The Silver Lake Meadows is located on the northeast end of the reservoir, just north of the dog park and about two blocks before you hit Glendale Blvd. Parking can be tricky since you’re on a curved street with pretty fast traffic, so just make sure letting people know you’re looking for a spot. Luckily, they’ve installed a crosswalk so you can get to your grassy destination safely.

And here we are… Silver Lake’s playground for all walks of life. When we first started coming here, people were pretty scattered out. Few people chucking frisbees, kids running around, a random guy with guitar pretending he’s Bon Iver, people reading, people sleeping and people drawing other people. Now it’s become more crowded and seems to be the ideal spot for a hipster kid’s birthday, but so far no sign of any obtrusive jumper tents. All in all, it’s still very easy to claim your own patch of land and relax.

There aren’t really any signs that prohibit drinking but it’s pretty expected that people will bring a little boozy booze. Does the city really expect people to bring bottles of Squeeze-it and Capri Sun and play patty cake?  Not in this neighborhood.  But still, it’s recommended to conceal your goods just in case you get that one tattle-taling adult. My friend BL decided his shoes would hide the evidence, not to mention, tamper the taste of the evidence as well.

A bird’s eye view of our picnic. As you can see we’ve gone through a lot of trouble to pack up our kitchen and move it to a public area for a mere three hours, only to repack and put everything back in our kitchen.  But it’s well worth it!  Going outside and getting some Vitamin Sun is very good for you.

Right between the reservoir and the Meadows, there’s a trail that runs through for people to do healthy stuff like ride bikes and stare at us while we gain weight. I know they are talking crap. But at the same time I can’t help but feel bad for them because they are working so hard on such a beautiful sunny day. Next time, I’m going to offer them something good like chicken liver mousse and a Pimm’s Cup.
I’ve put together a quick list of things you may or may not need for your next picnic. Print it out and stick it on your fridge for future reference!

A. Parasol   I recommend going to the SLM from 2 pm – 5 pm. If you go anytime earlier than 2 pm, it’ll be pretty bright so you’ll need this or at least some sunglasses. It starts to get cold around 4:30 pm, so bring a jacket.
B. Pillows  Critical. The grass may be soft but you’ll need some neck support. There’s nothing better than taking a nap after eating. $50 fine for pillows with bird prints.
C. Blanket  Sometimes the grass is still wet from the dew so I suggest bringing one thick blanket, or two thin blackets or even bringing a rain tarp to put under one of the blankets. Nothing worse than having wet ass while you picnic.
D. Basket  Plastic Bags. Coolers. Boxes of Popeye’s fried chicken. All welcome!
E. Fun juice  Whatever your vise may be, just remember to keep it concealed. There are also no restrooms, so these may come in handy a la Dumb & Dumber style.
F. Fun juice flask  For those that want to make Old Fashioned or Negroni’s at their picnics.
G. Corkscrew  Get one that opens both wine and beer.
H. Wireless/Bluetooth speakers  I can’t go anywhere without these. You can turn any boring moment into a dance party. I like the Bluetooth ones because you can let anyone play DJ off their iPhones.
I. Hand drums  I have yet to witness a real drum circle in effect but I can imagine it must be insane. Grown-ups with nappy hair gathered in a circle channeling their inner weirdness into each beat of the drum. I’m sure this will happen sooner or later. Come on, it is Silver Lake!
J. Ghetto Blaster  If that drum circle gets too crazy, it’s time to lay out some cardboard and “jam on it”. Anyone remember Aziz Ansari walking through NYC with shitty music playing on his boombox? It needs to happen here.
K. Bocci Balls  Or Giant Skittles, which sounds more fun to me. This is the kind of game you play on lush green grass. This game is a combination of Shot-put and Tiddly Winks and it can be played in any state of drunkenness.
L. Frisbee Football  I heard that there could be a ban on tossing the frisbee on a beach. But they can’t be talking about this sport. No, this isn’t just frisbee, this is the National Frisbee League – a true profession. This is an intense match-up of helmet-less guys chasing after a plastic disc, sometimes injuring themselves for 7 pts. Super Frisbee Bowl Silver Lake coming soon!
M. Boomerang  This is a crazy thing to rock at the SLM, but it’s not as crazy as showing up with a parrot and boa constrictor around your neck.
N. Slingshot  All that delicious food you’re eating has the potential to attract the critters of the meadows. Beware of opossums, raccoons, skunks, squirrels and the occasional PBR-leeching hipster. Use the slingshot only when threatened.

Here’s the food I made for a few of our picnics. These are meant to be quick and easy recipes and I hope you get to try them out. I get a lot of inspiration from the farmer’s markets.

Roasted Red & Yellow Beets with Burrata Cheese & Pistachios

Red and yellow beets
Burrata cheese
Pistachios
Fresh mint leaves
Olive oil
S&P

(1) Turn your oven on to 350 degrees. Wash the beets and cut off the leaves (these are also known as Swiss chard – save these!). Mix them in olive oil, some salt and wrap 3-4 in a foil packet – roast for 35-45 minutes.  It takes a while for beets to become mushy so roast them until they are very fork tender.

(2) Once the beets are done, let them cool down and remove the skin. Use a paring knife if necessary.

(3) Cut the beets into quarters or eighths (or slices) and season once more with S&P if necessary. Add the burrata cheese (we got ours from the Silver Lake Cheese Store – they use Giaoa of South El Monte), ripping them into shreds over the beets. Add some crushed pistachios (any nut really), fresh mint, some good olive oil and a last touch of S&P. Enjoy!

Harissa Orzo “Fried Rice” with Hedgehog Mushrooms and English Shelling Peas

Hedgehog mushrooms (your choice of mushroom)
English shelling peas
Garlic
Cooked orzo (very al dente)
Harissa spice
Chicken broth (optional)
Lemon juice
Olive oil
S&P

(1) This is my American take on Chinese fried rice, minus the delicious Chinese sausage (lap cheung). Orzo isn’t actually rice but it looks like it. Cook your orzo in boiling water and make sure it’s al dente. Mix olive oil into the orzo so that it doesn’t stick together.

(2) Sauté some garlic and add the mushrooms and cook until they are browned. Add the orzo, harissa spices and S&P. Do this in a skillet so that you can get those nice burnt bits of fried rice which have a nice texture.

(2) When the orzo is done, add the shelling Peas at the end. Add a tiny bit of chicken broth if the whole dish is a bit dry. Squeeze a tiny bit of lemon juice. I’d recommend adding something like Merguez sausage to this for something really tasty. I just chose to go vegetarian.

Sauteéd Soyrizo & Swiss Chard

Swiss chard (the leaves/stems from the beets)
Soyrizo or real chorizo
Chicken broth
S&P

(1) Picnic food is about using whatever you can out of the pantry and fridge. I had some left over Soyrizo and if you haven’t tried this, it’s a great alternative to its meatier counterpart. I started using this more because of our vegetarian friends and have grown to love it.

(2) In a hot skillet with oil, sauté the Soyrizo to really bring out the spices and leak the orange oil out, this will be part of your “broth”. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves and sauté them until the bitter taste of the leaves is rendered out. Add a tiny bit of chicken broth or water to do a little steaming action. This will also form a “broth” with the Soyrizo’s spices and oil. This was a very beautiful looking dish and also Jeni’s favorite.

The Crack Dealer’s Egg Salad Crostini

Soft-boiled eggs
Mayonnaise (Japanese Kewpie mayo is best)
Real dijon or brown mustard (not French’s!)
White onions or celery (something crunchy)
Capers
White wine vinegar (red works too)
Smoked paprika
Shichimi togorashi (Japanese 7-spice pepper) or cayenne pepper
Furikake
S&P
Baguette
Crack (optional)

(1) Everyone fell in love with this dish. Such a simple yet comforting dish. They don’t know that I, in fact, used crack in it.

(2) The key to this is making sure your eggs are soft-boiled, where the yolks are still a little bit melty and oozy. If you use overcooked eggs, the dish is over with. The yolk will be too chalky. In a pot of hot water from the faucet, I boiled 6 eggs (can feed 2-3 people) for about 10-11 minutes and immediately shocked them in an ice bath.

(3) In a mixing bowl, add about 5-6 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Mix in about a 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of mustard – all to your liking. Add 2-3 teaspoons of smoked paprika (more if you like), small handful of roughly chopped capers, minced white onions (or thinly sliced celery) and a few dashes of vinegar. Mix it all up. What does it need? There should be a nice balance of mayo with a nice kick of mustard and nice crunchy textures from the capers and onions/celery.

(4) Once that’s set, roughly chop up the eggs. There’s nothing more than tiny-ass pieces of chopped up eggs – the key is to have texture upon texture. Mix in a few dollops of the mayo mix and make sure you don’t drench the eggs in the mayo mix. Do not DUMP the eggs into the bowl of mayo mix! Season with a kick of shichimi togorashi and some furikake (Japanese seaweed seasoning). Serve on sliced baguette and find the nearest drug rehab clinic. You’ll understand the difference in having a melty yolk versus a dried out yolk. So good!

(5) Thank your local crack dealer but don’t blame me once your teeth fall out and you’re no longer able to eat this tasty dish.

Roasted Beet “Hot” Farro & Melted Goat Cheese

Roasted beets
Goat cheese
Pedro Ximenez balsamic vinegar
Mint
S&P

(1) Using the roasted beets, you can make another simple dish. Boil some farro until they are al dente. In a very hot skillet, sauté the farro and mix in the beets. The key to this dish is using Pedro Ximenez balsamic vinegar – it’s not cheap but it’s the best. I treat this vinegar like soy sauce/Chinese vinegar. When you use PX in a hot skillet, it caramelizes and takes on a nice flavor profile different than using it straight from the bottle.  Once you’re done, turn off the heat, and mix in some goat cheese. The heat will melt it right away.

Soy Sauce-Creme Fraiche Green Beans & Yuzu Kosho

Green beans (haricot vertes)
Creme fraiche
Soy sauce
Yuzu kosho
S&P
Olive oil

(1) One of my favorite things to use is soy sauce and creme fraiche. For me, they go really well together on vegetables. Simply sauté your green beans with olive oil and S&P and make sure they aren’t overcooked. Once they are cool, simply make a mixture of creme fraiche, a few teaspoons of soy sauce and mix it into the green beans. At the very end, add a little bit of yuzu kosho (Japanese yuzu relish) to brighten up the dish.

Burnt Garlic Broccolini

Broccolini
Lots of garlic
Chili de Arbol (dried)
Lemon juice
Olive oil
S&P

(1) In a hot skillet, add some olive oil, sliced garlic and chili de Arbol. The key is to sear this for no more than 15-20 seconds. Once the garlic starts to turn dark brown, take everything out and set it aside.

(2) Add some more olive oil, sauté the broccolini to your liking and season with S&P. Lemon juice to balance out the bitterness of the broccolini and slightly burnt garlic.

Hope you’ll check out the Silver Lake Meadows sometime. It’s a great way to spend a weekend. Thanks for reading.

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Thanks for reading, listening and procreating.

Is that haircut not the best?!

When Jeni and I decided that we’d be going to Japan, she quickly pulled out our collection of various Japanese travel guides. “Where do we go?,” I asked. Jeni had already lived in Osaka for two years and it was all she really knew until we would travel to other prefectures in Japan. “I’ve always wanted to go to Kagoshima,” she said. I had no idea what she was talking about and responded with, “What’s it known for?” I guess I’m easy, because the second she said the K-word, I was sold. “Their known for kurobuta pork. You know Berkshire pork.” Even in the U.S., that stuff isn’t cheap. But when you see it on the menu, you should probably order it because it is amazing pork. Kagoshima is highly agricultural, and as you’ll see in this posting, they really know how to raise some of the best beef, pork and chicken around. And like that, we were in 30,000 in the air traveling to a prefecture we knew nothing about – with nothing but our soon-to-become-true fantasies of dreamy, melty pork leading the way. Funny to fathom how food can be the main objective in traveling.

Twelve hours later, we arrived in Kagoshima, the southern most prefecture of the island of Japan. Prefectures are governmental bodies larger than cities, towns, and villages. A prefecture, may sound like a state, but it functions more like a large district with administrative jurisdiction or subdivision. Basically think of them as a county. The entire country of Japan is smaller than California and is broken up into 47 prefectures. Tokyo being the “metropolis” prefecture. Example: Los Angeles, Orange County and Riverside would be considered separate prefectures.

The second we stepped out of the Kagoshima airport, we were hit with the cold wind. I LOVE cold weather, Jeni hates it. Luckily she had some of those hand warming heat packets with her because this was going to be one cold trip. Living in Los Angeles, we don’t really have seasons. And that’s why I look forward to visiting cities like New York more than once a year because the seasons completely change the character of the city. Certain foods taste better, people are in a different mode  and there’s an overall different vibe. Same with Japan since we went last year during the summer – this would be a different kind of Japan.

I loved Kagoshima after the first few minutes. I loved that there weren’t too many tall buildings like Tokyo. It was also not crowded at all. “Finally Japan, thank you for the breathing room.”

Our check in was set for 3 pm and we arrived in Kagoshima 3-4 hours early. We left our bags at the hotel and decided to kill some time. Kagoshima City itself isn’t that big and we relied a lot on the train to get around since it was easily navigable, taking taxis when it was too cold to walk at night. This train made us feel like we were in a tiny model city.

We took the train back towards the Kagoshima train station to hang out at the shopping center there called Amu Plaza. FYI, a shopping center or train station in any Japanese city is more than what it seems. There are usually cafes, restaurants and grocery stores many levels beneath the ground. This ferris wheel you see is on top of the Amu Plaza which also has a movie theater. We lucked out and ran into a vendor’s market selling all sorts of Japanese goodies like bonito flakes (katsuoboshi), rice crackers (senbei) and various marinated fish. They even had jarred honey with Japanese hornet carcasses inside – crazy! Ever watch the famous “30 Japanese hornets vs. 30,000 Killer bees” video? If not, YouTube it now. We tried the mochi grilled over charcoal and then wrapped with seaweed and a brush of soy sauce – so good.

And then, the smell of something very very familiar… not just meat, GOOD meat. Within two hours, we would finally be getting a piece of real kurobuta pork. The guy on the left was grilling some various chicken parts and the guy on the right was grilling skewered kurobuta belly. I’ll take both… delicious. Right then and there, I knew this would be a fantastic trip down to Kurobuta City, I mean, Kagoshima City.

In Amu Plaza, we found a nice selection of restaurants and food stores. There was a ramen shop with large posters screaming for us to try it out. Having tried some tasty ramen during last year’s visit to Fukuoka (Hakata), we were completely blown away with their style of ramen. I was a firm believer that there is no bad ramen in Japan, but this particular place just wasn’t very good. Kagoshima-style ramen employs the Hakata-style tonkotsu broth boiled for hours, but it could be the sauteed cabbage and fried shallots that might have rained on the parade. There was another place we tried a few days later that was a little bit better but I think overall Kagoshima may not as big of a ramen town as Sapporo, Fukuoka or Tokyo. Rameniac and I had a conversation about Kagoshima-style ramen and it seemed like we were both on the same page. I’ll have to give ramen another shot once I come back to Kagoshima. Another thing we tried was yaki tamago, which literally means “grilled/fried egg”. You may recognize this as a type of common ingredient served with sushi rice. Scrambled eggs are mixed with seasoning, probably with tsuyu (a dipping sauce, made of dashi, mirin and shoyu), and cooked in a rectangular pan. Watching the chef make it was a real treat – an old man, with chopsticks watching an egg cook like he was dismantling a bomb. No matter what the Japanese are doing, they’re going to put in 110% detail and attention. The omelette was great!

On the top level of Amu Plaza, we found even more restaurants. We were sold once we saw a line outside this restaurant that serves kurobuta shabu shabu. This would be our first time eating kurobuta pork in shabu form – nice! We started with some yellowtail sashimi and I was quite surprised to find the soy sauce to be very sweet. I later read that in Kagoshima, sweet soy sauce is the regional twist. It was interesting but I still prefer the standard kidney-punishing stuff.

We both got bento box lunch sets. Mine came with what I thought was miso soup, but was in fact a popular regional soup called tonkotsu. Not like tonkotsu as in pork bone broth ramen. Tonkotsu is a slightly sweet stew that is made with none other than tonkotsu pork bones, veggies and not sake, but shochu, the potato rice wine, and served with slivers of sliced kurobuta. I could eat this all day. Jeni got the kurobuta katsu and it was beautifully fried.

The next morning, we got up early to check out the Kagoshima New Port fish market (Kagoshima Shinkō), but not early enough since it begins daily at 7 am. We already had Tsukiji Market in Tokyo planned, so it was not a big deal. We had been using a great Japanese travel guide published by D & Department, a boutique design/lifestyle shop, and it lead us to a sushi restaurant the editor-in-chief dined at right in the market place. We peeked our head in through the sliding door and saw a tiny restaurant with fisherman. Good sign, but then again, there was only 1 or 2 places to eat at this time of the day.

For 1500 ¥ each, this is what we got. Everything was super fresh and the perfect kind of breakfast. Not mind blowing good, but better than Todai Buffet of course. Walking around the market I saw a lot of fish tanks holding live fish. It was nice knowing that some of the fish being sold at the fish markets didn’t need to be frozen.

For dinner, we decided not to bother looking at the many restaurant brochures that are offered at malls and train stations. Because the Japanese (Asia in general) have a very high standard in food, you can basically walk into a place blindly and get some solid food. Even the worst place will make you happy. Unfortunately that doesn’t work in places like Los Angeles. Trust me, you’ll save yourself a headache in Japan trying to pinpoint a certain restaurant. Google Maps is somewhat useless in a city where restaurants are not limited to tight spaces, high rises or the underground. We walked to an area called Tenmonkan (天文館), which is a large restaurant, shopping arcade and nightlife area. There’s no way you’ll starve once you walk down one of the alleys in this area. I love walking around the streets of Japan and looking at the signage – seeing what clever methods they’ve devised to attract your attention. We stuck our head into a place that seemed pretty happening and took a chance.

Oblivious to the Japanese words on the menu, we turned to the waitress and asked, “Kurobuta shabu shabu?“  “Hai!” And within 15 minutes, she was back with a portable burner and shabu shabu pot. And out came beautiful, thin cuts of kurobuta pork… reminscent of melt-in-your-mouth cotton candy. I held up a piece of the pork like the Phantom of the Opera and could see Jeni’s mysterious silhouette through the fatty white part. A quick 2-3 second dip and you’re good to go. A little bit of pink is fine – especially with animals raised in Japan.

Left to Right: Soft burrata-like tofu. Shabu shabu broth flavored with a little yuzu kosho. Perfect for the cold weather.

For dessert, we tried a Kagoshima specialty called shirokuma, which means polar bear. It’s similar to the Taiwanese shaved milk ice version but WAY sweeter with sparse toppings. Taiwan 1 – Kagoshima 0.

Although it was in the 40s, walking around Kagoshima was nonetheless enjoyable with the sun out. I’ve spent some time looking at the work of Japanese photographers at many bookstores, particularly food photographers. A lot of their photos are shot simply on light colored wood, ornate dinnerware with wooden utensils. Very plain yet memorable. But I’ve realized why their photography looks so stark and beautiful… it’s the sunlight. And the same can be said about the lighting techniques in Nordic photography. Take a look at the work of Denmark’s Ditte Isager, photographer of the NOMA cookbook – gorgeous natural light that you can probably only get in Scandinavia. I didn’t want to miss a photo opportunity with this soft, glowing daylight.

Kagoshima is nowhere as busy as Tokyo is… but it doesn’t mean you won’t get tired from walking! Good thing is there’s a shopping center on every corner. We stopped in this shopping center called Maruya Gardens just east of the Tenmonkan restaurant/shopping area which has more boutiques than your big-brand shops. On the top floor, you’ll find a ramen shop and chill cafe. We stopped by for some coffee and waffles. Look at that Japanese daylight on the right!

But the real reason we stopped in Maruya Gardens was for the D & Department shop, the same store that publishes the travel guides we love.  We just love the stuff they carry here. Think Muji but cooler.

Left to Right: artisanal soy sauces from Kagoshima (sweet & salty). Nice selection of design books.

Left to Right: snazzy dinnerware for your instant ramen. See the travel books on top with the “d” logo – get them!

Since we already had stellar kurobuta pork, it was time to try Kagoshima’s other prized meat: beef. In Kagoshima, they raise various grades of “kuroushi”, which means “black cow” (“kurobuta” means “black pig”). Kobe beef has become a common term in the U.S. by now but in Japan, Kagoshima beef and Matsuzaka beef are the most popular. The latter being sourced only from female cows while Kobe beef comes from males (bulls). Writer Lynn Fung states in her article:

“Every cattle farmer in Japan has his own method of indulging their cows, from secret blends of soybeans, tofu byproduct or sake mash in the feed; mineral water to drink; and daily walks and supposed beer massages to encourage fat distribution. Some even play classical music to relax the animals, while making sure they receive plenty of time in the sun.”

You can read more about it here. We’ve had beef from Kobe while in Japan but this would be our first time trying Kagoshima beef. We walked around one night and found this teppanyaki place in Tenmonkan. Probably not the best, probably not the worst. Really, how bad could a steak be if you already know it’s going to be good? We knew the steak would be rich so we only ordered one plate which still came out to about $50 with salad and dessert.

You all know teppanyaki thanks to restaurants like Benihana. But thank god, you won’t be seeing any onion volcanoes or table-top shenanigans. One look at this soft-spoken chef and we knew he was all about business. Teppanyaki refers to a style of cooking done on an iron griddle. The flat surface allows the chef to cook, cut and serve right on it. He took out a huge block of Kagoshima beef and cut out a nice piece of sirloin. He trimmed off a majority of the fat (which was painful to see it go to waste) because Kagoshima beef is already very balanced in marbling. The result was a nice 1″ thick block of red marbled beef. He salted the steak and using two spatulas, cooked that steak meticulously – flipping it onto the other side once and carefully searing the edges to lock in the flavor. In less than 7 minutes, he was done searing it to a medium rare.

Center: Adding a bit of alcohol for one last kiss of flavor or grooming his eyebrows? I have no idea what he poured over the steak. If it was kerosene, it was tasty.

Center: A beautifully-cooked Kagoshima-style steak.

Center: Kagoshima steak served with grilled vegetables, garlic chips, seasoning, dipping sauces and even wasabi. Notice the wispy lines of fat that seem to gradate into the red meat. This steak was seriously good and more than enough for Jeni and me to share.

I forgot to mention that when you take the bus or taxi from the airport into the city, you’re going to be amazed by the mass of rock that sits directly across the water from Kagoshima. Known as Sakurajima (Cherry Blossom Island), this island consists of a few active volcanoes sitting in the water like a fat queen overlooking her kingdom, occasionally unloading her fury and PMS (thousands of times every year apparently) in the form of toxic smoke and white ash.  Fortunately, Sakurajima’s temperament is regarded as manageable and the island itself is deemed habitable. We’ve never been on a volcano before and this would be a good time to check that off our long list of things to do in life. The lava is purported to flow mostly out of the southern end of Sakurajima, not from the city side. To get to Sakurajima, you’ll need to take a daunting 15-minute ferry ride!

Left to Right: View of Sakurajima from Amu Plaza. Volcanic ash on street. Shoes from Nordstrom (Rack).

Center: Sakurajima in Ansel Adams-vision.

In the D & Department’s Guide to Kagoshima, the editor-in-chief geeked out on some hot udon noodles that are served on the ferry for 400 ¥, so we gave it a shot. Not bad at all! But you only have 15 minutes to eat it, slurping allowed.

If you get the chance to catch spewing lava from the active volcanoes on Sakurajima, definitely catch it. If not, at least treat yourself to an amazing view of the ocean… while in a bathrobe… with people you don’t even know. Our main reason for visiting Sakurajima was to check out the Ryuujin Rotenburo (Ryuujin outdoor bath). This outdoor, co-ed bath (wardrobe required) is set on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean and it’s gorgeous. The whole region of Kagoshima lies on a volcanic zone and receives geothermal heat which the Japanese have used to heat the many spas and bathhouses in the area. We slipped into the bathrobes and headed out.

At first, you’re freezing in the 35-40 degree air because you’ve got nothing but a bathrobe and sandals on, but the steaming finish line is within sight just down the steps. And it’s amazing how good you feel within first contact of the hot water. You don’t realize how tired you are from working a 9-5 until you dip into a 130 degree pool (and even hotter in different parts). Although I was on vacation, I’ve carried the American workload with me. In the single plunge into the hot water, your stress and fatigue diminishes. I realized that when you’ve walked for more than an hour or two, your feet are being overworked and there’s a lack of blood flowing down there. Hot water basically gets the blood circulating throughout the body again and you’re instantly revived and no longer sore. At one point, we were the last to leave and it was very serene hearing the waves crash, with steam rising out of the waters. It was a “where are we right now?” kind of moment. We could have stayed out here for another few hours.

Revived, we headed back on the 15-minute ferry from Sakurajima back to Kagoshima City. Treating ourselves toone last bowl  of piping hot udon.

Another thing Kagoshima, actually all of Kyushu (Southern Japan), is known for is the sweet potato rice wine known as shochu. I’ll be honest, my many years of poisoning myself with the Korean rubbing-alcohol version (Chamisul and Jinro soju) has scarred me, but in Japan, there are not 2-3 brands – there are hundreds of variations that are not used to disinfect wounds. What’s the difference between sake and shochu? Sake is brewed with rice and more well known due to marketing and like wine, goes better with food, but shochu is distilled and treated more like a sipping alcohol like vodka or whiskey. We found this sochu bar called Bar S.A.O. through a magazine – it’s also right in the Tenmonkan area.

From the outside, it can be quite difficult to find – it looks like a cramped apartment complex. But when you find it, you’ll be happy. This is the Japanese detail and decor that I love. We pulled up a seat at the bar and with Jeni’s limited Japanese, we somehow got the bartender to pour her favorites.

With sake, you’re allowed to drink it one of two ways: either hot or cold. Hot, as I’ve learned, is a way for cheap restaurants with cheap owners to mask and sell cheap sake. With shochu, there are three ways to take it in: hot, cold and “rock”. Hot is known as oyuwari, which means to drink the shochu mixed with hot water. Drinking it with cold water is known as mizuwari. And “rock” (pronounced “rock-ku”) is basically “on the rocks”. The purpose in diluting it with water not only brings down the alcohol percentage but like whiskey, opens up flavors hidden during distillation. The oyuwari method was a bit interesting to me, almost like drinking tea but I felt like I was drinking hot vodka – not a pleasant thought. I noticed the older Japanese enjoyed it in that manner. My favorite was shochu on the rocks (“lock-ku”) – refreshing and fragrant with nice whiskey-like smokiness.

Never drink sake or shochu on an empty stomach – the stuff is dangerous and can make you time travel. You’ll almost find delicious cooked food at these shochu bars. Or not. The bartender suggested chicken tataki, which is basically chicken sashimi slightly seared like albacore, and then chilled upon service. It didn’t have much taste and was a bit too cold but still did its job in soaking up the shochu in my stomach. Some fried chicken (tori karaage) came to the rescue as well. In the Fukuoka postings, you’ll be seeing more of the chicken sashimi phenomenon and it’s so good!

You’ll probably spend a whopping $800 on the 2-week JR pass (Japan Railway) so you might as well take as many day trips as possible. About an hour south of Kagoshima is the charming city of Ibusuki (pronounced “ee-bu-skee”) known for their hot, black-sand baths (sunamushi onsen), another delightful benefit of being situated on top of a geothermal zone. The JR Company offers seven stylish, limited edition trains to take you to various parts of Kyushu. The Ibutama train has a nice yin & yang look and responsible for taking you down to Ibusuki.

There’s something therapeutic about sitting on a train in Japan. They are smooth, comfortable and quiet. It’s necessary to give yourself a break from the fast-paced city life wherever you are. The rhythmic sound of a car passing over tracks can actually be quite soothing. I can understand how one appreciates idyllic scenes like this as you get older. Last year, we rode the train once for nearly 8 hours and we didn’t mind the long ride at all.

Left to Right: Sakurajima, still as majestic from a distance. Beautiful wood interior/cabin with seats facing out the window by default.

Left to Right: Kurobuta steamed buns – amazing. Satsuma-age: fried fish cakes.

And we finally arrive in the quiet town of Ibusuki. We walked out of the station and hopped on to a bus that took us directly to where we wanted to go: the natural sand bath.

It’s so quiet on this very morning that we can hear a single car driving down the street towards us.

For nearly 300 years, the natural hot sand baths may be the only thing to do in this town. It’s easy to find signage. You walk into the lobby of the spa and from there, we split off into male and female locker rooms. The first order of business is to slap on these stylish yukatas (Japanese robe; a casual kimono) and rubber sandals. I walk out of the changing room and see that Jeni’s ready to go, wielding a Hot Dog on A Stick parasol. I’m actually quite thirsty and waiting for those lemonade-squashing HDOAS girls to pop out of the sand any minute now. We walk down towards the black sand beach and see employees waiting for us with their shovels. They signal for us to lie in our shallow graves and proceed to shovel warm black sand from our feet up. So this is what it’s like to be buried alive?! The employees also make a headrest for us with a mound of sand and plant the parasol above our heads to shield the bright sunlight.

For a few seconds, you don’t feel anything. You definitely see the steam rising out of your body but nothing else. I turn my head as far left as I could and look over at Jeni and we just laugh. “Dude, what the hell are we doing here?!” I ask. Then, you start to feel the heat from the sand and it feels amazing.  The employees there tell us that this is not so much for sweating out toxins as it is for improving circulation. The weight of the sand pushes down on your body, constricting all your veins – forcing blood to be pumped harder throughout the body. Ten minutes later, we’re given a hand by the employees and yanked out of the ground like ginseng. I felt so recharged and revived – no soreness in my feet either from all the walking we’ve done.

Afterwards, we head back into the bathhouse and just soak away. And refresh ourselves with the onsen cider Ibusuki is known for. Don’t worry it’s completely organic and only made with the public bath water and club soda.

Before heading back, we had to fill up on some food. There wasn’t much open around the train station so we asked a lady on the street what she thought would be “oishii” (delicious). She pointed at the restaurant pictured above called Aoba (ah-oh-ba). I can’t read any Japanese but I do recognize Chinese characters (kanji) and I know very well what that sign suggests – “kurobuta” (黒豚). We walk in and the place is packed – win! As we’re looking at the menu, turns out that this place is not a Michelin-star restaurant, but one of hundreds of recommendations made by the Michelin group. Double win!

Figuring this place was all things kurobuta, we sort of guessed the things they might offer. I saw a table eating some skewers and I took a guess on some things like this: kurobuta tsukune (grilled ground pork patty). I’ve only had the chicken version of this and I was so glad that they offered a pork version served with a softly poached egg which would serve as a dipping sauce. If you see anything in Japan that comes with an egg dipping sauce, you will not be disappointed – this was excellent. I would gladly contribute this photo to Josh of Food GPS’s “Vitamin P” (“P” for pork) column of his site.

The kurobuta slices came out frozen and didn’t look as good as the previous place we ate at, but it tasted SO MUCH BETTER. The broth was also substantially better.

I loved that the waitress offered a coffee thermos filled with tsuyu (dipping sauce) for refills. I wanted to take the thermos home!

Another Kagoshima specialty is kibinago, a type of smelt or sardine. It is often served sashimi style or deep fried tempura-style – the bones are small and edible. When you’re done eating all of the kurobuta pork, you end the meal with handmade soba (buckwheat noodles) cooked in the same broth. So good, this was our favorite kurobuta-related meal in Kagoshima. I still think about it.

Left to Right: One last dip in the public foot bath right outside the train station. Cooling off with Kagoshima-style green tea ice cream.

Center: Tenmonkan at night. This area is heavily loaded with bars and restaurants.

There is one street in the Tenmonkan specifically named “Gourmet Street”. I found this street to have fewer restaurants than the main Tenmonkan area. In any case, it’s fun to walk down this alley-like street.

Once again, we referred to the D&Department’s Guide to Kagoshima for the editor’s choice of restaurants. Most of the places the guy suggested were OK, but this one would prove to be his best. We find ourselves parting the outer curtains of the restaurant and walking into yet another shabu shabu place. But the specialty here is this old man’s homemade tofu. We saw the guy’s photo in the guide and knew right away that he’s probably been doing this since he was two and loves every minute of it. For that we’ve named him “Mr. Tofu-san“.

Versus the usual tsuyu you’re given, this place provides you with a soy sauce/wasabi mixture with ripped pieces of roasted seaweed (nori). There are probably a thousand people who make homemade tofu like Mr. Tofu-san but we were still happy to find a charming place like this. Although this meal cost the same price as a shabu shabu meal with kurobuta pork, it was still worth it. The tofu is good, just like burrata cheese.

Left to Right: All-you-can-use yuzu kosho for your broth. Mrs. Tofu-san serving me shochu, oyuwari-style (mixed with hot water).

Left to Right: With the nice man, Mr. Tofu-san. He made it a point to show us his poster  covered with photos of his dog. When asked how old the dog was, Mr. Tofu-san formed an “X” symbol with his arms symbolizing the dog’s departure from this world. Apparently, he had a large fan-base. Goodbye Mr. Tofu-san!

Above: One of many cozy bars on “Gourmet Street” in Tenmonkan.

This concludes our 4-day stay in the wonderful Kagoshima City. I loved it for many reasons as you can see. And I wouldn’t hesitate in coming back here. What I loved besides the food was the pace of life here. We were never rushed to do anything and enjoyed life at our own leisure. We were actually forced to relax.

Next up: even more hot spring (onsen) action in a town known solely for its beautiful Japanese inns called ryokans – Kurokawa (Kumamoto prefecture). Thanks for reading.

Before I move on, does anyone not know what uni is?! Uni consists of the gonads (reproductive organs) of the sea urchin and it’s highly prized in cuisines all over the world. It is sometimes mislabeled as sea urchin “roe” – they’re not eggs! The sea urchin is a ball-shaped critter with hundreds of spines that are usually 1″ in length, and sometimes up to 4″ in defense mode. I myself have seen some LONG spines while diving in the Caribbean – like 6″-8″ and didn’t bother trying to capture it!  It belongs to the echinoderm family like sand dollars and sea stars and enjoys feeding off algae and kelp. Whoever first ate the gonads of the sea urchin was one hungry man, like the first guy (probably an Arawak) who first cracked open an oyster. Once you cut those spines off, the sea urchin is at your mercy.

On an early Saturday morning, Jeni and I took off on our bikes and rode around the Downtown area of Santa Barbara. It’s one of the best ways to enjoy Santa Barbara. People are running along the beach doing healthy stuff, checking out the farmer’s market, probably lighting up some herb and just enjoying the sun. I had heard the Santa Barbara pier was a good spot for seafood naturally and I looked up this place called Santa Barbara Fish Market, making that our first destination. Like a fat kid with $2 running after the ice cream truck, I quickly found the tiny seafood market and parked my bike. Eager, I looked in all the cases and tanks… shit, no uni! The guy working there had no idea when the next shipment would come in. I knew places like the Hungry Cat or various SB seafood markets would technically be offering live sea urchin due to its location, but after calling around, it didn’t seem people really knew, or even cared for this spiny delicacy. Jeni laughed when she saw my look of disappointment. But then, the food gods showed us the way. As we were getting back on our bikes, we saw some people huddled around some folding tables down by the dock. And we found our savior standing around three plastic tubs containing uni. Our savior came in the form of a white guy in his 40s, wearing a visor, sunglasses, T-shirt and Levi’s. “And what is thy name, oh Lord of uni?”

“I’m Harry Liquornik and I’ve been diving for sea urchin for 25 years.” “Liquor” rhymes with “occur”, not the booze. And he’s also known locally as “Harry Urchin”. Harry Urchin and sometimes another diver hop on a boat around 6 am three to four times a week to dive for uni. Depending on the season, they’ll sometimes head north for 2-3 hours by boat towards some islands off of Santa Cruz and Santa Maria and dive for urchin there. Harry states that June and March is the general uni season in California, with August, September and October being the most lucrative time for harvesting. The sea urchin tastes best during those three months since they are very “hot and bothered” (swollen gonads).

Harry charges $5 per sea urchin and this is a steal considering some restaurants may charge $15 for one. And if you buy two, Harry will hook you up at $8. “Two please. Two massive ones.” Harry went looking through his various containers, picking each one up and comparing it to the next until he found me two delectable ones. Harry says he’s seen some bigger than basketballs once the spines have been cut. Whoa!

Harry then brought out his state-of-the-art “uni cracker” that would reveal the sea urchin’s jewels of masculinity/femininity and forfeit them to human consumption. He turned the sea urchin over on its top side and placed the cracker jaws right over the mouth. I could see the spines slowly moving, knowing very well what was about to happen. Gripping the cracker with his left, he pounded the handle with one blunt hit with his right palm. Whack! The jaws immediately broke through the thin shell and sunk into the cavity of the sea urchin, slightly cracking it and spilling out some liquid. Then he gripped the clamp handle of the cracker which spread the jaws outwards and the sea urchin was completely halved.

Harry then let me crack open the second sea urchin.

The first thing I saw upon cracking the sea urchin open was the beautiful golden gonads. It was a eureka moment. It was the same exact thing us uni-lovers couldn’t wait to eat at sushi bars. The uni was simply beautiful in color and reeked of the salty California waters in a good way. Contrary to looking at the entrails of a mammal or fish, the sea urchin was a rather beautiful thing to look at. The colorful purple spines, the golden gonads, the various colors of digested kelp that almost resemble orchids. With a plastic spoon, Harry began to do the “dirty work” by pouring out the contents of the cavity and pulling out the intestines and tubes. Once those are gone, there’s only one thing left to do: eat the uni. Sea urchin has fivefold symmetry with a total of five gonadal “clusters”. Each piece of uni can range anywhere from 40-60 calories, safe to say one piece of uni sushi is 80-120 calories plus rice and nori. So imagine how many whole sea urchins are needed to fill up ONE of those wooden uni trays. With the plastic spoon, I scooped out the uni like it was ice cream. Some of the spines were still moving!

It is nearly impossible to detect the sex of the urchin. I found a site quoting, “roe from female sea urchins were commonly associated with sulfur odor, bitter taste, and metallic flavor, while roe from the male sea urchins were associated with sweet taste.” See, males are generally sweeter than females. But really, it doesn’t matter – what matters is the taste. Forrest Gump could very well have replaced his chocolate box/life analogy with uni. Depending on the water temperature, size, month and state of libido, each uni will in fact taste different and you really don’t know what you will get. I typically enjoy sweet, creamy, custard-like uni as opposed to the sometimes metallic uni. The sea urchins I had this day were perfectly sized and had a good amount of creaminess and brininess. But both were very different in flavor profile. I’ve eaten enough uni to experience a “bad uni day” and this was definitely not one.

I noticed that the uni Harry had had larger clusters versus the smaller-clustered uni I’ve eaten in sushi restaurants. He said that the larger the sea urchin, the larger the uni but you really don’t know until you crack it open. On any given dive, Harry can range anywhere from 80-120 sea urchins. From there he sends them to a processor which finds all the “A” grade uni and delivers them to sushi restaurants. These are typically the small-clustered ones. He also noted that the Japanese chefs are extremely particular with their uni. Japanese?  Picky?  Really?

Harry typically sells his catch on Saturday mornings from 6 am – 10 am right on the dock. If you’re using Google to locate Harry, I recommend searching for the Santa Barbara Fish Market or Brophy Bros., which by the way has some really decent clam chowder. This is not located at Stearns Wharf but by all the boats. Harry Urchin has graciously offered his contact for those that are serious about eating live sea urchin. Give him a call prior to heading up to Santa Barbara to see if he has a catch. He is also down in Santa Monica on Tuesdays or Wednesdays to sell his catch to restaurants like Hungry Cat and various sushi joints. He can arrange a meet up to sell his spiny delicacies. Come say hello to Harry Urchin and let him know that you read about him – he’ll be stoked!

If you’re new to uni, I highly recommend giving this amazing delicacy a chance. It’s the best. Thanks for reading.

Harry Liquornik
abreojos.one@cox.net
(805) 451-2504

Beach Fossils
Bent
Chad Valley
Cut Copy
Freddie Joachim
Gardens & Villa
Gorillaz
Heavenly Beat
James Blake
Mayer Hawthorne vs. PillowTalk
Nujabes
Perseus
Polographia
Ra Ra Riot
Ratatat
Real Estate
Stereolab
Teletextile
Tennis
Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Download WonderTune Japan II.
WonderTune Japan II on Spotify.

A few months ago, I was walking out of a $15-an-hour massage joint in Rosemead, just next door to one of my usual wonton noodle stops, Noodle Boy, and noticed two Terracotta soldier statues outside one of the shops. What I thought was another Chinese furniture shop was actually the latest culinary gift delivered from Mainland China. I had never heard of the Shaan Xi province, but figured the terracotta soldiers laid some reference to the army’s origin and it was probably located in the region of China where most of the tasty Chinese food is from. The kind laden with fiery chiles and drenched in prickly ash oil. It makes sense since Shaan Xi is wedged in between Sichuan, Chongqing and Hunan – not to be confused by its eastern neighbor Shan Xi. I stuck my head into the restaurant and sure enough, was hit hard with the aroma of wok-fried red peppercorns and prickly ash oil and something very typical of the Northern and Central regions of China – lamb. In addition, there are quite a few dishes offered here that are made with dough. It makes a lot of sense since, according to Wikipedia, Shaan Xi was one of the major hubs along the Silk Road which has seen many merchants and sojourners from Europe and the Middle East – thus the Islamic influence on Chinese cooking. Safe to say, Shaan Xi cuisine is heavy on lamb and bread-like objects.

I was lucky enough to meet David, one of the young servers here, and I was lucky that he spoke English. If you can’t read Chinese, the menu is pretty much useless. Instead, use your neighbor’s table as a visual menu. Look for the table with the most hardcore looking Chinese… usually a group of 4-5 men drinking tea and talking really loud. Fanny packs or man-bags as accessories beef up the “hardcore Chinese” status. David suggested I tried out the lamb soup noodles and the lamb “burger”. Always walk up to the sneeze-guard deli and pick out your favorite side dishes. I recommend the cold-sliced chili oil beef, garlic/chili seaweed, tendons, pig ears and garlic cucumbers. This will hold you over until the main event.

David came back about ten minutes later with the lamb soup noodles. Lamb-lovers, you’re in for something very special. The first thing I could think about was just how “lamby” it was. Even if I just stared at it without taking a bite, I would be content because it smelled awesome. The lamb was obviously braised for 2-3 hours and it was simply melt-in-your-mouth tender – reminding me of delicious pastrami meat. The chef had quickly wok-fried some chopped leeks, wood-ear fungus and bok choy giving it a nice char. Slightly oily yet it added some wok-flavor to the simple stock.

But the best part of this dish was the Chef’s mastery in noodle-making. We’ve all seen hand-cut noodles and knife-shaved noodles in SGV, but this style of noodle is stretched versus being cut. David explained from a ball of dough and crafty hands, the chef ends up with ONE piece of noodle that is nearly 2-3 feet long. He then takes the whole “sash” of noodles and drops it in to a pot of boiling water for a few minutes. The result of high heat naturally “rips” apart some of the noodles and it’s added to a bowl of piping hot broth. I’ve been here a few times already and a few times have pulled the noodles out as high as two feet before cutting up with the chopsticks! The texture is simply divine – something I’ve never tasted. It almost reminds of a thicker, velvet-like lasagna sheet. God, so good – look at how thin the sheet of noodle is! A few dollops of the Shaan Xi-style chili oil makes this one of my favorite soup noodles this year. I ate everything but the bowl and chopsticks. And even pondered bringing some home for Jeni. Most of the other diners are eating this huge plate of wok-fried chicken and chili dish with noodles – and it looks amazing but you’ll need at least 3 hungry people to help you out. As for the lamb “burger”, it was a bit dry but nothing a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar and Shaan Xi chili oil couldn’t save.

I love JTYH’s lamb soup noodles but after having Shaan Xi Gourmet, it looks like SXG 1 – JTYH 0. Get your $15-an-hour massage next door and “finish off” at Shaan Xi Gourmet for a very, very “happy ending”. Thanks for reading.

Other Mainland Chinese restaurant recommendations:
Chung King, San Gabriel
Hunan Chili King, San Gabriel
Lucky Noodle King, San Gabriel
Yunnan 168, San Gabriel

For me, the taxi ride from the airport into the city is always the most fun and interesting part of the trip. It is your first interaction with a person of that country and he can very well set the tone for the trip. For those a bit “concerned” about a country’s safety, I’d advise an arrival during the day so that you can see what the hell is going on. When we went to Guilin, China a few years back, we landed at the airport and took a two and a half hour taxi ride into the middle of nowhere at 2 am. We didn’t know what in the world was going on. When you’re tired, disoriented and confused, you become a little concerned for your safety. But this taxi ride was just like any other in Central America – the taxi driver was super happy, hospitable and honest. They are usually very excited that you’ve come to see their country.

Within a few minutes, we were out on the main highway along the coast and all I could think about were the blue skies and towering clouds – simply idyllic. If Miami “got it on” with Macau, Panama could be its child. You’ve got that humidity and beach feel of Miami with Macau’s high-rises and rapid commercialization. Oh yeah, there’s also a huge population of Chinese in Panama too!

After we checked into our hotel, we headed to an area called Casco Viejo, or Panama’s “Old Town”. As a possible contender for UNESCO’s world heritage list, there are some really nice parts we enjoyed walking through. Some parts of it are geared towards tourists with eateries and bars, but the majority of the area is still occupied by a lot of residents. Simply smiling at the locals will get you one in return usually.

Left to right: Typical Panamanian apartment and Panamanian kid. I noticed a lot of people wearing those rubber Crocs. Mario Batali would be proud.

Night time in Panama is a bit different and completely hectic. 4 pm is traffic time and with no metro system, everyone is piling into buses and taxis. At each bus stop, there were at least 40-50 people in line – insane! Get ready for a higher taxi bill and more exposure to Panamanian music.

The buses in Latin America are some of the most functional yet funky buses I’ve ever seen. We rode one in Mexico City and it was a lot of fun for some reason. They are basically “school buses gone wild”. You take a big school bus, tattoo it with random spray-paint murals of large bosomed women or Japanese anime (in the style of Low Rider art) and feed the whole bus ecstasy pills. Bam! The Latino Metro bus. This one above is called “El Gladiador” and it always has the right of way.

I love trying all the local beer and rum in Central America. The beers available in Panama are the eponymous Panama, Atlas, Soberana and Balboa. Atlas was my favorite; Balboa was the least because it tasted like it was made with rum. For rums, I highly recommend Ron Abuelo 25 year – delicious and only $15 for some of Panama’s best! Take your next ride on the Ecstasy Bus to another level and drink some of these beforehand.

It’s interesting to know that back in 1850, both Panama and Colombia were united under the republic of New Granada, but it ended nearly 30 years later. Because Panama is directly in between Central and South America, you’ll find remnants of other countries like Colombia’s ceviche and arepas. Arepas are a corn-based snack typically found in Colombia and resemble the Salvadorian pupusa. Mexico also has a similar version called sopes. Tasty!

There are a lot of vendors selling horoscopes as well as lottery tickets.

After watching Bourdain’s Panama episode in which he visited Chinatown, we had to check it out. We’ve been Chinatowns in Mexico City, Japan and Buenos Aires and I love seeing how different, or alike they are to Los Angeles’ Chinatown. The Chinese came to Panama in the 1850s through Canada and Jamaica to assist in the construction of the Panama Railroad. Since then, their population in Panama has grown to 300,000 and their food is very much considered a prominent staple amongst non-Chinese Panamanians. I asked the taxi driver if he enjoyed eating Chinese food and he exclaimed, “me encanta!” (I love it!) This business is called Rosticeria Mey Mey, which means “Delicious/Tasty BBQ restaurant”.

This is Restaurante Kwang Chow, which Bourdain visited with a local Chinese Panamanian. We just came by to look at it and didn’t try the food. Once I saw spaghetti pasta being used for the wonton soup noodles I already knew it would be a waste of stomach space. The BBQ goods from the “Chinese Zoo” looked good though.

We walked into a supermarket to do what I usually do in Latin American countries – search for Maggi Seasoning Sauce. I’ve found versions of Maggi from Mexico, Brazil and Honduras, but none to be found at this market. The man on the right runs a BBQ restaurant. While I spoke to him in Cantonese Chinese, I could hear his grandchildren speaking to each other in Spanish. Very cool!

We stopped by a place in Casco Viejo for some scallop and corvina ceviche. Panamanian ceviche uses corvina, cashews, sweet potatoes and lime juice. Tasty, but not my favorite like Colombian-style ceviche which employs cream, honey and lime.

Mercado de Mariscos (Seafood Market)
This is another point of interest if you’re into food. Open from 7 am until 8 pm, you can lay your eyes on Panama’s freshest seafood. No flash freezing allowed! With two oceans to choose from, you’ve got double the amount of options available. I couldn’t believe how cheap everything was. You can get langostines for like $5/lb and lobsters at $12-15/lb.

Panamanian pargo or huachinango, otherwise known as Red Snapper. Although, the most common fish used in Panamanian ceviche is corvina, which is a type of sea bass found in the Pacific ocean. Korean restaurants is Los Angeles also serve corvina deep fried or grilled – tasty.

In addition to the fresh seafood you can buy, there are 5-6 ceviche vendors. All the ceviche is kept in giant glass jars and packed deep in crushed ice. For $1-4, you can choose from things like corvina, shrimp, langostine and bloody clams. I’ve seen some ceviche places in Mexico that use no ice and you should decide carefully if that’s worth eating. This was way more reassuring. I tried the shrimp one here and it was mixed with chopped pickles and mayonnaise – very tangy and creamy.

Bloody clams (concha negra) tasted OK. I did enjoy the ceviche juice (leche de tigre) though. I think La Cevicheria in Los Angeles serves up a great Guatemalan version of concha negra ceviche.

Corvina ceviche is really good but I almost prefer red snapper over the somewhat tougher texture. Here you can see they serve their ceviches with a Latino brand of Saltine crackers. Corvina when cooked or grilled is excellent though.

Next to the ceviche vendor we ate at, we found some ladies offering up Creole-style (Criollo) food. We couldn’t resist the food they were cooking – it smelled awesome. We saw all the locals eating this and ordered the same. This is called huacho, what I refer to as Caribbean congee, and it’s basically a rice stew made with dried shrimp, chunks of corvina and I’m guessing a lot of chicken bouillon seasoning. They add a spicy tomato paste on top and it’s delicious. Only $2 for a HUGE styrofoam cup of it.

This is Creole-style carne guisado (meat stew) and camaron guisado (shrimp stew) served with lentils (lentejas) and rice. $3 for all of this.

The best part of our trip was when we rented a car and got out of the city. We drove north for about an hour towards the city of Colon and its completely different than Panama City – a bit rougher. But another hour from there is a beautiful Caribbean getaway called Isla Grande. For $2.50 each way, per person, you can take a five-minute water taxi ride across to this tiny, but awesome island.

Isla Grande, an island you can call your own. For only $5.

After hanging out at Isla Grande, we were hungry from swimming and frolicking in the clear Caribbean waters. Just before you get to Isla Grande is a tiny town called Portobelo and it isn’t short of any restaurants. We stopped at a place called Mariscos Cañones and I’m glad we did. Pictured above is camarones al ajillo, shrimps deep-fried with garlic sauce. Best part was sucking out the matter from the shrimp heads.

I had the Creole-style pulpo con leche coco (octopus with coconut milk) and it was delicious. The octopus was tender, chopped up and served in a light, spicy coconut sauce.

Driving back to Panama City, we must have stopped nearly five times to run out and capture the many beautiful views of the ocean as the sun went down.

I think Panama has a great deal to offer with its two oceans. The culture is heavily mixed; the people are simply nice and proud of their culture. It definitely won’t be my last time here. Happy anniversary to my wife, Jeni – here’s to more amazing trips to Central and South America. And thank you for reading.

*Photographs shot with a Canon 1V on Kodak Portra 400/800 film.

Ingredients for split pea soup
2 packages of dried split peas (about 16 oz. total)
1 smoked ham hock
2 cans of chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 onion diced
2-3 cloves of garlic
4-6 dried Thai chiles (or chili de Arbol)
3-4 sprigs of thyme
2-3 bay leaves
2-3 teaspoons hondashi (Japanese bonito powder – optional)
Olive oil
water (in case peas dry out)
S&P

Ingredients for shrimp toast
1 lb. of large shrimp (16-20 per pound size; peeled and de-veined)
Loaf of white bread (softer the better)
1 tablespoon of bottled fish sauce (to taste)
One egg (whites only)
1 tablespoon of lemongrass stalks (grated)
2 pieces of sliced ginger (grated)
1 clove garlic (grated)
1/2 tablespoon of corn starch (or as needed)
Salt & white pepper to taste (not black pepper, looks ugly)
Sugar
Vegetable/Canola oil
Butter

Making the Split Pea Soup
(1) If you have the time, pre-soak the beans for at least 2 hours, but it isn’t necessary. In a medium sized pot or dutch oven, sauté the garlic and onions for a few minutes. A slight burn to the garlic won’t hurt it. Add the dried chiles, bay leaves and fresh thyme – stir for 2-3 minutes.

(2) Add the dried split peas in, mixing everything around so all the peas get some of that garlic-herb love. Add both cans of chicken broth in and make sure there’s at least 1″ of liquid above the split pea line. On high heat, bring the peas to a boil and then keep it on low-medium for the next 45 minutes. Do not cover with the lid or you’re soup with disappear into air. Check back periodically to see that the peas have not absorbed all the liquid. The second time I made it, I cooked the peas on too high of heat and lost all the liquid. Simply add water in or another can of chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste and add 2-3 teaspoons of the hondashi Japanese bonito powder. This is something I like to add to my soups to give it a boost of umami. Once the peas are soft enough, you’re done.

(3) Remove all the chiles and herbs from the soup and pour everything into a blender (I use my trusty Vita-prep blender). A food processor won’t work for this because you want this to look like pureéd baby food. Pureé everything for a few minutes until you’ve got a smooth, velvety consistency, adding water as needed to dilute the soup. It’s best to blend this immediately off the stove because if you need to re-season or add more water, the heat will incorporate everything much faster. Done.

Making the Shrimp Paste
(1) After you peel and de-vein your shrimp, toss a generous amount of kosher salt on the shrimp and wash it off in water to remove the shrimp cologne and also refresh the shrimp. Roughly chop the shrimp to make it easier for your food processor. Before you make the paste, have a small fry pan on low heat so you can test the shrimp paste out.

(2) Toss the shrimp in the food processor with the egg white, corn starch, fish sauce, a few pinches of lemongrass, 1/2 teaspoon of grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger, a few pinches of sugar, 2 teaspoons of oil and S&P. The corn starch is used to make the shrimp stick together and the oil gives the shrimp a nice sheen. PULSE the shrimp, do not turn the food processor fully on. About 7-8 pulses should be good.

(3) Now take a small spoonful and fry it up. Does it need more fish sauce? More S&P? The final taste should have a nice balance of fish sauce, sweetness from the sugar and hints of garlic/ginger/lemongrass. And the paste should stick together from the corn starch – if not, add a little more and mix it in by hand. Just make sure the paste isn’t salty!

Preparing the Shrimp Toast
Son of A Gun finishes off their shrimp toast with a little butter and pan fries it to give it a nice buttery, crispiness. Last time, I toasted bread in the broiler and then fried only the side with the shrimp paste. It was good, but adding butter to the pan tastes way better. In a skillet, add a thin slice of butter with a tiny bit of olive oil. Fry shrimp paste side first until golden brown, flip over and fry the other side until golden brown as well. Slice into wedges and plate as shown. Garnish with some chopped up Korean seaweed and serve.

Hope you enjoy this and thanks for reading.