Foodie Journal, page 1

I am a Foodie. Love, love, love food!!  My love affair with food began about the age of 18.  I remember the day I fell in love with food, I was sitting across from my boyfriend (who is my husband now) at a restaurant.  He was eating something with grilled onions and I was eating the house salad which is basically just lettuce. I thought I didn't like onions because I had been fed raw onions for most of my life. Out of curiosity I tried some of his grilled onions and I was amazed at the flavor of grilled onions - right then and there the world of food opened up right before me. I was thinking "Why haven't I ever had grilled onions before?  What else have I missed!?"  I can't imagine what my reaction would have been if I had tried Scottish Salmon from Craft in that moment instead of the grilled onions - I might have reenacted the famous diner scene from "When Harry Met Sally".  Because let me tell you the Scottish Salmon is mind-blowingly good. Prior to that eventful day I didn't enjoy eating because I thought food was boring. At the time I didn't like Filipino food except for pancit and rice and being Filipino that's what my mom mostly cooked. In addition, my family didn't go out to eat very often and we had the same dishes throughout the years. My mom worked in the evenings so my eldest sister cooked what my mom told her to cook.  It was same ole, same ole - easy dishes a teenager could  make. We had a few new dishes between long stretches such as eggs benedict my mom made for us one time. So when I got out on my own I discovered dishes I never knew existed and realized food is really yummy and exciting.  I feel like I've been making up for missing good food for the first 18 years of my life and it shows when you look at my booty and waistline.

To me food is undeniably art. Food can bring about a range of emotions such as happiness, excitement, passion and even tears.  Certain dishes can bring on memories of loved ones or special moments. I've seen some desserts so architecturally beautiful that it was almost a shame to eat them.  Food is even better when it tastes like a symphony of music in your mouth with notes that make you close your eyes to appreciate its goodness.

I've decided to create for myself a Food Journal where I can look back on some dishes and moments. I wish I took pictures more often when I went out to eat.  I was often embarrassed to take pictures of food in restaurants with a camera.  Now that we have cameras in our cell phones it is much easier and more discreet. Some of the pics are not great because they were taken with an old BlackBerry (no flash). But the pics get better as you scroll down because I finally upgraded my phone.

Shredded Beef Nachos @ Yucatan Taco Stand in Southlake.

 

 Grilled Latin Sandwich @Yucatan Taco Stand in Southlake, TX. 

Yucatan Taco Stand

Dessert at Craft Dallas (unfortunately closed in July 2012).  I wish I took pictures of the food we were served because it was truly awesome.  But this was a fancy restaurant and I felt too embarrassed to take pictures.  I took this pic because I was drunk and didn't care anymore.

Main Street Bread Baking Company in Grapevine.  The restaurant made Zagats sometime between 2007-2009 which is why I chose to eat lunch here.  Both the food and service is sub par (I came back 2 more times the following year and that statement is confirmed).  It must have been a good day when the people from Zagats ate there.  However, the desserts and croissants are beautifully made and quite delectable.

 
Girls lunch @ Main Street Bread Baking Company.  

Coal Vines Pizza and Wine Bar in Southlake.

 

Vanilla Birthday Cake @Coal Vines Pizza and Wine Bar.

 

My favorite hamburger is the Farmhouse Burger @ Cheescake Factory. Who can resist a fried egg and pork belly on a juicy burger?  I am VERY DISAPPOINTED they took it off the menu.

 

forgot name of dish @ Cheesecake Factory

Fried Mac-n-Cheese Bites with Truffle Dip @ Macaroni Grill.  This is super yummy.

Zucchini Fritti @ Macaroni Grill.  Two thumbs up!

Comida Deluxe @ Chuy's in Arlington

I especially like this at Chuy's - sanitized and protected silverware.

 

Chicken Friand and Tomato Basil Soup @ la Madeleine.

 Sake Bomb @ Ginger in Southlake.

The sake bomb is a beer cocktail made by pouring sake into a shot glass and dropping it into a glass of beer.  Sometimes 2 chopsticks are placed parallel on top of the glass of beer, and the shot glass is carefully balanced between them.  The drinker then chants "sake...sake...sake...SAKE!" and slams the table with his fists causing the sake to fall into the beer.  (definition courtesy of wikipedia)

Black Bean Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream @ Ginger.

Fried Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream @Ginger.

Figs at Central Market.

 

 

 

Here's our street sign - Foodie Crossing.  

Toy cupcakes that really smell like chocolate. I almost bit into one it smelled so good.

Candle cupcakes that smell divine

Have you ever noticed that Barnes & Noble price for coffee is slightly cheaper than Starbucks?  

If you thought you were getting a better deal I'm sorry to say you are not.  

Pictured above are venti-sized caramel machiattos. 

The bigger cup is from Starbucks and the smaller is from Barnes & Noble. 

At least they are honest enough to charge less.