You should try: Ramen shop

Have you had ramen made with wholesome seasonal ingredients. Made by chefs who came from chez panisse? If not, you must head to Ramen Shop. The menu changes every night. There will probably always be a broth with pork of course and then a vegetarian option as well. Often times the pork will have seafood in it too. Other times there is miso, or a ground pork ramen. Great cocktail menu, including the best mulled wine I've had around the holidays. They also have a great appetizer menu. So I'm terms of ramen, Ramen shop has spoiled me. Going to an regular ramen shop, I'm scared of MSG laden soup or questionable kitchen prep. Also I love thier polka dot bowls. Open for dinner only. ZThey only take reservations for large parties. Sometimes the wait can be 2 hrs. Most of the time I've gotten lucky and get seated way before their estimated time. 

You should try: Miss Ollie's

Miss Olies is located in downtown Oakland, located in area with a lot of good food. My first visit there was for lunch.  I got there right when they opened, which I recommend, because for lunch, a line forms and fried chicken is not something that shows up fast. Service is cafe style for lunch.  For dinner, it is completely sit down service. Place is bright with interesting art. Service is good. Hot sauce is the best, being that it's habanero. Also.. They only have fried chicken on certain days for lunch. Everyday for dinner. Closed on Sundays!

Words do not express how every component of this dish was good. Those bean covered rice might have even been my favorite part. Chicken is stuffed and then fried. This thing will fill you up!

Dinner time, meals are more family style, although you do have that option for lunch too. 

Memorial Day Weekend: Alamere Falls

Other coworker invited me to go hiking. She told me "local and by her place" so I was imagining some tiny hill to climb and views of the Bay. Um no. Turns out our other coworkers had Alamere Falls in mind which is somewhere in Marin. Hike is about 4 miles roundtrip, so it took us 4 hrs. It was mostly flat too, except for the cliff you have to climb down to, to get to the beach and waterfalls. I wish I had brought my swimwear for sure. No hat. No water. No hiking boots. No sunglasses. No hiking pants. Good thing my coworker told me to wear longsleeves for poison oak. No sunblock. Yeah! I got tan! Oh, one my coworkers is into botony, so I was nice watching her munch of wild strawberries, miners lettuce, and other stuff. I had some too, but cannot trust myself to identifying wild plants on my own. When will my next hike be? I always wanted to see a waterfall, fall into the ocean. Cross that off my bucket list. 

You should try: Osmantus

Osmantus is a new modern Asian eatery off College Ave in Oakland. Look for the it's curragted metal awning. Don't be scared by it's general description of being Asian. All the dishes I had there were great. Here are a few things I recommend you order.

Dan dan noodles, which are wheat noodles, with a spicy peanut meat sauce, and zucchini. Brussels sprouts broiled to a perfect charred brown. The most garlicky garlic noodles. A solid tea leaf salad, mixed table side. Smoked trout fried rice.The fragrant cold chicken salad was refreshing but mouth numbing. We enjoyed for a while before its mouth numbing effect started taking place. The place it cute. I like the decorative wood details and the small booths as a seating option. Service was great. 

May 17, Bella and Mimi's day!

May 17 is Mimi's birthday but also Bella's birthday. We celebrated with a picnic at Baker Beach and then drinks and bites at    Chambers.  Oh and a mango and key lime chiffon cake from Katrina Rozelle, which was heaven. 

Eggplant torta

Eggplant torta, torta talong, it's an eggplant cooked in a egg. I don't remember liking this thing when I was a kid, but eventually I gave it a try and loved it. 

First you will have to cook the eggplant to soften it. I like to broil it. My dad used the use the stove top to fire roast it. I love that smell of burning eggplant skins. But anyway, my way is 400 degrees F oven for 10 minutes. Stick eggplant on oiled sheet tray. 

While that is going scramble egg. I added salt pepper milk and herbs, green onion, parsley, and cilantro. 

This is what eggplant looks like when it's done. I did poke a few holes in it, to help it. The garlic is optional. I just thought why not. I just smushed the roasted garlic on rubbed on the eggplant. 

Then you fork it. Take your fork to pull it apart. Make sure all the skin is taken apart. 

Heat your griddle pan with oil. Now take your eggplant and let it bathe in your egg mix for a few seconds. 

Now fry it! Only a few seconds on each side. See easy peasy! 

Result is this. Serve with banana ketchup.!

Just you know.. My average Wednesday

I was thinking about my day.. And I'm not sure if most people have as much food highlights in one day. Almond cappucino's from High Wire in the morning. Smoked trout on Montreal style poppy seed bagels for breakfast. 

Thai food with the colleagues. Then going to a food expo in Pt. Richmond at the old Ford assembly plant where I tried  on tap kombocha and scored a blue bottle x clover boxed New Orleans coffee. 

 My work's booth served hummus made from our products, inspired me to try making some at home tonight. So.. I.. Went to the market during my break, and got stuff to make hummus, and I found white peaches!! Yay! Summer is here! 

And then I had to get a Starbucks because... Well.. Oprah and Starbucks teamed up. Which is so strange. But it made the news so this publicity stunt is working! Also: please Starbucks stop with the GMOs. 

Dinner was my "instant" ramen. I don't like to use instant ramen. I feel gross, low in energy, bloated, and it doesn't even satisfy my craving. So.. Fresh ramen noodles, chicken broth, kale, green onions, and cilantro. Egg. I'll always change this up. Sometimes it will have bonito flakes or miso. It's just as fast to out this together as regular instant ramen. 

Here is my hummus! Good night.