Don’t Bite – The Fifth Amendment Alehouse

It was a Wednesday evening, and I was looking for a spot to have some bevies with a friend. We decided to check out a new venue in Santa Monica called The Fifth Amendment Alehouse.

A tin foil wrapped basket with pretzels arrived with our beverages. This was a less than appetizing presentation but it’s a beer joint so our expectations were not too high. When we asked the bartender what the turkey sandwich, “made how mama used to make” was like, we were told to stick to the burgers and the top half of the menu. He also said not to bother ordering the expensive Kobe burger but to stick to the regular beef burger as it tastes just as good, at half the price. The menu was very weird with its odd selection of gourmet sausages, ostrich burgers, and venison burgers. No fries were listed anywhere, and after trying to order them, we were informed that the deep fat fryer was not installed yet so a stand alone burger was the only option. 

In addition, the service was horrendously slow. We must’ve waited nearly an hour for our spinach artichoke dip with pita chips to arrive. It was tasty enough but nothing special. We waited another 30+ minutes for our burger and cheese plate. I honestly think the bartender ran to Ralph’s to get the supermarket cheese plate which was massive and loaded with cubed sharp cheddar and some other unknown cheese.

On the flip side, if you are a draft beer drinker then you are in luck. The bar has a few different unique types that are not always available elsewhere. Despite these downfalls, the bartender was as accommodating as possible and apologized on multiple occasions for the wait times and disastrous menu options. My final thoughts on this alehouse are that they opened far too soon, with inadequate equipment and service capabilities, and that they might be better off keeping food to the basics and focusing on what they are good at – beer!

 www.pleadfifth.com 

129 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA

 

-Jean

Poppin' Bottles

It seems just yesterday that the world was facing Y2K, yet suddenly here we are, ten years later, staring 2010 directly in the face. In the last decade some of us have grown wiser, all of us have grown older, but none of us (or at least in our circle of friends) have grown tired of a good old fashioned get crazy and party like a rock star New Year’s Eve celebration. As a tribute to this time honored tradition, we created a list of a few of our favorite bottles of bubbly for that infamous midnight toast.

Budget Bubbles:

1. Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blancs ’04 $16.99

2. Dom Carneros Brut ’06 $19.99

3. Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label $28.99

Spendy Sparkles:

1. Moet & Chandon’s Dom Perignon ’00 $121.99

2. Louis Roederer’s Cristal Brut ’02 $199.99

3. Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rose ’98 $399.99

In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right!” Happy New Year!

-Jean & Katrina

Oysters on Ocean

It was a Sunday night at 5 pm and already dark. After hanging around my house for several hours, doing nothing in particular, I decided enough was enough! I needed to get out of the house. So I made a couple of phone calls and Voila! Dinner plans with a couple of girlfriends.

We decided to try out the recently opened Blue Plate Oysterette on Ocean Ave.   The original Blue Plate on Montana is a staple in my weekend breakfast repertoire, so I figured any place related would be a good bet. The Oysterette is also on my route to and from work, so I had been curious about this new, bustling restaurant for some time.

We got to the restaurant around 6 pm, and the bright and cheery space was practically full. (Yes, I am aware that eating dinner at 6 pm warrants serious senior status. But the Suns v. Lakers game was starting at 6:30 and I wanted to watch it!) We were seated at the last empty table at the very back of the restaurant, but it was still a comfortable booth and a great spot from which to check out the scene.

After our very energetic waitress came to greet us and explain the extensive selection of daily specials and types of oysters, we decided to start with a nice bottle of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc. As you may suspect, the wine list is dominated by whites, but there are also a few carefully selected reds to complement the mostly seafood menu. Since we were at the Oysterette after all, we decided to kick off the meal with a couple of Hog Island Sweetwater oysters. These were described to us by our peppy (and knowledgeable) waitress as a smaller and sweeter variety.  Upon ordering these, an elderly gentleman sitting at the table next to us commended our choice and proceeded to share that he had just returned from Hog Island. Turns out he was the father of the restaurant’s owner. Although my friends and I are fairly new to the world of oysters, the Hog Islands were great! The waitress’s description of the sweetness was spot on, and the small size of the oysters eliminated any brininess that might have been too ‘oceany’ for us novices.

After our oyster adventure, we went with the family style approach. We ordered two of the daily specials- an ahi tuna crudo and fried clams – and a lobster macaroni and cheese off of the regular menu. If there is macaroni and cheese on a menu, I order it. Period. The ahi came out first, and was served with thinly sliced avocado.  A faint hint of what seemed to be truffle oil at the beginning of each bite made the dish much more interesting and complex than I expected. I have eaten a lot of raw ahi dishes in my life, and I would definitely say this one was better than average.  The fried clams were up next and served with a lemony aioli. I was pleasantly surprised by my first tender bite. In the past, I have really only ordered fried clams from ‘seafood shack’ type places, so this gourmet version of the dish was an eye opener. The breading was light and coated the clams just enough to be perfectly crisp. The clams themselves had a brilliant, tender texture, not chewy as clams can sometimes be. I suspect this was due to more TLC and a shorter cooking time from a seasoned chef, rather than the usual extended hot oil bath on a greasy line.  The aioli accompaniment was tasty, but nothing I couldn’t live without.  The lobster macaroni and cheese was great. The amount of lobster in the bubbling cauldron was generous to say the least. The cheese sauce was just the right consistency to cling to each noodle. And the flavor of the cheeses was sharp enough to grab your attention but not to mask the taste of the fresh lobster.

‘Seafood and raw bar, and a few other American favorites,’ reads the tagline on the website. After my first experience at Blue Plate Oysterette, I definitely plan on returning (with Jean!) to try more items in all three of these categories. I wonder which kind of oyster I will try next…

http://blueplatesantamonica.com/bpo/home/

-Katrina

Thai Delights

Sawadee Kah! (Hello in Thai.)

Finally... I made it to the spectacularly beautiful country of Thailand. It has been at the top of my list of holiday destinations for years, but this, that and the other trip just kept getting in my way. There are so many places I want to see in this lifetime and Thailand for me was the cream of the crop.

After 23 hours of travel, my friend and I landed. What a spectacular country, full of culture and vivaciousness.

Of course, knowing me, I just had to take a Thai Cooking Course while I was there so we signed up for one in Chiang Mai. Boy, were we in for a treat. We started with demonstrations on every single dish from the Chef and then we prepared the exact same item at our individual cooking stations. Set in a beautiful outdoor setting on the outskirts of Chiang Mai city, the group full of all sorts of cultures was put to work at gas fired cooking stations to prepare some of the tastiest and most popular Thai dishes.

Upon my return to the US, after 7 days of American cuisine, I was craving some of the delicious foods I had devoured in Thailand and so proceeded to make a Thai Curry. It tasted just as good here as it did there.

 Thai Yellow Chicken Curry 

Ingredients:

10 oz. Chicken Breast - Thinly Sliced

1 c. Thick Coconut Milk*

1 c. Thin Coconut Milk*

1 tsp Curry Powder

4 tbsp Yellow Curry Paste

2 Medium Potatoes - Peeled & Cubed & Boiled for 5 minutes

2 tbsp Palm Sugar

3 tbsp Soy Sauce

* Note: to create Thick and Thin Coconut Milk place the canned coconut milk into the freezer for 15 minutes so that the thick cream rises to the top of the can.

Method:

Put the thick coconut milk into a wok and fry on high for 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously, until the coconut oil begins to separate out.

Add the yellow curry paste and the curry powder and fry for 1-2 minutes. Once the paste is cooked, add the chicken and potatoes and cook until the outside of the chicken turns white. Add the thin coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the palm sugar along the side of the wok until it melts and add the soy sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the chicken and potatoes are cooked.

 Khaw Hai Jarern Aharn. (Bon Appetit in Thai.)

- Jean

Holiday Cheer

Although I can’t believe it is December already, I am embracing it with open arms. The holidays have arrived! ‘Tis the season to be jolly! My mini 4’ white Christmas tree is up and the spruce scented candles are burning. In the spirit of the season, here are two wintertime recipes to keep you warm in the holiday spirit.

Every year growing up, my mom would make about six different types of Christmas cookies. Frosted, chocolaty, coated in confectioner’s sugar…etc., each was unique and different from the rest. Although these apricot cookies were not the first I reached for when I was younger, I always liked them, and over the years, they have slowly moved up the list. These days, they are sitting pretty in what I think will be a permanent seat in the top Christmas cookie spot.

Apricot Kolachek (makes 5 dozen)

Ingredients:

1 c. Margarine

8 oz. Cream Cheese

1 tbsp Sugar

2 c. Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Salt

1 can Solo Brand Apricot Filling*

*Solo Apricot Filling isn’t carried at all markets, but it is worth the extra effort to find it. Solo brand will not become liquid during baking and will stay on the cookies, where it belongs, much better than any other brand. After a quick internet search, I found it on Albertsons’ website.

Method:

Blend margarine, cream cheese, and sugar with a mixer. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, stir gently with a wooden spoon. Once combined, knead with your hands to form a stiff dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm (30 minutes or more). Preheat oven to 350°F. Working in batches, roll to ¼” thickness on a floured surface. Cut into rounds using a 2” circle cookie cutter. Place cookies on an un-greased cookie sheet and make a slight indentation on each circle with your thumb. Spoon ½ teaspoon of apricot filling in the center of each cookie. (Keep unbaked rounds refrigerated while first batches are baking.) Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cookies are just barely golden brown on the bottom. Cool on cooling rack.

Now for those of you who are interested in something with a little more holiday ‘cheer’ (if you know what I’m sayin’), this is a recipe that I think you will enjoy. This has been my go-to holiday cocktail for a few years and is great to enjoy over appetizers while waiting for Christmas dinner to be ready!

Spiked Cranberry Royales

Ingredients:

¾ c. Vodka

1 bottle Sparkling Wine or Champagne

½ can Cranberry Juice Concentrate (from the freezer section)

Method:

Let cranberry concentrate thaw for 10-15 minutes at room temperature until slightly soft. Add all ingredients to a pitcher and stir gently. (Don’t make the bubbly go flat with too much stirring!) Pour into festive glasses of your choice, and enjoy!

Now go rent National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, turn on that gas burning fireplace, and get to decking those halls!

-Katrina

Spuds

I just cannot begin to tell you about the love of a good auld spud us Irish have. Now you may think that this is stereotypical, but boy is it true - we are all simply stone mad for the potato over on the Green Isle. Chipped, fried, baked, roasted, steamed, whipped, mashed, chopped, grated, sliced, cubed, boiled, caked … we love 'em any which way we can get 'em. The more we can get, the more we will eat! They are served with lasagne, spaghetti, salad and more… and the add-ons are just limitless. Kerry Gold Irish Butter with a pinch of salt are the favourite local toppings, but as we all know the Americans love their sour cream, chives and bacon bits on top.

Being such a staple of the Irish diet for so many past generations, it is no surprise that our country fell to pieces many years ago during what was called the 'potato famine.' This historical tragedy is actually what led to the mass emigration to the US.

As a kid growing up in Ireland, I somehow managed to hate every single type of vegetable on earth. I refused profusely to eat anything even remotely plant related, but the potato was the one garden based species that I would allow near me and approved of to make an appearance on my plate. Although a potato is generally referred to as a vegetable, it is actually very high in starch and not a very good vegetable at all. I guess I really didn’t like any veggies after all, since a potato can hardly be considered a vegetable!

Through the years, I have kept this traditional love (or outlandish craving as you might call it) close to my heart (and mouth). To this day, I continue to share the spud in all its glory with everyone in my life… and so throughout our future entries, you will find the potato in numerous dishes and stories that we share with you. Try 'em, you'll love 'em.

-Jean

Will Walk for Food

My roommate likes to work out. As in, she goes to the gym at least four times a week. She even rides her bike to the gym. I wouldn’t say that I am opposed to working out. However, let’s just say that I do not belong to a gym (mostly due to the fact that I cannot afford a facility that I deem bacteria-free enough… but that is another story), and I am a horrible runner. This leaves me with a few options for exercise. I could hike (which I like to do on the weekends… Temescal, not Runyon), I could bike (but this seems rather risky to me, considering the percentage of bad drivers on the Los Angeles roads), or I could walk (ding ding ding!).

Since I am not an avid gym-rat, my roommate and I rarely get the chance to partake in any activity that causes our heart rates to rise together. So when I mention that I would like to go for a walk for fitness purposes, she generally agrees to join me. This was the case last night. Originally, the plan was to walk to the beach, cruise up the boardwalk, and maybe get a little crazy on the Montana Avenue stairs. But then someone threw out the idea of eating out, and our brilliant plan was born- why not walk to dinner!? After some discussion, we decided this was definitely the best idea ever and that we must be geniuses to have come up with it. Now, where to go? The restaurant had to be far enough away to warrant calling the walk ‘exercise.’ The cuisine also needed to be at least semi-healthy, because the whole point of combining the exercise and dinner experiences was to promote wellness. After tossing several ideas around and still having no solid destination in mind, we gave up and decided just to walk in a southwest direction. This would point us toward downtown Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade, with the option to continue on to Main Street.

There was some debate as to which street would be the most likely to have an eatery that met our criteria, but eventually we decided on Fourth Street. This turned out to be the second best idea of the night. We were covering ground quickly and beginning to lose hope of finding something in the Promenade area, when we passed a sign in a window. The sign read, “$3 tacos and half-off margaritas, 4 to 7 p.m.” Come again? It didn’t take much arm-twisting to get us in that door. We had arrived at our place of nourishment for the evening: Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s Border Grill.

We chose bar seats, since our attire was more appropriate for a Flirty Girl Fitness workout DVD than a dining room, after all. And I know I said we were trying to make healthy choices, but who can resist a $5 El Charro Reposado margarita? (Actually, after drinking mine, I think a better choice probably would have been a $4 house sangria or maybe a $5.50 mango Bacardi mojito. The margaritas were a bit sweet for both of our tastes.) Wanting to live on the edge, we ordered a jalapeño popper to start ($3). As a fun incentive to try the other poppers, the menu states, “If you can finish the first three (Fresno, jalapeño and serrano), then the habanero chile popper is on us!” We decided this was a little too intense for a Tuesday evening, but the idea was fun nonetheless. The popper was decent, although not especially spicy or exciting. We also tried a poblano quesadilla with Manchego, panela, and Cotija cheeses ($5). The flavors of the quesadilla, combined with the chipotle salsa were well matched, but again, not exceptional. Several bites tasted more like the flour tortilla than anything else. I guess that’s what happens when you pay $5 for a quesadilla.

The stars of the meal were definitely the Border Tacos. A taco platter lets you choose three tacos and is an even better bargain than advertised! You can choose any three tacos from the eight varieties (each made with a homemade corn tortilla) for just $8. I suppose we did add freshly mashed guacamole for $0.75, which brought our taco total to $8.75, but I’m still going to go with calling it a pretty good deal. Jaime, being a vegetarian- or pescatarian to be more specific- knew immediately that she wanted a grilled fish taco (with cucumber grapefruit citrus slaw and lime crema). This sounded nice and refreshing to me, so we went with two of these. There were a couple of other meatless options, but the fish seemed the most likely to please our palates. Thanks to a recommendation by the not-so-attentive bartender, I went with the adobo roasted lamb for the third. Although our guy seemed more interested in doing everything behind the bar besides helping us, I will say that I am happy I took his suggestion. The lamb was tender and flavorful, and the Manchego cheese and poblano chile added just the right accents without covering the flavor of the meat.

Overall, we felt the meal was a success. Even if we weren’t blown away by all of our selections, each item we tried was tasty and something we would eat again. It’s also hard to complain when the entire meal, including drinks and tip was under $20 each. After a short pep-talk, we were ready to take on the second leg of our workout, the walk home. Feeling content, but not over-full, the exactly one-mile walk was pleasant and energizing. And we both had the satisfaction of knowing that we walked two miles and discovered $3 tacos, all in one evening.

www.bordergrill.com

-Katrina

ChowBellas!

Chow, as in eat, Bellas, as in pretty young gals. ChowBellas.

 

Two eager, witty, fun loving foodivas.  One American, one Irish, with one passion. Worldwide travelers, avid cooks and enthusiastic tastemakers. After years of combined restaurant and hotel work, culinary and hotel management schooling, hours of kitchen experimenting and countless dining experiences, our forks have crossed and we are finally united. Obsessions encompassing menu design, devotion to trying new spots around town, entertaining, creating and sharing adventures and dabbling with any ingredient thrown our way have developed our palates into the women we are today.

 

Two inspired, bantering foodies, with a longing to share. Daily requests for suggestions as to where to eat, where to drink, what to cook, what to serve… questions pertaining to all things epicurean... have led us to create ChowBellas. An empty plate on which to share our opinions, thoughts, likes, dislikes, successes, failures, and any other concoction we may have relating to our appetites. 

 

Coming up with a name for our new endeavor was a challenging recipe in itself. It needed to be charming but not kitschy, relevant but not sterile, witty but not over the top, knowledgeable but without pretense. These morsels are our daily life stories on paper; our love for food in written form to be served to our friends and strangers alike. We hope you enjoy sharing these bites with us and truly look forward to our journey ahead.

Chow,  

Jean & Katrina