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800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria

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800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria

I'm pretty sure all of you know by now that I love to drink. And if you didn't, know you know that I do. I also love tacos too, and fried chicken... and burgers.. and french fries and pasta and sushi. I know I get carried away.

It was my coworkers birthday, celebrated on a Friday night. I was staying back a bit at work to help out a colleague with some reports. Our anxiety was off the charts. But that's what booze is for. The first stop we headed to was Edward Mills in Old Town Pasadena. With $3 drinks and appetizers till 7, it doesn't get any better than that. Or, does it?

Thinking the party was almost over, I was hungry and ready to roam the streets for food. One coworker was ready to head over to King Taco which is genius after the drinks. I didn't know what I wanted. I just wanted something good.

I don't know how it happened, but we ended up here at 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria. My colleague mentioned an Instagram special where you order their pizza of the day. $5. No substitutions. But, you better check instagram first to know what the pizza of the day was. We were lucky and they were kind enough to let us slide. But next time we don't check, we just get bread sticks.

This is their Bianca with red onions, spinach and smoked provolone. A definite wowsers.

What I love about Neapolitan Pizzas is how thin they are. It also has a nice chew with a beautiful unique tang/sourness from the yeast. And honestly, the simpler the better. I feel like with Neapolitan pizza, it's all about the dough, the fresh sauce, cheese and just a few ingredients. Drink with a glass of wine or a nice cold brew is something I can envision myself doing on a casual afternoon.

For $5, it's definitely worth it. Seats were plentiful. I left my cellphone, and was definitely thankful no one took it... yet at least.

Find them on Instagram @800degreespizza to figure out what the next pizza of the day is. You might find me there.

 

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Jazz Cat Shabu

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Jazz Cat Shabu

I've been going to Jazz Cat ever since they opened their first location in Alhambra, when it used to be next to Noodle World on Valley. They closed that location a few years ago, to open a larger location in San Gabriel. Now, they have a few more locations spread out. I do wish, that they kept the original style of when they first opened in Alhambra. The presentation was different from the tradition hot pot we are used to, it was actually pretty. And, they served this seafood/pork paste in a bamboo tube. Now, it's just a simple plate of protein with the veggies.

I've gotten sick this week, and have been trying to recover, but this weather has been kicking my ass. Los Angeles is finally cold, and here goes everyone complaining now that they missed the sun. Are you kidding me? It was like yesterday when the whole population of Los Angeles were crying for summer to be over. And now it is. So get used to the it. The cold mornings where getting out of bed is like traveling through a blizzard storm. Those runny nose days and green snots.

Luckily, I am not that sick. I am smart enough to force myself to drink fluids all day. Even though I had wine, rum and beer (don't ask), I am still somewhat well rested enough to get through the day. John was nice enough to suggest eating out so I didn't have to cook. But picking a place is always the hardest part. Why is that? No it's not a girl thing. If I had a choice, it will be buffets, burgers, tacos and fried chicken. I have the worst, biggest appetite you will ever meet. And it's scary.

But, Jazz Cat is a place I ALWAYS want to eat at. Raw marbled meat, cooked gently in hot seasoned broth, dipped in Satay sauce, and then eaten with a big hunk of rice. We always order the same thing.

Jazz Cat House Broth (Non Spicy)

You get the option of ordering it regular, or the "T-rex" version which has more meat, but less vegetables. MORE meat all the way. I didn't order this spicy because I really love the flavors of the soup. If I wanted something spicy I would probably try their other soup bases, and they have a lot to pick from.

Beef

I've had many hot pot places all over SGV. And there isn't any place I would rather eat at than Jazz Cat. The meats are extremely tender and delicious. It's not all you can eat, but I don't really care for a place like that when I get full from this. For a little under $14 before tax and tip, you can get good quality beef with a delicious soup base. John cooks his eggs over-easy while I like my eggs to be soft boiled.

What I do first: Throw in all my vegetables. I like my veggies extra cooked in the sauce as it also releases flavor into the soup. Once the soup starts to boil, grab your beef, give it a quick swish, dip it in your satay sauce, and eat it with the rice. I can't even begin to tell you how happy it makes me to have good hot pot. Screw fat kid eats cake, it's fat kid eats rice. My body felt extremely soothed, warm, and ready to sleep which was much needed.

Oh and guess what? The service here is always amazing. Unless you are just a total douche bag, then no. But every time we come, the servers are always coming by and checking if everything was okay and if we needed anything. Like, if we needed anything? Who asks that in SGV? not a living soul. It's more like, don't bother me unless you want a refill or your bill. Not here, service gets 100% from me.

rice

I just can't give up rice. Ever. I think I might die, like, really. I have a large potato sack worth of Jasmine rice because I just love eating it with my dishes. The whole experience just wouldn't be the same. There's a phrase I grew up with called "Pah fan" which literally mean dig rice. So when we eat rice, we would pah fan, because we are literally digging the rice into our mouths. Funny huh? That explains why I eat a lot of rice since my parents would always tell us that.

If my brother David sees this post, he would be pissed that we didn't invite him... BUT with that said, I am totally down to come back again!

See you soon Jazz Cat.

121 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776

Happy swishy swooshy.

Daisy

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Tacos Tu Madre

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Tacos Tu Madre

Hello,

Today I've gotten the opportunity to enjoy an amazing treat hosted by Damon Eats (@damoneats) for the soft opening of Tacos Tu Madre.

Tacos Tu Madre is a little shack with dia de los muertos art outside of the restaurant. Being a taco lover all my life, this was definitely a tasting I am excited about. I grew up eating street tacos such as: lengua, cabeza, buche, chicharron, Suadero, and tripas. So you can imagine my appreciation for the craft.

Tacos Tu Madre is a contemporary take on the classic tacos with a few spins on ingredients such as Duck Foie Gras.

Menu

Menu

Prices are still unknown at the moment, but you can see a large variety of tacos to test. Come with a group. Or someone who is really hungry that can eat. Like me. I always like to eat. So you can try a lot of them.

Course

Chorizo Eggs

This was one of our favorites, hence the first image. The chorizo had good flavor, and was not dry like a lot of chorizo I've had. The eggs were cooked perfectly over easy with a surprise ooey gooey center that became a finger licking madness. I was a bit intimidated by the size of the chorizo, but it was perfect with the eggs and handmade tortilla. I would definitely order this in a burrito.

Ahi Tuna

Another favorite. I'm a huge fan of a simple tartare. Simple, some dishes should be left that way and they did a great job at this one. The tuna was plump, was perfectly seasoned and not overly dressed with the sesame oil, ripened avocado, with a touch of furikake. I would love them to make a LARGE crunchy taco out of this. Just saying.

Fried

Fried Chicken and Fried Shrimp. I love fried anything. Especially in a taco. I have to say, their tortillas held up really well for all the dishes. The chicken had a tangy worcestershire/katsu sauce. The shrimp had a good fresh take with crema, salsa and pickled onions. Both were perfectly fried, and seasoned ever so slightly.

Taco Porn

Top Left: Asada, carnitas. Bottom Left: Korean, Al Pastor.

Delicious everything. Though, I did feel some tacos didn't need cheese. It masked the flavors of the marinade and seasonings of some dishes, but the cotija that they used was very tasty.

Drinks

Don't forget to tip the bartender. At food events with open bar, people think the bartenders are just there to pour you drinks. No. It's common courtesy to tip the bartender even if it's free.

All drinks were exciting and fun. And Yes. I think I drank all 3 in less than an hour. No I am not an alcoholic, I just like cocktails. The one with the lime is their El Diablo: Tequila based, Ginger Beer, and Creme De Casis. Vampire Punch is the one with pomegranates: Gin Based, Compari, Orange Juice and Soda. Death before Dinner is the Vader looking one: Rum Based, Grapefruit, maraschino, lime, and a few drops of charcoal.

Sweets

Horchata Slush

This was so freaking amazing. I can't even tell you how good this was. It was a perfect warm day in Los Angeles in the high 80's and this will definitely be something I will be driving out here for. You taste the creaminess and roasty flavors of the rice, with the perfect amount of sugar and cinnamon ratio. I'm so glad this was something I did not miss and definitely something I don't regret going in my belly.

Red Velvet Churros

We waited a long time for these because they ran out. But it's ok. When there's a wait, it gives you every right to drink. These churros are denser than what I'm used to, but their cinnamon sugar and cream cheese frosting were delicious.

And then, it all came out at once.

When churros fly out of the kitchen, you need a photo bomb huddle. What's not to love right?

It was a very fun afternoon spent with local foodies, eat a shit load of tacos, and have plenty of drinks. The turnout for this event was great. This shack is small and quaint, so make sure you don't bring a family/friends of 10 and expect to find seats. Opening tomorrow, November 1, I am appreciative that I was invited to this social media event. What better way to snap photos of food, but with a group of foodies who get it.

I took over 200 shots today. Pretty impressive.

1945 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

By the way, they open late, so yeah. Drunk or Hungover, they will take care of you.

Happy Taco Hunting!

Daisy

 

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Noodle City

All you humans ever known to Noodle Planet and think that's the best that you can do, have you ever tried Noodle City? It's one of my favorite joints that my parents used to take us to. Sometimes, they would even bring home take-out and I would remember finding the largest bowl I can get my hands on to mix my noodles together. These are moments you kind of forget and take for granted. Lately, I've been really thinking and appreciating all the delicious memories that I've received growing up. My parents literally fed us every type of cuisine you can think of. From having sushi at Todai Buffet (really? don't judge), every fast food joint, chili cheese fries, street tacos, chicharron from Super A, the best fried chicken from Pioneers followed by Popeyes, and you everything else you can just imagine.

Noodle City is located right next to Noodle Planet on Valley BLVD in Alhambra.

 628 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91803

The set up is not the greatest with the interior being a bit outdated. You kind of have this impression that maybe you should step out and go to Noodle World. Noodle City is strictly Vietnamese food. No weird fusions or other cuisines like Thai/Chinese/Japanese muddled into a menu.

The menu itself, is simple yet complicated. Complicated in a good way of course. You can literally find every combination you would like. Broken rice with pork chop. Broken rice with egg rolls pork chop and steamed egg. Broken rice with shredded pork skin and steamed egg. You get the point. There was a lot of things I wanted. But when I saw Lemongrass beef on the menu, I literally salivated. I was imagining taking every bite, with a citrus burst of flavor, with the fresh cut veggies and basil, and the fish sauce mix with a big glob of chili garlic/sambal to give it more heat.

Lemongrass Beef soupless noodle

What's not to get excited about? Everything that I just described prior to eating this, met the expectations and more. Everything just tasted super fresh. The lettuce, cucumbers and basil. The spicy sauce drizzled onto each bite. I'm salivating all over again as I am thinking back on this.

Combo pho

Combo pho

Combo phos normally has everything in it. Rare steak slices, brisket, tendon, tripe, beef balls. Douse this with bean sprouts, basil, fresh jalapeno, lime juice, culantro, and a whole lot of Sriracha. Oh and a lot of napkins to wipe your face.

If you ever have time or in the area and craving Vietnamese food, do give this place a try. I also believe credit/debits are acceptable with $10+. And the service can be slightly awkward... or to say it in a nice way, thug life. Don't be intimidated or feel mistreated. Just say your pleases and thank you's as you should in any other restaurant.

Slurps Up!

Daiisies

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Hashbrown Breakfast

Here I go again. OK, so watching Homeland till like 2-3 in the morning has not been the best thing for me. I am groggy during the day and my blood pressure has possibly gone up from all the stress that has been going on from seasons 1-3. Now that I've completed season 3, I can relax for a bit, because there wasn't really a cliffhanger that begs me to start season 4.

Don't tell me I don't have a life. I have a life, and that involves watching whatever I want, eating whatever I want, and basically doing whatever I want. Don't you want this life too?

Breakfast was simple this morning. It consisted of Eggs, Bacon, and homemade Hash browns.

The video was shot on my iPhone 5S so please forgive the quality.

Everything is pretty much self explanatory. Eggs and bacon.  For the Hash Browns, I got one large russet potato which feeds 2 people and sometimes even 3 depending on how large it actually is. I scrubbed the potato under some running water making sure that it is clean. I didn't peel my potato, but you can always do so.

I grated the potato on the coarse side with a standard box grater (I used OXO < click for reference). A quick rinse will help relieve the starchiness of the potato. Make sure the potatoes are dried with a towel to relieve the moisture. On medium high heat with your choice of oil, layer on your hashes. I let it go for about 3 minutes before deciding to flip. You will know it's read to flip when the hash browns become a sheet from crisping on the bottom.

One important rule! Don't forget to salt your hash browns! I'd rather have NO hash browns than to have bland ones. AND! A nonstick pan was also used.

I sliced up a Spanish (Yellow) onion and sauteed it to pour over the hash browns. The dish is served with ketchup and hot sauce.

Daiisies breakfast plate

This face was inspired by all of you. Because this is how you make me feel. I don't even know how to explain the way it looks. Kind of like the cookie monster right? Gosh I feel so freaking creative right now. Give me a moment....

I am forever turned to home making hash browns. If you are going to make a big batch, use a food processor. I decided to use a hand grater instead since I didn't feel like washing an appliance for one potato.

Good Morning ;P

Daiisies

 

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