Plantain Chips from Turbana

I'm sitting on an airplane right now, snacking away.  What else is there to do?  Thus it seems fitting to post about one of my more recent snack food finds these days, plantain chips, from Turbana. I think this is the only product they make, available in a slew of flavors.  They are all fairly starchy like a potato chip, but have a slightly more interesting texture and flavor. Chili Lime: The lime flavor is interesting, but I don’t particularly...

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Donuts from Henry's Cafe and Deli

Whenever GoPago runs a promotion, I tend to wind up with ~$1 in remaining credits after my main purchase.  I have a new favorite way to spend them: donuts! You may recall that I indulged in these a few months ago when Ojan had some leftover credits, and I got a donut from Rolling Pin.  I wasn't very satisfied with that donut, but mostly because I picked a kind I didn't want, due to limited availability.  I was determined to set out earlier...

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Tres

A few weeks ago, I went to an event at Tres, a casual "Tequila Lounge & Mexican Kitchen" in SOMA.  We sat in the bar area, and ordered off the bar menu for food and drinks (and, of course, since I was there, some desserts!).  I haven't been to many casual bars lately, so I don't have a lot of comparison points, but this was not a good experience.  My opinion may be also slightly skewed by the fact that they served me watermelon, which I'm...

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Genuto

It is no secret that I like frozen treats.  Ice cream, frozen yogurt, I enjoy them all.  A few weeks ago, I was shopping at Whole Foods, and ran into a station sampling Genuto, a local vegan gelato line.  It is nut based, has no dairy, and is loaded with probiotics.  The ingredient lists are impressively short.  The "Simply Pistachio" flavor lives up to its name, containing only water, pistachios, sugar, and salt.  That is it.  The...

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Crab Night @ Camino!

[ Originally posted January 16, 2012.  Moving to blog in anticipation of crab season! ] Every Monday night in January, Camino in Oakland does a special crab night.  For $34, you get a starter, half a roast crab, sides, and dessert.  $12 more gets you a full crab.   The starter, sides, and desserts change weekly, but the roast crab is always the star.  We went last year, and couldn't wait to return this year.  With so many fantastic restaurants...

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Crab and Dessert @ Absinthe

[ Originally posted January 8, 2012.  Moving to blog now in honor of crab season! ] Trying to make up for a crappy meal at Destino, we headed to the lounge at Absinthe, for dessert.  Adding to our night of failures, they were out of our #1 dessert choice.  So, we somehow ended up getting a whole crab instead (and a dessert of course).  It was crab season after all! Overall it was all good, but nothing special.  But keep in mind that...

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Langostino Lobster @ Rubio's

Yes, I've got a thing for Rubio's.  Yes, it is out of character, as it is cheap, casual, Mexican food.  But not entirely out of character, as what I love is the sauces and the seafood. Anyway, around this time of year every year, they have a limited time special: the Langostino Lobster taco (or burrito).  Since only discovered Rubio's a few months ago, I hadn't ever experienced it before, but had heard about it.  So when it came back on the menu,...

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Tava Indian Kitchen

Tava is a fast casual Indian restaurant, opening in SOMA on Wednesday.  They already have a location down in Palo Alto, opened 9 months ago, that has received very good reviews.  I was invited to a preview dinner tonight, a test run of the new restaurant.  I was excited, as I do love Indian food, and haven't found a place in the city that I've liked all that much. The first thing I noticed when I entered was an entire wall decorated with...

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More Froyo from Pinkberry

Moved to consolidated post...

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Evolution Fresh

Evolution Fresh is a subsidy of Starbucks, originally started by the same guy who founded Naked Juice.  Their main product is juices (fruit, veggie, combo, or even things like coconut water), sold bottled in stores, but they also have two shops in the Seattle area, and now one in San Francisco.  The focus is all on very healthy, fresh food.  In addition to the juices (on tap of course), the shops also offer smoothies, some healthy bowls you can create...

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More Nick's Crispy Tacos

Yes, I went back to Nick's Crispy Tacos.  Even though after my first visit, I said I wouldn't go back. Why?  I've still heard good things about the place, and I was really craving fried fish, which I didn't try on my first visit.  This wasn't quite enough to make me return but then .... they ran a new LevelUp promotion, $10!  I could get the fried fish taco I wanted, for free.  I couldn't resist using my LevelUp credits! My entire experience...

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Quickly

I grew up in a town with zero asian influence.  I didn't even know that there were asian desserts besides fortune cookies until I moved to San Francisco.  And boba tea?  Definitely not something I'd heard of.  I've only had it a few times in my life, but for some reason, I really started craving one the other day when it was hot out.  Milk tea sounded refreshing, and just so much more fun than an ice tea or lemonade.  I think it had been...

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Catering by La Boulange

Last week, I attended a special event "Under the Dome" at the Westfield, catered by La Boulange de Dome, an outpost of La Boulange that is located in that space.  They had the area sectioned off for the event, and the regular cafe was closed, with food being prepared somewhere in back, and then brought in, which seemed a little strange, but I think that may be how they operate normally for the cooked items anyway, since there isn't a kitchen in the main cafe. I...

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Chocolates from Gallito

Gallito is a Costa Rican chocolate maker.  They reminded me of Garoto, from Brazil.  Which reminded me of Hershey.  Basically, a big national chocolate maker, not particularly good. Guayabitas: “Chocolates filled with the best national guava jelly.”  Tasting notes: Milk chocolate shell, sweet jelly filling.  Chocolate is very mediocre and doesn’t go with jelly at all.  Jelly is tasty though, and firm consistency. Tapitas: “chocolate...

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Ruffles Chips

My favorite chips back when I was a kid were Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream (or perhaps Cape Cod chips, those still hold a special place in my heart!).  I loved the addicting tang from the sour cream, and the cheesy goodness. It was time to try them out again, along with their baked counterparts.  I appreciated them for the nostalgia, but, turns out, my tastes have changed.   I guess Frito-Lay brand chips in general just ... don't quite do...

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