Alternative Lifestyle

Sunday, October 9, 2011

"I am not a complete vegetarian. I eat only animals that have died in their sleep".- George Carlin


Let me be completely honest: I am not a vegetarian or any other combination. I could say that I am quasi-vegan as dairy and I have parted ways. I still like cheese though.


I'm blaming it on my sister's boyfriend who became a vegetarian a few months ago. I was shocked as he was a big carnivore and Cheeburger champion. He's a bit of a zealot now and won't allow his roomies to bring meat back into the house. Yikes. Thank God I don't live with him. As I said, I'm not a vegetarian. I know a few people who are. I respect that and their lifestyle. Just don't push it on to me. 


On occasion, I feel like eating vegetarian. The question is where are the good veggie restaurants? My sister had introduced me one, Sipz Fusion Cafe. Sipz is a vegetarian place (no meat on the premise) that has different types of Asian cuisine on its menu- hence that type of fusion rather than mixing Asian cuisine with something Western. They also love spicy dishes so I had less options. I opted for a rice bowl- walnut "shrimp" and brown rice ($1 extra). The walnut shrimp is a "crispy battered shrimp and walnutz (their spelling, not mine) glazed with a mayonnaise based sauce". This dish is quite common in Chinese restaurants. I suspect that this dish does not exist in China but I could be wrong. 


The dish was wonderful and authentic. I forgot that I was not eating actual shrimp. Not sure what the "shrimp" was made out of- seitan? Tempeh? Doesn't matter. It was excellent. Tip- if you plan on paying with cash, get the mango iced tea. It's free if you pay with cash. Well worth it. 


My second time there I tried the seaweed salad and the crunchy "chicken" chowmein with veggies in a savory brown sauce. The noodles were eggless and delicious. This dish was similar to ones that I have had in Chinatown in San Francisco and LA. The veggies were quite typical of an Asian stir fry: broccoli, baby bok choy, button mushrooms, baby corn, and bamboo shoots. 


My third time there I had the cashew "chicken" rice bowl. It was similar sauce wise to the chowmein- brown sauce and same veggies.


Last weekend, I decided to try another vegetarian place, VegNOut. This place is known for its burgers. I thought it was ironic that it was next door to Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria which was featuring their meaty pizzas. (I will try Lefty's another day.)


I was delighted to see a fairly large menu, burgers, sandwiches, and veggie dogs. It took me a while to decide upon the 30th Street Classic, "meaty patty topped with Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and our homemade Thousand Island dressing". I opted to have the onions grilled (just can't do raw onions) and without pickles. The cashier suggested I get the sweet potato medallions which I did. I got water which was infused with cucumber. Found it light and refreshing. The cucumber flavor was subtle which I enjoyed. 


My burger was huge! The last time I had a veggie burger in a restaurant was probably when I was in high school.They were tiny back then. The bun was wheat and held up pretty well. I enjoyed every last bite although the Thousand Island refused to stay put and ended up migrating onto my hands and the basket. 


The sweet potato medallions were also large but tasty. The server gave me a side of chipotle dipping sauce. I tried the smallest bit. Too hot for my delicate tastebuds.


I will most likely go back there in a couple months. 


It's fun to try something new but don't expect me to give up my carnivore lifestyle anytime soon. If you have ever had the Carne Asada fries at Lolita's Taco Shop or the filet mignon at Carvers, you'll understand. 


Until next time!

Oktoberfest- Part 2

"Everybody has to believe in something.....I believe I'll have another drink."
-W.C. Fields

Yesterday, Betty and I had decided to try going to the Ocean Beach (OB) Oktoberfest. It was the first time for either of us to check it out. The information I had originally was pretty scarce. I knew that there was a $3 admission charge and it was by the OB pier. It was fairly small but the beer garden was huge. We had to pay $3 each to get into the garden and then buy our drinks ($6 each). I was a little disappointed in the beer selection and went with Blue Moon. Blue Moon is a Belgian-style wheat ale. I've had it before and like it. Betty had a cheap beer- I want to say it was Coors Light.

The food options were a bit disappointing. It seemed to be a mini version of the Del Mar Fair. There were only 2 brat stands. There was a pizza stand, Japanese food, Mexican food, corn dogs, fried foods, Belgian fries and waffles, kettle corn, boba stand, and a potato pancake place. There were several jewelry and trinket stands.

Betty and I decided to share some Belgian fries which are fried twice, crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. The fries came with a choice of ketchup, aioli, and mayo. I opted for the aioli. These fries were hot, golden, and delicious. I'm not sure why there are not more places that serve these Belgian beauties. The aioli was distinctly garlicky and were complimentary.

We moved on to sample a potato pancake which was not cooked to order but had been warmed up. As Betty put it, it was like "a thick tater tot". The pancake came with sour cream and applesauce. The applesauce resembled and tasted more like an apple glaze sauce.

We walked around some more and then ordered a brat with grilled onions. The bun was overly doughy and we ended up eating the brat and onions. The brat had a bit of a kick towards the end. Luckily for my sensitive palate, I could eat the brat without crying.

Finally, we decided to visit the fried food stand and try some beignets. We opted for powdered sugar and caramel on the top. I was (again) disappointed with the beignets. While they were made fresh, the dough was heavy and soggy, instead of light and airy.

It wasn't long until we ended up walking away from the event. I was in a quest for some bottled water that did not cost $6 (2 for $3 each at Oktoberfest). We found a hole-in-the wall Mexican restaurant that had bottled water for $1. Sold. Betty and I overheard a couple of French tourists trying to decide what to order. Turns out their friend was local and ordered a torta for the Frenchwoman. A torta?! It's a sandwich, for crying out loud. Betty was annoyed and said that they should have gotten a burrito or a taco. I agreed but the guy told us that she likes the tortas as she had had one recently. We certainly meant well. I wish I knew enough French because I would have steered her towards rolled tacos or maybe a chicken quesadilla.

We kept walking and then ended up going into an Irish pub. Of course, it was faux Irish. The only thing Irish was the name. Betty and I ordered Shandies or Shandy. A shandy is a beer mixed with 7-Up at least that is how I've seen it at other pubs in town. The bartender smiled and looked blank and asked us what was in there- vodka? No- beer and 7-up. That was the first time I've had a bartender not know what a drink was.

Later as we were chatting, we noticed green jello. The bartender was busy making jello shots. Jello shots in a bar?! I thought only college kids had those or at least people at house parties. I would not be caught dead ordering a jello shot. To each their own.

Betty had mentioned red velvet cupcakes at a bakery called Azucar. Betty is a cupcake fanatic. She knows where all the good cupcakes are in town. Betty is acquaintances with one of the gals who works there and they were chatting about a workout class. I was perusing the menu which sounded intriguing. There was one panini that practically screamed "Viva La España!". This panini, Berto, had these ingredients: Serrano ham, manchego cheese, arugula, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Hmm, mental note: must try the Berto soon.

Betty had had the Cubano panini before, slow roasted Cuban style pork, thinly sliced ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, pickles. It sounds good but I'm not a pickle person. She reassured me that the pickles make the panini good. Perhaps another time, after the Berto.
We saw three flavors of cupcakes: coconut, pumpkin, and the red velvet. We ended up getting a pumpkin and a red velvet cupcake each.

I tried the pumpkin cupcake after dinner (Thai fried rice). It was moist, fluffy, spiced, and just sweet enough. I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to try the red velvet tonight.

Oktoberfest- Part 1

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."- Ben Franklin

It's that time of year again: pumpkins, falling leaves, beer and brat. I speak of course of the wonderful event known as Oktoberfest. I had decided to partake in a couple different Oktoberfest events. The first was a 5 course meal at Wine Vault & Bistro. Originally, I had invited Ellie and Betty. Ellie's on a strict diet so she had to decline. We invited Betty's friend, Daniel, to join us that evening.

I have to apologize in advance for the quality of my photos. I took pics with my new smartphone and the room was a bit dark. A couple of my beer pics didn't load.

The first course was: Local Yellowtail, Stone Crab, Beer Battered Shallots, Julian Apples 2 Ways: Raw + Roasted Aioli served with Sünner Kölsch beer. The appetizer was clean, refreshing, and light. My favorite was the stone crab which was savory and flavorful. The beer battered shallots were crispy and genius. I love shallots as they have a delighfully mild onion flavor which was complemented by the beer batter. The apples were less successful to me but they added a little sweetness and texture.  (No photo of the beer.)
The Sünner Kölsch beer was fantastic! It's a regional specialty of Cologne, Germany. It is "clear, bright straw yellow color with a prominent floral hoppiness and a mild bitterness. . . . The result is a clean tasting beer not dissimilar to a Pilsner, but with more fruity esters and a lighter bitterness" (Wine Vault & Bistro menu).
1st Course: Yellowail with Stone Crab, Shallots and Apples


The second course was one of my favorites. We had marinated local mussels with San Marzano tomatoes with carmelized garlic and ricotta on top of ciabatta. The mussels were in a flavorful broth. What brought the dish together for me was the creamy ricotta and the San Marzano tomatoes which were slightly tart. The beer we had was Franzikskaner Hefe Weisse. The beer has "distinct banana, pear, and bubble-gum esters along with mild clove aromas mark this as a classic Bavarian hefewiezen. The fruitiness of the palate is complemented by mild wheat flavors and a light, dry finish" (Wine & Vault Bistro menu).

When the beer expert (sommelier doesn't seem right) mentioned bubble gum, I was a bit skeptical and nervous. Sure enough, I could tell there were definite hints of bubble gum but it was not cloying sweet. The beer was good but not something I will seek out.

2nd course: mussels, tomato, garlic and ricotta on ciabatta

Franziskaner Hefe Weisse
The third course was another favorite: Housemade Shelton Farms Chicken "Sausage", Tomato Mostarda, Root Vegetable Slaw with Caraway. The reason the chicken "sausage" was not a true sausage is that there was no casing. In fact, the chicken "sausage" was in a fun circular shape.
It was my first time having chicken "sausage" and I enjoyed it. The meat was moist, juicy, and well-seasoned. The tomato mostarda was also something new. It is a typical Italian condiment- fruit and mustard. I also thought the root vegetable slaw added a nice textural contrast as the veggies had been julienned and were crispy.
3rd course: Chicken sausage, mostarda, with slaw


The beer, Spaten Oktoberfest, was "an amber colored, medium bodied beer with roasted malt flavors balanced with the perfect amount of hops. Its richly textured palate has a hit of underlying sweetness true to tradition". This beer was a balance of light and dark beer which supposedly would appeal to the most beer drinkers. While I liked it, it was not as good as the first beer. (No photo available.)

The fourth dish was Wagyu Brisket "Pot Roast" with Tuscan Kale, carrots, turnips and their greens in Roast Jus. The concept was clever putting some of the best beef in the world and treating it as pot roast. Unfortunately, my Wagyu was mostly fat. Seriously, big white chunks of lumpy fat with perhaps 3 small bites of actual beef. I was rather disappointed to have such a measly edible portion of the beef. The Tuscan kale was quite good if a little bitter. I'm not that familiar with kale but I thought that it was a good foil to the beef. The other veggies were nondescript. Another first- a turnip. I honestly think that turnips don't have a distinct flavor which makes them forgettable to me.
4th dish: Pot roast and veggies

The fourth beer was Schneiden Hopfen Weise which unfortunately none of us liked. We each took one sip and promptly left our glasses full. It's extremely hoppy and I discovered that night, I am not a fan of the hoppy beer. Sorry to those of you who are.
Schneider Hopfen Weise
Finally, our 5th and final course was Basil Tres Leches with Brown Butter Ice Cream and Valrhona White Chocolate and Espresso Crumble. (I got mine sans ice cream as I can't eat it anymore.)

Now, the basil tres leches was one of the most intriguing desserts that I have ever had. Tres Leches I have had before and enjoy the caramely sweetness of that moist cake. But the basil had added a surprising twist cutting into the sweetness. In fact the tres leches was almost savory with the addition of the basil. I would have like to try regular tres leches alongside the basil version to see which was better. The first bite was iffy. Then it grew on me.
Having the white chocolate and espresso crumble added both texture and flavor to the dish. Valhrona is one of the best chocolates in the world and is rather pricey. Of course, if you are going to use the chocolate as a garnish or in a similar prominent matter, you want high quality chocolate that is silky not chalky.
5th course: Basil Tres Leches cake with ice cream

The beer was Weihenstephaner Korbinian which is in the "double bock" style. It was a dark and strong beer. We found this more palatable than the previous beer. "This smooth, creamy, medium-to-full bodied beer offers complex, roasted malt aromas of coffee, chocolate, caramel, bread and raisins, and delivers plenty of malt with notes of peppery spice, alcohol and hop bitterness. At the same time, this is eminently drinkable and highly regarded by lovers of the style" (Wine & Vault Bistro, menu).

Weihenstephaner Korbinian
It was a delightful meal but had a few flaws. I did learn a lot about beer that night.

Probst!

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