Sunday, October 31, 2010

Euro Pane Bakery Halloween Boo! Red Velvet Cupcake



This little Boo! Ghost gave me a look. It was one of those moments where you are both staring each other down and seeing who will flinch first. Well I flinched first and thus we have some more bonus coverage for the Halloween edition of Random Meal of the Day. We have for today the Boo! edition of the Red Velvet Cupcake. All in all, a very yummy day.
Found at Euro Pane Bakery in Pasadena, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f8.0, 1/80, iso 800, +0.33ev)

The Boo! Red Velvet Cupcake striking a pose.

Euro Pane Bakery Halloween Scary Chocolate Cupcake



Happy Halloween! Today this holiday is dubbed by Random Meal Of The Day as "Chocolatween". For "Chocolatween" we have a Scary Chocolate Cupcake. The skeleton heads are popping out of the delicious chocolate graveyard.
Found at Euro Pane Bakery in Pasadena, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f16.0, 1/80, iso 5600)

Random Meal of The Day Halloween Trick or Treat



Welcome random mealers! Today our random meal treat is actually your random meal of the day treat. If you happen to randomly ring my doorbell, then you will be treated with a random assortment of candy. This is the partial stash of candy that we are passing out this year. We hope you ring our random doorbell!
Found at the home of Random Meal Of The Day in Pasadena, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 3200)

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Rascals Teriyaki Grill Beef Teri Deluxe



Our random meal brings us the Beef Teri Deluxe. This is slices of high quality beef topped with some teriyaki sauce. The teriyaki sauce does not overwhelm the flavor of the beef. The deluxe part of the meal is a wonderful order of a Chinese chicken salad. The salad dressing is the most impressive for a Chinese chicken salad that I have ever eaten. It is quite a magical sauce.
Found at Rascal's Teriyaki Grill in Torrance, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 1000)

Friday, October 29, 2010

LA Food Show Buttermilk-Battered Fried Chicken & Waffle



Our random meal of the day brings us Buttermilk-Battered Fried Chicken & Waffle. I specifically came here for the fried chicken that one of my friend said was really good. Out of left field, the vanilla-infused Belgian waffle stole the show. The waffle was just spectacular. The waffle had the delicate balance of having a nice crispiness outer shell and a moist and soft inner core. The hint of vanilla infused into the waffle put the Belgian waffle over the edge.

Let's not forget about the wonderful fried chicken. The buttermilk batter gave the skin a lighter than normal crispy crust. The chicken was moist and tender. I ended up devouring all four pieces of the chicken. This was not a few small dainty chicken pieces but instead a large succulent half chicken. This was an overall excellent meal.
Found at LA Food Show in Manhattan Beach, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f8.0, 1/80, iso 6400)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Al Hamra Halal Cafe Beef Kofta Pita Sandwich



Our random meal brings us a Beef Kofta Pita Sandwich. This is a special marinated minced ground beef that is served in a pita bread sandwich. The special orange sauce enhances the random meal. This was a takeout order that was placed on some lovely paper towels.
Found at Al Hamra Halal Cafe in Redondo Beach, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 1000)

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Lee's Hoagie House Lee's Famous Chicken Hoagie



We have Lee's Famous Chicken Hoagie for our random meal of the day. I believe this is the sandwich that Yelpers rave about.
Found at Lee's Hoagie House in Pasadena, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 3200)

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

BLD Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes



We have Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes for our random meal of the day. These pancakes were actually feature on the food network "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." Random Meal of the Day was less than 2 months old when I saw this episode and bookmarked this restaurant on Yelp. This was way back on August 22nd, 2009. A couple of months later, my office moved away from the area and it took me more than a year later to revisit the area and eat at BLD.

The Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes seems like such a simple concept. Ricotta cheese mixed with blueberries and turned into a pancake. OMG, this was absolutely delicious. The pancake was for some reason, extra fluffy. I wonder if this was because of the addition of the Ricotta cheese. I actually ate half of a pancake before I remembered to add the Berkshire maple syrup to the pancakes. The maple syrup comes in this cute log cabin tin can. Food coma ensued after this wonderful random meal.
Found at BLD Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 3600)

Monday, October 25, 2010

Farm Stand Natural Corn-Fed Cornish Hen



Today we have Natural Corn-Fed Cornish Hen for our random meal. The Cornish hen is roasted and cut into 8 delectable pieces. The meal comes with thin cut Parmesan fries, roasted vegetables with a side of Farm Stand salsa. The fresh meal had bold flavors.
Found at Farm Stand in El Segundo, CA.

(Sony A55, 30mm, f5.6, 1/50, iso 250)

We have here the starter Watermelon salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Chick-fil-A Peach Milkshake



We have a Peach Milkshake for our random meal treat. This is a straw drinkable milkshake with pieces of peach mixed in.
Found at Chick-fil-A in Oxnard, CA.

(Nikon D5000, 35mm, f1.8, 1/100, iso 450, +0.33ev)

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Al Watan Halal Restaurant Aloo Palak Potatoes & Spinach



Our random meal of the day brings us Aloo Palak Potatoes & Spinach. This tasted better than it looks and sounds. My friend insisted that we try this random dish.
Found at Al Watan Halal Restaurant in Hawthorne, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 500)

Friday, October 22, 2010

El Segundo Fish Co Clam Chowder Bread Bowl



Our random meal of the day brings us a Clam Chowder Bread Bowl. The clam chowder overflows from the non-sourdough bread bowl coating the bread and saves you from having to dip.
Found at El Segundo Fish Co in El Segundo, CA.

(Sony A55, 30mm, f4.0, 1/50, iso 500)

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Quiznos Italiano Flatbread Sammies



Our random meal of the day brings us some Flatbread Sammies. We feature the Italiano Flatbread Sammie and in the background we have the Bistro Steak Melt. The soft warm toasty flatbread really gives the sandwich a different random twist.
Found at Quiznos in El Segundo, CA.

(Sony SLT-A55, 30mm, f4.0, 1/50, iso 1000)

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Phoenix Food Boutique Shrimp Wonton Takeout



We have a takeout order of Shrimp Wonton for our random meal today. This is the order of the wonton noodles before the soup was poured into the takeout bowl.
Found at Phoenix Food Boutique in South Pasadena, CA.

(Sony SLT-A55, 30mm, f4.0, 1/50, iso 800)

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Noodle World Chicken Pho



Our random meal brings us Chicken Pho today. Pho is traditionally made with rice stick noodles and served with a beef broth. Our Chicken Pho today is served in a chicken broth with slices of shredded chicken on top of the rice stick noodles. It is a random twist on Pho that warms you up on these rainy Southern California days. The Pho was takeout order in a very usable bowl. This is actually the second restaurant that I have seen use these types of take bowls. It makes the cleanup a snap.
Found at Noodle World in Pasadena, CA.

(Sony SLT-A55, 30mm, f4.0, 1/50, iso 640)

Monday, October 18, 2010

Al Noor Chicken Reshmi



Our random meal brings us an order of the Chicken Reshmi. This is a Tandoori style chicken that is cooked in a clay oven. The special marinate gives the chicken the distinctive color.
Found at Al Noor in Lawndale, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 250)

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Phoenix Food Boutique Chinese Donut



Our random meal of the day treat is a savory Chinese Donut. The deep frying of the dough creates a perfect balance of a thin crispy crust and a fluffy airy soft center.
Found at Phoenix Food Boutique in South Pasadena, CA.

(Sony A55, 30mm, f4.0, 1/50, iso 1000)

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Chan Ji Teriyaki Chicken Bowl



Our random meal brings us a Chicken Teriyaki Bowl. This bowl is generous to serve two people.
Found at Chan Ji Teriyaki in Valencia, CA.

(Nikon D5000, 35mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 800)

Friday, October 15, 2010

The Original Pancake House Dutch Baby



Let's go eat a Dutch Baby! Well, that didn't inspire a following for our random meal of the day. I just got some weird looks and some what the heck, he just lost it. Well I guess sometimes I am too random and it leads me to a solo adventure. After weeks of trying to convince some fellow coworkers to try a Dutch Baby pancake, I surrendered and I set off on my own adventure. I was not sure what I was getting into.

The Dutch Baby is also know as a German pancake that is very similar to Yorkshire Pudding according to Wikipedia. The Dutch Baby is served with powdered sugar, butter and slices of lemon. The pancake has two contrasting textures. The fluffy and light outer crust and the thick and heavy base. The whole concoction was quite a bit larger than I expected. I was so full trying to finish it up and I didn't quite make it. At least I can proudly say that I ate a Dutch Baby...
Found at The Original Pancake House in Redondo Beach, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 1400)

Here's a closeup of the Dutch Baby all sliced up.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hanabi Japanese Grill Chicken Ramen



We have some Chicken Ramen for our random meal today. This would be some fast food style ramen that warms you up in a pinch. For the Ramen purist, please disregard this post.
Found at Hanabi Japanese Grill in El Segundo, CA.

(Nikon D5000, 35mm, f4.0, 1/60, iso 720, +0.33ev)

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The Flame Broiler Chicken Bowl with Onions



Our random meal of the day brings us a healthy Chicken Bowl with onions and white rice. You do have the choice of brown rice for the extra healthy kick.
Found at The Flame Broiler in El Segundo, CA.

(Nikon D5000, 35mm, f2.8, 1/800, iso 200, +0.67ev)

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

McDonalds Big Breakfast with Hotcakes



Our random meal brings us the Big Breakfast with Hotcakes. We have 3 fluffy hotcakes with a side of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns and an English muffin.
Found at McDonalds in Oxnard, CA.

(Nikon D5000, 35mm, f2.8, 1/200, iso 200, +1.0ev)

Monday, October 11, 2010

Chick-fil-A Nuggets



We have some Nuggets for our random meal today. These Nuggets are real pieces of chicken and not some filler meat. It is almost like eating bite size pieces of chicken tenders.
Found at Chick-fil-A in Santa Clarita, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 5600)

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Get Shaved Let Them Eat Cake Shaved Ice



After talking about the Get Shaved truck for months, we finally decided to head out on an adventure and get some Shaved Ice. We have for today's random meal of the day treat the Let Them Eat Cake shaved ice, which is also known as the #6. I bought the large and it contains "Pineapple, Coconut, Blue Vanilla Shave Ice w/ Ice cream and Sweet Cream". This is a wonderful treat that gave me brain freeze twice because I could not help munching it down.
Found at Get Shaved, randomly in Gardena, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/640, iso 200, +0.30ev)

The #6 with my secret identity.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

The French Crepe Co Crepe au Jambon Sauce Mornay



Our random meal brings us Crepe au Jambon Sauce Mornay. This is a ham and mushroom with cheese sauce. I still prefer a sweet crepe but a savory crepe also hits the spot on random occasions.
Found at The French Crepe Co in Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 250)

Friday, October 8, 2010

Fatburger King Bacon Egg and Cheese Burger



Our random meal of the day brings us the King Burger. This is now known as the Large 8oz but back in the days, the was the King Burger. I loaded this with bacon, a fried egg and cheese. This a monster of a burger. If you are willing to take up the challenge and eat the triple king, you can get your picture on their wall, a certificate and a parting mystery random prize. The triple king only contains 24oz of beef patty...

I actually have not been to Fatburger for many many many years. We used to go to the original Fatburger #2. This little hole in the wall that was situated between the high rent corner of La Cienega and San Vicente in Beverly Hills. My theory on the specialty of the place was that it had years of grease on its grill and it gave the burgers the wonderfully unique taste. But alas, with the healthy more leaf, less beef model of today's diet, Fatburgers are becoming a bit more rare including the Fatburger #2. It was kind of funny how both the iPhone Yelp app and a car GPS took us to a nonexistent Fatburger. The third time was the charm but it took a phone call to verify that they actually existed. We were determined to eat at Fatburger and the 35 minute adventure in the hunt for a Fatburger paid off.
Found at Fatburger in Redondo Beach, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f4.0, 1/60, iso 1600, +0.30ev)

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Piggie's Charbroiled Restaurant Steak Sandwich



Our random meal of the day brings us a Steak Sandwich. This is a ribeye steak charbroiled and then place on a french roll. It is a hearty sandwich. This location has a lot of character.
Found at Piggie's Charbroiled Restaurant in Hawthorne, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 320)

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

The Hat Pastrami Dip



We have a classic Pastrami Dip for our random meal today. We have a mountain of wonderful pastrami sandwich between a freshly dipped french roll. The sandwich is large enough to easily share between two hungry people.
Found at The Hat in Pasadena, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 1100)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Santouka Toroniku Shio Ramen



Our random meal today brings us Toroniku Shio Ramen. This ramen is a bit different than the typical ramen served as all the toppings that normally goes into the bowl of ramen is placed to the side. You then get to choose how much and when you want to drop your toppings into the ramen broth. It is like ramen with a random twist.
Found at Santouka Ramen in Torrance, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f4.0, 1/125, iso 200)

We have here the Shio Ramen to dunk your toppings into.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Buffalo Wings & Things Hot Wings



Our random meal of the day brings us some Buffalo Hot Wings. The hot wings are covered in a Rochester style hot sauce. The wings are also mighty meaty.
Found at Buffalo Wings & Things in Culver City, CA.

(Olympus E-PL1, 20mm, f2.8, 1/50, iso 1600)

Here's the lunch special with the fries.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Grass Jelly Drink



We have a Grass Jelly Drink for our random meal treat today. It is a dark grayish color jello mixed with a sweet honey water mix. Yes it sounds randomly weird but it is actually good. It brings back childhood memories.
Found randomly around Los Angeles, CA.

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

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Big Mama's & Papa's Pizzeria Ham and Bacon Kachapouri with 4 Eggs



We have Kachapouri for our random meal of the day. This Kachapouri is actually sized for two people. We start with a pizza dough shaped into a football and top the Kachapouri with cheese, bacon, ham and 4 eggs over medium. The Georgian dish is then topped with butter. This is actually my second round with the Kachapouri and it is still as good as the 1st time.
Found at Big Mama's & Papa's Pizzeria in Pasadena, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f5.6, 1/80, iso 3600)

Friday, October 1, 2010

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa Nachos



Our random meal brings us an order of Pork Barbacoa Nachos. We have a pile of nachos topped with sweet pork, melted cheese, pico de gio, sour cream and guacamole. This almost feels like a never ending random meal. The best part is when you order the Nachos, the entire crew at Cafe Rio sings you the Nacho song!
Found at Cafe Rio in Manhattan Beach, CA.

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