Atsugiri Tonkatsu Agedoki at Suntec's Eat at Seven

Yet another shop has opened at Eat at Seven (3 Temasek Boulevard #03-311, 6333-4386), this time extending out past Kohaku and into the atrium. They specialize in tonkatsu, and it was a lot better than I thought it would be, with that thick cut of loin being particularly juicy, all surrounded by crunchy breadcrumbs. It was also tasty enough to eat on its own, or perhaps with just a dab of salt. In fact, the only thing that I didn't like about this place was the sauce. But I'd eat here again.

US Epilogue: Two Cans of Spiced Sardines

I saw these at a market in the US earlier this month and picked up a couple of cans to try. What's interesting is that despite these two seemingly coming from two different vendors and countries, the list of ingredients is nearly identical all the way down to the punctuation. Either way, the Portuguese one on top was the more interesting one for me, as it was more tender and tasty. The Moroccan one underneath featured bigger, firmer sardines, and it somehow didn't taste as good, even if the ingredients seemed pretty similar.

Japan's Akasaka Yukun at Shaw Centre, Singapore

You know that Food Republic food court down in the basement of Lido? It's a bit cavernous, and thus not very obvious that there are stalls in the back. Well, now five stalls in the back have collectively formed Japan Foods Garden (1 Scotts Road #B1-01, 6493-7300). This is not to be confused with Japan Food Town at Wisma Atria, despite the fact that that the latter is run by Isetan and yet the former is next door to Isetan.

One of the stalls was this unagi shop from Japan that has been around since 1952. They specialize in unagi, and fortunately that one-layer seiro above was 50% off its usual S$28.80 (US$21.20) price. They weren't super generous with the unagi, but it did the job. I kinda liked the earthy-flavored rice underneath too.

Having said that, I'm not going to make any effort to come back, especially if they finally start charging the full S$28.80. It's really still just a food court at the end of the day, and at those kinds of prices, I'd rather just go to a proper unagi shop. None of the other stalls here looked very appetizing either; to be honest, they looked like boring old Food Republic stalls more than anything else.

Tacos la Morenita on Senter Road in San Jose

This was a random taco truck that we spotted along the side of the road, figuring that it'd make for a convenient snack (1704 Senter Road, 408-660-6075). The good thing was that they fried that tripe above so that it was nice and crispy, but all of the salsas were surprisingly mild. It nonetheless made for just the meal that we needed, especially when they had a Mexican fruit stall next to it too.

Oren's Hummus Shop in Cupertino, California

This was the hummus shop that I saw in downtown Palo Alto the other day; they've opened up an outlet at the new Main Street Cupertino (19419 Stevens Creek Boulevard Suite #100, 408-982-5832). It was a well decorated place with a nice breeze passing through, and their cauliflower fries in particular were delicious. That Israeli Goldstar lager was very drinkable too.

It's too bad then that both the hummus and pita bread were a letdown. To be sure, we still polished through it all, especially with some of that potent green chili sauce that they had on the side. But for a shop that was dedicated to hummus, I was expecting it as well as their pita bread to blow me away, and they didn't.

Worse, the service was totally crumbling under the weight of the lunch crowd today. There were tons of staff, but somehow we kept getting ignored. Yes, they seemed really busy, but there were also still other empty tables around. Maybe it's because they are still relatively new.

Rick's Cafe in Downtown Los Altos, California

I was in the neighborhood this morning and figured that I'd swing by this place in downtown Los Altos (205 State Street, 650-559-1941), especially since they are only open for breakfast and lunch. I got this corned beef and hash served the "old way," meaning that the corned beef was separate from the hash. I kinda liked this better since the taste of the corned beef became a lot more obvious.

Mahalo Hawaii BBQ & Chinese Food in San Jose

This Hawaiian takeout place was a totally random stop (4750 Almaden Expressway, 408-269-8793) where I picked up a mini loco moco plate and a Spam musubi. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I left the place feeling satisfied, but that brown gravy was better than I thought it would be.

My First Taste of Vegan Phở and Gỏi Cuốn

I've been eating too much red meat lately, so I figured maybe this would be a good chance to try the phở and gỏi cuốn from a vegan place called Loving Hut here in California. To my surprise, they didn't taste as bad as you might think they would. And while it was obvious that mushrooms and tofu took the place of the beef, everything else actually tasted pretty close to the real thing. It was only afterwards did I realize that this is a global chain, including a Singapore outlet in Joo Chiat.

Khanh's Restaurant in San Jose, California

I was told that this Vietnamese place (335 South Winchester Boulevard, 408-241-4940) was known for good DIY rice paper rolls, so we came down here and ordered that plate above along with some requisite bowls of phở. The latter was fine, but I was pretty let down by the former. Those gigantic cuts of grilled pork were so lean and dry that it was almost like eating cardboard (I must be getting spoiled by Wrap & Roll). If we end up here again, then I have to remember to try their bánh xèo instead.

Mo's Breakfast + Burger Joint from Campbell, California

As the name suggests, this place specializes in breakfast and burgers. We thus came down to its new Almaden Valley location (5925 Almaden Expressway, 408-997-1667) for breakfast. To my surprise, they were serving nearly their entire menu in the morning, so I ended up getting a burger (cue: Samuel L. Jackson). It tasted like a typical restaurant burger: it was meaty, but also overshadowed by the tons of veggies in there. Still, this place looks like it'd be fun to come to for drinks one afternoon. I thought I saw a Bloody Mary featuring an onion ring and small beer as a chaser.

Getting My First Ice Cream Taco

I'll confess, it was the word "taco" that got my attention. We actually saw a food truck yesterday offering ice cream tacos but never got one. So when I saw them on available at an outlet of CREAM, Inc. today, I figured that this was a chance to give it a try. I was a bit bummed then when I realized that it was basically just a banana split, but with a waffle in place of the banana. Sure, the ice cream here was still good, but next time I'll get their ice cream sandwiches rather than the taco.

Umami Burger in Palo Alto, California

Umami Burger has opened an outlet in downtown Palo Alto, and we stopped by since we were in the neighborhood already anyway (452 University Avenue, 650-321-8626). It wasn't as good as I remember it being. Sure, it was very umami with all of the cheese, tomatoes, and mushrooms inside, but it almost seemed kinda forced. In retrospect, we should've gone to some of those other places that I saw on University Avenue like that hummus shop or the farm to table restaurant. The skinny fries here were pretty good though.

A Quick Pitstop at Tacos El Tucanazo in San Jose

The Tacos El Tucanazo cart just happened to be on my way to the next destination when I figured that I might as well stop for a couple of quick tacos first. Unfortunately in my haste, I totally forgot to order the crispy ones, thus making this pair of lengua tacos above less exciting than it could've been. But they still had that lovely red chili oil, and gave out grilled onions and jalapenos while they were at it. I was happy.

Revisiting the Boiling Crab in San Jose, California

It's been so long since we last visited the Boiling Crab that we nearly forgot how to best configure it all. But we did a pretty good job today, so here are my notes - if anything just so for ease of remembering next time we're here. (We're so glad that we came here instead of going to Moveable Feast again.)

First off, get a pound of the live crawfish if they're in season. Add a half pound of shrimp and half pound of sausage (since they are the only items that they sell in half-pound increments) plus a couple of half corn-on-the-cobs, and get the original Ragun Cajun sauce at the XXX spicy level. It's potent enough to be a lot of fun without being excessive. They also seem to have made the muối tiêu chanh optional; ask for it, mix in the lime juice, and throw the remaining lime into the free ice water.

When the food arrives, put the crawfish on the rice so that some of the excess grease seeps down into it. After it's cooled off a bit, twist off the head and either suck out the head fat or squeeze that beige fatty goodness onto the rice. Scoop out some of that red chili oil out of the bag and onto the rice to taste and shovel it into your mouth. When it all gets too rich, shell one of the tails and dip it into the lime and salt mix to cut through the grease. Repeat and grin with pleasure.

Poki Bowl in San Jose, California

This poke bowl from a small local chain here in San Jose is so much better than that stuff from back in Singapore. What's the main difference? Sesame oil. Lots of fragrant sesame oil. That, and the option for them to make it extra spicy. It wasn't excessively spicy, but enough to make you pant a little and leave with a mild burn on your lips. Plus, it has the added benefit of being super healthy. We'll happily come back.

A Hot Dog From Smashburger

I didn't even know that Smashburger had hot dogs. So when I saw it on the menu, I figured I'd give it a try. And that's exactly how it came out: just a dog and bun without any condiments to be seen aside from packets of ketchup and mustard (only after I looked at the receipt did I notice that it was called "kid dog"). It thus wasn't quite what I was looking for, although the good thing is at least that they grilled the dog here. Welp, chalk this one up as my second disappointing hot dog of the day.

Spike's Hotdogs in Portland, Oregon

I had pretty high hopes going into this place (900 SW Alder St, 503-222-3647) based upon a sample that they were handing out on the street earlier. But I was kinda let down after coming in to get a full meal. Sure, it was a local sausage cooked in beer, and they had a big condiment bar that made it fun (consciously or not, I somehow ended up making something that looked like a Chicago-style dog). But this original Spike Dog was too boring for me; I should've gotten the Italian or Red Hot sausage instead. Too bad they don't have a grilled option either.

Blue Star Donuts in Portland, Oregon

Blue Star was just a few doors down from Lardo, so I stopped by to give it a try. Yes, this place was indeed much better than Voodoo (thanks for the tip!) with those doughnuts being much more sophisticated rather than being so in-your-face and sugary. They're not open 24 hours like Voodoo is though.

Lardo Sandwiches in Portland, Oregon

Mmm...that was easily one of the best things that I've eaten in a while. These guys (1205 Southwest Washington Street, 503-241-2490) did that pork meatball banh mi perfectly, with the pork meatballs being tender, the bread being chewy, and the sauce being spicy enough to be exciting without being excessively salty. Adding to my delight was an array of local beers on tap. I'm so glad that I came here instead of a food truck.

The Phở Lê Food Truck in Portland, Oregon

I'm not sure why, but the only food trucks open late at night in downtown Portland seemed to be one gyro cart right after the other. The only exception that we could find was this Thai and Vietnamese food truck. We thus got some phở (a piping hot bowl of which sounded great after some drinks), but neither the broth nor meat could do the job. And the Thai ice tea was strangely effervescent. Maybe we should've gotten some gyros instead.

Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, Oregon

I still needed a bit more food after dinner, so I figured what better time than to walk a few blocks over to Voodoo Doughnut (22 Southwest 3rd Avenue, 503-241-4704). They had a number of outrageous items like their bacon maple bar or even a bubble gum one. But I went for a more conservative Portland Cream doughnut instead, and unfortunately, I was let down. Sure, it was a sugar bomb like you'd expect it to be, but I was hoping for something greasier like Krispy Kreme. Maybe next time I'll try the Mexican chocolate one; apparently it's dusted in cinnamon and cayenne pepper!

Imperial Restaurant in Portland, Oregon

After finishing work late tonight, I needed some dinner. So I went online and found this place (410 Southwest Broadway, 503-228-7222), which is run by a James Beard award-winning chef. It was right my alley with its craft cocktails as well as its small plates and grilled food. I grabbed a number of things like that "Portland poke" above, as well as a wagyu beef carpaccio, oysters on the half shell, and some grilled mushrooms done in bone marrow, all of which went down the hatch with ease. The seasonings could've been a tad more delicate, but that shouldn't be surprising for a place like this. I'll eat here again, especially when I want to break from all of Portland's food trucks.

The 3geeks Cheeseteak & Seafood Truck at Moveable Feast

We were near another Moveable Feast gathering tonight and thus stopped by for dinner. One of the trucks tonight was 3geeks, serving things like cheesesteaks and fried seafood, like those clam strips above. These rather dry things certainly weren't Woodman's of Essex, but I suppose I couldn't expect much given the location. It's just too bad that the other trucks didn't really look that interesting either.

A Selection of Food Trucks from the South Bay

OK, that mini pizza above isn't actually from a food truck, but rather a restaurant in Los Gatos called Oak & Rye who ran a stand at today's Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival. The "Scotty to Hottie" pizza above featured an pleasantly surprising contrast of pepperoncini oil and honey, and perhaps was the best thing out of the entire lot.



And that's in part since these fish tacos from the Shark Bait food truck were a pretty big letdown, particularly since the batter was way too tough (seriously, it's amazing how many places can't get fish tacos right). They also had a "special orange" sauce that I assume was inspired by La Vic's, but I could barely taste it.



Likewise, these wings from the West Wing food truck were a bit tough too. Granted, I only had a taste of some of the adobo glazed ones after they had been sitting around for a while, so maybe some fresh ones in the salt and pepper (or even Sriracha flavor) might've been better.

Hamburger with Avocado from San Francisco's Burger Joint

This was an unplanned visit, but I'd never complain about having to eat at Burger Joint in San Francisco (not to be confused with the one from New York). This time I figured that I'd mix it up a bit by adding the $2 avocado option. Yes, I liked it, although I keep forgetting to ask them to keep it on the rare side. This "medium" turned out to be pretty much well done instead.

Catal Restaurant in Anaheim, California

When I lived in LA, I would go to Chef Joachim Splichal's Cafe Pinot quite a bit as our office tower was right across the street, and he ran a reasonably priced soup lunch to go. So it was great to find him running a Spanish place down here at touristy Downtown Disney (1580 Disneyland Drive, 714-774-4442). We could finally break away from that nasty theme park garbage (ugh, mac & cheese hot dogs!).

Now, that steelhead salmon above isn't exactly Spanish, but it was done nice and crispy on the outside while keeping a medium center. The calamari was much lighter than that stuff that we had at Brennan's local outlet here at Downtown Disney too. Too bad that the suckling pig paella wasn't available for lunch today. Either way, this might be the only decent place to eat at without going off-campus.

An Outlet of Earl of Sandwich in the US

I came to this place only out of sheer necessity tonight. It turned out that it was a chain from Florida, and interestingly, was formed by a direct descendant of the actual fourth Earl of Sandwich. Of course, it's not like that really made a difference in the food, but that "Original 1762" above totally reminded me of Arby's thanks to its roast beef, horseradish, and cheddar cheese. To be sure, it wasn't the processed stuff that you get at Arby's either (it was more like Arby's meets Quiznos), but I'll admit that I ate it quickly, even if it's a chain that I'm not likely to come back to again.

The Fragrant Hot Pot Stall at Great World City

A mala xiangguo stall has opened at the basement Food Junction food court at Great World City. It wasn't as fragrant as Piao Xiang (not as much cumin in particular), but it was still better than I thought it would be given that most food court places tend to be watered down. This one, even at a "medium spicy," still packed a decent amount of heat.

Pompompurin Cafe at Orchard Central, Singapore

No, Sanrio characters aren't really my thing. Nonetheless, this place (181 Orchard Road #04-08, 6509-8672) was pretty much what you would expect: lots of bright cutesy colored decor with a gift shop to boot. The only thing that I could see on the menu that seemed like it might have a chance was this taco rice. But I was wrong, as this was so boring that I couldn't even finish it. It'll have to be Nirai-Kanai for taco rice then.

Tori Paitan at Ramen Champion Great World City

Ramen Champion at Great World City has been offering this tori paitan for a while now, and today was a convenient time to stop by to give it a try. To my surprise, I actually finished this thing, inclusive of a bowl of rice for soaking up the broth afterwards. But this tame broth wasn't really tori paitan. Or at least, not like Kagetsu's version. And since Kagetsu isn't in Singapore anymore, I guess I'll have to go to Takeichi for my fix instead.

Mon Bijou Boulangerie Patisserie Cafe at Claymore Connect

I wouldn't have even known that this place existed had I not seen a couple of customers sitting down at one of their posh furniture (442 Orchard Road #01-19, 6739-6738). The mall's escalators hadn't even been turned on when I arrived this morning, but I still walked up there to see if there were anything interesting. Fortunately, it was open, so I got this truffle scrambled egg set, which did the job, save for the cold center of the bratwurst. Either way, I'd rather come here than that coffee place downstairs.

Tontoro Tonkotsu Ramen from Ginza Kushi Katsu at Paragon

That photo makes that bowl look better than it tasted. What you don't see is that the egg was refrigerator-cold, and the broth wasn't anything special either. Well, I'll admit that I ultimately ate it all, including the skinny noodles. Considering that it was from a shop specializing in gyukatsu and kushikatsu (and not necessarily being good at those either), it was better than I thought it would be. It was just something that we got out of convenience, and it turned out to be kinda like (gasp) Ajisen's tontoro ramen.

Tomato Yuzu Udon from Yomoda Soba

I was in the neighborhood today and stopped by to see if the yakiniku place at Japan Food Town had opened yet. It hadn't. So I came here for a quick bite, hoping to try that tomato and yuzu bowl that I saw last time, not to mention opting for the skinny udon option instead of soba.

To my surprise, the tomatoes were marinated in soy sauce, if I tasted it correctly. On its own, it was fine, as were the firm noodles. But the bowl as a whole just didn't come together, perhaps because I didn't put any of that negi in. Why do onions have to taste so good and yet make you smell so bad?