Forbidden Island - Alameda

4/5 stars

Continuing our Bay Area tiki crawl!

Got here around 3:30 on a Sunday and scored the last two seats at the bar! YAS! We sat right next to the TV so we got to watch a lot of Dick Van Dyke. Awesome.

I think this place would be fun with a group. There are booths and an outdoor area to enjoy the weather when it's nice. They have a mini food menu of fried snacks, like cream cheese wontons and coconut shrimp.

Like other tiki joints, the drinks menu is HUGE and fun to read. I hug and kiss tiki menus.

We started with the Shrunken Skull because it was served with fire and a side of DANGER. Hubby thinks this one is a keeper.

Since it was our first time at Forbidden Island, we had to get their signature cocktail. It was a grog. It was good, but not as good as Smuggler's Cove's signature drink (their barrel) IMO.

Last drink of the day was pretty much dessert. The Painkiller comes in different strengths: 2, 3, or 4 skulls. It's made with Pusser's Navy rum, pineapple, orange, coconut & spice. I like Painkillers a lot!

Forbidden Island felt more like a casual, divey, neighborhood bar than Smuggler's. It was chill and a great place to hang out. Smuggler's felt more like a place to escape...

Next up: Pagan Idol!

Trader Vic's - Emeryville

3/5 stars

Trader Vic's hosted a Hawaiian Bazaar. I've been wanting to cross Trader Vic's off my list so this was perfect.

Everyone at Trader Vic's was really nice. We LOVED the live, Hawaiian music and waterfront view. They forgot my brunch order (patty melt w/ pineapple and an egg), but they comped it, so it was totally fine. Food was not special, but we were happyhappy because we had a huge drinks menu to work our way through!

We started with the mai tais. Trader Vic's has two that you should order at the same time, just so you can compare them. The Trader Vic's mai tai was more like a juicy punch while the '44 (the original) was more deconstructed.

My FAVORITE was the Pinky Gonzalez which is a tequila-based mai tai. Who knew a tequila mai tai would work? It was really tasty and the risqué glasses were hilarious! I really, really wish I could've bought the glasses home.

We also got the Suffering Bastard, which was kinda freaky (rums, lime & Egyptian things), and the Seyhorse (rum, melon liquor, and passion fruit). Get the Bastard if you want something stronger. Get the Seyhorse if you want something fruiter and in a really cute drinking vessel.

It was our first tiki gathering, but certainly not our last! Hubby and I had a blast mingling with fellow tiki-aficionados. Everyone was dressed to the nines! I even bought a vintage dress and a hair accessory! We also went home with a bunch of Trader Vic's mugs. Success!

Smuggler's Cove - San Francisco

5/5 stars

My obsession with Smuggler's Cove started last 4th of July weekend when my hubby surprised me with their book. Even if you don't drink tiki, it's a wonderful read. That weekend, we went on a scavenger hunt. We had to go to 5 different liquor stores to acquire the ingredients for the Jet Pilot (a tweaked Zombie).

We didn't make it to the tiki bar itself until the end of July. We got there at 5:30 PM and there wasn't a line, but the place was already absolutely packed. We had to wait for a seat at the bar, but it wasn't too bad.

Stepping into Smuggler's Cove is like stepping into another dimension. It's a tiny, tiny dark place that is just... magical. You forget the rest of the world here and I think that's okay. The drinks were incredible - dare I say THE BEST COCKTAILS I've ever had. Steve was the bartender that night and his hands were just flying. It was really impressive watching Steve work. I don't think I've ever seen a bartender make drinks as fast as him. Smuggler's Cove has a huge menu too so that made it even more impressive. I love sitting at the bar.

We ordered:

+ Smuggler's Rum Barrel (rums, fresh juices, Caribbean spices). It was the favorite of the night! Of course we had to take home the barrel! This moment is pretty much when I started collecting tiki mugs...
+ Hinky Dinks Fizzy (rum, pineapple, lime, passion fruit, apricot liqueur, gin, sparkling wine). I mean, rum AND sparkling wine? Be still my heart.
+ The Expedition (rum, bourbon, coffee liqueur, lime, cinnamon, vanilla, honey). Really complex and different. A must-try.
+ Puka Punch (rums, lime, orange, pineapple, honey, passion fruit, falernum, bitters). Beware buccaneers, it's really strong ;-)

We can't wait to go back, but it'll be hard not to order the rum barrel again. It's delicious!

Joe's Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab - Las Vegas

5/5 stars

You guys. Joe's is AHmazing. Stone crab is perhaps the best crab I've ever had. It's meatier than Dungeness and sweet and alllmooost as good as lobster (and that's saying a lot)! And the horseradish mustard the crab is served with is absolutely perfect. I've never had crab with mustard before and it's a terrific idea.

The service was also exceptional which was surprising because this is a tourist joint. I mean, it's right next to the fountains in Caesars Palace. A millions thanks to Neil & Eric for making our night. We were here for my sissy's whirlwind bachelorette party and we only had time for one nice restaurant so I'm relieved Joe's exceeded expectations.

My only word advice: don't get the steak. Trust me. I would complain about how dry my steak was if I wasn't so enamored with the stone crab.

Oh, actually, I have one more piece of advice: Get the mac n' cheese. It's probably the best mac n' cheese I've ever had. Perfect balance of cheeses and the gooeyness is stunning. I'm dying for the recipe!

Pappas Burgers - Houston (Hobby airport)

4/5 stars

Bleeping pleasantly surprised.

We only sat down because my mother-in-law wanted to. I was going to have Wendy's. Boy was I happy when Pappas Burger kicked Wendy's burgers in the butt.

It was just a really, really, really solid burger! Like, a real cheeseburger. Like, something you would make at home! The bread was nice and squishy, the not-too-thick beef patty was cooked perfectly, and it was just an [American cheese] cheesy, drippy mess. American cheese is the only cheese that belongs on burgers, IMO. I slapped on some mayo and ketchup and ate the whole thing even though the burger was the size of a dinner plate.

Service was nice & efficient too!

Chef Chu's - Los Altos

5/5 stars 

I'm actually not sure if I've ever had *real* Chinese food, but the Americanized chow from Chef Chu's is super tasty and I want to stuff it in my mouth. That's what matters when it comes to food, right?

I liked this place so much we went twice during my birthday weekend. Btw, that's the how I deal with getting older. I have birth-weekends where I eat whatever my heart desires. And what I wanted were mai tais. And Chinese takeout to take home so I could spend the rainy evening in with my dog. 

I can't think of any other place that serves greasy Chinese food and solid cocktails. I adore the mai tais at Chef Chu's. They're no Smuggler's Cove, but they're well made and go down easy. Waaay too easy. That's the problem with mai tais. You always think it's a good idea to drink another one. 

Gary made our mai tais this time and he's a very nice man. He even serenaded me! Everyone we've met there has been nothing but nice and friendly. They even surprised me with green tea ice cream and a candle even though we were getting takeout. It's the little things that matter in the end. 

My favorite things to order are: 

+ Peking duck! (But you need to order this in advance) 
+ BBQ chow mein (the chow mein is a little different than other places because it has shiitake mushrooms in it and that's why I think I love it) 
+ Basil beef clay pot (the beef is really tender) 
+ Miso-glazed chilean sea bass (this is a splurge... for a special occasion) 
+ Hunan-style smoked pork belly (one of my hubby's favorites... it's a Chinese dish we've never had before so try it if you want something different!) 
+ Braised eggplant in garlic sauce (I always order this)

Positano eats: La Sponda

Positano couldn't be prettier. I've wanted to go to this visually stunning place ever since Only You with Robert Downey Jr (*swoon*). Positano was planned, La Sponda (Via Cristoforo Colombo, 30, 84017 Positano SA, Italy), on the other hand, was not.

That is... until I saw this photo on Instagram and just had to have it (I guess I eat with my eyes first): 

Not only was the spaghetti vongole as delicious as it was pretty, the restaurant itself was the most beautiful restaurant hubby and I have ever been to. It was also the only Michelin-starred restaurant we went to in Italy.

Ask to sit outside if you can, where you'll overlook this:

Everything was perfect: the attentive service, the well-executed food, the gorgeous view. Even the dinnerware was whimsical. But my favoritefavorite part was this happy little champagne cart that a jolly man pushed around. I mean, how can you not be jolly pushing around a cart like this:

Of course we had to get something from the cart:

Pink just felt like the right color for a celebration at La Sponda. It went well with my vongole, hubby's John Dory, and this silky eggplant:

La Sponda is not easy to get to, because Positano is not easy to get to, but I think... that's what makes them even more magical. You count your blessings here. 

Oh, and the olive oil is stunning. 

Rome eats: Pane & Vino

I really like sandwiches. But I loooooooooooooooooooooove porchetta sandwiches. I literally hunted down porchetta sandwiches when we were in Italy. One of the best eats near the Colosseum is Pane & Vino (Via Ostilia, 10, 00184).

It's a teeny tiny shop with a very friendly, English-speaking owner. His porchetta is delivered fresh every morning. Get the special porchetta with everything and just... eat in silence. And, if you're like me, grin like a fool.

Rome eats: Hostaria Romana

You want to eat with locals? You want to eat trippa alla romana? You want a simple, unfussy, non-touristy place to rest your feet after playing tourist? Eat here: Hostaria Romana (via del Boccaccio, 1, 00187).

They're known for their fish and their carbonara, but we went bucatini amatriciana, fettuccine with mushrooms, and trippa alla romana. The food was cozy, peasant-like. Bonus: the waiters gift you little plates of delicious (albeit salty) things, like beans, croquettes, and even pasta (!), while you wait for your dinner. We got lucky and were seated by the windows (make reservations) and got to see Roma grow dark.

You know what the perfect thing to do after dinner at Hostaria Romana is? Walk to the Trevi to see it glow: 

Rome eats: La Prosciutteria Trevi

You like pig, wine, and rock n' roll? Welcome to La Prosciutteria Trevi (Via della Panetteria, 34A, 00187).

This place is run by some bad-ass ladies who build a mean board. Said board is made of olive wood and every inch of it is covered with Italian goodies: meat, cheese, grilled veggies, more meat, and bruschetta.

The music is fun, the place is itty bitty, and the wine is gooood. Try the lambrusco.  It's not sweet at all, but dry, fizzy, and berrylicious. It goes perfectly with the board. By the way, the one that we ordered was a medium and it was already over 2 feet long. Yeah, it comes in bigger sizes. Have fun 😉!

I recommend going here when Roma is napping (i.e., not at lunchtime and not at dinnertime). 

Rome eats: Taverna Trilussa

Do you get get giddy when your dinner is served in the pan it was cooked in? Because I do. I don't need any plates, dude. Just give me that steaming hot pan of magic pasta water tossed with cheese and freshly ground black pepper!

Taverna Trilussa (via del Politeama, 23/25, 00153 Roma, Italy) is a bustling bistro in hip Trastevere. Reservations are a must. They have a romantic outdoor area, but we sat inside, past the ham stumps. 

It seems like every other restaurant in Roma is known for their charcuterie. We ordered the prosciutto with creamy, dreamy mozzarella di bufala and the sampler. 

And if you're the kind of person who likes to put an egg on it, here's some #yolkporn for you: 

That's bombolotti (mezze maniche) alla carbonara with glistening ridges and a happy pool of yolk at the bottom of the bowl. Yum-o. 

Rome eats: Roscioli

Ah, Rome. Where the pasta is almost too al dente, almost too salty, and for sure bleeping delicious. You'll eat rustic pasta with just pecorino and ground black pepper doused in the pasta's own water and you'll say "Please, sir. I want some more."

#1 on the list is Roscioli (via dei Giubbonari, 21/22, 00186 Roma, Italy). I can't ever imagine traveling to Italy and not eating here.

Roscioli was so tasty, it was the only restaurant we went to twice during our 14-day vacation. You read any foodie list on Rome and Roscioli is at the top of the pack. Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain, me: we all say go faster. Actually, first you must make reservations. The deli moonlighting as a restaurant is tiny, with less than 20 tables. If you can, ask to sit in Daniel's section. He's charming and knows his prosecco, champagne, and sparkling wine. And he doesn't try to sell you the 100 Euro bottle. Instead, he finds you a small producer that's in your budget and somehow nails your taste buds with just one look.

I studied the menu months before our trip and already knew what I wanted to order before we sat down.

Must order: La matriciana o amatriciana (bombolotto paffuto pasta tossed with campanian region tomato sauce, crispy pig cheek, and roman pecorino). It tasted like it had heavy cream, without the heaviness. I'm not sure how they sauced each individual pasta so perfectly without making it saucy, but this was so delicious, I wanted to order it again for dessert. It was in the top 3 things I ate in Italy.

Do you know what echire butter demi-sel is? Yeah, I didn't either. Then I ate it and now I want it forever in my life. The burro e parmigian "Francescana" is short pasta rigatone with echire butter demi-sel, 3 kinds of parmesan cheese made from red cow (aged 36 mos), bruna alpine (aged 30 mos), and classic reggiano hills (aged 36 mos). Wait until you see the pool of butter at the bottom of the bowl. I dare you not to squeal.

Burrata con perle di tartufo (burrata cheese from andria with winter black truffle pearls) + selezione di prosciutti italiana = party in your mouth. If you can, travel to Italy in October. Two words: truffle season.

This is real carbonara (large spaghetti tossed with crispy pork cheek, malaysian black pepper, paolo parisi eggs, and roman pecorino). It's decadent, but not heavy at all. Eating it makes you feel giddy and naughty. Slurp it like you slurp ramen.

And finally, if Rome had a pasta mascot, it'd be cacio e pepe (fresh pasta with roman pecorino, cacio from moliterno, pecorino di fossa from sogliano del rubicone, and mayaysian black pepper). This is adulting. With adult mac n' cheese. Oh, and bubbles (another small producer). Cin cin!

The Italy Series

Hubby and I celebrated 5 years of bliss with an epic trip to Italy. It took about a year of planning, but we were rewarded with a flawlessly delicious 14 days in Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Tuscany. Do you know how many food articles, Instagram photos, Mario Batali, Eater lists, Tripadvisor reviews, and Rick Steves I had to sift through to make sure that every single meal we ate and every hotel we stayed at was The Best? A bajillion.

So, for anyone who wants to vacation in the Tastiest Country in the World, look for my upcoming posts. I already did the legwork and traveling for you. I'll start with the food, because that's the most fun 😍

The Colosseum is kinda a big deal

Have you seen Robert Downey Jr. in Only You? You go do that and you'll want to go to Positano, too

Capri, we're kinda in love with you

Tuscany is so beautiful, it must not be real

Alexander's Steakhouse - Cupertino

3.5/5 stars

We tried the new location tonight!

I think I'll always miss the old, cozy, candle-lit location, but the new Alexander's is bright, airy, and modern. They not only have a new space, but we met new-to-us Justin & Ryan. Great guys. Great mixologists. Justin's Father Thyme (Michters rye, velvet falernum, St. Germain, lime & fresh thyme) and Weekday Retreat (Selvarey rum, velvet falernum, yuzu, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, and a black rum float) were delicious. If you want something a bit more sophisticated (and hella STRONG), his barrel-aged 007 is smooth and oak-y. I couldn't NOT order his namesake even though the drink was more my hubby's style than mine. Happy to say that Max (the somm) is still there and he gave my family a tour, including the cellar.

My mom thought the hamachi shots were salty and I thought the cheese plate was perfect. The wagyu sliders were indulgent and the prime rib, though not medium-rare like I asked, was yummy. And honestly a steal at $40.

This place is still Alexander's and yet... it isn't. If you used to be a regular at the old location, you'll know what I mean. If you're new to Alexander's, you'll still have a nice time.

Forthright Oyster Bar & Kitchen - Campbell

3.5/5 stars

I want to thank The Table owners for giving us South Bay people multiple places to drink. And to drink well. Thank you, Justin, Lane, Eric (or is it Erik?), and, of course, Jimmy. 

Jimmy, who runs the Forthright like it's his baby. This guy has got mad skills and dedication.

Jimmy is the reason why Forthright Oyster Bar & Kitchen is worth visiting. The soft-shell crab and cinnamon biscuits don't hurt either. It's reallyreally hard to find soft-shell crab around here and they fried it and seasoned it perfectly. And the cinnamon biscuits with peaches and vanilla ice cream just screamed perfect summer.

The only cons: the oysters we had didn't taste fresh and the mignonette needed work. Dishes are on the pricier side. If I had to pick, I'd rather go to The Table.

Ramen Izakaya Yu-Gen - Mountain View

5/5 stars

I loved everything I slurped here!

The curry & rice was the best I've had in the South Bay. The red curry was not too salty. It was yummy and flavorful with bits of meat and went perfectly with the sticky, Japanese rice. The pickled radish added a nice crunch.

And I lovedlovedloved my Tsukemen (dipping noodles). It was delicious AND fun to eat! It came with a pile of cold ramen noodles, sliced pork, an egg, bean sprouts, green onions, and mushrooms. You warm the noodles by dipping them in a deep bowl of broth that was hot and spicy. Yum-o.

I've never had Tsukemen before, but I'm in love with the concept!

Eureka! - Cupertino

3/5 stars

New restaurants are popping up all over Cupertino! Growing up here, there was only BJ's. Now Lazy Dog, Alexander's, and Eureka are right next door to each other. It's madness!

Took my parents here for Happy Hour.

Cocktails: The Industry (tequila, pineapple, ginger, orange & cilantro) was very good, but def needed more tequila. The Sour was pretty standard, but bonus: real maraschino cherries! Cocktails were a step up from what you'd get at BJ's or Yard House, but were made pretty weak. I wouldn't order them again. Stick with the beers.

Food: The corn dogs with the porter mustard & glazed brussel sprouts were the winners, but I wouldn't order the following again: the mussels were NOT fresh at all (and too salty) and the nachos were super sparse (i.e., it needed more stuff on it so you didn't feel like you were just eating tortilla chips).

Honestly, if I had to pick, I'd rather go to Lazy Dog. I think their food is better.