Xiao long bao. Six pieces $4.95
Dumpling Empire, South San Francisco CA
These were decent. The dumpling wrapper was on the thicker side, but at least the dumplings all stayed intact and they were not steamed in those lame aluminum cups. The flavors of the soup and pork filling were pretty good so I can’t complain too much. And the price was really good!
Pink protea flower (Proteaceae), West Field Road.
Coconut milk chicken soup with mushrooms. Set Menu A £11.80 per person
Tuk Tuk Noodle Bar, London ENGLAND
Wow, this set menu was a great deal! Unfortunately, the food was horrible. This soup was probably the highlight of the meal. Everything else that follow was poorly prepared and odd tasting. Hmm, I would say that maybe I’m just used to American Thai food but I’ve spent a month and a half traveling through Thailand so I have a decent idea of what authentic Thai food should taste like. And this wasn’t even close! 😦
Water. Coplimentary
The Sherlock Holmes Pub. We were walking from Trafalgar Sqaure to the London Eye when we passed this establishment. I thought it looked charming so I snapped a quick pic.
Set menu £8.20
The Stockpot, London ENGLAND
We wanted to try this no frills eatery located across the street from our hotel. The dining room was basic and cozy, and our waiter was very outgoing and confident. The menu was really eclectic and all over the place so it was a bit hard to decide on anything. I’m always wary of restaurants with large menus filled with random items because I feel like they won’t cook any of the dishes REALLY well. In this case of The Stockpot, I was right. All the food we tried was marginal. This soup looked unappetizing and was really bland.
Cuvee Jean Paul house red wine. Half bottle £7.50
At least the wine was really affordable!
Soho Square. This is such a cute park and a perfect location to picnic with friends. We met up with an old SF friend who lives in London now, and along with a group of his friends, partied with too many bottles of champagne at this park. It was a blast from what I can remember, lol!
Gaspacho de concombre. Entree/Plat option 24€
L’Epigramme, Paris FR
We came to this randomly located restaurant for lunch because I read good blog reviews for it online. OMG, I’m so glad we did because this was the BEST meal we had in Paris! I will qualify that statement by saying that we really didn’t do any crazy fancy, expensive restaurants because we still had a wedding to attend followed by a London visit. And we knew that our wallets were gonna feel really empty after everything was said and done.
Anyway, L’Epigramme offered an appetizer/entree or entree/dessert option for 24€ OR an appetizer/entree/dessert option for 28€. Because we’re not big dessert people, we had one of each option so that we could at least try one of the desserts. For the quality of the food we received, these prices were amazing!
This cucumber gazpacho was so refreshing and had a wonderful flavor. I think it was beautifully prepared!
Cauliflower spread and crostini. Complimentary amuse bouche
We weren’t expecting an amuse bouche, so this was a pleasant surprise. It seemed a fairly simple dish, but it was SO delicious and the texture of the finely chopped cauliflower was great.
Fountain at the Champ de Mars. This green space adjacent to the Eiffel Tower is really pretty, but seems SO large on a hot day filled with nonstop walking, lol!
Xiao long bao soup dumplings served with sweet soy sauce and ginger. $3.75
Mama Ji’s, San Francisco CA
I love XLB partly because they’re SO fun to eat. People have always warned me of the ones served in aluminum containers though because the dumpling wrapper tends to stick and break, and I’ve learned first hand that this is certainly true. So when these arrived to the table, I was already skeptical. Low and behold, they did break and not because of my amateur chopsticks-handling. What I could eat in one bite was good, but I would have loved for them to stay intact.
Pumpkin, pressed tofu, salted chili broth. $12
Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco CA
I wasn’t expecting this to be a full-on soup, but it was delicious! The salted chili broth was SO good and the thinly sliced pumpkin had a great texture as did the pressed tofu. Mmm, I really liked this dish!
New Mexican stew served with side salad and corn bread. Cup $5
Chile Pies, San Francisco CA
Mmm, this soup is very tasty and has lots of bold flavors. I just wish it was served more hot. It was on the luke warm side which was kinda lame. I love their cornbread though!
Lai fun noodle, bok choy, garlic, green onion. $7.50
Cafe Encore, Millbrae CA
Mmm, this was REALLY good! The soup was super flavorful and the chicken was tender and delicious. I loved that they kept all the bones on since it lends so much more flavor. I not fussy, so I don’t mind eating around them. I’m craving this soup right now!
Black cherry, mustard. Tasting menu $140
Jardiniere, San Francisco CA
I don’t think I could have ever thought that pairing duck heart, mushroom, and cherry would work but it was actually pretty great. I wouldn’t want any more of the duck hearts than the portion on the plate since it was very rich, but it was nice to get offal as part of a tasting menu.
Mushroom broth. This was absolutely amazing! There was SO much flavor in this tiny cup of broth and I enjoyed every drop.
California hedge nettle (Stachys bullata, Lamiaceae), Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.
Talk about salt overload! I know that hot and sour soups can sometimes get a bit salty, but this was out of control. I could barely eat much of this because I could feel my kidneys crying for help! $5.60
Jade Cafe, San Francisco CA
Chicken noodle soup with a traditional matzo ball. $6
Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen, San Francisco CA
I don’t think I’ve ever had matzo ball soup at a restaurant before! Kinda weird since I really like matzo ball. This version did not disappoint – it was SO good. I actually wasn’t feeling well that day and thought that eating this would perk me up. It tasted wonderful and the huge matzo ball was fun and delicious! Mission accomplished…
7×7 Magazine’s The Big Eat San Francisco: 100 Things to Eat + Drink Before You Die – 2013
They were filming something at the restaurant when I was there. The kitchen space is pretty small but you could see the owners walking around and explaining things to the camera.
Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum, Iridaceae), Prisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.
Award winning chowder, fresh made using Barbara’s own secret recipe. Loaded with clams with no MSG or milk products. Bowl $7.95
Barbara’s Fishtrap, Half Moon Bay CA
This clam chowder was AMAZING! Honestly, it tasted like Thanksgiving. It was thick and flavorful and was packed with clams. (I’m sure it was also very healthy, hehe.)
California wildrose flower (Rosa californica, Rosaceae), Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.
Vittle Monster 