I was a little bit skeptical as this was my first foray into the dark world of charcoal. I first heard about this festival on Facebook. Cost for entry was about $12+ (including fees). These fees didn’t cover any food and drink costs. Many local vendors were offering their take on charcoal-activated goodies.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with all of the food I tried. Everything was tasty, and some of the products did have a distinct charcoal flavor, some more than others.

WOOD-FIRED CHARCOAL-CRUST PIZZA (from Firetrail Pizza

I tried the Margherita pizza option with a charcoal crust. This pizza was my favorite out of all the things I tried while at the festival. The pizza was thin, and the crust was really yummy. The coating did have a slightly earthy flavor than a traditional pizza crust would have. The overall taste and quality of the pizza were really delectable. The sauce wasn’t too sour or sweet, and the smatterings of basil and my addition of red pepper flakes (love!) were perfect.

BRAISED OCTOPUS PASTA (from Sip N’ Slurp)

The ingredients in this pasta included charcoal, garlic, and white wine cream sauce. The octopus was tender (as they should be), and the sauce was very creamy and had an excellent buttery taste. The noodles were cooked perfectly. You couldn’t really taste the charcoal in this dish, however. However, all the flavors and textures worked to make this a delicious choice.

CHARCOAL-ACTIVATED OJ (from Black Magic Beverage)

This orange juice was refreshing, but I couldn’t really taste the charcoal in this drink. The drink was just a fresh option on a hot day.

CHARCOAL DOLE WHIP (from Trader Jim’s)

This charcoal dole whip tasted like every other dole whip I’ve ever tried. Good pineapple flavor, but decided to add a little extra kick with some pepper flakes on top. I couldn’t really taste the charcoal flavor, but this treat was a great refreshing treat to stave off the heat at the moment. I probably would have added more of the spice, though, as I couldn’t taste the heat.

BLACK AND WHITE CHARCOAL PASTRY PUFFS (from Choux SF)

Unfortunately, these goodies melted before I could take an excellent picture of them. (insert sad face here)
I tried the following:
-Charcoal Earl-Grey Chocolate: a hint of earl-grey flavor.
-Vanilla Charcoal Marble: not too sweet and tasty cream cheese bit on top and nice light filling inside.
-Charcoal Brownie: you could really taste the charcoal included in this brownie. Out of all the foods I tried, this tasted most like charcoal. The brownie was really moist and not too sweet.
-Marble Black and White Cheesecake: not overly sweet and had a delicious cheesecake flavor.

The festival had tons of other food choices including charcoal dumplings & egg tarts, charcoal-activated lemonade & sangria, charcoal-battered corndogs, and charcoal-crusted quiches to name some other food items. All in all, I thought this festival was a cool stop to check-out the charcoal food craze.

BUSINESS INFO:
SoMa StrEat Food Park
428 11th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
http://www.somastreatfoodpark.com/

There are always some great upcoming events, so check out their upcoming schedule here.

To learn more about me, you can go here.

For another one of my great San Francisco recommendations, go here.

The post 50 Shades of Charcoal Food Festival appeared first on Consume and Devour.

Poké originated in Hawaii, and the definition is “to cut or slice.” Traditional ingredients typically comprise of tuna and octopus. There are many adaptations to this, however, and you’ll also find yellowfin tuna and other elements. Each restaurant’s offerings will vary from location.

One of my favorite spots to get Poké bowls are from Poke Koma in Alameda, California. You can taste the freshness of the ingredients used here, and if you love seafood, this is an excellent spot to check out. When you come to this spot, you order your bowl in a specific way:

-First, you choose what size dish you’d prefer: Regular (3 proteins) or Large (5 proteins). I like to stick with the option of 3. For me, 5 is a bit overkill, unless you’re starving.
-Second: you choose your base (sushi rice, spring mix, brown rice, crab chips).
-Third: Choose your proteins (Ahi tuna, yellowtail, salmon, shrimp, tofu, octopus, spicy tuna, crawfish, scallops).
-Fourth: Choose your flavor (mild, spicy).
-Fifth: Choose your toppings (Crab Salad, avocado, masago (fish roe), furikake(Japanese dry seasoning), wasabi, jalapenos, seaweed salad, green onions, pickled ginger, fried shallots, wonton strips, corn).
Sixth: Choose your sauce (spicy aioli, creamy wasabi, lemon ginger, jalapeno, teriyaki, roasted garlic, and miso).
You also have the option to choose extra add-in ingredients as well for an additional cost.

I usually order salmon, ahi tuna (my favorite!), and shrimp along with the brown rice base and ALL the fixings. For me, the spicier, the better, so I like to add-in the spicy aioli sauce. I especially love the creamy avocado, crab salad, and freshness of the fish. All the other ingredients are like cherries on a sundae. They complement the bowl terrifically.

REGULAR BOWL WITH ALL THE FIXINGS (SALMON, AHI TUNA, SHRIMP)

CLOSE-UP SHOT OF TUNA AND SALMON

I’ve tried some of the other protein options like the crawfish. This ingredient wasn’t my favorite because it was a bit too salty for my taste buds.

Poke Koma also offer snacks like spam musubi(grilled spam on top of rice and wrapped together), miso soup, and onigiri (Japanese rice ball) and dessert options including Hawaiian shaved ice and different types of beverages. Also, they just started serving alcohol.

The prices at this spot are very reasonable. Two regular bowls will set you back a little over 20 dollars.

Bottom line: if you’ve never tried Poké or love it and have never gone to this eatery, do yourself a favor and check it out if you’re in the area. This spot can get busy on the weekends, and there’s not much room for seating, so get there when they first open for the day if you plan on eating there.

BUSINESS INFORMATION:
Poke Koma
1354 Park Street, b/t Marti Rae Ct & Alameda Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
Hours of Operation:
Daily: 11:00AM to 9:00PM
Phone# (510) 227-5519
info@poke-koma.com
You can view the restaurant menu here.

To learn more about me, please check out my about me page.

You can also read a previous post from another great restaurant in Alameda here.

The post Poké Bowl Deliciousness in the Bay Area appeared first on Consume and Devour.

If you’re from the San Francisco Bay area and haven’t tried HomeRoom in Oakland, go out and try it now. The restaurant is that awesome, and I’ve officially converted into a mac and cheese lover.

Homeroom is located in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland and is one of the city’s oldest. This neighborhood houses many other cool hipster places like Bakesale Betty, Cholita Linda, and more. The area is typically residential and has seen many changes in the last several years with new establishments cropping up.

Homeroom has thirteen different types of mac and cheese to satisfy your cheesy cravings. They also have various add-ins including breadcrumbs (which are a must!!!), veggies, bacon, scallions, to name a few. They also have a salad option (honestly who’s going to eat a salad?!) various desserts, and selection of different libations to wet your whistle.

I can honestly say if you order one of the mac options, you’ll be struggling to eat some dessert after. The portion sizes here are sizable and enough to feed two people.

Ok, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. The FOOD!!

SMOKY BACON MAC:

This dish is honestly my to die for mac and cheese option. I freaking love this dish. The description of this mac is: super smoky with lots of bacon, smoked cheddar, jack, and paprika. You need to top this off with the breadcrumbs to make this perfect!

Check out the bacon mac in action here with this little video I shot:

The taste throughout the dish resonates with bacon, bacon, and more bacon! I can’t come up with another proper adjective to describe this dish. The cheeses mesh so well together, and the macaroni’s cooked to perfection. The macaroni holds up to the barrage of cheese and bacon. You can also add in some hot sauce (like Siracha) to give the plate a little kick.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE MAC:

This visit was the first time trying this mac option, and I liked it! It includes pork-fennel sausage, gouda, pecorino, caramelized onions, cherry tomatoes, and black pepper.

Again, the cheeses melt so perfectly in this dish. The fennel flavor of the pork sausage comes through and is so flavorful. I also liked the addition of the cherry tomatoes (even though my boyfriend did not). They added a little bit of sweetness to the dish which I thought balanced all the ingredients.

I will be ordering this option on another visit.

MEXICAN CHORIZO MAC:

The Mexican chorizo is also another great option to get at this restaurant. It includes pork chorizo, jack, chipotle adobo sauce, and topped with cilantro and lime.

This dish is also a little bit spicy, but nothing to knock your socks off. The combination of flavors here work well, and the chorizo is delicious. I love the cilantro and lime accompaniments. The accompaniments give this dish a freshness.

TIP: The restaurant gets packed on the weekends, so be sure to get there early around the time they’re about to open. Prices for the dishes here range from about $11-$30. Service is always friendly and welcoming (duh, that’s still a big plus in my book).

Even though the restaurant’s closed on Mondays, you can still get your fix by going to their pick-up spot called Homeroom to Go.

The bottom line is if you love this genuinely American comfort food, get your cravings satisfied and go to Homeroom; you won’t be disappointed.

BUSINESS INFORMATION:

Homeroom Restaurant

Hours of Operation:
Closed Mondays
Tues-Thurs 11A-10P
Fri+Sat: 11A-10P
Sun: 11A-10P

Homeroom to Go (Take-out)
Mon-Thurs 11A-10:30P
Fri+Sat: 11A-11P
Sun: 11A-10P
info@homeroom510.com
tel:1-510-597-0400

Check out their menu here.

To learn more about me, please check out my about me page.

You can also read my last post from another great restaurant in Oakland here.

The post Mac and Cheese of Your Dreams appeared first on Consume and Devour.

What can I say about this bakery? I have consistently frequented this establishment for a long time now, and the wide selection of baked goods keep me coming back again and again. The friendly service and welcoming atmosphere also help, as well!

This favorite bakery located in the Clement Street area of San Francisco is known as a “little Chinatown.” There is an assortment of Chinese bakeries and restaurants coupled with Vietnamese, Korean, and other businesses. The bakery always has a nice flow of locals frequenting, and during the holidays it’s pure chaos. People love ordering cakes and desserts from here during this time.

SWEDISH PRINCESS CAKE

The Swedish princess cake is a classic. The first recipe for this type of cake originated in 1948.

The cake from Schubert’s is divine. It includes layers of white cake, raspberry filling, and kirsch(brandy) custard filling. It also includes whipped cream and marzipan icing on top.

The cake is slightly sweet and the layers of cake and raspberry and wonderful marzipan delight the palette. The flavors work so well in this light and airy cake.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE

I am a die-hard chocolate lover. I love anything chocolate, and this cake is a chocolate aficionado’s dream and one of my favorite baked goods.

This cake includes layers of sponge chocolate cake and filling. It contains bittersweet chocolate shavings throughout and the cute little Schubert chocolate embellishments on the top. The cake IS dense, but not overly sweet. This chocolaty dessert is has a beautiful chocolate flavor throughout and will satisfy even the most discerning of chocoholics.

MINI-BERRY TARTS

The berry tarts are delicious. They’re topped with fresh fruit of the season and include a rum custard filling and shortbread cookie crust.

You can order either this tart or the one with fresh fruit. The fresh fruit one can include mango, kiwi or other types of fruit.

The custard filling is, and you can taste the hint of rum infused throughout it. The mixture isn’t overpowering, but perfect.

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MOUSSE

This cake slice includes sponge cake intertwined with raspberry mousse and white and strawberry chocolate shavings on top.

The cake and mousse are very airy, and the shavings on top make an excellent accompaniment. However, I felt the raspberry flavor on top was a tad bit sour for my taste.

I have tried many other types of cakes and dessert slices here. I highly recommend the following:

-Strawberry Shortcake: deliciously light and airy with beautiful strawberry and whipped cream. This cake is perfect for the summer.

-Chocolate mousse with whipped cream: This cake is heavenly with chocolate everything. It includes chocolate mousse, shavings, and cake. It’s decadent, chocolaty and one of my favorite choices.

-Mango mousse: Sponge cake with mango mousse and glaze. Light, airy, and this item has lovely mango flavor. This dessert is also one of my favorite cakes.

Pricing for cakes cost an average of about $25 and up. Dessert slices average about $5 each. Parking is typically tricky in this area, so plan accordingly.

If you want consistently great baked goods, check this place out.

BUSINESS INFORMATION:
Schubert’s Bakery
521 Clement St-between 6th and 7th Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94118

Hours of Operation:
Open 7 Days a Week
Monday to Friday 7 am to 6:30 pm
Saturday 7 am to 6 pm and
Sunday 9 am to 4 pm

To learn more about me, please check out my about me page. For a related post about excellent baked goods, please go here.

The post Baked Goods for Over 100 Years appeared first on Consume and Devour.

I recently tried Cambodian food for the first time at Phnom Penh restaurant in Oakland. The restaurant located off MacArthur Blvd and the area host many cool little stores and eateries. The restaurant initially was located in Oakland’s Chinatown, but now has a permanent fixture in Oakland. They also have another location situated in Alameda; however, I have only been to the Oakland location.

There aren’t a ton of Cambodian restaurants around this area, but this restaurant is a great find as the restaurant is very welcoming, family run, and the food is excellent. You will find some traditional Cambodian dishes here.

On my last visit, I ordered the deep fried calamari and Hamok Trei. Both dishes are equally delicious.

DEEP FRIED CALAMARI:

This dish consisted of deep fried calamari in butter mixed with black pepper and served with a sweet chili sauce (most likely Mae Ploy sauce). This sauce is an excellent accompaniment to fried foods like spring rolls, fried chicken, or other appetizers.

This appetizer is great. The batter is light, and the calamari is tender and not overly chewy. I’ve had calamari at other restaurants where the squid was horrendously non-edible. Once you bite into each piece, they’re very crispy, and the batter doesn’t fall off. (I hate it when that happens to my food!)

HAMOK TREI

Hamok trei (Amok trey) or Cambodian steamed fish is considered the national dish of Cambodia.

This dish is very flavorful and includes sliced fish cooked with coconut juice, lemongrass, then wrapped and steamed. The meal I had included catfish, but I believe different types of fish can be incorporated here.

The fish comes in a little pot that looks similar to a small clay pot used to retain the heat of the food. When you dig into this, the top layer has a nice “crust,” and when you dig even further, you find flaky and tender fish with a soup-like base and vegetables (I don’t recall what type of veggies, but they were delicious as well).

The dish has a robust flavor but is not overwhelming, and all the flavors incorporate richly. It’s filling, satisfying, and accompanied with rice makes for a very comforting dish.

The restaurant has many other great dishes including curries, seafood, and grilled meats, and vegetarian options. I’ve tried roasted pork or (Sach Chhrouk Ann Kreun) on a previous occasion, and the pork was outstanding. The meat has a great char-grilled flavor and is exceptionally tender and mouthwatering. The meat had the right amount of fat without going overboard.

Prices for each dish are very reasonable, and service is always friendly and welcoming. If you’re in the area and craving a cuisine you’ve never tried before, check this place out, you won’t regret it.

BUSINESS INFORMATION: (Two Locations)

Phnom Penh Restaurant

Laurel Business District

3912 MacArthur Boulevard Oakland, CA 94619

AND

Webster Business District

1514 Webster Street Alameda, CA 94501

To learn more about me, you can go here.

The post Mouthwatering Cambodian Flavor appeared first on Consume and Devour.

This local spot is in the Inner Richmond District of San Francisco and is close to Golden Gate Park (if you haven’t visited this park, add it to your list of stuff do when you visit). My neighborhood has Chinese-American influences predominantly. There are a lot of Chinese restaurants and markets in this area. However, this has started to change, and you’ll now likely see different Asian places cropping up: Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Taiwanese. A lot of great eating establishments to satiate any appetite.

Ok, so let’s talk about the food. The little place I’m talking about is called “First Korean Market.” I believe my aunt was the person who told me about this small store. They have a lot of readymade Korean fare, and also other dry goods, and other Korean specialties. (Of course Kimchi).

When I come to this place, I almost always get the same things, because they’re excellent and I crave them.

FISH CAKE KIMBAP

The fish cake kimbap or (Korean sushi roll), is wonderfully delicious. This particular roll had fish cake, carrot, egg, sesame-flavored rice, pickled radish, spinach, and cucumber. Different types of meat including beef, crab meat, ham, to name a few others can be used in this dish.

This roll is always very fresh, and I like that the rice doesn’t have too much of a sesame flavor. I’ve tried other similar rolls, where the rice had an overwhelming and robust sesame taste. I’m not opposed to sesame. In fact, I do love sesame, but just not when it overpowers the flavor profile of a dish. I love the combination of veggies and fish cake. It just creates excellent emulsification of taste.

This roll is better eaten right away or the same day. Unfortunately, once you place the rolls in the fridge, the rice gets ridiculously hard and isn’t so tasty anymore.

SWEET CRISPY CHICKEN

This chicken is quite possibly one of my favorite dishes. Ok, it’s relatively sweet, but man it’s tasty as heck. This dish is traditionally called Dakgangjeong. This chicken dish is with a whole chicken that is cut up into pieces or with just chicken wings.

The glaze consists of honey, garlic, and ginger and then deep fried. Yeah, anything deep fried is GOOOOD.

At Korean First Market, the chicken comes in the form of chicken wings. It’s in a sticky, sweet, glaze and it’s very garlicky (yay! I love garlic). The flavors combine just oh so well. It’s a little bit messy to eat, but isn’t that where the fun’s at? Eating sticky and sweet chicken and then licking your fingers. It doesn’t get any better than that.

You should also eat this chicken dish within the same day for that taste of freshness.

These two food items will set you back about $14. Pricing at this store is about the going rate for this market.

Bottom line, if you want some tasty Korean favorites in the Inner Richmond District of San Francisco, check this place out.

FIRST KOREAN MARKET
4625 Geary Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94118

To learn more about me, you can go here.

The post Tasty Korean Favorites in Inner Richmond appeared first on Consume and Devour.

Even though Rome is touristy, the sights and atmosphere make you appreciate Rome more. The people make you feel welcome in their country and are just friendly and warm. They’re also proud of their heritage and have done an excellent job of maintaining their ancient history and culture.

Upon arrival at Rome (traveled with my boyfriend and mom), we arranged for a private car to pick us up from the airport to the place we were staying. We booked an Airbnb space. If you haven’t used Airbnb, before, I highly recommend it. You can stay in your, and there no limitations like a hotel room. Plus, pricing is a lot better than if you stayed in a hotel.

The place we stayed at was a bit away from the city center in the San Giovanni area. It was super close to the metro (about a couple minutes walk), and it was about 20-30 minutes walking distance from the Colosseum. The area comprised of locals, which was good to see and away from the hectic city center. There was also an abundance of places to eat (gelato, pizza, pizza, and other areas).

The metro is very convenient and costs 1.50 Euros each way. You’ll typically find a metro station spread out throughout Rome, although some places don’t have close access to a station. You can also easily hail an Uber (just note they only have the Uber Black options). We found all the drivers both private and Uber were friendly and efficient.

The two eating gems we found in our neighborhood was an excellent Tiramisu place bakery serving Sicilian style goodies. These two places were excellent.

WE LOVE TIRAMISU

This establishment had all things tiramisu. They had, of course, the traditional, but also other kinds of flavors including strawberry.

The traditional tiramisu tasted light and smooth, but I think I preferred the strawberry one. It felt like a mini-strawberry shortcake. Very fluffy, light, and I loved the bits of strawberry on top.

LA CANNOLERIA SICILIANA

We found this place while exploring the neighborhood and out of the corner of our eye.
This bakery was probably one of my favorite spots to grab baked goods. Everything was very fresh, and they had a plethora of baked goodies (Sicilian style) including cannelloni, little cheesecakes, croissants, and excellent coffee and much more.

The croissants were entirely to die! Soft, flaky and buttery. We also got some with pistachio piped inside the croissant and ones with a lemonish cream filling. The cannelloni was a bit sweet for me. However, the pistachio cheesecake was a winner. Very light, and outstanding pistachio flavor, without being overly sweet.

TRATTORIA DAL POLLLAROLO

While visiting the Piazza di Spagna, area, where the Spanish Steps reside, we found ourselves famished and looking for a great place to eat. We found a great eatery called Dal Pollarolo 1936. This restaurant was in a touristy spot, but it seemed this place was popular with both locals and tourists.

We ordered the antipasti dish which included traditional fare of salami, prosciutto, and mortadella as a starter. For the main course, we ordered steak. Let me tell you, I’m not a steak eater, but this was one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long while. Juicy, tender, fatty in all the right places. It came with a side of some seasoned potatoes flavored with rosemary.

BORGHESE GALLERY

The next day we went to the Borghese Gallery. The museum is in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. It also is surrounded by gardens.

When you enter the gallery, you’ll have to secure your personal belongings (purse, big bags, etc.). You can get them after you’re done touring the museum. It’s recommended to not bring any large bags with you.

This museum houses many different sculptures and paintings many of which are religious. You’ll also find many famous works by Caravaggio, Bernini, and Antonio Canova. Bernini’s pieces are just breathtaking. Every line and crease of his artwork are masterful creations.

VATICAN MUSEUMS

What can one say about the Vatican and the accompanying museums? In one word, “amazing.” The vast amount of art surrounding the entire area is astounding. Everything is breathtaking, and this was the highlight of my trip to Rome.

We had a tour from a meeting point in Rome and walked to the Vatican. It was a small tour, and our guide was excellent and very informative. She spoke about some of the histories of the various art and artists, especially Michaelangelo. It was interesting to hear about how he was a stickler for his work, and while painting the Sistine Chapel, he did this while standing and the years it took to complete this took a toll on his health years later.

Of course, the Sistine Chapel is one of the most popular and one of the most visited places in Rome. It is breathtaking. You look up at the ceiling, and you are in awe of how intricate and detailed and lovely it is.
When you enter the chapel, you’re not allowed to talk (even though you’ll hear many voices) nor take any video or pictures. If you do, you’ll immediately get chastised by one of the many men working inside to prevent people from doing so.

It’s best to admire and take in the beautiful works for as long as you can.

COLOSSEUM

Even though we had advance tickets to the Colosseum, it still wasn’t worth the time in my opinion. (if it’s your first time, go once). We went around mid-morning and found ourselves waiting for over 2 hours. They only let a certain amount of people in at a given time, and you have to go through a couple of security motions to get in.

There are tons of people with vests saying “staff” or some variation. They seemed to be people from different companies, and the bulk of them didn’t work in an official capacity at the Colosseum. Some of these people are pretty aggressive in trying to get people to get into the Colosseum in a faster line by paying a certain “fee.” I suggest avoiding these people. You’re still going to have to wait in line.

Once you finally get inside the Colosseum, I feel it’s a letdown. I mean, it’s great to see this structure, and it dates back to 70-80AD, but it’s kind of like oh ok that’s it. The structure still looks good after all these years, though and you can kind of imagine what types of battles and other spectacles transpired here those many years ago.

Bottom line, Rome is a great place to visit (even though there are many, many tourists). There’s much to see, and you’ll experience exceptional hospitality and friendly people. Also, you’ll find something interesting around every corner.

BUSINESS INFORMATION:

–We Love Tiramisu
Via Appia Nuova, 131 00182 Roma, RM

–La Cannoleria Siciliana
Piazza Re di Roma, 10 00183 Roma, RM

–Trattoria dal Pollarolo 1936
Via di Repetta, 4 00186 Roma, RM

To learn more about me, you can go here.

The post Rome: Exciting and Invigorating appeared first on Consume and Devour.

It’s said the sandwich is attributed to John Montagu, the 4^th Earl of Sandwich and believed he would ask his servants to bring him two slices of bread and some meat to put in-between while he was gambling. This guy is my absolute idol!!

We regularly use Yelp and sometimes Eater SF, to source out great places to eat. On one day, the boyfriend and I had a hankering for some good sandwiches. Lo and behold, the power of the internet! Poof, found a great sandwich spot to try.

Domenico’s Italian Deli is located in Alameda which is a wonderful little beach town in the San Francisco Bay Area. My love for Italian deli sandwiches have now been satisfied! I’ve been there exactly two times now and the sandwiches really rank in my top 5. (and I’ve eaten tons and tons of sandwiches in my lifetime). If you take a look at their website, it says they’ve been open for over 50 years!

The first time I came here, I ordered the pastrami sandwich on a wheat roll. Oh my god, it was really tasty! The pastrami wasn’t too salty (which I find can happen with a lot of other places), and the condiments meshed together well, to create great, fresh tasting sandwiches.

In my most recent experience at Domenico’s, the boyfriend and I ordered the Genoa Salami and Italian Combo sandwiches. We decided to eat half and half of each sandwich to get a taste of each other’s pick.

GENOA SALAMI SANDWICH:

This sandwich included: Dry salami with a flavor of wine on a sweet roll with Swiss cheese and all the fixings. The bread roll was fluffy and it had a bit of sweet. Just look at all the salami and oozing of mayo and mustard in the sandwich! The salami was delicious and not overly salty. You could really taste the hint of wine in the salami, which contributes to a wonderful flavor.

I’d say this sandwich would be my preference to the Italian Combo. The Genoa salami was the standout here. I just really loved the robust flavor of the meat and it created a wonderful explosion of flavor in my mouth.

ITALIAN COMBO:

The Italian combo sandwich included Molinari dry salami, ham, mortadella, cooked salami, bologna with Swiss cheese and all the fixings on a wheat roll. The wheat roll in this sandwich isn’t as fluffy or tasty as the sweet roll. The meats worked well together and didn’t overpower one or the other.

If you want very fresh and deliciously mouthwatering sandwiches, check out Domenico’s Italian Deli in Alameda, California. The service here is friendly and the town of Alameda is quaint and cute.

Domenico’s is open Monday-Friday (excluding Sunday) from 11:00AM-5:00PM.

Address: 1407 Webster St.

Alameda, CA 94501 (Between Taylor and Central Avenue)

To learn more about me, you can go here.

The post Love for Italian Deli Sandwiches appeared first on Consume and Devour.

Also, a little fun fact: Belgium produces about 220,000 tons of chocolate a year!!! I can see why, because it’s absolutely delicious.

I spent about a week in the city of Liège. You can read about my related post about Belgium here. It’s a small city located in the Wallonia (French speaking region of Belgium). The city is close to the borders of the Netherlands and Germany. The climate here is a bit overcast at times and is like the Seattle, Washington area. Since it rains quite often here, you’ll notice the lush greenery of the country. And if you’re from California like me, where it’s currently dry, you will find this to be a nice change of scenery.

I love baked goods, especially European ones, so one of my first indulgences while on vacation is to try pastries and other sweets. If you’ve never had European desserts or bakery items from France of Belgium, you’ll note they don’t taste overly sweet or sugary (most of the time). This is what I like about their pastries.

I was lucky enough to be staying with my boyfriend’s family. Of course, I asked my boyfriend for recommendations regarding good bakeries in the neighborhood. He immediately told me about a local bakery, named Delecta, which was within walking distance from where we were staying. He said his grandparents and family had been frequenting this bakery for many years. We were immediately greeted upon arrival and we had the hard choice of deciding what delectable items to purchase.

I’m highlighting some of the items we can’t get in the United States and I thought were unique.

FRANGIPANE:

This is typically a baked good with almond flavoring. The almond flavoring in this was interesting and unique. I’ve never had any other almond-flavored food with this taste. The almond flavor was strong, not overpowering, but great. I also loved the icing on top of the pastry. This pastry was my favorite!

MOCHA:

This had a light mocha flavor which was not overpowering and was not overly sweet. I also like the assortment of nuts surrounding the pastry.

CANARD:

I had to get this because it was too cute! It’s in the shape of a duck! It basically was filled with cream and some puff pastry for the base and amidst the body of the pastry were some chocolate shavings sprinkled about. The top of the duck had caramelized sugar and was hard to keep the duck-like shape.

We also got some regular and chocolate croissants(oh the Belgian chocolate!). There’s also another goodie included (can’t remember the name). The long rectangular bar was very dense and had some raisins in it.

There were many other items to try, but I think we got enough to satisfy our cravings at that moment.

To learn more about me, you can go here.

Business Information:

Delecta Bakery

Rue Puits-en-Sock 84 4020 Liège Belgium

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As detailed in my most recent post, we similarly took the train from the town of Liege to Bruges. It took about under three hours to get there and it costs about 44 Euros roundtrip.

I really appreciated exploring this city and the cobbled streets to take-in the architecture. After exploring the city and the various shops, we decided to get a bite to eat. There are a lot of restaurants and café’s here, but I find it’s always good to try a place that includes some local dishes to see what the region offers.

We decided to check out the restaurant Maria Van Bourgoundie which had traditional Belgian fare.

CHICKEN WATERZOOI

I opted for a lighter dish of the chicken waterzooi which is a stew dish and was originally made with fish. Today, using chicken is much more common. The dish consisted of chicken, a thickened vegetable broth, cream, egg yolk, and vegetables. The vegetables included: carrots, onions, celery, leeks, and some potatoes along with many different types of herbs.

I really liked this dish and thought it was perfect for a somewhat breezy and chilly day. The stew was not overwhelmingly rich, but had the right balance of flavors and after I finished it, I felt satiated and not overly full. I also always love the combination of the vegetables in this dish, so this was a winner for me.

CARBONADE FLAMANDE

My boyfriend ordered the Carbonande flamande, a traditional dish offered in Belgium. It’s a hearty beef and onion stew made with beer and is often accompanied with frites (or fries) or potatoes. He also paired the dish with a Belgian beer (of course) Kasteel. I don’t drink beer, but I’ve always heard Belgian beers are quite rich and have some of the best beers in the world (per my boyfriend, lol).

This dish is quite rich, but very flavorful and you can most definitely taste the bold flavor of beer infused throughout the meat and sauce. Thyme, bay leaves, and mustard accompany the dish. The dish has a slightly sour and sweet flavor. After eating this dish, you might want to go for a walk to loosen the tightness in your belly : )

After grabbing lunch, we decided to walk around the town to visit the various shops and the Markt square. There are a ton of shops to choose from and there are a lot of cute little trinkets and other things to pick-up for your friends and loved ones. Items in the shops were also reasonably priced.

Bruges is also known for their water canals. It’s quite lovely to view the many boats passing by. You’ll also see people being taken by horse carriage around the town. Tremendously cute and quaint!

Also, we happened to stop by a little park area where there were so many swans! I’ve never seen so many swans in one place.

To sum up, if you happen to be or are traveling to Belgium, Bruges is a great place to explore. Even though there are tourists here, it’s not quite as touristy as bigger cities such as Brussels. The town also has a very calming atmosphere and was one of the highlights of my trip.

Restaurant details:

Maria van Bourgondie

Guido Gezelleplein 1, Bruges 8000, Belgium

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