Work

I had to work today. Usually in a restaurant there are a few cooks in the kitchen. Not here. There's me (the hot side), and then a pantry cook. So it gets a little hectic. First you have to prep for pretty much the whole service. And while you are prepping, the restaurant is open, so you are constantly interrupted with orders. So heavy prep can become even more stressful if there are a lot of guests before dinner service. Then once you get prep done some how, dinner service starts. And today, a party of 17 came in at 5:30. So I have that to deal with that and all the other tables. So let me paint the picture (this is a steakhouse in a hotel), I have to work grill, sauté, fry, and expo. And with a party of 17, there's a lot that goes into it. And with many other tickets hanging at the same time, it can get a little hairy. So I could have at one time 20 or so steaks and other proteins on the grill, plus sides, pastas, fried items, and trying to plate tickets at the same time. If you can't multitask, you're screwed. Yes, there's a lot going on. So once I get the 17 out, it's a little easier, but remember this restaurant is in a hotel, so there's room service orders also. No, I was wrong! I handled it all, but around 9, room service decided to throw 40 orders at me. I pushed them out, but the room service server couldn't keep up. I felt bad for him. Then breakdown and clean up. Which I have turned into an art and do it in about 15 minutes. Then go home and do it again.

Recipe of the day

White Bean Chili w/Chicken

1 medium red onion, small dice
3 celery stalks, small dice
1 green bell pepper, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
3 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon chipotle powder 
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
Juice of one lime 
Zest of one lime
2 lbs chicken, cooked and shredded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 to 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

For the chili, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large stock pot, over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and pepperso and cook for 5 minutes. Add cumin, oregano, chipotle powder and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Add broth, beans and salt. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add shredded chicken and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.

Las Palmas

I stopped in at Las Palmas today to sample their salsa and queso. Where I live, there are a lot of Mexican restaurants, so I like to check them out. And the best way, is their staples.
When I walked in, the hostess greeted me warmly and was nicely dressed. The front lobby created a warm and sophisticated atmosphere. So from that point, all was well. I placed my order and waited. As I waited, the hostess tried to make me comfortable by talking and genuinely seem interested. It was nice. I got my food and went home.
Their food:
The pico de gallo was fresh, but was not uniform in their cuts, so it was hard to get on a chip. It had nice flavor.
The chips were good, homemade, which is always a good thing. It shows they care to take the time to make fresh chips everyday.
The salsa was ok, too blended for me. I like it to have more texture. It was really mild, couldn't taste much cilantro either.
The high spot was the queso. There was a whole roasted jalepeno in the middle, so you could scoop a little with the chip and could decide how hot it would be. It was very creamy and milky white. Bursted with flavor and the jalepeno helped even more.
Over all I give Las Palmas 3 out of 5 knives.