Pantry Perennials: Trader Joe's Garlic Flavored Oil

While I do collect flavored salts & sugars without abandon, I do draw the line at flavored oils -- primarily because I so sparingly use them that they'll likely go rancid before I can finish the bottle.

The single exception I make to that rule is garlic-flavored oil, particularly Trader Joe's Organic Garlic Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I know, it's not that hard to freshly mince/grate a clove or two into a neutral oil while it's heating up, and there are plenty of times when I've done just that, but there are also moments when I'm too lazy for it but still crave an instant hit of allium (usually when I'm trying to cook breakfast without having had that glorious, life-breathing first cup of coffee beforehand.) 

And it's also great for adding a hint of garlic fragrance & flavor without having to worry about getting a big ole punch of pungency, like when I'm making a salad dressing or just a finishing spoonful in a soupy noodle dish. Or making melted garlic butter on the fly for this past weekend's clambake. 

Of course, I can always go the DIY route and batch up my own garlic oil, but at $3.99 for 250mL -- I'm perfectly fine with the TJ route and save myself some greasy cookware, and smelly fingers, to clean up too.

Photo courtesy of Trader Joe's.

Recipe: Stove-Top Clambake

I know this is far from the ideal clambake, which I'd imagine would take place at a beach, with a sand pit, gathering of seaweeds and rocks, and a nice little idyllic relaxing over a bonfire, sipping some cold beers while delicious seafood cooks away from the seawater's steam.

Then again, I can also picture us getting sand into where the sun don't shine, sweating like crazy trying to gather enough ingredients under the hot summer sun, and possibly getting arrested for illegally having open containers of alcohol or digging a pit and setting on fire.

Thus, I'm more than content with my one pot, stove top version; it turned out to be a great party dish this past weekend that is full of flavor and surprisingly easy to make.

Noodling Around @ Tsujita LA Annex

I've heard plenty about Tsujita's "artisan noodles" for a while, but until a few months ago, it was a lunch-only offering. That pretty much trimmed my chances of checking it out to near nil, since I neither live nor work near the "Little Osaka" strip of Sawtelle and rarely do I crave a hot bowl of ramen for lunch—especially in this weather!

So, I'm glad that they finally opened their Annex in April at the former GR/eats spot (a place that I remembered being decent, though a bit lackluster compared to the other dining hotspots in the area,) and that they are serving up noodles thru midnight every day.

Which makes it a natural choice for post-drinking grub after nearby Plan Check and/or Freddy Smalls -- *ahem*

Though having said that, I think my eyes got the better of my appetite -- their tsukemen with extra char siu is gianormous, and between the rich 60-hours-in-the-making tonkotsu broth, uber thick slices of char siu and smooth-yolked egg -- I think that was my week's allowance of cholesterol in a single bowl. And it was worth it.

Also noteworthy are the tsukemen noodles, which are thicker and more al dente than the ones offered in their ramen, I enjoyed every springy, tonkotsu-dipped mouthful.

Per the tableside instructions, I added generous spoonfuls of freshly minced garlic and onikasu ("devil's scum" per the Ramen Shaman's translation), the latter isn't as spicy as it sounds, but it does add a pleasant extra layer of aroma & flavor to the broth.

Having finally tasted it, I get the raves this place has been getting, but I'm not necessarily sure I'd consider it the definitive best myself. Or even make this a destination restaurant. But if I ever need of some post bar-hopping revival or just some luscious soupy comfort (calories be damned!) on the Westside, this place is definitely on my A-list for that. Though I might opt for an extra egg instead of all that pork next time.

Others' thoughts on Tsujita LA Annex:
Midtown Lunch LA
LA Weekly
Food GPS
Thrillist
O Hei There
The 5-Footer
Eat It Like You Mean It

Tsujita L.A. Artisan Noodle Annex
2050 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 231-0222
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