tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281782332024-03-06T23:27:37.507-05:00Fare Photography<b>This blog is dedicated to all those who truly enjoy food. Culinary expert? I don't believe you have to be a culinary connoisseur to appreciate good food. As I travel throughout Michigan or the world, I plan to post pictures of the food I get to taste and the experience that comes along with it. Enjoy!</b> <i>(Click on the pictures for a closeup view)</i>Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.comBlogger402125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-38201114918597422672013-09-20T22:19:00.000-04:002013-09-20T22:19:02.270-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Eastern Market, Detroit, MI - </b>Corridor Sausage Co; You can try sausages from one place to another and there will be some
variation, but small. You may detect a hint of a different flavor here
and there. Well, it's time to change. It's time for a sausage that
doesn't taste like any other one you've had. The flavors will make you
close your eyes and think about what a wonderful world,....oh I mean,
sausage it is. Yes, that good. I don't hand out five stars for any
reason.<br /><br />These sausages are locally produced in Detroit with
pasture raised meats and all poultry coming from MI. They use non GMOs
and fresh herbs, which you will tell immediately by tasting these
delicious herbs in every bite.<br /><br />My absolute favorite so far is the
Turkey & Red Mole that has tomatillo, chilies, cocoa nibs, raisins,
sesame, and spices. The intense flavors of these ingredients really
shines with this sweet and slightly spicy mixture. Nothing compares. My
latest love from them is the Apple, Sage & Pork that has dried
apples, coriander, sage, and maple. This is giving the turkey and red
mole a run for its money. This one reaches a little higher on the
sweetness factor and less on the spicy side as compared to the mole. The
sweetness is still controlled and not overwhelming. When eating these
side by side, determining which bite to end with was extremely
difficult. I believe you'll fumble with the eternal question as well.<br /><br />Unfortunately
I have not been able to find them in any stores, only at the farmers
markets in Royal Oak and Eastern Market. They may be at others as well,
not sure. They always have samples out, take advantage of all the
options and find the one that makes you reach your happy place, it won't
be just one, I promise.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-77676625069421642922013-09-20T22:16:00.000-04:002013-09-20T22:16:02.202-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Detroit, MI - </b>Green Dot Stables; Throw out the idea of a traditional slider, the look, texture, and flavor.
Now throw out the menu and replace it with an updated modern flare,
opposite textures, and outstanding flavors. Why would I ever want a
traditional slider now.<br /><br />I've now tried their Corned Beef, Hot
Brown, BCT, Korean, Lamb, Bologna, Cuban, Truffle Fries, Tempeh, Mystery
Meat (changes daily, Blackened Ahi Tuna, Lobster Claw on the days I was
there), Le Poutine, Gyro, PB&J W/ Bacon, and Buffalo Chicken.<br /><br />It's
difficult to describe each one, but one of my favorites so far is the
corned beef. Their Mustard Aioli is perfect with the corned beef. It has
great contrast of the tart mustard and the saltiness of the corned
beef. You'll wish it wasn't the size of a slider, more like a huge deli
sandwich since its so good. The other surprising slider is their Tempeh.
This is a slider that will make every vegetarian salivate and love each
bite. It has a thick cut of tempeh and wasabi mayo with wakame salad.
Be prepared to lick your fingers clean after eating this slider. It
truly is an excellent harmony of texture and flavor.<br /><br />Green Dot is
the only place I want to have sliders now. In my mind it is the ONLY
place for sliders. It has variety, originality, flavor, excitement, and
texture. I need no more.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-82337730289326742492013-09-20T22:12:00.001-04:002013-09-20T22:12:15.962-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Ferndale, MI - </b>One-Eyed Betty's; They may be known for their beer selection, but they should not be known
for their Louisiana sandwiches. Their Po Boy with shrimp and oysters,
was a failure. What was there was okay, but it's what wasn't were. The
fries saved them from a one star rating.<br /><br />The sandwich was suppose
to have some shrimp and oysters on it right? I found a few and wish I
could evaluate the sandwich, but it really didn't have enough to have an
opinion. What was there, I suppose it was fine. The breading was fine,
but the flavor wasn't outstanding and even good. It was, well, ....
"I've experienced better".
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-31390829997247738882013-09-20T22:09:00.001-04:002013-09-20T22:09:15.797-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Southfield, MI - </b>Gastronomy; With mixed reviews from my foodie friends, will the name just be a
gimmick or will they be able to deliver true gastronomical well designed
food? In visit one, not so much, just the hype, but on visit two, hit
the mark.<br /><br />On the first visit I had their Naan Chips & Hummus;
Half Grilled Cheese; Apple Quinoa; and Walleye Chowder. The two items
that were good were the chips and hummus and the walleye chowder. These
naan chips are flavorful, not too greasy, and has good balance with
their hummus. The chowder was delightfully creamy with nice little
chunks of fish throughout. The two that was not so good...the grilled
cheese and quinoa. The grilled cheese had milder cheese so it was harder
to identify the cheese. The real negative to this dish was how the
grilled cheese was overly greasy. Is not the "tastes good, but
unhealthy" greasy, it's the "it's hard to finish it" because of how
greasy it is. The quinoa was over flavored withe their citrus acid. It
was over lemon-ed or something. Not that good.<br /><br />Visit one would have scored probably two stars.<br /><br />Visit
two, I tried their Box Lunch: crab cake with cabbage slaw, miso soup,
beet salad, housemade vinegar and salt chips, with a bumpy cupcake for
dessert. They get an extra star for this visit. The crab cake was
delicious with the right crunch from the cabbage. The flavor of the crab
came right through. The miso soup wasn't exactly the best I've ever had
nor did it have the exact flavor from a Japanese restaurant, but it
decent. It was still tasty with a nice miso flavor, but it taste a tiny
bit watered down. The beet salad was by nice, with a light amount of
dressing. My only issue with the salad was that it was mostly lettuce
and should have had more beets. The chips were delightful. Homemade,
crunchy, lightly salted, and a mild vinegar flavor. Now that bumpy cake,
wow was that great. It was deliciously soft and sweet. <br /><br />This box lunch convinced me to gladly try out gastronomy again.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-41030947843413306842013-09-12T21:24:00.002-04:002013-09-12T21:24:44.704-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>West Hollywood, CA - </b>Sweet Lady Jane Bakery; Walked right past this place and the desserts in the window were enough
to convince me to walk in and start eating. I couldn't settle on one
item and any place that makes rugelach, I have to try it<br /><br />Starting
with the Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Rugelach. It is made well and was a
worthy rugelach. The outside coating of cinnamon was backed in well and
the inside was still soft and moist. If they sit too long, they get
dried out, but it was still fresh.<br /><br />When a cannoli like the
Janolie is in the case, anyone in their right mind would not walk past
it and ignore it. It was cannoli-like style pastry with white chocolate
mousse and a florentine cookie. The dark chocolate at each end is
perfect to close off each side. The white chocolate mousse is slightly
on the sweeter side because of the white chocolate, but not
overwhelming. The star in this cannoli was the florentine cookie. It has
this wonderful crunch to it and I think the flavor is better than the
standard deep fried cannoli shell. If I had the choice between the two, I
would pick the florentine each day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-11458408212540247722013-08-17T08:47:00.001-04:002013-08-17T08:47:08.083-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Ink Sack; I initially had reservations at Ink, but noticed Ink Sack and thought it
would have the same caliber of food without the elegance and price. It
certainly is a more casual place to eat than if you were trying out Ink.
However, I had higher expectations for the food given the recognizable
name of e chef.<br /><br />I started with their BBQ Pork Rinds. They are
crunchy, fresh, and have a bit of zest from the BBQ seasoning. I highly
recommend finishing the bag when you order it. They do not keep well to
the next day. I tried it and they keep their appearance, although lose
all the texture. They lose the crunch and pop of their original state.<br /><br />On
the recommendation of the gentleman behind the counter, the Turkey Melt
was next. He was right, it was a good selection with a very nice
complex dressing and fresh greens, given it a nice garden flavor. The
turkey meat was very good in flavor and texture. With it paired up with
the dressing, it's a nice sandwich to try.<br /><br />The last sandwich was
the Bahn Mi. I really enjoy a tradition Bahn Mi and these sandwiches are
seeming to become more popular among trendy restaurants with their own
twist. I think most of these places should stick to serving the
traditional sandwich. If you really can't elevate it, you should stick
to the original. Ink Sack's version tries to give a slightly new flavor
but keep the familiar sandwich. What it delivers is a sandwich that
reminds you of a Bahn Mi, but really is does not. It does not come close
to having those wonderful fresh flavors of cucumber and cilantro with a
bit of spiciness. It's not a bad sandwich, it's just not a good knock
off of a Bahn Mi. I'm sure there are better sandwiches to try here.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-15304824533659768952013-08-17T08:45:00.000-04:002013-08-17T08:45:09.119-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Wahoo's Fish Tacos; A fast food Mexican restaurant that I never heard about, but my coworker
pointed it out to me to try. With it being basically a fast food joint,
I had rather low expectations. Sometimes its nice to have low
expectations to have them exceeded.<br /><br />I tried two tacos, one fish
and one vegetarian. The Fish Taco had a corn tortilla, cheese, cabbage,
and grilled white fish. I expected dried out cubed pieces of fish, but
found nicely grilled fish that was still juicy and had a s ma ll charred
grilled flavor. I should also point out its nice to see corn tortilla
shells instead of flour.<br /><br />Vegetarians, you have a pretty tasty
taco here, so feel free to join your omnivorous friends. The Tofu Taco
came on a corn tortilla with lettuce and Polynesian marinade sauté.
They use extra firm tofu so its not mushy. The star here is the marinade
that sweetens the taco making you lick your chops.<br /><br />Its fast, simple, delicious, and accommodating.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-25590705756683605962013-08-17T08:42:00.005-04:002013-08-17T08:42:48.447-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Holy Aioli; The truck has some unique menu items that drew lots of passersby. The
Buffalo Blu caught my interest having chicken, garlic aioli, bleu
cheese, buffalo sauce, caramelized onions, sliced apples, on a ciobatta
bun. The combination of the buffalo sauce, bleu cheese, and apple slices
should be excellent together.<br /><br />Well, it was ok, but I had higher
expectations. I anticipated the buffalo sauce to have more of a presence
and maybe more heat as well. The apples should have given it more
flavor, but unfortunately you could barely taste them. I was hoping its
sweet flavor would come through more, but it didn't.<br /><br />It's was an
okay sandwich with potential. With their creative menu pairings, I would
try it again and hope they deliver more complex flavors.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-68505180900871526752013-08-17T08:40:00.003-04:002013-08-17T08:40:44.517-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Green Truck; If you have the option of regular or sweet potato fries, which do you
choose? Most of the time the choice will be sweet potato. Maybe because
its not available as often as the other, or maybe it's the sweetness
that I always crave. This choice was no different.<br /><br />I was
presented the question at this truck and given the opportunity, I went
with Sweet Potato Fries. They were not greasy, nice and crunchy on the
outside with a soft inside. It's a nice cup of sweet potato fries. They
certainly are not the best I've ever had, but not the worst either. I
wish it was a tad bit sweeter. Some places will sprinkle a brown sugar
mix, satisfying the sweet craving. I wish they would have added another
element giving it not just a single note of flavor. But who am I
kidding, I'm just talking about fries.<br /><br />Now when you're presented with the question, sweet or salty, which will you go with?
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-26257063031280016742013-08-05T08:32:00.001-04:002013-08-05T08:32:18.667-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Caffe Latte; This cafe/restaurant is extremely conveniently located across the street
from the Wilshire Hotel where I was staying. It opens early enough for
me to grab a full breakfast before I head to work. Don't let the name
fool you into it being just a cafe, it has a full menu with some nice
items on it.<br /><br />Your breakfast, even if its a carb-fest, will start
with their Complimentary Poppy seed Muffin. It's a nice way to welcome
you in, start satisfying that burning desire to eat. Each day, it was
fresh and soft. It's just a poppy seed, not a lemon poppy seed. Don't get
your hopes up.<br /><br />Their Breakfast Sandwich, which has scrambled
eggs, bacon, pico se gallo, avocado, grilled spinach, jack cheese, and
mayo are really nice ingredients. They all work together for a nice
blend of flavors. However, the combination screams to be tucked in
between some fresh bread made that morning. What you get is two basic
pieces of toast. Not too exciting.<br /><br />The Breakfast Burrito is one
mamma jamma. it includes eggs, spinach, apple chicken sausage, avocado,
swiss cheese, and pico de gallo. You cant squeeze in anymore ingredients
because the tortilla shell couldn't fit it. This is a full size burrito
that will keep you full throughout the day. The nice addition to this
is the chicken sausage. It needed that slight touch of oil, spice, and
protein to heighten its full effect.<br /><br />Their best was for last,
their Latte Eggs Benedict. I would certainly get this one again. It's
not the typical benedict, it's nice to see some originality. I enjoyed
the toast underneath instead of the standard muffin. The fresh spinach,
some would say is why are you trying to dress it up as a healthy dish or
trying to squeeze veggies where they don't belong. I on the other hand
like to have the inclusion of the veggies and welcome it to be slightly
healthier. The spinach does give it a bit more earthy touch and all most
makes it a bit "lighter".<br /><br />The staff was always really nice and when you're the first in there, the place is pretty quiet.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-5233769858978353442013-08-05T08:27:00.004-04:002013-08-05T08:27:56.910-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Awash; You certainly have a plethora of Ethiopian choices in this neighborhood.
I was so excited to see how many options for Ethiopian food there is
here. The place was packed, which is always great to see. I would much
rather try out a new place that has almost all e tables full than an
empty place. Isn't it the rule of thumb, head to the place that has the
longest line.<br /><br />I tried two versions of Awaze Tibbs, beef in a
special red pepper sauce and a mild version with a touch turmeric
instead of the pepper sauce. When they come to the table, just close
your eyes and take in the aroma. From either dish, they have such a full
bodied aromatic presence, filling the air with turmeric, cinnamon, and
cumin. It will be pretty difficult to try and forget about the flavor of
these dishes. They are packed with flavor and when it's soaked up with
the injera bread, you really can't stop eating it even when your stomach
is about to explode. This brings me to the other highlight, the injera.
It's prepared very well, soft, fluffy, and full of sour dough flavor.
Some places rush the making and is too bland. Here it has the full
flavor it should.<br /><br />The downfall for both dishes was the tenderness
of the meat. In both cases, the meat is overcooked and difficult to
chew. I am not sure if its the cut of meat they use or if it was
overcooked and now just tough, but both dishes the meat was too hard.<br /><br />You
will not leave hungry because the portions are very large. I had my
dish for dinner that evening, a couple of bites later that night, then
some the next day. The staff was very nice and welcoming making the
visit very pleasant.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-39674032191217864012013-07-25T22:29:00.002-04:002013-07-25T22:29:33.124-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Craft; There is a reason Tom Colicchio is the head judge on Top Chef, his food
at Craft, I would fly back to LA to have it again. I would even walk
there from Detroit to have another meal. For the unforeseeable future, I
will compare my meal here with all others and they probably won't match
up. I now know the standard for a 5-star review.<br /><br />The place is
elegant and comforting inside. It's fancy, but not pretentious. The
staff are very nice and welcoming. My server was extremely helpful in
explaining the menu and how the salads and the side dishes can be half
orders to try multiple dishes.<br /><br />I started with the Arugula Salad
that had a refreshing light lemon dressing, nicely and roasted pine
nuts. The parmesan balances the bitterness of the arugula even though it
was very mild. Its hard to tell from the picture the size of this
half-order, but its basically a full side salad. There is nothing half
about it. Its a delicious, light, and flavorful dish to start.<br /><br />On
the other side of the spectrum, a completely different flavor profile, I
tried the Beet Salad that it includes both red and white beets, whole
and puree. It was beautifully smooth and balanced. The puree was
fantastic on the bottom. The perfect textural differences between the
whole and puree beets. The cheese was mildly salty and creamy, in which
the salt was necessary to neutralize the beets contrast. Its a well
thought out complex dish that works.<br /><br />The true highlight of the
evening, the entree that will make me dream about food was their Black
Cod wrapped in Speck with Pepperoncini. When I go back, whichever dish I
select, I do not care how full I am, I am also ordering this along with
my other entree. I cannot go here and not get this dish. Let me get
right to it. The cod is truly amazing. If I say it melts, its an
understatement. The texture was so delicate. The speck adds that harder
shell to that soft cod and that needed saltiness to the buttery fish. I
expected the speck to be hard to cut through, but without any difficult,
I sliced through without smashing the fish. Each bite of this
combination made me pause, making me reach the conclusion that I could
not believe food could taste this good. To summarize this entree, it's
salty, buttery, soft, hard, and juicy.<br /><br />Trying two sides with the
first being Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, well I unfortunately have to
say that I have tried better. They are cooked well, crispy while still
soft inside, but it was the bacon that was disappointing. There is
supposed to be bacon in this dish right? They were present, but it was
these tiny diced pieces that you really could not find nor enjoy.<br /><br />On
the recommendation of the server, the next side was the Hen Of The
Woods Mushrooms. You have brought be back to bliss. Being a first timer
to Hen Of The Woods, I did not know what to expect visually, texturally,
and in flavor. These were hardy and thick shrooms that I now look for
at other places and grocery shopping, but come out empty handed each
time. I only hope I can find them again soon. Most were think, but you
could find a few that were thin and crunchy from the cooking process
give both the meaty and crunchy texture.<br /><br />Before dessert arrived, I
was treated to a pre-dessert, a Lemon Posset. Having a nice lemon base,
smooth texture, and small crunch from the crumbles, my palate was
cleansed and ready for dessert.<br /><br />My stomach wasn't though. I was stuffed at this point, but I had to keep going.<br /><br />I
asked for something light since I have already eaten probably 3,000
calories by now. The server recommended the panna cotta with it being so
light and airy. The Butterscotch Panna Cotta with Apple Fritters &
Pecan Crumble arrived which turns out to be such a wonderful dessert.
The panna cotta is light, airy, and smooth. The server was absolutely
correct in his recommendation. I thought the panna cotta was good, then I
tried the freshly made fritters. Oh my, my oh my. Soft, warm, carby,
cinnamon, a touch of heaven.<br /><br />I'm done, I can't eat anymore. Wait,
what is the server bringing me now? I know it's going to be delicious,
but I seriously don't know if I can shove it down my throat.<br /><br />The
after-dessert dessert arrived. It was a Blood Orange Marshmallow,
Brownie, and Oatmeal Cookie. The cookie and the brownie were both spot
on flavor with the brownie being deliciously rich. Even with it being
small portions, I still couldn't finish them. The marshmallow though I
could finish. It was sweet with that orange hint, nice and refreshing.<br /><br />Okay,
so they made a spectacular dinner. You get five-stars for the evening,
but I didn't realize they would treat me to a small breakfast as well.
The evening ended with them bringing a complimentary Raspberry Muffin
for tomorrow. It's nice and light, moist and a nice little muffin to
wake up to.<br /><br />A perfect place with perfect food.
<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-18490252175470086952013-07-22T09:28:00.004-04:002013-07-22T09:28:34.766-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Scoops; Worthy of a spot in Bizarre Foods, I had expectations of some weird
pairing of flavors or flavors from around the world. I was slightly let
down from that perspective, but not from the two flavors I tried.<br /><br />They
had some nontraditional flavors and the server said we could make any
flavor we wish but would need a few days. He told me their most popular
and regularly available flavor is the Brown Bread.<br /><br />I tried two
flavors, Salted Maple Oreo (top) and Brown Bread (below). It was tough
to decide which to end with and after lots of spoonfuls of each, I
decided the better of the two was the Salted Maple Oreo. It had the
sweetness contrasted with the saltiness. Then you have the crunch from
the Oreo pieces, it wins the match. The Brown Bread was good to. They
use Grape Nutes in it to simulate the "crunchy" pieces of bread. It
definitely has texture. Those Grape Nuts never get soggy even being in
the ice cream for a while.<br /><br />I would have liked to see some exotic
flavors, but who am I kidding, I enjoyed both flavors. I would rather
have two that I enjoyed than have some crazy ones and only have the
thrill, but terrible taste.
<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-48200376028574669082013-07-22T09:27:00.001-04:002013-07-22T09:27:07.864-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Los Angeles, CA - </b>Western Soondae; This place is the real deal. You'll know because when you walk in, the
smell hits you. You get this mixed aroma of meats and soups all
combining into one smell that makes you think twice in walking in.<br /><br />On
Bizarre Foods, Andrew Zimmern tries their Soondae Plate or their Blood
Sausage. In walking in his footsteps, lets order away and try it out. I
just ordered a sample plate of it and it is really surprising it. It's
cooked really well with the casing being super delicate and the flavors
are very mild. You do not have any metallic or mineral heavy dense
flavor. It's rather light and the blood only gives is a small subtle
enhanced flavor. The rice inside is well textured and wonderfully soft.
This was a good choice.<br /><br />My adventure continues with their Home
Made Style Duen Jang with Assorted Vegetable. This is a special soup. It
is an assortment of everything; vegetables and flavors. It's served in a
hot pot bowl, so the temperature is unbelievably hot. It's still
boiling and it probably continue to boil for the next 30 minutes. I am
not sure what those bowls are made of, but they certainly keep soup
above the temperature at which you can eat it. Finally after it falls
from the temperature of the sun, it is very rich of flavor and spices.
It's very unique in that the flavors really meld together into one that
really is indescribable. The tofu in the dish is constantly be cooked by
the broth and takes on that flavor as well. Tofu either can keep its
original bland flavor and help bring on its accented flavor of its dish.
It certainly adopts its soup flavor.<br /><br />It's an adventure to eat
here and take in the ambiance. You will for sure have a harder time
parking than choosing what to eat. The parking situation is pretty
terrible. The parking lot is primarily valet so you are stuck finding a
place in the neighborhood in the street. Expect to park several blocks
away and walk in.
<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-60043879792726366702013-07-22T09:24:00.006-04:002013-07-22T09:24:59.570-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Santa Monica, CA - </b>Typhoon; Some of the dishes here are right out of Bizarre Foods. Literally, they
are bizarre and there was an episode recorded her, which is how I found
this place.<br /><br />I am in the right place with the menu has an actual
section for insects! They are not hiding it or putting an slick names to
hid what they are. It's straight up scorpions, crickets, and pupae.
That's what I'm talking about.<br /><br />The server was extremely helpful
in assisting me to decide which to get and how they are presented. Ask
them anything about the dishes if you are unsure which to order or what
to expect. I started with the Singapore-Style Scorpions served on shrimp
toast. The overall dish is very light. The real question on your mind
is how were the scorpions. They are crunchy, that's about it. It is
difficult to see from the picture, but they are really small. In
addition, all the flavor is from the shrimp toast, not the scorpions. I
recommend trying the scorpions separately to see if you can get any of
their flavor and then try the toast. A bit of caution, stinger and
pinchers are still there. At first I was worried with them on it, but
these guys are so small, it does not matter at all. If you are curious, I
asked about their origins and they are Baby Black Scorpions farm raised
in AZ. An unexpected surprise was the sauce had some real heat to it. I
thought it was only going to be a typical sweet plum sauce, but I was
wrong. Prepare yourself, it won't burn your mouth, but be ready for the
heat.<br /><br />The scorpions were okay, but I was hoping for a full plate
of them and the Taiwanese Crickets are getting closer to the picture in
my head. These are much more plentiful on the plate, but they are hidden
inside fried shoe string potatoes. They are stir-fried with raw garlic,
chili pepper, and Asian sweet basil. The potatoes almost make you hunt
for them, which on one hand is annoying and the other hand, its as
almost they are in the environment and you have hunt for them and they
wouldn't be easy to catch. Look closely and you will still see that most
of them have their antennas. I, once again, recommend trying them alone
because the potatoes will mask their flavor. I thought they had this
nutty undertone, with a crunchy outside from sauteing with a slight soft
inside, since there is not much there to begin.<br /><br />I finally
receive a plate of what I was hoping, Silk Worm Pupae stir-fried and
served straight up, nothing masking it. It comes with assorted dipping
sauces to experiment with and see which is better with these little
critters. When you eat them alone without any of the "dressings", they
are crunchy on the outside and soft and meaty on the inside. There is
not a whole lot of flavor, but a bit of nuttiness to them. The sauces
you get to play with are chocolate, chili paste, mayo chili powdered,
lemon pepper, chili oil, soy garlic, siracha, mustard, and peanut. I
thought the ones I ended up liking with the pupae were chili paste,
chili oil and peanut. These sauces helped to either enhance or
compliment the crunchiness or nuttiness. The sauces that did not bode
well were the chocolate, mayo, lemon pepper, soy garlic, siracha, and
spicy mustard. Not that the sauces were not good, its that they were
overpowering the pupae and you really only tasted the sauce.<br /><br />Since
I didn't like the chocolate sauce on the pupae, I just saved it for
dessert by just dip your chop sticks in it and scoop out. It was the
sweetness I wanted at the end of the meal.<br /><br />I was surprised how
much these dishes filled me up. I did have three, but it is a lot of
protein when you're not sharing these dishes. All of them are fun to try
whether if you're an adventurous eater or having fun with the dishes
among friends.
<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-51666565658261462312013-07-10T23:01:00.003-04:002013-07-10T23:01:28.544-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Royal Oak, MI - </b>Little Brothers Burgers; Vegetarians watch out. You've been warned. Knowing so many vegetarians,
many times I will try the vegetarian option to see if its a good place
when you have omnivores and vegetarians in your party. Well, this is not
one of those places.<br /><br />I would never expect a sliders joint to
have an option for vegetarians, but when I saw they did, it's worth
trying. I asked if they just nuke the veggie patty and the answer was
no, we grilled them. Okay, I'm expecting the same quality or better
vegetarian burger than the ones at Red Robin, which for a franchise,
they are pretty good when they are not over cooked. Little brothers
needs to stick with meat and either leave these patties alone or learn
how to cook them.<br /><br />The patty was fairly thin and not much to it. I
wouldn't expect much if it was the size of a real slider and you would
normally order a few. I would not want to have more than one of these
guys. They make the cardinal mistake of over cooking the patty. They
come out dried up and the edges get hard. They should also consider
having the option for a veggie or meatless patty. The veggie patty is a
garden burger, so you can see the carrots and bits of other pieces. With
the meatless option, you don't see those ingredients and with it mostly
soy based, it's texture and taste is different.<br /><br />Vegetarians, if
it was your only option when going there with friends, fine you have
something to order. However with being in Downtown Royal Oak, there are
so many other options for you that will taste good and be worth the
money you spend.
<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-89843836216392663802013-07-10T22:59:00.004-04:002013-07-10T22:59:56.129-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Royal Oak, MI - </b>Ahan Thai; I did a quick pop in here for a snack and tried their Fresh Spring
Rolls. The rolls can be a good representation of what their other food
may be like depending on freshness of the vegetables, aromatic-ness of
the herbs, and the texture of the rice noodle wraps.<br /><br />The wraps
were fresh and not dried out. They were stuffed with vegetables and
noodles with them almost ready to pour out. The herbs were fresh with
nice aromas when biting into it. The sauce was slightly different than
other places. This one had a bit of a smokey hint to it. It was
refreshing to have a slightly different flavor and to see they put their
own touch into their sauce.<br /><br />The fresh wraps gives you a
welcoming feeling to come back and try an entree now. I hope it has the
same freshness and fresh herbaceous flavors the wraps had. I'm not sure
if it was my timing or not, but I was the only customer in the
restaurant. I hope that is not a bad sign.
<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-16167916204541076532013-07-10T22:57:00.002-04:002013-07-10T22:57:48.893-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Ferndale, MI - </b>Local Kitchen and Bar; The trend among new and local restaurants is fresh, local food,
sustainable, environmental conscience, and more artistic and creative
dishes. Local is attempting to accomplish just this and executes it well
on most of those objectives. Most.<br /><br />The Fried Green Tomatoes are
served with pepper jam, goat cheese, and a tomato purée having an impact
on your taste buds in a sweet and savior fashion. The breading on the
tomatoes is nice and even with a sweet thick slice of a green tomato
underneath. It was nicely golden brown with three sauces to match is
flavor profile. My favorite was the pepper jam, but it was milder than
other places that make it. Some places give it a kick of heat in the
beginning or the end. This jam didn't have that delivery, but it has
that sweet undertone that works well with the tomato. Both the tomato
purée and the goat cheese are both well suited to work with these
delicious fried wonders. They are both mild and help to balance the
fried flavor. My only criticism is that with these two sauces, it
neutralizes it too much, making it more bland than complex.<br /><br />The
Pork Belly appetizer, arrived along with the tomatoes, which are pan
seared, served along with house made conserves, herb salad, and rye
toast. The pork was nicely seared on the edges and still fatty on the
inside. It had that nice rich balance of fatty, salty, and crunchy. The
conserves, well, they are not spectacular. One is cinnamon apples and
the other is sauteed onions. Both are served cold, real cold,
refrigerator cold. It would have been better if both were warm or even
room temperature. The herb salad includes a nice small set of greens and
lightly dressed. I'm not sure why the toast is there. Didn't use it,
didn't need it.<br /><br />Here was the bad part of either the service or
execution of the food delivery. The appetizer arrived and not 45 seconds
later, the entrees arrived. So our entrees were getting cold while we
were eating the appetizers. Not to mention, the table really isn't big
enough to have all this food on it. We make it work, but it was
difficult to maneuver.<br /><br />The carnita nachos has home made chips,
shredded pork or vegetarian black beans, salsa, pickled jalapenos,
crema, queso, and avocado. I like that it can be made vegetarian as
well. The chips are wonderfully crispy and not sure if its in the chips
or somewhere else, I swear I taste some kind of cinnamon hidden in their
somewhere. This gave it a nice element of surprise and allure. What's
also nice with this dish and particularly the jalapeños is that they
remove the seeds. For me, spicy is my thing, for for many others, it's
not. So in this case, you can still enjoy the flavor of the pepper, but
without the heat. It's a nice little touch.<br /><br />The Seared Scallops
with Wild Rice Jambalaya was one of their specials. The scallops were
seared nicely, but I don't thing they were cleaned properly. The scallop
had this wonderful smooth texture and while enjoying the sear, you get a
harsh crunch hear and there. The crunch of grittiness, improperly
cleaned scallops, a turn off. The jambalaya was certainly an
interpretation of one. It was not one I've had in New Orleans for sure. I
think anyone from there would send it back if they had it. That's not
to say it wasn't good, it just wasn't a traditional jambalaya. There
wasn't any sauce on, in, or around the rice. The rice did have some
chicken and shrimp pieces that were cooked and seasoned well for a
non-jambalaya dish.<br /><br />Finished off with a nice dessert of Rick's
Brownie having vanilla ice cream, salted caramel drizzle on top. I was
so happy to see the brownie warmed up. It was very nice and warm that
just barely started to melt the ice cream, not too quickly. It had
hidden chocolate chips in the brownie that was a nice surprise. The ice
cream was ice cream. Nothing special. The salted caramel sauce was on
the skimpy side and a little more would have made it just a little
better. It needed that little extra salt to contrast the sweetness to
give it a pow.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-10159942147688483032013-07-10T22:52:00.003-04:002013-07-10T22:52:56.149-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>San Diego, CA - </b>Sally's Seafood on the Water; Wow, hotel food restaurant, which I expected to be around two or three
stars. Walking along the water, Sally's is extremely convenient. I was
worried sitting down and not seeing anyone else there eating. We were
the only people there to start the evening for them. This is the
exception to the rule of go to the place with the longest line.<br /><br />The
service was fantastic, maybe because we were the only people there,
either way, they took well care of us. This "blow your mind" tasty
dinner starts with their House Bread with Peppercorn Salt served hot.
The bread is still steaming, perfectly fluffy like your pillow. When you
open it up, you can see how airy the bread is with wonderful air
pockets inside. Spread a little of their butter and sprinkle some of
their peppercorn salt...do you think there was any bread left? Not a
single piece.<br /><br />It now set the stage for my entree, the Swordfish
with Risotto. This cut was thick and yet perfectly cooked from the
outside to the center. The risotto had this fantastic lemon undertone
that helped give that needed acid to the fish. Why give me a slice of
lemon when you can give me the lemon risotto and its a combo that sends
you home still licking your chops.<br /><br />The REAL STAR, DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT TRYING, is their Fish and Chips. It is<br />sea
bass, malt vinegar, house made tartar and spicy tamarind sauces, served
with steak fries that had a perfect crunch and soft middle. I would fly
to San Diego just to have this dish again. The bass is 100% better than
cod, and yet even though the fish is light and delicate in flavor, it's
not over powering in fishy flavor. The real spectacular spectacular of
the dish is the breading. So many times with fried fish, the badder
separates from the fish. Not in this case. You'll find that it has this
wonderful flaky crust, which crumbles and melts in your mouth. Use all
their sauces and lick the bowl and plate if no one is looking, it's that
good. I will either fly out or have this dish shipped to me, yes I said
it before and I'll say it again, it's that good.<br /><br />I later went
back for a quick carry out and tried their Kazoo Roll With Salmon and
Mango; Nigiri Unagi (BBQ Freshwater Eel). The salmon was very nice and
fresh clean flavor. The mango heightened the flavor just enough where
you can taste it just so slightly. A winning carry out dish.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-54389865972122991702013-07-10T22:49:00.004-04:002013-07-10T22:49:56.520-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b></b><b>San Diego, CA - </b>Salad Style; This is a cute little place with a nice selection of different salads
that are usually difficult to find, especially if you're in a hurry.
Typical places that have the salads to go usually have those typical
romaine or spinach salads. Here, they have a nice variety of different
types of salad and non typical toppings such as seared tuna.<br /><br />I
tried their Small Seared Tuna Salad. It had a nice collection of veggies
and well looking seared tuna on top. The tuna was seared nicely with it
still noticeably pink inside. My only criticism is the quantity of
tuna. There should be more for it to be a heartier meal. It doesn't need
much more, I don't need a buffet of it, just enough portion size to
make you feel comfortable. Its slightly on the blander side, it could
probably use a little more seasoning. Its not enough of a critique to
take away a star though.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-72922731842019456322013-06-22T09:14:00.002-04:002013-06-22T09:14:40.229-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Troy, MI - </b>Capital Grille; Thank you Yelp Elite Squad for having this event at Capital Grille. It
was a well attended event and a perfect opportunity to sample their
food.<br /><br />First to come around was the Tenderloin Brioche. They could
have brought this around all night and I would have shoved every one of
these into my mouth without sharing. Yelpers would have known me to be
the rude, nonsharing, elite squad member. The tenderloin was perfectly
cooked, wonderfully tender, and seasoned with only the necessities to
not mask any flavor. It was a fantastic balance between the flavors.<br /><br />The
Mushroom Bisque arrived next and this was a wonderful compliment to the
tenderloin brioche. It was deliciously think, and creamy with this
fantastic small chunky earthy mushroom flavor. <br /><br />The Steak Tartar
Crustini arrived which were good and I was happy to try them, but they
didn't deliver the same type of flavor profile the other two
accomplished. It was more one note flavored leaving you wondering if it
were any good.<br /><br />Crab burger was next and visually its appealing.
This slider looking burger has that appeal not from a burger patty, but
that large thick chunk of crab meat sticking out. It was a good
selection of meat for the presentation. It taste as good as it looks.
The delicious crab meat, soft and buttery, on this nice slider toasted
bun.<br /><br />These small bites have convinced me to come back for a larger meal.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-46996279009339881852013-06-22T09:12:00.003-04:002013-06-22T09:12:29.713-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Franklin, MI - </b>Franklin Grill; After driving past this place several times while going through the cute
tiny downtown of Franklin, it was time to try it. They have have nice
patio in the back to enjoy the afternoon or evening outside.<br /><br />I
tried their Salmon Salad, since I was in the mood for a dish on the
lighter side. It had fresh greens and surprised by the inclusion of
asparagus. It gave it a nice touch in flavor and crunch. <br /><br />I
usually order the dressing on the side, but neglected to ask. I was
pleasantly surprised and thrilled to find they only placed a nice thin
drizzle of dressing. The lettuce was not swimming in it. The dressing
had a nice flavor and the salad also included roasted walnuts for that
crunchy texture.<br /><br />The disappointing element was the fish-stick
looking pieces of salmon. The way its cut, I would swear they were
fish-sticks. Fine, as long as it taste better than my childhood
fish-sticks. Well, if the salmon were seasoned, I would accept its poor
looks. It just wasn't flavorful. It was bland fishy salmon flavor. Thank
goodness for the tasty dressing to help the fish, it couldn't stand
alone.<br /><br />The salmon would have received two stars independently, but the rest of the elements helped it barely reach three stars.
<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-1375099807802720082013-06-22T09:11:00.002-04:002013-06-22T09:11:18.908-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>San Diego, CA - </b>Cafe 21; My eyes are in love. The dish arrived and it was beautiful and creative. A work of art. That was the climax unfortunately.<br /><br />The
Shrimp Corn Cake with Poached Egg and Cilantro Cream Sauce arrived. The
contrast in colors were dazzling and not over whelming. I took a minute
to look at the carefully constructed dish to allow my eyes to become
smitten. <br /><br />My taste buds were not equally impressed. With the
colors delivered to my delight, the flavor fell flat. Nothing worse than
a bland dish. Nothing popped, nothing stood out. The corn cakes did
have a nice harder sauteed outer shell, soft on the inside with a soft
muted crab flavor. It either needed more crab to elevate the flavor or
less corn which muted the crab. The eggs were poached well with
beautiful runny yokes. I love cilantro, pack it in. It has a wonderful
herbaceous flavor, why hide it in the background. The color of the cream
sauce and even seeing little pieces of cilantro in it that survived the
puree process, still, barely any flavor of cilantro. How disappointing.<br /><br />The staff was really nice and welcoming and they have a nice patio to enjoy outside people watching while eating.
<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-7677782694387633342013-04-27T10:37:00.002-04:002013-04-27T10:37:51.654-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>San Diego, CA - </b>Soltan Banoo; My friend suggested Persian this evening and I was so excited since I
don't think I have ever tried it before. I, like many, commit the flaw
of making assumptions, which in this case, I admit I did. I envisioned
the standard middle eastern fare: falafel, kabobs, hummus, on and on.
What I ordered, really was so much better.<br /><br />It took me a little
bit of time to decide because they have a large menu. I finally settled
on Albaloo Polo Tofu; includes basmati rice with saffron and cinnamon,
sour cherries, pistachios, with a curry yogurt sauce, shirazi salad.
This dish is packed with flavor. The saffron and cinnamon come through
in the rice with this nice delicate flavor. The cherries are far from
dried, they are plump and re-hydrated to give you that sweetness in
balance. The biggest star here is the curry yogurt. That packs a punch,
not in heat, but in flavor. It is full bodied in curry, but yet somehow
they made it to where I would bet even the non-curry lovers would love
it. The curry flavor is there without a doubt, but it's toned down. I
highly recommend not pouring it onto the dish, you would lose the
flavors of each component. The yogurt will over power it. It's best to
dip your fork in, then take some food with it. This way, you get the
saffron and cinnamon, sweet cherries, then this subtle deep intense
curry yogurt flavor. Wow, it's a winner.<br /><br />The restaurant is in a nice cute neighborhood, where we sat on their patio to enjoy the warm evening.<br />Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28178233.post-2216949687922025332013-04-17T22:09:00.002-04:002013-04-17T22:09:30.354-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>San Diego, CA - </b>Rama; We started with Fresh Spring Roll with Tofu. The vegetables inside were
nice and fresh, but it was a stand fresh spring roll, nothing fancy, no
surprises.<br /><br />The Papaya Salad is always nice to try since its not a
ubiquitous item on menus. It had green beans, cherry tomatoes, roasted
peanuts, Thai chili and garlic. What's nice about papaya salads is that
people automatically expect it to be sweet because it's a salad
primarily made of a fruit. However, it's nice to surprise people and
especially when you see their, they get this look of, wait a minute, I
wasn't expecting that at all.<br /><br />The Pad Thai Tofu was a typical pad
thai, it has their own flavor spectrum for their peanut sauce, but
nothing out of the extreme ordinary. The key here is if you like the
standard flavor of pad thai, then it's a good dish for you. It will have
all the familiar flavors. It had rice noodles with egg, bean sprouts,
tofu, onions, lime and peanuts.<br /><br />Lastly, I tried the Kanaa Moo
Krob, crispy pork belly, kai lan, and garlic. The pork belly is what
attracted me. You say, pork belly, I say let's get it. Pork belly, let's
get it. However, I wish I hadn't. It was over cooked and too chewy. It
had so much potential. The sauce was good, but I don't just want to
drink a dish, I want to enjoy the substance of it, which I couldn't.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad to where I would send it back or throw
it away, it just wasn't a four or five star dish.
Food Fanatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14921882255139598219noreply@blogger.com0