Tag Archives: crab

Porfirio’s

Posted in Cancun by

When people suggest going to nice, fancy Mexican restaurants, I always balk because, to me, Mexican food should always be cheap, greasy, and come from a hole in the wall type of establishment. Of all the fancy Mexican places I’ve been to, I find they are too commercialized and don’t hold that authentic flavor you find from the cheaper places. Porfirio’s, a gourmet Mexican restaurant in Cancun, was recommended to me by the hotel concierge at the Westin Lagunamar. Since this recommendation was coming from a local, I went against my judgment and decided to give it a try. Boy, did it not disappoint!

The decor of this establishment was perfect for a romantic date. The indoor seating is lighted with candles and dim lighting to set the mood. Outdoors, they have seating on the patio next to the water fountains and dock.To start the night, I tried the Josefina de guayaba (guava) and mango. These drinks were made with mezcal, which is distilled from an agave plant. The liquor definitely showed through the mango but not the guava one. Continue reading →

Swan Oyster Depot

Posted in San Francisco by

Swan Oyster Depot was established in its present location over 100 years ago in 1912 by four Danish brothers. They delivered fresh seafood throughout San Francisco using a horse drawn carriage. In 1946, they sold the business to the Sancimino and LaRocca family. Over time, the Sancimino children took over, and today they continue to run the business along with delivering fresh seafood throughout the city. Today the shop looks just like it did in the past. A long narrow seafood bar that seats only 18 with an antiquated register adding to its charm.

The oyster combo comes with oysters from around the world but I wasn’t able to catch the names. They were all very fresh and delicious, as acclaimed. My favorite were the small oysters due to their sweetness.

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Got their clam chowder bowl and crab cocktail. I would pass on the clam chowder. It was full of clam flavor but lacked body. I tend to like my clam chowder to be thick and filled with clams. The crab cocktail was delightful. Com’on it’s a bowl of shelled crab meat! 

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You can taste the freshness in the sashimi plate. It comes with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, halibut and scallops. My favorite were the sweet scallops. 

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Tip: Go early for there’s an hour long wait for a seat. Bring cash and lots of it. For two people, this meal can run up to ~$100.

(1517 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109)

Endo Sushi

Posted in Osaka by

A little unknown secret is Endo Sushi, located in Osaka’s fish market. There is approximately only a 10 min wait. The place is small and they will seat you with strangers at the same table. They offer 5 different sushi sets options for ¥1050 each. Each set comes with 5 pieces if nigiri.

I got two sets. The first set came with kani (boiled crab), akagai (arc shell), hotate-bashira (scallop), toro, and tachiuo (hairtail). I looooved the sweetness of the scallop.

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My next set came with ika (squid), ikura (salmon roe),

sayori (halfbeak), toro, and sake (salmon). I chose this one because I’m a fan of halfbeak. Overall, the fish was super fresh and sweet.

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There are no individual soy sauce plates. It is custom to brush the soy sauce from the communal bowl onto your sushi. If you want miso soup, you can order it as a side.

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(1 Chome Noda, Fukushima Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan)