In-N-Out.

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! I've been avoiding this post because I know that I'm going to drool while I write about the In-N-Out meal. Though I am a big believer in organic and natural foods, I am also a big fast food junkie. So going to California did not only mean having fun with my friends, the beach, the sun, etc., but it also meant a trip to the famous In-N-Out. My fast food fantasy was going to be fulfilled!

All my friends told me I had to get my burger and fries Animal Style. It's on In-N-Out's secret menu where you can order different add-ons and cooking styles. The Animal Style consists of "spread" which is pretty much 1000 Island Dressing, cheese, grilled onions and pickles. I got it for both the burger and fries. Go big or go home right? The prices of the burgers and fries are great and cheaper than Five Guys. The wait was a little long because they make everything fresh and the line is so long. The line for the drive-thru is even longer and curves to the street, but that's when you know it's going to be good.

The results: the hamburger is amazing. I can see why even the most famous chefs say that In-N-Out is their favorite fast food joint. My favorite part was the toasted bun. Biting into the toasted bun, then the Animal Style spread/grilled onions/cheese, then the juicy burger is a beautiful thing. I must say, I do prefer Five Guys french fries over In-N-Out fries because they are thicker and have more of a crunchy bite. But I like the In-N-Out burger and prices better.




Hello. I'm currently drooling.




Animal Style baby!



I leave you with a small suggestions: everyone must eat In-N-Out before they die.

Miscellaneous LA.

Here are some remaining shots from the LA trip.

Before a night out in Hollywood, my friends and I went to the Geisha House for dinner. We were originally going to go to Ketchup, but the infamous LA traffic had us missing our reservations. But the Geisha House was a great substitute. It's pitch black inside with costumed Geisha hostesses running around and bumpin' music. I was told the upstairs turns into a club scene where they take out all the tables and a DJ spins all night. It was a fun and hip atmosphere, where the sushi is expensive (but what isn't expensive in Hollywood?).




The sushi we ordered, it got devoured so quickly. The fish was fresh and delicate-yum.


My favorite roll. Cucumber substituted as the usual seaweed wrap. Gave it a crunchy bite. I also liked the jalepeno roll, I'm such a big fan of spicy.

Another day during my week of exploring, a family friend took me on a great tour around LA. We hit up some Mexican food beforehand since I heard the Mexican food there is awesome and authentic. We went to a little restaurant where the locals were eating at, so you know it's good when the locals are there! And the tacos are so cheap, $1.30 for an authentic taco.


Fish taco, pork taco and beef taco with freshly made chips. I love these chips, especially since they are fresh and perfectly crunchy and seasoned. The fish taco was my favorite.



I grabbed dinner with a friend another night and after we went to Yogolicious. There are froyo places all over the US now, but I haven't been to a self-service one yet. This is fun and you can to mix whatever flavors and toppings you want, then they weigh it for the price. I ended up getting too excited and serving myself too much froyo, woops :). I loved the dolce de leche and cake batter the best. Yum.






Went a little overboard, but I was on vacation :).

Only a few more LA posts left-some pictures from my phone and then my In-N-Out post... Caution: drooling may occur.

Food Trucks Galore Part 2.

I went to the Westside Food Truck Central site again for lunch on a sunny Wednesday. I was excited to see what trucks were out since it changes all the time. When I got there, I saw a huge orange truck with a really long line. It was the The Grilled Cheese Truck! I had an open afternoon so I decided to wait in the long line to see what the fuss was all about.

They have your regular simple grilled cheese sandwiches, as well as extravagant grilled cheeses both of the savory and sweet variety. I, of course, ordered a big grilled cheese with all the frills. I couldn't decide between the Cheesy Mac and Rib or the Pepperbelly Melt. I asked the cashier her opinion and she recommended the Pepperbelly Melt. It is a sandwich with Habanero Jack Cheese with homemade chili, Fritos, fire roasted salsa and cilantro lime sour cream on cheddar jalepeno bread. After a really long wait, I was able to dig into the sandwich. It was delicious! The Fritos gave it a great crunch and everything was perfectly melted and blended together. I love the spicy kick from the cheese and their homemade chili.


I would love to see this truck driving around.


Right before it closed, so this doesn't even show how busy it was.


A little appetizer before I got my grilled cheese. I knew it was going to take a long time, so I ordered Samosas from the India Jones Truck (love that name by the way...).




Lots of ingredients, but they all fit perfectly together.




Ha I had to


I thought this was funny: The Shrimp Pimp truck. A little girl sitting by me asked her parents what a pimp was.

The Perfect Beginning.

Right after landing, our LA friends took us to Sonoma Wine Garden to catch up and get some food. It was beautiful, a bar on the rooftop of Santa Monica Place with lounge couches, tables and a great view. Nothing could beat the sun, my best friends and wine. It was heaven for me! I was telling myself, I could get used to this. We ordered a bottle of chardonnay (wish I remembered the name because I really liked it!) and some food. Fries cooked in truffle oil and a margherita pizza. Fries in truffle oil, sprinkled with parmesan cheese is probably the best thing in the whole world. I wish all my fries could be cooked this way (then I would be 300 pounds...). This was a great start to our weekend in LA.






What could beat this?


Cheers!


I love you truffle oil.


A simple margherita pizza is just perfect.

The next morning after a crazy night in Hermosa Beach, we went to visit our friend Katie who lives in beautiful Manhattan Beach. We ate lunch at the North End Caffe, which was featured in Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. They have a wide breakfast, lunch and dinner menu and they use only natural meats and bake their own bread daily. I was craving breakfast, but our long night had us waking up late. But I was lucky that the North End still had breakfast sandwiches. I ordered the Tani Sandwich: hard fried egg, turkey, pepper jack, avocado, red mojo, herb salad. As Anthony Bourdain describes it, I'm an egg slut. I love anything with an egg on it and this sandwich had all my favorite toppings!




Looks small, but very filling. I was a fan of the "red mojo" sauce. A spicy kick.


The turkey-avocado-pepper-jack cheese combo never fails me!


Sandwiches the size of your head!

Ahhh wish I could live this life everyday.

Food Trucks Galore.

Hello everyone! Happy Valentines Day!! Hope everyone had fun with their friends, family, loved ones and ate lots of sweet treats.


A homemade card from my good friend Julianne and fellow blogger.

I'm back home after 8 days in sunny Los Angeles. I had so much fun with my friends, exploring the city and eating a diverse collection of foods. The thing I love about LA is all the different neighborhoods that the city has and each has its own personality and people. I got to experience the culture and diversity. Plus, I had an interview for a job I really want so crossing my fingers for that one!

Food trucks are a big thing in any city these days. They are easy, fun and there's so many different kinds of variations. I was lucky that my friend lives by a church parking lot where the Westside Food Truck Central meets. The trucks tweet if they are going to be at the site that day because it's different everyday! So fun and such a great variety of ethnic foods. The first time I went was for dinner and I just couldn't decide, but my friend had told me that the Grill 'Em truck was there and I could see that it was a big hit just by the line. They were the winners of the Food Network Food Truck Competition! And their burgers proved that they were.

I ordered the Waste 'Em All burger. Pepperjack cheese and green chilies. I took one bite and was in love. The burger was so juicy and the chilies made it even more juicy. I ordered a side of frites with garlic aioli.


The site. A circle of food trucks and a few tables in the middle. Most people get their food and take it home.


The Grill 'Em truck. The longest line there, so you know it's good.


My burger and frites.


Pink and tender on the inside. On a toasty bun, yummy.


My friend ate at a Japanese and Peruvian fusion truck, I forgot what it was called. Oops. The yakisoba is Japanese and the green sauce is a spicy Peruvian influence.


I was too full for dessert, but these ice cream cookie sandwiches looked amazing. So many different variations at the Chunk-N-Chip Cookies

I'm in love with the food truck scene. It's so easy and the variation is unlimited. I hope I can explore some food trucks in Seattle! Get ready for more LA posts this week since I pretty much ate my way through the city.

Breakfast of Champions.

Happy February!

So I have a confession. When I was little I used to hate...no, despise eggs. When my mom made them for breakfast I used to throw them away or hide them somewhere (not a good idea by the way...). I just never liked the taste or the texture. This is the weirdest thing because I am now obsessed with eggs. I love eating them in any style, cooking them and especially looking at pictures of them. If my cholesterol wouldn't shoot through the roof, I would eat eggs everyday. Omelettes, scrambles, frittatas, fried, over-easy (where the yolk oozes out and I pick it up with toast), poached on eggs benedict, stir fried in Chinese dishes, on hamburgers, mmmmmhmmm yummmm. I'm like Bubba from Forrest Gump with his shrimp.

Here's a little vegetable scramble I made with tomatoes, onions, spinach and cheese.




Tabasco sauce to seal the deal and a satsuma.


So easy and hearty.

Chinese New Year is this Thursday, but I will be in Los Angeles so my parents and I will be celebrating it tomorrow night. We are trying to make it as traditional as possible, but we will do our best. I will be in LA for 8 days and I'm so excited! I get to switch from this cold weather to the sun; beaching, shopping, playing, laughing and relaxing with my best friends. And of course, EATING! Local favorites and food trucks, here I come!