Kingdom of Dumpling @ SF

Probably the best Xiao Long Bao in the Sunset/Parkside area is at Kingdom of Dumpling. Everything comes out nice and fresh. The wrappers aren't too thick. Good amount of meat inside each dumpling, and the XLB maintains the soup all the way to your table. Only requires you to pop it, but be careful! You'll burn your tongue. What I like to do is to bite off the top part of the XLB, let it cool off for a few seconds, and slowly suck a bit of the soup out. Then bit the whole thing in half, while the soup drains onto your spoon, then eat the rest. Tres delicious. What also makes this place so great is that the prices are so reasonable! You won't go broke after eating here, not at all, and you'll be so full you may not even need dinner.

Be forewarned that this place is super tiny. There's about 6-8 tables, and fits about maybe 20 people at max - uncomfortably. Be prepared to wait outside on the street, as there is no standing room, and it may be cold outside while you wait.

Funny store, some stupid asian girl tried speaking Mandarin to the host to get a table before me. Little did she know that I would speak my mind. I immediately interjected between her and the host and said that I was next to get a table and I was here first - in Cantonese. Yea don't get in the way of my food. I follow the rules, as should you. NO CUTTING! People really don't learn from grade school don't they?

Xiao Long Bao

[shanghainese soup dumplings]

the best! look at the little pump juicy morsels waiting to explode in your mouth! eat with caution as they are hot!

Pork and Chive Dumpling

not as good as XLB. they were good, however the exterior was too thick and chewy for my liking. the inside mixture was fantastic though

Chive & Scallion Pancake

nice and light, crispy and chewy on the inside. i would have liked more chive/scallion/green onion flavor though

Potstickers

my next favorite thing! pan fried until they're cooked on the inside, which means it takes time to cook these little guys. they're nice and crunchy on the outside, but when you bite into them they're hot and bursting with flavor and juice. delish! 

Annabelle's Bar & Bistro @ SF

I've walked by Annabelle's Bar & Bistro for many years. It always looked busy and well it hasn't been shut down over the years, so it must be good right? I was wrong. While the food was good, it was super pricey, and the taste cannot justify the price. I always like to find a place that is tasty, but the price matches up with it. They have to compliment one another, and that just isn't the case at Annabelle's. So while the food is good, and even tasteful, the prices are too high for me to return for a second visit.

Complimentary Bread w. Butter

Garlic Fries

nice and crispy. had a good garlic flavor, not too strong. didn't use fresh garlic though, didn't see or taste minced garlic. must have tossed with garlic oil, i would have preferred to see some minced garlic in it

Mac & Cheese

pretty normal. good cheesy flavor and i liked the crusty/crumbly top

Calamari

probably the best thing on the menu, but how could you possibly fail calamari right? i appreciate how they kept the tentacles also, some places only use the body and well the tentacles add a good crunch

Braised Short Ribs

[tomatoes, carrotes, zucchini and creme fraiche]

the short ribs were nice and tender, and well flavored. but i didn't care for the mix of vegetables underneath. plate was lacking too considering the price $25

Maple Grilled Pork Chop

[apple & currant chutney, kale, five spice purred yam]

while the pork chop was tender and thick, i didn't care for the flavor. i didn't like that it had a sweet glaze. i'm more of a savory person than sweet when it comes to porkchops

Hon's Wun Tun House @ SF

Won Ton Noodles are pretty much a staple when it comes to Chinese comfort food. There are tons of won ton noodle joints around the city, but only one withstands the test of time. That is Hon's Wun Tun House in Chinatown. I've been coming here since I was a kid, and after all the years the prices haven't increased that much and the taste remains the same. They're only open M-F during the day, and that's it. Expect to either wait in line or sit at a table with a stranger. This is by far the best I've had in the states, and the only place that is better is what I had in Hong Kong. To optimize my eating experience at Hon's, I order beef stew with rice noodles (ngau nam ho fun) and a side of just won tons in soup without the noodles. That is perfect. Now the portions aren't big here at all, and they've stayed the same over the years. Soup is delicious, and so are the won tons. It's all good here and you can't go wrong with what you order.

Beef Stew w. Flat/Wide Rice Noodles

nice and hearty. it's good for when it's cold and raining outside. it'll warm you up real fast. i also prefer the rice noodles over the thin egg noodles. why? not sure, just a preference i've had since i was a kid

Just Won Tons in Soup

yummy and delicious bite size morsels. i like the won tons from here because they don't stuff the wrapper with pork or shrimp. it's a good balance. 

El Farolito Taqueria @ SF

Mexican food! I know I don't post much of it on my blog, but that's cause I'm really picky. I've had good Mexican food in Mexico, and prior to that Central California where there are some really amazing eateries for cheap. My fav is crunch tacos, I really love crunchy tacos, and I know that crunchy tacos aren't really authentic, but still my fav. While El Farolito does not have crunchy tacos, their food was damn good. Portions are HUGE and prices are cheap. The familia from NY was visiting and they wanted "authentic" Mexican food. I forewarned that authentic would be better than anything they ever had in NY, and that it would be dirty, small and probably no table service. After dinner my aunt goes, "when I said authentic, I didn't mean that authentic. But that was good :)"

I didn't order their burritos which is on the 7x7 list, because I wasn't that hungry and the burrito looked huge. I opted for the enchiladas, which is my next favorite after crunchy tacos. So goood!!!!

Chicken Quesadilla 

[grilled chicken, sour cream and cheese] 

huge and i love how the tortilla is grilled til crunchy

Enchilada Combo

[one carne asada and one chorizo]

the enchilada were amazing. i haven't had enchilada's this good except in Central Cali in towns such as Delano. i loved the chorizo because it had a nice spice to it and wasn't too greasy. i really liked the sauce too, truly authentic and again not too greasy. the whole thing didn't taste like lard, which is what mexican food tastes like sometimes. rice and beans were good too, but i barely touched them because there was so much food

Carne Asada Super Nachos

[beans, melted cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and jalopenos]

this really was super. it was huge! no way one person can eat this by themselves as it's main entree. so much toppings. really yummy. need to work out afterwards

the tortilla chips at El Farolito were really good. nice and thick with a good crunch. 

Zazie @ SF

What a cute place for brunch! Waiting an hour for Zazie is totally worth it, seriously. I love the cute little french-cottage-decor. I love the menu, everything on it looks so good. I can totally see why their eggs benedict made it to the 7x7 list, yums! I love how everything is so fresh, comes out hot and not too greasy. This is definitely not diner-fare, but good food! Oh yea, at the bottom of the menu it disclaims that an extra $1 is added per person at the table to provide health insurance for workers. I think that's sweet, and I appreciate them adding a written disclaimer rather than just increasing the prices out of no where. Oh yea quick tip, go on a weekday. While the weekend brunch is good, but the weekday lunch/brunch is better because you get the weekend brunch menu, as well as the weekday lunch menu. I like options, so the more the better - although it does make my decision-making-ability more difficult. Oh well, here are pics!

when you order tea it comes in a cute tea kettle

Special Egg Skillet Dish

[Fried Polenta, Mushrooms, Basil, Fresh Tomato Sauce, Cheese,  Fried Eggs]

this was amazing, and i was so jealous my little cousin ordered this. the flavors just popped all over the place. the tomato sauce was perfect (good amount of acid, sweetness and sugar). the whole thing tasted like a lasagna, but not heavy at all. i can't find this anywhere on their listed menu, so it must be a special item. hmmmm

Eggs Benedict 

[english muffin, avocado, bacon, poached egg and hollandaise sauce]

best thing ever! honestly, the best benedict i've ever had. best part was that we ate in the little patio in the back, which is exactly what 7x7 suggested i do. the eggs were cooked perfectly. egg whites were all set, and the egg yolk was just runny enough. hollandaise sauce was freshly made, not all icky and congealed. they really know how to make their benedicts 

Scrambled Eggs w. Black Forrest Ham & Cheese

tasted pretty normal, nothing wow. good cheese though, i think it was fontina. nothing special about scrambled eggs. 

also tried:

-grilled chicken breast sandwich: tres delicious. chicken breast nice and tender. good amount of spread, and bread was nice and crusty

-croque madame: yums! loved the bread, and the gruyere was fantastic 

Humphry Slocombe @ SF

Slowly making my way through the 100 Things to Eat via 7x7, and on the list is the secret breakfast my Humphry Slocombe. Let me tell you, the ice cream is great! It was sweet and light at the same time. There are also tons of other flavors, and they let you sample all of it before you make your decision. Eco friendly too because the spoons that you use to taste are these metal tiny spoons, which are uber cute. I asked if I could take one, and they said no. Actually they get asked all the time, so they have to guard the spoons and make sure customers dispose of the spoons when they're done tasting. I will definitely go back for some other flavors in the future. Key is to not go on a weekend, and on an off time, no lines :)

Viva Madrid @ Claremont

Viva Madrid was not good for tapas, not at all. It was pricey and the portions were small. I know that the portions in tapas are supposed to be small, a bite here and there, but $7 for three tiny pieces of squid that's smaller than a thimble is ridiculous. $6 for stewed beef, that looks more like left overs is not worth it. While the flavors weren't too shabby, I can't justify the price for what was served. My fav place for tapas is still Cha Cha Cha in SF. If you're craving tapas and you're in SF I highly recommend that place because it's definitely worth it, and won't hurt your wallet.

Queso Espanoles

cheese and olives

Calamares con Chorizo

[squid stuffed w. chorizo in an onion, herb, tomato sauce] $4.75

totally not worth it, especially for two tiny pieces. wasn't even good. sauce was off and squid was chewy. 

Mejillones Viva Madrid

[mussels w. onions, garlic, tomato and garlic sauce] $9.75

good portion size, however the mussels were not fresh although the sauce was semi-ok, a little watered down. 

Esparragos con Jamon

[asparagus w. serrano ham] $4.25

i imagined whole spear of asparagus wrapped with serrano ham, not two spears that have been cut up into 5-6 pieces. two spears of asparagus is not worth $4.25, completely ripped off. didn't taste all that great either. tasted like ham, no wow

had other things too, but i forgot to take pictures. 

- champinones rellenos (baked mushrooms stuffed with chroizo): meh

- carnes de vaca al vino (chunks of beef cooked w. garlic and white wine): good, but teensy-tiny. not enough to feed 4 people, one if you're lucky

so hungry afterwards we had to order a basket of bread to fill ourselves up. completely ridic where they would charge for a basket of bread! 

Thanh My @ Westminister

So many Vietnamese restaurants in Orange County how to choose??? Well I asked a friend and she suggested Thanh My which is right off of Bolsa Avenue. Clean restaurant, which is a definite plus, but the con to that is that it was actually pricer than I expected. I thought with all the Pho places in OC that a bowl of pho would be $4 or less, not $6+, which is too much. Regardless the place is really good. Probably one of the best pho broths I've had. I could really taste that it was stewed for days, fresh ingredients and just really yummy. Got the eggrolls too which were really good as well, and you had to mix your own fish sauce which was completely legit. Never had to do that. Pork chop over broken rice was yums too. It was legit broken rice, fully, and pork chop was well marinated and grilled. Kind of pricey for how little it was. This is a definite repeat :)

pho just does not photograph well

Class 302 @ Rowland Heights

I'm sure you've all had shaved ice, where ice is shaved into granular of ice and then you pick your choice of syrup which is poured all over the ice. But have you ever had shaved snow? It is the best dessert out there, and a must order if you ever go to Class 302 in Rowland Heights in Southern California. How is shaved snow different from shaved ice? Well, shaved snow does not have the granular of ice, there are no pieces. Your teeth doesn't crunch when you eat shaved snow. Shaved snow is like ribbons of snow that are piled one ribbon after another, and it's soft - just like snow. Then there's various toppings you can put on the snow, as we as various flavors of snow. My fav is the original flavor, which is some mixture of milk and sugar (looks like snow), topped with condensed milk, strawberry and mangos. It's utterly heavenly. It all melts in your mouth instantly without even biting. Enough yapping, here's the snow! 

Hot N Juicy Crawfish @ Las Vegas

Have some of you noticed that the latest food craze is Asian style Louisiana crawfish and seafood? Where the seafood comes out in a plastic bag, you put on a bib, eat over butcher paper, with your hands and suck everything off the shell? Yup this concept is appearing all over the place, and I do have to say it's genius! Yes a little on the messy side, so I don't recommend coming here on a first date, or if you're not comfortable with the other person. I'm sure you're all familiar with Boiling Crab and such, well if you're ever in Las Vegas you must go to Hot N Juicy Crawfish. It was actually featured on Man vs. Food. Everything is just delicious! Crawfish fresh! Fried foods amazing! I love their batter, it was thick and light at the same time, if that's even possible. Seasoning is great. It got a little spicy, but totally do-able. Flavors to choose, juicy cajun and lemon pepper :p If you can't handle the heat then don't come here, you'll be wasting your time. I will return when I go back to vegas.

Cajun Fries

they have a nice kick after the fourth or fifth fry 

steaming bag!  

why hello there? won't you get into my belly 

Butterflied Fried Shrimp

the best fried shrimp i've ever had. they were huge, and i love that batter 

corn cobb soaked up all the flavor and was super juicy! 

Santouka Ramen @ Los Angeles

SANTOUKA is the best ramen ever. Legit. Hands down. I've been to a few of the "best" ramen places and this is the one place I'm still dreaming about. When I went to Ippudo, I thought it was great. Then I went to Totto Ramen, which was better. I've had Tanpopo in SF, and that was just ok. I have yet to try Daikokuya in Little Tokyo, LA but I will.

Santouka is inside the Japanese supermarket, and at first I was confused. I was disappointed, I mean how great can a ramen joint be if it doesn't have its own store front. I was wrong. I walked in and while there were other food joints, Santouka was the only one that had so many people slurping their noodles. I knew that we went to the right place.

The ramen was delicious. Everything about it was perfect, from the broth, to the noodles, to the chasu, to even the other little toppings. I loved my broth, it was so flavorful and definitely stewed for hours if not days. They really use the finest and freshest ingredients. I loved the chasu too, especially mine - I got the special that uses pork cheek. Heaven! It was the perfect ratio of lean to fattyness. I may go back in a day or two because I'm having a major craving now. I can't even describe the delicious experience I had with my bowl of ramen.

 Salt Ramen

doesn't it just look like a perfect bowl of yummyness?

Small Bowl of Pork Belly and Rice

so if you order the combo set, you get a bowl of ramen, a small bowl of rice with your choice of topping and a soy-sauce egg.  

I got the special ramen - miso flavor broth. The noodles and broth were in one bowl, and the toppings were on a separate plate, which I then proceeded to just throw it all in. Of course I tasted the broth first, and wow. It was quite the experience. My taste buds exploded! 

 Chasu via pork cheek, wood ear mushroom, green onion and bamboo shoots

all slopped together!