Category Archives: Reviews

VIDEO Sneak Peek: Unique LA Returns For The Holidays

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Note: If you’ve noticed my absence, it has been due to a family emergency I’ve been dealing with on an ongoing basis… but I’m back for now, or at least trying to be as much as possible.

Thanks for your understanding and patience, and I’m looking forward to sharing more good eats, events, behind the scenes videos and recipes with you all! Much love.

Featured items in my Huffington Post article on the first ever Unique LA.

Featured items from my Huffington Post article on the first-ever Unique LA back in 2012

When I covered the first ever Unique L.A. a couple years ago, I found everything from red velvet ding-dongs, bacon-banana macarons and raspberry-habañero jam, to DIY headbands, gingerbread donuts and all-natural smoked tuna cat food flakes… plus lots of locally crafted items resembling moustaches, octopi… and octopi with moustaches.

You can see what other peculiar, adorable and intriguing items were featured at the inaugural Unique L.A. in my coverage piece, published on the Huffington Post.

Although we can only time travel back to past Unique L.A. experiences by reading about them, the good news is there’s another weekend of fun coming to downtown L.A. starting tomorrow. And even better than just reading about it, this time I will share a video with highlights as well!

A couple weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek — or should I say, a “snack peek” — at some of the artisanal food crafters who will be selling at this weekend’s Unique L.A. thanks to my Tastemade crew.

Here’s a look at some of the treats you can expect to find… including pumpkin spice donuts from Donut Snob, Meyer lemon pie from Sugar Pie Honey Buns, chipotle dulce de leche macarons from Soft Peaks, and so much more:

Tanayas Table Unique LA Donut Snob etc Sneak Peek Tastemade Video Image

Check out this 1-minute video for a sneak preview of what unique treats you can find at this weekend’s Unique LA! (Blooper alert!)

Good times, bloopers and all! Also, here’s a bonus feature I did on Bon Puf’s all-natural, organic cotton candy in interesting flavor combinations like mango chili, salted caramel and lychee green tea. Plus, I get to try my hand at making some cotton candy as well! Join the mini adventure here:

The sweet folks at Bon Puf show me how to make my own Mango Chili cotton candy!

The sweet folks at Bon Puf show me how to make my own Mango Chili cotton candy! Check out the video right here ^

To find out more and to grab your tickets to food, entertainment and DIY workshops, check out the Unique L.A website. See you there!

Seasons 52 Fall Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

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Tanaya's Table Seasons 52 butternut squash soup

This stellar soup has a secret ingredient!

Now that we’re in the midst of Fall, like many people, I often get a craving for thick, hearty soups that warm the body and comfort the soul.

Recently, thanks to Braun Thermometers, I had the opportunity to attend a cooking class by Seasons 52 Executive Chef Russell Johnigan at their Westfield Century City location. It was there that I learned the secret to a wonderful savory soup without any of the cream or butter that’s found in most hearty Fall soups… and I’m excited to share it with you!

The secret ingredient in this recipe is the tart apples that balance the sweet richness of the butternut squash, all while giving the soup great body.

TT Seasons 52 chef demo 1

After Chef Russell graciously showed us his culinary ways and we got to taste the final product, I was amazed at how luxurious the soup tasted without adding much fat. I also love that this soup is completely vegetarian, and heck, it can even be vegan!

What’s also really cool is that all items on the Seasons 52 menu are under 475 calories, and the smaller portions are under 275 calories. They also change up their menu throughout the year as ingredients go in and out of peak season.

It’s a place you can go to feel fully satisfied and also good about your choices at the end of your meal, and I’ve always felt that way when dining there.

So here it is, my new go-to hearty but healthy fall recipe, courtesy of Seasons 52 Executive Chef Russell Johnigan:

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients:

1 whole butternut squash – about 4½ cups, packed
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium Spanish onion, peeled & diced into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 quart low sodium vegetable stock
1 teaspoon Chipotle Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Kosher salt

Garnish:

1 apple, washed & cut in small slivers
1 dollop sour cream, reduced fat
1 pinch chives, finely sliced
1 pinch pumpkin seeds, toasted

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cut squash in half lengthwise, and spoon out seeds.

• Place squash halves and apples on foil-lined cookie tray, cut side up. Combine sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle mixture evenly over squash. Roast squash and apples for 45 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until able to handle. Scoop pulp from skins. Reserve pulp for soup.

• Heat oil in soup pot at medium heat. Add apples, onion and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes, until tender and sweet. Add vegetable stock. Stir in cooked squash pulp. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Add Tabasco, honey and salt. Puree in a blender until smooth.

• To serve, garnish the puree with any combination of: apple slivers, sour cream, chives, toasted pumpkin seeds.

Tanaya’s Table note: I also love using crème fraîche atop soups, and imagine that this soup would be wonderful served with a dollop to stir in. When making this soup at home, I also added a little sriracha sauce to the mix. The soup is a great base to improvise with, depending on what you’ve got and how creative you want to get!

TT Seasons 52 chef demo 3

The entire meal was delicious. Juicy roast chicken, hearty butternut squash soup, decadent desserts under 275 calories served in shot glasses!

After savoring the soup, we also learned Chef Russell’s secrets to creating a juicy Roast Chicken, and his tips on how to properly use a thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken.

The takeaway: make sure you insert the thermometer on the meatiest parts, and whatever you do, don’t let the meter touch the bone. This causes it to read a higher temperature, falsely indicating that your chicken has been cooked long enough.

Luckily, while it may be a little complicated to properly take the temperature of your chicken, Braun’s new no-touch forehead thermometer makes it super easy to take the temperature of those special humans in your life. Because keeping your children at the right temperature is just as important as keeping your chicken at the right temperature!

We got to try out the nifty new thermometers on one another, and everyone was amazed at how accurate the thermometer was when reading from up to 2 inches away from the forehead versus when making direct contact! Amazing.

This is the latest technology out there, and with cold & flu season upon us, it definitely makes life a lot easier to know you can quickly and accurately gauge your loved ones’ temperatures. You can find out more on the Braun website. The best part is that the indicator reads within seconds and lights up green, yellow or red indicating the severity of the fever.

We learned all this while devouring the chicken with an onion jus that Chef Russell had whipped up for us. Stay tuned for the Seasons 52 roast chicken recipe… here’s to staying well this holiday season!

Behind The Counter: See’s Candies Opens At Newport Beach Fashion Island

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See the video below for a *sweet* look behind the counter at the newest See's location!

See the video below for a *sweet* look behind the counter at the newest See’s location!

Here are a few of my favorite things: Chocolate, I Love Lucy, and behind-the-scenes, hands-on experiences (if you couldn’t tell from my previous posts!).

So, when I got the chance to attend a pre-opening See’s Candies party with fellow blogger friends at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, I jumped at the chance.

I was especially excited to learn that we’d get to go behind the counter and assemble our own boxes of See’s chocolates. The first thing I thought of was the “Job Switching” episode of I Love Lucy when Lucy and Ethel work at a chocolate factory and hilarious shenanigans ensue with the speedy chocolate conveyor belt.

Turns out, that episode was filmed at the historic See’s Candies factory on La Cienega in Los Angeles!

TT Sees Candies Bordeaux

What seems to give See’s chocolates their distinct taste is their chocolate-making process, which remains consistent since the first store opening back in 1921. See’s is one of the remaining few, if not the only one, to still age its chocolate. No wonder they sell over 26 million pounds of chocolate each year!

We learned how to pack the chocolates into our boxes just like the See’s workers are expertly trained to do, and got to take home quite a few goodies as a result! So many, in fact, that it will last me a good week… unless I decide to get chocolate wasted.

TT Sees Candies Pecan

As for flavors, I got the Apple Pie & Pecan Pie seasonal holiday truffles, as well as Butterscotch (for my mom), Maple Walnut, Dark Butterchew, Dark Bordeaux (my all-time See’s favorite!!), Pecan Bud (like a turtle), plus the Peanut Butter Crunch and Strawberry flavors to make a custom creation.

Check out the behind-the-counter video below to find out what it is!

Check out this 1-minute video to go behind the counter with me at the newest See's Candies location!

Check out this 1-minute video and come behind the counter with me at the newest See’s Candies location!

What’s great about going into a See’s Candies store anytime is that you will always be treated to a free sample when you visit. With over 100 sweet varieties at each location, you can visit every day and still never get bored!

Of the multitude of chocolatey choices, See’s has kept the Bon Bon, Maple Walnut Cream, Chocolate Walnut Fudge and Victoria Toffee recipes exactly the same throughout the decades. Sometimes you just can’t change a classic.

Their top five best sellers are the Milk Bordeaux (I personally adore the dark version), the Scotchmallow, the California Brittle, the Pecan Buds and the Almond Buds. Which are your favorites?

...or do you like ALL of them? (photo via Huffington Post)

…or do you like ALL of them? (via Huffington Post)

While we’re going back in time, if you’d like Huell Howser to show you around the See’s factory from back in the day, check out this See’s Candy – California’s Gold episode.

Back to the present: the Fashion Island store just held its grand opening the very next day after I filmed the video above, and is located near Macy’s in Fashion Island at 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660.

I already can’t wait to get back to try some more flavors… and to get another Dark Bordeaux chocolate truffle while I’m at it! See you there ;).

TEMP TT Sees Candies

Behind The Scenes: Haché LA Now Serving Sirloin Steak Burgers In Silver Lake

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Hache LA Header

As I’ve been away doing some research through Halloween weekend exploring Vegas to scout some of the best eats to bring to you all (anything for research!), my first meal out when I got back to L.A. was also an amazing one.

It was a juicy sirloin steak burger in Silver Lake at Haché LA, to be exact… with my fellow Tastemakers (see video below)! Could it get any better? I think not.

Chef and owner Mick Schepers from Mick’s Karma Bar is behind this new L.A. burger spot, and although the menu here at Haché LA is similar to his Irvine location, there’s a lot more he can do in this Silver Lake space.

He plans to serve a vegetarian patty soon, as well as bring back his liquid nitrogen-frozen ice cream made from a rich, creamy custard base.

Check out below to find out what makes these juicy burgers so unique, and get a peek into the kitchen to see how they make their all-sirloin patties:

Watch as chef & owner Mick shows us the secret to his amazing ground sirloin burgers!

Watch as chef & owner Mick shows us the secret to his amazing ground sirloin burgers!

Interesting fact from the man himself: The original Mick’s Karma Bar in Irvine used to be a coffee joint, and then they transitioned to juice. However, the burger they also served there went viral on social media to the point that they scrapped everything else on the menu to only serve a handful of his famous burgers with thick-cut fries, as well as some refreshing drinks like their strawberry basil lemonade (see video above).

You can taste Haché LA’s ground sirloin burgers with all the trimmings at 3319 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles.

Stay tuned for more L.A. eats as well as part one of a Las Vegas dining series!

New Opening Sneak Peek: Ice Cream Lab Comes To Pasadena

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Come with me behind the counter for a sneak of Ice Cream Lab's newest location. (Had to represent for the Lakers since today was the season opener!)

VIDEO: Come with me behind the counter for a sneak of Ice Cream Lab’s newest location. (Had to represent for the Lakers since today was the season opener!)

What if your ice cream could be made to order, going from the creamy liquid base to the frozen treat you know and love… in mere seconds?

Look no further, because Ice Cream Lab makes its desserts with liquid nitrogen, freezing your ice cream right before your eyes in a mystical cloud of nitrogen smoke (vapor, if you want to get technical).

What’s even better is that more Southern Californians will get to experience this magical ice cream, because Ice Cream Lab Pasadena opens its doors for its grand opening tomorrow at noon.

The mayor will do the ribbon cutting and they’ll be giving away free ice cream all day. Their ice cream comes in traditional flavors and creative combinations like Salt Lick Crunch, Blue Velvet and Banilla.

A breakdown of each of the three year-round specialty flavors (also shown in the video above):

  • Salt Lick Crunch – Organic vanilla bean ice cream blended with crushed salted pretzels and homemade caramel sauce, topped with sea salt
  • Blue Velvet – Organic vanilla bean ice cream blended with homemade blue velvet cupcakes and cream cheese frosting
  • Banilla – Organic vanilla bean ice cream blended with organic locally grown bananas, homemade caramel sauce and crushed Nilla wafers
Flavors: Blue Velvet, Strawberry and Salt Lick Crunch

Flavors: Blue Velvet, Strawberry, Salt Lick Crunch

I’ve been to the Beverly Hills location a few times, and uncharacteristically (since I usually love to try different things) I end up getting my ultimate favorite, the Salt Lick Crunch, almost every time. I’ve sometimes snuck spoonfuls of other flavors from my friends before, but it was nice to be able to get a taste of the entire original menu at this private pre-opening tasting they hosted for me!

The strawberry had real pieces of strawberries in it, and you could taste the freshness of each of the flavors. However, my ultimate favorite still stands, as the Salt Lick Crunch is just exceptional! The creamy ice cream studded with crunchy, salty pretzel bits just hits the spot… and that drizzle of oozing caramel over the top doesn’t hurt, either. 😉

I also had the chance to go behind the counter to see up-close how they make their ice cream, and boy is that liquid nitrogen cold… between -346°F and -320.44°F to be exact! You can check out the crazy amounts of liquid nitrogen smoke in action in the 1-minute video above.

Behind the counter liquid nitrogen action

Behind-the-counter liquid nitrogen action

The staff was friendly and warm, and the decor is similar to the larger Beverly Hills location, with quirky graffiti-style murals in icy blue tones. The interior is otherwise sleek and white, fitting well with the molecular gastronomy theme of their product.

What I love most about Ice Cream Lab is that they use locally sourced fresh ingredients that you can see and taste — none of those suspicious-looking artificially flavored and colored bottles spotted at some other liquid nitrogen ice cream spots. They also use kosher ingredients and don’t use any additives. Can’t complain about that!

Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry and Cookies & Cream are also on the menu, with vegan options like sorbets and more to come, including a seasonal vegan pumpkin flavor. After a few weeks, the Pasadena location will be serving seasonal flavors too, like the Beverly Hills location now does.

Birthday tip: They give you a free waffle cone on your special day, as well as a free Ice Cream Lab tote bag. Check out the other swag they have in the video above!

The glorious Salt Lick Crunch has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy

The glorious Salt Lick Crunch has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy

The second Ice Cream Lab, opening in Old Town, is located at 16 S. Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena, CA. You can also check out the Ice Cream Lab website for more information.

Ice Cream Lab also plans to open a third location in Little Tokyo in the near future. The Pasadena grand opening is tomorrow, so get yourself some ice cream… because it’s always ice cream season here in L.A.