Eat. Travel. Eat!

During another conference at the same location as some previous ones , I knew where to walk to for a meal: Boudin SF. Having experienced breakfast at Boudin SF one time and recognizing the positives of Boudin's Food, I knew that Boudin SF would be a dependable option this time, and it certainly was! When we arrived at the conference area, we had to make our own dinner plans and since none of us had access to a car, my friend and I walked that one block to Boudin SF. He had already eaten dinner and so ordered a grilled cheese with turkey (7.99 USD), but in my case, I ordered a Soup and Salad Combo (8.59 USD). My friend felt that he had received a mediocre deal after seeing the size of this combo in contrast to his relatively tiny sandwich and bag of chips; it took me much longer to eat all of this food, and I was stuffed for less than a dollar more than what he paid!

During Celebrate UCI my friend and I visited California Teriyaki Grill, a relatively new addition to University Town Center. It is a small restaurant with only about eight closely packed tables; however, one can easily order take out and just eat outdoors, where there is plentiful seating. All food is packaged in take-out containers. Being a fast food/take out place, California Teriyaki Grill's prices are quite reasonable (especially for University Town Center), and what makes it really different from the competition are two aspects: condiments and its teriyaki sauce. Green onions, jalepenos, and a variety of sauces are available as toppings, and the teriyaki sauce is made in house. Unlike teriyaki sauces from some teriyaki outlets, California Teriyaki Grill's teriyaki sauce is not saccharine, but rather somewhat savory and fruity. In addition, the proteins and veggies on the menu only get a light squiggle of sauce, allowing for greater customization with condiments. ...

Four years ago, I used a camera phone and a point and shoot. One of the most memorable pictures was this picture of an engraved watermelon with an UCI anteater, taken when my friend was just entering the university. The food then at Pippin Commons was decent, but there were definitely some setbacks, even at move-in day, where Pippin was trying to demonstrate its quality offerings to parents. For example, the chicken tortilla soup was barely passable; some other items I shrugged about. (Pictures taken during Celebrate UCI, 2012) In between the four years, I got samples from Pippin, such as some chocolate chip cookies (delicious, crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle) or fruit, but I never really got to thoroughly visit Pippin, or UCI itself again. With that said, my companions and I really were in for a surprise when we visited Pippin for the first time again in four years. In comparison to some restaurant reviews that I've written here on the blog...

On June 9, 2012, New Mandarin Noodle Deli was featured on Easy Chinese , a new, rebranded season of an existing show on the Cooking Channel with Ching-He Huang as host. At the restaurant, the chef taught Huang about the process of making shou la mian (hand pulled noodles) as well as dao xiao mian (knife cut noodles), and Huang sampled a rendition of tomato and egg knife cut noodles on location.  Of course, Huang proclaimed it as delicious, recognizing the springiness of the noodles. Similar to other restaurant visits featured on Easy Chinese , Huang then proceeded to make her own dish, utilizing the knife cut noodles from the chef. In comparison, her dish was more spicy, with liberal application of chili oil. I found the feature interesting as New Mandarin Noodle Deli certainly hasn't been the most popular of all places, and my review, along with more recent reviews, have not been positive about the place. Perhaps there's something that the Easy Chinese crew that we do ...

In November we stayed at the St Regis Monarch Beach to compare and contrast it to our experience at Pelican Hill . Unlike Pelican Hill, we had gone to the St Regis in person previously, enjoying brunch at the Motif almost 10 years ago. This visit, not only did we visit Motif again , but also we made sure to tour most of the facility.

(Now that I've eaten a generous serving of AP Tots (the reason for my month's absence), I'm back to writing on a weekly basis!) For years, I have wondered what was this "May's Chinese Restaurant" entry on my GPS; how could there be a restaurant in Arcadia that I did not still know about? It was only recently that I found out it was May's Cafe, an establishment that has been in Arcadia for years. With some special circumstances that began this year, May's Cafe suddenly became a restaurant with a prime location-- one ideal for me to try out their Taiwanese selections from a walking distance. Inside, the restaurant is tiny-- there are less than 20 tables, and mirrors are used in an effort to enlarge the space. Still, the less than perfect surroundings, coupled with some KOST 103.5 radio and view of the street, add for a unusually relaxing way to end an otherwise busy week. The constant use of Mandarin may present a barrier for some, but eve...

A recent trip brought us to the St Regis Monarch Beach, where the room rate included a voucher for breakfast. After a night's rest, we went downstairs to check out the offerings. Reaching Motif requires a stroll down a flight of stairs. During our visit, the staircase, as well as the rest of the property, was adorned with decorations for the holiday seasons. Motif's interior likewise was adorned with the holiday decorations. Like the rest of the hotel, the decorations added a pleasant touch of color. I find the blue glasses a nice touch to the restaurant. Motif, being located in the center of the hotel, offers a great view of the pool, golf course, and ocean. This view is great to begin the day.