Places: Natural Cafe in SB

Natural Cafe in Santa Barbara is pretty delicious. It is no AMAZING place, but it is definitely tolerable. The top is a smoothie...it had berries in it. Berries are delicious. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries. Did you ever notice that the p in raspberries is silent? Did I spell raspberries right? I blame the US education system. Oh, catholic school/public school, what have you done to my spelling abilities!?!

The bottom is a tamale (my sister says that in Spanish, one tamale is a tamal...and more than one tamale is tamale...WHAT!? Tamale is plural for a tamal!?!?!). I ate this tamal when I was very hungover sick last year, but I forgot about it until now. It was alright. The only really good thing about this place is that it is very veggie friendly. You can pretty much add tofu to anything...and I mean ANYTHING. With a name like Natural Cafe...yeah you better add tofu to my eggplant BIATCH! After watching a man hammer a goat to death on TV, I think vegetarianism is the way to go yo. 

WOAH WOAH. Does anyone know how to rotate photos on this blogger thing....I cannot figure it out for the life of me. So for now, my smoothie will be sideways.

Sorry for the poo poo pictures...these are from my phone.

Places: The Counter redux & Things you put in your belly: The Counter

I forgot from when these were from, but I remember it being delicious allll over again. Why don't they have a place like this in Santa Barbara? Pasadena, you are one lucky city. Freaking eggs, cheese, veggie patty, olives, cucumber, and a chipotle sauce. DELICIOUS.

Things you put in your belly: Veggie/ Vege Spring Rolls

Vege spring rolls from Thien Tam Vegetarian Restaurant on Garvey Ave. in El Monte. I wish I was eating this right now, and it is so cheap!!! I AM SO HUNGRY.

Things you put in your belly: New Capital Dim Sum

So I went to dim sum with my family at New Capital Seafood in Hacienda Heights a few weeks ago when I thought I was getting better but actually wasn't getting better. Being a vegetarian, it is difficult to find things to eat at dim sum that are not sweet or that come in a salad form with seaweed in it. Luckily, at this place there were a few options like the fried tofu and things wrapped in rice noodles or tofu skins. They were actually pretty good. I can see why this place is always crowded, even at 9:30am when we went.

I am back in SB, and I, luckily, bought some dim sum bao back here. DID YOU KNOW!?! If you freeze dim sum bao as is and re-steam it or re-bake it, they are delicious once again!!!!! HOORAY FOR MODERN REFRIGERATORS!

Things you put in your belly: Evelyn's Favorite Pasta

So I am still sick. It sucks to be sick and hungry at the same time. So I went out to the Cheesecake Factory to eat hearty pasta. HEARTY because I was hungry and because a HEART is what I lack. HO HO HO Merry New Years. It was delicious. There are sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, eggplant, pine nuts, artichokes, and pesto of some sort. DELICIOUS. I would eat it everyday if I could eat at the Cheesecake Factory everyday. And if someone could guarantee I would not look like I ate at the Cheesecake Factory everyday, because if I did, I would be a Fatty McFatter Pants. 

Things you put in your belly: Dragon Fruit

Apparently there are two varieties of dragon fruit Mama Chan is trying to grow. This red kind and one that is white with black seeds. I prefer this red kind more because it is sweeter. If you were to ask me what it tastes like, I would say it tastes like nothing...really it is just sweet. It is not even like candy sweet. It's just slightly sweet. I do like the texture. The seeds are really crunchy like sprinkles, and I LOVE SPRINKLES. DROOOOLLLLL HEARTSSSSS DROOL SOME MORE.

Things you put in your belly:Tutti Frutti Yogurt

I LOVE YOGURT, but I hate all of those flavors that they come in except the original. I like the original with granola. I love granola. Granola are like healthy sprinkles because they are sweet and crunchy, and they stay crunchy despite being covered in yogurt. I also like berries. Berries are delicious and healthy, like granola.
GRANOLA. Apparently granola can be an adjective to describe something now. It means something to the extent of people who like yoga and healthy lifestyles but overly so. INTERESTING.

Things you put in your belly: Salt-fried Crab from Seafood Village

Seafood Village is the restaurant that we choose to go to for our greasy Chinese food fix. It is delicious there. Like MSG, salt, garlic, and oil like no other. It will beat your choice Chinese restaurant up and leave it on the street to wither up and twitch on the sidewalk.

Mama Chan also told me how to make it. You deep fry some garlic (YUMMMMM) and cover the crab with a cornstarchy rice flour mixture and deep fry that, and then toss everything together in a big wok with a big flame. Toss in a lot of salt, chili, and green onions, and EAT IT.

Fried garlic are like little chunks of gold in your mouth. 

Sadly, I do not eat meat or seafood so I will just have to enjoy this photo.

Oh, and the Chinese name for the restaurant is 避风塘 in Monterey Park.

Things you put in your belly: Mo'hing Nga

Burmese food is delicious. Fish,lemon grass, ginger soup (vegetarian one is fish-less!HOORAY FOR VEGETARIANS!)

Things you put in your belly: Mango Salsa

Sissy Chan made this. How fabulous is she. Mangoes, shallots, cilantro, and (later added) chili flakes. I want to swim in an ocean of this stuff.

Things you put in your belly: Longan

I got these from my aunt, who got them from one of her customers at her restaurant. Home grown and delicious.