Onion

Serves 6-8 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large white onion, peeled and diced ¼ teaspoon turmeric 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon Coleman's mustard powder ¾ cup whole milk 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook potatoes until tender in salted water. Drain. In a saucepan, add oil and cumin seed.

DINING OUT Celebrating nine successful years in a cozy little Laguna Avenue site, the popular Thai Bros. restaurant has just launched its latest menu. Found in the whimsical categories of Appethaizers (starters), Go Hog Wild (pork dishes), Go Fish (seafood), are an array of enticing new taste treats. Nue Ka Tiem is grilled marinated beef over lettuce topped with garlic sauce; Gang Suparod means shrimp, scallops, pineapple in curry sauce; Yankee Noodle is Thai-style spaghetti with ground chicken, shrimp, vegetables.

The old China Bistro has gotten a face-lift, a menu transplant and assumed a new identity! She now calls herself Taz/Asian Fusion and has a sexy new personality. In the competent hands of Geri Hulon, a former interior designer, and her son Dan Baker, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef, the food and the space itself have been remodeled. Old favorites still appear on the menu in a slightly different format, but there is an entirely new selection of chef?s specials that are innovative and particularly delicious.

For the uninitiated, yoga is intimidating. There's hot yoga, cold yoga and for me, lukewarm yoga. Seemingly overnight, yoga has grown into a subculture, a club, a movement. With its many names and rules, it is complicated and inscrutable. You are not alone if you believe it is impossible exercise, unattainable spiritualism, fleeting serenity and holy hell punishment. There is a reason it is a four-letter word. Nonetheless, I was intrigued and tentatively made inquiries. My only challenge was finding a yoga studio with a sense of humor.

A new pizza joint opened in town, and the chef says it's serving up something locals don't get enough of. NEApolitan Pizzeria and Birreria opened Nov. 3 at the former Cafe Vienna spot, 31542 S. Coast Hwy. Chef Frank DeLoach, previously sous chef of The Playground in downtown Santa Ana, said the eatery is offering true artisanal pizza - which he said doesn't abound in Laguna - cooked in a state-of-the-art Stefano Ferrara oven. DeLoach, who traveled Italy, says the restaurant offers rustic Southern Italian fare.

Serves 8-10. Best prepared several hours in advance or the night before. 3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into large chunks 3 cloves of garlic, peeled 2 cups chicken stock 32 ounce container of plain yogurt (We like Trader Joe's Greek style) 3 bell peppers finely diced (red, yellow and green) 1 red onion, finely diced and then soaked in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry. 1 cup mixed, red and green grapes, cut in half lengthwise ½ cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons white pepper cilantro to garnish 1. Process cucumbers, garlic and stock in a blender until smooth.

You may not see stars if you visit Star Cafe in Montrose, but you might have a stellar, if casual, meal. This comfortable spot has been popular with locals since the 1980s, and the saw-dusted floors and relaxed atmosphere make it especially family-friendly. An air-conditioned, enclosed patio up the back stairs offers a respite from the clanging kitchen clatter up front. Soft, fragrant, oil-rich rolls are brought to the table immediately. The bread, flecked with pepper flakes and spice, is frighteningly addictive.

DINING OUT Another oldie and goodie on the local dining scene is The Jolly Roger, with roots that hark back to 1950 when Bob and Jack Guyer launched this popular restaurant opposite Main Beach on Coast Highway. Still family owned under astute direction of personable Ross Bartlett, the inviting interior is warmed by the same copper-hooded rock fireplace of yore, while the homey decor is constantly refurbished. A stained-glass sailboat divider concealing the kitchen is a refreshingly recurring theme noted in paintings and artwork.

Terry?s Grandmother?s Chicken Soup Broth is best prepared in advance so it may chill and fat can be easily removed. 1 roasting chicken, halved or quartered, excess fat removed 3 quarts of water 2 teaspoons salt 1 small parsnip, peeled 2 large carrots, peeled and quartered 1 medium onion, whole 2 stalks celery with leaves, cut in half 3 or 4 sprigs of parsley pinch of sugar salt and white pepper...

Drop-dead gorgeous! There?s just no other way to say it. Sitting in front of a huge picture window at sunset just after a rain, looking out at the ocean with the waves crashing ? every attempt at description becomes a cliche. The Studio at the Montage sits atop a cliff above the ocean in a spectacular spot with views up and down the coast. This Craftsman-style cottage with its high ceilings, beautiful woodwork, enormous windows and splendid floral displays is as beautiful as any restaurant in the world, while the food is exceptional and cutting-edge.

Serves 6-8 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large white onion, peeled and diced ¼ teaspoon turmeric 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon Coleman's mustard powder ¾ cup whole milk 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook potatoes until tender in salted water. Drain. In a saucepan, add oil and cumin seed.

DINING OUT Celebrating nine successful years in a cozy little Laguna Avenue site, the popular Thai Bros. restaurant has just launched its latest menu. Found in the whimsical categories of Appethaizers (starters), Go Hog Wild (pork dishes), Go Fish (seafood), are an array of enticing new taste treats. Nue Ka Tiem is grilled marinated beef over lettuce topped with garlic sauce; Gang Suparod means shrimp, scallops, pineapple in curry sauce; Yankee Noodle is Thai-style spaghetti with ground chicken, shrimp, vegetables.