Flavored chips

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I picked up these chips passing through the London Heathrow airport.  I'm always on the lookout in other countries and on my travels for odd flavored chips or snacks.  I couldn't decide which ones to buy so I picked up all of them! Roast chicken, prawn cocktail, cheese  & onion, and worcester sauce.  I've had the roast chicken flavor before in London and its my favorite out of this bunch.  It tastes just like roast chicken.  The prawn cocktail flavor tastes similar to asian shrimp chips.  Nothing special about the cheese & onions.  The worcester sauce flavored chips tastes exactly like worchester sauce.

Little Griddle

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breakfast sandwich with side of hash browns

hash browns

Verdict:             A definite must stop for delicious brunch items.  Be prepared to wait a bit though because this
                                 place is popular!


Address:            Little Griddle

                                 1400 Market St. 

                                  San Francisco, CA

Type:                   American, breakfast/brunch
                                 casual 

Chomp worthy: 

Pass:               

Random facts:

Poggio

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Poggio

grilled lamb tongue, crispy potatoes, peas, horseradish, creme fraiche

fresh burrata with roasted cherry tomatoes and grilled bread

Roasted octopus with pork belly confit, potato, frisee, poached egg

wood-fired lamb meatballs, braised chard, tomato, ricotta salata

Margherita pizza - tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil, virgin olive oil

Verdict:                    I really wanted to like this place.  The menu items sound so amazing, but unfortunately the food is
                                       average at best.

Address:                 Poggio

                                       801 Bridgeway 

                                       Sausalito, CA 94965

Type:                         Italian
                                       casual 

Chomp worthy:  nothing

Pass:                           nothing

Random facts:

Baoguette Cafe (East Village)

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classic sandwich

So the new trend is Vietnamese sandwiches these days.  In New York I wouldn't doubt that it was probably started by David Chang in his Ma Pache restaurant.  Not sure where to begin why this sandwhich is so wrong.  Vietnamese sandwiches are supposed to be cheap, fresh, and flavorful.  This sandwich was the opposite of all of that.  First of all New York isn't known for its fresh vegetables which is a must in Vietnamese sandwiches.  The veggies weren't crunchy and the pickling is overly sweet.  The bread is soggy and stale.  The meat was bland and minimal, especially for a sandwich that costs almost $9.  Its a pretty horrible representation of a Vietnamese sandwich.

Verdict:                   Worst Vietnamese sandiwch I've ever had.

Address:                  Baoguette Cafe
                                       37 St. Mark's Pl

                                       New York, NY 10003

Type:                         Vietnamese, sandwiches
                                        casual

Chomp worthy:  nothing

Pass:                            everything

Eataly - NY

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One of the many food stands/restaurants inside Eataly

Cured meats and fresh mozzarella

Combo mixed meats platter and cheese

Fresh mozzarella ball

Tiramisu

Lemon ice sorbet

Verdict:             It wasn't the best Italian food I've ever had, but the setup and infinite choices will definitely bring you
                         back multiple times.

Address:            Eataly

                         200 5th Ave 

                         New York, NY 10010

Type:                 Italian, pizza
                         casual

Chomp worthy:   everything

Pass:                  nothing

Random facts:

• this project was headed by Mario Batali of Food Network/Iron Chef

Secret Burger Joint inside Le Meridien Hotel

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neon sign pointing the way to the secret burger spot

two item menu: burgers or cheeseburgers

Cheeseburger with fries

Verdict:                   A super juicy, greasy ( but in the best way possible) cheeseburger that's worth 30+ min wait to
                                       get inside.

Address:                  Burger Joint inside the Le Parker Meridien

                                        119 W 56th St. 

                                        New York, NY 10009

Type:                          burgers
                                        casual

Chomp worthy:  cheeseburgers and fries

Pass:                            nothing

Random facts:

• How I Met Your Mother paid omage to this secret burger spot in one of their episodes

Grimaldi's Pizza (Midtown) - NY

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pizza with tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil

Grimaldis is one of my favorite pizza spots in New York.  I visit the Brooklyn location almost every time I'm in the area, so when I heard that a Midtown location opened up, I was excited at the possibility of not having to take a 20 minute train outside the city for a pie.  There was NO wait at this location versus a landmark line at the Brooklyn location.  That being said, the quality of this pie was lackluster.  The slice was limp and soggy.  The crust was tough and flavorless.  Sad.

Verdict:         I loved how there was no wait, but the quality was definitely not as good as the Brooklyn location.  I think I'd rather wait at the Brooklyn for a better pie.

Address:          Grimaldi's Pizza (Midtown)

                         656 Avenue of the Americas 

                         New York, NY 10010

Type:               pizza
                          casual

Chomp worthy:  nothing

Pass:               nothing

Random facts:

Scarpetta - NY

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dipping sauces for the bread: olive oil, eggplant, butter



bread basket



stromboli - bread filled with cured meat



Heirloom tomatoes, burrata, pickled eggplant & herb salad

Short rib & bone Marrow Agnolotti with garlic chips & fresh horseradish

spaghetti with tomato and basil

chocolate cake with salted caramel gelato & chocolate butterscotch

Address:                  Scarpetta

                                        355 W 14th St 

                                        New York, NY 10014

Type:                          Italian
                                         business casual 

Chomp worthy:  spaghetti, bread basket

Random facts:

• the spaghetti was named one of Saveur's best dishes
• Spaghetti dish was named Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate - "Sauced"

Mamoun's - NY

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Mamoun's Falafel in the village

Schwarma wrap



 Lamb schwarma wrapped with pita bread and stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, parsley, onions and tahini sauce.  Ask for napkins because this is sandwich is messy!  Also, make sure you get the hot sauce.  BEFORE putting on the hot sauce I did a taste test.  The meat is cooked well, but its a little tougher than Im used to in schwarmas.  Also, the pita isn't soft and fluffy.  I can see why the hot sauce is so popular here - the meat is not seasoned very well.   

Verdict:         Im not sure why this place is so popular.  Ive definitely had schwarmas better at other places.

Address:          Mamouns 

                         119 MacDougal St. 

                         New York, NY 10012

Type:               Middle Eastern
                          casual

Chomp worthy:  nothing


Pass:               nothing

Random facts:

Oh! Taisho - NY

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Oh! Taisho located in East Village (St. Marks/Astor)

One of my regular izakaya spots in New York.  The cramped basement with smokey flavors wafting in the air reminds me of Japan.



combination plate with chicken skin, chicken meatballs, duck

 Served immediate once it comes off the grill.  Hot, and tender - the perfect salty bites to complement a cold beer.

a proper okinomiyaki

Often referred to as a seafood pancake.  I loved the way they make their okinomiyakis here.  Soft and fluffy with bits of seafood mixed in.  Also, topped with yummy kewpi mayonnaise

yaki onigiri

Always the ending dish of my izakaya meals.  This was was grilled to perfection.  Crispy exterior with little burnt kernals of rice mixed with the salty taste of the soy sauce.

Verdict:                    Love this place.  Try everything. Its a lot more fun after 10p although you will have to fight
                                        the  crowds.

Address:                   Oh! Taisho 

                                         9 St. Marks Pl 

                                         New York, NY 10003

Type:                           Japanese, izakaya
                                         casual

Chomp worthy:  everything

53rd and 6th Halal Cart - NY

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53rd and 6th Halal cart

New York city is filled with 3 things - hot dog stands, halal carts, and pizza spots.  The bright yellow shirts and addictive white and red sauce distinguish this halal cart from the hundreds scattered all over the city. 

Combo (chicken and lamb) rice platter  with yellow rice, lettuce, and pita

Combo platter with the perfect portion of LOTS of white sauce and a SMALL amount of red sauce =LOVE

Comfort food at its best.  Make sure you add the red sauce based on your level of spiciness - its can get pretty hot.  The combination of all the ingredients is addicting.  So flavorful, juicy, spicy, and satisfying.   East coast's answer to the California's burrito.

Verdict:           Must go when heading out to New York

Address:          53rd and 6th Halal cart

                                corner of 53rd St & 6th Ave. 

                                New York, NY 10079

Type:                 Middle Eastern, Halal
                                casual

Chomp worthy:  chicken platter with red AND white sauce

Random facts:

• cash only
• open from 7:30p to 4a ( best eaten after wandering the bars at night) - beware the lines for this can get extremely long
• click here if you want to know the calories (It's not pretty!)  Calories in chicken and rice plate

Joe's Pizza (NY)

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Joe's pizza (West Village)

One of the hundreds of pizza places in New York City.  This place is one of my regular stops when I'm in the area and I'm looking for a quick slice. 



Slice of cheese pizza with mozzerella



A solid, foldable (if you're a New Yorker), thin crust pizza.  I like how there its not slathered with sauce and they offer a mozzerella option for the cheese pizza.  The pizza crust is sturdy so you can pick it up and eat it without it collapsing on you.   

Verdict:         Its not the best pizza ( but much better than all the "Ray's") in the city, but its consistent.  Any time of the day you will find people (both tourists and locals) lining up for a slice of this pizza - meaning the high turnover will get u a fresh slice of melting cheesy, pizza on a hot, crispy crust.

Address:          Joe's Pizza

                         7 Carmine St. 

                         New York, NY 10014

Type:               pizza
                          casual

Chomp worthy:  cheese pizza with mozzerella

Pass:               nothing

Random facts:

• featured in Spiderman the movie 
• cash only


La Taqueria

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La Taqueria

A simple menu that offers tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. 

From Top clockwise: chorizo, carne asada, carnitas tacos

7x7 The Big Eat 2011 - #4 

This taqueria doesn't skimp on meat.  A basic taco is filled with a large amount of meat and their pico de gallo, anything extra (guacamole, sour cream, etc) costs extra.  Two tacos will definitely fill you up.  I ordered 3 tacos: chorizo, carne asada, and carnitas.  The chorizo was a little bland and not spicy at all.  It lacked some flavor and heat.  Carne asada is usually my go to meat here - juicy, well cooked, and flavorful.  The lack of filler allows for the beefy flavor of the carne asada to shine.  The carnitas is a popular option at this taqueria.  Its a little blander than most carnitas, I prefer the carne asada here of all the options.

Verdict:            A solid taqueria in Northern California that is reminscent of Mexican style food found in San Diego.  If you miss Southern California style taqueria that offer quality meat without rice this place is probably your best bet. 

Address:          La Taqueria
                         2889 Mission St.

                         San Francisco, CA 94110

Type:               Mexican
                          casual

Chomp worthy:  carne asada tacos

Pass:               nothing

Random facts:

• one of the few taquerias in the Mission that does NOT offer rice (Mission style)

Sakae Sushi & Grill (2005)

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oysters

Kurabuta pork belly

sushi

Verdict:

Address:          Sakae sushi

                         243 California Dr. 

                         Burlingame, CA 94010

Type:               Japanese
                          casual

Chomp worthy:  everything on the white board

Pass:               nothing

Random facts:

CuCo's Mex Salvadorian Restaurant

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I heard about these plantain burritos this week and thought plantains plus burrito..how genius!  I must get one!  Its nestled in the lower Haight area of San Francisco (where there is NO parking).  I'm not sure how I never heard about it since I love Rosamunde across the street.  This small family owned restaurant serves both Mexican and Salvadorian dishes.



inside

  

Steak Salvadoreno platter with tomatoes, onions, peppers



I figured since I was here I might as well try something other than the burrito.  There were a small number of dishes written on a board located by the door.  Majority of the items were Mexican items - enchiladas, tacos, etc.  I chose the Steak Salvadoreno.  Choice of beans (refried, black beans, pinto) and spicy or mild sauces.  I chose spicy sauce and refried beans.  This dish took some time since it was made to order.  The rice was so fluffy and flavorful, probably some of the best rice I've had in a while.  The steak itself had a lot of sauce.  It was a little tougher than I prefer, but it was flavorful.  Comes with a side of flour tortillas. 



Plantain burrito



At first bite the sweet/spicy/salty mixture was strange for me.  You don't expect to bite into a burrito and think its going to be sweet.  It feels like I'm eating a dessert burrito, almost as if I should be eating this after a carne asada burrito.  One of the few gripes I have about this burrito is that it isn't rolled tight enough.  Also, I'm not sure if the sauce in the burrito is the same as the spicy sauce on the side, but it wasn't spicy enough for me. Nevertheless, I love fried plantains and these were delicious - fried lightly on the outside and sweet and gooey in the middle.  Definitely an interesting take on the burritos that I'm used to eating.  Also, its a solid option for vegetarians.

Verdict:                      The plantain burrito is definitely the most popular item on the menu.  Everyone inside 

                                          was happily chomping away on a burrito of some sorts.  A definite must try if you love

                                          plantains and have never tried a plantain burrito.  The burritos are definitely one of the

                                          cheaper burritos I've seen in San Francisco.  Both items together cost about 16 

                                          dollars. 

    

Address:                   Cuco's
                                         488 Haight St.
                                         San Francisco, CA
       

Type:                            Salvadorian/Mexican
                                           casual
         

Chomp worthy:   plantain burrito