Oceanhorn

This is a screenshot of where I'm at in this game called Oceanhorn.  It's a Zelda-like game that I downloaded onto my iPhone.  Maneuvering and viewing on the tiny screen on my phone is hard, but I still love playing the game.  Hard to believe the game's on my phone.  So amazing.

I kinda just started playing it, but I'm already stuck.  I need to rescue somebody on this island, but I can't find him.  I just wander and wander, around and around, searching and searching,  trying to stay away from a couple of goons with mallets that like to pound me.  



Okay, so after a few days of wandering I cheated and went online for clues. Found out I needed to push a block to a certain spot.  That triggered some barriers to open up allowing me into a whole new territory.  I found the guy I was looking for and rescued  him.  He gave me a clue to another island.  I sailed to the island, but because it was already past my bedtime I kept falling asleep.  So even though I was in unchartered territory with new adventures ahead, I had to quit for the day.

You can buy the game from iTunes for $8.99. I used a gift card which I got from my coworker, Runa.  Thanks Runa!!  I think it's soooo worth it for its entertainment value.  It's a great way to pass the time when you're waiting around for your doctor's appointment . . .  or if you're like me and want to postpone cleaning the house.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

I was watching LA Ramen on KIKU TV the other night.  It showed what they thought were the top ten ramen places in LA.  By the time they got to their No. 1 pick - Hokkaido Ramen Santouka in Torrance - I was totally in the ramen-eating mood. 

And so, since I was off yesterday guess where me and my mom went for lunch?  Hokkaido Ramen Santouka at the Kaheka Don Q.   It was our first time there.



They open at 11 am.  We got there at 10:45 and were the first ones in line!!






My mom ordered the saimin.  She really enjoyed it.


I ordered a small miso ramen.  The broth was good . . . tasty and not too salty. The noodles were perfect, and I really liked the crunchy fungus thing.  I wouldn't give it five stars though 'cause the egg (which I paid extra for) was a little too runny for me and the meat was not really melt in your mouth like Gomatei's.


The gyoza was just okay. 


One other thing . . . it's kinda crowded in there.  The guy sitting to my left side was about half an arm's length away.  And so, of course, while I was getting my money out of my wallet/coin purse, it slipped and fell to the ground spilling dollar bills and coins (swap meet money) at my feet.  My right side was blocked by a wall, so I had to tell the guy "'scuse me" while I placed my head on his lap so that I could retrieve my money.  Okay . . . maybe not on his lap . . . but almost . . . 

Still, I would go back again, but not if got line.

Da Bomb Can Opener

This is da bomb can opener.  I got it from WalMart. 



It's the Hamilton Beach Smooth Touch Can Opener . . . so smooth that, like it says on the box, a light touch is all that's needed.


I bought it to replace this crappy can opener that was noisy and couldn't even grip the cans good.  It didn't even last one year.


The new can opener cuts open the tops of cans like this . . . 


so that you can use it as a cover if you like.  It was expensive . . . around $33.  But you can do like I did and tell your husband that it's his Christmas present. 

Wendell's Onaga with Dill Cream Sauce

Remember the steamed onaga that Wendell made for New Year's Day? A funny thing happened.  When I lifted up the bones to reveal the other half of the fish for my mom, there was no "other half of the fish".  Me and my sister laughed and thought that it musta already got flipped over, but we wondered how it was done without getting the fish all bust up.

We later found out that Wendell had filleted and cut off the other half before steaming the fish and had set it aside. 

The following day, he used the saved portion and made this pan-fried onaga with a cream sauce.  It was really good.  He followed a recipe from Sam Choy's Cooking from the Heart cookbook.



4 onaga fillets
1/2 c. flour, to dust fish
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. shoyu
2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Season fish fillets with salt and pepper and dust with flour.

Heat oil and butter in pan. Place fish skin side down and fry 2 1/2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Turn and fry another 2 or 3 minutes, just until fish turns opaque in the middle.  Remove fish.

Extract all but 2 tbsp. of oil from the pan, add shiitake mushrooms, heavy cream, and shoyu.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 or 4 minutes, or until sauce has been reduced to a nice consistency.  Fold in dill at the very end and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.  

Gyu-Kaku

Me and Wendell went to Gyu-Kaku for lunch last week Thursday.  I was surprised that it was pretty crowded for a weekday.  We had gone there only once before and I really liked it then, but I remember that it was kinda expensive to me, so maybe that's why we never went back. 

But . . . I had a gift card from my buddy Mich so . . . hoo, hoo . . . we got to check it out again.



We opted for the "Limited Time" Winter Course.


It started with the Gyu-Kaku salad for two.


Then came the Wasabi Crunch Shrimp.  This plate is also for two.


The miso soup was oishiiii.  Wish I could make mine as good.


Here's the zucchini.




The corn came in a pouch with some butter.


Garlic Herb-Rubbed Filet Mignon.


It came with a cheese fondue.


Spicy Harami Skirt Steak.


It was good but a bit too spicy for me.


Kobe-Style Toro Beef.




Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus.


We had a choice of green tea, coffee or vanilla ice cream for dessert. I chose the vanilla.


That was a some-ono lunch . . . especially for Wendell 'cause he just loooooves meat.  Thanks for the treat, Mich!!

Happy New Year - 2014

2014!!!  14th year into the new century already. So fast. Sooo fast.

My family came over for lunch.  Wendell learned how to bid at the fish auction and got this onaga for us.  He got it for $20/pound and it was 8 pounds. 




Glenn got this huuuuuge prime rib from Costco.  They cut it into 3 pieces.




Here's some of the other food that we had.

Mamaya Bento

Awhile back we got treated to a bento lunch at work.  I can't even remember why.  We had a choice of salmon or chicken.  I picked the salmon.  It was gooooooood.  

Here's a link to the menu:  Mamaya Menu.



I was dieting at the time so I only ate one bite of the rice. I really, really liked it.  I took the rest of the rice home and froze it so that I could eat it later when the diet contest was over.  Only thing . . . when I went to look for it later, I couldn't find it.  I think Wendell dumped it.  Bah!


Here's the chicken.  They said it was bland.  Good thing I chose the salmon.  Yeehaw!

Sherri and Family

Sherri actually booked her photo shoot way back in November, but we had the worst timing ever with the rains and with my getting sick.  We FINALLY met up yesterday, and I'm so so happy at how everything turned out.  I think you'll agree that Sherri and Jeff have  the cutest little family ever.