Bacon Hot Dog Cart - I Only Had Enough For Three!

Vendor: Bacon Hot Dog Cart
Address: In Front of the Parking Lot Next to the Club at 540 Howard St., SOMA, SF
Cuisine: Street Food
Phone Number: n/a
Date Last Visited: May 24, 2008

So I was drunk. I was real drunk. I’m 24-years-old, so I still have the party bug in me. This was the first time my cousins and I have all gotten together to have a little grown-up fun - drinks, dancing, the works. Saturday night in the City? Temple on Howard was the place to do it.

So I was drunk. I was real drunk. You know when everything about the mood is right? The music was poppin.’ My party people were radiating happiness, fun, and exhilaration! Yeah, that is how it was. My body absorbed all the energy in the air.

So I got drunk. I got real drunk. Shots of Patron Silver and cranberry vodka. Oh man, those clear liquors are my Kryptonite. I could not help myself. The shots were huge and were cheap in price compared to other clubs. So we went for it. 3 drinks in 10 minutes, suckas.

So I got drunk. I got real drunk. After inhaling my liquor and dancing the night away, I found myself slumped over on one of the white leather couches in the upper level dance room. My legs were too tired to dance anymore and I did not have the energy to keep my head above my chest. I was gone.

And I was drunk. I was real drunk. I went outside and got some fresh air. I needed something to keep me from passing out. After a brief upchuck, (thank you to my awesome cousins for rubbing my back and talking me through the entire episode, btw) I was ready to start my sobriety. I smelled an intoxicating aroma of the sautéing of bacon and white onions. I followed the aroma and looked to my left.
BACON HOT DOG CART!!

The last time I had one of these suckers was last year in front of Le Vende lounge. =) Oh, they were good. I had ten bucks so I got three. They were three bucks each. I really do not know why I bought three. I just handed the guy my money. I had enough for three, so I got three.


So what they do is wrap some hot dogs in strips of bacon, fry them up on their griddle, and sauté the sliced onions in that bacon fat. OMG, how can you pass that up on a drunken night?


Isn’t that a trip? In my glorious drunkenness, I still managed to take out my camera and take the pictures I needed for a blog post. That’s hilarious. I’m a foodie even when I am faded. They made sure to make enough for all those drunkards like me to leave the club.


They asked me if I wanted “everything” on it. “Everything” means mayo, ketchup, mustard and those delicious sautéed onions. I’m pretty sure they have pickled jalapenos if you want a spicy kick on your hot dog.


By the time I got home, I was sober enough to eat. It sure does look a lot more appetizing when you’re intoxicated and it‘s 2 in the morning, BUT it seemed like it was the best thing I ever put in my mouth. The perfectly prepared bacon and hot dog with the cooked onions…awesome.

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Too bad I upchucked it a couple hours later…

David vs. David

SO not food related...but I'l make it be somehow.

Tonight is the American Idol finale.

It's Cook vs. Archuleta.

*sigh*

I have never been so torn.

I really want Cook to win partly because his last name has somewhat to do with food, and I have never seen a dish named "Archuleta" before. Aside from that, Cook is more flexible in his singing and all Mr. A can do is sing sappy slow songs. But it's those sappy love songs that tug at my heart strings. IDK.

IDK!

We'll see!!

It actually doesn't matter because either way, they're each going to be MAD famous and have a kajillion screaming females running after them.

=)

I Deserve an "F" for Posting on Time

I am so sorry everyone...I have not updated as often as I should...I think you should check out my Foodbuzz Profile because I update that with my photos faster than I update this with my blog posts (which will eventually have those photos in them anyway).

Since you're here, here are a some posts I want you to look for and which I am currently working on:

My Day Trip to Davenport and Santa Cruz
The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton SF
Restaurant Gary Danko on Northpoint
Mother's Day 2008 - How My Fam-Bam Rolls With It
COCO500 in SOMA
My Reactions to "The Cooking Show con Karimi y Castro"
Fresca on Fillmore
Random Tastes of May

=)

Exciting exciting!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

<3,
Jo

Gotta Get Her Now Before She's Gone FOREVER

Went to dinner last night with my BESTIES (Ate Di and BanYo) at Coco500, and had a fabulous meal. Prior to ordering, our server asked if it was our first time, and we said yes. He then asked how we heard of the place, I busted out with, "Top Chef!" He told us that Jen was actually in the kitchen. So awesome.

We were brought our desserts and the server said, "This is from Jennifer." and gave us a platter of peanut butter cups.

AWWWW. We didn't know how to take it: whether she gave us the free treats because she was too busy to come out or if she was just being nice.

5 minutes later she came to our table to greet us. OMG. Guys, she is the nicest person ever. She even said, "I'm sorry I let you down."

OH NEVER!!!!! She did her thang and all I can do is appreciate.

She then told us that she would be leaving Coco500 to venture out on her own at the end of May. THAT SUCKS. The food was awesome and she's awesome. She has the most beautiful green eyes. I think I fell in love. LOL.

So if you're in SOMA, stop by Coco500 while Jen is still there!!!

The Incredible Shrinking Dinner

Saw this on Yahoo! Segment shown on Good Morning America. REAL interesting. Is your favorite restaurant getting crafty with YOU?

Little Star Pizza - Homage to BanYo’s Birthplace

Restaurant: Little Star Pizza
Address: 846 Divisadero St. @ Fulton St., Western Addition/NoPA, SF
Phone Number: (415) 441-1118
Cuisine: Pizza
Date Last Visited: May 1, 2008
Dining Partners: Ate Di, BanYo, and Miko


BanYo is a transplant from Chi-Town. =) That makes him so much cooler. We planned to go to CandyBar on this night, but Halle from work asked if we were going anywhere else before or after CandyBar. That was a good question because something inside of me knew that dessert and small savory snacks would not be enough to fill me up. BanYo then reminded me about Little Star Pizza. I have always wanted to come here because you do not know how many “Top,” “Best,” and “Favorite” lists have Little Star at the top of them. I just wanted to know what all the hype was about, but what made things even better was that it was a very short away from our dessert destination.


We got there at around 6 p.m. and it was actually still very quiet. They have a bar to the right which serve a few wines. The employees are hard-looking, tattooed, grungy, hipsters, but we all know that deep inside they’re all softies. As for our beverages, Ate Di got the Ginger Beer strictly for the bottle. =)


=) I love orange.

We decided to order some appetizers because the pizza was going to taken 30 minutes to bake. For our first app, we went for the garlic bread and this is what we got. We were expecting a loaf with the butter and garlic baked in, but here, you gotta do it yourself!


Let me tell you, this version of garlic bread is to die for. They give you a bulb of garlic for goodness sakes! It is perfectly roasted and when you smear it on the bread…oHhHhHhHhHhHh…heaven. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in your entire life? The color of it is gorgeous and its surprising flavor was almost delicate. Nothing like how it used to taste in its raw form. So simple, and yet so brilliant.


I love chicken wings. Any flavor. I love them. The buffalo wings here are not as spicy as one might think. Mild, moist, and lip-smacking good.


WHAT A BEAUTY. I love how vibrant the tomatoes are. This is not your ordinary Domino’s pizza. Here they have the toppings under the tomatoes. So maybe they shouldn’t be called toppings. Underings? *cymbal crash* BOOOOOOOOOO! Bad joke.


We ordered a large which was enough for each of us to have 2 two slices (8 slices). Do you see how much is loaded into one of these things? We opted for the “Classic” which had pepperoni, sausage, onions, and bell peppers. I loved how the tomatoes were not pureed into a thin sauce. They held their shape and tasted so good. The crust is what is different than other pizzas I have had. It’s buttery and rich. Even though there was so much on top of the crust, it was not soggy or dripping with fat. Seriously, each of us could only finish one slice, so we ended up taking half of the pie home. It sure did make for a scrumptious breakfast!

Chicago-style deep-dish pizza has a special place in my heart. When I was a lot younger, my family and I had a tradition where we would go to the Embarcadero the day or two after Christmas. The kids would go ice skating in Justin Herman Plaza, and for dinner we would head over to Uno's Pizzeria at the Embarcadero Center. Uno’s is gone now and is replaced with Tony Roma’s (barf). Since they left, I have always craved a good Chicago-style pizza, and I am so glad to have finally gone to Little Star Pizza. It reminds me of some good times we had back then.

Then off we went to CandyBar…

CandyBar - A Sweet With My Sweets

Restaurant: CandyBar
Address: 1335 Fulton Street @ Divisadero, NoPA, SF
Phone Number: (415) 673-7078
Cuisine: Desserts, Savory Snacks
Date Last Visited: May 1, 2008
Dining Partners: Ate Di, BanYo, and Miko

BanYo and I were talking one night and of course we talk about restaurants. He asked me if I heard about CandyBar, San Francisco’s first dessert lounge, and I did because I got info about it from Chowhound, Miss Hopper, and EaterSF. Yes, as you can see I like to keep myself informed. CandyBar opened in March, we were overdue, so we thought it was a good idea to check it out for ourselves.


We came to CandyBar after a fantastic meal over at Little Star Pizza which was just around the corner. Do not expect Willy Wonka to jump out from behind the corner and sing you musical medleys. This is seriously a dessert place for mature palettes, and you will see why.


Duck Liver Mousse
blood orange marmalade / chive flowers / toast 9

BanYo and Ate Di wanted to try something from the Savory Snacks portion of the menu, and for some reason they got the duck liver. I DO NOT DO LIVER!! Ha! But it’s okay. I was pretty full from the pizza, so I didn’t mind at all. As long as I got to take the pictures, I was perfectly content. =)


I didn’t try any of it, but from the orgasmic looks on their faces, I could tell that it was delectable to them.


Sparkling Meyer Lemonaide with Mint Gelée
Now let’s get to the dessert! I ADORED this shooter. I love anything with citrus, and honestly, it tasted a lot like Minute Maid bottled lemonade. I love that stuff, so I was not complaining. You can’t really see it in this picture, but there are little cubes of the mint gelée sitting at the bottom of the glass. Unfortunately, I didn’t taste any of the mint because of the seemingly overwhelming sweetness of the lemonaide. Other than that, I enjoyed it very much.


Chevre Cheesecake
coconut sorbet / nicoise olive caramel
If you know my taste, you are probably asking why in the world I ordered this. I kept asking myself in my head while looking over the menu, as I was mouthing the words to the server, and waiting for it to get to the table what in the world chevre was. I didn’t ask because I asked so many questions about other desserts, that I thought I was being OA. When the plate reached me and I took my first couple of bites, it finally dawned on me what I was eating. GOAT CHEESE! Jo, you’re an idiot. The first bites were great. I liked the smooth and creamy texture of the cheesecake. The combination of the coconut and caramel went really well with it. Then I got turned off. I usually don’t do the goat cheese because of the awkward tanginess and that weird aftertaste it has (hey, it’s my opinion). Then I realized there were minced olive in the caramel! I guess I was to preoccupied with figuring out what chevre was that I completely neglected to read everything else in the description. GAH. It was great before I realized what was in it. I guess mind over matter didn’t help me here. Not something I would get again just for the fact that I don’t do goat cheese and olives. Yuck. Why, Jo, why?


Carrot Cake Baked Alaska
candied fennel / walnuts
I never had a baked Alaska before, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I took a bite and found it very good. I knew that a baked Alaska is a cold “something” (usually ice cream, but these days can be a gelato) on top of a slice of cake and then covered with meringue and then thrown in an extremely hot oven to brown the meringue. The crème fraîche ice cream nestled inside was scrumptious. (Thank you to BanYo for reminding me of the flavor, btw) I’m not a carrot cake type of a girl, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. Now, I have mixed feelings about the meringue. Miko asked what blanketed the ice cream, and Ate Di and I said meringue, but he said he thought it was marshmallow. Now that I think about it, meringue and marshmallow are essentially made with the same things: egg whites and sugar. BUT, this is my question to you all dessert aficionados: is the meringue supposed to be airy like that cloud on top of a lemon meringue pie or should it be sticky like marshmallow fluff? In this case, it was more like fluff, which I have no problem with because it was delicious anyway; however, I was just wondering if their fashion of making the meringue was “correct.”


Tin Roof Sundae
brownie / vanilla ice cream / frosted peanuts / hot fudge 8
Ate Di was the only one who didn’t opt for the dessert tasting menu, and ordered this lovely thing. The brownie was fudgey and just awesome. It went perfectly with the chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream and nuts. Yes, it IS a straightforward, but some simple foods, like brownie sundaes, can easily be messed up. This was great though.


Chocolate Brioche
balsamic caramel ice cream / lime yogurt
This was Miko’s first course, and I had mixed feelings about it. The brioche didn’t seem like a brioche to me. A brioche is supposed to be a yeast bread, meaning a bit airy and risen, but this was more like a fudge cake. I mean, it was good, but different from what I had expected. It was moist and even a bit heavy. This was not my favorite dessert because that tangy lime yogurt mixed with the balsamic ice cream was just too much for me. Too many sour undertones going on.


Bittersweet Chocolate Sorbet
foie gras tapioca / croutons
I think this is one of the more “interesting” desserts. Okay, you have the bittersweet chocolate sorbet. Okay, not unusual at all, but then you have the crispy crouton bits on top, what seemed to be cookie crumbs under and then FOIE GRAS TAPIOCA. I popped one of those tapiocas in my mouth and it really tasted like foie gras. It was salty, so it was a bit odd. Like the dessert before this one, not my favorite because I do not do bittersweet chocolate in the first place, but the flavors, textures, and the combination of savory and sweet was weird to me.


Warm Vanilla Cake
pickled mango / olive oil
This was a dessert I was contemplating about getting, but I let Miko have it. I was disappointed because the cake was way too eggy. All I tasted was egg yolk and about a couple of bites, I was turned off. I got the warm part. I didn’t get the vanilla. I got egg. I did not want to eat breakfast for dessert. Being from the Philippines, I am not a stranger to pickled fruit, but the mango was not too appetizing. I mean, instead of taking a perfectly sweet and ripe mango and dousing it in acetic acid, why don’t you use an unripened mango that is STILL sour? Honestly, I’m glad I didn’t get it.


Milk Chocolate Parfait
matza toffee / smoked salt
Let me just say that I had the best dessert out of EVERYONE! When I read “parfait,” I thought I would be getting a tall glass with layer upon layer of sweet goodness. In all honesty, I was disappointed that I was presented with this. THEN I took my first bite. The milk chocolate mousse paired with the toffee and whipped cream was indisputably perfect. I do not recollect the whipped cream to be sweetened at all, but it didn’t matter because everything complimented each other in the most superb way. The whipped cream was light, the toffee was crispy, and the milk chocolate mousse was luscious. Goodness. I am so happy that I found this dessert. I sure wish they had this in a bigger portion!


Warm Malted Milk / Peanut Butter Vadouvan Cookie
I’ll talk about the peanut butter cookie first. I was the size of a silver dollar and was firm, but still chewy. The flavor reminded me more of a chai/mixture of Indian spices more than peanut butter. It had an aftertaste of a masala sauce. I know, weird. I did some research on what “vadouvan” was later on and it is actually curry. SEE! I wasn’t going crazy!!!


Now onto the milk…I was so elated when I saw this petite cup of orgasmic liquid. Our server said it was “milk, cream, and dulce de leche.” Oh my, what is better than that? The drink was warm, thick, sweet, and so luscious. I was disappointed with one thing, however…the cup was too small!!


I am so happy I enjoyed this place with my friends. The server and the chefs were so good to us. They even signed a menu for each of us to take home. The space was hip but relaxed, and the desserts were awesome. I think it is best if you come here with other people so that you can taste everything. I was
so satisfied even though I didn’t like a few things, but to me, it’s all about the experience. C’mon San Francisco’s FIRST dessert lounge? Why the hell didn’t someone think of this earlier?

I am SO ready to go back!

Until then, you guys should try it. This place is awesome.

Rebate Checks!!!

REBATE SCHEDULES

Check the last 2 digits of your social security number to find out when you should be getting your check!

Direct deposit

00-20 May 2

21-75 May 9

76-99 May 16

Paper check

00-09 May 16

10-18 May 23

19-25 May 30

26-38 June 6

39-51 June 13

52-63 June 20

64-75 June 27

76-87 July 4

88-99 July 11

Damn it, my last two digits are 98. I guess the French Laundry has to wait. Boo.

Baseball in April Part 2 - Oakland A’s vs. Seattle Mariners - The Only Fools In the Crowd Not Wearing Green

The Game: McAfee Stadium
Post-game Restaurant: Joe’s Cable Car
Address: 4320 Mission Street @ Silver, The Mission, SF
Phone Number: (415) 252-7482
Cuisine: Mediterranean and Greek
Date Last Visited: April 16, 2008
Dining Partners: Ate Di and Ate Di’s Dad

*ring ring*

Jo: Joanne speaking.

Ate Di: Hey, it’s me.

Jo: Hey, what’s up?

Ate Di: What are you doing after work today?

Jo: *looks at clock* I don’t know why?

Ate Di: Wanna go to an A’s game with me?

And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is how it all began.


So Ate Di calls me a couple of hours before my shift is over and tells me that her dad had tickets to the game. Just 4 days earlier, I went to my first Giants Game, and now I was invited to my first A’s game? Awesome blossom, I say. BUT the bad thing is that I didn’t get to sport any A’s gear. Ha. I was in my office wear.


This was the game that they were giving out free A’s blankets, but by the time we got there, they had run out. Phooey. But the location of the seats made up for it. We were along the first base line, just behind the Seattle Mariners dugout. Yes, that meant seeing a lot of Ichiro.


Living in the San Francisco Bay Area can be a bit frustrating especially if you like to be outside and prefer the weather to be on the calm side. We were extremely lucky that it was rainless and not cold. God was on our side.


Ate Di’s Dad is a DOLL. I love him. For real, he’s my new uncle. He hooked it up with the grub.


Bratwurst. Yum. These guys are long and meaty…like every sausage should be. =) What is more “baseball” than a sausage and a nice ice cold beverage?


For dessert we had the Dibs. Crunch. My fave. A bit on the soft side, but you really can’t expect much more than that after the guys have been walking up and down the sections with these.


I found a new guilty pleasure…


The catcher Kurt Suzuki…he had a good game that night…I heard the two guys in back of me say, "We should sneak her into the locker room." LOL.


As we all know by now, the A’s lost. What is with our teams, dagnamit? But it’s okay. I’m still behind them…


By the time the game was over, it was already 9:30, so we had to find a place that was open late, so Uncle recommended Joe’s Cable Car.


It’s Joe’s “Cable Car,” but it’s not really a cable car. I swear, the inside looks like your grandparents’ basement of holiday stuff had thrown up.


It was corny, but undeniably charming.


This was Uncle and Ate Di’s chocolate shake. They offered me some but lactose and I do not get along especially after 8:00 p.m. I am sure it was delicious.


Our grub: my patty melt, Uncle’s onion rings, and Ate Di’s corn dog. The onions were just perfect. You cannot go wrong with them. I didn’t try the corn dog, but eh, it’s a corn dog.


OhHhHhHhHhHh…how delectable is that?! The cheese was oozing out and the patty was juicy. Good Lord. SO GOOD. I loved the toasted bread and the fixing’s. I only finished half of it, but the other half was good even the next day!!!


“Joe Grinds his Own Fresh Chuck Daily” Wow, my head is in the gutter. I do have to say the prices are a bit on the not-so-cheap-side, but hey, it’s charming and delicious and you should try it especially if you are craving a burger at 10:00 p.m.

P.S. If you were at the game and you heard some broad screaming, “I love you Kurt!” Yeah, that was me.

Baseball in April Part 1 - San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals - My Cherry Has Finally Been Popped

Pre-game Restaurant: Truly Mediterranean
Address: 3109 16th Street at Valencia St. The Mission, SF
Phone Number: (415) 252-7482
Cuisine: Mediterranean and Greek
The Game Venue: AT&T Park
Date Last Visited: April 12, 2008
Dining Partners: My Sweety K and My Sweety K’s Dad

My Giants cherry that is. You’re going to think I’ve been living under some rock in a parallel universe some gajillion miles away once you read this: before this game, I had never been to a Giants game before. GASP! I know! For a girl who was born in San Francisco and lived no more than 5 miles away from the City, that’s pretty pathetic.


We were already anticipating how expensive the food was going to be at the ballpark, so we decided to hit up a place in the Mission to have a quick bite. We had intended on getting some Vietnamese food, but the place we were aiming for ended up being closed, so we went to Truly Mediterranean.


When you walk in, you will find this immediately to your right. It’s a huge mass of lamb that is on a rotating vertical spit. The guys just shave the meat off and put it in your wrap.


This was My Sweety K’s lamb shawerma. I do not do lamb, and if I did, I could only do a couple of bites. I just do not like that aftertaste that you can associate with lamb and goat. Not my favorite flavor.


I was bummed that they only had chicken shawermas on Fridays, so I got the chicken kabob instead. It takes 10 minutes to make, so be prepared to wait. I love the combination of the hot meat, juicy ripe tomatoes, tangy dressing, and refreshing cucumber salad. The lavash bread gets charred on the grill for a little while which makes it a bit crispy. They also ask if you would like their hot sauce thrown in, and PLEASE DO. It’s bomb. I don’t know why, but I love it when food has different textures and temperatures. Like Ate Di would say, “It’s like there is a party in my mouth…”


Think of this as a Mediterranean burrito. As you can see, it’s pretty big, and it truly does fill you up. If you are a vegetarian, they do have falafels, which is what My Sweety K’s Dad had, and they prepare it in the same way as the shawerma and kabob. If you are really hungry, you can add eggplant, potatoes and even feta cheese into your wraps. =) I could only finish HALF of it and I was real full. Before I knew it, we were off to the ballgame! My first ballgame!




It was a beautiful day…


Don’t you just love those scratched up windows on the Metro? =P


Nosebleed seats, BUT IT’S OKAY!


There were about 31,000 people there that day.


So here we go with the insanely overpriced ballpark food. Let me just tell you now, this was the hottest day of the year and we were all the way up at the top with the sun all over us and we were sweating and getting sunburned and getting irritated. Okay, maybe that was just me. When I saw the lemonade guy, I had to got a cup. $5.50. But good Lord it was good.


Gordon Beirsch garlic fries. You can smell these from a mile away. People were walking past us with these and how can we NOT get some? French fries. Garlic. Match made in Heaven.


So this is the infamous Cha Cha bowl. It consists of white rice, black beans, chicken, and a medley of zucchini and carrots on top. I did some research before I came here and Ms. Unterman recommended one of these, so of course I wanted one. I initially sent My Sweety K to buy me a hot dog, but he got this instead when he saw that the hot dog line was too long. I don’t know if I should call that laziness or thoughtfulness. LOL. At least I know that he was listening when I mentioned it before the game.


I really liked the vegetable mix on the top…maybe because everything else was just bland. The veggies had the most flavor. The chicken was all white meat, and it was really dry. I also didn’t get much flavor from it. The rice and beans were cooked alright, but again, plain. They call this Caribbean, but I would imagine that it should be a lot more palatable. Where are the sweet and spicy flavors? The Caribbean is lively, refreshing, and colorful. This cha cha bowl is not that. I expected a lot more…especially with the price I paid.


Boston!!!


THE MOST expensive ice cream bar I have ever bought - 6 bucks for something I can get for 2 bucks outside of the ballpark.


My two favorite players on the team!!!

Okay. I guess we all know by now that the Giants lost…and I lost a lot of money. But you know what? It was all part of the experience. I’m a Giants girl and I am with my team until the very end!!!