Post 117: Portland - Brunch Box and Portlandia Food Cart Pods (Portland: Southwest/Downtown)

What we know as food trucks in Southern California they know as food carts in Oregon.  There is a reason or two for this nominal difference.  For one, the food trucks in Southern California truly are traveling motorized trucks.  While they can be expected to visit certain locations on a regular basis, sometimes they need to be tracked down using social media as they move from site to site.  On the other hand, the food carts in Portland are much more sedentary and rarely roll away.  They sit in these pods or clusters in organized in the sort of way that books are neatly filed away on a library shelf.  One such shelf of food carts is located on Southwest 5th Avenue called Food Cart Alley.  We came here to visit Brunch Box, one of the most renowned food carts in Portlandia.

Brunch Box makes all sorts of breakfast and lunch sandwiches using burger buns, bagels, and Texas toast.  For those unfamiliar with Texas toast, it is extra thick slices of bread that is great for holding together sandwiches that are piled high quite possibly with ingredients that leak, drip, or run.  For those more familiar with Taiwanese toast, it is quite similar to brick toast except that it is used to hold a sandwich together.  To say that their menu has a wide array of hearty sandwiches is a complete understatement.  There is even a grilled cheese sandwich shaped into a dinosaur called the Cheezasaurus Rex.  Cheesy filled T-rex? Yes, please.

Of all the artery choking foods on the menu, though, what really caught my attention was the Hawaiian.  It had Spam, and lots of it.  I love Spam... and lots of it.  Along with grilled pineapple, cheese, a runny egg, and teriyaki sauce, the Hawaiian was quite a mouthful.  But it was delicious to the very last bite.  There were a few squirts of Sriracha somewhere in there too.  Good stuff.

Moseying down south one block and east two blocks to Southwest Washington and SW 3rd Avenue is another pod of food carts.  Here we found Batavia, a food cart specializing in Indonesian cuisine.  We ordered a lunch box of the house special Indonesian fried chicken.  It was not the crispy battered fried chicken that we are accustomed to, but it was spiced up and flavorful.  The rice was a great accompaniment, and although it looked like there was a large amount of it, the spicy chicken flavor and sauce went a long way.  In fact, the chicken had so much kick that the fresh tomatoes and cucumbers really calmed the fire on my tongue down.

Also located in the same pod of food carts is Elmasry Egyptian Food.  We saw a good amount of the late night crowd stopping for a bite here in the wee hours of the morning after the bars close, so we hopped in line too.  We got a chicken shawarma that was absolutely huge in proportion.  The meat was tender and juicy enough that I picked at it toward the final bites of the pita wrapped sandwich.  Oh, and the sauce... the sauce is amazing.

There seemed to be quite a few food stands specializing in Thai cuisine in the pods that we explored.  Nong's Khao Man Gai is supposedly one of the most popular carts in the Downtown area, but they were not open for business when we visited.  This will be in the plans for a return visit to Portland this June.  Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120914-15

Post 111: Portland - A First Meal at Tasty N Sons (Portland: North Portland/Northeast/Boise)

Last September I visited Portland for the first time.  My friend Angela and I took an early morning flight out from Long Beach headed to the mecca of modern and inventive hipster cuisine.  Right after touching down at PDX, we dropped our bags off at the hotel and hailed a cab straight for Tasty N Sons, a self-titled neighborhood restaurant that has made itself into a Portland institution.

We settled down to a freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and a cup of local Stumptown brew, which was served with a very cheeky carafe of milk.  There's nothing like a good cup of acidic liquid to start your morning right.

Under the advisement of our welcoming and friendly server, we ordered the renowned Breakfast Board, which arrived complete with various proteins, an assortment of breads, fresh blackberries and pickled beets, and even a duo of supple spreads that pulled the smorgasbord together.

The strips of house made beef jerky were more moist than expected, and the hard-boiled eggs were more tender than expected.  But the double smoked applewood bacon was delicious just as expected.  It is hard for me to remember another time when I had bacon as good as this.  With a crisp crostini of chicken liver mousse spread over the top, I was in absolute heaven.  The only thing that may have been better than the luxurious chicken liver mousse was the Lebneh, the creamy yogurt cheese drizzled with olive oil.  Whether it's spread over crostini or encircling the fresh blackberries, the opulent tasting dairy spread cannot be beat.

For some heartier fare, we ordered the BBQ Chicken Hash.  It was topped off with some onion sour cream and an over easy egg.  I immediately popped the runny yolk so that it ran down the sweet and savory shredded chicken.  Ah, isn't that the best part of every egg done over easy?

We saw all of this being prepared on the spot while seated at the bar counter.  The chickens were pulled out of the oven, cooled and shredded, and blended with the barbecue sauce by hand.  Heart and soul was being injected into our fresh food live in front of us.  Very cool.

I was mesmerized by all the happenings of the open kitchen.  Everyone worked at a quick but steady pace without the frenzy and chaos of other kitchens I've seen.  No drama here... just genuine cooking.  It must have been the Portland air.

Our last taste at Tasty N Sons was the Chocolate Potato Doughnut with crème anglaise.  This was a must because it was prominently featured on the menu twice.  It was literally the first item on the menu, and it was on the desserts list as well.

It was densely packed with chocolate, and although I love chocolate, the granulated sugar coating on the exterior of the decadent doughnut and the pool of crème anglaise really made the dessert what it was.

Our first meal at Tasty N Sons gave us a solid first impression that this supposedly quirky city has to offer.  And now, next door to Chop Charcuterie and Eat: An Oyster Bar for a little taste of what they have to offer.  Let's get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120914

Post 94: Pork Belly Tacos and Much More (LA-SFV: North Hollywood)

With all this talk about pork belly, I was hankering for more.  Bow & Truss, a relative newcomer to the LA food scene.  It is self-titled as a modern Spanish taverna, and some of their most popular dishes include the empanadas, paella, and of course, pork belly tacos.  Fellow foodie Angela and I dined here before meeting up with other friends downtown.

Soon after we were seated, our server Nicole dropped by our table with castelvetrano olives on the house.  The firm, green olives were basted in none other than olive oil.  They were sweet at first, slightly salty yet savory olives were a welcoming start to our meal.

The first item on the menu we ordered was the cheese & charcuterie board.  The assortment of meats and cheeses was a playground of jamon, salchichon, chorizo, and Felino sausage.  There was also mahon, a semi-firm, cow's milk cheese and caprichevere, a soft cheese made from goat's milk. The caprichevere was smooth and easy to spread over the crostini.  Although it was made from goat's milk, it was surprisingly milder than the mahon.

Spread around the playful platter were Bow & Truss' house made jams.  The first was a pineapple banana jam with serrano and chili pepper flakes, and the other was a pumpkin peach jam with vanilla bean, all spice, and cinnamon.  Two house mustards complemented the duo of jams (the grain mustard was a favorite), and the remaining cherry tomatoes, carrots, caramelized onions, and spicy sunflower seeds dotted the charcuteriescape.  This charcuterie board was an absolute delight.  It was the one that we continued to pick at throughout the meal of inventive dishes.

We followed the charcuterie with the highly recommended empanadas.  The petite pastries were packed with button mushrooms, red peppers, and cotija cheese.  A tamarind crema and tamarind soy sauce were served alongside the empanadas.  While Angela and I tried one dip at a time, the server suggested that we taste the two sauces together at the same time.  Mushrooms, peppers, cheese.  Savory, sweet, salty.  Crema, tamarind, soy.  Savory, sweet, and salty again.  Smart suggestion, Nicole.

Our third dish was the highly anticipated pork belly tacos.  The tacos were fresh and vibrant in color... and they were stacked high with toppings like Mexican sopes.  The pork belly was shredded, a eyebrow raising change from the typical square cut.  It was a good eyebrow raising change, for the meat was tender and succulent... although I am not quite sure if using shredded pork increased the difficulty of eating the taco or not.  Atop the pork belly were shreds of carrots, cilantro, pickled jicama slaw, all of which helped give the taco a refreshing, citrus taste.  The avocado sauce was a perfect substitute for salsa, which might have overpowered the fresh feel of the tacos.  Oh, and by the way, the pork belly is really good.  Really, really good.

As we were ready to close the meal with some paella, the manager brought out some chicken confit tacos, with handmade tortillas, arugula, anchiote paste, and pickled shallots.  Dennis Christensen, one of the managers of Bow & Truss, warned us that the chicken tasted like pork.  The chicken tasted like pork? It didn't make sense.  But I took one bite, and well, yes, the chicken tasted like pork.  This extremely flavorful chicken was very substantial... like if the chicken, before it was sacrificed for our glee, was a bad ass alpha male chicken that ruled the hen house.  That was the kind of breast pounding poultry that died for these chicken confit tacos... the delicious oxymoron kind.

Next to the pair of chicken confit tacos were two mixed mushrooms tacos (the head chef must really hate odd numbers) piled with cotija cheese, pickled jalapeños, and chives.  They were very juicy.  In fact, the mushroom blood that dripped all over almost made the taco slurpable.  We really enjoyed the tickle of spiciness from the jalapeño and the hint of saltiness from the cotija.  The use of mushrooms in both the tacos and the empanadas were smart meat substitutes.  I didn't even realize the dishes were carne less.

Stuffed to the brim already, Angela and I attempted to dig into a beautiful cast iron dish of seafood paella.  Of the four choices of paella on the menu, the shelled option is cooked with clams, shrimp, mussels, scallops, chorizo, and chicken.  The shrimp was highlight of paella because it was cooked just barely through... still tender and translucent, not tough and overly white.  The clams and mussels pointed skyward so that the freshness of the shellfish was apparent on first glance.  The rice itself was flavorful from absorbing all of its surrounding tastes.  Ah, this dish was beautiful in both taste and appearance.

Finally, the last course of the night was a tequila lime tart that was so, so good.  The texture of the tart itself was more like a buttery, holiday shortbread cookie.  The pool of honey on the side helped the dessert be naturally sweet, and the lime helped cut the sweetness in a balance check.  The honey and lime combination just added to the perfection of the tart.  I almost lost consciousness watching the honey drizzle each time I dripped the tart into it.  It was so good that we took two extra tarts home for our friends.  And each of them agreed that the tequila lime tart was simply delicious... a great way to end the meal.

Thank you to charismatic Dennis and congenial Nicole for taking the time to explain each dish and list each ingredient and method of preparation.  Thanks also to Angela your adept services in lighting and photography.  Of course, a big thank you to Erinn of Platform Media Group for setting me up with Bow & Truss and helping me discover a new way of having pork belly.  It was an awesome from beginning to end.  The charcuterie, tacos and the tequila lime tart really sealed the deal for me.  We are definitely returning in the near future.  Until the next pork belly craving, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20121020

Post 60: San Francisco - For Love and Adventure

Back in April I headed up to San Francisco to witness Boy and Girl tie the knot.  Boy and Girl's wedding theme was For Love and Adventure, a very fitting theme considering that Boy and Girl love to travel, love food, and of course, love each other very much.  I thought it would be creative to put a little wedding spin on this post and dedicate it to Boy and Girl.  Here are something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue that I came across on my adventure through San Fran. 

Turtle Tower (SF: Civic Center)

Something old - Chicken pho (pho ga long)

It's not that the chicken is stale or that the noodles are old... in fact, the chicken is juicy and tender, and the noodles are picked up by the owner fresh each day.  Chicken pho is old in the sense that it's something familiar, something homey, something comforting.  Speaking of comforting, this big bowl of chicken noodle soup was what cured six Saturday morning hangovers.  And what better way to cure a hangover with a steaming bowl of clear broth made from organic, free range chicken? Only in San Francisco will you find the chicken used in pho to be good not only for man but for the animal as well.  Think chicken pho is good? The server says, "pho ga long is better!" If you're alright with giblets, you'll certainly agree.

Little Delhi (SF: Union Square)

Something new - Badami chicken

The first dish I order at Indian restaurants is usually chicken tikka masala.  The creamy yet spicy curry dish is simply irresistible.  This time, however, I went for something new.  The first dish that I ordered was the house recommended badami chicken, a dish prepared by adding tandoori chicken to creamy curry with ground pistachios and cashews.  Grinding up the pistachios and cashews contribute a depth of flavor to the curry so that it's not just spicy but a bit nutty tasting too.  It went great with the garlic naan, and it tasted even better as a dipping sauce for the samosas too.  Even Kevin, who wanted nothing other than garlic naan, helped himself to a few extra spoonfuls of this exotically fragrance dish.  Badami chicken was definitely something new for me.  If only more Indian restaurants served this dish along with the other items on the menu.

Hong Kong Lounge (SF: Outer Richmond)

Something borrowed - Sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf (秘制果蒸粽)

I'm not sure what inspired Hong Kong Lounge to create an enormous, eight dollar, Chinese sticky rice wrap at dim sum, but I wouldn't be surprised if they borrowed the idea of super sizing everything from the land that's known for foot-long sandwiches, double-decker burgers, and extra large slurpees.  Often times dishes that are made to gargantuan proportions are somehow neglected if not by health, then by flavor or by lack of quality ingredients.  This sticky rice wrap is not the case.  It's full of savory pork, flavorful Shiitake mushrooms, roasted peanuts, fresh egg yolk, and saucy sticky rice.  Check out how big the wrap is sitting next to the tea cup.  That's some heavy duty Chinese flavor, for real.

SFO Aviation Museum & Library (SF: San Mateo Co.)

Something blue - Boy and Girl's wedding (SF: SFO Intl Airport)

If I were to really highlight something blue that I ate, it would just be the bleu cheese from the salad at the wedding.  But how far would I get talking about the bleu cheese in a salad? What was truly blue (in color not emotion) was the wedding itself.  From the Pan Am stewardess outfits on display to the creatively packaged Hershey's chocolate bars to the handmade table decorations to the groom's tie and the M&M's, there were vibrant shades of blue everywhere.  A beautiful color... a beautiful wedding theme... a beautiful couple.

Cheers to the happy couple, Moritaka and Cheryl.  I wish you a lifetime of happiness, much love and much adventure! I can't wait to hear more stories of food and travel.  Until next time let's get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20110428-0501

Post 50.2: Goodbye Thousand Oaks, Part 2 - Bollywood in the Basement (LA: Westlake Village)

Okay, so I'll miss the commute with my cousin.  But what will I miss about the food that's actually by the office? Immediately, Bollywood Indian Restaurant comes to mind.  Authentic Indian restaurants in the Thousand Oaks area are already pretty hard to come by, but trying to find one that's situated in the basement of an unnamed office complex complete with man-made ponds and mini waterfalls is even harder.  Hidden gem? Yeah, I'd say so.

The restaurant is located within walking distance of the office, but I've only ever employed my lower body as transport once.  I'm usually too impatient to walk (or wait) for my beloved Indian food.  Sipping on sweet lassi and breaking up bits of papad helps pass the time while favorites such as chicken tikka masala, lamb vindaloo and dal tarka are being prepared.

If there's any meal that suggests that gluttony should be limited, it's lunch.  We've all experienced the post-lunch food coma that enshrouds us with the onset of impending sleep, and I'm almost certain that afternoon comatose is not conducive to the work environment.  Thankfully, Bollywood serves lunch specials in smaller portions.  However, I have no discipline in holding myself back from gorging on delicious Indian food.  Ergo, bring on the extra samosas!

Chicken madras

In a world where tomatoes are being skimped on in fast food burgers, it's comforting to find that fresh tomatoes aren't being left out of dishes that absolutely require it... like chicken madras.  No tomato in my burger? Extra lettuce please.  But no tomato in my madras? I can't bear to imagine.  After all, it wouldn't be chicken madras without fresh tomatoes.  What I like about the madras has to do heavily with the confused veggie-fruit.  Its flesh provides some relief from the spicy madras sauce.  The juices are untainted by the spices... cooling, refreshing... like water from the backyard hose on a hot summer's day.  The tomato is juxtaposed nicely against the sauce, teeter-tottering the spiciness on your tongue.

Chicken tikka masala

My co-workers and I usually ask for two orders of the tikka masala (a spicy version for the tough tongue and a mild version for the weaker one) just to make sure there is enough to go around.  And as if we didn't already know that's it's the absolute favorite of the house, the dish is highlighted in red on the menu just so patrons take note.  It's not even the chicken that holds our attention; it's the creamy tomato sauce.  Over rice, slathered on naan, or even doused onto a samosa, the tikka masala sauce cannot be passed up.

Chicken tandoori

Numerous times a friend or co-worker has exclaimed that the chicken tandoori looks dry.  Well, friends, let me tell you... after one bite you'll know that the chicken, as white as the meat is, is as juicy as a pear.  The combination of garam masala, garlic, ginger, cumin and cayenne pepper along with yogurt give the chicken the special taste, and the mixture of red chili pepper and turmeric give it the color.  After being garnished with sliced onions and a wedge of lemon, the tandoori dish becomes unbelievably mouth-watering.  You'll be able to smell the exotic spices and the fresh citrus scent on your fingertips for hours after lunch is over.

Lamb korma

If the chicken tikka masala is the house favorite, the lamb korma is mine.  The korma is much creamier than either the madras or the tikka masala.  In fact, if you bring the plate close to your nose and take a whif, the korma has the distinct smell of butter.  What I really love is not the creamy, buttery fragrance but the bits of ground almond that sit throughout the gravy.  Every so often I'll bite into the bits of almonds, which conjures up images of biting into the hazlenut bits in a Ferrero Rocher.  Firm but soft to the bite, the almonds make all the difference.

Lamb vindaloo

Seeing aloo in the name of this dish means that the dish contains potatoes; potatoes with curry... what a tasty concept.  Toss in some lemon juice, and you've got a dish with a truly spicy kick.  The lamb vindaloo is the spiciest of the dishes thus far, so I would suggest tasting it after tasting the other sauces.  Like the lamb korma, the meat is slightly gamey but as tender as chicken.  The strong spices and the firey kick definitely help reduce the gaminess of the lamb though.  And to help reduce the fire? I'm sure glad I have some of that mango lassi left.

Lamb tikka

Like the chicken tandoori the lamb tikka is roasted with herbs and spices in a tandoori oven, and it's anything but dry.  Break open the lamb, and you'll see for yourself.  Glistening, gleaming meat juices flow down the nooks onto the plate.  The juice from the meat along with the freshly squeezed lemon juice create a sauce in itself.  Have it over the long-grain Basmati rice, and you may forget about the other dishes.

Dal tarka

I'm not particularly fond of vegetable only dishes, but I ordered the dal tarka once, and it completely blew my mind away.  The menu description is simple: lentils cooked with garlic.  But upon arrival at the time, I know it's not as simple as it sounds.  There are bits of red and splotches of green, probably from the chilis and the cilantro or parsley, floating atop the backdrop of yellow lentils.  Chopped slivers of garlic running throughout give this dish a warm and inviting taste.  It's neither as spicy as the others nor creamy either.  The dal tarka was the turning point for my anti-vegetarianism (the saag paneer and the eggplant bharta are great veggie dishes as well).  Dip the naan into the dal until the plate is running on empty.  And when that happens, bend the naan just a little bit more so that the taste of home can be scooped up by fluffy carbs and into your cavity of gluttony.

Pistachio ice cream

Many apologies for what I'm about to say.  The pistachio ice cream looks like cat food.  Why it's cut like Fancy Feast is beyond me.  But what I do know is that I prefer leprechaun green pistachio ice cream from Rite Aid much more than I prefer this.  It's worth the try, but if you can't stomach the color or grainy texture, try a different dessert item, or order another lassi for dessert.  I'll pass on this one... my food coma is about to hit anyway.

Each time the staff at Bollywood sees us, they probably wonder if their lunch menu has any relevance with us.  I'm sure they designed a lunch menu that tries to prevent the onset of food coma (light on quantity but heavy on flavor), but my Indian food gluttony absolutely defies their goal.  Sorry Bollywood, you're food is too good.  

Each time I walk out of this restaurant in zombie-like fashion, I realize why the restaurant is located in a dungeon of a space but happens to be surrounded by calming waterfalls and ponds.  It's the perfect place for the post-lunch, food coma nap.  Ooh, I see a bench.

Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML 20110326+0402

Post 43.3: Burma SuperStar, a Cinematic Experience (SF: Inner Richmond)

In the Richmond District is Burma SuperStar, an insanely well-known restaurant whose name has floated around in conversations amongst friends for ages.  I had only gotten into the car to leave from my afternoon meal at San Tung when Diana called and said that it was time to finally see about the hyped-up superb Burmese cuisine.  Eating at San Tung was like watching the matinee showing of an animated comedy, but eating at Burma SuperStar was like catching the midnight opening of a highly anticipated blockbuster.  To delve into my analogy further, I had just finished watching Tangled and was about to see Tron.  I felt reluctant yet excited the same time.

During the half hour wait, I squatted down Asian-style not to rest my feet but to hide from the ridiculously chilly San Francisco wind.  Dilemma.  I wanted desperately to step into the warm restaurant, but doing so would only require me to digest the food from San Tung immediately.  That was impossible.

We finally got seated in a corner, behind a pole and next to the front door that let in a draft each time someone walked in.  It was clearly the best seat in the house.  So the menu and ordering duties thrown upon me, I ordered every possible recommended item that four people could finish... an appetizer, a salad, a noodle dish, and a curry and a stew to pair with rice.  After much anticipation, we were ready for our cinematic experience with Burmese food.  Let the curtains rise...

The previews - Tea leaf salad

Fermented tea leaves (lahpet), peanut halves, slices of fried garlic, split yellow peas, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds were the hodgepodge of ingredients that comprised the tea leaf salad.  As the server tossed the salad right at the table, we gushed a few oohs and ahhs the same way the film's audience laughs, gasps, and claps during a film's previews.  There is much excitement, and this portion of the experience is highly memorable... but previews don't tell the film's story, and the tea leaf salad is not an accurate reflection of Burmese food. 

There is always at least one preview that inspires your return to the theater.  That was the fermented tea leaves for me.  I focused my attention to the tea leaves because the distinct taste playfully beckoned with exotic appeal.  It's the pretty girl with the blue eyes checking out apples in the produce section.  It was not the shrieking baby crying for her pacifier in the bakery.  The taste is pleasingly potent and not overly robust.  It was clearly the star Burmese dish, and it's the one I would return for.

Courtesy reminder - Burmese samusas

The server brought with him a scent of curried chicken and potatoes, but the fragrance was gone as quickly as it had arrived.  Hands impatiently grabbed the deep fried raviolis for a quick dip in the sweet and spicy sauce, and in one swift motion, the samusas were on their way to digestive doom.  The scene reminded me of how theatergoers scramble to turn off their cell phones when the 'please turn off your cell phone' flashes on the screen.  Everyone knows that as soon as the cell phones are turned off, and as soon as the appetizers are finished, it's time for the main attraction.

Opening scene - Bun tay kauswer (coconut curry chicken noodles)

Sometimes the opening scene of a film tells you little about the plot.  Sometimes it tells you nothing at all.  Sometimes the scene is blisteringly bright, and it hurts your eyes.  Sometimes it's so dark that you can't even tell the film has begun.  It takes a few moments to adapt to the opening scene.  With my first bite, I tasted the spicy curry flavor of the noodles, and I wondered silently... is this what Burmese food really is? I'm not quite sure.  Is it good? Oh, hell yeah. One more bite, a different nutty, creamy taste from the coconut rolled over, under and around my tongue.  I tried to figure out just exactly what was going on, but the action continued.

First conflict - Pumpkin pork stew

The sudden onslaught of various spices brought on the first conflict between characters.  The big chunks of savory pork clashed with the even bigger chunks of sweet pumpkin.  My stomach turned between the suddenly spicy, suddenly sweet, and suddenly savory tastes.  Had the pork and pumpkin been cut into a slightly smaller size, the flavors in the stew would have been blended together more smoothly.  This was the point that if the conflict didn't get resolved, then the drama would escalate, and disaster would be imminent.  Just my luck... an even spicier curry had just been served.

Intense climax - Burmese style curry with lamb

The lamb curry completely exploited the foundation of conflict that the pork stew had set up earlier.  If the pork stew lit the match of spiciness, then the lamb curry was the strong wind that ignited the wildfire.  The intensity of the spice formed beads of sweat on my forehead, and I could not continue eating.  With my stomach churning and the beads of sweat falling down my face, I resorted to gasping for air and downing water by the glass.  The Burmese curry was like the confrontation between Simba and Scar, the final sinking of the Titanic, and the toys' escape from Andy's room. 

Conflict resolution - Coconut rice and tan poi combination

The solution to my stomach's conflict with the spicy curry was just a few spoonfuls of the sticky white jasmine rice that was sweetened with coconut milk.  Even the cinnamon and raisins cooked in the tan poi's basmati rice were just sweet enough to soothe the burning.  The combination of rice slowed the sweat, and well, that made everyone happy.  The uncontrollable fire of spiciness had been put out.

Fin, credits - Coconut ice cream

The dessert, like the final credits, are simply not worthy of a diner's time.  But for others dessert, like the final credits, is a required element of a complete dinner.  The coconut ice cream was sweet and refreshing.  It helped soothe the spicy rumblings of our just-finished Burmese meal.  What was unique about the ice cream were the hidden shreds of coconut flesh submerged within the confines of the spherical scoops.  Using my childhood experience of digging marshmallows out of rocky road, I went after the coconut flesh like I was searching for buried treasure.  Simply delicious. 

An eye-opening first experience with Burmese cuisine was complete.  We had moved from Inner Sunset to Inner Richmond where the Asian cuisine is just as delicious and just as well-known.  The food from either one of these areas beats the Chinese cuisine from Chinatown without a doubt.  This is where adventurous culinary explorers should begin their search for delicious delicacies.  There are rows and rows of excellent restaurants in the Sunset and Richmond districts... perhaps there are just as many stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  It's impossible to conquer all the deliciousness in one visit to San Francisco.  That's probably why Yelp bookmarks pile up the same way the films in a Netflix queue do.

A gracious thank you to Justin for standing out in the freezing cold while Diana navigated her way through San Francisco... no thanks to her GPS.  Happy eating to all. 

Next post: Wining and dining smorgasbord

ML - 20110104/20101212