Article
March 17, 2010
Happy Hour: Persian Rose
 Today is St. Patrick’s Day, which along with Cinco de Mayo, make two of the year’s best excuses to get hammered early. Like other revelers, I’m looking forward to a day filled with shots of Irish whiskey and pints of Guinness, and harassing whoever dares walk into the bar without sporting any green. This […]
Camino Restaurant (OAK)
Two long tables that seat about 40 guests Harry Potter-style, line the walls of Camino in Oakland. These dramatic slabs of wood sum up the restaurant itself – friendly and warm. Adding to the drama are two stone grills at the back of the restaurant in full view of the guests and four huge chandaliers […]
March 12, 2010
Rang Dong (OAK)
One of my obsessions since moving to Berkeley is to find good Vietnamese food in the East Bay. I made my rounds in Downtown Berkeley with no luck whatsoever. Establishments including Pho Hoa, Saigon Express and Le Regal shamelessly use powdered broth as their soup base (at least it tastes like it) leaving my mouth […]
March 11, 2010
K&B Drug Store (NOLA)
Walking through the French Quarter during Mardi Gras, I saw this really huge purple and orange sign, sparkling from blocks away. When I got closer, a cute boy was pushing a cart, with fake boxes of ice cream and glass bottles of booze. Onlookers, who seemed more like locals, kept stopping him to take his […]
March 10, 2010
Happy Hour: El Diablo
This morning I left the house without a coat, beanie, or scarf. While savoring the fresh air and sunshine I realized Spring had arrived early to the party, and DJ Mother Nature (who’s the one throwing the shindig) was shouting, “Let’s get this party started!â€Â Well Big Mama, I thought you’d never ask. A party […]
Lazyass Cookin’: Sauteed Spinach & Mushrooms in Soy Dashi Butter
This dish so easy, I’m almost embarassed to write this. I mean, everyone needs to eat their vegetables, even lazy people, right? I got these oyster mushrooms at the Chinese market for $2! Use whatever mushrooms you prefer– I love the array of colors, shapes and sizes you can find at the farmer’s market, although […]
March 8, 2010
Praline Connection Shrimp, Grits & Gumbo (NOLA)
We were wandering around on Frenchmen Street, an area right next to the French Quarter that gets just is known to get spankrockinwild for Mardi Gras. While we sauntered in and out of bars and talked to crazy people on the streets in colorful wigs, I saw this sign on neon poster paper. If you […]
March 4, 2010
USA JUNKtion: Smith’s Scampi Fries
Found these Scampi Fries at a pub in New Orleans– have you heard of them? They’re from the UK. I thought they would taste like the Japanese Kappaebisen (shrimp chips), but they had more of a zingy citrus flavor than the scampi. This product does not have a website, but the company did produce this […]