the delicious life

Tender Greens, Culver City - Tender is the Right

2008-05-07T22:41:00.000-07:00

Tender Greens
9523 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
310.842.8300
www.tendergreensfood.com

The following guest-post comes from Ryan, with whom I had lunch recently at Tender Greens in Culver City and with whom I have been having a hot, sordid like affair for over 15 years.

There's more at the end of the post from me about Ryan, but before we get to how "settling" means he'll never marry me, read about how Tender Greens doesn't have to be The One.

I’ve been thinking of the idea of "settling" lately.

It started before my friend sent me an article from Atlantic Monthly titled ever so subtly “Marry Him!” But it’s picked up steam as I near 35, an age that seemed so distant a little while ago but approaches with unrelenting speed these days.

The actual age doesn’t bother me so much. It’s the freight it carries -- expectations that seem to grow heavier the longer you cart them around. I tell myself that I don’t abide by anyone else’s timetable, and yet I find my own is almost as unforgiving as the next. Why don’t I have this yet, why am I still doing that? Where’s the wife? The pitter-patter of little feet? All that good grown-up stuff that should be at least within shouting distance, but still seem just about as far away as they did back in junior high school?

With those mounting questions, the easy answer would be to settle. That’s what we really ought to do, argues Lori Gottlieb in Atlantic Monthly.

Holding out for more is a fool’s quest, she says. Just go with someone you trust and get along with and you’ll find that companionship outweighs this elusive feeling of passion and kismet. Having a teammate who has your back is more important than finding The One.

I’m reminded of this article as I think back on a recent visit to Tender Greens in Culver City.

The place, a glorified salad shop, is hardly my idea of a perfect restaurant. We have something quite similar up here in the Bay Area called Pluto’s, which dishes up salads, grilled meats and sides. Not seeing much difference between the two initially, I was prepared to pass quick judgment on it.

But in my newly enlightened, or perhaps age-addled, frame of mind, I began to see Tender Greens in a different light. It’s not about comparing it to other restaurants but simply appreciating it for what it brings to the table.

And when I started to back off my expectations, I found there was a lot to like about Tender Greens.

I had the Angus Flank Steak over a spinach salad with goat cheese. I got the mashed potatoes and I threw in a chicken soup with lemon thyme. The steak I expected would be a bit stubborn and chewy but this was some tender and tasty meat. The mashed potatoes melted in my mouth, a wondrous concoction that managed to be both rich and creamy and yet seemingly light as well. The rather naked soup was earthy and hearty, full of big exposed chicken chunks that begged for a stray noodle or two for cover. Even without some extra carbs, it was a nice comforting addition to my meal.

Was it a transformative experience? Did it capture my senses? Was it a riot of the heart?!?!

Eh, not really.

But, I’m realizing more and more, that has been my downfall in the past.

For so long, I’ve looked for someone who could ignite conversations with me, make them combustible in a way that was exciting, unexpected and a little dangerous. I was looking for a person who was not only attractive but managed to be witty, intelligent, caring and aware in a way that made you lean in to the conversation, fearful you might miss something important. I thought I would be a good match for just such a soul, but in hindsight, maybe I was over-reaching. Maybe all I really need is the equivalent of Tender Greens.

Tender Greens won’t be winning any awards soon but it’s comforting and warm and it provides a dose of familiarity and goodness that can grow on you over time.

Maybe that’s what I need. Settling isn’t settling if you reconcile yourself to your newfound wants and needs. I’m not saying that I’m there yet in my personal life but Tender Greens makes me think that my personal future isn’t so bleak after all.

Tender-ness, Where (Else) is it?
~ Full five stars from 45 reviews on Citysearch
~ Overwhelming 224 ratings on Yelp average to 4 (out of 5) stars
~ MetroMix says Tender Greens makes an impossible oxymoron, "healthy and delicious," possible
~ A chowhound calls it "excellent"
~ The Hungry Hippo: "definitely refreshing" (Dec 2006)
~ la.foodblogging's KT would "love to have one near work" for lunch (Nov 2006)
~ Mikey Hates Everything: "absolutely delicious" (Jul 2006)
~ Foodie Universe: "delivers"(Jul 2006)
~ Chance that Rate-a-Restaurant will go back? "decent possibility." (Jul 2006)
~ Triplecreme apparently went more than once in one month (Jun 2006)

tags :: food : and drink : american : restaurants : reviews : culver city : los angeles

Guacamole - Tortilla Chips Optional, Possibly Obsolete

2008-05-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

We've progressed beyond tortilla chips.

Guacamole
Mash 2 avocadoes coarsely with a fork in a medium bowl with juice from ½ lime.

Crush and finely mince 1 garlic clove with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Add garlic, 1 seeded and diced tomato, ½ chopped onion, 1 finely minced jalapeno, chopped cilantro leaves, and salt/pepper to taste.

Sometimes I add a dollop of sour cream. Isn't that disgusting?!

** a year ago today, mr. cecil's california BBQ inspired the top 20 most overused food words **
** two years ago today, gucchi was not a handbag at akbar indian **
** three years ago today: early for cinco de mayo at el cholo and 'ceviche' with avocadoes from westwood **

tags :: food : and drink : mexican : cooking : recipes : reviews : los angeles

Delicious Dozen Links: "Supply and Da Man" Edition

2008-04-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

Decreased Supply

1. How the Rich Starved the World – When “going green” takes food from the starving

2. Weekly Food Expenditures for Families Around the World [based on the book, Hungry Planet] – $1.23 feeds a family in Chad for a week. My medium coffee this afternoon was $1.29

3. Reviving the Ration Card – Import tax cuts, government subsidies, and cash transfers to feed poorer countries. It’s like upper division macroeconomics all over again.

Increased Demand

4. Rice rationing at Sam's Club and Costco and butter shortage in Japan - Unnecessary supply action results in hysterical demand reaction

Change in Equilibrium Price

5. Objects on Your Plate May Be Smaller Than They Appear – Given the historical portion sizes of, say, The Cheesecake Factory and Claim Jumper, downsizing as a result of increased food costs is a problem…how?

6. How Much Your Groceries Will Cost in 10 Years – Breakdown by category - chicken, beef, rice, vegetables, etc. - of projected price increase. Best bet imho? Instant ramen.

7. 10 Meals on $10 – Not so surprisingly, AllRecipes has to keep “updating” these recipes because the price of food keeps going up.

And the Rest

8. When Bananas Ruled the World – When “Banana Republic” wasn’t a mass-cessible fashionably conservative clothing store

9. How to Tell Where Your Produce Comes From

10. Arby’s Owner Buying Wendy’s in All-stock Deal – curious about the deal, but even more curious about the possibility of a Frosty with my Beef n’ Cheddar

11. Cooking Mama Apron – Want.

12. Relative Investment: What if You’d Had $100,000 to Spend in 1998? – Bottom line: buy a piano.

tags :: food : and drink : restaurants : reviews : los angeles

Delicious Dozen Links, "Economic Stimulus, My A$$" Edition

2008-04-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

1. Most Expensive Bottled Waters – Had I received a fat tax refund this year, maybe I'd never pay $36.75 per bottle of Bling water.

2. Expensive Items for the Rich - Hell, if I had just broken even, I'd still never spend $1,000 on foie gras sushi with caviar. A $20,000 Scrabble board is a different story, though.

3. Five Cheap Tricks - Instead, I owe a grip plus the promise of my first-born child (little does IRS know I may never have kids!) so I'll be cooking whole chickens.

4. America’s Tastiest Streets [GOOD, Feb 2008] – Because other magazines' Top Cheap Eats lists think $25 is a bargain.

5. Pay- What-You-Like Restaurants - Is it my fault I like to pay $2 for everything?

6. The Beater Blade - New KitchenAid Stand Mixer attachment that scrapes down the side of the bowl while mixing. I think I just might like saying "beater blade."

7. Food.Alltop.com - The Delicious Life now featured alongside other "top" food blogs

8. 2nd Annual Sanrio Bento Competition [in Japanese] - Silver medalist is bread-based? Asian don't people don't eat bread. Outrage! Where is the rice?!

9. East West Eats - at the Ferry Plaza Building in San Francisco, Thursday May 8. If you're going, look for the fabulously-dressed 5'2" Asian girl with sparkly eyes and a stunning smile. Say "hi!" It won't be me, but it's always good to introduce yourself to the hot women in the room. (I'll be there, too, but I'm too shy to talk to you.)

10. Spicy Shrimp from the Indian Ocean – TerryB put to good (looking) use the winning copy of The Ethnic Paris Cookbook.

11. What's for Dinner? The Pollster Wants to Know - You vote what you eat (based on UrbanSpoon).

12. Weekly food safety Terror Alert is an ethnically correct shade of yellow for Pulmuone Oriental Noodle Fried Dumplings with undeclared eggs. Also coming out of the undeclared closet: S’morestick Kit and KFC Double Chocolate Chip Cakes.

tags :: food : and drink : asian : japanese : bento : food safety : food recalls : los angeles

Santouka Ramen, West Los Angeles - Where "Pork-forward" and "Porkiness" Make Complete Sense

2008-04-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

Santouka Ramen (in the Mitsuwa Marketplace)
3760 S Centinela Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90066
310.391.1101
www.santouka.co.jp

I have eaten Santouka ramen in the Mitsuwa Marketplace, in more than one location, on more than one occasion. I even ate there before it was Santouka.

I have relaxed my neck to let my head fall forward, holding my bangs back away from my eyes, face deep down into the bowl. I have slurped and sucked and slurped and sucked and slurped and sucked up noodles; I have grasped the bowl with two hands, tilted it up toward my face and noisily lapped up broth; I have let the boiling hot burn hit the back of my throat; I have swallowed the broth in a single, spice-filled gulp, then wiped the tiny glittering greasy splashes of thick, opaque oh-me-so-spicy gloss dripping down my chin with the back of my hand.

I have.

In more than one location. On more than one occasion.

However, I am not ready to expose all my filthy little ramen-whore secrets to you just yet.

But RT is!

RT is a frequent reader (is "frequent" too bold an assumption?), occasional commenter, and now first time VIP guest blogger. While one could convincingly argue that RT's post about Santouka is appearing on The Delicious Life because his thoughtful comments on everything from sushi to cupcakes impress me enough to want a full essay on my main page, the real reason I invited RT to guest blog is that I just wanted an excuse to say "the Wolverines suck" on my blog and have it really mean something.

Oooo. K.

Santouka, anyone?

* * * * * the following post is written by RT * * * * *

I love Mitsuwa.

For those of you who don't know, Mitsuwa is a small chain of Japanese/Asian supermarkets (six in Southern California, three more elsewhere in the the country). Like its larger competitor 99 Ranch Market, Mitsuwa not only has great Asian food that you're not going to find elsewhere, but much of the meat, seafood, and produce is often priced cheaper than what you'll pay at Ralphs or Vons, but the quality is just as fresh and good as you'll get at Whole Foods or Sprouts. You want sushi grade fish so you can make your own sushi or sashimi? Mitsuwa is the place to go. You want one of the gigantic Japanese apples that are about the size of a baby's head (if William Tell was using one of these apples when he shot one of his kid's head, it would have been a rather pedestrian feat)? Mitsuwa is the place to go. You want soy sauce? Mitsuwa has to have at least 20 different varieties.

stocked market

it's ~~suntory~~ santouka time

But what I love most about Mitsuwa Marketplace is the food court and specifically, the ramen shop, Santouka. Quite frankly, Santouka sells the best ramen as well as the best soup I've ever had.

Actually, I'm underselling it.

Santouka is a revelation.

It's a bit disconcerting to have a revelation while sitting in a food court. Yes, Mitsuwa's food court is nice, pleasant, and clean, but it's still a food court. It was a revelation nonetheless.

The menu has a pretty limited set of options. There are three sizes (small, medium, and regular **Delicious Note that I just can't resist: how are "medium" and "regular" two different sizes?!), four different types of soup base (shio, soy, miso, and spicy miso), and a choice of whether you want extra slices of pork (chasu). No chicken, beef, or anything else. There are also a few rice-based sides, and, of course, soda.

shio me the money

I always get a regular shio chasu. The large is the same size as the bowls at places like Ramenya, but the regular size is more than enough. I keep meaning to try the side dishes, just like I keep meaning to try the other restaurants in the food court, but I never manage. Why?

Because the shio chasu is so good.

Let's start with the broth. The shio broth is very rich, and you can see a layer of oil over the ramen. But it's oh-so-delicious and complex. It's very pork-forward, but the porkiness is balanced by an undercurrent of seafood, a decent bit of salt and a pleasant sweetness (as I've learned from Rameniac's review of the place, that's exactly what the broth is made with: a pork and seafood stock). Combined with a downright sublime mouth feel, I linger over the broth for a very long time. The only other broth I've tried is the spicy miso. It's good, but the spice overwhelms all of the other flavors. Compared to the other ramen places in West LA, there is no comparison. Santouka crushes them.

I swear, it's liquid crack.

obviously Spicy Miso is just too much for a Michigan fan

As for the rest of the soup, the noodles are quite good, although on one occasion they weren't fully cooked and I had to let them sit in the broth for a little bit to finish cooking through. The veggies add a nice texture, although I can't identify everything (what are those yellow stringy batons?). I don't really know what the fish cake and the Japanese plum add, but they're a nice little bonus.

char siu. bless you!

The pork, on the other hand, is what really makes the ramen sing. I like to keep the pork slices and about half of the broth for last, because it destroys the standard law of diminishing returns with eating (you know, the more you eat something, the less enjoyable each subsequent bite is). How? Well, some of the the fat melts into what's left of the broth taste better the longer the pork resides in it. The broth returns the favor, adds a bit of flavor to the meat; it's like an echo chamber in a bowl. You'll notice that the regular ramen comes with a few slices of pork, but make sure you order it "chasu" so you get the extra slices.

Now for the (potential) negatives. First, Santouka only takes cash and they don't do take away. Second, the ambiance is less than stellar; I mean, you're eating in a food court. And if it hasn't been blindingly obvious by now, it's pretty much all pork all the time. If you don't like pork, this place is not for you (that's what the other three restaurants at Mitsuwa are for, I guess). Third, the place closes early. I've heard reports that it closes as early as 8 pm sometimes. Fourth, it's a pork and salt soup, which is not exactly health food. But I figure it's worth the extra couple miles you'd have to run to burn it off.

And finally, the soup is liquid crack. You might become another addict, itching for the chance for when you can get your next hit.

I know I do.

* * * * * the previous post was written by RT * * * * *

Who Else Tried Santouka's Porkiness?
[West Los Angeles]
~ 127 Yelpers give Santouka an average rating of 4½ stars
~ In the Top 5 for Rameniac's LA Times list (Jan 2008)
~ Wandering Chopsticks was "like really disappointed" (Jan 2008)
~ World is My Oyster went twice, and is already ready again (Jan 2008)
~ Rameniac calls Santouka "Best in Shio" (Feb 2007)
~ Noodles with Attitude, LA Weekly (Jan 2007)
~ For Daily Gluttony, "It was good." (Jan 2007)
~ Oishii Eats Santouka on opening day (Dec 2006)

[Torrance]
~ Two thumbs up from Foodie Monster (Sep 2007)
~ Always a stop for Taste-Buzz (Apr 2007)
~ Kirk of mmm-yoso wants a Santouka in San Diego (Feb 2007)
~ Even after Goin to Lucques and Hungry Cat, Santouka was top for Life Begins at 30 (Nov 2006)
~ ~ Potatomato gets cravings after watching Tampopo (Nov 2006)

[Costa Mesa]
~ RamenRamenRamen rates the Shio an 8(Mar 2008)
~ Professor Salt calls it "liquid pride" on OC Weekly (Feb 2005)
~ Elmomonster says it's "worth it" (Feb 2005)

tags :: food : and drink : japanese : asian : ramen : restaurants : reviews : los angeles

Pre-tax Seduction - Delicious Dozen Links, Week Ending 4.12.08

2008-04-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

1. Food Fight [video] - History of war told through food. Undoubtedly the most brilliant thing I've seen in recent times. If there is one link on which you click from this list, make it this video. [via Cho-Tabetai]

2. Writers Blog 'til They Drop [NY Times, Technology] – Food blogging might make you fat, but blogging in general could kill you.

3. This week's food safety Terror Alert Level is yellow for salmonella on Malt-o-Meal, pieces of glass in Samuel Adams “sparkling” beer, and *gasp!* milk in chocolate covered espresso beans, not because having milk is bad, but because apparently, just as in relationships, hiding it is.

4. Washing Produce Doesn’t Remove Bacteria – So what you’re saying is, we shouldn’t eat...anything! Maybe we should just swallow fistfuls of vitamins and drink soda (because water isn’t safe either).

5. No Surge in Food Borne Illnesses – Then what’s all the fuss above? Conflicting information!

6. Feta Cheese Made from Raw Milk Has Anti-Food-Poisoning Properties – But who’s worried about food-borne illness when all you really need is a Greek salad?

Food safety! Too much information! Head imploding!

7. A Bleak Spring - first asparagus, now salmon? and just as I was finally getting over a messy breakup with tuna.

8. Upside of the Food Crisis - Wheat might be more lucrative than heroin, but the real issue is...can you smoke Wonder bread?!?!

9. In-Depth Food Cost Analysis

10. Papaya Shikai Maki and How to Roll Them - ausomest sushi you could never roll

11. The Boundless Value of Disposable Chopsticks – ways to save a few pennies here and there

12. Sex Survey - since food safety, global food shortages, and taxes are so depressing, a little bit of sex (3-13 minutes' worth, that is) never hurt nobody

tags :: food : and drink : recipes : cooking : japanese : sushi : food shortage : food safety : los angeles

Dog Meat and Final Four Rah! Rah! Rah! - Delicious Dozen Links, week ending 4.5.08

2008-04-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

With dog meat and the Final Four, I couldn't help but go back to my old high school cheerleading days this week, remembering those games when we played the Bulldogs...

What do you want?! What do you want?!
Dog meat! Dog meat!
How do you want it?! How do you want it?!
Rah! Rah! Rah!

1. Anger as Seoul Aims to Reclassify Dogmeat.

2. This week's Food Safety Terror Alert: a depressing shade of Blue for the glass and plastic found in containers of Stonyfield Farms Organic Fat-Free Blueberry Yogurt. (Is it coincidence that blue also happens to be the color of every team in the Final Four?!)

3. I am absolutely addicted to FreeRice, especially since the vocab/rice exchange rate is going up.

4. Grilled Cheese Invitational is April 19 in a secret location in LA, and if you're in the Pacific Northwest, do it at the Seattle Cheese Festival.

5. Slip into the Bacon Bra to turn him on, and when he finally gets it off, bake a Bacon Cake for dessert.

6. First Snoop Dogg drops it like they're hot dogs, Coolio cooks, and now Li'l Jon makes wine. What's next? Ice Cube...oh, never mind.

7. US Food Shoppers Hit the Highway to Save a Buck - going from Target to Wal-Mart is downgrading?

8. The real top chefs - First James Beard announced their nominees, now Food & Wine (ignores LA), and Forbes

9. Pizza.com sold for $2.6 million to an anonymous bidder. Anyone want to buy thedeliciouslife.blogspot.com? Email me! I give you good price!

10. 90th Anniversary Edition KitchenAid Stand Mixer will have glass bowls. I want one for my Pink Princess.

11. Why am I craving sushi...? - Maybe because sushi is The Awesome?!?!

12. How to Make a Unique Diaper Cake - We should have thought of this for our baby showers...

tags :: food : and drink : blogs : blogging : food blogs : food news : restaurants : reviews : los angeles

Chewy Coconut Cookie Crisps - That Time of the Month

2008-03-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

You know it’s that time of the month when you eat two cookies before 9 am by justifying them as the same thing as muffins, only smaller and harder, then because you feel guilty about eating two cookies before 9 am, you skip lunch. You eat two more cookies anyway because you’re hungry because you skipped lunch, then allow yourself half a cookie as an afternoon snack because you’re on the "half-diet" on which you only eat half of whatever is in front of you, but you eat the other half anyway because really, who eats half a cookie?!

Then, because your body can now no longer function at any level below sugar shock (!!!), you end the day by shoveling the entire second layer of cookies under the foil in the Tupperware that you brought to the office in the first place expressly because you had to get the cookies out of your house lest you eat them all because if they are there, in your house, just sitting there, in your house, you will eat them, but you. Don’t. Want. To eat. Them.

breakfast, lunch and dinner

So genius you, you took them to the office!

Gee, that strategy totally worked out well.

And guess what time of the month it is.

It is time to pay the bills.

It is time to pay rent, pay renter's insurance, pay auto insurance, pay health insurance, pay insurance insurance. It is time to pay credit card balances, pay water bills, electric bills, gas bills, cable bills (ok, I don’t have cable TV because the Food Network done hurt mine feelings, but apparently, this Internet thing isn’t as free as we thought, now is it?!?!), cell phone bills, medical bills (wait, didn't I just pay health insurance?), and bills for products and services that I am sure I never ordered but my name appears in the glassine window so I have to pay them.

Paying bills gives me stress. It's not the act of paying bills itself, because really, I feel a strange sense of accomplishment when I have a neat little stack of envelopes in ascending order of size that are perfectly address-labeled and perfectly stamped alongside a corresponding rainbow stack of actual bills that have been stamped in red stamppad ink "Paid" with a date and check number. It's that paying bills is a painful reminder that I don't have a job.

Not having a job gives me stress, and when I stress, I eat Every. Thing. In sight. (**See footnote) Unfortunately, my stress management behavior also includes Mental Bakedown, and more unfortunately, I can’t use the Get-Baked-Goods-Out-of-the-House Strategy that is doomed to fail anyway because I don’t have an office to which to excommunicate the sinful cookies because I don’t have a job. So not only am I stressed because I am once again reminded that I don't have a job, but now I'm fat because I've eaten seventeen cookies in two hours and having fat gives me more stress than not having a job.

It's quite the convoluted vicious cycle.

And if you think Chewy Coconut Cookie Crisps are bad, wait until that once-in-a-long-time total eclipse of that time of the month with that hormonal time of the month.

The cookie dough never even makes it to the oven.

Chewy Coconut Cookie Crisps
Baking is supposed to be an exercise in stress-relief, so preheat your iPod to the most relaxing music you have. I usually go with Eminem.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, sift together 1 c. all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. baking soda, ½ tsp. baking powder, and a pinch of salt.

In a separate bowl, cream together ½ c. softened butter (that's 1 stick of butter for the measurementally challenged) and ½ c. each of granulated and brown sugars. Beat in 1 large egg and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Mix flour mixture into butter/sugar mixture, then mix in 1½ c. flaked coconut.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet (there's enough butter in the dough) and bake for 8-10 minutes until cookies are light brown and edges are toasted.

Cool on racks, wrap them up, and give those b**ches away.

** I don’t actually mind being jobless, but given that I am technically full-time jobless in a market in which jobs are hard to come by for the majority of the jobless population, I feel sort of assholish to not feel the same pain.

tags :: food : and drink : baking : cookies : recipes : los angeles