Archive for "Food and Drink"
Pig Out Session at La Bodega
Posted on September 5, 2015 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Here are some pictures from our pig out session at La Bodega last weekend. We lucked out and dined during happy hour so we not only enjoyed half off our pitcher of sangria but we also got to try several half-priced tapas.
This is our favorite potato dish there. It’s very flavorful.
We got to try two different meatball dishes. Please don’t ask me what they are called because I honestly cannot remember.
This is goat cheese with some kind of marinara sauce. It was great with the bruschetta.
These are the chicken and chorizo skewers.
We finished our meal by drinking the last drop of sangria and churros.
The best part about La Bodega is that it’s right next to several stores we love like Trader Joe’s, Lululemon and the Apple Store. Can’t wait to go back!
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Churn & Burn
Posted on August 18, 2015 by Ching under Food and Drink, Reviews.
Churn & Burn is probably the best ice cream shop that you’ve never heard of or tried before. That could be for several reasons: their location, which is not really in the best part of town, and it’s not a chain. If you’ve never been though, it’s definitely worth checking out for several reasons: they have a really cool coffee and ice cream concept, they make their own ice cream (which is actually pretty good), they do cool stuff with liquid nitrogen that’s really fun to watch, and they have vintage arcade game tables.
My friend Jeri kept posting about it on Facebook so we finally just had to check it out. Plus, we really had no reason not to. Churn & Burn is technically on our side of town.
They have lots of delicious flavors. Their ice cream kind of reminds me of the ice cream that Marble Slab (in Bradley Fair) serves.
This is that thing they do with liquid nitrogen.
Brian getting ready to play some games.
Incidentally, Jay and Becca actually know the owner. They saw our Facebook post while we were there and decided to pop in since they were in the neighborhood. They used the opportunity to say hello to the owner and visit with me and Brian also. It was great catching up with Jay and Becca. We hadn’t seen these two jet setters in a while.
Anyway, don’t mind the tacky plastic sign. They were on the other end and just recently moved to this end of the strip. Don’t judge a book by its cover, remember? We just learned this. Also, don’t judge a book by its location. This part of town may not be great but this place definitely is, so come check it out.
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The Kamayan Truck
Posted on August 16, 2015 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Have you tried food from the Kamayan truck yet? It’s probably the best food you’ve never tried. I highly recommend checking it out. It’s my new favorite food truck because they serve some of my Filipino foods that I can’t get anywhere else. Here are some pictures of dishes that they offer to whet your appetite.
These are the Asian tacos. Not really Filipino but it usually helps to serve people something familiar. I prefer the pork dishes, though.
Brian and I have tried a few things. I don’t have any pictures of the porchetta because, the day I got them for us, I had to drive across town to Brian’s office and, by the time I got there, I was so starving. Brian was starving too. We were so hungry we just scarfed up the food and, by the time I remembered that I needed a photo, all we had were empty boxes. We ate every bit of it; including the achara, which I love.
Achara is a Filipino food condiment made from pickled green (unripe) papaya. You can see some of it in the photos above. It’s so good. If you’d like to make yourself some, here’s a link to one of the recipes online; or you could save yourself the effort and just buy some from Kamayan. Theirs is really good.
If you want to track the truck down, like their Facebook page to follow them around town just like I do. The best time to try them is for the bigger events like Food Trucks at the Fountain because they save the lechon (pictured above) for special occasions.
Lechon is the best. It’s my favorite thing ever and there aren’t many places you can get it. That’s why I look forward to when I can get it from the Kamayan truck. The skin of the lechon is the best part. You must try it and let me know what you think in the comments.
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13th Anniversary Dinner at Luciano’s
Posted on August 10, 2015 by Ching under Food and Drink, Relationship, Reviews.
Here are some pictures from our low key anniversary dinner at Luciano’s, a restaurant that we’ve heard so much about but have never been to until now.
This is Brian’s interpretation of Kilroy.
Our delicious starter, which consisted of two different types of mozzarella cheese, prosciutto (from Parma, Italy), kalamata olives, olive oil, and salt.
I liked the cozy ambiance of the restaurant. It’s quiet enough for a nice, intimate conversation also. Brian and I agreed that it’s a great place for a date.
Brian had the baked lasagna.
I had the pasta carbonara.
And, we each got dessert. Tiramisu for me.
Creme brûlée for Brian.
Brian and I really enjoyed our dinner at Luciano’s. Even though they did card us and I didn’t have my purse with me. At least our server used good judgement and realized that if I’m married to an old man like Brian then I must be equally old. LOL.
I’m really glad they let me drink otherwise I would have missed out on the delicious sangria. It was so good that I had two glasses of it. Even Brian liked it. The only downside is that you could only order it by the glass. A carafe to share with Brian would have been nice.
Anyway, great dinner overall. I highly recommend Luciano’s. Brian and I will definitely be back, with or without a special occasion to celebrate.
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The Hill Bar and Grill — New Favorite
Posted on August 1, 2015 by Ching under Food and Drink, Reviews.
We tried the Hill for the first time recently and now it’s our new favorite place to eat. Brian and I are addicted to the chicharrones.
As you can see, we can’t get enough of it.
Brian says their onion rings are really good too. We love that they provide a variety of dipping sauces. They’re all very good but we think that the one we like the most is called chipotle aioli. It goes great with the chicharon.
Some folks at work tried the Hill and said it was really good. My friend/coworker Tammie likes it because they have lots of options for vegetarians. They have several gluten free items on the menu as well.
Here are some pictures of food from the Hill.
My favorite thing to get is the carnitas tacos. Admittedly, I haven’t really tried much of anything else. Brian and I have been to the Hill twice now. The first time was when we had lunch with Jan, Connie, and Isaac. The second time was last Thursday when we wanted to grab a quick bite before going to Chamber Music at the Barn.
I tried to order something different on our last trip there but, after much deliberation, I still ordered the carnitas tacos. Sometimes you just have to stick with what you know.
Brian had the pulled pork sandwich the first time and chicken tacos the second time. The chicken tacos looked good but I don’t think that they were nearly as good as my carnitas tacos. Just sayin’.
We didn’t have time for the donuts on our first trip because it was during my lunch hour and I had to get back to work. The menu says to allow 10 minutes for the donuts so I recommend ordering it only if you have some time to spare.
Since we missed out the first time, we made sure to get it on our second trip. The donuts are really donut holes covered in cinnamon and sugar. They kind of remind me of the sopapillas we get at Felipe’s Jr for dessert, except they’re a lot smaller than the regular sopapillas and bigger than the bite-sized ones. They came with three different dipping sauces: raspberry, chocolate, and caramel.
I thought they were good but not as good as sopapillas. If I could have the mini sopapillas from Felipe’s with these dipping sauces that would be the perfect combination. Still, I really liked the Hill. The location is great for meeting up with our West side friends who don’t want to drive all the way out to the East side and there’s bound to be something on the menu that everyone will enjoy.
Brian and I both liked the Hill so much that we’re already looking forward to our next trip. I just hope that I can talk myself out of ordering the same thing again next time.
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