Eleanor Hoh

Chow Down Grill Wok Star Christmas Lunch

December 20, 2010 By Eleanor Hoh 1 Comment

Josh Marcus explains his concept of Chow Down Grill and gave the inside scoop about his South Beach restaurant slated to open February 2011 right on Alton Road/9th right opposite The Miami Ad School. Everyone enjoyed today’s Chinese Family Style Lunch and just getting together. Some I hadn’t seen in years, many were Wok Stars, but there were also some new people (some I didn’t get photos of, boo.) Thanks everyone for celebrating with me.
If you want to join me in future HOH WOK CLUB gatherings in South Florida, sign up for my FREE newsletter in right side bar, so you’ll get first dibs to these gatherings.

Starter: Himachi sashimi, an extra surprise Josh presented

Starter: Chow Down Chop Salad

Chinese Style Family Lunch with Mongolian Beef, broccoli and steamed chicken dumpling.

Dessert: pumpkin bread pudding and rice pudding

Why do I have a photo of Renee with jars of jams? She came bringing 3 Freakin’ Flamingo handcrafted jams and I didn’t get a photo of her, boo! I love supporting entrepeneurs like Josh (chef) and Renee especially when she makes jams this good, slurp. I got 2 Blueberry Mojitos and a Caribbean Cranberry. Once you’ve had it, you cannot eat store bought. She only does small batches, so get yours quickly before they go. Great gift idea, woo hoo!

Left to right: Ro-ann, Rick, Polita, Duba, Andrea

Front to back: Chris, Yumi, Mary, Alan at the bar

Left to right: Mary, Nina, Linda, Myriam, Alan, Jorge

Left to right: Jen, John and kids

Josh (chef, co-owner of Chow Down Grill), Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

Left to right: Linda, Jorge, Myriam

Mary (Wok Star who comes to all my events!) and Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

Gorgeous weather so some of us sat outside!
UPDATE: Chow Down Grill Surfside has been converted into Josh’s Deli in Surfside in 2012! However, Chow Down Grill & Lounge has moved to South Beach. Read my restaurant review .

HOH WOK CLUB – INDOMANIA, July 12

July 23, 2010 By Eleanor Hoh 4 Comments

HOH WOK CLUB – INDOMANIA July 12, 2010

My first HOH WOK CLUB gathering in 2010 after a few year’s hiatus was at Indomania for an intimate sit-down Rijsttafel, Monday July 12. It was a huge success, so much so we are having a second one for those who couldn’t get in. Hope to see you then, details below.
We had a very interesting group with entertainment attorneys, numerous wine enthusiasts, the South Florida Foodies
(I am honored to be a member of, it is by invitation only, not sure you can even see their Facebook page if you’re not a member), a judge, NPR, PR, travel writer, even a VIP, Jon Secada who came with a group of 9. We received wonderful feedback the next day to say how much everyone enjoyed it. Food is only a part of it, the company is what makes sharing the food so much more delightful.

Indomania owners: Isabel flanked by parents, Pieter an Chef Ineke

Rijsttafel is a ‘rice table’ with lots of delectable dishes, full menu below. Chef Ineke created a special 12-dish Rijsttafel to give guests a little taste of Indonesia, see menu below.
Growing up in Hong Kong, I remember my mom’s Malaysian dishes which are very similar to those from Indonesia, so I am thrilled to find this charming restaurant in a low key part of Miami Beach.
After many visits to Miami, Chef Ineke and husband Pieter from Holland were finally able to realize their dream and open their own restaurant. They designed their restaurant as if it was their own dining room: small and cozy with intriguing Indonesian photographs on the walls and batik tablecloths.

Chef Ineke’s 12-dish Rijsttafel Menu:Snacks with drinks

Kropok: shrimp crackers

Shrimp wontons with sweet, chili dip

Emping with peanut sauce

Appetizer:

Gado Gado, salad with tofu, french beans, egg, beansprouts
and cabbage with a peanut/coconut dressing

Sateh Ayam, skewer with grilled chicken

Beef Semor: braised beef in a sweet soy sauce

Ayam bumbu Bali: Balinese spiced chicken

Babi Medan: slow cooked porc with ginger, lime leaves and lemon grass

Atjar Tjampoer: sweet and sour pickled vegetables

Sayur Lodeh: mixed vegetables in a coconut broth

Gulay Telor: curried eggs

Toasted coconut and peanuts (sprinkle on everything)

Noodles

Nasi Kuning: yellow rice steamed with lemon grass and galanga– —

Rudjak: Indonesian fruit salad

Black rice pudding with coconut milk

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Is this how it looks when foodies go out to eat? 5 cameras snapping:

Jen’s food shots were great, mine were a bit dark.Take a look at our Facebook pages for more photos.

Indomania hosted a fantastic dinner party on Miami River Wall and got videotaped by Fox Style File TV!
NEXT EVENT: Indomania, August 16

Mother's Day, Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Miami River Wall

April 30, 2010 By Eleanor Hoh 2 Comments

Miami River Wall, newest venue to

host Wok Star cooking classes

I’m very excited to announce Miami River Wall is my newest venue to host my Wok Star cooking classes and just in time to celebrate Mother’s Day and Asian Pacific Heritage month which is in May. I want to dedicate this month to my mom who is responsible for teaching me wok cooking and introducing me to using a lightweight, cast iron wok!

So, what is Miami River Wall? Peter Kastan and Bob Pelligrini started their first vertical plant wall based on Frenchman, Patrick Blanc’s concept. Here’s a small segment of Peter last weekend at Fairchild Tropical Food and Garden Festival during his Pecha Kucha talk.

Lovely to see Peter Kastan with wife Mei and son.

But they took it one step further and recently added a new wall with herbs, chilies and edible flowers – all grown hydroponically i.e. no soil, just water and nutrients. How perfect for my cooking classes because I like to use fresh ingredients.

Peter switch on the lights for the herb wall

I like this living wall better than having a piece of art because it’s constantly changing instead of being 2D static. It’s also a very refreshing and cool idea and at the same time eco-friendly and green!

Mei is responsible for planting the walls!

Even though I put my cilantro in a jug of water and put a bag over it to keep it longer, I still can’t use it fast enough. How I would love to have a fresh herb, chili wall. Well, at least on days I’m giving my class, I’ll get to spend time with it.

Come join me for a Wok Star cooking class where I show you my simple, NO-RECIPE technique using my Wok Star Kit. And with only a few fresh ingredients and seasonings, dinners are easy and quick with very little cleanup! There’ll be 4 stir fry combinations savored with Gancia Prosecco and Fiji Water.

If you love to express yourself, show off to your date, or learn a new approach to making weeknight dinners, this class is for you! Cooking is more than just about food, it’s about creating experiences and memories with family and friends…

Anyone can be a Wok Star!

Click to book your class, buy a Mother’s Day gift certificate, view menu and more class details