Portland Seafood Company

The Gorgonzola Fries I've talked about....

All that was left afterwards...

The Seafood platter - fish, shrimp and clam strips

My Food Answers

I was asked what my answers would be to my Fellow Foodie Fun questions. So I thought I'd go ahead and post them here. :)

#1 Spinach

1. What food did you once hate (as a child or even more recently) that you have found an appreciate for and now enjoy? The first thing that came to mind was spinach. I hated spinach growing up, but mostly because of HOW my mother would prepare it. She loves it sauteed and wilted with no life left in it and bathed in butter and salt. I remember just swallowing it whole to get it down. Now, however, as an adult I've realized I like FRESH spinach. Spinach salads, on sandwiches, even slightly wilted in pastas. I still can't do the "creamed" spinach my mother loves though.

#2 Eggs Benedict

2. What do you normally order when going out to breakfast/brunch?That's an easy one. Eggs Benedict. I'm a sucker for properly poached eggs and you can bet if Eggs Benedict is on the menu I'll order it.

3. What is your favorite late-night snack? It really depends on if I am craving something sweet or salty? But if it's just a matter of not full from dinner and want a little something it'd either be peanut butter toast or a bowl of cereal.

#4 Pasta

4. What is the one dish you wish you could cook, but haven't yet mastered? I'd love to learn how to make fresh pasta. Right now though I have such a tiny kitchen and no real counter space it's kind of difficult.

5. What is your favorite restaurant? Where is it located and what is your favorite dish on their menu? I'm not sure if I have one ultimate favorite....I have favorites based on where I am/was living. When I lived in San Diego my go-to place was Spread, in North Park, they had a savory french toast that was killer. When I was in school it was Cuca's and their chicken rice burritos; I am still such a fan that when my aunt came up last summer we made her bring some with her. Now, living in Portland, I don't know if I have a "favorite"...I have a couple places...Departure and Ping would be the two if I had to pick (and I've blogged about Ping before).

#5 Ping

6. Who taught you how to cook? My mother (mostly) and both my grandmothers. The women in my family can cook and ever since I could stand on a chair to reach the counters they put a spoon in my hand to help. Best way to learn.

7. What is the worst cooking disaster you've ever caused? I remember once, I was maybe thirteen, I was asked to make jello and didn't put nearly enough water in. The whole thing was maybe an inch think and way gross. As an adult...nothing I would consider a disaster just things that didn't come out right. Like the Honey Cupcakes.

#8 Fish Tacos

8. What did you have for dinner last night? Homemade fish tacos.

9. What restaurant do you want to eat at and haven't? Okay, if we're talking dream meal I'd have to say I'd love to go to the French Laundry and eat anything Thomas Keller put in front of me. ::drooool::

#10 Gorgonzola Fries

10. What is your guilty-pleasure food item? Oh, normally I'd probably say "chocolate" in any shape or form. But the other night my mother and I had dinner at the Portland Seafood Company and we ordered their Gorgonzola Fries...HOLY CRAP! I wanted to LICK. THE. PLATE. Amazing. I've even gone out and bought fries to make my own at home (of course though I forgot the Gorgonzola.)

#11 Dim Sum

11. What food item/dish do you just love that your family/friends can't/won't try? Either sushi or dim sum. When I'm craving sushi I have to go out with coworkers because I can't get my family to eat it at all (although I did find out my sister's boyfriend is a fan, so we're going to find a Japanese restaurant that serves sushi and or teriyaki something for the haters). And then there's dim sum. I've taken my mother once and she hated everything we got - except the sticky rice and fried spring rolls.

#12 & 13 Chocolate Cream Pie

12. Cake or Pie? What kind? I think I'm going to have to go pie....but I like cream pies mostly. Chocolate cream. French silk. My favorite cake is Boston Cream "Pie" haha.

13. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would be your last meal? Probably my grandmother's fried chicken, a side order of biscuits with gravy and a slice of chocolate cream pie for dessert.

In-N-Out or Five Guys? Where's Your Burger Loyalty?

Today the Los Angeles Times tweeted an article about how Five Guys and In-N-Out were beating out fast food places like Burger King and McDonalds (well "Duuuuuuh!" was my thought).

"McDonald’s and Burger King have tens of thousands of U.S. locations, but when it comes to consumers’ favorite quick-service restaurants, smaller companies like Five Guys, Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out leave their giant competitors cooked." (I went to a Chic-fil-A once and just wasn't impressed)

Again.... "Duh" was my first response (I think I need to work on my internal monologue vocab....)

There was another article...this time comparing Five Guys and In-N-Out.

"We chose this over In-N-Out," said Gueghlein, chowing down with family members at the Five Guys in Valencia that opened in January. She liked the fresh, flavorful burgers and hand-cut fries at Five Guys — as well as the novelty of trying something new. "It's the fourth time we've been here since they opened."

Now, I am a Southern California girl. There's no denying that. Doesn't matter where I move to or how long I'm there, I was born and raised on the San Diego beaches and eating In-N-Out. However, two years ago I moved out of California and away from In-N-Out.

I first went to Five Guys when visiting one of my BFFs in Seattle. OMG! It was so yummy. I loved that they were making fresh patties visible to the diners. I loved that their fries were thicker cut and had the skin still on them. I love that I can get a "Cheese Veggie Sandwich" (a burger with no meat for those of you who haven't been to a Five Guys) on days when I'm not feeling like meat. Mmmmm.

Then a few months back they opened a location about 15 minutes from my house. Yippee! I took my mother there as soon as they opened - she moved to California in the early 60s as a child and grew up on In-N-Out. First words out of her mouth after trying a Five Guys Burger "Oh my. This is better than In-N-Out. And I'm a California girl!" Haha.

"But to really make inroads here, Five Guys will have to get past a major hurdle: the intense loyalty of In-N-Out customers." (Well apparently not if their "loyal" customers are like my mother)

We agree the one downside of Five Guys is their buns. They don't hold up to the heft of the burger and toppings (but this is also a complaint with In-N-Out) - they need something with more umph.

Have you been to a Five-Guys? Have you been to an In-N-Out? Which do you prefer?