3 Days of Eating in Boston

Boston from the Prudential Tower

Even though I had only been once, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Boston. I fell in love with all of the history and architecture and always vowed to go back. It took almost 20 years, but I finally made my triumphant return.

B&G Oysters

Fried Clams and Lobster Roll

My sole goal in Boston was to eat a lobster roll. My Bostonian friends happily obliged and took me to B&G Oysters (550 Tremont St.). This hip restaurant has cute outdoor seating, a seafood bar and a few high tables scattered throughout the restaurant.

B&G Oysters Food

We ordered a medley of food, including raw oysters, fried oysters, fried clams, gnocchi with calamari and lobster rolls. Everything was absolutely amazing, but I had to admit that the fried oysters and clams were standouts for me. My lobster roll was served cold and mixed with a bit of mayo and chives. I was really happy that the mayo was not overwhelming and that the sweetness of the lobster flesh could really shine. I would completely recommend B&G Oysters if you’re looking for a Boston seafood experience.

Yankee Lobster Company: Fried Scallop and Lobster Roll

When said B&G Oysters friends asked what else I wanted to eat, I simply replied: “More lobster rolls.” They recommended Yankee Lobster Company (300 Northern Ave.). Facing the water on the pier, Yankee Lobster is a casual and no-frills spot where you order your food and quickly grab a table. I completely enjoyed the casual vibe and quick service. After reading multiple reviews, I knew that I had to order the fried scallops. I would order these every day if I could. Juicy, succulent scallops in a light batter with tangy tartar sauce is definitely up there in my ranks of favorite foods (besides lobster rolls). My lobster roll also did not fail to disappoint. Served hot with a simple preparation of hot butter on a perfectly toasted bun, I liked it even more than B&G Oysters version. If you’re visiting the Institute of Contemporary Art, Yankee Lobster is a great option for a quick lunch, dinner or even afternoon snack!

Fenway Park

Speaking of quick meals, Boston has a plethora of pizza by the slice options. I decided to try Regina Pizzeria (multiple locations) since there was one walking distance from Fenway Park. You really can’t beat a huge slice of pizza for an affordable price. I also recommend taking a tour of Fenway Park. The guide was so enthusiastic, knowledgable and fun. Plus, how often do you get to visit America’s oldest ballpark?

The Spread at Moonshine 152

One of the up and coming neighborhoods in Boston is South Boston aka. Southie, which is full of awesome restaurants like Moonshine 152 (152 Dorchester Ave.). Full disclosure: I grew up with the owner and chef, Asia Mei and I consider her to be like a cousin. However, it wouldn’t have clouded my judgement because Asia is a talented and fantastic chef. My friends and I went for brunch and feasted on tater tot poutine, French toast sticks, grilled avocado, a peach and fried prosciutto salad and omelette. That French toast was seriously one of the best French toasts I’ve ever had. It’s not a custard-style French toast, but little deep-fried fritters that aren’t oily or greasy. They tasted like churros with a raspberry dipping sauce and I love churros.

I really liked how Asia would throw in nods to her Asian heritage. The tater tot poutine is topped with Chinese sausage, gravy, green onions and white cheddar cheese. The grilled avocado had an Asian slaw with peanuts. She serves brunch, dinner and even late night eats. I wish I could have gone for dinner because there are even more fusion dishes. It leaves something to desire for my next trip.

SF Birthday at Atelier Crenn

Atelier Crenn Menu

It’s been an absolute dream of mine to dine at Atelier Crenn (3127 Fillmore St.) and I felt incredibly lucky to be able to celebrate my birthday there last month. If you have not seen Netflix’s Chef’s Table (Season 2, Episode 3), stop and watch it immediately (full disclosure: you may cry). You’ll be taken on an incredible journey learning more about Chef Dominique Crenn, what inspires her cooking and all the effort that goes into maintaining her restaurants. Chef Dominque Crenn is the first female chef in the U.S. to earn two Michelin stars and it is well earned. Each dish is a feast for your eyes, as much as it is for your stomach, and the service is impeccable.

First Courses

The meal starts with a poem, which is your narrative for the night’s menu. All guests are welcomed with their first bite, chef’s take on a Kir Breton. White cocoa butter surrounds a sphere of apple cider and it’s topped with crème de cassis. Chef Dominique’s Bretagne roots really shine throughout the night as there were a lot of seafood courses. Her take on fish and chips were fried potato chips dusted with seaweed and served with swordfish marrow in a cucumber sauce. I really loved her tomato memory (watch the Netflix episode and you’ll understand the reference), which were small tarts filled with tomato compote and roe. On the side, different peeled tomatoes were served with tomato dust and tomato raisins. One of my favorite dishes of the night was Japanese-inspired. Delicate uni is served over toasted Japanese rice mixed with seaweed and sesame seeds. What truly elevated this dish was the white wine, shallot and fennel broth. The sauce was so clear and flavorful.

Next came caviar with rice cream and shiso leaf oil, served with delicate root vegetables. The homemade brioche bread with A5 wagyu beef fat butter and herbed butter is the definition of decadence. I had to refrain from devouring the whole loaf so that there’d be room for the rest of the courses. Grilled abalone (not pictured) came with egg yolk jam, seaweed dusting and grilled oyster cream. The abalone was so tender and the waiter let us in on the secret– beating the abalone for 30 minutes to an hour.

Foraging Mushroom Course

Pinoy Heritage Pop-Up with Feastly

First Course: Summer Tomato Salad

I was really honored when my old co-worker invited me to Chef Francis Ang’s Pinoy Heritage pop-up dinner with Feastly. I had never heard of Feastly, but it’s a site where private chefs can host pop-up meals for a fixed price. With my friend’s recommendation and also reading up on Chef Francis Ang’s background, I was completely sold. An 8-course meal for $50 in San Francisco? You didn’t have ask me twice to sign up.

Monterey Squid in a Melon Gazpacho

Pinoy Heritage is Filipino food, but it’s brought to a whole new level. Our first course was a summer tomato salad served with a cucumbers, gelée and tinapa garsa (smoked fish). This dish was the perfect start to our meal, cool and refreshing with a balance of flavors between the sweet tomatoes and smoked fish. I also enjoyed the crunchy bits, which added texture and contrast to the gelée and soft tomatoes. Our second course was Monterey squid served in a beautiful melon gazpacho, XO bagoong and agretti. I would never think to serve squid and melon together, but it somehow works. The warm squid was so tender and sitting atop a bright cold soup of Canary melon. The XO topping (fermented dried scallop and dried shrimp with chilis) provided some heat against the sweet melon.

Binatog Corn Flan

Our third course was a binatog corn flan made from fresh glutinous rice and cream of corn. It was served with coconut milk and topped with palapa (coconut condiment) and black truffle air. Yes, you read that correctly. Black truffle air. The flan was smooth and creamy, like a savory panna cotta, but with the consistency of a mousse custard. I loved how this dish was simultaneously sweet and savory. Then there was the umami from the black truffle. Chef Francis handles the balance of flavors so well.

Arzak Egg

Fourth course was Arzak egg with tongue bistek, charred onions and crisps. This egg dish was named after a method created by famous Spanish restaurant, Arzak. It’s a poached egg that is cooked in plastic wrap, creating a unique shape. The braised tongue bistek (ox tongue) was reduced in a beautiful sauce that had a perfect tang from calamansi and the egg was also topped with puffed grains. Again, Chef Francis is so thoughtful when it comes to thinking about different textures and flavor palates on your plate.

Quail Pinaupo

The main entrée was the quail pinaupo, which was stuffed with Chinese-style glutinous fried rice and served with green mango and tamarind-glazed squash peppers. I was surprised we were served an entire quail and even more surprised with how much rice was stuffed inside. For such a small bird, quail can be difficult to do right (easy to overcook), but it was cooked perfectly. With the richness from the quail, the green mango really changed the whole flavor palate by cutting through some of the fat and adding a sweet and sour kick.

Dessert Courses

Dessert courses were guava sorbet with a lemon verbena cake and pistachio sans rival. The pistachio sans rival was pistachio meringues on top of a passion fruit curd and fresh yellow peach slices. Our last bite was an ube profiterole. After a rich meal, I really appreciated that dessert was light and fruit-based. I didn’t feel like I was weighed down at all between the refreshing guava sorbet and the airy pistachio meringue.

I went in with high expectations, but they were completely blow away. This was honestly one of the best meals of my life. I cannot recommend Chef Francis Ang and Pinoy Heritage enough. Be sure to follow them on Instagram or check out Feastly to go to one of their other meals. If interested, you can use my referral code, which will get you $10 off your first meal: http://fst.im/s/c0ad1e09.

SF Bakeries: Vive La Tarte and Arsicault

Croissant Choices at Vive La Tarte

I recently wrote a post about some of my favorite SF bakeries, but San Francisco is teeming with pastries that are just waiting to be eaten. One of my new favorite places is Vive La Tarte (1160 Howard St.) in SOMA. Filled in a light and airy warehouse, Vive La Tarte is a great space to hold a meeting or hunker down and work. They offer classic croissants, pain au chocolat and almond croissants, as well as filled ones like strawberry shortcake and banana ginger. If the croissants weren’t enough to tempt you, there’s slices of pizza, quiche, tarts and cheesecake!

Vive La Tarte Spread

I stayed focused on the croissants and tried the strawberry shortcake, banana ginger, pain au chocolat and almond croissant. I’ll be honest and let you know that the filled croissants, while very Instagrammable, are not that good. I found that with the filling, the croissant becomes soggy. There also wasn’t enough strawberry or banana flavor. Stick with the classics like pain au chocolat. While I did enjoy the taste of the chocolate filling immensely, I wish there were two chocolate batons instead of one. The amount of pastry surrounding the chocolate is huge so there are many bites that are chocolate-less. Let’s face it; those are sad bites. I do highly recommend the almond croissant, which was completely filled from top to bottom with almond goodness (very impressive). It had that perfect marzipan taste and the filling oozes out with every bite. I’m quite confident that this is my favorite almond croissant.

Sightglass Coffee

Vive La Tarte Seating

If the pastries aren’t enough for you, grab a cup of the Sightglass Coffee. I love how cute the space at Vive La Tarte is with actual tables, bench and counter seating. I can’t wait to go back and work my way through some of the tarts and cheesecake.

Arsicault

I’m in the minority here, but I didn’t love Arsicault (397 Arguello Blvd.), which Bon Appétit crowned the best new bakery in America in 2016. Arsicault hosts a small menu with plain croissant, pain au chocolat, kouign amann, almond croissant, almond and chocolate croissant, ham and cheese croissant, morning bun and cookies. Everyone that works there is super friendly and helpful. I know the lines can be over an hour on the weekends.

I tried the croissant, kouign amann, almond croissant and almond + chocolate croissant. The plain croissant had plenty of butter but it was very dense, not light and airy, which I prefer. The almond croissant did not have the marzipan flavor that I adore so much and I didn’t find the almond flavor to be very strong (plenty of filling though). I did like the taste of the chocolate in the almond and chocolate croissant. I also greatly appreciated how the pain au chocolat come with two chocolate batons. My favorite was actually the kouign amann. It’s not quite as crispy as b. patisserie, but the outer edges are crispy while the inside is softer. There’s still the wonderful sugar crust on top. If I ever went back, that would be the one item for me!

San Francisco Brunch Circuit

Tartine Manufactory | SF

I write about brunch a lot. In San Francisco, brunch is practically a religion. While I do love a good brunch, I can’t stand waiting 2+ hours for food. I thought I’d write a quick and dirty guide of some of the best places to brunch in SF and what is and isn’t worth your time.

If it wasn’t clear, I love Tartine Manufactory.

One of the most exciting openings of 2016 was when renowned Tartine Bakery (600 Guerrero St.) opened a 2nd location at Tartine Manufactory (595 Alabama St.). Finally, Tartine’s bread could be available to the masses and not just at 4pm onward in the original Mission location. Tartine Manufactory is in a bigger airy space, complete with a full-service bar. While the offerings are different at Tartine Manufactory compared to the bakery, there are plenty of choices to delight your fancy.

Porchetta Sandwich at Tartine Manufactory

It is worth the trip to Tartine Manufactory solely for the porchetta and fried egg sandwich. I kid you not. It is that good. On a beautifully toasted brioche bun, you’ll find layers of rich, thinly-sliced porchetta, a slightly runny fried egg, fresh watercress and crunchy pork rinds. The pork rinds make the sandwich by adding extra texture that complements against the runny egg yolk. This is heaven in a sandwich. If the thought of eating a porchetta sandwich is going to put you in a coma for the rest of the day, there are plenty of lighter choices. I highly recommend whatever their open-faced sandwich is for the day. I’ve had mind-blowing smoked trout on a healthy, hearty bread, as well as mascarpone, homemade apple butter and apples on their country bread. Their coddled egg is also a great alternative for a lighter brunch. It comes topped with trout roe and 3 pieces of the country bread (my favorite of all the Tartine breads) with za’atar spices.

Brunch at Plow

Plow (1299 18th St.) is the perfect place to hit during the week if you can. Weekend lines can be 2+ hours. If you are lucky enough to snag a table, you must order the buttermilk biscuit, which comes with life-changing honey butter. I also recommend their signature brunch dish, the plow. I always struggle at brunch because I usually want both savory and sweet dishes, but don’t want to order two entrees. The plow is perfect because it comes with two eggs, house made pork sausage patties, mini lemon ricotta pancakes and plow potatoes. Their sausage patties are full of flavor, without being too oily. I love anything lemon and their lemon ricotta pancakes are light, fluffy and wonderfully zesty. The corn muffin is a total pass (save your calories for the biscuit) and while the French toast is solid, I’d rather eat the pancakes.

Spread at Zazie

Zazie (941 Cole St.) is another SF brunch institution (I’m telling you… people take their brunch really seriously here). I don’t know why Zazie had never been on my radar, probably because I never go to Cole Valley. But apparently, Adele likes to brunch at Zazie so my friend and I had to try. Similar to Plow, expect long waits on the weekend, so try and come during the week if you can. What I liked most about Zazie is they let you customize the quantity of your order. For the eggs Benedict, you can order just 1 and the same goes for their pancakes. I love any restaurant that let’s me order multiple dishes (again, I’m into both savory and sweet for breakfast).

I ordered the eggs Benedict with avocado, bacon and cheese and my friend ordered a scramble. We decided to split Sarah Jane’s flight, which comes with 1 buttermilk pancake, 1 ginger pancake and 1 French toast. If you come to Zazie, you must order eggs Benedict and get the home fries (screw ordering the salad, people). Their Hollandaise sauce is absolutely perfect, creamy without being too heavy and having a wonderful citrus flavor. Zazie’s home fries are the best home fries I’ve ever had in my life. They are roasted in a way where the outside is crispy but the interior is still soft and chewy. Zazie roast their home fries with garlic, which gives their potatoes an extra layer of complexity. They are to die for. Out of the flight, the French toast and buttermilk pancake did not impress me. I would order the ginger pancake again, primarily because it’s topped with fresh lemon curd (love me some lemon) and a poached pear. It even tastes amazing cold the next day!

Beignet Flight at Brenda’s Soul Food Kitchen

Korean Beauty Believer

Six years ago (wow, six whole years), one of my first blog posts was about cosmetic products for sensitive skin. After living in Asia for several years, I was introduced to the world of Korean beauty aka. K-Beauty. Korean skincare is extremely affordable and since it is a lucrative business, Korean companies really invest a lot in the latest cutting-edge technology. Thanks to companies like Soko Glam, Memebox, and Peach & Lily, we can finally access K-Beauty in the U.S. In this post, I’ll talk about the 8-step Korean skincare process and also share my favorite products (full disclosure: it’s not all Korean brands). Major thanks to my friend, Ingrid, who is a fellow cosmetics lover and introduced me to many of the non-Korean products.

Before I forget, here’s my referral link for Soko Glam. You get 20% off your first order and I get a $10 credit if you order anything. I have a serious K-Beauty addiction so anything that you can do to help feed it would be appreciated!
https://www.talkable.com/x/mRyOFp

I have really sensitive skin and used to use Shiseido exclusively. My skincare routine was becoming too expensive and I had been on it for years. I heard it’s good to change up your products because your skin gets “used to” cosmetics when you use them for a long duration of time. This is when I started experimenting more with Korean beauty brands.

Koreans have a CRAZY 8-step routine:
Step 1: Solid, Oil-based cleanser
Step 2: Water-based cleanser
Step 3: Toner
Step 4: Essence
Step 5: Serum
Step 6: Eye Cream
Step 7: Face Cream
Step 8: Masks/Sleeping Packs

Additional steps:
– Exfoliating
– Sunscreen during the day

I probably do 7-8 of these steps daily, depending on my skincare needs. I’ll share the products that I really love and add a * to products that I can’t live without.

Step 1: Solid, Oil-based Cleanser
Koreans believe in double-cleansing. They first use an oil-based cleanser to take off make-up, sunscreen, etc. and then a water-based cleanser to remove any other impurities. When I first heard it, I thought it was a little excessive and may dry out my skin. Once I tried it, I was a believer. The oil-based cleanser actually nourishes my skin, not dries it out, and I use a gentle foam cleanser. My skin feels SO clean after double-cleansing and it’s finally ready to absorb Korean cosmetic good-ness.

I use a muslin cloth to wash off the oil-based cleanser. The Eve Lom ones are probably the most famous: http://www.sephora.com/3-muslin-cloths-P381435

1. Clinque Take the Day Off Balm*
http://www.clinique.com/product/20011/6424/skin-care/makeup-removers/take-the-day-off-cleansing-balm
– This product is fantastic and is a solid that melts when you start rubbing it into your face. It really removes make-up and sunscreen well.

2. The Organic Pharmacy Carrot Butter Cleanser*
https://www.birchbox.com/shop/the-organic-pharmacy-carrot-butter-cleanser
– This is the ultimate holy grail in cleansers. It’s really expensive so I definitely do not use this daily. This is like a special occasion cleanser. I usually massage into my face, rinse my Eve Lom muslin cloth in extremely hot water, and then let it sit on my face like mini aromatherapy.

3. Banila Co Clean It Zero Classic
https://sokoglam.com/products/banila-co-clean-it-zero-classic
– This is the most famous oil-based cleanser in Korea. The pink one is the original formula and they came out with a blue one, purity (https://sokoglam.com/products/banila-co-clean-it-zero-purity), which is for sensitive skin. It’s less of a solid compared to Clinique and Organic Pharmacy.

4. Erborian Solid Cleansing Oil
https://sokoglam.com/products/erborian-solid-cleansing-oil
– I haven’t personally used this one, but I do like the brand Erborian and trust them. I have friends who use this product and like it. I mostly end up using the Clinique one because I like it and I pick it up in Duty Free Shopping when I travel.

Step 2: Water-based cleanser

1. Neogen Real Fresh Foam Cleanser*
https://sokoglam.com/products/neogen-cranberry-real-fresh-foaming-cleanser
– I love Neogen’s foam cleanser. It’s actually foams up when you pump it out and is super gentle. If you have sensitive skin, I recommend the green tea one: https://sokoglam.com/products/neogen-real-fresh-foaming-cleanser. Sometimes the cranberry is sold out so I use the green tea one.

2. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
http://www.fresh.com/US/best-sellers/soy-face-cleanser/H00000002.html
– I love this gel cleanser. It’s also really gentle. I actually love Fresh’s line, but it’s more expensive and so I tend to only buy if there’s a sale.

Step 3: Toner
Toner is supposed to help balance out the pH level in your skin. This is honestly where I think the 8-step Korean process goes a little overboard since you’re supposed to use essence afterward. I personally think it’s a little too much, so I stick more with the essence.

1. May Coop Raw Sauce*
http://www.sephora.com/raw-sauce-P398843
– May Coop Raw Sauce is a toner + essence in one. I’m a big fan of cutting down a step so I use this in my nightly routine. The consistency is thicker, almost sap-like, but it’s not terribly sticky. I really like how this feels on my skin and with the thicker consistency, I feel like it’s actually being absorbed. The first couple of times, my skin actually tingled while using it. To the point where I thought it might be too harsh for my face. But after a couple of uses, my skin adapted and it doesn’t sting anymore.

2. Son & Park Beauty Water
https://sokoglam.com/products/son-park-beauty-water
– If you are looking for a toner, the Son & Park Beauty Water always gets stellar reviews. I’ve never used it myself.

Step 4: Essence
Essence helps prepare your skin so it can absorb the next step, serum. I do believe in this step and wait about 5 minutes before applying serum afterward.
1. Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence
https://sokoglam.com/products/missha-time-revolution-first-treatment-essence
– Have you heard of the brand SK-II? It’s the holy grail of essence and uses an ingredient from sake called pitera. I’ve used SK-II before, but I didn’t really see a huge difference, especially for how expensive it is. It’s like $230 for a bottle! Missha’s essence is a great, cheaper alternative to SK-II. It’s a liquid so I just pour some on my hands and then directly pat onto my face. I prefer this over using a cotton pad because I feel like the cotton pad just soaks up all the liquid and it gets wasted.

I switch between Missha and May Coop Raw Sauce, usually based on who is having a sale!