Monday, May 31, 2010

Cho Dang Tofu Beef Tofu



Our random meal today brings us some beef tofu. This is a Korean dish and the flavor of the tofu is from the spices that are added to the broth. I chose to have the tofu extra spicy to enhance my tofu experience as tofu naturally absorbs the flavors of the broth. An egg is freshly added to the meal at the table when the tofu is presented. I prefer to scramble up my egg to have a more balanced taste.
Found at Cho Dang Tofu in Torrance, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 2200)

Here is the tofu mixed up and the egg stirred in.



The rice comes in its own bowl.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Dairy Queen Fudge Brownie Temptation Waffle Bowl Sundae



We have the Fudge Brownie Temptation Waffle Bowl Sundae for our random meal treat today. Yummy!
Found at Dairy Queen in Torrance, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 400)

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Kouraku Restaurant Wonton Ramen



We have Wonton Ramen for our random meal today. When you have a restaurant the creates a fusion between Chinese cuisine and Japanese cuisine, you end up with Wonton Ramen. This is a departure from the typical wonton noodle dish. With a more traditional wonton noodle dish, the focus is more on the wonton than the noodle. The Wonton Ramen dish on the other hand focuses more on the ramen portion then the wonton potion. The wonton is there to complement the ramen with a typical soy sauce based broth.
Found at Kouraku Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 5600)

We also have an order of the spicy Tan Tan Men.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Zacatecas Al Mojo de Ajo



We have the Al Mojo de Ajo for our random meal today. This is shrimp sauteed in garlic. There was no skimping on the portions here. The shrimps were large, plentiful and succulent with the garlic infused sauce bringing the dish over the top.
Found at Zacatecas in Hawthorne, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 900)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Bristol Farms Chicago Style Pizza



Today we have a Chicago Style Pizza slice from California. This mountain of a pizza came from a gourmet supermarket and was quite a handful to carry.
Found at Bristol Farms in Manhattan Beach, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f.8, 1/80, iso 640, +0.30ev)

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Al Hamra Halal Cafe Grilled Shish Kebabs



Today we have grilled Shish Kebabs for our random meal of the day. We have 2 delicious pieces of Shish Kebabs consisting of one piece of chicken and one piece of beef. Normally, I can decide on which one I like better. But today I am at a stalemate. The chicken is awesome, but so is the steak. I take alternating bites between the two and finally the winner is.... ME! Yes I am the winner because I get to enjoy both the chicken and the beef. There is a side of clear your sinuses hot sauce if you want to spice up your random meal.
Found at Al Hamra Halal Cafe in Redondo Beach, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 500)

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Joey's Smokin B-B-Q BBQ Brisket Sandwich



Our random meal today is a BBQ Brisket Sandwich. I had previously sampled this sandwich before as smaller slider. I enjoyed it so much that today the sandwich has been upgraded to a full size sandwich. It is chopped full of flavor.
Found at Joey's Smokin BBQ in Manhattan Beach, CA.

(Nikon D5000, f2.8, 1/100, iso 1600)

Monday, May 24, 2010

Baja Fresh Langostino Lobster Burrito



Our random meal brings us a Lobster Burrito today. The first thing that I noticed when I entered the restaurant was the gigantic picture of the lobster burrito. The second thing I noticed was the price. It was only about two more dollars than getting a chicken burrito so I was sold. The burrito started with a layer of lime rice. I opted to not have the beans. Pico de gallo and real solid pieces of avocado were add next. Finally the star of the show, grilled pieces of Langostino lobster completed the random meal.
Found at Baja Fresh in Manhattan Beach, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f4.0, 1/320, iso 200, +0.30ev)

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Beach City Baked Donuts Matcha Green Tea, Coco and Golden Soy



Our random meal treat today brings us a trio of baked donuts. From the front to the back, we start with the matcha green tea. We then move on to the coco flavor. Finally we have the golden soy baked donut. These are a healthier treat. This is a Japanese style donut and not the typical American donut. It is smaller and has density similar to pound cake. The sugar content is also drastically lower depending on the flavor. The most prominent example of this would be the matcha green tea flavor. It tastes exactly like green tea so it is true to its flavor.
Found at Beach City Baked Donuts in Redondo Beach, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 1600)

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Phong Dinh Restaurant Baked Catfish Dinner



Today we have a family style random meal. We have a large baked catfish to share with everyone in the family. It comes served with rice paper and their "special tangy tamarind sauce". We have the catfish in a to go container so that you can share your random meal at home. Please be hungry because there is plenty to go around.
Found at Phong Dinh Restaurant in Rosemead, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 6400)

Friday, May 21, 2010

Golden City Seafood Lobster Noodles



Lobster Noodles is the choice for today's random meal. I've been eyeing this dish for months now after I saw another customer order this dish. I just never found a good opportunity to try it out. I feel like a knucklehead after I found out that this dish is on special for only $12.95. I really thought it was going to be priced like a lobster if that makes any sense. We start we a bed of delicious soft noodles and topped with a small lobster.
Found at Golden City Seafood in Los Angeles, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/60, iso 1000)

P.S. Happy Birthday BINKSY!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Teresa's Mosaic Cafe Carne Asada Chimichanga



Today we have a Chimichanga for our random meal. A Chimichanga is a deep-fried burrito. How awesome is that? I normally enjoy the crispy crunch of a taco but always craved the larger heartier burrito. This is the best of both worlds. The Chimichanga is filled to the brim with carne asada meat and wrapped in a medium sized tortilla. It is then deep-fried to a perfect crispy shell and topped with guacamole and sour cream. Why did I wait so long to try this wonderful item?
Found at Teresa's Mosaic Cafe in El Segundo, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 1600)

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

American Farmhouse Roadside Grill Angus Beef Rib-Eye Sandwich



For our random meal today, we have a rib-eye steak sandwich. The rib-eye steak is certified Angus beef. It is a succulent and moist piece of beef that a butter knife can cut through. The beef rib-eye literally melts into your mouth. It makes such a marvelous sandwich.
Found at American Farmhouse Roadside Grill in Manhattan Beach, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/60, iso 1250)

Here's the rib-eye sandwich as originally presented before me.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Paul Martin's American Bistro New York French Dip



Our random meal today brings us a French Dip sandwich. This is actually not just any regular French Dip for the simple reason that it is made out of New York steak. The New York steak is finely sliced thin and layered on a ciabatta roll. Aj jus sauce is on the side just waiting to infuse the meat with an extra burst of flavor. A large mountain of fries accompanies this meal.
Found at Paul Martin's American Bistro in El Segundo, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.0, 1/25, iso 1600)

You can also enjoy an order of the Bistro Burger.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Chipotle Crispy Chicken Taco to go



Our random meal today brings us some crispy chicken taco in some to go containers. I have never thought to ask Chipotle to separate each component of the taco into individual containers. It actually keeps the crispy taco shells crispy. It feels like you are actually eating the tacos fresh at the restaurant. The most interesting thing about this is that you get to see the actual portion size of the meal. It really looks so much smaller broken up into the separate containers. Once I made the tacos, it was actually sized correctly as each one of my three tacos looks like it has the right amount of meat like in when they serve it to you in the restaurant.
Found at Chipotle in Los Angeles, CA

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 4500)

Here's an overhead shot of the random meal.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Sprinkles Vanilla Milk Chocolate Cupcake



Our random meal treat today is a milk chocolate cupcake. This is a classic treat. Yummy!
Found at Sprinkles in Newport Beach, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f11, 1/80, iso 3200)

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Bumble Bee Fried Chicken Wings



Today we have another meal from a lunch truck. This is the 3 Wings and Fries. The wings are large and tasty.
Found at Bumble Bee Catering, randomly around Los Angeles, CA.

(Leica D-LUX4, 44mm, f2.8, 1/13, iso 200)

Friday, May 14, 2010

Qdoba Mexican Grill Fajita Ranchera Burrito



Our random meal brings us a Fajita Ranchera Burrito. This burrito contains chicken, rice and grilled peppers. It is a massive meal.
Found at Qdoba Mexican Grill in Hawthorne, CA.

(Nikon D5000, 35mm, f5.6, 1/100, iso 500, +0.33ev)

Thursday, May 13, 2010

McDonald's McSkillet Burrito



Our first random meal of the day is a breakfast burrito. We have here the McSkillet Burrito. It contains sausage, eggs, potatoes and cheese. You can add salsa to it to complete the meal.
Found at McDonald's in Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 1600)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Trader Joe's Spicy Thai Style Pasta Salad



Today we have a pasta salad for our random meal. This is a prepackaged spicy Thai style pasta salad. There are technically 2 servings in this container but if you minimize the dressing, you can keep your calories count to around 400. If you splurge on the dressing then the calorie count climbs to less than 800 for the double serving.
Found at Trader Joe's in Manhattan Beach, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/60, iso 320)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

El Pollo Loco Chicken Tostada



Today we have a chicken tostada for our random meal. I was really tempted to get the steak tostada version but since this is a place that specializes in chicken, the chicken won out.
Found at El Pollo Loco in Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f3.5, 1/80, iso 360)

Monday, May 10, 2010

Yoshinoya Chicken Bowl



Our random meal today is a chicken bowl. This random meal is really a blast from my past. The was a typical meal that I would normally eat way back in college. It was cheap and filling. We have a sweet teriyaki sauce smoothing the chicken and the rice. The steamed veggies are not doused with the sauce. Way back then, I would order the chicken bowl without veggies and to add extra sauce. The memories...
Found at Yoshinoya in Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D5000, f5.6, 1/100, iso 800)

You can also choose to order the combo plate with both beef and chicken.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Phoenix Food Boutique Tapioca Drink



Our random meal dessert treat for the day brings us a Tapioca drink. We have mini sized balls of white tapioca in a sweet drink. It tastes like the a cold version of the free desserts that you get at certain Asian restaurants.
Found at Phoenix Food Boutique in San Gabriel, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 720)

Saturday, May 8, 2010

El Pollo Inka Lomo Saltado



Today we have some Peruvian food for our random meal. We have here the Lomo Saltado. This is a fantastic stirfry dish that blends together steak, onions, tomatoes and french fries. The marinate used on the stirfry infuses the flavors and brings out the extra zing to the random meal.
Found at El Pollo Inka in Hermosa Beach, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.0, 1/40, iso 1600)

We also have a delicious order of the Arroz con Pollo.

Friday, May 7, 2010

PF Chang's Crispy Honey Chicken Lunch Bowl



Our random meal of the day brings us a lunch bowl special. We have the Crispy Honey Chicken Lunch Bowl. This is very similar to orange chicken but without sharp orange flavor. It has more of a medium flavor and is filled with white chicken breast pieces. The portions are smaller than the normal entree size but this is perfect for a lunch bowl.
Found at P.F. Chang's in El Segundo, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 1000, +0.70ev)

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Fresh & Easy Chinese Chicken Salad



Our random meal today brings us a prepackaged but still very fresh Chinese chicken salad.
Found at Fresh & Easy in El Segundo, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 400, +0.30ev)

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Costco Hot Dog



Today we have a simple classic for our random meal. You get this Costco hot dog plus a soda for $1.50.
Found at Costco in Hawthorne, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/60, iso 250)

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Al Noor Chicken Tikka Masala Curry



Curry is our random meal of the day. This is not just any curry, this curry is so good that my friend is too afraid of telling his girlfriend that he ate here. He is prettified that she may just break up with him because he ate here without her! That is how good this curry is. We have for today, the Chicken Tikka Masala. This is a light and smooth curry. It covers the long grain rice and injects it with flavor. You can also just decide to dip some Naan bread into the curry for the extra punch as the spicy curry soaks into the bread and infuses it with flavor. The restaurant also recently expanded and doubled it size so that you will have a shorter wait. Yes!
Found at Al Noor in Lawndale, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/60, iso 200)

We started off the meal with an order of the Samosas.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Banh Mi Thit Nguoi Phu Yen Grilled Pork Vietnamese Sandwich



For our random meal today we have a grilled pork Vietnamese sandwich. The marinated grill pork gives the sandwich such a phenomenal taste. It gives the hot sandwich a distinctive edge over the typical Vietnamese sandwich.
Found at Banh Mi Thit Nguoi Phu Yen in Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/100, iso 200)

Sunday, May 2, 2010

21 Choices Root Beer Float



Have you ever had the perfect root beer float? The float made to such a high standard of perfection that with every single glorious bite, you get just the right amount of root beer and ice cream. Well, for me, the day has finally come that I have reached root beer float nirvana. We have a premix root beer float that is silky smooth and ever exquisite bite is as exceptional as the last one. The best thing about this random meal of the day dessert is that it is 98% fat free!
Found at 21 Choices in Pasadena, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/400, iso 200)

You can also enjoy an order of the Oreo Cookie Magic with nuts.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Top Island Fried Prawns with Walnut in Mayonnaise Sauce



Our random meal of the day brings us shrimp with walnut in a mayo sauce. The funny thing about this random meal is that I do not really like mayonnaise. On a sandwich or burger, I would normally hold the mayo. But for some weird reason, I enjoy this entree. Maybe it is just so decedent that it overwhelms your taste buds and this is why it tastes so good. Or is it the toasted caramelized walnuts that seem to blend perfectly with the shrimp and mayo sauce. Well, whatever it is, this entree is usually shared with a group family style so you get to moderate your portions.
Found at Top Island in Alhambra, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 900)

We also shared the seafood with tofu hot pot.