‘Cheese’


Getting Cheesy at Mad Dogs

September 18th, 2009 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit
Nothing green here.

Nothing green here.

After a long day of drinking in Santa Barbara, I stumbled upon a little hole in the wall joint called Mad Dogs.  Hot dogs were their specialty, which was perfect for me to soak up the remains of the day.

They had a variety of hot dog choices to please anyone, and I decided to do a little custom thing.  I ordered a bacon and cheese dog with a side of cheese fries.  Apparently I am not afraid of destroying my arteries in one sitting. Continue Reading»


Not Quite Sushi at Kaya Sushi

September 17th, 2009 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit
If it weren't for those tomatoes...

If it weren't for those tomatoes...

When you walk into Kaya Sushi, there is a massive glass waterfall blocking your way.  Do not be deterred, though, because you can easily circumvent this waterfall by walking to the left or right.  If you make it past, you’ll find yourself in the posh new sushi restaurant in El Segundo.

The place had an apparent brush with Korean as well as Japanese, since the lettering in their logo was distinctly Korean and there were even a few Korean items on the menu.  Their sushi roll list was quite extensive, but I managed to find the least sushi-ish dish on the menu for myself. Continue Reading»


Buffalo-Style at the Library Ale House

August 31st, 2009 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit
Just like the Native Americans

Just like the Native Americans

For a nice night out on the town, I went to the Library Alehouse in Santa Monica.  After about twenty minutes of waiting, we were finally shown to our table, in an outdoor patio area.  I always love eating outside, so this was a definite plus for the restaurant.

Although the menu had a bunch of good-looking options, the buffalo burger really stuck out to me.  I always enjoy a good bison, so I hoped the Library would continue that trend.  Plus, I try to eat like Native Americans as much as possible, and we all know how much they loved their buffalo.  Continue Reading»


Costa Rican Food Week, Part III: Tramonti

August 19th, 2009 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit
Italian in the Costa Rican style.

Italian in the Costa Rican style.

The little town of Monteverde is a haven for international tourism.  Built right into the mountainous rain forest, hotels, hostels and adventurous activities abound.  Although a lot of restaurants offer Mexican fare (catering to the American perception that all food south of our border involves tacos and burritos), the town also has some good variety.  One of these places is a nice Italian restaurant called Tramonti.  After a long day of zip-lining through the rain forest, this is a great place to relax with a good meal.

The decor of Tramonti instantly made me feel uncomfortable.  I was wearing cargo shorts, a t-shirt and a zipper fleece, which made perfect sense for the rest of the day.  Apparently I missed a memo, though, because everyone else in the restaurant had a shirt with some sort of collar on.  I got over my discomfort quickly as they found us a table far from the front door and windows.  Also, the Imperial Beer I ordered helped me feel better. Continue Reading»


Exercise Food at McP’s Irish Pub & Grill

August 6th, 2009 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit
A veggie-free sensation.

A veggie-free sensation.

After a long day of hiking, there’s nothing better for an unvegan than beer and greasy food.  Luckily, just a few steps from my hotel in Lake Tahoe, there was a nifty little joint called McP’s Irish Pub & Grill.

We took our seats in the upstairs and outdoors dining area, just outside the doors of a small performance.  As we looked at our menus, there was a small child dancing like a crazy person to the sound of the music from within.  This was infinitely more entertaining than the menu, but food had to be ordered.  There was plenty of good-looking food on the menu, and eventually I decided to get the BBQ Beef Sandwich. Continue Reading»


Classy Mexican at Border Grill

July 29th, 2009 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit
Sickly looking green stuff on my quesadilla!

Sickly looking green stuff on my quesadilla!

It’s pretty rare, but sometimes it’s good to break free of Mexican fast-food and slow, yet still greasy Mexican food.  To make this jump, I went to the Border Grill in Santa Monica and attempted to class-up my Mexican repertoire.

They actually had a surprisingly welcome selection of unvegan options and I was torn between a few of the dishes.  The steep prices may have ended up playing a role in my final selection, which was still pretty pricey at $15.  This was one of their specials, the Chicken Adobo Quesadilla.  Adobo is a great seasoning, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong.  It came with manchego, panela and cotija cheeses inside, and mizuna salad, salsa fresca, guacamole and sour cream on the outside.  I ordered mine without the mizuna salad and although I’m not entirely sure what “mizuna” means, I know it involved vegetables I didn’t want to eat. Continue Reading»


Eating Like Obama at Five Guys Burgers and Fries

June 8th, 2009 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit
Juicy and delicious.

Juicy and delicious.

Through a buddy of mine and my girlfriend, I learned of a burger place called Five Guys Burgers and Fries.  Although originally from the east coast, Five Guys has an outpost down in Carson, which is about as south as you can get in LA County without crossing the border into the OC. Continue Reading»


Beer Me Some Breckenridge Agave Wheat

The taste of skiing?

Colorado is definitely a beer state, and not just because Coors comes from the Rocky Mountain State.  No, it is also home to New Belgium (of Fat Tire fame) and seemingly countless other micro and craft breweries.  While in Breckenridge for a ski weekend, I decided I had to at least try one of these, and because it turned out to be the only one available at dinner, my choice happened to come from the creatively named Breckenridge Brewery.  The brewery, by the way, is actually no longer in Breckenridge, having expanded and moved to Denver in 1992.

Continue Reading»