Monthly Archives: June 2008

Last week, I went Martin Yan’s (“Yan Can Cook”) office. My job was to consult his staff about innovation for his new culinary school in China. As a food addict in middle school, I still remember opt not watching cartoons … Continue reading →

Time magazine wrote a good article on menu design titled I’ll Have That Typeface on the Menu by Caplan. Some restaurants are describing dishes with sophisticated words to achieve two goals. 1) Paint the dish as an upscale dish 2) … Continue reading →

(pictures:chocolate bars, hot chocolate, nibs, cocoa butter) Last week, I had a hint what it felt to be Charlie from the Chocalate Factory. After a delightful tour of the Takara sake factor, my buddies and I skipped over to Scharffenberger, … Continue reading →

Often times, things are free require obligation or just don’t present much value. Takara, a sake manufacturer in Berkeley, is a rare exception offering the community a free take tour and tasting. I visited the factory on a weekend with … Continue reading →

Chinese Deli’s are often misunderstood. At first glance, the ducks hanging upside don’t seem very appealing. Looking past the window display, Win’s restaurant serve delicious bbq spare ribs. Tender meat marries perfectly with the tangy sauce. Their poached chicken lacks … Continue reading →

Although many travelers associate Hong Kong with shopping adventures and international business, it is also the birth place of Hong Kong cuisine. Hong Kong’s past as a British colony and long history of being an international city of commerce has … Continue reading →

(In-N-Out Burger and fries) Quality food control is paramount to any quick service restaurant. McDonald’s announced that it stopped serving sliced tomatoes in restaurants in the United States over concerns about salmonella food poisoning linked to some uncooked varieties. When … Continue reading →

Contrary to the name of the restaurant, the food is horrible at this local Vietnamese establishment in the leafy Sunset district in San Francisco. Vietnamese food often features fresh herbs and pungent broth and both of these basic elements are … Continue reading →

(smothered chicken with beans and string beans, country fried steak) Hardknox Café may have a mean spirited name, but the restaurant is serving great food with Southern hospitality in the Richmond district. Planted next to ethnic restaurants, patrons can easily … Continue reading →

After a long day at work, I enjoy cooking a simple meal done well. On a hot day, I grab a pack of Myojo, a quality instant noodle (not an oxymoron). A pack of Myojo cost around $1.40, found at … Continue reading →