We started off our day heading out for breakfast for the first time since we arrived. We were low on milk and had not yet gone to the store so instead we headed to Choei Cafe and Bistro less than 5 minutes away. It had been on my list of previously vetted restaurants. The food and service had been rated to be superior and on our first night when we did nothing but go to dinner and get groceries, we had passed by it and noticed that nobody was dining there for dinner. Still, we weren’t dissuaded from trying it for breakfast.
We arrived a few minutes before opening time but the Open sign was already displayed. We took a few minutes to look at the menu as the breakfast options had both Western and Asian options but ultimately we decided to get a bit off of each menu.
The first to arrive was the chicken and rice porridge which was very similar to something I used to eat in the Philippines as a child. It had the look of oatmeal or grits as it had soft rice in it but had a savoriness that is common in soup and enhanced by the chunks of chicken. My husband was impressed with the flavor and ate it effusively.
He also ordered a veggie, chicken ham and cheese omelette as well as an Asian fusion pancake dish. The omelette tasted no different than one from home but the syrup for the pancake was not as dark as maple syrup. It tasted like a sugary corn syrup.
I ordered scrambled eggs which came with both thin slices of chicken ham and chicken sausage, three crispy hash brown triangles and a side of baked beans.
We also ordered citrus juice which tasted freshly squeezed and chilled. Choei Cafe is definitely more expensive than the standard street stall vendor but less expensive than American standards. For all of that delicious and filling food as well as a minute macchiato, it cost $25 for the two of us.
After breakfast, we were picked up by the Mae Ping River Cruise. I had shared with friends that my husband was “watted” out from Friday’s outing. Lo and behold, the river cruise parking lot was behind a massive wat. We didn’t opt to explore but I took a few photos while waiting for the boat to depart.
We joined a small group of Asian tourists and a German couple on the boat.
We stopped off at an organic farm were allowed to wander around. We saw two women preparing their entrees for the cooking school on-site. To the left was the open-aired restaurant engulfed in the trees, rice paddy and gardens. There were signs and explanations in front of certain plants providing Information on their healing and medicinal uses. We were escorted to tables overlooking the river. A large Australian group of mostly teenagers and a few adult escorts arrived and they all had a very early lunch of traditional Thai cuisine.
We were served with sliced pineapple and watermelon and glasses of tamarind, ginger, lemongrass and lychee flavored juice before heading back.
Shockingly and sadly, we came across a dead floating body in the river. It gave the rest of the trip back a more somber feel. He looked to be in between his 50’s and 60’s and had a white plastic back floating above his chest with some items in it. It was a reminder that we weren’t living in a bubble despite being on vacation. People lived and died in Chiang Mai every day. We needed to be mindful, respectful and grateful not to be in his shoes.
After the cruise, we headed to Vieng Joom On Teahouse. I had read on other blogs and city guides how beautiful and quaint it was inside. On the outside, it stood out with its Pepto Bismol paint but on the inside, it had a very different feel. There was still a great deal of pink accents interspersed throughout but it had a more exotic feeling with all the teas and accessories. On entering, you walked into the tea shop with bags of different types of tea, teapots and cups available for purchase and desserts in display cases beckoning you to sample them. The dining room opened up to the light as it was also riverside. The decor had a bit of an opulent Moorish vibe, with arched nooks carved into the walls and Moroccan inspired upholstery on the chairs and pillows
I had previously purchased the tea and dessert portion of the meal on Klook but we needed a more substantial lunch so we ordered a few other items off of the vegetarian menu. We started off with pot of a combination of black and green tea accented with Jasmine. It was quite smooth and fragrant.
Then our main dishes arrived. The pesto sauce on the pasta was very rich and dense in flavor. It was definitely not doused in olive oil like in Italian restaurants. The mushroom roti, which was basically a quesadilla, was quite tangy and gooey and had a thousand island inspired sauce to dip it in or to top it off. Lastly the fresh crispy veggie spring rolls had a thin layer of scrambled egg as its outer shell giving it a unique spin making it more like a sushi roll rather than a tradition egg roll. Everything was quite delicious and though it had a similar and familiar foundation, the tea house built and enhanced the look and quality adding a different layer of taste and flavor to each dish.
We finished off our experience with the three tiers of sweets.
On the top tier was a tradition buttermilk scone and a not-so-traditional strawberry scone with a bit of butter and jam to accompany them.
On the middle tier was a blueberry cheesecake with little chocolate butterflies on top of the small sections of cream.
On the bottom layer were chunks of papaya, mango, Apple and cantaloupe. It was about a $50 meal so definitely not Thai prices but the setting and relaxed vibe had a heightened luxury so it definitely set it apart from our standard day-to-day fare.
After a brief workout back at the Airbnb, we were picked up by The Home Massage & Spa. We scheduled a 2 hour deep tissue oil massage.
On arrival, we were greeted with a cold compress and cold tea. Our feet were washed and we are given slippers to walk into our massage room. Inside, the room had its own bathroom complete with a shower to go with the two beds. Just like at Lila, we were given black plastic underwear and I was given a very thin shower cap. My massage was far improved from Friday’s experience. Though she did start stretches on the feet and calves, it was just a way to start warming up the body. She did pressure points on the back first which is the type of massage we were used to. What made it uncomfortable was my arms were in a touchdown position for most of the time. Also, there were a few instances when she was using her elbow to rub up and I felt it was too close to my spine. Similar to the therapist of Lila, she worked on my chest but I was properly covered up with a thin layer of material and she worked on the periphery and she also worked on my belly but with a bit more finesse.
After the massage, we were given a hot tea and peanut butter cookies.
With tip, it cost $65 which was more than double what we paid for our hour and a half massage at Lila, and it’s still a fraction of what we would normally pay and the setting was more private and a bit more upscale. However, we felt that the massage was still lacking. We were both hoping for it to be less expensive, for the massage therapists to incorporate more hip and flute work during the treatment, for the massage bed to not be so stiff and for elbow usage used less frequently. Though the technique and bedside manner were significantly better than our experience at Lila, it still didn’t warrant a return visit or a solid recommendation.
Hunger pangs were knocking so we had the spa’s driver drop us off at Sunday’s Night Market. After spending an excessive amount of money by Thai standards for the majority of the day, I wanted to have a more traditional frugal dinner experience so we made a beeline into the alley for Lert Ros which is a seafood restaurant quite well known in those parts. Upon seeing the exterior and the display of exposed fish, my husband asked “is it safe to eat here?” To assuage his apprehension, I showed him that TripAdvisor had over 800 4 1/2 star reviews for the restaurant though I honestly could not blame him. It was definitely rustic and looked to be a large hole in the wall. The “kitchen” looked to be all outside, with the grills covered with large pieces of fish. It was surrounded with a mishmash of both food and kitchen supplies. I proceeded to seat us inside, at a table right underneath a fan.
We ordered a large red snapper, grilled shrimp and a coconut lemongrass chicken soup with some beer and sticky rice. Not surprisingly, the food was sensational and was a great value costing us 550 baht which is $18USD. Lert Ros just goes to prove that you can’t judge a book by its cover and also simultaneously and concurrently, how social media can help make or break a business. By the time we left, nearly every table was occupied mostly by Asian women and a few Asian men, some of whom were clearly of the upper echelon.
We ended our evening by walking at the Sunday Night Market for a bit. Having been to one nearly every night, the Sunday Night Market definitely had some unique items to purchase. I bought a painting on a canvas for 200 baht which is the equivalent of $6.51 USD. Being Asian myself I did negotiate him down from 250 to 200 but I wanted to be respectful since he was in the business of selling his artwork. I also bought some unique bookmarks: 6 for 10 baht or 3 cents.
As we could feel a few sprinkles and the sky was looking ominous with the street vendors adding their rain covering and the night market was getting more crowded with each passing minute, we decided to head back. We still needed to make a pit stop at the store to get more supplies for the week. Also, we needed to run a second load of laundry as the oppressive heat and humidity caused nonstop sweating throughout most of the day. More importantly, we wanted to be rested as Monday we both go back to school. On to the next phase of our vacation!
We opted to visit a sanctuary over trekking as we had heard about the cruel and inhumane treatment of elephants who are beaten into submission to carry people and perform tricks on command. I chose this particular sanctuary due to its transportation, proximity and itinerary which worked well with our schedule during our time in Chiang Mai.
We chose the single day visit with a pickup from our Airbnb between 8-8:30 in the morning with a return around 5. In addition to the transportation and visiting with and feeding the elephants, it included a vegetarian buffet.
The drive to the sanctuary took about an hour and a half. During the early part of the drive, we watched a video about how the sanctuary came to be, the woman who runs it and some of the atrocious crimes some of its residents had suffered prior to making the sanctuary their permanent home. The latter part of the drive was quiet and serene filled with picturesque scenery. We drove past verdant, rolling hills dotted with elephants and water buffaloes, some elephant trekking parks, a zip line park and other sanctuaries.
We arrived a bit before 10 a.m. During the first half of our visit, our guide Bee Bee talked about how each elephant we met came to live at the sanctuary, how one elephant was blinded by its owner, how another had been hurt logging but to make money off of her she was bound while forcing a much larger elephant to breed with her. There were other equally horrific and sad tales but what was important was these gentle giants now had a peaceful place to wander, eat freely and just be one with nature. We learned on the drive over and on-site that it’s always best to be in the elephant’s periphery, not to take flash photography, not to stand behind the elephant, not to tease the elephant with food and if the ears are flapping, that’s its happy.
The sanctuary serves not just a home for the elephants. It has volunteers who stay overnight, a week or sometimes two weeks to help with the elephants. On a more permanent basis, each elephant has a person assigned to him/her who sits by the elephant all day making sure he/she has anything it needs and that person lives on-site in the event the elephant needs anything overnight or runs off and enters the neighbor’s property, resulting in a steep fine. There are also 80 water buffaloes that live amongst the elephants as well as rescued dogs and cats.
We were taken to the kitchen for the elephants and saw just how much food the sanctuary stores to feed the 79 elephants it shelters. The oldest elephant in the herd has few teeth so they make her a special diet of rice with coconut and banana leaves.
By 11:40, it was time for lunch. It was a massive spread of food with two rows of options. We had free time until 12:50 and then we set off to walk the rest of the sanctuary’s grounds which was quite expansive. Bath time is private at this sanctuary compared to others in the area. They discontinued visitors washing the elephants because it was distressing to the animals and took the pleasure and joy from their experience. We did, however, see an elephant they had to convince daily to take her bath because she just did not care for water. On the video we captured, she was the one making sounds resembling a rooster as a way of complaining.
We witnessed bath time for the rest of the elephants followed by mud time which is a natural sunscreen for them and then they headed to the scratching posts. It was an extraordinarily hot and sunny day with a few mists of rain interspersed so as the elephants moved, we hid under the huts to shield us from the scorching hot sun.
We observed as a truck pulled up with more branches and saw the herd quickly make a beeline in its direction. It was lunchtime and it was interesting to watch how certain elephants would steal food from others despite having food right in front of them. We saw others take their helping and turn their backs to the others while eating. There was an elephant who was super picky which bananas were good enough to eat as it would feel the texture of the banana and decide whether it was good enough to eat it or overripe so it should be tossed out. We watched the oldest elephant who is 103 years old pick the leaves off the stem and put a trunk full of greens in her mouth. It was mesmerizing and almost hypnotizing to watch her strategically pluck the leaves.
All in all, it was a fantastic experience and is on my personal recommend for a Chiang Mai excursion. Our guide was sensational and knew all the elephants by name and their history. We loved getting up close to the elephants and watching them just live their lives, enjoying their lazy days and being sheltered from harm’s way.
Elephant Nature Park
After a day and a half of travel, we understandbly took a very leisurely approach to our first full day in Chiang Mai. I made breakfast at our Airbnb, we did a morning workout and then finally headed off to lunch at the well-renowned SP Chicken. I had first heard about it from Mark Wiens who I began to follow during my research of our Japan trip last August. Other foodies like myself have fallen head over heels in love with their food so we wanted to see and experience for ourselves.
As it was a very warm, humid sunny day, we opted to skip the 37 minute walk and ordered a Grab. It cost 80 baht and the driver’s car had the A/C going full blast. Plus our driver was super chatty and mentioned a bit about some of the history and recent conflict in the area. For that history lesson, I gave him a 70 baht tip.
When we arrived, we ordered a whole chicken to share, a plate of stir fried Chinese kale and a spicy lemongrass shrimp soup. The chicken was tender and moist and the other dishes we ordered were equally delicious. The greens was simply seasoned but the soup packed a bit of heat. We were surprised how quickly our orders came out and how rapidly we polished off the food.
After lunch, we headed to Wat Phra Singh which was around the corner. Though it was unmanned, there was a box at the entrance which said it cost 20 baht to enter.
Not having any change, we gave 50 baht. It was our first glimpse at just how opulent the Buddhist shrines are in Chiang Mai. All the gold glistened in the sun. There were several structures and statues within the complex. Not having a guide to explain everything we opted to move on after walking around for about 20 minutes.
We considered walking 13 minutes to the next wat, Chedi Luang, but my husband was getting sunburnt and the hot sun combined with the humidity was starting to drain our energy. We took a tuk tuk for 100 baht and were dropped off right by the front. This Wat had a ticket window and it was double the cost of the prior Wat with many more people visiting. Unlike the last Wat, there was a stand with people providing free sarongs for the women and men who weren’t properly dressed. We headed to the first structure and walked into the temple which had many large gold Buddhas at the back. The decor inside was quite beautiful and ornate. Perhaps it was the heat and humidity or the setup being very similar to a church but my husband was overcome with emotion and expressed his feelings of gratitude for how his life had evolved. We sat down to take a moment and also because the fans were best felt if we were beneath the air flow.
After a few minutes, we headed out to see what else the complex had to offer. Behind the first structure was a large pyramid of sorts, reminiscent of Chichen Itza in the Mayan region but not as massive. Apparently at one point, it was a much larger structure but due to an earthquake what stands now is only half of the original structure. It was still pretty majestic and definitely has a great deal of presence.
Curious about the city’s history, we walked to the Three Kings monument 5 minutes away and went to the City’s Cultural Arts museum to get a better understanding of how the city was founded, why its location was considered to be auspicious and got a bit of background on all those who helped shape the city into what it is today.
Experiencing enough sightseeing, history and culture, we ventured to one of the main things Thailand is known for: massage. I had read about Lila Thai as a business which helped provide a trade and a job for previously incarcerated women so that made it my first choice for massage. We each got an hour and a half oil massage coincidentally during the afternoon’s downpour which we could hear from the massage room on the third floor. My masseuse pummeled my calves which made walking a challenge afterwards.
Luckily, my husband wanted to head back to our Airbnb for a bit so we ordered a Grab and relaxed for about an hour before heading out for our final stop of the day: the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. We headed straight through to Mho-O-Cha seafood restaurant based on its 4 star ratings on TripAdvisor. It reminded me of the delicious and super cheap seafood place, D’Talipapa, we visited in Boracay. Sadly, it did not compare to the quality and flavor as the Filipino version but it was decent and our total bill was 1300 baht.
We were also optimally seated by a bit of color.
After dinner, we strolled around the stalls and saw silk robes, scarves and ties as well as some interesting art and craftwork. We decided to stop at a fish spa as it had piqued our curiosity in Boracay but we didn’t partake. It cost 100 baht for 20 minutes so we each decided it was a good enough deal to try it. I literally screamed and laughed for the first few minutes because it felt weird and a bit ticklish. Eventually, we got used to it and began chatting it up with others who were equally curious or had tried it previously. An older Irish gentleman came over with his adopted Thai son. We discussed how 23andMe proved that my husband was in fact not Sicilian but was 39% British/Irish. The gentleman said that of course that was true as his coloring was similar to his biological son who apparently was sitting on a bench to my left enjoying his own fish spa experience.
To cap off the evening and the day, Troy ordered a mango sticky rice dessert which he had seen on our way in. I think the big grin on his face shows just how much he was looking forward to the decadent indulgence. And that was how we ended Day One.
We had been through Hong Kong once before, on our first visit to Thailand via Phuket. What we recalled was the double customs/security lines so we wanted to allot enough time to go through on our return from our outing.
This time, we had an 8 hour layover and opted to see some of Hong Kong. I bought discounted tickets for the airport express on Klook prior to departure and that made our journey into town that much more seamless. During our 24 minute train ride, we got our first glimpse of Hong Kong. It’s a a city on the water. I’m not sure what I had expected but in some respects, it reminded me of Chicago in that regard. We didn’t see any riots, despite that being on the forefront of the news as of late.
Once we arrived at Hong Kong station on Hong Kong island, we didn’t have far to go for our first destination. It was a 2 minute walk and ride up an elevator to the floor above the train station. Our first priority was sampling dim sum from the famous Tim Ho Wan but we were an hour early before opening time.
To pass the time, we walked outside and around the area, doing some sightseeing, immersing ourselves in the early morning bustle of the financial district.
As we walked around, we quickly were hit with the extreme humidity. We cut our outdoor exploration short as It’s a bit jarring and exhausting on the system to be exposed to 90 degree weather and 90% humidity all in one sitting.
We headed back into the mall to enjoy the A/C. Though the restaurant at the IFC mall was not the one awarded the Michelin star, we figured it was a good introduction and sampling and would satisfy our curiosity. What I can report was the uniqueness of some of the textures and flavor combinations.
There was a dish with a chili oil sauce that had a bit of spice but had more flavor than heat.
The bread dish was surprisingly as light as a chiffon and fluffy.
The steamed fresh shrimp dumpling was a bit doughy but not heavy. It’s definitely a recommend.
We waited about a half hour for it to open but soon after we sat down, the restaurant started quickly filling up.
After dim sum, we headed to Victoria Peak.
Our taxi driver, unfortunately either misunderstood or was trying to gouge us. He took us to a garden but based on my google maps, we still had another 27 minutes to go. We eventually made it there but paid about double the fare that we should have been charged. After being dropped off at the taxi stand, it was a quick walk to the site.
We took a few photos and decided to have a drink at the closest bar.
Then we took a few more Peak photos and headed back.
Once we arrived at the airport, our hunger pangs reminded us it was time for another meal. The next location was chosen by my husband. On further research, his instincts were spot on. The restaurant was previously listed on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand. On further evaluation, it turned out to be a chain and one of the restaurants had actually been awarded a Michelin star, similar to our earlier meal.
The restaurant gave receipts with numbers depending on party size. We ended up sharing a table with another couple.
Famished we ordered with our eyes, literally as the menu had photos. Though we successfully finished the very unique and slightly spicy large bowl of Dan Dan noodle peanut soup and a plate of green beans with minced pork, we had a few more bites left of the chicken, shrimp and fried rice which we packed to go.
Sadly, due to exhaustion, we didn’t end up eating it on our flight to Chiang Mai as we slept the entire time and only woke to eat the meal the flight had for us but we just might be returning on our flight back through Hong Kong and sampling a few other offerings during our short layover.
All in all, we enjoyed our short visit in Hong Kong and immensely enjoyed their culinary offerings. If we could have squeezed in a harbor cruise, that might have rounded out our trip nicely but we definitely have no regrets on what we chose to see and where we ate during our stay.
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The summer’s getaway was inspired by my husband whose massage certification is up for renewal this year. He thought it would make sense for him to take a weeklong Thai massage class in the country where it originated and concurrently, I could partake in one of my favorite past times, cooking and eating!
Once the plan was hatched, I debated between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, but the latter won out in the end, because it seemed less frenetic and more intimate in comparison. We initially wanted to visit during Christmas when the weather will be milder, but it turns out that his certification needs to be renewed prior to the holidays.
We booked our flight with our favorite airline carrier Cathay Pacific and booked an AirBnb close to the center of town. Since we’re traveling during the oppressively humid and rainy summer season, we opted to pack our lightest clothes and but due to the airline’s strict weight restrictions, we still had 1 large checked luggage.
In addition, for the first time in all our years of traveling together, I’m foregoing bringing a purse. It’s just not practical and weighs down one side of my body causing discomfort, leaving only one hand free. I lucked into finding a backpack which is big enough to fit my everyday essentials but small enough so it doesn’t dwarf my petite stature. It has a lot of great organizational features which allow me to find things quickly. In addition, it has the added bonus of having locking straps and compartments, slash resistant straps and panels and RFID blocking, protecting your credit cards from digital theft.
Having been born in Asia and been in tropical climates where the rain can become torrential without a moment’s notice, we invested in several necessary rain accessories. We purchased a travel size umbrella for each of us since we’ll be off on our own adventures for part of the trip.
Thinking back to our times in other tropical climates and watching YouTube videos of vloggers caught in downpours, we invested in oversized ponchos made from the same material as umbrellas rather than the flimsy cheap ponchos available at the local stores. We opted for quality to best shield us from the wind and intense rain. These ponchos also have the added benefit of being large enough to cover our backpacks protecting our electronics from the rain.
We also invested in rain boots. Though we each have waterproof Tevas, after watching several YouTube videos, there does appear to be some ankle-high flooding in the streets at times. As a toddler in the Philippines, during one of the rainstorms, a worm made its way into my system through my foot so since then, I’ve been wary of having my feet exposed in inclement weather since that’s not a souvenir I would want to bring back with me back home or worse, have it ruin my vacation.
Rainy season aside, this vacation is going to be more cerebral than past vacations. According to 23andMe, I’m possibly 5% Thai so for personal reason, I’m invested in an immersive education of Chiang Mai and Thailand. Our sightseeing and excursions will be focused on Chiang Mai’s history, religion, culture and traditions. We’re planning on visiting a few museums, some wats, exploring the night markets, eating their local specialties and trying to get a sense of what life is like as a local.
We are both very excited but are definitely wearing our grown-up hats for this venture. Our goal when traveling is not only to see as much as possible but to leave a city and country having a deeper appreciation and empathy for its people and its culture. Travel should provide a better understanding of place and history and enrich one’s mind and soul.
Here’s a🍸to our ✈️ 🗺 and ⏰ in Chiang Mai 🇹🇭!
The first time we heard about Sakura, we lived walking distance from the restaurant but we didn’t start frequenting it until after we moved away. Over the past 15 years, it’s consistently one of our go-to spots and we’re always happy to return.
On tonight’s menu I ordered the salmon with sashimi and for my husband, a 12 piece sushi plate, a nabeyaki udon and 2 rolls.
My dinner came with a small side salad and miso soup. The lettuce was crisp, cold and fresh and the light sesame vinaigrette had a bit of tang. The miso soup was piping hot and not too salty.
My salmon was a bit dry this time but my tuna sashimi was just right. My husband’s udon comes with either a California or spicy tuna roll. We usually order both which we did again tonight. The spicy tuna had a bit of kick and the California roll was perfectly savory. The rice on the rolls stayed tightly wound around the center.
My husband’s sushi plate was devoured so I’m making the not-so-bold assumption that the quality and flavor were up to par.
He took his nabeyaki udon to go so that he can enjoy the plumped up noodles for lunch tomorrow. Funny story: one of the first times we ate at the restaurant we ordered too much food and by the time the udon came, he couldn’t eat anymore. A day later, he opened up the to-go container and the broth had disappeared. Initially, he was confused and then upset that they had forgotten to give him the broth. That of course made no sense since there would be extra effort to remove the noodles from the broth to pack it up. After he heated it up and tasted it, he realized the noodles had completely absorbed the broth, making that dish even better the next day so that is now his tradition, to order that soup to go, extending the Sakura experience a little bit longer.
The staff is always super friendly and nice. Even when it’s ridiculously busy, the patrons are never rushed and are allowed to enjoy their time at the restaurant. This is one of the many reasons we will keep coming back time after time. Sakura is that rare find with solid food that is reasonably priced, is casual and quite the neighborhood gem.
Sakura
4545 S. Centinela Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90066
I had been eyeing the opening of this restaurant for the better part of the last three months. I first noticed it on one of my evening commutes from my new job which sent me down Motor Avenue. The restaurant is located one street east on the very busy and ethnically diverse Venice Boulevard. A friend had mentioned how much she loved the Jaffa on 3rd but being a Westsider, it takes a lot for me to summon up the energy to veer east of the 405 and north of the 10. I had read that the Palms location would be opening in 2019 so I just decided to bide my time.
We were seated in the covered patio where there was plenty of opportunity to people watch. As the sun set, the string of lights illuminated the patio evoking a romantic evening glow. With it being opening week, the restaurant had a full house with lots of patrons coming and going.
Our starters were the Kubaneh bread and the North African chickpea stew. The Yemenite hand pulled bread came with a mild grated tomato sauce and a slightly spiced green zhug sauce. The Kubaneh was beautiful to look at, almost too pretty to eat. However, that thought was quickly admonished after our first bite. It’s what one would imagine a warm hug would feel like if it could be encapsulated into dinner rolls. The bread was warm and enveloping with a light salty aftertaste. The stew had a hearty flavor with a complex layer of heat and tang from the spicy chilis, green beans and cilantro encompassing each bite. We dipped a few pieces of the bread in the stew which was likely what we would do if we were actually dining at a restaurant in Tel Aviv and that added another layer of flavor to both starters.
Our entrees came shortly thereafter. We ordered the spaghetti with Moroccan saffron butter and the roasted chicken with Moroccan spices set in a dried fruit and olive jus with a side of orzo rice pilaf. One could smell the saffron wafting from the homemade pasta. It had a slightly thicker consistency than other pastas we have tried which gave it a bit more bite than the traditional Italian version. Combined with the Swiss chard, pine nuts, herbs and date vinegar, it was different and interesting, denser and heartier than what we expected but still quite good. The roast chicken was a true delight. It was savory and moist, had a citrus aftertaste and its juices were soaked up by the light fluffy savory spiced rice making it a divine combo.
To end our feast, we were served the knafeh. I had seen a photo of it on Instagram but had never sampled one before. I have clearly wasted decades as this is a unique dessert not to be missed. Jaffa’s knafeh was like a nest of thin straw which were tightly wound phyllo dough with a bit of cheese in the middle drizzled with a subtly sweet syrup. The texture and the combination of the flavors was what made this dessert a winner.
Our first of many dinners at Jaffa was a true success. We will be back with friends and we’re looking forward to sampling the restaurant’s other offerings.
Jaffa Palms
10306 Venice Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90232
http://www.jaffa.la/palms/index.php
There’s nothing like the fear of mortality to make one quake in their boots. My husband was born with a dilated ascending aorta. He first saw a cardiologist about his condition 10 years ago and had been monitoring it annually for about 5 years. Then because the dilation hadn’t expanded and life got chaotic and busy, he didn’t get return to the doctor for the past 5 years.
Earlier this year, we both suffered a long bout with the season’s cough and cold which plagued many, sometimes, like myself, twice over. Exhausted and not feeling 100%, my husband reached out to his cardiologist and after an initial diagnosis, followed by an EKG, a stress test and a CT iodine scan, it was concluded that at some point in the past 5 years, his aorta had expanded .3-.4 cm to 4.9/5 cm. In addition, he has plaque in his heart, has higher than average cholesterol, and he’s in the top 10% worst condition for somebody of his age. If his aorta expands another .5 cm, he has to have surgery or risk it bursting which could be fatal. Saying that to somebody who has been a personal trainer for decades and has led a fairly healthy lifestyle was like dropping a bomb on Pearl Harbor. It just came out of nowhere.
We both went into shock and then I began internalizing some of the stress. I had problems sleeping, concentrating, I felt like I was in a constant fog, and by midweek last week, I thought I was going to have a stroke on the right side of my face. I felt tingling under my eyes and pressure on my right temple and cheekbone. I started taking baby aspirin daily and began thinking about what I/we could do to mitigate the stress.
What we both realized after we took a few steps back is that we’re getting older. Just like a car, the older it gets, the more care it needs. We both took a hard honest look at our diets and lifestyle and started discussing changes.
For my husband, he opted to eliminate all eggs and reduce his consumption of poultry. A vegan client of his mentioned a recent study that all meat, including chicken, has cholesterol. I reminded him that he would not be able to survive on quinoa, beans and veggies alone so we reached a compromise. In lieu of his daily ration of 2 hard boiled eggs I would make organic egg white veggie frittatas. I also offered to bake previously marinaded chicken breasts and carve him deli slices for his sandwiches instead of the high sodium deli meats sold at the supermarkets. In lieu of cheese, I suggested using hummus to add some moisture to his sandwiches. To mix it up I also offered to make chicken salad to swap out the deli meat and in lieu of mayonnaise, use Greek yogurt and mustard. I usually pack him 2 hot meals but I suggested swapping one hot meal for a chicken or salmon salad.
That is the inspiration for these new recipes and dietary tweaks. The first healthy swap is organic chicken salad in lieu of deli meat. People incorrectly assume that eating a sandwich with deli meat is quite healthy. The harsh reality is if it’s processed deli meat, even if it’s organic, it likely has been processed with a great deal of salt and nitrates to preserve the meat and have it last for a long period of time. Neither are beneficial for even the healthiest of people.
In addition, the usual slice or two of cheese is also not the best option for somebody with high cholesterol and a heart condition. Again, even the organic slices of cheese have saturated fat and cholesterol as well as sodium, for preservation.
The best option is to either make your own deli meat, which I will discuss in a later post, or find an a more decadent swap and that is the recipe I put together today. I’ve also listed where I purchased the ingredients.
Without further ado, here’s my Organic Gluten Free, Lowfat, Low Salt, Heart Healthy, Gut Healthy Chicken Salad recipe:
6 organic chicken breasts (Costco)
1/2 a carton of unsalted chicken bone broth (Costco)
1 1/2 cup of organic lemon juice (Costco)
3 tablespoons organic black pepper (Sprouts)
2 cups no fat organic Greek yogurt (Costco)
6 oz organic Dijon Mustard (Sprouts)
2 packs of organic dill (Sprouts)
1. Rinse chicken breasts before placing them in the crockpot.
2. Pour the broth and lemon juice.
3. Sprinkle the black pepper and use your hands to evenly coat and distribute the pepper.
4. Set the setting on low for 20 hours.
5. After 16 hours, use tongs or a fork to shred the chicken.
6. Once cooked, the chicken should have absorbed most of the juices but place the shredded chicken in a colander to eliminate the rest of the liquid.
7. Move the chicken into a large bowl and add the yogurt and mustard.
8. Remove the dill from the stems and add to a small food processor, chopping finely.
9. Spoon out the dill onto the chicken and mix well.
Option 1: Add atop an organic spinach, Brussels sprouts, cucumber, cashew and dried blueberry salad. No dressing needed.
Option 2: Place inside an organic pocket lined with organic butter lettuce.
Enjoy!
We had the great fortune of joining our friends for a special birthday celebration at Slay in Manhattan Beach. It was previously the short-lived Darren’s where we had dined for my sister-in-law’s 40th birthday dinner which we deemed her Tiffany birthday, complete with the breakfast at Tiffany’s DVD, a Tiffany themed birthday cake and a necklace from Tiffany. The company was much better than the food and after our special occasion dinner, we did not return.
Tonight’s dinner experience was much improved. The space had been renovated and had a bit of a nautical old world scheme. The new owner and chef served us a dinner feast which was quite exceptional.
The meatballs we ordered were moist and had a subtle but well seasoned flavor.
Our Caesar salad had crispy romaine bites with a creamy but not overpowering dressing and sprinkles of crispy croutons to round out the texture.
My ahi was sitting on a bed of fries and was perfectly seared and seasoned, and my husband’s filet was tender, moist and flavorful. His pesto mashed potatoes were very unique and truthfully just brilliantly simple and delicious.
Our friends enjoyed their steak entrees as well and the desserts were also delightful.
All in all, it was a 5 star understated and divine experience at Manhattan Beach’s newest additions.
SLAY Steak + Fish House
1141 Manhattan Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
https://www.slaysteakandfishhouse.com
After many repeat visits to the original Sawtelle location, we finally ventured outside of our comfort zone and made a reservation for the Santa Monica location. The determining factor was our ability to make an actual reservation. At some point in the past, I was able to make a reservation on Resy for the Sawtelle branch but that’s not true anymore so Open Table was able to facilitate a movable reservation to the beachside location.
Despite the address being on Ocean Drive which is parallel to Pacific Ocean, the restaurant is actually located on Broadway behind Sushi Roku. In any case, it was still beachside with an exposed restaurant to the ocean breeze. We opted for a deuce on the patio right by the sidewalk so that we could people watch.
Our server, Brayden seemed super nice and was as helpful as he could be. Our orders came out incredibly quick but there were a few hiccups. My vodka martini up no vermouth with a lemon twist had a strong vermouth aftertaste so I sent that back. Our water glasses weren’t refilled. I had to get up and pour myself a glass.
Our baby back ribs and cole slaw appetizer was quite tangy and savory. The ribs were doused in BBQ sauce. They were definitely very rich and we both realized that we needed to refrain from indulging if we wanted to eat our main courses.
My husband’s patty melt came out nicely. Everything was just as he ordered. However, my dish had some challenges. I ordered a salmon BLT with only lettuce, crispy bacon, salmon and mustard. The salmon, mustard and fries came out but no bacon. I kept trying to beckon our server who was at the bar but to no avail. I tried 4 times. I finally asked the hostess and though the strips came out quickly, they were not crispy.
Our server finally came back to check on us and I returned the unacceptable bacon. Round 2 brought 2 strips which also weren’t crispy but clearly had just come off the pan or griddle. *Note to all cooks: Stop frying your bacon. They are greasy, soggy and not crispy. No need to fry a bacon when you just need to crisp them up in the microwave. For each strip of bacon, get a layer of paper towels on the bottom and the top of a paper plate to cover. For example, 2 strips of bacon = 2 layers of paper towels on the bottom and 2 layers on the top, to soak up the grease and crisp them up. Microwave them 1 minute longer than the number of strips on the paper plate so 2 strips = 3 minutes in the microwave, maybe 3 1/2. I learned that from my Food teacher high school in 1993 so not new news.
But I digress. Aside from that, our dining experience was fast, efficient and overall the food was delicious. Since Sawtelle and Santa Monica are equidistant to us, we both love being by the water and we’re able to make online reservations for Santa Monica, it will likely become our regular relatively inexpensive treat for a nice relaxing evening out.
Plan Check & Bar
1401 Ocean Blvd., #104
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Grace Gambin
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