You don't eat Pork? The normative aspect of "anything-goes" foodie-ism and "traditional" cooking

I like to fancy myself as a foodie (even if I have been very bad at maintaining this blog). Lately, I have been following the escapades of one of the world's great foodies, Anthony Bourdain (Seasons 7-11), on Netflix.  From Manila to Tbilisi, Bourdain delights and entertains with his free-wheeling indulgence of unfamiliar, sometimes bizarre local delicacies. Lately, Bourdain's travels have had him consuming copious pork, whether in the form of Schnitzel (in Cologne), Scotch Egg  (London) or Ma Po Tofu (Chengdu).

As a tangentially-observant Jew, I abstain from eating Pork in most situations. For me (as for other reform/conservative Jews) it constitutes the bulk of what it means to "keep kosher". Much of the satisfaction I derive from watching Bourdain's show (and food shows in general) comes from eye-gagging on the bundles of deliciousness he consumes. Sadly, I just can't experience such pleasure from the consumption of a foodstuff that is prohibited by my faith.

Going beyond Bourdain's show, I have observed a general trend for foodies to relish in consumption of the obscure, the local and the traditional. Picky eaters are not rewarded in today's culinary world. While the boldness of celebrity chefs like Bourdain or David Chang is to be commended, the implicit messaging in their dining choices that one has to eat stir-fried pork, chili pepper or any other foodstuff that may disagree with someone's religious or digestive preferences seems to exclude those who maintain such preferences from becoming "serious" connoisseurs.

Am I arguing that celebrity chefs observe all laws of kashrut or Halal (or veganism or vegetarianism, for that manner) in their dining choices? Absolutely not. But, I wish there was more conscientiousness of the privilege entailed in chef's consumption of certain dishes and in the health- and social-related inequities that accompany the centrality of a particular dish in national or regional cuisine.

Take the role of pork in Spain for instance. The very centrality of Jamon to Spanish cuisine is largely a by-product of the Spanish Inquisition's efforts to ferret out Crypto-Jews and Crypto-Muslims. By serving sausage- and seafood-laden Paella at local festivals or requiring grocers to display large pork legs in their windows, the 15th-century Spanish Catholic church interrogated Jewish- and Muslim-converts' allegiance to their old faiths.

Jamon, commonly regarded as a "must-try" food in Spain

Nowadays, in an era of rising Islamophobic and nationalist sentiment in Europe, Pork is once again being weaponized. France's Republicans and Front National insist on the removal of Pork-free options from school menus in the name of laicite (a code-word for "Frenchness"). In Germany, far-right activists in the eastern state of Saxony made death-threats against a kindergarten that added pork-free options to its cafeteria.

The latter episode, in particular, presents a jarring contrast to Bourdain's visit to the Rhineland city of Cologne in episode 7, where he munches on various pork schnitzels and sausages at local taverns while touting the city's "welcoming" culture to refugees.

I, for one, as much as I love traditional German cuisine, have never brought myself to consume a pork sausage on my visits to Germany precisely because it serves as a marker of belonging in a majority identity from which ancestors were systematically excluded.

I am blessed with having friends from multiple backgrounds (Jewish, Hindu, lactose-intolerant, etc.). Whenever I host a gathering, I try to make dishes that everyone at the table can enjoy.

While celebrity foodies shouldn't have to adjust what they eat to accommodate the tastes of their viewers, they should acknowledge that the dishes they indulge may not be appealing to all of their viewership. On the opposite end of the kitchen, chefs should recognize that a diverse population has a diverse array of dietary preferences.

The best cuisines derive from the combination of ingredients and techniques of multiple traditions. Viewed in this light, having to satisfy a diner's tastebuds while accommodating their dietary preferences should be viewed as a force for positive change, rather than an imposition.

Tacos Tu Madre

If you ever asked yourself (if you're a UCLA student like me) if there is a reason to frequent Westwood Blvd, south of Santa Monica, the answer could be "Mexican food."

If you head a little more than one block south of the sprawling intersection, you will encounter a pink stall with mission revival-style roofing. Along the exterior of the building that rises behind the stand, modernist (arial/bold?) text advertises "Tacos Tu Madre."

Back on the ground, you approach a square window (with the dimensions of a standard microwave), carved out of a ghoulish green mural, to place your order, pop-up (or, this being LA, Taco Truck) style. 

The menu, printed on laminated paper (there is no display), reads like a laundry list of trends in California fusion cuisine. 

There are Korean BBQ Tacos (and Burritos), Banh Mi Tacos (and Burritos), Fried Chicken Tacos (and Burritos).  For those in the mood for Mexican food (as I was on my visit last week), however, can opt for the classic Grilled Chicken (or Asada) Burrito.

Although the order window emulates a pop-up or take-out joint, a covered dining area, with tables and benches allows you to wait for your order (and eat) in comfort.

The minimalist design, enhanced by bright lighting and the occasional mural (or mustachioed skeleton) contribute to a quirky ethos: definitely more Williamsburg than Westwood.

The burrito is served from the kitchen on a tray lined with parchment, poking its nose from tin-foil wrapping, in the style from San Francisco Mission District. 

And indeed, like the prototypical mission burrito, Tu Madre's tortilla batons are gigantic.

 Unfortunately, the first bite I took of the chicken burrito I had ordered consisted exclusively of the briny red chili aioli--not a flavor craved after a long day of studying. I had to take a few more chunks out of the burrito in order to reach the chunks of zesty grilled chicken (with a hint of lime) and earthy beans. The ingredients could have been distributed better. 

Unlike a lot of places, the burrito comes with guacamole, but I recommend ordering them without this: they lime flavor is unpleasantly overpowering.

On the other hand, the creamy chipotle mayonnaise that is served as an accompaniment tastes like heaven (requests extra if you can).

Overall, I would give Tacos Tu Madre 4 out of 5 stars. Their burrito cannot compete with Border Grill (or DTLA's Tacos Tamix, for that matter), but compared well with those served at other Westwood-area establishments. The restaurant is conveniently located and open until midnight. If I am ever transferring between buses at Santa Monica and Westwood after a long night on campus, I might return.  

Amazing burritos in unlikely places

An upscale museum cafeteria is the last place I would expect to find delicious Mexican food.

Which is why I was so pleasantly surprised by the burrito I ate for lunch today at the Huntington Library's Cafe.

In ordering the burrito, I bypassed the mediocre sandwich station at the entrance for the Mexican station run by the Border Grill chain.

After I ordered, the chef grilled the tortilla to crisp perfection (the secret to any good burrito in my view).

He spread a layer of black beans and added a zesty salsa and cotija cheese. These three ingredients created a pleasant flavor combination that obviated the need for condiments.

Tender rich steak and crisp, sweet-and-salty plaintain chips (yes! Plaintain Chips!) rounded out the interior.

Bomb Burrito on Classy Dishware

The outcome is perhaps the tastiest burrito I have ever eaten.

Priced at $12 each (i.e. two taco truck burritos), the Asada Burritos are not necessarily a bargain--though if you become a Huntington Reader (like I am), you pay only $9 (with a 30% reader discount).

For a more rexperience, consider dining at Border Grill's downtown restaurant, as I now certainly will.

Cheers!

Breakfast Burrito Battle (!?!!!): Frank's vs. Jose Chiquito

So I got a breakfast burrito from Frank's (near 3rd and Fairfax) for brunch today. I enjoyed the monster but detected some interesting differences from that which I've indulged in at Jose Chiquito. Like any serious (!?) foodie, I conducted some comparative analysis, reaching a revolutionary conclusion:

1. Tortilla: Both breakfast burritos use warm tortillas. 
2. Potatos: Jose Chiquito's hash brown potatoes are crisp, thin (only lining the rim of the burrito) and greasy. Frank's potatos are doughier (with a browned exterior) and take up a greater proportion of space in the burrito. However, I actually prefer the ratio of potatoes to eggs in Frank's burrito.
3. Veggies: The cooks at Jose Chiquito scatter tomato chunks and grilled (slightly sweet) onion slices within the eggy burrito interior. Frank's burrito's bear a generous dose of zesty pico de gallo. The latter has a livelier flavor.
4. Cheese: Jose Chiquito's burritos have no cheese. Franks have Cotija cheese.

Frank's burritos are cheesy and spicy, just as a burrito should be. They have a good balance between eggs and potatos as well. If you prefer a mildier, egg-heavy burrito, go to Jose Chiquito. Otherwise visit Frank's.

Photos forthcoming. 

Dina's Cafe

This one is a quickie, inspired by dinner I had Thursday night after a show in Westwood. Since it was after 9 o'clock, and Westwood is a lame college town, I found my go-to sit-down restaurant (KoalaT) closed. Most of the other dining options I knew of involved clogging my arteries with saturated fat (I had already eaten an apple fritter for breakfast) so I whipped out my Yelp app. When I ranked the restaurants by customer review, I found dina's cafe near the top. This surprised me because I had passed by last December and recalled pulling up no reviews when I then checked for the place on Yelp and Google maps. Furthermore, the advertisement of $1.50 empanadas I encountered when passing by on the street during the daytime suggested a restaurant too desperate to be worthy. 

Nevertheless, the pangs of my stomach and foodie-ist curiosity led me to a low-rise brick edifice on Gayley Avenue, where Dina's sandwiches between a hair salon and smoke shop. When I walked in, I was a surprised a little by the colorful menu displayed above the counter: given the restaurant's name I had expected the restaurant to serve tuna sandwiches and baked goods (e.g. Empanadas).  Instead, the menu not only included Tortas but burritos and tacos. 

Although my hunger normally dictates that I order a burrito (when presented with the opportunity), a combination of Asada, potatos and crema attracted to me the Torta de Estilo DF. 

While I waited for the food to be served, the cashier offered me a taste of a fruit drink (I believe it was Jamaica) he had stored on the counter. I assented and he scooped out enough to fill a normal-sized plastic cup. It was not as cold as I would ideally like but quite refreshing nonetheless! 

Many places grill the bread and the ingredients for their Tortas seperately and stack them together at the end. The cook at Dina's however seems to grill the sandwich after it has been composed, like a Panini, and serves it in a wrapping of parchment and aluminum foil.

The combination of cheese and crema gave the sandwich a rich flavor, comparable to a white cheddar mac, that I unexpectedly enjoyed (I usually dislike rich, cheesy flavors). The chunks of roasted potato seemed to supplement the crema-cheese flavor, However, the asada was a little tough and less piquant than I normally like.

Nevertheless, the outstanding service offered by the cashier and the food's reasonable price (only $7.99 for the sandwich) ingratiated me to this restaurant. The meat might have come from the bottom of the barrel (which I could understand because it was near the end of the day), but the chef still did a reasonably good job at her Torta

.    
Westwood needed a reasonably-priced, non-chain Mexican food joint. This might be it.

I hear they make a good breakfast burrito, so I will try to return in the morning sometime soon and update this post!  

Jose Chiquito

I am finally writing about the Grand Central Market.

Its not Eggslut or Wexler's Deli that I praise, but Jose Chiquito.

This modest stall wedged between Tacos Tumbres a Tomas and Golden Road Brewing has neither long lines nor brioche buns. But it more than compensates with its breakfast burritos.

Within a warm tortilla, toasty hash brown potatos pad a filling of eggs, tomato, pepper, onion and (most crucially) avocado. The saltiness of the hash browns, the sweetness of the onions and tomatoes, and the tangy sourness of the avocado hit all the right gustatory nerves. .

True "comfort" food, the burrito (pictured below) bursts to it's seams and will certainly stuff yours: the vegetarian variety--which I order because I can't eat pork-- always keep me full from breakfast until dinner.

By the way, one burrito only costs about $7.00 including tax, a rare find these days at the market (or really anywhere in downtown)..

Remember to always eat your breakfast, kids.

NADI Myanmar cafe

I took the bus to Alhambra Thursday morning for an interview. While I waited for the return ride, I began to feel hungry and, like all good foodies, consulted my Yelp (mobile) app. 

The second listing down from the top of the "restaurant" search results (with 4 and a half stars) read "Nadi Myanmar Cafe." 

I had never eaten Burmese food before and adored every southeast Asian cuisine I have tried so far. Therefore, I decided to postpone the hour and 45 minute bus ride home in order to give the restaurant a try. 

My first impression upon entry was the sweet waft of incense that permeated the air. A mural on the left wall depicts/immerses you in the round pagodas and rainforest of Myanmar's countryside. Amulets and boddhisatvas crammed a shelf on the opposite wall. 

Mural display

I skimmed through the list of curries and soups before settling on the chicken noodle salad (which a Yelp reviewer had positively commented on).  I then sat back in my chair and waited for the meal's delivery while taking in the Burmese ballads playing on the radio. 

Chicken Noodle Salad

The dish was served with artistic flair in an undulated ceramic bowl, accompanied by garnishes of chopped egg and dried (golden)  noodles.

Eager to satisfy my stomach's grumbling, I dug into the display with chopsticks. 

The noodles had a rich umami flavor, with a hint of Vietnamese fish sauce, that was occasionally punctuated by the sharpness of cilantro. Crumbling up and mixing in the egg added a richness that accentuated the umami quality.

In between bites of noodle, I slurped on the small bowl of rich (but not salty) chicken broth given as an accompaniment.

On the balance, my lunch at Nadi Myanmar Cafe made a wonderful addition to my trip (in terms of both nourishment and excitement). I will definitely return to the restaurant if I visit Alhambra again, and look forward to digging deeper into Los Angeles' Burmese culinary scene.