SNOOZE (Revisited)

It was great to be home for the holidays.  A week or two week extension would have been nice but of course life back in Cali had to resume sometime or another.

Putting aside time to get together with people was hard to manage since it seemed like the days had zipped by so quickly, but I was able to see some of my oldest and bestest friends while I was back home.  It seemed like we never grew up.  To this day it amazes me at how much we've grown so much these past few years.  On my last day in Denver, me and my girlfriends had brunch at Snooze.  This is actually my second post about it but feel free to read about my review the first time I've ever had it by clicking here!

The great thing about eating with friends is that everyone can order something different and try individual dishes without spending a whole lot.  Me and my friends ended up ordering the pancake of the day to share--buttermilk pancakes with chocolate chips and a creamy pineapple frosting on top with coconut shavings on the side to accommodate the girls who dislike the coconut flavor.  Personally, the coconut complimented the pineapple; the chocolate chips complimented the buttermilk taste.  Snooze definitely has perfected their art of making pancakes!  Yummy!

My dish, the Harvest Hash "welcome(s) fall with a hearty hash of butternut squash, gala apples, red chard, leeks and parsnips served atop roasted garlic Ciabatta with poached eggs, cream cheese hollandaise and friend capers."  Couldn't have said it any better myself.  I thought the apples and the squash were pretty tasteless and the Ciabatta bread a bit soggy since everything is so moisture and wet.  I usually like my breads pretty toasty and crunchy and so when it gets all soggy, it's not really appealing perhaps the sole reason why this entree was just okay to me.  I'd rather get the Upstream Benny which is no longer on their menu or the Breakfast Pot Pie (quite appetizing to say the least)!

In addition to the few locations that they have in Colorado, Snooze has opened a restaurant out around the Hillcrest neighborhood in San Diego, California. 

<3 Lina Chen

700 N. Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80206

303.736.6200  www.snoozeeater.com

Yabby Hut

Needless to say my experience at Yabby Hut was more like "Crappy Hut."

As soon as you walk in, there is this potent cajun smell that fills the air of the restaurant.  It's strong, but it's absolutely great especially for a food-lover like me.  We were immediately seated at a booth where the waitress placed a big white sheet of paper covering the table and handed us plastic bibs with an image of a lobster in the middle.  There's no plates or utensils so expect a messy table with cajun spices all over your fingertips.

I ended up getting crawfish mixed in with their "Hot" (pro) cajun spices which was a bit more heat than what I had anticipated.  I can withstand spicy foods, this was a little unbearable.  The natural desire for it runs through my blood, but the "hot" was just too much to bear.  By the end of the night, the lining of my lip was red and plumpy as if I had undergone lip surgery and my tongue was on fire!  My best friend Sujin ordered the same thing as I had and all I can say is that she ate it like a boss.  So this is just a warning for those who like (or don't like) their foods extra spicy!

Once you order your food, the waitress will then bring out a big plastic clear bag full of yummy-goodness full of whatever you ordered whether it be craw fish, shrimp or other seafood items along with a cob of corn soaked in the spicy juices.  I guess what I didn't like the most is putting in the effort to get small amounts of meat.  In this case, that's what you have to do.  It's just not really worth it to me--taking the time to peel the shell, eat the meat of the body (which is so much smaller than the head), and to suck on the crawfish's head to get the brain juices (only if you like it).  According to the waitress It takes at least 2 lbs. minimum to fill an average persons stomach.  The crawfish were tiny and $8 per pound, mainly because we came during off season.  The value to me just wasn't there.

I feel like I had higher standards for Yabby Hut due to word of mouth of how "amazing their crawfish is" and the constant "I want to go to Yabby Hut" from others only skewed my perspective.  I won't completely disregard them since I feel like I haven't given them a fair chance, but I plan to go again only when the crawfish are in season, large, and actually worth eating.  I'll also make sure to order "mild" (amateur) instead of hot.  Also, I believe Yabby Hut is the original crawfish joint in Colorado, so there's really no other place to compare it to other than the Boiling Crab her in Cali.  Have to admit though, the Boiling Crab is better.  Hands down.

<3 Lina Chen

3355 South Yarrow Street  E-131, Lakewood, CO 80227
303.985.0231.   www.yabbyhut.com

Guppy Tea House

Guppy Tea House is this cute little hang out off of Azusa Ave. and Colima Road in Hacienda Heights.  So what I've noticed about SoCal is that there are well-known places amongst the Asian community all throughout the Los Angeles area.  My friend Lisa lives more towards the west side of southern California and she mentioned that both her and her friends from UCLA would drive all the way out to Hacienda Heights just for a bite to eat at Guppy House which can take about 30 minutes to an hour to drive.  So when I told her I've never been there before, she immediately said "we have to go here someday."  Although Lisa has taken me to Guppy House before, we went again last night after our intense work out.

The food at Guppy House wasn't all that pleasing, but I think people mainly go there because of their famous gargantuous shaved ice and their brick toasts, which I haven't yet tried.  The setting of the restaurant itself is also kind of neat which makes it a cool spot to get together.  Once you walk in, there's a ton of trees alongside of the walls.  There are green-leafed vines hanging above with blue lights emitting from the ceiling.  At night the atmosphere is calm because of the cool hues from the blues and there are mini fish tanks mounted on the walls with all different kinds of fishes inside of them.

Lisa got the Super Spicy Dumpling Soup.  Let me tell you, this dish was no joke.  It really was super spicy.  Like super duper SPICY!  It was also very tangy and sour which I didn't like very much.  The dumplings are served separately from the noodles and soup.  Corn is set aside for those who would like the option to add it in their dish.  Both Lisa and I concluded that we didn't care for this dish because of the zesty flavor.  The ingredients really didn't work well together.  The dumplings alone weren't all that bad either.

On the side we also ordered the popcorn chicken.  I often yearn for deep-fried foods so it was no surprise to see me getting the popcorn chicken at Guppy House.  Even though there are so much to choose from, that was what I wanted in the end.  The popcorn chicken here is lightly battered and fried until golden brown.  They use pepper and garlic to flavor the chicken but also sprinkle a refined chili powder atop of the chicken while it's crispy hot.  Most places don't do that, but I think that may be the a Chinese version, which I've slowly grown accustomed to since my move here.

To see what else they have click here for a list of their entire menu!

The food there isn't all that wonderful but I do hope that the dessert's as delicious as people deem them to be, especially the brick toast and their shaved ice...  Oh well, next time.

<3 Lina Chen

P.S.  I forgot to bring my camera to the restaurant and so these images are directly from www.foodspotting.com. 

7188 Colima Road, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745

626.965.7288.  www.myguppyteahouse.com

Fluff Ice: It's so Fluffy!!!

Remember that cute little girl from Despicable Me and her reaction when she got the stuffed unicorn at the carnival?  Well basically that's how I felt when I first took a bite of the shaved snow at Fluff Ice!  Except it was only in my mouth!    Okay, okay not quite fluffy as in holding and squeezing a teddy bear per se but more along the lines of feeling cotton candy for the first time.  So light and airy!  It's the same concept, but instead of sugar, it is made from cinder blocks of ice.  Think of it as a frozen cotton candy dessert.

Now don't get this confused with shaved ice, which is completely different as far as texture.  Taste is difficult to actually measure because certain places may only use a cinderblock of ice without any flavor added to it; but the texture of snow versus ice is apparent.  At first you may not realize it, but once it enters the mouth, the sudden melting sensation just tingles every nerve of the tongue.  It's quite different from that of shaved ice.  It melts and it's cold too, but I feel that it really doesn't melt as smoothly as shaved ice does.  It's my first time Fluff Ice, but what I loved the most about this place is that they have flavored snow like froyo. I've also been to well-known shaved snow place called Class 302 near the Hacienda Heights/Diamond Bar area but it only has one option to choose from which means that the flavor comes from the toppings alone.

My friend Kean and I ended up sharing a medium, green-tea flavored shaved snow with bits and pieces of mangos and strawberries (the toppings that I wanted); red bean and mochi (Kean's choice for toppings) with a light drizzle of condensed milk added on top.  I tend to get fresh fruits with my froyos because it balances out the sugary goodness that you are taking in from the shaved ice.  It's like psychologically tricking myself that this dessert is still healthy if there's something that has a nutritional value to it.  The mochi and the red bean tasted phenomenal with the green tea shaved ice.  Those who aren't into the super Asian flavors, they also had these cool fruit poppers that resemble salmon roe that burst in your mouth, cheesecake bites, blue honey boba, taro pudding, coffee jelly, egg pudding, slivered almonds, and much more. 

This is the place to go for dessert if you are around Monterey Park off of Atlantic Boulevard.

<3 Lina Chen

500 North Atlantic Boulevard #153, Monterey Park, CA 91754

626.872.2123.  www.fluffice.com

Burma Superstar

As I reflect on the trip I took to San Francisco, I can't help but to let my mouth water while thinking of the superb food that I had at Burma Superstar.  I mean, when you see a line at the door, you know it's going to be good place to eat.  The total wait time was about an hour maybe an hour and a half so it may be best to set reservations ahead of time.  Parking was hard to find and the restaurant was quite small and claustrophobic because the tables are in close proximity of each other.  Don't let that deter you from going there though.  Inside was permeated with aromas and spices.  The decor was quite simple with a few Burmese sculptures and paintings along the walls allowing the individual to absorb the Burmese culture while dining there.

Before going into the details of the dishes we had at Burma Superstar, I wanted to write a few facts about Burma since I'm assuming not many people know about this little southeast Asian country.  I sure didn't.  Burma is also known as Myanmar and it is located west of Thailand and Laos, and South of China.  From 1824 to 1948, the British ruled Myanmar and after years of mismanagement, Burma became one of the poorest Asian countries.  Foods from Myanmar are influenced by neighboring countries with a Burmese twist to them.

Burmese Garlic Chili Shrimp

The first dish we had was the Burmese Garlic Chili Shrimp.

These jumbo-sized shrimp were pretty garlicky.  According to their menu, the shrimp is tossed in a "garlicky infused oil, and topped with toasted garlic." Talk about garlic to the extreme.  I love it though.  Love it so much that I actually have another blog (click here) where I've gone to a restaurant that devotes their attention to the stinky herb.

Anyway, this dish was my least favorite dish out of the three we had.  It's not the fact that there was too much garlic or it was bland but when you compare this dish with the other two below, it just doesn't compare.  In my opinion, the Burmese Garlic Chili Shrimp didn't have as much flavor.  Still a great dish but if you are limited on how much you want to spend, then get the Burmese Mint Chicken or the Burmese Beef Curry instead.

Burmese Mint Chicken

The Burmese Mint Chicken and the Burmese Beef Curry are a must!!!  Chicken is my least favorite meat; I would consider beef, pork, or seafood any day, but this Burmese Mint Chicken blew me out of the water!  The chicken is minced into a blend of jalapenos, cloves of garlic, red chili peppers, and of course, mint leaves.  The mint is strong.  It immediately hit me when I took a small bite of it but it wasn't over-empowering the dish at all.  Just didn't expect the mint to be so flavorful.  The small chopped up pieces of the chicken absorbed the surrounding ingredients making it spicy too.  A combination I normally don't see in foods.

Burmese Beef Curry

Like the chicken, I really don't like curry either.  We ordered this just for Eric but of course, with an open-mind I took a bite of this curry and wow.  Just wow.  This was equally great as the Burmese Mint Chicken.  The wet Burmese Beef Curry is braised in a combination of spices and herbs with a mild spicy, curry flavor.  The meat was tender.  The dish was topped off with bits of cilantro--my fav.  We also ordered a side of their coconut rice, jasmine rice with coconut milk and fried onions, which went very well with all three dishes.

I was just surprised by this experience at Burma Superstar.  It convinced me that not all curry is evil (it doesn't sit well in my stomach) and that I have more options than fried chicken, chicken wings, and chicken nuggets.  To me chicken has to be deep fried or covered in hot sauce in order for it to taste good.  Baked/grilled chicken?  Yeah right.  Even though it's healthier, it's just not for me.  

I give this place two thumbs up!  It's authentic and original.  I've never seen a Burmese restaurant so it is a rare find here in the United States.  Luckily, I found one just for you!

<3 Lina Chen

 309 Clement St., San Francisco, CA 94118
415.387.2147.   www.burmasuperstar.com

Quick Fix: Niu Rou Mian

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you, niu rou mian (牛肉麵) also known as beef noodle soup.  This quintessential Chinese/Taiwanese dish consists of braised beef soaked in a soy sauce-tomato broth and is complimented with Chinese sauerkraut and various greens such as spinach, green onions, bok choy, and more.  The niu rou mian shown above is actually a dry version where there is no soup base and the noodles are thick.

Ever since I've moved out to California, this has been a part of my every day diet.   Colorado's Chinese/Taiwanese population doesn't compare to that of California, but there is a particular place that does serve niu rou mian which is Lao Wang's Noodle House on Federal Boulevard.  The restaurant is owned by an old couple so the service is slow and parking is extremely hard to find, but if you are curious what niu rou mian is, then go there.  For me, it's the same feeling I had when I discovered pho!

I just recently had dinner with my boyfriend and his mom at a local Chino Hills Chinese restaurant called the Peking Deli, off the 71 near Chino Hills Parkway.  The Peking Deli is catered towards the Chinese palette which I love because the foods much more authentic and it reminds me of the times when I was in Taiwan the summer of 2008.  The beef was tender and juicy, the sauerkraut bitter, but it help compliment the entire dish.  I didn't care for the greens that they used but overall, it's good.  Flavorful.  Inexpensive.  Close to home.  Perfect for when I'm craving for this dish.  Nom nom nom...

<3 Lina Chen

4183 Chino Hills Parkway, Chino Hills, CA, 91709
909.393.0359

Did you know that Citric Acid...

Fish Ceviche

To expand and broaden my blog, I've decided to start a "Did you know that..." series where I post random facts that pertain to foods that might be interesting.  Often, I come across amazing recipes, helpful tips on cooking/baking, and unconventional ways of doing things that are much more simpler than the old conventional ways, so why not share them with you? 

Tuna Tartare

As I was reviewing the Waterbar's salmon tartare, I instantly thought of my conversation I had with someone.  Can't remember who exactly, but we talked about raw sea foods "cooking" in citric acids.  A foreign concept, I looked to validate the truth.

As odd as it sounds, it is true. 

People normally think of cooking through the use of heat because the process changes the nature of the molecules and properties of whatever is being cooked.  Like heat, the citric acid also changes the physical and chemical properties even though it doesn't seem that way to the naked eye.  So even though the salmon tartare was in it's raw form, it was technically bathed and cooked in lime juice.  Hence why the taste was remarkably different from that of sushi.  However, I'm not quite sure if the salmon from Waterbar is the same grade as the ones served at sushi-specific restaurants.  That I would have to research more into.

Salmon Tartare

As far as cooking with citric acids, it is recommended to dice the raw sea foods into small cubes.  This is so that there is more surface area that the citric acid can effectively cook.  Try to marinate the sea foods from 15 minutes to about an hour, depending on the type of seafood.  Note:  Cooking with citric acids doesn't kill bacteria like heat would which means that there is a higher chance of getting food-borne illnesses and parasites.  Otherwise, it is a tasty alternative to cooking foods besides heat.

And now you know.

If you are interested in learning more about this, click here for a more detailed explanation.




<3 Lina Chen
 

The Waterbar

Located behind Googles' backyard in San Francisco lies a small restaurant with an ocean front view called the Waterbar. 

Right:  Waterbar's Bay Chips.  The potatoes were cut into thin slices and fried to perfection.  

A hint of a sea salt to add a little bit of flavor from the sea.

The bay chips is large enough to share between 2-3 people.

Left:  Strawberry Pop Tart.  The name says it all.  It's a strawberry pop tart.  It's moist inside from the strawberry jelly; the exterior, flaky.  The pop tart breaks down as you bite into it.  A delightful brunch pastry/appetizer Waterbar has to offer.  

Right:  Hama Oysters from Seattle.  Before I NEVER liked oysters.  The smell of it; repulsive.  The texture, too raw.  The taste, too fishy.  But Waterbar has completely changed my perspective on these seafood delights.  Perhaps it's because they were fresh and small, but they were delicious, unlike the various times I've had them before.  Waterbar's $1 per oyster deal is too good to pass.  So if you ever get the chance, get some.  Especially the Hama Oysters.

Left:  Grilled Calamari Fried Rice.  Not my cup of tea, but thankfully I didn't order this for myself.  It's basically an American-style fried rice with a char-grilled squid on top.  I have nothing against squid.  It's not exotic to me since Korean's eat it all the time, but it was just too smoky and the fried rice seemed a bit too bland for my taste.  It just didn't work very well in my opinion.

Right:  Salmon Tartare.  My culinary vocabulary is not up to date.  The rookie mistake I made was not knowing what the word "tartare" meant.  I ordered this dish thinking that the salmon would be cooked, but it was a surprise when it wasn't.  Oh, Lina.  Good thing I like raw fish, especially salmon.  It wasn't necessarily like eating sushi though; more like ceviche.  The lime "cooks" the raw salmon and brings out a new taste on raw salmon.  I liked it.

Out on the patio of the Waterbar.  Such a magnificent view.

<3 Lina Chen

399 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
415.284.9922.   www.waterbarsf.com 

Humphry Slocombe: Ice Cream with Attitude

After writing my review on The Stinking Rose, I couldn't help but to think about the garlic ice cream. I have a pretty sweet tooth and I'm constantly craving for chocolates, cookies, candies, cupcakes, and just about anything that's sugary.  Actually just cold, icy, creamy, sweet and savory treats.  I've been wanting froyo, ice cream, and shaved ice for the longest time...I just like the slushy texture that slowly melts as it sits on the surface of my tongue.  Yummy!

Garlic ice cream is uncommon but so are the flavors that the Humphry Slocombe ice cream shop serves.  Located in the Mission District of San Francisco lies an ordinary-looking ice cream shop with extraordinary, creative flavors.

Honestly I don't think all of the flavors are all that great.  It can be a bit too sweet but there are some that I liked.  The one that the shop recommended was the Secret Breakfast.  Bourbon and cornflakes in ice cream?  Sure, why not!  I have to admit that was an interesting combination, but it worked very well together.  Apparently there's multiple Yelpers who feel the same. Their Chocolate with Smoked Sea Salt was on the not-so-good side.  The purpose of the sea salt is to help contrast the chocolaty flavor, sort of like adding salt onto the watermelon to make it sweeter; however, it didn't seem that way.  Thankfully I was able to sample the various flavors before actually going with this flavor.  Remember I love chocolate and that would have been a big mistake!  They also had the Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee, which was very, very strong.  So if you drink coffee on a daily basis, this might be the flavor for you.  I ended up getting the Roasted White Chocolate Lavender.  It wasn't my favorite because it was a little too sweet for me. 

Some other flavors they had were the...

-  Basil Lime Sorbet

-  Brown Sugar Fennel

-  Jesus Juice (Wine and Coke)
-  Peanut Butter Curry
-  Carrot Mango
-  Government Cheese
-  Hibiscus Beet

-  Black Sesame
- McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil
- Rosemary's Baby
-  Salt-N-Peppa
and much more...

A special thank you to Lena for recommending me to try this place or else I would have not been able to experience the unique flavors that Humphry Slocombe offers.  Ice cream with attitude.

<3 Lina Chen

2790 Harrison St., San Francisco, CA 94110
415.550.6971.    www.humphryslocombe.com 

Garlic: The Stinking Rose

For those who can't stand the smell and taste of garlic, then this blog entry isn't for you.  So I recommend moving on to the next post or just come back later until I have another mouth-watering treat for you.

Today I wanted to write about The Stinking Rose, an infamous garlic restaurant located in both San Francisco and Beverly Hills.  According to their website, it "has become famous for celebrating the culinary euphoria of garlic."  They kindly appreciate the stinky herb and incorporates it in all, if not most, of their dishes, including their desserts!  

My lovely boyfriend took me here on our four year anniversary and to my surprise, it was a unique experience.  I've been to many restaurants and there aren't any like The Stinking Rose.  The interior is whimsical and very playful.  In a way, I thought I was submerged in a dream where I had run away to join the Russian Circus.  Russian Circus?  Yes, that is correct.  The Russian Circus.  There were vibrant red walls much like that of a ringmaster's jacket.  Bundles of garlic hanging on some parts of the ceiling with extravagant chandeliers lighting up parts of the room.  We sat under the Garlic Lovers Lane where these massive black-and-white striped canopies hung over us as we ate.  The table tops were marbled with hints of greys and whites.  The plates, ceramic.  The atmosphere was just warm and inviting.

Garlic Soaking in a Hot Tub

As far as the food, it wasn't up to par for me.  I ordered the Baby Back Ribs with garlic encrusted all over it.  Personally it was a bit dry and tasteless (even with the garlic!).  The mashed potatoes that came with it were good though. Eric ended up getting the Garlic Roasted Prime Rib.  Once again, it wasn't my favorite just because it was flavorless as well.  I personally enjoyed the Garlic Soaking in a Hot Tub appetizer where the garlic is slowly simmered while soaked in extra virgin olive oil and butter.  This allows the garlic to break down and become soft and mushy unlike it's raw form.  Just like butter, you place the garlic atop of your bread and spread it across the flat surface and munch away! 

Sizzling Iron Skillet Mussels

We also ordered the Sizzling Iron Skillet Mussels which was served with a buttery-lemon dip.  I love mussels and so this was probably one of the highlights of the night especially if the entrees weren't all that impressive.

The last item I I would recommend trying is their garlic ice cream.  It's not common to find yourself a garlic-flavored ice cream.  I'm not sure if many places do serve it, but if you ever get the chance, just do it.  It wasn't your normal sweet, savory ice cream that you would get at Coldstone's creamery.  It was cold (obviously), a bit bitter, and it definitely had a hint of garlic to it.  It was very subtle and not too over-empowering as far as taste.

I think what made this experience delightful is the decor/theme that The Stinking Rose upholds, the interesting foods that they serve, but also being able to celebrate our love for each other.  I can finally say that I have been to The Stinking Rose and hopefully you can too.

<3 Lina Chen

55 N. La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

310.652.7673.   www.thestinkingrose.com

House of Prime Rib

House of Prime Rib is notorious for...well...their prime ribs. 

Note:  Make sure you call ahead of time to make reservations.  Long before my trip out to San Francisco I knew I wanted to go here to celebrate my love with Eric, but the thought of reserving a spot for two didn't hit me until the day of.  That was a big mistake, but well worth the two hour wait.  The chances of us eating there was pretty slim, but the reservationist on the other end of the phone recommended coming in early.  Their doors open at 4 P.M. and we got there by 5 P.M.  

Parking is a nightmare in San Francisco so we pulled right up to the House of Prime Rib and valeted our car.  It's less of a headache trying to 1. find parking and 2. constantly feeding quarters into the meter.  Honestly, I think there was only 8 minutes to each quarter so within the 4 hours you sit waiting and eating at the House of Prime Rib, it equates to having your car valeted ($9).  

For walk-in's you want to make sure you put your name on the list and you're sitting in and around the waiting area, it can take a long time before they call your name and so you want the option to sit down but also stand up.  This place fills up pretty fast so get there nice and early.  

As soon as we were seated into our little corner, our server briefly tells us how to order.  Basically there are multiple cuts of prime rib based off of thickness and size.  I ordered the House of Prime Rib Cut where it's a hearty portion of meat that's slightly thick and smaller in size.  Eric's King Henry VIII Cut is basically a big, thick, cut for fattiest of fatties.  A perfect size for King Eric. 

The prime rib is complimented with a side of mashed or baked potato, creamed spinach or creamed corn, salad, and Yorkshire pudding.  The server brings out a bed of salad atop another bowl filled with ice cubes and starts mixing in the vinaigrette by spinning the salad bowl and slowly pouring in the dressing.  This isn't necessarily my first time watching someone do this, but it adds an element of entertainment that just enlightens the whole experience.

A good 10-15 minutes later our prime rib comes out with our creamed spinach and creamed corn.  It smelled so good, we just wanted to dig right in, but before my anxious boyfriend devoured his big meat, I took a picture of his gleaming, happy face:

Isn't he cute?

Overall, I give this place 4 1/2 stars out of 5.  The succulent prime rib was tender, juicy, and scrumptious.    I just didn't care for the Yorkshire Pudding and the Au Jus sauce that came with the prime rib was a bit salty.  So for those who like less salty dishes, try not to drench the meat in the Au Jus.  Other then that, everything was great.  The experience, the food, and the atmosphere.  If you visit San Francisco, visit House of Prime Rib.  

It's one of those places that everyone needs to try once in their lifetime. 

<3 Lina Chen

 1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

415.885.4605.   www.houseofprimerib.net

Brunch @ Sweet Maple

Today I decided to go to Burma, a restaurant that served Burmese dishes, recommended by my good friend Kelsey.  Unfortunately, I accidentally typed in the wrong address on my GPS (good job Lina) and ended up at Sweet Maple (another restaurant Kelsey recommended) instead.  I decided to stick around since 1.  driving around downtown San Francisco is a nightmare, 2.  finding a parking spot is difficult, and 3.  I already paid for parking.

Why I wasn't too excited for Sweet Maple:

Breakfast foods do me no good.  Honestly, breakfast isn't my thing.  Even though it's the most important meal of the day, I usually skip it.  I don't like eggs because they get me a bit on the gassy side.  I'm not lactose intolerant but I might as well be if I can't handle a glass of milk (unless if it's complimented with dessert).  French toast and pancakes can be too sweet and bacon...well bacon is probably my favorite breakfast foods, but even then it's a little greasy to start the day.

HOWEVER, I'm glad I decided to try this place out.  I ordered the Norwegian Eggs Benedict which consisted of smoked salmon sandwiched between an English muffin and a poached egg smothered in their specialty Hollandaise sauce.  The salmon was nicely complimented with capers and spinach.  Every ingredient used in this dish tasted unbelievably good especially since I'm not a breakfast lover.  The spinach was a little slimy, but, you soon forget about that ooey-gooey feeling after taking a bite.

The dish came along with a medley of roasted potatoes.  For me, the crispier the potatoes, the better.  Unfortunately, some of the chunks on my plate were big and tasted a bit mushy and uncooked.  The smaller pieces had more flavor too since the seasoning complimented the potatoes and not the other way around; which I wasn't a big fan of.

When the dish itself came out, it was nicely presented so I give this place an B+ for taste, A for presentation, and a B+ for the atmosphere.  It's a lovely place for brunch and/or take time to enjoy the day by yourself.

<3 Lina Chen

2101 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94115

415.655.9169.   www.sweetmaplesf.com

Steak House: Clearman's North Woods Inn

After a long day of spending together, Eric suggested to get steak for dinner.  It was that or shabu shabu, but knowing my lover all too well, I already knew what we were eating for dinner.  I'd ask him multiple times which steak place we were going to, but he only responded with "you'll see."   As he pulls into the parking lot, my first impression was where are we?  We were at Clearman's North Woods Inn.

Funny name for a restaurant, right?  If anything the place itself looked really cheesy on the outside with fake snow covering the roof; the interior was that of a woodsman's cabin home: dark and dimly lit with a warm ambiance.  There was even a stuffed bear for decoration.   Surprise, surprise.   I wasn't too fond of eating here.  What  made me re-think about this place was that this place was PACKED!  By the time we had our names on the list, there was already about 10-12 groups ahead of us.   That alone was impressive.   I have to admit, my mouth was salivating by the time we got to Clearman's and knowing that I had to wait 45 minutes for a table was a tease. 

We don't normally order appetizers unless if it's a great deal or we can't wait for our entrees, but knowing that Eric loves shrimp cocktails, we couldn't resist.  There were five jumbo shrimps, slightly cool to the touch, laying on a  small bed of salad.  I wasn't all that impressed, but what could I expect since this place is more well-known for their steaks.  Later on our waiter comes to our table with slices of cheesy bread, salad that's drenched in bleu cheese dressing, and another bowl filled with sliced purple cabbage (for those who like to mix the cabbage with their salads).  

The salad and the cheesy bread hit the spot.  The cheesy bread seemed a little bit too cheesy after the first bite, but I made sure there was a 50:50 ratio between the salad and the cheesy bread  so  that there was a balance in my mouth.  I love bleu cheese dressing and so I couldn't help myself for another helping or two.  By the time my medium-cooked, 35 oz. porterhouse arrived I was hungrryyy and happyyy!  Presentation wasn't all that great but that didn't matter after taking a bite of this big juicy meat.  It's so good, you have to try it for yourself.  

We don't normally go to steakhouses, but when we do we go out with a BIG... SCRUMPTIOUS... BANG! 

<3 Lina Chen

7247 Rosemead Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91775

626.286.3579.   www.clearmansrestaurants.com

Ojiya Udon

Just last night I had the chance to catch up with Ruby's, my boyfriend's cousin, post-marriage life.  You can read about her wedding here if you are interested in reading my opinion about her wedding!

Originally she had recommended me to go to a Japanese curry place in Rowland Heights but after catching a nasty bug, I wasn't feeling up for it.  Instead I had asked her if she wouldn't mind getting some Pho or sushi.  We went with the latter.

I was all up for sushi until I looked at the menu and realized perhaps today isn't a good day to eat something raw while being sick.  There was no use in changing locations since this place was popular.

We both sat down and after looking over the menu, Ruby suggested me to get something warm and soothing for my sore throat; I'm glad that I did.  I ordered the Nabeyaki Udon.  At first I was hesitant to even order the dish since to me, udon is so-so, but it was much needed.    The soup was a bit more on the saltier side, but what do you expect from a soy sauce based broth.  The noodles were squishy and slurpy--even better!  Not sure why but the fatter the noodles, the more slurping sound I like to make, but I made sure I didn't make too much sound.

I did get a chance to try a piece of Ruby's spicy tuna and it was remarkable.  Very fresh and it was spicy enough not to burn the back of my throat.  I think overall, I would go here for the sushi more-so than I would for the udon, but like I said, udon isn't "my" thing. 

I must apologize for the poor quality of the image above.  I had forgotten my camera and my camera phone quality doesn't truly depict the delightful dessert we had last night: the black sesame cream puff.  This cream puff was nice and cold in the middle as if there was ice cream, but not ice cream.  So every bite you take, there is a sense of tingling feeling of coldness that runs from your gums all the way to the back of your tongue.  It was goooooood.  Not too sweet, but tasty enough to just call it good for the evening.

I would recommend this place to those who are around the Chino Hills area.  It didn't necessarily leave a memorable feeling or a place I'd highly recommend, but if you need your sushi fix, then go for it.

<3  Lina Chen

 4183 Chino Hills Pkwy, Chino Hills, CA 91709

909.606.8638.  www.ojiyausa.com