Trying out Afghani Cuisine

I love adventuring with new foods.  After seeing some great reviews on Yelp, my family and I ventured to an Afghan/Mediterranean restaurant in the East Bay for dips and kabobs.

Pamir has all the traditional fare that you'd expect and that we were looking for.  Afghani dips are a favorite of mine because of how they are so healthy (and gluten free).  The kabobs were fresh from the grill with a bold spices and that charred taste.

Overall, it was an enjoyable meal with friendly service.  I don't think I'll find myself that far in the East Bay anytime soon, but I'm happy to have had an Afghan/Mediterranean meal experience.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

If you can't see the slideshow, check out my Flickr album: Pamir

Lunch Break

My dad and I took a lunch break and tried out this restaurant in the area that we were in - Quezon City. We went to the Morato area where there is a large selection of restaurants. We ate at Uno Restaurant. The ingredients tasted fresh and everything was pretty good, but I'd only eat there again if someone chose it. I'm not sure if I'd go out of my way to eat there on my own, though.

Soy Fish
Parrot fish with a soy sauce blend. A nice refreshing appetizer.


Bacon-Wrapped Enoki
With Mustard Greens. A good starter. The grilled taste was tasty on the enoki mushrooms.

Baked Lapu Lapu Fillet
A nice cut of lapu lapu. Fresh and meaty.

Gyro Search Continues

Ever since I had that amazing gyro in Seattle, I’ve been in search of a gyro here in the Bay Area that at least matches that tastiness.  So far, I’ve had no luck.  They have been tasty, but they don’t have that wow factor that hit me when I ate at Aladdin’s Gyro-cery.

Athena Grill, Santa Clara
This place is located in the middle of business complexes.  Once you enter, it’s like you’ve entered the set of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  It’s pretty fun.  Overall, I really enjoyed this place.  I will probably go back to try other items on the menu.

The Beer Pairing
Whenever I see a beverage menu, I try to order something I’ve never had before.  I’d definitely never had Greek beer.  So I ordered Hillas.   At first, the taste resembles a crisp Japanese beer.  Then, the after taste kicks in which resembles a Corona, with a hint of Jasmine.

Gyro Plate
Thin-slide spicy beef over a warm pita with red onion, tomato, and tzatziki with Greek fries.  Overall, it was good and everything was fresh.  The fries were nicely seasoned.  However, I was hoping the meat would have a more intense taste.

A Day in the City

Summertime in San Francisco is usually cold and windy. On this particular day, the clouds were out of the sky and the sun shined bright. It was a perfect day for a free concert in Golden Gate Park.
Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray toasting to the crowd.

Gavin Rossdale -- my reason for standing in the crowd under the hot sun. I've been wanting to see him live for over 10 years, and I can finally check this off my bucket list.


A concert in SF means the food selection is going to be better than average.
Garlic Crab Fries with Aioli
Well-fried and not overwhelmed with garlic. The crab and aioli was a nice touch. I wish the crab shreds were real shreds of dungeness crab. That would have made this amazing.

Beef Gyro
I've been having gyros lately. The past few were wrapped in lavish bread. I prefer the ones in pita bread with yogurt sauce, exactly like the one here.


After the concert hydration and a chair were needed. On a beautiful day, Union Square seemed like the obvious choice. We went to Emporio Rulli located in the center of Union Square. Refreshing drinks and great people watching.
Peroni and a Grenandine Italian Soda


For dinner we went to Charles' Phan's Out the Door. This dine in/take out restaurant is located in the new food court section of SF's Westfield Mall. What I love about this place is that it makes Slanted Door quality food accessible in a casual setting.
Gruner Veltliner, Austria
I love pairing crisp, dry wines with Vietnamese food. This was especially refreshing after a long day.

Crispy Imperial Rolls
This is also served in Slanted Door. It is perfectly (and not overly) fried. The chunks of noodles, vegetables, and pork are all distinct. This is a must-get.


Gulf Shrimp with Egg Noodles
The egg noodles were perfectly cooked. Chewy and filled with flavor. This dish is definitely repeatable.

Cellophane Noodles with Dungeness Crab
This is one of Slanted Door's classic dishes. It's always delicious. It's a perfect Vietnamese tribute to San Francisco.


There's been a lot of hype about Bi-Rite Creamery. Since it was still open and we were craving for ice cream, we drove to the Mission District. When we got there the line was packed and all the way to the corner of the street. We waited for 20 minutes. Many new people in line were vocally asking if the line was worth it. A few dropped out. Many of the repeat customers kept insisting that it's so worth it and it will enhance your life.
Salted Caramel and Roasted Banana
AMAZING. I almost cried because of the intensity of the flavors and the smooth, creaminess of the ice cream. This is the best ice cream I have ever had. I want to have the Salted Caramel forever in my life.