Dining with 'Dre

Back in the saddle...

2008-11-17T20:13:52Z

Well, it has been a while since I last updated my blog with a new review, but you've got to understand that it was a hectic last two months of the season. From us chasing the playoffs and holding on to be the NL West champs, to us starting playoffs and being on the road to start both series.

The season was a lot of fun we did have many "downs," during but definately had more "ups" when it counted and just came up a little short. This was my second playoff experience and the first that I got a full taste of what its like to play on that stage.

The Cubs series was a blast. Many people doubted that we could go in there and take care of arguably the best team in baseball, but we were not lacking confidence when we marched into wrigley and won that first game. You could say it was our momentum from ending the season that helped us, but I've got to give some of the credit to T.J. Simers for reminding us everyday a month prior to the playoffs that "this organization had only won one playoff game in the last 20 years" (no pressure). It was nice to come back home with a two-game lead and win the series in front of our home crowd and allow them to enjoy the accomplishment.

Next up was Philly. I know it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but what can you say? They were the hottest team at the right time and played unbelievable ball in the month of October. They made all the plays they had to and the ones they didn't. They deserved to win that series with the way they came together at the end. There are many things one could say we could of done differently, but we ran into a buzz saw. But for those of us returning, we are a year wiser and playoff tested to try a make another run in '09.

Now that I am out of breath, I would like all my faithful readers and ones who might occasionally glance to know I will be starting soon a Spring Training review here in my hometown of Phoenix -- some of my fave spots in the desert to grab a good bite. I'll try to make most of them around other Valley Spring Training sites, but btw I don't do Tucson.

Hopefully this will give you guys a chance to plan ahead and get excited for the '09 season. I'm not gonna lie -- I love the off time and being at home but the itch to put on those Dodger blues is growing in my belly already. So let me be the first to welcome everyone to my hometown, where I grew up and the best place for Spring Training. Can't wait to see you guys in February.

Andre

This one's hard to take

2008-10-16T07:00:11Z

I feel that kicked-in-the-stomach feeling. After everything we've been through this year, to come this far and have it end like this, it leaves a sour taste and it will be tough to let it go. It will take a little time until I'm able to stop looking back at this and start getting the itch to get back at it.

We just had a lack of execution. I'm guilty. I was not getting on base in front of Manny so he could drive me in. He hit something crazy like .538 but we didn't score enough runs. I have to get the job done a little better. I have to come back next year with the knowledge I've gained from this and be a better baseball player.

The writers have asked if I feel we were beaten by a better club. I don't, no way. I'm not shy in saying that. They definitely beat us, but we also beat ourselves a bit. You can look at Game 1 and Monday's game. If we don't make mistakes in those games, we just as easily could have won them. They executed better than we did, no doubt.

As for next year, we'll see if I'm here. You never know. I want to see what the off-season holds. We've got a lot of outfielders coming back.

As for this year, I want to thank the fans for their support, for showing up all year. It was a tough season with a lot of ups and downs. I appreciate your support and the encouraging words on and off the field and I hope to see everybody again in 2009.

I didn't get it done, we didn't get it done

2008-10-14T06:32:53Z

To put ourselves in position to win that late in the game and let it slip away is a feeling hard to explain. A perfect example of how we didn't come through was my at-bat in the eighth inning. They take the lead and Raffy leads off with a walk and I have an opportunity to deliver a big hit and a big RBI and I hit into a double-play. I came up in the sixth with runners on second and third and no outs and lined out. It's a classic case of not taking advantage of the opportunity and that summed up the game for us. We have to hold ourselves accountable.

Now there's nothing more we can do about this game. We have to be ready when the situation arises again Wednesday. We have to put this one out of our minds and figure a way to get it done. In that case, I didn't get it done.

Tomorrow we've got a day off. I'll have to try to find a way to relax and find something to take my mind off. But right now it's sinking in that if we play this way again, it will be a whole lot worse than this. We'll be packing up and going home and we'll know we gave a series away to a team that is not better than ours. Nobody in here wants that.

A momentum shift

2008-10-13T05:32:06Z

We took care of business the way we needed to tonight. The reporters were asking if we made a statement tonight. No statement. It's just baseball. Now it's over and we come back tomorrow and try to even the series. What happened with the brushbacks, it's part of the game. It happened. I don't know if it was on purpose or not. Emotions can get out of whack when games are this important. Both teams did a good job not escalating it further.

Right now, we're in a totally different situation than we were when the day started. I won't say today was a must-win, but we've switched the momentum to our side. The two games in Philly, we didn't play our game. We weren't aggressive. Tonight we played our style of ball.

It was great to see the fans come out tonight and stay until the end. They had a lot of energy, they weren't down because of the two losses, they weren't distraught. They were behind us the whole game. I hope tomorrow they're behind us the same way.

We've got Derek pitching tomorrow. I wasn't aware of that until tonight. We're going with the three-man rotation and all three of them have been there for us all year. They've been so consistent. It's up to the offense to respond and put some runs on the board like we did tonight.

Turn the page

2008-10-12T02:10:01Z

That was the longest flight of the year. We ran into 110-mph headwinds that made the flight six hours long. I had a whole row and had three TV screens going and one of them has the in-flight status and I'm playing a puzzle and it seems like forever and I look at the screen and we're not even over Nebraska. I finally fall asleep and six hours after we take off I'm bounced awake by a very turbulent final approach. I mean, I started saying my prayers.

But here we are at the workout and I'm glad we're home. I'm not happy with the situation, we didn't win a game back there in Philly, but we're back in our park and they haven't beaten us here. We know we can beat them here and get this series back on a better note.

On the flight, there was some discussion about the way we played in Philly. There was some venting and some frustration, mainly that we didn't execute and take care of business back there.

We need to come out tomorrow night with the swagger and the chip on our shoulder and know we can beat these guys and know we're a better team. We believe that and we have to have that in our minds. We have to show no doubt, show that we're not intimidated or fearful. We have to play like it's zero-zero, even though it's not. What's happened in the past is over.

Home cookin'

2008-10-11T02:29:25Z

This is a tough situation to be in, but on a good note, at least we're going home. We'll be back in the comfort of our park with the memory of our last game there, the clinching game over the Cubs. The Phillies know they haven't won a game there this year, so the tables are turned. We just have to take it to them. We didn't do that here.

We've been down before this year, but coming back from an eight-game losing streak isn't the same as this. This is a whole different ballgame, what's going on here. Yeah, we're a little discouraged with the situation we're in, but no one on this team is really in a panic. We're in the situation we're in and that's what it is. We've got to regroup, refocus in practice tomorrow and get back to taking the game to them. We can't be on our heels Sunday and expect to win. We have to be aggressive and play the kind of game we played in the first round.

I wouldn't say necessarily that the Phillies are a more difficult team to play than the Cubs, but the magnitude of the series might be a little bit of a factor. We've got this chance and we realize the situation is right now. It's definitely a different level, what we're now facing. It's not a comfortable feeling. But there were times during the regular season that weren't comfortable. We showed we could get out of trouble and figure a way to win. Why not now?

A sour start

2008-10-10T05:04:40Z

It was exciting to get this series started. I know, the first game didn't go too well. But I've got to say, there's a hoopla in this city I wasn't expecting. I felt it last night, when I went out to dinner with Hong-Chih Kuo and Takashi Saito to a Japanese restaurant in town. Had some pretty good sukiyaki. You could see this city is pumped up for this series. I was taking it all in, while still trying not to get caught up in it all. Joe reiterates through all of this how he never got the chance to play in postseason as a player and you never know how many other opportunities you'll get, so enjoy it.

The outcome tonight wasn't so enjoyable. Utley's home run, that was a pop-up. But that's the advantage of playing in a field like this. It is what it is. We made a mistake and they capitalized and used the field to their advantage. On Utley's ball, I thought I had a good bead on it, then I looked at the fence and thought I didn't have a chance, then it started coming down but was carrying and it snuck in two or three rows deep.

And Manny, he hit a ball to the highest, farthest point you can hit a ball here and it's a double. That's the way it goes here. This park is quirky. There are a lot of things about it. There's Plexiglas that you can't even see unless you're right in front of it. There are balls that you don't even know if they're in play. Joe just told us everything's a live ball until you're told otherwise.

Tonight leaves a sour taste in your mouth. To score two runs in this ballpark, two runs are not enough in this park, not even when the game seems to be in your hands. We'll have to do better tomorrow. We have to win a game here sometime if we're going to win the series. It's best to do it now.

No debating, it's a tough series

2008-10-08T22:42:09Z

We'll have four days off between Saturday night's clincher and Thursday night's opener of the NLCS and we're ready to get going again. These two teams are pretty even. We split the eight games we played. We got swept here and they got swept in L.A. We didn't play well here and they didn't play well there. We just need to come out with the same intensity as the first series in Chicago. The Phillies are tough in their ballpark.

The weather was perfect for the workout today. I won't really be focusing on the game until I wake up tomorrow. For me, I just can't keep the concentration up for that long. I'll relax tonight, maybe walk around the downtown area near our hotel. You hear horror stories about Philadelphia, but the area we're in has some nice shops and I'll be exploring for a new restaurant, although I won't be spending that much money with the economy so bad.

At least, that's what I got out of the debate last night. I know we're having some tough times right now, but the way they were talking, it sounded like the world was going to end. It's sort of comical to listen to that. I'm sure some people are struggling with their house payment and that's serious. But I'm not feeling sorry if some hedge fund managers have to find a job. This is my second presidential election and it sounds like the same old story.

Another good shower

2008-10-05T07:31:05Z

See my headline? That's the way I'll remember the clinching celebrations. We're having them once a week now, how sweet is that? To be honest, I didn't even know if we were going to have one tonight. I mean, a lot of us didn't know how to do this clinching stuff. We've never been here before. We didn't know if there would be champagne and beer and stuff, or if we'd just play the music in the clubhouse and high-five and go home and wait to see who we play. So, that's why I say we had another good shower tonight. I could get the hang of this.

The crowd was great tonight. They were waving towels and the noise level, I can't remember it being like this at Dodger Stadium.

Kuroda, he was lights-out for six innings. He left Chicago a day ahead of the rest of us so he could get his normal rest and I had to give him a hard time before the game today for leaving early. I told him he'd better pitch his best game of the year, if he's going to leave us like that, and he pretty much did. I've never seen him so emotional as he was after the game.

Now, we have to pay attention to the other series, who our opponent is going to be, play out the scenarios. Tomorrow, I'm going to spend some time with my family -- they're all in town, my wife and brothers and sisters and parents and grandparents and cousins and in-laws. They all came in from Phoenix. And they got to see a little history. How great is that?

A good exhausted

2008-10-04T02:05:41Z

Back in town after two of the most unforgettable games of my life, this was a day to decompress after what happened in Chicago. We got back late, didn't get to sleep till about 4 in the morning and I got about six hours sleep. My wake-up call was room service. Yes, I went from one hotel in Chicago to another here in Los Angeles. The lease for the place I was renting was up at the end of September.

My body is sore and exhausted, but it's a good exhausted. We had a workout at Dodger Stadium today. This club is relaxed and ready to take care of business tomorrow, at home, in front of our fans.The Cubs will come out fighting. There's no reason for us to get tense or uptight. We're in a good situation.

But that's what the Cubs thought when the series started. I can imagine how they're feeling now. In '06 it was like that for us, when we fell behind the Mets, 0-2. You have a great year and just like that, your backs are up against the wall. It's not a good feeling to be in. But nobody feels sorry for you.

When I leave the stadium, I've got dinner plans with some friends at Park's Korean BBQ in Koreatown. The best. Spicy beef soup. I'm hungry just thinking about it.

When Manny's Happy, Everybody's Happy

2008-10-03T07:02:20Z

Before every getaway game, Manny makes a dugout announcement:

"Let us have a happy flight," he says, and that means we better win, because flights after a loss are no fun. He said it tonight just before the first inning and we're going to have a happy flight home after beating the Cubs again. I'm sure guys will be giddy, because we're going back to Cali with a chance to win this series.

We're an excited team right now, but the clubhouse is probably a little quieter than it was last night. We still have to take care of business. We haven't won anything yet. We've got a flight home and a long day tomorrow with a workout and the next game isn't until Saturday night.

You had to like the way we won tonight. Zambrano stuck it to us in the first inning and the crowd was going absolutely wild and we bounced back and turned the tables in the second inning and completely took the crowd out of the game. It got silent again, like it did last night when James hit the grand slam.

And another thing you had to like was that second inning, we did it without Manny. We can't expect him to do everything every game. The guys were picking each other up and making his job easier. That's just the way we've been playing for the past month and it's why we're in the position we're in.

Silence is Golden

2008-10-02T04:11:27Z

One of the writers tonight asked me what we can do for an encore after the way we won Game 1 of the Division Series against the Cubs. We just have to wake up tomorrow and get ready to do it again.

Of course tonight, we're going to enjoy this one. It was one of those games where the score wasn't indicative of all that went on down on the field. We had many chances tonight and we didn't take advantage of them and earlier in the season, that would have been costly. Then all of a sudden Dempster makes a mistake and James crushes the ball to center and the game completely turned around.

And the thing I remember before that was the buzz in the stadium from the Cubs fans. You could just feel the energy. And then you could just feel the energy get sucked out when James homered and the place got so quiet. It's a great feeling doing something like that on the road, because the home crowd gets real quiet but everybody in our dugout is going crazy.

And the Cubs still had an opportunity to come back, but D-Lowe pitched his way out of it in the bottom of the sixth. Then we added even more runs and put it away.

Tomorrow we face Zambrano and they'll be ready to play. We'll have a game plan, but the playoffs are a different mentality and you don't know for sure how he'll come at you. We just have to be aware of the flow of the game and let it come to us.

Where champions are made

2008-10-01T00:02:27Z

We just had our workout at Wrigley Field. It was cloudy and cool and the place was empty and I can imagine what it's going to be like tomorrow when the playoffs start. We flew into Chicago yesterday and I had a four-hour flight to think about what this team has done and what we've gone through to get to this point. You could just sense from the way the guys were acting on the plane that this wasn't just another trip.

Last night I had a steak at Hugo's on State Street with some friends and when I got back to the hotel the Twins were just rolling in for their playoff game with the White Sox and I ran into a couple of their players that I know, Nick Punto and Delmon Young. I got up to my room and around midnight I got a text from Dustin Pedroia. We went to Arizona State together. He had just gotten to Anaheim for Boston's series there. He sends me a message, 'This is where champions are made -- Let's go.' Dustin's always got corny sayings, but they're at the right time. He put this in perspective when he used the word, champion. That's what this is all about. We're one of eight teams left and one of us will be champion.

Today I walked the Michigan Avenue Magnificent Mile, picked up some gifts for myself and my family and enjoyed a really nice Chicago day, without the tension and anxiety of a game day. Just took a breather. Tomorrow I'll just try to go through my normal routine, a little breakfast, lunch before going to the park, then gear up for the atmosphere and excitement. I'm sure it will be building as the day goes on.

Pizzeria Mozza

2008-09-03T04:18:27Z

There comes a time when you can try a version of a food for the thousandth time and still cannot decide if this is actually the way you like it the most. When you try this new take on it, it seems like you can always compare it or find somewhere where it was just as good. For me, I am always in search of the best version of the foods I love and when I find it, I become addicted and find myself coming back again and again to see if it holds up to the first time and leaves me with that same "wow" feeling.

To me, pizza is one of those foods that can be tweaked and contorted too many ways and be messed up on appearance and taste. A good slice of pizza starts with its looks. If it is a jumbled slice that does not have evenly spread toppings and cheese with grease pooling in certain spots, than the rendezvous ends abruptly. Also, I am a thin-crust guy (I know, I know, but the argument ends there with me. There will be no discussions or persuading me on this. I just don't see the point to overwhelm a slice with all that bread). Anyway, carbs are out people! Get with it...thin's in. The battle on this topic will rage on, but I won't hear it!

When I first arrived in LA and began my restaraunt search, I heard hoots and hollerings about this certain pizza joint that serves up a great slice. Well, not just great but "the best in LA." I knew I had to try this just because of the claim alone. I began to collect my info on this place and soon found out that it was one of the tougher reservations to get for lunch or dinner. This only led me to believe that this might be one of those "in" places where celebrities and so-called celebs have shown up and caused this reputation. Not the food though...at least that's what I thought.

I had carefully planned out my method for getting a seat at this place (hint: I showed up between lunch and dinner...I am sneaky, I know, but you guys can have that tid bit. Just don't everyone use it all at once or we we'll create the same problem as lunch and dinner).

As I pulled up to the corner of Melrose and Highland (around 3 o'clock), I was pleased to see no line outside, so I decided to go for it and pulled up to the valet. He asked if I was here for Pizzeria Mozza and of course, I said that I was. I walked in and was pleased to see many open spots and was given a choice between a table or sitting at one of two bars. I chose the bar that surrounded the kitchen, as I wanted to see this operation up close. I was presented a menu and began my inspection of the place.

The menu has 15 or so pizzas ranging from squash blossom tomato sauce and burrata cheese (below) to the typical meatlovers of sausage, salami and prosciutto. I picked the one most resembling my favorite - the Fresno chili, salumi salami and mozzarella.

This isn't your typical pizzeria...the apps are to die for and don't disappoint.

But first up was the fried squash blossom stuffed with ricotta...one word - UNBELIEVABLE! This is one of those addicting foods that is a favorite of mine now. I will have to avoid this place in the offseason because of this dish alone!

Next up was Mussel al forno with Calabrian sauce and if you're a mussel lover like me, then come for these. They rank up there in my top two spots to get mussels -- the other being Tomaso's in Phoenix but that's another review.

Now to the pizza. It comes out of that oven piping hot and picture perfect. I could still hear the sizziling as it sat in front of me - that oh so good popping and crackling that teases you to try a bite. But, an experienced diner knows this will only ruin your meal because your taste buds and tongue will burn and make it a bittersweet meal.

So I finally sank my teeth in and I began to analyze -- it's really good. Bite after bite, I experienced and discovered a new taste. The expectations that I had built up had gotten me wary but at the end of devouring the entire pizza, I was impressed by every bite, especially the crust which is very crunchy on the outside but chewy on the inside.

Well, if you can't tell, I have really grown to love this place...like they say, love at first bite! It is not only a great pizza they serve up, but I have tried almost every appetizer and they are all great. It is definitely a must-visit when looking at your dining options in LA, so take my advice on this one and give it a try. Who knows, you might see me there...that's how often I eat there now!

La Paella

2008-07-26T04:29:05Z

I know everyone has been anxiously sitting at their computers staring at my website with their hand on the refresh button clicking to see if I have have done another review of one of my great culinary finds....

Well, click no further. Your prayers have been answered.

It was such a difficult decision for me to choose my next spot since it would be so hard to top the pure greatness that Shabu Hachi provided in my first review. It took some great contemplation from the comments left and disscusions with some of my closer dining confidants to come up with the place I choose next. One thing I hope the readers of my site will take from it is that I do not discriminate in my food selections. It is based on what my palate is craving from past experiences or what I am so eager to try for the first time.

I was sitting on the plane (row 27, seat d - in case you wanted to know) during one of our recent road trips, and was watching one of my favorite TV shows "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain. It is a food based show where Anthony travels around the world experiencing different cultures and trying the true indigenous cuisine. Through this show, my adventorous appetite has taken off.

This episode was about the many different tastes of Spain, which caught my attention for the lack of me actually knowing what Spanish food really was or tasted like. The search was on.

La Paella, let it sink in a minute....no, it is not a Mexican food restaurant. It is, what I have been told by one of my so-called dining confidants who happenened to live in Spain for six years, the closest thing to authentic Spanish food in LA. Well, I said, if that's the case, I will not have to go to Spain now to try those mouth-watering dishes I saw while watching the episode of No Reservations.

No pressure Kenji!

So I set a date to go try this place recently after one of our games. Of course, I had a few people accompany me to share in the conquistador's delights. We arrived at the restaurant, which is located at the intersection of La Cienega and San Vincente. I know, I know. Don't worry. I didn't go all Beverly Hills on you. It still sits on the Hollywood side of the road, which, if you weren't aware of, Hollywood does have some of the best hole-in-the-wall quick-bite places per square mile (not an actual fact) that I have come to find. But that is another review.

Back to Spain.

The restaurant sits in an old converted bungalow house between a couple of other business and from the outside, it resembles nothing like I would have though a Spanish restaurant would look like. Then again, I don't have any idea what that would be. So, we walked up a few stairs and entered the restaurant and we were greeted instantly by the hoste, who asked if we had a reservation. We did, so he looked us up and went off to prepare our table.

As we stood there for a minute it gave us a chance to look around the place.

There was soft Spanish music playing in the background. The interior walls of the place were all white, adorned with Spanish pictures and paintings and shelves with little nick nacks that represent Spanish lifestyle.

The host rushed back and quickly sat us. We were put in the front of the dining area in a nice quiet corner. This is one of those rare cases in which I was at a restaurant with a group of people and was not familar with anything on the menu, so needless to say, I felt a little out of my element when it came to deciding what to eat.

We sat for a moment and looked over the menu. Each of the items on it were in Spanish which, if you don't speak Spanish, might cause a problem. But, they also had each dish in English right below the entree. Well, in this case I delegated the ordering to the person who claims to have lived in spain and is familar with Spanish fare.

We sat for a few moments looking over the tapas menus (some of you might already be familiar with Spanish food so you know what that is...if not, keep reading). Kenji made some recommendations and we agreed anxiously, just due to the fact that we were starving and needed some type of nourishment. And of course, we let Kenji order a couple of his favorites that might be a little more intimidating to someone unfamilar with the menu.

After we ordered our tapas selections, me and Kenji got into a very in-depth discusion of his time spent in Spain and the reasons that he went and stayed so long, since he is an LA native. It also provided a great learning experience for me to get to know a little bit of the history of Spain and where some of the dishes might have gotten their influences from. Ten minutes might have gone by and our tapas began to arrive at the table.

Tapas are similar to appetizer portions but many of them can be ordered to be eaten as a meal. Having a few amigos accompany me gave us the chance to try many of them.

First was Champiñones con chorizo (let me get out my Spanish/English dictionary to translate). It is mushrooms with Spanish red sausage. This was a great mix of sausage and mushrooms (a vegetable I can tolerate). The mushrooms soaked up the flavor nicely but unfortunately, the grease too. That would be my only complaint about this dish -- that the sausage resembled Mexican chorizo without the spice but with the same grease.

I moved onto the Croquetas de pollo, what can simply be described as ground chicken deep fried in a corn meal. Nothing too special to say about this than other than that they do the job and stopped the hunger pains.

The Patatas Bravas might be the only dish that resembles Mexican food and that is because of the red spicy sauce smotheing the boiled potatoes. The little kick was a nice change from all the rest of the dishes, mainly because of my love for spicy food.

This next one is somewhat of a typical appetizer dish (except that its octopus and not fried, which, on a side note, what's really the difference between the two? Same taste and chewieness). Pulpo a la Gallega. The octopus was boiled and topped with olive oil.

Well, I did say we let Kenji order for us and he wasn't afraid to sneak this next one in, since he said it is one of his favorites. Boquerones en Vinagare. There is no disguising this one -- it is sardines raised in vinegar from tadpoles to fish. I don't know about the raised part, but if you like vinegar and that unique sardine flavor...enjoy!

All of you familiar with Spanish food might have caught on to the name of the restaurant, La Paella, which is a famous Spanish dish. It is truly the reason we came to this place...not for the tapas that everyone raves about. I personally didn't see the big deal about them. I am going to start a new wave and from now on, start calling them tapatizers.

I didn't mention before that we ordered this paella dish because I wanted some of you to be suprised that Spanish food is more than this tapatizer stuff! Paella Valenciana was the one that Kenji ordered. It is a dish based on rice and the seasoning of saffron and combines a little surf and turf for the substance. For the turf, it was chicken drumsticks that were boiled then sauteed with the rice and seasonings. For the surf, it was steamed muscles and clams with shrimp done up the same way as the chicken. Mmmm....

The paella was great! It tasted as great as it smelled, which in many cases can be deceiving for food. (I hate when food smell good but lacks the flavor to go with it -- a one-punch fighter!) But in this case it delivered.

For my Spanish experience, it was worth the visit and trip to the restaurant. It is definitely a place and cuisine I'm glad that I have tried, even though paella looks kind of like a done-up hamburger helper meal! For this place, if you have not tried a complete Spanish meal then come here to do so. But if you have, you know what it's about and even though Kenji won't agree, it's a one time visit for me.

Andre

P.S. The photos of all the tapas and paella are on my camera back in Arizona so I'm hoping to add them in the next couple of days.

UPDATE: PHOTOS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOW ADDED