The first time I heard of Yunnan was at Lost Heaven. Here I was transported to a whole new culture by the food. The food reminded me of a Cantonese base with hints of Burmese; a delicious combination I never would have imagined.
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Tag Archives: food
Turtle Tower
Those who know me know I love a good bowl of noodle soup. No one makes a better pho ga (chicken noodle soup) than Turtle Tower. It always hits the spot on a cold day.
Their pho ga comes with flat rice noodle, shredded chicken, and broth filled to the brim topped with green onions and cilantro. Hours of cooking creates a clear flavorful broth that I can’t wait to dive into once the bowl hits the table. I always end up burning my tongue from being impatient. It’s so good that every drop of this broth gets slurped. The best part? Each bowl is under $10 after tax.
Locations:
Molinari Delicatessen
On my recent lunch time walk, my coworker introduced me to Molinari Delicatessen. If you’re looking for an authentic Italian deli, this is the place to go. It is the oldest Italian deli west of the Rockies. When I walked through the door, I was amazed by all the homemade Italian specialties ranging from olive oil to cured salami to focaccia. Just like any deli, grab a number and wait for your number be called out to be serviced.
At lunch time, they are known for their deli meat sandwiches. They offer a large variety from mortadella to coppa to proscuitto. Be careful. The picture below may cause drooling.
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Porfirio’s
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.
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Dash Japanese Tapas and Sushi
While Old Town Sushi is all the rage in San Mateo, I discovered Dash Japanese Tapas and Sushi last year. It surely didn’t disappoint. I recently went again and fell in love all over again. The shop is inconspicuously located in the alley of downtown San Mateo next to the movie theater. There’s not much of a wait but reservations are recommended for dinner.
We started with the baked baby scallop with uni. This dish was amazing! The creaminess from the uni was well balance with the scallop and roe.
Kirimachi Ramen
Decent ramen is hard to find in the financial district of San Francisco but the search is over. Kirimachi Ramen serves up a decent bowl of ramen. The noodles are made fresh daily and have a nice tender bite. They offer a variety of pork and fish tonkotsu ramen.
I generally get the number one but this day the the duck truffle ramen special caught my eye. The ramen was topped with roasted pork, duck, soft boiled egg, fish cake, bamboo shoots and green onions. The duck was cooked perfectly and balanced well with the light broth. You could definitely taste the black truffle oil in the broth. It was flavorful yet not overpowering. The noodles had the perfect chewiness and bite. The egg was perfectly slightly runny. Overall, it was a decent bowl of ramen but the portion was small for what you pay ($18.50 for the special). But keep in mind, nothing good comes cheap in FiDi.
Location: 3 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111
Navigating the World of Japanese Snacks
When I travel, my favorite souvenirs are food. Wherever I travel, I will no doubt come back with cases of snacks. I love to try snacks from different countries because what’s unusual in one country is the norm in a different country. Plus, it allows me to experience different flavor combinations I would never think to go together i.e. butter flavored chocolate.
I tried my best to taste all the snacks, amongst all the meals I ate, but it was a hard feat since there was such a large variety. Japan takes their snacks seriously. Chips, chocolates, and cookies in every flavor combination possible. And then there’s the matcha; it is not JUST matcha. There’s Uji matcha, sakura matcha, matcha with soybean powder, etc. It’s like snacks on steroids. The ones I didn’t have time to try, I brought home to savor. Below is a picture of all the snacks I bought.
Yes, I fit all the snacks above, 1.5 weeks of clothes, and a bottle of whiskey all in ONE carry on suitcase. I know I’m nuts, but I LOVE my snacks. Here is a breakdown of the snacks I think are worthy of trying:
Gott’s Roadside
Now that summer is in full swing, I love spending my weekends wine tasting in Napa. My first stop before drinking commences is fueling up at Gott’s Roadside. The original is located off of the 29 in Saint Helena on the way to the wineries. However, they also have one in the heart of Napa, at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, and Palo Alto.
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The Pie Hole
Many years ago, I went to the Pie Hole and didn’t think much of it. I must have ordered the wrong thing because the earl grey pie here is AMAZING! One bite in and I was in heaveeeennn. Let me introduce you to heaven: flaky crust layered with chocolate cream, earl grey custard, whipped cream and chopped pistachio. Our one slice, amongst five people, was gone in 10 seconds flat.
The pie is cut into six equal slices, and one slice was not enough. I wish I bought the whole pie instead. I highly recommend you do so if you are an earl grey fan because the earl grey custard is to die for. The flavor is strong but the custard and whipped cream makes this pie light and airy. When you try this pie, you can thank me for showing you the way to heaven.
Locations : 714 Traction Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013
6314 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
59 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105
177 N Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866
Garret Popcorn
Located off of Magnificent Mile, Garret Popcorn offers multiple varieties of popcorn made fresh daily flavored in caramel, cheese, and butter. I grabbed a few bags of these as gifts and they stayed fresh for a few days. Don’t forget to send some my way!
Location: There are various locations but I went to this one
625 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
YUMTRAVELS 