Yasda bento

Man, it's been a minute since I have blogged about my favorite subject: food lol.  I just been working like crazy and whatnot and just been busy. Nonetheless, I always make it up somehow haha.
Today is no exception and I had to make a pit stop in Downton Phoenix to visit one of my favorite Asian fast food joints that serve dishes of Chinese , Japanese and Korean. In addition to having cheap and great food,they have daily specials and $5 dollar deals on Fridays. I went with the bulgogi plate, thin cuts of grilled beef marinated and seasoned with a special Korean sauce that is a little sweet but doesn't over do it and drown the taste of the grilled meat and then covered on a bed of rice. Their udon noodles is definitely another great dish, a wheat flour thick noodle pan fried with meat and a variety of vegetables and highly seasoned as well.
They also sell vegetarian dishes and for the adventurous they have a few spicy choices too. I have no complaints about this place and have always received good service here.  Enough talking,go and check it out for yourself, and I hope you're as satisfied as I was
Until next time,love ,peace and feast (m0de)
              Aloha \m/

Mad Hatter Brew Pub

,,I honestly have to admit that Tempe, Arizona is one of my favorite cities to roam around on my day off from work.
The 3 things that you will mostly see around Tempe are college students, sports fanatics and a variety of places to indulge at. Being that it's Tuesday,the only fitting thing to eat was tacos!!
On the corner across from the Sun Devil's stadium, you'll find Mad Hatter Brew pub,a relaxed roadside sports tavern with an outdoor bar, craft brews & refined American fare, and with such affordable deals they have posted up( c'mon $1 dollar pork tacos had me convinced instantaneously haha),there's something for everyone.
Yes you read that correctly, starting off at $1 dollar,Monday  through Thursday from 2-8pm,you can grub on a pork tacos,or for a dollar more they have chicken tacos as well plus an assortment of different happy hour drink specials. They also have lunch specials from 11am-2pm for any menu item plus a soda for only $8 dollars. I grabbed 2 pork tacos and a chicken taco while I there. A decent serving of season seasoned pork on a flour tortilla with lettuce,tomatoes and cheese and the same goes for the chicken taco too,decent on the size but with with enough flavor to hold it's own and for the price alone, I sure wasn't disappointed with this place.
Whether you stop in to get a drink to unwind from your day,or catch up on your favorite sport on TV or simply just like me,want something to eat without breaking your wallet and hopefully leave with a happy belly,then I say pop in and check it out for yourself.
Love,peace and Feast(m0de) until next time. My next food adventure has yet to be determined ,but you can bet I'll keep my eyes and nose wide open for the next spot to feast at.. Aloha

Dickey's barbecue pit

Aloha everyone!! So in between going out to California last week to celebrate my birthday with my family as well as being busy at work, I knew I had to go out yesterday and just unwind and relax the best way i know how to do so : eat and explore! Haha. So,if anyone who has being following me from my other social media sites knows I love photography and it's one of my favorite things to do. That's usually also where my food adventures come into place, and so in between finding new places to see and trying to capture pictures from a whole new perspective, I also keep my eye open for new places to eat at.
If you ever been to a barbecue or have ever had the chance to visit a legit barbecue joint, the first thing you well smell is the aroma of both smoked meats and burning wood. You can definitely smell both before walking in Dickey's barbecue pit. They slow cook their meats over hickory wood and you definitely can taste it with each bite. I ordered the 1 meat combo which was beef brisket and the sides I chose were Mac and cheese and waffle iron fries.
Their meats are cooked dry and by that I mean it contains no sauce on it, and before I covered and smothered my meats in sauce(which they have 3 you can choose from and I mixed their sweet sauce with a bit of their spicy to give it a kick) I can say it didn't need really anything added to but I guess it's about preference too. Tender,juicy,with a smoky taste and that little added crunch of the burnt edges of the brisket ( which is one of my favorite parts of it), it was certainly delicious and very authentic to the core. The Mac and cheese wasn't overcooked and was nice and gooey and very cheesy and the fries got the wet treatment and I dipped those bad boys in my barbecue sauce concoction. I only wish I had room for dessert after,which I will try to have next time or at least take it with me to go.
Sandwiches, street tacos, meals and catering, this joint offers so many options and if the service is going to be as great as it was when I went,then you definitely can consider me a new customer and I'll come back on a later visit.
Love,peace and Feast(m0de) ..aloha until next time

Portillos

Man,does sure feel great to get my appetite back again. I've been sick for about a week,and after living on a liquid diet of Nyquil,water and soups,I needed to eat some real food for a change. So after doing a few errands, I had to grab some lunch and there's a place I've had my eye set on for a while now.
Portillos is one of those places that has a vintage but yet familiar atmosphere to it.  A Chicago based typed of diner/ eaterie that's decorated with old photos,bright neon lights and signs and serving up good food with great service.
Their menu has expanded a lot since they first opened,which now sells pastas, burgers,desserts,salads and of course hot dogs. I was interested and tried  a Italian beef sandwich, a nice portion of sliced  Italian Beef dipped again in natural gravy served on a French bread with sweet peppers and mozzarella cheese.
Definitely was as mouth watering as it sounds. As I finished up eating I just kicked back and enjoyed the environment all while listening to the music of the oldies that was playing throughout the place. If you love good food and looking for a new place to try,this place I definitely suggest you give it a try.
Well in a few days I'm heading again to California to see my family and besides good times,laughter and memories, well you know we'll find a few good places to dine at too.. So stay tuned for that, and aloha for now
Love, peace and feast(m0de)

Detroit Coney Grill

Yes!! Spring has arrived and with that the weather here in Phoenix is slowly getting warmer and I'll be spending my time outdoors as much as I can enjoying and soaking up some sun. Today the weather was really nice and I ended up spending my day off from work roaming around downtown and taking care of a few errands. Well, you know how it goes when I end up going on my little outings haha yup, my stomach started talking and I had to quiet the beast in my belly.
Here in Arizona, springtime also marks the time of the year where baseball spring training begins and next to baseball and apple pie, hot dogs and burgers is an all American staple.  Detroit Coney Grill can be found in the heart of downtown Phoenix and you can definitely get your burger and hot dog fix on here and then some.
Even though it was my first time here, the service of the staff, the portion of my meal and the flavor of the food itself was top notch. I ordered the coney burger combo: 2 fresh and handmade burger patties, with cheese, loose ground  beef,chili ,onions and some mustard and the icing on top was a butterflies coney dog. A fork is highly suggested and extra napkins are a must, or you could do what I did as I  used my fresh cut fries as a makeshift spoon and enjoyed this  creation in  all of it's messy glory.
I may grab me a few chili coney dogs next time around or even one of the various gyros and pitas they have there as well. They have daily specials as well as everyday combo specials and either way,their prices are very reasonable, then again, I normally don't put a price tag to a meal if overall my experience was very satisfying. Check it out for yourself and see what you think and met me know.
       Aloha for now..love,peace and feast(m0de)

La Casita Cafe

March 20,2016
I'm not a morning person ( then again who really is ? Lol) and I actually prefer and enjoy breakfast for a late dinner instead at the "normal" time, but seeing that I am on my way to work to pull a 12 hour shift, I guess I should fuel up on some food to get enough energy to start my day.
  Well they say that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day and luckily for me I know a place around the corner which is close to my home and job called La Casita Cafe,a little cafe similar to Starbucks, but with a twist and much friendlier service. So typically what you find at small cafés you can find here such as coffee, Latte's, Frappuccinos, pastries but they also sell breakfast items such as breakfast burritos, sandwiches, oatmeal and crêpes, which is what I ordered.
Crêpes are French syled thin like pancakes are usually stuffed with fruits or cream cheese,which mine had plus a little bit of peanut butter and topped with bananas, strawberries, pecans and nutella.  The fruits were fresh and although my crêpes looks more like a dessert, it was a nice balance of sweetness and wasn't overbearing or sent me to a sugar rush.
I eventually will try out their panini sandwiches on a later visit. I have had their Frappé though,the last time was a caramel frappé. I did enjoy their mixed berries smoothie as well,definitely refreshing on a hot day. So if you're 
on the south side of phoenix and you're looking for a new spot to check out to get your caffeine fix on or you want to avoid the lines or people usually found at some places such as Starbucks, then this is a place I would recommend.
If you know of a place like this I should check out, drop me a message then.
Aloha for now!!
       Love,peace and feast(m0de)

Aloha Festival 2016

Aloha!!! This past weekend I attended the Aloha Festival once again at Tempe Beach park and it was just as amazing as last years event. Being away from Hawaii,my home sweet home, it's nice to have a bit of my paradise brought closer to me. The turnout seemed pretty good and with many entertainment around, a variety of vendors and of course the food court area,there was something for everyone.
  So let's talk about the food haha.. I know it's a festival of different Polynesian cultures and being part Hawaiian, there's more to our culture than just the traditional things,especially when it comes to food. I only can talk about what it's like being Hawaiian and growing up in Hawaii.  For example, one of the most popular thing to eat in Hawaii,which I was able to get at the Aloha Festival is poke ( pronounced po-kay). Cubes of raw ahi tuna mixed with soy sauce,green onions, Maui onions and  sea salt.  For lunch I had Korean kalbi short ribs and teriyaki chicken which of course came with white steamed rice and macaroni salad. Being that it was such a nice day out,to complete my day I had shave ice ( not shaved ice haha, it's just a Hawaii thing) with orange pineapple and lilikoi (passion fruit) syrup on top. Unlike snow cones,shave ice is ice that's shaved down to almost a fluffy and soft mound of ice instead of cubed or chunky ice, which literally just melts in your mouth with each bite.
I  am already looking forward to next year's event already. Luckily I know how to make most of my island favorites at home as well as I have a few spots I can hit up to get my island flavor fix on.
Aloha for stopping by and trust me ,there's more adventures I'll be going on in the up coming weeks so stay tuned..
Love,peace and feast ( m0de)

Sing high chop suey house

Sorry for not blogging in what seems like ages, I've had a crazy few weeks that had to be addressed first. Nonetheless, my adventures of being a foodie must press on haha. Oh, I definitely want to say thank you to desoto central market place for allowing me to use of their WiFi to finish up this very blog!! ( great little place to eat at too by the way, cheap plug )
As soon as you enter downtown Phoenix, tucked away in a little corner amid construction sites, court houses and high rises, is a chop suey house, which I've passed many times , that I decided to check out. The inside is definitely more appealing upon entering, with nice tables and chandeliers above. After reading the menu I've decided on indulging and getting my noodle soup fix on.
The menu has many options to choose from and consists of your typical Chinese food fare and the prices are very affordable. I could see the portions from the other tables near me so I know I definitely won't be leaving still hungry.
  I ordered a bowl of won ton mein noodle soup which consist of pork stuffed steamed won ton in a warm bowl of broth, rice noodles ,Chinese BBQ pork and green onions. Definitely filling and heavy on flavor all packed into a bowl.
Tomorrow I'll be back to post a new blog after attending the 2016 Aloha festival in Tempe beach park, so stay tuned for that.
Well I'm off to continue exploring around on my day off and maybe I'll discover new places I'll eventually end up eating at,so until then ,as always, love ,peace and feast( m0de)
              ALOHA \m/

US Fries

There is so many  favorite staples around the United States that are considered a must try, that skipping out on an unique eating  experience is almost down right a travesty haha. I'm serious, I have had the fortunate opportunity to taste some great food coast to coast. You got your luaus, spam musubis and plate lunches to name a few if you ever visit Hawaii, then you got your assortment of street taco spots scattered all throughout Los Angeles,ranging from traditional tacos to hybrids and fusions such Korean tacos and nachos with mouth watering Korean style beef and unique spices. I've had salt water taffy for the first time in New Jersey, Chili Frito pie in Oklahoma, fresh crawfish in Virginia, and one of my favorite pig out spots on the east coast,R U Hungry lunch truck located at Rutgers university in New Jersey which offers Fat Sandwiches stuffed with just about anything your heart desires.
Well, I can add a new entry into my endless list of must haves and pig out spots,located in the heart of Tempe,Arizona: US Fries!! What makes this spot unique is their main attraction called poutine,which is a Canadian-French dish that consist of crispy fries,smothered in gravy and cheese curds. Honestly,my knowledge of Canada is limited ,and I can sum up it all up with 5 words: hockey,Bret Hart, Wayne Gretzky, maple syrup and snow. I can officially add poutine into that list.
What US Fries did was add a bit of american flare to it while still keeping the  dish true to it's origin. There's at least a half dozen different variety's from traditional to the wild such as the one I ordered called pork 3 ways( BBQ pork,honey ham and crispy bacon) topped on top of a order of poutine!
There was a different flavor with each bite I took,with the gravy, smoked flavor of the meats and cheese curds all complementing each other well,it was definitely a party in my mouth haha and my belly did back flips.
There's something on the menu for everyone, yes including vegetarians as well. I also saw that  you can  also substitute fries for rice and that's what I may try the next time. I recommend not only this place  but  also this word of advice:if you're not a big eater or you're dining alone(as I was),then a small order will hit the spot good. For more of a bigger eater or a group of friends who want to share,the large will do that trick alright. Whatever you choose to do or even order,if this is your first time here, I can almost be certain that you may never  just settle with just plain old fries again.
Yes,it's that damn delicious! I promise you that.. Aloha until next time when my belly finds another place to eat at,Love, Peace and feast(m0de)

Rito's Mexican food

Aloha everyone, I sure hope your day is a good and blessed one. So yesterday, me and my family found a little hidden gem to eat at not too far from downtown Phoenix called Rito's mexican food, and judging by how packed they were, I figure not that many people can be wrong about this place. Rito's is one of those places that doesn't need a whole lot to attract business, while there menu isn't as big , their service and their quality of food does their speaking for them.
I ordered the red chili chimicanga , a hefty size burrito deep fried and covered with sour cream, guacamole and cheese, and loaded with chunks of red chili beef. The chili has a little kick, which to me enhanced it a bit more for flavor. The kids got the bean tostadas covered with cheese, and my brother ordered the red chili burrito. My sister in law ended up with beef tacos which she said was simple but delicious,simply tacos with no added fringe,just cheese,and meat and she was happy with it.
  I can definitely say I'll come back again to Rito's to eat  at on another time.  In the meantime, I'll be on the lookout for other places I have yet to discover.  Who knows where my belly will lead me to next but I am looking forward to it haha..
  As always,ALOOOOHHHAAA!
Love, peace and Feast(m0de) 🍴

 

New Garden Chinese Restaurant

First off, I wanted to wish everybody a happy new year! I hope it was a fun and safe one and may you continue to be blessed throughout the year. So, 2016 is here and there's much more to be discovered and devoured and I found a great place to eat at.
The phrase " Blink and you may miss out on something" definitely rings true for New Garden Chinese Restaurant. Placed on a corner near the beginning of downtown Phoenix, sits a hole in the wall establishment that I have passed by many times and until now, never once decided to check it out. By the suggestion of my brother,who has actually eaten here before, I knew from what he has told me about the portions especially, that I wasn't going to be disappointed.
Now, the exterior of this building may lack in presentation, and the inside may be quite simple and quaint,but what they lack in appeal, their food,the portions and their friendly service definitely will make you overlook those details.  I was especially impressed with their quick service and reasonable prices,and with that being said,I ordered the sweet and sour chicken with steamed rice ( $7.95 and more than enough for 2 or 3 people to share). To my surprise, I was also offered a free bowl of egg drop soup with won ton chips. Once my plate arrived,I thought they had made a mistake,that there was no way that massive plate of crispy batter and fried chicken pieces accompanied by a bowl of steamed rice, was all mine. Now, I'm not one to ever complain about getting a big portion of food at all,I was just surprised to say the least.
The sweet and sour chicken was battered Cantonese style ,crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the sweet and sour sauce on the side,just the right amount of tangy and sweet. I definitely got my money's worth and my belly was happy for sure. I ended up taking home the leftovers to devour later on. If this is an indication of good things to come,then I'll definitely be back  again and I'll make sure I have company with me.
The fortune in my fortune Cookie reads" Every exit is an entrance to new experiences" ,well stay tuned to see what 2016 may hold for me then.
And so my ongoing quest to find some amazing places to eat at will continue onward in this new year and I via to leave no plate untouched haha. Aloha!!!
Love, peace and feast(m0de)

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.