Jessica "the value" C.'s Profile

Everything I had here was absolutely delicious. WHY oh why have I not been here before last week.

Coworkers suggest this place when Lexington House wouldn't take a larger reservation, we had 10 people. And a lot of my coworkers are regulars here, as well as my personal trainer. We ended up being seated in the back at this long table right in front of the kitchen. This is an adorable and could be romantic place to choose for dinner.

I can honestly say I've never had Austrian food before this day, but if it all tastes as wonderful as this, I'll put Austria on the list for places I need to visit. The starter of the day was a fresh burrata with sliced peaches, tomatoes and a balsamic reduction. We ended up not finishing this during dinner and I took it home to have just as good burrata the next day.

Following that we split the corn Soup with fresno chili pepper, sour cream and micro cilantro. I love all corn soups, and the hint of spice from the pepper was so nice against the creamy base.

Also for starters were a couple orders of the smoked Pork Bratwurst with braised sauerkraut, caramelized onions and Dijon mustard. Meat = great.

Then for dinner I wanted to get the lobster broth pasta, but last on the menu was double cooked pork belly. How could I pick anything else really? The pork comes out and it's perfection, tender and juicy with crispy skin over a bed of corn. Noms.

So stuffed was I, that by the time they brought out the birthday dessert of the delicious apple strudel, I could only take a bite before passing it around to share. Alas had I had only saved room.

They also had a wide variety of beer on tap, and the waiters helped me pick out something light to match against the heaviness of the pork belly.

Loved it. Will try to make it back.

Needed a midpoint to meet up for happy hour drinks with old coworkers who now live in the city. I usually pick gastropubs since we have drink aficionados in our group, so iI suggest either Martin's West or The Refuge.

Having not heard of this place, my coworkers happily agree to it.

I ended up getting a berry based cider and the pastrami chopped salad, which I've never tried before being that I always order the pastrami sandwich here. Also we ordered regular fries on the side. Yes I know the goofy fries are amazing, but we had folks that can't eat pastrami.

The salad for me was AMAZING. The salad has tender pastrami that is the same as their sandwiches and the flavor combos are delicious. Chopped pastrami, chopped romaine, avocado, vine-ripened tomatoes, shredded swiss cheese, egg, pickled vegetables, rye toast points, honey mustard vinaigrette served on the side. I devoured it while they gabbed on the side.

We came in a group of 14 people a couple weeks ago. On the way to getting here I had underestimated the explosion of a box of solo cups on 101 that created a standstill, but imagined an epic flip cup war was waged the night before at this very place on the freeway.

Ok, probably not, but isn't it fun to imagine stuff like that when you're sitting on the freeway at a standstill as cars overly-carefully navigate through a sea of red dixie cups? Yes? We're agreed then. The night before an epic war was waged! Which thereby blocked my timeliness or arrival at Zen Peninsula for dim sum with the college peeps.

Finally I get there around 1:00pm and their lot is completely full. Have to navigate a block and a half down and over into a residential area just to find parking.

Walk into the restaurant, straight to the back to find out table whereby I was sandwiched by the only two toddlers in our group, who both begin to kick me as only my friend's husband notices and laughs at me from the other end of the table. Damn it epic solo cup war!

The food comes out fast, and everything is good. Har Kau, Siu, Mai, Rice Crepe rolls, chicken feet, all the stuff I normally adore are piping hot and quickly devoured.

Overall this place is great. I'm not sure I'd travel all the way up to Millbrae for it, since I have some local places I like a bit more, but as a midpoint for friends in the city this is not bad.

I love love love Tea Station. When I was unemployed in my youth and went to stay with a friend in LA for 2 months Tea Station would be a constant haunt of ours. Good service, cheap food, and a relaxing place to hang out.

The Newark one is great too, but ended up running into people I didn't want to see there and it's quite a trek from the peninsula.

So when I hear that there is one closer to home, I was thrilled. Headed there first after ordering togo from Tomisushi, figured since I just ordered I would have some time to kill before my food was ready. The time was killed indeed.

I get there and there is no one in line. Fantastic start already. Get into the togo line, whereby the girl at the cashier mentions that it will be a moment, she can't figure out how to use the register. She looks around for help, but gets none, even as one young man who clearly works there goes to give a patron the business card. He steps behind the register, also says one moment to me, and then is off to chatter with his friends again. 10 minutes later the girl has finally gotten someone else to help her and I order my drink, which ends up being $5.25.

Holy shit. When is milk tea with pearls in a normal sized cup being taken to-go worth $5.25 and a 20 minute total wait from entry to being served?

Never. That's when. The tea was good, but the experience was miserable. Will not be back, despite loving the brand.

Another Taiwanese transport 85°C Bakery Cafe I only heard through rumors and Facebook with pictures of long lines and happy smiles as people held trays of fresh baked bread.

I heard about the madness when the Newark store opened, but for bread I wasn't willing to take the wait, for ramen yes, absolutely, but bread. Meh.

When I hear that they have opened one in Cupertino, my interest is piqued and a bit after the opening I decide to head there after work (They open till 10pm) to finally check out what the hype is all about.

I get there and grab a tray and tongs. The flow is similar to Paris Baguette except every so often, the asian teenagers that are working there yell out with glee "fresh bread" as they bring out a steaming tray of bread.

I end up leaving with 4 things, just for me to eat.

Grabbed the squid ink with garlic roll, brioche, coffee bun, and some kind of bean paste item.

Devoured the garlic roll and coffee bun as soon as I sat in the car.

Would have tried their teas as well, but the line was about 30 mins for a milk tea. What is it with asians and loving to wait in lines? Except I keep doing it week over week. *sigh*

Had discovered Heidi's pies via a potluck. Whereby tales of a blueberry sour cream pie seemed to emit a collective sigh from the room in fond memory. Alas this was not to be had this day, as they had run out.

Later that week I needed to bring something to another potluck in Redwood City and thus decided to drop by.

Heidis is an adorable diner with the miraculous availability of being open 24hrs. I walked in an was a bit overwhelmed by the selections but the manager was able to let me know that the blueberry sour cream was the most popular followed by the banana creme pie.

Order one of each to go, and head to my potluck where guests murdered these pies.

Haven't yet had a chance to try out their diner-y foods but look forward to getting to do so in the near or not so near future.

Following an amazing dinner at Salinas we walked several blocks down to the McKittrick Hotel, home of the Punchdrunk's Sleep No More. As the "hotel" is located in a giant warehouse with a tiny unassuming sign, it's easy to miss it, except for the giant bouncers guarding its doors. We walked through the building, down many dark hallways until the room opened up into a beautiful intimate speakeasy cloaked in red velvet. Waiting to enter this fictional world, we were given white masks with the instructions that after passing through the elevator we were to remain silent at all times, speaking breaks could be taken but only by finding yourself back to the bar area for which we started.

The elevator operator explained that this journey was best explored as a singular experience and then snatched a woman from her boyfriend and tossed her out of the elevator at our first stop. About to close the door and head further downward, the woman pleaded nervously "not now" latched back onto her man's arm, as another brave volunteer took her place.

Once we were in we could freely roam around 5 hauntingly decorated floors, allowing us to fulfill our voyeristic fantasies by following actors (the only people who didn't have masks on) around as they sung, danced, fought, and murdered around us. You can touch all the props and sit wherever you like, and the actors will work around you. This immersive show was unlike any experience I've had the joy of partaking in.

Won't go into any spoiler details, but when we finally came out for air it was already 2am. We gabbed over yummy drinks about our experiences, as a beautiful soul performed a delicious jazzy rendition of Ducktales. My friend Brian would keep repeating over and over into the night "Boobies!" *sigh*

After another round of drinks, another fantastic band came on where the lead singer was so passionate about the music that he appeared to be showing us his vinegar strokes as he got into it. While I wanted to stay for the music, that face and the fatigue reiterated that it was already 3:30am and we needed to head back to the hotel.

Since we all had different experiences, I felt like I missed out on a lot of the subtle nuances of the scenes. Would absolutely go back.

Signing up for tour of the sea caves off the Na Pali coast formed organically. Laurie and I were chatting online after work. I was investigating Pinterest to see what others had pinned as their "wanderlust" activities for Kauai. Sent my search link over to Laurie, she spies the sea caves and becomes immediately motivated to investigate more.

Laurie: Ooh what do you think about taking this boat tour to the sea caves?
Laurie: 5 hour boat tour, morning or afternoon option
Laurie: Aw booo, they're all booked up already
Me: I would be all up for it
Laurie: There's room for 1 available sat afternoon
Laurie: haha
Laurie: Oh wells, will look for other available tours
Me: Oh the afternoon adventure one
Me: has 2 seats for friday
Laurie: ooh it does??

Minutes later our tour is booked...

Our captain Drew arrives and guides us to a mid-sided gas powered catamaran,  our tour would only have a total of 4 adults. This would be optimal for making decisions about what to see and do. We stowed our valuables in provided waterproof bags and boarded the ship.

Drew was a fantastic guide, knowledgable about the island and the coast as well as hip with pop culture references. He suggested we check out the caves first, which would be a choppier ride out, but smoother on the way back to snorkel near the shore. At the mention of snorkeling I tense up. Having nearly drowned once while in high school, this makes me panic. Make a mental note that I will stay on the boat while others enjoy snorkeling later. Laurie must have sensed my tensing, because she asks "Are you ok?" I nod and pretend everything is ok, while telling myself again, "Staying on the boat is key to living Jessica!"

Passing by a functional naval base, Drew mentions they occasionally shoot off test missiles and ask the tour drivers to speed on by. Today no such luck for missile watching. The waves are choppy going against the current. Drew keeps us apprised of what he's doing and how he's angling through the waves to reduce the bounce shimmy shake. Not sure if he's doing this to inspire confidence, but definitely felt like he was in complete command of our journey and continuous feedback was reassuring.

Drew continues to point out areas along the coast where Jurassic Park, King Kong (1976), John Wayne's Donovan's Reef, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides were filmed. Then we hear on the radio dial "Death Star to Millennium Falcon, you there?" We tune in to hear a conversation that I cannot be sure is truly english, when Drew mentions they are talking about fishing lure types. We give up on eavesdropping then.

We then reach our first sea cave, it's shallow as the water has not eroded enough of the rock walls for a catamaran to enter. We just pull along side and glimpse in while seabirds tuck themselves in the ledges, yawn and lay waste on the walls. We get to view a variety of picturesque caves subsequently.

Post sea caves we are headed back to where we would be snorkeling. I'm in a half dream state staring off into the distance when I think I see dolphins. DOLPHINS! They are normally not out in the afternoon, since this area is their breakfast haunt, but one jumps in front of the boat, confirming that I'm not imagining things.

The dolphins play in the current of our catamaran. There is this one moment where two jump up in unison that Jason miraculously got on film. We hope out loud that the dolphins will end up in our snorkeling area. But alas that wasn't to be as we navigated into the reef, and everyone readied themselves for some snorkeling fun.

"Everyone knows how to swim here right? It's a beautiful day and I think I'll go snorkel with you guys." I awkwardly raise my hand and mention I can't really swim, thinking back with a shudder to that moment in high school where I almost drowned.

Drew doesn't skip a beat before saying, he has a life vests and a noodle for me. Putting my face mask on and breathing tube I'm off and it's kind of amazing. I have air from a ridged snorkel that doesn't tip over and go into the water when I pop my head up , there are fish around us and wait what's that there are a bunch of giant turtles getting in my way.

Drew has me swim against the current to start, so that once I get tired the current can push me back to the boat. Try to keep up with the group, but they are way too fast for me. Instead I lazily follow 2 turtles around, while trying to avoid fish and coral. Laurie's fantastic and keeps looking behind for me to make sure I'm not lost at sea, and then just ask she's glancing back to look for me, she bumps into a turtle.  I chortle into my mask and have to pull my head out of the water to readjust everything.

A long and beautiful day, we head back to shore, bellies full of fresh pineapple as the sun is setting. It's that moment when I decide how nice it was to have a small group for the special attention as well as to quell my fears. On the way back I vow to take up swimming lessons before the end of the year.

Thank you Yelp masses for helping us find The Green Pig. Located directly across from a beach, this food truck is amaze balls.

We weren't sure what to order since everything looked delicious so we went classic and ordered the Loco Moco with BBQ sauce and then their fries with gravy sauce.

Unless you like BBQ sauce flavor in general, I would stick to the gravy sauce because it's savory perfection. While the BBQ sauce was great, for us it took away from the wonderfully cooked meat, whereas the gravy was a natural compliment to the tender pork.

The portions are generous and we sat at their picnic bench area and ate until our bellies could handle no more. I loved the wild chickens hanging out too. I ended up giving them some fries to snack on.

Later on our left overs from the Green Pig also came in handy. A local cat snuck into our vacation rental, immediately darted under our king sized bed and flopped itself down for a nap. We couldn't lure it out for an hour until we remembered we had left over pork from the Green Pig. Upon pulling out the pork the cat immediately perked up and we were able to breadcrumb (or pork crumb, whatever) this friendly feline out of our room.

Thanks The Green Pig for being delicious to people and animals a like!

Spicy poke!

Before going to our accommodations, before checking out the beach, before anything else in Kauai, we came here straight from the airport and picked up spicy ahi poke, regular poke and clam poke, with a side of spam musubi. It was a terribly delicious way to start our vacation.

The spicy poke wasn't too spicy but more of a sriracha like flavor, and clearly the winner of all the things we ordered. Clams were good, but I have to say not a must have. We ended up visiting twice to get stacks.

Everyone working here is super friendly as well.