Close Encounter with a Lion

On Saturday we had lunch at Spices 3 in Oakland Chinatown where I had the largest bowl of beef noodle soup ever. You have a choice of 3 levels of heat and of course I had to have the spiciest; and heck, supersize me too. It wasn't as spicy as the menu hyped it to be but it was good. However, I don't think I'd ever get the large bowl again - I could barely finish it.

Midway through our meal a lion barged through our restaurant's front door bringing prosperity. It was entertaining up until the firecrackers left a ringing sensation in my ears.

Surprisingly Natalie slept through all the firecracker cackle.

Dinner at Tanto

We had dinner with Karen at Tanto Japanese Restaurant in the South Bay. Much of the menu is izakaya-style which is like the japanese version of tapas. And if you're wondering, yes, the food was as good as it looks.

Agedashi Tofu

Broiled Squid

Grilled Rice Balls

Garlic Steak




**TANTO OUTTAKES**

Happy Belated Chinese New Year

Today we're gonna celebrate CNY 2008 with my relatives in San Francisco. Baby Nat really needed a bath before our outing.


It's funny how a wide angle lens can make a baby look 6 feet tall.

Young Jedi Knight meets Strawberry Shortcake?

**LINK TO REST OF GALLERY**

Happy Chinese New Year 2008

We celebrated Chinese New Year at Liou's House restaurant in Milpitas. The food was much better than I remember from before - definitely not your everyday chinese fair.

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps


Wintermelon soup served in a wintermelon bowl


This was some kind of candied ham & chestnut dish to be eaten with bread


The Golden Pig


Crispy duck stuffed with sticky rice (easily my favorite dish from the night)


Steamed spareribs and rice in a kabocha squash


Steamed Fish


Pepper steak and mushroom on a sizzling platter


Heather enjoying her lard-laden red bean puff.

The Inconvenient Truth About Ruth's

Last Friday we went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse to take advantage of the Dine About Town menu. Ruth's Chris offered a couple silly options like an 8oz Maine lobster tail and a stuffed chicken breast entree in addition to their bread and butter options - a 6 oz filet or a 12 oz rib eye. In reality the only choice is the rib eye if you're a true beef lover. I enjoyed my first trip to Ruth's Chris but you really have to check your health concerns at the door. I think I probably ate an entire stick of butter considering the slathering on the steak platter and mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. But for good and for bad, Ruth's Chris will make your heart flutter.

Sweet Bread Pudding

Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu!

We celebrated mom's birthday at Todai in Pleasanton during the Superbowl. They call it the 'mother of seafood buffets' so it was appropriate to bring a mother that loves seafood. The restaurant was kinda empty which was great for us. No lines baby!

You have to ask the staff for the Uni Rolls and the baked lobsters or else you won't know they're available!





Natalie slept quite well through dinner.