My First Time at Paul Martin's American Grill

It's only when I looked it up just now did I realize that this small chain was started by the guy behind both Fleming's Steakhouse and P.F. Chang's. Anyway, this slightly upscale - but not too formal - place is focused on "clean, real food ingredients," even if it was in a slightly commercialized chain. And I generally liked what I had, including that burger above, its cole slaw accompaniment, as well as some deviled eggs that I started with. Now, admittedly I didn't see a lot of other things on the menu that appealed to me, but if I do come back then I should remember to try the grilled artichoke.

King Noodle in Lawrence Square Shopping Center, Santa Clara

I had never heard of these guys until the other day when we went to Jang Su Sang next door. And upon looking at the menu, I realized that it was yet another Tung Kee-spinoff. It thus made for a great top-up after work today (3577 El Camino Real, 408-261-8188).

Naturally, I went for my favorite #2, which of course is based on the same numbering system as TK Noodle and Luu's. At first it looked encouraging as they brought out the lemon wedges separately from the bowl. But then I noticed that there was no basil: a huge penalty in my books.

Worse, the taste was unnecessarily spicy yet not deep enough. The texture of the beef was odd too, featuring overly tenderized cuts as well as some gristle. This was easily the worst of the three Tung Kee chains. I still like Luu the best by far, followed by TK Noodle. Then again, maybe the other menu items here fare better.

My First Taste of Soylent and Bulletproof Coffee

No, I didn't mix Soylent and Bulletproof Coffee together. It's just that I happened to see these at stores out here within days of each other, and was curious about how they (individually) tasted given how much I'd heard about them. Plus, I just had an Impossible Burger a few weeks ago, so I might as well continue to try more of this new tech-driven food that I've been hearing about.

Soylent wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Granted, the taste was rather synthetic, and the ingredient list looks like something I might see on a medicine bottle. But a "meal replacement" it was not, as I was hungry within a couple of hours, even if it certainly was convenient to drink while rushing to get to work this morning. I won't be getting it again.

The Bulletproof Coffee was rather acidic and even sour, but it was also very rich. Of course, the butter contributed to it, but I wonder how much of it came from the special coconut oil. Now, I don't drink coffee with butter frequently enough to make a good comparison, and I don't know if my brain felt more alert than usual like it was supposed to. But I didn't feel sluggish at least.

The Bywater in Los Gatos, California

I've never been to Manresa. And after they got their Michelin stars, I don't think I can ever go there. But fortunately, the chef has opened a more casual place down the street (532 North Santa Cruz Avenue, 408-560-9639), featuring food from New Orleans where he grew up.

It's my kind of place, with not just craft cocktails but also a fun menu with attitude, all while using quality ingredients. Indeed, his menu featured "yaka mein" (a noodle soup served in Chinese restaurants in New Orleans) that contained some wonderfully charred fatty pork slices in a spicy broth with rice noodles.

A number of other items on the menu looked particularly tasty, including the red beans and rice. It's no wonder that this place is a Bib Gourmand. I'm happily coming back here again, preferably with someone else driving so as to make proper use of the bar.

Jang Su Jang in Santa Clara, California

Korean barbecue was suggested for lunch today, and we happened to be near Santa Clara anyway. So we hopped on over to Jang Su Jang in Koreatown, a shop that has been Michelin-listed for a number of years, it seems (3561 El Camino Real Suite 10, 408-246-1212).

I'm not sure why though, as the quality of the beef wasn't that good. Granted, it was all still edible, but it was a far cry from places down in LA or Korea itself. And it wasn't that cheap either. Well, at least they gave us a free jjigae, and we left the place bursting at the seams.

My First Taste of Jersey Mike's Subs

I've always been curious about this Jersey Mike's chain, so we popped inside for a convenient dinner. I had no idea what to order, but I went for this #4, featuring provolone, prosciuttini, and cappacuolo. It was on their featured list, calling it an "old favorite."

It seems like the main thing about this place is that they slice their meat to order. That, and "Mike's Way" of dressing it with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, spices, and a heavy dose of red wine vinegar and olive oil. The amount used in those last two points are much more than what Subway does, making it more unique.

But I hated how soft the bread was. I was expecting something crusty, but instead it was soft like Subway's. Even if I liked the vinegar, I was pretty let down. That said, I think I forgot to get the cherry pepper relish, which might've made this more interesting. Their cheesesteaks smelled pretty good too.

Le Petite Camille in Millbrae, California

I had nearly an hour before the next Caltrain arrived this afternoon, so I ventured out on foot to see if there were anything interesting nearby. Normally I would've hit up Peter's Cafe, but I wasn't in the mood for a burger again, so I headed north on El Camino and found this Vietnamese place (70 El Camino Real, 650-692-4978).

Given that we were up in Millbrae rather than east San Jose, I lowered my expectations. And in that sense, that phở above was fine, with tender meat, firm skinny noodles, and a fresh array of garnishes. Interesting that the broth was cloudy though. Ultimately it just didn't have the oomph that places like Phở Ý provide.

Burke in a Box at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas

I needed some food before getting on my flight out of Vegas this morning, and this shop was near my gates. I had no idea who this Burke guy was, but I figured that he was some kind of celebrity chef (indeed, he is an Iron Chef from New York). For some reason, there were a lot of items on the menu featuring a "big pretzel." Thinking that it might've been one of his specialties or something, I went for that breakfast sandwich above. The good thing was that the pretzel bun was indeed unique and rather tasty. But inside was just scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese, the last of which wasn't very impressive. Well, it did the job of putting food in my tummy at least.

Ellis Island Casino & Brewery in Las Vegas, Nevada

I'm on a prime rib streak! Yep, I looked up another place to get cheap prime rib, and this place one block off the Strip came up (4178 Koval Lane, 702-733-8901). At $16.99, this cut from their Village Pub and Café was more expensive than Siegel's, but was also sliced more thickly. Unfortunately, it was tough to cut, even if it was fattier and more tender than Siegel's. And I had trouble finishing this one too. My vote is definitely for Siegel's next time, even if this one has the benefit of a live band and beers brewed on-site.

Luke's Lobster From NYC in Las Vegas, Nevada

I had a minute to break away from corporate catering today and thus went to this small East Coast chain, which had an outlet across the street at Fashion Show Mall (3200 South Las Vegas Boulevard, 702-866-6602). I'm glad I did too: the lobster roll was light and fresh without being excessive in size. Next time I'd be curious to try the grilled cheese that I saw on the menu, especially if it's as cold it was in Vegas today.

Carlo's Bake Shop from Hoboken in Las Vegas

You may know that I am not a big fan of dessert. And yet I needed just a little bite or two to finish off my meal tonight, and incidentally there was an outlet of Cake Boss Buddy Velastro's bakery at the Venetian (3327 South Las Vegas Boulevard, 702-607-2356). I asked for the most popular thing and they said that it was either that cannoli above or the lobster tail pastry. I went for the former, and was happy with the flaky crust and smooth filling, the latter of which was laced with a good amount of cinnamon. Now, I don't eat this frequently enough to make a proper comparison to say, Mike's Pastry in Boston. But it did the job.

Siegel's 1941 at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

When I was looking up interesting things to eat in Las Vegas, most places tended to be celebrity chef restaurants (of which we have plenty of access to in Singapore) or more casual chains from around the country. But that's the thing: they tended to be from elsewhere rather than local. Sure, there were a few old school diners or steak and seafood places, but I struggled to find something that really grabbed me.

Then it dawned on me: what was the dish that I would usually get in Vegas when I was younger? Prime rib. Cheap prime rib from a late night place, perhaps even in a casino. Sure, prime rib is available across the country, and in fact there's a Lawry's in Vegas too. But I wanted a cheap one. And after a quick search, I'd found my destination: Siegel's, a 24 hour place at the El Cortez Hotel in downtown Las Vegas (600 East Fremont Street, 702-385-5200).

Their menu shows a 12oz (340g) cut for $22 or a 16oz (450g) for $28. But I was here for the $10.95 special. It was only 8oz (225g), but it came with a potato and veggies, with an option for a $3 side salad, and it turned out to be just right for me. Sure, the meat was a bit lean and dry, but a dunk in the au jus and horseradish sauce fixed that right up. I was happy; cheap prime rib has always been a guilty pleasure of mine.