Weekend Getaways: Brophy Bros

Perched atop the Santa Barbara harbor, Brophy Bros is one of the classic seafood restaurants that the coastal city has to offer. Whether you choose to slurp back oyster shooters at the bar, take a date on the balcony, or settle into one of the large tables in the raucous dining area, the restaurant is a must-see when you visit the area. 

While I was a student at UCSB, I took my parents here, stopped by with friends for an indulgent meal, and even had my first date with Quinn overlooking the wharf. Brophy Bros has won every Best Seafood Restaurant and Best Clam Chowder in Santa Barbara from the Santa Barbara Independent and News Press for the past 22 years -- no small feat. I decided to venture back for the clam chowder alone.

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Healthy Eats: M Street Kitchen

Since I moved into my own apartment a few months ago, my mom and I try to see a movie or have dinner once a week to play catch up. It's been fun to explore Santa Monica for new restaurants to try, especially with so many Californian cuisine options. Westside locals are hot for anything organic, vegan or diet friendly, and M Street Kitchen is no exception.

At the edge of the oh-so-hip Main Street just minutes from my apartment, M Street Kitchen has heated outdoor seating and a cozy, layered indoor area. Our sinewy, dread-locked waiter had to have been a model and paid the utmost attention to us despite the place being packed. I had a glass of the riesling (my standby) and my mom found a jazzed-up version of her favorite drink, "Shakin' Lemonade": ketel one, lemonade, and rosemary served in a jar (how very LA).

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Top Chef Potluck: Chipotle Shrimp Tacos w/ Mango Avocado Salsa

A few weeks ago, my friends and I got together for another Top Chef Potluck. Instead of choosing our best recipe, we opted to take the competition a step further and compete with a main ingredient. We chose avocados, and set out to determine who made the most delicious and original meal. From Sam's "Bacamole" to Heruy's Ribeye Fiesta to Ted's Cholcolate Avacado Mousse (newly dubbed "Quetzalcoatl's Pre-Columbian Dessert Deluxxe Flavor Exxplosion"), our work was cut out for us. My submission?

 

Ever since a disastrous attempt at making grilled sole for Quinn when I first started teaching myself how to cook, I've been a little intimidated by seafood. (We found out the fish had gone bad, so the putrid smell was not, in fact, my fault.) I considered many options centered around avocado -- a Santa Fe Chicken Pizza,  hand-rolled sushi, grilled Cuban chicken with a pomegranite guacamole -- but I knew I had to make one of my favorite dishes, chipotle shrimp tacos! I have to credit Quinn (as usual) for the mango-avocado salsa. He and his mom make it for many of their Sunday dinners, and after one taste I was hooked! Despite my seafood qualms, I tackled shrimp with the determination to make perfectly tender morsels for the competition.

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Iron Chef Potluck #1, Volume 2: Burgundy Beef Stew & Salmon Diane with Creamy Polenta

Next up on our potluck menu was Sam's Burgundy Beef Stew. It took some of the most prep work, with Sam chopping up onions, potatoes, carrots, and zesting oranges. He browned pounds of hearty stew meat and let an entire bottle of burgundy wine cook for an hour before adding the vegetables. The orange zest and a pinch of sugar were added "to balance out the acid in the wine", and the entire stew simmered for several hours before consumption. Topped with a horseradish sour cream, the result was a rich and tangy stew that I slurped down with glee!

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Sunday Seafood Paella

As the Santa Monica fog rolls in, I'll try to keep myself optimistic about the weather by reflecting on the freak-summer we had this past weekend. Sunday nights are often dinner at Quinn's house, where his mother Mado spends most of her day concocting something thoroughly delectable for the family (and sometimes me). I look forward to her meals every week, having sampled such dishes as grilled shrimp & fish tacos, red & black mole enchiladas and grilled Alaskan salmon with mango salsa and a chipotle sauce.

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Benihana Birthday

This is my little brother. Universally lauded as the coolest kid ever, Louis turned 11 on February 21st. Such a milestone was celebrated at one of his favorite restaurants,  a title earned by their pyrotechnics and food-as-entertainment schtick -- the one and only, Benihana. Last year, I had not yet fully come to appreciate Japanese cuisine as I do now (more sushi please), so I was looking forward to trying something brand new.

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How The Mighty Lobster Falls

As a preschooler, I was the little girl who was off talking to myself during recess, whispered to Christmas trees and cried when we couldn’t take the wilted, lonesome ones home with us a-la Charlie Brown, and befriended animals. One night at a local seafood joint with my mom, I encountered a lone crustacean in the tank next to our booth, only to discover that he was to be plucked from his prison to be boiled alive and served with butter. Combine that lovely, somewhat traumatic story with the extra cash it takes to order a lobster dinner and you might understand why I’ve never cracked one open myself! That is, until Thursday.

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