tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43878619641116312642011-10-02T05:11:24.911-07:00MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comBlogger731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-19583672153730341152010-01-18T22:25:00.000-08:002010-01-22T16:05:03.619-08:00

I was going through some picture CDs that I had put away sometime ago. Two years actually. I went to San Francisco 2 years ago. It was a wonderful trip. I don't think I blogged about my entire trip. We did so much, ate so much. Unfortunately part of our trip, the weather was like this picture (below). It didn't bother me at all that the weather was not so great. It was afterall October, almost

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-52835040765081118642010-01-16T15:57:00.000-08:002010-01-18T22:12:16.083-08:00

Mitch's Seafood or Mitch's Hudson Bay Seafood1403 Scott StreetSan Diego, CAI have been to Point Loma Seafood a couple of times, but never actually ate there. Their entire menu seemed to be either deep fried, filled with mayo, or raw. I had heard about Hudson's through friends. I never noticed it before. It's practically next to Point Loma Seafoods.I did get lost at first but after driving by it

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-76264868432110055462010-01-15T17:46:00.000-08:002010-01-15T17:48:17.789-08:00

When I was a teenager, I remember my dad often cooking with oxtail. Back then they weren't considered a delicacy. They were very affordable. At least that's what I thought, until I went to purchase some in an attempt to make kare -kare. Back to my dad's oxtail dish, I remember him cooking it in a peanut sauce. It was a flavorful, thick sauce. I have been craving it for years. I wish I had asked

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-41504672502511678242010-01-14T15:39:00.000-08:002010-01-14T15:39:46.808-08:00

I think my mom would be disappointed to see that I have resorted to making my pho broth with things like this instead of slaving over the stove with roasting my aromatics and simmering beef bones. I decided to take a short cut this time since I was only making pho for two. I have been eyeing these pho seasoning cubes since moving to San Diego. I finally decided to try them. It wasn't bad at

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-24397590217328824812010-01-13T08:23:00.000-08:002010-01-13T08:28:46.025-08:00

I don't normally order/eat pizza. I love Asian food. Plus tomato sauce does not agree with me. When I crave a pizza, it's usually for a thick deep dish from Lou Malnati's, a stuffed pizza from Giordano's or a thin crust pizza from Lucca Grill. But San Diego does not offer anything nearly as good as any of those places. It's been one big pizza let down after another here.Pizza Hut is having their

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-56366180880825240272010-01-12T07:30:00.000-08:002010-01-12T14:15:43.497-08:00

Nem Khao...Nam Khao?Growing up, my mom always called this dish 'nam'. That is what I knew it to be called all my life until I moved to San Diego. I had never had this dish outside of my parent's home. I never saw another Lao family make the dish at any of the gatherings we attended. As an adult, I had never seen it on a restaurant menu. Apparently I was not going to the right restaurants. When I

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-73240820760530980292010-01-11T17:10:00.000-08:002010-01-11T17:11:04.082-08:00

I always see the beginning of the new year as a time to reflect on the previous year and to make changes or plans for the new year. My 2009 was filled with many blessings that I am very thankful for. This year will be more of the same or maybe even better!This is the first year that I did not leave the house for New Year's Eve. I was disappointed that there would be no fireworks on the bay this

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-71429523865763387602009-12-28T02:41:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:11:11.925-08:00

Moke Gai: Steamed Chicken in Banana LeafBoneless Chicken BreastShallotsChili PeppersLemongrassKaffir Lime LeavesGalangalDillSaltFish SauceSweet Rice FlourWaterBanana LeafThis was my first time attempting this childhood dish. My mom would make several small parcels of this dish and freeze them for future meals. She would take them out of the freezer, thaw, and then steam them. For it being my

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-87562811275802048812009-12-26T06:54:00.000-08:002009-12-26T07:59:59.489-08:00

Simple Non-Traditional Christmas DinnerOkay, it was simple for me to cook. I wanted Asian this year since we had a traditional Thanksgiving, which took hours to cook. I was somewhat inspired by watching 'A Christmas Story'. Little Ralphie's Christmas dinner was ruined by the dogs and they had to go to a Chinese restaurant for duck. Loved that! Our Menu:Egg rollsDeep Fried Tilapia with ginger/

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-14386022914810811352009-12-25T10:53:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:26:50.225-08:00

Another Christmas in San DiegoAs a child I loved Christmas. I enjoyed wrapping gifts and baking. I still like doing those things, but it seems like less people to give gifts to and less people to enjoy my baked goodies as I get older. For me, it's tradition to bake Christmas cookies after Thanksgiving dinner and on Christmas day. Making home made cookies is calming and therapeutic for me, like

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-65644925617097023912009-12-19T11:07:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:27:08.120-08:00

Baguete Express5125 El Cajon Blvd.http://www.baguetteexpress.com/I have not been here in a couple of years (since they opened). I can't remember why I never returned. They are in the process of renovating right now. When you walk into Baguette Express, there's a dining area and as you approach the counter there are tables of yummy goodies and gift items like bamboo plants. I didn't really see

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-88386420285163025642009-12-11T13:10:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:10:53.801-08:00

the Greek Corner Restaurant5841 El Cajon Blvd.San Diego, CAI drive by this place a lot since I buy groceries often on El Cajon Blvd. Last Friday I decided to stop in and try it. I really should have read the yelp reviews first. I have a weakness for gyros and falafels. The restaurant itself was dark and not lit very well. I could barely read the menu. I was ordering carry out. (And yes I even

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-4383239171066915322009-12-10T04:59:00.001-08:002010-01-11T19:11:29.359-08:00

For the past few weeks I have been craving banh bao. I do all my shopping on University Street and the markets there don't seem to have any 'fresh' ones when I go. So no banh bao for me. I decided to attempt my own. I've only made it one other time, but it was the bbq pork version. They turned out yummy but that was a couple of years ago.I had mentioned it to my brother, who is a really good cook

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-32191945230541046042009-12-06T11:40:00.000-08:002009-12-06T12:33:16.444-08:00

Laap MooChickenRoasted Tomato-Chili JeowThai EggplantSticky Rice Lately I've been calling my mom up often just to chit chat. I have been missing her very much lately, due to it being the holidays. We are both kind of in the same situation where we are geographically far away from the people we love. Every time I finish talking with my mom I am inspired to cook and eat Lao foods.I made Laap Moo. I

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-31542994153812244122009-11-30T18:08:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:10:33.360-08:00

The weather has gotten colder in the evenings here. It's perfect time for soups and stews. I'll be eating a lot of pho in the coming weeks. I decided to try (my first time) to cook Laotian Beef Stew. It's called aw (I'm not sure how it's spelled. Under Wikipedia it is called Or Lam, a spicy stew. I remember my mom and dad always cooking this. Dad loved soups and stews. Almost every meal started

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-4078519740204835002009-11-29T14:08:00.000-08:002009-11-29T14:54:45.156-08:00

Huynh Hoa Tuu4660 El Cajon Blvd.San Diego619-280-4999I needed to go to the Asian market to pick up some vegetables and beef tendon. While out, I decided to get some lunch on El Cajon Blvd. My first choice, which was next to the market didn't work out so I drove down the street and remembered the funny named restaurant near one of my sandwich shops (A-Chau). The name of the restaurant escapes me

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-40441639181637151352009-11-27T13:29:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:11:43.695-08:00

Double Value Fine Burger6862 Mission Gorge RoadSantee I noticed this place back during Halloween when I was shopping in Santee.I thought the decor was very nice and it was clean.Their menu consists of burgers, wraps, and smoothies. A very nice young man took our order. They were having a grand opening special where the fries came free with each burger. I ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger and my

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-51338878600262213962009-11-26T08:41:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:28:15.556-08:00

Thanksgiving has a special place in my heart. I love that it is a holiday about being thankful and being with our families. I have so many fond childhood memories of Thanksgiving with my family. I cherish those memories of my father preparing and cooking the turkey and my mom baking her famous vegetable casserole and pumpkin bars. And of course there would be Lao dishes in there along with egg

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-53711240809382743462009-11-11T15:12:00.000-08:002009-11-27T12:50:20.999-08:00

To Tip or Not To Tip:I've always had a problem with knowing when to tip and how much to tip. I have always been uncomfortable getting haircuts because of this. I had a friend that would tip everytime she went to the florist (even if she just went in to pick up some carnations). Am I suppose to tip the guy that changes the oil in my car? How much do I tip at a buffet or do I even tip? Google

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-85920952917081453632009-11-06T13:31:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:12:02.754-08:00

I love mushrooms. And this is one of my favorite childhood dishes. My parents would make jeow hed and grill some kind of meat. My mom would usually grill soured pork (she would marinade pork belly with (a little bit of cooked sticky rice), garlic, and salt and let it sour for a couple of days then grill it). I cooked chicken drumsticks.Jeow Hed:16 oz Button Mushroom3 large Jalapeno Peppers6

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-15588719888198178882009-11-03T16:49:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:12:17.055-08:00

Sab-e-lee 29157 Mission Gorge RoadSantee, CA Daily 10:30am-9:30pm I've been envious of fellow blogger (KirkK) over at mmm yoso!!! for all his posts about Sab-e-lee. I have yet to try it. Mostly since it's not in my area and I don't like driving much on the freeway. When I read about Sab-e-lee 2 opening up, I jumped at the chance to try since it was closer to where I live. I believe this was the

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-36501583226792180512009-11-01T08:49:00.001-08:002010-01-11T19:12:32.018-08:00

El Pescador Fish Market627 Pearl StreetLa Jolla, CA(858)456-2526This past week I had a house guest visiting from Japan. My friend has lived in and visited San Diego for many years. He's very familiar with the area. I have never been to La Jolla, so he took me to La Jolla Cove.The weather was just perfect. Sunny, light breeze and warm. The water was crystal clear.My friend would swim here every

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-88730035517503000582009-10-27T16:07:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:12:49.743-08:00

La Pita Cafe388 East Main St.El Cajon, CA(619)401-6666 I was driving around looking for a place to eat in El Cajon the other day. I was actually looking for a BBQ eatery but saw this place first. It's classified as 'Middle Eastern' on yelp. I can always eat a gyro and my eating companion decided on the lamb dinner. We got our order to go. Here is my gyro. I don't know if that wrap is considered a

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-66293421111347407902009-10-25T05:58:00.001-07:002009-10-25T07:01:14.392-07:00

I was talking with my mom the other day and we always end up talking about food or cooking. I love discussing recipes with her and dishes that she cooked for us when I was a child. I'm very much my mom's daugther in that I almost always cook/eat Asian food. Mom's food is always #1.As a child, I would help my mom wrap eggrolls. Whenever she had leftover filling, she would make egg foo young. Or at

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-53478449107315209792009-10-24T09:48:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:13:02.156-08:00

99 Ranch Market7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.San Diego, CA(858)565-7799This was only my second trip to this 99 Ranch. The first time was back in 2007. This time I was wanting to pick up some snacks and take a look at their produce and meat dept. and buy some kewpie mayo. While inside the market, I completely forgot to take pictures. I was too focused on looking for things on my shopping list. It was

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-24695671453342533012009-10-22T17:13:00.000-07:002009-10-22T17:57:37.338-07:00

AJ's Kids Crane:Local Deejay lives up on a crane to raise 101,000 toys for Rady Children's Hospital. AJ from Star 94.1 and his morning crew, Geena the Latina, Delana, and producer Hula have been out at the Ikea parking lot accepting unwrapped, brand new toys for the patients of Rady Children's Hospital. Anyone can donate by taking toys there, at participating Marine Credit Union branches, or at

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-4780845212075740552009-10-21T20:19:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:13:17.844-08:00

City of Ramona OktoberfestOctober 16-18thRamona Outdoor Community CenterLast Sunday I had the chance to take a short roadtrip up to Ramona. I have to admit I have not done much exploring since moving to San Diego. I stay close to the area that I live and don't stray too far from it.I decided last minute to check out the Oktoberfest. I wasn't sure what to expect and I really wasn't planning on

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-21458031719021431992009-10-14T18:06:00.000-07:002009-10-14T20:25:39.429-07:00

Tom's Chinese BBQ4414 University Ave.San Diego, CA(619)563-8225 I've been to Tom's (5 times I think). It's really hit or miss with this place. I've only gone there for their roast pork, bbq pork, and egg tarts. I actually like their bbq pork and it's been consistent. However their roast pork is sometimes really good then the rest of the time it's really bad (dry, hard skin, not flavorful). And I

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-4788575266216477952009-10-13T17:14:00.000-07:002009-10-25T07:04:31.261-07:00

One of my earliest memories of pickling with my parents was when I was 6yrs old. My parents had these huge wide mouth one gallon glass jars that would pickle different veggies. I fondly remember them making Som Pak Gaht (pickled mustard greens), spicy kimchi, some sort of sweet and sour pickled veggies (radishes, napa cabbage, green onions, and other veggies I can't remember), and of course the

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-71686035151451493422009-10-12T22:30:00.001-07:002010-01-11T19:13:39.688-08:00

Hao Vi4451 University Ave.San Diego, CA(619) 280-8688 I was craving shrimp fried rice and was too lazy to drive to National City for it. I love the fried rice at Golden Chopsticks. So I drove along University Ave. and saw this restaurant. I parked on the street and went in. It was a hole in the wall but the lady behind the counter and the server were so friendly so I grabbed a menu and looked it

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-49427507554895193422009-10-11T15:49:00.000-07:002010-01-11T17:25:26.263-08:00

Growing up in the midwest, I'm used to celebrating the Fall season. The Fall means sweatshirt/hoodie and jeans weather. Football games and tailgating. Leaves turning colors. Picking apples, eating caramel apples and drinking apple cider from the Apple Barn. It seems forever since I've experienced those things. I was very excited when I read about Julian's Apple Days, however I missed it last

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-32037329607617596902009-10-09T18:02:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:14:07.974-08:00

I have been craving Korean bbq lately, unfortnately I don't have anyone to go out to eat with. So I drove down to Vien Dong and got 2lbs of short ribs for around $5 and marinated them in about a 1/4 jar of kalbi marinade (16oz size) over night. I then cooked them on my stove top in a grill pan. I served them with steamed brown rice and Chinese broccoli. It was a lot of food for one person. Lots

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-54943261875369120232009-10-08T14:59:00.000-07:002009-10-08T16:51:07.581-07:00

Saigon Sandwhiches & Deli4133 University Ave.San Diego, CA 92105(619) 284-3034I love love LOVE the banh mi. There's just no other perfect sandwich for me. I could eat one every single day. There's just something about the combination of pickles, jalapeno peppers, cucumber and cilantro in a crusty, airy baguette. The only kind of banh mi I order is the dac biet (special). I've never been

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-81983407866045979052009-09-09T16:53:00.001-07:002010-01-11T19:29:52.743-08:00

I have a loved one that is overseas right now. He promised me before he left that he would take many foodie pictures for me. Of course I was excited about this. I made of list of places and dishes for him to try in all the places he would be visiting. The only thing he was willing to try in Singapore was the chilli crab. He's only adventurous if I'm with him.He and our friend, John (pictured here

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-64909388888633442362009-08-22T14:17:00.000-07:002010-01-11T17:25:56.642-08:00

Sang Dao5421 El Cajon Blvd(619) 263-0914 I finally get to eat Asian food again. I've been living off my banh mi excursions to Saigon Deli and A-Chau for almost 3 weeks. Finally, I decided to go to Sang Dao for some take out. I remember Kirk and Ed from mmm-yoso blogging about it. It's a family owned Lao-Thai restaurant. My first impression upon arriving there was that the parking lot was much

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-16085996478946838442009-07-03T10:45:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:29:07.609-08:00

I saw something on the Travel Channel about steak houses in the U.S. and they mentioned Cattleman's. I decided that I would make an effort to try it during my trip to El Paso. Cattleman's is located outside of El Paso near Faben's. It's about a 15 min. drive to get to the Faben's exit. Then you follow a two lane road to Cattleman's. Once you arrive there, there are several gates to enter the

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-23595473487557578062009-07-02T06:28:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:14:28.365-08:00

I was introduced to Whataburger about 5 years ago. I liked that it is open 24/7 and their drink cups are stryofoam (to keep drinks nice and cold in that hot Texas weather). Driving around El Paso, I noticed as many Whataburgers as Sonics. Basically, you order your food and pay at the counter. They give you drink cups and a number to take back to your table. When your food is ready, they bring it

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-55149506537339241542009-07-01T17:09:00.000-07:002009-11-03T18:20:08.681-08:00

Bumsted's 500 N. 4th Ave.Tucson, AZ(520)622-1413http://www.bumstedstucson.com/I went on a roadtrip to El Paso, TX last week. It was a short trip. On my way there I drove through Tucson. This was my first time stopping in Tuscon. I had looked up places to eat at in Tucson on Yelp. It was between Bumsted's and a place that made banh mi's. I decided that I would wait to go to Saigon Sandwiches when

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-26037224103029050522009-06-15T14:32:00.000-07:002009-06-15T14:43:44.796-07:00

(Picture taken from the site www.eatbma.blogspot.com) My current food obssession is sop tulang after seeing it on No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. I don't think I'll ever make it to Singapore in the near future so I will have to find a recipe online or find a restaurant around here that serves it. I'm not sure why I'm so fascinated with the dish, perhaps it's the bright, red coloring or

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-60736740852827223922009-02-22T14:50:00.000-08:002010-01-11T17:26:17.376-08:00

Pizzeria Luigi1137 25th StreetSan Diego, CA(619)233-3309Every Saturday is 'pizza night' in my house. I haven't found a pizza place in San Diego that I 'love' yet. I love Giordano's in Chicago and Lucca Grill in Bloomington. Those two are complete opposites. Giordano's has the deep dish Chicago style crust where as Lucca's has the thin, cracker like crust. I haven't found a place in San Diego

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-10960955986520958562009-02-16T21:09:00.000-08:002009-02-21T13:44:28.625-08:00

I find myself drawn to certain items when I'm out grocery shopping. Even with a list, I tend to pick up that things I crave like cha lua and gio thu (I always have bahn mi on the brain). And of course pickled carrots and daikon.Vietnamese baguette. More baked goods. Summer rolls. Tapioca desserts and steamed cakes.I was actually on a mission today. I was looking for a special pan for something I

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-62125465563000087902009-01-30T05:05:00.000-08:002009-01-30T05:20:06.460-08:00

A whole year has passed since I last posted. It was a long needed break. I had been busy with school and family. I think I am now ready to start blogging again. I have to admit I was inspired after reading DallasLao's Blog http://dallaslao.wordpress.com/ . He reminded me that he blogs to share his experiences with people like myself. And I love reading blogs. I haven't been keeping up with my

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-34060271036374961682008-06-04T19:52:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:34:59.334-08:00

Sometimes I get a craving for sweets and one of my favorite desserts is khao sung ga ya. I always referred to it as 'the purple rice dessert'. It's so delicious. It's baked black glutinous rice with a custard on top. I've been hesitant to buy any from the Asian grocery stores since they don't don't like they are prepared the same way my mom makes hers. (And mom's cooking is the BEST). This is my

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-43534087816388277202008-04-05T17:37:00.001-07:002008-04-06T08:56:02.814-07:00

Lao New Year 2551At Market Creek Plaza310 Euclid Avenue, San Diego, CAApril 5th 10:00am-5:00pmApril 6th 10:00am-5:00pmI missed the opening ceremony this year. There was a speech from the Chairman and the American and Lao National Anthems were played followed by a parade, the Baci ceremony, and the releasing of doves. Here is a picture of young Lao children performing a song. It was somewhat

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-42990587240343132202008-03-27T08:44:00.000-07:002008-03-27T16:15:26.193-07:00

My parents always had a garden at every house we lived in. They enjoyed growing their own produce and maintaining it. I remember our gardens consisted of tomatoes, cucumber, all kinds of hot peppers, long green beans, eggplants, mustard greens, mint, cilantro, thai basil, basil, dill, vietnamese coriander, mixed lettuce, and many other vegetables. We even grew different kinds of melons and squash

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-5751394451250416002008-03-24T13:15:00.001-07:002008-03-24T13:17:30.899-07:00

I'm excited about this event. I love meeting new people and getting to know the Lao community in San Diego.

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-29044779864779056192008-03-24T12:11:00.000-07:002010-01-11T17:27:21.357-08:00

I was raised to never waste any food. Recently, I made chicken laap and had leftover uncooked chicken breast(with bone). I decided to try to make Laotian chicken stew. I think it's called "or" (sounds like 'aw'). My parents would make this with whatever was leftover in the fridge. Usually it was leftover beef, zucchini, eggplant, bok choy, or any kind of leafy green vegetable. I feel that this is

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-25053578189749282022008-03-21T18:22:00.000-07:002008-03-22T03:05:03.813-07:00

I remember, as a little girl, I used to watch my mom make eggrolls for parties and special occasions. I would sit at the kitchen table, watch her rolling them and talking to my dad about Laos. Those were good times, great memories, I'll cherish them forever. As I got older, my mom would let me help her. First, I was allowed to roll them, eventually I prepared the filling, and fried them myself.

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-73189390278968648502008-03-20T20:46:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:14:53.047-08:00

One of my favorite sweet snacks my mom used to make as I was growing up is khao tom. It is steamed sweet rice with bananas wrapped in banana leaves. There are many versions of it (some have red beans mixed in with the rice, some have mung bean fillings, and there are savory versions). I've watched my mom make them plenty of times but I have never attempted to make them on my own until now. This

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-33645309149763671992008-03-19T04:32:00.000-07:002010-01-11T17:27:46.332-08:00

I had a craving for grilled beef ribs and tam mak hoong/papaya salad. I purchased the papaya preshredded at the Asian market. It's not how I normally like it, I prefer the papaya shavings to be thicker. I know these beef ribs don't have a whole lot of meat but I love the taste of grilled beef.I don't have recipes for either.For the papapya salad:Julienned green papaya2-3birdseye chili peppers1

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-23267507722299221972008-02-18T06:23:00.000-08:002008-02-18T10:54:56.413-08:00

Before going to bed last night I did some browsing on the interweb, searching for anything on vietnamese sandwiches to get inspiration and ideas for making my own banh mi. I LOVE LOVE them. I get teased a lot for it, but I think they are perfect sandwiches and one sandwich always fills me up. When I woke up this morning I had to start off my day with a banh mi. It's probably not normal to eat

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-36953714466774176372008-02-17T17:11:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:15:26.304-08:00

I was suppose to work on weeding my little garden today, but I was feeling lazy and decided to make a snack. Since moving to San Diego, I've been reading local food blogs like "mmm-yoso!!!" and learning about all kinds of foods. I'm very excited about trying Vietnamese cuisine. And it seemed that every blog I looked at the blogger would mention banh beo. I noticed that I had a package of the

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-10056189477101478612008-02-15T09:23:00.000-08:002010-01-11T17:20:19.565-08:00

Oh yes, another Valentine's Day has come and gone. What am I left with? Love Letters..Julie's Love Letters that is. They are coconut flavored (egg rolls) cookies/biscuits. They have a crispy texture. They taste sweet, sort of reminds me of a fortune cookie with coconut flavor, but lighter. As a child, my father would buy cookies very similiar to these for me everytime he went to an Asian grocery

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-33390304317431046772008-02-12T19:08:00.000-08:002010-01-11T17:21:29.764-08:00

What's the difference between laap and goy? Forgive me if the spelling is incorrect. For some reason I always thought that laap was made with sliced meat and goy was made with ground/minced/chopped meat. I grew up eating a lot of it...with a lot of sticky rice. And it was so delicious, especially since it was made by my parents. There are so many variations and I don't know how to make any of

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-83663100949960714542008-02-12T09:38:00.000-08:002008-02-12T10:07:58.796-08:00

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Vietnamese New Year celebration at Balboa Park. The festival was a mix of carnival rides, traditonal live entertainment, pageants, games, and ethnic food vendors. I had a fun time, but wish I had stayed all day. I wanted to catch the night time live entertainment and fireworks.Since the next best thing to live entertainent is food, I got into

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-80543515902120286692008-02-08T19:54:00.001-08:002008-02-09T05:26:34.383-08:00

One of my favorite Lao dishes is som moo (soured pork sausage). As a child, I remember watching and helping my parents make it. I think this is the same envelope mix they used. I really wanted to make some but I don't quite trust myself with the task yet. I don't want to end up giving myself or worse others food poisoning. My parents usually made som moo for special occasions or for when we went

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-44388511899572225092007-12-13T17:45:00.001-08:002007-12-13T17:49:47.219-08:00

I am leaving in a few days to spend Christmas in Texas. Today I baked some cookies to get into the Christmas spirit. I made sugar cookies, gingerbread men, peanut butter kisses, holly bushes (?), and dark chocolate chip cookies. I am not decorating the house or putting up a tree this year since I'll be in Texas.

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-48505141215579058912007-12-13T04:32:00.000-08:002007-12-13T05:21:42.330-08:00

5349 El Cajon BlvdSan Diego, CA 92115(619) 582-8999Last weekend I was craving Lao food so I went to United Oriental Food Market. I like it because they are the only grocery store (that I've been to)that sells laap (beef and pork), tam mak hung, keng noh mai, mok pa, and other Lao dishes. This is great for when I don't feel like cooking. Plus around the corner on 54th St. there is a restaurant

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-18541891719839098762007-12-10T11:32:00.000-08:002010-01-11T17:22:11.454-08:00

Saigon Sanwiches & Deli4133 University AveSan Diego, CA 92105(619) 284-3034 Last Tuesday I got to treat myself a bahn mi, because I did so well in school this semester. I decided to try Saigon Sandwiches after reading Kirk's Blog.This is the 5th Banh Mi shop I've tried in San Diego and it's the best by far. I got the 'special'. The flavors were just right. I loved the pate, the pickled vegetables

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-12983743001546796222007-11-20T19:30:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:35:28.970-08:00

Soup1 Large White Onion1 Piece of Ginger3 Cloves of Garlic3 lbs. Beef Soup Bones1 t Coriander Seeds1 t Black Peppercorns3 Whole Cloves3 Star Anise1 Cinnamon Stick4 T Salt2 T Sugar1 Package of Dry or Fresh Pho Noodles1/2 lb. of Thinly Sliced Sirloin1 Package of Beef MeatballsGarnishesLime WedgesBean SproutsCilantro leavesThai BasilNgo GaiWhite Onion, slicedGreen Onions, slicedFried GarlicFish

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-75992259464173976982007-11-14T10:13:00.000-08:002010-01-11T17:23:03.497-08:00

Dante's Seafood GrillPier 39San Francisco, CA 94102(415) 434-4424After a long day of sight seeing, I went back to the hotel and took a long nap. Upon waking up, I was starving and craved seafood. I hadn't left the hotel at nighttime before this night. The city was beautifully lit. I could see the clocktower at the Ferry Building and the lit up Bay Bridge from my hotel. I decided to head out to

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-46482099794362110212007-11-13T05:45:00.000-08:002010-01-11T17:23:21.059-08:00

8 6th Street(at Stevenson St)San Francisco, CA 94103(415) 626-0927Mon-Sat 11:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m.I can't remember the first time I heard about Tu Lan, but I remember wanting to try it during my visit to San Francisco. I didn't get the chance until my second trip. All the reviews I read about Tu Lan said Julia Child ate there and to watch out for all the crack addicts outside of the restaurant. That

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-19850294818978145222007-11-04T08:04:00.000-08:002010-01-11T19:30:33.839-08:00

Saigon Sandwiches560 Larkin St(between Eddy St & Turk St)San Francisco, CA 94102(415) 474-5698Mon-Sat 6:30am-5:30pmSun 7am-4:30pm I took a week off during Halloween to enjoy a trip to San Francisco. It was a wonderful, relaxing vacation. I did all the tourist things, such as going to all the museums, Fisherman's Wharf, and Pier 39. The last time I was in San Francisco I didn't get to try the food

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-56556617268287344192007-10-18T18:12:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:15:59.112-08:00

Golden Chopsticks1430 E. Plaza Blvd.National City, CA 91950(619)366-1888I haven't had the opportunity to dine out much since relocating to San Diego. Today, I had some free time and went on a lunch date at Golden Chopsticks in National City. I remember reading about their salted pepper chicken wings here and always wanted to try them. The restaurant was sort of easy to find. It's tucked away in a

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-7851564558405782702007-09-25T21:41:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:16:24.021-08:00

Lee's Sandwiches4127 Campus DriveIrvine, CA(949)509-9299Daily 8am-2amOver the weekend I took a roadtrip to Irvine. Before leaving for my trip I searched the internet for places to get a banh mi (I'm in search of the perfect banh mi in California). There were a couple of places I found, Lee's and Le Cafe Diplomate. I thought I would try one on Saturday and the other the next day. My first

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-38069175965877939252007-09-11T11:37:00.001-07:002010-01-11T19:35:42.776-08:00

I saw this movie over the weekend. I really wanted to love it. I thought it was okay and cute. I do enjoy Catherine Zeta Jones but there wasn't enough chemistry between her and Aaron Eckhart's character. And the little girl that played her niece. It was a cute movie still.

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-67711777586216078562007-08-26T09:36:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:31:52.691-08:00

One of my favorite dishes growing up is called Khao Poun. I'm not sure if I spelled that correctly. Basically it's a coconut milk and curry soup served over rice vermicelli. There are different variations to this dish. I don't have problems with eating pork so I used ground pork in my version. My father loved the ground pork with added pork skin. My mom loves using flaked fish for the protien. My

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-41383856887102117512007-08-16T18:55:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:35:52.884-08:00

I've been a fan of this show since the first season. I wish I liked the show for all the creative dishes the chefs come up with and all the great guest 'chef' judges, but that's not it at all. I love all the human interaction, the 'reality' of human behavior. To me it's like every office I've worked in. Everyone is out for themselves and would sabotage your projects, make you look bad in front of

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-88291283710466403712007-08-14T15:48:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:16:43.910-08:00

One of my favorite Summer time dishes would be any kind of 'Asian Wrap'. This is my take on the Vietnamese Nem Noung Cuon. It was my first time at attempting this but I thought it turned out great. I'm not too sure about the eggroll skin. I was suppose to only 'fold' them like you would an envelope but I mistakenly rolled them.Nem Nuong:1 lb. ground pork1 medium white onion, pureed3 T fish sauce2

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-83423963607788605282007-08-12T18:27:00.000-07:002010-01-11T17:24:31.913-08:00

Sundays are meant for going to church and having dinner with the family. I love bringing along a dessert to share. Some days I get too busy to fuss over a fancy or time consuming dessert so I whip up easy chocolate chip cookies. My recipe makes a soft center cookie with a crunchy edge. I like it because it's not a flat cookie.Chocolate Chip Cookies:1/2 C butter, at room temperature1/2 C

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-88939248636246223332007-08-11T19:31:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:17:05.505-08:00

No plans on a Saturday night, so I decided to cook some chicken fried rice and (cream cheese) eggrolls. For the fried rice I followed the recipe from WOKME and omitted the corn kernels and peas. And I served the eggrolls with sweet chili sauce. Everything turned out great. I have a weakness for chicken fried rice. I've only had really good chicken fried rice once and it was way back in highschool

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-68149513984883532672007-08-11T15:18:00.000-07:002007-08-11T15:28:06.140-07:00

The Chinese call them Baozi, I think. The Veitnamese version is the banh bao. These wonderful pillows of goodness remind me of my childhood. My parents and I would drive to Broadway & Argyle in Chicago to buy groceries and they would get me these goodies. I preferred the sweet char siu pork filling. My parents enjoyed the filling with the savory pork, shiitake mushrooms, chinese sausage and hard

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387861964111631264.post-6896620429206314772007-08-11T01:06:00.000-07:002010-01-11T19:32:12.364-08:00

COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL SAN DIEGO 2007Preview Night (Wednesday)I really did not know what to expect the first time there. I had never been to the convention center before. I remember seeing it on tv and in movies, I think in 'the Net' starring Sandra Bullock. But other than that had no idea what to expect. I arrived there around 5:30 to pick up my 'badge' and to check out the exhibit hall. I

MsCindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17925670034620574686noreply@blogger.com