Korea House BBQ - Irvine, CA

(Pictures for this review taken with my Canon PowerShot SD100 and Canon PowerShot SD800is.)

While the storms that were supposed to lash Southern California left me disappointed, they still put me in the mood for my favorite winter treats; grilled meat and spicy soup. Most Americans consider BBQ a summer activity. Not me. Why make a hot summer day worse by spending it hunched over a big pile of glowing charcoal? Instead, when the air is cold and water is falling from the sky, cozying up to a toasty tabletop grill indoors makes all the sense in the world. Add a sizzling stone pot full of piping hot soup and you'll soon be ready to sneer at the worst winter has to offer.



Korea House BBQ is my chosen neighborhood spot to sling a few shrimp on the barbie. Sandwiched in an out-of-the-way shopping center between Turtle Rock and University Park, it offers everything I look for in a restaurant. It's close, the service is fast, the food is good, the portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable. Cat and I come here a lot when looking for immediate dining gratification after a long day.



Imagine this; you're tired and hungry. It's late. The usual chain of predictable disasters occurred at the office, leaving you fighting fires for most of the morning. Worse yet, the afternoon dragged. At times it looked like the clock was actually moving backwards. The commute was a nightmare. The commute is always a nightmare. In a few short hours, your ass needs to be in bed so you can wake up and do it all over again. There's no way you're stepping into the kitchen. You want a hot meal right away. What are your options? Steam-table? Pre-made pizza by the slice? Heart-cloggers All-You-Can-Eat Buffet? McGreaseBurger King? Say it ain't so!



The beauty of Korean BBQ is that it's the fastest, freshly-cooked meal you're likely to find, and Korea House BBQ restaurant does it right. Just a few minutes after you place your order, you can eat! They've already sliced, marinated, or aged the meat. It's good quality stuff too. You just slap it onto the handy gas grill set in your table, which is already doing double duty warming you up from the winter chill, give it a few minutes with a flip in the middle, and presto! Smokin' hot meat and rice are making their way into your waiting belly.



Since the plates of meat at Korea House BBQ are intended for family-style meals, the portions are large. A good rule of thumb is one plate for every two people, unless you're literally hungry enough to eat a cow. Cat swears by the Ross Gui, which is our usual choice. The thin slices of rib eye steak, deliciously marbled, cook up like crisp pieces of beefy bacon. They're insanely good, particularly when brushed with the sesame oil and salt dipping sauce provided.



Elonweis goes for the Hweo Mit Gui, thin slices of beef tongue marinated in a sweet garlic and soy sauce. Surprisingly tender, the tongue cooks up like the softest roast beef and isn't gamey or bloody. It's a very delicate flavor.



If I'm eating with a guy, they invariably want short ribs. But, rather than go with the standard Gal Bi (Marinated Cross-cut Short Ribs), I usually steer them towards the Ju Mul Luk, which are the thicker slabs of rib meat above the bones. They're marinated in the same sauce, but the Ju Mul Luk have more marbling and a lot less connective tissue, making them much less chewy. Plus, some of my friends have trouble dealing with the bone pieces in the Gal Bi.


(Lunch portion pictured.)

Another guy favorite is the Bulgogi, shreds of rib eye steak marinated in the ubiquitous garlic sauce. They're normally a crowd-pleaser, since they're a little cheaper than the most of the other offerings and are easy to eat over rice.



If I'm eating alone, I splurge and get myself some Sae Woo (Marinated Shrimp). A brief sear over the grill makes them juicy and plump, with just the right bit of char on the outside.


The best part about eating Korean BBQ is that your meal is guaranteed to be nutritionally balanced. Every meal comes with a startling number of Banchan, Korean sautéed or pickled vegetable side dishes. Occasionally they'll contain a little fish, meat, or egg, but the purpose here is to give you lots of vegetables to eat with your meat. The line-up is never exactly the same, since it will feature whatever fresh items the kitchen has to offer. However, the variety will always be dazzling. Plus, you get unlimited refills of Banchan. It's all-you-can-eat veggies!



The question of whether or not to order a spicy soup is always something I agonize over. On one hand, nothing lights a fire in your belly when it's cold like a bowl of bubbling soup laced with Kochukaru (Korean Chili Flakes). On the other hand, a plate of meat and a pot of soup are way too much food for two people. However, if you've got three or more, forgo a second plate of meat and get a soup. Your body will thank you.

Cat and Elonweis both seem partial to the Hae Mul Soon Tofu, a pot of clams, shrimp and silken tofu swimming in a sea of beef broth napalm. The version at Korea House BBQ isn't a good as the types offered by a soft tofu restaurant. However, the soup is still a warming treat spooned over rice or sipped straight. I like the Al Chi Ge (Cod Roe Soup), which replaces the tofu with cod ovaries that are both soft and crunchy at the same time.



Where Korea House BBQ shines is with their Min Uh Maewon Tang (Chilean Sea Bass Hot Pot). The chunks of moist Chilean sea bass are just a garnish. What I'm after is the savory elixir they're bobbing around in. I don't know what strange voodoo the restaurant uses to make this intensely flavored soup, but it makes my eyes tear up in both pain and joy when I eat it.



I usually visit Korea House BBQ for my grilled meat and soup fix. However, there are times, such as when I'm dining alone or the weather is too warm, when I'll order something else. The Gun Mandu (Potstickers), for example, make a light and affordable dinner when eaten with rice and Banchan. Korean potstickers are large and meaty, but mild in flavor and closer to Japanese gyoza than Chinese guotie.



If I'm in the mood for grilled fish, I get the Eemyunsu Gui, which is a whole, butterflied and broiled mackerel. The fish's oily flesh and natural sourness are great over rice. A little lemon juice over the top helps to cut the richness.



If it's hot, I get the Bibim Neng Myun, cold buckwheat noodles with pork, Asian pear, cucumber, and daikon in a lava-like sweet and spicy sauce. This dish cools you down by making you sweat, which helps your body get rid of heat and makes you feel cooler. Many of the ingredients are considered to have cooling Yin properties in traditional Chinese medicine. It's also delicious, although the chewiness of the buckwheat noodles can take some getting used to.



(San Che Bi Bim Bap - A rice bowl with sautéed fresh vegetables and ground meat.)

Korea House BBQ - My choice for dinner on the go. The perfect place for hot, filling, and healthy food on any night.


Bill:

Ross Gui - 19.99
Hweo Mit Gui - 20.99
Ju Mul Luk - 21.99
Bulgogi - 17.99
Sae Woo - 21.99
Hae Mul Soon Tofu - 9.99
Al Chi Ge - 14.99
Min Uh Maewon Tang - 14.99
Gun Mandu - 7.99
Eemyunsu Gui - 14.99
Bibim Neng Myun - 8.99
San Che Bi Bim Bap - 10.99


Flavor: A
Ambience: B+
Service: A-
ROI: B

Overall: A-


Korea House BBQ
5305 University Dr
Irvine, CA 92612
1-949-552-9998

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Ray's Pizza (Soul Pizza Series) - Irvine, CA

(Pictures for this review taken with my Canon PowerShot SD800is.

The first introductory paragraph is the same in all articles in this series. Please feel free to skip it if you've already read it.

Read the rest of my Soul Pizza Series.)


(Cheese Pizza and Sausage Pizza.)

My wife, Cat, is a staunch proponent of what she calls "soul pizza". It's her name for the type of unabashedly Italian-American pizza found in little neighborhood joints across the States. American GIs who returned from World War II had acquired a taste for Italian pizza during their tours on the European front, and made Italian-America pizza popular in the 50's as they sought out at home a dish they'd so enjoyed in Italy. Every city has one of these culinary time capsules, usually family-run and dishing up this simple, all-American favorite at very affordable prices. Timeless and comforting, these are local, mom & pop institutions with deep ties to the surrounding community. As Cat says:

Soul pizza is by definition not corporate pizza. Someone IN THE SHOP decided what the food was going to be like, and probably had to eat a lot of it if it wasn't very good at first. Having strict rules other than the one above regarding what can and can't be considered soul pizza seems inappropriately dictatorial, but the following are at least general tendencies of the species.

• The owner is around pretty often, and is likely to be doing some cooking/cash registering/schmoozing.


• The menu is straightforward and doesn't change much. No fad toppings and no side dishes with cutesy names. You can't get Cin-a-Min Curls or Fiesta Veggies at a soul pizza joint. You can have Sausage and Mushroom Pizza with Salad.


• The decor is somewhere between minimal and haphazard. If everything matches, it's because the owner just hasn't collected enough stuff yet.


• Somewhere in the place is a picture of the owner's kid, a picture by his kid, or his kid.

Hidden underneath the belly of a large office building across the street from UCI, Ray's Pizza fits Cat's requirements perfectly. Mock campaign banners proudly proclaim "Ray's Pizza FOR LUNCH" and "Bad Pizza is Bad for America!" A few old arcade and pinball machines are tucked away in corners. Framed photos, neon signs, and pictures drawn by children line the walls. Hand-made posters from Ray's neighborhood fans are up on the counter, and depict him as a trenchcoat- and fedora-wearing secret agent fighting off evil ninjas out to steal his pizza recipes. Local residents, college students, professors, and office workers are frequent visitors. Ray works in the shop almost every day and knows many of his regulars, including my wife, by first name. His daughter attends a dance class a few doors down, and can sometimes be seen hanging out at the shop after a lesson. In short, Ray's Pizza exudes a character instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up in America.



The menu is straightforward, without gourmet pretensions of any type. You won't find any Garlic Tandoori Tofu Pizzas or Meat-lover's Supremes here. Instead, you'll see traditional Italian-American pizza toppings; pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, Canadian bacon, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, olives, anchovies, and tomatoes. Pizzas come in small, medium, and large sizes. The crust is crisp and honest, neither dripping with oil not drowning in sauce. This is simple, pure food, before mass-market fast food chains or faddish upscale restaurants warped it into something unrecognizable.


(Antipasti)

There are a few non-pizza dishes on the menu as well. Salads made with iceberg lettuce, cold cuts, shredded carrots and cabbage, tomato slices, pepperoncinis, and lots of mozzarella cheese. Spaghetti, another favorite added to the standard American repertoire by WWII vets, is cooked soft, piled, high, and smothered with tomato sauce just like mom used to make. Crusty rolls filled with cold cuts or the ever popular meatball sub (shown below) are available as part of "lunch" specials with chips and a drink that can be ordered at any time of day. You won't find a better breakfast anywhere, particularly if you're a panda suffering from a night of over-inebriation.

\
(Meatball Sub)

There are a lot of reasons that Cat and I like Ray's Pizza for a quick after-work dinner or a leisurely weekend lunch. The food isn't revolutionary, but it's hearty, reminiscent, and doesn't leave me groping for a defibrillator. The atmosphere is fun. I like playing the old arcade games and doing poorly on the Terminator pinball machine as our governor's face glares grimly at me from behind the faded plastic backing. Cat loves chatting with Ray, who calls her a "good girl", and cautions me to take care of her. The hand-made posters crack us up. Everyone is nice. It feels like home.

Ray's Pizza, and Ray, are part of our neighborhood. That's what soul pizza is: a sense of neighborhood.




Ray's Pizza - Vote early, vote often. Check out the website!


Bill:

Antipasti - 6.95
Meatball Sub - 6.50
2 Slice + Drink Special - 5.50
Small Pizza - 11.95
Medium Pizza - 12.95
Large Pizza - 14.45
XLarge Pizza - 16.95
$1.50 per topping.


Flavor: B
Ambience: A
Service: A
ROI: B

Overall: A-


Ray's Pizza
4199 Campus Dr # D
Irvine, CA 92612
1-949-854-5044
Ray's Pizza website

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Layer Cake Bakery - Irvine, CA [Supplying]

(Pictures for this review taken with my Canon Rebel XTi.

The first two paragraphs are intended to be facetious. Elmomonster and I are friends on very good terms.)

My little buddy Elmonster has a truly annoying habit. He scoops me, innocently and with intent to inform. Each time it happens exactly the same way. I make a new find, spend weeks or months gathering photos and information, and just when I'm about ready to post my review-BAM! He cold cocks me from right field with a well-written, illuminating article on the same damn location. I swear, it's enough to make me want to gnash my teeth, rend my clothes, and wail.


Monkey Bread. Read Elmo's review.

But really, is that so bad? We live really close to one another and share similar tastes in food. It's inevitable that our paths will cross. That we happen to like the same places just means more exposure, more business, and, ultimately, a better chance that I'll be able to enjoy the same tasty treats for years to come. So really, I should be grateful to Elmo, and I am. That still won't stop me from plotting my saccharine sweet revenge. Something involving an orgy of comestibles and the mother of all food comas. Yes...



The latest bit of scoopage is Layer Cake Bakery, a relatively new arrival to Irvine. Located in part of the space that used to house my beloved, yet ill-fated, Irvine J's market, Layer Cake Bakery is the most exciting addition I've made to my regular supplying rotation in over a year.



Stylish counters and display cases overflow with fresh treats made from scratch, a point that the lovely proprietress is quick to emphasize. After years of delicious toil at Margaret's French Bakery (nee Marjolaine), I have very high standards when it comes to cakes, pastries, and other baked goods. Layer Cake is the first bakery that I've encountered since I left Margaret's that comes close to matching her flavors.


(Red Velvet)

At the heart of Layer Cake Bakery's business are its lush cakes, which neatly straddle the boundary between richness and lightness. The problem with many types of Western cakes, each one a dense ode to the wonders of buttercream, are their heaviness. Most Asian cakes are significantly lighter in both flavor and milk fat, but are also little more than whipped cream, fruit, and sponge cake. It's rare to find a bakery with just the right balance between the two.


(Green Tea White Chocolate)

However, Layer Cake Bakery manages with offerings such at this Green Tea White Chocolate cake, my absolute favorite. Moist, airy, and loaded with macha (green tea powder), it manages to be both rich and flavorful without being too cloying. I'm also in love with their Chestnut Vanilla Buttercream.


(Ton-Ton likes cake. The employees like Ton-Ton.)

Although the owners are Indonesian, as Elmomonster proudly asserts, the cakes are not restricted by borders or cultures. The bakers proudly, and even recklessly, draw their inspiration from the recipes and ingredients of countries around the world. The result is an array of uniquely delightful confections. A list of the day's cakes is posted every morning. If you don't want to buy a whole cake, the staff will cut a slice for you without hesitation, a refreshing policy I wholeheartedly support.


(Pumpkin Pie)

If cakes aren't your cup of tea, Layer Cake Bakery also offers a variety of single-serving pies with flaky crusts and homey flavors that have prompted spontaneous recollections of their grandmothers' pies from more than one entranced individual. I know at least one gentleman who never stops by without taking home several of the little pies to last him through the week. I can personally attest to the quality of their Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie.



In addition to desserts, a similarly eclectic array of pastries and other baked goods are available. From delicate croissants for breakfast to hearty quiches for lunch, the assortment is wide-ranging and interesting. The cookies, in particular, are constantly shifting selection of pleasant surprises. Just last week I had a Pistachio Macaroon that simply melted away in my mouth. It's always a good idea to wander in and try your luck.



Wash it all down with one of their excellent coffees or a cup of whole leaf tea. My regular order is the Cafe Americano. Elonweis prefers a steaming pot of Moroccan Mint Green Tea.




Layer Cake Bakery - An exciting and innovative addition to Orange County. Classily untraditional and avant-garde, I can only hope that this is the beginning of a new trend in cake making. Stop by and give it a try. There's something amazing waiting for you.


Layer Cake Bakery
4250 Barranca Parkway, Ste. 1
Irvine, CA 92604
1-949-786-0223
http://www.layercakebakery.com

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Layang Layang - San Jose, CA

(Pictures for this review taken with my Canon PowerShot SD800is.)


(Sunset from my office window.)

The new posting schedule seems to be shaping up. I'm not sure how well I'll be able to keep to it. We'll see. I'm starting to get used to the commute.

New Year's day was surprisingly temperate in NorCal, given the freezing weather of the previous week. We'd been invited for osechi at the Oni's yearly feast of awesomeness. Sadly, an early afternoon flight back to Orange County meant we had to miss out on some truly epic gorging. Shigata ga nakatta (There was no helping it). I had to start my new job, and my new commute, the next day. Instead, Cat, my sister, and I decided to usher in the New Year with lunch at Layang Layang.



A quirky little shack located on a bustling boulevard, Layang Layang is part of the relatively new crop of Singapore/Malaysian restaurants sprouting up throughout Silicon Valley. This is a trend I wholeheartedly support. Brimming with Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, Indian, and Thai culinary influences, Malaysian cooking is one of the world's ultimate fusion cuisines. With awareness at an all-time high, thanks to episodes on Tony Bourdain's No Reservations and a Cook's Tour, as well as the influence of popular food blogs like Chubby Hubby, Rasa Malaysia, and Jaden's Steamy Kitchen, it's no wonder enterprising restaurateurs are attempting to tap the growing interest. Sadly, the food many of these trendy new joints are dishing up is a far cry from what the food in Singapore or Malaysia actually tastes like.



Enter Layang Layang, a shockingly authentic Malaysian eatery with refreshingly vivid flavors. Since it opened in late 2004, it's earned rave reviews and garnered a huge fan base. There are 123 comments for it on Yelp alone, most of them highly positive. It's also one of my sister's favorite restaurants.



Still regretting having to miss the truly prodigious amount of food normally supplied at the Oni's New Year's bash, I decided to take the ladies on a grand tour of Malaysian cuisine. We started with juicy skewers of Chicken Satay influenced by Thailand, Malaysia's neighbor to the north. Marinated in savory spices and grilled over an open flame, they were truly excellent. The little bits of flavorful char were a testament to the chef's skill, as was the rich peanut sauce served on the side.



Next up was a plate of Roti Canai, one of my sister's regular orders. A dish introduced from Northern India by immigrants who flocked to affluent cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, the flaky, crisp, chewy flatbread is made with flour, eggs, and ghee (rendered butter). This was, by far, the lightest and most delicate Roti Canai I've ever had the pleasure of eating. Like animals, we tore into the billowing folds of this starchy treat with our bare hands, soaking each tender morsel in the unearthly coconut milk curry sauce provided before rapturously consuming them.



My sister also recommended the Princess Tofu, an item almost purely Chinese in preparation. The Chinese have been immigrating to Malaysia since in the 15th century, intermarrying with the native Malays and assimilating into this Southeast Asian melting pot. While, the Chinese comprise 60% of the population in the city-state of Singapore (once part of Malaysia) and 24% of the population in Malaysia, they hold a disproportionate percentage of the area's wealth and power. Their influence on both the county's food and culture is deeply felt.

The Princess Tofu is a fairly straightforward dish of deep fried tofu served with seafood and vegetable stir-fried in a sweet soy sauce. The key to its success is the skill with which the tofu is fried. Each golden brick is crunchy on the outside, yet moist on the inside with a delicate, custard-like texture. The tofu is really what it's about. Everything else is just window dressing.



We also got a few orders of Hainanese Rice, by-product of the wildly popular Hainan Chicken, to eat with our tofu. Invented in Malaysia by immigrants from Hainan, China, Hainan Chicken is made by carefully stewing whole chickens is a rich stock of pork and chicken bones. The stock is used over and over, becoming more concentrated in flavor with each batch of chicken made. Malaysian cooks also use this powerful liquid to make Hainanese Rice, which infuses each grain with the pure essence of chicken. Our waiter, who took a shine to us due to our enthusiasm, subtly warned us away from Layang Layang's Hainan Chicken. After tasting the somewhat bland rice, I was thankful he had. It was pretty good for soaking up sauce from the tofu, though.



Eager to move on with our tasting tour, we continued with a helping of the Beef Rendang, a sticky stew of beef, coconut milk, and spices brought from Indonesia, Malaysia's neighbor to the south. The tender beef, intensely flavored from its long cooking process, fell apart at the touch of our chopsticks. The rich flavor imparted through the slow reduction of spices and coconut milk captured our hearts while it captivated our tongues.



Barely able to move after all the food we'd eaten, we were almost ready to raise our napkins in surrender. But, there was one more dish to sample. While Malaysian cuisine is heavily influenced by immigrants and trade, there's a crucial underlying thread that binds together the diverse elements that make up this truly kaleidoscopic country. The influence of the native Malays can be found throughout the food. To help me understand it, I ordered Layang Layang's Asam Laksa, a pungent hellbroth that was unabashedly Malay.

Thick rice noodles frolicked with shreds of fish in a murky lake seasoned with tamarind, chilies, pineapple, herbs, and the infamous belacan (Malaysian fermented shrimp paste). The strength of the miasma pouring from the bowl was incredible. My eyes teared when I went in to examine the dish more closely. When I looked up, both my sister and my wife had their chairs pushed far back from the table. I knew then that I'd be making this part of the journey alone. Gingerly, I stirred the soup, trying to get an even distribution of noodles and vegetables. To my surprise, the more I stirred, the better it smelled. Emboldened, I sipped a little of the liquid.

With a rush like I'd suddenly taken one of those red pills from the Matrix, I felt my gastronomic world expanding before me, the complex, entwined flavors flooding my mouth in a choreographed dance of deliciousness. Faster and faster, I slurped up noodles and broth. For a moment, I experienced synesthesia as what I was tasting exploded orgiastically in front of my belacan befuddled pupils. I was finally getting it. Hidden somewhere in that bowl were the secrets to all that was good and Malaysian. I just had to find them.

Impressed with the vigor with which I was attacking my laksa, our waiter brought me a container of petis udang (sweetened prawn paste), a condiment normally only offered to Malaysian diners who used it to kick up the flavor quotient even more. In the midst of my frenzied journey of discovery, I used all of it. With a blinding burst of hot, sour, sweet, salty, savory, and pungent, I finally understood. The universe was still. Perfect harmony filled my soul.


Layang Layang - For as good a taste of Malaysia as you're likely to find in the States. Explore the hidden depths of this colorful cuisine.


Bill:

Roti Canai - 2.95
Chicken Satay - 6.95
Princess Tofu - 8.95
Beef Rendang - 7.95
Asam Laksa - 6.95
Hainanese Rice (per person) - 1.50


Flavor: A
Ambience: A
Service: B
ROI: B

Overall: A-


Layang Layang
1480 South De Anza Blvd.
San Jose, CA 95129
1-408-777-8897
http://www.layanglayang.us


Other locations:

Layang Layang (Netherlands)
Leenderweg 42 Eindhoven
Telefoon: 011-31-40-212-2689

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Yekta Kabob - Huntington Beach, CA

(Pictures for this review taken with my Motorola Q.

Apologies for the image quality. This was an unexpected lunch stop, so I didn't have my cameras on me.)

My new job up in the LA area is great. I love the people I work with, the atmosphere in the office, and the variety of food close by. The commute from Irvine, on the other hand, is less than stellar. On a good day, the round trip usually takes about two hours. On a bad day, it can take over three. This means that by the time I get home, I only have a couple hours of free time during which to food blog. A minor detour, such as a clogged toilet, picking the wife up from working late, or making dinner, can take that free time down to zero. Once you realize that life is full of minor detours, you'll understand why I haven't been blogging half as much as I'd like to. On the other hand, job good!

I'm sure I'll get a new posting schedule figured out soon. In the meantime, here's a quick "Panda Bite".



I first stumbled across Yekta Kabob after an Afghani coworker from my last job recommended it to me as decent Persian restaurant. Since his wife is Iranian, I figured he knew what he was talking about. Besides, scuttlebutt had it that he ate there every day. How bad could it be?

The answer was, not too shabby. Yekta Kabob is a low-mid range, counter-service eatery with a good selection of very authentic eats. They have everything from Koobideh and Kabobs (both types of meat on sticks) to more esoteric dishes like Ghormeh Sabzi (Lamb Shank & Bean Stew). The interior is amazingly nice for that type of restaurant, good for a quick workday lunch or a more prolonged business lunch.



Yekta Kabob's real claim to fame is their All You Can Eat Buffet Lunch, which retails at a stunningly awesome $8. What a spread. You get as much bread, hummus, grilled meat, stuffed grape leaves, meat stew, and veggie stew that you can shovel down your gullet. As is the case with most buffets, it's more about quantity than quality. Still, the food is pretty good. The only thing I had to get used to was the amount of lemon they use in everything. I asked my Afghani coworker about it, and he told me that Persians are infamous in the Arab world for using an insane amount of fresh and preserved lemon in their cooking. According to him, the flavorings at Yekta Kabob are more authentic than the average Persian restaurant in the US. I'll take his word on it.

Yekta Kabob - A great place to fill up on some authentic Persian eats for cheap. The flavors are decent, but you'll probably want to get a drink as well. They use a lot of lemon.


Bill:

All You Can Eat Buffet Lunch ~ $8


Flavor: B-
Ambience: B+
Service: B
ROI: A+

Overall: B+


Yekta Kabob
17441 Beach Blvd.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
1-714-843-0655

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Holiday Panda - [Crazies]

(Pictures taken with my Canon Rebel XTi and my Canon PowerShot SD800is.)



I'm back everyone! A belated Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year! I'm sorry I haven't posted anything these past two weeks. My holidays were crazy, full of family, fun, and good times. I hope yours were just as wonderful.


I've got some big news. Last Wednesday, I started a working at a new company up by LAX. It's a bit of a commute from Orange County, but I'm really excited about the company and what they're doing. Please wish me luck.

Of course, this is no excuse for not posting anything for such a long time. What a lazy panda I've been. Dereliction of duty! To tide you over, here are a few pictures from some of the adventures Ton-Ton and I have been having. For some reason, my family always picks winter to visit wine country. Go figure. There are some tasty food shots to come, so check back again tomorrow.



Ton-Ton wanted to have his picture taken with the pretty lady. I think he's a little young, don't you?



Instead, I made him settle for Mr. Bear. You can see he's pouting in this shot.



Oh well. Presents always cheer him up. Happy Holidays from Cat, Ton-Ton, and me. Let's make 2008 great!

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