NINE

thirtyfive and some

I need like one of those "__ days without incident" signs but for drinking. 463 days without throwing up/blacking out, but Saturday brought me back down to 0.

Saturday also saw me breaking my no eat out rule because I had no choice while wandering the streets of SF with Kyle and Riley, but Good Good Culture Club was worth.

chilled dungeoness crab - red curry coco, crispy rice, sunflower seeds, asparagus, smoked trout roe

crying tiger shrimp salad - coconut makrut cream, cucumber, crispy butter beans, serrano

scallion bun - smoked beef belly, house hoisin, daikon kimchi, golden sesame

pandan espresso martini - vodka, barley shochu, espresso, espresso liqueur, pandan, brown sugar

weaponized incompetence

This is a giant Arsicault croissant on my favorite coffee mug.

We are decompressing today because I am triggered.

my life in pastry review

If I found out eating any amount of gluten could kill me, I'd change into my pj's and spend the whole day making a tray of milk bread cinnamon rolls. And then eat them straight out of the oven.

Bake Sum - Oakland

holy hell this okonomiyaki pastry is what savory dreams are made of

musubi croissant is close second

dingy and uncomfortable

 This an appreciation post for those no frills establishments with "trash" food that hits just right when you're cold and hungry and just want something hella salty.

The first half of my trek back to Arizona as an adult consisted of crowding on small tables, eating with a draft around our ankles, and sticky surfaces. With a few moments of nature appreciation in between!

Finally tried fry bread at Fry Bread House, and we all concluded it was like a big round youtiao. You can get it in taco form, but I've always been a dipping gal. I went with the green chili beef stew at the cashier's recommendation so I could swirl my pieces of frybread in the thick stew or top a chunk of beef on a square of frybread - a real choose your own adventure.

The next food item to check off the list was a Sonoran hot dog at El Caprichoso. There are a lot of food.. tents in Arizona. Not as exposed as a food stand, not devoid of seating like a traveling food truck, but not as sheltered as a brick and mortar of course. We drove by many set up in the middle of empty parking lots with no other source of entertainment around, but it doesn't matter, we here for the hot dogs.

Sonoran hotdogs for the table with everything on top - beans, guac, cotija, tomatoes, onions, jalepenos, mayo, mustard, ketchup - sandwiched between a Hawaiian-roll like bun, with a charred pepper on the side. I'm also a toppings gal, and this hot dog just about covers it all.

To start the day in Tuscon, we found Barista Del Barrio, which was a brick and mortar stand in the middle of a residential neighborhood with a couple alcoves of patio furniture seating.

Go for the hocho latte (horchata + espresso) and chorizo breakfast burrito (to which I added green chili) because they give you two minis instead of one giant boy and the salsa was my favorite.

We wolfed them down in the car before goin' 'sploring.

In the grocery stores I found Minute Maid Hibiscus juices and Hormel canned mini beef tamales and commiserated with Jennie about why these aren't readily available things for us in California?? Or are they and I just never seen???

Well anyways, that found me not being able to resist a prickly pear iced tea when wandering around MSA Annex. I think I prefer hibiscus for the extra tartness.

Quick birria taco from La Cabana Del Bambino to prefer for cactus spotting at Saguaro. This was yet another shack-in-the-middle-of-a-parking-lot type place where you can get tacos, tortas, and hot dogs. Order at the taco shack and cross the vast parking lot to the other trailer to pick up your hot dog. Maybe spot some birds nesting in the trailer truck wheels. Ponder the VIP window. VIP hot dog service? I don't know, but it's fun. Apparently the hot dogs were not as good at the first place, so maybe go for the birria.

Though if you really want a good plate of shredded meat - the cabeza plate at Taqueria Juanitos was something I could mush my face into. There was a request to find a dining establishment with a restroom, so we stepped it up a notch. Go for the combo plate and you'll get the rice and beans and enough meat and fixins for four tacos. Also a large cup of pina colada agua fresca because there's a bathroom now. But of course the overhead lighting is still dingy.

Menudo was planted in our heads on a Wednesday when we saw all these places only offer it on the weekends. So our first stop back in Phoenix on a Friday was Menuderia Guanajuato where you can select your size of menudo. The waitress made it seem like medium was reasonable for lunch but damn it was huge. How did the ladies next to us finish a large bowl... EACH? Menudo definitely does not smell good, but omg how I love the chewy silky texture. The soup was so savory and flavorful and you get the option to add hominy (uh yes duh).

I took half of it home to eat on our last day with my best interpretation of cheese crisps (open faced quesadilla?) with the leftover tortillas. MMMMMM it really hit the spot.

Fame was peak trendy brunch vibes, and post menudo I didn't need a full meal, but damn I love a good cup of soupy beans. Not exactly refried, but this side of stewy pinto beans with a giant (accidental?) chunk of onion and topped with cheese and served with thick tortilla chips is the definition of comfort. I didn't need the house rosemary potatoes, but I did enjoy the hibiscus honey limeade.

hello compilation

A summary of latin food from the first half of this year and stories from my hazy memory.

cho-me chome c-ome

The cutest thing about Chome is all the hand written/drawn signs around the modest little restaurant.

Alicia's send off dinner (though actually it was more like my send off dinner as I was headed to a redeye) had to include slices of pork belly. They didn't let me finish the garnish leaves when the plate was whisked away.

ramen weather

Anxiety levels are always high when I'm back at home. But not just in the typical ways you could guess for adult child returning back to den of someone else's rules and habits. I regress about 20 years in mentality, but whenever I open a cabinet or drawer to find it stuffed full of papers and tools and snacks and toys and just all around junk, I feel the daunting task of one day having to be responsible for cleaning it out. Then I slowly close the cabinet or the drawer and walk away and tuck myself into my temporary bed and try to sooth my brain into believing I can just pay someone to take care of the mess when the time comes.

I can't even bring myself to really stay in the kitchen. The fridge is full of 2, 3, 4, 5 year expired jars and blocks of things, and the pantry is full of 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 year expired bags and cartons of things. The reluctance to throw anything out. The inability to begin any form of organization. Is this mental illness?

Before you say anything, yes, this is where I get it from. But at least I have control over my own things. Did anyone ever question if I, too, have a mental illness though?

I made these fried enoki with togarashi last year and looking at this tangled mass of fungi without any indication of where it starts and where it ends is not unlike looking behind any door in my parents' house.

send noods

I really don't know what to say. This slow roasted lamb sammich from SOMA Eats was fucking incredible. With date almond relish and arugula and a pile of roasted lamb shoulder on ciabatta. Making going back to work...watching Youtube videos while lamb juices drop down my hands and then I have to awkwardly pinch my mask back onto my face to walk over to the sink to wash up... totally worth it.

food porn

"I feel violated."

-Kevin

I don't think I need to add any more text to describe this absolutely mind blowing meal.

#bakersagainstracism

Damn if I thought crossing the Bay Bridge was a trek before... now I need to make sure I do several activities to make it worth it.
Like stopping by a Korean grocery store to impulse buy snacks for market research and picking up some bentos from Rintaro after a long walk on the beach.

These packages look like those hyper realistic models of food in Japanese restaurant windows. Too perfect to eat. But of course we did, and it was as yummy and as crunchy as it looks.


Kaisen kakiage don - rice and seafood kakiage tempura with scallops, shrimp, onion, hot spring egg, tentsuyu, inger, scallion
Negikatsu bento - rice and pork+onion katsu with panko, pork soboro, and snowy cabbage salad with sesame dressing

beige not bland

Causwells

housemade ricotta with rosemary honey and lavash
fries with garlic aioli
beer

all part of a balanced meal to fuel my bland life

worst charcuterie board

I had the worst charcuterie board this past weekend. I didn't even know that was something I would experience. I mean, whether we make them at home or pay $13 for one at a dimly lit restaurant that promises live music and doesn't let you sit in the main dining area unless you order a $24 entree because apparently drinks and apps are not a good enough $24 for a regular table.

Anyways, the charcuterie board was really just a Lunchable on a platter with normal pickles and jam. And 5 pieces of bread. Like literal mortadella and slices of baked ham. Do they not at least sell good salamis anywhere in Nashville?

Makes you really appreciate a charcuterie board done well. At Rusty's Southern for instance. That came with cracklin' and deviled eggs and pickled okra and grapes and pimento as well as thinly sliced cured meats.

boiled chicken

Chicken noodle soup wasn't my illness food of choice, but I can understand the sentiment. I guess the whole chicken broths my parents would make with turnips or winter melons and ginger were essentially the same thing. Boiled is one of my least favorite preparations of food... but some things are just comfortable, you know?
Which is why Hainanese chicken rice was one of the more memorable dishes from Singapore. Kenny won me over when he described the dish as made with chicken fat. Say no more.
So naturally both Rooster&Rice and Hawking Bird were high on my list when I learned of their existence. I managed to make it to RnR on one of the random holidays we get. My favorite thing about the menu was that the "Marina" was the skinless and brown rice version of the "Original." Work peeps know how I feel about boneless skinless chicken breast... I'm not going to get into it. The thing I love best about this simple dish is how chicken forward it is thanks to the chicken fat rice, so the side of a cup of broth was extra perfect. One of these days I'll make it myself, and when that day comes I'm totally frying up the skin, crumbling it up, and sprinkling it all over the bone-in meat. And maybe add a side of a soy saucey fermented beany braised egg drizzled generously with chili oil. My mouth is watering.
Hawking Bird was equally comforting and needed. The place had a more extensive menu (that included fried chicken things too, mmmmm). I think at this point it really comes down to the sauce, and I honestly couldn't tell you which stands out more in my memories that are admittedly colored by the company. I can definitely add HB to the list of "public places in which i've cried," subcategory "fights with the bf" along with the office and the streets outside of my boxing gym. 'Chicken noodle soup' really is for the soul.

Rooster and Rice

Hawking Bird

anniversary

The last anniversary of any sort I celebrated was my workiversary when we got a bunch of deep dish pizzas because when you're a small company, you can be big on celebrating everything. The one before that.... was probably in high school.

avocado bath

true neutral

According to the sandwich chart.
My previous state's burger quest has more or less morphed into a taco hunt. Which isn't hard around here. This is just a post in appreciation of the simplicity of really well-cooked meats + onions + cilantro piled on two corn tortillas. Of salsa bars filled with more greens and reds and yellows than the sunset over a grassy hill. All found in the Mission. Mostly after some late night drinking.

not in workout gear

some young hip people at the table

who jumped on the chance to dress up and be classy

for a night at the gala (pronounced: gay-la)

in this satellite city

We all know what it means when the parents are in town. Free food. Free groceries. Free gas. Tourist mode.
I was saving Mister Jiu's for them.

I had read about this soudough scallion pancake somewhere. And I was instantly intrigued.

gift cards

Black Sands Brewery