Hubby and I had the pleasure to attend AN‘s March 4th One Year Anniversary in Oakland, CA with my fellow Foodie friends. It was also my and hubby’s first Pop-Up Dining experience ever. Heard of the amazing Chef Tu and lovers of Vietnamese food, we were very excited about this experience! We were so impressed by what we were going to sample in the evening:
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“Better than Chinese Take-Out” in Brooklyn
Whenever I’m in deep Brooklyn, I make sure to stop by Liu’s Shanghai for family-style, Shanghainese food that always hits the spot. I took my Manhattan and Prospect Park friends here, and they were blown away by the deliciousness and comfortness by the food. It was defintitley worth the long Q train ride for them.
Udon at Omen A Zen
When I’m in the mood for Udon, I love going to Omen A Zen in Soho in New York City. Introduced by a good friend who is an expert on Japanese food, Omen A Zen serves traditional dishes from Kyoto with a modern feel and ambience.
For tonight’s meal, my friends and I ordered several dishes to share with our Udon. We had the Agadashi, Black Codfish and Omen (Udon with servings of goodies).
Goodies Galore at Shilin Night Market

Happy 2017 from one of my favorites cities in the world: Taipei, the capital of Taiwan! Married to a Taiwanese man and family, I’ve learned and tried so much of this incredible cuisine over time. For tonight’s dinner and the tastiest food, we went to not a restaurant but hit the streets of the city to Shilin Night Market. Whenever I’m in Taipei, I always make a point to eat and enjoy as much as I can here.
Truite en Papillote for the Holidays
With the holidays just around the corner, Hubby and I decided to host a dinner for our friends so we could all spend some quality time together before traveling for the season.
Among my group, we have several pescatarians. As the designated chef, I decided to make Rachel Khoo’s Truite en Papillote. It was a big hit for both my friends with dietary restrictions and those that could eat anything. It was simple, yet delicious! The preparation was fun as my friends were my sous chefs, and Rachel’s recipe gives you room to be creative.
The Rainbow Bagel at The Bagel Store

Scott Rossillo’s Rainbow Bagel had been on my “Must Try” list since the beginning of this year. Several months later, I finally had the chance to try this “psycedelic,” original, creative bagel at The Bagel Store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Churros y Chocolate at La Churreria Chocolateria Los Artesanos 1902

Hubby and I could not leave Madrid without trying the churros with hot chocolate. For this amazing treat, we went to La Churreria Chocolateria Los Artesanos 1902 at Puerta del Sol.
A Fun, Fresh Take on a French Classic

Outdoor BBQs and parties are always such fun in the Summer, especially when you have the long weekend!
Hubby and I hosted an intimate gathering with a few close friends for a Pre-4th of July this evening. We decided to do a “French” take on our BBQ, since we all love French food.
We made Rachel Khoo’s “Brochettes au Coq au Vin” (Coq au Vin on Skewers). We knew that my French BFF would shudder and lecture us as to why this was not the Coq au Vin. However, Brochettes au Coq au Vin is a fun, fresh take on the French classic. We have all of the elements of the Coq au Vin, deconstructed on a skewer and revitalized as a red wine dipping sauce.
District Một, A Vietnamese Hot Spot in Astoria

June is my Birthday month! In celebration, my Vietnamese friends took me to District Một, a Vietnamese hot spot in Astoria. Born and raised, Vietnamese, I was very excited to try this new restaurant and that I had the convenience of simply walking there for my fix for Vietnamese food since it’s in my neighborhood.
Pho was the first thing that came to our mind. But we also ordered a few other dishes to share, try, and compare to our family’s cooking. We are harsh critics for Vietnamese food after all, since we grew up eating the best!
The first dish that we tried was The Grilled Rice Paper.
Bottomless Brunch at Hecho en Dumbo
Update: Unfortunately, Hecho en Dumbo closed in June 2018. It was truly satisfied my craving for Mexican food in NYC.
Growing up in Southern CA, I had the privilege to eat authentic Mexican food, especially made by my grandmas and moms of friends. So I’m a tough critic when it comes to Mexican food. Still on the quest for the best Mexican food in NYC, Hecho en Dumbo in the East Village so far makes it on the top of my list for it.