Teriyaki sauce recipe

So for those who have been following me since the beginning of my blog and food adventures that follow, are well aware of two things; that I'm Asian and that I have a passion for food ( whether I'm seeking new spots to pig out on or throwing down in the kitchen ). I'm going to teach you a very simple and basic recipe of mine that is versatile and can be used with just about any ingredient to create a tasty dish.
Teriyaki sauce is a major staple in most Asian cuisine and it doesn't matter if you're a meat eater or vegetarian or even just health conscience, it's uses are endless.  Tonight I used it to make teriyaki chicken, so here's the recipe :
( I'm just going to give the ingredients to make this.  All measurements are up to your discretion and how you eventually cook your dish is entirely up to you.  Grilling or lightly pan fry is usually the top choice but baking, broiling and steamed works just as well)
     Soy sauce
      Ginger
      Garlic
      Green onions (for garnish and flavor )
       Sugar

If used as a marinade, especially with meat, at least one hour is recommended .

The other thing I made for dinner, in case you were wondering is Japanese style curry with shrimp and vegetables. It's really another simple recipe. I bought the Golden curry sauce mix which you should be able to find at most Walmart's in the Asian section,local markets or if you're lucky, at most Asian markets near you. The procedure is simple,all you do is boil your vegetables in water first, which I used potatoes and carrots. Once the vegatables are soft to your liking (which should only take about 10 minutes or so),drain some of the water until it looks like you have at least 2 or 3 cups of water and just slowly mix in the curry which looks like a hard brick but it'll eventually melt away as you slowly mix it. Since I used shrimp, I just left it to slow simmer for about 5 minutes. If you ever decide to use beef, pork or chicken, it'll taste a bit better if you cook your choice of meat first instead of adding it in later ( almost as if you were making a stew or soup)
     

Blue Fin

I was raised to always try new things and experience the most out of life, whether it's food related, sights and views , or even the simplest things such as watching a sunset or sunrise. I'm a very down to earth person and I get satisfied easily (that's your perception on if that's a good or bad thing ) and so when it comes to eating especially, the establishment doesn't have to be fancy, a well known place or get a 5 star ratings but if it's highly recommended,  the portions  and price is reasonable or they have good service, then I'm open to check it out. 

Just a few blocks from downtown phoenix, on the corner sits a tiny hole in the wall establishment that I have seen before but have yet to stop in until today and I'm glad I did. Blue fin is a small place that specializes in teriyaki, seafood and Japanese entrees. I definitely have to check out their teriyaki chicken the next time I dine in, this time though I ordered the pork katsu ( tender pork cutlet breaded with Japanese Panko breadcrumbs  and mixed with steamed eggs and garnish )with a side of shrimp tempura all served with a plate of rice and fresh tossed salad with a ginger glazed dressing. I can say with all honesty, this tastes exactly like the way my grandma cooks it and in my opinion it was prepared and made really well. Of course I had to order dessert as well and so I picked up a small order of Mochi ice cream; green tea, strawberry and chocolate ice cream wrapped and rolled into Mochi flour.  The sweetness and coldness helped with cooling me off on this warm day. And if you need a place to take a breather after eating, cross the street and check out the Burton Barr library and head to the fifth floor and check out the downtown phoenix skyline. Hopefully your foodcoma doesn't kick in right away haha. Until next time, Feastm0de! 

Chinese cultural center

Living in Phoenix, Arizona is a lot more diverse than I imagined.  Although this state is predominantly Hispanics, like any major big city, if you take the time to explore it, you'll be amazed at what you will find.  So far, I've been to the aloha festival (celebrating the Polynesian culture ), the Japanese friendship garden, and the tamale festival ( Hispanic food fest as well as arts and crafts) just to name a few places and now, just a few blocks away from the Phoenix sky harbor airport, I checked out the Chinese cultural center.
       Surrounded by beautiful ponds filled with tadpoles, koi fish and turtles as well as memorials and amazing architect, lays the Chinese cultural center, A plaza filled with different stores,  restaurants, a market and places that specializes in Chinese and Asian cultures.   The last place I stopped at was the Super L ranch market for a late lunch.
   This is definitely one of the better Asian market I've been to,  finding everything I'm pretty accustomed to all in one store.  There's 2 places to eat in here,  a bakery for all your sweet tooth desires  and a lunch deli selling everything from plate lunches, to noodle soups and roasted meats such as duck and Chinese roast pork.  I ordered the shrimp won ton noodle soup and a side of shrimp fried rice . At least a half dozen of plump pork and shrimp stuffed won ton accompanied by a heaping of noodles, warm broth and won bok cabbage.  The fried rice with shrimp was pretty authentic to me  too and tasted like the fried rice I got back home in Hawaii and wasn't Americanized like most Chinese restaurants.  My belly agrees with me as well  haha . I'll definitely come back later and explore the Chinese cultural center again and do a bit more shopping and eating as well
    

Phoenix Public Market

So I've been told I have very restless feet and a bottomless pit appetite ( and as you can tell from my numerous blogs, that's not a bad assumption haha). Nonetheless, on most of my days off, I like turning my city into my own little playground, with so much to see,do and explore not to mention to consume, it's always an adventure to me.
  Today I hit up the lunch trucks parked in front of the Phoenix Public Market in downtown phoenix, and although I'm very familiar with lunch trucks ( it's pretty much a way of life growing up in Hawaii ),I have yet to try any until today.  With over half a dozen trucks to choose from,  ranging from pies to pizza pies and unlikely choices to go with in between, there was Alot of variety. The first truck I went to was Taste Rite!. Their specialty is po'boy sandwiches.  I try to try different things whenever I eat at a new place and at the moment I just wanted a snack to hold me for a bit.  One thing that sounded really good to me was the Rosemary garlic potato tots covered with pot roast gravy.
      The tots were freshly cooked to a perfect crisp and smothered in homemade pot roast gravy with vegetables and pieces of tender meat and fat and loaded with fresh Rosemary and garlic that complimented and completed this amazing side snack. Satay Hut was the next spot I checked out, which they specialized in Dutch Indonesia cuisine.  I went with an order of  satay babi pork loin and satay daging top round beef skewers (kabobs). Charred and grilled and made to order, I definitely enjoyed this.  With almost the taste of teriyaki but with it's own spin on it and a complimentary side of spicy peanut sauce, which gave it a little added kick, as well as the meat was tender and juicy and not dry at all, overall my experience was a good one.
  Before I headed home, I stopped at fractured prune donuts to get my sweet tooth fix on.  Oh my, they have flavors I have never seen nor tried and I was excited like a fat kid in a candy store haha.  I choose the banana cream pie ( banana glaze, powdered sugar and nilla wafers) and for the truly adventurous and fat kid in me, I also picked the bacon bomb( maple glaze, cinnamon sugar and bacon ). I'm definitely coming back to try some of the other unique flavors they got.
Tune in next time and continue  to follow my foodie adventures and maybe even go out and check out some of the places I have mentioned and let me know how your  experience was.. OK, peace!
           Feastm0de

Lenny's Burger Shop

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

Paradise Hawaiian BBQ

When you're a hardcore foodie, like I am, you tend to get crazy cravings and from the constant foodporn pics I see, to recipes I get sent to me throughout my social media sites, you can see why I'm constantly hungry haha..
   As of late, I've been wanting some fresh seafood and in particular, either mahi mahi or garlic shrimp, which isn't an easy task since I live in the desert and the nearest ocean is a bit far. Then I remembered a place I ate at a while  ago that I can get some great garlic shrimp.
Now,obviously I'm sure if I went to some place like red lobster I could get some garlic shrimp or seafood, but I'm not that big into fancy places nor do I want to spend more than I want to.  You see, growing up in Hawaii, I've grown accustomed to our laid back lifestyle, and including the food, which is usually a creation of a variety of ethnic recipes. Many times, up in the north shore side of Oahu, I would hit this place up called Giovanni's, which uses locally grown ingredients and they are world wide known for their amazing version of grilled sauteed garlic butter shrimp accompanied with a heap of white rice and mac salad. Melt in your mouth is the best description.
  So off to Tempe, Arizona I went with the family to hit up once again, Paradise Hawaiian BBQ. And yes, I ordered 2 different plates because I was hungry haha.  The garlic shrimp plate was fresh and perfect and just like the way I got it back in Hawaii. 8 plump shrimp drenched in amazing garlic butter sauce and cooked to perfection. The other plate I ordered was a 2 combo plate of chicken katsu ( chicken breaded with Japanese bread crumbs ) and grilled teriyaki beef, with my 2 scoop rice, mac salad and Kim chee on the side, I left there full, content and happy. Hmmm I wonder what I'll order there next time? Just about everything is delicious. I guess we will see. Well until next time, wherever my feet decide to take me, you can bet food will be involved haha... Feastm0de!

Cherry blossom noodles cafe

I'm usually out and about on my day off,  and with having the perfect weather today, a hint of warm with just the right amount of cool breeze, I sure didn't want to let a day like this pass by staying home.  As usual, my belly eventually started talking to me and it was time to eat.    I knew exactly where I was going to eat at since I was in the neighborhood.
    Along camelback road,  across from one of my favorite shops to pop in for a visit ( just blaze:your one stop shop for graffiti, smoking paraphernalia, tattoos and art gallery ) is cherry blossom noodles cafe.  A friend of mine recommended one of her favorite spots to eat at when she lived here in Phoenix and so we met up last year and I could easily see why.  Cherry blossom noodles cafe is not just your usual Asian dining spot.
Yes, they sell delicious Asian dishes ranging from udon and soba noodles ,to ramen noodles, Japanese Bento box lunches and of course sushi in many varieties ,but they also have fresh seafood dishes as well as Italian pasta dishes too,  so there is so much choices to fill anybody's craving.
   Today I went with a hearty bowl of Cha su ramen. In a big bowl of hearty broth, filled with ramen noodles, veggies and Chinese barbecue roast pork, and loaded with unreal flavors, I definitely got my fill on.  The only problem I have with cherry blossom noodles cafe is deciding what I'm going to order haha.  I haven't had a bad experience here yet and considering it's usually packed when I go there, and that my friend has probably been here at least a few other times, i do recommend others to check it out and hopefully their experience is a good one and that they leave with full bellies