Eating With Emily

New Flavors Alert!!!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:14:00 +0000

Everyone knows how much I love Dessert Delights. I was thrilled to discover that there are three new flavors!!!!! Lemon Square, Rootbeer Float and Rainbow Sherbet. I have tried them all and they definitely taste like you are eating dessert. But without the sugar or calories! Do as I do, and ignore your thoughts about the chemicals it takes to taste so real. Instead, sit back, chew the gum, and enjoy the show. Thank me later.

An Ivar Survivor

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 04:43:00 +0000

This week, based on server recommendation, I went to Ivar's at the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal. It was a great experience being alone with my mom, but the arrangement of being there, not so much.

On décor of restaurant, I give it a 4. The setting was beautiful! There is a place to eat inside with just a few tables but my mom and I decided to eat on the pier on the water which I totally suggest. The restaurant is really a stand outside where you get and order your food. It’s fun to watch the ferries approach and leave the terminal and to watch people fishing, but from what I saw I don’t think that there are many fish in the water. Check out the pier...

On friendliness of staff towards kids, I give it a 2. The servers were yelling over everyone to get their food and it was loud and unorganized. Being there gave me anxiety and made me feel stressed. I'm an Ivar survivor! The server wasn’t nice or mean, she was just another person working at a restaurant.

On service speed, I give it a 5! It was very fast and the food was served immediately and hot.

On taste of food, I give it a 4. I ordered the original fish and chips which I highly suggest! It was delicious. The fish was fresh cod that was very lightly breaded but still had the right crunch that it needed. It was flaky on the inside and melted and fell apart in your mouth. It was hot and crispy but after 5 minutes it turned soggy and so did the french fries. Eat it fast while you can still enjoy it. The tartar sauce was awesome and original and perfectly complimented the fish. They didn’t give us any napkins which I thought was a little weird knowing that it is very greasy food. The ~~french fries~~ chips were medium cut and still had the skins on them.

On appearance of food, I give it a 3. The fish and chips were served in a gray cardboard container and given to us in a brown paper sack. The fish was golden brown and looked appetizing. It was arranged nicely but I think they could have had a little more pride in their work. With all of the chaos I doubt that they had time to do that.

On price, I give it a 2. Four piece fish and chips was $ 9.29. That’s actually pretty expensive for what we had. It was like fast food with restaurant prices.

For a total score of 20/30. It is a great place to stop next time you are at the ferry terminal. I wouldn’t make a special trip there though, there are other fish and chip places that don't cause anxiety. It's really hard to get there because of the ferry terminal traffic. I would only recommend it if you are actually going on a ferry.

As for the server recommendation, she said "If I had an unlimited budget, I would go to the Metropolitan Grill in downtown Seattle," so I guess that is my next stop!

20 minutes later… on the way out we realized that there was a beach to play at! If you come, don’t miss the Mukilteo Lighthouse Park like I did. A day at the beach can be a day well spent with your fish and chips.

Guarantee in Maltby

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:29:00 +0000

This week, I took my server's suggestion and went to the Maltby Cafe in Maltby. It looked run down on the outside but sometimes you need to be adventurous and really find what is on the inside. I am glad that I did.

On decor of restaurant, I give it a 2. The building is an old gym but they must have done a lot of remodeling because it definitely doesn't look like it. Inside they have old country tables and chairs and a counter to sit at. The entire place smells like fresh baking cinnamon rolls. The walls are covered in awards for best food and most of the awards are for their breakfast. It's too bad I came for lunch! I noticed that the customers were mostly older overweight people (sorry to say) with to go boxes. That gave me a hint about what kind of place this is. Let's just say most of these people knew Fifty Cent when he was just a nickel! It was old fashion inside and out but the most noticeable thing on the inside was that they didn't have AC. Sometimes fans just aren't enough.

On friendliness of staff towards kids, I give it a 4. Kids can pick out their own kids menus with activity sheets and crayons. The crayons really needed sharpening. The word search was way too easy and all of the words were vertical! Everyone who worked there was very nice and young and our server was very nice too. She was really cute with a nose ring but she didn't look scary. She left a pitcher of water on the table in case we got thirsty because I think that she heard my complaining about how hot I was.

On service speed, I give it a 3. They took our order right away but it took a good 15 minutes to get the food. The last server told me to bring my appetite, so I did and every minute was awful. I was so hungry!

On taste of food, I give it a 5! I ordered the Maltby Club Sandwich. They make their own wheat bread and it was cut very, very thick. On the sandwich was ham, turkey, bacon, cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo with homemade potato salad. The bread was toasted but still soft with a good crunch. The bacon was flavorful and forward and the mayonnaise was super creamy. I don't know what they put in their mayo but it was perfect! The tomatoes were fresh and juicy and sliced thick. The sandwich had the perfect consistency of all the ingredients. The potato salad had a lot of dill and that made it extra delicious. The potatoes were in big chunks with the skins on, making it taste that much better.

On appearance of food, I give it a 4. The sandwich was split into quadrants so it was easier to eat. It was arranged on the plate in a rainbow and the potato salad was in a perfect mound. It looked colorful and appetizing!

On price, I give it a 3. The sandwich was $10.95. It was a huge portion so the price makes sense. I couldn't even eat half of it, no wonder everyone had to go boxes.

For a final score of 21/30. The Maltby Cafe mostly has sandwiches, salads and burgers. My cousin loved it too and she has very high standards. Make sure to order the french fries - they really were sliced potatoes but they tasted great and are worth a try. Next time you are in Maltby or on your way to Flower World, stop at this cafe for a guarantee in Maltby.

Now on with my summer adventure... My server suggested... Ivar's in Mukilteo! From Maltby to Mukilteo:)

Cut To The Chace

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 17:48:00 +0000

I started my summer adventure this week at Chace's Pancake Corral in Bellevue. The pancake house has been around and family owned since 1958. I could really tell from how homey it felt with the food, decor, staff, appearance and price.

On decor of restaurant, I give it a 2. When you first walk in you don't know what to think because it looks small and worn down. You might think the food isn't going to be so great, but you have to learn to not judge a book by its cover! It is a brown building off of a busy street, but once your inside, you can't hear the cars go by. There is an open kitchen so you can watch them make your food, which I thought was a very nice touch. Check it out...

I would say that the decor in general was very old fashioned. You could tell it was old because there were lights that were out and the place was kind of lacking paint. It was mostly booths and trust me, the food is way better than the decor.

On friendliness of staff towards kids, I give them a 6! The server at this restaurant was maybe the nicest server I have encountered at any resturant before. The hostess at the front seemed grumpy and annoyed but after a boy came up and talked to her her attitude totally changed. I would say that isn't the best way to make a first impression on your customers! When I sat down my server straight up asked me if I wanted hot cocoa without my even asking. She looked at me right in the eyes and she reminded me of my grandma who loves and cares about me. She paid extra attention to me and said that I remind her of her granddaughter which is sort of ironic knowing that she reminded me of my grandma. She also said that my friend reminded her of her mom...um... I don't really know what to say about that?!

On service speed, I give it a 5. It was instant! I was so suprised how fast it came! It was like the chef heard what we were ordering when our server took our order and made it right away.

On taste of food, I give it a 5! I ordered buttermilk pancakes, the original and their specialty. The pancakes were light and fluffy but yet heavy in the way that you cannot eat all of it. The butter was served whipped so that made it that much better. It reminded me of the butter we churned at school for Colonial Day. And don't forget about the syrup, they serve it hot! It makes the pancakes soggy if you put on too much like me, but soggy in a good way. You could really taste the buttermilk in the pancakes which made them not too sweet and they had a very mild flavor. I literally couldn't stop eating them because the pancakes are total comfort food. The hot cocoa was normal and hot but the whipped cream was thick and creamy but yet light and fluffy and made my taste buds dance. Overall, the pancakes were great!

On appearance of food, I give it a 3. The pancakes were served steaming hot which felt great when it went down my throat. The plate was kind of ugly with a brown stripe but it is a pancake house so it is typical. The pancakes were perfectly round and golden brown. They were also evenly cooked from the edges to the middle. They looked nice, but more average than special.

On price, I give it a 3. $10.50 for 3 pretty big pancakes. It is a little expensive but trust me, it is totally worth it!

For a final score of 24/30. If I were you, I would "cut to the Chace," and try the pancakes at Chace's Pancake Corral asap. They also have my favorite buttermints and the spoons are the perfect shape to hang from your nose. There is a sign by the door that says "Unattended children will be given coffee and a free puppy." When you eat at Chace's, leave your parents at home! Coffee and a puppy? And pancakes? Awesome!

Eating at Chace's was the start of my summer adventure. I asked my ~~grandma~~ server where her favorite place to eat is, and server suggests... The Maltby Cafe! Review to come.

Leave a Tip, Get a Tip!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:15:00 +0000

School is out for the summer and it's time to go on an adventure! Have you ever noticed that servers really know what they are talking about? They know which dishes to try and other places to eat. This summer I am going to be reviewing the resturants that my servers suggest and who knows, this may be the best or worst experiment in food history. I could end up in some real dumps or places and food of my dreams! I love pancakes so I think I'll start my summer adventure at Chace's Pancake Corral in Bellevue. Get ready all of my followers and follow me through my new summer adventure as I leave a tip and get a tip.

TGIF Harbor!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Thu, 31 May 2012 04:12:00 +0000

Thank Goodness It's Friday Harbor! I spent a fabulous Memorial Day weekend in Friday Harbor with my family and a friend. If you like seafood and yummy treats, this is the place to be. Right in the harbor there is a great ice cream place called Friday Harbor Ice Cream Company, or FHICC. They serve way more than 31 flavors of ice cream, and let's just say we ate there every night. Double scoops!

FHICC is really small and most of the time it's packed with peeps. Not just because it's amazing but it is also just really small. Warning: It's a little uncomfortable to be in there when it's packed because you are squished in front of a ton of people who like REALLY want their ice cream. I can understand why, because it's creamy and rich packed with flavor. Mine didn't even melt because I ate it so fast that it didn't have time. Even if you had a horrible day, the ice cream from this place will always cheer you up! I am not above emotional eating.

From great to horrible, Downriggers is also near the marina and it is to be avoided!

On the first morning we were there I wasn't hungry when I woke up and waited a few hours to eat. We decided to try Downriggers but I soon realized it was a mistake. It took sooooo long for a server to take our order and even longer to get our food! I seriously almost passed out I was soooo hungry! I ordered a BLT omelet. When the food finally came it was just ok. Actually it left me sick when I got back to the boat. My Dad asked me if he could try my omelet for next time and I asked him is there going to be a next time and he said no so that is good. I know why it is called Downriggers, because it is totally rigged and hard to keep down.

Friday's Crabhouse is my favorite place in Friday Harbor to eat dinner. The seafood is so fresh and clean with the taste that is not fishy but tastes just like the fresh ocean. They shuck fresh oysters on the sidewalk out front and they claim that they have found some pearls, but I seriouly doubt that. You can get the oysters bbq'd which I strongly recommend you try. My friend and I shared a fresh dungeness crab and it was delicious! The whole restaurant is outside, even the kitchen, and you can look out over the ocean while you eat. Also, there is a little shop down below where you can try on cool sunglasses and they sell a ton of jewelry from the island. Do not miss this place next time you are in Friday Harbor. It is right across from the ferry terminal.

Another amazing place for seafood is called Friday Harbor Seafood and it is located under the dock in the marina. Most people don't even know it's there! They have live seafood like crabs and shrimps and they will steam it fresh for you right there. They also have lots of other fresh fish and things that are already cooked. You can also buy fish to feed my favorite friend...

Popeye!!!!

This local harbor seal is either missing an eye or has a cataract. Hard to tell. He has been there forever and he hangs around the fish shop because people feed him. And you can tell. Apparantly obesity in America is not only a problem for people. He is really nice and he won't bite off your hand. This is actually me feeding him.

TGIF Harbor! We had a great weekend visiting alpacas, boating, ~~fishing~~ trying to fish, and beachcombing. If you are looking for a fun family weekend filled with yummy local treats, this is it!

Girl Scout Cookie Bars!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Thu, 10 May 2012 03:00:00 +0000

My name is Emily and I am a ~~beauty school dropout~~ Brownie dropout. Yes, I love Grease and you know you do too. Seriously though, being a Brownie wasn't for me but I loved the cookies. I still do. Nestle just announced a special release candy bar made out of Girl Scout cookies! Not just any cookies, but my favorites! I'm talking Tagalongs, Thin Mints and Samoas. You can get them in stores this June.

Fun fact: the Girl Scouts sold 760 million dollars in cookie sales last year.

Eat new candy, but keep the old, one is a cookie, and the other's not yet sold!

Happy 11th Birthday To Me!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:47:00 +0000

Last week was my 11th birthday...finally! Seriously, everyone else was 11 but me. I guess being younger can be a good thing for some people who are much older but I am definitely not one of those people. When it's my birthday it is my tradition to open my family presents first thing in the morning before school (which is really good because I can wear all of my totally awesome new clothes to school) and eat my cake/cupcakes for breakfast. This year my cupcakes were from New York Cupcakes, aka the best cupcakes on the Eastside. Check out my birthday breakfast...

It is also my tradition to get to choose what to eat for dinner. I can even go to any restaurant I want! Every year I choose the same thing and that is for my Mom to make a homemade Italian dinner. It is my absolute favorite. This year she made fettuccine alfredo, veal cutlets and peas and mushrooms. Check it out...

These recipes are family recipes that have been passed down through generations. I can't even tell you the recipes because they are passed down orally and not written anywhere. Plus, I don't even know them by heart. They are surely delicious and I couldn't ask for anything more than to have my birthday with my fantastic family and my favorite food. This blog is no longer "a 10 year old's take on where to eat," it is now "an 11 year old's take on where to eat!" Look out world because here comes Emily...the 11 year old!

eXXXcellent!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:12:00 +0000

Today I reviewed XXX Root Beer in Issaquah and I fell in love. I didn't think it would happen until junior high, but it did.

On decor of restaurant, I give it a 5! It was very retro and old school. There are huge gumball machines when you first walk in, but if you don't want to necessarily walk in, there is a walk up ice cream and milkshake bar open to the patio. Everyone seemed to be getting rootbeer floats. XXX makes their own rootbeer and they have had the same recipe since 1930. The walls and ceilings are covered with pictures, Coke stuff, license plates with puns and old items that I can't even name. There is a creepy doll called Howdy Doody. Don't even look at it. There is an old working juke box and it was very cool. They had oversized sunglasses that you can wear and my two friends and I all had fun wearing them. Pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis surrounded me everywhere, and that is not really a bad thing if you really think about it. There was 50's and 60's music playing and it gave me an idea of what it was like back then.

Here is the huge gumball machine...it stole 50 cents from me! Why me?

Walkup ice cream bar...

On friendliness of staff towards kids, I give it a 5! There were a lot of servers and they were really nice. They made sure we knew about the silly sunglasses and made sure we felt welcome. I could really tell that they like kids and were happy we liked it there. Whenever I asked for something, they were not annoyed in the least. Doesn't everyone need a knife, ranch dressing, more ketchup, more water....?

On service speed, I give it a 5! The food came out much quicker than I thought it would and everything was hot and crispy.

Root beer float...

Cheese balls...

Bacon cheeseburger with garlic fries...

Don't worry. I didn't eat this all myself! On taste of food, I give it a 5! The cheese balls were pure bliss. Basically they are just cheese rolled in batter and fried, but what is better than cheese or batter or anything fried? I'll tell you what is better, their bacon cheeseburgers. Like I said, I wasn't prepared to fall in love. My life totally changed today. I never thought that I could have a burger this amazing. The soft sesame bun absorbed the delicious sauce. The bite with the burger, cheese, crisp pickles, lettuce, bacon and tomatoes was like a bite of pure heaven. The bacon was crispy and smoked and the burger was cooked to perfection. It was so delicious it is making my mouth water and I am at a loss for words. Just try it. The root beer float was a whole other story. It was even more special since the root beer is house made. It is very sweet and tingles your taste buds. They put a swirl of soft serve ice cream on the side of it and let me tell you, that made the whole drink. Hungry yet?

On appearance of food, I give it a 3. The floats are served with rainbow sprinkles and little toy animals on the ice cream which was kind of cool. Really though, what am I going to do with a tiny camel? Let it loose in my tiny Sahara Desert? The sprinkles looked like a party but didn't make any difference on the taste. The burgers looked sloppy, but not everything has to be super pretty to be super good. Like my hamster, he looks crazy but he is really sweet.

On price, I give it a 3. The burger and fries cost $13.00 and the floats cost $2.99. This is not too expensive but don't just come here with your Sunday allowance. Not that I get any. Thanks mom.

For an over all score of 26/30 (-: If you want to have this eXXXcellent root beer at home you can buy it in gallons to go. It's a CASH ONLY joint but don't worry, there is an ATM just in case. XXX Root Beer is a great place for kids. They have car shows on the weekends so it is a great place for dads too. Let's just say it is perfect for families. Take your family there and have an eXXXcellent eXXXperience, like I did.

It's Dinner Thai'm!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:38:00 +0000

It's dinner Thai'm (ha ha) and today I went to Thai Kitchen in a strip mall in Bellevue. Let me tell you one thing that makes this place stand out from all the others, it is the first Thai restaurant to open in Washington and maybe that is why it is so delicious!

On decor of restaurant, I give it a 4. There was dim lighting and very calming music that made me feel very calm and collected. I felt like I was supposed to be in a spa and I love spas! There was a very nice and bright fish tank in the center of the place and it was loaded with tropical, colorful fish and neon coral. This made the tank look very clean and eye catching. There were booths without cushions, but it was not uncomfortable so I will let that one fly. In the center of the tables there were little flower pots with fresh pink flowers.

On friendliness of staff towards kids, I give it a 5! The servers were super nice to me. The waitress checked on us a lot but not too much. After we ordered, they made sure to check that our meal would not be too spicy.When I asked what ingredients were in the phad thai, the server actually talked to me about it. The woman's English wasn't great, but she spoke the universal language of friendship:)

On service speed, I give it a 4. The servers were very quick and all of our food was served hot.

On taste of food, I give it a 5! I ordered chicken satay, chicken phad thai, and mango sticky rice for dessert. The chicken satay was warm and tender with the perfect combination of salty and sweet. I could tell the chicken was marinated for a long time and then grilled, and that made it taste amazing. It came with a sweet peanut sauce to dip it in. It was so good I could eat it with a spoon! It also came with pickled cucumbers, technically just called pickles, but these were not good. Most kids wouldn't like this sour flavor. The chicken phad thai had the softest noodles with a mouth watering sauce. The chicken was perfectly cut into bite sized pieces. It was all topped off with chopped peanuts. If you have a peanut allergy, don't eat here! The mango sticky rice dessert was so delicious I want to fall asleep and dream about it! I know it sounds weird, but believe me, it will be the best thing you have ever tasted. It had freshly sliced, juicy ripe mangos, and sticky rice covered in coconut sweetened condensed cream. The warm rice and the cold fruit made it melt in my mouth. All kids should try this, and I promise you that you will be dreaming about it too!

On appearance of food, I give it a 3. The food was served on pretty white dishes. Everything was served "family style" which means that it is meant for sharing. It looked nice enough but was average. They didn't do things to make the food look extra special. Even though it tasted extra special.

On price, I give it a 2. Each dish cost $8.95 and everything ended up being around $30. It seemed a tad bit expensive but maybe it was worth it.

For a grand total of 23/30. Thai Kitchen is a great place to have Thai food. If you have never had it before, it is "Thai'm", and don't be afraid to try something new! This is a family owned business that has been making the same authentic recipes for many generations. I have heard that there is "fish sauce" in all Thai foods. I don't want to talk about that or think about that. Nothing I had tasted like fish. Moving on...Thai Kitchen is extra good for kids because there is a playground in back of the restaurant, and Plato's Closet is in the same strip mall. Plato's Closet is a great place to find ~~used~~ vintage clothes. Don't forget the buttermints on the way out! Thai'm for me to head to bed, and dream about more mango sticky rice.

West Side Story

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 03:16:00 +0000

Today was beautiful and sunny and I hope everyone was able to get outside! I decided to spend the day with my family at Pike Place Market on the "west side" in Seattle. Here is my West Side Story and I don't mean the old fashioned movie! Everyone knows Pike Place Market is a good place to see the people throwing fish, the delicious fruits and vegetables, and the live music and street performers. Today we saw a man with a trained bird. He was sort of a hobo but his bird was awesome! It meowed like a cat and did backward somersaults! I love Pike Place Market, and here are some of my all time favorite "must see places" that you might not know about...

I love the hum bow at Mee Sum Pastry. I always get their steamed pork hum bow and you should too. Hum bow are steamed chinese dumplings that you mostly see at dim sum places but are made fresh here. The light, fluffy, sweet and airy dough is the perfect bite with the sweet but savory hot pork stuffing in the middle. I think these are the best ever.

The best donuts EVER are in the market at Daily Dozen. The donuts are made with a robotic machine and it is fun to watch. This place has been open since I was little and there is always a long line. Their donuts are AMAZING!!! You can smell the sensation from around the corner. They are very light and doughy and served fresh and hot. I don't know what they are fried in but they are way better than normal and are flavorful and genius. You can get cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, frosted with sprinkles and plain. I personally like the cinnamon sugar ones the best but they are all delicious. They are served in a paper bag and you should make sure to eat them right away.

Note to kids: Pike Place can be a little scary sometimes and if you don't look around something like this could be in back of you...

Speaking of creepy, the Magic Shop...

I don't know about you but magic scares me! It confuses me big time but my grandpa loves it and I respect his decision. My favorite things here are the gag tricks like candy that makes your tongue turn blue or fake puke. My sister bought invisible ink and my mom squirted it all over her shirt! When it is first applied, it looks bright blue and permanent so my sister freaked out. My parents played along that they accidentally bought the wrong one so my sister thought that her shirt was ruined. We went on a fake hunt for a new shirt but on the walk the ink started to disappear and my sister felt gullible but yet astounded. It was hilarious!

The scariest part of the magic store are the fortune tellers! I know some people love them, but ever since I saw the movie Big with Tom Hanks I personally stay away.

A not-to-miss stop is Vital Tea Leaf.

Vital Tea Leaf is a tea store where you can sit at a counter and taste amazing teas. The people who work there are really nice and will let you taste as many teas as you want. When I taste the tea, I feel very calm and zen so I try not to drink too much caffeine. They have over 82 different types of tea and you can buy them buy the pound to drink at home. Warning: some of the teas are really expensive. Like $300 per pound. Not even joking. It is interesting to watch all of the different preparations for the different types of tea.

The hibiscus tea is definitely the best. It tastes just like sweet tarts, both sweet and sour! Of course, it is my sister's favorite.

I just love to see all of the unusual things going on around the market. Could this car have any more swag? I hope it's still around when I turn 16!

There is one more place I never miss when I am in the market. The gum wall! Today I added my special touch...

Pike Place Market has so much to see, and lots of food to try. If you have already to been to Beecher's Cheese and don't want to stand in line at the original Starbucks, go on a little adventure and find something new. There is always something lurking around the corner at the market!

Yogurtland, You Rule!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:05:00 +0000

Today I reviewed Yogurtland in downtown Bellevue, and there are also locations in Seattle. There have been a lot of self-serve yogurt places opening on the eastside in the last year, but Yogurtland...you rule!

On decor of restaurant, I give it a 4. When I walked in the store, the first thing I noticed is that everything is green! It has been proven that green is a soothing color and it makes you feel healthy. I definitely felt healthy just being there. The place was very modern and everything that wasn't green was either white or dark wood. It looked very nice together. There were plenty of tables and chairs and the only pictures on the walls were of fresh fruit. There were skylights on the ceiling which made the place look very bright and white. Be warned...the chairs look like they are tilted forward and my mom kept asking me not to tip my chair. I wasn't!

See?

On friendliness of staff towards kids, I give it a 4. The staff didn't say much, but they certainly didn't care about how many samples of yogurt I took. Believe me, I took a lot. How else would I know if chocolate milkshake tasted good with mint? Turns out it is great! They even offered me samples of the toppings. There were kids everywhere and I felt very welcome. After I finished my yogurt, I took some more "samples" of the toppings and noone cared!

On service speed, I give it a 5! You serve yourself. I'm pretty fast so I give myself a 5.

On taste of food, I give it a 5! They had great flavors for kids like chocolate milkshake and root beer float! The flavors tasted just like the real thing. I could really tell that they had good intentions when they placed the flavors since you could swirl two flavors together - like chocolate milkshake and mint, and strawberry and cheesecake. They also had some really good tart flavors that I don't usually like, but this yogurt is creamy, rich and sweet. This time I chose plain tart yogurt with fresh fruit as a topping. The clean and cold yogurt was the perfect match for the fresh fruit. The tart was not too sour or bitter and it was not too sweet like vanilla. It was just perfect. They also had a really great topping selection like fresh fruit, candy and cookies. They even had asian toppings like mochi, popping boba and asian red beans!? All serve yourself.

On appearance of food, I give mine a 5! The appearance is actually up to you! You can make the swirls and toppings as pretty or as nasty as you want. Like my sister's - gloppy with strawberry yogurt, sour gummy worms, frosted animal cookies...etc. Mine was pretty, I give mine a 5 and hers like a 1.

On price, I give it a 4. It is $0.35 per ounce and most people average 5-7 oz or $1.75-$2.45. The price is up to you!

Yogurtland gets a total score of 27/30!!! You rule! The tasting cups are left out on the table so you can take as many as you want with no sweat. All of the yogurt is low calorie, non-fat, gluten free and has added vitamin C! Not only does it taste great, but it is healthy. Yogurtland is delicious, great for kids and I will definitely be back soon.

Their motto is "you rule", as in when you are there, you decide what to get. They are definitely right, and I say, Yogurtland YOU RULE!!!!

You Can't Judge A Taco By It's Shell

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 03:49:00 +0000

If you can't judge a book by it's cover, you can't judge a taco by it's shell! Last night was the grand release of the epic Doritos Locos Tacos. I was so excited to try one that my Dad agreed to take me at midnight. On a school night! We were the first ones in line, and I was the first person to be served a Dorito Taco in Bellevue! Proof...

We went through the drive thru so I waited until we were home to try my taco. The first thing I noticed was that my taco didn't come in a sleeve like I have seen in the pictures. That made it not as special.

The taco looked like a normal Taco Bell taco but with a bright orange shell. I was so excited for the grand reveal that my first bite was a sad disappointment. I expected the shell to actually taste like a Dorito, but it didn't. The cheesy taste was milder than Doritos and it was dominated by the flavor of the "meat." The consistency was nothing like a real Dorito chip. It wasn't crisp and light, but instead was dense and tortilla-ish. Almost like a normal taco shell but not as crispy. Parts of the shell were even soggy and seemed stale. Maybe it is possible that they expected a lot of people and made my tacos in advance?

I really wanted these tacos to be amazing because the idea is so awesome! How could Taco Bell, home of "food" and "meat" get this wrong? The lessons I learned were that I love to have adventures with my dad, and that you can't judge a taco by it's shell. Even if the shell claims to be a Dorito.

I am going on record. Jack In The Box tacos are the best.

The Countdown Has Begun!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:54:00 +0000

The countdown has begun. In 1 day, 14 hours, 6 minutes and 36 seconds, the greatest invention in history will be born.

The Taco Bell Doritos Locos Tacos!

Get yours starting Thursday at midnight. My dad is waking me up and taking me so I can witness history and taste this brilliant invention. Stay tuned for the review...

Free Pancakes!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:35:00 +0000

Today is IHOP's National Pancake Day! Today until 10 pm, everyone can get a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes. No purchase necessary! IHOP asks customers to donate any amount of money to go to Children's Hospitals. Free pancakes and supporting a good cause? You can't lose! Empty your piggy banks and head over to an IHOP near you.

Howdy Y'all!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:10:00 +0000

I just got back from a visit to Texas, and you know what they say, everything is bigger in Texas! I mostly visited Houston but I also took a road trip to San Antonio. Texans know how to eat and I made sure to try as many local places as I could. Giddy up for a Texas sized blog and learn why Texas is the #1 state for obesity in America!

#1 reason kids will love the food in Texas...

Texans think vegetables are beans, potatoes and bread!

One of my all time favorite places in Houston is Dylan's Candy Bar. It is the best candy store in the world! Dylan's has Texas sized candy like huge jawbreakers and 5 lb. gummy bears. There is even an ice cream store inside with flavors like pancakes and syrup. For some weird reason they won't let you take pictures in the store but I managed to take just one. Or two:) You know how I love Icee's, look what I saw...

I tried Icee squeeze candy and it tasted just like an Icee! How do they do that?

Look what they have in Houston!!! For those of you who watch Cupcake Wars, this is owned by the judge Candace Nelson. I made my Uncle pull over for these delicious treats! There was a line going out the door and when I got my cupcake I could see why. I tried a Black and White cupcake which is chocolate cake with cream cheese icing and it was moist and flavorful. Now I know for a fact that Candace Nelson knows what she is talking about.

Another one of my favorites in Texas is Luby's. Lubys is a yummy cafeteria (yes, like in school) where elderly people without a lot of money can get great food. I want to get the word out there that Luby's should be for everybody! This is legit Texas comfort food! They even have that hospital blue jello. To get the true Texas experience, I ordered fried chicken, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese and it was delish. They have a lot of choices like pie, pudding, and anything you can think of that is cooked in oil or butter. Or lard. I just learned what that is and you don't want to know.

Blue Bell Ice Cream can only be found in the south. It is creamier than normal ice cream and they have flavors that I don't see a lot like fresh peaches and homemade vanilla. You can find this served all over Texas and it is really good.

Now this just screams Texas - Fried Pickles!!! They sound disgusting, but they are actually REALLY good! The moisture inside of the crispy breading is to die for, but if you eat too many you will probably get sick. You can get them in a bar that I wasn't allowed into called the Porch Swing Bar. While I was waiting for the pickles, my Uncle and I played a friendly game of put the metal disk into the hole. Let's just say he owed me $10.00.

El Tiempo can claim "The Best Fajitas Ever!" (claimed by ME). Queso cheese dip is huge in Texas and you can find it everywhere. It is a creamy american cheese dip that is the perfect partner for one of El Tiempo's freshly made chips. I swear on my dead fish that I could eat a whole bowl of that heavenly dip. They also have the best fajitas ever. Fajitas in Texas are a state obsession and I know why. They are amazing! I think they do something to the meat (hopefully not cook it in lard) because it is really juicy and tender. It is served on a platter heated by a flame. This platter has shrimp wrapped in bacon, shrimp, chicken and steak. And a bowl of melted butter to dip the meat in. Tex-Mex is my absolute favorite and there is no place better to get it than actually in Texas. At El Tiempo.

Texas BBQ. My Texas sized blog just isn't big enough to cover the topic. There is a big difference between plain bbq and Texas bbq. Texas bbq is meat that is smoked with a dry rub but doesn't have sauce. Goode Co. is definitely the best place to find Texas bbq! The meat is smoky, juicy and flavorful. It even tastes like it might be healthy. You can get bbq sauce on the side if you are like me and like to have it on the meat anyways. We tried brisket and turkey and they were both amazing.

Another place to stop in Houston is The Breakfast Klub, and don't be mistaken by the movie. This restaurant specializes in one thing, chicken and waffles! It sounds odd, but this might be the best combo on earth. Their fluffy belgian waffles really compliment the chicken. This chicken is not any normal chicken, it is the most juicy fried chicken I have ever had. They put just the right combination of spices into the breading and it makes it mouth watering. I have heard that this is Beyonce's favorite place to eat in Houston and I can see why!

Have you ever heard of kolaches? I hadn't either, but kolaches are either a sausage or type of meat or cheese inside of a sweet bun, sort of like pigs in a blanket. They are from Europe and are mostly Czech, but for some reason you can find them all over Texas. Texans go crazy for these and I would certainly swoon for another one. We tried a couple of different places and I think Christy's has the best dough.

We took a road trip to San Antonio, and on the way stopped at an EPIC convience store off of the freeway called Buc-ee's.

Buc-ee's is like 7-11 on steroids. It might be the best convenient store in the world. They house make their snacks like different jerkies and "beaver nuggets" which are the most sugary Sugar Pops you can imagine. Look...

Buc-Ee's must be like a state monument because there was a line of cars to get in. There were even school buses of kids going there on a field trip! I would like to go here for a field trip. Kids can learn about really important things like what it tastes like if you mix grape soda with orange soda. Buc-ee's also sells toys like slingshots. My mom bought one for my sister and already regrets it.

I love Texas. I love visiting family, places like the Alamo (or as I call it, "El Lamo"), and I love how people there talk. Most of all I love the food in Texas and you will too. After a week of eating "vegetables" and fried food it is time for me to eat something healthy. For the first time today I finally tried my mom's kale chips. After a week of Texas food, I actually "liked" them y'all! I am off to eat something healthy, and I don't mean a slice of bread. In lard.

Old School Kool

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:49:00 +0000

Today I went to Lunchbox Laboratory in downtown Bellevue and my experience left me with mixed emotions. You can see the sign for Lunchbox Laboratory from the freeway but it is really hard to find on the streets nearby. It is inside an office building so my first impression was that it wasn't very cool.

On decor of restaurant, I give it a 4. It definitely had a retro theme and they did a good job decorating the entire space. When you first walk in there are 5 lava lamps. Only three were working and they were really small so it seemed like a waste of an effort.

There was orange lighting everywhere and that gave the place a really cool effect. They had old school lunchboxes all over the walls. I didn't recognize any of them except John Travolta on a Welcome Back Kotter (whatever that is) lunchbox. I only know John Travolta because my dad has a collectible ~~doll~~ sorry, action figure.

There were charcoal brown walls and I thought they were very lucky because the space had a really great view. This is the part that really confused me... my friend and I were the only kids in the whole place! There were only adults! "Lunchbox Laboratory" made me think that this was supposed to be for kids, but I guess it is more for adults to remember what it was like when they were kids.

On friendliness of staff towards kids, I give it a 5! All of the staff were really cool and stylin with swag! They were wearing backwards lids, saggy jeans and flannel tops. They were super chill and seemed happy to be there. Our server offered my sister to hang her picture she colored on the wall because she said it "looked pretty." Ummm, I can't say I agree with that statement! Since my sister kept "messing up" on her work, they happily brought her the same coloring sheet 3 times. Overall the staff was just really nice, gold star for you!

On service speed, I give it a 3. When we walked in there they told us there was a 20 minute wait! Thankfully it only took 11 minutes. There were lots of people waiting outside the doors. When we finally sat down, the food took about 10 minutes after we ordered which seemed average.

Kool-Aid...

"Homage to Dick's Deluxe" burger...

On taste of food, I give it a 4. They have Kool-Aid! I ordered the original flavor Kool-Aid which was sort of like fruit punch. It was sugary and delicious. It reminded of me of when I go over to my friend's house, the only other place in the world where Kool-Aid is provided. I love Dick's so I ordered the Homage to Dick's Deluxe burger. It came with a beef patty, american cheese, bacon (not on the real Dick's deluxe!), onions and "top secret" sauce. There was way too much special sauce, bacon and onions, It tasted GREAT but they went overboard on the condiments. The meat was moist and juicy with the cheese melted into it. The bun was delicious and perfectly baked, but the bottom bun was soggy because of all of the juice from everything else. Next to it was one pathetic shred of lettuce, an end piece of tomato (who likes an end piece?) and one slice of a pickle. Are you supposed to put that on your burger? It was enough to fit on one measly bite.

See?

The french fries were super thin and came out hot. They got cold very quickly, but they were delicious. They were crispy and salty and I couldn't stop eating them.

On appearance of food, I give it a 2. The food was served on fancy white plates but I think it would be WAY better if they actually served them in lunchboxes. The "top secret" sauce was pouring out of the burger all over the plate. The burger was actually falling apart and I had to eat it with a fork.

On price, I give it a 2. The Kool-Aid was $2.50, and everyone knows Kool-Aid is actually really cheap. My burger was $13.99. For a burger? This place is definitely for grownups because kids wouldn't spend this much money on Kool-Aid and a burger.

Lunchbox Laboratory earned a final score of 20/30. The only things on the main menu are burgers and shakes. The kid's menu is a bit different but actually sort of lame. Look...

The most famous burger they have is called the "Dork Burger" but it is definitely NOT for kids since it is made out of duck and pork. Kids should definitely try this place mostly for the Kool-Aid and shakes. You can see what it was like when your parents were kids. From what I can tell, people mostly carried metal lunchboxes. My mom said she had a Strawberry Shortcake one when she was my age. Strawberry Shortcake was around when she was a kid? Who knew?

What's Shakin' Bacon?

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:32:00 +0000

A reliable source told me that Jack In The Box has an unadvertised bacon shake! This shake is underground, is not on the menu, and unless you know about it you would never know that it is there! Sort of like ordering "animal style" at In-N-Out. I knew instantly that I had to try it. I went to Jack In The Box and sure enough, it exists! It looks like a normal milkshake, but the taste is definitely not normal. It is a vanilla milkshake with bacon syrup in it and let me be the first to tell you not to try it! You can taste the smokiness of the bacon and it literally triggered my gag reflex!

The world is obsessed with bacon. My Uncle Matt puts it on everything. I have to admit I like it too but not as an artificial flavoring! Artificial flavorings are often gross, especially banana flavoring. Ick.

There are really only three main things I took away from this experience...

Bacon flavoring is gross.
Just because it isn't on the menu doesn't mean it's good.
This would be perfect for vegetarians!

Emily and bacon sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first came love, then came marriage, then came...

Next time I am at Jack In The Box, I'll stick with the tacos.

Grand Opening!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:24:00 +0000

Today is the grand opening of the Bellevue Lunchbox Laboratory! For those of you who haven't been to the Seattle location, Lunchbox Laboratory has old fashioned comfort food for kids and adds a modern twist. Kids will love their burgers and shakes, even corn dogs and tater tots. I can't wait to go there and see the new location. Stay tuned for my review this week!

OOOH-wajimay-AHHHH!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:13:00 +0000

Today was just another day being Emily and I had to go on another boring grocery run with my mom, this time to Uwajimaya in Bellevue. While I was walking through the area with the dead fish with their faces fully intact, I stopped in my tracks... I stumbled upon fresh poke! Like the one I fell in love with in Hawaii! I tasted it and it was exactly the same. I looked around, and Uwajimaya also has my favorite Aloha Maid juices like POG (passion fruit, orange, guava). There was even a Hawaiian aisle filled with things like chocolate covered macadamia nuts. The foods brought back good memories from my trip like chilling out on the beach with the sun on my face, feeling the soft breeze flow through my hair while drinking a POG. Check out my discoveries...

Poke...

Fresh fruit drinks without corn syrup...

Chocolate covered macadamia nuts...

It brings me back! Ahhhhhhhh! If you want to feel the Hawaiian experience, go to Uwajimaya and taste what I am talking about.

I also found a really fun type of candy that you hold in your teeth and blow. It makes the coolest and loudest whistle ever! It also tastes really good and fruity...

Uwajimaya is a great store for kids, they have locations in Seattle and Bellevue. You can find lots of interesting candies and cookies too. Just stay away from the fish faces. With the eyeballs.

The Icing On The Fairy Cake

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Last week I was given a mindblowing gift: two cupcakes hand carried from London! These weren't just any cupcakes, these were "fairy cakes" made at Harrods, one of the most famous stores in London. I love how some words are different here than in England, but calling cupcakes "fairy cakes" takes the cake! Ha ha ha. The chef (Fiona Cairns) made these fairy cakes and she also made the Royal Wedding cake for Kate and William.

The first thing I thought when I saw the fairy cakes was how gorgeous and elegant they looked! They were dusted with edible glitter and the designs on top were London icons like a cab and a double decker bus. The decorations were so enticing that I expected the flavor to be as wonderful as they looked. Turns out, it was a "royal" pain to taste them! I know the fruitcake in London is horrible, but white cake too? Really? These fairy cakes tasted like plastic. They have this clever wrapping that is air tight with the frosting so they last a long time and the cake stays as moist as if it was just out of the oven. The cake was really moist and tasted average but don't even get me started on the frosting! It was totally rock solid and I couldn't even identify the strange flavor. I thought it was some kind of alcohol flavoring for adults. The design on top was on a thick piece of plastic, um I mean frosting, that was sitting on top. Kids, if you are lucky enough to be Harrods, only get these fairy cakes to accessorize your bedrooms. I really appreciate the new experience and I am honored that I was thought of in London. Overall, these were definitely an experience. That I don't ever want again. I know people say the food in London is gross, but fairy cakes too?

Dick's Special!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:10:00 +0000

Tomorrow is a big day at one of my fave burger places, Dick's. They are celebrating their 58th anniversary by lowering their drink prices to what they were in 1954...10 cents! I just saw the movie Back to Future where Marty McFly went for a ride in a cool car that took him to 1955. I want to ride in that car and get fast food for these prices! Who knew a McDonald's meal deal would seem so expensive? Get on over tomorrow (1/27) to a Dick's near you to get your 10 cent soda, any size. There are locations all over Seattle. Sadly, there aren't any on the eastside for now. That is only a matter of time.

Let Them Eat Cake!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:54:00 +0000

Happy Chinese New Year! This is the year of the dragon. The dragon is the deliverer of good fortune and he delivered my fortune in the form of cake! In celebration of the Chinese New Year, I decided to go to Regent Bakery & Cafe in Redmond.

On decor of restaurant, I give it a 3. The cafe looks pretty boring, in a boring strip mall. Other than some Chinese posters and lanterns on the walls, the bakery was mostly made of large glass cases where the cakes and pastries are displayed.
The cases are so pretty, check them out...

There are brown walls and tables with matching brown chairs. The sign behind the counter is bright yellow and orange and it was hard for me to read. If you decide to come here it might be a good idea to bring your glasses. I could really tell that their main focus was on the food and not the decor.

On friendliness of staff towards kids, I give it a 3. When I first walked in I was very overwhelmed. The woman working there kept asking me if I wanted lunch and needed to know when I wanted to order. I set my things down on the counter and then she told me where to sit. But then... she brought me a glass of water and a fork without even having to ask! That made me feel like she wanted me there.

On service speed, I give it a 5! They were super fast at putting the piece of cake on the plate. Wowzers, they should be in the cake plating olympics! There was a small line but it moved quickly.

Fresh Fruit Cake...

Swiss Chocolate Mousse Cake...

On taste of food, I give it a 5! I tried two cakes - Fresh Fruit Cake and Swiss Chocolate Mousse Cake. Fresh Fruit Cake: This cake made me feel healthy in a "not really" healthy way. Healthy food never tasted this good! There were different kinds of fresh fruit in the cake like kiwi, strawberry, pineapple, cantaloupe and honeydew melon. The cake was an angel food cake and the icing was not actually icing, but heavy whipped cream. Eating it made me feel like I was floating on air.

Swiss Chocolate Mousse Cake: There were 3 layers of decadent light and fluffy chocolate cake filled with airy chocolate mousse. The mousse had just the right amount of airiness in it. It was not so airy that you can't feel it, but not so dense that it feels like there is a 5 lb. weight in your mouth. It had the perfect consistency. The cake part was just the same. It was light and airy but with the perfect kick of density. The cake was also perfectly moist. Regent Bakery knows how to make cake!

On appearance of food, I give it a 5! These cakes are decorated and served beautifully. They are served on actual plates, on small golden paper wedges with plastic on the outside to keep the cake in place. They are displayed immaculately in the cases and even more immaculately in my stomach. I can tell that they put a lot of effort into baking and decorating their cakes. They are so appealing that they make you want to take a picture and then gobble them up!

On price, I give it a 2. A slice of cake averages around $4.00. A whole cake averages around $35.00. That seems like a lot.

Regency Bakery and Cafe scored an overall score of 23/30. WARNING: When you first walk in it smells terrible. The bakery also makes traditional Chinese dishes like Sesame Chicken. Sesame Chicken combined with cake is not a smell that is good. If you can get past the smell and focus on the cakes, you will see that they have lots of different kinds of cakes like cheesecake, black forest cake, tiramisu and chestnut cake. They also have traditional pastries like sausage buns and BBQ pork buns. Everything is made fresh onsite. Do yourself a favor and celebrate the year of the dragon! And let yourself eat cake.

Let It Snow!

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:54:00 +0000

Happy Snow Day!!!

I have been meaning to get out and review a restaurant, but there is no way I could even think of getting out of our driveway! Since we live at the top of a huge hill, our house gets the most snow. Nobody is driving so my friends and I decided to go sledding down our hill...

I had a blast! A few wipeouts and a bloody tongue won't stop me!

On snowy winter days, I always like to roast marshmallows in the fireplace with my family. I also like to make homemade meatballs that cook in tomato sauce all day long. My great grandmother Josephine (aka Nanny) taught my mom the recipe to her meatballs and we have been making them ever since. If you want to make something similar, here is a recipe from Patsy's in New York:

http://www.patsys.com/recipes-detail.php?id=203

I am related to Patsy but I have no idea how. That is how it is in big Italian families. I just found out last year that my "Aunt" Jen isn't actually related to me.

I hope everyone is enjoying the snow and no school!!

Hawaii, The Island Of Extremes

noreply@blogger.com (eatingwithemily) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:55:00 +0000

Mele Kalikimaka!

I just returned from an amazing vacation to the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii. The locals refer to the Big Island as the "island of extremes" since there are volcanos and snow at the same time. I refer to the Big Island as the "island of extremes" because I had some of the best food I have ever had there and some of the worst!

Here are the best things I ate in Hawaii...

This is tuna poke (pronounced po-kay). The tuna is raw and as fresh as it could be because it is caught right there in Hawaii. The tuna is chopped up with green onions, avocados, soy sauce and sesame oil. I normally hate fish and I didn't even want to try it. But... it is always good to try new things so I forced myself to have a bite. To my suprise, I not only didn't gag but instead I loved it! It isn't fishy at all, but tastes more like the fresh ocean. You can get poke everywhere in Hawaii, including the grocery stores.

This is a rambutan, otherwise known as a "hairy lychee." I found these at a farmers market in the middle of Kohala. To open this exotic fruit you need to squeeze it very hard until the shell pops open. Inside is a delicious fruit that looks like a huge lychee. It tasted like a mix between a lychee and a grape. There was a lot of juice packed inside of that shell! I like to remember what Andrew Zimmern says, "if it looks good, eat it!"

This looks just like an ordinary pancake, but don't be fooled. This pancake is huge and is the fluffiest pancake I have ever had in my life. It was served with butter, which I spread all over. Whoever doesn't put butter on their pancakes isn't living life. It was so delicious that I skipped the syrup. I got this amazing delicacy at a local diner called Hawaiian Style Cafe. This cafe was recommended to me by the people who worked at our hotel. It is very popular, but inside it sort of looks like a dump. Sorry to say.

The guy with this huge cleaver is at the farmers market in Kona. You ask him for a fresh coconut and he cuts it up with his enormous cleaver. I was very scared he was going to cut his hand off! First, he cuts a hole in the top of the coconut and sticks a straw in to drink the juice. It was so fresh! Then you take back the coconut and he cuts it up so you can eat the meat. This was a young coconut so the meat was kind of like jello. The experience was very unique. You should also go to the farmers market for the tourist stuff like jewelry and ukeleles. A ring I saw at our hotel was $20, but here it was only $5!

Now, onto the worst things I had in Hawaii...

Poi. Also known as the worst food in history. It is flavorless taro root paste and should be avoided at all times. The locals say "it is an acquired taste." Yeah right. I will never acquire this taste.

Everything on this plate is nasty. It is called a loco moco and is also from the Hawaiian Style Cafe. A loco moco is meat (usually hamburger) on top of rice, covered in gravy. This is a local version that you would have to be loco to eat. On the bottom of the picture, you can see the second worst thing in Hawaii...Spam!!! Bleh!!!! Why do people like this? What even is it? It tasted like dog food (I want to clarify I have never actually tried dog food before). People in Hawaii are obsessed with Spam, and I am obsessed with avoiding it. Is this also an acquired taste?

This was the main course at the local luau. Everything on the table was revolting. I don't even know what half of the things are! Even my mom didn't eat it, and she eats everything. The main course was a whole pig that they roasted underground. It just tasted like shredded pork. They served it with it's head on and that was actually cool. Some people don't want to be aware of what they're eating, but I am comfortable seeing the source. Stay away from the luau. Unless you like fire dancing.

After a few days, we were sick of eating expensive hotel food. We went to the local grocery store and got food for the room. We made it fun and decided that everything we got had to be from Hawaii. Some of my favorites were the Maui style potato chips, the local fruit juices, the HUGE avocados, and the tiny apple bananas. My mom found some awful snack called "cracked seed." She loved it but I don't know why. The Big Island has a lot of good food and bad food, but I love to try local food. As long as it's not poi or Spam.