Yesterday I went to the reliably hokey Alameda County Fair in my hometown of Pleasanton, California. There is always a lot of fun and odd signage there. My favorite this year was a concession stand that featured a picture of a pig cooking a corn dog. As a friend pointed out, the pig could…
Category: Food and Drink
Turntable Cake by My Cousin Raf
Check out this hella dope cake created by my cousin Rafael Martin. The occasion was the opening of the offices of Verducci Entertainment in Berkeley, whose working spaces Raf also did the interior design for. Verducci specializes in providing DJs for all sorts of private and public affairs, so the turntable cake was the perfect…
Taste Test: Tteokbokki Snack from Seoul 7-Eleven
Tteokbokki is one of the most popular street snacks in Seoul, often being vended by older women in street carts everywhere you go, particularly late at night. Tteokbokki is essentially little cylindrical rice cakes that are cooked in a spicy red sauce, and served on plates with toothpicks for about $2-3. I don't really care…
Dancing and Eating My Way Through Seoul
I just got home from a fantastic quick trip to Seoul, Korea. Seoul has long been on my "bucket list" of places to visit in the world, but I admit I didn't have many preconceptions going into the trip. Here are the neatest things I experienced in the Korean capital. (Sorry, I have been busy traveling,…
Jiro Dreams of Sushi: A Delicious Portrait of Master Sushi Chef and His Sons
I just saw "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" last night in San Francisco, at a special showing with the director of the film David Gelb. What a perfect film for a foodie — a respectful and elegant portrait of a master chef Jiro Ono and his stern but loving relationship with his two sons. The…
Gregoire’s Potato Puffs : Tater Tots from Heaven
Gregoire's is my go-to take-out place when I want something French-y but not spendy. Situated in a claustrophobic storefront on Piedmont Avenue in Piedmont, Gregoire's churns out a surprising array of delicacies, from soups to sandwiches to full-dinners. After reading about all the raves on Yelp, I finally had to try Gregoire's crispy potato puffs….
Carl’s Jr’s Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich: Surprisingly Unterrible
I got home late from a night of dancing, with a serious need for an ice cream sandwich. Unfortunately all of the bodegas around my apartment in Oakland were already closed, and 7-11 was too far away. Then I noticed that the Carls Jr on the corner advertises that it now has "Hand-scooped Oreo…
The Perfection of the Monte Cristo Sandwich
This has been one of those indulgent, diet-be-damned kind of holiday weekends. Among the terrible things I've eaten, the best / worst has to be the nearly perfect Monte Cristo sandwich I had at the Copper Skillet in Dublin, CA. The Copper Skillet is one of those small town eateries that does classic American fare…
Golden Gate Park “Dim Sum Run” by the Net Zero Running Squad
Yesterday, I went running with some family and friends in Golden Gate Park on a gorgeous Saturday morning. It was one of those days that make you grateful that you live in the Bay Area. We did a medium-difficult four mile run through the park, starting and ending at 30th Avenue and JFK. Afterwards,…
Burma Superstar’s Tea Leaf Salad: Believing the Hype
This tea leaf salad from Burma Superstar in Oakland is the best thing I've eaten so far in 2012. I'm not a fan of salads, but I've been craving this ever since I had a couple bites of Jeskat's tea leaf salad when we ate there a month ago. I had to go back for…