Bid and Eat for Haiti is Back!

Thank you for all who supported the first Bid and Eat for Haiti!

We received more donation from restaurants after the end of the first auction, so we’re holding a second run!

We raised $765 from the first auction, so let’s all help reach a goal of $1000, shall we?

It’s the same basic deal, just with different dates and auction items. The auction benefits two charities: CHF International and Operation USA. More details about these charities can be found on the Bid and Eat website.

This auction will start on Friday Feb 26, 2010 and runs until midnight of Tuesday Mar 2, 2010 , so you can only bid on items between those times!
To bid, go on an item's page and leave a comment with your bid amount.
Just go to http://bidandeat.wordpress.com to see the list of items.

Even though there are only a few sponsors this time around, they have donated plenty of items (14 total!), so do take a look and put in a bid!


Our newest sponsors:
Cemitas y Clayudas Pal Cabron
Elements Kitchen
Guelaguetza Restaurante
La Casita Mexicana
The Raymond

San Jose: Falafel Drive-In, a Local Foodie Landmark

Food aside, this drive-in has been in business since 1966 and seems to be a local favorite.

My cousin's friend took my aunt and I to San Jose to visit the Winchester mystery house and I was searching high and low for some good food, made more complicated by the fact that the friend was vegetarian. Luckily Kung Food Panda pointed this place out to me. Get the $7 falafel and banana shake combo! he says.

After going up stairs that lead to the ceiling, opening doors that open up to a 20 ft drop into the garden, standing in a seance room, we were ready for some good food.
The place was pretty busy even in the late afternoon but the line wasn't too long and moves quickly. You line up, you order, and then you grab a seat next to the stand.
Apparently the said falafel+banana shake combo is $7.50 now (KFP lieth!).

It doesn't photograph well (especially with a camera phone) but trust me, it tastes way better than it may look.
The crispiness of the falafel balls reveals a moist, green mixture of beans and spices. I have to first say that I haven't had too many falafels in my life, but based on my inexperienced falafel-palate, these were great.

These along with fresh lettuce and a generous dollop of tahini +hot sauce are stuffed into a pita pocket. Extra containers of the sauces (hot sauce for you, tahini for me) are available by request and are recommended (just because they're so good).

The banana shake in a large styrofoam cup had a lot of banana flavor and washed down the falafel quite well.
Mind you it isn't particularly thick and wouldn't be the best banana shake you've ever had, but did you note that this and the falafel sandwich are only $7.50 total?

If you're in the San Jose area, you can't go wrong with Falafel Drive-In. In fact, if you're in the area, do make a point to stop by.


Falafel Drive-In
2301 Stevens Creek Blvd
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 294-7886

Ham Ji Park: Drown Me in Pork Neck Stew

My first time having the gam ja tang (pork neck stew) at Ham Ji Park got me hooked. I kept craving it for so long. Then one day I saw a Restaurant.com gift certificate for the place! (PS. Restaurant.com has a 70% off promotion through 2/21 with code: ENJOY.)

I somehow managed to move my night out with the Cybernetics boys away from our usual Barro's. Even if they were 45 minutes late. I was holding the table drinking a whole pitcher of barley tea while people were waiting in line, and on top of that I used a $25 gift certificate. Ham Ji Park must hate me now.

There's a grill on the table but looks like they don't really use it anymore. They covered ours with the banchan (my faves: marinated potato, bean sprouts, cucumber - the non spicy stuff, you know).

My first and main order of business: Pork Neck Stew (Gam Ja Tang) - $15
This is also the dish that puts Ham Ji Park on the map. The stew of pork neck and potato is served in a stone pot and is big enough to feed two or three people. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and the broth packs a lot of the gochujang flavor. Serve this over a bowl of rice and I'm good.

You can also order some marinated pork ribs ($16.99) which are sweet and tender. You don't grill the ribs yourselves but instead they're served on a sizzling plate.
Ham Ji Park serves a solid and satisfying meal, especially for the pork lovers. If you're not so much into pork, I also recommend the spicy squid with noodles.

After the restaurant.com gc, including tax and tips we each paid up $9. Sweet.

Ham Ji Park
3407 W 6th St Ste 101-C
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 365-8773