Refreshment Corner: Stuffed Pretzels!

Refreshment Corner in Disneyland

Getting a cream cheese-filled pretzel was on my list of things-to-do inside Disneyland.

Cream Cheese Pretzel ($3.69)

Even though we just had a snack at the Jolly Holiday Bakery & Cafe, I still wanted to try a pretzel. The pretzel was soft and chewy, yay! The cream cheese filling was slightly sweet and was more like a melted milk-y layer in the middle of the pretzel. I liked how it was nice and hot when eaten. Other than the cream cheese filled variety, there is a savoury jalepeno pretzel and a Mickey pretzel, which I believe is just plain. I wouldn't say this was the most amazing thing I ate at the park, but it wasn't bad. Refreshment Corner is a good place to pick up something to munch on during the parade or fireworks.

Reviews on Yelp

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Market Broiler

The males in my family are extremely well trained and behaved. They are used to my mom and I going shopping for hours and wait patiently for us with no complaints. Really, that is amazing and I can't even fathom how they manage to do it. Applause please. While we were shopping at the Outlets at Orange, which was across the street from our stay at the Ayres Inn, my dad took a look at Market Broiler's menu and told us he really wanted to go. And dad rarely ever says he really wants to eat something; it would be inconsiderate if we didn't let him go.

There was that one day, one cloudy Sunday in August, when we ventured out to Santa Monica for a day trip. That didn't last long and we were back in Anaheim by mid-afternoon. After some more shopping at the outlets, we had dinner at Market Broiler. "California's favourite fresh seafood restaurant". We'll see if they live up to their claim.

We stepped foot into the restaurant at uhm...about 6pm? And two waitresses greeted us and one led us to a table. It's a pretty spacious restaurant, but only a few tables were occupied. For a Sunday night, there was a sparse crowd. Part bar, part table seating, and part outdoor seating, this location reminds me of The Keg or something. A couple sitting at the bar was sipping on a fishbowl sized margarita or something. It's called 'fishbowl' on the menu, and it ain't joking.

Complimentary bread

We were provided with warm sourdough bread, much like the type the Old Spaghetti Factory feeds us. I appreciate that the bread was warm, but the slabs of butter were past room temperature and became a gooey mess once opened. I just enjoyed my bread plain, and in limited amounts. I have a bad habit of gorging myself with empty complimentary carbs before I realize I have a whole meal to finish.

Southern Fried Catfish ($9.95)

My brother got a Southern plate, with fried catfish hush puppies, coleslaw, and fries. It was a really large portion of everything fried. Ehh...not really my style. We weren't sure what a hush puppies was, and asked our waitress. She got the chef to come out and explain to us, which was really nice. He explained it was essentially fried 'leftover' batter. The catfish (which is also called basa...which is not good for you..) was breaded in a cornmeal batter. I thought it gave a nice flavour to a flavourless fish. My bother didn't really enjoy his meal because the catfish didn't suit his taste buds. It's a matter of opinion; some love it, others don't fancy it. The coleslaw was seasoned with spices which was interesting, but didn't actually add a distinct flavour. For those that usually enjoy catfish, this may be okay. Other than that, I wouldn't specifically recommend this dish.

Fresh Catch of the Day: Snapper ($11.95) - cooked perfectly

The menu at Market Broiler is really vast. There are so many items and specials hidden here and there. I found a fresh catch of the day special which cost only twelve dollars. My dad had originally wanted to eat snapper and lucky for him, that was the special of the day, so we saved a few bucks. Both parents ended up getting the special, just with different sides. My mom chose coleslaw and fries, and my dad chose vegetables and roasted potatoes. When our entrees arrived, my mom's fish was cooked perfectly. It was smooth and melt-in-your-mouth, the perfect texture. This piece of fish was very well enjoyed.

Overcooked snapper :(

Unfortunately for my dad, his fish resembled nothing like my mom's piece, despite being the same fish. It was flaky like overcooked tuna and very disappointing. We're guessing two different cooks prepared each of my parents' fish. My dad sent his back to kitchen and hoped the next piece would be better. The way the staff brings stuff back to the kitchen is a bit odd. Instead of taking the whole plate away, they ask you to place just the item you don't want on a smaller plate and bring that back. I like how they don't waste you're vegetables, but the way our waitress asked my dad to put the fish on another plate was awkward and borderline rude. 

When the 'fixed' order of snapper was served to my dad, it was the complete plate, vegetables and all. The head chef (same one that came to explain the hush puppies) came to apologize and brought my dad a special sauce he made to 'make up' for the poorly executed fish. (The sauce was a garlic-y oil, which my dad thought was a much more suitable pairing for the fish as compared to the tartar sauce.) I was happy to see that the chef came out personally to apologize, it was very professional. The little 'gift' was another part of his good customer service. 

So, after a long wait for his entree, my dad finally got to eat. The texture still wasn't identical to my mom's piece of snapper; I guessed that mom's was actually undercooked by a tad bit, which is how my dad prefers his fish. But it wasn't terrible so my dad didn't bother sending it back again. Lesson of the day: if you're unhappy with a dish, send it back.

Creative Combinations: Coconut Shrimp & Mahi Mahi ($16.95)

I was pretty excited to find a page in the menu where I could build build my own entree. Two mains and two sides. I chose coconut shrimp and miso mahi mahi. The shrimp were large, but as seen by the colour, they were fried for too long. The coating of shredded coconut didn't come close to the flavour of the coconut shrimp I had in Kahuku. The coating at Market Broiler didn't bring any flavour. The dipping sauce for the shrimp, which is the slightly orange-y one, was AMAZING. Pure coconut bliss. It was sweet, tangy, very coconutty, and reminded me of pina colada. It may sound weird, but it works beautifully with the coconut shrimp. When my mom wasn't watching, I ate the sauce on it's own, tee hee~

The mahi mahi fish, hidden under that kale, didn't taste like miso at all. I was rather confused by this. Miso is such a strong, salty, distinct flavour and I could taste none of it. It looked like it was a totally different seasoning, more like cajun spices than miso. The fish was cooked okay; mahi mahi is a sturdy, flaky, white fish. I was just a little disappointed because I was looking forward to the miso part of this entree. -pout-

My sides were disappointing. The vegetables were more mostly-raw-red onion than the good stuff, and the roasted red potatoes tasted more like boiled than roasted. Wheres the crispy skin? Not here. Fail 'roasted' potatoes.

Market Broiler isn't a fantastic-omg-must-try restaurant, it is a chain so... Our experience had it's ups and downs. The service from our waitress was slow, but the head chef (which by the way, is Asian. I find that cool, haha!) is a great business person. Food was mostly mediocre and needs improvement; however the array of options available is wonderful. But I guess the more variety they serve, the higher the chance of ordering a 'mehhh' quality dish. Price is reasonable, but I recommend coming for lunch because the lunch specials are around ten dollars and sound like a better deal. I wouldn't purposely come back to Market Broiler, only if there was no better options at the time. 

Reviews on Yelp



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Fisherman's Market & Grill

Since having sea bass on a cruise 2 years ago, my dad has been craving that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fish. It's not commonly found in Vancouver so when I saw it on menus in California, I took the chance to bring my parents in hopes of finding good sea bass. Sorry to ruin the ending for you, but we didn't find what we were looking for.

Where to order or purchase seafood

Fresh seafood can be purchased on the left side and ordering cooked food is right beside. Hence market + grill. Reminiscent of the seafood markets in Hawaii where I also bought poke, yummm~
 
There are several Fisherman's Market & Grill locations in the Palm Springs area, one of which was across the bridge from where we were staying. Funny fact of the day: this bridge crosses a river. But I'm almost 100% sure that river has been dry for, like, ever. We came for a lunch on a very hot August day. There is outdoor seating which would be a wonderful place to enjoy some casual seafood, but the heat was just too much to bear. If the mist-sprays had been turned on earlier, it would've been okay to sit outside.

Fisherman's Market & Grill Menu

When we arrived, we didn't quite know what to do. It isn't table service, and it isn't counter service either. A waiter asked us if it was our first time at Fisherman's and we replied yes. He handed us a few paper menus and informed us that we placed our orders at the cashier, then he will find us a seat indoors. The paper menus he handed us were rather useless, as the whole regular menu is written on a massive blackboard and included the prices (with the paper version did not). 

I can't say the waiter was super courteous while treating us unfamiliar customers. The tone of his voice was a bit stern and frustrated. I get that we starred at the menu for a really long time, and began sitting at an open table supposedly meant for another group, but we're new and should be aware of that. 

We got into a bit of an ordering mishap as the cashier charged us for the wrong fish tacos. On Tuesdays, they have a $5 fish taco special (taco Tuesdays!). There is also a lunch special of the same dish that is $7.99, but happens everyday. And then there's the regular fish tacos written on the blackboard which costs $8.95. Keep in mind all of these are exactly the same dish. My mom didn't notice the mistake on the receipt until we were seated at a table. Thankfully our server fixed that for us and brought us back change. Lesson of this post: make sure the cashier punches in the right order before you pay!

While we were waiting for our food, I went to fill up our water cups with cold water from the soda machine and also added some lemon or lime from the condiments section. There is a variety of salad dresses, sauces (like tartar sauce), and salsa available to go with the food. 

Sea Bass Sandwich ($12.95)

Our orders swiftly arrived and we anticipated the sea bass burger the most. It was a disappointment and resembled nothing like the buttery Chilean sea bass we had long ago. This is because it isn't the same species of sea bass. I mean for under $15, we shouldn't have expected it to be Chilean. The Barramundi sea bass is the more common type found during my visit in California, and is probably what this was. The fish was cooked all the way through and the texture was flaky like a 'normal' white fish. It wasn't exciting at all and the burger was crumbly and fell apart easily. I would not recommend the sea bass burger sandwich. The coleslaw and rice pilaf sides were rather good though.

3 for $5 Fish Tacos

Here we have the Tuesday tacos! (Or just the Baja fish tacos in other words) On the poster advertising taco Tuesday next to the cashier, I noticed some famous food network stars came and voted this as the 'best fish tacos'. Now, I've never had a fish taco before, but I can definitely conclude that these were amaze-balls. Every element of this dish was fanta-bulous. Absolutely enlightening. To begin, the fish was fried to perfection, and I usually don't fancy fried foods at all. It was crispy yet not greasy and the fish was meaty and moist. Next, the corn tortillas were charred and thoroughly heated up on the grill, making it bendy and more flavourful. I have no idea how the tortillas didn't start breaking halfway through, but it was wonderful. The slaw looked plain, but was very lightly dressed, adding the necessary flavour but not over powering the fish and corn tortilla. A little squeeze of lime (okay, I put a lot...) and maybe a spoonful of salsa from the condiment bar made this dish the ultimate meal deal. Did I mention that these three tacos were each huge?! These tacos are must. get. Tuesday or not. I'm estimating that 25% of the customers at the restaurant were munching on these tacos. (My family ordered two) The table next to us, the table behind us, everyone was aware of the amazing taco deal on Tuesdays. I loved this so much, I am inspired to re-create it at home. So far, no luck, but I'll continue to dream about these fish tacos~

Ahi Tuna Sandwich ($12.95)

The dish I chose to order was the Ahi tuna sandwich. I had some pretty darn amazing Ahi in Hawaii and wanted to make a comparison. This wasn't bad; the fish was grilled to a perfect rare. The flavours in the sandwich were not overwhelming, but it was a good balance of fresh vegetables, creamy sauce, and bounce-y fish. I chose coleslaw and potato wedges as my sides. The potato wedges are reaaaally good too! Crispy on the outside and well seasoned; had to prevent myself from gobbling them all up. It was a good sandwich (I swear it looks like a burger!), but it's nothing I'd purposely go back for.

There aren't too many restaurant choices in Palm Dessert/La Quinta, so Fisherman's Market & Grill is a great place to go for lunch. Take a look at the $7.99 lunch specials on their website; there are some great deals there too like clam chowder and salad. If you're near a Fisherman's location on a Tuesday, pop in for some super delicious fish tacos that are easy on the bank account and an indulgence for the taste buds. Life changing. 

Reviews on Yelp

Palm Springs on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

In-N-Out Burger: Is it worth the hype?

In-N-Out Burger in Anaheim

After I told my friends my summer destination lie in California, multiple people told me "You must go to In-N-Out!" or "Can you bring me back an In-N-Out burger?" I know how famous this fast food chain is and all the rave reviews it has gotten from both tourists and locals alike. A few years ago, my youth pastor took a group of high school students on a road trip just to get a burger at the closest In-N-Out; yes, crazy I know. But do these burgers deserve their endless praise? It was my mission to taste one of these burgers and find out!

In-N-Out Menu

If you step foot into an In-N-Out restaurant without knowing their 'secret menu', there will not be many choices to choose from. To be exact, there are only 3 choices: hamburger, cheeseburger, and the double-double. Other items available are classic milkshakes in chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla, french fries, soda, and other berverages. The secret menu is where the real fun begins. Of course there is the famed 'animal style' burger but there is many more ways to mix and match than that. This website was very informative and I highly recommend reading all the possibilities before personalizing your ultimate burger. In short here are the burger options:

• Onions: chopped or whole rings, raw or grilled
• Mustard fried patty (comes with pickles)
• Chopped chilis
• No salt
• Extra/lightly/untoasted bun
• Extra everything (tomatoes, lettuce, onion, spread, pickles, chilis)
• Medium rare/well done patty

I personally chose to add whole grilled onions, mustard fried patty, no salt, and extra everything. The grilled onions add so much flavour, pan-frying the patty with mustard creates this crunchy exterior, and the mountain of fresh vegetables make the burger less guilty. The salt won't be missed with all this flavour going on with the onions and creamy spread. I believe only extra patties and buns have additional costs. 

First In-N-Out meal in Anaheim

Fries, not a complete fast food meal without them. I ordered regular animal style fries with no salt the first time, and found that the fries were too soft and soggy for my family's liking. On our second trip, I ordered well done fries and my mom loved them. It was crispy to the core, making the fries taste like chips. She was going to skip dinner that day but ended up clearing half of the french fries. So I recommend ordering fries at least light-well done, tastes much better with a crispier exterior.

My first encounter with In-N-Out was at the Anaheim location. We had just driven down from Fresno and by 8pm, were very hungry. A burger each and an order of animal fries to share (as mentioned above). I asked for my burger to be cut in half, thinking it was easier to eat. However more juice and fillings had the chances to squirt out. My family also shared a large 'black and white' milkshake; chocolate plus vanilla. The texture was extremely thick, to the point where a lot of effort had to be used to suck the drink (or more like ice cream...) through the straw. I couldn't tell the difference between the chocolate and vanilla in the drink, but overall, it made for a great dessert. Smooth, creamy, cold, and satisfied my sweet tooth at the end of the meal. The Anaheim location has limited indoor seating and a very busy parking lot as it is shared with the plaza that also has a supermarket. Many, many, many customers too since it is close to Disneyland.

Burgers from second visit in Fullerton

For our second meal at In-N-Out, my family decided to drive to the Fullerton location. It's a bit larger and there is more parking. According to Google maps, the Fullerton location should take less driving time to get to compared to the Anaheim one. So I see no reason why tourists don't visit the Fullerton location instead. Since the southern Californian evening has the perfect temperature, we snagged a table outdoors. I enjoyed my burger as a whole, not cut, and it was so much easier to eat. 

The wait for food at In-N-Out is longer than usual for a fast food restaurant. But that is expected since burgers are customized and have to be made to-order. At both visits, all four of the burgers on my order were very complicated so a few numbers after us were served before we were. Funny story about my experience ordering: at the Anaheim location, the cashier taking our order must have been rather new. I'm estimating it took at least 5 to 10 minutes for him to punch in (somewhat) correctly what burgers my family wanted. Then the girl at the Fullerton location had absolutely no problem taking the same orders. Didn't even have to blink an eye or reconfirm what I had asked for. Anywho, point being, be prepared to wait a while, especially at meal hours and if each burger has like 6 personalization. 

A practice I really appreciate at In-N-Out is the minimal use of plastic and production of garbage. Compared to other fast food restaurants, or even Costco, my family made less garbage than usual. Only a few paper wrappings from the burgers, a shallow paper basket from the fries, and a single paper cup. 

Another little tip is if you can bring back a burger as souvenirs for friends, ask for one of the paper hats the employees wear. I brought two home to give friends and both of them were elated to get them. Easy to carry, unique, truly Californian, and free gift.

If at anytime there is an In-N-Out Burger nearby, GO! At least once in a lifetime, it lives up to the hype and rave reviews. I usually don't find burgers that appealing but the simplicity and freshness of In-N-Out's burgers make it a very enjoyable exception. It is a burger I would not mind getting again and again. Get the grilled onions, mustard fried patty, and extra everything! Super cheap and extremely delicious, In-N-Out Burger is a must try in California or the other states where it is available.

Anaheim Location on Yelp


Fullerton Location on Yelp

Orange County on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

The Griddle Cafe

Our first night at a hotel near LAX Airport was supposed to include a continental breakfast. But it was the saddest breakfast of any sort I had ever seen. A few mini cinnamon rolls and coffee-flavoured water. Not even cold water for me to fill my water bottle up with. So, after taking some touristy photos in Beverly Hills, my family was ready to get some real breakfast. The Griddle Cafe serves just that. 

The Griddle Cafe in Hollywood

When I was researching for restaurants in Los Angeles, The Griddle Cafe quickly made it to my list. Humongous pancakes in eighteen different flavours? Count me in! For those that have read my Honolulu post probably know I love pancakes.

We arrived on a Tuesday at around 11:30am. Before going to find street parking, my dad dropped my mom and I off in front of the restaurant. There were a lot of people standing standing in the vicinity, of which all were people waiting for a table. I was so worried my mom would say "the wait is too long" and make us find another food source. My imaginary beads of worry sweat were wiped away when I put my name on the waitlist and was told there was a 15 minute wait. I was a bit skeptical at first, because there were at least 15 groups ahead of me. Where they using the Chinese "tell them the wait is shorter so they'll stay and we can get their money" tactic? Nope. The steady wave of people coming out of the restaurant and quick service made our wait, maybe even less than, 15 minutes. Hurrah!

Barry Yellow Pancakes at The Griddle Cafe

Their red velvet pancakes are very famous, however there is only one pancake per order, compared to three for all other pancakes. Since we would rather not have to go through the tedious process to decide what other food to order, I chose the Barry Yellow pancakes. "Raspberry and lemon folded into our buttermilk batter" is how the menu describes it. I was blown away when it arrived at our table. Each pancake could easily be 12 inches in diametre. And there's three of them! Eating one quarter of this plate is like eating a regular serving of pancakes. The staff are very efficient and provide extra plates with all pancakes, because realistically, everyone will have to share this...right? The massive pancakes here are dirt cheap at $10 to $12.

Cactus Club Cafe at Coal Harbour

Cactus Club Cafe at Coal Harbour

Cactus Club Cafe opened it's newest location sitting on the edge of Coal Harbour at the beginning of 2013. The spanking new interior and fancy design create fantastic ambiance. 

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Torch

I usually have quite the bad impression on chain restaurants, but since my aunt was in town and spontaneously invited us to have lunch with her in Downtown, a foodie can't say no. 

'Indoor patio' with windows that completely open to Coal Harbour

This particular Cactus Club is situated right beside Vancouver's Olympic torch at the Vancouver Convention Centre, making it a great tourist magnet. The restaurant is extremely large with outdoor seating lining the exterior and tons of tables inside. We arrived at noon on a summer Saturday and were seated promptly. At first, we wanted to grab a seat under their signature yellow umbrellas outdoors, but I'm so glad they were all full. We ended up sitting at the section facing Coal Harbour. There were huge windows on one side and the roof above, allowing tons of the warm summer sunlight to shine on us. What awed me the most is how the windows could open. The entire side facing the water was now completely open, creating an 'indoor patio'. The seabreeze freely blew in; it really felt like you were outside. If you have the chance to be seated in this area, it is just like the outdoor seating but even better because it has a view! Just the seating alone is worth the visit. The open-air windows was the best part of my experience here.

Cactus Club Menu

Now, I didn't have high hopes for the food, despite what others have said. I've always viewed these 'higher class' chain restaurants like Earl's and The Boathouse as over priced for what you get. Items from fancy sablefish to simple spaghetti and casual tacos can be found on the menu. While examining their menu, I found a lot of dishes to be Asian inspired. Which usually turn out really good or really bad. Since I was dining with my grandparents, we didn't try any of the Asian-esque food. Also, there seems to be some special dishes by Rob Feenie from Food Network Canada which sounds exciting. Do remember that these dishes are not made by the celebrity chef's own hands but mass produced. It makes all the difference.

The Burger

Getting on to what we did eat, both my brother and aunt ordered The Burger. It comes with Sea Salted Fries but you can substitute that with a salad or yam fries for an extra cost. By the way, the yam fries are really good! Fried till crunchy on the outside but still soft and meaty on the inside, yum~ This is probably worth order on the menu as my brother finished this in five minutes flat and my aunt continuously commented on what a great burger it was. When I was chatting with my dad at home, he said when he went to another Cactus Club, he remembers it being really good too. The beef patty is what makes this burger so good. It's juicy and tender. The numerous toppings also make this burger much more exciting. Every traditional burger topping is added, cheese, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, pickles, tomato, lettuce... Which is why this burger is called The Burger. The with a capital T. As a side note, I would avoid ordering the mini burgers because the patty may not be as juicy as the full size.

Raincoast Greens Salad

Denny's: "Fourth of July" Breakfast

Bright and early on a Saturday morning, my family drove down south to take my aunt shopping at the Seattle Outlets. There are not very many restaurants open at 6am for breakfast; Denny's is open 24 hours. Coming here for breakfast is the first stop on my family's seasonal trip to the states, and this time was no exception.

Denny's Bellingham

We usually order from the 2-4-6-8 dollar menu; basic pancake and eggs  breakfast is only $4 and with toast and drinks is $6. However on this past visit, the new menu was patriotically themed for the upcoming Independence Day. Since the prices were not too expensive, we gave it a try.

Red, White, and Blue Pancakes & Apple Pie French Toast

Both breakfasts came with two eggs, shredded hashbrowns, and a choice of meat (bacon or sausage). Coffee is not included.

On the left is the pancakes my mom shared with my aunt and my dad shared with me. Pretty much all plates served at Denny's is can feed at least two people. The red came from strawberries, white from whipped cream and icing, and blue from the blueberries incorporated into the pancakes. They're all concentrated in the center of the pancake, which is not the most convenient when you want a bit of everything in each bite. Thankfully they didn't skimp out on giving you blueberries. For some reason, I thought the pancake base wasn't as fluffy as their plain pancakes. Besides that, these were acceptable and worth the $7 for the set.

My brother had the whole Apple Pie French Toast to himself. It was about the same price as the pancakes. The french toast is topped with cooked apples, strudel, and caramel sauce. Uhhh...can someone say carb (more specifically glucose) overload? I took one bite of this and thought it was way. to. sweet. And that's coming from a person who can eat three plates of dessert. Also, the sauce soaks into the bread and makes it soggy after a while. French toast without the crunchy outside is no good to me. As you can see, I didn't like this one. But of course, my brother cleared it anyways.

At the Bellingham location right next to Bellis Fair mall, the service is has been pretty good. But I can only speak for the waitresses that work in the morning hours at around 7am when it isn't too busy. Very patient, friendly, and cheerful, even during the early hours. Coffee is filled constantly, cream is brought even before we ask, and they come and check up on you every now and then. When I remember, I usually am able to find a 20% off coupon on the internet. But even without the coupon, the total cost is very low. The portions here are "truly American", as my aunt said. That allows us to feed 5 people for under $30, becausee we only needed to order 3 plates. This is why my family has adjusted our road trip schedule to have breakfast at Denny's instead of the Burger King next door. We pay $20 for 4 people either way. Might as well be at a sit down restaurant with real plates and cutlery instead of a deserted fast food establishment.

Being a health nut, I have a thing against chain restaurants. But I have to put that snobbishness of mine aside when I'm traveling in the states. Calorie counting and portion control is non-existent; my family burns it off with a 10 hours worth of shopping. Yes, my father and brother are extremely well trained when it comes to waiting for women to finish shopping. I know Denny's is a very popular breakfast spot for us Canadians traveling down the states. My family will continue making this our default breakfast stop during our road trips. 

Bellingham on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡