Pre-Event Eating

I'm not big on diets. I'm not big on "cutting out ____" (insert drug of choice, i.e., sugar, chocolate, etc.). I like to eat and I like to eat a lot.

I'm training for a triathlon on October 9. I swim, run and/or bike almost every day. I also drink boba 3 or 5 times a week, eat chocolate, fried foods and drink wine quite often.

Is it possible to do both? I'll keep you posted as the race gets closer. Will I drop weight? Will I gain weight? Will I do well or suck on race day? I'll let you know.

~ Brock

Sometimes Meals Suck

I wasn't sure whether a post like this would serve a purpose, but I think it will. Sometimes we experiment in cooking, combining various ingredients and elements in hopes of creating a dish worth eating. Recently, I tried and failed.

I love noodles. And, there is a particular dish that I truly enjoy that is a dark, dry Chinese noodle (something like Ja Ja Mien). It has cooked soup noodles, some type of brown sauce with dried tofu and pork. I've had it many times at many different restaurants, but never as a home cooked meal. I thought I would give it a try.

First mistake - I bought Vietnamese thin rice noodles. These are about 24 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide and paper thin. I don't think they're made for such a dish, but I didn't know.

Second mistate - I thought the brown sauce might be a soybean sauce. I first tried a small portion of the noodles with straight, store-bought bean sauce. That was like eating a can of salt with beans. Wrong.

Next, I tried thinning the brown sauce with chicken broth. Got closer, but still not quite.

Then, I took 4 pork cutlets and chopped them until they were practically ground. I fried this up with small chunks of baked tofu, using a small amount of Sesame oil.

Once that was cooked, I added a small amount of the thinned sauce, mixed it, then poured it over the cold noodles. I then added thin slices of cucumber and fresh jalapeno pepper.

My wife almost gagged. My brother-in-law smiled and took it down. Me, well, I probably won't make that one again, although it did give me some ideas for other dishes.

Happy Cooking!

~ Brock

Wine Review

2003 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon (South Africa)

Here is a young, new world Cabernet Sauvignon to look out for. I paid 7 bucks for this South African wine and I was impressed. It’s a “drink now” wine. Despite my general opinion that Cabs, even lower end early drinkers, are not very food friendly, this wine would match up with tons of dishes. In fact, I had half the bottle the next day, with a pasta in a sauce of white wine and serrano chiles (lots of chiles). The wine still tasted great.

The Excelsior 2003 Cab comes fit with a synthetic cork so no need to even lay it down if you are doing some short term cellaring. Its color was a dark plummy purple. Complex grapey aromas mixed with blueberry cream and a slight touch of petroleum jelly. Almost Shiraz like. The flavors showed a lot of dark fruit with just a touch of oak. So many cabs in this price range are slathered in oak.

I had this over two nights. On the second night, the fruit was toned down and the wine was delicious but slightly flabby in that the acids and tannin were gone.

90 Points! and an A+ for QPR (Quality to Price Ratio)

www.excelsior.co.za

Enjoy,

Jason

Where's The Wonderbread?

In one of the first Scrutiny posts, I mentioned a sandwich shop in Westwood that was awesome...combining various asian dishes on french bread, these are a must eat!! I forgot the name and location, but here it is. Don't go to LA without stopping by East West Sandwich!

Indie Labels Sell Out?

The above link is to an LA Times article about Indie Labels and their relationship with the Majors. Short but interesting. Typical Indie Label bullshit about how they care about the artists. Oh well, that’s what people want to believe. Why not tell the truth and talk about being an avenue to get to the Majors. In that respect, they are a shinning light.

Jason

P.S. You may have to register at the site.

Snobs Of Lido Island

On this tiny part of Newport Beach, California, lies an area known as Lido Island. Filled with yatchs, multi-million dollar homes, silicon and other expensive crap, is a "secret" restaurant known as the Sabatino's Sausage Company. I heard of it through some close friends who had heard about it through some family members who are apparently notorious for finding hidden eating gems. My wife, son and I joined our friends with great anticipation.

True, it's quite hidden. In fact, it's in the middle of what appears to be a professional office complex. I had mostly outdoor seating, and there were at least 50 or so people waiting to get it. The aroma of sausage filled the air. "Yummy," I thought.

The first sign of something wrong was the waitress. She smiled and blinked repeatedly through those Botox-filled areas of her face, while I ordered water. "Water? That's all." She said. A quick frown, then a generous smile to our friends, who were drinking wine and needed more.

The charade continued shortly, then went to all out rudeness, since we apparently didn't order enough. She semi-rolled her eyes with each request - which, of course, she ignored.

Then the food came. Now, understand that I love sausage. And, Sabatino's sausage was good! BUT, and this is a big BUT, everything else was horrible. My pasta had at least 2 cups of oil (it was more like an oil soup with pasta in it). My friend ordered Oso Buco, which was 80% bone, 15% fat, and 5% meat. The meals were bland, overpriced and not worth it.

So, next time you think you've found a gem, simply because people don't know about it, consider two things: 1) if it's in Lido Island, it probably isn't a gem; and 2) if you pay $10.00 for soup, it's probably crap.

And, if you're going to ignore my advice and try it anyway, don't forget your Sperry Topsiders, khaki shorts and Tommy Bahama's silk shirt - otherwise, you'll feel out of place ;).

~ Brock

Kung Fu Hustle Wins

Kung Fu Hustle is a must see. It's entertaining, funny, actors do well, characters are done well, action, everything. Yes, it's somewhat predicatable and yes, it conveys stereotypes, but it's worth enduring all that.

~ Brock

Bride & Prejudice Loses

I admit, I've never read or watched any other variation of Pride and Prejudice. So, when I rented Bride & Prejudice, the rendition of it set in India (mostly) and with Indian characters (mostly), I figured it would be interesting. This was particularly true since more than a few people told me it was great and, as an limited-release film junkie, I had high expectations.

Bride & Prejudice sucked. The stroy was choppy and weak, the acters were so-so, the signing and dancing was annoying, not funny, and it was predicitable.

Foregoing the value of The Scrutiny movie breakdown - No need to rent it.

~ Brock

Ten Ren Rules

According to one newspaper report, Ten Ren is the Starbucks of boba teas. Now you already know that I love boba...in fact, I drink it 2-3 times a week. Now I've found a new love.

Ten Ren on Fullerton Road in Industry has boba and a cafe, so I can eat great food while I drink my tea. I suggest the salt and pepper chicken or the fried pork chop.

~ Brock

More On "Sideways" and Pinot Noir

So is it a trend or is Pinot Noir truly the greatest grape, from which we get Burgundy, Champagne and…..ummm…Pinot Noir. Here is a new USA Today article.

Note that Americans now drink more wine than beer!

Jason

Salmon, Shrimp and Figs Are Great

Ok, so I don't have any pictures of this meal yet, but it was easy to make and I'd make it again anytime for lunch or dinner.

You start with a salmon fillet (recently I've bought my salmon from Costco; it's not bad). You marinate it 1/2 hour with olive oil and lime, and cover it with salt, pepper, garlic and dill. Let it warm up on the counter a bit before grilling.

Take peeled large shrimp (I used Trader Joe's brand) and marinate 1/2 hour with sake, lime, salt, pepper, chili flakes, cayenne pepper. Slide the shrimp on skewers. Let them warm up a bit.

Take fresh figs and slice in half; set aside.

Heat the grill to high (some like the fish on a medium heat with no charring. I like my fish slightly charred). Cook salmon with lid closed for about 3 minutes. The fish should lift from the grill without breaking apart. Once the fish is to this point, flip it.

When you've flipped the fish, add the shrimp skewers. Grill them a bit on one side, then flip them. Make sure they are not thoroughly white, which means they are overcooked. They should be pink colored with a slight translucent appearance - and still plump.

Place the figs on the grill to heat thoroughly.

By the time the shrimp is done (2-3 minutes), the fish and figs should be done.

Arrange everything on a plate and top fish with thinly sliced red onions and bits of gorgonzola. Enjoy!

~ Brock

A Few Ingredients

In some recent posts, I've mentioned some ingredients that you may not know how to find. Here are some pictures to help you locate them at 99 Ranch Store:

1. Chinese BBQ sauce:








2: Sesame Paste:

THE ISLAND (PG13) starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson

The Scrutiny says, “Maybe On A Plane Or In A Hotel” "75.5" out of 100 Points.
For The Scrutniny rating system click HERE

"J"s Review: Acting: 8/10, Ensemble: 9/10, Cinematography: 7/10, Story: 5/10, Soundtrack: 8/10, Overall: 43/50

Total: 80/100

By the skin of its teeth, this movie made it to being a renter for me. The downfall was the story. Solid acting by great actors that worked well together. Visually it was nice, although completely unoriginal. But the story is a benchmark of unoriginality. As a movie, it was confused as to whether it was going to be sci-fi or action. As a Sci-Fi film it was entertaining but as an action film it was the usual drivel of CG shite (the use of “shite” is in honor of Ewan McGregor, one of my favorite actors). Overall I was entertained but you must check your intellect at the door.

80 Points: "Keep Your Blockbuster Card And Rent It"

~Jason

"B"s Review: Acting: 7/10, Ensemble: 8/10, Cinematography: 7/10, Story: 4/10, Soundtrack: 5/10, Overall: 40/50

Total: 71/100

I was confused and disappointed. If you’ve watched Gattaca , The Truman Show and Blade Runner, then you’ve watched The Island. If you’ve ever watched two news crews covering the same story, then you’ll understand this film retelling the same story, again. I wanted something more; different. I had high hopes. The acting was great, and I was impressed with Ewan McGregor’s boyish innocence - until he escapes, then suddenly he becomes streetwise. Typical Michael Bay – big, bold and choppy. I usually enjoy nearly all movies, but I found myself checking my watch frequently. Enjoyable, but done.

71 Points: "Watch It On A Plane Or In A Hotel Room"

~Brock

"The Scrutiny" Movie Rating System

We here at The Scrutiny feel we have devised the finest and most unique system ever created to give you the knowledge you will need before opening your wallet to pay for a movie. It is based on a 100 point scale and covers six categories. They are as follows.

The first five categories each carry a possible 10 points for a total of 50. They are Acting, Ensemble, Cinematography, Story and Soundtrack. The final category carries 50 points and is Overall.

Once the points have been tallied, we will give the following ratings.

100-95 “Go Pay Full Price And Pre-Order The DVD”

94-90 “Get Your Popcorn And Go”

89-80 “Keep Your Blockbuster Card And Rent It…Okay, Use Netflix”

79-70 “Watch It On A Plane Or In A Hotel”

69-0 “Hire An Attorney And Sue The Filmmakers”

JR To The Kings!!!

As always he is good for some fun quotes, like, “Does Anaheim even have a city? Are there buildings there? I love Costa Mesa, there are buildings there, but Anaheim? Now here in L.A. we have lots of big buildings. We’re a city”, or “I can see them trying to do a lot of good things in Anaheim, I still think we’ll kick their ass.”

And there you have it. Anaheim can keep their lame goalie that is nothing more than a set of pads. We have JR!!! Next stop, we scrape into the playoffs and are eliminated in the second round. At least we have buildings!

My friend from LTA seems to think Anaheim has made a better deal, signing Scott Niedermayer, but I think he is reading too many sports columns by writers that don’t know jack about hockey. They will continue on with their boring existence.

Jason

Catch Them Mo-Fos

Intellectual Property Czar

I hope they keep the pressure on all the assholes ripping off music and other forms of entertainment.

Jason

Cold Noodles for a Hot Day

One thing I love about Chinese food is the variety. Hot and cold, spicy and mild, meat or vegitarian. There's something to love for any pallete. I also love the fact that you can make so many dishes with so few ingredients and quickly. Here's one I love, it is called "Liang Mien" in pinyin (literally, "cold noodles"):

bowl full of thick soup noodles (buy the Chinese brand that are sold in large flat boxes; they're about the size of linguine). Cook the noodles according to the directions, then strain and run through cold water until cooled.

Add about 1 tablespoon of Chinese BBQ sauce (sa tsa). Make sure it's the kind of BBQ sauce that's in a silver can, and not the kind for making ribs, which is completey different.
Add 1/2 tablespoon sesame paste
Add 1/2 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce.

Peel cucumber and cut into thin strips (like small french frys).

Stir it all together and chow down. Hope you enjoy!

~ Brock

It's Total Anarchy

Buy NY wine online?

Wine Review: 1994 Markham Zin

After drinking this wine and reading J's post, I feel a lot like that guy in Sideways...I drink the wine and think, "it tastes good to me." Truth is, I pulled this wine from my storage and wasn't sure what to expect. I've had other Markham wines and I liked them. So, for an eleven year old Zin, it sure was good. We drank the bottle in about 1 hour.

~ Brock

A Burrito In Every Language

I love Chinese food. Now I'm not talking Panda Express, Wok this, Wok that, Americanized-Mexican made Chinese crap. I'm talking about the real thing. The kind where few white folks dare to venture. The places where you can't read the menu, even if it is in English. That's where the good stuff's at. But I digress.

Before I wrote this post, I Googled the phrase, "history of the burrito." I was hoping to find an encyclopedia-type treatise on this little brown prize, but no. Interesting results, however. But, why the heck am I writing about it in the first place? Because, I love Chinese 'burritos' otherwise known as (in my non-Pinyin/English rendition dialect) "twin gin," or "lao bo bing." No, I'm not talking about something wierd with a Mexican tortilla and moo shoo pork in it. I'm talking about one of my favorite meals on the planet. I tried to google that too, but couldn't find any reference to them. Anyway, here's how to make them (you can buy everything you need from 99 Ranch:

1. Spring roll wrappers (steam slightly to loosen);
2. thin omellet (eggs, sugar, milk) - about 1cm thick, almost like a crepe, cut into 4" by 1/4" strips;
3. peanut powder;
4. powdered sugar;
5. boiled shrimp, sliced vertically;
6. boiled pork, sliced into 1" by 1/4" rectangles;
7. boiled or fried bean sprouts, crunchy;
8. sweet Chinese sausage, sliced thin (cook in toaster oven first - don't overcook);
9. fried cabbage, long thin sliced;
10. baked tofu, fried with thin sliced leek tops; and
11. chili sauce with black beans.

Pile it to your liking, understanding that the spring roll wrappers break easy, so maybe double them up. Wrap it like a burrito and chow down. Nothing matches the ones you can buy streetside in Taiwan, but these family style ones will do the trick.

~ Brock

The 4th Goes Out With A Bang

The highlight of my weekend? Food. Like always, who cares about the stupid fireworks.

So, what did I eat? Three damn good Chinese meals (and a healthy dose of Boba throughout the weekend - Ten Ren has the best).

1. Small blue crabs, taken from live to screaming in a pot of boiling water. They're great to dip in ginger, soy sauce and vinegar. Lot's of work, and if you can ignore the smells-like-the-pier smell, they taste great. Purchased from 99 Ranch Market in Rowland Heights. You need at least 5 per person.

2. Roast duck, roast pork and white chicken from Sam Woo in Rowland Heights. I can't find a link to the Rowland Heights location (or a company website), but here's a link to an Irvine location with most of the same stuff. The duck is about $12 for a whole bird - and it's awesome. Make sure you get the dipping sauce for the white chicken.

3. There's a place in Rowland Heights called "Good Time Cafe." They have tons of great dishes and here's what I had (I'll try and add my English sound translations just in case you can order in Chinese) - a side of seaweed (hai dai) and dried tofu (dofu gan); fried tofu (za dofu); this egg/shrimp dish that is fried with gelatenous stuff, topped with a sweet chili sauce (I can't remember - hai shen something?); pork with noodles soup (zo gun mifun); and a pork rice dish (migow). Yeah, I realize it's not Pinyin, but it's close enough.

Living in OC, it's great to have access to such great Chinese food. The best places are within 20 minutes of my house, and well worth the drive. But, if you go, do not expect clean and orderly. You go for the food, not the look. And, keep your eyes out for those restaurants that have a "C" rating, which they hide behind those "lucky" plants with red ribbons!

Happy eating.

~ Brock

Say Goodbye...Again

The iPod. iTunes. P2P. Napster. Grokster. Morpheus. Kazza. Gnutella. Twenty years ago, these were part of the imagination of crazy, Star Trek-minded geek people. Ten years ago, these were the so-called gleam in a collective "someone's" eye. In 2005, these are household descriptors of wildly popular entertainment sources.

Back in 1999, a college kid developed Napster to share music files. The RIAA took it down. Then, other rebels sprouted up, and with an even more sinister plan, these new P2P giants removed themselves from the middle...we deliver the software, but it's the consumer that shares files, not us. A smart move to avoid liability, or so it was guessed.

On June 27, 2005, the United States Supreme Court ruled that "one that distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, going beyond mere distribution with knowledge of third party action, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties using the device, regardless of the device's lawful uses." MGM, et al. v. Grokster, et al. In other words, Grokster, you are liable for copyright infringement if any one of the users of your software is liable.

What can you say to that, other than wow! This is a HUGE win for copyright owners; a HUGE loss for technology developers. Only time will tell how this plays out in a practical sense.

Now Sony fought a very similar battle back in 1984 - a battle to save technology development at the (potential) expense of the destruction copyrights, i.e., the Betamax case. There, Sony won and the court ruled that the Betamax recorder had substantial non-infringing uses such that copyright owners could not prohibit the manufacture, sale and distribution of those devices. The facts, to be sure, were much different than in the Grokster case. Going back even further, when the photocopier was developed, similar litigation ensued. The truth is, each time a major technological development for copying and/or sharing is created, a major lawsuit is born. Copyright is limiting - "you can't do that." Technology is expansive - "see what you can do."

So, regardless of which way you lean on the fence, it's an interesting case and a major development in copyright law, certain to affect all industries, and certainly the film and music industries.

For more reading on the copyright owner's take, check out the MPAA, Respect Copyrights, and RIAA websites. For reading on the otherside of the coin, check out the EFF website, and Lawrence Lessig's blog.

~ Brock

You Can't Be Serious...El Torito???

There aren't many restaurants I won't try, but once I do, I know there will always be the good, the bad and the ugly. So, I'm always intrigued to find out how someone else feels about a place I've tried. Now, aside from the OC/LA Weekly, I don't really trust any other restaurant listing, because most of what's listed in other publications is crap. Case in point: The Annual 2005-2006 Entertainment & City Guide for "the cities of Brea and Placentia." I received it in the mail last week and did a quick browse. Here's what I found...

1. You open the first page and you have a listing for a Brea realtor and an Italian restaurant in Anaheim Hills. What, this guide couldn't even get started with a true "Entertainment" or "City" listing within the geographic location for which it was created? A poor start.

2. Page 3 is an ad for a clothing retailer with locations in Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach. Nothing "entertaining" or "city-worthy" but what the heck, because we haven't even hit the "contents" page and I'm sure this publication needs financial support from the suckers on pages 1 - 3.

3. The table of contents lists all kinds of good stuff, "events," "recreation," "dining," etc. I flip quickly to the "dining" section in hopes of a good find, then, like I suspected it would, it comes crumbling down. Now, I must point out, that this publication is obviously not printed for "entertainment and city" life in Brea and Placentia. In fact, it's worthless unless you don't care what you eat. I don't mind the reach, but whatever.

Let's take a look at some of the "Top Dining Destinations"...Cuban, no mention of Felix's anywhere. How could they? Mexican - El Torito? El Cholo? LEFT AT ALBUQUERQUE????? Who put this together anyway? Obviously, this person has never had a good Mexican meal (notably, the 3 Mexican eateries listed have locations in the very white-washed towns of Irvine and Corona Del Mar). So, can you really trust a publication that doesn't even mention Q Torta? Or the Old Towne area of Placentia? Or the entire city of Santa Ana? This is preposterous. Then, for the "international" section, they list Hawaiian, Spanish, British, Vietnamese, and Armenian. Wow, such a diverse listing (ha ha ha) and, by the way, Hawaiian is not international. Oh, Pho 79 isn't as good as Pho 99, or Pho 88, or Pho 90 (I think the number of these places has something do with the quality).

I was disgusted by the listing, so I thought I'd check out the website for this piece of junk which is "proudly" published by OCspots Corporation. The website has all the same contents, but none of them are active (i.e., it's basically a static page with a table of contents that goes no where). Good going.

Well, in all fairness, if I complain about it, then I should do something about it, right? Here are a few of my own "top destinations" in OC (using the same categories as the booklet):

American: I have no idea, because I don't really eat "American" food very often. Claim Jumper? Steamers in Yorba Linda? Paul's country kitchen? This is a tough one for me. I know, I know, what a way to retort, but like I said, I don't really eat American, because it's usually all chain restaurants and nothing stands out. Oh, for good 'ol Texas BBQ, try the place off Lake Forest Drive at the 5 fwy (next to Diablo's, Inka Grill, Wahoo's, etc.).

California Cuisine: Even more difficult. I'm not sure I've ever had California cuisine.

Chinese: A&J and O Shine are top picks in the Chinese populated area of Jeffrey off the 5 fwy (Irvine). Tea Zone (off State College and Chapman, Fullerton) offers a decent offering of snack meals. Note: These places offer authentic Chinese, so don't expect egg foo yung (which most Chinese people will tell you they've never heard of). For Dim Sum, try the seafood restaurant facing Jeffrey just south of Walnut. For Boba: Tea Zone - the best in North OC (Fullerton) or Tapioca Express (Fullerton), not bad, but a little strong on the Coconut.

Continental: I have been to the Hobbit, which was great. And, Orange Hill offers a great brunch. I wasn't impressed with the Summit House at all. Again, not even sure what "continental" is.

Cuban: Felix's, hands down (Orange circle).

French: The Cellar (Fullerton).

That's enough for this post. More to come later. You'll notice that many of the links are to "let's eat OC." While I frequent that page for listings, many of them are outdated.

~ Brock

The Apple Fritter Marathon

I can run a 10K. Heck, I can probably run a marathon right now (though I've never tried). But how, I wonder, when I eat apple fritters at least three times a month. Or for that matter when I gorge myself senseless with every good meal, paying special attention to the carbs, butters and sugars. I guess it's the intersection of my love for food and my love for exercise. Growing up and through high school, I was a slim jim that ate nothing but health. TVP (textured vegetable protein) and carob (that pseudo-choc/cardboard stuff) were a regular part of my diet. I was a great swimmer and ran cross-country. Then, I went to college. I still ran cross-country, but no one told me that cereal was available 24 hours a day in the cafeteria. Maybe that's where it started. The damn Lucky Charms. The "luck of the Irish." Now I eat enough for three grown men, while running, swimming, boxing, hiking, etc., on a daily basis.

Now I think my wife is trying to kill me. For father's day (oops, a day early - darn) she bought me Williams-Sonoma's "Desserts." It is freakin' awesome. Sure, I asked her to buy it for me, so maybe it wasn't like she hired a hit man, but I'm just praying it doesn't kill me. I'm determined to make every single recipe in that book. Anyway, how can I stay healthy and do that?

So I'm stuck in a daily love triangle of food and exercise. I cheat on exercise with food and cheat on food with exercise. They're both Jezebels. I hate it, but I can't stop it. Why should I?

~ Brock

Coldplay's X&Y

It's been a long time since I've listened to an album five times in a day, for days. That's what's happening with Coldplay's latest release, X&Y. It's a damn good album and much better than Rush of Blood and Parachutes. The great thing about Coldplay is their development. Sure, Parachutes was a great album, but when Rush of Blood came along, it blew it away. Now they release this. I fall asleep with it playing in my head and wake up with it in my head. In fact, I'm taking my nightly run sans MP3 player because I CAN'T GET THEM OUT OF MY HEAD. It's folksy, rocksy, cool and there isn't a single song I skip. I've heard they've been compared to U2 (or that they're supposed to pick up where U2 left/leaves off), but I haven't really cared for U2 since the late '80's, and, I don't think their music rightly compares to U2. Coldplay has a sound that reminds you of some good old stuff (like Echo and the Bunnymen) and at the same time is relevant for this time. While some say it's a great album, there are others that disagree. For me, it's a dope album and I recommend it to everyone.

~ Brock

It Won't Be An Indian Summer...

...and I'm not talking about the weather. It was midafternoon yesterday when I decided to make an Indian meal from scratch. Simple - somosas and chicken tikka masala. Checked the ingredients - no problem. Checked the recipe - two hours, tops. Then it all came crashing down. I started working on the meal around 4:30pm. By 6:30, my wife was asking me when it would be ready. "Soon, honey," I said. By 7:30, she started "snacking"; I told her not to spoil her appetite. By 8:30, we were both ready to shoot ourselves and still had a half hour to go. By 9 or so, it was ready. Now, understand that fresh ingredients never quite taste like the restaurant (for better or worse) and mine tasted great, but certainly wasn't what we were both craving. So, my verdict: I will never make an Indian meal from scratch again. For one, these recipes involve 15 or more components, unlike the 3 or 4 required for your average Itialian or Chinese. Next, you have to cook, cool, blend, cook some more, add some more, blend some more, then cook some more. It takes way too long!

So, I'll stick to Cost Plus' collection of pre-prepared Indian sauces and mixes and just add chicken.

Jeff Wilks & Jane, Jay & James

Jane, Jay & James at the OC Falltacular

Jeff Wilks at the OC Falltacular

04 Burg vs 04 Cali