A month (or two) devoted to Sydney!

This month, I'm going to do something a bit different.  Rather than just use Tuesdays for "Travelin' Tuesdays" posts, as I did with Boston, Tokyo, London, and New Hampshire, I'm devoting the entire month to reviews focusing on my favorite city in the world: Sydney!

You've probably heard me mention Sydney in the past.  Besides places I have actually permanently lived, it is where I've spent more time than anywhere else.  I've spent about 5 months there now, spread over the course of several years.  My recent visit was just shy of 3 weeks, not nearly long enough!

Anyway, 3 weeks was plenty of time to check out a slew of new restaurants, plus re-visit all my favorites.

I'm going to stick with my regular format of using particular days of the week for a given theme, except, all will be related to Sydney!

The Monday lineup will start with chain restaurants, including worldwide dumpling sensation Din Tai Fung, bubble tea from Chatime, and incredible fries from Snag Stand.  Then I'll cover some bars, but not just any bars, ones serving quite good food, like the memorable crispy mac and cheese balls at Pocket Bar or the molecular gastronomy Pocket Bar.  And finally, I'll cover what Sydney does best, brunch at a bunch of cafes, like Bill's, which broke my heart this time around, Trio with its excellent beachfront location, and the creative Devon Cafe.

Tuesdays will be travel related, in this case, the Qantas lounges, starting with the brand new First Class (and Business) lounges in LAX and then SYD (again, both the business and first lounges), my in-flight meals to (and then from) Sydney, and the comparative differences in executive lounges at the Westin and the Sheraton on the Park.

Wednesdays will be regular restaurants, including a slew of thai restaurants (like the Sydney institutions of Chat Thai and Home Thai,  plus my favorite Sailor's Thai Canteen and the more formal Restaurant), plus lunch and dinner at a scattering of other restaurants, like Sokyo for mediocre sushi, Ms. G's for really fun Vietnamese, Chinatown Noodle Restaurant for great dumplings, Governor's Table for "Australian", Lumi for innovative cuisine, Watsons Bay Beach Club for some not very good seaside fish & chips, Bentley for fine dining, and Pinbone for the top dinner of the trip (it was so good, we went back for brunch the next day!).

Thursdays will be bakeries (including a cronut from Bécasse, the best bread I've ever had from Dough Collective, epic pies (both sweet and savory), from Pie Tin, decent cookies from Madhouse Bakehouse, donuts and good coffee from Workshop Espresso, and ice cream (like my old standby Gelato Messina, classic Streets ice cream treats, and crazy asian creations from Chanoma cafe).

And on Friday's we'll explore packaged snack foods, such as Jonny's Popcorn, Carmen's muesli, OAK flavored milk and Nippy flavored milk, crazy varieties of chips, and some actually tasty bars from Be Natural and breakfast bars from SuniBrite.

So, stay tuned!

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Poco Dolce Chocolate

Polo Dolce is a local San Francisco confection maker, producing mostly chocolate (bars, bon bons, and truffles), but they also make assorted toffee, caramels, peanut brittle (available salty or spicy), and hot chocolate (bittersweet or mint).

I first discovered Poco Dolce back in February 2012, when I tried the popcorn toffee, toffee with bits of popcorn inside, covered in chocolate.  I was fascinated, and made a note to try more of their products.  I blogged about it even, sharing the tip with you too.  And then ... I promptly forgot.

Whoops.  I knew when I saw Poco Dolce at a local artisan's market that the name sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it, until I looked up my notes later.

Anyway, this time around, I tried a bunch of the "Tiles", their signature product, available in 9 different varieties, ranging from a simple sea salt version, to one with Ghost Chiles!  The tiles are all made from bittersweet chocolate, plus some mix-ins, and are finished with grey sea salt on top.

Burnt Caramel Tile.

"This is what started it all in 2003! Still our most popular chocolate, each Burnt Caramel Tile is crafted by hand with bittersweet dark chocolate and a Burnt Caramel Toffee center, then finished with Grey Sea Salt. The amazing flavor of the toffee, which has been compared to the top of a crème brûlée, pairs perfectly with our dark chocolate while staying "not too sweet.""

I started with the brunt caramel tile, the first product they ever made.  It was a substantial size, not like a whole candy bar, but far bigger than say a Hershey miniature.  Enough to feel like you were treating yourself, without feeling too decadent.  Kinda a perfect size, if you ask me!

It was topped with sea salt.

Burnt Caramel Tile: Inside.

It was also thicker than I expected, and as I tried to break off a piece, I quickly understood why.  Breaking off a piece wasn't possible, but I wanted to show you what was inside, so I used a knife.  There was a large piece of toffee inside, smothered in the chocolate.

The toffee was indeed burnt caramel flavored, slightly bitter.  The dark chocolate was decent quality, better than most.  But the toffee was a hard style, and the burnt flavor just didn't do it for me.  I had several of these, and gave away the rest.

Aztec Chili Tile.

"Don't write this one off as just another gimmicky spicy chocolate; this exciting Tile is done just right. First crafted in 2004, we've brought together Bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, ground chiles, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a pinch of Grey Sea Salt to produce a unique side of chocolate that still begs to be tried. Not intended to be too spicy, this Tile features just a little heat in the finish."

Next up, the Aztec Chili.  This one looked similar on the outside, nice dark chocolate, scattering of large sea salt crystals on top.

Aztec Chili Tile: Inside.

This one easily snapped in half, revealing pumpkin seeds inside.  I loved the crunchy aspect the pumpkin seeds brought to the bar.  Why don't more bars have pumpkin seeds in them?

The spicing was also incredible, cinnamon and chili, and it did pack some heat.  I really enjoyed the spice level, and how it combined with the slightly bitter pumpkin seeds, and was rounded out by the salt on the finish.  Really complex flavors here, quite fascinating to slowly consume.

My favorite of their bars by far, and I'd certainly go out of my way for this.

Almond Coconut Tile.

"The unique combination of roasted, slivered almonds and toasted coconut makes our Almond Coconut Tile a true standout. Folded by hand into our signature bittersweet dark chocolate and finished with Grey Sea Salt, the flavor and texture of this Tile is one you won't soon forget."

Next I went for the almond coconut.  It looked the same from the outside, smooth dark chocolate, sprinkle of sea salt.

Almond Coconut Tile: Inside.

But inside was quite different.  Slivered almonds and shredded coconut were mixed in with the chocolate.

It was ... fine.  I liked it more than the burnt caramel, but the almonds and coconut added more texture than actual flavor, and the coconut shreds I didn't actually love.  There was something slightly off putting about them.

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Desserts from Causwells

Back in September, All-Star Donuts in the Marina announced that they were closing after 28 years.  Now, I've never been to All-Star Donuts.  I don't live in the Marina.  I didn't particularly care.  Except ... a nearby restaurant was on my radar because they serve a bread pudding made from All-Star Donuts donuts.  I'm obsessed with bread pudding, and always on the lookout for a great new version to try.  If All-Star was closing, then my opportunity to get this dessert was going away.  I had to act fast.

Causwells is open for lunch and dinner daily, plus brunch on the weekends.  The aforementioned bread pudding is from the dessert menu, which yes, is available at brunch (which is when I visited).  I didn't actually stay for a meal, and opted to just grab my bread pudding to go, but they did have a couple tempting sounded dishes on the brunch menu, like buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy or french toast bites with a brandy dipping sauce.

Sadly, I didn't like my dessert, nor the subsequent one I returned for, but the feel of the restaurant was good, and I've ready many positive reviews, so I wouldn't rule out returning for a real meal.

Rustic, casual dining area.

The feel of Causwells is very relaxed.  Rustic, casual, lots of wood elements.  There are a few tables inside and outside on the sidewalk, perfect for brunch, plus a counter along the bar.

The tables don't really look comfortable however.  Stools are great at a bar, but, at a table?  Too much work to sit up!

“All-Star” donut bread pudding / spiced milk. $8.25.

Ok, I love bread pudding.  It is one of my absolute favorite desserts.  And donut bread pudding? It can be totally amazing.  I was super excited to try this, as I'd read about it before.  Bread pudding, made from donuts from All-Star Donuts down the street.  YES!

Then I opened my box.  NOOOOOO!

I like a certain style of bread pudding.  I like a crispy top.  A custardy, moist interior.  Good size chunks of bread.  Ideally served warm.  Bonus points for serving with ice cream, but whipped cream will do.

This was basically just dense, oily cake.  No distinct chunks of bread/donut.  No crisp top, no custardy interior.  It did sorta taste like stale donuts though.

The serving was two pieces, cut into triangles.  Served cold (I verified, that is how it is served when you order it in the restaurant too, never warmed up).

And, no ice cream nor whipped cream, instead, spiced milk.  Now, the spiced milk was tasty, slightly sweet, lots of fall spices.  I tried dunking the bread pudding in it to moisten it up, but, meh.  I guess they were going for donuts and milk as a treat?  But still.  No.

All around, just not my style at all.  Sadness.  Also, it turns out that they still serve the bread pudding, they just get the donuts from another All-Star location.  I didn't need to rush there for it!

I want to start a campaign to rename this style of bread pudding.  Let's just call it bread-cake ok?  I can't blame Causwells for serving this style that I dislike, as they aren't alone.  Dense, cake-like bread pudding shows up all the time, like the flavorless solid mass I got from Soma Inn Cafe or the better, but still just solid-style version from Blue Plate.  Sometimes it comes more like french toast, like the banana version we had at Lot 7.  Seriously, these aren't what I think of as bread pudding!   Even getting the name right isn't enough though, because the version from Luna Park sounded perfect on paper, it was warm and with ice cream even, but, it fell flat too. Sigh.  So simple, but so hard.

$8.25 was a fine price for a dessert, but I obviously didn't want this.

Plum Foster Pudding / star anise / salted crumble. $8.25. 

If at first you don't succeed, try try again, right?  Particularly when pudding is involved.  I'm a sucker for pudding, so I couldn't resist trying it too.

It was ... also not good.  The pudding itself was grainy and flavorless.  Not vanilla flavored, not creamy, a bit watery.  The plums were mushy and just tasted weird.  The crumble on top was a nice touch, and I did really like the idea behind a crunchy component to a pudding, but it wasn't particularly flavorful either.  It did have a touch of salt at least.  The star anise however was flavorful, but it overwhelmed everything else.

I brought it to Ojan, since he also likes puddings, but he took one bite, made a face, and threw it out.

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Belle Isle Seafood, Boston

Belle Isle is a casual seafood restaurant located only about 15 minutes from Logan airport.  Thus it has become my goto location for a quick bite when flying in or out of Boston.  If I'm just arriving in Boston, I'm likely starving from my flight, and eager to get my hands on some east coast seafood as soon as possible.  If I'm about to leave, it is my last chance to have fried haddock!

Belle Isle is a very casual place; you order and pay at a register, cash only, and are handed a lobster shaped buzzer.  Soft drinks are self-serve, basic Pepsi (or was it Coke?) products.  Seating is actually at picnic tables, although they are indoors.  Food comes on paper plates.  Like I said, casual.  It is located right along the water, with rather nice views.  You do almost feel as if you are at a seafood shack on the coast, rather than so close to the city.  There is also a Dunkin' Donuts conveniently across the street, so you can get your first/last Dunkin' Donuts fix at the same time.

I've visited many times over the years, but I didn't take photos or write reviews for the first few years, because it was before I decided to add Boston area reviews to my blog.  Thus, I only have specific details on a few menu items.

The menu is basically all seafood.  The selection spans everything from haddock, sole, swordfish, salmon, and tuna to oysters, clams, shrimp, or calamari, and of course lobster, or lobster pie.  Once you decide on which type of seafood you want, there are still many decisions to make.  Most items can be prepared fried, baked, baked and stuffed, cajun blackened, grilled, or teriyaki.  The fried plates come with french fries, onion rings, coleslaw, and tartar sauce.  Yes, you read that correctly, not a choice of those things, you get them all.  The others all come with rice pilaf, coleslaw, tartar sauce, and dinner rolls.  Portion sizes are rather insane, which I knew before my first visit from my research.  Sharing is highly advised.  Every person who I've brought there has been fairly resistant to my suggestion of sharing, and then once we receive the food, has thanked me.  I'm pretty sure we've never managed to finish everything, even with sharing.  Anyway, back to the menu.  If you don't just want a seafood dinner platter, they also have seafood rolls and sandwiches (including several styles of lobster roll depending on what sort of meat you want), crab cakes, fish cakes, and, for the token non-seafood eaters, chicken fingers and hotdogs.

Belle Isle also has a retail seafood counter, to purchase fresh seafood to cook for yourself, or, in our case, cooked and clean shrimp.

There are obviously much better restaurants I could visit for seafood in Boston, but Belle Isle also has a large parking lot, and isn't located in Boston proper (it is in neighboring Winthrop), so my family members who don't want to drive (or park) in a city don't need to.  They don't take reservations, so if my flight is late, I don't need to worry about being late.  If I've just gotten off a plane and don't really want a long, drawn out meal, it is fast and easy.  It really is just quite convenient, and while the airport location of Legal Seafood is more convenient, the food is far better at Belle Isle.  I wouldn't go out of my way to go there however.  It is also pretty pricey for a casual place.

Haddock, Fried, Dinner. $15.99

I nearly always go for the haddock, because it is something we do not have on the west coast.  Swordfish, salmon, tuna, calamari, scallops, etc are all things I enjoy, but, I can get them regularly.  Fried haddock on the other hand, now that is special!  (which I realize is funny to people from the east coast, as haddock and cod are just the basic common whitefish readily available, and to me, they are gems).

I also nearly always get it fried, because, well, fish and chips.  Somehow a piece of grilled haddock doesn't have the same feel of indulging in my special seafood.  I am really curious about the baked stuffed version though, and always say I'll get it "next time".

A fried dinner comes with onion rings, fries, and colelsaw by default, but after hating the onion rings on all our previous visits, we asked to just have fries this time.

The fries were fresh but not remarkable.  They were not very crispy, yet were not soggy either.  They weren't too oily nor greasy.  But ... somehow they just weren't great.  They certainly needed salt.  My notes from previous visits all just say "meh, skip in the future".  The portion was huge, but, normally, half of this is onion rings.

The slaw comes in just a little plastic cup on the side.  It is mayo based, creamy, fairly generic, but, tasty.  It has been highly inconsistent in its freshness over our multiple visits however.  Sometimes I've noted that it is quite crisp.  Other times it has been incredibly soggy.  I had to write down a quote from a fellow diner once, when he had a bite of the slaw, and said, "Why did they use lettuce instead of cabbage?"  It was so lacking in any crispness that he couldn't tell the difference, and even when I insisted it was cabbage, he was skeptical.  Still, it is my style of slaw, and well seasoned, making it my favorite of the sides, but of course, I would prefer it less soggy.

And finally, the haddock itself.  The haddock dinner comes with two very large pieces of haddock.  It arrives very hot, clearly fresh out of the fryer.  The batter used on the fish is the same as on the onion rings, where I find it really doesn't work, as it is too heavy for the onions, but it works much better on the fish.  It still isn't remarkable, but, much more successful than on the rings.  The haddock itself was moist, flaky, very good.  Exactly what I wanted it to be.

Of course, I'm in it for the sauce.  The side of tartar sauce was the highlight for me.  Very thick, loaded with chunks of pickles.  Good flavor, and it went very well with the fish.  Also good for dunking the mediocre fries in, although, they always only give one tiny container of it, which isn't enough for even just the fish, let alone some fries or rings.  Or uh, maybe I use an excessive amount of tartar sauce?  I've always had to ask for extra.

Overall, this always meets my craving for some fried seafood and mayo, but, certainly isn't anything remarkable.

Scallops, Baked, Side Order. $13.99.

Scallops were a bit of a strange pick for me, as I was on the east coast, and my thing is always that I want to pick the special thing I can't get in San Francisco.  I obviously love scallops, but get them fairly frequently in San Francisco.  Shouldn't I be going for the haddock or lobster?

But ... I'm just not a big fan of lobster.  I've had the lobster roll from Belle Isle on two other occasions, and others raved about it, but to me, it just isn't ever going to be my top pick.  (And, on this visit, another diner got the lobster roll, and I did indeed have a few bites.  It was ... just a lobster roll.  An insane amount of lobster, lightly dressed, but ... the lobster was a bit chewy, and the flavor just isn't there in lobster meat for me).

I also wasn't in the mood for fried food, as I had just stepped off a plane, and wasn't feeling great, so my default fried haddock wasn't sounding appealing in any way.  I could have chosen grilled or baked haddock, but that seemed boring.  Plus, I realized, aren't most scallops fished right off the coast of Massachusetts anyway?  These were just as local of a choice as lobster or haddock!

So, scallops it was.  After trying unsuccessfully to convince the rest of the group to share a few dishes, I gave up.  Each adult ordered a full dinner, as did the children.  At last minute, one person decided to cancel his order entirely, since he knew how much food we'd be getting.  I decided to just get my scallops as a side order, knowing I could steal some fries, onion rings, and slaw from the others.  Plus, on previous visits, I didn't really like the sides all that much anyway.

The scallops were a wonderful choice.  They turned out to be, by far, the best item I had at Belle Isle, in any of my visits.  Sure, the scallops were mid-size, and I prefer larger.  And they were baked, and I prefer seared.  They were cooked all the way through, and I prefer mid-rare.  But ... they tasted good.  Tender, slightly sweet.  They were cooked with plenty of butter, I assure you.  And topped with some slightly crispy bread crumbs for a little crunch.

On the side was lemon slices which I squeezed over the scallops, which enhanced the flavors a little, but quite honestly, wasn't necessary.  And tartar sauce, which is usually the highlight for me, and, believe me, it was good, but the scallops were actually better on their own, sans sauce.

The only negative I have to say is that some of the scallops didn't have the foot removed, so it was a bit unpleasant to occasionally encounter the chewy bit.

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Lobster Tail Roll with Onion Rings. $30.99.

On my first visit with my mother, I knew there was only one thing she'd have eyes for: a lobster roll.  She loves lobster rolls, and only ever gets to eat them when she goes for her annual trip to Maine with my father.  This was a serious treat for her.  I also knew, that like everything at Belle Isle, the portions were going to be huge.  She proclaimed up and down that she could eat a whole lobster roll and we shouldn't split, but, I assure you, it is a good thing we did.

This is no wimpy little lobster roll.  It is absolutely loaded up with lobster, large chunks of lobster, not shredded, not bits and pieces.  A full half pound.  There is no filler, besides some mayo, but it isn't overdressed.

For a lobster roll, this is a very good lobster roll.  But ... a lobster roll is never my thing.  First, I don't love lobster, to me, it just never is as good as our local Dungeness crab in San Francisco.  The lobster at Belle Isle has been no exception, it just doesn't have that much flavor.  Well cooked, generous serving, but ... it is lobster.  Also, I don't really like sandwiches, so the whole "roll" aspect of it is a negative to me too.

As for the onion rings, I've had those many times, and somehow keep trying them, even though I really dislike them.  They are fresh and crispy, but the breading just doesn't work for me for onion rings, and I actively dislike them every time.  I love onion rings, and they always look so good that I can't resist, but I really, really don't like them.

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Clam Chowder. $6.25

My dining companions all love clam chowder, so one time when they were with us, someone added on a pint of clam chowder to our order. Again, I tell you, no one trusts me on the portion sizes here!

Anyway, it had good chunks of potato, plenty of clams, and was decently creamy. It came with a packet of oyster crackers. It wasn't really my thing, but everyone else enjoyed it.

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La Luna Cupcakes

I used to eat a lot of cupcakes ... as in, several per week.  The reason is simple: the pastry department where I work made really good cupcakes, and we always had cupcakes on Tuesdays, aka, "Cupcake Day", and usually one other time during the week as well.  While cupcakes are actually not one of my favorite dessert items, they did a really good job, and my cupcake desires were always more than satisfied.  I haven't found anywhere else in the city that even comes close to being as tasty, so I generally just don't even try anymore.

But "Cupcake Day" ended when we changed pastry chefs, and even though I still don't love cupcakes, I've been more likely to try them lately, like, as you read about last week, I had to try out Sprinkle's Cupcakes.

So when I found a newish cupcake shop a few blocks away in Crocker Galleria, I had to check it out.   I was further intrigued, because not only do they offer standard cupcakes, they have ... savory cupcakes!  I love my baked goods and sweets, so these weren't exciting to me personally, but I have friends who do not like sweets, and it would be so fun to have them try the savory cupcakes.  Emil in particular has proclaimed before that there would never be a cupcake that he'd like, but maybe the "New York, New York" with its scallion, dill, and havarati custard base topped with smoked salmon would appeal? Or the "Mission", with ground beef, pinto beans, salsa, corn, and questo fresco, in a toasted tortilla crust, topped with sour cream?  How adorable!

Anyway, back to La Luna.  La Luna was also founded by a La Cocina graduate, and I always like supporting these small incubator businesses.  They also have froyo, although the machines were not working the day I visited.  Cupcakes and froyo, right in the middle of the FiDi?  Potential!


The staff were very friendly when I visited, and I did enjoy the cupcake I had.  I will be back, and must investigate these savory cupcakes sometime ...

Tres Leches Mini Cupcake.  $1.25.

I went for their signature cupcake, the one that basically every review I read of the place praised, and  the staff member told me was the best.  Described as "vanilla cake filled with three different kinds of milk and cream frosting".

The cake was very moist, as you'd expect from a tres leches.  It almost seemed as if it were filled with cream, but I believe that was just the tres leches effect.  The frosting on top had a slight citrus flavor to it, and was creamy.

Nothing at all to complain about here, just a really nicely done cupcake.  $1.25 for a mini was a great price, and a very friendly size.  Honestly, if I worked close by, I'd probably be swinging by for a "little treat" regularly.

Update: I attended a brunch, and someone brought a batch of these.  I again loved the moist, almost custard-like filling due to all the milk.  And the frosting was perfect, not too sweet, just sweet enough.  I may or may not have had two that day ... because, mini cupcakes don't count, right?

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Oishii Sushi Bar, Chestnut Hill

On a recent visit to the Boston area to see Ojan's family, we were looking for a easy dinner option that would please everyone in the group.  For some reason, the topic of sushi kept coming up.  I had a list of sushi places in Boston that I wanted to try, including Uni Sashimi Bar, the sister restaurant to O Ya, which was my top dining experience of 2013. But we were in the suburbs, not Boston proper, and venturing into the city was out of the question.  One place on my list was Oishii Sushi.  Their famous location is in the South End of Boston, but they also have a restaurant in Chestnut Hill, not far from Ojan's sister's house.

It turns out I had been there once before, years ago, but I didn't particularly remember much about it.  But reviews were solid.  Unfortunately, it is a small sushi bar, with a counter for about 10 people and only 1-2 tables.  There is no way our group could be accommodated there.

So we ordered takeout.  I know, I know, the horror.  I'm never a huge fan of takeout in general, and was highly skeptical of takeout sushi in particular, but we did have the precedent of great sushi takeout from Roka Akor in San Francisco once, so we went for it.  Oishii's website even had a takeout specific menu, and reviews mention a steady takeout business.  It had potential.

Ordering over the phone was easy enough, and our order was ready on time.  The staff were very friendly, and even included a bonus dessert for us as a holiday gift - two absolutely huge asian pears (incidentally, the asian pears turned out to be quite delicious and were my favorite part of the meal).  As for the rest of it?  Highly mediocre and incredibly overpriced.  I will not return.

Seaweed Salad.  $7.95.

We started with seaweed salad.  It was completely generic, and quite overpriced.  $7.95 for a regular sized side of seaweed salad?  Certainly nothing special, and would have made more sense priced a few dollars less.

Salmon Sashimi ($9.50), Tamago Nigiri ($5.85), Spicy Scallop Roll ($13), Avocado Roll ($4.88), California Roll with real crab upgrade($9.95), Shrimp Tempura Roll ($8.50), Negihama Roll($5.85). 

I was excited for the sushi.  It had been ages since I had good sushi.  Given the prices, and the good reviews, I expected it to be decent.  I was incredibly disappointed by the sushi.

I didn't try the salmon sashimi since it was ordered for one specific person, but 3 slices for $9.50 was a bit pricey for that area.  It looked fine, but I can't really imagine having sashimi not fresh.

The tamago nigiri was my request, since I use it for "dessert" whenever I visit a sushi restaurant.  It was actually pretty good.  The rice was firm, the tamago had a mild sweetness to it.  No one else wanted to even try it, so I got the pair.  Price of $5.85 was fine and I was quite happy with this.

My other request was the Oishii special Spicy Scallop Roll: "scallop, black tobiko, cucumber, kaiwali & spicy mayo".  Only 4 pieces, but all quite large, although I'm not sure it justified the $13 price tag.  The scallop inside was huge, full scallops, but they were not flavorful and quite slimy (although I guess that is expected with raw scallops?).  I was hoping to taste some of the sweetness of a fresh scallop.  I didn't care for the roe on top either, and this really didn't come together at all for me.

Since I'm allergic to avocado, I skipped the avocado roll.  I did try a piece of the California roll and just poked the avocado out of it (my allergy isn't that severe).  It was nothing special.  We paid the upgrade for real crab as opposed to crab stick, but I honestly couldn't tell it was real crab, it wasn't a shredded style that I somewhat expected, and honestly seemed like it could be compressed crab stick.  $9.95 for this small roll was overpriced.

I also didn't try the shrimp tempura roll, since the idea of soggy tempura did not appeal.  I tried a piece of the negihama, but I don't remember it at all.

Even the ginger was a disappointment; Ojan commented that it was dried out and not very good.  Besides the tamago, I didn't like any of this, it was all highly mediocre and way, way overpriced.

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Beef Teriyaki Entree. $26.

I didn't take a photo of the beef teriyaki, since I had no intention of trying it when there was delicious sushi to be consumed instead.  It was ordered for those who don't like raw fish.  But, after being disappointed by all the sushi, I decided to give it a chance.

The meat was incredibly fatty. It was a large entree portion, easily splittable by two people.  There were also a bunch of mediocre veggies, all overcooked.  It was served with generic rice, simple miso soup, and a very sad looking side salad.

No one really seemed to like it, as it was left unfinished, even when people said they wanted more food.  $26 was insanely overpriced.

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Fournee Bakery, via Sprig

My weekend mornings always start with a visit to a cafe.  I love to explore the city, so I always try to choose a different place every weekend to encourage me to venture outside my neighborhood.  I rarely sit at home on a Saturday or Sunday morning, but last week, I was stricken with the horrible cold that seemed to plaque the entire city, and I didn't have the will to leave my bed, let alone my apartment.  But I didn't know how to start my day without a delicious baked good!

I pondered the contents of my freezer, where of course I did have "emergency" pancakes, scones, and cinnamon rolls stored away, and settled on ice cream (I had a sore throat, it was totally legit, right?)  But an hour or so later, I realized I still wanted a baked good.  I was about to pull up delivery.com to see if somehow there was someone who would bring me a baked good, when I remembered that I had just read about how Sprig was doing brunch delivery on weekends.  Score.

If you aren't familiar with Sprig, it is another startup in the deliver-fresh-food-to-you business.  Ordering is not done in advance, it is on-demand only, and the app shows an estimate of how long it will take, usually 10-20 minutes.  The menu is small, only 3 items at a time, but they operate 7 days a week, lunch and dinner, plus brunch on weekends.  I mostly use Munchery for meal delivery, but Munchery *still* doesn't have lunch or weekend service, so it was time to check out Sprig.

Ordering via the app was easy, just a few clicks and my order was on its way.  I was a little confused if my order was actually confirmed though, as I did not receive an e-mail, and there was no order history in application.  20 minutes later, my meal showed up though, so it clearly worked.  Another interesting aspect of Sprig is that they do surge pricing for deliveries.  When I ordered, it was $2.75, but I've heard that it rises to $5 during peak times.

While I don't anticipate needing Sprig often, it was amazing to have brunch delivered to me, and I'll certainly keep this in mind again in the future.

Breakfast, delivered!

The brunch menu featured a frittata for the egg lovers, a breakfast burrito for the hungover, and ... for me, a baked good.  Yes!

My meal arrived without any additional packaging, I was expecting a bag, although I obviously didn't need one.

Fresh-squeezed organic orange juice. $5.

"Cold-pressed, unpastuerized, organic orange juice from our friends at Happy Moose Juice.”

Along with my baked good, I also splurged on an orange juice.  Vitamin C is good for colds, right?

It was fine, but, yes, just juice.  I prefer more pulp in my orange juice.  The glass bottle was cute, but $5 is still crazy to me for a single serving of juice (I clearly haven't embraced the juicing craze).

Morning Bun. $4.50

"Freshly baked morning bun with a hint of ceylon cinnamon from our friends at Fournée Bakery."

And the reason I ordered in the first place.  A morning bun!

While the rest of the food offered by Sprig is prepared by their own chefs, they do outsource the morning buns from Fournée Bakery in Berkeley.  I considered this a bonus - I got to try a new bakery too!

Now, a morning bun is never the most exciting breakfast baked good, and I rarely choose it given other options (well, unless we are talking about the famed Tartine morning bun).  In this case, I'm glad I didn't have a choice.  It was great!

The outside was super crispy, the inside moist.  It was flaky, with a good butter content.  Tons of sugar on top, slightly caramelized on the bottom.  The cinnamon was very subtle, and I was expecting more, although it did say a "hint".

Everything was in balance, and I enjoyed it far more than I expected.  Even though it was a large size, Ojan only got a single bite, which I begrudgingly gave up.  I'd definitely get another.

$4.50 may be a bit high for a morning bun, but it was delivered to me, and totally hit the spot, so it was worth it.

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