A California Christmas

This begins yet another mini-series on delicious eats of Southern California.

Being married to a California native, I have the benefit of getting away from the cold weather in Boston every Christmas to enjoy the bright and warm sunshine, the amazing Asian food, and the great shopping that Southern California has to offer - not to mention the priceless company of family and friends.

With respect to food (this is a food blog, after all), this past trip I enjoyed some old favorites and also some amazing new places.  Everything from casual Taiwanese street food to the highest Michelin rated restaurant in Southern California.  Stay tuned this week for detailed descriptions, impressions, and of course, plenty of photos!

Here is a peek at what is to come!

Soup dumplings from my favorite dumpling restaurant in the world. Will the Southern California outpost match up to the original restaurant in Taiwan?

Deliciously chewy boba matched with high quality tea - this tea place in Cerritos is our favorite place to hang out late at night.

Probably the best sushi in Little Tokyo and arguably among the best sushi in LA - how would this compare to our favorite places in NYC and Tokyo?

A signature dishes from one of the most highly rated restaurants in Los Angeles. How will it compare to the other two Michelin rated restaurants we've tried in New York?

UPDATE: Here are the posts related to this series:
 Part I: Ten Ren Tea Station
Part II: Din Tai Fung
Part III: Sushi Gen
Part IV: Mrs. Knott's Chicken Restaurant
Part V: Melisse

Happy New Year!

Happy 2010!

What a year it has been! With "Tiny Urban Kitchen" officially born in September, the Foodbuzz Festival in November, and meeting new blogger friends in New York, it's been a whirlwind year for this little blog.

Thanks so much for your support and readership this past year. I really enjoy and appreciate all the comments and conversations.
Above is a pictoral collage of the top posts from 2010 based on number of clicks.  Feel free to click on any of the photos, which lead to the blog post.  A countdown to the top post also appears below.

TOP POSTS of 2010

10. Ratatouille 
After spending 3 hours to make the original Thomas Keller version of this beautiful dish, I created a shortcut version that still looks fantastic and tastes delicious.



9. Homemade Kettle Corn
I love getting kettle corn at fairs - it's one of my favorite snacks! I finally figured out the trick to avoid burning the sugar, and now I can quickly and easily make kettle corn for pennies at home.


8.  Hi Rise Vanilla Loaf
The recipe for my favorite loaf that I always get at Hi Rise Bread Co. in Cambridge - this loaf is addictively good and pairs perfectly with a nice cappuccino for breakfast.


7.  Frozen Yogurt Popsicles
I love Pinkberry-style frozen yogurt, but the version I make does not freeze well. I found this to be the perfect solution as a way of preserving my leftover frozen yogurt - plus these popsicles are refreshing, healthy, and delicious!


6.  Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips

This is a tasty and healthy alternative to normal potato chips.  Just be careful not to burn them in the oven!

5.  Kyaraben On Steroids
Probably the cutest meal I've ever made, this meal had a theme of Japanese anime characters such as Totoro, Domo, Doraemon, and Keroppi.  Amongst these dishes, the Totoro Rice Crispy Treats post was the most popular.

4.  Vietnamese Spring Rolls
This appetizer never fails to be popular whenever I bring it to a potluck.  The juicy shrimp, fragrant Thai basil, and sweet & salty peanut sauce are an addictive combo.  Plus - it's really easy to make!



3.  Sauteed Hollow Heart Greens with Chinese BBQ Sauce
Otherwise known as Kong Xin Tsai, this officially designated "noxious weed" tastes delicious sauteed in Chinese BBQ sauce.  It's my husband's favorite vegetable.  We picked these from our pastor's garden.



2.  Mike's Pastry
By far the most famous pastry shop in the North End, Mike's serves up delicious cannolis and ricotta pie.  We compared Mike's with Modern Pastry, and briefly discuss tricks to managing the crowds at Mike's.


1. Tea Eggs
This post is actually part of a larger series titled "A Stroll Through the Night Markets of Taiwan" which describes recipes for various popular street Taiwanese street dishes (don't worry! there's no stinky tofu!).  I think this post was popular mostly because those eggs look so exotic and cool!


Grand Prize Winner - Oven to Pan Seared Prime Ribeye Steak

I find this to be a bit ironic considering actually I'm not a huge meat eater, I don't love red meat, and I actually  often eat vegetarian.  Nevertheless, this method of making steak is awesome, especially if you live in a condo, and the results are tender and delicious.

That's it!  If you've read this far, thank you!  I hope you are able to enjoy some of these "most popular posts" from 2009.

Thanks again for your support, and I look forward to a fabulous 2010!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2010!

What a year it has been! With "Tiny Urban Kitchen" officially born in September, the Foodbuzz Festival in November, and meeting new blogger friends in New York, it's been a whirlwind year for this little blog.

Thanks so much for your support and readership this past year. I really enjoy and appreciate all the comments and conversations.
Above is a pictoral collage of the top posts from 2010 based on number of clicks.  Feel free to click on any of the photos, which lead to the blog post.  A countdown to the top post also appears below.

TOP POSTS of 2010

10. Ratatouille 
After spending 3 hours to make the original Thomas Keller version of this beautiful dish, I created a shortcut version that still looks fantastic and tastes delicious.



9. Homemade Kettle Corn
I love getting kettle corn at fairs - it's one of my favorite snacks! I finally figured out the trick to avoid burning the sugar, and now I can quickly and easily make kettle corn for pennies at home.


8.  Hi Rise Vanilla Loaf
The recipe for my favorite loaf that I always get at Hi Rise Bread Co. in Cambridge - this loaf is addictively good and pairs perfectly with a nice cappuccino for breakfast.


7.  Frozen Yogurt Popsicles
I love Pinkberry-style frozen yogurt, but the version I make does not freeze well. I found this to be the perfect solution as a way of preserving my leftover frozen yogurt - plus these popsicles are refreshing, healthy, and delicious!


6.  Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips

This is a tasty and healthy alternative to normal potato chips.  Just be careful not to burn them in the oven!

5.  Kyaraben On Steroids
Probably the cutest meal I've ever made, this meal had a theme of Japanese anime characters such as Totoro, Domo, Doraemon, and Keroppi.  Amongst these dishes, the Totoro Rice Crispy Treats post was the most popular.

4.  Vietnamese Spring Rolls
This appetizer never fails to be popular whenever I bring it to a potluck.  The juicy shrimp, fragrant Thai basil, and sweet & salty peanut sauce are an addictive combo.  Plus - it's really easy to make!



3.  Sauteed Hollow Heart Greens with Chinese BBQ Sauce
Otherwise known as Kong Xin Tsai, this officially designated "noxious weed" tastes delicious sauteed in Chinese BBQ sauce.  It's my husband's favorite vegetable.  We picked these from our pastor's garden.



2.  Mike's Pastry
By far the most famous pastry shop in the North End, Mike's serves up delicious cannolis and ricotta pie.  We compared Mike's with Modern Pastry, and briefly discuss tricks to managing the crowds at Mike's.


1. Tea Eggs
This post is actually part of a larger series titled "A Stroll Through the Night Markets of Taiwan" which describes recipes for various popular street Taiwanese street dishes (don't worry! there's no stinky tofu!).  I think this post was popular mostly because those eggs look so exotic and cool!


Grand Prize Winner - Oven to Pan Seared Prime Ribeye Steak

I find this to be a bit ironic considering actually I'm not a huge meat eater, I don't love red meat, and I actually  often eat vegetarian.  Nevertheless, this method of making steak is awesome, especially if you live in a condo, and the results are tender and delicious.

That's it!  If you've read this far, thank you!  I hope you are able to enjoy some of these "most popular posts" from 2009.

Thanks again for your support, and I look forward to a fabulous 2010!