#28: Summer in full swing
Solidarity, Santa Barbara sunshine, and sweating in the city
June has been all over the place. I left swamp land for a long weekend with Will’s family in Santa Barbara. It was a trip filled with gorgeous farm to table meals and sunshine. I can understand why people in SB are so happy. I sure would be if I were soaking up vitamin D in low humidity and not showering twice a day between May and September.
On the immigrant justification
We were leaving LA as the ICE raids were starting. While a lot of food media has responded in a well meaning way, I'm tired of seeing post after post of immigrants picking our food, running our favorite restaurants, or doing manual jobs no one wants. That does not matter.
We should not be justifying an immigrant’s right to exist based on how hard they work, what jobs they haven't taken from others, or how much hardship they've faced in the process. Being born in the U.S. is sheer geographical chance. Humans deserve dignity no matter how productive they are.
So yes, while immigrants bring so many obvious benefits to our society, like the complex culinary and agricultural landscape that we all get to enjoy, that shouldn’t be the reason we’re standing up for them. Anyone being unfairly persecuted and violated should be a tell tale sign that we’re a backsliding in the wrong direction.
Here is a list of local and national level resources to support those who have been affected by recent ICE raids.
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR) National and Local Immigration Hotlines
Ayuda is a nonprofit providing legal, social, and language service in DC/VA/MD
CASA is a member network supporting immigrants in Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
Back to Santa Barbara
This was only my second trip to LA and first time to Santa Barbara. After visiting, I completely understand why people think SB is the most beautiful place in the world. Some of my favorite stops on this trip included:
Beach House Tacos: Although not the best tacos in the world, the experience of eating packed tacos on the Ventura Beach board walk is lovely. I am also always going to love a restaurant where I can get elote style corn on the cobb.
The Lark: This is a classic Californian shared plates spot. The other farm to table restaurants don't stand a chance, because Lark makes complimentary house popcorns with rotating flavors. As you know by now, this is my dream come true. Even better, the house flavor was dill pickle. Zingy, tangy, and bursting with dill, I was ecstatic.
Ojai Rotie: After being a sporty (read: clumsy) hiker on the Ojai Fox Valley trail, I deserved a picnic platter. Ojai Rotie is a French-Lebanese restaurant slinging rotisserie chickies in every form: platters, salads, sandwiches, bowls, the works. The platter solved my decision paralysis. I slathered a piece of pita coated in olive oil and za'atar with garlic spread, tucked in a juicy piece of chicken, topping it with cabbage slaw and a dollop of potato salad. A beautiful bite after a sweaty morning.
Garlic melt tri-tip sandwiches!!!: Forgive me if this is an oversimplification, but I think trip-tip sandwiches are the Philly cheesesteak of SB. These sandwiches were SO husky. The thick cuts of beef with creamy garlic sauce and caramelized onion is unreal. I might even take it over a cheesesteak, GASP!!! Will’s parents ordered so many of these sandwiches from Oak and Fire for his sister’s backyard birthday party and they were crushed!
Santa Barbara farmers market: Heaven on Earth. This market fills an entire block with produce vendors. It's amazing to see everything in season and so fresh! I loved that you could just try different produce: tangerines, blackberries, apricots, nuts, everything! I couldn't resist coconut date balls and was near tears looking at freshly caught fish prices for under $20/lb. And snap dragon bunches for $5 a piece! Magic.
Loquita: This Spanish tapas bar was really stellar. I was ridiculously full, thinking the small plates wouldn't add up but I was STUFFED. Everything was delicious but a bite that I wish I could have every day was their ahi tuna with passionfruit escabeche, parsley aioli, and orange. That was an incredible bite: sweet, smoky, herbaceous all in one!
48 hours in NYC
After returning from SB at 11pm, I took a 5am train up to New York for a quick out-and-back work trip. I snuck in a two key stops in my 48-hour trip.
La Dong: Delirious from a day of networking and meeting 50 new faces, I had a healing meal with my lovely friends at La Dong in Union Square. I was skeptical that this modern Vietnamese spot could be catered for white palates. I was happy to be proven wrong. My eyes lit up when I saw bánh bèo and bánh xèo on the menu. Bánh xèo is my ideal way to start a meal. The coconut scented crepe is perfectly crispy, stuffed with shrimp, bean sprouts, all the herbs, could not be better for 90+ degree heat. Dipped into a savory, sweet, and sour nuoc cham, it’s a healing way to open your tum for more hearty food. Bánh bèo are tiny little water chestnut dumplings topped with dried shrimp, herbs, and more delicious tangy sauce. Next came heartier dishes like summer rolls with creamy peanut sauce, shaking beef seared beautifully, and pork meatballs to wrap in fresh lettuce leaves. Pushing our limits, we each ordered individual soups: pho Ha Noi, wagyu beef pho, and bún bò huế. To no one’s surprise, we found extra room to crush more broth.
Apollo Bagels: I regrettably loved these trendy little bagels. I had to go after Will somehow beat me to it during his last trip to New York. The sesame bagel with scallion cream cheese and ruby tomato slices was calling my name. The outside has the right crunch and each bite is chewy with little chunks of scallion. I felt like the coolest little New Yorker walking my brown takeout bag with the iconic blue lettering through Washington Square Park on the way to my new office. One of those classic “I could live here” moments when the weather is perfect and the day has yet to be met with any inconveniences.
Back in the kitchen
Friday night dinner: With friends all over the place this month, I caught everyone for dinner at home. I couldn’t wait to break out recipes from Hailee Catalano’s new cookbook, By Heart, and the Big Night cookbook by Katherine Lewin.
Menu:
Olive focaccia: This loaf is extra briny. The instructions call for two tablespoons of olive brine before going into the oven. Cooking in a cast iron lends to a crispy bottom, keep the inside nice and fluffy.
Antipasto salad: This salad dressing alone is the reason to make this recipe. It’s a mountain of all my favorite things. Olives, pepperoncini, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, salami, cheese. This would also make a lovely panzanella with some croutons.
Summer corn and clams pasta: Summer means clams and corn. I needed an easy pasta to make in mass. The pasta cooks in a corn broth made by boiling the used corn cobbs.
Brown butter cookie bars: This really needs no explanation. Brown butter makes everything better.
Cold noodle soup: It’s been ungodly hot this summer. I love making variations of cold noodle soup based on ’s recipe. As an extra protein boost I’ve been blending a block of tofu with tahini, srichacha or sambal, lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar. I’d been adding in strips of cucumber and zucchini, soba noodles, arugula cilantro, peanuts, and scallions. As many veggies as a salad but actually filling.
DC winners
Umair Nori: You have to know about Umai Nori. I haven’t been able to find any instagram account or geotag, lending me the option to gatekeep. Since I love you, I will share that this is truly some of the best mid range sushi I’ve had in DC. The quality is probably about the same at Perry’s, but so much easier to get a table, you’re just sacrificing location in downtown corporate center. The portions are very generous. They do quite literally everything: maki rolls, hand rolls, specialty rolls, hot appetizers, rice bowls, and nigiri. I can vouch for their apps and sushi. They let me swap out a hand roll option in my set of 3 for a different classic roll - super accommodating! They very kindly gave us comp’d charred salmon belly as a chefs special and it was fabulous.
Izakaya Seki: feels like a choose your own adventure. Everything is incredible but the menu is vast with varied portions so it’s always a little tough to gauge if what you’ve ordered is the right amount of food. I went back recently and tried some new menu items (for me) like the tuna tataki with perfectly crisp garlic chips, yellowtail sashimi, pork and tofu skewers, and the potato salad (finally). No meal is complete there without their golden karaage. I really need to go back for their Tuesday night Nikai service which features a ton of different natural wines and snacks after 8pm.
Florida Ave Grill: This historic diner has been serving comfort food in DC forever (1944). Having hosted cultural icons like MLK, this place has truly withstood the test of time. I recommend sitting at the counter for breakfast and ordering two hot cakes and bacon. I do need to come back to finally try their fried chicken.
Thanks for reading! As a bonus, please enjoy little Merritt housing clams.
“Little Merritt housing clams”!! ❤️