Sprinkles cupcake at the grove

Went to the grove on black Friday, the same day sprinkles cupcakes opened. I had never been to sprinkles but had tried it when someone brought a few home from the Beverly hills location last year. I remember it was more delicious compared to some other cupcake stores and not as sweet. Never knew the price until I bought one at the grove for $3.50. Super expensive. Their ordering system is strange and takes a while. They seemed to have the cupcakes in the window already but one person takes the order, then you have to wait 5 minutes for them to call your name to get the cupcake and then you pay. Not efficient at all. Why don't they just get the cupcake you order when you order it like a donut shop? Oh well, I'm sure they have a reason. Their cupcakes are probably pricey due to overhead rather than the price of the ingredients, but I'm sure they are making lots of $$$$. I got the coconut cupcake. It was good but pretty sweet.

Wonderful zankou chicken ( sunset and fairfax)

Shawerma beef sandwich is the best! $7. Tender shawerma beef wrapped in pita with tahini And/or garlic sauce so perfect tasting. Not sure which sauce or both. So glad we don't have to drive to east Hollywood anymore. I used to get the chicken but the beef is way better!

Mendocino farms at 3rd and fairfax- so delicious!

I was so happy when this location opened since it is right it my neighborhood. I used to go to the downtown location often downstairs at the California plaza when I worked there but took a long hiatus from them once I stopped working in there in 2008. My favorites now at this location are the beef or tofu Vietnamese grilled panini sandwich for $9. Not sure if this location has the same menu as the others. I tried a few other sandwiches here such as the Korean short rib ($11.50 and just so so) and kimchee sandwich but I keep on going back to my favorites. Potato salad here is good as well and made with their own bread and butter pickles and slightly spicy. So glad they are doing well and expanding. Parking is free for 1 hr with validation and I have never had a problem finding a space.

I love Tatsu Ramen on Sawtelle

When I first tried this place when it first opened, I had one of the hot soup broth ramens which I did not like at all. The broth was too salty and the noodles too doughy while my friend had the no broth naked ramen and raved about it. The next time I went back, I got the naked ramen that my friend raved about which were not the same doughy noodles. From the seasoned egg which they now charge $1 for and seasoned tofu, to the free sweet corn and seeweed and breadcrumbs added, it has kept me coming back and wanting more. Sesame sauce was equally balancing to all the different flavors. The raw garlic is a must add-on. They give you a few garlic cloves and a garlic press. I try to go back there when I can. Since it has a bar setting, I've even eaten there alone when passing thru the area. $9 for ramen with nothing added. Definitely add the seasoned egg. Maybe get 2 or three bc they are so good. Yum.

Easy, Delicious Ponzu Sauce

3 T Mirin
2 T Rice Vinegar
1 T Soy Sauce
2 T Bonito Flakes
4 T Lemon Juice

Bring all ingredients to a boil, then turn off heat and cool. Lasts several weeks in refrigerator.

More cooking in the pressure cooker

braised korean short ribs - short ribs marinated with a little sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and mirin (and some water) cooked in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes. yum.

ox tail soup - just ox tail and water cooked in the pressure cooker for 60 minutes naturally released. add green onions, salt and pepper to taste. i also added glass noodles. i had recently started purchasing oxtail from costco (in the refrigerated section) - i don't know if it's new or if i've never noticed it before. sold there for about $3.99 per pound for 4 pounds in a double pack.

both oxtail soup and short ribs came out so tender and last for a couple of days.

Best BBQ Pork Ribs Ever

we had a bbq over the weekend (9/20) and the food was a success. I made the best bbq pork ribs ever which started off in my cuisinart pressure cooker. it is now at costco for only $69.99. they were so tender. i used lorna sass' pressure cookbook recipe, but adjusted it a little by using less beer and more water. the first time i followed her recipe with mostly all beer was not quite as good only because the beer flavor was overwhelming. i cooked the bbq ribs in the pressure cooker with 1/4 cup beer and 3/4 cup water for 30 minutes. i let the pressure cooker naturally release (meaning don't touch the knob and force the pressure to release on the pressure cooker) for 15 minutes more. while waiting for the natural release, i set up the bbq with coals in the weber starter. after the natural release of the ribs were done, i brushed the ribs with bulls eye bbq sauce and a little ketchup, then cooked the ribs on the bbq grill for 5 minutes on each side. if you don't have a grill, you can bake the ribs at 400 degrees in your oven on each side instead. one of our guest said that 'it was the best ribs she ever tasted'. it was one of the best ribs i ever tasted myself. so easy and so tasty.

we also bbq some new york steak (also perfectly cooked on the grill)which were marinated in bbq sauce, sweet white corn and rustic la brea bakery bread brushed with extra virgin olive oil and some garlic. i had boiled the corn for 15 minutes and brushed it with butter prior to placing it on the grill for a minute on each side. i had also made easy side dishes - classic coleslaw (using betty crocker's recipe), classic potato salad and pesto potato salad (by just adding pesto i made earlier to the classic potato salad) as side dishes. for dessert - i made moist carrot-pineapple cake mini muffins with cream cheese frosting.

i purchased most of the food (ribs, steak, corn and bread) from costco. the only thing i had to purchase at the grocery was the bulls eye bbq sauce. btw- i'll be making pork ribs again today for dinner.