Riverside: Zacatecas Cafe

Zacatecas Cafe
2472 University Avenue
Riverside, California 92507
(951) 683-3939
www.zacatecascafe.com

My first time finally checking out this family-owned restaurant that has been operating in Riverside for almost 50 years! My iphone pictures don't do the place any justice because they do have little accents throughout the restaurant that makes it more personal. For example, they sell some awesome jewelery that are Día de Muertos inspired that are displayed in a few spots throughout.

House Chips and Salsa

Sounds weird, but one of the best reasons to come to Zecatecas Cafe is for their salsas. So good! They have two kinds: one is a warm brown salsa which is more of a mole and the other is the standard red salsa that is in a container on the table that you pour for yourself into the salsa bowl. Gosh, both of their salsas are amazing. The red salsa has enough kick and huge on flavor, but isn't too overpowering. Then when I thought that was the salsa for me, I tried the warm mole. Nice strong flavor and the warmth of the salsa just made me feel so good since it was a windy day outside.

Chicken Enchilada Weekday Lunch Special $8.25
Chicken Enchilada, rice, beans, and salad

Their lunch specials are served from 11am to 3pm Tuesday thru Friday only. My coworker, Ryan got this dish and I was able to try some of the chicken enchilada. It was great because it the chicken wasn't dry and had some good flavor. Add either one of the salsas to the mix and you got yourself an amazing enchilada. The beans were typical, nothing too special and I passed on trying the rice.

Tuesday Daily Special $8.65
Albondigas (Mexican Meat Ball Soup)
Served with rice and tortillas

Their daily specials are served from 11am to 3pm Tuesday thru Friday only. I have never had albondigas before, but it sounded amazing. I didn't know it a soup until it was served to me which ended up being great since it was a bit cold outside. I thought it was pretty good and since they only make it on Tuesdays, you know the meatballs are freshly made. I'm glad I discovered albondigas since it is a great dish to eat on rainy days :D

I want to come back either on Wednesdays for their spicy rib special or Fridays for their nopales con chicamones special. Never had either of those and they sound delicious. Let me know if there are any other items I should check out too.

San Diego: Chuao Chocolatier Trip Giveaway

I was contacted by Chuao Chocolatier's PR rep regarding their Simply Irresistible Valentine's Day Giveaway. Even though it's not my own giveaway, it's an awesome chance to win a trip for two to San Diego!

Chuao Chocolatier (pronounced chew-WOW) is the first Venezuelan Chocolatier based in the United States and Southern California’s premier artisan chocolatier. I heard great things about their artisan chocolates, but haven't gotten around to checking it out. Hopefully sometime soon though! I really want to try their signature flavor chocolate, Spicy Maya, a modern twist on the Mayan’s ancient hot chocolate recipe made with pasilla chile and cayenne pepper. Not sure if I will like it, but I hope so! There are some many health benefits to cayenne pepper that I always love another excuse to eat some more dark chocolates :)

Simply Irresistible Valentine’s Day Giveaway


Grand Prize

• Win a trip for two to San Diego (FYI, if winner is from San Diego or within 120 miles driving distance, airfare will be forfeited and Chuao Chocolatier will pay travel expenses related to driving to La Jolla Shores hotel, not to exceed $200.)
  
• Spend two nights at the glamorous La Jolla Shores Hotel;
• Enjoy beachfront dinner at THE SHORES restaurant; and
  
• Attend a private wine and chocolate pairing event with Master Chef Michael Antonorsi of Chuao Chocolatier.
  

Plus, 14 winners will get a Limited Edition Sweetheart Boxes filled with 22 signature Chuao Chocolatier bonbons featuring delectable, aphrodisiac ingredients.

Enter by clicking on the banner below.
Contest is going on now and ends February 14th. Good luck!!

20% Off Coupon!
Food Coma 911 readers are in for a special treat and get 20% off their entire purchase at www.chuaochocolatier.com when using the promotion code “BLOGGER” at checkout. Treat yourself or someone special before the promotion code expires February 14, 2011.

Los Angeles Event: Japanese Food and Sake Collection 2012

Japanese Food and Sake Collection 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
11am to 4pm
at Hilton Los Angeles/Universal
555 Universal Hollywood Drive
Universal City‎, CA‎ 91608
Presale $50/ Onsite $60
japanesefoodsakefestival.com/

While searching for food festivals in the area, I discovered the Japanese Food and Sake Festival which is on Sunday, January 29th. Japanese food and sake alone makes this festival cool, but they take it up a few levels by adding taiko performances, a sushi eating contest, a sake tasting contest, cooking performances, and door prizes. Besides from the food and drinks, the sushi eating contest sounds amazing. Maybe you might even see me up there, who knows ;)

Happy Eating!

Phoenix: Morning Glory Cafe

Morning Glory Cafe at
The Farm at South Mountain
6106 South 32nd Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85042
(602) 276-8804
www.thefarmatsouthmountain.com

The Farm at South Mountain is a 12-acre oasis filled with pecan trees and picnic tables. Not only are there three restaurants on the premise, but also an art studio, a healing sanctuary, and a garden. Though I did some exploring, my focus on this visit was the Morning Glory Cafe.



It's an outdoor seating cafe that has some pretty amazing trees surrounding it. Seating is open, but once it starts getting packed they start doing a waiting list. So I suggest coming early to avoid the lines, espeically on Sundays.



I really liked the mix of the customers too. There were young, old, families, couples, church goers, and people in their gym gear showing up after their workout. It's also a dog-friendly restaurant! Making this place even more down to earth (if that is even possible) and enjoyable to just sit and relax.



Farm Monte Cristo $11.95
French toast "sandwich" with slow baked ham, over easy eggs, and melting cheese with warm maple syrup




Can you believe this is my first Monte Cristo? I know very disappointing indeed! Another reason why I was super excited to check out this place and be able to cross this off on my list. I know it isn't the fried version, but I will one of these days at Blue Bayou in Disneyland *drool*.

Boy, so delicious and can see why it's a favorite among folks. The salt from the ham with the bread, maple, cheese, and egg just unite perfectly together. I think what made this sandwich even more delightful was that they used challah bread for the french toast at the Morning Glory Cafe. I just love the thickness and the taste of this bread and highly recommend it.

Egg White, Spinach and Shitake Mushroom Omelette $10.95
With locally grown spinach and roasted shitake mushrooms
Served with Farm "home fries" and a buttermilk biscuit

Clarisse got this and it was indeed a very simple breakfast compared to the Monte Cristo. It was light and fresh, but the filling of the omelette was weak. I like omelettes f-i-l-l-e-d with whatever ingredients it's suppose to have. Otherwise, I would of ordered just eggs, not an omelette. But besides that, great tasting eggs and delicious veggies inside. Not a fan of home fries, but I did try the biscuit which sadly I didn't care for because it was too dry. I suggest just coming for the Monte Cristo :D


One of their cute bathrooms. Don't worry, it's flushable ;)


Don't forget to roam, relax, and enjoy yourself during your visit. I plan on coming back to check out the other two restaurants too. They just seem like another peaceful dining experience to enjoy. Who would of thought you can find such tranquility just 10 minutes away from Downtown. Thanks The Farm at South Mountain for keeping it real :)

Los Angeles: Mikawaya Mochi Ice Cream

Mikawaya Mochi Ice Cream
118 Japanese Village Plaza Mall
Los Angeles, California 90012
(213) 624-1681
www.mikawayausa.com

Since I finally upgraded my stone age cellphone to an iPhone 4S not too long ago, I have decided to take advantage of the 8MP camera for my blog. I hoping this way it makes it so much easier for me to do a quick post on a place while still providing some decent visuals :D

Anyways, most folks have had a mochi ice cream in their lifetime and if so, it was most likely from Mikawaya. They aren't too hard to find, just go to a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. So I know you are thinking yawn boring, so the 90's. I writing about Mikawaya because besides the fact that they are still an awesome treat that you can't resist to have more than one of, it's their mochilato (mochi + gelato) that are amazing! Especially the odd flavor ones that you can't find in the stores. So do yourself a favor and ignore the ones that you can buy in the stores and be adventurous.

Mochilato $1.25/each

I would say there are about over ten flavors to choose from. I got six of them: coconut, peaches and cream, guava, toasted almond, chocolate hazelnut, and pistachio. No need to wait and have them defrost like the ones in the stores, they're all super fresh, soft, ready to eat, and delicious! But everyone has a favorite. Mine were the guava and the toasted almond. My friend, Liz loved the pistachio. I also liked how intense the mochilato of the coconut was and the little bits of shredded coconut mixed in it. Can't wait to go back and check out some more of their flavors.

San Diego Restaurant Week: Del Mar Rendezvous (2012 Preview)

Del Mar Rendezvous

1555 Camino Del Mar, Suite 102
(On the street level of the Del Mar Plaza)
Del Mar, California 92014
(858) 755-2669
www.delmarrendezvous.com

I think you all know by now that I really enjoy eating at Del Mar Rendezvous for some good Modern Chinese food. A past review on their SDRW menu from last year can be found here and a review on their typical menu can be found here. Also, if you didn't know I am currently giving away a certificate valid during SDRW for a dinner for two valued at $60 here. That's better than Groupon! :)

Anyways, just like last year, their 3-course prix fixe menu is $30/person. A real steal in my book for a dinner, got to love SDRW. Luckily I went with my old college roomie Liz and her boyfriend, Leon so we were able to sample quite a bit. We stuck with some of the classics there and checked out some new exclusives as well.

Organic, Fair, Sustianably Produced Jasmine Tea $9.95/teapot

I never have gotten tea here before but was glad to discover that their teas are organic, fair, and sustainably produced which you all know I am a huge fan of. I don't know many restaurants that offer organic yet alone fair-trade tea. The teapot pours about 6 cups and you can of course get free refills on hot water. They also serve Plum Oolong and Premium Black, as well as decaf options in Midnight Dreams and Lemonade. I want to check out Plum Oolong next time :D

Course One
Sesame Crusted Seared Ahi
Seared sashimi grade ahi, raw through the center; covered in a wasabi aioli dressing atop a bed of spring mix lettuce with Rendevous' house vinaigrette

A restuarant favorite among the crowd. Even though it's an appetizer it's amazing how much you get. I also love how it is drizzled with their yummy wasabi aioli dressing that gives it a nice kick. The mixed green salad is also refreshing and turns it into a fulfilling appetizer.

Course One
Eggplant in Spicy Ginger Sauce
Eggplant sauteed in a Szechuan chili sauce

Though the picture makes his dish look pretty blah looking, it really isn't. I love eggplant and can't cook it well enough to make it soft and melt in your mouth like in the restaurants. Del Mar Rendezvous does a good job and their Szechuan chili sauce is good, not overly salty or spicy. If you want more of a kick to it you should request for some chili sauce on the side to get it to your liking.

Course One
Steamed Pork Dumplings
Handmade dumplings filled with pork and green onion served in a steamer;
with a side of tangy and medium spice dumpling sauce

These are the soup pork dumplings which are always a nice treat. I'm not a snob when it comes to these soup dumplings, but they weren't doughy and the broth tasted good to me. One thing I miss while eating these was pairing it with ginger. Makes a world of a difference for me and so delicious! Oh well, they taste just as good without them either.

Course Two
Lobster and Corn Chowder
4-6 oz of Maine Lobster tail and fresh asparagus in a creamy corn chowder; served with a deep fried silver thread bun

A SDRW exclusive dish, one of the reason why I love eating at Del Mar Rendezvous during SDRW. They always have at least one exclusive dish and it's always amazing. This time around, they had three and we ordered all three. Liz loved this soup. Those that are a fan of corn chowder or clam chowder will love this entree. The consistency of the soup was perfect, not too thick or watery in my opinion. Also, I love how they serve it with a deep fried silver thread bun. The bun is super delicious and works really well with the soup. You won't be wanting crackers after trying the silver thread bun :P

Course Two
Kung Pao Pork Tenderloin over Sauteed Snow Peas

Pork Tenderloin pan fried then roasted; over sauteed snow peas and in a Kung Pao Sauce

Another SDRW exclusive dish that was our table's favorite out of all the dishes. It was prepared so well and not over cooked and tender. The sauce was great too because it wasn't too thick and didn't over power the flavor of the meat. So good, I told them they had to add this to their regular menu so I can order it again :D If you can order only one thing from the SDRW menu, get this. You won't be disappointed. If for some reason you are, tell them! I know they will redo the order in a heartbeat.

Course Two
Shacha Mussel Claypot
14 New Bedford, Maine black mussels sautéed with white and green onions in a spicy, savory Taiwanese style bbq sauce (Shacha Sauce)

Another SDRW exclusive dish that looked delicious. Leon really enjoyed this dish even though it was served to us too salty. Liz and I were really looking forward to it, but are overly sensitive to salt. They immediately offered to redo the dish, but we were getting so full that we decided not too. Plus Leon didn't mind it and really enjoyed the dish and cleared the dish no problem.

Course Two
Walnut Shrimp
7 breaded jumbo shrimp sauteed with carrots and peas in a creamy, sweet white sauce; topped with caramelized walnuts and encircled by steamed broccoli

My all time favorite dish from their regular menu. I love how their sauce isn't heavy on the mayo and the breading is done so well, nice and crisp. I pretty much ate most of it hah, but once again Liz and Leon agreed that is one of the best walnut shrimps they had. Plus, their toasted walnuts are so delicious!

Course Three
Xango

Banana cheesecake wrapped in a cinnamon pastry and topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate sauce

We only ended up getting two desserts because we were so full. Not really a fan of this type of dessert, but this was just screaming at Liz to try. Liz loved it and gobbled it up.

Course Three
Mango Sorbet
A fresh mango shell filled with all-natural, fat-free sorbet and topped with whipped cream

One of my favorite desserts at Del Mar Rendezvous. It's a light and refreshing treat to end the meal.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a dinner for two valued at $60 here.

This meal was complimentary and provided to us by the restaurant. I was not compensated for the review and all the opinions are my own.

San Diego Restaurant Week: Win a Dinner for Two at Del Mar Rendezvous

San Diego Restaurant Week
January 15-20, 2012

Happy 2012! Sorry for being MIA, but just been sitting back and enjoying the Holidays. Yup, pretty much been eating way too much hah. Thank goodness I got a juicer for Christmas, so I can start adding some green jucie to my diet :)

Anyways it's that time again, San Diego Restaurant Week (SDRW)! Even with its ups and downs, I am still a fan. I mean how can you not love a culinary tradition that is held twice annually featuring over 180 San Diego restaurants that offer discounted lunch or dinner prix-fixe menus?

Del Mar Rendezvous has been kind enough to offer once again a certificate for dinner for two during SDRW. If you all don't know by now, I am a huge fan of their walnut shrimp. I L-O-V-E it and must order it every time I am there. My review of their 2012 SDRW menu can be found here. My post on their previous SDRW menu here and non-SDRW menu here.


Giveaway Details: Win a Free Dinner for Two to Del Mar Rendezvous DURING San Diego Restaurant Week
(Valued at $60, alcohol and tip not included)
Del Mar Rendevous will be offering their San Diego Restaurant Week menu until January 29th. So, the lucky winner will have until January 29th to claim their free 3-course prix-fixe dinner for two.

Deadline Date:Monday, January 16th, 2011
When: 9 PM PST

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Just leave a comment regarding what dish (or here) you're dying to check out and leave your name and some form of contact (email, tweeter, fb, or whatever). That's all you need to do for one entry into the contest. If you don't feel comfortable with leaving that online (yes, I know you're paranoid heh), you can email me at foodcoma911 [at] gmail [dot] com.


2. Winner will be selected using random.org on Monday, January 16, 2012 after 9pm PST dealine.


But, but, you really want to win?

Alright, score EXTRA entries (not required) by doing the following:

• "Follow" Food Coma 911 on Twitter and leave a comment here stating you did along with username (+1 entry).

• Tweet this phrase in its entirety (+1 entry): I entered to win a free dinner at @DMRendezvous via @Foodcoma911 http://t.co/JqSwoRh1 RT to enter!
  

GOOD LUCK!

Phoenix: Pizzeria Bianco

Pizzeria Bianco
623 East Adams Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85004
(602) 258-8300
pizzeriabianco.com

There is a lot of buzz going around for Pizzeria Bianco. They were on The Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate - Pizza and on Oprah's Best Pizza in America. Has to be at least good, right? RIGHT!

I'll admit it, I have a thing for brick buildings. They automatically receive a cool sticker in my book. So even before I tried their pizza, I was loving the ambiance. But Pizzeria Bianco definitely gets extra cool stickers for residing in a historic building in Heritage Square. They even have a sweet bar next door since the wait can get ridiculously long. Thankfully I went during a non-peak hour, so the place was practically empty.




Thunder Canyon Brewery Cream Ale $4.50
Tucson, AZ


Half Rosa - Red Onion, Parmesan, and AZ Pistachios
Half Biancoverde - Fresh Mozzarella, Parmesan, Ricotta, and Arugula $16


We got half Rosa and half Biancoverde. I love pistachios, but I thought on pizza it wasn't really going to work. Boy, was I wrong to question Chris Bianco. Out of the two, Clarisse and I agreed that the Rosa was the best. The red onions, parmesan, and pistachios complimented each other so well. The Biancoverde was still good and more filling compared to the Rosa since it has an arugula "salad" on top for an earthy flavor. The only downside was that we got the pizza literally five minutes after we ordered it. That's faster than the chains! Hah, I have no idea how they prepared this beforehand since it was half and half. But maybe it's a popular "combo?" So confused and didn't care to ask since the servers weren't the nicest folks around.

Sadly due to health reasons, the owner, Chris Bianco is not personally making the pies himself anymore. So maybe the standards are going down? Who knows, but I still recommend getting their Rosa. It's unique and something I haven't seen on menus as of yet; and of course, mighty delicious!

Still all smiles :)

Carlsbad: Elevation Burger

Elevation Burger

2641 Gateway Road, Suite 102
Carlsbad, California 92009
(760) 683-5101
elevationburger.com

I'm always on the look out for a "better" burger with a focus on quality food for the customer and the environment. So far I've had the pleasure to be able to eat at Burger Lounge where their beef is grass-fed, free-range, and no antibiotics/growth-promoting hormones; and Diablo Burger where their beef is local, open range-raised, and no antibiotics/growth-promoting hormones.

Recently, I was invited to try out Elevation Burger in Carlsbad, their first west coast location. It's the only franchised burger chain serving organic beef. Yes, there is such a thing as organic beef and according to Wiki, USDA has some strict requirements for the cattle:

• Born and raised on certified organic pasture
• Never receive antibiotics
• Never receive growth-promoting hormones
• Are fed only certified organic grains and grasses
• Must have unrestricted outdoor access

Elevation Burger uses 100% USDA-certified organic beef and they take it a step further by doing fresh ground beef on-site which is then hand formed into patties. Sounds too good to be true for a franchise, but thankfully it is. So off I went to check it out with my friend, Medi.

Large Cookie $1.79
Fresh baked chocolate chip oatmeal pecan cookie made with organic eggs and butter


I was a bit surprised to see they sold cookies, even more so when I found out that the recipe was Hans Hess', the founder. Pretty cool and pretty good cookie; however, different. More like a granola bar since it's dense, but still soft and more on the doughy side. I liked it, but others might not, like Medi. As you can see Elevation Burger doesn't use all organic ingredients like O Burger, but at least they make an effort.

Chocolate Shake with Oreo $3.89


I was really glad to see that they served shakes here. In my opinion, it's a must for a burger joint. Elevation Burger's shakes were nice and thick. Also, you can choose either chocolate, vanilla, or coffee ice cream with the choice to include up to two addiontal ingredients like real fruit or Oreo. Not pictured, but also ordered a coffee shake with bananas and mangoes. Sounds kind of weird, huh? Well, the owner of the Carlsbad location suggested it and it was actually a really good combination.

Overview


Elevation Burger lets you choose as many toppings from the following: lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, raw onions, caramelized onions, hot pepper relish, ketchup, mayo, elevation sauce, and balsamic mustard.

Half Guilt Burger #2 $5.59
One beef patty and one #2 veggie patty (organic vegan)


I got this because I could get the best of both worlds, a veggie and a beef patty. Awesome! I heard great reviews about their vegetarian burgers. They have two varieties, the #1 which is a veggie patty that consists of cheese and the #2 which is just a veggie patty (no cheese). I got the #2 and loved it. You can see and taste the veggies, and was a flavorful patty. Not like your typical boca burger, thank you Elevation Burger. Since I got the Half Guilt, it was hard to judge on the meat itself. Thankfully, I had a taste of The Elevation Burger.

The Elevation Burger $5.99
Double meat, double cheese (real cheddar)


This was Medi's order and it was delicious. As you can see their patties are a bit thin like In-N-Out's, but the quality of the beef sure made up for it. Medi declared it the best burger he has ever ate, but I'm not sure if I can make that bold of a statement. However in the thin burger category, I would have to say it is a top contender with joints like In-N-Out. Yup, I think In-N-Out may have some real competition if Elevation Burger is able to be as consistent as In-N-Out.

One thing I will change when ordering in the future (which I do at In-N-Out too), is only getting one slice of cheese instead of two. I thought the cheddar was overpowering the beef a bit since they aren't as thick. Just my preference and also save you some calories :)

Fresh Fries $2.89
Cooked in 100% olive oil


So good! They are freshly cut and fried in 100% olive oil. Just as a FYI, you can fry food in olive oil as long as it doesn't go over the smoke point which then denatures the health benefits of using olive oil. Don't get confused with extra-virgin or virgin olive oil which is typically not recommended for high heat since it has an even lower smoke point. You can be rest assured that at Elevation Burger the oil temperature doesn't go over the smoke point. I asked and made sure since I was concerned hah. So, don't worry and dig right in. The olive oil makes the fries taste so much better, yum! I also liked how thin they are and even though they are slightly on the soggy side, I thought were still delicious.

FYI: Currently on the Yelp app, there is a check-in offer of 15% off a hamburger or veggie burger. Not a bad deal :)

Riverside: Sevilla (Tapas Bar Edition)

Sevilla
3252 Mission Inn Avenue
Riverside, California 92507
(951) 778-061
cafesevilla.com/locs/riverside

I've only have gone to Sevilla's tapas bar so far and for good reason. They have an awesome happy hour (4:30 to 7pm), Latin or Spanish live music Wednesdays thru Sundays, and the tapas bar has a nice dark ambiance. However, Sevilla isn't unique to Riverside with the first location opening in San Diego and a third location in Long Beach.



Though I love their tapas bar, at the same time I am torn about tapas. Tapas are small plates that are meant to be shared. Being someone who can be quite selfish at times, I don't understand how you can share such small plates, especially when they are amazingly delicious and you want another taste. You either need to work on being selfless or just ordering two to three tapas of the same item hah :P The below items are all happy hour prices unless otherwise stated.

White Sangria $4/glass or $20/pitcher

Delicious and their mojitos are good too. I also want to try their Sangria Royal which is suppose to be amazing too.

Sauteed Mushrooms al Ajillo $4/HH or $6/reg
with garlic and spices

Reminded me of a Chinese dish, but a good option for those that are vegetarian.

Ceviche $6/HH or $8/reg
Shrimp and fish marinated in fresh citrus juice

Fresh yummy ceviche

Marinated Olive Sampler $8/reg

I'm not an olive fan, but the girls loved it.

Cabrales Blue Cheese Dates $6/reg
bacon wrapped; cider-glazed

This is of course amazing and worth getting off the regular tapas menu. Reminded me of The Salted Pig's battered dates, just not battered hah. You will for sure want more than one of these ;)

Grilled Chicken Skewer $4/HH or $6/reg
Bell peppers, onions, and red wine sauce

Honestly, don't remember much expect that it wasn't horrible.

Empanadas Sampler $14/HH or $19/reg
Choose any three

Ah, I don't remember which ones we got because by this time we had a few drinks hah. I remember loving how flaky, crispy, and soft the empanadas were. I do remember ordering the Wild Mushroom Empanada and loving it :D

With such a wide menu, it's hard to try everything. But my favorites so far are their dates, empanadas, fresh baked olive loaf with andalusia tomato sauce, and ceviche. I still want to try their cheeses and paella next time. Also, want to check our their resturant dinner show and their sunday brunch. Be on the look out for a review on that ;)


Love this group (L to R: Noah, Jess, me, Suz, and Brad), too bad Noah had to mess it up by moving to Chico. Blah, oh well road trip! :D