San Fran’s Best Restaurants: Swan Oyster Depot

seafood brunch shrimp cocktail, kumomoto oysters and clam chowder at swan oyster bar

Oysters, more than just an aphrodisiac, are my love language. One hazy, brisk San Francisco morning, I was on a quest for fresh seafood, specifically oysters, and cold beer. I never wait in line to eat at a restaurant; I always shrug it off and vow to come back when the place is less busy. […]

Crab Cakes Recipe

crab cakes recipe with pink remoulade sauce the food quest

Today we’re making my favorite Crab Cakes recipe. I made these for New Year’s Eve to kick off 2020 and served them along with my Endive, Pear and Gorgonzola salad and Olive + Onion Focaccia bread. Add in a bunch of Champagne and it was quite a celebration for the incoming new decade. These can […]

Baja Fish Tacos Recipe

baja fish taco recipe the food quest

Today we’re making Baja Fish Tacos. I like to dream that I’m at local beach-side fish joint indulging in the view and warm sun, face misted by the ocean, when I feast on a plate of fresh fish tacos doused with squeezes of fresh lime. In my favorite Baja Fish Taco recipe, crispy panko-crusted fish […]

Thai-inspired Shrimp Curry

In honor of Songkran, the Thai New Year, I’m making a Thai-inspired Shrimp Curry. I say Thai-inspired because although I took a class on Thai cooking, I’m no expert. I don’t have a Thai family recipe or secret curry techniques taught to me by a Thai grandmother. But by learning to balance salt, fat, acid […]

Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon eggs benedict drenched in hollandaise

Today I’m making Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, technically known as Eggs Atlantic. Weather-wise, it’s a warm-ish spring morning so I opened some windows as soon as I woke up and threw some discofunk on my record player since I basically live in the 1970s. There’s nothing quite better than sipping my morning coffee while listening […]

Easy Cod Picatta Recipe

lemon caper butter cod piccata served over rice

Cod Picatta is the perfect meal to make for a quick, easy, healthy AND flavorful dinner. I even throw it together for lunch sometimes if I’m eating at home. Sometimes pan-frying cod makes the fillets fall apart, but I’ve found that cooking it over a higher temperature, and covering the pan at the very end […]

Bangkok’s Best Restaurants: Dinner at Hanazen

best restaurants bangkok japanese food hanazen uni the food quest

I’m always on a mission to find Bangkok’s best restaurants. Wandering down a small residential street in Northeastern Bangkok, I stumbled upon Hanazen. I’d like to say it’s rare that I’d fly to the other side of the world for a meal. But here, in front of me stood a small, unassuming Japanese restaurant worthy […]

Bangkok’s Best Restaurants: Dinner at Soei

ow-tung basil seed dessert bangkok soei

We decided to leave Ari for a lunch adventure, so we grabbed and Uber and headed for a local authentic Thai food Mecca: Soei. They offer outdoor and indoor seating areas, but given the 100F weather, we opted for air conditioning. Depending on the weather, outdoor seating could be more fun because their kitchen is […]

Quest for the Best: Pla Tubtim Rad Prik

Pla Tubtim Rad Prik Thai Fried Fish with Fresh Chili-Garlic Sauce the food quest

  Quest for the Best: Pla Tubtim Rad Prik (Fried Fish + Chili-Garlic Sauce) In this first edition of Quest for the Best, I’m featuring my favorite Thai dish called Pla Tubtim Rad Prik, which is a fried fish with fresh chili sauce. The first time I had the fish dish was at a street […]