Restaurants

It would be great to be able to take students to restaurants.

Since that's pert near impossible, here are some alternatives:

- bring in affordable Asian foods (make or buy- Costco does Sushi & don't forget Sushi boy) tea served with sticky rice made in a rice cooker is cheap and easy! Add almond cookies in those big pink boxes. Use cheapo bulk wooden chopsticks for extra fun. Every one should learn how to handle them.

- encourage kids to go to L.A.'s China Town (accessible by bus), if they have money eat at the Empress Pavillion, if not- walk into the myriad bakeries/take out joints and afforable items (spring rolls, soup, tea, Char Siu Bao aka Manpua, sesame balls, etc.) or have them venture to Mitsuwa marketplace (L.A., Torrance) or the Xanadu- Marukai in Gardena (plus antiques upstairs- its a real museum for free! All feature a food court.

Class application: Imagine as many do- living on one bowl of rice a day (like many here do on just rice & beans), compare/contrast food availabilility and diversity,

P.S. Good opportunity to dispel the fortune cookie myth- especially the in bed part! :]

Those are marvelous ideas. I can definitely go ahead and at least get some class discussions with fortune cookies, maybe doing some research on their history?

The other idea that just popped in my head would be a field trip to Chinatown, and if there's the posibility of having a restaurant visit... sounds great!

Thanks,

The July 11, 2005 Newsweek had a slight blurb on page 69 regarding a “crash course” in Chinese food calligraphy. I thought this is a very handy thing, especially if you are a picky eater (I am) in when there are no pictures to rely on, who knows what you are going to eat if the authentic menu is written in characters. Among these books “The Eater’s Guide to Chinese Characters,” “Swallowing the Clouds,” and “Dim Sum: A Pocket Guide.” Additionally, a thorough web guide is recommended at: inu.org/meiwah.

Here are two resources I often use to find good eats in Los Angeles:
Counter Intelligence by Jonathan Gold:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312267231/qid=1122754692/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-7106268-0902337?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

and Finding Chinese Food in Los Angeles by Carl Chu

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1932296018/qid=1122754775/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-7106268-0902337?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Many of you are probably familiar with Counter Intelligence-it is written by a former food critic of the L.A. Times and Los Angeles magazine and includes not only Asian food but whatever type you might be fancying. I have only tried a few of the recommended East Asian spots, but Gold is usually right on with his reviews. A great resource to find out of the way places with delicious meals.
The index in the back breaks down styles nicely, so under the Chinese umbrella you can find Cantonese, Chiu Chow, Hunan, Islamic Chinese, Northern Chinese, Shanghainese, Sichuan, and Taiwanese. There are definitely no shortages of places to try out.

The other, by Carl Chu, was enthusiastically given to our house by Vi, a friend with a passion for exploring new Asian restaurants. The book is excellent [our copy is from 2003 and i don't know if there are newer editions] with an abundance of information, ranging from regional histories to hours of operation. If anyone is serious about finding great Chinese restaurants, this can be an indispensable tool.

I just got an idea for a project from reading the posts in this section for my drawing class. Fortune cookie illustrations!

If you happen to be in Santa Monica dont miss to visit Royal Star Seafood,on 3001 Wilshire Blvd. They serve authentic Chinese cuisine at a very cheap price.

I need help with the name of a dish, and a local place to find it.
I have gone to Frank Phats Restaurant in Sacramento (Chinese). They serve a dish with honey and chicken. I cannot remember the exact name, but I have even called restaurants, to ask if they had it with no luck. I do not like honey because of the sweetness, but this is not sweet at all, and is incredible!!! If anyone knows the exact name of the dish, and where to find it in Southern California, I would be most appreciative.

Let's get down to the real...Where is the best Sashimi restaurant? I don't care about ambiance, music, jizzzzzz...I want the place with the best fish, the best variety of fish, and sashimi swordsman who will go out on a limb for the best fresh fish...if monkfish is not on the menu, i don't want to know. i want special!!!

This is out of the question financially for our students, but there is supposed to be an excellent restaurant in Hollywood named Yamashiro. My husband and I have reservations for an early dinner on December 17th. The artwork and setting is supposed to be beautiful. It sits above Hollywood and Hghland in the Hollywood Hills. I will write more about the details after we try it.

This forum is the perfect opportunity to discuss field trip potentials. I think it is a fabulous idea to bring students into restaurants for a taste of something new. Since I teach both World History and Life Management, this would be ideal for my classes. Though I'm not sure justifying the buses out to Little Tokyo and Chinatown would fly at the district. But in Torrance there are plenty of ethnic restaurants right in our area. Contacting the establishment and having them and the chef give a tour of the kitchen and a demo might be something justified by a walking field trip. My principal is pretty keen on the idea. Hopefully it'll fly this next semester. I hope you can do this as well. Why not enlighten kids and open their minds to different cultures via some yummy food and a chance to get out of the classroom?

Yamashiro is a wonderful restaurant for its setting if nothing else. Be sure to go and walk around the Japanese garden thay have there. It's been a few years since I have been up there but it was always so beautiful and peaceful, even at night. Have a wonderful time!

A little pricey, but what delicious food! The Nori Crusted Tuna is scrumptious - I highly recommend it. I think that the weekend crowds can take away from the ambiance. Try going on a Sunday evening instead…the waiters have more time to actually provide the excellent service you’d expect from such an upscale venue.

You're right...it's not always possible to get out of the classroom. Why not bring the food to the students? Order in!!! It's amazing how few of our students actually tried ethnic cuisine from a culture other than their own. I like to stop by the Chinese markets and pick up pastries or other snacks that they can try at school. Although they're not always open trying something new, I've found that if you can tempt just one student, others will usually follow suit.

I finally got to Yamashiro with a girlfriend on December 17. We got out of the theatre early and decided to head up the hill, not knowing that they did not open until 5 and did not seat until 5:30. It gave us some time to walk the grounds and take a few pictures. I don't know if they will trun out, because dusk was setting.
Thank heavens we had reservations. The restaurant was expecting 452 people that evening. You could not go in the bar and two other rooms because there was a private party. By saying we had to go to the restroom, we were able to get into the inner courtyard with the Koi pond, which was beautiful. ("There is more then one way to skin a cat").
Remember: the best table in the house for 2 is table #2. You cannot reserve it. You just have to get there super early. What a view! The entire Hollywood area, as well as the ocean and Palos Verdes. I am told on a clear day you can even see Catalina. Kind of like "The Restaurant" at the Getty Museum.
For dinner I started with Caesar salad with deep-fried white anchovies, followed by the grilled seafood platter. We shared some proffiteroles and Yamashiro's version of som'ores for desert. We had a great time.
I am looking forward to taking my huisband. He had a bad bout with the flu and couldn't go.
This was my very first venture into Japanese food, and I really enjoyed it.

Yes, yes, yes. Appealing to the senses of our kids is a great way to help them to learn and to remember. I like this idea. And if it's not monetarily feasible, then having a cultural day at school, like an Asian feast day, with various dishes and students explaining their recipes, is also a great way to make "culture" more accessible.

I had a cultural food day one time for examining Ancient China, Ancient Israel and Ancinet India about four years ago at another school. At the school I am at now they specifically put out a memo saying "no parties in classrooms even under the guise of a cultural fair" I know other teachers have done it but I want to find a way to do it without being sneaky. (If I don't, I'll be sneaky). It is so important to incorporate real life artifacts and informational material to enhance our teachings of history. What I did was split the class into three groups and had them present a cultural fair of their civilization. They had to incorporate modern and ancient artifacts, clothing, examples of writing, arts, entertainment and of course food. I remember the day the Ancient China group presented they brought white rice, eggrolls and fortune cookies for everyone. Was this accurate ancient Chinese food? Of course not, but it help the students connnect to the curriculum.

I can't remember the name of the restuarant, but the best place I've been to is near the corner of PCH and Hawthorne Blv. in Torrance. It is this little place next to Smart and Final and behind Big 5. The fish was to die for, and if you sit at the counter and make conversation ... well, let's just say I had an entire cultural introduction on the use of the knives, fish, demonstrations.....[Edit by="babrown on Jan 13, 6:03:53 PM"][/Edit]

Has anyone tried Nori? I have been reading a book and the main character loves it. It is a dried seasoned seaweed, and is a Korean food. It kind of reminds me of a vegetarian "beef jerky". Please let me know if you have tried it. To what could it most closely compare?

If you have ever had common sushi, then I bet you have had nori. It is the green-black wrapper. That is the most common way that Americans I know eat it. I have eaten it that way and also by itself. It is much lighter than beef jerky, although it is dried.

I don't care for it too much, but I am not a seafood fan and I think it tastes like the ocean. I said this to a friend once and she smiled and told me that was just what she liked about it. So it depends on your taste. I am trying to think of a better comparison than jerky and I can't think of any comparison. It is very light, dry, almost like rice paper that you can eat with a flavor that reminds me of the ocean. I doubt that helps much, sorry.

Late last year in the food section of the LA Times, there was an article on a new type of restaurant, the "izakaya" It is a restaurant where you drink and nibble until the wee hours of the morning, through a wide-ranging menu, which may include innovative takes on shimi and Japanese tapas. It is said they get their biggest influx of people in, around 10:00 p.m.
The good news is, they are all over the LA area. We in the South Bay area are lucky to have our share, and I have listed them here for you in the hopes that some of us might make a "field trip" locally.

Azuma Izakaya, 16123 S. Western Ave., Gardena (310) 320-5820
Daruma, 15915 South Western, Gardeba, (310) 323-0133
Iccho, 25310 Crenshaw, Torrance, (310) 325-7273
Japonica, 13041/2 South Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, (310) 316-9477
Kan Izakaya Yuzen, 2755 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, (310) 530-7888
Musha, 1725 Carson St., Torrance, (310) 787-7344
Teppan Kazamidori, 24231 Crenshaw Blvd. (Crossroads Center #C), Torrance, (310) 530-2749
Yuzu Torrance, 1231 Cabrillo Avenue, (Plaza Del Prado), Torrance, (310) 533-9898

I do not know the word for bon apetite in Japanese, but have a good time!

My Korean teacher loves the stuff. And in the interest of cultural exchange (and because I didn't want to disrespect the sansengnim) I tried it. Not so yummy. Veggie jerky is fairly accurate, but that name implies gnawing. My teacher just sucks on it until it softens up, then chews it and swallows. This might make the experience better.

Hope that helps,
m@x

I really enjoy eating foods from other cultures and trying to share these food experiences with my students. Does anyone know what staples are common or considered traditional in Chinese or Japanese meals?

For example, where does Saki come in? Is this reserved for men or special occasions?
I need some help or direction as to where I may look for this information.

jem[Edit by="jpratt on Feb 7, 7:47:38 PM"][/Edit]

I think it's a good idea for students to eat in an Asian restaurant. Food is one of the largest parts of every culture and it often defines a lot about people. Eating is one of the most social experiences there is where you sit down, chat, and enjoy. Japanese might prove difficult because of the price and the distinct palette. Vietnamese food may be easy because you can buy a bowl of Pho for about six bucks. Chinese food is very prevalent and a good buffet would suffice.

My husband and I are huge fans of eating out. We've been to some rather scary restaurants but also some that are worthy of mentioning. In our minds, the best kept secret is "Rice Things." This small Japanese restaurant is fast, inexpensive, filling, and delicious. We are always so impressed when we leave both satiated and with money to spare. It is located in Redondo Beach on Artesia Blvd. I highly recommend this restaurant if not for the ambiance for the price and the food!

When my students finished their research project on Japan/China, we had a cultural day. I asked the students to find a dish from the country of their choice- either Japan or China - try to make it, and bring it to class to share. Well, it didn't go well as I intended but they enjoyed doing the research paper.

A recent article I ran accross in LA talked about sushi. They were saying that no sisngle cusine has ever dominated the LA dining scene like sushi has. They also feel that LA has also suddenly emerged as the sushi capital of America. Since most of the restaurants are "in our neck of the woods," I wanted to share the locations, so that if you are in the area you can give them a try:

Asanebo 11941 Ventura Blvd., Studio City (818) 760-3348

Kiriko 11301 Olympic Blvd., West LA (310) 478-7769

Mori Sushi 11500 Pico Blvd., West LA (310) 479-3993

Nishimura 8684 Melrse Ave., West Holltwood (310) 659-4770

Sushi Sasabune 12400 Wilshire Blvd., LA (310) 820-3596

Sushi Sushi 326 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills (310) 277-1165

Urasawa, Two Rodeo 218 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills (310) 247-8939

Wa Sushi & Bistro 1106 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood (310) 854-7285

ENJOY!!!

I LOVE the idea of taking the kids to Chinatown. But since I teach Ancient China, how do I get that one past the school committee for a fieldtrip?

One of the most exquisite and best Asian restaurants in La is crustacean’s restaurant in Beverly Hills. I’ve only been once, but I really enjoyed the food. They have a Vietnamese Cuisine that is truly exotic and very delicious. The dishes should be though because at about $30 a plate you won’t want the bill to be the only thing you remember. I went with two other people and our bill was $140. However, the food was soooo good. The atmosphere is really cool and they even have a koi pond underneath a glass floor as you enter the restaurant.


Crustacean
9646 Little Santa Monica Boulevard
310 205 8990

You feel like you’re walking on water at this see-and-be-seen Beverly Hills Vietnamese resto, and not only from the heavenly seafood and other out-of-this-world fare, but also the below-floor koi pond leading into a fantastic version of colonial Vietnam. There must be gods in the touted secret kitchen where house specials such as the great spicy Dungeness crab and garlic noodles to die for are discreetly prepared

Here's a link to a very informative article about the food/culture scene around Sawtelle Blvd. from the LA Times. http://tinyurl.com/s4ovt

As far as restaurants go I feel strongly that food is greatly determined by the proximity to where the actual raw materials are being produced. I think the real authentic Asian foods are going to be in Asian of course because that's where the raw materials are coming from: the fish, the water chestnuts, the curries, and their own brand of basic oils, flours, salts, and spices. Also, the aroma of a building can influence the food tasting experience. I ordered the same dishes at Thai restaurants here in LA and even though the ingredients themselves were the same as in Thailand, the food hasn't tasted the same.

Something else I noticed in Asia is that they like to package food very decoratively and bright! Especially their noodles. In Thailand and in Taiwan I found out for the first time that you can buy individually sliced piece of bread (yes one slice) with butter and some cinnamon spread. Very tasty, but you would have to eat about 3 of them to fill up. At their gas stations in Thailand they also sell drinks only their serving sizes are much smaller than ours.

Lastly, I always though that pizza was supposed to be Italian. Yeah right! In Thailand I ordered a pizza and it came with crab, pineapple, and mayonaise sauce. The crust and cheese was good, but I was so thrown off by the crab and sauce.

That is a fabulous idea (and what kid doesn't like a cookie?). Also, you can incorporate language arts and/or history by having them write a rhyme, saying, or proverb connected to their illustration. You may want to also get the Home Economics teacher involved (at our school we call Home ec. "Life Management"). They could help with the baking aspect of your assignment. I hope some of these additional suggestions to your great lesson helps. You've inspired me to include this as an assignment of mine for next year. Thanks!

HAVE YOU EATEN YET?

This is a link to a wonderful article in the APA Magazine regarding food and history. There is a small museum in New York's Chinatown called MoCA, the Museum of Chinese in the Americas. (Not to be confused with our own MOCA in Los Angeles). Chinese restaurants were recently featured at the museum as one of the key symbols of Chinese culture in America.

The article reveals the common question "Have you eaten yet?" to be a standard phrase used in Chinese greeting, and interpreted in the English language as "How are you?" The article goes on to describe the historical importance of food in Chinese America. One interesting and significant section explains how Chinese food was originally despised by Americans because Chinese were blamed for contagious diseases. The restaurants continued to spread due to 3 main reasons: they prevented Chinese people from participating in any mainstream or profitable jobs; Chinese Restaurants served as an ethnic resource for immigrants; and food traditions and cooking are highly esteemed in Chinese culture.

There was much racism directed towards the Chinese until the 1940's when China became an ally of the US during WW2. All things of China became exotic and desirable. This is a resource that all students can understand, as it relates to something that all people need and use daily, food. Here is a link to the museum itself, where you can get more information on current exhibitions: MoCA

What a great idea! I wanted to share a "food" assignment that I did with my students this year during the Japan unit. As a class we compared, discussed and researched the Japanese and Chinese Tea Ceremonies. This lesson was focused mostly on Chinese and Japanese culture. After gaining great knowledge about both ceremonies, I put the students into small groups and asked them to come up with a food ritual ceremony that would show their understanding of the tea ceremonies. The students had to pick a food to bring in to share with the class, and create a poster and presentation about it's significance, and a step by step process of the ritual. I was quite suprised at the level of creativity that my class showed! From Oreo cookies to Japanese noodles, the students had the opportunity to show their understanding of this important aspect of Asian culture in a hands on manner. It was really fun! Anytime you can incorporate food into a lesson is alright with me!!

This is a great assignment. Sometimes when learning about a culture, I forget to study the food. In the race of trying to reach all the standards it makes it difficult to do these types of things. When I taught elementary school it seems like we did stuff like that more often. Those types of activities seem to engage students and make learning fun. Unfortunately the higher the grade, the more we seem to focus on lecture and content without the flair. I am going to try this assignment next year when we cover Ancient China.

I was also going to mention that Chinatown would be a great place or start for students to get an Asian experience and not only for food. Little Tokyo and Koreatown would be other suggestions.

In Chinatown, once the new Chinese-American museum is finished, a field trip could be based on this with a quick meal at a local restaurant. For a good experience, you should stick to under a couple of dozens of a trip for restaurant lunch crowd-control. Not too many busy establishments are kind about "low-spending" groups taking over large groups of tables. But if takeout food could be order ahead of time, then a local place to sit and each could be had near Chinatown if you look hard enough. But with students, taking large school groups in the narrow, busy streets of Chinatown might be not such a great idea. Not that I have done this, but I have hard a time just going to Dim Sum with a small group or family. For some of us on the public transportation lines, the Redline Metro line is the key....

Koreatown I think is easy to get to, with bus or Redline, but there are not too many foodie experiences to be had in large groups. I thing I wish a lot of my students could have seen and gone to is when Korea was in the World Cup this summer, thousands saw it on the big screen in a plaza in Koreatown and also at the Staples Center. The Red Devil fans surely excited anyone that even walked by it... I know I see similar fever with other cultures sport traditions... I wonder if the Staple Center offered special menu items for the guests...

In Little Tokyo, I took a busload of students to visit the Japanese-American Museum for a few years. A short-guided tour in the morning, a quick lunch in the area, and a quick bus ride back after lunch. The museum area and the walkway that connects to MOCA has stairs and sitting areas for students to eat lunch. Some went to buy food in Little Tokyo Plaza without incident. The area is pretty low-key and relatively traffic-free. Many Japanese places there have quick takeout food and some at low lunch special prices for the students and teachers.

My suggestion is to go over everything for the learning before the trip. Give a little freedom after the tour to explore with guided supervision. I usually only take 30 or less students who complete pre-trip assignments the week before. I also learned to invite the DHH or Special Ed teacher with me for the rest of the empty space on the bus. They have small classes with adult aides who could serve as extra sets of eyes for the teacher.

Just related to Japanese food, this is a web site I found students can look at for reference:
Kids Web Japan food

Hopefully, non-Japanese could look at this too for basic restaurant type foods. For "Iron Chef" fans, watch Channel 18 KSCI on Saturdays at 8PM for Japanese cooking show "Dotchi Ryouri Showdown." I love this show for both the food and the history of the food...

KSCI Ch18 link
[Edit by="ssaito on Jul 28, 1:32:42 PM"][/Edit]

A while back I read an article on Thai cuisine in Northeast Thailand. And with so many wonderful Thai restaurants here in Los Angeles I thought it a great article to comment on.

The article begins with a comment on Westerners aversion to things we don’t normally think of as food, i.e. bugs. Jennifer Gampell explains that in Thailand you do get your KFC’s and your Pizza Huts but for those true foodies interested in the local flavor there are also markets with stalls and stalls of fresh and quite alive insects.

The article explains that the region was one of the poorest in Thailand and thus the eating of insects stemmed from necessity rather than what it stems from now—interest in delicacy and gourmet foods. The region has been prosperous since the 90’s and people continue to eat the insects, larvae, frogs, et al like we eat burgers and fries here in America. What I think the most fascinating is the way in which people eat and prepare poisonous black scorpions.

Gampell says in her article, “Crunchiness and sogginess are, respectively, the most and least desirable physical attributes of any food I eat.” And yet like almost every other westerner in this situation she eats the bugs and she likes them.

I feel that the article can be an excellent teaching tool, a way to introduce new ideas to our kids. Maybe get them thinking creatively. What else can we eat that we don’t usually eat? Possible Lessons: Write some recipes, segue into the Donner party for you historians, read some Swift and write some short stories.

The article can be found at: http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/06/22/travel/22webletter.html?ex=1151726400&en=48a7e5f9bce6284f&ei=5070&emc=eta1
If you have a chance to read it, I hope it makes you as hungry as it made me. Good eating.

I am amazed at how much Asian cooking has influenced California cuisine. We even have our own style of food, right? Cal-Asian fusion. I was at the mall today and I saw a sushi joint, a Thai place, a Chinese booth and some sort of Pacific Islander/Korean BBQ spot. Now the politics of this mix also amazes me. We all know from childhood that Chinese is fun food—Noodles, fortune cookies and Shirley temples, or did I get the Roy Rogers. Oh yeah, and the slab of mustard enclosed in ketchup that for some reason burns your tongue. (I am being facetious of course, but I find it sad that for too many Americans this is the all they know and will ever know of Asian cuisine.)

And then there is sushi. A sophisticated delicacy that can only be prepared by a properly trained sushi chef. In fact one of our greatest restaurants here in LA is a sushi bar—Matsuhisa—though the Chow dynasty follows close on its heels. And my fascination with the American public continues. The majority of Americans are afraid to put a piece of raw fish in their mouths and yet they slurp up sweet and sour pork like it was meatloaf. Once again food politics. We fear what we don’t know. Pork makes sense—bacon tastes good, pork chops taste good—yes a line from Pulp Fiction, Quentin does love to steal form Asian cinema. But raw fish?

And not to mention kimchi. Oh yeah baby, to quote Emeril. I must admit the first time I tried kimchi was in college. I ate it to impress the Korean girl I was into at the time. And yet I loved it. To this day I can not eat Korean food if it does not have kimchi somewhere on the plate.

Thai I’ve always loved Thai and here in LA everyone seems to agree. Vietnamese gets a bad wrap. Pho is good and there is more to Vietnamese than Pho.

We are blessed to live in LA. Where else can you get chorizo and edamame on the same plate and then have the privilege of paying $25 plus because it is being served in a five star restaurant.

Can I really give up names of my favorite sushi, ramen, bulgoki, dim sum and take out places without consequences??? Would other people really enjoy my recommendations or do they have different expectations of such foods in their own life experiences? In the grand swath of Los Angeles and California, we have an abundant supply of ethic restaurants and markets. But having that "perfect intercultural" food experience, where you understand the subtle nuances of service, special menu and even ethic cooking styles...

It helps to have friends of varying ethnic backgrounds in L.A. since this could also be your pass into some of these hard to find places. Is there such thing as not getting good Chinese food outside of the San Gabriel Valley? Japanese food in Torrance or the 'name brand' sushi on the Westside (I hate the $$$-ed sushi lovers; I'm a public school teacher for god sakes...) Can you find good Korean BBQ outside of Koreatown? All I could say is that the best way is to go and find it... Make Asian foods at least once or twice a week part of your diet. I seem to recognize now that Mexican food sometimes takes over my weekly diet more than my ethic food...

Going back to what I said in another thread, our school cafeterias need to do a better job serving more ethnic foods to the world. There are so much wholesome, fresh ethnic dishes to be had... For example, instead of high-fat premade burritos, why not have make your own burrito stations with healthier ingredients. This is so simple for things such as Chinese chicken salad or Japanese bento boxes...

The simpler way to try lowcost Japanese food is to try takeout/bento at local Japanese markets like Murakai and Nishiwa. I definitely see Japanese student nationals and Westside non-Japanese always buying food at the Sawtelle store on the Westside...

As for great L.A. restaurants, I'm going to write the names backwards so my friends and family won't get mad at me if the wait gets too long: IHSON SUSHI, UKOKIAD RAMEN, NAS-OHC KOREAN BBQ, EGALLIV RUOBRAH DIM SUM, and there is this one authentic tempura place in Torrance that has great tempura lunch special.... Good eating!!!

Some good places to eat in the Southern OC

1. Japanese
a. Nobu Sushi in San Clemente
b. Gen Kai in Dana Point
2. Thai
a. Thai This
b. Thai That both in Dana Point
3. Chinese
a. China Sea in Dana Point
4. Indian
a. Natraj in Laguna Nig uel


Anybody know a good Korean restaurant in the South County?

Stop you are making me hungry.

One of the ways I would introduce Asia to my students would be to ask for volunteers to bring in food from the regions we were studying. It was amazing how many people would volunteer. One student would bring tea, another bogogi, someone else Kimchi, another rice, someone else music. A real great [and tasty]way to introduce culture to students.

The Korean version of this is called "kim". It comes in square sheets like paper, is greased, toasted and salted. You put a small sheet on your bowl of rice, grab it with your chopsticks with some rice in it and eat it. It's like instant make your own miniature sushi (with just rice in it). Or, I've also seen people eat it just by itself. A salty seaweed sanck. [Edit by="hlee on Aug 22, 9:41:11 PM"][/Edit]

What about having them research simple, easy to follow recipes from Asian countries and make them on their own? YOu can monitor the list of recipes to make sure that they are not making the same things from the same country, or you can choose to give them the recipes yourself. This could also be a group project.

Ever come through Temecula?
A Taste of China on 79 S near Butterfield is my local favorite. I agree about the art in resturants and how our students often have no idea of the beauty and diversification of cultures. Fortunaltely, I am able to provide visuals for my world history students; but, what I find interesting is that the place mats are not Chinese; they are more Christian, with thank God for this Day and it's Blessings on them. I have not asked, but I suspect the owners are Tawainese and, in fact, Christian. The food and ambiance, the courtesy and the fact that the personell are Chinese make this my frequent place to eat.
Cathy, Chaparral HS, World History

Remember your first dim-sum experience? I do. It was unlike any dining experience I ever had. The noise, the traffic, the incredible variety of food choices that made me want to stop every cart and try everything I saw (of course, that’s impossible). The pointing, the nodding and getting your paper stamped . It really made me feel like I was in China.
What a wonderful experience to share with your students.
The best with most variety, and the most economical dim-sum restaurant I found is NBC Seafood Restaurant in Monterey park. I took six of my top students as a reward last year (unfortunately, I couldn’t get funding for the bus to take the whole class) and spent about 7/8 dollars on each person. We still had leftover food to take home. My students absolutely LOVED it! If you can’t get the money for field trip, you can arrange a carpool and have your students pay about 10 dollars per person.
Here’s the restaurant information for those interested:
NBC Seafood
404 S. Atlantic Blvd. (Harding Ave.)
Monterey Park, CA 91754
626-282-2323

You can find couple of reviews on this restaurant at:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-reviews-2810837-prod-travelguide-action-read-ratings_and_reviews-i

Enjoy!

I remember back in middle school that we went to a restaurant with my teacher but it was only a field trip. Why not do two things at once? If possible, you can take your students on a field trip to an Asian restaurant and at the same time have them learn about the food, its history, culture, etc.

While in Los Angeles, a group of friends and I went to eat dinner at a little Japanese restaurant. The food was amazing and the service was awesome. My favorite part of the whole meal was the desert, moshi! It was so delicious. I have tried to find a store that sells it out here in the desert, but I have been unsuccessful. Does anyone know of a store that sells moshi out here in Palm Desert?

Michele Jones

Don't forget Krua Thai on Sherman Way in North Hollywood for some authentic thai flavor. They're open late!

The Los Angeles Thai Temple on Coldwater Canyon and Roscoe Blvd. off the 170 freeway is beautiful and is a great place to get a meal on the weekends. from about 10 am to 4 pm, there are stalls with great authentic thai food at very reasonable prices. Parking can be a hassle, and on Thai holidays it can get crowded (but on those days they sell handicrafts and other Thai merchandise).