Fat-thai: SGV's premier Thai cuisine resource

So During my outing with grandma at CPK, I ordered a passion fruit mojito. It was alright. I give it a (2/5) So for the real mothers day I knew I could best CPK’s passion fruit mojito. My mojito would have a real zing of mint. The freshest of ingredients, the best rum, and the right taste. Not too watered down or strong—something totally drinkable like a not-to-sweet tropical juice. Somewhere between an ice tea and juice.

It was hot Mothers Day and we had a bbq at my house of about 20 people. My Mom and my bro’s mom in law were the guest of honor. Except the thing was although everyone was physically present under our nice shade canopy and eating carne asada, the party hadn’t official start. That is until I arrived. Ipod Boom Box and fresh mint, limes, rum, club soda, and Kern’s passion fruit in arms, I had to get this party started right.

Note my i’ve never seen my mom drink ever. lemme repeat for emphasis. I’ve never seen mom drink EVER. I know she’s not a puritan, nor is she a Amish. Hell even they drink sometimes. So with that in mind what follows means a lot.

I served up a KILLER mojito. Mom and every other mom at the bbq wanted more pitchers of my passion fruit mojito. Several booze runs and pitchers later, the party was at 100% party-metric volume. It was a fan favorite to say the least.

With the help of a former Bay Area bartender we were in the kitchen lab using only our palate. Here’s the recipe:

1) One Bottle of Malibu White Passion Fruit Rum 750ml $10.99

2) But two lbs of juicy limes                                    $1.00

3) Buy Whatever sparkling soda you prefer.                 $1.00

4) Bushel of Fresh Mint                                             $2.00

5) Welch’s Passion Fruit Juice                                    $2.00

Pour the entire bottle of Malibu  into a 64ounce pitcher,

Pour 3 cups of passion juice in there

Cut 10 limes in 1/4 slices and spray all the juice in the pitcher 

Finely Mince the mint without stems

pour 4 ounce of pitch blend into bowl of mince mint, then knead it or use a mallet to get all the mint juice out. Pour all mint back into pitcher.

Now use a deep spoon to taste it. It’ll probably need a few more limes, possibly another cup of welch’s. You’re frame of reference believe it or not should be the taste of 7up. Except here, it’ll drink sweet like 7up soda but it’ll be a more floral sweetness to it. So so like sweet. Not watered down soda and not too strong alcohol flavor. The limes gives it that 7up like zing while the welchs and rum give it a lingering coconut taste in your mouth. And of course you’ll have little green mints everywhere that you just drink for that extra zing.

You get to fine tune the drink maybe you like more fruit juice or perhaps you prefer more lime. But at this point you fine tune it to your party’s style.

Add a cup of club soda if its too sweet.

The party is about to begin and you’re the buzz. Enjoy. 

Friday May, 11, I took my grandma to California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) for a early Mothers day dinner. I hadn’t been there in ages, probably 3 years. I think mainly because CPK flies under my radar most of the time and for most of the people I hang out with, we all prefer a more authentic Asian food.

The thing is I used to think CPK wasn’t particularly good at any one thing. Its sort of a place I used to despise because it I felt it was just one notch above Panda Express; you know, “Americanized Chinese Food” or Asian fusion that is a disservice to the more authentic restaurants. 

CPK if you’re reading things, I apologize. I was wrong. The Place is called CALIFORNIA Pizza Kitchen. The name of our golden state is right smack dab in the name of their entire business. So then, the food must be a juggernaut of flavors or mainly since its California after all, wouldn’t the flavors come from Mexican and Asian cuisine? You know combine Latinos and Asians are the majority in Calif. 

How exactly could you take a traditional dish and make it Cali style? We’ll to my surprise CPK seems to think that you can take Spring Rolls or Egg Rolls, a stable in SE Asian culture, and do it the Cali Way.

Fresh Flour Tortillas rolled up and served crunchy with a Peanut Thai style chicken, spring onion, cilartro and some flame grilled corn inside. Gone are the traditional deep fried rice paper, the cold shrimp, bean sprouts and leafy greens. This Appetizer is served with both a side of guacamole and peanut sauce, so depending on the dip, you could get an asian or mexican taste. Talk about Cali-diversity.

I love this dish, it came out fast, fresh and hot. The tastes are 99% authentic for a 1% entry. By which I mean, you’ll get most of the Thai experience but the “egg roll” is more palatable for say my 74-year-old grandma. My grandma who sticks to her Salvadoran food and roots. Which leads me to another point, Asian fusion has a purpose and that is to slowly introduce bold flavors to risk adverse people who love their ketchup n french fries.

CPK Thai Chicken Flour Tortilla Rolls 5/5.

Man CPK has improved so much since my law firm had its waiter on wheels service.