Amour Amour (San Mateo, CA)

Thanks to E&B for picking this place, which is a real neighborhood gem in San Mateo.

Tartufata (Champignon mushroom, Tuscan summer truffles, burrata cheese, truffle oil, and baguette)


Organic Pork Belly (slow-braised, with leek, garlic, ginger, and red wine)


Oregano Octopus (lightly blanched, with lemon, olive, herbes de provence, ginger, and oregano aioli)


Truffles, Burrata and Serrano Ham


Seared Scallops (with lychee-coconut sauce, cilantro, tobiko, and coconut flakes)


Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ad Hoc (Yountville, CA)

We had an early dinner at At Hoc to enjoy some comfort food and recharge before heading back down.  The salad was fresh and crunchy, while the fried chicken was very tasty.  The desserts (cheese and pudding) were great, too.

Curried Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad (with endive, arugula, cerignola olives, pickled red onions, poached sultanas, and curry vinaigrette)


 Buttermilk Fried Chicken


Roasted Brussels Sprouts


Anson Mills Polenta


Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam Cheese (with orange marmalade and mixed nuts)


Cookies and Cream Pudding (with chocolate sauce and whipped chantilly)


Anderson Valley White Apron Ale (Belgian pale ale)

Bistro Jeanty (Yountville, CA)

Went to Bistro Jeanty after a morning of wine tasting.  The food was rich, delicious, and very filling.  Special thanks to J for the amazing lunch order!

Crispy Pig's Foot


Escargots (with garlic pastis butter)


Epaule de Porc (slow-roasted pork shoulder with butternut squash gratin, brussels sprouts, and lardons)


Creme de Tomate en Croute (cream of tomato soup in bread)

Tito Rad's Grill (Woodside, NY)

Special thanks to JL for recommending this authentic Filipino restaurant in Queens!  We tried a number of traditional dishes, all of which were pretty good.  (If taking public transportation, this place is very close to the 46 St. and 52 St. stations served by the local 7 train.)

Lumpiang Shanghai (fried spring rolls made from vegetable, ground pork, and shrimp; served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce)


Inihaw na Tuna Belly (grilled tuna belly)


Barbeque Chicken


Crispy Pata (deep fried pork knuckles with ginger and garlic)


Pancit Palabok (rice noodles with shrimp sauce served with bacon, shrimp, crushed pork rinds, and hard boiled egg)


Ginataang Sitaw, Calabasa at Okra (sauteed string beans, squash, okra, shrimp, and pork served in coconut milk)


Tito's Delight (leche flan, ube, cassava cake)

Boiling Point (Pasadena, CA)

Went to a Taiwanese hot pot restaurant for lunch while in Pasadena (Old Town).  Note that the Taiwan Spicy Hot Pot only comes in the "flaming" level of spice, so consider yourself warned.  To go with your meal, tea/milk can also be ordered at a discount from their sister shop Jin next door (hint: ordering milk helps with the spicier soup bases).

Taiwanese Spicy Hot Pot

Kinjiro (Los Angeles, CA)

Joined some friends for a birthday dinner (tasting menu) in the Little Tokyo neighborhood of Los Angeles.  The food was great (special mention to the uni, beef, and cod)!  There was also a wide selection of sake on the menu.  Definitely a neighborhood gem.

Uni, Scallop Blue Crab with House-made Ponzu Jelly


Kinjiro Ceviche (includes Octopus, Shrimp, Snapper, Scallops, Mango)


Kinjiro Japanese Wagyu Carpaccio with Arima Sansho


Seared Uni (Santa Barbara Sea Urchin)


Warm Organic Baby Spinach & Organic Mushroom Salad


Kinjiro Free-range Chicken Maki-age (Fried Chicken)


Thick-cut Prime Beef Tongue


Australian Wagyu Chuck Rib Kalbi


Black Cod with Saikyo Miso


Steamed Manila Clams (with Ginger)


Kinjiro Agedashi Homemade Tofu


Kinjiro Squid Ink Udon

Fely J's (Makati, Philippines)

A recommended Filipino restaurant in Makati's Greenbelt complex (2/F, Greenbelt 5).

Sizzling Sisig (tender pig's minced cheeks, sauteed in spices and served in a sizzling plate)


Fried Calamari


KKK (Kare-Kare Klab: ox tripe, ox tail, and vegetables stewed in peanut sauce served with sauteed bagoong)


Gising Gising (kangkong stems stewed with shrimp in coconut cream)


Crispy Patang Bawang (deep-fried pork leg)


Tilapia with Sweet Plum Sauce


Lola Ising's Adobo (crisp pork adobo with garlic)


Bam-I (Iloilo-style sauteed pork, seafood, and vegetables with miki and sotanghon noodles)