Bistro Boudin- Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA

To contact us Click HERE


After reading David Ng's article on Boudin, I reminded myself to visit the Fisherman's Wharf location on a future trip to San Francisco. So, after visiting UC Berkeley, we promptly went back to San Francisco for a late lunch at Boudin.


The Fisherman Wharf's location is a prime tourist spot; its glass windows and prominent logos make it distinctive among the other buildings in the area, and it houses five different sections: Peet's Coffee and tea, Baker's Hall, Bistro Boudin, Boudin Museum & Bakery Tour, and Bakery & Bakeshop. There is plenty to see and do in just this confined area! We skipped viewing most of the building and went upstairs to Bistro Boudin, a full-service restaurant.


One will pay a premium at Bistro Boudin for its full-service capabilities, dining environment, cutlery, and additional items on the menu. Several selections, however, are the same as those of Bistro Boudin, but  presented in a more casual manner. Paper or plastic serving ware replaces the heavy porcelain serving ware for diners ordering downstairs. As we were to realize later, eating downstairs would be a much quicker and cheaper option compared to Bistro Boudin; unless a slow, lengthy meal is what you prefer, eating downstairs is a wiser choice.

The complimentary fresh sourdough bread was nicely tangy; tender on the outside and crisp and crackly on the outside, it was scrumptious, especially after walking on the Berkeley campus during the morning. The crust had a rustic pattern to it that I did not see at another Boudin location; the pattern of this bread had more variation in color, while in the other location, the appearance of the crust was almost uniform. The butter, on the other hand, was typical, although it was nicely piped.


Our first appetizer, the Manila Clams (13.95 USD), arrived when we had almost finished the entire bread basket! The clams were cooked with pancetta, onions, parsley, white wine, and garlic butter; these ingredients provided a rich, smoky broth to the fresh clams. We finished this appetizer quickly; it didn't take much to empty the entire dish, especially since the portion size was so small.


Our second appetizer was the Boudin Sourdough Bread Bowl (12.95 USD), which was filled with clam chowder (crab and corn bisque is the other option). This bread bowl is larger than that of the "petite" bread bowl on the Bistro Boudin menu; the "petite" portion is actually the same portion size as the downstair's offering, but with an added markup of about 70 cents. We really liked clam chowder here; it was not too salty and was lightly creamy, with plenty of clam flavor and clams in the breadbowl. I liked how the vegetables still held their texture, especially the potato chunks. Waiting for the first appetizer to arrive and the lapses in service though, we had barely enough stomach space to eat the bread bowl's crust, but did enjoy the interior of the bowl, which retained some sourness while gaining the seafood flavors from the chowder.


The Classic Chicken Club (13.95 USD) was decent for most of the dish; what made it not enjoyable was the extremely dry chicken. Another service problem was found here; my companion requested that the bacon be omitted, but instead plenty of thick-cut bacon pieces greeted us when it was served. The rest of the dish was tasty; the same quality sourdough made a presence here, and the vegetables in the sandwich were fresh. The thin-cut, fragrant french fries, pickle, and coleslaw were likewise tasty and liked by everyone at the table. In particular, the coleslaw was refreshing since it had some horseradish, and was something cool and refreshing in comparison to the crisp, savory fries.


My other companion ordered the Sourdough Baguette Burger (13.95 USD), which had Creekstone Farms beef, toasted baguette, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and cheddar cheese (as requested by my companion). I did not get to try this, and nor did my companion make much comment on it. The same sides of coleslaw, pickle, and french fries also appeared here.


My Fish and Chips (19.95 USD) was better. This had several large pieces of tender fish that was dipped in an Anchor Steam beer batter and fried to golden brown; the fish was tender, flaky, and moist, while the crust was very thin and fragrant.


Ketchup, yellow mustard, dijon mustard were some additional condiments provided. I made most use of the ketchup and the tartar sauce for my meal; some malt vinegar would have made the dish even better!

It would have been a pretty enjoyable meal, but the exceedingly slow and unfriendly service was detrimental to the dining experience. That and the exorbitant pricing (although yes, the rent at Fisherman's Wharf is probably extremely expensive), while offering decent food is a combination that does not work.


Bistro Boudin
160 Jefferson Street
San Francisco, CA 91433
Tel: (415) 351-5561




After the meal, it was time to look around Boudin. The upstairs section also houses the Boudin Museum and Factory Tour, which entrance requires a fee. A beautiful display of sourdough welcomes visitors to the upstairs section.

The large windows nevertheless still make for a great viewing of the demonstration factory. All these pictures above were taken through their windows!

Visiting the location that has been featured in so many different pieces of media, whether it be online or on television, was a great experience.For those who do not have the chance to visit the Fisherman's Wharf location, some of the other Boudin branches also do offer large windows to view the bakers at work, as well as the cafe menu. You can see a video that I took of a baker making bread in an Boudin location in Irvine, CA by clicking here.

Find the rest of the posts in this series at this trip's TRIP INDEX.

May's Cafe (May's Chinese Restaurant)- Arcadia, CA

To contact us Click HERE

(Now that I've eaten a generous serving of AP Tots (the reason for my month's absence), I'm back to writing on a weekly basis!)

For years, I have wondered what was this "May's Chinese Restaurant" entry on my GPS; how could there be a restaurant in Arcadia that I did not still know about? It was only recently that I found out it was May's Cafe, an establishment that has been in Arcadia for years. With some special circumstances that began this year, May's Cafe suddenly became a restaurant with a prime location-- one ideal for me to try out their Taiwanese selections from a walking distance.


Inside, the restaurant is tiny-- there are less than 20 tables, and mirrors are used in an effort to enlarge the space. Still, the less than perfect surroundings, coupled with some KOST 103.5 radio and view of the street, add for a unusually relaxing way to end an otherwise busy week. The constant use of Mandarin may present a barrier for some, but eventually orders get through, and food is served.





On my first visit, not knowing what to really order and not really knowing how to say the Mandarin names of some items, I kept to observing the food served to other patrons and what I knew in words, and ordered the Chinese Sausage Fried Rice (6.00 USD). In comparison to some of the ginormous plates of food presented to some of the patrons, this serving of fried rice was comparatively tiny. The fat granules of rice, fragrant sausage, crisp lettuce, and wispy strands of egg were enjoyable, if a bit greasy and salty.  MSG was also added, and so I noted that for future visits I would ask them to exclude that ingredient.


Now armed with the experience of eating at May's Cafe for once, I went into May's Cafe the second time ordering what most people ordered while at the cafe: Fried Pork Chop on Rice (6.00 USD). For the same price as the Fried rice, I got a large, balanced meal of protein, carbohydrates, and veggies. Along with the centerpiece of fried pork chop, there was a bed of steamed white rice, doused with a scoop of soy, and to the side was a generous serving of broccoli with bonito accents, scrambled egg, stewed tofu, and preserved turnip. The pork chop was crisp, light, and most importantly tender; and in such generous servings, I left this time quite full.


On my third visit, I tried out another of May's Cafe's greatest hits: Beef Stew Noodles Soup (6.00 USD). In comparison to my usual favorite, this version offered a bold, intense broth, high quality pieces of stewed beef, and some additions--napa cabbage and homemade preserved vegetables. I didn't care so much that the broth was quite greasy on top, and that the noodles did not offer much other than a toothsome chew, but with subsequent visits the broth has been less greasy-- the manager probably noticed how I was skimming the broth's surface several times before I started enjoying the bowl of soup. My companions feel this bowl of noodle soup is just as good, if not as better, than our favorite; then again, both are quite different in terms of the broth, and your opinion will differ depending on whether you like bolder flavor items (in which May's Cafe certainly wins) or lighter flavored items (House of Mandarin Noodle is the clear winner hear).


Having tried the Beef Stew Noodles Soup, I was now determined to try out the Beef Stew on Rice (6.00 USD). What came to the plate was essentially the same dish, other than noodles were subbed with a bed of steamed rice, and the broth became a cornstarch thickened sauce with some additional seasoning. Although I certainly enjoyed the meaty pieces of stewed beef, I felt that there was too little rice to suit with the generous serving of sauce, and the plastic spoon was sharp enough to make a slight cut on the mouth. So, a suggestion: if you don't care for eating on plastic soup spoons, bring your own utensils!


Another visit, I tried the Fried Chicken Leg on Rice (6.00 USD). The restaurant was certainly busier, having school been released at the same time I went to the cafe, and my plate seemed to have the inconsistency of lacking the spoonful of preserved vegetables. The chicken leg, like the pork chop, was light, juicy, crispy, and simply seasoned-- no special final dusting of five spice or chili powder to be found here. The cabbage was decent, but I definitely preferred the broccoli more.


Having tried the "Da Lu Mian" at Mandarin Noodle Deli, I decided to try out May's Cafe version. Like the other items I've described so far, this item, the Simmered Pork Noodles Soup is also 6.00 USD. I enjoyed the wide variety of ingredients found in the noodle soup-- bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus, carrots, celery, and napa cabbage-- and unlike some of the other items I've had at May's Cafe, this item came out almost immediately after I ordered it. Seasoned with sesame oil, the broth was slightly out of the ordinary, but still pleasant.


Wanting to try some more traditional Taiwanese items, I ordered the Intestines & Oysters with Tiny Noodles Soup. This one was a pungent dish-- mixed inside the bold broth was minced garlic, and placed atop was a dash of black vinegar. The noodles, slightly clumped, needed a slight mix before enjoying; on the other hand, the intestines were tasty, with little foul flavor, and the small pieces of oyster were savored. In this occasion, I felt again that there could be more strands of noodles, as there was plenty of broth to go around.


On a rainy day, the Beef Stew Noodles Soup sounded like a good idea, and so I certainly enjoyed this bowl. And look! Little grease on the surface of the soup! Unfortunately, the stuff that I brought to the restaurant got wet in the rain after a ten minute walk-- always keep your items in a waterproof housing!


On a better day, a companion and I visited May's Cafe yet again. My companion ordered the Curry Beef on Rice (6.00 USD) but did not care much for it, as there was very little curry powder actually added to the sauce. Instead, it tasted more like a brown sauce instead of a curry sauce. We did, however, like that a wide variety of vegetables was added to the curry.


I tried out the Combination on Rice (squid, chicken, beef and vegetables- 6.00USD). In addition to what the menu describes, there were some pieces of fishball, fishcake, and octopus (that tasted weird) to the mix. Other than one awkward ingredient in the combination, the rest of the dish was tasty.



We also ordered the Eggs & Oyster's Patti (5.50 USD), essentially a Taiwanese oyster omelet.This version was quite special in that the starch, oysters, and vegetables were fully encapsulated in a thin layer of egg, while the oysters were still barely cooked and the veggies crisp. It was an intriguing version of the oyster omelet, and had the accompanying sauce been warmed up (it was somewhat cold) I would have liked it even better.


On another visit (there's been too many!), my companion ordered the Beef Stew Noodles Soup, and so I ordered the Pork Chop Noodles Soup, hoping that I would get a lighter soup overall. I was correct-- I got a bowl of noodles and light broth, with the crispy pork chop put aside on a separate dish. Any blandness to this dish was counteracted with accompanying bites of the pork chop, and some scoops of broth from the Beef Stew Noodles Soup-- a little of that broth went a long way in increasing the flavor of this dish!


And as a vegetable side, we ordered the Fried Sponge Gourd (7.50 USD); you would probably recognize this better if it was called "chinese okra." Although the gourd was not actually in season when we tried the dish, the gourd was still sweet and pleasantly prepared.


And on my most recent visit, I had the Fried Chewy Rice Cake (6.00 USD), having saw someone else order it and get a generous portion. My portion was not as generous, but I liked how the plate had plenty of vegetables and meat to go along with the rice cake.

Overall, an enjoyable, small restaurant in the Arcadia area. If you're looking for a non-chain restaurant that offers Taiwanese food, May's Cafe is a reliable, small restaurant with very reasonable prices.


May's Cafe (facebook link)
31 E. Duarte Road
Arcadia, CA 91006
Tel: (626) 574-8348

Starbucks' Refreshers Beverages: Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus

To contact us Click HERE

On July 13, from 12-3 PM, Starbucks gave away Tall sizes of its recently launched beverage, Starbucks Refreshers. The new product comes in Cool Lime and Very Berry Hibiscus flavors, and regularly costs 2.95 USD for a Tall Size.

Starbucks describes the Cool Lime flavor as "a lively blend of lime, citrus and hints of mint and cucumber, shaken with real lime slices," and the Very Berry Hibiscus flavor as "a thirst quenching combination of tangy blackberry and hints of hibiscus." Notably, these drinks feature Starbucks' green coffee extract, which is taken from green (not roasted) arabica coffee beans and offers the "natural energy" of coffee but without the coffee flavor. 

Unlike some free offers, each of these Refreshers were made by order. There was no special advertising at the store to signal a "free" Refresher; you just asked for it and the cost was deducted. Some customers shouted aloud to their co-workers about the deal as well.

I tried the Very Berry Hibiscus flavor (the Cool Lime Refresher in the pictures was a friend's) and  it had berry fruit flavor as well as some depth from the hibiscus. In terms of sweetness, the Refresher seemed as sweet as a flavored water, with a sweetness that reminded me more of artificial sweetener (I can not confirm what sweetener, if any, is used in the drink). The blackberries, on the other hand, were somewhat squashed due to the shaking action in creating the drink, and so did not look or taste like the fresh blackberries shown in Starbucks' product photo.

Both flavors combine tried-and-true combinations. If you need a light refreshment after a heavy meal or from work, these are a flavored option to consider. As for me? I'll stick with chia seeds and water.(no, I did not time that post to coincide with this one!)

Starbucks Coffee (@ The Shops at The Alhambra)
1131 S Fremont Ave
Alhambra,CA91803
(626) 457-5234

UCI 2012 Undergraduate Research Symposium + Noonerz

To contact us Click HERE

Back in May, I attended the UC Irvine Undergraduate Research Symposium, an annual symposium featuring undergraduate research. Although I only attended the afternoon session, there was still much to see and to learn--I was unable to visit all the presenters' posters or oral presentations!

This research symposium featured undergraduate research from the entire university, meaning that one could find research in computer science, engineering, humanities, biological sciences, and more in the same spot! There were also two parts: oral sessions, where presenters discussed their projects with projected presentation slides to a small audience in one room, and poster displays, where presenters discussed their projects next to their posters outside. The research was quite diverse; a few of these topics discussed at the symposium include home automation, car security, dorm design, autism, solar stove, literature, autism, chemically powered modeled cars, solar airplanes, and rockets. You can read the abstracts on the Symposium website, under participant list.


It was definitely a very worthwhile experience (and a worthwhile drive) to see the research completed by the students and to see them present their research! Next year's Undergraduate Research Symposium will be held on May 18, 2013.

(Go past the break to read about Noonerz!)





Besides the symposium itself and its wide array of research, research presenters and visitors also could take part in keynote speaker and lunch performances, breakfast, lunch, and snacks. For lunch, local catering company Noonerz had several selections of lunch boxes available, all of which included a sandwich, cookie, orzo pasta salad, and a bag of chips; beverages were also provided.


I chose the Cranberry Rules Turkey Sandwich, which has "oven roasted turkey, havarti cheese, homemade tart cranberry sauce, lettuce, and dijon mustard on sourdough baguette." The tart and sweet cranberry sauce, coupled with the fresh oven roasted turkey slices reminded me of thanksgiving dinner.

As for the other parts of the box, the pasta salad was decent (the pasta could have been cooked slightly less and was lightly flavored), and the chocolate chip cookie chewy, sweet, and tasty--a typical chocolate chip cookie, similar to that of Pippin but slightly firmer.


On the other hand, my friends all chose Our Favorite Turkey Sandwich, which has "oven roasted turkey, crisp bacon, avocado, onion relish, and mayonnaise on rosemary ciabatta." It came with the same components also, besides a switch to a crumbly, shortbread like sugar cookie instead of a chewy chocolate cookie.


Had I known about the ingredients inside the sandwich, I probably would have also gone for this sandwich. The avocado and caramelized onions made the sandwich memorable, and the rosemary ciabatta added even more flavor to the sandwich.

Overall, two very strong lunch boxes, even if the regular price may be a bit on the higher side (these were all complimentary to visitors and researchers). I definitely see why the Our Favorite Turkey Sandwich is listed number one on Noonerz's menu!


Noonerz
22891 Triton Way- Unit A
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Tel: (949) 351-4000