Spice China, Louisville

Why so many food post these days? Because I've been traveling a lot and I feel I'd taken these places for granted. I blog about the food I eat and the places I visit in Japan, so I figured why not at home too.

When visiting my folks, Spice China is a must eat for me. It's pretty much American Chinese, definitely not fusion but not really authentic either. They do have an "authentic Shanghai" section on their extensive menu (that's more like a freakin' book!!!), but I don't really buy that claim ^.^ Regardless of authenticity, the food is great. The service is spotty though. It's the unfortunate result of high turnover thanks to the big state university 15 minutes' drive away.


I have been dining here since the place opened back in the early 2000's, having learned of it through my shifu who holds much respect within the Chinese community in town (let's just say if you were involved with the Chinese community there, you will undoubtedly hear of him and if you have kids, you will send your kids to him for some tough Shaolin discipline). The place used to be much more authentic, hence had a large Chinese patronage. Gradually, it grew to cater to more "American" taste and the Chinese crowd moved on else where. A little more than a year ago when I came home from Yokohama for a brief visit, I learned they had added a full sushi menu, going as far as to remodeled the restaurant to add a sushi bar. Hey, whatever sells. I don't mind the "American-ness" at all, and neither do the Chinese grad students I often spot dining there, because the food is still good, even if not authentic. I haven't tried the sushi though, so can't vouch for anything there ^.^

The Little Chef Pastry Shop, Princeton

Last post on our one day whirl-wind visit in town is reserved for this little patisserie I love so much - The Little Chef Pastry Shop. Let's just say I used to lurk around here all the time, as the shop sells out very quickly. Usually, by 2p.m. you'll have nothing left to choose from and that's that, which is particular hard on me since, well, I sleep in till noon on the weekends :P It's just as they say, you snooze you lose.

***Picture from yummyinthetummyblog's flickr.

The Bent Spoon, Princeton

Another must try in town is The Bent Spoon, an artisan ice cream shop that churns out some really quirky seasonal flavors such as Earl Gray, Olive Oil, Lavender, and Balsamic Vinegar, etc. These sounds wacky, but are in fact quite yummy if you would look past what their names suggest ^.^ Also, another neat thing is that they don't usually repeat seasonal flavors every year. 

My one and only favorite ice cream flavor is a fall/winter Maple Walnut, which was offered only twice during our 4 years there. It was some of the best ice cream flavor I've ever had! The ice cream itself was light, almost like a sorbet but was still creamy and delicious! Best of all, it wasn't too sugary sweet at all with bits of crunchy walnuts mixed in.

All that said, what I like even more than their ice cream was their cup cakes, the mini ones. The cake is moist, and you can taste the butter in both the cake and the frosting, sweet with a pinch of salt. Of course they're crazily fattening, which is why I never ever get the regular size. The mini ones are perfectly portioned in my opinion, each last me about 2-3 bites (hubby just pops the whole thing in his mouth ^.^'), leaving me wanting more instead of being all buttered and sugared out. 

Thomas Sweet Chocolates, Princeton

After getting my fill of the delicious Cuban Panini at Tico's, it was gift shopping time. Yes, it costs to travel, and not just because of the travel cost, although still nowhere as costly as Japan where an entire industry is built on gifts and souvenirs (omiyage).

One tried and true gift from town is chocolates from Thomas Sweet. It's hard to go wrong with any chocolate to begin with, but handcraft gourmet chocolates? Yes, please!

Tico's Eatery & Juice Bar, Princeton

Another must-have for me when in town is big cup of fresh squeezed juice and a Cuban Panini from Tico's Eatery & Juice Bar. This well hidden little gem is, well, hidden, as in it's not pretentious, flashy, or even jump out at you in any way. In fact, it blends right in with the blah offices in the same complex so you'd have to pay attention. But step inside and you'll get a cozy little deli that will give you ambrosia in a cup and heaven in a panini. 

Szechuan House

Szechuan House (2022 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Township, New Jersey, 08619, 609-890-7600) is the best Sichuan restaurant hubby and I have eaten at to date, period. We were introduced to this place by hubby's colleagues, who got her recommendation from the "connection," that is, the Chinese international student association ^.^' Yep, they know where all the good stuffs are, and boy this place was fantastic, so good no other Sichuan venue has measured up to it so far. Moving away after 4 years in New Jersey, this place was definitely among the top cravings for me T.T So when hubby and I was in town for a 1 day whirlwind visit, we had dinner here on our first night. And it was just as delicious as I remember it, which only makes me miss it more :(

The below are actually old pictures from the very first time hubby and I ate there. I did take pictures on our most recent visit, but they didn't turn out very well because the lighting was too dim and silly me didn't use flash.

Taste of Colorado, Denver

Over the Labor Day weekend, my family and I went to the Taste of Colorado Festival, which is held every year around this time. It's basically a huge festival with lots of food, snacks, desserts, drinks, and other craft tents covering several stretches of street around the Denver City Hall and Capitol Building. There are live music too!

The Boulder Cork, Boulder

So hubby and I moved home from Japan, but we didn't stay home for long. It was just a 3 weeks detour to visit family before moving on to Taipei. While we were there, we crashed in Grandma's basement. Being with Grandma means keeping her company and taking her out to eat because she never gets the chance to go ^.^

Of course Grandma has her favorite - The Boulder Cork. She goes here every chance she gets and every time we come home to visit she would take us here at least twice. 

Japan's Golden Poops!

Moving home from Japan, I was really racking my brains what "Japanese-y" souvenirs I could bring back that would really marvel and delight. Mochi? Tastes good, but way too heavy. Who are you kidding, they are pounded rice after all! Sake? Supremely nice gift but is heavy and fragile. Double whammy. Nope. Hello Kitty? Erhh...it's all the rage at home! Geisha/ninja stuff? Cliche. Salted candies? Only certain people appreciate it. I can totally imagine the reaction, "Umm...why is this candy salty?" Yeah, totally defeats the purpose, though that didn't stop me from packing a good 20-something packages anyway, for those who do appreciate them, that is.

And then there are always those awesome Japanese sunscreens, like the recently reviewed Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, Mentholatum SunPlay Super Block, Mentholatum Skin Aqua UV Sara Sara Milk, even Allie Extra UV Gel Mineral Moist N. But again, these are worse than candies, because it's even harder to determine who would appreciate them, because not many can be bothered to use an oil cleanser to remove the sunscreen prior to the usual cleansing foam. I thought perhaps a light daily use sunscreen for the body like the Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel or Mentholatum Skin Aqua UV Moisture Gel would be nice, and it would, that is, if they would even apply a sunscreen at all! Sigh, Americans. ...But I ended up packing another 20 or so bottles/tubes too, for those who do like these things.

In the end, I still lacked a universally appreciated little something from the land of the rising sun. And then the light switched on, ooohhh...shit! Yes, you read that right, turd, crap, poo, insert your bathroom joke here, but I'm going to bring home a bunch of poops! Golden poops. Japanese golden poops ^.^ Heh. Heh. Heh.  *rub hands gleefully* I think we have a winner xD 

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the below piles of poop: at right, mini poop in a glass bottle with cork stopper (my personal favorite - LOL!), and at left, poop stamp.

Right, poop on a cell phone charm and, left, poop on a red pillow. 

More desserts at Denny's Part VI

Perhaps I should retitle this post as "No more desserts at Denny's," now that I'm back home and have no interest whatsoever in visiting an American Denny's. Ever. T.T

For our last night in Japan, hubby and I spent the whole cleaning up the last bit of things around the house, running the last errands, finalizing our packing, etc. By the time it got dark, we were too exhausted for a "finale" Japanese dinner, so off to the neighborhood Denny's we went. It was a nice meal. Nothing special, but definitely comforting. Denny's was one of the first few places we ate at when we first moved to Japan (it's right in the neighborhood, after all), and it was also the last. Good times. Good times.

Their menu changed just a bit. I was hoping they'd bring back the delicious kimchee omurice introduced last summer, which I greedily inhaled it in a blink of an eye, but they didn't. Shucks. Hubby ordered a new menu item, hamburger (meat loaf) topped with a fried shrimp. He also got a rice and miso soup set to go with his entree.