I suspect I enjoy menu browsing outside of restaurants more than window shopping at department stores and clothing boutiques.
I enjoy a decent deal off cute heels or a dress. However, I love a good meal. A tasty bite softens the blow of a bad day. Warm soup chases away the chill from a summer storm. A fine glass of wine makes my world a better place, on good and bad days.
On cold days, I drop by Com Tam Thanh in Newark for their beef stew with a French baguette. It’s a rich broth, with hints of butter and fortified with carrots and hearty vegetables. I know Vietnamese cuisine is all about the pho. However, this stew is also amazing.
About a decade ago, I always ordered steamed mussels in white wine as my comfort dish. That was my favorite dish at Becketts in Berkeley. Even though it was on the appetizer menu, the mussels filled me up for dinner. When I was dating my hubby, we liked hitting Becketts after work. I remember one time we ran out of bread at the table. I wanted more of that tasty white wine broth. So, I used a mussel shell as a spoon and worked on the broth. At the end of the meal, I noticed there was a spoon hidden under the mussels bowl. I asked future hubby if he knew about the spoon.
“Yes. I thought you liked spooning up the broth that way,” he said. (Since it was about ten years ago, I’m paraphrasing.) I guess I looked cute sipping the broth from my makeshift mussel spoon, but come on! Still, it’s a funny misunderstanding.
On days when I’m craving crispy pork skin, I drop by Tipanan for the sisig. The plate is still sizzling hot by the time it makes it to my table.
After our Memorial Holiday weekend in Half Moon Bay, I can’t stop thinking about this amazing lobster roll from Sam’s Chowder House. The Today Show raved about the lobster roll and I can see why. The fresh lobster pieces are tossed lightly in butter and served over bread. Perfect.
What do you consider comfort food?