Throwback Thursday Who remembers Shakas in Monterey Park? I miss the “Shaka Plate” with Teriyaki Beef, Sesame Chicken, Chinese Chicken Salad, a scoop of Mac Salad, a SPAM Musubi, and Rice for $11.50. A great variety of items all on one plate, very good. I was looking over the menu and I believe this was one of a very few items I’ve ordered here. I’ve been coming here for at least 10 years (if not longer) before they closed in 2017 (?). I’m sad that Shakas closed, but I still come to this location in Monterey Park as I’m glad that Bachan’s Take Out moved here last year from their old location in Rosemead. Although I miss Shakas, Bachan’s Take Out is much closer now for me. Win some, lose some… Happy Thursday #tbt

It’s a Somen Noodle Day! I wanted something light and saw this Somen Noodle pack from #SushiWithAttitude at Yama Seafood in San Gabriel. Served with a soy sesame sauce and topped with kamaboko (fish cake), diced ham, sesame seeds, and green onions. Somen is a thin wheat noodle that somewhat originated in China during the Tang dynasty (618 - 907). In Japan, it’s usually served cold and eaten with a soy sauce based dipping sauce. In South Korea, it’s served in hot and cold soups. It’s great on a warm day or for something lighter side. #somen #somennoodles

I’ll be moving on to another location sooner than I thought and didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to most of the crew when I got the official word this afternoon. When you lead a great crew, it’s hard to leave, even though we all knew it was only temporary. I feel like I’ve been traded (sports reference). But, it’s not the end of the world and we’ll all move forward. On my last day…I wanted Hakata-style Ramen for dinner, so I headed for Shin-Sen-Gumi in Rosemead. It’s been awhile since I’ve had Tonkotsu Ramen (pork broth) with thin noodles, green onions, and red ginger. It was a good dinner and now I wait for my new schedule for the week. #ramen #hakataramen #tonkotsuramen #shinsengumi

It’s Rolled Taco Tuesday! Does this look spec-taco-ular before I cover it in salsa? 5 Rolled Beef Tacos with Guacamole and Cheese from Benito’s Taco Shop in LA. When I worked down the street, we would walk here for lunch since there’s only street parking. But the last few visits, I’ve only stopped late nights when there’s parking. 😂 Happy Tuesday #taquitos #rolledtacos #tacos

It’s Sandwich Saturday! THIS is my current favorite sandwich! The Jerk Chicken Sandwich from Caribbean Gourmet in San Gabriel. A handmade Coco Bread roll filled with spicy, chopped Jerk Chicken and their signature Cabbage Slaw. Besides the Jerk Chicken, what makes this sandwich great is the bread. The bread is soft and buttery, also known as “butter flap” in Guyana. A balanced sandwich with a cabbage slaw and spicy jerk seasoning on the chicken. Both items complement each other, but the bread makes it awesome! This sandwich special happens every so often, so you need to follow @caribbeangourmet for the next time this special is on the menu. Be aware, they sell out, not as fast as #TaylorSwift tickets, but it happens. #sandwichsaturday #jerkchickensandwich

FINALLY, it’s Friday! AND a Pork Belly Dinner! From Manduyo in San Gabriel, Pork Belly & Rice Cake served over Steamed Rice and House Salad, topped with Pickled Radish. 👍 The Pork Belly was a great ending to the week, THAT and I have tomorrow off… #porkbellyplate #porkbelly

It’s National Brisket Day! The BEST Brisket, IMO Hands Down, is from Franklin Barbecue in Austin. The Brisket was AMAZING on both of my visits to Franklin Barbecue. Yes, the line is long and you need to get there early, especially on the weekends. We brought chairs and breakfast, so the wait wasn’t too bad. This reminds me that I need to plan another trip to Austin for BBQ… . Happy Brisket Day! #brisket #bbq #foodcalendar

The Best Oxtails in Town… They’re tender, flavorful, with a slight kick to make it interesting. Served with Rice, Cabbage, and Fried Plantains from Caribbean Gourmet in San Gabriel. It’s Delicious, with a capital D! Picked this up from Caribbean Gourmet for a late dinner and leftovers for lunch on Monday, as they’re closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. “The most essential part of my day is a proper dinner.” ~ Rachael Ray #oxtailstew #oxtail #caribbean

After 15 years in Rosemead… Today is the last day of Rose City Pizza at this location. Besides their creative pizza menu, I also enjoyed their Meat Lasagna & Grilled Cheese Lasagna. Before the pandemic, I was mainly a pizza and pizza fries customer. During and after the pandemic, I ordered the Meat Lasagna and Grilled Cheese Lasagna and has been my favorite since. I am sad that this location is closing, but as a person in the food industry, I understand the ever rising costs for food, labor, and one of the highest fixed costs, rent. Thank you #RoseCityPizza for the great food & service over the many years I visited (maybe 12 years, if memory serves me correct) and I wish the crew the very best in the future. I’ll visit the Covina location when I’m in the area. #restaurantclosure #meatlasagna #grilledcheeselasagna

Salmon Patty (In a flaky baked dough) from Caribbean Gourmet in San Gabriel. A Saturday special that was very good. Other flavors they have on a regular basis: Jamaican-Style Beef Patty Chicken Patty Turkey Patty Veggie Patty #patty #jamaicanpatty #caribbean

It’s Sandwich Saturday! Roast Beef Dip with Au Jus late night at The Hat in Alhambra. With an order of small fries too… Now, THAT’s a late night sandwich #sandwichsaturday #sandwich #roastbeefdip

Grandma McFlurry… NEW from @mcdonalds Today! (I had no idea, I just wanted a Hot Fudge Sundae) Not exactly sure of the flavor, it tastes like an old time candy, something grandma would have in her purse. It was like a creamy butterscotch flavor AND had some candy pieces in it too, like those old skool frosting dot candies on paper (I’m not sure what they’re called, I’m not that old). Because I wanted a hot fudge sundae, I added hot fudge to it, forgive me grandma for changing your McFlurry. I’d order this again, maybe with some crushed chocolate chip cookies in it and hot fudge again… #grandmamcflurry #mcflurry #limitedtime

It’s Taco Tuesday! A co-manager brings me lunch and then asks to trade shifts? She had me at, “I brought you a taco and enchilada lunch…” A Cheese Enchilada and Beef Taco Plate for lunch AND a change in my next week’s work schedule. Happy Tuesday #tacotuesday #tacos

“You’re sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn’t for you” (cause I’m eating dinner and watching baseball!) ~ Ogden Nash Picked up my Teriyaki Beef Plate (Medium Size) at Bachan’s Take Out in Monterey Park after work on Saturday. Served with 2 scoops of Rice and Mac Salad, it reminds me of summers spent in Hawai’i and my grandma’s cooking. My grandparents owned a lunch counter inside a local pharmacy in Honolulu. Before the days of CVS and Rite-Aid on every corner, there were small independent pharmacies around town, some with a lunch counter or soda fountain inside of them, the Old Skool ones anyway. When I got home, I caught the end of the Dodger game, it was a shutout as they beat the Cincinnati Reds. It was a good night! #teriyakibeef #platelunch #teribeefplate

It’s Sandwich Saturday! One of my favorites… Sopressata Sandwich from Bodega Park in Silver Lake. With molinari sopressata, sharp fontina, artichoke, arugula, red onion, mayo, aged balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper. “Too few people understand a really good sandwich.” ~ James Beard #sandwichsaturday #sopressata

Pep Pep Pizza: With Tomato Sauce, Shredded Mozzarella, Spanish Pork Chorizo, Pickled Jalapenos, and Wild Honey. Sauteed Brussels Sprouts: Sauteéd brussels sprouts with romesco, pickled currants, and toasted hazelnuts. #pizza #brusslessprouts #atwatervillage

Birthday Celebration Continues… It’s nothing new for me to work on my birthday. Considering I wasn’t feeling well on my birthday, I missed my first scheduled work day in over 5 years. But feeling much better now, I was able to go out for a special lunch. I thank everyone for the phone calls, text messages, and a FaceTime call (under a false pretense) for a rendition of HB from the new crew at work. It was all very much appreciated… Unbeknownst to me, the restaurant and my friend, @kristiehang, set-up a personalized empanada for me and I thank them for the unexpected surprise. Ground Beef & Cheese Empanada from Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine n Pasadena. Besides being a large empanada, I was told, it’s also Gluten-Free too. The ground beef is a popular empanada filling and was delicious with their house-made garlic sauce. It was a very nice birthday surprise and yes, I’m feeling much better. #chamo #venezuelan #empanada

On Mother’s Day… There’s only ONE sandwich for this day. The Godmother from Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica. This Signature Sandwich is made with Prosciutto, Ham, Capi Cola, Mortadella, Genoa Salami and Provolone Cheese on an Italian Filone Roll – best with the works, I went with the mild peppers. The Godmother knows, right??? Now, I need to call my mom to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day! #thegodmother #mothersday

It’s Sandwich Saturday! Arepas Reina from Chamo Venezuelan in Pasadena. Avocado chicken salad with onion, cilantro and mayo, served in a cornmeal cake (Arepas). I loved this Arepas, the creamy Avocado chicken salad, and the warm cornmeal cake 👍 It’s like a sandwich… #sandwichsaturday #arepas #venezuelan

When you work late… You’re on the way home and realize it’s Cinco de Mayo and not much open to choose from. You get to The Hat just as they’re closing, but they were able to make a Chili Tamale for you. It was the best Chili Tamale after 1 am. #latenight #lateeats #chilitamale

It’s Sandwich Saturday! Another small town sandwich from Mount Airy, NC, I want to try one of these days… A Ground-Steak Sandwich, it’s similar to a sloppy Joe without the tomato sauce, the seasoning is pepper based. Served with Cole Slaw and Tomato on a Toasted Bun. 📸: boundedbybuns

I was congratulated on getting old… It’s the thought that counts, right? J/K, I was congratulated on a promotion AND we had an ice cream cake! It wasn’t the Whale Cake from Carvel…speaking of Carvel, many of the cake molds do double duty, prompting Billy Crystal to once joke, “For Father’s Day, get Dad a TIE cake! It’s the same mold as our whale cake.” This morning, I went to CVS to get some allergy tablets and I was asked to see my ID. The cashier didn’t even look at it and asked, “You’re over 18, right?” My reply, “Waaaaay over 18!” I was wondering if she would notice today was my birthday and if she would say anything, but she didn’t even look… #birthdaycake #icecreamcake #birthday

It’s National Prime Rib Day! Happiness is best served slow roasted and sauced… Prime rib is also known as a standing rib roast. Happy National Prime Rib Day or should I say, National Standing Rib Roast Day? My favorite #Foodcalendar day of the year! #nationalprimeribday #primerib #primeribday #standingribroast

It’s Fish Friday! The famous fish quote: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man where to get good Jerk Salmon and he’ll order it every Friday... (or something like that) Jerk Salmon Plate The Friday special from Caribbean Gourmet in San Gabriel. Salmon with jerk spice served over Rice & Peas with Cabbage and Fried Plantains. It’s been awhile since I’ve had the Jerk Salmon, but so good with a few drops of their house-made Pepper Sauce. Happy Friday! #jerksalmon #caribbeangourmet

For those with little faith… The Pineapple Tarts Made It Home! BUT, the Currant Roll didn’t make it home. They heated it up for me, knowing it would be eaten on the ride home, it didn’t even make it to the end of the block. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Pineapple Tarts (and Currant Roll) from @caribbeangourmet in San Gabriel. While everyone (myself included) loving the Oxtail Stew, Jerk Chicken, and Chicken Curry plates, don’t forget about the patties and pastries here, they’re the real hidden gem. Now back to regular programming… #pineappletart #currantroll #caribbeangourmet