food – Page 2 – tide & bloom

lee’s sandwiches

No offense, but if you don’t know what bánh mì is by now then you’ve probably been living under a rock. Or maybe you just don’t like food in general. Whatever the case may be, I’m 100% sure that your taste buds need this in their life. Being half Vietnamese myself – although arguably one of the most American ones you could meet – there’s never been a time when I didn’t crave these. It might be partially due to the scarcity of Vietnamese food in South Florida as I was growing up (minus mom’s cooking), but I’m pretty sure it’s also because they’re so perfect. When made right, of course.

i heart austin: sights

i heart austin: food

Recent travels have taken me to Texas, where my appetite is definitely bigger. I visit Houston at least once a year to see family, but now that I have a cousin studying at UT, a mini road trip to Austin was a no-brainer. The highlight of this weekend trip? Oysters, burgers, and barbecue. It’s a wonder how I was able to keep the button on my jeans from popping off.

The oysters at Perlas were like dipping your toes into the cold salt water of the ocean. Briny, but in the most Invigorating and refreshing way possible. I’m not picky when it comes to oysters because I’ll take what I can get, but seriously. These were amazing.

homegrown

Listen. I know I’m probably overwhelming you with gluttony-inducing photographs, but I just can’t help it. Food is beautiful and Atlanta is just too damn abundant for me not to share it all! I actually don’t really eat out very often; it just so happens that my parents visited me to help me move and thus the frequency of the food posting. Today I’m delighted to finally show you Home Grown.

I’ve been dying to try Home Grown for a very long time. Drive by on any weekend morning and you will see a crowd of people around their doors! It’s made me wonder what the fuss is all about for quite some time now, but I haven’t managed to find a reason to brave the wait. That is, until my parents came to visit.

star provisions

Why has it taken me three years of living in Atlanta to have lunch in Star Provisions? The world may never know. What I do know now is that it’s the perfect spot to share a casual bite with a friend (which is exactly what I did). Nestled in the heart of Westside Atlanta, Star Provisions is the casual marketplace sibling to Anne Quatrano’s more well-known culinary ventures. I’ve not yet managed to get myself into Bacchanalia, most often named the best restaurant in Atlanta, but maybe this visit could buy me a little more time.

Star Provisions is an order-at-the-counter style cafe that serves a variety of sandwiches, salads, and other delicious baked goods.

skewers

There is a place on Buford Highway that Ben and I so lovingly nicknamed “skewers”. It sits in one of those random Asian-dominated commercial plazas, so conveniently next door to Quickly (where I get my regular taro milk bubble tea). At Bei Jing Kabobs, you can get a variety of clear-your-nose-water-your-eyes spicy kebabs.

Unfortunately my spice level tolerance is pretty much zero so I can’t enjoy about half the menu, but it sure does look attractive. You can get a variety of spiced meats and seafood on kebabs or submerged in this steaming and delicious-looking stew. I mean, look at it! Has broccoli and asparagus ever looked so delectably lethal?

yum bunz

When I saw the “dim sum fast: coming soon” sign over in West Midtown, you can bet I was already salivating. Dim sum in the heart of the city?! Imagine that. The mere thought of the convenience made me giddy like a schoolgirl. I dream of the day when Atlanta has its own Chinatown, but for now I have to settle for the 20-minute-minimum drive outside of town to get my Asian food fix. Enter in Yum Bunz.

After I finally managed to make a Yum Bunz date with my friends, we were all pretty darn excited. I mean, even just saying the name is fun, but I was seriously thrilled at the idea of how this place could possibly change my life. That’s how much I love dim sum. I arrived to the sleek location first and as per usual, couldn’t decide what to choose. The decor is contemporary and cute, as expected, and the menu was surprisingly streamlined. Thankfully they had some combo formulas that allowed me to try a variety of items! Which is exactly the way dim sum should be – easy, fulfilling, and quick.

west & mill

There are some places that I want so badly to be good, but no matter how hard I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, I just can’t deny my disappointment. I really don’t enjoy writing negatively, but keeping my writing voice honest is very important and in order to do that I also need to share my experiences that aren’t so perfect.

I’ve visited West & Mill twice now and both times were for a leisurely brunch, free of pressure or expectation. On Sunday mornings, I just want something that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Sometimes all it takes is a good coffee and a bagel and other times I need a tad bit more effort. West & Mill is at a great location in West Midtown, right across the street from Octane. It has a cute and quaint little dining room which is a slightly weird, but cool mixture of European bistro and contemporary industrial. By looks and looks alone, all signs point to a pleasant dining experience.

instamadness

Yes, I finally joined Instagram @tideandbloom #latebloomer. Guess I just can’t resist yet another way to share my experiences! Here’s a little sample of where I’m beginning:

[instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/ZN6dNkn_yW/ width=325] [instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/ZdtKEpn_9f/ width=325][instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/ZdspvhH_8o/ width=325] [instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/ZdvJN3H_xG/ width=325] [instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Zd05G_H_6M/ width=325] [instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Zdfk_mn_1f/ width=325]

Are you addicted to Instagram? Are there any particularly interesting Instaphotographers I need to follow?

moments in gatorville: part 1

Visiting places from your past can be weird. Some things will be the same, but the one thing that is guaranteed to have changed is you. This is how I feel every time I visit Gainesville, Florida – better known as home of the Florida Gators. I spent four years there (2006-2010) and in that time span I built the foundation for the courage and ambition that I have now. It’s rare that I have a chance to go back but since one of my very best friends was graduating and being showered with bride-to-be love, I found myself in the Swamp yet again.

// A gorgeous graduate and her charming fiancé

// Our celebratory brunch at Blue Gill