Photo Files: New York

Last month I went to visit my cousin, Janine, in New York for a weekend. I had so much fun. We went dining, drinking and shopping—it was great! Here are some photos from the trip. Unfortunately I didn’t take as many pictures as I should have, but I guess there’s always next time…

As soon as I stepped off the train, Janine took me to get a hot dog at Gray's Papaya!

And here it is!

After spending most of the day shopping, Janine and I decided to reward ourselves with authentic Belgian fries at Pommes Frites.

We got lost and very frustrated trying to look for the place, but eventually we found it.

123 2nd Ave.
(Between 7th St. & St. Marks Pl.)
212.674.1234
www.pommesfrites.ws

Here are our authentic Belgian fries made from freshly cut potatoes, and fried not once, but TWICE to golden perfection! There's a wide selection of tasty sauces to dip your fries in. We chose the sweet mango chutney mayo, the wasabi mayo, and barbeque sauce.

Here’s Rachel, Janine and Me at Music Box in Alphabet City for Rachel's birthday.









New York City, restaurants, drinking, French fries, Tasting Journal

Happy 2007!!

I am finally back from an extended holiday blog break. I had a lovely Christmas with my family, and I got to spend plenty of quality time with Nick. We celebrated the New Year together at Tabaq Bistro on U Street. Nick and I sat on their rooftop terrace and enjoyed a beautiful 6-course meal, complete with a champagne toast and loud party favors! As the ball dropped, confetti flew everywhere! It was a lot of fun! Sadly the holidays are over now, and Nick is back in California. :’(

On Saturday afternoon after Nick’s departure, I decided last-minute to go to Atlantic City with my mother, a couple of aunts and uncles, and a few cousins. On the way up to Atlantic City, we made a stop in Philly’s Chinatown and had dinner at this incredibly cheap Chinese restaurant—our bill (for the 10 of us) was $64! And believe me, we ordered a quite a number of dishes. Maybe the owners got confuse when pricing their menu items? I say this because they certainly got a little confused when writing out the headings for their entrées. Example: “Hot Rice Entries” (see photo).

Because this was a busy holiday year for many of us, the girls and I decided to have our holiday dinner after the holidays. So on Sunday afternoon, after coming home from Atlantic City, I set off to the grocery store to buy ingredients for my BLT Pasta Bake. Dinner was at Katherine and Greg’s place at 7 o’clock. On the menu along with my pasta, there was: Katherine’s butternut squash soup (my favorite!!), Caesar salad, asparagus risotto (Kim’s specialty! Haha), mashed sweet potatoes, roasted chicken, and warm cherry pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert! So yummy! Everything was almost perfect. The only thing missing was Roman, who wasn’t able to make it. :-( Here Roman, I posted a picture of the food for you…

Since Roman couldn’t attend our holiday dinner last Sunday, we decided to all get together for lunch this Sunday at Mie N Yu in Georgetown for Washington DC's Restaurant Week. Restaurant Week is going on right now, and the last day is actually this Sunday. So if you’re free, you should definitely make reservations and try someplace new! It’ll be a great way to start off the New Year!

New Year, Washington, DC, Chinatown, Atlantic City, NJ, restaurant week, Tasting Journal

Photo Files…

I love looking through old photos. I have the best time doing it! I came across some really great ones the other day that I wanted to share.

Here are few for now…

Valina trying on an onion ring at this pizza place in Ocean City

Little Christina eating a blueberry

Grandma walking around Chinatown in New York






food photos, Ocean City, MD, New York City, Tasting Journal

Playing Catch-Up

Oh my gosh! Can you believe it’s already August?! My summer is just flying right by, and I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve hardly paid any attention at all to my blog! The funny thing is though, every time I’m out and encounter some sort of gastronomic epiphany, or something that’s just food-blog worthy, I usually remember to take notes, grab a card and takeout menu, or snap a few pictures. But then I get home and all my notes, menus, and photos get stored away for later – when I have free moment to spare.

Well, I’m about to play some catch up right now… But I’m just going to give you the brief version of everything…

Chinatown, NYC

Last month we took Grandma and the French cousins to New York’s Chinatown. We ate at one of the first Chinese restaurant we came across, called Hon Won Restaurant Inc, on Canal Street. The place was disgustingly dirty. Our waitress brought us water, but when we told her we didn’t want any water and that we wanted tea instead, she proceeded to pour each glass of water back into the pitcher right there at our table. The silverware and chopsticks were dirty, but at least they matched the rest of the restaurant. The food came out in spurts of about 15-minute intervals. When our bill came, it had a few Chinese characters written on it, and a number that seemed higher than it should have been. My father disputed the bill, and asked our waitress to recalculate it. She did. The check came out to be $25.00 less. Despite all that, however, the quality of the food was actually not as bad as you would think.

Before we left, Grandma bought some lychee and cherries at a fruit stand in Chinatown.

Miami Beach, Florida

The girls and I went down to Miami last week and stayed at Katherine’s boss’s beautiful condo! The view from the balcony was amazing! Our days were filled with sunbathing at the pool and wiggling our toes in the ocean. And after dusk, we spent our nights romping around the city that was filled with delicious temptations.

Novecento
1080 Alton Road; (305) 531-0900

We celebrated our first evening in the sexy city with dinner at Novecento on Alton Road in Miami Beach. The cuisine is Argentine and Mediterranean. There is a laid back, yet stylish type of atmosphere. Items worth mentioning include the beef empanadas and calamares fritos to start off with. Tasty entrées consists of the ensalade de atun (seared Ahi tuna salad); ravioles quatro quesos (four cheese ravioli), and ojo de bife (grilled ribeye steak).

Clevelander
1020 Ocean Drive; (786) 276-1414

Clevelander was our last stop after a night of roaming the city bar hopping. After a few rounds of cocktails we decided to order a juicy bacon cheeseburger (with fries, of course) and beef kabobs. The atmosphere was lively and fun. At that point in night however, I was just glad to be sitting down because my feet were so sore from walking all over town.

Larios on the Beach
820 Ocean Drive; (305) 532-9577

We were hungry and in search of some delicious Cuban food. We decided on Larios, Gloria Estefan’s trendy Cuban restaurant. I loved the décor and atmosphere. There’s a small stage and dance floor inside for those who love to salsa. The food was decent, and the portions were large. Not only did we satisfy our Cuban craving there, but Kim spotted Pharrell dining al fresco as we entered the restaurant. Unfortunately by the time she reapplied her makeup and got up the courage to ask him for a picture, he was already gone. Poor Kim...

Nikki Beach
1 Ocean Drive; (305) 538-1111

Once you hear the music thumping, you know that you are near. The stylish beachside nightclub boasts teepees, bamboo beds, and scantily dressed people dancing to world music. We ordered a couple pitchers of mojitos that took forever to come. The service sucked, but the drinks were good (when they finally arrived). We had fun sitting back, sipping drinks and people watching. There’s a Mediterranean-style menu, but by the time we got there, the kitchen already was closed.

travel, restaurants, Miami, Chinatown, New York City, Tasting Journal

Road Food and Two for the Road... Jane and Michael Stern

I was listening to a recent episode of The Restaurant Guys the other day and they were doing an interview with Jane Stern. Her and her husband, Michael Stern, write a monthly food column for Gourmet magazine. They have also authored more than 20 books, including the bestseller, Road Food, a guide to hundreds of restaurants across the nation. The Sterns have recently come out with a new book, Two for the Road: Our Love Affair with American Food. In this latest edition, the food couple hits the road yet again, covering more than three million miles and sometimes eating more than 12 meals a day!

Can you imagine – 12 meals a day?! I’ve been meaning to get my hands on a copy of Road Food for quite some time now. I’ve finally placed my order with Amazon, and both Road Food and Two for the Road should be arriving at my doorstep any day now.

In the meantime, I’ve been perusing the Stern’s Road Food website… The site presents a featured restaurant each day, information and reviews on thousands of local food stops across the country, and a food forum. I’ve spent a lot of time lurking in the Regional Forum, where I’ve discovered some cool new places to eat right here in DC!

food books, Road Food, Two for the Road, food travels, restaurants, traveling, Tasting Journal

Tasting California

I recently got back from an extended weekend trip visiting Nick in Orange, CA. Unfortunately it wasn’t extended long enough. Seriously, the few days just flew by! We spent a lot of time hanging out, shopping, and eating around Orange.

On my first night there, we had dinner at the lovely Cafe Tu Tu Tango. This place was amazing! Not only do they offer delicious tapas, but a wealth of entertainment as well! Upon entering the front entrance, I’m greeted by a man painting skillfully away on his canvas. Once we sat down, I noticed more painters in various corners of the room. There was also an extremely talented balloon artist who was walking around making the most delightful creatures for all the youngsters eating with their families. A few minutes later, dancers came out and performed a little show for all the diners. And if that wasn’t enough to keep my eyes wandering, Nick spotted a small group of people clustering around a glowing fire making smores! I really enjoyed myself, and could have spent all night here. By the way, the food is just as good as the entertainment!

On Saturday Nick and I went to the Los Angeles Farmer's Market to check out the season’s fresh fruits and produce. In addition to selling food, there are also many places to eat at the market as well. For lunch we ordered a blackened pacific snapper served with some braised collard greens and cornbread from The Gumbo Pot. Honestly, I wasn’t too impressed. We should have gone with some crepes from The French Crepe Company. Nick was hungry however, and I think The Gumbo Pot was one of the first places that he spotted. After touring the market, we walked a block over to The Grove to experience LA’s popular new shopping and dining destination. We killed a couple hours walking around window shopping, and browsing through a few stores. The weather was really nice, and eventually the delicious fragrant of spices and marinades drifted into the air from all the nearby restaurants. For dinner we ate on the outdoor patio of La Piazza. The two of us decided to split a melted cheese roll appetizer and a pizza with goat cheese and pesto. It was all very filling. I believe the best part of the meal was the ambiance. The food itself wasn’t anything spectacular.

Nick and I spent Sunday relaxing and being lazy. We didn’t really venture out too much until dinner. As nightfall approached, our choices were narrowed down to a couple places in The Block (at Orange), and Habana in Costa Mesa. We decided to go to Habana. After doing a little googling, I discovered that Habana is a hip Latin restaurant, offering Cuban cuisine and a great nightlife in the lounge area. So off we went… or so we thought.

When we arrived at our destination, we were unpleasantly greeted by a dark and closed restaurant. According "Let's Eat OC", the dining room is supposed to be open until 10pm on Sunday evenings, and the bar until midnight. That was truly not the case. Later I made a call and found out that the restaurant was closed in honor of Easter. That sucks. Fortunately there were a few other restaurants nearby. One being a trendy looking Japanese-fusion restaurant called Zipangu. It looked the nicest for our last meal together, so we went there. This small and attractive establishment has been around for about a couple of years. The menu boasts a nice collection of Japanese-fusion tapas, as well as decent selection of sushi. Nick and I each order a few different dishes including the mixed seaweed salad, the spicy tuna wrap, the Kobocha Dumpling, and the seafood tempura. Both of us loved the Kobocha Dumbling the best. Each dumpling consisted of baby lobster along with pureed pumpkin, and served with a balsamic glaze. If you’re interested, Zipangu also offers a signature martinis and sake samplers.

See restaurant addresses and websites below! Be sure to check out the photos located in some of the other links!!

Café Tu Tu Tango
(In The Block at Orange)
20 City Boulevard
Orange, CA 92868
Tel: 714.769.222
http://www.cafetututango.com/

The Gumbo Pot
6333 West Third Street #312
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: 323.933.0358
http://www.thegumbopotla.com/

La Piazza
(At The Grove)
189 The Grove Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: 323.933.5050
Cross Street: Third Street

Zipangu
2930 Bristol St. Bldg. C
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Tel: 714.545.2800
http://zipanguoc.com/

Los Angeles Farmer’s Market
6333 West 3^rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 30036
www.farmersmarketla.com

The Grove
189 The Grove Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: 323.900.8080
http://www.thegrovela.com/

The Block at Orange
20 City Boulevard West
Orange, CA 92868
http://www.theblockatorange.com/

Photos of the Grove
http://www.seeing-stars.com/Shop/Grove.shtml

Habana in Orange County
http://www.letseatoc.com/info/habana.htm

Photos of the Farmer’s Market at the Grove
http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/photos1/a/calafarmers.htm

Photos of Zipangu and its Food
http://zipanguoc.com/photos.html

Orange County, CA, Los Angeles, CA, eating, shopping, restuarants, food, travel, dining, Tasting Journal

The Legendary PINK’S …

So I finally got to eat at Pink’s hot dog stand in Los Angeles this past weekend. To say I was excited would be somewhat of an understatement. Sad I know... Ever since the beginning of my frankfurter obsession, Pink’s had been near the top of my list of places to eat at before the end of the year.

Was it everything I hoped it would be? Almost…

Since its conception in 1939, Pink’s architectural structure has evolved from a small, portable, white hot dog stand to its present petite formation complete with outdoor seating in the back, and its own free parking lot on the side. Despite its structural growth however, one thing still remains the same: its location. Paul and Betty Pink first opened up shop on La Brea Avenue in 1939, and then a few years later in 1946, they moved Pink’s to its current address up the street on the corner of La Brea and Melrose.


After Nick and I parked we proceeded to wait in the line that was starting to spiral underneath a bubble gum colored banner across the street. The menu was displayed in a mural like manner behind the hot dog cooks and consisted of not only exotic hot dogs, but hamburgers and burritos as well. The room’s interior boasted an eclectic array of autographed celebrity photos as well as a handful of hopeful unknowns. Some members of the Pink’s fan club include Liz Taylor, Jay Leno, Goldie Hawn, Dean Martin, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Eddie Murphy, Michael Jackson, Kurt Russell, Barbara Streisand, Michael J. Fox, Jennifer Garner, Diana Ross, Kim Bassinger, Richard Dreyfus and Roseanne.

Pink’s is most famous for their chili cheese dog, but in the event that one may not be craving a chili cheese dog, there are plenty of other alternatives to satisfy the stomach. Such items include the Guadalajara dog which comes dressed with relish, onions, tomatoes and topped with sour cream; the Polish pastrami; Chicago Polish dog which can be prepared mild or spicy and has mustard, onions, tomatoes and lettuce; the New York dog with red spicy onions; Brooklyn Pastrami; Swiss Cheese dog; Cole Slaw dog; and Turkey dog.

Pink’s also offers super hot dog specials most of which are named after celebrities or well known characters. These selections are charmingly displayed on individual sheets clipped up against the clear plastic divider above the counter. Nick ordered the Harry Potter Dog special, a Polish sausage with grilled onions and mushrooms, topped with bacon and nacho cheese. Other unique orders include the Martha Stewart Dog, a 10” Stretch dog with mustard, relish, onions, chopped tomatoes and sauerkraut, topped with bacon and sour cream; the Lord of the Rings Dog, a 10” Stretch dog with BBQ sauce and topped with onion rings; The Today Show Dog, two hot dogs in one bun with mustard, onions, chili, cheese and guacamole.

While Nick chowed down on his Harry Potter dog, I devoured a slightly simpler dog, the bacon chili cheese dog, generously topped with two strips of bacon, tomatoes, cheese, onions and chili.

When I took the first bite of my savory smelling bacon chili cheese dog, my mouth was greeted with a “snap”… literally. The quality that distinguishes Pink’s dogs from other dogs is its taught skin that pops and bursts in your mouth when you bite into it. I was a little surprised at first. I wasn’t quite sure what to think. To be frank, I initially suspected that there was something wrong with my hot dog. I asked Nick if his held the same manner as mine. He said he didn’t think so. Hmmm…

All in all I thought everything tasted fine. Nick seemed fairly content. Part of me however was expecting something a little more. I don’t know what it is though. I think I may have held greater expectations than I should have. For a hot dog stand that has been up and running successfully for 66 years, they are doing just fine… I can’t wait till my next visit. I’m going to order the Ozzy Osborne Dog, a spicy polish dog topped with nacho cheese, American cheese, grilled onions, guacamole and chopped tomatoes!!

food, hot dog, frankfurters, Los Angeles, CA, Tasting Journal