Appetizer Party!

Thank you E for a lovely evening!
Appetizers based on recipes from Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook.

Prosciutto and canteloupe balls



Scallops on homemade potato chips - freshly seared sea scallop pieces with a minted pea puree (leek, shallots, garlic, mint and peas), all on top of a baked potato chip. A sprig of mint decorates each scrumptious morsel.











Mango crab snacks - crab meat, red bell pepper, cilantro, lemon juice, mango, and mayo, all on sweet batard.















Cherry tomato cups stuffed with corn and grilled shrimp, marinated in lime juice and coriander with shallots, corn, and cilantro.































Endive and Ahi tuna cubes - Yellowfin tuna steak marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, chives, and rice wine vinegar.















Strawberry and banana chocolate fondue! The perfect way to end a yummmy night...

Rick and Ann's Restaurant

City: Berkeley, CA

Address: 2922 Domingo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705

Website: http://www.rickandanns.com/

Food type: American (breakast, lunch, dinner)

Price range/person: $10-15/breakfast

Wait time: 5 mins for seating, 15-20 mins for food

Service: Variable - may be snobby or very sweet, careless sometimes.

Ambiance: Casual, homey, soothing.

Dish Focus On:

1st visit:::

Down South: two cornmeal pancakes with Rick & Ann's spicy turkey sausage, salsa and two eggs scrambled with cheese.













Sausage is nicely seasoned and has good consistency - very tasty! Pancakes are superb - grainy cornmeal texture evident.

Yukon Gold Plate: vegetarian hash with sweet & white potatoes, sweet bell peppers, corn and apples, served with two eggs any style and your choice of toast, muffin or scone. (Wheat Free!)














Creative mix for hash - perfect blend of potatoes & veges (corn appears fresh). Muffin was fresh and yummmy - banana pecan. Eggs aren't bad either.

2nd visit:::

Midwest: two potato-cheese pancakes with two eggs any style, grilled tomatoes, and our house-smoked pork chop. (Need 15 minutes to prepare)


Potato pancake is tasty and very cheesy - similar to hash browns. Pork slightly dry, but applesauce side adds a nice touch. Grilled tomatoes are fresh and hot.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich: with roasted eggplant, baby spinach, tomato, pesto and provolone cheese. on a roll.














Surprisingly filling sandwich. Fresh and YUMMM! Potato salad is nice. Side of pickles: crunchy with a hint of sweetness - I normally don't even like pickles, but these were good!

Cupcakes: Chocolate peanut butter & Carrot


Chocolate and peanut butter cupcake was fantastic! However, the carrot cupcake was not made that morning - we saw them there on our 1st visit (fresh that day), but they were still being served on our 2nd visit (2 days later). Regardless, both still hit the spot.

Yummmy Factor: 4.25/5

Yummmy Rambles: Food was so good that we came back for the 2nd time within 2 days. Waitress on 1st visit was slightly snobby and rude - she forgot the salsa with one of our dishes too; waiter on 2nd visit was much nicer, more helpful - however, he charged us twice for extra salsa. Our seating at the counter enabled us to watch all food preparation – chefs are super friendly! Delicious cupcakes made daily ($3.50 each). Location in quaint area near elegant Claremont Resort in Berkeley. Street parking may be difficult. Can't wait to try more items on lunch and dinner menu. This place has GREAT catering options - the sandwiches are fabulous and delivered in meticulous packaging (boxes, served with a side, cookie, chocolate piece, and plasticware).

A special birthday...

...for a special grandma - 82!!

Fruity cake















Chinese words say: Happy Birthday, Grandma! Inside, a very light, fluffy cake, with a layer of whipped cream and mixed fruit. A healthy cake?!

Longevity peach buns















A steamed treat: sweet cakey outside, with a rich red bean paste filling. Never seen the green leaf decor before, but it sure adds some nice color! Before the birthday dinner began, the birthday girl (grandma) tore up the HUGE peach bun in little pieces to share with everybody - we all had to eat a little piece of it. This appears to be a symbolic tradition, in which one can share his/her good fortune of a long life with family and friends through the sweet bun. I learn something new daily!

A LOT of food: veges, noodles, shrimp, chicken, duck, pork, beef, fish balls...





















No, this is not a restaurant buffet. It's a mix of store bought and home cooked food! A whole LOT of it...

Home Cookin Yummmers

A simple, yet healthy and delicious meal...

Freshly stir-fried green beans and spinach, freshly purchased BBQ pork - "Cha siu" (so not all of it was home cookin), and freshly steamed catfish.
















Close up view of steamed fish, garnished with ginger and onions.















My favorite way to prepare fish. My mom does it best!

Hash House A Go Go

City: San Diego

Address: 3628 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Website: http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/

Food type: Breakfast foods! (also lunch & dinner), American/comfort foods

Price range/person: $15-20/brunch

Wait time: 25-45 minutes; Coffee and water available outside in waiting area.

Service: Helpful, prompt.

Ambiance: Chic industrial feel, casual elegance.

Dish Focus On:

House Hash: Mushroom, artichoke hearts, sundried tomato and fresh spinach, Tossed with crispy potatoes & topped w/ 2 eggs (scrambled), served with fruit (watermelon slice) and biscuit

Not only are portions huge, but individual food items are huge too! Largest sun-dried tomatoes ever - slightly too sour and tart for my taste. Spinach and artichoke hearts were clearly fresh and yum! Scrambled eggs were prepared perfectly, still moist on the inside. Biscuit is better warm and with the strawberry jam. Chunks of potatoes were too hard, maybe slightly undercooked? But wow, what a dish! Decor with the twig of rosemary is grandiose.

House Hash: House Smoked Fresh Salmon, cream cheese and scallions, Tossed with crispy potatoes & topped w/ 2 eggs (Over hard), served with fruit and biscuit

Superb salmon pieces - tender and warm, not too salty at all. Over hard eggs were yummmy and sides were delicious as well.

Farm Scramble: Roasted chicken, fresh corn, roasted red pepper, & mozzarella, served w/ griddled mashed or crispy potatoes and biscuit

Chicken was super moist and tender, made wonderful combo with the scrambled eggs.

French Toast: Griddled french toast dipped in banana cinnamon cream w/ pecan maple syrup

AMAZING! INCREDIBLE! The best french toast ever. Huge slabs of fresh bread, topped with whole sliced roasted bananas. Pecans, syrup and powdered sugar made the dish even better. WOWWIE!

Yummmy Factor: 4.5/5

Yummmy Rambles: Insanely humongous portions on ridiculously enormous plates. Wait is long, but food experience is worth it. Homemade strawberry jam available on tables is light and terrific. Fun place for any meal, party, or EXTREMELY hungry people. One Colorado visitor even came up to our table and asked to take pictures of our food, since he forgot to before he ate his. All I can say is: Bring an appetite! And if you have any trace of a sweet tooth afterwards, "Extraordinary Desserts" is not far away! And yes, Sharon M, I have been to Hash House. =)

Aroma Thai

City: Imperial Beach

Address: 757 Seacoast Drive, Imperial Beach, CA 91932

Food type: Thai

Price range/person: $10-15/dinner

Wait time: None

Service: Very polite, gracious, friendly. Server even opened door for us on the way out.

Ambiance: Romantic, vibrant, quaint. Adorable flowers and candles enhance table tops. Colorful pillows line seating along the walls. Lovely décor appropriate for the month of February.

Dish Focus On:

Yellow curry, with chicken and vegetables


Curry sauce nicely seasoned, with a fantastic coconut infusion. Chicken was good. Onions were slightly chewy.

Chicken Pad-thai, with bean sprouts, carrots and crushed peanuts on the side

Noodles were thinner than I've seen in other Pad-thai dishes, but they were so yummmy. Sauce was deliciously sweet and salty, bean sprouts were fresh and crunchy, and chicken was nice and tasty.

Yummmy Factor: 4.5/5

Yummmy Rambles: Sweet little restaurant along the beach. Décor is pleasant – lots of red for Valentine’s day in February. Even bathrooms have colorful and fun décor! Although place was quiet on a Friday night, food was very tasty. Restaurant found purely by chance as we were exploring a new area and waiting for our movie at the South Bay Drive-In Theaters.

Extraordinary Desserts - Update #1

See original January 28th, 2008 posting.

City: San Diego

Address: 2929 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103 (Balboa Park)

Website: http://www.extraordinarydesserts.com/index.htm

Food type: Desserts, beverages

Price range/person: $5-10

Wait time: None

Service: Polite, friendly.

Ambiance: Classy, fresh, comfortable.

Dish Focus On:

Apricot coffee cake - To-go!



Absolutely delicious fruity cake. Nice balance of cake, fruit, sweet crumbly topping and powdered sugar dusting. And no, that is not an egg yolk, but an apricot half topping the slice. Subtle almond flavor infused in the crust. I want more!

Street-side view

Yummmy Factor: 5/5

Yummmy Rambles: Once again, treats were impressive to the eyes and tongue. Apricot cake was $3.50, but similar apple coffee cake was $6.00 – maybe because the detail with the apple slices was more intricate. Cappuccino was flavorful, strong, and rich. Place was surprisingly empty on a Sunday afternoon (11:30 am), maybe due to more “posh” location in Little Italy.

More yummmy treats for your viewing pleasure

El Indio Mexican Restaurant

City: San Diego

Address: 3695 India St., San Diego, CA 92103

Website: http://www.el-indio.com/

Food type: Mexican

Price range/person: $10/lunch or dinner

Wait time: 5-10 mins to order; 10-15 mins for food

Service: Mostly self-service.

Ambiance: Casual, colorful, jovial. Vivacious murals decorate the walls and fun piñatas hang from the ceiling.

Dish Focus On:

Carne Asade Tacos - Seasoned Carne Asada wrapped in two El Indio Corn Tortillas, with Guacamole and Ranchera Salsa. Served with rice, beans, and chips.














Incredibly tender and tasty slices of carne asade, wrapped in fabulously fresh corn tortillas. Tortillas were tender and smooth, not the typical grainy texture of corn tortillas. Guacamole is fresh and accompanies the meat perfectly. YUM and what a LOT of food.

Shredded Beef Taquitos, topped with Cheddar Cheese and lettuce. Served with rice, beans, and chips.















Crunchy taquitos stuffed with yummmy shredded beef. Topped with an abundance of lettuce and cheese.

Street-side view. Festive March decor evident on windows.
















Yummmy Factor: 5/5

Yummmy Rambles: Learned of this place from Guy Fieri’s show on the Food Network: “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” Looked so good on TV that we went the next day. We were not let down! Food was fantastic! Restaurant was already busy around 10:30 am, and very crowded by 11:30 am. Appears that everyone buys a bag of homemade chips and/or tortillas during their visit. Tortillas are made fresh daily and boy, are they GOOD! Aguas frescas, including a wonderful Horchata, available on fountain.

Only a hop, skip, and short drive away from San Diego's Balboa Park. Enjoy the gorgeous Botanical Garden and the exciting Natural History Museum, among MANY other museums and attractions.

Arigato Japanese Restaurant

City: La Mesa

Address: 5575 Baltimore Drive Suite 110, La Mesa, CA 91942

Food type: Japanese

Price range/person: $10-15

Wait time: 5 minutes

Service: Rushed, confused.

Ambiance: Cafeteria-like, mismatched, bright. Ceiling fluorescent lights were much too bright and furniture (tables and chairs) did not match.

Dish Focus On:

Pork Cutlet Bento Box, with fried dumplings, mixed tempura, rice and salad

Couldn't tell at first if meat was pork or chicken. Tempura and dumplings adequate. Salad fresh, but there was either a stray olive or pickled grape mixed in - couldn't tell what it was (see bottom left corner of salad box).

Caterpillar roll - California roll with eel and topped with avocado

Sushi was good. Not bad, but not the best.

Oyako Don - chicken, vegetables and egg over rice

This dish was an AWFUL mistake. Upon first bite, I thought the chicken and rice were much too salty. I thought it was not mixed properly, so after mixing thoroughly, I gave it another shot. Then, I knew something was wrong. Oyako Don typically has a slightly sweet goodness, but this dish was all salt. I mentioned to the waitress that the entree was too salty. Before I could even finish my complaint, she already knew what I was going to say, as if this complaint was reoccurring. Later, another waitress came out and told me that the cooks had prepared the sauce incorrectly. It seems to me that they used salt where they should have used sugar. GROSS! So, they took away my food mishap and asked me to order a new item.

Salmon skin salad

Vegetables were fresh and crunchy, but salmon pieces were again too salty, and the skin was so thick and hard that I could not chew them.

Yummmy Factor: 2.5/5

Yummmy Rambles: Initial impression upon entering restaurant was already poor – lighting was way too bright and open Valentine heart candies were sitting in a dish by the door. Seating arrangement was odd – our table was the only one in the middle of the room; other tables lined the walls. Food was inappropriately prepared (Oyako Don) and I was forced to order something new. No discount was given for restaurant’s mistake. Parking is limited. Would not go back again. Oddly enough, restaurant was full for dinner – but I’m really not sure why. Maybe this was an off night?

Shakespeare's Corner Shoppe & Afternoon Tea

City: San Diego

Address: 3719 India Street, San Diego, CA 92103

Website: http://www.ukcornershoppe.com/

Food type: Afternoon Tea – Biscuits, petite sandwiches, sweets

Price range/person: $17.95/Complete with food and tea

Wait time: None, reservations required

Service: Courteous, relaxed, helpful.

Ambiance: Enchanting, playful, cozy.

Dish Focus On:

Afternoon Tea and snacks - Menu includes:
Assortment Finger Sandwiches: Egg, salmon, ham, cheese, cucumber
Fresh Baked Sausage Roll with Branston Pickle
Home Baked Scone with Double Devon Cream & Jam
Home Baked Cake Medley: Coffee cake, Christmas cake, Almond bar
Imported British Biscuits: Chocolate and shortbread
Pot of Tea (your choice)

Darjeeling: Light, delicate tea with a distinct floral aroma

Tea served with sugar cubes and milk. Teapot is kept on a warmer with a tea candle inside.

Scone, with few raisins hidden inside.

Scone is hot, fresh, and moist - almost like a biscuit. Devon cream and strawberry jam enhance the scone experience - YUMMM!

Finger sandwiches and sweets.

Finger sandwiches are all delicious. My favorites were the egg and salmon. Cucumber sandwich was light and refreshing. Cheese was crumbly and had a sharp flavor. Sweets were fabulous - coffee cake was my favorite.

Yummmy Factor: 4.5/5

Yummmy Rambles: A delightful place to have traditional British afternoon tea. Seating is outdoors, on a quaint patio. A large tree runs through the seating area, making it feel like you are dining in a tree house! Plating is delicate and food is meticulously prepared. However, plates and teacups had white dust (maybe towel lint?) on the surfaces. Nearby corner shop stocked with British food and gifts. Uniquely pleasant experience (other than the slightly dusty plates). Server even had a real British accent! Shakespeare's Pub adjacent to Corner Shoppe for those who may want some heavier grub or a beer.