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At the mere mention of ramen, you can’t help but think of hyper-salty Top Ramen with bits of orange and green dehydrated styrofoam bits posing as carrots and peas. It’s just another staple piece of Americana that you can pick up anywhere, even at gas stations. I’ve been guilty of eating and enjoying it.

Real ramen is a rare bird consisting of wheat noodles swimming in a seasoned meat-based broth. I recently went down to Mitsuwa Japanese market and ate ramen at their resident restaurant Kayaba. They had a ramen promotion which showcased the many different Japanese ramen styles. I had sadly missed the first 2 flavors, but I was able to taste the third: asameshimaeda shoyu ramen.

Shoyu ramen is a soy-based broth made from chicken & vegetable stock. The ramen came with half a hard-boiled egg, sliced shiitake mushrooms, and thinly sliced pork. A little light on looks, it was definitely big on flavor. The mushrooms were fresh and light, while the pork was tender. The healthy portion of noodles were perfect. However, the broth really is the centerpiece of everything. It’s rich, salty, and decadent. I had to get some green tea ice cream afterwards because my taste buds were exploding. I highly recommend hunting down a place that serves ramen and trying the real stuff. It’s a welcomed addiction.

The closest ramen place to me is in Poway, at Yume Cafe. They serve tonkotsu ramen, which is made of a pork-based broth. The broth is made from pork bones that have been boiling and stewing for hours. Yume Cafe’s website claims they stew theirs for 12 hours. I can’t wait to try it out.

It’s been 2 months since returning from spending Thanksgiving in Prague, and I can say without a doubt that it’s fueled both my desires to travel more and to ultimately return back. I have fond memories of cobblestone streets, confusing alleyways, intricate architecture, friendly locals, rich foods, unbelievable beer, and Absinthe. Although virtually unscathed by WWII, the city bears the scars of years of Communist rule with soot-laden, graffiti-ridden buildings. However, to say that Prague is a dirty or ugly city would be a mistake. The city is in fact incredibly beautiful, with a healthy mix of modernness peppering the landscape of various old world architecture. Even though the city has an excellent rail system, its history and beauty beckons you to walk and explore it.

The cuisine in Prague is heavily centered around fresh, wild game meats: duck, rabbit, venison, etc. The generously portioned dishes are very rich tasting, but never overwhelming. Even though I have never lived in Prague, the dishes have a strong sense of hearthy nostalgia, which is very befitting of the cold, snowy weather and beautiful locale. Although simple in construction and straight-forward in taste, the ubiquitous dish of Czech goulash with dumplings is tasty, satisfying, and never monotonous. I certainly miss it.

Cheaper than soda, the beer is plentiful, palatable and smooth. Nearly every local beer, from dark to light, was excellent, including craft beers like coffee beer. It is a travesty that these beers are non-existent stateside aside from Pilsner Urquell. Aside from bottled water from the local market and an occasional cup of coffee, all I drank was beer. It compliments well with the food, prepares you for the cold autumn air, and never leaves you with a hangover.

Anyways, I could writes pages about Prague, but I’ll just cut to the chase with some photos and a link to the full album. Enjoy.

Photos of Prague

Two shows that I’m totally obsessed about are No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. After watching a recent episode of Bizarre Foods in which Andrew Zimmern bombs around Mexico looking for the strangest, wildest, and most exotic foods, I developed a huge hunger for authentic Mexican food. I’m talking the real deal, not the usual carne asada burritos and fajitas. My quest led me to a tiny, family owned and operated establishment in Escondido. I give you, La Cocina de Maria.

La Cocina de Maria
168 W. Mission Ave., Escondido, CA 92025

The exterior of the restaurant is rather bland and unassuming, but what’s served inside is anything but. Family owned and operated, the tiny eatery prides itself on quality, authentic Mexican & Oaxacan food. The menu barely resembles anything you would see at any other Mexican restaurant; and that’s a good thing. The pollo en mole was incredible - tender chicken smothered in a rich, dark mole sauce accompanied by rice and beans. The camarones rancheros were as flavorful as they were colorful. A generous portion of shrimp mixed in a rich bed of onions, cilantro, tomatoes, peppers, and spices were also accompanied by rice and beans. The homemade corn tortillas were extremely unique tasting, nothing like the store bought kind. Sweet and slightly earthy, the tortillas had an aroma and taste all to its own. The watermelon aguas frescas was extremely refreshing and naturally sweet. Large pictures of various dishes adorn the windows. The gorditas looked especially inviting and will definitely require another visit. The service was friendly and the prices moderate. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food with strong Oaxacan roots, then look no further than La Cocina de Maria.

Bread et Cie Cafe
350 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92103

This is probably the best bakery in San Diego. Hanie and I have eaten here many times and it never fails to disappoint. I highly recommend their brie & honey panini and their chocolate croissant. The service is top notch, the food is top shelf. They also make a killer mocha. Located on 4th and University in the heart of the bustling and urban-chic community of Hillcrest, it’s a perfect place to catch up with friends or people/dog watch over a slow paced, quality meal.

Punjabi Tandoor
9235 Activity Road, Suite 111, San Diego, CA 92126

If you love Indian food, then this hidden hole in the wall should be in your rotation. In the middle of a seemingly deserted industrial park, this gem serves up quality Indian food at an affordable price. Their chicken palak is outstanding and their naan is fresh and perfectly chewy, yet slightly crispy. The service is friendly and the initial smell upon entering is overwhelmingly fantastic. I haven’t tried all their items yet, but I definitely plan to.

Went to the monthly pint night at Shakespeare’s British pub last night with Fletch and Johann. I finally scored me a Smithwick’s pint glass. I had gone to a Smithwick’s pint night before, many moons ago, but I accidentally cracked the glass when I got home. I was half-pissed, half-saddened - but now, redemption. The place was pretty damn crowded, mostly due to some bloke’s 50th birthday party, which occupied 99.99% of the indoor space with people and balloons. So, we were relegated to the outside patio, which was freezing (by San Diego standards; a balmy 55 degrees).

Next to us, were 3 overweight out-of-towners. They had strong Southern accents, smoked literally a pack of Marlboros every 5 minutes, and talked up NASCAR like no other. All fine by me. But for the love of God, don’t come to a British pub and order a Bud Light. This place is hallowed grounds for ex-pats, soccer fans, local regulars, and lovers of quality beer. Why come all that way, just to throw back a bottle of yak piss. Just as shocking was that Shakies even had Bud Light to begin with, albeit in a bottle. Reckless, irresponsible behavior like this should not be tolerated at all.

There is a buy-1-get-1-free deal going on at Cold Stone right now. The offer is good through the end of January ‘07, so there is plenty of time to cash in. Limit 1 per person, per visit, but you can print out the coupon as many times as you like. Lately, I’ve been finding Cold Stone way too rich, but with this deal, I might make an exception and get a small serving (which is actually a huge serving). I don’t even want to know how unhealthy it is for you. Back in high school and college, I used to be able to put these things away. Now, I can barely finish a small. I hope it’s not a sign of me getting old. Next thing you know I’ll be at Home Town Buffet eating dinner at 2 in the afternoon.