Eat in San Jose: 333 Truck

Beer Battered Fish Tacos

I recently had the opportunity to try 333 Truck, a food truck that serves the South and East Bay through Off The Grid. They serve tacos and burritos filled with Mexican, Korean, or Indian food. What's really cool is that you can mix and match your tacos. You can pick a Carne Asada, a Lamb Curry, and a Spicy BBQ Chicken taco and call it a day.

I had the Beer Battered Fish Tacos. Even though I'm not much of a taco fan, theirs were pretty good. They were fried perfectly and didn't taste too heavy. It was prepared minutes before I ate it, making all the ingredients very fresh. The juice from the lime brought all the flavors together and gave it a tanginess I appreciate.

Next time I stop by, I'll try their vegetarian taco with black beans or one with chicken tikka.

This photo was taken on a Nexus 5 and looks this good. Isn't that crazy? I'd say so.

333 Truck

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Times and locations vary

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Eat in San Francisco: Dynamo Donut + Coffee

Maple Glazed Bacon Apple Donut

After hearing about Dynamo Donut + Coffee for years, I finally visited their Mission location on 24th and Hampshire last weekend before heading over to the San Francisco Street Food Festival. It was definitely worth the wait. You can tell each donut was made by a passionate and talented pastry chef at the helm, who in this case is Sara Spearin.

I tried the Maple Glazed Bacon Apple donut, which seemed like one of the must-try options according to users on Yelp. This raised donut lived up to my expectations and then some. For a morning treat covered in frosting and bacon, it was surprisingly light. The frosting was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. Although I'm no baconholic, I actually would want a little more bacon to truly bring out its distinct flavor. Overall, this donut had the perfect balance between sweet and savory. I would gladly try it again soon.

The next time I stop by, I'll have the Chocolate Rose or even one of their gluten-free options like the "I'm Not a Gluten Chocolate with Raspberry Black Pepper Glaze." Basically, I'll have the chocolate, please!

Have you ever visited Dynamo? What's your favorite donut?

Looking for more photos from Dynamo Donut + Coffee? Here you are.

Dynamo Donut + Coffee

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2760 24th St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Open: Tuesday - Saturday 7 - 5, Sunday 9 - 4

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Work It, San Francisco: Minna Smith

Minna is wearing a Forever 21 shirt, Levi's jeans, Ray-Ban sunglasses, vintage pin, vintage Cole Haan loafers, and Fossil watch. Minna is an Oakland-based artist. You can check out her work here.

Spotted at the 20th Street Block Party on 20th between Bryant and Harrison.
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Work It, San Francisco: Abby

Abby is wearing a dress from Anthropologie, J. Crew necklace and earrings, Marc Jacobs sunglasses, Zara heels, and Kate Spade purse.

Spotted at the 20th Street Block Party on 20th between Bryant and Harrison.
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Work It, San Francisco: Meryl

Meryl is wearing an American Apparel crop top and pants, jacket from Romwe, boots from Tilly's, H&M hat and sunglasses, and backpack from Target.

Spotted at the 20th Street Block Party on 20th between Bryant and Harrison.
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Coffee in San Francisco: Philz Coffee (Pt. 2)

Mocha Tesora Iced Coffee

After craving Philz for what felt like decades, I finally returned to the land of milk and coffee during the San Francisco Street Food Festival over the weekend. This time, I visited their original location on 24th and Folsom in the Mission.

Having my fair share of the Mint Mojito Iced Coffee, I opted to try a new drink: the Mocha Tesora over ice. It was amazing and might become my go-to coffee of choice. (That is, until I try my next favorite.) It had a velvety texture and a creamy chocolate flavor that pretty much made it perfect. Since it was brewed right before my eyes, it was fresh and made just for me.

What's your favorite drink? Hot, cold, specialty, Blue Mountain? How do you Phil up? Feel free to share in the comment section below.

Craving more photos from Philz Coffee? Obviously.

Philz Coffee

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3101 24th St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Open: Monday - Friday 6am - 8:30pm, Saturday - Sunday 6:30am - 8:30pm

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Fun tech fact: Philz Coffee is VC-funded by Aileen Lee, co-founder of Cowboy Ventures and one of the top female venture capitalists in the Bay Area, according to 7x7. Talk about girl power!

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Eat in Berkeley: Tara's Organic Ice Cream (Pt. 2)

Oregano Orange Pepper and Chipotle ice cream

While walking around Berkeley last week, I stopped by Tara's Organic Ice Cream on College, one of my favorite ice cream shops in the Bay Area. Longtime readers might remember that I did a post about Tara's last June in which I gushed over their basil and lavender flavors.

This time, I was looking to try something bold. After sampling three very good flavors, I picked the Oregano Orange Pepper and the Chipotle. They were both incredible. The Oregano Orange Pepper had the dynamic flavor in which Tara's is known. The standout was the Chipotle. It was very spicy because they use real chipotle peppers. It gave the ice cream a good kick after each bite. These savory flavors made the ice cream seem like more of an appetizer than a dessert, which I gladly welcomed.

If you're looking for more information about Tara's, please check out my previous post and get ready to drool.

Tara's Organic Ice Cream
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3173 College Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705
Open: Daily 12 - 10

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Work It, San Francisco: Luna

Luna is wearing a hat from the Lower East Side, top from Paris, BCBG jacket, Zara jeans, Isabel Marant boots, and vintage bag from the Brooklyn Flea. You can follow Luna on her blog and Instagram.

Spotted at the San Francisco Street Food Festival on Folsom and 24th.
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Eat in San Francisco: Nopa (Pt. 2)

Peach and Thyme Braised Pork Shoulder with creamy polenta, roasted corn, and peach-pepper relish


Custard French Toast with strawberries and housemade butter


Smoked Trout with sea salt bagel, Dill Farmer's cheese, cucumber, and radish


Butter Basted Eggs with black eyed peas, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, lime, and fried chickpeas

I've wanted to revisit Nopa ever since I first stopped by for brunch in March. Located in San Francisco's Alamo Square neighborhood, Nopa has set the bar for what I expect brunch to be. My one true birthday wish was to enjoy a delicious brunch with my close friends. (Wish granted.)

This time around was as equally satisfying as the first. I tried the Custard French Toast, which came with strawberries and was just as moist and custard-soaked as before. In short, it was still mouthwatering. I also tried a bit of my friends' dishes, all of which were pretty good. The pork shoulder was very tender, the polenta flavorful. The trout was salty perfection, while the butter basted eggs and salad were also good.

If you're looking for a more complete review, you can check out my previous entry on Nopa. Everything I said originally is still true. Their food is good; getting a table can be tricky. If you're in the area, you must add it to your restaurant hit list.

If you've stopped by for dinner, what did you think? Was it as good as brunch? Any recommendations?

More mouthwatering photos from Nopa are right this way.

Nopa

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560 Divisadero St., San Francisco, CA 94117
Open: Monday - Friday 5 - 1, Saturday - Sunday 11 - 1

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Eat in San Francisco: Tartine Bakery & Cafe

Croque Monsieur made with levain bread, béchamel, Gruyère, ham, pepper, tomatoes, and a carrot on the side

Apparently, I've been on a bit of a Croque Madame and Croque Monsieur kick. Last week I satisfied my craving for the former at Mama's Royal Cafe in Oakland, while this weekend I tried the latter at Tartine in the Mission. This San Francisco-based bakery, located on Guerrero between 18th and 19th, is quite popular and with good reason.

The Croque Monsieur was simply divine. This open-faced sandwich starts with their famous levain bread at the bottom. It is then layered with a choice of meat (I picked ham), béchamel sauce, Gruyère cheese, pepper, and tomatoes. It comes with a tangy carrot on the side. Like the Croque Madame I had at Mama's Royal Cafe, Tartine's is full of flavor. The bold and subtle flavors of the ham, cheese, and vegetables complement each other perfectly.

Although I've tried a few other items on their menu, I have yet to try their seasonal bread pudding, which is #33 on 7x7's The Big Eat 2014. Considering how satisfied I've been with everything else I've had, I may need to try it sooner rather than later.

Looking for more photos from Tartine? Yessir!

Tartine Bakery & Cafe
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600 Guerrero St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Open: Monday 8 - 7, Tuesday - Wednesday 7:30 - 7, Thursday - Friday 7:30 - 8, Saturday 8 - 8, Sunday 9 - 8

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Eat in San Francisco: Dandelion Chocolate (Pt. 2)

Papua New Guinea S'more made with homemade graham, marshmallow, and chocolate

If you've been following my foodie adventures for the past few months, you know that I've already visited Dandelion Chocolate, a chocolate shop and factory located in the Mission. My main motivation for returning this weekend was to try the Papua New Guinea S'more, which is #20 on 7x7's The Big Eat 2014.

This extremely photogenic s'more is very much worth the hype. It is essentially what an adult would want in this campfire staple as seen through the eyes of a culinary artist. (Yes, an artist. It is that serious.) It begins with a layer of homemade graham that's equal parts flaky and buttery. The next layer is the perfectly toasted marshmallow that is surrounding the rich, almost melted chocolate. When you bite into the s'more, you'll notice it's mostly made of the marshmallow center. You'll then notice how the flavor of the creamy chocolate is accentuated by the salt flakes on top. For the full experience, try to get every part of the bar―the chocolate, marshmallow, graham, and salt―in one bite.

After trying their s'more, there's little wonder why it made 7x7's list and why it deserves its own post.

Here are more photos from Dandelion Chocolate. You're welcome.

Dandelion Chocolate
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740 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Open: Sunday - Thursday 10 - 9, Friday - Saturday 10 - 10

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Coffee in San Francisco: Sightglass Coffee

Cappuccino

This weekend, I continued to explore my obsession with fancy-pants coffee by visiting Sightglass Coffee in the Mission. This San Francisco-based coffee shop is located on 20th between Alabama and Florida Streets, down the block from a certain Italian restaurant I'd avoid. They serve their own brand of coffee, which is available for purchase on their website.

I ordered a cappuccino and it was perfect. It had a bold flavor, provided a good burst of caffeine, and was prepared impeccably.

Located in a calmer part of the Mission, Sightglass has comfortable leather seats inside and wooden benches out front. It's a great place to catch up on some reading (or what's happening on Twitter, quite frankly), while enjoying a delicious cup of coffee. I'd definitely stop by the next time I'm in this neighborhood.

Need a Sightglass fix? Here are more photos from Sightglass Coffee.

Sightglass Coffee
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3014 20th St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Open: Monday - Saturday 7am - 8pm, Sunday 8 - 8

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