Red dragon & Reward rolls – Barracuda Sushi

Red dragon & Reward rolls - Barracuda Sushi
Reward Roll: deep fried shrimp, soft shell crab, cucumber, crab roll topped with salmon and avocado with tobiko and unagi sauce. $12.95
Red Dragon: Unagi tempura and cucumber roll topped with spicy tuna, tomato, jalapeno, spicy miso sauce and tobiko-garlic chips. $14.95
Barracuda Sushi, San Francisco CA

Red dragon & Reward rolls - Barracuda Sushi
The rolls at Barracuda are always pretty tasty and large, but you’d expect that at this above-average price point. I do like that they offer plenty of fried (tempura) roll options for my fat-craving self, lol! Their flavor combinations are also inventive and varied.

Hella-peno burger munchie meal – Jack in the Box

Hella-peno burger munchie meal - Jack in the Box
Beef patty topped with American cheese, stuffed jalapenos, mayo-onion sauce and ketchup on a sesame seed bun. Served with two tacos, fries and medium Diet Coke. $6
Jack in the Box, San Francisco CA

OK people, don’t judge me – LOL! We had just driven back to the city from a gala fundraiser up in Marin County where they didn’t serve very much food, so I was STARVING! We walked in and my eyes immediately fell on the promotional sign for the Hella-peno burger. I had to try it! The burger was pretty lame, but it filled me up and it came with tacos, fries and a drink – all for six bucks so I’m not gonna complain. This makes me a bad person. 🙂

Seagull at the Ferry Building
Seagull at the Ferry Building.

Tavern burger – Stock in Trade

Tavern burger - Stock in Trade
Angus beef, aged Grafton cheddar, two fried eggs, pickles, caramelized onions, aioli, toasted Acme bun and fries. $13
Stock in Trade, San Francisco CA

This burger had a lot of flavor but it was super cold and lifeless! It was definitely a service mistake and I’m kinda surprised they served it. Damn, I would have microwaved it myself to get a bit of warmth on the plate!

Tavern burger - Stock in Trade

Mimosas - Stock in Trade

Mimosas. This was one of the most bland mimosas I’ve ever tasted. Ew!

Smoked deviled eggs – Park Tavern

Smoked deviled eggs - Park Tavern
Bacon, pickled jalapeno and chive. $13
Park Tavern, San Francisco CA

Mmm, these were amazing! I hated deviled eggs as a kid, but I have really come to appreciate them as an adult. Especially the fancy varieties that other people make, hehe. These were jam packed with flavor and everything worked spectacularly together.

7×7 Magazine’s The Big Eat San Francisco: 100 Things to Eat + Drink Before You Die – 2012, 2013

Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon at the Orpheum Theatre.

Bbq shrimp and grits – Brown Sugar Kitchen

Bbq shrimp and grits - Brown Sugar Kitchen
With brown sugar butter and apple cider syrup. $15
Brown Sugar Kitchen, Oakland CA

I’m still annoyed by the ridiculously long wait that we had to endure and the bad service we encountered at this place, when the food wasn’t even amazing enough to make up for it. This bbq shrimp was super sweet and became nauseating after eating it for a while. Needless to say, I didn’t finish. This place also uses Barilla pasta, an blatantly anti-LGBT company. Definitely not returning…

Guadalajara combinacion – Casa Azteca

Guadalajara combinacion - Casa Azteca
Chicken enchilada and tamale served with Spanish rice, refried beans, and salad. $12.45
Casa Azteca, Milpitas CA

I usually get the enchilada/chile relleno combination option when it comes to Mexican combos, but for some reason I was craving a tamale. Maybe masa seemed a bit healthier than a deep fried chile stuffed with cheese, but I’m pretty sure they’re both pretty unhealthy overall, lol! Regardless, this was yummy and it hit the spot.

Salad - Casa Azteca
Salad. Not the prettiness salad I’ve had, but I do appreciate that they threw in some beets.

Soy sauce flavor spicy ramen – Ramen Dojo

Soy sauce flavor spicy ramen - Ramen Dojo
Roasted pork, fried whole garlic, kikurage mushroom, fresh green chives, quail egg, and chicken gravy (cooked ground chicken, chopped shiitake mushroom, chopped ginger, sesame oil, shredded red pepper). Ordered with extra pork and regular spicy. $11.25
Ramen Dojo, San Mateo CA

I’ve been on a ramen kick lately and this place has been one of the best I’ve visited! The soup is delicious and the chicken gravy is amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever had ramen where I’ve really noticed the chicken gravy before. It had an awesome chunky consistency and packed a lot of flavor. Maybe the gravy, if ever present before, was just been mixed into the soup at other restaurants. I’m not sure, but I feel like I’ve been missing out until now. Noms!

Grilled steak and egg sandwich – Stock in Trade

Grilled steak and egg sandwich - Stock in Trade
Grilled hanger steak, two fried eggs, pickled red onion, garlic aioli, wild arugula, chimichurri, toasted pain de mie, crispy skinny fries, and fruit. $13
Stock in Trade, San Francisco CA

This burger had a lot of great flavors, but it was super cold – EW! I think the server must have forgotten it on the counter for a long time before bringing it out. I was surprised that the skinny French fries stayed crispy and delicious though. I can only imagine how much better they would have been served warm. Kind lame, Stock in Trade!

Fort Funston beach
Fort Funston beach.

Coctails – Park Tavern

Country Lawyer - Park Tavern
Country Lawyer: Knob Creek bourbon, Zucca amaro, vermouth and bitters. $13
Park Tavern, San Francisco CA

Mmm, the cocktails at Park Tavern are pretty delicious! I have mixed feelings about my overall experience here though. Although the service was friendly and professional, they made some stupid mistakes that really detracted from the overall experience. Namely, they never brought us a dish even after I specifically asked if it was ever coming out. Our server ensured us it was on its way, but it never did and we were charged for it anyway! FAIL!

Alcatraz - Park Tavern
Alcatraz: Templeton rye, Averna amaro, and port. $13

Bulleit Manhattan - Park Tavern
Bulleit Manhattan: bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters. $10

Buttermilk fried chicken and cornmeal waffle – Brown Sugar Kitchen

Buttermilk fried chicken and cornmeal waffle - Brown Sugar Kitchen
With brown sugar butter and apple cider syrup. $15
Brown Sugar Kitchen, Oakland CA

The most important question for this BSK review: “Is the food worth the wait?” I’m gonna say No. We arrived at 8:30 on a Sunday morning and didn’t get food until 10:15. Living in SF, I’m used to the long waits for brunch but the food has to deliver. BSK fell short.

Everything here was really slow, especially our server. We were seated right after the 2-top next to us at the counter, but our order was taken 10 minutes after theirs. They actually finished their meal before we even received food (very frustrating)! When they’re busy, you can wait up to 30 minutes for waffles. While the waffles are delicious, an extra 30 minutes is excruciating when you’ve been waiting so long already and feeling jittery from all the coffee. The fried chicken was just ok so the waffles definitely carry this dish. I think there’s plenty of great chicken and waffles elsewhere that don’t come with a 2-hour+ wait (and cheaper). This place doesn’t make my cut for a “destination” brunch joint. And there is absolutely nothing else at this location so you have no other options if you come here.

Mimosa - Brown Sugar Kitchen

Mimosa. $7.50
Pretty small and weak for the price.

Enchiladas suizas – Casa Azteca

Enchiladas suizas - Casa Azteca
Two corn tortillas filled with beef, covered with a mild red chile sauce and cheese. Topped with guacamole and sour cream. Served with Spanish rice, refried beans, and tortilla soup. $12.95
Casa Azteca, Milpitas CA

This was a great value for only thirteen bucks and everything was pretty good, but all the textures on the enchilada plate were soft. I didn’t mind too much but I wish they would have thrown in something crunchy to balance things out. I think that’s why other places thrown in a small pile of that cheap iceberg lettuce “salad”. You all know what I’m talking about. The tortilla soup was also on the salty side.

Tortilla soup - Casa Azteca
Tortilla soup.