Archive | Food Reviews

Japanese Beer - Best To Taste While In Japan

Posted on 29 August 2010 by nick

Just like electronics, the Japanese beer serves to be an innovation. Beer was brought to Japan by the Dutch when they built beer halls. Later, Germans brought beer and marked its popularity. In fact, beer is the most famous alcoholic drink served in Japan, which accounts for about two thirds of 9 billion liters consumed in the year 2006.

Japanese began to brew an adaptation of the beer after the Meiji Era. A large number of people in Japan brew beer for their own, with three popular breweries in Japan. These breweries include Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo. The product offered by all these three breweries is the lager beer.

One can find beer in vending machines and kiosk in Japan. Beer can also be bought from a number of outlets like from the convenience stores and supermarkets. But Japan has strict laws for driving motor vehicle or even riding the bicycle after consuming alcohol. The popular beer brands in Japan include Asahi Black, Asahi Super Dry, Kirin Lager Beer, Kirin Tanrei, Sapporo Yebisu, Suntory Malt’s, Orion Draft Beer, Hokkaido Nama-Shibori, Suntory Super Magnum Dry and the Orion Special to name a few.

Many Japanese breweries provide seasonal beers as well that are produced just during a single season. For example, in autumn, the ‘autumn beers’ are produced with contents of high alcohol like 6 percent. In other words, Japan is a place which is popular for its customs and beer is in fact no exception. In case you are fortunate enough to visit Japan and have a nice Japanese beer, ensure that you follow the customs as well. For instance, it is customary that while drinking with a colleague or friend, you need to pour the beet for him or her first. Also, it is required that you must socialize with your friends and family in one of the special outdoor beer gardens of Japan.

Beer actually means any kind of fermented drink that is made from the grains. Lagers and ales are the main beer families. Lagers are produced with the yeast’s bottom fermenting strains that are not reused sometimes. In this way, the yeast does not provide much flavor as they are fermented a number of weeks at cooler temperatures before they are ready to be used. On the other hand, ales are specially made using the yeast’s top fermenting strains. These have high malt content as well as hops and so they have bitter flavor. Ales are fermented usually at high temperatures and can be consumed much sooner as compared to the lagers.

One thing which is great about the Japanese beer is the fact that it is of great flavor with a light texture. In case you are one of those who enjoy taking light beer, you can easily find the Japanese beers as perfect substitutes for less flavorful beers of America. Many of the Japanese beers have also won the taste tests against the heavy hitters like Heinek or Amstel Light.

Last but not least, you will be happy to find that many beers at Japan are less costly than many brands of imported beers.

source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/food_and_drink/article_2852.shtml

Comments (0)

53rd and 6th: A New York City Culinary Classic

Posted on 11 August 2010 by nick

Anyone who’s somewhat familiar with New York City knows about “Street Meat”. No, I’m not talking about hot dogs - I’m talking about Chicken & Rice or Lamb & Rice. During a recent trip to The City (sorry San Francisco, but if any city deserves the nickname ‘The City’, it’s New York City), I was informed that there was a very special chicken & rice stand that “somewhat unusual hours as it usually opens at around 7:30 pm, and does not close until 4 am” says Wikipedia.

These very unusual hours only add to the allure of this particular street vendor. His chicken & rice, or lamb & rice, is actually spectacular. It’s worth the ridiculously long line that you WILL endure to get your hands on this $6 sensation.

Wikipedia goes on to talk about the carts epic white sauce, “The stand is famous for its white sauce. The recipe for the white sauce is kept secret. Operators of the stand maintain that this homemade condiment is not mayonnaise, but have admitted that it may contain mayonnaise in some part as well as yogurt and claim that preparation of the sauce is extremely time consuming. Some Chicken and Rice devotees have dubbed the white sauce “Crack Sauce” due to it’s suspiciously addictive taste.”

The cart is well worth whatever trek you have to endure to get there. If you can actually finish the entire portion you are a true eating champion - it’s a lot of food. The only recommendation I have for anyone thinking of getting this awesome street meat is DO NOT CUT THE LINE!

Comments (0)

Review of Baby Blues BBQ in Los Angeles (Venice)

Posted on 28 June 2010 by nick

Quick! Name the first 5 things that pop into your head when somebody says, “Los Angeles”. Hmm, you’re probably saying things like, “surfing”, “The Lakers”, “Sunshine”, “Hollywood”, “Celebrities” or things along that line. Well, let me tell you what needs to happen right now. You need to make room in your top 5 things that pop into your head when somebody says “Los Angeles” for “BBQ”.

Baby Blues BBQ in Venice is pretty amazing. It’s fall-off-the-bone good. It’s soak-up-every-drop-of-BBQ-sauce-with-your-piece-of-cornbread good. It’s hey-man-don’t-talk-to-me-because-I-don’t-want-to-talk-I-just-want-to-eat good. It’s…well, if you don’t know where I’m going with this by now I simply do NOT know what to tell you. Baby Blues BBQ is fantastic. When I went to Baby Blues BBQ (there was two of us) I ordered:

  • Full rack of Baby Back Ribs
  • Order of Chicken Wings
  • 2 pieces of Cornbread
  • 1 order of Mac N’ Cheese
  • 2 Budlights
  • The waitresses phone number (fail)

Everything I ordered was delicious and came out pretty fast. Baby Blues BBQ had a few BBQ sauces on the table - all of them were really good but I enjoyed the “Sweet BBQ” the best. It was one of those sauces where when nobody is looking you do a 3 second long squirt into your mouth (that’s what she said). Very excellent stuff. In addition to the food being out of this world at Baby Blues BBQ the atmosphere was simply amazing. For the duration of my meal I felt as if I had been transported into the deep south for some good ol’ fashion soul food. When I remembered I was in Los Angeles and not Tennessee I ordered my second beer as a celebration.

What set Baby Blues BBQ apart for me was the excellent service. In addition to our server, we had two other people coming up to check on us to see if we needed anything, anything at all. Next time you’re in Los Angeles make sure you stop by Baby Blues BBQ in Venice for some great good and great atmosphere! Tell them TheDailyContributor.com sent you and you’ll receive 15% off - I’m totally lying about that discount thing…Enjoy the ribs though!

Comments (1)

What to Expect When Eating at a Thai Restaurant in Tempe

Posted on 08 June 2010 by nick

The beauty of dining at a Thai restaurant in Tempe is that you get a delicious meal that’s time consuming to prepare served for your enjoyment, while you’ve got nothing to worry about but the flow of conversation. Ever try making Thai food at home? Hopefully, you’ve got nothing to do for few hours, since it takes a lot of time in the kitchen to get the spices and unique blend of flavors just right. While it’s the spices that make eating at a Thai restaurant in Tempe such a delectable experience, there are some diet considerations you might want to keep in mind. Flavors this tasty take special considerations for certain palates.

Thai Cuisine Makes a Healthy Diet

Fortunately, a favorite staple at just about every Thai restaurant in Tempe is fish and seafood. Soups are also popular, containing low fat but packed with flavor. One preferred cooking method in Thai cuisine is satay, which cooks lean meats without any added oil. Much of Thai cuisine is purely vegetarian and features a good variety of vegetables, so it is quite healthy to the diet.

Flavors that Can Burn

At the same time, Thai cuisine can be one of the spiciest cuisines on the planet. Some dishes can sizzle in your mouth with a fire no amount of water can put out. Luckily, you’ll find that a Thai restaurant in Tempe is sensitive to this issue, and will often feature temperature ratings on the menu. You can also specify how hot you’d like a dish, as each dish can generally be made to your own spice preference. If you want mild Thai, it can be done. If you do like it hot and the flames aren’t high enough for you, you’ll find a tasty spicy sauce on the table that turns up the fire.

If the food does get too hot for you, water probably won’t help much. Stick to plain steamed rice, which is served up with Thai food in plenty. Rice contains natural remedies that help to absorb the spice for better relief. Don’t be afraid to order extra rice at a Thai restaurant in Tempe. You’re going to need it.

Remember Any Food Allergies

If you have any food allergies, you may want to contact the Thai restaurant in Tempe ahead of time to let them know or to ask any questions. Always consult with your server about food ingredients if you are allergic. Massaman Beef Curry features extra lean meat. Nam Jim Satay is a popular Thai dish with a savory peanut sauce made with coconut cream, sugar and peanuts. You’ll peanuts and other nuts are popular ingredients in Thai cuisine, so be aware of what you are eating if you have allergic sensitivities.

Thai cuisine is an experience to tempt the palate. Tempe is lucky to feature many quality Thai restaurants, thanks to a strong local Thai population. It’s wonderful to live in city where authentic flavor is a cultural experience to be shared. If you haven’t tasted Thai before, give it a try sometime at a well recommended Thai restaurant in Tempe. You owe your taste buds this cultural treat.

By Guest Blogger: Yupha Dequenne
Source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/food_and_drink/article_2586.shtml

Comments (1)

Tags:

Spooky Drinks To Brew For Your Halloween Party

Posted on 26 October 2009 by nick

This Halloween when your friends are together having a monster mash make sure you concoct these fiendish drinks to spice up the evening. If you don’t have your costume picked out yet make sure you check out our suggestions for 80s Halloween costumes and 90s Halloween costumes.

Halloween is our absolute favorite holiday here at TheDailyContributor.com so make sure you email your Halloween photos and we’ll post them if we like them! Now start mixing those drinks! Continue Reading

Comments (1)

Tags: ,

Thai Time, San Diego, CA

Posted on 19 September 2009 by lou

thai-time-sign

Thai Time - San Diego

Thai Time is located right in the center of downtown San Diego in front of the Horton Plaza Mall on Broadway Circle. I guarantee this thai joint is better then any food you can purchase at the mall. It is so close to the mall you can actually grab some thai while your friends go to the food court, where you will receive nothing close to the quality and quantity of food.

Thai Time offers take out or dine in. The dining area is very nice and there is outdoor seating offered in front of the restaurant. The portions of food are very generous. If you order the any of the curries you receive a large plastic tub of food!

Continue Reading

Comments (2)

Tags: ,

East Village Tavern & Bowl, San Diego, CA

Posted on 17 September 2009 by lou

EVT&V

EVT&V

The East Village Tavern & Bowl located in the East Village section of Downtown San Diego might be the coolest bar in the entire city. Bowling aside, the East Village Tavern & Bowl has a great bar setup. East Village Tavern & Bowl has your standard bar food and beer selections that you’ve come to expect over the years.

What separates East Village Tavern & Bowl are the bowling alleys inside. Don’t go to East Village Tavern & Bowl expecting freshly polished lanes. Go to East Village Tavern & Bowl expecting to have a few drinks, some wings, listen to good music and to throw heavy objects at other heavy objects. It’s a great spot to bring a date or a group of friends in from out of town. Most likely your friends have nothing like East Village Tavern & Bowl where they’re from and they will think you’re the coolest person ever. Continue Reading

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

Cafe Coyote, Old Town, San Diego, CA

Posted on 15 September 2009 by lou

Cafe Coyote

Cafe Coyote

Cafe Coyote is Old Town’s most popular Mexican restaurant - not the best though. Cafe Coyote is located in San Diego’s Old Town neighborhood and is in the heart of the strip on San Diego Ave. While the food served up is marginal at best, Cafe Coyote certainly wins with ambiance, atmosphere and salsa.

If you’re visiting Old Town for the first time you’ll want to eat at Cafe Coyote because it’s always packed. Typically in San Diego when a place is packed it means the restaurant serves up great food. Unfortunately the food at Cafe Coyote isn’t on the same level as the fantastic mariachi band that will serenade you and your party while you dine. Continue Reading

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

Bar Louie, Anaheim, CA

Posted on 12 September 2009 by lou

Bar Louie

Bar Louie

Bar Louie Tavern & Grill is probably one of the most accommodating restaurants I have been to. It is located at the Anaheim Garden Walk (which is just outside of Disneyland) in Orange County next to Club Ultra Heat. It may be ideal for pre-gaming before heading into the club.

The restaurant is set up, that once you walk inside there is a bar right in front of you, in the middle of the room, set up in an oval shape, like that you would see at Yardhouse, just a little smaller. There is seating all around the bar. To the right are a bunch of comfortable, and some more private booths.

Continue Reading

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

The White House, Anaheim, CA

Posted on 11 September 2009 by lou

White House

White House

The White House in Anaheim, Ca, is one of the more elegant looking restaurants in Orange County. Although named “The White House”, the appearance of the building does not look like The White House itself, but it is a white house. Every room is named after a certain president though, and decorated in its own unique way.

Everything is pretty much decorated in shades of white and gold, so you definitely get the atmosphere of something more sophisticated. Saying so, you wouldn’t show up to this place dressed in jeans and a shirt. It makes for a nice date, a dinner party of any occasion, or even a good place for a prom group to have their dinner at. Continue Reading

Comments (1)

Tags: ,

Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill, San Diego, CA

Posted on 10 September 2009 by lou

Blue Water

Blue Water

When you come across a place that your friend says “that place is pretty good, you should try it” while you’re driving by and two days later Guy Fieri tells you essentially the same thing while you’re watching the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-in’s, and Drives (EP602), well, you gotta try it. So, I did. This place is great. It is no frills, simple, fresh fish.

I think it has some of the better seafood in town. The first thing I noticed was the HUGE selection of fish! They have mahi-mahi, Hawaiian wahoo, soft-shell crab, ahi, yellow tail, red snapper, crab, shrimp, etc. For each fish, you are given the option of sandwhich, salad, or plate. Continue Reading

Comments (1)

Tags: , ,

Emeril’s, Miami Beach, FL

Posted on 09 September 2009 by lou

Emeril's Miami Beach

Emeril's Miami Beach

Bam! Yep, that Emeril. Emeril’s is in the center of South Beach in the Loews Hotel. Emeril’s Miami Beach is one of Emeril’s many locations which include Orlando, Las Vegas, and the original in Emeril’s home town New Orleans. Emeril’s blends the soulful flavors of Louisiana with the Latin-tinged rhythms of South Florida and the bold tastes of the Caribbean.

I have never seen so many people working together on each table all the time. Each time something was being served or cleaned there were two or three of Emeril’s finest assisting. This really sped up every aspect of our dining experience and was very professional. Continue Reading

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

Bubble Room, Captiva Island, FL

Posted on 07 September 2009 by lou

Bubble Room

Bubble Room

The Bubble Room is filled with memorabilia from the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s they call Bubble Thnigs. Examples of Bubble Things are toy trains running through all the rooms, movie stills over all the walls, a Mickey Mouse blow up doll, a large Santa and an old cigarette machine. There are five separate dining rooms on three floors, all are equally weird and wonderful. Each table is set up with a see through glass case which contains all sorts of trinkets and toys from monopoly money to Christmas items.

Bubble Things

Bubble Things

The wait staff are dressed in Boy Scout clothing and refer to themselves as Bubble Scouts. Let the laughter begin and it does. Everything about the Bubble Room puts a smile on your face and this is the point, it is a fun place to eat. Everyone at the Bubble Room is started off with Bubble Bread and cinnamon buns. The Bubble Bread is like garlic bread. Both these items are very filling but delicious. If you happen to be eating near closing they will probably send you home with a whole plate of extra Bubble Bread. Continue Reading

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

The Old Captiva House at The Tween Waters Inn, Captiva Island, FL

Posted on 06 September 2009 by lou

The OCH, as the waiter “cleverly” calls The Old Captiva House, offers one of the finer dining experiences on Captiva Island. As with many fine dining establishments, the color white is everywhere. The tablecloths, napkins, curtains, walls and even the staff attire sport the color white. I suppose the color white is elegant, soothing and does set the atmosphere of the OCH well.

The Old Captiva House

The Old Captiva House

I was not impressed with the beer selection which consisted of all the regulars and offering only Yuengling out of the norm. I expect a bit more selection in a place of OCH’s caliber. The bread was excellent including many varieties accompanied with seasoned oils. The time until entrees were served was right on par with a restaurant of this type, allowing plenty of time to enjoy beverages. Continue Reading

Comments (0)