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Friday, July 30, 2010

Pre-GAGA Dinner~ :)

Went to the Lady Gaga concert @ AAC last week! Heck yea!!! So I met up with a few friends before the concert to have dinner and carpool to the concert. Decided to try out Wai Wai Kitchen on Mockingbird Lane and 75 next to the the SMU Bookstore.

Wai Wai Kitchen
3020 Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 368-9494
http://waiwaikitchen.com/
Price: $

I had looked at their menu online and everything looked pretty good, and they have the cheapest Thai food I've come across in Dallas so far! Definitely need to give it a try!

It's a fairly small place, simple decor. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. The lady at the counter was pretty nice. Unfortunately it was REALLY hot in there... They told us it was on full blast but I dunno if I believe it...

I would say on average all their dishes are $2-3 dollars less than other Thai restaurants around town...and not to mention this was for dinner (which some places jack up the price!)

I've been craving curry for a few days now so I knew exactly what I wanted. I got the Green Curry w/ Vegetable & Tofu (with brown rice) (the most spiced curry. Bell peppers, bamboo shoots, green peas, coconut milk, and basil leaves) $7.55~ And I told them REALLY spicy! Maybe not the best idea since it was so hot...haha. but oh well. The curry was really thick and full of flavor. The spices and spiciness kinda kicks you in the face! I really liked it. The combo with the brown rice was really good. It felt hearty even without meat! I cleaned the entire plate....sooo full after...haha.

One of my friends got the Chicken Pad Thai (traditional Thai noodles with egg, green onions, bean sprouts, and ground peanuts) $6.95~ Normally I would've ordered this since Pad Thai is like a staple for me to judge a Thai restaurant so of course I had a bite. The flavors were pretty good. Not the best pad thai I've had in Dallas but it was good enough. For 7 bucks! That's a damn good deal. I think Asian Mint still has the best pad thai but they charge like a ridiculous $12 or $13 for it!! My friend really liked it. She cleaned her plate as well! :)

Another friend of mine ordered the Thai Fried Rice w/ Chicken (egg, tomatoes, onion, scallions) $6.95~ I didn't try it but it looked pretty good. He said he liked it.

It was a pretty good meal...and didn't hurt the wallet! My friends all said they would go back in the future. I will too when I'm in that area...and I will definitely be recommending it to other people. :)

BTW...Lady Gaga TOTALLY ROCKED!! She's awesome! LOVE! :D

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Crepes @ Cafe Flair

Cafe Flair Bubble Tea and Crepes
3231 Preston Rd, Suite 13
Frisco, TX 75034
(214) 864-9124
Price: $

I recently discovered this crepe place in Frisco, TX. It's located in the shopping area behind Stonebriar Mall next to Cotton Patch Cafe and Genghis Grill. I couldn't seem to find a website but was able to view the menu through urbanspoon.com. The menu looked pretty tasty so I went with my friend to check it out.

The place is fairly small and completely empty. :/ I almost changed my mind and almost walked out. But we decided to give it a try.

The lady at the counter was pretty nice...giving us some recommendations on the menu items.

We decided to get 1 savory crepe and 1 dessert crepe to share...just to try it out first. The crepes are actually quite large!

Chicken Supreme Crepe (Grilled chicken breast, fresh spinach, onions, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, balck olives, bechamel sauce) $6.75~ This was really good. Lots of flavor with all the different ingredients. It was very light, not at all heavy or greasy. Feels like you are eating healthier! Imagine a quesadilla but with a crepe instead of tortilla. I would prefer the crepe to be a little more crispy but it was still very good.

Banana Nutella Crepe (freshly cut banana slices with hazelnut spread, topped w/ almond slices) $3.75~Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream $0.99~ Can't go wrong with nutella OR ice cream! This was yummy! It was the same size as the savory crepe. Initially I thought we weren't going to be full after this meal, but after the dessert, we were both pretty full. At least it'll tie us over for a couple of hours.

All the ingredients were very fresh and the crepes were nicely made. Once we got our food, business picked up a little bit and more people came in.

I would definitely return in the future. If you want something light and healthy, I would recommend this place. I hope business picks up more so they'll stick around for the future!!

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

CHIC From Barcelona

CHIC from Barcelona
11909 Preston Rd # 1426
Dallas, TX 75230
(972) 239-2442
www.chicbarcelona.com
Price: $-$$

Had dinner with some friends earlier this month. We chose to go to CHIC From Barcelona. I've come across its website many times and always wanted to try it. It specializes in Rotisserie Chicken and Barcelona influenced flavors. It's tapa style, small plates meant to be shared. I love Spanish and Latin food so I had high hopes for this place.

Walking in, I noticed they had a pretty cool patio seating area. But it was raining so decided to sit inside. We sat in a booth...where there was no air flow. :( It was quite hot and humid.

Everything on the menu sounded pretty good. We ordered a bunch of things to share between the 4 of us. (I don't remember the exact prices, and the prices on their website don't match their actual menu...I'll include a general price with the dishes...)

Veronica Salad (spinach leaves with strawberries, glazed walnuts and orange vinaigrette) Big Size: $7ish~
This was pretty good. The spinach and strawberries were pretty fresh. The vinaigrette was sweet and also added a tangy kick to it. The walnuts added a nice crunch.

Vegetable Paella (Tapa size) $3.50ish~ I haven't had enough Paella to tell what is good or what is authentic. I liked the flavor of this dish, but the rice was a little too soft for my taste. It was a pretty good side for all the other dishes.

Croquetas (Croquettes) (Cheese, Bacon, Chicken, and Egg) Four for $5ish~ We got one of each flavor. When they served it, they didn't explain which was which. So we had to taste and guess. I think I could tell 2 or 3 of them...the bacon one for sure. haha. Despite not being able to tell them apart, I really enjoyed these. Can't go wrong with fried potatoes! :P

Patatas Bravas (fried irregular cut potatoes with garlic mayo and red spicy sauce) $5ish~ I would say this was one of the favorites of the night. The garlic mayo and spicy sauce combo-ed the potatoes well. I think the 'red spicy sauce' was actually ketchup though. haha.

Meatballs (in tomato sauce, comes with bread) $5ish~ The meatballs had good flavor and were very tender. They were a little too soft for me, but everyone else enjoyed it a lot.

Tony Botella's Rotisserie Chicken (Half chicken with roasted apples) $10.95~ This is their specialty. Rotisserie Chicken with a Mediterranean flair. The chicken was super tender and the flavors were bold. However, I thought it was too salty. I wanted some sort of bread/rice/pasta to cut some of the saltiness. The roasted apples helped a bit. The slight sweetness of the apples were a good contrast to the chicken. I wouldn't say this was the best rotisserie chicken in town...according to their website...

Dark Chocolate Cake (crispy chocolate cake with whipped cream and ice cream) $6.95~ We got this because the description sounded interesting. Big Fail! The cake LOOKED really good until we tried to dig into it. The outershell was pretty hard...but not crispy... And it seems like it should have molten chocolate inside...but no.. Sigh~

Crema Catalana (creme brulee) (Creamy dessert with lemon aroma. The most authentic Catalan dessert) (full size) $5.95~ They accidentally gave us the wrong dessert so they let us keep it. I'm glad it was free. The lemon flavor in it made it weird. It created almost a slight sour/bitter flavor. It wasn't too great.

Flan (full size) $5ish~ This was the best dessert out of the bunch. The flan was denser than some others I've had in the past but it was ok. The flavor was very good. I love flan! :)

Overall, an enjoyable dinner...not great, but some elements were pretty good. I think it's worth trying but I probably wouldn't go back in the future.

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Asia Fooding - Part III: Taiwan! :D

We saved the best for last! hehe. I'm totally bias on Taipei since I was born there. :) But I still think they have the best food!

**The bigger pictures were some of my favorites**

1. Snack/Late Lunch:
Jing Hwa Mall (The Living Mall food court)
- Pork Chop Rice Combo Meal (less than US$4.50) (Pork chops, rice, soup, 3 sides)
- Noodle/Wonton Combo Meal (US$5) (spicy noodle soup, wonton soup, side of veggies)
- Hot Pot Meal (US$5) (hot pot of pig intestine, duck blood, etc., rice, side dish, and tea)

2. After Lunch Snack:
Beard Papa's @ New SOGO Mall food court (2 for US$3 I think?)
- Cream Puff w/ Vanilla Bean Custard
- Puff Donut w/ Vanilla Bean Custard

**Tried this because of a recommendation from "A hungry girl's guide to Taipei" blog! :) http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.com/ ** It was pretty amazing! One of the best cream puffs I've had ever!

3. Dinner w/ Relatives:
Chen Ji Si Han (Mongolian BBQ) (All you can eat! I LOVE Mongolian BBQ!! Definitely beats the one's in the US...they don't really even count in my book...)
- Make your own dish
- Rice w/ Stewed Pork
- Desserts & Fruit

4. Late Lunch:
Modern Toilet (Toilet Themed Restaurant @ Ximending)
This place is all toilet/bathroom themed, from the plates to cups to food descriptions. There are many other themed restaurants all over Taiwan. The food here wasn't as good as the other location in Shilin. A little pricier since it's a novelty.
- Cheese Sticks (in a 'squatting toilet')
- Chicken Curry (in a 'toilet' bowl)
- Black Pepper Steak w/ Fries (in a 'sink' plate)
- Tea in a "Urinal" Cup :P
- Soft Serve (in a 'squatting toilet')

5. Snack:
Klefun Crepe (Warner Village food court)
- Crepe w/ Fruits & Oreo Ice Cream (soooo much bigger and better than the crepe we had in HK)

6. Dinner:
Ninja Restaurant (This was really cool. Ninja themed restaurant with japanese food. The waiters/waitresses dressed like ninjas. They also come to your table to do magic tricks! The prices were higher but compared to Japanese food in US, it's quite cheap still. Everything was delicious!)
- Chef's Sashimi Plate (NT$560 = US$17.50)
- Shrimp Fried Rice (NT$180 = US$5.60)
- Tempura Shrimp Roll (NT$280 = US$8.75)
- Beef & Green Onion Yakitori (NT$240 = US$7.50)
- Chicken Yakitori (NT$180 = US$5.60)

7. After Dinner Snack:
Shilin Night Market (Snow Ice dessert - thinly shaven slices of milk ice with toppings. Tastes like ice cream!!)
- Passion Fruit (NT$60 = US$1.90)
- Coffee (NT$60 = US$1.90)
- Peanut (NT$60 = US$1.90)
- Green Tea & Red Bean (NT$70 = US$2.20)

8. Breakfast:
Unknown Bakery (by Da-An MRT station)
- Egg Tart (this was bigger than any egg tarts I've had during Dim Sum. Delicious! I LOVE asian bakeries!!)

9. Lunch:
Street Side Noodle Shop by Da-An MRT Station
- Minced Pork Noodles
- Beef Noodle Soup

10. Danshui (Snacks):
Street Food!!!
- Green Onion Pancakes & Pork Dumplings (NT$50 = US$1.50)
- Fried Mushrooms (3 different kinds NT$50 = US$1.50)
- Super Tall Soft Serve (NT$10 = US$0.30)

11. Dinner w/ Relatives:
Bei Hai Dao "Hokkaido" Hot Pot (prix fixe menu, each pot is meant to be shared by 2 people. You choose the broth you want in the hot pot, assorted veggies, choice of meat, pallet cleanser, choice of side, rice or noodle, dessert.) NT$340 per person = US$10.60
- Assorted Veggies
- Hot Pot (we chose 2 broths: 1 spicy, 1 not)
- Thinly Sliced Beef
- Thinly Sliced Pork
- Kelp Udon Noodle
- Crab Leg Meatballs + Wasabi-Flavored Meatballs
- Fried Onion Dumplings + Crab Meatballs
- Hokkaido Orange Panna Cotta

12. Lunch w/ my Grandma:
Ming Yue Dumplings (beats the crap out of Ding Tai Fong in quality AND price!! One of my favorite places in Taipei!)
- Spicy & Sour Soup (Large: NT$120 = US$3.75) - Veggie Dumplings (NT$140 = US$4.40)
- Xiao Long Bao (traditional soup dumplings) (NT$120 = US$3.75)
- Korean Style Dumplings (NT$180 = US$5.60)
- Green Onion Pancakes (NT$50 = US$1.60)
- Pork Fried Rice (NT$120 = US$3.75)
- Rice Cakes w/ Veggie & Pork (NT$140 = US$4.40)
- Pot Stickers (NT$120 = US$3.75)
- Green Tea Dumplings (dessert: NT$150 = US$4.70)

13. Afternoon Snack:
Bigtom (Ice Cream & Waffles) - also highly recommended by Hungry Girl Taipei. A little pricey but different than other coffee shops. The waffles were FANTASTIC!!!
- Kahlua Ice Cream + Small Waffle + Drink Combo (NT$199 = US$6.25)
- Single Scoop of Obama Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream in Waffle Bowl (NT$108 = US$3.40) - gotta love the name!! heehee

14. Last Dinner of the Trip... :(
Wu Jiao Chuan Ban in Neihu (My uncle called it 'Monster' restaurant; the architecture of the place was amazing...more like artwork than anything else. Definitely worth checking out!) We ordered many dishes all either NT$280 or NT$360 a plate (US$8.75 or US$11.250. Quite expensive, but I guess you are paying more for the experience and decor.
- Mayonnaise Shrimp
- Beef Hot Pot
- Sauteed Pork Ribs with Orange Sauce
- Deep Fried Chicken Legs
- Grilled Sirloin Steak- Pan Fried Chicken in Casserole (San Bei Ji)
- Minced Shrimp w/ Lettuce Wraps
- Stir Fried Mushroom with Garlic and Chili
- Sweet & Sour Fish
- My GIANT milk tea!! (with side of homemade peanut mochi)

15. En Route back to Dallas:
JAL Lounge in Narita (Japan) Airport
- Free buffet! (Thanks to my bf who's a member!! :D ) Salad, potato salad, meatballs, beef curry, udon, etc.. :)

It was a busy trip....ATE a lot, WALKED a lot, SAW a lot! I miss it already....READY TO GO BACK!! hehe

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~