what's for dinner?

I have 30 minutes before heading out the house to sit in a classroom for two and a half hours. I should eat something. But what? I take out a few of my favorite ingredients: three stalks of asparagus, two eggs, feta cheese and a jar of fire roasted tomatoes I had been keeping in the fridge not knowing what to do with them.

I trim the ends off the asparagus, place them on a plate, sprinkle some salt, cover the plate with saran wrap, and nuke it for one minute. As the microwave hums away, I crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk it with a pinch of salt. Heating some oil in a non-stick pan, I make an omelette. I usually make three-egg omelettes, but I went easy on the cholesterol intake. I scatter a generous amount of feta cheese on one half of the omelette, fold it over and place it on the plate with the asparagus. Using my hands, I squish a couple of fire roasted tomatoes into a bowl; becareful not to squirt yourself or the kitchen ceiling with tomato juice. Heat the tomatoes in the pan with a squirt of sriracha sauce. The heat from the chili sauce lends a mellow spiciness to the roasted tomatoes. A great, simple sauce; spoon over the omelette and asparagus. A quick and easy meal for me.

cantina mexicana

The first time I dined at cantina mexicana was two years ago for lunch during a work conference in Crystal City. Located on the block of S 23rd St between Eads and Fern nestled among Italian, Thai, Greek, and Ethiopian restaurants. All I remember were the carafes of sangria floating around the table. And on this particular day, a glass filled with fruit, ice cubes, sangria and a plastic straw was an invited refreshment under the warm sun. The beverage was tame but the fruits were yummy.

My co-worker Que and I took a seat out on the patio under a bright red umbrella; though I had to shimmy to the left every ten minutes. Que picked the Chicken Quesadilla after we had a short Spanish "lesson". How do you say? Kay-sa-dee-yah? I didn't get to taste it but I will say with confidence that it was cheesy and delicious. Their specials were written in pastel on the chalkboard; # 1: Chimichangas and #2:Pupusas, and I went with the latter. The corn meal pancake was crisp on the outside and creamy and delicious on the inside. I would have been satisfied with a plate with just a couple of them. Alright, maybe not. There is no denying my appetite. Something about a dish with rice, re fried beans, smoked pork wrapped in a flour tortilla topped with melted cheese, carbs, carbs, and more carbs. Can't...stop...eating.

The service was great; prompt and friendly. One of the best places to go for Tex-Mex in the area and I definitely want to try out other restaurants paying rent on S 23rd. Let's hope it won't be another two years before I make it back to this gem.

tyrone wells @ jammin' java

After Bazin's. Got there just in time as Tyrone took the stage. Wonderful voice, beautiful songs (that would make any girl a "jealous woman"), and he's not bad to look at either. A fun show with quite a few laughs, intentional and not. A great venue for "intimate" concerts.

su mi ma sen

I've lived in Korea for 12 years and had never taken a trip to our neighboring country, Japan. So when I went on a business trip to Korea last month, I decided to give Nippon a try.

I didn't do much sightseeing, but walked a lot through the city; watching people, smelling the streets (smells a lot like Korea), and eating. It was the little stuff that I will remember most about Kyoto.

My first meal in Kyoto: A delicious bowl of Chinese Ramen. A typical hole-in-the-wall noodle house; limited seating, packed with fashionable teenagers and suits getting off work, and a line of hungry people waiting to be seated. As I walked in solo, the host/server/busser eyed couple of empty chairs at occupied tables and asked (I assumed) if I wouldn't mind sitting at a table with another patron. Plopping myself down in the chair, my dazed and confused look and flailing hand gestures must have been an indication that I did not understand him, I found a laminated English menu make its way in front of me. Two minutes after pointing to my selection, I was face deep in the steaming bowl of noodles.

100 yen for a "fairly good" fortune which I keep in my wallet. The quiet oases of temples tucked away amidst the bustling downtown streets.

Tako-yaki. Sake. The smell of fish permeating through the Nishiki Food Market. Not only did Kyoto smell like Korea, it felt like it too. Despite the language barrier, I never felt out of place, except for the time when a waitress at a local pub yelled at me for keeping my shoes on. So when in doubt, remember, "su mi ma sen!"

the swell season

A couple of months ago, as I was perusing through the Express (like I always do every morning to catch up on yesterday's news and to get my daily sudoku and crossword fix), I came across a review for a movie called Once. A so-called modern-day musical love story. Being a sucker for heart breaking lyrics and gut wrenching melodies, I had to go watch it. Starring the frontman of The Frames, Glen Hansard, and Czech musician Marketa Irglova, I fell in love with the movie, music, and the curly-haired Irishman.

Tonight, the duo performed at the 9:30 Club and you guessed, yours truly was there fifth row and center. Peering through waves of heads and shoulders, I shifted from side to side to get a better view. I eagerly looked on, mouthing the words to each song, as The Swell Season put on an unforgettable concert. It was worth standing in the packed venue for three hours. I can't wait to see them again live. I drove home singing along to the soundtrack, belting out karaoke-style.

Check them out on NPR Friday @ Noon or listen to the live concert.

running in the rain

I love it!

I made it out to the airfield during lunch today; an approximately four/four-and-a-half mile loop. The clouds were making their way in and it started raining about a mile into my run. I've always enjoyed running in the rain. Especially on a warm spring day, the April showers are always a welcome. Today was no exception; albeit, it was a bit chilly with ice still piled up on the sides of the road and the back stretch still covered in slush. The sounds of the choppers circling around the landing strip was an added bonus. I was tempted to wave hello to the pilots, but I refrained myself. But I was smiling during my entire run. If only I had a flower in my hair; now that would have been a sight to see.

good things

The last sips of valentine's day. I was probably blogging the recipe for my v-day pasta when I took this shot. A pomegranate cocktail: 1 part vanilla vodka, 2 parts pomegranate juice, and simple syrup to sweeten it up, shaken on ice, served in a martini glass with a splash of club soda; my laptop: a birthday/Christmas present, a combination gift I didn't mind getting; and a postcard from my best friend who's studying in France. I miss you hon! We will have Paris someday.

jajangmyun (자장면)

American Chinese food: Combination Lo Mein, General Tso's Chicken, Hunan Beef, Vegetable Delight, and the likes.

Korean Chinese food: Jajangmyun and Tangsooyook.

Wherever you are in Korea, you can spot a delivery boy speeding by on a moped with a metal contraption tied to the back. Nine times out of ten, you can find a couple of bowls of jajangmyun, a plate of fried dumplings, and an order of tangsooyook in the tin box.

Mom and Dad used to make it for us when we lived with them back in Korea. And last week, Dad graced us with his once-a-year cooking show. I actually started dicing the vegetables, but I guess my skills weren't up to par so Dad took over. Mom was in charge of making the tangsooyook. Within 30 minutes, we were ready to eat.


So what exactly is it, you ask?

Jajangmyun: Call it a Korean-Chinese Spaghetti. The sauce is made with black bean paste; thickened with cornstarch and seasoned with a bit of sugar. Ingredients include sauteed pork, potatoes, onions, carrots, and zucchini; all finely diced. The sauce is ladled over a bed of thick rice noodles. Top it with julienned cucumbers and sprinkle red pepper flakes for an added kick. Mix it all together and devour. Definitely not something you'd want to have on a first date, unless you don't mind the person across from you wearing bean paste all over their mouth and on the front of their shirt. But don't you fret, there are places that offer aprons for ladies and gents to wear so as not to soil their outfit. Or you can just BYOB (Bring Your Own Bib.)



Tangsooyook: Often made with fried pork dipped in batter, but it can be made with beef or chicken; seafood too. The sauce is thick, hot, sweet and spicy with vegetables; usually bell peppers, pineapples and onions. The key to this dish is a thin, crisp layer of batter. I like to dip mine in soy sauce spiked with pepper oil.

There are a couple of restaurants in Annandale that offer jajangmyun, but none can compare to Mom and Dad's. But if you'd like to try it yourself, let me know, and I'll gladly lead the way.

home cooking

Since my parents moved into their new home about a month ago, I've been over to eat quite often. Maybe I'm being nostalgic for mom's home cooking, having missed it for the past two years, or just the fact that I'm too lazy to cook at home. Most probably the latter.

On this particular day, my parents and I went for a little jog around Burke Lake and when we got back, mom had prepared this "feast" of a dinner. Tofu stew, spicy octopus, three different kinds of kimchi, and my favorite, japchae. It was wonderful, but like any other dinners at home, I ended up eating too much. As you can see, a typical Korean meal calls for many different side dishes and it's easy to over-eat. (At least for me it is.) And it doesn't help that mom has tons of snacks stashed in the pantry: cookies, cakes, chocolates, and candies. The deadly four Cs that aren't too forgiving on the waistline, nor other parts of my body. So now I'm on my so-called "one-plate" diet. One small plate of food and no seconds. I doubt it will work for long since mom and dad are making jjajangmyun and tangsooyook on Wednesday and I'll be sure to save me a seat at the dinner table; no doubt there!

kuay teow ruah

This is real Thai food. Thai people's food. "Thai people don't eat Pad Thai" says Chutima, my roommate. They eat Kuay Teow Ruah, right from a street vendor for no more than 40 baht. I get it at a Thai restaurant near my apartment, TK Thai, for a whopping $7.95, excluding tax and tip. I've tried it at two other restaurants, House of Siam and Thai Lemongrass, but TK makes the best. (Albeit rumor has it they use MSG, according to a disgruntled ex-cook.) The thin rice noodles, bean sprouts, Chinese broccoli, scallions, cilantro, meatballs (ingredients unknown), and pieces of beef soak up the thick broth. For added flavor, crushed red pepper, vinegar, and fish sauce are provided to season to your liking. You could compare it to the Vietnamese noodle, pho, but it has a richer, deeper flavor, and undoubtedly more expensive. That is why I only eat it on cold, rainy days; the hot soup, spiced with the perfect amount of kick and punch, hits the spot, right here and right there. kkyah~! Until next time the weatherman calls for precipitation. Besides, I think I've had my month's quota of monosodium glutamate.