Is there any other highly Yelp rated restaurant in Sunnyvale besides from Dish Dash? I'm really getting tired of the food in this restaurant. I've tried all of their lunch entrees that I can eat from salmon to chicken.
Ugh! I desperately need more food options in the South Bay. So dear readers, please suggest!
Ugh! I desperately need more food options in the South Bay. So dear readers, please suggest!
This is one of the lunch entrees. Can you guess what this is? |
Since I just came back from my gastronomy trip in Turkey before heading out to Utah (such a change of scene!), I can say that the food my fellow food blogger, Sourabh, and I had at Mazza was worth every penny.
Bambara was my first pick for a late lunch, but they were closed. So after a few minutes drive, we arrived at Mazza hungry and thirsty from the humid Salt Lake City weather.
baklava finger and also took home two of the same fingers and another two traditional baklavas! That's just how we roll...
Bambara was my first pick for a late lunch, but they were closed. So after a few minutes drive, we arrived at Mazza hungry and thirsty from the humid Salt Lake City weather.
Is this the loobia? I forget. But it was really good! |
What we do best- photo first then eat |
My very filling chicken shawarma. This is actually better than the one I got in Istanbul! |
baklava finger and also took home two of the same fingers and another two traditional baklavas! That's just how we roll...
Front focus |
Overhead focus |
To break down the monotony of this baklava finger from Mazza in Salt Lake City, Utah, I added the rule of odds (2 forks + 1 baklava = 3) to balance the photo. The top photo focuses on the layers of puff pastry and nuts, while the bottom photo focuses on the overhead texture topped with pistachios.
If I were to choose between these two photos, I would opt for the top photo, which shows how delicately the phyllo dough is rolled and stuffed with sweet cashews.
What do you think?
My favorite part of the chicken is the wings. Hence, it is not really surprising that I was so intrigued when a little shop called Wing Wings opened in the Lower Haight last year. Although to my dismay, I never make my way to the Haight area until one chilly night post-midnight snack hour. I immediately noticed Wing Wings even though someone was dragging me to the club beside it. Suffice to say, I also dragged my friend to Wing Wings after entering and then exiting the club one minute later. That's how hungry I was.
Wing Wings serves fresh fried chicken wings. Doh! You can then select different sauces - the Angry Korean sounded most intriguing to me though the cashier couldn't explain very well what the ingredients are. A blend of kimchi and what?
Overall, Wing Wings is a good late-night food option. I just wished they delivered to my hood so I don't have to make the trek to the Lower Haight.
Wing Wings serves fresh fried chicken wings. Doh! You can then select different sauces - the Angry Korean sounded most intriguing to me though the cashier couldn't explain very well what the ingredients are. A blend of kimchi and what?
Overall, Wing Wings is a good late-night food option. I just wished they delivered to my hood so I don't have to make the trek to the Lower Haight.
Finally, I was able to make a short trip to my neighborhood's 15 Romolo. I've been at this location eons ago (when I first moved to SF) when it was called something else. After reading that they actually served brunch apart from late night cocktails, I made my way to the cleaner (read: no drunks and prostitutes) Broadway street around Sunday noon.
The free waffle shot appetizer set high expectations and the entrees didn't disappoint.
waffle shot |
fried chicken with green chilies, hash brown, biscuits |
poached egg, pork, potatoes |
Bambara came in highly recommended by a friend of a friend when we were out in our little Utah adventure. However, the first and second time we went there they were closed, so we had to curb our hunger at the adjacent bar with some chips with melted blue cheese (yum!) and mid-afternoon cocktails.
I would definitely go back to try the main dining room if ever I find myself in Salt Lake City again (and that's a big IF).
I would definitely go back to try the main dining room if ever I find myself in Salt Lake City again (and that's a big IF).
Crab melt with frites |
oyster oyster oyster! |
There was only one choice of oysters from Washington that day, but I can't really complain since it is a dollar after all. We also ordered a crab melt and artichokes stuffed with shrimps and lobsters (or was that crab meat?).
I want to go back again on another Tuesday for another round of oysters and try the chowder or the pasta with crabs.
I was really glad that I had the opportunity to dine at the original Namu even though it was in the foggy, Richmond neighborhood. Every time I hear that a restaurant is moving or shutting down due to leasing issues, there is always speculation in the air- will the new resto be at par or even surpass the old one? A very good (although tragic) example of this is what used to be the long standing Citizen Cake, which moved to the Filmore from nearby the Opera district right when Chef Elizabeth Falkner was gaining popularity as a celebrity chef in the Food Network. Their move turned out to be catastrophic.
But back to Namu, now in a coveted location by Dolores Park, they have to go neck-and-neck against the more popular, albeit different cuisine, Bar Tartine, Delfina and Bi-rite for dessert. Namu Gaji also has a different menu taking cue from Korean street food, and thus food is served in paper plates (gasp!).
With the amount of food I ordered (salad, 2 tacos and shaved ice), I was still left a bit unsatisfied. If not for Tablehopper's coupon, this would have been an expensive, not so filling lunch.
But back to Namu, now in a coveted location by Dolores Park, they have to go neck-and-neck against the more popular, albeit different cuisine, Bar Tartine, Delfina and Bi-rite for dessert. Namu Gaji also has a different menu taking cue from Korean street food, and thus food is served in paper plates (gasp!).
With the amount of food I ordered (salad, 2 tacos and shaved ice), I was still left a bit unsatisfied. If not for Tablehopper's coupon, this would have been an expensive, not so filling lunch.
My view |
Ceasar salad with kimchi- not bad at all. I am very fond of ceasar salad with tons of cheese on top. |
Refreshing jasmine shaved iced A good ending to a light lunch. (read: I was still hungry!) |
I cringed every time I read triple X's on the menu. I always expect a burst of flavor for these triple chocolate almost deadly desserts. Upon examining two XXX desserts in just a span of one week, I could only take a few sips of the liquor drink and few bites of the cake. Chocolate overload!
XXX- triple dark chocolate layer cake @ Baker and Banker |
Celebrations always call for good food. To welcome the newlyweds, my cousins, into town, we found ourselves in the highly regarded Baker and Banker. Because I didn't do any research prior to dinner (a rarity for me), I was surprised that they had a lot of seafood choices in their menu.
Another rarity is that Chef Jeff Banker actually came out and asked us how the food was! Well, the food was good but rather expensive, Mr. Banker :)
Another rarity is that Chef Jeff Banker actually came out and asked us how the food was! Well, the food was good but rather expensive, Mr. Banker :)
Late summer gazpacho, Maine lobster, roasted grapes, toasted almonds - this is what I like best! |
House smoked trout, potato latke, horseradish cream, pickled beets, shaved fennel |
Brokaw's avocado, burrata, housemade fennel seed crackers, pickled shallots, Villa Manadori balsamico- burrata is a type of cheese fyi |
Pan roasted pork chop, herb spaetzle, sweet corn pudding, roasted figs |
Candied bacon doughnuts, bourbon cheesecake filling, maple glaze |
When my friend and I won the lottery to go to The Wave, I really didn't know what to expect from the hike. The ranger who oriented us, the lucky winners, gave everyone a scare when he told us that (1) we need to get out of the park before sunset since someone has accidentally fallen off a cliff from the dark (gasp!), (2) bring a gallon of water per person and drink it while hiking, and (3) ensure that we drive a non-low rise vehicle to cross the stream.
Luckily (we were just oh so lucky to win to begin with), it wasn't raining in Coyote Buttes for the past few days so the stream/wash was all dried up. With a paper in tow that shows all the points of where we needed to go, we were ready to experience a 'National Geographic' moment.
I had to plan carefully what to put inside my tiny messenger bag in order to fully enjoy the trip. I was able to stuff:
- 2 Luna protein bars to keep me from starving
- 1 Sky Flakes cracker (so pinoy! I may be the only one who has been able to bring Sky Flakes into the Wave! heheh)
- 2 water bottles totaling to 1 liter of water: I finished up all my water and had to ask for more from my companion because the heat and uphill climbs made me very very thirsty
- small pouch: lip balm, sunblock, band aid, ballpen, etc.
- camera: Nikon D40 with 24-70 lens (2 lbs. heavy help!)
- iPhone for instagramming
Luckily (we were just oh so lucky to win to begin with), it wasn't raining in Coyote Buttes for the past few days so the stream/wash was all dried up. With a paper in tow that shows all the points of where we needed to go, we were ready to experience a 'National Geographic' moment.
I had to plan carefully what to put inside my tiny messenger bag in order to fully enjoy the trip. I was able to stuff:
- 2 Luna protein bars to keep me from starving
- 1 Sky Flakes cracker (so pinoy! I may be the only one who has been able to bring Sky Flakes into the Wave! heheh)
- 2 water bottles totaling to 1 liter of water: I finished up all my water and had to ask for more from my companion because the heat and uphill climbs made me very very thirsty
- small pouch: lip balm, sunblock, band aid, ballpen, etc.
- camera: Nikon D40 with 24-70 lens (2 lbs. heavy help!)
- iPhone for instagramming
walking to the wave |
Map in/out of The Wave: Circled where we got lost looking for the saddle :( |
Lemon Luna protein bar |
Sky Flakes- damn I can be an endorser for them now! ha! |
This is the last series of my Turkish Delights post- saving the best for last.
In every souvenir shop I went to, I always see bottles of Turkish Viagra, which look like dried shrimp paste. In one shop, they were selling one that was expired over a year ago. So it made me think... is this stuff actually real or is it just for ignorant tourists who want a good laugh?
Out of curiosity, I was lured in a shop with bottles of viagra (expired too!) by the window but ended up buying powdered fruit teas. The owner of the shop invited my friend and I to a tea party so we could try the different powdered drinks he had. I felt like I was in Alice in Wonderland with all the colorful drinks- yellow for lemon, grassy green for mint, pink for pomegranate, orange for orange, light brown for ginger, etc; each one of these have its own health benefits, or so he says. So I'm waiting to see if drinking the pomegranate tea daily actually improves my skin texture!
Turkish Delights Part 1
Turkish Delights Part 2: Spice Bazaar
Turkish Delights Part 3: Tea, Sugar and Dream
Turkish Delights Part 4: Eating my Way in Turkey
In every souvenir shop I went to, I always see bottles of Turkish Viagra, which look like dried shrimp paste. In one shop, they were selling one that was expired over a year ago. So it made me think... is this stuff actually real or is it just for ignorant tourists who want a good laugh?
Out of curiosity, I was lured in a shop with bottles of viagra (expired too!) by the window but ended up buying powdered fruit teas. The owner of the shop invited my friend and I to a tea party so we could try the different powdered drinks he had. I felt like I was in Alice in Wonderland with all the colorful drinks- yellow for lemon, grassy green for mint, pink for pomegranate, orange for orange, light brown for ginger, etc; each one of these have its own health benefits, or so he says. So I'm waiting to see if drinking the pomegranate tea daily actually improves my skin texture!
Turkish Delights Part 1
Turkish Delights Part 2: Spice Bazaar
Turkish Delights Part 3: Tea, Sugar and Dream
Turkish Delights Part 4: Eating my Way in Turkey
Whoever said that there is nothing to do in Utah/Salt Lake City is dead wrong! I found myself huffing and puffing just to see one of the great wonders of the world, The Wave, in Coyote Buttes, South Utah.
You can only get a permit through a lottery so we were one of the lucky ones to be selected during the walk-in lottery- the probability of winning was about 5% based on how many other applicants there were. Luck really is an understatement since only less than 20 hikers are given permits per day. So I was beyond shocked when our lottery number was called :D
It took my partner-in-crime and I a total of 6 hours just to hike in and out of The Wave. Regularly, it takes 4 hours, but because we got lost going out (it has no signs to get you out and no lights when the sun sets), we were frantically trying to check out every "saddle" that leads downhill. We had 2 hours before sun would start to set, and thank goodness, we were able to find our way out and cross the large sand wash to the parking lot.
It took us another 2 hours to get back to the town of Kanab. We were, of course, starving by then. My brain was going on overdrive, and so we decided to go to the best restaurant in town again (ate here on our first night) to try their other dishes.
Rocking V Cafe has a very Southern cool vibe decorated with Southern Utah's sites, geckos and paintings. It disturbed me (in a good way) that the bathroom is immaculately clean. The food here is fresh and superb! The owner is also a very amiable guy, and we were able to get some tips on where we could go en route to Salt Lake City airport for the next day. This place deserves a Michelin Star for being a superb restaurant in terms of food, price, cleanliness and service in the middle nowhere. One reviewer on Yelp wrote that the food is comparable to the Bay Area's, and I can't agree more!
The Wave, Utah |
It took my partner-in-crime and I a total of 6 hours just to hike in and out of The Wave. Regularly, it takes 4 hours, but because we got lost going out (it has no signs to get you out and no lights when the sun sets), we were frantically trying to check out every "saddle" that leads downhill. We had 2 hours before sun would start to set, and thank goodness, we were able to find our way out and cross the large sand wash to the parking lot.
It took us another 2 hours to get back to the town of Kanab. We were, of course, starving by then. My brain was going on overdrive, and so we decided to go to the best restaurant in town again (ate here on our first night) to try their other dishes.
Rocking V Cafe has a very Southern cool vibe decorated with Southern Utah's sites, geckos and paintings. It disturbed me (in a good way) that the bathroom is immaculately clean. The food here is fresh and superb! The owner is also a very amiable guy, and we were able to get some tips on where we could go en route to Salt Lake City airport for the next day. This place deserves a Michelin Star for being a superb restaurant in terms of food, price, cleanliness and service in the middle nowhere. One reviewer on Yelp wrote that the food is comparable to the Bay Area's, and I can't agree more!
Jambalaya with shrimp- ohlala! |
A different kind of quesadilla |
polenta cakes |
fettuccine with chicken yum! |
choco mousse so soft and melts in your mouth |
refreshing key lime pie |
It is very rare that you walk into a dessert shop that strays away from pastel, cute-sy colors. At Craftsman and Wolves, they mean business in its stark dark, gray aura, wooden communal tables and warehouse-like high ceilings. They look like a coffee shop more than a patisserie. Even their name sounds like, um, a hardware store, which would be apt in the Mission district...
Expect some clean-cut and polished packaging from Craftsman and Wolves. My only regret is that my tummy couldn't expand more after brunching at Nopa. I did enjoy the unique packaging of the panna cotta- you can squirt syrup (I think) into the small jar for some added sweetness. It felt like I was eating baby food. Most panna cotta's are only made out of gelatin with some fruits/syrup, but the granola added a different texture to it making the panna cota more interesting.
A big downside is the lack of PROPER, seating space- common for many small shops in the city, but I'd have a better impression of this place if I were not facing a brick wall. I'd also have a better experience with my guests who were all cramped up on one side where the water jug was, and thus many people bumped into us :(
Expect some clean-cut and polished packaging from Craftsman and Wolves. My only regret is that my tummy couldn't expand more after brunching at Nopa. I did enjoy the unique packaging of the panna cotta- you can squirt syrup (I think) into the small jar for some added sweetness. It felt like I was eating baby food. Most panna cotta's are only made out of gelatin with some fruits/syrup, but the granola added a different texture to it making the panna cota more interesting.
A big downside is the lack of PROPER, seating space- common for many small shops in the city, but I'd have a better impression of this place if I were not facing a brick wall. I'd also have a better experience with my guests who were all cramped up on one side where the water jug was, and thus many people bumped into us :(
panna cotta or baby food? |
The Rebel Within- with breakfast sausage from Boccalone |
choco Vietnamese cube cake |
(L) can't remember since I didn't really enjoy it much (R)- brownie |
I do believe that brunching is the best way to start a productive weekend. Can you believe that within this day, I pummeled a brunch course at Nopa after seeing the SF Moma galleries, sweetened my palate at Craftsman and Wolves and then at DeLise, and then ending the day at Prospect for dinner. All these plus a jet lagged body that refuses to function 100%. (I took a short nap during dinner in the dining table in front of my guests... hush!)
French toast so gooey |
eggs with sides that are so tasty and fresh |
scrambled eggs- again the side salad is the winner |
began/ended my brunch with a cup of hot chocolate made in house |