Flavor Garden - Alhambra CA

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Flavor Garden - Alhambra CA

If you are familiar with dumpling and noodle houses, you should be prepared to come with a few people. An order of dumplings is normally 8-10 and fairly sizeable per dish. My brother recommended this place to us and thought we should go together. I don't mind because he knows what kind of food/dishes I like and will order accordingly to what's good.

Cash Only. 1269 E Valley Blvd Alhambra, CA 91801

Spicy Pork Stomach

Tender pork stomach in a spicy Sichuan numbing oil. This is something I love to order at a place like this. Extremely tender. Goes great with beer. I also love ordering pig ears as well, but it's always a treat with stomach is served. I know this may sound weird to some people, but this is the kind of food I grew up eating.

Dan Dan Mian

Seasame sauce noodles with some ground pork and preserved veggies.

Pan Fried Buns

So good and so much in an order.

Leek, Pork and Shrimp Dumplings

These are stuffed with delicious ingredients, but what we love the most about dumplings is when they have leeks. Made myself a side of vinegar and spicy oil mixture to dip this in.

Meat Pie

They serve awesome meat pies made with the stuffing of your choice. These are stuffed with pork and leeks. The sizes of these meat pies are large than they appear. There were 4 of us and we had to grab a few to go boxes.

 

Cash Only.

1269 E Valley Blvd Alhambra, CA 91801

 

 

 

 

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Happy Hour at Roy's Restaurant - Pasadena

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Happy Hour at Roy's Restaurant - Pasadena

I know a lot of people that like to go straight home after work. I believe the best coworkers are the ones you can consider your friend, and one you are willing to spend time with even after 9 hours of being together. But nothing unites us more than Happy Hour. Eyes light up. Chatters are spread and next thing you know, it's as if we were channeling each other throughout the agent with telepathic communication.

There's a lot of restaurants that serve happy hour near our office. We have a few that are walking distance. Roy's was brought up a few times so after having a glance at their menu, it was finalized. In no time 5 o'clock hit and we were out the door. Maybe a few of us took a short lunch to get the happy started early.

They have $7 cocktails/wine/sake, to $5 well drinks, to $3 selected drafts.

These French Fries were a BIG hit. After the first order, there were multiple to follow. The fries were coated with Parmesan, Togarashi, Parsley, Sea Salt and a Housemade Mango sauce. Portions were great for $5 and perfect with drinks.

All other Happy Hours bites were $7. Some things we ordered showed above are Crispy Chicken Spring Rolls served on top of a Citrus Black Bean Dragon Sauce, Szechuan Spiced Pork Ribs Smoked and Glazed in Roy's Original Mongolian Sauce, Lobster Potstickers served on a Spicy Togarashi Miso Butter Sauce, and Tempura-Crusted Ahi Roll with Spicy Togarashi Miso Butter Sauce. Some other items the table ordered were their Kalua Pork Sliders Crispy Onions – Lilikoi Slaw.

Happy Hour starts at 4 and ends at 7. We already planned our next venture next week!

Check it out yourself. Any happy hour recommendations in Pasadena are always welcomed.

 

 

 

 

 

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Pata Salada

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Pata Salada

Met my friend Bernadette for dinner at Pata Salada a few nights ago. It's always an exciting experience to eat together. Mainly because I try to force her to have a drink or two (or 5) with me.

Pata Salada prides in their seafood creations and dishes from the region Jalisco. With heavy emphasis on the region the food came from, they also have a big focus on the Tequila as well. Their tequila comes from 100% blue agave made in and around Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. They not just carry 10 different tequilas, which is considerably a lot for a restaurant, but have over 70. Over 70 Tequilas to drink from. You can't tell me you can walk into a place that carry that many let alone 20. We were very pleased to taste a few of their starred dishes, tequilas, as well as a few new items they launched this week.

Tequila Cart

Our super sweet server being extremely patient as we snapped a few.

The tequila flight comes with 3 - 1oz pours.

Pacific Snapper Crudo

Pacific Snapper Crudo

I was relieved to taste different flavors in a crudo. This one in particular had their fish in a "Leche de tigre" or tiger's milk, which is a Peruvian term for the citrus-based marinade that cures the seafood in a ceviche. The crudo is dressed with avocados, sweet cherry tomatoes, avocado and basil.

Traditional Bass Ceviche

Traditional Bass Ceviche

The ceviche was packed in a cocktail glass mix with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, chili and lime. The ceviche was served with a side of blue corn chips.

Guacamole

Guacamole

Generous portions of guacamole mixed with pepitas, cherry tomatoes and ques fresco.

New Item - Iron Skillet Roasted Mussels

New Item - Iron Skillet Roasted Mussels

There is nothing I love more than the flavors of charred shellfish. These mussels are served LuLu style with chile lime butter. Mussels are served table top on a hot skillet so be careful.

New Item - Molten Quesadilla

New Item - Molten Quesadilla

Fried quesadilla stuffed with oaxaca cheese, mushrooms and huitlacoche.

Break for cocktails

Break for cocktails

2 sizeable drinks to have while we snack on our appetizers before the entrees. The blood orange one is their El Picante de Mango. Made with El Tesoro Reposado, Mango, chipotle and lime. Extremely delicious and I would even order this virgin for a nice sunny brunch. The lighter one, I believe, is their El Relajado. El Jimador Blanco with combier, agave and lime. Both super refreshing to have.

Pork Shank Carnitas

Pork Shank Carnitas

This pork shank was brined for 2 days before they slow cooked, then fried. Served on top of a chile morita orange salsa with rice and beans, and blue corn tortilla. This $59.95 handsome hunk will feed 2 or more. Depending on how many other dishes you order, I recommend ordering this with a bigger group of 4+ so you can try other items.

Whole Sea Bass

Whole Sea Bass

Their whole seabass was cooked with huacho salt, garlic chili lime butter with more garlic on top. Grilled lemons are served for a smokier citrus flavor. Rice, beans and blue corn tortillas are served.

Kahlua and Coffee Raspado is what we needed to pick us up from a night of feasting. Frozen coffee shaved like granita then topped with some creamy parfait. No complaints there.

Must come back for more tequila.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pier Del Sol - Special Olympics 2016

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Pier Del Sol - Special Olympics 2016

The Special Olympics Southern California offers year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. More than 26,006 athletes in 11 Southern California counties train and compete in 12 Olympic-type summer and fall sports. There is no cost for athletes to participate in Special Olympics.

I'm extremely excited to support Special Olympics Southern California at the 20th annual Pier del Sol fundraiser event on October 9th at Santa Monica. It's a fantastic event hosted once a year with family fun events featuring rides, entertainment, food, silent auctions and more.

 

Below is a little more about the mission and vision of Special Olympics Southern California:

“The mission of Special Olympics Southern California is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Our vision is to provide sports and training programs for any individual with intellectual disabilities who chooses to participate, thereby improving their lives and the lives of everyone they touch.”
— Special Olympics Southern California

Here are all the awesome food that I got to eat. For $175 a ticket, you get spoiled with some of the best restaurants of Los Angeles, meet the athletes (even sing with them), go on rides (for free), get 12 game tickets, and knowing that all proceeds goes towards the programs.

Oysters from Providence / Connie's & Ted is always a favorite stop.

Live music to celebrate the 20th annual Pier Del Sol. 20's themed.

One of my favorite games! Watching awesome special Olympic athletes play.

Children are super competitive.

12 tickets, 12 chances!

Can you guess who won?

Can you guess who won?

Yup..

My brother wins!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pizza Stop - Abbot Kinney

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Pizza Stop - Abbot Kinney

I have a love hate relationship with Abbot Kinney. Mostly because I find myself excited to come here, but always leave slightly disappointed. There's not much to do besides watching humans, hanging out at a restaurant, or visiting one of favorite shops on the block, Tortoise. 

It was a lovely Sunday and I was just in the area so thought I stopped by to take a stroll. I decided it would be fun if I just did a quick pizza dive.

Abbot's Pizza Co

Abbot's Pizza has been around since 1995. I was 7 years old with a bomb ass bowl cut at the time so it was a legit year to start. This place is nothing but homie, and nothing more than love on a pie. You can order your crust as thin as you like. They also have this bagel crust to make your pizza experience that much more elevated. Great place to stop when you are on the run or just trying to be the life of a party. Because who doesn't love pizza?

Gjelina take away (GTA) 

I love Gjelina. In fact, Gjelina was one of the first restaurants I've tried in Abbot Kinney. I've been here multiple times since and it has never failed (Best duck confit hash). They started their take away not too long ago, but I've never stopped in to check. It's pretty grand compared the Abbot's pizza and can pretty much be a restaurant of it's own. 

I am always a huge fan of Gjelinas pizza. I was craving their wild mushroom pizza, but it was unfortunately not available by the slice. If it's not mushroom, I go with meat. It's rare I pick a veggie pizza, and today definitely wasn't the time.

Bacon, pomodoro, mozzarella, mushrooms, onions and thyme. Extremely thin with a light crispy crust. I love it when tomatoes have a nice tart to them and not overly sweet. With a rich pizza like this, a tart afterbite really helps cut down the richness.

Oh it was a good day.

 

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