I have come to realize that I do not update my photoblog as often as I used to just because when I come back home from work, I just do not feel like being on the computer more. So I will introduce this series called “What I Ate This Month”, and I will recap the food and restaurants I had eaten this month.

Polly’s Pies (Cerritos, CA)

Fun fact: Polly’s Pies is having a prime rib dinner for $19.99 on weekends, starting Friday, so Tom and I decided to go eat there for a relatively cheap prime rib dinner. To our surprise, the prime rib was cooked medium rare just the way we like it (and requested), and it actually had a pretty good flavor to it. It did not taste like old steak at all, and the steak was actually tender. I also asked for a side of cornbread because it is not dry at all, and it is quite addicting.

Bakers and Baristas (Artesia, CA)

This month was Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM), so Bakers and Baristas have been making a different weekend dish showcasing an Asian dish. The first weekend was Filipino food with kare kare and ube latte. Tom and I don’t eat Filipino food often, so I was excited to try different cuisines. The kare kare was made out of braised beef, peanut sauce, oyster mushroom, bok choy, eggplant, long beans and bagoong (which is a fermented fish side dish). The braised beef was so tender, and the whole dish elevated when you added the bagoong into the whole thing. I really enjoyed it. The ube latte was very refreshing to eat with the kare kare.

The Vox Kitchen (Fountain Valley, CA)

Tom’s friend from Canada came to visit, so we went to The Vox Kitchen since they were staying in Costa Mesa. I have heard good things about the restaurant and how it is very packed all the time. To our surprise, though, we were able to get a seat right away during lunch time. We all ordered a dish that we thought looked good and shared it altogether. I enjoyed the lychee lemonade since it was so refreshing. The ribeye steak with the garlic noodles was so tender, and I would order it again. Everything was very delicious, and I think Tom’s friend enjoyed it a lot as well.

Bafang Dumpling (Cerritos, CA)

I was so excited that Bafang Dumpling had opened a store in Cerritos since Taiwanese pot stickers and beef noodle soup are easily my comfort food. Tom and I went here after his work one day, and it is easily now on our list of places to go when he comes home late from work, and I do not feel like cooking.

Pot on Fire (Cerritos, CA)

Pot on Fire has been on one of the restaurants Tom and I have been going to very often, especially after he comes back home late from work since they seat us after 8 PM. The hot pots are also not too salty and/or spicy, so I enjoy coming here a lot for a quick and simple dinner.

Bopomofo Cafe (Artesia, CA)

Since Tom and I missed the Taiwanese corn dogs last time, we went back to Bopomofo Cafe again and ordered it this time. The Taiwanese corn dog actually was pretty good, and I think the sauce (that is not pictured) actually makes the corn dog taste really good. We also ordered Taiwanese popcorn chicken and braised beef sandwich since we thought the corn dogs weren’t enough food. I also ordered the Orange Wang for my drink since I just wanted something sweet.

Olive Garden (Cerritos, CA)

Garfield week continues. Tom and I went to Olive Garden on the opening night of Garfield because we thought it would be fun to go. I actually have not been to Olive Garden since I was in high school, so it was fun to go back to it again. There was not much promotion for The Garfield Movie, unfortunately, but I did ask for the coloring book they had for children. We ordered the chicken and gnocchi soup, the fried shrimp appetizer, the fettuccini chicken alfredo, and the Tour of Italy trio for Tom. The pasta itself was kind of on the mushy end, but I enjoy that texture, so I really liked my fettuccini chicken alfredo. Yes, I asked for broccoli as the side dish. I like my broccoli.

Hanmi Korean Restaurant (Artesia, CA)

My coworkers Irene and Sharon said that there is a good Korean restaurant that opened near work, and they did not disappoint. I was impressed by the number of side dishes the restaurant had to offer, and it is not your common side dishes as well. I enjoyed the eggplant and the acorn jelly the most. We also ordered the pork belly, and it was so delicious. I would order it again.

Aikan Sushi (Artesia, CA)

For Memorial Day weekend, Tom and I did not do much or go anywhere, so we decided to go to Aikan Sushi for AYCE sushi since we have not been back here for a while. We like coming here because the fish quality is not bad, and the fish and rice ratio is pretty decent as well. It is a place I would invite friends for AYCE sushi nearby.