North of Happy Quotes

“What makes a taco perfect?"
"Beautiful question," Felix said. "It's a taco that tastes as good as the idea of a taco itself. A taco that'll hold steadfast through memory's attempt to erase it, a taco that'll be worthy of the nostalgia that it will cause. A taco that won't satisfy or fill but will satiate your hunger. Not just for tonight but for tacos in general, for food, for life-it-fucking-self, brother. You will feel full to your soul
"But!" he added, a callused index finger pointed straight up at the sky. "It's also a taco that will make you hunger for more tacos like it, for more tacos at all, for food, the joy of it, the beauty of it. A taco that makes you hungry for life and that makes you feel like you have never been more alive. Nothing short of that will do.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“There's something special about plating a dish for the first time. Making something in real life match what was in your mind's eye. I see one of those long, rectangular platters with three separate compartments. The colors are almost exactly what I was envisioning. The darkness of the sesame crust and the ponzu in the first one, contrasted with the bright green cucumber beneath and the bright red sauce on top. The cauliflower-thyme puree in the middle dish, perfectly off-white and flecked with green, the orange Cajun exterior, the drizzle of lemon oil over all of it. And the taco. The perfect spice of the aioli, the cilantro smelling like home.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“Then Emma appears at my side, work shirt unbuttoned, a baby-blue tank top underneath. She smells like lavender and lemongrass, like a morning spent in bed, drifting off into pleasant dreams.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“PEACH CARDAMOM ROLLS


1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
.75 ounces active dry yeast
2 large eggs
1 can of peaches, drained and diced
7 cups flour
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 handful slightly cracked cardamom pods
1/2 cup powdered sugar”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“Felix could sound like a Hallmark card, like boxed inspiration, but he was earnest enough to make you fall for it.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN SANDWICHES

2 pounds pounded chicken breasts
2 cups flour
2 large eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons hot sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons garlic powder


FOR SLAW:
1 purple cabbage
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 julienned red pepper
2 carrots, grated
14 cup mayo
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“ISLA FLOTANTE


4 eggs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 cups whole milk
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons rum
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lime juice”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“TUNA THREE WAYS

1:
3 ounces sashimi-grade ahi tuna
4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 small cucumber, spiraled
1 roasted Scotch bonnet pepper
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons ponzu sauce
3 tablespoons basil leaves



2:
3 ounces sashimi-grade ahi tuna
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (thyme, cayenne, paprika, garlic, onion)
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup veggie stock
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon lemon oil



3:
3 ounces sashimi-grade ahi tuna
2 tablespoons chili ancho aioli
2 teaspoons Mexican chimichurri
1 flour tortilla
berry”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“MOM'S SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

6 stewed tomatoes
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch basil leaves
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon oregano
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
Splash of balsamic vinegar”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“PAN DE MUERTO

4 cups flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
3 tablespoons orange zest
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange blossom water
1/4 cup butter”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“GYOZA IN ORANGE-BASIL BROTH

FOR THE FILLING:
1 pound flor de calabaza
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, chopped
2 red onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons ginger
2 tablespoons sesame oil

FOR THE BROTH:
12 cups veggie stock
4 tablespoons ginger
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“CHICKEN SKEWERS AL PASTOR

6 pounds chicken breasts
3 red bell peppers
3 green bell peppers
3 red onions

FOR THE ADOBO:
2 cups orange juice
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup guajillo peppers, rehydrated
2 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons cumin”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“PIBIL EGGS BENEDICT

1 English muffin
2 slow-poached eggs
4 ounces pulled pork, cochinita pibil-style
A pinch of chopped cilantro

FOR THE HABANERO HOLLANDAISE:
2 habanero chilies, deveined and seeded
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup butter”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“CUBAN LECHÓN ASADO


50-pound pig
5 heads of garlic
4 cups orange juice
2 cups lime juice
1 cup sherry
1/2 cup pineapple juice
4 tablespoons oregano
3 teaspoons ground cumin
6 bay leaves
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons kosher salt
5 tablespoons olive oil”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“What are you up to?
I tell her, a little proud that I can answer with something truthful, that I'm not just passed out in a motel room, begging for sleep to save me from my thoughts. You?


The same thing I do every night, Carlos.


Trying to take over the world? I write, sure she's making a Pinky and the Brain reference, this old cartoon that Felix got me into.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“Lately, though I wouldn't admit it to anyone, much less Emma, I plan out dates. I don't let my mind skip ahead to a predictably sexy ending but rather linger on the details of each step. Meeting her at her door, the exact way I'd greet her. A kiss on the cheek, my lips on her skin. A picnic on that hill she loves, fireflies illuminating our grilled cheese sandwiches (roasted vegetables inside, three artisanal cheeses, thyme butter).”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“It's just the two of us. She shows me more secret passageways through the woods until the trees clear to reveal a large, moonlit meadow. We stop at the edge. Emma's looking at me expectantly, and at first I'm not sure what I'm supposed to see. I see tall, unkempt grass surrounded by trees. Then, like my eyes are playing tricks on me, fluorescent green lights flash on and off in the field, some of them rising up like bubbles in a pot of boiling water, some shooting across and lighting up the ground below them.
"Whoa."
"Pretty, right?" Emma says, turning her neck slowly from me to the meadow.
"I almost never see fireflies."
"I did some research, and they're not even supposed to exist west of Kansas. I have no idea why there's so many of them here."
We walk through the field together, and in the blinking green lights I can see Emma's hand inches from my own, I see the curves and dips of her face in profile and I wonder how it is that I can find the space between things beautiful.
Emma stops for a second and reaches into the waist-high grass, her hand disappearing in the dark. She pulls it back out to reveal a berry I have never seen before, not in the smorgasbord of rainbow-colored fruit at American grocery stores and definitely not anywhere in Mexico. It is the size of a child's fist, and the skin is prickly, like a lychee's.
"When I was a kid, if I was mad at my mom, I'd hide out here for the day, picking out berries," Emma says. "I had no way of knowing if they were poisonous, but I'd feast on them anyway." She digs her thumb into the skin to reveal a pulpy white interior. She takes a bite out of it and then hands it to me. It's sweet and tangy and would be great in a vinaigrette, as a sauce, maybe along with some roasted duck. "I don't even think anyone else knows about these, because I've never seen them anywhere else. I'm sure she'd put it on her menu if she found out about them, but I like keeping this one thing to myself."
We grab them by the handful, take them with us down the hill toward the lake. Sitting on the shore, gentle waves lapping at our ankles, we peel the berries one by one. A day or two ago, I thought of Emma as pretty. Tonight, her profile outlined by a full moon, she looks beautiful to me. I wish I could drive the thought away, but there it is anyway. The water---or something else about these nights---really does feel like it can cure hopelessness.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“ATOLE

5 cups water
1/2 cup masa
2 cinnamon sticks
5 tablespoons piloncillo
1 tablespoon vanilla extract”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“Whenever my family goes out to eat, it's usually fancier restaurants---an Argentine steak house, a French bistro, one of those classic return-home tacos. Mom likes to eat healthy, and so she's taught Rosalba to make recipes off the internet, dishes with quinoa and kale and coconut oil subbed in for butter. Felix was the biggest proponent of traditional Mexican dishes, taking me to restaurants and markets our parents wouldn't set foot in, begging Rosalba to bust out anything in her repertoire.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“GRILLED CHICKEN KEBABS


3 pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 red onion
1 cup mushrooms



FOR THE MARINADE:
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1 shallot
3 tablespoons dried oregano
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“Staff meal."
The words are sweet relief, and I untie the apron Roberto gave me, hanging it up on the hook by the entrance. Sure, I ate here last night. But there were so many things on the menu I didn't order. The open-faced duck confit sandwich with red wine aioli, the almond-crusted salmon with zucchini puree, tempura vegetables, chipotle oil. I wonder how this works, if we get to choose whatever we want. Or maybe it's some new creation, some experimental dish that Chef tries out on the staff before adding it to the menu. To think that I might try one of her dishes before anyone else is all the reward I need for today's scrubbing, for the hot water that has splashed all over me throughout the day.
What I find instead is a sheet tray of charred burger patties, most of them covered in toxic-yellow American cheese. There's another sheet tray with toasted buns and matchstick fries. Morris and Boris are leaning against the coffee station, taking huge bites in sync. I try to hide my disappointment, follow Elias's lead and grab a plate. I'm shocked that some people are eating it just like that, munching down as quickly as possible without bothering with the condiments. I'm starving too, but it's crazy to me that Chef Elise's food is at their fingertips and everyone's just letting it sit there.
There's a whole line of deli containers right in front of us, and I can't even tell what's in them, but the mere thought is making my mouth water. Whispering so that no one can laugh and/or yell at me, I ask Elias if it's cool to use some of the mise to spruce up the burger. He shrugs. "Do your thing." It mellows the disappointment a little: pickled red jalapeños, cilantro aioli, Thai slaw.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“SALMON WITH ANGEL HAIR PASTA


3/4 bottle dry white wine
5 lemons (and zest)
1/2 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
1 pint heavy whipping cream
4 8-ounce salmon filets
500 grams angel hair pasta
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned
1 4-ounce jar capers”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“Emma counts down to three, and as soon as we splash into the water, it comes alive. Millions of white lights sparkle. They radiate out like a shockwave, tiny brilliant explosions like nothing I've ever seen. Emma is stomping onward, a path of light in her wake. I follow along, but I go slower, not wanting to take the next step until the last one has subsided, afraid that the magic will run out. It's like lightning underwater, like microscopic fireflies raging in sync. When the water calms back to darkness, I lean over, run my hand through the water. The lights follow suit, like it's my skin that's charged and not the water.
I hear Emma's stomping and near-maniacal laughter get closer. "What is this?" I ask, my face only a few inches away from the water. I hadn't even noticed how warm the lake is, how soaked through my jeans are. I swirl my fingers across the surface, enchanted.
"This is nature being ridiculous," Emma says. "Bioluminescent plankton. Like swimming in fireworks.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“I still can't believe how much I can see of the woods. Each branch and leaf is lit up as if it's beneath a spotlight. This place feels like a fantasy, like any minute now we'll cross paths with a group of fairies, and Emma will simply wave hello at them, used to the sight.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“Suddenly, I'm thinking about all I didn't know about Felix's life. What he ate at the Israeli restaurant, for example, the meal that made him want to come here.
"Endive salad with creamy yuzu dressing, followed by three-chili shrimp scampi," Felix cuts in. "For dessert: white chocolate gelato with fresh pomegranate and a passionfruit drizzle.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“Suddenly, I'm thinking about all I didn't know about Felix's life. What the ate at the Israeli restaurant, for example, the meal that made him want to come here.
"Endive salad with creamy yuzu dressing, followed by three-chili shrimp scampi," Felix cuts in. "For dessert: white chocolate gelato with fresh pomegranate and a passionfruit drizzle.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“CHERRY MOON PIES


6 ounces unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cherry extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup whole milk
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons coconut oil”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy

“I'm not sure why, but my instinct today is to go with the taste of home. Some chicken thighs, some poblano peppers, a bag of rice, Mexican crema (I'm surprised to find the real stuff, not that whipped-cream-looking shit they serve in Tex-Mex restaurants). Tortillas and Oaxaca cheese. I lose myself in the aisles, fingers trailing over heirloom tomatoes, herbs and produce and packets of exotic spices I can never find at home.”
― Adi Alsaid, North of Happy