Category Archives: I, Me, and Myself

La Table Houston Grand Brunch

H-town (Houston), I, Me, and Myself

We had the good fortune of being at La Table‘s first Grand Brunch. La Table is a multi-level restaurant in Post Oak which features the Chateau (elegant dining), Marche (casual dining), Macarons (bakery), Privee (private dining).

image

First let’s get the pronunciation dilemma all squared away. So how do you pronounce “La Table”? Let me just tell you how it’s NOT pronounced : la tay-bl. I googled it (like I do with half of my life’s questions, the other half being You Tube). There are two acceptable ways: la ta-bleh (short e) or la taahb. You’re welcome, let’s proceed.

Brunch was served in the Chateau area, second floor
Brunch was served in the Chateau area, second floor

Grand Brunch is buffet. Ewww, i know. Not a big fan. The last buffet I’ve been to (not counting cruises) was at Four Seasons. We go there every New Year and Easter and each time we go, it seems to get bigger and bigger. No service to speak of, long queues on tables = bad dining experience. So I figured if Four Seasons can’t do it right, I will just give up buffet all together.

Their buffet concept is serving food family style. They bring a huge breakfast spread on the table.

Pastry basket, flirt plate pancakes, heavenly brioche. For meats, theres a variety of sausages and bacon. And some roasted potato hash
Pastry basket, fruit plate, pancakes, heavenly brioche. For meats, theres a variety of sausages and bacon. And some roasted potato hash

It’s a lot of food, so very much in congruence with a “buffet” feel. There are several stations too. The huge difference is that you don’t get to carry your plate around, piling it on artlessly so as to save constant trips. You can go to the station and ask for whatever you want, they bring it back to you in a plate, nice and clean, and well, artsy.

Carving station had Beef tenderloin and several salmons. I chose the beef with Au Poivre Sauce
Carving station had Beef tenderloin and several salmons. I chose the beef with Au Poivre Sauce. D had salmon but ate it all before I was able to take a pic. He obviously still hasn’t caught on with this food blogging thing..
The Raw Bar - I chose shrimp cocktail, crab avocado salad. I had Mozarella and Tomato salad on the side.
The Raw Bar – I chose shrimp cocktail, crab avocado salad. I had Mozarella and Tomato salad on the side.

Don’t think that it would be impossible to hoard you favorite stuff, like you would in usual buffets gigs. Our waiter notes that I devoured the crab avocado salad without taking a breath, he immediately offered me seconds….and thirds. I was slightly embarrassed. Then I downed my second mimosa and everything was great again.

Mimosa number 2
Mimosa number 2
Here is their dessert corner
Here is their dessert corner

There were so many dessert choices. So I was given plates to sample each.

Plate 1 - creme brûlée, lemon tart, blueberry pistachio tart and choco mousse. Winner for this plate is the blueberry pistachio tart.
Plate 1 – creme brûlée, lemon tart, blueberry pistachio tart and choco mousse. Winner for this plate is the blueberry pistachio tart.
Plate 2 - pot de creme, french apple pie, my send serving of the blueberry pecan tart and strawberry and marshmallow dipped in the fountain.
Plate 2 – pot de creme, french apple pie, my send serving of the blueberry pecan tart and strawberry and marshmallow dipped in the fountain.

Their bakery is something else. They have kouglofs—it’s an Alsation bundt cake. A typical one would have some dried fruit in it and some cherry brandy. It comes in chocolate and a sweet variety containing candied orange and raisins and almond and another savory one which has jalapeño.

I passed on the jalapeño flavored kouglof, but not on the madelines.
I passed on the jalapeño flavored kouglof, but not on the madelines.
This was our spread!
This was our spread!

Obviously, buffet eating, despite its various presentations, is not for the faint of heart nor calorie conscious. There’s way too many food that you’ll ever need so the magic is on the quality of the food that you try, not on the quantity. This restaurant achieved both. Amazingly, our kind waiter allowed us to take our pastry basket home. Something Four Seasons would never ever do. So we were able to take home various croissants and cinnamon bread! We planned on having those for breakfast but as soon as we set it down, Beans inhaled it. It was that good.

They will be holding a Mother’s Day Grand Brunch this weekend. To those who haven’t made plans yet, don’t miss out on this one. It’s mom-approved!

 

 

 

Sushi, Just Because

I, Me, and Myself, Stuff I Cook

Let me start by telling you that there’s about seven perfectly respectable sushi place within a five mile radius from where I live. After everything is said and done, driving over to get some sushi is so much more easier than making one. Yet here I am, elbow deep in sticky rice, house smelling like burned nori. Why am I doing this? The same answer I gave my friends when they ask me why I have to make my own pasta: because I can.

I was at 99Ranch for my Asian food fix when I saw that their nori (green seaweed thingy they wrap sushi with) was on sale. Five bucks for thirty pieces . Great! Add to cart. For those unfamiliar with 99Ranch, it’s an Asian grocery store which doubles up as deli/bakery. Unlike usual American grocery chains, this store has no shame in letting out the cooking smells of whatever they have in the back. The smell of this store as I enter reminds me of home, where, at any given time, someone is always cooking something.

I discovered that they have ramen which they pack as to-go. I call it my Ikea Ramen. Ikea because “assembly is required”.

cooked noodles, broth, fixins ( pork cutlet, nori, mushrooms etc.)
cooked noodles, broth, fixins ( pork cutlet, nori, mushrooms etc.)
Heat individually then assemble. Just like you would any Ikea furniture, without breaking all your nails.
Heat individually then assemble. Just like you would any Ikea furniture, without breaking all your nails.

And of course I digressed. I write the same way I talk. I get sidetracked easily by little (hopefully exciting) anecdotes. I am what you call “long-winded”.  So here’s how I made my sushi.

For the rice---Japanese sushi rice, miring, salt, sugar, your trusty rice cooker and yes, that's an electric fan.
For the rice—Japanese sushi rice, mirin, salt, sugar, your trusty rice cooker and yes, that’s an electric fan.

Quality of Japanese Sushi rice is what makes or breaks a sushi. It is pricier than your ordinary Jasmine rice but when you see how white and round and how much it carries flavor, you will see where the added dollars went.

Nori, Japanese Mayo, Japanese sushi rice, surimi (fake crab meat), avocados, mangoes and soft shell crab (in Box)
For the filling -Japanese Mayo, Japanese surimi (fake crab meat), avocados, mangoes and soft shell crab (in Box)

I am making two kinds of Sushi today. First is California Sushi, hence the fake crab, avocados, cucumber and mangoes. Next is Soft Shell Crab Roll. Begin everything by cooking the sushi rice.

In a rice cooker, put two cups of washed rice, then add corresponding water, according to rice cooker specs. Add 2T Mirin, a tsp of salt, 2T sugar. Mix. Cook according to rice cooker time settings.

Once cooked, fluff out using wooden spoon and fan. This will allow air to be introduced so rice does not end up dry
Once cooked, fluff out using wooden spoon and fan. This will allow air to be introduced so rice does not end up dry

I spent more time trying to right this upside down picture than making the sushi itself. I would discard it but this is such an important step…

Heat nori in open flame
Heat nori in open flame. This takes about 3 seconds, tops. Anything longer than that, burns  it and you end up with a kitchen smelling like burned….seaweed.

Same thing with this picture. I have yet to figure out why this happens. The IT Director of my blog (my hubby, D) is on a conference call with his more meaningful trade so I can’t disturb him with my less meaningful IT troubles.

Assmeble by adding Jap mayo on bed of rice, then add cucumber, mangoes and fake crab
Assemble in makisu (sushi mat) by adding Jap mayo on bed of rice, then add cucumber, mangoes and fake crab
Roll up mat by moving the sushi towards to the edge each time
Roll up mat by moving the sushi towards to the edge each time
For the Soft shell crab sushi, fry soft shell crab till red and crispy
For the Soft shell crab sushi, fry soft shell crab till red and crispy.

Word of warning, this thing splatters to kill. I figured because the crab has a lot of fat, which is a good thing. Major clean-up after frying. Hate it.

For "inside-out" sushi, with rice outside instead of the nori. Spread rice on top of Cling-wrap.
For “inside-out” sushi, with rice outside instead of the nori. Spread rice on top of Cling-wrap.
Add soft shell crab and mangoes.
Add soft shell crab and mangoes.
Cover the whole thing with nori then roll.
Cover the whole thing with nori then roll.
You will want to pull the cling wrap towards the edge of the mat each time
You will want to pull the cling wrap towards the edge of the mat each time

 

I added avocado on top purely for aesthetics, you can put this inside the roll too
I added avocado on top purely for aesthetics, you can put this inside the roll too
Finished products!
Finished products!
When slicing sushi, use the sharpest knife you have and make sure that you dip it in water for each slice to prevent sticking.
When slicing sushi, use the sharpest knife you have and make sure that you dip it in water for each slice to prevent sticking.

This was dinner for me and my blog’s absentee IT Director/husband. I still have a lot of left-over nori so y’all will be seeing more sushi recipes from me.

Itadakimasu!!! (let’s eat)