Mi A Dong & Sim Sum

chicken
Originally uploaded by michaeldelgado.

I wasn't really in the mood to try a new restaurant today. I felt like retreating to Pho 54 for some vermicelli with beef. But since I was daydreaming, I ended up passing Pho 54 and found myself at Bolsa and Moran Street-which is a great spot for food.

To avoid hitting a car, I drove into a small little parking lot behind a Vietnamese shopping center. I had no idea where I was going. The little street had a dead end, but luckily there was one parking spot open next to this little strip mall.

While walking around, I found a little restaurant called Mi A Dong & Dim Sum - Chinese Noodle House & Hong Kong Styles (sic). They serve traditional dim sum dishes all day and have daily specials on crab, lobster, and/or fish.

It's a very clean restaurant with a television playing Chinese music videos. They have all the typical soups, dim sum dishes, and seafood offered at your average Chinese restaurant. Most meals cost around $5.00.

The guy at the table across from me ordered a Vietnamese fried rice dish with shrimp. I don't like fried rice that much, but it looked tasty.

After a brief review of the menu, I ordered Chao Ga (Chicken Porridge). It's sort of the Korean equivalent of Juk (pronounced "jook"). There are many different variations of Juk and Chao Ga (e.g. porridge with pork, shrimp and egg, fish, squid, pork blood, etc.) I love my mother-in-law's Juk, so I wanted to compare.

If you've never eaten chicken porridge before, you definitely need to try it. It's essentially a big bowl of chicken soup, except it looks like porridge because all the rice in the broth has broken down into little bits.

Lilly, the restaurant manager and cook, was very pleased that I enjoyed the soup. She then freely told me how easy it is to cook. Here's what she said:

First, boil a chicken until cooked. Remove the chicken and add rice. Let the rice cook in the broth for about two hours, or until the rice starts to break down. Next, add shredded lemon grass, a little salt, a little sugar, chunks of chicken, and when ready to servee--cover the porridge with chopped green onions and cilantro. It's easy."

It's such a simple concoction that I'm tempted to make it myself. The lemon grass and cilantro combination in the porridge really adds an immense freshness. I feel like I should start using lemon grass in my own cooking on a regular basis.

They also brought me a plate of Chinese Bread Sticks (thin, fried bread). It's the perfect food to dip into the porridge.

So, if you're hungry, and you can find it, maybe you should visit Mi A Dong & Dim Sum.

Cost: $4.50

Mi A Dong & Dim Sum
15041 Moran Street #107
Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 903-8660

Taqueria El Triunfo

tacos
Originally uploaded by michaeldelgado.

On my way to school tonight, I stopped off at Taqueria El Triunfo in Fullerton. It's a small restaurant in a shopping plaza next to a Laundromat. They have a very small menu, which only lists meats in Spanish for their 65 cent tacos: asada (beef), carnitas (pork), pollo (chicken), and lengua (tongue).

I ordered two carnitas tacos, one lengua, and one asada. These tacos are served with two small corn tortillas, chopped radishes, limes, onions, cilantro, and topped with red and green tomatillo salsa. I also ordered a side of beans and Spanish rice (which comes with an avocado slice, lettuce and tomato).

Absolutely delicious!

Taqueria El Triunfo
Mexican Tacos
2226 Orangethorpe
Fullerton, CA

Huong Huong

Huong Huong
Originally uploaded by michaeldelgado.

You know you've found an authentic Vietnamese restaurant when nobody speaks English very well. These are the types of restaurants I seek out when driving through Little Saigon.

On Monday, I went to Huong Huong--a busy little Vietnamese restaurant that only serves items to go. I had to rely solely on hand and face gestures to communicate, which made my experience at Huong Huong so much fun.

Food at Huong Huong is served buffet style. Walk up and simply point to the items you want (roughly $1.25 per item) and you'll get a healthy portion served on a Styrofoam plate. Every meal is served with either steamed or fried rice. I ordered mine with half Vietnamese fried rice and half steamed. They really pile on the rice. It felt like two pounds.

My typical questions: what's your favorite dish?, what's the most popular dish?, and what did you eat today? received no reaction. I just got smiles and odd looks. Several girls tried to aid in translating for me, but we all just ended up smiling and laughing at the lack of communication.

The girls behind the counter just kept letting me taste everything I pointed at. It reminded me of tasting ice cream at Baskin Robins, with those little pink spoons. I was really surprised at how friendly everyone is there. I sampled one soup, one vegetable entree and one meat dish.

I took pictures of everything, which amused everyone in the restaurant.

After 5 minutes of tasting food and looking at everything, I ended up ordering the following:

Canh Chua Tom
A light vegetable soup that's teeming with sprouts, chopped celery, tomato slices, and silver dollar sized shrimp (complete with legs and the shell). Don't worry, the shrimp shell and legs are so soft you can eat the shrimp without peeling it.

Ga Cari
This Vietnamese curry chicken is not spicy, like you'll find at typical Thai restaurants. This chicken is quite mild and covered in a brown curry sauce with big chunks of potato. The skin is quite rubbery, so I peeled off the skin before eating. I was surprised how much meat came off the bone. I would have it liked it to be a little more spicy, but it was still very good and tender.

Cai chua xao thit voi mang
This vegetable dish is comprised of a Vietnamese cabbage and bamboo shoots. I expected this to taste salty (like collard greens), but it was surprisingly sweet. The sweet bamboo definitely complimented the curry chicken. They piled on these vegetables, which I couldn't even finish.

Once all the food has been piled on the tray, they give you several napkins (unlike most Vietnamese restaurants), a small green chili, a little container of red chili sauce, wooden chopsticks, and a plastic fork and knife. My whole meal only cost $4.75.

I'm very happy with my experience there. I'll be back.


Huong Huong--Food To Go
9262 Bolsa Ave. #C
Westminster, CA 92683
714-895-6551

Han's Homemade Ice Cream & Deli

best-cookie
Originally uploaded by michaeldelgado.

I went to lunch with Blake at Hans' Homemade Ice Cream and Deli in Santa Ana. I ordered their Reuben sandwich (toasted rye bread, corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut). And it's definitely one of the best Reubens I've had in a long time. The bread was perfectly toasted and the sauerkraut to corned beef ratio couldn't have been better. I was quite surprised that a little ice cream shop could make such a good sandwich.

The only trouble about eating at Hans' Deli is that you're in an ice cream shop, and completely surrounded with an amazing display of frozen treats. Our table was across from this refrigerated display of ice cream sandwiches, chocolate-covered frozen bananas, and a dozen other tempting delights.

I must have only been halfway through eating my Reuben when the ice cream sandwich caught my eye. I asked Blake if he wanted to split it, but he wanted his own. Blake ordered a chocolate covered oatmeal cookie sandwich with mint chip ice cream. I ordered the chocolate chip cookie sandwich with peanut butter ice cream. We shared a couple bites of each other's desserts and then spent the next 15 minutes slowly carving away at our own.

Our waitress told us that Hans makes his ice cream every day, and I'm definitely impressed. If you're ever in the mood for some mind-blowing homemade ice cream, give Hans' Deli a visit. It might not have all the extra little toppings like Coldstone, but that's okay. Hans' ice cream doesn't need toppings. It's like ordering A1 Steak Sauce for your steak at Morton's. It's unneeded and almost an insult.

Hans' Homemade Ice Cream & Deli
3640 S Bristol St
Santa Ana
(714) 979-8815

Vietnamese Sandwich Nazi

The Vietnamese Sandwich Nazi
Originally uploaded by michaeldelgado.

I love Vietnamese baguette sandwiches. They're not only cheap (usually around $1.50), but also absolutely delicious. The sandwiches are made with a foot-long, freshly, baked baguette, and packed full of cilantro, shredded carrots, sweet white radish, some jalapeno slices, and your choice of meat. There's nothing like it.

I recommend ordering your baguette with either grilled or BBQ pork. The meat is typically hot when placed into the sandwich, which help keeps the bread warm. The sweet white radish slices calms the heat from the jalapeno, and the cilantro gives eat a bite a very fresh feeling.

After eating one of these sandwiches, you'll never want to pay $6 for a lunch at Togo's or Subway again.

The most popular place for these sandwiches is Lee's Sandwiches. This popular chain of Vietnamese restaurants can be found throughout Westminster, and now they have one at U.C.I.

Since I've been trying to eat at a different restaurant every day, I drove over to Top Baguette in Little Saigon. This little shop is located in the corner of Trong khu Hoa Binh Plaza, and surrounded by other Vietnamese restaurants and a small grocery store.

Once walking in, you'll notice that there's only one table to sit at, which must always be occupied. The table is situated behind one of the restaurant's refrigerators--which gives this place that down-home feel.

You better know what you want when you enter because you're about to encounter the Vietnamese Sandwich Nazi. This thin, Vietnamese man behind the counter is stern, doesn't smile, and doesn't have time to answer questions. It's best to walk directly to the counter, order your sandwich, and wait patiently.

I love people like him. It makes me want to keep going back.

The following is the entirety of our conversation:

"What do you want?"

"The BBQ pork baguette looks good"

"What about drink?"

I told him that I didn't want a drink, which infuriated him. Next time I'll bring money to buy a drink.

He opened his palm and said, "Dollar-fifty."

I gave him two-dollars. He then literally threw two quarters into my hand and walked away. I never even got a receipt, and I didn't want to ask for it. The lady in the back had evidently heard our conversation and started making my sandwich.

Several minutes later the lady handed me my baguette.

I wouldn't say the sandwich is any better than what they offer at Lee's Sandwiches, but the experience definitely won me over.

I'll definitely be back.

Top Baguette
9062 Bolsa Avenue
Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 379-7726

cafedumonde
Originally uploaded by michaeldelgado.

No matter what you think about the French, you have to admit they make a pretty good doughnut.

After spending my morning walking around the French Quarter last week, I found my way onto Decatur street-where you'll find Cafe Du Monde: home of some of the world's best beignets. It's sort of like the IN-N-OUT burger of French doughnuts.

This bustling little coffee shop is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It was established in 1862 and only closes on Christmas day (and when the occasional hurricane strikes).

Once walking in, you'll find an array of tables. There's no host to guide you to a table, so it's best to grab your table before someone else gets to it.

I ordered beignets and a decaf coffee. The waitress asked me if I wanted it with milk, and I nodded yes. They don't have those little packaged creamers you find at most restaurants. The waiters and waitresses add the cream themselves. Ordering a coffee with milk is similar to ordering a latte.

The waitress walked away and I just enjoyed listening to the conversations of some waitresses on break and the family at the table next to me. One of the waitresses must have worked the night shift because she was slouched over on a bench smoking a cigarette. She looked like she'd worked for 24 hours straight. It would have been a really cool picture, but I didn't have the guts to take it.

After about 5 minutes, my waitress came back with my coffee and beignets. She told me that it costs $3.50, which I promptly paid.

At Cafe Du Monde, each waiter and waitress pays for your food when they order it. I watched a line of waiters ordering beignets and then paying for them at the counter. They handle so many orders a day, that it's the easiest way to track the money and ensure nobody walks out without paying.


So, the plate of beignets was sitting before me. Beignets are always served in threes and covered in powdered sugar. This holy trinity demands your whole attention. You must enjoy them while still warm.

I sip my hot coffee and take my first bite. The powdered sugar adds a delicate sweetness to the fried, warm bread below. The sugar almost acts as a blanket to keep the doughnut warm and cozy. I have to lick my lips because the powdered sugar is all over my mouth. I take another sip of coffee, and set down my beignet.

I wonder if heaven will be like this.

I could only finish eating two beignets. I really felt ashamed to leave the other one behind, but I had no other choice. I finished my coffee, took one last look at my last beignet and walked away. I dare not look back. I couldn't.