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Purple Baby Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Sausage Gnocchi…

April 28, 2012 //
6

I always thought that moving to Highland Park, I would have to give up some of the luxuries of the good grocery stores and farmers markets around Silverlake and Hollywood. I was definitely wrong! There is a farmers market every Tuesday afternoon at Marmion between Ave. 57 and 58 and we have an amazing little grocery store that just happens to be walking distance from our house called Figueroa Produce. We are so lucky to have this place and also sad to hear that it is relocating closer to Eagle Rock. But, for all of you who live over that way, from what I hear it is going to be bigger and better including a juice bar! The thing I love about this place is that they sell lots of hard to find grains, international foods, vegetarian and vegan options, and they do an amazing job with their produce selection by getting the majority of it from local family run farms! Because they focus on lots of seasonal produce, it is fun to go in and pick obscure ingredients as the inspiration to create new recipes. That is how this dish came about. I found these amazing little purple brussels sprouts and purple kale when I stopped in after work one day. Figueroa Produce also has a great meat counter, so I picked up some homemade Italian sausage to make this even more special for Mikey. All in all, I think this dish was mighty tasty. It is a bit heavy, so I would recommend serving it with a light salad and maybe also serving it on a cold, rainy night when comfort food is needed:)

Purple Baby Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Sausage Gnocchi…

  • 3/4 Lb. sweet or hot Italian Sausage, removed from casing
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
  • 1 pint purple baby brussels sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 bunch purple kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 package store bought gnocchi (I don’t have the patience to make this from scratch, do you???)
  • handful fresh basil, chopped
  • handful chives, chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat oven to 375. Toss brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread out onto a baking sheet and roast until tender. About 20-30 minutes.

Remove sausage from its casings, and brown in a large skillet with olive oil. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, a bit of salt and pepper, and cook until sausage is brown and onions are translucent. Stir in tomatoes and kale and saute until cooked down. Add in roasted brussels sprouts and beans.

Drop gnocchi into pot of boiling water and boil until it floats and is cooked through, reserving some of the pasta water. Drain gnocchi and add to sausage and vegetable mixture. Stir in ricotta cheese and a bit of the pasta water to keep moist. Top with fresh basil, chives, and parmesan cheese.

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Categories cheese, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, pasta, pork

Homemade Meatballs with Fresh and Spicy Tomato Sauce…

February 20, 2012 //
2

We are slowly starting to warm our home! This weekend we had some friends over that haven’t seen our new pad, (and I did my first big Bristol Farms shop… man, I am in love with that grocery store) so I decided to cook. I have been wanting to try to make meatballs for some time now and when I saw the meat counter at the Bristol Farms in South Pasadena, I could not resist. I mean what is a bigger gesture to good friends than big, juicy, meaty, cheesy balls??? Hell–oooo!

This was a lot easier than I had thought! I made the whole recipe up as I sipped white wine and face-timed with my Dad. No measurements necessary! I am sure you can switch out the meats and spices to your liking. We are spicy obsessed and probably made this a bit too spicy for the average joe so start minimal when adding in the red pepper flakes.

All in all I would say it was a success. The whole table said they would “order it again!!!” We served the meatballs over pasta alongside a salad of arugula, red pear, Marcona almonds, and good Manchego, with a hunk of garlic bread. A true carb lovers dream… score!!!

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb. ground sirloin
  • 1/2 lb. ground veal
  • 1/2 lb. ground pork
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • splash of milk
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • handful fresh oregano, chopped
  • few basil leaves, chopped
  • tsp. or so garlic powder
  • tsp. or so red pepper flakes
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil for browning meatballs

Place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix with your hands until well incorporated. Begin to form mixture into 2-inch balls. The mixture will be sticky and you may need to adjust breadcrumb amount to get the correct texture. Place meatballs on a cookie sheet.

Once all meatballs are prepared, heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Drop in meatballs and cook until browned being careful not to crowd the pan like this genius did and ensuring you move them around enough that they don’t stick to the bottom. I obviously did not pay attention to this:) Do this in batches until all are browned. Set them aside on a paper towel lined plate. Scrape large bits out of pan and set aside pan with oil for tomato sauce.

Fresh and Spicy Tomato Sauce…

  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • handful fresh oregano, chopped
  • large pinch red pepper flakes
  • handful fresh basil, chopped
  • 6 fresh vine ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup or so red wine
  • 2 28 oz. can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • salt
  • freshly cracked pepper

In the pot that meatballs were browned in, add onion, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Saute until onions are translucent. Add fresh tomatoes and cook down until soft. Add in red wine, stirring to scrape up all of the bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce. Add in tinned tomatoes and season to taste.

Cover and simmer about 10 minutes. Once thickened, add in fresh basil and place meatballs back into sauce. Simmer together for about 15 more minutes. Serve over pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan and a bit of fresh basil. Yowza!!!!

 

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Categories appetizer, beef, cheese, dinner, eggs, food and recipes, pasta, pork

Cranberry Pomegranate Glazed Ham and Baked Pineapple Casserole…

December 30, 2011 //
3

This Christmas, since we stayed here in sunny L.A. and did things a bit more untraditional, I thought I would try and do a more traditional Christmas ham dinner. It was a weird and sad holiday indeed being here without my family. Mike and I slept in, made bloody mary’s with stuff my dad sent us from Indiana, Mike made chilaquiles, we took Luna to the dog park, and ended the evening with dinner, wine, friends, and a fire. Although it was 75 degrees here that day and we had on shorts and sandals, I still missed celebrating the traditional way…

My family makes a ham and a deep fried turkey every Christmas and no matter what, my step mom always makes this baked pineapple dish that everyone loves…including me. So that was the inspiration for our menu. We had ham, the baked pineapple, roasted brussels sprouts with bacon, and creamy mashed potatoes. I knew I wanted to make some sort of glaze for the ham so made this one up based on some stuff we had in the fridge. It was super flavorful and took on a bit of an Asian flavor from the star anise. I think I will try the glaze again on a pork tenderloin or something. I didn’t take many photos of the dishes in their final stages or the plating of them for some reason…(blame it on the vino) but you get the idea. For this being our first ham, I’d say it came out OK! Hope you all had a great Xmas and have an even more amazing New Year!!!

Cranberry Pomegranate Glazed Ham:

  • 10 lb. ham (ours was fully cooked, and we did not need one that big!!!)
  • large handful of cloves (for ham and a couple for the glaze)
  • 1 bag fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup orange liqueur
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 3-4 large tablespoons mustard (we used a brown sugar bourbon one our friend made us)
  • cinnamon stick
  • star anise pod
  • salt
  • pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prep ham, remove all but about 1/4-inch of the fat. Pierce ham all over with a knife and insert whole cloves into the piercings until ham is covered all over. (If you don’t love the taste of cloves, you can omit this step. I learned this from my mama:) Set ham aside and work on the glaze.

In a large saucepan, add cranberries, pom juice, orange liqueur, brown sugar, honey, mustard, a few cloves, cinnamon stick, and star anise pod. Bring to a boil and simmer until cranberries break down and it reduces and become thick and syrupy. You may need to adjust a few of the ingredients to your liking like adding more sugar for sweet or more acid for sour. Once thickened, let cool a bit, remove cloves, cinnamon stick, and anise pod. Blend mixture or push through a sieve and return back to the pan and continue to simmer until ready to use. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Brush glaze over ham and place ham in the oven for about an hour and a half. If the ham is labeled ‘fully cooked’, heat for 8 to 10 minutes per pound, or to an internal temperature of 140°F. About half way through, pull the ham out and reglaze. Once done, the glaze will be brown, sweet, and delicious. Slice ham and serve with leftover glaze.

Baked Pineapple Casserole:

  • 1 large can pineapple chunks (undrained)
  • 4 cups white bread torn into small pieces
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3/4 stick of butter cut into tiny pieces
  • bit of nutmeg
  • bit of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together and put into a prepared baking dish and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees until it is set and top is browned. It is so yummy, easy, and goes perfect with ham!

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Categories baked goods, dessert, dinner, food and recipes, fruit, pork, side dish

Sweet Potato and Pepper Hash…

December 13, 2011 //
0

This weekend was so glutenous that I feel like we ate and drank enough in one weekend than most humans are supposed to in one week. Not only did I make a birthday cake, biscuits, and this recipe…I also made a homemade mac and cheese for a little din get together that I will write about later! I used an entire pound of butter in my recipes this weekend… That is nasty. Luckily I have lots of great pals to help me consume all of this stuff. From the day after Christmas on out, it is time for me to get into serious wedding mode… No more butter and no more gluttony!!!! I wish I could say that before the holidays were over, but who am I kidding? This is my first time not spending Christmas with my family back in the Midwest. It makes me so sad and what is Christmas without lots of delicious food and lots of family??? The exciting thing is that it will be our first Christmas ever with Luna. Isn’t the bubs getting so big???

This breakfast recipe was thrown together by things we had lying around. It is actually filled with super foods, but I ruined it with bacon. Go figure! This could be made vegan or vegetarian by just using a bit of olive oil instead of the bacon and its oh so delicious pork fat. In fact, I think it would have made it crispier. Some how it didn’t come out as crisp as I had hoped and think I should have crisped the bacon first, removed it from the pan, poured out some of the bacon grease, and then added the vegetables. It still tasted amazing… we had it for breakie and also a bit with a grilled pomegranate glazed pork chop dinner later that evening . Try it, you’ll like it, but ensure you let me know if you were able to make this crispy. If I could nail that, this would be an amazing go to fall dish!

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Hash:

  • 3 strips of bacon, chopped
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled & cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 jalapenos, chopped
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • tbsp. chili powder
  • tsp. cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 small apple, cored & cut into small cubes
  • 1 green onion, chopped

Using a large skillet, add bacon and cook until crispy. Next, add the ingredients that will take the longest to cook. (You can use any vegetable combo, really.) Start with the sweet potato first and fry in the bacon grease for 4-5 minutes. Add the onions, jalapenos, and red peppers, along with a pinch of red pepper flake, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

This is the point the potato mixture should take on a light brown color. Finally, add the chopped apple and green onion. Season to taste. The apple, bacon, and sweet potato are such an amazing fall-flavor combo. Cook for another 2 minutes or until everything is fully cooked and crisped up. Serve along side a couple of eggs cooked to your liking topped with fresh chopped green onions and a bit of hot sauce. Promise you won’t be disappointed!

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Categories breakfast, food and recipes, fruit, pork, side dish, vegan, vegetarian

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Medjool Dates…

November 27, 2011 //
0

A few weeks ago, my pal Jessica took me to this ridiculous pizza place in Pasadena called the Luggage Room. She was really excited for me to try their bacon-wrapped dates. They were pretty much the best thing I have ever tasted! I mean, sweet sticky dates, salty crispy bacon, roasted almonds, cool delectable goat cheese…. what is not to love???? They are very reminiscent of the bacon wrapped water chestnuts that my grandma makes every Christmas eve, so I decided to try and recreate them for turkey day.  I think this recipe may be my new go-to thing to serve or bring to BBQs and cocktail parties. They were a hit and they were super quick and easy to prepare. The cool thing is that you can prep them a day ahead and they are easily transportable. I was so busy chatting and getting my bellini on while these were cooking that I think I over did them a bit, so keep your eye on them as the bacon crisps up really fast.  I assure you that your pals will be so pleased if you serve these at your next get together.

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates:

  • 2 dozen large Medjool dates, pitted
  • 24 roasted almonds
  • 1+ cup mild goat cheese, crumbled
  • 12 slices of thick cut applewood smoked bacon, halved crosswise

Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut a lengthwise slit in the dates and pull out the pits.

Stuff each one with an almond and fill with goat cheese. Pinch the dates closed.

Wrap each date in a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. At this point, they can be refrigerated until ready to use.

To bake,  arrange the dates, seam side down, on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Bake the stuffed dates for about 20 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and crisp; turn each date after 10 minutes. Serve the stuffed dates warm or at room temperature. So good, they are like candy!!!

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Categories appetizer, food and recipes, pork, side dish

Butternut Squash, Apple, Cornbread, and Sausage Stuffing…

November 26, 2011 //
0

Our turkey day was super untraditional but all around lovely! I mean, who gets to spend Thanksgiving outside, around a fire, with some of their fave people, and 4 cute pups? I do! We made so much damn food that we actually did not cook some of what was prepared. The menu was hefty with cranberry bellinis, bacon wrapped dates, homemade French onion dip, (all of which I will write about later), cranberry chipotle glazed chicken wings (Mitchell made these and Mike was in heaven!), stuffed mushrooms (a Sasha special), and a beautiful cheese plate to start (thanks to Sara and Max).

We then had the pumpkin soup, grilled turkey sliders, this stuffing I am writing about, another traditional stuffing, broccoli casserole, a potato casserole (Mike’s signature dish), and a pumpkin ice box pie, along with buttermilk pie served with homemade bourbon and pecan ice cream for dessert. We did not even make the green bean casserole, sweet potato fries, or brussels sprouts that we had prepared because we were so stuffed! One thing I love about my friends is that we really do have no limits when it comes to food and we all share such a love for it and cooking.

The pups seemed to have a great time too! Luna was quite occupied hanging with Yuma, Pig, and Violet. She is such a trouble maker and it was funny watching these ladies put her in her place. Mitch gave them a Thanksgiving meat treat that made them all very happy. Its so nice that these girls can get together and play. Puppies need girl time too!

Butternut Squash, Apple, Cornbread, and Sausage Stuffing:

  • 4 cups butternut squashed, cubed
  • 2 Tb. olive oil
  • 1 Tb. brown sugar
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
  • around 16 cups corn bread stuffing cubes
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 8-12 fresh sage leaves
  • 2 apples, diced
  • 1 Tb. thyme
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • ½ cup fennel, diced
  • 1 leek, diced
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • tsp. red pepper flakes
  • lots of salt and pepper
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 quart chicken stock

Heat oven to 375° F. Lightly butter casserole pan. 

Place ½ -1 inch cubed butternut squash on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper, and 1 Tb. brown sugar. Roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

In a large skillet add sausage making sure to break it up with a spoon and cook until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

In another large pan heat butter over medium-high heat. Add sage, thyme, red pepper flakes, fennel, celery, apple, leeks, onions, garlic, salt and pepper cook until the vegetable become soft an transluscent. Add in sausage with the fat.  Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

Combine eggs and broth and season with salt and pepper. Add the bread cubes, butternut squash, some more fresh sage, and egg mixture to the sausage and vegetables and toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. This recipe can feed an army! We have stuffing for days.

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Categories dinner, food and recipes, fruit, pork, side dish

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Bacon…

November 5, 2011 //
0

I made these earlier in the week, but have been on a plane all week and not had the energy to post. What a strange week… I took day trips to Las Vegas, San Francisco, traveled around LA, and had to end my week in Rancho Cucamonga. Ever heard of it? I didn’t think so… All that time in the air can really wear a girl out. The weather has also shifted and it has begun to get chilly. I thought I was going to be excited for fall, but I guess I forgot that it comes with the sun going down earlier. Now that we have Luna, the daylight hours are so precious to us once we get home from work. Lucky for us, we have a great dog walker as it is busy season in this household!

But back to the Brussels sprouts… I tried to recreate these amazing ones that they serve at the Village Idiot on Melrose. I will say, my adaptation came out pretty darn tasty! Next time I might try to roast the sprouts instead of blanche them for another layer of flavor and add some toasted pecans or slivered almonds! Try dis:

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Bacon:

  • one large stalk fresh Brussels sprouts
  • 6 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • salt and pepper

Trim and clean Brussels sprouts. In a large pot, over high heat, bring about 6 cups of water to a boil. Generously salt the water and add the Brussels sprouts. Cook the sprouts until tender but not fully cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes.

In the meantime, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from the pan to a plate lined with a paper towel. Set aside.

Leave the bacon fat in the pan and add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Drain the Brussels Sprouts from water and add to pan with the onion mixture. Stir in the basalmic vinegar and brown sugar and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced and almost syrupy, about 5 minutes. Stir to coat. Stir in the reserved bacon and cranberries.

Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste, and transfer to a serving bowl to serve. MMMM… fall in a side dish!!!


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Categories appetizer, food and recipes, pork, side dish

Spicy Bacon and Corn Chowder…

October 15, 2011 //
0

If you can’t tell, Mike and I love soup. When Jeffy and I lived together in Chicago, we used to eat at this neighborhood spot called the Soup Box on Broadway and they made the best corn chowder ever. It was so perfect as they served 12 different soups everyday and it was only open during the fall and winter. For those of you who have not experienced a Chicago winter, believe me when I tell you that soup is the perfect comfort food to get you through it. In the summer months, the Soup Box transformed into the Ice Box where they served a variety of Italian Ices. Genius! I think a soup place in Los Angeles would be a gold mine for all of the health nuts and carb conscious out here. Mike and I could eat soup everyday, so I am always thinking of new combos to simmer up. I was inspired by the Soup Box when putting this together. I kind of winged this, so you can adjust or substitute the ingredients to your liking, but this ended up being the perfect sweet and spicy combo. I wish I had made a larger batch to freeze in individual portions for our lunch, as I have a feeling this will be gone before the weekend!

Spicy Bacon and Corn Chowder:

  • 2 slices thick cut maple bacon
  • 1 large minced white onion
  • i stalk celery chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 jalapeño diced (if you like a mild, seed the jalapeno)
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 4 1/2 cups fresh corn (cut off the cob)
  • 1/8 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup good beer
  • 1 1/2 qt. vegetable or chicken stock
  • 3 medium yukon gold potatoes diced
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes:

  • lime wedges
  • Cilantro leaves
  • Diced red radishes and jalapenos
  • creme fraiche

In a large heavy-bottomed soup pot, render the bacon until crispy. Once done, drain bacon on a plate lined with a paper towel. Sweat the onion, celery, garlic, peppers, and cumin in the bacon fat until tender and translucent.

Turn up heat and deglaze pan with beer. Let some of the alcohol cook off. I was drinking this delicious amber ale, but whatever you have will do. I don’t think this step is necessary.

Add the corn, potatoes, and cilantro and continue cooking until tender. Add the stock. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the cream, crumbled bacon, and lime juice to the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Partially puree with an emulsion blender to improve the texture. If you don’t, all of the corn kernels end up seeming kind of crunchy.

Garnish each cup or bowl of soup with a squeeze of lime juice, cilantro, corn kernels, diced radish, jalapeño, and a dollop of creme fraiche.

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Categories appetizer, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, pork, side dish, soup

White Bean, Ham, and Swiss Chard Soup…

September 26, 2011 //
0

The weather has been a bit gloomy and it has made me want some bone warming soup. Whenever fall would hit in the midwest, my step mom would always make a big ol’ pot of ham and beans and serve it on top of corn bread. I crave it all of the time, but don’t have the patience to soak the beans, cook down a ham hock, etc. so, I came up with this recipe. It turned out so flavorful and instead of using dry beans like I should have, I used canned beans. We also love greens, so I added some Swiss chard for some extra nutrients. Not only was I able to make a giant pot of soup after work in like an hour, the flavor was not at all compromised from taking a short cut. Here is what you need…

White Bean, Ham, and Swiss Chard Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3 ribs of celery chopped with leaves included
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups baby gold potatoes cut in half
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked ham diced
  • 3 cans white beans (liquid included)
  • 2 cups Swiss chard, stem removed and chopped
  • 5 thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • salt and pepper

Heat oil in pan. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Let cook down until onions are soft.

Add potatoes, ham, beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for around 20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Add Swiss chard and continue to simmer until it cooks down (about 10 minutes). Its important that you remove the woody stems from the middle of the chard as it won’t cook down like the leaves do and they can be unpleasant.

Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Adjust seasonings to taste. Let stand for about 10 minutes off of the heat. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with cornbread.

I hope Mike likes it as I made enough to feed an army! If you find a soup recipe that you really love, its good to double the recipe and freeze it in individual serving bowls. We do this quite often. This way you can just pull the bowl out of the freezer and take it for lunch. I have often found that after freezing and reheating, the soup can taste even better!

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Categories appetizer, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, pork, side dish, soup

Korean Pork Belly!!!

August 30, 2011 //
0

No cooking for me tonight as me and some work peeps checked out this Korean B.B.Q. joint called Palsaik Samgyeopsal. Get this… it’s all pork belly!!! Holy crap it was so good. Believe it or not, while we view pork belly and bacon as something that is not so good for us, their theory is that it has a ton of health benefits like magically clears the skin, protects the liver, detoxifies the lungs, even cleanses the system of cholesterol according to Jonathan Gold. So all of you health nuts out there, I say eat up!

The food was amazing… we especially loved the bean sauce and the sesame oil and salt dipping sauce. The pork belly is marinated in 8 different potions and then grilled Korean B.B.Q. style until crispy and delicious. They do most everything for you, so it is less intimidating than other places. My favorites were the miso and the curry. You then wrap the pork belly in lettuce and top with the bean sauce, raw garlic, and other yummy traditional Korean fixin’s. 
The other really cool thing about this place was the modern decor. There were drawers in every table with silverware, bottle openers, chop sticks, and napkins. The seats were actually metal trash cans with padded tops so you can store your things in without them getting all smoky and stinky, which i think is genius. Def not your run of the mill K-town B.B.Q. joint. One other wonderful thing to mention is that we fed four people with beer for under $70, and the way we drink, that seems virtually unheard of!  

I highly recommend this joint for a food adventure. The staff was so awesome and they brought us out a slab of bacon from their secret menu:) I can’t wait to go back! 863 S. Western Ave., Koreatown

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Categories dinner, lifestyle, pork
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