Shield's Date Gardens

A date garden, why can't I have one in my backyard? I would spend all summer snacking on sticky, toffee-like, caramel-y dates all day and everyday. -drools- No joke, residents of Palm Springs/Palm Desert/La Quinta/Indo etc have date trees in their yards and date trees lining the streets and parks. Not. Fair.

Shield's Date Gardens, really, don't miss it!

Right after I took this photo, I immediately ran to the air-conditioned car. That is a forced smile you see, partially at least. The only genuine-ity coming from the fact I bought a bunch of dates.

Just around the corner from our hotel in La Quinta, California, lies the largest date retail store in Palm Springs. -insert angelic voices here- Also the more popular date garden compared to Oasis Date Gardens. Aka the highlight of my side trip number two. This massive sign with a medieval soldier pointing to the store can be seen from a mile away, I think.

If Peanut Crumpet got to go to taunt me with Coconut Glen's then I get payback with the date capital of the world. Mwahahaha!

Size Comparison

What I love about Shield's Date Garden is being able to sample every single possibly variety of date, maybe twice, before deciding on which boxes to purchase and haul home (by hand carry!) 12+ kinds of dates can kind of be overwhelming for a date newbie like me. Nomnomnomnom, Coconut Crumpet just chows down enough dates to keep a sugar rush going for the next three days. Sugar makes you fat? Not of my concern at the moment. -keeps eating more dates-

Khadrawi Dates from Shield's Date Gardens

Cafe Gratitude

Cafe Gratitude Los Angeles

Cafe Gratitude is one of the most popular vegan/raw restaurants in greater Los Angeles. The vegan restaurant scene down there is much more expanded than here in Vancouver. I have never dined at a vegan restaurant before but have much interest in doing so. I took the opportunity to visit one during my vacation in Los Angeles; it would be an interesting experience for the rest of my family as well. It was my 'special day' that day, since my parents let me choose all the restaurants we would eat at for lunch and dinner. It started with a late brunch at Little Next Door and ended with a healthy, clean dinner at Cafe Gratitude. We are all vegetable-lovers so I figured a vegan dinner wouldn't be too much of a shock for them. 

After getting at mani-pedi at Marie Nails (which, by the way, I do recommend!), we drove down Beverly Boulevard to Cafe Gratitude. It is located outside of the busy Hollywood area in what appears to be a more residential area. We thought our GPS has brought us to the wrong destination, but it wasn't wrong! Cafe Gratitude is part of a tiny plaza that even has free (but limited) underground parking! Free parking in Los Angeles is nearly unheard of... Just watch for the bright blue A-fold sign that points to the garage entrance. 

My mom still needed a bit of coaxing before actually agreeing to eat at the restaurant. We walked into the cafe (not restaurant) side and asked to see the menu. The prices were decent and it was getting late so we asked for a table. There was a covered patio seating area that would've been a lovely place to eat; evening temperatures in Los Angeles are extremely enjoyable. Unfortunately, eating outdoors would have to wait for another time. Seating is a bit dim, especially as the sun begins to set. 

We were served water in unique glass bottles that matched the hippie-style of the whole restaurant. Now, descriptions of the dishes on vegan menus doesn't really do much more than listing all the vegetables used. Photos are much more effective in showing how the ingredients were transformed into a work of art, so I suggest taking some time to look at the photos on Yelp and Urbanspoon before visiting to get a sense of what interests you. I also asked our waitress for recommendations and what the most popular dishes are. She was very patient and kind to us newbie vegan diners while waiting for us to make decisions or taking our order. Oh, I've heard you're supposed to order by saying "I am..." then the dish name, cute huh? 

After writing down our orders, the waitress or waiter will ask you the question of the day, which is written on a chalk board by the cashier. Our question was 'What are you proud of?' and served as an opening topic for our table to chat away some of the wait time for our food. It is a clever way for the restaurant to keep the atmosphere lively and the guests less focused on how long it takes for food to be made.

I am Warm Hearted ($13)

Shoop's Delicatessen

Our lunch in Santa Monica was an unplanned one. My parents didn't feel like having Sunday brunch at a fancier restaurant by the pier, we just missed the farmer's market on main street, and the popular Urth Cafe was 1) too expensive and 2) had a long line up. As everyone began to get a bit moody, we stumbled into Shoop's on Main Street to just get some food into our systems before anyone started arguing.

Shoop's Deli in Santa Monica

Half deli and half cafe, Shoop's serves burgers, sandwiches, and wraps with German influences. There are vegan and vegetarian options, as well as flavour inspirations from around the world. Select breakfast fare such as eggs and pancakes are also available all day. 
Seating is limited and we had to wait a few minutes for a table that could accommodate my family of four, even at 2pm.

The Clevelander ($10.50)

My brother ordered The Clevelander hot sandwich, which resembles a burger more to me. It had corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and an array of dressings. He gobbled this tall sandwich up in a jiffy, and still complained he wasn't full yet. Unless you're a growing teenage boy that had been starved since 8am that morning, this big sandwich should be filling enough. A small side of fruit came with all our orders, an appreciated side dish for a health conscious Crumpet. 

The Ranger ($9.95)

Sorry for the out of focus photo, growling stomach was calling. My parents shared The Ranger hot sandwich. How were they not still hungry afterwards? It was very similar to The Clevelander except with roast beef, grilled onion, and coleslaw. 

Aaron's breakfast wrap ($9.25)

I was craving a wrap and had a bit of difficulty choosing one. The Aaron's breakfast wrap was the perfect pick. It was a unique and unsual combination of barbeque chicken, egg whites, and yam wrapped in a large spinach tortilla. The chicken can be substituted with tofu for vegetarians and vegans. I really loved how the entire wrap was placed on the grill and charred; it heated the wrap thoroughly and was served extremely hot, so much so that my hands couldn't hold it for long. This wrap was of a very generous portion and the flavours were clean and worked well together. I was so full after scarfing down my wrap that even eating the fruit was a bit of a pain. I really liked this! Simple and satisfying, I want to recreate this at home!

Shoop's would have never made it on my researched restaurant lists but I am very glad we discovered this little establishment. The staff where patient and friendly and our orders arrived very quickly. The cafe was full the whole time we were there, even in the afternoon! People were eating salads, pancakes, German breakfasts, while reading the newspaper or chatting with a friend. A very local place with reasonable prices for the portion size. Their breakfast menu was very appealing to me, but for once it wasn't the pancakes! The array of wraps and savoury items sounded exciting and new. If there is ever a time you're strolling down Main Street in Santa Monica and pass by Shoop's, hopefully you'll remember this post and give Shoop's a bit of consideration.

Reviews on Yelp

Santa Monica on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Porto's Bakery & Cafe

Porto's Bakery & Cafe in Burbank, California

Between every two or so hours of driving from Fresno to Los Angeles, my dad would need to take a break. We happened to be in Burbank at the end of our second last leg (before we got stuck in the horrendous Los Angeles rush hour traffic for two hours). Porto's is very highly ranked on Urbanspoon under the 'cheap eats' category as most of their pastries cost anywhere between $0.50 to $5. My mom was attracted my the mass amount of people hustling in and out of the bakery and my praise of how cheap it was.

I was astonished at the large display of desserts and the array of bread loaves for sale. My eyes shone while my the nerves in my brain zipped back and forth trying to make decisions. A dozen or so employees went to and fro from the cashier and filling customer's boxes with sweets. This large bakery is a busy and evidently popular place, but service is quick and friendly. Got time to kill? Grab a drink to pair with your meal or afternoon snack and enjoy some chatting time at one of the tables inside or do some people watching outdoors (if it isn't blazing hot).

Desserts from Porto's Bakery & Cafe

It would be unlike myself if I didn't leave the bakery with a box of sweets. This time, it was also because we were getting hungry and our eyes began to get bigger than our stomachs. My mom allowed me to pick four things, one dessert per person. We actually took like three days to finish these because we kept over stuffing ourselves during meals and had no appetite for dessert when returning to the hotel. Due to my lack of research and reading of reviews on this particular bakery, I wasn't sure what to purchase. My mom and I chose according to what looked appealing and what sounded special. Here is what we tried and our thoughts:

Pina Colada Mousse ($2.95) - The mousse had bits of crushed pineapple and was topped with shredded coconut, which delivered the a heavy pina colada flavour. It was one of the less-sweet desserts of the bunch and Dad liked this best out of the four we bought. The fresh orchid flower was a pretty decoration.

Parisian ($2.75) - This was a very dark chocolate cake. I, like Peanut Crumpet, prefer dark chocolate and really liked this dense and mildly sweet devil's food chocolate cake. The chocolate whipped cream was a lighter option than using buttercream icing (which I don't really like anyways). My only suggestion is that this cake could be more moist.
 
Cappuccino Mousse ($3.50) - Compared to the Pina Colada mousse, this mousse was much thicker and very sweet. The texture was almost cake-like. Due to the sugary-ness of the dessert, this individual cup could be easily shared between three people. Although it was just decoration, the chocolate coffee bean was the highlight for me.

Mango Cheesecake ($2.95) - Cheap cheesecakes usually don't do justice to the cheese part of the name but this one was pretty well made and a good amount of cream cheese could be tasted. The mango flavour is also strong enough, though a bit artificial.

Our total came to roughly $12 for four items, which is a good value in my opinion. My mom expected it to be cheaper, but since I'm used to paying almost $10 for a single serving cake at some fancy patisserie in Downtown Vancouver, Porto's is very cheap. There is such a vast variety of pastries and goods to choose from; everyone will be able to find something that is of interest. The serving sizes are generous for the prices and quality is acceptable. According to what I tried, many of the desserts are too sweet for my Asian family's sweet tooth, although some better than others. Porto's Bakery is not a must-do in greater Los Angeles but it's definitely a popular spot amongst locals and is worth dropping by if in the vicinity. 

Reviews on Yelp



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 ♡

Strawberry Swirled Mini Ricotta Cheesecakes

Here comes another birthday post! This time for my very best friend Az, whom was featured with the glorious chicken wings at Phnom Pehn. Strawberries and cheesecake are two of her favourite foods, so that's what I planned as her birthday cake. But with a twist!

Strawberry Swirled Mini Ricotta Cheesecakes

Unlike my Berry Swirl Cheesecake or Mocha Cheesecake Squares, there are two types of cheeses in this cake, cream cheese and ricotta. The addition of ricotta creates a texture that is much lighter and fluffier. On the cheesiness scale, I'd place these mini cheesecakes between a New York cheesecake and a Japanese cheesecake, but closer to the Japanese one. It's not as spongy as it's Japanese relative, just a bit cheesier.  Perhaps my cheesecakes like puns... (Okay, that was a really bad joke. Just for you, Peanut Crumpet =___=;;)

Fresh Summer Strawberries

The simple strawberry sauce can easily be substituted by almost any other flavours. Other fruits such as blackberries would work beautifully (check out my blackberry + ricotta recipe) or richer flavours like peanut butter or chocolate could be used too! To do so, reserve a bit of cheesecake batter to mix in a generous scoopful of peanut butter, cocoa powder, or whatever flavour your heart desires. To create the heart-shaped swirls, simply dot a few blobs of sauce over the raw batter and drag a toothpick through the centre depending on which direction you wish the hearts to go. A simple yet impressive design!

More fresh strawberries!

To amp up the aroma of these individual cheesecakes, I toasted some almonds to whiz in with the crust. Hiding it in the crust is a discrete way to add another element to the dessert; my mom suddenly asked me "what did you put in the crust?" She definitely knew it wasn't the basic graham cracker crust, but couldn't quite put her finger on what was different.

Strawberry Swirled Mini Ricotta Cheesecakes

These muffin-sized miniature cheesecakes make it clean to pack to work or school for a snack or to share at a party. The paper liner doesn't stick at all once the cake has thoroughly been cooled. Clean and easy to eat, -thumbs up-

Ready to dig into my serving of Strawberry Ricotta Cheesecake

Serving these mini cheesecakes with a generous dollop of the swirling sauce is an easy way to not only use up the leftover sauce, but to strengthen the strawberry flavour. Because, realistically, seven drips of strawberry sauce doesn't stand out much when the cheese flavour is so prominent.

Click below for the recipe!

Cafe by Tao

Walking around Vegfest Vancouver, we walked by Tao Organic's booth and decided to give it a try. I've always wanted to try something there, but its location in North Vancouver is somewhere my family rarely venture out to.
I really expected more of VegFest and I was kind of disappointed with the lack of actual booths that actually served vegan food... there were about three. All the other booths were information booths about animals and humane societies, etc, which was great but many non-vegetarian/vegan Vancouerites probably would not stop by those booths.
Cafe by Tao had a few of their menu items displayed for people to order at their booth. The items included Rawkin Pizza, The Real Lasagna, Gaia Burger, and the Falafel Wrap. Keep in mind that these items are all vegan, raw, and wheat-free. Love!
I ordered the Rawkin Pizza and the Falafel Wrap. If you want to try a raw vegan lasagna, I have a recipe for you!

Rawkin Pizza

The Rawkin Pizza is a wheat-free sprouted buckwheat crust topped with dill nut cheese, sweet chili sauce, chiffonade kale, julienne carrots, cauliflower florets, and marinated mushrooms. Let me just say, that crust is really good. It's not your usual raw vegan cardboard pizza crust. It is a thin crust, seasoned well with indian spices like cumin. The marinated mushrooms were fantastic too, as they had a salty flavour with some tanginess. I will have to try to make a marinate like this and share it with you guys in the future. Because we were at the festival at a later time, they reduced the menu prices slightly, so this slice was around $2 (i don't quite remember).I know gourmet raw foods take at least one day advanced to prepare as the dehydration process can take any time from 24-48 hours. Therefore, I think this was worth the price I paid.

Falafel Wrap

The falafel wrap is actually much more flavourful than it seems. Its "wrap" is the lettuce which consists of tomato, alfafa, cucumber, nut cheese and their famous falafel all wrapped inside. I really appreciate how the wrap didn't come apart because of the lettuce's delicate nature. The toothpick with the dried olive and cucumber really helped stabalize the burger from falling apart in your hands.

I would make a trip to their actual cafe in North Vancouver one day, perhaps after skiing up on Grouse Mountain in the area? I'd like to try more items, like their soups and mesquite cakes! 

Lots of Nuts,

Peanut Crumpet xo