Viet Eggrolls @ my home

Mom's ok a cooking spree, she came home today from work and made egg rolls. So good, just needed more meat...she says the meat takes longer to cook, and it'll be less healthy. I just tell her it's fried, so in one shape or another, it's still not healthy. Still good!

Inside: pork, fun see, carrots, shrimp, black mushroom/fungus, slices of taro, egg yolk, fish sauce, salt, smidgen of msg
deep fry til golden brown!

Ox Tail Stew @ my home

My mom makes the BEST ox tail stew, and it has been a long time since she's made it. She decided to make it yesterday, after purchasing two ox tails from Chinatown. I have no idea what she puts into it besides ox tail and carrots, but I assume there is a mixture of fish sauce, water, and fermented black beans. I have some to take to Panda this wknd.

Not So Instant Ramen @ my home

I love ramen like any other asian kid, and like any other asian kid I do not eat "Cup of Noodles" (very rarely at least...I have to be starved), but I most definitely do NOT EAT Top Ramen OR Maruchan. Those DEFINTELY taste like plastic if not cardboard. I have been spoiled with instant noodles (ramen) where the a package costs around 80-90 cents each, and I like to add either pan fried egg, vegetables and pork/beef/fish balls. Instant noodles are not the healthiest thing to eat, it's high in carbs and the makers actually fry the noodles before placing it in the package, so there's obviously a lot of oil. My Aunt Debbie once told me that if you blanch the noodles in water once, and then boil another pot of water, and then add the seasoning, it'll be tons healthier. Of course the sacrafice is flavor...but add hot sauce ;)

this package has inari included

Ramen w/ inari, 2 dodo fish balls, and shrimp balls with roe from Ranch 99, mixed with hot sauce

Kara's Cupcakes @ Ghiradelli Square

I'm a devoted Sprinkle's Cupcakes follower, and to this day I have yet to find anything that matches amazing-ness that is Sprinkles. Yes, some might ask "but why? It's not even that great, it's such a big hype and all for nothing." That is simply just not true, Sprinkle's is magic, it is buttery, it is creamy, it is heavenly, it is melt-in-your-mouth, and dare I say it...it is orgasmic. I've tried Magnolia's in NYC, and that place is definitely a hype (I waited 45 minutes and was utterly disappointed). I've tried cupcakes at Dylan's Candy Bar, and as "huge" and "pretty" as the cupcake was, it was a total waste of $4. I've tried Crumbs in NYC, still nada. Then this weekend I decided to try Kara's Cupcakes in SF, which I heard is the Sprinkle's in SF. This was all lies, utter lies. It was definitely better than Magnolia's and Crumbs (Dylan's was a failure, and doesn't even deserved to be mentioned more than failing at cupcake life), but it was not better than Sprinkle's nor does it come close to it! First off, it's the same price ($3.25) but it's smaller, and has less frosting. Cupcakes are suppose to have the "muffin" top where it looks like a mushroom, and the frosting is supposed to spread ALL over the top of the cupcake. Nada. I tried the vanilla chocolate, because the vanilla milk chocolate at Sprinkle's is my abs. fav and is the test of whether a cupcake is worthy. While it was good, it was missing the last "umfh" that Sprinkle's does have, and I would wait in line for 30 minutes in the sweltering sun on Small Little Santa Monica in Los Angeles.

Vanilla Chocolate

Chocolate Velvet, Rasberry Dazzle, Chocolate, Vanilla Chocolate
box to take home to the fam.

Mastrelli's Delicatessen @ Ferry Building

Went over to the Ferry Building for lunch to check out the "hype" that is there on a Saturday. So many people! So many choices of what to eat, and when I'm starving I'm even more indecisive than normally. Settled on this cute little Italian deli that reminded me of the Scotto's Pork Store in the Hamptons. Needless to say, the sandwich was AMAZING!

The North Beach
I don't remember what's in it...it wasn't mine to eat

Luciano Special
[prosciutto, sweet coppa, fresh mozarella, sundried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes and lettuce on dutch crunch...then grilled on panini press]
tastebuds on fire with how DELISH it is

Onion Rings @ Taylor's Refresher (ferry building)
I saw someone eating onion rings, and I just had to have them as well

Birds Nest Dessert @ my home

Birds Nest. No it is not twigs, grass and bugs, but yet it is a birds actual nest. More specifically, it is the spit that a special bird uses to make its nest, and this bird is a swallow. It is a very special bird that can only be found in certain areas and the nest is very difficult to get. It is a delicacy and tres expensive. It sounds gross, but trust me it is DELICIOUS! My mom tells me it's really good for your health, and like most things she tells me to eat, it'll make you "beautiful." My mom made this the other night by soaking the birds nest, cracking the coconut open and taking the "meat" out and blending the coconut "meat" up. She then proceeded to add milk into this giant pot, and placed the pot inside a pot to "steam" or some term I don't know in English ("jing"). She added the birds nest into the milk, and then added rock sugar, and when it was almost done the blended coconut. It took about 2 hours. I like it cold, she likes it warm.

32 birds nest per box


Birds Nest in Milk w/ rock sugar & coconut
creamy

spoon full of birds nest

bottoms up!

Baked Ziti @ my home

I made dinner for my brother and I tonight because our parents went out. I made baked ziti...he said he liked it, and I know panda likes it. That's all I have to say, haha...difficult to rate my own food.

Baked Ziti
[penne rigate, tomato pasta sauce, andouille sausage, mozzarella cheese]

Paulette Macarons @ Hayes Valley

I love macarons, but specifically I love french macarons, and so much that I had my aunt and uncle bring me some when they visited Paris last spring. These macarons from Paulette Macarons, are AMAZING. The place is uber cute and obviously trendy, and well the macarons...you just have to go try them!

look at the counter!!


Coconut, Chocolate, Green Tea, Vanilla, Wedding Cake, Rose
i was sold with the box...really cute!

Chocolate Macaroon
my first bite, and boy was it good.

Miette Confiserie @ Hayes Valley

Walking around, and BAM more food :) Came across this complete hole in a wall candy store, but correct it is a confiserie, but to be more precise it is Miette. It has the most random candy, but what caught my attention was penguin-peach-flavor-penguins. The only other place that I could ever find them was at UCLA, and panda and I would eat tons, or just me eating tons ;) They were SO good, and so fresh...so soft. Need to go back. My friend got a bar of bacon chocolate...haha he never heard of bacon in chocolate, so he tried.

Penguin Gummi

Citizen Cake @ Hayes Valley

Went to brunch with a Friday this Saturday, and we decided to try the tastiness of Citizen Cake in Hayes Valley San Francisco. For those of you who are not food obsessed, the chef at Citizen Cake is Elizabeth Falkner who was recently on Top Chef Masters on Bravo. Unfortunately she didn't make it to the final rounds, BUT! brunch was AMAZING! And...there is an adjoining patisserie because she is KNOWN for sweets. Cupcakes did look delectable, but I am a Sprinkles follower, and I was way too full to eat cupcakes (also we had plans go walk a few blocks to eat macaroons, see next post). I will return for sweets though another day, ms. watermelon you interested?

lovely simple menu cover


complimentary crackerflats w/ rosemary and other herbs
it was ok, not my cup of tea


Breakfast Sandwich w/ side salad
[kaiser roll, fried egg, avocado, baby greens, gruyere cheese, bacon, sauce]
so delicious! how do i replicate? i don't know...


Breakfast sandwich - another view


French Fries w/ Harissa Aioli
very refreshing because it has a hint of lemon flavor

Clams/Scallops @ my home

Surprise! I call mom to tell her I'm going to be an hour late today, and she mumbles something in Chinese like "I got what you like to eat," and then *click*. I could not figure out what she meant, or what she got. I tell my mom a lot of things that I want to eat, and she knows all my favorite food. I was trying to figure out what I told her yesterday or a few days ago as to what I wanted to eat. I come home and SURPRISE! I don't know what kind of bivalve it is...but it was SCRUMPTIOUS!

Some kind of Clams/Scallops in Shell w/ Fun See & Garlic
[sooo goood!!!!!]
Steam clams/scallop with fun see for 3 minutes or less, any more it will get chewy. In a separate sauce pan heat up oil, and when hot enough add minced garlic and some soysauce. Stir sauce a little bit, and when clams/scallop is cooked poor sauce over it. SERVE!

Izumiya @ SF (Japantown)

Brent picked me up for lunch today and we headed over to Japantown for some okonomiyaki. I've never had any from Japan, but this is by far the best...or the only I've ever had :P I have been going to this place since i was lil...delish! For those of you who don't know what okonomiyaki is, it's basically japanese for "as you like it," or it is also known as japanese pizza or pancake. It generally is a mixture of cabbage, beef/pork/shrimp/squid, dashi, and egg. It gets grilled, takes about 15-20 minutes to cook through. It's topped with delish okomi sauce and mayo - japanese mayo. I've made this once last year in NY :D

Okonomiyaki w/ California Roll
[one of the few places that still uses real crab for cali rolls]

Mix Modern Yaki (spin on okonomiyaki)
[Bottom layer is an okonomiyaki, topped with pan fried yaki soba, topped with fried egg, and finished w/ okomi sauce, japanese mayo, ginger, scallion, and corn]
oh yea and i ate it all! but...felt sick afterwards, too much food

Waffles w/ Fresh Bananas @ my home

My breakfast this morning :P Last half banana...my dad eats 4 bananas in one night, he's crazy.

Waffles with fresh bananas & syrup

Mom's Cooking @ my home

First home made meal post! One good thing about being at home this summer...I walk in the door and there's dinner ready!!!! It's amazing, and my mom knows exactly what I like, and what I don't like. Love it!

Korean BBQ Short Ribs
[mixture of: mr. yoshida's sauce, plum sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce & pepper)


Chicken Feet
[i don't know how it's made...lol but it's good!]

Linguria Bakery @ Northbeach

ok....this is definitely not a hyperbole, but this is by far THE BESTEST MOST BESTEST AMAZING focaccia bread EVER! I have coming to this place since....well I think i could eat solid food, and it is still just as amazing as i remmeber. The only two differences is that prices have gone up (as with most things) and more people have discovered this place. The focaccia bread sells out by noon, sometimes earlier. It's right across from Mama's near Washington Square park. My favorite is the pizza bread...i can eat it non-stop, but my dad did decide to get the onion one too....pizza still the BEST! And my pizza i mean it's tomato sauce and chives, that's it...no cheese...but it doesn't need it...yum

Two slices of pizza bread and one onion bread (I ate 6-8 slices...couldn't stop)

King of Thai @ SF

Over the past few years this one restaurant that use to be on Clement Street has somehow become a chain restaurant in the city. The walls use to be sticky with grease, and the place was not clean. Some how the restaurant managed to clean up and has over 6 locations in the bay area...and I went to the restaurant that is part of the hotel, and was quite fancy! by fancy...i mean $1-$2 more than the other locations, and had a full bar!

Roasted duck fried rice (it was ok...my mom could do better)


Pad Thai (pretty good...but for some reason this fancy King of Thai was not as good as the dirty-icky King of Thai)