Thursday, March 31, 2011

Bacon & Eggs at Original Pantry Cafe



Bacon bacon bacon. Can you ever have enough bacon? Well, I found out today that my limit is four strips but our random meal of the day brings us five strips of bacon with two eggs over medium. Yes, that's right, 5 strips of bacon. I actually kind of wonder the reason for five strips. Maybe it is because I am eating at a classic landmark restaurant that has been in business since 1924? OK, to my defense, these are super duper long pieces of semi thick cut bacon. I also had some delicious sour dough toast and home fries with the random meal.

Found at Original Pantry Cafe in Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f5.6, 1/60, iso 6400)

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with Peanut Butter Jelly at Noah's



I had a craving for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I then proceeded on to Yelp.com to see if I can actually get the sandwich that I was desiring. I guess that's the thing about a classic sandwich, nobody really just sells a plain pb&j sandwich. The next best thing that I found was a plain bagel with pb&j. Well, for me, I just can not settle for the something not random. So for our random meal of the day we have a Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with Peanut Butter and Jelly! It is so good...

Found at Noah's Bagels in El Segundo, CA.

(Nikon D7000, 35mm, f2.8, 1/160, iso 100)

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Pad Thai at Thai Specialty 2



We have an order of Pad Thai for our random meal of the day. This is actually my favorite place to order Pad Thai. I really enjoy how they prepare the sauce with a good blend of tamarind and sugar. It does not overpower the flavor of the noodles or the shrimp and chicken. I especially enjoy the the slices of fried tofu that they blend into the dish. It gives it a distinctive extra texture to the random meal.

Found at Thai Specialty 2 in Hacienda Heights, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 280)

Monday, March 28, 2011

Corn Dog on a stick at Wienerschnitzel



Happy "Something On A Stick Day"! For me the first thing that comes to mind is a corn dog on a stick. I found out that this corn dog is actually made of chicken. I think the best part is when you hit the end of the stick where you meet the extra crunchy batter. Yum...

Found at Wienerschnitzel in Torrance, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f4.0, 1/125, iso 200)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Huevos Con Chorizo at Zacatecas Restaurant



Our random meal of the day brings us an order of Huevos Con Chorizo. This is eggs scrambled with fried chorizo. This particular chorizo was jam packed full of flavor. We also have a great side of rice and cheese covered refried beans. This concludes another awesome breakfast for lunch random meal.

Found at Zacatecas Restaurant in Hawthorne, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 1250)

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Strawberry Donut at The Donut Man



We have the infamous Strawberry Donut for our random meal treat today. This is truly a special donut. All the strawberries that they overstuffed into the donut are actually fresh strawberries. There is no compromise here as the only time you can actually buy a strawberry donut is during strawberry season. I had to wait months and months before I was able to finally bite into this delectable treat. It was so worth the drive on Historic Route 66.

Found at The Donut Man in Glendora, CA.

(Nikon D700, 60mm, f8.0, 1/80, iso 250, +0.33ev)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Blackened Tilapia at Second City Bistro



Our random meal of the day brings us an order of Blackened Tilapia. The Tilapia is served "with mango salsa chili infused olive oil on mashed potatoes and vegetables." The meal felt very light and refreshing with the mango salsa. The salsa complements the fish without overpowering the wonderful flavor of the Tilapia. The photo today is me experimenting shooting wide open at f1.4. At this aperture, it really lets you focus on the fish. I have a feeling that my new Nikon 35mm f/1.4G will go on countless future random meal of the day adventures.

Found at Second City Bistro in El Segundo, CA.

(Nikon D700, 35mm, f1.4, 1/2000, iso 200)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Chicken BBQ at Korean Kitchen Hibachi



We have Korean style Chicken BBQ for our random meal of the day. The meal is actually cooked for you instead of having to cook it yourself. I actually prefer it this way as the flavored are enhanced by having the chef prepare the food for you. This is actually one of my favorite restaurants and today was the first time I ever sat outside. The restaurant is actually tucked away in the corner of the Japanese Village Plaza Mall in the middle of Little Tokyo. It was actually supposed to storm in about two hours when I decided to sit outside. On a cloudy day you end up getting a super gigantic free diffuser. Diffusion, diffusion, diffusion is the key...

Found at Korean Kitchen Hibachi Barbeque in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/320, iso 200)

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Wild White Prawns & Fresh Linguini at Paul Martin's



Our random meal of the day brings us some Wild White Prawns and Fresh Linguini. This is one of the two items that I really enjoy off their menu. The plate contains "prawns, tomatoes, spinach, garlic lemon butter" and lunguini. Simple yet so wonderfully delicious.

I actually had this particular random meal before so this time I decided to take a different twist on it and shoot it with a large aperture. Today this is shot at F2.0 Normally I don't really like to shoot at that large of an aperture because the depth of field is just so narrow at the angle that I am attempting. You end up getting the prawn mainly in focus and the rest of the plate just blends into the background. It does give the plate a different look. Shooting at F2.0 also helps with the goal of only shooting with available ambient light without the aid of a flash.

Speaking of flash, I am actually attending the Flash Bus Tour '11 http://www.theflashbus.com/ today. I know, kind of random that a non flash photographer is attending a flash fest. I can't wait to see the two great masters, Joe McNally and David Hobby. Joe is the Nikon CLS master while David is the old school pocket wizard master. I look forward to attending their show today!

Found at Paul Martin's American Bistro in El Segundo, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.0, 1/80, iso 3200)

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Red Velvet Waffle at The Waffle



We have a Red Velvet Waffle for our random meal of the day. The waffle has a nice balance in texture of being crispy on the outside and yet it is still moist on the inside. This wonderful treat is topped with cream cheese frosting that is rich and creamy. The cream cheese had a touch of tartness that perfectly balances the rich sweetness and I would happily top any cupcake with. The frosting is that good...

Found at The Waffle in Hollywood, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f4.0, 1/320, iso 200, +0.67ev)

Friday, March 11, 2011

File Gumbo Ya Ya at Uncle Darrow's



It's finally Friday. What's so special about this Friday? It is Apple iPad 2 day! Ok, seriously it is File Gumbo Ya Ya day. This special random meal is only made on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. File Gumbo Ya Ya is created when you combine gumbo with jumbalaya. The gumbo is really special. As you can see from the picture, there is a half Louisiana blue crab in the gumbo. You add to that some chicken sausage links and some turkey sausage links. There is even a whole wing sized chicken drumstick inside each and every bowl. You finally top the whole concoction with jumbalaya (yes, that is how they spell it) that in all honesty is a fabulous meal all by itself and the File Gumbo Ya Ya is masterfully crafted.

Found at Uncle Darrow's in Marina Del Rey, CA.

(Nikon D700, 105mm, f8.0, 1/125, iso 5000)

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The Italian Sandwich at Togo's



We have The Italian Sandwich for our random meal of the day. This meaty sandwich contains what I believe is Salami, Mortadella, Capacolla and Cotto for the meats. The toppings include Provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pepperoncini. I held the Italian dressing from the sandwich. All in all this is a great sandwich.

Found at Togo's in El Segundo, CA.

(Nikon D7000, 35mm, f2.8, 1/80, iso 200)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Hot Dog at Costco



We have a Hot Dog for today's random meal. It is a simple classic. You can not beat the price at $1.50 plus tax with a soda. From what I found on the Internet, this single hot dog weighs in at about 550 calories. According to the RunKeeper iPhone app, I walked a total of 1.64 miles round trip and burned about 156 calories for the walk to get this hot dog. The net calorie count for me today is less than 400 while still getting to enjoy a delicious hot dog.

Found at Costco in Hawthorne, CA.

(Nikon D7000, 35mm, f2.8, 1/100, iso 100, +0.67ev)

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donut at Beach City Baked Donuts



We have a Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donut for our random meal of the day treat. It tastes like a hybrid of a regular fried donut and a baked cake. It is a healthier random meal of the day treat that still remains absolutely delicious. The people that runs Beach City Baked Donuts are actually from Japan and there are many Japanese inspired twists to the flavors of the donuts.

Found at Beach City Baked Donuts in Redondo Beach, CA.

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

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Scrambled Eggs Bruschetta at Little Dom's



Our random meal of the day brings us an order of Scrambled Eggs Bruschetta. Normally when I eat out, I would not order scrambled eggs because that's one of the few dishes that I can actually make myself. When I read that the description for this particular item, it just seemed too good to pass up. We have "scrambled eggs bruschetta w/ grilled baguette, roasted tomatoes & pesto." The menu just described a very colorful combination. The dish not only turned out to indeed be colorful, it was as delicious as it looks. I believe that now that I should not disregard an menu item just because I can make it myself. Someone will always put a twist on a classic and make you smile.

Found at Little Dom's in Los Angeles, CA.

(Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.8, 1/160, iso 200)

Friday, March 4, 2011

Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Waffle at Uncle Bill's Pancake House



We have a Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Waffle for our random meal of the day. Yes that's right, a cheddar cheese & bacon waffle. I found out the other day that some of my coworkers in another department are bacon fanatics. One received three pounds of bacon for his birthday and promptly cooked all three pounds at once. The other one wants to marry Kevin Bacon so that her last name will be Mrs Bacon. Now that is a true bacon fanatic! When I mentioned bacon waffle, they went off running...

Found at Uncle Bill's Pancake House in Manhattan Beach, CA.

(Nikon D7000, 35mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 1600)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

All-American Stack Burger at The Veggie Grill



Our random meal of the day brings us a grill veggie-steak burger. Yes, that's right a veggie-steak burger made out of "specially seasoned and marinated veggie protein blends." The All-American Stack Burger has grilled veggie-steak and is topped with crispy onion rings, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and thousand island dressing. The grilled veggie-steak is fully flavored and you end up forgetting that it is a actually a veggie protein blend.

Found at The Veggie Grill in El Segundo, CA.

(Nikon D7000, 35mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 720)

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Dry Rub Baby Back Ribs at Pinkie's BBQ



Our random meal of the day brings us some Dry Rub Baby Back Ribs. We have a half rack of some flavorful baby back ribs with a side of sweet potato chips and coleslaw. The funny thing about this random meal was the fact that I did not notice that the ribs were presented to me upside down. Normally the ribs are presented to you meat side up. I was looking at the dish and was thinking that dry rub ribs really look different. I actually didn't catch this until I ate half of my ribs. The ribs are actually "coated with Pinkie's dry rub then smoked over hickory wood for 5 to 6 hours." I only need to add a small touch of sauce on the ribs to give it a tangy St. Louis twist.

Found at Pinkie's BBQ in Hermosa Beach, CA.

(Nikon D7000, 35mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 1100)

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Chicken Pomodori on Sourdough Panini at Corner Bakery Cafe



Our random meal of the day brings us the Chicken Pomodori on Sourdough Panini. This random meal also features my new camera, the Nikon D7000. I know, I was saving for a color meter but I just could not resist. Our Chicken Panini starts with roasted chicken topped with fresh basil and spinach. Oven roasted tomatoes and provolone cheese is then added between the Panini bread before the entire sandwich is pressed. A side of bakery chips and a pickle completes this random meal.

Found at Corner Bakery Cafe in Manhattan Beach, CA.

(Nikon D7000, 35mm, f4.0, 1/80, iso 125, +0.33ev)