Simple, healthy, tasty and, thus, highly recommended. I think this was only the third time I’ve ever cooked shrimp, but this recipe is delicious enough to make it into my rotation. I served the shrimp on top of couscous to which I added some chopped cilantro, toasted pine nuts, a clove of garlic, salt, and pepper.

Sizzled Citrus Shrimp
From The Essential Eating Well Cookbook
Serves 4

Marinade & Shrimp
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound shrimp (30-40 per pound), peeled and deveined

Sauce
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I used cilantro instead)

1. Combine lemon juice, wine, 2 teaspoons oil and garlic in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain well, reserving marinade.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until barely pink, about 30 seconds per side; transfer to a plate. Add bay leaf, crushed red pepper and the reserved marinade to the pan; simmer for 4 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan; heat through. Season with salt, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

What’s the best thing to do during a San Diego heatwave?

Head east to the desert, of course! Actually, Vegas is a great place to go right now because it couldn’t be more air-conditioned, you really don’t have to go outside if you don’t want to, and every dollar you spend on a cabana at the pool is well worth it.

To me, Vegas means world-class food. Normally, we are stuck in a very delicious and indulgent rut with Nobu the first night and Olives the second. But we decided to branch out and try some new culinary adventures and it worked out very well!

Our first night, we dined at FIX at the Bellagio and it was amazing. Highly recommended. It’s basically upscale bar food. Here’s what we got:

• Lobster Tacos - Super-mini with a light, flaky shell
• Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno and ponzu sauce - Just like they do it at my favorite restaurant in the whole world, Nobu
• Kobe beef sliders with fries - Takes the whole slider concept up major notches
• Very Adult Mac N’ Cheese - Listen to this, they deep fry rectangular prisms of mac and cheese that has pancetta in it. You dip it in a mild cheese sauce, too. Mind-blowing ridiculous.

Also! I had a phenomenal cocktail that has joined my list of Top 3 Favorite Cocktails I’ve Ever Had. Here’s the list as of right now:

1. Bellini Martini at Nobu. I highly doubt any cocktail will ever top this one in my lifetime.
2. Cucumber Martini from FIX at the Bellagio - Made with melon vodka and cucumber essence. Mild, fresh, totally drinkable, and unique.
3. Lychee cocktail from Burma Superstar in San Francisco - Obviously, this was my #2 until this weekend. It is a beautiful turquoise color filled with flavors I’ve never tasted before. I was blown away.

Speaking of, my husband got their seasonal martini which was vodka and gin mixed with strawberry and basil flavors. Very intriguing.

The second night, we ate Italian at the Venetian’s Zeffirino: homemade saffron lasagna with chicken ragu for me. The best appetizer was carpacchio with buffalo mozzarella. And their calamari is actually not-so-chewy which we’ve been hard-pressed to find ever since being blown away by the calamari at Tarpy’s in Monterey.

Oh and we also nursed Sprite and crackers in our hotel room til 2pm after a rough first night out til 5am. Delish!

So that was our foodiness for Vegas July 2006. We went four times last year, but hadn’t been in a full year. So we were glad to be back on the Strip. Love that place.

Bye for now!
Beth

I have to come clean…

I just can’t do long, belabored restaurant reviews any more. Sorry about that. I feel like it’s more “me” and more useful to just write a few sentences of my overall impressions, whether I’d recommend it or not, our stand-out dishes, and stuff like that. I find that I dread writing about every single detail to the point where I don’t blog anything at all about our meals. And that just won’t do. So I’m introducing the new “Zen” look at where we eat.

So on that note, here’s a quick-and-dirty roundup of where we’ve eaten lately:

Red Pearl Kitchen in the Gaslamp - Definitely fun for groups, good service, cool decor, yummy but too salty food. Best dish was the Flash-Roasted Edamame. I wish I could make edamame like that at home! Perfectly seasonsed, toasty taste, served warm, totally kicked-up notches. If the chef would turn the saltiness level down quite a bit, they could have a winner here.

Trattoria Ponte Vecchio in Del Mar - Overlooking the lagoons of Torrey Pines and the sunset on clear days, this is a sweet little Italian place that my friend Mary introduced me to. I believe ownership changed hands over the past year and Mary (who was a fond regular of the former establishment) said that the cuisine is actually improved now. I ordered the handmade gnocchi with a delicious, perfectly spiced Bolognese sauce. The beef carpacchio and salmon special also got high marks from my friends. The space couldn’t be cozier and the service was warm. And I like this restaurant even more now that I just read how the chef aims to use fresh, locally grown, organic ingredients. Even better! My husband raved about the leftovers and wants to go back himself some time soon.

Shien of Osaka in Rancho Bernardo - We were lucky enough to be treated to dinner last night at Shien of Osaka by a friend who’s Japanese and she hooked us up with all the best dishes straight off the all-Japanese menu. Can’t believe we’ve never been there before! Also we sat in this cool little private room that was really cozy and seats 8. Great for getting to chat and really focus on who you’re with. Favorite dish: the toro maki sprinkled with green onions. Also, I’m a new fan of unfiltered sake. Sign me up any time!

Arrivederci in Hillcrest - We ended up at this Italian place on the same day that Italy won the World Cup which was fun and fortuitous. The waiters dyed their hair and painted their faces to match the Italian team’s uniforms, wine was flowing generously, and everyone was in a great mood. Their thin-crust pizza merits a return trip and I like the locale because it’s just a short walk away from the hecticness of the heart Hillcrest. Oh, and I just read in San Diego Magazine today that Arrivederci was voted Best Italian in San Diego. Hhmmm, who knew?

But I do have one place that special in my heart that merits a more in-depth look and that will come soon. I’ll just hint that it’s a damn good burger joint and I’ve been going there since before I was born (in my mommy’s tummy) Aww… how cute!

Stay cool, foodies!

[Sorry I haven’t posted, I’ve been sick, busy, a bit unmotivated, yada, yada, yada. I’m back now. ]

We’re a little obsessed with our new Lodge cast-iron grill/griddle. My husband has declared the BBQ “dead to him” (any Colbert fans out there?) and so far we’ve made hamburgers, lamb burgers, grilled veggies, and chicken on the grill and it’s great! Easy, yummy, getting quicker and quicker to clean up as the pan is increasingly seasoned. It does heat up the kitchen but hey… that’s why A/C is for!

Stuffed mushrooms are another fave of ours. Classic, easy, rich, slightly indulgent, hard to screw up, and you can use any ingredients you have on hand. The best part about these mushrooms from Bon Appetit, and what sets them apart from other recipes I’ve tried, is that the mushrooms themselves are marinated before the grilling. Definitely kicks it up a notch.

Mozzarella-Stuffed Grilled Portobellos with Balsamic Marinade
From Bon Appetit July 2006
Serves 6

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
6 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed
1 1/2 cups panko
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 5
ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Whisk oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 garlic clove in small bowl for marinade. Using spoon, scrape out gills from mushrooms and place mushrooms on rimmed baking sheet. Brush marinade over both sides of mushrooms, arrange hollow side up, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Mix panko, next 5 ingredients and remaining 2 garlic cloves in medium bowl. Drizzle butter and remaining teaspoon vinegar over panko mixture and toss. Divide panko mixture among mushrooms, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges and patting down slightly. Place mushrooms on grill, stuffing side up; cover grill and cook until cheese melts and juices bubble at edges of mushrooms, rearranging mushrooms occasionally for even cooking (do not turn over), about 6 minutes.