San Diego Fall Food Truck Festival: Fantastic Fun Fare for All

Since the last visit to the Del Mar Fairgrounds for the San Diego Craft Beer Festival in September, my buddy Mark (since upgraded from Uber driver status) and I have been eagerly anticipating more events at the racetrack.  Lucky for us the Bing Crosby season at Del Mar just started, and the Fall Food Truck Festival was storming out of the gates.  Another beautiful day in Sunny Southern California meant a quick trip down to the Del Mar Fairgrounds in blue-skied San Diego to soak up some sun, stuff our stomachs full of food, and wage a few bets on galloping equestrians.

Over 30 food trucks arrived including local favorite Carnitas Snack Shack, Food Network Food Truck Face-off winner Mess Hall Canteen, and the ever popular Cousins Maine Lobster.  These three had the longest lines as they were the most well known, but there were no lines for beer... none.  That meant that the queues were all but forgotten about by the time the last sip of brew was consumed.

We headed straight for the pork.  What's better than an ungodly combination of shredded pork, bacon, and deep fried schnitzel? Nothing, I tell ya.  Nothing.  The carnitas, its house special, was so tender, juicy, and flavorful that the bacon was barely noticeable.  The Triple Threat Pork Sandwich cannot be passed up.

In addition to the Triple Threat sandwich, the Carnitas Snack Shack also makes a mind blowing Pork Belly App.  Upon first glance it looks like nothing more than a slab of charred pork, but one bite will make you fork the pork immediately.  The sweet and spicy glaze that glistens atop the slow cooked sexiness is what pulls the entire dish together.  The salad on the side, although overshadowed, is light and refreshing.  The frisee, apples, radishes, and lemon vinaigrette were a somewhat healthy balance to the substantial amount of sinful swine that we had just ingested.

We jumped at the chance for a lobster roll and clam chowder from Lobsta Truck.  The traditional split top roll was overflowing with New England's finest crustacean dressed lightly with seasoned mayo.  There was no mistaking the fresh lobster claws.  They were pointing straight at us from within the bread saying to us... you.  You... eat me... eat me nowww.

Every so often we would exchange glances (compliments in the food world) at others' food.  One item that caught our attention was the Kobayashi fries from Chop Soo-ey.  Criss-crossed golden waffle fries with crisp fatty bacon, streams of ranch dressing, and pico de gallo made for the perfect Asian fusion.  Wait, what's Asian fusion about these fries? Nothing, I don't care.

Think we had enough? Not us.  A trip to the fairgrounds requires a funnel cake.  It's obligatory to close off an already life threatening meal with more fat, sugar, and carbs.  Ice cream? Check.  Chocolate syrup? Check.  Whipped cream? Check.  Powdered sugar? Yes, please.  And strawberries to make the funnel cake healthy.  Oh, who are we kidding...

We interspersed the bites of food with chugs of beer and horse races.  There may even have been a few shots of Maker's Mark here and there.  (If your buddy's name is Mark, the Maker's Mark has to happen.  Gotta follow the rules, man.)  The biggest bet was made on Race 5, which was when Ice Cream Truck took the win.  It's only fitting that a horse named Ice Cream Truck wins at a Food Truck Festival.  More money for food and drink now... I'd call that #winning.

San Diego Fall Food Truck Festival
Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.  Del Mar, CA 92014
(858) 755-1167

ML - 20151107

Taiwan Day 10: Monstrosities of Shaved Ice from Ice Monster / 冰館雪花冰天天甜 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北市: 大安區)

On a hot and humid summer day in Taiwan, there is nothing better than a big bowl of shaved ice.  Whether it is topped with tropical fruits, mochi, flan, red bean, or ice cream, shaved ice can be made with a plethora of ingredients suited to anyone's taste.  Ice Monster originally made its name by making a massive mound of mango shaved ice for a relatively sky high price in a small, open air corner shop along the very touristy alleyway of Yong Kang Street.  It has since moved over to a much larger space on the bustling Zhongxiao East Road where the seating is much more comfortable and the menu has expanded.  Since its popularity has grown significantly, the wait time has also increased dramatically... but some things are worth waiting for.

The most popular item on the menu is the fresh mango shaved ice (新鮮芒果綿花甜) by far.  The mango itself has been injected into the ice, and chunks of the fresh fruit are packed into the sides of the icy mango mountain.  If that isn't enough mango for you, there is even a big scoop of mango ice cream that has been added to the base of the glowing yellow pyramid.  Honestly, it is way too sweet for me.  I believe that the creamy and buttery Taiwanese mango does not need sugar or syrup to enhance its sweetness.  Just the mango itself and perhaps a drizzle of condensed milk over the ice would have been sufficient for a magnificent shaved ice.  The panna cotta that comes with the shaved ice is the only thing that balances out the sweet snow.

The pearl milk tea shaved snow (珍珠奶茶綿花甜) is surprisingly not as sweet as the mango ice.  It is also a lot more whimsical and fun to eat.  Not only are the layers of frozen milk tea more apparent, the caramel syrup that runs down the side of the fluffy ice creates this glimmer of seduction that beckons your spoon over for a big shovel of the ice.  The tapioca pearls and a side of panna cotta top off the dessert.  I really like the addition of the chewy boba balls especially because of its textural contrast to the cottony soft ice.

Of all of the shaved ice and shaved snow that I've had at Ice Monster over the years, the jasmine tea shaved snow is my absolute favorite.  The jasmine tea is found throughout the ice, and the fragrance of which makes for a truly refreshing dessert.  In the truly hot summer months in the subtropical heat of Taiwan, I always prefer something that is cold but not laden with sugar, syrup or super sweetness.  There is a mini scoop of passion fruit sorbet, citrus jello and kiwi jam off on the side just for others who may need a touch more sugar, but the jasmine tea flavored ice by itself is the perfect choice for me.  Unfortunately, this item is off the menu, but I really hope that it is back in stores by the next summer season.

There are plenty of other desserts offered at the store... from coffee, peanut, pineapple, strawberry and lime shaved ice to dessert soups made with sweet potato, black sesame, and taro.  There is even a beer flavored shaved ice, which I am coming back for in the future.  But until then, keep cool, and get S.O.F.A.T.

Ice Monster
台北市大安區忠孝東路四段297號
No. 297, Zhongxiao East Rd., Section 4, Da An District, Taipei City

ML - 20130709

Taiwan Day 10: Snow King's Unique Ice Cream Flavors / 雪王冰淇淋有非常特別的口味 (Taipei: Jhong Jheng District / 台北市: 中正區)

Just prior to my arrival in Taipei, The Wall Street Journal published an article highlighting eight countries in Asia known for their regional variations on shaved ice and where to try it.  Halo-halo was named for the Philippines, and patbingsu was named for Korea.  Strangely enough the article did not recognize any of the wildly popular local cold treats in Taiwan such as eight treasures or mango shaved ice (刨冰 / Mandarin: bào bing).  Instead, the article shined the spotlight on the modernized, sweetened, and more milky version of shaved snow (雪花冰 / Mandarin: xuě hua bing).  It also featured the ice cream from Snow King (雪王) in Ximen Ding (西門町).  I took the physical article with me straight to the Snow King shop to do some recon.  With unique flavors such as sesame oil chicken, stewed pig's feet, and wasabi on top of the refreshing watermelon and basil flavors, it was easy to see why this place stood out from the rest.  (See the colorful highlights from the WSJ article here.)

The first seemingly bizarre flavor that Grace and I wanted to try was pork floss (肉鬆 / Mandarin: ròu song).  This supposed floss is pork that has been shredded and dried until crunchy.  It is often used as a topping for steamed rice or porridge and usually added to rice rolls or sandwiches for texture contrast.  It almost looks like scruffy facial hair.  Oh, and yes, it was in the ice cream.  If you think it is bizarre, you are right... it is extremely weird to have bits of pork whiskers lodged within the creamy texture of milky ice cream.  It is, however, very edible.  If you can get past thinking about the meat in your dairy dessert, then the texture would be no different than cotton candy.  You may have to chew it, but not for long.  Just like the carnival treat, the rou song quickly melts on your tongue.  It just happens to do so with a savory, pork jerky taste.  This flavor, by the way, is extremely popular among both children and diabetics.

To cleanse our palate of the porky flavor, we chose the top selling watermelon ice cream next.  It is not as creamy as the ice cream you would expect in America.  The texture is lighter, and the dairy is not as evident.  It is almost a cross between Italian gelato and a snow cone.  But it is visibly red with the color of watermelon.  If that weren't enough, little bits of the fruit are apparent with every bite.  This ice cream is not too sweet and easy to consume with big happy spoonfuls on a hot summer day.

The next special flavor that I went for was Taiwan Beer (台啤 / Mandarin: taí pí).  This is not as unusual as the first, especially for Westerners, since Guinness flavored ice cream has been more frequently found in recent times.  After the first bite, you will notice the hint of bitterness that the bubbly brew is known for.  The sweetness is only in the aftertaste when your brain affirms that yes, this tastes like nothing else but Taiwan Beer, the very drinkable national lager.  On a sweltering day in the sub-tropics, it doesn't if your beer comes as a liquid in a can or as ice cream in a cup.  As long as it is served cold, it is a fitting refreshment.  I really liked this one, and I definitely will come back for more.

Thank you very much to Madame Boss (老闆娘 / Mandarin: láo bǎn niáng) who conversed with us in fluent English to help us select from the many flavors offered at the store.  From lychee to peach and pineapple, all the ingredients are locally sourced.  Even the basil, wasabi, and hard liquor used in the ice cream are grown or produced in Taiwan.  The only one that has been imported is the Korean ginseng. 

I did not try the sesame oil chicken or the pig's feet flavors this time.  There's only so much ice cream that a guy can eat in one sitting! But I'm eager to test out those very traditional dishes in icy dessert form in the future.  But until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Snow King (雪王冰淇淋)
台北市中正區武昌街一段65號
No. 65, Wuchang Rd., Section 1, Jhong Jheng District, Taipei City
MRT: Ximen Station, exit no. 5 / 捷運西門站, 5號出口

ML - 20130709

164. Taiwan Day 1: Must Have Rice Balls from Eastern Ice Store Down Lane 216 / 到216巷就是要吃東區粉圓 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北市: 大安區)

After finishing lunch at Du Hsiao Yueh (度小月), my aunt and I strolled down Lane 216, one of the most famous little back streets in all of Taipei.  We swung by Eastern Ice Store (東區粉圓冰店), an extremely popular rice ball dessert shop in Taiwan.  They are known for their chewy rice balls (粉圓 / Mandarin: fen yuan), a smaller variation of Japanese mochi that is commonly submerged under an covering of shaved ice and other sweet toppings.

Whether it is for chilled red bean soup, grass jelly, or sweet dessert tofu, the toppings range from taro rice balls, almonds, stewed peanuts, chunks of sweet potato, pineapple, passion fruit syrup, or strawberry jam.  Other choices include extra red beans, konjac jelly, white wood ear fungus, barley, and sweetened condensed milk.  The options really run the gamut.

I added the classic taro rice balls to my cold red bean soup; I loved how the rice balls were so elastic and chewy.  I also chose the almond tofu, a jello that merely looks like tofu but is actually just almond infused agar agar.  Of course, everything was topped off with a good amount of condensed milk, and I helped myself to a few extra scoops of ice... available for all customers in the strongly air conditioned seating area around the corner from the counter.  Thank goodness for Eastern Ice Store in the dead middle of summer on a sub-tropical island.  Until the next meal (give me about an hour), let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Eastern Ice Store (東區粉圓冰店)
台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷38號
No. 38, Lane 216, Zhongxiao East Rd., Sec. 4, Da An District, Taipei City

ML - 20130630

163. Taiwan Day 1: Straight to Slack Season AKA Du Hsiao Yueh / 馬上到度小月吃擔仔麵 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北市: 大安區)

As soon as I found my aunt in the airport arrivals area, we headed straight into the heart of Taipei City for lunch at Du Hsiao Yueh (度小月), a restaurant that has specialized in traditional local Taiwanese fare for over 100 years.  The tan tsai noodles (擔仔麵) are what the restaurant is known for.  According to restaurant legend, these noodles originated in the southern city of Tainan, where supposedly a fisherman made his living selling them during the off or "slack" season when the rough waters of typhoon season prevented fishing boats from going out to sea.

As customers enter the restaurant, they immediate see that a special noodle station has been placed directly in the lobby of the restaurant apart from the main kitchen where the other dishes are cooked.  The noodle station is set up in the traditional way, with the cook squatted on a stool near the floor and all the ingredients for tan tsai noodles arranged within arms reach so that he can quickly assemble the bowl of noodles.  He tosses, in order, bean sprouts, cilantro, minced pork that is still stewing in a ceramic pot over an open flame, minced garlic, black vinegar, peeled shrimp and shrimp broth into the bowl in just a few deft movements.  The result is a beautifully presented snack sized bowl of savory, slurpable noodles. 

A perfect pairing to the noodles are A tsai (the A is pronounced exactly as it is written in English), a vibrantly jade colored crisp vegetable with a texture that is a hybrid of cabbage and lettuce.  This vegetable is most commonly blanched in salted water and sometimes topped with minced pork or soy sauce paste to add flavor.  However, I like to add some of the leaves directly into my bowl to have with my noodles and soup.

Another vegetable that simply cannot be missed during the summer season on this sub-tropical island is the very fresh local bamboo.  It is served chilled with a side of Japanese mayonnaise as a condiment.  Many visitors to Taiwan who have never had chilled bamboo shoots often scoff at the common local practice of dipping fresh vegetables into mayonnaise.  It is weird, yes, but it is also damned delicious.  The bamboo itself is delightfully and naturally sweet, and the chilled temperature at which it is served brings a refreshing calm to ease the sweltering hot and humid summer climate of East Asia.

My aunt and I also picked a couple of bite sized toothpick skewers of grilled fish roe.  Just one mouthful brings together the salty and rich flavor of the roe along with the bite of the green onion stem and the smooth finish of the radish.  It's difficult to savor such a small bite of heaven, but it's even more difficult to forget the taste of this treat.

To finish, we split a slice of a savory taro cake.  The shredded taro root was packed and stacked in a way that reminded me of thick American home fries or hash browns.  Although taro is usually served with sweet flavors, this dish was drizzled with thick soy sauce paste and green onions.  The added saltiness from the soy and searing kick from the onions brought the natural sweetness out from the starchy taro.  It was the first time I had taro served in that way.  And as a later trip down to southern Taiwan will reveal, it will not be the last time I have a sweet fruit or vegetable served flavored with soy sauce paste.

What a great first meal on my eighth trip to Taiwan! Now... who's ready for some famous dessert in Taipei's Lane 216? Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Slack Season or Du Hsiao Yueh (度小月)
台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷8弄12號
No. 12, Alley 8, Lane 216, Zhongxiao East Rd., Sec. 4, Da An District, Taipei City

Other information:

• Du Hsiao Yueh is also spelled Tu Hsiao Yueh; it is pronounced dù xiaǒ yuè in Hanyu pinying.
• Tan tsai noodles are also known as tan-tsu noodles or peddler's noodles; they are called tanh-ah mi in Taiwanese and dàn zaǐ miàn in Mandarin.
• Other branches are located in Taipei with the original store in the southern city of Tainan.
• A branch has recently opened in Beijing with future plans to open in Hong Kong and Tokyo.
• The legend of the restaurant is depicted in a short cartoon here; no need to understand Chinese to know how the story unfolds.

ML - 20130630

153. Bay Area - HK Style Chinese BBQ at Cooking Papa / 好煮意 香港大排檔 (Bay Area: Santa Clara)

If you are in the Bay, and all you want is some Chinese food, Cooking Papa in either Santa Clara or Foster City is a good choice.  This Hong Kong style restaurant is not really an eye-opening surprise of ridiculous deliciousness.  It is just good food.  It is quick.  It's affordable.  It's no fancy restaurant, and it's no hole-in-the-wall either.  And it satisfies when you are hungry.  It was the first place that I stopped at on what seemed like a never ending journey through Bay Area.

Cooking Papa makes some solid Cantonese BBQ, referring to the roasted chicken, duck, and pork on the menu (or hanging in the window).  Juicy and succulent, our combo platter of roasted duck and pork (燒味雙拼) fit the bill just right.  This, by the way, is different from Peking duck, which is northern style BBQ.  Northern or Peking style roast duck focuses on the crisping of the skin; the meat is usually not as succulent.  On the other hand, southern or Cantonese style roast duck focuses on the tenderness of the meat.  It is usually very juicy, and the skin is usually not as crisp.

The house special pan fried noodle (招牌煎麵) is on the money too.  It is an authentic take on a Hong Kong style chow mein, frying up the yellow noodles until they are crisp all around... and then smothering the top with sauced up scallops, shrimp, pork, mushrooms, and bok choy.  This is one of those dishes that everyone at the table dives into, and each individual douses their portion with extra soy and chili.


What is spectacular about Cooking Papa is the dessert... and not just any dessert.  The Hong Kong style egg puff (鬆化沙翁), which should be ordered at least ten minutes in advance of your desire for dessert, is particularly dramatic.  These egg puffs are somewhat like waffles, only that puffed up hemispheres of batter take the place of the square shaped dips in a typical American waffle.  They typically fit into a paper sleeve to be held while eating on the streets of Hong Kong, but it looks like the Papa injected some Godzilla portioned steroids into these overly gargantuan super sized monstrosities.  Oh, and then Papa dusted it with some powdered sugar.  Cray cray.  The egg puffs are a sweet way to end the meal.

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

Cooking Papa / 好煮意
2830 Homestead Rd.
Santa Clara, CA 95051

ML - 20130831

148. Bay Area - Your Meal Ticket to Jimmy Carter's Apple Grape Pie (Berkeley: Northwest)

After having some amazing pancetta pizza, Kat suggested we head to Northwest Berkeley for some amazing pie at Meal Ticket, a little neighborhood spot opened by Chef Jimmy Carter and wife Carolyn Del Gaudio in 2001.  It is known for its humble kitchen fare as well as its renowned apple grape pie, which is exactly what we came for.  We even called ahead to make sure there was enough left since it sells out quite frequently.

One bite into the apple grape pie, and we knew it was fresh.  The apples and grapes were cooked al dente if that is possible to say that about fruit.  The apples were firm and not mushy soft, naturally sweet and not doused with sugar, baked to perfection and not drenched in butter.  The crust was flaky but still held together.  The whipped cream that topped it all off was infused with cinnamon, which made the fragrance waft up... it just smelled so damn good.  And of course, I appreciated that everything was cut into bite size pieces... but who cares about that when the pie is just so delicious?



While we were filming our short Tastemade video, one of the regulars said that we had to come back to try the food there.  He actually said that Meal Ticket makes one of the best burgers in the area.  I'd believe it.  He showed me his half eaten burger just so that we could see the fresh and juicy center.

We also met the man himself when he came outside to check on his regulars.  Cool guy.  Makes good pie.  And for those of you that might be confused, this is not the former U.S. president.  But he is the most powerful man in his kitchen.

We'll be back for some of these burgers and more of Jimmy Carter's humble pie.  Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Meal Ticket
1235 San Pablo Ave.
Northwest Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94706

ML - 20130906

145. Beverly Hills Brownie Company - Kristen Chenowith Says Brownies Are Heaven In Her Mouth (LA: Beverly Hills)

On my first visit to Beverly Hills Brownie Company last summer, I declared the beginnings of the Brownie Comeback.  Owner Bobbie Greenfield made 241 batches of red velvet brownies before she perfected what we thought we knew as our favorite childhood treat.

Since then BHBC has gone full steam ahead and has developed new flavors, new ideas, and new famous followers.  Our favorite Hollywood celebrities such as Kristen Chenoweth have picked up on this brownie craze as well.  The beautiful blonde who blossomed on Broadway blasted about the brownies from her Twitter account @kchenoweth.  Her favorite is said to be the red velvet.

Rumor has it that a certain hit R&B artist who was a judge on the last season of The Voice ushered in a few brownies for himself, and the host of the rival singing competition on Fox has idolized these delightful desserts while on air also.

New flavors on the menu at BHBC this season include the S'mores, complete with graham cracker crumble and toasted mini marshmallows... no fluff here.  It's even topped off with a block of the classic Hershey's signature milk chocolate... perfect for those who are having a major case of summer camp nostalgia.

The brownie ice cream that is coming out in just a couple of weeks may gain some of its own fans.  As for me, I am still loyal to the peanut brittle, red velvet, and the brownie ice cream sandwich.  It really is the perfect ratio of brownie to ice cream.  It even inspired me to make a video using the Tastemade app (currently only on iPhone and iOS devices) featuring said scrumptious sweets.


If you haven't already done so, check which one of the more than two dozen different flavors of brownies will be the heaven in your mouth.  Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20130914

143. Tokyo - Arigato gozaimashita: Wrapping Up A Week in Japan / ありがとうございました, 日本!

If I dedicated a post to every single restaurant I visited in Tokyo, I would never get to my long back log of posts from the Bay Area and the East Coast.  Here's the remainder of the eating, seeing, and doing from Japan... all in one post.

Ken and I slurped up some very homey ramen that really hit the spot after an exhausting morning at Tsukiji Market.  The shop owner joked that the bamboo was from the same place Ken was from... Taiwan.  Look for a red noren that says ramen in white Japanese lettering (ラーメン) hanging in the doorway.  The faded red business signage reads Chinese food (中国料理) in Japanese.  The owner says the gyoza is very good too.

天好 24
東京都 台東区 / Tokyo Metropolitan, Taito Ward
花川戸 1-15-7 / Hanakawado District, 1 Chome 15-7

We passed the Asahi Breweries Headquarters on the way to Tokyo Skytree, the tallest freestanding tower in the world.  It was camouflaged against the gray sky and too pricey to travel up to the observation deck.  We relaxed over some chocolate and macadamia ichigo wafflate on the entrance floor instead.  The coffee is decent, and the chocolate beverages are milky and quite delightful.

100% Chocolate Cafe
東京都 墨田区 / Tokyo Metropolitan, Sumida Ward
押上 1-1-2 / Oshiage District, 1 Chome 1-2
東京スカイツリー / Tokyo Skytree
東京ソラマチ 4F / Tokyo Solamachi, 4th floor

A popular expat gathering hole serving Spanish-Italian influenced Japanese tapas helped us shield the hustle and bustle of Metropolitan Tokyo at bay.  We ordered the hot spiced chicken, fries with anchovy butter, squid in black ink sauce, and quattro formaggio pizza, oysters, and more.  The highlight was the octopus and ooba pasta with yuzu pepper.  The shiso garnish helped keep the pasta light.

Rigoletto Bar and Grill
東京都 港区 / Tokyo Metropolitan, Minato Ward
六本木 6-10-1 / Roppongi District, 6 Chome 10-1
六本木ヒルズ ウェストウォーク 5F / Roppongi Hills, West Walk, 5th floor

Kristen has a knack for introducing some very aesthetically appealing treats.  She ordered a gripping grape tart, and I selected a scrumptious summer peach tart.  There are more than two dozen tarts, all of which center around an individual fruit or combination of fruits that are formed into various flowers and other intricately carved shapes.

Berry Café
東京都 中央区 / Tokyo Metropolitan, Chuo Ward
銀座 3-2-15 / Ginza District, 3 Chome 2-15
外堀通り / Sotobori-dori Street
ギンザ グラッセ 6F / Ginza Glasse, 6th floor

A true late night in the streets of Tokyo must include yakitori at an izakaya.  Grilled chicken wings, skewers of extra crispy chicken skin and succulent meatballs are go-to favorites.  What captured my attention, though, was the mentaiko omelette... salty orange fish roe rolled into sweet yellow tamago for the ultimate egg in egg action.  Oh, and the beer here is only 380 yen in the wee hours of the night.  Kanpai!

串焼ダイニング十兵衛 (Juubee Skewers Dining)
東京都 渋谷区 / Tokyo Metropolitan, Shibuya Ward
恵比寿南 1-23-5 / Ebisuminami District, 1 Chome 23-5
恵比寿 スカイウォーク出口 / Yebisu Skywalk exit
アメリカンブリッジ ビル 1F / American Bridge Building, 1st floor

We celebrated the final night in Tokyo with drinks... a foam topped Yebisu Stout at the top of the Westin overlooking Ebisu District seemed fitting.  There is a scenic view of the Tokyo night scape just behind the bar.

コンパスローズ / The Compass Rose
 東京都 目黒区 / Tokyo Metropolitan, Meguro Ward
三田 1-4-1 / Mita District, 1 Chome 4-1
恵比寿 ガーデンプレイス 内 / Yebisu Garden Place 
ウェスティンホテル東京 22F / Westin Tokyo, 22nd floor

And that's about as much as my stomach can handle.  It's time to pack, get some rest, and head to the airport first thing in the morning... Taiwan is next on the itinerary! Super big thanks to Ken, the Lee family, and Kristen for the utmost guidance and hospitality on this trip.  Without you guys it would not have been as fun and gluttonous as it was.  Arigato gozaimashita!



I'm going to finish up a few posts on some recent fooding in the States.  Posts on my trip to Taiwan will start popping up in October, so stay tuned... until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20130625-30

126. Portland - A Second Visit to Olympic Provisions (Portland: Southeast/Industrial)

Olympic Provisions impressed me so much during the first visit that I wanted Allison to experience the true, unpretentious food that it offered.  We came here for dinner after our brief pit stop at Clyde Common for happy hour.  Funny... because that is the same route that Chef Alex Yoder took to reach Olympic Provisions.  Just as it was last time, the service was sincere, and the food was beyond compare.  Even the bread, dipped in a dish of olive oil, salt and pepper, blew our minds with its delicious simplicity.

On this repeat visit to the restaurant that caused me to fall in love with Portland, we ordered the steak tartare again.  We were completely enamored with the skillfully diced beef, the petite drop of egg yolk, and the crisp crostini.  It was just as fresh as I had remembered it.  Consistently executed quality dishes like this is what makes for an awesome restaurant.  This is a must if visiting Olympic Provisions... or even Portland at all.

The mixed beans salad from last time gave me such a lasting impression that I convinced Allie to order some vegetables... at a salumeria.  Yes, I know.  But how could we resist? Nutritious, beautiful, and ever so fresh, the kale salad with thinly sliced radishes was a fitting complement to our meal.

One item on the dessert menu that we did not order last time was the salame de chocolat.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Chocolate salami.  But it's not what you think.  Or it might be exactly what you think.  It's smooth chocolate in the shape of a sausage with bits of nuts and toffee right where the fatty spots of a salami should be.  Genius.  Pure genius.  Along with the citrus marmalade and the salt and pepper shortbread... holy momma, this was devilishly delicious.  We particularly took a liking to the shortbread.  It was like a melt-in-your-mouth Ritz cracker... but even better.  Some would say this cracker was on crack.

To top everything off, we sneaked in a few small bites of some dessert that the staff was catering to a wedding.

Hats off to Chef Alex for his genuine food preparation, passion, and prowess.  Just in case you are expecting a swanky place, this is not it.  Don't expect anyone to place a white cloth napkin over your lap as you sit down.  It is just a straight forward salumeria, a glorified butcher shop of sorts, that makes food without fuss.  Olympic Provisions is for me what a day spa is for those working in corporate America.  Feeling stressed? Suffering from culinary depression? Chef Alex will give you a realignment.  And at the end of your session you'll want to come back again.  Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20130622

Post 122: Portland - Olympic Provisions Seals the Deal (Portland: Southeast/Industrial)

For our last meal in Portland we headed to the Industrial District for the renowned Olympic Provisions, a purveyor of locally sourced quality meats.  It is more than just a butcher shop or salumeria.  It is a full fledged restaurant that serves dishes featuring fresh cuts of meats, vegetables that are in season and cheese galore.  The type of food that Olympic Provisions has on its menu is great for pairing with beer and wine.  After all, what goes better with cured meats and cheeses than a good bottle of red?

To start we had The Chef's Choice of five meats.  I really liked the pork and pistachio terrine, and we thought the dry cured salami selection was outstanding.

Another stand out dish was the mixed beans salad with frisée, basil pesto, and bread crumbs.  For those that are not a fan of these legumes, this salad will change all that.  It was cool, chill to the touch, and surprisingly refreshing.  The frisée was truly fresh, and the bread crumbs added the perfect slight crunch to pull the dish together.

The steak tartare was one of the best I have ever had.  The cuts of steak were mixed in with olives and parsley, and the perfect round of egg yolk was placed ever so carefully over the top.  Absolute perfection.  It was as fresh as fresh could be.

After some off-the-menu chef specials, we headed straight into dessert.  We closed off our last meal in Portland with the chilled roasted peach with crème anglaise, salted almonds and caramel.  By the time the dessert came out, I was so serene and content that I almost drowned into the roasted peach the way my spoon did.  There was something about sitting at the bar counter and watching the chefs at work at Olympic Provisions.  The stereotypical Portlandia cooks (tattoos, piercing, and facial hair all dressed in black) were working the line in a seemingly effortless calm.  Their smooth, orchestrated actions created a serene atmosphere that put all the guests at ease.  No shouting, loud noises or cacophonous clashes... it sealed the deal for my love of Portland.

Portland is a city of amazing food, friendly people, and crisp, clean air.  I will be back for more in June.  Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120915

Post 121: Portland - Salt & Straw Offers Ice Cream of All Kinds (Portland: Northwest/Alphabet)

I love ice cream... all kinds of ice cream.  From the simple strawberry by Haagen Dazs to the ghastly garlic ice cream from The Stinking Rose, I love them all.  Some of the creative flavors that the chefs from Iron Chef America put together even seem intriguing to me.  I'm down to get away from plain Jane vanilla, and I'm constantly on a quest for a nutty chocolate flavor that can top that dollar scoop of Thrifty rocky road.  Really, it's the best.  While in Portlandia, we visited Salt & Straw, an ice cream shop on bustling Northwest 23rd that serves anything but ordinary flavors.  In fact, it was even featured on an episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.  But ice cream... how bizarre can it get?

Well, if it's from Portland, it can get pretty weird.  After all, as Portland residents always say, "Keep Portland weird."  And if it can be done with ice cream, then it shall be done.  From Brown Butter Popcorn with Pink Peppercorns to Pear with Blue Cheese, Salt & Straw offers it all.  And yes, there is a Double Fold Vanilla for those who are a bit more traditionalist when it comes to dessert.

There were quite a few people waiting for the all natural, organic, local Oregon ice cream offered in 15 different flavors.  Everyone in line tasted samples of as many flavors as possible.  Many of the flavors were creative, whimsical, even unimaginable... I mean, Aquabeet-Kroqstad Aquavit and Oregon Beets? What in the world is that?

The best way to try them all is to get the tasting flight and share.  Four scoops, two spoons, nine dollars, unlimited possibilities.  Okay, well, there are a limited number of combinations, but who's going to do the math? Writer here... not a mathematician. 

The first flavor we chose was the Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper.  If whimsical is what is desired, then this is the one.  Strawberry... good.  Honey... good.  Balsamic... good.  Black pepper... good.  Put it all together... what am I eating? My brain couldn't figure it out, but it was so delicious.  And in just a few bites, it was over way too soon.

We also tried Almond Brittle w/ Salted Ganache.  Ah, so good.  The subtly sweet and salty combination was to die for... and I just loved the expected crunch from the almond brittle.  It's shake-my-head good.

Another one we tried was the Coffee & Bourbon.  A little extra drizzle of chocolate on top wouldn't have hurt, but this was already a good way to get in an afternoon caffeine kick.

Here is the ice cream that made no sense but so much sense at the same time.  Our final scoop on the flight of four flavors was the Chef Series of Ox-Foie S'mores, a house vanilla with hazelnut graham crumble swirled in with foie gras, s'mores, and veal stock fudge sauce.  Finally, foie gras, we meet again... but in ice cream.  That made no sense at all.  But combined with s'mores and fudge sauce, all of which are extremely rich flavors, this flavor combination didn't seem as bizarre anymore.  The fatty richness blended together in a complex yet fitting way, but I was more than glad that a few spoonfuls is all it took to finish this insanely decadent dairy dessert.

There is only so much ice cream that anyone can eat in one sitting before becoming sick, so that only means that I'll be back again to try all those seasonal flavors that I missed this time.  The Malted Plum and Horchata Sorbet do sound great on a warm summer day.

The next post will be the final in this first series of Portland eats.  Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120915