Filipino Cooking, Gardening and Life in Los Angeles Vlog 🌱🍋 🍳

Filipino Cooking, Gardening and Life in Los Angeles Vlog 🌱🍋 🍳  | Weekend brunch in the backyard garden, some harvest, front yard gardening and some random life vlog in Los Angeles.

On this video:

📍 Capriotti's Sandwich Shop

📍 Porto's Bakery and Cafe

📍 Paris Baguette

📍 Pardis Restaurant 

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Filipino Brunch at Home 🌱🍳🇵🇭

A typical Filipino weekend breakfast / brunch at home with bitter melon harvested from the backyard garden, longanisa and eggplant omelet.

Ube Pancakes

Ube (purple yam) pancakes topped with blueberries and drizzled with melted butter and maple syrup... yum!

French Toast

Mini French toast made from left-over baguette and topped with blueberries and strawberries.

Breakfast on a Skillet

I used the left-over potatoes and golden beets from last night's supper, then added ham, pepperoni, eggs and chard from the garden.

Crunchy French Toast

I tried to re-create the crunchy French toast... one of my favorites at the Blu Jam Cafe on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks.

This French toast was dipped in egg mixture with a splash of vanilla, then coated with panko + cinnamon + sugar + butter mixture, then cooked in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown.
  

Kaiserschmarrn

Compliment from our almost 4 year little guy

JD: Mommy, this is not a pancake. I want a flat pancake.

Me: This is the pancake in Austria. It is called Kaiserschmarrn.

JD: Hmmm... I think this is better than pancake. Mommy, you're a good chef.

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Kale

...  is what we had for brunch at home today with tomatoes and cheese and cooked on a cast-iron skillet.  

On Saturdays we eat pancakes...

... buttermilk pancake with coconut,  topped with sliced banana and drizzled with maple syrup.

Red Velvet Pancakes

... topped with butter, drizzled with maple syrup from Vermont and eaten in the patio.

Mediterranean Mezze

It's Lebanese mezze  at Carousel Restaurant for lunch -- fattoush, kibbeh nayyeh, mousakka, shrimp kebab, sarma and sauteed liver.

Banana Pancake

What I whipped up for the Little Guy for breakfast.

Breakfast at Blu Jam Café

Back at our favorite spot for breakfast.

On the table:  

Kami’ls Breakfast  - Elbow macaroni scrambled with eggs, smoked bacon, ham, garlic, chives, and cheddar cheese 

California Omelet - Three egg omelette, crispy smoked bacon, grape tomato, avocado, sour cream & cheddar cheese, with grilled potatoes & toast

Blueberry pancake

Cooking Pancakes

The usual routine on Saturday morning -- cooking pancakes for breakfast, topped with blueberries and sliced banana, then drizzled with maple syrup.

Dim Sum at Lunasia

To celebrate grammy's birthday we had dim sum at Lunasia.

On the table...

• beef chow-fun
• roasted pork belly
• shrimp rice noodles
• spare ribs with black bean sauce
• chicken feet
• pan-fried string beans
• juicy pork dumplings
• pan-fried rice noodle with chili oil
• yang chow shrimp fried rice

Brunch at a French Bistro Stella Mares

Ruffled curtains, distressed woodwork, floral quilts and  decorative wrought iron.  Elegant, relaxed, rustic  and charming. We ate escargot, poulet, salade niçoise and eggs benedict.   It felt like we were transported to the countryside of France for a couple of hours.

Cheesecake Factory

Lunch was at Cheesecake Factory in Topanga Mall.

On the table: 

- Southern fried catfish served with mashed potatoes, green beans, buttered corn and remoulade sauce

- Shrimp and chicken gumbo simmered in a spicy Cajun-style broth with cream and topped with steamed white rice

Old Spaghetti Factory

A few years ago, a good ole neighbor brought us to Old Spaghetti Factory in Duarte. Since we were in the neighborhood, we decided to revisit the place which is housed in an old school house that first opened in 1909.  In the middle of the main dining room is a train trolley where we asked to be seated.  The Little Guy was in awe since he loves trains.  We ordered minestrone soup, spaghetti & spumoni and salad, lasagna & spumoni.  Then we ate family-style.

  

At breakfast

~ pancakes topped with blueberries and strawberries as usual ~

Thin Pancakes

Almost crepe thin pancakes, topped with butter and strawberries, drizzled with maple syrup from Vermont and garnished with fresh mint from the garden.

Breakfast is served!