Today is National Pizza Day! Chile Relleno Pizza from Pablito’s Tacos at 5600 Vineland Ave Parking Lot in North Hollywood after 5 pm. #chilerellenopizza #chilerelleno

Today is National Bagel and Lox Day! It helps to have a high end caviar to make Bagel and Lox Day even better. #nationalbagelandloxday #bagelandlox

Today is National Potato Lover’s Day! I always crave a baked potato for dinner, just a baked potato. A baked potato with smoked brisket, sour cream, cheese, and micro greens before covered in salsa. #bakedpotato #nationalpotatoloversday

Celebrating Lunar New Year, Guyanese-Style! Guyanese Chicken Chow Mein, served ONLY on February 10th at Caribbean Gourmet in San Gabriel. With Carrots, Long Beans, Corn, Red Bell Peppers, and Green Onions over a Yakisoba Noodle (wheat flour) and topped with a flavorful chicken, my kind of dish! It had a hint of spice to make it interesting and something I enjoyed. Especially with a Ting Grapefruit (Jamaican soda), making me feel taken away to the Caribbean, for lunch anyway… A word to the wise, Caribbean Gourmet sells out of their Saturday specials, sometimes early, they begin serving their specials at Noon. They have a great lineup of February specials this month to commemorate Black History Month, follow on IG at @caribbeangourmet. Why does Guyana celebrate Lunar New Year? Back in the 1800’s, people from China started arriving in British Guiana to fill the labor shortage on the sugar plantations. They brought their food, culture, and celebrations like Lunar New Year. It’s the Year of the Dragon! #caribbeangourmet #chickenchowmein #lunarnewyear

Today is National Chopsticks Day! Which means an excuse to eat Ramen on a crazy rainy day 🌧️ ☔️ Shoyu Ramen from Santouka Ramen in WLA. #nationalchopsticksday #ramen #santoukaramen

Today is World Nutella Day! Nutella Ponchik from Art’s Bakery in Glendale. These are filled with Nutella and are amazing! A Ponchik is a popular fried dough pastry that originated in Armenia. The pastry is made from a simple dough, which is then shaped into small balls and deep-fried until golden brown. Who doesn’t like fried dough? If you aren’t a Nutella fan, Art’s Bakery has Ponchiks in other fruit flavors too. A sweet way to chase away the Monday blues… Everyone stay safe during this crazy wet weather! #nutelladay #ponchik #nutellaponchik

Celebrating Lunar New Year, Guyanese-Style! Today’s Special: Chinese Black Eye Bean Cake from Caribbean Gourmet in San Gabriel. It’s good, not too sweet and something I enjoyed with the Guyanese Chicken Chow Mein. Why celebrate Lunar New Year in Guyana? Back in 1853, the Chinese started arriving in British Guiana to fill the labor shortage on the sugar plantations. They brought their food and culture, including the Lunar New Year celebration. This special cake is available today and next Saturday on Lunar New Year. #lunarnewyear #guyanesefood #chineseblackeyebeancake #blackeyebeancake #caribbeangourmet

Today is National Tater Tot Day! I watched the viral TikTok “Crack Chicken Casserole” topped with Tater Tots today and it looks good, comfort food anyway. Check it out: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT87Rd5ux/ #tatertots #nationaltatertotday #foodcalendar #foodholiday

It’s Fry-Day! FB reminded me of these carne asada taquitos that are dipped in salsa after coming out of the fryer. It had a nice kick with the guacamole, not needing additional salsa. I do remember they were good and I think I even ordered another one. It’s been 10 years, so I looked up this restaurant because I totally forgot about it, which it was still in business. But, the recent reviews are pretty bad and the food pics in the last 11 months are either burnt or the customers just trashed it after a bite or two. It’s sad when there’s no care taken and the business suffers. I don’t know why this restaurant is going downhill, but it’s sad to hear. The next time I make taquitos, I’ll have to remember to try this and dip in salsa first. Happy Fry-Day! #taquitos #taquitosdippedinsalsa

Today is National Corn Chip Day! In 1955, not long after Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, the Frito-Lay snack company opened “Casa de Fritos,” a Mexican-style restaurant in Disneyland’s Frontierland. Casa de Fritos got its tortillas from Alex Foods, a local tortilla factory. One day, a salesman from Alex Foods noticed that Casa de Fritos was dumping stale tortillas in the trash. He gave the kitchen a tip: instead of trashing the stale tortillas, cut them up and fry them. Some time later, Archibald Clark West, a marketing executive for Frito-Lay, stops by Casa de Fritos and encounters the repurposed snack. He falls in love with them, contracts Alex Foods to produce them, and in 1964 the Dorito is born. By 1966, Doritos rolled out nationally, and our Pavlovian love affair with cheese powder was born. By that time, Alex Foods was out of the game, and Doritos became a Frito-Lay production. And today we enjoy Doritos and my favorite way to eat them… #doritos #fritolay #nationalcornchipday #disneylandhistory

It’s Sandwich Saturday! Another one of my favorites… Jambon Beurre from @clarkstreetbread in Echo Park. With Paris ham, comté cheese, French mustard, butter and cornichon on French baguette. It’s the quality butter, French mustard, and cut up cornichon in the baguette that makes this ham and cheese sandwich one of my favorites. So simple, but so good! How come ham & cheese sandwiches in school were NEVER this good, maybe if I went to school in France it would’ve been different. Happy Saturday! #sandwichsaturday #jamonbeurre

Celebrating Australia Day at Outback Steakhouse, THAT and celebrating my new job. Some might say, I thought you had a new job to begin on January 3rd? Well, I did too! But you’d have to go over to my IG to understand what happened. I didn’t know the reason for Australia Day and looked it up… Australia Day, held on January 26th, commemorates the arrival of the British fleet in Sydney harbour in 1788. The day is celebrated with lots of Free activities in Sydney from before sunrise to fireworks at night. I think this might be a time of year to visit Sydney in the future. #australiaday #outbacksteakhouse #steak #bakedpotato

Today is National Pie Day! How many times have we heard, Keep Your Forks, We Have Pie! One of my favorite special pies at @thepieholela in Pasadena, a slice of Blackberry Panna Cotta. I forgot when The Pie Hole served this special pie, but it was so good! My other favorite pies are: Boysenberry Cream Pie at @applepan Chocolate and Ricotta Pie at @pasta_sisters Key Lime Pie at really anywhere. Boysenberry Pie at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner (@knottsberryfarm) @drinktenzo Matcha Pie at @pieholela A slice of Apple Pie in Jamaica is $2. It is $2.50 in the Bahamas. These are the pie rates of the Caribbean. #nationalpieday #pie #pieday

Yes, I Had Curry for Dinner… My friends are probably saying, “WHAT???” Growing up, Curry just wasn’t my thing. My mom would occasionally ask me if I was going to be home for dinner, working or school? If I’d tell her that I wasn’t and she’d say they’ll have curry stew that night then. I would always get asked, “Do you not like Japanese or Indian curry? Because they’re different.” Just to be clear, I didn’t like ANY Curry. Don’t get me wrong, if a dish had curry in it as a seasoning, I would try it and some were better than others. You would never hear me suggest going to Curry House or ordering curry stew. On Sunday night, I ordered a Chicken Curry Plate from @caribbeangourmet in San Gabriel. Served with Rice + Peas, I asked for substitution of vegetables instead of chickpeas. When I got home, I ate half while it was still warm, but I also had some leftover Gumbo and it’s always better the next day anyway. Tonight, I finished off the Chicken Curry and it was so good on a rainy evening. Besides, Caribbean Gourmet is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. One of the reasons I ordered Chicken Curry from Caribbean Gourmet, Chef Yonette cooks amazing dishes the same way with a variety of seasonings. So her Chicken Curry is flavorful and so is her Rice too. If I grew up in a Guyanese household, this would be very comforting to me. Since I grew up in an Asian American household, this is very comforting to me. #chickencurry #curry

You Know It’s Sunday… Cause Pizzanista is serving its MACARONI & CHEESE PIZZA only available on Sundays, meaning TODAY! Their speciality mac n’ cheese pizza with house-made mac & cheddar, fontina, and asiago cheese; available regular or vegan. get it by the slice or whole pie! Available at their Arts District location in DTLA and fairly new San Marino location (new to me anyway). Mac & Cheese AND Pizza, two favorites I’ve enjoyed together at Pizzanista for about 7 years now. Since I work most Sundays, I don’t get to over there often enough. But when I do, this is one slice I order. Happy Sunday! #macandcheesepizza #sundayspecial

“When the going gets tough, the tough get tacos” ~ unknown Puffy Tacos from Arturo’s Puffy Taco in Whittier. What’s a Puffy Taco??? In a nutshell, the tortilla is made with fresh masa which is formed and fried, puffing up during frying. Served with lettuce, cheese, and house salsa on a puffy tortilla, I opted for carne asada. I’ve been coming here for over 20 years, a co-worker told me about it. He said it’s a family run business, the puffy tacos originated in San Antonio, and I should try them. About a month later, he told me that I should go very soon as Food TV (?) was recently there and would probably get crowded very soon. I went that next Saturday (closed on Sundays) and everyone seemed to be regulars, as I was the only one looking at the menu. They were great tacos, loved the puffy tortillas with a very slight chew or puffiness. During the times I’ve visited, I’ve only ordered puffy tacos and occasionally taquitos. So, I’m not the one to ask what else should I order? I’m able to go during the week and have avoided the lines, especially after appearing on TV. So, if you’re in Whittier and it isn’t a Sunday, check it out. Happy Taco Tuesday! #tacotuesday #puffytaco

“Chocolate Chip Cookies is like Duct Tape, It Fixes Everything” ~ unknown Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie at @costco. YES, the chocolate chunk cookie that replaced the popular Costco churro. Just as advertised, served warm, all butter, with Bittersweer & Semi Sweet Chocolate. It’s a cookie right out of the oven, at least it warm. With all butter, the cookie is very soft. After I took my first bite, it broke (actually folded). For me, it’s not overly sweet, probably due to the bittersweet & semi sweet chocolate used. There’s a lot of chocolate and for some it may be a bit sweet. Not a bad deal for $2.49. I think elsewhere, this might be an $8 cookie. What do you think? Not sure how long before I start missing the churro, I didn’t order it that often but knew it was always there. But, when something is gone, we tend to miss it more, right??? I did like the cookie and will order it from time to time. It reminded me of my college days working at Nordstrom. We knew two workers at Mrs Fields who would serve us cookies right out of the oven. We got one of them a job working at Nordstrom and the other moved away for school or work, I can’t exactly remember, I may need a cookie… #costco #costcocookie #chocolatechipcookie

If you didn’t know about THIS sandwich, NOW YOU DO! The Jerk Chicken Sandwich (an every so often special) from Chef Yonette at Caribbean Gourmet in San Gabriel. One of my favorite sandwiches served with Jerk Chicken and a Slaw on housemade Coco Bread. What I love about this sandwich, the chicken has enough of a kick to score a field goal on a playoff Saturday, the slaw is a nice balance with texture, and how can you not love housemade bread? They also serve a Portobello Mushroom one too. BUT, they sellout pretty early if you’re not in line by noon on these special Saturdays. Follow @caribbeangourmet’s IG Stories on Fridays to see the next time they serve this sandwich. It’s So Good! *If you’ve follow my IG stories, It Did Not Make It Home! Happy Sandwich Saturday! #jerkchickensandwich #jerkchicken #cocobread #sandwichsaturday

It’s Sandwich Saturday! Since I didn’t visit Northern Cal this holiday season, I missed out on one of my favorite all-time sandwiches. Porchetta Sandwich from the Roli Roti truck on Saturdays and Thursdays at the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmers Market. Roli Roti’s most famous dish. Thin slices of juicy crispy porchetta on an porchetta drippings-soaked Acme bun with arugula, housemade onion marmalade and rosemary sea salt. While you’re there, get some of the roasted organic fingerling potatoes covered in pork and chicken drippings topped with housemade rosemary sea salt. I usually get a large and share with my mom. #sandwichsaturday #roliroti #porchettasandwich #porchetta

Matzo Ball Soup Togo from Canter’s on Fairfax. With chicken, carrots, and noodles. #matzoballsoup

It’s Not Easy Eating Green… OR is it, it’s not easy being green? Regardless, it’s Taco Tuesday! Carnitas & Al Pastor Tacos from the blue taco truck on Vermont Ave in LA. In case my mom asks if I’ve been eating my greens… #tacotuesday #tacotruck #tacos

Today is National Spaghetti Day! As a kid, this would’ve been my favorite day until I had Prime Rib… “Friends are like spaghetti, they should stick together. The only way to have a friend is to be one.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson #nationalspaghettiday #spaghetti #foodcalendar

I'm shell-ebrating the 1st Taco Tuesday of 2024 in full tortilla fashion! Rolled Chicken Tacos from Bachan’s Takeout in Monterey Park. 3 Chicken Taquitos with Guacamole and Cheese. Today was a good day, looking forward to the next 363 days this year, as I’m not looking forward to Leap Day on February 29th. Happy New Year! #tacotuesday #rolledtacos #tacos #taquitos

Latte first, adulting second. But this morning, I needed a solid kick start before my interview. Beetlicious & Horchata Latte from Old Town Caffe in Pasadena. The Beetlicious comes with Beet powder sweetened with vanilla syrup. Love the color! The Horchata Latte was delicious, not too sweet and just right. 👍 A latte a day keeps the grumpy away. #latte #horchatalatte

“The way you cut your meat reflects the way you live.” ~ Confucius #tbt When they brought this to the table, all I could say was ”Damn!” (But…in Korean) BBQ Combo Platter at Ten-Raku in KTown. “The best barbecue you’ve ever tasted is the best barbecue you’ve ever tasted.” ~ Neil Perry #koreanbbq #tenraku