Sunday, January 24, 2010

Asia SF; The Orange Lamb Takes the Runway...

I threw my very good friend, Rachel, a bachelorette party with the help of the Ladies of Asia SF and they did not disappoint! Food, Entertainment and BJ's...what more could a girl ask for?
First off, hats (or should I say "Stilettos") off to the gorgeous ladies who definitely made me feel physically incompetent as a natural woman. Mile-long legs, perfect buns, tight abs, sexy attire, beautiful make-up and to top it all off, FIERCE runway walks! HOT HOT HOT!!!!! What's also nice about these ladies is that they are sweethearts. I won't mention the show for those who have not experienced it yet...I don't want to spoil it for you!
I definitely recommend having a Birthday or Bachelorette party here. Everyone is so pleasant and easy to work with, it takes the burden out of planning and stressing over having a successful event!
We opted for the Gold Menu and was also able to take advantage of the Dine About Town price! But don't let that price fool ya...Once the drinks are flowin', it will cost a pretty penny! (Totally worth it!) Basically, everything is served family style based on the set menu of your choice (Gold, Platinum or Diamond). The Gold menu is plenty for a group of girls.
So much food, but I'll wind down to my favorites:
Porcupines: These crispy fried yummy pieces of heaven were delectable! Perfectly crisp with clear noodles on the outside and wonderful aromas of shrimp, scallops and water chestnuts on the inside. Dip these delectable cheese-stick shaped wonders into a special sauce and let it marinate in your mouth...
Orange Lamb: Wow...Wow...Wow...I usually don't like lamb that much, but the orange glaze and white rice balanced the dish perfectly. Others speak highly of the "Baby Got Back" Ribs, but I beg to differ...You can get Baby Back Ribs elsewhere...The Orange Lamb definitely takes the runway...
Finally, for dessert, we had little mini Ube, Macapuno and Coconut ice cream cones. What is it that makes mini desserts so much better than their regular-sized counterparts? Ahh, simple pleasures, less guilt!


Limon; Cheezin' Fish, Heebeegeebees...

I've heard many good things about Limon, but meh...it's okaaaaay, just not my favorite. I came here on a Friday night and boy, was it busy...there was not an empty table in sight with several parties still waiting for their table. Recession? Apparently not!
The decor was subtle, modern and simple. The hint of lime green and orange colors throughout the restaurant as well as in the food was a nice "red thread" touch.
The service overall was pleasant as well, although I have to say...sitting next to two tables who knew the chef and the waiter kind of made me feel unimportant. However, it didn't prevent them from paying their other patrons attention...But I'm just sayin'...
The menu was not extensive, but balanced and full of flavors. We started off with the Limon Cebiche. It had perfect portions of shrimp, calamari and tuna (at least I think that's what it was...). However, the squid was a bit chewy...bleh. I wish I tried the Cebiche shooters...they looked delish! The Empanadas de Carne was also good. A bit on the salty side, but it had a crispy pastry crust that made my mouth water.
Finally, our entrees came. I had the Pargo Rojo (Fried Whole Red Snapper) but I made the mistake of trying his Lomo Saltado first. Medium rare steak, fries and onions...Wow, a salty punch, but delicious! Therefore causing my snapper to taste pretty bland. I also didn't like how my fish was staring right at me, cheezin' his teeth at me. My date had to discard his head for me...he gave me the heebeegeebees. I was expecting the snapper to be a bit more salty, since everything else seemed to be drenched in it! Oh well...
Alas, Limon's saving grace: Dessert! I couldn't help but see phallic images when they arrived, so bear with me while I explain. The Mango Pie, light, fluffy and whipped was quite tasty. The phallic resemblance? See the picture above. So pretty. So precious. We also ordered the Cream Puffs, which were my personal favorite. Not too sweet, but oh so yummy! Be careful when eating...the cream tends to squirt out...need I say more? Was it a coincidence that we ordered porn-esce dessert? I don't think so...

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Foreign Cinema; I Needed a Moment...


Foreign Cinema is always good for celebrating a birthday. Great, spacious layout, very open and lofty with an outdoor courtyard to catch a movie. Great for bigger parties and even better to take advantage of their Dine About Town menu!
I initially arrived already stuffed from a family dinner, so I was hoping to politely get by, being one of those girls just ordering a salad...But I opted for the Cauliflower Soup, because I saw Bacon in the description and couldn't resist. Light, cheesy and bacon-y...A bit filling, Gotta love it!
So, everyone else's dishes came out and lo and behold, my favorite dish returned into my life! Someone ordered the beloved Madras Curry Roast Chicken. I had this dish that was obviously sent from heaven before, so I had to steal a bite. Once in my mouth, I remembered it like it was yesterday...The crisp curry and sesame batter, the moist chicken meat...I needed a moment. My date took one look at me and said "I'm not jealous...It's just food". Oh me, oh my...He should be jealous...Sorry, dude! :) I decided that I should just order it as part of my Dine About Town meal and take it home to have my own private tasting of it. This dish is food porn at its best...!
Whew! For dessert, I chose the Pot de Creme. I can definitely say that I've had better. The Huckleberry Crisp was surprisingly an absolute winner! What is a huckleberry? Whatever it is, it was cooked to perfection with a nice, crisp edge accompanied with a fitting dollop of whipped cream on top. What a way to end a perfect second dinner! I'm stuffed!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Mandalay-Palm Trees and "Puppy Seeds"? Poor Puppies...


I live near Mandalay and I think I may move in, especially if they keep the sexy dishes coming! I've passed this place many times, but it's easy to miss, especially if you're not looking for it. I ate here on a Tuesday night with a few girlfriends with a reservation for four. I reservation? Really? On a Tuesday night? Yes. There were plenty of patrons enjoying their food, while we still waited about a half an hour for a table to empty out. Apparently, this was an off night, as there usually is not a long wait. Oh well. I'll overlook it. It gave me a chance to observe the almost cheesy ambiance.
Walking in, you will see an elaborate altar set up with fresh fruit and a neon palm tree...classic! In the dining room, ornaments hang from the ceiling while random bouquets of fresh flowers adorn tables. It was quite...homey. Add the warm and friendly service from the what seemed to be a family-driven restaurant, you've got a classic Asian dining experience!
On to the taste buds...Oh, where do I begin? Thank God for my friends Veronica and Kim who ordered for us...I wouldn't have been able to decide, since all the pictures in the menu looked so yummy...funny how there were only pictures for the appetizers and desserts. Speaking of the menu...someone needs to run a spell check...I wasn't too keen on eating a dessert "Springkled with puppy seeds"...Springkled? With Puppy Seeds? Poor puppies...
-Ginger Lemonade: What a refreshing tall glass of goodness streaming down your throat after a long day...
-Tea Leaf Salad: My absolute favorite! It's so pretty when it comes out, with each ingredient displayed together, then mixed together by the server...Tea Leaves, Sesame Seeds, Ground Shrimp, and more...There was an explosion of such healthy flavors...a party in my mouth :)
-Balada: A crispy pancake accompanied by a curry dipping sauce. Can I please have more sauce? Thanks! Honestly, it's one of the best tasting curry sauces I've ever had...not too heavy, but just right. The dish itself is a bit oily, but oh so worth it!
-Mango Salad: It was okay...I definitely think the Tea Leaf Salad was a stage whore in this case!
-Pan Fried Okra and Prawns: Prawns are usually the main attraction when served with veggies, but I definitely think that the okra stole the limelight. I guess I'm used to overcooked okra...Mandalay's pan fried okra is crispy and really highlights the natural taste of it, without being bitter. Yum...
-Mango Chicken: I love mango chicken, but this was not any different from what I've had before. Still good...just not what I would expect it to be, since everything else was so amazing.
-Mandalay Special Noodle: This dish was pretty good as well, but after devouring everything else that came before it, it kind of took a back seat to our liking...Still interesting how it came out with each ingredient displayed together, then mixed...Just too bad that I didn't enjoy it on my full stomach!
-Dessert: Even if you do not order dessert, they still give you a small complimentary serving of it. They offered us a nice arrangement coconut jello that was cold and hard and a sweet potato...hmm...I'm not sure what it's called...but it was sweet soft and warm. Food Porn in it's truest form... :)
Thank you, girls, for yet another night of yummy food porn...Until next time!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

That Takes The Cake; Icing on the Cupcake!


I absolutely loooooove this place! I was looking to order some mini cupcakes to serve at my birthday party, but I wanted something different and DELICIOUS and That Takes the Cake surpassed all expectations!
I initially searched all over the city to try different cupcakes, but was not too impressed with the lack of variety (not to mention the lack of service). One can only have so much of vanilla, chocolate or red velvet. I was thinking Kara's, but they were super expensive and not worth it.
Which led me to TTTC. I'm so glad I read about TTTC on Yelp! Each time I spoke with someone from this lovely little find, they were all personable and friendly!!! That was a HUGE plus for me!
Ok, on to the tasty cupcakes...my favorite, HANDS DOWN is the Prom Queen. I'm not sure if I can...hmm...ok, I'll just say this: I literally felt a wonderful tingly feeling all over my body (That's rated-PG, right?). I needed another moment in the other room. A close second runner up is the Green Tea with Lychee icing. Oooh....They were both a huge hit!
I highly recommend TTTC for those who have a love affair with cupcakes. The wonderful service is just...Icing on the Cupcake! Ha.