jean-paul hevin!
i was fortunate to be invited to the grand opening of the new JPH boutique and cafe at the Regent hotel in taipei a few weeks ago.
my enduring love for chocolates and macarons.. gave me just enough courage to ask for a photo with one of my favorite chocolatiers.
so starstruck!
no pictures of the goodies, but i assure you.. there were TONS!
xx
cha cha cha in hollywood. a true LA staple. contemporary Caribbean comfort food at its best. casual setting, great portions.
guac + dirty chips. the BEST.
ceviche + dirty chips. i’ve missed ceviche! its something you DON’T get in asia.
fried plantains with crema. what makes this so good? super sweet plantains, with its natural sugars, fried to caramelized + crispy perfection. not too soggy, not too hard. one of my favorite things to eat. ever.
an entree of jamaican jerk chicken. i love carribean spices, as i naturally gravitate towards really flavorful foods. the intensity of jerk really satisfies my palette.. sweet, spicy, dark and smoky. yum.
so happy.
656 N Virgil Ave, Los Angeles, CA.
xx
quick bite at bottega louie in dtla last week.
this is my fave order: the simple sandwich of salami with butter on a mini baguette, served with a bit of mustard seed potato salad. this is only available from the cafe counter, not the restauraunt.
and of course a berry tart, and a latte. (not pictured)
xx
japanese country style cuisine in taipei.
(a late post, but posted in respect for all those suffering in japan..)
the restaurant prepares daily dishes according to a set price. you have to call ahead to reserve and let them know what to prepare. we did NT1500/person, and this is what we had.
sashimi to start. ( this serves 6) cut thick, a little rough, but fresh nonetheless.
i don’t know how to describe this well, as i waited a little too long after eating to write about this.. from what i recall, it was daikon radish wrapped steamed rice/meats? whatever it was exactly, it was delicious. tons of flavors combined.
cast iron pot cooked crabs. the marinade with the crabs juices, mixed and cooked, made an AMAZING sauce at the bottom of the pot. i wanted to pour it over rice and eat it all.
hot stone cooked pork. brought to the table as seen, rare and seared, still needing a bit of cooking before we pick our pieces. served with lime wedges and tons of leek/green onion as accompaniment.
stone pot rice. it tasted like there were tomatoes in it, and also possibly the broth from the crab.. this was my favorite dish from the meal. they were all good, but this was GOOD. i ate 2 bowls. for me, this epitomized simple japanese country homestyle cooking.
to end the meal, a huge pot of soup, hung from a bamboo rod above a heating plate on the table. with greens, tofu, mushrooms. the clear veggie broth was stewed long hours before making into the final dish. clear, clean and flavorful.
a good hearty meal, on a cold winter day.
here’s the address: 台北市民生東路三段130巷18弄5號
click here! donate $5 to aid japan relief efforts, and have your donation matched.
xx
just weekends 