Socalo Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was unique in many ways, but the gratitude I feel for being healthy, safe, fed, and housed has thankfully been a constant. My favorite day of every year for the past 3 decades has been cooking with my friends the day before Thanksgiving for 30+ people, but to mitigate the spread of Covid 19 this year, we opted to forgo our annual gathering so that we may enjoy a healthy happy Thanksgiving in the future. 

Since Los Angeles has now shut down dining in on patios at restaurants again, a win-win was ordering Thanksgiving dinner from one of my favorite local restaurants, Socalo. Their Thanksgiving feast menu was available for a 2 serving minimum for curbside pickup the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so it was an easy choice to support a local business and forgo the holiday shopping madness of grocery shopping before Thanksgiving.

The turkey roulade included both light and dark meat, and the portions were big enough for me to make 4 meals out of the 2 servings!

with a bright citrus cranberry jam, savory oregano thyme gravy and perky chimichurri sauces on the side.

The lime yams were zesty and delightfully smooth.

The smashed fingerling potatoes and sautéed greens brightened up with some of the chimichurri on top.

I added a chocolate brownie just for good measure :)

About 30 minutes after eating I fell asleep :)

Banana Chocolate Upside Down Cake

I've never tried to make an upside down cake, but when I saw this Banana & Chocolate Upside Down Cake recipe, I decided to try and I'm happy to report my first one was not only lower in fat and sugar than one I could buy, it was delicious warm out of the oven!

It helps to have a glass pyrex baking dish so you can see the bottom after you bake it, and the brownie sized 2 Qt square pan made by OXO (and generously gifted by jean_de_paradis) was perfectly suited for this recipe.

I melted the melted butter and mixed in the sugar on stovetop over low medium heat just until bubbly, then waited for it to cool to room temperature

before adding the sliced bananas. I opted for long slices because that is how it looked in the recipe but it was difficult to arrange the slices to fit the pan without them breaking.

 

After mixing the dry and wet ingredients just until blended with my dough whisk (thanks again jean_de_paradis), the batter was quite runny before I folded in the chocolate chunks to pour over the bananas,

The batter spread very well in the pan, but I made sure the corners were all evenly filled before baking.

The end result was moist, light, and delicious!

The chocolate chunks add a nice surprise in every bite!

Sunday Supper from Lunetta

After cooking and baking all week, it is a nice treat to get prepared food for Sunday Supper and Lunetta provides a delicious menu option that changes weekly for everyone who wants a break from the kitchen.

This week's menu featured grilled organic sourdough with cultured butter,

kale caesar with parmesan, cherry tomatoes, and white anchovy dressing,

market grilled vegetables with red onions, eggplant, zucchini, red bell pepper and aged balsamic,

Hugo's Wagyu beef lasagna

and chocolate fudge brownie with whipped cream fraiche.

Minimum order for 2 at $39 per person, well worth it for a the priceless time and energy saved so the pleasure of eating a great meal is the only focus before the work week starts.

Mayura in Honor of Madam Vice President Elect

Mayura is probably my favorite Indian Restaurant in Los Angeles, so the news that California Senator Kamala Harris is now the Vice President Elect, gave me a great reason to order copious amounts of food to be delivered in celebration of the first biracial Indian, Jamaican woman to hold this title. 

I ordered the Tandoori mixed grill of chicken and kebob for $16.95 and every morsel was moist and well seasoned. The lamb had a slight bit of heat, and there were plenty of onions underneath the meat to brighten up the grilled meats.

 One of the main reasons I craved food from Mayura was to get their vegetable biriyani for $11.95. It is a medley of fragrant that could be a meal in and of itself, or serve as a compliment to any of the other dishes.

To add some more vegetables to the mixed grill I got the Eggplant Masala for $11.95 and it was a tender aromatic rendition that is perfect as a main vegetarian course or as a side vegetable dish.

I also got the Chana Palak for $11.95 with spinach and garbanzo beans as a more filling vegetable dish. I could have eaten a completely vegetarian meal with this and the vegetable biriyani and been very happy.

I also ordered a side of Raita with cucumbers, onions, and carrots in yogurt for $2.50, in addition to the fragrant fresh side condiments they provided for the meal. It was a feast of colors and flavors that was both comforting and delicious; a fitting metaphor for the news over the week-end!

Pho Hue Oi Redondo Take Out

I've missed going to many places since Covid 19, but as places adapt to take out and curbside, I now make the drive to satisfy my cravings :) Pho Hue Oi in Redondo Beach was always my favorite Pho outside of Orange County and like any drug addict, my yearnings made me do whatever it took to get satisfaction!

I didn't know how well Banh Beo Chen A5, the steamed rice cakes for $9.95, topped with fried garlic, green onions, ground shrimp, and pork rinds would travel, but they held up very well.

I love their filet mignon rice plate C1 for $14.95 with onions and bell peppers, with rice and delicious spring green salad, and I added an egg roll as an extra indulgence. I love that they give you seasoned salt and lime with the dish to go!

The star of the place is their Pho P1, for $10.50, with a bit of everything from rare filet mignon, brisket, flank, tendon, and beef meatball. They make the best pho broth outside of Westminster!!!! Their take out is packaged perfectly, with the soup separate from the meat and noodles, the bean sprouts, basil, and chili pepper in another bag, and finally condiments like hoisin sauce and sriracha! 

It's the next best thing to eating there during these Covid 19 times. I am grateful for their diligence and flexibility as they make it work with their menu!