World Gourmet Buffet Restaurant

20171230:
(2) Oysters: meh.

First Plate: Spicy Octopus, Clams, Oyster, Octpus

Fried calamari: decent.

Octopus: decent.

Clams. 30 to 40% sandy.

Albacore (White Tuna): meh. 2:34PM PT

Second Plate: Salmon Nigiri (left, bottom), Soft Clam (top left), Fried calamari (center left), Orange chicken (center), Sausage (top), Taro bun (top right)

Sausage: salty.

Taro bun: good.

Tobiko: no saltiness, bland.

Orange chicken: too much batter.

Third Plate: Seafood Salad, Har gow, Fried Shrimp

Har gow: too much flour.

Soft Clam: too fishy, doesn't have the texture indicative of being fresh.

Salmon Nigiri: doesn't taste fresh either.

My favorite items were the spicy octopus, the seafood salad, and the fried calamari. The shrimp ball had way too much batter. 2:59PM PT

Spicy Octopus

Ice cream: okay. While it wasn't icy, it could have been smoother.

Sharkfin soup: decent.

Fried banana: not good. 3:11PM PT

[20180304 Edit]

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World Gourmet Buffet Restaurant

First Plate (rotated): Albacore, Fried Clamari, Fried Shrimp, Clams

Relevant Links:
World Gourmet Buffet Restaurant Website
World Gourmet Buffet Restaurant - Fremont, CA (Yelp.com)

Mazara Trattoria

20171220:
The sauce for the veal in this Marsala with Veal was delicious. I got a heavy sense of mushroom. The potato had a good texture. 7:23PM PT

Marsala with Veal

Menu Description:
I Secondi* > Marsala Tender breast of chicken or veal sautéed with fresh mushrooms in a classic Marsala wine sauce

My dad ordered the Linguine Alla Diavola. I had a some and it was good. It was heavy in taste on the marinara.

Menu Description:
Le Paste ~ Pasta > Linguine Alla Diavola Shrimp, calamari, scallops and Manila clams sautéed in a slightly spicy garlic, white wine and crushed tomato sauce 19

(Sample of) Linguine Alla Diavola

My sister got one of the specials, Fettucine con Filetto. The pasta in it was more al dente than the pasta in the Diavola - so more to my taste. Furthermore, the sauce was richer. It had a beef taste.

Despite being cold (my sister said I should have eaten it when it was warm), the margherita pizza was delicious. It was simple but the cheese tasted good. 7:42PM PT

Menu Description:
Le Pizza ~ Specialty Pizzas** > Margherita Fresh mozzarella, crushed tomato and basil 12

*I Secondi | All entrees are served with fresh seasonal vegetables and roasted potatoes. | Eggplant: $16 Chicken: $18 Veal: $20
**Le Pizze ~ Specialty Pizzas | All made with the freshest mozarella, tomato and extra virgin olive oil

[20180304 Edit]

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Mazara Trattoria

Relevant Links:
Mazara Trattoria Website
Mazara Trattoria - Huntington Beach, CA (Yelp.com)

The Vox Kitchen

20171220:
We were told at 12:47PM that the wait would be 5 to 10 minutes. We were not, however, seated until 1:11PM - 24 minutes later. 1:11PM PT

House Special Shaken Beef (Lomo Saltado)

The Lomo Saltado sauce was spicy but good. The spiciness crept up on me. The beef was soft and juicy.

Menu Description:
House Special Shaken Beef (Lomo Saltado) filet mignon | steak fries | red onion | tomatoes | house special green sauce | rice pilaf 15

House Garlic Noodle with Grilled Prawns

The garlic noodle was delicious. It had an herb-like aroma. The shrimp was good. I ate it with the shell for the char flavor.

Menu Description:
House Garlic Noodle organic wheat noodles | butter | garlic | parmesan cheese | secret sauce | scallions proteins: grilled prawns 13 | king mushrooms 13 | salmon 15 | rib-eye steak 16

House Garlic Noodle with Rib-Eye Steak

The rib-eye streak was good. The beef in the Lomo Saltado was softer than the rib-eye steak. 1:37PM PT

[20180303 Edit]

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The Vox Kitchen

Relevant Links:
The Vox Kitchen Website
The Vox Kitchen - Fountain Valley, CA (Yelp.com)

Hogwash

Sheepish

20171212:
The Sheepish had a peppery taste and the pickled radish rounded out that taste. It was delicious. 8:38PM PT

Menu Description:
SHEEPISH lamb merguez sausage, blue cheese sauce, pickled cabbage, beef relish $12.5

I had a small bite of Ada's order, Burnin' Brock, and it had a strong herb taste, similar to basil. It was good.

Ada said it had a sweetness (apple), sourness (sauerkraut**), and spiciness (sausge). She liked it. 8:42PM PT

Burnin' Brock

Menu Description:
BURNIN' BROCK chicken habanero sausage, harissa aioli, fried avocado, pickled cabbage, fresh fennel & apple $12.5

The second half of my sandwich wasn't as exciting as the first, but it was still good. I tasted the mayo. 8:55PM PT

*Probably the fennel.
**Probably the pickled cabbage.

[20180302 Edit]

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Hogwash

Sheepish

Relevant Links:
Hogwash Website
Hogwash - San Francisco, CA (Yelp.com)

Pho Luen Fat

20171210:
I got spicy A and Ada got a mild B. The broth was good. Overall, the bowl was satisfying.

Bun Bo Hue

Yelp Menu Description:
Bun Bo Hue Spicy beef noodle soup with well-done flank, pork, fancy pork, and tendon. $7.75

Waiting for the bill took a while and so I stood up to wait and pay at the cashier.

The restaurant was cash only and the place was small with only a few seats. 3:12PM PT

Bun Bo Lam Thanh

Yelp Menu Description:
Bun Bo Lam Thanh House special spicy beef noodle soup with beef, pork, shrimp, and fish fillet. $7.95

[20180302 Edit]

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Pho Luen Fat

Relevant Links:
Pho Luen Fat - San Francisco, CA (Yelp.com)

Tastebuds

20171209:
I tried one of the fried tofu pieces and it was delicious but if I had eaten more I'd probably sense an allergic reaction to it. Actually, my mouth is beginning to feel a tingling sensation and I so I won't be able to order it in the future. Furthermore, it was too raw inside. 6:11PM PT

Tofu Sisig

Online Menu Description:
Tofu Sisig Fried diced tofu w/ onions & jalapeno $10.95

The palabok was good.

The pinakbet was good. The binagoongan rice was delicious. The pinakbet and binagoongan together made a great meal. 6:44PM PT

Pancit Palabok

Online Menu Description:
Pancit Palabok Rice noodles w/ shrimp sauce, fish flakes & pork rind $12.75

Online Menu Description:
Pinakbet Vegetable stew of eggplant, bitter melon, okra, squash, string beans, pork & shrimp $13.00

Pinakbet

Menu Description:
Binagoongan Rice Rice w/ diced pork, tomatoes, mangoes, & shrimp paste $12.75/platter

[20180302 Edit]

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Tastebuds

Binagoongan Rice

Relevant Links:
Tastebuds Website
Tastebuds - San Bruno, CA (Yelp.com)

Ristorante Di Palermo

20171208:
The clam chowder was delicious. There were some pieces of clam. Maybe we could have had more pepper. 6:12PM PT

Linguine Alle Vongole

The linguine was alright. The sauce had a buttery taste, though it was light. The clams were good. The mussel was decent. Overall, the dish was good, but not special. 6:30PM PT

Menu Description:
Linguine Alle Vongole linguine pasta, clams, mussels, white wine sauce or tomato sauce $17.95

Clam Chowder

[20180203 Edit]

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Ristorante Di Palermo

Relevant Links:
Ristorante Di Palermo Website
Ristorante Di Palermo - Hayward, CA (Yelp.com)

The Dark Horse Inn

20171207:
The lemony cauliflower and carrot soup was delicious but it had a thin texture. Thus, while I would have preferred it to be thick, I enjoyed the soup's flavors. 6:09PM PT

Cauliflower and Carrot Soup (20171207)

My order, the kimchi reuben, was amazing. The sauce and meat were perfect. However, the fries that came with it weren't crunchy like the those from McDonalds.

Menu Description:
big bites > kimchi reuben with house pastrami, swiss cheese & gochujang dressing; fries or salad $15

Smoked Chicken Breast Sandwich (20171207)

Meanwhile, Ada enjoyed the bell pepper in her salad. 6:21PM PT

Interesting, Ada's salad has persimmon slices. I have never encountered persimmon in a salad before. 6:44PM PT

Kimchi Reuben Sandwich (20171207)

Menu Description:
big bites > smoked chicken breast on brioche roll with brie, roasted peppers & garlic aioli; fries or salad $14

[20180202 Edit]

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20180211:

each taco has a lime. first was delicious. i eat salad. then I finished off the porter. its strength cuts through the oils and flavors of the salad. awesome. 2:30 PM PT

Tacos (20180211)

[20180430 Edit]

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20180304:

these Brussels sprouts smell great. like a vinegar smell. the sauce is strong enough to compete with the bitterness and only the exterior is crunchy. 1:35 PM PT

it was like a sweet and sour sauce. anyways the burger patty was juicy but flavorless. 1:47 PM PT

Brussels Sprouts (20180304)

Menu Description:
crispy brussels sprouts with sriracha-honey sauce $7

Burger (20180304)

[20180430 Edit]

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The Dark Horse Inn

Relevant Links:
The Dark Horse Inn Website
The Dark Horse Inn - San Francisco, CA (Yelp.com)

PhoHolic

20171129:
This location was previously a pho restaurant named Pho Kimmy. This was my first time coming to the location since the change. I came here with my dad.

The Holic (Pho Dac Biet) (20171129)

While the menu had some flaws, I ultimately ordered the special bowl; most places call it "pho dac biet" but PhoHolic calls it "The Holic."

The broth smelled good and tasted great. Most of the meat was delicious as well.

My dad and I also ordered extra tendon and ribs. Both tasted good. It was a lot of meat.

Side of Rib (20171129)

When we were done, there was still plenty of meat to bring home and so we asked for some boxes. The first guy we asked only came back with bags and was acted like a jerk about it too. 11:43AM PT

Besides this example of poor service, the parking situation is terrible and they run a valet operation which takes advantage of customer parking. In other words, back when the location was Pho Kimmy there were about 15 parking spots directly around the restaurant. Now, the valet operation utilizes about four or five of those spots to generate about ten valet spots (by double parking).

[20171215 Edit]

Side of Tendon (20171129)

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20171219:
I came here for the first time about a month ago. Coming here today, I was surprised it was open at this hour.*

In any case, unlike last time, there was no valet. Of course, as we entered the restaurant, there were one or two spots remaining which were being filled by customers.

In any case, my bowl of pho had the regular thin rice noodles, because they didn't ask me my preference and I forgot to request for the thick rice noodles.

Steak, Oxtail Pho (Pho Tai, Duoi bo) (20171219)

The duoi bo was satisfying; there were two pieces. Unfortunately, the tai was clumped together and not so good.

Finally, the broth was decent. It was flavored and had an acceptable amount of saltiness. 9:01AM PT

*Apparently they open at 7:30 am.

[20180303 Edit]

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PhoHolic

The Holic (Pho Dac Biet) (20171129)

Relevant Links:
PhoHolic - Westminster, CA (Yelp.com)

Pho Hoa Cau

20171128:
Today I came here with my dad and my fiancee. It was the first time any of us had come here.

Pho Dac Biet

I ordered the special, pho dac biet. It had bo vien (beef ball). My dad had the beef served separately on a plate. Overall, the bowl was delicious.

My fiancee ordered the chicken pho. When I tried the chicken, I learned that it was cold. In any case, the broth in her bowl was a little on the salty side; my fiancee added some chile to it, and didn't add any lime. 10:45AM PT

Slices of Beef

[20171214 Edit]

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Pho Hoa Cau

Relevant Links:
Pho Hoa Cau - Westminster, CA (Yelp.com)

Chicken Pho Bowl - broth

Satoshi Sushi

2017:
The Kiss Me roll (not pictured) was delicious, but I sensed a little tingling sensation afterwards (allergic reaction) and so I decided not to eat anymore of it.

First piece.

The first sushi piece (red, first on the right) was soft and delicious. 1:33PM PT

Second piece.

The second piece from the right had some striation.

Third piece.

The third piece from the right had a lemon taste.

Fourth piece.

The fourth piece from the right was chewy and reminded me of squid.

Fifth piece.

The fifth piece, salmon, had a creamy sauce which I enjoyed. 1:39PM PT

Sixth piece.

The sixth piece (another cut of salmon) was probably a fattier cut.

Seventh piece.

The seventh piece, also salmon like the previous two, was tougher.

Eight piece (center).

The eighth piece (white) was amazing.

Ninth piece (center).

The ninth piece was good, but not as good as the previous.

Tenth piece (center)

The tenth and last piece was large and melted in my mouth. It was delicious.

Overall, I'm not sure about the price, but it was a good experience. 1:48PM PT

Uni

The uni (sea urchin) was well-flavored. It had a good texture. It's among the best I've ever had. 1:58PM PT

The sweet shrimp was not that sweet and it had a slimy texture. I did, however, enjoy the head. It was perfectly crisp. 2:18PM PT

[20171214 Edit]

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Satoshi Sushi

Relevant Links:
Satoshi Sushi Website
Satoshi Sushi (Facebook page)
Satoshi Sushi - Fountain Valley, CA (Yelp.com)

Garlic and Chives

20171125:
The clams were okay. There was a lot of sauce. It might have been too garlicky.

Ngheu Xao La Que / Fresh Clams sauteed with Basil Sauce 10

The squid was absolutely delicious. I enjoyed it with both sauces.

Muc Lan Bot / Deep Fried Calamari 10

The shrimp was extra crispy.

Deep Fried Shrimp

The catfish (not pictured) was good.

The bo luc lac was a little salty; there was an excessive amount of sauce. It was too garlicky.

Bo Luc Lac / Shaking Beef

All the garlic used in the dishes had slowly accumulated and began to upset my stomach. 8:38PM PT

Bun Cha Ca Thanh Long / Grilled Turmeric Fish with Dill Served on the Skillet w/ Vermicelli 12

[20171214 Edit]

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Garlic and Chives

???

Relevant Links:
Garlic and Chives - Garden Grove, CA (Yelp.com)

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

Yelp Menu Description:
Vegetarian Spring Rolls Tofu, cabbage, mint rolled in rice paper and served with peanut sauce 4