Omogari

In light of my recent dining experience and also just because I adore this restaurant, allow me to shine a little light on S. J. Omogari.  After hearing about this quaint Korean eatery several months ago from friends + coworkers + Yelp, I ventured over to Japantown in San Jose to give it a try.  I was pleasantly surprised when they were extremely busy on a Saturday night, yet were still able to quickly accommodate my small party of three, considering this place is pretty tiny.  That was good enough reason for me to want to come back with larger parties and still be confident that they would be able to seat us comfortably.  Let’s just say I’ve yet to be disappointed, and this has become one of my favorite restaurants in rotation.

Once proclaimed a Korean food newbie, my pre-Omogari knowledge basically consisted of only Korean beef short ribs and kimchi.  Seriously.  But after many visits to Omogari, I quickly became familiar with the menu and typical Korean favorites.  First off, ramen here is exceptionally delicious.  It’s at a perfect level of spiciness and flavor, and the decent-sized bowl contains a sh*tload of noodles!  I also love the simple “Bul-go-gi,” marinated beef served with a side of rice, as well as their house special stir fry with beef, and “Chap-chae,” thin clear noodles sautéed with mixed vegetables and beef (Korea’s own version of Filipino sotanghon).  Popular among regulars would have to be their assorted “Bi-bim-bab” dishes made with vegetables, your choice of meat, a sunny side up egg and rice served in stone pots.  Per usual in Korean restaurants, all entrees are accompanied with complementary “banchan,” several side dishes that include kimchi, sprouts, cucumbers, potatoes, etc.  And one scoop of either strawberry or green tea ice cream is also complimentary at the end of your meal! But don’t forget to ask for it, they don’t just straight up give it to you. 

I think what continues to bring in more customers and more importantly, keep the loyal patrons coming back is the excellent customer service.  As delicious as their food is, this restaurant thrives because their servers are inviting and friendly, and customers just feel well taken care of.  Omogari is a family-owned business, with literally a family of four running the show.  Each of them strike up conversations with the customers, are always refilling drinks and asking if we need anything else, and are just super pleasant and affable.  During my most recent visit, I came with a party of eleven that included two toddlers in tow.  Though it was impossible to seat us all together because this restaurant is already mini-sized, they had no problem seating us in adjacent tables and kindly catering to our large party, always making conversation, playfully minding the little babies, and were even willing to take our picture with our obnoxious DSLR cameras.  A few bonus points for the good looking Korean brothers who work here and help their parents out by serving, which adds eye candy to the already enjoyable experience.

Burger Delight

I’m not going to downplay it one bit: I love a big, juicy, tender…cheeseburger.  (Get your mind out of the gutter!) Sometimes I’ll be perusing a restaurant menu and I’ll think “Eff it, forget that grilled chicken salad, forget that sandwich and soup, I’ll get the ¼ pound cheeseburger!" And not to be completely over-confident, but the best burgers I’ve tasted are probably the ones I’ve perfected myself.  Granted, burgers are fairly easy to manage- cook your ground beef, place some cheese on top and insert it in between some hamburger buns- but I think there’s actually quite more to the technique.  Aside from the meat patty quality, I believe its condiments play an equally important role in making a regular burger taste like a five-star meal.

In order to cook more than decent barbeque, try investing in an actual grill.  If that’s not possible at the moment, a grill pan is the next best thing.  A grill pan should work perfectly enough for making a great burger.  You could essentially cook a burger patty in a regular frying pan, but then it would be lacking in grill marks, which is what you really want in a burger.  I prefer to buy 80% lean/20% fat ground beef, which yields a pretty juicy piece of meat.   When I prepare the ground beef patties, I like to dice garlic and onions and actually incorporate them in the meat.  No need for any oil, I heat up the grill pan to high heat and place the ½ inch thick patties on top; the ground beef contains enough fat to forgo the oil.  Without pressing down on the patties with a spatula to avoid moisture loss, I cook each side for about four minutes, letting the meat reach to about 160° F, the magic number necessary to kill off e. coli bacteria.  Meanwhile, as the meat is cooking, I begin to prepare a barbeque sauce created by yours truly: just a simple mixture of tomato ketchup, A1 steak sauce, vinegar, and sugar that's brought to a boil.  When the second sides of the patties are already cooking, I place the barbecue sauce and some Swiss cheese on top of the finished sides.  The remaining time allows for the cheese to melt completely, ‘cause God knows how annoying it is when I’m trying to devour a burger and the cheese is only halfway melted.  When the burger patties are done, they should be covered in grill marks on the outside and present just a slight pink center; also known as a medium burger, my personal preference.   I place the patties on toasted sesame seed buns along with tomatoes and avocado; all that’s needed with a burger.  No need for any onions because they’re already mixed in the meat itself, and I just think lettuce is unnecessary and frankly, gets in the way. 

As easily as this can be done in your own kitchen or backyard, there’s nothing wrong with searching for one at a local restaurant too.  Country Gourmet, Sunnyvale has a GREAT burger.  As I mentioned earlier, I’m one of the managers of this American bistro.  I know a lot about our products as well as secret inner sanctum dealings I can use against them, come the day they decide to dismiss me (muahaha.)  But no really, our burgers are made with free range, Niman Ranch beef, with no fillers or antibiotics.  You can choose from four different types of cheese, and for $11 a pop, you'd be hard pressed to find another ½ pound burger this good of quality elsewhere for any cheaper. (We also offer a ground turkey burger and a veggie patty burger.  Talk about an advertisement!)  The Counter, Santana Row has tasty burgers too if you enjoy out-of-the-ordinary condiments and toppings (pineapple, mixed greens, apricot sauce, honey mustard, cucumbers, etc.) and The Cheesecake Factory offers several different kinds of burgers, my favorite being the Kobe Burger, made with Kobe beef and filled with sautéed mushrooms and onions.  And I don’t think In N Out has ever disappointed with their simple, straight to the point "animal style" cheeseburger and fries.  So seriously, forget the girly pasta in olive oil and the salad with the exotic dressing for the moment.  Instead, dig your mittens into a big, juicy, manly, burger!

Shaomai! Shaomai!

Let’s face it.  We Asians have invaded the Bay Area.  If you’re any kind of Asian around here…heck if you’re ANYBODY in the Bay, then golly you MUST know of dim sum?!  It don’t matta if you’re Chinese, Filipino, Korean, black, white, brown or yellow, it’s hard to imagine someone here who has yet to experience this delicious yet inexpensive cuisine.  Now I’ll be honest with you, I’m particular about the kind of Asian restaurants I dine in and the foods they serve.  I’m Filipino and I dislike Filipino food (ironic, yes).  I’m not too fond of sit-down Chinese restaurants and most especially buffets, though I love their fast food take-out.  By far my favorite Asian cuisines are Vietnamese (and no, I’m not JUST talking about Pho) and Japanese, and I’ve just been starting to warm up to Korean.  But more often than not, the thing I’ll crave the most is dim sum.  This form of Chinese cuisine is not exactly your typical fried rice, chow mein, beef and broccoli, shrimp with walnuts type of feast…no, no, nothing like that.  Customary during lunch time and served with hot tea, dim sum involves a wide range of small, light dishes that mostly consists of meat and seafood.  Bottom line, you won’t see this stuff for dinner.

Enter any dim sum restaurant between 11am-1 and you'll instantly hear a buzzing in the air- all Chinese restaurants are loud! And dim sum gets quite hectic.  Hey, I’m not hating- I usually put my game face on and join in on the hustle and bustle.  Once you’re seated, you can immediately flag down, or if you’re normal, wait for a nice Chinese lady pushing around a cart full of steamer baskets and small plates to visit your table.  Goodness, I’m no expert on names (I obviously only know "Shaomai"), let alone do I speak a word of Cantonese, so I just point to an item for them to hand to me.  The dishes consist of shrimp or pork dumplings, barbecued pork buns, Chinese broccoli, rice noodle rolls, spare ribs, and chicken feet among many others.  And by the way, yes, I said chicken feet- talons and all.  Before some ignorant pu-te goes “EEWW GROSS!”- please spare me.  You will only receive an eye-roll.  Don’t knock it till you try it! Deep-fried, boiled, sautéed in black bean sauce, then steamed, this tender and flavorful dish probably constitutes as one of my favorites.  No need for any rice, I prefer to enjoy any of these items with just a side of soy sauce and spicy chili.  I also like to finish off this savory gastronomy with the desserts they offer- sesame seed balls filled with red bean paste or egg tarts.  *Just a slight warning- you should not assume dim sum is healthy.  Most of the dishes contain a high amount of sodium and saturated fat.  Please consume in moderation.

Being a Milpitas resident, there is no reason for me to travel far for dim sum; there are a dozen hot spots in the area.  Off the top of my head: King Crab, New Eastlake, ABC Seafood Restaurant, and Mayflower (Great Mall).  I’ve even listed them in order from reasonably priced to breaking the bank.  It’s apparent though that dim sum is all over the Bay Area- there are a handful of restaurants in every city.  I can imagine how equally delicious, if not more, dim sum is in Chinatown, SF, eastside San Jose, or downtown anywhere.  And not all dim sum can be found at sit-down restaurants either; there are a number of bakeries and Asian supermarkets where you can pick out dim sum to-go.  So whether you’re a first timer or a dim sum veteran, go dine at the nearest joint and tell me about it?  I’m over-due for a visit. 

*Second and third photos are courtesy of Yahoo images

Sweet Offerings

One of my philosophies in life: There’s always room for dessert.  I don’t care if I’m up to my throat in pasta, I WILL get that crème brulee on the menu. With that said, here are my top three favorite desserts:

1.  White Chocolate Molten (Chili’s)- Truth be told, I’m not the biggest fan of Chili’s.  There’s a limited number of items I will actually touch on the menu and I typically play it safe over there; I’ve heard numerous food poisoning stories so I will just stick with the chicken quesadillas or baby back ribs, thank you. But I do, oh so love the white chocolate molten! It’s white chocolate + heaven + angels on a plate basically.  Cratered on top of a white cake is an extra large scoop of vanilla ice cream encased by a hard, white chocolate shell.  Dig into the cake and surprise! There’s a pool of melted white chocolate just chillin’ in the center- very lava cake-esque.  Encircling the dish is some raspberry syrup to add a bit of fruit flavor.  The contrast of the warm cake and white chocolate with the cold ice cream is what creates the party in my mouth every time.

2.  White Chocolate Raspberry Bread Pudding (Café Bistro, Nordstrom)- Sorry for the repetition, but my two favorite desserts happen to be similar ok?  First off, LOVE this restaurant.  When it comes to Café Bistro, I will drive the fifteen-minute trek just for some French onion soup and bread pudding.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with bread pudding (which was me four years ago) it is a dish made with stale bread mixed with other ingredients and soaked in milk overnight.  Agreed, that description sounded all too unappetizing- but trust me, this is some melt-in-your-mouth good eats.  This very generous slice of baked bread pudding is practically swimming in melted white chocolate and raspberry syrup and garnished with white chocolate shavings on top, fresh raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

3.  Frozen yogurt (Pinkberry, Santana Row)- The easiest way to my heart: a trip to the nearest Pinkberry.  Given that the frozen yogurt craze resulted in about a million frozen yogurt shops around the Bay Area, most of them are very delicious and easily satisfy my froyo hankerings.  I especially enjoy the self-serve yogurt shops where you can mix and match a dozen flavors and toppings.  However, hands down, I love the pomegranate flavor at Pinkberry the best.  With the same amount of tartness as “original” yet with an added burst of fruit flavor, the pomegranate yogurt goes perfectly with milk chocolate shavings and fresh strawberries.  That’s also another reason why I love Pinkberry over others- they’re the only place that offers milk chocolate and white chocolate shavings (with the exception of Tutti Melon in Mercado that serves dark chocolate shavings, but I no longer go there because it’s dirty and it’s not exactly my neck of the woods)!  I do realize Pinkberry is a bit pricey and to a certain extent, overrated (their lines can get way too long), but with its popular location, fresh products, and one exceptionally good flavor, I’m right there along with all the hype.

Honorable mentions:

-Pizooki (BJ’s)

-Bread Pudding (Country Gourmet)

-Red Velvet Cheesecake (Cheesecake Factory)

*Pinkberry photo is courtesy of Yelp

UnBREAK my Heart

Do you want to know what it is that really satisfies the belly and warms the soul? Think about the best type of comfort food while going scrubby with your Ugg boots and hoodie on a rainy day. Think about the worst hangover and only wanting one thing. Hint hint: most important meal of the day? Ring a bell? American breakfast! Whoever invented the overall theme of this meal deserves some recognition. Whether it’s as simple as granola with yogurt, to a more traditional cheesy omelet, or to hardcore steak and eggs, I’m completely sold.

First of all, though the main component of breakfast that first comes to everyone’s mind are eggs, there’s actually an extremely wider range of options. Don’t you ever wonder why breakfast buffets are so successful? Ok, lets start with the simple things. Cereal, oatmeal, granola, fruit. These four foods are already making my mouth water, and we haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet. Then we have eggs: so many ways to cook one thing! Even with what I believed to be the most popular way to have eggs be scrambled (because of texture reasons and salmonella concerns- though that’s a different topic in itself) every other way makes me just as happy. We now diverge into the art of omelets- don’t tell me you don’t think they’re bomb! Stuff any omelet with cheese and a few veggies, put some fruit and toast on the side and you’ve got yourself a balanced breaky. And how could I undermine bacon and sausage- the staple meats of breakfast that contribute to most of the flavor and saltiness of the entire meal. Serve any of these egg dishes with a side of potatoes, ketchup and Tabasco, and there you go- I just described the simplest, most comforting food in the Western hemisphere.


Breakfast also tends to get a bit fancy. Breakfast buffs will tell you that their favorite meal is the Eggs Benedict. With this lovely display of poached eggs placed on top of an English muffin and ham, and crowned with hollandaise sauce, I personally couldn’t agree more. I must warn you, hollandaise sauce is not for the ill hearted: this sauce contains a high amount of fat, the main ingredient being egg yolks. Though if done correctly and all thoughts of a diet are thrown out the window, this meal is divine. You’ve also got pancakes, waffles, and French toast glazed with maple syrup for the carb-loving, sweet-toothed folks. Add fruit to these dishes and it just makes them 10x more enjoyable. Do you want to get even fancier? Try a quiche. Even the pronunciation sounds pretentious. (The funniest way I’ve heard it pronounced is “quicky.”) But as much as this meal is loaded with cheese and carbs as well, I can’t help but love the flavor! Lastly, pair any meal with an orange juice, a cappuccino, or a stiff mimosa and I’m in breakfast heaven.

Now that my extended tangent of why I love breakfast is almost over, I should probably share with you some places where your breakfast fix will not be a let-down. First of all, forget Denny’s and I Hop. Just don’t even think about it. Chains like these most likely serve eggs that come from chicken farms where its chickens are cooped up all day in the dark. (I highly recommend you watch Food Inc, and you’ll learn more about this topic.) Instead, try places like Boulevard Café in Daly City, Evergreen Inn in San Jose (for large portions), and Country Gourmet in Sunnyvale. (Ok so I’m biased with Country Gourmet because I’m totally one of the managers there, but that’s a different story. We have good food, I promise!) But my personal favorite breakfast restaurant is unmistakably Lundy’s in San Rafael. This tiny, cozy spot in the heart of small downtown San Rafael has never let me down. There are a ton

of specials listed on the many chalkboards on the walls, tasty coffee, and a HUGE menu (they also serve lunch items.) The only downside is that they don’t serve mimosas, but when you’re too busy with good company and a delicious croissant sandwich in front of you, it’s all too dandy to matter. Sit at the bar and you’ll get to watch them cook your food to order. Just be sure to go early because I believe they close at around 3:30, so they obviously don’t have breakfast all day here.

When they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, believe them. It energizes you for the rest of the day by recharging your brain and body and makes you efficient in anything you do. If you don’t have time for a big breakfast, then shiiett open up a box of Cheerios! I love that stuff!