Gastro Monkey // 美食家

Now, I present to you my favorite goat restaurant in Gangshan. If you are stopping by via train, this one is also going to be the most convenient one to eat at. It's a small restaurant, but it's cozy. They have a variety of the usual suspects, along with hot pot. My favorite thing here though, is the marrow. While marrow has in recent years become hipster food, they haven't quite gotten to goat marrow. The bone is smaller and there is less marrow. I don't know about others, but I feel like the smaller amount makes my arteries appreciate me a little for respecting their flow. It can get a bit muggy inside depending on how many people order hot pot. They have fans blowing, but it's still pretty hot for me. At the same time, I was also sitting in front of the hot pot so that did not help. Out of all of the places there, the goat and restaurant are probably going to be the cleanest, and probably the most convenient to stop by if you don't know your way around o...

One of the best meals I have ever had - dare I say, in my life? - was right here at 89 Seafood. A big reason why I went to Hokkaido was to get my crab on. Which we did, but being a buffet, the quality just wasn't what I had hoped for. Enter 89 Seafood. I first watched it on the Taiwanese news, a Taiwanese food show, and then read a ton of Taiwanese blogs. Bottom line, this restaurant is completely unassuming and simple but the crab is so fresh and grilled to perfection that it's actually comparable to eating it in Hokkaido itself. 89 Seafood is located between two MRT stops so if you aren't taking a cab, you're in for a 10 minute walk. The day I went, it felt longer because it was raining and I decided to be extra Seattle-y and skip out on the umbrella (I know better, I don't know what I was thinking). Walking down the street and looking at all of the restaurants you wouldn't even think twice about it. But, fantastical crabby goodness awaits inside those d...

On the way back from San Diego, I stayed a night in Anaheim. My friends already knew that they wanted they wanted for dinner, so I went along for the ride. This was the best meal we had all weekend! I've eaten my fair share of Vietnamese food, but this was a first.  I'm not normally a snail loving person; I prefer bivalves. These escargot though, were delicious . That's right, these stupid snails were so good I told everyone we should get another order because I was feeling greedy and wanted more! My friend suggested I calm myself and wait since they ordered so many other things. It was a struggle, but I made it through. And then ordered another of the snails, and another of the squid salad. It was a big party of flavors and textures and I loved every moment of it. We ordered two types of clams and both were fantastic. One had a meatier flavor (the cherry stone), while the other had a bit more of a tang (the one with the fried pork belly). Both were delectable.  It...