Wolvesden: Underground Dining for the Brave & Hungry

After I returned from my trip to Japan, there was one meal I was extremely looking forward to and that was to Craig Thornton's Wolvesden dinner. There has been an emergence of pop-up restaurants and underground dinners in the Los Angeles food scene and Wolvesden is the new hot ticket right now. While I think Chef Ludo started the whole pop-up restaurant craze in Los Angeles with his Ludobites dinners, I remember being exposed to my first underground dinner back in 2006 with Ghetto Gourmet. I fell in love with the idea of having an intimate dinner while bonding with strangers over the love of food. This Wolvesden dinner was just that: intimate yet professional. 

After hearing great things amongst the bloggers about Craig and his dinners, I knew I was in for a treat. Encouraged to bring your own beverage (wine, beer, whatever you want), J and I brought a red wine (I can't remember what I brought - oops) and a six pack of Asahi Black (one of J's favorite beers). Since the other diners were generous with their wine, we didn't even get to touch the beer. But, I'm sure they were enjoyed by Julian and the others!

 

course 1: scallop, pasta carbonara puree, snap peas

Due to some traffic, we were really late for the dinner. Thank goodness we made it just in time for our first course, a perfectly seared scallop with a carbonara puree. I really enjoyed the play amongst the textures in this dish. The soft scallop against the silky puree and crunchy snap peas was a lovely introduction to the meal.

course 2: trout, butternut squash, hazlenut oil, hazlenuts

Next up was the trout with butternut squash and hazlenuts. The sweetness of the butternut squash overpowered the fish a bit for me, but other than that I thought the trout was cooked beautifully.

course 3: tomatoes, homemade ranch, endive

The tomato course was a simple dish, yet it was a highlight for me. I'm not picky about a lot of things, but I am sometimes about tomatoes. I usually don't like them in my burgers or sandwiches because I hate soggy tomatoes and lettuce. But, I really enjoy tomato salads, especially when done simply. This dish was not only simple, but fantastic. The homemade ranch is as I would say, money. Even J, who does not generally like tomatoes, thought this was wonderfully prepared.

course 4: lobster, celery root puree, celery seed vermouth lobster broth, crispy soft crouton

One hit after another... The lobster course was one of my favorite courses of the night. I'm such a sucker for lobster, but who isn't? The lobster was perfectly cooked and went really well with the silky celery root puree. The broth had a slight grassy flavor and bitterness from the celery seed, but was rounded out by the lobster. The crouton was a very nice touch and its presence elevated the dish from good to great. Loved it.

course 5: rabbit, saddle, leg, carrot, black truffle pie crust

Next course was the rabbit with black truffle pie crust. The rabbit was tender and moist while the pie crust was earthy and crunchy. The carrot was a nice touch and yes, it totally reminded me of Thumper. Sad, but delicious.

course 6: pork belly, yam pork broth, watermelon radish

The pork belly was fatty and super tender - just really delicious. But, the star of the dish for me was the yam pork broth. It was extremely addicting. I also really enjoyed the watermelon radish which was needed to cut the fattiness of the pork. Another fabulous dish.

course 7: passion fruit

We were served passion fruit as a palate cleanser. I've never had a real passion fruit, always had it in different forms, never raw. It was outstanding - my new favorite fruit!

course 8: squab, crispy squab skin, beet, squab sauce, pumpernickel, chanterelle mushroom

For our last savory course, we were served a perfectly cooked squab accompanied with its crispy skin. The meat was juicy and went well with the sweetness of the pumpernickel bread and the earthiness of the mushrooms. The bits of crispy skin was fun to eat and added a nice textural contrast to the tender squab.

course 9: maple beer fritters, cheddar, Arkansas black apple, apple cider

Moving onto the cheese and dessert course, our next course was maple beer fritters with cheddar and apples. Cheese and apples is not an uncommon pair, some friends of mine from Boston have told me about an old New England traditional dish where they put cheddar on top of their apple pie. Although I've never personally had it, this dish immediately reminded me of my friends. I thought this combination was really great. The sweetness from the maple beer fritters and apples was a nice complement to the salty and gooey cheddar cheese - awesome flavor combination.

course 10: cereal milk ice cream, brown butter coffee rice crispy treats

The last course of the night was tied in the book with the lobster course for my favorite dish of the night. The whole meal was pretty amazing, but I am a serious lover of cereal and cereal milk so this dish was a winner before I even had my first bite. If this dessert was at a restaurant, I would go back just to eat it. It sounds pretty simple, but the best dishes are the ones that tug at your heartstrings and immediately remind you of your childhood. Well, for me it wasn't just my childhood... It was my entire life because I eat a lot of cereal... a lot. 

The dinner was fantastic, one of the better meals I've had all year. While I had a great culinary experience in Japan, this meal reminded me of all the exciting things that are happening in my hometown. I was home and it was good to be back. 

If you want to get in on one of these dinners, get on the mailing list at www.wolvesmouth.com

Gone to Yakiniku Heaven: Jojoen (Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan)

After a whole day spent looking through massive amounts of anime merchandise and shopping for souvenirs to take back home, the thought of laying down in my hotel seemed like a dream. J and I, along with his friend, headed back to our hotel to rest. Although our hotel room was tiny, it was big enough for everyone to sit down and rest their feet... thank goodness.

Originally, I wanted to have yakitori for dinner but J wanted yakiniku so we decided on Jojoen (I guess all boys prefer meat over chicken). Jojoen is an upscale yakiniku restaurant with several locations throughout Tokyo, one of them being right in Shinjuku near our hotel. Although we got to rest our feet, I didn't want to put on my tight boots with my swollen feet. So, I changed outfits in order to wear my comfortable boots. What a world of a difference... 

The night air was crisp, but it wasn't cold, it was actually perfect for a walk around the city. The walk to Jojoen was short, but long enough to get my stomach growling. J and I heard from our friend back home that Jojoen was fantastic, but I wasn't really excited for it, probably because it wasn't a part of my itinerary. For me, meat is meat. The best yakiniku I had in the States was good, but it wasn't life changing (but, hey, I still haven't had Totoraku). Even though I wasn't expecting much, I should have known better. Even fast food joints in Tokyo are incredible compared to their brothers and sisters in the U.S.

Being the alcoholic that I am, of course, I had to order a drink with dinner. Okay, I'm not an alcoholic, but I noticed that I almost cannot ever eat dinner without a glass of somethin' somethin' on the side. Since the boys didn't want to drink, I was forced to order beer instead of sake or shochu. The cold beer was so refreshing and definitely took the edge off.

I want to say how much I loved the yuzu sauce on the left. J and I both really loved this sauce while M liked the sweeter one on the right.

cucumber kimchi

The cucumber kimchi is a great example of the restraint shown in Japanese cuisine. This side dish was much milder in heat when compared to its original Korean, but still had a lot of wonderful flavor and went so well with the meats.

tan shioyaki (seasoned tongue)

Whenever I eat yakiniku or Korean BBQ, I always order beef tongue. It is one of my absolute favorite types of meat to eat. When cooked perfectly, the tender texture and the distinct flavor just sing in your mouth.

akami jo rousu usugiri yaki (sliced prime rib loin)

We moved onto what I think was the prime rib loin. I'm not sure so please don't quote me on that. The lean beef was tasty and nice change from the tongue.

jo karubi yaki (prime-marbled galbi)

Next was the prime marbled karubi yaki which was an amazing piece of meat. The sweetness of the sauce was subtle and the meat was so tender. The meat would still be juicy without the marinade. With one bite, we were all in yakiniku heaven. Absolutely amazing. I wish we saved this for last... Hell, if I'm going to wish anything, I wish I got five plates of this for myself.

karubi yaki (galbi)

After the amazing prime karubi yaki, we decided to stick with a cheaper cut of karubi. While it was cheaper, the flavor and quality of the meat were still great. 

 

pork (I don't know the Japanese name)

Maybe because I'm Korean and Koreans always eat pork whenever we BBQ, but I couldn't pass up a plate of pork. A grilled slice of pork always reminds me of home. Only things that were missing was a lettuce leaf and some gochujang. The pork, just like the beef, was exceptional.

green tea & vanilla ice cream

We only had a few plates of meat, but we were pretty full by this point. None of us were big eaters so it was the perfect amount of food for the perfect level of fullness. The meal came with your choice of ice cream. J and I, of course, chose green tea while M got the vanilla which came with a chocolate sauce. The ice cream came in the perfect portion size for me - nice little dessert to end a great meal.

This meal really showed me how important the quality of ingredients is to a great dining experience and how Japanese cuisine showcases these qualities. Even though we didn't over indulge in the plethora of awesome meats, I felt my short time in yakiniku heaven has left a lasting impression. After my return to the states, I have been quietly but actively searching for this same yakiniku experience. Totoraku, I'm looking at you... While I'm sure there are probably better yakinku places in Tokyo, I can safely say Jojoen is the best I've ever had.


Jojoen
Musashi Bldg.
7F, 3-27-10
Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Nearest Station: Shinjuku
www.jojoen.co.jp

Food Theme Parks: Gyoza Stadium & Ice Cream City (Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan)

Traveling around a foreign city without speaking the native language can be difficult. So when J's friend, who lives in Japan, came out with us for a day, I was elated. It was good for J to see his friend, but it was even better for my neurotic ass to have some peace of mind. The limitations of the language barrier would be erased with the presence with J's friend. I can hear the angels singing... 

M met us at our hotel and, together, we headed out to Ikebukuro. The only reason why we headed to Ikebukuro was because I wanted to visit Namjatown, home of the Gyoza Stadium and Ice Cream City. Yes, you read that right. Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Gyoza Stadium. Ice Cream City. I knew it was going to be a tourist trap, but I didn't care. I was a tourist, dammit. Trap me!

 

Namjatown is inside the Sunshine City Mall which is pretty big, but you won't get lost. Follow the cat and you'll find your way. Namjatown is basically your food amusement park. The place is kitschy so be prepared for sensory overload. Luckily, there wasn't a large crowd because we went during the week. We went straight to the Gyoza Stadium, reminiscent of old Japan there were many different stalls of gyoza stands to choose from. We picked one and decided to try two different kinds. I honestly can't remember which ones we got, but they were both delicious. Made right on the spot, the gyoza were crispy on the outside and warm on the inside with lots of flavor.

After our gyoza fix, we headed to ice cream city. Since the boys weren't really big fans of ice cream, I only got to try two flavors. There was every flavor you could possibly think of. The flavors ranged from your traditional vanilla to your not-so-traditional. And when I say nontraditional, I mean really out there flavors. I saw eel and bean paste and even uni! Crazy, I know...



honey & wasabi ice cream

I decided on honey and wasabi. The honey was good, but nothing special. The wasabi ice cream, on the other hand, was delicious. It was sweet at first, but had the wasabi finish. It was very interesting, in a good way. If you love ice cream, it's definitely a flavor you should try.

Afterward, we spotted a store called Animate that M had heard about from his friends at school (He goes to school for animation). This store had nine floors of just anime goodness, each floor focusing on different merchandise. One floor was just dedicated to the books, while another was dedicated to figurines and another dedicated to posters, etc. A popular place, every floor was packed with people. I could have enjoyed this more if my feet weren't killing me, but I guess I didn't learn my lesson from the day before. By the time we left and got back to our hotel, my feet were swollen and my toes bruised. Damn you, boots! It didn't help that we got lost and were roaming around outside the mall. I guess you get lost regardless if you speak Japanese or not, especially when it is everyone's first time at Ikebukuro.

Regardless of the usual aching feet, the day was fun and productive. Once we were done at Animate, we found a chain store called Tokyu Hands that has almost everything you can imagine. Okay, not everything, but it was the perfect place to go souvenir shopping. I think we spent a good couple of hours in there just overwhelmed at all the cool stuff. J liked it so much that we ended up coming here again on a different day to finish our shopping. The shopping was mostly for him and his "cool figurines." I swear if I didn't stop him he would have bought everything in the store! Eventually, my feet could not take it anymore and we had to head back to the hotel. We had to rest before we went back out for the night...

I forgot how much "work" going on vacation on was...

Namjatown

Sunshinecity World
Bldg.2･3F
3-1 Higashi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku , Tokyo
Nearest Station: Higashi-Ikebukuro
www.namja.jp

Sugarfish: New Location in Downtown!

We interrupt your regular scheduled programming for this emergency broadcast.

I wanted to get all of my Tokyo posts done before I started reviewing places I had eaten after my trip, but as you can see, it's taking me forever... After my return from Tokyo, I was invited to a dine at Sugarfish at their new downtown location. I've dined at the Brentwood location several times, so I already knew what to expect: good sushi at affordable prices.

Emmanuel, the brains behind Sugarfish, was a great host and even joined us for dinner. His view that amazing sushi could be eaten at great prices is what started this whole Sugarfish phenomenon. The experience of the customer is always top priority and this practice can be seen when customers are instructed on how to eat the sushi. Emmanuel explained how their top quality ingredients are meant to be eaten with a "Nozawa Bite," which intends you to eat the dish right away.

While you can choose items a la carte, there are three different types of meals you can choose from that is reminiscent of the traditional "omakase." These three include the Trust Me Lite ($19.50), Trust Me ($28.50) and our dinner set for the evening, The Nozawa ($35-38).

edamame

tuna sashimi, ponzu sauce

I like how all the sets start with edamame and this great tuna sashimi dish. The scallions and ponzu sauce really make this dish what it is: delicious.

salmon sushi

snapper sushi, chili ponzu

When Emmanuel told me that the snapper sushi comes with chili ponzu, I initially thought the sauce would overpower the delicate fish. However, with my first bite, I realized the ponzu was delicate as well. It was a great flavor combination.

albacore sushi

halibut sushi, yuzu ponzu

The halibut sushi is one of my usual favorites. I love the acidity and citrus notes from the yuzu ponzu sauce making this sauce my favorite out of the different types of ponzu they prepare. 

yellowtail sushi

blue crab hand roll & toro hand roll (not pictured)

Another one of my favorites is the blue crab hand roll! Yes, the toro roll was delicious, but my heart always goes to the crab (it is one of my favorite things to eat of all time!). The cool crab with the warm, loose rice and the crunch of the amazing seaweed is probably one of the best bites you will have.

daily special: scallop special

albacore belly sushi

engawa (halibut fin), yuzu ponzu

After we finished up our scallop sushi, which was the special for that day, Emannuel asked if we wanted anything else. Being the uni lover that I am, this was my obvious first choice, unfortunately for me, they were all out for the night. Having had engawa before, I knew the texture would be firm and a bit chewy, but the flavor would be nice.

I was so full and buzzed at the end of our meal (J drank a bottle of Yebisu and I had a bottle of the lovely Hakkaisan sake), but I was amazed at how much Emmanuel could eat. He had eaten the same Nozawa course at an earlier dinner with another blogger. I was amazed! The meal was great and I have been craving great sushi ever since I got back from Japan. Emmanuel not only took great care of us but was so informative about the ingredients. His passion for amazing sushi and the Sugarfish brand shined throughout the meal. 

Sugarfish

600 W 7th Street, Suite 150 (7th & South Grand)
Los Angeles, CA 90017
P: (213) 627-3000
www.sugarfishsushi.com