Vegetarian feast at Buddhist monastery (long)

[Windy]

18 hungry chowhounds journeyed north yesterday to celebrate the end of summer with lunch at the City of 10,000 Buddhas, a monastery in Ukiah.

We met up at the Healdsburg farmer's market, where we stocked up on heirloom tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, organic peppers, caramel dip made from goat cheese, and some wild looking mushrooms. We then caravaned north to the monastery, roughly 110 miles north of San Francisco.

The restaurant accommodates about 100 people. Reservations are not necessary, although Yimster had called ahead and arrranged a set menu. All the food is vegetarian; further, no garlic or onions are used in the preparations. The good news: you won't miss them.

The first course was the combination lo wei, a series of wrapped bean sheets, made to resemble smoked chicken, stuffed duck, and a sesame-wrapped roll stuffed with pickled radish that reminded me of sushi. Sweet roasted cashews adorned the platters. The "duck," stuffed with mushrooms, was the clear favorite at my table. Exquisite.

Yimster pre-ordered the three jewel soup, and this split my table down the middle. The soup had a bitter broth, with a variety of mysterious "meats"--a mock fish cake, mushrooms, and a fantastic meatloaf like substance that we speculated might be made from gluten. I found the broth dreadful ("medicinal" being the most frequent comment) but liked many of the items in the stew. Ben was the only member of my table who felt the soup was "outstanding" and described the kitchen's cooking at the "culmination of soy technology."

The next dish was bamboo heart (pith), sauteed with tomatoes and mushrooms. I'd never had bamboo heart before and loved it. It looked like tripe but had a spongy texture that soaked up wth sauce. (With many dishes, we found ourselves comparing them to non-vegetarian dishes; I don't mean to offend any vegetarians with the comparisons.) D.Doodad found this dish a little subtle.

At this point, the platters were arriving faster than we could eat them. The mushrooms with basil was a crowd favorite. Not a traditional Chinese dish, the mushrooms had a chewy texture as if they had been dried. Yimster speculated they had been fried first.

A platter of sweet and sour tofu puffs was a wonderful blend of textures. Deep fried, stuffed with mushrooms, crunchy, it reminded me of the pleasures of fried chicken. The sauce was described as "viscous." If I have any criticism of the kitchen, it's that they are too generous with their sauces. Many of the bean sheets were delicate and easy overpowered by so much liquid.

Another platter arrived with cakes in a mild coconut curry sauce. Inside they were fluffy; like a bean sheet Spanish omelet. They were adorned with juliened carrots. This is where another stomach would have come in handy.

The jade rolls arrived, crunchy sheets of phyllo-like pastry stuffed with bean sprouts and vegetables, in a warm broth. If I went again, I'd probably ask for the sauce on the side, but even Sophia the chowbaby seemed to enjoy the rolls

Finally a platter of shitake mushrooms, adorned with a seaweed fungus. Low End Theory said this was one of his favorite dishes. I had been scraping the fancy black fungus off because I didn't like the slimy texture.

Fresh fruit, including sweet slices of honeydew and oranges, and crumbly white chocolate chip cookies finished the lunch.

Several people commented how good they felt despite eating so much--ordinarily, so many dishes would induce a food coma. Was it the absence of meat, the lack of carbohydrates, or the good vibes from the monastery?

The monastery can be reached at 707 462 0939; the restaurant is called Jyun Kang. It's located at the end of Talmage Road, about 2 miles east of 101. Peacocks roam the grounds. We didn't see too many monks, but the temperature was in the 90s by the time we left.

Our set lunch cost $18 each, including tax and tip. The courses run from $6-12. Drinks were extra and included fresh carrot juice. Many of us also took home frozen buns, fresh dried seaweed, and a mysterious "spaghetti sauce" made with cucumbers. And I magically ended up with the cookies.

After lunch, we made at stop at Jepson Winery. Look for notes on our tasting. I especially enjoyed sampling the fresh pressed grape juices. Quick detours included the Phoenix bakery in Hopland and the Solar Living Center, where we enjoyed the solar sprinkler system, picked up a few non-edible items, and fed the fish in the pong.

Our last stop was the taco trucks on Sebastopol Rd in Santa Rosa. Mark Braunstein prepared maps based on Melanie Wong's reports of the area and his recent scouting, although Mark, Louise, and Melanie had to leave after lunch.

Look for a writeup of dinner from Ben & Arlene. I only wish I had been hungrier. It was a lovely way to spend a Saturday night, walking under a full moon, enjoying quesadillas and pambazos alongside Latino families. I even enjoyed a bite of a tripe burrito.

A long day, even for us endurance 'hounds, but a deeply satisfying one. Thanks to everyone for their contributions too; we raised nearly $200 for chowhound.com.

[Ruth Lafler]

I think the absence of food-coma was due to the low levels of fat, especially saturated fat.

Even though a couple of the dishes weren't to my taste (I also found the soup bitter to the point of inedibility), there were enough winners and the overall quality of both the preparation and the ingredients makes this a must for vegetarians and anyone interested in this style of cooking.

My personal favorites were the Jade Roll with its crunchy wrapper, crisp julienned veggies and perfectly aligned trimmed bean sprouts, the fried stuffed tofu and the cakes in the rich, mild coconut milk curry. The mushrooms and basil were also outstanding (I enjoyed a few bites of this dish, even though I don't usually care for mushrooms).

There was much discussion of the black fungus threads (fat choi?) at our table -- this is an expensive luxury ingredient usually used sparingly, but this dish has copious amounts of it. Yimster wondered how they could afford it (we speculated that perhaps it was produced by another monestery and they got a monestary discount).

No alcoholic or caffienated beverages are served -- the tea is a roasted barley beverage. Several people at our table enjoyed the fresh carrot juice, and soft drinks are available (self-serve from the cooler).

Thanks, Windy, for arranging the visit to Jepson -- it was generous of them to take time right in the middle of the crush to talk to us. I wonder why Odwalla or someone isn't making raw, pulpy grape juice like the ones we tasted (the complex Zinfandel and the honied Chardonnay were my favorites).

Sitting around a picnic table sharing bites of taco truck fare on a balmy summer evening was the perfect conclusion.

Tally for the day:
One farmers' market
One restaurant
One winery
Two sidetrips to bakeries (Downtown Bakery in Healdsburg, Phoenix Bakery in Hopland)
Three taco trucks

That's a pretty good day of chowing!

[Yimster]

I have say that the soup was too bitter for my taste also. By after parting with our ride from our last stop Mrs. Yimster was saying how much she like the soup and glad that mo one else wanted seconds. She said that she finished everything and loved every drop.

The bitter herb soup is a taste loved by Chinese Chinese. I have too much of a American taste. The herb use in the soup is pricely. I have been told the in Chinese herbs the more bitter it taste the better it is for you.

The Fat Choy goes for about $40.00 a 1/2 lb the last time I saw it Chinatown. I still have a supply from a good deal years ago.

This type of meal is made for the true Chinese taste and is not like anything like what you get in the normal Chinses place.

[Melanie Wong]

I had a gagging reaction to the medicinal bitterness of the soup at first taste. But as you said, that's how you know it's good for you! My taste buds then adjusted, or maybe the bitterness receptors were completely overwhelmed, and then the other very subtle flavors of fresh and dry ingredients in the complex stock came forward.

I added a bit of soy sauce to my broth, and also dipped the "meaty" components in some soy. Salt is the antidote for bitter flavors and "sweetens" them. I had suggested this to others at our table, and wonder if others found it more palatable this way too.

[chibi]

I've heard from more than one of my Taiwanese relatives that they felt light and refreshed after going to a vegetarian buffet restaurant, even if they stuffed their faces. And believe me, they are experts of the buffet. I was always surprised to hear that, because I was usually ready to go into hibernation after eating at the Shanghainese vegetarian places in Hong Kong. Maybe it had something to do with all the deep-fried taro moulded into the shape into a fish and completed with maraschino cherry eyes. Must have been the maraschino cherries...

[Melanie Wong]

This was much lighter than some of the veggie Shanghai dishes I've had which often still have a lot of oil (sometimes even animal fat) and sugar. I found the herbal soup particularly cleansing. And, I was ready for the next buffet of the day by 7 pm ...

[Ben]

The convoy arrived in Santa Rosa and assembled at the Delicias Elenitas truck. There was a pleasant covered dining area in front with long tables and benches. The group started ordering tentatively at first, perhaps still wary of the massive lunch still working its way through us, so we warmed up to dinner with few item.

We started off with a Cubana torta which unfortunately did not really measure up to a real Cuban style ham sandwich. While the bread was good the jamon was rather dry and looked somewhat leathery. The tacos, particularly the lengua, made up for it. The meat was finely chopped and extremely tender. Same goes for the carne asada and cabezas tacos.

A dozen yards away was the – other – Delicias Elenitas truck and a few hounds tracked down some additional treats. The tinga pombasa was the general favorite. The chipotle sauce was very spicy hot and the entire sandwich and the starring braised beef were liberally doused with it. Derek called it “basically a big spicy gooey sandwich” dripping with goodness. (Note to myself – next time bring fat juicy moist towelette packs). The potato, chorizo, and cream pombasa was equally hefty and finger-licking.

After some rest and, following a status check with our bellies (which gave us the thumbs up for now) we decided to continue to La Texanita, another block and a half further west down the street. Having warmed up from the previous truck, we dove into this one a little less reluctantly. Some highlights:

- Tripas, which we had in both a taco and a burrito. The tripas were prepared a little differently here. It was fried more heavily, so that the exterior is now caramelized resulting is a very chewy consistency. Simon liked the new texture, others didn’t.
- The Al Pastor was cooked with pineapple chunks. Slightly unusual, but not bad at all. It adds an extra sweetness to the meat, though surprisingly no tanginess. The fruit also makes the meat a little extra softer in texture, as though it had a higher fat content than it actually did..
- The cabeza here is generally excellent. We had in both taco and torta form. Both versions came out outstanding in both taste and mouth feel – very very tender.
- The carnitas here is very wet – most of the sauce (grease? I suppose) was dripping from it. It gives the carnitas an extra kick in the mouth as soon as you bite into it. Also very good.
- You can have the tacos here “con panelo,” which means that your taco comes topped with a slab of cheese. If you order al pastor, or lengua, it would adds an extra layer of creaminess to the creamy meat, if you’re feeling a bit in a creamy mood.
- An slightly different drink was plentifully available all up and down this street, called atole. It is basically a VERY heavily creamed (yes, this street does contrast with our vegetarian meal earlier) corn drink, served warm, with liberal doses of cinammon. The cinammon was a bit overdone though, the creamed corn a bit too creamy and too sweet. It wasn’t a big hit among the crowd.
The manager of La Texanita also notes that they will take custom orders, mixing and matching any of the ingredients on the menu to your preference.

[Ruth Lafler]

Thanks for the write-up Ben (the rest of us were very relaxed at that point of the evening, after a glut of food, wine, sun and good fellowship, but poor Ben was diligently taking copious notes).

Melanie had described a pambazo as an 8-napkin event. I was amused to see that there were indeed little piles of soiled napkins all over the table -- Arlene and Ben each had five, for example, even though we were only sharing two pambazos. Also, people should be aware that the pambazos did not appear to be on the menus on the side of the truck -- I had to ask the person who was taking orders.

Unlike the trucks in Oakland, all three Santa Rosa trucks had "expeditors" -- people standing outside the truck who were taking orders and payment, answering questions and delivering the orders. The guy at the La Mexanita truck was particularly helpful and friendly -- when I asked what "con panela" was he gave me a sample. In fact, this truck had a much more festive vibe than the others. Someone also apparently spoke to the owner of the truck, who says they are opening up a mariscos truck shortly (next week?) that will be a little farther down the street.

Finally, a clarification: atole is not creamed corn, it is milk thickened with cornstarch or fine corn meal, flavored and served warm. This truck had "vanilla" atole, but I've also seen strawberry and guava atole (which presumably are made with fruit juice rather than milk). Champurrado, which we've discussed on the board before, is the specific name for chocolate atole.

[Windy]

I used at least six napkins for only one section of pambazo, but what a good bite of grease and chorizo it was.

Have we ever established whether anyone in San Francisco sells pambazos, or is a trip to Fruitvale required?

I thought the cabeza from La Texanita was the best I've tried (move over Bizou?). The quesadilla with fresh avocado and sour cream was also yummy. By the time we left (~8:15), La Texanita was really hopping. This truck was in the parking lot by the school (not the one by the car wash), a block west of the two Elenitas trucks.

And thanks to everyone who let me have a taste of their taco/atole/burrito even though I wasn't hungry enough to order anything myself. The people at the winery seemed amused when we were passing our glasses of wine around, sharing the tastings, but generosity was the nature of the crowd.

Here's the link to a previous thread on Sebastopol Road.

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Ruth Lafler]

I think people in winery tasting rooms are used to people who are there to drink free wine, not people who want to *taste* (and to buy -- I think almost all of us bought some -- Jennie Sheeks would have been proud of us).

I hate to ask someone to pour me even an ounce when I know I'm only going to be taking a couple of sips (especially since I was driving Saturday). When I go tasting I generally just ask for a couple of samples of wines I'm particularly interested in, then cadge a sip of my companions' if they seem to think it is particularly worthy or interesting.

I know it's considered perfectly acceptible to dump undrunk wine in a tasting room, but I don't like to waste it if I don't have to.

The hospitality at Jepson was wonderful -- thanks again to Alison and Kate in the winery and Sean in the tasting room.

The 20 percent discount they gave us meant several of us probably made up the modest $10 donation to Chowhound for the day's events (we raised another much needed $180 for Chowhound). I think $10 for two specially organized events (the vegetarian banquet specially pre-ordered by Yimster and the winery tour, which was special for us, not open to the public) is an extraordinary bargain. In addition, MarkB had put together summaries of Melanie's taco truck posts and marked them on a map for us.

Some people have questioned why they should be expected to make a donation to Chowhound to attend these events, but the expertise, utilization of contacts and organizational work that goes into a day like Saturday is donated by your fellow hounds, and makes for experiences individuals going on their own couldn't replicate.

[Yimster]

Speaking of Jeanne when do we get to go the her tasting room. In the words of my sons "road trip". Maybe a wine and food tour in Napa valley. Jeanne the ball is in your court

[Melanie Wong]

Thanks for clarifying which La Texanita truck you visited. I'll be curious about the "new" mariscos truck, since the one a couple blocks west in the car wash lot has seafood now. Only cold items, no hot ones (since the fish tacos were eliminated), but still very nice shrimp and/or octopus coctels. I actually like that truck's meat offerings a tad better, they seem less greasy and lighter to me.

[Melanie Wong]

You haven't commented on the food itself, Ruth. What did you think, oh Taco Truck Diva? I'm impressed by the napkin load factor your group achieved!

The truck at D.E. in the abandoned gas station often has handwritten signs listing pambazos, enchiladas, and other specialties on the windshield or other spots. But sometimes not.

[Ruth Lafler]

I thought the pambazos at D.E. were very close to the ones at La Torta Loca in flavor (maybe a little hotter). The bread was fluffier and fresher (and moister on the outside, either because the bread wasn't a little stale, or because they brushed more sauce on it) -- Jim says the bread is supposed to be stale, so perhaps this freshness is technically a flaw [g]. The tacos at D.E. didn't impress me -- they seemed dry and skimpy, and the torta didn't win any raves from the group.

The tacos at La Mexanita were much better -- lush and overflowing and topped with both braised onion and strips of grilled red pepper. The carnitas was a little too moist, though, and the pastor wasn't as flavorful as if could have been. The cheese on the carne asada con panela was not as melted as the guy claimed it would be. Let's call them a seven out of ten.

[Melanie Wong]

I would agree with your rating for both the Delicias Elenitas truck where you got the tacos (not the pambazo truck) and the La Texanita truck near the jewelry store. Both are second fiddle to their superior brethren of the same name. Now I'm feeling a little guilty that I couldn't be present to point out the difference.

One quality of many Mexican style cheeses is that they don't really melt or ooze, no matter what the guy claimed. Panela may soften a bit, but will keep its form.

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Yimster]

I agree with Ben about the willingness of the last taco truck made this truck the best on the trip. It should be noted that their new taco truck down the street will be doing seafood as their featured item.'

I look forward to trying this the next time I return to Ukaih.

I most likely will skip the other taco truck but will try shave ice. Maybe Mark will report on the new truck.

[Melanie Wong]

Many thanks to you, Lambert, and to Windy for putting together such a wonderful field trip to the north country. I've been talking about the temple lunch to nearly everyone I know for the last couple days. I'm sorry I couldn't stay with the group for the rest of your adventure.

[Millicent]

Thanks to Windy's friend Alison, the winemaker at Jepson, we got to see, smell, and taste grapes, juice, and wine after our delightful vegetarian lunch. Because they're in the middle of crush, Alison was very busy, but she gave us a helpful overview of the winemaking process and gave us glasses of grape juice on its way to becoming wine. The juice was delicious and a fun way to tease our palates.

We then went into (okay, took the place over) the tasting room, where we kept the two nice men busy pouring for us. I don't know how much everyone tasted there, but Scott and I shared tastes of 5 whites, 4 reds, a brandy and a dessert wine. The favorite whites were the viognier and the Chateau d'Alicia, which was a demi-sec table wine made from French Colombard grapes. Windy thought this would be particularly good with Chinese food, though Lambert thought it would be better in 2 - 3 more years. Of the reds, Ben liked the syrah, which was my favorite of the reds as well. According to my barely-legible notes, someone else thought the zinfandel would show better in another year or two, as it was a bit tart in the finish. A couple of people bought bottles of the sparkling wine, and both Ruth and Lambert liked the dessert wine, a fortified viognier, well enough to buy bottles.

[Melanie Wong]

You were indeed very fortunate to have the attention of the winemaker in the heat of crush! I'm so glad you got a chance to taste fully ripe WINE grapes and the fresh juice - there's no other fruit that matches that concentration of flavor, imo. Since I haven't tasted any fruit of this vintage yet, please tell me, what's the group's consensus opinion of this year's intensity of flavor and acid balance?

Best to be careful about drinking that stuff though, as raw grape juice is a powerful laxative. (G) Wine grape juice here on the North Coast has about 50% more sugar and ripeness than what's sold to consumers as grape juice.

[Windy]

Allison had planned to spend the tasting with us too, but their tractor broke down before we got there and they were busy spraying dry ice on the syrah grapes to cool them down.

I've toured many big wineries but had never gotten this close to the grapes before.

I preferred the syrah juice to the zinfandel juice (as I preferred the 2000 syrah to the zinfandel). It might have been a matter of temperature too; the zin I tasted was too warm.

The 2000 syrah was Allison's first important release since she came to Jepson after years at DeLoach, and one she's particularly proud of (it was well regarded at the recent Rhone Rangers event).

The chardonnay juice was cold and refreshing, like the champagne. The chateau d'Alicia is the cheapest wine they sell at $7 a bottle, but I thought it was a drinkable table wine.

I also had a sip of Ruth's brandy (ordinarily they charge for tasting the brandies) and enjoyed it, but not as much as the dessert wine.

[Melanie Wong]

Broken tractors and overheated grapes --- another typical crush! No one was recruited for punchdowns? Didn't get any grape must under your fingernails? (g)

I believe it is illegal to not charge the public for brandy samples (unlike table wine), so this clearly clearly was a private escorted tour of the winery.

[Ruth Lafler]

I have no basis for comparison on the complexity/acid balance question.

We actually tasted four different juices: fresh crushed Zinfandel, Petit Syrah and Chardonnay, and a Petit Syrah that had been crushed a week ago and already had the yeast added.

The week-old juice was very different -- the juice was darker, clearer and had a tangier flavor (from contact with the skins?)

Of the three fresh juices, I thought the Zinfandel was the most complex. The Chardonnay was the sweetest, with a honied quality.

[Melanie Wong]

Now you have a real purpose in returning to the wine country at harvest time. Zin juice is really delicious with overt berriness, isn't it? I still like Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer juice the best.

The week old juice with the yeast addition would have started alcoholic fermentation. Some of the sugar would have converted to alcohol, and being less sweet, the various acids would be more prominent. Skin contact would add to the color and also introduce phenolic compounds and tannic acids. The solids in the juice would have settled, naturally clearing the wine-to-be. If it was freshly scooped from a vat, did you notice if the juice was much warmer than ambient temperature? Some wineries like a fast, hot fermentation of PS, whereas others will make a few lots that ferment slower and cooler to blend in for extra fruitiness.

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Ruth Lafler]

The juice didn't seem warm (or course it was almost 100 degrees outside!). I don't have a specific memory, but I think it must have been room temperature for the cool interior of the wine-making area.

[Melanie Wong]

If you really want to immerse yourself in wine study, consider revisiting the winery and trying a barrel sample of this lot in about 6 to 9 months before it's bottled. Then taste the finished wine when it's released and beyond to track its complete development pattern from juice to maturity.

[Robert Lauriston]

We went there this past April. Some of the food was OK, some wasn't, not in any hurry to go back. Fun once if you're passing through Ukiah.