Cherry de Pon

My favorite thing to eat has always been ice cream. Having those 1.5 quart tubs of Dreyer's ice cream in my house is dangerous! I've been known to finish that off in 4 days, no joke. Supposedly, ice cream is fattening, so they say. Frozen yogurt on the other hand is healthy then, right? I mean, it's yogurt. Well, maybe it's not "healthy", but it's "healthier".

After a walk in Seward Park, my friends and I decided to get something cold to cool us down. Our trek led us to Cherry de Pon in Renton. It's a self serve yogurt place, basically a Yogurtland.

We entered and they had about 8-10 different flavors. I opted to get their vanilla, chocolate, taro and pink lemonade and topped them with crushed chocolate cookies, andes mints and mochi. The frozen yogurt was fantastic. I didn't miss ice cream one bit. The vanilla was creamy and wasn't tangy, just like real ice cream. The chocolate had a classic chocolate flavor as well. The taro was the best I've tasted. I've tried taro at other places and it just tasted too much like coconut, not taro at all. But this one was just like taro bubble teas I get. The big surprise was the pink lemonade. It was super tangy which was refreshing, almost more like sorbet than frozen yogurt but still had a creamy aspect to it. It reminded me of when I was younger and would eat those lemon ice's that came in a tube at my cousins house. Was it by Minute Maid?

Overall, fantastic place!

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Cherry de Pon
365 S Grady Way Bldg F, Ste G
Renton, WA 98057
Telephone: (425) 226-5246

-Aaron John

Mexico Cantina y Cocina

Last week I talked about meeting up with my Chem study group and I left you with eating Sushi. Well, here's where we ate after!

We decided to eat at Pacific Place in Downtown Seattle because they have a parking garage and the last person to arrive was driving into town. Downtown parking is a nightmare so convenience is key. However, pay attention to parking rates when parking in garages in downtown and keep track of your arrival time!

Because it was so nice out when we came, we decided to eat out on their balcony. We were seated and out came the tortilla chips and salsa. My friend A. said the tortilla chips had a lime flavor to them and I thought he was crazy because I didn't taste the lime on the chip I ate. However, after taking another chip, he was right! The lime flavor was more prominent on the second chip I had. That added lime flavor is something I haven't seen at mexican restaurants so it was an interesting surprise. The salsa was great as well.

When it came down to ordering, I opted for two enchiladas, one with chicken and their poblano cream sauce and another with beef with red chile sauce and sour cream. The chicken enchilada was fantastic and I loved the poblano cream sauce. Slightly spicy and creamy which paired well with the chicken. The beef w/ red chile sauce was just alright. The sauce was a bit bitter for my taste and had a strange after taste which I wasn't fond of. The rice was fantastic and so were the beans. I loved how you were able to see whole beans which was a nice change from completely mashed ones.

The service was great as well. Our waiter was attentive, personable and even promised us a song and dance. Dinner theater anyone? He sang a song from the cartoon South Park but didn't dance. At least he tried?

My Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Mexico Cantina y Cocina
Pacific Place Center - Level 4
600 Pine St
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: (206) 405-3400

-Aaron John

Sushi Bella

I love sushi! Whether it's sushi that comes around on that conveyor belt or sushi that will cost you $50, I love the sweet and tangy rice, the oceany flavor that the seaweed imparts and of course, the fresh seafood that fills them, not to mention the veggies such as cucumber that gives a fresh crunch and avocado that gives a nice creaminess.

On a little reunion of my Chem study group, we decided to meet up in Downtown around Pikes Place market for some dinner. We were just going to walk around and see what was good to eat. I arrived in Downtown and so did my friend C. While waiting for the last person to arrive, we were starving so we decided to walk around and find a snack to eat while we waited.

While walking down Western Avenue, just a couple blocks from Pikes, we found Sushi Bella, looked up it's ratings and decided to give it a try. We walked in, ordered a california roll and a tuna roll and it cost a little over $10.

The sushi was delicious and the fish was fresh being that Pikes Place was just down the street. The owners were friendly as well and overall, there wasn't anything bad to say about this place. With decent prices, this is a great find to have a small snack when you want something quickly without waiting in line.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Sushi Bella
2100 Western Ave (between Lenora St & Elliott Ave)
Seattle, WA 98121
Telephone: (206) 535-6401

-Aaron John

The Ram Restaurant & Brewery

If you know me, you know not only do I take my food seriously, but I take clothes seriously. I mean, how can I pass up a shopping trip to the Tulalip outlets, about 40 miles from where I live. If that opportunity is there, I'm going.

Even though the outlet was pretty far, I didn't eat before the trip. I don't know, I've never been really good at eating breakfast ever since high school. So you can guess, by the time we arrived, I was starving.

The choice was simple, either eat at the food court or eat at an actual restaurant, and might I add, this was the only restaurant that was walking distance! Literally in the same parking lot. The Ram Restaurant & Brewery just began popping up everywhere in the Northwest and they have various locations in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Indiana and Illinois.

We decided to eat at The Ram since we never ate there before. The atmosphere in the restaurant is pretty cool. High chairs, high tables, a huge bar with a ton of beer selections and beer and sports decor everywhere.

I ordered The Stadium Burger which contained a beef patty w/ bacon, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, lettuce and mayo on a Kaiser Bun. Of course, it came with fries and choice of dipping sauce and I chose ranch.

Now, I had a few problems with my meal. First off, the fries were way too salty! Whoever was seasoning them in the kitchen went overboard. You know it's a bad sign when two-thirds of my fries are still on the plate at the end of my meal. Second, I didn't like how the burger wasn't wrapped in parchment. Every time I took a bite and placed it down, it was land slide central because of the lettuce on the bottom. The burger itself was decent in flavor. The Ranch on the other hand was BANGIN'!

In terms of service, it was decent as well. The waitress came around every now and then and asked how we were doing. However, I've never been to a restaurant where they set down the check as you're eating your meal, about 5 minutes after they just served us what we ordered. Is that normal? I just didn't like that. Oh well...maybe a different location will have a different experience.

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

The Ram Restaurant & Brewery
10520 Quil Ceda Blvd
Tulalip, WA 98271
Telephone: (360) 653-7721

-Aaron John

Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles

Over this past week, I was on vacation in none other than California once again. I feel that every time I say "vacation" it always tends to have California thrown into the mix at some point.

We flew into Anaheim for another Disneyland/CA Adventure trip and stayed there for 4 days before heading down to San Diego. One of those days, we went to Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles in Hollywood. For a place that calls themselves "House of Chicken 'n Waffles", you better order yourself Chicken 'n Waffles to see what this place is all about.

I ordered myself "The Obama Special" which was three wings and a waffle. The chicken was simply seasoned with a light dusting of flour to create the crust. It was juicy and flavorful. It's amazing how something so simply prepared can be so good. The waffle on the other hand was only crispy around the edges whereas the center was a bit soggy which was a disappointment. Overall, would I come back to this establishment? Heck yes!

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Roscoes House of Chicken 'n Waffles
1514 North Gower Street
Los Angeles, CA  90028
Tel: (323) 466-7453

-Aaron John

Instagram Quickie: Mexican Food Trucks

I saw this "Instagram Quickie" type posting over at Wit & Vinegar and thought it was a genius idea. It's something quick, something simple and something easy to do in order to keep readers up to date on what us bloggers are eating and doing. Thus, this will be my first Instagram Quickie!

Food Trucks have been very popular over the last couple of years. Specifically in Seattle, Mexican Food Trucks seem to be popping up around every corner just like Starbucks. There is now one in a parking lot where I catch the Light Rail to work. These trucks are probably the closest thing to authentic Mexican Cuisine you can get in Seattle. It may not be SoCal Mexican food but it's close enough. This Carne Asada meal was on Rainier Ave and was uber delicious.

Moral of the story? Get out and try food from a food truck. Who knows, you might start being a regular there!

-Aaron John

Last Food Stop of 2011: Thai #1 & Pho Cafe

2011 has come and gone and 2012 is already upon us. My 2011 was highlighted with playing "catch up" with college classes, movies, new recipes, food outings, an Alki Beach Birthday, a San Diego adventure and so much more. I have to say, this was one of my favorite years by far. I can't wait for what food adventures and new recipes that are in store for 2012 but before we start 2012 with new items, we have to finish up 2011 right with the last food stop I had in 2011.

My last food stop of 2011 was to Thai #1 & Pho cafe. This place is a small and quaint, little restaurant that's somewhat hidden on the side of everything else. Obviously, it's a mixture between a Thai and Pho place that also has Japanese food. Identity crisis? I think so. But hey, as long as the food's good, it doesn't matter to me. Whatever floats your boat, go for it!

I decided to go on more of a Thai food route ordering one of my all time Thai food favorites, Chicken Pad See Ew. Pad See Ew is basically a noodle dish cooked w/ dark soy sauce. 

One of the first things that came out was this miso soup w/ tofu. Here is where we see the identity crisis. A Japanese soup served with a Thai dish? Well, as long as it's complementary w/ my dish and I don't have to pay for it, I'm game! It had the classic flavor of a miso soup and was pretty good. Not too salty either.

In literally five minutes or so, my Chicken Pad See Ew came out. I was actually impressed from the portion. A good amount of noodles and chicken, broccoli and carrots ratio. It was sweet, salty, spicy and garlic-y, just the way I like it. The veggies were still crisp as well which I liked. Was it the best Pad See Ew I've ever had, nope. But, it was still delicious and I would definitely order it again.

Overall, this place had pretty good food. Not to mention, it's very affordable. My dish was $6.95 w/ tax whereas the pho dishes were about $5.95 w/ tax. The food comes out quick and the service was decent. There wasn't much to complain about with this place.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Thai #1 & Pho Cafe
203 S 2nd St
(between N Taylor Ave & 89th St)
Renton, WA 98055
(425) 277-6909

-Aaron John

Palace Korean Bar & Grill

 

Last week, my friends and I decided to go to an all you can eat Korean BBQ place. We decided on Palace Korean Bar & Grill. When we entered, not one person was at the front desk. Another group of people were ahead of us and were waiting at a door which was actually where the "BBQ-ing" was taking place. Then, a lady popped up rolling a cart and told us to take a booth where we wanted. The place had a sort of hole in the wall feel but not completely. A gas heater was right in the middle of the place yet the place was freezing cold. Not to mention, the booth was a bit dirty with crumbs from the previous diners. Uhhh, GROSS! 

We stayed in our booth anyway and just wiped it a bit. Korean BBQ places are awesome! It's essentially meat galore! The idea of having a variety of meats to choose from and having the meat constantly brought to you to grill on your own is just the best idea ever. Just make sure you're really hungry so you can get your money's worth!!

For the first plate of meat we opted for the combo platter because we really didn't know what to get. Before our meat came out a variety of side dishes came out including kim chi, marinated cucumber, fish cakes, mashed potatoes w/ apples, peas and carrots, and a green salad. Then the meat came and it was time to grill up.

Our meat combo was full of brisket, short ribs, marinated beef, beef tongue, pork's belly, shrimp, spicy pork bulgogi, marinated chicken and more. At the point where we essentially grilled most of our meat, I was getting disappointed with how our rice didn't even arrive. We had to tell our waiter about the rice again for it to arrive and when it did come, they only gave us two bowls because they were still cooking it, and we were a group of four.

Once our meat was all gone, we had to wait 5-10 minutes for the waiter to come by and ask if we wanted more. Of course we do! I mean, that's why they call is "All You Can Eat". This time we ordered the spicy pork bulgogi and grilled marinated beef slices.

The pork bulgogi was a bit too spicy for my taste but the grilled marinated beef slices was my fav. Definitely a must try!! The Short ribs were a fav. as well.

Yet again, we had to wait another 5-10 min for our waiter to come back and ask if we wanted more. Seriously? We will not be done with just 2 plates of meat....

Overall, we had four plates of meat and the the food was delicious. I just love places where you can make your own food. Despite how good the food was, I was disappointed with the service, or lack there of. In the restaurant, there was only one server which I didn't understand and the woman we had seen earlier rolling the cart seemed to have disappeared. There was also a moment when there was only our table and another table and yet we didn't receive the best attention. However, when the waiter did come to our table, he was very friendly.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Palace Korean Bar & Grill
15932 NE 8th St
(between N 160th Ave & S 159th Pl)
Bellevue, WA 98008
(425) 957-3522

-Aaron John

Melt Gelato

Okay, so I have to confess, I haven't been blogging as often as I would like. I'm just so busy that I haven't had a pocket of time to make a post or cook up something good for that matter. I'll try my best and getting to it soon. Until then, another foodie place from San Diego.

After a day of shopping in the Otay Ranch shopping area in Chula Vista, we were def. in need for some food. Knowing me and my sweet tooth, I knew I wanted something cold and sweet because it got so hot! When my bro and his gf came into one of the stores with some gelato, I told my cousin we should get some too.

Melt Gelato was somewhat tucked away in this shopping area. Mind you, it's an outdoor mall so everything looked like clothing stores. If I didn't know any better, I would've went past this thinking it was just clothes. I mean, there was a store right next door that was called "Chocolate" and looking in, they definitely did not look like they sold any chocolates. ha. 

So we got inside and looked at what they had and their selection was tremendous. I couldn't even name off the different ones because they had so many! The most I've ever seen! They also had a variety of sandwiches and crepes to choose from. I being the ice cream lover had to get some gelato.

I decided to get the pistachio and the tiramisu gelato. The pistachio had a plethora of pistachios mixed in. I was amazed at how much there was inside. It wasn't too sweet either which was nice. Now, the tiramisu was another story. I think I have just found my new fav. gelato! It was decadent in flavor; It had chocolate and coffee notes with lady fingers mixed in! It was dense and rich but oh so good! Move over pistachio because tiramisu is in town! Woot!

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Melt Gelato

2015 Birch Rd
Chula Vista, CA 91915
Neighborhood: Chula Vista
(619) 397-0388

-Aaron John

Lucha Libre Taco Shop

Well, I'm officially back from San Diego. Sad to see the past week come to an end but it definitely was something to remember. Just having a blast with family, it could not have been any better. With Sea World, Disneyland and a wedding, it was a packed week. First stop on food was Lucha Libre Taco Shop.

Lucha Libre Taco Shop was featured on Man V. Food and while in San Diego, my brother had mentioned that we should head over there. Being from Seattle, we're not exactly known for our Mexican Food; San Diego however is. Thus, it has been a goal to eat REAL mexican food.

After a long day at Sea World, my cousins and I headed over to Lucha Libre Taco Shop to eat an early dinner. I was surprised at how small this place was. It was literally decorated with pictures of mexican wrestlers from wall to wall. I've heard that this place gets crowds of people but luckily, there were only a couple other people there.

I ordered a Classic California Burrito with Carne Asada. Now, the whole notion of "California Burrito" simple means french fries is wrapped inside it. Inside this burrito was french fries, cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream and the carne asade and man was it good! Best burrito I've ever had. It was also a good price for the size of the burrito. It was about $6 and I was only able to finish half of it before getting full! Of course, I saved the rest for later.

All the flavors and textures of this burrito melded beautifully. The creaminess of the sour cream, cheese and the french fries, juiciness of the carne asada, freshness of the pico de gallo. This burrito showed me simplicity is best when it comes to Mexican food. Not to mention, they give complimentary chips and have a condiment bar with different salsas.

They also have a gold booth for important people. I guess we were important since we got to sit there for a picture XD

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Lucha Libre Taco Shop
1810 West Washington Street
San Diego, CA 92103-3734
(619) 296-8226
Open Mon-Thu, Sun 10:30am-11pm; Fri-Sat 10:30am-3am

Going MIA

No food post this week. Instead I'm heading to the the happiest place on earth! Not my kitchen but Disneyland! A California trip for 6 days is well deserved after 4 years of no vacationing. It's going to be filled with Disneyland, Sea World, a wedding and of course FOOD!

See you all when I get back!

-Aaron John

Triple X Rootbeer Drive-in

Another food review! Triple X Rootbeer Drive-in is exactly that, a Drive-in. They have a sort of 50's Diner atmosphere that's actually pretty cool. With all the memorabilia everywhere, it seems as if you were transported to a different era. My friends and I arrived around 7 pm and there was a pretty large amount of people. In addition, we decided to sit in their outdoor seating area because it was just so nice out. Yes, we get sun here in Seattle. ha

At first, we were all confused as to what to do. We went inside where they had a stack of menus that you take and return. We took them outside to decide what we wanted and ended up sitting there for a good 5 minutes wondering what we were supposed to do. Apparently, we were supposed to go up to the counter and order so that's what we did. The man behind the counter is the owner and was very welcoming and a fun guy to be around. He was nice and courteous which I really liked. I decided to get the Strawberry Lemonade and the 58 Impala which was basically a bacon cheeseburger.

After you give your order, the people behind the counter will call your name to get your food and the food comes out fast. Within a couple of minutes the Strawberry Lemonade was ready.

Can you believe that this was a small?! I couldn't either. I love how it was served in a frosted glass as well! However, it seemed as if they were more about quantity than quality. This Strawberry Lemonade was lack luster. Didn't have a tanginess from lemons at all. Essentially, it tasted like watered down lemonade with a few strawberries thrown in.

Next, my burger came out within another 2 minutes. This was another disappointment. It was bland as can be. Even the bacon couldn't save it and that says a lot. In addition, even though there was their "special sauce" on it, I couldn't taste anything from it. The only thing good was the fries, crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, just like they should be.

Overall, I had my hopes up for this place. There was great people, great surroundings and a great atmosphere but I left disappointed with the food. 

My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Triple X Rootbeer Drive-in
98 Northeast Gilman Boulevard
Issaquah, WA 98027-2529
(425) 392-1266

Bottega Italiana Gelato

 

A couple of weeks ago, I had my 20th Birthday Get Together and in that, my friend Anthony gave me a "homemade coupon" for a meal with him at Shiro's Sushi Restaurant which is a high-end sushi restaurant in the Seattle/Belltown area. Being near the Puget Sound and close to Pike Place Market, there is no doubt they had the freshest fish out there. Disappointingly, I forgot to take pictures! Grrrrr... ha. Well, I'll describe the meal shall I?

I, along with Anthony and 2 other friends, ordered different Dinner Meal items. One got the sushi platter, another got a sashimi platter and my other friend got their famous broiled black cod. I on the other hand got the tempura dinner. Now, this dinner was a full out dinner. First came a cucumber and shrimp salad, then a miso soup, sashimi for the tempura and black cod dinners and finally, the main course of what we ordered. The food was light, yet flavorful. In every dish, the main star was the seafood and with it being so fresh, you definitely can't complain. However, make sure you're prepared to spend lots!! This place cost a pretty penny.

Now, let's talk about something I actually have pictures from. After Dinner, we decided to get some gelato. So, with the help of the iphone, we found one called Bottega Italiana located next to Pike Place Market. With fantastic ratings, we just had to try it. 

We got to Bottega Italiana around 8 pm and it was empty which we somewhat expected with it being a Wednesday and somewhat late. However, once we got our gelato, crowds of people began to funnel into the little shop. Looks like we got there at the right time. We immediately we're able to look at their selection with it being empty at first..

I know what you're thinking. "Where the heck is the Gelato?!". Don't worry, I thought the same exact thing. But hey, maybe it was because it was the end of the day? Well, that better be the reason anyway. ha.  Once the people began coming in, I noticed them taking out brand new tins of the good stuff.

They had a variety of flavors from Strawberry and Basil to Melon. They also had a Panacotta/Burnt Cream Gelato which I was intrigued by. Getting a taste of it, I was definitely in awe of how good it was! Subtle vanilla notes, yet not overpowering in artificial flavors and I thought it was more creamy. I would take that flavor over a vanilla any day. However, despite it's 'awesomeness' I opted to try their Salted Caramel and Choclate (Bottom Scoop) and their Pistachio (Top scoop)

The Pistachio was another favorite. It had different coffee notes in the flavor which I believe is due to the roasting of the Pistachios. In addition it had little bits of Pistachios running through. The Salted Carmel and Chocolate somewhat disappointed me. There was Chocolate Shavings/Chips in it but I found myself searching for that Salty Caramel. 

The total was about $4 which is a good price when considering how big the scoops were. They were not skimpy and I love that! One of my pet peeves are Ice Cream/Gelato shop owners using their scoop and getting exactly that much, no more no less. Do they not want us to comeback or something? Here at Bottega Italiana, the girl doing the scooping piled it on. I even saw her put a scoop in the cup and scoop a little bit more to add to it.

Phewww, that was one wordy post. But definitely check out both places. Definitely worth the money.

My Ratings

Shiro's: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottega Italiana: 5 out of 5 stars

Shiro's Sushi Restaurant

2401 2nd Avenue

Seattle, WA 98121

(206) 443-9844

Bottega Italiana Gelato

Pike Place Market

1425 First Avenue 

Seattle, WA  98101

(206) 343-0200