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Kyoto House @ Whitby, Ontario, CA

7/24/2020

We were on a road trip through Canada and in Ontario this day. It was lunch time and we were looking for a place to eat. All of a sudden, I saw a sushi restaurant with the sign 'All you can eat lunch $13.99'. That caught my attention, and we turned the car around to check it out. Turns out it was a great decision!
Kyoto House is a cute mom and pop store. The 'all you can eat' prices are fair, and the dishes you can choose from are plenty. Not only do they have many different sushi rolls and hand rolls, but also mini dishes like chicken teriyaki, tempura, and ice cream! All this for $13.99 was an amazing deal. All the food we ordered was good, nothing outstanding but pretty yummy considering the price. We left very full and satisfied. If you're ever in the mood to try lots of different types of sushi, Kyoto House is the place to be.

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Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken!

7/21/2020

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I've grown up eating amazing Taiwanese popcorn chicken. Popcorn chicken is the perfect pick-me-up afternoon snack and can also serve as part of a meal. You can find it at pretty much any in night markets in Taiwan and in boba shops all across America. But if you want to try making popcorn chicken yourself, I've got just the recipe for you - it's easy and scrumptious!

Ingredients:
Marinade:

1 1/2 lbs of boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp mirin
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp five spice powder
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1/8 tsp black pepper powder (can sub in regular black pepper)

Dredge:

1/3 cup potato starch flour + 3 tbsp cornstarch (can sub for just cornstarch)
1 egg + 1 tbsp water

Extras:

Thai basil, do not wash it/get it wet!
oil for frying
5 spice powder

Directions:

Create the marinade for the chicken inside a ziploc bag/sealable container. Place the raw chicken in with the marinade. Place in fridge and let it marinade for at least 30 minutes. I like to marinade it overnight for extra flavor!
Take the chicken out of the fridge when ready to start prepping. Set it aside.
Fill a medium sized pot halfway with oil and heat it with medium heat.
Mix two bowls of dredge, one with the dry flours and one with the egg and water.
Dip each piece of chicken into the wet bowl first and then coat it with flour. Repeat for all pieces of chicken.
Check to see if the oil is hot enough by placing a little piece of chicken or clump of flour into the oil. If it bubbles, then the oil is hot enough.
Fry chicken for 2-3 minutes or until coating is lightly golden. Fry only a couple pieces at a time, do not crowd the pot. Scoop out chicken when done and set on cooling rack.
Pat the Thai basil to make sure it is very dry. Put the basil into the oil to fry for 1/2 to 1 minute until it is crunchy. **Be very careful when frying basil - it will spray hot oil when you put the basil into the oil**
Sprinkle some extra 5 spice powder over the finished chicken and basil.
Enjoy!!

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Extraordinary Desserts @ San Diego, CA

7/14/2020

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Wow... just wow. I was truly amazed by Extraordinary Desserts. When I entered the store, there were so many delectable treats to choose from. It was hard to choose just one... so we chose three hehe. We ordered the black velvet cake, chocolate dulce de leche cake, and the lemon meringue pound cake. I would have to name the black velvet cake as my favorite, though I am a biased fan of cream cheese frosting. The combination of moist cake, sweet'n' tangy cream cheese frosting, and rich chocolate is the best thing to have ever existed. Also, if you dine in, the staff will provide a beautiful swirl of sauces on the plate, adding to the dessert's photogenic and delicious nature.

As for the chocolate dulce de leche cake, it was also amazing. It was recommended by the staff, so it had to be good! It had decadent layers of cake, chocolate mousse, dulce de leche, and a nice crunchy surprise of macadamia nuts. For our third cake slice, I was glad we ordered something fruity because it was a nice break from the rich chocolate desserts. The lemon meringue pound cake was the perfect marriage of tart and sweet. The fruit purees swirled onto the plate were a great addition because I enjoyed soaking the pound cake in those sauces. We ate everything happily and made a mental note to come back here the next time we were in San Diego. You have got to visit and get a slice (or three) because well, the name Extraordinary Desserts says it all!

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Wilma & Frieda's Cafe @ Palm Springs, CA

7/10/2020

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Wilma & Frieda's Cafe is super popular for breakfast and brunch. You will need to plan ahead and either get there early or call ahead because it gets crowded fast. This cafe has a great reputation for brunch- it was even featured on Food Network!

After my meal there, I now understand why there are so many mentions of the blackberry custard french toast in reviews. It is definitely some of the best french toast I have ever had. The french toast is rich and dense like bread pudding, and the sweet and acidic blackberries complimented the dish so well. I highly recommend the blackberry custard french toast.

The other dishes we ordered were delicious as well. The short rib scramble had tender pieces of short rib with eggs and gooey mozzarella. I would recommend subbing in a biscuit instead of an English muffin because their biscuits are so flaky and buttery. If you want more of a traditional breakfast, you can order the 'eeny', 'meany', 'miney', or 'moe'. We ordered the 'eeny' with potatoes, eggs, and a biscuit. The 'eeny' is supposed to be the smallest combo but it was still really filling! The cafe also had a daily special of chicken fried steak when we visited so we had to try that as well. The chicken fried steak is everything you want it to be. Crunchy on the outside, tender inside, and all topped with amazing gravy.

From blackberry french toast to chicken fried steak, this cafe has an excellent assortment of delicious brunch dishes. You will definitely want to come hungry!

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Brophy Bros @ Santa Barbara, CA

7/6/2020

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It was a beautiful day in Santa Barbara and we knew we wanted to eat somewhere with delicious seafood and a great view. Brophy Bros had just what we wanted. Their seafood is pretty popular and their restaurant is near the harbor. From most tables, you can get an amazing view of the water. We ordered a bunch of their specials. The blackened cod was very flavorful. Adding the drawn butter that they provided with the cod made the flavors stand out even more. The swordfish was very tender with some light grill marks to provide that delicious smokiness. It came with guacamole and salsa, which added a refreshing element to the dish.

If you want to try a little of everything, the hot combo is a great way to do so. This seafood combo has steamed shrimp, mussels, and clams, as well as baked clams with breadcrumbs and ooey gooey oysters Rockefeller. The seafood pasta also has a good variation of seafood with scallops and shrimp. These paired with a light white wine and lemon sauce over pasta is excellent.

There is nothing better than eating magnificent seafood with a breathtaking view. It seems Brophy Bros has mastered a wide variety of seafood dishes. You won't be disappointed with any seafood dish you order!

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Kyoto House @ Whitby, Ontario, CA

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken!

Extraordinary Desserts @ San Diego, CA

Wilma & Frieda's Cafe @ Palm Springs, CA

Brophy Bros @ Santa Barbara, CA

Hi! I'm Jocelyn...

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