Filed under: Chao Bo, Chao long, Pork, Sausage, asian foods, dinner, food, lunch, pho, resturants, soups, traditional foods, unusual foods, vietnamese foods
I felt a little under the weather this morning and was thinking I need a great “comfort food” Vietnamese style. So I went with my father to another “old school OG” Vietnamese restaurant called Pho Nguyen Hue. This restaurant has been around for years, I think it was maybe one of the first Pho places in Little Saigon. My father calls this place the “gossip center” since it is full of older clientele who knows good Pho and there is always a group of old guys out front sipping their coffee/ Tea and smoking and just “kickn it” talking about politics, social stuff, and in general the happenings in Little Saigon. I think it is very European in culture and I hope to be one of those guys when I retire.
So what is the best thing at Pho Nguyen Hue? Obviously the Pho, but I came for my version of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” Chao. Chao or sometimes called rice Con-gee or Rice Porridge has been around for centuries. It is very simple to make, Basically it is a pot of rice and water that has been slow boiled to a porridge consistancy and mixed with chicken or beef broth with hints of ginger, green onions and depending on what meat you want to add, fish, beef, chicken, shrimp or pork. I had Chao Bo which is ground up seasoned beef. My father had the Chao Long, which was the soup with all of the insides of the pork like intestines, heart, kidneys, blood jello in other words the crazy stuff you see Andrew Zimmerman or Anthony Bordain eats when they go to Vietnam.
I myself I like a simple cooked Chao Bo (ground beef) but one of the thing s that Pho Nguyen Hue has that I grew up with is Vietnamese Blood Sausage. Sounds Yummy Right? Before you gag, this was something I ate before I knew what it was so I was already accustomed to it. Pho Nguyen Hue makes this dish very well. with pieces of blood jello, rice, and basils all rolled up in a steamed sausage and sliced to be dipped in a very salty sour brine shrimp sauce. So I hope I didn’t gross you all out but if you have an adventure to try something unique and COOKED and especially authentic you must order the sausage. Finally to accompany our Chao was a fried long donut fresch with is salty and cooked golden brown. It’s like a crispy donut/crouton on top of the soup for some crunch.
Live a little dangerously and I promise you won’t be sick. Pleaes comment me back if you venture to try out the Chao Long or the blood Sausage. The Hungry Buddha Belly gives Pho Nguyen Hue 4 RUBS OF THE BELLY. 5 alone for the Basil Blood Sausage. FEAR FACTOR HERE WE COME!
Filed under: Cafe Su Da, Ice Coffee, baguette, coffee, deli, drinks, food, french bread, resturants, snacks, traditional foods, vietnamese foods
Here is a quickie, after my great lunch at Huynh I had to stop at one of my favorite places for CAFE SUA DA- Ice coffee with condensed milk and French bread. As you know the French occupied Vietnam for years and before it was Vietnam it was called Indochina. The French did make a big impression and influenced food and culture as well. The place I like to get a great cup of coffee is at Banh Mi Che Cali. This place specializes in great Vietnamese deli sandwiches, bread, snacks, spring rolls, the usual affair of a deli in Little Saigon. When you walk in this place the wift of butter and fresh baked baguettes puts you in a European enthusiasm.
The other reason I love this place is that they make CAFE SUA DA the old way. Using deep French roast coffee (probably Cafe Du Monde French Roast brand) with chicory to smooth out the bitterness that is associated with strong coffee. The old ways of making Cafe Sua Da is truly an art. It is usually done by pouring hot boiling water in a an individual metal coffee drip and slowly brewing by gravity into a cup with a couple of tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk. Most places in Little Saigon want to take the cheaper method and use regular cofee with adding Coffee Mate or worse whip cream to become more of a “frappacino” instead of an espresso type of milk with rich milk. One taste will keep your caffeine buzzz going for hours and has a tastes of sweet milk and a slight bitterness like your first bite of chocolate.
I bought a couple of baguettes for later and a cup to keep me going through the day. I give 5 RUBS FOR THE ICE COFFEE AND 4 RUBS FOR THE BREAD. With so many French Bakeries in Little Saigon I will have to provide you another blog on all the different types of French Bread and pastries in the area for another day.
Filed under: Chinese Food, Clay hot pot, Com tam, Pork, asian foods, dinner, food, resturants, soups, vietnamese foods, won ton
How many of you Buddha Heads have watched a good old style martial arts film where the swordsman fly in the air like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”? There is a place in Little Saigon that specializes in old school style cooking with authentic cooking methods. LUC DIHN KY is located in a old strip mall that need remodeling however I love the decor which is straight out of an old Kung Fu movie. You know where usually it is like a “Asian spaghetti western” where the mild mannered hero is eating his roast duck and then all of a sudden some bad ass villain walks in and starts pushing the waiter around. All of the chairs and tables are wooden and Chinese style with place-mats that have the 12 Chinese horoscopes on them. By the way I am year of the DOG. I have added a picture of the decor for you to enjoy.
Luc Dinh Ky specializes in 3 things. First is their Won Ton Soup. It is the best in Little Saigon in my opinion with every bite of ground season pork is half of a shrimp wrapped delicately in a egg noodle slowly cooked in a chicken and green onion broth with fresh Chinese broccoli and spinach added to enrich the broth with veggies. I highly recommend to order this soup as an appetizer or accompaniment with your entree.
Second, Luc Dinh Ky brews and manufactures their own tea. It is a refreshing ice tea that is supposed to cool your body down as well as calm your senses. It is a stress free tea, sweeten slightly with honey. They actually brew and bottle their tea and is sold throughout Little Saigon in Asian markets. But the thing I like most is that it is bottomless and free with your meal so drink up and relax.
Last but not least is what I think most people come to enjoy. Food that is cooked with century old methods. COM TAY COM-A hot clay pot. Basically they fire burn these hot clay pots and put rice with toppings of beef, vegetables, pork, chicken, fish or seafood. Usually the rice is put on and then their is an assortment of toppings on their menu that you can pick from. I suggest that most people get either their special pot which is a little of everything or their BO LUC LAC COM TAY COM which is their stir fried beef and onions over rice. The beauty is that its not just rice but the slightly burnt crispy charred rice on the bottom that you have to scrape with a spoon. Also every dish is served with a soy sauce and spicy chili sauce on the side just in case you need to “kick it up a notch”. I have a picture of the Bo Luc Lac and I ordered the Beef Stew clay hot pot.
I give LUC DINH KY 5 RUBS OF THE BELLY, for great price (cheap), authentic old school food and giving the Hungry Buddha Belly a chance to relive one of my fantasies as a Kung Fu Master.
Luc dinh Ky is located at 9812 Bolsa Avenue, Suite 100, Westminster, CA 92683, (714) 839-6813, Very casual, kids are welcome, CASH ONLY. Not to be confused with Luc Dinh Ky 2 which is a block down. That place doesn’t serve it in clay pots.
Filed under: Philippino Foods, Pork, asian foods, dinner, food, lunch, resturants, tasty travels, unusual foods
Shout out to my Flip (Philippine) friend Marvin who I think had a conspiracy to kill me with over indulgence and “redline” my cholesterol levels at this “hole in the wall eatery”, At first this place is truly nothing interesting in décor or appearance with a couple of your standard booths and tables in a strip mall which with the name MAGIC WOK, I thought “not another Chinese fast food place. Definitely NOT! Locals only, all Phillipinos enjoying one dish that is commonly ordered here.
Marvin or “Marbeen” as his mom calls him, mentioned that a co-worker mentioned this local Flip food joint specializes in PLATA. What is PLATA? Well, if you knew you were heading for Hell and you want to add Gluttony as one of your sins, you would need to order this dish. PLATA is a deep fried crispy pork shank or leg with skin on it. It looks like fried chicken but the meat is not moist and white but all crispy from the outer skin to the insides. In other words it is like eating all of the crispy goodness of the pork. To accompany this “devilish” dish is to dip it in a sweet “au jus” sauce made from the inners of the pork.
We also ordered the traditional EGGROLL, which was similar to a taquito with ground pork and a BEEFSTEAK plate, which was a marinated beef stir-fry with onions. Overall the value of the meal was great since it was very affordable and the most expensive dish of $8.95 was the PLATA. One bite brought me back memories of when Marvin and I were college roommates and he one day cooked a whole packed of bacon just to eat with rice. TOTAL GLUTONY.
This Hungry Cholesterol Free J Buddha Belly give this meal 4 RUBS OF THE BELLY. for indulging in one of the Deadly Sins!!!
Magic Wok is located at 11869 East Artesia Boulevard, Artesia, CA 90701, (562) 865-7340. Please click on the title of the image to see picture.
My travels as a warehouse management system implementer frequently take me into big industrial areas. After all, that’s where warehouses are! My frequent challenge is to find decent places to eat in these industrial areas. One “chain” restaurant that keeps showing up in these industrial areas is Farmer Boys. They are a cross between a fast food restaurant and a sit down burger establishment. You order at the front counter, take a number, find a seat and wait patiently (or impatiently in my case) for the food to arrive. The décor is a down home country style with pictures of roosters in barns, Norman Rockwell style paintings and country music in the background. I will say that the service here is superb! The cashiers are super friendly and attentive. There must be a company motto somewhere that prizes hospitality, because every worker there was friendly and ready to help. I did notice that the drive through had an awning covering that said, “Thank you for coming!”. So, let’s get to the food already! The menu consists of classic American fare. Hamburgers, patty melts, fried goodies, etc. are the staple. I ordered the BLT combo (sandwich, fries and a coke). After all, what goes best with bacon than more bacon! I am all too happy to sacrifice my waistline for the good of the blog! Anyway, immediately what set this sandwich apart from the normal BLT’s is that Farmer Boys uses applewood smoked bacon. Ok, first of all, yum to bacon… long live bacon… up with pork and porky goodness!! But, applewood smoked bacon… oh yeahhh buddy! One thing Farmer Boy are not, and that is stingy. There was ample amount of bacon (say it with me baaaccccoooon – yum), tomatoes and lettuce. The sandwich was served with a side of fries. Now one thing I hate is getting a side of greasy, soft, cold fries. This was most definitely not the case here. The fries were crisp and well salted. They were also the medium thickness fries that crisp up nicely (I can’t stand the thick steak fries – in case you were wondering). So, all in all, the Farmer Boys experience was definitely a good one. I’d go back and given that I am in these industrial area’s a lot, chances are I’ll be trying more stuff. On the Buhhda fast food scale, I give Farmer Boys 3 ½ belly rubs. - Scott Buhhda
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Christina!!! I recently had a nice lunch at a Villa Amalfi on 480 North Main Street, Corona, CA 92880 and took a friend/co-worker out for her special day. This place was a very nice Italian restaurant that was a little upscale in appearance but seemed to be a local favorite. Definitly a step from a Mac Grill or an Olive Garden (not blog worthy places). We were well greeted and seated a formal style table (real cloth table linens). It was a quick lunch so I ordered the MEAT LOVERS PASTA, which included sausage, meatballs, mushrooms and melted mozzarella chees on top sprinkled with italien parsly and basil all in a rich red tomato sauce. I added more basil because I like it that way. I was very pleased with the food tastes and it seemed very fresh and not commercial. Christina ordered the CLAMS WITH PASTA IN A WHITE GARLIC SAUCE. and it looked great as well. Losts of clams both in it’s shells as well as mixed in with the sauce. The portions were generouse and after I was done I still had some home for dinner later. Great 2 for 1 meal, eh?
I give Villa Amalfi 3 AND HALF RUBS OF THE BELLY, and look forward to going back again sometime soon to try other items.
Filed under: asian foods, dinner, drinks, fine dining, food, pho, resturants, unusual foods, vietnamese foods
I had a special dinner with my two close friends of mine Joe and Steve that I haven’t see in months and to celebrate we decided to try someplace that I would never thought I would eat at. The Hungry Buddha Belly knows his vietnamese food very well and know where to get the best of anything Vietnamese. Being so close to Little Saigon Westminster I can appreciate the vast assortment of foods for great prices near by but The S Restaurant being the closest true Indochine food to my home has been opened for over 2 years and I have never been in it until tonight. It is “S” because Vietnam as a country geographically looks like an “S”. I usually feel that most high end Vietnamese restaurants are the biggest rip offs since you can get the same food for rock bottom prices in Little Saigon. However, you can’t approach this place like that. I have been told from my friends that they make Vietnamese food slightly different.
My first impression was WOW what a very elegant and chic restaurant. If you didn’t tell me this was a vietnamese/chinese restaurant I would never guess it. It has very nice hints of Asian influence in its decor, a beautiful lounge and bar area where big plush soft leather sofas await you to order the many special unique martinis they have to offer including the fully stocked bar. The atmosphere is very relaxing and warm. I have been told they got the same designers who decorate PF Changs and when remodeled form an old Bennigans restaurant they spent a 2.5 million budget. Definitely money well spent with real wood and rod iron screens hand blown glass lighting fistures and various Asian themed artwork through out adorning the walls. I have to say the detail of this restaurant is very nice it does exudes what it claims “Sensuous, Stylish, Superb”. The hostess was dressed a beautiful traditionall Vietnamese dress seated us quickly. Our waiter Brian was very attentive and knew his Vietnamese food. The odd thing was that he was American/white and he pronounced all of the food correctly in Vietnamese, that was very surprising to see and hear this since a tall Caucasian gentleman schooling me on what Vietnamese food was. Obviously very well trained and knew his food as well, big ups to him.
So I had a special martini called LYCHEETINI. which was unique since it had 2 lychees on a bamboo stick mixed with vodka, a splash of cranberry and lychee juice, great way to warm up the belly and refresh the palate for the tastings ahead. Another added touch that I liked was that not only did they have a wine list but a tea list as well with all types of asian teas ranging from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Maybe one day I will try out a tea to get the my YANG UP 
For appetizers there were many of the same items I see on other vietnamese menus like spring rolls, egg rolls, etc… however we decided on 2 starter that I don’t usually see and was claimed “special”. We ordered a cool and refreshing CA Cuong a Vietnamese ceviche with fresh fish, shrimp, in a lime vinaigrette mixed with peanuts, shallots, and mint all served in a martini cocktail glass for show. To add to the crunch fresh fried shrimp chips accompany the ceviche to which you put the seafood salsa on. One bite it was like busting through a wave at the ocean in my mouth. The second item was a hot and rich escargot baked in a Thai coconut basil curry sauce with toasted french bread for dipping. YUMMY! The escargot was not chewy or tough it was very well prepared with melt in your mouth characteristics, plus a little heat from the curry kept me in check for the Asian flavors that was to come ahead.
For the entres we decided to get a family style dinner approach since we all wanted to try what each of us ordered. There was the BO LUC LAC a french/Asian inspired filet of beef stir-fry with garlic, shallots and a sweet soy sauce cooked to a very nice medium rare served with rice and some pickled cucumber salad. My friend Joe claims it was the best Bo Luc Lac in Little Saigon, I would have to differ since Steve and I agreed that it was good but it was no match to Kim Su’s version. I will have to blog about that restaurant another day.
We also ordered seared scallops topped with black bean sauce and julienne ginger, Chinese chives and drizzled with olive sesame oil. This dish was very sweat and salty and the scallops were cooked to perfection. I like the garlic, nutty sweet flavor of the black beans to accompany with the jasmine rice I had with it. This dish I heard was very good with their Chilean sea bass as well. The final entre we had was the best item that I think sold me as fine dining and definitely unique to any other Little Saigon eateries that I have been to. I would highly recommend with extra stars to this dish get the CA NUONG LA CHUOI which is the halibut fillet bedded with sliced of ginger and topped with cilantro pesto, baked in a banana leaf on top of lemongrass sticks. This dish was sooooo goood and so simple that I thought I was back in the mother country. The halibut was very moist and flaky with blends of lemon grass, ginger and the hint of banana from the leaves and the cilantro pesto perfumed the fish with it’s natural flavors. Presentation and function of the leafs is nice when they plate it and serve it to you.
Now my friends and I unusually after a big meal like this don’t order dessert. We are not dessert type of guys however I was intrigued to find out what desserts does a fine Vietnamese restaurant offers? There were a couple of items that sound appealing to try. The one items that we didn’t order which we should of have on the menu was Chuoi Chien a batter dipped banana topped with rum caramel sauce served with ice cream. Brian our waiter suggested the mixed berry frangipan (a berry pie) with ice cream. I ordered the Espresso Kailua Flan- coffee custard baked with Kailua liquor and topped with a golden caramel sauce. Joe claims that they make the best tiramisu around. Now I like tiramisu and have had it in all types of places as well as fine italian restaurants but this was a bid claim expecially coming from a Vietnamese place. Quickly the assessment of desserts, the mixed berry fangipan, ok, nothing exciting there. The Kailua Liquor flan not bad, a little strong on the coffee flavor but I understood what they were trying to execute. BUT the TIRAMISU TRIFLE was the BOMB!!! It was the best if not tie for first on any tiramisu dessert I had. The Tiramisu had layers of marscopone cream, butter sponge cake drizzled with Kailua and espresso and chocolate shavings served in a large red wine glass. Stick a fork in me because I am DONE GOOD!
Overall the S Restaurant gets 4 AND A HALF RUBS OF THE BELLY for decor, service, unique approach to Vietnamese food and fine dining touches. I definitely would go back on special occasions or a very nice night out with the wife (leave the kids at home) and be treated to a special experience. Be prepared for an expensive night but well worth the moment.
The restaurant is located at 545 Westminster Mall Drive, Westminster, CA 92683. www.sfinedining.com.
Here it is, my first food blog. I am following in the footsteps of my favorite eating buddy, Tony.My family and I decided to try a new restaurant last week. A new Mexican place opened near the Bella Terra Mall on Edinger called La Choza. They advertise, “Traditional Mexican Food Since 1976″ and boast of a successful restaurant in downtown LA. Upon first walking into the restaurant, the decor is distinctly traditional Mexican with brightly painted walls and simple decorations. I could tell that there was going to be some decent food here because, when you first walk in there was a short Hispanic woman diligently making fresh tortilla’s out in the open behind the seating area. The smell of the fresh tortilla’s being made was a goooood start. It set that rumbly in the tumbly feeling! Besides whats cooler than seeing tortilla’s being made right in front of you.We were immediately seated with enough room for my family of five who has a appetite for a family of ten. My kids attacked the chips on the table like they’ve never eaten a meal before (note to self… don’t forget to feed the kids regularly). A quick note on the service… wow. My water glass was never half full and the chip baskets were never empty – excellent service. The kids got the traditional taco, rice and beans, my wife got the standard Combo #-whatever that you find on most Mexican restaurant menu’s, but I decided to be adventurous and order one of the specials. I got the Plato de Barbacoa. The combo’s weren’t’ anything special, just the normal enchilada, taco, rice and beans. But holy huevos rancheros Batman… the Plato de Barbacoa was a tasty treat. This dish described as, ” Jucy Mexican Style BBQ beef prepared with an appealingly different blend of spices” was just that. The meat was tender and came bathed in a reddish sauce that was distinctly abuela’s (grandma’s) recipe. It was served with a pile of onions and cilantro; rice and beans; and a side of the fresh tortilla’s. Mix all that up, and pile it onto a tortillas with the yummy salsa verde (that came with the chips) and OOOHHHH YEAHHHH! Me was a happy Buhdda Boy. Washed that down with a Pacifico and life is good. If you go to La Choza, don’t bother with the standard combo fare. It’s no different than you find at the typical Mexican restaurants. Go with the Especiales senoires y senorita’s.. esta muy delicioso!. My personal choice for any restaurant is to as myself, “would I go back?”. I would go back to La Choza, specifically for the Especiales. I La Choza 3 Belly Rubs.
Happy Eating,
Scott Buddha
Hola Hungry Buddha Bellies,
I recently had a very “deliciosos” lunch at my favorite Mexican hole in the wall near my work in Corona, CA. i discovered this place one day when I was hanging out with the local workers in the wharehouse and asked them where do they go for a great, cheap, and fast place to get lunch? I emphasized on CHEAP and GREAT. They reccomended me to EL TACO LUCAS off of Lincoln Street exit in Corona. It is a small family run business a “hole in the wall” establishment which always mean very authentic and tasty.
I have had lots of items here in the past with so many lunches here from tacos, burritos, tortas, and Shrimp Diavolos, All MUY BUENO (very good). Today I had their chorizo tortas and an Al Pastor soft taco. I know I had the cravings of Jamon (pork) today and I thought the smokey, salty, greasy meat would do its job. If you have not had a torta before it is a fluffy soft sandwich with lightly grilled buns and stacked with items made fresh with a mixture of lettuce, tomatos, onions and cilantro topped with a red smokey chipotle salsa. YUMMY!!!. To add to the spicy flavors I love their grilled seasoned jalapeno peppers. I can only eat the outside skin, avoiding the seeds, which at first bite is sweet but then you get a hint of salt from the charred outside skin, and then after 10 seconds you feel the HEAT, Caliente to say the least!!! My little Buddha Head was totally beadding up with sweat and I was feeling pretty good and pumped. All That for 7 bucks including a drink, not bad, si?
To quench my thirst I had their homemade Jaimaica (hibiscus flavored) drink. Tasted very refreshing and flowery frangrace that compliments the spice. Finally as an idulgence I went around the corner to the Mexican market CARDENAS and got myself a special treat to cool off my spice. I got myself one of the best things I discovered this summer which was mexican coconut popscicles. I first discovered this sinful treat at a friends birthday party where they had rented an icecream man truck to stop by and give all of the kids their choices of treats. My “Latin Flavor” friends suggested to try this “Healdos Mexico premium all anatural ice cream” popscile and with one bite I know if just found bliss. Look here senor and senoritas, the popsicle is like a creamy milky ice with slivers of real coconut that reminds you that it is all natural. Took me back as if I was on the beach in Los Cabos enjoying the warm tropics.
I would like to give El Tacos Lucas 4 RUBS of the belly for “deliciosos” fast mexican food. Try it out if you are in the Corona area. If it is good for the locals it’s good for me. Enjoy!
So I had lunch with ”my Boyz” at this new place that just opened up in HB called Rodrigo’s Mexican Food. It’s a very nice restaurant, very chic and a great competitor for El Torito which was literally across the street from them. Rodregos used to be the same building as Don Jose but definitely very updated and everything is brand new. I know this is not the first “Asian” experience that the Hungry Buddha Belly should report about but it is the first of many blogs in the future. I was excited about starting, so forgive me.
We were the first people in when they opened the doors at 11am and I was very impressed the the enctrance, decor and hostess. HOWEVER one of my “pet peeves” as my friends know is where I was seated. When my boyz and I were eating at another establishment called DON RAMONES we get the same issue everytime. As expected if you are the FIRST customers to come in a restaurant you should be seated at the BEST Table in the whold place. Instead we were seated by the entrance in a corner booth sort of cramp and dark. I would of preferred to be seated in a big booth near a well lit window to see my food and menu.
The service does make up for any short cummings though. The waiters, bust boys, water refiller guy, was very attentive and ON IT! Traditionally I can make a pretty good decesion about food in a Mexican restaurant by the chips and salsa and the taste of the chicken taco. So I got a Tacos de Pollo and my friend got a chimichanga. The chips were excellent, very flaky and crispy and not heavy. THe salsa was about average but seems to be very fresh, it could of used just a little more heat in the spice area. We also ordered the fresh made Guacomole and that was good and well presented in a bowl with lettuce accents.
We got our food and the Chimichanga look great except they loaded up the Sour Cream on the Chimi like it was a giant whip cream on a sundae. I tasted the Chimichunga and it was ok, nothing to be wowed about. The chicken tacos was uneventful petty basic. Now we did ask our hostess what was the best think that she thought Rodrego’s has to offer and she reccommended the appetizer tacos and the fajitas. Unfortunately this was lunch and I think I would give another chance for Rodrego’s to change my mind about the food maybe during dinner one day and a taste of the Fajitas.
Overall, I would give Rodrigo’s 2 BELLY RUBS. The service was exceptional and the ambiance is great and hip but the food that I tasted needs improvements in the more “authentico” area. I would say this place is at par with El Torito. As I mentioned I think I would give myself a dinner moment to re-evaluate my opinon.
