Kochujan marinated steak, salsa verde, lettuce, onions, cilantro, flour tortillas. $12.95
Duke’s Waikiki, Honolulu HI
These tacos had a lot of flavor, but they were definitely on the salty side. Perhaps the steak was over-marinated or something. I loved the pickled side though!
Laying out on the back lawn of the Royal Garden Waikiki.
Blackened mahi mahi, chipotle aioli, mango salsa fresca, roasted tomatillo sauce. Served with Manini green salad. $15.95
Huggo’s on the Rocks, Kailua-Kona HI
Mmm, these were really good and I loved all the sauces and salsa on top. The tortillas were also nicely grilled and warm. I thought it was cute that they served the plates in bamboo steam trays.
Western side of Hawaii along Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Trotter croquettes, smoked beef tongue, house sausage, flat-iron, roasted garlic, salsa verde, grilled ciabatta. $25
Salt Kitchen and Tasting Bar, Honolulu HI
Mmm, this was heaven on a plate for a meat-lover like me! I think the smoked beef tongue was my favorite! It was SO tender and had a great texture and flavor, noms! The trotter croquettes were also really fun. I wish the pic would’ve come out better since this dish was so yummy.
“Brothers In Valor” Memorial, Fort DeRussy. Honoring World War II veterans.
Hazelnut, cherry tomato, salsa verde, pesto and shallots. Family style supper $46 per person
Staple and Fancy, Seattle WA
This tasted good, but I wasn’t a fan of the fish texture. It was an odd combination of flaky and mushy. I loved the sauces and garnishes though, hehe.
Eye Benches III, Louise Bourgeois, black Zimbabwe granite, Olympic Sculpture Park.
White bean and endive salad, salsa verde aioli. $14
Lot 7, San Francisco CA
Noms, this was my favorite item of the night! The squid were beautifully cooked and all the components on the plate were delicious. More please!
Rainbow flag, Castro and Market.
Corn chips melted with jack cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, whole beans, grilled skinless chicken and jalapenos de la casa. $8.95
Cancun Sabor Mexicano, Berkeley CA
It may not be readily evident from this pic, but this nacho plate is pretty darn big! And delicous! They use organic meats and other amazing ingredients. I’m also very much in love with their salsa bar. They have plenty to choose from and you can keep going back for more!
House-made chorizo sauasage, organic bell peppers and tomatoes scrambled with three eggs and topped with queso fresco, sour cream, homemade slasa and fresh green onion. Served with a warmed flour tortilla instead of toast. $14
Portage Bay Cafe, Seattle WA
This place was packed with a line out the door! Thank goodness we had reservations. I don’t completely agree why this place is super popular though. I get that they use fresh, mostly healthy ingredients but their preparations aren’t anything special. I expected a little bit more considering their shear popularity. The food was good, but I thought it was overpriced for what it was. And the service was random and slow at times.
Coffee.
Pike Place Public Market sign at the corner of Pine and Pike.
Monterey skillet breakfast served with golden hash browns, pico de gallo, cabbage slaw, fresh pinto beans and warm tortillas. $8.99
Peg’s Glorified Ham N Eggs, Reno NV
I had high hopes for this place since it had SO many great Yelp reviews. Wow, were they wrong! The food was marginal at best. This breakfast platter was definitely gigantic, but I’d rather have a little bit of good food than a large pile of crappy food. The eggs were cooked all the way through, the hash browns were also overdone and hard, and the beans were flavorless. Lame, a major disappointment! At least the cantaloupe was sweet.
Condiments.
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus, Malvaceae) with white and pink flowers, South Meadows Parkway.
Beef with onions and peas. Chicken with onions and peppers. $6 each
Poquito, San Francisco CA
Mmm, I love empanadas and these were very tasty! The outside was nice and crispy and the fillings were delicious.
Served with mild salsa roja and spicy green aji.
Tin man and child street performers, Union Square. Nothing says the holidays like the tin man!?
With homemade tomato salsa, queso de cabra (goat cheese), and fresh basil. $2.50 per slice
Arizmendi Bakery, San Francisco CA
This has been one of their more simple daily pizzas, but it was still delicious! They always use good quality ingredients which makes the difference.
Seaside tree mallow (Malvaceae, Lavatera maritima), Dolores Street.
Black beans, rice, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, spicy pico de gallo salsa. $5.50
La Corneta Taqueria, San Francisco CA
They sure know how to pile on the toppings at La Corneta! The prawns were perfectly cooked, tender and very flavorful. Perhaps, it was a tad on the salty side, but I enjoyed this very much!
Tortilla chips and salsa. Complimentary
Scary ivy-covered house, 17th Street. I would NOT want to live in that thing!
Beef, bell pepper, onion, tomato, and mushroom. Served with rice and refried beans. $8.75
Chava’s Restaurant, San Francisco CA
Ugh, this was the first time I’ve been here and I wasn’t impressed. The beef was super chewy and the whole thing just had a weird flavor. You should never name a dish after your restaurant if it isn’t very good. 😦
Tortilla chips and salsa. These chips tasted old and were stale, ew.
Extra corn tortillas.
Vittle Monster 