Author Archives: yumtravels

Ivar’s Seafood Bar

Posted in Seattle by

Growing up in the Bay Area, my standard of good clam chowder was what they sold at San Francisco’s infamous Fisherman’s Wharf. Boy, did I not know what good clam chowder was until I tried Ivar’s. The creamy, savory clam chowder with its bursting clam flavor and unexpected bacon makes it the best clam chowder I’ve ever had.

The smoked scallops won’t disappoint either. The scallops have a wonderful smoky flavor that balances out the sweet cracker that it’s served on.image

If you aren’t overwhelmed yet by the clams from the clam chowder, order the clam entree. Cooked in white wine sauce, it’s so good that you’ll slurp every last drop. My family kept fighting over this dish that we had to order two to keep the peace.

Fremont Troll


Seattle loves art. So much that the government will fund a good portion of it. On just about every corner you can find some sort of statue or art display. The Fremont Troll was the winning design to the Fremont Arts Council’s plan of rehabilitating the area under the bridge, which was becoming a dump. The troll is holding a real Volkswagen Beetle, while its one eye is a hubcap. When you visit the infamous troll, feel free to climb on the troll. 

(3405 Troll Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103)

Stumptown Coffee Roasters


Originated in Portland, Oregon, Stumptown Coffee has made its way to Seattle. People call this place hipster, I call it a legit wake up call. The coffee is strong but the quality is there. I also liked how this place was not crowded which makes it a great place to get work done.

Kiku Sushi

Posted in East Bay Area by

Fresh sushi places for a decent price are hard to come by in the Bay Area with its rising cost of living. Kiku Sushi keeps their prices reasonable despite being in Berkeley. The upside to this is getting to enjoy fresh sushi without breaking the bank.

The negi toro roll was decadently fatty. After one bite, I wanted more and couldn’t stop until the plate was finished.

From the specials menu, I got the sardine and hiramasa. Hiramasa (yellow amberjack) is the pink fish pictured below. It was fresh and delicious. I was excited to try the sardine since it was served in two parts: two nigiri pieces and a deep fried body. The nigiri was salty, just like sardines, but flavorful. The fried body is dipped in a special ponzu sauce before consuming. It was crunchy and tasty.

The chirasi bowl was different from the norm since they only offered one slice of fish per variety. It had eel, sardine, hamachi, salmon, albacore, tuna, and tomago. The fish was fresh however, the eel was coated in a cinnamon sugar sauce, which was off-putting. Otherwise, I would recommend this.

(1316 Gilman St., Berkeley, CA 94706)

Hard Knox Cafe

These days the Dog Patch neighborhood of San Francisco is looking to face lift everything, but one place that hasn’t changed in the past 16 years is Hard Knox Cafe. This inconspicuous restaurant, located across from Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous ice shop, serves up hearty Southern style comfort food. For $13, you can get a three piece fried chicken dish with two sides of your choice and corn bread. The fried chicken is meaty and perfectly crisp. The mac and cheese is the classical hearty and cheesy mac and cheese that everyone loves. My favorite was the corn bread. It was sweet and moist.

They also serve chicken and waffles and ribs of all sorts. I’m definitely going back to try those next.

If you’re in the Richmond district, look out for their second location.

Locations: 2526 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
2448 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121

RN74

Posted in San Francisco by

The Michael Mina restaurant group is offering a three course #outtolunch special for $29 at all three restaurants: Michael Mina, Pabu, and RN74.  For those who haven’t tried it yet, I highly suggest you hurry and make your reservations soon since this deal ends on August 31.

At RN74, the out to lunch options are:

  • Appetizer- Butter Lettuce Salad or Sweet Corn Soup
  • Main- Pork Schnitzel or Traditional Bouillabaise
  • Dessert- Valhorna Chocolate Bouchon 

The sweet corn soup was not as sweet as stated. The soup was sweet while the corn bits were sour. It was marinated in a vinegar-like flavor.

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Everything about the pork schnitzel was perfect: the thinness, the breadcrumb layer, and the flavor bomb it left on taste buds. On top of the schnitzel was a light salad, roasted pecans, and pommes anna (Anna pototoes) topped with an apricot mustard. 

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When they took our order, the waiter asked if we would like the dessert to go. I loved that they offered this option, considering how difficult it is to enjoy your lunch in an hour time slot, I definitely wanted to savor my dessert. The Valhorna chocolate bouchon reminded me of a crumbly cookie brownie.

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Now go taste Michael Mina’s work for a fraction of the price before it’s too late. 

(301 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105)

Centro Historico

Posted in Guadalajara by

In the heart of Guadalajra, lies its history. With buildings lying along the axis of a cross, with the Cathedral of Guadalajara in the center, here in Centro Historico (Historical Center) you will find:

Plaza de Armas has an ironwork gazebo made from Paris.

This faces the Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace). The clock will always remain at this time due to a stray bullet aimed at the president, who was visiting at the time. The bullet hole is still visible and lodged in the workings of clock.

On the east side of the Cathedral is the Plaza de Liberacion, where protest demonstrations are held. Teatro Degollado faces this plaza. It is the oldest surviving theater that still holds performances.

Behind the theater is the Fuente de los Fundadores (Fountain of Founders). This is the exact spot where the city was founded by Cristobal de Onate.

If you continue walking from the fountain along Plaza Tapatia, you will come upon Hospicio Cabana. This was founded as an orphange and homeless shelter in 1810. Now it is a museum.

Walk towards Calle Dionsio Rodriguez and look for vendors selling leather goods. Squeeze in between the shops and you will discover Mercado Libertad, known as Mercado de San Juan de Dios to locals. Here you can shop for jewelry, leather goods, candy, and fake name brand items. I was in awe at this place because you generally only find this in Asia. 

Torta Ahogada

Torta ahogada is a drowned sandwich, which is a typical dish of Guadalajara. The birote bread has a crunchy crust, which allows it to withstand the sauce, and a soft interior. This regional bread is filled with fried, chopped pork and then submerged in a chili pepper tomato sauce. Top it with raw onions and cabbage and enjoy! Tip: It’s messy so have napkins handy!

Tejunio

Tejunio is a popular drink from Jalisco’s neighboring state, Colima. It is made out of corn dough mixed with water and piloncillo (cone shaped unrefined brown sugar). It is boiled until thick and then fermented. It is served cold with lime juice, sprinkle of salt, and a scoop of shaved ice. You can find this concoction sold by street vendors. I bought mine in front of Instituto Cultural Cabañas.

Catedral de Guadalajara

Posted in Guadalajara by

This Roman Catholic cathedral is the cathedral of Archdiocese of Guadalajara. Built in 1541, the initial structure was an adobe with a thatched roof. It has gone through many changes due to fire and earthquakes to become the current minor basilica in the Renaissance style with neo-gothic towers.

The exquisite alter, made out of marble and silver, is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. 

This cathedral also houses the remains of St. Innocent. Inocencia was a little girl who had lost her mother at a young age and found faith in the Catholic religion. However, her father was against it and told her to never step foot in the church. With the help of the church, she got baptized. Overcome with joy, she ran home to her father to share the good news. In anger, he stabbed a knife through her chest. She was transferred to the cathedral as a silent witness of the Eucharist.

(Av Alcalde 10, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico)