Sunday, January 31, 2010

Lost!



Here in the Alohatiki house, we are counting down to the premier of the last season of Lost. The other day I saw these awesome posters on a friends blog and wish i could have them all. Not sure which one is my fave. Here is the site with all of them.











Sunday, January 03, 2010

Christmas 2009


surfers
Originally uploaded by AlohaTiki
I took down my tree and other decorations today. We also just ate the last of my mom's cookies. So I guess that means the holidays are over.


We had a nice christmas, listened to some x-mas records, watched bad santa, ate bagels and lox.


We also got great x-mas as usual, my highlight is a new electric blanket and a tiki mug from Kon TIki Ports-Chicago. Mr. Tiki liked his slipcase Walking Dead and pencils made from Chinese newspapers.

Next year, i need to put a little more effort into the tree. Needed a better fluffing this year.

zombie christmas

tree

Sunday, December 27, 2009

A week of eating

A few months ago my folks gave us a gift card to a greek restaurant named Kokkari. We hardly have any greek places here, so we were curious to see what it was like. When we read that the Mayor and other highers ups have made it their go to spot we were even more curious.

We figured going the Tuesday before christmas would be a good time to go. When we got there the place was packed with people waiting. I had made reservations but I was suprised it was so busy. It is a large but cozy place, with dim lighting, hence why my food photos are so dark. We ate ourselves silly. We had: grilled artichokes and eggplant skewers with amazing homemade yogurt, mushrooms and havarti, gigantes baked beans, arctic char on lentils and zucchini cakes. The highlights where the skewer and the zucchini cakes, but it was all great.

gigantes
gigantes

zucchini cakes
zucchini cakes

Not sure how we had room but for dessert we had a baked apple with cream frache ice cream. So good.
baked apple

I was so full the next day I skipped breakfast and had a light lunch.

Our next orgy of eating came the day after christmas. We have been wanting to go to Nopalito since it opened a few months ago, but every time we drive by their is a long line. We figured the day after christmas would work in our favor since San Francisco seemed to be a ghost town. It turned out to be a good plan, we got parking in the free parking garage and we got seated immediately. Since we had never been there, we went crazy with the ordering. We had : beets, tortilla chips smother in hot sauce, fish taco, sweet tamale, quesadilla, sangria and horchata. It was all excellent. We probably didn't need the chips cause they could feed 4 people and were filling but it was all sooo good.

beets
beets
tamal
chips and tamale

horchata and roasted chickpeas
Horchata and spiced chickpeas

Today we wound up being out during lunch time. Mr. Tiki was craving Indian food so we headed to Japantown. While we like the Japanese food in Japantown, we love the Indian place, Dosa. Nice, bigger and just cooler then their location in the Mission. We saw they were doing brunch and were curious. We had some chai, vada (lentil donut) in yogurt with tamarind and mint. Look at that thing! Looked great and was very tasty.

vada, there is a donut hiding under all that yogurt.
Vada in yogurt

We also got the Egg Poriyal Dosa, Indian spiced scrambled eggs in a dosa wrapper, with chutneys and soup.
Egg dosa

This was our third time at Dosa and we had learned after the first time we went and ordered way too much food to really think what we were getting. We didn't think this would be that much food but it still was for an entree and appetizer. We love Dosa and now we have somewhere to get a different kinda brunch.

After we got home, I needed a nap. Shockily, we did make it to the health club. For dinner, all we had was rice and steamed broccoli. I have a feeling I might be too full for breakfast tomorrow.

Friday, December 18, 2009

cookies 2009


cookies 2009
Originally uploaded by AlohaTiki
My mom has sent her wonderful christmas cookies to us, they are:

snowballs with kiss, Festive butter cookies with sprinkles, Cut out cookies from nephew, jiffy choc drops with chips, anise cherry butter cookies, kookie canes, cocoa cookies (grandma recipe) lemon bars, pizzelle, and anise biscotti.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Smuggler's Cove


upstairs ceiling
Originally uploaded by AlohaTiki
The other weekend I was able to score 2 preview tickets for the yet to be opened Smugglers Cove. It was pretty amazing. Like a grown up tiki bar. The shrines to the old San Francisco Tiki bars are neat. It has 3 floors, though isn't very big.

The drink menu has 80 drinks on it! I made it thru 2. I had Donn's own Grog and the Parisian Blonde. The PB was so good. The grog was good as well.

We are so stoked this place is in San Francisco so we can bus or take a cab home. Mr. Tiki hasn't been yet since he was off eating udon in Japan, but can't wait to take him.

More photos here.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Home run inn


Home run inn
Originally uploaded by AlohaTiki
At work today we are having a special program and refreshments. I only have so much money so I always make my coworker drive me to Costco since I am not a member and she its.

Upon walking into Costco I smell something familiar, I dismiss it until we get closer and I see the Home Run Inn table.

HOT DAMN! As many know, when I visit Chicago my father often makes me a cheese one and then i pack it up and eat it on the plane. It is my fave frozen pizza, ever.

So I guess Home Run Inn is trying to get Costco to carry them. They started to give out free samples and we had a bunch. My co-worker liked it. She talked me into buying a 2 cheese box for $10.89.

My day is made.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Chaat Bhavan


khus and mango lassi
Originally uploaded by AlohaTiki
Mr. Tiki was in Fremont the other month and stumbled across a south indian vegetarian place. While he was there he kept sending me texts about all the crazy stuff on the menu.

This past Sunday we found ourselves in Fremont and I was dying to try this place. We started with the pepto bismal colored rose lassi and mango lassi. The mango was really good. Rose always taste like you are drinking a flower.

I ordered the kadhi chaval which is a curry made with chickpea flower and yogurt. I didn't expect it to be so watery. it was just ok. I also ordered the vada pav which is a spicy potato patty on a bun. It is Indian street fast food. McDonald's needs to carry one.

Kadhi chaval and vada pav

Mr. Tiki got the pav bhaji with papad. It was like vegetarian sloppy joe on a bun. It was incredible. I want to try and make it at home.

pav bhaji

Overall we where happy with our Chaat Bhavan experience and look forward to working our way thru their massive menu.