Pink's Las Vegas - I Ate Kim Kardashian!

Restaurant: Pink’s Las Vegas
Address: Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
Cuisine: Hot Dogs
Date Last Visited: June 19, 2010
Dining Partner: My Vegas Girls

Pink’s is an institution in LA. Celebrities? Check. Ridiculous lines? Check. Good food? Well, we were going to see about that. I haven’t been in So Cal in so long and I don’t have any real plans to head over there anytime soon, but Pink’s has always been a place I wanted to go to if I ever did make my way to LA. When one of my girls suggested we go there for lunch, I was ready.

We did have to wait in the hot sun for about 15 minutes, but I was hungry. I was going to get a hot dog. Period. So for you who are not too keen on waiting in the heat, bring an umbrella, a bottle of water, a spritzer, and most importantly patience.


Celebrity Hot Dog Menu
The Las Vegas menu was similar to the Hollywood menu when it came to the classic hot dog/topping combinations and the ability to create your own hot dog special; however, I did notice two distinct differences: the prices in Las Vegas are double compared to the Hollywood prices AND I didn’t see the Martha Stewart hot dog that I was yearning to try. *tear* I guess since this is Vegas, the celebs had to be different. I did find something on the menu that tickled my fancy. The KIM KARDASHIAN hot dog. I was sold. Man, I love that woman. She has no real talent, and I don’t even know why she’s famous…(oh yeah, that tape), but I like her anyway. There was also a Mel B. dog, a Holly Madison dog, and a Miss America dog…


Before I get into my lunch, I want to show you the hot dogs that my lady friends ordered. This is a hot dog topped with chili, bacon, onions, tomatoes, and sour cream. Looks like a fork and knife were needed to eat this thing.


On the far left is a hot dog topped with pastrami and mustard, in the back is hot dog with tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, guacamole, and cheese, and in the front we have some good ol’ chili cheese fries. Heart attack on a tray right there.


The Kim Kardashian Hot Dog
This hot dog was made for me: bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and guacamole. Of course I added my own ketchup and other accoutrements since I am such a condiment whore.

So how did I like it? There was no hot dog left on the tray when we were done! I adored the snap of the hot dog casing when I bit into it and the juice that seeped out was delicious! Even though it was a hot dog, it wasn’t too too heavy since everything on top was basically just vegetable. Lunch was enough to last me the whole day.

I wish there was a place in San Francisco that was similar to Pink’s. No, I am not talking about sausages because I know where to get good sausages. I’m talking about HOT DOGS. Yeah, there’s Stanley Steamers on the corner of Market and another one in front of Macy’s at Union Square, but it’s not like Pink’s. I want a place where you can get a hot dog topped with a burger patty and covered in pepper jack cheese and avocado…okay, maybe not that particular combination, but I want a place where I can get my creative juices flowing. A polish dog topped with cheddar cheese, jalapenos, and guacamole. A hot dog with bacon, a fried egg, and ketchup. I don’t know, maybe I’m thinking TOO crazy, but it’s fun. Come to think of it, in college, I used to go to What's Up Dog a lot...hmmm...that sounds so good right about now. =)

I peered into Pink’s LV’s Yelp page and they are not too high up there in the ratings. Some people say it’s too expensive. It’s Vegas, what do you expect? I actually didn’t mind. We were on vacation and what do you do on vacation? Spend money and be a glutton. That’s exactly what we did and I had a really good meal here.

It also didn’t hurt when I was able to say that I ate Kim Kardashian.

Har har…

*git cho head outta da guttah, son*

The 1st Great Potato Sack Race - SF Street Food Carts

Event The Great Potato Sack Race
Location: Precita Park, San Francisco
Date: June 13, 2010
Dining Partner: Bub, Cuzzin Star, and all our favorite Street Carts

Hey everyone,

How y’all doing? It’s been a while since I have updated or reported on anything. As most of you know, I was on vacation in Las Vegas and then spent most of my week back with family. The dust has settled a bit and I now have an opportunity to blog. Just before I left on vacation, I went to the 1st Great Potato Sack Race hosted by SF’s Street Food All-Stars. This event was to raise funds for the Beacon Culinary Project. It’s a couple of weeks late, but this is an event I really wanted to write a recap on because it was for a good cause. Let’s get started:


Gumbo from @Gumbocart
Bub headed straight to Ben’s table for a bowl of warm gumbo. It hits the spot every time! Shhh, this is Bub's favorite cart of all.


Treats from @SFCookies
We had a red velvet cupcake, one of their famous chocolate crackles, and a cookie sandwich. Solid. Later on that day, I had a Salted Almond Cookie and Chocolate Ice Cream sandwich. Let’s just say I had to chase Bub around the park for it after he stole it from me.


Menu from @SFDeliciousChef
Now doesn’t that description look incredible? I was intrigued because I have never tried their stuff out before. I was in for a GREAT treat.


The Makings of a Tonguegasm
The chefs told me this would be their first time making this French taco for the public. Bub and I were privileged to try out the first two!


Voila!
Absolutely gorgeous. Colorful with all those layers of flavor. How did they taste?

I’ll leave that up to @n8diggs to explain:

Taco Goodness @ Precita Park from Nate Nevado on Vimeo.

Lenny with Fries from @LumpiaCart
Here is my boy Abe and little Lennys. I can never get enough of these lumpia =) He made waffle fries in honor of the great potato sack race that was about to happen.


I [heart] lumpia on sunny days!

Signage from @POTPIEJUNKIE
Another cart I have never tried before!

Cassie making me Shepard’s Pie
Let’s just say our portion was gone in a couple of minutes. I like the mashed potatoes, but I’m Filipino, the meat would have been awesome with rice too. =)


Refreshments from Luscious Liquids
We had a thirst-quenching hibiscus drink that was not too sweet, which I liked. It was floral and quite lovely on this summer day. I need your help: does this cart have a Twitter?


Chicken Adobo from @AdoboHobo
Always reliably good. I like their recipe because they used chopped onion which adds a little sweetness. Loved it especially on this day.


Pulled Pork Sandwich from @GoodFoodsCaters
This award-winning food stand blessed us with their awesome barbeque sauce. This is not my first time having their food, but each time, I am VERY satisfied. Thanks, Dontaye!


Potato Frittata from @SoulCocina
This reminded me of the potato omelets that my Uncle Romy would make us every Saturday when we were kids. =) I miss them!


Potato Sacks
I can try to explain how the potato race turned out, but I think a video would be more fitting:


"SF Street Food AllStars and Foodies race against one another raising money for the Beacon Culinary Project in The 2010 Great Potato Sack Race." - courtesy of @edmanchew - thanks, bro!


Treats from @MaliNumNum
Here is our girl Tara and her sweet son cooking us some of her great food, including sliders and ensaymada!


Sio Bao from @MaliNumNum
I waited all day for these lovely steamed buns. The bao were filled with short rib, tomatoes, a creamy sauce, and @NamuSF’s kim chee - so you can imagine a lovely ménage of meat and tart, spicy crispiness from the fermented cabbage.

*thumbs way up!*

I went home that afternoon with a full stomach, a big smile on my face, and a nasty sunburn and ugly tan line, but it was all worth it to hang out with some fantastic people and eat some terrific food. =) Great day, indeed!

Viva Last Vegas 2010!

Hey what is up, loves?! I am hoping everyone had an enjoyable weekend as did I and my girls. Just got back from my Las Vegas trip last night and I am exhausted! This is going to be a quick recap of our activities, but rest assured that there will be a long post with pictures and complete reviews coming soon.

FRIDAY - 6/18/2010:

- Our plane took off from SFO at 7 am Friday and we landed in LV at around 8:30
- Breakfast: Grand Lux Café at the Venetian where I had the Joe’s Special - Scrambled Eggs with Ground Beef, Spinach, Onions, and Mushrooms, served with Hash Browns and Toast.
- Gambling at Venetian: put in $1 and won $13.75 from one pull of the lever at a $0.25 slot machine! Cash out!
- Wandered along Las Vegas Boulevard - Harrah’s down to Caesar’s Palace
- Gambling at Caesar’s Palace: lost approximately $30 at the slots. Lame.
- Libations: Strolled at through the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace and got a Strawberry and Mango Daiquiri at Fat Tuesday
- Checked in at the Venetian and settled into our suite located at the Venezia Tower
- Got ready for dinner but was sent to buy alcohol. Patron, Hynotiq, and Grey Goose.
- Got back to the suite where the girls decorated the room with streamers and balloons! It was my surprise bachelorette party!
- Dinner: Bobby Flay’s MESA Grill at Caesar’s Palace where I had the Sixteen Spice Crusted Chicken with Roasted Garlic-Mango Sauce and Buttermilk-Chive Mashed Potatoes. Lovely!

SATURDAY - 6/19/2010:

- Snack: Poolside nibble of Smoked Salmon Baguette with Cream Cheese, Capers, Red Onion, Lettuce and Tomato from Bouchon
- Lunch: headed to Pink’s Hot Dogs located at Planet Hollywood and had the Kim Kardashian Hot Dog with guacamole, bacon, tomato and lettuce
- Activities: Rode the Rollercoaster at NYNY
- Gambling at NYNY: put in $1 in a $0.25 slot machine and with one push of the button, I got back $165.00! Cash out!
- Dinner: Todd English’s Olives at the Bellagio where I had the Veal Agnolotti Al Plin - Slow Braised Osso Bucco, Fontina Cheese Angolotti, Truffle Butter
- Nightlife: partied at TAO Nightclub at the Venetian with my sexy mask-wearing entourage!

SUNDAY - 6/20/2010:

- Brunch: Thomas Keller’s Bouchon at the Venetian’s Venezia Tower where I had the special - Soft Shell Crab with Scrambled Eggs Topped with Hollandaise Sauce and Served with a Cheddar Chive Biscuit and dessert were the Bouchons - brownies topped with ice cream - also got a DOPE keepsake!
- Activities: went to Stratosphere and rode X-Scream and Insanity
- Dinner: went down Las Vegas Boulevard and got Panda Express - we were getting broke
- Show: O at the Bellagio - simply amazing! Cirque du Soleil has shows everywhere in Vegas, and this one was absolutely breathtaking! A MUST SEE if you ever make a trip here.
- Nightlife: visited my dear friend Kuya P at his club Christian Audigier at Treasure Island and then headed to LAVO at the Palazzo
- Drunken Eats: back to the Grand Lux Café where I had the Shaking Beef and a lemonade

MONDAY - 6/21/2010:

- Checked out of our room at the Venetian
- Brunch: headed to Paris and went to Le Burger Brasserie, but had to wait 15 minutes for a table…
- Gambling at Bally’s: as we waited for a table, I went to the casino at Bally’s and put in $5 in a $0.25 Wheel of Fortune-like slot machine. One pull from the lever and I was able to spin the wheel for credits. Ball landed on 500. $5 got me about $120 on the first pull? Cash out!
- Back to Brunch at the Le Burger Brasserie where I got the Loaded Fries with Roasted Chicken, Cheese, Sour Cream, Tomatoes, Olives and Avocado
- Gambling at Paris: lost $5 at the quarter slots but put in $1 at the Video Poker machine and got back $3.50. No more gambling!
- Activities: watched the Water Show at the Bellagio, went back to the Venetian and rode the outdoor gondola and was serenaded by Carlo from NY - when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie - that's amore!
- Picked up our bags and headed to the airport. *sad face*
- Dinner: Roast Beef and Provolone on Wheat Flatbread, Potato Chips and a Coke at Flatbreadz

Now I am back home looking out the window and staring the fog passing through Daly City. The trip went by so fast, but it was a lot of fun! Back to reality and I really don’t want to go back to work in the morning. LOL! For inquiring minds who want to see more visuals, you will get the pictures very very soon! Well, SOME of the pictures. Mainly the food. Some of the pix we took were incriminating - not to me, hehe - so I don’t want to embarrass my girlfriends and post those. Stay tuned, loves!

=)

xoxo,
Jo

P.S. Okay okay, you deserve ONE picture:

Happy National Strawberry Shortcake Day

Yesterday, June 14, was National Strawberry Shortcake Day and it is now one of my favorite food "holidays." Strawberries are my favorite fruit and I can't wait every year for strawberry season; however, this is my first time making strawberry shortcake for National Strawberry Shortcake Day. Why? Well, 1) this is the first time I've ever heard of it, thanks to @Foodimentary:


and 2) I was driven to make one of my favorite Food Network Star's favorite way of making strawberry shortcake:


Just a couple weeks ago, Alex Guarnaschelli was talking about strawberry shortcake and I asked her if she was a cake girl or a biscuit girl and she responded to me with that tweet. I love her. Shortcake can be made in various ways: with angel food cake, regular yellow cake, chiffon, sponge, you name it. Because my favorite is with biscuits as well, I just had to make them.

AND I DID:

For the cream biscuits, I had to find a recipe since I never made them before. Emeril Lagasse's recipe looked good. I was surprised that there wasn't any butter in the dough itself (yes, I know they're called CREAM biscuits), but before baking, I had to dip each round of dough into melted butter. Um yeah, heavenly.


As the cream biscuits were baking, I made my whipped cream. So simple, I don't know why more people make their own. If I were really me, I would have added some sugar or vanilla, but since Alex said "unsweetened," I stuck to it. I had a taste of it and it was so pure and luscious. I could bathe in it.


Strawberries can be macerated in anything from balsamic vinegar to wine, but I kept mine simple and just added a bit of sugar to the cut strawberries. Besides, I had to make this kid-friendly. =) Before going home, Bub and I stopped by the market for the strawberries. Gorgeous.


My Finished Product

Such a simple dessert to make! I brought some to my Auntie's house and my family enjoyed them a lot. My sister brought over some vanilla ice cream, so that's a sign that I should make some more tonight! Who wants some?

xoxo,
Jo

So...Why Aren't There Good Filipino Restaurants IN San Francisco?

First of all: Happy Philippine Independence Day!

On this day in 1898, "...Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain..." -Wikipedia


All I can say is that I love being Filipina. There is so much culture and history from our country and I am just so proud to be who I am. Many things are important to the Filipino people: family, friends, and FOOD especially. We share our stories with each other over food. We celebrate over food. Hell, we even fight over food. When I talk about Filipino food, people who are new to it usually ask me, "Where can we get Filipino food in San Francisco?"

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There usually is a long pause before I start speaking again because, honestly, I can't give them an answer. And that's a damn shame. So really...why aren't there good Filipino restaurants IN San Francisco?

In SF, we have all the Asian cuisines covered: Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Burmese, Vietnamese, etc, but good Filipino food is so hard to find. Let's start from the beginning.

First, when opening up a restaurant of any kind, especially an "ethnic" resto, one must ask, "Do we want to go as traditional as possible or do we want to experiment?" Filipino food in itself is one big experiment from years and years of colonization and occupation. Because Filipino cuisine takes influence from the Chinese, Spanish, and native inhabitants, it's hard to really pinpoint what the official/quintessential Filipino food is. Sure you have your adobos, pancits, lumpias, etc., but does everyone know about denengdeng, laing, mongo, or pinapaitan or even the curries that the Malays have influenced in Mindanao? Probably not.

If I had a restaurant, I’d want it to thrive because of its food. No gimmicks, no BS, just good cooked food; however, it’s hard for the generation which immigrated to the US to steer away from anything non-traditional. They don’t give a damn about garnishes or molecular gastronomy. If they want a fried fish, they’d get one from the local supermarket for $2 and have it fried on the premises or fry it themselves at home. Why? Because that’s how they did it back home. Tell them to go to a restaurant and get the same thing at twice the price, they’d think your crazy. “But it comes with heirloom tomato medley and a ‘saw saw’ made with soy sauce made with organically grown soybeans and red wine vinegar from Napa!” They’ll whoop you with a slipper so fast, you didn’t know what hit you!

Daly City, Vallejo, South San Francisco, Milpitas, etc. have huge Filipino populations. Quite possibly the largest concentration of Filipinos outside of the Philippines is right here in the Bay Area. Why go to a restaurant if you can drive 5 minutes away and have it at home or at a family members house? Everyone knows everyone else and when you go to someone’s house, even for a short visit, you are welcomed with, “have you eaten yet?”

But then there are the non-Filipinos in San Francisco who want to experience good Filipino food, but don’t know where to go. Why? Because there are no places to go in the City. In San Francisco, being the gorgeous food Mecca it is, you have to have a spark to lure people in and to keep them where you want them. However, the ironic truth is that most of the Filipino places in San Francisco are “turo-turo” or the “point at what you want” take-out places. No frills, hole-in-the-wall places. They’re usually very cheap and don’t require you to tip anyone for serving you.

You would think that SF would embrace a Filipino restaurant that serves up fancy versions of sinigang, sisig, and kare kare. For some reason, no one is buying it. Why? For the hesitant one who is unfamiliar with Filipino food, it is better to risk five bucks on a 2-item combo from Tita Baby’s turo-turo than to spend $20 on a meal, especially if it is not known if they will like it or not.

For those who are familiar with Filipino food, hey, cheap is always good! But I think no Filipino in the suburbs of the Peninsula would drive all the way to the City for adobo when they can make it at home. Or if they were lazy (like me at times), they’d drive to South San Francisco or San Bruno at one of the local and reliable eateries…or to my Auntie Gloria’s house. But then again, where do non-Filipinos (or even Filipinos who got no clue about their own cuisine) go?

First it’s important to know that Filipino food is different. There are three major sections in the Philippines which are made up for over 7,000 islands. The northern areas favor bitter, pungent flavors, and the more south you go, the spicier the food gets. What we need in San Francisco is to familiarize everyone with Filipino food and its roots. Know where the food came from, know what ingredients are in a dish, etc.

These days “fusions” or “mash-ups” are thing to do. Sisig found in tortillas and on top of nachos, chicken adobo in a burritos. While those things are good, and very amusing (and almost, um, cult-ish) to the younger generations, those in the older generations are afraid that the traditional ways are getting lost. Haven’t you heard? “No one will marry you if you can’t cook, hija! Go cook rice and measure the water with your finger!” The Filipinos in my generation will just eat about anything: Indian, Japanese, French, Moroccan, anything! We are eating outside of the home more. We go partying. We follow lists, Zagat, 7x7, Sfoodie, Twitter, Facebook. We like trying new things.

However, the generations before us like to hold on to tradition. Why fix something that ain’t broke? Why is there a purple flower on my mechado? Why am I paying $10 for two plates of food when I can use that $10 to make a big pot of food at home 10 blocks away which can feed 10 manongs and manangs?

If opening a restaurant in San Francisco, one must ask themselves, old school or new school or both? Cheap or pricy? Who are my patrons and how will I keep them coming back? What will make my restaurant different and better than the ones in South City or San Mateo?

I will be honest and say that the economy sucks ass and some people find it ridiculous to pay lots for Asian food. The Slanted Door is lucky to have the clientele it has. Ana Mandara, OSHA Thai, Heaven’s Dog, even Poleng Lounge had to do something extra to give their restaurants extra oomph. DJ spinning on the weekends, drink specials, hot waitresses in “traditional” costumes.

When will an Asian restaurant in San Francisco get by solely on the food and the food alone? Sure the ambiance has to be welcoming and the staff professional and friendly, but in this economy, it’s hard to open a Filipino restaurant in San Francisco that will thrive on just its food. Either people are too unfamiliar with it still or the stuff that they like to eat are readily available at street food fairs or street festivals…usually plates of rice with a stick of BBQ pork and pancit. OR they rely on Jollibee or Superstar to curb their Chicken Joy (how Filipino is THAT, first of all?) and “silog” needs. Can’t beat $3 tocilog at my favorite greasy spoon.

Are people in San Francisco READY for binagoongan pork or dinuguan or adobong kang kong? Since we really don’t know the answer to that yet, wouldn’t one think that starting a restaurant with unfamiliar dishes is a bit risky? Those who have opened restaurants did so in places they knew people would gather - near the suburbs, near schools, near people who they know are familiar with the food and would appreciate it. Intramuros Restaurant in South San Francisco is an example of trying to keep it traditional yet contemporary at the same time.

CPA aka chicken and pork adobo, huge chunks of meat simmered in soy and vinegar with slices of banana. Rice mixed with crab fat. The kare kare - very strong in peanut flavor accompanied with the customary bagoong alamang. Bibinka souffle with coconut crème anglaise, white cheese and salted duck egg for dessert. Then WHAT? Clubbing at the end of the night and sipping on a San Miguel beer while listening to the house band play Beatles songs and tunes of rock bands from back home. They make sure that the dish’s integrity is still intact. No, the halo halo wasn’t made in a tub of nitrogen. And no, the bistek wasn’t cooked in a sous vide. There were just a few changes in the recipes - watermelon used to sour the sinigang instead of tamarind, but the methods used to cook the dishes are the same. It’s good food at a good price in a lovely setting near home. I’ve seen Filipinos of all generations flock to this restaurant.

Other places I really like in South SF and San Bruno are Ongpin, Patio Filipino, and Tribu. They all are very friend, welcoming, and serve great food at reasonable prices. No dancing dancing kimbut kimbut at night. Just good and satisfying grub. I am totally bummed that Poleng Lounge had to close because I really enjoyed their dishes - from the adobo chicken wings to their sisig (which was some of the best and quite possibly one of the most traditional-tasting I have ever had in SFC).

As you can probably see, Filipino food is a weird subject to talk about when it comes to asking, “well, why aren’t there more Filipino restaurants out there in the mainstream?” Even Anthony Bourdain asked. Lechon baboy is his favorite out of ALL roasted pigs in the entire flippin’ universe. I don’t know what it will take to finally get a restaurant opened and stay successful in San Francisco. I really don’t. Is adobo the main star in Filipino cuisine? Is it pancit? Is it lumpia? Fried lumpia or lumpia sariwa? Should only “special occasion” food be on the menu or is Inang’s Saturday afternoon lauya “good enough” to get on the menu?

I don’t know. It’s hard for a Filipino to answer that question. At least it is for me. There are so many dishes that have yet to be introduced in America and it’s hard to say if people out there are going to embrace it. Not sure if my Tatay’s goat kilawen will tickle SF’s fancy, but I’m quite sure that Tita’s pancit palabok will…but when serving pancit: which one of the fifty variations are you going to choose to showcase on the menu?

See? I’m still conflicted and confused.

So why aren't there more Filipino restaurants in San Francisco?

Even after rambling and writing this much, I still don’t know.

All I can end with is this: do not be afraid of Filipino food. Embrace the pungent and sweet and sour flavors. Educate your palette. Get to know our history. Filipino food is wonderful to be shared. Bring a friend...or two or three! NEVER deny a Filipino person when they invite you to eat. June is a month of celebration for our country and for us Filipinos and Fil-Ams. Go to a festival! Just don't be scare to try out new things. You won't be sorry!

Kain na!

Apple Crisp!

Okay, so apple crisp is more of a fall/winter dessert because it's warm, so it would be odd to bake some on the hottest day of the month so far! I went through the fridge tossing out food that had gone bad and I came across 4 red delicious apples. I hadn't baked in so long and instantly I felt the urge to make apple crisp. I searched the Internet for a good recipe, which didn't include eggs because we ran out of them and found one from the Food Network app from iTunes. I didn't have the exact ingredients, but I worked with what I had ready at home. Here is what I came up with today (6/12/10):


- Apple Crisp courtesy of the Neelys -
Recipe as presented on Food Network app / bold how I adapted to the recipe

Filling:
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped small (I used 4 red delicious)
¼ cup finely chopped pecans (I left out nuts)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces
¼ coarsely chopped pecan (I left out nuts)

For the Filling:

Mix all the ingredients together. Place into 7 to 8-ounce ramekins. I put them in a baking dish.

For the Topping:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Blend butter into mixture until it forms pea sized lumps. My butter was a bit warm, so instead of pea sized lumps, mine formed a dough. Stir in nuts , no nuts in mine and sprinkle over filling.

Bake crisp(s) for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Do not touch bubbling syrup - unless you want to get a serious burn on your finger!

A TwitPic of the apple crisp right when it left the oven:


I really liked this recipe because it was so simple! The cinnamon is mainly in the topping and not in the filling, which I actually prefer. This would go very well with a scoop of ice cream! Even though it's summertime, a good apple crisp hits the spot every time...especially a la mode!

Patio Filipino - From the Television to My Tummy

Restaurant: Patio Filipino
Address: 1770 El Camino Real, San Bruno, CA
Phone Number: (650) 872-9888
Cuisine: Filipino, Spanish
Date Last Visited: June 8, 2010
Dining Partner: Bub

Coming here was on a whim…and what a great whim it was! After work, I was hungry and tired and I really didn’t want to think about dinner. We were ready to go to our usual Chinese place, but midway from the BART station, I said outloud, “How about Patio Filipino?!” I mentioned it was on one of the recent episodes of “Check Please, Bay Area,” and it got winning reviews from everyone. Bub stopped the car and we got directions. Luckily for us, we were only a couple of minutes away…actually, it was just one block from our usual Chinese place. So finding it on El Camino was easy. Outside, is well, a patio. No false advertising here.


Welcome to Patio Filipino!
Upon entering, we were seated in a dining room which made me feel at home. It might have been the paintings on the wall and the capiz shell chandeliers. I liked it already. Bub wanted vegetables, namely eggplant, and his wish was the kitchen’s demand.


Kare Kare
Oxtail in Peanut Sauce with Mixed Vegetables
We ordered three entrées to go along with our rice. The first was kare kare. Solid. Great tasting peanut gravy over tender oxtail. The vegetables weren’t immersed in the sauce, which I actually prefer. What I loved was the bagoong or shrimp fry. It looked like it was sautéed with tomatoes. It was lovely. I could have eaten it alone with rice and I would have been happy.


Crispy Binagoongan
Pork over Eggplant with Mango Salad
This was my choice for one of the entrées. Think crispy, melt in your mouth pork, flavored with bagoong. Pungent, rich, sinful. With each bite, my veins constricted, my blood thickened, but it was all worth it. It’s not something you should eat everyday, but it’s something everyone must try. I fell in love from first bite. The eggplant was like a little boat which held the meat. It was very tender. The mango salad is what balanced everything. Sweet and a bit tart to cut the richness of the pork. Love.


Tortang Talong
Eggplant with Eggs and Minced Mushrooms
They have a meat version of this called Rellenong Talong with both pork and beef, but Bub wanted to go “vegetarian.” With all the animal on the table, I didn’t mind; however, this was very tasty, especially with the ketchup. Simple and delicious.


Sinangag
Garlic Rice
I made a mistake by ordering plain old steamed rice for myself. Toward the end of the meal, I snuck a bite of Bub’s garlic rice. So good. I loved the little bits of fried garlic running throughout. They also have adobo rice and DAING fried rice! Yes, I WILL be back for those!

Because it was just Bub on this day, we didn’t order much, but I would love to come back with my family to try out the rest of the menu. The couple at the next table ordered the bangus sisig which sizzled on a hot iron platter and scented the air with browning fish and onions. Incredible aroma. We didn’t try dessert either because we were stuffed, but their “turon,”aka banana egg rolls, a la mode looked to die for. Yes, I will be back! This was our first time here, and the staff, setting, and food made a great first impression! *thumbs up* I have to admit that it is on the pricy side, so if you do come, bring someone with an impressive credit line. =)

P.S. In case you missed it, here is the Patio Filipino segment on Check Please, Bay Area!

Stanford Sweets - Sprinkles and Pinkberry - Two Cherries Popped Today

Location: Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA
Date Last Visited: Saturday, June 5, 2010
Dining Partner: Bub

Sprinkles - Cupcakes. They have been such the trend lately and everyone and their momma is buying into it. Including myself. I can make you a great red velvet cupcake! Red velvet. Everyone and their momma says that Sprinkles is the best in the Bay Area. Really?! THE BEST? I thought MINE were pretty damn good. Kidding aside, I haven’t really bought any red velvet cupcake in San Francisco since I make my own, but people I know seem to always bring up Sprinkles as their favorite place to go get them. Bub and I were in the area and thought, “hey, why not?”


Bubs and His Thumbs Up
The service at Sprinkles was awesome. They were “sweet!” The cupcakes are $3.25 each and a dozen was $36. For real? I thought that was a bit much, but I had yet to try them. Were they really that good?

Our Four Picks

Black and White - Belgian Dark Chocolate Cake with Creamy Vanilla Frosting
Cinnamon Sugar - Lightly Spiced Buttermilk Cake Dusted with Cinnamon Sugar
Strawberry - Pure Strawberry Cake with Sweet Strawberry Frosting
Red Velvet - Southern Style Light Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting



How Did They Taste?
The picture above shows the cinnamon sugar, but let me go into the “Black and White” since Bub was so excited to get into it. I loved the simplicity of the cupcake. I usually am scared that a chocolate cake will be too rich, but it was just right and the vanilla frosting on top was a nice contrast. The “Cinnamon Sugar” was mentioned in “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” Candace Nelson, the founder of Sprinkles was enchanted by the Donut Muffins at Downtown Bakery and Creamery in Healdsburg, CA and she made a cupcake that resembled those donut muffins. We were told that the “Cinnamon Sugar” cupcakes are the only unfrosted cupcakes on the menu. It didn’t need frosting. The sugar was enough. The cake was slightly tart and the coating was sweet and lightly spicy.

My first bite of the “Red Velvet.” Did I like it? Did I hate it? Did I still think mine were the best? Let’s just say I did not want to share with Bub at all. I have always been told that Sprinkles cupcakes are dense with thick frosting, so I was fearing that eating one would be too much of a chore. Nope! I enjoyed it very much. That cupcake was gone in no time.

The color of the red velvet was darker than I expected. The ones I make are a bright bright red. Sprinkles is a bit denser than my cupcakes, but I wouldn’t say they were leaden. I imagine the use of probably more cocoa and butter (!!) contributes to the difference. I use a relatively small amount of cocoa powder and oil in my recipe. The frosting was just right. Not too much and the consistency was creamy and light. I honestly liked it a lot. If I were in the area again, I would come to Sprinkles again! Where is the “Stawberry” cupcake you ask? I’m saving it. =) My blood sugar is probably through the roof right now because right after Sprinkles, we went to…

Pinkberry! San Francisco and the Bay Area doesn’t have a frozen yogurt chain like Pinkberry. Every mall seems to have their own unique one. The only other Pinkberry in the Bay Area is at Santana Row in San Jose, which is even further, so this was a good place to try it out. Right off the bat, the service was awesome. We were helped with a nice man named Joshua, I believe, and what I loved about the pricing is that you choose your flavor, size and toppings.

If you stick with just froyo, it’s one price, and if you put toppings (regardless of how many), it’s another price. I got a small original tart with 4 toppings for $3.95. Not bad!! Joshua was nice enough to put a lid on it, put the cup in a bag, WITH A BAG OF ICE since we indicated we were taking it to go. !!!WHAT?!! That’s so cool! Even our lovely cashier was as sweet as can be!

Now for the flavor. Was it good? Pinkberry’s froyo is the smoothest I have ever had EVER. EVER. We added mochi, strawberries, mango, and kiwi. Fabulous combination, but I would love to try their other froyo flavors. I wish there was a Pinkberry here in San Francisco, Daly City, SSF, wherever. Just as long as I don’t have to travel half an hour to get it. SO. GOOD. Today was one of the warmest days we’ve have in 2010, and this cool dessert hit the spot. So what did I learn about my visit to Stanford Shopping Center? I am super jealous. Damn you, Stanford students. Just kidding. I am only wishing that these places were closer to home! Now I just gotta figure out an excuse for me to go back there! =)