Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Roast Pork Mondays at Gene's Grinders


I should have known this was the place to go for a great sandwich. Fire trucks and emergency vehicles were everywhere. Hungry firemen were all in line and each one ordered the Monday special, the roast pork sandwich. The picture does not do justice to this creation. This is an awesome sandwich! On Mondays it is the special of the day, along with the kielbasa sandwich, but I went for the pork, of course! Oh man, and this is the small. Look at that ton of meat! Layers and layers of moist, tender roasted pork, sliced thin and just enough, topped on a fresh French roll. Mayo, a big helping of tomato slices, lettuce, and if you like, pepperoncini. Worth the wait, though the line was long. Hey, those cute firemen can always go ahead of me!
Gene's Grinders
800 S. Myrtle Ave.
Monrovia CA 91016
For fast pick up, phone in your order
626-358-8016

Friday, July 11, 2008

There's a New Thai in Town - Thai House in the Plaza


Directly across the street from the McD's, is a tiny little Thai restaurant. Parking is available in the mall, but they face a very busy street and on more than one visit, they were closed. Same thing with the taco place next door. I have never seen that place open either. Well, on a frightfully mucky summer night, armed with a coupon in hand, I dragged myself into the Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors here in town. There it was, Thai House has branched out and just recently opened up a beautifully decorated, chic and modern larger location near the ice cream store. This one is down the street from the old one, less than a block. If you stand outside one location, you can see their other location. Quickly, I placed my to-go order, ran to the 31 Flavors, where I knew there would be a wait, got my mini sundae, and ran back to the Thai House and just in time, because my order was ready.

OK, so I wimped out and ordered the #87 pad thai chicken & boba tea, but it was my first time. It won't be my last. Tender pieces of lightly sauteed chicken, crispy fresh veggies, and a ton of pan-fried noodles all in a delicately flavored sauce. It went perfect with my 31 Flavors dessert. The Thai House menu offers over 114 dishes, plus they have a lunch menu Monday thru Friday. It's gonna take me a while to get through their menu, wish me luck!

Thai House (in the Plaza)
2080 S. Atlantic Blvd.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
323.726.2340
Open Monday thru Sunday (?)
9 am - 9 pm
$20 minimum on credit card

Monday, June 30, 2008

Remembering Food Pioneers in America

This year we have lost a number of folks who were pioneers in local and national food history. Gone to that big soda fountain, big hot dog cart, big burger joint, and big grocery store in the sky. Though not generally considered "gourmet" or "celebrity chef" status, their contributions to American cuisine are as important and iconic as the "Bon appetit!" wishes from Julia Child, or the hearty "Bam!" from Emeril. Among this dearly departed group are the Pringles can inventor, the man behind "Great food close to home" Baker's Drive-Thru located in the Inland Empire, one of the 31 Flavors Ice Cream founders, and the guy who started with a simple hot dog cart and turned it into an empire, Carl's Jr., and the partner in CKE, the founder of Hardee's.

In their honor, and since soon we will celebrate Independence Day, let us remember these American food pioneers. Over the month of July we will take a look back at these five and how they earned their place in food history. Each one will get a special post dedicated to them here at La Vida Dulce. I am currently in the midst of working on some projects, but things should settle down around the middle of the month. Ay, que cosas! Keep cool, hasta luego amigos!

Friday, June 06, 2008

National Donut Day!


Yes, amigos, today is National Donut Day. Around here we believe everyday should be donut day. And they have no calories. Ha! But don't laugh too much, because there is a real history behind this holiday that dates back to WWI and the Salvation Army. Click on the "Serious Eats" link and enjoy reading more about doughnuts.

La Vida Dulce also has a history of donut admiration, dating back to the Helms Man and the yummy glazed donuts. Those delicious Helms donuts called your name out loud! Helms has gone away to the heavenly place where all good things dwell. Since then I have been on a quest for donut perfection.

Donut Numero Uno at La Vida Dulce is the buttermilk glazed and the apple fritter is a greasy close second, with raised glazed coming in at number 3. The best buttermilk glazed are served up at the Olympic Donuts located at the corner of Brooklyn (Chavez) and Mednik. Crunchy outside, tender and light inside, covered in a sweet sugary coating---it doesn't get any better. But this is a mom & pop shop and sorry, amigos, no freebies here. Not an everyday choice, but a nice little piece of heaven once in a while or once a month.

Close behind in second place in creating buttermilk donut perfection is the Shell Gas Station at the corner of Atlantic Blvd. & Riggin/Brooklyn/Chavez (you know how street names change from one city to the next) where they actually make fresh donuts in a tiny space next to the counter where you pay for cigs, lottery tix, & gas. Winchell's used to be pretty good, but try and find a real Winchell's anymore, but that would be third place.

So go out and enjoy a warm donut with a cuppa joe! Couldn't hurt.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Boom(ers)!


Yeah, amigos, we are all getting older, even that beefy burrito of manhood, Indiana Jones. Hope he has plenty of Salonpas for all those sore muscles from saving the world. Must be getting harder for him to open up that can of whoop-ass, and crack that whip. A few years back, I was upset when Harrison left the wife and took up with a younger chick. (I hear the divorce settlement was $$$$$.) Lots of boomer guys take that route. So do the "Cougars" the older women who go after younger men. That works for them and I sure hope they are happy. Didn't work for me. It was hard for me to date out of my species. "See honey, this is the Beatles," I held up the CD and explained to my much younger companion about John, Paul, George and Ringo. He was sweet, always a gentleman, but the age difference made things impossible, since I was constantly having to stop in the middle of the conversation, to ask if he understood what I was saying---ay!

So what kind of mischief does our Indy get into this time? Well, I'd like to think he's up late, sitting at the dining table, room dimly lit, smoke rings wafting about. He puts down the cigar into a dirty ashtray, and he takes a swig of whiskey. Then the camera moves in and he's going through his Medicare supplemental health insurance plan. Suddenly he stands up, picks up the papers and flings the stack into the fireplace, ashes and sparks fly everywhere.

Or he's standing in line at the DMV and suddenly they make him take his behind the wheel test over again. Or he's at the table again, only this time he's putting all his meds into the little plastic SMTWTFS container, all the time swearing because he can't get the child-proof lids open. Or better still, he gets pulled over on the bus going down to Mexico for the El Cheapo Rx's, fighting with the Federales, "Chuy, I have a real Americano prescription for these pills!" I'd like to think of him as being just like the rest of us boomers. Getting kinda creaky around the edges, but still full of fire and passion. Raiders of the assisted living center, that's us!

Come sit over here, Indy, and let me fix you a "mock-tail" granita that won't interfere with your meds. It's from another little hunk of beef-cake, the "Take-Home Chef" Curtis on TLC Channel. Yeah, I'd consider being a cougar over him in a heartbeat! His version is with passion fruit, of course! This one is watermelon, so cool and refreshing. Just what Dr. Jones ordered. Salud, viejo!

WATERMELON GRANITA - adapted from Chef Curtis Stone, The Take-Home Chef
4 cups diced watermelon, or other tropical summer fruit
1 cup simple syrup, made from 2 cups water & 1 cup granulated sugar
brought just to a boil in a small saucepan, then cooled to room temp
1 oz. jigger rum or tequila, optional or omit on Doctor's orders
Blend the watermelon and cooled simple syrup till liquefied. Pour into an 8x8 glass pyrex or corning ware pan. Place in freezer. After an hour, remove and scrape the top, making fruit snow. Return to freezer, and repeat again. Serve in a cocktail or martini glass, garnish with a lime slice or mint leaf. Paper umbrella and jigger of rum or tequila optional. Note: Equal or Splenda may be used instead of simple syrup.

Play a word game, win free rice!

Check out this link I found over at the fine folks who blog at Peanut Butter Etouffee, their link is:
http://pbetouffee.blogspot.com

At Free Rice, you take a guess at the word definitions and collect grains of rice for distribution to those in need. Enjoy your day and keep thinking good thoughts. Our world sure needs them.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Remember the Taco Truck!



Hola! Join Pulitzer Prize winning food author Jonathan Gold, Barry Glassner, the author of "The Culture of Fear and The Gospel of Food," Chris Rutherford, co-founder of the groundroots movement site saveourtacotrucks.org, and fellow foodie Chowhound.com's C. Thi Nguyen as they present "Remember the Taco Truck" on May 22nd at the Los Angeles Center Theatre. The link above has all the info. "Carne Asada is Not A Crime!" We present our evidence.

Above right we have for your pleasure carne asada, marinated in secret herbs and spices that would make the Colonel lick his chops. Prepared on a flat top, and grilled with onions, peppers, pickled zanahoria (those hot and spicy sliced carrots!), and served with potato salad, spicy beans, and freshly warmed corn tortillas. Hombre, it doesn't get any better.

To the left, for your non-beefy enjoyment, try either the fresh fish or fresh shrimp tacos, no Mrs. Paul's or Gorton's fisherman for our amigos. So fresh, you could swear they were still flapping! Served al estilo de Mazatlan, with thinly sliced cabbage, crema, spicy fresh salsa with onions, and lime wedges. Warmed fresh corn tortillas, a hefty portion of beans (no rice this time) and to wash it down, a frosty cold bottle of Coca-Cola from Mexico, sweetened with cane sugar, no high fructose corn syrup. Try it with a lime in the bottle, Corona-style. Que sabor!

Por favor, can you show me, amigos, where is the crime here? Just plenty of good food, freshly prepared, and priced to feed the whole familia. Sounds like, in the words of an aging Parrothead from Georgia whom I once knew, some "serious changes in attitudes are desperately needed 'round here." C'mon, man, it's just food, it's La Vida Dulce.

Can you hear the jailhouse conversations?
"What you in for?"
"Tacos, man."
"You robbed a taco stand?"
"No, man, I make carne asada tacos and sell them from a truck."
"Whaaat?"

No, it makes no sense at all. And don't even get me started on the bacon dogs controversy over at Drew Carey's Reason.tv!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

National Chocolate Chip Day

Check this link for chocolate chip recipes from Nestle---enjoy!