Umami Went China I

Back in 2005, Umami went with his sister on the trip to adopt his niece.  It was quite the adventure!  Part of the fun, was trying Chinese-Chinese food, which is different from local Chinese food.  These little guys were the most fun food on the trip.   Basically, it's manapua dough shaped into little buns.   You can order the steamed or baked.   But when you get them together, they're "silver and gold buns."   Supposedly a special occasion type food.   Comes with a condensed milk and sugar glaze (at upper right), that finishes it off perfectly.  This was one of Susan's favorites too.   When we got back from Xi'an, we made a point of getting more of these--only the baked ones!   Umami had forgotten about these, but now is on the hunt for them again, so if anyone knows someplace that makes these here, please tell!

Lake View Hotel Nanchang
33 Hong Du North Big Road
Nanchang, Jiangxi, P. R. China

Hawaii Five-0 - Zippy's!

Umami's had an interesting day.  For one, work was challenging . . . one of those days when he was conceding a fight (because he doesn't need to win it), but someone else wanted to keep going.  Plus, he had to have blood drawn prior to his check up, and Umami hates, hates, hates needles!  Plus, Dr. Lois will be sure to suggest more diet and exercise, which Umami hates almost as much as needles.  Plus, it was a Monday.  And he can't even watch Monday Night Football, because it starts at 2:30 in Hawaii!.

But at least Hawaii 5-0 (2010), Ep. 2 was on.  And, since he'd already had blood drawn, Umami's free to eat whatever he likes for another couple of months!  So laziness led to Zippy's for a Chili Chicken Mixed Plate.    So Umami hunkered down before the tube to watch Grace ("Kono") Park.

Anyway, Zippy's is sort of the plate lunch equivalent of McDonalds insofar as each location can be counted to produce food identical to any other.  In this case, two pieces fried chicken which are reliably crispy, with a salty, well seasoned skin.  Two scoops white rice, which are reliably sticky, in true local style.  Mac salad, with lots of mayonnaise.  And their "famous" chili, also, allegedly, with mayonnaise.  Umami can see how adding some mayo would work, adding fat, and rendering it thicker than a typical chili.  There's no heat, though, so Umami always has to add Tabasco.

In the end, Grace ("Kono") got to kick some ass, but get put in jeopardy again.  Honestly, the writers better let her rescue the dudes once in a while, or she'll be no better than Robin-the-Boy-Hostage.


And Umami blew through the entire plate, carbs, fried food, mayo, with no trouble at all.  Dr. Lois would be so proud!

Zippy's - Koko Marina

Koko Marina Shopping Center

7192 Kalanianaole Highway

Honolulu, HI 96825
(808) 396-6977

Umami's Been Preoccupied

Sorry, sports fans, for the lack of posts recently.  Umami's got some stuff going on with work and family that has him knocked a little off center, but he'll have to level up and deal with it and once that happens, can get back on track.  After all, he still has to finish of the Vegas posts (only two more to go!)!

In the meantime, here's a pic of Umami's neighbor, Totoro, and a li hing lemon drop.  No particular reason . . . just because!

Umami Goes Vegas (2010): Day 4: Bouchon

A couple of years ago, Umama saw a poster proclaiming that Bouchon had been voted "the Best Breakfast in Las Vegas!" Intrigued, we went to check it out. Umama had a long discussion with the (patient) waitress:

U: How are the Sourdough waffles?

W: They're very good; they're one of my favorite items on the menu.

U: Is it a very sour sourdough? I don't like it really sour.

W: No, it's not very sour, it's actually rather light.

U: Because I don't like it too sour. It's too much.

W: No, no, it's really very light.

U: Hmm. Okay, I'll try it. As long as it's not too sour.

That's actually the condensed version! The Sourdough Waffles in question come with strawberries, maple syrup & Tahitian vanilla bean butter ($12). They were, as promised, not too sour and were, in fact, light and really good. Umama must have thought so too, because she blew through the plate in no time and now orders it every time she's in Vegas! Of course, she now engages the waiter/waitress in discussion over whether she can get bananas instead of strawberries (sometimes she can), but let's not go into that.

This trip to Bouchon for breakfast ran true to form: Sourdough Waffles, though no bananas this time, again excellent.

Umami is a little more varied in approach. He's tried, on various occasions, the Croque Madame ($19 - toasted ham & cheese on brioche with a fried egg & mornay sauce, pommes frites), the Quiche du Jour ($13.50); and, on this occasion, the Salmon Baguette ($16 - Smoked salmon with a petite baguette, chive cream cheese, red onion, tomato & capers). All uniformly excellent!

However, when the plate arrived, Umami realized that he doesn't quite know how to eat this. Are the meant to be eaten individually, like a pupu platter? Or, make a salmon salad, with baguette and butter? Make a giant po'boy out of it? Make a giant po'boy out of it?

In the end, Umami made little open face sandwiches, with slices of baguette, spread with cream cheese, then, salmon, tomato, capers. It turned out to be quite labor intensive (which leads Umami to believe that that might not have been the way to go)!

Oh, and we had a side order of County Bacon ($5)!  Talk about decadent!

It's a great spot of and for breakfast, a clean, well-lighted place, with an airy view, quiet as New Orleans on Ash Wednesday morning, with superb food and staff.  It's good for you.

Bouchon
The Venetian Resort-Hotel-CasinoVenezia Tower (to the right as you face the registration desk)
3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.414.6200
Reservations can also be made online through OPEN TABLE.

Who Reads Umami?

Blogger provides some basic stats for blogs it hosts. This one is kind of fun, it shows the number of pageviews by country. 790 total seems like a lot, but these are only pageviews, not viewers.

Still, although it's not surprising that most views come from the US, Umami is at a loss to figure who in, say, Latvia, has found his or her way over here.  And what does he or she make of such things as Green Tea Cocoa Puffs and Hash Tempura?  Kind of neat!

Pageviews by Countries

United States 743 Canada 24 Denmark 9 United Kingdom 5 China 2 Malaysia 2 Brazil 1 Germany 1 Latvia 1 Netherlands 1

Green Tea Cocoa Puff

One of the staff was leaving the office for another job and, on her last day, she brought in boxes and boxes of goodies, pastries, manapua, and combinations thereof.  It's a funny, but nice, thing that, in Hawaii, people who leave will bring in things as thank you's to those they are leaving.  But, in an office of any size at all, there are always comings and goings, and the snack counter can get to be formidable!

This particular goodie happens to be a Green Tea Cocoa Puff from Liliha Bakery.  Umami's grandmother lived near Liliha Bakery, so the family would get pastries there, or eat there occasionally.  Now, the only contact he has with it is when people bring in Cocoa Puffs.

This, however, isn't a Cocoa Puff; the Green Tea version has the same basic choux puff, but instead of the chocolate pudding filling and chantilly frosting, it has a green tea flavored chantilly frosting and filling!  Note:  Hawaii Chantilly frosting is not the same thing as Chantilly creme, which is vanilla sweetened whipped cream.  No.  Hawaii Chantilly frosting is basically a German Chocolate Cake frosting minus the coconut and nuts, and plus lots and lots of egg yolks and butter!

It so happens that Ms. D loves the combination of butter and sugar, so a Chantilly (HI) frosting is possibly her most perfect food.  But, she also loves green tea flavorings!  So, suffice to say, she loves these puffs!

Umami, on the other hand, likes the cocoa puffs for the chocolate pudding, not the chantilly, which is odd since he does like buttercream.  Go figure!  He also thinks green tea as a flavor is kind of played, like li hing flavoring is.  So a green tea flavored chantilly frosting and filling is a bit too much for him.  Which is not to say that he dislikes the puff, it's fine.  He just likes the chocolate version better!  Fortunately, Liliha Bakery makes both kinds!

P.S.  their pancakes are sensational . . . !

Liliha Bakery

515 North Kuakini Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 531-1651

Umami Goes Vegas (2010): Day 3: Carson Street Cafe

Day 3 was moving day, as Umami relocated from the Golden Nugget to the Paris, so a light breakfast was in order.  This is the egg white frittata, with basil, tomato, mushrooms and what was supposed to be a nicely browned layer of swiss cheese.  They didn't quite get the cheese to brown, and there's a bit too much of it anyway.  Good thing Umami went for egg white instead of whole egg!  Big cup of coffee, some toast, good to go!


Carson Street Cafe
Golden Nugget
129 East Fremont Street
Las Vegas, NV  89101

Umami Goes Vegas (2010): Day 2: Pasta Pirate

The high-end restaurant in the California Hotel Casino is the Redwood Bar & Grill, which is a basic steakhouse, but nice enough.  The basic hotel cafe is the Market Street Cafe.  In between the two is Pasta Pirate, which is oddly named for an Italian/Steak/Seafood restaurant in a hotel that tilts decidedly to an Island theme.  It's dark, small, and has a very visible chef's station, which is neat, though you can't see too much of what they're doing from the tables.

It turns out that they make a pretty decent pasta.  Umami really was trying not to go berserk with the red meats, cream sauces, and excessive carbs, so this is the Herb Chicken ($14), an 8 oz. nicely grilled chicken breast (had a little bit of char on it . . . nice!) on a bed of linguine tossed with garlic and oil, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms.  Perfectly adequate, but Umami's thinking he should have gone for steak instead.

Pasta Pirate

California Hotel Casino

12 East Ogden Avenue

Las Vegas, NV  89101  

Umami Goes Vegas (2010): Day 2: Triple Seven Brew Pub

After a very filling Aloha Breakfast at Aloha Specialties, one really cannot eat very much for, oh, at least a day.  But, given the amount of salt in that breakfast, and after a morning of investing money at various casinos in the area, Umami wasn't very hungry, but was thirsty and so was willing to walk over to Main Street Station to check out the Triple Seven Restaurant and Microbrewery.  This is big, high ceilinged room just off the casino floor, with lots of tables and a long bar.


Lunch was a tall glass of Leilani's Mango Cream Ale.  It's apparently an annual summer special.  It has very slight mango flavor, but is not overly sweet.  Good beer.


Umami sat the bar, a couple of stools down from a person of sketchy appearance.  Sketchy ordered only a coke, and then several straws, which he stuck together end to end, and used the contraption to pick coke up out of the glass by holding his finger over one end.  Then he let the soda drip out slowly, all the while trying to chat up the waitress.   When he made a move to leave without paying, the waitress called him on it ("Umm, excuse me . . . ").  He apologized, pulled out a massive roll of $100s, paid his bill, tipped something like ten dollars, and wandered off in the afternoon.  The waitress called him one of the stranger customers she'd ever had.  Umami thinks if that was the weirdest, she's doing very well.


Beer completed, it was off to play some slots.  Maybe the "Sex and the City" machine?  Upapa doesn't "play that kine," but Umami's fortified by mango and alcohol and will give it a spin . . . 


Triple Seven Restaurant and Brew Pub
Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel
200 North Main Street
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Umami Goes Vegas (2010): Day 1: Bouchon

Thomas Keller's Bouchon is just about Umami's favorite restaurant in Vegas. It's French bistro food, so it's accessible in a way that other high powered  restaurant fare is not. Consider their roast chicken, "Poulet Rôti." It's a perfectly roasted chicken (look at the color on that skin!), with fennel bulbs, mission figs, sunchokes & chicken jus.  Nothing really fancy about the dish, just excellence!  Hawaii diners, though, will note the lack of a starch with the dish (Umama certainly did), but, this being a French bistro, there is always bread!

Speaking of which, this is the bread . . . wonderfully crusty with a little crock of butter and roasted pistachios. 

Umami finally got to try absinthe!  He had never tried it before, but fortunately had a very helpful waiter, who asked if Umami had tried ouzo or sambuca (Umami has), since absinthe has a similar strong anise flavor.  The little carafe on the left is plain water.  The metal bowl has ice and a sugar cube, and holes in the bottom to allow the chilled sugar water to mix with the absinthe in the glass.

When the sugar water hits the absinthe, certain botanicals (such as the anise, fennel, star anise) that are not water soluble come out of solution and make the absinthe cloudy. Some absinthes are green (hence the nickname, "la fée verte" (the Green Fairy)).

The anise flavor is almost brutally strong, but Umami liked it that way and therefore didn't dilute it very much.  Actually, he only used enough water at a time to chill the drink.

As an apertif, absinthe is also supposed to be an appetite stimulant.  In that respect, it certainly worked!

This is Umami's main course, Top Sirloin Steak on Black Wild Rice, Sweet Corn, infused with Lobster jus and pieces of Lobster Meat. The steak was perfectly cooked (of course), but the real star of this dish was the wild rice/corn/lobster combination. There's the slight nuttiness and crunch of the wild rice, the sweetness of the corn and lobster; it was an excellent combination, and one that Umami had never tried before. So good, it may be the best thing ever!  Not a regular menu item, which is maybe just as well, because if it were, Umami would order it every time!

Gnocchi with olives, tomatoes, and herbs.  Again, very simple, but beautifully executed.  A little salty from the olives, and very rich, but Umami was still good to go from the absinthe and so managed to finish a good amount of this dish too!

Lemon tart ("Tarte au Citron").  Incredibly zesty and light, basically an intense lemon custard.   Also in the picture, a profiterole, which comes with a little boat of chocolate sauce (not to be confused with hot fudge sauce).

Finally, bouchons ("corks" because they look like corks) with two ice creams and a raspberry sorbet.    The bouchons smell like brownies and taste like chocolate cake, so a combination of the best of both desserts.  The ice creams were okay, one was peanut butter, the other non-memorable.  But that raspberry sorbet was awesome, full of raspberry flavor, and surprisingly creamy, it was more like an ultrasmooth ice cream.

There are certainly cheaper places to eat, but what's the fun in that?  You go to Vegas to live a little and that includes splurging on a meal you're not going to eat everyday.  And Bouchon is fine place to splurge!

Bouchon
The Venetian Resort-Hotel-CasinoVenezia Tower (to the right as you face the registration desk)
3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.414.6200
Reservations can also be made online through OPEN TABLE.