What, might you ask, is a scotch quail egg? It’s a soft-boiled quail egg, wrapped in ham, breaded and deep fried. And, well, it’s delicious. Had I ordered nothing else that morning, I would have been completely content. That said, I have no regrets about moving forward with the apple cinnamon beignets, the buttermilk biscuits with homemade apple jam, and the wild mushroom scramble with crispy sweet potato shavings. I’ve been to Ramos House now several times and can’t say enough about it. For one, it’s hands down one of the most charming restaurants I’ve ever stepped foot in. I could spend hours in the bathroom alone. Truly. Go. You’ll understand. But even if Ramos House wasn’t rooted in an idyllic garden, flanked by lemon trees and gurgling fountains, stationed next to a railway leading to, perhaps, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the food would make up for any lack of ambience. This place is worth a trip across the country. Seriously. All of you East Coasters who have yet to come visit me in sunny California, here’s some more fodder. It has been a little over a year now since I moved, and I am finally feeling settled. Meaning, I have finally found some food outlets that rival, in their own way, Ding Ho noodles, Fisher’s soft pretzles, and Melograno’s mushroom pappardelle. My most recent visitors shared my enthusiasm for Ramos House. And, before leaving the OC last week, they managed to so kindly buy me a copy of the Ramos House Cafe cookbook. Words cannot describe my excitement. While I haven’t tested the recipe below, I have a feeling it’s a winner.
Serve with: 5 from 1 review Please use the recipe below as a guide. I can’t find good clamato juice, so I use tomato purée or “strained tomatoes” (680 ml) mixed with water (320 ml). I also add more of everything to taste: way more fresh lemon juice (probably 3 tablespoons at least), and more Worcestershire, horseradish, and hot sauce to taste. For a tall glass, I add about 2 shots of vodka (3 ounces roughly) over ice, then pour the bloody Mary mix over top. Crack more pepper over top and garnish with the pickled green beans. I use this recipe to pickle the green beans. 5 from 1 review 5 from 1 review
5 from 1 review
