american house

american house

〒231-0801 横浜市中区新山下1-2-8 港山下ナナイロビル1F (〒231-0801 Yokohama City Naka Ward 1-2-8 Shinyamashita Minato Yamashita Nanairo Building 1F)
tel: 045-228-9760

what was consumed: fajita skillet, fried chicken

on a rare weekday where nanny-san was watching bebe, bjl and i head out for a little lunch date. we opted for the nearby nanairo building to check out some of the newly opened restaurants in the building. always craving american food (especially now that we're not stateside), we gave american house a try. friends had gone and said they were pleasantly surprised with their dishes. we wanted to go and see/experience for ourselves.

american house has a pretty typical "family restaurant" menu, akin to friday's or bennigan's (are there still bennigan'ses in america?), from the menu to the seats to the decor ... and even the food. and so, american house hit the spot.

one of the reviews on yelp described american house as "a cross between applebee's and a burger joint you might stop in while on a road trip back in the states" (note: same restaurant, different location). i wouldn't necessarily disagree, but when you're not in the states, sometimes what you want is somewhere that's a cross between applebee's and a road trip burger joint.

online: https://www.americanhouse.co.jp/

lee's kitchen

lee's kitchen
神奈川県横浜市中区福富町西通48 (48 Fukutomicho Nishidori Naka-ku Yokohamashi Kanagawa Prefecture)
tel: 045-253-3044

what was consumed: lunch menu! yukgyejang and dolsoht bibimbap

as much as i try, i can't hide my korean-ness (at least that's what i've been told, and contrary to what the korean koreans may say). korean food is also my comfort food. so, in my new town of yokohama, i asked my japanese teacher to take me to the "koreatown" of yokohama and asked to eat korean food while on our "orientation tour" (i later had to talk about this adventure, in japanese, to my colleagues, so language learning wasn't lost through this excursion).

yokohama's koreatown is super small, just a couple of street blocks, if that. we ended up at lee's kitchen where the comforting sounds of korean and the delicious smells of hanshik made me feel right at home. as usual, i ordered yukgyejang and lee's kitchen did not disappoint. they had a small banchan selection as well, though i didn't ask to see if refills were included. in japan, smoking is still allowed in certain restaurants; such is the case with lee's kitchen. admittedly, it took me back to my gradschool years in seoul where smoking inside was still the norm. ahh, the memories.

thank you, lee's kitchen, for making me feel at home!

online: http://leekitchen.jp/

hasamu grand

hasamu grand
神奈川県 横浜市中区 本牧原 12-1 ベイタウン本牧5番街 2F (12-1 Honmokuhara Naka-ku Yokohama-shi Kanagawa-ken)
tel: 045-228-9846

what was consumed: burgers!

sometimes, it's when you're away from home that you are most wanting comforts of home. and so, when overseas, i often want to eat typical american things. hamburgers it is!

bjl and i had an hour for lunch (our first lunch out, together, sans bebe!) as we were waiting to pick up my bike. so, we walked across the street from the aeon bike shop to the baytown mall? shopping center? strip mall? to grab a bite to eat. while bjl had had sushi there before, there was something about the burger place that called our name.

we were excited to enjoy our burgers and were not disappointed (for the most part). the burgers were cooked well and the toppings were quite a treat (avocados are super popular here! and who doesn't want an egg on one's burger?). and thick fries! made from fresh potatoes or not, there's something about fried potatoes that i will always welcome. we only regret not being able to relax, sit, and enjoy our burger; we had to race out of there soon after our food arrived.

online: https://hasamu.com/

kaoris

kaoris
〒231-0861 Kanagawa, Yokohama, Naka Ward, Motomachi, 3 Chome−141-8 エイシャント元町
tel: 045-306-9576

what was consumed: casual lunch set (main dish from the menu (we chose the pasta and the hamburger steak as our main dishes. yeah, hamburger steak is a thing) + bread + tea)

when you live right off the posh motomachi shopping street, you have quite a few cafe options at your fingertips (this was told to me). so, when i head out to meet a new friend, kaoris was a good option.

kaoris is part bakery, part cafe. so if you're looking for a cute place to grab a bit to eat or just wanting something to take on the road (aka to eat once you get to your destination. apparently, it's rude to eat en route here), put kaoris on your list!

kaoris doesn't have a large menu, but the dishes they were serving all looked delicious. fresh ingredients for yummy dishes, comfortable environment ... a great experience!

while i went solo this time. that said, there was a table with a couple of moms and their kids who looked like they were having a good time! it's on my list of places to bring the kiddo <3 span="">

online: http://www.kaoris.com/

takohachi

takohachi
3249 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204
tel: 571) 312-7678

what was consumed: lunch bento (grilled salmon, mackerel, sushi)

while learning japanese, we also spent a lot of time looking for places to enjoy japanese food. so, when takohachi opened near school, we (as well as our japanese teachers) were pretty excited about being able to get some pretty solid bento boxes, especially at lunch.

takohatchi also features a pretty good HH, which i've been told is a good deal for pretty good bites. their service can be a little slow, but when your stomach is happy, not a whole lot else matters, wouldn't you say?

online: https://www.facebook.com/takohachijapaneserestaurant/

   

little pearl

little pearl
921 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
tel: 202) 618-1868

what was consumed: smoked brisket sandwich, fried chicken sandwich, greek panzanella salad ... and a DELICIOUS decaf latte (with white sesame milk!).

ok, so i'd very much enjoyed the delicious bites at pineapple and pearls some time ago. so when i heard that they had a cafe, i was super excited to try it out.

kdk and i met up for lunch at little pearl. i was still having my aversion to chicken (which has finally passed. yay!), so she took one for the team and tried the japanese fried chicken sandwich (which she polished off quickly and even despite her gluten sensitivity. totally worth it, she said). she did comment on how the chicken was a little sweet and that an entire dish of the fried chicken might be much. but in the sandwich, along with the complementary veggies, was just ... perfect.

my brisket sandwich was just ... so ... delicious. chock full of slices of perfectly smoked meat, along with the lettuce and pickles, it was definitely a lunch on the very filling side. i got mine without horseradish (because that's how i roll - don't judge), but for horseradish lovers, i  bet you will not be disappointed! also note that we also most definitely enjoyed the panzanella salad that had just the right amount of pickled stuff to enjoy with the rusk and other fresh veggies. 

and be sure to get some coffee! pay extra for the white sesame milk. it's super creamy and adds a touch of sweetness to your beverage. i can't wait to go back and enjoy the regularly caffeinated stuff. hehehe ... and, of course, their dinner menu. and maybe even other parts of their lunch menu that seems to be every changing!

online: https://www.littlepearldc.com/

taqueria nacional

taqueria nacional
1409 T St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 299-1122

what was consumed: tacos!

a friend once told me that if his wife is every invited out by her girlfriends for mexican food, that everyone should just also expect him to be in attendance. i know the feeling, friend! tex mex is definitely a comfort food for me, and i'm always happy and willing to check out the new places that are (thankfully) popping up.

i met up with a friend at taqueria nacional (not to be confused with some of the other taquerias in the DC metro area) for a late lunch. i opted for the meal deal (that included a taco, beans, and salad) in addition to an order of salsa. and while the food was delicious (the carne asada was cooked nicely, the beans were seasoned well, the dressing on the salad was just so yummy), it was a little pricey for what i ordered. of course, that didn't stop me from ordering away. next time, i want to try some of their other things. i'm sure i'll be happy with whatever i decide to fill my stomach with. yum!

online: http://taquerianacional.co/

the block

the block
4221 John Marr Dr, Annandale, VA 22003
tel: 571) 275-1135

what was consumed: chicken tacos and bahn mi from balo kitchen, brussell sprouts, and bubbletea from snocream company

looking for a fun place to grab a quick and delicious lunch in va? head to the block! located in annandale, in the midst of all things korean is a pan asian treat. whether it be asian-style chicken tacos, thai street food, or taiwanese-style shaved ice dessert, the block is the place for you! classmates and i went out to the block (not too far of a drive from FSI) for a delicious lunch, and a nice break from the rigors of japanese language training (haha).

the block is fast casual, so you should always find a place to sit. if it's packed (which it is likely to be), grab a drink and eye the menus until a seat opens up (and one will. soon!).

online: https://www.facebook.com/theblockva/

slim's

slim's

4201 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20011

tel: 202) 783-0699

what was consumed: corn beef hash with tator tots (and a grilled cheese sandwich for miffy)

on a rainy day, i was miffy-sitting. after some reading at the library, we head across the street for some "breakfast for lunch" at slim's. 

if you're looking for some solid diner-style food, definitely head to slim's. their corn beef hash was just want i was craving. they were also super accommodating and generous with miffy and all of her 3-year old antics. lucky for me, i got to eat the tator tots that came with her grilled cheese and they were so so so delish. they're different from the usual tator tots. maybe they were seasoned in some way? who knows. who cares! be sure to enjoy some on your own.

online: http://www.slimsdiner.com/

colada shop

colada shop
1405 T St NW, Washington, DC 20009

tel: 202) 332-8800

what was consumed: iced cuban coffee, media noche

simple concept, done well. that's what colada shop provides. cuban sandwiches, cuban coffee ... YUM. they don't have a whole lot of indoor seating, but stick around for a seat outdoors! customers tend to turn over quickly so seats open up. there is little better than doing some quality people watching while enjoying delicious treats

online: https://www.coladashop.com/

beans&barley

beans&barley

1901 E North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202

tel: 414) 278-7878

what was consumed: chicken salad sandwich, burrito, and a delicious latte.

before heading out of milwaukee, we agreed to meet our company for a quick and delicious lunch at beans & barley.

beans&barley is a market and restaurant all in one. specialty things, healthy eats, etc. i could walk around places like beans&barley for quite some time (i did spend a bit of time in the market before sitting down for our meal, don't worry!).

we asked about what was most delicious at beans&barley and our company basically listed most everything on the menu (haha). BJL and i opted to split their vegetarian burrito (it just looked so good!) and a chicken salad sandwich. YUM! good choice! fresh ingredients combined well to create simple and delicious dishes.

my die-hard milwaukee-an friend also told me beans&barley is one of his go-to places. i can see why! it'll be a regular stop for me the next time i'm in milwaukee.

online: https://www.beansandbarley.com/menu/

benelux

benelux

346 N Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202

tel: 414) 501-2500

what was consumed: fries! with house-made dipping sauces (roasted garlic aioli ftw!). plus mussels (chipotle coconut: sun-dried tomatoes, chipotle coconut milk, cilantro, shallots), a nederland salad (with quinoa, golden and red beets, cashews, lacinto kale, romaine, heirloom carrotos, brussels sprouts, green cabbage, and rice paper with a pomegranate balsamic glaze and pomegranate poppy seed vinaigarette), and an order of the cheese stuffed bitterballen.

hello, milwaukee! my first time in this city, and where do we go for my first meal? benelux. roof-top seating for belgian-style food aka delicious treat! and fries? yes please! 

in addition to some of your usual favorites (e.g. mussels), be sure to order the cheese stuffed bitterballen: meatballs stuffed with cheese curds. yes, i could have eaten multiple servings of the stuffed bitterballen. i agreed to sharing an order with my eating compatriots, which turned out to be a smart move: more room for fries! YUM.

online: http://www.cafebenelux.com/

the purple pig

the purple pig

500 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

tel: 312) 464-1744

what was consumed: salt-roasted beets with whipped goat cheese and pistachio butter, pork shoulder with mashed potatoes and puffed farro

chicago is definitely a city for those who like to eat. it's as though there are delicious places to eat on every corner; more specifically, there are famous places to eat around every corner.

as we rushed to make our schedule chicago architecture tour, we passed the purple pig. why did that name sound so familiar? oh yeah. famous. and highly recommended. so, after the tour, we retraced our steps and nabbed seats at the bar, ready to enjoy some delicious dishes. and even though were were on the late side for lunch, there was still a long line of people waiting to be seated. as a result, the mood in the purple pig was lively, busy, and the place smelled delicious.

we opted to share some veggies and some pork (we were still on the "more pork please"-run after a year in pakistan. hahaha). 

while sitting at the bar, we also got a glimpse of some of the other dishes being prepared. the burrata canoli and housemade meatballs in particular caught my attention. can't wait to go back to the purple pig!

online: https://thepurplepigchicago.com/