi veggies to go along with the food. and yes.. i always eat this much, perhaps its training for the food critic in me. anyhow.. like I've sad many times, you must try a bit of everything to get the full experience of the food.

one of the great things about cooking your own food is that its quick! The waiter turns on the fire as soon as the order is taken and the food comes out in minutes from the kitchen. so the hole in the middle is hot and you get excited.  so the soup is great and the salad is so simple i have to adore it even more with every bite. there isn't a lot of prep work done in the kitchen except for making sure its sliced thinly for quick cooking. so the excitement comes out faster as you finish the appetizer. its so great.. i love seeing raw food ready to be cooked. and when it comes to beef you get to control how well cooked the food is... total control freak i know.. but its the sure shot way to love the food that is placed into your mouth.

the food itself is not mind blowing, it is what it is, a good meal. the wait staff is amazing and the head chef/owner is walking around making sure everyone is happy. that always gives you a good feeling about the place. no crazy or shady things happening if the boss is there checking up on the guests and the food. its actually reassuring. its a very cute and quaint place to have a quick meal with a little fun. you do leave smelling like food but if anything that's a really good smell to have, who doesnt love food smell? but overall i think this is a great place to eat. and that everyone should go and try it out. and one of the best things is the gum they give you for dessert. and yes its telling you exactly what to do with that piece of gum! 

 eat extraordinary everyday!