Alfred "booy scratch" Y.'s Profile

After all of my research, I didn't hear too much about Aquatic Collection. That's a shame, because they've got a gigantic selection of salt water life. They are balls to the walls in their tank room and you would be doing a disservice to yourself if you haven't visited.

Every fish store has their strengths. This one ranks in zooanthids, chalices, and inverts. Stony corals not so much, but in what I've seen, they were healthier than the larger selection at Neptune's in Milpitas.

The only drawback, is that their tanks are top-down viewing only. They sit in these huge vats/baths and the only way to view them is to look down into them. The ripples and glare from the lights make it difficult to see unless you use their clear boxes. By putting the boxes onto the surface of the water, you stop the ripples and glare from occurring. This allows you to look into the water like you were holding a mini magnifying glass.

With most fish stores I've visited, the better deals on coral/fish tend to be regulated to what the store has most of. In this case, the zoos and inverts (bubble coral, anemones, etc) were a great deal.

Chenery park boasts quite the list of comfort food, and executes the dishes in the same fashion as their upscale decor--refined and tasteful.

The pork chop was a hit. Its tenderness is only second to my experience at NOPA's which has been difficult to replicate. Only a few places can do pork chop, and Chenery Park should be included on the top 10 lists. Their signature beignets were a blast: puffy and slightly chewy. It was similar in style to Bossanova's cheese bread which were more memorable, but were a completely different fare. The dry aged steak was served medium rare throughout the rather small, but filling portion--however not quite as memorable as the pork chop.

The main reason for the 3 star review was the area we sat at. It was on the second floor right next to the mini-stairs leading up to the elevated third floor. The table was meant for four, but it didn't really work for two. The floor felt hollow, so anytime a server was running back and forth, it was disturbing. Otherwise, the service was a notch above many others.

This place defines glen park: the cozy atmosphere you wish you could bring home with you, just without the rumble of trains underground.

I know, I'm cruel. Call it schadenfreude. Call it evil. But whatever it is, it's tasty homicide: foie gras. I love it.

So when I heard that San Francisco passed a measure banning this practice, I knew I had to give this murderous dish one last go. There was no question that I had to go back to the first place that turned me into a Dexter of water fowl.

I blame Isa, because they have always been consistent in their delivery. I dare to say they might have single handedly given reason to pass the measure for how well they are able to turn disgust into lust.

To salt the wound in the face of the NIMBY city council, Isa decided it was an awesome idea to offer a "Say Farewell  to Foie Gras" dinner, featuring two different preparations; one with their classic pear, and the other mango. Picking the pear brought me back to the first time I shamefully turned the cheek to animal cruelty.

The risotto and the duck main courses went well with the (very, very) generously poured glasses of suggested wine, but came only secondary to the foie gras in its delivery. The seared scallops was by far one of the most impressive: They got the texture and tenderness perfect, allowing each piece to be cut like someone decided to crossbreed sea bass with prime rib.

Our server was impeccable and professional, always keeping an eye on our tiny booth in the corner. His wine suggestions were spot on.

I have always had a consistent, amazing, dining experience coming here; so it is no wonder I have allowed them to spam me with any promotions they have because I'll always be coming back.

3.75, closer to 4!

As much as I love ramen, I don't believe anyone should wait 30 minutes to sit down and eat it. I'm LOOKING AT YOU RAMEN DOJO DOWN THE BLOCK. Actually, almost every ramen joint is guilty of this except for a handful of places.

So what do you do? You come here. There's always a seat. Also because they've got this new spicy ramen that wasn't there the last time I visited one of their chain stores. That broth itself is worth trying if you're ever there.

The stewed pork that I ordered as an extra side dish, however, was a rather disappointment compared to the broth. It veered far away from what I call "fresh" and came separate from the actual broth.

I didn't think this place was worth trying. But the group of Japanese business men sitting in the corner made me a believer.

Oh and one last thing, their chicken karage, as generic as it was; was pretty awesome.

They excel at EVERYTHING. Let me tell you how they put a lot of other fish stores to shame:

1. Extremely knowledgeable -- I've asked questions they should know the answers to and their answers are well without an air of snot that some stores like to spray.
2. $10-$20 frags -- SPS and all kinds.
3. They've got everything, stocked.
4. Personal cabinet makers for fish tank stands at reasonable costs.
5. Extremely helpful. They won't give you bullshit on how to care or take care of something.
6. They won't oversell you on something they believe you shouldn't buy based on your experience.
7. They make great strides at maintaining their tanks -- can't say things are spotless, but with that many gallons of tank space, I don't expect everything to be spotless and free of pests and of algae.

They are lacking quite a bit of zooanthids and other soft corals. And their higher end corals tend to be really expensive. There's a madness to pricing corals, I know it. But they seem to have it controlled for now.

I would make the drive every weekend if I could.

3.5 stars

After visiting so many shabu places, they're all starting to blend into each other. Almost all shabu houses have all-you-can-eat-and-drink (AYCED), dessert ice creams, and all of them serve similar foods. What really separates them beyond the service they deliver, is how well they top themselves in these categories.

Many have their strengths, and only do well in certain categories. In this case, G Cube excels at providing pretty awesome Kurobuta pork and their soup bases are well above average.

I can't say I actually like this place above other shabu houses, because it doesn't necessarily stand well above the rest. I think the real catcher is the ambiance:

When I go to shabu, I expect to be in a really homie environment. The kind where the warmth radiates from everything around you. It's got to have that feeling you get when you get to have soup on a cold day. I didn't get that here, but I do get it at almost every other shabu place I go to.

How this place slipped underneath my Japanese radar for so long, I have no idea.

You're required to take off your shoes before sitting in booths partitioned by tall glass dividers. They're bolted into the walls and they provide a kind of intimate environment without feeling trapped. The seating area is below-ground, so you'll be initially fooled into thinking you have no leg room. Don't worry, you won't be shoving your foot in anyone's crotch; unless you like that kind of stuff.

By the way, the place is great for dates.

The wagyu beef skewers have no competition. You could order a few and be completely satisfied. They aren't known for their ramen, but they do have them peppered on their menus (which I will note is not their forte). They're also experimenting with their spicy beef skewers, which I will ask you and your pooper to be prepared to feel violated. Again, unless you like that kind of stuff--they're super spicy.

Their drink specials are 2 for 3, and they've got lunch specials that won't ask you to give an arm and a leg. Check-in through your yelp app just to be sure you get the coupon.

Happy hour $1 oysters on Monday and Tuesday! They open super late also!

I've never been to the UK, but this bar touts itself as a British pub. I can't comment on how genuine it was, but the finger foods were a pretty decent fair.

They've got an upstairs and downstairs, and my work decided to rent out the top floor for our wrap get-together. They rolled out the free drinks along with fried wings, steak fries, curly fries, jalapeno poppers, and onion rings. I haven't had steak fries that perfectly done in a while. The bevy of condiments definitely sweetened the experience. I couldn't keep my fingers clean.

Things got a little hazy after my second drink, but I do remember throwing a whole lot of darts, crossing a few Xs and circling them for a score.

The place is a complete dive bar, situated in a very busy intersection from El Camino.

I've already totally forgotten the name of the soup base, but they have a new limited soup flavor that's close to Santouka's spicy toroiniku flavor.

The noodles themselves are subpar compared to most ramen places, but this limited soup base flavor deserves a permanent place on the menu.

To truly understand what the scientists say when a massage releases toxins and endorphins from your system, you need to come here and get a massage from Rie.

She'll put you through an experience you'll never understand unless you lay prone for the hour that you entrust to her. I can only tell you with a description unworthy of her skills, that the stages start off with your sinuses getting plugged up as she rolls muscle fiber over muscle fiber. As they band and bruise themselves against each other you'll get dizzy and may start leaking mucus. When it's all done, you'll feel dizzy and your eye sight will betray you. I shit you not, this is what I felt for at least an hour after I left the table.

My friend, you will have entered a world unbeknownst to many. If someone can send you to another dimension using only their hands, why are you still sitting here and reading this?