Alright my dearest, loving, fabulous readers.. (I've heard flattery gets you everywhere) I've moved! Well, my blog has at least. Check it out here! Subscribe there and you can see all of the wonderful new adventures I have in store for you! Coming soon... a BIG announcement. (oooooh! aaaaah!) Admit it, I've piqued your curiosity. Bear with me for a minute though, the site is still being worked on at times so don't judge! Or do... I'd probably judge your site anyway. <3 ya, mean it!
xo - Dee
Friday, September 23, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Thai this on for size
I decided to finally take Pagnus’ suggestion and venture out of the “Please” rut I was stuck in, and what do ya know... Jackpot!
Spice Thai (no, not the chain Thai Spice – don’t be lame) is located in Lake Forest and although I’ve passed it a gazillion times on my way to other, less interesting places, I’ve never given it the chance it so definitely deserved.
We walked in the doors and the restaurant was practically empty, only one table occupied. I immediately had doubts. If a place is good, shouldn’t it be packed? Maybe even a waiting line?? Nay, not at this place.. maybe just a hidden gem that has yet to be discovered? Well, I’m here to blow that shit out of the water.
We were properly greeted and shown our table; alas, no inappropriate “please” – I was immediately excited.
Thai Iced Tea – I had to, so yummy.
So here comes the food. I wanted to get a really good feel for the style and quality of food here, so we may have ordered more than expected – I didn’t think so, but clearly the staff did as immediately upon taking our order, we’re offered a larger table “for all the food.” LOL! >Enter fat kid shame here<
Appetizer: Chicken Larb – I effing love this stuff.
Typically a ground meat (they give you a choice of which) with sliced red onions, cilantro, mint, chopped chili (for spice), toasted ground rice (adds an amazing crunch), and a lime juice/fish sauce mixture.
Something different – carrots, and less sauce than I’m used to. Still yummy. For you savory/citrus addicts out there, this makes swallowing worth it.
Next, our entrees: I had the crying tiger as a desperate attempt to give this dish another chance because I had completely given up on it, and since Pagnus suggested this dish specifically, I had an obligation to my readers to try it one more time. Chef had the Green Curry with Tofu (the usual), and we decided to share the mixed Pad Thai.. Too much? Nah...
Crying Tiger – Spice Thai Style
Pasting that pic in here literally just made my tum tums growl. Yeah – it was that good. Look at the meat.. it’s cooked PERFECTLY. It is served with a chili lime sauce and a sweet-ish house sauce. Ignore the house sauce, solely devote your taste buds to the meat and the chili lime sauce – I want this in my mouth right now. Teehee!
Green Curry with Tofu:
Initial thought? Ew – that shit looks nasty and to hell if that’s going in my mouth. I’m one of those that tends to eat with my eyes, so this.. was NOT about to happen. I let Chef test it out, I know, I’m the bestest. How unselfish of me to have someone else try something I immediately swore off. I care I tell ya! Being that he really is a Chef I do, on occasion take his word for it when he says something’s good. Even this one scared him, BUT he tried it anyway, then had me try it, and now.. you should try it. It’s tasty. It really is. One complaint, more watery than I would prefer, but there are those out there that prefer this over the thicker version that I’m more partial to. To each his own, except here, on this blog, it’s my way so HA!
Alright, last, but not least the Pad Thai (and PS – the staff was right, this was too much damn food, I left with a box of leftovers):
Homerun, but honestly in my experience, the Pad Thai has never ceased to satisfy.
/Swallow It, make eye contact, and do it with a smile on your face, they like that.
On a side note, the service was great, not even one inappropriate “please!” Discomfort only came once the only other party in the restaurant departed and we were left there alone to be slightly overly coddled and looked after. However, this I can appreciate.
What I do disagree with, and it’s not just at this place – TV’s in a non-sports bar & grill type of place. If I’m going to a restaurant, I’m going to eat, enjoy my food, and have a nice conversation with my company, not listen to or watch a game and subsequently ignore the person I’m with. This is the only thing that has to go. It’s a nice place, they should value it as such and to those who want to watch a game? There’s a sports bar a few doors down so please be on your way.
PS - Pagnus, whoever you are.. I heart you for this suggestion! You restored my faith in Thai food and I thank you for that.
xo – Dee
Spice Thai (no, not the chain Thai Spice – don’t be lame) is located in Lake Forest and although I’ve passed it a gazillion times on my way to other, less interesting places, I’ve never given it the chance it so definitely deserved.
We walked in the doors and the restaurant was practically empty, only one table occupied. I immediately had doubts. If a place is good, shouldn’t it be packed? Maybe even a waiting line?? Nay, not at this place.. maybe just a hidden gem that has yet to be discovered? Well, I’m here to blow that shit out of the water.
We were properly greeted and shown our table; alas, no inappropriate “please” – I was immediately excited.
Thai Iced Tea – I had to, so yummy.
So here comes the food. I wanted to get a really good feel for the style and quality of food here, so we may have ordered more than expected – I didn’t think so, but clearly the staff did as immediately upon taking our order, we’re offered a larger table “for all the food.” LOL! >Enter fat kid shame here<
Appetizer: Chicken Larb – I effing love this stuff.
Typically a ground meat (they give you a choice of which) with sliced red onions, cilantro, mint, chopped chili (for spice), toasted ground rice (adds an amazing crunch), and a lime juice/fish sauce mixture.
Something different – carrots, and less sauce than I’m used to. Still yummy. For you savory/citrus addicts out there, this makes swallowing worth it.
Next, our entrees: I had the crying tiger as a desperate attempt to give this dish another chance because I had completely given up on it, and since Pagnus suggested this dish specifically, I had an obligation to my readers to try it one more time. Chef had the Green Curry with Tofu (the usual), and we decided to share the mixed Pad Thai.. Too much? Nah...
Crying Tiger – Spice Thai Style
Pasting that pic in here literally just made my tum tums growl. Yeah – it was that good. Look at the meat.. it’s cooked PERFECTLY. It is served with a chili lime sauce and a sweet-ish house sauce. Ignore the house sauce, solely devote your taste buds to the meat and the chili lime sauce – I want this in my mouth right now. Teehee!
Green Curry with Tofu:
Initial thought? Ew – that shit looks nasty and to hell if that’s going in my mouth. I’m one of those that tends to eat with my eyes, so this.. was NOT about to happen. I let Chef test it out, I know, I’m the bestest. How unselfish of me to have someone else try something I immediately swore off. I care I tell ya! Being that he really is a Chef I do, on occasion take his word for it when he says something’s good. Even this one scared him, BUT he tried it anyway, then had me try it, and now.. you should try it. It’s tasty. It really is. One complaint, more watery than I would prefer, but there are those out there that prefer this over the thicker version that I’m more partial to. To each his own, except here, on this blog, it’s my way so HA!
Alright, last, but not least the Pad Thai (and PS – the staff was right, this was too much damn food, I left with a box of leftovers):
Homerun, but honestly in my experience, the Pad Thai has never ceased to satisfy.
/Swallow It, make eye contact, and do it with a smile on your face, they like that.
On a side note, the service was great, not even one inappropriate “please!” Discomfort only came once the only other party in the restaurant departed and we were left there alone to be slightly overly coddled and looked after. However, this I can appreciate.
What I do disagree with, and it’s not just at this place – TV’s in a non-sports bar & grill type of place. If I’m going to a restaurant, I’m going to eat, enjoy my food, and have a nice conversation with my company, not listen to or watch a game and subsequently ignore the person I’m with. This is the only thing that has to go. It’s a nice place, they should value it as such and to those who want to watch a game? There’s a sports bar a few doors down so please be on your way.
PS - Pagnus, whoever you are.. I heart you for this suggestion! You restored my faith in Thai food and I thank you for that.
xo – Dee
Friday, July 15, 2011
I’m Back Bitches!
Did ya miss me? Probably not, it’s cool, I get it. What kind of asshole starts a totally awesome food blog and then just quits? This asshole. That’s who.
What can I say.. shit’s been crazy in these here parts, but I’m sayin’ eff that biz and getting back to swallowing my way to fame… Like most do. HA!
Alright, no food tonight, just the announcement, but I've got a hint.. PAGNUS – this next one’s for you doll! Check back – do it.
- Dee
What can I say.. shit’s been crazy in these here parts, but I’m sayin’ eff that biz and getting back to swallowing my way to fame… Like most do. HA!
Alright, no food tonight, just the announcement, but I've got a hint.. PAGNUS – this next one’s for you doll! Check back – do it.
- Dee
Sunday, May 8, 2011
I Swallowed Mediterranean!
Pita Pita Café in Lake Forest is a new little quick-service spot offering delicious Mediterranean flavors. I like to frequent it at least a couple of times a month. Once you try it, this place will have you craving it.
Now you should know, I’m a devoted lamb girl when it comes to Greek/Mediterranean. So my default order is always, without fail, the Full Size Lamb Pita Combination.
You get a choice of two sides with any combination, I had the Cheese Pie (for an extra charge), and some Tubbouleh. The Cheese pie is a warm, soft, fluffy dough filled with Mediterranean cheeses that will have your mouth singing with Dee-light and for those of you less informed on what Tabbouleh might be.. Tabbouleh is a refreshing salad comprised of very finely chopped parsley, mint, tomato, onion, and bulgur tossed together with lemon juice and olive oil. It’s a great blend of textures and flavors.
The lamb pita has grilled lamb, shredded lettuce, tomato, Mediterranean pickle, and Tzatziki sauce all stuffed into a piece of fresh out of the brick oven pita bread... That’s not all though, I SWEAR there’s garlic crack in it. It is flat out tasty!! The lamb is cooked perfectly too – tender, juicy, and super flavorful.
The service here is great too.. most of the time. I’ve only encountered one visit when I left empty handed and disappointed. The time was 8:03pm, to my defense this was only my second time in so I had no idea what the hours were. There were customers inside eating, ordering, and the door was open. So I entered, and was very quickly turned away as they, “closed at 8pm.” I was in the process of asking if I could just grab an order to go when I was interrupted and reminded yet again that they were closed. Ever get the urge to just yell, “BITE MY ASS!!!” at someone? I sure did, but held back, because in all fairness.. they closed at 8. (but those guys can still bite my ass HARD for their attitude about it)
Anyway, I gave it another try a few weeks later and was happy yet again. So my advice to you - check the hours before you enter, or you might just find yourself requesting that a chunk be taken out of your ass orally, and not in a good way.
/Swallow It
- Dee
Now you should know, I’m a devoted lamb girl when it comes to Greek/Mediterranean. So my default order is always, without fail, the Full Size Lamb Pita Combination.
You get a choice of two sides with any combination, I had the Cheese Pie (for an extra charge), and some Tubbouleh. The Cheese pie is a warm, soft, fluffy dough filled with Mediterranean cheeses that will have your mouth singing with Dee-light and for those of you less informed on what Tabbouleh might be.. Tabbouleh is a refreshing salad comprised of very finely chopped parsley, mint, tomato, onion, and bulgur tossed together with lemon juice and olive oil. It’s a great blend of textures and flavors.
The lamb pita has grilled lamb, shredded lettuce, tomato, Mediterranean pickle, and Tzatziki sauce all stuffed into a piece of fresh out of the brick oven pita bread... That’s not all though, I SWEAR there’s garlic crack in it. It is flat out tasty!! The lamb is cooked perfectly too – tender, juicy, and super flavorful.
The service here is great too.. most of the time. I’ve only encountered one visit when I left empty handed and disappointed. The time was 8:03pm, to my defense this was only my second time in so I had no idea what the hours were. There were customers inside eating, ordering, and the door was open. So I entered, and was very quickly turned away as they, “closed at 8pm.” I was in the process of asking if I could just grab an order to go when I was interrupted and reminded yet again that they were closed. Ever get the urge to just yell, “BITE MY ASS!!!” at someone? I sure did, but held back, because in all fairness.. they closed at 8. (but those guys can still bite my ass HARD for their attitude about it)
Anyway, I gave it another try a few weeks later and was happy yet again. So my advice to you - check the hours before you enter, or you might just find yourself requesting that a chunk be taken out of your ass orally, and not in a good way.
/Swallow It
- Dee
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Vegas Baby! VEGAAAASSSSSS!!
Alright my sweets, I am out like shout this weekend and hitting lovely Las Vegas! (Admit it, you’re totally jealous – it’s okay, I would be too)
So Beans, hmm what should I call her.. I don’t know her well enough to give her a nickname.. let’s call her shmelshmissa, and I are venturing to Viva Las Vegas this fine Easter weekend. Never heard of it? Click the link silly! Should be fun – I know, I know.. you’re going to miss me SOOO much, but don’t worry! I’m going to release my inner Fat Kid all over that town and will be ready to report back on all the goodies I stuffed my face with as soon as I’m home.
If you’re really jones-ing for a post from Dee-lightful Dee, feel free to try and locate me at any of the marked places below. (Or you can leave me a comment, that'll definitely get me to log in)
There’s gonna be some serious swallowing all over that town!
- Dee
So Beans, hmm what should I call her.. I don’t know her well enough to give her a nickname.. let’s call her shmelshmissa, and I are venturing to Viva Las Vegas this fine Easter weekend. Never heard of it? Click the link silly! Should be fun – I know, I know.. you’re going to miss me SOOO much, but don’t worry! I’m going to release my inner Fat Kid all over that town and will be ready to report back on all the goodies I stuffed my face with as soon as I’m home.
If you’re really jones-ing for a post from Dee-lightful Dee, feel free to try and locate me at any of the marked places below. (Or you can leave me a comment, that'll definitely get me to log in)
There’s gonna be some serious swallowing all over that town!- Dee
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Fukada Me?! Nooo, Fukada You!
Fukada is worth the Swallow.
I’ve only ventured here a few times, but each time it’s been Dee-licious. Fukada is a cool little Japanese restaurant in Irvine.
This time I went with a craving for Soba noodles in my combination, but unfortunately they were all out. I think we chose a shitty night to go because like I said before, this place has always been great. This time, the food was still great (aside from them being all out of Soba), but the service lacked. Don’t get me wrong, these ladies are always friendly, but this time they were taking forever to take our order, bring our order, bring our bill, and take it back.
Still, I refuse to hold this against them. I will return to fulfill my Soba craving.
So what did I get?
Seafood Salad Combination with Spicy Tuna Don. *Nom Nom Nom Nom NOM*
Lightly seared Salmon, Tuna, and Yellowtail on a bed of greens with a ginger dressing. Simple, but oh so good.
Spicy Tuna Don – Exactly what it looks like, spicy Tuna mixture on white rice with a smidgen of Wasabi garnished with some dry toasted seaweed. Side note – typically I would order this with brown rice, but some crazy person (Chef) told me that some other crazy person (Chef’s brother, Squid) had informed him that it’s not good to eat brown rice in the Winter... Yeeeaaaahhhhh... I don’t know about all of that, but hey.. any reason to not order the healthier option! Fat Kids Rejoice!
If you’re a fan of Spicy Tuna, or Japanese food all together, you must try this place. It’s so good. The Spicy Tuna Don is addicting, I’m convinced in the words of Dave Chapelle, “They sprinkle some crack on it.”
As most men would say.. Tis nicer to Swallow than to Spit. ha! gross.
/Swallow It
- Dee
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Hi, my name is Dee and I’m addicted to Sushi.
Okay, so maybe it’s not a real addiction, but I could honestly eat Sushi every single day for the rest of my life – if I could afford it.
We all know Sushi can be expensive.. and I’m not even close to wealthy, well-off, rich, or financially comfortable... YET. So, when I can’t afford to go to Yoshi’s, Maru, or Hapi Sushi (this is where I go to treat myself) I venture over to Minato Sushi in Lake Forest. Minato is the best place to go for inexpensive yet decent quality all you can eat Sushi. Just $24.95 for AYCE Dinner, and $18.95 for AYCE Lunch.
Mexican Roll – California Roll topped with spicy mayo and Sriracha.
Philadelphia Roll – Salmon and cream cheese.
Salmon Sushi – One of my fave’s.
TNT Roll – Tuna Tataki on top of spicy tuna roll.
Albacore Sushi – Hands down my favorite thing to order here, it’s so tender it practically melts in your mouth, and they top it with Garlic Ponzu and a green onion garnish. The peppery seared albacore with the citrus savory sauce is a perfect blend of flavors, you can’t help but order more and more and more.
This was a nice little treat the owner/chef James made for me. Hamachi (Yellowtail) Sushi, all dressed up.
*All orders are full size (8pcs for rolls, 2pcs for sushi) I just kept forgetting to take a pic before my inner fatty could come out and eat half the plate.. I’m tellin’ ya, I’ve got a problem!*
Green Tea Ice Cream is included in AYCE.
Wrap it all up with a Cucumber Slushy. I think it’s cucumber juice with lemon-lime soda and perfectly slushed ice. It’s super refreshing!
Chef/Owner James is awesome, as well as his other chef Young, they’re both funny, they’ll drink with you, talk to you, and make you special orders without having to ask for them, they both make the place an all around blast.
When you’re on a budget and want some decent Sushi and a good time go to Minato and.. wait for it..
/Swallow It!!
- Dee
PS - Have you ever gotten ice out of your ice maker and it tastes like Garlicy Sadness and Death?? Wtf is up with that?
We all know Sushi can be expensive.. and I’m not even close to wealthy, well-off, rich, or financially comfortable... YET. So, when I can’t afford to go to Yoshi’s, Maru, or Hapi Sushi (this is where I go to treat myself) I venture over to Minato Sushi in Lake Forest. Minato is the best place to go for inexpensive yet decent quality all you can eat Sushi. Just $24.95 for AYCE Dinner, and $18.95 for AYCE Lunch.
Mexican Roll – California Roll topped with spicy mayo and Sriracha.
Philadelphia Roll – Salmon and cream cheese.
Salmon Sushi – One of my fave’s.
TNT Roll – Tuna Tataki on top of spicy tuna roll.
Albacore Sushi – Hands down my favorite thing to order here, it’s so tender it practically melts in your mouth, and they top it with Garlic Ponzu and a green onion garnish. The peppery seared albacore with the citrus savory sauce is a perfect blend of flavors, you can’t help but order more and more and more.
This was a nice little treat the owner/chef James made for me. Hamachi (Yellowtail) Sushi, all dressed up.
*All orders are full size (8pcs for rolls, 2pcs for sushi) I just kept forgetting to take a pic before my inner fatty could come out and eat half the plate.. I’m tellin’ ya, I’ve got a problem!*
Green Tea Ice Cream is included in AYCE.
Wrap it all up with a Cucumber Slushy. I think it’s cucumber juice with lemon-lime soda and perfectly slushed ice. It’s super refreshing!
Chef/Owner James is awesome, as well as his other chef Young, they’re both funny, they’ll drink with you, talk to you, and make you special orders without having to ask for them, they both make the place an all around blast.
When you’re on a budget and want some decent Sushi and a good time go to Minato and.. wait for it..
/Swallow It!!
- Dee
PS - Have you ever gotten ice out of your ice maker and it tastes like Garlicy Sadness and Death?? Wtf is up with that?
Friday, April 15, 2011
Dee Deems Deemer’s Dee-sappointing
Ha! I crack me up.
Soooooo, I had lunch with an old friend last weekend at a place called Deemer’s American Grill. I’ve been here before and it was damn tasty so why wouldn’t I want to go back?!
My first time there I had the BLT and it was super yummy so this time called for something new, the Californian burger. This burger has Monterey Cheese, Avocado Relish, Tomato, Baby Spinach, and Herb Aioli. Sounds good, right? Check out the shot:
Doesn’t look too bad. But let’s go back and really take a look at each ingredient.
Monterey Cheese, mild flavor but not bad to snack on. Avocado Relish, sounds different in a good way, relishes usually pack a punch of flavor, in this case, you would expect a hint of savory, but avocados... unless seasoned at the very least with salt, are actually very mild flavored, same with spinach. Tomatoes are standard, but I refuse them in my burgers and sandwiches. Now the Herb Aioli, oh how I love Aioli’s – they always compliment unhealthy foods so beautifully. BUT mayo with herbs blended in... still pretty mild flavored, not like a Lemon Dill Aioli, or a Chipotle Aioli, nay just some herbs in mayo...
All 5 elements were mild flavored; mild with mild, with mild, with some mild thrown in for good measure, and a little more mild in case you didn’t have enough.
Shit was bland! I had to use my friend’s BBQ sauce to jazz it up and actually attempt to finish it. Not to mention the bread completely fell apart.
Go there (bet you weren’t expecting that) and try something else, the customer service is actually really good and the place is always immaculate. Like I said before.. the BLT was damn good! So there’s hope for the other menu items.
/Spit out the Californian
/Swallow something else!
- Dee
Thursday, April 7, 2011
A Dish So Nice They Named it Twice
Shabu-Shabu. That’s right, twice.
I was introduced to Shabu-Shabu back in 2003. How I ever lived without this is a mystery to me. – Did that rhyme?! Shabu-Shabu literally means “swish-swish” for the way you cook your meats/veggies by swishing it around in boiling water.
Shabu-Shabu is served with your choice of meats, and a dish of veggies which consists of Napa cabbage leaves, tofu squares, carrots, spinach, seaweed, green onions, and Udon noodles for your soup at the end (more on this later). It also includes two dipping sauces, a Ponzu (citrus soy sauce) and a Goma (sesame sauce) – you can season up your sauces with some minced ginger, minced garlic, and sliced green onions, don’t forget the hot drops! Just one in each sauce should do the trick. Top it all off with a bowl of rice.
What place do you go to for some pretty damn good Shabu-Shabu you ask? Well, California Shabu-Shabu in Costa Mesa of course! Great service, even better food.
Check it out:
I had the Regular (8 pieces) Choice Beef with brown rice and about 4 glasses of the most delicious Iced Green Tea I’ve ever had. Look at the beautiful Beef and super fresh veggies!
*Nom Nom* Right?!
So once you’ve gone through your meats (or veggies for you non meat eaters – no judgment!) and rice and sadness sets in at the thought that the meal is over... Think again! They surprise you with a bowl of soup base! You simply spoon in some of your boiling water, which has been seasoned with all the yummies you’ve been swishing in it, add the noodles, and whatever other veggies you might like and voila! Udon soup. It’s pretty awesome.
That was mine and I already want more.
This place is goooooooooooood. Go there, experience it, love it, love me for telling you about it, and then go on living your newly improved by California Shabu-Shabu life.
/Swallow It!
..and swallow some of that Iced Green Tea too, hell yeah mutha trucka!
I know, I’m a dork. You love it.
- Dee
I was introduced to Shabu-Shabu back in 2003. How I ever lived without this is a mystery to me. – Did that rhyme?! Shabu-Shabu literally means “swish-swish” for the way you cook your meats/veggies by swishing it around in boiling water.
Shabu-Shabu is served with your choice of meats, and a dish of veggies which consists of Napa cabbage leaves, tofu squares, carrots, spinach, seaweed, green onions, and Udon noodles for your soup at the end (more on this later). It also includes two dipping sauces, a Ponzu (citrus soy sauce) and a Goma (sesame sauce) – you can season up your sauces with some minced ginger, minced garlic, and sliced green onions, don’t forget the hot drops! Just one in each sauce should do the trick. Top it all off with a bowl of rice.
What place do you go to for some pretty damn good Shabu-Shabu you ask? Well, California Shabu-Shabu in Costa Mesa of course! Great service, even better food.
Check it out:
I had the Regular (8 pieces) Choice Beef with brown rice and about 4 glasses of the most delicious Iced Green Tea I’ve ever had. Look at the beautiful Beef and super fresh veggies!
*Nom Nom* Right?!
So once you’ve gone through your meats (or veggies for you non meat eaters – no judgment!) and rice and sadness sets in at the thought that the meal is over... Think again! They surprise you with a bowl of soup base! You simply spoon in some of your boiling water, which has been seasoned with all the yummies you’ve been swishing in it, add the noodles, and whatever other veggies you might like and voila! Udon soup. It’s pretty awesome.
That was mine and I already want more.
This place is goooooooooooood. Go there, experience it, love it, love me for telling you about it, and then go on living your newly improved by California Shabu-Shabu life.
/Swallow It!
..and swallow some of that Iced Green Tea too, hell yeah mutha trucka!
I know, I’m a dork. You love it.
- Dee
A Loco Kind of Night
A few nights ago, it was decided that Chef, H1, and I would venture to Taco Loco in Laguna Beach for dinner.
I’ve been coming here since high school and I always, without fail, order the same exact thing.
Behold, the Blackened Mushroom & Tofu Burger:
We also decided to all share an order of the Calamari Nachos:
*Yum*
Side note: Watching Wipeout while trying to write a post is not smart.. That shit is distracting dude! But I digress.
I am a full blown meat eater (as I’m sure you’ve picked up on from previous posts), but I have ALWAYS ordered the Blackened Mushroom & Tofu Burger, it’s THAT good. Whole wheat bun, mustard, mayo, ketchup (sounds weird, but it really works!), shredded lettuce, guacamole, spicy sauce, and mushrooms and tofu seasoned with Cajun spices. This burger comes with a side of tortilla chips which is also topped with spicy sauce. Every flavor and texture in this burger works together so well it’s honestly surprising. Who would think that mixing mayo, mustard, ketchup, guacamole, and spicy sauce would actually work?! It does my friends, it does.
The Calamari nachos are yummy too! The squid isn’t fried, per se. It is made with strips of Calamari steak which are lightly breaded (very lightly) and pan seared. The rest is pretty standard, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, spicy sauce, and of course the chips. It’s Dee-lish.
/Swallow them!
- Dee
I’ve been coming here since high school and I always, without fail, order the same exact thing.
Behold, the Blackened Mushroom & Tofu Burger:
We also decided to all share an order of the Calamari Nachos:
*Yum*
Side note: Watching Wipeout while trying to write a post is not smart.. That shit is distracting dude! But I digress.
I am a full blown meat eater (as I’m sure you’ve picked up on from previous posts), but I have ALWAYS ordered the Blackened Mushroom & Tofu Burger, it’s THAT good. Whole wheat bun, mustard, mayo, ketchup (sounds weird, but it really works!), shredded lettuce, guacamole, spicy sauce, and mushrooms and tofu seasoned with Cajun spices. This burger comes with a side of tortilla chips which is also topped with spicy sauce. Every flavor and texture in this burger works together so well it’s honestly surprising. Who would think that mixing mayo, mustard, ketchup, guacamole, and spicy sauce would actually work?! It does my friends, it does.
The Calamari nachos are yummy too! The squid isn’t fried, per se. It is made with strips of Calamari steak which are lightly breaded (very lightly) and pan seared. The rest is pretty standard, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, spicy sauce, and of course the chips. It’s Dee-lish.
/Swallow them!
- Dee
Monday, April 4, 2011
Claim you’re a doctor and you’ll end up needing one. :(
Forgive me for not writing sooner. I’ve had one hell of a weekend..
I had intended to write a snazzy post on how you can all call me Dr. Dee now as I successfully managed to wrap my own sprained finger all by myself! Observe:
Popsicle stick & medical tape is all you need to be a Dr.
I know from personal experience that paying a $20 co-pay to have the Dr. tell you that you have a sprained finger and the only thing they can do is the “Buddy System” isn’t worth it. So why not do it yourself right? Gotta tell ya though... I highly recommend having a second set of hands help you with this, but like I said.. I’m a pro so I did it all by myself! Aren’t ya proud mama?!
While taking these pics (because of course I was going to post them up and show you all) I realized that I looked very much like a jackass. Sorry to all who have hurt a finger in the past, but really this “Buddy System” nonsense makes us all look special in one way or another. So I thought why not add some flare?! No need to look completely lame, make it worse with some lace!Yeah! And this is what came of that:
I’m a fashionista now! Designer Dee! I like it. Now, Yellow is not a “quiet” color by any means, but it was all I had and it’s better than tape and a popsicle stick. See.. I’m resourceful too!
The funny thing about this injury was when I woke up and couldn’t move my finger (no idea how it happened, I swear!) my first thought wasn’t, “how am I going to do my normal job on Monday?” Nay.. It was, “Shit! My Blog!” Priorities, pfft. Who needs ‘em.
So..... That was Saturday, then 5:30am on Sunday came and guess who woke up with a crazy case of Food Poisoning??? You guessed it! This chick. Now, I’m not gonna tell you not to eat at the Chick-fil-A in Tustin, but.. all I can say is, I won’t be returning. I swallowed it, and my body gave me no choice in spitting it back out. TMI – I know, my bad. So featured below was Sunday’s meal, yes one. That’s all, unless you count a teeny bit of Pho broth before bed.
Meal of champions.. and a dog who refused to get out of the shot because there was food within 7 miles of her presence. /Fatty
That would be knock off Grape Flavored Pediatric Electrolyte drink with a rice cake topped with PB&J while reading The Stand. Hell yeah, that didn’t come back up and was delicious to swallow down.
Finger’s feeling better, stretched it out a little and it works again. Tummy’s better too, damn fast food.. never again I tell ya!
...Still dehydrated and feeling hung over from the incident.
More swallowing to come. -Shit that sounds bad.. even to me.
- Dee
I had intended to write a snazzy post on how you can all call me Dr. Dee now as I successfully managed to wrap my own sprained finger all by myself! Observe:
Popsicle stick & medical tape is all you need to be a Dr.
I know from personal experience that paying a $20 co-pay to have the Dr. tell you that you have a sprained finger and the only thing they can do is the “Buddy System” isn’t worth it. So why not do it yourself right? Gotta tell ya though... I highly recommend having a second set of hands help you with this, but like I said.. I’m a pro so I did it all by myself! Aren’t ya proud mama?!
While taking these pics (because of course I was going to post them up and show you all) I realized that I looked very much like a jackass. Sorry to all who have hurt a finger in the past, but really this “Buddy System” nonsense makes us all look special in one way or another. So I thought why not add some flare?! No need to look completely lame, make it worse with some lace!Yeah! And this is what came of that:
I’m a fashionista now! Designer Dee! I like it. Now, Yellow is not a “quiet” color by any means, but it was all I had and it’s better than tape and a popsicle stick. See.. I’m resourceful too!
The funny thing about this injury was when I woke up and couldn’t move my finger (no idea how it happened, I swear!) my first thought wasn’t, “how am I going to do my normal job on Monday?” Nay.. It was, “Shit! My Blog!” Priorities, pfft. Who needs ‘em.
So..... That was Saturday, then 5:30am on Sunday came and guess who woke up with a crazy case of Food Poisoning??? You guessed it! This chick. Now, I’m not gonna tell you not to eat at the Chick-fil-A in Tustin, but.. all I can say is, I won’t be returning. I swallowed it, and my body gave me no choice in spitting it back out. TMI – I know, my bad. So featured below was Sunday’s meal, yes one. That’s all, unless you count a teeny bit of Pho broth before bed.
Meal of champions.. and a dog who refused to get out of the shot because there was food within 7 miles of her presence. /Fatty
That would be knock off Grape Flavored Pediatric Electrolyte drink with a rice cake topped with PB&J while reading The Stand. Hell yeah, that didn’t come back up and was delicious to swallow down.
Finger’s feeling better, stretched it out a little and it works again. Tummy’s better too, damn fast food.. never again I tell ya!
...Still dehydrated and feeling hung over from the incident.
More swallowing to come. -Shit that sounds bad.. even to me.
- Dee
Friday, April 1, 2011
Shake*Shake*Nom*Nom
Hey ChickaDee’s and Chickadoo’s! Today’s post is brought to you by Dee a la Thursday.
Breakfast: BORING! Skipped it and had coffee since I had to attend an offsite company event. >.<
***
Lunch was a surprise birthday lunch for a team member at Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria at Downtown Disney. Once upon a time, long long ago, Dee ventured to this restaurant after a long day at Disneyland with my then bf (we can call him DB – I’m sure you can all figure out what that stands for). DB ordered a pizza with white sauce, artichokes, garlic, and something else – that pizza was magical. My lunch yesterday.. not so much. I ordered the Penne Con Pollo, featured below for your viewing pleasure.
Let’s take a closer look:
Pasta was dry, Chicken was dry, sauce was too watery.. whaaaat?! How does that happen?! I get it, the sauce sucked up all the moisture from everything else in the dish.. sneaky sauce!
PS – it was bland.. This is where the title comes in... I shook shook salt on it, then shook shook pepper on it, and THEN I shook shook some red pepper flakes on it. Taste, then repeat about 4 times. No bullshit. My team was in awe at how much salt I put on it. It was SOOOOOO bland! Ugh. I’ve discovered recently (although it’s always been suggested) that places who don’t put any condiments on the table, or don’t offer them at all, tend to be the best, most innovative, and tastiest and don’t need anything added anyway! Later on, I checked it on Yelp and the place only had 2.5 stars.. I should’ve checked it first. Ridick.
/Spit it Out.. All of it.
***
Dinner!!! Oh Dee-licious dinner!! Nom-sational - hands down. Yoshi’s Sushi in Yorba Linda was the place. This place is what sushi dreams are made of. So fresh, so flavorful, SO worth the drive.
We started with the Albacore Delight, or Dee-light as I’d like to refer to it as. California Roll (I hate these, but this is worth it) with seared Albacore up top, marinated onions, and green onions, all doused in an amazingly sinful garlic butter sauce.. This thing doesn’t even need to be dipped in soy sauce, it’s perfection in 8 pieces.
/Swallow It
Then followed the Crispy Spicy Tuna. I am a sucker for Spicy Tuna. This was actually pretty cool. Crispy/toasted sushi rice, a slice of jalapeno, and Spicy Tuna with a sprig of fresh greens. The sauces below were sweet, tangy, and spicy. The textures in this dish are insane, first you get that crunch from the toasted rice, then a crisp burn from the jalapeno, followed by the soft texture of the spicy tuna.. It worked, oh yes, it did.
/Swallow It
Next came Salmon Sushi:
Check out that marbling.. OMG my mouth is watering just looking at it. Simple, yet Dee-lish. Big pieces of fresh Salmon topped with marinated onions and Ponzu sauce, and yeah.. there’s rice under there.. somewhere.
/Swallow it down!
What’s next do you ask?! Well, here we go!
“Sea Snails?! WTF??!?!?!?” That was literally my reaction, I tried a few, but they’re a touch bitter. Not like Escargot at all.
/Spit it Out – Unless you’re into that sort of thing.
To help get rid of that last doozy we ordered some Kirin and Tempura Shishito Peppers:
Don’t be fooled! These peppers aren’t spicy at all! They have a very fresh essence to them, crunchy to bite into and they hardly need a thing, they are sprinkled with a little salt and that’s it. The sushi chef took the peppers, torched them a little bit, stuffed them with a tuna mixture and fried them up in a Tempura batter. So good!
/Swallow it.
It got better though! (Okay, yes, I ate a lot, but it was Sushi! (I have a sick obsession with the stuff. It’s like my version of crack!) Besides, I ate for the sake of the blog..
See guys! I DO care.
Snapper Sushi with Yuzu. *NOM* That little smidgen of green stuff on top of the fish packs such a punch of flavor, I might suggest not dipping this at all – if you can handle that. The Yuzu is citrusy, salty, savory goodness, pair it with that fresh slice of Snapper and you’re good to go.. Almost.
/Swallow it!
Last, but not even close to least:
The beautiful Star of Red Snapper. Slices of fish, dotted with hot Sriracha sauce, soaking in Ponzu. Yes.. that’s how you end a good meal.
/Swallow it
This place has great service and fresh food. No reason not to try it.
*Nom*Nom*Nom* This satisfies the Fat Kid in me.
- Dee
Breakfast: BORING! Skipped it and had coffee since I had to attend an offsite company event. >.<
***
Lunch was a surprise birthday lunch for a team member at Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria at Downtown Disney. Once upon a time, long long ago, Dee ventured to this restaurant after a long day at Disneyland with my then bf (we can call him DB – I’m sure you can all figure out what that stands for). DB ordered a pizza with white sauce, artichokes, garlic, and something else – that pizza was magical. My lunch yesterday.. not so much. I ordered the Penne Con Pollo, featured below for your viewing pleasure.
Let’s take a closer look:
Pasta was dry, Chicken was dry, sauce was too watery.. whaaaat?! How does that happen?! I get it, the sauce sucked up all the moisture from everything else in the dish.. sneaky sauce!
PS – it was bland.. This is where the title comes in... I shook shook salt on it, then shook shook pepper on it, and THEN I shook shook some red pepper flakes on it. Taste, then repeat about 4 times. No bullshit. My team was in awe at how much salt I put on it. It was SOOOOOO bland! Ugh. I’ve discovered recently (although it’s always been suggested) that places who don’t put any condiments on the table, or don’t offer them at all, tend to be the best, most innovative, and tastiest and don’t need anything added anyway! Later on, I checked it on Yelp and the place only had 2.5 stars.. I should’ve checked it first. Ridick.
/Spit it Out.. All of it.
***
Dinner!!! Oh Dee-licious dinner!! Nom-sational - hands down. Yoshi’s Sushi in Yorba Linda was the place. This place is what sushi dreams are made of. So fresh, so flavorful, SO worth the drive.
We started with the Albacore Delight, or Dee-light as I’d like to refer to it as. California Roll (I hate these, but this is worth it) with seared Albacore up top, marinated onions, and green onions, all doused in an amazingly sinful garlic butter sauce.. This thing doesn’t even need to be dipped in soy sauce, it’s perfection in 8 pieces.
/Swallow It
Then followed the Crispy Spicy Tuna. I am a sucker for Spicy Tuna. This was actually pretty cool. Crispy/toasted sushi rice, a slice of jalapeno, and Spicy Tuna with a sprig of fresh greens. The sauces below were sweet, tangy, and spicy. The textures in this dish are insane, first you get that crunch from the toasted rice, then a crisp burn from the jalapeno, followed by the soft texture of the spicy tuna.. It worked, oh yes, it did.
/Swallow It
Next came Salmon Sushi:
Check out that marbling.. OMG my mouth is watering just looking at it. Simple, yet Dee-lish. Big pieces of fresh Salmon topped with marinated onions and Ponzu sauce, and yeah.. there’s rice under there.. somewhere.
/Swallow it down!
What’s next do you ask?! Well, here we go!
“Sea Snails?! WTF??!?!?!?” That was literally my reaction, I tried a few, but they’re a touch bitter. Not like Escargot at all.
/Spit it Out – Unless you’re into that sort of thing.
To help get rid of that last doozy we ordered some Kirin and Tempura Shishito Peppers:
Don’t be fooled! These peppers aren’t spicy at all! They have a very fresh essence to them, crunchy to bite into and they hardly need a thing, they are sprinkled with a little salt and that’s it. The sushi chef took the peppers, torched them a little bit, stuffed them with a tuna mixture and fried them up in a Tempura batter. So good!
/Swallow it.
It got better though! (Okay, yes, I ate a lot, but it was Sushi! (I have a sick obsession with the stuff. It’s like my version of crack!) Besides, I ate for the sake of the blog..
See guys! I DO care.
Snapper Sushi with Yuzu. *NOM* That little smidgen of green stuff on top of the fish packs such a punch of flavor, I might suggest not dipping this at all – if you can handle that. The Yuzu is citrusy, salty, savory goodness, pair it with that fresh slice of Snapper and you’re good to go.. Almost.
/Swallow it!
Last, but not even close to least:
The beautiful Star of Red Snapper. Slices of fish, dotted with hot Sriracha sauce, soaking in Ponzu. Yes.. that’s how you end a good meal.
/Swallow it
This place has great service and fresh food. No reason not to try it.
*Nom*Nom*Nom* This satisfies the Fat Kid in me.
- Dee
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
A Dee-Licious “BELT” with a side of Don’t Thai This!
This fine Tuesday morning I ventured into the office café, today was a breakfast sandwich day. I ordered a Chef JJ specialty.. what I’m told is called the “BELT.” Now.. I’ve decided to boycott the name, but that’s neither here nor there. (I think it’s a BLEACT) Check this out.
Now really... Tell me that isn’t a thing of pure beauty. It is hands down Dee-Licious! (Like what I did there? That’s right..) This BLEACT -as it shall henceforth be known- consists of Bacon, Lettuce, Egg, Avocado, Cheese, and Tomato. Every flavor came through individually yet blended together soooo nicely. I added the sliced bananas, because who doesn’t like swallowing some banana in the morning? ...get your mind out of the gutter.
/Swallow It!!! Over and over again!
***
I saw this mid-day in our shipping department and just got way too excited not to share it. Embrace your inner fat kids people!!
***
Dinner -
My Chef and I decided to eat at the local Thai restaurant, Tasty Thai. He ordered his favorite, the Green Curry with Tofu and Brown Rice and I decided to try something new, the Crying Tiger (isn’t that a snazzy name). We’ve been eating at this restaurant since we moved to this area 6 years ago and it’s always been tasty. Ha! Did it again!
This time however, not so much. Observe, the Crying Tiger – Grilled beef on a bed of lettuce, cilantro, and “house sauce” with a side of rice.
Looks good, right? Don’t be fooled, here’s what happens after you get through the top few pieces of beef.. I’ll admit, this is a smart tactic, hide the shitty part of the meal under the good part.
Yes my darlings, that is dry ass over-cooked meat. Not okay, but wait! There’s more!!!
That would be pure fat. You know... “Trim the fat” isn’t just a saying!!! I’ve also chosen to rename this meal the Fat Ass Drying Tiger.
To add to it, the waitress said “please” after every single line. LITERALLY. “Would you like a drink, please?” “How is everything, please?” “Here is your drink, please.” “Thank you for coming, please.” ...Are you effing kidding me?! It was awkward at first, then funny, then annoying, then I was completely done with it. Honestly, what. the. hell.
/Spit it Out, Please.
***
PS - I went to the Apple Store this evening, and spammed the macbooks and iPads with my blog page. LOL! Spread the word! I'm taking over the world one swallow at a time.
-Dee
Now really... Tell me that isn’t a thing of pure beauty. It is hands down Dee-Licious! (Like what I did there? That’s right..) This BLEACT -as it shall henceforth be known- consists of Bacon, Lettuce, Egg, Avocado, Cheese, and Tomato. Every flavor came through individually yet blended together soooo nicely. I added the sliced bananas, because who doesn’t like swallowing some banana in the morning? ...get your mind out of the gutter.
/Swallow It!!! Over and over again!
***
I saw this mid-day in our shipping department and just got way too excited not to share it. Embrace your inner fat kids people!!
***
Dinner -
My Chef and I decided to eat at the local Thai restaurant, Tasty Thai. He ordered his favorite, the Green Curry with Tofu and Brown Rice and I decided to try something new, the Crying Tiger (isn’t that a snazzy name). We’ve been eating at this restaurant since we moved to this area 6 years ago and it’s always been tasty. Ha! Did it again!
This time however, not so much. Observe, the Crying Tiger – Grilled beef on a bed of lettuce, cilantro, and “house sauce” with a side of rice.
Looks good, right? Don’t be fooled, here’s what happens after you get through the top few pieces of beef.. I’ll admit, this is a smart tactic, hide the shitty part of the meal under the good part.
Yes my darlings, that is dry ass over-cooked meat. Not okay, but wait! There’s more!!!
That would be pure fat. You know... “Trim the fat” isn’t just a saying!!! I’ve also chosen to rename this meal the Fat Ass Drying Tiger.
To add to it, the waitress said “please” after every single line. LITERALLY. “Would you like a drink, please?” “How is everything, please?” “Here is your drink, please.” “Thank you for coming, please.” ...Are you effing kidding me?! It was awkward at first, then funny, then annoying, then I was completely done with it. Honestly, what. the. hell.
/Spit it Out, Please.
***
PS - I went to the Apple Store this evening, and spammed the macbooks and iPads with my blog page. LOL! Spread the word! I'm taking over the world one swallow at a time.
-Dee
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