Koto sushi at Fountain Valley

The best chirashi in Orange county

If you choose to sit next to the bar, you can order the sushi directly from the chef. At least, at this restaurant, they don't serve Chinese fish/eel.

Uni: my best choice here: $8 for these 2 pieces, it's super sweet and sweet as if they just break the shell of the uni. If you buy a fresh one from farmer market, it cost $9, and take a lot of time and labour to process, come here is easier!

Sweet shrimp and its cooked head in miso soup!

Matsui sushi at Torrance

At this restaurant, you can find the cheapest sushi combination with tempura and udon/soba noodles with the highest quality, highly suggest!

The soup is not so impressive but the quality and freshness of the fish is amazing!

How to Roast duck thighs

In Asia, duck is a kind of "cold" meat, it means it can help you feel better in a hot day~~~~
So, it's time to do it. This simple dish, I believe anyone can do it, if you have a oven. However, to make  the meat have better flavor, it takes time to marinate.

1. Ingredient
- 2 duck thighs (you can find at wholefood, about $4 each)
- BBQ sauce, I bought from Trader Joe's: Kansas city style BBQ sauce
- Garlic: 2 gloves
- Green onion: 1
- Flour: 1 spoon
- Vegetable: Any you can have, cabbage, potato, squash....: today I use baby squash from farmer market

2. Method
- Clean the duck thighs under water and dry with paper towel

- Put them in a bowl, add BB sauce: 1/2 cup
- Mix well then put in refrigerator before cook 2 hours

- Preheat oven to 380 degree (I use Breville Compact Smart Oven ) at roast setting and cook for 30 mins, skin side up

- Turn the thighs and cook at 350 degree for 15 mins


- While roast duck, you can prepare the sauce and vegetable. If you use potato, it takes more time, I use squash so time for cooking just 5 minutes: slice squash, heat pan with 1 tea spoon of oil, add chopped garlic, than add squash, add salt and black pepper, stir well, add 1/2 cup of water, turn heat to high, close lid and wait 3 minutes, then your side vegetable is done!

- Sauce: add flour to 1/2 cup of water, mix well than add to the small pot with the left marinated sauce, cook well, then add chopped green onion, it's ready for you to add to the meat.


- Finally, turn again, skin side up, add some honey if you want to the skin, cook for another 5 mins.

Cabbage salad for super hot day

It's super hot Monday, let's make a simple Japanese style salad dish. A man also can make it.

This is my new slicer: Kyocera with adjustable ceramic blade. You can find it at any Japanese supermarket or order online Here

 - A clean cabbage, I use organic one (safer when you eat it raw)
- Use 1.3 adjustment to slice until you think it's enough cabbage for your dish.
- Rinse under cold water (or tape water if you don't have ice water) may be 2 to 3 times
- Drain it with a salad spinners
- Add salad dressing: I use Japanese sesame dressing

Romantic dating at the little next door LA

This is an adorable place! Everything is so perfect for a date or just simply romantic lunch/dinner with your family. the atmosphere is so good, no loud music, so you can talk and enjoin your meal happily~~~~ and the waiters are very friendly and cute~~~

 The foods is delicious, you should try the bread with the sauce (mixed olive oil, herbs and balsamic ) before your entree.

The escargot

Shrimp Fettuccine: awesome fresh jumbo shrimp

Omelet with potato, mushroom and cheese

The best creme brulee

Coconut cheese cake, very sweet, you should order a cup of coffee if you choose this one

Super sweet pistachio macaroon

  Macchiato

How to cook fish with dill and tomato, Vietnamese style

Using dill to cook with fish is very popular cooking style in Vietnam. This is very simple dish, everyone can make it. All ingredients you can buy from any supermarket here, or a better choice: farmer market next to UCI every Saturday morning.

1. All you need
- A whole or fillet or steak of fish, almost all kind of fish is suitable for this dish. Today I have a fillet of mackerel imported from Norway.
- 2 green onion
- Some dill
- 2 tomatoes
- Seasoning: black pepper, 2 tea spoon of fish sauce (if you don't have, try sea salt, it will not tasty but still can be acceptable)

2. Cooking
- Heat 1 spoon of oil and cook the fish until its two sides brown (small piece of fish like mine take 5 mins per side) at medium heat

- While waiting for the fish, prepare the vege: chop the tomato, cut the onion and dill (may be 1/3 inch long)

- After 10 mins, add the white part of green onion and chopped tomato in to the pan, add black pepper, fish sauce, close lid for 5 mins,

- Add 1/2 cup of water, cook for another 5-10 minutes, then add dill and green onion, stir with the sauce inside the pan. Then DONE!