Monday, May 30, 2011

Ipad2 arrives

Pad Thai

pad thai
Pad Thai 
I love Pad Thai and it is difficult to find good Thai food here in Vancouver.  I found this recipe from Chez Pim  where she describes in detail how to make Pad Thai that even a beginner like me could follow easily and adapt where I couldn't get the exact ingredients.

Luckily for me I could find most of the ingredients at Osaka Supermarket.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Stella Alpina Osteria - Burlingame

If you are on your way to the San Francisco airport and need a meal, stop by Burlingame and take a walk in the quaint town centre and have a meal at Stella Alpina Osteria.   It is a cosy, family run restaurant.

We were seated at 5pm as our friends had young kids - bread and butter for them and they were pretty satisfied.  The place filled up very quickly and it was lucky that we had reservations.

I forgot my camera but the truffle gnocchi which was the special that night, still lingers in my mind.  I was left wanting more.  We shared a portion as they said it was enough for 2 but if you like truffle and gnocchi - I really suggest you get your own!

For my main, I had the Fish of the Day - the halibut which was fresh and flavourful.   The lamb chops were good too.  All in all, it was an enjoyable meal.

Stella Alpina Osteria
401 Primrose Road
Burlingame CA 94010
http://www.stellaalpinaosteria.com/
Stella Alpina Osteria on Urbanspoon

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Breakfast burger

Breakfast Burger
Breakfast Burger on Sweet Egg Bread Toast
D surprised me with a homemade breakfast burger - ground chuck seasoned with roasted garlic, salt, pepper and a bit of bread crumbs topped with grilled onion,mushrooms and a sunny side egg.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Fatburger

My littlest niece M loves her burgers.  She who moves her food round her plate most of the time, will quietly finish up a burger in half the time we do.  When we met up she was bouncing - giddy to get to go to Fatburger. 

Fatburger Double Cheese
Double King Burger

Mushroom Swiss
Burger with Onion Rings and Bacon - Yum!  What more can you ask for in a burger?
We had previously tried the Fatburger downtown and didn't think very much of the burgers but these burgers changed our minds.  Definitely a good joint to go to if you have a burger craving.  

They serve poutine and chilli fries too - we were too full but something to try next time.

Fatburger on Urbanspoon

Monday, May 16, 2011

Mexican Wedding Cookies

mexican wedding cookies
Mexican Wedding Cookies
We just got back from SF n I just adored the Mexican wedding cookies from Tartine Bakery.  We got to Tartine at about 3 in the afternoon and it was just jam packed - the q went out the door and almost to the next shop.  There was no parking in any of the nearby streets due to a festival in a nearby park so I got out to order out.

Their morning bun which I heard is superb was sold out by this time so I had to settle for a Rocher (meringue with some nuts) a double chocolate croissant and a mexican wedding cookie. Oooh the mexican wedding cookie with a blue bottle coffee - yum.

Anyways I hunted this recipe down in Martha Stewart Weddings.  It was good but not melt in your mouth tender like the Tartine Bakery one.  Wonder what I've done wrong.  I'm going to scour the web for more recipes.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Brunch @ Milestones

This prime beef hash satisfied my brunch craving. Who knew Milestones served up something so delish!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Spotted Prawns

Spot Prawns
Spotted Prawns
Seasonal spotted prawns - you can see where their names come from if you look really closely at the pic. Live and swimming these were yummy simply boiled with ginger spring onion soy sauce or lemon butter sauce.  The flesh is firm and extremely sweet.  These prawns are only found on the BC and Alaskan coasts.  It is a must to try if you're in BC during the season as their taste is very unique.  I totally enjoyed them and have eaten them 3 days in a row! At least they are low calories :)  but can't say the same for the cholesterol.

Apparently sustainable fishing is used for these prawns so hopefully they will be around for a long long time and won't be eaten and fished to extinction.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.   Add some ginger to take away the fishy seafood smell.
Put in prawns and bring the water back to a boil and leave for 3-5 min.  Strain.  Serve.

Sauce
1 spring onion cut finely
1 inch ginger sliced finely
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oil ( heated and pour over spring onion, ginger and soy sauce)

Monday, May 9, 2011

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Blue Bottle Coffee -San Francisco

Blue Bottle Coffee
Blue Bottle Coffee Beans
Blue Bottle Coffee, unlike Starbucks can't be found on every street corner. We tried 3 stores n they were sold out of beans. Apparently they sell out very quickly of each shipment that they get every other day. I guess why their coffee taste so good is that they roast small batches so that the beans are super fresh and their quality remains high. So the next day, we get up early and get to the first store before they open. We thought that we'd be the first in the door given that it was a Saturday morning but no...there were already people in line! We buy all their Hayes Valley and decaf Noir but it's still not enough so we head over to store no 2.

Get addicted. Be warned though as it isn't available in Vancouver.
Blue Bottle Coffee on Urbanspoon

Friday, May 6, 2011

Dottie's True Blue Cafe - San Francisco


Q at Dottie's True Blue Cafe
We had seen this quaint SF cafe featured in Diners, Drive Ins and Dives - Guy Fieri can make an old boot look appetizing.  It was recommended by other people too.  If it had a queue it had to be good right?  We had been warned about the queue and I told D I would wait in line for 30 min max.  When we arrived this was the Q and I thought since we're here lets just stand in line.  A good 45 min later we we just at the door waiting to be seated.

Once we were seated and placed our orders, the food came fairly quickly even though the kitchen is really small and there is really just one chef cooking.  I have to say they are very efficient.

We were seated at the bar and I loved to watch the chef work in that small confine whipping up all that food.

Ginger and cinnamon pancakes - this was special
Part of the Open Road

The Southwestern
Was it worth the wait?

The food was hearty and the portions very generous but I wouldn't do it again.  I'm just not the waiting kind especially when I'm hungry.  Check it out though - when we were about to leave, there wasn't much of a queue left - you just might get lucky. 












  • (Btwn Geary Blvd & O'Farrell St)

Dottie's True Blue Cafe on Urbanspoon

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Ad Hoc - Yountville

ad hoc

ad hoc brocolini salad
Broccolini Salad

 shaved red onions, poached hen egg, fried croutons, cerignola black olives
 breakfast radish, tondo balsamic
ad hoc skirt steak
Grilled Beef Skirt Steak

 mixed marble potatoes, king trumpet mushrooms
 tfl garden baby carrots, caramelized cabbage melted onions


Cheese Course - Barley Buzzed -  living watercress, toasted hazelnuts,  french prune vinaigrette
Apple Tart - calvados caramel, vanilla ice cream
Ad Hoc was supposed to be a temporary restaurant while they decided what to do with the lot.  However, the food they served was so good and the response so overwhelming that they are now permanently open as a restaurant.   Thank goodness for that because the food we had was indeed good.  The menu at Ad Hoc changes daily and they serve just one set menu a day.   We were pleasantly surprised that there was a rabbit ragout that was available as a side in addition to the preset menu.  I like the family style plating and service.  We shared the wine pairings as D had to drive.   The food was simple, hearty, fresh and extremely well executed.   I enjoyed the meal and would definitely come back again.
BB goofing around
Ad Hoc 
http://www.adhocrestaurant.com/


Ad Hoc on Urbanspoon

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Napa Valley - Day 1

Our first stop of the day, brunch at Alexis Baking Cafe in Napa.

I had the breakfast burger and D had the Huevos Rancheros.  We also shared a morning bun - how piggy are we.

I enjoyed the burger tremendously - so juicy but I also liked the Huevos Rancheros as the tortillas were crispy :)

Next stop Wine Tasting:  D organizes all the wine stops.  I just follow but I do like my wines :)

Chateau Montelana

Have you watched Bottle Shock?  I haven't but apparently it is based on a True Story that happened in 1976.  Steven Spurrier who owns a wine shop in Paris and was constantly by the French oenophile establishment for stocking wines from other counrties.  He set out to prove that wine from other countries were just as good.   He organized a blind tasting and is now called the "Judgement of Paris" pitting Californian wines against French wines.  The 9 judges were all french.  To cut a long story short, Chateau Montelena's 1973 Chardonnay beat out the french wines.

Chateau Montelena


Chateau Montelena
The chateau was undergoing a bit of a renovation when we visited.  There are nice grounds to picnic on and a view of the pond as well as 2 pavilions.

Whitehall Lane
Whitehall Lane
Reserve Tasting at Whitehall Lane
I hardly drink reds but I did like the reds here. 

Chandon
Chandon
Tastings
We did one normal tasting and a reserve tasting.  I drank most of the bubbly here cos D was driving.  BB helped too.  I was getting peckish even though we had such a big brekkie and ordered some finger foods that Chandon offers to pair with their bubbly.  They have a lovely patio to sit out on a sunny day.
Chandon Croque Monsieur
Croque Monsieur
2nd visit for BB to Chandon.  He loves his bubbly.

Grigich
Grigich Hills
Grigich Hills 

Dharioush
Grand Entrance to Dharioush
They have very good pistachios here.  I really recommend that you grab a bag.  

To cap off our day we headed to the Napa Premium Outlet for some shopping - Yay!!! I headed straight to the MaxStudio shop as I can't get that in Vancouver.

Had a late dinner at Ad Hoc.  

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