My husband and I (before we were husband and wife) were visiting friends in LA and decided to try Korean BBQ.  Even though I'm obsessed with all things Asian I had never actually been to a Korean BBQ restaurant.  Genwa was very close to the theater where our friends' band was playing so we decided to give it a shot.

The prices are supposedly higher than a lot of Korean BBQ restaurants in LA but the quality was fabulous as was the service and presentation.  I'm pretty sure they give have the most side dishes, too.  We opted for one of the smaller packages that included a bottle of soju.

My favorite thing was the bibimbap.  I'm sure I made their eyes roll when they saw how much I like to cook my meat (they kept coming back and puting the meat on the sides so it wouldn't get over cooked even though that's how I like it).  It was fun to try everything.  My palate sways toward Sichuan, Thai and Japanese food and Korean food is totally different.  It might take a while to get used to this cuisine but I would sure love to try.  The experience was fun and really a tremendous value.

They do offer a la carte options too but I don't think it would be quite as exciting.  If you're going to LA and want to visit Genwa I recommend staying in a hotel with a mini fridge because there is no way you'll finish everything.

Genwa
5115 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 549-0760

Persimmon Bread

In December and January you can find very good-looking persimmons at your local Farmer's Market. Not knowing which persimmons I should buy to make Persimmon Bread, I asked the farmer selling this fruit which type to buy.

There are two kinds of persimmons usually found in Santa Barbara farmer's markets: Fuyu and Hachiya.
The Fuyu Persimmons can be eaten right away in its crunchy form. Eat it like an apple or slice it and use in a salad. Speaking of Persimmon salad, I am determined to find the recipe used by the Huntington Gardens' Tea Room. They make a divine persimmon salad in what I believe is a parmesean vinaigrette.

The Hachiya persimmon is meant to be ripened until it looks extremely bruised and almost black in color. After at least a month of leaving the Hachiya on my kitchen counter I gave up and settled for a slightly soft, somewhat bruised persimmon. The food processor took care of the rest. I will warn you that you want to get them very ripe so you may want to put them in a paper bag with an apple for as long as it takes. After you puree the fruit (according to instructions) you are ready to make Persimmon Bread.

JAMES BEARD PERSIMMON BREAD on David Lebovitz's blog.

Notes: I added Courvoisier Cognac and skipped the raisins all together. After tasting it I can't imagine using whiskey and that many raisins. The Cognac was strong and overwhelmed the persimmons (as would any liqueur) but it was delicious nonetheless.

Weekend in Montecito

I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I think it took me most of the day to realize how amazing this place was; this house in Montecito. My ex-boyfriend from college texted me right before Christmas to see if I was in town (Santa Ynez Valley) and wanted to meet him at his brother's rental house. His brother and fiance were visiting from Texas and had rented this beautiful house in Montectio with a heated pool and hot tub. As gorgeous as the house was, the best part of my visit wasn't the house, it was the company and the food.

Let me just tell you that these guys know how to eat and drink. Follow me through the day:

Noon-I arrived in Montecito

1pm-Head out to the harbor and stop by Brophy Brothers for a dozen oysters, oyster shooters, and some beer/wine

2pm-Decided it was too crowded so we went to State Street for some window shopping

3pm-Hungry again, we went to the Neighborhood Bar where they have microbrews and satisfying pub food. Ordered the chicken and goat cheese panini and amber beer; 2 thumbs up.

4pm-Stuffed, we head back to the house to rest but not before stopping off at Trader Joe's where I picked up two bottles of wine. The first was a delicious Lane Tanner Pinot Noir (only recently available at TJ's and one of my favorite winemakers) and the second a very cheap bottle of Liberty 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) with an impressive label designed by a very talented guy I know.

4pm-7pm-Enjoyed Christmas cookies my mom and I had made along with the wine purchases. Friends opened up yet another bottle of wine they had and we finished with a fourth bottle of Aqua Pumpkin Pinot Noir. They were so impressed with the AP Pinot when they went out to eat that they called up Kenneth Volk Vineyards and ordered 3 cases. I love the spontaneity of it all.

7:30/8pm-Realizing we better eat now before the restaurants close, we head over to nearby Lucky's on Coast Village Road in Montecito. (Note: my responsible friend B was the DD, no need to worry!)

8-10pm-Ordered a bottle of Aqua Pumpkin Pinot Noir (my new friends' favorite of the weekend) right away (not that we needed anymore wine, but we were celebrating the holidays with old and new friends). Going along with the theme of extravagence, our host, B's brother, ordered a dozen oysters that were definitely the BEST oysters I have ever had (ironically from the east coast). Sex on a plate, my friends. They were so good they made you feel almost high (or maybe that was just the massive amount of wine we had consumed?).

B and I were so impressed with the oysters we decided to order another dozen. Our generous host ordered a salmon (perfectly cooked) and steak (melted like butter in my mouth) to share. I don't remeber what we ordered for dessert but I know it was throughly enjoyed.

12am-Fat and happy, we went home and enjoyed a midnight dip in the hot tub (and I tried out the incredible heated pool). I honestly can not imagine living like that. It was a priceless experience.

We all know that food and luxury are great but these things don't matter without good friends. The highlight of my weekend in Montecito was getting to spend time with my old friend and my two new friends from Texas. Such kind-hearted, generous, and fun-loving people that left quite an impression on me (one that I would have had even if we had dined on PB&J sandwiches). I'm looking forward to their return visit so I can show them around our wine country; it's sure to be a good time.