Dittman Truffle Carpaccio

I got this package of Truffle Carpaccio from Ramon; he asked me if I've ever tried them as it is or was available at Costco.  

Last month, I finally tried it; Italian black truffles thinly shaved in olive oil. I expected it to be good, but boy was I surprised. It was better than good. It was delicious! You could really taste the truffles, and I don't mean truffle flavor but actual truffles. 

I am not a Costco member, so I looked it up on Amazon, and they sell the little jar for $37. If you see it somewhere for less, go ahead and buy it; you will not regret it and you'll be glad you did. I promise.

Dinner at the Assadi's

When Zohreh and her husband Mike invites us for dinner, the answer is always yes. If you have other plans, you cancel because it is like being invited to a real feast! I keep telling her that she does not have to work so hard to serve numerous dishes as we (her friends) are so easy to please.

Sandi, Amy, and I really prepared by not eating before dinner. We conditioned our tummies to be in a "holding pattern", we were starving by the time we got to her house. I can't speak for our other friend Britt, as she doesn't seem to eat as much as us. 

Hors d' oeuvres were an array of homemade Tabouli, yogurt with cucumber, olives, walnuts, a variety of cheeses. and guacamole. We enjoyed all of it with countless glasses of champagne, except for Amy who opted for her red wine. 

Dinner was Chicken Curry, Salmon with Farro, Chicken with split peas, okras, zucchinis. She also served that burnt rice which we all loved! 

With all that food, we managed to enjoy dessert, a very light chocolate cake, and some fresh fruit. We were lucky to witness a nice sunset from their dining room. 

What a wonderful way to end the day! The company was the best. Thank you to the Assadi's for another fun and delightful evening. 

Little Sister

It was Sandi's birthday last Monday, and we just didn't think it appropriate for us to cook, so we went to Little Sister in Redondo Beach. It has been 4 years since we last ate at this restaurant. It was terrific though the music turned us off since the lyrics were filled with profanity, which was at lunchtime. We thought we would give it another try and hoped they switched to better music.

We were both hungry, and since they had small plates to share, we ordered 4 items. We had the Spicy Lemongrass Chicken, Saigon Lemongrass Beef with vermicelli noodles in a chili-lime dressing, Pan-fried E-fu Noodles, shredded pork, beans, and egg and lastly, Pork Shrimp and Crab Dumplings with spicy dressing, chives, spinach, and peanuts. We also had to order a bowl of rice to go with the dumplings and chicken. 

We loved everything, most of the items were spicy, but we loved it. We didn't regret any of our selections on the menu as Keith, our server, did a good job explaining everything. I am happy to report that the music was more appropriate this time, with no profanity as should be for a restaurant. I have to remember to ask for a bigger plate next time because, by the time you put a little of everything on your plate, you end up with food all over the table.

Calabra

This rooftop restaurant is located at the beautiful and hip hotel, Proper on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. My brother Gary treated Sandi and me for our birthdays last Saturday. The only reservation he could get was at 4:00 p.m., which he apologized for, but Sandi and I were ecstatic since any time after 3:30 is our dinner time. They don't serve dinner until 4:30, so we ordered drinks. The appetizers were limited to the "happy hour" menu. We really wanted to order the Cauliflower and the octopus, but they were not available until 4:30 p.m., which was a shame! 

So we ended up ordering the Calabra Meze, which was too healthy for my taste. The presentation was great, but I really couldn't get too excited; but I was hungry, so we all had our share. We were able to talk Sandi into ordering the Tower, vodka cucumber cordial, Dolin dry, and celery. Gary had Bourbon, and I had a dirty Belvedere Martini. I have to mention that it was not very dirty and I make a much better martini.

For our entrée, Gary and Sandi both ordered the Prime Steak Skirt; pomegranate molasses glaze, stewed butter beans, burnt pearl onion, and cherry tomatoes. They both liked their dish, but they both neglected to read the menu. Sandi thought it came with pasta, not beans, and Gary didn't see the word beans on the menu (he dislikes beans). Other than that, they enjoyed their dish.

I had the best one. The Lobster & Prawn Puttanesca; prawns, Maine lobster, squid ink shells, capers, and chili. It was absolutely delicious. A bit spicy, salty, just the way I like it. The shells were cooked to perfection. 

Dessert was a Budino and Key Lime pie which we all shared.  Both were very good. 

Meet In Paris

If only we could really meet in Paris...This little bistro has been around for at least 12 years. I have been there multiple times and have loved their food, especially the Dijonnaise Mussels and the Petit Filet au Poivre. Sandi and I had lunch there a few days ago. Though they have a large parking lot for outdoor dining with a tent and heaters, we opted for indoor dining. 

They first brought out half a baguette with some salted butter. It was warm and crusty, which was exceptionally good on this cold afternoon.  Before I forget, I have to mention that they charge for the baguette; $2.00, and though it is well worth it, I think they should mention this to the customer. This is not Europe in which they normally do not serve bread, so you have to ask for it, and therefore you are not surprised when you see a charge.

Sandi had her favorite Petit Filet au Poivre with the Fries and I had the Mussels in Dijonnaise sauce. I cannot describe how absolutely delicious this was. You really would have to just go and try it for yourself. If you like dijon mustard, this will not disappoint. The dijon went well with the shallots, garlic, and tarragon incorporated with the cream. 

At first, I was eating the mussels by themselves and getting a spoonful of the sauce. It was a slow process, and I'm more for instant gratification so, I took all the mussels off their shells, dumped the fries in the sauce. The reunion of the mussels and fries in the sauce made my level of eating jump to new heights unimaginable! I think I was in a trance for a period of time. 

I just wish Meet in Paris was closer to me. Meet in Paris is located at 9727 Culver Blvd. in Culver City, California. 

Red Onion

My friend Mary and I met at Red Onion last night. We always loved their tortilla chips and their margaritas. We used to have their Cadillac margaritas, but it's time she opted for a margarita on the rocks, and I had the blended one. 

We ended up ordering two appetizers; Chicken Gorditas which was enough for two, and the Jalapeno Poppers. They were both delicious though the Jalapeno Poppers were hardly spicy at all. Since we didn't order a big meal, we asked for more tortilla chips. We both like salt, so Mary and I kept sprinkling more and more salt. Because we had the extra bowl of tortillas, we ran out of margaritas, so we had to order another glass to finish the chips, which we eventually did.

We appreciated our server, Antonio, who was on the ball. Red Onion is now open indoor though they still have that tent in the parking lot for outdoor dining. It's nice to know that after all these years, they are still serving good food. Red Onion is located at 736 Bart Earle Way, Rolling Hills Estates, California. 

Sticky Fingers Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

Sticky Fingers makes a variety of baking mixes like scones, cookies, buns, and many more. It's been a long time since I baked any of their products. Recently, I picked one up; Raspberry White Chocolate Scones. The best part is the only thing you have to add to the mix is water. It can't get easier than that. 

Mixing and plopping them on a baking dish gives you "sticky fingers". I ended baking them a bit longer than the directions. The question was what to serve it with; butter, jam, butter, and jam? I had some lemon-lime curd so I decided on that. It turned out to be the perfect marriage. The sweetness of the white chocolate blended well with the slightly tart lemon-lime. A cup of bold cup of freshly brewed coffee made it the almost perfect breakfast. I say almost perfect because I think it would have gone well with the addition of some bacon. There's always the next time.

I can't wait to try the many other products they sell. I purchased mine at World Market formerly known as Cost Plus but I'm sure you can order some on their website.