Yelping from LA to OC

Hey everyone! I’m now writing Yelp reviews, they are less detailed and more so easier to read if you are looking for some recommendations for a restaurant on the fly.

Visit and add me at www.cliftonsu.yelp.com !

Brodard – Nem Nuong Restaurant

One day my friend Michael decided to show me around Little Saigon and show me all the good eats that Vietnamese cuisine has to offer. One of these amazing morsels of food is sold at Brodard. The nem nuong spring roll which I’ve eaten when I was growing up in Los Angeles was amazing, it was light,refreshing, and had an amazing contrast of flavors and texture from sweet and salty to crunchy and chewy. Now take all that and dip it in a hot sauce that just melds all the cold vegetables and warm meat i the spring roll all together. Sadly, the restaurant that I frequented for nem nuong rolls (shrimp paste ones) closed down so I was spring roll-less for the remainder of my high school and early college career.

Until now. I have found you, nem nuong cuon.

Upon battling the terrible traffic and drivers in Westminister, we rolled up to a 99 cents store. I thought my friend was pulling a trick on me but it turns out Brodard is located in a very ghetto-ish location, it’s located in the BACK of a 99 cents stores. The entrance was very deceiving so it might be a little difficult to find. We walked into the restaurant and it was a lot nicer and cleaner than your average Vietnamese joint; in fact it was quite nice looking with a large vase in the middle with flowers and a few paintings.

We immediately sat down to order and I let Michael do all the ordering in Vietnamese, the service here sucked, but if you know how to speak Vietnamese you are probably in for some o.k. service. They basically leave you alone after they take your order and bring you your food.

Greasy, greasy, greasy. Tasteless too.

The first dish to arrive was the banh xeo. It was a fried Vietnamese egg crepe which was stuffed with various vegetables (mostly bean sprouts) and strips of meat. I’ll have to admit, this stuff was pretty bland and disgusting (more on that later). It was VERY greasy and there was no salt put into it, so lots of fish sauce was necessary to give this dish some flavor. I basically doused the entire thing with fish sauce and ate it with lots of greens that they give you on the side so the freshness of the veggies could cut the grease.

The crepe is somewhere in there...

Could use a bit of salt.

The vegetable wrap which I have masterfully constructed (haha…) was a lettuce leaf crammed full of the egg crepe, cucumbers, mint, basil, cilantro, and sesame leaves. There was also this leaf shaped like a spade and it was very smooth in texture and had a light green color which tasted horrible. I don’t know what it was, but it left a aftertaste like rotten fish and it was very potent, I’ll take a picture of it if it ever comes up again.

Glorious.

Piping hot and sweet, it's amazing. Still don't know what this is called though...

Next came the nem nuong cuon; its’ what Brodard is famous for, and why I primarily came here in the first place. The rolls were exactly as I remembered and it was served with a side of some sort of amazing hot/sweet sauce.

The food porn shot.

The nem nuong was very tender and had a great sweet porky flavor which was very outstanding. The nem nuong was also accompanied with a fried piece of rice paper(?) which gave the spring roll some richness and crunch. There were also cucumbers and lettuce to give the roll even more crunch.  Overall, a very balanced dish when paired with the sauce they serve to you on the side. What’s the sauce you say? I have no idea to this day, I assume it’s some kind of fish sauce thickened with various spices and also with some pork or chicken (can’t tell).

Last came my final dish, the Brodard special which consisted of vermicelli patties and grilled pork, beef, shrimp, fried shrimp paste, and Vietnamese sweet sausage. The whole thing was topped with slivers of fried green onions and peanuts. This dish was nothing unusual, it was pretty good all around except for the shrimp paste and sausage was rather bland and tough. I assume they were sitting in the fryer too long. Everything was also consumed by wrapping everything in lettuce leaves, various other vegetables, and then dipping into the fish sauce.

Post Dinner Trauma:

After I got home from Little Saigon, my stomach wasn’t feeling too well and my throat felt really swollen. I began thinking to myself if I’ve been poisoned or simply ate too much, but then realized I only get this way from overdosing on MSG. It was not a pleasant night, I felt like vomiting but couldn’t get myself to, the food sat in my stomach like a rock.

I’ve learned from more experiences when going to Brodard is to use the fish sauce more sparingly, I’m sure the fish sauce brought my demise with the overload on MSG. You have been warned!

What everyone gets at Brodard... simply amazing.

I now only come here for the nem nuong rolls, it’s the only thing outstanding and worth eating  at this joint.

Crazy spicy.

P.S. There’s also a chile pepper that is a condiment on your table, I dare you to try a bite! I only managed to eat one.

Brodard Restaurant

9892 Westminster Ave
Garden Grove, CA 92844

(714) 530-1744

www.brodard.net

Amazing Bacon Pancakes Recipe

It’s midnight and I’m craving something sweet, yet salty. Aside from thinking I’m a fatty, you know you have those urges too, and here is how to satisfy it.

After I pondered on what I was going to make, the lightbulb turned on. How about mixing pancakes and bacon together?? I mean, chicken and waffles works incredibly well together so why not bacon and pancakes? Your first bite usually is hit by a wave of sweet inebriation and then a savory salty finish on the palate.

Sweet and salty, maple syrup and bacon is a match made in heaven.

Bacon Pancakes Recipe

Here’s what you need:

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (Sifted Please)
• 1/2 lb of Bacon (or however much you crave)
• 2.5 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1.5 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• Generous pinch of Kosher Salt
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1.75 cups Milk
• 2 tablespoons Melted Butter

This is a very basic pancake recipe, with the revisions of more salt and of course, yours truly, the bacon.

Before assembling the pancakes, prepare the bacon in your desired method. I usually do it in the pan in which I would be cooking the pancakes in, so you can use the left over drippings (if you are worried about being healthy, you’re probably in the wrong place since this post is about BACON and PANCAKES).

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and your freshly fried bacon.
2. In a separate bowl, combine your wet ingredients: the melted butter, milk, and eggs.
3. Combine all of them together, stirring only enough to mix thoroughly (around 10 full mixing motions, don’t worry if there are small pockets of flour). This creates a lighter and fluffier batter.
4. Heat an electric skillet or the pan you made your bacon in on medium heat (350 degrees for the electric skillet) and scoop out some batter and proceed the making the pancakes.
5. The pancakes generally need to be flipped when you see bubbles forming around the sides and if the bottom is golden brown and crispy. (The more bacon drippings the crisper your pancake will be! And not to mention the more bacon flavored)
6. Store the pancakes you aren’t eating in a 200 degree oven.
7. Serve with a pat of butter and REAL warm maple syrup!

The combination of salty and sweet from the bacon and maple syrup compliment each other well and you have the added bonus of the smokiness from the bacon permeating the soft and fluffy pancakes.. mmm….you’ll be in for a good nights rest after this!

Homemade Sukiyaki Shabu-shabu Style

Assembling a sukiyaki and shabu-shabu is insanely easy to go, it’s just a matter of gathering your desired ingredients and having some sort of electric skillet/pot.

Amazing for a cold winter night, really warms you up and is delicious! I consider this Asian soul food for cold days.

What I did for this Sukiyaki:

Soup Base:

• Dashi
• Soy Sauce (both light and dark)
• Mirin
• Sake
• Sugar

Meats and Vegetables:

• Thin Sliced Rib-eye
• Thin Sliced Pork Tenderloin
• Napa Cabbage
• Shitaki Mushrooms
• Enoki Mushrooms
• Mustard Greens (the Chinese kind)
• Fried Tofu Squares
• Blue Crabs (with roe)
• Fish Cakes/Fish Balls
• Fresh Shrimp Head-On
• Rice Noodles (Fen Si)

First of all, I know this is not the traditional sukiyaki but my rendition of it, buy whatever meats or vegetables you would like and if you are lazy you can even buy a sukiyaki soup base (which I do on occasion). As with the listed ingredients (like the soup base) I usually just eye the amounts, but usually you add and taste as you go.

As for cooking the meat, shabu-shabu means to “swish swish” in Japanese (don’t quote me on this, I just read this from a menu at a great shabu place in Pasadena), so just swish your meat in the hot broth and eat. I usually like to cook mine until pink or medium rare, most people say this is dangerous and I would be spending an abnormal time in the bathroom but I’ve been eating meat like this since I was a kid and have had no trouble with it.

There’s also a dipping sauce which I’ve taken inspiration from one shabu-shabu place I’ve been to, here’s my recipe for it.

Sukiyaki Egg Dipping Sauce

• One whole egg (fresh & pasteurized preferred)*
• Sesame Oil
• Chili Oil
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• Diced Fresh Scallions

1. Beat the egg first in a small bowl that can be used for dipping.
2. Add the desired amount of sesame oil and chili oil (you can make some interesting patterns with them)
3. Add the pepper and scallions for garnish and taste.

*Disclaimer on eating raw eggs: as Alton Brown says, eggs contain very little salmonella and it’s very rare for eggs to have any salmonella, I have been eating raw eggs all my life and haven’t had any problems yet. If you are skeptical though, get pasteurized eggs since the pasteurizing process would eliminate all those bugs that would make your stomach sick.

Simple Homemade Milk Tea

One thing I don’t get about people who go to tea stations, do they realize they are paying a very PREMIUM price for just tea and condensed milk?! Some people don’t realize it but it costs about 25 cents or less just to make milk tea… yet they pay 3 dollars and up at Cha?? Ridiculous.

Cheap and easy to make, don't pay the premium price at tea stations.

Anyways here’s a VERY simple recipe for milk tea, using my favorite tea bags.

What you need:

• 4 Bags of Rickshaw Black Tea
• 6 Cups of Water (I like it strong)
• Nestle Condensed Milk

1. Basically bring the water to a boil (however much you like with your tea) and then turn off the heat once the water comes to a boil.
2. Seep the tea bags in there and cover, for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the condensed milk, taste as you go, some people like it sweeter and creamier, some like it lighter.
4. Chill or serve hot.

Poached Eggs and Spring Melody Salad with Truffled Balsamic Vinaigrette

So for a quick meal, I whipped up some poached eggs and a quick salad with one of my self-created vinaigrette, you will never go back to the bottled stuff EVER again.

So I’ll share the recipe, impress friends and family with this very easy recipe!

Light and rich poached eggs with an amazing salad!

Recipe*:

• Eggs
• Spring Melody Salad Mix
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Kalamata Olive Oil
• White Truffle Oil
• Honey or Sugar
• Garlic
• Shallots
• Salt/Pepper

* As you can see, I didn’t put any amounts of of the ingredients simply because I don’t know how many people you are serving and secondly to foster the inner chef in you so you can judge how much of each ingredient to put. There is no wrong amount, it’s simply up to your interpretation (that’s the beauty if cooking!)

How to Poach Eggs:

1. First, heat up a pot of water and control it at a simmer. (Medium Heat)
2. Swirl the water right before you crack in an egg.
3. The centripetal force of the swirling water will make sure your egg does not disperse when you crack it into the water.
4. Simmer the egg until all the white has been cooked, about 2-3 minutes (I would keep an eye on it)
5. Scoop it out gently with a large spoon, careful not to pop the luscious yolk!

Truffled Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. For ease of pouring and mixing, I use a jar which can be used to shake and emulsify the salad dressing.
2. Add 1 part olive oil and 1 part balsamic vinaigrette (more or less depending on your preference, I like more vinegar)
3. Dice a few cloves of garlic and 1 large shallot finely and add to the oil/vinegar.
4. Add salt/pepper/sugar or honey to taste. I prefer honey since it’s already in liquid form and has a floral note.
5. Drizzle in a little bit of white truffle oil depending on how much dressing you have.. This stuff is VERY potent so use it sparingly.
6. Shake the mixture together and taste. Add more ingredients to meet your desire.
7. Prepare over a day ahead since the flavors meld together the longer it sits together.

I pretty much laid out the general guidelines for it. Now get cookin!

Remember to ALWAYS TASTE as you go when you can so you know if it tastes good or not. Don’t wait to season at the end where it usually is too late.

Dress the eggs with some of the truffled balsamic vinaigrette, it cuts through the richness of the yolk beautifully.

Philippe’s Original French Dip Sandwhich

While lounging back at home I was watching the Travel Channel and Man Vs. Food happened to come on coincidentally Adam Richman was in Los Angeles! Hey… don’t I live there?

He has the biggest appetite ever... and boy can he eat spicy stuff too.

During the show, Adam goes to a place called Philippe which is known for having the first french dip sandwich ever and boy did he make that place look good. He was practically slobbering into the vat of au jus when he was interviewing the cook on how to cook and serve the french dip sandwiches. The camera man showed Adam devouring sandwiches full of roast beef, roast lamb, turkey, and pork which was liberally soaked in au jus and pan drippings.

I was sold, I must have this, NOW.

I quickly called up a few of my friends and told them that Philippe will be our destination for dinner tonight and we quickly drove there in less than 10 minutes (I love living in South Pasadena, so close to everything in LA) via the 110 south roller coaster freeway (you’ll see why once you drive on it). We arrived at a very old and dingy looking restaurant that was located near one of my favorite dim sum places in Chinatown. We walked inside and was greeted with the smell of beef roasting and sawdust… so peculiar. The inside decorations were definitely screamed old school; there were long wooden tables with stools, saw dust all over the floor, old school menus, and workers dressed in typical diner dresses.

Au jus soaked bread with freshly carved lamb...mmm

I approached the counter full of potato, macaroni, and various other salads and ordered the french dip lamb sandwich, double dipped please! The lady at the counter literally brought out an entire leg of lamb and started to carve chunks of hot and juicy lamb right off the bone. I knew this was going to be amazing already since cooking meat on the bone gives the meat a deeper and more robust flavor.

Real lemonade: Bright, citrusy, and actual lemon flavor!

I also ordered a lemonade which came in the tiniest cup ever, I can literally down the whole thing in a few gulps. Besides the small size, it was legit homemade lemonade but it wasn’t worth the cost ( I remember was around a dollar). Come to think of it, all the portions here at Philippe’s are pretty small, but I’m probably spoiled by the obesity-inducing portion sizes served in the U.S.. I have to keep reminding myself it’s quality not quantity.

The mustard was nasal clearing and had a really strong mustard taste.

I sat myself down to the hay dusted stools and table and immediately grabbed the special house-made mustard that Adam hyped up as being the spiciest mustard ever. I tasted the mustard by itself and it tasted EXACTLY like the yellow mustard that Chinese dim sum places use (you know that yellow mustard that kind of just clears up your entire nasal passage when you take too much of it?). It did match perfectly though with the sandwich, it provided a spicy note and a certain acidity that cut through the fatty lamb dipped sandwich.

The lamb was gamey and lacked flavor but luckily it was saved by the awesome au jus.

The lamb in the sandwich was somewhat disappointing, the hot and juicy chunks that the waitress cut for me while making the sandwich were somewhat dry and flavorless with a VERY heavy game flavor (my friend’s beef french dip was so much better). Luckily the bread was soaked in the delicious au jus that I didn’t mind it too much. The au jus was perfectly seasoned with a unctuousness that was almost indescribable since it was a combination of beef, lamb, pork, and turkey drippings. That’s 4 different types of animal in this au jus! The au jus also had a strong vegetable flavor probably from all the celery, carrot, and onions they used as the base of this heavenly broth.

Try it if you want a legit and classic french dip sandwich!

Overall, I would come here again just to get the beef dip since the lamb was alright. As like most places in L.A. that are hyped up, it failed to meet the hype but unlike others (like Pink’s, which is HORRIBLE) Philippe’s manages to pull off a pretty damn good french dip sandwich. Philippe’s claims they created the first french dip sandwich and judging from all the history behind it, I think that claim is true.

P.S. after writing this entry I have realized I cannot spell sandwich correctly… I always spell it “sandwhich” for some reason!

Philippe The Original Restaurant

Neighborhood: Chinatown
1001 N Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 628-3781

www.philippes.com