All posts tagged: featured

5 Days in Barcelona, Spain

Published by

Barcelona has been on my bucket list for a long time, but I did not have the opportunity until recently. My goal was to really explore Barcelona at a leisurely pace. My friend came on this adventure with me and we settled on a Tuesday to Sunday itinerary. In this post, I will highlight our trip to Barcelona and what we learned from it. Day 1: Tuesday (Arriving in the afternoon) We arrived in Barcelona in the early afternoon and both of us took separate taxis from the airport as we were in different terminals. Prior to this trip, my friend and I were warned to be cautious of taxis and pickpockets in Barcelona. I did not truly believe that Barcelona was an unsafe city as it is an international European destination.  Unfortunately, the following taxi incident shook my faith in the city. After getting dropped off a block away from my destination, my taxi driver grabbed a 50 euro bill out of my hand and drove off after I disputed the fare. The fare …

Five Spice Roasted Quail / Chim Cút Rôti

Published by

Chim Cút Rôti or Five Spice Roasted Quail is a common appetizer in many Vietnamese restaurants. Quails are marinated for at least a few hours, then pan fried and covered in a sticky sweet and salty sauce. This is not a dish for date night as you will end up using your fingers to eat the quails. However, the mess is worth it for this finger licking treat. Difficulty: Easy / Serving: 4 / Time: at least 3 hours to marinate and 30 minutes to cook Ingredients 6 quails (You can find frozen quails at the Asian supermarket.) 1/4 teaspoon of Five Spice seasoning 1 tablespoon diced onion 2 and 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic 1-2 cloves of garlic 1 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder 6 tablespoons of coco rico soda 3 tablespoons soy sauce or Knorr liquid seasoning 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 and 1/2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon of annatto oil (optional) A few stalks of cilantro (garnish) …

Restaurant Review: Pagu – Japanese Spanish Fusion (Boston,MA)

Published by

I had an opportunity to visit Boston for the weekend and Pagu was on the top of my list for dinner. Boston has recently seen a surge in restaurants exploring fusion cuisine and Pagu is a promising star. My friends and I made a reservation for Friday and were asked to put a deposit of $25 per person for the reservation. This was something new to me, as a required deposit was more prevalent at ultra-exclusive restaurant where a meal can easily costs a few hundred dollars. Pagu has average pricing, which made this policy a bit perplexing. Once we arrived, we were quickly seated at a table far removed from the kitchen bar that we had requested. After speaking with the host, we were promptly moved to the kitchen counter. This is a seating area surrounding the beautiful open kitchen where one can watch the magic happen. For our meal, we selected a few different tapas to share and they were either hit or miss. The service was attentive overall and the staff tried …

Beef Noodle Bowl with Soy Marinade

Published by

Vermicelli noodle bowl is a simple dish that has endless variety. In today’s post, we will be making a version with thin slices of beef marinated with a simply soy and oyster sauce. This is an easy meal to make for one or for a large group very quickly. Ingredients: 1/2 pound of beef eye round or similar steak cut 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce 2 tablespoons of coconut soda 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder 1 cucumber 1 carrot 1 Romaine lettuce or green of your choice A handful of mint 3-4 tablespoon of minced garlic 1 tablespoon of diced onion 1 Thai chili (optional) 1 lime 1-2 stalks of green onion Sea salt Ground pepper Sugar 1 bushel of vermicelli noodles Directions: Slice the beef as thin as possible. Marinate the beef for 15 minutes with 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of diced onion, 1 tablespoon of garlic, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper. Julienne …

Nils Holger Moormann’s Micro Cube Living

Published by

I recently discovered Nils Holger Moormann, a German design company named after its founder that offers amazing modern interior ideas and furniture. In order to address the rising cost and decreasing size of living space for the new generation, Moorman created Kammerspiel. This is a cube with a room-within-a-room concept. The cube is meant to fit in a middle of a square studio size dwelling where each side of the cube represents a living area. This prototype can be the model for the next generation of micro living. The lofted bed takes advantage of the high ceiling and the stairs double as storage space. Side 1 contains the storage staircase to the loft and also an additional closet. Side 2 houses a bike in this version. This can easily be converted into additional storage or a mini office space. Side 3 of the cube acts as a living space with a built-in sofa.There is additional storage underneath the seat. You can simply add two folding chairs and a coffee table to create a living room when you have guests. Side …

Sautéed Cabbage with Shrimps

Published by

An easy dish that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare is sweet cabbage sauteed with jumbo shrimps. This dish is served with a side of rice for a satisfying and healthy meal. Difficulty: Easy / Serving: 4 / Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 10 jumbo shrimps 2 lb. of cabbage 6 tablespoons of diced yellow onion 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper 1/2 + 1/4 teaspoon of sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth 3 stalks of scallions Vegetable oil Directions: Cut the cabbage leaves into 2 inch squares. Dice 1 whole onion. Cut 3 stalks of scallion into 2 inch segments. Remove the shell while keeping the tail  and remove the veins from the shrimps. Butterfly the shrimps without cutting completely through it. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the cabbage leaves until they soften. Season the shrimps with 2 tablespoons of dice onion, 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder, 1/4 teaspoon …

Taro and Ribs Soup / Canh Khoai Sườn

Published by

Winter in the northeast is especially harsh so my body craves comfort food. One healthy and simple dish is taro and ribs soup or canh khoai sườn. Marinated pork ribs and taro are boiled in water and chicken stock until they are tender and juicy. The result is a deep yet healthy soup that is simply eaten with a side of rice. Difficulty: Easy / Serving: 4 / Time: 45 minutes Ingredients 1.5 lb. of pork ribs cut in 2 inch segment length wise 1.5 lb. of taro cut into 1 inch cube 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic 1 tablespoon of diced onion 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce 3 rock sugar 2 cups of low sodium chicken broth Cilantro (garnish) Green onion (garnish) Directions Start by cleaning the ribs. Boil a small pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Once the water comes to a boil, blanch the ribs so that the outside are cooked. …

Tiny Homes Trends

Published by

Tiny homes, which are defined loosely as a dwellings that are approximately less than 900 square feet, have been increasingly common over the last few years. This movement is driven by concerns for the environment and a desire for financial security and greater freedom. The size of a tiny home contrasts with the average American house at approximately 2,000 square feet or more. Tiny homes also come in various shapes and sizes but are generally less than $100,000. The price tag depends on whether the structure is built by the owner or by another builder and by the quality of the materials and finishes. The movement has been so popular that there are endless YouTube videos and TV shows that showcase these small spaces. Some key trends have emerged over the past few years. There is usually a lofted bed area but most have eschewed the ladder system for smart built-in stairs with storage solutions. The second trend has been to have multi-functional furniture or transforming furniture. This allows for the resident to maximize the …

Essential Stock: Pork Bones

Published by

Pork bone stock is one of the most versatile building block of Vietnamese soups. This stock takes less than 1.5 hours to make and freezes well. It is advisable to make big batches of this stock to put in the freezer. When you are ready to make soups such as Phnom Penh Noodle Soup or Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang, defrost the stock and this will cut your cooking time in half. Difficulty: Easy / Servings: Approximately 7-8 quarts depending on the evaporation / Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes Ingredients: 8.5 quarts of water 3 lb. of pork neck bones 1 teaspoon of salt 2 teaspoons of rock sugar   Directions A. Prepare the bones (5-10 minutes) Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the pork bones. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add the pork bones and cook for 5 minutes so that the impurities and blood can be drawn out of the bones. Remove the bones and rinse clean. Discard the water. B. Prepare the stock (1 hour) Fill a large …

Xôi Bắp / Sticky Rice with Hominy Corn

Published by

Xôi bắp or sticky rice with hominy is an everyday staple in Vietnam. It is such an every man dish that you cannot find it at the restaurants, but rather you would have to find a traveling peddler to purchase this dish. As Vietnam’s economy continues to grow, traveling food peddlers are increasingly a thing of the past. It is now more important to learn how to make this country side dish to preserve the culture. Sticky rice with hominy is a mild dish that goes well with any topping. Traditionally, it is topped with mung bean paste, shredded coconut meat and a salty and sweet sesame peanuts mix. This is a great recipe to serve a large crowd and it also freezes well. Difficulty: Medium / Serving: 6 / Time: 5 hours soaking time and 1 hour to cook Ingredients: 1 cup of peeled split mung bean 2 cups of sweet rice 3 15 oz. cans of Goya white hominy 1 package of frozen shredded coconut meat 1/3 cup of unsalted roasted peanuts 1/3 cup …