[Los Angeles] [Japanese] Wako Donkasu

Wako Donkasu
和幸
3377 Wilshire Blvd, #112
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 381-9256

週四的外食日，和同事一起訂了公司附近的Wako Donkasu，這是一家韓國人開的日式豬排店，因為上網讀了別人的食記，大部分人都推薦雞排比較好吃，所以我們雞排豬排都一起訂啦！最後覺得雞排真的比較嫩比較好吃，份量也比較多耶！這家店外賣的便當盒真是非常精美，不過好像外賣要多加$1的樣子。

Co-workers and I decided to try this tonkatsu restaurant one night.  Tonkatsu (or donkasu as Korean people named it) is Japanese deep fried pork cutlet.  I used to love eating those in Taiwan.  The reviews for Wako Donkasu are mostly positive.  So we want to give this place a try.



We made Korean coworker Tom called the restaurant to order in Korean.  We also sent him to go pick the order up.  When we opened the plastic bag, everyone went "Wow! Nice box!".  Each order came in a big box, which looks and feel kinda like a shoe box.  We ordered 4 dishes and calculated the total from the menu price.  We were exactly $4 short.  So either they raised the price by $1, or they charge $1 for to-go order.

[Stuidio City] [Japanese] Sushi Katsu-Ya

Sushi Katsu-Ya
11680 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 985-6976
http://www.sushikatsu-ya.com

這天中午和公園先生和公園哥哥一起到Katsu-Ya吃中飯，居然等了一小時多才有座位，東西也不算難吃，不過好像也變得不怎麼好吃，服務也不怎麼佳，最後帳單還貴到嚇人，整個感覺餐廳好像退步了，這家曾經是公園先生最愛的一家餐廳，下次.... 應該是很久以後才會再來吧！

Dr. Park and his brother invited me to have lunch with them at Sushi Katsu-Ya on a Thursday.  Katsu-Ya always receive high rating from medias and most review websites.  I do like food from Katsu-Ya.  But honestly, I think it's just ok good and not worth all the hype.



We got to Katsu-Ya around 1 pm.  There were A LOT of people waiting for seats.  We were surprised to see how many people were there on a working day.  We waited, waited and waited.  After 1 hour and 15 minutes, we finally got a table.  Waiting 1 hour 15 minutes for lunch on a Thursday?  That's a bit too much for me. 

Veggie Sandwich & Fruit Bento

從拉斯維加斯回來時，一下子胖了七磅，接下來的幾天都自己帶素三明治和水果當便當，在Costco買的素漢堡排很讚耶！吃了一星期馬上掉了五磅。

I gained 7 pounds from our eating frenzy in Las Vegas.  So the following week, I brought veggie sandwich and fruit for dinner to work everyday.



Toast, lettce, veggie patty, cheese and mustard.  Simple, and delicious!

Christian The Lion

有兩個人照顧一隻小獅子，小獅子長大後就被送到非洲放生，一年後這兩個人決定到非洲去探望小獅子，專家曾告訴他們獅子不會認得他們的，但是小獅子一看到這兩個人，居然飛奔過去擁抱他們，好感人的影片，讓我感動到落淚啊！

So there two people raised this lion cub who they named Christian. Sadly he got too big for them to take care of so they decided to release him to live as a wild lion. After a year they decided to travel to Africa to see him. They were specifically told that he would not remember them. This video was taken when they met him....

[Rowland Heights] [Chinese] 龍炒手蜀國菜 Happiness Restaurant

Happiness Restaurant
龍炒手蜀國菜
18438 Colima Road #106
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 810-7818

從拉斯維加斯回來洛杉磯的路上，公園先生說想吃辣中國菜，既然從東邊回來，那就順路過去Rowland Heights試試龍炒手蜀國菜吧！晚上九點了餐廳生意還是很好，公園先生對這家餐廳的口味讚不絕口，我也非常喜歡，發現他們有便宜的特價午餐，下次中午要帶家人來嚐嚐。

On our drive back to Los Angeles, Dr. Park mentioned he wants some spicy Chinese food for dinner.  Since we were coming from the east, I decided to venture out to Rowland Heights area.  It was about 9pm on a Sunday night.  We were a little worried if the restaurant would still be opened.  The restaurant is located inside Hong Kong Supermarket building.  Most of the stores were closed.  But there were still a lot of people dining in Happiness Restaurant.


招待小菜 Free Appetizer

We sat down at a table by the window.  Immediately the server brought out a complimentary appetizer.  It was a cold dish made of bean sprout, carrot, peanut and cilantro.  It didn't have much flavor, but it's free.  So no complaint there.

Coach Outlet at Tanger Barstow

開車前往拉斯維加斯的路上，公園先生想要上洗手間，本來心裡還想說要下高速公路很煩耶！結果下個交流道出口前就看到大大的Coach Outlet招牌，二話不說馬上彎過去，一下子買了五個包包，原本$138.00的小提包居然只要US$24.99，便宜到讓人傻眼，在拉斯維加斯就一直覺得當時應該多買幾個，星期天回洛杉磯的路上又彎過去，果然便宜的都賣光光了，不過又買了幾樣小物，整個買到爽爽爽啦！

On our way to Vegas, we stopped by at Tanger Outlets at Barstow.  At first we just got off the freeway to use the restroom.  We went into Coach outlet just to "take a look" and came out with a big shopping bag.  The outlet was having a huge sale.  The already on sale items had a extra 50% off!


Coach Soho Mini Signature Pouch - Lavender ($138.00 $24.99)

I can't believe the price.  $25!!!!  $25 for a $138 purse!  There were only 3 left and I grabbed them all.  I like the lavender color.  Very spring/summer.

Las Vegas Day

在拉斯維加斯的最後一天，我們逛了Paris和Planet Hollywood兩家賭場，一直蠻喜歡Paris的感覺，那種在室內卻又感覺在戶外的錯覺很特別呢！在Planet Hollywood我們碰巧看到The Rock，這家賭場的發牌員有夠火辣的，波滔洶湧，網襪馬靴小三角褲，連我這個女生也會玩21點到分心眼睛一直看別的地方....

Time went by too fast in Vegas. It was our last day there. We toured Paris and Planet Hollywood before heading back to Los Angeles.



New York New York is right next to our hotel, Monte Carlo. The roller coaster looks like a lot of fun, espeically night time. We didn't have time (and I am too chicken) to go on it though.

[Las Vegas] [Buffet] Spice Market Buffet

Spice Market Buffet
Planet Hollywood
3667 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 785-9005
http://www.aladdincasino.com/din_spice_market_buffet.php

星期天早上飯店check out之後，我們到位在Plant Hollywood中的Spice Market Buffet吃了豐盛的早午餐，這裡的東西蠻好吃的，選擇種類很多，甜點區還有現做超好吃的可麗餅，覺得這家比第一天去吃的Wynn Buffet好吃很多耶！我們很喜歡這家吃到飽喔！

Our plan for Sunday was to have buffet brunch before heading back to Los Angeles. But we ate so much the night before at Rosemary's, we woke up still full. After checking out at Monte Carlo, we headed accross the street to Planet Hollywood. We decided to "look" at the buffet then decide if we could handle it or not.



I am a sucker for shining things. Shinging things must have some kind of hypnotic power because they make me go "ahhhh~~~~ Shining.... Pretty...." and draw me in. When I see that big shining sign of "Spice Market Buffet", all of a sudden I turn hungry again. Buffet brunch, here we come!

Cirque du Soleil - Mystere

在拉斯維加斯看了一場秀，這是我們第一次看Cirque du Soleil的秀，選了最經典的Mystere，看到舞者表演人體極限的演出真的非常精彩，秀中還穿插了不少和觀眾互動的搞笑表演，非常有趣，很棒的一場秀。

What is there to do in Las Vegas? Dine like a king, gamble like the rich and famous, and of course, enjoy a show like an overly excited kid. The last two times in Vegas, I watched two shows: Thunder from Down Under and Chippendales. No, it wasn't my choice to watch these shows. Yes, I was there for bacherlorette's parties. I don't think Dr. Park would appreciate this type of shows, so we decided to watch something more "traditional".



Neither of us have seen a Cirque du Soleil show. It seems to be the obvious choice. But which Cirque du Soleil show to watch? Currently there are 5 shows running in Las Vegas. Mystere at Treasure Island, O at Bellagio, KA at MGM Grand, the Beatles music theme Love at Mirage, and the adult theme Zumanity at New York New York. We immediately decided to watch the oldest (which also translate to the most classic) show, Mystere.

[Las Vegas] [American] Rosemary's Restaurant

Rosemary's Restaurant
8125 W Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 869-2251
http://www.rosemarysrestaurant.com

這次拉斯維加斯之旅的高潮就是這頓在Rosemary's Restaurant的晚餐，我們點了$55一人三道菜的晚餐，公園先生點了三杯搭配的酒，無敵好吃，而且這家應該是我這輩子去過服務最好的餐廳，完全吃到心花怒放的忘我啊！我要大大大大力的推薦這家餐廳，所有去拉斯維加斯玩的人都應該來這裡吃頓超難忘的晚餐，以後我們每次去拉斯維加斯都一定會來這家餐廳的！公園先生吃的太開心了，回來之後還是對這家餐廳念念不忘，所以我提議這篇食記讓他寫，他居然一口答應呢！公園先生的英文寫作能力比我強太多啦！請大家慢慢欣賞喲！

PS. Dr. Park will reply to the comments for this post....

WRITTEN BY DR. PARK

We've heard so many rave reviews about Rosemary's online and noticed that it is the #2 Restaurant in the U.S. (as of 6/19/08) out of all of the restaurants listed on tripadvisor.com. So me and my strawberry princess Eileen had to pay this place a vist. So a short 20 min drive away from the vegas strip in 110+ degree weather in an unassuming strip mall lies the mythical restaurant.



Doesn't look like much, but there is plentiful parking right in front.

[Las Vegas] [American] Blueberry Hill Family Restaurants

Blueberry Hill Family Restaurants
3790 E Flamingo Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89121
(702) 433-9999
http://www.blueberryhillrestaurants.com

這家Blueberry Hill美式餐廳是我在LA Times讀到的餐廳，報紙上推薦這家家庭式的餐廳早餐便宜又好吃，在拉斯維加斯的第二天我們睡到中午自然醒之後，就開車前往吃了頓豐盛好吃的美式早餐。

I read about Bluberry Hill in LA Times.  The newspaper recommended their breakfast.  On second day in Vegas, we woke up around noon and drove to Blueberry Hill for some delicious diner style breakfast.



There are 7 locations of Blueberry Hill in Las Vegas.  I don't know why I wrote down the address for this one.  Later I found out there's another location that was closer to the strip.  I followed the navigation system in my car and got here in about 15 minutes.

Bellagio and Las Vegas Night

晚餐之後，我們去Bellagio逛逛，路上順便看看燈光閃閃的拉斯維加斯大道，晚上的拉斯維加斯真的很漂亮，路上走路的人很多，超多人在發「打電話就到女郎」那種看起來很色的名片(改天把我們拿到的照相給大家欣賞哈哈)，這天晚上在bellagio小玩了$1的21點機器，居然還贏了$62，真是運氣太好啦！

After dinner, we decided to go to Bellagio to try our luck.  It's only about 15 minutes walking distance from Monte Carlo to Bellagio.  It was so hot in Las Vegas, even at night time.  Tons of tourists on the street.  We walked slowly to look at the pretty lights on Las Vegas Blvd.



Right outside of Monte Carlo.  The new Planet Hollywood is accross the street.  Paris is right next to PH.

[Las Vegas] [Thai] Lotus of Siam

Lotus of Siam
953 E Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89104
(702)735-3033
http://www.saipinchutima.com

找拉斯維加斯餐廳資料時發現這家Lotus of Siam泰國餐廳，不少報章雜誌都推薦這家餐廳為全美國最好吃的泰國餐廳，果然真的不錯吃，但是他們的中辣就辣到我們受不了啦！小小不起眼的餐廳，居然有30幾頁非常棒的酒單，牆上掛滿名人到訪的照片，果然是加名店啊！東西好吃，價錢也不貴，服務周到，真是家不錯的餐廳。

I found Lotus of Siam while doing research about Las Vegas restaurants. It was named "the best Thai restaurant in United States" by couple publications. I've been to Las Vegas a few time and have never ventured out of the strip. So for this trip, Dr. Park and I decided to do a little exploration and dine outside of the strip on all meals (well, except the buffets).



Thanks to my nevigation system, we found Lotus of Siam in no time. The restaurant is located in a big Asian strip mall. I was surprised to see so many Korean restaurants there.

Monte Carlo Resort & Casino

Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
3770 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(800) 851-1703
http://www.montecarlo.com

逛完Wynn之後，我們就到這次住的旅館Monte Carlo check in，這家三星半的旅館房間還可以，不過我們不怎麼喜歡他們的賭場，大部分時間我們還是都跑去別家賭場逛，旅館隔壁正在蓋新的Las Vegas Center，24小時施工，半夜有的時候還是會聽到施工的聲音，這點不太滿意。

We stayed at Monte Carlo for our Las Vegas trip. I booked the hotel from Priceline. We wanted a 4 star hotel and Monte Carlo is only 3.5 star hotel. I contacted Priceline, but was told that the hotels were rated with their own system. So Monte Carlo is a 4 star hotel with their rating system. We didn't really get a good deal, either. Monte Carlo offered a much better deal through their own website. But with Priceline, once the hotel is booked, there's no way to cancel. Bummer! I will never use Priceline ever again!



We checked in our room around 4pm. The hotel wasn't too busy at that time. The front desk lady was really nice. We requested a pool view room on the upper floor. This is room 131 on 28th floor. The supposed queen size beds were actually full size. I didn't think the bed was comfortable. There's a small table and 2 chairs. No internet service unless you pay. Standard cable TV. Closet with an iron board. The room is just a basic hotel room, but it does have everything you need. Besides, who stays in a hotel room when you're in Vegas?

ArtsCow.com: 400 Free Prints + Photo Book

發現很讚的一個deal，來插播一下和大家分享：

Online photo service ArtsCow.com offers new customers 200 4x6" digital prints, 200 5x7" digital prints, and an 8x8" photo book for free when you register for a new account. That's an overall savings of around $50. Even with shipping starting around $3.99, it's one of the best free print deals from any online photo service. Note that the 400 free prints are split into groups of "50 print packets", so you'll have to make multiple orders to redeem all 400 prints.

Wynn Las Vegas

Wynn Las Vegas
3131 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(800) 851-1703
http://www.wynnlasvegas.com

吃完buffet午餐之後，我們在Wynn裡頭小逛了一圈，這家旅館好像也沒什麼主題，就是走貴氣路線就對了，大家看看照片欣賞囉！

After having lunch at the buffet, we walked around Wynn Las Vegas for a bit.



Most of the casinos on the strip have a theme. I don't think Wynn has one. Everything feels so "grand" there. I think the theme could be "I am rich"?

[Las Vegas] [Buffet] Wynn Buffet

Wynn Buffet
Wynn Las Vegas
3131 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 770-7000

星期五早上從洛杉磯出發，直奔拉斯維加斯的Wynn Buffet(中間是有停一下outlet啦)，聽說Wynn的buffet是賭城最貴最豪華的，結果我們吃了後覺得也還好而已嘛！東西還蠻多的，但是也都只是普通好吃而已呀！還是因為我們是吃午餐所以一點都不豪華啊？

We left Los Angeles about 9:00am last Friday morning and drove straight to Vegas. (Well, with a quick stop at the Coach outlet... I just couldn't resisit.) Why did we leave so early? Because we wanted to go to Wynn Buffet for lunch.



I've read mixed reviews about Wynn Buffet. Some people say this is the best buffet in Las Vegas. And it's probably the most expensive buffet in Vegas, too.

[Los Angeles] [Thai] Noodle Time

Noodle Time
3540 Wilshire Blvd Ste 101
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 381-4040

開始寫拉斯維加斯遊記之前，先來補一篇出發前一天的晚餐食記，吃前喝了同事點的酸辣海鮮麵湯覺得好好喝，同事這天又想再點一次，我也跟進點了份酸辣雞肉湯麵，沒想到這次吃忽然覺得不好吃了，說不出是哪裡不一樣，但是我們兩個都覺得不好吃，以後應該不會點這道了吧！

Before I start writing about our Vegas trip, I want to finish writing about my dinner the night before we left for Vegas. I tried co-workder Tom's Seafood Tom Kah soup last time he ordered it from Noodle Time and really liked it. Last Thursday Tom wanted to order the same thing from Noodle Time again. So I also ordered a Chicken Tom Kah Noodle Soup.


Chicken Tom Kah Noodle Soup ($6.99)

There were Tom Yum and Tom Kah on the menu. The difference is that Tom Kah has coconut milk in the soup. The Chicken Tom Kah had chicken and mushroom in a coconut soup flavored with lemon grass, lime juice and chili. It was spicy and sour.

Back from Vegas!

我從拉斯維加斯玩吃回來囉！吃了超多好料，今天很害怕的量了體重，居然三天胖了七磅，真是太會吃了，拉斯維加斯真好玩，一點都不想回家啊！讓我再休息一天，明天開始努力寫遊記！

I'm back from Las Vegas! Dr. Park and I had so much fun on our weekend trip. We didn't really want to come http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com. We ate like two starving kids for 3 whole days. Today I stepped on the scale. I gained 7 pounds in 3 days!!!! OMG we really ate a lot!

I need one more day to recuperate. Will start writing about our trip tomorrow. Here is a preview of what's to come:

• Wynn Buffet


• Lotus of Siam


• Blueberry Hill


• Rosemary's


• Spice Market Buffet....

P.S. My sister's "Angie Hearts Boutique" is having a 30% summer sale for the entire store!  Please check it out.

[Los Angeles] [Fast Food] Quiznos

Quiznos
3377 Wilshire Blvd #103
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 388-8825
http://www.quiznos.com

又和同事們一起分食Quiznos的五元三明治，牛肉、火腿、火雞和綜合肉四種口味，每條切四塊，四個人一種口味一塊，這次吃好像沒有之前感覺那麼好吃，我想我們好像是.... 吃膩了。

When we can't decide what to get for dinner at work, most of the time we settle for Quiznos or Subway. Lately we are more fond of Quiznos than Subway.


Roast Beef Sub ($5.00)

The $5 sub sandwich is really a great deal. We like to order on their website then go pick up. The subs are always ready for us so we don't waste any time waiting. There are 5 different choices for $5 sub now.

My Dad's "Lu" (Braised) Goodies

我爸現在退休在家，忽然對做菜產生了很大的興趣，每天都在收看美食節目或是翻閱食譜，上周末他花了一整天的時間，做了好多滷味，有雞爪、鴨翅、鴨胗、滷蛋、海帶、豆腐乾，還有我最愛的大腸，另外還做了紅燒五花肉和拌麵飯用的滷肉，真是很厲害，這天我把爸爸做的滷味裝了個滷味便當，便當一打開坐我隔壁的同事就說「哇好香喔」，吃起來更香，非常好吃的滷味便當呢！餐後還有好東西，就是我們家後院種的蟠桃，超級好吃的。

Since my dad's retirement, he develops an interest in cooking. He likes to watch Chinese cooking shows on TV. He also buys and reads tons of Chinese cookbooks. My dad never cooked before. When he first started cooking, there were quite a few unsuccessful dishes. But now he's getting pretty good. I guess "it's never too late to learn" is true.



Last weekend my dad spent all day trying to make some "lu" food. "Lu" is a Chinese cooking method that is similar to braising. Dad used soy sauce, garlic, green onions, peppercorn, star anise, and bunch of chinese herbs to mmake the "lu" sauce. Then food was cooked in the sauce with low heat for hours. The food absorbed all the wonderful flavor from the sauce. It's so good with rice. It can also be good snacks.

[San Gabriel] [Supermarket] 99 Ranch

99 Ranch Market
140 W. Valley Blvd.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 307-8899
http://www.99ranch.com

現在朋友同事吃東西前都會先來問我要不要照相，還有同事自己在家吃的東西煮的東西還特別照相帶到公司給我看，蠻好玩的，同事Iris去大華買了便當，很熱情的問我要不要照相，那就照一張囉！Iris說便當很好吃，尤其是那牛肉，我下次也要去買買看。

Now friends and co-workers always ask me if I want to take pictures of their food before they start eating. Some co-workers even start to take pictures of food from their http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com and bring the camera to work just to show me the pictures. It's kinda funny and so nice of them.

Iris brought a 2 items combo from 99 Ranch Market. She kindly offered for me to take a picture before she ate her dinner.


2 Items Combo ($3.70)

Eggplant and beef stew were the two choices she picked from the steamtable. Iris said both items were good, especially the stew beef. She actually went back to 99 Ranch Market and tried to get the same stewed beef the next day. But the beef was sold out. The lady behind the steamtable told her that was one of their most popular items and always sell out early.

Sweet Homes Wanted for Kittens

又有貓咪要找家囉！同事Sonja家院子裡出現了四隻小野貓，都是男生，兩隻白色(其實一隻眼睛一眼藍一眼綠呢)，兩隻穿西裝的黑白色，歡迎大家轉貼，謝謝！

Please pass it on to whoever you know.... its getting tough and I
fear they will end up in a shelter... or under a car... or on some coyotes dinner plate.

sorry, to bother you all again. cant help it, i worry and care about those little creatures

thanks.
Sonjia
sanjakalelic@hotmail.com


White Boy with Hazel Eyes

Cute Kittens Need Good Homes‏

好友在他家閣樓撿到一窩被貓媽媽棄養的小貓咪，一共有10隻，他用奶瓶餵了小貓咪一個月，現在小貓已經開始吃貓食了，有沒有人想要領養小貓咪呢？

Anyone looking for a kitten ? I have 10 kittens that we rescued in our attic. They're all bottle fed and now they're eating kitten food. They're about 6 or 7 weeks old and ready to go to good http://www.eileenlikestoeat.coms the next week or so. Pass on this email to anyone you think will take good care of them.

Thanks,
Henry & Kim
310.560.1852
henryt.yamada@sbcglobal.net


Abagail

[San Gabriel] [Drink] Al's Cocktails

Al's Cocktails
413 W Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 281-8638

和Sybil吃過生日晚餐後，公園先生和我趕去下一攤的生日趴，地點是在一家很小感覺很老舊的酒吧，這種老酒吧的重點就是又夠便宜，怪不得公園先生的朋友會選在這裡喝到不醉不歸啊！

After Sybil's birthday dinner, Dr. Park and I went to another birthday party. It was Dr. Park's friend Fernando's birthday. And the party was held at Al's Cocktails in San Gabriel. I've been living in San Gabriel Valley for almost 20 years. I have driven up and down Las Tunas Drive maybe 4,726 times. I have never noticed Al's. This bar was pretty hidden.



The bar was narrow and long. It only had three booths. The wall was covered with memorabilia. There was also a jukebox, an arcade and a dart board. It pretty much has all a bar needs.

[Alhambra] [French] Bistro 39

Bistro 39
39 W Main St
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 282-0600
http://www.bistro39.com

上周五是好朋友Sybil的生日，我們在Alhambra一家新開不久的法國餐廳Bistro 39幫Sybil慶生，餐點算是很平價，味道則還需要進步，不過服務很不錯，尤其是老闆非常平易近人，所以我和公園先生決定再給這家餐廳一次機會，以後再去嚐嚐。

Last Friday was Sybil's birthday. Sybil picked a new French restaurant in Alhambra to celebrate. The name of the restaurant is Bistro 39. There used to be another French restaurant before in the same location. Sadly it closed down due to lack of business. I read some good review on Yelp and Chowhound about this new Bistro 39 and was very looking forward to Sybil's birthday dinner.


2005 Chateau Haut Nadeau Bordeaux ($40.00)

Since Dr. Park is the wine expert among us, we asked him to pick the wine for the night. The owner recommended this 2005 Bordeaux. He said that he had to order 3 years ago to get the wine now. He just received two cases and now there were only about 10 bottles left. He even took Dr. Park to the wine cellar to take a look. They chatted about wine for quite a while. I could tell the owner is very much into wine.

[Los Angeles] [Japanese] Kuru Kuru

Kuru Kuru
3377 Wilshire Blvd #115
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 365-9060

上星期和同事到Kuru Kuru買便宜的旋轉壽司當晚餐，看到門口貼了一張標示，11PM~12AM所有食物半價，星期四晚上又和一票同事一起11PM跑去買，果然超便宜啊！裝了滿滿一大盒的壽司居然只要$4，當場和同事一起決定每個星期四晚上就是我們的sushi night啦！

Tuesday night we went to Kuru Kuru to get some sushi. Kuru Kuru is one of those revolving sushi place. They have 3 colored plates with 3 different prices: $1, $2 or $3. That's some cheap sushi!


Sushi ($5.00)

This was my $5 sushi dinner. Mackerel, salmon, spicy tuna, some kind of fish egg and seaweed salad. It wasn't the best sushi, but it was pretty good for the cheap price.

[El Monte] [Fast Food] Kentucky Fried Chicken

Kentucky Fried Chicken
3814 N Peck Road
El Monte, CA 91732
(626) 443-1367
http://www.kfc.com

拿著買飲料免費送雞堡的折價卷去了肯德基，飲料有夠大杯，相比起來雞堡好小，而且只有麵包好吃，雞排好鹹又不脆，好想念台灣肯德基的喀啦雞腿堡喔！

I had a "buy 1 drink and get 1 free chicken sandwich" coupon from KFC. So I stopped by before work to redeem my coupon. The drink cost about $2. The chicken sandwich is also $2. So pretty much the deal was like 50% off.


Original Chicken Sandwich

The drink was huge, but the chicken sandwich was small. I really like the bread. Warm and soft.

[Los Angeles] [Thai] Noodle Time

Noodle Time
3540 Wilshire Blvd #101
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 381-4040

這天同事們跟一家我們沒嚐過的餐廳訂了外送，這家賣的東西有泰國、中國、越南和日本料理，種類很多，同事的餐點我都嚐了幾口，發現味道還不錯呢！尤其是泰國海鮮酸辣麵好好吃，下次我也要點這道。

Some co-workers ordered delivery from Noodle Time. We never ordered from this restaurant before. Their menu has Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese section. But had more Thai dishes than others. I didn't order with them, but tried a few bites of all the dishes.


Beef Fried Rice ($6.95)

Claire was still craving for beef and rice. She didn't want any vegetables so she special ordered her own fried rice. First Claire said she wanted shrimp fried rice, but change the shrimp to beef. So we asked her, "why don't you just order beef fried rice? Duh..." Claire's own version of beef fried rice had only beef and egg. It was simple, and very tasty.

[Los Angeles] [Korean] Authentic Korean Dumpling

Authentic Korean Dumpling
698 S Irolo St.
Los Angeles, CA, 90006
(213) 480-1289

同事說想吃牛肉跟飯，我推薦了之前去買炸醬麵和大餃子的這家餐廳，後來跟進和另兩位同事分了一份炸醬麵+餃子套餐，韓國炸醬麵真是不錯吃呢！

Co-worker Claire was craving for beef and rice for dinner. First she wanted to go to Yoshinoya to get the beef bowl. But I remember seeing Authentic Korean Dumpling has beef rice on their menu. Since they also deliver, we settled for Authentic Korean Dumpling.


Mongolian Style Beef with Rice ($6.99)

The Mongolian Beef with Rice smelt so good when we opened the box. Beef strips were stir fried with leek, onion, cabbage and green onion. It's a little spicy. But Claire didn't like it because she doesn't like veggie at all. She thought there were too much cabbage and onion.

[Los Angeles] [Brazilian] M Grill

M Grill
3832 Wilshire Blvd, #202
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 389-2770
http://www.m-grill.com

最近公園先生不知道為什麼一直念著想吃巴西烤肉，上周二我們就去了位在韓國城的M Grill吃了頓巴西烤肉午餐，這家吃到飽的餐廳真的不錯，冷盤、熱食和烤肉都很好吃，推薦給大家。

Dr. Park was craving for Brazilian BBQ for the longest time. Last Tuesday we finally went to have all you can eat Brazilian BBQ lunch at M Grill.



M Grill is located in Korea Town. The restaurant is also Korean owned. But we thought the food was pretty authentic. The restaurant isn't big. But the layout was nice. Very clean and comfortable.

Chocolate, Cakes & Salad at Work

這篇把上班吃的零食和便當一起寫吧！同事Sojia回歐洲兩星期，回來上班帶了巧克力請我們，剛好又是他生日，我們買了巧克力和草莓蛋糕幫他慶生，這星期帶了三天的沙拉便當，因為下周末要去拉斯維加斯大吃，所以最近吃清淡點囉！



Co-worker Sojia came back from her two weeks vacation in Croatia. She brought back some Bajadera Chocolate for everyone.

[Los Angeles] [Dessert] Pinkberry

Pinkberry
3300 W 6th St. #4
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 382-8482
http://www.pinkberry.com


吃完韓國烤肉後，我們到對街買了一個Pinkberry的優格冰淇淋加芒果帶回家，回家後再自己加上了藍莓，好吃好吃！

After delicious Korean pork BBQ at Ham Ji Park, Mr. Park took me to Pinkberry accross the street for dessert.

Pinkberry's frozen yogurt has 3 flavors: original, green tea and coffee. Coffee is the only flavor I haven't tried. At first I wanted to get coffee, but Dr. Park suggested I should try it first. I was so glad I listened to him. We asked the server to sample the coffee flavor and got a big spoonful. It tasted like.... really sour coffee. It was just strange and I didn't like it a bit.


Original Yogurt with Mango $4.15

So I still think the original tastes the best. We got original frozen yogurt with one topping, mango. We got it to-go because I wanted to watch DVD at http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com and eat it at the same time. When we got http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com, Dr. Park got some blueberries from his fridge and added extra topping for me. Yum!

[Los Angeles] [Korean] Ham Ji Park

Ham Ji Park
3407 W 6th St, #101-C
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 365-8773

想吃這家韓國餐廳好久囉！上周終於來吃到他們有名的烤豬肋排和排骨馬鈴薯湯，果然真的超好吃，大力推薦給大家喔！

I've been wanting to try Ham Ji Park forever.  I read about their famous Pork Spare Ribs and Pork Neck Stew on Yelp and the pictures made me drool.  Mr. Park and I finally went to Ham Ji Park last Saturday.



The restaurant was almost full when we arrived at 6:30pm.  The waiter asked if we would like to sit at smoking or non-smoking area.  I guess Korean restaurant doesn't really care about the "no smoking indoor" law in California.  The front half of the restaurant is the smoking area.  We didn't want to inhale second hand smoke while eating so opt to sit in the non-smoking area.

[San Gabriel] [Fast Food] 小美(海派)冰果點心世界 Hi Pie Corporation

Hi Pie Corporation
小美(海派)冰果點心世界
830 E Valley Blvd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 569-9600

前幾天詢問大家$10可以買什麼，去了Carin推薦的小美海派買了四菜便當，菜色不錯份量也很多，只是我們覺得好像有點油，還是謝謝Carin的推薦，讓我們嚐試了一家不同的餐廳。

I asked for recommendation to buy lunch for 2 for under $10 a few days ago.  Thanks to everyone who reponded.  I got a lot of great ideas and now have a list of cheap eat restaurants to try.  I took Carin's suggestion and went to Hi Pie Corporation.


4 Items Combo ($5.95)

I got 4 Items Combo for Mr. Park and I to share.  The reason I came here was because Carin mentioned they have my favorite food, intestine!  The spicy intestine + pork blood + tofu dish was really good.  I ate all the intestine.  Mr. Park liked the tofu and pork blood.  Another dish I got was black pepper pork ribs.  The flavor was good, but the pork ribs had too much bone and was hard to eat.  I also got a fish dish.  The fish was cod, and the fatty fish was a little bit too fatty.

[El Monte] [Fast Food] Original Tommy's

Original Tommy's
11604 Valley Blvd.
El Monte, CA 91732
(626) 350-6930
http://www.originaltommys.com

每過一陣子，就會好想吃豆泥醬(chili)，只要想吃豆泥醬，第一選擇一定就是Tommy's。

I get my chili craving once in a while.  When I get the craving, Tommy's is always my first choice.


Chili Cheese Burger Combo ($5.70)

This is one messy burger, but one really good messy burger.  If you get a chili burger for to go, DO NOT eat it in the car while you are driving.

Sleepy Kitty

Kitty is sleeping on my jacket.

Can you say "TRUCK"?

前幾天在YouTube上看到可愛的小朋友影片，忽然發現很多小朋友沒有辦法說"truck"(卡車)這個字，都會說成很像在罵人一樣，很可愛又很爆笑，不過身邊有小朋友的人先不要看喔！因為聽起來真的很像在罵髒話啦！

I saw a few clips on YouTube and found out that a lot of kids can't pronounce "truck" properly. They all say it like you-know-what-word. It's kinda cute... and very funny. Enjoy!

[Alhambra] [Vietnamese] Banh Mi Che Cali

Banh Mi Che Cali
647 W Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 293-8396

越南咖哩麵是我很喜歡的一道菜色，來Banh Mi Che Cali買了小份的帶到公司當晚餐，只要$3而且雞肉給的無敵多，雖然有點油滋滋，但是真的好好吃啊！

Back to Banh Mi Che Cali.  Lately this is my favorite take out place to get food to bring to work. 


Curry Chicken Noodle (small) ($3.00)

Curry chicken noodle has been one of my favorite Vietnamese dish.  I got a small order for to go.  The soup was a bit oily, but that's just how Vietnamese curry chicken soup supposed to be like.

[Los Angeles] [Korean] Authentic Korean Dumpling

Authentic Korean Dumpling
698 S Irolo St.
Los Angeles, CA, 90006
(213) 480-1289

有天開車經過這家韓國大餃子店看到門口的菜色照片，感覺好像很好吃，這天和同事一起來買晚餐，餃子果然大顆好吃，還有炸醬麵也很讚呢！

On my way to work one day, I forgot to make a turn on a certain street and had to take another route to work in Korea Town.  I ended up taking Irolo St and passed by this restaurant, Authentic Korean Dumplings.  They had giant photos of dumplings and noodles on the outside wall.  I couldn't stop staring at the delicious photo while waiting for the red light to turn green.  I couldn't stop thinking about noodle and dumpling when I got to work.  So I made my co-worker Tom to get takeout with me at this restaurant.



Sorry I only got a picture of the restaurant from the back side, without those yummy food pictures.  This restaurant was seriously a hole in the wall place.  It was located in a little shack at the corner of some Korean strip mall.

[Los Angeles] [Buffet] Souplantation

Souplantation
8491 West 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048-4124
(323) 655-0381
http://www.souplantation.com

Souplantation五月份推出了草莓月，有草莓沙拉和瑪芬，還有草莓綠茶和檸檬汁，這次來吃午餐發現盤子和碗都變好小喔！不過東西還是一樣好吃。

I received a promotional e-mail from Souplantation in May about their special strawberry month.  There was also a coupon attached with the e-mail, buy 1 meal plus 2 drinks and get 1 meal free.  Since I love strawberry (and coupon), Dr. Park and I came here to get some strawberry salad for lunch.


All You Can Eat Buffet (Lunch) ($7.99/person)

The first think we noticed was that the plates are much smaller now.  I guess they want to do some portion control since food cost is higher now.  But I'm not really sure if that tactic works.  Since the plate is so small, we just took two plates and probably ended up taking more food.  Almost all customers did the same, too.

FREE Cupcake, Doughnut & KFC Chicken Sandwich

Here are some upcoming freebies to grab.  Enjoy!

(1) 8:00AM, Friday, June 6 @ Crumbs Larchmont
http://www.crumbsbakeshop.com
Crumbs Bake Shop will hand out 1000 free cupcakes to celebrate the opening of this new location.

(2) Friday, June 6 @ Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
http://www.krispykreme.com
All Krispy Kreme location will provide 1 free doughnut to celebrate National Doughnut Day.

(3) Kentucky Fried Chicken
Print your "Buy 1 large drink Get 1 free Chicken Sandwich" coupon right here.

[Rosemead] [Vietnamese] Lee's Sandwiches

Lee's Sandwiches
8779 E. Valley Blvd.
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 291-2688
http://www.leesandwiches.com

在大湘園吃完午餐，走到對街的Lee's買了兩個越南三明治，和公園先生對分了兩種口味的三明治，就是當天的便宜晚餐啦！

After our spicy lunch at Hunan Seafood, we walked accross the street to buy some Vietnamese sandwiches and iced coffee from Lee's Sandwiches.



The Rosemead store was really spacious.  The restaurant looked bright and clean.

[Rosemead] [Chinese] Hunan Seafood Restaurant

Hunan Seafood Restaurant
大湘園
8772 E Valley Blvd
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 280-8389

公園先生想吃辣中國菜，我們一起到大湘園吃特價午餐，才發現Memorial Day是假日沒有特價午餐，不過還是吃了辣得過癮的飽飽午餐。

Dr. Park went surfing on Memorial Day morning.  On the way back, he called and asked if I wanted to have lunch with him.  He had been craving for some spicy Chinese food.  We decided to go to Hunan Seafood for their lunch special.  Later we found out they didn't offer lunch special because it was a holiday though


小炒黑山羊肉 Toss-Fried Mutton with Cilantro ($9.98)

We ordered two dishes.  The first one was Toss-Fried Mutton with Cilantro.  This was one of my favorite dish since Crown Cafe days (Hunan Seafood used to be Crown Cafe long long time ago).  But it tasted different from the flavor that I remember.  It was good, just different.  This dish was VERY spicy even though it didn't look that spicy.  Mutton (or lamb) was sauteed with cilantro and spicy peppers.  Mutton was chewy and full of flavor.  The heat of the pepper made us sweat like crazy.  It also made us finish a bowl of rice.

[Arcadia] [Supermarket] Famima!!

Famima!!
5 W. Live Oak Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91006
(626) 446-1606
http://www.famima-usa.com

Arcadia新開了一家日本風的超商Famima!!，滿心歡喜的去買了壽司和飲料帶去公司當晚餐吃，卻是一整個失望啊！

Couples weeks ago, I drove by the corner of Santa Anita and Live Oaks in Arcadia, and saw Walgreens was closed and a new Famima was due to open.  I've been to Famima in Pasadena and Culver City.  It reminded me of the 7-11 back in Taiwan.  So I was pretty excited about them opening a store near my house.  I decided to check the store out on Sunday and to redeem the coupon they sent to my mailbox.


Extra Spicy Tuna Roll ($5.95)

I went before going to work so I could also buy dinner there.  I browsed through their food section and saw sandwiches, salad, pasta, rice and sushi.  Most items are about $6.  I decided to get the Extra Spicy Tuna Roll.

[Los Angeles] [Fast Food] Tomato Pie Pizza Joint

Tomato Pie Pizza Joint
7751 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 653-9993
http://www.tomatopiepizzajoint.com

拿著Entertainment Book裡的折價卷，我們買了一個超大號又好吃的什錦比薩，用了半價折價卷後居然只要$8，真是太划算啦！

Dr. Park and his brother planned to watch Ultimate Fighting Championship on Pay-Per-View that night.  So I suggested that we go get pizza.  Flipping through my Entertainment Book, we decided to try Tomato Pie on Melrose Ave with the 50% off coupon.



This pizza joint is right accross the street from Fairfax High School.  I can picture groups of high school teenagers coming here to hang out and have a snack after school.  According to their menu, "Tomato Pie brings you the classic East Coast flavor that New York Pizza was founded on."  Their dough is made with specially formulated water and high protein flour resulting in a crispy New York style crust.  They only use 100% whole milk mozzarella, freshest prodce and top quality meat.  They also simmer their own tomato sauces daily.

Melrose Avenue's Shiny Sneakers

品酒之後，我們到Melrose街上買Pizza回家，等待Pizza的時候，去了旁邊的店家逛逛，鞋店裡賣好多色彩鮮豔的限量球鞋呢！

After wine tasting, we decided to go to this pizzeria to get takeout because  Dr. Park and his brother wanted to go http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com to watch Ultimate Fighting Championship that night.  After we ordered the pizza, we had a little time to kill before the pizza was ready.  So we walked around Melrose Avenue for a bit.



Dr. Park's high school is right accross the street.  He said he used to come to Sportie LA to look at sneakers after school all the time.  Let's go in the store for old time's sake.

Wine Tasting at K&L Wine Merchants

K&L Wine Merchants
1400 Vine Street
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-9463
http://www.klwines.com

參加了一場加州和奧勒岡州紅酒大對決的品酒會，完全不懂酒，猛灌了10小杯紅酒，最後帶著愉快的心情醉醺醺的離開。

Dr. Park loves wine.  First it was just an enjoyment to drink wine, but now wine has became a passion.  He's been studying wine from books and magazine.  I don't know much about wine, but have loved all the wines he purchased for us.  Dr. Park has became really good paring wine with food as well.  Lucky me! ^^



When Dr. Park told me about the wine tasting event at K&L Wine Merchants, I didn' really want to go.  I have no particular interest in wine, nor the taste buds for it.  All wines just taste kinda the same to me.  I can only say "good I like" or "no good I don't like" about wine.  So I just felt like going to wine tasting is such a waste of money for me.  But Dr. Park insisted that we experience the "wonderful moment of wine tasting" together, so we went.

June 2008 Giveaway

Congratulation to our May giveaway winner Wendy.   I hope you will like the cute earrings!  And thanks to Angie Hearts Boutique for sponsoring the prize.  (Please check out Angie Hearts Boutique's June giveaway as well.  They are giving away one Silver Beaded Seashell Clutch Evening Bag!)



For our June giveaway, the prizes are: (1) Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar + Peppermint Shower Soap; (2) Burt's Bees Hand Salve, Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme & Beeswax Lip Balm. 

June 2008 Wallpaper

I was reading Cindy's blog "Food Makes Me Happy" and saw a beautiful sunset picture.  The photo was taken at a perfect moment with two birds flying accross the sun.  I thought the photo will make a perfect wallpaper.  Cindy was nice enough to provide the picture.  Thanks, Cindy, for the beautiful June 2008 wallpaper.


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