It was a Twofer… Years ago, I was a frequent customer of Sushi Nozawa in Studio City, the predecessor of Sugarfish by Nozawa. One of the courses I always looked forward to was the Bliue Crab Handroll. Last night, I had the “DON’T THINK. JUST EAT. TRUST ME” set at @sugarfishbynozawa in Pasadena. The menu most similar to what Nozawa served his regulars at Studio City’s Sushi Nozawa. Typically includes a sashimi course, seven orders of nigiri and two hand rolls, including my favorite Blue Crab handroll, which I ordered a second one too. For me, it’s close, but not the same Sushi Nozawa experience. As I miss seeing Nozawa san and Yumiko san when I visited. During their last month, February 2012, I went 3 times with different friends who wanted to go with me. Back then, it was fun, either coming in or leaving and seeing people I know (or celebrities) waiting to have the “Trust Me” course. So, Tuesday’s Twofer was delicious, but more of a memory. #bluecrabhandroll #sushihandroll

It’s Taco Tuesday! On the way home, there wasn’t a line, So it’s Tacos for Dinner! (I’m Two for Two on short lines) Al Pastor and Carnitas Tacos from the Los California Tacos truck in Pasadena. (at the same spot since 1979) I’ve been coming here for years (too many to count) and they know me, I just tell them how many I want and they set-up a plate the way I like it. One time, I said Hi and “6”, I then moved to the right side to pay. I overheard the couple behind me trying to figure out if I had ordered or not? “I don’t think he ordered yet”, one said, they were so confused. I smiled as I got my tacos and they were still stunned. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Tacos are not just food, they’re a lifestyle… Tacos Forever #tacotursday #tacotruck

It’s probably been more than 6 months since I’ve been to an @innout… Tonight, driving by at 6 pm and only seeing 6 cars in line, it’s was a Double-Double Night in Alhambra! I usually stop when the drive-thru line is short AND my lunch or dinner plans change at a moment’s notice. I guess that’s what you do on Meat Monday, right? Oh, it’s Meat-less Monday, never mind. #doubledouble

Easy Like Sunday Morning… One of My Top 3 Breakfast Burritos. Steak Burrito from Wake and Late in Pasadena. With grass-fed carne asada, pasture raised eggs, organic avocado, tater tots, and cheddar cheese with TWO cilantro crema sauces. I usually go with their Bacon breakfast burrito, but today wanted to try their Steak burrito. 👍👍 Happy Sunday! #breakfastburrito

Maybe you can… I’ve been wondering if I can just have a baked potato for dinner??? Well, tonight’s contender might have something to say about it. A Baked Potato with Everything at the South Pasadena Farmers Market. Loaded with Butter, Sour Cream, Salsa, Cheese, and chopped Green Onions. OK, I did stop off at Costco to get a Tri-Tip tonight, but this potato ain’t waiting for the Beef to be grilled to perfection… Happy Thursday! #bakedpotato #farmersmarket

Minecraft Wednesday! A Minecraft Movie Meal with a Big Mac at McDonalds with a Birdie Wings figurine. If you didn’t know… Birdie the Early Bird was McDonald’s first ever female mascot, and she was introduced to promote breakfasts back in 1980. I might go back, as I wanted the Zombie Hamburglar. #happymeal

Oh, April Fools’ Day I thought it was April Food Day! So, I didn’t cook today… Cheese Enchilada Plate at Pepe’s Finest Mexican Food in Alhambra. Served with Rice, Beans, and Guacamole. #cheseenchiladas

On the last day of National Noodle Month… Sweet Beef Udon at today’s opening of Marugame Udon at their new San Gabriel location. Sweet and savory beef with onions over freshly made udon noodles and topped with green onions and tempura bits. It took awhile, but it’s was their first day. National Noodle Month will continue in my mind anyway… 😂 #udon

It’s Sandwich Saturday! And I’ve decided, it’s my FAVORITE sandwich. Jerk Chicken and Slaw on house-made Coco Bread from Caribbean Gourmet in San Gabriel. The Coco Bread is soft and buttery, also known as “butter flap” in Guyana. I could eat this bread on its own and would be happy, but add Jerk Chicken and a slaw, it’s so good! Chef Yonette doesn’t makes this sandwich often, it’s an every so often Saturday special. Run and get it, as she ALWAYS sells out! YES, it’s THAT GOOD!!! I can’t wait until the next time! #jerkchickensandwich #sandwichsaturday #cocobread

It’s Time For Dodger Baseball! Watching the Dodgers receive their 2024 World Championship rings with Chicken Taquitos from Bachan’s Take Out in Monterey Park. After seeing these amazing rings from Jostens, I’m a bit jealous, as my Jostens’ high school ring doesn’t come anything close… 😂 Go @dodgers!

Super Bowl??? OR Guyanese Shrimp Chow Mein, this weekend’s Lunar New Year Special 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 flavorful shrimp, my kind of dish! Don’t forget to add a dash of their pepper sauce, it has a kick like a 40 yard field goal. Why do they celebrate Lunar New Year in Guyana? Back in the 1800’s, people from China started arriving in British Guiana, now known as the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, 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 Snake (or Shrimp for this dish). #shrimpchowmein #lunarnewyear

This is My Super Bowl! I’m working tomorrow, but I should be heading home by halftime, I thought I’d celebrate today instead. Angus Stewed Beef Noodle at Luscious Dumplings in Monrovia. It’s been a long time since I’ve had this, it was good, but not exactly the same. The noodles are different and you get less, but the baby bok choy and pickled vegetables are still the same. Added some chili oil and it was a good lunch. #beefnoodle

If you give me steak, then you have my attention. A friend saw my post when I stopped at Sizzler for lunch wanting a baked potato. He sent me a DM to invite me to dinner with his family on one of their Sizzler nights. He knows I work the late shift and eats by myself after work, no one wants to eat with me at 4 am… It was during the fires and I wanted something comforting to eat (a baked potato) as I watched all of the destruction on TV and social media, but more importantly, hearing all of the heartbreaking stories from customers. BUT, you can’t JUST eat a baked potato or can you? Not wanting to take the chance, I ordered a steak. “I like porterhouse steak, rib-eyes and New York strip…” ~ Sharon Stone My friend called to see if I was free tonight (it wasn’t Sharon Stone), as they were celebrating a school achievement for one of their kids and asked me to join them for a Sizzler dinner. The kids ordered the salad bar, which they showed me the spaghetti and meatballs, while I showed them the taco bar (but no chips for nachos in sight). My New York Strip arrived and it was delicious and the baked potato was great, just wished it was larger. We all ended dinner at the soft serve ice cream bar and I topped my dessert with mini chocolate chips too. Enjoying life’s sizzles…

It was a soup night…with noodles. I wasn’t feeling well yesterday and all I wanted for dinner was soup. But, I got off of work later than expected and the places I was thinking about were about to close for the night. BUT, my friends at Shin Sen Gumi - Hakata Ramen in Rosemead is open until 11 pm, SCORE! Besides the tonkotsu (pork) broth, I love the thin noodles, red ginger, and green onions. A slight drizzle on the way home. Yep, it’s a soup night…with noodles. #hakataramen

After a 10+ hour work day… Up before the sun this morning and being the opening manager with a crew member call out and one who showed up 30+ minutes late. How we got open in time this morning, I’ll never know… But, it was my crew who told me that they got this…. AND they did! Somehow on a Tuesday during lunch, we were really busy and got most of the prep work completed. I later found out that the afternoon manager called out and I was asked to stay another 2 hours? I couldn’t leave the other manager alone on a busy day, of course I’ll stay! I ended up staying another additional 45 minutes while the other manager took a lunch break and I updated the dinner manager, who came in early. Now, instead of leaving at 2 pm, I’m leaving just before 5 pm. After seeing someone’s post on the best fried chicken, I wanted fried chicken now, but we were talking about pizza at work. Hmm, since I couldn’t decide and I just wanted to go home… That’s how I ended up with Fried Chicken, Mojo Potatoes, and a one topping pizza for dinner and leftovers for tomorrow. The PCM at Shakey’s Pizza in Los Angeles. (Pizza Chicken Mojo) So, enjoying dinner while watch basketball on TV, I was happy to know that my crew has my back and didn’t let me down. #pizza #friedchicken #mojopotatoes

Last week, I wanted a baked potato after a late night shift. But, where can you get one at 4 am? (After hearing many homes were lost due to the 🔥, I wanted something comforting…) Today, I was driving by a Sizzler and thought, NOW I can get my baked potato! But, can you JUST have a baked potato??? I think not. So, I ordered a New York Strip Steak. How do I like my steak? Like winning arguments in real life. Rare! The cheese toast got a lot thinner than the last time I was at a Sizzler, probably over 20 years ago. But, still the same, good. The soft serve dessert was a nice added bonus too. Enjoying life’s sizzles. #steak #bakedpotato

I Can’t Believe I Ate The Whole Enchilada. OK, I can and I did… “…another of the so-called big enchiladas or if not an enchilada at least a huge taco.” ~ Dan Rather On Martin Luther King Jr Day, I’m enjoying the #4 Enchilada Plate with Red Sauce at El Tepeyac Cafe in Boyle Heights. I had to get my huge Beef Taco togo with lots of cheese. My fingers are crossed that the upcoming Santa Ana winds will be very mild this week, as LA needs a break from the 🔥🔥🔥. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope” ~ Martin Luther King Jr Meaning: We must emphasize the importance of maintaining hope even when faced with disappointment… #enchiladas #taco

It’s Sandwich Saturday! Although they have the best pastrami sandwich in the world, just ask them, I pretty much order the Roast Beef Sandwich. Roast Beef Sandwich with Au Jus from The Hat in Alhambra. I add my Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard and away I go! “Mustard’s no good without roast beef.” ~ Leonard Marx Happy Saturday #roastbeefdip

It’s been over 20+ years… #tbt A stop off at Nation’s Giant Hamburgers in Northern California. I was picking up some items for my family on New Year’s Eve and saw Nation’s and had to stop for a burger for old times sake. Hamburger from Nation’s Giant Hamburgers n Hayward. A 5 oz all beef patty with (all the fixins) lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and dressing on a toasted bun. During college when I lived in San Jose, I would stay with friends on the weekends and we would order late night food at Nation’s. I would know the breakfast menu like the back of my hand, we usually didn’t order burgers late night tho. I think it was the big breakfast (?) and was a lot of food for the money. Their breakfast menu has changed since then, but their burger was still the same, simple, but still good. I’m glad I stopped and got a burger… Happy #ThrowbackThursday!

Sunday Dinner… On a rare night off, I had dinner with a friend. I’m saddened by all of the devastation that has occurred in the last 6 days, but I’m thankful for my safety and for the friends and family who checked in on me. So tonight, I had a Thanksgiving dinner. Roasted Turkey Dinner at Marie Callender’s in Los Angeles. Served over apple-sage stuffing and topped with homemade giblet gravy, fresh mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and vegetables. With a side of cornbread too. This coming week, about 8 million residents of LA County are in danger of more Santa Ana winds beginning on Tuesday. Thanks to all of the first responders! #turkeydinner

It’s been some week… It’s been horrific, scary, unbelievable, and very sad. The last 5 days dealing with the fires, the power outages, and smoke & ash in the air, I’ve listened to my crew and customers sharing their experiences, their fears, their losses, and their sadness. Not to mention, seeing pictures, videos, and hearing stories on TV and social media too. But, I did hear some positives, such as, we’ll get through this and lending a helping hand. So after work early this morning, I wanted a baked potato, I’m not sure why. But I couldn’t think of a place I could get one at 4 am. So, it was a Super Bird at Denny’s on the way home. Turkey with Swiss cheese, bacon and tomato on grilled artisan bread. Served with wavy-cut fries. It wasn’t a baked potato, but 4 am, it would do. Yes, it’s been quite a week. My 💔 for those who have lost everything they own. It may be possessions, but hopefully the memories attached will continue. As a Angeleno, I know we’ll come together, rebuild, and rise again.

Ramen-ing my way to happiness… After a late night shift and then a mid-shift hours later, I was hungry for my first bowl of ramen for 2025. OK, I was driving home from work and thought, I haven’t had ramen in a while… Hakata Ramen (Tonkotsu) from Shin-Sen-Gumi in Rosemead. I was hungry enough to get an extra noodle with extra extra green onions. They used to give me so much red ginger, the broth in my bowl would turn pink. Ahh, the days when I used to know the staff… Life is better with a bowl of ramen. #ramen #hakataramen

Saturday is National Spaghetti Day! It’s a delicious and pasta-filled holiday that pays tribute to one of the world's favorite comfort foods – #spaghetti! Spaghetti and Meatballs from Monte Carlo in Burbank

In Watsonville, they’re eating the dogs… On my way home from spending time with the family in Northern California, I was thinking about taking the longer way home through Fresno and stopping at a few places. But, I decided to sleep in and leave later. So, I wanted to take the fastest route home and Waze guided me to I-5 and a route through Watsonville. I remembered that Taylor Brothers Hot Dogs (Visalia) has a sister location in Watsonville and I was only a few blocks away. Not really hungry, I did stop for one hot dog with everything (mustard, relish, onions, and chili). This is pretty much the only thing on the menu…they do have chips and drinks too. The hot dogs are $3 each and they’re a bit smaller, but I get the charm of this place and I could understand if I grew up on them. Not sure how many I could eat if I was hungry? Taylor’s in Visalia started in 1952 and this location has the same menu, it’s been many years since I first had a Taylor’s hot dog there. Do you know what I miss most about baseball? The pine tar, the resin, the grass, the dirt — and that’s just in the hot dogs… #hotdogs #chilidog

As a last minute addition to our New Year’s Day menu, I made a vegetable Nishime. Normally, it would be with some chicken, but I made Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage) and didn’t save any chicken for the Nishime. Nishime is a simmered dish, one of the Japanese cooking techniques. The other techniques are deep frying, steaming, and grilling, without getting into a full traditional kaiseki explanation. Without the chicken this year, I added lotus root, konnyaku, baby corn, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and snow peas and simmered it in a soy, mirin, sugar, and dashi mixture. Baby corn was for color purposes and not a traditional ingredient, before I get comments about tradition. #nishime #newyearsday #familydinner