mon délicieux vie

new home.

2009-09-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

new home.

http://fumipuriri.blogspot.com/

Kiss My Bundt

2009-09-02T01:24:00.000-07:00

Randomly drove by Kiss My Bundt on 3rd St.

With 30 minutes to kill before dinner reservations,

we tried 2 mini bundt cakes which were just perfect.

Not overly sweet (even the frosting), moist & dense yet fluffy.

The generous-sized mini bundts were also reasonable at $2.50.

I have long been a fan of bundt cakes,

but didn't know there was a bakery that specialized in it.

Such a great find!

Exterior.

Interior.

Mini German Chocolate Bundt.

Mini Carrot Bundt.

Daiwa Sushi

2009-08-25T14:18:00.001-07:00

Everytime I go to Tsukiji,

eating at Daiwa Sushi (大和寿司) is a must.

For 3,500 yen, you can get the Omakase set.

Which is the BEST deal for high-quality & fresh sushi.

(NOTE: Get there early, they close at 1:30PM)

Got there when they opened, 5:30AM.

Heaven.

Tsukiji Fish Market

2009-08-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite places to visit in Tokyo is Tsukiji.

It is the largest fish & seafood wholesale market in the world.

Most of the action takes place in the early morning

(like 4 to 5AM early).

Inner Market.

Freshest fish and seafood.

Tuna.

If you're there before 5:30AM, you can catch the tuna auctions.

Where the public buys their seafood. (Outer market)

Tsukiji is a MUST VISIT when in Tokyo!

JR

2009-08-19T00:39:00.001-07:00

Who is Zion rushing to meet?

Its his best friend, JR!

Tackling.

Getting tired...

Too cute!

Bumbu Bali

2009-08-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

In Bali, we ate at Bumbu Bali two nights in a row.

Sates, Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng, Ayam Betutu...

authentic Balinese cuisine in a beautiful outdoor setting.

Bali

2009-08-06T21:50:00.000-07:00

Went to Bali for the first time in May.
Bali statues.

Local streets of Bali.

Stayed at the Westin Resort Nusa Dua.

Nusa Dua Beach.

We were blessed with beautiful weather & blue skies.

Lots of pretty flowers.

Relaxed at the pool and did nothing. Fab.

Tropical.

Fed squirrels.

The beaches were pretty empty.

I miss it!

August

2009-08-05T14:19:00.001-07:00

Finally feels like summer in Southern CA!

Pate-Ya & Engawa Cafe

2009-08-01T23:24:00.000-07:00

Pate-Ya (Pate屋) in Denenchoufu

is a small shop that specializes in homemade pâtés and cheeses.

It opened in 1973 in the chef's home.

The house is surrounded by beautiful greenery and is so peaceful.

Next to the store is a cafe called Engawa (えんがわ)

where you can eat their pâtés.

Entrance to the shop.

Two pâtés and a fresh chesse lunch plate.

Loved the retro interior.

Doremi of Tokyo

2009-07-28T22:19:00.000-07:00

I was never a fan of teppanyaki,

until Doremi (どれ味オブ東京) in Ginza.

This is the 'Captain' or the owner, Mr. Hirano.

He is super entertaining and so is his blog.

This is the Panko Garlic Buttered Scallops. YUM.

(帆立のパン粉焼ガーリック風味)

This is like a Bruschetta, except with White Fish.

(白身魚のプロヴァンス風)

Beef Steak with Foie Gras and Dried Mango Slices.

(牛フィレ肉とフォアグラの蒲焼ソース仕立て)

One of my favorite dishes. Genious.

This one... is hard to explain but a MUST eat.

Oyster, Pork Cheek, Monja Flakes with Truffle Oil.

(魂のワンスプーン)

Never had anything like it...

Herbed Lobster.

(オマール海老のアクアパッツァ)

Skilled Mayo-squirter.

Supposedly, they were the first to do this.

Doremi-Yaki (どれ味焼き), what they are known for.
Its their version of the Okonomiyaki,
except they don't use any flour in the batter.
Instead they only use Yamaimo. Delicious.

One of the best I've had!

Restaurant Sant Pau Tokyo

2009-07-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

Since I first read about Chef Carme Ruscalleda

and seeing her amazing culinary creations,

her restaurant Sant Pau has long been on my to-go list.

The original Sant Pau is located in Catalonia, Spain

which received 3 Michelin stars in 2006.

(Spain's 5th 3-Michelin star restaurant)

Sant Pau Tokyo opened in 2004 and has 2-Michelin stars.

She became a chef in her 30's, which is very rare.

Finally got a chance to eat at Sant Pau Tokyo

for my birthday lunch date.

Interior.

The Micro-Menu changes every month.
(June's monthly theme was "flowers")
Hand-drawn menus are placed at each seat.

Dessert menu with descriptions.

The course was simply amazing.
Definitely one of the best culinary experiences I've had.
Each dish was presented beautifully and
the taste was unpredictable, unique and pleasantly surprising.
Thank you D!

Salton Sea

2009-03-31T00:16:00.001-07:00

On the drive home from Sedona,

we took a detour to the Salton Sea.

Didn't even know of its existance until then.

It was an interesting stop.

WBC Finals

2009-03-25T02:02:00.000-07:00

WBC Finals 2009: JAPAN vs KOREA

Japan wins 5-3!!!

SO worth sitting through major traffic,

a 10 inning 4 hour game

and losing my voice.

おめでとう！

March 16

2009-03-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

"Soul Search"

2009-03-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

Went to Sedona, Arizona last month on a

so-called "soul search" road trip.

Woke up early to see the sunrise from Airport Mesa.

Got lost. Asked a kind old man for directions.
He recommended us to visit the Palatki Ruins.
Drove through miles of road-less desert.
Totally worth the trip.

Blue sky.

Blue and Red contrast.

View from inside the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Chapel built between the rocks.

On a side note,

the only McDonald's in Sedona had a turquoise arch.

Looked it up to find, its the only one in the world.

Aloha Oahu

2009-03-12T23:52:00.000-07:00

A brief recap of my Hawaii trip from December.

Besides being in pain from the marathon,

Woke up to this every morning.

Heaven.

Sipped on Pineapple and Guava Juice.
Asked the waiter if it was fresh squeezed... to hear
"Actually, its from Dole!"

Saw some amazing, old trees.

Played tourist and visited the Dole Plantation.

Learned that Pineapples grew like this.

Got ripped off for paying $5 for this Pineapple ice cream.

Dole Plantation is highly over-rated.

Ate the "#1 Loco-Moco on Waikiki"

... not too sure about that.

Waikiki Beach.

I miss it...

1/4 into 2009

2009-03-11T00:54:00.000-07:00

LONG time no blog... and already March.
Quick update on 2009.

Zion turned 1. Yay!

Successfully baked cookies for Valentines.
First time ever in 25 years.

Went to Sin City.
A whopping three times in 2 months... Viva.

Finally welcomed back my bestest.
Celebrated with a burger in Laguna Beach.

Enjoyed beautiful sunsets on my drive home.

I should update more often...

Honolulu Marathon

2008-12-18T01:31:00.000-08:00

Completed my first full marathon.
(Probably my last...)

Although it was a rainy and extremely painful 26 miles,

it was all worth it. Great experience.

(atleast once in a lifetime!)

CHANGE

2008-11-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

Voted for the first time.

Witnessed history.

Yes, We Can

Dry Sunset

2008-10-15T21:21:00.000-07:00

Cheese

2008-10-13T16:19:00.001-07:00

I love cheese. I love specialty shops.

So I loved The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.

They also have a variety of cured meats,

oils, salts and wines.

Laguna Beach Sunday

2008-10-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

Beautiful

2008-09-28T22:53:00.000-07:00

LA Galaxy

2008-09-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

LA Galaxy vs DC United.

Won 5-2!

Its crazy how FULL the stadium gets post-Beckham...

and how parking can increase from $5 to $15.

Angels

2008-09-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

Angels vs Mariners.

Won 5-2.

Growing up in Orange County,

they will always be the ANAHEIM Angels.

Sat right behind the always streching Ichiro.

Musha

2008-09-06T18:03:00.000-07:00

Musha in Torrance

serves Japanese-style Tapas (Izakaya).

Since its always packed,

its best to make reservations.

Cheese Risotto.

(Served in a huge Parmigiano-Reggiano)

French bread Seafood Gratin.

Cheese Tofu & Honey.

(My favorite!)

Ebi-Mayo.

Negi Toro (tuna) Cutlet.

Ei-hire (Stingray Fins).

Sushi Shibucho

2008-08-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

Sushi Shibucho in Costa Mesa

is a traditional Sushi Bar that is family operated.

Out of the fresh selection of fish,

the Uni (Sea Urchin) was especially delicious.

Outisde.

mmm...

Aji (Spanish Mackeral) & Uni (Sea Urchin)
are probably my top two favorites.

Tamago (Egg Omelet).

Happy Zion

2008-08-21T22:10:00.000-07:00

Enjoying his daily walks.

Summer Sky

2008-08-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

Southern California has been blessed with

perfect weather this summer.

Pasta Genovese

2008-07-28T20:31:00.000-07:00

Pasta Genovese & Asparagus Potage.

Added tomatoes & buffalo mozzarella.
Caprese-style.

Sky

2008-07-14T22:19:00.000-07:00

Dazzle

2008-07-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Dazzle inside the Mikimoto Ginza Building.

They have an amazing 4-story wine cellar.

Ordered the summer dinner course.

Both the atmosphere & food was excellent.

My favorite dish was the risotto... and dessert!

Interior.

Wine Cellar.

Kumamoto Oyster.

Appetizer: Lobster Rolls.

Beet Risotto with Asparagus & Uni.

Main: White Fish in a Vegetable Soup.

Fondant Chocolat.

Ume no Hana

2008-07-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

Ume no Hana is a tofu and yuba restaurant.

Had their lunch course. Delicious.

Crazy how soy beans can transform in so many ways.

Creamy Tofu with miso. (Not a part of the course)

Yudofu.

Yuba sashimi.

Nama-fu Dengaku.

Ganmodoki.

Unagi Gohan.

Paris S'eveille

2008-07-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite cake shops that I've blogged about before,
Paris S'eveille.

You can never make a bad decision here.

21_21 Design Sight

2008-07-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

The 21_21 Design Sight at Tokyo Midtown

had an exhibition directed by designer Issey Miyake.

It was interesting... very futuristic.

Tokyo Midtown

2008-07-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi.

Although its in the middle of Tokyo,

the use of Bamboo and water makes it quite serene.

Motoyama Milk Bar

2008-07-03T01:49:00.000-07:00

Afternoon dessert at Motoyama Milk Bar in Roppongi Hills.

The soft serve ice cream used for their parfait

was super milky and rich. Fab.

The white & hot pink interior is cute too.

Hiroshima

2008-07-01T23:28:00.000-07:00

Went to Hiroshima to see the Atomic Bomb Dome.

peace.

à la campagne

2008-06-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

I love Fruit Tarts.

à la campagne in select department stores

is one of my favorite take-home tart shops in Japan.

Just can't resist...

Tokyo Derby

2008-06-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

Went to my first Horse Race on June 1st

Tokyo Derby at the Tokyo Race Tracks. HUGE.

Apparently 120,000 people came.

It was actually very entertaining. Lots of kids too.

AW Kitchen

2008-06-27T17:54:00.001-07:00

Lunch at Pasta House AW Kitchen figlia in Aoyama.

They were having a "Tomato Fest" for the summer.

This place met all of my expectations and more.

(NOTE: the dishes were separated into 3 servings)

Exterior.

Interior.

Tomato sauce.

Baby Corn Gnocchi.

Asparagus Carbonara.

(that creamy foam was fantastic)

Chilled Shrimp Pasta with Ikura.

Fruits and Tomato compote with Yogurt Sorbet.

Tomato Brownie with Tomato Sorbet.

Back

2008-06-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

Back from Japan

More updates to follow...

Countdown

2008-05-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

'til my Japan trip has begun.

Sunday Lunch

2008-05-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

Mentaiko Pasta with Squid.

Delicious and SO easy to make.

Freshly Baked

2008-05-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

Onion Cheese Bread.

Hand made by my super mom.

Old Vine Cafe

2008-05-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

Finally got to try Old Vine Cafe for dinner.

Its a nice restaurant with a cozy atmosphere,

friendly waiters and great food & wine!

Caprese of Mozarella Buratta.

BEST Mozarella I've had. Ever.

Worth the trip just for this!

Crispy Blue Salad.
Good, but a bit too "fried" for a salad.

Sauteed Sea Scallops.

Perfect.

Handmade Fettuccini Pomodoro.

Pasta was good (handmade daily)
but the sauce was a bit plain...

Spanish-style Creme Brulee.

Santa Monica

2008-05-12T21:59:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T21:48:00.000-07:00

Kodomo no Hi

2008-05-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

In Japan, May 5th is "Kodomo no Hi" (Children's Day).

My mom made salmon nigiri. Fabulous.

Buddies

2008-04-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

Zion's friend, Xabi.

Super Natural Cooking

2008-04-22T22:52:00.000-07:00

Current Read:

Super Natural Cooking

By Heidi Swanson

Cafe Blanc

2008-04-20T00:20:00.000-07:00

Teatime at Cafe Blanc.

I ordered a Double Chocolate Mousse.

Tried their Macaron... didn't meet my expectations.

Wink

2008-04-18T02:09:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2008-04-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today was my childhood friend & fellow blogger, Lina's birthday.

Her friend sent her an edible arrangement

of chocolate covered strawberries,

which I got to eat! Yum!

Happy Birthday!!

Belle Rose

2008-04-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

Roses are in full-bloom in our garden.

I love the scent of roses.

Looks lovely too.

Sushi Mimi

2008-04-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

To satisfy my Uni (Sea Urchin) craving,

I went to Sushi Mimi for their Kaisen Don.

They have very generous Uni portions.

Debut

2008-04-10T23:42:00.000-07:00

Zion made his debut at a local dog park.

Curious.

The Dog Park was really nice.

Smile!

Exhausted.

Sunset

2008-04-09T23:54:00.000-07:00

Insalata Caprese

2008-04-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

I love it.

Not only does it taste good, its so easy to prepare.

Learned something new today:

Caprese=Salad in the style of Capri.

Old Vine Cafe

2008-04-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

Went to the Old Vine Cafe for brunch.

Its a nice, small open cafe with a great patio.

Their brunch dishes were excellent.

Perfect portion and not overly sweet.

Caramel Apple French Toast.

Banana Pecan Crepe.

Walk

2008-04-04T00:19:00.000-07:00

Chaya Brasserie

2008-04-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

Chaya Brasserie San Francisco for Happy Hour.

Go a little early to get a seat by the window

for a fantastic view of the Bay Bridge.

They have really good cocktails too!

Eyes

2008-03-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

Zion has Bluish Gray eyes.

Tokyo Night

2008-03-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

A lounge I went to was playing this

(or something similar)

which made me miss Japan...

Playtime

2008-03-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

Sunny Sunday

2008-03-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

Zion chilling while I got a car wash.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Short Cake my Mom made.

Happy Easter!

Sleepy

2008-03-21T01:55:00.001-07:00

Zion loves to sleep.

Sapphire Laguna

2008-03-21T01:39:00.000-07:00

For my Mom's birthday we went to brunch at

Sapphire Laguna.

Beautiful weather & a view of Laguna Beach...

perfect.

Former "Pottery Shack"

"The Brunch Box"
Wasn't impressed with this one.
The presentation wasn't too great either.

"Sauteed Jumbo Shrimp"
With their handmade Spinach Ricotta pasta,
delicious.

"Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Ginger Compote"
The pancakes were too salty...

"3 types of Creme Brulee"
Yum!

Zion

2008-03-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

Introducing the newest member of the family,

Zion!

Mom

2008-03-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

Wine Chandelier

2008-03-13T00:51:00.000-07:00

Chandelier made from empty wine bottles.

Fantastic idea.

War & Peace

2008-03-11T00:02:00.000-07:00

Shing02 & Nujabes "Luv Sic part 2"

Gave me a new perspective to this song.

One song, infinite impressions.

Street Shots

2008-03-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

Runaway Parakeets

2008-03-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

There were tons of Parakeets at a local park.

Interesting sight.

Cav Winebar

2008-03-08T19:25:00.000-08:00

Cav Wine Bar & Kitchen in San Francisco.

Really good wine and cheese selection.

Tartine Bakery

2008-03-05T22:43:00.000-08:00

My friend took me to Tartine Bakery in the Mission.

The never-ending line of people (half outside)was impressive,

considering all the other cafe selections near by.

The bread pudding seemed to be really popular,

but I opted for the Kumquat Fromage Mousse.

(Kumquat sauce, Cheese mousse & thin Pistachio crust)

Light and very refreshing.

P.s. My friend had the Chocolate Mousse. SO good.

Brunch at Boogaloos

2008-03-04T23:01:00.000-08:00

Boogaloos located in the Mission.

Funky & urban,

the food was a mixture of Mexican & American.

Huevos Ranchero.

El V's Chorizo.

Chorizo Hash.

Spring

2008-03-04T00:51:00.000-08:00

Spring is right around the corner.

Beautiful flowers will be in full-bloom!

San Francisco...

2008-03-03T18:00:00.000-08:00

... was fantastic as usual.

Sunny, warm, clear blue skies, clean air

and great food & company.

more updates to follow...

Sashimi Night

2008-02-28T01:55:00.000-08:00

The reason I will never become Vegetarian...

I love Sashimi. I love Sushi.

Can never get enough raw fish!

Jin Patisserie

2008-02-25T22:22:00.000-08:00

Jin Patisserie in Venice Beach for afternoon tea.

Or for cake, chocolates and macarons.

Their garden patio is nice & cozy but small.

Reservations recommended.

New Twist

2008-02-21T13:29:00.000-08:00

Now a fan of:

Sunset

2008-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Rainy sunset.

Next Week

2008-02-19T01:32:00.000-08:00

I will be in my favorite

SAN FRANCISCO

yay!

a little late...

2008-02-15T01:09:00.000-08:00

...but

Happy Valentine's Day!

February

2008-02-12T23:53:00.000-08:00

While the rest of the world is freezing,

Southern CA has been nice and sunny. Lovely.

Hey Mama

2008-02-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

In-n-Out

2008-02-11T23:34:00.000-08:00

Not a fan of fast food,

but In-n-Out Burger is an exception.

China Garden

2008-02-11T23:09:00.000-08:00

Dim Sum at China Garden in Irvine.

Go early or way late to avoid the wait.
But don't be too late, Dim Sum ends at 2:30.

Reminiscing

2008-02-09T01:45:00.000-08:00

There will always be sunshine after the rain.

Ding's Garden

2008-02-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

For great noodles, dumplings & pig's ear

visit Ding's Garden in Rowland Heights.

Great way to fill an empty stomach after snowboarding.

Snowboarding 2

2008-02-03T17:26:00.001-08:00

More rain=more snow at our local mountains.

Although the snow & weather was better last time,

it was still an enjoyable day of snowboarding.

Yes. We. Can.

2008-02-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

Dad

2008-01-30T22:11:00.000-08:00

My Dad turns a year older today.

Happy Birthday!!

"Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it"

-Confucius

Melrose Dogs

2008-01-30T00:50:00.000-08:00

Sunbathing dogs on Melrose.

Too cute.

Gonpachi Beverly Hills

2008-01-30T00:02:00.000-08:00

Gonpachi Beverly Hills

is a relatively new restaurant on La Cienega.

The garden, interior and design is impressive.

Food is good too.

I recommend their Soba & Sumiyaki.

Spot this sign from La Cienega.

Garden.

Garden View from the Bar.

Teuchi Soba. (Handmade buckwheat noodles)
A must try.

Sake-gria. YUM.

Salad with Fried Tofu (yuba).

Beef Tataki.

Beef Carpaccio.

(I thought it was too salty)

Futomaki.

Fondant Chocolat.

Pumpkin Zenzai (Red Bean Soup) with Shiratama.

Pleasant surprise. Never had anything like it.

Din Tai Fung Arcadia

2008-01-29T23:46:00.000-08:00

The new Din Tai Fung in Arcadia.

Much modern than the old one,

which is just one plaza away.

Crab Dumplings.

Shrimp Fried Rice.

Sauteed Spinach.

Rodeo Drive

2008-01-29T00:17:00.000-08:00

Deserted Rodeo Drive due to the rain.

Snowboarding

2008-01-28T23:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the big storm in southern CA,

even our local mountains got a lot of snow.

Mountain High. Fresh powder.

Yay!