WingNuts in Ontario- For those days you crave wings

Sometimes I get cravings for certain foods and I will stop at nothing to satisfy that craving. Last Saturday was one of those days that the thought of buffalo wings made my mouth water. Maybe it was the fact that we had gone to Magnum Range that morning and I was feeling pretty badass, and wings are badass... see the connection? WingNuts just happens to be down the street from my house, lucky for me, so... I dragged my roommates friend to munch some Wings with me.

I had a large Pomona Queen again, I'm really taking a liking to that beer after I had it at The Press on Valentines Day. I decided on 12 wings- 6 Garlic Parmesan, 6 Charred Whiskey BBQ and their signature propeller fries. I think Garlic-Parmesan sounds so good when its on the menu, but once you actually start eating them, their really not that great. The Charred Whiskey BBQ was so satisfying and delicious though compared to the Garlic Parmesan ones. I think I found a new fave flavor!

Wurstkuche Los Angeles- Rattlesnake and Alligator Hot Dogs!

While visiting a friend in LA the other day, I had the opportunity to experience a new restaurant. “Wurstkuche Restaurant” – Purveyor of Exotic Grilled Sausages is located near the corner of3rd Street and Alameda in downtown Los Angeles. The friend that told me about the place had been there before and mentioned something about Rattlesnake, Rabbit and Alligator hot dogs. I didn’t need to hear any more, I was already on my way to my car, pockets jingling and tum growling. Finding parking wasn’t too easy because the surrounding area is questionable, and finding the door to the restaurant was difficult too- we ended up walking in the wrong door and had to navigate to find the cash register. (Later I realized that there is a huge entryway door on the other side of the building… if only I had walked around the building rather than just opening the closest unlocked door to the restaurant)

This photo was taken from Seattlemet.com, photo courtesy of potatomato.com.
I wanted to post this because it gives you an idea of what the inside of the restaurant
looks like with its bench seating and beer bar along the wall!

The menu was very exciting but my eyes went straight to the Exotic Sausages. Alligator & Pork, Andouille Sausage and Rattlesnake & Rabbit with Jalepeno Peppers (mildly spicy). We decided to get one each because they were big and switch hotdogs halfway through, that way we could enjoy both. We ordered the alligator with Sauerkraut and Caramelized onions toppings and the Rattlesnake with Spicy Peppers and Carmelized onions. Then we decided to share a small order of their famous Belgian fries with home-made dipping sauce (we got the Bleu Cheese Walnut & Bacon dipping sauce), and to share a beer. We shared an Affligem Noel beer which is a dark caramel seasonal ale 9% alcohol by volume. It had a robust flavor profile and caramel, prune, and brown sugar flavors in it.  Each dog was $7.50, the small (Klein) fries were $3.5 and the beer was $8. We tipped the lady because we were such a pain trying to decide which beer to get and she helped us decide.

We ordered in a small room, and were handed our beer and a number. We walked down a long hallway (found the bathrooms!) into a big room. The seating was long bench seating and there was a raised area and a corner that my friend and I sat in. There was a beer bar along one wall and the restaurant was pretty busy for a Tuesday night. Our little seat in the corner gave us a good view of the restaurant and everyone eating their delicious hot dogs. On each of the tables were squeeze bottles of different gourmet mustards (Whole grain, Dijon, Spicy Brown, Honey Mustard, American Yellow and Ketchup).

After trying both the Alligator and the Rattlesnake/Rabbit Hotdogs, I decided I like the Alligator more. It is, of course, a tough comparison because they are ground up into sausages with some fillers rather than just the meat of the animal, but the Alligator was more of a milder flavor, and the Jalepenos in the Rattlesnake hot dog set my mouth on fire. Neither tasted like chicken! I definitely plan on trying all of those meats again soon, separately so I can really compare the flavors.

   

I started with the Alligator hot dog covered in Carmelized Onions and Saurkraut. YUM! Then I switched with my friend at tackled the rest of the Rattlesnake/ Rabbit/Jalepeno dog.

I really liked the restaurant. $30ish for a dinner for two was a good price and the food was so delicious. Plus the whole novelty of eating rattlesnake was pretty cool. I think I’ll try the Buffalo hot dog next time!!!

Roomies made me dinner!

On top of already being the coolest roommates ever, they had dinner ready when I walked in the door after a long day of class..... Blackened Mahi Mahi Baja Tacos with a tasty cilantro jalapeno onion sauce. The sauce wasn't spicy because Chef Ty didn't add all the jalapeno seeds into the food processor. He got the recipe out of a Cooking Lite magazine since we're on a neverending diet and it ended up being amazing. The recipe called for tilapia but the mahi mahi was incredible (more expensive fishy). And we used whole wheat tortillas to be extra healthy. It didn't taste like a healthy recipe. It was just delicious. I added some avocado and salsa to the mix for extra flavor. The salsa wasn't necessary because the jalapeno sauce was already so flavorful.

Here's the recipe from Cooking Light Magazine in case anyone is interested in giving it a try!!

Piano Piano in Claremont, birthday party

If you haven't been to a dueling piano bar before I absolutely recommend it! Super lively, entertaining music- its basically a comedy show with pianos!  Sometimes they get people on stage to dance (or make fun of them) sometimes they split up the restaurant into teams and have competitions. The only warning I'd give about the show is that its not for people who are easily offended. Its also generally the same show (songs/jokes) the four times I have been. Its great for bachelorette parties,birthday parties, going out with the girls for a night of entertainment. The drinks aren't very cheap either heads up. So anyway, since I had started coming to Piano Piano I had been wanting to try the fishbowl. Basically a gallon of fruity drink that you should share with a minimum of 3 other people. I believe it was $36 and you get to keep the fishbowl.... And the hangover. The drink was Delish and you couldn't even taste the liquor.... But it'll sneak up on you so be careful! I kept the fishbowl and currently my beta, Ichi, lives in it.

BC Cafe- Claremont, brunch with a Co-Worker

It was two days after I moved into the new house in Montclair and the new roomies suggested this place and gave rave reviews about the pancakes! It was a typical diner like Dennys... Fake potted plants, booths, pay at the front register etc. Even the server fit the diner steryotype- old lady. Didn't look too happy to be there. Mixed up the order several times...its probably time to retire to  knitting and AMC movies and let a youngen take over... The menu was about 10 pages long and I had a hard time choosing what I wanted. I finally ordered a Denver Omelet and 2 pancakes (strawberry and peach). Look at the size of the food they gave me (see picture)! for $14 it could have fed a whole family! The omelet was to die for but once I had gotten halfway through I was stuffed. The strawberry pancake was awesome but I wasn't a fan of the peach. One thing my coworker noticed halfway through our meal was several bulletholes in the windows near our booth. Not something that made us feel comfortable and we left shortly after noticing them. Outside there was also a homeless lady asking everyone who exited the restaurant for a ride back to Pomona. She wasn't wearing any shoes. Overall the food was great but the dining experience.... Not so much. A couple things really stood out in my mind that make me reconsider ever going back. If bullet holes and shoeless ladies asking for rides aren't enough to stop you from going..... I suggest the strawberry pancakes (and share a meal with someone hungry)!

Malibu, Martinellies Sparkling Apple Cider and a beautiful Palos Verdes December afternoon

Mom discovered the deliciousness that is Malibu Coconut Rum for the first time... Needless to say after a full day of gardening (my job was to prune the big rose bushes) we were both ready for a drink by the pool. Mom's drink was just Malibu and the sparkling cider... I added cranberry to mine!

Free Panda Express on Campus!

One thing I will really miss about being a hospitality student at Cal Poly Pomona is the amount of free food they give away every month! The Habit, Panda Express, Subway, etc reserved for hospitality students.... Free Orange Chicken with Fried Rice, Sprite Zero, and a fortune cookie.... YES PLEASE! Seconds? Heck yah! And the best part of this particular day was enjoying free food in the sunshine with great company, music, and so many amazing people that I've really grown to know as more than just classmates.

Pho Mai- Upland, Lunch with a classmate

Who doesn't love Pho?! Answer- people who haven't tried it! I'm addicted to rare steak Pho and eat it..... weekly! This day just happened to be a frigid 60 degrees and pouring in the IE... Rarely do I get any appetizers when I go eat pho because the soup is so big but since we were trying Pho Mai for the first time, we got their Shrimp and Pork Spring Roll appetizer plate-- its to die for! The dipping sauce is a kind of peanut sauce-YUM! They didnt have my usual pho (rare steak) but was thrilled to try the Filet Mignon and loved it! I really liked the interior decoration and ambiance in Pho Mai. It was light and airy,

spotlessly clean, with less of an Asian feel and more modern art and decoration. Since I just moved to the area I'm thrilled to find such a good Pho place down the street from my house!

The Press- Claremont, Valentines Day

I was drinking Pomona Queen, supporting a local brewery. I must say I really like this beer. It has a nice golden color, mild aroma and flavor, and the head reduces quickly. Actually the beer was pretty weak but perfect for the night. Definite drinkability! The Press was a pretty cool place, and surprisingly crowded for a Tuesday night. I loved the ambiance- dim lighting, live music, spacious, friendly service, great bar.... There were a couple questionable people there but those are the people that make the bar that much more interesting. (Thanks pink polo shirt guy!) PS... look what my beer foam did!

    

Introduction

Just graduated from Cal Poly Pomona (Go Broncos!) with a degree in Hospitality. Food is more than just food to some people. To me, it is an art in and of itself. Colors and garnish attract the eye while flavors and aromas come together to tickle the tongue. I thought it would be fun to share my love of food with whoever wants to read and get ideas. I love cooking and love going to restaurants. I love taking pictures and looking back and remembering not only the delectable treats, but the company and conversation I enjoyed as well. Join me as I enjoy filling each day with eye-catching, palate-pleasing foodstuffs!