DG's Recycle & Reuse Program: Steamed Roast Pork With Shrimp Paste
In Cantonese, we use the word hahk-hei to describe when someone is being polite. But it's not the common-courtesy-kind-of-polite; rather, it's the I-need-to-be-polite-to-save-face-kind-of-polite.Ever been out to eat with a bunch of Chinese people and experience a literal fight over the check?"Mm-ho hahk hei, lar!" we'll say to each other as we're literally lunging over the table trying to grab

Welcome Back, Mofongos: The Grand Reopening of LA's Only Puerto Rican Restaurant
Imagine the delight of finally eating at a Puerto Rican restaurant in Los Angeles County.But imagine the disappointment of finding out that the first time may have been the last, at least for a long while.When Mofongos closed about three months ago, I thought for sure that Los Angeles just wasn't meant to have a Puerto Rican restaurant. Ever. Fortunately, Chef/Owner AC knew that his customers

I OD'ed On Cute--Three Apples: An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years Of Hello Kitty at Royal/T Cafe, Cu
Leave it to my childhood homegirl Hello Kitty to throw a birthday party of epic proportions.She's 35 this year folks, and instead of spending a low-profile, quiet evening at home like I did on my 35th birthday, she's going all out with a three-week-long birthday party at Royal/T Café called "Three Apples: An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years Of Hello Kitty" in which she celebrates 35 years of being

Know It. Fight It. End It. November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month!
Between the flu and a busy work and parenting schedule, I haven't found much time or motivation to write lately. But there is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart that I am making the time to post about. There won't be the usual food porn or cussing or irreverant food to life stories that you're used to seeing around here, so I hope you'll hear me out.In July of 2006, I lost my Dad to

My Favorite Childhood Dish, Loud and Proud: Steamed Pork With Salted Duck Egg
Coming from where I come from--a podunk little suburb about 25 miles outside of San Francisco--growing up Chinese-American back in the 70’s and 80’s was tough work. As one of a small handful of ethnic minority kids in my grade school classes, I was always guaranteed that anything I did that was remotely culturally diverse was a free pass for taunts, teases and hurt feelings. Had I known then what