Gudetama at Plan Check in Downtown LA
“Turn that frown upside down, Gudetama, you’re the life of the party!”
Those words of encouragement didn’t do much to put Gudetama in a peppy mood. It was probably because he knew we were all going to take a bite out of the little yolk. It was true, myself and a number of foodies were at Plan Check in Downtown LA for the launch of the Gudetama menu. I’ve been to Plan Check for dinner when I first started my blog and then to review their Market Milkshake Monday, but this review of the adorable Sanrio character would be another exciting dinner. The event kicked off on October 30th (yes this is a late post, sorry!) and will end on November 29th (yes that’s soon, sorry again!), so there’s still a couple of days to get in on the fun. That means, the minute you finish reading I suggest you head over and try it out for yourself.
Once all us foodies mingled and sat down to eat, the waiters brought out the food. The prix-fixe menu offered four Gudetama inspired courses for $39. The first item from the menu was the Orange-Ginger Egg Cream Soda. Bringing the ice cold soda to my lips for a sip, the first taste was the froth. The soft and foamy bubbles were just the intro to the easily flavored drink. It wasn’t too heavy on the orange or ginger side. I could taste the base of the orange soda prominently, but the ginger came as a subtle accent throughout the cup. Not a bad drink.
Next up to the table was the Crispy Blanket Egg. The rounded egg took soy sauce egg, spicy pork belly sausage, and miso aioli. At first glance, I didn’t see the cute Gudetama appeal, but once I sliced the fried egg in half, the lazy little guy made his appearance! In spite of his cuteness, I still ate him. The exterior of the egg was crispy and textured, while the interior was soft and smooth. The one aspect that transitioned from outside of the egg to the inside was the saltiness of it all. It was almost as if it was too salty because it overshadowed the spiciness of the pork belly. I wish it had been a bit easier, but I moved on because the sliders were up next.
The third dish to the table was the set of Beef Sliders. The sliders were cooked medium rare with a single sunny fried quail egg, cheese two ways, bacon two ways, ketchup leather, and hot sauce. Now this dish was delightful and delicious. Seeing Gudetama’s sluggish face inside of my slider was adorable, but once I slammed the bun on his face and the yolk oozed out, I dove into the burger face first. The varying versions of cheese and bacon on top of the beef were delectable, but the break of the yolk increased the flavor and made it mouthwatering. Oh Gudetama, you taste so good!
The final dish was the dessert: Chocolate Custard Pudding and an Apricot Thumbprint Cookie. The custard pudding was thick, creamy, and rich. An easy devour that made me feel like I was back in middle school eating pudding on the school yard. It was a great moment of nostalgia until my spoon hit the bottom of the cup and I was brought back to the reality of being an adult. Damnit! The apricot thumbprint was a sweet sugar cookie with powdered sugar covering its surface. This gets messy quickly, but as long as you’re not decked in black from head-to-toe, you’ll be fine. I was in all black.
A fun little suggestion when you get the dessert is to dip the cookie into the pudding. Yes, it sounds weird to mix chocolate and apricot, but that’s just your brain trying to tell you what to do. Follow my gut and do what I say because the combo is actually quite good. It’s like a chocolate covered apricot with powdered sugar. Sounds good now right? I know.
The Plan Check event was a fun way to pair the popular character with sweet and savory dishes. I enjoyed seeing him pop up in my plates, but kind of felt awkward eating the lovable fella. Once I got past that feeling, he tasted good so I don’t feel that bad devouring him.
Sorry Gudetama, but not sorry.
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