The Grip

During a recent luncheon with a friend I had a "moment', something intriguing, if you will. I am profoundly observant - to useless habits that others are unaware of, but yet extremely important to me. Not to label myself a creature of habit or anything, a "pet-peeve" would be politically correct. Before I dissect the details of this particular event I would like to make a point of view and say if you all don't have this same "pet-peeve", there is something wrong with you, not me.

I HATE IT WHEN A BURRITO AND/OR A SANDWICH BREAKS APART.

I remember it clearly. I was sixteen years old and working part time at the Del Taco in Diamond Bar. Pam was my boss and told me to take a 15 minute break and make myself a meal if I am hungry. Scored!

My meal was the usual - Macho Combo Burrito, extra beef. However, greed got the best of me this time as I made the burrito bigger than usual. After an approximately three bites in, there were noticeable wet-ness dripping down on the pinky side of my palm; my burrito had a leak on the bottom. Beef, sour cream, lettuce, beans, the whole shebang had disrupted. Although I managed to finished the remainder of my meal (with a fork), I was completely discouraged and irritated with myself, promising to forever avoid the unavoidable.

It wasn't until my college years a friend had suggested I should try to hold the burrito differently, in the center of my palm. By using my thumb and pinky as the control mechanism while placing the other three fingers gently on the back of the burrito as leverage, my meal stays intact. The finger position is done to abstain the inner treasure from overflowing atop, also preventing the bottom unfold. The trick is to have the burrito sit comfortably in the center of your palm, all you have to do is firmly squeeze both the thumb and the pinky just before you bite into it. Well, he who gave me a life-changing suggestion shall be a great friend. He has been a good friend since. I do not recall a single disaster since I adjusted my mechanics.

In a very subtle way, I glanced at my colleague as he struggled to rebuild a completely dismantled Pastrami sandwich with a fork, stabbing the remains off of the wrapper. I casually offered him my advice. As bizarre as I may have sounded, deep down inside he knew that I, also provided a life-changing way of life in burritos.

A Brand New Man - For Now

Where do I start? The recent lack of food blogs fell head first from my time management, or lack of; as well as an alteration of lifestyle. Now, being a new business owner, like many others - I joined Small Business of America. That simply means less time to write (I am working on improving this) and more time for work.

Oh, I also gave up eating Beef and Pork about three weeks ago.

It's okay. The world didn't end, I didn't get ill, nor did I stop eating. All I did was challenged myself to see if this carnivore can live for 45 days strictly on Poultry, Fish, and Greens. (For the purpose of this blog, I am going to refer to Beef/Pork as red meat, even though pork is not).

It wasn't until the end of my first red meat-less week I realized how much Beef and Pork I consumed daily. I was running out of ideas, menus, restaurants, recipes, and was exausted with anything and everything had to do with Chicken, Turkey, and Fish. I exuberantly reminisced things like:

1) Tacos, Carne Asada Tacos, Buche and Lengua Tacos, Carnitas Burrito
2) Pho, more Pho
3) Burgers..... Bacon on a Burger...... Bacon Alone.
4) Steaks..... Steaks wrapped in Bacon.... Bacon Alone.
5) Ribs, beef ribs, baby back ribs, any animal that had meat on ribs.
6) the list goes on and on.
7) Tacos.

I was eating red meat daily, wow. It doesn't matter what meal or how it was cooked, I DEFINITELY had more red meat than an average person should.

Going back to the diet. This new diet has made eating EXTREMELY difficult. I used to drive to work thinking about a special/great/delicious lunch place to eat. Now I drive to work thinking about the same thing, only to be disgusted by the thought of some bland Chicken/Fish/Salad Dish. All of my favorite restaurants are dead to me as my taste buds suffocate in a pool of red meat-less saliva. Nothing sounds good. I mean, how much Tuna Salad can I really eat? Or Turkey Sandwiches? Or Cobb salad? Maybe a "Grilled" Chicken Sandwich? Lets face it, the only thing that should ever be "Grilled" is either a huge slab of ribs or a thick cut of any meat from a cow.

Did I tell you I miss watching that little drop of grease drip through the BBQ grill, only to land on the charcoal slightly underneath and it makes that little splash sound followed by a sensational smell of smoke? That was fantastic, now everything is not so fantastic.

The good news? I shed a few lbs, probably lowered the cholesterol and blood pressure a little bit, that's about it. Living healthy isn't easy, but somebody has to do it huh? This little "Challenge" of mine ends on the 4th of July. I plan to pig out on July 5th until I can't walk anymore. After that, I am going back to red-meatless weekdays, treat myself on weekends. I hope this can balance and satisfy my crave fPublish Postor Fogo De Chao.

Lastly, I have quite a few "explorations" prior to this life-changing lifestyle I acquired that I still have to write about. The next few blogs will have pictures and my love for beef, but it was all done in advance. I apologize for the act of disappearance.

Subway, Eat Fresh

I have a Subway store underneath the building I work in. I visit them no less than twice a week. I am a Subway fan. Most people don't mind Subway, but probably prefer other deli sandwiches or chains such as Quiznos or ToGo's. I like them too, Subway is just convenient. If there were a Quiznos downstairs instead, I'd go just as much.

Its funny how large corporations market themselves. This is how I feel whenever I am in one of these sandwich shops

Subway - Slogan; "Eat Fresh". Imagine eating a sandwich with only a couple grams of fat. Whenever I walk into a Subway, its always refreshing, I feel healthy. I usually order the foot long Tuna on Jalapeno Cheddar toasted bread with everything except Mayo and Olives. I always pause for a few minutes before I order because Ms. Marketing does a good job making me feeling guilty for looking at anything BUT those 6 grams of fat sandwiches on the overhead menu. Their store layout is also ingenious. The veggie layout are designed so that lettuce, onions, tomatoes are the closest to your open-faced empty bread. Think about this, I'm already thinking healthy, I'm feel great standing inside of a Subway, now all of a sudden the sandwich maker presents me with veggie options? WOW, this is awesome. I am going to eat healthy and stay fit. They have a wonderful advertising campaign and marketing strategy.

Quiznos - it's a little more "in your face" advertisement. "We oven toast your sandwich, boom!" "We stack and pile on the meat, boom!" You are getting your money's worth when you come to Quizno's, that is how I feel when I walk in. I don't feel like looking at any grams of any fat, no calorie meter, I only want to assure the sandwich maker to make me the biggest sandwich he/she has ever made in their entire life.

Togo's - the middle man. I know I will get a quality, big, and fresh sandwich whenever I walk into Togo's. Too bad there are not many of them around. I believe with the right marketing, Togo's can monopolize the sandwich market. I love numbers, I remember random numbers, but for some reason Togo's sandwich menu doesn't stick in my brain. I can't remember if its the large #16 or the large #30 that I liked.

By the way, if you are a Tuna fan, Subway by far has the best Tuna sandwich, anywhere, period. not too much mayo and not too dry.

Bhangra Bhangra

I recently was invited to a buddy's wedding. It's a traditional Indian wedding that I have only heard of up to this point. The wedding was a "time of my life" weekend. There were so much culture and vibe that I was speechless by the entire extravaganza. The women had on these extraordinary sarees which were mesmerizing and enticing; as they dance the night way, I was reminded by myself that I love Indian food.

Although having probably hundreds of Indian meals from numerous restaurants, I am no expert in critiquing Indian food. I can only list the Indian restaurants I have visited and give you my honest two cents. In return, I welcome you to express and share your opinion by leaving a comment so, I, can one day have a life-changing Indian meal.

New India Grill - Westwood, CA, - Lunch Buffet $7,99.

Jaipur - West Los Angeles, CA - flavorful curry, but a bit too "milky". Lunch Buffet $7,99.

Peacock Gardens - Diamond Bar, CA - Lunch Special, $6,99

India's Oven - Los Angeles, CA - Not sure if they have a lunch special, I need to find out

Yasemeen's Indian Cuisine - Ventura, CA - Lunch Buffet, $5,99. Used to be one of my favorite places to go when I worked in the (805).

Do you see a comment trend? Lunch Buffet/s. Scoping out the lunch buffets before hand is a must. I always get my money's worth. I don't ask for much when I am there;1 a little Chicken Tikka Masala and Tandoori Chicken, I am good. Even though all other dishes are congenial, these (and white rice) are the main ingredients for my diet. Oh, and of course, that Naan bread? Its a must.

For those of you who has now read this but have no clue what I am talking about, shame on you. Get in your car and hurry curry to an Indian restaurant near you.

Again, I hope to get some feed back in the comments so I can one day write about the perfect Tandoori Chicken.

You No Hungry? I Hungry

I try to cook whenever I can, which is probably 3-4 times a week, twice on weekdays, twice during the weekend. I would have leftovers for lunch on the day after I've cooked something (I know, boring stuff). HOWEVER, the few days during the week that I eat out, my from the pad into Downtown is quite entertaining. I get to sit in traffic and think about what I want to eat for lunch.

Maybe I am hypoglycemic, maybe I have a tapeworm, maybe I have an addictive personality, maybe I am just chubby. For any reason, I enjoy "food thoughts", thus the "no lunch" rush hour traffic is extremely productive. My goal is to have a lunch place selected by the time I get to the office so I can work hard for a few hours before I take my lunch break. This may sound easy to you, but indecisiveness often plays a role. Los Angeles has too much to eat. I am overwhelmed that Chicago, not Los Angeles, is the fattest city in United States. If I wrote a Zagat recommendation book (maybe Kao-gat?), we'd burst right pass Chicago and re-name the city Chubb-Angeles.

Today was no different, I thought about lunch, and I thought about Dim Sum. My mind was already made up, I think I barely left the house garage. I knew it'd be a great day. Ocean Star on Broadway Blvd. in Downtown Chinatown. Chicken Feet, Siu Mai, Ha Gau, anything and everything, yum (I borrowed this picture).

Its quite the experience, the ladies were pushing their little carts faster than I could swallow my food. My table was bombarded with tens of aluminum trays.

Thirteen orders, $35.00, and 15 minutes latetr, I left Ocean Star Restaurant as a satisfied customer.

Breakfast of Champions

Most of you did not know this, but I really enjoy Lox & Bagels in the morning. If I had it my way, I would have Lox & Bagels as the second choice of daily breakfast behind breakfast burritos, slightly above pancakes/fresh toast/waffle/anything else with maple syrup. It is completely fulfilling, yet re-freshing. Freshly baked bagel with plain cream cheese, onions, sliced tomatoes and, alas, capers. Capers, a.k.a flower buds, an acquired taste for many, is the KEY for a solid lox & bagel breakfast. They can't be too salted because it takes away that pungent flavor.

I'll let you in on a secret; I actually don't like bread a whole lot, and I don't really care for cream cheese. What I mean is I would never have bagels and cream cheese in any other occasion. I have Lox & Bagel at least twice a week. My parents just came back from Vancouver and brought back some of the world's best lox, salmon country.

Please make sure the bagel is slightly burnt on one-side before consuming. Using a skillet instead of a toaster can really help.

Sincerely,

Dave Kaoboresteinberg.

El Taco Perfecto

I now work in downtown and have been here a little over six weeks. The first advantage of working in downtown L.A. is that its surrounded by great eateries. For the past six weeks I have been on the search for the perfect Taco. I thought I found it at El Gran Burrito on the corner of Vermont & Santa Monica two weeks ago. But, where I went earlier this morning was the lock, "El Taurino" on the corner of Hoover & Olympic.

I've probably been to 10 different taquerias in the past 6 weeks, El Taurino has the perfect meat. Not too greasy but not too dry. Portions are not too large but not too shy. The tortillas are not too soggy but not burnt. The Salsa is not too watered down and has just enough kick to spark the throat. Service, who cares? Lastly, the horchata is not too sweet and doesn't have all that residue on the bottom of the cup.

Overall experience: 10 out of 10. Go Try it.

Dixie Love

First off, the comments section is now public for all blogs, feel free to give your two cents (not that I care, hehe), or drop me a line, or as morons would say, "Holla!".

There are numerous reasons why the Dixie Chicks have had a huge success. I find all three girls extremely talented. They each play multiple instruments and play it well. Natalie, the lead singer, plays the guitar and the bass, she also has an incredible voice. Martie, the backup vocalist, plays the fiddle, violin, guitar, and other instruments I could not name (maybe a dobro?). Emily, the third member of the band, also jams on a few instruments herself.

The Dixie Chicks also take a strong political stance which I find highly respectable, agree or disagree.

The Dixie Chicks happens to be good looking gals.

The Dixie Chicks, unlike other stereo-typical country music artists, wrote songs about more than their lost wife/dog, love, countryside, pick-up trucks.

The Dixie Chicks tell great stories through their lyrics.

The Dixie Chicks can be (if not already) a fashion icon for being the liaison between traditional country music attire and modern day apparel, they have a unique style of clothing (not that I know anything about fashion, but they don't wear your typical cowboy hats, wrangler jeans, belt buckles, and boots).

The Dixie Chicks live sounds almost identical to their songs in the recording studio, which is a rarity in any music.
Most importantly, The Dixie Chicks support their fans and have fun with their music. When musicians play for the love of music you can feel their passion in a tune.

I, unlike your average music lover, enjoy a plethora genre of music. Along with your typical radio station music, I also like country, metal, electronic, jazz, even broadway and blues. Our generation is an earful of Hip-Hop, R&B, and so-called Alternative Rock that doesn't really rock. I enjoy the Dixie Chicks more than 95% of the music played on our mainstream radio. Try it.

Damn Tana's

I visited Dan Tana's Italian restaurant for the first time last night. I had a New York Steak, medium rare, and Fettucine Alfredo, maybe 4 oz pasta, max. I ate the whole meal in probably less than 10 bites, normal speed, no race. My bill was $134.25, $160.00 after the tip.

Can someone kindly explain this to me?.... if my math is correct, and indeed I had a 10 bite meal, does that mean every bite cost $16.00? If so, as great as that New York Steak was, Dan Tana's is dead to me.

I just looked at the online menu, I can't figure out why a New York Steak and Fette Alfredo cost $4Million dollars.

"That's What Friends Are For...."

I can hear Dionne Warwick's voice playing on KOST 103.5FM. I wonder if Dionne was thinking of the same thing as I am when she wrote that song. Although it is a wedding anthem, most people do not know the true definition of this song, meals. Friends are great when they visit because you eat like there are seven tomorrows...... That's what friends are for....

I am always excited whenever I have friends visiting from out of town. Catching up with old pals is just routine by definition. You either take them to places they have never been or revisit their favorite places from the past. This time is no different, I have a friend in town who used to live in Los Angeles who happens to love meat, who happens to love the same restaurants as I do, who happens to be in town this week, SCORE!

He made it clear prior to his arrival that it is imperative I make reservations at the following places for his week long sojourn:

Monday - Mastro's Steakhouse

Tuesday - Fogo De Chao

Wednesday - Katana Sushi

Thursday - Koi Sushi Restaurant

Friday - Mr. Chow Chinese Restaurant

I then made the following b0ld statement:

"This is the greatest week of my life!"

It is a week that cost an arm and a leg, but hey, great food, seeing old friends, great food, great food, great food (that's 4 "great foods", good til Thursday) AND SOME MORE GREAT FOOD (Now that's "Great Food = 5, Seeing Old Friends = 1, Great Food Wins!).

I am willing to make the week long sacrifice, my arms were twisted. I started this blog around 5:15a.m. only because I was completely stuffed from Mastro's Steakhouse and Fogo De Chao in the last 48 hours. The worse part of this is I tossed and turned and could not fall back to sleep. My boiler was so stuffed that I wanted to take a plunger and pump my belly button, so I went to the gym at 6 a.m. The best part of this is its only Wednesday!

Its now 8:30 a.m., only 12 hours before my Wednesday meal at Katana. I feel like I am in an Indian wedding, a week long celebration.

Tube Steaks

That's right, Hot Dogs. How you like me now? I invite Hot Dogs anytime, any place, any occasion. Being not so well-traveled (yet), I will do my best in the most unbiased assessment I have ever given to any particular genre of food. Although less well-traveled, I strongly believe what I have had are some of the best tube steaks the United States has to offer. I couldn't narrow it down to 5, so here are the top 6

Top 6:

1) Pinks - Hollywood, CA: No I am not high. I know I wrote about Pinks in an earlier blog as the top 5 Burger spots. Being famous for their delicious hot dogs, Pinks has the most variety of any hot dog grills I've ever been to. Another reason why they are No#1? They open until 3:30 a.m. Reason #3 - "The Mullholland Drive Dog" - 10" stretched dog with grilled onions & mushrooms bacon, and NACHO CHEESE. Reason #4 - "The Huell Howser Dog" - TWO hog dogs in one bun, Chili, Onions, Mustard (yes I said two) If I gave you anymore reasons it'd be unfair for other hot dog stand to even exist in this world. Reason #5 - See Top 5 Burger Joints Blog, Burger stand #4.

The Mullholland Dog













The Huell Howser Dog






2) The Wiener's Circle - Chicago, IL: Its an acquired taste to be a Chicago Dog fan. Sweet Green Relish, Pickles, mustard, Sliced Tomatoes, all on a poppyseed bun. But if you like them and you have been to Chicago, I am sure you have been to the Wiener's Circle on Clark St. The best part about The Wiener's Circle is the ultra-friendly customer service. Some might find it too friendly, some may even find it offensive, but I loved it. I apologize if you do not know what I am referring to, just phone a friend who has been there for a good story.












The Wiener Circle, Located on 2622 N. Clark St.

Oh yeah, the myth is true, I could eat 6 of these things in like 5 minutes.


3) Any Hot Dog Wrapped in Bacon - Outside of any club, Hollywood, CA: Don't lie, all of you know EXACTLY what I am talking about. You stumble and stagger your way out of a club 5 minutes before 2 a.m., you saved the very last pick-up line on a chubby girl in the parking lot, still no work. You're feeling down, loss of self-confidence, mis-placed a couple brain cells, the parking attendant tell you to get the F*** out in Spanish........ All of a sudden, BAM! the sleepy/glazed eyes open wide, your body elevate to a second wind, the ever so confident grin is back on your face. No its not a naked blonde bombshell, not a celebrity (for you star-struck monkeys), not an after-club brawl, its Juan and his hot dog cart!!. YES YES YES, "Juan, dos hot-dogs por favor!" Juan takes care of the rest. The trick is before paying him, tell him you only have a few bucks ($3.00/hot dog is the standard price). Oh yeah, they negotiate.



By the time you get this far into the blog, I am already in my car looking for Juan.












4) Top Dog - Berkeley, CA. I have stopped at this place EVERY TIME I go to Nor Cal. I have even drove out of my way to Berkeley just for the Lemon Chicken Dogs. I usually get two, one for instant satisfaction, the other to eat when I roam the streets of Berkeley 5 minutes later. Top Dog has a variety of hot dogs, from Kielbasa to Frankfurter to Chicken Apple Dog, you really can't go wrong. Tourist Guide Tip 101: When traveling in Berkeley, be sure to have an extremely empty stomach and a lot of money, a UC Berkeley blog is coming too, don't hold your breath.


5) The Wiener Factory - Sherman Oaks, Ca - Cheese lovers, if you like hot dogs, put this on your "To-do" list. Its the best sauerkraut I have ever had on a hot-dog, and I usually don't order sauerkraut. Plus a ton of cheese, superb customer service, at a very affordable price. Oh yeah, the Chili cheese fries is a must when you order a hot dog here. Lastly, an excellent Polish Dog with Chili/Cheese/Onions.













6) Dodger Dog, Los Angeles, CA - This is a biased choice for a very unbiased top 6 valuation. I am a huge Dodgers Fan. Baseball is less than a month away and I can't wait to have a Dodger Dog. I would go to Dodger Stadium to eat a Dodger dog and go home. All you non-Californians be sure to contact me when you come to Los Angeles. I'd take you to a Dodger game and have a Dodger dog, its a life changing experience. By the way, you can purchase all-you-can-eat tickets in the outfield. Take me out to the ball game!















Honorable Mention:

7) - Any Hot Dog On A Stick in your local mall
8) - Downtown Dogs - Chicago, IL
9) - The Stand - Encino, CA
10) - Papaya King - New York, NY (This almost made it, lost it on a flat coca-cola)
11) - Slots a Fun Casino - Las Vegas - World's famous 1/2 lb dog isn't that bad when you've lost everything and only have 99 cents in you wallet.

Places I need to try:
1) Gray's Hot Dog - New York, NY. At 75 Cents a dog, I have to go.
2) Spikes' Junk Yard Dogs - Providence, RI
3) Speed's Hot Dog Wagon - Boston, MA
4) Hot Diggity Dogs - Nashville, TN
5) Hot Dog Heaven - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

6) All Other Suggestions are welcome.

Lidocaine = Striking

Some of you may know that I have a roommate who is a physician. I have been having this pain in my right arm for several weeks. The sharpest pain are around my right wrist and elbow. I didn't pull any muscle nor did I injure myself from an accident. I explained in detail during my diagnosis about how I have to stretch my hand every few minutes when I use the computer to get rid of the tightness and numbness.

The doctor roommates' scrutiny has confirmed that I have Carpel-Tunnel Syndrome and something called "Golfer's Elbow". I'm sure you all have heard of CTS, but Golfer's Elbow? Its basically "Tennis Elbow", but instead of the outer part of the elbow, its the inside elbow joint that throbs pain.

I later confessed that I stay up late at night & play Counter-Strike, a very popular online first-person shooting video game, until the wee hours of the morning. I have been doing it for years, and we're talking 4-5 years. You heard it right, 4-5 years. Not many knew of this because in order to keep the noise level down, I wear headphones. Its the same concept as X-Box Live or any other internet games where you compete against other players. The constant movement of the mouse is what caused this "illness", if you will. Left-button "fire", Right-button "zoom", scroll to switch weapons, mouse is used to aim & move @ 360 degrees.

I thought only those chicks who does data-entry at the Social Security Office can get Carpel-Tunnel Syndrome. I was injected with Lidocaine and some form of steroid to fight the pain. I also wear a wrist brace throughout the night. Movement of my right arm has be restricted until it show signs of improvement, GREAT.

The point of this story? You can't take the Asian out of me, in your face!!!!!!!

Cabeza Dissertation

Living in Southern California has to be one of the greatest feelings in the world. Traffic is atrocious (especially on the 405), but the beautiful weather, the outdoor activities, the gorgeous bleached blonde plastic babes, the snow, the beach, Las Vegas, and many other attributes significantly dwarf the bad. Wouldn't you agree? SYKE. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is the Mexican Food that makes Southern California the greatest place on Earth, not Disneyland. Most of you take for granted that Los Angeles has the most diverse ethnic food selections in this country, probably the world. Many would say that Mexican food tops the list as their favorite meal.

I don't care if Mexicans can pack 35 people in a truck. They probably laugh at us Asians for being bad drivers. I love them for one reason; and a reason which overshadows all negative connotation and stereotypes: they make some killing Tacos!

Your typical taco at Taco Bell or Del Taco is no taco. For the same reason that Panda Express is no Chinese Food, Fast-food taco just doesn't do any justice. Would I eat it? Of course I would. But then again, what don't I eat?

A home-grown authentic taco consists of the following: double layer of corn tortilla that is roughly two inches in diameter; meat; onions; cilantro; and hot-sauce. Although there are various types of taco, meat is the only dissimilar constituent. The most common types of meat in a taco are:

1) Carne Asada - Skirt Steak - Delicious
2) Carnitas - Roasted Pork - Delicious
3) Al Pastor - BBQ Pork - Delicious
4) Buche - Pork Belly - Amazing
5) Lengua - Pork Tongue - Excellent!
6) Pollo (pollo asada) - Chicken - Its okay.
7) Sesos - Brain - Not So Delicious At All!
8) Chicharron - Pork Rind - Delicious
9) Cabeza - Head - Incredible
10) I'm sure there's a lot more but #1-9 are your basic meat needs.

I would like to explain Meat #9, perhaps the best taco meat anyone can have. The word "Cabeza" literally means "Head" in Spanish. However, common sense tells us that the only meaty part of any animal's head is around the cheek, so its really "cheek" meat, not "head". Take a look in the mirror, if you have meat elsewhere on your head, call 911 or enroll in weight-watchers. We, or I, people: have been consuming cheek tacos this whole time, yes yes yes. I understand the definition is quite frank but it is worth the try, trust me.

There is only one way to cook cabeza meat: steam. Cabeza is usually steamed for several hours until the bones/grizzles completely separate and fall apart from the meat. It is then seasoned and made ready to go. Because of its cooking process, not only is the meat soft, it is the most tender and the juiciest meat on a cow.

After slapping on a pinch of onions, a pinch of cilantro, and a spoonful of hot sauce, there isn't much you can ask for. I promise to, in the near future, share my top 10 taco spots/joints/trucks of Los Angeles with you. However, I will tell you that if you step foot in a Mexican restaurant and you don't see cabeza on the menu, I would question their authenticity immediately. As I surf around the web, I found this person who had an earlier start. I envy him.

*This blog is dedicated to my roommate.

Fogo De KAO

Oh man, Brazilian Churrascaria, aka Brazilian BBQ, is probably the greatest invention on earth next to the internet. Native Brazilians called it "Gaucho" Grill, Americans called it "BBQ", I called it "Orgasm".

There are a few grill houses around, but none compares to Fogo De Chao
in restaurant row on La Cienega Blvd. Food is served all-you-can-eat style by giving each individual a "signal marker". Its simple, the double-sided marker has the colors red and green, red = no more food, green = keep going (see pic).

Approximately once a month I showcase my talent at Fogo De Chao. I actually have never seen the red marker on my table, meat just pours on my plate like those frogs fell from the sky in "Magnolia". Filet Mignon wrapped in bacon, WHAT? The waiter asked if I would like to try the Filet Mignon wrapped in bacon. I looked at him with disgust, how dare him asked such question. Filet Mignon and Bacon on the same dish, , jeez, please. WHAT? How did the Brazilians invent a dish with two of the world's greatest entities? All of a sudden I was mind-boggled by their intelligence.

Is your mouth watering yet? Oh I'm just getting started. It gets better. The waiter proceeded with questions such as "would you like some Parmesan Pork Loin? Sausage? Top Siroloin? Bottom Siroloin? Pork Ribs? Beef Ribs? Garlic Beef? Tri-Tip? Rib-Eye? Lamb Chop? BBQ Chicken?" I had to tell him to stop because he was way too much. l I would of got on one knee and popped the question had he being a girl, he couldn't say anything wrong, it was great.

Meat is not the reason why Fogo De Chao is the best Brazilian BBQ restaurant around. The speed of which the meat arrives at your dinner table is the reason why this place rocks (Mother, please don't read this). I have been dealing with chewing problems all my life, never excelled in chewing my food. I dismantle meals quick. At Fogo I feel paradise. I am completely vulnerable by opening myself up in this blog: When I am there, I feel like I am the person in that Corona commercial.

Service, excellente. Scene, bueno. Wine Selection (if you enjoy a nice bottle with your meal), muy mejor. The price is $$$$. If you are looking for the same satisfaction (which you won't find) for a lesser buck, there is the Picanha restaurant in Burbank. Your selection may be restricted and the quality of meat is a slight downgrade, but still a satisfying experience. By the way, my idol, my hero, my mentor, my worship, lives in Picanha, which is a blog in its own.

Do you see why I've never seen the red marker? Red represents the evil. Last advice, make sure you belong to a health/fitness club if you pursue this adventure.

Top 5 Burger Joints

So I was at the gym this morning working out, getting in shape, but pondering over a debate occurred a few days ago in my living room. My roomates and I were trying to figure out "What are the top 5 burgers in this world?" When I say "world" I really destined California, even Los Angeles.

Keep in mind that a) everyone has a distinct burger taste, so my rankings are for my taste buds. I like to think my taste buds have been skillfully experienced. Most importantly, b) there are three types of burgers; fast-food burger, gourmet burger, and diner/restaurant burgers. I included all 3 types in the following (any random order):

1) Houstons Restaurant - Quality, taste, portion, freshness of the vegetables, doughy burger buns; everything you ask for. Make sure you add bacon. Oh yeah, bring $20.00 because unfortunately after tax & tip, that's what the cost is.

2) Carl's Jr. - Double Western Cheeseburger might have 4 trillion calories, but it is one of the world's best burgers. If you like Onion Rings, BBQ Sauce, and bacon (who doesn't), this is up your alley.

3) Chili's - The Classic Burger at Chili's is one of a kind. I believe its actually a 1/3 lb burger cooked to your likings and build to cater your needs. Someday I will request Chili's to change their theme song from "Chillliiiiiiii's... babyback rriiiiiibsss" to "Chillliiiiii's... Classic Burger".

4) Pink's - Whoa! In your face! You thought Pinks was the legendary Los Angeles Restaurant located in the heart of Hollywood that has being there since 1939 and whenever you are on La Brea Blvd you can't help but to notice 5 trillion people standing in line even at 2:30am so you and your friends decided to be cool and stand in line for 45 minutes to get a chili dog w/ cheese or a 12 inch jalapeno dog w/ extra cheese. Wrong. Pinks has one of the greatest burgers around, the double pastrami cheeseburger. Double pastrami cheeseburger, that's all I have to say, I'm done.

5) Fatburger - From Baby fat to Double King, they have the juicest
patties around. However, my word of advice is to not visit the store on Venice Blvd in West L.A. I really think they have 3 day old buns, always a bit dry and usually breaks after your second bite. Lastly, if you really feel like a man, take a drive to Ventura and visit the Fatburger on Victoria Ave. Yes it is a Magic Johnson owned Fatburger. They offer a Triple King and if you finish it, a photo of you will be displayed on their wall of fame.

Honorable mentions:

In N' Out (Double-double)
Father's Office - Santa Monica
The Habit - Sherman Oaks & Encino
Colima Burger - Walnut
The Hat - Southern California

I thought I leave a note to myself and others that a chain of rediculous blogs are coming soon. Hint: Eat Right, Always Full.

I came to a conclusion that I love food way too much. So why not let everyone in my secret, what to eat, where to eat, how to eat, and when to eat.

And of course there are the UCLA Bruins, Oakland Raiders, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Everything else in life is secondary; work, friends, relationships, politics, etc.

We eat so we can gain energy for work. Friends get together for a meal. Taking a date out to dinner, you get the point.

We'll start off with a little taste of Mar Vista, CA. A Taco shop opened 15 days ago on Venice Blvd. & Inglewood Ave. Taqueria Chihuahua. I drove passed this place only to find myself making a U-turn. I have never seen it or heard of it, only thing left to do is to try it.

At $1.29/taco, Carnitas were a little dry, Carne Asada was delicious, Buche was extremely good but a bit greasy, Lengua was probably the best I've ever had. Also, for the first time I tried Chicarron Tacos (Pork Skin), they weren't bad nor were they disgusting as they sound.

Yes, I ordered 1 of each, made a mental note to myself, gave my farewell to Roberto, and headed back home.