Tuesday, October 10, 2006

lahmajoon!


I was so happy to come in to a few comments during this dry spell that I almost shed a precious tear.

I went to the Armenian food festival this weekend, which was being presided over by the Armeniac's dad, which led to gifts of free lamb skewers (the best thing I ate there) from supplicants. We arrived right in time for the ritual slaughter of the newborn lamb and then all the children took turns making finger paintings in the lambs blood while their moms danced around them. JK, folks, it was really quite a staid event. Suspicially staid, I suspect they were saving the lamb slaughter and the burning of the Turk effigy for later in the evening. I got the kufta, and I will say that DP's pop makes a much superior version, and I got to try lahmajoon (Armenian pizza that has, surpise, lamb on on it) for the first time and that was good. They were also offering the Armenian national drink, Bud Light, so I had a sixer or so of that, which was hard because my goblet made out of a lamb skull kept leaking all over the place.

Last night I tried the new Zen Sushi where the old Zen Toro used to be. So, if I'm right about this (take a deep breath here), the new Zen Sushi is owned by the people who used to own Taka's on 16th and S which had no connection to the actual chef Taka who pulled out as partner years ago but the old Taka's (on 16th and S) will sometime soon become a sushi restaurant at which the actual Taka is the chef (I don't know what this place will be called). Ahem. Well the new Zen Sushi is pretty much exactly like Takas except they classed it up a bit and sadly perhaps did not rehire some of their trashier waitresses? Where is the Kabuki girl? Where is the girl with the 69 tattoo? I did not even see any buttcrack while I was there so it was hard for me to work up an appetite. The most exciting thing that happened was that this guy at the next table (who I'm pretty sure was vegetarian) had talked them into preparing a mushroom dish made with enoki mushrooms steamed in a foil pouch with some broth and he let us try and it was delicious! Very meaty (the highest compliment one can give to a vegetable dish). I will for sure order that next time, but I'm not sure it's on the menu. Also the fresh salmon nigiri was like butter.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

enoki's on the menu --- get it everytime -- hecka meaty, hella tasty

beckler said...

oh, the guy said it wasn't. cool.

Does anyone know what happened to the Barnseyard. If for some reason Dan has taken it down I will start a hunger strike until he puts it back up. Who's with me?

Anonymous said...

Where is chef Lou Valente? Is he at Zen Sushi or will he be at whatever pops up in the Taka's space? Lou!!! I need my Lou.

Ella

beckler said...

Hunger strike stretching into hour two...feeling weak...send help..

Anonymous said...

I wish I had found this blog earlier. I would have loved to go to that Armenian thing.

I am fairly new to sushi(two years ago the thought of raw fish made me gag, then I had Hamachi, then amaebi, now I am onto scallops.) and it seems as though you have a solid knowledge of Sacramento area any suggestions? I am out in Carmichael if you could try to aim thata way. Or any other gems that come to mind.
Thanks,
bysh

Anonymous said...

Lou Valente is still at Zen. He;s my favorite too. I went back 2 last week just to eat his special shrimp dish. YUM!