February 24, 2009

  • Wabi Sabi and my recently shitlisted Tengu.

    So I'm back from my wonderful and much needed getaway to  Ojai Valley Resort and Spa. Before I write about my awesome getaway to Ojai, I'd like to do a quick review about Wabi Sabi and finish writing about stupid ass Tengu. haha.  I guess my review of Providence will have to wait because there's so much to write about. I really want to get back to those who've commented me, and I will with time. I don't know how some of you ladies do it. You're like a flock of superwomen multi-tasking and getting that shit done... mmm...sexy... =PWABI-SABIHere's what I wore last Thursday to Wabi Sabi...Dress from Melrose, Motorcycle gloves with bows-Hot Topic (love em), Shoes-Cathy Jean, Necklace- Tiffany, Earrings were a xmas gift from my mom.Wabi-Sabi is a great Japanese restaurant in Venice Beach. I've eaten there plenty of times. The food is consistently great. The service is good, and it's in a conveniently location ( for me). Wabi sabi has really good sushi, but they also have lots of delicious cooked items. I usually like the baked cod and they also have an awesome seafood bouillabaisse. Oh, they also have a really great home made honey ginger tea. It's perfect for a cold day, or if you have a sore throatFor this trip we just had...

    Shishito peppers with bonito flakes

    Pretty standard, but yummy. I love shishito peppers. These are nicely seasoned. Slightly salty with just a tad bit of heat. Shishito peppers are not spicy. They have a nice sweet flavor to them. Almost like bell peppers, but tastier in my opinion.

    Wild Mushroom wontons with sauteed pea tendrils

    This was the first time I ordered this and I'd definitely have it again. The mushrooms have a wonderful earthy flavor, and the sauce was sweet and delicious. Went well with the fresh greens and tomato.

    Toro Sashimi

    Yummy, fatty, fresh. I always love great toro.

    Baked crab handroll

    This is always good at wabi-sabi. If you like baked crab handrolls like I do, you'll love this.TENGUTengu is an asian fusion sushi restaurant in Westwood Village near UCLA. The ambiance is sexy, and hip. It's a pretty spot to take a date. They do have  yummy pineapple infused sake and some good signature cocktails. My last trip I didn't have any alcohol, but I do remember enjoying the plum geisha, the Japanese sangria, and the cherry blossom cocktails in the past.The used to be pretty good, but my last trip probably ruined Tengu for me for a while. First I'll show what I ordered and then I'll ease into why the Tengu in Westwood will be on my shitlist for a while.

    Toro Sashimi

    As you can see it's not as fresh as it could be. Toro is supposed to be amazing, but this just wasn't that good.

    subarashi -spicy shrimp, seared tuna, avocado, sweet onion, ginger sauce

    This is one of my favorite special rolls. It's really tasty. I love the pungent sauce and the onions. It makes my mouth water. It's really a great roll, but with all the sauce and toppings, who knows how good the quality of the fish is.

    mizore- crab, avocado, seared albacore, crispy shallots, carrots,  jalapeno, ground radish, sesame chili oil, ponzu

    This is pretty good, but not as good as the subarashi. The crispy shallots really sweeten the roll. I like this.

    jalapeno-miso chilean sea bass (of doom)

    I TOOK ONE BITE AND SPIT IT OUT. It was BAD. You can't fuck with bad seafood. I was pretty grossed out. I gagged and tried to rinse my mouth out with my pellegrino. I had the waiter take it back. The manager asked what was wrong with the bass. I said that it was bad. He replies, "It was bad?" Then a confused look came across his face and he walked away. He didn't say sorry or anything. I thought that was pretty weird and sort of fucked up. I know what sea bass is supposed to taste like and that shit was rancid! They took a long as time to give us the bill. The bass wasn't on the bill, but seriously, they acted like they didn't just serve me some rotten fish! I would like to think most restaurants staff would be apologizing profusely for such a fuck up. I noticed a slight decline in the quality of the food at Tengu over my last few visits, but this was appalling. Tengu had been near empty the last time I went. It's a pretty place, but once the quality of the food goes down, who gives a shit. I'd go back for cocktails, but it's so out of the way, what's the point. Pfsh! So that, my friends is quite possibly the end of my relationship with Tengu in Westwood.I'll write about my getaway. It was fucking awesome!