Leaving Mexico City

As of this week, I have resigned from my post as executive chef of Social House Mexico City.

No regrets. No hard feelings....
Social House gave me a great opportunity to grow and learn about the business.

Of course, I'm holding back. If you asked some other people, they might say something different.... just saying.

A Cook's Perspective

I've been lucky to have learned from many great chefs. They've taught me lessons that I will cherish and hold onto forever. I always try to pass on knowledge and wisdom to other cooks who work alongside me. It is a responsibility that I have, not only to myself, but to my mentors and to the next generation of up and coming cooks.

Of course, this is a two way street.

If you wanted to succeed badly enough, you would show it. You would work harder than anybody else in the kitchen. You would come in early, bust your ass, and then do the work of someone else ranked higher than you in the kitchen, just so you can learn something. You would take notes, write down techniques and recipes, study, and then study some more. In the midst of your chef screaming %$^%@# directly into your ears, you would pay attention, stay focused and not fuck up again (for the rest of the night). You would TAKE IT, LISTEN and LEARN. Then maybe, just maybe, you would earn some respect from your chef. In return, the chef offers you his perspective. When I was coming up as a cook, this was the way...the only way.

So if any young cook wanted to learn and move up in the brigade, it all had to be earned. NOTHING good is ever given.

The following are some of the things that my Chefs and other chefs that I highly respect, have passed down onto me:

"It's all about excellence, or at least working towards excellence. Early on, in your approach to cooking, you have to determine whether or not you are willing to commit fully and completely to the idea of the pursuit of excellence. If you strive like crazy for perfection, an all out assault on total perfection, at the very least, you'll hit a high level of excellence. Then you might be able to sleep at night.

"You have to be so earnestly devoted that if you were any more devoted, it would be perverse, and any less, it would not be enough.
-Charlie Trotter

On a cook burning spinach: "You must talk to your food. Did you recognize, did you know how long the farmer had to work with that product, seeing that it grows, watering it, temperature's right, and you as a chef, dare burn that spinach?!"

"The total respect for food is in your hands."
-Gray Kunz

"In this business, there's only time to learn, work, and make money. You better do a lot of the first two before you think about the money."
-Gabriel Kreuther

"You have to be disciplined. Cooking is an art that requires craftsmenship. You have to be true to your craft to be good."
-Jeffrey Buben

Although I have lost contact with some of these incredible chefs who have helped shape me as a cook, I just wanted to take a moment and give thanks, my way.

Anthony A
Jimmy W
Sean K
Antonio M
Toby D
Gabriel K
Shaun H
David M
Michael D
Joe E
Jet T
and there are many others...

*A Quick Note*

When I use the word "chef", I am referring to the people I have worked for. In the kitchen, there is only one chef. That is the guy in charge. Often, the word is abused and bastardized. To me, the word has more meaning than someone who just cooks. It is title that is earned. Once I call someone "chef", I will always consider that person to be my chef, my mentor and teacher.

***F.N.G.***

So what is FNG?

Here's the definition from Urban Dictionary:
Fuckin' New Guy. Term still used in the western English-speaking armed forces of the west (primarily United States, Australia, United Kingdom and Canada) to denote a new soldier fresh off his basic training. It means they have the basics but no real experience, so they do everything by the book (which is not always best) and they are overly keen and always shut down on long excersices.
Some people stay F.N.G.'s for years, however most switched-on soldiers lose the status within a year.

I remember working my first kitchen job in Boston, MA. I was still a bright eyed teenager. Those guys were great cooks, quick, precise, and each demanded the same amount of intensity from everyone in the kitchen. This group of cooks were my first influence in my professional life. They were OGs (Original Gangsters), and I wanted to be just like them. But I wasn't. I was the FNG, the "fucking new guy". I was called things like "Lala", "F* Face", "Bitch"... you get the idea. Basically, I didn't have a name. Once a new FNG came onto the team, I was out of the doghouse. The guys finally called me by my name, and I was officially one of them. This cycle kept repeating itself as one FNG got their name back as one FNG came into the kitchen.

I don't know of any restaurants that still keep something like this going, but I'm sure there are plenty. It's not a good culture for the kitchen, but it's there, and it's good not to be the FNG.

Inspired

A friend of mine just introduced me to this blog. Great read. Check it out.

All about Tacos Al Pastor

Tacos Al Pastor, literally meaning "Shepard Style" is made from marinaded pork cooked in a spit grill. Each taco vendor has his or her own marinade containing a combination of chiles and anatto, which gives the pork its color. It is cooked on the spit or rotisserie. A chunk of pineapple is placed on top during the cooking process, which contains an enzyme that helps tenderizes the meat. The influence comes from the Lebanese shawarma and is considered a "must try dish" whenever visiting Mexico DF. Wars of words go on each and every day about who serves the best variation of this classic taco.

The picture above, is a meal that I had at El Charco de Las Ranas in Pedregal. It was delicious, but pricey (25 pesos each taco), since I can eat about 10 of these in one sitting.

The great taco debate still goes on!

The Prince of Street Food: The Mexican Torta

Torta de Chorizo con Huevo, weighing in at over a pound!!!


What is a torta? In different countries, the word "Torta" carries different meanings. The word torta, depending on whom you ask, can mean: cake, omellete, or even scrambled eggs. But I want to talk about the Mexican Torta.

The torta is a Mexican sandwich. It is what the panini is to the Italians or the banh mi is to the Vietnamese. This sandwich can be found all over the country in restaurants, such as La Castellana or the thousands of street food vendors all over the city. The two types of bread commonly used in tortas are bolillo (oval shaped) and toleras (round shaped). They are packed with different fillings ranging from chorizo, ham, to milanesa and bacalao. Then these sandwiches are garnished with items such as avocado, sour cream, mayonaisse or frijoles. The torta is the quintessential street food. So if the taco is the "king of street food", then the torta is the "prince".

PUTA? Not what it really seems...

I was looking through some old pictures in my file, and came across this picture of a T-shrit. While I was cooking at Wynn/Encore Resorts in Las Vegas, the songbird, Beyonce was invited to perform in Encore's intimate theater for one week. Of course, along with the arrival of Beyonce, were tons of memoriabilia. The pic above was of a T-shirt that read, "PUT A RING ON IT". However, the way the shirt was folded, it ended up reading as the word in the picture. It was really funny watching numerous Latinas walking by in disbelief.



Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) [Official Video]
Cargado por Yannicklord. - Videos de música, entrevistas a los artistas, conciertos y más.

All about "Comida Corrida"

(at a Comida Corrida by Metro Barranca del Muerto, Mexico DF)

Comida Corridas are all over Mexico. Basically, it's a restaurant with authentic Mexican home style cooked foods. Nothing really fancy, but kind of like having a lunch over at a Mexican grandma's house. These joints are occupied by all types of customers: people in business suits, students, and entire families. They are amazingly fast and inexpensive, costing about 30-50 pesos per person (about $2.00 - $4.00 usd). BTW, lunch time in Mexico is around 2-4 pm.

The menu format is always the same:

1st: consomme or soup of the day

2nd: rice or pasta

3rd: an traditionally cooked entree (think enchiladas, pork chop and green salsa, empanadas, chicken mole, etc) some restaurants change their menus daily

4th: Jello or Fruit

Of course this isn't all that's served. Each comida comes served with corn tortillas or bread, a large array of salsas, and unlimited agua fresca (fruit water).

So if eating grandma's home cooking turns you on, then a great option for lunch is the "comida corrida".

Happy Birthday

(Jenny and me)

I want to wish my lovely and beautiful fiance a happy birthday! I miss you a lot, and hope you are having fun celebrating. I love you.

The perfect taco???

This is a question that I've asked myself many times throughout my stay here in Mexico City.

I must admit, I grew up eating "hard shell tacos" in school cafeterias and the numerous Taco Bells all over Southern California, something that is non existant here in DF. Then, when I first moved out here, I would seek out the best deals on tacos: 5 tacos for 10 pesos with free consomme was satisfying for me, but I knew there was something better. Though I have never tried them, I found some tacos off of the Metro Pantitlan Station for a ridiculous 1 peso each.

I liked tacos before, but it wasn't until my experience with El Charco de las Ranas, a taco joint, that turned my thinking of tacos upside down. Tacos formed from the meat of pork neck, hand made tortillas, and then there was suadero, and al pastor. The taco has been around forever, but I felt like I was missing out on something so simple and magnificent this whole time. WHERE THE HECK HAVE I BEEN?

A single bite from a taco contains so many different textures, aromas and a dozen different flavors. It is something so simple, yet complex and exciting. And in its most basic and glorious form, consists of only corn tortillas, a protein, onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and salsa.

Searching for the perfect taco in DF is no small feat. There are hundreds and thousands of taco vendors. So if you are living in DF and have read up to this point, shout out your recommendation for your perfect taco spot.

Robuchon Kitchen Service

Joel Robuchon at the Mansion, MGM Grand, Las Vegas

I recently found this video on youtube. It's a pretty good video demonstrating what dinner service is like there with Chef Claude le Tohic running the pass. Joel Robuchon has won many of the major chef and restaurant awards, and is generally regarded as the greatest chef this century. I learned a lot and was fortunate to be part of the opening team at this Michilin 3 star restaurant. I definitely appreciated my time there.

Burger

Mini Burgers, Fries, Chili Mayonaise

Restaurante Takenoya, Polanco

Chefs preparing dumplings behind a glass enclosed kitchen.


Shanghai Steamed Pork Dumplings - Xiao Long Bao


Chef waiting for a customer's order




Takenoya, in Polanco, was a pleasant discovery. A few days ago, I read about this restaurant on MidwesternerinMexico. Takenoya is a Pan Chinese and Japanese restaurant. It features a variety of mainstream dishes from both countries, such as potstickers, xiao long bao, har gow, tempura, as well as featuring a full sushi bar and teppenyaki tables. The xiao long bao is obviously its signature dish, as every table had an order of it. Its farce was a bit fattier and didn't hold as much broth as the dumplings I grew up eating. However, I'm not complaining, because I'm glad this restaurant exists here in DF. The xiao long bao's flavors were spot on with what I've eaten in Shanghai, China and (my home) Monterey Park, CA.



Takenoya
Moliere 313, Col. Polanco

Pissed off about Mexican sashimi!!

There are just too many restaurants that try to be everything to everyone. Much more often than not, the results are a disappointing, ugly, diluted version of what the dish should be. Here is my personal philosophy for cooking: Keep it simple, stick with what you know best, and then do it better than everyone else.


For example, take this Kona Kanpachi dish (below) from a popular seafood restaurant in Santa Fe. It has a huge menu with over 200 items. The server informed me that they just added a sushi menu to their raw bar. So I review their menu: tuna, octopus, snapper, scallop, and then I see kanpachi. I ordered it: Kona Kanpachi Sashimi with a salad made up of nori, shiso, bamboo shoots, and rice. Then they confirmed my worst fear. The fish was no bueno. I should have stuck with the basics: shrimp cocktail, oysters on the half shell, stone crab claws, etc. Now back to the kanpachi: I removed 2 pinbones from my first bite into the sashimi!! To add to the disaster, the kanpachi was barely fresh enough to serve. It was dry and the fish was pretty much hacked into. (Notice how the slices of fish on the left side are torn instead of sliced?) Then, they placed Mexican rice underneath the salad. It's not a bad thing, but the rice wasn't cooked today. Old and cold crystalized rice will never pass my test.

This was all I could take, 2 SLICES! Now, I'm a chef. I don't like returning dishes back to the kitchen, and usually try to finish off my plates. However, for the first time here in DF, I just politely asked to have it taken off the check. To give this establishment some cred, the complementary shellfish broth they served me, was delicious. This restaurant is actually one of the busier ones in town. Because of their reputation, I would like to go back to give it another shot. However, I'm going to stick with the dishes that they are known for.

This is what sashimi should look like.

(above is a great example of how sashimi should appear. courtesy of social house las vegas)

La Mascota Cantina (as seen on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations)

(exactly what my vision looked like after several drinks)

Inspired by Anthony Bourdain's drunken Mexico taping of his show, No Reservations, me and my sous, Aldo, decided to seek out La Mascota. Located by the Salto de Agua metro station, sits the historic Cantina La Mascota, on Calle Mesones, 20 (Bolívar). Opened in 1941, this is one of many places to drink and experience Mexican culture in Centro Historico. When you start drinking, servers start bringing out tapas (free of charge). The rule of thumb here is: The more you drink, the more they'll feed you. On this afternoon, the tapas menu included satisfying items like: Barbacoa, Rico Pozole, Pollo, Chile Relleno, Chiccarron con salsa verde, Quesadilla con papa, and several others totaling 8 or 9 dishes. The cantina is packed most days during lunch hours and live entertainment is always jamming. The band rocked some Beatles hits, along with other popular Mexican rock songs. A shot of 30-30, a pina colada and sangria, couple Coronas, and a lot of food later, I was finished. It was quite the lunch.

(Barbacoa w/ consomme)

(bottom: Quesadillas con papa; top: Chicken con salsa rojo)

Redondo Beach, CA

One of the greatest pleasures in life is spending time at a beach.

Santa Monica, Venice, Miami, or Cabo, wherever beach you may be at, there is no way you can not love life, and the god who created these "wonders" for us to appreciate. Thank you.

Xiao Long Bao in DF? Could it be true?

I recently came across a blog, Midwesterner in Mexico, who reported her steamed dumpling experience in DF. I can't wait, and will be hunting this place down in the very near future!

Supermercado Asiatica + Follow Social House on Facebook and Twitter

Jenny just found Kokeshi market in Coyoacan, specializing in imported Asian products. The prices are better here than Mikasa and Super Oriental, but not as big of a selection. What a great find!

http://www.kokeshimarket.com.mx/index.html






On another note, if you haven't done so yet, follow Social House Mexico City on Facebook and Twitter, where I will do my best to chronicle the opening, the struggles, and the process of being involved with the opening of an Asian restaurant in DF.

Las Vegas + Los Angeles Trip

I just returned to Mexico City after visiting Las Vegas and Los Angeles with Jenn. The trip was way too short, as always. I saw friends and family, ate amazing food, and returned to a life that was normal to me... (being able to drink tap water, driving a car, and good Chinese food!!!!!).

Las Vegas:
HK Star - Claypot rice!
Quickly - Boba!
Social House - Excellent food, drinks @ City Center. Crispy Pata, baby!
Greek Island Cafe - gyro

Los Angeles:
Church and State (downtown) - Fried Pig's Ear, Charcuterie Board, Mussels
Eileen and Michael's house - Springroll dinner and good company
New Capital (San Gabriel) - Dim Sum
ABC Cafe (Monterey Park) - Wonton Noodle Soup, $2.99
Fosselman's Ice Cream (Alhambra) - in business for more than 90 years!
Cha for Tea (Alhambra) - Taiwanese fried chicken w/ boba
Mama's Lu Dumplings*Mama's Lu is not a typo* (Monterey Park) - Shao Long Bao
Quality Seafoods (Redondo Beach) - Live Uni, Steamed Crab
Mama Liang's (San Gabriel) - Beef Noodle Soup, Beef Pancake

Left without being able to see all my friends. Left too early, left craving Hainan Chicken and Dai Ho's Beef Noodle Soup.

"Casa Social" Mexico City...under construction

@ Social House Santa Fe, Paragon Business and Residential Suites



lobby @ Paragon




inside Social House "kitchen"





@ Social House Masaryk-Polanco
Located in a historic colonial mansion, this location will offer a great contrast in design with a
modern interior setting.