| I've
always wanted to go to culinary school in Paris to become a
master pastry chef. It just seems so fun to be able to
create art that you can admire momentarily and then eat
it! Cooking is also a great therapeutic activity.
It relieves stress and it's a good way to spend time with
people you love. I use cooking as a form of therapy with
my patients and it works like charm. Right now I'm
reading a book called "The Soul of a Chef: The Journey
Toward Perfection". It's about a journalist who spends time at the Culinary Institute of America to witness the training and grueling Certified Master Chef exam. Looking for a certain
recipe? go to: www.epicurious.com.
I also love to watch
FoodTV on cable. My
favorite shows include: The Naked Chef, Iron Chef, and Good Eats.
It's really cool to learn about the ingredients that people
use everyday like eggs, garlic, and butter. Cooking is a
real science! I've also learned special yet simple techniques
for cooking the perfect steak and making angel food
cake. It's also really interesting to learn what kinds
of food go well with each other.
In addition
to cooking at home and watching others cook on tv, I love
eating out. It's fun to explore new restaurants and
enjoy a great meal with friends and family.
Here
are some of my favorite places to eat...
Los Angeles.
>>Lawry's Prime Rib.
At Lawry's, you get really good prime rib brought out to
your table on a cart and cut to order. The spinning
salad is tossed at your table and the potato toppings
are mixed in for you. And don't forget the creamed
corn...your dinner isn't complete without it!! The servers wear traditional English uniforms
and the service is one of the best...they even serve your
salad fork on a silver platter!
>>U-Zen.
It's
your classic Japanese sushi bar...it's cozy, has fresh fish,
and the sushi chefs make you feel at home. Maybe one of
the chefs will show you his "pet rock shrimp".
>>Asakuma.
The
sushi's ok but they're famous for their blackened cod.
Need an appetizer? Try the spicy tuna salad. Also
ask for their specials.
>>Houston's.
Great place for parties of 10. The service is awesome - sometimes you never get the same waiter more than once! They have great steaks and the ahi tuna salad with mango salsa is my favorite. They have a full-service bar with good wines. Fun, classy, and not at all pretentious.
>>A la Tarte.
Best tartlets in
town! I haven't been able to find a place that makes their
tarts with such a perfect crust.
You gotta try the pear tartlet!
>>Rosti.
Good Tuscan
dishes and they have really good chicken to-go. They
have outdoor seating for lunch on a nice sunny day in Brentwood.
>>Royal Star.
The
best Hong Kong Style seafood and Dim Sum on the
Westside! Also, if you happen to be in Las Vegas,
visit the one at The Venetian too!!
The
Bay Area.
>>Globe.
This
restaurant is somewhat trendy but the atmosphere is fun. The
tuna tartare is excellent and they serve a mouth-watering
chateaubriand large enough for two. Their service
is first-rate. One warning though...you need to make a
reservation or it'll take forever to get a table.
>>House.
This place is pretty
cool. It's one of the few places where I've truly
enjoyed fusion food. It gets kinda loud at peak hours but it's also fun.
Jes also thinks that one of waitresses is really hot. >>Hawaiian
Walk-in.
Cool hole-in-the-wall place with the best
Hawaiian Mac Salad! The mini-plates are cheap and
has enough food to satisfy a hungry tummy. When
I'm there I feel like I'm in Hawaii but really I'm in
Downtown Oakland. >>Genova.
The
best sandwiches! This deli has been around for 75
years and is still going strong! The bread is
crusty yet chewy inside. My favorite is Special
#4: prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil, and
balsamic vinegar on a french roll. mmm...
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