Book's Foodie

Food memory: Popeye's Chicken, Renton, Washington

2010-10-09T11:27:00.001-07:00

Let's go back to, oh, March 2010 shall we? (Cue dream chimes).

I went to a Popeye's Chicken earlier this year in Renton, WA. The closest Popeye's to me are over 150 miles away: one in Troutdale, Oregon, and the aforementioned Renton. No, I don't travel specifically for Popeye's, but both involved traveling. I had to pick up my family from Sea-Tac and they decided on Popeye's for dinner after arrival, so we did.

We walk in, and there was a nice mixture of people there. We felt at home. We ordered simple, just a 2-or-3 piece and a biscuit for each of us. However, the cashier was feeling generous and gave us triple the amount of what we ordered. This means lots of chicken, lots of biscuits, lots of hot sauce and honey packets. All I could think was "this better not having any suspicious shit in here, I don't want the cops coming in here raiding the place and they'll beat me for fricken chicken."

It was more than enough food to feed the four of us, and that was more than enough to take to the hotel and eat the next morning for breakfast (which we did).

I wish I was closer to a Pioneer or Church's. I miss Pioneer's chicken fingers.

Fail: my attempt at a Banoffee pie

2010-09-19T00:14:00.000-07:00

After watching Master Chef New Zealand, I wanted to make one of the things featured in the show, a Banoffee Pie. Banoffee is the hybrid of bananas and toffee. The show's website didn't feature a recipe, so I looked a few up and chose to use the recipe made by Paula Deen. After printing it up, I later found a banoffee pie recipe from Epicurious.com I apparently printed five years ago. I forgot about this, and to tell the truth, I don't keep a book of recipe print outs, I'm not that high pro. For whatever reason, I printed it out as a reminder to myself to try it one day, and it slipped my mind. Nonetheless, what moved me to choose Deen's recipe was a chance to make my own pie crust, which I had not done before. Either this was going to be bad, or it would be good.

I made the crust first using graham cracker crumbs and butter. Before I started to stir up the mixture, I didn't know if this would work, but it did and I started having ideas about making more crusts. I baked it for about 8 minutes and let it cool. Then came the toffee. As I'm looking at the ingredients, I knew that it was going to be sweet, it was like having a sugar pie. Plus, it's a Paula Deen recipe, and she is known for having a major sweet tooth.

To make a long story short, while the toffee looked to be good, I think I should have baked it more than the 90 minutes as listed in the recipe. After the fact, I learned that the toffee should be cooked until it has a nice brown glaze to it, and I did not do that. I let it cool too, but as I started putting in the chopped bananas and poured the second half of the toffee, it started to drip. My pie tin was too small.

I made the heavy whipping cream and poured it on. It was messy but looked good, and I let it cool in the fridge for a few hours. I punched up the recipe in a food diary that I keep, which is meant to help me lose weight. I know, "a banoffee isn't a healthy food" but I allow myself to go off the trails for a day. The recipe suggested that it served 8, but upon completing the tally of ingredients, I discovered each slice offered 750 calories and the carb count for a slice? 87. I then realized I would have to have just a spoonful.

Verdict? I could not take the sweetness, it was overwhelming. I could taste the potential of how good it could be, but I was not feeling this at all. The crust, however, I really liked and look forward to making more crusts.

Also, it was a bit too runny and gooey so I have a feeling that I did not cook it long enough. Not sure if the Pyrex bowl I cooked it in had anything to do with, but... it was a no go.

I will try the Epicurious banoffee pie recipe on another day. If you take a look at the recipes, both have different methods of putting it together, and one factor that I thought was worth singling out: the Paula Deen recipe says to use two 14 ounce cans of condensed milk, while the Epicurious one says to use 2 cups. Also, "a generous pinch of salt" is something that was not in the Deen version. Will it be an improvement? I hope so, and if not, I will not make banoffee pie again.

My time at Portland Baconfest 2010

2010-08-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

Portland Baconfest
1800 E. Burnside
Portland, Oregon
Portland OR 97214
August 21, 2010

The Portland Baconfest is not a restaurant, but an annual event that was started last year by Emily Gibson, who used to host her own show about meat called The Meat Show, which was a combination of Gibson's speedy rants and stories, but showed a true dedication for all that is meat and those who make a profit from anything meat-related. It's that humor and spirit that lead her to be a guest on a podcast called Portland Sucks starring Robert Wagner and Sabrina Miller. When asked what Gibson would like to do next with her show, Gibson casually stated that she'd like to have a festival of bacon on the Portland waterfront every summer. Wagner said something to the effect of "like a Baconfest". Boom. The first Portland Baconfest in 2009 was enough of a success that they were moved to do it again.

The Baconfest is sponsored by PDX.fm, an online channel that features specialized shows dedicated to a wide range of original topics, some covered with humor, others quite serious. It's a channel that Gibson now calls home, and through her hard work and determination, "the next Baconfest" was something that was never far from her thoughts. I attended this year's Baconfest, and considering how much fun people were having, it will be around for a long time.

So what exactly is a Baconfest, or in this case, the Portland Baconfest? As with any festival, it's a celebration of all that is bacon, a food that has seen its share of superhype and public concert over the last two decades. In this case, the Baconfest shines the spotlight on bacon through selling bacon-related dishes through different food vendors, novelty items that deal with bacon and swine, live bands, and contests.

Live bands included Target for Tomorrow and the Horns of Destruction and The KOS, the latter of which featured a special appearance from "Bacon Man", a man dressed up like a slice of bacon and danced. He really seemed to enjoy the song about passing out drunk on a bathroom floor.

The parents of the drummer also doubled as roadies. When vocalist/guitarist John Ko wrapped his guitar cord around his brother's (bassist Stank Ko) microphone stand, Daddy Monahan moved up front and untangled the cord. As for the music, they mixed up rock and punk covers with originals. Sometimes they were on the money, other times they weren't, in fact in a few of the covers, Ko simply muttered gibberish in place of the actual lyrics. But that was fun, and I stood there the entire time enjoying what they did.

There were a number of Baconfest tournaments such as a bacon toss, a bacon eat-off, and a bacon mile, where people got onto a stationary bike and ate bacon. They had to be able to ride fast enough to burn up that bacon.

Then there were the food vendors. What I looked forward to trying was Mobster Meatballs, after hearing about them in a review at Food Carts Portland.

I went to wait in line after The KOS' set was over, and I waited for what felt like half an hour, and maybe it was more like 20 minutes. One was able to watch the meatball process, and in this case a Baconfest special meatball involving pork and bacon.

Then they were cooked up slow and easy, and you had the option of having it with Indian masala, country gravy, or marinara, in either sandwich form or just a small tray of meatballs (I chose the sandwich option, with Indian masala as my sauce). Everything was nice, the masala wasn't weak or too strong. I will visit their food cart in time.

Since this was a 21 and over event (the event was co-hosted by The Eastburn, the side street of which was where the Baconfest was held), there were drinks to be had, everything from bacon vodka to beer, and even bacon bloody mary's.

Plate of bacon? You could have them at 2 strips for a dollar. You want 10 strips? Give up 5 dollars. In another section, a big and tasty thick cut of bacon on a stick. Put them together, and you call that a bacon pop. One of my favorite edible items was the Portland Bacon Roll (maple/bacon/caramel cookie) made by Cookie Pedalers, a company that makes cookies from a pizza oven and delivers them on bicycle in Portland. I ordered two, and to take home to share with family, I bought 20. It's worth buying and ordering, tell everyone.

Another treat was the bacon cupcake from Sugar Buzz Bakery out of Hillsboro, Oregon.

It was a generous amount of bacon placed over maple-flavored frosting, and yes it was great. Cupcakes are generally heavy for me, but this was nice and the "novelty" of having bacon on a cupcake, even with maple bacon doughnuts getting a lot of attention, wears out only because you feel that it's only inevitable, if not natural for these two to unite.

I did spot a truck called Siete Suerte, who serve the same style of bacon-wrapped hot dogs that are very popular in the L.A. area.

I did not try one but a lot of people in the crowd were carrying and eating hot dogs from their cart. What I did try was their bacon cookies, which were delicious. A lady who works at the cart was walking around and asked me if I'd like a cookie, and I said yes. Then I went back. Unfortunately, since the cookies were not placed in a container, I placed it in my backpack. When I returned to my hotel room, the bag was full of cookie crumbs.

To be honest, how could you go wrong? It was a crowd who loved to have fun, and celebrated something as silly as bacon. I mean it's bacon, why the hell not, right? If someone felt it was underwhelming, maybe because they felt it would be as big as, oh, OzzFest. It seemed relatively small and if you expected more, maybe it was not for you. It felt like someone driving down a random street and you ended up at one of the more celebrated places in town.

In truth, the possibilities are endless and could easily become a bigger event if they wanted to. There was a focus on local and regional, for not only did you see various Oregon-related items and products, but even the Skillet Street Food from Seattle came down to sell their incredible Bacon Jam. Or maybe one street could be all food and food carts, the other being where two bands could play at once. This would lead to the question "how big should the Baconfest be?" I think it's the perfect size as is, and I hope it will have continued success in the future.

I attended for two reasons. One, I wanted to go to a festival that celebrated bacon, because I love bacon. Two, I am a huge fan of PDX.fm. I like what they do, and most of the people involved are part of Portland's blogging community, so while one might think "okay, what kind of dumb shit thing is it to honor bacon?", it was a collective of minds, thoughts and opinions everywhere I walked. First person I saw at the entrance was Betsy Richter, who I asked about my donation of canned foods (admission was $5 + 2 cans). When I told her I brought five, she goes "you're not expecting change, are you?" and I laughed. Looking up names and placing wristbands on all attendees was the superfresh Meagan Kate, co-host of the great Love In The Dump Chute show. Throughout the day I would continue to see the faces of those I've heard many times before or may have recognized through various photos on blogs and PDX.fm-related websites: Wagner, Sabrina Miller, Jay Mackin, Kristen Bowie, "Quizmaster" Polly Pospisil, Will Radik, Devlyn Swenson, and Michelle DeFord among others.

Outside of being able to follow them (or not) via Twitter, you still get a sense of community and camaraderie, or at least a sense to do what they feel is right to do, and being able to talk about it, and take action, just as Gibson has. It would be great to be a part of that, and of course to show support, which is what I did. One, I was able to celebrate bacon not only "in my own way", but with everyone, and two, the Oregon Food Bank were the recipient of all of the canned donations. While it's easy to celebrate a piece of meat in a fun way, making it a charitable event is always a plus.

Will there be a Portland Baconfest 2011? I'd like to think there will be Baconfest's until the end of the world, so at least two more years. Maybe in two years, they can have a "Tonight I'm Going To Eat Bacon Like It's 2010" contest. Outside of briefly meeting Richter and Meagan Kate, I didn't get a chance to meet and/or talk with anyone else in the PDX.fm family but thank you not only for organizing a great festival, but in creating quality and many times humorous programming on PDX.fm that has become my daily habit. Everyone looked busy so I didn't want to bug and be all maha'oe, but next year I'll be sure to say hello. I should be thinner in my Bacon (Three Different Ones) shirt.

Lunch @ The Grilled Cheese Grill, Portland, Oregon

2010-08-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

The Grilled Cheese Grill
1027 NE Alberta Ave. (at the Corner of Alberta & 11th) (directions)
Portland OR 97211
(503) 206-8959
Twitter: @GrildChzGrill
August 10, 2010

With the vast amount of food carts in Portland, it's hard if not close-to-impossible to pick just one to go to. But The Grilled Cheese Grill was one I've wanted to visit for a long time, not only to try one of their grilled cheese sandwiches, but their beastly Cheesus Burger, which is a big 1/3 pound hamburger patty placed in not buns, but two grilled cheese sandwiches. Boom, indeed.

Well, I didn't want to try it on my first visit, I figured one day I will. Instead, I arrived at the food cart and I had heard about the old school bus one had the option of eating in. It was something straight out of Berkeley or The Partridge Family, but since I was with my family (and on this trip with my mom), we chose to eat in the "normal" sitting area, with a number of convenient benches.

I decided to go for a sandwich they call The Southsider, which is "artichokes, Sundried Tomato, Mushrooms and Mozzarella on Grilled Sourdough.". I had the option of having salami, but I actually wanted to try this in order to add a bit of avocado (guacamole), and the idea of mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and artichokes sounded very good to me. It wasn't until I returned home a day later did I realize it was essentially a vegetarian sandwich. I will say this, it was very good, I could taste everything and everything was good. It was nicely balanced, the mozzarella cheese was nice and chewy, just the right amount of salt. I did add some hot sauce to compliment it but it really didn't need it (although it was great with it). It wasn't too filling at all, although those with light appetites might disagree. I could've had two of these Southsider's, but it means I'm making room for next time.

I had wanted to take a T-shirt home, but they did not at the time have one available in my size. Since I've been doing a lot of stationary bike and losing a bit of weight, I should have said "I will buy this and when I'm able to fit in it, I'll come back". Nonetheless, the service was good and friendly. One of the cooks was a punk rock lady of sorts with tattoos and a partially shaved head, so if you're scared of someone who may look like that, you may want to go elsewhere. However, The Grilled Cheese Grill is in a funky part of Portland to begin with, lots of diversity in people and businesses, and it is known as an "arts community" so you may feel right in. Why not celebrate that with a great sandwich?

Lunch @ Big Jim's Drive-In, The Dalles, Oregon

2010-08-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

Big Jim's Drive In
2938 E. 2nd St. (Exit 87, Off I-84)
The Dalles, OR 97058
August 7, 2010
(541) 298-5051

In my years living in the Pacific Northwest, The Dalles has been a town in Oregon that I've never made a conscious decision to visit. It had either been the town to stop at either going to or coming back from Portland, as it had a McDonald's, gas stations, a Fred Meyer, and that's it. My sister wanted to get a laptop computer for her son's 13th birthday, and in Oregon you don't have to pay sales tax. Unfortunately, the computer my nephew wanted was available at only one store in Oregon, and the closest one was about 120 miles away. The sale was to end on Saturday. Of course none of this matters, but I wanted to look at what kind of restaurants were in town other than the usual fast food. I spotted a place called Lilo's Hawaiian. Being Hawaiian and also noticing a lot of positive reviews, this was the place I wanted to go. My sister spotted a place called Big Jim's Drive-In, and I hadn't heard of it. It was in a part of The Dalles that I've never been in, so we decided to go there.

I knew ahead of time that it was a burger and fries place. It was easy to find, as signs on Highway I-84 indicate that there's a food choice off of Exit 87. The selection of burgers on the menu looked good, with such things as the Rodeo Burger (1/4 pound beef patty, grilled onion, jalapenos and nacho cheese, dressing, lettuce and tomato) and the behemoth known as the T-Rex Burger (1 pound beef petty, 4 slices of ham, 2 slices of Swiss cheese, 2 slices of cheddar, dressing, lettuce, and tomato on a 6 inch bun). I wanted to try something basic so I chose the Jim Dandy Burger, a simple bacon cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, which went for $5 for the sandwich alone or $8.40 for a combo that came with a soda and fries. That is indeed pricey for a combo, but if it was good, it would be good and I'd be up to come back and try it again.

Everything was cooked fine, but I did not find this burger to be drool-worthy. It was good, it was cooked well, but it tasted like any other independent burger at any other random place, nothing about it stood out. As for the French fries, it tasted as if it was beer battered, the menu doesn't indicate this and I didn't bother asking for one simple reason: it was too salty. If the person lightened the salt overdose, it would have been great.

For those reasons alone, it was a turnoff. I kept on looking at other items on the menu: chili & fries, fish & chips, a cold turkey sandwich (for $5.15, $8.55 as a combo), and they kept pushing their homemade waffle cones for their ice creams. The ice cream was the Umpqua brand from Oregon, which is good. There were too boys who came in ordering a 3-scoop waffle cone and they were going at it. At least they were enjoying the flavors, but as for me, not so much.

If I were to go to this place again, I'd try a burger that I think would be more tasty, maybe a "Deep Fried Chicken Burger". I'd also tell them to not put a lot of salt.

Other than that, the drive-in was tidy and clean, in a nice area of The Dalles that is quiet and humble, the highway is easy to get to and visible outside of their windows, so it's not in a place too obscure.

(You can read the full menu here)

Vote for me in the Anthony Bourdain Essay Contest

2010-07-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

Anthony Bourdain's Medium Raw Challenge

Anthony Bourdain is holding an essay contest where the winning essay will be published in the paperback edition of his new book, Medium Raw. As a foodie and someone who hopes to become a first-time author with a hip-hop cookbook (to find out more about this project, click here), it’s a chance to not only win, but for something I’ve written to be looked over by someone whose work I admire as a cook/chef and world traveler. It is something I would like to do, combine my love of music and food and utilize it as a means to travel across the United States and the world.

Click the banner above and if you like what I’ve written, please vote for me. My entry is here. Mahalo nui (thank you) for the support.

Morning Submission show has a taste test on Spam

2010-06-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

Spam ain't the move, it's imitation ham
Ham is pork and the pork is foul
-Milk & King Ad Rock's "Spam"

Growing up with Spam might sound gross to some of you, but I'm from Hawai'i, where Spam is the unofficiai Hawai'i state meat. For the record, there is no official Hawai'i state meat but if there was, the decision would be made by someone who doesn't have any upbringing in Hawai'i but that's another topic, another time.

For about a year or so I've been downloading podcasts from PDX.fm, specifically a show previously called Portland Sucks, which has now morphed into Morning Submission. The show features Robert Wagner, Sabrina Miller, Emily Gibson, and Jay Mackin, and together they bring in current events, news, weather, traffic, and a whole lot of "whatever" and the great part about the show is that whatever. One never knows what to expect, and you get a chance to hear very different opinions on everything from bicycling to dating, eating to jail tips, sex to the wonders of mainstream pop culture, and much more. It became of interest to me because originally I wanted to download some podcasts of Portland radio programming, as the city has been a place I've wanted to move to for awhile. The internet is front of me, take advantage, right? Morning Submission is my daily pre-recorded habit, so it came as a surprise to me that a topic on the June 10th installment would be Spam. I knew it would be either mocked, hated, or both, I knew that it wasn't going to be a good discussion. Not only was there a discussion, but that talk had to do with a taste test. (You can stream or download the full episode by clicking here. It is 72 minutes into the show.)

I wanted to comment on it because as someone who eats Spam, I thought the taste test was hilarious. Granted, Spam is not a gourmet food and it can be argued that it shouldn't be food. The test itself also features special guest Quiz Master Polly, so as the test begins, I know that Gibson, who loves various beats and alcoholic beverages, is the one who bought the cans of Spam into the PDX.fm studio. As I'm listening, I'm wondering "I don't hear anything sizzling". Then Wagner takes in the smell from the open cans, and I forgot: "people here on the mainland prefer to eat their Spam raw." Let me say that the meat inside the can is technically not raw, you are able to eat it that way. The way I was raised, Spam was always cooked, no exception. As I'm listening, I thought crap, this is not only going to be hilarious, but gross. They're going to eat "raw Spam"? Man.

The Spam varieties (for those who don't know, there are varieties of Spam) that were tested were turkey, hickory, or bacon. None of these are the regular, standard Spam, so the cans are opened and it seems each person in the studio has a taste by having a spoonful, with the Spam gel still there. Immediately, everyone hates it. The flavor is awful, texture is weird, and combine that with the uncooked smell and it's not making people happy. Wagner looks at the ingredients on one of the cans, and discovers it has about seven ingredients. Nothing too complex or technical, you eat what you read. They each try another variety, and there's a lot of discomfort going around. It sounds like they're all struggling. One of them asks if Spam is supposed to be cooked, and Miller says something to the effect of "oh no, am I going to get sick?" The conversation leads to whether or not Spam is good, and if they would rather eat dog food or Spam. They speak of its high salt content, and wonder why anyone would ever eat this crap.

I wanted to reply just to talk a bit about this "weird" meat called Spam. It is "spiced ham", or pork shoulder, and the stigma people have about it comes from World War II, when it was the "cheap meat" that could be preserved in salt without refrigeration for days. Soldiers had fun with what they thought the Spam looked and smelled like, and when World War II ended, they also brought back Spam. It would soon become "poor man's meat" and a portion of the American population felt no need to "go back" to eating like a soldier or eating poor. Meanwhile, in various ethnic communities, Spam was the economical meat, and like any cheap cut, one was forced to stretch it in as many ways as possible. In Hawai'i, where a love for anything salty is the norm, Spam was embraced because of the many ethnicities there. One meal lead to others, everyone "passed the plate" and soon people were creating more dishes with Spam, often substituting proper meats with Spam. It got to the point where eating Spam became a part of the norm, possible one of the few states in the U.S. where restaurants serve Spam in some form on a regular basis, be it Spam & eggs, Spam omelet, or sliced Spam in a bowl of saimin (ramen).

If there is a normal way to eat Spam, it's to open up the can, wipe the gel off, and slice it. You can make between 10 to 15 slices of Spam from the meat in the can, depending on how thinly you slice it. You can do it of course with a knife, or if you have a cheese cutter, you can use that. There's also a utensil that you can use which will make slices all at once, similar to those used on potatoes. Once they're cut, you can put them in a pan or grill. Spam is very oily, so you don't need to add anything to cook it. Let it brown, then flip, it takes about a minute or two to brown, then put it on your plate. Like bacon, you can have the Spam be light in texture or crispy. If you have a cheese cutter, you can also cut it longer so you can have a bigger slice, which is good if you're making a sandwich. If you cut it properly, you can then cut that long piece in half and have it look like bacon, or the short lived Spam strips, which had the same look as Sizzlean. Again, my preference for Spam is cooked, but feel free to eat it "raw" if you want. If you are a college student and don't have a pan to cook Spam, you can cook it on a George Foreman grill. They take about two to three minutes to cook.

Back to the Morning Submission show. It was asked if Spam could be eaten with any sauces, and if so, which ones? You can have it with ketchup, shoyu, kecap manis, BBQ sauce, even vinegar if you wish, or some lemon zest. If you are a meat eater and you use some kind of sauce, it can apply to Spam. You can eat Spam as is, in a sandwich, with cheese, as part of a meal (i.e. Spam chop suey, Spam watercress), or anything. There are two cookbooks of interest that you can take a look through if you are a fan of Spam but want to know what else you can do with it:

These books aren't just simple "let me slap a slice of Spam in a bread slice with mayonnaise and call it a day", although you can have it that simple. We're talking full stews, soups, or use it to accompany any dish. Spam maple bars, maybe? Eh, I think if you were to make them crispy, you could dice up the cooked Spam and sprinkle it over a maple bar but maybe not.

Maybe you've heard about Spam musubi, but have no idea how to make one. People in Hawai'i used to make them by cooking rice, getting the nori, then creating a rice ball by hand. Then after cleaning out the Spam can, they'd place it in the can as a makeshift mold. A sheet of nori wraps up the rice cube, a slice of Spam is placed on top, pop it in the can, push, and voila, Spam musubi. The old style Spam cans used to slice up fingers, and blood on Spam musubi is not good, so now you can buy something like this:

If Spam is not to your liking, you can create teriyaki chicken musubi, teriyaki hot dog musubi, salmon musubi, and whatever you feel like cramming in there. If you are in Portland, I know of at least one cart that sells Spam musubi, and they're reasonably cheap too, as they should be.

Nonetheless, if you are a fan of Spam and want to hear a hilarious taste test, click to the link above. Away from the food, I'm a fan of Morning Submission because it is the kind of morning show I wish was on territorial radio, but isn't. But you know what? Who needs territorial radio when you have the kind of cool and interesting programming that is on PDX.fm? Anyway, go listen to this podcast and with luck you'll become a fan of Morning Submission too.

Lunch @ KOIFusion food cart, Portland, Oregon

2010-06-13T17:08:00.001-07:00

LUNCH
Korean Organic Infusion/Koi Fusion Food Cart
Corner of 4th & Ankeny
Downtown Portland (Old Town), Oregon
June 11, 2010

all photographs by Nettie Bird.

When I was last in Portland to see Medeski, Martin & Wood (read my full concert review here), I drove past a 76 gas station and saw a food cart called KOIfusion, with colors within their logo that looked like a highlight pen. This cart combines Mexican food with Korean, thus the fusion. In other words, Korean tacos, which have become the L.A. rage in the last few years. While I love Mexican food, my Korean intake is different to the point where my interests were very, very basic. Is there a pre-basic? I mean, I don't like kim chee at all yet I grew up in a household that loved it. But, the idea of combining a type of food I loved with one I honesty to want to explore made me curious. My sister had heard about it and upon making plans to travel to Portland, she knew she had to make a mandatory stop. I decided to join in on this trip, and off to Portland we would go, this time with our mom. Me, sis, and ma dukes.

I knew that the KOIfusion cart was around the corner from Voodoo Doughnut and a block from the great Big Ass Sandwiches, so I had no problem in finding it. It was however difficult to find a good parking spot. It was lunchtime in downtown PDX, everyone was out for the hunt for good grinds, but in time one was found, in the lot with the Keep Portland Weird slogan. On the sidewalk we saw four food carts with customers ordering and eating.

One of the carts was a nice and vibrant red one called Baowry, which was of interest to us since we are big fans of char siu bao, or what we Hawaiians call manapua (pork bun). We didn't try any, but the menu stated they sold pork, beef, and a tofu bun.

We then made it across to the street and the first thing we instinctivey did was inhale. Aaaaah. Then we looked at the menu.

My sister and I had a sense of what we were going get since we looked before hand, but my mom wasn't sure. She's not a big eater anyway, so my sister chose to order four tacos so we could try them. Options included Korean short ribs (Fall-off-the-bone tender short rib meat, marinated in Mama Kwon’s secret sauce, grilled to perfection, then de-boned and shredded to make for one tasty taco filling. This meat melts in your mouth), bulgogi BBQ beef, spicy chicken, spicy pork, and spicy tofu (a vegan option). We bought all but the Korean short rib taco.

My sister also bought the kim chee.

I ordered, for everyone, K-Sliders, the plate formerly known as Seoul Sliders. These are bulgogi sliders.

We tried the tacos, each coming with a corn tortilla and "shredded cabbage, chopped scallions, bean sprouts, onion cilantro, daikon radish sprouts and our Korean salsa". I did notice a sliver of cucumber, which was nice as it worked against the spiciness of the sauce. Each taco is very good, with the tofu one being light on flavor. Of course with tofu, it absorbs whatever it is thrown in but if you want a mild taco without the weightiness of meat, opt for this. You can add other custom sauces if you want. The pork, chicken, and bulgogi tacos were just great, and I couldn't wait for the sliders to arrive. BTW - the guy who helped me was very courteous, made me feel at home and he had known me even though this was my first visit to the cart. Oh yeah, as for the sliders arriving, it did.

I'll be honest, I originally wanted to pig out on a full bulgogi burrito but I wanted to sample various things on the menu, and I didn't know how good the bulgogi would be. This is the winner, the meat is tender and the flavor is just too awesome, I didn't want to give up the sauce to my fingers.

We ate it next to the table on the side of the cart, right on the sidewalk, and loved it. There was a Korean lady there who liked what she ordered, then requested for it to be hotter. She ten started speaking Korean to the chef (whom I didn't see), and it was obvious she had fallen in love with a place to eat. Everyone in my family was satisfied, so we decided to walk it off. I told them that about two blocks away, there were two clusters of food carts that they had to see. Both of them had not had the food cart experience, other than random lunch wagons elsewhere, so we walked up two blocks and they discovered a pizza cart, a taco cart, a hot dog cart, the infamous BrunchBox, and an Indian cart, where my sister had to try her first mango lassi. It was great.

I was more than satisfied, and of course I wanted to try everything else but what surprised me was when my mom wanted to try more. She decided to try out Taste Of Poland, where a combination plate involving pierogi, kielbasa, and "spicy sausage" was purchased:

In a matter of 15 minutes, we tried out Mexican/Korean, Indian, and Polish food. What I like about these food cart clusters are the variety, and they are cheap eats. There's a sticker inside the Big-Ass Sandwiches cart which says "Eat Shit And Die", with McDonald's and Burger King logos, and when you are in Portland, why should anyone eat fast food is anyone's guess, especially with so much variety at these carts. The amount of Thai carts was surprising, so one day I'll have to go for them too.

Whether you're on a budget or feel like having a free-for-all foodcoma during breakfast, lunch, dinner, or after a night at the clubs, you can be satisfied and dim sum (wah wah waaaaah) while in downtown Portland. Plus, even if you are full, you'll want to stand in line at Voodoo Doughnut, as my sister and mom did, to try out a Tang doughnut, a Fruit Loop doughnut, and their cherished bacon maple bar, which I've tried before upon my first visit. The Tang and Fruit Loop doughnuts, however, were new to me:

I should say these doughtnuts were shared amongst us, but look at the options in one small section of downtown Portland. Go skinny. Even if you're on a diet, if you feel a need to break out of it for at least an hour, do it in downtown Portland.

Dinner @ Six Degrees, Kennewick, Washington

2010-04-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

Six Degrees: A Restaurant & A Bar
3311 W. Clearwater Avenue
Kennewick, WA, 99336
April 1, 2010

Six Degrees is a new restaurant in the Tri-Cities, Washington, more specifically the city of Kennewick. It received a promotional push in the local newspaper in late 2009 as a forthcoming restaurant. The article spoke about the growing population in this area, and a need to have something different other than the norm. There's a lot more variety today than there was even 5 years ago. Six Degrees was promoted as a rock'n'roll themed burger joint, but that was it, no indication as to what exactly they would be serving, other than "quality burgers".

They opened in February 2010 and the reviews that I had come across (including on Chowhound) made this place out to be a haven of quality food. My thought was "is this restaurant really that good, or did someone at the restaurant create some reviews as a means to hype them up?" Second thought: "if the reviews are genuine, then I have to try it out for myself." I did.

My sister had chosen Six Degrees to have a birthday dinner, and I was invited. She (my sister) had come across their menu on their website and told me about some of their meals. Many of the items are named after classic songs or artists, so one can have the Daltrey's Double Pork (named after The Who singer and described as "smoked BBQ pork topped with applewood-smoked bacon, tangy coleslaw, and our berry chipotle sauce"), Philly Springsteen ("Sliced prime rib, pepperoni, black olives, mozzarella cheese, marinara and two provolone cheese sticks"), or the Magic Carpet Ride burger ("topped with pepperoni, black olives, two provolone cheese sticks, and marinara"). I was tempted to try out the Fleetwood MAC & Cheese Burger, which would make it possible to not only try out their hamburgers, but also their macaroni & cheese. What I went for was something in the Sandwich & Weenies section called Woodstock Weenie. I'm a longtime fan of the Woodstock Music & Art Fair from August 15-19, 1969, and yet even by looking at the description ("We take this huge, all-beef dog, beer batter it and then deep-fry it. Topped with applewood-smoked bacon, house-baked mac and cheese, chopped onions and our homemade chili"), I wasn't really sure why they named it after the Woodstock music festival. I also was not prepared for what arrived at my table.

When I saw this coming my way to the table, the two words that entered my mind was "holy shit!" The meal was big, but I didn't think it would be this big. The waitress (who was very friendly) brought the plate onto the table, and... I thought "am I supposed to eat this, or is this meant to be given to a lady friend as a sensual gift?" My sister jokingly said "that's obscene", and I don't think I ever had seen a hot dog this big or long. I've seen foot long hot dogs, but this guy was a beast. Not only that, but this all-beef hot dog was deep fried. DEEP FRIED, DAMMIT! Then you have their own chili poured onto it, in a small bed of macaroni & cheese, nicely coasted with onions, and then let's not forget the bacon, all on a bun that was overwhelmed by the size of this wiener. I don't know if it was possible to have held all of this together for a solid bite, so I decided to consume it with a fork. I cut a piece of the hot dog with a fork, and even the piece I had cut was too big. Once I got a decent size to consume, it floored me. It was a quality beef hot dog, this wasn't something you'd buy in an 8-pack. It's deep fried, and at first it reminded me of a corn dog. It wasn't until I started writing this review did I figure out what it tasted like: beer battered fish. Not the hot dog, but the beer batter, it helped give the hot dog a nice touch. Their homemade chili is perfect to be served on its own, and they do that if you wish to have it. The macaroni & cheese was quality.

It would take me awhile before I could finish it down, but I did. While I had the option to use ketchup (or mustard), I ate it as is. Smart people will want to buy this and split it in two, but if you have a good appetite, you will find something that's exceptional.

As for the fruit, this was an optional "side" (you have many choices to choose from) I had picked. I had enough starch and carbs to put me out for a whole weekend, so I chose fruit to "balance" out the mock guilt I had of eating the Woodstock Weenie. If you want the "fruit skewer" alone, it costs $3. That's $3 for five chunks of fruit (pineapple, honey new melon, water melon, and two pieces of pineapple), which means 60 cents a piece, which also means a lot less fruit than what $3 will get you at a farmer's market. The prices for the meals here are reasonable ($8-$15 before drinks), so may I recommend having a bit of fruit to refresh the pallet. The fruit was fresh, a plus.

The atmosphere was very warm and cozy, with framed album covers and concert posters (the food was the only thing that stopped me from looking at the replica posters). The bar is in the back but visible from the dining area, so whether you're there with family, a best friend, or a boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife, it's nice enough for everyone to experience. Since I'm not a drinker, I didn't see what kind of range of drinks they had, but my sister was satisfied with the cocktail she had chosen. The bar looked well stocked.

I will return here to try more dishes. I've been to many restaurants in the Tri-Cities since I've lived here, but this is easily one of the best (up there with Hacienda del Sol. Housed in the building that used to be a hamburger, BBQ, and chicken joint and more recently a Mexican restaurant, I hope Six Degrees will last here for years. If you choose to bring your mom and she embraces the Woodstock Weenie in more ways than you could ever imagine, more power to her.

As to why call it a Woodstock Weenier, maybe because it looked like a muddy, psychedelic mess, or what a normal chili dog would look like while taking the brown acid. I'll ask the next time. You will have a food coma soon after, so make sure you're really hungry when you go here. Highly recommended.

Lunch @ Skillet Street Food; Dessert @ Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream, Seattle Washington

2010-03-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

LUNCH
Skillet Street Food
2941 First Avenue S.
Seattle (SoDo), Washington
March 5, 2010

Looking back, I don't quite remember when or how I found out about Skillet, a food cart that is built in those old school air-streamers. My guess is that I was probably on some food blog about two to three years ago, and how Seattle has a number of food and foodie renegades who want to do things different from the norm. I liked the idea that Skillet, who say they are "a modern American diner", would park in various spots every weekend throughout Seattle, and the only way people knew where they were was if they followed them on Twitter or went to their website. "How in the world do you follow a truly mobile food establishment?" you may be asking, and one possible answer is "with determination." There are articles online where owner Joshua Henderson had to deal with peculiar rules and regulations in Seattle, some legit, some a bit questionable. Two to three years later, Skillet has continued to maintain their reputation for offering quality food, and when I say "quality", it's no joke.

On a day where I would pick up family from the airport, I looked to see where Skillet would be, as this would be the day I would have my first Skillet meal. I've read about the quality of what they simply called "The Burger", and how it featured their own bacon jam. I know, various porkaholics are praising anything and everything for their tasty swine, so while I knew Skillet's bacon jam was not sweet but savory, I was still interested in how it tasted and what it would be like on a burger.

Some Google Map research the day before lead to the discover that this place wouldn't be difficult to find. It was in the SoDo part of Seattle, or within the vicinity of Safeco Field. It's very much the industrial part of Seattle, which is where Skillet first started. I knew I would be ordering The Burger, which is described as "grass fed (beef), arugula, bacon jam, bleu, soft roll", but they were also serving a Fried Chicken Sammy: "apple celery root slaw, piquillo pepper aioli". I love a good burger, so once I reached SoDo, I rolled down my window to sense the smell of good food. I looked for smoke, as some other websites and blogs had said, but nothing. I was close to the address listed, and to my right a thing of beauty: the silver bullet, the Air-Streamer. The food cart known as Skillet.

(Above photo taken from Skillet's Facebook gallery.)

I turned down the street, made myself around, and in an open lot with no parking restriction signs, I parked my car and waited in line. It had only taken about seven minutes for me to reach the front, and I chose to eat "The Burger" with fries. On other websites and blogs, The Burger had a price of $7. Another one said it would be $8. On this day it was $11, which I'll be honest, was a bit pricey. However, reviews of Skillet would mention that this is a true gourmet burger, that quality is obvious, so if I was going to pay $11 for a burger, I might as well go for the fries for an additional $2. After only a two minute wait, my name was called, and Henderson himself handed me the box of food, the box being eco-friendly.

There were no tables or chairs, and while I had the option to walk to my car and eat, I chose to hang on the wall and eat with the rest of the others. I had the fries first because while I love a food burger, I wasn't going to pig out just yet. Yet out of this box was an aroma that was too hard to resist, and I also didn't want to weigh myself down on fries before I had my first bite. Then I had it. Oh man. This was also my first hamburger from grass-fed beef, something I've known about and have wanted to try in recent years, but had yet to try (I have seen them available at local farmer's markets). The first thing I loved was the quality of the beef, this was no cheapy corn-filled McDonald's beef. It was juicy, and mix that with the bun, it was delightful. Yeah, maybe delightful isn't a word I'd use in normal conversations, but give me a bit of liberty, this is what the burger was. The bleu cheese was not overwhelming, and I think that had a lot to do with the quality of the beef, it was a perfect gel. But what sealed it for me was the bacon jam. Wicked this was. Ladies, if you want your man to go absolutely nuts, slap some bacon jam on you and let him go crazy. Bacon in a hamburger or cheeseburger is one thing, but to have this new "jam" that mixes up bacon with onions, herbs, and... oh man. As I'm eating the sandwich, the sandwich slowly breaks about because it's moist and juicy. This is only a cue for the bacon jam to hit close to the fries, but you realize while you would love to have your fries covered in bacon jam, it would take away from the burger.

The sandwich itself is not as small as photos I had seen in blogs, it was a nice, "healthy" size, definitely not a slider. I wanted to take my time. There is no need for any additional sauces, all the flavor you need is there (although they do have ketchup bottles near the cashier). As I'm eating the sandwich, I'm realizing that the whole idea behind Skillet is that they're serving "gourmet food" as "street food" out of an air-streamer, this isn't Grade F Wendy's beef. When I was done, it felt like I had a great burger. Maybe it had to do with the search, the anticipation, but a big part of it was having something described as being of quality, and realizing it is very much that. I highly recommend this place, wherever they may be. If you happen to be in Seattle and see them parked somewhere, find the best place to park and wait in line.

DESSERT
Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream
1622.5 N 45th St.
Seattle (Wallingford), Washington
March 5, 2010

While I love my food, I don't normally have a dessert when I'm at a restaurant, nor do I have a snack when I go home. It's final, that's it. However, with a lot of extra time on hands, I wanted to visit one of two places. One was Family Doughtnut Shop (2100 N Northgate Way), the other was Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream (1622.5 N 45th St., Wallingford). While I love a good doughnut, I also like a quality ice cream, and this is an ice cream shoppe that is not only of homemade quality, but with as many of his ingredients being local and regional. On top of this, owner Molly Moon Neitzel was the executive director of Music for America, the website that ran my column The Run-Off Groove for almost five years. I at least wanted to say hello and show my support of a business that has received praised in many websites, blogs, and national food magazines.

While she was not at the time, it was great to see a small but humble ice cream shop which at the time featured a lady with a newspaper, a lady with her child, and another lady bringing in an older lady (60's or 70's) for a scoop. The younger lady wanted her to try an ice cream that had a spicy flavor (I think it was the pomegranate curry sorbet) and the older lady goes "oh no, this would be too much for me". I chose the Maple Walnut in a waffle cone, which are made in the store. I love the creaminess of the ice cream, and the flavor... nice quality maple that didn't taste artificial, and the walnuts were just the right size. They also serve it up to three scoops, or if you're into it, you can have their flavors turned into a milkshake. I did have a sample of their Vivace Coffee flavor, which has a nice rich taste, so if you love your (why or why did I need) cappucino and want to try it frozen, go here. According to her store blog, Molly Moon's will soon have their own ice cream truck, which will be perfect with spring only a few weeks away.

I didn't bring my camera into the shop with me, but what I thought was cool was the alley right outside which lead to some homes in the back. The cool thing about the alley was that the wall had some nice graffiti, which I noticed on on Google maps but I assumed they had already cleaned it up. When I left the shop, I noticed it but didn't have my camera on me so when I drove away, I had taken a quick shot of the outside. Upon looking at the photos, the graffiti was captured.

Excellent.

Late dinner @ Big-Ass Sandwiches, Portland, Oregon

2010-02-27T16:11:00.000-08:00

Big-Ass Sandwiches
corner of SW 3rd & Ash Street
Portland, Oregon
February 26, 2010

I grew up in Honolulu, where there is a fair share of lunchwagons. Tsukenjo was a wagon we ate at every few weeks (more like every month) and we looked forward to it. It was a spot my dad loved and it would become a personal favorite. I went to a "summer care" thing in the 3rd grade not too far from where I loved, where there was a green wagon that served great burgers and incredibly greasy fries, and a chili & rice wagon which had the design of those paper cardboard bowls that often held poi in some circles. One could drive to any part of Oahu and find a wide assortment of foods, and since I've been gone, more have popped up out on the North Shore.

Here in the mainland, more specifically SE Washington State, there is little to no variety, but there are taco and burrito wagons, including the one I tried in my last entry. 200 miles West of me in Portland, Oregon, there has been a food cart revolution in the last few years. I love fast and portable, but I also want quality, which you're not going to get at most fast food joints. Plus, I like to support local businesses. Anyway, there are food cart events and if you want to keep track at what's new, what's closed, and what is worth searching for, check out Food Carts Portland.

Yesterday I went to Portland to see Medeski, Martin & Wood at the Roseland. My plan was that after the show, I would go and try a sandwich I have been wanting to try for three months at a food cart that proudly calls itself Big-Ass Sandwiches.-

The cart was started by Brian & Lisa Wood, and after doing a number of trial sandwiches at home and having friends try them, they were ready to commit themselves to starting a business. After a few delays, they opened up in late December 2009. I had intended to try it back then during their opening first week because I was in Vancouver, Washington (the city across the bridges from Portland) with my cousin's family for Christmas, and it would've been perfect. Christmas fell on a Friday last year, which meant I could try a sandwich on the next day, right? Well no, because their weekend hours start at 11pm, unlike their weekday schedule which originally started at 10am (they now open at 11am Monday through Thursday), and since I was leaving the PDX/Vancouver area on the morning of December 26th, I knew I was out of luck. I made a promise that I would return.

What moved me about this place? C'mon, they're called Big-Ass Sandwiches, that's what hooked me first. I had no idea about Brian or Lisa's background but found out Lisa and I share roots in radio, a plus. I later found out that Brian and I have a friend in common, someone I went to high school with (Steve T. played with a number of bands, including D.N.C., and if anyone has their demo tape from 1992 or so, I'm on there speaking gibberish on the intro to one of the songs.) Those are good things, but in the end I just wanted the damn sandwich. Anyway, Big-Ass. That's funny. They have been enjoying a good amount of buzz and promotion in various blogs and websites, and through interaction on Twitter (they are @BigAssSandwich), people became aware of them very quickly. Because of their name, they had to compromise by covering the ss in their name on the banner on top of their cart. Originally it was with asterisks, but that wasn't enough, so it's covered up with tape. Nonetheless, it's all in the name and let's face it, when people talk about food, we're all free with the mouth: "oh damn, that shit is sick" or "that is one motherfucking big ass sandwich." Why not cut to the chase, right?

After the concert, I changed into my Big-Ass Sandwich T-shirt (which I lovingly model here) and walked to the cart. I stood there for a minute or two as Brian had taken ordered and cooked. Then Lisa popped out of the window and says "hey, I recognize you." I wanted to order a standard sandwich, and I say this because they have since added a unique feature to their menu: limited edition sandwiches. The mixture of the contents are not on their menu, but they included one sandwich that featured deep fried macaroni & cheese, and one week they created a sandwich in honor of Portland mayor Sam Adams (who does his share of Twitter interaction with the people of his proud city).

So, what exactly is a standard sandwich? Their "Big-Ass Sandwich" consists of "choice of roaster turkey, roast beef, or ham with homemade French fries, grilled and piled into a ciabatta roll." Their rolls are made by Fleur De Lis Bakery & Cafe. You also have extras such as homemade horshradish, side of ranch dressing, raw or grilled mushrooms, and raw or grilled onions, and a bechamel cheese sauce. Again these are optional. They also have a very good (and local) hot sauce that is optional called Secret Aardvark. I actually got this hot sauce as a gift and I really like it, especially with Mexican food. Now, if you're feeling really hungry, you can order their "Gutbomb", which is double the meat. I love breakfast and wanted to take home their "Big-Ass Breakfast Sandwich" but I wasn't sure what it would've tasted like after eight hours of being in a refrigerator. I also could've eaten it right there, but again, I wanted to do the "standard" thing as my introduction. Despite all of this carnivorous goodness, they also make a vegan sandwich, which sounds good too.

As I waited for my sandwich, I could smell the contents being grilled up by Brian and it smelled so good. There were a few others waiting for their orders. I looked around and there was a guy with dreads and thermals singing as if he was Wayne Coyne, while you had club goers going in and out of Voodoo Doughnut, which is across the street, no more than a few yards. Next door to Big Ass Sandwiches was a pink cart called Ninja Plate Lunches who serve local Hawaiian favorites. Basically, if you've ever been to Hawai'i and have eaten a plate lunch, that's what's on there, everything from shoyu chicken, loco moco, chicken or tofu curry, and even Spam musubi. As a Hawaiian, all I could think was "lucky they're not open".

For my Big-Ass Sandwich I chose roast beef and added grilled mushrooms, grilled onions, and cheese sauce. Again, each sandwich comes with fries and they are inside of the sandwich. You can order a side-order of fries, but again, you're already going to have fries inside, so keep that in mind if you visit and decide to order a sandwich with a side order of fries. Both Brian & Lisa were very cool, as they were talking with other customers they spoke freely, which means that if you're offended to swearing, you have been warned. It's very casual and loose, but everything is up to code, nothing is pilau (dirty) about it other than the verbals you may here. I was going to eat the sandwich on the spot, but it was cold and my hotel was nearby.

This video consists not of me eating it, but opening and investigating the sandwich before... well, you'll see.

For those who don't want to or can't see the video, here's my verdict. The sandwich is incredible. Unlike a fast food sandwich where you'll eat it and wonder what exactly you just ate, you taste everything. The roast beef is quality, the fries in and out of the sandwich are good, the cheese sauce, onions, and mushrooms have a lot of flavor, now combine them together: mind blowing.

Is the sandwich worth the 200 mile to-and-from drive, yes. Will I venture into Portland again for the sandwich: yes. Consider the price for a standard Big-Ass Sandwich before the extras ($5) and that's a bargain, especially for the flavor that's within. If you are a fan of sliders, you may want to cut this sandwich into fourths. If you like a simple McDonald's burger, you'll want to cut this in half. But for people with big appetites, this is perfect. If there was a way for this cart to go on tour, it should go. You know, have a national band say "hey, at all of our stops at all of the festivals we go to, we want to represent our love of your food by you guys being there." I am currently involved in a food-related book project right now, imagine going to a book signing and right outside: Big-Ass Sandwiches. Or have the book signing AT the food cart.

I'm gloating, but this sandwich is, as they say, "the truth". I cannot highly recommend it enough, and I only tried one sandwich. Make Big-Ass Sandwiches the reason you (re)visit Portland in the near future.

Lunch @ El Cazador, Pasco, Washington

2009-10-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

El Cazador
6411 Burden Blvd.
Pasco, WA 99301

Google Map

I grew up with my share of lunch wagons: Tsukenjo in Honolulu, along with two wagons that were a major part of my consuming in the 3rd grade, a hamburger & french fries wagon, and a chili & rice wagon at Booth Park in Pauoa in Honolulu. Plus, drive anywhere in Hawai'i and lunch wagons are never far. When I visited New York City for the first time in 1990, I wanted to look for a hot dog or pretzel cart.

Fast forward to 2009. Lunch wagons and food carts are celebrated, anyone who lives in Portland, Oregon knows about Food Carts Portland, and fans of vlogs will know of (or should become familiar with) a great online show called Vendr.TV. Here in Pasco, there are many taco wagons to choose from, each of them with their own style of cooking. Taco wagons have become a new phenomenon of sorts in Portland and Seattle, and I'm able to say that we've had them for years.

Viera's Bakery has been a tradition of downtown for Pasco for years. A new section of Pasco has been in effect for about six to seven years, and with more people moving in means there's more of a demand for decent food. The section of Pasco on Road 68 has become an immediate fast food pit stop: McDonald's, Sonic, Jack In The Box, and Panda Express, but within the same area you can also find Hacienda Del Sol, Magill's, and Bruchi's. Viera's opened up a new bakery off of Burden Blvd., which makes it possible to get some quality churros, doughnuts, maple bars, and other delicious pasteries. This past summer, there was a lunch wagon in the Viera's parking lot so I had taken a look but did not buy anything. I'd have to wait until today to try it out. My sister had a craving to try it and asked me if I wanted to try it too. Of course.

It was cloudy and cold this morning, with a bit of rain on the ground, but as we approached this wagon, we saw a number of people waiting for their food. The wagon is called El Cazador. The wagon has a makeshift sitting area, along with a foosball table for people to play while they wait. On the left side of the truck was their menu with photos of each dish.

What I wanted to try was their Hawaianas, but they didn't have it on the menu today (not sure if it's a seasonable thing). They did have their Torta Cubana, and while it looked very good, I opted for their burrito. The burrito "plate" (we chose beef) featured a nice-sized burrito along with rice, refried beans, and... who knows what else lurked inside.

The container was nicely wrapped with foil, with a green and red salsa to compliment the dish.

The magic would begin when it was opened.

I tried the rice and beans first and it was nicely cooked, not overly cooked, not undercooked, it was just right. Upon trying the green salsa first, I knew the rest of my meal would be a winner. It was. The tortilla itself tasted and smelled great, very light like pastry. Then it was about going into the guts. This is easily one of the best burritos I've ever eaten, and I'm a burrito nut. I can be iffy at times on onions, but they were sliced small enough to where I didn't notice until it was singled out on my pallet. There were also some nice surprises inside of hte burrito: avocado and tomato slices. Each ingredient inside of the burrito complimented each other, and I couldn't help but love the tortilla. The red salsa was nice too. If I had sour cream, I would have piled it on too. My sister expressed herself with bouts of silence, as if to say "shutup, I'm too busy eating".

As Dora The Explorer would say: "¡yum yum yum yum yum, delicioso!" The cost of the burrito meal was $6.50, which isn't bad at all and far better than the instant crap they served down the street at Taco Bell. As my sister said, Taco Bell isn't even in the same league as this, for that is mere filler. At least with this burrito at El Cazador, you know what you're eating and at least when you're full, you're satisfied.

The wagon sells sodas in the cooler, be it Pepsi or various fruit soda options. The highest price dish was something that looked like a meat platter with beef and hot dogs, that went for $12 or $12.50. Lowest priced item was $2 for those who may want to sample what they offer before going for a full meal deal. I will definitely return again, and most likely again and again and again and again and again and again like Lyn Collins. I'll try their Torta Cubana.

If you're in Pasco, Washington for anything, El Cazador is highly recommended.

NOTE: I didn't get the phone number, but you are able to call in your order and then pick it up.

VIDEO: making Mini Turkey Meatloaf and Mac & Cheese with Shay Butta

2009-07-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

On an online board I frequent (Okayplayer!), someone named Shay Butta decided to make a video of her creating mini turkey meat loaf and her own macaroni & cheese recipe that looks really good. Take a look, and feel free to comment on her YouTube page.

ARTICLE: The Portland Mercury Food Issue

2009-07-01T22:10:00.000-07:00

In this week's Portland Mercury they look at the world of restaurants and its employees, to find out what pleases the foodies and why. You can read the article by heading here.

Snack Food: Mariani's Kangaroo Jerky (Australia)

2009-06-15T22:51:00.000-07:00

My sister recently came back from Australia and she knows that I like to try unknown brands and/or varieties of snacks I may know of. She also knows I'll try something new. So here she is with the snack she bought for me and it was... Kangaroo jerky.

It's made by a company called Mariani, who distribute throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. They plan on hitting the U.S. market soon. So here I am with a package featuring an illustration of kangaroos in a mid jump. Here I am with their flesh in a bag, nicely seasoned. The back lists the scientific name as "Macropus Rufus".

It also says this: "The meat contained herein is for personal use only and not for sale. It is derived from animals that received postmodern veterinary inspection and were found sound and healthy in every way. The slaughter and preparation of the meat described herein has been carried out in a sanitary manner in accordance with Expert Control Act. 1982, which is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry"

So how does it taste? Well, it has the flavorings of a typical jerky, but beef this isn't. What got to me was the texture. Beef jerky is generally rugged, you tear that thing with your teeth and you'll need to floss. Kangaroo however is very smooth, and that caught me off guard. I am sure the soy sauce powder, garlic, mineral salt, and everything else helped disguise the actual kangaroo flavor but someone somewhere eats the meat, so obviously it's edible. A blog called Random Foodnotes said The texture and taste are reminiscent of pork jerky, although with the dominant soy sauce flavor, this could have been dehydrated dirt and it would probably taste the same. I don't think I'll be eating kangaroo jerky again anytime soon.

The same company also makes emu jerky and crocodile jerky, I don't know if Steve Irwin would have approved of this, but maybe daughter Bindy will give this company a couple of smacks.

Burgers On The Edge's Burger Genius Contest (Honolulu)

2009-06-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't been back home in Honolulu in almost a decade, it's very sad but it's also very true. Normally when I do go home, I limit my burger intake to W&M in Kaimuki, Zippy's, or a hamburger steak plate lunch @ Tsukenjo. But I was made aware of a restaurant called Burgers On The Edge and the menu looks very good.

They recently held a "Burger Genius" contest where people could enter and create their own burger dishes. According to the website, the idea was to see "who in Hawaii can create the most original and delicious burger using the 8 cheeses, 12 sauces, and 18 toppings from the current menu or think outside the burger wrapper by submitting a recipe for their masterpiece."

What was of interest to me was something called the "Bento Burger" made by Doris Gilbert. What consists of a Bento Burger? Here are the ingredaments (HA!):

Burger Name: Bento Burger
Beef: Ground Chuck
Cheese: Swiss
Sauce: Teriyaki
Toppings: Fried egg, Spam, Manoa lettuce

Mmm, mmm, mmm. The seven other finalists made burgers that, at least in text form, sound amazing.

The Burger Genius presentation will be shown on KHON in Honolulu on Wednesday, June 24 at 9:00pm, and the winners will be announced on July 4th, marking the 1st anniversary of Burgers On The Edge. If they post a video of the show or if it is posted elsewhere, I will have it here on Book's Foodie

Website of interest: VendrTV

2009-06-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

VendrTV is a website that looks into "Curbside Cuisine", so if you're someone who loves those food carts and to support those who make the food, this is a great site to go through. They go across the country to look at what's going on, interviewing the people behind the carts and you get a chance to see people trying out the goods. With summer just around the corner in the Northern Hemisphere, if you have plans on a vacation or two, avoid the Mc and check out these street vendors.

ARTICLE: Travels In Tacoville

2009-06-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

The Portland Mercury has just started a series of articles called Travels In Tacoville, which looks at the growing number of taco wagons in Portland, Oregon and picks out some of the best. You can read the first two installments here:

Part 1
Part 2

Lunch @ Miner's Drive-In, Union Gap, Washington

2009-06-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

Miner's Drive-In
2415 S. First St.
Union Gap, Washington 98903
509 (457-8194)
Google Map

Miner's Drive-In is a fast food burger place in Union Gap, Washington, about 2 1/2 hours East from Seattle and Portland, and the town just outside of Yakima. This is a burger place that is celebrated by many people in Eastern Washington and apparently some call it a great burger getaway. Some people I know of swear by this place, and for many people in the last 61 years, it still reigns supreme, even as McDonald's and Subway lurk nearby. I've passed and have visited Union Gap many times, but never made a stop here (Union Gap does have a great Japanese restaurant called New York Teriyaki & Hamburger, hopefully when I come back to Union Gap I'll go there). My mom felt like heading out of town and asked me if I could take her there so I did.

After reading a review, I was made aware that Miner's was very roomy, but it's a Saturday, it's almost summer, which means it probably would be packed. It was. I got in there and saw the menu, and lots of choices. Many different burger varieties, with the most basic one being about $4. I guess their Big Miner's is their specialty, so I went for that. It had a hamburger pattie, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and lettuce. They also had a teriyaki hamburger with ham. HAM! Chicken sandwiches, fish sandwiches, hot dogs, salads, taco infused something or other, and many other things that looked good. It was not as hectic as when I visited the great Varsity in Atlanta, Georgia, but it had that vibe in the back where everyone was hard at work, knowing the pattern of the kitchen. Miner's also sold combos, which was a burger, fries, and a soft drink, and there was one that was a whopping $10.99.

My sweet tooth started going when I saw the list of milk shakes and malts. They had all of the regular flavors, plus peach, pina colada, chocolate mint, and many others, at least 30. I wanted a milk shake but wanted to hold back so my mom ordered a chocolate one.

We were given our number and was told that the food would be delivered to us. We wanted to sit outside because a seat could not be found inside, but it was windy and slightly chilly. Nonetheless, I looked at the burger and it was big. Well, it was big in circumference but it was a thin patty, surrounded by lots of toppings. The bun is bigger than the hamburger, but after taking out what I didn't like, I went in. It was actually good as is, but I then decided to put some BBQ sauce on there. Not a good plan. It then seemed as if I didn't have a burger left, either that or the buns were soaking up the toppings. The fries were okay but maybe a bit overcooked. In the end, the burger was filling but it left me thinking "what did I just eat?" Maybe I needed to try a double burger, because it seemed like I was getting a lot of nothing. Or I could low-carb it (ha!) and just eat one bun.

As for my mom's milkshake, she couldn't take the sweet but I felt it was really good, it tasted like some nice chocolate syrup. Next time I'll try their pina colada milkshake.

To be honest, Miner's is not that bad for an independent burger shack, it's very old school and the people who work there are very nice, they make you feel at home. I will go back one day and try something else.

HISTORY: When Miner's started in 1948, their original name was Miner's In-N-Out, to describe the drive-thru they had and still have. But when a California burger chain started up in the 1960's, they didn't want to be confused with them so they changed the name to Miner's Drive-In. With the help of the internet and food shows, more people know about the Cali In-N-Out than the Union Gap Miner's, but if you're visiting the Pacific Northwest and want something quick and tasty with a pinch of history, plan on visiting Miner's.

Article of interest:
Local hamburger joint celebrates 60 year history (from YakimaHerald.com.

VIDEO: Deep Fry... Everything

2009-05-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

This video comes courtesy of The Stranger in Seattle, the video counterpart to an article about what happens when you deep fry as many goodies as possible? You discover that some of those goodies are not so good.

BLOG OF INTEREST: We Eating

2009-05-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

I just watched a great movie called Lumpia for the first time, and I was doing a search for one of the actresses in it. She does some publicity now, and through discovering that I discovered this, a food blog site called We Eating, started by Big Jon and Gus. They're two friends who go around looking for some quality food, and find out a little about the food and the restaurants they go to. Jon and Gus are the self-proclaimed "big guys" who love to eat, and they seem very down to Earth too.

There are only four episodes so far, but I like what they're about so check them out.

Snack Food: Beer Chips

2009-05-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

I heard about Beer Chips a year or two ago, not sure if it was profiled on television or if I read it in an article in a magazine or blog. I was in Vancouver, Washington this weekend and I found it in, of all places, Whole Foods. It's odd because it's not exactly a healthy snack, and one doesn't think of Whole Foods when it comes to beer or chips. The company originates in Portland, Oregon, the city across the river, so I had to try it.

In typical potato chip fashion, there was much more air than chips. I tried it a day after I bought it and three things came to mind as I tried it:

1) it's very greasy
2) it's malty
3) it reminds me of Maui style potato chips, flavor wise

It did catch me by surprise, but it was a nice chip. Not hearty, but nice. It's definitely a chip I would eat on a side with a bigger meal, not that I'd ever eat chips as a main dish but it's also not a chip I would buy again for myself if there were other choices. However, it is a chip I would buy for a party so that others could try it.

Beer Chips also make a Margarita Shots variety (which was at Whole Foods), and their website also shows a Spicy Bloody Mary flavor.

Website of interest: LoveThatKimChi.com

2009-04-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

I've known it as "kim chee", some may call it "kim chi", "kimchi", or even "gimchee" (mahalo, Wikipedia), but if you love it as much as my sister does, call it what you want, and there's a websiter for you. Called LoveThatKimChi.com, it features articles, reviews, news, and a store about your favorite Korean topping. Kim chee is a way of life, and if sick it can clear up your sinuses.

BTW - I picked up the recent Giant Robot with a great article about a new brand of kim chee I have not heard of, with a difference. If the graphic to the left is making you drool, head on over to GrannyChoe.com. You can order three different varieties directly from them.

Website of Interest: The Hungover Gourmet

2009-04-19T16:12:00.001-07:00

The Hungover Gourmet, which calls itself The Journal of Food, Drink, Travel and Fun, has been around for a few years releasing fanzines for a mere buck each, and has had a web presence for awhile. Need to have a bit of adventure in your food while you chant "okole maluna" to your friends? Of course you do. Head there, along with The Hungover Gourmet blog

Food of interest: Kalbi tacos in L.A.

2009-03-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

OH!

I somehow came across this blog called Mosely Tribes, and within the site was a blog. It lead to the discovery of a taco being made by a wagon in Los Angeles combining Mexican cuisine with a Korean touch. The end result? Kalbi tacos! Aiya!!! This item is made by KogiBBQ, and this may be Korean food-to-go but their menu shows that they are much more than just a Korean take-out. They also serve something called an Avocado Spread Egg & Cheese Torta, which looks as sexy as it sounds:

A friend tells me a good friend of hers has tried it, and they also have some decent veggie items as well so you don't have to go back to your carnivorous ways. Looks good, and if I'm ever down in L.A., I would definitely go to this place. Egon, FedEx me one.

While in Hawai'i Nei, President Obama Likes To Eat Here

2009-03-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

The folks at MSNBC decided to write an article on some of the eatieries Barack Obama enjoyed while living in Honolulu and still likes to go to as an adult. In fact before he became president, he talked about going to Rainbow Drive-In and Zippy's, which for any local are mandatory stops for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and breakfast, along with something to get after a good day at the beach.

The main article is here, while A Guide To Obama's Favorite Eateries is behind the link. For us transplanted Hawaiians who are homesick not only for the good food, but for the people who like to "talk story" as we eat, these places will be very familiar.

To Mr. Obama: hui, we go eat.

Review: Bacon Salt

2009-03-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

Upon reading a few food blogs and magazines, it's obvious people love to find out about new trends and new items. Emeril Lagasse always talked about his love of pork in his meals, and perhaps it is through that that one can learn about our own culinary preferences. Why did we become a fan of this or that, was it passed along from our parents? Or we know that our parents may have alternates recipes through time, only to realize that the original way you remember a dish was the best way. Maybe it shouldn't be a surprise that people have shown a re-appreciation for bacon, enough for a company to create something as trippy of a concept as Baconaisse. Now, I'm not big on mayo unless it's with canned tuna to make sandwiches, but the idea of bacon mayonaisse is interesting. Some thing it's disgusting, and yet most of the time people are eating mayonaisse with some other flavor. The people behind Baconaisse, J&D's (for Justin & Dave) have created something that is equally as interesting, and one that I was able to find locally: Bacon Salt.

Maybe you're asking "do I need Bacon Salt in my life?" It may not be a deep need, but it is something that you will want to try on everything once you taste it. I found this amongst the other salts and seasonings and had to try it. There are a number of varieties: Original, Peppered, Hickory, and Natural, but I decided to try the Original, I figured it was safe. Bacon Salt's slogan is Everything should taste like bacon, so if you are a bacon freak, you are going to love this.

The label states that this salt is "Bacon Flavored Seasoning Salt" and that it's "Artificially Flavored". It is being promoted as being something even vegetarians can have, and it's "zero calorie, zero fat, and kosher". Believe it or not, this Bacon Salt is "low sodium". Okay, so this Bacon Salt is vegetarian friendly and low sodium? How in the world did this happen? The first ingredient in the list is sea salt, but then you're getting into garlic, paprika, and a number of other things so while salt is obviously primary, it's the mixture of the other elements that gives Bacon Salt its flavor.

How about the flavor? I had read somewhere that the flavor tastes similar to what you'll taste when you buy a can or bag of roasted almonds. Not quite but close, and I can only imagine what the Hickory Bacon Salt would taste like, but if you like that same smokiness, you'll really like this.

I tried it on a number of things, including corn on the cob, French fries, and lightly on scrambled eggs, and a bit on macaroni & cheese, and it's really good. I also heard it tastes great on mashed potatoes but I haven't tried that out yet. I would assume it would taste really good within a grilled cheese sandwich, along with ribs and steak, because it is indeed a seasoning. I would definitely recommend this but don't overdo it, because the flavors are strong and too much may not be a good thing. Just a dash or two will work well.

I bought this about a month ago and was ready to review it but felt I should try it on other foods. At one of the local markets they sell Bacon Salt (Original) in bulk, so ideally if you like it you can get a scoop and refill the bottle for much cheaper than you would if you bought another bottle. Although if you like one variety, you'll want to try out the other three.

If you end up liking Bacon Salt or are able to find Baconaisse, or aren't sure what to apply it on, you'll want to look through the Bacon Salt Blog.

EDIT: These guys even made Bacon Lip Balm.

EDIT #2: Going through the Bacon Salt website, they now have varieties for Cheddar Bacon, Applewood, Maple, Jalapeno, and Mesquite. This may become the crack of salts, and if one adds this to a McGriddle, it will truly be the crack of food.

Dinner @ Cousin's Restaurant & Lounge, Pasco, WA

2009-02-27T21:15:00.000-08:00

4605 Road 68
Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 543-9925

If you have ever driven on Oregon Highway I-84 and made a stop in The Dalles, then you will have definitely seen a nice restaurant called Cousin's, which is a laid back place that is dedicated to offering food that makes you feel at home. Unfortunately I've never tried it there, so I was surprised a few years ago when Cousin's opened in Pasco. It had taken over a year for them to build and finish it, but when it did, it was packed. It's just off the highway, so whether you're coming into or heading out of the Tri-Cities, it's the perfect place to unload or stock up. I realize I'm sounding like an ad, but bare with me.

I've visited Cousin's in Pasco a few times before this, all breakfast visits but this was the first time I would be going in for dinner, this time with my mom and nephew. At the same time there was a Fathers/Daughter's event happening at a nearby venue so most of the people in there were dressed up, so it was nice to see.

I decided to try what they call the Knife & Fork Burger, which is described as an open-faced patty topped with sauteed mushrooms, bacon and onions, smothered with swiss cheese. I love hamburgers and cheeseburgers, and this seemed interesting as I could imagine the flavors right there. I should say something though: in the past I've not been fond of onions. I'll be honest, I hated them. I like the flavor but sometimes the texture used to irk me, I don't know if something happened in my childhood where I felt it was too "wormy", or I just hated the crunch. Anyway, I've been wanting to change and evolve with what I eat, and the idea of this burger being open faced with a lot of good things and a semi-good thing (onion) was going to be a semi-challenge.

In truth, it was no challenge. It came to my table and it looked good. I cut a piece and it was so ono! The hamburger tasted good, this definitely wasn't a fast food burger at all. Add to that the smokiness of the bacon and the flavor of the onions, mixed in with the cheese... man, I could have eaten another if my stomach was ready for it. One didn't need to add anything to it. I used to be a ketchup junkie, I didn't flood my foods with it but it would always be on there. In the last few years I've changed my habits as I've wanted to taste the actual food, and I've enjoyed the experience. You want to use a fork and knife on something that isn't steak, this is the best way to go. The thick French fries are also nice.

Atmosphere is cozy, it has a country/western feel but not overly so, and the customer service is excellent, very courteous and welcoming, no stink eyes whatsoever. Breakfast, lunch, and dinners are priced accordingly, so you may want to check their menus (at the website) for prices beforehand. Mine was $10.99 and definitely worth it. Of course you could also go around the block and eat at McDonald's, Taco Bell, Eatsa Pizza, Jack In The Box, and Sonic, but for a good meal to sit down to, Cousin's is definitely worth it for good, home style American food.

Breakfast @ Griff-N-Willy's, Richland, Washington

2009-02-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

2243 Stevens Place
Richland, Washington 99354
(509) 375-4909
map (courtesy of Mapquest.com)

Griff-N-Willy's is a local diner I had heard about when reading the Giant Nickel, one of those freebie newspapers you can find at markets and corner/convenient stores. It was new, they were celebrating their grand opening, and the secret word was found in the ad: breakfast. That and the fact that if you clipped the ad and dined there before February 28th, you would get 25 percent off of your tab. Not bad, so I decided that I would take my mom there, since she's a big breakfast junkie as well.

Griff-N-Willy's (not to be confused with the pizza joint known as Nick-N-Willy's) is on Stevens Drive, and if you live in the Tri-Cities here in Washington, it means it's all the way in North Richland, that section where one road goes into Hanford, the other leads to Vantage and Yakima. In other words, it's not on the main road so if you want it, you have to make an effort. I drive to the area as located on the map, and at first I didn't see it. No building, no sign, nothing that says "eat here", until I looked left and with a bit of obscurity, a small diner, a Pepsi logo, and a place to park was seen. I would have missed it had I not paid attention.

We were the only customers there at the time, and at first I thought maybe it was closed. The door listed some of the specials, which I casually looked at but really didn't take a close look. We got there, greeted warmly by the cashier who sat us down. A few minutes later, a couple come in for breakfast as well. I then overhear the waitress call someone and say something which sounded as if she was asking for more help because "four people are here, and they just ordered breakfast". No big deal.

As far as atmosphere, it's very simple, no flash, just a few heaters and air conditioners. It was old looking, but not beat up, and very clean too, so those who mayt be offended by dirt or dust will find this to be a welcome place. The first thing I did notice was the new smell, or the fact that it didn't smell like a lot of food had been cooked there. It then reminded me of the smell I remember when I would go to my Omama's house. Ten minutes later, a lady comes rushing in, and immediately to the back. Twenty minutes later, still nothing. Twenty-five minutes, and finally we get to the meal. I then realized the person who came in fifteen minutes before was the cook, and perhaps the owner of the place.

The menu had a lot of good things on there, where you could have one egg and becon, two eggs and sausage, or you could get complex and have two pancakes, two bacon, two sausage, two eggs, and your choice of potato and this is what I found interesting. Their house special was called a "Potato Cake", which I had not heard of, so with my order of scrambled eggs & corned beef hash, I chose the potato cake. The menu stated that it was a personal favorite of the parents of those who now run Griff-N-Willy's. When it arrived, the dish looked very good. Not too big, not small, but in the words of Rap Replinger's Auntie Marialani character, just right. The potato cake looked like mashed potatoes that was slightly butterfried, with some herbs thrown in for flavor, and as for flavor, it was very good. The serving was equal to that of a Quarter Pounder patty, and perfect enough for the amount of eggs and corned beef hash I was given. The corned beef hash was really good, nice and crispy, neither under- or overcooked. I had a side of sour dough bread, and it was good too. I'm not sure if the corned beef hash was homemade or canned, I will have to ask when I visit the next time (and there will be a next time).

My mom had an egg over easy with bacon and rye bread, which she liked, the only complaint was that the coffee really didn't taste like coffee, but rather water with "coffee flavoring". My mom is a java junkie, and to my taste it was a bit light (i.e. more water than coffee). I had a glass of milk, and was happy with that.

Griff-N-Willy's has the feel of a humble and quiet country diner, so if you don't want to deal with the hectic pace of a Denny's, I would recommend trying their breakfast items. It looks like they could hold about 20 diners at any given time, but they have tables outside to eat out on during warmer temperatures. They also serve lunch and dinner, but you may want to call for business hours just in case. No online presence yet, but if you like the meals, maybe they can create a MySpace or Facebook page of sorts and put their menu up. Next time, I'll try out their pancakes.

COLUMN: Seattle restaurants offer their wares to customers

2009-01-31T14:28:00.000-08:00

While not a Seattle resident, I do read the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, specifically the Wednesday and Friday editions and I always enjoy reading what food columnist Rebekah Denn comes up with. This week she came up with an article called good things come in small packages (note lower-case spelling) touching on local chefs who create product that customers can either take home or order online. This is good for Seattle expatriates who may want a taste of home.

Find out more by clicking here.

(P.S. I want to try the Bacon Jam made by Skillet Street Food, if you want to cut directly to the chase, jam right here.)

ARTICLE: Dick's Drive-In celebrates 55 years in business

2009-01-31T14:22:00.000-08:00

Hip-hop heads know it's the place where the cool hang out, and Seattle-ites know it's still one of the best bargains in town. Of course I'm talking about Dick's Drive-In, and Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Leslie Kelly recently put together an article honoring this Seattle institution.

Here's a link to the article.

WEBSITES OF INTEREST: Rouxbe & FoodTube.net

2009-01-23T22:06:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a website that has comprehensive recipes AND videos to find out how to make it properly, look no further than Rouxbe.com. If you have the ingredients, or are about to head to a market with no ideas on what to make, check this place put.

Looking for more cooking videos? Take a look at FoodTube.net, where you are able to cook exotic dishes without paying exotic prices, or prefect your favorite comfort food dish.

In honor of President Barack Obama: how to make Spam Musubi (YouTube)

2009-01-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

This is not of me, but of someone making something that has become a Hawaiian snack food staple in the last 20 years, which has also become a favorite of Barack Obama's: Spam Musubi.

It's fairly simple:
one nori (seaweed) sheet
Spam
rice

The concept is basically this: a musubi is a Japanese rice ball and is usually contained in a bento that you eat alongside your main dish (i.e. fish, chicken, or whatever). Sometimes there's ume inside. Hawaiian-style bentos can have Spam, so someone years ago decided to combine it by playing a slice of Spam inside and boom: instant nirvana.

There are enough recipes and variations on how to make a Spam musubi, some make sushi rice to give it a certain flavor, but you can just make plain sticky rice and put it in there, maybe sprinkle some furikake, or have one of those small shoyu things that come out of the plastic fish, whatever.

If the concept of eating Spam and rice seems gross, let me ask this: do you cook/grill the Spam? That's the way we Hawaiians eat Spam, and it's good. Do you need a Spam musubi maker? When the craze for them began, most people simply used the Spam can because the size is perfect. So if you want to start out lo-fi, check the above video. If you like what you make, then you can go to your closest Asian store (usually a quality one) or search online for a musubi maker.

If you are serious about making them and need to find a few quality variations, click to this page at LunchInABox.net. This lady lived in Japan for ten years and the ways of Japanese cuisine grew on her. Check it.

Cook Book: making New Farm macaroni and cheese

2009-01-16T06:57:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine posts a recipe online for a vegan macaroni & cheese, and I decide to make it. What happens when a meat-eater confronts a meatless meal? Find out.

PART 1

PART 2

Dinner @ Hacienda del Sol, Pasco, Washington

2009-01-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

Sunday, January 4, 2009
Hacienda del Sol
5024 North Road 68
Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 547-6392

Here in town, they recently replaced a Chinese buffet place that, to be honest, was a bit lousy. It tasted like Chinese fast food, kind of like Panda Express but worse. It was replaced by a Mexican restaurant called Hacienda del Sol. Pasco has a healthy Mexican population, so there's no shortage of restaurants and great taco wagons. I've wanted to expand on my Mexican cuisine, and it was new so I had to try it.

This visit was my third visit, so obviously I've become a fan. They have dishes that I have not seen anywhere else, and the flavor of the dishes I've had so far have been real ono. They have a combo section, which is good to try out the various dishes on there, so I decided to try the #22, which is a Chalupa and Chile Relleno:

It looks small, but you get a lot of food on the plate, including rice and beans. I tried the chile relleno and the chili pepper inside was nice and sweet, not hot at all. I had mine with ground beef, and when I got to the end I discovered there was some egg with it (it caught me by surprise). Then I tried the chalupa. I could have eaten about two more. I was half way through the chalupa when I realized I couldn't eat anymore, but I did finish it off. The chalupa is crispy and flavorful, far from the variation Taco Bell tries to make. If you have a big stomach, you can probably take this down easy, but if not, you can definitely get a container to bring it home. You're literally getting two meals on one plate, and whether it's the next day or later that night, you'll still have something good to consume.

Next time out I'll try some of their chicken and seafood dishes. Last time I had a burrito with a sweet type of lettuce and tomato salad on the side, which reminded me of what they serve at Tsukenjo in Honolulu. This is perfect when mixed up with the rice and beans.

The atmosphere is very nice, the service very courteous and they make you feel as if you were at home. Highly recommended.

CHOCOLATE: Theo Chocolate

2008-11-24T22:26:00.000-08:00

Saw a cool recipe in the Seattle PI last week for a Chocolate Pecan pie. Not just any Chocolate Pecan pie, but a Theo Chocolate Pecan Pie. Theo Chocolate is based out of Seattle and they, like many, are trying to start a chocolate revolution by letting people know that chocolate shouldn't taste like vomit, like a Hershey's Bar or a Hershey's Kiss. I saw the recipe, saw the logo for Theo and knew I had seen it before. So I went to Greenie's in Richland, Washington, a store that supports living green by having various eco-minded products and bicycles. I actually went to get a glass water bottle, and decided to look in their chocolate section, which is primarily organic and/or rich chocolates. I immediately saw the Theo logo, but not the 84% type that is needed for the recipe, so I just bought the 65& one. It's dark chocolate, and it's rich. More importantly, you bust open the bar and it has that cool snap.

Now, I'm not one of those who is a purist on chocolate, but I can tell you I've eaten my share of Kit Kat, M&M's, Almond Joy, and Reese's. My mom, however, has been a dark chocolate fan for as long as I can remember and I really didn't get into it until ten years ago. I think it has to do with the quality of milk chocolate going downhill over the years, and I know I'm not the only one who has noticed this. I also haven't tried enough chocolate to where I can figure out the qualities of it, but I'd like to know.

I purchased the Theo Madagascar Dark Chocolate Bar 65% for $4.50, and the Theo website states This is a single-origin organic chocolate from the island nation of Madagascar. The dynamic fruit and wine notes in this dark chocolate reflect the unique and diverse environment of this exotic land. The chocolate is very good, and it does have a distinct wine taste. I'm not a big wine fan, but the flavor lasted a long time. I couldn't tell if it was fruity or not, I'd have to try it again. I can definitely see how it would taste well as a pie, be it chocolate pecan or a whipped cream-type pie.

Theo is a company that is organic and Fair Trade certified, which means that the cacao beans are grown specifically for the company and no other artificial additives are added in the process. The Seattle article stated that currently they can verify that "80 percent of its chocolate was organic and fairly traded", but hope in the very near future that number will go up to 95. They make sure everyone in the process, from the growers and the field workers to those who pack them on the planes, are paid well and treated with the utmost respect, and allows those growers to invest in their land so that it will provide for their families. You never hear about that on the back of a Mr. Goodbar.

I haven't tried the pie recipe yet, most likely this Christmas, but this bar of chocolate... you will understand why the bar is priced the way it is. Is it worth it? You'll want to eat the entire bar right there, but it is very good and I do plan on trying their other varieties.

(Theo Chocolate also has their own blog where you can find out about the latest activities with the company and the factory, which you are able to take a tour of.)

Kecap Manis

2008-10-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

Kecap Manis is something I wasn't aware of until I read about it in an issue of Saveur magazine, and intrigued me. It was not available in my part of Washington State, and it would be months before I could buy a bottle, but I did.

Kecap Manis is a sweet soy sauce popular in Indonesia, and since the Saveur article reviewed the one made by the Bango brand, that's what I looked for. I grew up with different types of shoyu (soy sauce), specifically the Aloha, Kikkoman, and Chun King brands. I've stayed within my shoyu boundaries, not really getting adventurous and trying those fish shoyus I see at some stores, but kecap manis was a "sweet" one so I was curious to how it was, especially since it was said some people used it as a dipping sauce for French fries.

I ordered it from IndoMerchant.com, based out of California, and the kecap manis was in a plastic bottle (although Bango, an Indonesian company, also makes a version in a bag not unlike a bag of Capri Sun). I bought some fries for the occasion and it tasted a lot like teriyaki sauce, even had the same consistency. Teriyaki does have a sweetness, those who like their teriyaki a bit more tangy may thing this is somewhat on the light side. I tried it with some beef, and it still tasted a lot like teriyaki. A few articles online say the sweetness is more on the molasses side of things, so I'll have to try it again to find out if that's what I'm tasting.

As for the name, Wikipedia says Indonesians call soy sauce "kecap" (ketjap), and it is the word "kecap" that would evolve into the English word "ketchup".

While most regular soy sauces are generally low in calories, kecap manis is high in carbs due to the sugar content: 3 tablespoons of it equals to 38 grams of carbs. Add to that the high sodium, and it may become more potent than beer for some people.

I do like the flavor and I can see coming up with some recipes that could use this, or as a simple dipping sauce.

Curry Ketchup

2008-10-16T21:47:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of this until I went to Oktoberfest last week in Leavenworth, Washington. I grew up eating food with a good share of ketchup, and my mom raised me on some of the best Hawaiian-style curry, but a combination of the two? I never placed ketchup on my bowl of curry, but there it was in a cheese store with wines, crackers, and a sample of this curry ketchup. I tried it with a pretzel and I was surprised that I liked it. I bought a bottle ($5.99) and looked forward to having some when I got home. However, lunch was calling so I had a bratwurst and some french fries, and decided to use the Curry Ketchup on the fries. Ono.

When I did get home, I had it with a number of other foods: sandwiches, sausage biscuit, even corned beef hash and in every instance it was great. I'm sure it would be great on/with some grilled chicken.

I haven't discovered how something like curry ketchup became a German specialty, but there are a number of brands from Germany, including one made by Heinz. There is one company in the U.S. that makes them, called Barbkoa, available through Allyson's Kitchen.

I will have to try that next.

Up next: Kecap Manis.

Article: Chicken-Fried Vision Quest

2008-08-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

This is an article taken from Seattle's The Stranger about a woman from the South who went out of her way to find Seattle's best chicken-fried steak. Did she find it? Find out by clicking here.

Straus Organic Milk (1% Low Fat)

2008-08-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it's milk but not just any milk. For me, I grew up never seeing or trying milk from a bottle. Honolulu always had cartons and plastic, so watching my share of Sesame Street made the idea tempting. My curiosity finally ended when I went to Yoke's and saw half gallon bottles of milk made by Straus Family Creamery out of California. I know of a farm in Western Washington that still bottles their milk with glass bottles, but this was something that I had to try.

I do realize that for a lot of you, milk from a glass bottle is ordinary, but again this was something from my mom's time, when people would deliver your milk to your front door. I decided to try the 1% one even though I drink 2% and could go for the whole. At $5.99 it is pricey, but it is organic and I'd rather pay a good price knowing it's decent milk and not something random. Before I had a taste, I did some research and discovered that some people feel that Straus' milk, even the 1% and fat free varieties, were creamy. The milk I normally buy isn't, it's just watery milk with no flavor or grip.

I then poured it (in an glass, no less) and tried it. It was excellent, it was not unlike a decent carton of whole milk (flavor-wise). At $5.99 a bottle I made sure I consumed it slowly but surely.

The cool thing about the bottles is that the creamery recommends returning the bottle to the store of origin for a deposit, not unlike soda bottles. I did that, and the lady I gave the bottle to had no idea what to do with the bottle. She asked the cashier and she told her to punch in a code. My return fee was $1.50! The cost of the bottle of milk is actually $4.50, which is not bad at all.

The creamery takes the bottles back, sterilizes them and puts them back into the market. I like that

New BBQ place in Pasco, Washington: Don Victor's BBQ

2008-07-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

I think my mom found out about it at work, someone told her that an old BBQ place on Lewis Street in Pasco, Washington called BBQ Express has finally been filled in by what else? Another BBQ place. The business is literally a little house in the middle of a plot of land, I'm not sure if there were other homes in this section of Pasco but it's the kind of place where if you drive past it, you'll miss it.

Nonetheless, I had visited BBQ Express once before it shut down as quick as I became aware of it, and that was over five years ago. The place had been vacant for years and now there's a new place called Don Victor's BBQ (1623 W. Lewis Street). I haven't tried it yet but I will very soon, but it has the Don Victor's logo... well, it's not really a logo, but the name of the place is spraypainted on the side of the building. Kinda lo-fi, but that's fine. It says they serve chicken and BBQ ribs.

I will definitely have a review and (hopefully) some photos very soon.

Video: McDonald's Breakfast & Lunch? Togetha?

2008-07-12T13:26:00.001-07:00

Damn.

News: The Close Of Moililili Mochi & Candles

2008-07-04T23:17:00.000-07:00

A lot of small places like this have been a staple of Honolulu for years, and sadly a lot of them are being closed down forever. Here's another.

http://starbulletin.com/2008/07/04/business/story01.html

News: Hawai'i On Tap

2008-07-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

Hawai'i is not a place known for its beers, although local people will tell you they know how to party (OKOLE MALUNA!) That may be changing with a number of Hawaiian breweries wanting to make themselves known. Here's an article from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin telling you about the liquid refreshment that will hopefully generate a lot of interest outside of the islands.

Video: Miracle Fruit?

2008-06-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

I read about this, and now I'd like to try it. Would you?

Yukon Pete Goulash?

2008-06-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

My mom has always been a fan of her goulash, where she trims cuts of beef, boils up egg noodles, makes gravy, slices onions thinly, and boom, just like Omama might make. I know my mom is a huge fan of dumplings too and sometimes used to make it with the dumplings.

I'm reading the new issue of Saveur magazine and I'm reading an article about Airstreamers, and the author talks about how a neighbor used to make Yukon Pete Goulash. It sounds very similar to what my grandfather used to make, but it was just "spaghetti with macaroni" (nevermind the pasta technicality, that's what it was called and I liked it). It's simple, and oddly enough I only found one recipe online:

Bring a gallon of water to a rolling boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1 pound of elbow macaroni. Stir. Do not let the macaroni stick to the bottom or to itself. In another pot or large frying pain, place 1/4 pound of bacon, chopped in small pieces. Fry it brown. Add a cup of chopped onions. Brown the onions. Then sprinkle in 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef in small pieces. Let it fry until brown. Stir often. When brown, add two cans of tomato soup (no water). Stir this until it is well-heated. When macaroni is tender to cut, pour off the water. After the macaroni is drained, pour it into the meat sauce and stir until heated through. Add salt and pepper and serve.

Has anyone tried this? I'm sure the bacon brings a nice flavor to things. As for an Airstreamer, I never saw any growing up in Hawai'i because there was no need. Parents (or really, mom) made the food in the morning, then you'd put it in a cooler or bag and eat as we drove around the island. I'd like to drive one one day.

AIRSTREAMER LINKS
Airstreamer.org
Silver Wheels (Airstream history)
Sweet Sovereign Of The Road
Vintage Trailer Jam
Young Air Streamers (blog)

Dinner @ Magill's (Pasco, Washington)

2008-05-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Friday, May 23, 2008
Magill's
3214 N. Road 68
Pasco, Washington
(509) 547-6448

For longtime Pasco residents, the place that now occupies Magill's was known for years as Heidi Haus, a German-looking house that served some of the best German dishes in the Tri-Cities area. It closed down years ago, but in order to get to the Heidi Haus you used to have to take a backroad to find it, it was the only way to get there. Since the Heidi Haus closed, a highway about half a mile away was built, and with that on and off-ramps. No more isolation. Recently, the house was Emmitt's BBQ, which unfortunately I did not get a chance to try (it came and went before any level of promotion was done). Then one day a few months ago, there was some construction. Could it be... something new?

Magill's, promoting themselves as being A Family Tradition, opened a few weeks ago and I had to try it. Breakfast is always packed, sometimes the parking lot is empty only to be filled during dinner. My mom wanted to try Magill's out, along with my sister and nephew so it became the big Book Ohana trip for dinner.

The place reminded me of the house I went to at the winery I visited a few weeks ago, very cozy and "traditional brown". We entered and we were quickly brought to our table. The menu selections looked great, lots of variety and I wasn't sure what to get. Breakfast is served all the time, but it was dinner so I wanted to pick a good, hearty meal. My mom had said her co-workers liked the food and that the servings were huge. Keep in mind her friends are petite, so a petite "huge" might be just "a good meal" for me. I decided to get what was called Mo's Chicken Fried Steak ($12.79), which is described as being "breaded and smothered in Magill's country gravy". I love chicken fried steak, it's a nice basic starter dish and if it was good, I was hopefully the rest of their menu was good too.

It arrived, and was it "huge"? It was "a good meal", not bigger than my head but one that I knew could carry me through the rest of the night (and probably until breakfast the next day). Oddly enough I didn't eat the chicken fried steak first but rather the vegetables. My sister commented that the vegetables were fresh, that it did not taste frozen. A plus. Then I went in. The country gravy was very nice, good flavor. The chicken fried steak was very good too, I had mine with fries (I did have the option to have that, baked, or mashed potatoes) and I'll have to ask next time if the fries are freshly cut or frozen. I could have had some ketchup on my plate, as I like to dip, but it almost seemed like an insult to want to do that to a chicken fried steak that was really good. However, I did have some Tabasco chipotle and Tapatio on the side, which was a nice compliment but I probably didn't need it either.

Service was nice and courteous, and we arrived right before the dinner rush. By the time we left, the place was slowly picking up and yet the staff did not look stresed. Maybe behind the scenes they were, but it didn't show.

I actually had my eye on the chili, which they serve in a cup ($3.25) or a bowl ($4.25), I'll have to try that the next time. They had a number of homemade soups, proudly hyped up their homemade potato salad, and sandwiches such as the Buffalo burger (with bleu cheese crumbles), chili burger, and one called "The Works" which has bacon, ham, fried egg, and cheddar. Hui! Steaks, chicken, Buffalo fettuccini, cod fillet (which my mom had, and it was very good), and on the breakfast side there's Grandma Black's cinnamon roll, buttermilk Belgian waffles, Spud Skillet, Chorizo Skillet, something called "The Rustic Benny", Magill's Big Ole Breakfast Burrito... I could eat here all day everyday, but I'd have to work there in order for me to do that. When I do have breakfast here, I will have a review.

Magill's feels like a home meal, but they also have a number of items on the menu that you'd find at a decent diner. Is Magill's worth taking the off ramp for? Definitely.

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Directions: If you're heading East on the I-182, take the Road 68 exit at Exit 9. Turn right, and you will drive down a hill. Magill's will be at the first stop light, on the corner of Road 68 and W. Argent (entrance and exit is on Argent).

If you're heading West on the I-182, take the Road 68 exit at Exit 9. Turn left, and you'll be on the overpass. Continue until you drive down the hill. Magill's will be at the first stop light, on the corner of Road 68 and W. Argent (entrance and exit is on Argent).

BBQ (Sauce): Rufus Teague Honey Sweet

2008-04-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the last weekend of "freedom" for my nephew before he had to go back to school, as it was Spring Break for him. I was doing my writing at home when I was asked if I was interested in going to a kite festival in Prosser, about a half hour drive from here. Me, a kite festival? My immediate thought was no, I'm not into kites. But I needed to unwind a bit, get some fresh air, and to be honest I don't mind watching kites. I needed to take a break, and I did, or I should say we all did.

We got to Prosser but we didn't see a thing. It was then I found out that the kite festival was at some winery. I'm not a winery person either, I drink wine maybe twice a year and get heavily drunk from one glass and tend to show how I have the ancient Chinese secret (a/k/a red cheeks as an indication of intoxication). I have been wanting to cook with wine, and if there was ever a way to learn about how to grow grapes for harvesting towards making wine, I would do it. Well, I know there's a way but that way involves a lot of cash and time, which I don't have much of right now. But to look at land and the vineyards, I was into that. We made the wrong exit, but my sister had her cell phone with internet access, and we found that while we were in the general area, the winery was about half an hour south from where the off-ramp was, in the town of Paterson, Washington. Paterson? We've never been there, but we're driving and all we see is land. No buiildings, no bridges, nothing, just acres of land. It continues like this for a good half an hour and we thought we might miss the festival, but we see a few signs. Eventually we see the sign for a Columbia Crest Winery. We head into the parking lot, we see a few kites, and we park.

As we're looking at the kites, it's about four kites. Nice and breezy, but not exactly a festival. A lot of families are sitting, a few eating cheese & crackers, and my sister goes "are we the only brown people here?" It was very... how do I say this, vanilla, and there have been times when I have been to events where it feels that someone like myself am not welcome. I don't like the stares and gawking, plus I'm a big guy so I get insecure about stupid things I can't control. I almost didn't want to bother, was ready to leave and go back home but I thought nah, we're here. The kite festival looked like a waste so my mom and I decide to look for the gift shop. We look and I got a chance to look inside of the winery with all of the barrels, about six levels deep. It was just one section, I can only imagine what I didn't see, perhaps the winery warehouse. My sister and nephew make it up and we go into the gift shop. I wish I could be enthused about wine, but I'm not, at least not yet. I can tank a good bottle of grape juice, but wine is beyond me. I did notice some books of interest, one called The Pike Place Market: 100 Years and Pike Place Market Cookbook (both published by Sasquatch Books, and unfortunately I didn't have a lot of money on me so I couldn't buy either of them (but my eyes are on the Pike Place Market Cookbook). I see some candies, chocolates, anc crackers, but what catches my eye is what was sitting in a bbq grill. I couldn't believe it, I saw the bottle I had seen online, the face, and the logo. I love BBQ and enjoy trying BBQ sauces and this was one that was high on my list. But here it was, a bottle (or I should say a flask) of Rufus Teague Honey Sweet.

A few months ago I came across a website for the BBQ Sauce Of The Month Club, and one site lead to another until I came across one that promoted the greatness of Rufus Teague. Found the website, and with an old look to their graphics, the font, the use of the whiskey flask, and the rugged photo of Mr. Teague, I wanted to become a firm believer of the sauce just by hype alone. Of course, one can't believe on hype, and in this case I wanted to try it but did not have the money to get it. I opted to wait for next time, but my nephew came to the rescue. He has become a BBQ sauce freak as well, so while he bought it for himself, he did buy it so I could try it. The winery was very nice and I want to visit again and maybe take a tour, but with BBQ sauce in a bag, it was decided that this sauce had to be tried. My mom had a BBQ the day before, but who cares, we have Rufus Teague.

Let's cut to the chase. Hot dogs went on the grill, but there was a piece of steak from the BBQ the night before, and it was coated with the sauce. It went on the grill. A few minutes later we tried the steak. Mmmmm. The flavor was nice and smooth, you can taste the honey but it's not too sweet, it still has that nice tang to it. The consistency is about mid-way, in that it's not too runny nor is it slow like molasses, so if you buy a bottle and put it on a sandwich, be careful. I did try the sauce on the hot dog too, and it was great there. Today, I had a piece of turkey in a roll for lunch, with some Rufus Teague on the side, and it made the sandwich even better. With the weather now in the 60's and 70's, it would be a good time to buy some chicken and grill it with this sauce, or make some meat loaf and let that do its magic. As the Home of BBQ blog says, this cause can be addicting. One can find BBQ sauce at any supermarket, but Rufus Teague is not widely distributed and because of that can be a little pricey (this one went for $6.50). This sauce is worth the price, and I may have to buy a jug or box and give these out as gifts. Finger lickin' and toe lickin' good.

Dinner @ P.F. Chang's, Richland, Washington (April 1, 2008)

2008-04-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

I know, April 1st was two weeks ago, but hey.

My mom wanted to treat my sister to a birthday dinner, and I was invited so I said sure. P.F. Chang's China Bistro opened here a few months ago, in a location behind a shopping mall (the area's only big shopping mall), and a number of my mom's friends were saying "oh, that place is great" and just giving it "good raves". I on the other hand was skeptical. I like my Chinese food to feel like home, not something from a chain. Eating at Panda Express once was enough, so I was skeptical even though P.F. Chang's promoted themselves as being a bit more "classy" than a normal Chinese restaurant. Now looks can be deceiving, it might be a cover up for sub-par food, my skeptical mind said, but as I entered it looked very nice, almost the kind of place I normally wouldn't go to. Very Chic and modern, and it was weird to be eating at a Chinese restaurant and hear Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers as "atmosphere".

All of us ordered our dishes and we assumed that it was going to be our own individual plates. But it looked and felt like an a la carte-type thing, and we ate that way. What was interesting was that our waiter actually stirred the mustard with the soy sauce, we all looked at each other as if to say "whoa!"

We all started out with chicken lettuce wraps, a first for all of us, and it was really good. It was like a homemade chicken burrito without the tortilla, and it was very tasty due to the sauce they used.

I ordered the Crispy Honey Chicken and liked it, but liked what my mom had ordered, which was the Spicy Ground Chicken & Eggplant. Oh, this one was ono, the eggplant was cooked just right and the sauce, I could just eat that and rice all day. My nephew had Orange Peel Chicken, but he didn't like the actual orange peel but ate everything else. He also liked the honey chicken I had. There were a lot of families in there, and we arrived early enough to avoid the dinner crowd, which was picking up just as we left.

I would like to go to this place again and try some of their other dishes. What I'm also looking forward to is the restaurant next door that will be opening very soon: Famous Dave's BBQ.

Where have I been? (Part 2)

2008-03-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Sad isn't it, when one creates a blog and doesn't keep it active. I have not been able to partake in trying new places and things lately, but hopefully that will change very soon. In the meantime, what I will do (and try to keep up) is put up various new articles and reviews that I may find in some of the publications that I read on a regular basis.

I haven't forgotten about this blog, but times like these make it hard to go out and find new things when the only thing in the budget is ham & cheese sandwiches and Cup Noodles. Have patience, and very soon I'll be able to make this blog active and interactive. Thank you.

Dinner @ Huli-Huli Hawaiian Grill

2008-03-01T00:33:00.000-08:00

A new restaurant called Huli-Huli Hawaiian Grill had been in construction for the last few months in the place that was the former Skipper's, known for their fish & chips. Skipper's went bankrupt and the building had been vacant for a year or so. When I noticed the Huli-Huli Hawaiian Grill sign ("coming soon"), I had to do my research. I discovered that they are a California-based restaurant.

We Hawaiians love good food, and we can be skeptical. Is it "true" Hawaiian food, is it plate lunches, similar to L&L? I was driving my mom around when I saw the "Grand Opening" banner. She then tells me "go back, turn around". I had to turn down another street, around the block, and back to the resturant. Since it was close to dinner, I wanted to get something quick. Spam Musubi was simple, so that was ordered. The cook there wasn't sure how to cook it, so my mom says "it's simple". We got a menu, and everything on there looked good. A call to my sister meant that it would be a "family" dinner.

We get there and there were maybe eight people waiting for their food. I decided to go for their Loco Moco, because in the past I could eat that easily. It's a meal (generally two or three scoops of rice, topped with two hamburger patties, topped with two fried eggs, topped with gravy) that is popular at beaches, since after a long day out in the waves, there's nothing like carbing up. I, on the other hand, don't need carbing up, but if it's an excuse to eat some "local kine grinds", I was ready.

As we were waiting, it seemed that the cashiers and cooks had no sense of direction. It was a grand opening, mind you, but I guess there wasn't a three-day session on food prep. There was an older man, perhaps the boss, who was yelling at the cooks, telling them "that's fish for this, and only one piece, not two. You put chicken, what the hell are you doing?" Granted, where I live does not have a strong Hawaiian community, so "mahimahi" may be a new term. But beef is beef, chicken is chicken, pork is pork. Mahimahi could be a random word. Regardless of what the cooks were trying to do, the older man was not satisfied and he was getting louder every minute. Is that true "Hawaiian spirit", of course not. I don't care what kind of restaurant it is, you don't act like that, especially not on your grand opening day. I caught a glance of one of the cashiers, and she truly looked as if she wanted to break down and cry, or just hide and say "anywhere but here". However, I have a funny feeling that the cooks will have things down within a few days, and perhaps tell the old man a thing or two.

After about 10 or 15 minutes, dinner was ready. Loco Moco looked good, but did it taste good? I tried it with a bit of ketchup, and it was good. Then I had a side of katsu sauce. The sauce itself was a bit watery, more than I expected, but it had a good flavor and it was better on the Loco Moco. I'm a rice eater, but the amount of rice I had could have fed an entire family. It was much more than two or three scoops, trust me.

As for atmosphere, it had a tropical feel but there was a display that had the Hawaiian indigenous animal known as the walrus. It was nice and cozy, looks like a fast food place (it was a Skipper's after all) but as of now they're taking a long time to figure out the meals, something that I feel will be remedied very soon. The older man, however, may scare away customers, which is not good considering the restaurant is in a town that doesn't know a lot about the concept of a Hawaiian-style plate lunch. That will change too. Next time, I want to try their kalua pig & cabbage.

VERDICT:
Food was quite good, I plan on exploring more
Service: nice, but nervous
Ambience: Crabby old man was a nuisance

Cheap Eats (Asian): Nong Shim Udon Bowl

2008-01-27T22:19:00.000-08:00

I bought an issue of Giant Robot last year, and it was the first issue I had read in a few years. I've been an avid reader since the Maggie Cheung issue, and kind of forgot to subscribe. I will next time around, but I always like the food articles they have, especially on various packaged ramen. I've done it myself, where I'll test a random ramen and see if it's good or not. I'm a saimin guy, but if ramen is there, I'll take it. A few have been good, there was one I had that was too hot for me at the time.

My sister is always looking for stuff to bring to work, and she one day tells me to try out a ramen bowl she bought made by Nong Shim, the udon bowl:

Awww man, the udon is good, the broth is good, not too salty but not weak. I could eat two of these in one sitting, and cheap too, about 99 cents each. It doesn't taste like something in a pre-packaged plastic bowl, definitely a lot better than that 25 for a dollar bargains they have at the regular market (and those I avoid). This Nong Shim Udon bowl was at the Vietnamese store, so when I go there again, I'll have to check and see if they sell a box of them. I know they do for the kim chee variety, so I'm hopeful there is one for the udon.

Over a month later, where have I been?

2008-01-18T14:35:00.000-08:00

I know, I start a blog and yet I've spaced off for a month? No, just watching funds, and because of that watching what I eat and not being able to do too much traveling to get the ono kine grinds. At least I'm honest, right?

I'll start adding a bit of content to keep people reading this blog in the meantime, so have patience, my friends.

ATSUI!: Just Simply Good Stuff's Beyond The Border seasoning

2007-12-15T21:29:00.000-08:00

Maybe not "atsui" yet, as I haven't tried this, but my sister was given a gift pack this year and it featured a number of sauces and seasonings. I had never heard of this brand so I wanted to try it out, which I will do very soon.

Just Simply Good Stuff! is a company based out of the small town of Sagle, Idaho, and the seasoning in question is called Beyond The Border. Is is Tex-Mex, Southwestern? I do not know. The website shows they have a number of other seasonings and a chili mix.

Once I commit myself to a taste test, I'll come back with a review.

ATSUI!: DaViola Spicy Ancho pepper

2007-12-02T18:22:00.000-08:00

Atsui is the Japanese word for "hot". It is the word that I will use to signify something that will be hot and spicy, from peppers to hot sauce. I have become a convert of hot food in recent years, always enjoying that bit of Tabasco my mom would put on her chicken or tonkatsu, but eventually feeling a need to want more heat. I enjoy to explore, and test my own limits.

I read a review in Fiery Foods & BBQ magazineabout a new brand of pepper from a company based here in the Pacific Northwest called DaViola. These peppers were created by someone who made the peppers to make frozen pizza taste better. I thought it was interesting, and while I'm not a big fan of frozen pizza, I wondered how it would taste on quality take-out pizza. I went to Albertson's on an unrelated visit when I saw the three varieties of DaViola: Hot Habanero, Smoky Chipotle, and Spicy Ancho. I decided to try Spicy Ancho.

It would be a few days before I would be able to taste it, but I ordered some pizza from Nick-N-Willy's and went for the taste test.

What I tasted first from putting a few dashes of Spicy Ancho on the pizza was the flavor of the peppers, which were roasted. It is salty, but not too much, and it blended well with the pizza, but not to where it completely takes over the pizza. Upon a second bite, it was then that I felt the heat. It's a nice heat, it doesn't burn but you can feel it. This would be considered mild, but I didn't want a bum rush of heat to hit me, and it made me want to have another slice to try it again.

The only ingredient listed is the chile pepper, with the legend All natural. No added salt. Everything that comes from this pepper blend comes from the pepper itself. I think this would taste good in soup, chowder, or on fish and chicken (it would make for a wicked jerk chicken-type dish), or even in ketchup to give it a little kick for dipping.

Lunch @ Arby's: A Very Bad Idea

2007-11-28T14:10:00.000-08:00

(PREFACE: I'm probably setting a bad example by doing a blog where I'm supposed to find good places to eat, and I end up at a place like Arby's. At least I'm honest. Now, we begin.)

I know already, why pick Arby's to eat lunch when I can pick a wide range (I was going to say "myriad" but who am I kidding?) of places, but I had wanted to try their new Chicken Parmesan sandwich. Of course I get there, and I see a Bacon Beef & Cheddar and opted for that instead, in combo form. They ask me if I wanted a large, I say no. The guy then tells me the price, $7.something or other. When did Arby's combos get to 7+ dollars? I don't eat there often, but c'mon.

I eat the sandwich, and it's lousy, and of course it reminds me of that episode of The Simpsons where one of the twin sisters says "I'm so hungry, I could eat at Arby's". But this is no excuse. If I'm going to pay for $7 on anything, I'll get a large Bruchi's Philly cheesesteak sandwich. But this was a lousy roast beef sandwich with liquid cheese, a small, barely-any-flavor piece of bacon, and a cup of soda with way too much ice and barely any carbonation. I was in shock and I wanted to look at the receipt. Of course, there was no receipt in the bag.

I know I should be eating better, but I made a foolish impulse choice and it was crap. The curly fries were crap. All of it was crap. I could have just had bacon, beef and cheddar flavored dryer sheets and I would not have known.

Yes, I did read Fast Food Nation and I did go there for a specific reason (i.e. it was convenient) but it was worth $2, if that.

Fried Slice?

2007-11-24T13:44:00.000-08:00

I'm watching the bonus section of a DVD starring British adult video star Roxy Jezel (i.e it wasn't a Dragon Tales DVD), and as they're applying make-up on her, the guy behind the camera asks her what she likes for breakfast. I have never been to England nor have eaten a British breakfast, but it is slightly different from what Americans eat, or at least there are some interesting variations. One of the things she said was "fried slice" and another lady in the room is puzzled: "fried slice?" Jezel doesn't explain herself, but the guy behind the camera is more puzzled when she says she also likes beans. To me, it's not a big deal to eat beans for breakfast, but I wonder if it has any effect on some of her more risque scenes.

Anyway, I found something called The Idiotica guide to fried-up English Breakfasts, and it does feature an entry for fried slice. Sounds interesting.

Blogging Around: 5 LB Burger with 54 Toppings

2007-11-24T13:27:00.000-08:00

What happens when you wake up in the morning and say "I'm hungry. How about... a 5 pound burger with everything on it?" I found this at imeem.com while on a music related search for a forthcoming podcast, and thought that I needed to share this with people.

A man attempts to eat a 5 pound burger with 54 toppings... in under 30 minutes.

De Waflebakkers All Natural Flaxseed Apple Cinnamon Waffles

2007-11-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

For my first review, I take a look at breakfast in a box. Yes, it's better to make breakfast from scratch, especially if you go to mom's house. Breakfast is an essential part of my day, or at least the weekends when I stay away from the whey protein drinks and eat something hearty.

I went shopping at Wal-Mart and... yes, I know Wal-Mart is the satan of department stores, but sometimes convenience is there and you take it. I did this time and I wanted to get some frozen waffles. Here was a brand I had never seen before, De Wafelbakkers, who promote themselves as being all natural, and offering something healhier than a regular box of Eggo's. There were a number of options but since I like apple cinnamon waffles, I chose to buy it. A box of waffles has 8 waffles, and at a dollar more than a box of 10 Eggo waffles, I had hoped that it would be good for the value. Upon opening them, I immediately noticed the size of the waffles. Eggo waffles are small to begin with, but these were smaller than my palm. I had the option of warming them up with an oven or toaster, and I went for the toaster. I like my waffles with butter and syrup, so I put a bit of each on and... the flavor from these waffles are great. Eggo's apple and cinnamon variety barely has a hint of anything compared to DeWafelbakkers, and even after being frozen, it had the same texture of a Belgian waffle. Well, a lo-fi Belgian waffle, but still. I would have ripped open another bag (each box contains four bags of 2 waffles)) but I figured it would be best to wait for another time.

Upon looking at the box, I noticed the company was based in Arkansas, so perhaps Wal-Mart is trying to help out a company in their home state.

I would definitely buy these waffles again, and while I would prefer to buy them outside of Wal-Mart, it might be worth going into every once in awhile for these.

Website: De Wafelbakkers

Aloha! (First post)

2007-11-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

I finally went ahead and did it. Everyone and their mom has a food blog. I love food, I eat it, and I dabble in cooking, so why not talk about it, right? Not sure how far this will go, but I always say that with each project so it's best to begin somewhere. I begin here.

A few of you may know me from my work as a music journalist, as I am a contributor to Okayplayer and Music For America. I've been a journalist for 22 years, and have had much more success on the internet compared to writing for countless fanzines and magazines. If you know me as a writer, welcome.

Some may know me from my work as an artist/producer. I create music under the name Crut, which I have done since 1992. We music people love the battle between "possible success" and "bordering on homelessness", and of course that goes into the music. My style of music is electronic, although I may go down an experimental route at any given time. Or I may play congas and do a percussion album. If you are familiar with my music and wanted to read about my journey into foodie-dom, welcome.

Maybe some of you may actually know me, either personally or in a blog somewhere in the distance. I sometimes bring up food-related topics, so if you know me in that sense, welcome.

So, another food blog. Is it needed? Well, it's like a non-sports person asking if there really needs to be another football analysis show, or another baseball team. Maybe not needed, but the more variety, the better.

I'm originally from Hawai'i, so I was surrounded by a wide range of foods. During any given weekend, my household may have served up some meat loaf, Hawaiian-style curry, Spam chop suey, chicken katsu, ox tail, or we went out to eat saimin, gau gee min, or find a box of manapua, or round up some huli-huli chicken. If there was a luau or party somewhere, there would be poi, kalua pig (pork), lau lau, lomi salmon, shoyu and/or teriyaki chicken. Plus, we had Spam recipes down pat, along with canned Vienna sausage, corned beef, and corned beef hash. Some of these foods are terribly unhealthy, but everyone loves comfort food, and a few of these dishes have become staples of modern-day Hawai'i. I would learn years later that that love of canned foods (especially the salty ones) came from having to stock up during World War II. What became a necessity became the food of the common folk, and while times have changed, people still love those dishes we grew up with.

Even with all of that, I was picky. If I liked something, I'd want more. If I didn't like it, I'd avoid it, would never touch it again. It was possible to try out foods of various cultures, everyone was willing to share, everyone was willing to try and sample. To step out of ones comfort zone in order to try something new, it was a mix of fear and a mean adrenalin rush. But again, I was picky.

My family moved to the mainland, and all of us held to our traditions. I wanted to try new things, listen to new music, meet new friends, and perhaps find a few cool places to eat. That would all happen, some more than others.

When I turned 30 in 2000, I started to think about what I had done throughout my 20's, which lead to "what did I not do in my 20's, and why didn't I do them?" In my 30th year, I became more aware of a few things in life, my actions and reactions and felt that I needed to make some changes. I also had a lot of personal troubles and struggles, which lead to a lot of thoughts about what to do next. Two years ago, I was on my way home in my car when as I was crossing an intersection on a green light, someone decides to go through a red light, thus hitting me on the driver's side. I remember the moment all too vividly, but afterwards I compared the impact to being hit by two Samoans. *POOM*, how you like me now, pruddah? When I got home, I knew I had to make some serious changes in my life, everything from pushing myself to lose weight (I've been walking almost every day for over two years) to doing things in life that I hesitated to do for no good reason than to stay behind a wall and not do anything.

One of those things included a need to try out foods that I had never tried before. To be honest, I had been doing this for awhile, but I would make it something I felt I had to do. Yeah, that sounds silly too but I figured did I really have a good reason for not wanting to try out certain foods? No.

On top of that, I wanted to go out of my way to find variations of some of the things I do enjoy, such as BBQ and hot sauce. Plus, one can live in an area and literally survive (or kill yourself, depending on perspective) on nothing but junk and fast food. I wanted to change that.

If there has to be a real good reason for starting this, it has to do with me enjoying food, wanting to find new places to eat, and to be able to document it so people can try them out and perhaps find something to enjoy and experience as I did. I hope you'll come along for the ride. Maybe Celebrity Chef's are silly, but many of them have pushed people to break out of their comfort zones and to try out something new. I hope to be able to do that with this blog.

In closing, why Book's Foodie? Well, that's what they had left. Not original, but I think it will catch on.

Welcome.