I'm back! Starting the New Year with the goal of constantly maintaining this blog. Lets start off with the Noodle Bowl Fest.
It was a crazy afternoon of noodle lovers and great vendors. My props to the boys at Seoul Sausage and their ramen rice cake spicy goodness. And to the unexpected Whisk for their delicate soup and pork, noodle offering. Though the food was great with the all you can drink beer and vodka, I have to be honest, I don't think I would partake in that festival again. The lovely Viceroy of Santa Monica, played the beautiful role of host location, but it was extreme crowded. The tiny pool area was literally 8 times too small to house that many attendees. If the fire marshall had walked in, the Viceroy would have been slapped with a hefty fine. Due to the area constraints, it was difficult to see where lines started or ended. People were bumping into each other, knocking hot soup and alcohol all over fellow noodle lovers. Next year, the Noodle Bowl Fest committee should either rethink the venue location, or sell tickets with designated time slots.
Gourmet Stalker
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Border Grill
Haven't posted in some time, my apologies for that.
So this past weekend, I had the delight of having dinner at the Border Grill in Downtown LA. The complete food experience was remarkably enhanced by the great service. The waitress was attentive and very friendly. She was playful with my niece and brought a smile to our faces. The rest of the wait staff was also great, they made sure our glasses were always full and our chip basket was always hot. On top of that the food was great. I had the Pescado Veracruzano. The fish was perfectly cooked, and the flavor profile was bold and balanced. My only critic was that I needed more of the delicious broth since most of it was absorbed by the rice at the bottom of the dish. My friend had the Yucatan Pork, which was also delightful. But the star of that dish was not the pork itself, but rather the side dish of brussel sprouts. Those little charred jewels were a little party in my mouth. I could have eaten a whole bowl of those, and still wanted more. A slight downfall was the parking situation. It was a little tricky navigating though the labyrinth between the parking structure and the street side restaurant. But the food made up for the little hick-up in the road. Overall, it was a great experience.
So this past weekend, I had the delight of having dinner at the Border Grill in Downtown LA. The complete food experience was remarkably enhanced by the great service. The waitress was attentive and very friendly. She was playful with my niece and brought a smile to our faces. The rest of the wait staff was also great, they made sure our glasses were always full and our chip basket was always hot. On top of that the food was great. I had the Pescado Veracruzano. The fish was perfectly cooked, and the flavor profile was bold and balanced. My only critic was that I needed more of the delicious broth since most of it was absorbed by the rice at the bottom of the dish. My friend had the Yucatan Pork, which was also delightful. But the star of that dish was not the pork itself, but rather the side dish of brussel sprouts. Those little charred jewels were a little party in my mouth. I could have eaten a whole bowl of those, and still wanted more. A slight downfall was the parking situation. It was a little tricky navigating though the labyrinth between the parking structure and the street side restaurant. But the food made up for the little hick-up in the road. Overall, it was a great experience.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Taco Tuesday!!
So last night my girls and I hit up this place on Miracle Mile (Los Angeles) for drinks and tacos. And I have to say I was a little disappointed. I was lured in by the whole $1 Taco Tuesday promotion, but "El Toro Cantina" was less than desirable
Problem number one: There is not signage that draws your attention to the restaurant. The name of the place was a vinyl "peel and stick" that was placed on the restaurant window. If it wasn't for the words "TEX MEX" on the awning, I may have never seen it.
Problem number two: there was absolutely no parking. It took me 15-20 minutes circling the neighborhood, looking for spot to park.
Problem number three: Good thing, the tacos were only $1, because I wouldn't pay more than that. I had 3 different ones. The BBQ beef taco was just pulled beef in an overly sweet marinated, placed in 2 torillas. There were no toppings or even salsa to dress the tacos. Then I had the fish taco, which was the best out of the three that I had. I would go back on Taco Tuesday to eat those, but they aren't good enough to pay full price. Finally I had their shredded beef taco, which was the exact same beef in the BBQ taco, but in a hard shell with lettuce and tomato on top. I was sorely disappointed.
Problem number four: I did not drink, but my two friends got 2 of their signature drinks. The "Flaming Bull" was apparently way too strong and the flavor was lack luster. The "Big Ass Margarita" was the worst. You are so impressed when they set the drink down. Here is was in this over sized margarita glass, garnished so well with salt on the rim, but to our dismay it tasted like water. We couldn't taste or smell the alcohol in this drink. We asked the waiter for another shot to pour into this margarita, and it still tasted like nothing.
Hands down, this place was "No Bueno"
Problem number one: There is not signage that draws your attention to the restaurant. The name of the place was a vinyl "peel and stick" that was placed on the restaurant window. If it wasn't for the words "TEX MEX" on the awning, I may have never seen it.
Problem number two: there was absolutely no parking. It took me 15-20 minutes circling the neighborhood, looking for spot to park.
Problem number three: Good thing, the tacos were only $1, because I wouldn't pay more than that. I had 3 different ones. The BBQ beef taco was just pulled beef in an overly sweet marinated, placed in 2 torillas. There were no toppings or even salsa to dress the tacos. Then I had the fish taco, which was the best out of the three that I had. I would go back on Taco Tuesday to eat those, but they aren't good enough to pay full price. Finally I had their shredded beef taco, which was the exact same beef in the BBQ taco, but in a hard shell with lettuce and tomato on top. I was sorely disappointed.
Problem number four: I did not drink, but my two friends got 2 of their signature drinks. The "Flaming Bull" was apparently way too strong and the flavor was lack luster. The "Big Ass Margarita" was the worst. You are so impressed when they set the drink down. Here is was in this over sized margarita glass, garnished so well with salt on the rim, but to our dismay it tasted like water. We couldn't taste or smell the alcohol in this drink. We asked the waiter for another shot to pour into this margarita, and it still tasted like nothing.
Hands down, this place was "No Bueno"
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Pie-ology Pizza
Hello Readers! Sorry for being MIA, I've been a bit busy, but I'm back!
Lately I've been on a Pizza kick, and today I'm going to talk about Pie-ology. In the heart of college town, next to Cal State Fullerton is the Chipote of Pizza. Pie-ology is a "build your own" pizzeria. I love the concept of a quick order pizza, and this place has some great basic building blocks, but I can definitely see some room for improvement. For one, they need some more "green" toppings to their list, like some spinach or arugula. Also the quality of a few of their toppings could be better. Their artichokes are poorly pickled, and add a strange flavor to the pizza. They should have just used marinated artichokes, or just the ones in olive oil. On the other hand, if you you like BBQ chicken pizza, this place probably has one of the best (according to a fellow foodie). None-the-less, it's rather good, and was to my expectations.
Lately I've been on a Pizza kick, and today I'm going to talk about Pie-ology. In the heart of college town, next to Cal State Fullerton is the Chipote of Pizza. Pie-ology is a "build your own" pizzeria. I love the concept of a quick order pizza, and this place has some great basic building blocks, but I can definitely see some room for improvement. For one, they need some more "green" toppings to their list, like some spinach or arugula. Also the quality of a few of their toppings could be better. Their artichokes are poorly pickled, and add a strange flavor to the pizza. They should have just used marinated artichokes, or just the ones in olive oil. On the other hand, if you you like BBQ chicken pizza, this place probably has one of the best (according to a fellow foodie). None-the-less, it's rather good, and was to my expectations.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Ramen!!!
So, this is for all you Ramen Lovers out there.
I have been very lucky to have the best Ramen in the world (in Japan), and my USA Ramen experience has been less than satisfying. But I happen to be very pleasantly surprised by this little whole in the wall in the heart of Hollywood. Tucked in a little obscure corner off La Brea and Hollywood Blvd., is a little gem called "Ikemen." They take the idea of a traditional ramen house to a new and innovative level. They have both traditional ramen, and a more new age style, "dip ramen." If you like garlic, try the Zebra dip ramen. It is chalked full of flavor and of course, garlic. But my personal favorite is the "Fireman" ramen. It is definitely not for the weak, but if you like spicy, this is your pick. It is overflowing with flavor that coats the pallet, and sends your taste buds a blaze. To cool of the fire, I doused the flames by following up my ramen with a mushroom slider. The slider is not your ordinary slider. First off, it's not on a mini burger bun and there is not patty. But instead you have whole mushrooms, marinated in their own secret recipe of mild seasonings, tucked away in a bedding of fresh greens, placed in a fluffly white "bow" (Asian steam bun, normally founded at Dim Sum). Finally for dessert, I wanted something sweet, but didn't want to have an actual dessert. Instead I ordered a "Dragonball" which is a new take on the traditional Japanese"takoyaki." This Dragonball truly took me back to the streets of Osaka. The only difference is that these takoyakis are deep fried, making them that much better. And true to tradition, these Dragonballs were little dressed with a sweet sauce, and topped with real bonito flakes. After eating an order (of 6), it left me hungering for me. Stuffed to the brim, but being the glutton that I am, I went ahead and caved into my craving, ordering another batch and savoring every bite. All I have to say is "yum..."
I have been very lucky to have the best Ramen in the world (in Japan), and my USA Ramen experience has been less than satisfying. But I happen to be very pleasantly surprised by this little whole in the wall in the heart of Hollywood. Tucked in a little obscure corner off La Brea and Hollywood Blvd., is a little gem called "Ikemen." They take the idea of a traditional ramen house to a new and innovative level. They have both traditional ramen, and a more new age style, "dip ramen." If you like garlic, try the Zebra dip ramen. It is chalked full of flavor and of course, garlic. But my personal favorite is the "Fireman" ramen. It is definitely not for the weak, but if you like spicy, this is your pick. It is overflowing with flavor that coats the pallet, and sends your taste buds a blaze. To cool of the fire, I doused the flames by following up my ramen with a mushroom slider. The slider is not your ordinary slider. First off, it's not on a mini burger bun and there is not patty. But instead you have whole mushrooms, marinated in their own secret recipe of mild seasonings, tucked away in a bedding of fresh greens, placed in a fluffly white "bow" (Asian steam bun, normally founded at Dim Sum). Finally for dessert, I wanted something sweet, but didn't want to have an actual dessert. Instead I ordered a "Dragonball" which is a new take on the traditional Japanese"takoyaki." This Dragonball truly took me back to the streets of Osaka. The only difference is that these takoyakis are deep fried, making them that much better. And true to tradition, these Dragonballs were little dressed with a sweet sauce, and topped with real bonito flakes. After eating an order (of 6), it left me hungering for me. Stuffed to the brim, but being the glutton that I am, I went ahead and caved into my craving, ordering another batch and savoring every bite. All I have to say is "yum..."
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Kale Chips!!!
So over the weekend I helped out a friend at the Natural Products Expo West, in Anaheim, CA. It was a mad house! Our product (SnackLets Kale Chips) turned out to be the buzz of the entire trade show. As we were the "New Kids on the Block," we made quite an impression on the community. Hour after hour we were slammed with buyers/retailers, brokers, wholesalers, press, etc. It was tiring and absolutely glorious. SnackLets is such a young company, and to find such a great love from the food community, was quite a relief on that it will be a successful company. The biggest star of our booth were our Kale Chips! The flavor is that which will knocks your socks off! At first, the flavor is good and tasty, but as your walk away, the flavor profile begins to build on your pallet, enhancing with "sabor" and leaving you craving for more of that deliciousness. I know you think I'm bias, but I fell in love with these snacks prior to becoming friends with the developer. There are three flavors: Double Cheese, Spicy Chili-lata, and BBQ. Get this, not are they absolutely delightful, they are "100% Vegan, 100% Raw, 100% Awesome"
So if you like Kale Chips, check us out, taste our kale chips, and fall in love with SnackLets. www.SnackLetsInc.com
Monday, March 12, 2012
It's Official!!
So I have been an avid foodie since who knows when, and find myself to be absolutely in love with food. As the years have gone by, people have always asked me about new places to eat and try, and I have happily shared my experiences. But why keep those experiences to myself, when i could save a many of people from the horror that is the bad food experience. So tune in, as I will be (attempting to) updating at least once a week on a culinary adventure, Stalking one Gourmet experience after another.
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