February Favorites 2023

2023 sure has been a wild year. I took on a seasonal part-time job (in addition to my full time day job) so I’ve been more occupied than usual to try new places; however, these were my favorites for this month and I hope you’ll check ’em out! Also, better late than never, am I right? lol

$ Boba drink (Taty’s)

$ Bargain

Boba Drink (Taty’s Speciality Coffee & Tea): I met up with a friend from out of town and Taty’s in Westminster, CA was a goof half-way point. The environment inside was very conducive to hanging out with friends, and/or working on a laptop with white noise. Boba drinks are roughly $4-$6 and there’s a range of fruity teas, lattes, and smoothie options. My go-to is Brown Sugar and their boba’s had the perfect texture. Read more here.

Octopus Fried Rice (Gaenali Bon Ha Korean Restaurant)

$$ Moderate

Hot Stone w/ Octopus, Vegetable & Spicy Sauce – Fried Rice (Gaenali Bon Ga Korean Restaurant): Read more here. I wouldn’t usually order fried rice at a restaurant, but this hole-in-the-wall mom n’ pop shop in Garden Grove, does a legit job and there are nice chunks of octopus in this one. This dish is $22 and definitely one I recommend to share. Read more here.

Bossom (Jong To Shul Lung Tang)

$$$ Splurge

Bossom (Jong Ro Shul Lung Tang): Garden Grove, CA has some amazing Korean food and the Bossom at Jong Ro Shul Lung Tang is no exception. If you want essentially yummy Korean tacos (Bossom) this is a good spot to enjoy ’em. For roughly $40 this is a great appetizer or meal. Full review here.

Until Next Time,

Irene

November Favorites 2022

Here are my November favorites!

$ Bargain

Kimbap (Sodam): If you’re looking for an inexpensive, light snack the Fishcake Kimbap at Sodam in Dublin, CA will fit the bill. A tray of the homemade rolls go for around $7.50. Read about my entire experience here.

$$ Moderate

Baked Catfish Springrolls (Nam Giao Restaurant): Everyone inside this Garden Grove, CA restaurant was Vietnamese so I figured this was a local favorite. My friend and I shared a Medium Catfish (which I think was $40ish), though we probably could have gotten away with a Small, carved the flesh and plopped it into our Vietnamese burrito. Read full review here.

Fried Fish & Clam Chowder (The Codfather): My favorite find during my last minute Vegas trip is The Codfather in Henderson, NV. I ordered the Haddock for $12.50 and it was probably the best fried fish I’ve ever had. The meat was so buttery and the fried exterior has a nice crisp taste to it. Chowder was awesome as well. Read all about it here.

$$$ Splurge

Mediterranean Food (Desert Moon Grill): If you want truly authentic Middle Eastern Food, Desert Moon Grill in Anaheim is some of socal’s best. I ordered a Mix plate which has a little bit of everything for $29.99 and it was devine. Read my full review here.

Blossam (Jangmo): If you want authentic and tasty Korean food, that’s not bbq and tofu, Jangmo in La Palma has some really great traditional comfort dishes. My favorite was the Blossam, which is pork belly and veggies. You eat them like a korean burrito. They’re meant to be an appetizer and shared, but I ate that as my meal lol. I think it’s around $30 for the plate. My full writeup is here.

Hotel (Madonna Inn): I’ve driven by the Madonna Inn sign several times on past roadtrips and decided to spend a night there to check it out. I picked the Wilhelm Tell Room, which has an apple motif and a rock waterfall shower (very very cool). It was $407.47 a night including all the fees. Read all about my experience here.

Smoked Tea Duck (Z & Y Restaurant): Located in SF Chinatown this Michielin recognized Szechuan restaurant has a fabulous duck that you have to try. The bird itself was $28.95 plus an extra $10 for the wrap and condiments. So worth it. See what other things I tried there as well here!

Strawberry Shortcake (Bakery 101): $55 for a 8 inch cake is on the high side for me, but if you’re looking for that not too sweet classy dessert to serve your Asian family and/or friends this will not disappoint. Located in Santa Ana (it’s very closer to South Coast Plaza actually), this Japanese French style bakery has some amazing cake! See my full writeup here.

Until Next Time,

Irene

Where to a Buy Magical Jar to Help Weight Loss, Bower Blood Pressure and More in Garden Grove, CA

It’s no secret that I love to eat, yet it can often be a challenge to find inexpensive healthy food without comprising taste. I’ve already devised a plan to increase my steps for 2019 (exercise post) and plan to cook more regularly to control the quality of ingredients that I’ll consume. One item that I plan to buy once a month is kimchi as it’s been linked with many health benefits.

Store Front

You can purchase kimchi at any Zion Market or H-Mart, but I found this local specialty shop called Seoul Do Soon Yi Kimchi Co (9972 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92844) that uses a homemade recipe. Open daily (Mon-Sat 9am-7pm; Sun 9am-6pm), this small mom n’ pop shop sells various styles of kimchi – napa, bok choy, cucumber, and radish in two sizes (Small $11 ; Large $16). I purchased a small half gallon bok choy.

Fridge of Large Napa Cabbage Kimchi Jars

You can eat the kimchi by itself or include it tofu soup or make kimchi fried rice. When I went home I sampled a small bowl-ful and it definitely has a kick to it! Much more flavorful than what you get at the grocery store. I also love supporting small businesses and plan to come back to grab a small napa cabbage kimchi. They ran out on my visit, but now that it’s on my radar I’ll definitely be back.

What kind of healthy food are you incorporating into your diet this year?

 

XOXO,

Rockstar