More Adobo!

There are some foods that will be repeatedly featured on this blog. My mom's adobo is one of them. It's amazing every single time, and it's somehow better than the previous time. We had two chicken breasts in the freezer. We had the choices of Arroz Caldo, Tinola, or Adobo. All delicious, but there's something about adobo that just hits the spot. I'm normally not a fan of white meat at all. It can get dry and tough. My mom simmered it and then baked it. The result: golden brown chunks of moist white meat. I've been milking the leftovers and eating it by itself and as sandwich fillings. It keeps getting better as the days pass and as the sauce continues to infuse in the meat.

Happy Hour with the Folks

One of my best memories of college is happy hours in Santana Row. My parents were looking for a place for an early dinner, so we went to Straits. (Note: Happy Hour specials are only in the bar/lounge area)

House Cocktails - $5!
Ginger Drop

Gin Mule
Like a Mojito, but with Gin instead of Rum.

Indonesian Corn Croquettes
Decent, but this didn't really impress me. The whole bits of corn were nice, though.

Chili Garlic Dipping Sauce

Roti Prata
Indian flatbread with yellow curry dipping sauce. Delicious!

Crispy Calamari
Well fried with a kaffir lime cocktail sauce and jalapeno aioli. A great starter to share with the table.

Singapore Satay Sticks
Chicken and beef with a spicy peanut sauce. Both proteins were moist and tender. Another great starter!

Still the Best Burgers

My family and I are constantly trying out different burgers at "well-rated" restaurants. Hubert Keller's Burger Bar is still the best.

Dogfish 90 Minute IPA
Rated the best IPA because this is the best IPA I've had. Smooth, deep, and hoppy. This is becoming my new favorite beer.

Angus Burger with Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese on a Ciabatta bun with Fried Zucchini
It's the best - what more can I say? Other than..the meat is perfectly medium and juicy with such a taste that makes you want to keep eating. The blue cheese provided complexity, and the onions gave a sweet smoothness. The ciabatta bun held up the juicy burger. The zucchini fries were perfectly fried and not over done. It's really all the best.

Creamy Cheese Cake Burger
With pineapple and strawberry on a donut. One of the best desserts I've had! The cheesecake is soo light and creamy!

Nutella Milkshake
Mmm! A nice deep taste of nutella with a great milkshake texture.

East Coast Withdrawals

Just one day after returning from the east coast, my dad was craving for more lobster.

Hugel Gentil, Alsace
This refreshing, dry white paired perfectly with dinner.

Grilled Lobster!
With scallions


Potatoes with Red Peppers
This was like a dish you would get at a great tapas bar.

New Haven, Connecticut

I'm proud to say my brother is a student at Yale's School of Management. So that means, in the next two years, I'll have New Haven eats featured here.

Lenny's, Branford CT
If you're in the upper east coast, the search for fresh and reasonable seafood is a MUST. This was our first adventure. Good seafood, but not at a good price.
The Menu

The View of the Marsh

Outside Seating
If you don't attract mosquitoes and ticks, this is a really nice outdoor seating space. Actually, the weather is so nice and warm outside that any you should sit outside every chance you get. Alas, I attract mosquitoes and ticks. No really, I am a mosquito magnet. In the course of this 10 day east coast trip, I had 12+ bites.

Inside Seating
As a result, we transfered our seats inside.

Landshark Lager
This was an ok summer lager. It reminded me of a sweeter Corona. Personally, I'm more of a fan of Japanese lagers.

Fish 'n Chips
A decent batch of fish and chips. When it comes to fish and chips I look for the lightness and the crispness of the batter, as well as the freshness and the lightness of the fish. As for the fries, I love thin, crispy fries. The fries weren't great, but the fish wasn't too bad. It was fresh and light, but I wish the batter were lighter and crispier.

Oysters
Nice, fresh oysters, but it wasn't as plump as I wanted them.

2 1/2 lb Lobster

Cut in Half
After some struggle to open up the body of the lobster, we asked to have our lobsters cut in half. Check out that succulent meat and the fat filled head! Like all seafood, the head is the best part.


Bistro Basque, Milford CT
We stayed in the town of Milford, just south of New Haven, for a few days. This was one of our great finds in downtown Milford.
Olive Oil

Piquillos Rellenos con Ensalada Mixta de Txanguro
Chilled piquillo peppers stuffed with Iberian style crab meat salad. A great refreshing start!

Gratin de Chou-Fleur
Cauliflower gratin wrapped with Serrano ham. I've grown to really enjoy cauliflower. This gratin had a great texture with the taste of baked cheese.

Crab Cakes
Mmm! I love crab cakes, and this small plate lived up to my standards. Generous with fresh crab and crispy on the outside.

Gambas al Ajillo
Sauteed shrimp in garlic sauce. I was expecting a plate similar to Bocadillos. This small plate felt like a home-cooked winter night's dish.

Chorizo
In line with the gambas, this also had that home-cooked feel. It reminded me of a non-canned Pork and Beans.

Txipirones
Basque style squid in an ink sauce. The sauce could have had more depth, but I enjoyed this because it reminded me of arroz negro.

Tapas Cazera
A napoleon of Shitaki mushrooms topping red cabage, spinach and duck confit. This was tasty! Each layer had a bold taste, and all together they complimented each other well.



Kitchen Zinc, New Haven CT
Take a walk behind Zinc, and you'll find this lovely pizzeria. The inside was well decorated, but since it's summer you have to take advantage of the outside seating area before the winter season.
The Menu

The Inside

Brews for the Night
Ommegang Witte - Soft-bodied wheat brew, with bold tastes of orange and lemon.
Old Burnside Ten Penny Ale - Scottish amber ale with little hops.

Long Trail Ale - Full bodied, clean tasting amber ale.

Organic Greens
Some extra fiber to start the dinner. A good salad with bits of pine nuts and a nice balsamic dressing.

The Pizzas!...I mean, The Pies!
Overall, this was a great pizza place. Thin crust, crispy, and not overly oily.

Tomato Red Pie

Portobello White Pie


Prime 16, New Haven CT
A fun bar and a place for some pretty good burgers.


Philly Cheese Steak Burger with Onion Rings

Blue Cheese Burger with Fifty Fifty (Skinny Fries and Sweet Fries)


Basta Trattoria, New Haven CT
Come with an appetite and be prepared for big plates. The appetizers are called "Small Plates" - Hah, right!
The Menu


The Wines
Terrabianca “Campaccio” Super Tuscan and Bortoluzzi Merlot. Both delicious, smooth wines that paired well with the meal.

Sicilian Calamari
A great starter. Well fried and nicely coated with a spicy tomato sauce.

Escarole Saute
Escarole sauteed in garlic with bits of capers and anchovies. We love and eat our greens and vegetables.

Risotto with Corn and Parmesan
Not a good order. It was pasty and under-seasoned.

Rigatoni alla Vodka
Delicious! The sauce was well-seasoned and coated the pasta generously.


Marius, New Haven CT
A decent place with an amazing lobster deal. For $12.95 you get a 1 1/2 lb lobster with salad!

Bread and Focaccia

Roasted Eggplants mixed with Sweet Tomatoes and Sweet Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil

Albarino
This light white pairs well with seafood.

Fresh Lobster and Corn Salad
Generous servings of lobster and corn. A great plate!

Grilled Lobster
The shells were incredibly thin, which means the lobster was incredibly fresh.

Primavera Risotto
A pretty good plate of risotto.


Follow that Cupcake
New Haven's first cupcake truck!

Chocolate Cupcake with Vanilla Frosting
Mmm! Light, moist, and a creamy frosting.

Chocolate Cupcake and Chocolate Frosting
Another great cupcake!

Chocolate Cupcake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
And another great cupcake!

Look at the Moistness!

I can't wait to visit this truck again, I mean, I can't wait to visit my brother again!