Bacon,pineapples and chicken kabobs

This is such a simple and quick recipe that won't take up so much of your time.
  
      Bacon,pineapple and chicken kabobs:
1 pack disposable wooden skewers
1 pack of bacon
1 can of pineapple chunks
1lb of boneless chicken
Cut Green bell peppers

To kill some time,I lightly browned the chicken,season with a little of salt,pepper and garlic powder. In another pan, I fried the bacon to a nice crisp. My method of cooking my kabobs,I used a George Foreman grill,although a hibachi or any type of grill will just work as great.
To assemble,just switch between chicken pieces, bacon,pineapples and bell peppers and cook for roughly around 10 minutes or so,where it looks slightly charred .  The last thing I did was lightly glazed with orange sauce and sprinkled with seasame seeds ( optional)
 
  Orange glaze:
1 cup orange juice
2 taps vinegar
1 cup sugar
Garlic powder
Cornstarch
Mix well and serve

Later Tater foodtruck

I'm so excited that Christmas is almost here haha it's that time of the year where my inner kid comes out more. I've been posting as of late (mostly on Instagram) the Christmas atmosphere here in Arizona. To me Christmas is so much more than just gifts,it's about family and friends and the joy of being in each others company. It's also the celebration of the birth of Jesus and a reminder we should count our blessings daily.
   Today, even though it was 49°, I headed out to Mesa to check out their festivities.
Wow! The entire downtown and arts area was decked out in colorful lights and decorations and they brought out all the stops from Christmas classic songs playing to a ice skating rink. The 2 highlights of my night was visiting the Mormon temple of Mesa and a trip to pioneers park to eat at Jack Frost's food truck forest.  The Mesa temple of LDS,did a beautiful job decorating their garden and surrounding areas in a colorful display of assorted lights and decorations. Its a must see when in mesa for the holidays. Across the street at pioneers park, a variety of food trucks were parked and ready to serve you in their known specialties. One particular truck I came across and definitely fitting due to the chilly weather, was the later taters food truck. Their take on the baked potatoes,was unique and different and I was up for the challenge haha.
( I do apologize that I didn't catch any of your names but nonetheless thanks for the hospitality)
I chose the carne asada tater, a loaded baked potato piled with steak,cheese,sour cream and green onions and a side of salsa. From the first creamy and hot bite of this amazing creation ,it definitely warmed me up. The carne asada was seasoned to perfection and every topping complemented each other well without over powering one another in flavor or taste. The combination of it all made this dish an experience I'm looking forward to replicating on another trip to this great food trip. You made a fan out of me that's for sure. You'll see me again,I promise.
In the meantime, I hope everybody's holidays is a good one and  safe one and until the next time my belly leads me to explore another place to chow down at, I'm sending my love,peace and feast(m0de) blessings to all..ALOHA!

Welcome Chicken +donuts

The south and many parts throughout North America have embraced the wonderful combination of golden fried chicken and waffles. Today, I met it's  delicious relative: Welcome Chicken + donuts!!
At Welcome Chicken + Donuts the name of game is exactly as it sounds: Bone-in fried chicken and artisan donuts and if you're a fan of either or just love good food, you'll want to get over there ASAP. Their variation of chicken,is simply known as KFC ( Korean Fried Chicken), with your choice of having it sauced,on the side or as is, either choice is all delicious.
  On the sauce front you have your choice of three Asian-inspired sauces: Korean  chili, Vietnamese + Fresh Herbs, or Japanese BBQ. I enjoyed all three but if i had to pick a favorite it might be the Vietnamese, a salty, slightly tangy, but not overly seasoned sauce that let's the flavor of the moist chicken really stand out. The Korean chili has only a slight bit of heat and the Japanese BBQ stands out for its heavy tomato notes. All are worth a try and make a great pairing with Welcome's light, crunchy batter.  When ordering the combo, you have a choice of 3 different sides: ginger scallion cucumber salad, Thai yum slaw, and corn miso butter stir fry. I went with the corn miso butter,which was creamy and buttery good.
On the donut side, which comes with the combo, there's a nice selection to choose from and definitely their donuts game and skills have raised the bar pretty high by average donut standards. With creations such as lemon poppyseed, butterscotch cheddar popcorn and maple bacon ( a delicious and deadly combo haha..not for the weak at heart), I advise you to be adventurous and step out from your comfort zone and try one or a dozen ASAP! Me being a risk taker,I went with the maple bacon, sweet and loaded with crispy bacon "sprinkles". For my first time experience ,I enjoyed every bit of my time here. The staff was helpful and added to the fact that they sell some amazing chicken and donuts,I don't need another reason to return here again,hopefully sooner than later.
I have been told about some other places so stay tuned to see what I have discovered.. Love, peace and feast(m0de) as always
  

Happy Eats @ the festival of the arts

Dab smack in downtown Tempe, Arizona (one of my favorite places to explore here in Arizona) amid college students from ASU, is Mills avenue,  blocks after blocks of  many places to indulge into your current cravings,it's also a host to many festivals and events throughout the year.
The event held here yesterday was the festival of the arts; vendors selling handcrafted jewelry, trinkets as well as paintings,clothes and all in time for christmas which is right around the corner. After looking around it was time to check out the lunch trucks and food vendors ..
I don't know why but The Grilled Cheese truck drew me in the most. Maybe it's the simplistic aspect of it; I mean it's grilled cheese,a major comfort food and an all american staple.   They sure kicked it up notch! I ordered the cheesy mac and ribs and the name alone,I knew I was in for a surprise!
Gooey and cheesy layered with Mac and cheese and shredded BBQ pork meat topped with caramelized onions. Everything was done perfectly. The meat was tender, and the sauce was sweet and tangy. I think the caramelized onions worked well it and they didn't hold out one bit on the cheese factor!
I hope they come back into town again so I can try their other selections.
Oh for dessert,since it was national cookie day,I went with deep fried oreos!!!!
Yes, I realize it's not healthy but it's ok to go crazy once in a while. 6 cookies battered and deep fried and covered with powdered sugar. Delicious and definitely for the sweet tooth at heart.
Until the next adventure...love,peace and feast(m0de)

Foodcity

Yes, you didn't read that wrong at all. Some of the better places to eat at doesn't need much fanfare at all and the food speaks for itself.  Some of these rare gems may actually surprise you. I can recall as a kid back in Hawaii, snacking on Poke( marinated raw fish), or Chinese roast pork or even Filipino lumpia( Filipino spring rolls),while my parents went shopping for groceries. Well, not much has changed for me now as an adult. Now,sure you can get things like popcorn chicken at Walmart or how it's typical to find some kind of fast food or chain store around but I'm talking about good food not fast food here.
Next to my house is food city supermarket and my favorite part (obviously haha) is the taqueria.  Behind a glass case is trays of a variety of fresh made Mexican food ranging from carne asada (beef ),carnitas( pork), arroz (rice) to beef stew and everything in between. They also sell tacos, tortas ( sandwich of a sort) and plate lunches that are not only cheap but they give a healthy heap of  portions.  I ordered a plate of Chile rojo ( marnited beef slow cooked in red chile ) with a side of rice. Tender cuts of meat that melts in your mouth mmmmm.
On my next visit,I went with a carnitas torta: a heap of savory pork with pico di gallo and oaxaca cheese with just a little bit of mayo and man it hit the spot.
Seriously if you are in the mood for cheap but tasty Mexican food check out the nearest food city near you( not every location is the same) and get your fix on.

Be thankFULL

I'm writing out this blog as we speak at the Sky Harbor International Airport. My mom just went through the security gate check and I'm just lingering around for just a few to sit and think and pray and reflect on everything good I have going on in my life. Now don't get me wrong,my life is far from perfect but it's all about perception and what one would deem worthy.
It's a mixture of the small things with the major things that collectively bring value to my life. I have my family,my kids and my closest friends that keep me grounded. My health is actually pretty good and all my basic needs are covered; shelter,clean clothes,a job and food in my belly. I have no complaints at all.
To be able to wake each unpromised morning and witness a sunrise or watch a sun set at the end of my evening; to witness miracles and creations occur daily that was created by god such as the changes in seasons or the coolness of rain, its these little things that complete the circle. In this lifetime, we got only 2 choices: be alive and survive or actually live life...the choice is solely yours.

Love, peace and feast (m0de)!

Thai Basil Signature

It's that time of the year where the weather shifts from being hot to cooler temperatures and unlike the east coast and mid west where the temperature can hit in the negatives and be blanketed in snow, here in Phoenix we welcome the climate change with open arms.  I figured since it's my day off and a cool 55•, why not go out for a bit and explore the city.
   With the wind picking up and the temperature still being in the mid 50's, plus it being lunchtime, I knew a good spot that would definitely warm not just me up but my belly as well : Thai Basil Signature.
   A small restaurant in the middle of downtown Phoenix, Thai Basil Signature serves up Asian fare that consists of Thai,Vietnamese, and Indian cuisine. The item I chose that I knew would definitely hit the spot was a hearty bowl of phó (pronounced as Fa) is a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth,linguine shaped noodles  called bành phở, a few herbs, and meat , primarily served with either beef or chicken. Most garnish that accompany this dish is cilantro,green onions, and bean sprouts. The won ton ( Chinese pork filled dumplings)  that accompanied  my dish were plump and soft floating in the warm broth and definitely filling. I've heard their curry rice noodles were delicious and that's next on my list when I pay this place a visit again.
Being a foodie, there's many dishes to warm you up on a chilly day that the choices are endless. I definitely love a homemade bowl of chicken and dumplings or beef stew on those occasions and of course the Asian side of me, besides phó, is as equally satisfied with ramen noodles and egg drop soup with crab meat.  I find comfort in food that warms your soul as well as your belly. Find your comfort.. Until my next food adventure, love peace and feast (m0de)

Adobo Dragon @ Desoto Central Market

Today I attended the world wide insta -meet 12 held at The Desoto Central Market, a world wide week event that brings people from all walks of life and locations from the instagram community and have them meet up and mix and mingle.   I found it fitting that such a unique event would be held at a equally unique place.  In addition they have a coffee shop, an indoor/outdoor bar, Radish (salads + juice), Adobo Dragon(Asian fusion), Yard Bird + The Larder (comfort food), and DCM Burger.
  Thanks to a generous lady I met there named Julie ( I didn't catch her last name but she has my contact info through my instagram  and hopefully she reads this blog so I can thank her again) I was introduced to Adobo Dragon's unique dining experience that mixes Asian and Latino flavors together to create such delicious creations.  I started off for starters with a Tapas (appetizer ) order of Alitas  which is crispy chicken wings with Thai chili sauce which had a little kick to it but it was definitely more flavorful than just straight heat.  My main course was the beef bento box.  Tender steak on a bed of rice topped with cacao sauce and tomato accompanied by a fresh green salad dressed with Serrano mojo which has the taste of a sweet fruity vinegar base.  There are some meals that you definitely have to try it for yourself and to me this was such a diverse fusion that just worked so well together.  Overall, my evening of eating, meeting and greeting was fun and I can't wait for the next event, in the meantime I'll definitely go back to desoto central market and have a look around and see what else catches my eye and stomach.

Paradise Hawaiian BBQ (musubi's and pupus )

You ever get that urge to eat but you don't want anything heavy and you're trying to resist from gorging out on junk food ? That's where my food adventure begins. See,  back in Hawaii, we have a lot of mom and pop stores as well as lunch trunks known as "da  manapua truck" that sell things that aren't typical here in the mainland, while you'll be able to pick up a soda, a few bags of chips or candy I can guarantee you'll not be able to find such treats as lumpia ( Filipino spring rolls), fried saimin  ( ramen noodles ) ,sushi or what I had today known as a musubi. 
  A musubi is a ball or cube of rice which is then wrapped in nori (seaweed ) and topped with a meat of choice which most notably is spam! The Hawaiian steak lol.  No, seriously, us Hawaiians and residents of Hawaii consume the most spam each year in the United States. After doing an errand today,  and then doing a bit of photography and exploring,  I stopped off in Tempe,  Arizona at one of my favorite spots to eat at : paradise Hawaiian BBQ!
  I knew this place would have what I was craving and I definitely picked me up a few musubi's  ,one of the traditional spam musubi and one of the teriyaki  grilled chicken musubi and since they also sell some typical Korean sides to accompany your meal such as kimchi ( spicy cabbage ), macaroni salad  and various other vegetables, I got me a scoop of mac salad and some kimchi to create me a mini pupu snack. 
Like I said numerous of times before,  the key to life is not only simplicity but also getting out there and discover new things; to step out from your comfort zone and be adventurous.  There's so much out there to see, taste and discover and now is a good time  to start and hey feel free to drop me a line about what you discovered. 

Culver's

So we live in a society where food corporations are always in competition by one upping each other with the craziest concoctions, especially when it comes to size.  I always prefer quality over quantity. As much as I love eating, it's pointless to consume something that lacks in taste which is where my current foodies blog comes in to place.
   Almost nothing can compete with a home cooked meal  but when I'm out and about and my 3 stomachs start talking, well I need something to quiet the beast in my belly. A close friend of ours recommended to us that we should check out Culver's, popular for their delicious burgers and frozen custard ice cream and so that's where our lunch was decided at.
This was my first time here and their menu consists of mostly burgers and their desserts as well as having the option to order salads,  fish and chicken and a few meals such as pot roast.
I went with the sourdough double melt with bacon added and it may not have been a monster size burger but the freshness and taste from my first bite really wowed me and one thing that also stood out was the thick but gooey Wisconsin cheddar cheese, unlike that processed slice cheese that many use instead.  Everything was obvious that they take pride in what they sell and I instantly became a fan of their brand. After I rested for a few, it was time to tackle the dessert menu haha.
  Although each location may vary,  they have a ice cream flavor daily that boasts some delicious choices.  Today's flavor was butter pecan but I choose to go the adventurous route and went with a concrete mixer ( pretty much a thick milkshake like dessert) with Reese's peanut butter cups and marshmallow fluff mixed with vanilla custard. Heaven in a cup is my description for this delicious concoction,and considering it was a typical hot day here in Arizona, this was a great way to beat the heat and compliment another great meal. Definitely was worth it discovering another fun place to chow down at. But since I have restless feet and a endless sensation for finding new food spots, stay tuned as I am on my ongoing quest to conquer the best of everything one plate at a time, no fork, spoon or entree will be left untouched haha

Tommy Pastrami

.Food to me has this amazing ability to transport you to either another destination or trigger some happy memory simply with just one bite. I have been fortunate to have been born and raised in Hawaii and was raised and surrounded by so many cultures and ethnicities and the endless varieties of food to accompany it. I have also been blessed to have been able to travel to many states in the mainland ( so far about almost half so far).
For example Funnel cakes take me back to Virginia when I use to work at Busch Gardens. A piled high fried dessert with ice cream and hot caramel.  For me,pastrami not only triggers my childhood of my mom slow cooking pastrami and roast beef in a crock pot but I am instantly transported back to Manhattan in the heart of New York City. Blocks and blocks of delis, food cart vendors and lunch trucks to suit any craving imaginable. I haven't been to NYC in ages but I definitely remember the pile high of meats in my sandwich and it was as good as I heard about before I ever ventured of to the city that never sleeps.
If you have never had the chance to experience New York City for it's glory, then Tommy Pastrami will help get you there in a heartbeat. In the downtown area of Phoenix sits the location I visited.
Like most NYC delicatessen, the options are simple, from typical deli fares such as sandwiches with your choice of roast beef, turkey,pastrami and corned beef plus soups,sides and of course all beef hot dogs. I went with the pastrami of course. They definitely weren't stingy at all with their portions ha-ha.  As you can plainly see, I got my money's worth for sure. As I got one errand to do next, I only ordered the halfer and by no means is this a small sandwich at all. For the really hungry and adventurous, they sell New York giants sandwich which consist of 3/4 lb double stack of any 2 meats or the NY rueben which both boast that you buy one and can feed 2 easily.  No matter what you decide to order, leaving starving is one that that's not possible.. Trust me.

Kings Hawaiian bakery and restaurant

I had an amazing time in California with my mom and my two kids. We did a bunch of sightseeing and we went to a few museums and of course no trip would be complete if we didn't find a new place to pig out at.. Well mission accomplished haha.
  In the heart of Torrance,California we went to check out Kings Hawaiian bakery and restaurant.  Not only is the company based and founded in this city,  but the owner is a local boy originally from Hilo,  Hawaii. Kings Hawaiian Bakery is definitely known for their sweet bread which can be found in most Walmart  and local markets as well as being  used in some of the bigger fast food chains. Food from Hawaii will always make the list whenever someone speaks about Hawaii.       I have touched on the subject of how Hawaii is one giant melting pot and the way we blended a variety of different ethnicities  and cultures and helped shape Hawaii into our own unique way of living.  This is pretty much the gist of things when eating at this restaurant.
  I must say that everything we ordered was not only delicious and authentic but also pretty affordable. Seriously, my mom ordered the mahimahi and Kalua pork combo that was cooked to perfection.  My son opted for the BBQ teriyaki chicken and fried saimin noodle and my daughter went with the spam musubi and saimin combo.  I can definitely tell you none of us left there starving haha.  For me,  I ordered the huli huli chicken plate( chicken marinated in a special sauce and charbroiled ).  Of course to complete our family lunch outing we had to order dessert which we went with the choice of malasadas ( a Portuguese recipe of a airy and soft ball of dough fried and rolled in sugar after).
If you're even remotely familiar with the kings Hawaiian bakery brand,  then trust me, this place is definitely worth checking out.  I know I may have to stop by again whenever I stop over in California for a bit, even if it's to pick up something to munch on before I return back to Phoenix.  Well once again California you have been kind with your hospitality and I'll eventually see you again.. Aloha for now
      Love, peace and feast(m0de)

Casa sunba

So..let me tell you about this life changing place I read about online and finally went to see if the hype was as great as what I read plus the pictures they had  made a convincing point that had me sold,hooked,lined and sinker. Now think about this for a second, aside from a buffet,where else can you really get some of  your favorite foods in one meal? ( not including paying extra for it,although you can do that here at C.A.S.A sunba, but that's besides the point so stick with me on this lol) My answer is C.A.S.A sunba!
  It's apparent I love food and I consider myself a hardcore carnivore dinosaur ( lol my corny joke of the day) and living in a heavy populated state of Hispanics, I'm never too far from being able to get my Mexican food fix anytime I get a craving for tacos,burritos or tortas, and now that I discovered C.A.S.A. sunba,I can get the best of both worlds. This place,located in the heart of downtown Tempe, has one of the most original ideas and recipes I have ever heard of. Whoever came up with the concept of stuffing a burrito with sweet and sour chicken, fried rice and spring rolls or their infamous Mac n cheese burrito,is an insane genius!
Aside from their appetizers, vegan menu selection and taco Wednesday specials,they boast a menu of 14 original and very epic varieties of burritos, with the option to customize it to your heart's desire.  I recommend you ask what their daily special is before you order,which I did and I definitely got my money's worth!
Their infamous claim to fame burrito is the Mac n cheese burrito and I will try it next time. Some of my favorite foods all came stuffed in my burrito today, such as Mac n cheese, BBQ chicken and coleslaw, which suitably my burrito is called the BBQ chicken dinner! This is almost on the level of willy wonka status here hahaha
The sweety and tangy sauce of the chicken, the gooey cheesy Mac n cheese and the sweet crunch of the coleslaw all came together beautifully in an orgy of flavor. My mouth had a foodgasm for sure.  Hands down,this is my favorite Mexican/ tex-mex  place i have ever eaten at and you're definitely missing out on a unique experience until you try this place out for yourself. So enough talking here, head to Tempe,Arizona if you're near by and hopefully you have a great experience as mine

Z Pizza

So..currently, I'm at the hospital with my brother as we celebrate the birth of his new son to this crazy world.  In between visits, lucky for us the cafeteria here has pretty good food and the hospital is located near downtown Phoenix and near some great eateries. So  today we took a walk to this pizza place that he has eaten at before and he had me sold on it.
  I definitely loved the aroma from the minute we walked in,with garlic,oregano and other herbs drifting in the air and the decorations was very unique,in particular the chandelier was made of old glass bottles.  On display was the pizza slices of the day and man they sell some big ass slices hahaha the roasted garlic chicken looked and smelled really appetizing but maybe another day,today I went with a sausage calzone.   For starters it a pretty decent size and I could see it was pretty stuffed,filled with fennel sausage, ricotta,marinara and some mozzarella cheese..god I'm in heaven.
The calzone was one of the better ones I ever had with the dough flaky enough and definitely not stingy with their ingredients. The ingredients mixed in on my first bite  was bliss and went to town devouring it all. I just wished they sold cannolis for dessert but other than that I'm a happy customer and my belly seconds the motion

The counter custom built burgers

So it's been a bit since I last blogged,being busy as hell up at work and whatnot and now that I have a day off I decided to do what I love to the most: roam my city and explore!
So after capturing a good movie ( paper towns and I must say its a pretty entertaining and engaging movie and of course  courtesy of my friend for the free movie online code ;) thank you )
I decided to check this new food joint in the middle of downtown Phoenix called the counter. The name of this place says it all, having the ability to create any type of Burger to your hearts desire. With summer in full of affect here in Arizona, images of fun under the sun and plenty of barbecues come to mind, particularly grilled burgers.
   Next time I'll get creative and go bonkers with their menu as there's so much variety to choose from, from the bread down to the toppings and a wide range of sides and desserts to compliment your eating experience, this time though the one Burger that caught my eye was the Korean Burger loaded with lettuce mix,grilled onions, Korean BBQ sauce and daikon ( pickled radish) and substituted on a Hawaiian sweet bread. Amazing! The taste alone reminds me of the typical Korean fare I would pig out on back in Hawaii . I really can't describe the taste but I recommend you have a taste for yourself.  The meat was juicy and cooked to perfection and for my first experience here I sure have no complaints. As I wobble out of here now,stuffed to my stomach's content, I promise you I'll be back again. There's still plenty of summer left, so there's more for me to taste and see and discover.  What's your ideal summer eats? I love barbecues, fresh fruits and ice cream to beat the heat. Well until my next food adventure, make the most of your summer and hopefully it's with family and friends... Love,peace and feast (m0de)

Thank you

This isn't so much a blog but more of just a personal thank you to all those that have ever checked out my blog and my crazy food adventures and especially those that continuously show love and support and apparently look forward to reading my blogs. I would still continue to blog about what I love, which obviously it's food lol, whether anyone cares to follow me and support me, but the fact that I have this kind of feedback is very humbling and rewarding in its own way.
Thank you! Arigato! Danke! Gracias! Salamat!  Stay tuned for next pig out session.
                    Rueben
                       A.K.A
                     Feastm0de

Lenny's

I'm very much into nostalgic things; things that triggers happy memories from my youth and whatnot.  That's what the feel you get walking into Lenny's Burger Shop, with the old school diner look, jukebox playing ( of all songs,  Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen!!) and the aroma of burgers on the flat top grill.
    I remember sitting in the living room as a kid and throwing on my dads records, whether it was Sam Cooke, Otis redding orAretha Franklin..such great memories.  While I sat and reminisced about yesteryear, I ordered a Cowboy Burger for lunch.  What a delicious creation haha. A fresh ground beef burger loaded with bacon (of course),fresh onion rings and BBQ sauce.  Yee-haw!  I definitely recommend this place and with so much to try, deciding on what to order will be the only hard part of this eatery.  Last time I was here I tried the southwest pastrami burger.  The Mexican burger loaded with green chilies and onions I've been told is as amazing.
There's also chili dogs, a variety of loaded French fries and of course shakes and floats, which I may pick up in a minute to complete my feastm0de. Well that's it for now, until my the beast in my belly awakens again

Snoh Ice Shavery

Being a local boy, born and raised in Hawaii, my version of summertime is such a major contrast than living here in the mainland. On a typical day during the summertime in Hawaii, you may find me cooling off at a beach soaking in sun and saltwater or maybe eating fresh fruits with ice cream or indulging in a Hawaii staple and must have, shave ice and topped with various local flavored syrups.
Living here in Arizona , a typical summer is trying to avoid the heat( lol good luck with that), sweating and consuming lots or water to stay hydrated. Now for me, I'm very adventurous, so although we don't have a beach here, I still enjoy hiking and anything that involves being outdoor. Now, there's other ways to beat the heat here, besides being cooped up at home with the A/C blasting. One of my favorite things to do ( and obviously why you are on my blog page haha) is summertime eats and treats to cool off, whether it's hitting up my favorite ice cream joint, a refresh agua fresca ( fresh water mixed with fresh fruits and a bit of sugar), shave ice or a unique find here : Snoh!            Snoh Ice is a cross between ice cream and traditional shaved ice. The fluffy melt in your mouth texture of snow is combined with the creamy flavorful taste of ice cream, making this new frozen dessert unlike anything  you've tried before. Founded in China, this is a slowly gaining but very popular dessert with Asian infused recipes and toppings such as using condensed milk, green tea, mochi balls, lychee (a sweet Asian fruit) and fortune cookies for an example.  I ordered the Honey dew snoh with mochi balls and drizzled nutella on top. Very refreshing and trust me, the nutella didn't over sweeten or drown out the sweet taste of my honey dew snih but actually kinda balanced it out ( crazy I know lol).
There's a variety of flavors, toppings and glaze to experiment so go ahead and go crazy and get creative. If you have never had the experience of having snoh, I definitely recommend it. ( I hope they have a shop in your city, so I'm sorry as a pre warning if it's unavailable near you) .  I'm much cooler now that I got my snoh fix on so now it's off to exploring my city some more.. Until next time, love, peace and feast ( m0de)!

Happy Father's Day 2015

So for mine and my brother's father's day dinner, I made a simple meal for us consisting of chicken katsu (a Japanese panko bread crumb fried chicken cutlet) and teriyaki hamburger steak. We didn't need anything fancy for our dinner,which leads me to the real reason behind this blog entry.
  Today is Father's Day and before we lose sight of what today means,allow me to explain further. For me and my brother, as well as fathers worldwide, today isn't just about recognizing the roles men have to their children but to elaborate more on what it means to be a dad and how you can show your love and gratitude to them.
Being a father is to love your children unconditionally, through good times and bad. To be tough enough to teach them valuable life lessons but soft enough to heal broken hearts, scraped knees and fallen tears. Its more about guidance than being strict and a disciplinary. To laugh just as much as or even more so than yelling or scolding them. To love them equally whether they are at fault or not but to be stern to teach them from their mistakes. Love.. The biggest keyword in all of this. Love is a an unconditional emotion and feeling, that should never come second to anything especially materialistic items.  Instead of tech gadgets and video games,expand their mind with books and poetry. Just like food, nourish their souls and hearts with plenty of love, laughter and Faith and help them grow into amazing adults.
For our loved ones and our children, us father's don't need a fancy 5 course meal or an extravagant trip or jewelry.. No, the best way to show us father's that we are important to you is just a simple thank you, or hug and kiss or all the above. Spoken words and heartfelt emotions  will always be the best gift you can give us next to the life that was created to create you, OUR most important gift. If we do all we can as fathers and as parents, seeing our children succeed will be the ultimate reward and  accomplishment we'll ever do while still on earth
Happy Father's Day to all

In N Out Burger (Los Angeles Adventures)

Being out here in Los Angeles,California for these 2 days , there's a few places that you need to check out, for both being highly recommended and having a must visit aura attraction feel to it such as Pink's hotdog on North La brea,with their famous hotdogs named after and for their popular celebrity clientele, or Norm's ( a friendly and competitive alternative to IHOP and Denny's) with their big portions and affordable prices and various locations throughout California, and no visit to California would be complete without hitting up a taco truck and grabbing an order or two and with endless amounts of trucks scattered throughout Los Angeles, finding one shouldn't be too hard.
One place that deserves to be added to this list, if they're not on it already, is In n Out burger. A simple burger joint born and raised in Baldwin, California has been exactly the same, a simple eatery with quality products supporting their claim.
What separates them from the major fast food chains is their food; hand crafted fresh patties and French fries.
I ordered a simple double double ( 2 patties,2 cheese) and a side of fries ordered off their "secret menu" called animal style fries ( fries covered in cheese,secret spread and grilled onions) and a chocolate milkshake to wash it all down. I tend to visit my favorite location near Hollywood ( across from Hollywood Highschool) and I wasn't disappointed at all. Overall , my trip to the golden state was wonderful, eating at some great joints as well as spending time with my mom and explored the city with her .
Eaton Canyon is the hike we went on and its a fun hike and a great way to burn calories to make way to eat again haha
Well until next time, love❤,peace✌and feast (m0de)

Chinatown (Los Angeles adventure)

So I'm in Los Angeles visiting my mom for her birthday and we decided to venture down to Chinatown to find some plants and other decorations for her place and of course no trip to Chinatown would be complete with out snacking on some food and trust me, there's an endless amount of shops and restaurants to choose from. You will get a crazy mixture of smells ranging from all the roasted and smoked meats such as char sui ( Chinese BBQ pork) and Peking duck to fresh fruits and snacks.
Me and my mom picked up 3 of our favorite Chinese during our little shopping visit. First we had deep fried wonton (a Chinese dumpling stuffed with pork and shrimp ) . Tasty and flavorful packed into a small appetizer that got devoured quickly haha. A bit later we picked up a order of char sui  bao(Chinese BBQ pork stuffed in a steamed bun) . This is another popular Asian dim sum (appetizer) for both being filling and tasty as well as quick and convenient while on the go. Lastly we picked up a pound char sui to take home for dinner. One of the most common item you'd find in just about every chinese restaurants and shops and it goes well by itself , or with rice or noodles too.
There's a lot more to see for yourself while down here. I recommend the seafood and for the bit adventurous try out some of their varieties on Chinese crack seed. Crack seed is the Chinese version of dehydrated and  preserved fruits ranging from salty to sweet depending on your preference. I live the honey plums and lemon peels, a great mixture of my sweet and salty fix. Mahalo for reading and stay tuned for my next adventure haha
      Feastm0de!
  

Lemon chicken recipe

Lemon chicken:

1 5lb package of chicken (deboned)
1 package of tempura batter mix ( panko bread crumbs is just as fine)

Lemon chicken sauce:
1 1/2 cups of lemon juice
2 cups sugar
2/3 tsp of white vinegar
2 drops yellow food coloring ( optional)
2 cups water
Cornstarch ( mixed in to your preferred thickness)
Lemons for garnish

Now simply deep fry your chicken to a golden brown and pour your sauce on top.           Such a simple recipe and it doesn't take too long. The prep  and cook time for the sauce is about 5 minutes and the approximate cooking time for the  chicken is about 25 minutes. Hope you enjoy it!

The Blue Fin

So just like I promised in an earlier blog (March 15) I'm back again at The Blue Fin to try out what they're known for: their teriyaki sauce. I personally dislike any establishment that advertises something of a different culture and it's not what you're used to or they just entirely tweak it beyond recognition. The blue Fin is not one of those places. The Blue Fin for those who haven't read any of my blogs, is a Japanese style express eatery (okazu) who doesn't skimp out on flavor for a cheap price. No, everything so far that I've had is flavorful, fresh and was served  decent portions.
  Which brings me back to why I decided to eat here once again. They have been advertised as one of the best places for a teriyaki meal and I can now see why. While some places consider it " authentic" by pouring warm sauce over grilled meats, the right way is to marinate it for at least a day before cooking it. I had the teriyaki beef and was not disappointed at all. Tender slice of beef marinated in teriyaki sauce and grilled to perfection. Just the right amount of sweet infused with the hint of char from grilling it was a perfect combo. Anyone a fan of Asian food, or teriyaki food will definitely like this place and I suggest you check it out for yourself
   

Long Wong's

There's just something about a well made delicious sandwich that I'm easily content with.   With so many variations on such a simple thing, it's tough choosing a favorite.. Except for one (in my opinion) : Pastrami. I think deep down for me it stems from the days of my mom slow cooking corned beef in a crockpot and then making sandwiches out of the leftovers. Some of my favorite memories of my childhood involves food

I decided to check out Long Wong's for lunch before I head off to work later on. Known especially for their chicken wings and pizza,they also have amazing subs and burgers as well ( from various sources I have read) nonetheless, with a small lunch rush crowd already inside, there was no way all those people could be wrong. After checking out the menu,I decided on a pastrami Rueben sandwich with garlic fries.
   A decent packed sandwich with pastrami corned beef grilled up and toasted with sauerkraut, and thousand island.. Amazing is the word that comes to mind. The flavor was unreal and for the added kick, garlic fries I chose for my side. One of the best garlic fries I've had,loaded with flavor and not soggy at all. I'll be back one day to check out their wings and maybe check out what game is on TV as I devour on some food..

Aloha kitchen

First off, there's 2 things I want to say, Thank you for all those that continue to follow along with me on my foodie adventures and enjoy my blogs and second I recommend downloading the app "foodspotting " to find new places to eat at whenever you're out and about in a new area or traveling.
     So I'm off of work today and tomorrow and decided to get out the house and explore around for a bit, this time in Mesa,  Arizona. While I was at Mesa Community College checking out their beautiful rose garden, which I must say is a beautiful place to see, I used my foodspotting app to see what places where nearby to eat at and one place definitely caught my attention.  Located in a small shopping center among other food joints, and about 10 minutes from MCC,  Aloha Kitchen was where I knew I had to check out.
   I'll do my very best to explain my meal and this place to those unfamiliar to this type of food establishment.  Majority of  favorite dishes and popular recipes from Hawaii are infused with many different cultures from around the world.  The atmosphere walking into this place already looked and smelled like home as I remember it and not in a cheesy way like some places who think they know about Hawaii and Polynesian culture. The smell of grilled teriyaki meats and smoky scents coming most likely from the kalua  pig ( pig cooked in an underground oven made of rocks and covered to let sit for a few days) hit Mr before I even entered inside.
   The owners  of Aloha Kitchen are originally from Hawaii and they brought out all the stops here in their little restaurant with many of the local favorites that mixes Hawaiian recipes with Korean, Chinese, and Japanese inspired dishes such as fried saimin (ramen noodles ), teriyaki chicken, kalua pig ( smoked pulled pork with cabbage ) and of course it's accompanied by 2 scoops of rice and mac salad.
I order the Hawaiian plate which included LomiLomi Salmon  (a side dishes of onions, green onions, salmon and rock salt) kalua pig and chicken long rice ( rices noodles mixed with chicken and broth ). Even though I'm thousands of miles of away from home, I now know where I can get my Hawaiian food fix on. The portion was great and the flavor was spot on.  And that leads me now with dessert which I also ordered lol.  I had a slice of chocolate haupia pie ( haupia is coconut dessert with the consistency between jello and custard )  I recommend to check out this place.  I have no complaints whatsoever so and everything I had was delicious and I know my belly is definitely content.. Time for a nap pretty soon haha.. Until next time, peace out,  Feastm0de!

Fractured Prune Doughnuts

I have a major sweet tooth and with that being said, let me tell you about one of my all time favorite desserts :doughnuts!
It's safe to say I've had my share of doughnuts throughout my life and although it doesn't matter where it's from, I honestly might have to change my mind from here on out.  Now I've been here just once before and I'm back again to get my doughnut fix on.  In the middle of downtown phoenix, sits one of the most unique places to put a spin on doughnuts.
From the unique variety of Pre-set choices to the fact you are able to customize your doughnut to your liking with the wildest of imaginations, everything here looks delicious and added to the fact your order is made in front of you and fresh and served hot out the fryer, hands down I've think this is the best doughnut spot I've been to.
  I ordered the caramel bliss, consisting of a warm caramel glaze and mini chocolate chips and then I got me a death by chocolate which has a chocolate glaze, chocolate sprinkles and Oreo cookie crumbles. Both definitely hit the spot and I recommend you to check it out if you're in the mood for doughnuts, got a sweet tooth addiction or something small for dessert.  Don't forget a cup of cold milk to rinse it all down.

Pizza patron

Here's a question.. Honestly, who doesn't like pizza? I think that answer is one you rarely hear.  Here in Arizona, there's a bunch of pizza joints and of course there's the typical big time establishments  to choose from as well so then where do you pick from? I guess it boils down to preference and taste.  If you're a simple person and looking for a tasty pizza at an affordable price I suggest trying pizza patron then. First off they have their every day price of $3.99 for a large cheese or pepperoni pizza and what separates them from some some of their competition is their dough is made onsite and in store daily as well as their sauce and I prefer quality over quantity.
Pizza patron is based out of Texas with 12 franchise locations throughout Arizona . Their menu is pretty simple consisting of just pizza, chicken wings, bread and cheese sticks and drinks and of course churros for dessert. Their 2 best sellers,  which I do enjoy ,Is their patrona ( their version of a supreme pizza consisting of pepperoni, ham, beef, sausage and veggies ) and the Hawaiana (a gooey pile of ham, pineapples and cheese ).  For under $11 you can't go wrong with the size or portions. If you need a side With pizza I recommend their lime pepper chicken wings too.  Go check out one near you and tell me what you think..  Until next time, remember god is good and food is great..feastmode!