OctoSquid » Dreaming About

Holiday Gift Idea Confirmed by New York Magazine

agreen9 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:29:27 +0000

Last week I blogged about a wonderful Thanksgiving gift that my sister presented to me. This week, she sent me a New York Magazine article outlining just how great of a gift macarons can be. (you don’t have to convince me of that!)

Check out the article below, and if you want to give your friends and family something special, go with French pastries. You will be loved.

NY Mag Article link

J’ Chanceux Macaron

agreen9 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:35:52 +0000

Look at this beauty of a gift my sister got for me:

box full of love

perfect pastry post meal

She showed up at Thanksgiving dinner with a neat, little box of tasty macarons. For those of you who have not been introduced to the hamburger-shaped French pastries, they are “a traditional French pastry, made of egg whites, almond powder, icing sugar and sugar”. (wiki)

As told by Darby,” a new bakery opened with the cutest little lady owner – and she makes macarons’. That bakery is called J’ Chanceux Macaron and has only been opened for a few weeks.

info, held up by Darby

We did a taste testing in her apartment the next day. We got through them all, but since we were stuffed, never declared a winner. Looking back, the flavor that left a lasting impression on me was the coffee. It was sweet, but had a tinge of bitterness that added another dimension to the dessert.

Macarons are one of my all-time favorite treats – small enough to taste a few, crunchy with a melt-in-your-mouth outer layer, and a touch of cream.

If you live in New York City, go try out J’ Chanceux and give the little lady a chance.

Octopus News at La Pietra Cucina

agreen9 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:43:16 +0000

Big changes for all octopus lovers over at La Pietra Cucina. The restaurant has recently received larger and more tender varieties of octopi. The new octopus product is directly represented in the lovely soup appetizer – Braised Octopus & Chick Pea Soup with escarole and olivastro. In the past, the soup had a nice amount of thinly sliced, shaved, and chopped octopus (see pic here). Now, the octopus shines through in large chunks that peek through the luscious, rich broth.

Take a look for yourself and then go test out the extra chunky soup at La Pietra Cucina (while it lasts).

I'm chunky and beautiful

La Pietra Cucina
One Peachtree Pointe,
1545 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA

http://www.lapietracucina.com

Sushi House Hayakawa……Again?

agreen9 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:04:28 +0000

It has become quite clear to me that my eating at, thinking about, photographing, and spending money at Sushi House Hayakawa has become a bit much. And, to add fuel to the fire, I’m heading back there tonight at a friends request (and because it is absolutely delicious, fresh, and reasonably priced). In order to refrain form repeating content on this infant of a blog, I will quickly highlight some of the new bites of Japanese food that have entered my belly.

ikura, ikura, galora

Sushi rice topped with chopped seaweed and ikura (salmon eggs). Simple, but intensely flavored with the sweet (from a soy/wine marinade), briny egg goo. When this arrived, I asked for a plate upgrade and got a few plops of uni (sea urchin).

oh how a lil uni can change a dish

It tastes as good as it looks – superb.

I’ve covered parts of my trio in the past (think Would You Eat This? and Dreaming About), so here is the big picture:

salty ikura with creamy uni, sour umeboshi flavored jellyfish, spicy wasabi raw octopus

It’s my version of a well balanced combination platter.

Lauren ordered a couple of rolls and I helped eat them:

spicy tuna

I'm special tonight!

The special roll had shrimp tempura, crab, tobiko (flying fish roe), eel sauce, wasabi mayo – while the size of each roll made it difficult to tackle, the taste made up for it.

blow torching

As always, the personable Chef Hayakawa, provided some entertainment with his blow torch act.

After tonight, I will most likely decrease my frequency of visits to Sushi House Hayakawa – if only to up the anticipation/appreciation ante.

Sushi House Hayakawa
5979 Buford Hwy. Red & Green Steakhouse Shopping Center A-10
Atlanta, GA 30340

http://www.atlantasushibar.com/

Happy Birthday to mi madre

agreen9 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:17:00 +0000

she's at least 25 years old today!

As a true chocolate lover, here is the evolution of a molten chocolate cake dedicated to the mother hen.

proper and neat

broken open to reveal all it's glory

time to dive in...

Love OctoSquid & Perez

Birthday Smiles

Dreaming About: Shaved Ice

agreen9 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:05:55 +0000

The craving has hit again!
Whether it’s the bean and tapioca variety:

massive

the mixed fruit variety:

more manageable

OR both (if you can’t decide and you want a little bit of both and you are not willing to sacrifice one for the other and you are counting on your dining companions to help out):

get ready to climb Mount Everest

Cafe 101 does not allow customization in their shaved ice creations, but they make sure you leave full……of ice.

Café 101
5412 Buford Hwy
Doraville, GA 30340
770-458-8883

http://www.cafe101atlanta.com/

Dreaming About…..Roasted Acorn Squash

agreen9 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:27:05 +0000

lunch of champions

Getting back into the swing of food after a few days of soup I crave soft, smooth, mushy textures. Dairy is off limits, so I can’t dig into a pint of ice cream. Plus, in times like these hot trumps cold. Enter the acorn squash. The sweet yellow/orange flesh covers all my post illness bases. Lunch is served. If you would like to partake in this oddball meal, visit Savor Gourmet.

Post-Script: Savor also serves a mean, meaty sandwich and an addicting, lime-y black bean salad. The potato salad could use help in the presentation department.

Savor Gourmet
Peachtree Battle Shopping Center
2355 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
P: 404.869.0070

La Pietra Cucina: For the Love of Soup

agreen9 — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:52:43 +0000

Many of you are probably saddened by the recent death of Soupy Sales. In honor of the comic, I wanted to dedicate this post to him.

To be honest, I have absolutely no idea who Soupy Sales is. But, I have been sick recently and eating loads of soup so the timing just worked out (don’t you just love when that happens?).

An in-house work meeting prompted a nearby meal. My office happens to be located directly above one of the best Italian restaurants in the city of Atlanta, La Pietra Cucina.

Newly renovated with a high level of service, La Pietra is a luxurious way to spend a lunch hour. Case in point: my chamomile tea came in a large wooden box, and looked more like decorative potpourri than drinking tea.

Anyway, as soon as I looked at the menu I knew what was in order: SOUP

octopus can heal

Braised Octopus & Chick Pea Soup with escarole and olivastro

Boy, this really hit the spot. There was a strong lemony note within the broth that felt great on my throat. The octopus chunks varied in size and shape, which made the process of eating a joyous occasion – somewhat like enjoying alphabet soup as a child. The chickpeas added some heft and weight to the bowl; they also soaked up some of that good broth flavor.

For my entree, SOUP!

swimming squiddies

Calamari in Sicilian Tomato Zupetto with vermentino, toasted garlic, couscous, pine nuts

How can you have octopus without squid?

I’ve had this dish before and it is a satisfying meal – a heavier feel than the octopus due to the olive oil, but the flavors pop in a different way. Large slices of garlic, halved caper berries & olives, soft couscous, and crunchy pine nuts combine in a warm tomato base that begs to be drunk. This one warms the belly.

I’m not sure if it was the back-to-back soup action or the fact that I ate OctoSquid for lunch, but I left feeling a bit warmer and healthier.

Post-Script: my lunch mates ate very well.

I'm cut by human hands

Hand Cut Pappardelle with bolognese ragu, grana padano

order envy ensued

Black Spaghetti with rock shrimp, scallions, hot calabrese sausage

Both friends cleaned their plates

Bacchanalia: a meal that can’t be beat with people who can’t be beat

agreen9 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:40:02 +0000

As luck would have it, I had the opportunity to share an outstanding meal with Planet Earth’s most fantastic people. Admittedly, I had a hand in this arrangement – I psychically coerced my out-of-town guests to dine with me at the most renowned restaurant Atlanta has to offer. That restaurant would be the nationally acclaimed, Bacchanalia.

We arrived late Friday night with empty stomachs and high expectations. The visiting folks hail from the culinary-rich New York City and Boston, so Bacchanalia had some work to do to prove its excellence.

Shortly after sitting and glancing at the menu, wine list, drink menu we were presented with a ‘gift from the chef’: a puffy pastry filled with an oozing, creamy, tangy, cheese (it tasted like brie to me)

welcome to our home

Slam, bam, thank you sir!

Appetizer time – we had approximately 7 to choose from and there was some ordering overlap amongst us. Here is what we settled on.

lobstah

Lobster poached in butter – 2 people tried this and reported it tasted like butter and lobster. Thanks!

Ball full of love

Gulf Crab Fritter with citris and thai pepper essence: out of this world, without a doubt one of the best crab concoctions you can find ANYWHERE (that includes you and your cakes, Maryland!). The shape of the fritter was spherical; it was lightly fried and completely filled with warm, soft crab meat.The sauce was unbelievable – spicy and citrus-y, which happens to be my favorite taste combo when combined with a seafood item. Everyone agreed on the dish’s totality of success.

Onto the Entrees:

I come from NY

Wood Grilled Dry Aged Prime NY Strip – the lady who ate this as her meal told me the texture was “like butta” and “it had a smoky flavor from the wood fire grill” and “it was really soft, easy to chew, and should be requested at medium rare”. She added, (the steak) “was new and interesting, unlike any other steak I’ve ever had before”.

Duck 2 ways

Different parts of the duck were cooked in different ways: the leg meat was confit (and in the small container on the side), while the breast was seared. Quote from the eater – “duck breat was perfectly cooked and the puree was the perfect combination to pair with the protein. It was very tender and dissolved in my mouth.” She was not as impressed with the confit application, but went on and on about the sliced breast.

don't doubt the trout

Both girls that ordered the trout did not eat the fish skin (I know, crazy!) That means I got to add 2 long pieces of fish skin to my meal (coming up next). The skin was slightly crispy, but also a bit elastic. It tasted simple and pure. The trout meat was soft and the fillet easily broke into pieces with the touch of a fork. Elegant and enjoyable.

from afar

up close

Milkfish with bok choy and a ginger-shiso broth: texture of the fish reminded me of a black cod, buttery, flaky, and uber tender. It was spectacular and it had a lightness to it, which is needed in a four course meal. I haven’t had cooked fish this intoxicating since July…. possibly…

Cheese course:

beets galore

Sweet Grass Dairy Fresh Goat Cheese with roasted beets, raw beets, beet sorbet: the beets were super sweet and voluptuous and the sorbet was innovative and had an interestingly smooth mouth-feel. The classic pairing of goat cheese with the ladylike vegetable was appreciated and consumed quickly.

dates are for lovers

Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano with medjool dates: sugary, gooey dates in solid and liquid form combined with salty, hard cheese slices waltzed in step together the same way we know chocolate and pretzels dance. It was also fun to run a piece of cheese across the plate and pick up on the syrup.

Quick Palate Cleanser:

eat, drink, and be merry

Warm apple cider with a shortbread cookie – no complaints and seasonal to a T

Time for Dessert:

don't call me a tart

Chocolate Pecan Tart

fall is for apples

Quote from the happy eater, “my apple dessert was the perfect combination of warm, soft, moist apples and a crumbling, sugary topping”. I did taste an apple and it sure was moist and soft.

cookies and milk

Chocolate Wafer with vanilla cream cookie and iced, lightly malted milk: an adult play on Oreos and milk. I enjoyed eating the thick, ice-y milk with a spoon. The creamy layer in the middle of the mock-Oreos was rich and heavy – but likable at the same time.

Dreaming About: Shaved Ice

agreen9 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:32:26 +0000

self made millionaire

My new favorite dessert is a Filipino inspired shaved ice, also referred to as Halo-Halo. According to Wikipedia, Halo-Halo is a popular Filipino dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and milk to which are added various boiled sweet beans and fruits, and served cold in a tall glass or bowl.

I have been scoping out the shaved ice scene along Buford Highway and FINALLY found a place that will allow me to create my own hokey mix. My desired ingredients are red beans and kiwi and the White Windmill Bakery and Cafe made it happen(with some odd looks in my directions, of course – I’m used to that ).

An absolutely perfect way to follow up a sushi dinner down the block.

i love you, my creation

For some strange reason, they decided to add cornflakes on top and that worked just fine for me. The dessert is sweet, very cold, but a helluva lot lighter than the average American post dinner treat(even if you eat the whole bowl, right?).

White Windmill Bakery & Cafe
5881 Buford Hwy. Suite#100
Doraville, GA 30340
(T)678-887-5200

http://www.whitewindmill-bakery.com/