Broadway Prime - Burlingame, CA

I thought I ought to write about this place if it was the reason (okay, this is an exaggeration) for going back to the bay area last week!  Although The Capital Grille here is awesome, it comes with a huge price tag $$$$$$ if you order traditional (non-Asian sharing) style.  What I love about the Broadway Prime is that you don't have to pick! It specializes in prime rib so you only need to pick the size.  It's 33 dollars to have the smallest version (shown below) and it comes with a salad, creamed corn, creamed spinach and your choice of mashed or garlic mashed or baked potato.  Rumor has it that the owner of this place used to work for the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco.  This place seems to be slightly cheaper but without the old-fashion glamor in SF (unless you are trying to impress you date, who cares?) The good news - it's also easier to get a table here!

Restaurant Detail:
Broadway Prime
1316 Broadway Ave, Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 558-8801
http://www.broadwayprime.com/

Yume Wo Katare - Cambridge, MA

The name Yume Wo Katare (夢を語れ) means talk about a dream.  Such a pretty name for a ramen shop.

It all begins when I heard from a friend who goes to Lesley University next door that there's this new ramen place with lines all the time.  We decided to give it a try last week when my friends and I overestimated ourselves by ordering the option with 5 pieces of pork.  Some of us even ordered "extra everything".  None of us finished everything in the bowl and we could barely walk out of the place (So uncomfortably stuffed that I had to leave a tip on Yelp telling people not to make the same mistake).

So when another friend suggested that we try the place out today.  I learned from my mistakes.  I ordered the 2-pieces of pork option with a little bit of extra vegetables and finally managed to enjoy the noodles. 

To summarize my visits: 

Tip 1: Order the 2 pieces of pork option on your first visit UNLESS you are known for eating a lot. 

Tip 2: Order extra vegetables (that will absorb some of the fattttt).

Tip 3: If you love garlic, definitely ask for extra garlic. The chef would even serve it on the side (It's free! and the garlic complements the soup perfectly!)

Tip 4: Also, we noticed the chef portioned the noodles based on gender/looks. If you are know your appetite is not as big as it seems, you might as well ask for less/more (see the pictures below!)

Tip 5: There's no vegetarian options.  If you are super health conscious, don't bother going, it's just not for you. 

 My 5-pieces pork noodles

My guy friend's 5-pieces pork noodles with extra vegetables (note the portion difference)

Off to Portsmouth, NH!

 

In my mind, this is not really a road trip since it's only two hours away.  Nevertheless, I heard it is a cute little town to visit besides seeing the nature in New Hampshire. Love how the city center is built for tourists with a lot of pretty little stores.  Though overpriced (you can buy a bottle of wine here for $40 and the same bottle at a freeway-side liquor store for $10), the boutiques and shops are pleasant to look at.

We stopped by Portsmouth Brewery for dinner because it has a high rating on Yelp! Too bad it was a total disappointment or else the trip would have ended on a good note (that's why I don't want to give Portsmouth Brewery a restaurant post). Their beer is so-so (Sorry but Sam Adams is way better) and the food we ordered was so terrible that I couldn't remember what we had when I typed this post (some mussels, deviled eggs, fish?). Anyhow, their taco salad looks pretty good but I don't feel like I should promote that as a dietitian (plus I did not get to taste it).

Gordon Ramsay - London, UK

Gordon Ramsay! During my recent spring break trip to the United Kingdom, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay was the only "must-go" request I had and it was definitely the highlight of my trip.  After all, how many chefs got OBE from the Queen? Located in a rather chic neighborhood, one would not notice the restaurant if you weren't looking.

The dining room was clean and bright, perfect for lunch with a couple of friends.  We were seated near the windows as the manager joking said "overlooking our tiny garden".  Since we were there all the way from another continent, we went with the tasting menu to try all the chef's famous creations.  The seven-course meal included foie gras, veal sweetbread with almond veloute (my three favorite ingredients), a lobster ravioli, halibut with the most fragrant broth, lamb with confit breast and braised shank, a mango, jasmine, passion fruit soup (more like a smoothie), prune creme brulee with granny smith apple juice and lemonade parfait with sheep's milk yoghurt sorbet (see menu below for details).  It ended with the signature Gordon Ramsay petit four. Paired with some wine, it was the most delightful lunch thus far.

Restaurant Information:
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
68 Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HP, United Kingdom
www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad

BerryLine - Cambridge, MA

Saturday is perfect for frozen yogurt (yes, even in this cold). We stopped by Harvard Square today for a musical at the university and it was nice and sunny (does not mean it's warm) outside when we walked out.  So we decided to go to BerryLine.  I decided to go with the original flavor this time but they do have interesting flavors like coconut, Taza chocolate, apple cinnamon (differ by location). Also worth a mention is their mochi, my must-have with frozen yogurt. Unlike the more standard mochi elsewhere, their mochi was bigger and chewier. Price-wise, they are slightly more expensive than the bigger chains if you want three toppings (~$4.50).

Information:
3 Arrow St,
Cambridge, MA 02138
berryline.com

Ippudo - New York, NY

I finally had a chance to go to this famous ramen place in New York City! Ramen is actually a very tricky thing because they are extremely easy to make but extremely hard to make it perfect. Since the fresh or frozen ramen from Asian supermarkets also has a very high standard, it raises expectations when I go to restaurants specializing in ramen. Particularly the soup base, the chewiness, the pork and the egg. A good soup base should be flavorful but now salty; the noodles should be fresh and slightly "bouncy"; the pork should be soft and "fat"; and the egg should be cooked to a point where the yolk flows slightly.

Ippudo minus the line or the wait would be a great ramen place to go. A tip though, they take reservation if you go to the restaurant in person earlier in the day (great for groups)!

Restaurant Information:
65 4th Ave
New York, NY 10003
ippudony.com

Joel Robuchon - Las Vegas, NV

Last week, I started the blog by a more fine dining experience. Today, I want to share about a even more extravagant and lavish experience at Joel Robuchon inside the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. All the food was exquisite and very modern. The foods are also rather fusion and creative, like the eel and tofu soup I had (delicious). To be honest, the food was nothing compared to the lavishly decorated dining room. And our amazement for the night did not even begin there.

I love yelp (literally!) and you will know why after the story. We read on a review that the hotel would provide complementary limo services if you are dining at Joel Robuchon (which we were unaware of when making the reservation). So we decided to give it a try and call ahead of time.  We were sent a golden limo with the car plate MGM2 (we later found MGM1) to pick us up from the Bellagio where we were staying at. After a couple of turns off the crowded main street, we were greeted by a tall gate and the limo turned into a private little garden.  We were then greeted by a staff, who led us all the way through the VIP check-in rooms through another gate back to the "normal" front-end of the hotel. Now who can forget THAT experience?

  

Restaurant Information:

Joel Robouchon

3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109

http://www.mgmgrand.com/restaurants/joel-robuchon-french-restaurant.aspx

Trattoria Delia - Burlington, VT

Whenever I think of Italian food, Julia Roberts and all the food she had in Italy in the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" pops into my head.  Since I haven't been to Italy (yet!), sometimes I wonder if the restaurants I have been to are "real Italian food". But anyhow, Trattoria Delia is recommended by a couple of friends who also love to eat so we actually planned our Vermont trip around the time of our dinner reservation.

This nice little restaurant is just steps away from the crowded Church St. When we pushed open the wooden door, smell of garlic and tomato and all kind of good things hit us in the face (which we were happy with). We had the Lumache alla Sambuca, snails with herbs on bread, to start. The snails were soaked (literally) with tastes from all the herbs and butter. For main courses, we shared the Ossobuco alla Milanese, braised veal shank in white wine, and the Zuppa di Pesce, garlic and seafood (two of my favorite things). The veal was so braised to the point where the meat melt on my tongue. And of course, we cannot skip dessert because that's what completes a meal! We had the Tiramisu (a must-try if you happen to go there) and Profiterole with chocolate hazelnut Gelato inside. And the night at Burlington had a perfect conclusion.

Restaurant Information:
Trattoria Delia
152 Saint Paul St,
Burlington, VT 05401
trattoriadelia.com

Red Lentil - Watertown, MA

Fall is a time for good food! With all the magnificent fall colors comes apples, squashes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins... and the counts continues. After a apple-picking trip recently, we stopped by the Red Lentil for some good vegan food. The restaurant is nice but small and can only accommodate one big group at a time. As a group of omnivores, we asked the waitress to recommend some popular dishes and we were glad we did when the food came. All the dishes are so flavorful that you won't notice that you weren't eating any animal products.

 Gobi Manchurian

 Beet Potato Latkes

 Sweet Potato Quesadilla

  Pistachio and Herb Encrusted Tofu with Corn Cake

 Chocolate Strawberry Cake (with hidden fresh strawberry!)

  

Carrot Cake (very chunky!)

Pistachio Almond Cream Cake

Restaurant Information:
600 Mount Auburn St,
Watertown, MA
theredlentil.com

City One Beverage - Shatin, Hong Kong

Friday is a time for a little nostalgia.  My friends often ask if there's anything that I particularly miss from Hong Kong since there are many Asian food in the states nowadays. It took me a while to realize how much I miss these waffle-like snacks called "egg puff" or "eggettes". It came in a lot of different flavors like original, chocolates, sesame coconut, etc. The good thing is, they can be found in a lot of street stands in Hong Kong and are quick and cheap to buy. Another great local snack is a modified version of waffles, a waffle sandwich, with butter, peanut butter, sweet condensed milk, and sugar inside. How can it be not good when all these good stuff are put together?

Throughout the years in Hong Kong, I have tried numerous stands that sell these traditional snacks, but my favorite has always been those from the City One Beverage. They always manage to get the crispiness on the outside and the soft and chewiness in the inside just right!

Restaurant Information:
City One Beverage
City One Plaza G65,
Shatin, Hong Kong
cityonebeverage.com