Fancypants "would rather be anonymous than elite" X.'s Profile

The bargain-counter prices & the child-like, innocent barnyard theme made me think, 'Toto, I don't think we're in San Francisco anymore!' Stockton, being only two hours away from home, seemed like a different world in a simpler time.

We ordered food to-to, which was not a super quick ordeal. Cashier was very friendly.

I asked for a side of sweet potato fries ($2.25) & the portion I was given looked more like an appetizer-sized portion. Long, not-too-thin sticks were crisp & seasoned. Savory, not sweet. Probably *the* best sweet potato fries I've ever had. Who would've thought I'd find it here?

Their crispy chicken marinara sandwich ($5.95) was exactly what I hoped it would be. Kaiser bun was a little thick & imposing (not to worry, I threw out the bottom bun) but I loved everything else. Breaded & fried chicken breast was liberally coated in marinara & the combo of provolone & parm cheeses was mild, but tasty.

My lunch partner ordered the morning moo ($5.95), a burger topped with the works, including a fried egg. Thumbs up, I was told.

If you are in downtown Stockton near the cineplex, stop by Moo Moo's Burger Barn! Their prices & quality make me wonder why the hell I ever pay $15-$20 for a burger here in the city.

So pleased by this food find!

Don't you love emotional, irrational reviews from angry people who always think the world is out to get them?

Well here's another one anyways!

Greedy bastards! They know they've got a captive audience because there is nowhere else to park. For Cirque du Soleil's The Immortal Tour, parking was $35. And you thought robberies only happened on the streets of Oak-town! Nope, happens when you want to see a show at The Colliseum, too. How about for my money, you give me seats with some legroom? Airplane seats feel like a love seat compared to these stadium seats.

(The Colliseum gets two stars & not one because I DO have fond memories from my very first concert here. My dad took me to see NKOTB when they were still a boyband, as opposed to the [still sexy] manband they are now.)

An almond milk tea with pudding & "dark brick" (coffee) jelly--yummy after-dinner dessert!

My first few sips were really strong, it almost had a *zing* I'm not sure if it was the "froth" or the flavor combo I chose, but it packed a punch. After the initial shock, I was able to enjoy the sweetness of the almond milk tea. The dark brick jelly was chewy (not too hard) & had a fantastic, almost espresso-like flavor. The regular size looked like other milk tea house's large. Brownie points for being big enough to last the whole drive home! Verde Tea's large size (a fat, wide cup) looked like you could actually drown in it! I wouldn't tackle that, even on my thirstiest day.

BF ordered a Fantasy Freeze (strawberry banana.) The order-taker said they use real fruit. BF neither raved nor complained about his drink.

Total $8.50

Sidenote: They take the universal frequent buyers card called Five Stars (buy 12, get 1 free at this specific joint.)

There is no signage, just a red lantern. I love the dual Japanese goodies approach: Boba Guys at the front, Ken Ken Ramen further back. Double the pleasure. The bare-bones decor is cool; it's just you, sitting at your tightly-packed table & a big bowl of noodles.

The words VEGAN.RAMEN. jumped off  the page & made my ordering decision easy. I loved not having to fish out the pieces of roasted pork & discarding it onto my bf's plate. I loved that my order was devoid of the slow cooked egg (that accompanies even the Vegetarian Ramen) which would've leaked runny yolk all up in my broth. And I loved knowing that the broth did not have animal product in it.

So I turn to my bf, he offers me a bite of his pork & veggie gyoza & *gasp* I take it *the horror* I'm not a vegan & I reserve the right to put whatever meat I want in my mouth. *End double entendre*

Gyoza was okay; skin not too thin, filling tasty.

My Vegan Ramen ($11) was topped with a baby corn, roasted squash (yum), bok choy, a baby corn, scallions, & (not enough) bamboo shoots. Broth has that milky, thickish consistency similar to pork broth and noodles were long & al dente without being too firm for me. Everything about this ramen is delicious. I'll be back for more!

An 'enter at your own risk' sign should be posted at their front door.

If you enjoy large portions of sloppily-thrown together rolls with un-fresh fish & an overload of sauces, then come on down!

Bonus points for inattentive service!

Don't say I didn't warn you, lovers & friends.

Quick! Do a Sunday brunch write-up for Tangerine before you forget again!

I'm usually asleep within two minutes of my head hitting the pillow, but in those two minutes, I make my To Do List. Admittedly, that list often involves past due reviews.

Years ago (3 years? 5 years? who knows, the time just flies by), BFF & I joined some folks at Tangerine for Sunday brunch. I have no idea what I ate or if I even liked it.

Last Sunday, we decided to give Tangerine a second chance. I snapped a pic & made a conscious effort to remember details, for the sake of Yelp because Yelping is a priority.

At 10:45, we were seated immediately. By the time we left, the wait list was long. Moral of the story: the early bird gets the brunch without having to freeze her eggs off in the cold.

BFF had a chai tea & a blue crab omelette, which I tried a forkful of. Very fresh-tasting, very generous amount of crab.

I had an earl grey tea & the baked eggs. In a ramekin were nicely-baked, fluffy eggs with cheese, tomato, broccoli & potato latke (which provided a hearty laugh, as yes, BFF & I have an inside joke about potato latkes.) Three-stars tasty. Would not rush back, but A-OK.

Review officially crossed off the To Do List. Now I can sleep soundly knowing that's done. Only 28 tasks left (this week.)

BF had heard & read good things about Mission Chinese Food. Saturday night, we put our name on the list, rode around with the rest of the Niner fans, came back 1.5 hours later & our table was ready.

I quickly scanned the menu & between chicken hearts, sea urchin & oxtail, I could not find a single thing that sounded appetizing to me. (Surprise, surprise: I'm the opposite of a foodie.) I left the ordering to the BF.

He picked:
- pork belly: heart attack on a plate. bf likes pork belly but even he thought it was ridiculously fatty. i tried a piece of the crispy, fried end (not at all fatty & pretty salty.) Because I'm opposed to eating obvious chunks of animal fat, I don't see the allure in this dish. I did love the marinated pineapple...spicy & tart!
- chicken wings: sat under what looked like 100 chili peppers. Meat was quite dry, flavor was what you would expect--spicy, peppery. Meh.
- REAL Coke in a bottle
Total: $21 no including tip

I appreciate that MCF is trying to do something different & that they donate $.75 from each entree to the SF Food Bank. The hostess & our waitresses were super cool, very friendly. I loved the dim lights & the huge, orange dragon that snaked the entire ceiling. Loud-ass rap blasted through the place. Total hole-in-the-wall. I can see why people flock here; it's so unlike any other Chinese restaurant anyone's been to. The food just ain't my steelo.

I tried Boba Guys' Soy Milk Tea tonight. Slightly sweeter & creamier than their regular Milk Tea I had last week, but still only three stars compared to other sweeter milk teas I've had. But I'm really lovin' them balls...flavored so sweetly & not too chewy...top notch balls! I'd order boba more often if it were always made this way. Why can't I have it all? My fave milk tea joints don't serve decent tapioca balls (I add yummy jellies/puddings, instead)...boba guys' milk tea is not *my* cuppa tea, but their balls are worth every starchy calorie.  There must be an unwritten rule that says I can't have both.

I could make Cupola Pizzeria sound more than it really is; say how it's in fine company with neighboring eateries, all sitting under the majestic dome...but simply put, Cupola is mall food. Impressive mall food, hence the four stars, but make no mistake, you will pass chain stores & aggressive shopping-bag wielders on your way to the fifth floor.

My lunch partner & I shared:
-- margherita extra ($14.75): thin crust had that perfect, satisfying chewiness & was nicely blistered around the edges. Topped with buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, pecorino & basil. So tasty, highly recommended.
-- butternut squash & amaretto ravioli with brown butter & sage ($16.75): thin, delicate ribbons of pasta envelope a sweet center. Flavor of the brown butter sauce went so nicely with the sage. A must-try.

I'm liking Cupola's Neopolitan style pizzas & their petite portions ensure you stay light on your feet while traipsing around, doing mall rat types of things.

This is the kind of place my Wonder Twin & I can come back to again & again. Decor is uncheesy, chairs are not rickety, tables are clean & new. We like those (seemingly unimportant) details.

For $24, the two of us had dinner here Saturday night. Edibles:
-- imperial rolls: they do not mess around! They stuff these crispy, bubbly wrappers full of tasty pork. Probably some of the best I've had. Not too greasy=major plus.
-- wonton soup w/ rice noodles (vermicelli): loved the chicken broth, tasted very light & clean. Baby bok choy was crunchy. Noodles were plentiful. Pork & shrimp won tons were okay, meaning it didn't taste the way I'm used to...a little more firm & had less shrimp than I'm used to. Okay, nonetheless.
-- Wonder Twin got BBQ chicken over rice & we had a long discussion about how well they prep their chicken & only serve lean, appetizing-looking pieces. I'd definitely order that based on looks alone.

Warm, cozy atmosphere (like you're being hugged!) Attentive servers. No MSG-induced headache. Easily five stars.