U-SWIRL YOGURT

U SWIRL FROZEN YOGURT

I went to U-Swirl last night for some dessert.  It is self serve frozen yogurt and then the weigh it!  I like it because you can mix as many flavors as you want and add your own amount of toppings.  I hate when regular froyo places only give you a small amount of toppings.  They have 16 flavors and all kinds of toppings to choose from.  Pretty much anything you can imagine.  Last night I mixed snickerdoodle, peanut butter and oreo.  I topped it with caramel, cookie dough, marshmellow sauce, peanut butter and butterfinger pieces.  I ended up squirting the peanut butter all over myself (I think it was stuck and came out of the side).  It was a total mess, but it was TOTALLY WORTH IT.  AND WORTH EVERY CALORIE.  Frozen yogurt has a lot of sugar, so please don't be fooled that this is a healthy treat. But if you top it with fruit like my other frozen yogurt buddies, it can be a lot healthier than the way I eat it.  haha.

http://www.u-swirl.com/

OSAKA - HENDERSON

OSAKA

http://www.lasvegas-sushi.com

I went to Osaka, in Henderson, last night for dinner with a group of girls.  We sat at one of the low tables where you had to take your shoes off.  I started with a tea.  They were really good about re-filling it.  On some of the basic rolls they allow you to order half which is good because two rolls is a lot, but one roll is never filling enough.  I ordered half of the CAL-VADA roll.  It was a cali roll with shrimp in it.  The rolls were plump and big. I hate when they are really small and skinny.  I also had the virgin roll, which was one of the specialty rolls.  It was tempura shrimp, avocado, cream cheese and cucumber inside and it's topped with tuna, crab and eel sauce.  It was really good!!!  

They have half price late night specials.  It's off the strip.  I would definitely love to go back ASAP. 

TOP CHEF REPORT

Carla's Crayfish and Andouille Gumbo Over Stone Ground Grits

TOP CHEF REPORT

Welcome to another week of my TOP CHEF report.  Scott Conant is the guest judge for this week’s quick fire challenge.  He just got a three star NY Times review for his restaurant.  The chefs will play football squares to match up the food group and the key ingredients that they will be cooking.  The key ingredient is Quaker Oats for everyone.  The winner of the quick fire challenge will no longer be winning immunity, instead they will win an advantage for the elimination challenge.  Stefan had dairy he made a banana mousse with Quaker Oats and oat almond petit four.  Fabio, who had vegetables, coated eggplant with the oats, deep fried it and put a corn and parmesan salad in the middle of the eggplant.  It didn’t look very appealing, and Scott laughed at it.  Carla had nuts and grains.  I add walnuts and raisins to my oatmeal and it’s delicious and makes it a more satisfying meal.  Carla made  pecan and Quaker Oat crusted tofu with an oatmeal and lentil salad.  ??? Kinda strange… Scott liked it though.  Jamie had fruits.  Instead of doing a dessert she made coconut and oat crusted shrimp with a nectarine salsa and avocado crème fraiche.  Very creative and it looked delicious.  Does anyone else think this Scott Conant is sexy?  I do.  Oh did you just see him smile.  DAMN.  Hosea made wiener schnitzel because he had meat.  It was accompanied by a warm potato salad and mustard sauce.  Looked great to me.  Leah picked seafood.  She prepared a Quaker Oat crusted branzino (which is a Mediterranean sea bass) and mussel with escarole and bacon.  Jeff had to make a poultry dish.  He made a Quaker Oat crusted chicken paillard with grits and fried zucchini.  I think Jeff is a hottie too.  Scott chose Leah and Fabio as the worst dishes.  He also noted that Jeff’s dish was too heavy.  Scott really enjoyed Jamie, Carla and Stefan’s dish.  He chose Stefan as the winner.  He is very talented.  Hosea is pretty jealous of him. 

The chefs are instructed to go to the stew room for their surprise.  They are given chef coats with the #5 (for season 5) and their names, like a jersey.  The challenge is called the TOP CHEF BOWL.  The challengers will be chefs from seasons past.  The lineup includes Andrew D’Ambrosi (season 4), Josie Smith Malave (season 2), Andrea Beaman (season 1), Spike Mendelsohn (season 4), Camille Becarra (season 3), Nikki Cascone (season 4) Miguel Morales (season 1).  Each chef will have to go head to head against a past season’s chef and they will have to cook regional cuisine from the team that they are assigned to.  I can’t believe they didn’t have the Ravens, I’d like to see them try to make a crab cake better than the ones at G&M.  Stefan chooses to go against Andrea and picked the Dallas Cowboys.  Smart move.  She’s a vegetarian chef.  Jeff and Josie will both be cooking food based on the Miami Dolphins.  I think they are both from Miami.  Fabio and Spike have the Green bay Packers.  Hosea and Miguel have Seattle Seahawks.  Leah and Nikki, who are both from NY have the Giants.  Jamie and Camille both have San Francisco 49ers.  I know Jamie is from there.  Carla and Andrew have the Saints.   That seems like an easy one- crawfish!! 

The chefs are only given 20 minutes to actually cook their food, but are given two hours to plan and look through the given ingredients.  Did Hosea almost set Leah on fire??  Carla is kind of growing on me.  Can anyone guess who is going to win the $10,000 bonus fan favorite prize?   Maybe Fabio?  Please write your guess in my comment section.  I’m curious to know who you all like.  During challenge day the audience is made up of past contestants wearing their favorite jerseys.  Two chefs will cook per round head to head.  The judges will note on who scores a touchdown (or wins the round) which is worth 7 points.  Then 5 fan tasters will vote on her gets the field goal (which is worth 3 points).  Very creative challenge.  Nikki and Leah go first.  Nikki made chicken livers with onions and goat choose on challah bread.  I love challah bread.  MMM it looks good.  Leah seared a NY strip with creamed corn, snap peas and an arugula salad.  Leah scored the touchdown and Nikki has the field goal.  Any chef from season 5 who loses will be up for elimination.  Miguel and Hosea are next.  They are talking some serious smack to each other while cooking.  Miguel made a cedar plank salmon with noodles and mushrooms.  I hate salmon and mushrooms, so that’s a loser for me right there.  Nice presentation though!  Hosea made a crispy salmon roll with ginger blackberry sauce.  It looks good, but I think I see some mushrooms in there.  UCH.  They look like adorable eggrolls.  Hosea wins the touchdown and the field goal!  Carla and Andrew go against each other next.  Andrew is an entertainer and very funny.  He’s a got a great personality.  Andrew made a crayfish crudo with a spicy lime vinaigrette.  He definitely got New Orleans down, but is that something you want to eat while you’re watching football?  It is very creative and presented well.  Carla made a crawfish and andouille gumbo over stone ground grits.  Carla scored the touchdown.  Way to go Carla.  Andrew got the field goal though.  Andrea and Stefan are the next to compete.  There is some flirting action going on for sure.  Andrea made a tex-mex chili with fried corn chips and a guacamole coleslaw.  Stefan was ambitious and did two different meats over two salads.  He roasted pork over a coleslaw and NY steak over a corn salad.  It’s making me hungry.  Andrea took all ten points because she was the fan favorite; the judges were split.  I’ve never seen Stefan’s head so red and he just called himself a douchebag.  Okay….   Camille and Jamie cook next.  Camille made miso sweet potato mash with mustard crab meat and salad.  It looks awesome and I love sweet potato and crab.  Jamie made a crab cioppino with olives, basil and toasted sourdough bread.  It also looked really good.  The judges are split, but the fans pick Jamie so she gets the full 10 points.  Josie, who competed against Jeff,  made a warm rock shrimp ceviche with papaya.  Is it even ceviche if it’s warm?  Jeff also made a rock shrimp ceviche with a sangria sorbet.  It was a beautiful presentation and looked so refreshing and delicious.  The judges picked Josie and so did the fans.  She received the full ten points.  Good for her.  I think Jeff may be going home.  Fabio is the last to compete and if he loses then team season 5 will lose.  Can Spike win it all for the allstars?  Why isn’t Jill wearing a Ravens jersey?  I don’t like you Jill!!!  Spike made a five spice venison with port reduction and micro herb salad.  Fabio also made venison with a mustard sauce and mache salad with cheddar.  Fabio overcooked the venison.  Spike won the touchdown, but Fabio won the field goal.  The home team won 37 to 35.  Close game chefs!! 

Stefan, Fabio and Jeff are on the bottom.  Why did Jamie turn her headband down like that?  She looks like a moron.  Sorry, I know this is a foodie blog, but those who know me, also know I am a fashionista.  Carla won the challenge.  She won two super bowl tickets.  Are you kidding?? That’s AWESOME. 

Jeff is eliminated.  Fabio overcooked the venison, but whatever.  UNTIL NEXT WEEK and can’t wait.  Chef Ripert will be guest judging.  

PINK TACO

PINK TACO

I went to the Pink Taco in Las Vegas (The Hard Rock Hotel) for dinner last night.  I went with a friend and we sat at the bar tables.  Our server came over right away with chips and took our drink we orders.  We both ordered the mi casa su casa margarita on the rocks with salt.  The chips came with three kinds of salsa which was really nice.  Sure beats the hell out of bread and butter!  I ordered the Carne Asada (steak) tacos.  The taco platters (below) come with rice and refried pinto beans.  The meal was really great and satisfying.  The meat was seasoned well and tender.  I would definetly go back.  It was simple, good, Mexican food.

www.pinktaco.com

yes!! They serve pink margaritas!!!!

I believe they have happy hour from 4-7, half off appetizers and 2 for 1 margaritas.

V-NO THURSDAY 1/29 BALTIMORE

Head to V-NO WINE BAR in Fells Point this Thursday 1/29 for a free wine tasting event!  All featured wines will be 10% off!!

www.v-nowinebar.com

BEST BITE: SUSHI TO GO

HARA SUSHI

12222 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90025

810-820-1021

www.harasushi.com

Hara Sushi, in Brentwood, may look like just a tiny hole in the wall, but it's proof that looks can be decieving.  My friend and I planned on dining in, but the wait was really long, partly due to the small space, but mostly because the sushi is delicious, fresh and CHEAP!  So, we ended up ordering in.  Had we called it in we wouldn't have had to wait  half hour, but it was worth the wait.  I hear if you go on the weeknights you will have no problem getting a table or spot at the sushi bar.  My friend likes to sit at the sushi bar when they're not busy, because the chefs will give you a lot of attention and let you try random things.  

I ended up way over ordering and have dinner and lunch for the next day :-). Because we ordered so much we got a few free miso soups and an order of edamame.  I also got a spinach salad. It was really good.  I like it when it's bright green.  I ordered the bundy roll with spicy tuna and shrimp inside topped with a crab mix.  The sauce came on the side.  I really liked that for some reason.  I also ordered the Ginza roll which was good, but I liked the other roll a little bit better.  The roll had spicy tuna and avocado inside and was topped with albacore and japapeno.  Clearly, I like it spicy!!  

LA SCALA CHOPPED SALAD

LA SCALA BEVERLY HILLS

http://www.lascalabeverlyhills.com

434 N Canon Drive, 90210

310-275-0579

(another Location in Brentwood)

La Scala Beverly Hills has been a Hollywood staple for over 50 years and after eating there I know why.  Their food is simple, class and consistent.  They don't try to over do anything, but just make the food well, which is what keeps people coming back.  I sat outside at the Beverly Hills location on a a nice hot sunny day (did I mention this perfect 80 degree day was in January?).  Our server was friendly, warm and attentive.  My friend and I each ordered a cup of the cream of corn soup.  It was one of the best soups I've ever had.  I'm pretty hard to please with soups, I'm not a huge soup person.  It was delicious.  I wish I had ordered a bowl or that it wasn't a special, because now I can't go back and order it again.  Then, I ordered the famous Jean Leon chopped salad with tuna. The girl I was with ordered turkey.  They looked exactly the same.  The salad is lettuce, mozzarella cheese, tuna, chick peas and their secret dressing chopped.  You could pretty much eat it with a spoon.  The waiter garnished my salad with fresh parmesean cheese and ground pepper.  They also served us bread, which was really good.  I was pleasantly full afterwards and really enjoyed my meal.  I will definetly go back and hopefully next time have time to shop in the area.  

I decided to recreate my own tuna chopped salad at home.  It was pretty easy and satisfying.  I chopped lettuce, tuna, mozzarella, parmesean, pepper, and tomatoes.  I mixed them really well and then added italian dressing and fresh ground pepper with a pinch of sea salt.    It's an easy, delicious, healthy and inexpensive lunch.  Maybe you don't want to pack it and up and bring it to your office though!