Jambalaya recipe

Well, I used up an ample allotment of my 15 minutes of fame by virtue of appearing in today's edition of The Morning Call to share my spicy jambalaya recipe. It's simple and packed with flavor. Hope you enjoy it.

Coming soon: reports on La Lupita (Mexican) and Nueva Lanterna (Cuban).

Quick home cooking note: If you like Mexican hot sauces, I highly recommend Bufalo chipotle hot sauce. It's got loads of flavor, depth and complexity as well as a heck of a kick. I thought it was no longer available until I saw it last week at, of all places, the Weis in Cedar Crest Plaza. I picked up three bottles. Try it -- you won't be disappointed.

Happy new year's to all. And happy eating.

New Jamaican in Allentown

Downtown Allentown resident Jeff Pooley reports that Winston’s, a new Jamaican restaurant, has opened at 619 N. 7th St. in Allentown. He said he’s eaten there once and was impressed. (Thanks for the note, Jeff. I’ll have to give it a try the next time I’m near the 7^th Street corridor.)

New website for Kim's Kitchen

Kim’s Kitchen on Route 309 – the only known Korean restaurant in the Lehigh Valley, has a new website: http://www.kimskitchen309.com. The restaurant touts Korean, Italian and American cuisine (check out the menu), but it’s the Korean specialties that make Kim’s stand out.

Thai in downtown Bethlehem

The Thai restaurant I mentioned in August appears close to opening. A sign proclaiming the name as "Thai Thai" has been hung, tables are inside and lights are on. I can't quite figure out "Thai Thai" as a name -- is that to differentiate it from "Vietnamese Thai" or "Italian Thai?" At least it's not a pun like "Thai One On" or "Fit To Be Thai-ed." More to come.

Mexican creativity at Cactus Blue

Cactus Blue
2915 Schoenersville Rd # 4
Bethlehem, PA
(610) 814-3000

In reader polls and magazine lists, Cactus Blue is routinely recognized as one of the top Mexican restaurants in the Lehigh Valley. I've stopped in for lunch several times and have been satisfied. A recent dinner there confirmed its stature in my mind. One of my dinner companions knows the management, so rather than scanning the menu, we told our waitress to bring us three dishes that typified the restaurant's cuisine.

Before that, we dipped into chips and salsa, my personal food weakness. The salsa was obviously homemade and deliciously fresh. (I can only imagine how amazing it would be with seasonal tomatoes rather than the pink ones available in December.)

Here's a quick recap of our dishes:
Shrimp tacos (left): served "blue" style in flour tortillas with guacamole, lettuce, cheese (real queso fresca, not shredded cheddar) and cilantro. Sublime. A perfect marriage of simple ingredients.
Chile relleno: A meaty polblano lightly battered and fried golden brown, topped with salsa verde. Again, queso fresca stuffed in the pepper was true to the "fresca" part of the name.
Chicken encebollado (right): If Mexicans served stir-fry, this is what it would look like. Large chunks of tender chicken amid rajas (peppers and onions), pico de gallo and herbs. The flavors balanced nicely and complemented each other well.

The menu included expected Mexican dishes like burritos, flautas, chimichangas and tacos. But as usual, it's the unconventional dishes that demonstrate the restaurant's quality and creativity.

The service and atmosphere were commendable as well. Overall highly recommended.