So, about a month ago, the missus and I joined a few friends for a little trip down to the darling of the Twin Cities culinary scene, the 112 Eatery. You know how sometimes you read reviews or have pals tell you how freakin’ awesome a restaurant is, and find upon arrival it is ok, but isn’t up to the hype? With the 112 Eatery, I tried not to get too worked up. I had been underwhelmed by the critically acclaimed Solera on my one visit, which was the restaurant first proposed for the evening. Luckily for all of us, when I told them about the 112, they went for it. How could they refuse? I mean, after all, not only did our local superstar critic Dara have nothing but good things to say about the joint, they were even able to please Gourmet editor and and former disguise wearing NY Times food critic, Ruth Reichl one evening. Now that is some pretty extreme hype, wouldn’t you say? (The last link is a Dara giving Ruth the smackdown, something brought to our attention thanks to the good fold over at MNSpeak.com.)

The first thing I will do is state the obvious- call at least a week in advance if you want reservations for a weekend. We called about 5 days out, and they were already booked solid. All is not lost if you forget however, as the 112 keeps half of the tables free for walk ins. Perfect for an impromptu dinner, if you don’t mind a little bit of a wait.

Indeed, when we showed up around 8PM on a saturday, co-owner Nancy St. Pierre was working host, and informed us that it would be a 45 minute wait. What I thought was cool about her was that she seemed genuinely concerned that we would have to wait that long. Not that she seemed to be interested in turning around tables at all, more that she simply wanted us to be happy, seated and accommodated as quickly as possible for our own sake, not hers. A few minutes after giving her our name, she seemed relieved to inform us that the wait would only be about twenty minutes. Not bad for a tiny restaurant on a Saturday night.

So, 20 minutes later, we get a table, and peruse the wine list. The 112 Eatery has a wonderful wine selection that spans many regions and variatels that accommodates just about any budget. For example, the reds start at a casual $22 Mark West 2003 Pinot Noir all the way up to a wallet busting $145 bottle of chateauneuf de pape, cateau de beaucastel, France, 2001. We went with the inexpensive but very serviceable Mark West. I have to get an expense account one of these days.

The Menu at the 112 Eatery is a little like that at a tapas bar. You pick your entree and add a few sides as you see fit, sort of like an old fashioned chop house. It’s also very short and sweet, with little to no description. This could be so the kitchen has some flexibility to change things a little, in case a particular vegetable is not up to par, but that’s just my speculation. What they lack in description, they certainly make up for in knowledgeable wait staff. Our waitron really knew the offerings well, and was able to effortlessly guide us with our choices, despite having several other tables clamoring for her attention.

We started our meal by ordering a few of side items. Tagliatelle w/ brown butter and sage is a simple dish with delicious pasta, a fun little pre entree nosh. Lamb Scottadito with goat’s milk yogurt was delicous and tender. In Italian, scottadito translates to “burned fingers” and I can see why, as this is something you can’t help but dive into, heat be damned. It was served as little chops with bone sticking out, functioning effectively as a nice handle. The four little chops were laid out on a bed of the yogurt sauce, making the whole thing taste a little like a greek gyro dish. These items, and the obligatory antipasti (olives and spiced nuts) certainly got us off on the right foot.

And the quality stayed pleasantly consistent when it came to the enrees. The Monkfish Scallopine with Tartare sauce was very competent and serviceable rendition of the breaded classic, if perhaps lacking a distinct punch. The Stringozzi with Lamb Sugo, much like the Tagliatelle, was a simple pasta dish, almost like something you would make at home on a weeknight… if you happened to be a class A chef.

The berkshire pork tenderloin w/apple relish and mint jus, however, was nothing short of phenomenal. No joke. As someone that dabbles in south east asian cooking, the 112 treatment really worked for me. The luscious tenderloin was greatly enhanced by just the nicest fresh herb flavor from the mint combined with the apple relish, creating a delicate balance of taste more common from the far east. Then again, these days, that kind of treatment is becoming the norm… a trend that is good for absolutey everyone involved.

The Nori encrusted sirloin with ponzu was also an award winning item. Like the Pork Tenderloin, it was grilled as a strip and then sliced into medallions. All the better to see the telltale red and pink of a steak that was ordered as and delivered medium rare. Not that you should question a kitchen like this, steak ordered medium rare will be medium rare. The delicious steak came encrusted in the Ponzu, giving the surface blackened crispy texture, complimenting the tender meat medium rare meat in the center for a texture sensation that was out of this world- in every bite.

I wish I could say more about the desserts, but we only ordered one of them. Hey, what can I say? Thus far, we had eaten every single available bite of everything on the table… the food was that good. What we did order, chocolate pot de cream, hit the spot quite nice. A thick, chocolatey-fudgey sauce in a small bowl. Much like the rest of the menu, it was deceptively simple. The huge chocolate flavor made for a wonderful good night kiss after a near perfect meal.

-shogunmoon

112 Eatery

112 N. 3rd Street

Minneapolis, MN 55401

612-343-7696

Tell me, is this irony?: patronizing huge chain businesses almost exclusively despite the fact that your own job at a small business is in severe jeopardy due to lack of revenue. I do not understand my co-workers sometimes. Without going into too much detail, let it be said that a certain happy-hour proposal has set me off about the corporate world, the man, and the workingman. It’s grumpy hour at G&P, at least for a few paragraphs.

I may have a hard time with the nuance that defines irony. Regardless, the situation above does sum up my frustration in a nutshell. Someone has to patronize small businesses, and you would think that people who make their livelihood this way would step up to the plate. Sure, sometimes you have to go with big box solutions, but how hard is it, most of the time, to find someplace that is run by someone who cares? Who is working for themselves, instead of the Man? These places come and go in the blink of an eye, because they can’t make it due to chain competition and the unimaginative, sheep-like, familiarity-seeking habits of the general public. You know what? If you go to small businesses regularly, they become familiar, people! You’ll find that they might even remember you from one time to the next! You could even discover that you receive excellent, grateful service from the workers.

Although I do not currently work at a restaurant, this happens all the time with the restaurant industry. For every gangbusters 112 Eatery, there are a bunch of Speakeasies or Pasqual’s type places that have had to close their doors. I mean, sure, these places might not have been the pinnacle of the restaurant experience in the Twin Cities, but does anyone really think the the quality of your average corporate fern bar is superior? Sure, they may have the requisite “antique” street signs and the Baco-tato Poppers, but believe me, that’s all they’ve got. What about people who go to chain places located in Uptown or something? Is it that hard to step away from the chain restaurant and walk the single block to the 10 other places in the area? Yeah, I understand: parking is such a hassle in Uptown, and I suppose that Old Green Huckabees has their own lot, but you would think that someone who cares that much about convenience would just go the burbs, where parking lots are featured prominently. I realize this isn’t new ground I’m treading, the horse has probably been flogged enough, and even that my views are probably a bit romantic, but I’m mad, dammit, and this is important. Why have a blog if not to rant?

Anyhow, due to the aforementioned troubled company, I have been working reduced hours, and have been keeping the budget tight, what with the mortgage and all. Going out to eat as much as I’d like is simply not an option. For our two year anniversary, the wife and I did visit our local hangout Mayslacks though. … yum! We realized we went there for our one year anniversary too, so it’s becoming a sort of tradition.

Thank goodness we have the Asian grocery stores. I can cook some pretty mean food cheap. Rice noodles baby! Even cheaper then ramen. And I already have a 5 pound bag of basmati rice, which combined with eggs makes for some tasty fried rice. Mmmm, I like the stuff with scallions and soy sauce. And, I happen to be the proud owner of a brand new bottle of fish sauce. Fear me.

Speaking of broke, www.starvinwithlouis.com is going to post a new episode on Monday. I am very excited. Anyone here try their hot-dog ramen? If so, please report.

Lastly, if anyone of you needs a solid cook with a fair amount of experience and knowledge, sent me an email. I need a nice permanent weekend kitchen job.

Hey, for those of you not paying attention, No Reservations has a soundtrack performed by non other then the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Since there is a new episode of “No Reservations” on tonight, I figured I would unleash my observations from last weeks awesome episode “The Island of Mr. Sang,” another episode of Tony Bourdain hanging out in Viet Nam. I planned to do a full post, but decided instead to just do a quick spell check, and let you read me notes. enjoy.

***

The show starts with at Les Halles, with Tony doing a full on James Bond thing. He is summoned by his friend from Hanoi, Linh Hoang Dinh. This guy is a regular whenever Tony visits Vietnam, as fans of “A Cook’s Tour” can attest.

The first meal: Bun Cha Pork Noodles-
Pork with crunchy greens, hot peppers, Hoisen, Green, hot peppers, pickled garlic, and lime juice. mmmm. Hell yea.

I have to get to Vietnam.

Slurping is encourage in Vietnam, especially when eating Pho.

Tony threatens to send Linh some pastrami in an effort to prove deli food stateside is not all bad.

***

Next day, it is off to visit the Montagnards, a general French era name for the ethnic Vietnamese up in the north mountains.

At a cafe in the mountains, they are going to eat some sqeazel… no one, including Linh apperently, know what sqeazel is. Several menacing camera shots of a cute kitty threaten to make us wonder if it is supposed to be cat meat or something.

“Try something special!” says the cook. “This is something very special, How my blood runs cold when I hear those words” says Tony, as he is offered rice whiskey infused with insects, among other things.

Speaking of special, turns out they are eating porcupine… That is what squeazel is apperently. The cat is safe… schwew!

***

Later in the day, they arrive in Mok Village in the north mountains. My chu valley, White Thai tribe. Or something, I doubt I am spelling or hearing these correctly. They get to the cooking fast.

mmmmmmmmm lamb rice! The folks cook stuff rolled in bamboo, including sticky rice. Very Thai or Laotian almost.

Tony them makes a great hullaballoo about a local representative of the Peoples Committee dude being a menacing man. Turns out, he just wants an opportunity to drink Tony under the table.

The ethnic vietnamese seem to eat on the floor, like northern Thai people do.

Very stiff booze

Dancers and music

Crazy bamboo jumping rope drinking game.

Tony snores in a drumken stupor.

***

Linh and Bourdain had off into halong bay, the northernmost bay in the Gulf of Tonkin. The mountains of the bay are considered to be foorprints of the dragon, in Vietnamese Lore.

Their are fishing families that live there whole lives on the water in the bay, much like in the Mekong Delta.

Dim Way island, once the site of Ho Chi Mins summer home, is now home to the rather ominus “Mr. Sang”, the namesake of the episode. Emplyees of Mr Sang greet the party. Tony, being the dipwad that he is, pretends that he is James Bond.

Mr. Sang, a gracious host and apparently resort owner, has a life long dream fulfilled by Tony and his staff. I am not giving you any spoilers though, watch it for yourself.

I love this show. Tonight, it is Malaysia!

-Shogunmoon

On the advice of the Strib and their food ambassador Jeremy Iggers, a pal of mine and I went to Coconut Grove Caribbean restaurant. Much like Chairman Kaga, my friend Chris and I are always looking for new and interesting flavors. This time, we chose well.

A guilty pleasure of mine is chicken wings. Lets be real- at most of the bars in this state, about the only thing you are going to order that actually tastes like anything at all is probably going to be the buffalo chicken wings. That is how we roll up here in the Midwest. We traditionally like our menus loaded with tons of questionable and bland items, with the exception of Buffalo wings. Or Dixie wings. Sometimes even Jerk wings. Whatever you call them, they are usually served spiced maliciously and with ill intent - by Minnesotan standards- just the way I like them. I suppose if you eat some of these bloodthirsty wings before your meal, you don’t notice how lame your well done bar burger with extra crispy bacon really is.

But I digress. Cocunut Grove IS really quite good. Not in a flashy-gorgeous-bar-and-menu-filled-with-food-encrusted-in-ponzu kind of way, but in a going-to-dinner-party-wherin-the-host-also-happens-to-be-a-fantastic-cook-who-specializes-in-delicious-Trinidad-Tobago-style-cuisine kind of way. Good in a how-many-dashes-can-I-get-away-with-in-one-paragraph kind of way. Er, sorry.

And this brings me back to the subject of wings. Coconut Grove chef Gary Fraser whips up something he likes to call Trinidad WIngs, and hoo boy are they tasty. These crispy little guys were not entirely unlike what you may know of as jerk wings, but not the same either. There is some real passion in the spice mix. The flavor was not just an insane grab-the-water-wham-bam-thank-you-mam habanero blast at all, though they did have plenty of heat. This fire was balanced out quite nicely with the citrus undertones and the ultra crispy skin to create a wonderful balance of exotic flavor. If you go, get them.

The entrees were pretty good as well. They specialize in simple, hearty dinners. I ordered a falling off the bone 1/4 chicken with rice, and my pal ordered Trinidad Butter Pork with Golden Potatoes, both worthy of note. The proprietor and the waitron was both very attentive and friendly. The joint offers half priced wine at happy hour as well as other good drink specials, so definitely ask about them.

In all, this is a good restaurant with amazing wings, so if you happen to be in NE Minneapolis or parts thereabouts, pop over the newly reopened Lowry Bridge and enjoy!

-shogunmoon

Coconut Grove Caribbean Restaurant and Pub

3544 Penn Av. N., Minneapolis, 612-521-2622.

Strib Review

In my continuing journey to achieve a basic working knowledge of thai cuisine, I took a class at Kitchen Window called Bangkok Street Foods. The teacher, an affable fellow named Joe Hatch-Surisook, did a pretty good job of bestowing the group of sixteen people that were attending the class with a basic demo of what to do.

Some of the highlights included some really tasty Khanom Pang Na Moo (Fried Pork Canapes,) a tasty ground pork mixture slathered on toast then deep fried, and served with a yummy cucumber relish.

Another fun thing he showed us was Yum Mamuang: Green Mango Salad. This salad is a lot like the green papaya salads you find at Thai and Vietnamese restaurants around town. Very tasty, and quite easy to make.

For the price of the class ($65) you get to learn a lot, and get a whole meal out of it. Not bad.

Oh yea, and most importantly, he taught everyone else something I already know to be the truth about kitchen knives: Globals are the best working knives. Period. I mean really, can you trust a nation that offers bratwurst as the pinnacle of it’s cuisine to make a knife correctly?

-shogunmoon

Made some foods last night, as I am want to do on monday nights. I busted the champagne bottle on a cook book I have had for about a month or so, Thai Cooking from the Siam Cafe. Time to expand my range of Southeast Asian cooking skills. The wife is shaking me down to make some Indian food, but hell, Thai is a happy medium. It is insanely complicated like Indian food tends to be, right? Especially compared to the deliciously simple and elegant Vietnamese cuisine.

So, about that Pad Thai. Looks pretty good, doesn’t it? My Pad Thai looks pretty much like it is supposed to… but, taste wise. hmm. needs a little work! I am not exacly sure where I went wrong, but I have a deep suspicion that the tamarind concentrate I used was not a suitable substitute for the tamarind paste the book called for. Very very sweet. Everything else was perfect, as far as texture goes, but this dish ended up sort of being a dessert dish. With hot peppers. Mmm peppers. Not bad reheated for lunch though, with a healthy application of soy sauce.

-shogunmoon

So, I have a question. How does 1/4 chicken smothered in Mole accompanied by two black bean tamales sound? Perhaps chicken & cactus strips steamed in a banana leaf pouch, served with avocado sauce? Do you like fish? How about blackened salmon on a bed of tomatillo and ranchero sauces? What if I was to tell you that there is a place, here in Minneapolis, that has all of these items. What if you knew that you would be eating food prepared by a guy who has cooked for Julia Roberts and Danny DeVito? And, what if I went nuts, and told you that the most expensive item at said location is $11.99? If the proceeding speaks to you at all, and if you are a connoisseur of the Mexican cuisine, then I advise heading straight to Salsa A La Salsa.

The first time visiting this place was just fantastic. First they brought out, as Mexican places are want to do, a basket of chips and some salsas, always one of the happiest parts of any meal at a good Mexican restaurant. This particular place sets you up right with a very fresh pico de gallo, an absolute delight with just a hint of pepper, as well as a nice Verde Salsa.

Along with the chips and salsa came the menus. When you crack open that menu, do yourself a favor, and stick with the house specialties. They are all on one page, and many of them feature cactus… a very good thing. My man Mose and I went out to SALS one night, and he came within inches of ordering the omnipresent three amigos platter (you know this one- a typical platter of the “you pick three” variety featured at almost all Mexi joints). At the last moment, he was seduced by the specials menu. There is something about the words papaya and chutney that will do that to a guy. Probably rightly, the specials page is where this menu really shines. Mind you, they do the old fashioned platters just fine, but, they have stuff on the house specialties menu that I think at least a few of our local superstar chefs should come to check out.

Since we are not expense account people, we skipped the appetizers on the first two two visits, opting to get started with some margaritas instead. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I LIKE blended strawberry margaritas. If that makes me a girl, then someone better bring me a skirt and a razor, because I have some work to do. The Salsa version of the venerable strawberry margarita is, as you might guess, quite cool and refreshing in this scorching summer heat. My wife ordered one standard on the rocks, which was not too bad, but probably not going to blow anyone away. Probably would have been better if us cheapskates had sprung for some decent tequila.

The restaurant sports a solid Mexican beer list, offering most any Mexican beer you can name, and some you can’t. Not that it matters much to me, as there is one Mexican beer that I care about, and that beer is Bohemia. I would like to let you all in on another little secret, of the Mexi beers, Bohemia is the best. Shhh. Trust me. Suffice it to say, Salsa has it, and I was pleased. This joint can definitely take care of those who prefer to drink their appetizers.

On the third visit, the wife and I were overcome with the endorphin rush one gets from capsicum and tequila, and ordered Pupusas. They brought us three masa cakes stuffed with cheese (at least that is what the menu said… I do not recall seeing any cheese), each covered with a dollop of guacamole and the pico de gallo. I thought that this was a pretty bland item, until I mixed the guac and pico together with a little swirl. As long as you have some of the guac and pico in every bite of the dry masa cake, you will be in for something bursting with fresh flavor. I have to admit, aside from the chips and salsa, the Pupusas are my sole adventure with the appetizer menu, so I can’t offer any insight on the other items. Maybe next time.

So, let’s get to the food. The first night we visited this establishment, I ordered Pork Loin (me, always a sucker for the puerco) marinated in achiote and orange juice, then served on a bed of chipotle tomatillo sauce, with black beans and rice (you have a choice of 2 out of 5 possible sides- black beans, refried beans, spanish rice, tempura vegetables, and grilled vegetables) on the side. This came to the table steaming hot with a side of corn tortillas, the pork sliced thin, and covered with the anchiote - orange sauce. Let me tell you something about pork loin, it takes to the orange flavor well. It had a little pep as well, just enough heat to give it a nice orange zing.

Another visit, I went with Pollo en Mole Sauce, 1/4 chicken topped with spicy mole sauce, puebla style, served with two black bean tamales and rice. Who can go wrong with this? An entree and two tamales. This was a deceptively simple, almost homey dish that had a nice smokey mole flavor from the sauce that covered the chicken and tamales. The Mixiotes de Pollo, chicken and cactus strips steamed in a banana leaf pouch with guacamole, was also noteworthy. The chicken was falling-off-the-bone tender, and infused with the essence of the banana leaves. It took us a little while to figure out what the flavor was!

Mose, my partner in crime here at ginandphonics.com, joined me on a visit and ordered the Grilled Chicken Breast. What a title, eh? Sounds pretty exciting, I know. Using the sweet ass translator widget on my computer, I came up with a better name: Pecho De Pollo Asado. Kidding- what do I know when it is appropriate to use Spanish on the menu, and when to use English? Salsa a la Salsa uses both, almost randomly. Anyhow, the dish isn’t as lame as it sounds from the title. It turned out to tasty broiled chicken breast that hinted at the orange and anchiote in which it was marinated. Add some of the papaya chutney and a little salsa, roll it into a tortilla, and you understand what they are really going for - and it’s not just another rubber chicken breast..

The kitchen does a great job with staples. Ordering a taco comes with the now obligatory query- American or Mexican style? I appreciate it when they ask that, because I am a “Mexican Style” kinda guy. Gimmee cilantro and onions and a little salsa, and I will give you a big smile. The shredded beef taco was quite tasty. Indeed, all of the staples out of the kitchen were very competent and well prepared. The chili relleno, fluatas, and tamale were all quite hearty and tasty, especially anything with pulled shredded meat. For the record, if you give me a taco filled with boneless skinless chicken breast chunks, I will give you a punch in the face. I want my chicken cooked as a whole bird, then shredded!

One thing that Salsa a la Salsa deserves eternal praise for is the black beans. On all three visits I made to the place, the black beans were simply outstanding. First of all, they were not cooked into an almost refried-like paste that once sees way to often in this town. Every single bean had a very supple bite to it. Hell, If the word Al Dente can be used on black beans, then these would be the ones I would use it on. I am not a trained chef, so I will use whatever language I want. The beans were AL Dente! Yea, and also gently spiced and topped with a little dash of cheese, these may well be the best beans in the city.

Salsa a la Salsa is does have a few kinks in its armor. A shrimp and crab enchilada special covered in a tomatillo sauce had a real overpowering seafood taste but was otherwise bland. Maybe if they upped the citrus or added a little heat, or maybe mellowed out on the crab? Dunno. Service? Well, let’s just say they would be making a hell of a lot more money if they occasionally asked about some drink refills. Make sure you ask for anything you need as the server drops off the entrees, because that may be the last time you see anyone for a while.

This brings me to one complaint I have about this and most all Mexican places, how about a few plates with the chips and salsa? I don’t mind dripping salsa all over the place, but a few plates would probably save the trons a little time with the cleanup, and save me some sauce-on-the-elbow stains.

Stained shirts aside, when it comes to Salsa a la Salsa, I have one word: Go! Although it may not be a four star restaurant, I will tell you this- If I did stars, I would probably give this place 4 /4 stars in the under 11.00 a plate category, especially with a little more work from the servers.

The place delivers great food while promising a whole lot of next time. I say this because every-time I have been there, I have seen at least three items that I could not decide between and I am left to rub my hands together like Mr. Burns and whisper, “Next time, Mr. Puerco con Nopalitos en Salsa Rosa, next time… ” To solve the choosing conundrum, here’s some advice on ordering at Salsa a la Salsa: bring dice, number your favorites, and roll for it.

Bonus: On weekends, they have a guy that walks around and plays guitar. When it is just one guy, is it still called Mariachi?

-shogunmoon

I have a lot of pals popping out children like hot-cakes lately, which is something to be expected if you manage to reach the advanced age of 30 I suppose. This does line up nicely with the fact that most of my pals have hooked up or gotten hitched in the last few years or so. C’est La Vie.

As such, I’ve learned that when people give birth, the thing that pals are supposed to do is bring them foods. Apparently, due of the general exhaustion and lack of time to cook anything besides the mac and cheese, they really appreciate the bounty of their friends. Thank god, because that is all I am really good at when it comes to helping nursing mothers and hungry fathers. Since I don’t like to cook things for people that I have not tried at least once before, I mostly went with some of the Vietnamese dishes I have been making lately.

First Up, Baby (Captain) Kirk and family

Yes, I have some pals that really like Star Trek. Good for them. Keeps the daddy off the streets, at least some of the time. They had just had Kirk (specifically July 2nd, 2005 at 2.39 AM, ) and were recently home after spending a week or so in the hospital doing all the things new parents need to do when a baby comes out a little ahead of schedule. I guess. Food I know about. Babies… not so much. Feel free to read all about it here.

So, knowing that my man Mr. b is a lover of the swine, a basic “Bun” noodle salad with grilled pork was in order. I decided to throw in the super tasty Cucumber Salad in “Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table” as well. This particular recipe calls for using the same spice mix for both sliced pork shoulder and half a pound of ground pork. I marinated the shoulder and mixed into the ground pork a little lemongrass, some scallions, fish sauce, fresh made caramel and a few thai chilis. These I grilled and served together on a platter. This stuff was quite outstanding, as anything cooked with care out of this cookbook is bound to be.

Next in line, Young Hank IV

Next up, bringing some to-go food to the hospital for a baby named Hank IV (actually, his name is Henry, but we’re already imbuing him with the talents of the Williams dynasty), another new addition. Since we would not be cooking or dining ourselves at this hospital, this was a quick drop off operation. Just like the Berlin airlift or something. Since I am, as always, bent on serving the masses bun noodle salads, I had to figure out a way to transport the herbs and sprouts, keeping them separate. Enter my lovely Bento Boxes… a couple of cupcake papers to separate the herbs and chilies, and the second compartment is loaded with delicious crunchy fresh bean sprouts. Next up, we break out the mortar and pestle and whip up some nuoc cham. A few pyrex bowls later, and we have two complete Bun Salads. But, we have to KICK IT UP A NOTCH! I cannot believe that I just said that.

So, what are we going to use to top our lovely Vietnamese noodle salad? Since all new mothers need protein and lemongrass (right?), I topped the noodles with some tasty sirloin steak stir fried with lemongrass and thai chilies, of course.

Welcome to the world and your first tastes (in a roundabout way) of delicious Vietnamese cuisine, Kirk and Hank!

-Shogunmoon

The wife and I have a freezer full of beef that we almost never use due to the fact that my aunt forced us to buy a quarter of a cow last year. Yes, forced. I guess you have to know the aunt in question.

Anyhow, I don’t really like cooking the frozen meat. I am a pick it up fresh and put it in a recipe it that day kind of guy. But, we do have to use some of this stuff up, and we are hungry and economically challanged folk, so out comes some ground beef. What do you do with ground beef at the palace shogun? You bust out the Soprano’s cookbook, and you make Ziti al Forno with sunday gravy, shogun style.

What Ziti shogun style amounts to is a delicious baked pasta with tons of little tiny meatballs stuffed with parmesan, garlic, bread crumbs, and parsley. And salt. Instead of making the sunday gravy, we totally cheated and bought pasta sauce in the jar, and just made the little meatballs. Christie fried up some of the ground beef in onions and garlic for a nice meaty addition to the pasta sauce. Making this stuff is a snap though (that is, if it’s not 95 outside that day, making it about 110 in the kitchen, what with the boiling water, frying meatballs and preheating oven)… you layer cooked pasta, sauce, fresh mozz, and some meatballs, then repeat that one more time. Top with some grated parm-romano, bake for 45 minutes. done. Sprinkle some lightly chopped parsley on top, and voila! Lunch for the whole week. Carmela would be proud.