Dougie Dog Natural Hot dogs Vancouver

FOOD: Dougie Dog All Natural Hot Dogs Vancouver


I've always wanted to try Dougie Dog, and this past weekend I finally had the chance. Located near the intersection of Nelson and Granville in downtown Vancouver the gourmet hot dog joint, is serving up some pretty tasty dogs, unlike anything else in the city. 


Sure JapaDog has their share of toppings and flavors, but their dogs are distinctly Japanese influenced. Dougie Dog on the other hand is more than a culturally influenced hot dog. Their dogs range from the original classic dog, to Italian, to Chicago style, to hot dogs named after rock stars. And lets not forget their high-end $100 hot dog topped with Kobe beef, lobster and truffles.


Now Dougie Dog isn't all just fancy sounding hot dogs. They are firm believers in all natural hot dogs, with no mystery to the meat. You can definitely see and taste the difference! The dogs also have a really nice crisp snap when you bite into it. No pink sludge!


I had heard about this place from friends, so I had to check it out.




I first ordered the Super Mario Dog. It was topped with mushrooms, cheese, and Jalepeno. Pretty good, but I was still hungry, and it was a bit mild for my taste, so I ordered the Seoul Dog. This was a very good dog, topped with Korean BBQ, kimchi, and pickles. So good.


The Butterscotch Root Beer was very smooth, and not too sweet like other Root Beer brands.

The history Dougie Dog is documented on the Dougie Dog DVD. I had my DVD autographed by the man himself. If Dougie Dog sounds familiar it was originally featured on the show Dragons' Den.

DOUGIE DOG
http://dougiedog.com/
1011 Granville Street | Vancouver, BC

FOODIE EATS TU LAN VIETNAMESE SAN FRANCISCO

FOODIE EATS! - SAN FRANCISCO - TU LAN VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

I had a chance to try this little local favorite, Vietnamese restaurant when I was in town for GDC. A local friend suggested Tu Lan (thx momop!). The area isn't so great around the restaurant, which is the case with a lot of the good food in downtown SF. The lunch crowd was very busy and very packed, but the turnover was fairly quick, and not too bad of a wait.

A friend and I sat at the bar, set up like an old diner, but serving up some very good Vietnamese eats. The serving staff were very quick, even though it might appear as chaos, they were pretty organized, Asian style. 

I ordered half salad roll/spring roll which wasn't on the menu but they were glad to do it for new customers. I also ordered a #7 Pho noodle. The broth was quite peppery compared to other Pho that I've tried, and the beef pieces were fully cooked (no rare steak option) but still very filling and tasty.

Apparently their #15 (kabob on noodle) is da bomb! Which I will have to make a return trip to try.

Tu Lan Vietnamese, good stuff!

And yes, that is Julia Child on their menus.

Vietnamese Cuisine  ♦  Since 1977
8, Sixth Street, San Francisco, CA. 94103
(415) 626-0927

http://tulansf.blogspot.com/
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/tu-lan-san-francisco

Anton's Pasta Pen reward

Gorging for a reward.

Anton's Pasta prides itself in the massive dinner portions that are infamous in and around Vancouver, and only a rare few are up to the challenge of gorging on pasta that could feed a family of four, putting their appetites to the test and finishing their entire entrees. In return for the act of gluttony, Anton's rewards eaters with a pen, as a sign of their new accomplishment.

Unlike the last time I went to Anton's, this time I started out strong, and kept a steady pace. The pasta was really tasty, and I was really hungry that night too, so that helped in my mission to earn an Anton's pen. And thus, it was mine.

Amazing how skinny Asians can pack away food like bottomless pits, like the Japanese hotdog contest winners. We must all have parasites in our guts. One of these days my metabolism will slow down, and I'll be thinking twice about packing away this much food. But until then, I'm going to enjoy eating.

Though, I honestly feel like I didn't earn the pen fairly. You see, each kind of pasta is different. Each dish is different. And I guess this time I lucked out with a much lighter pasta. The first time I tried, and failed to finish a plate at Anton's I had ordered the Linguine Con Polpette - meatballs topped with a tomato meat sauce. This time I ordered Fusilli Alla Romana - pancetta, mushrooms, capers & black olives in a spicy tomato sauce. The missing meatballs really made a difference, and if it wasn't for the lack of meatballs, I probably wouldn't be able to finish the dish.

In any case, the Anton's menu rocks, and every time I go back, I make sure to try something else because mostly everything tastes good.

Jen, Kevin. I did this for you guys! Ahaha! And yes, I felt sick after, but it was so worth it.

Childrens Hospital McDonalds Cafeteria

Disgusting - McDonald's cafeteria, the only food option at Children's Hospital???

During my trip to LA for the Holidays, I had an impromptu opportunity to visit Children's Hospital, when my baby cousin had to go in for a checkup. I hadn't set foot in a Children's Hospital since I was a kid, so this was a chance to see the hospital from a grownups perspective.

This particular Children's Hospital at 5000 W Sunset Blvd, features a McDonald's as the cafeteria. Surprised at this disgusting discovery, I decided to take some pictures as evidence. The thought of McDonald's inside a children's facility is pretty sickening, especially when you realize that it's the only place to get food, aside from the bagel vendor in the hallway by the entrance.

There's a sign in the main lobby that simply stays 'cafeteria' with an arrow pointing in the appropriate direction, which I tried following, but it just leads back to McDonald's.

Upon first look at the virtual tour of the Children's Hospital LA website, there's no mention of McDonald's their site. Though when viewing the interactive map, it reveals Micky Dee's, as being the only location for food within the building.

For a facility boasting some of the best medical staff, and equipment in the world, the sight of McDonald's, is nothing but disappointing. It works against the philosophy of good health, and healthy living for children.

Open 24 Hours to brainwash your child into thinking that McDonald's is a nutritious part of their diet -- an addiction rooted from childhood, fast food is the worst thing you can give children, let alone ones with serious medical conditions. Hardcore product placement even in a hospital is sick.

What annoys me even more is that when you click the camera icon on the interactive map above the McDonald's Logo, you get this message:

"Having a McDonalds franchise on our hospital's campus ensures that families are able to grab a meal in an atmosphere that children recognize as being child-friendly without leaving our hospital. For families with sick children, the golden arches are often a welcome site."

You have got to be fucking kidding me. Sure kids recognize the brand, that's only because they're bombarded with it, even in a hospital.

I couldn't help but notice 'ethnic minorities' being treated at the hospital, and lining up at McDonald's, and I felt like they were being targeted with fast food, a leading cause of childhood obesity. If this were a hospital for the upper class, in an affluent neighborhood, where patients and families were Caucasian I'm sure organic sandwiches, wraps, and healthy salads, would be served. Sort of like the Military advertising heavily in movie theaters located in low to middle-class neighborhoods, where the expectancy for college is lower, while next to no military advertising appears in upper-class theaters, where kids are more likely to go to college.

LA Favorites Mashti Malones Ice Cream

Mashti Malone's Ice Cream, a tasty alternative to Frozen Yogurt.

Over the holidays I had a chance to hit up some of my favorite spots while down in LA -- One of them being the local favorite Mashti Malone's ice cream in Hollywood. And every time I'm in LA, I make sure that I stop by this place to get my fix of exotic Rosewater Saffron with Pistachios. *Drool*. I've been going to this place for years, and it remains a definite favorite of mine, my friends, and family.

For those who are somewhat confused by the ice cream parlors name of 'Mashti Malone's,' just give this LA Times article a read to get a better idea. The name embodies diversity for the area it's located in, it's history, and it's owners -- brothers Mashti, and Mehdi Shirvani. The flavors are not your typical fair, which is exactly what you shouldn't expect when visiting this place. If you're familiar with Persian ingredients, these ice cream flavors would be right for your taste buds, if you're not, they will definitely grow on you from the first time you try it.

If ever you're in the LA area, it's worth a trip to Mashti Malone's.

1525 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90028 Toll Free: 1-866-767-3423 1-866-Rose Ice Tel: (323) 874 -0144 Fax: (323) 969 -8693 info@mashtimalone.com